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This might be one of the most puzzling (not to mention affordable) pieces of San Francisco real estate to recently hit the market.

A Richmond District alley listed last week for $35,000.

The stretch of pavement between 22nd and 24th avenues is essentially a shared driveway that runs behind a row of homes a block from the Presidio. An easement requires that the alley be accessible to the homeowners.

There's really absolutely nothing you can do with this land. You can't build on it or park your truck there. You probably couldn't even pitch a tent. But you are required to pay taxes and insurance and keep it well-maintained.

So why would you ever want to own this alley?

Listing agent Fred Glick of Arrivva, "You can say you own a piece of San Francisco property, or just for fun. Actually, I really don't know why anyone would want it, but there are a lot of people doing strange things out there."

In a tongue-in-cheek blog post on Medium, Glick offered up some other outlandish ideas such as "Get a price to [remove] all of the driveway cement, sell off a piece of San Francisco to collectors around the world and pay for a new driveway and a profit."

Glick said the current owner wants to sell the property because he has realized it's a liability. The owner, who lives on the East Coast, bought the alley sight unseen at a city tax auction.

Glick explained that the entire block was originally owned by a corporation and the individual homes were sold off, the company held onto the drive.

"Then one day, the corporation disappeared, for a reason I don't know," Glick added, "And the property went up as a tax sale."
WASHINGTON  The United States and China struck what appeared to be an unusual bargain Wednesday as President Trump said he wont label China a currency manipulator and voiced confidence Chinese President Xi Jinping will help him deal with North Koreas mounting threat.

Another result of the diplomatic wrangling: a surprising Chinese abstention on a U.N. resolution condemning a Syrian chemical weapons attack.

In a newspaper interview and a White House news conference, Trump hailed the rapport he developed with Xi during last weeks Florida summit, which seems to have yielded an immediate easing of tensions related to the U.S.-Chinese trade imbalance and how to prevent Pyongyang from developing a nuclear missile capable of reaching the United States.

I think he wants to help us with North Korea, Trump said of Xi, crediting China in the news conference with taking a big step by turning back boats of coal that North Korea sells to its northern neighbor. North Korea conducts roughly 90 percent of its trade with China.

And in one of the sharpest reverses of his presidency, Trump backed off from a campaign pledge by saying he would not declare China to be a currency manipulator, an action that could have led to higher tariffs on Chinese goods. The accusation had formed a basis of Trumps argument for lost American jobs, on the grounds that an undervaluing currency was boosting Chinese exports and leading to artificially low prices, all at U.S. manufacturers expense.

Theyre not currency manipulators, Trump told the Wall Street Journal earlier Wednesday, saying the country hadnt been cheating on its currency for months. He said a U.S. declaration of Chinese manipulation could jeopardize talks with China on North Korea.

Its rare for American leaders to link trade or currency disputes to broader international security efforts against countries such as North Korea. Trumps predecessors had largely kept such disputes separate.

Asked specifically if his decision on currency was part of an agreement over North Korea, Trump responded: Were going to see. Were going to see about that.

He also repeated that trade concessions could be on the table for more cooperation on North Korea. He said he told Xi last week that: The way youre going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea.

Matthew Pennington and Martin Crutsinger are Associated Press writers.
WASHINGTON  President Trump is appearing to rule out deeper American military intervention in Syria beyond retaliatory strikes if Syrian President Bashar Assad continues his assault on civilians with chemical weapons.

Are we going to get involved with Syria? No, Trump told Fox Business News in an interview that aired Wednesday.

Trumps comments come less than a week after he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airfield after U.S. evidence indicated that Assad killed civilians using the nerve agent sarin.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Wednesday said the president was not ruling out another attack on Syrian government installations if Assad continued to use chemical weapons against civilians.

But Spicer said going in and occupying Syria for the express purpose of regime change is something the president has been very clear on.

Trump also warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that in backing Assad, Putin was supporting someone who is truly an evil person.

I think its very bad for Russia. I think its very bad for mankind. Its very bad for this world, Trump told Fox Business News.

Later Wednesday, Trump did an about-face on NATO, the military alliance he once dismissed as ineffective.

The president said at a White House news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that the organization is no longer obsolete.

As a candidate, Trump said the 28-member organization had outlived its usefulness. Since taking office, he has expressed support for NATO but has reinforced his view that European members must meet a 2014 agreement for member countries to boost defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product within a decade. Just the U.S. and a handful of other countries are meeting the target.

Trump has said NATO countries will be more secure and the partnership strengthened if other countries pay their fair share and stop relying on the United States.

Vivian Salama is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administrations decision to send an aircraft carrier to waters off the Korean Peninsula is meant as a show of force, but it also could expose American weakness.

If North Korea goes ahead with a ballistic missile or nuclear test and the U.S. does nothing in response, Americas deterrence will appear diminished.

The aircraft carrier Carl Vinson is on the move as anticipation mounts that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will stage a weapons test around the anniversary of the birth of his grandfather, Kim Il Sung, the nations founder, on Saturday. Another potential date: an April 25 celebration of its armed forces.

The North sees U.S.-South Korea war games as preparations for an invasion. The U.S. and its allies have expressed alarm about the Norths recent ballistic missile launches, including a four-rocket salvo last month it described as a practice to strike U.S. bases in Japan.

Washingtons ultimate concern is the Norths developing ability to mount a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental missile, which it should be able to master in the next few years.

President Trump told the Fox News Channel in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the U.S. was sending an armada of vessels, including submarines, but he declined to discuss military plans. At the Pentagon on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said sending the Vinson was prudent.

Army Gen. Vincent Brooks, commander of U.S. forces in South Korea, decided not to come to Washington for congressional hearings this month, his office said Tuesday, suggesting he had to stay for a potentially hazardous situation under his command. U.S. defense officials said that didnt mean military action was imminent. A similar decision was made amid tensions in 2013.

But the Vinsons presence near North Korea points to the larger challenge for the U.S. of deterrence, which has to be backed by the real threat of force.

No one has spoken of shooting down a North Korean missile unless it directly threatens the U.S. or its allies in East Asia. Kim is likely to be undeterred to conduct tests because he has made nuclear weapons development a national priority, seeing them as a guarantee against U.S.-backed efforts that have toppled authoritarian governments in Iraq, Libya and elsewhere.

Trumps policy toward the North Korean threat is still taking shape. The emphasis has been on pressing China to use its economic leverage to rein in its wayward ally. In the Fox interview, Trump said he told Chinese leader Xi Jinping when they met in Florida last week that you have a tremendous power because of trade.

The United States periodically sends aircraft carrier strike groups to waters near the Korean Peninsula to retain a naval presence and project power in the region.

President Barack Obama ordered an aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula in a show of force in 2010 after North Korea launched a deadly artillery barrage on the South.

Matthew Pennington is an Associated Press writer.
WASHINGTON  The White House accused the Russian government on Tuesday of engaging in a cover-up of the chemical weapons attack last week by Syrian forces that prompted U.S. missile strikes, saying U.S. intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people.

In a declassified four-page report that details U.S. intelligence on the chemical weapons attack and contains a point-by-point rebuttal of Moscows claims, the White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments had sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and false narratives.

The strongly worded document calls for international condemnation of Syrias use of chemical weapons and harshly criticizes Russia for shielding an ally that has used weapons of mass destruction.

It marks a striking shift by President Trump, who entered office praising President Vladimir Putin of Russia and seeking common ground with him  and now appears to be moving swiftly to isolate him. The charges came as Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, was preparing for meetings in Moscow on Wednesday, and as Congress and the FBI are investigating potential ties between Trumps presidential campaign and Russia.

Russia is in an island on this, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said. He said there was little dispute about Syrias responsibility for the attack  except by Moscow and the failed states of North Korea and Iran.

This is not exactly a happy-time cocktail party of people you want to be associated with, he said.

Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the governments view, said Russias goal was to cover up the Syrian governments culpability for the chemical attack. They asserted that the Syrian government, under pressure from opposition forces in the strategically vital Hama province and lacking sufficient troops to respond, used the lethal nerve agent sarin to retaliate against rebels who were threatening government-held territory.

Neither Spicer nor any of the officials who detailed the U.S. governments chronology of the chemical attack would comment on the possibility that the Russian government had known in advance of Syrias plan to carry it out, or to launch a subsequent assault on a hospital that was treating victims.

But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, and that Russian forces were stationed at Al Shayrat airfield, which was used to launch the chemical attack, Moscow must answer.

Julie Hirschfeld Davis is a New York Times writer.
Each weekday morning, the Plaza in downtown Santa Fe comes to life slowly. A few tourists are usually out for a jog, fighting the surprisingly thin air. Merchants make a quick check of window displays and sweep away any trash thats found its way to their doorstep.

In the southwest part of town, however, Santa Fe has been awake hours before the bells first ring at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis. Cars zip back and forth along Cerrillos and Airport Roads. Parents are hustling kids to school or daycare, then scrambling to get to work. There are more kids here than any other part of town. There are more people, too.

But there aren't more voters. The city is divided into four City Council districts, and the two with the wealthiest residentsDistricts 1 and 2have more than twice the registered voters of District 3. Even the south-central District 4 comes close to doubling its neighbor to the west.

While the city's last round of redistricting produced four districts with roughly equal total populationcurrently the only legally acceptable way to adjust representationthe makeup of the roughly 20,000 people in each district is remarkably different.

Not only are there fewer voters in District 3, those people who do register are also less likely to cast a ballot. In the last municipal election, fewer than 7 percent turned out. That's roughly one in every 14 registered voters. The rest of the city better than doubled that number, too.

That sort of disparity makes for an interesting electoral dynamic for the May 2 special election to levy a 2-cents-per-ounce sugary-beverage tax. Household income in District 3 is less than almost every other part of town, which means a family is more likely to drink sugary beverages, according to well-established research.

But with twice the number of kids as District 1, according to advocates for the tax, the southwest side of town would be more likely to benefit from the pre-kindergarten programs the tax aims to fund. They estimate the tax would create 177 extra spots for 3- and 4-year-olds in District 3.

So what is a parent or an interested citizen on the Southside to consider when staring at that one, lone question on the ballot?

For many voters, University of New Mexico Political Science Department Chair Tim Krebs says the choice will come down to a preference between the more immediate, individual economic effecthow much sugary stuff you drink and how you think it'll affect your bank accountand the benefit that will come later through more abstract measures like a potential spot in a pre-kindergarten program, better-educated kids and healthier families.

That makes the ultimate outcome of that conflict at the ballot box hard to predict.

"You think of this as kind of a no-brainer for liberal Democratic voters," Krebs tells SFR on the phone from a political science conference.

Krebs explains there's likely to be much stronger turnout from wealthier voters in the north and east sides of the city. Among these are people who make more money, are less likely to drink soda and, despite being less likely to benefit from expanded pre-K, still favor the tax.

The problem for those who are against the tax is that the kind of "liberal" voters Krebs describes make up a huge part of Santa Fe's voting population. District 3 voters who might balk at the higher cost of sugary drinks are outnumbered: For every one registered voter in District 3, there are nearly four and a half voters registered in Districts 1 and 2.

"There's definitely a divide in the city in terms of income inequality," says David Huynh, the former Hillary Clinton staffer now running the Better Way for Santa Fe & Pre-K political committee that's against the tax. He and others argue the tax is easy for wealthier voters to handle.

"A lot of people look at this issue and say it's really a pocketbook issue for them," says Huynh.

Krebs says the tax would almost certainly be dead in the water if it weren't tied to pre-kindergarten programs. Not only is a new tax of any kind a hard sell, but anti-tax votersthat often means Republicansare more likely to vote in such elections.

"We are spending a lot of time talking to families about the benefits," Sandra Wechsler tells SFR. The political consultant spearheading the effort for the sugary-drink tax says the Pre-K for Santa Fe group is focusing on the long-term benefits like healthy families and the downward pressure more pre-K seats will put on the cost of early childhood education across the city.

The stakes are high. Anti-tax players like Big Soda and pro-tax advocates like former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg have poured more than $1.5 million into the campaign. Early voting starts today.



Registered voters Per District

Santa Fe Reporter
National guest nights fell in February, bucking eight straight months of growth, as a slide in domestic stays offset growth from international guests.

Total guest nights dropped 0.4 percent to 3.9 million in February compared with the same month a year earlier, Statistics New Zealand said. Domestic guest nights fell 1.6 percent to 1.986 million while international guest nights advanced 0.8 percent to 1.963 million, the agency said. It noted that last February had an extra day of trading as 2016 was a leap year.

New Zealand's accommodation sector has been on a tear, with February's decline only the fourth recorded for any month over the past four years. The government's tourism marketing body Tourism New Zealand has stopped advertising the country as a destination during the peak summer months of December through February amid concerns the country's infrastructure is reaching capacity.

The latest data shows guest nights in the North Island advanced 1 percent, while South Island guest nights declined 2.2 percent.

Stats NZ noted that falls in the South Island and Canterbury were impacted by fewer stays in Kaikoura, where guest nights were down 51 percent following the impact of the November earthquakes.

Overall, guest nights were higher in half of the 12 regional areas in February compared with the year earlier month. Northland recorded the biggest gain, with a 10.5 percent increase, while the biggest falls were in Wellington and the West Coast, both down 5.5 percent, and Canterbury, down 3.5 percent.

Guest nights fell for three of four accommodation types in February. Hotels dropped 0.8 percent, motels fell 2.2 percent, and backpackers slid 0.1 percent. Holiday parks bucked the trend, up 2.5 percent.

The total available capacity for short-term commercial accommodation fell 0.4 percent in February, with all four accommodation types registering declines.

The occupancy rate increased for all four accommodation types, with hotels up 0.9 percent to a record 81.2 percent. Motels gained 2.2 percentage points to 77.5 percent, backpackers rose 2.4 percentage points to 59.4 percent, and holiday parks increased 2.3 percentage points to 29.6 percent.

(BusinessDesk)

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Craigs Investment Partners posted a 58 percent gain in annual profit as a swelling pot of funds under management delivered a boost to fee income, however, the broking and research house sees the pace of that growth slowing.

Net profit rose to $25.6 million in calendar 2016 from $16.2 million in the prior year as the Tauranga-based company's revenue climbed 18 percent to $145.4 million. Of that, income from fees jumped 30 percent to $84.8 million.

Chairman Neil Craig said the firm - which has 17 offices across the country - has seen "steady straight line growth between 2014 and 2016" with about $13 billion of funds under management, up from about $10 billion in 2014 when it generated fees of about $61 million. In 2013, Craigs' funds under management were about $8.5 billion, helping generate fees of $54 million.

"We had a strong year across the board," Craig told BusinessDesk. "It has grown very steadily, but last year it grew from three things: growth in funds under management, growth in the market and the re-investment of income into funds under management."

While Craig said he expects funds under management will continue to show steady growth, the market was generally softer and "we think the rate of growth will slow down".

The latest data from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand shows that total funds under management in New Zealand increased to $140.6 billion in the December 2016 quarter versus $116.1 billion in the December 2014 quarter. In June 2007, just before KiwiSaver was launched and gave funds management a fresh impetus, New Zealand firms managed about $73.2 billion.

Craig said a strong year in the investment banking side of the business also contributed to the higher fees in 2016. That included a review of wood mouldings maker Tenon, bond offers by Air New Zealand and Kiwi Property Group, the initial public offering of Tegel Group and advising Tainui Holdings on the partial sale of the Base retail site. Commission income rose to $12.8 million from $11.9 million in the prior 12 months.

The firm's operating expenses rose 15 percent to $116.9 million in a year when the final tranche of the Financial Markets Conduct Act came into effect, requiring fund managers to be licensed from December.

Craigs beefed up its spending on software through 2016, value the intangible asset at $22.8 million as at Dec. 31 after $3.7 million of additions through the year. It had $1.4 million of software under construction at the balance date, having transferred $554,000 through the year. In 2015 Craigs was censured and fined by NZX for failing to correctly record retail client orders in the stock market's trading system for almost two years. As part of a settlement, Craigs agreed to implement new software to allow common shareholder numbers to be automatically applied during the trading process

The firm paid $16 million in ordinary dividends or $19.99 per ordinary share versus $11.4 million in the prior year, or $14.24 per share. It also paid a $7.30 non pro-rata special dividend per ordinary share, or $2.92 million, to CIP Holdings, which owns a controlling 50.1 percent stake on behalf of key Craigs' managers. Deutsche Bank acquired a 49.9 percent stake in 2010.

(BusinessDesk)
New Zealand Oil & Gas says potential partners for the deepwater Barque prospect off the Canterbury coast are "studying the data" and the company may be willing to put up more of its own capital if one of them comes on board.





Chief executive Andrew Jefferies made the comments at a special meeting in Wellington where shareholders overwhelmingly approved a $100 million capital return through a scheme of arrangement. The funds are available after NZOG sold its 15 percent stake in the Kupe oil and gas field to Genesis Energy for $168 million and the company reiterated today that the capital return won't leave it too poor to pursue acquisitions. Some 99.16 percent of votes were cast in favour and 63 percent of total voting rights that voted.





Jefferies said he hoped the offshore Canterbury permit would turn out to be "a new North Sea in the South". The Barque prospect had been ranked ninth in a list of the world's top oil and gas targets, based on a survey presented to a petroleum conference in Taranaki last month, he said. Top of the list was the Ironbark prospect off West Australia, held by NZOG's Cue subsidiary and which BP has just farmed into, he said.





"We have more than a handful of potential partners studying the data. So they are allocating resources and time to looking at our work and seeing if an entry to New Zealand is right for them," he said. NZOG will tout Barque at conferences in Singapore and Australia in April and May.





NZOG has been pushing the farm-in internationally on behalf of its 50/50 joint venture with ASX-listed Beach Energy. It got an extension to the Clipper exploration prospect for the Barque prospect in October, at the time saying it could be equivalent to 530 million barrels of oil, at least twice the size of the Maui discovery that's been operating since the 1970s.





In February the company updated the market, saying further analysis and scoping work had lifted its estimate for the prospect to 11 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas and 1.5 billion barrels of oil or gas condensate, across three different developments. The primary reservoir target it estimated to contain 5.5 tcf of gas and 785 million barrels of liquid.





The primary Barque prospect was given a 19 percent chance of discovery and the other two horizons each have a 15 percent chance, according to NZOG's presentation to potential farm-in partners two months ago. A gas-to-shore LNG project was the most likely model if all three were developed at the same time.





Today, Jefferies reiterated that NZOG sees more upside potential in natural gas than oil. "We see the price of gas assets has come down alongside oil assets - yet gas prices have not declined as much and look relatively more stable. Gas will underpin the world's transition a lower carbon future, which is already boosting demand."





Chairman Rodger Finlay allowed discussion of a shareholder motion at the meeting that NZOG retain the $168 million plus enough from reserves to drill two wells offshore near Oamaru for gas or oil, but said passing such a motion would be "irresponsible" given shareholders had approved the Kupe sale on the basis that surplus capital would be returned. The motion was defeated on a show of hands.





The company's shares last traded at 59 cents and have fallen 6.4 percent this year.





(BusinessDesk)

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NEW DELHI: Smartphone maker Huawei has plans to increase focus on devices in the price range of 10,000-20,000 in the Indian market.



"We have seen maximum growth in India taking place in 10,000-20,000 range. Huawei will increase focus in this segment in India. Having said that we will not compromise on quality and get into specification game. Huawei will continue to focus on users' experience," Huawei India Consumer Business Group President Peter Zhai told PTI.



In 2016, Huawei shipped 139 million smartphones globally and reported 44 pct annual revenue growth in its Consumer Business Group at USD 25.9 billion.



According to Sino-Market research, Huawei Consumer Business Group had led the Chinese market with 18.85 pct market share in February 2017.



"Our exponential growth trajectory in the global market is the testament to our well-crafted strategy and we are looking at replicating it in the Indian market. We have all the right ingredients to be successful in India as Huawei is a company that goes across an ecosystem of devices," Zhai said.



Huawei has set a target to be among the top 5 smartphone companies in India by the end of this year.



As per industry experts, Huawei is estimated to have doubled its sales in India but numbers are still less compared to it competitors in the smarphone segment.



"Huawei sales are estimated to have doubled between first quarter of 2016 and 2017 but the numbers are very small compared to its rivals Oppo and Vivo. However, we believe Huawei is the only brand that can challenge big players in India," Counterpoint Research Associate Director Tarun Pathak said.



As per Counterpoint Research, Huawei had 0.6 pct share in the Indian smartphone segment in January-March quarter of 2016. It is estimated to have registered 0.9 pct share the first three months of 2017.

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MUMBAI: Natural resources major Vedanta Ltd. said on Tuesday that its merger with subsidiary energy firm Cairn India has become effective.

"Vedanta Limited (Vedanta) and Cairn India Limited (Cairn India) today (Tuesday) announced that the merger of CairnIndia with Vedanta pursuant to the Scheme of Arrangement has become effective," said both firms in a joint statement.

"This merger consolidates Vedanta's position and the merged company will have a larger pro forma market cap of $15.6 billion and higher free float of 49.9 pct. Vedanta will have one of the strongest balance sheets in the Indian corporate sector," it said.

A statement last month had said Vedanta had received all approvals for the merger, except the Reserve Bank of India's permission for issuing redeemable preference shares to Cairn India's non-resident shareholders.

Shareholders of both Vedanta Ltd. and Cairn India had in separate meetings held last year approved the merger.

Under the merger scheme, a Cairn India shareholder will get one Vedanta equity share and 7.5 preference shares for every Cairn India share.

The Anil Agarwal led-Vedanta Ltd received approvals in September 2016 from both the Bombay Stock Exchange and the NSE on the company's proposal to merge with Cairn India.

Merging Cairn India with itself provides Vedanta access to the oil explorer's cash and help reduce its debt burden. Vedanta took majority control of Cairn India for $8.67 billion in 2011 and holds 59.9 pct in it through its various units.

"We are pleased to have completed the Vedanta Ltd - Cairn India merger and are very excited about the future of the combined company," Vedanta Chairman Navin Agarwal said in a statement.

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NEW DELHI: India and Georgia are exploring the option to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement to promote bilateral economic ties.



Both the countries have decided to set up a group to conduct a joint feasibility study on the free trade agreement (FTA).



A "joint statement" to launch the study on the FTA was signed today by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here.



The Commerce Ministry said in a statement said that upon the completion of the study, India and Georgia "may proceed to negotiations on an FTA once the internal procedures are completed and the mandates on negotiations are approved."



The joint feasibility study group consists of the officials of the two countries.



"The purpose of establishing the group is to provide an opportunity for more in-depth and systematic examination of potential FTA," it added.



It would discuss the possible scope of a potential pact and also analyse the sensitiveness of specific sectors, while recommending possible ways to address them.



Both the ministers expressed hope that the group would issue a report with the relevant analysis and recommendations within a period of six months.



The two-way commerce between the countries stood at USD 107 million in 2015-16. India has a positive trade balance with Georgia.



In a free trade pact, two or more trading partners either eliminate or drastically reduce duties on goods, besides liberalising norms to promote services trade.



India has already implemented similar agreements with several countries including Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Asean region. It is also negotiating such pacts with over a dozen countries, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

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NEW DELHI: India supports better international cooperation in cyber security to fight against growing cyber crime and cyber terrorism, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Attending bilateral meetings in Germany during G20 Digital Ministers meeting on Digital Economy, he said India is also of the view that multi stakeholders model is the best option for the spread of digitalisation and that a border should not be an impediment in the way of mobility of professionals and information, according to an official statement here.

Bilateral engagements were held with representatives of Russia, Indonesia, Germany, Britian, Argentina, Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and International Telecommunication Union.

The G20 Ministers expressed their warm appreciation for the accomplishments of the Digital India programme. They noted how Digital India is provisioning a unique digital identity - cheaply, securely, and with privacy - to 1.1 billion citizens through Aadhaar, said a statement by the Electronics and IT Ministry.

About the Indian government's drive towards Digital India, Prasad said: "Digital technologies and the internet, which represents some of the finest creations of the human mind are today a 'global common good'; which we can harness for bridging the digital divide, empowering and improving the quality of life for our citizens."

Emphasising how India is advancing in the knowledge economy by catalysing innovation, he said: "We believe that innovation is key to our success as a digital economy. India today has one of the most vibrant startup ecosystems with over 4,000 startups every year working in emerging technology areas including IoT, data analytics, Block Chains and machine learning.

"Many of these startups are also in the forefront of developing solutions to many of our grand challenges in areas such as health and education."

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MUMBAI: Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran today promised Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to visit Punjab soon to explore possibilities of setting up a major venture.

Singh met Chandrasekaran on the first day of his three-day visit to the country's financial capital to woo investors, as part of 'Invest Punjab' initiative, and urged him to invest in the state.

Singh also met ICICI Bank CEO and MD Chanda Kochhar who agreed to consider the possibility of shifting the bank's back-end operations to Mohali in the next stage of expansion.

Singh, who is leading a delegation, promised to streamline the systems and processes to make the state more investor- and industry-friendly, while reiterating his commitment to provide power to industry at 5 per unit.

Besides one-on-one meetings with Chandrasekaran and Kochhar, the chief minister also held separate meetings with Goldman Sachs Chairman Sonjoy Chatterjee and Godrej Group Chairman Adi Godrej.

During his meeting with Chandrasekaran, he said that Punjab was the only power surplus state in the country and at 5 per unit, it would be the second state after Himachal Pradesh to provide cheap power.

During his talk with Kochhar, he suggested that ICICI Bank move its back-end operations to Mohali, as HDFC Bank and Infosys were already doing. The ICICI Bank chief said they would consider this as and when they decide to expand, according to a press release of the state government.

They also worked out plans for development of the chief minister's ancestral village Mehraj, as a model digital village and support to small dairy farmers, besides training and skill development of farmers and unemployed youth were other issues.

Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, who is a part of the delegation, urged ICICI Bank to consider developing 200 model dairy farms in the state exclusively for breeding.

Adi Godrej, during his discussion with the chief minister said his company was constantly looking at expanding further in Punjab with more ventures in the future.

Godrej, who is also chairman of the Indian School of Business, expressed concern about imposition of GST on private educational institutions and urged the chief minister to pursue the central government for exemption.

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A Darrell Lea Easter egg hunt to raise money for Red Nose (previously ACT SIDS and Kids) will be held on Good Friday on the Patrick White Lawns between the National Library and Lake Burley Griffin.

A Darrell Lea Easter egg hunt to raise money for Red Nose will be held on Good friday, April 14 on the Patrick White Lawns between the National Library of Australia and Lake Burley Griffin.

Easter egg hunts in Canberra seem to be multiplying like rabbits. Here are a few options for you and the kids to chase down the chocolate.

The event is ticketed with a family pass (two adults and two children) costing $30 with each additional child costing $15.

The ticket gets access to activities including a jumping castle, face painting, games, petting zoo, Retiles Inc, live music and the Easter egg hunt for the children aged from three to 12. These are at no further cost.

The hunt will be broken up into age groups in the following times.

10am  gates open

10:30am  11-12 Years & 9 & 10 Years

11am  7 & 8 Years

11:30am  3 & 4 Years

Noon  3 & 4 Years

1pm  gates close

Food and drink stalls will also be on hand. Tickets are at www.damselandsprout.com.au
Canberra's religious leaders are preaching Easter messages of peace, grace, sacrifice and hope.

Catholic Archbishop Christopher Prowse said the terror attack on Coptic churches in Cairo showed the suffering and death of Christians continued in imitation of Jesus.

St Christopher's Cathedral in Manuka will be one of many churches in Canberra to host Easter services this weekend.

Archbishop Prowse said the conversion of hearts from hatred to peace was the ultimate prayer.

"It is the beginning point of our shared hope that the future will bring forth the practical harvest of joy and mutual respect in society," he said.
Australia's air safety watchdog is investigating a serious mid-air incident involving a Qantas jet, after 15 people were injured when it suffered a so-called "stick shaker" warning.

The drama unfolded about 110km southeast of Hong Kong on April 7, after flight QF29 took off from Melbourne.

Pilots reported feeling "airframe buffeting", a potential warning the plane is about to stall, while "holding" at 22,000 feet.
Insurance companies should consider standardising their policy definitions to make it easier for people to compare policies against one another, the corporate regulator said on Wednesday.

Representatives from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission appeared before the Senate economics reference committee, which is examining transparency and competition in the home, strata and car insurance industries.

ASIC's Michael Saadat says consumers might not always appreciate the nuances in different policies.

ASIC executive Michael Saadat said standardised definitions were "a real issue" and that consumers might not always appreciate the nuances in different policies.

"Where there are differences in definition, it's not always possible for consumers to appreciate the differences those definitions create," he said.
The former lover of Seven West Media boss Tim Worner has suffered a setback in her court battle with the company, after a Sydney judge refused to transfer the case to a court in her home state.

Amber Harrison, a former executive assistant at the media company, has been locked in a bitter court battle with Seven since she revealed embarrassing details of her affair with Mr Worner in December.

The NSW Supreme Court imposed a temporary gag order in February preventing her speaking publicly about the relationship or the company, and Seven will push for a permanent order at a four-day hearing starting on July 10.

Ms Harrison returned fire in March with a cross-claim alleging Seven breached an implied term of her employment contract to keep and maintain a safe system of work.
The stronger leasing markets have led to an increase in landlords Growthpoint and Cromwell Corp's tenants profiles across Melbourne and Sydney.

Growthpoint Properties Australia has undertaken 28,323 square metres of leasing since the release of its half-year results in February 2017, including a 26,517 sqm logistics warehouse at 120 Link Road, Melbourne Airport to The Workwear Group, part of the Wesfarmers empire, for 10 years.

Cromwell Property Group has secured two big-name retailers as anchor tenants at its Northpoint redevelopment. Credit:Grant Leslie

The swathe of new deals, with asset sales in Queensland, has boosted Growthpoint's total portfolio occupancy, as at March 31, to 98 per cent, with 2.5 per cent vacancy in the office portfolio and 0.3 per cent in industrial.

Growthpoint currently has only 7 per cent of its leases, by income, potentially expiring over the next 24 months.
Hospitality giants Matt Moran and Bruce Solomon have added to their rapidly expanding pub portfolio, snapping up one of Sydney's most iconic venues, Newtown's Marlborough Hotel.

The hotel, affectionately known as the Marly, was sold by long-time business partners and mates, former Qantas boss Geoff Dixon and adman John Singleton. They are believed to have made a profit of more than $20 million from the deal.

The Marlborough Hotel, Newtown, has been sold to Solotel, run by celebrity chef Matt Moran and business partner Bruce Solomon.

The sale was part of the pair's program to sell assets they had bought through their Australian Pub Fund at a time when the hotels were seen as distressed and needing capital injections.

It's the latest big hotel deal for Mr Moran and Mr Solomon's Solotel group, coming just months after the company took control of the Eastern suburbs beachside-based Clovelly Hotel, which it plans to upgrade into a "foodie" pub.
Workplace exploitation will not be stamped out without much tougher penalties for unscrupulous employers says the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James on Wednesday told a parliamentary inquiry that a persistent minority of employers flouted the law and risked existing fines because they were not severe enough to act as a deterrent.

Despite having won successful prosecutions in court, Ms James admitted her office had limited capacity "to disrupt the most deliberate and systemic conduct, or to reverse the apparent culture of non-compliance in high risk industries and sectors".

"While the system is fit-for-purpose to address accidental or negligent noncompliance, it has proven not to be fit-for-purpose when it comes to addressing the deliberate and systemic unlawfulness that some unscrupulous operators adopt as a business model," she said.
Toshiba, a pillar of the modern Japanese economy whose roots stretch back to the country's industrial stirrings in the 19th century, warned on Tuesday that a disastrous foray into nuclear power may have crippled its business beyond repair.

The warning comes less than two weeks after it announced it was booking a $US9.9 billion ($13.2 billion) loss as Westinghouse Electric filed for bankruptcy.

Toshiba chief executive Satoshi Tsunakawa bows during a news conference at the company's Tokyo headquarters in which he warned of the company's financial position. Credit:Shizuo Kambayashi

In a stockmarket filing in Japan, Toshiba said losses associated with Westinghouse Electric, its troubled US nuclear power subsidiary, had created "substantial uncertainty" over its ability to continue as a going concern. The declaration lifts the stakes as Toshiba seeks outside investors for its coveted microchip business, a portion of which it is selling off to raise cash and stave off disaster.

Toshiba's uncertain fate represents another blow for a country that has seen its dominance in a range of technologies eclipsed by rivals in South Korea and China.
Australia is sleepwalking into a confrontation with China. Wars can happen suddenly in an atmosphere of mistrust and provocation, especially if a minor power, such as Australia, abandons its independence for an "alliance" with an unstable superpower.

The United States is at a critical moment. Having exported its all-powerful manufacturing base, run down its industry and reduced millions of its once-hopeful people to poverty, the principal American power today is brute force. When Donald Trump launched his missile attack on Syria  following his bombing of a mosque and a school  he was having dinner in Florida with the President of China, Xi Jinping.

The attack on Syria was clearly, above all, to show his detractors and doubters in Washington's war-making institutions  the Pentagon, the CIA, the Congress  how tough he was and prepared to risk a war with Russia. He had spilt blood in Syria, a Russian protectorate; he was surely now on the team. The attack was also meant to say directly to Xi, his dinner guest: this is how we deal with those who challenge the top dog.

China has long received this message. In its rise as the world's biggest trader and manufacturer, it has been virtually encircled by 400 US military bases  a provocation described by a former Pentagon strategist as "a perfect noose".
Barry Sexton, of Primbee, suggests a C8 "National Farnarkling Day" in honour of the late, great John Clarke. Imagine, a flurry of flukems avoiding the wiffenwacker.

An appeal to C8PhDers from Ross Millar, of Turramurra. "I have been unable to find a word for the feeling one gets on realising that the Sudoku has been botched, especially when the botching took place too far back to enable retracing of steps. There's possibly a word in German, but this would no doubt stretch across columns 5, 6, 7 and 8 when printed." Might require a deft arkle or two.

Lance Rainey, of Lanitza, offers an "ish" (C8) explanation. "I always thought the time restriction was dictated by the suffix  so 7.30ish allowed another half hour for the tardy while 7 to 7.15ish would only allow grace until 7.30."

On a bit of a tangent, "ish" reminded Ron Wessel, of Mount St Thomas, of a saying used in the army. "Many a recruit was lambasted by an NCO snapping, 'There are 10,000 schmicks in a shmoo and 10,000 shmoos in a clue and you haven't got a schmick you horrible little man!'" Sheesh!

Ex Londoner Paul Stephen, of Yamba, reckons Sybil Fawlty (C8) is "a Cockney lady with posh pretensions". Oh I know.
Google could lose as much as $750 million because of a boycott by advertisers, according to Nomura Research. Companies are protesting against the placement of their ads next to extremist and hateful content. An even worse offender is Facebook, which had enabled the propagation of fake news that may have influenced the outcome of the US elections. The two companies have reaped massive profits from the spread of misinformation; yet they have claimed both ignorance of how their technology is misused, and an inability to control it.

It wasn't supposed to be this way. Social media was developed with the promise of spreading democracy, community and freedom, not ignorance, bigotry and hatred. Connecting billions of people together and allowing them to share knowledge and ideas, it could have enabled them to achieve equality and justice; to expose what is wrong and crowd-solve global problems. Instead, it has become a tool enabling technology companies to mine data to sell to marketers, politicians and special-interest groups, enabling them to spread disinformation. It has created echo chambers in which people with similar views reinforce their ignorance and bias. And the loss of control over user data has now affected not just the economic lives of users but also the political messages they receive on platforms such as Facebook.

Facebook reaps massive profits from the spread of misinformation. Credit:Reuters

Part of the problem is that a handful of large technology companies have become small oligopolies in connectivity and information; they are reaping incredible profits but forsaking the responsibilities that come with the power they have gained. Facebook, for example, has become a media company with more power and influence than The Washington Post and the New York Times. More than 65 per cent of its users get their news through its platform. Yet it claims not to be a publisher and to not have responsibility for what appears on its platform or done with its marketing data.

In light of the backlash, Facebook and Google have acknowledged the problem and pledged to do something about it. In a blog post, Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg detailed plans to build a safe, informed, civically engaged and inclusive community that fulfils the benevolent promise of social media. But he says that Facebook can't possibly review the billions of billions of posts that are made on its platform every day and solving the problem will require artificial intelligence - which is "technically difficult" and will take years of research and development.
Australia is a representative democracy. Citizens who are equal, with a shared responsibility for good government, elect people of different backgrounds and perspectives to set community standards. Those elected are not obliged to tell the truth or act in the public interest or forbidden to act in their own interests or the interests of their supporters. They can also enact unjust laws. The law is an expression of power, not justice, and Parliament is almost supreme.

Since the calibre of those elected is extremely important, it is essential that voters are well-informed, especially now we live in a complex, multicultural nation where multiple interests are in constant conflict and almost every decision attracts strong dissent.

The established parties, which receive large sums of public money to finance their campaigns, are controlled by professional, "whatever it takes" politicians. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Self-interest is a powerful human impulse. Even so, as Earl Warren, a former US Supreme Court chief justice, pointed out decades ago, "In civilised life, law floats in a sea of ethics. Each is indispensable to civilisation."

Australians might be more comfortable calling "ethics" the "pub test", but most implicitly accept that society functions best when we respect each other, give each other a "fair go", support the underprivileged and protect the future. Of course, not all agree. A substantial number of people regard ethics and empathy as barriers to success. Many politicians are in that category.
In a recent submission to Treasury Department the St Vincent de Paul society implored the government to dump the work-for-the-dole scheme developed by Tony Abbott as a junior minister in 1998 on the ground it was not only cruel, but ineffective.

"For too long, governments have taken a harsh approach to the long-term unemployed, wielding a punitive stick on the back of those already doing it tough. Work for the dole is a demonstrable failure, with studies showing that the program provides neither a pathway to a job nor any substantial training or skill development," the submission said.

"Forcing job seekers to accept almost any job on minimally acceptable terms and conditions, including casual and insecure forms of work, does not help jobseekers secure decent and sustainable employment. We have not made progress if the 'welfare poor' becomes the 'working poor'."

Now you might suspect that Vinnie de P is stacked with bleeding hearts and this is the sort of soft line it would take, but there is hard data to back their position.
The United States' cruise-missile attack on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for the alleged use of chemical weapons by President Bashar al-Assad's regime may bear little fruit, if it turns out to be a one-off operation. It cannot change the balance of forces on the ground that has increasingly favoured the Assad regime.

The US has not ruled out further military operations, but the chances appear remote. They carry the risk of further deteriorating US-Russian relations. As the main backers of the Assad regime, Russian and Iran have condemned the attack as an act of "aggression", and denied that the Syria government was responsible for the use of chemical weapons. This raises the question as to what, precisely, prompted US President Donald Trump to act against the Assad regime?

The aftermath: a plane destroyed in the US missile attack on a Syrian air base. Credit:Sputnik

A week before the missile strike, the Trump administration had made it clear that the removal of the Assad regime was no longer a priority for it. This was in accord with Trump's vow to put "America first" and improve relations with Russia, to address cooperatively some of the world problems, including the devastating Syrian conflict. Trump had viewed the Assad regime as a necessary evil to combat the so-called Islamic State in particular, and forces of radical Islam in general as the real enemy. He had also never said, as his predecessor, Barack Obama had done in 2013, that if the Syrian regime crossed the "red line" by deploying chemical weapons, the US would act. The threat that Obama made but failed to carry out was instrumental in opening the way for Russia to escalate its military involvement, in conjunction with Iran's deployment of forces, to save the Assad government from collapsing.

Yet within a week of incentivising the Assad regime and, by implication, sending positive signals to its international supporters (despite its belligerent attitude towards Iran as a "destabilising force" in the region), Trump announced he was moved by the sight of the victims of the Syrian air force's chemical attack. He declared there would be no role for Assad in the future of Syria and he authorised the missile strike at the base from where the chemical weapons were allegedly delivered.
4. COMEDY: THE WORLD FAMOUS COMEDY STORE SHOWCASE A plethora of quipsters take to the stand-up mic in a two-hour show featuring Australian and international wits such as Mickey D, James Smith, Liza Treyger (US), Cameron Duggan, Georgie Carroll and Christian Elderfield. LAL FRIDAY, APRIL 14 AND SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 8.30PM, SYDNEY COMEDY STORE, MOORE PARK, $27.50 (FRI)/$32.50 (SAT), COMEDYSTORE.COM.AU 5. STAGE: THE DOG/THE CAT Xavier Samuel takes a break from the world of film (Whit Stillman's Love & Friendship, and The Death and Life of Otto Bloom) to reprise his role as a funky cat in the return season of this quirky two-part comedy penned by Brendan Cowell and Lally Katz. EB

UNTIL MAY 7, BELVOIR, SURRY HILLS, $37-$72, BELVOIR.COM.AU 6. FILM: DENIAL A courtroom drama that recounts the sensational real-life case that saw American academic Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) defending the Holocaust in a lawsuit brought by denier David Irving (Timothy Spall). GM SELECTED CINEMAS 7. ART | COAST: PETER POWDITCH

Powditch rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s, appeared in the 1st Biennale of Sydney and has exhibited around Australia and internationally in more than 100 shows, so it's surprising Coast is the first survey of his career. SW UNTIL MAY 21, TUESDAY-SUNDAY (EXCEPT GOOD FRIDAY), 11AM-5PM, S.H. ERVIN GALLERY, THE ROCKS, SHERVINGALLERY.COM.AU 8. STAGE: KINKY BOOTS The big-hearted musical walked all over the West End and Broadway. Now it's gonna walk all over you. Previewing ahead of its Sydney opening night on April 19, this story of a factory owner and drag queen who join forces has songs by Cyndi Lauper and a cast led by Toby Francis, Callum Francis and Sophie Wright. EB SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 2PM & 8PM; SUNDAY, APRIL 16, 6.30PM, CAPITOL THEATRE, HAYMARKET, $55-$160, KINKYBOOTSTHEMUSICAL.COM.AU

9. ART | SYNAPSE Five past and current residents of Waverley Artist Studios present works with sound, robotics and other technologies. Tully Arnot's large kinetic installation Meadows  a field of swaying plastic straws  explores the idea of digital "nature". SW UNTIL APRIL 23, DAILY, 10AM-5PM, BONDI PAVILION GALLERY, BONDI BEACH, WAVERLEY.NSW.GOV.AU 10. MUSIC: SWEET CREEPS & OUTLAWS This three-headed alt-country monster features two locals in Henry Wagons and newly relocated to the US Ruby Boots, with American Johnny Fritz. It will be a raw and funny Good Friday. BZ
London: Australia should follow the British Conservative government's lead in enshrining its aid budget in legislation to prevent it from being diminished in an appeal for votes, leading campaigners say, with the OECD listing Australia as among the countries recording the biggest declines in aid for the world's poorest people.

The OECD's latest rankings show Australia slipping another spot to 17th out of 29 countries - meaning small countries like Switzerland and Luxembourg are contributing a greater portion of their budgets to helping the world's neediest compared to Australia.

A country's aid budget is generally measured as a proportion of a nation's gross national income (GNI). Under Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's cuts to the budget, Australia's total contribution fell to just over $3 billion in 2016, or 0.25 per cent of GNI. This was below the average of 0.32 per cent of GNI recorded by the 29 OECD countries last year.

Overall country to country aid to the least-developed countries fell by 3.9 per cent in real terms from 2015 and aid to Africa fell 0.5 per cent, "as some DAC members backtracked on a commitment to reverse past declines in flows to the poorest countries," the OECD said. But in one positive trend, overall aid has increased by 102 per cent since 2000.
A series of global institutions, including the World Bank, has told the Turnbull government that containing the effects of climate change must be a central pillar of Australia's new foreign policy.

The group, also taking in the Asian Development Bank, Pacific Islands Forum and Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, says mitigation and adaptation will be needed to address the economic and security impacts of widespread environmental upheaval.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is looking to establish a new "philosophical framework" to guide Australia's engagement with the world. On top of a public submission process, the government recently summoned all ambassadors home to participate in an unprecedented meeting.

In the newly published submissions to the white paper process, the World Bank said 300 million people in the Asia-Pacific region were in danger of falling into extreme poverty as a result of climate change, natural disasters, disease and economic shocks.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has stepped up pressure on China to use its special influence to resolve the burgeoning North Korea security crisis, declaring the entire world is concerned about the rogue nation's threats of nuclear war.

He branded its conduct reckless and dangerous while emphasising the need for resolution through peaceful means.

"The whole world is concerned about the reckless and dangerous conduct of the North Korean regime, it threatens regional stability, it threatens global peace, and the time has come for all parties but in particular China, which has the closest relationship with North Korea, to bring pressure to bear on North Korea, through the sanctions regime and other means, to ensure that they cease this reckless and dangerous conduct," he said.

North Korean used its state media arm on Tuesday to warn of a nuclear attack on the United States as a US Navy strike group, led by the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, headed into the region in a show of force by the Trump administration.
"You can sign an agreement any time; it's a question of whether it's got the provisions that make it valuable and worthwhile from Australia's point of view," Turnbull noted drily, aware of the sharp contrast with Tony Abbott's 12-month timetable announced in 2014.

True, there was no breakthrough on trade, with a joint prime ministerial call for a "tabulation" of "asks and offers" merely emphasising how far off a bilateral free-trade deal really is.

There were few "announceables" in Malcolm Turnbull's trip to India, which wound up on Wednesday in the financial capital, Mumbai, but the 3-day visit was anything but pointless.

Malcolm Turnbull speaks to the media in Mumbai. Credit:Andrew Meares

During their extended face time, Turnbull and his counterpart, Narendra Modi, spoke directly about trade liberalisation  something both men favour. But neither is naive about the obstacles.

India's political and institutional inertia alone will be enough to stymie the process, if not stop it dead. Unbowed, Turnbull stressed the pair's personal commitment, as they pushed their lead negotiators to boil down precisely where the major sticking points are before reporting back  not to their departments or even to their ministers, but to their respective prime ministers.

It sounds hopeful, but few insiders think it will fix the problem. More likely it will provide Modi and Turnbull with a half-credible alibi when the treaty's death has to be explained. In truth, Australia, with a population one-54th that of India, simply wants this deal more. That eagerness, combined with our weakened bargaining position arising from preceding agreements, means the Abbott timetable will continue to blow out.

Officials say India wants the concessions China extracted from Australia, but plans to concede far less to get them. Turnbull can hardly give in to that, and is thus left with one option: perseverance.
After a swift backlash, Dan Single has removed the Go Fund Me page he set up asking for a $250,000 handout to cover his two-month recovery and "incidentals" following an accident last month in which he fell three floors from his Paris hotel window.

In a day, nine people had made donations on the crowd funding page to help the Bondi Beach-based Ksubi jeans co-founder-turned-DJ, 36, who is married to model Bambi Northwood-Blyth, 25, reach $405.

Bambi Northwood-Blythe and her husband Dan Single at this year's Watsons Bay Boutique Hotel's NYD celebrations. Credit:Watsons Bay

Four of them contributed $5 each so they could be given the chance to comment on what they described as an attempt to "scrounge from the general public".

"How come you can fund partying, drinking and overseas trips but not your own recovery?" Anonymous asked.
As Mitt Romney reportedly mulls a 2018 Senate bid, his infamous "binders full of women" - actual, physical binders - have surfaced. They weigh around 7 kilos, according to the Boston Globe, which obtained them from a former aide to the 2012 Republican presidential nominee.

This might actually be a good thing for Romney.

Yes, the emergence of a pair of three-ring binders, stuffed with women's resumes, is a reminder of a gaffe Romney committed during a debate five years ago. Touting his efforts to recruit women for government posts during his tenure as Massachusetts governor, Romney awkwardly referred to "whole binders full of women."

It wasn't clear at the time whether these were literal or metaphorical binders. Either way, the remark suggested that Romney, a veteran of the male-dominated world of private equity, lacked women in his circle and could only hope to hire some by taking deliberate measures.
One third of Indonesian women have faced physical or sexual violence, according to new government data, prompting calls by a United Nations agency for urgent action to protect women.

The government's first national survey on violence against women showed 33 percent of women aged between 15 and 64 - around 26 million people - said they have faced abuse in their lives.

Women's groups said lack of data is making it harder to reflect the prevalence of the crime. Credit:AP

Cases of violence are most common among women who have received higher education and those who live in urban area, according to the survey released in late March.

"The survey findings are sobering. It shows that violence against women occurs around us," Annette Robertson, head of the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) in Indonesia told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Melbourne scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery in the fight against cancer, finding a way to reduce the growth of some tumours.

Researchers from the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute have found that inhibiting a particular protein can suspend the growth of bowel and gastric cancers.

Melbourne scientists' discovery could offer new options for treating gastrointestinal cancers. Credit:Bloomberg

Gastrointestinal cancers are among the most common and deadly forms of cancer, affecting more than 15,000 Australians each year.

Scientific director at the institute Professor Matthias Ernst led the pioneering research, which was published in the latest issue of medical journal Cancer Cell.
Patients are less likely to die within 30 days of hospitalisation for major conditions in NSW than they were in 2009 and the greatest improvement has been in ischemic stroke.

A NSW Bureau of Health Information report published on Wednesday compared mortality and readmission rates in 2012-2015 with 2009-2012.

Some hospitals have higher mortality and readmission rates than others. Credit:AFR

It found improvements in mortality in all seven conditions analysed, including heart attack, stroke, pneumonia, hip fracture, heart failure and lung disease, while readmission rates reduced for four of eight conditions.

But more hospitals performed below expectations when it came to the number of people who died from lung disease and pneumonia since the last time the data was assessed.
A war correspondent who was shot in the leg in Turkey during World War I but refused to stop writing will be honoured in a stamp series commemorating the centenary of the war.

Australian journalist Charles Bean, once a junior reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald, landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915, just hours after the dawn attack.

Charles Bean (front row, right) as a war correspondent in France, 1916. Credit:Australian War Memorial

The then 36-year-old quickly won the affection of the Australian troops and, just two weeks after the landing, was recommended for a decoration for his bravery.

Only a few months later, he was shot in the leg but refused to leave the peninsula, staying in Gallipoli throughout the remainder of the campaign and continually filing stories back to Australia.
Gemma Lloyd had arranged to meet a multi-millionaire for coffee. She was pitching her business idea - a job platform for women - in the hope he would come on board as an investor.

Instead, the businessman propositioned her.

"I was trying to talk about the idea," Ms Lloyd said. "He more or less said, 'Hey, do you want to get a hotel room?' He was absolutely using his position of power to [suggest] that if I do something for you, you do something for me - that was the impression I got from him."
A man who was shot dead at a makeshift Buddhist temple in Sydney's west is not believed to have been the intended target of the fatal attack, police have revealed.

Homicide Squad detectives now believe Qin Wu, a 37-year-old Chinese national, may have intervened in an argument between his friend and a group of men when he was shot in the chest at the property on Kennedy Street in Guildford about 11pm on February 1.

Another person was also believed to have been shot in the confrontation, but did not go to hospital for treatment. Police are now searching for that person as they try to track down Mr Wu's killer or killers.

Detective Sergeant Justin Moynihan said at the time of the shooting that the Kennedy Street house had been converted into a Buddhist temple and was visited by many people throughout the day.
Ryde Liberal councillor Artin Etmekdjian has been handed a seven-month sentence for dishonestly attempting to influence a Commonwealth official, following an investigation by the Australian Taxation Office.

Mr Etmekdjian, 55, who served as mayor of Ryde council between 2010 and 2012, was sentenced in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday in connection with his job as a tax agent.

Councillor Artin Etmekdjian, pictured in 2013, was sentenced in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday for dishonestly attempting to influence a Commonwealth official. Credit:Peter Rae

He plead guilty to the offence in January, but is now appealing against the sentence.

The ATO said, via a statement, that Mr Etmekdjian's conviction was the result of a successful investigation that "proved the tax agent and former mayor had backdated documents linked to the tax returns of a senior banker".
The New South Wales Supreme Court has ordered the Queensland government and the bodies that run the state's dams to sit down with lawyers for almost 7000 flood victims to find a mediated settlement in the multimillion-dollar class action brought over the way Wivenhoe and Somerset dams were managed during the 2011 flood crisis.

The parties will meet in private from August 14 to try to find a way to avoid the costs of a mammoth trial, set down for 54 days to start in October.

The flood peaked in Brisbane at 4.46m on January 13, 2011.

Lawyers Maurice Blackburn last week wrote to the more than 6800 residents of Brisbane and Ipswich it represents, warning of the risks of going to trial.

"If the case goes to trial and the court makes a decision, there will be a winner and a loser. A mediated outcome provides a compromise between these binary outcomes ... having regard to the risks involved for each of them in going to trial," the firm wrote in its letter, obtained by Fairfax Media.
A man who allegedly went on a drug-fuelled crime spree on a major Queensland motorway has been woken from a medically-induced coma.

The 35-year-old father of five faces multiple driving, drug and assault charges related to a rampage on the Pacific Motorway at the Gold Coast on Monday.

Police say the man tried to force several police vehicles off the road before running out of petrol. Credit:7 News Queensland

The man is accused of driving at high speed and running several motorists off the road.

Witness Emily Claire Barr said she was "terrified" when a car zoomed past on the shoulder of the road.
A man and a woman have been arrested after a stolen car crashed into a truck in Melbourne's north.

Patrolling police spotted the car in Bundoora and monitored its movements until it crashed at the intersection of Roxburgh Park Drive and James Mirams Drive in Roxburgh Park.

Police arrest the 26-year-old driver in Roxburgh Park. Credit:Seven News

"No intercept was attempted and no pursuit was initiated," Inspector Nicole Warner said.

"The car was monitored by police for a short time until the collision about 11.20am."
There's another food challenge brewing in Perth with competitors this time being asked to down a 24 inch, 1.5 kilogram 'mega-dog' hotdog at the Wanneroo Markets later this month.

The event, hosted by Perth Eating Challenges and Top Dog in Town, is the second of its kind after intense interest in the first food stoush nine months ago.

The mega-dog challenge will to place later this month.

PEC spokesman Sam Brouwer said the idea was born after his company noticed how well customers were receiving a chicken parmigiana hot dog Top Dog in Town has on its regular menu.

"It's like a chicken parmi in a hotdog form basically, with crumbed chicken sausage," he said.
A Sydney man has been charged after allegedly importing approximately three kilograms of meth through Perth Airport on Tuesday night.

Australian Border Force officers examined the man's bag after he arrived on a flight from Dubai.

Police have seized several kilos of meth at Perth Airport overnight.

Officers detected "anomalies" in the lining of the man's suitcase and a further examination revealed a white substance, which returned a positive result for methamphetamine.

The 25-year-old man was referred to Australian Federal Police and charged with importing a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs.
Brasilia: A Brazilian Supreme Court justice has opened investigations into eight ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet and dozens of sitting lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest-ever corruption scandal.

The office of Justice Edson Fachin released the names of the politicians targeted after lifting the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of builder Odebrecht, which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes.

Brazilian first lady Marcela Temer, left, Sweden King Carl XVI Gustaf, centre, and Queen Silvia who is Brazilian, listen to President Michel Temer in Brasilia, last week. Credit:AP

The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the president's cabinet, poses a serious threat to Mr Temer's efforts to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record.

The ministers targeted include Eliseu Padilha, Mr Temer's chief of staff and an experienced politician who is considered key in negotiations with Congress to approve the administration's landmark pension reform.
London: British tabloid The Daily Mail has agreed to pay Melania Trump an undisclosed amount of money and issue an apology after it published an article saying the US First Lady had offered "services beyond simply modelling" in her former job.

Mrs Trump - the wife of president Donald Trump - had sued the publisher of the Daily Mail in Britain and also filed a $150 million (AU$200 million) lawsuit against it in New York, claiming the article caused "tremendous harm" to her reputation.

The article also made it almost impossible to take advantage of "major business opportunities" available "for a multi-year term during which plaintiff is one of the most photographed women in the world", the lawsuit said.

A person familiar with the situation said the settlement was worth less than $US3 million, including legal costs and damages.
Brussels: The European Commission said on Tuesday the Philippines' human rights record could influence future trade ties, but denied reports that it had suspended free trade negotiations with Manila.

A left-wing grouping in the European Parliament said on Tuesday it welcomed the Commission's decision to pause the trade talks, referring to two media reports.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte: "We will go ahead and kill them to the last man." Credit:AP

But the Commission said there had been no such suspension.

"The negotiations are at a very early stage. The second and latest round took place in February, and for the moment the next round has not been scheduled," a Commission spokesman said. The first round was held last May.
French veterans march to Bullecourt in April 2017. Credit:Nick Miller She was hoping to turn up a piece of shrapnel, something to remember the moment by. "I saw a clod of dirt, and I was pushing it around with my foot, then I picked it up. When I turned it over I said 'oh dear'." Bullecourt. Stretcher bearers on the Western Front. Credit:Australian War Memorial It wasn't shrapnel. It was a Mills bomb  an intact Australian grenade, one of thousands carried, dropped or flung by Anzacs as they desperately tried to keep the Germans at bay.

"And then I threw it away!" French veterans gather at Bullecourt in April 2017. Credit:Nick Miller Ms Allan laughs in horror at the thought of her involuntary action, and the anachronistic sight of an Australian digger's grenade, flying over the fields of the Somme. "We're all lucky to still be here," a friend jokes. ANZAC soldiers at Bullecourt Credit:Australian War Memorial

A century on and history can bite. The battle of Bullecourt still stings - a misguided, mismanaged moment on the Western Front where soldiers charged into a snow-limned No Man's Land in an attack that at first seemed to succeed against all the odds, but ended in a deadly rout with thousands dead in just a few hours. Charles Bean, Australia's official historian of the war, compared the attack to the famous Charge of the Light Brigade at Balaclava, "the task of attacking a position in which there were cannon to the left of them, cannon to the right of them, cannon in front of them". Formidable barbed wire stretched along the Hindenburg line, with machine guns trained on their borders. The plan was to use the new, still-experimental tanks to flatten the wire, then the Aussie infantry would pile onto the Germans.

At 1am the Germans' Bullecourt salient was "drenched" with poison gas, Bean records. Then the tanks started to trundle forward. Or rather, they didn't. Three arrived late, three others got stuck or delayed by engine trouble. Some even fired on their allies. They moved, wrote Bean, like "frightened snails". Battalions from every Australian state pushed toward the German line and the very few gaps in the wire.

They quickly overtook the tanks. "The wire seemed to swarm with fireflies where the bullets glanced from it. Flares began to illuminate the snow-covered battlefield almost as brightly as daylight the oncoming tanks attracted such a storm of small-arms fire that men watching from close in rear could at times see their shapes outlined by the sparks of the bullets that rattled against their sides." "The 4th Brigade was facing intense machine-gun fire along insufficiently broken (wire) entanglements without a single tank ahead of it to clear a passage." Major Black, an old prospector and Gallipoli veteran "known from Yilgarn to the Murchison" yelled to his men at the wire "come on boys, bugger the tanks!" He had entered the battle believing he would not survive it.

He was right. The attack faltered, "swept back by annihilating fire from German rifles and machine-guns". Against all odds the Anzacs took a portion of the Hindenburg Line. But then came the counter-attack. They ran out of grenades, ammunition, and hope.

The withdrawal was ordered  into "frightful German machine gun fire on the open stretch behind the trenches" "The 48th came out  under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire, but with proud deliberation and studied nonchalance, at walking pace, picking their way through the broken wire carefully helping the walking wounded and with their officers bringing up the rear. Leisurely as a crowd leaving its daily work, the 48th drew clear. Many were killed in withdrawing, many were wounded and lay about the wire until captured or put to death by a merciful enemy." Six and a half battalions and accompanying units of the 4th Division lost over 3000 officers and men, of whom 28 officers and 1142 men were captured  the largest number of Australians taken by the enemy in a single battle. Two thirds of those who entered the fight were lost. Captain Harry Murray of the AIF said afterwards: " It was not war, it was murder  the high command had blundered and our men paid the price."
Ex-tropical cyclone Cook is bearing down on New Zealand and is set to be the worst storm system in nearly 50 years.

Heavy rain and high winds forecast for a big swath of the country were set to cause big disruption on the last day before the Easter break, with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) warning it may have to close the Auckland harbour bridge if wind speeds get high on Thursday afternoon.

Air travellers looked certain to be affected too with Air New Zealand advising customers to anticipate delays and cancellations across its network.

Both Bay of Plenty and Coromandel have declared states of emergency, ahead of Cook's arrival.
Emma Johansson, centre, talking about #LastnightinSweden non-event live on Facebook. Credit:Facebook That's what happened after Trump tweeted about the #LastNightInSweden non-incident. Such "weaponised narratives" are both spawned and amplified by networks of conspiracy theorists, bloggers, trolls and bots. Still operating: Sweden's Government chancellery Rosenbad to the left and the Swedish Parliament to the right. Credit:Ola Ericson/imagebank.sweden.se They have become a feature of the modern political social media environment.

During the 2016 US election, claims of rape figured into the untruths told by Donald Trump about undocumented migrants from Mexico. Other weaponised narratives were the slur that politicians ran paedophilia rings or that billionaire financier George Soros was paying protesters in streets. A police officer guards the scene after a truck was driven into a department store in Stockholm, Sweden. Credit:AP Such narratives are made possible, in part, by groups exploiting the unrelenting information overload we live in today, say Brad Allenby and Joel Garreau of the Weaponised Narrative Initiative in the US. And promoting the alternative news that taps into a set of public anxieties is proving effective in shaping perceptions of current events and political realities online. Malmo, Sweden: no stranger to online claims from around the world. Credit:alinelessner/imagebank.sweden.se

"By offering cheap passage through a complex world, weaponised narrative furnishes emotional certainty at the cost of rational understanding," write Allenby and Garreau. The "emotionally satisfying" acceptance of a weaponised narrative, they write "inoculates cultures, institutions, and individuals against counterarguments and inconvenient facts." US psychologist Gordon W. Allport Credit:Harvard This gives such misinformation plenty of staying power in the global media environment. Such emotionalism driving politics isn't new.

During World War Two, psychologists identified the same trends in the totalitarian mindsets seen in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. They believed fascist communication split the reasoning part of the personality from the emotional one. The personality found in democracies, meanwhile, could internalise both authority and control. That's why Sweden's response to the #LastnightinSweden non-event may contain a lesson for how nations, governments and legitimate institutions of democracy can respond to the relentless distortions about them shared on social media. Sweden As soon as the US president incorrectly referenced Sweden, Swedish social media accounts were flooded with questions, concern and even abuse by members of the public poised to believe the worst about the situation there.

One of those accounts was @Sweden, with more than 100,000 followers. It's curated by a different Swedish citizen, from a different walk of life on a weekly basis. When the swarm of questions came, a school librarian on medical leave named Emma Johansson was thrust into the position of defending not just her nation's reputation but its political reality. Johansson, armed with knowledge of her own society and confidence in its institutions, responded to the surge in questions. Johansson fact-checked the mistruth spoken by Trump, explaining to the global public that Trump's views were based on misinformation. "We were amazed to see that people actually turned to @sweden about what really happened #LastNightInSweden," said Emma Randecker of the Swedish Institute, which organises the @sweden account.

Johansson's role calls to mind an observation by US psychologist, Gordon Allport, who said: "In a democracy, every personality can be a citadel of resistance to tyranny." She spontaneously challenged the storyline of Sweden as out-of-control. The fact that she was a regular citizen speaking up for the country underscores the strength of the society and democracy. While Johansson dispelled the fear-inducing misinformation and reassured a worried global public, the Swedish Institute also mounted a rapid, multi-day effort to expose the world to the reality of Sweden. (Johansson didn't respond to requests for comment ). "The non-incident created an unprecedented buzz about Sweden, which we tried to make the most of by stating facts about Sweden," says Randecker. Using the spontaneity of Facebook Live to invite the world to actually see and inspect key parts of Sweden themselves, the Swedish Institute promoted targeted events online.

Open letter But the lure of a weaponised narrative is strong. The Swedish Institute focused not on battling those committed to the untruths, but to those at risk of being duped by them. "Unfortunately, experience shows that those who already have strong opinions about what Sweden is  for example, those that like to believe in and spread the misinformation that Sweden is the 'rape capital of Europe'  are very hard to turn," Randecker says, This underscores the damage such narratives can do in influencing a situation, political perception or organisation - often across borders.

And to that end, there is a political element to the kind of weaponised narratives bolting through social media today. "Sweden has become a target of international far-right and neo-Nazi groups," Ben Nimmo of the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab writes. In March, a nationalist Swedish media outlet published an "open letter" to Trump, praising the US president and blaming Sweden's imminent collapse on "Third World invasion" and the actions of earlier US administrations. Trolls these days often refer to it as "Swedenistan." Allenby and Garreau write: "In the hands of professionals, the powerful emotions of anger and fear can be used to control adversaries, limit their options, and disrupt their functional capabilities."

Given Sweden's Cold War experience - wary of Russia but also wary of courting confrontation with Russia  there are geopolitical motivations for the targeting of the Scandinavian nation, too. The threat of information used in such ways faces not just Sweden but open democracies everywhere that rely on consent of an informed public to function. The slowness of democratic society's response to these external challenges may actually be a trait of democracy itself. In a 1951 speech, Allport said: "Totalitarian governments thrive on emergency. Democracies dislike it. When crisis threatens they find themselves unprepared. The result is fear and hysteria." "Slowly the democracy may mobilise and win great victories because the morale of free men is greater than the morale of slaves."

Currently democracies are only at the infancy of response to the weaponised narratives found on social media. Lesson How then are democracies to respond if such weaponised narratives are manipulating discussion? Again, maybe history holds the answer: While fascism in the 1930s sought to split a citizen's personality in two - shutting down reason in favour of emotions in order to accept the outside authority of a strongman leader, the democratic personality required something different.

"While it is natural for every child to depend on authority and for adolescents to want it, the ideal of democracy calls for people to carry their backbone inside their own personalities." Whether Allport's views on the democratic personality have the same relevance or application today  not because liberal values have changed  but their adversary and communication technology have, is an open question. Arizona State University's Scott W. Ruston, in work for the Weaponized Narrative initiative, writes that cyber defence and fake news detection tools are helpful but "real resilience to weaponised narrative will come from a united effort of civic groups, political leaders and the citizenry to fortify our social institutions." Last week nine European and NATO nations announced the creation of a centre in part to counter such threats. But perhaps Sweden's amplification of the variety of average citizens' voices, and Johansson's quick provision of facts, showcases the kind of backbone online required in democracy today.
PHILIPSBURG:--- In light of the ongoing investigation code-named MARS a search took place on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in the Pointe Blanche Prison. A total of four prison cells were searched. The investigation was led by the Prosecutors Office in collaboration with members of the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) and in the presence of an investigative Judge.

One of the cells searched was that of the suspect T.F. A cell phone and documents were confiscated. Also during the searches self-made weapons were found and handed over to the prison director.

The MARS-investigation into the disappearance of the two men S. L. Sarante-Diaz and E. Rosario. Both men were last seen on the afternoon of Monday, December 5th, 2016 in the vicinity of Simpson Bay Resort at "Pelican". Since then, nothing was heard from them.

The suspects detained in the investigation are T.F. and K.S.S.S. They were arrested on February 16 and 17 respectively and are still in pre-trial detention. The investigation continues.

Prosecutor's Office Bulletin.
Bridgetown, Barbados:--- Five women topped the list of eight exceptional employees who were recently feted for their outstanding performance in 2016 by regional bank CIBC FirstCaribbean and its parent CIBC.

The five women and three men and their guests embarked on an enchanting cruise from Florida to Cozumel, Mexico, and Belize City, Belize aboard the Regent Seven Seas Mariner in January as part of their reward for exceptional performance in the areas of leadership, sales, management and process improvement. They joined hundreds of other winners in the groups Achievers programme from across the CIBC global network, in addition to several senior officers of the banks parent company.

The celebrations continued recently in Barbados when the top performers were given a red carpet welcome and meet-and-greet at the banks regional headquarters, the Michael Mansoor Building in Warrens to start a weekend of further celebration with the banks senior executives led by Chief Executive Officer Gary Brown.

Mr. Brown noted that the winners were the best of the best for the bank, and praised them for their commitment and contribution to CIBC FirstCaribbeans success.

These continue to be challenging times in a lot of our markets and relationships with our clients are what will distinguish us from the competition. We continue to build our business, one client at a time and each of these Achievers has proved that client relationships are paramount.

I have stressed to our people that we should all be doing something each and every day to positively affect the client experience and that we should all come to work knowing that our clients are pretty much the only reason we have for coming in each day. Through our brand promise, we have committed to deliver for our clients, to ensure we are there for them when they need us. Our winners are fine examples of our bank doing that.

The winners were, from the Bahamas: Lorraine Johnson, Branch Manager for exemplary leadership, Sonia Rutherford, Senior Corporate Manager, for outstanding sales; Barbados: Karen Bannister, Sales Specialist, outstanding sales, Gregory Blackman, Manager, Sales and Business Development, exemplary leadership, Sheldene Pinder, Platinum Relationship Manager, outstanding sales; Cayman Islands: Dallas Neatham, Private Banker for outstanding relationship management; Jamaica: Shaune Sewell, Sales Specialist, outstanding sales, Regional Head Office: Graeme Best, Systems Analyst, for process improvement.

An awards dinner at Champers Restaurant on Barbados south coast, as well as an island tour with lunch at the historic Sunbury Plantation, capped the weekend of celebrations.
The Hague, Netherlands:---Students of the faculty of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Sint Maarten (USM), during an orientation visit to the Netherlands, paid a courtesy call the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague.

They were welcomed by the Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary, H.E. Mr. Hasani Ellis. The Deputy Minister after introducing himself and the staff of the Cabinet addressed the students briefly by providing useful information on the best practices he experienced, both while studying in the Netherlands and now in his tenure as Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary. The students were then given the opportunity to pose questions. As some of the students present are expected to return to the Netherlands in of order to further their studies, the questions centered mainly around the living and study environment in The Netherlands, and what they can expect when moving there.

In his closing remarks, the Deputy Minister challenged the students to pay keen attention to the changing innovations in the fields of Hospitality and Tourism and to capitalize on these experiences by taking them back to Sint Maarten and transform the ideas into an enhanced Sint Maarten tourism product.
THE HAGUE:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Henrietta Doran-York met with officials of the Foundation Secondary Education Windward Islands (SVOBE), Mrs. Angela Richard-Huggins of Human Resources, and Mr. W.J.M. de Visser, who is also the General Director of the Milton peters College and Sundial School, during their working visit to the Netherlands.

Visser and Richards utilized the Sint Maartens Cabinet in The Hague to assess applicants for various subject areas for the upcoming school year 2017-2018 at the Milton Peters College (MPC) and the Sundial School on Sint Maarten.

Annually, the SVOBE representatives travel to The Netherlands in order to recruit new teachers for these schools. The discussions not only centered around the recruitment of teachers, but the Minister and staff were also given detailed information on the improvements made over the years and details of the issues that are still being worked on. Both the Minister and the Deputy Minister were presented with the SVOBE Schools Anniversary Jubilee Booklet, as a token of appreciation for the assistance rendered at the Cabinet.

Minister Plenipotentiary Doran-York said, that the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary was pleased to be of assistance, as one of its main goals is to accommodate Government institutions and organizations of Sint Maarten, during official visits to the Netherlands.
PHILIPSBURG:-- The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to inform the members on the results of the postulation of candidates for the BI- Election for the Board of Directors of the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry, concluded on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 12 noon.

Through the completed postulation process the following person was postulated in accordance with the laws and procedures.

Small Business sector:

Three (3) candidates were postulated for (1) one seat, the names are Benjamin A. Ortega, Edsel E. Gumbs, and Nzinga P. Lake.

The Election for the Small Business sector seat shall be held on April 21, 2017.

Voters are advised to pick up their voting cards at the Chamber of Commerce & Industry office from Thursday, April 13, 2017.

St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry
PHILIPSBURG:--- On the initiative of the Sonesta Group and with affluent travelers as a target, Head of the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau Rolando Brison has been invited to Moscow, Russia to hold discussions with Russian Tour Operators and Russia's largest airline S7 Airlines.

Key players in the Russian market have expressed an interest in promoting St. Maarten as a destination of interest to its citizens. Brison's meetings will take place on April 20th. Top Russian tour operators will include:

 S7 Airlines

 Tez Tour

 Anex

 Sunmar

 Biblo globus

 Mouzedenis

A recent study of the Russian travel market conducted by EuroTravel showed that Russian tourists are back among the big travel spenders. Another survey by market research firm Ipsos Comcon, presented on the first day of the MITT 2017 travel exhibition in Moscow, has shown that total spend by Russians holidaying abroad rose 40% over 2016.

This is encouraging news for destinations offering premium or higher-end holidays to Russian customers, as it shows the top end of the market has survived the recent troubles. As Russia starts to emerge from its slump, the key drivers of tourism demand look promising.

The Russian rouble has recovered from the disastrous rate of 18 months ago to almost reach 60 to the euro. This in turn has boosted the economy; oil prices are back at the $50 mark; and the Russian economy is forecast to no longer be in recession in 2017. This improved situation has filtered down to the pocket of Russian tourists. 36% of Russians surveyed by Ipsos Comcon are now in the income bracket that usually travels.

We are very interested in meeting with the tour operators and the airline. The airline is new potential airlift and the caliber of high end visitors is what we are also trying to attract. These are opportunities that are welcomed and we commend the Sonesta Group for always being an active partner in promoting the destination, Brison said.
PHILIPSBURG:--- During his recent visit to St. Maarten, Mr. Rudy Croes paid a courtesy visit to DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams, also in his capacity as vice-chairperson of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPAL).

The Democratic Party is a long-standing member of COPPAL, however during the last couple of years, has been inactive as far as this regional political body is concerned.

COPPAL is an international organization of political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean. It was created on 12 October 1979 in Oaxaca, Mexico, and brings together Liberal, social democratic, Christian democratic, and leftist political parties. Today COPPAL is the most important forum of political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean.

COPPALs goals are: defending democracy and the legal and political institutions while fostering their development and improvement; strengthening the principle of self-determination of the peoples of Latin America; promoting regional integration; supporting any initiative for disarmament; promoting the defense, sovereignty and better utilization of the natural resources of each country in the region; boosting development; promoting Latin American regional organizations and joint actions that will enable the establishment of a more just international economic order; defending and promoting respect for human rights."

COPPAL is desirous of reactivating the membership of the Democratic Party, a request that the DP leader promised to put to the board of the Party.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin who returned from the Netherlands after meeting with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, Minister of Interior and Kingdom Relations and also addressing the Kingdom Council of Ministers about the instruction the Kingdom imposed on St. Maarten gave reporters on Friday and full view of what transpired in the Netherlands last Friday, April 7th 2017

Prime Minister Marlin said when he met with the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte, the meeting lasted about 9 minutes and the Prime Minister dealt with him in a very hostile manner, he said that the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte who is also the chairman of the Kingdom Council basically told him that if St. Maarten does not want to abide by the rules of the Kingdom then St. Maarten should get out of the Kingdom. He said the Prime Minister of the Netherlands said he is tired of St. Maarten whining around the matter of establishing the integrity chamber.

Marlin said he explained the Kingdom Council that the protocol signed in 2015, was fully respected by St. Maarten until the Constitutional Court scrapped it because it will invade the privacy of people.

The Prime Minister said that when he met with Minister Plasterk on Thursday, Plasterk basically told him that he was sure that St. Maarten was getting an instruction, Marlin said that when a Minister could vouch on the outcome of a meeting that had not yet taken place then one has to know what was going on.

He said that while the instruction is sent to the Council of State for Advice St. Maarten could appeal but wonders if that would serve the country anything because the Kingdom Council already made their position clear, which is even if the Council of State gave a negative advice they will ignore it and go ahead with issuing an instruction.

Marlin stressed that if the Kingdom wants to continue with that route then he has one message for them, and that is they would have to send their troops to St. Maarten to execute their instruction.

Marlin said on Monday, the Dutch representative Chris Johnson visited him to deliver a verbal message which is to let him know that Minister Plasterk did not like his statements when he said prior to his departure that the Kingdom would have to send down their troops to St. Maarten if they issued an instruction. Marlin made clear he is not going to war with anyone but certainly St. Maarten will not be cooperating with the Dutch with the instruction they are issuing based on a protocol that the Constitutional Court squashed. Marlin said he informed the Dutch representative that he must tell Plasterk that he (Marlin) did not accept his message and whatever he has to say to St. Maarten must be done in writing.

Marlin said that there comes a time when someone has to stand up just like Rosa Parks did years ago and get up from the back of the bus to bring about change.

Marlin made clear that the government of St. Maarten will not engage in endless fights with the Kingdom and if they intend to discuss his statements, then he would invite them to also discuss what the Prime Minister of the Netherlands told him and how he treated him.

He also said a professor and other lawyers have contacted the government of St. Maarten offering support since they also believe the Kingdom is wrong in their approach. He said that the Kingdom Council should also invite that law professor and let him shed some light so they could see where they are wrong.

Asked by SMN News if St. Maarten will opt to take the same course as St. Eustatius, Marlin said his governing program does not have anything about Independence in it and as such he is not in a position to just go and take that decision. Marlin said if it comes to that the people of St. Maarten would have to be consulted via referendum. However, he made clear that Mark Rutte cannot kick St. Maarten out of the Kingdom, he does not have that prerogative. Besides that he said St. Maarten has a lot on its plate all of which are priorities of the government, integrity, crime, the dump, and several other projects have governments attention and at this moment government will focus on the things that are of importance to the country. St. Maartens Prime Minister also made clear that the statements made by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands will not scare him off.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VSA Emil Lee who represented St. Maarten in the Bahamas committed the country to giving Sunwing Airlines $200k in order for them to continue their marketing programme and also flying to St. Maarten without consulting with the Ministry of TEATT or Council of Ministers.

An email dispatched by Susan Oland, Director of Programme Development Sunwing, stated in an email that at no time they were told they would not get the monies and that they were asked to block certain media which they did since January and now they are left without the promised $200k

Oland further stated that the Minister told them at the CHA meeting that certain media were not to be part of the plan and they made the changes and blocked those media, now they are left without the financial support the Minister promised them. Oland indicated in her email that they already dropped 5 flights to 4 and she cannot go back to their executives and tell them that the airline will not be getting what was promised to them at the CHA meeting by St. Maartens Minister Emil Lee. The email directed to Marla Chemont, Oland even asked Chemont to contact them to work the matter.

While Minister Lee and the interim Minister of TEATT Rafael Boasman had said that Minister Lee went to the Bahamas to represent St. Maarten, SMN News learned that Minister Lee was seeking vacation days to go to the CHA marketplace to represent his own business while being a Minister, since he had bought tickets since 2016 to attend the event. A well-placed source said that when Minister Lee approached the Council of Ministers for vacation days to attend the event as he wanted to keep abreast with all tourism activities he was asked to represent the country since there was no Minister of TEATT in office and the Acting Minister of TEATT Minister Boasman had a lot to deal with at the time.

Asked by SMN News about that commitment that was made to Sunwing by Minister Lee, Minister Mellissa Arrindell Donker said she was not aware of the commitment but knows that the St. Maarten Tourism Authority (STA) is busy negotiating with Sunwing. SMN News informed the Minister that the email was sent to SMN News and that the Minister did commit the country to the tune of $200K Minister Arrindell Doncher stressed that she was not aware of that transaction.
Pure Announces Ex-Dividend Date for Preferred Stock Dividend Participation

LAS VEGAS, NV  (Marketwired)  04/11/17  (OTC PINK: PNOW), the developer of multiple and diverse business ventures, relevant to Central America and the Caribbean, announced today, that the Company has declared the Ex-Dividend Date (the date that shareholders of record on the Companys books, , will be entitled to receive the preferred stock dividend) as Wednesday, May 10th, 2017.

On Wednesday, May 10th, 2017, all shareholders of record, holding a minimum of 1.2m shares of PNOW common stock, will receive approximately 9 shares of Series BB Preferred Stock as a dividend, stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions. These specially designed, preferred dividends, will finally give shareholders the protection, support and confidence they need and deserve from their microcap investments and reward our loyal shareholders.

As previously indicated, roughly 1/3rd of Pures current shareholder base meets the minimum holding requirements to receive the upcoming stock dividend. Management does believe that the remaining majority of shareholders (which is thousands of PNOW investors) could likely secure the minimum number of common shares required to receive the Preferred Stock Dividend.

Management indicated the exact preferred stock to common share ratio is 8.82 shares of Preferred Stock for every 100k shares of common stock owned. This is equal to approximately 106 shares of Preferred Stock for every 1,200,000 shares of common stock; 4 shares more of the Series BB Preferred Stock, than originally considered.

Mr. Pereira concluded, The more Series BB Preferred Stock we can provide, the greater protection we can offer to our common shareholders against dilution, reverse splits, and extreme volatility. For all the ups and downs, accomplishments and growing pains, these shares are both deserved and justified; offering our shareholders an opportunity to greatly benefit from the things to come from Pure and its assets and subsidiaries, such as Meso Numismatics.

Management indicated that the Company intends to reach out to as many shareholders as possible, to try to ensure that all investors are notified and have an opportunity to participate in the Series BB Preferred Stock Dividend offering.

PURE, through its developed or acquired assents and subsidiaries, operates multiple business ventures throughout Central America and the Caribbean, promoting opportunities for tourism to the Region.

Meso Numismatics is the Companys emerging numismatic company. The Company has a global inventory of coins and bank notes, and specializes in pieces from Central America and parts of the Caribbean. The Company has rare and exquisite inventory available for sale at , as well as Heritage Auctions, and .

Oveedia offers proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners, primarily in Central America and the Latin countries, intent on building competitive operations in the areas of online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services; becoming the online travel hub.

Read more:

Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Companys actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Companys customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Transcontinental Inc. Announces the Renewal of its Normal Course Issuer Bid

MONTREAL, QUEBEC  (Marketwired)  04/11/17  Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B) has been authorized to purchase for cancellation on the open market, between April 17, 2017 and April 16, 2018, up to 2,000,000 of its Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and up to 442,349 of its Class B Shares, representing approximately 3.16% of the 63,372,236 issued and outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and of the 14,016,326 issued and outstanding Class B Shares as of April 3, 2017. The average daily trading volume on the Toronto Stock Exchange of Class A Subordinate Voting Shares for the past six months was 156,766 and the average daily trading volume on the Toronto Stock Exchange of Class B Shares for the past six months was 1,651. In accordance with the Toronto Stock Exchange requirements, a maximum daily purchase of the greater of 25% of these averages or 1,000 shares may be made, which represent a total of 39,191 Class A subordinate Voting Shares and a total of 1,000 Class B Shares. The purchases will be made in the normal course of business at market prices through the facilities of the Toronto Stock Exchange and/or alternative Canadian trading platforms in accordance with the requirements of the exchange and/or, subject to the approval of any securities authority by private agreements. If necessary, purchases through private agreements will be executed at a price that is less than the prevailing market price on the Toronto Stock Exchange at the time of the purchase.

The Corporation believes that the purchase of the Class A subordinate Voting Shares and Class B Shares would constitute an economically worthwhile use by the Corporation of its funds and is in the best interest of the Corporation and its shareholders. During the period from April 15, 2016 to April 11, 2017, Transcontinental Inc. purchased 701,590 Class A Subordinate Voting Shares at a weighted average price of $17.42 and did not purchase Class B Shares.

In connection with the program, the Corporation established an automatic securities purchase plan to provide standard instructions regarding how the Corporations shares are to be repurchased under the program. Accordingly, the Corporation may repurchase its shares under the automatic plan on any trading day during the program including during self-imposed trading blackout periods. The automatic plan will commence and should terminate together with the program. It constitutes an automatic plan for purposes of applicable Canadian securities legislation and has been reviewed by the Toronto Stock Exchange.

About TC Transcontinental

Canadas largest printer with operations in print, flexible packaging, publishing and digital media, TC Transcontinentals mission is to create products and services that allow businesses to attract, reach and retain their target customers.

Respect, teamwork, performance and innovation are strong values held by the Corporation and its employees. The Corporations commitment to its stakeholders is to pursue its business and philanthropic activities in a responsible manner.

Transcontinental Inc. (TSX: TCL.A)(TSX: TCL.B), known as TC Transcontinental, has close to 8,000 employees in Canada and the United States, and revenues of C$2.0 billion in 2016. Website

Contacts:

Media

Nathalie St-Jean, Senior Advisor, Communications

TC Transcontinental

514-954-3581

Financial Community

Shirley Chenny, Advisor, Investor Relations

TC Transcontinental

514-954-4166
MyGlobalMarket sets the stage to take E-commerce to the next level

Posted by Publisher Internet

DANVILLE, CA  (Marketwired)  04/11/17  E-commerce and social media will soon come together to provide consumers a unique shopping experience and an opportunity to capitalize on their social networks. announced today that it is has launched formal fundraising activities ahead of plans to open its online store in the second half of 2017. In conjunction with todays announcement, the company launched an aggressive investor by offering numerous packages with intriguing perks and benefits.

According to the companys founder and chairman, Guy Hale, MyGlobalMarkets revolutionary version of social commerce has already driven excitement in the investment community, with $1.2 million of the initial $6-million goal committed before todays formal fundraising launch. MyGlobalMarket will feature breakthrough social commerce technology exclusively designed to tap into the spending power of consumers social networks, Hale said. If the early stages of the companys existence are any indication, MyGlobalMarket will quickly emerge as a fast-growth company as evidenced by the excitement we are seeing among investors, consumers and social media influencers.

MyGlobalMarket will feature a wide-range of products that customers can buy. MyGlobalMarket members will be able to earn money on the purchases made by their social media connections. The company is also building a platform that blends next-generation social media, social commerce and e-commerce with a user experience unlike anything on the market today. The MyGlobalMarket.com user app and backend technology will break the mold of e-commerce for both buyers and sellers.

The company will be able to generate revenue through a simple business model and the innovative use of technology and social media that will allow MyGlobalMarket to maintain low overhead. As a result, the company expects substantial profits through the transaction margins negotiated with vendors and retailers. On every purchase, MyGlobalMarket will take a percentage of the sale profits and a small payout will be distributed to members and their networks  limited to five levels deep.

We are creating MyGlobalMarket to give social media users the power to put their networks to work for them. The beauty of this model is that the people who join will not be required to pay fees or meet quotas to be a member. Also, we are building a lineup of brands, products and partners that customers will be excited about, Hale said. We will soon be ready to announce members of our leadership team and the organizations and people who have signed up as vendors and strategic partners.

More information about the MyGlobalMarket.com campaign on Kickstarter can be found at .

MyGlobalMarket is a pioneer in social commerce because it combines the best of e-commerce and social media to provide customers a rewarding online shopping experience. The company was founded in October 2016 and is privately held, with its headquarters in Danville, Calif. MyGlobalMarkets mission is to allow its customers to earn money shopping and by tapping into their social networks. The online mall will be located at and is scheduled to open in the second half of 2017.

Follow MyGlobalMarket on Facebook at .

Follow MyGlobalMarket on Twitter at .

Follow MyGlobalMarket on LinkedIn at .

Brad Thomas

Springboard5 Marketing & PR

+1 801 208 1100
INTEMA and Subscribe Technologies Inc. Sign a Strategic Partnership Agreement

MONTREAL, QUEBEC  (Marketwired)  04/11/17  INTEMA SOLUTIONS INC. (INTEMA) (TSX VENTURE: ITM) and Subscribe Technologies Inc. (Subscribe) (CSE: SAAS)(CSE: SAAS.CN)(OTC PINK: SRBBF) are pleased to announce that they have recently reached a strategic partnership agreement. With this partnership, Intemas eFlyerMaker will be made available to Subscribes bContact.com CRM users; eFlyermaker users will also be able to access Subscribes bContact.com CRM and accounting application.

This partnership agreement will strengthen both parties software offer by adding a greatly needed feature to the users. The added feature will also be a new source of revenue from the same customers who will use either of the software.

This partnership perfectly meets Intemas desire to use innovation to help marketers deliver a total customer experience with its eFlyerMaker email software.

eFlyerMaker enables businesses to easily prepare and launch marketing campaigns. It is the only email marketing platform that can automate predictive custom content in a campaign or website by targeting users based on browsing, reading and purchasing habits.

Subscribes bContact.com is a cloud based SaaS business offering small and medium sized companies access to a fully integrated set of business management tools including a Customer relationship management system (CRM), accounting, banking, invoicing, billing, quotations and many other useful features. bContact reduces the learning curve of new users with a simpler solution to managing, tracking, invoicing and collecting from customers.

Intema is continuously looking for solution partners that help extend eFlyerMakers offering and add value to our email campaign tool. Partnering with Subscribe Technologies provides an excellent opportunity to do that, stated Roger Plourde, CEO, Intema Solutions.

We are pleased to have been selected to be part of this strategic offering that will bring our customers more possibilities with Intemas marketing tool while providing eFlyerMakers with access to bContact. said Paul Dickson CEO Subscribe Technologies.

About Subscribe Technologies Inc.

Subscribe Technologies Inc. develops and acquires Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) businesses and in turn operates, manages and markets the service.

About INTEMA SOLUTIONS Inc. INTEMAs mission is to integrate technologies to marketing. The company develops technologies for marketing and services related to predictive marketing, relationship marketing and database marketing. Since its inception, INTEMA has dedicated its efforts to deliver key solutions to the marketing industry. For more information, please visit our corporate website at intema.com and our product websites eflyermaker.com and matcheranalytics.com.

Contacts:

Paul Dickson, CEO

Subscribe Technologies Inc.

778-775-7297

Roger Plourde, CEO

Intema Solutions Inc.

514-861-1881
DataWind Appoints New CFO

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO  (Marketwired)  04/11/17  DataWind Inc. (TSX: DW), the leader in delivering Internet access to emerging markets, is pleased to announce that Angelo Tullo will be joining the DataWind team as the new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Tullo will work with the Companys former CFO, Dan Hilton, to provide continuity for the completion of the annual audit and to ensure a seamless transition of his Chief Financial Officer duties.

Suneet Tuli, the Companys Co-Founder, President and CEO stated, First, we would like to thank Dan for his work at DataWind and we all wish him the very best in the future. As we move forward, we are delighted to welcome Angelo Tullo. Angelo brings a wealth of financial experience gained from his many years at senior executive management levels in both public and private companies and we believe he will be a great fit for the Company.

Angelo has over 25 years of international financial and operational experience. He has served at TSX and TSX Venture listed companies as Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, Director, Company Secretary, as well as serving on the Board. Angelo completed his Chartered Professional Accountancy designation with Price Waterhouse.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Suneet Tuli, Co-Founder, President and CEO

About DataWind

DataWind, Inc. is a leader in providing affordable mobile Internet connectivity in emerging markets. The companys patented, cloud-based technology reduces up to 97% the amount of data needed for web browsing, providing a broadband experience on any network  even on legacy 2G networks that are still prevalent in developing countries. DataWind also provides economical smartphones and tablets that come bundled with one year of unlimited internet access, making it the largest tablet provider in India. DataWinds unique solution offers broad social and economic benefits for the billions of people around the world for whom an Internet connection was previously out of reach. DataWind is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: DW). For more information, visit .

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking information includes information with respect to our goals, beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. Forward-looking information is identified by the use of terms and phrases such as may, would, should, could, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, plan, foresee, believe, and continue, or the negative of these terms and similar terminology, including references to assumptions. Please note, however, that not all forward-looking information contains these terms and phrases. Forward-looking information is based upon a number of assumptions and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk factors identified in the Companys prospectus dated June 27, 2014, which is available on the SEDAR website at . Consequently, all of the forward-looking information contained herein is qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements, and there can be no guarantee that the results or developments that we anticipate will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or effects on our business, financial condition or results of operation. Unless otherwise noted or the context otherwise indicates, the forward-looking information contained herein is provided as of the date hereof, and we do not undertake to update or amend such forward-looking information whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law.

No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved the contents of this press release/media advisory.

Contacts:

DataWind Inc.

Angelo Tullo

Chief Financial Officer

416-904-9996
5 Trends for Security Professionals

HAWTHORNE, NJ  (Marketwired)  04/12/17  STEALTHbits Technologies Inc., a cybersecurity software company focused on protecting an organizations credentials and sensitive information, today announced the results of a survey conducted at the RSA Conference 2017 in San Francisco, Calif.

For the third year in a row, STEALTHbits gathered insights from more than 300 security professionals, spanning more than six verticals such as technology, finance, government, healthcare, services, and education.

Respondents were asked to rank their Chief Information Security Officers priorities in order of most important to least. Active Directory Management and Security rose from least important in 2015 and 2016 to the third most important in 2017.

Each year we are excited to take part in the RSA Conference and this year we were delighted to continue our conversations of how we help our customers with their credentials and data, said Jonathan Sander, STEALTHbits Chief Technology Officer. One thing that surprised us was the increased focus on human error as a risk to data security.

With the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) a little more than a year away, 67% of respondents stated that they were preparing for the EU GDPR.

For more of the trends, STEALTHbits has developed a White Paper detailing the survey results, available for download by clicking .

STEALTHbits Technologies is a cybersecurity software company focused on protecting an organizations credentials and sensitive information. By removing inappropriate data access, enforcing security policy, and detecting advanced threats, we reduce security risk, fulfill compliance requirements, and decrease operations expense.

Identify threats. Secure data. Reduce risk.

For more information, visit , email , or call +1-201-447-9300.

STEALTHbits:

Dan Chmielewski

Madison Alexander PR

E:

O: +1 714-832-8716

M: +1 949-231-2965
Viridian Works With 1st Touch On Digital First Mobile App

Viridian Housing is running a 1st Touch mobile working app to make their Housing Officers lives easier by reducing administration and cutting out the use of paper. The innovative app forms part of Viridians Digital First initiative led by its IT and Research & Innovation teams. Viridians Digital First strategy aims to radically improve services for both customers and colleagues by developing their digital offering.

Viridian is a social housing provider to over 30,000 residents spanning London, the South East, the Midlands and West Sussex. Their Digital First strategy is to create beautifully designed, easy to use online services that people want to use and come back to. The strategy is being implemented via a range of projects delivered with product owners from across the business. One of the first projects to go live is based around the New Tenancy Visit:

The app, which is delivered via the 1st Touch platform enables Housing Officers to:

 Check household details and any vulnerabilities

 Check rent balances

 Check repairs history and report a repair

 Report Anti Social Behaviour

 Run through early tenancy questions

Viridians Research & Innovation team worked closely with the Housing Officers and 1st Touch to ensure the app was designed in a way that would not only bring efficiencies to the process but also demonstrate the power of mobile solutions to both colleagues and residents alike.

Commenting on the new app, Viridians Head of IT Dominic Rogers said, Through our Digital First initiative we have a real opportunity to shape the way our staff and customers engage with us, and we see getting mobile right as key to that experience. The 1st Touch app plays an important role here and we look forward to working closely on this and other areas where mobile might make a difference.

For his part, Greg Johns CEO of 1st Touch welcomed Dominic Rogers comments adding, Viridians Digital First strategy sets the standard in terms of functionality, bandwidth and an evident investment in expertise and professionalism. We are immensely impressed by the work of their IT and Research & Innovation teams and look forward to exploring other areas where mobile can help drive efficiency, customer care and Value For Money.
Moortec and UltraSoC collaborate to enable next-generation smart PVT sensors

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, 12th April 2017: UltraSoC and Moortec Semiconductor today announced that they are cooperating on system-on-chip (SoC) monitoring and analytics intellectual property (IP) to enable a new generation of Process, Voltage and Temperature (PVT) sensor sub-systems. By integrating UltraSoCs digital monitoring and optimization capabilities, with Moortecs industry-leading PVT products this enables powerful, chip-wide infrastructure to improve SoC performance and reliability.

Moortecs PVT sensor sub-systems are widely used thoroughout the industy to allow intelligent control of system clock frequencies and voltage levels within supply domains, by sensing die temperature, logic speed and voltage supply levels while the device is in-service. UltraSoCs on-chip monitoring and analytics architecture allows complementary monitoring and analysis in the digital domain, enabling non-intrusive, wire-speed capture and logging of information about the real-world operation of SoCs.

The option of combining these two technologies delivers a new generation of smart PVT sensors, with local intelligence, that allows architects to develop more sophisticated control techniques, benefitting from UltraSoCs embedded analytic and communication capabilities. This collaboration enables ICs to be equipped with advanced features such as built-in preventive maintenance, load balancing to reduce failures and better control of power consumption for longer battery life.

Too often people believe that SoCs are ideal digital devices, making assumptions about perfect implementations. But in reality they are far more complex physical, quasi-analog, systems, said Rupert Baines, UltraSoC CEO. System engineers need to understand the real-world behaviors and Moortec has a unique approach to achieving that with their PVT sensors. Were delighted that Moortec have chosen UltraSoCs processing and analytics capabilities. The combination allows architects to dramatically improve the reliability, battery-life and performance of their devices.

Stephen Crosher, Managing Director of Moortec Semiconductor, commented: UltraSoC and Moortec have complementary technologies, both of which help development teams to improve the operation of their SoCs. UltraSoCs semiconductor IP adds intelligence alongside our monitors, enabling real-time alerts, decision making and long-term statistical analysis. The bottom line for SoC designers is better product quality, higher device performance, faster time-to-market and reduced risk.

Moortecs on-chip PVT monitoring IP addresses the challenges faced by SoC design teams creating complex ICs at small process geometries, for applications such as personal mobile technology and multi-core server configurations. In this environment, performance can vary significantly from chip-to-chip, and even between different areas on the same device: a phenomenon known as process variability. Moortec helps to mitigate these effects by gathering information about the chips electrical performance, and tuning parameters such as power supply voltage and clock speed to produce the optimum combination of power consumption and performance.

UltraSoCs suite of silicon IP allows designers to create an on-chip infrastructure that non-intrusively monitors the digital aspects of the chips behavior  both hardware and software. The engineering team can gain a much more intimate understanding of the often complex interactions between diverse on-chip processor blocks, custom logic, and system software. These capabilities are valuable both in development and in-field, when they can be used to spot unexpected behavior caused by bugs or by malicious interference, and to analyze performance trends. UltraSoC was awarded Cool Vendor 2016 by Gartner Group, and listed in the LEAP 100 of the most exciting businesses in UK by City.AM and Mishcon del Reya.
Insight Venture Partners to Invest in Excess of $100 Million to Take a Majority Stake in Zyme

Posted by Publisher Hardware

REDWOOD SHORES, CA and NEW YORK, NY  (Marketwired)  04/12/17  Zyme, , today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell a majority ownership position to Insight Venture Partners (Insight), a leading global private equity and venture capital firm, in a transaction valued at over $100 million.

This financial partnership with Insight will enable Zyme to build a new solution category around its CDM technology that enables customers across the world to leverage data and analytics to optimize channel marketing, channel sales, channel inventory and partner performance.

Our success comes from enabling our customers to gain visibility into their sales activity in the indirect channel and helping them use this data to drive intelligent business decisions, said Chandran Sankaran, CEO of Zyme. The use of CDM has matured quickly in recent years, strengthening our ability to lead the next generation of solutions for the data-driven optimization of the global channel. We are excited about the new partnership with Insight Venture Partners, and what it means for us and our customers. This partnership grants us the ability to further amplify the power and reach of our solutions, and will provide our customers with new ways to drive revenue through their indirect channels.

There is tremendous opportunity for CDM to reinvent how the global indirect channel is managed, making Zyme a unique investment opportunity in the market, said Ryan Hinkle, Managing Director at Insight Venture Partners. We are excited to welcome Zyme to our portfolio, and look forward to building upon their momentum and track record.

Zyme is transforming traditional channel management processes with data. We look forward to working with the team to capture their full market potential and accelerate their organic and inorganic growth, added Ross Devor, Principal at Insight Venture Partners.

The transaction will buy out a majority of existing investors and shareholders of the company, including early investor Susquehanna Growth Equity.

The investment agreement, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed within the second quarter of 2017.

Spurrier Capital Partners and Cooley LLP acted as the financial and legal advisers respectively to Zyme. Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP is serving as legal counsel to Insight Venture Partners.

Zyme provides the leading channel data management (CDM) cloud platform, delivering critical downstream visibility for global companies that leverage distributors, resellers, retailers and e-tailers to sell their products. Zymes flexible, real-time data platform powers the New Smart Channel(SM), a proven approach to acquiring actionable knowledge that enterprises need to accelerate partner sales and optimize marketing ROI. With a channel directory of more than 1.5 million partners, Zyme processes more than one billion transactions annually across more than 150 countries, providing decision-grade intelligence to optimize business processes like sales execution, inventory management, partner rebates and incentives, marketing and financial compliance.

Pre-built integrations with Salesforce and other innovative cloud solution providers help Zymes industry-leading customers, including Amazon, Dell, Fujitsu, GE, Microsoft, Plantronics, Seagate, Symantec, VMware and Xerox use channel intelligence to solve core business problems. Headquartered in Redwood Shores, CA, Zyme has offices in India, Texas, China and the UK. For more information, visit .

Insight Venture Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm investing in high-growth software and internet-enabled companies that are driving transformative change in their industries.

Founded in 1995, Insight has raised more than $13 billion and invested in more than 250 companies worldwide. Our mission is to find, fund and work successfully with visionary executives providing them with practical, hands-on growth expertise to foster long-term success.

For more information on Insight and all of its investments, visit or follow us on Twitter: @Insightpartners.

BOCA Communications

415-225-8444
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A grandad from Somerset passed away just an hour after he backed the winner of the Grand National.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house when dying 85-year-old Arthur Bowering, of Banwell, achieved his lifelong wish on Saturday.

Arthur died at home surrounded by his family on Saturday after his namesake One For Arthur had romped home at Aintree.

And the champs trainer Lucinda Russell even rang the family when they contacted her to share the news.

His daughter Debbie Blick, 51, described how her farmer dad loved nothing more than a small bet each Saturday but had never got close to winning the Grand National until last week.

Debbie, from Banwell, Somerset, said: It was just the most perfect send off for him, the most perfect way to go.

He was very sick by the Saturday but we found his betting slip and decided to bet for him just one last time.

We obviously went for One For Arthur and there wasnt a dry eye in the house when he won.

Following the race Arthur, a grandad of five and great-grandad of one, who was suffering from heart failure, deteriorated and died just over an hour later.

But the family were so moved by the final win for their dad they phoned the horses trainer Lucinda Russell to share the heartwarming news and say they were amazed when she phoned them straight back.

Debbie said: We just felt we had to tell the trainer how perfect it was and she got back in touch right away to say how touched she was by what happened and how much it had moved her, it was a lovely for thing for her to do and I know dad would have loved it.

Champion trainer Lucinda Russell was clearly moved by Arthurs story too and told The Daily Mirror: I think this story is absolutely brilliant.

I know the Grand National is a huge global event watched as far afield as places like Cambodia but what really touches you is when you realise what racing means to people like Arthur.

I think it is delightful how much the win can effect peoples lives and I am am so very happy that if, at least in some small way, we brought some lightness to such a terrible dark time for Debbie and her family.
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Former Marine and ex-Yeovil MP Paddy Ashdown has said cuts to the Royal Marines announced yesterday are unnecessary.

The Government has confirmed that 200 posts are going to be cut from the Royal Marines, with a number of bases across the South West  including one in Somerset - believed to be at risk.

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones said the Royal Marines will be restructured as part of its efforts to "adapt to meet the challenges of a dangerous and uncertain world" as it introduces new ships, submarines and aircraft to the service

It is understood that no marines will lose their job as part of the decision and the Navy will look to save money by not replacing staff members who decide to leave the force.

Staff currently at Norton Manor Camp, near Taunton could be affected in order to help create the funding needed to address an alleged staffing crisis before the completion of the first of two new aircraft carriers, HMS Elizabeth. The base is already earmarked for closure.

The National Audit Office have gone on record to say the shortage of engineers, intelligence personnel and war-fighting specialists in the Navy and RAF air crew could delay the deployment of the carriers.

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones told the Press Association: "I also know we must adapt to meet the challenges of a dangerous and uncertain world.

"The Government is investing in a new generation of ships, submarines and aircraft.

"As we introduce these capabilities into service, we must ensure we have the right mix of skills across each of the Navy's fighting arms to optimise how we use them, and the Commandant General and I have sought to find the right balance between sailors and marinesin responding to this challenge.

"The Royal Marines remain bound into every part of the Royal Navy's future, from conducting sophisticated operations from the sea, at a variety of scales and against a range of threats, using our new aircraft carriers as a base, to leading the Service's development of information warfare.

"They will continue to be as vital to the defence of the realm in the years ahead as they have been for the past 350."

Ex-Royal Marine and former Liberal Democrat Leader Paddy Ashdown claimed the new equipment is not necessary.

He said: "In an unpredictable age, we need forces that are fast, flexible and mobile. That's what the Royal Marines do at a world-class level.

"To cut their numbers to fill a Naval manpower black hole is not just poor reward for their service over the last years, but a folly which plays fast and loose with the nation's defences.

"The Royal Marines have carried the greatest burden in the defence of our country over the last decade - they have fought in more theatres and won more battles than any other British unit. They are also the crucial manpower pool from which we draw many of our Special Forces.

"The Royal Marines are paying the price for the foolish decisions made in the last Strategic Defence Review, in which the Service Chiefs were allowed to hang on to their most prestigious equipment, even if they made little or no contribution to the nation's strategic long-term defence needs.

"We are now saddled with cuts to the Royal Marines to pay for sailors to man two huge aircraft carriers which many fear are little more than floating white elephants."

Do you think it is the right decision? Let us know in the comments below.
After Jerry Bojanowski, 64, retired from his position as a system architect with General Motors in April, he knew he wanted to do something to keep busy. A longtime home chef who enjoyed sharing recipes with his family, Bojanowski (or...
A human rights group based in Canada has asked that countrys Foreign Affairs ministry to inquire if helicopters sold to the Philippine military are being used in aerial strikes that have alleged targeted civilian communities.

Bern Jagunos of the International Coalition on Human Rights in the Philippines wrote to Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland following reports that air strikes during operations against communist rebels had razed a forest and destroyed farms tilled by indigenous people in the town of Malibcong, Abra.

The Malibcong bombings and other incidents reported in Compostela Valley and Maguindanao provinces followed President Rodrigo Dutertes order to the military early this month to go ahead, flatten the hills by launching air strikes against the New Peoples Army and If theres collateral damage, pasensiya (too bad).

While acknowledging that no civilian deaths were caused by the bombardment, Jagunos said they have terrorized communities and sent hundreds of families fleeing their homes.

Jagunos reminded Freeland that they had raised these concerns as early as 2014, when the Canadian government announced the sale of eight Bell 412EP choppers to the Philippines, five of which have been deployed as combat utility helicopters.

While assurances were given then that the sale of the aircraft complied with Canadas military export control guidelines, she wanted to know, has there been follow-up to ensure respect of the guidelines?

Additionally, weve learned that another Canadian company, Calgary-based Eagle Copters Ltd., has been involved in another helicopter deal to the Philippines, Jagunos pointed out.

We strongly urge the Canadian government to assess whether the criteria for the sale of the helicopters are being observed by the Philippine Army; we call on the Canadian government to suspend all sales of military goods and all defense-related assistance to and cooperation with the Philippine Government and we urge the Canadian government to call on President Duterte to put an immediate stop to the military aerial bombings on civilian communities and instead to vigorously pursue the continuation of the Peace Talks between the Government of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Jagunos said.

The Asia Pacific Coordinating Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines (APCHRP) has strongly condemns the bombing and shelling by four jet fighter planes of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in indigenous peoples communities in Malibcong, Abra as part of its military campaign against the New Peoples Army.

On March 16, AFPs 24th IBPA (short for Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army) dropped at least 14 bombs in Malibcong, Abra that affected at least 56 families, including 200 children, which greatly alarmed human rights justice and peace advocates, church people and ecumenical organizations at the national and regional level. The aerial strikes caused forest fires in the barangays (villages) of Lat-ey and Bangilo, damaged fields, endangered civilians and forced schools to suspend classes.

While the AFP denies the bombings and insists that the NPA caused the forest fires, reports from the ground by the quick reaction team of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and the villagers themselves revealed that four fighter jets of the AFP were seen circling the communities and subsequently dropping the bombs.

These abhorrent acts show the complete disregard of the Philippine military for the life and livelihood of civilians especially poor, peasants and indigenous peoples in the countryside. President Dutertes declaration of temporary termination of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in February to force the revolutionary forces to capitulate is now wreaking havoc with impunity on the people, the group said.

When will the Duterte government learn that all-out war solves nothing but instead only heightens the resolve of the poor, deprived and oppressed Filipinos to further advance the struggle for justice, human rights and lasting peace?

The APCHRP, a regional support group for human right in the Philippines, is calling on the Duterte government to immediately stop the bombing of civilian communities in Abra. It should also end its all-out war policy, which gains nothing but intensify state terror attacks among the people.

The Filipino peoples demand for just and lasting peace  that will ensure land, livelihood and foods at their table  are compelling reasons to continue the peace talks with the hopes of addressing the root causes of poverty, strife and forced migration in their country, it said.

The conflict, which began nearly 50 years ago with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NPA, its armed wing, has claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

The rebels, who say they will not give up arms even if a deal is reached, have accused the country's military of using Mr Duterte's drug war as a pretext to mount operations in rebel areas amid ceasefires.

They strongly oppose the US military presence in the Philippines and have in the past killed American service personnel stationed in the country.

Since the 1980s they have entered into talks with successive governments, but a peace deal has remained elusive.
Photo caption: For Here or To Go? (YouTube/For Here or To Go)

By Ananya Bhattacharya,

Special to The Post

Rishi S. Bhilawadikar, an Indian techie now working in San Francisco, first came to the US to attend Indiana University. After getting a masters degree in interactive media design, Bhilawadikar was encouraged to apply to startup incubators. Although his talent planning app idea drew interest, no incubator would sponsor his visa. Since graduating in 2007, hes worked as a user experience designer at software firm SAP Labs and retail giant Walmart and, lately, with the clothing company Gapall while on the temporary H-1B visa, which allows people to work in the US for up to six years.

To help others understand the frustrations of the experiencewhat he calls that in-between state of what it takes to adopt a foreign country as your ownBhilawadikar decided to make a movie about it. On March 31, his film For Here or To Go will be released in theatres.

Bhilawadikar refers to himself as an accidental filmmaker. His desire to communicate his immigrant experience to a mainstream audience first manifested as a blog titled Stuff Desis Like, started in 2008. He was yearning to tell a story that creates awareness and empathy, he says. In 2010, he was struck with the idea of writing a movie about the lives of H-1B immigrants. As an experiment, I started to write. I had a story and I had some characters in mind, [but] I didnt know how to write a screenplay, Bhilawadikar says. I started tinkering with it, googled it, started to teach myself, took a few classes, and got better.

The next challenge was finding someone willing to take the script to the screen. With no connections in the filmmaking world, Bhilawadikar struggled to find takers. While working at Walmart between 2010 and 2012, one of his co-workers introduced him to Rucha Humnabadkar, who had served as an assistant director and art director to Nagesh Kukonoor of Hyderabad Blue fame and had just directed her own short film, Arranged Marriage.

A Silicon Valley-based design professional by day, Humnabadkar was all too familiar with the story Bhilawadikar wanted to tell. Humnabadkar has been in the US since 2003, but only got her green card nearly a decade later. Until she did, she also had to grapple with all the uncertainties of being an H-1B worker in the US. Its a story that I have lived, Humnabadkar told Quartz. Same dilemma, same conflicts, same struggles.

Finding an employer to pay upwards of $1,000 to sponsor the visa is only the first battle. Theres little security in an H-1B; quitting the company that sponsored you or getting fired can get you ousted from the States.

By a wide margin, people born in India are more likely to work under an H-1B (pdf) than US immigrants born anywhere else. The population is often accused of providing cheap labor and driving down industry wages. However, Indian immigrants rank among the most entrepreneurial leaders and job creators in the country. In March 2016, a National Foundation for American Policy study found that among immigrants, Indians founded the most unicornsprivate companies valued at over $1 billionlisted in Wall Street Journals Billion Dollar Startup Club, creating 14 out of the total 87 listed. The group is also more than twice as likely than overall foreign-born and native-born populations to be employed in management, business, and science and arts, according to the think tank Migration Policy Institute.

Humnabadkar says she wants the film to humanize the immigration debatein part, thats about shining a light on the invaluable contributions immigrants make to the US. I think we really need to start telling the truth about what the relationship is between India and the US, San Jose city council member Ash Kalra said in praise of the movie. That this is really where the best and brightest of the Indian community have come to contribute to some of the most cutting edge companies on the planet.

Many Americans are likely unaware of the struggles portrayed in For Here or To Go. Actor Omi Vaidya, who was born and raised in Yucca Valley, California, had no idea until he read the script. Maybe people think [immigrants] dont belong here or that theyre lucky, but they work very very hard and then the payoff is a sort of nice life, Vaidya says. But that life is not guaranteed. You get to taste it and then ultimately you may have to get sent back. Vaidya ended up playing a Telugu-speaking Indian immigrant waiting in line for the green card.

Even though the film is a work of fiction, Bhilawadikars narrative draws from real life events. Its set during the 2008 recession and discusses poignant issues like visa discrimination against Muslims and racist violence. One scene in particular will likely rattle Indians in the US today: a Sikh small business owner tells Vivek, the protagonist played by Ali Fazal, that an old friend of his was just killed in a hate crime. For Here or To Go wrapped in 2013 (its been making the festival rounds since), and its eerie how accurately it portends the February 2017 murder of Srinivas Kuchibhotla and the recent deadly shooting of a Sikh man in Kent, Washington.

Racism towards Indian immigrants has always been here in the US, though, says Bhilawadikar. He drew inspiration for his script from two real-life shootings targeting Sikh menone in Elk Grove, California, in 2011 and the other in Oak Creek, Wisconsin the next year. The recent tense political climate around immigration has been eye-opening for the general public, the writer adds, but policy think tanks, economists, the tech community, venture capitalists, and immigrant entrepreneurs have been talking about it for years.

I was hoping we will progress as a society and things will get better, Bhilawadikar lamented while discussing how these relevant scenes in the movie will resonate today. The uncertainty and fear is definitely palpable.

Having lived in four very different countriesIndia, England, Singapore, and the USAnanya is obsessed with how tech empowers people from all walks of life. Prior to Quartz, she interned with the Verge, CNNMoney, Inc.com, and the Hindustan Times. Ananya holds a bachelor's degree in economics and journalism from New York University, and speaks Hindi, Bengali, and Spanish. When awake and not at work, you'll find her dancing or eating. You can follow her @ananya_b94

This piece was originally appeared in Quartz

See https://qz.com/944030/an-indian-tech-workers-movie-shows-the-anxiety-of-being-an-h1-b-immigrant-in-silicon-valley/
The B.C. government has given Sikhs an added reason to celebrate Vaisakhi this year after declaring April as Sikh Heritage Month and announced that 15 South Asian historic places are being added to British Columbias Register of Historic Places.

Premier Christy Clark said the recognition celebrates B.C.s diversity and multiculturalism and the significance of British Columbians of South Asian descent and their contribution to the province.

We celebrate our diversity in British Columbia, because we know its our greatest strength. Now more than ever  we need to continue being an example for the world, said Clark.

There are communities in every corner of our province that British Columbians of South Asian descent have left their mark on, enriching us all.

I am pleased that we have been able to identify Historic Places that show the important contribution of South Asian Canadians to the development of B.C., mentioned Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

In 2016, a public nomination process began and included an evaluation by sector and community experts. As a result, a total of 24 eligible places were nominated by British Columbians and 15 of those are now being provincially recognized for their high significance to South Asian Canadian history in British Columbia.

Heritage BC was engaged to administer the nomination process and create an interactive map that features all 24 eligible nominated sites with expanded documentation for the 15 historic places, available online: https://secure.heritagebc.ca/maps/

The list paints a rich picture of the contributions that South Asian Canadians have made to the development and prosperity of B.C. since the mid-19th century.

This project gives all British Columbians an opportunity to see B.C. places from the South Asian Canadian perspective, helping preserve, explore and share our provinces multicultural heritage, said Royal BC Museum chief operating officer and deputy CEO Angela Williams. The Royal BC Museum looks forward to sharing stories about these places and their historical significance.

Some of the recognized sites include:

Punjabi Market, Vancouver  a collection of small businesses and stores, which historically have catered to the Punjabi community, this historic location illustrates the evolution and development of South Asian businesses following their initial involvement with the B.C.s lumber industry. The Punjabi Market was thriving in the 1970s when a large influx of Punjabi people settled in South Vancouver and became inextricably woven into the citys cultural fabric. It is also one of the gathering spots during Vaisakhi.

Golden Sikh Temple, Golden  One of the earliest Sikh temples in B.C., though no longer standing, the gurdwaras significance is recognized in its original location. The temple was far outside the Lower Mainland, and demonstrates early Sikhs had settled into B.C.s southeast region. The gurdwara was a place where people practised their faith, socialized with others of the same faith and received the emotional support they needed to work and live so far from their homeland.

Topaz Street Sikh Gurdwara, Victoria  Originally established in 1912 followed by the construction of a new building in 1969, this historic place was built by pioneers of the community, who faced many hardships in their journeys to British Columbia. It served free meals and was a place for new immigrants to connect with the community.

South Asian century old history in B.C. is replete with province wide personal travels, subsequent settlements and socio-cultural investments in community spaces, noted Advisory Committee member, and Director, Centre for Indo Canadian Studies at the University of the Fraser Valley, Satwinder Bains.

A recognition of our unique and rich history is a significant milestone in British Columbias historical trajectory of purposeful inclusion and acceptance of the impacts by diverse communities on our province.

All individuals need to feel included and a part of society. To date South Asian history in British Columbia has not been systematically documented from our South Asian perspective, added South Asian Canadian Historic Places Project Evaluation Team member, Dr. Balbir Gurm.

The South Asian Historic Places Project helps us recognize the physical spaces that are historically significant to our community. This is a step in recognizing the many diverse groups and more specifically those of South Asian heritage who are a part of British Columbia's history. I am thrilled to be a part of this important work.

This is a milestone in the Provincial Recognition Programs South Asian Historic Places Project. It marks the completion of a project designed to identify historic places and culturally important locations to help South Asian Canadians, and all British Columbians, honour this cultural history in perpetuity.

The B.C. Register of Historic Places lists more than 3,400 historic places that have been formally recognized or protected by the province or a local government.

One-quarter of people in B.C. are self-identified visible minorities, and 7.2% identify as South Asian Canadians.

B.C. is the most ethnically diverse province in Canada and welcomes nearly 40,000 new immigrants as permanent residents every year.
In a pioneering move, a historic Canadian gurdwara has invited a support group for the gay community to participate in what is considered the oldest Vaisakhi nagar kirtan in the country.

The nagar kirtan on April 15 will feature Sher Vancouver, an LGBT support group for members of the Indo-Canadian, particularly Sikh, community.

The Khalsa Diwan Society, which established the first gurdwara in North America more than a century ago in 1908, formally invited Sher Vancouver to participate in the Vaisakhi celebrations under its own banner and also listed it as a community partner.

Sher Vancouvers founder Alex Sangha described the development as a significant breakthrough. He added, It shows a growing tolerance and acceptance of LGBTQ people in the Sikh community. I dont think there is any other Sikh temple anywhere that has partnered with a South Asian LGBTQ group.

In past years, individual members of Sher Vancouver participated in the annual parade but had never done so under their own banner

Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Beesla said, Our faith has constantly faced challenges in fighting the institutions of the time. That started with our gurus fighting against inequality. This means anybody who is marginalised and the LGBT fall into that category.

Give the heft the historic society has within the Sikh community in not just Canada, but in North America, this initiative will create greater awareness of gays within the community and their issues.

It will start a discussion at the very least. A lot of criticism is born out of ignorance. When you inform, people become enlightened on their own, Beesla said, expressing hope the example will be emulated by gurdwaras elsewhere in Canada.

But he said, To be honest, people are so afraid of controversy, they dont want to disrupt anything, which is contrary to what we stand for. We should be provoking constructive discourse.

Sangha is understandably elated: It sends a message that we are all equal and deserving of dignity and respect regardless of who we love. Its a strong message of acceptance, tolerance, and unity.

Beesla first became aware of Sher Vancouver following the groups support for an Indian youth studying in the metro Vancouver area who was abandoned by his family after coming out as gay. This was reported by Hindustan Times earlier.

Sangha is hopeful this precedent will also have an influence in India, as he said, For our brothers and sisters in India, I feel it sends a message that change is possible.
Vancouver's Vaisakhi parade and the Sun Run are expected to create some traffic troubles this weekend.

About 80,000 to 100,000 people will likely come out to watch the Vaisakhi parade on Saturday morning in South Vancouver.

The annual Sikh celebration, which marks the beginning of the Punjabi harvest year, is organized by the Ross Street Temple, located near Marine Drive.

The parade will leave the temple at around 10:45 a.m. PT affecting traffic along Marine Drive, Main Street, 49th Avenue, Fraser Street, 57th Avenue, and Ross Street.

Parking in the area will be limited, so organizers suggest taking transit. They're also asking drivers to be patient.

Vaisakhi marks the birth of the Sikh faith, the creation of the Khalsa and pays tribute to the start of Punjabi harvest. It's one of the most significant dates in the year for Sikhs.

On Sunday morning streets will close for the annual Sun Run starting at 5 a.m. PT. The race winds its way from downtown Vancouver through the West End, across the Burrard Bridge, along Fairview slopes and then back across the Cambie Bridge to BC Place.

In addition, ongoing construction will continue on the City of Vancouver's Burrard Corridor Project, affecting the Burrard Bridge area, according to TransLink.

Vaisakhi Day Parade in Surrey returns on Saturday, April 22, starting at 9 a.m. at Gurdwara Sahib Dasmesh Darbar, 12885 85th Ave., Newton.

Last years event saw more than 350,000 attend Vaisakhi parade in Surrey.

Info: Surreyvaisakhiparade.com.
New Portage Manor may go at current site or near Clay Township Park

Since December 2021, when the planning for a new Portage Manor facility began, the county has paid at least $163,000 to two Fort Wayne firms.
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Carvers Bay High Building Construction teacher Terry Cox, left, stands with his students who won awards in the recent SkillsUSA competition.Junior Cedric Ford Jr. placed second in the plumbing competition; junior Cody Collins finished in the top 20 of the brick mason competition; senior Tyson Mention placed second in the leadership completion of the job interview competition; junior Nathan Owens finished in the top 20 of the electrical competition; senior Logan Owens placed third in the carpentry competition; and junior Crayton Linen, kneeling, placed third in the cabinet making competition.
Mumbai, Apr 12 (IBNS): Ola, Indiaas most popular mobile app for transportation, today announced an exclusive partnership with Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in the state. With 2017 declared as the aVisit Maharashtraa year by the honorable Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the tourism department has undertaken various initiatives to develop Maharashtra as a tourism brand. Ola, in support of these initiatives, has launched a unique sub-category - aMumbai Darshana under its Rentals offering, for guided city tours to hundreds of thousands of tourists visiting Mumbai every year.

The customizable package involves 10-hour or 100kms rides to 10 Mumbai hot spots such as Juhu Beach, Mannat, Haji Ali, Marine Drive, Gateway of India, and Siddhivinayak, among others, where tourists can ride with Ola for experiences unique to the mega city. To ensure that tourists experience the very best, Ola, together with the Tourism Department, will help driver partners to develop skills and learn more about the famous landmarks of Mumbai, including history, and culture, among others.

The first batch of exclusively co-branded Mumbai Darshan and Maharashtra Tourism cars were flagged-off by the Minister of Tourism - Government of Maharashtra Shri. Jayakumar Rawal, alongwith Smt. Valsa Nair Singh, Principal Secretary-Tourism, and Shri Pranay Jivrajka, Founding Partner at Ola, at an event in Mumbai on April 12, 2017.

Commenting on the association,Jaykumar Rawal, Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra said, Keeping in mind the global trends and the boom in the digital market scenario, we are glad to partner with Ola. Transportation is one of the most important areas where technology can make a big difference. Ola is a pioneer in public transport space and we are confident that this tie up will benefit the entire transportation ecosystem in the state. This not only lets us be more competitive as a tourism destination but will also help us position Maharashtra as a smart state.

Valsa Nair Singh, IAS, Principal Secretary, Tourism & Culture, Government of Maharashtra stated, We are pleased to be associated with Ola and our aim is to create job and opportunities and safer transportation choices for people in Maharashtra. We are confident that Ola will actively take ahead Maharashtra governments vision of transforming the state into a smart tourism hub. Tourists visiting Maharashtra will be able to avail the benefits of Olas technology and best in class service to visit some of the most prominent tourist destinations across the state.

Speaking about the partnership, Pranay Jivrajka, Founding Partner at Ola said, Maharashtra continues to be one of the most favoured tourist and investment destinations in India. With such a huge economic potential, the scope to provide customized and curated mobility services is truly enormous. We are delighted and humbled to have been recognized by the Maharashtra Government for our efforts. Mumbai and several other coastal towns and cities in Maharashtra promise an unparalleled experience to its visitors, and we are thrilled to be powering a mission that is working towards serving millions of such unforgettable experiences with our mobility offering present across Maharashtra. Nothing gives us more pride as an Indian company, than to enable the opportunity to showcase our rich culture and history to hundreds of thousands of people, using our platform.
Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Sunshine and a few afternoon clouds. High 72F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.
Jupiter's newfound Great Cold Spot appears as a dark patch in this map of emissions from the hydrogen ion H3+, which is present in Jupiter's atmosphere, as measured by NASA's IRTF telescope in Hawaii. The cool spot moves over time and changes shape, but always re-forms.

Jupiter is famous for its Great Red Spot, a storm twice the diameter of Earth that rages on the gas giant's surface. Now, researchers have found that it has a second great spot, almost as large  this one, a Great Cold Spot caused by the planet's vibrant auroras.

Researchers first detected the ever-changing Great Cold Spot in data from the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and went back to track its existence over a 15-year period in observations from another telescope. The cool patch stretches up to 15,000 by 7,500 miles (24,000 by 12,000 km) across at its largest, and it's about 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius) cooler than the surrounding area in the planet's upper atmosphere. Although it disappears from time to time it seems to always re-form, just offset from the planet's bright aurora.

"The Great Cold Spot is much more volatile than the slowly changing Great Red Spot, changing dramatically in shape and size over only a few days and weeks, but it has reappeared for as long as we have data to search for it, for over 15 years," Tom Stallard, a planetary astronomer at the University of Leicester in the U.K. and lead author on the new work, said in a statement. [2nd 'Great Spot' on Jupiter Discovered by Astronomers (Video)]

The spot is likely formed as a byproduct of the planet's spectacular auroras, researchers said in the statement, and that because of the way the spot always re-forms it might be as old as the auroras themselves  up to many thousands of years in age.

Jupiter's newfound Great Cold Spot appears as a dark patch in this map of emissions from the hydrogen ion H3+, which is present in Jupiter's atmosphere, as measured by NASA's IRTF telescope in Hawaii. The cool spot moves over time and changes shape, but always re-forms. (Image credit: Tom Stallard)

Like on Earth, the bright light of Jupiter's auroras comes from electrically charged particles colliding with the planet's atmosphere near its north and south poles, guided by the planet's magnetic field. But Jupiter's auroras are much more constant and intense, and they're powered from particles coming from the planet's moons as well as the sun.

According to the new research, the aurora deposits energy into Jupiter's atmosphere, heating it up so there's a large disparity in heat between the top of the atmosphere and farther below. This seems to whip up a vortex in the atmosphere, creating a patch that is cooler than the surroundings and offset from the aurora.

Stallard said that a similar effect can be found near Earth's aurora, but that it's less of a permanent fixture because the Earth auroras vary so much more, and because Jupiter's spin acts to trap some of its heat in place.

Researchers tracked the Great Cold Spot over time, noting dramatic changes in shape and size from day to day. Here, it is seen in July of 1995 and continues to reappear until 15 years later, in December of 2000. (Image credit: Tom Stallard)

"The atmospheric flows generated by Earth's aurora can drive heat quickly across the whole planet, making the upper atmosphere ring like a bell, while Jupiter's fast spin traps this energy nearer the poles," Stallard said.

The researchers were surprised to find the Great Cold Spot, Stallard added, and they will continue to investigate it while looking for evidence of other atmospheric features. Combining their Earth-based observations with those from the Juno spacecraft currently orbiting Jupiter should provide much more insight into the giant planet's weather.

The new work was detailed April 10 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Europa, the most famous of Jupiter's icy moons, is exciting astrobiologists more and more each passing year. In 2016, the Hubble Space Telescope spotted possible vapor plumes erupting from the moon, which is believed to have a liquid ocean beneath its crust. The plumes mirrored activity that the telescope had detected three years earlier. This could indicate interaction between the atmosphere and the surface, and strengthen the likelihood that some form of life lies beneath the icy surface.

The observation is one of the points of interest behind the Europa Clipper mission, a proposed project by NASA that would swoop by the moon several times to get a closer look. Europa hasn't been looked at up close since the Galileo mission ceased operations in 2003. Though there have been flybys and missions in the Jupiter area since, none have targeted Europa.

A new paper talks in detail about a proposed mission that could show more about Europa's dust and radiation environment, which could influence its habitability. It would involve a CubeSat, a nanosatellite with a mass no greater that 10 kilograms that could be deployed as a secondary payload on a launch vehicle, providing a cost-effective means of research.

In 2014, NASA asked several universities to propose possible CubeSat missions to ride along with a larger Europa mission, such as Europa Clipper. The paper, appearing in the journal Acta Astronautica, discusses one of the CubeSat proposals, called Europa Radiation and Dust Observation Satellite (ERDOS).

"We don't have a very good understanding of how frequent these plumes are on the surface of Europa," said lead author Ashish Goel. "Although possible, it would be quite unlikely for the spacecraft to fly directly through one of them to study the composition of the particles it contains."

Artist's conception of the Europa Clipper, a mission that could be sent out to the icy moon in the coming decades. (Image credit: NASA)

"The dust environment around Europa is primarily made up of particles that have been kicked up from the surface of Europa by meteoroid impacts," he noted. "Therefore, by studying the composition of these dust particles, we are indirectly studying the composition of the surface of Europa."

ERDOS would help answer other open questions. One is the radiation environment on Europa. While harsh, the high-energy particles can lead to the formation of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other molecules associated with life, Goel said. Further, when ERDOS impacts the surface of Europa at the end of its mission, the crater formed by this event could provide more clues as to how thick Europa's icy surface is.

ERDOS would measure dust by deploying panels from the satellite to serve as impact surfaces. When the dust particles hit these panels, the particles produce an optical flash and a plume of plasma that can be detected by instruments. Radiation is measured using solid-state silicon detectors.

One big limitation for the CubeSat is its expected lifespan in Europa's high radiation environment, and the lack of solar power available. The mission would only last about 20 hours. That said, investigators would expect to make the most of it, using off-the-shelf components that can survive the radiation environment to keep the cost down.

"The ERDOS concept provides an example of how CubeSats can be used to increase the science return despite their limitations in terms of radiation hardness, thermal control, power and propulsion capabilities," Goel added. "These ideas can be easily extended to missions around other objects in the solar system."

Originally published on Seeker.
Artists illustration of NASAs New Horizons spacecraft flying by the Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69 on Jan. 1, 2019.

NASA's New Horizons Pluto probe is getting some much-deserved rest.

The spacecraft, which performed the first-ever flyby of Pluto on July 14, 2015, entered hibernation Monday afternoon (April 10) for the first time in nearly 2.5 years, mission team members said.

New Horizons will spend the next five months in this sleep mode, which reduces wear and tear on the probe, lowers operation costs and frees up NASA's deep-space communications network for other missions. [Destination Pluto: NASA's New Horizons Mission in Pictures]

"We're looking forward [to] taking advantage of the reduced mission operations workload during this hibernation, as well as one early next year, to plan much of the MU69 flyby," New Horizons mission operations manager Alice Bowman, from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, said in a statement Monday.

Diagram showing New Horizons' location and trajectory as of April 10, 2017, when the probe entered a 151-day-long hibernation period. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute)

The flyby Bowman referenced will occur on Jan. 1, 2019, when New Horizons gets an up-close look at a roughly 30-mile-wide (50 kilometers) object located 1 billion miles (1.6 billion km) beyond Pluto called 2014 MU69.

This encounter is the main focus of New Horizons' extended mission, which NASA officially approved last year. The extended mission also involves relatively distant observation of dozens of other objects in the Kuiper Belt, the realm of icy bodies beyond Neptune's orbit.

New Horizons will wake up once again on Sept. 11. While the probe dozes, mission team members will continue to map out the 2014 MU69 flyby, developing commands for the encounter and determining what measurements to make.

"Their plans currently accommodate two potential flyby altitudes; the team will narrow its choice to the final altitude as it learns more about the properties and orbit of MU69, which was discovered less than three years ago," APL representatives wrote in the same statement.

The $700 million New Horizons mission launched in January 2006. Though the spacecraft spent much of its long cruise to Pluto in hibernation mode, the probe had been awake for 852 straight days until Monday, team members said.

During that long stretch, the probe prepped for its approach to Pluto, performed the historic flyby and beamed the huge trove of encounter data home to Earth (a process that took 16 months), among other tasks.

New Horizons is currently about 3.54 billion miles (5.7 billion km) from Earth and 470 million miles (760 million km) beyond Pluto. The spacecraft is traveling nearly 32,000 mph (51,500 km/h) relative to the sun, mission team members said.

Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.
An International Space Station crew celebrated Yuri's Night, the anniversary of the first time a human flew in space on April 12, 1961, with dinner and a movie  and posing with a photo of the celebration's namesake, Yuri Gagarin.

Whether you want to sample a new space beer or meet an astronaut, today (April 12) could be your chance. Yuri's Night, a global celebration of humanity's accomplishment in space, likely has a neat event near you.

The celebration takes place every year on April 12, commemorating the first human spaceflight by Yuri Gagarin, which occurred on April 12, 1961. Coincidentally, the first space shuttle flight took place on the same day, 20 years later: April 12, 1981.

These days, the yearly celebration also looks forward to future spaceflight opportunities. Several companies are looking to offer private spaceflights in the coming years, so more spaceflight participants will be able to share their flying experiences during future Yuri's Nights, said Ryan Kobrick, president and chair of the event. [Vostok 1: How the First Human Spaceflight Worked (Infographic)]

An International Space Station crew celebrated Yuri's Night, the anniversary of the first time a human flew in space on April 12, 1961, with dinner and a movie  and posing with a photo of the celebration's namesake, Yuri Gagarin. (Image credit: NASA/ESA)

"It might be something that stimulates the growth [of the event]," Kobrick said in a Space.com interview. He pointed out that space tourism company Virgin Galactic is looking for several qualities in its participants, including the willingness to communicate the experience, Kobrick said  at the very least, exercising their bragging rights.

Kobrick, who was undergoing training with the private Project PoSSUM spaceflight program this week, added that in recent years, the biggest Yuri's Night events have had a momentum of their own and he doesn't need to send out regular reminders to encourage participation.

Occasionally  Kobrick said he doesn't know if this will happen this year  Yuri's Night board members even receive messages from the International Space Station. Last year, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti was among those sending a goodwill message, he said.

Notable events

This year, Yuri's Night will be celebrated in more than 50 countries and on all seven continents. Most of the 200-plus events will be in-person, but there is a growing proportion taking place online.

For example, five-time shuttle flyer Robert "Hoot" Gibson will take part in an online chat with Janet Ivey, host of the children's show "Janet's Planet." The chat takes place today (April 12) at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 UTC) here: http://www.nepris.com/Sessions/Session/Detail/49961

There will also be a gathering in the virtual world "Second Life" between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. EDT (1900 UTC April 12 to 0300 UTC April 13), featuring Russian-inspired piano selections, an "eclectic supersonic flight through space and time," and participation from entities such as the National Space Society and the International Spaceflight Museum. More details are here: http://yurisnight.net/events/yuris-night-second-life/

If in-person events are more your style, in Florida, the Bugnutty Brewing Company is releasing a new "Sputnik Russian" stout in conjunction with Yuri's Night. More information is available here: http://untappd.com/v/bugnutty-brewing-company/1018668/event/42179

Other events taking place in the United States on April 12 include an "Astronomy on Tap" event in Chicago, a planetarium show and stargazing night at Yale University in Connecticut, a "Space Station Signal Party" in Titusville, Florida (near the Kennedy Space Center), and an "Out of This World Space Circus" in Fairfax, Virginia. (The circus actually runs between April 7 and April 16, including a performance on April 12.)

Given that April 12 falls on a weeknight, there are other events that either took place last weekend or will happen this coming weekend. One event that already passed was the flagship Yuri's Night in Los Angeles, which was hosted at the California Space Center underneath the Endeavour space shuttle.

To find events near you, you can consult the Yuri's Night website.

Follow Elizabeth Howell @howellspace, or Space.com @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
Guwahati, Apr 12 (IBNS) : Assam forest department has planned to plant over 2 crore saplings in the state in this year.

Assam forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma on Wednesday said that, the state forest department has already started plantation drives across the state and target to plant over 2 crore saplings.



In last financial year, the state forest department had planted saplings at around 10492 hectares land across the state. Now we are planning to plant more saplings in the state. Recently we have started plantation drives at 750 hectares land under Assam project on forest and biodiversity conservation (APFBC) and 400 hectares land with help from National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), Pramila Rani Brahma said.



While took part in a plantation drive held at the Bhimashankar temple, outskirts of Guwahati, the Assam forest minister said that, the state forest department has also planned to create a high tech nursery in the state in this year.



On the other hand, Pramila Rani Brahma said that, to protect the one horned rhinoceros and fight against poachers, the forest guards in Kaziranga National Park (KNP) will soon be equipped with sophisticated weapons.

The forest department has started to procure 272 numbers Insas rifle, 847 numbers SLR, 133 numbers 12 bore rifle, 91 numbers AK-Ghatak rifle, 20 numbers 9mm pistol for the forest guards, Brahma said.



Pramila Rani Brahma further said that, the state forest department will appoint 112 special guards for the world heritage site within next short period.



Assam had lost over 300 rhinos in past one and half decades which were poached.



The Assam forest minister further said that, her department has planned to install three electronic eyes under Burhapahar range in the national park to check the poacher activities in and outside of the park.

On the other hand, the KNP authorities have started work of 33 highlands for the wild animals eying to save wild animals during flood.



In last year, over 250 animals, including 20 one horned rhinos were died in flood in the national park.



The Assam forest also said that, her department will create a special park in the Bhimashankar temple premises.



West Guwahati MLA Ramendra Narayan Kalita, top officials of state forest department were present in the plantation drive at the temple.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
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Washington, Apr 12 (IBNS): NASA commercial cargo provider Orbital ATK is targeting its seventh commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for 11:11 a.m. EDT Tuesday, April 18. Coverage of the launch begins at 10 a.m. on NASA Television and the agencyas website.

Two prelaunch briefings will air the day prior to launch. At 10:30 a.m., mission managers will provide an overview and status of launch operations and at 1 p.m., scientists and researchers will discuss some of the investigations to be delivered to the station, read the NASA website.

Dubbed S.S. John Glenn, the Cygnus spacecraft name is a tribute to the former astronaut and U.S. Senator from Ohio. It will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Coverage of the spacecrafts solar array deployment will begin at 12:40 p.m. April 18, and will be followed by a 2 p.m. press conference with mission managers.

Under NASAs Commercial Resupply Services contract, Cygnus will carry more than 7,600 pounds of science research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory in support of the Expedition 50 and 51 crew members.

The new experiments will include an antibody investigation that could increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs for cancer treatment and an advanced plant habitat for studying plant physiology and growth of fresh food in space. Another new investigation bound for the U.S. National Laboratory will look at using magnetized cells and tools to make it easier to handle cells and cultures, and improve the reproducibility of experiments. Cygnus also is carrying 38 CubeSats, including many built by university students from around the world as part of the QB50 program. The CubeSats are scheduled to deploy from either the spacecraft or space station in the coming months.

When it arrives to the space station, Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson of NASA and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) will grapple Cygnus. Whitson will use the space stations robotic arm, Canadarm2, to take hold of the spacecraft. After Canadarm2 captures Cygnus, ground commands will be sent for the stations arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the stations Unity module.

Cygnus will remain on the station until July, when it will depart with several tons of trash for a fiery reentry into Earths atmosphere. Prior to re-entry, a third experiment will be conducted to study how fire burns in space.

This is Orbital ATKs third launch from Cape Canaveral. Missions from NASAs Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia are scheduled to resume for the eighth and subsequent contracted flights.

Image: NASA
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New York, 27 March 2017 (SPS) - The United Nations Security Council included the Western Sahara issue on the agenda of its meeting scheduled for Tuesday, in order to review the implementation of the resolution 2285 relating to, notably, the relaunch of negotiations between the Polisario Front and Morocco, sources told APS on Monday.

The Western Sahara issue will be discussed during this in camera meeting at the request of Uruguay, a non-permanent member of the UN Council, said the source.

It is about addressing the resolution 2285 of 2016, which provides for the commitment of a fifth negotiations round and the return of the MINURSO staff expelled by Morocco.

The meeting takes place before important political deadlines, particularly those concerning the renewing of the MINURSO mandate, and the publishing of the report of the UN Secretary General on Western Sahara, scheduled for April.

It takes place a few days following the visit of the Sahrawi president Brahim Ghali to New York, where he had extensive talks with the UN Chief, Antonio Guterres on the deadlock of the peace process. (SPS)

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Dakhla, April 12, 2017 (SPS) - The head of the Political Organization of Frente POLISARIO , member of the National Secretariat, Hamma Salama, called on Wednesday the United Nations to assume its responsibilities in ending the colonization of Western Sahara.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of International Youth and Students Conference in Solidarity with Saharawi People, he has appealed on the international community to enable the Saharawi people to exercise their right of self-determination through the referendum, for which a UN mission was established, reiterating its call on the United Nations to assume its historical responsibility through the decolonization of Western Sahara.

Morocco's obstinacy still put obstacle towards the holding of the referendum of self-determination, the official said.

Besides, Hamma Salama has asked the international community to intervene with the Moroccan authorities in order to release all Sahrawi political prisoners, in particular the Gdeim Izik group, as well as to reveal all Sahrawi missing and stop the plundering of the Sahrawi natural resources. SPS

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New York, April 12, 2017 (SPS) - in 2016, Morocco has prevented UN human rights monitoring missions from visiting occupied territories in Western Sahara, said the UN Tuesday, expressing concern about torture and degrading inhuman treatment inflicted to the Sahrawi people.

In its preliminary report on Western Sahara, of which a copy was released Tuesday by the US press in New York, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that during the period covered by the aforementioned report, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) could not dispatch a monitoring mission in the Sahrawi territories.

In 2016, the Moroccan government opposed to the visit of a follow-up mission of the UN Special rapporteur on torture under the pretext that it was cancelled after it was scheduled for April 2015.

The last OHCHR mission in Dakhla and Laayoune dates back to April 2015.

Until 27 February 2017, Moroccan territories have not set up prevention mechanisms allowing the inspection of detention places as provided by the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture, stated the report which will be soon negotiated at the Security Council.

The Sahrawi people continue to be discriminated in the exercise of their economic, cultural and social rights, noted Guterres, recalling that the observations made by the UN human rights committee on the failure of the UN to take the necessary measures allowing the consultation of the Sahrawi on the exploitation of their natural resources.

Besides, the UN SG stated that "making the role of the Minurso (UN Mission for the Organization of the Referendum in Western Sahara) more performant," including "independent reporting" of the situation in Sahrawi territories, "remains crucial to meet the expectations of the UN Security Council."

Besides, the UN SG said the mission should resume its full role with the return of 17 UN employees expelled by Morocco, which so far have not been able to join their posts in the occupied territories.

Guterres called on the Security Council to extend the Minurso mandate until April 2018 and strengthen it with a medical staff from Bangladesh. SPS

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Dakhla (Saharawi refugee camps), Apr 12, 2017 (SPS) - The member of the friendly of the foreign students in Algeria, the Ivorian Nda Harlen indicated that its presence in Dakhla is to express its solidarity with the Saharawi people and bring a the development to Africa.

"Our presence marks a new beginning for the youth of Africa, a youth that is aware of its realities of its problems and engages with its brothers with whom we have a common present and the same difficulties," he stressed .

Mr. Harlen, a Master 2 student in Setif (Algeria), has expressed his commitment to the Saharawi people in order to gain independence of Western Sahara through the peaceful way, because the two parties are "our brothers".

He also announced the establishment of a pan-African support committee in solidarity with the Saharawi people for the recovery of their legitimate rights to freedom and independence, like all African countries. SPS

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While registration of breeding females remains largely stable or increasing for sheep and cattle, with positive trends for goats, the situation for pigs is described as extremely worrying.

Gloucestershire Old Spots show dramatic decline

Out of the 11 native pig breeds, all except the Berkshire, Middle White, Tamworth and Large Black, are showing declining numbers. The Gloucestershire Old Spots  arguably one of the breeds most well-known to the general public  is showing the most dramatic decline. In 2014, there were 837 sows producing birth-notified litters, while by 2016 this had dropped to only 416. This puts the breed in Watchlist Category 4  At Risk.

RBST CEO Tom Beeston says:

The situation for pigs is extremely worrying. It is not that our native breeds lack their enthusiasts and we must give huge credit to those breeders who devote time, energy and money to ensuring the survival of their favoured breeds. It is these efforts that have seen the situation for most native pig breeds vastly improving over the past 40 years. However, economic factors have a massive influence and for many people working with pigs, breeding is very challenging at present.

Derbyshire Gritstone At Risk

From the Watchlist, RBST reports hopeful signs for native sheep breeds, despite the uncertainty of Brexit looming large over the sheep industry. Renewed interest has resulted in broad increases across the Primitive and Hill & Heath breeds, with numbers for Borerays and Whiteface Dartmoors going up. Conversely, the picture is more mixed for the Shortwool & Down and Longwool breeds although Dorset Down and Greyface Dartmoor registrations are increasing at an encouraging rate. One new breed, the Derbyshire Gritstone, has made its first appearance on the Watchlist, entering in Category 4  At Risk.
The UKs four largest retailers - Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda and Morrisons - are joined by the Co-op, Waitrose, Lidl and Marks and Spencer in demonstrating their commitment to British baking by giving shoppers the choice of home-grown flour, butter and eggs to use in their baked goods.

Asda, Marks and Spencer and Morrisons are going further, showing commitment to British sugar beet growers by sourcing Silver Spoon granulated, caster and icing sugar in their stores.

Baking is more popular than ever, with 19 per cent of people telling a Waitrose survey that they now bake at least once a week, and nearly half baking more than they did five years ago.

NFU President Meurig Raymond said:

It is fantastic to see more retailers than ever backing British farming and supporting our farmers' produce on the shelves. British food is produced to some of the highest standards in the world and deserves to be widely available.

We know that shoppers want to buy more British produce and the aim of our supermarket guide is to give them the information they need to do that. Im sure the public will be delighted to know that retailers giving them the opportunity to buy more British products by getting behind the nations farmers.

Prue Leith, long-time supporter of the NFUs #BackBritishFarming campaign and new presenter of the Great British Bake Off, also urged shoppers to buy British: UK butter, flour and eggs are all easily available and choosing them really helps our fantastic farmers. So lets make the effort to buy British, she said.
Birmingham, Apr 12 (IBNS): A new species of ancient reptile has been described by scientists at the University of Birmingham, filling a critical gap in the fossil record of dinosaur cousins and suggesting that some features thought to characterise dinosaurs evolved much earlier than previously thought.

Described in a paper published today in Nature, the carnivorous reptile, Teleocrater rhadinus, was approximately 7- 10 feet in length, had a long neck and tail, and walked on four crocodile-like legs.

It roamed the Earth during the Triassic Period more than 245 million years ago  pre-dating the first true dinosaurs by around ten million years  and appears in the fossil record just after a large group of reptiles, known as archosaurs, split into a bird branch (leading to dinosaurs and eventually birds) and a crocodile branch (eventually leading to todays alligators and crocodiles). Teleocrater and its kin are the earliest known members of the bird branch of the archosaurs.

The discovery overturns widely-held preconceptions by palaeontologists about the morphology of early dinosaur relatives, with many scientists anticipating that such creatures would be smaller, bipedal and more dinosaur-like.

"Teleocrater fundamentally challenges our models of what the close relatives of dinosaurs would have looked like," said Professor Richard Butler from the University of Birmingham.

"Dinosaurs were amazingly successful animals. Its natural to want to know where they came from, and how they became so dominant. Teleocrater is hugely exciting because it blows holes in many of our classic ideas of dinosaur origins," Butler said.

All the specimens used to describe Teleocrater were collected from a rock unit called the Manda Beds, in the Ruhuhu Basin of southern Tanzania, Africa.

Teleocrater fossils were first discovered in the region in 1933 by palaeontologist F. Rex Parrington, and subsequently studied by Alan J. Charig, former Curator of Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds at the Natural History Museum, in the 1950s.

However, due to a lack of crucial bones, such as the ankle bones, Charig could not determine whether Teleocrater was more closely related to crocodylians or to dinosaurs. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete his studies.

Re-examination of Charigs specimens by Butler and colleagues, combined with the discovery of additional fossils by a US-led team in Tanzania in 2015, has finally allowed the surprising relationship between Teleocrater and its dinosaur cousins to be revealed.

"Its astonishing to think that its taken more than 80 years for the true scientific importance of these fossils to be understood and published," said Professor Butler.

Professor Paul Barrett from the Natural History Museum, one of the other main authors of the work on Teleocrater, said: "My colleague Alan Charig would have been thrilled to see one of his animals finally being named and occupying such an interesting position in the Tree of Life."

"Our discovery shows the value of maintaining and re-assessing historical collections: many new discoveries, like this one, can be made by looking through museum collections with fresh eyes," he added.
Scottish sheep farmers, currently hard at work producing their new crop of lambs, are appalled and disappointed at the lack of support Scottish supermarkets are giving to tasty, Scottish lamb this Easter.

With significant numbers of Scottish stock still on farm, the Unions secret shoppers, when counting packs of chilled lamb in stores the length and breadth of the country, have found almost all retailers giving people little choice to buy Scottish lamb.

Easter weekend marks one of the few times in the year when families are guaranteed to get around the dinner table to enjoy a hearty meal, with many seeking out home-produced meat. Sadly, the Unions shelfwatch has indicated that shoppers will have to look hard in stores to find any Scottish or turn to their local butcher if they want to buy some fresh, tasty and local Scottish lamb.

The shelfwatch results show that, despite previous commitments by some supermarkets, Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys, the Co-op, Morrisons, Marks and Spencer and Lidl have all chosen to import huge volumes of New Zealand and Australian lamb, shunning home producers. More worryingly, todays results show a marked decrease from the results in previous years, leading to farmers questioning the long-term commitment of supermarkets supporting Scottish sheep producers.

In one Tesco store, underneath a banner proclaiming The Best Scottish Lamb in Season, a secret shopper found 100 packs of New Zealand lamb.

Despite their previous vocal support for Scottish and British lamb, Morrisons, and Lidl both were found to be stocking large amounts of imported lamb.

Last year, Marks and Spencers made a commitment to source 100 per cent Scottish lamb for its Scottish stores this season. But this has not been followed through, as some secret shoppers found the retailer had almost 50 per cent of imported lamb on its shelves. NFU Scotland has already contacted the retailer questioning why this commitment has not stood.

Commenting on the results NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said:

Scottish farmers are coming through the difficult spring lambing period, and continue to be hard at work caring for new-born lambs. Its frankly a slap in the face to many of us that supermarkets have failed to show strong support to Scotlands sheep farmers and their families over the Easter period  a time of year when consumers seek out our high-quality produce.

We continue to urge Tesco and Asda to extend their season for buying home produced lamb in a bid to boost sales of Scottish. And we will be asking questions of Morrisons, Marks and Spencer and Lidl, who have failed to maintain their previous good record on domestic sourcing this year. Those commitments have been lauded and appreciated by NFUS and Scottish farmers in the past.

Aldi must be commended for being the sole retailer found to be selling exclusively Scottish and UK lamb over the Easter period, meaning that it is the only place that shoppers are guaranteed to be able to buy Scottish ahead of the Easter weekend.

We also continue to be reassured by the commitment from the Co-op that it plans to move to 100 per cent home-produced across all fresh meat later this year, and we look forward to seeing this driving success for Scottish farmers.
The following excerpt is from the staff of Entrepreneur Medias book Start Your Own Travel Hosting Business. Buy it now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Its important to understand that as a potential host, you have options beyond working exclusively with Airbnb. In some cases, you may find it advantageous to work with multiple services and promote your property on two or more services simultaneously in order to reach the broadest possible audience.

Related: The Key Factors to Consider Before Becoming a Travel Host

You may discover, however, that based on what youre offering, one or more of these other services better cater to your needs or the types of travelers you want to attract as guests. To help you quickly get started with your research, listed here alphabetically are 10 other services you might want to investigate:

1. FlipKey. Operated by TripAdvisor, this service features more than 3,000 vacation homes and rooms located throughout the world. Every host/property owner is verified by the service, which also relies heavily on reviews and ratings to help travelers choose the perfect and most affordable accommodations based on their needs.

2. HomeAway. Owned and operated by the popular Expedia travel service, HomeAway features more than 1.2 million vacation home rental listings, located in more than 190 countries. This service helps property owners/landlords find short-term paying guests to stay at their second home/vacation property and handles all online bookings. The goal of this service is to help travelers find spacious and private accommodations, for less money than a traditional hotel.

3. HomeSuite. This service matches up tens of thousands of home and apartment owners/landlords with guests looking for accommodations for between 30 days and up to one year. (This service does not handle short-term rentals.) Each property is vetted by HomeSuite prior to being listed on the service. The company currently operates in San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, Washington, DC, Chicago, Seattle, Boston, San Diego, Houston and Dallas, and is continuously expanding into other major U.S. cities.

Related: What 70 Airbnb Stays Can Teach Anyone About Running Any Business

4. Kid & Coe. This service works exclusively with a selection of more than 850 curated and verified hosts around the world that offer stand-alone, family-friendly homes as short-term rental properties.

5. Onefinestay. Offering high-end rental homes in London, Los Angeles, New York City, Paris, Rome and a few other cities around the world, onefinestay works with a select group of property owners/landlords to offer travelers accommodations in homes that offer a consistent set of amenities. According to the service, for a home to be considered for inclusion on the service, it must offer space, character, and comfort. Unlike similar services, onefinestay creates the listing and takes the photographs related to each featured home, handles all reservations and offers each guest an in-person welcome.

6. Roomorama. This online service allows travelers to book short-term vacation rentals and accommodations around the world from a pool of verified hosts. The service currently works with more than 80,000 owner-managed and professionally managed properties worldwide.

7. Travelmob. This service operates much like Airbnb, but its based in Singapore and works with hosts offering single rooms or complete apartments or homes throughout the Asia/Pacific region. Targeted to tourists, Travelmob allows guests to immerse themselves in the local culture of their destination and have an authentic travel experience that they wouldnt otherwise get staying at a typical hotel. Travelmob was acquired by HomeAway Inc. in 2013, but it operates as a separate service.

8. Tripping. This service boasts that it offers the worlds largest search engine for short-term rentals and vacation homes, because it allows travelers to compare accommodations available across some of the worlds top rental sites, such as HomeAway, VRBO, TripAdvisor, HouseTrip, Interhome, Roomorama and Booking. As a result, travelers can quickly browse through more than eight million private accommodation options around the world, with prices ranging from $10 to $10,000 per night. Property offerings include furnished homes, beach houses, ski cabins, oceanfront mansions and modern apartments located in the heart of the worlds most popular cities. This service offers only opportunities where travelers can reserve the entire apartment, condo or home, as opposed to having the host living on-site, or guests having to share the space with other guests.

9. VacationRentals. As part of the HomeAway family, this service helps property owners and managers list and promote their properties and handles all reservations and payments via its website and mobile app. The biggest reason why property owners utilize this service is to help them cover the cost of ownership by renting to travelers.

Related: 4 Insanely Awesome Opportunities to Work Remotely from Abroad

10. VRBO (Vacation Rentals by Owner). Also part of the HomeAway family of services, VRBO allows property owners/landlords to list their entire home, condo, villa, cabin, castle, chalet, cottage or mansion on the service as a short-term rental opportunity. The website is visited by more than 44 million travelers every month. Individual guestroom or shared home/apartment listings, or listings where the hosts live on-site within the property are not accepted. The typical person using this site will be traveling with friends or family members and requires multiple bedrooms and bathrooms. According to VRBO, the top 5 percent of its hosts/property owners wind up earning up to $88,000 per year.

Related:

10 Hosting Options Beyond Airbnb

Keep Your Eyes on the Rapidly Evolving Shipping Industry

8 Mindset Shifts to Build Your Business on the Side



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
While Attorney General Jeff Sessions has advocated a return to the just say no policies of the 1980s, residents in his home state of Alabama see things differently, a new poll has found.

In a survey of 2,500 Alabama residents done by AL.com, 78 percent said they favor legalization of marijuana.

For entrepreneurs and investors involved in the legal marijuana industry, the news is, at the very least, interesting. The more optimistic might hope that the views of his fellow Alabamians could influence Sessions as well.

The poll results might come as a surprise to many. In addition to the anti-marijuana rhetoric of Sessions, the former senator and attorney general in Alabama, the state often ranks high among the states not expected to legalize medical, much less recreational use, of marijuana.

Related: Marijuana In the Midwest? Nebraska Lawmakers Consider Cannabis Legalization.

In 2016, USA Today ranked Alabama as the No. 1 least likely state to legalize marijuana. Of course, they ranked Arkansas as No. 2, and voters there approved medical marijuana use last November.

Alabamians On Marijuana

Al.com asked readers other questions involving marijuana, at least one of which might seem unusual to those who have never resided in the so-called Bible Belt of the United States.

The results of three questions were:

92 percent said alcohol is more dangerous than marijuana

89 percent said smoking marijuana is not a sin (8 percent said that it is)

84 percent said recreational use should be legalized in Alabama

Of course, polls of website readers are not scientific by traditional polling standards. However, even Pew Research Center has started to question whether some of the polls might be more accurate than traditional telephone surveys.

Good News?

Those involved with the legal marijuana industry have kept a wary eye on Sessions. During the first few months of President Donald Trumps administration, both Sessions and other administration officials have offered a litany of anti-marijuana statements but have been vague about what they might actually do.

The latest glimpse into Sessions thinking came in a speech in March before law enforcement officials in Richmond, Vir. His speech, which can be read in full here on the attorney generals website, included a line that compared marijuana to heroin.

Related: How to Plant the Seeds of Success in the New Cannabis Economy

I reject the idea that America will be a better place if marijuana is sold in every corner store, he said. And I am astonished to hear people suggest that we can solve our heroin crisis by legalizing marijuana  so people can trade one life-wrecking dependency for another thats only slightly less awful. Our nation needs to say clearly once again that using drugs will destroy your life.

At least according to one poll, his view is not in step with a majority of his fellow Alabamians.

Follow dispensaries.com on Instagram to stay up to date on the latest cannabis news.

Related:

Most People in Attorney General Jeff Sessions' Home State Want to Legalize Marijuana

Marijuana In the Midwest? Nebraska Lawmakers Consider Cannabis Legalization.

Colorado Considers End Run if Feds Crack Down on Recreational Marijuana



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
Jaws dropped Sunday when footage surfaced of a United Airlines passenger getting physically dragged down an aisle to make room for one of several United employees.

@united @FoxNews @CNN not a good way to treat a Doctor trying to get to work because they overbooked pic.twitter.com/sj9oHk94Ik

Ironically, 2017 had been going really well for United Airlines. Of course, really well for United is a relative concept. This is the company that struggled for years after a rocky merger with Continental. Its also the company that, in 2015, had one CEO resign amid a corruption scandal only for his replacement to suffer a heart attack one month later.

Related: United Airlines Passenger Dragged Off Plane by Employees

But, like we said, things were looking up. Eighty percent of Uniteds flights were on time last year -- and that trend continued into 2017. The Points Guy, a travel advice site, even ranked United as the second-best domestic airline in February of this year. That ranking would be so surprising to some people, the site felt it merited a special explanation.

Still, the video doesnt make for a great visual -- and its one thats now seared in travelers minds, sparking a social media outcry and calls to boycott the airline. The company reacted with a mixed response this week that has evolved from corporate speak to attacks on the passenger, to a full apology issued Tuesday afternoon.

Its proof that complicated problems dont get easier with big company resources. We reached out to a range of experts to get a better sense of what might have gone wrong and why the public reaction to this incident has been so passionate. Their advice is a sobering reminder to companies of any size of how to keep priorities straight.

Prevent the worst-case scenario.

Technically, airlines have the right to remove passengers for a variety of reasons. Uniteds contract of carriage, the fine print that dictates what rights a traveler can expect and when there might be a call for volunteers first. And a passengers refusal to leave is a violation of regulations, according to John Wensveen, a professor at Purdue University who specializes in air transportation management.

But as Wensveen points out, an 'appalling' chain of events led to that passengers refusal -- a chain that the airline could have controlled and prevented. The carrier, he says, would have had advance notice of the need to transport company personnel, who should have booked internally on whats called a positive space ticket. This would have confirmed those staffers seats. Additionally, around 45 to 60 minutes before departure, the airline would have known how many passengers had checked in, and it could have started the call for volunteers earlier, before travelers boarded the plane.

Related: United Airlines Barred 2 Teens From Flying Over Their Leggings ...

Avoid blame but build confidence.

With varying results, Uniteds CEO Oscar Munoz released three statements regarding the incident. The first included an apology -- and the words "re-accommodate the passengers," phrasing some dubbed the "euphemism of the year."

United CEO response to United Express Flight 3411. pic.twitter.com/rF5gNIvVd0  United (@united) April 10, 2017

Munozs second statement, an email to employees, asserted staff acted according to procedures and blamed the passenger for being belligerent. (Some witness accounts have countered this narrative, saying the passenger was firm but in control).

This response violates some core crisis communications principles, according to Michael Fineman of Fineman PR in San Francisco. To help clients keep these principles top of mind, he developed PANTCHEK, an acronym for keeping priorities straight. While it may not apply to every crisis, Fineman says, its one simple way to not get caught with your pants down.

The acronym reads as follows:

Public welfare is the first priority.

Assemble the facts. Once they are verified, announce all bad news at once.

No blame, speculation or repetition of negative charges or questions.

Tell your side of the story or take responsibility.

Care and concern for those affected -- express it sincerely and right at the outset.

High-level organization spokesperson -- let the public see the crisis has top-level attention.

Ensure that it will not happen again with a solid plan that will generate confidence.

Keep a separate plan for moving daily business ahead.

Munozs second statement did not subscribe to many of these PANTCHEK guidelines -- it didnt put public welfare first and didnt avoid blame. The CEOs statement was widely criticized online, in part because it didnt align with what many expect when a company makes a mistake. Theres no dignity in blame, Fineman says. If youve done something wrong, its just not a stand-up response.

Worse, it didnt promote confidence or prove that the incident wouldn't happen again -- another PANTCHEK principle. The companys messaging reinforces the dramatic image on the video -- a man can be dragged off a plane against his will. It hadnt reassured the public that if they buy a ticket on United, they can depend on the company to take care of them and get them to their destination. Removal rules vary across airlines, but as Fineman points out, you dont get this type of messaging on Virgin or Alaska. Its just wrong, wrong, wrong to give consumers the idea that once they get into your hands they have no control.

Fineman says that in situations like this, hed recommend generating a full report of the incident, one that would explain how the issue got away from the company and how it would make amends with the affected passenger. That report would be accompanied by a plan that would demonstrate new guidelines, policies and employee training programs. Only a solid plan, Fineman says, could begin to bring back confidence in the airline.

Likely, Munozs team realized this -- unfortunately only after a public uproar. Munozs third statement, released Tuesday, was more apologetic, and it promised real changes and review, as well as a report to the public before the month is out.

Help make real change happen.

While a plan is critical, only real execution can prevent an incident like this -- or something worse -- from occurring. Wensveen says that United will need to change the way it does business to ensure that staffers on the scene have the freedom to make the "right" decisions. He says, Internally, as it relates to policies, procedures and expectations, constant education and frequent communication with employees will help decrease incidents. This communication cant just be the passive handbook sort, Wensveen says. Leadership will need to actively and constantly reinforce directives to staff so they fully understand how to handle challenging situations.

Rob Britton, an adjunct professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and principal of the aviation consultancy AirLearn, suggests an online how-to resource or hotline that could help staffers when the unusual does occur -- one that offers step-by-step guidance on handling problems in the moment.

And to prevent another PR fail -- one that makes a bad situation worse -- its clear Uniteds communications team will need some critical attention, as well as scripts and talking points. They need to explain details, because airlines are details businesses, Britton says, and they need to use plain English, not industry jargon. Messaging will always have to be quickly tailored to precisely fit the situation, but should always be on the shelf.

Related:

What's Next for United After Dragging a Bloodied Passenger Off a Plane? A Plan.

Why Your Next Sales Hire Also Needs to Be a Great Human Being

2 Roadblocks to Successful Leadership Transitions



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Kolkata, Apr 12 (IBNS): Prosenjit Chatterjee, Nusrat Jahan and Yash Dasgupta, the lead actors of the Bengali action thriller ONE, lend a strong support to the launch of Lifestyle Spring Summera17 Collection recently in Kolkata.

The popular store brand is the exclusive fashion partner for the movie.

The actors made quite a style statement dressed in the fashionable range of apparel and accessories from Lifestyles collection, said the organisers.

Srinivasa Rao, Vice President  Marketing, Lifestyle said, We are delighted to be associated with one of most anticipated Bengali movies of the year. The movie has a high style quotient with the leading star cast donning some of our latest looks that are inspired by global trends. Shoppers can buy these looks worn by their favourite stars at our stores in the city. We hope our customers and movie enthusiasts have a great time shopping this Poila Boishakh and also enjoy watching their favourite stars in action.

Prosenjit Chatterjee said, The costume is very important to deliver a role because costumes can make an actors body language change. I am delighted to be associated with Lifestyle through my upcoming movie ONE. I absolutely love the new collection. The ensemble is fit for both work and leisure and is a perfect fit for style conscious people like me.

Speaking about the movie, Prosenjit said, Though in this movie we have the beautiful pair of Yash and Nusrat but we (Aditya and Ronojoy) share a different kind of chemistry which is not very positive. I think I have done something new. I hope people will like the film.

Tollywood actor Yash Dasgupta said, "ONE is not a typical commercial movie that you are used to watching. Its a different subject thats arising based on todays society. You want to fight with someone and you want to do it mentally not physically. We have tried to bring this out to the audience.

Lifestyle has an extensive range of fashionable ensembles ranging from ethnic to western wear that helped style the characters in the latest fashions to suit the characters that we play in the movie. The new collection is stylish and quite appealing, added Yash.

Nusrat Jahan, Tollywood actress said, ONE will be a treat for everybody, not only for its intriguing story-line, but also for captivating performances and the fashion statement! Each look in the movie is very modish and I personally love my look in the movie.

(Reporting by Reniza Ahamed)

Image: LifestyleStore Twitter
STAMFORD  A man who threw a phone at his wife during a drunken rage was found with a cache of mostly medieval weapons at his Hope Street home, police said.

Ahmed Abdelhamid has been accused of throwing his cellphone at his wife, striking her in the hip, while she held their one-month-old child, Supervisory Assistant States Attorney Steven Weiss told Judge Auden Grogins during Wednesdays arraignment.

Police said the fight occurred because Abdelhamids wife refused to let him hold the baby when he got home from work one night because she thought he was too drunk. The woman also told police there was a history of domestic violence in their home.

Abdelhamid, 35, was charged with third-degree assault, risk of injury to a minor and disorderly conduct.

But Weiss said what was found in the home was even more alarming.

A wooden handle mace, blow gun, handheld battle ax, a Star Wars-type sword, two daggers, sword with dragon handle, knife with cobra handle, steel throwing hatchet, large dagger with brown cover, small dagger with Egypt case, straight razor, three folding knives, small black knife with scorpion cover, one Ruger model 357 Magnum (pistol) brown holster, one speed loader with 10 rounds (bullets) and a suspected M-150 and suspected M-200 explosives, Weiss listed to the judge.

While the bail commissioner recommended releasing the 6-foot-3, 203-pound Abdelhamid, a bartender at Tigins, on a promise to appear in court, Weiss recommended holding him on the $100,000 court appearance bond already ordered by the judge who signed his arrest warrant.

Abedlhamids attorney Lindy Urso argued his client was a collector of weapons and does not have a criminal record.

This is just a collection and there is no allegation that he has ever used these weapons or threatened to use them, Urso said. Perhaps, most importantly, the police have already confiscated all these weapons.

But Grogins ordered Abdelhamid held in lieu of a $75,000 court appearance bond and go through Intensive Pretrial Supervision, which ordinarily is not required in cases where high bonds have been ordered.

We are at a point in this state where, particularly with domestic violence arrests, there is no longer a presumption of innocence, Urso said afterward. The punishment begins at arraignment.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com;
B HP Billiton returned US hedge fund Elliotts fire today saying demands for a shake-up at the miner were not new.

The worlds biggest miner is under pressure to sell its US oil business and overhaul its structure for tax benefits.

But BHP said: We have assessed the options in detail many times over the past years, adding that Elliotts plan materially overstates the potential value that could be created.

We are confident we have everything in place to increase returns and grow shareholder value, BHPs UK-born chief executive Andrew Mackenzie said.

Elliott said a single tax structure in Australia would free cash but BHP said it would destroy $1.3 billion value.

Meanwhile, Elliott was reported to the Dutch stock market regulator by Dulux owner AkzoNobel today over allegations the activist investor potentially shared price-sensitive information with takeover suitor PPG.

The paints giant said Elliott planned to privately tell PPG, which is trying to buy Akzo, about an emergency shareholder vote it has requested to kick out chairman Antony Burgmans before the rest of the market knew.

It said: "AkzoNobel became aware on April 11, 2017 that Elliott Advisors intended to privately share potentially price sensitive information with PPG about its decision to request an EGM.

"AkzoNobel has shared this information with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and calls on Elliott Advisors and PPG to clarify their relationship and the history of the communications between the two companies."

Elliott said:. "PPG has met and communicated with Akzo Nobels top 20 shareholders; as one of the top 20 shareholders of Akzo Nobel, Elliott has therefore, as a matter of course, met and communicated with PPG," it said.

"Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited is an FCA regulated entity and is, therefore, aware of its various regulatory obligations, including obligations related to handling price sensitive, or potentially price sensitive, information."

It also pressed AzkoNobel to convene the meeting.

AkzoNobel has rebuffed Burgmans mooted exit and said the board "strongly supports" him He has knocked back PPG.

The Dutch regulator, AFM, said in a statement: "As a supervisor it speaks for itself that we will closely monitor the process in general. From our part we monitor trading on the stock exchange. We cannot comment on any specific cases as this is subject to supervision confidentiality."
T he boss of one of the UKs most successful tech start-ups today called for an overhaul of the financial sector regulations to ensure London does not lose its status as the fintech capital of the world.

Taavet Hinrikus, chief executive of money-transfer firm TransferWise, said the Brexit vote is threatening the flow of talent to the UK, and regulations put growth at risk.

Every city from Paris, Berlin and Madrid to New York, Singapore, Seoul and Sydney is talking about how they can take the title of fintech capital of the world away from London. Post-Brexit, maybe Londons giving the title away, he said as the industry met at the inaugural FinTech Conference.

He called for appropriate regulation which does not stymie open banking  the secure sharing of global consumer information.

People need the financial sector to be safe; people also need the financial sector to go through a massive phase of innovation, Hinrikus said. The Estonian wants support for high-growth start-ups, and established players and added for us immigrants, we need it to be easy to import talent.

Transferwise is worth more than $1 billion (800 million).

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney praised the industrys promise, adding: The Bank is working to develop the financial systems hard infrastructure to allow innovation to thrive while keeping the system safe It is widening access to some of its systems to include [payment service providers] to boost competition and system resilience.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said the UK must strive and graft to remain a tech world-beater post-Brexit.
T esco on Wednesday defended its ambitious 3.7 billion takeover of wholesaler Booker as it unveiled forecasting beating full-year profits and the first annual sales growth for seven years.

Chief executive Dave Lewis, who unveiled the tie-up alongside Booker counterpart Charles Wilson in January, said pursuing the deal remained the right thing to do despite opposition from major investors and expected scrutiny from the competition watchdog.

Schroders last month expressed scepticism over the price offered for Booker, which owns Budgens, Londis and Premier and supplies caterers and restaurants, while activist investor Artisan raised concerns about the risk of distraction for a company in the middle of a turnaround.

We hear comment and listen to every bit of input, but we continue to believe its the right thing to do to start the process, Lewis said.

We believe based on the advice and the work we did that there is actually a good case for enhancing benefits for customers in the marketplace and competition.

Lewis, who has been working on the Booker deal for over a year and wants to tap into the out-of-home food sector, reiterated that Bookers franchise model means the grocer will have no influence over pricing at its stores.

He added that todays results for the year to February 25, including a 30% rise in operating profit to 1.3 billion, showed management was completely focused on Tescos recovery.

The figures also revealed sales at UK stores open for more than year rose 0.9%, the first growth since 2010.

Lewis put the performance down to fresh food, which has benefited from the launch of farms brands. Since arriving in 2014, the former Unilever executive has also slimmed down product ranges, overhauled the way stores operate and cut prices to win customers back from the likes of Aldi and Lidl.

The efforts lifted profit margins from 1.8% to 2.3%, on track to hit his target of 3.5% to 4% by 2019-20.

Pre-tax profits slid 28% to 145 million as the company took an exceptional charge relating to its agreement with the Serious Fraud Office over an accounting scandal.

The shares fell 7.15p to 188.45p as traders focused on the international business, where sales growth weakened in the second half. Tesco highlighted intense competition in Poland and the impact of the death of Thailands King, but said it was not looking to sell-off any more of its overseas businesses.

Broker Shore Capital said it took genuine encouragement from the ongoing progress at Tesco but the investment story remained frozen until regulators feedback on Booker.
W H Smith is setting its sights on more openings overseas after new stores in the Far East helped lift half-year profits at the 225-year-old firm.

Boss Stephen Clarke hailed the addition of 23 branches abroad, including a very significant deal to put 10 in Singapores Changi airport.

There is a real growth story for us in terms of exporting what is a very successful model, Clarke said.

He said the firm will continue to add travel stores in the UK, with 15 units planned for this year.

Pre-tax profit rose 4% to 83 million in the six months to February 28, as sales in its travel business grew 10%. Overall revenue was 2% higher at 643 million.

Profits at its high street business were flat at 53 million as same-store sales slid 3%.

Clarke flagged difficult conditions amid Brexit uncertainty and said WH Smith would tidy up stores, freshen its ranges and attempt to improve productivity.
I n some ways, its a doddle being a monarchist. The case is so straightforward. We must have a symbolic head of state but we dont want that person to also be the leader of the Government. So in the interests of dignity and continuity, we respect the crown. Easy-peasy. In other ways, its more difficult  for example, when theres a new royal biography.

Veteran Vanity Fair journalist Sally Bedell Smith has just published a new book, Prince Charles  The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, a 600-page slab claimed to be the first major biography of the Prince of Wales in more than two decades (presumably harking back to Jonathan Dimblebys authorised moanathon of 1995).

Bedell Smith maintains that, since shes a royalist herself, the book is a sympathetic portrait. However, these two words do not sort well together for the simple reason that the more closely portrayed Prince Charles is, the less sympathetic we feel towards him.

The book is not malicious towards Charles, nor does it make any particularly head-clutching new discoveries. Its main bias is in taking such an American approach that it expresses all monetary values in dollars and makes it seem that the Prince has spent half his life among Yanks. However, Bedell Smith is adept at boiling her story down to revealing details, telling blunt summaries. And thats where the harm is done.

Some of the things Charles is quoted here as saying seem extraordinarily inappropriate to his position  for instance, ringing the US ambassador to Britain a month into the post-9/11 invasion of Afghanistan to ask if it could be stopped to observe Ramadan.

Others, though, are just ordinarily hopeless. Shortly after his engagement to Diana, he wrote to a friend that he was very lucky that someone as special as Diana seems to love me so much and he looked forward to having someone around to share things with. As the marriage collapsed, he said: I cant see a light at the end of a rather appalling tunnel at the moment. Then she went into a rather appalling tunnel herself.

One recurrent observation is that the Prince, while criticising materialism, expects luxury. Flying to Hong Kong, he wrote in his journal it puzzled me as to why the seat seemed so uncomfortable. He was in Club Class, not First. He evidently found it natural to announce, in his millennial Radio 4 Thought for the Day on January 1 2000, that the likelihood of life beginning by chance is about as great as a hurricane blowing through a scrap yard and assembling a Rolls-Royce.

Prince Charles and Camilla, Royal Visit to Florence 1 /8 Prince Charles and Camilla, Royal Visit to Florence Charles and Camilla enjoy their coffee in Florence Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images They ordered a cappuccino each from Caffe Barni Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images Camilla's drink only arrived just as the couple had to leave for a tour of the market Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images Prince Charles got served straight away and enthusiastically sipped his coffee Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images The royal couple are midway through a lengthy trip of Europe, taking in Romania and Austria Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall starts her day with a coffee at a market shop Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Bedell Smith tactlessly notes the date on which the Prince broke the record set by Edward VII for the longest wait to take the throne (59 years, two months, 13 days, on April 20 2011). But if Charles has been waiting interminably to fulfil his destiny, so too have his luckless biographers.

They are becoming restive. Bedell Smiths conclusion is awkwardly conditional, her tenses slipping: By conducting himself with dignity and seriousness of purpose, yet keeping a lid on his opinions, respecting royal traditions, adhering to his sense of duty and displaying his humanity, and his charm, he could well engender the affection and admiration he had long sought.

He could. But perhaps those of us hoping he does had better not study his biography so far too closely.

BBC savings merely spell the death knell for serious debate

Radio 4 has just announced that its admirable arts criticism show, Saturday Review  a dependable treat, deftly chaired by Tom Sutcliffe  is to come to an end in September, thus eliminating a key forum for such sustained discussion in the BBC.

Radio 4 controller Gwyneth Williams says: Saturday Review will be missed but we have to make difficult decisions on how to safeguard the range and breadth of content on Radio 4, while delivering savings. Really? It never sounded expensive, just intelligent.

It is to be replaced by a Saturday digest of the weeks Front Row, an arts mag that fawns on many interviewees. Meanwhile, the BBC says it has launched a new arts strand in what used to be the Midweek slot. In Only Artists, two artists talk to each other, handing on the presenters role each week, on the model of the comedians in Chain Reaction. In the first programme, grating self-delighter Grayson Perry interviewed Naomi Alderman about the art of computer games. Little criticism there, either.

Erotic adaptation is a sizzling success

A genuinely sexy film is even rarer, I think, than a scary one. So it is good that the fabulous film adaptation of Sarah Waterss erotic mystery Fingersmith by the South Korean director Park Chan-wook should have been so warmly welcomed by Waters herself as true to her vision.

The Handmaiden, which switches the setting all the way from Victorian London to Thirties Korea under Japanese occupation, could have run into all sorts of trouble as an appropriation of one kind or another, not least by a male director of a womans novel. But actually its a superb reinvention of the story  exotic, exciting, and a movie for once that rightly has eroticism at its heart.

For all that bodice-ripping, the BBC doesnt make historical dramas like this. They wish.

* Andrea Leadsom, made Environment Secretary after her Tory leadership bid failed, has re-emerged with a three-pronged attack on litter: providing more bins, educating schoolchildren about it and taking stronger action against litter louts, even doubling fines to 150. She is unlikely to go wrong with this campaign  theres no social justice argument for it; loutishness, pure and simple. I say this since I live in what ITV News dubbed the fly-tipping capital of Britain, previously the borough of Haringey, boasting 39,036 reported cases last year.

In some places, April brings lilac and wisteria. In Haringey, as tenancies end with the tax year, it brings a sudden blossoming of stinky mattresses and busted sofas by way of local flora.
F irst things first: Sean Spicers position as White House press secretary has become untenable, and he should go as soon as possible. Recklessly belligerent since his first press conference  in which he made false claims about attendance at President Trumps inauguration  Spicer has now revealed himself to be unbelievably insensitive, claiming yesterday that Hitler (unlike Bashar al-Assad) didnt even sink to using chemical weapons and referring to Nazi death camps as Holocaust centres.

Though Spicer has since apologised for his crass remarks, the chief spokesman of the most powerful politician in the world should not be capable of such amateurism and moral blundering. It follows that Trump must find a new occupant for this all-important role.

It is all the more urgent that he does so now that his administration is immersed in its first geopolitical crisis: more than ever, each word, each utterance made from the presidential bully pulpit, is freighted with resonance. Spicers pitiful performance has reinforced the claim that the Trump administration is simply not up to the task it faces in Syria.

I will admit that I feel queasy supporting Trump in this military and diplomatic challenge. Since launching a Tomahawk missile strike on Shayrat airbase last week, the President has not suddenly morphed from the tweeter-in-chief into a statesmanlike war leader. But in spite of these reservations, it remains true that what he is doing in Syria is right.

The fact that this is so uncomfortable for so many is neither here nor there. Those G7 leaders presently obstructing Trumps endeavours should feel embarrassed that the President many of them so despise is getting on with the job that most of them have conspicuously shirked for six years.

Baked into the international chatter  lazily so  is the blithe assumption that his administration has no strategy in Syria. But this is simply not the case. First, as the US defence secretary James Mattis, made clear yesterday, Americas priority in the region remains the destruction of Islamic State.

The change, second, is that Trump now acknowledges, correctly, that Assads time is up. Repeatedly, the Syrian dictator has shown that he cannot be trusted to observe the most basic decencies of international law  most recently, in the horrific chemical weapons attack on Khan Sheikhun.

On Thursday, the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson declared that it would seem there would be no role for him to govern the Syrian people. Yesterday, Tillerson confirmed that it is clear to us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end. The breakthrough has been the US administrations recognition that Assad is an enemy to regional stability as well as to his own people, and  crucially  that the war on IS is not dependent upon his support.

Though Trump told Fox Business yesterday that were not going into Syria, his administration has left itself plenty of wriggle room to take further military action against Assad and made plain that it will do so if necessary.

The third element of the US strategy  developed in close co-operation with the UK  is a tougher, targeted regime of sanctions against Syrian and Russian military figures. This objective was valiantly pursued by Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, at the G7 meeting in Lucca this week, and it says much more about his spineless counterparts than his diplomatic skills that agreement was not reached on this point.

Instead, the final communique called feebly for an investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons into last weeks sarin attack  as though there were any serious doubt about its nature, its significance and the identity of those responsible. The G7s response is deplorably resonant of Ed Milibands call in 2013 for a sequential road map rather than military action after Assads chemical attack on Ghouta, the Commons vote against air strikes and President Obamas subsequent retreat from military intervention.

In spite of Johnsons efforts, the G7 made its priorities perfectly clear. There are French and German elections this year. Germany and Italy are especially dependent upon Russian gas. Why react with urgency to the horrors of Khan Sheikhun when they can be buried in a bureaucratic inquiry? These are the wages of the Iraq conflict: not sensible caution but sanctimonious procrastination.

The fourth strand of the US strategy, agreed between Trump and Theresa May, is that Vladimir Putin has a window of opportunity to disentangle himself from the Assad regime. The primary purpose of Tillersons visit to Moscow today is to communicate this message to the Kremlin, and to frame an undeniably tense moment in US-Russian relations as a chance for Putin to strengthen co-operation between the two nations in their joint battle against IS by discarding his pariah client in Damascus.

This will not be an easy step for the Russian President, and certainly not one that he will take immediately. Expect more muscular language from the Kremlin as a ritual response to Tillersons visit. His objective in the days and weeks to come is simultaneously to offer Putin ways of saving face and to make clear that the status quo in Syria is not an option. As Kennedy argued privately throughout the Cuban missile crisis, the key to success was to let Khrushchev climb down without humiliation.

At last, after six years, the international response to the Syrian civil war includes military action against the despicable Assad regime. The success of Americas strategy is far from certain: indeed, how could it be otherwise in such a complex conflict? The pusillanimous objections of the G7 may yet thwart what is already a formidable task. But, at this supremely testing time, Britain can at least hold its head up high, confident that it has risen to a challenge that may only just be beginning.
T ransgender-themed play Rotterdam winning an Olivier Award is a big step forward for the acceptance of LGBT narratives in the mainstream arts. To have played the central character in a show that has been so well received has been an inspiring experience for me.

As Londoners we are fortunate to be surrounded by a wonderfully diverse queer community but there is still a long way to go before LGBT themes become the norm.

Next month we take Rotterdam to New York, where I hope the play will have the same impact as it has had here. There couldnt be a better time to take a play about gender identity and sexuality to the US, given that LGBT rights and laws are being threatened there.

We are starting to see more LGBT characters on our screens. However, we need more storylines that include LGBT characters who dont just play out their identities  they just simply exist and get on with it.

Anna Martine Freeman, actor, Rotterdam

Join the conversation: #esnewsviews
Kolkata, Apr 12 (IBNS): A BJP youth leader in Bengal has courted controversy following an announcement where he placed a bounty of Rs 11 lakh on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head, reports said.

Yogesh Varshney, member of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made the threat in the wake of Hanuman Jayanti clashes in Birbhum, some 180 km from state capital Kolkata.

Earlier it was reported that police had stopped a procession celebrating Hanuman Jayanti and even resorted to lathi charge when the crowd didn't disperse.

Varshney also equated Banerjee with a demon.

Meanwhile, the BJP has come under severe criticism from the opposition, following their Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal, where its open display of swords were deemed repulsive to Bengali culture.

The Bengal Chief Minister was quoted as saying by NDTV, "Some BJP leaders who do not know the culture of Bengal are flashing swords on the streets to intimidate people."
The man who gave the new editor of British Vogue his first break today told of the moment he spotted Edward Enninful on the Tube - and how his mum had to be persuaded he should follow a career in fashion instead of the law.

The 45-year-old Londoner shocked the fashion world this week by being named the titles first ever male editor.

He replaces Alexandra Shulman, who announced in January she is quitting the magazine this summer after 25 years at its helm.

The meteoric rise of Ghanaian-born Enninful, from Ladbroke Grove, to the top of the fashion world started at the age of 16 when stylist Simon Foxton spotted him on the London Underground in the late-Eighties.

Enninful in a shoot for i-D magazine in 1991, styled by Simon Foxton / Simon Foxton

The teenager had moved to London as a child with his six siblings from the Enyan Denkyira region of central Ghana, where a number of his relatives still live, and attended Kingsway College near Kings Cross.

His parents had hopes for him to become a lawyer but his life changed when Foxton, who worked for cult magazines i-D and Arena, approached him on the Hammersmith and City line.

Edward Enninful - in pictures 1 /21 Edward Enninful - in pictures Edward Enninful with Naomi Campbell after he received his Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) at Buckingham Palace on October 27, 2016 Getty Images Edward Enninful and Jourdan Dunn at a Diane von Furstenberg dinner Rex Features Naomi Campbell, Steven Klein, Edward Enninful, Laverne Cox, Stefano Tonchi at The Daily Front Row awards on September 5, 2014 Getty Images for the Daily Front Row Lewis Hamilton and Edward Enninful at the Balmain Aftershow Dinner on March 5, 2015 Getty Images For Balmain Stefano Tonchi, Edward Enninful and Giovanna Battaglia at the Brandon Maxwell show during New York Fashion Week on February 14, 2017 Getty Images for New York Fashion Week: The Shows Venetia Scott and Edward Enninful at Edward Enninful's OBE dinner at Mark's Club on October 27, 2016 Dave Benett Edward Enninful, Coco Rocha, Seslie Lopez and Raquel Zimmerman watch the photos that were taken to create a flipbook during the screening of Coco Rocha: She's A Genius on September 10, 2009 Courtney Love and Edward Enninful at the Prada Resort show on May 7, 2017 Getty Images for Prada Edward Enninful and Creative Director of La Perla Julia Haart backstage during New York Fashion Week on February 9, 2017 Getty Images Edward Enninful and Naomi Campbell attend the British Fashion Awards on December 1, 2014 Getty Images Stefano Tonchi, Claire Danes and Edward Enninful attend The Daily Front Row awards on September 5, 2014 Getty Images for the Daily Front Derek Blasberg and Edward Enninful arrive at the Fenty x Puma by Rihanna show during Paris Fashion Week on September 28, 2016 Getty Images for Fenty x Puma Edward Enninful and Anna Ewers at the 2015 CLIO Awards at The Plaza Hotel on May 5, 2015 Getty Images Naomi Campbell and Edward Enninful at the Met Gala on May 1, 2017 Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly Kerry Washington and Edward Enninful at the Accessories Council ACE Awards on November 3, 2014 Getty Images for ACE Awards Edward Enninful at the Prada Iconoclasts by Edward Enninful during Milan Fashion Week on February 20, 2014 Getty Images

Speaking today of that fateful meeting, Foxton told the Standard: "He was a very good-looking young man. The story has become quite apocryphal. I stopped him on the Tube as I was a scout for non-agency models. I asked him to model and he was interested but needed to ask his mum."

"She was more unsure. I dont remember him having a burning ambition to get into fashion - I remember him wanting to go into law."

"He did a couple of shoots and saw what was possible."

Speaking last year about the meeting, Enninful told the Daily Telegraph: "I saw this man who kept staring at me. I was trying not to freak out. Then we got to Kings Cross, he came over, gave me a card and said, My name is Simon Foxton and Im a stylist for i-D and Arena and I work with Nick Knight, and Id love you to model for me."

After taking part in shoots for Foxton, and also with world-renowned photographer Nick Knight, Enninful then became Foxtons assistant.

Soon he was introduced to i-Ds founder, Terry Jones, who later appointed him the youngest-ever fashion editor of an international magazine when he took over at the title aged just 18, abandoning an art degree course at Goldsmiths.

Alexandra Shulman - in pictures 1 /13 Alexandra Shulman - in pictures Alexandra Shulman and Model Kate Moss at the Business of Fashion Gala Dinner on September 19, 2016 Dave Benett The Duchess of Cambridge with Alexandra Shulman and Director of the National Portrait Gallery, Nicholas Cullinan at the "Vogue 100: A Century of Style" exhibition on 4 May 2016 Ian Gavan/AFP/Getty Images Kim Kardashian West and Alexandra Shulman at British Vogue's Centenary gala dinner at Kensington Gardens on 23 May 2016 Dave Benett Alexandra Shulman, Victoria Beckham and Anna Wintour attend the launch of "Vogue: Voice Of A Century" on 18 September 2016 Dave Benett Alexandra Shulman signing copies of her latest book 'Inside Vogue: A Diary of my 100th year' at Selfridges on 28 November 2016 Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Alexandra Shulman and Mario Testino in the winners room after winning the award for 100 Years of British Vogue at The Fashion Awards 2016 on 5 December Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images Jasmine Guinness, Alexandra Shulman and Laura Bailey at the launch of the new Design Museum on 22 November 2016 Dave Benett/Getty Images Alexandra Shulman and Valentino at the preview of The Glamour of Italian Fashion exhibition at Victoria & Albert Museum on 1 April 2014 Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images Alexandra Shulman at the British Fashion Awards at London Coliseum on 1 December 2014 Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Christopher Bailey and Alexandra Shulman at Vogue and Burberry's cocktail reception as part of 'Fashion's Night Out' on 10 September 2009 Chris Jackson/Getty Images

In 1998 he moved to Italian Vogue, then American Vogue, before working full-time as fashion and style director of W Magazine.

Foxton said Enninful had told him he was overjoyed to have been chosen for the illustrious job: "I spoke to him on Monday after the news was announced. He said he was surprised and completely delighted."

"He was obviously very busy and had a lot of people to speak to. He said he was excited and looking forward to starting."

Foxton said he was "absolutely over the moon" for his friend, adding: "It is fantastic we have a young man at the helm."

He said Enninfuls success was in large part down to his amazingly warm personality: "He is a people person - that is his strength. He really likes people and people like him."

"He is a very, very attractive personality. He remembers everyones name and face - hes encyclopedic. And his parties are pretty legendary."

Despite mixing with A-listers and attending glamorous parties, Enninful has never been particularly flamboyant, Foxton said: "When he started working for me he was quite scruffy."

"I remember once one of the arms of his glasses broke off and he simply tied a piece of string to the frame and wrapped it around his ear. He always had his own sartorial style."

Simon Foxton

Schoolfriend Sylvia Amoah said Enninful was a "practical joker" at school and that she was surprised he forged a career in fashion.

She said: "He was very popular. I never knew he was into fashion but me and my friends would dress funkily and he would always comment on my hair and clothes."

"Both our parents are from Ghana and we would joke about what our parents would say. They were quite strict."

Enninful, who counts supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell as close friends, currently lives in New York and last year was awarded an OBE for services to fashion.

Enninful with Cara Delevingne (Richard Young/REX/Shutterstock) / Richard Young/Rex

He is now expected to relocate back to London, where he still owns a flat, with long-term partner Alec Maxwell, an American film-maker, and their beloved Boston terrier named Ru.

Neighbours in Westbourne Park today expressed shock and delight for the "charming" fashion designer, who has used the neighbourhood as his base in London for over a decade.

Neighbour and friend Frances Owen said: "He is the most warm and charming person you could imagine. He is so friendly and open and is such a handsome man."

"He is not at all like what you would imagine a celebrity to be."

"I went to a party at his flat once and it was full of beautiful, well dressed people."

"I never thought I would be living in the same building as an OBE and the editor of British Vogue."

Enninful brought close friend Naomi Campbell as his companion to collect his OBE

Another neighbour said he and his "close knit" family were incredibly "humble and down to earth" despite his success, adding: "Everyone is pleased for him."

Close friend of over 20 years, make-up artist Pat McGrath, said she was "thrilled beyond words" for her friend.

She said: "From the day I met Edward we have been inseparable. Whether on set or on the dance floor, we have shared our personal and professional journeys, howling with laughter all the way."

"When the position at Vogue became open, Edward was the name that came to my mind. His creative mastery is legendary - from the most divine i-D covers of all time to the most major editorials at Italian Vogue with Steven Meisel or his sublime storytelling at W, there is no one more inspiring, innovative or iconic in terms of talent."

"I could not be prouder to call Edward my dear friend and brother. The UK is very fortunate to be getting Edward - and his amazing talent - back."

Mert Alas, Madonna, Enninful and Rifat Ozbek attend Enninful's OBE dinner / Dave Benett

Enninfuls sister, Akuna, runs his company Maxim Fashion Agents and also acts as his assistant and business consultant.

She declined to comment today about the appointment, as did his brother Crosby Enninful, a chartered accountant.

Some of his famous friends have praised the Londoner. Rita Ora wrote online: "Congratulations to my darling Edward Enninful you LEGEND! Lets gooooo British Vogue this is about to be an amazing ride!! So excited and happy for you!!! #westlondonmassive #FromLadbrokeGrovetoVOGUE."
D espite the fact that he was at Chiltern Firehouse the night before we meet, when I arrive 20 minutes early on a Thursday morning at Mayfairs Maddox Gallery, Bradley Theodore is already in the basement, working. I find him standing behind a table drinking ginger beer, pots of acrylics and brushes everywhere, applying blotches of yellow and red to a blue skeletal head and shoulders. He will continue painting while we talk, and by the time we part ways in the early afternoon will have added a mess of black, punk-ish hair and a cigarette.

Ill just paint, paint, paint, paint all day, he says. Its kind of like meditation. I was an insomniac as a kid and to this day, I sleep, like, five hours. Sometimes that can go to, like, two or three hours. Which works out, because then Im always painting. This is good news for the ever growing number of admirers of his work.

We are meeting to discuss his forthcoming London show, Second Coming, which opens here next week. He likes exhibiting in London because the collectors that buy are regular people. But Theodore is not short of a celebrity fan or 20. Many of these he will not talk about because they would rather people didnt know  but even the list of names he does mention is eye-watering. The first person that I sold to was Alyssa Milano, he says. She called me up and I was like, Wow, of course. And then Whoopi Goldberg: I had lunch with her and shes like, I need one.

Later, on his iPhone, he will show me a selfie Bill Clinton took in front of one of his works in LA. Then there is Adele, Bryan Cranston, Iris Apfel, Salma Hayek (She bought one of Prince, because she used to date him). His subjects are often fashion icons: hes painted skeletonised versions of Kate Moss, Cara Delevingne and Anna Wintour; another mural imagines a meeting between Frida Kahlo and Coco Chanel. Little wonder he is often dubbed fashions favourite artist. Does he mind the title? All that stuff, I dont really get involved in, he shrugs. Id rather not know who bought, and who didnt buy. I dont really care. I dont want to be an artist focused on, I need to have a celebrity at my show, I need a celeb to buy my work...

Credit: Jonny Cochrane

Still, famous people do seem to gravitate towards Theodore. Born in Turks and Caicos, his family moved to a very psychotic neighbourhood in Miami when he was six months old. His mother, whom he credits with instilling in him his work ethic, worked three jobs  switch-board operator, front-desk manager of a hotel, and hotel book-keeper  as well as raising him, his three sisters and five brothers. He had a severe speech impediment as a child, which made him reclusive  a ghost  and so was always painting or drawing. But at 17, he headed to New York, where he came out of his shell: immersing himself in the clubs and the creative art scene. Back then we had clubs that closed at 10am. Now its all about the corporate exec. But when I was growing up, it was more about the guy who was the most creative. Youd want to hang around this cool artist, or cool musician.

The people he found himself partying with included, well, everybody: from the guys who started Wu-Tang, to Bjork, to Tricky. I was at dinners with David Bowie. A friend of mine, this designer, was friends with everyone, so I just hung out with him. It was like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory: everything would go down. New York back in the day was really, really, really eclectic: there were no rules, no borders. Bowie would be at my friends coffee shop on Avenue A twice a week. Wed hang out with everyone, no matter who it was.

At this time, Theodore didnt drink. How did a shy, sober kid with a speech impediment become so well connected so quickly? I was a good dancer! Im the guy that people call, even to this day, when they wanna go hang out. Because they know theyre gonna have a good time. So I was accepted. And I didnt care who somebody was. I didnt give two flying squirts.

While making money as a freelance digital designer, he got involved in the graffiti scene. Everyone was doing it, he says. I know guys today who work at Fortune 500 companies, and they used to do street art. At the time, no one considered street culture, graffiti, to be art. It was just something you did. We did it for fun. He had to be careful (The cops werent f***ing around. Youd do two years in jail) but this just made him come up with more ingenious ways of stencilling and spray painting. He gleefully recounts a time he affixed a legalise it stencil to the bottom of a shopping bag, and covertly decorated Union Square and Times Square in broad daylight: Walk, bag down, spray.

As the street art scene exploded and became more commercial, Theodore noticed the quality of the art drop off and started to tire of it. No offence to Banksy  the guys a king  but everyone in New York started copying Banksy. I got sick of it. By the end of 2012 he was sick, too, of working in commercial design and of clubbing (It started to feel like, What is this? Are you gonna do this until youre, like, 60?).

He took what money he had, went to an art store, bought as much paint and canvas as he could afford, and dropped off the grid. Staying at home every day in Brooklyn, in his apartment right across from the East River, he just painted for a year. He didnt go out and saw few friends, apart from the son of his neighbour, who he dubbed Bang Bang after his first tattoo featuring two guns. The name stuck. Bang Bang is now a major celebrity tattoo artist in New York.

I was holding Rihannas hand when she got her foot tattoo, he smiles. I was there when he did Cara Delevingnes finger, when he did the lion. I didnt even know who she was! I just walked in one day.

The technique of tattooing  All the colours layer on layer  was interesting to Theodore, and by the end of 2013 it had influenced him in developing his signature style: the skeletons, the bright colours. In December that year, on the shutter-front of Lasso pizzeria in the Bowery, he painted (in 48 hours straight, in sub-zero arctic winds) a mural of Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour staring at each other with a heart between them. He curved his email address around Lagerfelds hair (people like to crop your tag out) and, very quickly, things went crazy.

Within the first two days, there were bloggers that would Instagram it, and we had about 200,000 likes. So in 2014, everyone and their mother was offering me money. But thats when I was like, You know what, Im not going to sell to anybody. I sold to two friends, a couple of paintings, just so I could pay rent and eat, and just carried on painting. And by the end of that second year, I felt my style was ready to show.

He was also ready to sell, though Theodore says he is not motivated by money. Prices at the London show start at 5,000 (for an Anna Wintour sculpture) rising to 70,000 for The Only Queen canvas (pictured below left). He met a guy at Chiltern whos like, Oh, I should buy a painting, so when you die itll be worth a lot of money. And Im thinking, Thats the kind of MF I would never sell a painting to. He wont tell me his exact age because, he says, people are trying to work out when hes going to die. He donates work to charities (hes raised about half a million so far). He turned down $100,000 to do a portrait of Trump in the election run-up. I turn a lot of s*** down, he says. People come to me and are like, Well give you a million dollars to do a clothing brand, and Im like, if youre not the right person, Im not going to do it.

I dont need the money, he says. Well, I do need money, but I dont need money. Its about priorities. And this he motions at the now-almost-finished painting on the table in front of us, is the priority.

The Second Coming: Bradley Theodore is at Maddox Gallery, Mayfair, 21 April to 20 May
T he blue studio lights reflect on the punch bag as it spins in front of me; I can taste sweat and almost feel the house music as I jab and hook to the beat. Exhilaration ripples through the darkened room as, around me, 10 other twenty- and thirty-something women (City workers in neon crop tops, long hair swept into ponytails) do the same. Summers coming and those guns arent going to shape themselves.

Yes, muscles are having a moment. And not just among devoted gym rats; Instagram is replete with on-trend ab-cracks, while the catwalks displayed definition-flaunting cutaway, bodycon and cold-shoulder styles for summer. As for the models wearing them? Youre more likely to find them working up a sweat at the gym than on the dance floor.

All of which is why I find myself, at 7am on Monday morning, at the new Kobox space in the City being put through my paces by Jourdan Dunns brother Antoine. As well as an all-body workout, Kobox offers classes that hone in on specific areas  such as your upper and lower body  alternating strength exercises with bagwork. Jourdan loves the classes, says Dunn, a gently spoken giant with a tattoo snaking across his remarkable biceps. The short nature of the rounds keeps the intensity high, and the torque [rotational force] thats created from the twisting motion carves those dream abs, he explains.

This is not about the strong not skinny mantra of yore, but a closely targeted emphasis on contouring the right muscles (abs, shoulders, back) in a nuanced way. It is high-end, high-definition musculature. At BXR, the Marylebone training space fronted by British heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, the Sweat by BXR class uses the Versaclimber, a ladder-like contraption that allows you to mimic climbing movements on the spot to shape the muscles in your shoulders and back, hamstrings and calves. Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence are fans.

Dave Benett/ Getty Images for KO

Heartcore, which has studios across London, has recently launched a new TRXCore series that uses the suspension training system to sculpt your abs and, depending on the class you go for, your upper, lower or full body, in a 55-minute class. And in June, the boutique spinning studio Psycle will open a new space in Shoreditch offering strength-based classes alongside its usual high-energy rides. As Psycle CEO Rhian Stephenson says, Its not just about calories out, its about looking at what your body needs and finding a varied training regime that helps you create the perfect balance.

At the same time  for anyone who dutifully does their reps and sees little change  weight-lifting is being given a subtle makeover. At Notting Hills The Library gym and The Clock on Wimpole Street, founder Zana Morris is pioneering a kind of high-intensity weight training (HIWT)  working to exhaustion for short periods of time using a bespoke machine: By using a challenging weight, and not allowing a rest between sets, you will force your bicep to recruit all its muscle fibres. In three sets of six repetitions, you will work the bicep to complete fatigue,  thereby maximising the regeneration of bicep muscle tissue.

Similarly Neil Dimmock, head of fitness at Ten Health & Fitness, highlights the efficacy of using the full range of the muscle to maximise toning effects. The chain of studios has just launched a new Master Class, 7 Principles, using Pilates reformers to focus on reactivating muscles that can be neglected in our desk-bound lives. We emphasise flexibility: muscular adaptation [growth] is reduced when muscles become too tight, says Dimmock. It is a virtuous circle: the more muscle we have, the more calories our body uses.

Meanwhile, with recovery being a key part of muscle-building, a new generation of supplements a world away from sickly sweet, garishly wrapped protein bars has arrived. In February, Nue Co, a new line of elegantly packaged organic wellness powders, launched on Net-A-Porter. Founded by Jules Miller, former head of business development for The Detox Kitchen, the range includes Milk (a quick recovery boost ideal for post-workout) and Plant (a slow-releasing formula with a similar amount of protein as two eggs). Miller says the idea came to her when she regularly failed to refuel adequately as she rushed from gym class to meetings, and was appalled by the ingredients of existing shakes.

Nue Co isnt the only company introducing nuance to post-workout nutrition: Neat Nutrition, founded by former GB swimmers Charlie Turner and Lee Forster, offers whey and vegan protein powders made from all-natural ingredients, in minimalist brown paper packaging, while Elle MacPhersons brand WelleCo offers a Nourishing Protein line, combining pea protein and rice protein (vegetable proteins often work best in combination  for example, rice is low in certain amino acids, which means the body is unable to use the amino acids it does have). An adequate supply of both essential and non-essential amino acids is vital for protein synthesis  and therefore muscle growth  to occur. Meanwhile the Dakar range by Hollywood super-facialist Sonya Dakar, which includes a Beauty Bootcamp Ultima Power shake, has a cult following among beauty industry insiders.

From left, Strong Pure Protein Shake; WelleCo Nourishing Protein; Neat Nutrition Lean Protein; Nue Co Milk Protein

Of course, this all begs the question: how much protein do we really need  and does it matter where we get it from? Morris cautions clients against eating immediately after her shorter exercise bursts: If youve done a lovely, brief burst of HIWT, while your body is recovering there is a flood of human growth hormone through it, encouraging cells to multiply. Any kind of insulin spike will interrupt this. She has therefore developed a pill-form supplement, Building Blocks, made solely from amino acids (which wont promt insulin release).

The Clock gym

However, if you train hard for more than 45 minutes your body will need to refuel, preferably within 20 minutes of finishing, to ensure damaged muscles are in an optimal position to repair and rebuild. And yes  quality does matter, says nutritionist Henrietta Norton: Theres a difference between highly synthesised supplements and those more naturally derived. Apart from the [higher] yield of additional nutrients provided, the less-processed nutrients are subjected to fewer processing agents such as solvents during manufacture. That said, she points out that in an ideal world, wed all be eating real food, and recommends eating meat from a part of an animal that has plenty of muscles  for instance chicken thigh instead of breast  as it will be richer in amino acids.

Back in Kobox, the class is reaching a climax. I have pre-ordered an Iron Mike peanut and whey protein shake upstairs (heck, Im time-poor) and feel fantastic. If good muscle tone is one of this summers hottest accessories, surely its also the one with the biggest endorphin potential.
S ome revolutions are quieter than other. Yesterday The New York Times published a interactive essay titled, Will London Fall? which rather startled those people who had no idea it was imperilled in the first place.

The piece was written by Sarah Lyall  a New Yorker who lived in London for more than a decade  and posits that the tremors of Brexit could threaten the capitals status as a world capital. Lyall fled to New York in 2013, so perhaps she has forgotten that Londons mettle is more than a match for a little political uncertainty.

These are seven reasons why London will not fall. Ever.

1. #WeAreNotAfraid

Viral hashtags are a bellwether for the spirit of a city: in the hours after last months terrorist attack in Westminster, #WeAreNotAfraid trended on Twitter. Its characteristic of a city that gets annoyed by attacks on its freedoms. The day after 7/7 Londoners got back on the Tube, and we invented the Blitz spirit. We also survived the suppurating Great Plague and reconstructed a city in the wake of the Great Fire. Brexit is small fry.

2. Yes We Khan

The capital is now in the reassuring hands of Mayor Sadiq Khan. Khan is an exuberant advocate for the capital, and tireless and enthusiastic about ensuring its place at the top table. #Londonisopen

3. Work hard, work harder

Londoners are indestructible. We work some of the longest hours in Europe, and, according to the National Transport Survey, spend 107 hours commuting every year. Thats just the average: those who commute for two hours a day have added an extra working day  10 hours  by the end of the week. Those who cannot hack the city move out  to Dorset, or the Home Counties, or New York.

4. Having it all

London has everything: business, finance, education (LSE, Imperial and UCL are ranked in the top 10 UK universities), and culture. Our fashion designers are imaginative rebels  so much more interesting than those in New York or Paris. The new Vogue editor and one of fashions most exciting figures is Londoner Edward Enninful, who went to New York for a while before returning, inevitably, to London.

Other global capitals may have a combination of several, but none has the same mixture of world-beating institutions, all accessible on the same Tube network.

5. Mile a minute

Speaking of which, the Tube transports more than a billion passengers a year, and now runs 24-hours a day during the weekend. It is safe, and inexpensive, and does not smell like a fetid cesspool in the summer  unlike the New York Subway  nor like urine, all day, every day, like the Paris Metro.

10 facts you might not know about the Victoria Line 1 /13 10 facts you might not know about the Victoria Line Did you know that... The Victoria line can lay claim to being the first automatic passenger railway in the world. Rex Did you know that... Queen Elizabeth II was the first monarch to take the tube. She rode on the Victoria line for its opening in 1969. Did you know that... The busiest Tube station on the London Underground network is Oxford Circus. Did you know that... The Seven Sisters Underground station is believed to have been named after a line of elm trees which stood nearby until the 1830s. Did you know that... Finsbury Park station has murals that show a pair of duelling pistols, harking back to a time when men would visit the park after hours to defend their honour. Did you know that... The joke may have proved a tad too subtle for some, but the tiled mosaic at Brixton is artist Hans Unger's visual pun on the station name. The design is called a 'Ton of Bricks'. Did you know that... The Victoria line is used by 200 million passengers each year, making it the 6th busiest line on the network. Rex Did you know that... Tunnelling close to Buckingham Palace and major government departments, 2.500 miners excavated an estimated one million tons of earth to build the Victoria Line, uncovering fossilised marine molluscs and human bones from an old plague pit along the way. Did you know that... Proposed names for the line included Viking line, for Victoria to King's Cross, and Walvic (Walthamstow to Victoria). Did you know that... An estimated half a million mice live in the Underground system. Getty

6. Build and they will come

Londons skyline is studded with futuristic spires, which even look good against slate skies in driving rain  as The New York Times proved, conveniently, in its interactive.

7. Tower of Babel

According to the 2011 census there are more than 270 nationalities speaking 300 languages in London  indeed, as Lyall observes, it is perhaps the worlds most vibrantly and exuberantly cosmopolitan city.

With such a melting pot of languages, theres no shortage of ways to proudly say that London is on top - of the world.

Follow Phoebe Luckhurst on Twitter: @Phoebeluckhurst
W hat if the answer to lifelong happiness could be solved with mathematical equations?

According to Google's Chief Business Officer, he's found an algorithm that works.

Using logic and problem solving, Mo Gawdat diagrams the way a brain processes joy and sorrow to "solve for happy" in his new book.

Aptly named Solve for Happy, Gawdat's book questions the reasons for suffering and plans out a process to achieve lifelong happiness, even after experiencing a loss or tragedy. Using his engineering skills, Gawdat applied logic and examined all conclusive facts about happiness. Twelve years later, he came up with an equation for permanent satisfaction.

After the tragic loss of his son Ali in 2014, Gawdat's algorithm was put to the test. In dealing with the death, Gawdat set a goal to share his happiness equation with the public to make the world a better place -- a "moonshot" goal, as Google execs would call it. His mission was to spread the algorithm to 10 million people worldwide, inspired by his son's dying wish.

"His request to me was, 'Papa, you should never stop working'", Gawdat wrote on his website. "'Keep making a difference and rely on your heart more often. Your work here is not done.' He then paused for a few seconds, sat back in his chair  as if to say: but now my work here is done  and said "Thats it. I have nothing more to say."

Just 17 days after Ali's death, Gawdat started on the book, sharing his model of happiness with the public through his writing. Four months later, he had a first draft.

The best books on happiness- in pictures 1 /9 The best books on happiness- in pictures Boost the happiness in your life with a little help from one of these books... Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert Its probably fair to say that we all make certain choices without thinking too much about the consequences , whether thats to overeat, over drink or over spend- even though we know well regret it later. Psychologist Daniel Gilbert looks into the neuroscience behind this as well as why most of us have no idea how to make ourselves happy. Exploring our inability to really see what will and will not bring us a brighter future, Gilberts dry wit makes this a great read. We confidently predict that reading it will lift your mood. 10, Amazon, Buy it now -A Guide to Developing Lifes Most Important Skill by Matthieu Ricard Why is it that even when we are living a life that, once upon a time, we could only dream of do we still often feel unfulfilled? In this refreshing book, scientist- turned- Buddhist monk Ricard talks about the art of creating happiness out of what we have now, rather than things we think will transform our lives in the future. Filled with practical exercises and free of superfluous jargon, Ricards own happiness emanates from the language, making the reader believe that it really is possible to create a happier life. 10, Amazon, Buy it now Happy by Fearne Cotton Theres something reassuring about reading a book thats not been written by an expert- in Fearne Cottons hotly anticipated Happy you get the sense that youre chatting with a friend. Bringing to light her own struggles with mental health issues, Cotton shares some easy-to-follow, everyday exercises and anecdotes that have helped her get through tough times. Not to be dismissed as merely another celebrity memoir, it brings together the common challenges faced that can impede upon everyday happiness, rather than thinking of happiness in a grandiose or abstract way. This is a great one to dip in and out of. 7, Amazon, Buy it now Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin In this hilarious mixture of anecdotes and research-backed advice, Rubin addresses the inherently human behaviour of making and breaking habits. From diets to practicing an instrument every day, we are always trying to start or stop a habit. But why is it that even when its something we love, or something we know is really bad for us, cant make the habit stick? Rubin answers questions such as this in a bit to help us lead our best lives. Of course, the best part of any self-help book is when you get to look at yourself- this book provides ample opportunity for that in the form of personality quizzes and practical guides to help you better understand your own behaviour. 6.30, Amazon, Buy it now The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama & Desmond Tutu Youd think that years of hardship and oppression would make you miserable, but for Nobel Peace Prize laureates Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, this simply isnt the case. In this collaboration, two of the worlds most joyful global figures reflect upon their own lives and try to answer the question that burns all of us: how can humans find happiness in the face of suffering? 9, Amazon,Buy it now Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes What if you said yes to every opportunity that came your way for a whole year? Well thats exactly what Shonda Rhimes did to hilarious and often poignant effect. Written by the creator of Greys Anatomy and Scandal, it offers insight into how accepting opportunity- even if you dont initially want to- can transform your life. 9, Amazon,Buy it now

"My hope is that by sharing Alis messagehis peaceful way of livingI may be able to honor his memory and continue his legacy.", Gawdat wrote. "This book is my attempt to fulfill the task assigned to me by my happiness idol. For as long as I live, I will make global happiness my personal mission, my moonshot for Ali."

The book, released just last month on Amazon, questions some of the most formative parts of human suffering, and diagrams Gawdat's process for happiness by looking through a clear lens. The book teaches readers how to "dispel the illusions that cloud our thinking; overcome the brain's blind spots; and embrace five ultimate truths."

Still searching to find pure happiness? Maybe there really is strength in numbers.
W hether youre looking for gourmet restaurants or galleries, green spaces or great transport links, whatever tops your list youre bound to find it - and lots more besides - in east Londons Hoxton.

Long established as the capitals coolest and most creative enclave, Hoxtons ongoing revitalisation has made it one of the most desirable postcodes for a new generation of homebuyers. All of this makes Hoxton Press, a new development from the London-centric Anthology, a must for those looking to tap into the areas countless charms.

Live the high life

Comprising of 198 properties across two unique and eye-catching hexagonal towers, Hoxton Press overlooks the wide-open greenery of Shoreditch Park in one direction and the idyllic Regents Canal in the other. Built upon a site that was previously occupied by a paper and craft company - hence the name - Hoxton Press will marry this love of tradition, not least an appreciation of materials, with the latest in designer living.

The towers, designed by the renowned and award-winning Karakusevic Carson Architects and David Chipperfield Architects, make use of the jaw-dropping views across the city, filling the living spaces with an abundance of natural light. The latest in high-quality specifications and finishes come as standard. The development will be complemented by a cafe and communal spaces.

Everything on your doorstep

And if the old adage - location, location, location - is still the primary motivating factor that drives the property market, then Hoxton Press has got the lot. Trendy Shoreditch and the City are to the south; cutting edge Dalston is to the north; the sophisticated shops and restaurants of Islington are to the west, while a little further afield to the east - beyond the magical Victoria Park - is the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Superb transport links - Tube, Overground, buses and cycle paths - can have you to the heart of the West End in 30 minutes.

Indeed, everything youd expect from living on the border of Zones 1 and 2 is on your doorstep. From the traditional (Hoxton Market and Columbia Road Flower Market) to the cultural (Sadlers Wells and Hackney Empire) via the modern (the ultra-cool bars and venues of Dalston, Shoreditch and Hackney), every whim of every lifestyle is catered for, and all within easy walking distance.

So, go on, ask yourself once again what it is you are looking for from your stretch of the capital. Then head to Hoxton Press, a development built from London for Londoners.

Call 020 3308 9813 to book an appointment. Alternatively, to register your interest in the properties available at Anthology Hoxton Press, visit anthology.london/Hoxton or see anthology.london for information on Anthologys developments across the city
A 13-year-old girl and two adults have been convicted of a vicious and brutal attack on a Muslim mother and daughter in south-east London.

The teenage girl, who was aged 12 at the time of the assault, Paul Anderson, 37, and 38-year-old Joanna Farrer were each found guilty of two counts of religiously aggravated actual bodily harm following a two-week trial at Woolwich Crown Court.

The victims, a 42-year-old woman and her daughter, 23, were left fearing for their lives after they were attacked by the defendants in Eltham one evening in May last year, the court heard.

A jury was told how the younger victim, who wore traditional Muslim dress include a pink hijab and a long black Abaya, was thrown to the ground by Anderson as one of the other attackers tried to rip off her headscarf.

Her mother was kicked in the stomach and punched in the face by the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, the court heard.

Vicious assault: The attack took place on Eltham Hill / Google

On the evening of the attack, the younger victim had been driving along Middle Park Avenue on her way to visit a family member when the girl and a boy who was with her began to cross the road.

Despite there being no zebra or pelican crossing, she stopped the car to allow them to pass and the girl gesticulated towards her.

The victim continued on her way to meet her mother in Eltham Hill and when she stopped the car there, the girl and boy walked past again and the girl began to shout racist abuse.

Her mother told the youths that they had crossed the road in a dangerous spot and an argument began.

The girl attacked the older victim, before walking away and returning with Anderson and Farrer and launching a further assault.

A fourth woman, who has not yet been identified, also joined in the attack, which took place at about 8pm on May 5.

It only ended when the younger victim flagged down a passing ambulance causing the suspects to flee. The victims were left with cuts and bruises.

The suspects were caught by police with the assistance of a taxi driver who witnessed the assault.

Anderson, of Sevenoaks Road, Brockley, was jailed for three years and four months and ordered to pay 2,000 compensation to the victims after all three defendants were found guilty on Tuesday. Farrer, of William Barefoot Drive, Eltham will be sentenced on Friday, April 21, while the girl will be sentenced at Bromley Youth Court on a date to be set.

Detective Inspector Melanie Pressley, of Greenwich Community Safety Unit, said: "This was a brutal and completely unnecessary attack on two Muslim women who were racially abused and then assaulted.

"I have no doubt the attack would have continued had it not been for the passing ambulance one of the victims was able to flag down.

"The victims were left terrified by what happened and lived in fear they would be targeted again. The older victim was too afraid to leave her house for some time.

He added: It is shocking that the instigator of this attack was just 12 years old [at the time] and I hope having a conviction to her name at such a young age will be a wake-up call and encourage her to change her ways."
T he number of gun and knife crime offences in London soared last year amid fears more young people are carrying weapons for self-protection and status.

The figures showed a 42 per cent rise in the number of overall offences of gun crime and an increase of 24 per cent rise in the number of knife crime offences, with 12,074 offences last year, compared to 9,742 in 2015/16.

More worryingly, there was also a rise in the number of guns being fired on Londons streets, up from 239 cases in 2015/16 to 306 cases in the last financial year.

There was also a 20 per cent increase in the rate of knife attacks involving injuries to victims, up from 3,663 to 4,415 in 2016/17.

Overall, the number of offences in London rose for the first time in several years.

There was a total of 774,737 crimes recorded in the capital last year - compared to 740,933 in the previous year. a rise of 4.5 per cent.

The figures, which did not include cyber crimes, showed increases in the number of muggings, sex offences, thefts and violent offences.

There was a 26 per cent leap in the rate of motor vehicle thefts and a 13 per cent rise in personal robberies.

However, the number of burglaries in private houses continued to fall.

Scotland Yard said it was concerned about the rises in gun and knife crime, but pointed out the increases came after several years of falling crime.

Asssistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt, head of Territorial Policing, said: London is one of the safest global cities in the world. There are few others with such low rates of serious crime, such as murder and gun crime.

Similar to the rest of England and Wales, crime rates in London are rising, but many of these are still at a much lower level than five years ago and are against the backdrop of significant reductions in resources.

We are concerned about the rise of gun crime and rise of knife crime offences committed by young people and the changing nature of the offenders. 

He said there was evidence that more young people are carrying knives for a variety of reasons including status, criminality and self-protection but said only around a quarter are affiliated with gangs.

He said police were focusing on reducing stabbings by taking weapons and dangerous offenders off the streets and trying to prevent and divert people from crime.

However, he said there were complex social reasons why more young people are carrying knives and this could not be solved by the police alone.

He said: We must work with communities to help combat knife crime.

Karim Samms was shot dead as he met a friend on his way home in North Woolwich

We are also managing an increased demand across areas as a result of societal changes such as child protection, mental health and missing people.

The crime picture has evolved and so must we in the way we police, recruit and operate.

He said the Met was changing the they investigated crimes by training more frontline officers to carry out inquiries to relieve some of the burden on detectives.

Earlier this year the outgoing Met chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe criticised government cuts to policing saying that the warning lights were flashing after official figures confirmed an increase in murder and knife crime.

He also warned last year of a record number of guns being seized in London saying there was an increasing number of firearms being smuggled into the UK from eastern Europe.

The rise in gun crime and knife crime come after significant falls in the crime rates in recent years.

In 2013 Sir Bernard spoke of dramatic results which included nearly 40 per cent fewer guns fired than two years earlier and offences involving knife injuries to people under 25 down by nearly a third.

Shot dead: Victim David Adegbite

However, so far this year three teenagers have been shot dead in London, compared to the whole of 2016 when there were no teenager firearms murders.

Earlier this month 16-year-old Karim Samms was shot dead as he met a friend on his way home in North Woolwich. Another man in his 20s was also shot and injured in a reported drive-by shooting.

In March sixth form student David Adegbite, 18, was shot in the head on a housing estate in Barking and then two days later 19-year-old Abdifatah Sheikhey was shot at close range as he sat in a Mercedes car in a street in Ilford.

Rory Geoghegan, a former Met officer and the head of criminal justice at the Centre for Social Justice think tank, said : The crime and security challenge for London is the toughest it has been in years - and at a time when the finances have never been tighter.

With double-digit growth in gun and knife crime - and a youth homicide almost every fortnight - the crime challenge for London is real and serious and has serious impacts for Londons most disadvantaged communities.

He added: With 600 victims of serious youth violence each month, the Met needs a new plan to tackle the violence on our capitals streets if they are to help impoverished communities.

It must avoid the temptation to indiscriminately ramp up stop and search or to bring in officers from the outside who do not know well the local communities they are seeking to serve.

The Mets response needs to build on high quality and well-resourced neighbourhood policing. The Met needs to reinvigorate work around both primary and secondary schools and seize the golden opportunity to help individuals turn their lives around and leave behind the gangs, the guns and the knives.

The most vulnerable and disadvantaged in London desperately need confident and engaging policing that helps guarantee their safety. 
S taff at an east London jewellery store were threatened with a hammer after a Jeep was crashed into the shop in a smash-and-grab raid.

Police raced to the scene of the incident, which happened on a busy road in Leyton, shortly after 4pm on Tuesday.

A vehicle was driven through the front of A&R Gold in Church Road, near the junction with Lea Bridge Road.

A quantity of jewellery was stolen, and the suspects fled on foot, Scotland Yard said.

Paramedics also attended and treated a man for shock.

A Met Police spokesman said: "The Met's Flying Squad are investigating.

"No arrests and enquiries continue."

Anyone with information about this incident can call 0208 345 4226, Tweet @MetCC or Crimestroppers on 0800 555 111.
A young man has been knifed to death in the third fatal stabbing in London in just 24 hours.

Police say a 20-year-old was stabbed in Wager Street, Mile End, at around 4.45pm on Tuesday.

He was rushed to hospital by paramedics but died around an hour later from his injuries.

Witnesses said the victim had been stabbed near his home and collapsed in the street.

Family members and neighbours ran out to help the young man as he lay in the road, it is claimed.

Mile End: The man was stabbed to death in Wager Street (@mo_rashid25 ) / @mo_rashid25

One witness told the Standard people were desperately trying to give the victim mouth-to-mouth in a bid to save his life before emergency services arrived on the scene.

He said: "Many people were trying to help, shouting and crying."

Another neighbour said: "All we heard was a lot of screaming and then a car sped off with tyres screeching."

Footage published on social media showed a group of residents and distressed family members desperately trying to help the stricken man as he lay on the ground beside a car.

Investigation: Police arrested an 18-year-old on suspicion of murder / Ben Morgan

Detectives believe the man was with friends in Wager Street before he was approached by a group of men and stabbed.

Police have arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of murder. He is currently being quizzed by detectives at an east London police station.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Lynes, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who was in the area at that time and might have seen what happened or who has any information about the circumstances."

Stab victim: Teenage footballer Abdullahi Tarabi / Facebook

Mayor of Tower Hamlets John Biggs tweeted on Wednesday morning: "Extremely saddened by fatal stabbing in Mile End last night.

"Have met victims family to offer deepest condolences and extend councils support."

The news came after 19-year-old Abdullahi Tarabi was stabbed to death in Northolt an hour earlier at 3.30pm on Tuesday and another young man was killed in Plumstead on Monday.

Witnesses said Mr Tarabi was chased through an estate and cried for help before his brother tried dragging him to the safety of a nearby house in Newnham Close.

He was pronounced dead just after 5.30pm.

The stabbings came in Cressida Dick's first week as the Met's new Commissioner, highlighting the challenges she faces in reducing knife crime in the capital.

Anyone with information on the Mile End stabbing should contact police on 020 8721 4868 or via @MetCC. To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
New Delhi, Apr 12 (IBNS) : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has described as "completely false and mischievously planted" the reports that she had asked Congress lawmaker Shashi Tharoor to help draft a resolution condemning Pakistan for awarding death penalty to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

"The news was completely false and mischievously planted in the media," Swaraj tweeted on Wednesday.

She had earlier posted that "there is no dearth of talent in my ministry. I have the assistance of very able Secretaries."

Media reports on Tuesday had said that Swaraj sought help from Tharoor for drafting a resolution that will be adopted by both houses against Pakistan over the death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

It was said that Tharoor helped Swaraj after seeking permission from his party's leader in the house Mallikarjun Kharge.

"This is a matter that affects us all," Tharoor told NDTV.

In a statement in the upper House on Tuesday, Sushma Swaraj said the way Jadhav has been sentenced to death is nothing short of "an act of premeditated murder."

"The Government will go out of the way to save him, Swaraj, who called Kulbhushan Jadhav a son of India, said.

"I would caution the Pakistan Government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter, she said.

Swaraj said the charges of spying levelled against Jadhav are "concocted" and "there is no evidence of any wrongdoing by him."
A pig was filmed lunging at a jogger as it made an audacious bid for freedom after escaping from police in north-east London.

Video shot in Redbridge shows the pig scampering across a busy road in front of a double-decker bus with two police officers in hot pursuit.

A jogger in a high vis jacket then tries to intervene, but the pig lurches towards him, causing him to dart to the side.

Traffic had to be halted due to the the incident, which happened on the A12 at about 12.45pm on Wednesday, and the pig was later safely recaptured.

Police chase the pig after it darts in front of a double-decker in the Redbridge (Roads&Transport MPS) / Roads&Transport MPS

The video was shared on Twitter by the Met's Road and Transport Police.

A jogger is forced to take evasive action as the pig lunges at him (Roads&Transport MPS) / Roads&Transport MPS

They tweeted: "Nothing to see here - just east traffic officers chasing a pig who then decides to chase after a passing jogger in Redbridge."

A Met Police spokesman added: We were called at 12.45pm on Wednesday, April 12 to the A12 in Redbridge, near the junction with Hainault Road, to reports of a pig on the loose.

Officers attended the scene and the pig was safely recaptured and returned to the nearby land that it had escaped from.
N ew security gates have been installed outside the Houses of Parliament, three weeks after the horrific terror attack in Westminster.

Bulkier, black iron gates have been erected at the Carriage Gate entrance to the Palace of Westminster, where hero police officer Keith Palmer was stabbed to death.

The previous gates were removed on Tuesday, the day after PC Palmers funeral, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The new gates appear heavier and more reinforced, and are covered in wire mesh.

The new gates are bulkier than the previous ones / PA

A House of Commons spokesman told the Standard that the old gates had been removed as part of "routine maintence".

48-year-old husband and father PC Palmer was killed as he tried to stop crazed killer Khalid Masood after he burst through the gates.

Masood was later shot dead during the attack on March 22.

Tens of thousands of people lined the streets of central London on Monday to pay their respects at PC Palmers funeral.

The previous gates, which were reportedly replaced on Tuesday / PA

PC Palmer's funeral took place at Southwark Cathedral following a procession through the streets of London.

Four other people also died in the attack when Masood ploughed into crowds of people on Westminster Bridge.

Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, 31, American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Spanish teacher Aysha Frade, 44, were all killed.
T his is the shocking moment brawling youths knock a man unconscious outside a busy east London Tube station, leaving him lying on the floor.

Violence flared outside Stratford station just before 7.20pm on Sunday as punches were thrown in front of shocked families.

One man is seen tumbling to the floor, lying motionless as onlookers scream in horror.

The fight then continues as another man falls to the floor before being kicked by a shouting youth.

Violence: As one man lies unconscious, another is beaten to the ground / @Blick_Oyinbo

He gets up before being beaten to the ground again and is left lying under a coffee shop barrier as the fight is broken up.

While some people appear to be trying to help, others seem to be laughing at the unconscious man with one man telling him to sleep tight.

One witness told the Standard the fight had broken out after two men disrupted a procession of dancers.

Fight: The second man is shown lying on the ground as the fight is broken up / @Blick_Oyinbo

He said: They were asked off, they resisted and a fight broke out. It was completely unwarranted.

The procession was about six people, the rest of the crowd were watching.

One man was put to sleep with a punch but woke up 15 minutes later before the ambulance arrived.

Brawl: The man is left lying unconscious on the floor / @Blick_Oyinbo

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said the man had suffered a minor head injury and has since been released from hospital.

He said: Police were called at around 7.20pm on Sunday, April 9, to Stratford Underground station in Station Street, to reports of a fight in progress and an assault.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police and the British Transport Police, and the London Ambulance Service attended.

A man was taken to an east London hospital by ambulance to be treated for a head injury. An investigation is ongoing.

No one has been arrested over the incident.

If you have information on the incident, call police on 101, tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
A 17-year-old girl has been charged with terrorism offences after allegedly preparing to travel to Syria.

The teenager is accused of communicating with a person within the Islamic State terrorist organisation as well as self-radicalising.

She allegedly possessed a flight booking for Istanbul, from where she planned to travel to war-torn Syria.

She was formally charged on Wednesday with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

The girl appeared in custody at Westminster Magistrates Court where she was remanded until April 28 when she will appear at the Old Bailey.

It follows an investigation by officers from the Mets Counter Terrorism Command.

A 20-year-old woman who was also arrested as part of the same investigation was subsequently released with no further action.

Both were arrested at an address in central London on 21 August 2016.
A Romanian tourist killed in the horrific terror attack in Westminster died from multiple organ failure after she was "knocked" into the Thames, an inquest has heard.

Andreea Cristea, 31, was thrown into the water from Westminster Bridge as terrorist Khalid Masood drove across it at speed on March 22.

Ms Cristea, who was visiting London with her boyfriend, Andrei Burnaz, was pulled from the river and rushed to the Royal London Hospital and then St Bartholomew's.

She died on April 6, 15 days after the killer's rampage to the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Coroners Court was told.

Victim: Andreea Cristea fell into the Thames when Khalid Masood ploughed into tourists on Westminster Bridge (Metropolitan Police ) / Metropolitan Police

She became the fifth victim of Masood, who was later shot dead by armed police after murdering PC Keith Palmer inside the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.

Detective Superintendent John Crossley, from Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, told Wednesday's short opening hearing that Ms Cristea had suffered "extensive brain injuries".

He added: "During the attack she was knocked into the River Thames and was taken to the Royal London Hospital by ambulance.

"She was then taken to St Bartholomew's Hospital.

"Her time of death was recorded as 3.11pm on April 6."

An inquest into the death of Andreea Cristea opened on Wednesday

Coroner's officer Eric Sword told the inquest a post-mortem examination had given her main cause of death as "multiple organ failure" with a secondary cause given as "head injury... and immersion".

Mr Burnaz, who suffered a broken foot in the attack, did not attend hearing on Wednesday.

The inquest was adjourned until a preliminary hearing on May 19 at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Terror victims: Andreea Cristea pictured with boyfriend Andrei Burnaz (Met Police ) / Met Police

In a statement released after she died, Mr Burnaz and Ms Cristea's family said she would "always be remembered as our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our heart".

They said: "After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea - wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life-loving person you can imagine - was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way."

As well as Ms Cristea and PC Palmer, 48, Masood's rampage also claimed the lives of American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Spanish teacher Aysha Frade, 44.
A terminally ill man has won the right to challenge the law on assisted dying in the hope he can end his life peacefully at home.

Retired college lecturer Noel Conway, who has motor neurone disease, went to the Court of Appeal after he was refused permission to bring a judicial review over the blanket ban on assisted dying.

Mr Conway, 67, from Shrewsbury, was diagnosed with the disease in November 2014 and is not expected to live beyond 12 months.

His lawyers say that when he has less than six months to live and retains the mental capacity to make the decision, "he would wish to be able to enlist assistance to bring about a peaceful and dignified death".

He wants a declaration that the Suicide Act 1961 is incompatible with Article 8, which relates to respect for private and family life, and Article 14, which protects from discrimination.

On Wednesday in London, Lord Justice McFarlane and Lord Justice Beatson sent the case back to the High Court to determine.

Mr Conway, who is supported by Dignity in Dying, said: "I am delighted that my case will now proceed to the next stage.

"Clearly the Court of Appeal has agreed that this is an issue deserving full and proper consideration and I look forward to a full hearing at the High Court.

"Having overcome this initial setback in my fight for choice at the end of life, I am more determined than ever to continue.

"I have the support of my loved ones and many thousands of others behind me; people who have donated over 90,000 towards my legal costs and sent heart-warming messages of encouragement to me and my family.

"I have lived my whole life on my own terms, in control of the choices and decisions I make.

"Why then, when I am facing my final months, should these rights be stripped away from me, leaving me at the mercy of a cruel illness?

"I know I am going to die anyway, but how and when should be up to me.

"To have the option of an assisted death available in this country would provide me and countless others with great reassurance and comfort.

"It would allow me to decide when I am ready to go, rather than be forced into a premature death by travelling to Dignitas at great emotional and financial cost, or to suffer a traumatic, drawn out death at home."

The case follows that brought by Tony Nicklinson, who suffered from paralysis after a stroke.

Mr Conway's case differs in that he has a terminal illness and his legal team is setting out strict criteria and clear potential safeguards to protect the vulnerable from any abuse of the system.

The Nicklinson case was ultimately dismissed in 2014 by the Supreme Court, which said it was important that Parliament debated the issues before any decision was made by the courts.

After debates in the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Parliament decided, at least for the moment, not to provide for legislative exceptions to the 1961 Act.

The appeal judges said: "We consider that, in the context of considering permission for judicial review, the fact that since Nicklinson Parliament has made a decision not to change the law and the matter is no longer under active consideration means that Mr Conway should be entitled to argue that it is no longer institutionally inappropriate for the court to consider whether to make a declaration of incompatibility, whilst giving due weight to Parliament's recent decision."

A spokesman for the Care Not Killing Alliance said: "We are naturally disappointed that this case continues to drag on. If successful, it will usurp the democratic will of Parliament.

"Only a year-and-a-half ago, MPs looked very carefully at this complex issue and comprehensively rejected changing the law by 330 votes to 118.

"Changing the law is opposed by every major disability rights organisation and doctors' group, including the BMA, Royal College of GPs and the Association for Palliative Medicine, who have looked at this issue in detail and concluded that there is no safe system of assisted suicide and euthanasia anywhere in the world.

"Laws in Holland and Belgium that were only meant to apply to mentally competent terminally ill adults have been extended to include the elderly, disabled, those with mental health problems and even non-mentally competent children.

"While in Oregon, the model often trumpeted by those wanting to change the law, there are examples of cancer patients being denied lifesaving and life-extending drugs, yet offered the lethal cocktail of barbiturates to kill themselves.

"The current laws on assisted suicide and euthanasia are simple and clear.

"They exist to protect those who are sick, elderly, depressed or disabled from feeling obliged to end their lives.

"It protects those who have no voice against exploitation and coercion. It acts as a powerful deterrent to would-be abusers and does not need changing."

The British Humanist Association (BHA) congratulated Mr Conway on his victory.

It said it was also supporting a legal case from its member Omid - whose surname has not been released - who is seeking a broader declaration of incompatibility.

Omid, 54, who suffers from the incurable and life-limiting condition multiple system atrophy, wants incurably suffering individuals who are not terminally ill to also have the right to die.

BHA chief executive Andrew Copson said: 'We are happy that Noel's bravery and determination has paid off and now he will finally have his day in court.

"It is an injustice that people in Britain who suffer from conditions like Noel's or Omid's do not have a say over how and when their lives should end.

"We continue to advocate for a humane assisted dying law across the UK which would allow anyone of sound mind with a terminal or incurable illness the option of an assisted death on their own terms."
T hick black plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as 80 firefighters tackled a huge blaze at a builders' merchant in Brent Cross on Wednesday.

There was major travel disruption on the roads and trains after 12 fire engines were sent to the scene in Brent Park Road shortly before 4pm.

Video footage and images showed thick plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and blowing across the M1 motorway near Staples Corner.

Transport for London confirmed the motorway was shut between junction 1 and 4 while fire crews tackled the blaze.

Major disruption to trains leaving St Pancras station was also expected to last until at least 7pm, affecting East Midlands Trains and Thameslink routes.

Blaze: Plumes of smoke billow into sky / @MyBarnetTV

London Fire Brigade said the blaze started at a wood working workshop on the site, believed to be Busy Bee Builders Merchants.

Witness Gavin Ellis was travelling on a train passing the scene of the fire.

He wrote on Twitter: "Train driver just warned us to shut windows as we passed a large fire. Didn't disappoint. #brentcross #fire #smokey"

Station Manager Claiton Murray, who was at the scene, said: "This is a large, challenging fire and crews are working extremely hard to bring it under control as quickly as possible. Around half of the workshop is alight. The fire is producing a considerable amount of smoke so we are advising people living and working in the area to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution."

She added: "The Brigade is working closely with its partners in the Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service, the rail network, train companies and Transport for London to bring this incident to a close."

Fire crews from Hendon, Stanmore and West Hampstead fire stations were called to the scene at at 3.45pm.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but there were no casualties.

Motorists travelling both southbound and northbound have been advised to take a diversion route. For more information from Highways England click here.

Barnet Police took to Twitter to warn of disruption to roads and trains.

National Rail said trains from St Pancras were being cancelled or delayed by up to an hour and that tickets were being accepted on alternative services.

They also said the East Midlands Trains stopper services between Sheffield / Nottingham and London St Pancras would start and terminate at Luton instead.

The fire was brought under control by 9pm thanks to 12 pumps and two aerial platforms, the fire brigade confirmed.

However, disruption remained on the train line between Hendon and Cricklewood, while the M1 was still part-closed at junction 1. Motorists were being warned to check their routes before setting off.
M arylebone has become the hottest district for buyers in central London this year after decades of being overshadowed by more glamorous neighbours such as Mayfair, according to a new report.

Although property prices across the most expensive areas have dropped by an average of 6.4 per cent over the past year, they have held their own in Marylebone, rising 0.7 per cent, the research by agents Knight Frank reveals.

The popularity of an area once seen as a quiet choice for ageing professionals has been put down in part to the Chiltern Firehouse effect, which has drawn celebrities and tycoons. Marylebone residents include Kylie Minogue, Ellie Goulding, Madonna and Joan Collins.

As well as the restaurant, Chiltern Street has also attracted jeweller Kohatu + Petros, lifestyle brand Mouki, beauty guru Bharti Vyas and former Savile Row tailors English Cut.

The areas three biggest landowners, The Portman Estate, Howard de Walden Estates and the Church Commissioners, have also invested heavily in street improvements. Other factors include the lower property prices in Marylebone compared with Mayfair and Knightsbridge, combined with higher rates of stamp duty on properties priced at more than 1.5 million. There has also been a string of new developments such as The Park Crescent near Regents Park, with 50 million of sales since its launch in February, and The Chilterns.

Between 2005 and 2010 only about a dozen properties in the area sold for more than 10 million, a benchmark that has become increasingly common, according to Knight Frank.

Partner Christian Lock-Necrews said: During a more challenging market we have found that buyers look outside their traditional locations.

Agents said that the popularity of Marylebone and areas such as St Johns Wood have led to an Upper West End near Regents Park to rival the Lower West End closer to Hyde Park.

Meriam Makiya, head of Knight Frank Prime New Developments, added: One of the biggest attractions of Marylebone is Regents Park and it is no surprise that some of the most prestigious new residential developments border the parkland.
H undreds of people descended on the Russian Embassy in London to protest against the reported torture and murder of gay men in Chechnya.

Russian media and human rights groups have been reporting that homosexuals in the Russian region are being rounded up and taken to concentration camps.

Up to 100 men are said to be held in the camps, and at least three have died.

On Wednesday afternoon, demonstrators draped in rainbows screamed "close the camps" and laid pink flowers as passing traffic beeped their horns in support.

Michael Salter-Church, co-chair of Pride in London, said: "It sends a shudder down the spine to hear about concentration camps in 2017."

He added: "Russia's abuses cannot be ignored."

Peter Scott-Presland, 68, said: "I wanted to show solidarity so they know they're not alone.

"They are being supported and we send them all of our love."

Steve Peck, 59, added: "This is happening internationally...it is unacceptable and has to stop."

An online petition asking for a full investigation into the "unlawful repression" of the gay population in Chechnya has been signed by almost 70,000 people.

The story broke on April 1 in an explosive report by respected campaigning newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

It claimed Chechen authorities were attempting a "complete cleansing" of homosexuals.

The Chechen Interior Ministry branded it an "April Fools' joke", with Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov saying there were no homosexuals in the republic for them to persecute.

His spokesman Alvi Karimov told Interfax news agency "you cannot arrest or repress people who just don't exist in the republic".

But Human Rights Watch said it was in "no doubt" about whether the "devastating developments" were happening.

Meanwhile, the Russian LGBT Network said they had been contacted by around 40 men affected by the round-up after setting up a confidential hotline.

Some men have reportedly been released severely injured, while others remain detained but exact details and numbers remain unclear.

Conservative peer Baroness Anelay said: "The detention and ill-treatment of over 100 gay men in Chechnya is extremely concerning.

"We expect the Russian government to fulfill its obligations to this end, and to uphold the rule of law."

Cross-party British MEPs have sent Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson a letter urging them to meet with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK. So far the Russian government has not publicly commented on the episode.

Chechnya is a Muslim-majority autonomous southern Russian republic.
A drum 'n' bass MC who turned a Tube carriage into a full-scale rave says it is one of his best ever gigs and commuters were "embracing the vibes".

Harry Shotta was filmed rapping amid flashing lights on the Bakerloo line as travellers danced to music blasting from a sound system on Monday night.

He told the Standard that the rave began at Elephant and Castle station, with him and members of YouTube pranksters Trollstation, jumping on board with their equipment.

"The guys had speakers and a little mixer, microphones and lighting," Shotta said. "It was like a mini rig, a mobile rig."

Tube rave: the scene on the Bakerloo line / YouTube

"The first two girls who got on started dancing immediately to the music. They couldn't believe what was going on. It went from there.

"If people weren't dancing they were getting their phones out and taking pictures. Everyone really embraced it."

The unusual scenes, described by police as a "fully-fledged rave", went on for 25 minutes before officers brought the fun to a halt as the train reached Paddington.

He said: "I remember saying something about 'my Paddington crew' and then the police got on. We did it for 25 minutes though. It was like a mini rave.

"People didn't want it to stop. The commuters just wanted to stay on."

Rave: Police had to break up the event / YouTube

He said police were very polite and even helped the group off the train with their heavy equipment.

The Gravesend MC, who broke Eminem's record in 2015 for the most words squeezed into one track, is more used to playing in front of thousands at festivals around the globe.

Over his career he has won awards, played across Europe, regularly performed on Radio One and 1xtra and amassed a huge online following.

But he claimed the Bakerloo line gig was one of his finest ever.

"I'm used to playing at big festivals. To do something like just, with literally 30 people so up close and personal, it was brilliant.

"I was wondering how people were going to take it but everyone was embracing the vibes."

"They always say on the Underground no one makes eye contact, everyone's in their own world, so I've never seen anything like it on the Tube," he said.

"It's got to rank up there with the best I've done, it was so unique."

"There's a lot of mad stuff going on in the world and we brought some light-hearted fun to the Tube," he said. "It was fantastic."

A spokesman for British Transport Police told the Standard: "At 10.40pm yesterday evening, BTP officers were called to the northbound Bakerloo platform at Paddington station after reports of a party on board a Tube.

"Officers attended and spoke with a man who agreed to turn off the speakers and the light systems, they then left the station.

"Whilst officers relish any opportunity to experience underground drum and bass, wed kindly ask DJs to refrain from using the Tube as a pop-up club.

"It may be the Easter holiday but there is a time and a place and wed ask everyone to consider other passengers using the network."
New Delhi, Apr 12 (IBNS) : Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday condemned a BJP youth wing member's announcement of a Rs. 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal hief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying the state Government is at liberty to take proper action, reports said.

The Minister's statement in Parliament came amid a high controversy after Yogesh Varshney, member of BJP's youth wing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, threatened Banerjee, announcing an "11 lakh rupee reward" for her head.

The call was given in the wake of Hanuman Jayanti clashes in Birbhum, some 180 km from state capital Kolkata.

"I condemn this type of statement. The state Government can take proper action," Naqvi said.

Earlier it was reported that police had stopped a procession celebrating Hanuman Jayanti and even resorted to lathi charge when the crowd didn't disperse.

Varshney also equated Banerjee with a demon.

Meanwhile, the BJP has come under severe criticism from the opposition, following their Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal, where its open display of swords were deemed repulsive to Bengali culture.

The Bengal Chief Minister was quoted as saying by NDTV, "Some BJP leaders who do not know the culture of Bengal are flashing swords on the streets to intimidate people."
T he Metropolitan police has signed a 100 million contract with BT that includes overhauling the 999 system and a fast network to upload footage captured on officers body-worn video cameras.

The deal with the British telecoms giant, announced today, marks a push towards cloud-based computing for the Met, which BT said would help officers fight crime more quickly and efficiently.

BT will support video uploads for the bodycams being rolled out to more than 22,000 officers across 32 boroughs, and squads such as riot and firearms specialists.

Footage from the Axon cameras, by the firm that makes Taser stun guns, is automatically uploaded on the BT network to servers run by Microsoft when the device is docked, and video not kept is deleted in 31 days. So far more than 2,000 clips have been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Members of the public can request to view footage taken of them.

The video scheme aims to boost conviction rates and reduce complaints against officers. But critics fear the cameras could change the way the public interacts with the police.

BT would not say how many years the Met contract was for, but revealed it also includes an overhaul of the 999 and 101 operator systems.

A new single queue system is being designed so calls are answered by the next available agent, regardless of geographic location, Scotland Yard said.

Todays announcement follows concerns that up to 700 million could be cut from Scotland Yards central Home Office grant as a result of a shake-up of police funding.

This is in addition to 600 million of cuts already made since 2013, with a further 400 million to come by 2020.

Colm ONeill, managing director of BT business and public sector, said: Moving to a cloud-based infrastructure, for example, will allow the Met to get even more services for less money, helping it to invest in future priorities.
C ampaigners are planning to march on the Russian Embassy in London in protest against reported purges of gay men in Chechnya.

Russian media and human rights groups have been reporting that homosexuals in the Russian region are being rounded up and taken to concentration camps where they are being beaten and tortured.

Newspaper Novaya Gazeta claimed groups of gay men in the Russian region have been detained in connection with their non-traditional sexual orientation, or suspicion of such.

Officials have denied the accusations and claim that there are no gay men in the area.

More than 500 people have expressed an interest in attending the protest which will start at 5.30pm on Wednesday, April 12, at the junction of Bayswater Road and Ossington Street.

The event description says: London fails if it does not challenge this inhumanity. We MUST stand up to this.

Bring banners, flags and most importantly bring yourselves to challenge this oppression and show solidarity with LGBT+ people in Russia.

It will be a PEACEFUL and LEGAL protest. The Metropolitan Police have been informed and we will work with them in coming hours to ensure a safe event.

News sites have reported that the men are being held in a former military headquarters where they are regularly subjected to beatings and electric shock torture.

But the Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has denied this, with his spokesman claiming that no one in Chechnya is homosexual.

You cannot arrest or repress people who just dont exist in the republic, spokesman Alvi Karimov told Interfax news agency.

"If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them since their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return."

Chechnya is an autonomous republic in southern Russia. It is controlled by Russian-appointed leader Ramzan Kadyrov, and has seen jihadist groups including so-called Islamic State operating in the area.
D owning Street today rejected a call from a senior German politician for Britons to be given a chance to change their minds about Brexit.

Katarina Barley, the general secretary of Germanys SPD party, became the most senior European figure to propose that the UK should hold a second referendum once the divorce terms are clear.

When the referendum was held, nobody really knew what it would be about  not the British people, not even the political class, she said.

A lot of people wrongfully thought that Britain could get a deal like Switzerland or Norway without the inconveniences ... without free movement of labour. Now they know that this isnt the case.

Her position echoes that of Britains Liberal Democrats. However, No 10 flatly rejected the idea. A spokesman for Theresa May said: The British people delivered a clear position. I would point you to the Prime Ministers words when she triggered Article 50 and said there is no going back. That is our position.

Only 21 per cent backed the idea of a second referendum in a YouGov survey last month, with 69 per cent thinking Brexit should go ahead as decided by the majority of voters last June  including more Remainers than supported a second poll.

Pollsters have searched in vain for signs of voter remorse among people who backed Brexit last June.

Lord Finkelstein, a Remain backer and close ally of ex-premier David Cameron, poured cold water on the idea that voters would change their minds in a second referendum.

Many Remainers retain the hope that within the next couple of years, some people who voted to leave will abandon the idea, he wrote in The Times, but added: It doesnt work like that."
N icola Sturgeon has insisted her preferred timetable for a second Scottish independence referendum is necessary to allow voters to make an "informed choice" between Brexit and leaving the UK.

The First Minister is in a stand-off on the issue with Prime Minister Theresa May, who has made clear she believes "now is not the time" for a fresh ballot to be held.

The SNP leader wants there to be another vote on leaving the UK between autumn 2018 and spring 2019, when the terms of the UK's Brexit deal are clear.

While the First Minister has not yet set out how she intends to take the matter forward, as Scotland's devolution settlement reserves powers over the constitution to Westminster, she told an audience in Glasgow that people need to be able to "come to a considered judgment" on the issue.

She contrasted the 2014 independence referendum campaign with last year's vote for the UK to leave the European Union - a position not supported in Scotland where 62 per cent of voters opted to remain part of the bloc.

But in that ballot she said "people were asked to vote for a change, without ever really being told what that change involved".

Brexit: Article 50 Triggered - In pictures 1 /26 Brexit: Article 50 Triggered - In pictures Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Common PA Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow delivers British Prime Minister Theresa May's formal notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to European Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels AFP/Getty Images European Council President Donald Tusk holds a news conference after receiving British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter in notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters Prime Minister Theresa May takes her seat after announcing in the House of Commons PA The time 12:20pm shows on Big Ben on March 29, 2017 in London, England. The British Prime Minister Theresa May addresses the Houses of Parliament as Article 50 is triggered and the process that will take the United Kingdom out of the European Union begins Carl Court/Getty Images D-day: pro-EU protesters outside of the Houses of Parliament today as Theresa May prepares to trigger Article 50 AFP/Getty Images EU Council President Donald Tusk holds British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit letter which was delivered by Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow (not pictured) that gives notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters PMQ's in The House of Commons PA Jeremy Corbyn speaking at PMQ's in The House of Commons Sky News Theresa May leaving for the House of Commons Jeremy Selwyn Mayor of London Sadiq Khan at the headquarters of Vivendi in Paris where he took part in TV interviews to discuss the imminent triggering of Article 50 by the UK to leave the EU Stefan Rousseau/PA Britain's permanent representative to the European Union Tim Barrow arrives at the EU Council headquarters for as meeting before hand delivering British Prime Minister Theresa May's notice of the UK's intention to leave the bloc under Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to EU Council President Donald Tusk in Brussels, Belgium Yves Herman/Reuters Britain's ambassador to the EU Tim Barrow arrives at the British representation of the European Union in Brussels Aurore Belot/AFP/Getty Images A giant headed Theresa May in Parliament Square, London during a protest by Avaaz after PM signed a letter to trigger Article 50 that starts the formal exit process by the UK from the European Union David Mirzoeff/PA British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson walks down Whitehall Jack Taylor/Getty Images Britain's PM Theresa May signs the official letter to European Council President Donald Tusk, invoking Article 50. AFP/Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon said: "I don't pretend for one moment that the 2014 referendum was perfect. But I do think it was a far better process for debate and decision than the 2016 vote on the EU.

"And so we want to ensure that the next referendum on independence again gives people the information they need to come to an informed and considered judgment.

"That is why nobody wants the referendum to take place immediately. Instead, I believe it should happen once the details of the final Brexit agreement with the EU are known. Based on what the Prime Minister says currently that is likely to be in late 2018 or early 2019."

The First Minister, who was addressing the Political Studies Association annual conference, recalled EU membership had been a "significant issue" in the 2014 independence referendum.

She said: "Scotland, despite the arguments that were made in 2014 and how we voted in 2016, faces being forced to leave the EU against our will.

"In my view, that is democratically unacceptable. That is why the Scottish Parliament, two weeks ago, agreed that discussions should begin with the UK Government for a referendum on independence, once the final terms of Brexit deal are known."


U ber was rocked by another high-level departure today when its chief spin doctor unexpectedly quit.

Global communications head Rachel Whetstone has resigned after less than two years in the job.

The move will deepen the growing sense of turmoil at the cab booking tech giant , which has been hit by a series of PR disasters. It comes only weeks after its president, Jeff Jones, walked out following a seven-month stint.

Amit Singhal, Ubers head of engineering, also recently left after it emerged he failed to disclose a sexual harassment allegation at his previous employer, Google. He has denied the allegation.

The departures have all followed an incident in February when Ubers chief executive and founder Travis Kalanick, 40, was filmed berating an Uber driver in San Francisco who confronted him about fare changes.

Chief executive: Travis Kalanick / Robert Galbraith/Reuters

After footage of the row emerged, Kalanick admitted he needed leadership help.

Whetstone, 49, who previously worked for Google and is married to David Camerons former strategy chief Steve Hilton, did not give a reason for her resignation. She said in a statement: I am incredibly proud of the team that weve built, I joined Uber because I love the product  and that love is as strong today as it was when I booked my very first ride six years ago.

The former special adviser to ex-Tory leader Michael Howard will be replaced by her deputy Jill Hazelbaker. A strong and brilliant woman will be taking my place, Ms Whetstone said.

Emailing staff about Ms Whetstones departure with a photo of the duo on a recent walking trip, Kalanick wrote, I am looking forward to having her as an adviser for years to come, with many more long hikes along [Canadas] Skyline Trail.

But he did not give a reason for her resignation and it is not yet known where Ms Whetstone will next work.

The reputation of Uber, which operates in more than 500 cities around the world, is under intense pressure. Earlier this year a campaign to boycott the company, #DeleteUber, is believed to have lost the company hundreds of thousands of accounts. It was started after the firm, founded in 2009, was perceived to be breaking up a taxi strike of drivers protesting President Donald Trumps travel ban.

Earlier this week Uber was banned from operating in Italy. Black cab drivers in London staged a protest against the app last week. Accusations of sexual harassment and discrimination made by a former engineer prompted an internal investigation led by a former US attorney general and the firms hopes for a self-driving car programme are under threat from a lawsuit claiming it stole technology from Google.
T he full scale of Britains toxic air crisis and its impact on young children has been laid bare by Theresa May.

The Prime Minister stressed that air pollution is the fourth biggest public health risk in the country - with only cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease more severe.

She highlighted that the very young are among those particularly affected by filthy air.

Scientists say childrens lung growth is being stunted by toxic pollution which is causing other health problems such as asthma.

Mrs May blamed diesel vehicles as a major source of dirty air blighting the streets of London and other cities.

She made her comments in reply to a letter signed by more than 220 doctors, including at least 100 from the capital, warning that time is running out to tackle the nations toxic air scandal.

London Pollution - In pictures 1 /20 London Pollution - In pictures PA Sunrise: Pollution lingered over London on Tuesday morning Jeremy Selwyn A cyclist wearing a face mask rides between taxis taking part in a protest to highlight congestion and air pollution Getty Images A smog filled traffic rush hour in the East End of London Jeremy Selwyn Pollution detector App 'Blue Air' near the Houses of Parliament Blue air Thick smog hangs over London's Docklands PA Traffic pollution in North London Jeremy Selwyn Air pollution surrounds The Shard in London Jeremy Selwyn Getty Images Sunrise over a misty polluted London from Primrose Hill Jeremy Selwyn St. Paul's Cathedral is seen among the skyline through the smog AFP via Getty Images A thick layer of smog was visible above London William Smith/@williamsmithorg A cold layer of air can be seen trapping pollution close to the ground and across the London skyline Pete Buckney This image taken near the Royal Observatory in Greenwich shows a thick layer of fog hanging over London Anna Rolls The City of London covered in smog seen from Hampstead Heath Getty Images

Emphasising the Governments determination to tackle the problem, the Prime Minister said: Poor air quality is the fourth largest risk to public health, behind only cancer, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

It disproportionately affects some of the most vulnerable in our society, including the elderly, people with lung and heart conditions, and the very young.

The doctors are urging the Prime Minister to start phasing out diesel vehicles as soon as possible as toxic air is estimated to cause a death toll in London of more than 9,000-a-year.

Replying to Professor Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, the Prime Minister added: I agree with you that one of the main reasons our cities continue to face pollution problems is the significant levels of NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions that diesel vehicles produce."

Harmful emissions from transport contribute significantly to the air quality challenge we face.

Mrs May explained that the Government has been acting to cut toxic transport fumes including an EU-wide agreement for stricter tests to make vehicle manufacturers live up to their low emission promises.

Ministers had committed more than 2 billion since 2011 to encourage motorists to buy ultra-low emission vehicles and support greener transport schemes.

Clean air zones are being set up and Chancellor Philip Hammond last year allocated 290 million more for electric vehicles, low emission buses and taxis, and alternative fuels.

Theresa May said toxic air disproportionately affects the most vulnerable in our society / EPA

The Government, though, has been forced twice by judges to go back to the drawing board to improve its plans to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels.

Its latest Air Quality Plan is due to be published within the next fortnight and the Government is under intense legal and political pressure to act decisively now.

However there has been a backlash from some MPs and motoring groups against new levies in London and other cities targeted at diesel vehicles to clean up the nations air.

Mrs May has signalled that she will strengthen anti-pollution measures but does not want to unfairly penalise motorists who were encouraged to buy diesel cars from the early 2000s as part of moves to address global warming.

Professor Grigg, though, urged the Prime Minister not to water down the Governments latest plans following the backlash.

He said: Until we see a national commitment to remove the current fleet of high polluting diesel vehicles from towns and cities it will be very difficult for local authorities to effectively tackle the source of the problem.

In the meantime, children will continue to be exposed to illegal levels of pollutants that are known to stunt lung growth and cause asthma.

Scientists say many people are having their lives shortened slightly due to air pollution, with the amount of lost life in London equivalent to more than 9,000 deaths a year. (pls keep in this paragraph)

Mayor Sadiq Khan is introducing a 10-a-day T-charge for the most polluting vehicles to drive into central London from October, and the Ultra Low Emission Zone in the city centre in April 2019.

Tamzen Isacsson, director of communications at the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders, said the industry was investing billions to engineer the cleanest vehicles in history.

The latest Euro 6 diesel cars are light years away from their older counterparts, emitting drastically reduced NOx and virtually zero soot particulates, she added.
A n Islamic extremist has been arrested after a bomb attack on the Borussia Dortmund football team's bus.

Dortmund defender Marc Bar tra, 26, and a police officer were injured on Tuesday night following three explosions as the players headed to their stadium for a Champions League quarter-final match against AS Monaco.

German prosecutors said that two Islamic extremists were the focus of the attack probe and that one of them has been detained.

They also said a letter found near the site of the explosions suggests a possible Islamic extremist motive for the attack.

Speaking at a news conference, Frauke Koehler, a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors, confimed the two suspects had become the focus of the investigation.

Borussia Dortmund bus blast injures player Marc Bartra

She said their apartments were being searched and that one of them had been detained.

Ms Koehler said the letter at the attack site demanded the withdrawal of German Tornado reconnaissance jets from Turkey and the closure of the United States' Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

She said authorities are still evaluating its credibility.

Borussia Dortmund players (L-R) Nuri Sahin, Marcel Schmelzer and Sven Bender are escorted by police after their team bus was hit / EPA

The Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper in Munich claimed the letter found at the scene claimed responsibility for Islamic State and condemned flights over Syria by German Tornado planes.

It was also said to mention the Christmas market truck attack in Berlin on December 19 in which 12 people died, and said sportsmen and other celebrities in Germany and other Crusading nations were on a death list of the Islamic State because of the Wests involvement in Syria.

The bus targeted in the attack / AFP/Getty Images

The newspaper also reported that the letter demanded withdrawal of the German Tornados from Syria as well as the closure of the US air base at Ramstein in Germany.

Koehler said authorities have "significant doubts" about another letter posted online claiming an anti-fascist group carried out the attack.

The second letter claimed an anti-fascist group carried out the attack because Dortmund had not done enough to fight racism, right-wing populism and neo-Nazism and said the attack was a symbol of the politics of the club.

The official also revealed the explosive devices used in the attack contained metal pins, one of which buried its way into a headrest on the vehicle.

Bartra needed surgery after suffering a broken bone in his right wrist and to remove shrapnel from his body. His fiancee Melissa Jimenez was at his bedside and he was expected to make a full recovery.

The injured policeman was a motorcycle outrider escorting the coach to the stadium when the three bombs detonated. He suffered hearing damage.

The devices went off as the vehicle was six miles from the Westfalenstadion venue.

Police with the Borussia Dortmund team bus after an explosion / REUTERS

Coach driver Christian Schulz, 46, managed to keep control of it as the blasts shattered windows and players cried out in panic.

Borussia Dortmund fans opened up their homes to give stranded Monaco fans somewhere to stay for the night.

The football match was cancelled and rescheduled for Wednesday evening.
E uropean Union countries were today accused by a former Tory minister of failing to show enough toughness towards Vladimir Putin out of concern for their energy supplies.

Alistair Burt said it may have been one factor in Boris Johnsons failure to persuade a G7 summit in Italy to impose sanctions on Russia.

It is also true, as allies have said, that Russia has a considerable grip on certain parts of continental Europe through power supplies and the like, he said.

Russia is the largest exporter of oil and natural gas to the European Union.

Some 35 per cent of Europes gas comes from Russia via pipelines laid across Europe, and even Britain is increasingly reliant on Russian gas after Centrica signed a new contract with Russias Gazprom in 2015.

Eyebrows were also raised when the EU yesterday imposed further sanctions on Iran  at the very same time as Germany and France resisted extra sanctions on Russia.

Mr Burt defended Mr Johnsons bid for sanctions, saying: The main focus should not be an inter-governmental spat about whether or not Boris Johnson has been humiliated.

But two former foreign secretaries told the Evening Standard they felt Mr Johnson had been damaged by the public lack of support for his plans at the summit, where the Italian hosts confirmed no nation had backed him.

They also warned that a different approach was needed at todays critical talks in Moscow between US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

Sir Malcolm Rifkind said it was naive and unrealistic to think any deal could be struck that excluded Bashar Assad in the short term. Sadly Mr Putin will not be changing his policy on Assad, despite the combined efforts of Rex Tillerson and Boris Johnson, he said.

On Mr Johnsons G7 performance, he said: In the short term it has obviously damaged him. But he would not be the first Foreign Secretary who has put forward initiatives that did not command the support of colleagues.

What we dont know is what advice he got from the professional diplomats. Was this a thought through co-ordinated initiative that unfortunately did not succeed or was it his own initiative without the support of the department?

A Foreign Office source said sanctions had been in a paper drawn up by diplomats. The source also stressed that sanctions had not been ruled out, but left on hold pending the results of an investigation into an apparent Syrian gas attack on civilians.

Another former foreign secretary said: Boris appeared to be grossly overconfident.

Former UK ambassador to Washington Sir Christopher Meyer told the BBCs Newsnight programme: All we can say is he got himself out on a limb and the branch was cut off in Lucca, Italy at the G7 meeting.

The intensive diplomatic action comes as the UN Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday on a draft resolution drawn up by the US, Britain and France calling on the Syrian regime to co-operate with a probe into the chemical weapons attack.
W hite House press secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his "insensitive" claim that even Adolf Hitler didnt use chemical weapons.

During a briefing on Tuesday, Mr Spicer sought to compare Syrian President Bashar Assad to the Nazi leader  who gassed millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

He told the room: We didnt use chemical weapons in World War Two. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.

Spicer's comment on Hitler not using chemical weapons

The remark drew strong criticism from Jewish groups and critics, but Mr Spicer later said he had been trying to make a point about President Assad's use of chemical weapons and gas against his people.

He told CNN he "mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison," he said.

"And for that I apologise. It was a mistake to do that."

It was the second day in a row in which Mr Spicer, Donald Trump's main spokesman, appeared to struggle to articulate the president's foreign policy at a critical time.

Spicer apologises for Hitler comments

The White House generated criticism at the start of the year when a statement on international Holocaust Remembrance Day did not make any reference to Jews.

In the CNN interview, Mr Spicer said: "My comments today did not reflect the president's, were a distraction from him and frankly were misstated, insensitive and wrong."

He added: "Obviously it was my blunder."

Mr Spicer had earlier delivered a garbled defence of his remarks in which he tried to differentiate between Hitler's actions and the gas attack on Syrian civilians last week.

The attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and Turkey's health minister said tests show sarin gas was used.

"I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he (Hitler) was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," Mr Spicer said.

"There was clearly ... I understand your point, thank you. There was not ... He brought them into the Holocaust centre I understand that.

"I appreciate the clarification. That was not the intent."

The comparison to World War Twor appeared to be part of a message the administration was trying to deliver as it explains its tactics in Syria.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis noted in a separate briefing that "the intent was to stop the cycle of violence into an area that even in World War II chemical weapons were not used on battlefields".

Democrats and Jewish organisations condemned Mr Spicer's comments.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said he was "downplaying the horror of the Holocaust" and should be fired.

The New York-based Anne Frank Centre for Mutual Respect called on Mr Trump to sack Mr Spicer, saying he had denied that Hitler gassed Jews during the Holocaust.

Mr Spicer's comments came on the first day of Passover and a day after the White House held a Seder dinner marking the emancipation of the Jewish people, a tradition started during the Obama administration.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.
D onald Trump has told of how he boasted to the Chinese President about ordering a missile strike in Syria while eating "the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake".

The US President told a TV interviewer that he gave the order for a retaliatory strike while having dinner with President Xi Jinping at his luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last week.

Mr Trump ordered the strike in response to a deadly chemical attack by the Syrian regime in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last Tuesday.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Mr Trump initially appeared to confuse Syria with Iraq but quickly corrected himself.

He said: "We had finished dinner, we were now having dessert and we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake you have ever seen. President Xi was enjoying it.

"I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? We made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way.

"I said, 'Mr President, let me explain something to you' - this is during dessert.

"'We have just fired 59 missiles, all of which hit by the way, unbelievable, from hundreds of miles away.'

"It's so incredible, it's brilliant, it's genius."

Mr Trump initially said the missiles were heading towards Iraq but corrected himself when prompted by the interviewer.

Mr Trump said: "So what happens is I said, 'We have just launched 59 missiles, heading to Iraq.

"Yes heading toward Syria. 'And I want you to know that.'

"Because I didn't want him to go home, we were almost finished, it was a full day in Palm Beach.

"We were almost finished. What does he do, finish his dessert and go home and then they say the guy you just had dinner with just attacked a country?"

Asked how the Chinese President reacted to the news, Mr Trump said: "He paused for 10 seconds and then he asked the interpreter to please say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign.

"Then he said to me... 'Anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies - it's ok'. He was ok with it."
New Delhi, Apr 12 (IBNS): Prime Minister of Australia Malcom Turnbull during his tour to India visited the prestigious National Defence College (NDC) on Apr 11.

He was welcomed by Lt Gen YVK Mohan Commandant, NDC after which he addressed the 57th NDC Course, which includes participants from Indian Armed forces, Civil Services and friendly foreign countries including one officer from the Australian Navy.

During his address he stressed upon the geopolitical situation in the Asia-Pacific, international security challenges, cyber security and cooperation between Australia and India especially in military affairs.

He appreciated NDC for exposing senior officers to contemporary philosophies and making them evolve solutions for future challenges and ended his talk hoping for flourishing partnership of India-Australia relations in future.
A doctor has spoken out after a video of him being dragged screaming from an overbooked flight caused outrage around the world.

David Dao, a Kentucky physician, told US TV station WLKY that everything was injured following Sundays incident on board a United Airlines plane.

It came amid growing calls for a boycott of United Airlines over the treatment of Dr Dao.

Family lawyer Stephen Golan said: The family of Dr Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received.

Currently, they are focused only on Dr Dao's medical care and treatment.

His law firm said the family would not be making any further comment until the 69-year-old was released from hospital.

Removal: shocking footage of the incident was shared thousands of times / Facebook/Audra D. Bridges

A video of security officers pulling Dr Dao down the aisle of the overbooked Chicago flight by his arms has been viewed millions of times.

Further footage appeared to show him standing in the aisle, shocked and bloodied saying: "I want to go home, I want to go home."

Passengers said he had refused to leave the plane because he needed to make it back to Louisville to see patients.

On Tuesday evening, Oscar Munoz, chief executive of Uniteds parent company, appeared to backtrack on previous comments to staff describing the doctor as being belligerent for not wanting to give up his seat on the overbooked plane.

In his most contrite statement yet, he promised a full review by the end of the month to fix whats broken so this never happens again.

Mr Munoz, recently named US Communicator of the Year 2017 by PRWeek magazine, said: "I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.

"I promise you we will do better."

The US Department of Transportation has now launched an inquiry into the incident, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called for new rules to curb the airline practice of overbooking flights
U S comedian Charlie Murphy has died at the age of 57 following a battle with leukaemia.

The prominent stand-up and actor, who was the older brother of Eddie Murphy, passed away at a New York hospital on Wednesday, his publicist has confirmed.

According to TMZ, Murphy had been undergoing chemotherapy at the time of his death.

The comedian had a career as a successful stand-up comic in the US before becoming a household name through Dave Chappelles Comedy Central skit show.

He also worked alongside his brother as a writer on films including Norbit, and appeared on screen in Night at the Museum and Our Family Wedding.

Murphys most recent acting credit was US television series Power, in which he played Marshal Williams.

Runs in the family: Charlie with brother Eddie Murphy / Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Members of the comedy community paid tribute to the star, including Chris Rock, who wrote on Twitter: We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time . Charlie Murphy RIP.

Russell Simmons posted: Just came out of meditation and learned that one of my friends and my biggest comedy idol passed. Damn I loved Charlie Murphy.

The last tweet sent from Murphys account, posted just a few hours before news of his death was announced read: Rise & Grind: Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle. - Abraham Lincoln.


S hia LaBeouf will spend an entire month on his own in a Lapland cabin as part of his latest art project.

The US actor will spend the next four weeks in isolation as part of the newly-launched #ALONETOGETHER, which will see him cut off from the outside world.

LaBeoufs only communication with other people will be via text messages, which can be sent by visitors to Kiasma museum in Helskinki.

Members of the public will be able to contact the Fury actor directly in a re-creation of the cabin in the museum, and he will able to respond.

The stars art collaborators Nastja Sade Ronkko and Luke Turner will also be holed-up in similar cabins, but will not be able to communicate with each other.

LaBeoufs latest art project comes just a few weeks after he moved his anti-Donald Trump live stream to the UK, after it was shut down in the US.

Shia LaBeouf is arrested while live streaming protest

The #HEWILLNOTDIVIDEUS project has been set up at Liverpools Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, where visitors are urged to repeat the line into a camera linked to a live stream.

LaBeouf and his collaborators claimed that it wasn't safe enough to carry on with the project in the US after a series of violent incidents took place at the original site.

La Beouf was arrested in New York following an altercation with a white supremacist who invaded the project.

New Yorks Museum of the Moving Image later removed the stream, with LaBeouf claiming that the venue had abandoned them.

The installation was then set up at the El Rey Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but was removed after reports of gun shots in the area.
Kolkata, Apr 12 (IBNS): The Kolkata Police on Tuesday midnight booked six persons, including two local BJP leaders and four activists of extremist Hindu organisation- Bajrang Dal, from Chitpur area in northern part of the city for allegedly carrying sharp weapons publicly during a rally, which was held to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti (A Hindu ritual/festival, celebrated to commemorate the birth of Lord Sri Hanuman) on the same day, officials said.

According to reports, activists of Bajrang Dal, the youth wing of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) family of organisations, took out a march to commemorate Hanuman Jayanti at Tala Bridge area on Tuesday, where few local leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were reportedly present.

Police officials claimed that swords and other sharp 'deadly' weapons were carried publicly during the Hanuman Jayanti procession and few right wing activists shouted several 'provocative' slogans, aiming at another community, from the march.

"The rally, where deadly weapons were carried and from which inflammatory remarks and slogans were thrown aiming at another community, triggered tension at Tala Bridge and its adjoining areas," a senior official of Kolkata Police told IBNS.

"A heavy police force were deployed to the area to avoid any untoward incident and after the procession was concluded, we lodged an FIR against the organizers at Chitpur Police Station on suo-motto basis," the official added.

After starting probe into the matter, two local leaders of BJP and four Bajrang Dal activists were arrested from the area at late night.

According to police sources, the six persons have been charged under several non-bailable IPC sections, including 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), and section 25(1A) of Arms Act (Whoever acquires, has in his possession or carries any prohibited arms or prohibited ammunition).

However, the arrested men were produced in a city court at Sealdah on Wednesday and were sent to judicial custody till Apr 19.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, supporters of VHP affiliated Hindu activists group, Hindu Jagran Mancha (Forum for Hindu Awaking), clashed with police during a Hanuman Jayanti procession at Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

Police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) allegedly lathicharged the Hindu activists for taking out the rally, which was not given permission by the local administration, and booked at least three members of the religious group.

The arrested were produced in a local court on Wednesday and were remanded to judicial custody for 14 days.

(Reporting by Deepayan Sinha)
New York, Apr 12(Just Earth News): Critical investments in agriculture and climate change relief are needed to address the crisis in Africaas strife-torn Lake Chad Basin, where hunger, poverty and a lack of rural development prevail, the United Nations food security agency said on Tuesday.

This is not only a humanitarian crisis, but it is also an ecological one, Jose Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said at a media briefing in Rome following his visit last week to some of the worst affected areas in Chad and north-eastern Nigeria.

He underscored that the crisis is rooted in decades of neglect, lack of rural development and the impact of climate change, and the only way to ensure a lasting solution is to address these including through investments in sustainable agriculture.

This conflict cannot be solved only with arThis is a war against hunger and poverty in the rural areas of the Lake Chad Basin, stressed the FAO Director-General.

Peace is a prerequisite to resolve the crisis in the region, but this is not enough, Graziano da Silva said. Agriculture, including livestock and fisheries, can no longer be an afterthought. It is what produces food and what sustains the livelihoods of about 90 per cent of the region's population.

Some seven million people risk suffering from severe hunger in the Lake Chad Basin, which incorporates parts of Cameroon, Chad, Niger and north-eastern Nigeria. In the latter, some 50,000 people are facing famine.

While fighting and violence have caused much of the suffering, the impact of environmental degradation and climate change  including repeated droughts  is exacerbating the situation, continued the FAO Director-General.

He noted that since 1963, Lake Chad has lost some 90 per cent of its water mass with devastating consequences on food security and the livelihoods of people depending on fishing and irrigation-based agricultural activities. Furthermore, while Lake Chad has been shrinking, the population has been growing, including millions displaced from conflict areas.

Food assistance and long-term investment production

FAO and its partners, including other UN agencies, are calling on the international community for urgent support  a combination of immediate food assistance and food production support  to make assuage hunger in the region.

Graziano da Silva reiterated that should farmers miss the coming May/June planting season, no substantial harvests will be seen until 2018, leading to more widespread, severe hunger and prolonged dependency on external assistance.

He recalled FAOs Response Strategy (2017-2019) for the crisis, which includes distributing cereal seeds and animal feed and providing cash transfers and veterinary care to enable displaced farmers and voluntary returnees to get a substantial harvest, replenish their food stocks and prevent animal losses among vulnerable herders.

The FAO Director-General warned that the situation reflects the threats facing other African countries where a combination of ethnic or religious tensions fuelled by rural poverty and unemployment could escalate to full-scale crises.

In the Lake Chad Basin region, FAO is working with farmers and displaced people to assist with producing food and selling surplus in the markets, which includes distributing cash vouchers that help stimulate markets for agricultural products.

Additionally, the agency, together with its partners, is exploring the possibility of introducing irrigation techniques to save water, and then helping to train farmers in using them.

Photo: FAO/Pius Utomi Ekpei

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Child welfare advocates and experts raised serious concerns about Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts proposals to significantly cut funding from Nebraskas child welfare system. Advocates spoke during a press conference in Lincoln Tuesday.

The cuts total nearly $15 million and would shift the responsibility for thousands of foster care cases to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which advocates say already lack the resources and staff to adequately ensure the safety and stability of at-risk families.

Several years ago, Nebraska became a national example of a broken child welfare system, said Sarah Helvey, child welfare director with Nebraska Appleseed. Our state failed children and it failed families. In the years since, weve vowed not to fail them again.

We cannot balance the budget on the backs of children who have been abused and neglected.

Kim Hawekotte, executive director of the Nebraska Foster Care Review Office, said that there have been repeated findings from the Office of the Inspector General where high caseloads for DHHS caseworkers have contributed to the death or serious injury of children. She says the budget proposal also paints a dire picture for at-risk families in rural areas.

We as a state have had a continued inequity of services across the state, Hawekotte said. With 55 percent of our foster care children living outside of Douglas and Sarpy County, we need to invest our budget wisely to ensure that its services are available across the state.

Under the current proposals, it is our position that that is not going to happen, that we are putting more funding in urban areas than in rural areas.

Hawekotte said under the governors proposal there was a 2.2 percent decrease proposed for providers outside of Douglas and Sarpy County.

We need more providers in the rural areas, she said. Its reasonable to argue that providers in the rural areas need to be receiving more funding in order to meet the transportation needs in order to get to these children and families, and instead were doing the opposite.

Former State Senator Amanda McGill Johnson, currently the community impact and strategic initiative director for the Nebraska Childrens Home Society, said maintaining resources for the proven-successful Right Turn program is essential for the budget. Right Turn was formed in the wake of the Safe Haven law passed by the Legislature in 2008.

Safe haven exposed the unmet behavioral health needs of youth in the system when parents and caregivers relinquished custody of at-risk youth, over 75 percent of whom were in adoptive or guardianship homes. Right Turn provides resources and support to guardianship and adoptive families and has led to 99 percent of participating families staying together.

The governors proposal would have eliminated the Right Turn program, and while the Appropriations Committee has included Right Turn in the budget, McGill Johnson said the program is still at risk from a veto by the governor.

Right Turn is one of the most successful programs the Legislature created during my eight years in office. Eliminating it makes zero sense and will lead to families being torn apart, McGill Johnson said. We learned hard and devastating lessons during Safe Haven and the failed privatization of the child welfare system. Weve made great progress since then, but these cuts put that all at great risk.
New York, Apr 12(Just Earth News): In 2012, Malala Yousafzai made headlines all over the world when she was shot by the Taliban for speaking out on the right of education for girls. But instead of silencing her, the brutal attack only served to embolden the Pakistani teenager, who has used her voice to promote the right of every child to safe, free and quality primary and secondary education.

Malala has received numerous accolades in recent years, including the United Nations Human Rights Prize and the European Parliaments Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. In 2014, at the age of 17, she became the youngest person ever to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The student activist is taking on a new role, with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres having designated her as the UNs youngest Messenger of Peace, with a focus on girls education. She sat down for an interview with UN News following her designation at UN Headquarters on 10 April to discuss what her new role means to her, what her advocacy efforts have taught her and what she thinks are some of the misconceptions people have about her.

UN News: UN Messenger of Peace is an impressive title. How do you see yourself in this role?

Malala Yousafzai: Im really honoured to be given this title of Messenger of Peace, and to me it is more responsibility, which I have already had, which I was already taking, for girls education  raising awareness, asking world leaders to invest more in education. And I will continue to do that. But UN Messenger of Peace, this has given me even more strength and it will keep me strong and also will give me a bigger platform with which I can spread my voice for education.

UN News: And speaking of being an advocate for girls education, what has been the biggest lesson that youve learnt in the years youve been advocating and been a role model for this issue?

Malala Yousafzai: Ive been fighting for girls education since I was 10 or 11, when in Swat Valley, in Pakistan, terrorism started and girls couldnt go to school. And I have learnt so much in my 20 years of life  from seeing terrorism, extremism, to then being attacked at the age of 15 and now at the global stage fighting for girls education. And what I have learned is that the future generation, they need education, they need quality education. And if we want to see our future bright, developed, if we want to make our lives better, we have to invest in girls education. That is crucial. We cannot ignore it. And I just sometimes wonder, why have our world leaders ignored it for so long? The thing that I have realised from my experience in 19 years, they havent learnt yet in their 50, 60+ years. So that is my message, to make sure that they realise that their investment in education can change the whole world.

UN News: Your father is here with you on Tuesday and he was very instrumental in seeing that you went to school. What can men and boys do to ensure that girls and women get an education?

Malala Yousafzai: I started speaking out but I wouldnt have been able to go forward and speak out without my father, without my parents. There were so many other girls who also wanted to speak out but their parents, their brothers, did not allow them. So that is the role of men that is crucial at this stage because if men stop women from speaking out, women arent able to go forward. So it is important for men to allow women to follow their dreams, to achieve their dreaAs my father said, you dont need to do something extra for women  just dont clip their wings, and let them fly. Let them go forward. So men need to come forward, be proud feminists, stand up for women, and when you empower women, when you help women, you empower the whole society. There are economic benefits, there are social benefitsthe benefits you see are countless.

UN News: Youve been advocating for years about girls education and your accomplishments are incredible: Nobel Laureate and now UN Messenger of Peace. Everybody knows your story and I think people feel like they know you. But as you mentioned, youre still 19. What do you think is one of the misconceptions that people have about you?

Malala Yousafzai: Often people think that Im quite big but Im actually very, very short and Im very small, like only five-foot something, and then I wear high heels to make myself taller but it still doesnt work. So Im very short. And the second thing is that people often think that I would be, I dont know, very good at studies and things like that but they dont know that I also go through difficult times in my school. I have exams; I also get Cs and Ds; I also have to work hard for my college. Im not given admission free of any tests or anything. I had to go through tests. I had to get three As in my final exams to go into university. So, Im going through the same things that all students go through. So, Im quite normal. Nobel Peace Prize and Messenger of Peace  these things dont really help you much.

UN News: Speaking of education, you mention that you have to study just like everybody else. Whats next with regard to your own education?

Malala Yousafzai: At university level, or as you call it college in America, I want to study PPE which is Philosophy, Politics and Economics. And I have applied to a few universities but it all depends on my final grades which will come in August which university I will go to. And Im just working hard on that. And then after that, Im not sure what kind of career I want to go for. One thing Im very sure about is that I will stay focused on girls education. Through the Malala Fund, I will continue to focus on girls secondary education and inspire more young girls like me to speak out and stand with me so we can amplify the voices of young girls.

UN News: As you travel the world in your new role as UN Messenger of Peace, how will you go about inspiring young people, particularly those in areas where they feel they have no hope, that theres no point in going to school?

Malala Yousafzai: I visited many countries like Lebanon and Jordan. I have met Syrian refugee girls; I met girls in Nigeria. I will continue to do that through this role of Messenger of Peace and I will visit different countries, meet amazing and inspiring girls throughout the world, and make sure that I tell them that your voice is important; your voice can change the world. And I spoke out in Swat Valley and you can see how a childs voice was more powerful than the terrorists guns. And that is what they need to realize, all children, that your voice is important for our world. And you dont need to grow up to bring change; you can bring change now.

UN News: Any final message?

Malala Yousafzai: I will just say that believe in yourself, stay confident, stay hopeful about the future. There will be bad things happening but if we are united, if we stay together, we will be stronger, we can make our world better, we can bring change, so lets stay positive and hopeful.

Photo: UN Photo/ Rick Bajornas

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Gering High School students recently went to a conference where they were encouraged to get involved in careers of a scientific nature.

You dont have a high number of women going into science, you have quite a few in the medical field. But as far as going into other areas of science, theres not too many, Pearl Johnson, science instructor at Gering High School, said.

Four students at Gering High School went to the Women in Science Conference at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln March 31-April 1. The girls were Danicka Atchison, Kaylee Bohnsack, Messina Maley and Carlie Sides.

Johnson said the conference is an event she tries to get a group of students to attend every year. She believes it is a good conference.

It gives these girls a feel for the different careers in science, Johnson said.

The students saw exhibits and talked with professors in various scientific fields that answered various questions from the students.

One hundred sixteen girls from Kansas and Nebraska, representing 29 high schools, attended the conference.

Johnson said the value for the students was to not only to talk to UNL staff and students from different departments in science but to get a feel for other careers that they could think about.

Carlie Sides, junior at GHS, said the labs they went to showed them what college may be like.

She said she also met people who said there were many different fields she could go into in college by majoring in veterinary science, her anticipated college path. She learned that she may not want to limit herself to one area in veterinary science.

Some of the professors were kind of kooky and fun to talk to, Sides said.

Messina Maley, junior at GHS, said it was a really neat experience and something new.

It gave me a lot of insight about options of what is out there, Maley said.

Maley talked to a physician assistant at the conference. To get ready for the field, she is taking electronic medical record classes and is going to take an emergency medical technician training as well.

Its just helping me prepare for everything, Maley said.

Terri Norton was the keynote speaker for the conference. Norton is an associate professor of construction engineering and has traveled many places to provide her expertise.

She was the first female construction engineer in that department at UNL, Johnson said.

Johnson said the majority of women enrolling for the different areas of science currently are men so the conference was one way to get them involved in scientific careers.

There were different workshops the students were able to get involved in. The two workshops the GHS students were involved in were entomology and earth and atmospheric science.

They usually have a couple of hands-on activities, Johnson said.

Maley really liked geology and etymology with insects even though she wasnt planning to go into that area.

Danika Atchison, senior GHS student, said it was interesting to see all of the opportunities that are in the science field.

In the earth and atmospheric science workshop she said she learned about topography, saw different structures with topographic maps and saw what would happen if there were different natural occurrences.
The Gering High School was among seven Nebraska high schools being recognized on April 28 for their dedication to improving teen driver safety with the TDS Cup and Outstanding School awarded by Teens in the Driver Seat (TDS).

Gering High School received an Outstanding School award.

Other winners were: First Place, Centura High School in Cairo ($1,000 cash award); Second Place, Malcolm High School in Malcolm ($500 cash award); and Third Place, Fullerton High School in Fullerton ($250 cash award). Other outstanding school recipients were: Norfolk High School Central Valley Public Schools and David City High School.

Teens in the Driver Seat believes that young drivers are more effective at communicating to their peers than anyone else. The TDS Cup competition motivates teens to compete with one another to help get the word out about positive driving behaviors.

Awarded annually, the TDS Cup is the ultimate reward for individual TDS schools to prove that their teens have the best program in their respective states. Each TDS team entering the competition is awarded points for every safe-driving activity promoted in its school and community about the top five driving risks: driving at night; speeding and street racing; distractions, such as cell phones and teen passengers; not wearing a seat belt; and alcohol/drug use. A final tally ranks winners each spring. There are three placements within each state competition and division, with first-place cup winners earning $1,000 for their school, second place earning $500 and third place earning $250. Schools that reach a minimum required number of activity points are recognized as an Outstanding TDS School.

There are 28 schools across Nebraska working on reducing teen related crashes, injuries and deaths through the use of the Teens in the Driver Seat program.
County Government Day, a national tradition dating back to World War I, was observed April 11 in Scotts Bluff County. Sponsored by the countys American Legion Posts, the County Veterans Services Office helps organize the annual event.

High schoolers from nearly all of the countys public schools, about 140 students, were there to learn about the government that touches many parts of our public lives. In addition to Scotts Bluff County students, others from Banner County and Boys and Girls State designees from Morrill County also made the trip to Gering.

During the morning, students learned about some of the services the county offers, from voter registration and filing for public office, to getting a drivers license and how to register their vehicles.

There were also presentations on the countys emergency communications center and how the WING anti-drug task force works to keep dangerous drugs off the market.

During a lunch furnished by the American Legion, students learned about flag etiquette and practices for staying safe with online social media.

John Brehm, director of veterans services for Scotts Bluff County, said hes been involved in the program for the entire 43 years hes been on the job.

We schedule the event to teach our young people about the importance of county government, Brehm said. It affects our lives in a lot of ways, but many people arent that aware of what we do.

After lunch, students watched Brent Potthoff from the Nebraska State Patrol put Eddie the drug dog through his paces, learned about the GIS mapping system that can pinpoint any property within the county, and took part in a mock trial before County Judge James Worden.

Brehm said County Government Day used to be for high school juniors, but was changed to include students who might be studying county government in a different year.

This experience exposes students to how county government actually works, Brehm said. It gives them a better, in-person understanding of what theyre studying.

One department that students always find interesting is the countys emergency communications center. One part-time and 12 full-time dispatchers are on duty around the clock to answer 911 calls and other requests for emergency service in an area from central Banner County to the Agate Fossil Beds area in southern Sioux County.

In addition to a wide variety of emergency services, dispatchers also coordinate traffic for funeral escorts. As a result, the center gets a lot of traffic from the 62 agencies that use its services.

Scotts Bluff County Communications Director Ray Richards said the centers 911 dispatchers handle about 219 calls for service every hour. Not all of them qualify as emergencies.

Out of about 80 calls we receive, 68 of them arent real life and death emergencies, Richards said. Weve received calls about road closures, late starts for school, even questions about when the parade starts and whos performing at Oregon Trail Days.

Richards added that when people dont know who to call, they call 911 because they assume dispatchers will have that information.

Richards showed students an old style rotary dial phone, which was ancient technology to most of them.

He also explained how communications technology has changed over the years, from copper wire systems built in 1968 to todays wireless Internet protocol connections. Every technological step forward must be compatible with older systems that many people still use.

Its good to realize that if Im ever in trouble theres a reliable system that can get me the help I need, said Banner Countys Savannah Jordan after a tour of the center.

Gering student Gabby Rodriguez said she was surprised at how much the emergency center does beyond taking 911 calls.

Its fascinating to see how much can get done in one little room with just four people, added fellow Gering student Tia Pershall.
The ballroom at the Chadron State College filled with about 280 students, faculty and others Tuesday. However, they were not gathered for a dance or other event.

On this day, the ballroom acted as a courtroom for three judges of the Nebraska Court of Appeals. Students sat in anticipation, listening as a Nebraska State Patrol trooper explained the rules, such as shutting off cell phones and not leaving during arguments. After short introductions from the colleges president, Randy Rhine, and 12th Judicial District Court Judge Russ Harford, court was in session.

The three judges of the Nebraska Court of Appeals  Judge Francie C. Riedmann, Judge Everett O. Inbody and Chief Judge Frankie J. Moore  heard four cases. The cases were examples of the variety of cases heard on a routine basis by the Nebraska Court of Appeals.

An attorney argued that a conviction for willful reckless driving against his client should be reversed, citing the failure of the court to advise the jury to consider the lesser offense of reckless driving, among other things. Another attorney argued that the parental rights of her client, a mother of two children, should be reinstated, despite a courts finding that the womans drug use and other problems meant that terminating her rights were in the best interest. Two cases involved civil issues. A Sidney man, representing himself without an attorney, had sued the Sidney Regional Medical Center on behalf of his wifes estate, alleging the hospital had been negligent in treating the woman. In that case, the question before the court was whether or not the man could act to represent his estate to argue wrongful death because the man is not an attorney. The other case involved a collection company attempting to collect on a bill, but a judge in a prior court had ruled a contract for repayment did not exist.

Each of the attorneys had 10 minutes to present their case, with a long beep signaling when they had run out of time. The court moved through the cases swiftly, with judges asking attorneys questions on occasion as the attorneys presented their cases on both sides of the case.

After the session, the judges explained the proceedings, though they could not discuss the cases themselves. There are six judges on the Court of Appeals, but the court splits into two panels of three judges to hear cases to try to hear all cases within a year of filing. About 1,200 cases a year are submitted to the Nebraska Court of Appeals annually. The Court of Appeals hears roughly 950 cases a year and writes 400 opinions. The rest of the cases are resolved through summary disposition, which means that a judges ruling may be affirmed or other finding made without the case coming before the court for hearing.

We are the last word in a lot of cases, Moore said.

While asking questions, the students were particularly interested in the client who had represented himself, asking a few questions about assisting clients who want to represent themselves and the services available to people in rural areas.

Moore explained that pro se clients are treated equally to attorneys in front of the Court of Appeals.

We have noticed a trend, in the state and nationally, of a greater number of people representing themselves in court, Moore said. Some choose to represent themselves for whatever reason, and others do so because of economic reasons.

Technology has been one of the ways for the legal community to provide resources to people. At Chadron State College, for example, Legal Aid of Nebraska is testing a portal that helps provide information to students on landlord-tenant disputes. A Nebraska Online Legal Self-Help Center is available on the Nebraska Judicial Branch website and the Nebraska Bar Association offers a website called Free Legal Answers (ne.freelegalanswers.org). The Nebraska judicial branch and The Nebraska State Bar has instituted self-help desks in a handful of communities in the state.

It is a stated priority of Nebraska Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Heavican to improve access to justice for people, though Moore said the judicial branch is limited in the amount of resources it can provide because of its budget. Like others in state government, the Nebraska Judicial Branch is also facing budget cuts this year.

Access to the judicial system is a particular concern in rural areas, where the number of practicing attorneys continue to decline. In 11 Nebraska counties, there are no practicing attorneys. In 19 Nebraska counties  including Sioux, Banner, Kimball and Sheridan counties  there are fewer than three practicing attorneys, according to the Nebraska State Bar Association.

The dirth of lawyers in rural Nebraska is a concern to the judicial branch and the lawyers association, Moore said.

As an example of efforts to increase the number of practicing attorneys in rural Nebraska, Chadron State College is one of three colleges offering the Rural Law Opportunities Program, modeled after the Rural Health Occupations Program, designed to help recruit lawyers to the area by giving scholarships to undergraduate students and guaranteeing them a spot at the University of Nebraska Law School as long as they meet certain requirements.

Interestingly, in giving brief bios about themselves, all three judges admitted that they had not planned on being lawyers, or even judges. Riedemann had majored in communications in college and had done a short stint at a radio station before becoming a paralegal, then an attorney and being appointed to the bench. Inbody had considered going into business before deciding to take the law exam with a friend. He served as a prosecutor and a defense attorney before serving as county court judge and district court judge before being appointed to the Court of Appeals. Moore said she had considered being a social worker before a professor encouraged her to consider attending law school.

Attorneys and judges have come from all walks of life, Inbody said.

Theres no clear cut path to being a lawyer, or even a judge, he said.

Its the best job ever. We get to read, to research and to write, Moore said, saying that she regularly learns something new.

During the question and answer period, Moore noted that the majority of Nebraskans dont ever step a foot in a courtroom. Efforts like the Nebraska Court of Appeals traveling to Chadron State College are also designed to educate the public about the judicial system. Moore said that the court travels to one to two colleges each year and also hears cases in North Platte, Kearney, Norfolk and Omaha.

The three-judge panel will hear appeal cases in North Platte on Wednesday.
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TORRINGTON, Wyo.  Two handbell choirs will provide a variety of music guaranteed to please attendees of the Dinner Bell fundraiser supper on April 22.

Theres going to be a lot of fun music, said choir director Joyce Willeke. In this concert venue, well have favorite tunes from musicals, and various cultures, as well as patriotic and popular. Theres something for everyone.

Enhancing the musical experience will be performances by 29th Avenue Dance Studio students accompanied by the handbell choirs.

The WyoRing choirs are of two skill levels, according to Willeke. The Platte River Ringers are beginning and intermediate, while the Wyo West Ringers are advanced performers. Willeke said technical skills of the choirs, which practice once a month at the Presbyterian Church, are especially impressive.

This event will truly be a feast for all the senses starting with good food followed by a special handbells concert, Willeke said.

The evening begins with dinner of pulled pork BBQ sandwiches with all the trimmings, at 5:30 p.m., followed by the handbells concert at 7 p.m. at the St. Rose Social Hall.

Willeke encourages the public to attend this special event.

This is our first handbells concert as a fundraiser, she said. Weve been practicing this music for almost a year and we are very excited to share our love of bells with the community.

All tickets are advance sales at $15 per person with a deadline of April 19. Tickets are available at Points West Bank, the Chamber of Commerce, Community Drug, or from WyoRing handbell choir members: Julie Abernathy, Judy Banister, Donna Charron, Akemi Glass, Connie Green, Cindy Guilisano, Sandy Harold, Janet Howard, Jeanne Howard, Holly Lara, Portia McCreery, Diona Savoy-McDaniels, Anne Marie Seymour, Cydney Sharp, Stes Stellpflug, Jancy Walter, Sarah Yeik and Maggie Younger, or Willeke.

WyoRing is a nonprofit organization dedicated to community enrichment through music. Proceeds from this fundraiser will go toward WyoRing expenses including music, instrument maintenance, and the annual WyoRing handbells workshop in the fall at Eastern Wyoming College.

For more information, or to get tickets, call Willeke at 307-532-2595 or Savoy-McDaniels at 307-575-6490.
Summit Christian College is gearing up for its ninth annual Summit to Summit Run/Walk to be held Saturday, May 13 in Gering. This challenging and beautiful 7.2-mile run/walk from the Summit campus in Gering to the summit of Scotts Bluff National Monument. This year the event will cap off a week of events planned for Tourism Week, May 7-13, in western Nebraska.

In addition to the run/walk, Summit to Summit will feature food booths, kids bounce houses and new this year, a Christian Services Expo in place of the traditional health fair. Organizers anticipate the Expo will be of great interest to the community.

We have invited local Christian service groups and ministries to set up their displays with us, said SCC Publications Specialist Kay Grote. There are so many wonderful Christian service groups and ministries in our area, such as Celebrate Recovery, Firefighters Ministry, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and we wanted to give them a place to come and let the community see what they have to offer. Were really excited to provide this opportunity.

The Christian Services Expo will be open 7:30 to 11 a.m. during the run/walk event.

The Summit to Summit Run/Walk will feature competitive professionally-timed 7.2-mile running and walking events beginning at 7:30 a.m. Non-timed casual walking and shuttle rides for those wanting to enjoy a morning stroll along the Monuments foot trails will begin immediately after the start of the timed run/walk.

The run/walk is open to all ages. Medals will be awarded to the overall male and female runners and the top three runners in each age/gender division. Last years overall timed run winner was Nick Kizzire of Alliance in a time of 44:54.

Online registration is now open at www.summittosummit.org. Event fees are $25 for all timed runners and timed walkers; $20 for casual walkers age 16 and up; $10 for casual walkers age 10 to 15; and $5 for casual walkers 9 and under. Pre-registration prior to May 5 guarantees a T-shirt and swag bag. Registrations will also be taken the morning of the event.

For more information about Summit to Summit, to enter, to be an event sponsor or to sign up as an Expo exhibitor, go to www.summittosummit.org or call Summit Christian College at 308-632-6933.
Turn on the news or open up the paper today and theres a good chance you might see a story that says bipartisanship is dead in Congress. As someone who serves in Congress, I dont believe that to be so. For the past five years, Ive had success in working with my colleagues, on both sides of the aisle, to make meaningful progress for Nebraska families.

My working relationship with Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey is one example. Senator Booker and I are different people and we represent different states. Hes a Democrat and a vegan from New Jersey. Im a Republican and a cattle rancher from Nebraska. When I was a Nebraska state senator, my legislative district was the size of New Jersey.

Despite our differences, Senator Booker and I have developed a strong, bipartisan partnership in the Senate. I am the chairman of the Senate Surface Transportation Subcommittee; he is the top Democrat or ranking member. Together in this committee, weve had legislative successes on a wide-range of issues. Increasing pipeline safety and improving our maritime transportation system are two of them.

We also work together on new technology issues, particularly on the Internet of Things.

What is the Internet of Things? Its the rapidly developing, global network of connected technology that can change our lives. In fact, it already does. Fitbits can track our activity, refrigerators can tell us when we need more milk from the store, and thermostats let us control the temperature away from home.

Senator Booker and I recently spoke together at an event on Capitol Hill on this topic. Specifically, our discussion focused on this central question: is government taking the right steps to make America a world leader in the Internet of Things?

We both agree Congress should do more to clear obstacles for the people who will make us that world leader.

Those people work in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the Haymarket District, and in Omahas Old Market, two cities where the tech industry is doing so well its called Silicon Prairie. They are the innovators, inventors, programmers, coders, and restless dreamers who like to solve technical problems. They are also the millions who support them, by rewarding their ingenuity, by buying their products or stock, and by keeping alive that spirit of innovative discovery.

To help clear the way, Senator Booker and I joined Senators Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Cory Gardner of Colorado to reintroduce the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act. The bill would facilitate a working group of federal agencies and private sector stakeholders. That group would then provide recommendations to Congress about how to plan for, and encourage, the Internet of Things. It gives those innovators a forum to make their voices heard, but it would also help Congress identify problems: like regulatory silos. It would ensure Americans can seize the benefits of this growing, global network.

The most important parts of the Internet of Things arent things at all. They are people. We care about the Internet of Things because of what it can do for our families, our children, and our world: Solving everyday headaches, like being stuck in traffic on our daily commute. Connecting people living in the vastness of rural America. Delivering new, potentially lifesaving treatments for patients.

I look forward to continuing my bipartisan work with Senator Booker on this very important issue.

Thank you for participating in the democratic process. I look forward to visiting with you again next week.
This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page

Published: 12 April 2017

Turnover in manufacturing increased by 7.7 per cent in November to January

According to Statistics Finland, turnover in manufacturing in the November to January period was 7.7 per cent higher than in the corresponding period of the year before. Domestic sales grew by 9.4 per cent and export turnover by 6.6 per cent from one year ago.

Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in manufacturing (C) sub-industries (TOL 2008)

Turnover grew for the first time in nearly six years in all manufacturing (C) sub-industries from the corresponding period of the previous year. Turnover grew most in the chemical industry, by 13.4 per cent, in the textile, clothing and leather industry, by 8.8 per cent, and in the forest industry, by 7.7 per cent. The growth was slowest in the food industry, 1.3 per cent, and in the electrical and electronics industry, 2.3 per cent.

Three months' year-on-year change in turnover in main industrial categories (TOL 2008)

The turnover of all other main categories of manufacturing industries also grew year-on-year. Turnover grew strongest in the industry of mining and quarrying, 30.9 per cent. Turnover in water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities increased by 7.0 per cent, and in electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply by 4.1 per cent from one year before.

The index of turnover in industry describes enterprises whose main industry is manufacturing. The calculation of the indices is based on the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data which are supplemented with data obtained with Statistics Finlands sales inquiry. The monthly turnovers of manufacturing enterprises can vary considerably, especially in the metal industries. The variation is mainly due to invoicing practices. The final invoice for major machinery deliveries and projects may be recorded in the sales of one month, even if the delivery had required the work of several months or years.

Changes in the Tax Administrations self-assessed tax data do not have an effect on the data of turnover indices for January 2017

The effects of the changes in the Tax Administration's self-assessed tax data have been analysed in Statistics Finlands turnover indices. Based on the analyses, no significant changes for statistics production were observed in the value added tax reporting of enterprises. More about this under Changes in these statistics.

Source: Index of turnover in industry 2017, January, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Maija Sappinen 029 551 3348, Kirsi-Maaria Manninen 029 551 2681, myynti.teollisuus@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Yla-Jarkko

Publication in pdf-format (346.4 kB)

Updated 12.4.2017

Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Index of turnover in industry [e-publication].

ISSN=1798-596X. January 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 8.11.2022].

Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/tlv/2017/01/tlv_2017_01_2017-04-12_tie_001_en.html
New York, Apr 12(Just Earth News): With global leaders heading to the United Nations for a major conference in June on the protection and sustainable use of the planetas oceans, the UN on Tuesday announced that the inaugural World Ocean Festival will kick off the week-long event, with activists and enthusiasts taking to the streets a and waterways a of New York City to raise their voices to reverse the declining health of our oceans.

At a joint press briefing at UN Headquarters on Tuesday, Penny Abeywardena, the Commissioner of the (New York City) Mayors Office for International Affairs, joined Peter Thompson, President of the UN General Assembly, to announce the first-ever Festival which will be held on Sunday, 4 June, the day before the opening of The Ocean Conference, which will run from 5 to 9 June.

The Festival, organized by the Global Brian Foundation, will galvanize people across the world to bring public attention to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 14, on conservation and sustainable use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development, right here in New York City, a premier coastal city, said Abeywardena.

Through these gatherings, people will come together to catalyze specific steps we can take as a community to preserve our oceans and engage our citizens and in particular, our young people, she said, adding that, with 520 miles (about 835 kilometres) of coastline, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasios administration recognizes the need for cities to lead on protecting the planet from degradation through sustainable consumption and effective management of the worlds natural resources and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change.

For his part, Assembly President Thomson said New York City is a model not only in the United States but around the world of what cities can do in integrating the SDGs with their urban development planning, drawing attention to Mayor de Blasios One NYC initiative.

An opportunity to address major woes humanity has put upon the ocean

As for the Conference, he said the ocean is in deep trouble, facing threats such as marine pollution; fishery subsidies at a time when fish stocks are collapsing; and degraded coastal ecosystems planet-wide. The Ocean Conference is [a timely opportunity] to address these major woes humanity has put upon the ocean, he continued, adding that it also will provide an opportunity to think about the impacts of climate change.

With ocean acidification, were already seeing the effects of this; its serious business in Oregon and Washington state and its spreading around the world and is also serious business for the tropics, where because of rising temperatures life is leaving our waters because it is too hot, explained Thomson, noting that 40 per cent of the cause of rising sea levels is due to the fact that oceans are heating up.

And yet all human problems have human solutions and thats what the Ocean Conference is about, working to find what the solutions are, he emphasized, noting that UN Member States are currently making good progress on the call to action that would be agreed by the Conference. Further, in addition to a plenary, the Conference would also feature seven partnership dialogues focused on SDG 14.

Thomson went on to highlight the registry of voluntary commitments, to which the UN was urging all stakeholders and everybody who gives a hoot about the ocean to register to between now and the Conference so that you stand and be counted in our call to action to reverse the cycle of decline in which the ocean has been caught. The roll of the media is important in all this, to get the word out about the state of the planets oceans but also that were doing something about it.

Natalia Vega-Berry, founder of the Global Brain Foundation and Executive Producer of the World Ocean Festival said the event will aim to show world leaders gathering for the UN conference the urgency for taking action. Our ocean is a connective tissue for the worlds entire population. It makes planet Earth and us all one, as we are surrounded by shores. At the same time, our ocean is at great risk of pollution, overfishing, climate change and more.

While coastal cities and island nations feel the most pressing burden of such threats, she said that the Festival will aim to bring together all people who care deeply about the oceans future to raise their voices in support of the ocean and call on world leaders to take action to save it.

She said that while the Festival will be held in New York, other cities could also be inspired to organize their own events.

New Yorks festival will feature a first-of-its kind grand ocean march, which will be a parade of sailing vessels around lower Manhattan and along 10 nautical miles of Manhattan and Brooklyn waterfront from the Hudson to the East River. The second main event will be the Ocean Village, which will be set up at Gentry State Park in Long Island City as a hub for all things ocean, and will celebrate art, innovation and exhibits on ocean and climate action.

Photo: WMO/Olga Khoroshunova

Source: www.justearthnews.com
With one hand holding a bottle of champagne and the other an oversized certificate declaring him the winner of $1 million from Publishers Clearing House, Bruce Saunders stood on the front porch of his western Davie County Monday and rattled off a list of things he plans spend his spend money on  medical bills, fixing his lawnmower and helping family members.
By MARK EVANS STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD Scott Schmieder, county road and bridge foreman, reported to the county commission last Thursday that temperatures are getting too cold at night for much more asphalt work to be done. He said potholes had all been patched. His crews were working on Bodine Road and made call-ins to locate
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Easter Holy Night represents a "vigil in the Lord's honour," states the Roman Catholic archbishop of Bucharest, Ioan Robu, in his Easter letter.

"According to an ancient tradition, Easter Holy Night is a 'vigil for the Lord" (Lk 12,42), so that the faithful, following the Gospel's admonition (Lk 12.35 to 37) carrying lighted lamps in their hands, should be like those looking for the Lord when He returns, so that at His coming He may find them awake and have them seated at His table," says the Roman Catholic high hierarch.

His Eminence Robu reviews the "four distinct moments" of the Resurrection Holy Night Vigil, from the "ceremony of light, in which fire is blessed" (Lucernarium) and "the solemn Resurrection proclamation" (Easter Proclamation) to the "attentive listening to the Word of God" (Liturgy of the Word) when "the Holy Church, and we with it, meditate on the miraculous deeds of the Lord, described in the Holy Scripture."

"Pope Saint John Paul II orated on this passage of the Scripture: 'The poetic style of the story of creation in Genesis captures man's wonder face to the immensity of creation and his feeling of adoration towards the One Who brought everything into being. It is a page with a strong religious significance, a hymn to the Creator of the universe, Who, in the face of repeated temptation to deify the world itself, is designated as the only Lord. It is, at the same time, a hymn that proclaims that the whole creation is good, being fully knead by the strong and merciful hand of God "(Dies Domini, no. 9)," mentions the archbishop.

His Eminence recalls the third moment of the Vigil, "the Baptismal Liturgy" reaching the fourth, which "consists in the calling to the table the Lord has prepared for His people through His Death and Resurrection".

"Thus, the link between the mystery of Easter and the Eucharistic celebration reveals itself stronger. Therefore, the Sunday Mass is called the week's Easter, the day that celebrates Christ's triumph over sin and death. In the same apostolic letter 'Dies Domini ' (no. 2 ), Pope Saint John Paul II said that the Resurrection of Christ is "the first element on which the Christian faith is based on" (1 Cor 15:14). It is an amazing reality that we fully perceive in the light of faith, but which was historically attested by those who had the privilege of seeing the Risen Lord. It is also a great event not just standing out in a totally unique way in human history, but also resides at the heart of the mystery of time," further preaches the Archbishop.

His Eminence wishes all those who celebrate Easter on Sunday "blessed Easter holidays" and the traditional "Christ is risen!"

agerpres.
Washington, Apr 12 (IBNS): As tension between the US and North Korea escalates over a possible nuclear attack from the latter to the former, US President Donald Trump has warned the Kin Jong-un led nation of retaliation.

Trump, the 45th President of the USA, took to Twitter on Tuesday to vent anger against the reclusive Asian nation.

Echoing his earlier statements, Trump said that the US would pursue the North Korean case with or without help from China.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," his tweet read.

In another tweet, directed towards Beijing, Trump said, "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!"

Meanwhile, news of North Korea testing a hydrogen bomb did the rounds early this week, further keeping Japan, USA and China on its toes.
German Ambassador to Romania Cord Meier-Klodt said on Tuesday that the German minority has always been loyal to and has stood on the Romanians' side, and that for this reason, he thinks, this community is entitled to seek their support when defamatory campaigns are waged in mass media.

The German minority has always been loyal, has stood on the Romanians' side, therefore I believe they are entitled to seek support when - as some of you have noticed - defamatory campaigns with distorted information are run in mass media, shining an inappropriate light on them. This is not about self-defense, but about the support coming from the entire country and I think that in the closing remarks I should thank Secretary of State Ciamba and the committee which, during the talks held yesterday and today, expressed a clear stance on this subject by the joint protocol concluded. In short, we hold close relations, together we engage for a common Europe, Cord Meier-Klodt said.

He made this declaration during a debate organized at his residence on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Romania - Germany Friendship Treaty and of the 20th session of the Romanian-German government committee on the issues of Romania's German ethnics held on Monday and Tuesday.

The German Ambassador in Bucharest said that solidarity is not a one-way street.

Beautiful Romania celebrates next year 100 years since the Great Union. The German minority, both Transylvanian Saxons and Banat Swabians alike, at that time promptly threw their energies under the banner of the Union. The spirit of the Medias manifesto reverberates even today and has been often felt in key moments after 1989, the Ambassador said.

President of the Germans' Democratic Forum of Romania (FDGR) Dr. Paul-Jurgen Porr said that Romania's German community has always been loyal to its homeland, whether this has been the Austro-Hungarian monarchy or the Romanian Kingdom.

We are next talking about the Saxons statement of adhesion in Medias, about the Treaty of Trianon, and this weighs even more in the times of the Socialist Republic of Romania and today. It is the more so troubling and distressing that both the print and electronic media and some newspapers launched at the beginning of the year allegations that we had buildings worth billions returned, even from the Jewish community - which also issued a denial in this regard; it's not the first time, it happened before in 2014 during the presidential campaign, obviously the target isn't us, we are just collateral damage. The first official reaction came only yesterday and today in this committee. [FDGR representative in Parliament] Ovidiu Gant asked in Parliament that the Government take a stance and distances itself from these allegations and calumnies. This did not happen until yesterday, in this committee, added Porr.

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs George Ciamba believes anti-European attitudes like xenophobia and populism must be combated.

"It is very important that today we condemned any malevolent presentation of the German minority in Romania," said Ciamba.

In his opinion, the relationship with the German minority is exemplary. "The relationship with the German minority has always been exemplary and we must honestly admit that we have always referred to it as to an example and a model," George Ciamba added.

Hartmut Koschyk, the Federal Government's Commissioner for matters related to ethnic German resettlers and national minorities, said that the German minority in Romania is very lively and highly active.

It is a living factor of Romanian politics, of your country's civil society, it plays an important role in key areas as a binding bridge to Germany, said Hartmut Koschyk.

agerpres.
New York, Apr 12(Just Earth News): The use of children, particularly girls, by the Boko Haram terrorist group in violent attacks in the Lake Chad region has seen an aalarminga surge in 2017, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has reported.

According to the UNICEF report, Silent Shame: Bringing out the voices of children caught in the Lake Chad crisis, 27 children have been used to carry out bomb attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon in the first quarter of this year. During the same period last year, the number was nine.

In the first three months of this year, the number of children used in bomb attacks is nearly the same as the whole of last year  this is the worst possible use of children in conflict, the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Marie-Pierre Poirier, said in a news release announcing the grim findings.

These children are victims, not perpetrators. Forcing or deceiving them into committing such horrific acts is reprehensible.

Since 2014, 117 children  more than 80 per cent of them girls  have been used in 'suicide' attacks across the region. As a result of this distressing tactic, girls, boys and even infants have been viewed with increasing fear at markets and checkpoints, where they are thought to carry explosives.

Fear of stigma pushing children into isolation

The UNICEF report documents troubling accounts by children who were held in captivity by Boko Haram and narrates the deep suspicion they are met with when they return to their communities.

Many children who have been associated with armed groups keep their experience secret because they fear the stigmatization and even violent reprisals from their community, the report noted. They bear their horrors in silent shame and endure isolation as they remove themselves from other groups for fear they might be outed and alienated even further.

The report also highlights the challenges local authorities face with children who have been intercepted at checkpoints and taken into administrative custody for questioning and screening, including for prolonged periods.

Voicing concern over such custodies and that, last year, nearly 1,500 children were under administrative custody in the four countries, UNICEF has called on Governments to urgently transfer them to civilian authorities for reintegration and support, and to put in place handover protocols to handle children encountered during military operations.

All children affected by the crisis need psychosocial support and safe spaces to recover, said UNICEF, highlighting the particular need to pay attention to the care and protection of separated and unaccompanied children.

It also underlined that Boko Haram must end grave violations against children, including the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as so-called suicide bombers.

At the same time, UNICEF continues to provide support to the children and families.

Last year, it reached more than 312,000 children with psychosocial support and reunited more than 800 children with their families in the four countries. It is also working with communities and families to fight stigma against survivors of sexual violence and to build a protective environment for former abducted children.

However, its response in the region remains severely underfunded. Last year, its $154 million appeal was only 40 per cent funded.

Photo: UNICEF/Tremeau

Source: www.justearthnews.com
Anheuser-Busch InBev will export African beer brands to its markets around the world as the Budweiser maker seeks to maximize the potential of a continent that was key to its decision to buy rival SABMiller for $103 billion.

"There are so many very unique African brands and I think it is time to sell African beers to the greater market," said Ricardo Tadeu, a 40-year-old Brazilian who moved to Johannesburg from Mexico to head up A-B InBev's African operations. "There is huge potential for these brands to be exported."

The world's biggest brewer plans to sell packs of eight African beer brands outside the continent, including Castle, the dominant brand in South Africa, Kilimanjaro of Tanzania and Nigeria's Hero. At the same time, the company will introduce global beer brands such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona in African markets, Tadeu said in an interview at A-B InBev's Johannesburg office on Wednesday.

Tadeu is responsible for spurring growth on a continent where A-B InBev didn't have a foothold before completing the purchase of SABMiller in September. About 65 million people are due to reach the legal drinking age by 2023, creating an opportunity for brewers, although Tadeu must also tackle slowing economic growth across some of the biggest markets, including South African and Nigeria.

With consumers in some African markets drinking an average of less than 10 liters of beer  roughly 28 12-ounce bottles of beer  per head a year, Tadeu sees an opportunity to increase that to the average of 45 liters to 65 liters in other markets. Rolling out existing brands and increasing consumption will be key to African growth, he said.

Since taking over from SABMiller's Mark Bowman, Tadeu has traveled extensively across the continent, often in the private jet used by his predecessor, and said he now drinks African beer brands by choice. Castle, in particular, has a "great opportunity" to become more global, he said.

"I love Castle Lite," Tadeu said. "When you mention Bud Light I don't see much space for that here, because I think Castle Lite is such a great light beer."

Within the next 12 months, A-B InBev plans to invest between $150 million and $200 million on two new production lines in South Africa and look for cost cutting opportunities. The company agreed to create a 1 billion-rand ($73 million) fund to support the local beer industry and protect jobs to win government approval for the SABMiller deal, one of many concessions it made around the world to secure the takeover.

A-B InBev is planning a new plant in Nigeria. Sites can cost as much as $400 million, the executive said, although the brewery will not follow Heineken NV, the world's second-largest brewer, into other West African countries such as Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

At the same time, A-B InBev doesn't have plans to reduce its presence in any of the 31 African markets in which it now operates.

"We are prioritizing what we need to do in Africa, rather than trying to find new things," Tadeu said.

A-B Inbev has completed the sale of its stake in South African drinks maker Distell Group Ltd. to the country's Public Investment Corp., it said in a statement on Wednesday.

A-B InBev's North American headquarters are based in St. Louis, where Anheuser-Busch began in 1852.
SAN DIEGO  Qualcomm said Wednesday it has been ordered to pay smartphone maker BlackBerry $814.9 million in an arbitration dispute over patent royalties.

The San Diego wireless giant said the payment was ordered after both companies entered binding arbitration in a contract disagreement over Qualcomms royalty caps.

The payment comes as Qualcomms patent licensing business is increasingly under attack from government regulators and smartphone makers.

Qualcomm has been fined more than $850 million by South Koreas anti-monopoly regulator, which also is demanding changes in the way the company licenses patents. Qualcomm has appealed to the Seoul High Court.

The Federal Trade Commission and Apple also have sued Qualcomm over patent licenses. Both cases are pending. Investigations are under way in Taiwan and elsewhere.

While Qualcomm earns the bulk of its revenue from selling chips that power smartphones, it books most of its profit by licensing its portfolio of thousands of cellular patents. The companys patented technology is found in nearly all 3G and 4G smartphones.

Canaccord Genuity Analyst Mike Walkley called the arbitration decision surprising in a research note, adding that it will help bolster BlackBerrys balance sheet as it pivots to focusing on software for future growth.

Qualcomm patent licenses agreements vary with each smartphone maker. A few make bulk prepayments of royalties in advance of device sales.

According the Qualcomm, the BlackBerry dispute centered on whether Qualcomms per device royalty cap program applied to BlackBerrys non-refundable prepayments of royalties on sales of BlackBerry subscription devices from 2010 through the end of 2015.

The arbitration panels decision is binding and cant be appealed. Qualcomm said the ruling has no impact on agreements with other device makers.
CHICAGO  Smithfield Foods, the Chinese-owned pork producer with a big presence in Missouri, has established a separate bioscience unit to expand its role in supplying pig parts for medical uses, with the ultimate goal of selling pig organs for transplantation into humans.

Routine pig-human organ transplants are years away, but recent scientific advances are breaking down barriers that frustrated prior attempts to use pigs as a ready supply of replacement parts for sick or injured people, making it an attractive new market.

"Our bread and butter has always been the bacon, sausage, fresh pork  very much a food-focused operation," Courtney Stanton, vice president of Smithfield's new bioscience unit, told Reuters in an exclusive interview.

We want to signal to the medical device and science communities that this is an area we're focused on  that we're not strictly packers," she said.

Smithfield, the $14 billion subsidiary of Chinas WH Group, in its first move has joined a public-private tissue engineering consortium funded by an $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Smithfield is the only pork producer, joining health-care companies including Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic and United Therapeutics Corp.

Transplants are used for people diagnosed with organ failure and who have no other treatment options. Transplants from animals could help close a critical gap to help those in need. The United Network for Organ Sharing estimates that, on average, 22 people die each day while waiting for a transplant.

Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer, already harvests materials for medical use from the 16 million hogs it slaughters each year. The company owns more than 51 percent of its farms and hopes to sell directly to researchers and health-care companies, which now typically buy from third parties.

Stanton said the U.S. market for pork byproducts used for medical, pet food and non-food purposes stands at more than $100 billion, and that excludes any potential market for animal-to-human transplants, known as xenotransplants.

Smithfield has deals in the works to supply pig organs to two entities, though Stanton would not disclose the names.

"It's just a huge potential space, and to be at the leading edge and focused on building those relationships is critical, she said.

Hog hearts

Pigs have long been a tantalizing source of transplants because their organs are so similar to humans. A hog heart at the time of slaughter, for example, is about the size of an adult human heart.

Other organs from pigs being researched for transplantation into humans include kidney, liver and lungs.

Prior efforts at pig-to-human transplants have failed because of genetic differences that caused organ rejection or viruses that posed an infection risk. Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG folded its $1 billion xenotransplantation effort in 2001 because of safety concerns about pig viruses that could be passed to humans.

George Church, a Harvard Medical School genetics professor and researcher, tackled that problem two years ago, using a new gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to trim away potentially harmful virus genes that have impeded the use of pig organs for transplants in humans.

Church has since formed a company named eGenesis Bio to develop humanized pigs that do not provoke a rejection response or transfer viruses to people. The company last month raised $38 million in venture funding.

Eventually, Church said, the process could enable researchers to harvest a dozen different organs and tissues from a single pig.

Church estimates the first transplants involving humanized pig organs could occur in a clinical trial later this year, but these would only be used on people too sick to receive human organs.

Genome pioneer Craig J. Venters Synthetic Genomics Inc. has been working for two years with United Therapeutics on editing the pig genome and mixing in human cells to overcome the complex issues involved in immune rejection.

"It's not like changing a couple genes and you've got it solved," Venter said.

Stanton would not rule out breeding genetically modified animals, but said Smithfield's first ventures will likely involve whole pig organs that go through decellularization  a process in which existing cells are washed away and replaced with human cells.

Miromatrix Medical Inc., of Eden Prairie, Minn., for example, is using whole pig livers to make a surgical mesh used in hernia repair and breast reconstruction, and it is working toward developing replacement livers, hearts and kidneys.

Church welcomes the involvement of a big pork producer. "Even though we've got companies like eGenesis that would make the first pigs, you still need someone who will breed them and do it to scale," he said.
For most of his 19-month tenure, United Continental Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz has cleaned up messes left behind by others. Now he's mopping up a PR disaster that's unfolded on his watch.

After United ordered a passenger forcibly removed from a plane in Chicago shortly before departure to make room for a United employee, Munoz's initial response made the company a punch line on social media. He said United had to "re-accommodate'' the man, who was bloodied in the encounter with security officials. In a subsequent letter to employees, the CEO called the customer "disruptive'' and "belligerent'' when he wouldn't relinquish his seat.

"It's sort of a self-immolation and makes you wonder about his choice as CEO," Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management, said of Munoz's handling of the crisis. He "worked at Coke and Pepsi and AT&T, and someone would have thought he had a better customer sensitivity."

Almost 24 hours later, after global condemnation of the airline's behavior had time to sink in, Munoz struck a far more contrite tone.

"The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments," Munoz said in a statement Tuesday. "I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way."

On Wednesday he said the carrier no longer will rely on law enforcement to remove seated, paying customers.

"This can never, will never, happen again on a United Airlines flight," he said on ABC's "Good Morning America." Munoz said he hasn't considered resigning.

He committed the third-largest U.S. airline to "a thorough review" of its policies for handling oversold flights and vowed to report back to the public by April 30. "I promise you we will do better," Munoz said Tuesday.

Yet the damage had already been done. With a few ill-chosen words, Munoz stoked the flames of an already raging social-media firestorm and squandered goodwill he had worked hard to generate by forging a turnaround plan since joining the company in September 2015. He has overseen a 23 percent stock rally since then, compared with 13 percent for the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index.

Previously known for his deft touch in rescuing United from a corruption scandal, weathering a proxy fight and winning unprecedented labor peace, now he's the head of an airline that, for some passengers, has instantly become Public Enemy No. 1.

Some people said on United's Facebook page that they would boycott the Chicago-based carrier. Others said on Twitter that they'd canceled their United-affiliated credit cards  a key revenue source for airlines.

In China, a crucial part of United's lucrative trans-Pacific network, the incident was a focus of social media and editorials in the state-controlled Global Times newspaper. The hashtag #UnitedForcesPassengerOffPlane was the top trending item on Sina Weibo, the equivalent of Twitter. The man who was removed, David Dao, appeared to be of Asian descent.

Delta Air Lines "is best-positioned to take share as it has focused Asia operations on China and away from Japan in recent years," Bloomberg Intelligence analyst George Ferguson said in a note. Gains will be limited for American Airlines, a distant No. 3, while the largest Chinese carriers will benefit the most, he said.

Dao was receiving treatment in a Chicago hospital for his injuries, according to a statement from lawyers who said they represent him. Video posted to Facebook and Twitter showed him as he was dragged out of his seat and down the aisle of the plane after refusing to give up his seat.

Several Middle Eastern carriers piled on to mock United, one of the principal critics of their rapid expansion. Dubai-based Emirates on Twitter lampooned United's motto, urging passengers to "fly the friendly skies with a real airline."

For Munoz, the timing of the worldwide outcry is, at the very least, extremely awkward and at worst a serious setback for his overhaul of United, which suffered for years as the industry laggard in both profitability and on-time performance. In an ironic touch, Munoz just last month was named "Communicator of the Year for 2017" by PRWeek. The public-relations industry publication said Munoz "has shown himself to be a smart, dedicated, and excellent leader who understands the value of communications."

In 2015, Munoz took over as CEO from Jeff Smisek, who was ousted amid a federal investigation into ties between the carrier and the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. The next month, Munoz suffered a serious heart attack and underwent a transplant in early 2016. He bounced back only to face a proxy challenge from two hedge funds. United named a new chairman and agreed to add new board members approved by PAR Capital Management and Altimeter Capital Management.

Within months after the board tussle, Munoz had unveiled a $3.1 billion plan to cut costs and boost revenue, and he set the stage for labor peace for the first time since the 2010 merger with Continental Airlines that created the company. He also brought in new senior leadership including President Scott Kirby, who previously served in the same position at American Airlines Group Inc. This year, United's market value surpassed that of American, which generates more in annual sales.

The Monday incident comes two weeks after United drew social-media scorn for enforcing its employee dress code for those who fly as non-revenue passengers, such as relatives of employees. Two young girls flying from Denver were told to change their leggings before boarding. In response, the airline then took efforts to tell "our regular customers" that "leggings are welcome."

In his letter to United workers Monday night, the CEO said he stood behind employees and criticized the passenger for refusing to deplane. Sara Nelson, international president of the flight attendants union representing United, said the incident was the most severe customer backlash she'd seen in 20 years on the job and was "completely unacceptable." Still, employees were grateful to have a chief executive who "has their backs."

"When something like this happens and people have to go to work and have order in their workplace to keep everyone safe, it can be incredibly demoralizing," Nelson said. "Some credit needs to be given to him."

Bloomberg's Mary Schlangenstein and Sarah Kopit contributed.
NEW YORK  Volkswagen AG plans to build another new sport utility vehicle at its Chattanooga, Tenn., plant as demand surges for larger vehicles, the German company's top U.S. executive said on Wednesday.

VW Group of America Chief Executive Officer Hinrich Woebcken told reporters at the New York auto show that the automaker planned to build a five-seat SUV in Tennessee, but he declined to say when production would begin. The news follows VW's 2014 announcement that the company would spent $900 million to build a new SUV in Tennessee.

VW, the largest automaker worldwide by sales, will start selling its new seven-seat VW Atlas SUV next month.

Woebcken said VW was shifting focus in the United States from a mainly car brand to a "family friendly" automaker offering larger, U.S.-built SUVs.

At the show, major automakers said they expected the popularity of SUVs to increase in the United States. SUVs' share of U.S. vehicle sales rose to nearly 40 percent in 2016 from 32.6 percent in 2014.

Woebcken would not say whether VW would add additional workers in Tennessee to build the new SUV.

VW will sell four separate SUVs in the United States later this year, a figure that does not include the new one.

The company said on Tuesday that it would continue selling the current Tiguan as the "Tiguan Limited" for several years even as it plans to offer a completely new, larger version later this year. The company also announced it was offering an industry-leading six-year, 72,000 mile warranty on its new SUVs.

As part of its diesel emissions settlement, Volkswagen has agreed to add at least three additional electric vehicles, including an SUV, in California by 2020 and must sell an average of 5,000 electric vehicles annually there through 2025.

Woebcken said he hopes that decision will help boost the company's image in the United States. VW has agreed to spend up to $25 billion to buy back vehicles and resolve claims from U.S. regulators, dealers, owners and states.
Small Bites is an occasional series visiting new and established restaurants.

On my first visit to Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches, I ordered cevapi. A few weeks later, when I spoke with owner Lisa Grozdanic by phone, I asked which Yapi dish she'd suggest to a first-time diner.

The cevapi, she said. Or the burger.

Burgers are everywhere. Get the cevapi. Yapi's take on the traditional Bosnian dish is a snappy, juicy sausage with a strong beef flavor crackling with grill char and spice.

(For the cevapi newcomer: 1) Sausage is an imperfect term. Cevpai are skinless, and you could also describe them as a kind of kebab. 2) Cevapi are small, roughly the size of an average adult's thumb. 3) As is customary, Yapi serves you several of these small cevapi sandwiched between halves of the large, airy flatbread called lepinja. On the side is sour cream and raw red onion.)

Grozdanic and her husband, Armin, opened Yapi last fall on South Kingshighway in Southampton. Armin, a Bosnian native, is the chef.

My husband's family is well known for cooking, Grozdanic told me. My mother-in-law is an amazing cook.

Grozdanic also works for the Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis, and in that role she works with refugees. During Ramadan last year, Armin would cook iftar, the meal that breaks each day's fast, for groups of refugees. One of the donors who was helping to feed the refugees told Armin he should open a restaurant.

After Armin was laid off from his full-time job, the Grozdanics did just that.

Lisa calls Yapi Bosnian-American rather than Bosnian. The menu includes the aforementioned burger, a sub with fried chicken and another sub with buffalo-style chicken. I ordered the buffalo-chicken on another visit, and if it's unlikely to replace cevapi as my go-to here, its tender, tangy meat with provolone and ranch dressing provides one more reason to return.

Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches; 5005 South Kingshighway; 314-354-8333
Islamabad, Apr 12 (IBNS); Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met country's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday, media reports said.

According to reports, both discussed the current security situation in the nation.

"The professional engagements and preparedness of the armed forces were discussed during the meeting that took place at the PM House," Geo News reported.

According to the report, Sharif and Bajwa also discussed the issue of country's border security during their meeting.




ST. LOUIS  An injured St. Louis police officer is heading to a rehabilitation hospital in Colorado specializing in traumatic spinal and brain injury rehabilitation.

Police vehicles from St. Louis and surrounding departments lined up outside Barnes-Jewish Hospital Wednesday morning to escort the officer to the airport.

He was the driver of a police car that collided with a pickup truck at about 11 p.m. March 18 just north of downtown. He and a female officer who was riding in the car were both in intensive car after the crash, but the female officer has since been released. Both are in their 30s.

The male officer, whose name has not been disclosed by the department, suffered a head injury. He will be treated at Englewood, Colo.-based Craig Hospital.

Based on an early investigation, Chief Sam Dotson said at the time that the officers were on Chambers Street heading west and waiting to make a left turn to head south on North Broadway when the driver of a car heading northbound on Broadway motioned for them to make the left turn. When the police car pulled into the intersection, a truck came around the other car and slammed into the police car.

Dotson said there was no sign of impairment by the pickup's driver, who was alone in his vehicle and cooperated with police at the scene.

Two other local police officers have gone to Craig Hospital within the past year.

Ballwin Officer Mike Flamion was shot and paralyzed and Hazelwood Officer Craig Tudor was paralyzed in a car accident on duty.
ST. LOUIS  Two St. Louis men who were involved in a drug conspiracy that itself involved a threat to kill a customer were sentenced to years in prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday.

Gary James Evans Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to 8 years in prison and Lamont Kenneth Allen received two years, prosecutors said.

Co-defendants sentenced earlier include Timothy Harris, of Ferguson, who got 20 years; Stephen Griffin Sr., of Ferguson, who got 9 years; Earl Capri West, of Cahokia, who got 37 months; Shawn Duane Hall, of St. Louis, who got just over 12 years; Jimmie Lee Williams, of St. Louis, who got 8 years, 10 months; and Stephen Griffin Jr., of St. Louis, who received a five-year sentence.

Prosecutors said an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Kirkwood police showed the group dealt more than one kilogram of heroin.

Investigators also listened on wiretaps as the conspirators enlisted an associate with access to law enforcement databases to run the license plates of customers to see if they were undercover law enforcement agents, prosecutors said. They also overheard conspirators threaten to kill a customer over a drug debt, but intervened to stop the plot, prosecutors said.

Photos of the defendants were not immediately available.
With President Donald Trump in the White House and Republicans still controlling the Senate, Pelosi's return to the speaker's office to lead a Democratic majority with its biggest freshmen class since Watergate shakes up the dynamic in Washington even beyond the new era of divided government.
Gwadar, Apr 12 (IBNS): A blast in Gwadar city of Pakistan has left at least three people injured on Wednesday, media reports said.

Police officials were quoted as saying by Dawn News that miscreants targeted three civilians on Gwadar airport road.

According to reports, the improvised explosive device (IED) was planted in a motorcycle.

The vehicle was parked on the side of the road, reports said.

The injured people were rushed to District Headquarters Hospital Gwadar.

Security personnel rushed to the site of the blast.

Image: Wikimedia Commons
JEFFERSON CITY  As the Missouri House moved once again last week to overturn one of his citys ordinances, this time one protecting women who have had abortions, Rep. Michael Butler, D-St. Louis, turned to a higher power.

He pointed to House Speaker Todd Richardson, R-Poplar Bluff, and paraphrased Exodus 9:1: This is the second or third time this session that were going to do something that affects something only in St. Louis, he said. Pharoah, let my people go.

Most of the chamber ignored the invocation, voting 118-36 to nix the ordinance.

But the desperation of Butlers message reflects a growing trend among liberal cities yearning to push progressive ideas, only to find themselves bound to red-state lawmakers.

With Republicans in full control of nearly two-thirds of state legislatures, both houses of Congress and now the White House, city halls have become the last bulwark of Democratic power in many places between the coasts.

And with little hope for cooperation with pro-business and socially conservative state lawmakers, mayors and city councils have adopted their own rules raising minimum wages, decriminalizing marijuana and extending discrimination protections for LGBT residents.

Statehouses are fighting back.

At least 12 states, including Missouri, have passed legislation preempting local minimum wage laws in the past four years. Fifteen states bar cities from mandating employers to provide paid leave. Missouri is looking to join 32 others banning local rules on ride-hailing companies such as Uber and three others blocking anti-discrimination laws.

Some states offer protections for their big industries, as Texas and Oklahoma have for fracking. Thirteen states keep municipalities from setting rules on agricultural operations.

And in Arizona, any state legislator can freeze funding to a city he or she believes is getting out of line with state law.

Cities frustration

Preemption has precedent in many states. The National Rifle Association began working on statehouses to eliminate local gun control laws in the 1970s and now has legislation passed in 43 states. The tobacco industry got laws passed preempting smoke-free policies in more than a dozen states.

But the recent rebukes have frustrated municipal officials who feel theyre the ones who know the needs of their city and its people best.

Charlottes ordinance establishing legal protections for LGBT residents drew nationwide attention last year when an outraged North Carolina legislature overruled it and barred transgender people from using the restroom matching their gender identity for nearly a year. The ordinances opponents said Charlottes liberal idealism was going to end up giving sexual predators access to womens restrooms.

But Charlotte City Councilwoman LaWana Mayfield said the ordinance was a carefully considered response to transgender residents complaints about harassment in restaurants and other public places. Council members found similar protections in more than 200 other cities, including nearby economic competitor Charleston, S.C., and at major area employers such as Bank of America.

We have the right to protect our citizens and welcome the people who come here to visit, Mayfield said, and it is our duty to take a stand for our community and say we dont tolerate hate here.

In St. Louis, Alderman Megan Green, 15th Ward, had similar reasons for supporting a minimum wage increase and pushing protections for women who have had an abortion, use contraceptives or are pregnant.

St. Louis is a progressive city, and people move here and work here because of that, she said. We have a bigger, more diverse population that has different needs, and those need to be respected.

A patchwork of rules

But where city officials see pragmatic policy, state lawmakers and business interests find rebellion.

They say their economic intervention keeps cities from creating a patchwork of rules that are confusing and unfair to businesses and their employees.

When cities enact these unilateral wage laws, theyre making things more expensive for businesses who arent seeing any additional revenue, said Ray McCarty, a lobbyist for the business group Associated Industries of Missouri. That means businesses may not be able to afford as many jobs.

As for overriding social justice policies, lawmakers say theyre protecting the rights of residents threatened by unchecked liberal activists.

There are some municipalities who feel theyre not very well represented in the state, said Rep. Jason Chipman, R-Steelville, who is sponsoring a bill to block St. Louis minimum wage increase. But its the states job to protect all of its citizens, not just the ones outside where they want to create their little bubbles.

That kind of rhetoric often confirms for local officials that their capitols do not care what they think, despite the outsize contributions their cities make to state economies.

Tennessee couldnt pay the bills in this state without Nashville and Memphis, said Dave Rosenberg, a Nashville metro councilman. And yet the state legislature forbade local tobacco ordinances, a rule against guns in parks and a minimum wage increase  and now has Rosenbergs marijuana decriminalization ordinance in its crosshairs.

It tells the people in here that their opinions dont matter because its not something a legislator wants in their community, he said.

But Chipman is legally correct. The U.S. Constitution recognizes only the states and federal government; cities are created, chartered and governed by the states.

If the state wanted to abolish all political subdivisions and govern everything directly, it could, University of Missouri law professor Richard Ruben said.

St. Louis has expansive home rule powers that allow it to effectively govern itself, Ruben added. But that doesnt mean it can ignore state law.

Hypocrisy or politics?

Even as they deny local control to cities, Missouri Republicans have endorsed the idea of local control when it suits them  especially when it involves the federal government.

Theyve called measures that would bring Missouri drivers licenses in line with federal standards capitulation bills. Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, tried to attach an amendment to the House proposal requiring any elected official who voted for them to declare on election documents: I would rather kneel to the federal government than stand strong protecting my constituents right to privacy.

When then-President Barack Obama issued an order directing schools to allow transgender students to use the restroom matching their gender identity, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, Mo., told former education secretary John King that Local school boards should be responsible for making decisions on access to restrooms, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington.

City Democrats see hypocrisy, but Ken Warren, a political scientist at St. Louis University, sees typical politics.

Politics is inherently a hypocritical profession, he said. Republicans pushed for a lot of measures to centralize federal control when they were in power so liberal states couldnt have flexibility; Democrats did the same thing, and Republicans would object.

Now that Republicans control nearly all of the upper two levels of government, he continued, they can enforce their will and block efforts they dont like.

But thats just the way our democracy works, he said.

The political divide is likely to continue, said Brooks Rainwater, director of the Center for City Solutions at the National League of Cities.

And thats unfortunate, because were all dealing with the same problems of poverty, opioid addiction, affordable housing and making a living wage, he said. But instead of having leaders over here working with leaders other there, were just pitting them against each other.
JEFFERSON CITY  With one month to go in the Missouri Legislatures spring session, a key piece of the latest budget plan faces an uncertain future in the Senate, potentially forcing deeper cuts to aid for older adults and the disabled.

As part of a line-by-line review of the $27.8 billion spending proposal, members of the Senate Appropriations Committee raised red flags this week about a plan endorsed by the House to pull the plug on a special tax break for older adults.

The House legislation would end the so-called circuit breaker tax break for renters in order to generate $56 million in savings.

That money would replace savings Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, had sought by making it harder for certain elderly and disabled people to qualify for home care and nursing home programs.

But some senators are balking at the idea, saying more than 96,000 older adults relied on an average tax break of $550 per year to fulfill basic needs.

The circuit breaker is not going to pass, predicted Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, D-St. Louis. We cant rob Peter to pay Paul here.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dan Brown said he supported the House plan and was trying to convince his colleagues that there were few alternatives for the fiscal year that begins July 1. If the circuit breaker money is unavailable, lawmakers will have to cut programs for older adults and reduce aid to schools.

It will determine how we proceed on this budget, Brown told the Post-Dispatch. If we dont pass circuit breaker, we cant fund the formula.

Senators are moving this week to put their own fingerprints on the spending plan by questioning a number of programs endorsed by either Greitens or the GOP-led House. It comes as lawmakers face a May 5 deadline to get the document to the governors desk.

Among the key items up for debate is how much money will be going to fund elementary and high schools.

Republicans in the House inserted an additional $48 million into the school funding formula and declared they had fully funded schools.

We made a lot of tough decisions. But at the end of the day, I think its a budget we can all be proud of, said House Budget Committee Chairman Scott Fitzpatrick, a Shell Knob Republican. We still fully funded the formula.

Democrats say the claims of fully funding the formula are a smoke screen because the majority party rewrote last year the state education funding law to claim it fully funded public schools even though the change represents an actual $400 million reduction.

The new money earmarked for schools is actually less than the $85 million in new money allocated in the current fiscal year. In May 2014, lawmakers left town after having put $115 million toward schools.

What has Democrats even more concerned is that Brown isnt planning to go along with the Houses school funding plan.

Rather, he says fully funding schools will trigger an expansion of early childhood programs that local districts cannot afford.

It will be somewhere in between zero and fully funded, Brown told members of the Senate budget panel Tuesday.

Other pieces of the budget puzzle also are under scrutiny.

For example, the Senate panel did not endorse spending $6 million to improve internet accessibility in rural areas because it was unclear how many school districts would benefit from the program.

Were having trouble finding information, Brown said Wednesday.

Greitens, a Republican, has promoted the idea as a way to ensure students throughout the state have access to broadband.

Members of the committee also set up a showdown with the House over funding for the states public colleges and universities.

In his February budget address, the governor recommended a 10 percent cut to core funding for universities and community colleges.

The House lowered that cut to 6.6 percent for community colleges and all four-year institutions except those within the University of Missouri System, which was reduced 9 percent.

Brown wants to continue negotiating that figure. Hed like to see the cuts somewhere in between 6.6 percent and 9 percent.

The Senate budget proposal for state prisons also generated concern from Nasheed and Sen. Shalonn Kiki Curls, D-Kansas City.

Both said they were upset that Brown wants to ax a $2 million program that assists people who are leaving prison prepare for the outside world.

This is something Ive been fighting for the past 10 years, said Nasheed.

Its a very significant issue, Curls said. As folks are being released, they are coming out unprepared.

Brown also wants to cut 27 prison librarians to save $967,398.

The spending plan also includes $2.2 million to open a new 17-bed mental health treatment center at the Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center in Farmington.

Debate on the budget is expected to continue Thursday.
FULTON, MO.  Congressional Republicans have taken so much heat at town halls this year that theyve started avoiding them, but Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., had a different experience at a meeting here Wednesday.

When McCaskill asked a crowd of about 300 people in the Callaway Senior Center who among them would never vote for her, only one hand went up. Her comments and responses to constituents questions were often halted by applause.

It was a far cry from the questions Republicans in other states have faced over the Republican attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act or perceived collusion with President Donald Trump on Russia.

McCaskill tried to emphasize that her tour of the state Wednesday included eight stops in counties that overwhelmingly went for Trump. She took an implicit shot at some of the more bashful members of Missouris delegation.

There are ways to avoid looking the people you work for in the eye in this day and age, she said. In an earlier stop in Jefferson County, she said anyone who dodged such meetings wasnt qualified for office.

In Fulton, she answered more than a dozen questions, voicing opposition to the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and to proposed budget cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency. She also explained her vote against newly minted Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch  a wrongful termination ruling he made against a freezing truck driver sealed the deal.

But she saved some of her heaviest criticism for the state of campaign finance. She said she was preparing for an onslaught of attacks ads funded by conservative nonprofits that dont have to disclose their donors.

There will be as much as $100 million spent on TV, and a lot of it is going to have me looking really fat and ugly, she said. And the Democrats are going to do it, too, so my advice is ... if it doesnt say paid for by the candidate, dont pay any attention to it.

McCaskills Republican colleagues in the delegation had varying responses to McCaskills assertion that town halls were an essential part of the job.

We take care of our constituents the way we feel is best, and Sen. McCaskill can do what she feels works best for her, said Kristina Wegher, a spokeswoman for Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, Mo.

Rep. Ann Wagners office had a sharper response: I believe what makes you unfit for office is when you dont represent Missouri values; and Sen. McCaskills vote against [Supreme Court] Justice Gorsuch last week told millions of Missourians that she simply doesnt share their values.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., has been in smaller meetings with constituents over the Easter recess, his office said.

The senator is meeting with constituents back home throughout the state work period, spokeswoman Katie Boyd said.

Steve Engelhardt, a spokesman for Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, said Clay would convene a town hall meeting at 4 p.m. Friday at the Central West End branch of the St. Louis Public Library.
Toronto, Apr 12 (IBNS): NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) spacecraft has detected metal ions in the upper atmosphere (ionosphere) of a planet other than Earth, media reports quoted said Joseph Grebowsky as saying recently.

Joseph Grebowsky is the lead author of a paper on the topic which was published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Grebowsky, of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Maryland explained that metallic ions originating from earth get transported to the planets by neutral winds and electric fields and can be used to infer motion in the ionosphere, similar to the inference of the lofted leaf to predict the direction of blowing wind.

This revelation throws further light on MAVENs exploration of the Martian upper atmosphere (ionosphere) to understand how ionospheric activity in Martian atmosphere is being absorbed in space, according to the team.

When these meteoroids, which are the source of the metals on the planet, hit the Martian atmosphere, it vaporizes. Metal atoms in the vapor get charged by other charged atoms and molecules in the ionosphere and are transformed to electrically charged ions.

Using its Neutral Gas and Ion Mass Spectrometer instrument, MAVEN detected iron, magnesium, and sodium ions in the upper atmosphere of Mars over the past two years and the team was confident that the metal ions were a permanent feature, said Grebowsky

The team said that there was a probability that all solar system planets and moons with substantial atmospheres have metal ions.

However, detection of the metal ions by MAVEN is the first conclusive evidence of permanent existence of these ions on another planet.

The team found that the metal ions behaved differently on Mars and Earth. Earth is surrounded by a global magnetic field generated in its interior, which, together with ionospheric winds, forces the metal ions into layers.

Mars had only local magnetic fields concentrated in certain regions of its crust, and the team only saw the layers of metals near these areas, said Grebowsky.

Detailed understanding of the difference of behaviours of meteoritic ions in Earth and Mars will be useful for better predicting of impact which these interplanetary dust would have on other unexplored solar system atmospheres, said Grebowsky.

The research was funded by the MAVEN mission and MAVEN project was managed by NASA Goddard.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)
Twitters most bellicose presidential user often tweets taunts and accusations, but when someone else does it, theyre out of line. A rogue government account that criticizes President Donald Trumps policies anonymously was in danger last week of being unmasked after the Department of Homeland Security issued a summons demanding the social media company turn over its users identities. The government withdrew the demand a day after Twitter sued.

It was obvious from the start that the government had no legal grounds to make the demand. Even one top Trump aide with his own Twitter scandal, Dan Scavino, argues that federal employees have a right to free speech on their own time, using their own accounts and equipment.

Since Trumps inauguration, dozens of Twitter accounts have sprung up claiming to be run by current and former federal employees of different agencies, including @alt_labor and @RogueEPAstaff. Users posting to @ALT_uscis, the account targeted by the DHS summons, have critiqued the governments immigration policies and revealed issues within the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office.

DHS tried to legally justify the summons by invoking an obscure federal law that allows it to obtain documents related to importations of merchandise. But as Twitters lawyers pointed out in their suit, this case plainly has nothing whatsoever to do with the importation of merchandise.

Rather, the cloudy legal grounds were part of the administrations gusto for quieting dissent. Its what Trump did when he ordered the National Park Service to temporarily stop tweeting after it posted photos of crowds at his inauguration, effectively confirming weak attendance.

Social media companies do have a responsibility to forgo privacy concerns when national security is at risk, say, when terrorists communicate via online accounts. When the FBI demanded last year that Apple unlock the iPhone used by one San Bernardino terrorist, Apple had an unmet obligation to cooperate. But some grumbling desk workers and their 140-character pent-up frustrations do not threaten America  just the presidents sensitivities.

Besides, the federal employees supposedly running the @ALT_uscis account have every right to engage in this form of political activity. Just ask Scavino, the presidents social media director, who tweeted on April 1 encouraging the #TrumpTrain to oust a GOP member who opposed the Republican health care bill.

From the left and right, Scavino was accused of violating the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from using taxpayer facilities, equipment or work time to engage in political activity. But as the White House was quick to point out in Scavinos defense, the law also notes that employees are free to do as they please outside the office.

The Trump administrations demand that Twitter expose and endanger its critics was an unconstitutional infringement on free speech. A summons as outrageous as that deserved its quick demise.
Theres a businessman in Philadelphia who, years ago, took a big gamble on America. He came here with $185 in his pocket and today owns six Rolls Royces and a Maserati. A true American success story. Donald Trumps kind of guy.

But if Mohamed Salhani had come knocking at Trumps America, the door wouldve slammed in his face because of his native countrys links to radical Islamic terrorism.

Had Trump been in power when Salhani and his bedraggled family arrived in 1989, no one would have cared that the Sunni Muslim had risked his own life to save American servicemen wounded in a gigantic suicide bombing. Gettemouttahere, Trump wouldve growled.

I met Salhani in Beirut shortly after the Oct. 23, 1983, suicide truck bombing that killed 241 U.S. service members in a Marines barracks at Beiruts besieged airport. Though I was miles away, the bomb and a nearly simultaneous explosion at a French military compound were so powerful, they rattled me right out of my bed.

Salhani, a heavy machinery operator for construction company Oger Liban, had no telephone at home and no one to tell him what to do. He got dressed, and was the first Lebanese volunteer to arrive at the scene. For five continuous days, I worked my ass off, he said, maneuvering heavy equipment and lifting thousands of tons of concrete slabs. Ignoring the dangers, Salhani helped to free wounded U.S. service members and recover the dead.

It was Salhani who uncovered remnants of the truck that had been used to deliver the bomb.

As a young reporter for The Daily Star in Beirut, I tracked Salhani down to tell his story of unsung heroism. The Marines had withdrawn. Radical gunmen had taken over the Muslim western half of the city, kidnapping any Lebanese deemed to have collaborated with Western occupiers.

They targeted Salhani as suspect for having helped the Marines. Worse, he was a Sunni in Shiite-dominated West Beirut. In the chaotic dance of Lebanons civil war, the two sects were fighting each other. Guns were trained between Israeli-backed Christians and Syrian-backed Muslims and Palestinians.

For me, Salhani was just another story. You get some quotes, take a picture, then move on to the next assignment. But by putting Salhanis story and photo in the newspaper, I had inadvertently put a target on him.

Death threats followed. They accused me of being a spy. They locked me up, he told me years later. The fighting and daily bombings also intensified. Beirut was the most dangerous place on earth at the time.

Salhani escaped his kidnappers and went into hiding. Years passed, but the threats and harassment continued. By 1989, he knew he had to get out any way he could with his wife and three children.

Imagine taking stock of everything in your own home and trying to sift through clothing, documents, personal letters, photos and cherished possessions, taking only what would fit into a couple of suitcases.

Salhani decided a clipping of my old Daily Star article was a must-take item.

The family made it to Canada by way of Syria, hoping eventually to gain U.S. entry as refugees. But when he went to the U.S. Consulate in Damascus, an American consular official rejected his pleas from behind her protective glass wall.

I yelled. My voice was so loud you could hear it two blocks away, Salhani told me. He pulled out my Daily Star article and pressed it against the window, begging, I saved three Marines lives! The official wouldnt budge.

He tried again at the consulate in Montreal. There, the person on the other side was Angela Dickey, now a retired career Foreign Service officer. Last week I tracked her down by phone outside Washington.

In 26 years with the State Department, she said, she handled thousands of such cases. In all that time, I helped only two people to become refugees. He was one of them. That article made the difference, she said. She cross-checked it and verified that Salhani was, in fact, a hero.

He was so desperate and destitute, she gave him $500 out of her own pocket so he could get his family to the U.S. border.

I was pretty hard on people, Dickey said of the vetting process at the time. But she had authority to grant exceptions. He stood out to me among thousands.

The notion of extreme vetting has always been there, Dickey said. But previous administrations have always trusted their consular officials to be professionals and patriots who would not allow Americas security to be jeopardized.

If we really want to uphold American values, she said, the Trump administration would give its consular officers the same level of discretion to make exceptions when truly special cases arise.

With $185 in his pocket by the time Salhani reached Philadelphia, he worked at odd jobs and eventually opened a car-repair shop, building it into a $5 million enterprise.

Is Mohamed Salhani really the kind of person we need to blindly keep out of Trumps America?
Toronto, Apr 12 (IBNS): Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said recently that her government will soon rein in the soaring prices seen in the Toronto area housing market.

Toronto and its surrounding cluster of growing cites, popularly known as Greater Toronto Area (GTA), has seen a whopping increase of about 33 percent compared to same month last year, raising questions about affordability.

The average price of a detached house in Toronto stands at $1.5 million dollars while around the GTA it will be $900,000 to 1.3 million dollars.

Premier Wynne did not provide further details on the measures but she suggested the measures would have an immediate impact on the hot Toronto-area housing market.

There is a need for some action that will have an impact fairly quickly, but we also know its a complex market and we have to be judicious in the way we bring forward initiatives, she told The Canadian Press from Illinois, where she met Governor Bruce Rauner to discuss trade.

Meanwhile, Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown pointed out the shortage of housing supply as a major cause to throw the housing market out of the track.

According to opposition leader Brown, the government should focus on long term measures by addressing the shortage in housing supply and to establish a panel of experts to develop housing market measures and also collect data on housing demand and speculative vacancies

But Ontario Finance Minister, Charles Sousa said that the Progressive Conservative is only offering conversation.

Its nice that theyve joined the conversation, but all theyre offering is conversation, said the minister.

The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) has pointed out Ontarios restrictive growth plan, known as Places to Grow, has contributed to the current housing shortage and soaring home prices.

The Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Mauro dismissed that suggestion completely saying there is enough serviced land  connected to municipal water and wastewater systems  in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to accommodate three to four years worth of development.



(Reporting by Suman Das,Image of Premier Kathleen Wynne: Wikimedia Commons)
Toronto, Apr 12 (IBNS): Nobel Peace Prize winner and a brutal Taliban attack survivor, Malala Yousafzai would receive honorary citizenship today during a formal ceremony in Ottawa before she addresses the House of Commons, media reports said.

The speech, expected to begin at about 12 p.m. ET. CBC.ca, will have live coverage of Yousafzai's arrival on the Hill and her address to Parliament, CBCNews reports said.

"Honorary citizenship is an extraordinary recognition conferred upon a recipient which does not confer legal status under the Citizenship Act," said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship spokeswoman Nancy Caron, CBCNews reports said.

Malala Yousafzai will become Canada's sixth honorary citizen.

Other five people, who had been granted honorary Canadian citizenship, were Karim Aga Khan, imam in 2010, Aung San Suu Kyi, 2007, Tenzin Gyatso, in 2006, Nelson Mandelai n 2001 and Raoul Wallenberg in 1985.

She had become an international activist after surviving the attack by a masked gunman at age 15 for her advocacy on the right for girls to learn and attend school.

During her visit to Ottawa, she is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Later in the afternoon, Yousafzai will meet with interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose.

"Malala is a symbol of determination and hope for young girls around the worldto stand up for those who need support," she said in a statement provided to CBC News.

"Her presence in the House of Commons, just a month after Equal Voice brought together 338 Daughterswe are to thrive and prosper as a global community," Nancy Peckford, executive director of Equal Voices told CBC.



(Reporting by Asha Bajaj,Image: UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe)


Celebrating Venture House's first birthday were Jas Kaur, left, of OmniCyber Security, pictured along with Karen Moore, of KSM Recruitment, Nancy Singleton, SDC business enterprise and tourism manager, Anne Solomon, business centre administrator, Lauren Preece, business administration apprentice, and Jacquey Parker, of Jump Consultancy. Photo: Mark Williamson (V5/4/17/2124)

STRATFORD-UPON-AVONS state-of-the-art business centre Venture House celebrated its first birthday this week.

The centre, which supports entrepreneurs, home- based businesses and SMEs to make their first step into a commercial environment, marked its first year on Tuesday, 4th April.

Venture House has proved to be quite a success and was fully occupied by new and fledgling businesses within six months of opening.

It has been funded to the tune of 450,000 by the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership as part of the Growth Deal Initiative.

To mark its birthday a celebration was held at the centre on Tuesday night with cakes served on a ladder, symbolising how Venture House has helped businesses climb the ladder of success.

Offering a range of facilities, including hot desking, meeting rooms, a chill zone and free on-site business advice from the CWLEP Growth Hub, the centre has struck a chord with those making their first steps in business.

Emily Faye, who works for a company called Schoolzine creating digital engagement platforms for schools, said: Venture House is great for networking, weve only just started in the UK and the vibe here is one that really chimes with Schoolzine, it ticks all the boxes. Being here has helped us develop key contacts with the council and the facilities are great.

Fellow Venture House user, Karen Moore, who runs KSM Recruitment, added: I was working from home before, but I decided to move here because I didnt want to feel isolated. Its great being here and working with the other businesses, three different companies based here have given me business since I moved in. The car parking is also a big advantage and were close to the A46.

There is a shortage of small spaces for companies who are just starting out and I think more centres like Venture House would do well in the area.

Nancy Singleton, Venture House manager, said: Its been a great year, within the first few months all of our offices were occupied. I think weve had around 500 business engagements over the 12 months which were really pleased with. I think Venture House is popular because of the flexibility we offer with our terms and conditions.

We also run a number of programmes such as the Chamber of Commerce business start-up. We want Venture House to be the blueprint for similar projects across the region and are investigating opportunities in Studley or Southam.

Cllr Dave Riches, enterprise and revenues portfolio holder for the district council, added: We are very proud of our new business centre and are delighted that it is making such a positive impact on new and small businesses.

We look forward to welcoming more businesses to the centre which we hope will provide a platform for inspiration. We would encourage them to take full advantage of the opportunity to work in a friendly business community environment aimed at helping them on their journey to productivity and growth.

Fledgling businesses can experience what Venture House has to offer by taking advantage of a free hot desk trial or come along for a visit. To find out more about Venture House, visit: www.venturehousestratford.co.uk or contact 01789 207500.
Former president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari has accused the Minister for Interior, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of playing role in "abduction" of his friends.

Zardari accused the federal government of abducting his friends and close aides.

Co-chairman of PPP said that Nisar should resign if he has his hands tied.

While talking about death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav, Zardari said that Pakistan would punish Indian spies whenever caught.

Earlier today, PPP walked out of Senate to demonstrate protest against alleged abduction of Zardaris close aides.

MQM also demonstrated a walk-out in the Senate today following the protest put up by PPP. Both the political parties have alleged the federal government of having played role in issue over missing workers.

Read more: Khuro demands to present Ghulam Qadir Murree in court

While addressing the House, Senator Taj Haider said that Asif Ali Zardaris three aides went missing and that Minister of State for the Interior Balighur Rehman was present in the House but not offering an explanation.

He announced that peoples party was demonstrating a walk-out over governments objectionable attitude.

Tahir Mashhadi addressed the senators following PPPs protest and maintained that workers of MQM have also gone missing which is why the political party was demonstrating a walk-out.
Pakistan People Party (PPP) leaders in their speeches in Sindh Assembly session lashed out Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government over disappearance of Asif Ali Zardaris close aides.

Chief Minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, in his speech, said that whichever institution lifted the missing party persons should follow constitution.

At the start of the session, Dua were also observed for the recovery of the missing aides of the party which included Ghulam Qadir Muree and Ashfaq Leghari while the all the PPP members reacted strongly against Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan over the missing persons of the party.

Abudul Sattar Rajpar claimed that  three brave men of Sindh have been disappeared adding that  the people of Sindh are not week that their friends could be disappeared and we remained keep quite over the matter and asked the government,  why these missing persons are not being presented in the courts.

Imdad Patafi said that  our leaders never ever have run away from courts  while targeting the Interior Minister, Patafi said that  Chaudhry Nisar should refrain from the cheap acts.

Deputy Speaker Shahla Raza said that  why Chaudhry Nisar forgets that PPP is the party whose leader, (referring to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto), had said that he did not want to die from hands of history.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says the recent US missile strike on a Syrian air base over an alleged chemical attack was reminiscent of a plot hatched in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said Washington invaded Iraq following false allegations that it possessed chemical weapons.

Then the US representative at the UN Security Council showed alleged chemical weapons found in Iraq, he said, adding that the military intervention ended with the country's destruction, with the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the ... [Daesh terrorist group] on the international stage, no more, no less.

Read more: US launches missile strike against Syria

On April 7, US cruise missiles hit Shayrat Airfield in Syrias Homs Province earlier this week, killing 15 Syrians and causing material damage. Washington claimed that the air base was the origin of the April 4 purported gas attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syrias Idlib Province which left over 80 people dead.

The US attack on the Syrian airfield following accusations of Damascus' involvement in the Khan Shaykhun incident "strongly resembles the developments of 2003, Putin pointed out.

Russias Defense Ministry said last week that the Khan Shaykhun deaths were caused when a Syrian airstrike hit a "terrorist warehouse" used for making bombs containing "toxic substances. Syria also gave a similar account of the incident.

Also read: US prepared to conduct further military strikes in Syria: Haley

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian president warned of future chemical weapons "provocations" in Syria to frame President Bashar al-Assad.

"We have information from various sources that such provocations - I cannot call them otherwise - are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern outskirts of Damascus, where they are again planning to throw some kind of substance and accuse Syrian official authorities of using it," he said.

In early 2003, the US, strongly backed by the UK, invaded Iraq under the pretext that the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons, however, were ever found in Iraq.

Read more: US missile strikes against Syria strategic mistake: Ayat. Khamenei

The invasion and subsequent occupation of the country killed more than one million Iraqis, according to the California-based investigative organization Project Censored.

The Iraq Inquiry report concluded last year that the Iraq war was launched on the basis of "flawed" intelligence at a time when Saddam presented "no imminent threat" and diplomatic options had not been exhausted.
The Iraqi army says the territory held by the Daesh terrorist group in the Arab country has shrunk from 40 percent to less than seven percent over the past three years.

"Daesh controlled 40 percent of Iraqi land" in 2014, but as of March 31 (2017), they only held 6.8 percent of Iraqi territory," Iraqs Joint Operations Command (JOC) spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Rasool told a press conference in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Daesh began its campaign of death and destruction in northern and western Iraq in 2014.

Iraqi army soldiers and allied fighters are leading operations to win back militant-held regions.

Over the past almost two years, Daesh has been losing ground steadily, and thus increased its acts of violence in revenge for the blows it has been suffering at the hand of Iraqi forces, particularly in the northern city of Mosul.

The Mosul liberation operation began last October. Iraqi forces took control of eastern Mosul in January and launched the battle in the west in February.

The full liberation of Mosul, Daeshs last major city stronghold in Iraq, would likely spell the end for the terror outfits so-called caliphate.
Brazils Supreme Court has ordered corruption investigations against eight ministers and dozens of other top politicians in a broad measure that affects nearly a third of President Michel Temers cabinet and many of his political allies.

The top court said in a ruling on Tuesday that, altogether, 108 people would come under investigation.

The ruling came after studying more than 74 inquiries involving plea bargain deals and testimony from former and current executives with a major construction company, Odebrecht, which is the focus of a bribes-for-contracts scandal.

The list of names published by the official website of the Brazilian court Tuesday night included Presidential Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha, Lower House Speaker Rodrigo Maia, Senate President Eunicio Oliveira, and the ministers of foreign affairs, agriculture and trade, among others.

Also under investigation would be the heads of the two key political parties in Temers coalition.

The Supreme Court also referred 201 probes to lower courts for judges there to decide whether the investigations should proceed. The cases included investigations against three former Brazilian presidents, namely Dilma Rousseff, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Fernando Henrique Cardoso.

The development came as Temer fights to survive an electoral court trial that could remove him from office for illegal campaign financing.

The Brazilian incumbent is also trying to pass harsh austerity measures and reforms through the Congress as polls indicate that his approval rating has nose-dived to as low as 10 percent.

Odebrecht and state oil giant Petrobras are at the center of a wide-ranging probe in Brazil involving bribes and inflated contracts at state corporations. The investigation has entangled dozens of high-level politicians and executives and has grown into the largest graft probe in Brazils history.

The scandal has even taken regional dimensions, with justice systems in other Latin American states accusing local officials of taking bribes from the Brazilian construction giant.

Odebrecht has admitted to paying nearly 800 million dollars in bribes across Latin America.

The investigations will bring a tsunami to Brazilian politics, according to professor of political science Claudio Couto at Fundacao Getulio Vargas, a Sao Paulo-based university and think tank.

Every party and every state has someone there. Top congressional leaders of both houses are involved. This is proof that corruption in Brazil is systemic and there is a huge potential for this to disorganize the whole administration as of tomorrow, Couto said.
By Press Trust of India: From Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Apr 12 (PTI) An 85-year-old former Nepali soldier today exuded confidence over regaining his lost title of being the oldest climber to scale the Mount Everest as he plans to conquer the worlds tallest peak again, hoping that his feat will help spread the message of peace.

Min Bahadur Serchan, who was once the oldest climber to scale the Mount Everest, plans to scale the 8,848-meter peak this climbing season during a window of favourable weather.

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"I want to be the oldest person to scale Everest again to be an inspiration for people around the world,? former Gorkha soldier Serchan told reporters at his home here.

"I may be old in terms of age but I still have young courage. I will reach the peak of Everest come what may," Sherchan told reporters.

Sherchan would be climbing the Everest for the cause of the world peace and to protect Earth, besides winning back the record, said his campaign coordinator Jit Bahadur Gharti Magar.

Sherchan had scaled the Everest at the age of 76 in 2008 and recorded his name in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 as the oldest climber.

Five years later, his record was broken by an 80- year-old Japanese national Yuichiro Miura.

Earlier, Sherchan had made an attempt to scale the Everest in 2015 but could not make it due to the avalanches triggered by the great earthquake.

"Thus we launched a campaign for Sherchan in his record breaking spree," said Gharti Magar.

He and his team of six guides and helpers would embark for the expedition on Sunday, two days after the Nepalese new year.

Nepal will celebrate its official new year 2074 as per Bikram era on Friday.

His team leader Shiva Bahadur Sapkota has scaled the Everest twice in the past.

He said that if Sherchan regains his title he will plan to campaign for world peace by traveling to conflict-hit countries like Syria. PTI SBP MRJ AKJ MRJ

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) An Afghan national moved the Delhi High Court today seeking deportation of his wife and minor sons, granted temporary refugee status by the UNHCR, back to Afghanistan.

The wife and kids have been granted temporary refugee status till April 18 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

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Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, who was not inclined to pass any order in the matter, gave the man time till April 19 to show any law under which the court can direct the Centre to deport the woman and her sons when they have refugee status.

The court said the man should make a representation to the central government for deporting his wife.

It told the man "you should have kept her happy" in response to his contention that his wife left with the kids without saying anything.

According to the plea of the Afghan national, he married the woman in 2008 in Kabul and two sons were born to them in 2009 and 2014.

All of them had come to India on a tourist visa on February 18, 2017 and were staying in Kalkaji in south Delhi at a close friends residence, the petition said.

It also said that the wife had gone to a park with the kids on March 8, 2017, but did not return home.

The petitioner had then approached the police, but the agency lodged a complaint only on March 14, the plea alleged.

The police, thereafter, traced the woman and both she and her husband (the petitioner) were called to the Kalkaji police station on March 24.

At the police station, the woman said she does not want to live with him and it was then that he came to know that she and the kids have temporary refugee status, the petition has claimed. PTI HMP PPS SMN

--- ENDS ---
People are being warned to keep an eye out for their friends and neighbours following the declaration of a state of local emergency covering the entire Bay of Plenty region.

The Bay of Plenty is expected to be affected by rain as Cyclone Cook which is forecast to hit land from midday.

Its important we look out for one another in the coming days so make sure you have a plan to keep yourself and your loved ones safe, Rotorua MP Todd McClay says.

Todd says the declaration of a state of local emergency means that government agencies and emergency services are all on standby and will work closely with residents should they be needed.

The National Security System has been activated to ensure all-of-government coordinated planning ahead of the severe weather.

The declaration of a state of local emergency also allows emergency services access to more resources from a wider area and follows another issued recently for ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

There has been a lot of rain in the Bay of Plenty over the last month. Lake and river levels are high and in many areas the ground remains waterlogged. Our services are well placed to assist but people should be prepared, says Todd.

There will be frequent Civil Defence updates, listen to the radio and be careful when driving.

Meanwhile, Whakatane District Council says it has been making good progress on getting Edgecumbe residents back into their homes and inspecting properties in the flooded area.

The aim is to inspect 300 houses in Edgecumbe by the end of tomorrow.

The work started yesterday morning, with 16 building Inspectors from across the Lakes Coast building cluster.

A further 13 building control officers are arriving from Auckland Council to assist today.

The inspectors have been inspecting each flood damaged house to assess whether structural damage has occurred, the extent of flood damage, and whether it is safe to move back into homes.

Some homes have been moved off their foundations, some brick cladding has collapsed and will likely be deemed dangerous.

Many homes will require wall linings to be removed. Silt will need to be removed from under the buildings in order to help the framing to dry out before they can be repaired and become habitable again.

We will offer owners free building consents to record the process and completion of any repair to a flood damaged home, says Mayor Tony Bonne.

This independent oversight will provide certainty about the repair process for current and future property owners.

Also, Whakatane District Council is facilitating a meeting today with representatives of all insurance companies and the Earthquake Commission to help make assessment processes as smooth and possible.

Once building inspections are completed, the council will contact affected owners to discuss the outcome of their assessment and provide them with a copy of it for them and their insurer.

We will continue to work closely with insurers and property owners to make the recovery process as simple as possible in the circumstances, says Tony.

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Steady progress on building inspections
During Akhilesh Das Gupta's reign as the BAI president, the sport of badminton made giant strides and gave India two Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016, respectively.

By India Today Web Desk: Badminton Association of India president and former Union minister, Akhilesh Das Gupta, on Wednesday died after suffering a heart attack.

Das was Minister of State for Steel in the Manmohan Singh cabinet during the first term of the United Progressive Alliance government from 2004 to 2009. He later joined Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

However, Das, a former national level badminton player, rejoined the Congress party in January this year ahead of the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh.

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Das, who was the son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Banarsi Das, had also been a former Mayor of Lucknow. He was a three-time Rajya Sabha member (twice from the Congress and once from the BSP).

He was also the Secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party under Congress President Sonia Gandhi from May 2003 to December 2005. He was a General Secretary in the BSP. In November 2014, Das quit the BSP.

During Das' reign as the BAI president, the sport of badminton made giant strides and gave India two Olympic medals in 2012 and 2016, respectively.

--- ENDS ---
Reliable computer models are fine tuning their forecasts and the latest on where Cook may make landfall shifts it closer to Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula and sends even more rain over flood hit Bay of Plenty.

Both European and American models are this morning (and were last night) placing the centre of Cook (which will be an ex-cyclone when it makes landfall in New Zealand late Thursday) somewhere around Tauranga or even the Coromandel Peninsula, says WeatherWatch.co.nz

Yesterday the centre was likely to make landfall in Whakatane or even further east towards Gisborne. This is still possible also.

This is about an 80 to 250km difference and is very normal when a tropical storm approaches any country. This shows that as the models fine tune where Cook will make landfall precisely it may still shift a bit, although the distance it may shift usually reduces as we get closer to the time.

This last firming up of the models places far more people at risk of severe weather over the following two days.

Its very important to note the severe weather around the centre of Cook extends for about 150kms to 200kms roughly - so the further west Cook goes the more likely major centres like Auckland, Tauranga, Hamilton and eastern Waikato towns will be hit by a burst of gales and very heavy rain.

Often the worst of the weather is in the south eastern quadrant, so again a more western landfall torwards Tauranga might see even heavier rain fall in already flooded eastern Bay of Plenty.

The 7 day rain map gives the clearest indication so far of where the rain will fall and the track Cook will likely take across New Zealand - the red streak from the tropics to Dunedin is the likely track of Cooks remnants/low and rainfall totals look easily to be one or two months worth of rain....yet again. GFS.

There are two lows affecting New Zealand - a large low moving in from the Tasman Sea is today seeing some heavy downpours develop in the upper North Island.

The bridge between this Tasman Low and Cook to the north will likely see a narrow but intense band of rain developing today and becoming heavier on Thursday as Cook approaches.

To be honest some of the biggest concerns come from the period of time between these lows when that line of very heavy rain forms over Bay of Plenty in particular, but as Cook moves in during Thursday conditons will only get worse before they get better...and then they do get better, says WeatherWatch.co.nz

One positive is that Cook looks unlikely to linger - and once it moves through it will sweep up and clear away any of the lingering rain over Bay of Plenty. So while Cook adds to the misery it may also help end the worst of the rain once it zips south.

Tax funded MetService has issued a number of weather warnings and have a detailed Severe Weather Outlook also. Please stay up to date over the next few days as this complicated system moves down the country.

The track Cook may take is a very unusual one, potentially crossing over Taupo then sliding down the east coast of the South Island it has the potential to impact most regions and all of our largest cities at some point with a burst of wind and rain. It may not be severe for everyone, but certainly it has the potential to be.

It seems New Zealand has another Cook that wants to trace along our coastline.

General Timings

(these may change by as much as 12 hours) but current modelling suggests the centre of Cook will make landfall on Thursday afternoon or evening around Tauranga area, tracking southwards, maybe even south-west a bit. Yesterday landfall was likely on Friday morning so you can see the timing isnt precisely locked in - but Thursday PM seems most likely based on the data we have at 7amNZT on Wednesday.

By dawn Friday, the centre of Ex-Cyclone Cook may be close to Christchurch - so its moving at a good speed but in a very unusual direction down New Zealand. Dunedin should see Cooks remnants move in across Friday with it clearing New Zealand in the early hours of Saturday morning around Stewart Island.

ABOVE - Set up for noon Thursday shows the centre of Cook approaching Coromandel Peninsula/western Bay of Plenty. Both GFS and ECMWF are forecasting a similar location for landfall (at least they were as of 6am Wednesday NZT).

BELOW - Set up for Friday morning shows Cook down near Dunedin now. Please note, the timing and exact track may still change a fair bit so please keep up to date with the Maps here at WeatherWatch.co.nz and the latest MetService warnings.
Sixty-nine new pairs of police-issue boots will be walking the beat in communities all across the Bay of Plenty.

Police Commissioner Mike Bush has announced the Bay will receive 69 new frontline officers over the next four year under the governments $500 million Safer Communities package.

All 12 of the countrys police districts will receive more officers and the Bay of Plenty is one of the biggest beneficiaries of todays announcement, says MP Todd Muller.

I am thrilled to see 69 allocated to our region over the next four years, and I know this news will be well received by our community. Ive been strongly advocating for this, and am pleased to see we will be receiving our fair share of the additional police resource.

While it is up to the District Commanders to work through which towns will receive the additional staff, its pleasing to see a significant number of those new officers allocated in the Bay of Plenty.

Todd says having additional resources in the community will not only be good for emergency responses, but will also help reduce crime.

The Bay MP knows todays news will also be welcomed by local police who do an extraordinary job, and believes its important the government continue to adequately resource them.

But todays announcement is not just about the numbers, he adds.

This investment in policing also means 95 per cent of New Zealanders will live within 25km of a 24/7 patrolling police officer. It means a new 24/7 non-emergency police number, as well as resources targeted at disrupting and dismantling organised crime.

As part of the Safer Communities package, 1125 more police staff, including 880 more frontline officers, plus 12 new mobile police stations will also be established around New Zealand over the next four years.

The government has also set new targets for police, including 98 per cent of home burglaries attended within 48 hours and one minute faster emergency response times.

The first intake of new recruits begins in July, with the first recruits on the beat by November.
Massive flooding in Eastern Bay of Plenty has destroyed homes and businesses, leaving many people homeless and forcing many more to evacuate.

With more bad weather on the way, as Cyclone Cook moves closer, Red Cross is preparing for further damage.

Andrew McKie New Zealand Red Cross National Disaster Management Officer says for many people the disaster is just beginning as the impact of the flood on their homes and livelihoods becomes clear, and as they brace for Cyclone Cook.

This was a significant flood and combined with the impact of the incoming cyclone, people are going to need our help. The disaster isnt over when the floodwaters recede or when the cyclone has passed, for many this will just be the start of a really tough time.

We have committed $50,000 to a response and recovery fund for the region, but we also need public support to help people get back on their feet and into their homes. At this stage, funds raised will be used to provide clean-up materials for homes and psychological support, but that will be just the start, there is going to be a lot of ongoing need.

One of the lucky ones

Donna Aramoana is one of the lucky ones. While several houses in her street were flooded by last weeks deluge, her home near the river in Whakatane escaped unscathed.

On her days off and in between her shifts, Donna has been volunteering at the Whakatane Civil Defence Centre, where organisations like Red Cross are providing support to affected residents.

Donnas been welcoming people to the centre, many of them family and friends from Edgecumbe, one of the worst-hit areas. Shes a friendly face for those families who have lost everything or are unable to return home.

"People are crying. I saw a couple just drop to their knees, just devastated," she says.

Red Cross Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST) have been assisting in Civil Defence Centres and providing support to evacuated people since the flooding began.

Red Cross DWST team member, Nicky van Praagh was with families returning to their Edgecumbe homes for the first time today.

"It was surreal. Houses had sunk, some were obviously moved. The engineer told us that the back bone of the house had broken - you couldnt go in because it was too unstable," she says.

For the families returning to their destroyed homes, the damage can be a shock. Red Cross teams are there to provide psychosocial support and help them through.

"There was an older man who was all alone. He got to his home - it had the big no go on it. He was just standing there, looking at it, just really overwhelmed by the damage.

Get prepared

A local state of Emergency has been declared for the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Emergency Management Group due to the expected arrival of Cyclone Cook in the next 48 hours and the current Severe Weather Warning.

This supersedes the state of Emergency declared for the Whakatane District Council on Thursday last week. Bay of Plenty residents are urged to keep up to date with the latest weather updates and take heed of any warnings. For local updates follow the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence Facebook page at www.facebook.com/bopcivildefence or visit the Bay of Plenty Civil Defence website at www.bopcivildefence.govt.nz

How to help

Red Cross has launched the Bay of Plenty Floods Appeal, which will support the response and the recovery in affected communities. Donations can be made at www.redcross.org.nz/donate

100 per cent of money raised will go towards responding to the disaster and supporting the affected community. The appeal was launched with $50,000 from New Zealand Red Cross.

Volunteer army mobilises for Project Edgecumbe

Members of the community are being asked to join a clean up volunteer army to lend a hand to help the flood-stricken town of Edgecumbe.

Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, Whakatane District Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have joined forces to mobilise teams of volunteers following the flood event caused by the remains of Cyclone Debbie.

The Ngati Awa Volunteer Army (NAVA) is now inviting local whanau, members of the community and keen volunteers from anywhere to offer clean up assistance in Edgecumbe.

The main tasks for volunteers will be helping to remove silt and flood-damaged items from public land, and from private properties where landowners have given their consent.

Volunteers need to be at least 16 years old, physically fit and healthy enough to work for four hours on a shovel, and preferably with their own gumboots, wet weather gear and old clothing.

NAVAs first clean-up operation is planned for Saturday 15 April morning, weather permitting, and volunteers will be able to assist every morning from 8am to 12 noon and from 1pm to 5pm every day. Volunteers who sign up to get involved will receive emails and text messages to confirm where to go, when to meet and what to bring.

Willing volunteers will need to be able to get themselves to Te Teko to help out. All events will start with a karakia and briefing at Ruaihona Marae, and all volunteers will be invited back to the marae after their work for a meal.

Anyone who would like to register as a volunteer should visit http://volunteerhub.boprc.govt.nz or call 0800 BOP FLOOD (0800 267 356).
A Tauranga woman described as successful yet so down to earth is in the running to take out the 2017 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award.

A qualified veterinarian, Dr Claire Nicholson is the Chief Executive of Sirona Animal Health, a company she set up to develop and promote unique products that address current areas of economic loss in the dairy and sheep and beef industries.

Shes also a director of Paraninihi Ki Waitotara (PKW), past associate director for AgResearch and has worked with Massey University researching the epidemiology and economic cost of Neospora.

Her family farms are in Gropers Bush, Southland.

Her nominator, Sirona Animal Health employee Courtney Moskios, says Claire constantly advocates continued education for her staff, and is an innovative and intelligent leader.

Claire wants everyone to succeed, says Courtney. She encourages her staff and those around her to reach their own goals, and she is the most genuine boss Ive ever had.

And she cares about the farming industry. She grew up farming and genuinely wants to help farmers be more productive, make a difference to their bottom line and contribute to the success of New Zealands agricultural industry.

Claires first job out of university was as a veterinarian with a later focus on animal health and ruminant nutrition. She launched several products into New Zealand, including Metricheck, a diagnostic tool for metritis; Bovilis BVD, the first vaccination against BVD with foetal protection and animal health training modules for farmers and their staff using the Rumenx system. With Sirona Animal Health she developed the Alpheus anti-parasitic capsule  the first controlled release anthelmintic for cattle with a primer.

As a director for PKW she wrote the Maori business strategy for DairyNZ and actively works to improve Maori agribusiness.

Claire says if she were to win the Dairy Woman of the Year title it would be a huge boost for women in dairy business and governance.

In the agricultural, animal health and meat industries very few women make it to senior management level, on to boards or own businesses associated with those industries.

I would like to hope that I encourage and support other women to give it a go and aim high to reach their full potential. Sirona has a team that is 85% women, and all very experienced in the sector. I aim to encourage and provide the support required for them to reach their goals  even those they thought were unattainable.

The Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year will be named at an awards evening on May 11 during the Dairy Womens Networks conference in Queenstown. The winner will receive a scholarship prize of up to $20,000 to undertake a professional/business development programme.

The other 2017 finalists are Jessie Chan-Dorman, a Fonterra Shareholders Councillor and Ashburton Trading Society Director from Canterbury, and Jolene Germann, an agribusiness consultant from Southland.
La Canada de los Pajaros was the first nature reserve to be classified as such in Spain, and this year it is celebrating its 30th anniversary. One needs a real sense of vocation, like that of married couple Placido Rodriguez Parada and Maribel Adrian, both of whom are biologists, to convert a gravel pit and rubbish dump into a paradise for birds which are in danger of extinction, which is what this is today. Not only that, but they did so privately and using their own money. This small 7.5 hectare habitat for birds is in Puebla del Rio, one of the villages beside the Guadalquivir river, which flows into the heart of Donana.

Placido Rodriguez, the latest in generations of wardens, grew up in Sanlucar de Barrameda. His vocation was developed early in life as he saw how the numbers of the birds he was used to seeing gradually dropped. Some, like the marble teal, were officially listed as being in danger of extinction. Others included the crested coot and ferruginous pochard, ducks whose existence is also in jeopardy.

La Canada de los Pajaros was created as a place where these birds could breed, so that their species could continue, and it is also a centre for preservation, environmental information and research. Over the years it also became a favourite place for families in the area to visit, especially those with young children. It is a lovely setting, with lagoons and Mediterranean vegetation. More than 2,000 birds can be found there, and others stop off temporarily at different times throughout the year.

Maribel Adrian comes from Burgos originally, and she met Placido in Seville. They not only found love, but discovered that they shared the same concerns. They went to the Canary Islands and upon their return to Andalucia they decided to make a dream come true by creating their very own area for the protection of birds. They looked for a suitable site and in April 1987 they purchased and moved to a site in Puebla del Rio, half an hour from Seville, which used to be a quarry and gravel pit. It later became a rubbish dump.

The couple also encountered another obstacle: most of the trees were eucalyptus, the result of the mistaken policy of reforestation which caused so much damage to the wetlands of Donana.

While the first baby coots and pochards were being brought up, Placido and Maribel set about clearing the site of rubble and eucalyptus trees and planting native species of Mediterranean woodland. They also cleaned the lagoons which had been created from the quarry pits and the extraordinary marshiness of the land, which is close to the Guadalquivir river. It is situated on the final stretch of the Canada de la Barca, which is why they decided to name it Canada de los Pajaros.

We spent four years getting rid of the rubbish and rubble, says Maribel. It was intensive work , which also included planting different vegetation in separate areas to attract certain types of bird, such as planting typha (bulrushes) for the crested coots.

The crested coot

This black duck with white beak and head and a red crest is known as focha moruna (Fulica cristata) in Spanish. Maribel and Placido took advantage of an agreement between Morocco and Spain to bring several of these ducks from North Africa because the species was very weak in this country. Thanks to this, the numbers of this species have grown. La Canada de los Pajaros is the first nature reserve in the world to carry out a programme to recover the crested coot.

La Canada opened to the public in 1992, but one year beforehand it was classified as a Nature Reserve by the Junta de Andalucia. It was the first of its type in Spain. It is also registered in the Inventory of Wetlands of Andalucia and the Andalusian Wetlands Plan.

Maribel and Placido are both biologists. / EFE

The region of Andalucia as a whole has 230 wetlands and this year the census of birds has shown record figures, totalling nearly one million, according to the regional Minister for the Environment, Jose Fiscal, who provided this information on World Wetlands Day, on 2 March. About 70 per cent of them, 645,000, are in Donana. The most common breeds are the northern shoveler, lesser black-backed gull, northern pintail, greylag goose, common flamingo and calidris.

All these species also pass through La Canada de los Pajaros, which since 1992 has been celebrating World Wetlands Day by releasing birds which have taken part in programmes of recovery in captivity. This year, Jose Fiscal was there to watch. Since the year the Expo took place in Seville, 1,200 crested coots, 100 ferruginous pochards and about 800 marbled teals have been set free.

Dangers

Placido and Maribel warn that despite the recovery programmes in Andalucia and the Levante region and the fact that their numbers are increasing, these birds are still in danger of dying out.

They are released into the countryside so that they can nest on the wetlands again, but they face many dangers including pesticides, rubbish, fences and the transformation of agricultural land.

Maribel and Placido, who collaborated with Malaga City Hall to save birds which were affected by Malaga airport, say they see the release of the protected species as a symbolic gesture, a way of attracting the attention of governments and citizens and raising awareness of the importance of protecting the wetlands.

Since the 1990s, when they began releasing the birds, about 64 per cent of these have disappeared. They are very fragile ecosystems, and those of us who look after them need more support to protect them from external aggressions, explains Maribel.

On the day the birds were released this year her husband, Placido, said it was a shame that no matter how many animals were released, the conditions of the wetlands were not improved. He said more money is needed, but for practical help, not for studies and papers which never amount to anything.

At least this couple are keeping their little reserve on the marshes of Seville going. They have made La Canada an essential place for the crested coot and other birds when the conditions in Donana become adverse and the birds have to look for alternative locations.

They receive grants for the breeding programmes, but need other sources of financing and assistance in order to maintain their small paradise. They have signed agreements with town halls and universities, under which students can do practical experience there, collaborate in the different bird programmes and also open the site to the public for visits.

This site is now home to 200 species of birds, 180 of which are native and the remainder are exotic. These include the scarlet ibis, an aquatic bird which delights photographers because of its extraordinary colouring.

We do work very hard, but this isnt just a business. Its a way of life, says Maribel.
Carme Chacon, former senior member of the PSOE party and Spains first woman defence secretary was found dead in her home in Madrid last Sunday evening.

Family had been unable to contact the well-known ex-politician and police and fire brigade were called to force down the door. The emergency services said that she had been dead for several hours.

Carme Chacon had often spoken publicly about a congenital heart defect that was diagnosed when she was ten and which could have caused her serious complications at any time. Ihave 35 beats a minute, my heart is backwards and an atrium and ventricle are blocked, she explained in 2015.

Originally from Esplugues de Llobregat (Barcelona), she leaves an eight-year-old son, who was staying with her former husband when she died.

Chacon, who was 46, rose swiftly to the top of the PSOE hierarchy and during the government of Jose Luis Rodriquez Zapatero was first female defence minister from 2008 to 2011.

Her appointment to the role when pregnant was widely seen as a step towards the modernisation of Spanish politics and, in her own words, contributed to breaking the glass ceiling.

Although she came a close second in PSOE leadership elections in 2012, Chacon had gradually withdrawn from active politics, giving up her parliamentary seat last year, and involving herself in a Madrid law firm and as a lecturer at a college in Miami. She had only returned from Florida for Easter the day before her death, sending an Instagram with a view from the plane saying how much she was looking forward to seeing her son.

There was widespread shock and grief across Spanish politics. On Monday her coffin was placed in the headquarters of the Socialist party in central Madrid before a private cremation.

A succession of politicians, some from rival parties, friends and members of the public went to sign a book of condolence and pay their respects.

Susana Diaz, president of the Junta de Andalucia, candidate for the leadership of the party in next months elections and close friend of Chacon, spoke for many. I was lucky to have her friendship and her by my side in both difficult and happy times, Diaz said to journalists.
ETA officially turned itself into an unarmed group last Saturday when it put a large part of the weapons it still held at the disposal of authorities in France, where the arms had been hidden. The symbolic act ended five decades of terrorism during which some 850 people died.

Although security forces have still to thoroughly examine the stashes, there are believed to be 120 firearms, three tonnes of explosives, thousands of detonators and a lot of ammunition.

In an attempt to give the process a degree of ceremony, ETA didnt use familiar hooded spokespeople, but instead entrusted a French-Basque intermediary to hand over a dossier on the arms location in front of the mayor of the French city of Bayonne, local officials and church representatives including the Archbishop of Bologna.

Eight hiding places were declared, although Spanish and French authorities said it was probably impossible to know, even for ETA, how many more weapons were still undeclared elsewhere. The group is expected to disband in the summer.
Mariano Rajoys government was smug this week after approving its 2017 state budget which it will push through thanks to the inestimable support of Ciudadanos. And its good news. However you cant help but notice how once again the political parties have completely forgotten the self-employed, who in the province of Malaga number 110,000 and in Spain 3.2 million.

You only have to talk for five minutes to someone who runs their own business to become aware of the absurd system in Spain, which expels many into the black economy, if not into bankruptcy or unemployment.

The measure to extend to 12 months the flat rate for new autonomos, which will cost around 480 million euros, is no more than a positive headline, a good excuse to ease the conscience of Ciudadanos, who were full of promises for the self-employed during the election campaigns, but when it comes to decision time, they left them stranded just as the PP and PSOE have done in the past.

Does it make sense for someone who makes 600 euros to pay the same contribution every month as someone whose invoices add up to several hundred thousand? Or for them to have to pay income tax in advance? Or for them to pay VAT on invoices sent out but not paid?

The governments accounts people and many top economists dont like talking about the subject; they even deny it or criminalise the self-employed worker. The truth is, though, the State itself is fuelling the black economy because for so many it is literally impossible to keep afloat with a system that is incapable of applying fair criteria. Today being self-employed is heroic. As simple as that.

Is it so complicated for the autonomos to pay according to their incomes, especially when they are just starting out? Is it so difficult to establish a benefits system for the recruitment of the first employees?

We see millions of public schemes (training, subsidies for large firms, etc.) and imagine the impotence of all those honest autonomos - who are the majority. All those suits in the tax and social security offices, in the government and the Congreso, who watch the world from their comfortable office chairs, ought to pay a visit to the workshops, bakeries, corner shops and greengrocers; they ought to experience what its like to go cold calling or do piecework. Perhaps then they would understand the indignation at so much disdain and empty discourse from politicians who only remember them when they want to win their votes or steal their wallets.
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh took a different line from his party on the issue of EVM tampering.

By India Today Web Desk: After senior Congress leader and former Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily broke ranks with his party on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh also seems to have taken a different line.

The chief minister was quoted as saying by NDTV that if EVMs were tampered with, the Congress would not have won the recently held Assembly election in Punjab. "If EVMs were tampered with, Akalis, not me, would be sitting here," Amarinder Singh told NDTV.

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The Congress had won 77 seats out of 117 in the Assembly election.

Earlier, just hours before a delegation led by the Congress approached President Pranab Mukherjee on the EVM issue, Moily had said, "Among all the countries, our electoral system is the best and for that, the credit should go to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) and the Congress. We can have a committee to look into the issues of EVMs, but there is no question of going back to manual methods."

The Congress leader added, "There are some apprehensions in the mind (of some leaders) and they are asking for an upgradation. Such things have happened in the past too. So many testing occurred when I was the Law Minister, but we didn't find anything wrong in it. We can't go back to ballot papers, but if technical upgradation is possible, then it is okay."

As the Congress expressed its displeasure over the remarks, Moily, in an exclusive chat with India Today TV, changed his stand. "Yes, I said all that but this (meeting with President) is also important. The delegation is going to meet President and after that our spokesperson will give his reaction," he said.

COMPLAINS AGAINST EVM

The EVM tampering issue has gained momentum after a video went viral on social media showing the EVM displaying same result even after the officials pressed different buttons, during a demonstration conducted by the Election Commission in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind district.

The Opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, met the President on Wednesday on the EVM issue and to raise their concern over what they dubbed as an "environment of fear and insecurity" in the country, asking him to "protect the constitutional democracy and fundamental rights" of the citizens.

Other political parties including Mayawati's BSP and Arvind Kejriwal's AAP have also been crying foul over the EVM tanpering issue, after their defeat in the recent Assembly elections.

Watch the video here:

Also read: On EVMs, Congress veteran Veerappa Moily breaks ranks with party; Opposition meets President

Also read: Hack an EVM challenge: Election Commission dares anyone to tamper voting device successfully

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Economically speaking, it seems that Spain is firmly back on track. According to official statistics, the countrys GDP will very soon rise above pre-crisis levels; in other words, Spains economy is back to where it was in 2008, before the recession hit.

Three consecutive years of economic growth, a steadily decreasing rate of unemployment - now at 18% down from a high of 27% in 2013 - and the governments recent announcement of its first non-austerity budget all seem to indicate that Spain has exited its grinding recession.

The once-striken country is also likely to be a key player in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, not least because of the Gibraltar issue.

Indeed, when Donald Tusk explicitly referenced Spains ability to veto any proposed Brexit deal that includes Gibraltar, he signalled to the UK and the rest of Europe that Mariano Rajoy has Brussels backing in fighting hard for the Rock (fighting in a diplomatic sense, not with guns over the high seas, as one UK Conservative has-been said might be necessary).

As if to remind the EU of his countrys steadily-healing economy and renewed importance within the bloc, the Spanish prime minister hosted a meeting of the leaders of France, Portugal, Italy, Cyprus, Malta and Greece in Madrid on Monday, with the aim of forming a shared negotiating stance on Brexit.

Spains revitalised economy significantly accounts for its surge in diplomatic confidence. Yet it might seem bizarre that the countys GDP continued to expand last year, given that Spain lacked a proper government for almost ten months.

The Spanish economy - bouyed by external factors such as a bumper tourism year - remained largely indifferent to the bickering and stalling of its supposed stewards, though - just as Belgiums did when the country went for 589 days without an administration between 2010 and 2011.

It is therefore not true to describe the Spanish economy as hanging by a thread, as a UK tabloid headline did this week.

Inaccurate as such labels now are for Spain, there is still much work to be done before its government can uncork the champagne and celebrate a return to pre-crisis stability.

Indeed, the tabloid headline was referring to the convoluted process faced by Mariano Rajoy as he tries to approve the 2017 budget with a minority government in a divided parliament.

If all goes according to plan, the spending plan will be passed in June - halfway through the year it is suppose to cover.

While the Spanish economy is far from hanging on a thread in the meantime, this delay highlights the difficulties of Rajoys unenviable position: he is operating in a congress in which his enemies have the power to veto anything he proposes.

Even though Spains economy is expanding at a steady rate anyway, such delays in forming fiscal policy hardly bolster the countrys reputation on the international stage. Rajoys biggest challenge in the coming months will be to govern effectively by avoiding similar hold-ups - a task which Pedro Sanchez will significantly hinder if he regains control of the Socialists next month.

Whilst the Spanish economy might be returning to pre-crisis health, the countys political situation is far more fragmented than it was nine years ago.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The government today said the US-based iPhone maker Apple has indicated plans for introduction of selective manufacturing lines in the country this year. However, no decision has been taken yet on concessions demanded by the US-based company for setting up local manufacturing facility in the country, Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha. "Apple in their communications, indicated their plan for selective introduction of manufacturing lines in Spring 2017," Sitharaman said in a written reply. Apple has sought concessions such as duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment for smartphone manufacturing and service/repair for a period of 15 years.

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With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs.

It, however, does not manufacture devices on its own and rather does this through contract manufacturers.

The company sells products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others.

It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.

Replying to a separate question, she said that cement demand is expected to increase in the next financial year on account of various flagship programmes of the government such as Housing for All by 2022, Smart Cities Mission, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Freight and Industrial Corridors and National Highways Expansion. PTI RR MR

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Wythe County resident William Lovell traveled in January 2012 to the Veterans Affairs medical center in Salem for gallbladder surgery.

Within half a month, the 65-year-old Vietnam veteran was dead.

Earlier this year, a Wytheville-based law firm won a $793,423.78 settlement on behalf of Lovells estate after suing for medical malpractice.

In a press release, attorney Tom Jackson of The Jackson Law Group, said that Lovell, whose helicopter had been shot down three times while serving in the Vietnam War, began having problems after going to the Salem VA for surgery.

Court documents show that Lovell first went to the medical center in Salem in December 2011, showing symptoms of gallbladder inflammation. Later that month, he was sent to a Veterans Affairs center in Richmond, where bile ducts were drained.

In January 2012, he was back at Salem, court records show, to have his gallbladder removed. According to documents in federal court, complications caused the doctors there to change the course of the surgery and they ultimately took out only part of the gallbladder.

Lovell was discharged from the Salem VA on Feb. 1, 2012, court records show. Two days later, according to documents, he went to Wythe County Community Hospital, where he was treated and discharged. In another two days, according to court records, he was back at WCCH. This time he was taken to Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where emergency surgery was performed, according to records.

Ten days later he was dead.

His female companion, Joyce Wertman, was devastated, Jackson said in a release. She came to us and asked what could be done. She wanted the VAs doctors to be responsible for what happened.

Court documents show that the parties couldnt reach a mediated settlement. At trial, an expert witness testified that the VA doctors violated the standard of care in cutting into the gallbladder without identifying the surrounding structures.

U.S. District Judge Michael Urbanski earlier this year agreed, holding the United States liable for the full amount requested by Lovells estate.

Jackson said the government had 60 days to appeal the case, a window that closed at the end of March.

The ruling calls for the money to be paid to Wertman. From that, she has to pay costs and reasonable attorneys fees, deduct $293,423.78 for funeral and medical costs and provide Lovells surviving sons, David Madison Lovell and William James Lovell with equal amounts of the remaining award.

Its vital our veterans receive quality healthcare considering the sacrifices they made for our country, Jackson said. We are pleased with the judges decision to hold the VA accountable for Mr. Lovells death.
ABINGDON, Va.  The Crooked Road: Virginias Heritage Music Trail presents the Virginia Highlands Community College Old Time String Band & Washington County Junior Appalachian Musicians in concert on Thursday, ***April 13*** from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Heartwood in Abingdon, Virginia. This concert is part of The Crooked Road Music Series at Heartwood.

The VHCC Old Time String Band has arisen out of a performance class that has been offered on the campus of VHCC each spring since 2012. The music director, Mary Munsey, designed this class to welcome students, and adults from all walks of life. The group performs music from the southern Appalachian region. The class is currently a non-credit course taught for enjoyment only and is offered through the Workforce Development office at VHCC.

Washington County JAM is soon coming to the close of its second year of programming. This year, the program served 50 students and offered classes in beginning guitar, clawhammer banjo, fiddle, and mountain dulcimer. Students meet once a week at the Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center in Abingdon for classes as well as Cultural Experience sessions in all things Appalachian. This year the students have had instruction in contra dancing, clogging, quilting, the history of the Carter Family and more. Field trips have been taken to the Carter Fold with other trips scheduled.

Heartwood  Southwest Virginias Artisan Gateway is located off I-81 at Exit 14. More information can be found at or call 276-492-2409.
A Washington County Sheriffs Office detective was recognized last week by the Virginia attorney generals office for his efforts in helping victims.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring honored 10 individuals, including Washington County Detective Stephen G. Reed, during the first inaugural Unsung Heroes Award ceremony for their dedication to serving victims and fighting for their rights. Thursdays event took place in Richmond and was held during National Crime Victims Rights Week.

Im honored and humbled, Reed said. I wouldnt be able to do the job without help from others.

Reed retired from the Prince William County Police Department as a lieutenant after 26 years. Deciding that he wasnt done with law enforcement, he said hes now served as a detective for the Washington County Sheriff's Office for the past 12 years.

Reed has served as a board member for Abuse Alternatives, been a driving force on a multi-disciplinary team addressing elder abuse cases, and serves as the lead training and implementation officer for the area's lethality assessment protocol.

The lethality assessment protocol helps determines whether an individual will be murdered in a domestic dispute. Those who are at risk are provided assistance, Reed said.

The detective said he also travels around the state to train others on domestic violence and elder abuse cases.

Hes always willing to share his experiences and lessons learned with his colleagues in the interest of better serving victims, a citation from Herrings office states.

Detective Reed is very deserving of this award, Washington County Sheriff Fred Newman said Friday. He works tirelessly for the victims and is a definite asset to our Sheriffs Office and to the community that he serves.

Herring said in a written statement: When a Virginian seeks justice, safety, and support following a crime, men and women from across Virginia are there waiting with open arms and hearts, but far too often their tireless efforts goes unacknowledged. I am proud to honor Sgt. Meade, Detective Reed, and Virginians like them with the inaugural Unsung Heroes award, and am glad to have had the opportunity to express our thanks for their important work.

10 individuals recognized as Unsung Heroes:

Detective Stephen G. Reed, Washington County Sheriffs Office;

Sgt. Teresa A. Meade, Wise County Sheriffs Office;

Detective Bernard L. Adams, Richmond Police Department;

Kristine Hall, policy director at the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance;

Stacie Vecchietti, Virginia Anti-Violence Project;

Barbara King, volunteer at Hampton Victim Services Unit;

Marlene Bright, Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney's Office;

Janine Underwood, executive director at Bradley Free Clinic;

Vicky Belcheer, director at Martinsville Victim Witness Program;

Melissa Harper, forensic nurse examiner at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke.
The Dalai Lama's recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, as it is called by the illegal Indian occupiers, has put Southern Tibet region of China in the spotlight, the paper read.

By Ananth Krishnan: China's State media on Wednesday continued its attacks on India over the Dalai Lama's Arunachal Pradesh visit, claiming Arunachal residents were suffering under what it called 'India's illegal rule'.

The official China Daily slammed India and said, "Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet [as China refers to Arunachal Pradesh] live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China."

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"The Dalai Lama's recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh, as it is called by its illegal Indian occupiers, has once again put the Southern Tibet region of China in the spotlight," the paper read.

"The region was separated from China by the so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, a line the then foreign secretary of the British India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Simla Accord, a treaty that was never validated", the paper read, slamming the Simla accord.

DALAI LAMA BETRAYED TIBETAN PEOPLE: CHINESE MEDIA

The paper also attacked the Dalai Lama over his visit to Arunachal, claiming "he wants to sell the land to a foreign country."

"He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a 'son of India' by selling the territory to India, ignoring the trouble he is causing for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability," read the commentary, authored by Xu Rao, a strategic expert in Beijing, accusing the Dalai Lama of betraying regional peace.

The commentary further read, "His latest visit to the region, at the invitation of the Indian government, shows that he can't wait to give away Tawang district, the holy land of China's Tibet where the sixth Dalai Lama was born, in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group. His trip is testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace."

The paper accused the Dalai Lama of betraying the Tibetan people in his eagerness to please India, as he is dependent on the country for his living.

ALSO READ| China ignores Indian Navy's role in joint rescue op amid Dalai Lama row

ALSO READ| Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal may force Beijing to 'interfere' in Kashmir issue: Chinese media

ALSO WATCH| Snubbed on Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, China threatens to interfere in Kashmir

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Delhi State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava over alleged procurement of obsolete and discarded Generation 1 EVMs from Rajasthan to conduct MCD polls.

By Ankit Tyagi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal continues his crusade against Election Commission for the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Arvind Kejriwal today wrote to Delhi State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava expressing shock over alleged procurement of obsolete and discarded Generation 1 EVMs from Rajasthan to conduct MCD polls.

He asked why the state election commission asked for Generation 1 EVMs which are incompatible with VVPAT (Voter-verified paper audit trail).

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"Supreme Court has categorically said that elections should be held with VVPAT machines. Then why did you not at least make an attempt to procure VVPAT machines?" Kejriwal wrote.

EVMs SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN, DEMANDS KEJRIWAL

The Delhi chief minister said AAP "strongly opposes the use of machines sourced from Rajasthan in MCD election".

In the letter, Arvind Kejriwal had put forth three demands to the state election commissioner:

1) All machines sourced from Rajasthan should be immediately withdrawn as they are tampered.

2) All state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed technical examination of some of the machines which are being used for MCD election.

3) MCD election should be held only and only with VVPAT machines.

The letter to state election commissioner.

KEJRIWAL's REPEATED ATTACK ON ELECTION COMMISSION

Since the Punjab Assembly election, where AAP suffered defeat, Arvind Kejriwal's party has blamed EVM rigging for its disappointing performance.

A few days ago, he had hit out at Election Commission and called it a Dhritasrashtra" who is trying to ensure Duryodhana wins. "Chunaav aayog Dhritarashtra ban gaya hai jo apne bete Duryodhan ko saam daam dand bhed karke satta mein pohuchana chahta hai" (Election Commission has become Dhritarashtra who wants to ensure his son Duryodhana gets power at any cost).

Several Opposition parties led by the Congress had met Election Commission officials on Monday and raised the issue of EVM tampering with them.

ALSO READ:

Arrest warrant against Kejriwal over tweet against PM Modi

AAP was sweeping Punjab, even BJP's Advani doubted EVMs: Kejriwal asks EC to probe alleged tampering

EVM row: Dhritarashtra EC wants Duryodhan to win, says Kejriwal; 13 parties to move poll panel today

ALSO WATCH

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All those responsible for the violence will be punished. Our government will take strong steps to counter the divisive forces creating discord and violence in the name of religion and bringing misery to the peace-loving people of Odisha, the chief minister said.

By Indrajit Kundu: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the ground situation in Bhadrak district, which has been tense after last week's communal clashes. Violence had erupted in the district following an allegedly derogatory social media post by miscreants against Lord Ram.

Patnaik rushed to Bhadrak this morning after returning from New Delhi last night. He held a review meeting at the district collectorate with state Home Secretary, DGP and other senior bureaucrats in attendance.

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In a stern message to those trying to stoke communal violence, Patnaik said, "All those responsible for the violence will be punished. Our government will take strong steps to counter the divisive forces creating discord and violence in the name of religion and bringing misery to the peace-loving people of Odisha."

COMPENSATION TO THOSE AFFECTED BY CLASHES SOON

Ordering an immediate assessment of the damages caused by the violence, Patnaik assured the locals that the government would provide compensation to those affected in the area. The chief minister also announced the setting up of vending zones to rehabilitate affected shopkeepers in Bhadrak town.

Violence in Bhadrak.

Meanwhile, the district administration has relaxed curfew till 4 pm on Wednesday evening, as the area slowly limps back to normalcy.

So far more than 100 people, including the prime accused, have been arrested by the police.

Also read | Bhadrak communal clashes: Curfew extended till Monday morning as Odisha Crime Branch begins probe

Also read | Odisha: Curfew imposed in Bhadrak after communal clashes over 'offensive' Facebook post, 35 detained

ALSO WATCH

--- ENDS ---
An alleged spam kingpin with possible ties to election meddling in the United States was arrested in Spain last week under a U.S. international warrant.

The alleged spam czar, Pyotr Levashov, was taken into custody in Barcelona while vacationing with his family, according to news reports.

Levashov was arrested for interfering with the 2016 U.S. presidential elections, the Russian news outlet RT reported, but a U.S. Justice Department official told Reuters the arrest was a criminal matter without any national security connections.

On its list of the worlds top 10 worst spammers, Spamhaus, a spam-fighting group, ranks Levashov No. 7.

He allegedly partnered with convicted pump and dump stock scam specialist Alan Ralsky to carry out a wave of fake antivirus software scams. The two reportedly also ran the Waledac botnet that infected 70,000 to 90,000 PCs over several years and was capable of pushing out 1.5 billion spam messages a day.

Levashov has been able to evade prosecution for at least 20 years, said Vitali Kremez, threat intelligence director at Flashpoint.

From an email spam perspective, his arrest means well be seeing less incoming malicious email, he told TechNewsWorld.

Kelihos Clobbered

Meanwhile, the day after Levishovs arrest, the U.S. Justice Department announced it had taken down the Kelihos botnet, which is believed to be part of the Russians spam empire.

The operation announced today targeted an ongoing international scheme that was distributing hundreds of millions of fraudulent emails per year, intercepting the credentials to online and financial accounts belonging to thousands of Americans, and spreading ransomware throughout our networks, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the DoJs Criminal Division.

The ability of botnets like Kelihos to be weaponized quickly for vast and varied types of harms is a dangerous and deep threat to all Americans, driving at the core of how we communicate, network, earn a living, and live our everyday lives, he continued.

Our success in disrupting the Kelihos botnet was the result of strong cooperation between private industry experts and law enforcement, and the use of innovative legal and technical tactics, Blanco said.

Among the new legal tactics used by the bot busters was a new kind of warrant authorized by recent amendments to the Rules of Federal Criminal Procedure that allows law enforcement to redirect Kelihos-infected computers to a substitute server, and to record the Internet Protocol addresses of those computers as they connect to the server.

Those IP addresses can be used to provide assistance to people whose computers have been infected with the malware.

Rent a Botnet

Taking down Kelihos should disrupt the spam ecosystem, noted Keith Jarvis, a senior security researcher at DellsSecureWorks.

It was one of the larger, more active botnets out there, he told TechNewsWorld, and it was one for rent.

Levashov made more money renting out his botnets than he did spewing spam from them, according to investigative journalist Brian Krebs.

For US$200, vetted users could hire one of Levashovs botnets to send 1 million pieces of spam, Krebs noted. Auction and employment scams cost $300 per million, and phishing emails designed to capture usernames and passwords cost $500 per million.

Thats why we saw a wide variety of spam over Kelihos over the years, but we should see smaller volumes of spam in in-boxes for the foreseeable future, SecureWorks Jarvis said.

Election Meddling

Though a connection to the U.S. elections has not been established, Kelihos does have a known election connection.

The botnet was used in the 2012 Russian elections to send spam containing links to fake news stories saying Mikhail Prokhorov, a businessman who was running for president against Vladimir Putin, had come out as gay, according to The New York Times.

There isnt much public source information on the technical aspects of the Russian attacks on the DNC, so its hard to tell if spamming, one of Levashovs specialties, was a technique used by the hackers, observed Leo Taddeo, chief security officer for Cryptzone and a former FBI special agent.

What we do know from the indictments issued last month against the Yahoo hackers is that Russian intelligence officers protected, directed, facilitated and paid criminal hackers to collect information through computer intrusions in the U.S. and elsewhere, he told TechNewsWorld. This means we cant rule it out.

Its more than a possibility  its very likely to be true, maintained Avivah Litan, a security analyst with Gartner.

The guys conducting cybercrime are the same guys that meddled in the elections, she told TechNewsWorld. Theyre using the same infrastructure.
What I think is amazing about all of the massive data breaches we hear about is that we know most are not reported. In other words, for every email, customer record, or financial theft in the news, there likely are hundreds that remain in the shadows.

This problem is huge and yet another incident came to light last week. A clever Lithuanian individual was able to pull a whopping US$100 million from a bunch of unnamed Internet companies using a combination of phishing tactics and fake vendors spread across a multitude of companies.

It apparently wasnt a state-level or even organized crime-level attack, which should make you wonder how many billions hostile states and actual criminal organizations are stealing from you daily. You and I are the victims, because this activity raises costs that we pay.

The good news is that companies that no longer wish to be targets can take advantage of three broadly used technologies to stop this activity: blockchain, Inky and Varonis.

Ill explain and then close with my product of the week: the Lenovo X1 Carbon, which may be the best business laptop currently in market.

Frauds Aftereffects

The Lithuanian attack brought back memories of one of my most embarrassing moments during my stint running an audit team. Shortly after we completed the audit, someone else discovered that an employee in an area wed audited had embezzled thousands from the company, and I felt personally responsible for missing it.

My boss pointed out that my team had caught the control exposure that made the theft possible, and that it simply had not shown up in our sample of vendors. Still, I was embarrassed personally and always have felt I could have done better.

When these things hit, they affect everyone up line from them. They can be incredibly hard to catch, but I think it is well worth making the effort. Being connected to something like this can follow your career, even if you had no way of catching or stopping it.

Blockchain to the Rescue

The best solution for combating false vendors likely is blockchain technology, which is why IBM has been so successful with financial institutions implementing it broadly. Developed around the digital currency bitcoin, it is a way to ensure transactions without financial institutions. It provides a robust multilevel transaction assurance process that is incredibly difficult to break.

This doesnt mean a state or very powerful criminal organization couldnt breach it  with enough resources, anything is possible. Short of that, however, it represents the most robust and secure trust system currently in market.

If the victim companies in the Lithuanian breach had used blockchain, the attacker likely would have chosen other firms to attack.

Everledger currently uses blockchain to ensure diamond transactions and eliminate conflict diamonds, which fund some of the most brutal wars and nastiest crimes in the world. It may be the strongest weapon currently available to eliminate this kind of crime.

The use of blockchain is evolving to ensure art and other high-value transactions as well, in both the personal and public markets.

Email Security Guard

When there is a unique exposure, a unique company often steps up to address it. Phishing, particularly spearphishing, is at the heart of many data breaches.

One of the biggest I personally ran into was a case of a criminal organization that was able to capture critical identity information of each of a targeted companys execs over the course of a year. It then used that data to convince all of the companys employees to send in their own financial ID credentials in order to commit identity theft at massive scale.

I see cases like this all the time now  sad stories of people who believe they got a request from their boss, CFO, or even CEO for confidential information. A duped individual supplies it, and then finds out it was a fake note and he or she is now at the heart of an IP theft case as the one who breached policy. Careers often dont survive mistakes like this.

Inky is a relatively new email service that focuses on identity validation. Every employee has a unique key, and if the email doesnt have that key it isnt from that employee. You immediately can see that the email that seemed to come from the CEO didnt. Rather than becoming a key portion of the problem and possibly ending your career, you can flag the email to security and be part of the solution.

At some point, I expect every email system will have some kind of identity validation built into it, but right not the only one I know that does is Inky.

Whos Minding Access?

From the DNC email breach to this latest one, the problem in part has been that there was no in-depth monitoring of systems or access. When there is a breach, there is an unusual event taking place  but if you have no invasive way to monitor activity and aggressively limit access, you simply dont have the capability to catch a breach when it occurs.

At some point during this latest breach, new vendors were being added at an unusual rate. The system should have flagged that as an anomaly, even though different purchasing agents likely were adding them. Such a flag could have resulted in identification of a breach in progress, before the millions were lost. That is why tools like Varonis, which can monitor access and alert system administrators of anomalies are a critical part of the tool kit that successful CSOs use to make sure their firms arent breached.

Wrapping Up

There are tools to prevent the kinds of financial and intellectual property breaches that have damaged companies and elections. At some point, boards need to start asking if these tools are in place to make sure the firms they oversee arent being negligent with regard to information and financial security.

As customers, we may want to start checking to see if the firms we trust to manage our own finances are well secured, because identity theft is a really nasty problem to fix  as is getting back money that was pulled from our bank accounts illicitly.

Until then, just be aware there are tools that can make both our companies and ourselves far safer. More of us may want to be pointing these out so that were not included in the next set of victims.

The best laptop for me may not be the best laptop for you, but Ill bet the Lenovo X1 Carbon comes close. There are four things that stand out for a notebook used for work: light carry weight, because I already put too much crap in my backpack; good keyboard/touchpad; damage resistant, because I dont want something that looks older than I do; and really good battery life, because I dont want to fight or look for plugs on planes or in conferences.

The Lenovo X1 Carbon currently does the best job of hitting all those points. It weighs slightly less than two and a half pounds and is just a little more than half an inch thick, which puts it close to large tablet territory. Along with many others who have used it, I think it has the best keyboard currently in any laptop. The ThinkPad black coating has proven to be one of the most durable for decades. Finally, its battery has lasted around 16 hours in tests, which means it is working when you need it to work.

Lenovos ThinkPad X1Carbon

There are few laptops from anyone, let alone in this weight class, that do anywhere near as well. By the way, another nice thing that is suddenly showing up in a number of laptops is a USB-C charging port, so if you need a charger and there is anyone else with a USB-C laptop charger, you arent screwed. I actually think a USB-C port should be a requirement for every laptop going forward, so we arent forced out of our offices by a growing pile of useless chargers that dont fit our laptops.

Granted, it isnt a 2-in-1, but given how few of us use 2-in-1s in tablet mode? I really dont think many would miss that feature. In addition, it doesnt have a touchscreen, which can get a tad annoying if you are used to using one. The one real downside for me is the lack of a GPU, so I cant play good games on it.

However, if you add a GPU youll gain weight and lose battery life  which even for me sometimes isnt a good tradeoff. (I find Im mostly gaming on a desktop machine at home these days, anyway.)

At just under $1,152, the Lenovo X1 Carbon is no cheap date. (Note: Personally, Id buy up to the $1,300 version with the fingerprint scanner  they have really improved over the years  but it currently is sold out.) If you want what is likely the best workhorse laptop for school or business, there is to my knowledge none better, which is why the Lenovo X1 Carbon is my product of the week.
The MLA has been arrested in connection with the murder case of former Dhanbad mayor and Congress leader Neeraj Singh.

By India Today Web Desk: Jharkhand BJP MLA Sanjiv Singh has been arrested along with three aides after the MLA surrendered in a high-profile murder case.

The MLA has been arrested in connection with the murder case of former Dhanbad mayor and Congress leader Neeraj Singh.

HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS CASE:

Singh surrendered at Sariadhela police station in Dhanbad district in Jharkhand after the local court had ordered an arrest warrant against him. Neeraj Singh was shot dead along with three aides in mysterious circumstances on March 21 in Dhanbad. The former deputy mayor of Dhanbad was gunned down along with his personal assistant Ashok Yadav, bodyguard Munna Tiwary, and driver at Steel Gate under Saraidhela police station while he was returning from Jharia coal belt in his car. Sanjiv and his younger brother Sidharth Singh and three others were named as accused in the FIR filed in the murder case. The other three accused were arrested two weeks ago. The police had interrogated the Jharia MLA earlier also, but he was let off. Neeraj was a cousin of Sanjiv and had contested the Assembly elections from Jharia seat against him on a Congress ticket.

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ALSO READ | In first money laundering conviction, Jharkhand minister gets 7-year jail

--- ENDS ---
A British man is facing multiple charges stemming from a 2015 "swatting" incident that resulted in a 20-year-old gamer being shot with rubber bullets by police.

According to a report from The Independent, Robert McDaid, 21, from Coventry, England, allegedly called a terrorism hotline posing as US resident Tyran Dobbs from the Washington, D.C. area. McDaid, who said he had a gun and explosives, reportedly said he would kill three hostages unless he received $15,000 in cash.

Police took the threat seriously, raided the real Dobbs' residence and reportedly shot him in the face and chest with rubber bullets. The publication says the bullets broke bones in Dobbs' face and bruised his lungs.

The call was ultimately traced back to McDaid who was charged with three offenses including conspiracy to produce false information. If convicted, McDaid faces a maximum sentence of 20 years behind bars.

McDaid claims he was asked to swat Dobbs by another American gamer, Zachary Lee, who has also been charged with the same offenses.

In addition to the potential harm that can result as evident by this story, making false threats puts an unnecessary strain on law enforcement resources.

Maryland prosecutor Rod Rosenstein said they are working with officials in the UK to ensure that Robert McDaid is held accountable for his alleged actions because the alleged criminal activity represents a grave threat to public safety.
The case against smartwatches is usually a simple one: what's the point? It's a valid argument; most of us have our smartphones nearby at all times, so does anyone really need one of the pricey wearables? What's surprising is that the CEO of Huawei, which has launched two Android Wear smartwatches, feels the same way.

Speaking at the company's Analyst Summit 2017 in Shenzhen, current Huawei CEO Eric Xu Zhijun (the position is rotated between three men every six months) responded to an analyst question about whether the smartwatch is dying with: "I'm not a man who wears watches, and I've never been optimistic about this market. In fact, I've never figured out why we need to wear smartwatches when everything we need is on our phones."

Xu Zhijun added that whenever the company's smartwatch designers make a presentation, he asks the team to "consider whether there are tangible needs in the market" for the device.

Huawei revealed the successor to its popular smartwatch at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Even though smartwatch sales declined last year, companies are continuing to put out new wearable devices. Sales are expected to increase around 18 percent in 2017, but manufacturers will be disappointed the figure isn't higher.

Some firms have been taking a different approach to smartwatch design. The MyKronoz ZeTime, which was one of our top picks from MWC, is a hybrid smartwatch that features physical hands sticking through the TFT display. There's also Tag Heuer's gorgeous but pricey ($1600) Connected Modular 45, which lets wearers swap out the digital smart module for a traditional, mechanical head.

Whether Xu Zhijun's comments have any lasting effects on the smartwatch market remains to be seen. But it's certainly interesting to hear the CEO of a company that produces the devices express his indifference toward the wearables.
Microsoft unleashed a torrential downpour of Project Scorpio information last week although unfortunately, we didn't get to see what the actual hardware looks like. Such remains the case but we do have the next best thing to share today: pictures and renders of Project Scorpio dev kits.

Gamasutra, which recently paid a visit to Microsoft, walked away with a handful of images and additional information regarding a system that is blurring the lines between mid-generation refresh and brand new platform.

As you can see, the machine somewhat resembles an Xbox One S albeit slightly larger. It packs a number of features like programmable buttons, extra USB ports, a front-mounted display and a battery backup that won't make it to the final consumer release but will make it easier for partners to build content.

The dev kit now vents warm exhaust air out the back and sides of the machine, a small but important change that allows developers to stack kits on top of each other without having to build makeshift spacers to help with cooling.

Something else worth noting is the fact that the dev kit is more powerful than the retail console will be, packing 44 CUs on the GPU (instead of 40 on the retail version), 24GB of RAM (twice as much) and a 1TB solid state drive. The idea, it seems, is that Microsoft wants devs to build their games big then be able to tune them down to run on the Scorpio or other Xbox One consoles.

Project Scorpio dev kits will be shipping out to select developers in the coming weeks.
Microsoft on Wednesday announced it will be hosting a media event in New York City early next month. The invite sent to members of the press includes the tagline, "Learn what's next" and carries the #MicrosoftEDU tag, giving us a pretty good idea of what the event will focus on.

Details are scant and revolve more around what we aren't likely to see unveiled.

Sources reportedly familiar with Microsoft's plans tell Ars Technica that Microsoft won't be showcasing a Surface Phone (that's not a huge surprise but it's worth putting out there nevertheless). What is a bit surprising, however, is that Microsoft isn't planning to unveil the Surface Pro 5 at the event either.

The current Surface Pro 4 is a bit long in the tooth at this point, having arrived in late October 2015. The same can also be said about the Surface Book as the two machines launched on the same day but apparently neither will be getting a refresh at the event.

Instead, most believe we will see Microsoft unveil a new operating system called Windows 10 Cloud. Think of this as Microsoft's answer to Chrome OS - it'll be a slim OS that's limited to running apps from the Windows Store. There could also be a new bit of hardware to run Windows 10 Cloud, perhaps a lower-end Surface 4 type device.

The NYC event kicks off at 9 a.m. Eastern on May 2; no word yet on whether or not it'll be streamed live over the Internet.
Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai decided to reverse the proposal of his predecessor to allow travelers to use their mobile phones while in flight.

The proposal, introduced by then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, looked to take down the long-standing regulation that was introduced back in 1991.

Should Mobile Phones Still Be Banned In Flights?

The reason behind the prohibition against making in-flight phone calls was due to the possibility that the cellular signals will interfere with pilot radios and wireless networks on the ground.

Nearly three decades later, technology has advanced enough to eliminate such a risk. This is the reason behind Wheeler's proposal of finally allowing passengers to use their mobile phones while in flight by opening them once the aircraft reaches cruising altitude. The proposal would have still required passengers to switch their mobile phones off or into airplane mode while the aircraft is taking off or landing.

However, new technology has not changed the fact that passengers who engross themselves in phone calls over a flight could be seen as annoying to other passengers.

Pai Junks Wheeler's Proposal

Pai, who described Wheeler's proposal as "ill-conceived," said that he believed it was not in the public interest for the notion to go through.

"Taking it off the table permanently will be a victory for Americans across the country who, like me, value a moment of quiet at 30,000 feet," said Pai, focusing not on the possibility of the proposal but rather on its effects on aircraft passengers.

The proposal of Wheeler initially received much public backlash, mostly from trade groups that represent pilots and flight attendants. Many of the proposal's critics claimed that removing the ban would lead to passengers being disturbed by noisy conversations. The criticism forced Wheeler to set aside his proposal until his term ended.

"The FCC is making the right decision not to pursue lifting the ban on in-flight calls," said labor union spokesman Taylor Garland, who reiterated that travelers and the crew members of aircraft do not want voice calls allowed in flights.

If the proposal of Wheeler was approved, individual airlines would decide on how and when to install equipment in aircraft to support in-flight service. Most consumers could find it hard to acquire a cellular signal thousands of feet in the air, but recent advancements in technology have made it much easier to get connectivity to previously inaccessible areas such as airplanes.

FCC Stands Up For The Public

The decision by the FCC and Pai to shut down the proposal shows the commission standing up for public interests, as allowing phone calls would have been another problem that travelers had to face when going on a flight.

The other news involving the FCC, however, are largely more controversial. Late last month, Congress voted to repeal the internet privacy rules passed by the FCC, allowing internet service providers to sell data without the permission of involved users. President Donald Trump signed the resolution a few days later.

Pai, meanwhile, is looking to revoke the net neutrality rules put into place by the Obama administration, with the goal of taking them down by the end of April.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung is leaving no stone unturned to promote its Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ flagship smartphones. In a bid to entice customers to preorder the flagship devices, Samsung has launched many exciting promotions on major network carriers in the United States.

The latest offer is for Sprint subscribers, who will be rewarded with an eCertificate worth $100, upon preordering either the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ from the Samsung online store.

Those purchasing the Sprint variant of the smartphones are also entitled to a free Samsung Gear VR Controller.

The offer is valid till April 17, 12:00 p.m. EDT and is applicable only for those preordering any of the two devices by the said date. Customers who preordered the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ will receive their handset within April 20, along with the free gifts.

Sprint's $100 eCertificate Offer

This limited period deal is available only on Sprint and the eCertificate, which the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+ owners will receive, will not be in the form of a direct discount.

Customers will be able to redeem the eCertificate amount on the purchase of any other Samsung smartphone in the future. This purchase needs to be made on the company's online store.

Interestingly, the eCertificate promo is limited to Sprint and no other network carrier in the country is offering this deal.

To purchase the 64 GB Sprint variant of the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8+ and avail the limited period offer, one can head to Samsung's online store.

Consumers will also get the Samsung Gear VR headset worth $99.99 free when they preorder either of the smartphones. This means that one is effectively saving $200 on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+.

Samsung Infinitely Immersive Offer

Samsung also has the Infinitely Immersive promotional offer for Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ preorders. This promo includes the Bundle Gift offer and the Box Gift offer.

Under the Bundle Gift offer, both the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ customers will receive the Samsung Gear VR with the controller bundle and the Oculus content bonus, which is redeemable as a digital download from the Oculus Store. The price of the Sprint variant of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ with the bundle offer comes to $750 and $850, respectively.

Under the Box Gift offer, customers will receive the Gear VR headset with a controller, Oculus content, one pair of AKG Y50BT black headphones, and also a 256 GB microSD card. Consumers opting for the Box Gift offer will have to pay an additional $99 while preordering the smartphone.

The Box Gift offer raises the price of the Galaxy S8 to $849.99 and the Galaxy S8+ to $949.99 for the Sprint variant of both the handsets.

"Participants may choose either the Bundle Gift or the Box Gift (requires additional $99 payment), but may not choose both. One Gift per Qualifying Purchase, while supplies remain available," stated Samsung.

Both the Bundle Gift and Box Gift offers are also available on AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
NASA is holding a major press conference this week to reveal its latest results on ocean worlds in our own solar system.

At the said mysterious event, the U.S. space agency will disclose findings on its broader search for life beyond Earth, as well as things that could potentially affect future ocean world exploration.

News On Oceans Beyond Earth

The announcements, to be given in a news briefing 2 p.m. EDT this Thursday, April 13, will relate to findings from its Cassini spacecraft as well as the Hubble Space Telescope. They will be made at the NASA headquarters James Webb Auditorium in Washington, with remote participation from experts across the United States.

These new discoveries will help inform future ocean world exploration  including NASAs upcoming Europa Clipper mission planned for launch in the 2020s  and the broader search for life beyond Earth, NASA said in a statement.

Participants in the media briefing will include Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for Science Mission Directorate; Jim Green, Planetary Science Division director; and astrobiology senior scientist Mary Voytek.

The panel and remotely positioned experts will entertain questions during the event, while the public can also ask their own questions using the hashtag #AskNASA.

Cassinis Planned Demise

The Cassini spacecraft, launched in 1997 and which arrived in the Saturn system in 2004, is bound to end its two-decade mission on Sept. 15 with a planned probe kill. In a final maneuver, Cassini, currently facing a fuel crunch, will be set on a collision course with Saturns atmosphere and is expected to break apart, melt, vaporize, and become a part of the very planet it left Earth 20 years ago to explore, according to project manager Earl Maize.

This crash has been planned by the agency to avoid contamination of a nearby moon hoped to potentially harbor alien life.

Afterward, NASAs planned Europa Clipper will position a spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter to perform a detailed probe of moon Europa. The giant planets moon has exhibited strong proof of an ocean of liquid water, situated beneath icy crust and which could be hospitable to life.

Cassini has been deemed generally productive given the high-value investigation of Saturn, its rings, and moons. It transmitted, for instance, images that highlighted Enceladus geysers with a hint of an ocean underneath, as well as the Earth-like moon Titan.

Other Recent Space Adventures

Other NASA missions are marking their own milestones. Just recently, the New Horizons probe successfully reached the halfway point between Pluto and its second target for flyby, the remote Kuiper Belt object 2014 MU69.

The probe reached this milestone on April 3 at midnight UTC (April 2, 8 p.m. ET), at a distance of 486.19 million miles from Pluto and the same distance to the remote asteroid. New Horizons eyes swooping past the object, located about 1 billion miles beyond Pluto, on Jan. 1, 2019  another record for space explorations.

New Horizons reached Pluto in July 2015 after its launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida back in January 2006. As Plutos first guest from Earth, it is currently 3.5 billion miles from our planet, taking radio signals five hours and 20 minutes to get from the control center in Johns Hopkins University in Maryland to the spacecraft.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Samsung has long been rumored to be working on a dual-display smartphone and a new report now claims that it will finally start testing such a prototype by June.

Industry insiders have reportedly dubbed this elusive smartphone as the Galaxy X and it's been rumored for years, yet nothing concrete has ever materialized in this regard.

Nevertheless, it now seems that Samsung is finally ready to start testing the prototype. The company apparently plans to manufacture between 2,000 and 3,000 prototypes of the smartphone by June, people familiar with the matter told The Investor.

Dual-Display Prototype, Foldable Smartphone

The purported Samsung Galaxy X smartphone is rumored to be a high-end handset with two separate OLED panels, foldable up to 180 degrees and connected in the middle by a single hinge. Samsung recently obtained a trademark for "Galaxy X" and the premium smartphone could hit the market soon enough.

The unnamed sources briefed on the matter further told The Investor that the Galaxy X is indeed a fruit of Samsung's mysterious Project Valley, which has been years in the making.

With Project Valley, Samsung ultimately aims to unleash a powerful, premium smartphone with a single flexible panel that can bend and fold. The prototype expected to enter testing soon will serve as a stepping-stone toward that ultimate goal, serving as an intermediate solution for testing purposes until Samsung figures out how to perfect the concept for a final product.

With this in mind, this purported prototype will most likely never see the light of day. The dual-display unit will help Samsung test what works and what doesn't, but it wouldn't make sense for the company to commercialize the prototype.

Samsung Galaxy X Rumors

That said, while earlier rumors speculated that Samsung's Galaxy X premium foldable smartphone would hit the market sometime in the third quarter of this year, it seems unlikely if the latest report is accurate.

If Samsung is only gearing up to start testing the dual-display prototype by June, it wouldn't really have enough time to perfect the concept, decide on the final design, and bring the foldable Galaxy X to market as soon as the third quarter.

A 2018 release would seem more plausible in this context, but it remains to be seen. Leaks and rumors are often hit-and-miss and there's no guarantee that the latest scoop from The Investor is accurate.

The Samsung Galaxy X has been rumored for so long that it's almost starting to seem like a mythical beast, never seen but frequently talked about. Even so, industry sources still think that Samsung will eventually release a foldable smartphone, albeit it's still a good while away from commercializing such a handset.

Lastly, this purported foldable smartphone is not expected to arrive as a replacement for the flagship Galaxy S series, but rather as an alternative that would co-exist with the flagship to offer more choices for consumers looking for a top-notch smartphone.

Would you be interested in a Samsung smartphone with a foldable screen and high-end specs comparable to those of the premium Galaxy S series?

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
At last, the answer to "why do shoelaces get untied by themselves" has been revealed, and it's all thanks to science.

UC Berkeley mechanical engineers conducted the study, and the gist of it is that a combination of striking and swinging motions is the culprit, which was summed up to two stages  a gradual loosening and a "catastrophic failure."

The Test: Treadmill, Running Shoes, And A Slo-Mo Camera

Christine Gregg, also a Berkeley graduate student and coauthor of the study like Daily-Diamond, slapped on some running shoes and proceeded to run on a treadmill as her colleagues captured footage of her motions with a slo-mo camera.

According to the team, shoelaces get untied due to the "force of inertia whipping the laces forward and the stomping of the foot all loosen the knot"  that's putting it simply, though. These motions will continue until the strings finally unravel themselves.

"The forces that cause this are not from a person pulling on the free end, but from the inertial forces of the leg swinging back and forth while the knot is loosened from the shoe repeatedly striking the ground," Gregg said.

Also, the type of knot and lace and tightness all play a big factor in terms of how long it'll take before the shoelaces will come undone.

"Some laces might be better than others for tying knots, but the fundamental mechanics causing them to fail is the same, we believe," Gregg said.

Beyond The Shoelace And Knot Mystery

At first glance, the researchers appear to have carried out the study only to solve the burning question of shoelaces getting untied on their own. However, it's more about getting a better idea of how knotted structures may possibly unravel or fail in certain circumstances when facing various forces.

"When you talk about knotted structures, if you can start to understand the shoelace, then you can apply it to other things, like DNA or microstructures, that fail under dynamic forces," Christopher Daily-Diamond, Berkeley graduate student and coauthor of the study, said, noting that this is something that no one has done yet.

The Bottom Line

To boil things down, shoelaces will get untied all by themselves eventually, but for that to happen, the wearer will have to create the stomping and whipping motions. Otherwise, it won't occur, which explains why some people will get through the day without having their knots come undone.

"You really need both the impulsive force at the base of the knot and you need the pulling forces of the free ends and the loops. You can't seem to get knot failure without both," Daily-Diamond said.

That essentially means the phenomenon takes place depending on how a person walks, runs, or jogs.

The study is scheduled to be published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A on April 12.

With all said and done, feel free to leave a comment below to let us know what you think of these findings.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
By Brijesh Pandey: It's mission East India as far as the BJP is concerned and to cement its position in one of the eastern state, party is holding its two-day National Executive meet in Odisha.

A senior BJP leader today said that it is big part of the future strategy of the BJP to hold its national executive in Odisha. He said that the BJP is now concentrating on states where the position of the party is not good and Odisha is part of that East India strategy.

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BJP has formulated a strategy to expand its foot print in states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Odisha. What has really lifted the spirit of the party was the result of the local body election in Odisha couple of months back.

According to this senior leader, eastern states will have a major role to play in 2019 Lok Sabha election and party is working with a focused outlook and the vision of party president is very clear.

He added, "PM Modi has said that without the development of eastern India, development of India is not possible. Where ever we have to strengthen ourselves, we are working at the booth-level and Amit Shah has said that he will go to those parts of Odisha where the party is weak."

When asked about the internal bickering and allegation that the BJP is trying to engineer a split within BJD, he said, "Our mandate is to strengthen the party."

He also said that whenever next party president will visit the state, he will make booth-level visit so that the party can be strengthened.

He also said that the national executive of the BJP will be held in Janta Maidan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will stay in the Rajbhavan from where he is expected to go to Surat for a road show on 16th of April.

Also read:

BJP's surge in Odisha leads to internal strife in ruling Naveen Patnaik-led BJD

Odisha panchayat polls: BJP's gains sound warning bells for Naveen Patnaik's BJD

--- ENDS ---
Bixby, Samsung's new digital assistant that has been primed as a premiere competitor to Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google Assistant, will not be fully ready upon the April 21 release of the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Bixby will have several features that will differentiate it from other digital assistants in the market, but customers who will acquire the Samsung Galaxy S8 upon its release will need to wait before being able to enjoy these capabilities.

Samsung Reveals Bixby Delay

In a statement, Samsung said that certain features of Bixby such as Vision, Home, and Reminder will be rolled out alongside the Samsung Galaxy S8 on April 21. Bixby Vision is the digital assistant's augmented reality camera feature, Bixby Home is a panel of widgets, and Bixby Reminders sets reminders for users.

Samsung, however, reveals that the most important differentiating factor for the digital assistant, Bixby Voice, will only arrive in the United States later in the spring.

Bixby Voice is said to allow the digital assistant to carry out more manual tasks for the user through voice commands compared to rival software. Representatives of Samsung have repeatedly said that the things that users can do with touch controls can also be carried out by Bixby Voice, a claim that would give it a huge advantage over Apple's Siri, Microsoft's Cortana, and Google Assistant.

However, with Bixby Voice delayed and only to be added to the Galaxy S8 through a later update, the digital assistant is in danger of being an afterthought to the rest of the powerful features and specifications of the smartphone.

Bixby Voice English Issues

The delay, however, will only affect the English version of Bixby Voice, as Samsung has discovered performance issues with that version over the past few weeks.

Specifically, the voice recognition capability of the English version of Bixby Voice has not performed well in internal testing compared with the Korean version.

This has caused Samsung to pull back the release of the feature into the United States, as it will not look good to launch a headline feature with significant flaws.

Samsung Rushing To Release Galaxy S8?

Samsung gave a time frame of a spring release for Bixby Voice, which would mean that the full version of the digital assistant should arrive before the end of May.

The delayed release date of the full version of Bixby represents the mad dash that Samsung made to be able to prepare a digital assistant that will launch alongside the Samsung Galaxy S8, after the company acquired Viv Labs in October 2016.

Another decision that Samsung made to be able to rush out its next flagship smartphone is to keep a design flaw in the device that it had spotted. The elimination of the physical home button at the front of the Samsung Galaxy S8 to drastically cut down on the smartphone's bezels pushed the fingerprint scanner to the back, beside the rear camera lens.

The positioning of the fingerprint scanner beside the camera lens makes for an uncomfortable grip, and opens up the camera lens from possible smudges caused by the user's finger.

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Turning to your chiropractor for a spinal manipulation procedure, also known as a chiropractic adjustment, can help alleviate mild-to-moderate lower back pain, researchers confirm.

The study, featured April 11 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was based on an analysis of multiple clinical trials involving the use of spinal manipulation in the management of lower back pain.

The scientists combed through four different databases looking at biomedical data from 2011 to 2017 and reviewed 26 clinical studies that compared chiropractic treatment with other alternatives or placebo.

Results showed the procedure can improve pain intensity by an average one point on a scale from 1 to 10, as reported by study participants.

"Spinal manipulative therapy was associated with statistically significant benefits in both pain and function, of on average modest magnitude, at up to six weeks," state study authors in their paper.

They researchers also note that more than half the patients in the larger-scale studies experienced minor adverse events after undergoing chiropractic adjustments for pain management. These were only temporary and included increased pain, muscle stiffness, and headache.

How Spinal Manipulation Works

It's not clear exactly how spinal manipulation relieves back pain.

The procedure, performed by chiropractors, physical therapists, osteopaths, and massage therapists, is done by applying pressure and repositioning small joints in the spine.

Dr. Richard Deyo, an internist and professor at the Oregon Health and Science University, believes moving the joints allows them to realign in a way that is less painful.

Another explanation could be that the procedure relaxes the muscles and restores some material in the disk between the vertebrae.

In addition to easing pain, the study found chiropractic adjustments helped treated patients walk more easily, have less difficulty turning over in bed, and sleep better.

Safer Alternative To Painkillers

Lower back pain is among the top afflictions for which doctors commonly prescribe addictive opioid analgesics.

The confirmation that chiropractic treatment could offer a somewhat effective alternative is good news for non-acute pain sufferers.

According to 2008 Chochrane review analyzed in the study, the pain-relief effect of spinal manipulation is comparable to that of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen.

This means patients can safely turn to the procedure to avoid the side effects and complications of over-the-counter painkillers, which range from stomach problems and gastritis to hypertension.

"Spinal manipulation is one of those therapies that on average has a small effect, and it's in your doctor's bag of things you can pull out and try," said Dr. Paul Shekelle, lead study author and physician at the VA Medical Center in West Los Angeles.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) also recommends alternative therapies for lower back pain in detriment of analgesic drugs. ACP guidelines, released earlier this year, suggest patients try heat wraps, massage, acupuncture, and spinal manipulation.

"For the treatment of chronic low back pain, physicians should select therapies that have the fewest harms and costs," states Nitin S. Damle, ACP president.

"Physicians should avoid prescribing unnecessary tests and costly and potentially harmful drugs, especially narcotics, for these patients."

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
With the technology of self-driving cars, your daily commute in the future could be different compared to the current one. Gone will be the days of having to endure long hours of heavy traffic congestion during peak hours. Once this new technology is implemented, it will bring significant changes to the transport system.

Self-driving cars can be a great wave that can impact not only your commute habits but also the transport infrastructure and systems. Whereas there is a mixed reaction on the adoption of self-driving cars in our roads, most people are not aware of how autonomous vehicles will impact their commute.

Impacts of Self-Driving Cars on Your Commute

It is speculated that organizations may opt to purchase a fleet of autonomous cars to pick up their employees and drop them off every day. If this should come to pass, your commute will be more convenient and even exciting. In fact, you will be more productive since you can relax and work as you are commuting to work in a self-driving car. Moreover, you can enjoy reading a newspaper or even take a nap as you head to work.

Self-Driving Sustainability

With autonomous cars, your fuel expenses will reduce. It is known that driving under a controlled speed is one way to conserve fuel. Your self-driving car is capable of calculating stopping distances as well as maintaining a more even speed. Thus, you will be able to save more on fuel.

Eliminating Wasted Commute Time

Wasted commute time is one of the biggest complaints that most city dwellers who drive to work talk about. In many occasions, this time is said to be lost because it could be used for recreation, working or sleeping. Self-driving cars are the ultimate answer to this menace of wasted commute time; instead of losing this commuting time, you will be able to engage in more productive or enjoyable activities.

Eliminate Human Error Accidents

One of the primary promises of self-driving cars is that they will substantially reduce human-error accidents. Most car accidents are majorly caused by driver error such as drunk driving, distraction, poor driving skill and general disregard for traffic rules. Once self-driving cars are commissioned, they will impact your commute by reducing the chances of you getting into a crash as you drive to and from work.

Enhance Public Transportation System

Urban planners are optimistic that self-driving vehicles will reduce operating expenses and improve accessibility for commuting through congested city streets. Though many cities have adopted advanced transportation options to enhance the mobility of their residents, the public transportation system hasn't changed that much. As such, most individuals believe that a system of self-driving vehicles for public commuting will provide a much-needed transit grid for a broader range of customized transit routes.

Self-driving vehicles are likely to offer point-to-point transportation without the need for inflexible transit systems and the related costs of traditional resolutions, thus positively impacting your commuting habits.

Getting Rid of Traffic Jam

Self-driving cars can be synchronized to communicate with one another. This will enable them to adjust to the ideal speed and signal disturbances ahead. This kind of communication will allow real-time traffic updates that help your car anticipate what is ahead, and then change the speed to avoid disruptions like traffic congestion.

According to Hesham Rakha, an engineering professor at Virginia Tech, if the roads are less congested and traffic flows pretty well, more vehicles are likely to use the roads. This would probably take us back to square one.

It is evident that you future commute may entail less stress and more leisure regardless of the type of car you will be driving. Pretty soon you may be holding business meetings or engaged in meditation from the coziness of your self-driving car.

Edited by Alicia Young
In the classic novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, Hank Morgan  an engineer from modern times  is transported back in time, narrowly escapes death with his wit, and before long is in a position of influence. Morgan was able to keep his head with knowledge of the future, utilizing a solar eclipse to ooh and aah the natives into letting him live. The tale is one of Workfront CEO Alex Shootmans favorites, which prompted him to ask the audience during his Tuesday Leap keynote, What if I could tell yall what you need to know to know the future?"

Shootman noted that in 1994, the top three paying industries included mining, manufacturing and transportation, but by 2015 a drastic shift took place placing information services, financial services and business and professional services in the top three slots. The Workfront CEO credits Creative Destruction for the change. Much like steam gave way to gas and then electric; change is at hand for marketers.

There are several forces at play here. Shootmans first driver is digitization, converting offline work to online work, and moving in a more agile direction. A recent Mckinsey study illustrated that only 40 percent of industry is digitized today. He offered the example of Yates, a bar franchise with menu changeover issues. The company was able to ease the menu transition among its 690 locations by digitizing operations.

The second point of note is 2017 marks the first year that Millennials will make up the majority of the workforce. These digital natives think and work differently, bringing what Shootman referred to as a more egalitarian and nomadic approach to work. Millennials are prone to task juggling as opposed to a linear workflow.

Thirdly, there is fundamental productivity problem. Shootman used statistics to paint a rather vivid picture here, as there are 60 million knowledge workers in the United States with an annual cost of $92,000 per worker; now throw in the fact that, on average, only 39 percent of a knowledge workers day is spent doing their job. Do the math, and that adds up to 3.4 trillion with a t  in the United States alone.

In addition, Shootman explained that 71 percent of knowledge workers feel the pace of work is accelerating, and 83 percent believe the most important skill for the future is creativity. This why when 90 percent of knowledge workers note automating knowledge work as a priority, it should come as no surprise that, as he put it, Im worried about amazing people being mired in repetitive mundane tasks.

So, where do we go from here? Fret not, for Shootman offers four ways of change. First, all work will become the Hollywood model of work. All work in the future will primarily be project work, which brings together groups of really creative people with the ability to self-organize.

The digital native will play a vital role in this transformation. As Shootman notes, the No. 1 difference between digital natives and digital thinking is in thought process. Where a digital immigrant will think about solving a problem, then integrate technology, the digital native will take more of a I cant divorce technology from solving the problem approach, so technology is a component of the process from step one.

Next comes leadership; Shootman explains the next generation leads far different than its predecessor. Digital natives understand the importance of appreciating people. This generation will lead knowing that teamwork, collaboration and transparency are mission critical components.

Lastly, Shootman introduces the notion of boundless integration. Alleviate the notion of a central system; integrate everything in the workflow to reduce friction to productivity.

Its not that Shootman has a crystal ball capable of predicting the future, research illustrates the future. Theres no need for a futuristic Hank Morgan; the only requirements are the proper systems and solutions in place. Workfront is here to elevate the work you do.

Edited by Alicia Young
It is time that you come out of the shackles of landowners. Tell your people about the BHIM app and how they can use it to acquire loans from banks. If there is anything more that needs to be done, the government will not hesitate in doing it, the Prime Minister said.

By Brijesh Pandey: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked OBC MPs of the BJP to tell people of their community about the need for coming out of the shackles of landowners.

According to sources, PM Modi said, "Your community faces hardships. You work hard but you do not lose your self respect. You do not beg. Now take the message of this National Commission for Backward Classes to the backward class people and tell them about it."

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PM Modi was speaking today at a ceremony organised by the OBC MPs of his party to felicitate him for making the National Educational and Social Backward Commission instead of the National Backward Commission.

HERE IS ALL THAT HAPPENED The PM said, "It is time that you come out of the shackles of landowners. Tell your people about the BHIM app and how they can use it to acquire loans from banks. If there is anything more that needs to be done, the government will not hesitate in doing it." There are more than 80 OBC MPs of BJP in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. All these MPs decided to felicitate the PM for this historic step. The new Commission will have constitutional status and before adding any caste in it they have to take Parliament's nod. BJP MP Bhupendra Yadav said the MPs welcomed and praised the PM for this step. PM Modi, while addressing the MPs, said that they should all work with the aim of "Sabka saath, sabka Vikas". Modi lamented that the Bill was not allowed to be passed in Rajya Sabha, the sources said. The Bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) was approved by the Lok Sabha earlier this week. Calling it a historical step, Modi said that had this Commission been made before, it would have helped the community a lot. Even the BJP's allies in the NDA commended the PM on the OBC Commission.

Also read | MPs should get into Hanuman mode and work as selflessly, says PM Modi

ALSO WATCH

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The environmental imbalance and crisis created in nature are comparable to the conditions of inequality and injustice that capitalism has created against humanity, he said. | Read More
By Press Trust of India: Shillong, Apr 12 (PTI) The BJP in Meghalaya today said it has requested the Centre to change the date for the Digital India Day programme, which coincides with Good Friday celebrations.

"The state party has requested the Centre to change the date of this program keeping in mind the local religious sentiments," BJP spokesperson Basu Chakraborty said in a statement here.

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He said the Digital India Day programme was scheduled keeping in mind the 100th day of the Digi Dhan Mela, which is on April 14 and in sync with Ambedkar Jayanti. But, this year Good Friday celebrations are also on the same day.

"There was no intention to create any form of religious misunderstanding," the party said.

Meghalaya government had expressed its strong opposition against the Centres decision to observe Digital India Day this Friday since it falls on Good Friday, which is widely observed by the Christians here.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had yesterday said the state government will not participate in such programmes which aimed at diluting the secular fabric of the nation.

"I will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as it is necessary for me to express concern on behalf of the people with special reference to the North East, which has a major chunk of Christian community," he said. PTI JOP DKB

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This came during his conclusion remark as he read out report on Rajya Sabha proceeding during the last day of Budget Session on Wednesday.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: The chairman of Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari, who has often pulled up ministers and Opposition for the behaviour during Parliament sessions, today praised the backbenchers of the upper House. This came during his conclusion remark as he read out report on Rajya Sabha proceeding during the last day of Budget Session on Wednesday.

Members from last two rows contributed to 42 per cent of proceedings, said the Vice President, which earned a round of applause from Member of Parliaments.

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He further elaborated saying that in 205 questions, 86 were asked by backbenchers, accounting for 42 per cent and in total of 250 supplementary questions, 260 were posed by the last two rows, which accounted for 48%.

The praise was showered by chair of the House during the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ansari also informed the upper House that they had worked for 136 hours in which 14 Bills were discussed, showing an increased productivity. 205 Zero Hour submissions were made, 405 starred questions, 4629 unstarred questions were raised.

Private members introduced 33 Bills. The session was concluded sine die with national song playing in the end.

Also read:

Vice-President Hamid Ansari unhappy after Rajya Sabha members miss Question Hour

Now a rap from Vice-President: Distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation

--- ENDS ---
Normally, the Parliament is in the news for wrong reasons, where adjournments are more common than discussions. But, not so in this Budget Session, which was rather long with a total of 29 working days.

By Balkrishna: Call it the smart strategy of the government, accommodative stance of the Opposition or blame it on the results of the Assembly elections which left the Opposition parties a demoralised lot, but the Budget Session on Wednesday ended on a historic note.

Normally, the Parliament is in the news for wrong reasons, where adjournments are more common than discussions. But, not so in this Budget Session, which was rather long with a total of 29 working days.

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The Budget Session started on 31st January and had a recess of 27 days before it reassembled on 9th March.

This was for the first time that the entire financial business relating to Budget was transacted before 31st March when the financial year ends.

GOVERNMENT HAS THE ADVANTAGE

Now, the government has the advantage of implementing the Budget proposals right from the beginning of the new financial year. Normally, this process used to begin in June or July.

It was also for the first time that an integrated Budget, in which the general Budget and the Rail Budget were combined, was presented and passed by both the Houses of Parliament much before the deadline.

During the entire Budget Session, Lok Sabha passed 24 bills while the Rajya Sabha passed 14 bills. There were 18 bills that the government managed to get passed in both the Houses.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET SESSION

But, the biggest highlight of the Budget Session was definitely passing of GST in both the Houses. Due to smart planning, back door meetings and the cooperation of Congress, the government managed to get the GST Bill passed smoothly even in Rajya Sabha without any amendments even as it has no majority in the Upper House.

The government was apprehensive about getting GST passed in Rajya Sabha, so it was brought in as a Money Bill where the amendments of the Upper House are not mandatory for the Lok Sabha to consider.

GST has been billed as one of the biggest economic reforms so far, which will change the entire structure of taxes in the country and make whole of India as one market. Apart from the main GST Bill, three other enabling bills associated with GST which are necessary to implement it countrywide, were also unanimously passed by both the Houses. Now, the road is clear for the government to roll out GST as soon as possible.

GOVERNMENT THANKS OPPOSITION PARTIES

When the Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar was asked that if the government's job of getting the bills passed was made easy because of a demoralised Opposition in the light of Assembly elections results, he chose to be humble and just said that the government thanks all the Opposition parties for their cooperation.

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But, Congress spokesperson PL Punia said that it is not fair to say that the Opposition was demoralised.

"We raised our issues forcefully, forced adjournments at times, and also made the government relent on many of our demands," Punia claimed. Kumar also claimed that the productivity of Lok Sabha was 114 per cent, while in case of Rajya Sabha it was 92 per cent.

Apart from the Finance Bill and the GST, it was also a big achievement for the government to get the Enemy Property Bill passed in Rajya Sabha. This bill was also stuck up for many years.

But, there were also instances when the government was made to realise that in Rajya Sabha they don't have a majority.

The Bill to give constitutional status to OBC Commission was passed in Lok Sabha with much fanfare and the government claimed it's as a big achievement. But, on the last day of the Session, the government could not get it passed in Rajya Sabha where it was referred to the select committee. Similarly, despite the best efforts, the government could not push through the amendments in Motor Vehicle Act and the factory Amendment Bill in the Upper House.

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Also read:

Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari praises backbenchers for their contributions

PM Narendra Modi's Cabinet approves 4 GST bills, over to Parliament now

WATCH THE VIDEO:

--- ENDS ---
By Ananth Krishnan: China warned today it would take actions to "safeguard its sovereignty" and accused India of violating its commitments on Tibet, pointing to statements made by Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the Dalai Lama.

In its strongest statement yet on the Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, the Chinese Foreign Ministry today said, "Recently in disregard of China's concerns, the Indian side insisted on arranging activities in the disputed eastern section of the China-India border and indulged provocative statements by the 14th Dalai Lama and a specific Indian official. This shows activity by Dalai Lama has exceeded so called scope of religious activities."

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"What India has done," said spokesperson Lu Kang, "has violated its solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and will have negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides. China has lodged representations with the Indian side and will take further action to safeguard territorial sovereignty and national security."

Chinese officials were angered by Pema Khandu saying Arunachal bordered Tibet, and not China, and the Dalai Lama's comments on Chinese rule in Tibet, and said the statements suggested the visit was not entirely religious.

Lu said, "The Dalai Lama has had a disgraceful performance on the boundary question. He called himself a son of India and backed up the unfounded statement of so-called Arunachal Pradesh. He called himself a son of India and backed up unfounded statement of official of so-called Arunachal Pradesh. He also attacked the Chinese government on Tibet-related issues and advocated political view on splitting China. It shows the Dalai clique has already viewed itself as foreign."

DALAI LAMA ATTEMPTING TO SPLIT CHINA ?

"This performance will by no means change China's position on the boundary question or on Tibet related issues. Neither will it change the fact that local government of Tibet has been exercising effective administration of eastern section of the boundary. Still less could it change the fact that Tibet is achieving faster growth. It will only make people see clear his nature, that he is attempting to split China and damage interests of all ethnic groups of China under the cloak of religion."

The visit would have repercussions on bilateral relations, warned Lu. "The boundary question and Tibet related issues bear on the political foundation of the China India relationship. We have already reached important consensus on the boundary question through dialogue and consultation. The Indian side also has commitments on Tibet related issues, we hope Indian side will bear in mind the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, safeguard political foundation of bilateral relations and and do not take any provocative actions."

Lu, however, did not say what commitments India had violated. India recognises the Tibet Autonomous Region as a part of China, a position that hasn't changed, and also that it will not allow its soil to be used for anti-China activities. India says the Dalai Lama's visit did not violate either commitment in any way.

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Lu said, "I said the Dalai Lama is visiting the eastern section of the China India boundary. It is not Indian territory. The Indian government made solemn commitments on Tibet related issue and boundary question."

"We have lessons to learn from history," he said. "The Indian side violated commitments on the relevant issue and insists on arranging the Dalai's activities in the disputed section of the China India boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representation and it will of course have negative impact on bilateral relations."

ALSO READ | India is the guru, Tibetans are disciples, says Dalai Lama

ALSO READ | China ignores Indian Navy's role in joint rescue op amid Dalai Lama row

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Congress today hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accusing the Opposition of denying backward castes their rights by allegedly blocking a bill which accords constitutional status to the OBC Commission.

The party said the Rajya Sabha, which sent the bill concerned to the select committee, is entitled to have its opinion on the legislation in a democracy, the meaning of which it alleged the Prime Minister does not understand.

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"This is democracy and he (Modi) does not know the meaning of democracy. Rajya Sabha can have a certain opinion (different from that of Lok Sabha)," Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters here.

Azad said the Rajya Sabha wanted some amendments in the bill to ensure benefits of reservation reach as many people as possible without hurting the interests of existing beneficiaries.

Earlier today, Modi accused Opposition parties of denying backward castes their rights by blocking the passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

"The bill was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha but blocked in the Rajya Sabha (by opposition parties). Denying the backward sections their rights with such negative politics is regrettable," Modi said.

The Rajya Sabha had yesterday referred the Constitution (123rd) Amendment Bill, 2017, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, to the Select Committee under pressure from the opposition. The ruling BJP-led NDA does not have a majority in the Upper House.

The bill seeks to create a National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC), with judicial powers and constitutional status.

Meanwhile, Azad said the Opposition played its role "very well" in Rajya Sabha during the Parliament session, which concluded today, and cooperated with the government on bills of public interest.

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge, who accompanied Azad during the briefing, seconded him.

Kharge though accused the government of not giving Opposition leaders adequate time to discuss public issues.

"We wanted adequate time for discussions, but did not get it. They were going by the speed you see vehicles passing on Delhi-Agra highway," he quipped. PTI ENM KUN

--- ENDS ---
When Louisiana landed at the very bottom of state rankings by U.S. News & World Reports in February, there was the usual grumbling, with a dose of cultural defiance.

On Wednesday, native Ken Wells went into all-out "Loving Louisiana" mode in a spirited response posted at usnews.com. His message: Take your fancy metrics, benchmarks and data and, well, stuff 'em.

Wells contends his own data and experiences suggest Louisiana sets the national benchmarks in food, music, culture and having a good time. Besides, "You can't eat metrics, but if you come to visit Louisiana, baby, I've got a boudin place just for you."

SEE WELLS' FULL COMMENTARY HERE.

The Best States ranking measures how well states are performing in such areas as health care, education, economy, the opportunity it offers people, roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, public safety and the integrity and health of state government, according to U.S News & World Reports.

Massachusetts topped the rankings, followed by New Hampshire and Minnesota. States joining Louisiana near the bottom include Mississippi (No. 49), Arkansas (48) and Alabama (47)

Louisiana comes in dead last in new 'Best States' ranking Louisiana is the worst state in the country, according to a new analysis based on health care, education, infrastructure, crime and other quality-of-life measures...

"I've lived in San Francisco, New York and these days Chicago  all cities in states whose metrics crush Louisiana's," Wells writes. "Yet (New Orleans) remains my favorite city in America precisely because it declines to be other than itself."

Wells, who grew up in Bayou Black, La., has been an editor and reporter for the Wall Street Journal and is the author of five novels, as well as nonfiction works including "The Good Pirates of the Forgotten Bayous: Fighting to Save a Way of Life in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina."
Britney Spears announced Monday that she's ending her Las Vegas show, "Piece of Me," in December after a four-year run, according to a report by E! News Online.

"As I prepare to say goodbye to Piece of Me, I had no idea how magical this experience would be," the 35-year-old Kentwood, La., native told E! News in a statement.

Britney Spears announces Las Vegas residency NEW YORK (AP)  Britney Spears is heading to Las Vegas.

Her final performances at The AXIS at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino will begin Sept. 3 and will end Dec. 31, the report said.

Not seeing the video below? Click here.

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Louisiana native Britney Spears raffles clothes to benefit flood victims through Red Cross Pop star Britney Spears is giving the clothes off her back to raise money for the Red Cross 
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CINCINNATI (AP)  A Mexican mother of four U.S.-born children living in Ohio is being held in federal detention in Louisiana as advocates urge that she not be deported.

The 6th U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday dismissed an emergency appeal by Maribel Trujillo Diaz. She was moved to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's LaSalle detention center near Jena, Louisiana.

Attorney Emily Brown said Wednesday there was no word on when authorities plan to schedule deportation. She and other advocates including the Cincinnati Archdiocese say she has contributed to her church and community and no good is served by deporting her.

Trujillo Diaz has sought asylum, saying her family has been targeted by drug cartels.

Immigration officials say she entered the U.S. illegally in 2002 and has exhausted her appeals.
By India Today Web Desk: The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), a part of the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, has sought a complete ban on cow slaughter in the state.

"As a party we support total ban on cow slaughter in Goa. There should not be any cow slaughter activity in the state," MGP leader and Goa minister Sudin Dhavalikar said.

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A few days ago, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat while condemning violence in the name of cow slaughter asked for a pan-India law to ban the activity. "We want a law banning cow slaughter across the country," Mohan Bhaghwat said.

COW IS LIKE OUR MOTHER

Reacting to Mohan Bhagwat's statement, MGP leader Sudin Dhavalikar said, "Our stand has always been against killing (of) cows, who symbolise mother(s) in our culture".

"If the new government wants to do something good, they should first shut down the Goa Meat Complex," Sudin Dhavalikar said.

TOUGH LAWS ON COW SLAUGHTER

Cow smuggling has been banned in Uttar Pradesh soon after Yogi Adityanath took charge as the chief minister. The Uttar Pradesh government is also cracking down on illegal slaughterhouses.

In BJP-ruled Gujarat, which is set to go to polls this year-end, the state Assembly amended the Gujarat Animal Preservation Act to make cow slaughter a non-bailable offence with a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Those in possession of beef will be fined Rs 1-Rs 5 lakh with seven to 10 years in jail.

IS EVERYONE ON SAME PAGE?

At the meeting of NDA allies in New Delhi on Monday, BJP ally from Kerala, C K Jaanu had said that the government must focus on delivery of benefits of its social schemes for Dalits, tribals and the downtrodden and not on "raising controversial issues like beef", The Indian Express had reported.

The Indian Express quoted Kerala Congress (T) leader P C Thomas as saying that no government can ban cow slaughter just because it is part of the Directive Principles in the Constitution. He said Constitution has left the matter to states who would be "more sensitive to interests and traditions of communities".

According to the Indian Express report, leaders of North-East parties wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah to consider "the sensitivity of ethnic communities" while drafting policies.

(with inputs from PTI)

ALSO READ:

Rajasthan: Muslim man killed by cow vigilantes in Alwar, attack caught on cam

ALSO WATCH

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A thorny reality confronts Louisiana lawmakers as they begin to consider a series of measures designed to hack away at the nation's highest incarceration rate.

The inmates with the biggest impact on the prison population, according to state data, may also be the bloodiest.

Though much of the discussion over a raft of criminal justice reforms headed for the Legislature this spring has focused on those sent to prison for nonviolent crimes  drug or property offenses like burglary  it's a smaller group of inmates serving extremely long sentences that have an outsized impact on Louisiana's prison population and, by extension, the state budget.

The average inmate arriving at a state prison each year will spend less than three years behind bars. But the relatively small cadre of long-serving prisoners, most of them convicted of violent and serious crimes, consumed far more prison resources  measured by nights in a prison cot, by tax dollars spent to house and feed them or by mounting doctors' bills as they age  than any other group.

Advocates for a far-reaching reworking of Louisiana's sentencing laws and prison system point to those numbers as they argue that an exclusive focus on nonviolent offenders won't bring about the kind of transformative reduction in the prison population needed to shed Louisiana's dubious distinction as the world's most jailed place.

"You have this double whammy going on. The more expensive inmates and the number of them have been increasing greatly. That's really the money issue," said State Public Defender Jay Dixon.

But proposals to cut prison terms or offer a chance at release to violent criminals serving life sentences have also attracted the stiffest opposition. As Louisiana lawmakers prepare to debate a raft of criminal justice reforms prepared by the governor's Justice Reinvestment Task Force, that is where the sharpest battle lines have been drawn.

The state's district attorneys argue that giving parole eligibility to murderers, rapists and armed robbers poses a threat to public safety and breaks promises to victims.

Bo Duhe, a member of the task force and the district attorney for the three-parish 16th Judicial District in Acadiana, said the vast majority of lifers "forfeited the right to live in a free society" when they committed brutal crimes. The task force, he said, should have remained focused only on less serious offenses.

"We should take lower-level offenders, nonviolent offenders, and try to rehabilitate them, and truly reserve the prison space for your serious and violent offenders," he said.

Sentence reductions

A bill included in the package of reforms endorsed by Gov. John Bel Edwards and based on the task force's recommendations would offer parole eligibility to inmates serving life sentences who have spent 30 years behind bars and have reached their 50th birthdays. For those serving long sentences less than life  for charges such as armed robbery, which carries a maximum 99-year sentence  Senate Bill 139 by state Sen. Danny Martiny, R-Metairie, would require them to serve 20 years and reach age 45 before earning a shot before the parole board.

But the Louisiana District Attorneys Association, which has voiced cautious support for some other proposals in the package, opposes offering early release to those serving life and also making changes to the sentences for violent crimes apply to those already in prison.

Reform efforts, say leading prosecutors, should remain squarely focused on keeping low-level offenders out of prison through expanded use of probation or by sending more defendants into drug courts and other programs.

The numbers show that Louisiana, which locks up a higher proportion of its residents than any other place in the world, is an outlier on several fronts. According to a review of Department of Public Safety and Corrections data analyzed by the Pew Charitable Trusts, Louisiana sends people to prison for nonviolent offenses at twice the rate of South Carolina and nearly three times the rate of Florida  two states with nearly identical crime rates. But violent criminals, many convicted of horrific crimes, also serve longer sentences here than in other states.

While the number of new state prisoners began to decline in 2012, the average time served by Louisiana inmates rose by 27 percent over the past decade, to just shy of six years in 2015. That's mostly because those who have been locked up for a decade or more make up by far the fastest-growing share of the state's prison rolls, according to the Pew analysis.

The average sentence handed down to those convicted of drug or property offenses dipped slightly over the past decade. But for those convicted of violent crimes, it's continued to rise.

This trend is also reflected in the release data. More than half of the 18,000 Louisiana inmates who returned home in 2015 after serving time behind bars spent less than a year in the system. Just a fraction of them  605 people, according to Department of Corrections figures  spent more than a decade on the inside before being released.

Yet that small group of long-serving inmates consumed far more prison resources than any other group. Those 605 people, having spent an average of 18 years in prison, accounted for nearly four times as many nights in cells or bunks as the 9,340 who walked out in less than 12 months.

Thousands more inmates are serving with virtually no chance of release. One in seven state prisoners  more than 4,800 in all  have been sentenced to life without possibility of parole, most for murder or aggravated rape.

"If you divert one-year sentences, you don't have much impact on the prison population because their length of stay is so short," said James Austin, president of the national consulting group JFA Associates, which has studied the state prison population.

'Criminal menopause'

Louisiana's unusually large population of lifers  prisoners convicted of murder, aggravated rape or aggravated kidnapping  pushes the average time served upward. Lifers now make up 13 percent of the prison population in Louisiana, the only state in the South where virtually none of them are eligible for parole  a result of the state's decades-old "life means life" laws.

Proponents of parole opportunity for the state's lifers  whose only hope for release at present is a pardon or commutation from the governor  point to research indicating older inmates who've spent decades behind bars are at particularly low risk of committing new offenses.

Corrections Secretary Jimmy LeBlanc often refers to the phenomenon as "criminal menopause," referring to aging men decades removed from their crimes who've outgrown the street life of their youth.

As the number of aging, long-serving inmates has stacked up in the state's prisons, the cost for their health care has grown.

LeBlanc told a state House committee last week that one chronically ill prisoner costs the state upwards of $1 million per year in medical expenses. Although an extreme case, that man's medical costs reflect the growing hospital bill for an aging population of inmates sentenced to die inside prison.

Nearly two-thirds of state inmates who have remained behind bars the longest are older than 45, according to DOC data. Nearly half of those inmates committed their crimes when they were 24 or younger, and more than 42 percent of them have now spent more than three decades in prison.

LeBlanc wasn't available for an interview for this story. But LeBlanc has vocally pushed for parole opportunities for the longest-serving inmates for years, arguing that many of them have undergone dramatic changes after decades in prison, and asked lawmakers to allow him to release chronically ill or dying inmates so they can be treated on the outside.

Since lifers and other long-serving inmates are largely driving the rise in average prison stays, granting them a chance at parole or earlier release may be the most effective way of reversing that course, said Austin, the prison analyst.

"If you take an average length of stay ... down from 40 months to 30 months, that would reduce the prison population by 25 percent," Austin said. "You can see that length of stay is really what you need to work on."

Under current law, only a pardon or commutation from the governor can free those serving life sentences. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards has used that authority to free a number of long-serving inmates after his predecessor, Republican Bobby Jindal, let nearly every recommendation from the state's Pardon-Parole Board languish on his desk.

For prosecutors, though, the growth in the number of long-serving inmates in the state system is not necessarily a worrying trend.

Hillar Moore III, the East Baton Rouge Parish district attorney who's been a vocal presence at the Legislature, said the current commutation process already provides a chance for truly reformed inmates to return home.

Although data from other states show that those released after serving decades in prison are at relatively low risk of committing new crimes, Moore maintained that the devastation and trauma caused by a murder or rape demand retributive justice.

"I think that there is a certain time that people age out of criminal behavior," Moore said. "But we still go back to the victim and what the victim expects. The criminal is aging out (of violent behavior), but their victim is still dead. The victims  we're not doing anything for their families and generations of their family that are suffering for what that inmate caused."

For violent offenses that aren't life, Louisiana requires convicts to serve 75 percent of their prison sentences, compared with 50 percent in Mississippi and Texas and 33 percent in Georgia and South Carolina. Among the task force recommendations is to reduce the mandatory share of prison sentences that Louisiana inmates without prior violent offenses must serve to 55 percent.

The state ends up paying more money to take care of inmates the longer they're held and the older they grow, said Dixon, the public defender. "It's the largest old folks home in the state."

"We're spending millions of dollars to watch them die. How about letting them out on furlough, applying for Medicaid and having someone else pay for it?" said Dixon. "They're not going to make a mad dash. They're dying."

Elain Ellerbe, state director for the conservative prison reform group Right on Crime, called Louisiana's high rate of incarceration the product of decades of failed tough-on-crime policies  and blamed the state's district attorneys for using "scare tactics" to stand in the way of needed change.

Ellerbe, who worked with prisoners while developing re-entry programs before joining Right on Crime, said those serving lengthy sentences  including life terms  need to be given the opportunity to make their case for release to the Pardon-Parole Board, which would decide on an individual basis if inmates are fit for release.

"At the end of the day, there are some people (in prison) that are so broken that they're close to irredeemable. But we've continued to sacrifice the redeemable for those that can't," Ellerbe said. "We've been doing that for decades, and we just can't continue to do that. We've got to do something different."
A newly-formed political group has launched a blistering, six-figure digital ad campaign against Gov. John Bel Edwards' tax plans, just as he sets out to try to woo support from skeptical legislators.

Edwards has raised taxes on nearly everything, the ad's narrator says as headlines about last year's sales tax hike flash upon the screen, alongside images of children. Food, school supplies, clothes  things we need every day, giving us the highest sales taxes in the nation.

The group behind the ad is called Truth in Politics, and it is also becoming increasingly active on social media.

Edwards, a Democrat who took office in January 2016, appeared unfazed by the effort.

You typically see those things," he told The Advocate on Tuesday. "Some of them did the same thing last year. Im certainly not surprised."

Truth in Politics executive director Kelli Bottger said the group is made up of business and community leaders from across the state, though she declined to identify them. "Out of respect for our donors I'm not going to release their names," she said.

The group's incorporation papers filed with the Secretary of State's office identify Cajun Industries founder Lane Grigsby as the president and his lobbyist, Dan Juneau, as TIP's secretary.

Bottger said TIP is planning to spend at least six figures during the course of the regular session, which started this week and ends June 8. To date, the group has raised more than $1 million.

"They decided the Louisiana people need to know the truth about our politics," she said. "We just wanted the public to know the truth about taxes."

Edwards spokesman Richard Carbo said the group is being led by supporters of Edwards' predecessor, Bobby Jindal.

"If these deep-pocketed special interests funding these misleading ads would like to go back to the Jindal years of phony budgets, smoke and mirrors and kicking the can down the road, they'd better find a new name for their PAC because they won't get very far if they have to tell the truth," he said.

The Legislature last year approved a new one-cent sales tax to fill the state's more than $1 billion shortfall. That tax is set to expire in July 2018. Edwards has asked lawmakers to consider other tax changes that would make up the money that will no longer come in through the sales tax once it drops back down to four cents, instead of five.

The ad particularly takes aim at Edwards' newly-proposed Commercial Activities Tax, calling it a "European-style tax on every Louisiana business, big or small."

The specific language of the CAT legislation has not yet been released. On Monday, Edwards told The Advocate editorial board that he's still fine-tuning the specifics.

"We want something that works, and we can't pass something that people don't understand," he said.

Bottger said Truth In Politics doesn't plan to push policy alternatives.

"The mission of our group is to simply tell the public the truth about current policies in place or proposed policies," she said.
Gov. John Bel Edwards met with The Advocate editorial board and Capitol bureau on Monday, touching on a variety of issues in an hour-long discussion.

In addition to taxes and the state budget, Edwards offered his thoughts on a U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing in which Louisiana was blasted for its flood response. He also was asked about Republican lawmakers in the Louisiana House and his stance on the abolition of the death penalty.

Here are abbreviated versions of his answers on those issues. For a lengthier transcript of the interview, click here.

On the state facing a a "fiscal cliff" in 2018, when $1.3 billion in temporary taxes will expire.

JBE: While its more than a year away, this is the last fiscal session between now and then. Obviously, if we dont address the issue, we would have to come back into a special session in order to do that.

The point I'm trying to make, the overarching point I was trying to make is that there wont be anything to consider this fall or next spring that is any more appetizing than the choice we have right now. I think we ought to go ahead and confront our challenges head on and fix these problems.

On the U.S. House Oversight Committee hearing earlier this month:

JBE: It appeared to me as someone in the room that it was just a politically orchestrated show. That's unfortunate because there are real issues that need to be resolved, like the duplication of benefits problem, like the fact that you don't really have a good housing solution right now for the short term.

I was not terribly surprised because that's the way Congress operates, but I was disappointed.

On the Republican majority in the Louisiana House and not finding consensus on cuts:

JBE: I can't understand how they think they are being serious, responsible legislators. I said it today, I can respect somebody who votes no on revenue, but then endorse the cuts. Stand behind them. They won't do it.

On efforts to boost the minimum wage in Louisiana:

JBE: $8.50 over two years is a very modest, but what I believe is a very meaningful increase for the people of Louisiana that I think will do a lot of good. I don't understand the opposition to that. I don't know that it's principled or that it can be well articulated that in why 2017 someone ought to be working for seven dollars and a quarter an hour.

On criminal justice reform:

JBE: It just makes sense for all the right reasons to say we are going to focus on non-violent offenders, those property crime offenders and those low-level drug offenders, and that's where we can make the biggest difference. It's obviously the largest effort in criminal justice reform that we've undertaken in Louisiana.

On the abolition of the death penalty:

JBE: I acknowledge that it costs a lot in terms of the criminal justice system to have the death penalty from what I understand the indigent defenders could take $10 million right away and put it towards other types of cases that make up the overwhelming majority of their caseload but I am not endorsing moving away from the death penalty in Louisiana.

On whether he would veto legislation that would overturn the death penalty:

JBE: Im not going to commit to that either. Its not part of my package. It's not part of the criminal justice reinforcement task force work.

Edwards 'interested,' noncommittal in debate on abolishing death penalty Gov. John Bel Edwards said hes interested in hearing the debate about abolishing the death 

Note: In attendance from The Advocate were: President and Publisher Dan Shea; executive editor Peter Kovacs; managing editor Fred Kalmbach; editorial page editor Danny Heitman; columnists Stephanie Grace and Lanny Keller; Capitol bureau reporters Elizabeth Crisp, Mark Ballard, Will Sentell and Tyler Bridges; and photographer Bill Feig.

From the Edwards administration: Department of Revenue Secretary Kimberly Robinson, special counsel Erin Monroe Wesley and communications director Richard Carbo.
A tax package proposed by Gov. John Bel Edwards would raise taxes on the wealthy while giving 95 percent of Louisiana families a tax cut, according to a study released Wednesday.

The largest effective tax cut under the governors plan would go to the middle 20 percent of taxpayers  households that earn between $36,000 and $56,000 per year  while only families earning at least $203,000 per year would pay more, according to the Louisiana Budget Project, a left-of-center, Baton Rouge-based nonprofit.

"Louisianas current tax structure is not sufficient to fund the states basic needs, let alone make necessary investments in education, public health and other critical priorities," the group said in a statement. It also is fundamentally unfair, as it requires low and moderate-income households to pay a higher effective tax rate than the very wealthiest.

The group also found that Edwards' plan would raise an additional $411 million per year, nearly enough to meet what his administration says would be a revenue shortfall next year. The extra revenue may cheer the budget project but it will likely prompt deep concern among conservatives, particularly in the state House, which is perhaps why the Edwards administration has yet to release its own analysis on whether the plan would raise more money.

Along with raising $411 million in new money, the Edwards plan would solve the "fiscal cliff" that lawmakers are facing next year when $1.3 billion in taxes will fall off.

Edwards is proposing to cut tax rates in conjunction with eliminating expensive tax breaks, along with creating a new tax on business, called the commercial activities tax. Revenue from the commercial activities tax would replace the revenue the state would lose by allowing the expiration of a 1-cent increase in the state sales tax.

Many of the governors ideas  but not the commercial activities tax  were among the recommendations issued by a blue-ribbon task force in January that studied the tax system last year.

Louisiana House committee starts vetting tax rewrite ideas Lawmakers on the House tax committee quickly launched their work Tuesday on the main debate 

Parts of his package require a supermajority two-thirds vote in the Legislature.

The governors proposals to lower corporate and individual income taxes coupled with ending a major tax break for corporations and individuals also would require voter approval. Voters rejected the corporate income tax swap in November.

As the budget projects report notes, getting legislative and voter approval to change the corporate and individual income tax system is key to making Louisianas tax system more progressive.

The governors commercial activities tax would hit the poor harder, the group found.

Louisianas tax system currently is regressive, meaning that the poor pay a higher percentage of their income in taxes than the wealthy, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a Washington, D.C.-based group that works with the Louisiana Budget Project. Families that earned $17,000 or less in 2015 paid 10 percent of their income, the group found, while families that earned at least $470,000 paid only 4.2 percent.

The Louisiana Budget Project released the report two days after the Legislature began its 60-day session and at a time that the House Ways and Means Committee has begun considering dozens of tax bills, the first step in the legislative process for tax measures that would raise revenue or eliminate exemptions.

The committee ended its work Wednesday afternoon after taking testimony - but no votes - on a variety of tax bills and will resume on Tuesday. It's not clear when the committee will begin taking votes.
We are in the middle of a war on science at both the national and our state level. This is a war that we cannot afford to lose. I am assuming 
A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, but it will be a downfall of Louisianas universities struggling to drive economic and
Lack of verification for users upgrading their SIM cards and information leaked by bank officials about UPI users is allowing crooks to loot money from people's bank accounts.

By Shashank Shekhar: Crooks are exploiting loopholes in the Unified Payments Interface mobile application to loot bank customers, police sources told Mail Today on Tuesday, underscoring a spike in cyber crimes as India moves towards a digital economy.

Cops are worried about rising cases of cheats getting a duplicate SIM on the pretext of upgrading a particular cellphone account to a 4G connection and then transferring money by downloading the UPI app.

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Unified Payments Interface was launched last year by National Payments Corporation of India - a not-for-profit organisation owned by a consortium of major banks - and is regulated by the RBI.

It allows users to make transactions over their cellphones including cash transfers to other users, and payments to utilities and some merchants.

A person with a smartphone, an account at one of the UPI's partner banks and a mobile number linked to that account can download the platform app. Users are enabled after registering on the application, which usually takes less than five minutes.

MODUS OPERANDI

Cops say withdrawing money fraudulently through UPI is a new trend and all a cyber criminal needs is the basic banking details of the victim.

"Our preliminary inquiry shows that these criminals are working in nexus with bank officials who leak the information of their clients by taking a screenshot and pass it on through WhatsApp," said a senior officer of crime branch in Delhi Police.

The information leaked by bank officials consists of the customer's name, address, bank account and card, PAN and mobile phone details. Criminals pay them based on the data, which varies according to the profile of the account holder.

These crooks, posing as telecom operators, ask the victim to apply for a 4G SIM free of cost for faster internet service.

As soon the customer sends an SMS to their operator to change their SIM to a 4G connection, the criminal goes to the store and collects a 4G SIM and then activates it in the victim's name.

SIM upgrade does not require any verification of know-your-customer (KYC) documents.

LACK OF VERIFICATION A PROBLEM

"The problem lies in the fact that there is no verification of documents and an active SIM can be easily procured," said Uttar Pradesh special task force's additional superintendent Triveni Singh.

"Mostly, our banking accounts are linked to our mobile number. All the notification, password and pin reset details are received on the phone. So, as soon criminals get access to a new mobile SIM, they download UPI or the BHIM app and fill the banking details which they have already gathered and start transferring money."

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Singh explained that once a crook is in possession of a SIM card, he only requires the victim's card details for a transaction.

Even the private banks too have been receiving complaints about withdrawal of money using UPI, say sources. They have asked their forensic teams to examine the details of such transactions.

Cops are yet to ascertain if an organised syndicate is behind such crimes but claim that techies and seasoned scamsters are exploiting the loopholes in the banking and telecom system.

UPI was promoted after the government announced the demonetisation drive last November in a bid to boost cashless transactions.

Chinks in the system were exposed when the NPCI admitted this year that Rs 25 crore was moved out of Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) accounts due to a bug in its UPI app.

According to sources, corrective steps have been initiated as well as the process of recovering the money from 19 banks where it was transferred to.

Officials say a bug resulted in the money moving out of the accounts without the sender having the necessary funds.

ALSO READ | WhatsApp may soon allow Indian users to make payments, money transfer through app

ALSO READ | Modi's BHIM: All questions answered about app that will make India cashless

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The Louisiana State Capitol building is seen in a clear, blue sky through trees on the Capitol grounds.
Letters: Prosecute kids for toy guns? House bill could do just that, if it isn't stopped
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Lucky Canberra commuters got to travel for free on the city's ACTION buses on Wednesday, after the MyWay ticketing system went down.

A Transport Canberra and City Services spokesman said there was a system-wide error where all of their buses were unable to log into the MyWay system.

ACTION bus passengers got a free ride on Wednesday after the MyWay ticketing system went down.

This meant passengers could not tap on or off the bus.

"This issue was due to a data file error that occurred overnight," he said.
A jury in the trial of a man accused of fatally stabbing his wife inside their Gordon home has retired to consider its verdict.

Maged Mohommed Ahmed Al-Harazi, 36, is on trial in the ACT Supreme Court for allegedly killing Sabah Al-Mdwali, 28, after a heated argument in the early hours of March 17, 2015.

Police had been called to the couple's Gordon home previously and Al-Mdwali approached at least one support service. Credit:Jeffrey Chan

It's alleged he inflicted 57 knife wounds on his wife as she breastfed their 10-month-old son and while their other two children, aged five and seven, were nearby.

Mr Al-Harazi was charged with murder but pleaded not guilty. He says Ms Al-Mdwali's father and brother killed her after they showed up at the couple's house and asked him to leave with the children.
Diversified miner Rio Tinto restated on Wednesday its decision to continue discussions regarding the future of its stake in the Grasberg mine in Indonesia.

"There is no doubt that Grasberg is a world-class resource. However, there's a difference between a world class resource and a world class business," Chief Executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques said on Wednesday, responding to a shareholder at the company's annual general meeting in London.

Rio Tinto chief executive Jean-Sebastien Jacques. Credit:Bloomberg

"Rio Tinto will have to come to a conclusion about whether we want to stay or not... we will inform the market as and when the situation evolves," he added.

Rio Tinto has a joint-venture with Freeport-McMoRan for the Grasberg copper and gold complex in remote Papua, with rights to 40 per cent of production above specific levels until 2021 and 40 per cent of all production after 2021.
In 2011, thousands of people marched, debated, ate, slept, and socialised together in Martin Place, the site that is regularly referred to as "the civic heart of Sydney". In doing so, these folk formed the Sydney contingent of the global Occupy Wall Street movement, which saw millions of people rallying in public spaces in cities across the world for a fairer financial system and a more just society.

Consistently surveilled, scrutinised and harassed by authorities, the occupation of Martin Place was first forced to an end in the same month it began. Since then, however, one group of occupiers has regularly returned to the space it helped build six years ago.

Sydney's 24/7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space gathers, prepares and distributes food, clothing, blankets and sleeping mats to people living homeless; also maintaining a safe space to sleep for the night.

Despite the community service it provides, the Street Kitchen and Safe Space has not been free of intervention from the City of Sydney, with the space dismantled and belongings removed by council officers several times.
Don't know about Russia, but Trump's ties with his ties are for the world to see.

By India Today Web Desk: While the productivity of Donald Trump's presidency remains debatable, there is one thing his election win has definitely proved lucrative for--the business of humour. From late night television hosts like Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah to shows like Saturday Night Live witnessing their highest-ever ratings, Trump's every day habits are a goldmine of comedy content--and not without good reason.

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But this time we aren't talking about a particular SNL sketch or an Alec Baldwin impression, but about a hilarious Twitter account dedicated to Donald Trump's ties with his ties. Yep, not about his ties with Russia or Vladimir Putin, but with his ties.

Also Read: Here's what Donald Trump eats in a day

POTUS Trump's ties have grabbed the eyeballs of many including now-retired seasoned late night television host, Jon Stewart, who appeared on Stephen Colbert's show some months ago wearing an exaggerated version of a signature Trump tie. And now, a Twitter account by the name of Trump's Ties is taking the exaggeration to a new level. How? Well, the account has a series of photoshopped images that put the spotlight on Trump's love affair with his long ties.

Also Read: Trump says he doesn't cry--here are 4 benefits he's missing out on

From world leaders like Justin Trudeau and Angela Merkel being in awe of his ties to Trump himself being entangled in them, this account with over 25 thousand, is sure a hilarious way to deal with nausea The Donald has brought to the world.

Here are some gems.

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A month ago, the Herald wrote of Canberra's growing concern at the likely direction of US policy in our region during the Trump presidency: "The fear is that the deal-making President with his contempt for rules and norms, will adopt a transactional approach to relationships in the region". There was a danger he would trade off important principles for concessions on trade and security "that suit the US but disregard the flow-on effects for other countries, including US allies", Australia among them, we said.

It can hardly have been co-incidence, either, that the US missile attack on a Syrian air base in response to the use of chemical weapons against civilians in that country occurred during a dinner between President Trump and China's President Xi Jinping. It was seen as a warning to North Korea but also to China that Mr Trump is ready to exercise US military power against out-of-line regimes without the say-so of any other country. It's a message Mr Trump saw fit to spell out on Twitter a few days later: "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them". In another tweet the US President said he had explained to Mr Xi that if the Chinese "solve the North Korea problem", they will get a "far better" trade deal with the US.

In early March, North Korea fired four intermediate-range missiles into the Sea of Japan while US President Donald Trump was entertaining Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at what he calls his "southern White House". The message to both dining companions could not have been more pointed  that North Korea is capable of firing multiple rockets simultaneously at US bases in Japan.

Mr Trump's tweets fuel that fear. He is threatening unilateralism even as he pledges co-operation with China on the issue. We may not need to wait for another Mar-a-Lago dinner. With reports of a Chinese troop build-up at the North Korean border, and the arrival of the US aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson in Korean waters, concern is high that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will conduct the country's sixth nuclear test this Saturday to commemorate the 105th birthday of its late founder, his grandfather Kim Il-sung, and that Trump will order a missile strike in retaliation.

His threats have already trashed the "norm" in dealing with North Korea. Since 2003, the US and North Korea's neighbours  South Korea, China, Japan and Russia  have sought to modify North Korea's behaviour through six-party talks relying on a combination of concessions and sanctions. The talks, last convened in 2009, were set to resume in 2012 but North Korea tested its missile technologies with a satellite launch before that happened. The US responded by withdrawing food aid.

Mr Trump is indicating he favours a fiercer response. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said China had agreed that action needed to be taken, but the US will be waiting a long time before China takes a single step that might risk creating a failed state on its border. Despite Mr Trump's missile stunt at the Mar-a-Lago dinner, China emerged triumphant, albeit quietly so, making no concessions on trade or the South China Sea. Mr Trump's earlier China-baiting statements over currency and trade, and his provocative phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen were forgotten in his assurance of goodwill and friendship after the meeting. On China more than any other issue, he seems to have modified his pre-presidential bluster into a more prudent presidential stance. That may be due to clever back-channel diplomacy by the Chinese ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, who has reportedly been in the ear of the President's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Even so, between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un the chances of a dangerous miscalculation on the Korean peninsula are higher than ever. As the US' commitment to the region becomes more uncertain and China seeks to assert itself more forcefully, the imperative for Australia to maintain strong and reliable relationships will only intensify. The predicament was apparent during Mr Xi's visit to Australia late last month, when he sought to position Australia as a partner in China's campaign to be seen as the new defender of globalisation and free trade, with the US on the outer. Clearly, Australia needs to invest the same effort in ensuring it knows and understands what Beijing is doing and thinking as it does in keeping up with the goings-on in Washington.

'A note from the editor' - to have Sydney Morning Herald editor Lisa Davies' exclusive weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox, sign up here: www.smh.com.au/editornote
In 2015, the Victorian government asked me to undertake a review of the state's fire services.

The importance of our firefighters' role cannot be underestimated, which is why it is so devastating to see the Victorian fire services in the state that they are  marked by division and low morale.

The importance of our firefighters' role cannot be underestimated. Credit:Craig Abraham

The Victorian Liberal Party used its recent state conference to stoke tensions, bizarrely issuing a threat to the CFA board, this, on the back of the politically charged intervention of the federal Coalition at the time of the federal election, has created much distrust and a polarised community.

It is disappointing that the industrial politics continue to overshadow the real challenges of community service delivery and organisational modernisation, which my review focused on and which Victoria still needs to address. Attacking the workforce and their union is not the answer.
Let me add to the chorus of voices recalling last year's US election campaign when not only Donald Trump and his alt-right troll army, but also the extreme "alt-left" demonised Hillary Clinton as a warmonger likely to unleash World War III by meddling in Syria.

How's that caper working for them now, I wonder?

But that's the last easy shot I'll fire because to start and end the discussion here would be morally bankrupt. We must  what choice do we have?  recognise that an immoral president can act with audacious morality.

At the least, Trump's missile strike against President Bashar al-Assad's regime for an alleged sarin gas attack against civilians brought a catharsis that shows his genius for channelling public sentiment in the social media age. Intellectually, I accept the torrential critiques of Trump's response: that it was staged, with the Russians, and perhaps even the Syrians, forewarned, symbolic in intent and piddling in effect, dangerous as the consequences are unpredictable, erratic because he acted without seeking authority at home or abroad, illogical for changing the goalposts in Syria from destroying Islamic State to regime change, hypocritical because these are the same civilians he'd deny safe haven in the US, cynical in deflecting attention from his stalling domestic agenda and the probes into his administration's links with Russia.
Last week's sarin attacks by the Syrian government against civilian targets in Khan Sheikhoun, and the subsequent US retaliatory missile strikes against a Syrian air base, raise many new questions about Syria's six-year civil war.

Much of this coverage has focused on implications for the future of US policy. But there's another big question: Why would Syrian President Bashar Assad use chemical weapons - and risk international condemnation and retaliation?

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government denied using chemical weapons on its own people. Credit:AP

Assad has been the dominant force in the Syrian civil war, which has cost more than 400,000 Syrian lives. The opposition is increasingly fragmented and the Syrian government has for the most part held tightly to the reins of power using conventional weapons.

When the Assad regime deployed chemical weapons in 2013, the Obama administration unexpectedly held off from retaliating militarily, having failed to get congressional approval for military action. The decision to use chemical weapons last week generated pictures of dying children and international condemnation for the violations of international norms and law - along with US military retaliation.
A potential $1 billion federal government loan to Indian conglomerate Adani for its proposed coal mine has been called into question because comments by the company appear to conflict with infrastructure funding guidelines.

Public finance for Australia's biggest open-cut coal pit has become the latest political battleground, as alarming new footage emerged of the environmental damage done to wetlands bordering Adani's Abbot Point coal terminal in Queensland by cyclone Debbie.

Research by the independent Parliamentary Library, passed to Fairfax Media, found statements by Adani on the financial viability of the Carmichael project in Queensland's Galilee Basin could render it ineligible to accept funding for a mine-to-port rail line from the $5 billion Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund.

In December, Adani spokesman Ron Watson confidently declared that access to the $1 billion concessional loan through the infrastructure fund was "not make or break" for the $16 billion project moving to production. "It's not critical," Mr Watson said of the loan at the time.
"I believe that these bags are art," Koons said as the collection was unveiled in Paris overnight.

New York-based artist Jeff Koons has collaborated with the luxury fashion house for a capsule range designed with iconic works by Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, Jean-Honore Fragonard and Vincent Van Gogh.

Gone are the Campbell soup cans, Louis Vuitton's latest collection of bags and accessories has taken pop art to the next (bougie) level by featuring works of legitimate art.

His range of leather goods includes the brand's popular Speedy bags, chain bags and Palm Springs backpacks that have been painted with da Vinci's Mona Lisa or Van Gogh's A Wheatfield with Cypresses.

For those that didn't take art history 101 as an elective during the first year of your Arts degree or were too hung over to do the Louvre tour on your last Contiki Tour, the bags will be emblazoned with the name of each of the "Old Masters" Koons has replicated. Each bag will also come with biographies of the artist so you don't even have to rummage around in it, and risk damaging the fine leather, while taking out your iPhone to Google..

They will also feature the oft-ripped off Louis Vuitton "LV" monogram and Koons' initials.

"Koons has also reconfigured the famous Louis Vuitton Monogram to bear his initials. This represents a radical departure for the House, which has previously never allowed its iconic pattern to be reshaped," a statement, without a hint of irony, to the press read.

The LV x Koons collection will go on sale in select Vuitton stores and a New York-pop up site from April 28 and will range in price from $780 to more than $5000.
You know how people say domestic violence affects everyone. And sure, I know it does, but this was close for me. A young woman who I now feared would be lost forever because her father killed her mother.

This year, there are 11 women on that list of those killed by violence. In 2015, the year Salwa was killed, it was 27. No matter the number, it's always too many. And every year, those deaths spread out to the families, to the friends, to the workplaces and schools.

Whatever you may think about teaching and teachers, know this: teachers don't just turn up at nine and finish at five. We take our students' lives home with us, we have dreams for them. We worry. And I was worrying about Nour even in first year. She'd planned to do another degree and suddenly, out of the blue, turned up in journalism class. And year by year, she got the hang of it. Every year, you see students finally get it. You see their future ribbon out before them.

And then her father murdered her mother.

Over the next two years, I kept in touch. She got a job at Sky but really her heart and soul were occupied. I sent a few messages, not wanting to be weird but not wanting to lose sight of Nour. She said she was applying for a job at the ABC.
A marine theme-park is being sued by an animal welfare group which claims dolphins at the park are confined in small, shallow concrete pools and overworked.

The Animal Law Institute, which is acting for Australia For Dolphins, filed a statement of claim in the Federal Circuit Court on Tuesday claiming Coffs Harbour-based Dolphin Marine Magic has engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct by keeping dolphins in enclosures smaller than legally allowed, while claiming to meet government welfare standards.

A dolphin at the Dolphin Marine Magic park. Credit:Australia For Dolphins

"The dolphins ... are not all happy and are not all healthy," the writ says.

"Dolphins in captivity suffer stress, behavioural abnormalities, high mortality rates, decreased longevity, breeding problems and welfare is generally compromised in artificial, captive environments."
Voters at 15 NSW councils in the middle of legal fights against mergers will nonetheless go to the polls this year, in elections that will cost millions and which critics say could have to be repeated within a year.

The Local Government Minister published plans on Monday for more than a dozen Sydney councils to be part of this year's local government elections.

The opposition says that holding an election for a council that could have its existence cancelled "weeks later" is an insult to voters.

"The nonsense is these councils will go through the expense of staging a democratic vote only [so they could] be told 'scratch that, you're going to be merged'," said Labor's local government spokesman, Peter Primrose. "It's a total insult".
Encouraging wealthy tourists to ditch big game safaris for a croc shooting adventure in Queensland could be a boon for Indigenous communities, a traditional owner says.

Alwyn Lyall, from the Lakefield National Park area in north Queensland, said allowing Indigenous people to run safari tours would help tackle unemployment while also teaching people about the culture of First Australians.

Crocodile safaris could be an employment boon for Indigenous communities in Queensland. Credit:iStock

Katter's Australian Party is drafting legislation, expected to be introduced before the end of May, to introduce culling, safari hunting croc removal and egg collection in Queensland.

The party's two MPs in the Queensland Parliament - Robbie Katter and Shane Knuth - are so serious about the need to introduce croc culling, they are even willing to attempt to block the budget.
By India Today Web Desk: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living destroyed Yamuna floodplains, venue of World Culture Festival: NGT panel

A NGT-appointed committee of experts finds Art Of Living responsible for destroying Yamuna floodplain area used for event during World Culture Festival.

China accuses India of violating Tibet commitments, warns of actions

China accused India of violating its commitments on Tibet, pointing to statements made by Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu and the Dalai Lama.

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Baahubali 2 at the box office: Would The Conclusion be as huge without its marketing?

Baahubali director SS Rajamouli is indebted to his marketing team that is responsible for keeping the film relevant even today. Ahead of the release of Baahubali 2, we look at the business and marketing strategy of the film.

How Dravid contributed in the making of Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson was grateful for his association with Rahul Dravid after smashing his maiden IPL hundred. How exactly did The Wall help in making Samson the player he is today?

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Tinta Crayons Maria Fletcher, the co-founder of handmade wax crayon business Tinta Crayons, says the impact of late payments is real creating a feeling of "helplessness". Kate Carnell says small businesses are being treated like banks by big businesses. Credit:Sean Davey "We put due dates on our invoices and to some extent I see no point on putting a due date on as nobody ever looks at it, they pay when they feel ready," she says. Fletcher says as a small business with a turnover of about $70,000 the amounts owed are not large but they have a significant impact on Tinta Crayons.

"Sometimes even small amounts of several hundred dollars, you have to ring or email four or five times," she says. "The administrative time of chasing it is quite burdensome and you also get lots of quite evasive excuses so it really can ruin the relationship you have with those other businesses." Tinta Crayons now requires stockists to pay up front before delivery and Fletcher says she will wait to see if the Ombudsman's recommendation for payments legislation makes a difference. Small business should never have to act as a bank for big business, helping to finance multinational companies Kate Carnell "How would it be enforced and how would it be policed?" she says. Legislation needed

Carnell is calling for legislation to set a maximum payment time for business-to-business transactions and wants the Australian government to adopt a 15 business working days limit on payment terms from July 2018. The Ombudsman also wants legislation for large business to disclose publicly all of their payment terms and performance against those terms and for the Australian government to procure from businesses that have supply chain payment practices equal to or better than government terms. "Extending payment times for suppliers effectively uses the businesses in the supply chain as a cheap form of finance," says Carnell. "Small business should never have to act as a bank for big business, helping to finance multinational companies." Carnell says the trend for extended payment times is impacting the economy by slowing down the flow of cash and is killing small businesses. "When a business experiencing extended payment times is also hit with late payments, it stresses the business further, which can easily put them out of business," she says.

Poor cash flow is the primary reason for insolvency in Australia. "We saw individual cases of really long payment times like six months and longer where big business lost invoices and knocked them back for pedantic issues like page four of the invoice has the incorrect code," Carnell says. "They are just approaches to give an excuse not to pay. It has become a bit cultural almost." Going beyond voluntary payment code The Business Council of Australia on Wednesday proposed a voluntary industry code to ensure small businesses are payed within 30 business days of issuing an invoice but the Ombudsman's inquiry found a voluntary code is not enough. Carnell warned overseas experience showed voluntary measures did not compel all businesses to change their practices on extended payment terms or late payments.

"We think a voluntary code will be signed by the good guys and those that aren't will just ignore it," Carnell says. "That's what happened in the UK [which has a voluntary code]." The inquiry found public reporting and monitoring alone will not compel the worst offenders to adopt shorter payment times, nor necessarily improve their payment practices. "Where law does not exist there will be exploitation of the gap." Access to justice The inquiry also calls for easier enforcement and dispute resolution procedures for small business.

"In general businesses do not chase debts under $10,000 as the costs (including legal and administrative costs) are often greater than the debt amount and the time to recover the debt offsets any possible benefit to cash flow," the inquiry found. The inquiry says access to justice needs to offer low cost and fast enforcements for small business. Small business minister Small business minister Michael McCormack says he will review the Ombudsman's inquiry and the government will release a response. "Sixty, 90 and 120 days are not good enough," he says. "Small business should not be used as big business' bank. My message to big business is clear  negotiate fair terms and stick to those terms."
Microsoft has moved swiftly to patch a major security flaw in all current versions of Word, used by millions of Australians.

The bug allows an exploit, known as the Dridex banking trojan, to gain access to a user's computer.

Once access is gained, a hacker can then steal the users' personal banking details and passwords.

The bug was detected late last week by multiple sources, including cyber security companies McAfee and FireEye.
The long-running and toxic CFA industrial dispute could be drawing to a close with a plan to radically reshape firefighting boundaries.

There has been growing speculation that Labor will overhaul the state's fire services in the coming weeks by redrawing the boundaries of the city fringe fire-fighting zones and creating two new firefighting services: one wholly volunteer and one paid-only service.

Voluntary and paid CFA members with Premier Daniel Andrews and Emergency Services Minister James Merlino in June. Credit:Penny Stephens

Any changes to the boundaries are likely to be resisted by the Opposition and volunteer brigades and could cause another major political battle for the Premier.

Currently the CFA's mainly volunteer firefighters patrol the vast majority of Victoria, while the professional fire fighters of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade cover almost all of Melbourne.
An ice-addicted killer who stabbed his victim at least 12 times during a fight in a Melbourne hotel room after binging on drugs, sex and room service has been jailed for 22 years.

A Supreme Court jury rejected the man's self-defence claim and found him guilty of murder over the 2015 fight.

The court heard the victim returned to his hotel room to find the killer and a woman both naked, having partied with ice they stole from his room safe, and ordering room service at his expense.

When the victim yelled at the pair, the killer punched him twice in the face.

The killer and woman also had sex the previous night at a friend's home, both knowing the victim was attracted to her. They were loud enough that the victim heard them and became agitated, Justice Elizabeth Hollingworth said on Wednesday.
A Brazilian taxi driver has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years for accepting a fare he shouldn't have  importing more than two kilograms of cocaine into Australia.

Authorities arrested Raphael Dos Santos on November 14 last year when an X-ray machine at Melbourne Airport revealed he had 2.69 kilograms of cocaine in the lining of his suitcase.

Dos Santos, who grew up poor and was under financial strain, was paid $4000 to act as a courier and transport drugs with a street value of up to $3 million, the County Court heard.

On Wednesday the 36-year-old was jailed for at least four years after he pleaded guilty to importing a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug.

Before the sentence, letters written by his friends and family in Brazil were translated to the court, including a note from his 12-year-old son that asked the judge, Michael Bourke, to send Dos Santos home.
An outbreak of Legionnaires' disease possibly linked to building cooling towers in Melbourne's CBD is being investigated by health authorities.

Five people  three men and two women, aged from 51 to 71 years  were recently hospitalised after contracting the pneumonia-like condition.

Authorities are disinfecting and sampling 92 systems in buildings between Spring and Elizabeth streets in the city's east, to minimise risk while they search for the source.

Victoria's Deputy Chief Health Officer, Dr Finn Romanes, said the Health Department began investigating links to CBD cooling towers after interviews with those affected last night and Wednesday morning.
A nurse at Royal Melbourne Hospital was taken hostage by a patient armed with a knife in an event police are describing as a "siege".

The incident occurred in a surgery ward of the Parkville hospital on Monday evening about 6.30pm when a 60-year-old Wandin North man threatened two female staff members.

According to an email sent to radio station 3AW by one hospital employee, the patient took the nurse hostage in a toilet inside the hospital for a period of time before police were called to rescue the woman.

Both normal uniform police and "special ones with big guns and wearing black clothing" arrived at the scene, the employee who wanted to remain anonymous said.
A crash involving a truck and several cars has now been cleared, after causing earlier delays on the Princes Freeway at Altona Meadows.

Two people were taken to hospital with minor injuries following the crash, which occurred about 9.40am near Fitzgerald Road.



A truck lost an item off the back of its load, causing several cars to brake and subsequently collide nose-to-tail, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

A multi-vehicle crash causes heavy traffic delays on the Princes Freeway. Credit:VicRoads

Two outbound lanes have been reopened after earlier closures.
Let's call it "brewrism". It's tourism that involves visiting breweries and it's a growing niche in the Victorian travel market.

While wineries are a long entrenched feature of the tourism landscape, the rise of craft breweries across Victoria means that more and more holidaymakers are sampling the ales, lagers and draught beers brewed by small and medium-sized businesses in regional Victoria.

Premier Daniel Andrews enjoys a beer with Paul and Natasha Holgate at the Holgate Brewhouse in Woodend. Credit:Justin McManus

Craft beer tourism received a further shot in the arm on Wednesday, with Premier Daniel Andrews visiting Woodend's Holgate Brewery, and raising a glass to the industry.

He revealed a personal enthusiasm for crisp lagers, stood at the bar in front of the cameras with a large glass of "Hopinator" in hand  which received his smiling stamp of approval  and talked up the benefits of craft breweries to regional tourism.
The mother of Josh Warneke has described today as a "great day" after the Court of Appeal on Wednesday threw out the conviction of the man jailed for killing her son.

Gene Gibson, who is from the remote desert community of Kiwirrkurra, was serving seven-and-a-half years behind bars over the death of Josh Warneke, the 21-year-old who was found dead on the side of a Broome highway in February 2010.

Mr Warneke's mother Ingrid Bishop has previously said she did not believe Mr Gibson killed her son.

Mr Gibson appealed his conviction on the basis he suffered a miscarriage of justice because he did not have the cognitive ability or language skills to understand what was happening.
By India Today Web Desk: Senior Congress leader and former Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily today broke ranks with his party on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), categorically saying India cannot go back to paper ballots. The veteran leader has been asked by the Congress to explain his remarks.

"Among all the countries, our electoral system is the best and for that, the credit should go to the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) and the Congress. We can have a committee to look into the issues of EVMs, but there is no question of going back to manual methods," Moily said, hours before a delegation led by the Congress approached President Pranab Mukherjee on the issue.

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"There are some apprehensions in the mind (of some leaders) and they are asking for an upgradation. Such things have happened in the past too. So many testing occurred when I was the Law Minister, but we didn't find anything wrong in it. We can't go back to ballot papers, but if technical upgradation is possible, then it is okay," he said.

The remarks did not go down well within the Congress, which has asked him why he gave such a statement while the party is trying to corner the government over the alleged tampering of the EVMs in recent elections.

Congress Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad reminded Moily of being a signatory to the memorandum that the Opposition parties have given to the President opposing the use of EVMs in future elections. "It is his personal view and not our party's view," Azad said.

As the Congress expressed its displeasure over the remarks, Moily, in an exclusive chat with India Today TV, changed his stand. "Yes, I said all that but this (meeting with President) is also important. The delegation is going to meet President and after that our spokesperson will give his reaction," he said.

OPPOSITION MEETS PRESIDENT

The Opposition leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, met President Pranab Mukherjee today on the EVM issue and to raise their concern over what they dubbed as an "environment of fear and insecurity" in the country, asking him to "protect the constitutional democracy and fundamental rights" of the citizens.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Azad, and Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury were part of the delegation that submitted a memorandum to the President on alleged tampering with the EVMs during the recent state polls.

"Through our memorandum, we drew his attention to the recent critical developments which have seriously undermined governance and institutional integrity. The environment of fear and insecurity has been prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled," said Azad.

He said malfunctioning and tampering with EVMs have raised questions about the sanctity of entire electoral process, particularly the recent elections to five state assemblies. The senior Congress leader said that the leaders of various opposition parties met the Election Commission authorities too on Monday and were assured of all-party meeting on the matter.

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ALSO READ| Opposition meets EC officials over EVM tampering, demand restoration of paper ballot

ALSO READ| EVM row: Dhritarashtra EC wants Duryodhan to win, says Kejriwal; 13 parties to move poll panel today

ALSO WATCH| Bhind EVM row: Top cop, district magistrate ousted in Madhya Pradesh after EC order

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if the people of Biafra want Republic of Biafra, it will be a reality during my administration. ----Donald Trump Donald Trump I wi...
By Press Trust of India: (Eds: Updating with quotes of Parrikar and two ministers)

Panaji, Apr 12 (PTI) Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today inducted former Congress leaders Vishwajit Rane and Mauvin Godinho into his cabinet, raising the strength of his ministry to twelve.

Rane, who had won the Valpoi assembly seat on a Congress ticket in the February 4 state polls, had quit the party and joined the ruling BJP last week.

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Godinho, who is the BJP MLA from Dabolim constituency, had joined the saffron party in December last year, months before the assembly polls.

They were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Mridula Sinha at Raj Bhavan.

After the induction, Parrikar said that a meeting with alliance partners will be held on April 17 or 18 to adopt a Common Minimum Programme.

"We had announced that the Common Minimum Programme would be adopted within a month. We will meet on April 17 or 18 to discuss it with the coalition partners," Parrikar told reporters.

With the induction of Rane and Godinho, the total number of ministers (including Parrikar himself) has gone up to twelve- five from the BJP, three from Goa Forward Party (GFP), two from Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and two independents. Parrikar had inducted nine of the ministers in the first phase on March 14.

Both Rane and Godinho were ministers in the Congress-led governments in the past.

Rane had quit the Congress and resigned his assembly membership after the party failed to form the government in Goa despite emerging as the single largest bloc winning 17 seats in the 40-member Assembly.

Rane, son of Congress veteran Pratapsinh Rane (who himself won his 11th term as a legislator in the last polls), defied the Congress whip to vote against the trust motion brought by Parrikar by absenting himself from the House. He joined BJP last week in the presence of Parrikar and other leaders.

Rane had served as Health minister in the Digambar Kamat-led Congress government between 2007-2012.

Godinho, who has been representing Dabolim assembly constituency since 1994 (till date), was a minister in the Pratapsinh Rane-led cabinet. He was also was the Deputy Speaker of Goa Assembly during the Digambar Kamat-led government.

Talking to reporters, Parrikar said coalition parties (GFP and MGP) attended the NDA meeting held recently in New Delhi. "There are times when we have to match our agenda with that of alliance partners. Such meetings help to match the agenda," he said.

Meanwhile, talking about his inclusion into the cabinet, Rane said, "I am very happy to be a part of the Parrikar-led cabinet. We have the best CM and there is lot of scope to perform under his leadership."

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Godinho said, "It is an opportunity to work with the tall leader like Parrikar, who has left the Defence Ministry to take over the responsibility of the state."

"I think now good things will happen in Goa after Parrikar has taken over. That will help us get adequate funding from the Centre," he added. PTI RPS NM NP ARK

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Despite all the controversy swirling around him, former Trump adviser Carter Page continues to advocate for a closer relationship between Russia and the United States.

Page appears undaunted by the attention paid to him by the House Intelligence Committee, where he was called out by Democrats in an open hearing; by his status as a person of interest to the Senate Intelligence Committee; and by a Buzzfeed article which revealed that Page had passed documents to a Russian intelligence agent in New York in 2013.

Not even a Washington Post article Tuesday evening, which revealed that the FBI had sought and obtained a secret court order to monitor his communications, has driven Page into silence. To obtain the order, the FBI would have needed to show probable cause that Page was an agent for a foreign power or in some way engaged in a clandestine intelligence activity.

Page merely took the latest revelations as evidence that he has been the victim of the American governments efforts to silence him. He was defiant, framing himself as a dissident whose support for closer U.S.-Russia ties had made him a target and a victim.

I was so happy to hear that further confirmation is now being revealed. It shows how low the Clinton/Obama regime went to destroy our democracy and suppress dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy, Page told The Daily Beast on Tuesday evening, in a series of texts. It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests [[from the FBI]] are more fully disclosed over time.

Last week, following Bashar al-Assad regimes chemical weapon attack in Syria and subsequent United States cruise missile strikes, Page sent an email to The Daily Beast lamenting that deaths could have been prevented had Russia and the United States been closer. The email was totally unprompted, suggesting that Page is still undertaking an active campaign to push for friendlier relations.

He argued that the ongoing investigations into Russias interference in Americas 2016 presidential elections, now taking place in the House and Senate, were distractions that prevented detente.

Instead of Congress encouraging negotiations with Moscow which might have otherwise helped prevent the chemical attack of 4 April and other recent atrocities in Syria, the continued distraction of last years fabrications stood as an obvious roadblock to any serious collaboration that might have saved innumerable lives, Page wrote.

Page railed against what he called the current Cold War trajectory between the United States and Russia. This weeks deaths of innocent civilians in this ongoing proxy war now undoubtedly demonstrate an initial human cost and the titanic risks involved, he said.

A dossier written by a former British intelligence officer with longstanding sources in Russia has suggested that Page had ties with the Russian government. These allegations have not been proven, and Page dismissed the claims as a dodgy dossier that yielded little more than a comedic distraction for months on end.

Just as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin enabled victory in World War II through an essential alliance, we cannot in one breath speak of protecting lives and in the next close the prerequisite pathways of negotiation which could allow it, Carter said in an email to The Daily Beast following Americas air strikes on Assad.

In an interview with The Washington Post last spring, Trump identified Page by name as one of his foreign policy advisers. After Yahoo News reported that intelligence officials were probing ties between Page and the Kremlin, Page stepped down from the campaign, although he denounced the suggestion that he had done anything wrong.

While Page has not been accused of a crime, the revelation Tuesday night that he had been subject to government surveillance suggests that the FBI had undisclosed reasons to suspect he was potentially a foreign agent.
The fire broke out at 9 pm on Wednesday night, prompting at least five fire tenders to rush to the spot. It was brought under control after midnight.

The fire was brought under control after midnight (Photo: YouTube/The Fifth Estate, IIT Madras)

By India Today Web Desk: The third floor of a building in the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras campus was completely charred from the outside after a major fire broke out on Wednesday night.

According to a report on The Fifth Estate, the website of IIT Madras's student media body, the fire broke out at the IC&SR (Industrial Consultancies and Sponsored Research) building at around 9 pm.

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The fire, which is suspected to have been sparked due to a short circuit, was doused only only after midnight.

There were no casualties in the fire, The Fifth Estate said , adding that the full extent of the damage due to the fire was yet to be understood.

At least five fire tenders were involved in dousing the flames, according to news agency PTI, which confirmed that there had been no casualties.

ALSO READ | Over 200 vehicles gutted in fire at parking area in Raipur

ALSO READ | IIT Madras scientists discovers how inexpensive aspirin might be killing cancer cells

--- ENDS ---
An Ohio police officer has been removed from patrol duty after a video emerged of him stomping on a handcuffed suspects headjust two weeks after a grand jury failed to indict him for fatally shooting a civilian last year.

Officer Zachary Rosen, of the Columbus Division of Police, has been indefinitely reassigned to non-patrol duty while the incident is investigated, Sergeant Richard Weiner told The Daily Beast. According to Weiner, Rosen self-reported the incident, which occurred on Saturday.

The video, recorded by a passerby, shows Rosen kicking 22-year-old Demarko Anderson in the head while hes face down and in handcuffs. Before being kicked, Anderson can be heard shouting why are you being aggressive, sir? at the arresting officer. Rosen suddenly runs in from outside the frame and kicks Anderson in the head.

Are you serious? Anderson shouts, I got cuffs on, sir! Are you serious?

Officers were investigating a report of a man, later identified as Anderson, threatening to shoot people inside a home in the North Linden neighborhood of Columbus on Saturday afternoon, court records show. Anderson allegedly threatened to shoot all you motherfuckers in the house.

When police confronted Anderson, he elbowed Officer Darren Stephens in the face and ran away, court records show. Police found Anderson a block away, where he was apprehended, arrested, and kicked in the head by Rosen.

The action taken by one of our officers does not meet the standards by the Columbus Division of Police. It appears to be inconsistent with the values and training we instill in our officers, Columbus police told local outlets in a statement.

Police say they found a handgun and a substance suspected to be crack cocaine in Andersons pants pockets. He was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing official business, aggravated menacing, possession of controlled substances, and having weapons under disability.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said in a statement that he was disturbed and upset when he saw the video of Rosen kicking Anderson. The behavior we saw in the video was unacceptable and inconsistent with our values as a community. It erodes the trust the residents of this city place in law enforcement, Ginther said.

Rosen was one of two officers involved in the fatal June 2016 shooting of 23-year-old Henry Green. In late March, a grand jury determined that their use of force was justified.

Witness accounts of the shooting widely vary, according to local media outlets. Police said that Green shot at the two plainclothes officersRosen and Officer Jason Bareafter they identified themselves as police and ordered him to drop the gun he was holding.

As soon as I exited the vehicle, I know I yelled Police! Uh, Im 100 percent sure of that, Rosen reportedly told investigators. When he was asked if he heard Bare identify himself as a police officer, Rosen said he did not.

Detectives found that there were conflicting statements from the multiple witnesses interviewed about how the shooting occurred, who fired the first shot, whether the officers announced their status as police officers, whether the police badges around their neck on lanyards were observable, and whether the officers acted in self-defense or shot Henry Green for no apparent lawful purpose, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron OBrien said in a statement.

One witness interviewed by Detectives stated Mr. Green was shot after he was handcuffed and laying on the ground, OBrien said.

Some witnesses claimed that the incident was an intentional shooting, without justification, OBrien told the Dispatch, but they werent considered credible by the grand jury. If they had been, he said, an indictment would have been returned.

No police officer has been indicted for shooting a civilian since O'Brien began serving as county prosecutor 20 years ago, WOSU Public Media reported.

Investigators determined that Green fired six shots, Bare fired seven, and Rosen fired 15. An autopsy found that Green was shot seven times.

The facts in this case are that the officers acted appropriately. They were under fire, they returned fire to save themselves, the lives of themselves and the lives of the public around them, said Jason Pappas, union president of Capital City Lodge No. 9 of the Fraternal Order of Police. Its unfortunate, the whole situation, but Mr. Green caused his own death.

Greens death is still being investigated by Columbuss Firearms Review Board.

Regarding Rosens latest incident, Pappas told the Dispatch, These actions happen quickly and its hard to discern all of the different actions that have occurred.
The White House might have just stolen the mantle of worst public relations week from United Airlines, and it couldnt come at a worse time for the administration.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer was forced to repeatedly clarify comments on Tuesday that initially came across as downplaying the atrocities of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime. Within hours, he was facing resignation demands from senior Democrats.

He made the remarks in an effort to underscore the horrific nature of the Syrian government's nerve gas attack against its own civilian population last week, an attack that U.S. officials on Tuesday accused the Russian government of attempting to cover up through obfuscation and propaganda.

Spicers comments, and his subsequent attempts to clarify them, only muddied that message, bringing a social media and public relations firestorm down on the White House as it attempted to clear up facts surrounding Syrian president Bashar al-Assads role in the attack.

Spicers comments were an attempt to portray Assad as literally worse than Hitler.

Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, Spicer told reporters, omitting mention of the use of poison gas to slaughter six million Jews during the Holocaust.

He quickly clarified the statement, but his comments only drew further criticism. Hitler, he said, was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing... the way Assad dropped the bombs into the middle of townsso the use of it.

In fact, the Nazis did target their own people. As many as 180,000 German Jews were killed in during the Holocaust.

Spicer clarified his comments once again in a written statement minutes after Tuesdays press briefing ended.

"In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, however, I was trying to draw a contrast of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on innocent people," the statement explained.

But the damage was already done.

Early Tuesday evening, the calls for Spicers ouster began to roll in. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said he must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements.

Pelosi accused Spicer of downplaying the horror of the Holocaust.

Other Trump critics made similar accusations and demands.

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a US-based organization frequently critical of the president also called for his firing. Founded by the father of its namesake, a German-born Jew killed in a Nazi concentration camp, the group accused Spicer of engaging in Holocaust denial.

While Spicers comments fell well short of actual Holocaust denial, they created a frantic public relations debacle for the White House as it sought to accuse others  chiefly the Russian government  of confusing international opinion on a defining foreign policy campaign for the new administration.

The quick condemnations from Pelosi and other high-profile also drew attention from military strikes against Syria that had elicited more bipartisanship than any other Trump administration initiative in his first three months in office.

Sen. Ben Cardin, the top Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, had called the strikes a "clear signal that the United States will stand up for internationally accepted norms and rules against the use of chemical weapons even as he called for congressional authorization for them.

But on Tuesday, rather than addressing the White Houses position on Syria, Cardin was talking about the Holocaust. He took a shot on Twitter at Spicers reference to the Nazis use of Holocaust centers.

Really? The term you were looking for was concentration camps, Cardin wrote.

Other congressional Democrats more critical of Trumps Syria policy also pounced on Spicers comments. Rep. Jerry Nadler called them unbelievably inappropriate, uninformed, offensive [and] inexcusable.

I find nothing funny about the Press Secretary bungling holocaust history, Sen. Brian Schatz wrote. Because I'm not sure they should get the benefit of the doubt.

That was an apparent reference to previous statements and actions by the White House cast by its critics as insensitive towards the Jewish community or downright anti-Semitic.

The timing of Spicers comments didnt help. They came in the midst of the Passover celebration, and a day after the White House held its annual Passover Sederin Trumps absencenot in the White House proper, but in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door.

Both Trump's campaign and his administration have made considerable missteps when it comes to the Jewish community. It started in Dec. 2015, when Trump played on Jewish stereotypes at an annual meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition.

"I'm a negotiator like you folks, we are negotiators," said Trump at the time. "Is there anybody that doesn't renegotiate deals in this room? This room negotiates them -- perhaps more than any other room I've ever spoken in."

It continued through the campaign, when Trump drew the support of the alt-right movement. In July 2016, Trump tweeted out a photo of Hillary Clinton which called her the 'most corrupt candidate ever,' with an image of a red, six-pointed star which looked like the Jewish 'Star of David.' He later claimed that it was a "sheriff's star."

And during his presidency, the White House waited weeks as Jewish leaders raised the alarm rising growing anti-Semitism and a wave of bomb threats to Jewish community centers before finally issuing a statement condemning it.

When pressed on the issue of rising anti-Semitism and bomb threats during a press conference by a Hasidic Jewish White House correspondent Trump said it was "not a fair question" and told the reporter to sit down.

So heres the story, folks," Trump said. "No. 1, I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life. No. 2, racism, the least racist person.

Within two weeks of his presidency, Trump issued a press statement commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day, without mentioning the Holocaust's Jewish victims. An original statement, drawn up by the State Department, had mentioned Jewish victims, but the White House had blocked its release.

At the time, Spicer defended the decision to acknowledge all the people, not only Jews, killed in the Holocaust.

"It is pathetic that people are picking on a statement, he said.
Slow your roll, folks.

This year, on Monday, April 17, 2017, President Trump and his family are set to host thousands of people for the 139th annual White House Easter Egg Roll . But things arent looking great. The New York Times reported that this years Easter Egg Roll has been one of the most thrown together events within the White House. In fact, PBSs senior director of media relations said they just got word of the event on March 20.

If the egg roll isnt up to par, itll break a tradition dating back to 1878 under the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes, making it one of the oldest traditions in White House history.

The first White House Easter Egg Roll was on April 22, 1878, after President Hayes decided to open the grounds to children who wanted to roll Easter eggs.

Over the years, presidents have added on to the event to create the Easter extravaganza it is today. In 1885, under President Grover Cleveland, children headed to the East Room for a private audience with the president. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison brought music to the festivities, with the United States Marine Band playing while kids danced around the South Lawn.

The last addition occurred in 1969, when the Nixon administration introduced the official White House Easter Bunnya special honor with which Press Secretary Sean Spicer is intimately acquainted.

Heres to hoping the Trump administration doesnt crack under pressure.
First came the summit, then after a bit of a delay and several distractions, the tweet: I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem! President Donald Trump proclaimed on Twitter early Tuesday morning.

Here is what he should have said to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in well under 140 unequivocal characters: Stop dangerous North Korea behavior and end predatory trade practices immediately. Im demanding, not dealing.

Trump ought to have learned over the years that sometimes the art of the deal is knowing when not to deal. But in Mar-a-Lago, he just folded. On trade, instead of taking immediate action, Trump acceded to a Chinese proposal to delay matters by adopting a 100-day plan.

But, unfortunately, there is little room for America to delay on the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea.

North Korea already poses a danger to the American homeland. The Obama administration is reported to have told Trump transition officials that the North was Americas top national security priority.

Its not hard to understand how a destitute state could get to the front of the list. It had help.

Beijing, for instance, supplied mobile launchers for the Norths KN-08 missile, and China is the most probable source for Pyongyangs new solid-fuel missiles. Chinese enterprises have shipped semi-processed fissile material to the Kim regime along with components for its nuclear weapons program.

Trump, short of starting historys last war, is not in a position to interdict this commerce crossing Chinas border with the North.

He can, however, stop the tradeand cut Beijings ties with Pyongyangwith asymmetric tactics. He can, for example, target Chinas banks cooperating with North Korea. Late last September, the Justice Department seized money in 25 accounts maintained at Chinese banks when it shut down a Chinese operation, based in the border city of Dandong, laundering money for Pyongyang.

Incredibly, Justice issued a statement exonerating the banks involved in the scheme. Given the circumstances, it is almost impossible for the banks not to have known of criminal activity.

Chinese banks look like they were also involved in the February 2016 theft of $81 million from an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Last month, The Wall Street Journal reported that federal prosecutors are investigating whether certain Chinese middlemen, acting on behalf of North Korea, orchestrated the heist from the account, which belonged to the central bank of Bangladesh.

If Chinese middlemen were conspirators, Chinese financial institutions were almost certainly complicit in the crime.

If such institutions were complicit, the U.S. should cut them off from their dollar accounts in New York.

Trump in Mar-a-Lago could have looked across the table at Xi Jinping and told him that, if he did not stop North Korea, the Chinese banks involved in these crimes would never clear another dollar in New York or withdraw another cent from any of their New York accounts.

And it is not only small fry banks that would be unplugged from the worlds banking system. Bank of China, one of Chinas Big Four banks, was named in a recent UN Panel of Experts report for its links with what appear to be illicit North Korean activities. Moreover, one of the other Big Four banks also conducted suspicious deals for North Koreans.

Because the North poses an imminent threat, Trump does not have much time to negotiate. Within, say, four years the Norks will be able to mate a nuke to one of their three missilesthe Taepodong-2, the KN-08, and the KN-14that at this time can reach the lower 48 states. At this moment, the Kim regime can put a nuke on top of its intermediate-range Nodong and send it to Japan. Guam, the American territory home to large U.S. military installations, may be in range of the Musudan.

And Kim Jong Un, the dictator who says he is an enemy of the U.S., already has another kind of delivery system able to reach New York or Washington. His technicians can disassemble a crude atomic device, his diplomats can smuggle the parts into America, and his operatives can put the device back together on top of the only delivery system he now needs, a pickup truck.

I suspect that, if Kim ever wanted to attack the U.S., this is how he would in fact do so. Why? The U.S. might not be able to attribute the device back to North Korea. Without attributionwe do not know all of North Koreas uranium isotopesthere would be no retaliation.

So when Kim threatens to hit the U.S. mainland with a nuclear weapon, as he did a few hours ago through the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper, he is not making a hollow threat.

Apparently China is not in a mood to help Trump on North Korea. Despite all the comments from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson about how Beijing sees North Korea in much the same way Washington does, The New York Times reports that Xi in Mar-a-Lago was circumspect when the discussion came around to the Kim regime.

The past two American presidents have tried to win Chinas cooperation on the North. Yet since 2003, the beginning of the now-dormant Six-Party Talks, Beijing has most of the time sided with its only formal military ally, Pyongyang. Throughout the process, Chinese negotiators won the North Koreans time, the most important element they needed to build a nuclear device, improve their missiles, and make their state dangerous to America.

Yet Trump can succeed where Bush and Obama failed. He can for the first time ever give Beijing an immediate incentive to work with Washington by targeting one Chinese financial institution.

Xi Jinping might not believe the 45th president has the political will to carry through on an ultimatum to move against Chinas financial institutions, but Trump only has to unplug one bank to prove them wrong. And save America.
Maybe its just me, but it sorta seems like its worth pointing out, apropos Sean Spicers confused remarks yesterday, that there is by all appearances an actual fascist in the Trump White House making policy. Lets reflect on that in connection with Spicers self-immolation.

Im not sure how much Word War II history Spicer does and does not know. Im inclined to cut him a little bit of a break, which is to say, I assume hes aware that Hitler gassed millions of people, and he meant to refer strictly to the battlefield, about which he was correct (with a couple of small-ish maybe exceptions that historians argue about). Hitler was gassed as a soldier in World War I, and this seems to be the only matter in the world on which he had a sliver of a conscience.

Most politically minded U.S. males, I daresay especially conservative ones, know this stuff. These days you dont even have to have read a book. Hitlers on some cable channel or another nearly every daywhich means theres a sporting chance that even the president knows it (sad that I even had to write that last phrase, but thats where we are).

So I doubt Spicer is that completely ignorant of the historical facts. Hes just a really bad talker and slow on his feet and maybe a few ants short of a picnic (and Ive been told that his heart isnt exactly in the job, but who knows).

But still, he is the voice of the White Houseof the president of the United States. Hes supposed to get these things right. The presidents spokesman, like the president himself, is supposed to have some degree of historical memory and competency. And thats where Sebastian Gorka enters the picture.

Here is a man who has encouraged the inference that he is in open sympathy with the Nazis of his native Hungary. He wears the medal of the Order of Vitez, a Hungarian society of merit that the State Department still lists as having operated under the direction of the Nazi Government of Germany. The Nazis didnt officially occupy Hungary until late 1944, but once they did, the puppet government helped Adolph Eichmann and his henchmen round up hundreds of thousands of Jews and send them off toHolocaust centers. Some key figures in that government were members of the order.

Now, lest you say all that is guilt by association on my part, I reply by reminding you that Gorka wore the groups pin to an inaugural ball! In other words, he announced the association himself about as gaudily as one could announce it. Imagine. Youre at home, youre getting dressed for a presidential inaugural party. You slap on the cuff links, straighten your jacket. You look down on the dresser at that pin. What on earth makes you decide to put it on? Occams Razor would suggest to us that the most obvious reason may be that youre a fascist.

He and his defenders say the pin was his fathers, given to him in the late 1960s, and as such dates to an era when the order was battling communism, so it merely represents Gorkas love of homeland and hatred of the Soviet jackboot. Thats all fine. After the heroic 1956 uprising, the Soviets clamped down especially hard on Hungary. And in 1989, its brave foreign minister Gyula Horn all but ended the Cold War. Hungary has a noble anti-communist history, and if Gorka takes pride in that, and his fathers role in it, he should.

But at the very least, Gorkas politics are murky. My paternal grandfather is Croatian (I think; there is some confusion on the matter, and unlike Gorka I dont care very much). Some Croatians fought against the Tito variety of totalitarianism. But back during the war, Croatians were enthusiastic Nazi allies. If I had been handed down a pin that might make people think I was celebrating Nazi collaboration, I can promise you I wouldnt be wearing it to the Safeway, let alone an inaugural gala.

And to bring it back to Spicer, his comments yesterday help us understand a little bit about why Gorkas appointment raised no flags. He was in heavy apology mode Wednesday morning as I wrote these words, and thats nice, but he cant un-reveal what he inadvertently revealed the previous afternoon. The history of the order whose pin Gorka wears isnt of any interest to the people who hired him. So they walk in ignorance, and because of the power they have, they make the rest of us follow.
They seek him here, they seek him there.

And despite the fact that he sometimes seems to be everywhere, no-one has ever been able to figure out, definitively, the identity of the Scarlet Pimpernel of the British street art scene, Banksy.

Now there are new claims in the longest running mystery in street art that Banksy is actually four people - and the Daily Beast can reveal the true name of one of the 'Banksys' as James Hallewell, a British born street artist believed to have earned his chops in the northern town of Sheffield in the late 1990s.

While there is plenty of doubt that Hallewell is the 'original' Banksy, it is very likely that he is one of Banksy's key assistants and collaborators.

Artists from Leonardo da Vinci to Andy Warhol to Damien Hirst have relied on the services of an army of paid and unpaid assistants, and there is no reason to think Banksy would shy away from such an industrial model.

The "multiple Banksys" idea - provided by a British writer turned Banksy-detective - provides a simple explanation for how a graffiti artist who has daubed tens of thousands of images on walls around the world and even built mock theme parks has managed to avoid identification by mainstream media and hipster blogs.

William Kasper, from London, who is reportedly writing a book entitled, The Unusual Suspects about the elusive street artist, famed for his satirical, politically charged street art, says Banksy is actually four people.

In support of his claim, Kasper has come forward with a nine-year-old picture showing an artist he identifies as James Ame staging a prank at an Israeli checkpoint, laying down a doormat with the word Welcome emblazoned on it.

He produced the picture after recognizing Ame from a recent video, taken by a woman who claimed it showed Banksy at work in Israel.

In fact, as Ame makes clear on his website, Ame is a pseudonym.

Ame72 (pronounced Aim) is his 'street' name, the 3 middle letters of his first name followed by the year he was born, the website says, It's an old skool graffiti thing.

Ames real name is James Hallewell, the Daily Beast can reveal. There are few records available of Hallewell aside from a photograph taken in the British town of Sheffield in 1999.

The Israel sighting of Banksy has credibility as a show entitled The Art of Banksy is due to open soon in an Israeli mall.

The mall was apparently closed when the woman entered the grounds, and she was asked to sign in. She says she saw a British name above the line she was asked to sign. On asking who this man was, the security guard replied that he was an artist from England, and she began recording footage of him on her phone.

The video shows a man wearing a hat and camouflage pants walking around a closed-off art studio carrying a stencil. When the man realizes he's being videotaped, he puts up a hand to cover his face.

Kasper told the Daily Mail the man is one of the Banksy members and hides behind the artist name James Ame or Ame72.

Ame fits the profile perfectly - a long term graffiti artist from the 80s turned gallery and street artist.

Ame, who lives in Tel Aviv, describes his work on his website as a creative mix of Urban, Contemporary and Pop Art.

Ame is known for his prolific use of a mini Lego figure in his street stencil works, and is known in consequence as The Lego Guy.

Kasper told the Mail: I never believed Banksy was one person.

The body of work over the last 10 years is too large for one person to accomplish.

This proves the group use different artist names as a cover and all collective members are hiding in plain view.

Whoever came up with that idea is a genius.

In 2008, Banksy was 'unmasked' by the Mail on Sunday as Robin Gunningham, a former public schoolboy from Bristol with a passion for art.

In 2015, it was speculated that a man snapped outside his Dismaland bemusement park in Weston-Super-Mare was the elusive artist.

Banksy's fans were left disappointed, however, when the man was revealed to be a car parking attendant working for the local council.
Jennifer Lawrence is said to be 'heartbroken' over the horrific suicide of her 27-year-old friend, MTV reality star Clay Adler, who reportedly shot himself in the head while shooting guns with friends in the desert.

It is really sad because she remembers him fondly and never wants to hear anything like this happen to anyone, especially to someone she once knew very well. Its a shame and she is really bummed out over it, a source told Hollywood Life.

Clay brings Jennifer back to her humble beginnings and really has made Jennifer feel heartbroken, the anonymous source added.

The friendship went back to the days when the pair were both auditioning in Hollywood and Adler was semi-famous thanks to his appearances on two seasons of Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County, a spinoff of the popular Laguna Beach.

However, while Lawrences career skyrocketed, Adlers seemed to stall, and on March 25 Adler turned his gun on himself while shooting with friends in the desert, according to TMZ, dying in hospital the next day of his injuries.

Police said there were no alcohol or drugs in his system at the time.

His father, Frank, who confirmed the death was suicide, said his son was a caring person who would have been 'thrilled' that his organs were donated and able to save others.

[He's] already saved about four or five lives, he told People.

He said that Clay had requested that his organs be donated when he applied for a driving license.

He added that 'several people' had already gotten in touch with him to thank him for his son's gifts.

[They were] incredibly grateful and incredibly sorry for our loss, but unbelievably grateful that theyre able to continue living. Clay would have been thrilled to know that, he said.

On Saturday, friends and family bade farewell to the avid surfer with a traditional paddle out ceremony.

His former Newport Harbor co-star Allie Stockton also paid tribute to her late friend, posting a Halloween picture on Instagram.

An MTV spokesman said: We are saddened by the news of Clay Adler's passing. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time.
Nude photos of U.S. military servicemembers originally shared in the Marines United scandal group are now listed for sale on the dark web.

The Daily Beast has uncovered three new descendant groups engaging in nude-photo-sharing, two new private shared drives, groups selling Marines United T-shirts and challenge coins and individuals posting links or attempts to sell the explicit images on the dark web.

As the reporting continues into the nude-photo scandal plaguing the Pentagon, The Daily Beast has learned that some of the Marines United descendant groups are not connected to the U.S. military at all, but are copycat groups set up by foreign nationals to profit from the original groups notoriety. On the private Facebook group Marines United 214, requests for nude photographs are met with demands for payment and links to the dark-web marketplace AlphaBay, where the photo-sets are listed for sale.

Investigators face many challenges in building a case on the dark web, said Stephen Pearson, who teaches digital crime and digital terrorism at Utica College, and is the author of Digital Triage Forensics: Processing the Digital Crime Scene.

The dark web is kind of like a street, Pearson said. Youve got houses with addresses and houses without addresses. The ones without addresses, nobody knows anything about those places. But its still on the same street, still on the same internet and connection and hardware, but the places are difficult to find. And without the networking encryption you cant get there.

AlphaBay is not accessible through normal search methods, because it isnt indexed by Google or other common web-browsing software. A user must know the actual web address (URL) and to avoid detection use a TOR browser, which is an open-source, encrypted web browser free of tracking software.

AlphaBay is nothing more than a mall on the internet that allows people to transfer their wares, Pearson said. But the reason you have these types of sites is that most of whats sold is illegal. Its child pornography, kill-my-husband, drugs, guns, you want to buy a childyou name the type of global crime, this is a marketplace where you can buy these things.

Screenshots provided to The Daily Beast by a member of Marines United 214, who asked to be called Andre to protect his identity, show that some members of the group are attempting to profit from the controversy surrounding Marines United. (The advertisements on AlphaBay for nude photos of military members was first reported by The Military Times.)

The Marines United controversy is not only spawning copycat pages, but also a subset of pages built to exploit service members trying to view the photos, the source said. Marines United 214 seems to specialize in trying to monetize the scandal, requesting money from any commenter who asks for access to the drive or collections of photos. Theres evidence that this page existed before the controversy, and changed its name afterwards to attract those interested.

One member of Marines United 214 who goes by the username Quade Norush wrote that he had received almost 60 messages requesting links to the share drives, but he claimed to be motivated by principle, not profit.

[I found] out people in this group are spamming others for money. Thats not how this works, Norush wrote. So Im gonna be the good guy and just put the links out there. Journalists and badge bunnys can [fuck off]. Enjoy you filthy animals and stay frosty.

Norush then posted a link to zip file named, Girls of Marines United.

Another member of Marines United 214 with the username Chandra Viswas is said to be spearheading the advertising push that hawks photo sets on AlphaBay, the source said.

Reminder that this exists, Viswas wrote on March 15. Weve sold thousands and the content is stunning. Find us on the deep web on AlphaBay. The screenshot posted by Viswas from AlphaBay claims to have 31.8 gigabytes from the Marines United archive, including photos, videos, and webcam footage.

As AlphaBay describes itself: We are a darknet market that specializes in all kinds of illegal goods adding, We are an anonymous marketplace selling drugs, weapons and credit cards we take no responsibility if you get caught.

Pearson said TOR browsers encrypt users messages and data and make it difficult, if not impossible, for investigators to find the dark site or track the networks. He sees AlphaBay as a direct descendant of Silk Road, another dark-web marketplace which was shut down after investigators received help from the National Security Agency and foreign governments.

The dark web makes it much more difficult for an investigator, Pearson said. Thats why it took almost three years for the task force working on Silk Road. It wasnt that they solved it by technology. The guy who was running Silk Road the reason they caught him was he posted a message in a forum a year or so prior, where he used an alias that he also used later, as his alias on Silk Road. They were able to identify him by the mistake he made in the open web.

Most of the new groups descended from Marines United continue to operate on the open web, often as private groups on Facebook. Those similar in nature to the original Marines United chatroom who are still sharing photos include: Marines United 214, Marines United 3.0, Marines United 4.0, and Scuttle Butt.

In four other groups, The Himalayas, The Himalayan Cult, Marines Unchained, and an open Facebook chat room called Fn Knife Hands, members have posted derogatory sexual content directed at female service members. A Marines United Gaming was also found on the Playstation Network. The closed group of 70 members says only U.S. Marines and green-side Corpsman are allowed to join, meaning U.S. Navy Corpsman who serve in Marine Corps units.

In Marines Unchained, Marine Cpl. Justin Brewer posted a picture of himself wearing a Marines United T-shirt under what appears to be his Marine Corps desert camouflaged uniform, saying, Driving onto base yesterday via Fallbrook gate [Camp Pendleton, California] and see a big electronic sign, said, Exploited Online? Call NCIS 760 blah, blah, blah. Me and my work partner started cracking the fuck up. Lol, and Im currently wearing my MU shirt at work on base. Wooks [female Marines] love it.

Other rooms like The Himalayan Cult and The Himalayas, show members of Marines United buying military challenge coins with the Marines United logo with the slogan Whos got ema reference to the Facebook chat rooms where members would ask for pictures of nudes. The back of the coin shows the battlefield cross with the number of service members who commit suicide on a daily basis22, according to a 2013 Department of Veterans Affairs study. It reads, Remember you are not alone. Weve got your back.

Marine Lance Cpl. Marisa Woytek, an active-duty service member said she was harassed repeatedly by one Marine veteran in the original Marines United group and in The Himalayas, one of the newly discovered secret chat rooms. She and Marine veteran Erika Butner testified on Capitol Hill last week about the ongoing retaliation they face online since speaking out about photo-sharing.

One of the former Marines that has been harassing me has been a predator to many women onlinedenigrating female Marines, Woytek said Wednesday to the congresswomen of the Democratic Womens Working Group, along with Republican Rep. Walter Jones. Woytek said the same Marine veteran also threatened to throw another active-duty female Marine into a barrel of acid.

The Daily Beast has identified that veteran as former Marine infantry Sgt. Eddie Torres, a former machine gunner with Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment, a infantry unit in California. Torres is a former drill instructor who served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan. Calls for his comments on the harassment were not returned.

Screenshots obtained by The Daily Beast show Torres calling Woytek a rat fuck and a dumb cunt, and alleging that her nude photographs were given to the British Royal Marines and Australian military. Woytek says she has not shared nude photographs of herself; in the photos of her that were shared and commented on, she was clothed.

In the private Himalayan Cult chatroom, Torres verbally attacked another active-duty female Marine sergeant, writing, Stupid crack head looking wook not wearing her clown-looking make up. Like night and day.

Meanwhile, the investigation into Marines online conduct continues to expand and take on new fronts, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) said.

Fifteen service members now face potential prosecution for their involvement in the Marines United nude-photo-sharing scandal: 14 U.S. Marines and one U.S Navy sailor, plus 29 Marines who may face non-judicial punishment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) for conduct that is deemed contrary to good order and military discipline, but which does not violate federal statutes or warrant a military trial by court martial.

Two active-duty Marines with Second Battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment, an infantry unit in California received punishments for online comments unrelated to nude-photo-sharing, The Washington Post reported; those Marines were demoted in rank and lost pay for comments denigrating a male Marine official.

To date, The Daily Beast has found use of multiple distribution channels including Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Tumblr, Instagram, Reddit, Pornhub, and Anon-IB, as well as sites on the dark web.
When a tour group of LGBTQ youth visited Oklahomas Capitol on Monday, a House staffer warned young staffers to use other private bathrooms because there were cross-dressers in the building.

On Monday afternoon, a staffer with pro-LGBTQ group Oklahomans for Equality began filming a Facebook Live video from inside the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Capitol building. High school students, dressed up for their field trip to the Capitol, talked excitedly among themselves. They had come to the Capitol to speak with legislators on issues facing Oklahomas LGBTQ youth. But on their way through the building, the group came to a halt as their leader made an announcement.

Every year we bring LGBTQ youth to the Capitol. This year we came again to advocate for LGBTQ youth, especially school funding because thats a real issue this year, Toby Jenkins, the groups executive director announced in the video. But this year we got here, and were just going about our business visiting our legislators when we were told that there had been a message sent to all of the legislators in the building to be warned: Be aware that there are cross-dressers in the building, and you can use private bathrooms if you need to.

Jenkins was referring to an email later surfaced by the Tulsa World. The email, titled Ladies Restroom, went out to multiple offices in the Capitol while the LGBTQ students toured the building.

As per the Speakers office, Pages are being allowed access to the ladies restroom across from 401, for today, read an email from Karen Kipgen, a supervisor for the Houses Page Program. Again, there are cross-dressers in the building.

The Page Program is a week-long pseudo-internship in which high school students sit in on House proceedings and run errands for staff. The pages are the same age or older than the students who toured the Capitol on Monday.

But Kipgens email implied that the visiting children might be dangerous predators with whom pages should not share a bathroom. The email also implied that Kipgens orders had come from the office of House Speaker Charles McCall.

In a statement, McCalls office denied having called the children cross-dressers or arranging alternate bathrooms for pages.

The email was not authorized by me, my staff or my office, McCall said in a statement to The Daily Beast. It was sent unilaterally by a House staff member without any input or permission. I was unaware that such an email was being sent, and the remarks contained in the email are not condoned by me or the Office of the Speaker. As Speaker, all Oklahomans should feel welcome in the Oklahoma Capitol building. We are looking into this matter, and it will be taken seriously.

Kipgen did not return a request for comment.

But shortly after the email went out, McCalls office appeared less contrite. In their livestream, the Oklahomans for Equality group walked to McCalls office to confront the legislator in person.

Thats what bigots call us: cross-dressers, Jenkins told a staffer in McCalls office when the group arrived to request a meeting with McCall. That is not the language you use to describe children That is insulting and I am embarrassed that the state would do something like that.

OK, the staffer said, declining to offer any further comment. She appeared to have been stifling laughter earlier during Jenkinss speech. When Jenkins asked to meet with McCall, the staffer told him the speaker was unavailable. Do you have a business card with you? the staffer asked Jenkins, who was leading approximately 70 students on a scheduled tour of the building.

Another staffer intervened, telling Jenkins he would look into the incident, but that Jenkinss request to hear an answer before the group left at 1 p.m. might be unreasonable.

Well see what we can do, the second staffer said on the video. One oclock is kind of a tight deadline, especially with lunch, when were at caucus.
NOGALES, ArizonaThe crowd was small, and Attorney General Jeff Sessionss speech was short. But his message couldnt have been clearer:

This is a new era, said Sessions, who sported a dark suit in the hot Arizona sun. This is the Trump era.

And with that Sessions officially weaponized the Justice Department to crack down on undocumented immigration. After taking a private border tour with Customs and Border Protections agents in Nogales, on the southern edge of Arizona, the attorney general announced the feds will soon be spending a lot more time prosecuting people who break immigration laws.

Sessions made the announcement over a glitchy sound system to a group of reporters and Customs and Border Protection agents just a few feet away from the Mexico border. A gust of wind knocked over the American flag behind him as he spoke, so a CBP agent stood behind it and propped it up until the attorney general finished his speech.

All federal prosecutors, Sessions said in his slow Alabama drawl, must now consider bringing cases against people suspected of the transportation or harboring of aliens. Those prosecutors must also look to bring more felony prosecutions against some immigrants who illegally enter the country more than once and should charge immigrants with document fraudwhich includes using a made-up Social Security numberand aggravated identity theft when they can.

One veteran federal prosecutor told The Daily Beast these changes are a generating significant concern.

Its fucking horrifying, the prosecutor said. Its totally horrifying and were all terrified about it, and we dont know what to do.

The things they want us to do are so horrifyingthey want to do harboring cases of three or more people, the prosecutor continued. So if youre illegal and you bring your family over, then youre harboring your kid and your wife, and you can go to jail.

Sessions broke the news on his first trip to the border as attorney general. The last time he visited was a few days before the 2016 presidential election, when he appeared with former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer to talk up Trumps tough-on-immigration credentials. During his time in the Senate, Sessions was a relentless advocate for much tougher enforcement of immigration laws. Now that hes the nations top law enforcement official, hes making good on those commitmentswhich this trip is highlighting.

Immigration-related crimes are already a massive portion of federal prosecutors caseloads; Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Clearinghouse found that immigration violationsincluding illegal entry and illegal re-entrymade up 52 percent of federal prosecutions from September 2015 to September 2016. In the Trump era, though, immigration offenses will be an even larger part of prosecutors work. Its a move that delights immigration hawks.

All of these steps from detention to more judges to prosecuting those who have previously been deported will drive down the number of illegals in the country and lead to even bigger drops in those trying to sneak across the border, said Hans von Spakovsky of the conservative Heritage Foundation. All of this is long overdue.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform, a restrictionist group whose leaders have worked closely with Sessions on immigration issues and that has significant clout among Trumps nationalist-populist allies and aides, takes a broad view of what kind of activity could constitute harboring. In a position paper on its site, FAIR says anyone who knowingly helps an undocumented immigrant get a job could be prosecuted.

Some view the change as a waste.

Every dollar spent on prosecuting an illegal immigrant for illegal reentry is a dollar that could have been spent on prosecuting or investigating a real crime, said Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration expert at the libertarian-leaning Cato Institute. Its a shame the government is prioritizing the enforcement of, essentially, labor market regulations over violent and property crimes.

Others welcome it. John Huber, the U.S. attorney for Utah, told The Daily Beast his office has already been doing much of what Sessions called forespecially prosecutions related to people entering the U.S. illegally after previously being deportedbut that he expects to bring more harboring prosecutions to comply with the guidance. That would include people who drive vans full of undocumented immigrants across the border and into Utah looking for work, he said.

Thats the type of case we may see here, where you have someone transporting a vehicle full of unlawful immigrants, he said. We will go after the people who are transporting them, organizing, and coordinating that trip, bringing aliens into our country.

Sessions made clear that the new crackdown wont exempt parents of U.S. citizens.

Will there be any mercy or latitude in prosecuting people who have U.S.-born children who are minors here? one reporter asked.

Sessions didnt blink.

We want everybody to comply with the law, he said. And because a child or a family member enters the United States lawfully doesnt mean that others can enter the country unlawfully. So we do have that challenge. We want people to understand that theyre not entitled to enter unlawfully. We want people to know that laws will be followed, and hopefully if we send this messageits already seeming to have an impactwell be able to return to the kind of system we can be proud of.

This new announcement is part of broader changes Sessions is making at the Justice Department which will lead to more deportations. And it comes at a time when many members of Trumps orbit are getting flak from his diehard supporters for allegedly going soft on core campaign issues. Trump drew considerable criticism for the airstrikes on Syria, given that he campaigned against U.S. involvement in Middle East conflicts. And the defeats both his travel bans have faced in court are a glaringif reversiblereminder that the president doesnt always gets what he wants. But at Justice, Sessions has proved to be an unflinching, uncompromising enforcer of the presidents law and order agenda. And hes just getting started.

with additional reporting by Harry Siegel
By Press Trust of India: Agartala, Apr 11 (PTI) Five Bangladeshi youths have been arrested from Jogendranagar railway station here for travelling without valid documents, Police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, the Mobile Task Force (MTF) of Tripura police yesterday arrested the five Bangladeshis from the railway station.

The arrested youths hail from Chittagong in Bangladesh.

They entered through Sonamura, a sub-divisional town, bordering Comilla district of Bangladesh, SP (Police Control), Dilip Roy said.

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During preliminary interrogation, the arrested youths disclosed that they were on their way to Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh to study in a Madrasa there.

Further investigation is on, the SP added. PTI JOY RG LNS

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Is it not obvious now that this Syria incursion was a puppet show? Wow, 59 whole bombs! Youd never know from most of the coverage that since 2014, under the bombing campaign initiated by that president who (you remember) wanted America to lose and be humiliated, the United States has conducted more than 15,000 airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq and Syria (about 7,400 in Syria)in other words, that weve dropped many, many times that number of bombs on Syria and have been for some time.

Yes, these bombs were different. They were the first ones aimed at Assad. But to call the raid even a pinprick is an insult to pins. Or pricks. Or something. The Syrian air force was using the struck bases runway the next day, less than 24 hours after the strike!

Everybody got played here. Militaristic supporters of the strike, who heralded a new manly manliness in U.S. projection of power; reflexively antiwar opponents, who hooped and hollered about the onset of World War III; and most of all the long-suffering Syrian people, and others in the Arab world, who have been desperate for the United States to take on Assad and sang the praises of Abu Ivanka over the weekend.

And I say this as someone whothis may shock yousupported the action. Yes. The decades-long international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons on civilians exists for many good reasons, and it should be enforced. Yes, I know its been enforced inconsistently, and I know the United States used them in Vietnam.

But yet one more sorry wrong doesnt make a right. I thought President Obama should have acted back in 2013 when the Syrian government first used these weapons, so it would be inconsistent and dishonest of me to oppose same just because it was done by a president I dont like (the inconsistent and dishonest portion of this column, meanwhile, is a few paragraphs below).

So I say, however big a moral cretin is the sitting president, the value in telling a despot who uses chemical weapons that he will pay some price for doing so is great enough to warrant some action. Or I said that to myself the night of the attack, last Thursday.

Now, however, Im not even sure what we did constitutes even a rap on the knuckles. As the days pass, it seems to be coming clearer and clearer that for Trump, this was little more than one nights good television. I dont doubt that he was moved by the video footage he saw; everyone has a heart, so even Trump must. And it seems clear that he thought this would divert the bloodhounds from the Russia-Trump campaign trail for a while; encourage his useful stooges in the congressional GOP to say, See, what collusion? And he also must have thought what the hell, itll help my poll numbers.

But in the darkest corners of his mind, the places where the dopamine never stops racing, this was another television show. Assad put on one kind of show. In retaliation, Trump put on another.

And certainly his reviews were better than Assads. Did I mention that the media got played, especially cable TV? Well, that too. Brian Williams: Leave Leonard Cohen out of it. And Fareed Zakaria is one of the smartest foreign-policy commentators we have, someone I respect a great deal. ButI think Donald Trump became president last nightreally? I thought Trump became president the night he waddled over to Capitol Hill back in February and managed to read from a script for an hour without embarrassing either himself or the United States of America. No, that was Van Jones who said it that night, but same diff. Fellow Commentariat-istas, lets not use the phrase Trump became president tonight/last night/today until he does something that is genuinely impressive and out of character and quite unexpected. Like, say, demanding that Congress allow a few thousand of those beautiful babies to come to America as refugees.

Well see what comes of Rex Tillersons meetings in Moscow. Maybe the bromance really is over. But there arent many actual signs so far that Trump is developing a real commitment to ousting Assaad. It is, however, very useful to both Trump and Putin for the rest of us schlemiels to think its over.

But heres a piece of good news. One group of people werent duped, and theyre the most important group of all: the American people. Trump may have thought the attack would boost his numbers, and most of the talking heads were, of course, certain of it. But on the early evidence, it looks like the people yawned. The Gallup daily tracking poll has had Trump stuck at 40 percent, not moving up a single point since the raid.

Thats not to say that some Americans didnt like the bombing, which brings us back to the hypocrisy point. A Washington Post-ABC poll came out asking people whether they supported the act by party identification. Turned out that 37 percent of Democrats backed it, and, unsurprisingly, 86 percent of Republicans. This was then compared to the numbers when Obama was considering a strike in 2013. Then, 38 percent of Democrats backed the idea. Republicans? Just 22 percent. Hey, its just a 64-point differential!

It seems that overall the American public may know what the talking heads and insiders on both sides of the debate about the raid dont know: This was no major departure in policy and certainly suggests nothing so lofty that it could be called a Trump Doctrine. He was all over the map during the campaign, by turns isolationist and bellicose, and thats still where he is. Which is finewere all probably safer that way. We should all fear the day he figures out what he thinks.
Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush are perhaps the most recognizable double byline in The New York Times covering Donald Trumps fledgling presidency.

Over the past 82 days since the former reality-television stars inauguration, they have shared reporting and writing duties on more than two dozen stories in the newspaper of recordmany of them front-page exclusives that have seemingly preoccupied or otherwise infuriated the notoriously thin-skinned, media-fixated Leader of the Free World.

Their collaborations have been authoritatively reported portraits of the presidents work and private life, and the often-byzantine internal machinations of Team Trumpand they generally cause a stir, sometimes for surprising reasons.

Their early February tour de force chronicling the Trump White Houses disorganization and seat-of-the-pants policymakingbuilding the airplane while its taking off, as Haberman described it to The Daily Beastis most remembered now for press secretary Sean Spicers over-the-top denunciation of a single detail: that Trump watches nighttime television in his bathrobe.

Claiming that Haberman and Thrush owed the president an apology, Spicer vented at reporters aboard Air Force One, There were literally blatant factual errors, and its unacceptable to see that kind of reporting. Asked for an example, all he could come up was: I dont think the president wears a bathrobe, and definitely doesnt own one.

(That, however tendentious, was an alternative fact that pales by comparison to Spicers outrageous assertion during his daily briefing Tuesday that Adolf Hitler, unlike Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, never mind that the Nazi leader gassed millions of Jewish concentration camp victims with Zyklon B pesticides; Spicer then added the unwelcome clarification that at least Hitler was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing.)

Trump, meanwhile, apparently cant help his compulsive tweeting about the failing New York Times and has singled Haberman out for special insults as a third-rate reporter, totally in the Hillary circle of bias and, of course, sad, even while granting her extraordinary access and newsmaking interviewspersonally calling her cellphone March 24 to let her know that he had just given up on his much-anticipated but now dead Obamacare repeal-and-replace legislation.

Most recently, just last week, the president invited Haberman and Thrush to the Oval Office for a discussion of his plans to repair and expand the nations crumbling infrastructure (and what a good person embattled Fox News star Bill OReilly is, among other unexpected topics).

At one point during the rambling session, Trump accused NBC Newss Andrea Mitchell of being Hillary Clintons P.R. person, and pointedly told Haberman: Course youve been accused of that also.

Mostly by you, though, Haberman shot back.

No, no, no, the president insisted. Mostly by a lot of people.

Trump clearly enjoys needling Haberman, who has known and reported on him for nearly two decades, since his days as a tabloid-obsessed celebrity press hound while she was toiling at different times for both the New York Post and Daily News.

One night in late December, a couple of days before New Years Eve, Haberman found herself joining Newsmax CEO and Trump pal Chris Ruddys table for dinner at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, where she was working on a story. The president-elect stopped by the table and teased Haberman good-naturedly about her February 2016 television appearance as a panelist on ABCs This Week program in which she appeared to be joining in general laughter at the very idea that Trump could be a serious candidate.

It was not my finest moment, Haberman conceded to Trump, according to a witnessalthough she has maintained that she wasnt laughing at him, but merely chuckling at the premature claim by fellow panelist Keith Ellison, a Democratic congressman, that Trump (then widely believed to be easily beatable) had momentum on his way to the Republican nomination.

Thrush has yet to be personally targeted for presidential abusebut give it time.

If the journalistic pair are not the Gray Ladys answer to Woodward and Bernstein, investigating the weird tics and zany rivalries of the Trump White House, maybe theyre the papers George Burns and Gracie Allen (Habermans suggested analogy, a reference to the straight man/ditzy husband-and-wife comedy team of the 30s, 40s, and 50s), or perhaps theyre like Nick and Nora Charles (Thrushs choice, alluding to Dashiell Hammetts boozy, bantering married private eyes).

I think there is a real shared brain between us, the 43-year-old Haberman told The Daily Beast. Hes like my other sibling. I have a brother, but if I had another brother, it would be Glenn.

Its the most natural collaboration Ive ever had in my career, said the 50-year-old Thrush. Sometimes its a little hard to figure out where she starts and I end.

Admirers identify Thrush as the graceful wordsmith of the duo, and tag Haberman as the fanatical reporter, and clearly the expert in all things Trump.

As Haberman put it, Glenn is an exceptional writer and framer of narrative, and I have covered Trump for a very long time. I think we are pretty equally matched in reporting, and a lot of our stories evolve out of conversations we have.

They frequently re-interview each others Trump sources to make sure the anecdotes dont change to accommodate expedient circumstances; and they are always on guard for what both call the Rashomon effect, especially prevalent in this White House, which requires them to sort through competing and often self-serving versions of events in a rigorous attempt to arrive at the truth.

And, inevitably, they occasionally bicker over a line or paragraph or angle here and there.

She is my sister. We fight all the time, Thrush said.

Theyre both incredibly competitive, said an admirer who asked not to be named so as not to arouse either reporters ire. Thrush is a great writer, and has fundamentally a writers sensibility, and Maggie is fundamentally a reporter who wants to tell the world first. Thats where she gets her psychic high. Glenn gets his psychic high from reporting that takes him to an interesting place as a writer.

This admirer adds: I think Maggie might be tougher in a knife fight.

They have been co-writing high-impact stories about politics and politicians for nearly seven years, dating back to their days as fellow reporters at Politico; there came a two-year hiatus in their collaboration after Haberman left for the Times in 2015, but they picked up where they left off when Thrush followed her to the Times this past January.

Theyre amazing reporters who have the absolutely best handle on Trump, his psychology and the people around him, Times executive editor Dean Baquet said in a text message to The Daily Beast.

Politico editor in chief John Harriswho recruited each from gritty New York tabloids (Thrush from Newsday and Haberman from the New York Post)said: I have joked with them that they have this ability to establish a very intimate, and at the same time very tough-minded, relationship with the people they cover. They are serving as the shrinks for their sources and also the reason those sources need to see a shrink in the first place. They are both their therapists and tormentors.

Thrush and Habermanwho are actually married to other people, with children of their own, and live hundreds of miles apart (Haberman in Brooklyn, Thrush in the Washington suburbs)were not always so chummy.

When they first ran across each other as competitors covering City Hall during the latter term of Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, they couldnt even bring themselves to speak to each other.

In the New York market, Thrush recalled while interviewing the woman he calls his best friend for Politicos Off-Message podcast, reporters from different outlets treat each other terribly.

Eyeing him warily in the roach-infested Room 4Athe junior reporters annex a floor below City Halls main press quarters, Room 9Haberman saw Thrush as an intense, uncommunicative and fedora-wearing rival.

Thrush saw Haberman, a onetime bartender and New York Post copy girl who had been promoted to the City Hall beat, as an equally intense chainsmokersometimes with two or three cigarettes going at oncewho colonized her desk with unruly stacks of papers, punctuated by the uneaten portions of aging salads.

Their first conversation, as she recalled during the podcast, occurred as she sat a row ahead of him in City Halls Blue Room, waiting for a press conference to begin and overhearing Thrush mention being Jewish to 1010 WINS radio reporter Stan Brooks.

Since when are you Jewish? Haberman demanded, turning around to face her adversary.

Since they cut my foreskin off when I was a baby, Thrush blurted out.

Thus they became fast friends. Sitting opposite each other at their City Hall desks, they engaged in an endless dialogue.

Both are Jewish and New Yorkers, however, they come from decidedly different backgrounds. Haberman, the sister of Daily News content chief Zach Haberman, is the daughter of New York Times journalist Clyde Haberman and Manhattan public relations executive Nancy Haberman; she grew up steeped in the citys media-political culture. When she was 6, her dad introduced her to then-Mayor Ed Koch at City Hall.

During the podcast with Thrush, Haberman recalled sitting on hizzoners lap and talking nonstop, not letting the loquacious Koch get a word in edgewisea close encounter memorialized in a widely circulated photograph.

Thrush, by contrast, grew up in Brooklyn not far from Coney Island, a world away from tony Manhattan. His late mother was a secretary and his father, a watchmaker by trade, operated a Carvel Ice Cream franchise on Brighton Beach Avenue.

Glenn covered the poverty beat for a newspaper in Birmingham, Alabama, and later freelanced for magazines, among other gigs, and worked for Bloomberg News before landing a job at Newsday; he joined Politico in 2008 and covered Hillary Clintons first unsuccessful bid for president.

As reporters coming out of the New York arena, they bring a combination of political sophistication and insight into the human motivation and character of politics, said Politicos Harris. And they bring a sharp tabloid toughness, and an incisiveness of mind, thats very compelling.

Thrush, for his part, insisted, Flat out, Maggie Haberman is the most extraordinary person Ive ever met in journalism. Im incredibly lucky to be along for the ride.

Haberman, not surprisingly, returns the compliment, and says that they both must cope with a reporting challenge peculiar to Donald Trump.

We have a president who is fairly imprecise about his language, as we have seen, she said. And that actually puts a greater onus on reporters to be more precise. Its important to bear in mind that this is a White House, and more broadly, an administration, where the Rashomon effect is more significant than in most administrations Ive ever covered.
Is Alabama Governor Robert Bentley chopped liver? Where was the love, an early morning tweet from the president, to keep him from being hounded out of office over a sex scandal?

Its not out of the question. Just last week Fox TV host Bill OReilly got a loud defense from Trump after the revelation that hed cost himself and his bosses $13 million as they settled charges of sexual harassment against him.

Accused by five women and counting, OReilly was showered with praise from the president of the United States. Serving as a character witness, Trump called OReilly a good person, so blameless he shouldnt have settled. He topped the sundae with a cherry declaring, I dont think Bill did anything wrong.

I bet he didnt since the president doesnt believe he himself has ever done more than indulge in locker-room talk. Trump understands OReilly while a man like Bentley eludes him. Needy and awkward, Bentley is just a poor sap who had the bad luck to fall in love. The biggest outlay uncovered in a 3,000-page report on Bentley is that he charged a burner phone to his campaign account. Married for 50 years and with the hair God gave him, the former governor is boring. He left no victims in his wake, much less fiveexcepting Mrs. Bentley. The affair was consensual.

There may not be a Trump Doctrine on intervening in Syria but there is one emerging in matters personal: Not all sex scandals are created equal. Some feel closer to home than others and require solidarity with the accused. Otherseven if it involves a governor from your own partyare not worth the trouble. An unsophisticated former deacon in the Baptist church, Bentley embarrassed himself with breathless declarations of love caught on tape. The affair would eventually end but not before he lost his wife and, on Monday, his job.

A man like Bentley doesnt interest Trump. OReillys alleged actions were about power, something Trump understands. Its been claimed that the Fox host made his moves on women with less standing at Fox than him. When rejected, he allegedly used his position to punish them.

Its no wonder then that Trump stuck his neck out for OReilly. Theyre soul mates. The dozen women who came forward to allege sexual misconduct by then-candidate Trump did not hurt him (OReilly blew off Trumps comments about grabbing womens genitals as guy talk) just as the accusations against OReilly have not hurt his ratings, although hes lost a few advertisers concerned about their female customers. Just as Trump went on to win, OReilly just had his contract renewed by Fox. Those wishing the Fox host would get his comeuppance, however, are heartened by the fact that hes going off on a two week vacation today with hopes it could become permanent.

Its hard to believe, but among Trumps many roles now is to be a role model. By gratuitously taking OReillys side, hes reinforcing the all too prevalent attitude that women are overly sensitive when it comes to harmless, old-fashioned flirting and are not be believed. They welcomed the attention and then changed their minds. Its not a big deal. Theyre after money. They cant take a joke.

Message to women: Sexual harassment pays, or at least exacts no price. OReilly collects a multimillion-dollar check and has just published another best-seller, Old School. Dont laughits a defense of traditional values.

And, of course, Donald Trump is president. Women, take your lumps. Now more than ever, dont report sexual harassment. You lost once when it happened and will just lose again if you report it. Maybe better luck in 2020.
By Press Trust of India: Eds: With additional inputs

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Four directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited were today sent to 10 days CBI custody by a Delhi court for allegedly cheating a consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2,240 crore.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass sent Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal, arrested by the probe agency on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB), to custody till April 22.

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The accused were arrested by CBI earlier in the day for allegedly using more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds.

Later, the CBI produced them before the court and alleged that they cheated 17 nationalised and four private banks and sought their 14 days custody.

The agency told the court that the accused persons were not cooperating in the recovery of the crime proceeds, the money they made through the crime and invested abroad.

"We have only option to conduct the custodial interrogation of the accused persons and confront them with each other and some documents," the CBIs counsel said.

The accused, however, opposed the CBI plea, saying that they should rather be sent to judicial custody.

Advocate Vijay Aggarwal, appearing for some of the accused persons, said that the FIR was lodged in the matter a few years ago and there was no ground of arrest at this stage.

"The CBI has been investigating the matter for three- and-a-half year. Searches have already been carried out at my clients premises. Some of the accused were permitted to go abroad by the high court on various occasions and now they are seeking 14 days custody," the counsel said.

During the proceedings, the counsel also alleged that the CBI itself was flouting the rules and had produced the accused persons before the court after 24 hours of its arrest and sought that strict action should be taken against the investigating officer of the case.

The CBI had alleged that the 100 shell companies used by the accused for routing and diversion of bank funds had no genuine business transactions.

In its complaint, the PNB had alleged that the company had diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium.

Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, the agency said. PTI UK AG ZMN

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From the first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats or anyone else can go to the Election Commission for a week or 10 days and try to hack the EVMs.

By India Today Web Desk: In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission today came out with an "open challenge" to anybody to hack its Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the first week of May.

At least 16 Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, have alleged that the EVMs were tampered by the government in the recent state elections. A delegation of Opposition parties also met President Pranab Mukherjee today over the matter.

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"Through our memorandum, we drew his attention to the recent critical developments which have seriously undermined governance and institutional integrity. The environment of fear and insecurity has been prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled," said Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.

On Monday, 13 Opposition parties had approached the Election Commission, expressing their "complete loss of faith" in EVMs and demanded use of VVPAT (voter-verified paper audit trail) and paper ballots in upcoming polls.

The delegation of the parties, including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Left parties among others, met the poll panel following allegations of EVM tampering during the February-March assembly polls in five states as well as the Sunday by-polls in several states.

The government has attacked the Opposition for its "disinformation campaign" on the EVMs, saying the parties defeated in the Assembly elections by the BJP are "unable to digest" their loss.

According to the Election Commission, from the first week of May, experts, scientists and technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines.

The commission had announced a similar challenge in 2009 and then claimed no one could hack its electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Also read:

Why were VVPAT machines shifted from Uttar Pradesh to Bhind, Congress asks EC

Electronic Voting Machine: Here's all you wanted to know about India's EVMs

Also watch:

EVM tampering row: Is AAP unable to concede defeat in Assembly polls?

--- ENDS ---
The Restaurant Monitor is a weekly listing of scores for restaurants inspected by the Brazos County Health Department.

Inspections scores are on a 100-point scale. Generally, scores below 80 might cause the department to schedule a follow-up visit. A score below 70 results in the suspension of an establishments health permit.

The following inspections were conducted March 30 through April 6.

BRYAN

Bienestar Para Ti, 306 Post Office St.  100; Brazos Natural Foods - Retail, 4304 S. Texas Ave.  100; Bryan National Little League, 1700 E. 25th St.  100; Henderson Elementary Cafeteria, 801 Matous Drive  100; Krazy Q, 1317 Celias Dream  100; The Hot Dog Man, 1605 Brook Hollow Drive  100.

7-Eleven, 3401 Texas 21  70. Non-food contact surfaces not clean, food and ice obtained from unapproved source, food not separated and protected during preparation, food contact surfaces not clean and sanitized, unauthorized persons, manager not present/knowledge not demonstrated, garbage and refuse improperly disposed, environmental contamination, invalid food establishment permit, evidence of insect/rodent contamination, improper date marking and disposition, toilet facilities improperly constructed/maintained, thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, other violations.

Alton Bowen Elementary School, 3870 Copperfield Drive  97. Improper disposition of returned food.

Best Western Premier, 1920 Austins Colony Parkway  89. Food contact surfaces not clean and sanitized,

improper cold-hold temperature (41 F/45 F), toxic substances improperly identified/stored/used, ware-washing facilities improperly installed/maintained/used.

Bryan Fairfield Inn, 4613 S. Texas Ave.  88. Manager not present/knowledge not demonstrated, toxic substances improperly identified/stored/used, food and non-food contact surfaces improperly designed/used, unauthorized persons, thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, eating/drinking/tobacco use.

Express Mart, 3402 Texas 21  84. Physical facilities improperly installed/maintained, single-use articles improperly stored/used, eating/drinking/tobacco use, ware-washing facilities improperly installed/maintained/used, improper container labeling, inadequate hand-wash facilities, thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, food not separated and protected during preparation, toxic substances improperly identified/stored/used.

San Francisco, 609 Parker Ave.  99. Wiping cloths improperly stored/used.

Save Our Streets Center, 1700 Groesbeck St.  Permit suspended. Manager not present/knowledge not demonstrated, hands not clean/

improper glove use, unauthorized persons, invalid food establishment permit, inadequate hand-wash facilities, hot and cold water unavailable/

inadequate pressure, thermometers not provided/

accurate/calibrated.

Taqueria Romero, 2400 Texas 21  92. Food and nonfood contact surfaces

improperly designed/used,

improper cold hold-temperature (41 F/45 F), improper cooling method.

COLLEGE STATION

Alpha Chi Omega Sorority, 1505 Olympia Way  100; Central Baptist Church, 1991 F.M. 158  100; Comfort Suites Aggieland, 2313 S. Texas Ave.  100; Pavilion Aggie Express, 424 Spence St.  100; Southwood Learning Center, 1814 Sara Drive  100.

Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, 1500 Athens Drive  88. Thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, manager not present/knowledge not demonstrated, evidence of insect/rodent contamination, toxic substances improperly identified/stored/used, food not separated and protected during preparation, eating/drinking/tobacco use.

Blessings from Above, 1103 Anderson St.  96. Evidence of insect/rodent contamination, unapproved thawing method, inadequate hand-wash facilities.

Grill at The Pavilion, Hogg St.  97. Hands not washed/improper glove use.

Hampton Inn, 320 Texas Ave.  91. Improper cold-hold temperature (41 F/45 F), thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, improper disposition of returned food, environmental contamination.

Kappa Kappa Gamma, 1502 Athens Drive  97. Nonfood contact surfaces not clean, wiping cloths improperly stored/used, improper container labeling.

Outtakes Cuisine, 199 Spence St.  97. Hands not washed/improper glove use.

Raising Canes, 1045 Texas Ave.  95. Eating/drinking/tobacco use, unauthorized persons, utensils and linens improperly stored/used, other violations.

Starbucks - Evans Library, Ross St.  92. Eating/drinking/tobacco use, unauthorized persons, food contact surfaces not clean and sanitized, thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated.

Subway, 12815 F.M. 2154  90. Ware-washing facilities improperly installed/maintained/used, eating/drinking/tobacco use, food and nonfood contact surfaces improperly designed/used, hot and cold water unavailable/inadequate pressure, food contact surfaces not clean and sanitized.

Subway, 913 Harvey Road  89. Food and nonfood contact surfaces improperly designed/used, improper cold-hold temperature (41 F/45 F), thermometers not provided/accurate/calibrated, unauthorized persons, improper cooling method.

Vetmed Cafe, 660 Raymond Stotzer Parkway  97.

Improper cold-hold temperature

(41 F/45 F).

Whataburger, 105 Dominik Drive  97. Inadequate hand-wash facilities, eating/drinking/tobacco use.
Twenty years after taking a position as principal of Bonham Elementary, Ken Newbold is bidding farewell to the campus, leaving the district with a position to fill this fall.

To help guide the hiring process, the district is asking parents and staff to provide input about what characteristics they would like to see in the next principal through an online survey.

Newbold, who is retiring after 35 years in public education -- including 26 with Bryan ISD -- said his advice to the next principal is to get to know the Bonham community.

"Let yourself have the time to build relationships -- build relationships with staff, build relationships with the families, build relationships with the kids," he said. "Because once you have these relationships, that's when you can really begin to make things work."

He said one of the things that makes Bonham special is the sense of family within the school and the "unique little mixture of families" that comes with having both students who live in more urban neighborhoods as well as rural areas.

He said families who have put generations through Bonham Elementary also have a sense of pride in the school.

"I remember years ago talking to one gentleman at our end-of-the-year celebration, and I believe at that time if my memory serves me right, he said, 'Well, that was my last one coming through Bonham, and that was No. 12,'" Newbold said.

He said he's proud to have helped cultivate an environment where students look forward to coming to school.

"One of the important parts for me is that there was always that sense of family. ... We've always done the best we can to make anyone who comes in our doors feel that way, and feel welcome," he said.

Newbold has spent most of his life in the area. After graduating from Bryan High School and earning a degree from Texas A&M University, Newbold worked for eight years in a different district before returning to Bryan in the '90s to teach physical education at the elementary level. He served as assistant principal of Bonham Elementary for two years before becoming the school's principal in 1997.

As ready as Newbold is to try new activities in retirement, including becoming more involved in his church, he said he couldn't be more grateful for the opportunity to work at Bonham Elementary.

"Bonham is just a really special place," he said, "and it's been a blessing to have ended up out here."
A Tomball man was arrested Tuesday in connection to the shooting death of a Brenham man, and in an unrelated case, Grimes County officials are investigating the discovery of a Navasota woman's body, which was found Tuesday near an intersection.

According to Washington County officials, first responders were called to a home near Brenham around 10:45 p.m. Monday. There, they found 31-year-old Ernest Trevino Sr. unconscious and suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.

At 9:30 a.m . Tuesday, officers arrested 20-year-old Nicolas Royal Porter of Tomball. He is charged with murder in Trevino's death and was booked into the Washington County Jail. No bond has been set.

Around 8 a.m. Tuesday, Navasota police responded to the intersection of Texas 105 and River Haven Drive on a report of a body lying in the road. There, police say they found 53-year-old Frances Bolden of Navasota. Few details have been released, but Navasota Police Chief Justin Leeth said the case is being investigated as a slaying. Bolden's body was taken to a medical examiner in Dallas for an autopsy.

Navasota police ask anyone with information on Bolden's death to call the department's Criminal Investigation Division at 936-825-641. The Grimes County District Attorney's office, the Grimes County Sheriff's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the College Station Police Department are assisting in the investigation.
The Brazos Valley received a thorough soaking Tuesday as showers and thunderstorms swept through the area, causing some flooding.

According to the National Weather Service, today looks to be drier, with partly cloudy skies and a 20 percent chance of storms.

Around 11 a.m. Tuesday, Brazos County volunteer firefighters and Bryan firefighters responded to a home on Forstoff Road. While the official cause has not been determined, firefighters speculate the home may have caught fire because of a lightning strike. According to Precinct 3 Chief Jason Ware, lighting in the area was rampant.

The mother and three children in the home had followed a pre-arranged family escape plan and exited the house before firefighters arrived. The woman and one child were treated for smoke inhalation while firefighters battled to contain flames in the attic for 30 minutes. The attic was severely damaged, with the rest of the home receiving smoke damage.

All Brazos Valley counties reported no water rescues or weather-related traffic accidents. The only county with flooding that resulted in a road closure was Milam County. Sheriff David Greene posted on social media Tuesday afternoon that eight county roads and three farm-to-market roads in Milam County were closed due to flooding.

"Looks like our rain is over but tonight will still bring a lot of water down from Bell County, especially on the Little River," Greene wrote on his Facebook account early Tuesday evening. "Please do not drive around the barricades, as you not only endanger your life, [but also] our first responders."

The National Weather Service noted that the Navasota River near Normangee could reach depths of 21 feet by Friday. The river is considered at flood stage at 15 feet.

Easterwood Airport in College Station recorded more than 1.6 inches of rain Tuesday, with wind gusts up to 31 miles per hour.

Texas A&M State climatologist John Neilson-Gammon said since the late 1800s, College Station has only once before seen a storm on April 11 with this much rainfall. However, every other year Brazos County receives a considerable amount of rain, he said. April's average rainfall is 2.66 inches by the end of the month.
Out of 68 transfers, 13 transfers were ordered by the present BJP government during the last 2.5 years.

By Manjeet Sehgal: The Haryana government on Wednesday transferred 19 IAS officers, including state's senior bureaucrat Pradeep Kasni who witnessed a record 68 transfers in his 33 years of service.

Out of 68 transfers, 13 transfers were ordered by the present BJP government during the last 2.5 years.

He was transferred 68th times on Wednesday and posted as chief executive, Haryana Khadi and Village Industries Board in place of Garima Mittal, who goes as director, Elementary Education and Additional Secretary, School Education Department relieving S.S.Phulia of the said charge.

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The 1997-batch IAS officer faced as much as three transfers within a period of one month during September 2016.

In some of the transfers he was given relatively unimportant departments too. The series of transfers have put a question mark on the working of BJP government which had claimed transparency and a corruption-free government.

Kasni was shunted out within a month as Gurgaon Divisional Commissioner in September 2016 after he exposed a nexus between the revenue officials and the builders.

The state government termed the transfers as 'routine' .

Kasni has become most transferred bureaucrat of Haryana followed by another whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka.

Also read:

46 transfers in 22 years: Long wait for posting continues for Ashok Khemka

--- ENDS ---
The Blinn College Alumni and Friends Association is reaching out to the community for a chance to join in on an upcoming trip to New York City.

Alumni Relations Director Kyle Merten said the trip is "another way for the Alumni & Friends Association to reach out to the community to talk about Blinn and get people involved."

The trip is expected to include visits to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Greenwich Village, Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial, a performance at Radio City Music Hall and a Broadway show.

Registration for the trip before July 5 will cost $4,099 for one traveler, $5,998 for two travelers and $8,907 for three travelers.

The cost for the five-day trip will include airfare, hotel accommodations in Times Square and five meals.

A special travel presentation will be at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in Blinn's student center in Brenham. Those interested in attending the meeting can RSVP by calling 830-4495.
Green politics is associated with the left these days, but that doesn't rule out an eco-friendly turn at the opposite end of the spectrum.

After all, nationalist worries over finite resources and talk of 'threats to tradition' have been echoed throughout the history of the green movement.

So, is a far right environmentalism possible? And if so, given climate change is hugely disruptive for any form of traditional nationalist idyll, how long before far right groups join the likes of Greenpeace on the frontlines?

Modern forms of green activism emerged in the 1960s in a context of threats like acid rain or increasing pesticide use which transcended national boundaries. The EU in the early 1970s also began to grapple with environmental problems that could no longer be effectively managed by individual states.

This form of green activism thus showed that the nation state had failed to protect citizens against environmental problems. As such, it drew upon an older tradition that in the 1800s reacted against the perceived attacks on humanity and nature by capitalist interests by calling for a return to the land.

This could give early environmentalism a left-wing flavour, as in the Winter Hill trespass of 1896 when thousands of people in Bolton reclaimed an ancient right of way through private land. But the disruption that modernisation brings also produced a range of responses that could be termed 'green nationalism'.

The far right feels threatened

The far right respond to threats they perceive to custom, culture, identity and locales posed by cosmopolitan elites. They usually have settler value systems that express pessimism and victimhood, emphasise threats rather than opportunities and see conspiracies as explanations for the degradation of their personal and group life-chances and local environment.

This leads to a green nationalism of defensive parochialism in which degradation of local features are opposed because they negatively affect customs  such as tending allotments, or the retention of the village green  threaten the familiar locale, and represent the effects of distrusted outsiders.

How this plays out in practice seems to depend upon which outsiders they distrust. In the US there are Tea Party environmentalists who have been mobilised, for instance, by the impact of polluting energy companies.
"The British Public have never had the cheap electricity that we have always promised from nuclear power. It has been, and continues to be, a case of 'jam tomorrow, but never today'."

But for our politicians, the nuclear dream never died

But that didn't stop Marget Thatcher from pushing ahead with a new nuclear plant (a PWR) at Sizewell, work on it starting in 1987. Or Tony Blair later trying to relaunch a new programme "with a vengence". That has still yet to happen. But it's pending, with the 24 billion Hinkley Point C European Pressurised-water Reactor (EPR), if it goes ahead, being the first new UK plant in 30 years.

Fukushima, in 2011, had intervened, slowing the nuclear programme worldwide, and creating liabilities of hundreds of billions of dollars. But the UK has pressed ahead with plans for maybe 18GW of new plant - delivering around 30% of UK electricity in the 2030s.

This expansion is based on so-called 'Generation III' reactors, basically upgrades of the Generation II PWRs and similar designs that have been the mainstay of nuclear so far. The new versions are unlikely to be any more competitive against cheap gas and increasingly cheap renewables.

The nuclear industry still has hopes for the French EPR, the Toshiba / Westinghouse AP1000 and the Hitachi ABWR - an upgrade of the Fukushima boiling water reactor design.

But the EPRs being built in France and Finland, Flamanville and Olkiluoto, are both around eight years late and three times over budget. Flamanville's gigantic stainless steel reactor vessel and dome is also suffering from serious metallurgical flaws which may yet prevent its completion.

The two AP1000s being built in the USA have also been delayed, creating losses of over $10 billion that have pushed Westinghouse into bankruptcy, and its Japanese parent company, Toshiba, into what may prove to be a terminal financial meltdown. The two ABWRs under construction in the US are also seriously behind schedule.

Generation IV reactors to the rescue?

Given these problems, some look to new 'Generation IV' designs. They are basically new versions of the old designs looked at in the 1950s, 60s and 70s in the USA and elsewhere - and abandoned as unviable, or after accidents.

They include fast neutron plutonium breeders, High Temperature Reactors (HTRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSR) possibly using thorium as a fuel and possibly also in scaled down Small Modular Reactor (SMR) format.

The message from the past is not promising. Most countries (US, UK, France) gave up on fast breeders in the 1980s and 1990s. Japan has now too. The UK tested an HTR in the 1960s with its Dragon project at Winfrith. Germany and the USA had a go too. The US also tested some MSR technology in the 1960s, and also the use of thorium as fuel. SMRs were also tested.

None of these ideas went forward owing to massively escalating costs and successive technical dificulties. But the industry claims that new variants on these old designs will be upgraded, cheaper and safer.

However, in a review of Generation IV options, the French nuclear agency IRSN said that, at the present stage of development, it did not see any evidence that "the systems under review are likely to offer a significantly improved level of safety compared with Generation III reactors, except perhaps for the High Temperature Reactor" - and even that would require "significantly limiting unit power".

Allison MacFarlane, former chair of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, talking about the HTR, said "I do not see past experience pointing at a positive direction."

She also noted that Fast Breeder Reactors "turn out to be very expensive technologies to build. Many countries have tried over and over. What is truly impressive is that ... many governments continue to fund a demonstrably failed technology."

As nuclear power grows more costly, renewables prices plunge

Cost reduction is clearly vital if any of these ideas is to prosper. That's one of the arguments used for small modular reactors (SMRs): they would be faster to build and so possibly easier to finance. It might also be possible to use the waste heat from them to supply heat to urban areas - if residents would accept them in or near cities.

But is that likely? SMRs are very unlikely ever to be cheap. The reason why civil nuclear power stations ever got so big as the EPR (1.6GW), ABWR (1.6GW) and AP1000 (1.25GW) is to reap 'economies of scale' which would be lost by going small.

And of course there is nothing remotely 'new' about SMRs, indeed they are a distinctly mature technology: hundreds of them have been deployed in military submarines and ships, for decades. The reason why they were never used for civil power generation is simple - they cost too much! So what exactly is about to change?

In any case all these Generation IV ideas are a decade or two, or maybe more, away from anything approaching commercial reality. It's like the situation renewables faced in the 1980s. Renewables did break through and are now viable - wind and PV solar especially. Will Generation IV nuclear be able to do the same? Or do we need to wait until Generation V - fusion? If that ever works. Or do we actually need any of these nuclear ideas?

Renewables have outperformed nuclear across the board - undercutting its cost and delivering over twice its total annual output globally: renewables now supply 24% of global electricity, and are growing rapidly, as against the fairly static 11.5% from nuclear.

Renewables are on the way to 50% of power production in many countries by 2030, and maybe close to 100% by 2050. The resource is huge, and, unlike uranium or thorium, it won't ever run out, or leave long-term hazardous wastes. That looks like our best future.

Dave Elliott is Emeritus Professor of Technology Policy at the Open University and is active in the renewable energy policy field. See his newsletter and blogs.

The book: Dave's new book 'Nuclear Power: past, present and future' for the Institute of Physics looks at the long turgid nuclear story in detail and includes full references. It is due to be published later this month, April 2017.

Once published it will be available here.

Existing books by Dave Elliott
Of course, that e-mail was sent before these results came out, so perhaps Dean DeVito spoke too soon. But assuming Dean DeVitos answer to still be accurate, my question is: why isnt the ABA considering placing Florida Coastal on probation?

Florida Coastal remains the sole InfiLaw school which has not been placed on probation by the ABA, and according to an e-mail I received on March 27 from Dean Scott DeVito, Florida Coastal has not received any information from the ABA that would indicate that the ABA is considering placing Florida Coastal on probation. Nor has the ABA provided Florida Coastal with any indication that it is thinking of beginning proceedings whose outcome could be probation.

Earlier this week, Florida released the February 2017 bar exam results for first-time takers from Florida ABA-Accredited Law Schools. Florida Coastal was the lowest by a considerable margin. Twelve of forty-eight first-time takers passed, for a 25% rate. Florida Coastal thus joins both its sister schools with the dubious distinction of having a 25% pass rate on its home state bar exam. Charlotte Law grads also had a 25% pass rate (18 of 72) on the February bar, just edging Arizona Summits historically bad performance on the July 2016 bar in Arizona, where 18 of 73 first-time takers passed for a 24.6% rate. (Arizona's February bar results will be released May 12.)

It is true that Florida Coastals bar passage woes have not been quite as severe as Arizona Summit and Charlotte School of Law. Despite a downward trend, they were within 15% of the state average in 2013, 2014, and 2015 (-10%, -12% and -7%, respectively). But last year, their bar pass rate took a nose-dive. In 2016, 16 of 49 (32.7%) Florida Coastal first-time takers passed the February 2016 Florida bar, while 83 out of 160 (51.9%) passed the July 2016 Florida bar. The combined total for 2016 was 99 of 209, or 47.4%. The final numbers are not out for 2016, but Florida Coastal will probably be more than 15% below the state average for 2016 or very close.

And there is no reason to believe that results will be any better this summer.

The 2013 class was an extremely weak class with LSATs at 148/144/141 and UGPA at 3.26/2.97/2.69, but the 2014 entering class was weaker across the board: LSAT 147/143/140 and UGPA 3.20/2.93/2.63. In fact, the entrance credentials of Florida Coastals admitted students in 2013 and 2014 were not meaningfully different than students at Charlotte Law and Arizona Summit, or Valparaiso or Ave Maria for that matter, the other schools found to be out of compliance with Standard 501 by the ABA. This summer, as the fall entering class of 2014 graduates, the first-time pass rate could very easily drop int0 the 40s or lower. At the very least, that should warrant a censure from the ABA, even if the school has voluntarily begun to take steps to get back into compliance with ABA Standards.

But there may be light at the end of the tunnel for Florida Coastal. Under the leadership of Dean DeVito, Florida Coastal has significantly raised its admission standards this year. According to Dean DeVito, their spring start class of 25 students had LSAT of 150/148/145. Dean DeVito is trying to get the bottom quartile to 147 in the fall, which should significantly improve the bar pass rate. In order to do that, they have set a target size for the fall entering class of between 100-120, which would give them a total 1L class in 2016 of 125-145, down from 424 1ls in 2014 and 441 in 2013. Dean DeVito indicates that the long-term goal is to right-size the school at about 600 total students. (Interestingly enough, this is exactly what I recommended as a sustainable size for Florida Coastal back in April 2014 when I was a Dean candidate. )

Florida Coastal has also made some curricular changes. According to Dean DeVito:

we are attempting to improve outcomes for current students as they progress through the semester. First, we have looked very carefully at the way we teach and have taken steps to ensure that we have adequate rigor in the classroom to ensure students are prepared for class and learn what it takes to be a lawyer. This includes reviewing class coverage relative to bar exams and requiring graded midterms with multiple choice and essay assessments. Second, we took steps to ensure that current students received the grades they earned. This has produced an increase in academic attrition, but also has increased student preparation for class and understanding of the law. Third, we modified our curriculum to ensure students are exposed to what they need to be successful. For example, we made expanded Civil Procedure from three to six credits and now required that all students take Business Associations, Trusts and Estates, and Family Law. We also pruned any classes from our electives that the faculty deemed were not squarely on mission. While we have not yet implemented it, I am working with the faculty to develop a competency based system to ensure that no student progresses or graduates until they establish they have certain core competencies. We will be working over the summer to begin to implement this, if faculty approve, for the fall semester. Finally, we are working on bar pass directly. The primary ways we are doing this is by requiring that all students take six credits of classes relating to bar tested materials. For example, students taking the bar in Florida must take Florida Law Survey as well as National Law Survey (each 3 credits). Students who are interested in taking the bar in Georgia, Texas, or California take, respectively, Georgia Law Survey, Texas Law Survey, and California Law Survey, as well as National Law Survey. Students going to a UBE jurisdiction take UBE Survey as well as National Law Survey. Once students graduate, they are given BarBri for free. And while studying for the bar we afford them a faculty advisor.

Dean DeVito also confirmed by e-mail that Florida Coastal is in negotiations with one or more potential partners and is planning a conversion to non-profit status. And he expressed cautious optimism that the school will pass the Department of Educations Gainful Employment test this year due to improvements in job placement outcomes and efforts to reduce student debt.

So it seems that Florida Coastal is taking the necessary steps to try to return to respectability. The question is whether these efforts will prove to be too little, too late. While Florida Coastal is better positioned than Charlotte or Arizona Summit to survive the mismanagement that has brought all three schools to the brink of failure, they are not out of the woods yet.
Like most other people in this country, my efforts have been devoted to making sure I get my tax returns completed and sent in on time. Of course, a special effort is made if a refund is due.

But another date corresponds with tax time that I had forgotten all about and thats the date the humming birds usually return to Franklin County from Mexico or whereever our visitors go for the winter.

If you recall, last year was a really strange year when it came to the humming birds arrival. Last spring, mine came a little earlier than usual and I had only two for starters, then another two arrived later.

Then two hummers left after staying about a week and, all of the sudden, about mid-May or perhaps a little later, I suddenly had 12 at my feeders and I was making sugar water on a regular basis.

Some weeks after that, I had more at the feeders, so many I couldnt ever get a reasonable count by myself because I was trying to count feeders at three different windows in the house, two on the back side and one in front of the picture window.

On occasion, I would have so many coming up to a single feeder that I had no idea of the number of the little creatures I was feeding. If Mark Scott or one of the ABC agents had seen me buying sugar at Walmart, they would surely have questioned why I was buying so many of the little four-pound bags. Seriously, I wasnt buying that much but I think I was making sugar water every other day for the three 16-ounce feeders.

It suddenly dawned on me the other day that I blamed the strange behavior of the humming birds on the unusual number of days last spring that we were hit by high winds. Just last Thursday, gusts of 20-30 mph were recorded at the airport in Roanoke. While I did not see Fridays official report from the airport, they were calling for gusts of perhaps 40-50 mph. But I would say that total was not predicted for this area.

However, consider now all of the killer storms that have been hitting the USs mid-section then moving southeast and into our area. While local television stations have been giving week-long warnings of deadly storms, each one has missed us by either breaking apart or moving through another area.

The storm that received so much attention late last Wednesday night and throughout the darkness of Thursdays early morning hours totally missed our county and the Roanoke Valley area.

These killer storms, laced with tornadoes, are surely playing a role in the arrival of Franklin Countys annual visitors. Once upon a time a few years ago, I could almost set my calendar on the arrival of the first hummer. Give or take a day, it was almost always April 15.

And you could bet your last dollar that the first to arrive was a tiny, little male that would try to chase all the others away. Later, I wised up and realized he was first to return to get the pick of the females arriving later. Then hed chase all the others away after making his selection. Of course all of this is just my guess after some 30 years of feeding the little creatures.

So now Ill ask you readers again to let me know when you see your first guest and if its a male or female. Remember, the male has the bright ruby-colored throat, thus the name. And once again, this is the only variety of hummer we have east of the Mississippi.

I got my food made and the feeders in place Saturday, so now Im just waiting to see when the first one arrives. As always, Id like for you to let me know when you spy your first arrival.

Gawking at dog humor

James (Chubby) Arrington added a touch of humor to his antique pick-up truck in the Franklin County Historical Societys Gawkers Row car show Sunday. On the side of the left front wheel, Arrington had an artificial miniature dog that had just taken care of his business. Beside the trucks right front wheel was the skeleton of another artificial miniature dog with a sign reading, Do Not Pet The Dog. Leave it to Chubby to come up with some strange things.

Broken Water Wheel

Pictured is the cover of Kenneth Garbers book Broken Water Wheel, Time and Mills in Franklin County, VA Before County Formed.

Kenneth Garber of the Wirtz area has been working off and on for about 20 years gathering information, old records and photographs of the various dams that operated over the years on Franklin Countys rivers, creeks and streams.

Garber will present a program featuring the 159-page book from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at the Westlake Library. Garber is a native of Ohio but has lived in Franklin County for 57 years.

He noted it was hard to track down all records of Franklin County mills, because the county did not keep records on dams located on plantations. Also, if a mill didnt gross $500, then taxes did not have to be paid.

Of all the dams that were once located in the county, Garber added, only three are left: LaPrade, Clements and Nolen. Twelve are now under the waters of Smith Mountain Lake, he noted.

He will have the book on sale at the library the day of the event. Orders can also be placed by mail. The cost is $25, plus $3 for shipping and handling, but if two books are ordered, postage is free, he said. Orders should be sent to Kenneth Garber, 1840 Jubal Early Highway, Wirtz, VA 24184.

Book not stolen

Last week I wrote about one of my Night of Makin Likker books being stolen from the display table I had set up for Bryan Hochsteins Moonshine Madness event at Early Inn at the Grove.

Well, when last weeks column hit the streets, as they once said in the newspaper business, I received a call from my good friend Roddy Moore at Ferrum Colleges Blue Ridge Institute.

Ive got your book, was the first thing he said. He explained he had picked up the book and shown it to someone while I was at author Henry Laws table talking to his father, Amos, and friend, Clinton Smith.

Roddy said he thought hed looked around for me but must have absent-mindedly carried the book back to his truck after leaving the area where Henry and I were set up. Heck, Roddy was one of the first people to get and read the book, so one day in passing Ill get it back. If I forget, it wont be any big deal. I thought it was funny.

Nineteen of 20 were there

Late Wife Hazels clan decided to honor me on my birthday and we met at Great 611 Steak Company in Roanoke on Saturday night. The restaurant makes no reservations, but we were told they would accommodate us.

So we arrived before 5 p.m. and had about a 20-minute wait time. I have to admit that long-time friend Richard Judy, who owns the 233-seat restaurant, and his staff did one heck of a job. We couldnt have asked for better food or service.

Birthday wishes

I'd like to thank Marsha Tyree of Rocky Mount for the special birthday card I received this week. I'll say it again; cards are always special to me!
Franklin County fourth-graders recently helped to improve local water quality and prevent soil erosion by planting Black Willow saplings in areas that are in need of streamside restoration.

The students were participating in the Streamside Trees in the Classroom (STIC) program, which allows them to learn about water quality and the importance of streamside vegetation in a hands-on way.

This years saplings were planted at Booker T. Washington National Monument and at Salthouse Branch Park and Twin Ridge Marina at Philpott Lake in Henry.

While at Booker T. Washington National Monument, students took part in activities directed by the Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District and listened to agents from the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office and the Farm Service Agency speak on best management practices.

Students moved from station to station, learning about life on Burroughs Plantation from volunteers with the National Park Service and learning about ways to protect water.

Also taking part in the activities were the Virginia Master Naturalists, Reynolds Homestead and the Department of Forestry with Smokey Bear.

Booker T. Washington is part of what the students are learning in school so this trip kind of brings it all together for them, Hodges said. With it being an historical site, the students are also helping to protect it by planting the trees.

The STIC program was started in 2012 as a partnership between Dan River Basin Association (DRBA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

As part of the program, students root native Black Willow cuttings in the classroom for about three to four weeks and then take a field trip to plant the trees, said Krista Hodges, DRBA education manager.

Trees along streams help keep water clean by buffering out pollution like chemicals and litter, and help keep the streams at cooler temperatures during the summer, Hodges said. The trees also provide habitat for wildlife seeking food or water, and shelter.

Black willows were used because they are easy to propagate and grow into a new tree from cutting off a limb, Hodges said. The limbs, when handled and treated properly, will root in a couple weeks and can be planted within three to four weeks after cutting.

The Black Willows are perfect for the program because they are native to the area and love wet areas near streams, she said.

The STIC program has existed on a small level within Henry County schools, but thanks to a National Park Foundation Transportation grant, it was able to expand during the 2015-2016 school year into Martinsville City, Franklin County and Patrick County schools. The grant normally funds materials needed for the program, such as the cost of trees and jars or tubs to hold the trees, while DRBA provides a travel stipend to help with student transportation to the planting site as well as snacks and water.

However, in 2016, with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, the transportation grant funds were not open to the public, so DRBA was unable to apply for the grant for this school year, Hodges said.

We hope to be able to apply for the grant again the future, she said.

This years program was funded in large part by donations. The majority of those funds paid for snacks and water on planting days and the cost of tree stakes.

The Corps provided the tree saplings.

Were really hoping the students get to see that water is our natural resource, Hodges said. Were using the same water for years and we wont be getting new water. I hope they realize that by planting the trees along the streams, were protecting this resource and keeping it clean for future generations.
Millennial Moms Review: 2022 Acura MDX is pretty close to the perfect family car

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The ever rising global temperature could have severe effects on health, work and staple food supplies for hundreds of millions of people.

By Reuters: On a hot, humid afternoon on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, construction worker Sabitri Mahanand frets about increasingly "dangerous" summers. Carrying over a dozen bricks on her head, she fears getting sunstroke while at work, but home offers no respite either.

"When the day's work is over, I'm so exhausted that I often don't want to cook food but I have no choice," said Mahanand, 35, wiping the sweat from her face with a cloth wrapped around her waist. "I have to feed myself, my husband and my son."

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Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, is one of the few parts of South Asia that has a heat emergency plan. Odisha's government departments have been asked to put in place measures in anticipation of heat waves this summer.

The world has already experienced three record-breaking hot years in a row, and the rising global temperature could have profound effects for health, work and staple food supplies for hundreds of millions of people, climate scientists told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The poor in urban slums in developing nations are particularly at risk, they said, while solutions to cool homes and bodies that do not hike climate-changing emissions remain elusive.

Even if the world is able to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels - a goal set by governments in Paris in 2015 - by 2050, around 350 million people in megacities such as Lagos in Nigeria and Shanghai in China could still be exposed to deadly heat each year, according to a recent study by British researchers.

Estimates from the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-International (ISET-International) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), both based in Colorado, are even higher. By mid-century, some 300 million Indians and Bangladeshis in the lower Ganges Valley alone will lack sufficient power to run electric fans or air conditioning to combat rising temperatures, they predict.

Fawad Khan, senior economist with ISET-International - which has conducted studies on heat stress, when the body absorbs more heat than is tolerable - describes heat as a "silent killer" and the world's "biggest impending climate-related hazard".

"First, your quality of life is going to deteriorate. You don't feel well, your children don't perform well at school, your physical and mental ability is affected," he said.

"The husbands work all day and come back tired and cannot sleep, children cry because it's too hot, and women say they have more domestic quarrels. These things take a huge toll, and they're immeasurable," he said.

HEAT INDEX

Contrary to popular perception, temperature alone is not the best indicator of heat stress, and the heat index - a measure that combines temperature and humidity - is more useful, scientists said.

Humidity should be taken into account because it limits the body's ability to cool via sweating, said Tom Matthews, a climatologist at Liverpool John Moores University in England who contributed to the UK research paper.

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A 2014 study conducted by ISET-Pakistan looked at two of the largest hospitals in two Pakistani cities, and found heat stroke was occurring not in the hottest month but when the heat index was highest.

Heat stroke occurs when the body overheats and can be life-threatening.

Extreme heat can also lead to heat exhaustion and severe dehydration, and can aggravate cardiac conditions, kidney disorders and psychiatric illness, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Southeast Asia director at the World Health Organization.

Most warnings about heat stress focus on peak temperatures during the day, but rising night-time temperatures are adding to the indirect effects, said NCAR scientist Caspar Ammann.

A report by Australia's Climate Council estimated that in 2015, nearly 3,500 people died in India and Pakistan from heat waves - defined as three exceptionally hot days in a row.

Recent fatal heat waves were a result of a 0.8 degree Celsius rise in temperatures from pre-industrial levels, the UK study said. Heat waves caused by a further increase of 0.7 degrees - if the world sticks to its 1.5 degree Celsius limit - could be even more severe, it warned.

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Vimal Mishra, assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Gandhinagar, said heat stress and heat waves could lead to loss of productivity and earnings, livestock deaths, higher food prices and water shortages.

Raising awareness among the general population and setting up region-wide warning systems will be key, he said.

"We are not acting as fast as we are seeing - every year we see a new anomaly," added Mishra, whose 2015 research found a significant increase in the number of heat waves between 1973 and 2012, while the frequency of cold waves declined.

RECYCLED ROOFS

Scientists say the threat is especially high for the urban poor who live in houses with concrete or tin roofs that absorb heat, and there are few low-energy technologies to counter this.

Roofs made of concrete, the most common material in Pakistan, elevate night-time temperatures indoors by approximately 3 degrees Celsius, ISET-Pakistan found.

In South and Southeast Asia, the heat comes before and with the monsoon, NCAR's Ammann said. The moisture in the air boosts humidity, which shade can combat only so far.

"High humidity limits the radiative cooling at night," he said.

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Solutions used in other parts of the world, such as basements dug into the cooler ground, tend to flood in Asia unless they have concrete foundations, which many cannot afford, Ammann added.

One inexpensive measure is to paint roofs white so they reflect the sun more effectively, suggested P.K. Mohapatra, special relief commissioner for Odisha.

Meanwhile, a new modular roofing system made with recycled agricultural and packaging waste, called ModRoof, may offer an option for cooling homes without using electricity.

Produced by ReMaterials, a company based in Gujarat, India, the roofs can lower the temperature inside by 6 to 10 degrees Celsius compared with metal and cement roofing, founder Hasit Ganatra told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

So far 75 roofs have been installed in Ahmedabad's slums, but they aren't cheap, with an average cost of $772 per family.

Ganatra said the company's all-women sales team is working with micro-finance firms to make the product more affordable for the poor.

--- ENDS ---
By India Today Web Desk: In a major bureaucratic reshuffle after Yogi Adityanath took over as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, 20 senior IAS officers were transferred today.

Mritunjay Kumar Narayan has been appointed as the new secretary of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He also got the additional charge of Secretary, Civil Aviation and Culture departments, and he is also the new Excise Commissioner.

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Awanish Kumar Awasthi is the new Principal Secretary of Information and Tourism departments while Meerut Commissioner Alok Sinha has been transferred as Principal Secretary of Industrial Development department and Noida chairperson.

Anita Meshram is the new Child Development Secretary.Amit Mohan Prasad gets the additional charge of CEO, Noida and Greater Noida besides his current post of Investment commissioner.

Noida Authority chairman Rama Raman has been relieved from his duty. He is yet to get his new posting.

ALSO READ| 'Converted? Who's your baap?' Meerut couple thrashed by Yogi Adityanath's Hindu Yuva Vahini asked

ALSO READ| Yogi Adityanath meets Uttarakhand counterpart to sort out issues between states

ALSO WATCH| Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet to ensure 18 hours of power supply to villages

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) India may add around 6,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity in the ongoing fiscal, an industry body has said.

"The governments target (for the 2017-18) I think is 4,500 MW. We know that we have number of challenges in front of us, but we will try our best to give around 6,000 (MW) in the current financial year," Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturing Association (IWTMA) Chairman Sarvesh Kumar said here.

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"Like last year, the target was 4,000 MW, but we did 5,500 MW," Kumar told reporters here.

Elaborating on the challenges, he said that "you know that competitive bidding took place for only 1,000 MW. We have requested the Centre to go for at least 4,000 to 5,000 MW of competitive bidding so that we have an absolute clear vision in front of us," Kumar added.

The leading states in wind power capacity addition during 2016-17 were Andhra Pradesh (2,190 MW), Gujarat (1,275 MW) and Karnataka (882 MW).

Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Telangana and Kerala reported 357 MW, 288 MW, 262 MW, 118 MW, 23 MW and 8 MW wind power capacity addition respectively during 2016-17. These figures are tentative, the government had earlier said in a statement.

During 2016-17, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) took various policy initiatives in the wind energy sector, including introduction of bidding, re-powering policy, draft wind-solar hybrid policy and new guidelines for development of wind power projects. PTI SID ABI

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) South Asian nations including India are "vulnerable" to emerging infectious diseases like Zika and Ebola and their level of preparedness is "inadequate" to protect public health, a new analysis today said.

Inadequate surveillance and uneven health system capacity may accelerate the spread of the emerging infectious diseases in the region, which is already burdened by diseases like tuberculosis, HIV and malaria, an analysis as part of a collection of twelve analyses on health in South Asia published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) said.

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The analysis pointed out that although sporadic cases of dengue infection were seen in many South Asian countries in the 1960s, regular epidemics only occurred in the early 1990s in India and Sri Lanka.

"In India and Sri Lanka, by around 40 years of age 90-95 per cent of adults have been infected with the dengue virus, while 41 per cent have been infected with chikungunya," it said.

Noting that Anthrax is endemic in large parts of South Asia, the analysis said that in the border areas of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, poor vaccination and surveillance have been accompanied by "increasing" anthrax cases, which prompted Bangladesh to announce a "red alert" in 2010.

Noting that rabies remains endemic in eight countries in South East Asia, with 1.4 billion people at risk, the authors in the analysis said that the region contributes about 45 per cent of global rabies deaths, while the "rhetoric" on elimination continues to grow.

"Brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, and a range of food- borne diseases contribute to the morbidity and mortality attributable to zoonotic infections but are struggling to gain the attention of policymakers in the subcontinent, despite it resulting in 150 million illnesses, 175,000 deaths, and 12 million disability-adjusted life years," the analysis said.

The analysis found that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus A/H5N1, which was introduced to the subcontinent in 2005 through wild birds, has since become endemic across large parts of northeast India and Bangladesh, across porous international borders.

"It has resulted in losses of around USD 500 million," the analysis by Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP) Director Ramanan Laxminarayan and colleagues said.

"South Asia stands vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Examining the vulnerability to emerging and growing infectious disease threats and the capacity to respond to outbreaks, the analysis finds the level of preparedness is inadequate to protect public health," it said.

South Asia is defined by the World Bank as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is home to a quarter of the worlds population.

It bears a significant proportion of the global burden of infectious disease, with longstanding battles against TB, HIV and malaria.

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"Emerging and growing infectious diseases, like Zika, Ebola, MERS-CoV, and avian influenza, are adding to the already significant burden of disease, and their spread may accelerate in the face of factors such as inadequate surveillance and uneven health system capacity.

"The current state of affairs appears to result from a severe policy neglect, including a general lack of commitment to the One Health approach in policy discourse, which would consider the interrelation of animal health, human health, and the environment," the authors noted.

The analysis found that Nipah virus emerged in Malaysia in the late 1990s, initially being misdiagnosed as Japanese encephalitis (JE), and there have since been frequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and to a lesser extent in India.

They said the lack of preventive measures and surveillance has led to some previously sporadic diseases like Nipah virus and Chandipura virus becoming "endemic" in these countries.

There has also been a marked rise in incidence, even as mortality rates have decreased, for some diseases, they said.

"With rapid shifts in urbanisation and increasing population, South Asia has the opportunity and obligation to implement meaningful policy changes to prepare against emerging infectious diseases.

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"Millions of lives are at stake and betting against the spread of emerging infectious diseases would be irresponsible," said Laxminarayan.

The analysis noted that the elimination of polio from many countries in the region, most recently in India, is a "landmark" achievement.

"At the global scale, South Asia must become more engaged in the health security agenda. The government of India is a founder contributor to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), an initiative that aims to accelerate the development of new vaccines for high threat pathogens.

"This leadership is commendable, but such research and development pipelines need to be linked to strengthened surveillance, response, and research platforms within South Asia to ensure that it can be evaluated and implemented locally. Finally, global science communities can help enhance regional conversation to encourage local collaboration," it added. PTI TDS KUN

--- ENDS ---
As a frequent business traveler, I often need to pack a suit or two. I pride myself on two things: First, I can pack everything I need for a whole week in a single carry-on, and second, I rarely need to use the iron at the hotel. But in a quest for continuous improvement, I did some homework. I searched YouTube for the "best way to pack a business suit" -- and turned up more than 220,000 results.

Unsure where to start, I sorted the list by total views. One top-viewed video featured a fellow frequent flyer who advised me to turn my suit inside out. The tutorial was difficult to follow, so I kept looking. The next video from a self-proclaimed expert advocated a rolling technique. A third video recommended folding the suit in plastic to minimize wrinkles. The list went on. I wanted to find which method was truly the best without having to try them all. Confused and frustrated, I gave up.

Related: You'll Soon Need 10,000 Views to Host YouTube Ads

For better or worse, YouTube exemplifies the democratization of content. It allows anyone, expert or otherwise, to post content and share his or her expertise. But as my experience demonstrates, democratization quickly can devolve into anarchy -- making it difficult for learners to find advice from a true expert.

Many sales organizations have launched similarly structured peer-to-peer portals, enabling their A players to share best practices with B players. That's particularly crucial because 61 percent of organizations report it takes at least seven months for a new hire to ramp up to full productivity. Knowledge-sharing can help those sales representatives generate results more quickly. After all, theres something comfortable -- and effective -- about learning from peers.

Related: 4 Ways Businesses Need Employee Learning Programs to Grow

But these portals also can become the Wild West of content. Much of it is difficult to find, redundant or obsolete. It might be poorly made or noncompliant with accepted methodologies, best-practice corporate policies or sound legal precedents. Despite the potential benefits, it doesnt take long for learners and leaders alike to get frustrated.

Peer-to-peer learning doesnt have to descend into anarchy. Here are some tips that sales and sales-enablement leaders can use to preserve and promote their knowledge-sharing initiatives.

1. Find an editor.

The legal risk of sharing noncompliant materials should be sufficient cause to instate a centralized editor. A good editor also can eliminate duplication, saving your organization from warehousing 20 best videos on how to conduct pre-call prep. These individuals ensure content is aligned to your sales methodology, pricing and quality-control standards. That's important because CSO Insights reports high-quality content can boost quota attainment by 6 percent. The reverse is costly: CSO Insights also notes that content with quality gaps yields a win rate 9 percent lower than average!

2. Simplify content creation.

Provide easy-to-follow templates that salespeople can use to create content. Today, content creation often means video creation, so give subject-matter experts a series of questions to answer while recording themselves on their smartphones or laptops. Then, outline clear steps that walk them through the process of submitting recordings for editing, approval and sharing.

3. Give context to content.

Peer-to-peer content should be treated the same way as any other learning content. It should be high-quality and it must follow learning-design principles. Sales-enablement leaders can use several tactics to maximize content's effectiveness and retention. For instance, you might incorporate successful videos within relevant lessons and curricula or use text and a consistent learning approach to enhance videos. Remember to include related materials as attachments so viewers can put those pre-call planning forms or other resources into practice.

Related: 7 Critical Skills All Sales Superstars Possess in Today's Market

4. Make it easy to find.

Tag peer-to-peer content so other reps easily can find the learning topic based on typical search terms. That might center around sales-process stage, subject matter, product, prospect industry or another category. Better yet, let the content find the rep: Present the learning in conjunction with items your reps might actively seek out to share with buyer. If a staff member is searching for the best introductory deck to use with a banking prospect, link to a video with advice from a colleague who successfully sold to customers within that industry.

Related: Why AI Won't Replace (Great) Salespeople

5. Review and refresh.

Identify appropriate intervals for reviewing peer-to-peer content so you can refresh it as needed. Ideally, your system should make it easy to determine when content is due for review. Many organizations find that evaluating peer-learning content every six months helps ensure relevancy and current trends.

6. Measure effectiveness.

Use basic metrics such as views, a five-star rating system, feedback or other quantitative data to track content usefulness. Task a cross-functional team with recognizing outstanding contributors each month. You might highlight the most-viewed content, most-followed subject matter expert and/or the best new video. This motivates sales reps to continue helping their colleagues and further circulates useful content. In addition, make sure to examine videos that arent being used to see if its time to refresh or retire them.

Related: 5 Strategies for Building a Sales Operation From the Ground Up

7. Use a 'push/pull' approach.

You might discover reps are eager to share tips for negotiating but not for maximizing their time. Ask managers to identify salespeople who demonstrate desired best practices, and proactively ask those reps to share their expertise. Recognizing team members as subject-matter experts and giving them the tools they need to create content will help elicit participation from your best reps.

True content democratization is an appealing concept -- much better in theory than in practice. To really make peer-to-peer learning work in sales, there's another step required: peer-to-sales-enablement-to-peer (just like farm-to-table actually is farm-to-kitchen-to-table).

As for my initial quest to find the "best" way to avoid a wrinkled suit jacket when traveling? I'll stick to my tried-and-true approach: Wear it onto the plane.

Related:

How Many 'Best' Ways Can There Really Be?

5 Strategies for Building a Sales Operation From the Ground up

4 Outdated Tactics That Sabotage Your Sales



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
NORWALK  Connecticut four-year high school graduation rates have reached an all-time high and Norwalk Public Schools rates are even higher.

That is according to data released by the state Department of Education earlier this week that showed the states average four-year high school graduation rate reached 87.4 percent for the 2015-16 school year. That is an increase of 2.6 percentage points, compared to four years prior.

Norwalk Public Schools average four-year high school graduate rate came in at 90.4 percent for 2015-16, up 5.5 percentage points since four years prior and 3 percentage points higher than the states average.

Brien McMahon High Schools graduation rate rose to 96.2 percent from the prior years 95 percent.

Norwalk High Schools graduation rate dropped 0.7 percentage points to 90.3

percent from the prior years 91 percent.

Norwalk Pathways Academy at Briggs, the citys alternative high school, increased a whopping 17.8 percentage points from 40.5 percent in 2014-15 to 58.3 percent in the latest results.

The national average four-year high school graduation rate is 83.2 percent.

Chairman of Norwalks Board of Education Mike Lyons said he was very pleased with the results.

We started major reforms of the school system about four years ago, Lyons said, and I think we are seeing the positive results of those reforms, both here and on other measures.

Comparable public school districts such as Stamford and Danbury saw four-year high school graduation rates lower than Norwalks, with Danburys rates being less than the state average.

Danbury saw its graduation rate decrease from 77.1 to 77 percent, while Stamfords increased from 87.5 to 88.5 percent.

Statewide, the latest batch of graduation rates mark the sixth year of increases for Connecticuts graduating seniors.

The fact that Connecticuts graduation rate continues to rise means we are moving closer to our goal of ensuring every student has the tools and knowledge to succeed in college, career, and life, state Department of Education Commissioner Dianna Wentzell said in a statement.

Among the states highest need students, graduation rates are also on the rise.

Over a five-year span, graduation rates among English learners, students eligible for free or reduced price lunch and students receiving special education services, jumped 5.4 percentage points from 71.4 percent to 76.8 percent.

While results show the graduation rate gap between black and white students still exists, that gap seems to slowly be closing. In 2011-12, an 18.3 percent gap persisted with white students at 91.3 percent and black students at 73 percent. The latest results, for 2015-16, reveal a 13.7 percent gap, with white students at 92.5 percent and black students at 78.8 percent.

A similar trend has come to light with the graduation rate gap between Hispanic and white students. In 2011-12, a 22.7 percent gap persisted with white students at 91.3 percent and Hispanic students at 68.6 percent. The latest results, for 2015-16, reveal a 16.1 percent gap, with white students at 92.5 percent and Hispanic students at 76.4 percent.

Our commitment to equity and excellence in Connecticut schools means doing everything in our power to create the right conditions for all of our students to succeed, Wentzell said. We recognize and commit to the need to accelerate the pace of improvement for our students who face the biggest challenges.

KSchultz@thehour.com; 203-354-1049; @kevinedschultz
Street children held placards and raised slogans asking UP CM Yogi Adityanath and his government for education. Children there are habitual of abusing whiteners, pain-killers, puncture adhesive, and many other intoxicants.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Scores of street children of the Taj city, ironically took it to the streets on International Day for Street Children. They have urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to provide them identity and a secure future.

They held placards and shouted slogans on Tuesday as they marched to the Agra District Magistrate's residence.

FYI || Yogi Adityanath's UP: Slaughterhouses burnt, jobs lost, many happy with new CM; what's next? ||

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"Yogiji, give us identity, education, protection and respect," the street children screamed the slogan.

"Most of the street children live in slums, footpaths, railway stations or bus stands, doing odd jobs or begging," Naresh Paras, regional coordinator of NGO Mahfooz, told IANS.

"The administration has no idea of their plight or their numbers."

DEMANDS OF STREET CHILDREN AND THEIR PLIGHT

The ever deteriorating quality of the homeless compelled the street kids to ask for identity, admission in schools and efforts from the state to integrate them in the mainstream of society.

FYI || Shh, for your eyes only: Mumbai man fills his Tumblr with Yogi Adityanath memes ||

They also demanded firm steps to ban sale of drugs and intoxicating materials, including puncture adhesive and whiteners, widely used by these kids as intoxicants.

"Those children who have become habitual of using whiteners or pain-killers should be admitted to psychiatric centres," organisers of the march said.

Also Watch: Lucknow: Ruckus and chaos erupts in Yogi's Janta Darbar, leaves crowd injured

--- ENDS ---
The Community Redevelopment Authority will consider approving two facade grants when it meets at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the basement of City Hall.

Rex and Jonadyne Carpenter, owners of Auto America, 3036 S. Locust St., are requesting an $80,000 facade grant that will go toward a $160,000 replacement and update of the mansard roof on the front portion of the building.

According to information provided in the meeting agenda, Auto America plans to replace the existing mansard with an up-to-date appearance and create an entryway to imitate the style of todays new car dealerships.

In their request for the facade grant, the Carpenters state that the facade will improve not only the Auto America building, but the appearance of the South Locust corridor as well. If approved by the CRA, the facade project is scheduled to be completed within 60 days of its start date.

The CRA will also consider a $53,400 facade grant request from Elks Lodge No. 604, 631 S. Locust St.

The Elks Lodge is planning to do a $185,000 facade project to replace and update the buildings exterior lighting, flag pole and sign.

The details of the proposed project outlined in the meeting agenda state that a double-faced sign with a red electronic message center will be installed on-site. Roof pylon will be removed and elastomeric stucco will be applied to the north face of tile block wall.

The Elks Lodges awning will be replaced with a new LED awning and lighting will be added to the flag pole and other areas of the building. The old awnings will be removed and disposed of.

For the record

In other action, the CRA will:

- Hear an update from Chairman Tom Gdowski and Regional Planning Director Chad Nabity on the funding being sought for a blight and substandard study at the former Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant site.

- Review committed projects and CRA properties.
More early childhood education could be beneficial to Grand Island, said Robin Dexter, associate superintendent of Grand Island Public Schools.

Dexter spoke to Grand Island Rotary Club members at a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday.

She has been in Grand Island for eight years and is involved with the Hall County Community Collaborative, which she spoke about on Tuesday. The H3C, as its called, provides broad-based collaborations with many local agencies and organizations to improve services for youth and families. H3C provides opportunities for those organizations and individuals to collaborate and come up with ideas on how to better serve people.

Our vision is to have a safe, healthy and thriving community and families, Dexter said of H3C.

An area H3C has been focusing on, Dexter said, is early childhood education. Dexter said supporting area employees with day care centers and early childhood education resources can ensure that children would be at an appropriate learning level when going into school.

She said teachers can tell the difference between the kindergartners who had early childhood education and those who didnt by their behavior and learning level.

Having more day care, which Dexter said is a big need in the area, would help, too. She said many of the day care centers are run by mothers looking for supplemental income, which is perfectly fine, but they dont always operate for a long time.

Dexter said often, once the mothers kids are grown, she stops her day care service. That can leave other parents with fewer day care options in town, making it difficult on the parents and children. Dexter said a 24/7 day care service is also a community need because late-shift workers often need child care at later times.

Grand Island Public Schools has the Early Learning Center, which serves about 387 3- and 4-year-olds. Dexter said poverty and mental health are issues she sees a lot of in the school system. H3C also collaborates with services that come alongside struggling parents to give them better parenting skills.

We have several of our kids in the early learning center who are already on antidepressants at 3 years old, Dexter said. Thats how bad their home lives are sometimes.

The mental health issue in Grand Island is big, and we need support, Dexter said.

Dexter said poverty is also a large, and growing, issue. Many of the schools in town have high poverty levels, with Walnut Middle School at 85 percent federal poverty rate. The poverty is measured by the number of students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch.

Dexter said if all early childhood centers and day cares take the same education approach, kids can go into school with the same basic skills.

Research tells us that early childhood education will make the biggest  long term impact, Dexter said.
Changes are on the horizon for Grand Island Public Schools (GIPS). As a mother of two young children, these proposed changes have caught my attention.

Next year the elementary schedule will transition to four specials classes  physical education, music education, media/technology and time with a guidance counselor and social worker. Elementary students will have one 50 minute specials class 4 days a week and will rotate special classes on Wednesdays. This results in an overall reduction in the offering of PE and music education.

There has also been mention of GIPS transitioning to a magnet-style district where schools beginning at the elementary level will have different areas of focus such as science, multimedia production and fine arts, just to name a few. Children then attend a school that is most attractive to their interests.

Young children will be in the middle of all this change and we need to know the proof of concept. We should know how children in districts with similar dynamics to GIPS have responded to comparable schedules and models, not just large metro districts that lack commonality to our district. These are big changes and change can be a daunting thing, especially when those most affected are misinformed, or misguided.

As parents and a community it is important to inform ourselves and to be active participants in the upcoming school board meetings, strategic planning meetings and forums for GIPS. This is what the administration said they desire. Lets all live up to GIPSs motto of being Better Together.

We must take an active role in this process. These changes are set to take place in the very near future. Do not be afraid to step up and ask questions, do your own research and find out for yourself what magnet schools are all about. Research what their successes are, along with their struggles.

Our children deserve the best chance for a successful life and career. We owe it to them to educate ourselves and assure this is the best plan for their future success.

The next school board meeting is Thursday, April 13, at 6:30 p.m. I plan to be there. I am urging parents, grandparents and taxpayers to attend and get involved now. Our concerns need to be heard and we have a right to be properly informed of these changes before they are implemented.

Our children only get one shot at their early education, development and childhood. These decisions will impact them in a big way, good or bad.

The GIPS administration needs to show us the facts and data of how these changes are the best plan for our childrens success. They need to sell this plan to us based on concrete, factual information and provide truthful information to the tough questions. We must educate ourselves and provide feedback.

This wont happen overnight, please take the steps to get involved in your childrens future, now.

Ashley Cooksley lives at 4179 Michigan Ave. She is a registered nurse and works part-time at the Nebraska Medicine-Internal Medical Associates office and works as a substitute nurse for GIPS. She is the mother of a preschool-aged daughter and 2-year-old son.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) A 15-year-old Iraqi girl suffering from a rare bone marrow failure syndrome got a new lease of life after she received stem cells from an unrelated German donor.

Doctors at a private hospital in Faridabad, where the girl underwent the procedure, claimed that this was the first case in Delhi NCR where a patient suffering from of severe aplastic Anemia was treated with a a matched unrelated donor (MUD) stem cell transplant with donor cells from international database.

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Aplastic anaemia is a condition when the patients body stops producing enough new blood cells which leave the patient fatigued, and at a higher risk of infection as well as uncontrolled bleeding.

The patient, Banin Mohammad Humza, had started showing symptoms two-and-a-half-years ago and her condition was deteriorating with every passing day as she would require frequent platelet and blood transfusion.

"She would develop infections and require hospitalisation every other day, as the white blood cells, which fight against infection, were low in her body," Dr Prashant Mehta, a bone marrow transplant specialist at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad said.

As doctors in her country gave up on her treatment, Banins family approached doctors here in India.

"After evaluating her case, we reached the conclusion that the a bone marrow transplant was the only cure,? he said.

In Banins case, the doctors could not find any genetically matching (HLA) donors within her family.

In around 75 per cent of these cases, a match in the family is not found raising the requirement for an alternative donor.

The doctors then started searching for a suitable donor and checked the registries of donors of stem cells in India but in vain.

So the doctors started looking at the registries of other countries and luckily they found a donor who matched her HLA type in Germany.

"We put forth our request and the stem cells of the donor, a 25-year-old male, was harvested in Germany and shipped to India. It was then stored at minus 80 degrees Celsius for two weeks before being transplanted," said Dr Mehta.

Banin was then subjected to chemotherapy during which the damaged cells in her body were destroyed and new cells were administrated in her simultaneously.

In the weeks that followed, the patient underwent intensive monitoring.

"Her body accepted the donor cells and the procedure was successfully completed. At present, she is free of the disease and the blood count has normalised. She is on follow-up care on an outpatient basis," Mehta said.

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MUD transplantation is uncommon in India due to risk of complications, besides logistic difficulties in procuring the cells from places outside India.

Dr N K Pandey, Chairman and Managing Director of the hospital said, "While globally 45 million people are registered with Bone Marrow Donor World Wide and other stem cell registries to meet the need of patients for a successful bone marrow transplant, in India the donor pool is very small.

"Its only around 3 lakh donor in Indian registries which is minuscule. Its not only important to have more donors but also have the requisite technology to preserve the cells for a longer period," he said. PTI PLB KIS

--- ENDS ---
United Airlines sure had a twisted way of showing customer appreciation during a Sunday flight out of Chicagos OHare International Airport. A video that has now gone viral shows security officers forcibly yanking a man out of his seat on a United Express flight and dragging him down the aisle by his wrists. Horrified passengers watched  and recorded.

The incident occurred because United had overbooked the flight from Chicago to Louisville. The airline sought volunteers to give up their seats. Witnesses said airline representatives said they needed four seats for United employees who had to be in Louisville the next day. The airline offered incentives, but when not enough people volunteered to stay behind, the airline randomly selected four passengers to get off the plane.

One of the four, whom witnesses said claimed he was a doctor who needed to see patients the next day, refused to leave after being warned security would be called. Three officers can be seen yanking the man from his seat while he screams. His head bangs on an armrest. They then grab his wrists and drag him down the aisle on his back. Several videos recorded by passengers show his glasses askew and his abdomen exposed.

We arent naive; we understand that airlines, hotels and restaurants routinely overbook because some customers cancel or simply dont show up. You can make the case that, in the aggregate, overbooking allows more people to fly, sleep and eat because fewer accommodations, including airplane seats, go unused.

But if United plays that game, it has to own the risk  specifically the risk of having to raise, and raise, the compensation offer until someone accepts it.

Unfortunately for United, passengers are watching one of its paying customers be assaulted on the same day Forbes published an account of how to handle just such a situation: Why Delta Air Lines Paid Me $11,000 Not To Fly To Florida This Weekend. The writer, Laura Begley Bloom, recounts a saga in which she, her husband and daughter negotiated with Delta agents and wound up agreeing to cancel their plans.

If United wouldnt or couldnt make its employees wait for another flight, or fly a different route, or rent a car and drive to Louisville, then United should have accepted what Delta evidently accepts: This may cost us a lot, but its cheaper than the headaches if the world sees us manhandling our paying passengers.

Certainly not a good reflection of United, and not a good reflection of security personnel at OHare. There were so many options on how to handle a passenger determined to get home on an overbooked flight. United picked the worst.
Live election coverage: All eyes on PA as voters head to the polls

The nation is closely watching PA as it could decide the balance of power in Washington. Check back regularly for statewide coverage updates.
Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least five people.

By Reuters: Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least five people.

A statement by the Afghan Interior Ministry reported several more people were wounded, while a Defence Ministry spokesman said at least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were among the casualties, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters.

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Islamic State claimed responsibility in an online post.

A police officer at the scene told Reuters the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants.

Last month, Islamic State fighters killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul.

Islamic State's offshoot in Afghanistan, known as the Sunni jihadist group's so-called Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks on minority Shi'ite Muslim targets. US officials say intelligence suggests Islamic State is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. US officials have said they believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.

The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the US-backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.

Also read:

U.S. drone kills militant blamed for attack on Sri Lanka cricket team in Pakistan

Kabul: Gunmen disguised as doctors attack military hospital; ISIS claims responsibility

--- ENDS ---
On Monday, March 20, Congressman John Shimkus (R.  Ill) and Congressman Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) participated alongside representatives of Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation (SIHF) as they cut a ribbon to celebrate the opening of its new Central Collinsville Health Center, located at 1215 Vandalia St. in Collinsville.

The $2.6 million, 12,000 sq. ft. facility will provide affordable medical and behavioral health services as well as dental care to patients of all ages. With a reach of approximately 3,000 local patients, Central Collinsville Health Center accepts most insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare, and offers a sliding fee scale so no patient is ever turned away, regardless of their ability to pay. The new facility will also be the information technology hub for SIHF that will help elevate the organizations role in telemedicine expansion and enhanced care coordination services.

SIHF previously operated a smaller Center at the Northgate Apartments complex in Collinsville. With the new Center, providers and staff will provide a more complete set of services, making access to care even greater

Board members and organization supporters attended the opening to listen to the remarks made by Congressmen Shimkus and Davis, Joshua Jennings of Dover Development and SIHF President and CEO, Larry McCulley.

Rural clinics, community health clinics, federally qualified health clinics are really a great way to go in terms of getting people access to care. Even though we have healthcare debates in Washington, D.C., this is really part of the solution so we are glad to have you all here today in Collinsville. There are a lot of people that are ready to have access to your services. Again, when we are in this national healthcare debate this (access) is part of the solution and I am fortunate to be a part of the team who have helped move this process along, said Congressman John Shimkus.

Congressman Rodney Davis added, Community health centers are the key to affordable, successful healthcare coverage in Central Illinois and in our underserved and uninsured areas. We have opportunities, and we have learned, that it takes access to primary care doctors to really reduce the cost of our healthcare delivery system. Unfortunately we still see too many who do not have access so being here to watch a new facility like this open for expanded access, and just recently touring your other facilities that are open, I have been able to take those experiences back to Washington to be included in our debate to continue to talk about what it means to have access to primary care at centers like this.

Central Collinsville Health Center is now accepting appointments for family medicine, behavioral health and dental care services for patients of all ages. The health center will also soon offer pediatric care as well. Cynthia McHaney, who has more than 30 years of experience in the health care industry, serves as manager of the center.

According to Larry McCulley, president and CEO of Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation, Im so pleased to see this project take shape for the residents of Collinsville and neighboring communities. This is a wonderful, state-of-the-art facility that will provide essential services to people of all ages and it reinforces SIHFs investment in the people of Collinsville.

To make an appointment at the Central Collinsville Health Center, please call (618) 343-6015.

About Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation (SIHF): SIHF operates a network of more than 30 health centers across 10 Illinois counties with more than 150 medical providers who deliver comprehensive health care services including: adult, family, womens health, pediatrics, dental services, behavioral health, and population health services. As one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Center networks in the country, SIHF is devoted to leading individuals and communities to their healthiest lifestyle regardless of their ability to pay. For more information, visit www.sihf.org.
Kites will be flying high over Joe Glik Park on Saturday, April 29, for the citys annual Flying 4 Kids event. The Edwardsville Parks and Recreation Department will be hosting the event from 9 a.m. to noon, partnering with the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) for the state-wide program.

Recreational Activities Supervisor Hayley Verheyen said although the event will be dependent on the weather, the department is expecting a good turnout.

Were definitely expecting a good turnout, but this event is very dependent on weather. So, were hoping for 75, sunny and a little bit of wind, Verheyen said.

Last year it did get rained out and we had to move it to the following weekend and the weather ended up being pretty nice. We had around 50 people and were hoping this year well have good weather and 70 to 80 people would be our goal, she added.

The kite fly will be the same as last years, as the first 50 participants will receive goody bags, and kites will be provided for all, courtesy of Cassens Transport. Kids are also able to decorate their kites prior to flying them.

The Gateway Kite Club will be on site as well, performing with stunt kites and demonstrating kite demos.

Verheyen said overall, this event is enjoyable for both the parks department and participating families.

I think the most enjoyable thing is the kites we provide people are very easy to fly. So a 2- or 3-year-old can fly a kite without any assistance from any of their parents. Just the look on their faces when their kite goes up in the air the first time. Its definitely a really cool experience, both for us as a parks department as well as the parents and the child, she said.

The Flying 4 Kids event aims to raise awareness of the park district youth license plates, and each sale and renewal contributes to a special grant fund for youth beyond-school programs at Illinois parks and recreation departments.

The state-wide kite flies are held in April and May each year.

For more information about the Flying 4 Kids event, visit the IAPDs website at www.ilparks.orgor contact the Edwardsville Parks Department at 618-692-7538. In the case of severe weather, check the citys website at www.cityofedwardsville.com for cancellation information.
By India Today Web Desk: Javed Akhtar's words have been creating magic for many decades now. Through his songs or his screenplay, Javed has been able to cast a spell. And the latest to be left spellbound by his words is the newest daddy in B-Town, Karan Johar.

Javed Akhtar, who recently visited KJo's home to meet his newborns- Yash and Roohi, had a special gift for the twins. Unlike other Bollywood celebrities, he did not come with the usual fancy gifts. Instead, he decided to dedicate poems to the twins explaining them the real meaning behind their names. While his son has been named after his grandad Yash Johar, Roohi is an anagram of her grand mom's name Hiroo.

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KJo, who was touched by the special gift, shared the poems on Twitter and thanked Javed Akhtar for his beautiful words. He wrote, "Thank you Javedsaab....this will always remain truly special to us....we love you lots!! Yash....Roohi... and me."

Thank you Javedsaab....this will always remain truly special to us....we love you lots!! Yash....Roohi... and me.....@Javedakhtarjadu pic.twitter.com/djzjdqBMj6- Karan Johar (@karanjohar) April 11, 2017

He also shared the poem Javed has written for Roohi.

Within a few months of their birth, the twins have already become a favourite with the B-Town. Ever since Karan got the babies home, actors from all age groups have been making rounds to meet the newborns.

Karan became a dad through surrogacy in February this year. But the filmmaker decided to keep the news under the wraps for some time since the twins were born premature. But a few weeks ago, he finally got his babies to home, and is busy enjoying fatherhood.

ALSO READ: Karan Johar's twins Yash-Roohi's nursery is designed by Gauri Khan

ALSO READ: Dad Karan Johar takes twins Yash and Roohi home

ALSO WATCH: Karan Johar on being the mother of his children and more

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Vincent Lingga (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

The European Union has since 2013 been slapping anti-dumping countervailing duties on Indonesian exports of palm oil-based biodiesel, despite a lower EU court ruling last year that annulled the duties.

Then early last week, the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly to totally ban biofuels made from palm oil by 2020 to prevent the EU target of sourcing 10 percent of its transport fuels from renewables from inadvertently contributing to deforestation.

While the motion is not yet legally binding, EU lawmakers are now drawing up amendments to EU legislation that would be legally enforceable if approved by the European Commission.
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Linkedin EDITORIAL (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

Tuesdays shocking acid attack on Novel Baswedan was the latest, most crude assault against top graft investigator and the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). An unidentified person on a motorcycle threw acid in Novels face as he was walking home from attending morning prayers at a nearby mosque in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. President Joko Jokowi Widodo ordered National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian to investigate what the President rightly described as brutal crime.

Activists said the attack was not an isolated incident, citing earlier threats and physical intimidation of KPK investigators such as Novel, including reported attempts to run his motorcycle off the road. Few were surprised at what has become persistent attempts to undermine the KPK, its bold leaders and its investigators shortly after the commissions establishment in 2002.

Because the KPK has managed to convict hundreds of local leaders and politicians, it has faced various lawsuits that have led to the ouster of its leaders, attempts to end its wiretapping powers, quite apart from brazen assaults like the one on Novel early on Tuesday.
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Linkedin Kurniawan Hari (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

The dates of March 16 and 17 were historic, particularly for residents living around Nanga Badau in Kapuas Hulu regency and Aruk in Sambas regency, both in West Kalimantan.

After several decades, locals finally saw major renovations of the integrated cross-border posts (PLBN), followed with upgrades of immigration checkpoints and customs offices.

The projects also included improvement of trade facilities, the electricity power supply and road quality, which would halve travel time to and from the border posts.
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Linkedin Hermawan Kartajaya and Ardhi Ridwansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

The market is a meeting place for supply and demand. It is where companies  as value suppliers  compete to win the minds and hearts of customers  as value demanders.

In the business world, the market is also like an estuary for changes that occur at the macro scale. The technological revolution further drives economic, political-legal and sociocultural changes, all of which culminate in the market.

Several ASEAN countries have experienced structural changes in the market, inevitably resulting in greater competition. The development of technologies, which have increased information availability, has prompted profound changes in the political systems of several countries, while the more open economy has meant the boundaries of monopoly restrictions have diminished to a large extent.

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Linkedin Aretha Aprilia (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

Indonesia has reached a nearly 97 percent ratio of villages with electricity, in which over 2,500 villages had no electricity in 2014. The plan of state-owned electric company PLN to build more power plants is merely to cover 504 villages up to 2019 (Central Statistics Agency [BPS], 2015), which implies that more than 2,000 villages will still not be electrified by 2019. This poses both a challenge and an opportunity.

Then comes off-grid renewable energy (RE) development. It is where developers create new supplies and micro-grid solutions that are disconnected from PLNs grid. Based on the recent statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) titled Rethinking Energy 2017, the RE electricity generation in Indonesia in 2014 was 33,750 gigawatts per hour (GWh).

This is diminutive compared to Chinas RE generation of 1,253,230 GWh, India with 185,569 GWh, and nearly half of Vietnams generation of 66,489 GWh.

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Linkedin News Desk (Associated Press) London  Wed, April 12, 2017

British Vogue's search for a new leader has come to an end with the naming of Edward Enninful as the magazine's new chief editor.

He will be the first male editor of British Vogue when he takes over on Aug. 1.

Enninful, who had been the creative and fashion director at W magazine, has been an influential magazine fashion director for more than 20 years. He was born in Ghana and moved to London as a child.

Read also: Zalora unveils latest Muslim fashion collections

He started as fashion director of i-D magazine when he was just 19 and later worked at the Italian Vogue under its late editor, Franca Sozzani.

Enninful received an OBE award last year for his work in fashion. Madonna, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and other fashion luminaries came to his party to mark the event.

His predecessor, Alexandra Shulman, said in January she was stepping down after 25 years, prompting widespread interest about who would take over one of the most visible positions on the London fashion scene.
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Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, April 12 2017

Construction services firm PT Acset Indonusa has revised up its target of new contracts as it sees more business opportunities this year on the back of the governments massive infrastructure development programs.

The publicly listed company previously set a new contract target of Rp 4.5 trillion in 2017, mainly from the infrastructure sector. However, the target has been revised up to Rp 7.5 trillion (US$562.5 million).

There is a target revision. We aim for Rp 7.5 trillion [in new contracts]. This target fits our capabilities, new president director Jeffrey Gunadi Chandrawijaya said after the companys shareholder meeting on Monday.

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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 18:08 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8df887 1 Business Bank-Danamon,shareholders-meeting,dividend,distribution Free

Private lender PT Bank Danamon Indonesia will pay Rp 934.15 billion (US$70.36 million) dividend or Rp 97.48 per share to its shareholders.

The dividend payment -- 35 percent of the bank's Rp 2.67 trillion net profit in 2016 -- was approved at the annual shareholder's meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"Meanwhile, 1 percent of the profit will be set aside as general reserve in accordance with the Limited Company Law and the remaining 64 percent of the profit will be recorded as retained earnings to be added to company's capital," corporate secretary Rita Mirasari said in the companys official press release on Wednesday.

(Read also: Private lender Danamon posts 12% increase in net profit)

The shareholders' meeting also accepted the resignation of Emirsyah Satar as the banks independent commissioner and Muladi Rahardja as vice president director on Wednesday.

Emirsyah issued his resignation letter on Feb. 3. In January he was named as a suspect in an alleged bribery case relating to the purchase of aircraft engines from UK company Rolls Royce by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Danamon has not disclosed the reason for Emirsyah resignation.

The bank did not appoint new people to the positions. The board of commissioners now consists of 6 members instead of 7 and there is now only 7 directors. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 15:14 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8d64a9 1 Business Cisco-System,computer,networks,protection Free

The local unit of a United States computer networking company, Cisco Systems, says it considers small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia as its potential market to boost its services.

Indonesias SMEs needed to transform from traditional to digital modes in order to survive in the more competitive market, said Cisco Systems Indonesias country manager Budi Santoso Sutanto in Jakarta on Tuesday.

For that SMEs need to prepare many things, including protection for their computer networks.

Most of the companies in Indonesia do not have awareness of malware (malicious software) that affects their networks and it takes time to be noticed, he said during a press briefing.

We offer security network services that can detect the malware in six hours, much earlier than other providers, which need about three months to detect the problem, he added.

Cisco said it offers an affordable package of software and hardware that it calls Cisco Start to secure networks and protect data with prices that start at US$20.

Cisco is a company that provides network security for various business sectors. The company has served Indonesian businesses mainly in the financial services industry, e-commerce, e-learning and the internal networks of private companies. (ecn/bbn)
An angry Jaya Bachchan lashed out at the Centre for taking steps to protect cows but not women.

Jaya Bachchan criticised the government for protecting cows, 'but not women'. (Image via ANI)

By India Today Web Desk: Angry at the BJP's activist bounty on Mamata Banerjee's head, actor-turned politician Jaya Bachchan lashed out against the government on Wednesday, saying the Centre is commited to protecting cows while crimes are being committed against women.

"The government needs to take aggressive steps for the protection of women. You can protect cows, but atrocitities against women continue," said the Rajya Sabha MP on the last day of the Budget Session.

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Referring to a BJP's activist Rs 11 lakh bounty on Mamata Banerjee's head, Jaya said, "how can such a statement be made against a woman chief minister? The environment is already unsafe for women."

Jaya's angry statements come on the back of a video showing Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha member Yogesh Varshney threatening the West Bengal Chief Minister and calling her a demon.

He accused Banerjee of orchestrating a police crackdown on a Hanuman Jayanti rally in Birbhum, alleging that people were beaten up in a lathi-charge by the police. He said the video made him feel, "if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjee's head I will give them 11 lakh."

BJP has since disowned and condemned the statement in Parliament.

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Nethy Dharma Somba (The Jakarta Post) Jayapura, Papua  Wed, April 12, 2017 17:18 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8d9c3a 1 National Cessna,Cessna-Caravan,Papua,aircraft-crash,AircraftCrash,AircraftIncident,#aircraft,Pegunungan-Bintang,Oksibil Free

Oksibil Airports air traffic control in Pegunungan Bintang, Papua, lost contact with a Cessna Caravan aircraft belonging to airline company PT Spirit Avia Sentosa (Flying SAS) at 12:45 p.m. local time Wednesday.

It is feared that the aircraft crashed on Mount Botak in Pegunungan Bintang regency, an official has said.

We have left for Mt Botak. Several local residents reported that they saw an aircraft crash in the area, so we will go there to check, said Phiter Rumaropen, the head of the Pegunungan Bintang administrations Public Order Agency (Satpol PP), on Wednesday.

Piloted by Capt. Rio Pasaribu, the Cessna was on its way to Oksibil from Tanah Merah Airport in Boven Digul when contact with it was lost. It carried cargo weighing 1,225 kilograms.

The whereabouts of the aircraft remains unknown. We are holding a meeting to coordinate rescue operations, said Tanah Merah Airport head Fitra Jaya.

Departing from Tanah Merah at 11:44 a.m., the aircraft should have arrived in Oksibil at 1 p.m.

Airline company Associated Mission Aviation (AMA) Papua director Djarot Soetanto said it had dispatched three aircraft to help in search operations. The companys representative in Oksibil received a report from the Kobikop district head that people in the area had spotted an aircraft crash on Mt Botak.

Our pilots will carry out search operations near the location once the weather clears, said Djarot, adding that the aircraft deployed were two Cessna Caravan and a Pilatus. The incident coincides with the 14th anniversary of Pegunungan Bintang regency. (ebf)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 17:45 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8dac68 1 Business ignasius-jonan,pertamina,nationalization,oil-and-gas Free

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan has denied allegations that the government intends to nationalize the upstream oil and gas sector through appointing state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina to take over 10 expiring fields.

Jonan said both the Indonesian Petroleum Association (IPA) president, Christina Verchere, and the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) had questioned the ministrys decision to hand over the oil and gas fields to Pertamina. However, he insisted that the move was mostly connected to minimizing costs.

My answer is no. We have given Pertamina a mandate to continue production at 10 concessions that will expire soon, including the Mahakam block from Total [E&P Indonesie] but if they do not perform well, we will end it, he said during the opening of the first Indonesia Energy Conference held at Hotel Mulia in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

So far, the government has announced eight expiring oil and gas fields that Pertamina will take over, namely the Offshore Northwest Java (ONWJ), Southeast Sumatra (SES), East Kalimantan, Tengah, North Sumatra Offshore (NSO), Sanga-sanga, Ogan Komering and Tuban blocks. The contracts will all be renewed under the new gross-split scheme.

We believe Pertamina has cost leadership, but if you can create a much cheaper partnership with the government than Pertamina can, Ill go with you not Pertamina, he said, addressing oil and gas contractors in the audience. (ags)
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Linkedin Margareth S. Aritonang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 18:57 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e22a6 1 National AttorneyGeneral,#AttorneyGeneral,Muhammad-Prasetyo,death-penalty,moratorium,execution,#DeathSentence,#DeathPenalty,human-rights Free

Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo indicated that Indonesia would continue to execute convicts when he confirmed that the government would not implement a moratorium on the death penalty despite mounting calls from human rights groups.

He hinted that there would soon be a fourth round of executions.

We never said we would implement a moratorium, Prasetyo said. We are considering many aspects," he added.

Prasetyo made the statement in response to a question raised by United Development Party (PPP) politician Arsul Sani, who asked him to give updates on the governments execution plans during a meeting at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

Arsul asked about the fate of more than 100 death row convicts in regard to ongoing discussions between the government and lawmakers on making the death penalty an alternative sentence as stipulated in the Criminal Code (KUHP) draft revision.

The bill, which is being deliberated at the House, softens the governments stance on capital punishment as it stipulates that the punishment can be reduced to life imprisonment.

Article 89 of the bill states the death penalty should be the last option taken to protect the public. It is elaborated further in Article 91, which says convicts may have their sentences reduced if they behave well during their imprisonment. The bill does not define the guidelines of death penalty assessments or stipulate institutions authorized to make such assessments.

If the revised KUHP takes effect while we still have death row convicts, we will comply with this new law, Prasetyo said. (ebf)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12 2017

President Joko Jokowi Widodo is optimistic about starting the redistribution of land in the next two weeks, after months of discussing how to successfully implement his agrarian reform program.

Agrarian reform is an important part of Jokowis ambition to create a just economic policy to close the widening economic and social gap. His administration announced earlier this year that it would focus on the land reform agenda, which would see 21.7 million hectares of idle land granted to groups of people to improve their welfare and to narrow economic disparity.

We will have a Peoples Economic Congress on [April] 24, and hopefully we will be able to start the redistribution. This is the responsibility of the Agrarian and Spatial Planning Ministry and the Environment and Forestry Ministry, Jokowi said during the opening of a closed-door meeting at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 13:56 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8ce789 1 Business Indonesia,IDB,infrastructure-development Free

The Indonesian government has offered 225 projects to the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) during the third IDB Sovereign Investment forum in Bali.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani is offering the investment opportunities through the state-owned infrastructure financing firm PT Sarana Multi Infrastruktur (PT SMI).

Those projects include one electricity project, 19 railway projects, 17 airport projects, 13 seaport projects, 25 new economic zones and irrigation projects, said Sri Mulyani on Tuesday as reported by kontan.co.id.

(Read also: SMI inks US$1 billion deal with IDB)

Indonesia has been trying to collect funds for infrastructure development using various ways, including public-private partnerships, state-owned enterprises and the involvement of Finance Ministry as a facilitator.

PT SMI is the right company to bridge the funds collection, she added.

Meanwhile, IDB president Badar H. Hajjar said Indonesia was a promising country for investment

The IDB and the Indonesian government had been involved in a good cooperation agreement since 2016. The bank had been involved in financing various projects worth US$7 billion, including $1.5 billion agreed last year, Hajjar added.

Meanwhile, the new investment agreement signed on Monday included project co-financing in the form of loans, co-investment, capacity building for sharia businesses and financing through PT SMI to be used to obtain sovereign wealth funds. (bbn)
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Linkedin Fedina S. Sundaryani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 13:18 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8ce43d 1 Business high-speed-railway,Jakarta-Bandung,cost-overrun Free

The Indonesian government is recalculating the investment needed to develop the high-speed railway that is expected to connect Jakarta and Bandung in West Java.

The government needs to recalculate the investment in light of a possible cost overrun caused by several technical issues related to old infrastructure and earthquake-damaged structures, said Coordinating Maritime Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan.

There is a Dutch colonial bridge on the tracks that has shifted due to seismic movements. China does not have experience in the matter, he said at the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

(Read also: High-speed railway financier wants clarity on spatial plan)

Previously, State-owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno denied on Tuesday that the China Development Bank (CDB) is withholding the disbursement of agreed-upon loans for the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway until all of the project's land has been acquired.

The CDB is expected to cover about 75 percent of the US$5.2 billion of the investment needed to complete the project. (bbn)
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Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 11:47 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8c9176 1 National free-visa-policy,#visa Free

The government's ongoing evaluation of its policy granting free tourist visas to citizens from 169 nations might affect those countries that sent the fewest number of visitors to Indonesia in recent years.

According to data the immigration authority shared with The Jakarta Post, 35 states sent few visitors to Indonesia. For example, in 2016 Afghanistan only sent nine and North Korea 23.

According to the data, several countries, such as the Aland Islands, Aruba, Congo and Liberia, only sent one each last year.

The number of tourists is just one of the indicators [used to review the free-visa policy], a spokesman of the ministry's Directorate General of Immigration, Agung Sampurno, told the Post on Tuesday.

Other indicators used are national security issues and public perception, he added.

(Read also: Indonesia to remove some countries from free-visa list)

Immigration Ministry director general Ronny F. Sompie recently said that to review the system, cooperation is needed between the relevant institutions and ministries.

This policy evaluation must be done comprehensively and synergically; we cannot do it alone, Ronny said.

The government is evaluating the benefits of the free-visa policy that has been in effect since 2015, since the country stands to potentially lose about Rp 1 trillion (US$75.4 million) in non-tax revenues from it. (hol/dan)
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Linkedin Stefani Ribka (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

Palm oil businesses have urged the government to take strong action against the European Union, including retaliation, in response to a recent European Parliament resolution that they regard as detrimental to the local industry.

In its resolution last week, the parliament demanded the bloc gradually reduce the use of vegetable oils, including palm oil, that are not sustainably produced in biodiesel production, in a bid to reduce deforestation. Indonesia is one of the worlds largest producers of palm oil.

Indonesia Oil Palm Producers Association (Gapki) executive director Fadhil Hasan called for solid measures ranging from retaliation to termination of ongoing talks on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) with the 27-member bloc.

The government needs to think up concrete steps to retaliate, he said during a press conference held by the National Palm Oil Board (DMSI) on Tuesday.

(Read also: Powerful lobby sought to ease Indonesia palm oil exports)

Fadhil cited wine, aircraft, perfume and pharmaceutical products from the region as examples of goods against which to retaliate.

Palm oil producers under the group view the matter as an issue that should be addressed at the government level and urged the countrys leaders to approach the EU directly.

On April 4, the EUs parliament called for a single certification scheme for palm oil entering the EU market. The non-binding resolution suggested that only palm oil supplied through sustainable methods, according to its criteria, could enter the bloc after 2020.

Despite its non-binding nature, the resolution is likely to affect the EU Commissions trade policy-making, according to the DMSI.

Several senior Indonesian officials have expressed their disappointment at the resolution. Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has described the resolution as an insult to the local palm oil sustainability scheme, the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO).

Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman described it as a black campaign against the domestic palm oil industry.

Voicing similar concerns to Gapki, the Indonesian Vegetable Oil Refiners Association (GIMNI) also urged the government to fight hard against the EUs latest measure.

GIMNI executive director Sahat Sinaga said the resolution was a continuation of a negative campaign since the 1970s directed at the Indonesian palm oil industry. This was attributed to the competitive edge of palm oil in comparison to other vegetable oils as well as its multi-functionality.

We knew such a thing would happen. The EU has launched various negative campaigns from time to time. Finally, Indonesian leaders need to take bold action to stop this from occurring again and again, he said.

On the same day, officials from Indonesia and its neighbor Malaysia, the worlds biggest palm oil producer, convened in the fourth ministerial meeting of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) in Jakarta.

Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution co-chaired the meeting with his counterpart the Malaysian minister of plantation industries and commodities.

The meeting decided that Indonesia and Malaysia would carry out a joint mission to meet EU officials next month to express their objections to the resolution and avert the implementation of the resolution.

CPOPC ministers expressed deep concern about the resolution, which they claim will have negative repercussions on the palm oil trade. They also object to a number of issues, notably the single palm oil certification scheme, which they consider ignores existing certification schemes developed separately by both countries.

False allegations that perceive global palm oil production breaching fundamental human rights and adequate social standards neglect the reality that palm oil is an important economic enabler and provides employment opportunities and vital income for poor communities, the ministers said in press statement issued by the CPOPC.

Palm oil is one of the biggest contributors to Indonesias non oil and gas exports, amounting to $18.23 billion, 13.8 percent of total exports worth $131.3 billion, last year.

Oil palm plantations span 11.9 million hectares and produce more than 30 million tons of crude palm oil (CPO) and kernel oil each year, affecting the lives of at least 4.8 million smallholders, quite apart from those working in the refinery and processing sector.

The EU, meanwhile, is Indonesias second-biggest palm oil importer after India. It imported 4.3 million tons of palm and kernel oil, or 17 percent of Indonesias total palm oil shipment of 25.1 million tons in the past year.

Indonesian officials have complained that the domestic palm oil certification scheme, the ISPO, has struggled to gain global recognition, which they attribute to tight competition in the international vegetable oil market.

Despite the governments claim about the ISPO, local forest group Forest Watch Indonesia said that after four years, the implementation of the scheme was very slow, with last year around 800 oil palm plantation firms still awaiting certification, while 115 others were under assessment. As of December, only 226 firms were already certified.
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

The Makassar District Court in South Sulawesi cleared on Tuesday a woman of defamation charges for comments she made in a Facebook post.

Yusniar, a resident of Makassar, had earlier been detained and charged with defamation under the Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law for writing a comment that offended a local councilor.

The acquittal of the 27-yearold housewife came as surprise amid the frequent guilty verdicts that have been handed down in cases involving the ITE Law.

The charges are not proven. Therefore, she is now fully at liberty to go, said presiding judge Kasianus while reading the verdict.

The case embroiled Yusniar after Sudirman Sijaya, a councilor on the Jeneponto legislative council in South Sulawesi, who is also apparently a lawyer, filed a report against her over remarks she made on her Facebook page.

She wrote on March 14, in Makassarese, Thank God. The problem is finally over. Stupid [lawmaker], stupid lawyer. [You] want to help a guilty person, [but it is] clearly my parents land [that you] came to and disturbed.

The post came a day after her parents house on Jl. Sultan Alauddin was attacked by 100 people, allegedly including Sudirman. Yusniar did not mention any names in her post.

Yusniar was charged with violating the ITE Law, which carries a maximum penalty of six years in prison. She had earlier been detained but was later released on bail during the trial.

Kasianus said Yusniar was not proven to have slandered Sudirman in her Facebook post since she did not mention any names or refer in any way directly to him.

The defendant mentioned a lawmaker, while Sudirman Sijaya is not a member of the House of Representatives. He is a Jeneponto councilor, he said.

Yusniar and her lawyer team received the verdict with delight.

Abdul Aziz Dumpa, one of her lawyers, said he appreciated the panel of judges decision.

This is a true form of justice for the defendant and other people who are threatened with the ITE Law, he said.

First enacted in 2008, the ITE Law has become a scourge of the countrys internet users.

According to data from the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network, 200 people have been prosecuted using the draconian law since it was first implemented.

The number of people criminalized has increased in recent years, reaching 62 people in 2015, compared to just two in 2008, the data showed. Roughly 90 percent of the cases were defamation cases.

The most infamous case was housewife Prita Mulyasari, who was imprisoned for complaining about OMNI International Hospital in 2009 in a private email that went viral.

The most recent case involved a man in Medan, North Sumatra, who was sentenced to 14 months in prison in August for being tagged in a story on Facebook.

Upon hearing her acquittal, Yusniar immediately broke down and expressed her gratitude by falling to her knees and kissing the ground.

Thanks to all of you who have supported me, she said while wiping away her tears.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 12:30 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8cc83d 1 National #KPKAcidAttack,novel-baswedan Free

Following an attack on Novel Baswedan, a senior investigator of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the National Police have coordinated with its subsidiaries, the Jakarta Police and the Kelapa Gading Police, to investigate the incident.

Novel, who is lead investigator into the e-ID embezzlement case, was doused with acid at 5:10 a.m. on Monday after he engaged in a morning prayer in a mosque near his house. He suffered burns to his left eye, face and neck.

As of Wednesday, the police have questioned 15 witnesses, said Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono.

"[The witnesses] are people who knew, heard and saw the incident happening, especially people who knew when exactly Novel went out of his house," Argo said on Wednesday.

Residue of the acid that was used to injure Novel had been taken to the police's forensics laboratory for testing, he said.

The police still faced difficulties as they have not managed to find any fingerprints of the two perpetrators, who rode a motorcycle during the incident.

"We also have not discovered the license plate or the make of the motorcycle," he said.

(Read also: Novel in good condition despite injuries: Presidential spokesperson)

The police would cooperate with the KPK to investigate the assault as the surveillance cameras, which allegedly recorded the incident, had been seized by the latter.

So far, both the police and the KPK still declined to disclose any reason behind the assault, saying they would delve further into the case before reaching any conclusions. (dea/dan)
A little over a year after Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani's death, the Kerala high court has ordered the CBI to take over the investigation of his case.

By India Today Web Desk: The Kerala High Court has ordered the CBI to probe into the death of Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani, who died last year in March.

The high court ordered the CBI to take over the investigation of Mani's death a week after the agency refused to probe the case, giving the reason of being swamped by a number of other cases.

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After Mani died on March 6 last year, forensic tests found traces of methyl alcohol and an insecticide in his body, suggesting that the actor had died poisoning. Mani's family went on to allege that his friends had a hand in his death.

Following narco-analysis of many of Mani's friends, police was unable to find substantial evidence against any of them.

Mani's family then demanded a CBI probe into the case. Even Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had spoken in favour of a CBI inquiry in this case. However, the CBI refused to take up the case when Mani's wife and brother filed petition for the same.

On Mani's one-year death anniversary this March, his brother RLV Ramakrishnan resorted to a three-day-long hunger strike to bring attention to the case, demanding a stricter investigation.

"The investigating team has made lapses in every step of the probe," Ramakrishnan had told reporters after the hunger strike. "They were even careless to the extent that they handled my brother's internal organs in an unhygienic manner, while taking it to the national forensic laboratory from Kakkanad laboratory."

"It has been proven time and again through various lab reports that my brother had been poisoned. The police cannot close the case without finding out who poisoned my brother," he said.

Reports say the high court has ordered the CBI to take up Kalabhavan Mani's death case within a month, negating the CBI's refusal to take up the case in the first place.

|| Read more ||

Kalabhavan Mani's fans bid a tearful goodbye to 'poor man's superstar' of Kerala

Popular Malayalam actor Kalabhavan Mani passes away

Kamal Haasan: Kalabhavan Mani had more talent than time

|| Watch more ||

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Wed, April 12, 2017 22:58 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e77c4 1 National Jamaah-Anshar-Daulah,Jamaah-Ansharut-Daulah,Banyumas,TerrorAttacks,terrorism,Tito-Karnavian,JAD,National-Police Free

The authorities must stay alert for the presence and influence of the Jamaah Anshar Daulah (JAD) terror group, as investigations have found it to be behind several terrorist attacks across Indonesia, a security chief has warned.

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian said the perpetrator of an attack on three members of the Banyumas Police in Central Java on Tuesday was aligned with JAD.

The attack on the Banyumas Police is related to two previous terror attacks in Lamongan and Tuban, both in East Java. These were all perpetrated by the JAD network, the police chief said on Wednesday.

He was speaking after he inaugurated the Makassar Polices command center, which is connected to the command and control center of the Makassar city administration and CCTVs installed in several locations across the city.

(Read also: Three injured as alleged IS supporter attacks police in Central Java)

As earlier reported, a young man attacked police personnel at Banyumas, leaving three officers injured. Riding a motorbike at high speed, the alleged perpetrator, identified as Mohammad Ibnu Dar, 22, a resident of Karangaren village in Kutasari district, Purbalingga regency, Central Java, broke through the front yard of the police office and launched the attack.

Following the Banyumas attack, Tito said authorities must beef up security because JAD leaders had ordered its cells to launch similar attacks. Police personnel, in particular, must stay alert because police officers are the groups target, he added.

The Densus 88 counterterrorism unit and all regional police commands must work together to trace and cut out JAD cells. (ebf)
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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 20:06 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e47ed 1 National Jokowi,jokowidodo,setya,setya-novanto,KPK,#KPK,graft,corruption,e-ID,#e-ID Free

President Joko Jokowi Widodo said on Wednesday he had not yet received a letter of complaint from the House of Representatives regarding the Corruption Eradication Commissions (KPK) move to slap a travel ban on House Speaker Setya Novanto.

The President further said he would not make any decision related to the Houses disappointment over the issuance of the travel ban.

As of today [Wednesday], the letter has not yet arrived on my desk. Please ask the Law and Human Rights Ministry about it. I will not comment on it now, Jokowi said during a working visit to Bandung, West Java, on Wednesday.

(Read also: House speaker slapped with travel ban)

During a meeting on Tuesday evening, the Houses deputy speakers reached an agreement that they would send a formal letter to President Jokowi protesting the KPKs move, which they said would hamper Setyas work as House speaker.

House Deputy Speaker Fahri Hamzah said Setya had a diplomatic role in his capacity as House Speaker.

The KPK has barred Setya from traveling overseas for the next six months after the Golkar Party chairman was implicated in the e-ID case that allegedly caused Rp2.3 trillion (US$173.21 million) in state losses.

Separately, Vice President Jusuf Kalla emphasized that despite the Houses protestations, President Jokowi had no authority to intervene in the work of the KPK because it was an independent body.

Neither the President nor the House can [influence the KPK], Kalla said, adding that all parties must respect the legal process. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 10:27 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8c4705 1 Business Kuala-Tanjung,port,North-Sumatra Free

After being delayed for about six months, the Kuala Tanjung Port in North Sumatra is expected to start partial operations in July or August this year.

Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the construction of the first phase of the port, which would become one of the countrys international hubs, is between 80 and 90 percent complete.

At the latest, in August this year, the port will start its operations, although with some limitations, he said during a press briefing at his office. He said that the Kuala Tanjung port would fully operate as an international hub within the next two years.

The Kuala Tanjung Port is to be developed in several phases  first, the construction of a multipurpose terminal; second, the development of an industrial area; and, third, the development of a container port and residential area. The first phase of the project will cost about US$2.5 trillion (US$188.23 million).

(Read also: Kuala Tanjung Port to maintain international status)

State-owned port operator Pelindio I has teamed up with the Netherlands-based Port of Rotterdam Authority and Dubai-based port operator DP World in building the integrated port, which will in total cost about Rp 34 trillion.

The minister said that he hoped the Port of Rotterdam would start the construction of the second phase of the project in May this year. If they do not respond well, we will find other investors to cooperate with, Budi said.

In the strategic location near the busy waters of the Malacca Strait, Kuala Tanjung will be the country's largest transit hub once finished. (dra/bbn)
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Linkedin Aretha Aprilia (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12 2017

Indonesia has reached a nearly 97 percent ratio of villages with electricity, in which over 2,500 villages had no electricity in 2014.

The plan of state-owned electric company PLN to build more power plants is merely to cover 504 villages up to 2019 (Central Statistics Agency [BPS], 2015), which implies that more than 2,000 villages will still not be electrified by 2019. This poses both a challenge and an opportunity.

Then comes off-grid renewable energy (RE) development. It is where developers create new supplies and micro-grid solutions that are disconnected from PLNs grid. Based on the recent statistics published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) titled Rethinking Energy 2017, the RE electricity generation in Indonesia in 2014 was 33,750 gigawatts per hour (GWh).

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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 17:56 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8dcc72 1 Business PT-Panorama-Sentrawisata,subsidiary,divestment Free

Publicly listed tour and travel company PT Panorama Sentrawisata, part of the Panorama Group, has completed the divestment of its subsidiary, PT Panorama Tours, to the Japan Tourist Bureau (JTB) Corporation.

From the selling of 30.1 percent of Panorama Tours shares, Panorama Sentrawisata obtained Rp 370 billion in cash that will be allocated for expansion, reserved for future working capital and used for corporate capital structure re-profiling to support the company target of earning Rp 6 trillion (US$451.54 million) in revenues in 2017, which would be a 30 percent increase from the figure in 2016.

PT Panorama Tours' name would also be changed to PT Panorama JTB Tours Indonesia. Panorama Sentrawisata still has 59.9 percent of Panorama JTB Tours shares.

"To be partnered with JTB Corporation in the beginning of 2017 is a privilege for us, as it increases corporate capabilities to a global business level," Panorama Sentrawisata president director Budi Tirtawisata said in a statement on Wednesday.

JTB Corporation is Japan's largest travel agency. Having existed since 1912, the company now has 520 offices in 101 cities in 37 countries.

During 2016, Panorama Sentrawisata saw its revenues increase by 25 percent to Rp 4.6 trillion from Rp 3.7 trillion in 2015. About 90 percent of the company's revenues came from the tourist business. (bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 14:42 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8d0fec 1 National Papua,HIV,HIV-AIDS,pertussis,whooping-cough,health,health-facilities Free

A shortage of healthcare facilities and medical practitioners has hampered efforts to combat whooping cough and HIV/AIDS, two of the main health problems affecting people in Papua.

Although they are treatable illnesses, whooping cough (formally known as pertussis) and HIV/AIDS have developed into epidemics in the province because of peoples poor access to proper medication and essential medicines.

Papua-based health advocacy group Sekretariat Keadilan, Perdamaian dan Keutuhan Ciptaan (SKPKC) Fransiskan said pertussis and HIV/AIDS had taken a lot of peoples lives.

Basil Haryanto of the SKPKC Fransiskan said a lack of medical practitioners had contributed to the high number of HIV/AIDS cases in Papua because many patients were unable to get proper health treatment.

Papua Health Agency data shows that as of June 2016, there were 25,349 HIV/AIDS cases in 28 regencies and Jayapura city in Papua, a region populated by 2.83 million people, according to the Central Statistics Agencys 2010 census.

Whooping cough has also spread quickly in Papua, although with proper treatment the disease is manageable, the activist said. This shows local authorities have neglected their responsibilities to fully guarantee Papuan peoples right to health, he said.

In Mbua district, Nduga regency, pertussis killed 54 children from October 2015 to January 2016 because of a lack of skilled health workers in existing facilities.

The government has built many community health centers [Puskesmas] in Papua, but the problem is no medical practitioners are placed there, said Veronika Koman, a human rights lawyer and an activist from Papua itu Kita (Papua is Us). (rdi/ebf)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12 2017

State-owned energy giant Pertamina aims to save up to US$100 million through the introduction of efficiency measures in the companys integrated supply chain (ISC) activities.

Pertamina ISC senior vice president Daniel Purba said the company expected to reach the target by, for example, finding cheaper suppliers and optimizing the newly upgraded facilities in Tanjung Uban and the Sambu islands, both in Riau Islands, to manage its own fuel blending process in an attempt to reduce imports of finished fuel products.

We will also import more crude oil from Asia, because we can obtain better margins there, Daniel said recently.

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Linkedin Andi Hajramurni (The Jakarta Post) Makassar, South Sulawesi  Wed, April 12, 2017 21:45 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e6f7d 1 National KPK,KPK-chairman-Agus-Rahardjo,#KPK,#KPKAcidAttack,novel,novel-baswedan,graft,acid-attack,Tito-Karnavian Free

National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian announced on Wednesday that his institution was ready to provide security for both Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders and investigators.

I have communicated with the KPK chairman [Agus Rahardjo] regarding this matter. But we will leave it to the commissions leaders. In principle, we will help provide maximum security [for the KPK], Tito said after inaugurating the Makassar Polices command center in South Sulawesi on Wednesday.

KPK investigator Novel Baswedan suffered burns to his face after two unidentified persons on a motorcycle threw acid on him early Tuesday morning. The attack occurred as he was walking home from attending morning prayers at a nearby mosque in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

Novel has been flown to Singapore to receive treatment for injuries sustained to his face and left eye.

(Read also: KPK investigator suffers burns in acid attack)

Tito said that a team comprising officers from the Jakarta Police, the North Jakarta Police and the National Police has been assigned to investigate the incident.

The joint task force has searched the crime scene and questioned witnesses, and is currently working on possible motives for the assault.

I will not reveal the result of their work due to the sensitive nature of the case, Tito said, adding that the police have deployed officers to guard both Novel and his residence. (ebf)
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Nusa Dua  Wed, April 12 2017

Indonesia hopes to attract investment from fellow member countries of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) as it hosts the third IDB Member Countries Sovereign Investments Forum in Nusa Dua, Bali.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said he hoped members with sovereign wealth funds would shift their investments from capital market-based instruments into direct investments in Indonesia, especially in infrastructure.

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Kerala youth Cadell Jeanson Raja murdered his father, mother, sister and a relative and claimed that he was attempting astral projection. Raja, who was arrested on Monday, claimed that he is a Satan worshiper.

By Girish K Nair: A horrific murder and focus on astral projection has caught the imagination of police and people in Kerala. Four members of a family were murdered in the high security Nanthankode area close to the Kerala chief minister's residence in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala.

The accused, Cadell Jeanson Raja, 30, was accused of murdering 58-year-old C Jean Padma, 60-year-old A Raja Thangam, his father, 25-year-old Carolyn, his sister and a 70-year-old relative of his, Lalitha. The police suspected it could have been a case of occultism and satanic worship.

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Cadell Jeanson Raja, who fled the murder scene, was spotted at the Thampanoor railway station and was arrested by the Railway Police Force. The Thiruvananthapuram Police booked Cadell Jeanson Raja under the following sections of the Indian Penal Code - murder (Section 302), causing mischief by fire explosives (Section 436) and destruction of evidence (Section 201).

THE MURDER

As per the statement given to the police, Cadell admitted that he first killed his mother in the bedroom on the first floor of their two-storey house on Wednesday and said that his aunt Lalitha Jain and maid were in the house that time. He then killed his father Raja Thangam and his sister Caroline, one after another, when they returned home.

Cadell Jeanson Raja told police that he murdered his aunt Lalitha Jain in another room on Friday night. The police found it quite strange that Cadell's aunt stayed in the same house where three murders happened for three days till she was murdered. After the murders, Cadell ensured that the floor was wiped clean of blood and all evidences are wiped off. The police said that Cadell bought a machete, that he used to murder his family memebrs, online.

Cadell Jeanson Raja went around the town swiftly, evading the police post the murders. Cadell lived in his house for another three days with the bodies and told neighbours that others in the family were out on a leisure trip. Two days ago, the Thiruvananthapuram Railway police caught him roaming around the railway station premises.

PROXIMITY TO CHIEF MINISTER'S RESIDENCE

Raja's house in Thiruvananthapuram's Nanthankode, where he brutally murdered four of his family members with a machete, is situated just 650 metres from Cliff House, the official residence of Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan. The area, hence, is usually under high security.

In a statement given to the local police, Cadell Jeanson Raja admitted that he killed his parents, sister and aunt while attempting "astral projection". The gruesome murder was found after the bodies were burnt and smoke started coming out.

MOTIVATION FOR THE GRUESOME MURDER

Police said that in his earlier statement, Raja talked about devil worship, but police has reasons to believe otherwise.

According to the police, the incident is a planned murder which was executed after careful planning. The motivation, police believes, is from the fact that he was a discarded element in the family.

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Raja's family members were well educated and well settled. The accused was a college dropout and was sent to Australia for graduation in medicine but returned soon.

Cadell's father was a college professor, mother was a doctor and his sister Caroline had completed her medical degree from China and returned home just three weeks ago.

SATAN WORHSIP AND ASTRAL PROJECTION

Cadell Jeansen Raja told police that he is a Satan worshipper and that he sacrificed the lives of his family members as part of attempting astral projection. He said that the concept and practise of astral projection caught his attention and interested while studying artificial intelligence in Australia.

A report in The New Indian Express said, the police so much so that they consulted various psychiatrists for assistance from them to interrogate him. KE Baiju, who heads the team probing the case, said, "Cadell had an obsession with these kinds of parapsychological beliefs, including astral projection. Cadell told us he had experimented with the 'separation of the spirits' from the body. In fact, he was living in a virtual world without even going out from his residence for quite some time. However, the interrogation is on."

--- ENDS ---

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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 18:12 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e0881 1 National Saudi-Arabia,umrah,umrah-pilgrims,immigration,ImmigrationOffice,immigration-violations,#ImmigrationViolation,#ImmigrationOffice,Law-and-Human-Rights-Ministry Free

Saudi Arabia authorities have deported 200 Indonesian umrah (minor haj) pilgrims for allegedly violating immigration laws by working illegally in the country, which hosts the largest number of Indonesian migrant workers.

The deported pilgrims reportedly misused their visas by working in various cities across Saudi Arabia.

The Law and Human Rights Ministrys Directorate General for Immigration spokesperson, Agung Sampurno, said 286 Indonesians flew to Saudi Arabia on the umrah between June and July 2016 but only 86 of them returned home.

A visa for the umrah is valid for a maximum of 30 days, meaning the 200 pilgrims had overstayed their visas, he said.

Agung further said the whereabouts of the 200 pilgrims had been detected and they had been deported. They were from various regions across Java and Nusa Tenggara, he added.

It is suspected that during their illegal stay of several months in Saudi Arabia, they worked without following proper procedure. One method they used was to secure sponsorship from someone and their recruitment was then handled by a company, Agung said on Wednesday. He identified the company only as PT X.

Agung said to anticipate a recurrence of such violations, the immigration office would strengthen its examination of passport applications by people wanting to go abroad, especially to the Middle East.

Immigration office data shows that from January to March, 1,300 suspicious passport applications were put on hold and the departure of 300 Indonesian was suspended. (ebf)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 10:43 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8c5ac2 1 City traffic-congestion,management Free

The Jakarta Police have established a special team to tackle the citys increasing traffic problems caused by several infrastructure construction projects, a police officer said.

The team would be one of our answers for the traffic problem in the city. It would educate and give information to road users, Sr. Comr. Ermayudi, the Jakarta Police's traffic chief, said on Tuesday, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Ermayudi added that the team would comprise 30 traffic police officers equipped with motorcycles. They would be deployed to several areas prone to congestion, such as Matraman in East Jakarta and Jl. RA Kartini, Pancoran junction, Kuningan junction and Lebak Bulus in South Jakarta.

The team would stay at the locations until 9 p.m. or after the congestion had been taken care of.

In addition to the special team, Ermayudi said that the police would cooperate with the Jakarta transportation agency to apply traffic engineering to tackle congestion by closing toll road exit ramps and invoking the odd-even license plate policy. (kuk)
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Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 18:05 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8de121 1 Business bni,profit,Q1 Free

State-owned lender Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) reaped Rp 3.23 trillion (US$243.2 million) in net profit during this year's first quarter, an 8.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Its net interest income surged by 12.3 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 7.76 trillion while the non-interest income jumped 14.3 percent to Rp 2.23 trillion.

"We believe that financing infrastructure projects is the best option because it supports the government's efforts to accelerate infrastructure development and is a windfall for BNI's business," BNI president director Achmad Baiquni told a press briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday.

(Read also: BNI aims to boost non-interest income by 20 percent in 2017)

BNI disbursed Rp 396.52 trillion in loans during this year's first three months, up 21.3 percent yoy. It also collected Rp 445.05 trillion of third-party funds during that period, up 19.8 percent yoy. (bbn)

Topics : bni profit Q1
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti is leading negotiations in Japan to increase cooperation in the fisheries sector.

"We are here to follow up Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's pledge for cooperation in the fisheries sector. We're also here to offer a number of other initiatives that will benefit both parties," Susi said in a statement on Tuesday.

The minister is currently on a five-day trip to Japan to follow up on previous Japanese commitments made during Abe's visit to Indonesia earlier in January, where both partners agreed to increase cooperation in several sectors including the maritime sector and the fisheries sector.

Susi is also slated to meet with Japan's minister for agriculture, forestry and fisheries and the defense minister, among others.

During the first day of her visit, Susi met with Shinichi Kitaoka, the president of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), for a 40-minute closed-door meeting about the similarities of maritime issues confronting both nations.

She asked for JICA's support in developing maritime infrastructure for a number of integrated marine and fisheries centers across the archipelago's outermost islands such as Sabang in Aceh, Natuna in Riau Islands and Morotai in North Maluku.

Susi said she was convinced that the move to modernize Indonesia's fisheries industry would provide ample opportunity for her ministry and JICA to cooperate.

"The fisheries sector does not need big-money investments. To erect [an aquaculture] facility with a 30-ton production capacity only requires around Rp 10 billion to Rp 30 billion [US$750,000 to $2.2 million] in investment," she said.

Susi also proposed a capacity-building initiative to improve quality assurance and product safety standards for its in-house laboratory, part of an effort to upgrade the facility to become a World Organization for Animal Health reference laboratory.

"We are offering JICA the opportunity to build up the Indonesian fisheries industry. Japan is Indonesia's largest market for seafood. Japan needs a steady supply of seafood and that's the gap we're trying to fill," she said.(jun)
Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil (right) is greeted by Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) advisory council head MS Hidayat (second right) as Kadin chairman Rosan P. Roeslani (second left) and acting deputy chairman for property Eddy Hussy look on during the opening of the lobby groups national meeting on the property sector in Jakarta on Tuesday. During the event, Kadin called on the government to help maintain stability in the property market by, for example, offering property and luxury tax exemptions. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)(right) is greeted by Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) advisory council head MS Hidayat (second right) as Kadin chairman Rosan P. Roeslani (second left) and acting deputy chairman for property Eddy Hussy look on during the opening of the lobby groups national meeting on the property sector in Jakarta on Tuesday. During the event, Kadin called on the government to help maintain stability in the property market by, for example, offering property and luxury tax exemptions. (JP/Jerry Adiguna)
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Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 21:43 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8e6506 1 National Handang-Soekarno,tax,corruption,bribery-case,KPK Free

The first hearing in the trial of middle-ranking tax official Handang Soekarno on Wednesday heard that he reported to an adjutant of Director General of Taxation Ken Dwijugiasteadi prior to allegedly accepting bribes from a businessman.

The Jakarta Corruption Court heard that Handang sent a Whatsapp message to Andreas Setiawan, aka Gondres, Kens adjutant, before heading to the house of another defendant, businessman Ramapanicker Rajamohanan Nair, allegedly to accept the money on Nov. 21 last year.

The defendant told Andreas through a Whatsapp message I want to go to the Kemayoran area to pick up the printed invitations, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor Ali Fikri said when reading out Handangs indictment in court.

The term printed invitations was allegedly code used by Handang as a substitute for money.

Andreas replied that he was waiting on the fifth floor of the tax office.

Later in the evening, Andreas texted Handang and told him he had moved to Montys restaurant.

I am sorry, Ive moved to Montys to wait for bapak [him] there, the prosecutor said, quoting Andreas Whatsapp message to Handang.

The word bapak is usually a reference to someone who is older than or superior to the speaker. However, KPK prosecutors did not reveal the identity of the man mentioned in the conversation.

KPK investigators arrested Handang and Nair right after the alleged transaction was made at Nairs house.

Handang and Nair have been named suspects by the KPK for allegedly taking part in a US$148,500 bribe offered by the latter to help settle his companys tax dues.

The case has also implicated President Joko Jokowi Widodos brother-in-law, Arif Budi Sulistyo. Arif allegedly played a role as a middleman in the case. He is also a witness in the case.
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Linkedin Winda A. Charmila (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12 2017

In November last year, senior Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan was riding his motorbike to the antigraft commissions headquarters in South Jakarta, when a car suddenly veered toward him and hit him. Novel only sustained minor injuries in the hit-and-run accident.

In early 2012, Novel was speeding on a motorbike in hot pursuit of Buol regent Amran Batalipu, who had been named a bribery suspect, when a car driven by Amrans supporters crashed into him. Novel emerged unscathed from the incident.

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Linkedin Jill Colvin (Associated Press) Washington  Wed, April 12, 2017

The federal government hiring freeze implemented by President Donald Trump as one of his first acts in office will be lifted Wednesday. But budget director Mick Mulvaney says many jobs will remain unfilled as the White House embarks on a government-wide effort to overhaul the executive branch and significantly reduce its work force.

Mulvaney told reporters Tuesday at a White House briefing that the move was part of the president's campaign pledge to "drain the swamp" in Washington and save taxpayers money.

"It does not mean that the agencies will be free to hire willy-nilly," he said. "What we're doing tomorrow is replacing the across-the-board hiring freeze that we put into place on Day One in office and replacing it with a smarter plan, a more strategic plan, a more surgical plan."

The president signed a memorandum in January freezing large portions of federal government hiring, barring the military and positions deemed necessary for national security and public safety. As part of the memorandum, Trump gave the Office of Management and Budget 90 days to come up with a long-term plan to reduce the federal government's size.

While the guidance to be issued Wednesday does not contain agency-specific hiring goals or limits, Mulvaney said that agencies targeted with significant budget cuts in Trump's first budget proposal, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, would be expected to make significant cuts to their workforces. Agencies that Trump wants to spend more on, like the Department of Veterans Affairs, would be expected to see their payrolls rise.

Trump's budget blueprint calls for a 6 percent increase in VA funding, mostly to pay for rising health costs to treat veterans. The VA is one of three agencies slated for more money amid big-time cuts to other domestic programs.

Mulvaney declined to say how many jobs, overall, the administration intends to eliminate, but said: "I think it probably goes without saying that net, we think we could run the government more efficiently than the previously administration."

Under the guidance, agencies will also have until June to submit drafts for overhauling their workforces and coming up with ideas for streamlining operations as part of a larger effort to restructure the federal government. The administration is surveying the public, academics, lawmakers and others for ideas such as potentially moving the National Nuclear Security Administration to the Department of Defense from the Department of Energy, where it currently resides.

"The president of the United States has asked all of in the executive branch to start from scratch," Mulvaney said. He acknowledged that many such changes would require congressional sign-off. Democrats have so far opposed nearly every Trump proposal.

"We're not trying to ram it down their throats," he said.

Despite the order, the federal government added 2,000 workers in February and 4,000 in January, according to Labor Department figures. Several departments, including the State Department, were granted exemptions from the hiring freeze after voicing concerns.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 11:40 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8c8079 1 Business Underwriters-Laboratories,US-safety-consulting-certification Free

A United States safety consulting and certification company, Underwriters Laboratories (UL), inaugurated on Tuesday a wire and cable laboratory operated by its subsidiary, PT UL International Indonesia, in North Jakarta as part of its business expansion in Southeast Asia.

UL commercial and industrial business president Ben Miller said after the inauguration ceremony that the company had chosen Indonesia for the laboratorys location because of the county's fast-growing economy.

UL said in a statement that the laboratory, the companys first wire and cable certification facility in Southeast Asia, had been accredited by the National Accreditation Committee as a testing laboratory and by the Product Certification Agency (LSPro) for the certification of Indonesian National Standards (SNI).

(Read also: More goods may be required to comply with SNI)

The statement said that UL Indonesia had signed an agreement with the Industry Ministry's Center for Material and Technical Products (B4T) on the expansion of the SNI certification scope by UL.

UL Indonesia is allowed to provide testing services in line with SNI certification.

Miller said that UL standard certification required ongoing surveillance and comprehensive monitoring of products starting from their designing until their selling.

Meanwhile, vice president and managing director for UL ASEAN Region Anthony Tan said that UL operated three laboratories in Southeast Asia.

The company had two laboratories in the consumer technology and transaction security fields in Singapore and a textile and consumer goods laboratory in Vietnam, Tan said.

Tan added that the company would open another laboratory in the heating and ventilation field in Thailand this year. (yon/bbn)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 14:20 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8cf4db 1 City prostitution,child-trafficking,arrest Free

A university student who allegedly made tens of millions of rupiah per month from online prostitution and trafficking children has been arrested, police said.

The 26-year-old student, identified only by the initials KA, 26, allegedly ran the business for a year, according to Tanjung Priok Port Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Roberthus Yohanes De Deo Tresna Eka Trimana on Tuesday. Police claimed the student had confessed to have "sold" an underage person into prostitution.

According to information from KA, [the business] gave him profits of tens of millions every month, said Roberthus as quoted by kompas.com.

He claimed that KA allegedly offered the sex services via his website.

Roberthus said that the police arrested KA on March 31 at a hotel in Sunter Agung, North Jakarta. The police confiscated KAs cell phone and Rp 1.1 million (US$83), among other things, during the arrest.

The police said KA got Rp 300,000 per transaction, while the fee for each prostitution service was between of Rp 800,000 and Rp 1 million.

KA was charged under the 2014 Child Protection Law, which imposes a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison upon conviction, and under the 2008 Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE) Law, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison or a fine of Rp 750 million upon conviction. (wnd)
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi in a press conference today negated the claims that files send to her for approval were not cleared.

By Pramod Madhav: Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi today said that the state government is not cooperating with her.

Kiran Bedi also said that officers don't give her daily reports at 10 am, as she had instructed them.

"Reports are either delayed or not coming. Puducherry needs officer who would be available on the fields," Bedi said.

"43 matters are pending since June. I've sent corruption complaints by VVIPs, but haven't received any report in 32 weeks," she added.

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Dismissing allegations that files sent to her for approval were not cleared on time she said, "After perusal and careful consideration, the files involving fiscal matters are cleared without delay and there is no truth in the allegations that I am delaying the files."

Bedi also said that crores was missing from the provident fund scheme.

"Issue is Rs 36 crores. People are asking loan for our children and other purpose. Where does the money come from! It's a criminal offence. You can't deduct a provident fund and then use it elsewhere," she said.

Bedi said that Puducherry government had proposed to borrow money from bank to pay pension which she has refused.

"You can only borrow for infrastructure like building roads or house and not from pensions. Pensions are supposed to be payed from government's plans. So I returned the file," she explained.

After she had returned the file, Finance Ministry met with her and explained that they had the fund which could be used for releasing pensions.

Bedi said that she has no immunity over negligence and is squarely accountable which is why she has to be careful about everything.

Bedi once again stated that the Chief Secretary is politicising the issues and from being neutral he has become influenced.

Meanwhile, CM Narayanasamy's ministers have expressed their unhappiness towards the LG's way of action calling it as an interference into governance.

Also Read

Puducherry power tussle continues, CM Narayanasamy asks Centre to recall Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi

--- ENDS ---
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Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, April 13 2017

Malaysian prosecutors will present on Thursday evidence claiming to support their case against Indonesian Siti Aisyah, on trial for the orchestrated murder of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother to North Koreas supreme leader.

The trial will determine whether the case against Siti is strong enough to pursue at a higher court. Her defense team, comprising attorneys and officials from the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, will accompany her in the trial.

Jakarta has thus far stood by its claim that the 25-year-old Siti is the victim of a larger assassination plot against Kim, with local authorities saying she was made to believe her actions were part of a television prank.

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Linkedin Ruslan Sangadji (The Jakarta Post) Palu  Thu, April 13 2017

Conflicting regulations have put protected forests in Central Sulawesi into the hands of miners that have been awarded concessions by local administrations.

The Network for Mining Advocacy (Jatam) in Central Sulawesi reported that at least 18 mining companies were operating in conservation areas, including national parks.

Mohammad Taufik, a forest campaigner at Jatam, said according to data that the group had gathered from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, hundreds of hectares of forest areas had been listed for mining.

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Linkedin Dylan Amirio (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, April 13 2017

Would-be car owners increasingly scour the world wide web to find information regarding their dream cars, an indication that Indonesian consumers have become comfortable with seeking advice online to quench their curiosity.

According to a recent study unveiled by internet behemoth Google and mobile connectivity researcher Kantar TNS Indonesia, most Indonesians with internet access use search engines on their mobile phones to find the information they need regarding the right car for them.

At present, 34 percent of the countrys population enjoy such internet access and 67 percent of them resort to Google.

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Linkedin Jean-Charles Berthonnet (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Thu, April 13 2017

During their meeting on March 29, visiting French President Francois Hollande and President Joko Jokowi Widodo expressed their wish to pursue common initiatives towards a green and sustainable growth model.

The two heads of state also encouraged bilateral cooperation in renewable energy, responsible agriculture, forest preservation and prevention of natural disasters.

On all these issues, France and Indonesia, which both have ratified the Paris Agreement on climate change, are committed to working together in order to find win-win solutions. And palm oil is no exception.

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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 18:06 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8decad 1 News Tourism-Ministry,tourism,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,sumatra,#tourism,Lake-Toba Free

In an effort to introduce a wide range of beautiful tourist attractions in Indonesia, the Tourism Ministry is holding a familiarization trip (famtrip) from April 10 to 17 for French tour operators and travel agents (TO/TA) to North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Belitung.

Hopefully the famtrip to Sumatra will inspire participants to create tour packages to Lake Toba, Bukittinggi and Belitung. These participants have been selling tour packages to Indonesia, but usually the destinations are only Bali and Lombok," said I Gde Pitana, deputy of overseas tourism development at the ministry.

The famtrip participants, consisting of five TO/TA members, arrived at Silangit Airport in North Sumatra, then headed straight to Lake Toba. Included in the itinerary was a visit to Panatapan Huta Gunjang, a tourist destination in Dolok Martumbur village, Muara district, only 15 minutes from the airport.

Read also: 2017 Lake Toba tourism calendar released

The Panatapan Huta Gunjang is home to Bukit Doa (Prayer Hill), a landmark of Muara district famous for its praying hands statue. The trip then continued to the T. B. Silalahi Center museum and Batak Balige museum. Balige is the capital city of Toba Samosir (Tobasa) regency where people can marvel at the panoramic view of Lake Toba.

From Tobasa, the participants then visited DR Il Nommensens tomb located only 12 kilometers from the city center. Nommensen was a German missionary who is considered a hero by the Batak people.

After two days spent visiting tourist attractions in North Sumatra, the group will travel to Padang and then Bukittinggi to see places like Ngarai Sihanok, Pandai Sikek and Pagaruyung castle. The day after, they will return to Padang for a table-top event with the city's tourist agency.

Last year there was a 20 percent increase, to 250,921, in French tourists visiting Indonesia. This year, the government has set a target of attracting 330,000 French visitors as part of its main goal of welcoming 15 million tourists to Indonesia by 2017. (kes)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 17:18 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8da41f 1 News bali,Benoa,Pacific-Eden-Cruise-Ship,cruise,leisure,travel,traveling,tourism,#traveling,#tourism,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia Free

Being geographically close and sun-drenched all year round, Bali has always been a favorite holiday destination for Aussies.

Traveling to Bali is also pretty easy for those who live in Australia, there are plenty of direct flights as well as cruises.

A Pacific Eden cruise ship carrying 1,500 tourists departed from Darwin, Australia on April 9 and headed to Benoa, Bali. The trip itself will break new ground for being the first cruise ship to dock in the port of Benoa.

The P&O Cruises-owned cruise ship will arrive on April 13 and will be welcomed by the Tourism Minister Arief Yahya, said the Wisata Bahari Indonesia tourism department acceleration team head Indroyono Susilo.

Read also: Malang tourist village grabs attention it deserves

Moreover, Indroyono added that according to the P&O Cruises director of operations, this maiden voyage to Bali is actually a non-profit project, however the company has been willing to take the opportunity because the project has huge potential.

On Sunday, representatives of the Tourism Ministry also had an opportunity to visit Fremantle Yacht Club in Australia, which is planning to hold a yacht rally from Perth to Benoa and Banyuwangi.

The Benoa-Banyuwangi route is included in the Sail Sabang 2017 festival. These yachters will be given a social-cultural visa that allows them to stay in Indonesia for 60 days, said Indroyono.

Sail Sabang 2017 is an annual sailing rally in Indonesia that will be held in the city of Sabang from December 1-7 this year. (asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 15:04 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8d55e1 1 News Tidore-Islands,world-maritime-museum,Maluku,traveling,tourism,Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,#traveling,#tourism Free

Tidore, an island and a city located in the Maluku Islands of eastern Indonesia, is celebrating its 909th anniversary on April 12.

To commemorate this special day, the city council is opening a World Maritime Museum. The World Maritime Museum shows that Tidore has a long maritime history, says Tidore Island tourism department head Yakub Husain.

According to history, the sultanate of Tidores territory used to include western Papua. During a Spanish invasion, the kingdom refused to cooperate with Spain and became one of the most independent kingdoms in the region, refusing direct control by the Dutch East India Company (VOC).

(Read also: Tomini Bay festival attracts domestic, foreign tourists)

On the anniversary day, apart from the opening of the museum, there was also a closing ceremony for the Tidore Festival 2017. The festival that was held on April 10 and 11, with a main theme of nurturing tradition, emboldening the historic maritime nations identity.

One of the highlighted events during the two-day festival was the Juanga parade. About 100 Juanga boats, all of them owned by the Tidore people, traveled the waters surrounding the sultanates of Ternate and Tidore. One of the boats was carrying the 37th sultan of Tidore, Husain Sjah, who arrived in Ternate and was welcomed by the towns mayor, Burhan Abdurahman. (asw)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, April 12, 2017 16:03 2036 a291276806121264c0bd211cde8d6917 1 News Bungaya,literacy,#literacy,library,bali,#library Free

Two teenagers in Bali are trying to make their dream a reality: to build the first library in Bungaya, one of Balis poorest villages.

When Samara Welbourne and Tyas Latra, who met through their families involvement in the NGO Puspadi Bali, heard about the governments mandate requiring every child to read for 15 minutes a day, they knew that wasnt possible for everyone.

Looking to raise AU$15,000 through GoFundMe to build the library, the girls want to help increase literacy levels within the village, especially among youth.

I love reading and I really wanted to help the children in my village to enjoy it as well so it can open up opportunities for them, said Tyas in a press release.

The library will increase the Bungaya residents reading and English skills, which will improve their chances of finding a job and lifting themselves out of poverty, Samara said. Itll be a space used for cultural events like dancing, and it will also be accessible for people with a disability so everyone can equally enjoy the library.

Read also: Horse library wants to spread love of reading in remote village

Construction site of the Bungaya library community center.(Puspadi Bali/File)

The library itself is being designed by Journeyman International, a group of US architects who do free designs for social good or humanitarian projects. In addition to the GoFundMe, the Australian Consulate-General has provided AUD$5,000 (US$3,788) in funding through the Australian Governments Direct Aid Program, Rotaract on the Sunshine Coast has pledged AUD$5,000, and BIWA and a team at Bali Island School will also be contributing.

Samara and Tyas also encouraging others to become involved and donate books.

We appreciate all donations, including books, especially Indonesian books for children, so they have access to quality Bahasa and English reading material. (sul/kes)
Three challengers are seeking to knock off Margaret Chin in the upcoming City Council election. Heres a roundup from a recent candidate forum. [Tribeca Trib]

Matthew Wadiak, co-owner of Blue Apron, has sued the NYPD, claiming that cops roughed him up as he was arriving at his Chrystie Street home and pilates studio in 2014. [Daily News]

A rapper was slashed across the face at Karma, a hookah bar on 1st Avenue. He was then kicked out of an Uber car for bleeding too much. [DNAinfo]

One night last month at The Flower Shop, a new nightlife spot on Eldridge Street, early adopters like fashion designers, a Kanye West henchman, pro skaters, a model or three were all hanging out, but there is no guest list, reservations or sneering doorman. [New York Times]

Are you ready for pizza pandemonium? On Thursday, Naples pizza super star Gino Sorbillo opens his new spot on Mulberry Street. [Eater]

Mission Chinese chef Angela Dimayuga has a few choice words for Ivanka Trump. [Elle]

Henry Street Settlement is looking for a public historian to work on its new project made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. [Henry Street.org]
Known for his proximity to the Trinamool supremo, Maulana Nurur Barkati today announced a counter bounty of Rs 22 lakh on the BJP leader who made the pronouncement in Aligarh.

By Indrajit Kundu: The Shahi Imam of Kolkata's Tipu Sultan mosque has jumped into the current row over a BJP youth leader's bounty on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Known for his proximity to the Trinamool supremo, Maulana Nurur Barkati today announced a counter bounty of Rs 22 lakh on the BJP leader who made the pronouncement in Aligarh.

"Mamata is like my younger sister. If they say Rs 11 lakh then let me announce Rs 22 lakh in return, if anyone can bring me his head. I condemn such comments. How dare they speak like this," Maulana Barkati told India Today in Kolkata.

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Barkati's comments come on a day when West Bengal state BJP president Dilip Ghosh, referring to his cleric's antics blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for vitiating the political atmosphere in the state.

"There is no place for such things in politics, but remember who began this culture here. One Imam pronounced a fatwa against none other than the Prime Minister sitting here in Kolkata flanked by Trinamool MP's. No one raised it in the parliament then," Ghosh said.

Last year, Barkati had announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh for anyone who blackened Prime Minister Narendra Modi's face and shaved-off his head, drawing widespread condemnation from various sections in the city.

In yet another case, the eccentric cleric had issued a fatwa against Bengal BJP state president Dilip Ghosh. Terming Ghosh's comments about chief minister Mamata Banerjee "filthy", Barkati had instructed his followers to stone the BJP leader and throw him out of Bengal.

Also read:

BJP condemns remarks of its Bengal youth leader who had announced Rs 11 lakh-reward on Mamata's head

WATCH THE VIDEO:

--- ENDS ---
Kulbhushan Jadhav's uncle, retired ACP Subhash Jadhav, said that the family was still confident that Indian government was doing their best to bring Jadhav back.

By Divyesh Singh: In an exclusive interview to India Today, Kulbhushan Jadhav's uncle, retired ACP Subhash Jadhav, said that the family was still confident that Indian government was doing their best to bring Jadhav back.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Naval officer, was awarded capital punishment by a Pakistan military court on Monday.

"The family is going through a very bad phase and the whole world has come down crashing after hearing about the court order. Everything seems to have come to an end," he said.

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The Indian government was repeatedly denied consular access to Jadhav after his arrest by Pakistan authorities on March 3 last year. The Pakistan government charged Jadhav for spying in Pakistan and helping Baloch revolutionaries against the government. Pakistan even went on to say that Jadhav was trying the destabilise the Pakistan government and was apprehended following a intelligence input from the border areas of Balochistan and Iran.

On being asked if Jadhav spoke to his family or him before leaving the Navy to join his own business, Subhash Jadhav said, "We cannot speak anything on it, what I have told is sufficient, I cannot comment any further."

Jadhav has forty days time to appeal against the military court order. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on the issue, requesting her to pursue the case aggressively for Jadhav's release.

Also Read:

Kulbhushan Jadhav, not the first Indian to be tried and condemned to death by Pakistan

Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Braj locals want govt to 'teach Pakistan a lesson it won't forget'

Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: MNS wants all Pakistani nationals thrown out of India until his release

Pakistan sentences Kulbhushan Jadhav to death accusing him of espionage

--- ENDS ---
Famed actor David Schwimmer has teamed up with writer-director Sigal Avin to further raise awareness of sexual harassment with a series of six short films under the encompassing moniker #ThatsHarassment .

The campaign is an English-language adaptation of Avin's original five-film project, Zematrid, which debuted in Israel in December 2016 - going viral within hours of its release on Facebook.

While speaking about the motivation behind the campaign, Avin said her desire was to "see what sexual harassment was instead of hearing about it and reading about it all the time."

However "there was nothing on it  everything was much more violent, or unreal, but there was nothing that showed the grey area of sexual harassment," she said.



Each of #ThatsHarassment's six shorts - named after the job title of their male leads - depicts an everyday workplace scenario in which subtle eventualities of sexual harassment might occur, bookended by the statement "based on a real incident" and the aforementioned campaign hashtag.

Ranging from a barman's inappropriate language and conduct towards a new colleague, to an actor indecently exposing himself to a costume dresser backstage, the films take on a fly-on-the-wall approach, to further heighten the uncomfortable reality illustrated by these seemingly innocuous situations.



Schwimmer himself even stars in one, titled The Boss, but is by no means the only well-known face involved in the project, with Cynthia Nixon (Sex and the City), Michael Kelly (House of Cards), Emmy Rossum (Shameless), and Grace Gummer (Mr. Robot) also making appearances in The Doctor, The Politician, and The Coworker respectively.


Nestled at the foot of the youngest and highest mountain system, and home to a captivating culture, Nepal is certainly a traditional destination for mountaineering enthusiasts and those who want a truly unique cultural experience.

While preparing for what will certainly be a life-changing journey, its important to make note of when exactly its best to visit.

The optimal time would be in autumn (the high season), as clear skies and warm days make perfect weather for trekking (and pictures). Between late September and late November, however, as thousands of people take the trails in the Everest and Annapurna regions, accommodation costs in the capital Kathmandu go up, and its harder to find a room.

The second best time to visit is in the shoulder period, between March and April, when spring brings warm weather and the rhododendron blossoms. Its also the best time to enjoy Nepals diverse wildlife, despite the increasing heat. The disadvantage to that time is that haze can hide the mountains from lower elevations (although its possible to trek above it), and stomach bugs are more common.

The pre-monsoon (mid-April to early June) and monsoon (usually mid-June until late September) seasons are possibly the most inconvenient time to travel to Nepal. The monsoon makes the fields come alive with rushing water and green shoots, and thats when Nepal is at its most Nepali. But despite the clean air, blooming flowers, butterflies, and abundant fresh produce, the weather makes it very inconvenient to travel. Mountain views are rare, leeches come out on some trekking routes, landslides block roads and paths, and flights may be cancelled.

With that out of the way, now its just a matter of choosing the path you would like to take in Nepal  oftentimes literally.

Where to go

Most visitors journeys start at Kathmandu, as flights land in the Tribuvan International Airport.

The city of Kathmandu boasts an incredibly diverse historic architecture with stunning Newari architecture, centuries-old Hindu and Buddhist religious sites along with tourist-friendly accommodation and restaurants.

The capital is located in the Kathmandu Valley, which envelops two other beautiful cities - Patan, and Bhaktapur, which were once independent countries ruled by the Malla kings.

Bhaktapur, the City of Devotees, is the perfect representation of what the whole valley looked like in the Middle Ages, while Patan is home to the valleys finest craftsmen who have preserved ancient art techniques.

But it is in Kathmandu that trekkers need to acquire their permits and other documentation, either from a trekking agent or from the appropriate offices. These documents will be checked along trekking routes.

For those who cant afford a lot of time to go mountaineering, there are half-day hikes from Kathmandu to witness breath-taking Himalayan views.

For those interested in trekking, the Everest region (also known as Khumbu) will definitely be on their list of places to visit. The standard trek, passing through the legendary Sherpa villages, is a mix a deeply cultural and spiritual experience in addition to the physical one. In fact, many have described it as a journey close to Nirvana.

If you are taking a direct flight from the capital, the journey to Everest or Everest Base Camp, begins from Lukla. Taking a flight saves time, but the alternative route, starting from ethnically diverse and flora-rich Jiri, provides the opportunity to truly enjoy the experience. The option from Jiri will take around ten days to reach the famous Sherpa village Namche Bazaar.

Namche Bazaar (3,500m) would be the staging point for most expeditions to Everest and other Himalayan peaks in the area. A historic trading hub, famous for its homemade yak cheese and butter, Namche has now made its name as a prosperous market town selling anything from Tibetan artefacts to trekking and climbing equipment. Its situated on the slope of an arch-shaped mountain, which allows you to oversee the sights of glorious mountain peaks throughout the valley, day and night.

Another place to definitely visit is the Sagarmatha National Park in the Khumbu, with some of the rarest bio-diversity on earth. A ten-12 day trek through Solu to the Khumbu and the Sagarmatha National Park is an excellent itinerary both for acclimatisation and experiencing the changing local customs.

For those looking for some real trekking, the Everest Base Camp trek is quite simply the classic trek in Nepal. Starting from Lukla, the Gateway to Everest, the path takes you to Namche Bazaar, follows the Imja Khola valley.

The valley offers spectacular views of Thamserku, Kangtega and Ama Dablam mountains, and dominating the skyline ahead are the giants, Lhotse and Everest. The Tengboche Monastery is definitely worth visiting while there.

The trail then descends through Pangboche, and ends at the last settlement known as Gorak Shep. A couple of tea houses offer shelter for the night before the last part of the journey over the glacier to Everest Base Camp.

What to do

Study Buddhism and meditation

One of the most popular monasteries of Tibetan Buddhism is the Kapan Monastery, which is perched on a hill not far north of Boudha. Lots of foreigners and local people come to the monastery to study Buddhism and meditation. The spiritual programme at Kapan offers introductory level courses in the so-called Discover Buddhism series, and a more advanced series called Next Steps.

Try the local food

The ancient cities of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan offer small little alleys, filled with the smell of traditional Newari food cooked on wood ovens. Newar cuisine is famous for its large range of dishes, but meals made out of buffalo meat, and the vegetable soup, made of potato and bamboo shoot, are a must-try.

Discover Nepals temples

Nepal is rife with Buddhist and Hindu temples, but Pashupatinath Temple should definitely be on your list.

The largest temple complex in Nepal, its a hub for a mix of religious, cultural and spiritual experiences. Build in the 5th Century and dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath is an active religious centre, with daily rituals and special ones observed through the year. Another temple to visit is Muktinath at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang.

From sky-diving, paragliding and bungee jumping to rafting, kayaking and mountain biking, theres definitely no shortage of adventures for a different holiday experience. Everest skydiving, for example, is done from the worlds highest drop zone, right in front of Mt. Everest (8,848m) and should definitely be on the bucket list of adrenaline junkies.

Enjoy the numerous festivals taking place throughout the year

Tengboche Monastery is the leading Buddhist centre in the Kumbu, with a residing Rinpoche (precious one) who blesses pilgrims and travellers to the area. But what the monastery is arguably most famous for is the colourful Mani Rimdu festival, which is a culminations of Buddhist celebrations with religious gatherings, songs, dances and re-enactments of legends.

Different beautiful festivals take place from May (the Tiji Festival), through June and July (Ropain Rice Planting Festival and Janai Purnima) to August, when Gai Jatra, Krishna Ashtami, Kushe Aunsi, and Haritalika Teej take place.
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Anger is widespread in Agra's Braj region over the death sentence handed out Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan Army.

By Siraj Qureshi: Angry locals in Agra's Braj have posted a unanimous request to the government of India to 'teach Pakistan a lesson it won't forget', in retaliation for the death sentence pronounced by Pakistan Army against Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Talking to India Today, a senior citizen said, "laaton ke bhoot baton se nahin maante (rod is the logic of fool)." He said that if the government of Pakistan does not care for Indian diplomatic overtures to get Jadhav released from the illegal custody of Pakistan, then India should seek other means of getting him released.

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Reactions on Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence are pretty much similar across the region.

Take a look at some of the reactions:

1. Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad Chairman Sami Aghai said, "the Pakistani Defence and Foreign Ministers are lying in this case as they do almost every time. Kulbhushan Jadhav possesses an Indian passport and no spy will carry a valid Indian passport with him."

Aghai said that even Pakistani Media is saying that Jadhav has not been given justice, but the Indian media is silent on this issue which is quite perplexing.

2. Jameet-ul-Qureshi President Mohd. Shareef Kale said, "the entire Parliament has denounced the unjust pronouncement of death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav by the Pakistani Army Court and MPs are acting on the issue beyond party lines, which is evident from the way Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has requested Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Ghulam Nabi Azad to draft a diplomatic letter to the Pakistani government.

Kale welcomed the Congress party's readiness to forget all party-line politics in the interest of the nation and said that whenever it comes to the country's security, Congress should always do so in the future too.

3. Firozabad social activist and Muslim leader Sayeed Patel said that if Pakistan does not listen to the diplomatic language of India, the matter should be raised in international forums, including the international court at Hague.

4. Dalit leader Rajkumar Nagrath said, "hundreds of Pakistani nationals are living in India currently without a valid visa and several Pakistanis are in the captivity of India law enforcement agencies for spying. The Indian government has never given them death sentences, but probably it is the time that Pakistan learns the lesson that 'what goes around, comes around'."

Nagrath said that Pakistanis infiltrate India with weapons through Kashmir, wage war against India and still they are afforded fair trial in an Indian court. "They are kept in prison for 10-12 years and then they are mostly returned to their homeland. If India too adopts a similar attitude like Pakistan, none of these Pakistanis will go back home alive."

5. Mathura social activist Mohd. Zaqir Qureshi said that even the UP assembly should pass a motion denouncing Pakistan on the Kulbhushan Jadhav matter and demand a strong military action against Pakistan if Jadhav is not returned to his home in good health.

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Also read:

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Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and its army chief General Qamar Bajwa agreed that Pakistan will not tolerate any pressure, even as New Delhi has warned Islamabad of 'dire consequences' if it goes ahead with the Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence.

By India Today Web Desk: Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and its army chief General Qamar Bajwa today discussed Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence, and asserted that no pressure on the Indian national's execution will be tolerated.

Pakistani news channel Samaa TV reported that both Sharif and Bajwa, in a meeting today, agreed that Pakistan will not tolerate any pressure, even as New Delhi has warned Islamabad of "dire consequences" if it goes ahead with the "premeditated murder" of Jadhav.

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Samaa TV has quoted a high-level source in the Pakistani administration as saying that Bajwa called on Sharif and took him "into confidence regarding Jadhav".

On Monday, a Pakistani military court had given the death sentence to Jadhav for spying and waging war against the country. Pakistan accuses Jadhav of being a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent.

Pakistan claims Jadhav was arrested in March last year in Balochistan, while India maintains that he was abducted from Iran.

In a related development, Pakistan's High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit today told India Today TV that they have "sufficient evidence" against Jadhav, which has been shared with the Indian government.

"We have sufficient evidence against Jadhav and have shared it with the Indian government. He was involved in sabotage and terror," Basit told India Today TV's Consulting Editor Rajdeep Sardesai in an exclusive interview.

Basit also claimed that Jadhav has been given a fair trial and assured that he will be given the right to appeal or seek mercy.

Also Read:

Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Braj locals want govt to 'teach Pakistan a lesson it won't forget'

Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: MNS wants all Pakistani nationals thrown out of India until his release

Pakistan media: RAW has abducted ISI man to avenge Kulbhushan Jadhav

Fear Kulbhushan Jadhav has been tortured, killed in Pakistan: BJP MP and former Home Secretary RK Singh

Day before Kulbhushan Jadhav got death penalty, Indian Coast Guard saved two Pakistani sailors

--- ENDS ---
Pakistan till date has hanged one of the Indian nationals it convicted and sentenced to death, whereas India hasn't hanged any of the Pakistani spies so far.

By Shatabdi Choudhary: Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian citizen arrested by Pakistani forces and given a death sentence by a Pakistani military court on the charges of espionage, is not the first Indian to be tried and condemned to death by Pakistan.

Jadhav, son of a senior Mumbai Police officer and a former Indian Naval officer, is just a fresh addition to the list of Indian nationals accused, tried and convicted of spying and given a death sentence by Pakistan.

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Here are five Indians who were executed by our neighbour and their backstories:

Kashmir Singh:

Kashmir Singh, an ex Army man, was arrested in 1973 in Pakistan on charges of espionage and smuggling. But Pakistan couldn't prove any of the charges levelled against him.

Subsequently, in the same year, Kashmir Singh was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court. But somewhere in the late 1970s his execution was stayed by the Pakistan government and instead Kashmir Singh was then sentenced to an indefinite jail term.

In 2008, however, the human rights activist and then minister Ansar Burney spotted Kashmir Singh during his visit to the Lahore jail. Ansar Burney took up Kashmir Singh's case with the Pakistan government and pleaded to release him on humanitarian grounds considering Kashmir Singh spent 35 years in prison.

Following this, Parvez Musharraf, the then President of Pakistan, accepted Kashmir Singh's mercy petition and ordered for his release and repatriation to India.

Singh was just 32 years old when he got arrested in Rawalpindi.

Ravindra Kaushik:

A famous theatre artist, the supposed inspiration behind the bollywood movie Ek tha Tiger, India's intelligence agency RAW hired Ravindra Kaushik for his acting skills. He was trained extensively for two years and he even underwent circumcision to pass as a Muslim.

In 1975, Kaushik was sent to Pakistan under an alias, where he managed to infiltrate into the Pakistan Army as a civilian clerk. Later Ravindra Kaushik also worked with the military records department. He even married a local girl and fathered a son with her.

During his stint with the Pakistan Army, Kaushik passed on valuable and confidential information to RAW.

In September 1983, an unfortunate event removed Kaushik's facade. India sent a low level operative to get in touch with Ravindra Kaushik in Pakistan, but he got caught by the Pakistan intelligence agencies and during the interrogation, he revealed Kaushik's true identity.

Owing to the revelation, Ravindra Kaushik was sentenced to death in 1985. But later, Pakistan Supreme Court commuted the death sentence to life in prison.

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However, in the year 1999, he contracted pulmonary tuberculosis and died in the prison.

Sheikh Shamim:

Not much information is available about this alleged spy but according to Pakistani news reports, Sheikh Shamim was caught red-handed during an operation for RAW near the Pakistan-India border. He was hanged by the Pakistan authorities in 1999.

Surjeet Singh:

Surjeet Singh went missing near the border in Ferozepur sector in 1982 and was held by Pakistan Intelligence service accusing him of spying.

In 1985, a Pakistan court sentenced him to death under the Pakistan Army Act. Nonetheless, in 1989, the death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan.

Moreover, his release came in the midst of the controversy over the release of Sarabjit Singh.

Sarabjit Singh:

Sarabjeet Singh

Till date, he is the most known and talked about Indian convict in Pakistan, charged with terrorism and espionage. The Supreme Court of Pakistan convicted him of a series of bomb blasts in Lahore and Faisalabad. But Sarabjit Singh, till his last breath, claimed that he is a farmer and strayed across the border from his village located on the border.

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In 1991, he got condemned to death by the Lahore High Court. Withal, his sentence was postponed repeatedly and in 2013, he succumbed to his injuries after an attack by his fellow jail inmates.

A Bollywood movie, based on his life, in his name, was made last year with Randeep Hooda playing Sarabjit Singh, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan essaying the role of Sarabjit's sister.

ALSO READ| Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Braj locals want govt to 'teach Pakistan a lesson it won't forget'

ALSO READ| Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: MNS wants all Pakistani nationals thrown out of India until his release

ALSO WATCH| Pakistan sentences Kulbhushan Jadhav to death accusing him of espionage

--- ENDS ---
SFA students attended the recent Texas Intercollegiate Press Associations annual convention and competition in Dallas. Pictured, from left, are (back row) Devin Brooks, Juwan Lee, Cynthia Cogan, Bastian York, Ronnie Chapman, (front row) Delilah Gonzalez, Tyler Fisher, Brielle Thomas, Joanna Armstrong, Parastoo Nikravesh and Cara Campbell.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Lenovo India today announced the appointment of Vivek Sharma as the Director of Data Center Group (DCG).

"As the new India DCG leader, Vivek will be responsible for driving profitable growth in India. He will focus on customer-centric solutions as well as manage an extensive product portfolio including server, storage, software, services and networking," a company release said.

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The appointment is with immediate effect.

Sharma will be based in Bangalore and report to Sumir Bhatia, Vice President - Data Centre Group, Asia Pacific, Lenovo. He will also be part of Lenovo?s India Leadership Team led by India MD and CEO, Rahul Agarwal, it added.

Sharma joins Lenovo from Dimension Data, prior to which he held several leadership positions at Wipro. With over 25 years of experience, Sharma has held positions across areas like enterprise sales, alliances, distribution, telecom, cloud and data center services.

"I am really excited to lead the DCG business in India, at a time when the data center business is at an inflection point with immense growth potential, both immediate and long term. This space will see a definitive influx of some very disruptive technology," Sharma said. PTI MBI SRK

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South Dakota gubernatorial candidates hold rallies ahead of Election Day

Throughout campaign rallies in the final week before Election Day, Gov. Kristi Noem and Rep. Jamie Smith spoke to their base and encouraged others to get out the vote.
By Indo-Asian News Service: Malala Yousafzai was greeted on the steps of the Centre Block by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as a parade of dignitaries, cabinet ministers and diplomats inside the rotunda beneath the Peace Tower, The Toronto Star reported.

Moments later, Trudeau presented her with a certificate documenting her as an honorary Canadian, making her the sixth and youngest ever person to receive the honour.

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"It is not just an honorary citizenship of Canada; it is also being Canada's friend, and I warmly accept it," Yousafzai told the gathering afterward.

"I want to thank Canada for its passion for girls' education, for its passion for humanity, for refugees, and for standing up for women's rights, and for peace.

"You are a true example to the world of what it means to stand up for humanity, and I'm hopeful you will inspire many more countries and many more leaders to follow your footsteps," she said.

At the ceremony, Trudeau said that Malala's story was inspirational.

"All the violence you survived at the hands of the Taliban didn't deter you as it would have so many others," Trudeau told the ceremony. "You stood even stronger in the face of oppression; your passion for justice only intensified," he added.

MUST READ:

Malala Yousafzai named UN Messenger of Peace, to promote girls' education

Malala receives highest UN honour to promote girls education

--- ENDS ---
Dilip Ghosh condemned the matter while insisting it was the Trinamool Congress which had first supported such public pronouncements.

By Indrajit Kundu: Amid the row over a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha worker's bounty on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's life, party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra tried downplaying the matter stating that the person in question was not an authorised member of the BJP.

"I don't think he was in our party cadre. He can't be a BJP worker. BJP does not believe in any violence," Patra told India Today on the sidelines of a party workers meet in Cooch Behar district.

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BJP Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh too condemned the matter but insisted that it was the Trinamool Congress which had first supported such public pronouncements.

"There is no place for such things in politics. But then remember who began this culture. An Imam pronounced a fatwa against the Prime Minister, sitting here in Kolkata flanked by Trinamool MP's. No one raised it in the parliament then," Ghosh said.

On its part, the Trinamool Congress has demanded the immediate arrest of the BJP youth wing leader in Uttar Pradesh.

Party secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, "There have been many attempts on Mamata Banerjee's life since the 1990s. We have seen the violent politics of the 70s, we have been through 34 years of CPI(M)'s violent rule. Statements like these are against the political culture of the country. I ask the Centre to immediately arrest this man." Chatterjee reminded that lakhs of Trinamool workers were ready to sacrifice their lives for Mamata Banerjee.

On Tuesday night, a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activist from Aligarh had announced a bounty on Bengal chief minister's life after hearing reports of police lathi charge on right-wing activists who had taken out Hanuman Jayanti procession in Birbhum district.

ALSO READ| BJP condemns remarks of its Bengal youth leader who had announced Rs 11 lakh-reward on Mamata's head

ALSO READ| Mamata denying BJP permission to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti in Bengal: Rijiju

ALSO WATCH| BJP youth wing leader announces Rs 11 lakh reward on Mamata Banerjee's head, says Bengal CM prejudiced against Hindus

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"Im a firm believer in not being greedy and giving what you can when you can."
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 terror suspects were arrested from Ullal and at least 122 documents and huge cache of explosives were seized from their possession.

By Rohini Swamy: A lower court in Mangalore awarded life sentence to three terror suspects arrested from various parts of the city in 2008. The third Additional Sessions Court convicted Sayyed Mohammed Naushad, Ahamad Bava Abubacker and Fakeer Ahamed after finding them guilty under the arms act.

A total of 88 witnesses were examined and 62 recorded their statements. At least 122 documents and 155 items were seized from the possession of the accused.

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The terror suspects were arrested from Ullal in a joint operation by the Mumbai police, Karnataka's Anti-naxal Force and the Dakshina Kannada district police.

In a pre-dawn operation, the terror network was busted by inspector HM Venkatesh Prasanna of the district crime intelligence Bureau. Mohammed Ali was arrested from Mukkacheri in October 2008.

HUGE CACHE OF EXPLOSIVES RECOVERED

During the raid, the officers recovered 5 live bombs and 10 mobile phones from a house in Thokottu that was rented by the Indian Mujahideen (IM) chief Riyaz Bhatkal.

The police also seized maps, CPU (central processing unit), telephone booms, passports, bank passbooks and a motorcycle under a fake registration. A book titled 'Commander of the Muslim Army' was also seized from the house of one of the terror accused Mohammed Noushad in Pandeshwar.

Noushad had allegedly designed an electronic circuit at a workshop in Ullal for the terror operation which, he later claimed, he had put together for a project of creating a washing machine as part of his college assignment.

Further investigation revealed the existence of 20 electric sticks, 19 detonators and four timers which were later seized from the house of Abubacker.

After gathering more information, the police raided the house of Fakeer at Vittalmaki in Chikamagaluru district and seized around 38 objects including a gun, black oxide, fibre pieces, iron pieces, glass pieces, nylon materials, glycerine bottle and phosphorous, which is required to make bombs.

JIHADI LITERATURE, Rs 11 LAKH SEIZED

During their raids, the police also found Jihadi literature, maps of Gujarat and Rajasthan, a bank passbook, VCDs and Rs 11,39,850 cash.

Judge Pushpanjali Devi pronounced the accused guilty. The convicted are part of what could be called busting of Mangalore's first sleeper cell. Judge SH Pushpanjali Devi declared the trio guilty under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967, Explosives Act.

Seven suspects were arrested, of which three have been convicted. The other four, who were allegedly accused in the German Bakery bombing, Mohammed Ali of Mukkacherry, his son Javed Ali, Mohammed Rafique and Shabbir Bhatkal alias Shabbir Maulvi were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

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ALSO READ | Mangalore: Police lathicharge PFI protestors seeking probe in custodial torture of accused

ALSO READ | 11 held in Mangalore on suspicion of terror links

--- ENDS ---
Prime Minister Narendra Modi now has 6.9 million followers on Instagram, the largest by any world leader.

By India Today Web Desk: Beating US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now the most followed world leader on photo sharing platform Instagram. His account boasts of a whopping 6.9 million followers.

According to a global study "World Leaders on Instagram" that analysed the activity of around 325 Instagram accounts of heads of state and government and foreign ministers over the last one year, Modi is also the most "effective world leader" on the platform, a conclusion that was reached based on the comments and likes that his posts garner.

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PM Modi has put out 101 posts till date on the Facebook-owned social media platform which is used for sharing photos and short videos.

Trump, who occupies the second spot, has 6.3 million followers while Pope Francis is in third place with 3.7 million followers, ahead of the White House account with 3.4 million followers.

The study, undertaken by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, claimed Modi's posts receive an average of 2,23,000 interactions (comments and likes).

"Leaders around the world are creating online communications that convey global social and political context while also sharing a sense of personality and creativity," said Don Baer, CEO of Burson-Marsteller, in a statement.

Seventy-three heads of state, 38 heads of government and 28 foreign ministers maintain personal pages on the platform, it said.

Also read:

5 differences between Donald Trump and Narendra Modi

7 Modi-isms in US President Donald Trump's inaugural speech

Also watch:

Trump may mediate in India-Pakistan peace process: Top Indian-American diplomat Nikki Haley

--- ENDS ---
Bollywood thespian Dilip Kumar was on Tuesday felicitated with a Living Legend Lifetime Award from the Punjab Association at his residence here.

"Mr Ranbir Singh Chandok and Mr Anand of the Punjab Association visited me today. God is kind. Humbled at receiving the Living Legend Lifetime Award from Punjab Association this afternoon," a post from the 94-year-old actor's official Twitter handle read on Tuesday.

The post was accompanied by photographs in which Dilip Kumar  looking frail but in good spirit  could be seen posing with the plaque. Also seen in the pictures is his wife Saira Banu and the officials who felicitated the actor.

Earlier this month, there was buzz that Dilip Kumar's health was not up to the mark. Regarding that, he commented: "God's grace and your prayers with me. I am much better. Slight discomfort and an irritating back pain."

In another tweet, he wrote, "So much love from Asif Farooqui. Thank you for this beautiful wall mural on Hill Road in Bandra. God bless you," referring to a piece of work  inspired by the Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu-starrer Gopi  by the artist.

Last seen on the big screen in "Qila" in 1998, the actor was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2015.

He is known for films like Devdas, Mughal-e-Azam and Karma.
Actress Raveena Tandon, whose upcoming film Maatr is facing many controversies due to an allegation on film's producer Anjum Rizvi, informed media that everything has been sorted and the film would release on April 21.

"The case has been settled and we have got the NOC. Now the movie shall release on April 21. The rumours of any more issues are fake and we have no more troubles in proceeding," said Raveena.

The actress was spotted at PVR Andheri on Tuesday morning with few other woman achievers for the promotion of an NGO called 'She's Ambassador Program' which focuses on girl's welfare development."

During the event, Raveena who has done a voice over for a short film by "She's ambassador Program" said, "I have been raised by my mother in such a way that I have a lot of compassion towards young people."

"At the age of 11, I had removed a kid from the mud. Such were the situation I went through. This is the reason I started indulging into NGO projects," she added.

Congress political leader Priya Dutt concluded the event said,"When I was in parliament, nobody took interest to talk about children and women. Today I want to say that just believe in whatever you do and you can be successful like these women in the panel today."


Delhi University has junked a proposal to introduce entrance examination for admission to undergraduate courses replacing the cut-off list system.

The varsity's Standing Committee on Admissions was earlier mulling admitting students through an entrance test rather than the existing criteria of cut-offs based on Class XII results.

The panel had also deliberated on various modalities  whether the exam should be subjective or objective, entrance should be made the sole criteria for admissions or there should be a weightage ascribed to both.

However, the university has informed the HRD Ministry that it has decided to continue with the old admission process.

DU has informed that it would continue with the admission process which was followed for various undergraduate courses last year. It is not introducing admission through entrance test in any course this year and there are no fresh guidelines in this regard, a senior HRD Ministry official said.

As previously, the university will conduct entrance examination for eight professional courses only  BMS, BBE, BBA, BTech, BA Humanities and Social Sciences, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Bachelor in Multimedia and Mass Communication and Bachelor or Science in Physical Education.

The admissions panel had in January said that if the entrance examination is introduced, the admission process which usually begins by May end will begin two months in advance.

A senior DU official, who is member of the admissions committee said, We had made certain recommendations but the varsity has decided not to go ahead with it as the plan requires more feasibility study before it is placed before the statutory bodies.

The varsity had last year moved online for the undergraduate admission process. After registering themselves on DU's admission portal, the students are required to upload self-attested and scanned copies of their documents after following the instructions and then make the payment online.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) on April 11 described farm loan waivers as a moral hazard and said such facilities should be targeted only to the needy.

Debt waivers create a moral hazard from a credit repayment perspective and we cannot have omnibus waivers, chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala told reporters here, a week after UP government announced a Rs.36,000 crore farm loan waiver package.

With demands for similar measures in other states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Bhanwala said there is a need to look at the moral hazards which such schemes create and targeting such schemes to the needy farmers.

He said every time a debt waiver is announced, it is taxpayers' money which is used to help bail out the farmers.

The comments come days after Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel also expressed strong displeasure over such measures.

Nabard on April 11 reported a 4.24 per cent increase in its post tax net for 2016-17 at Rs.2,631 crore, and a 16.27 per cent expansion in its outstanding loans at Rs.3.08 trillion.

Bhanwala said the development finance institution, which primarily refinances banks' agri loans, feels that the financial sector is set to surpass the Rs.9 trillion agri loans target for fiscal 2017 set by government and will repeat the performance in fiscal 2018 by exceeding the Rs.10 trillion target.

Nabard is laying extra focus on long-term irrigation fund and expects to deploy up to Rs.25,000 crore for this purposes through identified projects (up from Rs.9,000 crore in fiscal 2017) and also to mitigate climate change impact, Bhanwala said, adding the company will also be focusing on micro-irrigation sector this year, and plans to deploy up to Rs.2,000 crore in it.

He said share of long-term loans has risen to 24 per cent of its total loanbook now from 19 per cent two years ago, and Nabard will continue to focus on increasing this number.

Its outstanding borrowing increased to Rs.80,000 crore from Rs.60,000 crore in the year-ago period and Bhanwala said there would be an increase of Rs.15,000 crore in the outstanding borrowing in fiscal 2018.

Nabard was able to recover a few of its bad loans in the just concluded financial year and consecutively the non- performing assets ratio has come down to 0.07 per cent.

With the Centre having announced a target to double farmers' incomes in the next five years, Nabard is working with the states to develop action plans to ensure that the targets are met, he said, adding a pilot project of working closely with the communities towards this purpose is being implemented in seven states.

As part of the pilot project, it will be working in 10 villages of a district having over 1,000 farmers each in every state and the job will start with identifying the base income structures in each states.

On demonetisation, Bhanwala said there was a jump in repayments in the initial days but credit demanded was impacted later. He, however, added despite this, the Rs.9 trillion target has been met.

In a first, Nabard has also started operating a financial inclusion fund and sanctioned installation of 2.07 lakh point of sale machines for different banks since February, he said, adding they will be deployed soon.

For villages which lack mobile connectivity and also power shortages, it has allocated Rs.308 crore towards this purpose.
The Reserve Bank has imposed a penalty of Rs.20 lakh on Shriram City Union Finance and Rs.5 lakh penalty on Hinduja Leyland Finance for violating fair practices code guidelines.

The regulator had conducted scrutiny of sample loan ccounts of Shriram City Union Finance during November 2015 and found it to be in violation of various provisions of Fair Practices Code guidelines.

The RBI said it served a show cause notice to the company and also called for a personal hearing, but response to the notice was not satisfactory.

"After considering facts of case  RBI came to the conclusion that violations as observed during scrutiny were substantiated which warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the company. Accordingly, a penalty of Rs.20 lakh has been imposed on the company," the RBI said.

In the case of Hinduja Leyland Finance, an inspection of books and accounts of the company as on March 31, 2015, was conducted between December 30, 2015, and January 14, 2016.

"It was observed that charging of interest and its communication to the borrower was done in non-transparent manner which was in violation of the Fair Practices Code guidelines," the RBI said.

Based on show cause notice and personal hearing, company's response was not satisfactory and violations were substantiated which warranted imposition of monetary penalty on the company, the regulator said.

"Accordingly, a penalty of Rs.5 lakh has been imposed on the company (Hinduja Leyland Finance)," the RBI added.
The apex court's order regarding compensatory tariff for Tata Power in view of higher coal prices is credit negative, but does not impact its Ba3 rating, Moody's said on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court's decision is credit negative, but does not impact TPC's Ba3 rating, said Moody's Investors Service in a release on Wednesday.

On April 11, the Supreme Court set aside the earlier order of the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (ATE) which allowed relief to Tata Power Company's 100 per cent-owned subsidiary, Coastal Gujarat Power (CGPL, unrated), under the force majeure clause as per the power purchase agreement (PPA). CGPL accounts for 38 per cent of TPC's total installed generation capacity of 10,477 MW as of March 2017.

Its 4 GW Mundra ultra mega power plant (UMPP) relies mainly on imported coal, mostly sourced from Indonesia.

The project's profitability has been impacted by the Indonesian government's decision in September 2011 to make coal available at market rates.

In the judgment, the Supreme Court has clarified that changes in the cost of fuel or the agreement becoming onerous to perform are not treated as force majeure events under the PPA.

The Supreme Court has directed CERC to hear the matter afresh and determine the amount of relief which should be granted to power generators who have been impacted by domestic change in law as per clause 13 of the PPA.

In 2015-16, CGPL reported an Ebitda of Rs.11.6 billion, up 31 per cent from last year.
Nach Baliye 8 will soon see its first eviction.

By India Today Web Desk: For two weeks, the journey on Nach Baliye 8 for TV couples, has been pretty smooth. The episodes were full of dance, romance and emotions. Now in its third week, the dance reality show will see its first eviction.

According to reports, Utkarsha Naik of Iss Pyaar Ko fame and her partner Manoj Verma will be the first to get evicted from the show. The couple are in their 50s. Since, they got low scores and insuffient audiences vote, they were eliminated.

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Last week Sanaya Irani and Mohit Sehgal too got low scores from judges, but probably got saved because of their popularity.

Nach Baliye 8 airs Sat-Sun at 8pm on Star Plus.

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Tracking mixed Asian markets, domestic bourses started Wednesdays trading session on a flat note with Midcap and Smallcap indices outperforming the front liners.

At 9.30 am, the Sensex was trading four points or 0.01 per cent up at 29,793 while the Nifty50 was trading three points or 0.03 per cent higher at 9,240.

In broader markets, BSE Midcap and BSE Smallcap indices surged around 0.4 per cent each.

All the BSE sectoral indices, except Capital Goods index, were trading in the positive zone with Metal index leading the gains, up 0.7 per cent. Capital Goods index slipped 0.1 per cent.

On Tuesday, the BSE Sensex closed 213 points or 0.72 per cent higher at 29,788, while the NSE Nifty ended 56 points or 0.61 per cent lower at 9,237.

Top gainers in the Sensex-30 pack: Axis Bank (up 0.9 per cent), Gail (up 0.9 per cent), Power Grid (up 0.7 per cent), Hero Motocorp (up 0.6 per cent) and Infosys (up 0.6 per cent).

Top losers in the Sensex-30 pack: Lupin (down 1 per cent), Adani Ports (down 0.6 per cent), Tata Motors (down 0.5 per cent), L&T (down 0.5 per cent) and ITC (down 0.5 per cent).

Asian markets were trading with more declines and fewer gains. Japans Nikkei 225 Index lost 1.4 per cent, Singapores Straits Times Index slipped 0.1 per cent, Hong Kongs Hang Seng index fell 0.2 per cent, Koreas KOSPI index rose 0.1 per cent and Chinas Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.3 per cent.

Back home, the Rupee was trading nine paisa down at 64.72 against the US Dollar.
Delhi's prisons, including Tihar, accommodate 14,132 undertrials and convicted prisoners as against their total capacity of 7,818, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

Replying to a question in the Upper House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said the prisons were crammed with large number of undertrials.

As on March 15, Delhi Prisons were accommodating 14,132 prisoners as against the full capacity of 7,818, he said.

Both undertrials and convicted prisoners are lodged in different barracks in Tihar Jail and there is no congestion for the latter, whereas the former are in large numbers, he said.

The minister also said 10 incidents of violence were reported in the prisons during the last three years besides citing reasons behind a clash that broke out in Tihar in March this year.

Some prisoners in Special Security Ward inflicted self- injuries and damaged government property when they were not allowed to come out of their ward at night, Ahir said.

Delhi Prisons have two prison complexes, one at Tihar with nine central prisons and another at Rohini Prison Complex with one district prison.
Eighteen staff members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) have been terminated from service allegedly for taking up the issue of "sudden cut in salary" with the AIIMS authorities.

The sacked employees, who are among the 350 other Class IV staff members employed on contractual basis, alleged that they were also manhandled by police when the matter was taken up with the hospital authorities.

They complained that the salary of Rs 9,500 was suddenly reduced to Rs 8,500, without giving any reason.

According to the Delhi Hospitals Contractual Workers Union, a facility management company  Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd  was in December 2016 given the contract for hiring housekeeping staff in the main AIIMS Trauma Centre, also known as Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre.

"The workers employed under the contract were hired for Rs 9,500. But, since January this year, the workers were receiving only Rs 8,500. On March 1, the issue was initially taken up with the management of the company, which failed to come up with any reply.

"Thereafter, we approached the Additional Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Trauma Centre Dr Amit Gupta, who instead of solving the matter called police," Mriganka, General Secretary of the union, told IANS.

Mriganka said the police manhandled the group of workers and told them of return to work.

"As the Additional Medical Superintendent failed to solve the issue, we took up the matter with the Labour Commissioner, who spoke to the company representative of Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd and asked us to return to work.

"However, the next day when we reported for duty, we found that the services of 18 of our colleagues were terminated, without restoring the previous salary," said Mriganka.

When contacted, there was neither any response from Amit Gupta nor from Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd.

Seeking minimum wages and timely payments, the workers have also demanded that the terminated staff members be reinstated forthwith, with continuity in service.

In a letter to the AIIMS Deputy Director, the contractual workers' union has alleged that they were also being compelled to perform the work of Class III staff, like OT technicians and computer operators.

This practice was lowering the standards of medical care, as Class IV workers were supposed to do sanitation work, work as ward boys and other similar other works, the letter pointed out.

The letter also mentioned the delays in payment of wages and denial of bonus.

"The workmen are given their wages around 15th to 20th of every month, which violates the Payment of Wages Act. Though the permanent employees at both centres get bonus, these employees doing similar nature of work, even more at times, do not get any bonus during festivals," the letter read.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday said that it has been issued a notice to vacate the bungalow at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, currently being used as the party's headquarters.

"We have been issued a notice to immediately vacate the party office," the AAP leader Ashish Khetan said.

The Delhi government's Public Works Department has issued the notice to AAP's National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to immediately vacate the bungalow at 206, Rouse Avenue, renamed as Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg.

Allotment of the bungalow was cancelled by Lt. Governor Anil Baijal last week after a three-member Shunglu Committee appointed by previous Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung questioned a Cabinet decision to allot government-owned Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg bungalow to the AAP for use as its office.

"They (BJP) want to throw us out of the premises. This is injustice and people are watching," Khetan told reporters.

He said that the AAP was being harassed by being told to vacate the party office while each wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress had offices in the city.

"Everyone is after us. They asked us to vacate just before the MCD elections This will be for the first time in the history when a political party, which got 67 out of 70 seats in Delhi, is being asked to vacate its office," Khetan added.

Delhi civic elections are scheduled for April 23.

Headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V.K. Shunglu, the committee was set up in August last year by then Lt. Governor Jung after the Delhi High Court gave primacy to the Lt. Governor in Delhi's administrative affairs.

Referring to land in Delhi not falling under the city government's purview, Shunglu committee in its report had mentioned: "Since land is a 'reserved' subject, this decision should be deemed null and void."

"The elected government doesn't have any power to deal with the subject of land, let alone allot it," the report added.
The President of the AMU Students' Union has demanded a complete ban on cow slaughter across the country.

Addressing protesters at a rally organised by the AMUSU at the District Collectorate today, its president Faizul Hasan said, "We would support any move made by the Central government to impose such a ban keeping in view the sentiments of Hindu brethren."

Hasan said he would also support a "complete ban" on the closure of all export-based slaughterhouses and a total ban on all import and export of bovine meat, including buffalo meat, because it was leading to an unnecessary internal tension between different communities in the country.

Transport of buffaloes to slaughterhouses has become a cause of communal friction since so-called cow vigilantes are continuously taking law in their own hand at highways in different parts of the country, he said.

The AMUSU later presented a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee to the Additional City Magistrate demanding fast track court trials of the cases of violence involving cow vigilantes.

The memorandum stated that country needs to "take urgent notice of non-State actors spreading terror" and threatening the peace of the land in the guise of cow protection.

It also demanded framing of a new law to prevent acts of cruelty against minorities and other weaker sections.

Earlier, the students' union took out a procession to press their demands.
About 150 passengers of a Jet Airways flight were stranded at the Varanasi airport on Wednesday after a bird hit the flight while taking off.

According to the captain, three blades of the right engine were damaged due to the hit.

The 9W 2423 flight from New Delhi-Khajuraho-Varanasi-New Delhi was unfit to fly, a Jet Airways official said.

The flight was fully booked. About 100 passengers were ready to board in Varanasi and around 50 were already in the flight from Khajuraho bound to New Delhi.

Some of the passengers had international flights. The passengers who had to fly to other countries from New Delhi were also among those stranded at the airport.

The passengers were not satisfied with the airline's response to their queries.

The airport officials had no clue about the next course of action and said they were waiting for information from the head office.

It was not clear whether the airline would fly the passengers out on Wednesday.
Expressing concern over the cash for vote scam and the IT department questioning state health minister Vijaya Baskar, DMK party members on Wednesday met Governor Vidyasagar Rao in Mumbai and demanded dismissal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami and other ministers involved in the scam.

Party members submitted a memorandum to the governor and demanded the dismissal of Tamil Nadu's chief minister as well as other ministers involved in the scam.

According to reports, the Income Tax Department officials had on April 7 raided Tamil Nadu Health Minister Vijaya Baskar's residence in Chennai following complaints that he was involved in cash distribution to voters in the RK Nagar constituency ahead of a by-election.

"The raids were being conducted in at least 20 places in Chennai and 11 other places in the rest of the state," an IT official was quoted as saying by a news agency.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has cancelled the RK Nagar by-poll, saying the electoral process has been seriously affected by parties through the use of money power.
A senior police official 'slapped' a woman protester during a crackdown on an anti-liquor agitation in neighbouring Tirupur district with the act, caught on camera, coming in for strong condemnation.

The incident occurred last evening in Shamalpuram when a group of people, including women, blocked a road demanding closure of state-owned TASMAC liquor outlet in the locality.

As the protesters refused to disperse, Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan slapped one of the women and pushed two others, asking them to move away from the road.

Protesting this, a section of the agitators allgedly pelted stones at the police, who resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.

Police said three persons were injured in the melee with one of them being hospitalised.

As the video showing the act went viral, various political parties, including DMK, condemned the 'police brutality'.

Shops in the locality remained shut on Wednesday in protest against the police action.

The assault of the woman was raised in the Madras High Court this morning by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy and PMK's legal wing member K Balu, who sought action against the police official.

Following a special mention on the matter, a bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar agreed to hear their petitions later in the day.
Haryana's Transport Department suspended 120 employees of the state roadways on Wednesday as the strike by the roadways staff continued for the third day, paralysing public transport in the state.

Over 4,000 buses of the Haryana Roadways remained off the roads for the third day, with common people bearing the brunt of the strike.

Harassed people said that they were inconvenienced and could not reach other places for work and jobs owing to the strike.

"This (strike) happens everytime. The government and the employees know that they will eventually sit down and talk and resolve the issues. But no one is bothered that commuters are being harassed," said Sheela Kumari, a resident of Ambala.

Those suspended included leaders of various roadways employees' unions.

Haryana Roadways buses did not ply from the 24 bus depots across the state on Wednesday.

Haryana Roadways Workers Union President Sarbat Singh Punia said that the striking employees could not be cowed down by intimidatory tactics like suspension.

Meanwhile, state Director General of Police (DGP) K.P. Singh said that in view of the strike by the state roadways employees, officers in all districts have been directed to maintain law and order and ensure that no person causes any harm to public property.

Singh said nobody should be allowed to stop any private bus from operating. "Additional police personnel have been deputed in such sensitive areas as Jind and Rohtak, and SPs in other districts have been directed to depute home guards, if required," he said.

As thousands of commuters suffered inconvenience for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, talks between roadways employees' leaders and the state government failed to break the logjam.

The striking employees are demanding a rollback on a recent Transport Department policy under which private bus owners were allowed more permits to operate services across Haryana.

Their leaders threatened to continue with the strike till their demand was accepted unconditionally.

Over 13 lakh people travel daily in nearly 4,200 Haryana Roadways buses, including luxury Volvo buses, on intra- and inter-state routes.

Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said the interests of roadways employees as well as the people of the state are of paramount importance for the state government, which is always ready to hold talks with employee unions.He said 853 private buses are presently operating on 273 routes and all operators have got their permits made afresh.
After three days of protests, normalcy returned in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as the separatists called off the two-day shutdown.

The educational institutions, public transport, shops and other businesses began functioning normally after three days of shutdown due to the killing of civilians in the Sunday by-election.

Srinagar city buzzed with life as the movement of traffic and pedestrians began on Wednesday.

Parents hurried their children to schools and they were seen waiting for buses.

Shopkeepers started lifting the shutters of their establishments as tension across the valley came down after the Election Commission postponed the Anantnag parliamentary bypoll to May 25.

The bypoll was otherwise scheduled for Wednesday.

Authorities removed additional deployment of police and paramilitary forces at traffic crossings and busy streets in Srinagar and other places.

The movement was only restricted around sensitive installations in the valley.

The separatists have asked people to resume normal activities and thanked them for staying away from bypoll in which only 7 per cent voter turnout  the lowest in the valley in the last 27 years  was recorded.

Eight civilians were killed in the clashes between protesters and security forces.

Most poll related violence occurred in Budgam district where authorities have ordered re-polling at 38 stations on Thursday.


A poster showing a scene from Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor starrer iconic 1975 film Deewar was put up by Nainital Municipal Corporation to encourage people to build toilets in their home.

By India Today Web Desk: The Swachh Bharat Mission is one of the projects which Prime Minister Narendra Modi rarely forgets to mention in his speeches. And when a poster highlighting his pet project with a Bollywood tinge to it was posted on Twitter, he couldn't stop himself from responding to the 'humorous' message with a laugh.

A poster showing a scene from Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor starrer iconic 1975 film Deewar was put up by Nainital Municipal Corporation to encourage people build toilets in their home.

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The poster features the dramatic scene from the film where brothers Amitabh and Shashi Kapoor are arguing with each other after their mother decides to live with 'honest' son Ravi (Shashi Kapoor) abandoning Vijay (Amitabh Bachchan) who took to crime to earn money.

While in the film maa Nirupama Roy sides with Shashi Kapoor, the poster she is shown to have different priority. "Nahi, jo pehle shauchalaya banaega, main uske saath rahugi (I will stay with whoever builds a toilet first)," the poster shows Nirupama, as saying.

Haha! Borrows from cinema to make a point on cleanliness. Innovative. https://t.co/PQpX8LHo7l- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 11, 2017

The creativity of the poster was well appreciated by Prime Minister Modi."Haha! Borrows from cinema to make a point on cleanliness. Innovative," the PM responded to the tweet.

Launched on October 2, 2014, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or Clean India Movement aims at cleaning the streets, roads and infrastructure of the country. The campaign boasts to be India's largest ever cleanliness drive with 3 million government employees participating in it.

In pics: Broom, sweep, clean: Delhi adopts Swachch Bharat

ALSO READ:

After Swachch Bharat Abhiyaan, BJP is all set to flag off Swachhata Rathas

PM Modi's 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' faces implementation challenges

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Over 500 shanties were gutted on Wednesday in a major fire that broke out in a Delhi slum, a fire officer said. No casualties were reported from the incident.

Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot as the police control room received a call about the fire breaking out in Bawana area of north Delhi at around 2 p.m, the fire officer said.

"The fire, which spread over an acre, was brought under control at 4.50 p.m," he added.

"No casualties have been reported in the fire, though two fire fighters received injuries as enraged public indulged in stone pelting," Chief Fire Officer Vipin Kental told IANS.

The Delhi government has announced Rs 25,000 compensation for each shanty destroyed in the fire.

"Fire that broke out in Bawana's 'jhuggis' (shanties) is now under control. Arrangements of food and tents are being made. Rs 25,000 compensation for each jhuggi has been announced," Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
The 63rd (special) meeting of Brahmaputra Board was held here on to discuss the proposal to restructure the Board as proposed by the Union Ministry of Water Resources.

The proposals were for restructuring the Brahmaputra Board within the ambit of Brahmaputra Board Act, 1980 by revamping its technical and non-technical cadres, a government release said here.

The key elements of the proposal are creation of Regional Directorates of Brahmaputra Board in all eight North East states and North Bengal and to enlarge its footprint the Regional Directorates in Assam, North Bengal, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh to be headed by Deputy Chief Engineers, while those in Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Sikkim to be headed by Superintending Engineers, the release said.

At the meeting, it was also suggested to establish a permanent office complex with godown and skill development centre at Majuli island in Assam.

The representative of Assam government said the state government has decided that flood prevention and anti-erosion related works along the entire south bank of Majuli main island will be undertaken by the Brahmaputra Board, the release said.

Suggestions for having a separate Regional Directorate at Jalpaiguri in North Bengal, additional posts of Superintending Engineer at Silchar and Executive Engineer in Dhubri district in Assam, were accepted by the Board.

All nine states welcomed the suggestions to achieve the overall objective of restructuring of Brahmaputra Board and making it operationally, administratively and structurally robust, the release said.
In the wake of a lathicharge by police at Birbhum district on Hanuman Jayanti, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Yogesh Varshney on Wednesday threatened West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by announcing a reward of Rs.11 lakh for her head.

When I saw the video [of the police action], I only had one thoughtthat if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjees head, I will give them 11 lakh. Varshney said.

Mamata Banerjee never allows Saraswati Puja celebrations, fairs during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti processions. She organises Iftar parties and always supports Muslims, he added.

Describing Mamata as a 'demon', he alleged that the police had brutally beaten up participants of the rally in Birbhum.

The BJP youth wing leader said the rally was taken out by devotees of Ram and not by any particular political party.

People carried a procession in Birbhum though police in the area had not granted permission to hold any rally on Hanuman Jayanti.
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday condemned the bounty announced by a BJP youth wing leader on the head of Mamata Banerjee, saying the threat has been issued by "rogue element of politics" and asked why he has not been arrested immediately.

TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said, "We are asking the government in Delhi why was he not arrested immediately? What he has done is against the Constitution. Does anyone has the right to say anything? Politics does not permit the use of such words".

Chatterjee, also the state Education minister said, "Attempts were made to kill Mamata Banerjee in the nineties.

They don't know this. They can say many things and talk big sitting in Aligarh or Delhi. They are the rogue elements in politics. From Dilip Ghosh (WB BJP president) to Yogesh in Aligarh, they have opened a dictionary of bad words.

Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) announced a bounty of Rs.11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head after the police in West Bengal used batons to to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti on Tuesday.

The Trinamool leader said thousands of BJP workers were ready to protect the chief minister.

"Let them say this in Bengal. Thousands of TMC workers are ready to protect her and save her life. They don't have any mass base. They are doing politics with the help of arms.

We had seen such politics in the seventies (during naxalite movement) in Bengal and the state had rejected it.
It is evident that the coloured stripes and spots on animal coats are adapted for camouflage and sometimes to help draw attention of prospective mates. The mechanism, by which these patterns form, however, has been a subject of conjecture.

The legendary mathematician and pioneer of digital computing, Alan Turing, first applied the mathematical methods of his fields to examine how shapes or colours appear in living things. The ideas of Turing, which are based on diffusion of possible form-giving agents, called morphogens, from cell to cell, have been carried forward and there are now ways to explain the appearance of colour patterns and even ridges or shapes in living things. Further work has suggested what these agents of form may be  even genetic factors that bring about specific patterns, like the stripes on rodents backs, have been identified.

Liana Manukyan, Sophie A Montandon, Anamarija Fofonjka, Stanislav Smirnov and Michel C Milinkovitch from the departments of genetics, bio-informatics and mathematics at the University of Geneva and the Skolkova Institute and the University of St Petersburg in Russia, report in the journal, Nature, the working of a known computing model that shows up in the formation, and then variations, of the patterns of spots on the back of Timon Lepidus, a lizard, found in Europe, whose back is decorated with motifs that look like eyes. The lizard is also called the ocellated (with eyelike spots) lizard, eyed lizard or the jewelled lacerta.

Alan considered that chemical agents may interact and diffuse from cell to cell, at different speeds, so that different patterns of growth appeared along lines or at spots where the agents reinforced. Mathematical treatment of the idea could explain shapes taken by small groups of cells, like the tentacles that grow on the animal, hydra and the patches that appear on the coats of a breed of cows called Friesian cows. The principles have been extended and there is now explanation, based on the interplay of waves of different agents, for the stripes of the tiger or the zebra, the leopards spots and even the spots on the body, but the stripes on the tail of the cheetah.

The movement of the growth agents, which lead to these patterns, is pre-natal, at the time cells are still being generated in the embryo. The patterned coats are hence fully formed when the animal is born. In the case of the ocellated lizard with the eyelike spots on its back, however, the pattern is more than a distribution of stripes, spots or ridges, or even limbs and protrusions, but is a pattern of more complex shapes. And what is more, the pattern is not fixed at birth but changes as the animal grows!

The group of researchers writing in Nature observe that lizards and snakes display a variety of colours and patterns. The lizard relies on different kinds of cells  those that create colours by structural effects and interference colours of light on cells that have different pigments. Some lizards, like the chameleon, can muscularly adjust the position of units responsible for colours and change them.

The pattern on the skin, however, is generally a result of the distribution of cells, itself a result of the reaction-diffusion mechanism, as analysed by Turing. The same mechanism, however, does not seem to fit the case of the ocellated lizard, the Nature paper says. In that case, the patterns are created by the positioning of larger dimension scales of skin, rather than at the individual colour-giving cell level. The pattern even changes, from white eye-like dots on a brown background on the back of young lizards, to a labyrinthine pattern in green and black when the lizard grows to adulthood, the paper says.

The group used a mechanised observation arrangement to create a record of changes in the skin pattern of three male ocellated lizards, from the age of two weeks to three or four years. High resolution scans of the lizard skin were recorded, every two weeks at the start and once every four months towards the end, because the changes in the patterns are slower when the animal is older. The progression of the pattern can be made out in the third panel in the picture.

Analysis of how the pattern develops, the paper says, revealed that the spots are distributed according to the working of a mathematical rule known as the cellular automaton. The cellular automaton, which finds application in other fields of study, like computability, complexity and physics, is a grid, or a framework of cells, each of which starts out in a state, like black or green. The pattern so formed then evolves, with each cell changing its state at each instant by following some rule that depends on the states of the neighbouring cells. The same rule is applied to all the cells and they change state simultaneously. We can see that there is mutual dependency of clusters of cells and the distribution could tend towards a pattern that would have elements of regularity and still show a great degree of randomness, as seen in the labyrinths on the lizards backs.

With some 5,000 scales being detected at each scan, the team retrieved the information of the state of the neighbours of each scale. The pattern on the young lizard was of about 60 white ocelli (eye-like spots), each composed of five to 17 scales, surrounded by scales of almost uniform brown. Gradually the scales changed colour, the lighter ones turning green and the darker ones turning black.

But the colours did not stay fixed  the individual scales continued to change colour, from green to black and from black to green. Some 1,500 were found to do this, throughout the animals life. This causes a gradual qualitative change of the pattern  the outlines of the original ocelli become obliterated and the pattern turns into a labyrinthine assortment of contrasting black and green chains of scales, the paper says.

The function of the adult pattern, the paper says, is unknown but may be for camouflage, as the pattern disrupts the outline of the animal itself. The fact that the evolution of the pattern corresponds to a mathematical procedure, however, is significant. It is another instance of nature, with the help of genetic mechanisms, using the most energy conserving method to attain configurations that match the needs for the survival of living things.

The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
The centenary of Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram was celebrated in London with the screening of a documentary to retell Gandhi's story with some interesting visual elements to the Internet generation.

'Sabarmati Ashram: The Home of Gandhi's Experiments with Truth was screened at the Nehru Centre on Monday.

Written and produced by senior NRI journalist Vijay Rana, the film showed how Gandhi set up this ashram in 1917 on a 36 -acre wasteland on the banks of Sabarmati River. It was full of snakes, and the first thing Gandhi said was that none of them was to be killed.

This was going to be Gandhi's karmabhumi for next 13 years. Many of his revolutionary ideas were conceived in this ashram  economic liberation through spinning wheel and the home-spun Khadi, fight against social evils like untouchability, a boycott of foreign goods, non-cooperation, peaceful civil disobedience and the defiance of the oppressive Salt Law.

Look at the sheer ingenuity, courage and perhaps the craziness of the man, said Rana.

A hundred years ago, Gandhi was thinking of mobilising the poor, virtually naked and starving, to fight the worlds mightiest Empire without arms.

The film shows how some pro-British newspapers ridiculed his idea of Salt March. People in England wondered what harm could be done to the powerful British Indian government by picking up some salt from a deserted seashore? Nobody could imagine that on Gandhi's call millions of Indians would come out on streets to defy the Raj and break the Salt Law.

The film sheds light on Gandhi's life in the Ashram. There was also an interesting eyewitness account of the famous Salt March by one of his disciples, Sumangal Prakash. He was one of the 78 Ashram residents whom Gandhi personally selected as his co-marchers.

After the screening of the documentary, AS Rajan, Minister Co-ordination at the Indian High Commission in London, said it appropriately reflected the values such as non-violence, peace, love and harmony that Gandhiji preached.

While celebrating 100 years of Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram, this small film is an attempt, in this age of social media when attention span is increasingly fractured, to retell Gandhi's story with some interesting visual elements to the Internet generation, said filmmaker Rana.
In a major development to the self-styled godman Asaram Bapu case, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Gujarat trial court to expedite proceedings urgently and finish the trail in a time-bound manner.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices DY Chandrachud and SK Kaul asked the trial court to expedite evidence recording of prosecution witnesses in a sexual assault case against Asaram.

In February this year, the top court also slapped a fine of Rs.1 lakh on Asaram, and turned down his fresh plea for a bail on health grounds.

The apex court had in October last year sought response from the Centre as well as five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into attacks on ten witnesses in rape cases involving Asaram Bapu.

Asaram has been in jail since 2013 after a teenager accused him of sexually assaulting her during a celebration in a village near Jodhpur ashram.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday lauded the "ambitious" reform agenda of the Modi government, especially on taxation that has made the duty regime more efficient.

"Prime Minister Modi has an ambitious reform agenda.

He has made taxes more efficient and deregulated the economy," Turnbull said at a dinner meeting with industry leaders here.

Praising the progress in IT and the knowledge sector, the visiting premier said India is doing an outstanding job in these areas. He specifically noted the large number smartphone users (around 400 million) in the country.

Earlier in the day, he visited the campus of TCS at suburban Andheri and requested India's largest software exporter to open an innovation lab in his country.

Turnbull flew into the financial capital after his engagements in New Delhi and drove straight to the TCS campus located near the airport.

The PM said the digital evolution is transforming the global economy in general and that of India in particular.

Smartphones are playing a big role in connecting people with global marketplaces, democratising knowledge and expanding people-to-people interactions.

"Technology is one of the most important developments in human history," he added.
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Power Ministry's proposal to sign the MOU for "Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection", a cabinet communique said.

It will be signed among member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) at its upcoming third energy ministers' meeting to be held in Nepal shortly.

Bimstec is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia  Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Under the "BIMSTEC Trans-Power Exchange and Development Project", it was decided that a task force led by Thailand, with representatives of member countries, would give a report on draft MoU for grid interconnections.

Subsequently, the draft MoU was finalised by the task force in March 16, 2015.

This MoU will provide a broad framework for the parties to cooperate towards the implementation of grid interconnections for the trade in electricity with a view to promoting rational and optimal power transmission in the region.
The Mohtamim of Islamic seminary Darul-Uloom of Deoband Maulana Mufti Abdul Kasim has appealed to Ulemas and Muslim clerics not to participate in debates on television channels on triple talaq, multi marriages, common civil code and other issues related to Muslims and called these debates an "unholy attempt" under the 'Shariyat' provisions.

Darul-Uloom of Deoband is one of the biggest Islamic Seminary of the World known for its fatwas. Its head, the Mohtamim is an authority and any words coming from him are expected to have a marked influence on Muslim Clerics.

Maulana Abdul Kasim issued a statement for Muslim clerics, Ulemas and Maulanas, in which he made a strong appeal, advising them not to make any appearance in TV debates whose topics are related to Muslims and their family issues. He said that an environment of confusion has been created due to the negative agenda of the national media and the attitude of courts as well as the government on Muslims, specially triple talaq and common civil code.

Besides being on the target of the government, the issues of Common Civil Code and triple talaq are already in the court of law. Yet such important religious issues related to Islam are being picked up by the media, especially, the news channels as topics of debate these days, said the Maulana.

"The only purpose of these debates is to make an unholy attempt to interfere in the undisputed decisions of the Shariyat and to have a bad influence on the common people. Such debates are never joined by strong Ulemas and neither should not participate. But some people representing Muslims portray a wrong picture in these debates and give a wrongful description of the Shariyat," the Maulana said.

The Maulana further advised that people who want to gain knowledge on issues related to Islam should =contact Madrasas across the country and the DarulIfta.
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will embark on a five-day India visit from April 17, her first trip to this country after assuming office in 2015.

Announcing the schedule, the external affairs ministry today said the upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections.

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"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," it said.

Bhandari, who will be here at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders.

She will also be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

The Nepalese leader was scheduled to visit India in May last year but it was cancelled with the Nepal government citing internal developments as the reason for the cancellation.

In Kathmandu, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri called on Bhandari and discussed her visit as well as other bilateral issues, according to her office. PTI PYK SC

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Union Minister JP Nadda along with MPs from Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday met Transport minister Nitin Gadkari and reviewed the status of various approved highway projects in that state.

"Met Hon'ble Minister of RT&H, Shri @nitin_gadkari ji along with Hon'ble MPs of HP in Transport Bhawan today," Nadda tweeted.

"Status of NH proposal, CRF/ISC proposal approved / announced by Hon'ble Minister for HP reviewed in this meeting," he said in a tweeted.

Nadda said the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has given in principal approval to national highway projects worth around Rs.19,000 crore in Himachal Pradesh.

"@MORTHIndia has given 'in principal' approval for 59 NH in HP, which would involve Rs.19,400 crore (approx.) investment.

"NDA govt under the leadership of Hon PM Shri @NarendraModi ji is committed for the development of road infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh," he said in a series of tweets.
A parliamentary committee has found irregularities in award of contracts of advertisements in the Mumbai division of the railways and recommended a CBI inquiry into it.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its latest report has noted the irregularities in award of contract of advertisements on a first come, first served basis which was prevailing in the Mumbai division for the last 25-30 years.

All contracts which were allotted on the basis of the first come, first served basis for commercial publicity should be terminated with immediate effect, the PAC headed by KV Thomas said in its report.

The committee has found that there was no transparency in award of contracts in Central Railway and Western Railway.

The Mumbai division is part of Central Railway and Western Railway.

Taking note of the alleged fraud in allotment of advertisements and involvement of railway officials which were inquired into by the Central Vigilance Commission and action taken against a few officials, the committee recommended a CBI inquiry to probe.

The CBI inquiry should probe the first come, first served policy in Mumbai division, it said. The committee is for strict action against erring contractors and officials involved in the alleged fraud.

Unless and until exemplary punishment is awarded to the corrupt officials from the top to the bottom, irregularities in commercial publicity in railways cannot be rooted out, the report said.

It has also highlighted the lackadaisical attitude of the railways in utilising its vast resources for generating additional revenue through advertising.

Taking note of the delay in tender finalisation for advertisement at stations, the PAC report said railways have taken longer than the stipulated period of 45 to 90 days and it resulted in losses to the public transporter.

Recommending a review of the process of contract formulation and execution, it has said that railways should shed the nonchalant approach of condoning delays in finalisation of contracts owing to precautionary approach.

The committee has also observed the lack of coordination between various zones. It has suggested railways encourage the zones which earn maximum revenue through commercial publicity by giving them incentives to motivate others.

The PAC has also observed that the menace of unauthorised displays at the stations was a constant source of leakage of revenues of railways.

It has recommended exploring the feasibility of hallmarking of authorised symbols for contracted advertisements to avoid unauthorised hoardings and penalty for unauthorised publicity.
Pakistan will be condemned across the world if it hangs Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Wednesday.

"We leave their (Pakistan's) people. They are not able to come out of their old habits. It is very unfortunate. Whole world is watching what is happening and and it will attract worldwide condemnation," the information and broadcasting minister told reporters outside Parliament.

A Pakistani military court has sentenced Jadhav to death in an alleged espionage case.

Naidu also hit out at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi for his remarks alleging BJP policies were to blame for poor voter turnout and violence in the Srinagar Lok Sabha bypolls.

"Who is responsible for the Jammu and Kashmir problem?

Comments for short political gains are not good for anyone," the minister said.

He suggested that one should think carefully and speak in favour of the country on such sensitive issues.

"One should keep in mind the country's unity and integrity before speakingPakistan is creating problems and separatists are fuelling the fire," Naidu said.

Yesterday, Gandhi had said that decades of hard work to build trust in the democratic process in Kashmir has been reversed by the BJP government.

Eight people were killed on Sunday in firing by security forces during the Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll. Only 7.14 per cent of the electorate came out to cast their votes in the constituency.
A committee formed by the Centre to frame a draft for the Ganga act, which provides for stricter action against those polluting the river, on Wednesday submitted its report to the Water Resources Ministry.

Justice (retd) Girdhar Malviya, who heads the panel formed last year, submitted the report to Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti at Shram Shakti Bhawan here.

According to an official statement, the draft law addresses critical issues pertaining to Ganga on its cleanliness and uninterrupted e-flow.

The committee has adopted certain stricter provisions to increase accountability and responsibility for use of resources made available by Ganga, the statement said.

A ministry official said the act has provided for penalising those who pollute the river.

The draft act will be circulated to some ministries including Law for their suggestions.

The Water Resources Ministry will then seek suggestions/objections from public before finalising the draft, the official said without elaborating further on the report.

Former secretary (legislative department) VK Bhasin, IIT-Delhi professor AK Gosain and IIT-Roorkee professor Nayan Sharma were other members of the panel.

The committee had National Mission for Clean Ganga director Sundeep as its member secretary.
The parties across the political spectrum in both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday strongly condemned a BJP youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney's purported remark announcing a Rs 11 lakh bounty to anyone who beheads the Trinamul's West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

As the Opposition parties demanded action against Varshney, the BJP-led central government told Parliament that the Trinamul-led Bengal government was "free to take legal action" against him.

The issue was raked up in both Houses by the Trinamul MPs, with all major political parties and the government coming together to condemn the hate remark.

In the Rajya Sabha, the Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the Bengal government could register an FIR and take action in the case.

Raising the matter in the Upper House, the Trinamul member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said a BJP youth activist has publicly described Mamata as a "demon" and announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for anyone who brings her head to him.

Roy asked the Rajya Sabha and the government to condemn it, accusing the Centre of allegedly trying to

"unleash a reign of terror" in West Bengal in the name of religion among other things.

The Left and other Opposition parties also supported the Trinamul on the matter.

The minister of state for parliamentary affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "I strongly condemn such type of statements. State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue".

The BSP chief Mayawati and the Congress leader Digvijay Singh demanded that the BJP should take action against its youth wing leader. Describing Varshney's controversial remark as a "serious matter", Mayawati

said, "BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action."

The SP member Jaya Bachchan said there is a need to take "aggressive" steps for protection of women. "You can protect cows, but women are facing atrocities," she told the government. Asking how could a political activist make such remarks, especially against a woman CM, she asked, "Is this the way you are going to protect women?"

The BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too is a woman and that she had allegedly been beaten up by "goons" led by the Mamata-headed Trinamul in front of policemen because of which she had been bed-ridden for 3 months. "The Bengal CM, who is also a woman, should answer this," Roopa said.

In the Lok Sabha, the Trinamul leader Saugata Roy raised the issue, saying that the BJP youth wing leader had made the bounty remark against the Bengal CM following police action on a BJP rally in Birbhum on Hanuman Jayanti.

Expressing serious concern, Saugata demanded "all possible action" from the Centre against activists making such provocative announcements.

He was backed by other Opposition parties, with the Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge demanding "strong action" from the Narendra Modi government on the matter.

The parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said the governemnt condemned such remarks against the Bengal CM.

The Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant instances in recent political discourse

and that everyone must work together to correct it. "Such a trend is wrong. Everyone should maintain restraint," she added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed regret that despite consensus among all parties, a constitutional amendment bill to accord a constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

The Prime Minister expressed his anguish through a tweet after a delegation of BJP lawmakers from Other Backward Classes met him in Parliament to thank him for the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha.

According to a statement issued by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Prime Minister said: "This bill will ensure justice to backward classes and also help in their social empowerment."

Modi said he was shocked by the attitude of the opposition parties on the bill.

"It is surprising that the bill has not been passed in the upper house. This happened after recommendations of a parliamentary committee on OBCs on the issue. Even MPs from all parties met me and urged to make the amendment in the Constitution on the matter," Modi said.

Urging the party MPs to persuade the opposition MPs on the issue, Modi said: "To stop backward classes from (getting) their rights, by doing such nagative politics, is regrettable."

BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Prime Minister asked party MPs to spread the message of the bill and make the backward classes aware about it.

The bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes was on Tuesday referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha after the opposition parties blocked its consideration in the house.

A motion for sending the National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill to the Select Committee was moved by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot and it was adopted by the upper house.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and the government tried to push its consideration by the Rajya Sabha but a combined opposition resisted it.

The government on April 5 introduced separate bills to constitute a commission for the socially and educationally backward classes  to be known as the National Commission for Backward Classes  and to repeal the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

The National Commission for Backward Classes was constituted under the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, to examine requests of inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the list and hear complaints of over- or under-inclusion of any backward class in such list.


The Supreme Court on Wednesday deferred the final hearing in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal case to27 April saying it desires an amicable solution to the controversial issue.

The final hearing was put off after the Centre informed the court that a meeting of Punjab and Haryana has been convened by it on 20 April to resolve the matter. The court, however, made it clear that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.

"A meeting has been called at the highest level on April 20. The government of India is very keen to find a solution," Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the bench headed by Justice P C Ghose.

The bench, also comprising Justice Amitava Roy, considered the statement of Solicitor General and deferred the hearing in the case to 27 April.

"We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution," the bench said, when senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Haryana, reminded it that the matter has been listed for final hearing with regard to execution of the court's judgement favouring construction of SYL canal.

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who represents Punjab in the case, said he has always been saying that an out-of-court solution should be found to the impasse. The bench stated that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.
The Parliament on Wednesday erupted over a threat to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with opposition members accusing the government of not protecting the country's women.

"Government must take steps for protection of women. You are protecting cows but atrocities are happening to women," Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said in Rajya Sabha.

The uproar in the Parliament came in the wake of a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Yogesh Varshney threatening West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee by announcing a reward of Rs.11 lakh for her head.

The threat to the West Bengal CM followed a lathicharge incident by police at Birbhum district on Hanuman Jayanti.

When I saw the video [of the police action], I only had one thoughtthat if anyone gets me Mamata Banerjees head, I will give them 11 lakh. Varshney was quoted as saying by a news agency.
Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh has caused a flutter in the Beijing roost. Wary of the fallout from Dalai Lamas visit to the picturesque 17th century Tawang monastery, which to Tibetans is next in importance after the Potala Palace in Lhasa, the erstwhile abode of the Dalai Lama, China has severely warned India that the visit to the contested area will inflict severe damage to China-India relations. In a reversal of its earlier timidity and nervousness while dealing with China, India has of late become remarkably assertive, sensing correctly that in order to make its big neighbour more sensitive towards its own concerns like the UN Security Council, NSG or Masood Azhar, it has to aggressively confront China on such issues as Tibet and One-China Policy. In Chinas reckoning, both are non-negotiable. In fact, the Dalai Lamas visit may just provide extra ammunition to India, which it may leverage to its advantage both at the political and diplomatic levels.

Since the 1962 war, not a single shot has been fired along the nearly 3500-long disputed border with China, but the Chinese position on the border has remained unaltered. China claims the entire Arunachal Pradesh as its own territory, the swathe being referred to as Southern Tibet. The Dalai Lamas visit to Tawang undermines Chinese claims and strengthens Indian position by imparting legitimacy. This appears to have offended China.

The origin of the dispute dates back to the early 20th century. The 885-km-long northern boundary of Arunachal Pradesh known as the McMahon Line ~ a bone of contention between India and China ~ takes its name from Sir Arthur Henry McMahon, Secretary to the Government of India (1911-14).

At the beginning of the 20th Century, the Qing dynasty of China was on the decline. At that point of time, it exercised only a limited control over Tibet, which was autonomous in every respect except foreign policy and international relations which were determined by China. However, taking advantage of the declining powers of the Qing emperor, Tibet started asserting its independence. In a last desperate attempt to reassert its authority, the Qing Government sent military forces to Tibet in 1910, before it itself finally collapsed in the wake of the 1911 Republican Revolution in China, prompting the thirteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet, to expel all Chinese officials and troops from Tibet and proclaim the independence of Tibet from Chinese occupation. Tibet sought international recognition for its new freedom in 1913.

A conference was held in 1914 in Simla between Tibet, India and China to settle the frontier and other matters relating to Tibet. While India was represented by Sir McMahon, Ivan Chen represented China and Lonchen Ga-den Shatra Pal-jor Dorje represented Tibet. The accord signed on 3 July 1914, known as the Simla Convention, provided that Tibet would be divided into Outer Tibet and Inner Tibet ~ The Governments of Great Britain and China recognising that Tibet is under the suzerainty of China, and recognising also the autonomy of Outer Tibet, engage to respect the territorial integrity of the country, and to abstain from interference in the administration of Outer Tibet (including the selection and installation of the Dalai Lama), which shall remain in the hands of the Tibetan Government at Lhasa. Outer Tibet covered approximately the same area as the modern Tibet Autonomous Region, while Inner Tibet would remain under the jurisdiction of the Chinese government. Article 9 of the Convention stated: For the purpose of the present Convention, the borders of Tibet, and the boundary between Outer and Inner Tibet, shall be as shown in red and blue respectively on the map attached hereto.

The red line, defining the boundary between Tibet and China, approximately coincides with the McMahon Line, which ran along the highest ridges of the Himalayan ranges following the watershed principle of mapmaking. The only exception was at Tawang, the birthplace of the Sixth Dalai Lama, which was on the Tibetan side of the watershed, but the British negotiated to shift the McMahon line north of it, thus including Tawang in India for protecting its trade and political interests.

The draft Indo-Tibet boundary was formally confirmed in March 1914 and submitted at the seventh meeting on 22 April 1914 along with the map, which was signed by the Chinese plenipotentiary, Ivan Chen on 27 April 1914. The final 3 July 1914 accord lacked any textual boundary description, but attached an identical map. Delegates from India, China, and Tibet agreed on this frontier, but the talks broke down on the issue of the boundary between Inner and Outer Tibet. Two days later, the Chinese government disavowed its delegate and refused to sign the Convention.

However, the Tibetan and British representative went ahead and with the Agreement and declared that, We, the Plenipotentiaries of Great Britain and Tibet, hereby record the following declaration to the effect that we acknowledge the annexed convention as initialled to be binding on the Governments of Great Britain and Tibet, and we agree that so long as the Government of China withholds signature to the aforesaid convention she will be debarred from the enjoyment of all privileges accruing therefrom. China refused to sign the Convention and emphatically stated that any bilateral agreement between Tibet and Britain would not be recognized by it, since Tibet not being independent could not have independently signed treaties. Further as per the Anglo-Chinese (1906) and AngloRussian (1907) conventions, any such agreement would be invalid without Chinese assent. But Chinese rule in Tibet had effectively ceased by then and China was too weak to challenge the might of the British Empire in India; hence no one challenged the authority of Tibet to sign the agreement. The Survey of India finally published a map showing the McMahon Line as the official boundary between China and India in 1938.

Much is made by scholars like Melvyn Goldstein, Alastair Lamb, Neville Maxwell and others of the fact that the Simla Convention was not signed but only initialled by the Chinese delegate and hence lacked legality. The fact remains that the map of 27 April 1914, showing the IndiaTibet boundary, bears the full signatures of the Tibetan Plenipotentiary and the Chinese Plenipotentiary. Mr McMahon initialled the map of 27 April 1914, while he and the Tibetan Plenipotentiary had signed the map of 3 July 2014. To deny historical reality, one needs stronger grounds than initials and signatures. The historical reality is that China has never protested against this position until 90 years later ~ in 2006. Both Chou En Lai in his discussions with Nehru in 1960 and Deng Xiapeng in 1985 refrained from referring to Tawang. Chou in fact conceded that while the McMahon Line was undecided and unfair, it had become an accomplished fact and that there was no better way than to recognize this Line. Since then, India and China have held 19 rounds of border talks and signed five confidence-building agreements, in 1993, 1996, 2005, 2012 and 2013. The 7 September 1993 agreement categorically stated that Pending an ultimate solution to the boundary question between the two countries, the two sides shall strictly respect and observe the line of actual control between the two sides. This was reiterated in all subsequent agreements. The 2005 agreement further asserted, In reaching a boundary settlement, the two sides shall safeguard due interests of their settled populations in the border areas. As The Economist then noted, this implied that China had dropped its historical demand for Tawang.

The first time Tawang entered the official discussions was in March 2006, when Dai Bingguo, the special representative for boundary discussions, insisted that the eastern sector including Tawang be made the focal point in border discussions, followed by the Chinese envoy Sun Yuxi claiming the whole of Arunachal Pradesh including Tawang as Chinese territory. This was clearly going against the spirit of the 2005 agreement to leave areas with settled populations undisturbed. In 2007, the Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told the then External Affairs Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, that mere presence of settled population would not alter Chinese claims.

Since then there has been very little progress in negotiations between the two countries which have practically been stalled. Relations have become strained, moving from dispute settlement to crisis management. India has effectively junked the One-China policy intensifying its interactions with Taiwan, and connecting it with Chinas acceptance of a OneIndia policy. China should realise that diplomacy and international relations depend on reciprocity. India is not overly disturbed over Chinese activities in Aksai Chin which was Indias territory as a legacy of history. Neither has it engaged in robust diplomacy to counter Chinese involvement in the POK, through which China is building its China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. It is time China realised that it is now dealing with a mature, strong and confident India.

The writer is a commentator and the opinions expressed are personal.
By creating conditions that forced a deferment of the by-poll to the Lok Sabha from Anantnag, the people of the Kashmir Valley have sent out a horribly disturbing signal. They have voted a lack of confidence in the management of their political and administrative affairs. That is the message to New Delhi, Srinagar/Jammu, and both the major local political forces ~ the Peoples Democratic Party (which along with the BJP forms the state government) and the more traditionallyfavoured National Conference: with the Congress, as in so many other places, having been reduced to a bit-player.

The fate of the by-poll from Srinagar now falls in the dubious category: the lowest-ever 7.14 per cent voter turnout, eight deaths and over 200 instances of violence having set the stage for the Election Commissions eleventh-hour decision on Anantnag. Whether a mere deferment of that poll to 25 May will have a positive effect is a matter for speculation, triggering apprehensions that, as had happened earlier too, the security forces may be drafted to get out the vote.

It would be living in the fools paradise in which Raisina Hill now thrives, politically convenient as well, to blame the low turnout and violence on the Pakistan-backed separatists ~ although there is nothing to suggest that people had come out to vote in Srinagar but were driven away by stonepelting mobs. For the past eight/nine months the situation in the Valley has been on the verge of collapse.

The ugly spat between the union home ministry and the EC over the original poll schedule only re-confirms a reality that false prestige had prevented New Delhi from discerning. It is significant that the participation of key figures of both the NC and the PDP in the Srinagar and Anantnag polls had no persuasive effect on the voter.

Maybe that does not confirm the claim of the separatists ~ the All Party Hurriyat Conference in particular ~ to be the true representatives of the people but it does underscore the diminishing credibility of the political forces more acceptable in New Delhi. Which could prove disastrous in the long-term: is the vacuum to be filled by those now commanding the streets?

Clearly, a very heavy price is being paid by the NDA government for its refusal to believe that the muscle of the security forces could turn around the situation in the Valley. Ever since the death of Burhan Wani there has been seething resentment; even warnings from the Chief of the Army Staff have not deterred the mobs from hindering antimilitant operations of the forces. What more will it take for Modi sarkar to put its pride in its pocket, and initiate political action to convince folk in the Valley that they also belong.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked PM Modi for his holiday greeting on Twitter.

By India Today Web Desk: Israelis are waiting for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's historic visit to the country, Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today.

Thank you, my friend, for your kind holiday greeting. The people of Israel eagerly await your historic visit. https://t.co/Is1NmfWiMF; Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) April 11, 2017

Netanyahu's tweet was then re-tweeted by the PMO.

Two days ago, Modi had tweeted, "Khag Sameach Khaverim". In Hebrew, it is used as a greeting for the holidays.

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Modi is expected to travel to Israel sometime in the next few months.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlins visit to India last November had set the stage for Prime Minister Modis historic visit to the Jewish state which is likely to take place in the middle of this year.

Also read:

Israel signs $2 billion deal with India to supply missile defence systems

PM Modi clears air defence missile deal with Israel for Rs 17,000 crore

--- ENDS ---
It was a bloody Palm Sunday in Egypt, and literally so. The prologue to the Holy Week, that culminates in Good Friday and Easter, could scarcely have been been more catastrophic; the fact that it happened in churches and in the midst of Mass has heightened the enormity of Sunday's tragedy. A few direly distressing facets are readily discernible. The first is that the ISIS has claimed responsibility for the explosions that killed 47 devotees in the minority Coptic churches at Tanta, near Cairo, and in the port city of Alexandria.

The other is that the administration of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, buoyed very recently with the release of Hosni Mubarak, has been jolted to its foundations. The three-month emergency that has been declared in Egypt is suggestive of the gravity of the crisis that is rooted in the outrage on the country's largest religious minority. Yet another factor must be the first major strike by the Caliphate in the country, though there is no evidence yet to link the ISIS to the pro-Islamic Muslim Brotherhood that had wielded power post-Mubarak till it was ousted in a coup spearheaded by Sisi, then a Field-Marshal.

Suffice it to register that Islamist extremists have of late been targeting the country's Christian minority, who represent 10 per cent of the population. The timeline is intriguing ~ a couple of days after the chemical gas attack in Syria, the hotbed of ISIS operations and weeks before Pope Francis is scheduled to visit Egypt.

The pontiff, who was conveyed the news when he was marking Palm Sunday in St Peter's Square, will be visiting a country where the government is struggling to protect Christians, and where the ISIS is seemingly intent on driving a wedge between the two religions.

Altogether, six years after the Arab Spring, Egypt is floundering in search of its moorings. The upheaval at Tahrir Square and the cry for democracy have been reduced to irrelevance. Rather, the quasi-military dispensation of a former Field-Marshal ~ a legacy of the ancien regime ~ now contends with religious strife and the fury of Islamist fundamentalists, as in many other parts of the world. For the Sisi regime, the challenge of the Caliphate is forbidding.

It has opened up yet another flank on Sunday, one that a jittery government that lacks the support of the people will have to countenance. Almost inevitably, the emergence of mortal fundamentalism might serve to buttress the morale of the Muslim Brotherhood. Indeed, the ISIS poses a frontal threat to Sisi, generally perceived to be a strongman who has put security at the heart of his legitimacy in Egypt.

He has since assuming power used his antiIslamic credentials to win the support of Western allies. Sunday's butchery could change the dynamics of Egypt's foreign policy.
Yogi Adityanath is grabbing eyeballs across the country. Even down south in Kerala. Keralites seem fascinated by this saffron clad chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. An interview done by a leading Malayalam television channel soon after Adityanath took over as CM proved to be a hit in Kerala. The interview was conducted in Hindi and telecast without subtitles. No problem. Keralites are now quite familiar with Hindi thanks to Bollywood.

The interview was shown several times because of popular demand. Such is the interest in the countrys first priestturned-politician-turned-chief-minister who is a staunch Hindutva face as well.

Unfortunately, the interview got little play in the north although it was probably Adityanaths first one after becoming CM. The one he gave to Doordarshan is being touted as his first full length interview.

Power of saffron

The power of the BJPs stunning victory in the UP assembly election is having its effect in Parliament. The most vociferous opposition party, Mamata Banerjees Trinamool Congress, has gone into silent mode, paving the way for one of the most productive sessions in a long time.

The most visible sign of the changed dynamics was the attire of TMC MP Idris Ali on the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi attends the Lok Sabha for his question hour time. That day, Ali came dressed in a bright saffron kurta, as if to celebrate the colour of the moment.

He did something else that caused eyebrows to go up. After walking up to the table where officers of the Lok Sabha Secretariat sit and asking a question, he didnt take the usual route straight back to his seat in the opposition benches.

Instead, he made a detour and walked around to the treasury benches straight up to the PM. They shook hands and had a whispered exchange for several minutes. When he walked back to sit with his TMC colleagues, they asked him what that exchange was all about. He said he had gone to congratulate the PM on the BJPs UP victory.

The Trinamool party line is silence. But Ali charted his own course. He is known to wear his loyalty to his leader Mamata Banerjee on his kurta. He is a flamboyant dresser and is often seen sporting kurtas with Mamatas face emblazoned on them. The saffron coloured kurta was a first. Was it a signal that times are changing even in West Bengal?

The Lady Don

When heavy industries minister and Shiv Sena MP Ananth Geethe got into a physical scrap with civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju inside the Lok Sabha last week, the only person who managed to calm the agitated Sena leader was Smriti Irani.

Several ministers rushed to separate Geethe from Gajapati Raju including Rajnath Singh, SS Ahluwalia and some junior ministers. But Geethe ignored them and shoved some of them aside physically.

It was only when Irani came and caught hold of Geethe physically that the Sena leader quietened down. It seems Irani is known as "Lady Don in Sena circles for her tough no-nonsense attitude. The title was given by Sena MP Sanjay Raut.

Some of Iranis female fellow MPs were worried when they saw her rushing towards Geethe. They warned her that Geethe was in such a towering rage, he could even manhandle her.

But Irani has worked with Sena leaders for a long time when she was in Mumbai and knows them well. In fact, Raut coined the term Lady Don for her during that period.

Sitarams plight

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechurys fellow MPs, particularly those in the opposition, are wondering what will happen after July. Yechurys term in the Rajya Sabha ends that month and the CPM has an iron-clad rule that no MP will have more than two terms in the Upper House. The party has paid dearly on account of this rule, losing several good parliamentarians like Nilotpal Basu and M A Baby who have not returned after two terms. Yechury too has completed two terms in Rajya Sabha.

The CPM could of course always make an exception for its general secretary who is also one of the most effective parliamentarians the opposition has in the Upper House. The question is whether it will break a rule for Yechury.

This is where the internal dynamics of the CPM may come into play. The party has so few MLAs in the West Bengal assembly that unless the Congress lends a helping hand, it cannot get a seat in the Rajya Sabha.

It has good strength in Kerala where it won the state election last year. But Kerala is considered Prakash Karats patch. Will hardliner Karat allow a long standing rule to be broken for Yechury with whom he has an old rivalry?

Changes afoot

The passage of the GST bills in Parliament will not only transform the tax structure of the countrys economy, it will change the name of the tax department. The Central Board of Excise and Customs will be rechristened the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. In other words, CBEC will now become CBIC.

The CBIC will supervise the work of all its field formations and directorates. It will also assist the government in policy making with regard to GST, central excise levy and customs functions. So, not only a name change but big changes in functioning as well.
The makers of Baahubali 2: The Conclusion have locked Cinestaan AA Distributors to release the Hindi version of the cinematic spectacle in the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand markets.

Cinestaan AA Distributors is a joint venture between Cinestaan Film Company and AA Films. Officials are delighted that the movie's makers have reposed confidence in them and given them the opportunity to distribute this landmark film, read a statement.

Directed by S.S. Rajamouli and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, the much-awaited sequel to Baahubali: The Beginning, will have a worldwide release on 28 April.

Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia, it is said to be the first Indian film to be released in 4K High Definition format, the statement read.
Actress Sayyeshaa, who will be working with actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva in his upcoming Tamil directorial Karuppu Raja Vella Raja, stunned the popular choreographer with her moves on the sets of Vanamagan.

A forest-based action-drama, the upcoming Vanamagan marks the Tamil film debut of Sayyeshaa. Prabhudheva got to work with the Shivaay star on a song he choreographed in Vanamagan.

"He was brought exclusively to choreograph a solo number on Sayyeshaa. He was told that she is a very good dancer. Hence, Prabhu master decided to give her one of his toughest moves which he performed two decades ago in his film Raasaiyya," a source from the film's unit shared.

As part of the song, Sayyeshaa was required to lie on her back and move like a wave.

"It was a very difficult move. Sayyeshaa rehearsed for four days but on the day of the shoot, she pulled it off in a single take. Her moves left everybody on the sets stunned, including Prabhu master. It was her commitment that landed her an opportunity to work under his direction," the source added.

At the launch of Karuppu Raja Vella Raja earlier this week, Vishal heaped praise on the 19-year-old's dancing skills.

"Karthi and I watched one of her songs from Vanamagan. Both of us were stunned by what we saw and we told each other we are going to have a tough time matching steps with her. She is easily one of the best dancers in the country today," Vishal said.

Sayyeshaa is paired with Vishal and Karthi in Karuppu Raja Vella Raja.


Good news for all the fans of TV heartthrob Barun Sobti. The star is all set to make a comeback with his hit show  Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon  soon.

The actor was to return to the small screen last year with the show Satya Ki Kiran with Shivani Tomar in lead. However, the show could not make it to the screen.

The channel and the production house were not on the same page owing to which some scenes were re-shot, sources said.

The show was supposed to go on air in May-end but was rescheduled to July. Eventually, a meeting was held between the producers and the channel and they decided to scrap the show.

If reports are to be believed, then the actor has been roped in to play ASR again in the romantic series  Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon.

This time Barun's name would be Advay Singh Raizada instead of Arnav Singh Raizada.

The hunt for the female lead is still on.
Claire Foy says she is relieved to leave The Crown as she feels dedicating a long period of time to play a single character is a daunting task for an actor.

The 32-year-old actress, who essays the role of Queen Elizabeth II in the TV series, says she knew what she had signed up for and is glad that it is over, reported The Independent.

That's not a shock we always knew when we signed up to it, and also not to be funny but it's also a real plus. As an actor there's nothing worse than the sound of 'seven years'.

I'm sure to some people it sounds amazing but to us it's like, seven years of playing the same person? And this is a tough job, you know? It's long, a good nine-monther (working on the show each year). And that's a lot of your life that you sign over to it, Foy says.

The show will take a leap in the lives of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, where he co-star Matt Smith will be recast instead of artificially ageing them using prosthetics or CGI.

Foy adds that she will miss being on the show and says, I'm going to miss it terribly. But I just can't wait to see where it goes, I just can't wait.

The second season of The Crown is expected to hit Netflix in November and the third installment will follow next year.
Kit Harington says that he does not care whether his character Jon Snow is actually found out to be the prince that was promised, as per one of the popular fan theories for Game of Thrones.

The 30-year-old actor says fans will have to wait for the upcoming season of the HBO TV series to find out what lies in fate for the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, reported The Huffington Post.

I think you have to wait and see what happens this year, and if we find out anything more about Jon. I think Jon would hate the term 'The Prince That Was Promised'. If someone turned to him and said, 'You're The Prince That Was Promised,' he just wouldn't pay much attention.

That's what I love about him, so I don't really care about it either. You know, I think that's what's great about him. He's got very little ego on him, says Harington.

GOT season seven airs July 16.
Actress Lisa Kudrow believes a Friends reunion would be great, but does not think it is going to happen.

The 53-year-old actress, who starred as Phoebe Buffay on the hit US sitcom, has revealed she would love to reprise the role if there is a reunion, reported Contactmusic.

It would be great (if it happened). It would be a lot of fun. But even just from a logistical purpose, it would never work because everyone is on a totally, ridiculous work schedule, that's the opposite of someone else.

It's even impossible for us to get together for dinner, it's really hard. It's six people, how easy it is for you to get six of your friends together? Kudrow says.

The actress says she is frequently asked about the prospect of the cast, which also included Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and Matthew Perry, reuniting for more episodes of the show, but has to shoot down the hopes of fans.

I feel like I'm just constantly bursting that little bubble of hope, each and every time it's asked. It's been 13 years, 13 years of the same question and right now, or in the future, it's not going to happen. And every time I say that, I get yelled at! she says.
Inspired by the vineyards of European countryside, heres a luxury heritage tea bungalow to watch out for where prospective travellers can let their hair down and savour the famed Darjeeling cuppa along with personalised hospitality.

Its Glenburn Tea Estate and Boutique Hotel nestling on the banks of river Rangeet in the Eastern Himalayas overlooking the majestic Kanchenjunga in Darjeeling Hills.

Dating back hundreds of years, Glenburn has been the creation of a Scottish tea company in 1859 and it's been more than a century that the tea plantation estate is managed by the countrys pioneering tea plantation family of Prakashes.

It sprawls over 1,000 acres of forest land with two rivers flowing through and is a destination to lust for.

Sharing the details of the tea plantation estate, HusnaTara Prakash, proprietress, Glenburn Tea Estate and Boutique Hotel, explained, For tourists looking ahead to know the journey of the Darjeeling cuppa, we have opened our tea estate and is quite similar to vineyards in Europe where travellers get to watch the wine-making process, taste and purchase the wine. The tea estate experience is quite educational and informative. Apart from providing a memorable tea experience, we also offer walking experience enabling them to walk the whole day and retire to luxury at night. It prides in being one of the few tea estates in the country to provide a walking experience.

The well-known tea estate has undergone a huge restoration work including the Burra Bungalow keeping with the trend of the colonial planters bungalow. The journey to Glenburn Tea Estate from Bagdogra Airport is an arduous one.

Prakash said, We bring all our guests right from the airport by chauffeur-driven cars with personalised service and a grand picnic is held on the way to the hotel. We have added four more rooms in our Water Lily Bungalow and all our rooms provide breathtaking views of the bewitching Kanchenjunga and the hill resort of Darjeeling. Our rooms are replete with antique furniture crafted from Burma wood.

As far as expansion of the hospitality group goes, Prakash said, We are coming up with a novel boutique hotel- the Penthouse in the hub of Kolkata that will provide a blend of luxury and intimacy. We do not have any such plans for expansion of our tea estate. We receive more global tourists than domestic visitors into our hotel but the footfall was a bit lower than normal last year. With an increasing number of tourists heading to Eastern zone, we are hoping for a sound growth in tourist arrivals in the ongoing period. Things appear bright with the West Bengal government determined to hard sell the state as a promising tourist destination.

The Confederation of Indian Industry with its signature creation, Destination East is striving to entice tourists into the eastern states of India.
Foreign hackers may have attacked the voter registration website for the Brexit referendum in June last year, a group of British MPs said on Wednesday.

The website had crashed on registration deadline day, June 7, weeks before the referendum on Britain's membership of the 28-nation bloc European Union (EU) on June 23.

At the time, the UK government had attributed the crash to high demand and extended the registration deadline.

However, MPs on the House of Commons Public Administration Committee said in a report on Wednesday that a foreign cyber-attack could not be ruled out.

The report did not name the countries that may have been responsible for the crash.

We do not rule out the possibility that there was foreign interference in the EU referendum caused by a DDOS (distributed denial of service attack) using botnets, though we do not believe that any such interference had any material effect on the outcome of the EU referendum, the report said.

Lessons in respect of the protection and resilience against possible foreign interference in IT systems that are critical for the functioning of the democratic process must extend beyond the technical, it said.

The UK Cabinet Office, which ran the website, stressed that it did not suspect any malign intervention.

We have been very clear about the cause of the website outage in June 2016. It was due to a spike in users just before the registration deadline. There is no evidence to suggest malign intervention. We conducted a full review into the outage and have applied the lessons learned. We will ensure these are applied for all future polls and online services, a Cabinet Office statement said.

According to evidence submitted to the committee from the Association of Electoral Administrators, the electoral registration system could not cope with the demand and any contingency measures were wholly inadequate.

The committee called on the government to set up a new Cyber Security Centre to monitor and contain potential attacks on UK elections and referendums, particularly foreign attempts to influence public opinion and disrupt the democratic process.

The US and UK understanding of 'cyber' is predominantly technical and computer-network based, said the report.

For example, Russia and China use a cognitive approach based on understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals.

The implications of this different understanding of cyber-attack, as purely technical or as reaching beyond the digital to influence public opinion, for the interference in elections and referendums are clear, the report said.

In its report, the committee has also criticised then prime minister David Cameron's questionable motives for calling a referendum in the first place, saying it had been done to call the bluff of his critics and shut down unwelcome debate.

It urged future governments to think carefully before promising nationwide votes on controversial issues, particularly if they are not prepared to implement an outcome they do not like.

There was no proper planning for a Leave vote so the EU referendum opened up much new controversy and left the prime minister's credibility destroyed, the report added.
According to some reports, Ministry of Home Affairs was planning to build a "strong wall" along the India-Pakistan border to check terrorist infiltration.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told Parliament that there was no proposal with the Central government to build a wall along Pakistan border. This was stated by Minister of State (MoS) for Home Kiren Rijiju in a response to an unstarred question by Rajya Sabha MP Harivansh.

Internationally, "the wall" is a term often used by United States President Donald Trump while referring to the physical barrier his government aims to build along the border with Mexico.

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According to reports, after Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Israel, the MHA was planning to build a "strong wall" along the India-Pakistan border to check terrorist infiltration. It was learnt that the Ministry of Home Affairs was keen to build a wall similar to the Israeli West Bank wall with Palestine.

However, the Home Ministry informed the upper house that the Narendra Modi government is not considering any such proposal.

HI-TECH PLANS TO BOOST SECURITY

The government instead has adopted a multi-pronged approach for enhancing security arrangement at the India-Pakistan border. This includes deployment of Border Security Force (BSF), construction of border fence and border roads, installation of floodlights and construction of border outposts (BOPs), introduction of hi-tech surveillance equipment and providing weapons and specialised vehicles to security forces.

In another statement, MHA informed Parliament that approximately 250 km of India-Pakistan border has not been covered under fencing primarily due to riverines, ditches and marshy terrain, and in some cases due to pending land acquisition.

The MHA said India has sanctioned a pilot project for deployment of technological solutions and force multipliers, physical patrolling, laying of concertina wires, laser infra-red system, among several other measures along the border.

ALSO READ:

Border with Bangladesh, Pakistan will be sealed, says Rajnath Singh

Automatic guns, radar, sensors: How India is using Israel tech to tackle infiltration on Pakistan border

Indian Army moves 1,000 crore proposal for securing the bases to the government after Uri and Nagrota attack

ALSO WATCH

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The FBI investigated Trump campaign advisor Carter Page last year over worries he could have been working for Russia, a major report said.

In the first confirmation that the government conducted surveillance on President Donald Trump's team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a rare warrant to monitor the Page's communications from the top secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, said a Washington Post reporter yesterday.

The so-called FISA warrant was issued after the FBI told the court that there was probable cause to believe the former Moscow-based banker was working for Russia.

FISA warrants are almost never made public, and the Post cited unnamed law enforcement and other officials in its report. The FBI did not respond to requests to comment on the report.

The warrant was granted as the FBI conducted a counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was ultimately designed to help President Donald Trump to victory.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story fake news while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.
Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai was bestowed honorary Canadian citizenship on Wednesday.

Yousafzai was greeted on the steps of the Centre Block by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as a parade of dignitaries, cabinet ministers and diplomats inside the rotunda beneath the Peace Tower, The Toronto Star reported.

Moments later, Trudeau presented her with a certificate documenting her as an honorary Canadian, making her the sixth and youngest ever person to receive the honour.

"It is not just an honorary citizenship of Canada; it is also being Canada's friend, and I warmly accept it," Yousafzai told the gathering afterward.

"I want to thank Canada for its passion for girls' education, for its passion for humanity, for refugees, and for standing up for women's rights, and for peace.

"You are a true example to the world of what it means to stand up for humanity, and I'm hopeful you will inspire many more countries and many more leaders to follow your footsteps," she said.

At the ceremony, Trudeau said that Malala's story was inspirational.

"All the violence you survived at the hands of the Taliban didn't deter you as it would have so many others," Trudeau told the ceremony. "You stood even stronger in the face of oppression; your passion for justice only intensified," he added.
Despite speculations to the contrary, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. There was speculation this would not happen due to the tension between the two nations.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin is meeting US Secretary of State Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov at the Kremlin," Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov did not elaborate on what the three discussed. Earlier in the day, Tillerson held a meeting with Sergey Lavrov.

The top US diplomat is visiting Moscow amid a conflict over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. The US blamed the incident, which happened almost two weeks ago, on Damascus, and retaliated with a barrage of cruise missiles targeting a Syrian airbase.

Russia called it a possible false flag operation and said the US attack was an act of international aggression. It also said more provocative incidents involving toxic agents may follow in Syria, now that the Trump administration has demonstrated it can be baited into the reaction that the enemies of Damascus want from it.

Moscow believes a proper investigation, including at the scene of the reported attack, is necessary to establish the truth.
Nikki Haley, US envoy to the United Nations, has characterised Russia as "skittish" and "isolated" in the wake of Syria's deadly chemical weapons attack last week that killed scores of civilians.

On Tuesday, US officials charged Russia with trying to cover up the attack, and Haley said in an interview with CNN that she thinks that Moscow "knew" about it beforehand.

"I think that if you look at the fact that when this information came out, they were so quick to defend," Haley said.

"They didn't look shocked, they didn't look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out and we see exactly what it is. And we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise that "

"I think that they knew (what was going on), yes," Haley told CNN.

"I think they're nervous They very much feel as if they've been weakened by Assad's actions and their cover up. They realise the international community didn't buy it and is not buying it," Haley added.

"And they now have to figure out how to save face. We're giving them all the options to save face."

Haley's comments come before critical meetings between Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which were expected to focus on Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people, said the report.

The former South Carolina Governor also weighed in on comments by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who used Adolf HItler in a criticised analogy to describe the heinousness of Assad's actions.

"It's unfortunate," she said. "We should never have comparisons with Hitler, ever. What I hope Sean was trying to say is just how awful Assad is."

Spicer had said "that even Adolf Hitler had not used the kind of chemical weapons that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had".

He made the comparison as he tried to condemn Russia's alliance with Assad in the wake of the chemical attack in Syria last week.

"We didn't even use chemical weapons in World War II," Spicer said during a press briefing.
A small plane with several people on board lost contact on Wednesday in Papua province of eastern Indonesia and a search operation was underway, the Indonesian Transport Ministry said.

"The cargo plane lost contact today (Wednesday). Now we are checking the number of crew," Transport Ministry spokesman JA Barata told Xinhua by phone.

Marsudi, a spokesman of the national search and rescue office, said the C208 Caravan plane was en route to Wajo and Sentani.

It departed at 2.45 pm (local time) and was scheduled to arrive at 3:24 pm.

"The plane sent S.O.S. message during the flight," Marsudi said.

"Search and rescue for the plane is underway now, involving a plane and personnel from local search and rescue office. But the weather seems unfavourable," he said.
US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria will pay a very, very stiff price if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that America's top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State militant group.

If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price, Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.

Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself, he said.

In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies, he added.

Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful, Mattis said.

Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons, he said.

This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.

We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack, he said.

Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.

Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland, he said.

Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.

We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded, he said.

We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission, Votel said.

Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking ISIS and destroying ISIS in Syria.

This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation, he said.

Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.

Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again, he said.

I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score, the Defence Secretary said.

Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance. It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We don't know anything beyond that, he said
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that America can play a very critical role in resolving the Kashmir issue with India as he hoped to see proactive engagement by the Trump administration on the issue.

With regards to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not done, Sharif was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The prime minister said that the world, including the US, was well aware of the danger the dispute posed to world peace and to the stability in the region.

We wish to see progress towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of peace and development in the region and the whole world, including the US, is fully aware of this reality, he said.

Referring to the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, Sharif said that the UN Security Council must also ensure the implementation of its resolutions as failure to do so is already raising many questions about its credibility.

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said the US would try and find its place in efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions and not wait till something happens, signalling an apparent change in the US stance of not engaging in Indo-Pak disputes.

It's absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we de-escalate any sort of conflict going forward, said Haley, a senior Indian-American member of the Trump.

Hours later, India had swiftly rejected any US role in resolving Indo-Pak issues.

However, Pakistan's envoy to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had welcomed the US offer and said any positive role that the US plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well.

On Pakistan-US relations, Sharif said the two countries had a long history of bilateral relations and expressed hope that under President Trump, the bilateral ties would improve.

We want trade not aid from the United States, the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan wished to have cordial relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect.

Referring to the mega projects being implemented under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said that CPEC has a huge potential to generate economic activities in the entire region and Pakistan would welcome other countries to be part of it and share the benefits the multi-billion dollar project.

CPEC, an ambitious USD 46 billion project, will link the Pakistani city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.
By Press Trust of India: Bhadrak (Odisha), Apr 12 (PTI) As the violence-hit town turned near normal, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today visited Bhadrak and promised stern action against those responsible for violence and full compensation to all who suffered loss. Amid a nine-hour relaxation period of curfew, Patnaik toured the violence-hit areas, interacted with the affected people and enquired into damages due to violence triggered by alleged abusive remarks against Hindu deities on social media. After reviewing the situation with senior officials, the chief minister said those responsible for the violence would be punished. Further, the state government would take strong steps to counter the divisive forces creating discord and violence in the name of religion and bringing misery to the peace loving people of Odisha, he said. Appealing to the people to maintain peace and harmony, the chief minister said full compensation would be provided to the people affected in the violence and new vending zones constructed for rehabilitation of the affected street vendors.

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The administration was directed to make proper assessment of damage and loss caused by violence for early compensation.

Before holding the review meeting at the district collectorate, Patnaik walked through areas like Puruna Bazar, Chandan Bazar and Apartibindha where people turned out in large numbers to narrate their plight. As the situation improved further, the curfew, which was imposed on April 7, was relaxed from 7 AM to 4 PM to enable people to buy essential items besides facilitating normal activities, Bhadrak Collector Gyana Ranjan Das said. Meanwhile, five persons were identified and interrogated by the cyber cell of Crime Branch of police in connection with circulation of rumours and objectionable messages on social media, a senior official said.

The ban imposed on social media sites in Bhadrak and nearby areas on April 9 was lifted last night following considerable improvement in situation. "The decision to lift the ban on Internet was taken in view of improvement in situation and also to facilitate banking transactions and other important operations in the area," said an official.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the town today and if normalcy continued, the administration might think of relaxing the curfew for a longer period, he said. During curfew relaxation period, educational institutions, government offices, banks and ATMs were open with security forces keeping vigil. Vehicular movement was also normal, he said.

The administration has made arrangements to ensure availability of essential commodities in sufficient quantities to prevent hoarding and price hike.

About 100 people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence, Bhadrak SP Dilip Das said adding that some sharp weapons and motorcycles had also been seized.

Thirty-seven platoons of security forces (around 1,300 personnel) have been deployed in the town. The Rapid Action Force (RAF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also assisted the state police in maintaining law and order, police said.

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Violence had erupted in the town on April 6 after a group staged a demonstration near the Town police station demanding immediate arrest of those involved in posting alleged offensive remarks against Hindu deities on social media. Though the administration clamped prohibitory orders, tension persisted and fresh violence was reported on April 7 despite a peace meeting. Escalation in tension prompted the administration to impose curfew on April 7. PTI COR SKN PR KUN

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Opposition leaders have been demanding that VVPAT (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) be introduced in all future elections.

By Supriya Bhardwaj: Opposition parties led by the Congress huddled in the Parliament to chart out the memorandum on various issues including EVM tampering that they will present to the President Pranab Mukherjee today afternoon.

Earlier the parties had decided to raise the electronic voting machines (EVM) tampering matter only but the Opposition camp has now revealed that there are a host of other issues that would be part of the memorandum.

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"We will raise issues related to the current political scenario in the country which includes cow vigilantism, Kashmir apart from the faulty EVMs issue," said a senior Congress leader who was present at the meeting.

Leaders of at least 13 Opposition parties had met the Chief Election Commissioner on Monday evening demanding that their concerns on the issue be addressed.

Opposition leaders have been demanding that VVPAT (Voter-Verified Paper Audit Trail) be introduced in all future elections. The Congress has also been pushing for use of ballot papers instead of EVMs in upcoming elections in view of the alleged tampering.

ALSO READ | Opposition meets EC officials over EVM tampering, demand restoration of paper ballot

ALSO WATCH | Opposition raises slogans against EVM tampering, Rajya Sabha adjourned

--- ENDS ---
By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Outsiders should be barred from entering the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus for things to improve there, the Delhi High Court said today, noting students from other varsities are "more active" and interfering in its functioning.

"We have to shut down the campus for the students of other universities. If JNU campus is closed for outsiders, things will improve," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed.

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"Everyday we are reading in the newspaper about protests in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus," the court said and asked the the varsity and the Jawaharlal University Students Union (JNUSU) President, present in the court, that "is this the way an educational institution functions".

"I want that a meaningful dialogue between students and the college administration should take place so that the things are settled within the boundaries," the judge said.

The court further said that today students from other universities interfere in the functioning of JNU and they force their political agenda inside the campus.

"JNU from last many decades was known for its own culture inside the campus. It never allowed others to interfere in their functioning, but today the outsiders are more active in this campus," the court noted.

Only the bona fide students of JNU should be allowed to decide how their university will function, it added.

The courts observation came during hearing of a plea by the JNU administration seeking direction to restrain its students from staging any demonstration within 100 metres of the administrative block.

The court had on March 17 modified its order restraining students from protesting within 100 metres of the block and had directed that protest, if any, should be peaceful and not block lanes or roads leading to the administrative block.

JNUs counsel Monika Arora sought "immediate indulgence of the court" while highlighting that on March 23 the students had staged a dharna, burnt the effigy of the Vice Chancellor right outside the administrative block and blocked entry and exit of university officials.

It has also sought direction to the JNU students and its union body to return the CCTV cameras, installed near the entry gate of the campus hostel, allegedly taken away by them.

This was, however, opposed by the JNUSU President, saying they have not removed the cameras.

He further said that the college administration has not consulted them while installing the cameras and was trying to keep surveillance on them through this.

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To which the court asked the student union leader and its general secretary, why are they afraid of surveillance.

"If you (JNU students) are not doing anything wrong, why are you afraid of the CCTV camera?" the court asked, adding that privacy of the students will not be compromised.

It, meanwhile, asked the JNU administration to restrain themselves from installing CCTV cameras in the sensitive areas of the campus.

The court also asked the JNUSU President to discuss their problems with the college administration so that issues are sorted out.

It said that if the court has reposed some faith in the students, they should also abide by the courts direction.

The court has now listed the matter for May 12, by when it has asked the parties to file status report with regard to the outcome of the meeting.

The courts earlier directions were issued on JNUs plea against the blocking of its administrative department by the agitating students.

Earlier, during hearing of the plea, the court had suggested the JNUSU President and the administration to have a meaningful dialogue among them, which may lead to resolution of several problems. PTI PPS HMP RKS SKV SMN

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By Press Trust of India: From M Zulqernain

Lahore, Apr 12 (PTI) More than 1,400 Sikhs arrived here today from India to participate in the Baisakhi Festival at Gurdwara Hasan Abdal in Rawalpindi district of Pakistans Punjab province.

The Sikhs, who arrived on three special trains, were greeted by the officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee at the Wagah railway station amidst tight security.

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"Some 1,430 Sikh Yatrees arrived here today via Wagah Border on three special trains. After immigration and serving them food they left for Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hasan Abdal," ETPB deputy director (shrines) Fraz Abbas told PTI.

"We were expecting more than 2,000 yatrees to arrive from India for the festival. However, only six yatrees travelled by the third train," he said.

But he was not aware of the reason as to why less number of yatrees reached here for the festival.

Abbas said special measures have been taken to provide security to the visiting Sikh pilgrims.

"The Rangers and Elite Force besides police personnel have been engaged to provide security to the Sikhs," Abbas said.

In the wake of recent terror attacks in Lahore the government has taken "extra-ordinary" security measures for the visiting Sikhs. The main event will be held on April 14.

The Sikhs would also visit Gurdwara Janamesthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Soda in Farooqabad, Gurdwara Kartarpur Narowal and Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.

The Sikh Yatrees will visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on April 18, Kartarpur Narowal on April 19 and return to Lahore on the same day.

A seminar titled Besakhi will be held in Lahore on April 20 where Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest.

The Indian Sikhs will return to India on April 21.

ETPB Chairman Sididqul said that special arrangements have been made for the Indian Sikhs.

"Security of Gurdwaras in Pakistan has been given to the Pakistan Rangers. Pakistani people want good relations with India and prayed for easingtension between the two countries," he said.

Sardar Balvinder Singh, a visiting Sikh leader, expressed his gratitude to the ETPB for arrangements for the Indian Sikhs.

He, however, complained that the immigration process at Wagah was slow.

"The immigration process should be fast so that the yatrees leave for their Gurdwaras," he said, adding the people of both the countries want peace and not war. PTI MZ KJ AKJ KJ

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Pakistan media is abuzz with speculation that a retired Pakistan Army officer has been abducted by India's RAW as a retaliation to the death sentence handed down upon Kulbhushan Jadhav.

By Kaswar Klasra, Gaurav C Sawant: The spy games between India and Pakistan have heated up.

A day after the neighbouring country announced the death penalty for former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, Pakistani media was abuzz with speculation on Tuesday that India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has abducted a retired Pakistan lieutenant colonel as a retaliatory act.

An FIR was filed at the Rawat police station in Rawalpindi on April 8, complaining about a Lt Col (retd) Mohammed Habib Zahir of the Pakistan army having gone missing from Lumbini in Nepal.

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Saad Zahir approached sub-inspector Mohammed Khan seeking the registration of the FIR. His father, a former Pakistan army artillery officer who had also done a stint with the country's spy agency ISI, was missing in Nepal. India Today TV has accessed the FIR no 554/2017 RWP-RWT-000190.

Saad Zahir, a resident of house number 62, lane 21, Defence Housing Authority, Rawalpindi told the police his father after retiring from the Pakistan army in October 2014 had taken a job with the Rafhan Mills in Faisalabad.

'A JOB BAIT'

The complainant alleges that some months ago a person called Mark Thomas called his father on his phone number 0334344**43 from a number in the UK 0044-7451***722 and offered him a job at the Strategic Solutions Consultancy firm.

The offer letter soon came on email. It was for the post of zonal director of the company with a salary of $8,500 (Rs 5.5 lakh) a month in Nepal. Following negotiations, his father left for Lahore on April 4.

A business class ticket was sent to travel to Nepal via Oman. His father left for Oman the next day. Saad told the police Thomas asked his father to contact Javed Ansari at 0097798138***89.

A Nepali mobile phone was also provided to him. His father told him to contact him in Nepal on the following numbers 0334511***00 and 032139***909, according to the FIR.

It now transpires that Lt Col Zahir had put up his bio-data on LinkedIn and some other websites seeking a job opportunity three years after he retired from the Pakistan army.

DISAPPEARED IN NEPAL

He was received in Kathmandu on April 6 and immediately put on a short haul flight on board a Buddha Air plane to Lumbini. Lt Col Zahir kept his family in the loop on every leg of the travel including sending home a picture from the airport with the aircraft in the backdrop in Lumbini.

The son alleges that from Lumbini his father did not make any more contact with the family and all phones are switched off since.

"If India has actually picked him up, then Pakistan has real reason to worry because a retired lieutenant colonel from ISI will have a lot of information about ISI operations in the area," said Jayadev Ranade, former additional secretary of RAW. This appears to be a Pakistani cover story," said strategic affairs expert Sushant Sareen.

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"It may or may not be true. Pakistani media had even claimed Ajmal Amir Kasab was a sales agent in Kathmandu abducted by India and kept in custody to be declared after 26/11."

After the FIR was registered in Rawalpindi, Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria was quoted by Radio Pakistan saying, "Foreign Office is in contact with the Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu and had also established contact with the Government of Nepal."

All the phone numbers mentioned in the FIR either "no longer exist" or "can't be reached". The internet address of Stratsolutions.biz also does not exist anymore. The Pakistan embassy in Kathmandu has also not been able to make contact with Javed Ansari, the local contact person of Stratsolutions.biz in Nepal.

Pakistani media has speculated this was a counter operation by India to nab a Pakistani spy for a subsequent "swap" for Jadhav, an Indian businessman who was abducted from Iran by Taliban and sold to Pakistan's ISI. However, top government officials refused to comment.

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ALSO READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav cannot challenge Pakistan military court's verdict, but he has some options

ALSO READ | Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan?

ALSO WATCH | Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Sushma Swaraj warns Pakistan of dire consequences

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The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Adani Power Ltd cannot charge its customers more to cover a surge in the cost of imported coal, overturning a decision by a power regulator in December.

The court did, however, allow the utility to claim relief for the higher costs, which resulted from a shortage in domestic supplies at state-run Coal India.

Both Adani Power and competitor Tata Powerwhich was also party to the ruling although it was not mentioned directly in itstruck long-term deals in the middle of the last decade with distribution companies to supply power from plants they operate in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat.

The companies also struck deals with domestic and foreign miners in the latter part of the last decade to fuel their plants in Gujarat, which each have over 4,000 megawatt (MW) of capacity.

Adani and Tata appealed for relief, arguing that they had to be compensated for an unforeseen change in economic conditions which made the terms of the deal with distribution companies unviable.

Following a legal battle that stretched over half a decade, the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) ruled in December last year that the companies could charge their customers more to compensate for higher costs.

The case, which was argued by former minister and lawyer Kapil Sibal and renowned anti-corruption lawyer Prashant Bhushan among others, was then escalated to the country's top court by the state distribution companies.

The top court ruled in favour of the distribution companies, saying the agreements did not state that "coal is to be procured only from Indonesia at a particular price".

"The price payable for the supply of coal is entirely for the person who sets up the power plant to bear," the top court's judges said in Tuesday's ruling.

CERC will now look at the matter afresh and determine what relief should be granted to the companies to make up for the shortage in domestic coal supplies.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that with regards to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not done.

By Press Trust of India: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that America can play a "very critical role" in resolving the Kashmir issue with India as he hoped to see proactive engagement by the Trump administration on the issue.

"With regards to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not done," Sharif was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

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The prime minister said that the world, including the US, was well aware of the danger the dispute posed to world peace and to the stability in the region.

"We wish to see progress towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of peace and development in the region and the whole world, including the US, is fully aware of this reality," he said.

Referring to the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, Sharif said that the UN Security Council must also ensure the implementation of its resolutions as failure to do so is already raising many questions about its credibility.

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said the US would try and "find its place" in efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions and not wait till "something happens", signalling an apparent change in the US stance of not engaging in Indo-Pak disputes.

"It's absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we de-escalate any sort of conflict going forward," said Haley, a senior Indian-American member of the Trump.

INDIA REJECTS ROLE OF US

Hours later, India had swiftly rejected any US role in resolving Indo-Pak issues.

However, Pakistan's envoy to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had welcomed the US offer and said any positive role that the US plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well.

On Pakistan-US relations, Sharif said the two countries had a long history of bilateral relations and expressed hope that under President Trump, the bilateral ties would improve.

"We want trade not aid from the United States," the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan wished to have cordial relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect.

Referring to the mega projects being implemented under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said that CPEC has a huge potential to generate economic activities in the entire region and Pakistan would welcome other countries to be part of it and share the benefits the multi-billion dollar project.

CPEC, an ambitious USD 46 billion project, will link the Pakistani city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.

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Also Read:

Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence: Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan army chief say no pressure will be tolerated

After Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence, Nawaz Sharif says Pakistan peace-loving nation

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Any new bank account opened between July 2014 and August 2015 will have to be self-certified by the account holder by April 30, failing which, the account faces the risks of being suspended, according to the latest guidelines issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

Account holders are informed that in case self-certifications are not provided till April 30, 2017, the accounts would be blocked. The financial institution would prohibit the account holder from effecting any transaction with respect to such accounts, CBDT said.

The transactions in such blocked accounts would then only be permitted once the self-certification is obtained and due diligence is completed, it added.

Earlier, the income tax department had set a deadline of August 31, 2016, for banks to obtain such a self-certification. Banks were then asked to close and report those accounts that fail to self-certify them. However, the deadline was since extended and banks were advised to continue to work on obtaining self-certification in view of the difficulties faced by stakeholders."

The self-certification became mandatory in the wake of the Foreign Accounts Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) that was enacted by the US. India is a signatory to the inter-governmental agreement that came into force in August 2015.

FATCA required financial institutions in many countries to disclose details of investors who were either US citizens and or had tax residency in the US. It was aimed to prevent tax evasion by US tax payers generating income from investments in overseas financial instruments.

To comply with FATCA requirements, every investor need to fill a supplementary KYC (know your customer), and compliance form that includes details about his or her country of residence, tax payer identification number and whether the investor holds citizenship and tax residency of a country other than India.

Bank account holders were not the only ones required to submit such a form under the FATCA guidelines. People having investments in mutual funds, too, had been asked to submit similar declarations.

Mutual Fund houses were earlier asked to block the account of those subscribers who failed to complete the formalities and comply with FATCA requirements by August 31, 2016, but the government had relaxed that deadline, so that investors would get more time.
With a focus on improving its footprint in the Eastern India, the BJP is holding its two-day national executive meeting in Bhubneshwar. The meeting would also discuss programme to mark the three years of Modi government and means to carry forward his message.

Coming in the backdrop of party's stupendous victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the BJP is now focusing on areas where its organisation structure is weak or absent. The recent victory in the panchayat polls in Odisha has boosted its morale that party chief Amit Shah picked up the state for its meeting. The BJP had stood at second position in terms of seats, dislodging Congress from the position.

Holding the meeting here means that the message would go to states like neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and even the North East, petroleum minister and senior party leader Dharmendra Pradhan said.

In order to make inroads into the state, BJP is also focusing on the socio-cultural aspect of Odisha. The NDA government is celebrating the bicentenary of the 1817 Paik Revolta rebellion against the East India company. Prime Minister Narendra Modi would meet 16 families of those who participated in the revolt.

The two-day meeting would hail the massive verdict in the just concluded assembly elections and even call the demonetisation as the huge success as people supported the party.

However, unlike previous meetings, there would be no public rally after the event. Though party leaders cited heat wave as the reason for not holding a rally, the BJP apparently doesn't want to further attack the BJD government, whose support it required in the upcoming presidential election.

The party is expected to repeat its strategy of welcoming leaders from other parties into its fold to build up perception in its favour. The state elections are scheduled to be held in 2019.
As the debate around the Electronic Voting Machine rages on, a Congress-led delegation on April 12 submitted a memorandum to President Pranab Mukherjee on the alleged irregularities in EVMs, reported from some parts of the country. But, senior Congress leader and former Union law minister M. Veerappa Moily, who was part of the delegation, said to THE WEEK that EVMs had been tested many times and there was no reason to be unduly concerned about EVMs at the moment. But technology can go wrong at times. And it is the duty of the Election Commission to periodically monitor that EVMs are in proper condition.

[File] M. Veerappa Moily | PTI

It was during Moilys tenure as the law minister in 2004 that EVMs were introduced across the country in one go. Prior to that, ballot papers were used in some places. Even in 2004, immediately after EVMs were introduced, there were problems in a few machines. The law ministry and the Election Commission had looked into it and had rectified it soon. It happens, said Moily. This is not a protest against EVMs as a whole. We are only raising certain questions. The Congress is not playing politics over it. The Election Commission should check EVMs and throw away the faulty ones. You see, I support technology in this case. But technology can go wrong at times. We need to realise it.

Earlier, Moily had called the protests against EVMs by different parties a defeatist mindset.

EVMs were first introduced in 1982 in a byelection in Kerala. Run on a normal six-volt alkaline battery, a single EVM can record maximum of 3,840 votes. Controlled by a microprocessor, EVMs cannot be altered or replaced. Representatives of all parties are present when the seals of EVMs are opened before polling. In India, EVMs are manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited and Electronics Corporation of India Limited. Indian-made EVMs were used by Nepal and Bhutan during elections in those countries.

A massive debate on EVMs began after the Bahujan Samaj Partys president, Mayawati, accused the BJP of tampering with EVMs in the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh. This, after the BJP registered a landslide victory in the state. The leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, also alleged that EVMs were tampered with in UP. The BJP has dismissed these allegations. Later, Delhis chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal, alleged that EVMs brought for the municipal polls in Delhi didnt have security features. The Election Commission is hellbent on using old EVMs despite the newer versions being available. So the Election Commission is involved in the EVM fraud, said Kejriwal. Last week, the Madhya Pradesh unit of the Congress had asked for use of paper ballot in a byelection slated in the state for next month after a EVM wrongly functioned during a media demonstration by the state election commission.
The National Conference president and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah has said that Kashmir didn't accede to a Hindu Rashtra but a secular India.

In an exclusive chat with THE WEEK, Farooq said his father, Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, had supported the accession by Maharaja with a secular India.

He said the rise of the Hindu right wings and the talks of Hindu Rashtra were scaring minorities and other religions.

''It is against the Constitution of India,'' he said. '' It is scaring all of us and those living in Kashmir.''

He said the abysmal low turnout of 7. 14 per cent in Srinagar parliamentary constituency was due to the lack of confidence in the political system. ''It is the failure of the government if the people have not come to vote,'' he said.

Farooq, who is vying for the constituency along with Nazir Ahmed of the PDP, said it is for the Election Commission of India to decide whether to hold a repoll in Srinagar due to poor turnout.

Srinagar constituency will witness a repoll at some booths on Sunday and the result would be out on April 15.

Farooq said he felt sorry for the loss of eight lives during the violence on April 9 when the polls were held in Srinagar constituency which comprises the districts of Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal.

Most of the anti-election violence was witnessed in Budgam where seven protesters were killed and several others injured.

The NC president said the postponement of polls for Anantnag constituency to May 25 was not a good idea.

"They should hold it now or after the tourist season,'' he said. "We have registered the protest with the Election Commission of India.''

The senior leader was defeated by Tariq Hamid Karra in the parliament elections in 2014. He could not contest the 2015 assembly polls because he was recovering from a kidney transplant that was donated by his wife Moli Farooq in London.

Farooq's victory could be a shot in the arm for the NC and the Congress, both of who are in an alliance against the PDP in the bypolls in Srinagar and Anantnag.

The PDP has fielded Mufti Tassaduq Hussian, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, in Anantnag against G.A. Mir of the Congress who is supported by the NC.

After the killing of eight civilians and low turnout on April 9 in Srinagar, Tassaduq appealed to the Election Commission to postpone the polls that were to be held on April 13 for Anantnag

Political observers are unanimous that the PDP candidate made an appeal for the postponement for fear of losing the elections in his first outing due to violence and low turnout.
Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to award death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by Military Field General Court Martial under the Army Act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Jadhav's death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia programme, the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest.

"If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.
Almost a year after her proposed visit was cancelled following a tense political environment in Nepal and strained bilateral ties with India, President Bidya Devi Bhandari is expected to visit India from April 17 to 21.

Bhandari will be visiting New Delhi, Gujarat and Odisha, confirmed the Ministry of External Affairs. This is her first official trip to India as well as state visit after assuming office in October 2015.

Bhandari is the second president of Nepal. The post of President was created in 2008 soon after monarchy rule came to an end in the neighbouring country.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit New Delhi in May 2016, but the visit was cancelled just 72 hours before, without citing any reason. This came closely after the then Nepal Prime minister K P Oli, whose government had just survived a coup attempt by Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, blamed India for trying to topple his government. He also subsequently recalled Nepal's ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay.

However, Oli had to later relinquish his seat and Prachanda took over as the next prime minister in August 2016. Ties between the two countries are being realigned ever since. Prachanda made his first state visit to India last September, days after he took over.

Apart from Oli blaming India for unseating him, Indo-Nepal ties also faced discord after his government passed a Constitution that, according to India, gave the Madhesis (dwellers of the foothills of Nepal, who have close familial ties with Indians in border areas of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar) a raw deal. India's foreign secretary S. Jaishankar had then headed to Kathmandu to express the country's displeasure with the Constitution. This also did not go down well with Nepal.

Subsequently, Indian supply trucks to the country were stopped at the border. Nepal termed it as India's bullying and arm-twisting tactics, but India maintained that the blockade was initiated by its neighbour themselves.

The shortage of supplies to Nepal, which was already reeling from the damage of the April 2015 earthquake, led to a bleak winter in 2015-16.

However, things changed soon after Prachanda took charge and President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Nepal last Novermber, when he invited Bhandari to visit India.
The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded immediate arrest of BJP youth wing leader from Aligarh, Yoges Varasani, who allegedly issued a fatwa to kill West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Yogesh, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), allegedly declared an award of Rs 11 lakh to the person who would kill the chief minister.

Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of Trinamool Congress and senior cabinet minister, on Wednesday said if the Uttar Pradesh government or the central government did not act, West Bengal police will act and take all necessary action. This is a serious issue and the person must be taught a lesson.

Chatterjee condemned the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the issue.

Both houses of parliament saw unprecedented ruckus over the issue on Wednesday.

Yogesh had allegedly said, Mamata has no humanity and is against the Hindu pracharak in West Bengal. She is preventing the Hindu community people from taking out rallies in the name of Ram. I am declaring Rs 11 lakh award who would behead her.

Sources in West Bengal government said that the state police had been asked to file a suo-motu case against Yogesh.

We will ask UP police to act. Otherwise we would leave for UP to arrest him, said a senior police officer in West Bengal.
By Hemender Sharma: While Pakistan has sentenced former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of spying, it refuses to acknowledge its citizens who have been arrested by Indian authorities on similar charges as Pakistanis.

One such living example is Sajid Munir of Rahimyaar district of Punjab who is lodged in a Bhopal detention centre for more than 9 months now.

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Sajid had come to India on a valid visa in 2002. He was caught with maps of sensitive installations in Kohefiza area in Bhopal the same year and was thereafter tried for spying. A Bhopal court convicted him for charges framed against him and was sentenced for 12 years in jail.

Munir completed his 12-year sentence in June 2016 and after that the Bhopal police tried to send him back to Pakistan but on multiple occasions the Pakistani government has refused to accept him as their own.

Sajid Munir

Munir has given specific evidence about the murder of his brother in Rahimyaar district and also of the murder charges that were framed against him in Pakistan. He claims he had committed the murder in Pakistan to avenge his brother's murder.

According to additional SP Bhopal, Rajesh Bhadoria, the Pakistani government is deliberately not accepting Munir as this would expose their spying operations in India. "We have given the relevant documents. The proof that he has given of his being a Pakistani have also been passed on through the Pakistani embassy but they have so far refused to acknowledge his existence and have also refused to accept him back in Pakistan," Bhadoria told India Today.

Till the time the Pakistan government accepts Munir, he will remain lodged at a detention centre attached to Shahjehanabad police station in Bhopal and will continue to enjoy Indian hospitality.

Munir is not the only Pakistani charged of spying staying in Madhya Pradesh. Two more Pakistanis who have been convicted for similar offences are presently lodged in Bhopal and Gwalior central jails.

"We have two Pakistani nationals lodged in Madhya Pradesh jails. While one is in the Gwalior Central Jail the other one is in the Bhopal Central Jail. They have already been convicted and are serving their sentence and they are being given all those facilities that are given to any normal Indian prisoner," Sanjay Chaudhary, DG Jails, Madhya Pradesh, said.

Also read:

Pakistan media: RAW has abducted ISI man to avenge Kulbhushan Jadhav

Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan?

Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Braj locals want govt to 'teach Pakistan a lesson it won't forget'

Also watch:

Wikileaks throws bombshell; claims NSA spying on BJP, Pakistan Peoples Party

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66 Panjab University students have been charged with sedition after their protests against a sharp fee hike turned violent.

Panjab University students have been protesting against a sharp fee hike since April 4. (Image via Twitter)

By India Today Web Desk: Chandigarh Police has dropped the sedition charges it filed against 66 students of Panjab University (PU), after the institute withdrew its complaint saying it "never meant sedition."

According to a Hindustan Times report, complainant Ashwani Kaul, PU's chief security officer, said his remarks were 'misinterpreted' by the police.

"Initially we said there were slogans against the state. But when I got to know that the police were slapping sedition charge, I personally went to police station and clarified in writing that the slogans were raised against UGC (University Grants Commission), MHRD (ministry of human resource and development) and PU," Kaul told HT.

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"We also asked police to see video clipping. Everyone was there and saw what happened. There is no u-turn. We never meant sedition," he said.

Fee hike up to 10 times

Students at Panjab University have been protesting against a sharp fee hike in most courses since April 4.

"Fee for MBA course has been hiked from Rs 9,400 to Rs 1 lakh and that of law from Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000. The BA fee has been hiked from Rs 2,200 to Rs 10,000," Students for Society leader Damanpreet, told the Hindustan Times.

Majority of the protesters are reportedly final-year students, who are set to take admission in the university for the 2017-18 academic session.

Day 3 of the chain hunger strike by @NsuiPU going on in Panjab University demanding roll back of the fee hike. #SavePU pic.twitter.com/dvGkr2yt2v- NSUI (@nsui) April 6, 2017

Last week on Thursday, protesting students were lathi-charged and Section 144 was imposed in Panjab University.

Many students also alleged harassment and assault by cops. According to an HT report, five male students were detained and some girls were thrashed on Thursday. Female students alleged that cops molested them and tore of their clothes.

The case is yet another instance of the colonial sedition law being misused.

Last year, Jawaharlal Nehru University students Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya were charged with sedition following intense protests on campus. The case caused immense outcry, to the extent that Rajya Sabha members demanded it be scrapped altogether.

Eventually the Centre said that the law was being reviewed by the Law Commission.

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By Press Trust of India: Bhadrak (Odisha), Apr 12 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reviewed the ground situation in Bhadrak and promised stern action against those responsible for violence, even as two senior officers in the district were removed from their posts.

The chief minister also assured full compensation to the victims.

Bhadrak Superintendent of Police Dilip Das was shifted to the state police headquarters at Cuttack. He was replaced by Jajpur SP Anup Sahoo.

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Similarly, Additional District Magistrate of Bhadrak Pravas Bhoi was replaced by Shyambhakt Mishra, who was the sub-collector of Talcher, an official said.

As curfew was relaxed for nine hours in Bhadrak, Patnaik toured the violence-hit areas, interacted with victims and enquired into damage due to violence sparked by abusive remarks against Hindu deities on social media.

After reviewing the situation at a high-level meeting with senior officials at Bhadrak, the chief minister said those responsible for violence would be punished as per law.

The state government would also take strong steps to counter the divisive forces creating discord and violence in the name of religion and bringing misery to the peace loving people of Odisha, he said.

The chief minister said full compensation would be provided to the people affected in the violence and new vending zones will be constructed for rehabilitation of the affected street vendors.

Patnaik directed the officials to assess the detailed damage suffered by people and report within three days for provision of financial assistance for livelihood restoration. The chief minister said he would soon announce a package for the people who have lost their livelihood.

Patnaik visited areas like Puruna Bazar, Chandan Bazar and Apartibindha where people turned out in large numbers to narrate their plight.

As the situation improved further, the curfew, which was imposed on April 7, was relaxed from 7 AM to 4 PM to enable people to buy essential items besides facilitating normal activities, Bhadrak Collector Gyana Ranjan Das said.

The curfew remained in force after 4 PM and is likely to be relaxed again tomorrow, he added.

Meanwhile, five persons were identified and interrogated by the cyber cell of Crime Branch of police in connection with circulation of rumours and objectionable messages on social media, a senior official said.

The ban imposed on social media sites in Bhadrak and nearby areas on April 9 was lifted last night following considerable improvement in the situation.

"The decision to lift the ban on Internet was taken in view of improvement in situation and also to facilitate banking transactions and other important operations in the area," said an official.

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No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the town today and if normalcy continued, the administration might think of relaxing the curfew for a longer period, he said.

During curfew relaxation period, educational institutions, government offices, banks and ATMs were open with security forces keeping vigil. Vehicular movement was also normal, he said.

The administration has made arrangements to ensure availability of essential commodities in sufficient quantities to prevent hoarding and price hike.

About 100 people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence, Bhadrak SP Dilip Das said adding that some sharp weapons and motorcycles have also been seized.

Thirty-seven platoons of security forces (around 1,300 personnel) have been deployed in the town. Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also assisted the state police in maintaining law and order, police said.

Violence had erupted in the town on April 6 after a group staged a demonstration near the town police station demanding arrest of those involved in posting alleged offensive remarks against Hindu deities on social media.

Though the administration clamped prohibitory orders, tension persisted and fresh violence was reported on April 7 despite a peace meeting. Escalation in tension prompted the administration to impose curfew on April 7.

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Meanwhile, leaders of some political parties including Congress and CPI-M visited the violence-affected areas of Bhadrak and met the victims. PTI CORR AAM SKN MD ARK

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A total of 298 VIPs and VVIPs are also being provided central security cover under various categories, Minister of State for Home Hansraj G Ahir said in Lok Sabha.

By Press Trust of India: India has about 137 police personnel to secure every one lakh people, the government has told Parliament.

A total of 298 VIPs and VVIPs are also being provided central security cover under various categories, it added in a statement.

In a written reply, Minister of State for Home Hansraj G Ahir told the Lok Sabha that as the data on police organisations published by the Bureau of Police Research and Development, the police-public ratio (per 1 lakh of the population) in the country as on January 1, 2016 was 180.59.

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However, the elaborate data provided by Ahir in this regard stated that the "actual" strength of the police personnel (per one lakh people) was 137.11.

ALL THAT AHIR SAID ON PROVIDING SECURITY Talking about VVIP security, he said that out of a total of 298 such protectees under the central cover, 26 were under the top category of Z+, 58 under Z, 144 in Y+, 2 in Y and 68 in the lowest categorisation of X. Ahir added that 14 protectees under the Z+ category were under the cover of the black cats commando force National Security Guard (NSG). "NSG has deployed 551 security personnel for the protection of these protectees," the Minister said. Ahir added that the total data on expenditure made for VIP security was not maintained centrally. "As far as the expenditure on security is concerned, it is difficult to determine it precisely as it includes salary and allowances to security personnel, communication and transport vehicles among others, which are accounted for under respective budget heads of different security agencies, including state government agencies providing security cover. Such details are not compiled centrally", he said. He added that "certain categories of individuals" like union ministers, chief ministers and judges of Supreme Court and High Courts were provided "positional or statutory security cover to facilitate bold and impartial decision-making". "Their security is withdrawn after they demit their office," he said.

Also read | Rajasthan: One nabbed after cow smugglers open fire at police in Bharatpur

Also read | Police will work on guidelines of Yogi government, says UP DGP Javeed Ahmed

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Forget any dangers posed to the City by Brexit.

Of far more damage to the capital's future as a great financial centre are the latest revelations surrounding the Libor rigging scandal, which implicate the Bank of England as well as former Government ministers.

Evidence shown on BBC's Panorama programme this week is devastating. It suggests that top government figures actively pushed the Bank's regulators to persuade those responsible for setting Libor rates to keep them low during the financial crash.

What's so damning about these recordings is that they contradict the evidence given by the Old Lady's former deputy governor, Sir Paul Tucker, and Bob Diamond, then head of Barclays, who told the Treasury Select Committee in 2012 that they were unaware of Libor being rigged.

In the frame: The latest revelations surrounding the Libor rigging scandal implicate the Bank of England as well as former government ministers

They also claimed that no pressure had been applied by the Bank to lower rates.

What we have since learnt, however, is that Libor rates were actively manipulated by rogue traders to boost their bonuses  and 19 people have been charged. One trader, Tom Hayes, is serving 11 years.

More pertinently, the fact that traders have been found guilty of doing so is in itself a revelation since it has always been loosely accepted that traders game prices.

For many, it's been accepted that's what market makers do, and has not been considered criminal. These prosecutions show that gaming is now considered a crime.

As is so often the case, it depends on who is doing the gaming. If these tape recordings  between two Barclays staff  are authentic, they demonstrate that regulators, at the behest of government, were involved in ordering traders to push down rates at the peak of the crisis in October 2008. You can see why. They were desperate to get money flowing into the system.

It's an extraordinary claim, one that is sending shivers through the City and that takes some doing.

Privately some of the most senior bankers and financiers are deeply worried by these claims, ones which they fear may even lead to multi-million pound class actions being taken against those who were responsible.

The reason they are so shocked is that setting Libor  the average rate banks pay to borrow from their rivals and the rate at which mortgages and loans are priced on  goes to the heart of the financial system.

Setting the benchmark is the Holy Grail because it's the price that banks are willing to lend to each other.

But if the price can be manipulated by governments, what price trust? No wonder, then, that one banker describes the Libor scandal as the worst he has seen in more than 40 years of banking.

Another former exchange chairman says if the allegations are true, the banking establishment, from the Bank down, is deeply rotten. And if that is the case, only wholesale 'slaughter' can restore confidence.

As we know, the fish rots from the head down. To stop that rot, there must be an independent Libor inquiry which investigates everyone involved in rate setting during those vital months surrounding the crash.

First stop would be another Treasury Select Committee. Step forward Andrew Tyrie. This is made for you.

Should Staley stay or go?

Barclays has moved swiftly to stop the rot surrounding chief executive Jes Staley over his attempt to hunt down a whistleblower. The former JP Morgan banker has been humiliated and censured.

His reputation as one of Wall Street's golden boys has been trashed. By taking such a public stand against Staley, the bank has also made it plain that breaking the rules over seeking to identify a whistleblower is wrong.

That's a good move. But is it enough to protect Staley? Shareholders think so. The shares have barely budged since he was found to be hunting the whistleblower, who had sent letters to the board making allegations to do with the 'health' of one of his lieutenants, a fellow JP banker.

It's clear Staley was furious about the smears, and the affair has the ring of a personal crusade to protect a friend rather than directly flouting the rules.

If you read Staley's apology to staff, he does not refer to the whistleblower as a whistleblower, which is odd.

However, his behaviour betrays arrogance and a lack of judgement. Not a good look for a Barclays boss. The odds are shortening on how long he will stay.
No comment: Former deputy Bank of England governor Sir Paul Tucker

Former deputy Bank of England governor Sir Paul Tucker, 59, was the only big name player cited in this week's Panorama not to comment on his alleged involvement in the Libor scandal.

What's happened to him? After a stint at Harvard University, he now chairs think-tank the Systemic Risk Council.

A tall, brooding figure, Tucker, 59, blames the Libor mess for scotching his chances of succeeding Lord King as governor.

Relations with his old boss can't have helped either. 'He and Merv couldn't stand each other,' I am advised.

Jurassic investor George Soros has hired UBS executive Anna Fitzpatrick as his chief investment officer.

It's the first time thrice-married Soros, 86, has placed a female in charge of his 20billion portfolio.

Is she up to it? No questioning the attractive brunette's work ethic.

During the height of the 2008 financial crisis, Fitzpatrick, 47, struggled through the long days with severe sickness.

It was several months before she even noticed she was pregnant.

Why did Barclays chief Jes Staley feel compelled to try and unmask a whistleblower who'd made 'personal' allegations about a senior executive?

Cool-headed and a compassionate campaigner on diversity issues  brother Peter is a noted Aids and gay rights activist  it's odd he should get so riled.

Staley, 60, remains popular at Barclays, though that apparently hasn't stopped traders privately betting on whether he'll be gone by next month's AGM.

City commentator Justin Urquhart Stewart, red braces-wearing founder of Seven Investment Management, is flattered to have been invited to Israel on a Roman dig.

Examining the site on a map, he asked his prospective guide: 'Aren't those the Golan Heights?' Guide: 'Oh, you know the area, that's great.' JU-S: 'Yes, it's currently a war zone.' Cue stony silence.

The guide eventually chirruped: 'Oh, don't worry Mr Yoghurt, you will be safely in a trench.'

After United Airlines staff were filmed dragging a passenger kicking and screaming from one of its aircrafts, rival budget carriers smell blood.

Southwest Airlines yesterday unveiled their catchy new advertising slogan: 'We beat our competitors. Not you.'
Court date: Shamed former RBS boss Fred Fred 'the Shred' Goodwin

Fred Goodwin's court appearance in June, over claims he misled Royal Bank of Scotland investors in 2008, will be an uncomfortable prospect for the disgraced banker.

I wonder if m'learned friends will find relevance to quiz Fred about his much-discussed mistress at the time?

The lady in question was a colleague of Goodwin's at RBS.

The lassie's identity remains guarded by a legal injunction.

City minister Simon Kirby  he of the snug-fitting, bovver boy suits unveiled the Government's new pensions dashboard tool yesterday at Aviva's 'digital garage'.

The cavernous laboratory in fashionable Hoxton, London, was teeming with scruffy hipster technicians.

Several moons may have passed since any were acquainted with a shower head, let alone a razor.

Those who spoke did so into a ball-shaped microphone, which was then lobbed awkwardly between speakers.

Stiff-backed Kirby, 52, and his nerdy acolytes looked as comfortable as archbishops at a goth rock concert.

As a Harvard Business school alumnus, Tesco's 4.5million-a-year boss Dave Lewis is fond of a management buzzword or two.

No surprise, then, that the announcement of the supermarket's full-year results yesterday was a hotbed of corporate gibberish.

Lewis, 52, said he wanted to make the supermarket 'more choiceful'.

Later, there was also mention of something called 'customercentricity'. Ugh! No wonder Tesco shareholders are so puzzled by him.

Swedish bank Handelsbanken chairman Par Boman, 55, has been questioned in a bribery probe over elk hunting expeditions with other Scandinavian businessmen.

Boman rejects the suspicions as groundless. One un-amoosed colleague says: 'This seems like jealousy. Hunting elk has been part of the way Swedish business is done for decades.'

Beats the monotony of golf, I suppose.

Virgin's Sir Richard Branson claims he drinks 20 cups of tea a day to stay energised. Is this possible? Well, Beardie's never been one to exaggerate, has he?
Panmure Gordon's chief executive Patric Johnson is to step down after the takeover of the 140-year-old stockbroker by a consortium including ex-Barclays boss Bob Diamond.

The Barclays connection is set to extend beyond Diamond's involvement, with former Barclays banker Ian Axe taking Johnson's place.

Axe was group chief executive of clearing house LCH Clearnet, and has held several senior roles at Barclays, including global head of operations and chief operating officer for both the investment bank and wealth management in Europe.

The move to buy Panmure Gordon represents a City comeback for Bob Diamond.

'Patric took on the role of CEO at a singularly difficult time for the company,' said Andrew Adcock, Panmure Gordon chairman.

'His broad understanding of and experience in the investment banking industry enabled him to provide a clear focus on returning the business to profitability and by applying determination, energy and enthusiasm achieved this result in a remarkably short period of time.'

The planned 15.5 million takeover will see Panmure delisted from the London stock market and taken private.

The move marks a City comeback for Diamond, who quit Barclays after the bank's 290 million Libor-rigging settlement in 2012. Axe left the bank a year earlier.

Panmure Gordon will have a strong Barclays connection with the new chief exec Ian Axe also being a former Barclays man

The deal is being done via Diamond's private equity firm Atlas Merchant Capital, alongside Qatari bank QInvest.

Matthew Hansen, head of UK and Europe for Atlas, said his company aimed to 'build upon Panmure Gordon's existing strengths, to broaden the scope of its business and to create a high-quality boutique investment bank.'
The future of Britain's biggest nuclear power plant is again in doubt after its owner posted a mammoth loss and warned it may not be able to survive.

Japanese giant Toshiba is the sole owner of the 10billion NuGen nuclear project in Moorside, Cumbria, after its French partner Engie quit last week.

But the company yesterday posted losses of 4.2billion for the first nine months of the year and warned that the annual shortfall could top 7billion.

And in a shocking development, Toshiba warned of 'material events and conditions that raise substantial doubt about the company's ability to continue as a going concern'.

Threat: Japanese giant Toshiba is the sole owner of the 10bn NuGen nuclear project in Moorside, Cumbria, after its French partner Engie quit last week

Toshiba was forced to publish the figures without the approval of its auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata after the accountancy firm refused to sign off the accounts.

The unaudited results have raised the possibility that Toshiba could be delisted from the Tokyo Stock Exchange, though chief executive Satoshi Tsunakawa said the firm would 'do its utmost to avoid it'.

The bleak update sparked fresh calls for the Government to intervene and find a backer for the crucial nuclear project in Cumbria.

Kevin Coyne, national officer at union Unite, called on Business Secretary Greg Clark to step in and 'pledge public investment to ensure that the project goes ahead on schedule'.

He said: 'The latest news about the very poor financial health of Toshiba raises further concerns about its involvement in the construction of the Moorside nuclear power station.'

Ministers are understood to be wooing potential backers in South Korea in a desperate effort to rescue the project, which has been dogged by setbacks and a revolving door of owners since it was launched in 2010.

It was initially hoped the plant would be able to generate power by 2023 under initial backers SSE, GDF Suez and Iberdrola.

But plans were thwarted after SSE sold its stake to the other two partners in 2011.

Cash-strapped Spanish utility firm Iberdrola later quit, selling its share to Toshiba.

Up until last week, the Japanese giant had held a 60 per cent stake, with French firm Engie holding the remaining 40 per cent.

But Engie jumped ship last Tuesday, and is selling its 111m stake to Toshiba.

Now questions have been raised over the future of Toshiba's ownership and a new backer is rumoured to be on the horizon.

A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said NuGen, the company that owns the project, had 'always planned to bring in other partners' and 'engages regularly with a range of developers and investors'.

Toshiba has been hit by a multi-billion write-down of its US Westinghouse nuclear business. The unit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month following revelations it may have overpaid by several billions of dollars for another nuclear construction and services business.

Toshiba, which supplies reactors for NuGen through Westinghouse, has already admitted the supply of further reactors for the plant is uncertain now it has filed for bankruptcy.

Commenting on the future of NuGen, a spokesman for Toshiba said: 'No details have been decided yet, but we would like to explore alternatives, including sales of the shares.'
Federation of All India Petrol Pump Traders said it is like a gamble which will create chaos at petrol pumps.

By Devina Gupta: As the oil marketing companies gear up for a pilot project to revise petrol and diesel prices on a daily basis across the country, petrol pump associations are deeply sceptical.

"It is like a gamble which will create chaos at petrol pumps. We will be prone to losses with daily price change too," said Ashok Bhardwaj, president of Federation of All India Petrol Pump Traders.

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From May 1st, petrol and diesel prices will change every day in tandem with international crude rate in five cities.

State-owned fuel retailers including Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation have decided to launch the 'Dynamic Fuel Model' in Jamshedpur, Chandigarh, Vizag, Puducherry and Udaipur recently.

While the rationale is to prevent knee jerk price change, petrol pumps have raised a red flag.

"The biggest challenge will be to have a central monitoring system for daily price change. Then if I buy my stock in bulk and the price goes down, who will compensate for the loss?" claimed Ashok Bhardwaj.

Currently petrol and diesel prices are revised fortnightly. They are fixed based on average international price of the fuel in preceding fortnight and currency exchange rate.

"Everyday change in pricing of petroleum products is a recommendation of experts. Government has nothing to do with it. Oil cost has been implemented on a pilot project in 5 cities. After this, they will decide what to do with rest of the country," said Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

If this pilot plan is implemented nationwide, it will have large impact across 58,000 fuel outlets. Petrol prices were deregulated in June 2010 followed by diesel price in October 2014.

MUST READ:

Beginning May 1, petrol, diesel prices to change every day in 5 cities

Fuelbandi: Petrol pumps may remain shut on Sundays from May 14, to operate from 9 am to 6 pm on other days

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It is totally destructive to social and industrial development, and it is seriously debilitating the much needed economic empowerment of the country.

At the heart of the dagga debate, and considerations, there is a fundamental truth and fact that overrules, and bloviates all the current negative perspectives and arguments on Cannabis legalisation. This truth also renders cannabis prohibition in Swaziland to be without moral premise, erroneous and frightfully dysfunctional. Cannabis prohibition in Swaziland is illegitimate. The truth and fact is; we the people are legitimate for cultivating, for using and for selling Cannabis, in all its forms, for all its uses and for all its magnificent natural benefits, as God intended for us. Nature, as God created it to be, is legitimate to grow, to thrive and to serve the natural purpose it was created to serve.

The Government of Swaziland `s determined effort to totally deny this truth and this indisputable fact is what is illegitimate.

Certain leaders in Swaziland currently delivering obscured statements and inconclusive facts (which is propaganda) through the media, while arrogantly refusing to acknowledge any of the internationally reported medical, industrial and economic benefits of Cannabis, are deliberately attempting to undermine the current appointed research committee, and the general publics perspective on Cannabis for ulterior motives. The Prime Minister Sibusiso Dlamini has now on several occasions publically rebuked Cannabis, and the possible industry legalisation considerations for Swaziland.



He has on several occasions clearly stated that there will be no Cannabis legalisation while he heads the administration of government in Swaziland. Recently, most widespread alternative educational media platforms on the internet, instigated by myself have been sabotaged, and some even deleted completely off the internet.

The police commissioners recent primitive public statement; Dagga is satanic, is shamefully also a complete turnaround, and a total contradiction from an article he did about a year ago, where he clearly advised government and advocated for a study into the legalisation of cannabis in Swaziland, published by the Observer.

Every single official who has made a public statement or article demonising Cannabis is doing so maliciously, without any conclusive evidence, truths or real facts. They are simply giving their own uneducated and ill informed opinions that make no sense, and carry no weight for justifiable Cannabis prohibition in Swaziland. The media should only print articles that are based on truth and facts. This is called journalistic integrity. Those seemingly well intentioned individuals who do argue against, or who do outright attack Cannabis legalisation, should at the very least be responsible and accountable for their public influence, especially if it is intentionally misleading.

If anyone would attempt to derail the current considerations for Cannabis legalisation in Swaziland, and persist with delivering their biased, and in some cases dishonest, view point, they should at least be required to deliver sound truths and facts that back up their viewpoints and their statements. There are now currently insurmountable medical, industrial, legal and economical truths and facts on the internet which are sweeping the world into new perspectives and decisions, on Cannabis industry developments.



I would heartily recommend that every single Swazi, if they do really care, to take the responsibility to re-educate themselves from these many reliable sources and resources, and to recondition their own perspective based on sound truth and facts before making any further decisions or statements regarding Cannabis and the industry development considerations in Swaziland.



We sincerely hope that the appointed Cannabis research committee will soon enlighten the nation and the misinformed leadership of Swaziland. We pray that they will conclusively deliver, by all means necessary, the clear truths and facts on Cannabis and its infinite potential for health development, social development and industrial development, and especially, for its magnificent potential for revolutionary economic empowerment for Swaziland.Source: Deon Wood, a passionate contemporary educator of functional human development and social justice
MBABANE  A vehicle which was bought as a scrap in 1999 has now been turned into a 350 Chev, V8 with electric doors.



Malcolm Barlow-Jones the owner says the first time the 1944 Ford popular was driven after he started rebuilding it was in 2000.

The making of the vehicle comes from going to different car shows which Malcolm has been attending where he picks up the different interior and exterior parts of the car.

According to the owner, the car is valued at around E200 000 and he has spent over E100 000 in purchasing parts which were needed, including the engine.

The doors are electric and it is opened through a remote control as there are no door handles on the two doors of the car.



This year he stated that he was taking it to the Street Rod Nationals in Klerksdorp in South Africa.

The vehicle has an automatic transmission and a jaguar dif. The colour according to the owner is a Nissan jazz colour.

The roof of the Ford has been lowered and Barlow-Jones said he has a strong liking for speed rods.



Its interior is attractive as there is a built-in DVD player and the radio also plays different television stations.

The Mbabane resident says he has travelled as far as Cape Town with his vehicle and has more trips lined up. Inside there are two pedals which are in different shapes, the brake pedal is shaped like a heart while the other is shaped like a foot.
MBABABNE  Judge Mumcy Dlamini said arresting people without evidence should come to an end.



The judge said this yesterday when the crown informed the court that it had a change of heart and was no longer opposing SWAPA President Mduduzi Bhembe and lawyer Sanele Mabilas bail application.

Judge Dlamini reminded Senior Crown Counsel Macebo Nxumalo that the court had spent a lot of time on the matter the previous day and ordered that the witnesses alleged to have already been interfered with by the suspects be called to appear before court.



These are Machawe Dlamini, who is an admitted attorney, and businessman Musa Mabhengu Hlophe. The crown informed the court that releasing Bhembe and Mabila would not be in the interest of justice as they have already interfered with the witnesses and would do so again.

The judge ordered that Machawe and Hlophe be summoned to give evidence whether they had been interfered with or not.



When the matter was called yesterday, Nxumalo told the court that the matter was no longer opposed. Judge Dlamini questioned why the matter was no longer opposed and why the witnesses or either one of them had not been called.

Where is the witness? I need a witness as you have deposed to your affidavit that they will interfere with the witnesses. I need a witness in the dock. I ordered so because you insisted that they will interfere with witnesses.

Where is that the witness? asked the judge.



Nxumalo responded that the witness was not before court. He said the crown was of the view that it would not be necessary to call the witnesses because the matter was no longer opposed.

Judge Dlamini told the crown that the court was dealing with justice and that it should be based on truth.

This is justice and it must be based on truth and veracity not on vendettas. The business of arresting people without evidence must come to an end in this country, the judge said.

When the judge insisted that she needed a witness in the dock, the senior crown counsel responded that a party could abandon an application, to which Judge Dlamini interjected and said: When it is getting hot and you are confronted with facts then you change your mind.



There is no witness here. Yesterday I ordered that you bring a witness to give evidence under oath. Admit that you dont have a witness, said the judge.


Members of the Correctional Services Staff Association posing after making their submissions in Parliament yesterday.

LOBAMBA  Correctional Services officers cannot bear the thought of watching prisoners enjoying passionate moments with their spouses.



As a result, they have opposed the idea to allow prisoners conjugal rights.

This transpired during the Senate Portfolio Committee workshop where the warders association made its submissions for the Correctional Services Bill No.2 of 2015.

According to the association, officers have a duty of ensuring security at local rehabilitation facilities and cannot allow prisoners to have passionate fun with their spouses as this would be risky.



Since our job is to ensure security, we normally monitor and watch when relatives visit and chat with prisoners. But we cannot then watch them when they have sexual intercourse because this would be invading their privacy, said the associations Secretary General, Mzwandile Dlamini.

Dlamini highlighted that it would be dangerous to give prisoners the freedom to enjoy conjugal rights as it would lead to bad activities.



Imagine allowing a couple to enjoy themselves and then you come back and discover that things ended badly with one killing the other. It is possible that while you think they are enjoying themselves they could be actually fighting, which would leave one dead, Dlamini said.

Even though yesterdays session was not a debate, most of the senators got heated by the issue and pleaded with the committee chairperson, Prince Fipha, to allow them to have a say.



It was Senator Chief Mvimbi who was more vocal on the issue as he argued that there were prisoners who were sentenced to around 30 years and needed to have some loving moments with their loved ones. He said it did not make sense that a man would spend over 20 years in prison without being allowed the opportunity to make babies with his wife. Some prisoners even have more than three wives and it is their duty to satisfy them sexually and make babies with them. Just because someone is in prison does not mean that they are no longer human. They still have needs like everyone else, he said. Moving against the idea was Senator Princess Phumelele, who said the issue of conjugal rights made many Swazis wonder as to what the real meaning of prisoner was.



She mentioned that prisons were meant to correct individuals and argued that allowing them to make children while in their prison cells was not the right path.
Zia was briefing the media on PM Hasina's recent India tour at her Gulshan office today.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: A day after PM Sheikh Hasina termed her India visit as successful, the main Opposition leader Khaleda Zia asserted it as a failed one. Zia also claimed that PM Hasina came back from India empty-handed, with just some assurances only.

Zia was briefing the media on PM Hasina's recent India tour at her Gulshan office today.

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Meanwhile, PM Hasina yesterday said," I am fully satisfied on this tour and it has been very successful. On the context of respect we are equal; it is a matter of fulfillment."

However, Zia said, "People of the country consider this tour "a matter of giving something not achieving anything from neighbouring country. Only the deals proposed and prioritised by India were signed during the visit, keeping with the old pattern."

The former prime minister also said that the people saw it as the Bangladesh government's failure to secure its interests from its stronger neighbour.

She was skeptical about defence deals with New Delhi and said the Awami League government was advised against the agreements by many political groups and civil society members.

"But some very sensitive MoUs were still signed, setting aside the people's concerns. We are worried about their long-term impacts," she added. Zia further said these agreements would be reconsidered, if her party is elected to power.

11 deals and 24 MoUs were signed during PM Hasina's India tour.

Also read:

India tour fully successful and fruitful, says Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina

With Sheikh Hasina listening, PM Modi says India wants neighbours to progress, but some nurture terror

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MANZINI- Exactly five days after his arrival at the Mbuluzi Infantry, a male recruit has left his baffled following his death after his stomach started swelling.



Wonder Dlamini (32) left his home, Mpholi, near Fairview last Tuesday and boarded one of the trucks belonging to the Umbutfo Swaziland Defense Force (USDF) together with others who had dreams of being part of the army. However two days after his arrival at Mbuluzi, he is said to have complained of a severe stomach ache and feeling weak.

His colleagues immediately informed training agents who promptly attended to Dlamini and took him to the army doctor. The aspiring USDF member was given medication and tablets at the infantry school, however his condition is said of have worsened between Friday and Saturday morning.



USDF officials then made a decision that he be taken to hospital as his stomach had started swelling at the time. Dlamini was rushed to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital on Saturday by a USDF team and upon arrival there, medical doctors recommended that he had to be operated on.

Information gathered from his wife, Sisana Hlatjwayo, is that Dlamini flatly refused to be operated at the hospital after doctors had suggested that he contact his family members to sign the operation forms.



After he refused to be operated on, he was given medication and returned to Mbuluzi with the USDF officials. However on Sunday, his condition worsened such that they had to take him back to the same hospital. I was called and informed of his bad condition.When I got there, he was really sick, his stomach was so big and shiny and when one of the medical doctors touched it, he told us that he did not have an idea what my husband was suffering from. He was in so much pain and the stomach kept on swelling and he could not even relieve himself, Hlatjwayo added.

She further stated that the family felt her husband was not examined properly or given the right attention while at the hospital. Hlatjwayo said despite wreathing in pain, he was not given any pain reliever, especially in a form of an injection.



Hlatjwayo said he was only given intravenous fluids despite that his temperature seemed to be on the high side, his legs were not functioning and he constantly complained of pain.

Medical doctors then asked him what he wanted to do and he suggested that he be taken to his church, at the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) for prayer.


Vladimir Putin doubled down on Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, repeating denials that Assad's government was to blame for the gas attack last week.

By Reuters: Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday trust had eroded between the United States and Russia under President Donald Trump, as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria.

Any hope in Russia that the Trump administration would herald less confrontational relations has been dashed in the past week after the new US leader fired missiles at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas.

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Just as Tillerson sat down for talks, a senior Russian official assailed the "primitiveness and loutishness" of US rhetoric, part of a volley of statements that appeared timed to maximise the awkwardness during the first visit by a member of Trump's cabinet.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated," Putin said in an interview broadcast on Russian television moments after Tillerson sat down with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an ornate hall.

Putin doubled down on Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, repeating denials that Assad's government was to blame for the gas attack last week and adding a new theory that the attack may have been faked by Assad's enemies.

Moments earlier, Lavrov greeted Tillerson with unusually icy remarks, denouncing the missile strike on Syria as illegal and accusing Washington of behaving unpredictably.

"I won't hide the fact that we have a lot of questions, taking into account the extremely ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ideas which have been expressed in Washington across the whole spectrum of bilateral and multilateral affairs," Lavrov said.

"And of course, that's not to mention that apart from the statements, we observed very recently the extremely worrying actions, when an illegal attack against Syria was undertaken."

Lavrov also noted that many key State Department posts remain vacant since the new administration took office - a point of sensitivity in Washington.

One of Lavrov's deputies was even more undiplomatic.

"In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russia's state-owned RIA news agency.

"As a whole, the administration's stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all."

TILLERSON FOR CLARIFYING DIFFERENCES

Tillerson kept to more calibrated remarks, saying his aim was "to further clarify areas of sharp difference so that we can better understand why these differences exist and what the prospects for narrowing those differences may be."

"I look forward to a very open, candid, frank exchange so that we can better define the US-Russian relationship from this point forward," he told Lavrov.

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After journalists were ushered out of the room, Lavrov's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, wrote on her Facebook page that US journalists travelling with Tillerson had behaved as if they were in a "bazaar" by shouting questions to Lavrov.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tillerson might meet Putin later on Wednesday if the two top diplomats decided it would be useful to brief the Russian president on their talks. But Peskov too did not hold back his criticism, saying calls from Western powers for Russia to cut support for Assad amounted to giving terrorists a free hand.

Moscow's hostility to Trump administration figures is a sharp change from last year, when Putin hailed Trump as a strong figure and Russian state television was consistently full of effusive praise for him.

COVER-UP

The White House has accused Moscow of trying to cover up Assad's use of chemical weapons after the attack on a town killed 87 people last week.

Trump responded to the gas attack by firing 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base on Friday. Washington warned Moscow, and Russian troops at the base were not hit.

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Moscow has stood by Assad, saying the poison gas belonged to rebels, an explanation Washington dismisses as beyond credible. Putin said that either gas belonging to the rebels was released when it was hit by a Syrian strike on a rebel arms dump, or the rebels faked the incident to discredit Assad.

Trump came to the presidency promising to seek closer ties with Russia and greater cooperation fighting against their common enemy in Syria, Islamic State. Tillerson is a former oil executive who was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship by Putin.

Last week's poison gas attack and the US retaliation upended what many in Moscow hoped would be a transformation in relations between the two countries, which reached a post-Cold War low under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama.

The United States and its European allies imposed financial sanctions on Russia in 2014 after Putin seized territory from neighbouring Ukraine.

Washington is leading a campaign of air strikes in Syria against Islamic State fighters and has backed rebels fighting against Assad during a six-year civil war, but until last week the United States had avoided directly targeting the Syrian government.

Russia, meanwhile, intervened in the civil war on Assad's side in 2015 and has troops on the ground, which it says are advising government forces. Both Washington and Moscow say their main enemy is Islamic State, although they back opposing sides in the wider civil war which has killed more than 400,000 people and spawned the world's worst refugee crisis.

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In an interview with the Fox Business Network, Trump said he was not planning to order US forces into Syria, but that he had to respond to the images of dead children poisoned in the gas attack.

"We're not going into Syria," he said in excerpts of the interview on the station's website. "But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons ... and see these beautiful kids that are dead in their father's arms, or you see kids gasping for life ... when you see that, I immediately called (Defense Secretary) General Mattis."

Tillerson travelled to Moscow with a joint message from Western powers that Russia should withdraw its support for Assad after a meeting of the Group of Seven industrialised economies also attended by Middle East allies.

Some of Washington's allies had been wary of Trump, who spoke during his election campaign of seeking closer ties with Moscow and questioned the value of US support for its traditional friends. Tillerson's mission sees the Trump administration taking on the traditional US role as spokesman for a unified Western position.

Trump's relations with Russia are also a domestic issue, as US intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of using computer hacking to intervene in the election to help Trump win. The FBI is investigating whether any Trump campaign figures colluded with Moscow, which the White House denied.

Also read: US preparing another strike on Syria, plans afoot to 'fake' gas attack to discredit Assad, says Putin

Also read: Donald Trump's looooong ties have given birth to a hilarious Twitter account

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Country

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Heres what to know in Beaver County this Election Day

If youre a registered voter in Beaver County planning to vote in person today, heres what you need to know.
The PWD has issued the notice to AAP to vacate its office- 206, Rouse Avenue on DDU Marg - immediately.

By Press Trust of India: The Public Works Department of the Delhi government has issued notice to AAP's National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal asking him to immediately vacate the party's Rouse Avenue office that was allotted in "violation" of rules.

The move comes less than a week after Lt Governor Anil Baijal ordered cancellation of the office allotment to the AAP in the wake of a report by the Shunglu committee which pointed out "irregularities" in allotting the office.

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"The PWD has issued the notice to AAP to vacate its office- 206, Rouse Avenue on DDU Marg - immediately. The department has not given any time frame to Aam Aadmi Party as the office allotment was illegal," a source said.

Asked whether the PWD will charge rent for the office used, the source said, "The matter is under consideration."

Confirming the development, AAP's national secretary Pankaj Gupta said the notice has been issued to party's national convenor Kejriwal.

He said the party will chalk out its next course of action soon.

"We have received the notice issued to AAP'a National Convenor today to vacate the office. This is truly frustrating as AAP is being singled out despite being a state party with an over-whelming majority," he said.

In its report to the L-G office, the PWD has said the city administration doesn't have power to allot land to political parties as such powers in the national capital are vested with the Centre.

In November 2015, the AAP government had approved a policy for land allotment to state parties. The Kejriwal government then alloted a bungalow to the AAP on Rouse Avenue the following year.

The bungalow was earlier alloted to Asim Ahmed Khan, the then Delhi minister, who was sacked over graft charges.

"There are other political parties, which have been operating from bungalows for decades now, but no action has been taken against them," Gupta said.

While moving into the office, the party had also made significant investments on refurbishing it.

In a public meeting, Kejriwal had alleged the party was being targeted for promising abolition of residential house tax. He had said his party is ready to operate from streets as well.

Also Read:

After Shunglu report, Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party finds itself without a headquarter

Shunglu panel report slams Arvind Kejriwal's AAP government for nepotism. An India Today exclusive

Also watch: Newsroom: Kejriwal's AAP loses headquarters

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State and judicial leaders are mourning the death of state Court of Appeals Associate Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam, whose body was reportedly found floating in the Hudson River on Wednesday afternoon.

Abdus-Salaam, whose fully clothed body was spotted by passersby on the Manhattan side of the river, according to the New York Post, had served on the state's highest court since June 2013.

The Post said Abdus-Salaam, the first African American woman and Muslim on the court, had been reported missing from her home in Harlem earlier Wednesday. Her husband later identified her body, which according to the paper's sources showed no obvious signs of trauma or injuries. She was 65.

No official details were available about the possible cause of her death.

"She was actually beloved on the court," said Vin BonVentre, a constitutional law professor at Albany Law School. "This was a judge who everybody thought the world of, as a judge and a human being."

Abdus-Salaam was instrumental in the court's August decision to expand parental rights for same-sex couples by permitting custody and visitation rights to caretakers of children for whom they are not the biological parents or adoptive guardians.

Her decision in People v. Bridgeworth affirmed that skin color, in addition to race, could not be used in selecting or excluding potential jurors.

In November, Abdus-Salaam wrote the decision in a case that said the state Department of State could review federal license renewal applications from Entergy to ensure the energy company's permits were consistent with the state's Coastal Management Program  an opinion lauded by environmental groups and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who said he wanted to see the company's Indian Point nuclear facility shut down.

Cuomo, who nominated Abdus-Salaam to the court in 2013, remembered her as a "trailblazing jurist whose life in public service was in pursuit of a more fair and more just New York for all."

"Through her writings, her wisdom, and her unshakable moral compass, she was a force for good whose legacy will be felt for years to come," he said in a statement.

New York State Bar Association President Claire P. Gutekunst noted in a statement how Abdus-Salaam had grown up poor in a family of seven children in Washington, D.C., then "rose to become one of the seven judges in New York's highest court, where her intellect, judicial temperament and wisdom earned her wide respect."

At Abdus-Salaam's swearing-in ceremony, then-U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said it was apparent from their time together at Columbia Law School in the 1970s that she was intelligent, serious and witty.

Abdus-Salaam, during her own remarks, noted to Holder how improbable their professional achievements would have seemed four decades ago.

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"Who knew that we would both attain such high positions, and that you would be the first black United States attorney general, and I would be the first black woman on the New York Court of Appeals?"

Court Chief Judge Janet DiFiore noted her colleague's bright legal mind  and her warmth.

"Sheila's smile could light up the darkest room. The people of New York can be grateful for her distinguished public service," DiFiore said.

Sen. Neil Breslin, D-Bethlehem, at the time called her "the finest candidate we have seen" during his tenure.

Abdus-Salaam was elected to trial-level state Supreme Court in 1993 and re-elected in 2007.

She joined the state's midlevel Appellate Division court in Manhattan in 2009.A graduate of Barnard College and Columbia, she worked for East Brooklyn Legal Services Corp., the state attorney general and the New York City Office of Labor Services.

She also served a judge on New York City's Civil Court.In 2004, her two-day witness testimony in front of the U.S. Supreme Court played a vital role in New York's defense of its use of political conventions to elect candidates for trial court.
Clifton Park

The 35-room stone mansion along the Mohawk River is heading for foreclosure.

The former estate of Annie George, who was accused of concealing and harboring an illegal immigrant and making her work like a slave, is more than $400,000 in arrears. If the back taxes are not paid by Sept. 30, Saratoga County Attorney Stephen Dorsey said Llenroc will be sold to the highest bidder.

"The county forecloses on hundreds of properties for back taxes," Dorsey said. "But we will probably look to treat this property differently. We don't want to let it go. We want to maximize what we get back."

This is not the first time the 30,000-square foot mansion in Rexford, with its helicopter pad, 15 fireplaces, an indoor swimming pool shaped like a sailboat and gold gilded ceilings, was in arrears with the county. Its original owner was insurance executive Albert W. Lawrence, who built it in the early 1990s. He later was found guilty of white-collar crime, including embezzlement, fraud and tax evasion. Tax arrears on the property totaled $700,000 by 2003.

George and her husband, real estate magnate Mathai Kolath George, purchased the property for $1.87 million in November 2009. In 2011, George was charged with forcing a woman, identified as V.M., into slavery for six years at Llenroc and other homes. Initially, the house was to be forfeited to the government as part of George's conviction.

However, her case was dismissed in 2012. George apparently still owns the home under the purchasing entities name, Power Angels LLC.
"Hidden Figures": The film continues the hot Hollywood trend of basing feature films on real stories. It's a tale of incredible courage and determination that has such a powerful message about the pure absurdity of racism that this movie should be mandatory viewing for every man, woman and child. Director Theodore Melfi manages to make his points about social injustice with such a steady approach that the significance lands early and continues to grow long after the closing credits. Movies based on real stories tend to focus on heroic events, and "Hidden Figures" is no different. But the courage shown here takes on a much larger importance.

"Mars": The limited series "Mars" is a hybrid of scripted and non-scripted material. Part of the production is a dramatized story of a handful of Earth astronauts in 2033 who go on the first manned mission to colonize Mars. This story is mixed with current-day interviews with top scientists explaining how each hurdle would be faced and defeated. The experts are from NASA, JPL and the European Space Agency. It also includes a look at SpaceX, the commercial enterprise that manufactures and launches rockets. This blend of drama and real interviews makes "Mars" as entertaining as it is informative.
Troy

The government email records of Rensselaer County District Attorney Joel E. Abelove were seized by investigators with the state attorney general's office Tuesday in an ongoing investigation into his handling of a fatal police shooting case last year in Troy.

State investigators presented a search warrant to officials at the Rensselaer County offices on Tuesday afternoon that instructed the county to turn over a digital copy of Abelove's work-related emails, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The county officials quickly complied.

It's the second time in a month the attorney general's office has used a search warrant to obtain evidence in the case. On March 16, investigators seized Abelove's cell phone  taking it right from his hand  as he arrived for work at the Rensselaer County Courthouse.

John W. Bailey, Abelove's attorney, said they were unable to confirm that a search warrant was used this week to seize Abelove's emails. He said his client only "heard rumors" that it happened.

"We do not know anything about a search warrant and we are confident that there is nothing in his emails which would support allegations of inappropriate let alone criminal activity," Bailey said. "We are confident that a neutral and impartial judge would tailor a very specific warrant targeting very specific emails."

The search warrants are being overseen by Columbia County Court Judge Jonathan D. Nichols. The search warrant case was transferred to Nichols last month by Supreme Court Justice Thomas A. Breslin, the region's administrative judge. The transfer was ordered several days after Bailey publicly questioned why state Supreme Court Justice Richard McNally, a former Rensselaer County district attorney who defeated Abelove in Abelove's first run for the office, had signed the warrant used to seize Abelove's cell phone. Bailey said McNally should have recused himself from the case.

The search warrant applications documenting the investigators' probable cause to believe the electronic records contain evidence of a crime remain sealed. The investigation has focused on whether Abelove interfered with the attorney general's jurisdiction last year when he quickly presented the fatal shooting case to a grand jury that cleared a Troy police sergeant of wrongdoing in the slaying of a DWI suspect.

The grand jury review took place after the attorney general's office notified Abelove it was reviewing the case under a gubernatorial order giving Schneiderman's office jurisdiction in cases involving fatal encounters between police and unarmed civilians.

The Times Union reported last year that Abelove did not require Sgt. Randall French, the officer involved in the shooting, to waive his immunity from prosecution when he testified before the grand jury that cleared him five days after the shooting. The decision by Abelove to not have the officer sign an immunity waiver raised questions about the validity of the grand jury's determination to clear the police officer  because the panel could not have voted to indict him without a waiver.

In February, Gov. Andrew Cuomo issued an executive order giving Schneiderman's office the authority to also investigate Abelove for his handling of the case. The extraordinary order allowed Schneiderman to investigate Abelove's and other law enforcement officials' handling of the investigation.

Edson Thevenin, 37, was shot multiple times as he fled a DWI arrest last April. Troy police officials said they believed that Thevenin was armed  with a vehicle  and that he drove forward and pinned French's legs against his police cruiser before the officer opened fire. Two civilian witnesses, who did not testify in the grand jury, told investigators they did not believe French was in imminent danger when he opened fire.

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
GREENPORT - A Brooklyn man was arrested after Columbia County deputies allegedly found heroin for sale in his car, Sheriff David Bartlett said.

Peter R. Medina, 25, was arrested last week after a traffic stop by Deputy Peter Merante who noticed a car with no front license plate and dark tinted side windows traveling north on Fairview Avenue.
An earlier version of this story misstated Taron Robinson's parole status. He is currently under the supervision of the New York State Division of Parole.

ALBANY  Taron Robinson, the nephew of a city councilman and a one-time enforcer for West Hill's notorious Jungle Junkies street gang, is on the run and a suspect in last Saturday's shooting death of a 27-year-old father from Albany.

The gangland-style shooting took place just before 5 p.m. Saturday when a gunman approached the vehicle of Christopher J. Hardy while he was parked in front of a store near First and Quail streets in West Hill. Witnesses told police that the gunman, believed to be Robinson, opened the door to Hardy's vehicle and fired two shots that struck the victim's abdomen and left hip. Hardy died later at Albany Medical Center Hospital.

The weekend homicide has resonated in City Hall. Hardy was the biological brother of the adopted son of Mayor Kathy Sheehan, who knew Hardy and has maintained a relationship with his family for 17 years.

Robinson is the nephew of Mark Robinson, a city councilman who reformed his life after emerging from federal prison a decade ago.

Law enforcement sources said Taron Robinson, 29, whose nickname is "Turtle," is on probation but allegedly cut an electronic monitoring bracelet from his ankle and may have fled the area. Robinson was among dozens of Albany gang members arrested in a sprawling 2006 racketeering case that involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI. Two years later, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his conviction on charges of selling crack cocaine.

Robinson was a violent enforcer for the Jungle Junkies and linked to incidents of gun violence, according to federal court records. He was released from federal prison in May 2016 but was transferred to the custody of New York State Department of Corrections to serve a three year sentence for an assault conviction. In January, Robinson was released on parole and was under the supervision of state parole officers until he absconded last weekend.

City detectives are investigating whether Saturday's shooting death of Hardy is connected to another shooting earlier that afternoon on First Street in West Hill, when multiple shots were fired from a passing car into a residence near Lexington Avenue at about 12:30 p.m. No one was struck but police said shell casings were recovered at the scene. Hardy may have been involved in the earlier shooting, according to law enforcement sources. The investigation is examining whether Robinson allegedly killed Hardy as retaliation, the sources said.

The two men had tangled at a party overnight Saturday but were separated by an onlooker after Robinson allegedly pulled a gun and pointed it at Hardy, according to a person briefed on the investigation.

Acting police Chief Robert Sears on Wednesday said he could not comment about the details of the investigation.

Mark Robinson and some of his siblings, including his brother Obar, who is Taron's father, went to prison after being convicted on federal charges of running a sometimes violent criminal enterprise that controlled much of the city's marijuana trade during the 1990s.

Mark Robinson on Wednesday said he was not aware that his nephew is a suspect in last weekend's killing. "This is the first time I've heard of that," he said.

Obar Robinson, in a telephone interview, said his son didn't do it then hung up.

Police sources and a member of the Robinson family said that Taron Robinson is afflicted with terminal cancer, and the severity of his disease was a factor in his early release from federal prison last year.

In a 2011 interview with the Times Union, Obar Robinson recalled that when he went to prison in 1999 his son Taron was 13 and fell in with the Jungle Junkies.

"It was a critical time for him," Obar Robinson said. "When I got locked up he was the one who took it the hardest."

Obar Robinson said in the interview that four of his seven children had earned college degrees and another was a high school honors student. Although Taron was sent to prison and had followed the way of the gun, he and his family were committed to restoring their reputations.

"This is the first time in my life that my whole family is on the same page about passing along our legacy," he said in 2011. "We don't want to hand us going to prison to our kids, we want to hand them something positive."

The mayor said Saturday's killing was "senseless gun violence" that has "directly hit my home."

"Obviously any murder in the city of Albany and the senseless shooting and violence that happens in this city is something that is the most difficult part of this job," Sheehan said. "It stems from lots of different issues like poverty and lack of access."
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TROY -- Hudson Valley Community College plans an emergency drill near the Joseph L. Bruno Stadium beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Expect a staged response from local law enforcement, college Public Safety and members of the Emergency Preparedness Committee.
Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad said that even though Air India contacted him after lifting the ban but he would prefer to travel by train to go home.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: As upper and lower house of Parliament were adjourned sine die on Wednesday, most MPs were seen packing their bags, as closing day marked the return journey for most of them to their respective constituencies.

Controversial Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad told India Today that he will be taking Rajdhani train back to Mumbai, instead of flying the Maharaja (Air India). This despite his flying ban being lifted after prolonged fight in and outside Parliament.

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Dressed in a white kurta and pyjama, the Shiv Sena MP said he "preferred train over plane." He added, "I have several people with me, so I am taking the train to go back. It is comfortable."

On asking whether he had put planes on the no-fly list, he said "I am a common man, a teacher. When i am in Pune, I am on a two- wheeler." He also added that he plans to travel more often by train in future.

Talking about the travel ban that was imposed on him by Air India and few other airlines, Gaikwad said, "Air India several times called me after the ban was lifted. But I wish to travel by train."

Earlier this week, Gaikwad reached the national capital by train. He also used the Mumbai-Rajdhani Express to return to Mumbai last week.

Also read: Why Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad is not travelling by Air India

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BETHLEHEM -- Rifenburg Construction of Troy is expected to win a $3 million contract from the town of Bethlehem on Wednesday night for a long-anticipated "streetscape" and water main replacement project along Delaware Avenue in Delmar.

The project is expected to spruce up and make it easier to walk and bike to shops and businesses along a stretch of Delaware Avenue that in many cases lacks curbs and sidewalks. However, it will cause traffic issues starting in June with lane closures and detours during weekdays.

Construction is expected to go through the fall until the end of the year, and the detours would route traffic around Delaware Avenue using Kenwood and Hudson avenues.

"As with all major construction projects, traffic and travel will be impacted, so I ask for everyone's patience during the construction phase," Bethlehem Supervisor John Clarkson wrote to town residents last week.

The Bethlehem town board is planning to award the construction contract, which includes the water main replacement work, to Rifenburg at its meeting Wednesday night at town hall. The meeting begins at 6 p.m.

The streetscape project, which has been a decade in the making, will add new sidewalks, curbs, landscaping, bike racks, street lamps and other enhancements along Delaware Avenue from Adams Street at the Four Corners northward to Elsmere Avenue, a stretch of businesses, homes and churches that lacks traditional sidewalks and curbs in places.

"The purpose of the project is to implement design improvements that will help strengthen Delaware Avenue's main street character and provide for safe and convenient travel and access for all users including pedestrians, bicyclists, drivers and transit users," Bethlehem Supervisor John Clarkson wrote in the letter to residents.

The combined cost of the street upgrades and the water main pipe replacement projects, which will happen at the same time, could be as high as $4 million, a price tag that includes the engineering and inspection work being done by Albany-based CHA.

Some of the street work will be offset by state funding. The town won a $1.2 million grant from the state Department of Transportation for that part of the project, and is looking at getting an additional $222,000 from the DOT and NYSERDA, the state's renewable energy agency, to cover costs above the project's original budget.

The water main project, with total costs of about $682,000, is being paid for through a town water fund capital reserve.

Rifenburg was the low bidder on the project, beating out Peter Luizzi & Bros., Casale Construction Services and Callanan Industries.
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Glenmont

There is only so long one can avoid Ray Ortali and his infectious joie de vivre.

I got on Ortali's email list when I was a reporter at the Times Union and successfully ignored his cheery cultural dispatches for the better part of two years. He sent personal appeals for his story ideas until he wore me down. I admired the fellow's persistence.

The professor emeritus of French at the University at Albany, who is 89, devours books, cinema, scholarly articles, homemade bread and red wine.

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And he wants everyone else to savor the humanities  particularly opera and art-house films  as assiduously as he does.

A sign in his office reads: "Never apologize for your art."

He speaks with a French accent and is given to a dramatic delivery when in conversation. He favors pullover tunics with puffy sleeves and can don a beret without looking silly. He embraces technology and is an audiophile, but his sensibility is straight out of the 17th century.

He did not hesitate when asked his favorite literary figures. "Rabelais, Montaigne, Moliere and Voltaire," he said, with a sweeping gesture of his hands. "They are my big four. And Proust if we count the 20th century."

Ortali's apartment is packed with hundreds of books, thousands of CDs and DVDs and stacks of literary journals. He ran out of shelf space, so books about the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries fill bookshelves in the garage.

Lately, he's been amassing dozens of paperbacks published by "The Great Courses" franchise on a plethora of topics.

"I live a life of the mind," he said. "I consider myself a guide. I try to guide others in a discussion of important ideas. My model is the French salon."

Ortali was born in 1928 in the tiny French town of Thoirette, near the Swiss Alps. He grew up above a private grammar school run by his mother, Juliette.

"Maybe it was providence," he said. "I've been a teacher my entire life."

His role as orchestrator of a coterie of intelligentsia across disciplines in the Capital Region seems apropos, given his years studying at the Ecole des Sciences Politiques in Paris. That was after he earned a law degree in Dijon. In 1967, he completed a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, specializing in 16th- and 17th-century French literature.

The piece de resistance of Ortali's itinerant scholarship came in the early 1950s in Paris, when he reviewed manuscripts for a French literary publisher. He pored over pages in the venerable Cafe de Flore, one of the oldest coffeehouses in the city. He exchanged pleasantries with the philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, who were regulars, as were Camus and Picasso.

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Those exhilarating moments were surpassed only by Ortali's rapturous description of seeing Edith Piaf in concert in Paris shortly before the French chanteuse's death in 1963. "I shiver when I think of it," he said, seated in a leather recliner beside a shelf lined with Piaf recordings.

Around the same time, he was introduced to the absurdist playwright Eugene Ionesco, a master of avant-garde theater. "I saw his earliest plays," Ortali said. "So frightening. I loved his voice."

He later brought Ionesco to speak to his students at UAlbany, where Ortali taught from 1971 until his retirement in 1996, including a stint as chair of French Studies. Prior to coming to Albany, he taught French at Yale and worked as an editor of a French magazine. He also worked as an advertising executive and managed a company in Texas that imported cosmetics from France.

"He's amazing, an absolute dynamo," said George Hastings, 86, of Delmar, an emeritus English professor and medieval specialist. He's a board member of the Emeritus Center, a UAlbany salon of sorts for retired professors, which Ortali helped to found in 2006.

His wife, Helen Ortali, died of cancer more than a decade ago. They had no children.

Most recently, the restless Ortali launched a free online literary magazine, "We Love Books and Company." He edits and emails it to a few hundred writers, editors, publishers and discriminating readers. "I'm an editor again, doing what I did 60 years ago. Alpha and omega," he said.

Before I left, he placed a rush order for delivery. He was down to his last two bottles of red in the wine rack. And that's no state for a bon vivant to be in.

grondahlpaul@gmail.com
THE ISSUE:

As international conflicts intensify, the president wants more money for the military.

THE STAKES:

This unnecessary increase would come at the expense of diplomacy and foreign aid.

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President Donald Trump's plan to make America great would come at the cost of what actually makes America a world leader.

Mr. Trump proposes to slash federal spending in such areas as diplomacy and foreign aid in order to help pay for a $54 billion increase in spending on what is already by far the world's biggest military budget  bigger than the next eight nations' outlays combined.

His shortsightedness is breathtaking. As Mr. Trump's own defense secretary, James Mattis, once warned Congress: "If you don't fund the State Department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition ultimately... The more that we put into the State Department's diplomacy, hopefully the less we have to put into a military budget as we deal with the outcome of an apparent American withdrawal from the international scene."

Such common sense eludes Mr. Trump, who proposes to cut the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development by $10.1 billion, about 28 percent. That would be a blow to the diplomacy that the State Department does, and the good will that USAID seeks to engender abroad through foreign aid programs.

This unfortunately is part of a broader pattern in a foreign policy  if one could even call it that  that is, depending on the day, oversimplistic, convoluted or incoherent. Just this past week the world tried to make sense of the differing U.S. positions on Syria, from Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's vagueness on the future of Syrian President Bashar al Assad to U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley's assertion that Mr. Assad must go to White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer's rambling on the entire topic of Syria. Mr. Trump, meanwhile, seemed content to remain mostly silent and let a single missile strike stand in for any kind of clear policy or plan.

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Depth, of course, is not Mr. Trump's strong point. Witness his deep cuts, too, of the Environmental Protection Agency and his denial of global warming  a problem military leaders agree will increase global turmoil if left unaddressed. Mr. Trump is satisfied to call it a Chinese plot.

And now Mr. Trump  who casually floats conspiracy theories, exaggerations and outright lies  finds himself facing off with a master propagandist, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who dismisses the charge that Mr. Assad used chemical weapons on civilians and suggests it was actually a U.S. pretext for a missile strike.

One might shrug this off as posturing by a couple of megalomaniacs if not for the fact that they command nuclear arsenals that could wipe out humanity.

We need real professionals who understand the art of diplomacy. We need a foreign aid program that inspires gratitude, trust, and friendship. We need Congress to be a check on a volatile, inexperienced, incurious, self-absorbed president.

It's been said that war represents the failure of diplomacy. In cutting the things that help avoid war in order to raise funding for war itself, Mr. Trump seems determined to not even give diplomacy a chance.
Nenagh motorists are facing more disruption this month when work starts on pipe laying along Dublin Road as part of Ervia's 17m plan to upgrade the town's infrastructure.

Over the past few weeks, work has been ongoing on Friar Street and Martyr's Road, with some inconvenience caused for shops along Abbey Street and the Friday country market.

However, it is anticipated that the work on Dublin Road, which is due to commence on Monday, April 24 and last until Friday, June 23, will be among the worst to hit the town since the massive project to install natural gas, water mains and waste water facilities started in 2016.

With limited room to manoeuver on diversions, the Abbey Court hotel has allowed a temporary road to be built through its complex which will see motorists diverted around the back of the hotel.

It is believed that at least one business on Dublin Road threatened to seek an injunction preventing the work from going ahead due to the impact it would have on their business if no proper diversion was put in place.

As Martyrs Road is a significant link around the town centre, work taking place there had led to some additional traffic congestion in recent weeks.

Ervia would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this essential work and wish to thank the businesses in the area for their co-operation and support during this time.

In response to concerns raised by Tipperary County Council and the business community, works were suspended in the Summerhill area pending the completion of the work on Martyrs Road.

Ervia will continue to engage with local businesses to address any concerns they may have, the company said in a statement.

However, the good news is that the project is coming to a halt with all major work expected to be completed by the end of the summer.

The next phase of the work will involve up to a 4m deep excavations on the Dublin Road to enable the laying of 400m of gas and wastewater mains.

This work will involve the closure of two sections of the road for a nine-week period from April 24 to June 23.

Section 1 is from the Abbey Court Hotel northern entrance to the Lidl access road and Section 2 is from the Lidl access road to Casements Terrace.

Traffic management plans will be put in place for these works, which will see traffic travelling in both directions. Diversion routes will be clearly signposted and notices posted in local media to advise road users of alternative routes as the work progresses.

We are approaching a very significant milestone in this project, with the main bulk of work around the town centre now completed. The Dublin Road work is the last major excavation element of the project to be carried out. We acknowledge that the scale of the works has resulted in disruption to businesses and road users in the town to date and would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result. However, we would also like to thank local residents and the business community for their patience and co-operation as we work to deliver this project which will have significant long term economic and social benefits for Nenagh, said construction manager Brendan McDermot.

He said that as the work progresses to Dublin Road, Ervia will continue to work with all stakeholders to keep disruption to a minimum.

Again, we would like thank the people of Nenagh, the Nenagh businesses and especially the Abbey Court Hotel for their co-operation and support as we aim to complete the final element of the wastewater works, he said.

To date the Ervia has laid 3km of the planned 4.2km of water main within the town, 1.3 km of the planned 1.7 km of wastewater main and over 9km of gas mains.
Less than four months into 2017, parts of Australia and India are already in the throes of heat waves.

By Reuters: In 2016, the Earth experienced its hottest year since the 1880s when modern records began, marking the third consecutive year of record-high temperatures. Less than four months into 2017, parts of Australia and India are already in the throes of heat waves.

While sunny skies may be synonymous with summer fun in some parts of the world, too much heat can be fatal.

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It is estimated that between 15,000 and 19,000 people died during France's heat wave of 2003, while the United States' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said some 600 Americans died every year from exposure to extreme heat between 1999 and 2010.

The Thomson Reuters Foundation spoke to half a dozen climate scientists to understand what rising temperatures mean for human health. Here are some key facts and figures

WHAT SOARING HEAT CAN DO TO YOU Hotter days and nights, and heat waves will become more common. Multiple studies have found that cold spells declined in urban areas in the last 40 years. Extreme heat can cause heat-related illnesses, such as heat stroke and exhaustion, and increase mortality. It can also exacerbate existing health conditions. The total number of days on which heat reaches "health-threatening levels" will rise rapidly over the next several decades, noted one study by the Institute for Social and Environmental Transition-International (ISET-International) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Study by British researchers warned that conditions that have challenged and overwhelmed people in the most heat-stressed regions could become "much more frequent", while population growth will make things worse. Urban centres in the developing world will be hit hardest. They tend to be hotter than rural areas due to factors including population density, pollution from industrial activities, and the presence of buildings and machinery that create heat. This "urban heat island" effect is well known, but will worsen with rising temperatures. New populations will become heat-stressed while those already exposed to dangerous levels of heat will be subject to harmful conditions more often, scientists say. With a temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius, cities in China, India, Bangladesh, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Vietnam and Myanmar will regularly start to experience heat stress, according to the UK study. If global temperature rise hits 2.7 degrees Celsius, Tokyo, Beijing and Manila will also be affected, while a 4 degree rise would see New York and Rio de Janeiro join the club. Southeast Asia faces a 16 percent loss of labour capacity in the next three decades due to heat stress, said a study by risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that without adaptation measures, there will be nearly 65,000 additional deaths annually among people over 65 due to heat exposure in 2030, with the greatest impacts in Asia-Pacific. Humidity levels and night-time temperatures play an important - but often neglected - role, because they influence the body's ability to cool down. Daytime peak temperatures can be dealt with partially by seeking shade and sweating, but it is harder to act at night. According to the WHO, ideal room temperature should be below 32 degrees Celsius during the day and under 24 degrees Celsius at night. Rice, Asia's staple food, is highly susceptible to heat stress, with yields plummeting if temperatures are above 35 degrees Celsius for 10 days during the reproductive stage.

ALSO READ| India's temperature has risen by 0.60 degree over last 110 yrs. Here's why

ALSO READ| Rising temperatures in Delhi leave doctors worried

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The results of a major fish study on Lough Derg will be released this Wednesday night at a meeting in the Lakeside Hotel, Ballina, at 7.30pm.

The study was carried out over the past while on the lake, with over 2,000 samples being sent to centres in Belfast and Canada for analysis.

The findings of the Lough Derg Native Fish Biodiversity Project will be used to manage stocks in the lake and its rivers and to maintain the area as a top class fishery.

The report will play a huge part in identifying the cause of falls in fish stocks in the river over the past few years, though it is reported that the downward trend has been halted.

It also comes at a time when coarse fishing on the lake is seeing an upturn both in membership of local anglig clubs and the number of European visitors coming to the area on fishing holidays, especially those looking for pike.

The results will be revealed by freshwater biologist Dr Fran Igoe
Independent Tipperary TD Seamus Healy has called for pressure to be kept up on the issue of water charges, saying public ownership of the utility should be copperfastened in law.

Fianna Fail yesterday voted against several amendments to the recommendations on water charges which Fianna Fail, itself, proposed last week, stated Deputy Healy.

On all key row-back amendments, the Labour Party, the Greens and Noel Grealish (IND) voted with FF and Fine Gael at the Committee

Then the Labour Party and the Greens, hard-line supporters of charging for water generally, cynically voted against the final report.

Seamus Healy TD, Thomas Pringle TD, Sinn Fein and Solidarity voted against all FF U-turns and against the final report.

However, it is important to recognise that gains won by anti-water charge campaigners are retained. There will be no immediate return to general water charges. Those who didnt pay will not be pursued and those who did pay will receive refunds. The metering of additional existing and unrefurbished dwellings remains halted. The anti-water charges campaign has also achieved an increased allowance for those on group schemes, continued the Clonmel based Deputy.

The recommendation that a referendum be held to change the constitution to prevent privatisation of water services, also, remains.

However the U-turn amendments make domestic water a tradeable commodity under EU Law. Payment for excessive use to Irish Water Ltd. commodifies water. This facilitates the phasing back in of water charges over time. Government can reduce the free allowance thus making increasing amounts of water chargeable. This may also be used to prevent the holding of the anti-privatisation referendum or to change the wording as new private suppliers of water are entitled to enter the market under EU Competition Law. This was facilitated by FF agreeing with FG that the abolition of Irish Water LTD. Would be outside the terms of reference of the Oireachtas Committee

In addition, FF have also conceded that metering of new builds and refurbishments will continue in a further U-turn. Fianna Fail has proven again that it cannot be trusted.

We will campaign with the same vigour against these U-turns as we campaigned for the gains already achieved. We Already Pay For Water. We will not pay a second time.

Fine Gael, the Endapendents, Labour, the Greens, and indeed Fianna Fail must not be allowed to restore water charges. They will also attempt to increase PAYE and VAT to make us pay for water a second time. We are already paying for water services through existing general taxation. But the money has been diverted to other purposes including tax concessions to the very rich.

We are already paying by law. After the humiliation of Fine Gael, Labour and Workers Party candidates by anti-water charges campaigner Joe Higgins in the 1996 bye-election, Brendan Howlin from the then FG-Lab-WP government abolished water charges and transferred the cost on to motor tax and other existing duties and fees in the 1997 Act.

There is no technical difficulty in retrieving this money for water services by imposing additional taxes on the massive incomes and financial assets Irish super-rich. But Fine Gael and the Endapendents, Fianna Fail, Labour and the Greens steadfastly refuse to tax this huge wealth.

The shares and bank deposits of the Irish super-rich are now worth 35 Billion Euro more than at peak boom level in 2006 and 70 billion above bust level in 2008. These huge gains are due to the sacrifices and the hardship endured by the blameless majority. When all wealth is considered, the richest 300 Irish People have total assets of 100.03 Billion Euro, a gain of 12 billion in the past year according to the Sunday Independent. That is an average of 333 million each.

It is time the super-rich gave back something. I will be advocating in the Dail that significant taxes be imposed on these assets to pay for improved public services

There must be no increase in taxation such as PAYE, VAT or Motor Tax etc to make us pay for water a second time.

I will also be advocating at the legislative stage in the Dail that Irish Water Ltd be abolished and its functions returned to local authorities and the Department of the Environment.

We must remain organised in the Right2Water Campaign. Fine Gael and the Endapendents, Fianna Fail, Labour, and the Greens are hell bent on using water charges and additional taxation to soak the citizens generally in order to protect the massive incomes and assets of the Irish Super-Rich. Let us continue to resist this agenda, added Deputy Healy.
A foal who was rejected by its mother has been rescued by an ingenious horse breeder who developed an automatic feeder system to feed the animal round the clock for the past two weeks.

Brendan Maher from Ballysloe was at his job with Glanbia when he first received a call from his wife to say one of the mare's had foaled but was not bonding with the newborn animal.

Despite intervention from the local vet, the thoroughbred mare by Brian Boru would still not allow her foal, who is by the RID Gortfree Hero, to feed and time was running out of time to get the first vital feed of colostrom.

The horse was kicking the poor foal every time it went to feed. A foster mare would cost me 1,800, which is very expensive, and there was no way we could leave them together so we said we'd try rearing Gilly ourselves, explains Brendan to the Tipperary Star.

Running out of time and options Brendan made a last ditch call to Michael Raleigh and Ginny Hutton at Coolmore Stud at 10pm on the Sunday night, hoping the farm would have a supply of colostrom on standby he could use.

Brendan then fitted a lamb teat to a bottle and fed the newborn foal a half litre of Colostrom every hour for four hours.

After this Brendan was able to give Gilly milk replacer increasing the amount to a half litre per hour for 24 hours, gradually increasing to one litre every two hours. After two days Brendan introduced the animal to bucket feeding.

When the foal got used to this method of feeding I then fixed the bucket to a solid structure and continued feeding with one litre every two hours.

However by the fourth day, Brendan, along with the help of his son and a friend, were able to fit an old calf feeder with an automatic timer to a pump and deliver Gilly's breakfast, dinner, lunch and snacks.

Their plan turned out to be a great success with Gilly heading straight for the container every time she heard the machine start up.

We had some very long nights but my family were great in helping out. Thankfully it's paid off and Gilly is now thriving, says Brendan of the Maher's newest addition to the family.

Brendan says he is also eager to offer advice to other horse breeders in the same situation.

I've been involved with horses all my life and so was my father before me. I've never heard of a case like this happening before so it was real trial and error. If anyone encounters a similar problem I'd be happy to help and offer my advice.

Brendan Maher - 0871325695
A Tipperary Co. Council deputation is to seek a meeting with the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to appeal to him to protect the 70 jobs at the Littleton Briquette Factory, which is under review by Bord na Mona.

A motion requesting the Council to meet with Minister Denis Naughton was unanimously passed at the Co. Council's monthly meeting in Clonmel on Monday, which was told that loss of this factory to Littleton would be the equivalent of 1000 job losses in Dublin.

Councillors appealed to Co. Tipperary's five TDs to do all in their power to save the factory,

Bord na Mona is reviewing peat processing at its factories at Littleton and Derrinlough, Co. Offaly. There is concern that review will lead to the closure of the Littleton factory and peat processing being concentrated at the Bord na Mona plant at Edenderry in north Co. Offaly.

Cllr Sean Ryan (FF), who tabled the motion, said he had spoken to a number of Littleton factory workers in recent days and they were "very fearful" for their jobs. They were completely in the dark in relation to what was happening with this review.



Cllr Sean Ryan

He argued that the IDA hadn't been very pro-active in bringing jobs to the county so they needed to protect the jobs created by native industry. He pointed out that the Littleton plant significantly contributed to Bord na Mona's substantial 50m profit in 2015.

"This (the review) is going to be on the Minister's desk in the next year or two and it's absolutely imperative that we put our spake in and stress the importance of those jobs," he declared.

See this weeks Tipperary Star for full story.
Election day information: voting times, polling centers and races

Residents will have their final chance to cast votes in local races on Nov. 8, including seats on both the NLCS and MCS boards and Sheriff.
Russia blocked a Western bid to condemn the recent Syria gas attack, which killed scores of people. Western countries have blamed the Assad regime for the attack.

By Reuters: Russia blocked a Western effort at the UN Security Council on Wednesday to condemn last week's deadly gas attack in Syria and push Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad to cooperate with international inquiries into the incident.

It was the eighth time during Syria's six-year-old civil war that Moscow has used its veto power on the Security Council to shield Assad's government.

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In the latest veto, Russia blocked a draft resolution backed by the United States, France and Britain to denounce the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun and tell Assad's government to provide access for investigators and information such as flight plans.

The toxic gas attack on April 4 prompted the United States to launch missile strikes on a Syrian air base and widened a rift between the United States and Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that trust had eroded between the two countries under US President Donald Trump.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed that comment after meetings with Russian leaders in Moscow, saying that relations are at a low point with a low level of trust. Tillerson called for Assad to eventually relinquish power.

China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began, abstained from Wednesday's UN vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. Ten countries voted in favor of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting no.

US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, warned Moscow against protecting Assad, who relies on support from Russia and Iran in his conflict with mostly Sunni Muslim rebels.

"To my colleagues from Russia - you are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," Haley said during a Security Council meeting earlier on Wednesday.

Haley added: "Iran is dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so it can expand its own reach."

ATTACK INVESTIGATION

A fact-finding mission from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is investigating last week's attack in a rebel-held area of northern Syria.

If it determines that chemical weapons were used, then a joint UN/OPCW investigation will look at the incident to determine who is to blame. This team has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and that Islamic State militants used mustard gas.

Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the Security Council that samples taken from the site of the April 4 attack had been analyzed by British scientists and tested positive for the nerve gas sarin. He said Assad's government was responsible.

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During a heated Security Council exchange before Wednesday's vote, Russia's deputy UN envoy Vladimir Safronkov told the 15-member body that Western countries were wrong to blame Assad for the gas attack.

"I'm amazed that this was the conclusion. No one has yet visited the site of the crime. How do you know that?" he said.

Syria's government has denied responsibility for the attack.

Diplomats said that Russia has put forward a rival draft resolution that expresses concern at last week's gas attack and condemns the US strike on Syria. It was unclear if Moscow planned to put the text to a vote.

Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said Syria had sent dozens of letters to the Security Council, some detailing "the smuggling of sarin from Libya through Turkey on a civilian air plane by using a Syrian citizen."

"Two litres of sarin were transported from Libya through Turkey to terrorist groups in Syria," he said, adding that the government does "not have these weapons."

Western powers say the April 4 gas attack was carried out from the air and that Syrian rebels do not have any aircraft.

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ALSO READ | Syrian civil war: The biggest human crisis since the World War II

ALSO WATCH | 'The world is in a state of flux': Debate on refugee crisis at Conclave 2017

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MindMaze developed a cost-effective VR HMD upgrade called Mask that can detect biosignals in your face to bring your facial expressions and emotional queues into VR experiences to help improve virtual social interactions.

Social VR experiences, which let you communicate and share activities with other people from around the world, are incredibly compelling. Oculus proved that when it showed off Toybox for the first time, and platforms like AltspaceVR, VRChat, and Rec Room as well as co-op games like Arizona Sunshine and Raw Data reinforce the idea.

In the real world, emotional expression is a large part of face-to-face communication. You can tell a lot about a persons demeanor and intent from the expressions on their face, irrespective of the words they are saying. In VR, you dont have the luxury of seeing the face of the person youre talking to, so you cant pick up on such emotional cues. The developers of VRChat mapped several facial expressions to the thumbstick/trackpad on your controller to address this problem, but those expressions arent natural, which means they arent a reliable gauge of that persons mood.

MindMaze has a solution called Mask that could bring emotional communication to VR, which could make social VR a whole lot more interesting.

Humanizing virtual reality is a natural progression. What makes us human in social interactions is emotion, but thats been missing in virtual reality so far, says Tej Tadi, CEO, and founder of MindMaze. For the industry to progress, all experiences, but especially those in transmedia VR, have to improve. Until now its been stunted by the lack of quality, immersive content. MASK brings emotion, the ultimate driver of engagement, with the goal of evolving VR beyond novelty and into the mainstream.

MindMaze Mask is a combination of hardware sensors and software. Mask uses biosignal processing technology and machine learning from the healthcare industry to detect your facial expressions tens of milliseconds before they manifest on your face. MindMazes software then replicates your expressions on a VR avatar in real-time.

Mask can replicate a wide variety of facial expressions, including anger, disgust, happiness, or sadness. MindMaze said that Masks sensors detect electrical impulses in your face to determine your facial expression. The company developed proprietary algorithms to analyze the signals and build a neural signature of your expressions.

MindMaze engineered Mask technology to be an affordable upgrade for existing VR HMDs and to be compatible with any HMD on the market. The sensors that MindMaze uses for Mask are compact and dont require a lot of power. The company said they would work well in mobile VR devices.

We spoke with Tej Tadi, MindMazes founder and CEO, via Skype shortly before the Mask announcement. During our call, Tadi showed us a remote demo of the Mask technology in action, and honestly, our jaw dropped to the floor when we saw the technology in action. Tadi had a volunteer with an upgraded OSVR headset demonstrate the facial expression tech, and to prove the demo was real, they asked us to request expressions. During the test, they showed us smiling, frowning, and a look of surprise, and the transitions from one expression to the next were seamless and instantaneous.

We also asked to see a single eyebrow raise, but Tadi said that wasnt possible with the current number of sensors. Tadi said that a larger number of sensors would allow tracking of such an expression, but he wants to keep the costs down to a minimum. He didnt specify how much a Mask upgrade would cost, but he said the setup costs tens of dollars to build and he plans to keep it that way.

Tadi said MindMaze is currently shopping for partners to bring the Mask product to market. The company is considering fostering direct relationships with HMD makers, but it's also exploring an aftermarket solution that could work with any VR HMD. Whichever path the company takes, we just hope it doesnt take long to bring Mask-enabled hardware to the market.
Inspiration can come from the most varied places, heck, the title of Smells Like Teen Spirit was unknowingly borrowed from a brand of deodorant, of all things. But then of course, there are the musicians who have used our fine country as an inspiration for their music.

Plenty of Aussie acts have recorded mind-blowing albums on our shores, but what about those international musicians who recorded albums here, shot videos here, or even decided form a band while visiting this great southern land? Keeping this in mind, weve decided to take a look back at some of the famous pieces of music history that came about thanks to our musical visitors.

Sleater-Kinney record their self-titled debut in Melbourne

Sleater-Kinney are renowned as one of the finest groups to have ever emerged from the punk rock or riot grrrl genres. Coming together as a side-project while still part of the groups Excuse 17 and Heavens To Betsy, Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein decided to form the group Sleater-Kinney, and in 1994, took a trip to Australia.

While in Australia, they met up with Laura MacFarlane, a member of the Melbourne group Sea Haggs, who served as guide of sorts for the group while they were in the country. On their last day in the country, while visiting Melbourne, the duo teamed up with MacFarlane and recorded ten songs in one night that would go on to be their debut record.

MacFarlane stuck around to play on their second record Call The Doctor, but left soon after. So if you ever wondered how much international punk credibility Australia had, Sleater-Kinneys debut is just one small notch on our belt.

Rage Against The Machine film their Bulls On Parade video in Sydney

Rage Against The Machine were undoubtedly one of the biggest bands in the 90s. Their self-titled debut has gone on to become one of the most influential records in the genre of alternative metal, and their influence on politics in music is almost unmatched to this day.

When the group visited Australia in early 1996 as part of the Big Day Out tour to promote their upcoming album Evil Empire, Aussie fans were ecstatic at the chance to catch their musical heroes on our shores.

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Even better was the fact that the group documented the Sydney leg of their tour in the video to their newest track Bulls On Parade. Between shots of protesters and images of propaganda posters, theres footage of the groups performance at the Sydney Big Day Out on January 25th, and their headlining show at Sydneys Hordern Pavilion two nights later.

The track and its video have gone on to become some of the groups most popular, and fans are able to get a small glimpse of Australia every time they watch it.

The White Stripes Seven Nation Army originates in Melbourne

In the early 00s, The White Stripes were well on their way to stardom. When the duo toured Australia in support of their White Blood Cells album, Aussie fans were treated to a onslaught of blues-rock, including some of their best tracks at the time, including Hotel Yorba, Hello Operator, and their highly popular cover of Dolly Partons Jolene.

However, fans at one of the groups Melbourne shows managed to witness the duo perform shortly after frontman Jack White had composed one rock musics most famous riffs.

During the soundcheck before their performance at Richmonds Corner Hotel, Jack White was noodling on his guitar when he happened upon the famous riff. As White recalled, Theres an employee here at Third Man [Records] named Ben Swank, and he was with us on tour in Australia when I wrote that song at soundcheck, he said.

I was playing it for Meg and he was walking by and I said, Swank, check this riff out. And he said, Its OK. So it just goes to show, if you write phenomenal riff, not every one will think its a future classic right away.

Annie Lennox & Dave Stewart form Eurythmics in Wagga Wagga

Eurythmics were easily one of synthpops biggest acts. With Dave Stewart tackling most instrumentation, and Annie Lennox taking on vocals and other instruments, the duo achieved phenomenal success starting with the release of their single Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), from the album of the same name.

However, as is usually unbeknownst to most fans, the groups origins actually lie in the most unlikely Australian town.

Lennox and Stewarts previous band, The Tourists, had seen some success in 1979 thanks to their cover of Dusty Springfields I Only Want To Be With You, but were otherwise relatively forgettable.

During a tour of Australia in 1980, The Tourists found their way to Wagga Wagga, and while playing a gig at a hotel in the city, Lennox and Stewart, who were romantically involved at the time, decided to split from the group and form their own duo. The following year, they released their debut album, but it wasnt until Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) was released in 1983 that the group saw major success.

Cat Power records Moon Pix record in Australia

Cat Power, or Chan Marshall as her family calls her, is an American musician whose output is almost completely critically acclaimed. When Marshall released her first record, Dear Sir, in 1995, she instantly became a champion of the indie scene, winning fans all over the world.

Following the release of her third album, What Would The Community Think, Marshall was considering retiring from the music industry. However, after relocating to the Americas pacific northwest with boyfriend Bill Callahan, she suffered from a hallucinatory nightmare, which inspired the composition of her fourth record Moon Pix.

When it was time to record the album, Marshall found her way down to Melbourne, where she was joined by members of the instrumental group Dirty Three. Working with producer Matt Voigt, Marshall began recording on New Years Day of 1998, being joined by Mick Turner and Jim White of the Dirty Three on the second day.

After a relatively tumultuous recording session, Moon Pix was released in September to huge acclaim. While the album had no singles released, the track Cross Bones Style has gone on to become an indie classic.

David Bowie films his Lets Dance video in New South Wales

David Bowies Lets Dance is as stereotypically 80s as you could get from the late legend. Still hungover from the death of disco, Lets Dance sees Bowie try to create a funky, post-disco record, which resulted in the title track being one of his most popular tunes.

To capitalise on the success of the track, a promotional music video was shot, and it just so happened to have been filmed about 6 hours west of Sydney.

Bowies Lets Dance video saw him perform the track within the confines of the Carinda Hotel, alongside the locals who were filmed mocking the protagonist characters of the film clip. The clips also included scenes filmed within the Warrumbungle National Park, serving as a way to show off the charming natural landscape of the region.

The film clip managed to make numerous references to Indigenous rights and the Stolen Generations, topics which Bowie held very close to his heart.

L7 accidentally copy their mates Cosmic Psychos for Fuel My Fire

If youve ever seen the brilliant Cosmis Psychos documentary Blokes You Can Trust, youd already be well aware of how close the Psychos and US rockers L7 are.

After making acquantices with each other in the early 90s, the groups became close friends, touring together, showing off each groups respective homeland to the other, and just generally being good mates. In fact, this friendship was what led to Cosmic Psychos supporting L7 once again during a Melbourne show in 2016.

Back in 1989, Cosmic Psychos released their record Go The Hack, which featured the track Lost Cause. Somewhere along the line, L7 frontwoman Donita Sparks must have let the track seep into her consciousness, because when they recorded their track Fuel My Fire in 1994, they realised it sounded an awful lot like Lost Cause.

Of course, they were friends, so Cosmic Psychos frontman Ross Knight didnt care, but L7 still did the honourable thing and gave them writing credits. Three years later, The Prodigy covered the track for their landmark album The Fat Of The Land, and gave proper credit to the songs writers, Cosmic Psychos included.
On Monday, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard released details about their forthcoming album, The Tale Of The Altered Beast, one of four (or five, depending on which member you listen to) albums they have promised to release this year.

The album wont be out until June, but the band have dropped more information, including a tracklisting, a few quotes about the concept of the record, and the entire third part of the album.

The album is made up of 21 tracks divided into three separate chapters  the third of which, Han-Tyumi and the Murder of the Universe can be listened to/watched below.

It contains Eastern riffs, dissonant blasts of noise, monotone spoken word sections, and basically sounds like a bad acid trip  in the best possible way, of course.

Were living in dystopian times that are pretty scary and its hard not to reflect that in our music, explains front man Stu Mackenzie. Its almost unavoidable. Some scientists predict that the downfall of humanity is just as likely to come at the hands of Artificial Intelligence, as it is war or viruses or climate change. But these are fascinating times too. Human beings are visual creatures  vision is our primary instinct, and this is very much a visual, descriptive, bleak record. While the tone is definitely apocalyptic, it is not necessarily purely a mirror of the current state of humanity. Its about new non-linear narratives.

Check out the tracklisting, and Han-Tyumi and the Murder of the Universe below.

The Tale Of The Altered Beast

1. A New World

2. Altered Beast I

3. Alter Me I

4. Altered Beast II

5. Alter Me II

6. Altered Beast III

7. Alter Me III

8. Altered Beast IV

9. Life / Death

The Lord Of Lightning Vs. Balrog

10. Some Context

11. The Reticent Raconteur

12. The Lord Of Lightning

13. The Balrog

14. The Floating Fire

15. The Acrid Corpse

Han-Tyumi And The Murder Of The Universe

16. Welcome To An Altered Future

17. Digital Black

18. Han-Tyumi, The Confused Cyborg

19. Soy-Protein Munt Machine

20. Vomit Coffin

21. Murder Of The Universe
By India Today Web Desk: Popular show Sarabhai vs Sarabhai is making a return in our lives this summer, but as a web series. The show, which used to air on TV, will be making a comeback on Hotstar.

However, recently reports about how the hit show might also air on TV screens have started emerging. But this is not true, according to the producer of the show, JD Majethia.

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Also read: Sarabhai vs Sarabhai: These 5 things about the new season will make you VERY happy

"No it's not true. There is no such planning that I know of. Having said that, it is Star Group's property so they have full authority to put it on air whenever they want. We are making Sarabhai vs Sarabhai for Hotstar as we want to make that platform strong. TV would be any day better but we haven't had any discussion with the channel. We are making the show for web and not for TV," the producer told The Times of India.

Well, we are sure Sarabhai vs Sarabhai fans are just happy with the fact that the show is finally returning next month.

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In February, From First To Last reunited onstage with their former frontman Sonny Moore (aka Skrillex) at Emo Night in LA.

The band premiered live their new single Make War to a crowd of genre faithfuls and throwback enthusiasts.

A similar club night is launching tomorrow in Sydney, with AM//PM joining the global revival at The Burdekin on Oxford Street each month.

To celebrate, heres nine emo tracks to take you back to a time when song titles were entirely unrelated to the lyrical content and themes of love, loss and blood were a requirement.

The Used  All That Ive Got

This song is an emo classic, simply because it covers so many classic emo themes: love, loss, blood, insisting youre fine when you arent It makes you want to find the person who broke Bert McCrackens heart, and make them apologise. But fun fact, the song is actually written about his dog who was hit by a car.

Taking Back Sunday  MakeDamnSure

Is there anything that captures the essence of emo more than Adam Lazzara lamenting the fact that he is level 12 friendzoned? Somehow suggesting that youll keep your love interest held hostage just feels so emo.

Thirty Seconds to Mars  From Yesterday

Widely regarded as the most expensive music video in history, From Yesterday earns a coveted place on this list only because of Jared Letos beautiful, guyliner-rimmed eyes. Swoon.

My Chemical Romance  The Ghost of You

Bet you thought this would be Im Not Okay or Helena, huh? Surprise. This (slightly) lesser-known My Chem song earns itself a place on this list because of the epic emo feels when Gerard Way watches his baby brother Mikey die. War is hell.

Fall Out Boy  Grand Theft Autumn

Even before Pete Wentz grew out his fringe, Fall Out Boy were one of the essential pillars of early-2000s emo. Grand Theft Autumn takes us back to a more complicated time, where Fall Out Boy songs ended with surprise poetry from Wentz, and the song titles were entirely unrelated to the lyrical content.

Panic! at the Disco  But Its Better If You Do

The opening line now Im of consenting age is cute and deeply ironic because baby-faced Brendon Urie was literally too young to legally enter a strip club when he made this music video. We could have gone for I Write Sins Not Tragedies here, but honestly that goddamn song about the goddamn door is so overdone, and A Fever You Cant Sweat Out is an emo masterpiece from start to finish.

Blink-182  I Miss You

When a song features the lyrics morgue, spiders and literal direct references to The Nightmare Before Christmas, it is arguably the most on-the-nose emo song in modern history. Even without those lyrical features, I Miss You deserves a feature on this list simply for Tom DeLonges mastery of the English language as he repeatedly whines the voice inside my ead.

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus  Face Down

Remember when a song about spousal abuse was all over the radio in 2004? Emo music: always pushing the envelope and tackling the taboo topics. The best part about this song is that theres two versions: the actual version, and the radio-friendly version which is entirely clean vocals.

From First to Last  Emily

Before Skrillex was all yo Skrill, drop it hard he was Sonny Moore and was much more her sparkling eyes make me weak at my words. Emily continues to be a seminal, unplugged emo classic for all those who empathise with unrequited love (which is all of us). Also friendly reminder that From First To Last is back and their new single is a total banger.
If youre still waiting for your fave Splendour act to announce sideshows, dont worry, they just keep getting announced  and the latest to drop some dates on us is famed producer and DJ RL Grime.

Heading over for his first headline tour in a couple of years, the Skrillex collaborator will be playing Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, as well as a show in Auckland, NZ.

Queens of the Stone Age tickets sold out in an instant this morning (aside from the Darwin leg), and if youre wanting tix to RL wed suggest jumping online at 10am sharp next Wednesday to make sure you dont miss out.

RL Grime Splendour sideshows

Wed 19 July  Logan Campbell Centre, Aukland

Sat 22 July  HBF Stadium, Perth

Thu 27 July  Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide

Fri 28 July  Hordern Pavilion, Sydney

Sat 29 July  Festival Hall, Melbourne
Its been a few years since we saw the massive Vans Warped Tour bring the likes of The Offspring, Parkway Drive, Millencolin and The Amity Affliction to our shores, but with the skate punk fest announcing a new expansion into Mexico headlined by Good Charlotte, the idea of a show or two in Australia is naturally on our minds.

We reached out to tour founder Kevin Lyman recently about the prospects of seeing the show roll back around to Oz and, while he wasnt committing to anything, it certainly seemed like a return was a serious possibility.

I am exploring all options, he told us, and it would be remiss to not include one of my favorite places in them.

Now, with the announcement of the Mexico expansion ringing in our ears, Lyman has revealed that a move to Australia is at the very least on the table, even if hes not exactly booking a lineup just yet.

The Vans Warped Tour returned to Australia for the first time in over a decade in 2013 thanks to former Soundwave boss and Big Day Out promoter AJ Maddah, but wasnt able to return the following year, with both of the aforementioned festivals folding soon afterwards.

At the time, Maddah claimed that the Canberra and Coffs Harbour legs were planned to be scrapped due to low attendance, before discussions to bring the festival back for a second year fell through.

With the festival scene a markedly different beast following the demise of the massive touring festivals in favour of smaller boutique offerings, it would take a change in strategy for Warped if it were to make its way back for another bite at the cherry.

But with the enormous EDM festival Ultra heading to Australia next year to fill the gap in the electronic festival market left by Stereosonic, and a swathe of skate, surf and general punk talent currently killing it locally, it might be the time to give Warped another crack at Australia.
Justice served as Sutton sentenced to 100 months By Paul Thompson KANSAS CITY, Missouri - After a saga that has dragged on for more than two and a half years, one of the Historic Northeast's most notorious criminals was finally sentenced to 100 months in federal prison during a sentencing hearing held on Tuesday, April 11. Appearing at U.S.

Longstanding community complaint finally resolved by way of tough sentence for this dude who purportedly preyed on the weaknesses of junkies. Take a look:
Police still searching for suspect involved in armed carjacking from children's center The man wrecked that car and bailed from the vehicle near 84th and Newton.

Police evento search the area for the low-rent violent perpetrator . . .
5 Tips For Taking Better Restaurant Food Photos | Out to Eat One of the most asked questions I get from blog readers is how I shoot my food photos. There's usually a misperception a fancy camera and expensive equipment are required to achieve the high quality shots you see from your favorite food and travel bloggers. Not true.

Solid photo advice from the queen of Kansas City foodies offers insight into how to share your snacks with all of the Internets and online "friends" who pretend to care:
About 150 people, the vast majority of them McCaskill supporters, turned out at a community college in the eastern Missouri town of Hillsboro, greeting her with a standing ovation and often interrupting with applause. She has plans for seven subsequent meetings this week in potentially hostile counties where Donald Trump won easily in the presidential election, carrying Missouri with more than 65 percent of the vote.
KCTV5: Police investigate armed robbery at Walgreens in KCMO - The robbery happened about 8:39 a.m. at the Walgreens at 2501 E Linwood Boulevard. Authorities say the robbery happened in the store's pharmacy and that they are searching for a black man wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, a dark jacket and a blue mask. They say the suspect was driving a white Pontiac Grand Prix.

TKC's vote for the worst drug store in all of Kansas City is the wasteland "Stay In School" diverse collection of bus stop hobos, angry worker bees and crackheads @ 39th and Broadway . . . But this embattled location is a close contender:You decide . . .




Just as we predicted,crushed thewho mistakenly believed that Kansas was frustrated with the Prez and would soon turn blue.So, apparently,. . . Is Twitter . . . And Democratic Party denizens still placing their hopes in MSM debate rather than speaking to the issues which really concern voters.Check the links:You decide . . .
Among Turkish citizens target for real estate investment is neighboring Greece, despite its often fraught history with Turkey

After a failed coup, a wave of bombs and ahead of a referendum on expanding presidential powers on Sunday, many professionals are leaving Turkey, as several liberal Turks, who say the secular foundations of the country of 80 million people are being eroded by an increasingly authoritarian president, view Recep Tayyip Erdogan with suspicion.

Among Turkish citizens target for real estate investment is neighboring Greece, despite its often fraught history with Turkey.

There is a noticeable demand for Greece in recent times, said Cenk Tanman, who founded a website for people wanting to invest there.

They prefer Greece as a plan B. Selcan Turk, who has lived there for 15 years, set up a business for Turks buying property in Greece.

She said she brought dozens of people to examine properties in March, and three of those prospects had turned into sales.

Turks interest in Greece has increased dramatically in the past five to six months. Even though their economic status isnt too high, they are using all the resources they have, she said.

Source: Reuters

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
ScoopWhoop published an official statement about the organisation's stance on the sexual harassment case filed against one of its co-founders Suparn Pandey.

By India Today Web Desk: A former employee accused ScoopWhoop co-founder Suparn Pandey of sexual harassment and an FIR was filed against him. Other co-founders of the digital media firm -- Sriparna Tikekar and Sattvik Mishra -- have been accused of abetting the harassment and have been named in the FIR.

Suparn Pandey has been charged with section 354 A (sexual harassment), section 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), and section 506 (criminal intimidation).

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A Catch News report said, that the complainant is a former senior executive of ScoopWhoop Media Pvt. Ltd and that in the FIR lodged at the Vasant Kunj (South) police station, the complainant recounts how Suparn Pandey, over two years of her tenure, made lewd remarks, passed inappropriate comments on her sexuality and sexual preferences, and got 'uncomfortably close, often trying to play with her hair'.

After over six to eight hours since the sexual harassment allegation against Suparn Pandey made national headlines, ScoopWhoop has published an official statement on their website.

Saying the company "strongly condemns any kind of harassment at the workplace", the statement said that they take complaints of harassment "extremely seriously".

Here is the official statement ScoopWhoop has put out:

"ScoopWhoop strongly condemns any kind of harassment at the workplace. We work towards ensuring a safe and secure workplace for all our employees and take any complaints of harassment extremely seriously.

In line with workplace laws, ScoopWhoop has an Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The ICC constitutes of two of our most senior and experienced women employees and an independent observer who has served on ICC panels across various prestigious and international companies. 40 percent of our workforce is women and we have equal representation in senior leadership positions. We have taken every step to ensure the complainant gets a fair hearing and are following the rule book on workplace harassment.

The complaint was forwarded to the ICC immediately on receipt and the same is being inquired as per law. The company is adhering to the rules and regulations set forth by the Hon. Supreme Court of India and the law of the land against sexual harassment at workplace and the investigation is ongoing. As an FIR has also been filed separately by the complainant, and the police investigation is ongoing, we are extending full cooperation to the police to conduct a full and fair investigation into the matter.

We are fully prepared to accept the findings of the investigations and dutifully take the necessary action if found guilty."

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Fraport AGs investment in Greeces 14 regional airports sends a positive message to the international investment community, the companys CEO Dr. Stefan Schulte said on Wednesday, during a press conference on the official handover of the airports to the German operator.

Schulte said the project offers a very strong base for the development of the Greek economy and the country. We are at the starting point of a success story for Greece, for the airports, for tourism, for the employees, he said.

On his side, Fraport Greece CEO, Alexander Zinell, said that work is already being undertaken at the regional airports which will be unrecognizable after four years. We will bring excellence at the airports, he said.

Concerning the handover process, he said things went smoothly. Two days ago we achieved something that many people thought was impossible. We took over the operation of 14 regional airports, all in one go. On the night of the April 10 to April 11, he said.

Zinell said work has already started for next summer on improved signage, improved sanitation and fire safety and cleaning. On the second half of the year, the company will continue construction work.

Catalyst for the development of Greek tourism

He also described the airports will be the catalyst for the development of Greek tourism, and other professional sectors. It has been proven that with proper management airports function as dynamic "economic engines" for the regions they serve, he noted.

Taking the floor, Copelouzos Group Chairman and Managing Director, Dimitris Copelouzos, said the project will open the way for bringing funding to Greece.

With the concession of the 14 regional airports to Fraport Greece, Greece essentialy returned to the markets, given that our investment is financed by international banks. We are opening the door for lending to come to Greece. The concession of the 14 airports will be the springboard for re-launching the economy, he told journalists.

He pointed out that Fraport Greece offered the highest bid for the airports and won the tender. We dont take money, but we paid upfront 1.234 billion euros and for the next four years we will invest 100 million euros per year to expand and reconstruct the airports. In the coming years, we will also implement investments totaling 1.4 billion euros, while according to studies, it is estimated that at least 70,000 people will be involved directly or indirectly with the regional airports, he said.

Fraport Greece will operate, manage and develop the airports over the next four decades. The airports included in the concession are: Aktion, Kavala, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Chania, Kefalonia, Kos, Mytilene/Lesvos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos.

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
Vista Events has been an award winning DMC at the Meetings and Incentive Travel Awards for the last eleven consecutive years

Leading Destination management agency in Greece, Vista Events has decided to rebrand after 16 years. The full scale rebranding campaign includes the unveiling of a redesigned logo, website and corporate identity.

Rena Gkini  Director of Sales says: We are thrilled to launch the new website and rebranding. Our previous brand image was quite conformist and no longer represents the character of our company, or the vast experience our team has in delivering a diversity of events all over Greece. We wanted to modernize and evolve our brand in a design that is simple yet elegant and distinguishable, tailored for the digital world of multiple online platforms.

Vista Events has been an award winning DMC at the Meetings and Incentive Travel Awards for the last eleven consecutive years and their most recent gold win, in March 2017, prompted them to launch a rebranding campaign as they want this success to be reflected in their brand image.

Vista Events offer a full range of event services to their clients including venue finding, event management, production and incentive travel. Their events range from a small company day conference to a car launch with 18,000 attendees.

The rebrand includes a change to their corporate image and their website. The logo is reintroduced but still eludes a touch of Greece. The website www.vistaevents.com has been simplified, modernized and features all aspects of their services including case studies with an emphasis on photos from previous events. It is a user friendly, easy to navigate website that gives users direct communication access to the company and its representatives around Europe.

Vista Events now has a team of 18 experienced industry professionals, whose primary aim is to provide the highest possible service and commitment to their clients. It retains offices in Athens (headquarters) and Pylos, near Costa Navarino.

The company has enjoyed steady revenue growth as its client base has grown and its scope has increased to include bigger and more complex events.

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
ZonesCorp, the largest developer and operator of purpose-built industrial zones in the UAE, said it has signed four new deals with companies to build facilities in Al Ain Industrial City (AAIC).



These new projects represent a combined investment of approximately Dh51 million ($13.8 million) and cover a total area of nearly 60,000 sq m.



After finalising deals with ZonesCorp at the end of 2016 and Q1 2017, construction of the new facilities is underway and due to be completed towards the end of the year, said a top official.



"These new developments show that AAIC and its distinctive advantages continue to be attractive to investors, particularly for those looking to access markets in the flourishing city of Al Ain external markets such as Oman and Saudi Arabia and Qatar," remarked Saeed Eisa Al Khyeli, the director general of ZonesCorp.



Investors also gain other advantages from operating in ZonesCorp acreage such as value chain benefits and cheap, readily available utilities. We are looking forward to working together with the investors to help them fully realise their ambitions.



The new facilities in Al Ain Industrial City represent a diverse range of businesses including, Mauzan Perfumes Factory, a leading Emirati luxury fashion house in the UAE, founded in 1990; High Class Doors & Windows Factory, which uses the latest technology to produce plastic plates, sheets, blocks, film, foils, strips & plastic doors, windows, frames and shutters designed to accommodate the varied climates experienced in the UAE; Al Murooj Organic Fertilizer Factory, an organic manure production project and the first of its kind within the UAE; Al Sultan Readymix & Precast which produces high quality precast concrete elements for precast Buildings & Boundary walls.



Strategically located midway between the cities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, AAIC has excellent transport and communication links and is ideally located to serve GCC markets, said the top official.



Spread over an area of 9 sq km, AAIC has been developed and is operated under the same technical and environmental standards as the Industrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD) catering to light manufacturing industries and SMEs such as paper and wood, textiles, small scale service and repair workshops.



The industrial city also caters to some heavy industries such as chemical and plastic projects.



ZonesCorp has plans to further develop AAIC with new projects, such as retail and leisure facilities, stated Al Khyeli.



AAIC features fully serviced plots in a wide range of sizes are available that benefit from superior utility infrastructure. As with every zone under ZonesCorps management, uninterrupted utilities are offered at competitive market prices, he noted.



Moreover, the clusters are connected by world class road networks that connect with other GCC countries.



Since its inception, ZonesCorp has played a key role in developing the industrial sector in the UAE, said Al Khyeli.

Currently housing over 650 industrial facilities, ZonesCorp has attracted over Dh29 billion ($7.8 billion) worth of investments from local and international companies into its economic zones, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Astaldi Group, a leading general contractor in Italy, said its Turkish joint venture firm has been awarded two big orders - a 627 million ($696 million) EPC contract for Istanbul Underground project and construction of a 392-million ($435 million) motorway project.



For the first project, Astaldi Group (15 per cent stake) will team up with Turkish companies Makyol (29 per cent), Ictas (28 per cent), and Kalyon (28 per cent) to carry out the civil works and the electromechanical systems of the Kirazli-Halkal section of the Istanbul Underground.



The contract has been awarded by the Municipality of Istanbul.



The project calls for building 10 km of double-tube tunnel, 7 km of which will be dug using TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine), as well as nine stations with annexed car parks and a depot area.



The work is set to begin in coming days, and is scheduled to take about two and a half years for completion.



The second is a BOT contract for a motorway project for which Astaldi (33 per cent stake) has joined forces with Turkish companies IC Ictas (34 per cent) and Kaylon (33 per cent).



A total of 333 million will be set aside for construction activities, for building approximately 80 km of the Menemen-Aliaga-Candarl Motorway in the province of Izmir.



The transactions financial structure calls for the contribution of private capital for an amount equal to 20 per cent of the total investment, which for Astaldi translates to approximately 26 million to contribute by the end of the construction period, said the statement from Astaldi.



Operation activities call for a minimum guaranteed revenue guaranteed by the grantor, totalling 45 million/year.

The scope of work includes construction of 11 bridges, 14 junctions, three service areas, seven motorway toll booths and 10 viaducts in addition to all O&M (Operation and Maintenance) activities.



The duration of the concession is equal to approximately 10 years, with 36 months for the construction phase and the remaining period for operation.



The projects customer is KGM, the General Directorate of Motorways of Turkeys Ministry of Transport, which operates as Grantor.



The Astaldi Group has been operating for more than 30 years in Turkey, where it is currently engaged in completing the projects under concession for the construction and subsequent operation of Phase 2 of the Gebze- Orhangazi-Izmir Motorway, as well as of the Etlik Integrated Health Campus in Ankara (one of Europes largest healthcare facilities).



It also holds the multi-year concession for the construction and operation of the Third Bosphorus Bridge (the worlds longest and widest hybrid bridge, with towers soaring higher than the Eiffel Tower, in operation since September 2016).-TradeArabia News Service
Injaz Bahrain, a leading non-profit organization focusing on youth economic empowerment, recently held its board mmeting to discuss key issues and to outline its five-year strategy.



The board strategic retreat held at the GPIC Club in Bahrain saw the members led by Shaikha Hessa Bint Khalifa Al Khalifa, the executive director of Injaz Bahrain focus on the current economic, educational and social challenges, areas of development and opportunities facing youth development across multiple age groups and capitalize on exposure at a national and international level.



In her introductory note, Shaikha Hessa stressed that Injaz had established a solid foundation for continued growth, sustainability and excellence through the generous ongoing support received from 18 organisations representing different sectors in Bahrain and the support of the Ministry of Education over the past 12 years.



"The dedicated commitment from our board members has given us the confidence to set ambitious plans and aim high," she stated.



"The support we receive goes beyond ordinary financial support and providing of volunteers, but also includes event and program sponsorships, knowledge and expertise sharing, and provision of valuable mentorship and internship learning opportunities for our students," said Shaikha Hessa.



Since inception in 2005, Injaz Bahrain has been active in engaging the private sector in the development aspect by partnering with major private sector corporations with the aim of empowering youth to own their economic success.



The Injaz Bahrain board of directors is considered as one of the most powerful and diversified such bodies in the Kingdom. It is comprised of 7 national and international banks representing the banking sector; namely, Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait, Ithmaar Bank, Al Salam Bank, Kuwait Finance House, CitiBank, HSBC and Khaleeji Commercial Bank. Also on the Board are large industrial companies, which include Gulf Petroleum Industries Company (GPIC), Bapco, Alba and Banagas. The services sector is represented by Batelco, Gulf Air, Gulf Hotel Group and FP7, in addition to Tamkeen, E&Y, and Qays H. Zubi Attorneys & Legal Consultants.-TradeArabia News Service
Iran and Germany have signed a MoU for the transfer of knowledge and experience in financing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), said a report.



The cooperation agreement was signed between Iranian Ministry of Cooperatives, Labour and Social Welfare and German Savings Banks Association (DSGV) to develop and expand financing of enterprises of Iran, according to the Iran Daily News.



The joint project covers workshops, management training to bank clerks, advising on procedures, business processes, job network management, mapping a financing system for SMEs as well as recommendations on related policies, it added.
Park Inn by Radisson, the colorful and dynamic mid-market hotel brand, opens its doors on the Central Aegean coast of Turkey in Izmir.



The Rezidor Hotel Group now has a portfolio of 23 hotels and 4,500 rooms in operation or under development in Turkey.



We are delighted to open our second hotel in Izmir, the third largest city in Turkey. Park Inn by Radisson Izmir will complement the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Cesme, both collectively offering the global travellers a beautiful choice of upper upscale and mid-scale hospitality on the Aegean coast. We see a growing popularity for the Park Inn by Radisson brand as it delivers on its promise of an affordable hotel experience and a focus on all the essentials for the modern-day business or leisure traveler, said Mark Willis, area vice president, Middle East & Turkey, The Rezidor Hotel Group.



Park Inn by Radisson Izmir is conveniently located in the heart of Izmir, in the Pasaport area and close to the major business district where embassies and international companies reside. The hotel is situated next to Izmirs leisure attractions, including shopping malls and the famous Kordon, the citys famous seafront promenade that offers stunning views of the Aegean Sea and a stretch of charming street cafes. Adnan Menderes International Airport is just 18 kilometers from the hotel, and public transportation options such as ferries, taxis, trains and buses make it easy for guests to explore the city.



The hotel features 137 guest rooms and suites, some of them overlooking the beautiful Aegean Sea. Each room has been designed with comfort and a hassle-free experience in mind. The design elements are unique and include a choice of ceiling colors, a headboard with mood lighting and a colored shower screen.



For dining options, the contemporary, all-day dining restaurant Live-Inn Room serves a selection of international and local cuisine. And for an inspiring start to the day, guests can enjoy the brands signature breakfast while taking in mesmerizing views of Izmir Bay from the hotels rooftop terrace. The modern lobby bar provides drinks and snacks in a relaxed environment.



Innovative and dynamic spaces are at the forefront of meetings and events with Park Inn by Radisson. The hotel has four modern and flexible meeting room spaces that can be adapted to accommodate small meetings, training sessions or workshops, while the hotels rooftop terrace can be used for special events. The hotel also features a well-equipped gym and indoor parking. Guests get free high-speed wi-fi access throughout the hotel including meeting rooms.



Park Inn by Radisson, Izmir is a next generation mid-scale hotel that brings together a relaxed, fun and uncomplicated approach with a healthy dose of style. Guests can expect a great experience with the renowned warm Aegean hospitality delivered by our passionate team, said Ahmet Arikan, general manager of Park Inn by Radisson, Izmir.



Izmir is considered the transportation hub in the western Anatolia region of Turkey and operates on a relatively new and highly developed infrastructure in transportation, telecommunications and energy. Izmir is a fast growing city with a population of approximately 3.7 million and has the second biggest port after Istanbul. - TradeArabia News Service
SalamAir, Oman's first budget airline, has announced the addition of new destinations to its fast-growing network with flights to Saudi Arabia scheduled to start on April 16.



With return tickets as low as RO89 ($230.3), Omans first budget airline will fly daily to Jeddahs King Abdulaziz International Airport and in the coming weeks add Madinah to its flight schedule.



The airline will also be launching its routes to Pakistan within the month which will include flights to Multan, Sialkot and Karachi. In addition, plans are underway to increase connectivity to Saudi Arabia by introducing direct flights from Muscat to Taif and a through flight from Salalah to Taif via Muscat along with more flights to Madinah during Ramadan; all to accommodate the increasing number of guests traveling for Umrah.



Saudi Arabia is an important extension to our network to meet the strong demand for low cost travel, said Khalid Al Yahmadi, SalamAir chairman. We are offering greater flexibility and choice to guests traveling on these routes for leisure, business and religious purposes. These new flights will open new tourism, trade and investment opportunities, contributing to the Omani economy by attracting more tourists and business travelers and in turn spur the creation of employment opportunities in the sultanate.



Francois Bouteiller, SalamAir CEO added, It has been a busy period since our launch in January and the introduction of these new destinations reflects our determination to keep the momentum up. We are excited to open up the skies to more people, offering them freedom of choice and good value on our reliable, quality and always welcoming flights.



SalamAirs expansion to Saudi Arabia adds to the airlines existing Muscat, Salalah, and Dubai daily flight services. The new routes will be operated using SalamAirs growing fleet of Airbus A320s which are well known for the comfort of their wider cabins, lower operating costs, fuel efficiency, and outstanding safety records. - TradeArabia News Service




CEO CHAT: Drexel Hamiltons Cahill Says Hiring Vets is Moral Imperative

There is no great love that a man can have for another than to lay down his life.

And that is what combat veterans do each and every day in service and its time for Wall Street to show these courageous men and women some love, according to James Cahill, chief executive officer of Drexel Hamilton, a service disabled veteran owned full-service institutional broker-dealer thats founded on the principle of offering meaningful employment opportunities to disabled veterans desiring a career in financial services.

In a sit down interview with Traders Magazine, Cahill said that helping veterans  not just with charity but with a real tangible job  is societys moral imperative that yields astounding results.

Want to be a part fo this series? Email us at jdantona@marketsmedia.com

It like Im Father Flanagan and this is my Boys Town, he said, referring to the famous orphanage founded by Catholic priest Edward Flanagan in 1917 in Omaha, Nebraska. All these veterans want is a chance to work and add value to their lives, their families and to our clients. All they want is jobs.

In a firm that began with just 14 people, now Cahill has 109 employees, 42 vof which are veterans across all service branches, 20 of which are disabled. Also, Drexel Hamilton has graduated 30 of its employees alumni who have moved onto the buy-side and other areas.

I want to help them, Cahill said of his veterans. We want to add value  especially where computers cannot.

Drexel Hamilton places former soldiers right alongside veteran Wall Street traders  a veteran with a veteran  as Cahill tells it. And right in the trading trenches  baptism by fire. Veterans can learn myriad facets of the trading business, as Cahill will rotate veterans from the equities trading desk, to fixed income, to his IPO group, capital markets or syndication.

All my veterans are trained to add value understand their business and their client. Anything other than that is not going to work, Cahill said. And they want to.

The veteran has the utmost value, Cahill continued. Whether they served in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines and the case around veterans has two sides as he tells it. First, there is the charity side  raising monies to help soldiers, especially disabled ones, get the physical items they need to survive. This can be vans, prosthesis or other items needed.

The second side, and this is where Cahill sees his mission, to help returning wounded veterans get meaningful employment up to their capabilities. And for many soldiers, the sky is the limit. Cahill proudly points to his staff  medics, pilots, special forces operatives, snipers, ammunition specialists and others  all who want to work.

These people want their dignity and we will help them, Cahill said. They are humble and have thes e abilities and talents that are not taught in textbooks. Im blessed to have wal Street veretans paired with these people.

We help them get their licenses and pay them. For six years, Cahill has been doing this and he will continue. As his firm continues to grow, Cahill pledges to hire more and more veterans.

I want more firms to do this, not just Drexel, Cahill said. There should be five or ten firms like ours. We just cant hire them all. We welcome anyone who will help us. we should not fail these wounded kids.

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A former senior executive of ScoopWhoop Media Pvt Ltd has filed an FIR against co-founder Suparn Pandey accusing him of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

By India Today Web Desk: After a series of allegations on social media from several women complaining of sexual harassment, Mumbai Police registered an FIR against CEO and founder of The Viral Fever, Arunabh Kumar. He came out and addressed the accusations made against him and said "I am a heterosexual, single man and when I find a woman sexy, I tell her she's sexy. I compliment women. Is that wrong?". The comment obviously did not help his case and he faced massive backlash for the same.

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After the incident, there were various debates and discussions on work place ethics and sexual harassment. Almost 15 days later, another similar incident has come to light.

An FIR has been filed against ScoopWhoop co-founder Suparn Pandey accusing him of sexual harassment and sexual assault, as reported by Catch News. Along with Suparn Pandey, other co-founders have also been named though for abetting harassment and trying to conceal it.

A former senior executive of ScoopWhoop Media Pvt. Ltd filed the FIR at the Vasant Kunj (South) police Station, Delhi. The accused has been charged with section 354 A (sexual harassment), section 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), and section 506 (criminal intimidation), reported Catch News.

The complainant has claimed that during her tenure at ScoopWhoop, which lasted two years, she faced 'inappropriate comments and lewd remarks' the entire time. Pandey even went on to comment on her sexuality.

"Mr. Suparn Pandey in public commented on my sexuality and this comment included calling me a names (sic.) which reflected on my sexual orientation and my sexual preferences (sic.) as well as characterised me in a certain way", states the FIR according to a Catch News report .

Her ordeal was not limited to verbal harassment, the complainant has claimed that Pandey repeatedly got 'uncomfortably close', 'often trying to play with her hair' . He unabashedly even sent her a lewd video on the company's official Gmail chat, the FIR alleges.

'Mr. Pandey got so bold as to send me a lewd video over the official Gmail chat, in which the words were "aapnu jeans dheeli karo"', reads the FIR.

ScoopWhoop's inaction

When the complainant, took up the matter with ScoopWhoop co-founder Sriparna Tikekar, she assured her that such behaviour would not be repeated. However, apparently she did not take any action against Pandey.

The former senior executive did not stop raising the issue with the company's founders even after realising that it had no repercussions for Pandey. She was instead publicly humilated and was allegedly forced to work in close quarters with Pandey. If she was refused, she was "reprimanded and humiliated".

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Suparn Pandey used to show up to work drunk and would try to touch the complainant. She decided to quit after Pandey crossed all limits.

'Mr. Pandey approached me after the meeting, between 8-9:30PM, when I was alone at my work desk and asked me to be less "aggressive" in my dealings with other people and learn to "pour some sugar on it." That after that, he then got up, kissed my forehead and walked away,' the complainant recounts in the FIR .

She was allegedly dissuaded from lodging a formal complaint and the co-founders threatened to hurt her career and defame her publicly. Following a series of complaints and threats, she resigned from ScoopWhoop.

Read ScoopWhoop's official statement here.

Also read: TVF CEO Arunabh Kumar gets interim relief from court, maintains molestation case against him is false

Also watch:

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A Mexican party isn't complete without a pinata. It's a hollow papier-mache sculpture usually designed festively in varying colors, according to BBC. It's filled with all kinds of candy, strung up high in a pole or a tree branch, and then smashed to pieces by kids and partygoers.

The pinata influence has spread across the world, and in some other cultures, they feature pinatas in their parties as well. The Philippines, for example, mostly include pinatas in children's parties, a testament to the widespread Spanish influence from when it was colonized for hundreds of years. Here are other cool facts about the pinata.

It may have originated from China. Experts at the Centre for History and New Media deduced that the pinata tradition may have originated from China through Marco Polo, who brought back the tradition to Europe. In his travels, Marco Polo saw how the Chinese celebrate events by using hollow sculptures and filling them with seeds which are then smashed by sticks.

Or the Aztecs were the ones who popularized the tradition. During the flourishing times of the Aztecs, they celebrate the birth of their god, Huitzilopochtli by decorating clay pots with colorful feathers and filled with meaningful ornaments. The pot is then smashed with a stick and the treasured that have spilled represented their offering to the god.

The pinata used to have a religious symbolism. It isn't quite practiced more often these days, but according to Mex Connect, the pinata used to have a moral meaning: all are justified through faith. The pinata also represent three theological virtues such as "esperanza or hope", which is shown when the people yearn for the prize the pinata has when hanging on their heads; "catequismo", and "charidad or charity."

No one really knows the exact origins of the pinata, but this Spanish and Mexican tradition continues to bring joy to the people's lives. Smashing a pot with all your strength is also a good way to release stress, as long as you know where to hit!





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Water adventures are never excluded in a travel bucket list, so why not consider putting whale shark watching on it. If you're looking for places to go, here are the world's best destinations where you can swim with the gentle giants.

Utila, Honduras. If you're on a tight budget, off to Honduras you go. It is a year-round whale shark research vicinity but one should visit during the months of March to April where the sharks are abundantly present. You can also choose to stay in dive hostels that offer great whale shark trip packages.

Donsol, Philippines. According to Donsol Ecotour, this destination highly assures visitors to personally witness the whale shark since they stay longer there. You should visit during the months of November to June as they feed on nutrients from the Donsol River. Tours usually offer three-hour packages that include transfers, boat guide and snorkeling equipment.

South Mahe, Seychelles. This place is the largest island in the Indian Ocean that offers the earliest scientific records in whale shark history. You should try visiting during the peak season in October and stay at the Four Seasons Seychelles Dive Center.

Tofo Beach, Mozambique. If you're looking for a hidden gem, Tofo Beach is a dream come true with its numerous scuba diving spots. Also, with its numerous plankton, be amazed of its waters at night time. It also takes pride in having one of the largest concentrations of whale shark population, especially during the months of October to March.

Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. According to Lonely Planet, it is the largest and most accessible Australian fringing coral reef and a Unesco World Heritage Site. Whale sharks visit to feed during coral spawning months. One would surely enjoy the Ningaloo Whaleshark Swim since they have a spotter plane that increases your chance of spotting and swimming with the gentle giants.

Whale shark watching is a great experience that everyone must try. However, it's also important to become responsible travelers and abide by the rules so as to keep these gentle giants safe.



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A concerned local in a remote village of Vietnam has put up the only homestay in the area. Trung Hoanguc hopes that tourism brought about through the Tho Homestay would uplift the lives of the Tay minority in the Na Rang village as well as preserve their ethnic culture.

Backpacker Alfred Salkeld found himself the only tourist in Na Rang, a remote village in northern Vietnam approximately 89 km/55 mi from the capital of Hanoi. He spent three weeks in the area where he stayed at the Tho Homestay, the village's only homestay to date, and lived with 21-year-old Trung and Trung's grandparents. "I left home because I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life," Salkeld told INSIDER. "Trung returned home because he had a clear vision of how to help his whole community."

Salkeld discovered the Tho Homestay through Workaway, a site that enables travelers to snag free food and accommodation in exchange for services rendered. Trung's post revealed that he hopes to bring in travelers to their remote village so that they can see for themselves the actual lives of the Tay minority, explore the natural scenery of rural Vietnam as well as help with the homestay business or teach English to the locals. Through the tourists' presence, Trung believed that the villagers will have a glimpse of a better future and a broader career path to raise their standards of living.

Since he's already been snapping photos and videos through his travel blog, Salkeld volunteered to take proper photos of the Tho Homestay to promote the business. He captured the traditional stilt house stuck in the middle of a lush green backdrop, the one all-purpose room with bamboo flooring and the open windows with a view. He also took snapshots of Trung's household members and snippets of the simple living in Vietnam's rural village. For only 80,000 Vietnamese Dong (about $3.50) per night with breakfast already included, one can slip away to the serenity and beauty of Na Rang.

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United Airlines controversy is now facing a huge backlash from people all over the world, and this time, it seems that the Chinese populace even wants to boycott the airline. The man who was shown to be bloodied and forcefully dragged off the flight is Chinese-American, leading China to think that the assault was because of racism.

Buzzfeed reports that the video and several pictures were shared and watched more than a million times in Weibo, China's own version of Facebook. Their social media erupted with disgust and anger over United Airlines, especially when the statement of United CEO Oscar Munoz showed no remorse over the barbaric removal of the concerned passenger.

The Chinese market is very important for United, as it runs more nonstop flights to China than any other American airline. Aside from the main Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, United also flies to secondary Chinese cities such as Chengdu and Xian, The Daily Beast reports.

If the majority of the Chinese populace decides to boycott the airline, the results would be very devastating for United, being one of its largest target markets. But according to Shaun Rein, managing director of China Market Research Group, there are relatively few options for US-China flights, so in the long run, the airline wouldn't be hit that badly with the impact.

Still, the blown up problem caused by the airlines' overbooking has now even reflected in the airlines' stock value. On Tuesday, over $1 billion was wiped off United Airlines' stock value.

Overbooking of flights is not illegal, but it's a gamble. Some airlines do it because of the off-chance all passengers will show up, but it's risky. Customer satisfaction will be affected, and based on the United controversy now, the right way of treating passengers can blow up in huge proportions all around the world.

United Airlines, despite being one of the largest air carriers in the US, domestically or internationally, seems to still have a lot to learn about customer service. And if they don't rectify the problem immediately, it could prove to be one of the worst problems they'll probably ever have.

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When it comes to beer, the US leads in turning on the tap, except for, well maybe, Germany. States across the country always vie for the best beer city, and the variety of craft beer you can find is enough to make you walk zig-zag lines.

If you're up for a unique adventure, why not fill your car with your beer-loving friends and go on an epic road trip visiting some of the best beer cities in the US? Here are some of them:

San Diego, California. San Diego locals sure love their beer, as evident in their annual San Diego Beer Week promoting their locally crafted beer, according to Insider. This year, the event won't be until November, but some of the event's participants will surely look forward to include a rare beer breakfast, a beer trolley tour, and ton other brewery sponsored events.

Seattle, Washington. Thrillist says Seattle currently operates 83 breweries, part of the 300 found in the whole Washington state. In here, you can taste the country's best as well as local favorites you couldn't find anywhere else. Seattle brewers like Black Raven, Fremont, and Two Beers are some of the most talked about, and partly it's because the hops used to make these beers are just a short trip to the Cascade Mountains.

Raleigh, North Carolina. This city offers a lot to beer-thirsty tourists, and their beer scene is one of the best in the country. There are blocks around the city that are dedicated to beer, and visitors can set foot in five bottle shops, five breweries, and five great beer bars. You can also find North Carolina's first woman-owned brewery in Raleigh, the Bombshell Beer Company.

Portland, Maine. One of the biggest names in the craft beer industry can be found in Portland. Allagash and Maine Beer Company are one of the hottest names in the book, and even Belgian themselves seem to like the Belgian-style beer in Allagash! Some other small breweries are also slowly taking over the Portland beer scene, and every pouring glass is a welcome treat.

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Talks of nuclear war are in the heats again after tension escalates between the United States and North Korea. Rumors are flying that a sixth nuclear test will be initiated by North Korea soon, something that sends the U.S. over the edge.

In a tweet, President Donald trump said that they will eradicate the "North Korea problem" with or without China's help. He constantly urges China to put in more efforts in reigning their neighbor, the reclusive North Korea.

Outcomes of the sweeping tension resulted in the US sanctioning the diverting of the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a statement through Reuters that the action was more of a prudent move in relation to current events.

North Korea, however, seems nonplussed about the U.S.' show of force, and that they are prepared in any type of aggression the U.S. shows. In the country's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper, it said: "Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear [site] focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the US mainland."

South Korea has already intensified its military monitoring towards their reclusive neighbor and has already ensured close communications with Washington through the orders of its acting president, Hwang Kyo-Ahn, abc.net.au reported. Australia has also shown its concern about the issue and Australia's Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne even said that global security is in hot waters because of North Korea's "unpredictability."

Washington has already declared that they are open to all military actions necessary and that stronger sanctions are needed to make North Korea abandon their nuclear program. Trump also told Fox Business Network they are currently sending a very powerful armada.

Meanwhile, the North Korea is getting ready for the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, the country's founding father. A grand parade and other festivities will take place on Saturday.

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Earth Day on April 22 is no longer just about planting trees. International luxury travel brand, The Evolved Traveler has partnered with Carbonfund.org to commence an ecotourism sweepstake, where one lucky winner will get the chance to fly to Costa Rica for a seven-day eco-tour journey for two to experience The Evolved Traveler's program of promoting the offsetting of carbon footprint in the trips they made.

"The prizes for the sweepstakes will include a two-night stay at Hotel Grano de Oro, four nights at Lapa Rios Lodge, round-trip economy airfare for two from U.S. to San Jose, Costa Rica, domestic flights and ground transportation in Costa Rica, San Jose city tours and select activities at Lapa Rios," told the group to Travelers Today.

If one wants to join the ecotourism sweepstakes, interested people just have to submit their email addresses to CarbonFund.org. Anyone who intends to increase the probability of winning the tour, they can earn five bonus entries if they made a $1 tree-planting donation upon joining this gig offer.

Living green has always been the focus of the group, but the new initiative would let the team behind it take a move more to reduce carbon emissions for ground transportation, and the domestic and international flights taken by The Evolved Traveler guests.

Founder Justin Smith said in a press statement to Travelers Today, "Our ambitious new program and partnership with CarbonFund.org aligns with our mission of bringing about a greater sense of awareness to all aspects of travel, while also working to ensure the health and happiness of our planet for future generations."

The carbon offset also tackles about the wastes resulting from trips in line with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) measures. Calculations from the tour are done with carbon emission calculators from the partner agency and the EPA.

"Sustainability has always been one of the core values of The Evolved Traveler," Smith said. He founded the group as he believes that traveling can be more than just sight-seeing, but that it can evolve into something more.

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In an exclusive interview with India Today, Shah Rukh Khan spoke on the topic of his children's acting aspirations, how he finds happiness in a busy life and his still-in-progress autobiography.

By India Today Web Desk: Shah Rukh Khan, as we all know, is a fantastic speaker and an erudite writer. So it would not be hard to believe that the actor has been working on an autobiography for quite some time. In an exclusive interview with India Today's Koel Purie, Shah Rukh Khan spoke about his still-in-progress book, dreams, acting and his children, AbRam, Suhana and Aryan.

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When asked why his book, which SRK once called '20 Years of a Decade' is still not out in stores yet, Shah Rukh said, "I am still writing it. I have more memories than most of the people so it's taking a longer time."

On keeping your dreams alive in the midst of outstanding success, SRK said, "I think even with success, the only way to keep your dream alive is to find pleasure in small things, the littlest of things. If you look after the big things, you are only managing success."

An example of finding pleasure in small things, according to Shah Rukh Khan was when the actor made a house out of Lego with his son AbRam.

On the topic of his daughter Suhana joining Bollywood as an actor, Shah Rukh said, "You need to be minimal qualification of a graduate before you even think of coming and learning any way. Go out, do some theatre, finish your schooling, finish your college, then study for a couple of years about acting. (sic)"

"If she gets into the field that I already am in, somewhere, even without wanting, even though I would like to avoid it, the life lessons will permeate on to her through me. And I've already done it. Why would you want to learn from something that has been seen, I've been there, done that; find something new, go beyond. I'm not saying go beyond me and learn and come back and all only, I don't think she needs this kind of a shadow over her. So go out. (sic)" Shah Rukh added.

"When you go to a school, when you go to a college; failure, and passing, bad treatment, good treatment, happy days, bad days, sad days that happen in a school and college are, I think, really important life lessons. But bringing them on a set, and saying, 'this is Shah Rukh Khan's daughter', as a matter of fact will give them less life lessons because they will treat her like a star's daughter. That's not cool. I think she should just be treated normally in school, college, by teachers. I don't want her to go out there and prove her worth as a great actor to someone. I think she's a great actor. She really likes it. If the passion is retained in the next two/three years, come and act. But at this point, no, none of them are thinking of coming and joining films as actors. AbRam is already acting," Shah Rukh Khan continued.

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King Khan also added that at this point, nothing interests him more in life than being with his children, Aryan, Suhana and AbRam.

"I have no other interest in life. People find it very strange. There's only one interest high up in life... that is to play with children. I love kids, and not in the nice, pat-sy way; I just love kids. I like being around them, and I have three of them. I've really had some amazing times with them. I'd rather be with my children than be anyplace else. That's the only thing I'd rather do more than acting... Nobody comes between me and my children. I'm tough like that. Can you cut this out of the interview so Gauri doesn't hear this!?," SRK said.

Watch the exclusive interview of Shah Rukh Khan here:

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Baahubali director SS Rajamouli is not the only one. Shah Rukh Khan also wants to make a cinematic adaptation of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

By India Today Web Desk: Baahubali director SS Rajamouli has time and again expressed his desire to film an adaptation of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Seems like he isn't the only one on the block. Shah Rukh Khan too wants to make a Mahabharata adaptation.

Speaking to DNA, Shah Rukh Khan revealed that he has been planning to make Mahabharata for years but he can only do it with the help of international producers keeping costs in mind.

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"It's my dream to make the Mahabharat for the screen. It's been for years now. But I don't think I have the budget to do that. I would love to do it, but I don't think I could afford to. Unless I collaborate. But not with Indian producers. There have to be international producers on board for this one because Indian producers and Indian films have a limited market. This one has to go out into the international markets. So you have to collaborate with someone who's international," Shah Rukh said.

The Raees actor added that a Mahabharata film should be made on the scale of "a Baahubali or an even larger one."

Earlier in January, Rajamouli spoke of his dream to make a Mahabharata film at India Today Conclave. Like Rajamouli who has not made an official announcement on the same yet, SRK too has got nothing planned as of this moment.

"Every second person wants to make Mahabharat. There's nothing concrete happening yet," King Khan said when asked about his plans to work with international producers on the film.

So, there's no option but to keep fingers crossed and hope that you see an Indian cinematic adaptation of Mahabharata in your lifetime.

ALSO READ: I want to make Mahabharata, says Baahubali 2 director SS Rajamouli

ALSO READ: Forget their box-office clash, SRK wanted to produce a film with Akshay Kumar

WATCH: SS Rajamouli talk about Baahubali with Karan Johar

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The Ilala has chugged up and down Lake Malawi each week since 1951. On its 6 day round trip the Ilala travels over 400km from Monkey Bay to Chilumba near the lakes northern end, with 13 stops along the way.



(TRAVPR.COM) U.K. - April 11th, 2017 - Although Lake Malawi is totally landlocked, at 365 miles long, 52 miles wide and up to 700m deep youd be forgiven for thinking youd arrived at the coast! This vast body of freshwater fringed by beaches of golden sand offers a plethora of water sport opportunities for those looking for something beyond sun, sand and swimming. But, if you are wanting to absorb the scenic wonderland and experience authentic Malawi then theres 600-tonne ferry that can help you take it all in.

The Ilala ferry provides a vital lifeline service to local communities along the lake, as well as offering an affordable form of transport for the more adventurous tourist. At 66 years old Ilala is no spring chicken, but it did have a complete refit just a few years ago, which included brand new engines giving it a top speed of 10 knots!

The vessel isnt for those expecting a luxury cruiser, but it does exude a charm that has Malawi written all over it. It gives the opportunity to take in the stunning scenery, experience a slice of daily Malawian life, and give yourself the chance to slow down, and take in your surroundings.

The ship docks for several hours at Likoma Island where youll have time for a swim and a meal at one of the cafes along the beach. There are spectacular island views from the tower in Saint Peters cathedral if youd like some more picture opportunities and a swim in the lake isnt for you.

Another popular stop is Nkhata Bay, a stunning shoreline with plenty of accommodation overlooking the lake. There is a woodcarving market and plenty of restaurants and bars to take up your time here.

Author Oliver Ransfors, in his book Livingstone's Lake, perfectly describes the atmosphere on board the Ilala: "Each day on board, amid the excited bell ringing, siren shrieks and hooting that seem inseparable from all maritime arrivals and departures, laughing crowds of Malawians line up on the Ilala's deck to disembark, cluttered up with baggage that includes bicycles, cages filled with squawking fowl, sewing machines and even tethered goats.

Fares for economy class start from US$2.50 - 12, the Owners Cabin ranges from US$42 - 120 one way - depending on the distance travelled.

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By Press Trust of India: New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) Shilpa Medicare today said the US health regulator has issued an Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for its manufacturing facilities located at Raichur in Karnataka.

"The USFDA has issued an EIR for the companys Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities located at Raichur, Karnataka which was inspected between December 12-16, 2016. The inspection has now been closed by the USFDA," Shilpa Medicare said in a BSE filing.

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USFDA releases a copy of the EIR to the establishment that was the subject of an FDA or FDA-contracted inspection when the agency determines the inspection to be closed.

It further said: "The company had submitted a detailed corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan to the regulator within the stipulated timelines in response to the form 483 issued at the end of inspection. The USFDA has reviewed the CAPA and has found them acceptable".

Form 483 is issued when an investigator observes any possible violation of the laid-down rules.

Shares of the company were trading 5.60 per cent higher at Rs 720.65 on BSE. PTI SVK SRK

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By Press Trust of India: (Eds: With additional inputs on Odisha CMs visit)

Bhadrak (Odisha), Apr 11 (PTI) Ban on social media sites was lifted and curfew relaxed for nine hours in Bhadrak today, while 100 people were arrested in connection with the violence triggered by alleged abusive remarks posted against Hindu deities on the Internet.

The curfew, which was imposed on April 7, was relaxed from 7 AM to 4 PM to enable people to buy essential items and do their daily chores, besides facilitating normal activities, Bhadrak Collector Gyana Ranjan Das said.

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The decision to relax the curfew for a longer period was taken after a thorough review and assessment of the situation in the violence-hit town, Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Central) A B Ota said.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the town today and if normalcy continues, the administration may think of relaxing the curfew for a longer period, he said.

Educational institutions, government offices, banks and ATMs were open even as security forces kept vigil. Vehicular movement was also normal, Das said.

The government lifted the restriction clamped on access to social media platforms on April 9 in Bhadrak and nearby areas following improvement in situation, a senior official said.

"The decision to lift the ban on Internet was taken in view of considerable improvement in situation and also to facilitate banking transactions and other important operations in the area," he said.

Social media platforms had remained blocked after the state government restricted access to them in Bhadrak town and nearby areas since April 9 to prevent the spread of rumours and possible escalation of tension.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said he will visit the violence-hit Bhadrak town tomorrow.

"I am planning to visit Bhadrak tomorrow," he told reporters on his arrival in Bhubaneswar after a five-day visit to the national capital.

Meanwhile, Ota said arrangements are being made to ensure availability of essential commodities in sufficient quantities in the area to prevent hoarding and price hike.

Proper assessment of loss of property of poor people caused by the violence is being made and steps may be taken to compensate them, he said.

Around 100 people have so far been arrested in connection with the violence, Bhadrak Superintendent of Police Dilip Das said, while describing the situation as completely normal and peaceful.

Some sharp weapons and motor-cycles have also been seized from miscreants.

Thirty-seven platoons of security forces (around 1,300 personnel) have been deployed in the town to maintain law and order. Rapid Action Force (RAF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also assisted the state police in maintaining law and order, the police said.

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Violence had erupted in the town on April 6 after a group staged a demonstration near the Town police station demanding immediate arrest of those involved in allegedly posting offensive remarks against Hindu deities on social media.

Though the district administration clamped prohibitory orders, tension persisted and fresh violence was reported on April 7 despite a peace meeting.

The escalation in tension prompted the administration to impose curfew on April 7 and subsequently block social media platforms on April 9 to check circulation of hate messages. PTI COR AAM SKN RG DKB ZMN

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Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12

Tata Camelots ambitions plans of raising skyscrapers in the vicinity of Sukhna Lake took a direct hit today with the Delhi High Court ruling that the project fell in the catchment area of the lake.

The ruling has placed the project in a precarious situation. Taking up the Save Sukhna case, the Punjab and High Court has already directed the states of Punjab and Haryana, along with the Chandigarh Administration, not just to stop construction activity in the catchment area, but also to demolish without notice any construction carried out against the High Court mandate.

The project

The project in Kansal village, about 2 km from Sukhna Lake, was to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore on 53.39 acres, including 42.29 acre residential area and 11.1 acre commercial area. The size of the apartments was to vary between 1,294 sq ft and 7,450 sq ft.

The foundation

Punjab MLAs  both former and present  had virtually laid the foundation for Camelots large-scale scheme. The partnership between the legislators and the business giant was entered into almost a decade ago with an eye on possible windfall from the realty sector.

The Punjab MLAs Cooperative House Building Society with nearly 100 members, including former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Governor of Chhattisgarh Balramji Dass Tandon, was formed way back in 2000-01 by pooling in Rs 5 lakh each. The members were each entitled to a 500 sq yard plot.

This was before they entered into a pact with Tata. Every MLA was to get Rs 82.5 lakh and a flat each in lieu of their plot, as per the agreement with Tata. The Delhi High Court, during the course of the hearing, was told that the legislators, who were the beneficiaries, were also the decision takers as far as the project was concerned.

Their plans were practically razed to the ground, with the project initially coming under the Punjab and Haryana High Court scanner. The total amount received by each MLA did not exceed Rs 30 lakh, and the flats were never handed over.

The issue

The matter was initially brought to the notice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court through a newspaper report saying nine residential towers between 12 and 35 storeys would dot the citys skyline, once construction commenced in the vicinity of the Capitol Complex.

Taking suo motu cognisance in November 2010, the High Court observed that the development revealed a disturbing state of rapid and unregulated urbanisation. A petition was also filed in public interest before the High Court here by advocate Aalok Jagga through counsel DS Patwalia.

The case

Set up in 1995 for the protection of environment and other social and legal causes, the Sarin Memorial Legal Aid Foundation had sought permission to assist the court in the matter. The Foundations Board of Trustees comprises a former Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court, Justice SS Sodhi, senior advocate ML Sarin, Y Saboo, Jagesh Khaitan, Sushil Goenka and Anupam Kher.

On August 21, 2013, the High Court virtually gave the green signal to the project, subject to necessary clearances from the authorities concerned. The Bench made it clear that the orders prohibiting construction activity in the catchment area of the lake were not applicable to the project.

Justice Sodhi and 16 other petitioners subsequently moved the Supreme Court against the proposed construction of 1,794 residential flats as a part of the Camelot project, while challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Courts August 2013 order.

The apex court then set aside the order before asking the Delhi High Court to go into the issue afresh and decide whether the project fell in the catchment area of Sukhna Lake.

The case was transferred to Delhi in view of a specific order passed by the then Chief Justice of India while taking up an SLP challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Courts August 2013 order.

The members

Of the 90 MLAs, 70 were from the SAD and 20 from the Congress. Eight MLAs were ministers in the previous SAD-BJP government. The prominent members included Manoranjan Kalia, Bibi Jagir Kaur, former Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha Charanjit Singh Atwal and Congress MP Preneet Kaur. The Tribune was the first to carry the complete list. The others included then Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha Nirmal Singh Kahlon, then Deputy Speaker Satpal Gosain, Dr Rattan Singh Ajnala, Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Sher Singh, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Avinash Rai Khanna, Santosh Chowdhary, Dr Upinderjit Kaur, Master Mohan Lal, Gulzar Singh Ranike, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Sewa Singh Sekhwan, Sucha Singh Langah, Swarna Ram and Tikshan Sood. The society, in June 2011, terminated its agreement to jointly develop the land.
New Delhi, April 12

Rajya Sabha discussed Tuesday students' protest at Panjab University and susequent police action on Wednesday, with the central government saying it had asked for a report even though the university did not come under it.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Centre has not raised any fee in the Panjab University, which is a separate entity and not a central varsity.

"Punjab University is a separate entity. This is not a central university. We have not raised any fees," he told Congress members while responding to their protests over the incident.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Javadekar said he has sought all information with regard to the fee hike and those pertaining to financial grants to the Varsity.

"This matter pertains to the state government. This is not a central university," the minister said.

The police had clashed with students in the Panjab University on Tuesday as the weeklong protests over the steep fee hike turned ugly. Over 60 students were arrested and many of them slapped with sedition and criminal charges, reports said. Students claim that the fees for various courses were hiked from around Rs 5,000 to over Rs 50,000.

During the Zero Hour, Chhaya Verma (Congress) raised the issue of fee hikes in Panjab University and an educational institution at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. She was joined by other Congress members also.

Verma said the fees were hiked by six times at an educational institute at Bilaspur leading to massive protests.

She asked the government to roll back the hike and also withdraw FIR against Dalit and Adivasi students.

On the Chhattisgarh matter, Javadekar said he would get information.  PTI
The kidnappers took the crew onshore in central Galmudug state and clashed with troops two days later.

By Reuters: Somali security forces clashed with a pirate gang early today and freed nine seamen kidnapped on an Indian cargo this month, officials said.

The pirates seized the dhow Al Kausar off Somalia's coast, part of a surge of attacks after years without a reported incident.

The kidnappers took the crew onshore in central Galmudug state on Monday and clashed with troops two days later, the territory's minister for ports and sea transport, Burhan Warsame, said.

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"We rescued the nine crew and they are healthy and safe," he added.

Somali pirate attacks peaked with 237 in 2012 but then declined steeply after ship owners improved security measures and international naval forces stepped up patrols.

But this month has seen a new rash of attacks, with two ships captured and a third rescued by Indian and Chinese forces after the crew radioed for help and locked themselves in a safe room.

The Al Kausar pirates had said they were trying to force authorities to free some of their comrades imprisoned in India.

ALSO READ| 10 pirates holding Indian hostages captured by Somali security forces in stand-off

ALSO READ| Somali pirates flee hijacked Indian dhow, take 11-member crew hostage

ALSO WATCH| Indian cargo ship Al Kausher hijacked by Somali pirates on way to Yemen's Al Mukala port

--- ENDS ---
Chandigarh, April 12

A day after clash between students and police, Vice-President M Hamid Ansari who is the Chancellor of Panjab University on Wednesday sought a report about the incident even as Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover blamed a "handful of people for engineering violence".

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Meanwhile the police, who arrested six more students today, said initially sedition charge was included in the FIR on the basis of the complaint by varsity authorities but later removed.

At the university, where an uneasy calm prevailed, authorities said the police may have "misinterpreted" their complaint.

"Today we have detained six more students in connection with yesterday's protest," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said here.

Asked whether police had booked students for sedition yesterday, the SP said initially, sedition charge was added in the FIR on the basis of complaint of PU authorities, but later it was dropped.

Police said they had booked the students for various charges, including rioting and damage to the public property.

PU Chief Security Officer Ashwani Kaul said the complaint might have been "misinterpreted" by police.

"We never meant that the students raised slogans against the state. When we came to know that sedition charge was being added, we approached police and clarified that students raised slogans against UGC, MHRD and PU," said Kaul.

So far 53 students have been arrested out of 66 who have been named in the FIR, police said.

PU Vice-Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said that PU Chancellor Ansari had sought a report on this incident which he would submit.

"A handful of people engineered this protest," alleged the V-C adding that he never expected students' protest would lead to violence on the PU campus.

He asserted that students pelting stones and indulging in violence was not acceptable.

Grover said this incident would tarnish the image of PU "globally".

The V-C also blamed a student leader who had lost elections to the students' council for having instigated others to indulge in violence.

On steep fee hike issue, Grover said varsity had raised fee in some courses to bring parity in their tuition fee.

Today, an uneasy calm prevailed at the campus which saw violent clashes yesterday after students clashed with police yesterday protesting against tuition fee hike.

During yesterday's protest several students and policemen were injured with police resorting to water cannon, tear gas and cane charge after protesters pelted stones at them. Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Left parties, including CPI and CPI(M), condemned police action on students.

Gurpreet Singh Waraich, Punjab convener of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), demanded probe into the violence by an independent agency while alleging that students were provoked under a deep rooted conspiracy.  PTI
KC Singh

HAROLD Wilsons quip that a week is a long time in politics comes to mind reviewing last fortnights developments. The US rained missiles on Syrian air base at Shayrat, near Qoms, in retaliation for the alleged Syrian use of sarin gas, notified as a chemical weapon, against civilians in Khan Sheikhoun. Pakistan upped the ante sentencing to death, for espionage and terrorism, Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Indian Naval officer, allegedly apprehended in Balochistan. India ignored Chinese threats over the Dalai Lama visiting Tawang, which has the second holiest Buddhist monastery after Lhasa, and the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama.

Taking them serially, Trumps decision to punish Syrias Assad regime surprised both his Alt-right allies, who felt betrayed by his neo-interventionism, as too his critics in own party and among Democrats, who were elated. Trump was recanting from his election rhetoric of distancing the US from geopolitical cesspools. He perhaps had multiple motives. He was able to jettison charges of cosiness, if not actual complicity, between the Russian government and his election campaign. It is speculated that the US gave Russians a heads-up to avoid direct conflict by ensuring no Russian lives were lost. Careful target selection by avoiding living quarters and attacking in the dead of night, when plane hangars were unmanned, also had the same objective.

Chinese President Xi Jinping did not get the same courtesy as Trump, having ordered the Tomahawks fired, sat down for dinner with him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, informing him of the decision only post meal. Trump thus altered the dynamics between Xi and himself, demonstrating the resolve to defend the global order, which his withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), flip-flop on one-China policy and election rhetoric, urging isolationism, seemed to question. Xi swallowed the embarrassment but the Chinese media  after he left the US  lambasted the breach of Syrian sovereignty.

Analysts are wondering if this was a mere knee-jerk reaction, or the first move towards replacing the Assad regime. If the latter is true, there is yet no evidence that Russia is ready to abandon the Iran-Assad-Hezbollah alliance sine qua non to re-balance the Shia alliance. In any case, to force a ceasefire and realign half-a-dozen Sunni groups which oppose the Assad regime and hold parts of Syrian territory, ranging from effective Kurds  whose success Turkey resists  to Al Qaida associates and the IS, would be impossible without an international force, ideally with the UN Security Council imprimatur and the US and NATO participation. But such a force would be an anathema to Russia and China. Clearly, the generals manning critical positions in the Trump administration are finally getting to influence policy choices.

This may not augur well for India-Pakistan relations as Pakistan gets emboldened the minute it gets access to influential US presidential aides. Trumps revision of the Obama doctrine to use the Shias, led by Iran, to counter the IS by attempting to separate Russia from the Shia alliance has resurrected the demoralised Sunni brigade, led by Saudi Arabia. Pakistan allowing its former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif to head the Sunni alliance forces conducting operations in Oman indicates re-convergence of Pakistani, GCC and US interests.

That leads to the next issue of Pakistan suddenly pronouncing the death sentence on Kulbhushan Jadhav. The Indian public reaction and uproar in Parliament is perfect reading by Pakistan to get Indian attention. The exact motive is difficult to decipher at present, but may be multi-fold. It could have been triggered by a former Pakistan ISI officer going missing in Nepal, allegedly abducted by India. The desire to exploit the spring offensive by protesters in the Kashmir valley, whose protests have seen unprecedented success by forcing the negation of the electoral process, is a perennial factor. The Central governments inability to understand this dynamic is inexplicable, particularly that the rise of Yogis as commissars will feed the paranoia of the Muslim majority in a sensitive state and that an alliance with the BJP has rendered the PDP politically irrelevant in the Valley. The Pakistan army may also have concluded that PM Nawaz Sharif is vulnerable to indictment in the Panama Papers case and political instability seems real. Finally, after the initial trepidation about how Trump led to the detention of Hafiz Saeed in a fit of delayed contrition, Pakistan now has a measure of Trump the interventionist, at whose court Pakistan will present itself as the nuclear weapon-wielding mercenary.

Finally, the Indian decision to test China by a more forward policy is laudable, but the timing may be inappropriate if it is based on the assumption of continued US assessment that a stronger India was in US interests to balance a rising China. This has been the US assumption since after the initial brouhaha over Indian nuclear tests of 1998. Although the Trump-Xi summit in Florida was overshadowed by the Syrian imbroglio, the two leaders seem to have bought time to negotiate differences over imbalanced trade, North Korea and South China Sea, etc. The statement by US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley about US mediation in India-Pakistan dispute raises questions whether Pakistan is really as isolated as the BJP claims.

Finally, the Indian reaction to the Kulbhushan episode, with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj promising all in Indias power, is hyperbolic. Hostage takers are best dealt with by quiet threats, which should be credible, and carrots that are tangible. By minimising Indo-Pak contact there are few carrots that India holds. The only credible threat, short of a war, can be that abducting each others citizens and conducting mock trials is letting security agencies override diplomacy. Former foreign secretary MK Rasgotra recalls calling on President Zia-ul-Haq to convey Indira Gandhis message that if Pakistan did not stop abetting the hijacking of planes  which was assuming epidemic proportions in the early 1980s  India would do likewise. The gambit worked as differential of power between the two states had not yet been levelled by Pakistan possessing nuclear weapons.

Jingoism may work for domestic electoral cycles, but can be dangerous internationally. Confronting the Sino-Pak combine, assuming Trump as a credible pro-India counterweight, is risky at best. Pliny the Elders advice to avoid brutum fulmen or senseless thunderbolt is perennially sound. PM Modi needs to send his Rasgotra to Pakistan and avoid public fist-clenching.

The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
It is not the governments business to decide how much food is served to customers in hotels and restaurants. Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan seems to think otherwise. Not long ago Narendra Modi had promised minimum government. Now his ministers want to intrude into hotels, restaurants and dhabas. The motive is rather lofty: minimise waste of food. In a nation where millions sleep on an empty stomach any talk of not wasting food rings a bell. Good intentions are not sufficient cause for unleashing obtrusive control in citizens life.

Paswans logic is absurd. It is presumptuous to believe that Indians who are anyway born with a thrifty gene and take pride in squeezing even the last drop out of empty toothpaste would pay for food that they dont eat. Studies show there is greater wastage at the institutional rather than individual level. Some 30 per cent of fruits and vegetables go waste annually. There is not enough space for storing farm produce scientifically. Year after year foodgrains rot in the open, are pilfered and eaten up by rodents. Food loss during transportation is also a dismal reality. These are issues that should invite the ministers attention.

Instead the minister wants to further push the frontiers of a nanny state, watching over individual consumers and eating places. The hotel/restaurant industry is already shaken after the Supreme Courts liquor ban along highways. Rather than drawing parallels with countries that supposedly fine consumers for not finishing what is on their platter, the government should fix the structural gaps. Sensitising individuals towards the hunger problem, malnutrition and colossal wastage isnt a bad notion either. But toying with bizarre guidelines which infringe upon citizens private lives is totally unacceptable. Worse, Ram Vilas Paswan is being the classic sycophant, giving an official push to the Prime Ministers Mann Ki Baat musings. A perfect formula for rent-seeking.
Geetanjali Gayatri

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, April 11

A motley crowd of protesters in Badkhalsa village just wont give up. Twelve long years have gone by without a glimmer of hope, yet the residents remain resolute in their struggle. They want their land, acquired for the Rajiv Gandhi Education City in November 2005, to be released.

Believing they could save their land, they began a protest that stretched into weeks, months and years, but to no avail. They are now banking on Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattars assurance for their troubles to end.

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A bespectacled, toothless Dharam Singh, 80, joins the sit-in off the GT Road to mark his presence. He has one last wish: Official possession of less than half an acre of his land acquired by the government. Resting on a stick, his shoulders bent, he is one of the many faces that make up the crowd.

Ours is the only village that refused to accept the award money for the acquisition. We began our dharna that very day. Many a season has gone by and many village elders have died, but we have continued with our fight, says Virender.

We have never approached politicians to support our cause. Our unity has been our strength and the government has not been able to take physical possession of our land so far, explains Vijay Pal, who has 5.5 acres at stake.

In a village where land-holdings are small, the villagers take turns to participate in the dharna. On any given day, 20 to 30 gather under a shed they have built with their own money. We had a bamboo shed which was set ablaze by miscreants last year. Everybody chipped in and we raised another one, says Dr Dalpat. He is all praise for the womenfolk for their role in keeping the agitation alive, participating in large numbers. Across the road, a semi-constructed shed serves as a kitchenette where women make tea for the protesters.

We start gathering at 8 in the morning and a few of us are always here till 5 pm. That is our way of saying we havent given up, says Ram Chander, whom the residents address as president sahib.

Oscillating between hope and despair, any movement has them overjoyed. The CM held a meeting today. Our land will be released soon, says an excited Sandeep, as others nod in agreement.

The CM, at a meeting in Chandigarh on Tuesday, reportedly gave officers a piece of his mind for dragging their feet on the matter. The CM has asked the officers to take a call on the issue. But there are several complexities, which are causing the delay, claimed government sources.

Back in Badkhalsa, the news of the meeting sends a wave of joy. I will believe we have made it only when I get a letter in my hand, says an elderly man with scepticism. Faces turn grim. Somebody suggests that they call it a day, and return tomorrow with hope afresh. All oblige.
Sushil Manav

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12

The state government today suspended 120 workers of the Haryana Roadways even as employees continued with their strike for the third consecutive day. Public transport buses remained off road, causing a lot of inconvenience to commuters across the state.

On the directions of the the government, the general managers of 24-odd depots of the Haryana Roadways have suspended five workers each for striking work without giving a notice to the government and instigating other workers for strike. Sources say the 120 workers suspended are office-bearers of the roadways unions at the depot level, while the government has not proceeded against the state-level leaders.

Sarbat Singh Punia, state president of the Haryana Roadways Workers Union, confirmed the government action and said the striking employees would not be cowed down by such intimidating tactics.

Meanwhile, hundreds of passengers remained stranded at different towns of the state as private vehicles proved insufficient to handle the rush. The worst affected were students staying in hostels of various institutes and universities who wanted to go home in view of four holidays starting Thursday. At least 15 students of my hostel are stranded, as they have no means to go home though our classes will resume on Monday next, said Himanshu, a BTech student in Deen Bandhu Chaudhary Chhottu Ram University of Science and Technology at Murthal in Sonepat.

Meanwhile, in view of the ongoing strike, Chief Secretary DS Dhesi chaired a meeting of the Crisis Management Committee. DGP KP Singh said after the meeting that the SPs had been told to take stern action against those who try to take law unto their hands.

Notably, talks between the protesting state roadways employees and the government failed yesterday. Roadways employees have been protesting over the issuance of permits to private bus operators. Over 13 lakh passengers travel in the state roadways buses daily. Commuters are facing a tough time as the public transport buses are not plying on regular routes. About 4,100 buses, including the luxury Volvo bus service, have come to a halt in the state since Monday evening. While the strike caused inconvenience to commuters who depend on the state buses, agitating employees staged dharnas at various depots seeking withdrawal of permits given to private bus operators.

Union leaders held the government responsible for their strike. They alleged that while Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had in a meeting in March assured them that no such policy would be implemented, senior officers informed them about the decision to grant permits to private transporters.

The Union leaders said they would continue with their indefinite strike till the government accepts their demands and withdraw permits issued to private transporters.

Transport Minister Krishan Panwar told The Tribune that the government was open for talks and he has already invited union leaders to end the impasse through dialogue. He, however, said the government would not allow anyone to take law into ones hands and would resumed bus services as early as possible.

Taxi operators make most of the situation

Ambala: Thousands of commuters were inconvenienced due to the ongoing strike on Wednesday. Roadways buses remained off road, but private bus and taxi operators did a brisk business, taking advantage of the situation. The commuters alleged that private taxi operators charged them four times the normal fare. Naresh Kumar, a commuter, said, I have reach Chandigarh and private taxi operators are asking for Rs 200 instead of Rs 50. Rajinder, a daily passenger, said, I work in Chandigarh and travel by Haryana Roadways bus but due to the strike I have been forced to take a private taxi. The buses of Punjab Roadways and Himachal Roadways are plying but they are already full. TNS

6 under suspension

Jhajjar: Six Haryana Roadways employees were suspended for taking part in the ongoing strike against the grant of permits to private bus operators under the new Transport Policy. Balwant Singh Godara, General Manager, Jhajjar depot, said four drivers, a conductor and a mechanic had been suspended. All buses of the depot remained off road. TNS
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 12

The Haryana Government today made it clear that it would not take back its stage carriage permit (SCP) policy to grant permits to private buses, but maintained that its doors were always open for talks with the striking roadways workers.

SS Dhillon, Additional Chief Secretary (Transport), while addressing mediapersons here, said apprehensions of roadways workers that the SCP policy was detrimental to their interests were misplaced.

He said it was unfortunate that inconvenience was being caused to the public due to the attitude of the roadways workers. The government had requested state road transport carriages of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi to ply more routes in Haryana, he added.

Dhillon justified the SCP policy, which had triggered the strike by roadways workers, and said Haryana has nearly 4,200 buses against a need for 13,000 and had given permits to 844 buses at present.

We have purchased 300 new buses, which will be added to the fleet after their bodies are built. Tenders for 300 more buses have been floated while another 300 will be purchased this current year, the Additional Chief Secretary said.

Dhillon said the government had told leaders of roadways workers that their interests were not being jeopardised with the SCP policy because private buses would complement and not replace the system.

He said the government had made it clear that private permit holders would have to provide services to all pass holders and hence, there was no loss to the public.

Answering a question, he said the state government was suffering a loss of Rs 4 crore per day due to the strike. State Transport Commissioner Suprabha Dahiya was present at the press conference.
Tribune News Service

Panipat, April 12

Five roadways employees of the Panipat depot were suspended today for participating in the ongoing indefinite strike. Roadways union leaders and workers staged a dharna at the bus stand here and raised slogans against the government. Passengers faced inconvenience as all buses remained off road as part of the chakka jam.

Anoop Singh Sehrawat, state president, Haryana Roadways Workers Union (INTUC) and member of the Joint Action Committee, said, The government is adamant and has suspended around 125 employees of 24 depots across the state. We will intensify our agitation. The government is responsible for the strike.

The Haryana Roadways is not in the red. The department pays Rs 85,000 as passenger tax for a 52-seat bus every month while it is only Rs 12,000 for private buses, he added.

The employees were ready to give their two-month salary to the government for purchase of new buses for the Haryana Roadways, said Dilawar Singh, union leader.

Anita Rani, a commuter, said, I have to go to Safidon in Jind but I did not get any vehicle for the last two hours.

Mehtab Singh Kharab, General Manager, Panipat depot, said Ranbir Sharma, Jagdish, Shamsher Singh, Rajpal and Baljinder, who are leaders of various unions, had been suspended on the governments direction.

The Panipat depot has suffered a loss of around Rs 25 lakh due to the ongoing strike. The depot earns around Rs10 lakh per day while 122 of total 134 buses ply during normal days. We have been facing a shortage of buses. The depots fleet can have 160 buses but we have only 134 buses at present. We requires 26 more buses, he said.
Our Correspondent

Kangra, April 12

The parents of a 28-year-old youth, Ankaj Rana, a resident of Naleti village in Dehra of this district who died in Kuwait on Monday, have approached External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and requested her to arrange for repatriation of his body so that the last rites could be performed at the native village.

Kailash Rana, a farmer by profession and father of Ankaj Rana, today said his son was working with Kuwait Gulf Link posted in KGL Shuwaikh industrial area III in Kuwait as a driver. He said he had left for Kuwait on February 26 this year.

Kailash said he was scheduled to be in Kuwait for two years but unfortunately the family received the news that Ankaj had passed away following sudden cardiac ailment

The victims father said earlier when he had left India there were no symptoms of any ailment. He said he had communicated to the External Affairs Minister and urged her to take steps so that the body of his son could be repatriated and the last rites performed at his native village Naleti.
Tribune News Service

Shimla, April 12

The chances of Virbhadra Singh appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on April 13 seem to be bleak as in a last-minute change the Chief Minister today cancelled his programme to Delhi and rushed with his family to seek the blessings of Goddess Bhimakali at Sarahan.

As per the scheduled programme of the Chief Minister, he was to leave to Delhi today morning and return after appearing before the ED who had summoned him on April 13 in New Delhi in connection with the money laundering case. Instead, Virbhadra chose to seek the blessings of Goddess Bhimakali in Sarahan and returned in the evening.

The fact that he is scheduled to visit Shoghi, Chanog and other parts of his Assembly segment of Shimla (Rural) for inaugurations, laying of foundation stones and interaction with his constituents tomorrow is an indication that he would give a miss to the date with the ED in Delhi. The change of programme came as a major surprise for most as it was only yesterday that Virbhadra had stated that he would cooperate and go before the ED on April 13.

Political circles were rife with speculation as to why the Chief Minister had a sudden change of mind. The Chief Minister is facing a case filed by the CBI with regard to disproportionate assets and the challan has already been filed. The ED has registered a money laundering case against him and the agency had last week only attached a farm house owned by his son in Mahrauli area of Delhi.

The Chief Minister had two days back said that he would fight the vendetta being unleashed against him by the Modi-led BJP regime, both politically and legally. He along with his son Vikramaditya Singh, state Youth Congress president have been accusing Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, former Chief Minister PK Dhumal and Hamirpur MP Anurag Thakur of targeting him.

He has accused them of using all investigating agencies  the CBI, the ED and Income Tax  and probing the same case in which he filed revised income tax returns for three years.
Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, April 12

The authorities in Kashmir have rushed top security experts to the poll-bound Budgam district to avoid a face-off between protesters and security forces.

Senior police officials, who have dealt with severe law and order problems in the recent past, have been sent to Budgam, where repolling at 38 polling stations will take place on April 13.

In view of the record-low voting participation of 7.14 per cent in the Srinagar parliamentary byelection amid killing of seven civilian protesters in Budgam and one in Ganderbal, the Election Commission of India announced repolling in Budgam district. The ECI also deferred the April 12 byelection in Anantnag parliamentary constituency to May 25.

Police officers, who are good at policing, have been called from across Kashmir to Budgam. The government has deputed them to examine the situation properly and deal with it effectively, said SP, Sopore, Harmeet Singh, who has been asked to handle the security of eight polling stations in Budgam.

The government has entrusted SP, Srinagar, Imtiyaz Parray with the security of 16 polling stations in Chadoora and SP, Handwara, Ghulam Jeelani with the security of eight polling stations in Charar-i-Sharief. Additional SP, Baramulla, Shafaqat Hussain has to secure five polling stations in the Beerwah Assembly constituency.

Like Harmeet Singh, most of the other officials deputed in Budgam for poll security had worked in the district at different posts in the past.

Officials said nearly two dozen DSPs had also been rushed to Budgam from different places of Kashmir to work in a coordinated manner with their seniors to ensure smooth polling.

High-level security arrangements had also been put in place in Budgam for the repolling, they said.
Titled Spyder, the makers have finally unveiled the first look poster of Tollywood superstar Mahesh Babu's next with AR Murugadoss.

By India Today Web Desk: Apart from SS Rajamouli's Baahubali: The Conclusion, superstar Mahesh Babu's next with AR Murugadoss is one of the most awaited released in Telugu. Ever since the project was announced, fans have been waiting with bated breaths to witness their idol on the screen.

As promised, the makers have finally revealed Mahesh Babu's look from the film which is creating waves on the internet. Much to everyone's expectations, the film has been titled Sypder. Earlier to this, the first look poster was supposed to out on Ugadi. Going by the unprecedented craze, the film is very likely to emerge as one of the highest grossing Indian films this year.

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An elated Murugadoss released the poster on Twitter.

Tipped to be a spy thriller, the film will see Mahesh Babu as a suave intelligent officer, while SJ Suryah has been roped in to lock horns with the Nenokkadine star.

Reports also suggests that Suryah is likely to sport a macho look for the film and that he is rigorously working out to achieve the desired look.

Rakul Preet Singh will play the leading lady in the film, which has music by Harris Jayaraj.

Jointly produced by Prasad and Tagore Madhu, the film is slated to release on June 23.

Post Murugadoss's project, Mahesh is teaming up with directors directors Koratala Siva, Vamshi and Trivikram for Mahesh 24, 25 and 26 respectively.

ALSO READ: Baahubali 2 at the box office- Would The Conclusion be as huge without its marketing?

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--- ENDS ---
Mona

For Neelam Mansingh Choudhry, going to the Golden Temple was an integral part, Parikrama around the sarovar, some sewa, followed by langar; listening to shabads and buying parandi, surma from the market outside...it was as if all the temporal and spiritual needs were met at that place. Talk of Gurbani and the very first line that crosses her mind is Tera bhana meetha lage, which is all about surrender. The one that she deeply connected to is the aarti - Thal gagan main. When Rabindranath Tagore was asked to write a song for the world, he said I neednt write one, for Guru Nanak already has. The sheer vastness, the scale... one feels that the entire universe inside you is listening to this one, she shares.

Special bond

For director- mentor, CEVA, Drama Repertory Company, GS Channi, Bani has been special, especially kachchi bani. His heart resides in Khalsa soe jo ninda tyage/ khalsa soye jo lare hoye aage. I too feel Mittar pyare nu haal mureedan da kehna very strongly. Rendered by Rafi and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in qawwali form, I so connect with it, he shares.

Being thankful

For filmmaker Jasraj Bhatti, it was an assignment that made his bond with the Gurus words deep. I had to shoot Deh Shiva bar mohe-i-hai, shubh karman the kabhu na taroo and imagining how Guru Gobind Singh would have written it down had my spirit surging. He celebrates Baisakhi by being grateful for all that life has offered. I once read what my father had written - that we keep asking all the time, so it is important to take out a moment and express gratitude.

Grand celebration

For Jas K Shan, founder, Dance Dacha, Jo mange thakur apne te, soi soi deve, remains the favourite and she makes sure the festival is celebrated well at her establishment.

Power within

Academician Pushpinder Syal starts the day with bani. Mool mantra Ek Onkar is what she deems the most powerful one. Something that sailed her through all kind of situations is Chit charan kamal ka aasra. I find these very protective, very empowering to sail one through all situations, she avers.

Deep message
Our Correspondent

Khanna, April 12

The National Institute of Technical Training, Chandigarh, conducted a workshop on Effective Communication at Gulzar Group Institutes here today.

The key speaker was Deepak Vohra, Indian diplomat serving presently as the Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Lesotho and Guinea-Bissau. The workshop gave students an insight into the communication skills required for success.

The workshop was divided into four parts  interpersonal communication skills, writing skills, presentation skills and personal skills. Facing interviews successfully was also discussed at length.

With many videos and real-life examples, the audience was spell bound during the entire session. The discussion was followed by an interactive session.

He also gave an insight into 3 overlapping components of communication  message, method and medium. He interacted with students from north-eastern states, Yeman, etc.
Our Correspondent

Jaipur, April 12

Police on Wednesday arrested five persons for making fake currency notes and seized Rs 1.78 lakh such fake notes in denomination of 2000, 500 and 100 rupees from them at Bassi, a sub-urban town of Jaipur.

The gang members using modern printer, scanner and computer/laptop have already floated fake currency worth around Rs 4 lakh in the villages, SHO Bassi Virendra Singh told The Tribune.

Chottelal, Mukesh, Ram Kalyan, Saleem and Dhanraj were booked for making and trading counterfeit currency notes.

A number of electronic devises including colour printer, scanner, laptop, computer and mobiles handsets were seized from their hide out at a rented house in Bassi and nearby places in Jaipur-Rural, the SHO said.

Chottelal was also arrested earlier during the demonetisation days in Jaipur.
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 12

The two-phased Budget session of Parliament came to an end today after approval of the landmark Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and passage of the Budget.

Union Minister Ananth Kumar said it had been one of the most productive sessions in its history and 18 Bills were passed by both Houses during the session.

The productivity of the Lok Sabha was 114 per cent while that of the Rajya Sabha was 92 per cent. A total of 24 bills were introduced during the session. Of these, the Lok Sabha passed 23 Bills, while the Rajya Sabha passed 14. A total of 18 Bills were passed by both Houses.

The session was advanced to have a Budget presentation on February 1 instead of the usual February 28. The government wanted to complete the budgetary exercise before the end of March. For the first time in 92 years, the Railway Budget was merged with the General Budget.

The session saw all parties coming together in both Houses over the death sentence awarded to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court on the charges of spying.

Altogether, there were 29 sittings, with the Lok Sabha working for 176 hours and 39 minutes and the Rajya Sabha for over 136 hours.

The Lok Sabha lost eight hours and 12 minutes due to disruptions while the Upper House lost 13 hours because of furore over various issues. In the Lok Sabha, the lost time was covered as the House functioned for an additional 28 hours while the Rajya Sabha sat late for more than six-and-a-half hours to make up for the lost time.

Both Houses passed the GST Bill, which is seen as a major tax reform that would bring India under a uniform indirect tax regime.

The Lok Sabha also passed the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017, Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, Enemy Property Bill, Mental Healthcare Bill, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016, HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017 and 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill (to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes).

Of the 560 starred questions, more than 136 were given oral answers, which comes to around 4.68 questions per day. Some 494 issues were raised under Rule 377 and 158 Private members Bills were introduced in the House, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said in her valedictory remarks.

The Rajya Sabha passed or returned 14 Bills. However, the Bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, could not go through the Rajya Sabha as the Opposition resisted it, after which it was sent to a select committee.

The role of Governors regarding formation of governments in Goa and Manipur was questioned in the Rajya Sabha. House proceedings were also stalled over allegations of tampering of EVMs.

In his valedictory remarks, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari pointed to the role of some members in asking maximum number of questions.
Chandigarh, April 12

Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh today said he would not meet Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan during the latters visit to India later this month. In an interview with a Delhi-based TV channel, he dubbed Sajjan as a Khalistan sympathiser.

The CM claimed five ministers in the Trudeau government were Khalistanis and would have truck with neither. These Khalistani sympathisers had last year prevailed upon the authorities to block my entry into Canada. I only wanted to meet my Punjabi brethren there, he said.

In protest, Amarinder had written a letter to the Canadian PM and later refused to meet the Canadian High Commissioner in India.  TNS

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BEIJING, April 12

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a peaceful resolution of rising tension on the Korean peninsula in a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as a US aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards the region.

Trump, in an early morning note on Twitter, said the call with Xi, just days after they met in the United States, was a "very good" discussion of the "menace of North Korea". The call came as an influential state-run Chinese newspaper warned that the Korean peninsula was the closest it has been to a "military clash" since North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006.

The communication between the leaders underscored the sense of urgency as tension escalates amid concern that reclusive North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test, or more missile launches, and Trump's threat of unilateral action to solve the problem.

Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group to head to the Korean peninsula in an attempt to deter North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile ambitions, which it is developing in defiance of UN resolutions and sanctions.

He pressed Xi to do more to curb North Korea's nuclear programme when the two leaders held their first face-to-face meeting in Florida last week.

Trump said on Twitter on Tuesday that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without China's help.

Xi stressed in their telephone call that China "is committed to the target of denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving problems through peaceful means", Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who said Trump had initiated the call, urged everyone to lower the tension.

"We hope that the relevant parties do not adopt irresponsible actions. Under the current circumstances, this is very dangerous," Lu told reporters at a regular press briefing.

China's Global Times newspaper said in an editorial that North Korea should halt any plan for nuclear and missile activities "for its own security". While widely read in China and run by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, the Global Times does not represent government policy.

The newspaper noted Trump's recent decision to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly gas attack last week.

"Not only is Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honours his promises," it said.

"The US is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesn't plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang," it said. "Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time."

The Global Times said if North Korea made another provocative move, "Chinese society" might be willing to back unprecedented sanctions, "such as restricting oil imports".

'Not afraid'

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.

Officials from the North, including leader Kim Jong Un, have indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying a satellite on April 13, 2012, marking the anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founding president Kim Il Sung.

Saturday will be the 105th anniversary of his birth.

In the North Korean capital, residents thronged boulevards on a sunny spring morning, some practising for a parade to be held on the weekend, with no visible sign of the tension.

"So long as we are with our supreme leader Marshall Kim Jong Un we are not afraid of anything," a woman who gave her name as Ri Hyon Sim told Reuters journalists, who were escorted by North Korean officials.

Russia has said it is worried about the possibility of a US attack on North Korea and it would raise the issue with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Earlier on Wednesday, two sources in Tokyo said Japan's navy planned exercises with the Carl Vinson carrier group in a joint show of force.

Japan's Maritime Self Defence Force and the US Navy could conduct helicopter landings on each other's ships, as well as communication drills, they said.

A senior Japanese diplomat said it appeared the US position was to put maximum pressure on North Korea to reach a solution peacefully and diplomatically.

"At least, if you consider overall things such as the fact that the US government has not put out warnings to its citizens in South Korea, I think the risk at this point is not high," said the diplomat, who declined to be identified.

South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, has warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring.

China's Defence Ministry, in a one-line statement posted on its website, dismissed foreign media reports about a build-up of Chinese troops on its border with North Korea as "pure fabrication".

The North fired a liquid-fuelled Scud missile this month, the latest in a series of tests that have displayed its ability to launch attacks and use hard-to-detect solid-fuel rockets.

North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.  Reuters
Mogadishu, April 12

Somalia security forces on Wednesday freed eight Indian sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off a hijacked ship earlier this week, a Coast Guard official said.

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The eight hostages were freed without fighting. The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured, Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Somalias Galmudug state said. AFP
Islamabad, April 12

Sapna Gobia is busy preparing for her wedding in Pakistan in a few weeks. In many ways, her wedding will follow traditions passed down through generations, with the bride and groom circling a sacred fire lit by their families.

But unlike the marriage of her parents, Gobias will be formalised by a government certificate under a new Hindu marriage law.

The 25-year-old will be one of millions of women from Pakistans Hindu minority who now have the right to a certificate establishing her marital status under the Hindu Marriage Act, 2017, that was signed into law on March 19.

We Hindu girls and married women have lived in the shadow of constant fear...of being abducted, forced to abandon our faith and convert and re-married forcibly to someone not from our faith, said Gobia, a graduate in English literature from a government college in the town of Dharaki in southern Pakistan.

She hopes the new marriage law will help prevent such incidents of abduction of Hindu minority women and their forced conversion to other faiths for bigamous, forced marriages.

With our marriages now legally registered with government authority...no one could be able to stop us and our husbands from proving our marital status, Gobia told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

More importantly, bigamy has now been termed an unlawful and punishable crime in the new law--that is a big relief.

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Since Partition and the creation of Pakistan as a separate state for Muslims, marriages of the Hindu minority of 30 million were not officially recognised, leaving Hindu women without protection under the law.

Our married daughters and sisters have been abducted by local non-Hindu influentials and forced to convert to Islam, said lawyer Arjun Das, chairman of Pakistan Council of Meghwar, a Hindu community, who campaigned for the marriage law.

Then they have been forcibly re-married off to their influential kidnappers...without their victims consent.

Abducted

Sixteen-year-old Anjali Kumari was abducted three years ago from her home in Dharaki in broad daylight--and was forcibly converted to Islam within a day.

We had to take refuge in Karachi as we faced murder threats by the abductors with connections to a local political group when we raised our voices and took to the streets calling for release of our daughter, Kumaris father, Kundan Mal Meghwar, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

She was forcibly converted and married off...against her will, Mal Meghwar said.

A court in the port city of Karachi ruled in 2014 that Anjali should stay in a shelter in the city where her parents could visit her.

But we were never allowed to meet our daughter, giving her the impression that we were no longer interested in saving her...from her abductor, he said. She succumbed to the pressure and eventually went away with him.

Protection

The historic Hindu Marriage Act aims to protect families--and the women and children of the Hindu community, particularly by recognising their marriages in law, said Zahid Hamid, federal law and justice minister.

Marriage registrars will be appointed by the government in different parts of the country as provided in the law, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

The registrars will be authorised to register Hindu marriages under the act. Besides maintaining Hindu marriage records, they will also be authorised to issue legal marriage certificates.

The minister said particular efforts had been made to address the issue of bigamy in Pakistan.

Representatives of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Pakistan Council of Meghwar have long struggled for a law to protect women from conversions to other faiths and forced marriages.

But Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, said the new law needed strong political will to ensure its implementation and campaigns in schools and the media to raise awareness of the legislation.

It is the responsibility of the state to provide all sorts of protections to the countrys minority groups, including (protecting) Hindus from all sorts of atrocities meted out to them and ensuring they enjoy the same rights as any other person in the country, Vankwani said.

High court lawyer and minority rights activist, Nand Lal Lavha, said awareness among lawyers, magistrates and police was the key to ensuring that the new law brought justice for Hindu girls and women. Thomson Reuters Foundation
New Delhi, April 12

Public sector oil companies will launch a pilot project next month for daily revision of petrol and diesel prices similar to other commodities that reflect a daily rate, taking away the sensitivity of a fortnightly price revision at present.

Five cities, including Chandigarh, Puducherry, Visakhapatnam, Udaipur and Jamshedpur, will initially be covered under the pilot scheme from May 1.

Public sector oil companies are working out the modalities of the dynamic pricing or daily revision and an official announcement is expected soon. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), which collectively own over 95 per cent of nearly 58,000 fuel stations in the country, will revise the prices of fuel daily in five select cities from May 1 and gradually extend it to all over the country.

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Sources said the oil companies review the global crude oil and foreign exchange movement on a daily basis at present also, but the revision is done every fortnight. The companies said they had the wherewithal to move towards a daily revision of prices.

A daily revision of fuel prices will be less volatile and more accurate, taking away the sensitivity of a fortnightly revision, which sometimes gets affected during elections or political considerations.

Petrol and diesel in that sense become similar to all other commodities that reflect a daily price. With this, deregulation moves to a new level with automatic revision.

Ajay Bansal, president, All India Petroleum Dealers Association, said they had demanded dynamic pricing on an automatic basis by companies and not manually by petrol stations. He said changing rates manually at every fuel station would be cumbersome and sought automatic changes through technology- driven processes.  TNS
After the violence on Sunday saw 8 people killed, the government is ensuring that the polling on Thursday remains violence free.

By Ashraf Wani: Massive security arrangements have been put in place in Budgam that is going for a re-poll at 38 polling stations on Thursday. Deployments have been increased phenomenally to ensure the day passes incident free.

Official sources said three district SPs and one additional SP will be deployed and given specific territories to manage the overall polling stations. "The idea is to ensure that there is no intervention in the polling stations and no possibility of any sort of booth capturing," one police officer said. "We will provide adequate security and confidence to the voter to exercise his right of franchise."

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The returning officer said that no polling station has been changed. "The polling stations will be located at the places they earlier existed," Farooq A Lone, Returning Officer said. "Security was the main concern on Sunday and that is the only aspect that is being taken care of more seriously this time. Otherwise, everything is the same."

Every poling booth will have more than two companies attached for the day long exercise. The deployment of the poll staff will take place from later today.

POLLING STATIONS FOR THURSDAY ELECTION

As per the ECI notification, the polling stations in Chadoora Assembly constituency, where re-polling is to be held include 31-Bogam Batepora (B), 32-Bogam Batepora (B), 33-Nowbug, 39-Chack Mahand-Joo-Dhar, 52-Wathora (B), 54-Zoolwah, 55-Gopalpora (A), 56-Gopalpora (B), 57-Dooniwari, 60-Kralpora (A), 61-Kralpora (B), 63-Kralpora (D), 65-Dharambug (A), 66-Dharambug (B), 87-Bagi Mehtab (B) and 98-Dharambug (C).

In Budgam Assembly constituency, re-polling would be held on 22 stations - Nusurullah Pora (B), 23-Nusurullah Pora (C), 28-Galwanpora (A), 30-Haripora, 32-Wara Sangam, 40-Soibug (H), 107-Putlibagh and 120-Galwanpora (B).

Similarly, in Beerwah Assembly segment, re-polling would be held on 15 booths - Kanihama, 29-Badran (B), 34-Peerpora, 89-Sehpora and 94-Gundipora (A).

Likewise, re-polling would also be held on 7 stations - Repora, 9-Gopal Saif (A), 16-Nowpora, 38-Chrar-i-Sharief (M), 86-Kanir (A), 87-Kanir (B), 90-Hushroo and 91-Wagam of Chrar-e-Sharief Assembly Segment and polling booth number 79-Kandora (B) of Khan Sahib Assembly constituency.

Most of the people killed on Sunday were reported from Budgam. At various places, the youth locked the polling stations. At a few places, they escorted the security detail of polling stations to the nearest camps.

However, at a few places, they snatched the EVMs and destroyed them. Officials said even though a number of killings were reported, the police and paramilitary forces exhibited restraint to avoid loss of life.

Various political forces, even within the ruling PDP voiced strongly against a re-poll saying it will trigger a new wave of violence. Separatists have already called for a day-long strike on Thursday against the re-polling and elections.

GOVERNMENT SHOULD TAKE LESSONS FROM TURNOUT OF BY-POLLS

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Meanwhile, Chairman of All parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has said that government of India as well as state government should take lessons from turnout of by-polls in Srinagar constituency and should take steps for long standing political settlement of Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking exclusively to India Today, the separatist leader said that Hurriyat leadership is being caged in houses and not being allowed to reach out to people, or to even condole the death of people killed on polling day.

When asked about engaging with the government, Mirwaiz said they are ready for talks with the government but added that the government has to make that kind of atmosphere for it to happen as former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had done earlier.

Responding to recent statements by US officials and UN Secretary General about the Kashmir issue, Mirwaiz said he welcomed any kind of mediation to bring India and Pakistan on table. He said, "Better relations and talks between India and Pakistan will also make conducive atmosphere in the Valley, which has been on edge since killing of Hizbul Commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016.

Also read: Farooq Abdullah: Wake up India, talk to Pakistan or lose Kashmir

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Also read: Amid cries to free Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistan, Kashmiri leader spews shocker

--- ENDS ---
Lahore, April 12

With India promising severe consequences in bilateral ties if Pakistan carried out the death sentence on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, former president Pervez Musharraf has called on the government to be wary of sharp backlash from New Delhi.

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Rejecting Indias claims that Jadhavs trial was unfair, Musharraf maintained that the trial was carried out according to the procedure prescribed in Pakistans law and said, For anyone involved in espionage and sabotage, the case is tried in military court, a lawyer is assigned to defend the accused and the procedure is the same for Pakistanis as well as foreigners. Jadhav was tried according to the same procedure.

Jadhav opted for a civilian defence lawyer, which was provided to him, it is a misconception that there is no defence in court martial cases. Consular access was denied to him as it was a case of espionage, it is standard practice, he further added in an interview on ARY TV.

Talking about Jadhavs options, he added that according to military law, the alleged Indian spy could appeal to an appellate bench or take the matter to the Supreme Court and if that didnt work out, the last resort is a mercy plea to the President.

Musharraf also noted that it would be wise for Pakistan to expect prospective backlash when the Indian government took the matter up on international fora.

Foreseeing a deeper strain in the Pakistan-India relations, Musharraf said, There will be a sharp rise in tension between Pakistan and India. Their media has already started using their pet term rogue army. If they think our army is rogue, what is their army doing in Kashmir, have they forgotten what happened to Sikhs in their country?

Pakistan has to stand fast against Indias accusations of the move being premeditated murder. I would like to remind everyone of how India dealt with Ajmal Kasab. Kasab was one non-state actor involved in one incident; this man was responsible for launching several such incidents in Balochistan and Karachi. Who is a greater criminal if we were to talk numbers? ANI
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 12

The BJPs national executive meeting at Bhubaneswar is an indication of its strategy for the Eastern and Coromandel region, which, party leaders claim, will lay the base for their success in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Ahead of the crucial political meeting in Odisha this weekend, BJP leaders rejected allegations by Biju Janata Dal chief and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of fuelling false reports of a split in his party.

As per Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the BJP would welcome clean and strong leaders from other parties if they show commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

We want to strengthen our party. Whoever is committed to the leadership of the Prime Minister and party president Amit Shah are welcome to join us. We will welcome swachch aur takatwar umeedwar (clean and strong leaders), Pradhan said.

He said the recent panchayat polls saw the BJP graduating from the third to the second spot in Odisha and by 2019 it would be the first choice of the people.

As per party leaders, Shah is of the opinion that in 2019 a major chunk of the BJPs leads will be from the Eastern and the Coromandel region (Indias south-eastern coastal region) where the saffron party is not as strong as central and western parts. As far as the PM is concerned, Odisha  a water-surplus area like UP  is the gateway to development and governance of Eastern parts.
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), April 12

On one hand Kulbhushan Jadhav and Sarabjit Singh were tormented by Pakistan on a flimsy grounds that they were Indian spies, here the Bhopal Police have been feeding and sheltering a Pakistani spy for almost a year after his release from jail.

Sajeed Muneer was jailed for 12 years for espionage, but after his release Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian government.

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By default, he became the Bhopal Police's responsibility and the District Special Branch (DSB) has been taking care of him for 10 months now.

The DSB pays for his food and other necessities.

Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Bhadoria said since the time of end of his conviction every angle related to the issue is being discussed but Pakistan is delaying the process of deportation.

"On June 4 last year his sentence ended. In between the deportation process, he was kept in the detention centre, as those who are not from India they are kept in that centre, he said.

The SP added that police officials are in constant contact with the Pakistan High Commission and the process of consular access, where High Commissions of both the countries did the verification of Sajeed Muneer, has been done.

The Bhopal Police arrested him in May 2004 when he was collecting some official secret material from the army regiment. That time he was impersonating himself as an Indian national. He has been current put in Shahjahanabad police station's detention centre, Bhadoria said.

Investigations revealed that Muneer was lured by the ISI while he had gone into hiding after a murder case.

He had murdered a Karachi youth to avenge his brother's killing.  ANI
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 12

A high-level delegation of the Opposition today met President Pranab Mukherjee to flag concerns around recent deterioration of law and order, dominance of lynch mob mentality and cow vigilantes and the alleged abuse of probe agencies to hound political rivals.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and senior Opposition leaders, including Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma, were part of the delegation that also comprised leaders from the TMC, SP, BSP, CPM, CPI, JD-U, RJD and DMK.

The delegation submitted a memorandum that listed a wide-range of issues centering on the Oppositions collective concern around an atmosphere of fear in the country and the muzzling of voices of dissent.

The memorandum spoke of the recent killing of a person from minority community allegedly by cow vigilantes in Alwar and recalled the older cases of similar violence in Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir), Una (Gujarat) and Dadri (Uttar Pradesh).

The leaders urged Presidents intervention to protect Indias constitutional democracy, and cited fears of vitiation of the electoral process by way of vulnerable Electronic Voting Machines.

Another concern the Opposition flagged was over the BJP governments propensity to convert normal Bills into money Bills to escape Rajya Sabha scrutiny, the latest example being of the Finance Bill passed by Parliament.

Critical appointments have been made arbitrarily bypassing Parliament and other institutions. Routine key Bills have been disguised as Money Bills to bypass and undermine the constitutional position of the Rajya Sabha, the memorandum stated.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Azad said: There is an environment of fear and insecurity in the country as voices of dissent are being muzzled. We have sought Presidents intervention to safeguard Indias constitutional democracy and fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country.

On EVMs, he said the suspicion over fairness had severely undermined institutional integrity and trust in the electoral system and needed to be addressed.

In a democracy, the rule of law must prevail but self-styled elements are indulging in violence, mob lynching of people and harassment is being witnessed all over, Azad said, citing the Alwar incident and previously the incidents of Una and Dadri.

The memorandum also spoke of misuse of Governors powers to dethrone non-BJP governments in states and recently to manufacture majorities in Goa and Manipur.
Chandigarh/Hoshiarpur, April 12

Four children were among the six people killed when a speeding jeep rammed into a house in a village near Amritsar's Jandiala town on Wednesday, police said.

Police officials, quoting eyewitnsses, said the jeep driver lost control while moving at high speed.

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The driver has been arrested.

The incident took place in Dashmesh Nagar village on the Jandiala-Mehta road in Amritsar.

In another mishap, three people were feared dead and 48 injured as a tractor-trolley overturned near Haro Da Pau on Garhshankar-Naggal road in Hoshiarpur district.

The pilgrims were on way to Anandpur Sahib from Sathiala village in Beas for Baisakhi, police said.

The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals of Garhshankar and Ropar but two of the critically injured were later referred to PGI, Chandigarh, police said.

According to SHO, Garhshankar police station, Kewal Singh, the deceased were identified as Sarbjit Kaur (50), wife of Heera Singh of Bansiala; and Mandeep Kaur (26), wife of Gurvinder of Sathiala in Beas.

The third deceased has not been identified yet.

When they reached near Shekhowal village, a semi-hilly area, one of the tyres of the tractor-trailer drove over a big boulder leading to the accident.

Expressing shock and grief at the loss of lives, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh directed the district police and administrative officials to get a thorough investigation done into the Amritsar incident.

He asked the transport department and traffic police officials to ensure that the new draft transport policy, currently in process of formulation, provides concrete measures to check over-speeding.  TNS/Agencies
Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 12

Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa of Punjab on Wednesday raised the issue related to three non-operational airports--Ludhiana Pathankot and Bathinda--in the state.

Demanding their immediate operationalisation, Bajwa demanded that the international airports at Amritsar and Chandigarh be connected with international destinations like Canada.

Speaking during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Bajwa alleged that some elements in Delhi were not interested in making the two international airports completely operational because of vested interests.

He urged the Civil Aviation Minister to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said he was looking into matter related to Panjab University, Chandigarh.

He said the Centre had not issued any fee hike instruction in the university.

Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Javadekar said Panjab University is not controlled by the Centre. It (PU) does not come under the Centre, it is under the state, he said, adding that still the ministry was looking into the matter.

Javadekar was responding as some members raised concern over the happenings at Panjab University when an issue related to Chhattisgarh university was being raised during Zero Hour.
Satya Prakash

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 12

The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre, Punjab and Haryana to finish their talks on the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal "as soon as it can be", saying it will decide the matter if it remained unresolved.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

At the very outset of the hearing, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said the government of India was very keen to find a solution to the SYL issue. "A meeting has been called at the highest level on April 20, Kumar told a bench headed by Justice PC Ghose.

"If it is settled, it's okay. If it's not, we will hear and decide it," the bench said.

As senior counsel, Shyam Divan, representing Haryana, expressed apprehension about the matter getting delayed, the bench said: We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution.

Try to finish it as soon as it can be. It is an execution of a decree passed by this court. It is the duty of every citizen to obey it, Justice Ghose  who is due to retire on May 27  said.

If the matter is not finally decided by May 27, it will have to be assigned to a new bench which would require some time to peruse the records.

On behalf of the Punjab government, senior counsel Ram Jethmalani said there was a BJP government in Haryana and the Centre was also ruled by the same party. But stopped at that without saying anything further.

"We don't go by faces," the bench said posting the matter for hearing on April 27.

Punjab Advocate General Atul Nanda was also present along with senior counsel RS Suri who has been representing the state in the SYL case.

Amid continued standoff between Punjab and Haryana over construction of the SYL canal, the Centre had on Monday told the top court that it had invited both the states for negotiations to find an amicable solution to the contentious issue.

We have invited both the states to Delhi on April 20 for a meeting to find a solution to the problem, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had told the bench on April 10.

Chief Secretaries of both the states are likely to hold talks with the Union Water Resources Secretary on April 20.

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had welcomed the Centres decision to intervene.

The CM had said he had been seeking the Centres intervention to find an amicable settlement in the interest of Punjab, which would be deprived of its much-needed water if the SYL construction was allowed to go ahead.

Capt Amarinder, who had in November quit as MP after a Supreme Court verdict gave a go-ahead to the SYL canal construction, had said his government was committed to protecting the water of Punjab.

Punjab  which had in February said the canal land returned to the landowners could not be recovered  has been requesting the SC to ask the Centre to try to bring the states to the negotiating table.

The top court had in November 2016 declared the law passed by the Punjab Assembly in 2004 terminating the SYL canal water-sharing agreement with neighbouring states as unconstitutional. It had answered in the negative all four questions referred to it in a Presidential Reference.

The SC has repeatedly said it didnt intend to revisit the facts and issues already adjudicated upon. To my mind, the decree which has been passed has to be executed. A decree passed by the Supreme Court should not be treated like a paper decree, Justice Ghose had said.
By Press Trust of India: Centre to states

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The Centre today asked the states to start "aggressive" campaigns to increase awareness on prevention and control of vector-borne disease like dengue and chikungunya.

With a number of dengue and chikungunya cases reported from across the country and Delhi, the Union Health Ministry also directed the officials to conduct regular supervisory visits to various hospitals in the national capital to assess the situation.

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Officials said that the central government hospitals were adequately equipped to combat dengue and chikungunya during this season.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda today chaired a high- level meeting to review the preparedness of the Ministry and the central government hospitals for prevention and control of dengue and chikungunya.

"The Health Minister asked the states for mounting aggressive Information Education Communication (IEC) campaigns to enhance awareness on prevention and control of vectors in their surrounding areas and neighbourhoods," an official statement said.

At least 79 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the national capital this year while 24 dengue cases in the last three months.

"The Health Minister also directed the officers to conduct regular supervisory visits to various hospitals in Delhi for assessing the situation, preparedness and to provide on-the-spot technical guidance to the health authorities.

"The Minister also asked Secretary (Health) to review the preparedness of the States through a video conference," the statement said.

According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), in 2016, 58,136 cases of Chikungunya was reported in the country while 1,11,880 cases of dengue leading to the death of 227 people had taken place in the same year across India.

During todays meeting, Nadda was informed that advisories have already been sent to all states as early as January for strengthening their preparedness before the dengue season.

The officials informed the Minister that teams of experts from the Ministry have visited many states to review their preparedness and advised them suitably.

"The Central Government hospitals informed that they were adequately equipped to combat dengue and chikungunya during this season," the statement said. PTI TDS SMJ

--- ENDS ---
Kathmandu, April 12

An 85-year-old former Nepali soldier on Wednesday exuded confidence over regaining his lost title of being the oldest climber to scale the Mount Everest as he plans to conquer the worlds tallest peak again, hoping that his feat will help spread the message of peace.

Min Bahadur Serchan, who was once the oldest climber to scale the Mount Everest, plans to scale the 8,848-meter peak this climbing season during a window of favourable weather.

I want to be the oldest person to scale Everest again to be an inspiration for people around the world, former Gorkha soldier Serchan told reporters at his home here.

I may be old in terms of age but I still have young courage. I will reach the peak of Everest come what may, Sherchan told reporters.

Sherchan would be climbing the Everest for the cause of the world peace and to protect Earth, besides winning back the record, said his campaign coordinator Jit Bahadur Gharti Magar.

Sherchan had scaled the Everest at the age of 76 in 2008 and recorded his name in the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010 as the oldest climber.

Five years later, his record was broken by an 80- year-old Japanese national Yuichiro Miura.

Earlier, Sherchan had made an attempt to scale the Everest in 2015 but could not make it due to the avalanches triggered by the great earthquake.

Thus we launched a campaign for Sherchan in his record breaking spree, said Gharti Magar.

He and his team of six guides and helpers would embark for the expedition on Sunday, two days after the Nepalese new year.

Nepal will celebrate its official new year 2074 as per Bikram era on Friday.

His team leader Shiva Bahadur Sapkota has scaled the Everest twice in the past.

He said that if Sherchan regains his title he will plan to campaign for world peace by traveling to conflict-hit countries like Syria.  PTI
Dhaka, April 12

Bangladesh tonight executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three persons and wounded the British High Commissioner.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul, alias Bipul, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said. His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun Ur Rashid said the autopsies of Hannan and Bipul have been completed and their bodies will be sent to their village homes amid tight security. The family members of Hannan, his wife, two daughters and elder brother, met him in the jail this morning.

President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions this week.  PTI
Tokyo, April 12

Japans Navy plans a joint show of force with the US Navys USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group as it steams towards the Korean peninsula aimed at deterring secretive North Korean regime from further missile tests, two sources said.

With tension growing markedly, the Korean peninsula is the closest it has been to a military clash since Pyongyangs first nuclear test in 2006, an influential state-run Chinese newspaper said on Wednesday.

North Korea should halt any plans for nuclear and missile activities for its own security, the Global Times said in an editorial.

While widely read in China and run by the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily, the Global Times does not represent government policy.

Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test or more missile launches and US President Donald Trumps threat of unilateral action to solve the problem.

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said on Twitter that North Korea was looking for trouble and the United States would solve the problem with or without Beijings help.

The Global Times editorial noted Trumps recent decision to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly gas attack last week.

Not only Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honours his promises, the Global Times said.

The US is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesnt plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang, it said. Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time.

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.

Officials from the North, including leader Kim Jong Un, have indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying a satellite on April 13, 2012, marking the anniversary of the birth of North Koreas founding president Kim Il Sung.

Saturday will be the 105th birthday of the founding leader.  Reuters
Lahore, April 12

In a gruesome incident, a 15-year- old boys sexual organ was chopped off and eyes gouged out by the family members of a girl who suspected him of having an illicit relationship with her in Pakistans Punjab province.

The boy, a Class-9 student, was robbed of his sight but doctors managed to save his life.

The incident came to light on Tuesday after the boys family protested against the girls family members in Raiwind area of Lahore city and demanded action against them.

The boy was kidnapped by the girls father and his accomplices on suspicion his having an illicit relationship with his daughter, in the last week of February, according to the FIR lodged by the boys family.

The accused after kidnapping the boy from his school took him to a deserted place near the Ravi and chopped off his sexual organ, pricked his eyes in revenge and fled.

The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life.

His father has alleged that a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is backing the accused.

The boys father has urged Pakistans Chief Justice to intervene in the matter.

Lahore senior police officer Haider Ashraf said all the five accused had been arrested. We will submit the challan of the case after completing investigation, he said. PTI
Moscow, April 12

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told US counterpart Rex Tillerson on Wednesday that Moscow was hoping to understand the real intentions of the United States as the two met amid tensions over Syria.

It is important for us to understand your position and that of the US and the real intentions of the administration, Lavrov said at the start of the talks.  AFP
Washington, April 12

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his insensitive remarks during a press briefing when he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons against his own people.

Spicers apology came on national television on Tuesday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been accused of using nerve agent against Syrians.

I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison, Spicer told CNN hours after he made the remarks.

I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas, he said in an effort to control the damage done by his remarks, which drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired.

Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him, Pelosi said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spices remarks were indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge, perspective, and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington.

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson and a staff shake-up. Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that US President Donald Trumps chief spokesman has either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both.

Spicer had yesterday during his regular press briefing attempted to shame Russia and Assad by comparing the Syrian leader with Hitler. He had said: We didnt use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. So you have to, if youre Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with?

Later, in a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable, he said. PTI
Washington, April 12

President Donald Trumps press secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his insensitive remarks in which he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions of Jews during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons, drawing instant rubuke from leaders and the Jewish community.

Gaffe-prone Spicer apologised on national television yesterday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al Assad, accused of using Sarin gas against his own people including children, an attack which had rattled Trump so much that he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base. His remarks drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired. Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him, Pelosi said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spicers remarks were indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson. Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that Trumps chief spokesman has either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both.

In a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.  PTI

Damage control

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison. I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas." Sean Spicer, donald trumps press secretary
Moscow, April 12

Russias top diplomat accused the US today of carrying out an unlawful attack against Syrian President Bashar Assads forces as he opened a fraught meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Giving Tillerson a chilly reception, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia was trying to understand the real intentions of the Trump administration. He said Moscow has lots of questions about the very ambiguous and contradictory ideas emanating from Washington.

We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria, Lavrov said, referring to the cruise missiles President Donald Trump ordered to punish Assad for using chemical weapons. We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future.

It was an ominous start to Tillersons visit the first to Russia by a Trump Cabinet official. Tillerson conceded the two world powers had sharp differences that have obstructed cooperation but voiced optimism that their talks could narrow those differences.

We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open, Tillerson said. The palpable tension hanging over Tillersons trip spoke to a widening chasm between the former Cold War foes.

Only weeks ago, it appeared that Trump, who lavishly praised Putin throughout the campaign, was poised for a potentially historic rapprochement with Russia. But any expectations of an easy rapport have crashed into reality as the two countries trade escalating accusations over what happened last week in rebel-held territory in northern Syria.

As their envoys gathered in Moscow, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were voicing protests of their own.

Frankly, Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person, Trump told the Fox Business Network, referring to Assad. I think its very bad for Russia. I think its very bad for mankind. Russia has objected to Trumps decision to launch 59 missiles at a Syrian air base that the US says was used to pummel civilians with nerve gas, killing over 80 people.  AP

"My aim is to further clarify areas of sharp differences so that we can better understand why these exist and what the prospects for narrowing those differences may be. I look forward to a very open, candid, frank exchange" Rex Tillerson, us secretary of state

"I wont hide the fact that we have a lot of questions, taking into account the extremely ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ideas which have been expressed in Washington across the whole spectrum of bilateral affairs"  Sergey Lavrov, russian foreign minister

Ties have worsened under Trump: Putin
Washington/Moscow, April 12

President Donald Trumps administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syrias government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to go into the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assads government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syrias Idlib province that killed 87 people, including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against US allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there was no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there, one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the US version of events. Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, he told reporters.

However, at the same briefing, Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying: You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologised and said he should not have made the comparison. It was a mistake. I shouldnt have done it and I wont do it again, Spicer told CNN in an interview. It was inappropriate and insensitive.

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The US launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, and his administration into confrontation with Moscow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and urged a political solution for Syria, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the telephone exchange.

(We) must persevere with moving towards a political solution for the Syria issue. It is very important that the United Nations Security Council maintains unity on the Syria issue. (I) hope the Security Council can speak with a single voice, CCTV cited Xi as saying.

Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised.

They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize, she said on CNN.

US intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack.

It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack, the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shiite Muslim Iran.

Tillerson message

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on Americas traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy.

They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Tillerson told reporters in Italy. We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad. He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assads government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them.

We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons, Putin said.

Trump denied further plans in Syria.

Were not going into Syria, he said in an interview with the New York Post. Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed.

Were not going into Syria.

A senior Trump administration official called Putins remarks part of a Russian disinformation campaign. The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member UN Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syrias government to cooperate with investigators.

Turning point

The secretary of states role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing skepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.

Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp, which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russias Order of Friendship in 2013.

He is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting could take place.

Western countries have been calling for Assads departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 4,00,000 people and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.

Assads position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assads government directly.

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focused on defeating Islamic State.  Reuters
Beijing, April 12

Chinese President Xi Jinping today urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve raging tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme after the US President warned that Washington would solve the problem on its own if Beijing did not rein in its close ally.

Xi spoke over phone to Trump as a United States aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson churned towards the Korean peninsula, raising regional tensions. He said that China sticks to the target of the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and that China is committed to peace and stability of the peninsula.

China holds that the issue should be solved through peaceful means, said Xi, adding that Beijing is ready to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the issue.

Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its reclusive neighbour and close ally, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear programme since 2016. Xis phone call came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations over North Koreas provocative behaviour. Following the Trump-Xi meeting, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said that China understood how dangerous North Koreas nuclear programme had become and had agreed action must be taken to stop it.

China has not signaled any clear change in policy towards Pyongyang and Xis language followed Chinas usual script on North Korea.  PTI
Residents of 'Uzavar Karai' municipality of Puducherry were in for the shock of their lives when municipal officials visited their homes to enquire about the toilets they were supposed to construct as per the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan pledge.

By Pramod Madhav: In a weird way to persuade citizens of Puducherry to construct toilets at their homes, municipality officials decided to fall on their feet and pleaded with them.

Residents of 'Uzavar Karai' municipality of Puducherry were in for the shock of their lives when municipal officials visited their homes to enquire about the toilets they were supposed to construct as per the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan pledge.

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In 'Uzavar Karai', 952 beneficiaries were chosen in 2015 and rewarded Rs 10,000 to construct toilets in their premises after taking a pledge that they will help in making the municipality a 'no open defecation zone' by 2nd October 2017.

But, the officials recently discovered that only 234 families have constructed the toilets as per their pledge. Ramesh, the municipal commissioner, immediately ordered his team to accompany him and visit the beneficiaries' houses who didn't adhere to their pledge.

The officers' surprise visit stunned the beneficiaries.

Ramesh inquired in a strong tone as to why the toilets were not constructed for which many apologized and said that they'll immediately construct one. Ramesh informed them that he'll visit each home and inspect the toilet post which the remaining installment of Rs 10,000 would be credited to their bank accounts.

"We request you to construct the toilet as per the pledge taken and make our municipality an 'open defecation free zone'. As a form of pleading to you, we hereby touch your feet and request you," he said and bent over and touched the feet of the family members along with other officers.

Embarrassed by Ramesh and other officers' act, many agreed immediately to construct the toilets.

Everyone was shocked by the municipal officers' humility.

Though, Ramesh's act falls in the category of 'extreme weirdness', his actions have definitely reached the hearts of the people than a strong word.

Also read:

No toilets in houses? Then, no school for children, no benefits from government, says Buxur DM

Modi govt to take help of pensioners for success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

WATCH THE VIDEO:

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Inland Kenworth will auction off a special KW T680 "Everyday Heroes" truck in June and donate the proceeds to Truckers Against Trafficking. Here the truck is on display at FlowBelow's booth at the Technology & Maintenance Council annual meeting earlier this year. Photo: Deborah Lockridge

CNN tells the story of human trafficking through the eyes of a trucker who was responsible for the liberation of a 20-year-old abused and tortured sex slave in the piece, "Eyes of the highways: Raising a 'trucker army' for trafficking fight."

Kevin Kimmel, CNN reports, didn't really know much about human trafficking, but he noticed a suspicious-looking RV with black curtains at a fuel stop. When he saw a man knock on the door, then a glimpse of a young female inside before the RV started rocking, he called the local authorities.

"He later saw on the news that the woman he spotted was a 20-year-old sex trafficking victim," CNN reports. "She had been lured away from her home in Iowa, held against her will and subjected to a gruesome ordeal of torture, sexual assault and forced prostitution." The couple involved eventually were sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Thanks in large part to the efforts of the nonprofit group Truckers Against Trafficking and the help of trucking industry sponsors to raise awareness of the issue, truckers like Kimmel "are increasingly seen as operating on the front line in the fight against human trafficking," as CNN notes.

Human trafficking, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, is "a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to control victims for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or labor services against his (or) her will."

As Kendis Paris of Truckers Against Trafficking tells CNN, most sex trafficking is arranged online and takes place in hotels and motels -- but some of these victims are sold in the likes of truckstops, like the one Kimmel discovered. That's why truckers have a major role to play.

Ohio even requires those in its state-regulated professional truck driver training programs to complete human trafficking awareness training before getting their CDLs, CNN notes. And a bill in Texas would require anyone looking to get a CDL to go through a human trafficking awareness course. Similar legislation is in the pipeline in Kansas and Arkansas, Paris told CNN.

But it doesn't take mandatory training to get involved, and after you read the CNN article, you'll probably want to. Visit Truckers Against Trafficking's website at www.truckersagainsttrafficking.org to learn about online training and other resources.
Once youve plowed through the entire transcript of the conference call held for analysts to disclose the impending birth of a new trucking behemoth  Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc.  the biggest surprise is that they did not merge sooner.

That is to say, these two companies were made for each other.

That Swift and Knight would now seek to join forces may not have been preordained. But it could not have been a very far-fetched thought for any of the principles, not given their close relationships over the years.

Then consider that the combined power of their respective brain trusts would surely recognize that there is no time like now to merge their operations into a single, massive  albeit double-branded  force to be reckoned with by all comers in the freight market.

As far as why now, well, the moon and the stars aligned, Kevin Knight, executive chairman of Knight Transportation, said on the call. When you do a deal, things really have to come together. And I will tell you, that at every one of our strategy sessions at Knight over the last several years, we've talked about this combination. Some years for five minutes, some years for a half an hour. And we just felt like this past summer that there could be an opportunity. And so we reached out to [Swift Transportation Chairman of the Board] Rich Dozer and talked about it, and it took off from there.

Kevin Knight Photos: Knight Transportation Knight pointed out that the Knight family has known [Swift founder and Chairman Emeritus] Jerry Moyes for 50 years, and we worked with him at Swift for over a decade. He trusts us and is fully committed to the ongoing board and leadership team.

Knight Transportation was founded in 1990 by Knight, his brother Keith, and their cousins Randy and Gary Knight, all of whom had worked for Swift. The family took the company public in 1994.

The merger is a stock swap, which Knight said invests both sets of shareholders fully in what happens next. The vast majority of the net worth of the Moyes and Knight families will be invested in Knight-Swift, he noted.

When we founded Knight,we incorporated the entrepreneurial spirit of Swift and the cost discipline and accountability that we learned from Russ Gerdin at Heartland Express, said Knight.

He then elaborated, pointing out that many parts of Knight are similar to Swift, such as our decentralized operation, responsibilities and accountability pushed out to the service center level, our respect for drivers, superior customer service. We believe [we have a] common perspective on key operating principles that will help us find the best practices, and not only find them but implement them.

Knight conceded that integrating operating networks, customer service, load planning, and driver management is a big risk, but said theyre taking those risks off the table. We won't subject customers to poor service and our drivers to workplace disruption. These key stakeholders will continue to be served by their existing contacts in each company.

He went on to define trucking, at its core, as an execution business, where each load matters. Knight has a long history as an industry leader in operating efficiency. We are committed to working with Swift toward the same efficiency Knight has achieved over the years.

Knight also took pains to emphasize that theyve been very deliberate about our description of [the deal as] common ownership rather than [a] merged company. He said the intention is to operate the [Swift and Knight] brands separately.

Accomplishing that may be easier said than done, considering Knight said it would require managing at the smallest possible business unit with strong accountability, avoiding diseconomies of scale that come with size, and minimizing risk of network disruption. He added that is why there are no plans to downsize facilities or business units.

Knight-Swift will be an industry leader in many areas, including in profitability, Knight stated. Our combined operating ratio will be among the leaders in our industry, even before synergies. He added that the expected synergies will be substantial.

"The supply chain is shortening [and we] will be able to offer customers proximity to every major population center in the U.S."

Looking ahead to where the merger that can surely be described as akin to a marriage is headed, Knight got more specific. Some people would anticipate cutting terminals and consolidating operations, he remarked. We don't plan to do this. And let me tell you why. The supply chain is shortening [and we] will be able to offer customers proximity to every major population center in the U.S. Even relatively short distances can make a difference in the efficiencies of pickups and deliveries and the usage of precious driver hours of service.

Knight said this vision will appeal to drivers, too. We want to maintain the convenience for our drivers, many of whom pick their carrier based on the location of their home. These locations will be more and more valuable over the long term as they are positioned optimally for future growth. It would be incredibly difficult and costly to duplicate this combined service center capacity.

Knight yielded the wire to Knight President and CEO David Jackson, who delved a bit more into why Knight-Swift isnt planning to shed off bit by bit what it has just brought together. Jackson said the merger will create the single largest truckload operating group in North America, if not in the world.

Despite being the largest, he said, we still represent a very small percent of the industry's market share. Consequently, redundancy in markets served is not an issue. Most of what each company does is substantially similar to one another. We expect to share strengths and promptly address areas in need of improvement. In many ways, the businesses are highly complementary to one another and both are familiar with the types of services each provides, which mitigates risk.

Building his case, Jackson said that even as each company continues on most, if not all, their respective revenue paths, they will do so while helping one another realize greater efficiencies and improved profitability. Our experience has been that access and transparency with key information can dramatically accelerate improvements, particularly when one is looking to achieve something already achieved by another.

He advised that Knight-Swift plans to leverage the freight market knowledge of both organizations. This will help with the strategic consideration for the lanes and loads each company chooses to serve and the degree to which each is willing to commit capacity through contracts and noncontract opportunities. We expect this to lead to market improvement in both companies.

Jackson closed with this telling observation: In general, the asset-based carriers are consistently being outspent in technology and innovation investments by the non-asset-based brokers and 3PLs in the space. We believe that accelerated development and implementation of technology will be one of the direct benefits from the consolidation of these two companies. Each company has projects at various stages that can improve visibility for customers, the driver experience, employee efficiency and asset productivity.

Only time, miles and dollars will tell whether the moon and the stars got this one right.

Related: Swift-Knight Merger to Create Truckload Giant
By Parvina Purkayastha: Tamil Nadu farmers protest completed a month in the capital on Wednesday, with their demands still unfulfilled.

Within the month, the farmers met several union ministers, leaders from various parties and actors from Tamil film industry, but it all ended just in talks or photo ops.

The protest has been unique, as farmers used different props to gain Prime Minister Modi's attention, beginning with skulls which they claimed were their fellow farmer's skull. The farmers went to the extent of going naked in front of Prime Minister's office to display their desperation.

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On the 30th day of their protest, the farmers wrote their demands in their bare body to get what they want.

WHY ARE THESE FARMERS PROTESTING

A month ago around, 84 farmers came to the Capital, all the way from Tamil Nadu to voice their demands, which included a drought relief fund of Rs 40,000 crore, better support for their produce and a loan waiver for peasants in Tamil Nadu.

Many protesting farmers fell sick as they couldn't adjust to the weather conditions and food. When some of them had to return, a new set of farmers kept filling the space to keep the agitation going.

The man who led the agitation on day 1 though, is still leading today. Ayyakanu who has been the face of the protest is still sleeping in a tent at Jantar Mantar as he's been doing for 30 days. "I met Pon Radhakrishnan yesterday and he said he will ensure all our demands our met. I said I need a written assurance from Prime Minister" said Ayyakannu

"I met AIADMK leader and deputy speaker Thambidurai this morning he too has extended his support. Tried meeting Ghulam Nabi Azad but he was busy," he said.

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By Press Trust of India: Muslims

Hyderabad, Apr 12 (PTI) The Telangana government today decided to convene the Legislative Assembly on April 16 to pass a bill to increase reservation for STs and the backward sections among Muslims.

The state Cabinet would meet on April 15 to decide the percentage of reservations, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao told reporters.

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Rao, who was speaking after a meeting of the state Cabinet, said the reports of the Backward Classes Commission and also the two commissions appointed to study the conditions of STs and minorities have been accepted.

"On 15th (of April), it will be decided how much per cent is to be given to STs and BC-E (category). We dont call them Muslims (BC-E) anymore," he said.

In an apparent reference to the BJPs opposition to provide quotas to Muslims, the chief minister said the government is not proposing to give reservation on the basis of religion.

The government is only seeking to raise the percentage of reservations currently being availed by backward sections among Muslims in Telangana, he said.

The state government would urge the central government to help in the implementation of its decision, as it was done in case of Tamil Nadu in 1990s, as total percentage of reservation would go beyond the cap of 50 per cent, he said.

"We are copying Tamil Nadu as it is. Because the Centre took it (Tamil Nadus request) up, gave assent and put it in the 9th Schedule (of Constitution, as it cannot be challenged in courts), We are asking the Centre to do the same," Rao said.

He said the Supreme Court had permitted increasing quotas to STs beyond 50 per cent.

The Telangana government would go to Supreme Court to give a direction to the Centre in the event of the Centre not accepting the move, he said.

There cannot be different laws for different states, he said.

Noting that government is a continuous process whichever party is in power, he hoped that the NDA government would accept the move.

The state government has decided to increase the quotas as 90 per cent of population in Telangana belonged to SC, ST, BC and minorities, he said.

Recalling that the TRS had promised to increase the quotas for minorities and STs in its election manifesto, Rao said the state government is only seeking to implement its promise.

The CM said the Centre should leave certain matters like reservations to state governments as they concerned the states.

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Rao added that the government is thinking of increasing the quotas to backward classes in coming months as they constituted major chunk of population.

The TRS governments move came under immediate criticism from the BJP which warned that it would oppose the "communal reservations" tooth and nail.

Describing the move as the vote-bank politics, BJP floor leader in Assembly G Kishan Reddy said that his party would launch a "peoples movement" against the decision to implement reservation to Muslims by including them in backward classes.

BJP in Telangana has been on the warpath on the issue for long. PTI SJR NSK ZMN

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Muslim law board claims to end triple talaq within 18 months, just a few days after giving a statement that only a few Muslim women are against it.

By India Today Web Desk: After all the hullabaloo regarding triple talaq, the practice that encourages verbal divorce, All India Muslim Personal Law Board said that they will revoke the law within 18 months but they demand no interference from the government.

"The triple talaq practice has ruined many Muslim families all over India till date. Gender equality and the dignity of women were non-negotiable and cannot break compromise. The board has decided to end the practice of triple talaq itself in 18 months, so the government should not interfere in the matter," Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamna quoted Vice president of AIMPLB, Dr Sayeed Sadiq.

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In the past, AIMPLB claimed that it received 3.50 crore forms from Muslim women who apparently supported Shariyar and triple talaq.

"We have received 3.50 crore forms in favour of Shariyat and triple talaq from Muslim women in the country and the number of women against these are very less," chief organizer of the AIMPLB's women wing Asma Zohra said while addressing a gathering of around 20,000 women at a workshop in Eidgah on April 9.

Also read: The other side of triple talaq: When Muslim women sleep with strangers to save their marriage

There will be a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court that will start hearing petitions against triple talaq from May 11.

The court will hear pleas filed several Muslim women challenging the practice under which men can divorce their wives instantly by uttering the word talaq thrice.

Also read: Triple talaq: How it affects lives of India's 90 million Muslim women

Also watch: All India Muslim Personal Law Board opposes PILs filed in SC over triple talaq

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Saturday Night Live is going live  nationwide  for the first time beginning this Saturday.

For 42 years, the TV institution has gone live in New York at 11:30 p.m., Tulsans have seen it at 10:30 p.m., and its been tape-delayed for the Pacific and Mountain time zones.

But this season, with SNL enjoying its highest ratings in years following the political season  and with those left-coast viewers on social media increasingly having moments spoiled before they even begin watching  Saturday Night Live will be just that for the entire U.S.

The final four shows of the season begin Saturday with Jimmy Fallon as host, but heres a look back at the 21 times that Oklahomans have hosted SNL or been the musical guest.

Or, in a couple of cases, served as both.

Leon Russell

When: season No. 1, May 15, 1976, with the Tulsa Sound legend and his then-wife, Mary Russell, as musical guest for host Dyan Cannon.

The show: The two songs performed were the Russell-penned Satisfy You and the Bobby Womack-written Daylight, two songs off the 1976 Leon & Mary Russell release, Wedding Album.

Mary Kay Place

When: season No. 3, Dec. 10, 1977, as host and joining musical guest Willie Nelson for a performance.

The show: In the shows cold open, the Tulsa actress (at the time a star of the cult-favorite Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) is dressed as a cheerleader, trying to convince John Belushi and Gilda Radner and other cast members to make the nights program the peppiest show ever. The show also features an Andy Kaufman appearance, and Place joins Nelson on his second musical performance for a duet of Something to Brag About.

Gary Busey

When: season No. 4, March 10, 1979, as host and joining musical guests Rick Danko and Paul Butterfield for a performance of the Bob Wills tune Stay All Night.

The show: The cold-open finds Belushi in Buseys dressing room, sore at him for receiving an Oscar nomination (for The Buddy Holly Story) that Belushi felt belonged to him (for Animal House). After an opening monologue in which Busey uses his body as a percussion instrument (he had been a drummer in multiple bands), a highlight finds him in a political sketch  playing President Carters beer-guzzling brother, Billy.

Ron Howard

When: season No. 8, Oct. 9, 1982, as host with the Clash as the musical guest.

The show: The monologue finds Howard, repressed by his Opie and Richie Cunningham characters, talking dirty and drinking a beer onstage as he embraces a late-night program. A highlight of the show is a sketch updating Mayberry as a seedy little town, with a cameo by Andy Griffith and including Eddie Murphy as Floyd the barber.

Sam Kinison

When: season No. 12, Nov. 15, 1986, as host with Lou Reed as musical guest.

The show: The raging comedian, who lived in Tulsa for a few years and is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, finds Dana Carveys Church Lady protesting the often-obscene Kinison as host of the show in the cold-open scene.

Color Me Badd

When: season No. 17, Oct. 5, 1991, with host Jeff Daniels.

The show: The Oklahoma City boy band performed its megahit I Wanna Sex You Up, as well as I Adore Mi Amor.

Garth Brooks

When: season No. 17, March 14, 1992, as musical guest with host John Goodman.

The show: The Tulsa natives first SNL appearance found him performing Rodeo and The River from his Ropin the Wind album.

Hanson

When: season No. 23, Dec. 13, 1997, as musical guest with host Helen Hunt.

The show: Tulsas favorite sons performed their No. 1 hit MMMBop, as well as Merry Christmas, Baby, for this pre-holiday episode.

Garth Brooks

When: season No. 23, Feb. 28, 1998, as host and musical guest.

The show: Showing off exceptional comedic timing, Brooks excelled in one sketch after another. He sang a little in character, and he sang Two Pina Coladas as musical guest, but hell be remembered for sketches like his infatuation with Chris Kattans Mango character.

Garth Brooks

When: season No. 25, Nov. 13, 1999, as host and musical guest.

The show: Do you remember Chris Gaines? You know, Brooks wearing a wig and a soul patch? Brooks performed as host as himself, but then pulled off his musical-guest stunt in the persona of Gaines, his alter ego Australian rock star, playing two songs in an unusual experiment.

Megan Mullally

When: season No. 29, Feb. 7, 2004, as host with musical guest Clay Aiken.

The show: The Oklahoma City-raised Mullally spent her monologue talking about how shes much more than her Emmy-winning Will & Grace character with a huge gay following  despite being surrounded onstage by an all-gay chorus.

Carrie Underwood

When: season No. 32, March 24, 2007, as musical guest with host Peyton Manning.

The show: The country superstar from Checotah performed Before He Cheats and Wasted from her Some Hearts album.

Carrie Underwood

When: season No. 33, Feb. 23, 2008, as musical guest with host Tina Fey.

The show: On the show twice in 11 months but not since, Underwood sings All-American Girl and Flat on the Floor from the Carnival Ride album.

Kings of Leon

When: season No. 33, Sept. 20, 2008, as musical guest with host James Franco.

The show: The three Followill brothers and their cousin, with deep roots in Oklahoma and two of them born here, rock the show with Sex on Fire and Use Somebody.

David Cook

When: season No. 34, Nov. 1, 2008, as musical guest with host Ben Affleck.

The show: American Idol season No. 7 winner Cook  who had lived in Tulsa and performed here with the band Midwest Kings before going on the reality show  sang Light On and Declaration.

Kings of Leon

When: season No. 36, Oct. 23, 2010, as musical guest with host Emma Stone.

The show: The bands second appearance finds them performing the songs Radioactive and Pyro.

Leon Russell

When: season No. 36, April 2, 2011, as musical guest with host Elton John.

The show: John honored his self-described mentor in Russell, performing the songs Hey Ahab and Monkey Suit together from the pairs acclaimed album The Union.

Kings of Leon

When: season No. 39, Dec. 14, 2013, as musical guest with host John Goodman.

The show: The group performed Temple and Wait For Me from the Mechanical Bull album, and during the programs closing goodbyes, drummer and Sooners football fanatic Nathan Followill came to the front of the stage wearing his Sooners shirt and with hands in Horns down position.

St. Vincent

When: season No. 39, May 17, 2014 (season finale), as musical guest with host Andy Samberg.

The show: The experimental rocker born Annie Clark in Tulsa performed Digital Witness and Birth in Reverse from her universally acclaimed self-titled album.

Bill Hader

When: season No. 40, Oct. 11, 2014, as host with musical guest Hozier.

The show: The Tulsa native became one of the most beloved SNL cast members over eight seasons, so it was only a matter of time that he would be back as host. This visit included the return of favorite characters including Stefon to Weekend Update.

Blake Shelton

When: season No. 40, Jan. 24, 2015, as host and musical guest.

The show: The boy from Ada has become one of the biggest stars of country music and NBC, and the judge from The Voice showed off impressive comedy chops (like in the Farm Hunk sketch, a Bachelor parody). Oh, he sang, too, performing Boys Round Here and Neon Light.

Oklahomans who sort of appeared on Saturday Night Live

Shawnee-born Brad Pitt has only made a 1998 cold-open cameo with host David Spade, while the following have not appeared on the show, but theyve all been parodied (with the cast member who performed); Alfre Woodard (Ellen Cleghorne); Kristin Chenoweth (Nasim Pedrad); Toby Keith (Rob Riggle); Anita Bryant (Jane Curtin); Reba McEntire (Kenan Thompson); Jeanne Tripplehorn (Kristen Wiig); and Chuck Norris (Andy Samberg).
Amber Harrisons hopes to have a case against Seven West Media relocate from Sydney to Melbourne have been dealt a blow.

Supreme Court Justice John Sackar rejected the application today.

Justice Sackar said it was in the interests of justice to allow Seven to have its matter fully and expeditiously determined  before any consideration is given to Ms Harrisons Federal Court proceedings.

Fairfax reports the judge said the Federal Court case was still in its infancy while the Supreme Court case was at a more advanced stage.

Justice Sackar noted the two cases had a central issue in common, which meant resolving the Supreme Court case might shed light on Ms Harrisons ability to continue with the Fair Work Act claims in the Federal Court.

A Seven West Media spokesman said: Seven West Media welcomes the NSW Supreme Courts decision today and will continue working towards the final hearing in July.

We have also lodged an application to strike out the Melbourne Federal Court applications.
Australian novelist Liane Moriarty says shes developing ideas for a second season of hit series Big Little Lies  and it will focus on Bonnies untold story and Celestes grief.

Moriarty, whose book based around a community on Sydneys northern beaches was transplanted to Monterey, California for the HBO series, has been buoyed by the shows success and fan reaction.

Many viewers took to social media to plead for a second season, with actress and producer Reece Witherspoon urging them to tell Moriarty.

A lot of people have obediently done as Reese suggested, Moriarty has told Fairfax. And 99 per cent are saying please do it, but there is a small percentage saying no, dont do it, it should end there.

I have started to think about ways this could continue, she says. The producers have asked me to see if I can come up with some ideas. I wouldnt write a new book but perhaps a new story and then well see what happens.

Moriarty says she was surprised by the omission of a backstory for Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz) by screenwriter David E. Kelley but director and executive producer Jean-Marc Vallee has said it needed too much explaining to be reflected in full.

That could leave Moriarty some room for further storylines in a second season.

I think I might have preferred to have had it in there but I wouldnt argue against it either. It also leaves open the possibility of season two, she continues.

Im absolutely open to (another season) because, once I started thinking, it was too much fun to see what I could do and to see these characters again. And theres definitely places you can go.
By Press Trust of India: From H S Rao

London, Apr 12 (PTI) Britain today launched a new elite multi-agency intelligence unit to tackle growing human trafficking as it announced radical reforms to boost support for slavery victims.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said more will be done to ensure slavery victims get the help they need as she visited the new 1 million pound (USD 1.24 million) government-funded Joint Slavery Trafficking Analysis Centre.

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The dedicated unit -- made up of analysts from the National Crime Agency (NCA), police, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, (Her Majestys Revenue and Customs) HMRC and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority -- mirrors a joint working model successfully used to gather vital intelligence on terrorism.

She will observe its first day of operation as it brings together a multi-agency team of analytical experts who will be embedded in the National Crime Agency (NCA) to help tackle cross-border and domestic slavery.

Rudd revealed the first focus of the centre, that will see expert analysts from each partner join forces to maximise results, will be on adult victims of sexual exploitation.

"It is exactly this kind of cooperation between the police, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and others that will be our way of getting at the people traffickers.

"The Centre will enable us to have a co-ordinated push against the organised crime groups that are at the heart of the trade in human beings and human misery. Our message to the perpetrators is clear; we are coming after you, and there is nowhere to hide," the Home Secretary said.

The launch comes as new NCA figures reveal the growing scale of the global crisis, with victims referred for help in the UK now coming from 108 different countries in just one year. Many have also been exploited from within this country, with the UK the third most common country of origin. More victims of slavery than ever before are now receiving help.

Rudd welcomed the 17 per cent rise as more potential victims are identified and have the confidence to come forward, but acknowledged the need to shake up the current system to ensure they have the support they need.

She said, "In this country alone, there are thousands of poor souls being exploited and abused. Many of them will have come here on the promise of a better life; those hopes will have been crushed".

"New figures this week show that over 3,800 potential victims - from 108 different countries - were referred to support in 2016, through the National Referral Mechanism, which is the system we established for identifying victims.

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"As a country, I think we are rightly proud of what we have achieved. That is more potential victims than ever being helped. But being proud of what we have done so far is not the same as being complacent about it. That is why today I am committing us to go further in making sure that we have the right system in place to help those in the trap of modern slavery find a way out of it," Rudd added. PTI HSR CPS

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The Living Room is in Easter mode with chocolate, parties and umm sinkholes.

Ok what was I thinking?

Chykas Easter Table

Former The Real Housewives of Melbourne and glam craftswoman Chyka Keebaugh joins The Living Room to create the perfect outdoor table setting for Easter lunches and parties. Chyka demonstrates a few ways to spice up a table by using fun placemats, flowers and Chykas very own gorgeous hand-made Easter bird-nests that are easy to create and the perfect addition to any table setting.

Renovation with Barry Du Bois

The Byrne family love their weatherboard house, but after years of neglect the facade is looking worse for wear. Chris and Jodi have no idea where to start and with four daughters under the age of 10, they need all the help they can get. Barry comes to the rescue to give this family home a well-needed facelift including a fresh paint, weatherboard replace and a new deck.

Travel with Chris Brown

Chris explores the mysterious world of sinkholes in Mt Gambier, South Australia. He hops into a wetsuit to snorkel along the shallow, crystal clear waters of Ewens Ponds. As he explores this underwater wonderland, he passes fish, plants and other sea-life that are lucky enough to inhibit this stunning, picture-perfect environment.

Food with Miguel Maestre

Miguel meets chef extraordinaire Kirsten Tibballs to get his Easter chocolate fix. Christened as the Queen of Chocolate, on Masterchef Australia, Kirsten demonstrates how to make the perfect layered chocolate sponge cake, just in time for Easter. Miguel and Kirsten whip up the chocolate masterpiece, before the Queen of Chocolate reveals her deepest, darkest chocolate secret  how to make the perfect mirror glaze.

7:30pm Friday on TEN.
A spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said the world body is not in a position to judge the process followed by Pakistan to hand Kulbhushan Jadhav a death sentence.

By India Today Web Desk: The United Nations will likely won't weigh in on the issue of a Pakistani military court handing Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav a death sentence, a spokesperson for the world body indicated on Wednesday.

"We are not in a position to judge the process to have a position on this particular case," news agency IANS quoted Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as telling reporters.

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Dujarric was responding to a question on the recent diplomatic flare up between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence.

Pakistan accused the former Indian Navy officer of espionage, labeling him an agent of India's premier external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing.

India has strongly denied that charge and has told Pakistan that if the Jadhav's death sentence is carried out, it would be considered as "premeditated murder."

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, as well as several Opposition politicians, have questioned the secretive process followed by Pakistan to sentence Jadhav to death.

New Delhi in a demarche sent to Islamabad criticised Pakistan for not providing Jadhav consular access and slammed the military court proceedings, calling them "farcical".

Pakistan maintains that due process was followed with Abdul Basit, Islamabad's envoy to New Delhi, telling India Today just today that there is enough evidence against Jadhav.

In his comments on Wednesday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric added, "Overall in terms of relations between India and Pakistan, we underline, continue to underline the need for the parties to find a peaceful solution and to engage through engagement and dialogue."

ALSO READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav cannot challenge Pakistan military court's verdict, but he has some options

ALSO READ | Who is Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death in Pakistan?

ALSO WATCH | Abdul Basit to India Today: Pakistan has enough evidence

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BRUSSELS, Belgium - UNICEF and UNHCR today welcome a new policy guidance from the European Commission as an important milestone for the protection of migrant and refugee children.

It is the first EU policy to address the situation and rights of all children in migration  refugee and migrant children, children alone and with their families - linking migration, asylum and child protection, Noala Skinner, Director of UNICEFs Brussels Office said.

These important guidelines will help EU States better respond to the needs of refugee and migrant children. We strongly hope that these guidelines will contribute, in a very concrete manner, to the protection of the many children who arrive to Europe after having been forced to flee their homes due to violence, war and conflict. Many have suffered incredible hardship while on their journey and afterwards, said Diane Goodman, Deputy Director of UNHCRs Europe Bureau.

Key concrete actions include appointment of guardians for children, boosting child protection at all levels as well as in hotspots, better data collection to ensure that children are properly tracked, adopting a comprehensive approach to identifying durable solutions, as well as better monitoring and co-operation among States.

We welcome the call made by the European Commission to Member States to prioritise EU and national funding for children, to refrain from unnecessary and invasive age assessments and to increase resettlement and other legal pathways for children to safely reach Europe. The commitment by the European Commission to invest in child protection training, guidance and tools is another positive development, which will help ensure that childrens best interests are properly assessed in all decisions that concern them.

UNHCR and UNICEF said the Commissions call to Member States to do everything possible to ensure that alternatives to detention are available and accessible for children and families is encouraging. Both agencies stressed that detention is never in the best interests of children and is extremely detrimental to their health and well-being. Children should not be detained for immigration related purposes, irrespective of their legal or migratory status or of their parents.

The protection of children must start by addressing key drivers of child migration, including violence and protracted conflict, forced displacement, child poverty and deprivation. UNICEF and UNHCR also welcome the EUs policy commitment to prioritise and support national child protection systems for children displaced or uprooted beyond European borders.

UNHCR and UNICEF look forward to Member States and EU actors putting this plan into action and supporting States to protect children every step of the way and end the terrible exploitation and abuse of children.

For more information, contact:
On a warm weekday afternoon, the Argentine city of San Luis is an oasis of calm. Majd and Lana, married Syrian refugees from Damascus, are killing time before their Spanish lesson. It is hard to believe they only arrived here five weeks ago.

It already feels like home, grins Lana. In Argentina we have learnt how to be human again, adds Majd, taking a deep drag on his cigarette.

The couple had little choice but to flee Syria. Two years earlier Majd, a cook, narrowly escaped with his life after a bomb hit his parents' home in the Old Town of Damascus. He and Lana, a sculptor, got married and bought a flat further from the city centre. But it quickly became the most dangerous neighbourhood in the whole city, remembers Majd. Everyone was scared.

In February 2017, they arrived in the central province of San Luis under a humanitarian visa programme for Syrian refugees offered by the Government of Argentina. The tranquillity of the provincial capital, also called San Luis, is in stark contrast to the death and destruction of Damascus. With a population of 200,000 people, its streets thrum with activity in the morning; in the afternoon most shops close while locals take a siesta, or afternoon nap.

More than 8,000 miles from home, the couple are flourishing. As the first Syrian refugees to arrive in the province in central Argentina, they have become celebrities. They are even starting to get recognised on the street. Sometimes I feel like a Pokemon, laughs Majd.

"In Argentina we have learnt how to be human again."

Established in 2014, Argentinas humanitarian visa programme offers a vital escape route to those fleeing Syrias war. It requires Argentine citizens, organizations or institutions to act as sponsors and commit private funds to provide newly-arrived refugees with accommodation and financial assistance.

San Luis has gone one step further. It is the first province to pledge public funds to support the resettlement of at least 50 families in the province, 30 of whom will be selected by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Those who are resettled are offered free Spanish lessons, accommodation, further education (including the option of studying for a university degree), health insurance and public transport. They also receive two years worth of financial support to help them adjust to their new life in Argentina, while they find a job.

The offer came just in time for Lana and Majd. Many of their friends were killed after being conscripted into the Syrian army. Countless others died in the fighting. As the violence worsened, the couple considered fleeing overland to Europe.

But their religion  both are Orthodox Christians  made the journey impossible. The route, through Idlib or Aleppo, would have brought them into contact with extremist militias, who would have killed them for their faith. Concealing it was not an option: Majd has a crucifix prominently tattooed on his right forearm.

Artist Mario Lange has volunteered to help newly-arrived refugees in the Argentine province of San Luis, as part of the local government's resettlement programme.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

Mario works on a painting in his workshop in San Luis.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

Majd and Lana embrace outside the entrance to their new apartment block.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

Majd and Lana play with their puppy, given to them by the governor of San Luis Alberto Rodriguez Saa, outside their new apartment.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

Majd and Lana talk to their new friend and neighbour Pedro Liborio, 36.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

The opening of RefugiArte, an exhibition in the bus station in San Luis, which aims to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world.  UNHCR/Jack Aldwinckle

Once accepted onto Argentinas humanitarian visa programme, the couple left Damascus and flew to Buenos Aires. After arriving in Argentina the couple enjoyed practising their religion freely. We cried when we went to our first church service, says Lana. They often pray in their new flat, part of a student accommodation block at the University of La Punta, a half-hour drive from the city of San Luis.

The couple is settling in well. They share their flat with Blackie, a rambunctious puppy gifted to them by the provincial governor, Alberto Rodriguez Saa. Twice a week they take the bus into the city for a Spanish class with Claudia, their teacher. They are making extraordinary progress. We understand everything, we just dont have the vocabulary to be able to respond yet, explains Lana.

Locals are eager to help. Under the relocation scheme, the provinces residents are encouraged to offer practical support to the new arrivals. Many are stepping forward. Linguists can volunteer as translators, entrepreneurs can offer jobs, even families can find a way to help. They can meet for dinner together or celebrate a birthday, explains Liliana Scheines, who co-ordinates the Syrian Refugee Committee, which operates the provincial programme named 'Humanitarian Corridor San Luis'.

Mario Lange is one of those to put his name forward. An artist with a workshop on the edge of town, his bright and colourful paintings and murals also adorn San Luiss public buildings. He sympathises with Majd and Lanas predicament. I was born into extreme poverty, he explains. I lived in the middle of the countryside and when I came to San Luis it was tough.

The plan is to receive four or five families every couple of months."

Shortly after their arrival, Mario invited Lana along to help him with a public art installation and presented the couple with a pair of hand-painted bicycles. He warns that adjusting to life in San Luis take time. After few weeks they will begin to realise they are in another country. Thats when they will really need our help.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20 last year, Argentine President Mauricio Macri, pledged to resettle 3,000 Syrian refugees. Priority would be given to families with young children, he announced. The images we are witnessing hurt and worry us, he told world leaders. Reality compels us to do more.

In San Luis, the scheme is only just getting started. The plan is to receive four or five families every couple of months, says Scheines. The ambition is to settle them in 60 of the provinces municipalities to better integrate them with San Luiss residents.

UNHCR believes more needs to be done to help some five million Syrian refugees, uprooted by six bloody years of conflict. The provincial government is winning plaudits for its progressive approach. Its an amazing programme, says Michele Manca di Nissa, Regional Representative for UNHCRs southern Latin America office. We hope it can be a model for other provinces in Argentina and other countries in the region. The regional office is advising the province on local integration issues and raising awareness of refugees by organising workshops for journalists and mounting 'RefugiArte', a touring art exhibition.

Majd and Lana have not forgotten about Syria. They use social media to follow the news and keep in touch with friends and family. The couple hope to help some of them follow in their footsteps. Their parents are too old to leave Syria, says Lana. But some cousins are interested. Majd and Lana are collating their names and passing them onto the Argentine authorities. Its like a chain," explains Lana. We are to trying to help as many as we can.

The couple are brimming with optimism about their future. Lana hopes to find work as an artist and Majd, an enthusiastic cook, would like to open a restaurant one day. We are going to start again and be successful, declares Lana. They are determined to build a new life in Argentina. This is our home now, says Lana, squinting at the jagged foothills of the Andes in the distance. I cant imagine going back to Syria.
In an effort to shame Assad, Spicer had said that even Hitler didn't sink to using chemical weapons during World War II.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Amid gaffe, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologised on Tuesday after saying Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War II, a media report said.

In an effort to shame Russia's alliance with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his use of chemical weapons, Spicer, while talking to the press had said that "Hitler didn't even sink to using chemical weapons during World War II", almost immediately attracting criticism from the journalists.

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The comment was immediately decried and after a series of attempts to clear up his words, Spicer apologised in an exclusive interview with CNN.

"I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad had made against his own people last week, using chemical weapons and gas," he cleared during the interview.

"Frankly, I mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison and for that I apologise. It was a mistake to do that," Spicer said.

SHOULD HAVE STAYED FOCUSED ON ASSAD: SPICER

Spicer, who said he was "aware" that gas chambers were used during the Holocaust, later said he should have "stayed focused" on Assad and asked people to forgive him for his "mistake."

"My goal now and then is to stay focused on Assad and I should have," he said, adding, "I realised that I had made a mistake and I didn't want to be a distraction to the President's agenda."

While Hitler did not use chemical weapons on the battlefield, Hitler and the Nazis used gas chambers to exterminate Jews, disabled people and others.

ALSO READ| Trump spokesman sparks outcry by comparing Assad to Hitler, apologises

ALSO READ| Donald Trump's spokesman promises reporters 'never to lie'

ALSO WATCH| This video of a Syrian father with twin kids who survived chemical attack will move you

--- ENDS ---
South Sudanese arrivals in Sudan's White Nile State wait in a shaded area for registration and assistance at Al Waral site.  UNHCR

WHITE NILE STATE, Sudan - An increasing number of South Sudanese affected by the conflict in their country and worsening food security are making the hard journey to the countrys northern border and crossing to Sudan by foot, often leaving loved ones behind.

Forty-five-year old Ezekiel* now lives in Al Waral, one of six refugee sites on the western bank of the White Nile River. He is accompanied by his mother, Aywein, 65, and his two children, Patrick and Pasonta.

Ezekiel recounts his troubles which started after gunmen stole his remaining cows near his village in Upper Nile State, leaving him without his main livelihood and limited options to survive. He was also scared of the increased frequency of fighter jets and the repeated sound of heavy machinery.

He decided to leave. I had to pawn my small parcel of land to get money for the trip to Sudan with my family, he said. He hired a tractor driver to take them to Sudans border expecting to be there in three hours. Instead, he was left in the middle of nowhere and had to walk for three days to the border.

It was very painful to separate the kids from their mother.

His wife Achewil refused to leave South Sudan, so Ezekiel made the difficult decision to go on without her in hope that the family can be reunited one day if she joins him in Sudan.

It was very painful to separate the kids from their mother, he said, visibly upset.

Ezekiels mother, Aywein, takes care of her grandchildren. She prepared simple food on the way and said two small jerry cans of water helped to keep them alive during the journey.

When Ezekiel arrived at sunset at Sudans El Maganis entry point, one of borders main reception areas in White Nile, he was relieved to receive assistance from the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.

He recalled receiving a meal and some sleeping mats and blankets. He spent the night with his family at the border and was brought in a truck next morning to Al Waral refugee site.

We were really exhausted and we slept like never before, he explained.

Ezekiel and his family join some 20,000 other South Sudanese refugees in Al Waral site, and over 130,000 refugees in White Nile State.

He is anxious about the future. I am a farmer and cow breeder. I dont know what I am going to do for living in Sudan. I have to find my way here and search for work to feed my family, he said.

I see my mother in my dreams."

His immediate priority was to find a place in school for his two children, saying education is their weapon for the future, not guns.

His 10-year-old daughter is also afraid of the future and remembers the many things she left behind in South Sudan. I miss my mother, my green school, my happy times with cousins and many other things, she said.

I see my mother in my dreams, cleaning the yard of our home, and think of her when I am awake. She longs for the day when she can see her again. Her seven-year-old brother can only smile timidly clinging to his father and grandmother.

With his family torn apart by circumstances beyond his control, Ezekiel said he will be strong and focus on the future of his family.

South Sudanese refugees in Sudan have been seeking out old neighbours and friends. They often make contact with old friends before they even seek assistance from the camps or humanitarian agencies.

Some are fortunate to reunite with family in Sudan.

New South Sudanese refugees arrive to White Nile State's Al Waral site, one of eight existing sites where refugees are living. UNHCR's partner, the Sudan Red Crescent Society, assists with individual registrations.  UNHCR

Ahmed Khairy, who works as a camp manager with the Sudanese Red Crescent Society in Al Waral says every day many of the sites residents wait for new arrivals and ask about their family members back home who went missing or were left behind.

It is amazing and touching to see when new arrivals manage to reunite with family members, he added, saying that it makes his work all that more meaningful.

The outflow of people from South Sudan has been steadily growing with over 80,000 new arrivals in Sudan in the first three months of 2017.

The number of new arrivals has surpassed expectations, signalling a likely worsening situation in South Sudan. UNHCRs Representative in Sudan, Noriko Yoshida, appealed to the international community to continue its support to Sudan for its refugee emergency.

However, she also said: Ultimately, there needs to be a solution in South Sudan, so that people do not have to flee to neighbouring countries.

Yoshida expressed her gratitude for Sudans continued generosity in receiving refugees and keeping its border open. Some 380,000 South Sudanese refugees have arrived since December 2013 in Sudan. The majority of the new arrivals are women and children.

UNHCR and its partners have appealed for USD 166 million from international donors to help refugees and host communities in Sudan. As of March 2017 less than 10% of the funds have been received. The appeal amount is also being revised upwards in the coming weeks.

*Names in the story have been changed.
"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia.

By Press Trust of India: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

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"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years," Ayres told PTI.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

INDIA-PAKISTAN TIES ON LIFE SUPPORT?

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadav's death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead," he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistan's self-interest. "If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

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"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value," he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

"We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.

Also Read

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Pakistan media: RAW has abducted ISI man to avenge Kulbhushan Jadhav

Also watch: Shashi Tharoor on Kulbhushan Yadav death sentence: Pakistan's behaviour 'absolutely outrageous'

--- ENDS ---
Last week, faculty Senate members of the Gordon College resigned. The action was part of their effort to show support for a professor who claimed that she was denied a promotion because she criticized the Christian school's opposition to same-sex relationships.

The evangelical school in Wenham forbids professors, students, and staff from engaging in homosexual practice on or off campus. Resignation from all seven members represented a split between the faculty and the administration. Gordon has been struggling with gay rights since 2014.

Margaret DeWeese-Boyd, an assistant professor of sociology, wrote a complaint to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. She said that the college president and provost denied her a promotion because she openly criticized the policy since 2013.

DeWeese-Boyd said she spoke against the ban at a faculty meeting and signed a petition opposing it. She organized trainings and events related to gay rights and also directly addressed Gordon College president, D. Michael Lindsay.

The Boston Globe reported, in February, Lindsay and the provost denied DeWeese-Boyd's promotion. They override the unanimous recommendation of the faculty Senate. It prompted the members of the Senate to resign on Wednesday during a faculty meeting, said Hillary Schwab, DeWeese-Boyd's lawyer.

Schwab said the faculty members cited the president's refusal to follow the Senate's recommendations for promotions and the Senate took strong action to demonstrate their dissatisfaction.

Paul Miller, OneGordon group founder and 2008 alumnus said the professors who resigned from the Senate held varying views on the school's policy on same-sex relationships. OneGordon is a group that promotes gay rights on campus. Miller added the Senate's action was further indication of their frustration with Lindsay's management style.

Rick Sweeney, a college spokesman, said Janel Curry, Gordon College's provost addressed the resignations. In response, Dr. Curry thanked them for their service.

Sweeney added that they should allow time to explore how to bridge the gap in perspectives and that the college has strong and pointed disagreement with the allegations that were made in DeWeese-Boyd's complaint to the state antidiscrimination agency. The college will not comment further because they do not discuss personnel issues.
The Maine Community College System and the University of Maine System offers a way for students to graduate from college with less debt. They also offer taking college courses while in high school.

Naima Noor, 25, a graduating student from the University of Southern Maine's Lewiston-Auburn College has a student loan debt of about $16,000 thanks to the program. The average student loan debt for a recent college graduate in Maine is $29,000.

Noor volunteered and got involved with the children with special needs, it led her to the UMS, where she explored what majors might work with her interests. Noor will earn a bachelor's degree in social behavioral science with a minor in early childhood education. Now her student loan debt is manageable and considers herself lucky she took advantage of the Maine System.

The Sun Journal reported dozens of juniors and seniors from Edward Little High School are also earning both high school and college credit by taking college courses while in high school. Jim Horn, Aspirations Coordinator said the bulk of the courses are taught at ELHS and he has been adding more college courses every year.

This year, he has 48 students taking courses at University of Maine at Augusta, 26 students at Central Maine Community College, 15 students at Eastern Maine Community College, 37 students at University of Maine at Fort Kent and 12 students at Kennebec Valley Community College. There are also 6 Edward Little seniors that are taking courses at Bates College.

The courses range from EMT training to academics which include English, math, science, social studies, government and psychology. Horn said students taking college courses has increased a compared to what they had in the past and they're expecting more next year.

High school students pay minimum costs and sometimes the state even picks up all the costs. Some take a few college courses and the others get a full year college completed in high school. Horn said that they had 15 seniors this year that will have a year of college complete upon graduating with no debt.
According to the Russian State Space Corporation, the Russian Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft that carried three crew members of the International Space Station had successfully landed on Monday in Kazakhstan. It landed at 11:21 p.m. EDT at 147 kilometers southeast of the Kazakh city of Zhezkazgan, Xinhua.

The Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft was operated by Roskosmos, a governmental body responsible for Russia's the space science program and general aerospace research. The spacecraft travelled a total of 118 million kilometers during its 173 days 3 hours 16 minutes 21 seconds mission duration to the ISS. The Soyuz first launched at on October 19, 2016 at 8:05 UTC and docked on docking port Poisk zenith.

The capsule set to undock from the ISS at 7:58 a.m. EDT with Russian crew members Andrew Borisenko and Sergei, Ryzhikov, along with US collegue Robert Shane Kimbrough. They stayed at the Expedition 50 mission aboard the ISS since October 21, 2016.

During the mission they carried out scientific and applied research and experiments and supported the station's work capacity. They also upgraded the ISS with equipment delivered by cargo ships, Business-Standard reported.

Commander Kimbrough of NASA led the team during their 173 days in space. Borisenko and Ryzhikov were the Flight Engineers that made the mission a success.

Kimbrough has now spent 189 days in space on two flights. Borisenko has now spent 337 days in space on two flights and Ryzhikov was able to log 173 days in space for his first flight, The Space Fellowhip reported.

After Expedition 50's departure, Expediaion 51 continues to operate the station with NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in command. Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pequet of ESA (European Space Agency) are part of the three-person crew that will continue to operate the station until the arrival of two new crew members. Jack Fischer of NASA and Fyodor Yurchikhin of Roscosmos are scheduled to launch on Thursday.
The Foundation Budget formula is critical as it produces a number for every school district. There are two things about the budget, first is that it is based on the number and kinds of students in the district. The amount of money the state says a district has to spend at minimum depends on that number.

The other key piece is how much of per district cost will be covered by the state. This is how important the Foundation Budget formula is for Massachusetts state policy.

The formula was written in 1993 and has not been updated once in almost-a-quarter century since. The key cost drivers have changed a lot, particularly health care and special education costs that have risen than currently accounted for in the formula. It has greatly affected the school systems, which leaves them with little to spend elsewhere and sometimes would force them to make cuts to programs that directly impact the students.

The 24-year-old school funding formula comes up short by $1-2 billion according to a group of lawmakers and education experts on Monday. Together they unveiled a new proposal as the projecting real cost of public education each year has changed so much.

WBUR reported Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz, state representative for the Second Suffolk district, has made a move on Beacon Hill to change that. Chang-Diaz is the lead sponsor of S.223, the bill that would phase in an overhaul of the current K-12 funding formula.

Chang-Diaz added that the schools are not asking for extra funding but rather on the funding formula that has eroded. Schools are asked to do more and more with less of what they are given.

The new bill will require the state to use data from the Group Insurance Commission, which is the state insurance provider for state employees. It will more accurately project each school district's healthcare costs and increase the percentage of each district's students enrolled in special education programs from 15 to 16 percent, The Sharon Wicked Local reported.
As the US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tries to find a place while avoiding protesters, she finally found a public school she could visit -the army base in the compound of FT. Bragg in North Carolina.

DeVos appeared at Kimberly Hampton Primary School to make her speech when it comes to the school she promotes as she urges parents to leave public schools and get their kids to study at private schools, Alternet reported. Kimberly Hampton Primary is a school operated by the Department of Defense which is funded by the government, and during her meeting here, one parent expressed that they are open to the chance of getting their children sent to a private school.

DeVos said during her speech that not all local high schools work for every single student, News Observer reported. She discussed a bill filed by the US Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina that will initiate a program to allow students on Department of Defense bases to use federal vouchers which parents can withdraw so they can send their children to private schools. The federal vouchers worth up to $8,000 a year for elementary school and $12,000 for high school.

DeVos also added that they are looking to support more policies like this one. In North Carolina, they also have a voucher program which is worth up to $4,200 a year for the students whose family income qualify for the guidelines.

DeVos visited the school on military base as her way of commemorating the Month of the Military Child, because children who come from military families are the ones who face a lot of challenges, considering that their parents are being deployed every now and then, which also compels them to transfer location every now and then.
The state of New York has announced that it will be offering a tuition-free college education for students who are eligible for the program. The initiative was approved by lawmakers over the weekend.

The plan was introduced by New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Students from families earning $125,000 or less per year will be eligible for the proposal. They may be able to go to state, city and even community colleges for free.

It was noted that New York is already spending $1 billion every year on a tuition assistance program. Its awards cap is at $5,165.

About one million families with college students will be able to qualify. The plan is said to cost $163 million.

CNN noted that New York is the first state in the nation to make tuition free for middle class students. While it is unclear whether other states will follow suit, there are other places where college costs are affordable.

According to College Board data, via CNBC, there are other states that have the least expensive average in-state tuition. The publication listed 10 places.

Mississippi is at 10th place with $7,410 as average in-state tuition and fees. It is followed by North Carolina with $7,200.

Alaska came in eighth place with average in-state tuition and fees of $7,130. Idaho is at seventh place with an average in-state cost of $7,010 while Nevada is at sixth place with $6,910.

In fifth place is New Mexico with $6,620. Utah nabbed the fourth spot in the list with $6,580 in average in-state tuition and fees.

Montana finished at third place with $6,410 and the lowest change in five years at two percent. Florida came in second place with $6,360 in average in-state tuition and fees and a six percent five-year change.

Wyoming topped the list with $5,060. Its five-year change is reportedly 15 percent.

The state also has the lowest average out-of-state tuition and fees cost which is at $16,220. New Mexico is the second state in the list with the lowest average out-of-state tuition and fees with $19,050.
By Press Trust of India: From Lalit K Jha

Washington, Apr 12 (PTI) The US will consult its NATO allies on the troop levels in Afghanistan, the White House said today while making it clear that there was no time line for the ongoing review of its policy on the war-torn country.

"On Afghanistan, we are undergoing a review for our plans in Afghanistan in the future. Well be obviously consulting with General Nicholson both in his role as commander of Resolute Support, but also as commander of US forces in Afghanistan," a senior White House official told reporters.

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"We will definitely be working with NATO allies in advance of any decisions being made in troop levels in Afghanistan to make sure that those decisions are fully consulted and that allies are on board with our strategy going forward," the official said ahead of the meeting between the US President Donald Trump and the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

The two leaders are expected to discuss about the current situation in Afghanistan during their meeting.

The official said the White House is hoping to get the review done as soon as they can.

"Obviously, there are processes within NATO in terms of force generation that need a quicker answer, rather than later, but were not going to comment on a specific time line. Its based on when the President makes that decision," the official said. PTI LKJ ASK ASK

--- ENDS ---
Science has finally answered one of the most pressing questions by people who wear sneakers a lot - why shoelaces come undone even after making sure they are firmly tied. Everybody has practically experienced this, and that's for sure, and now, scientists from the University of California Berkeley can explain the reason why.

The experts at this top university can finally explain why shoelaces keep coming untied, even after they are firmly knotted, and they have found that the repeated impact of the shoe on the floor is the cause why the knot loosens, The Sun reported.

The researchers are mechanical engineers at the university and they conducted a series of experiments where they had to film one of their colleagues in a slow motion camera while running on a treadmill. What they have discovered is that there are dynamic forces that does the untying of the knot while people walk or jog, CNET reported.

Study co-author and graduate student Christine Gregg explained that this event is not caused by the forces that is coming from a person that's like pulling on the free end, but the force comes from the inertial force of the leg that swings back and forth until the knot is loosened from the shoe that strikes on the ground repeatedly. Gregg was also the one who was running on the treadmill while doing the experiment.

Understanding this event, according to the researchers, will make sense because they said that it could be applied to other things, especially the ones that fail under dynamic forces, including DNA or microstructures, as explained by Christopher Daily-Diamond, a graduate student at Berkeley and co-author of the study.

This research will be published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.
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Oct. 26, 2022

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo.  Cadets got the unique experience of interacting with and learning from the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2022 at the U.S. Air Force Academy Sept. 27-29. The National Character and Leadership Symposium sponsored the visit and three days of activities.The 12
Nainital Municipal Corporation used various posters inspired by Bollywood movies, especially old Amitabh Bachchan movies, to spread awareness among people about cleanliness in town, and it is epic.

By India Today Web Desk: On the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi's 145th birth anniversary, PM Narendra Modi launched 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan' on October 2, 2014. Since then, many drives have taken place to keep India clean, under this mission.

From students participating in the campaign to keep India clean by keeping their areas clean to PM Modi himself picking up the broom, the mission always made headlines.

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This time, Uttarakhand came up with a unique campaign to engage people.

Nainital Municipal Corporation has gone Bollywood with its new cleanliness campaign. Nainital Municipal Corporation has launched an innovative campaign, inspired by Bollywood movies, for Swachh Bharat.

Using the 1973 film Zanjeer, where Amitabh Bachchan courageously fought against the wrong, Nainital Municipal Corporation created a great hoarding asking people to not use polythene bags.

The city asked people to help them make Nainital a polythene-free city.

FYI || These vintage Indian Railways travel posters will make your day ||

Inspector Vijay Khanna played by Amitabh Bachchan tells Sher Khan played by Pran to urge people and shopkeepers to not use plastic bags.

Twitter: ANI

In the second poster, Anand played by Rajesh Khanna tells Babu Moshai played by Amitabh Bachchan that death is in the hand of god but keeping the city clean is entirely in our hands.

Twitter: ANI

You know how they say, mothers are always right? In this poster, Vijay played by Amitabh Bachchan tells Ravi played by Shashi Kapoor that 'maa' will go with him, but Sumitra aka maa played by Nirupa Roy, tells them both that she will go with the one who will build a toilet in the home first.

Twitter: ANI

FYI || Swachh Bharat can take a lesson from these five countries ||

Also Watch: Petrol pump association questions dynamic fuel pricing

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Published: April 12, 2017

Three UT Alumni Authors Return to Campus for Writers at the University April 18

On Tuesday, April 18, The University of Tampas Writers at the University series will welcome three alumni authors  Mackenzie Carignan 98, Adrienne Nadeau 07 and Derrick Austin 14  who will give readings and participate in a Q-and-A. The event begins at 7 p.m. in the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery on campus, 310 North Blvd., and is free and open to the public.



Carignan is the author of a full-length poetry collection, a house without a roof is open to the stars, and her chapbooks include Metaphors for Miscarriage, The Listening Lost and &persona among others. She lives in Denver, where she is a curriculum developer for Oracle.



Nadeau, who by day works as a project manager at Datassential in Chicago, is a nationally known slam poet. Her work has been featured in The Legendary, a Chicago e-zine, and Button Poetry. Her chapbook, Haters on the Train Wont Stop Me from Wearing Mini Dresses and Listening to Trap Music, was published in 2015.



Austin is the author of Trouble the Water (BOA Editions, 2016), selected by Mary Szybist for the 2015 A. Poulin Jr. Prize. A Cave Canem fellow, he serves as the 2016-2017 Ron Wallace Poetry Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute of Creative Writing. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan.



For more information, contact Lynne Bartis at lbartis@ut.edu or (813) 257-3514.
John Garrigus, a professor in the Department of History at The University of Texas at Arlington, has been named a Fellow of the National Humanities Center.

John Garrigus in front of the National Humanities Center.

Garrigus is one of 35 Fellows selected for the 2017-18 academic year. The program is highly competitive with less than six percent of applicants being chosen. Garrigus and other fellows in humanities fields such as English, philosophy, art history and religion will spend a year focused on writing and research.

This is an extremely prestigious honor and its great to be recognized. Garrigus said. I will use my fellowship to write about 18th century events that resonate with crises affecting all of us now: climate change, disease and global immigration.

Garrigus will use primary research from archives in Paris, Bordeaux and Aix-en-Provence and geographic information systems technology (GIS) to provide a new explanation for thousands of mysterious deaths that preceded the Haitian Revolution -- the only successful slave uprising in modern history.

The book he will write, Macandal is Saved, explores why French colonists mistakenly believed an escaped slave known as Macandal was a rebel and mass poisoner. Garrigus data shows that anthrax, enabled by climate change and environmental degradation, was to blame.

Anacreon, Wilson. Makandal, the rebel slave with magical powers, leaps out of fire. 1991. Oil on canvas. Afrique en Creations.

UTAs Strategic Plan 2020:Bold Solutions|Global Impact inspired Garrigus to investigate health and the human condition using new technological tools. For two centuries the myth of "Macandal the poisoner" obscured how French colonization introduced the deadly anthrax bacillus into the New World, Garrigus says. In 2016 the College of Liberal Arts Digital Humanities grant jumpstarted his GIS research.

Garrigus joined UTA in 2006 and is an expert on Caribbean history. As a Fulbright Senior Scholar, he travelled widely in Haiti. In May he will speak in Paris about his recently published monograph, The Plantation Machine.

Garrigus work supports the excellence of the Department of Historys Ph.D Program in Transatlantic History, which focuses on the interactions of people and regions across the Atlantic from the fifteenth century to present.

The Department of Historys graduate program currently ranks No. 132 in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The foundation of the departments success is our faculty, said Professor and Department of History Chair Scott Palmer. Dr. Garrigus Fellowship is a testament to our facultys engagement in innovative, world-class research and their deserved reputations as leading experts in their respective fields of study.

The National Humanities Center is a privately incorporated institute for advanced study in the humanities. Since 1978, the Center has awarded fellowships to more than 1,300 scholars whose work has resulted in the publication of more than 1,500 books in all fields of humanistic study.

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.
Meet a Roadrunner: Transfer student Sonie Johnson wants to empower domestic violence survivors

Sonie Johnson

Photo courtesy: Ray Perez Photography

(April 12, 2017) -- Meet Sonie Johnson. This UTSA Honors College student is doing research on domestic violence in San Antonio and around the nation in an effort to influence public policy to help victims of abuse.

This spring, Johnson is on track to graduate with bachelor's degrees in English and Sociology from UTSA.

Johnson transferred to UTSA in the fall of 2014 and received a Terry Foundation Transfer Scholarship, a Distinguished Transfer Scholarship, a Walter O. Mason Jr. Education Foundation Scholarship, and a Sam and Ann Barshop Scholarship, which fund her top-tier education. During her first semester at UTSA, Johnson also became a McNair Scholar.

As part of her coursework, Johnson conducted research as an undergraduate student. Her honors thesis focused on the use of narrative writing to enhance wellness among survivors of domestic violence. Johnson researched the circumstances that negatively impact the lives of survivors, especially immigrants and those from low-income families. In March, she received a first place award for a poster on her project, "The Six Dimensions of Wellness of Survivors of Domestic Violence: An Assessment," at the 2017 COLFA Spring Research Conference.

"There is a great need to foster the wellness of women staying at shelters," said Johnson. "Self-realization can help survivors address the many challenges and factors that hinder their self-sufficiency."

In addition to working with women and children in the San Antonio community, Johnson shared her talents with students as a member of the UTSA Collegiate G-Force Work Study Mentorship program. She mentors students at high schools, at UTSA and at other higher education institutions across the state.

Johnson said the scholarships she received helped her focus on academics and her work in the community. Although the scholarship application process was unfamiliar to her at the start, she said she learned quite a bit along the way and those experiences encouraged her to guide other students who felt overwhelmed by the process.

"There are scholarships out there for students to take advantage of," said Johnson. "I help them navigate the process so they can take advantage of all the resources available to achieve their academic goals."

Johnson's goal is to pursue graduate study in social work to write, teach and help women and children living in shelters.

"I want to develop a course that can be taught in shelters to empower women to create a better quality of life for their families," said Johnson. "I want to write policies to help women and children living in shelters around the nation."

- Kara Mireles

-------------------------------

Do you know a Roadrunner who is achieving great things? Email us at social@utsa.edu so that we may consider your suggestion for our next installment of Meet a Roadrunner.

Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and LinkedIn.
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Free educational and entertaining environmental events will be offered as the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point marks Earth Week April 17-22.

Events include an eco-fair, concert and various speakers, films and activities with the theme, "diversity in the natural resources."

Speaking at 6 p.m. in Room 116 of the College of Professional Studies are:



April 17: Noe U. de la Sancha , assistant professor of zoology at Chicago State University, who researches biodiversity, conservation and wildlife ecology; and Shiba Kar, assistant professor of natural resource planning and policy at UW-Stevens Point and sustainable energy specialist with the UW-Extension.



April 18: Ka Yeng Vue , the first Hmo ng-American hired as a conservation warden by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources; and Huda Alkaff, founder and director for Wisconsin Green Muslims, a group focused on integrating environmental education and environmental practices into religion, including Islam.



April 19: James Mills, journalist and natural resources adventurist based in Madison. Mills heads the Joy Trip Project, which inspired the film, "An American Ascent," and book, "The Adventure Gap."



April 20: Peterson Toscano, Christian LGBTQ activist and gardener who sees climate change as a human rights and LGBTQ issue.



All presentations are free and open to the public.

An Eco Fair will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center. Student and community organizations committed to sustainability will provide information about their groups and activities. With the theme "Acts," they will focus on reducing society's daily consumption. To inspire ways to reuse waste, visitors can learn to make lava lamps from old plastic water bottles and nature journals from reused cardboard.

The fair is sponsored by the student Environmental Educators and Naturalists Association, which will offer fresh lessons in the three R's - reduce, reuse, recycle. It will host an eco-fair concert from 8-10 p.m. Tuesday in the DUC Encore featuring Soul Symmetry and The Rumble Roots.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Women's Resource Center will offer an informational session on sustainable alternatives to sanitary pads/tampons in DUC 223.

Friday, April 21, is Schmeeckle Appreciation Day. Interested volunteers are invited to meet at 2 p.m. at the Schmeeckle Reserve Visitor Center for invasive species removal, trail maintenance and litter clean-up until 5 p.m. Tools will be provided, but please bring your own gloves.

On Saturday, April 22, students will be involved in various volunteer activities in the community from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., coordinated by the Student Involvement and Employment Office. At 2 p.m., Students for Sustainability will have a commemorative tree planting between the Dreyfus Center and Student Services Center.

Earth Day was founded on April 22, 1970, by U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin as a peaceful teach-in to raise environmental awareness and protection.
Award-Winning Author to Speak on Art and Science April 17 at UW

Lawrence Weschler

A longtime New Yorker writer, acclaimed author and director emeritus of the New York Institute for the Humanities will discuss art and science Monday, April 17, at the University of Wyoming.

Lawrence Weschler, a renowned writer on art, politics, human rights, history and science, will present Art and Science as Parallel and Divergent Ways of Knowing at 5 p.m. in Room 129 of the Business Building.

The Wyoming Institute for Humanities Research at UW sponsors the event, which is free and open to the public. The UW College of Law, the UW Department of Art and Art History, and the UW Department of Zoology and Physiology co-sponsor the talk.

Nowadays, artists and scientists tend to think of their ways of probing the world as distinctly different, Weschler says. But, such was not always the case, and the differences might not be that distinct or even real.

Weschler will focus on these themes, and he will explore the thinking of artists Robert Irwin and David Hockney and share an interpretation of Rembrandts Anatomy Lesson.

For more than 20 years (1981-2002), Weschler was a staff writer at The New Yorker, where his work shuttled between political tragedies and cultural comedies. He is a two-time winner of the George Polk Award -- for cultural reporting in 1988 and magazine reporting in 1992. He also is a recipient of the Lannan Literary Award.

Weschlers numerous nonfiction works include The Passion of Poland; A Miracle, A Universe: Settling Accounts with Torturers; Calamities of Exile: Three Nonfiction Novellas; Seeing Is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees: A Life of Contemporary Artist Robert Irwin; Mr. Wilsons Cabinet of Wonder; and Everything that Rises: A Book of Convergences.

Everything that Rises received the 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism, and Mr. Wilson was shortlisted for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Weschler has taught at Princeton University, Columbia University, University of California-Santa Cruz, Bard College, Vassar College, Sarah Lawrence College and New York University, where he served as the longtime director of the New York Institute for the Humanities and is a distinguished writer-in-residence at the Carter Journalism Institute.

He also is the artistic director emeritus with the Chicago Humanities Festival and curator for New York Live Ideas, an annual body-based humanities collaboration with Bill T. Jones and his NY Live Arts.

For more information about Weschler, visit www.lawrenceweschler.com.
Members of Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth group founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath barged into a house in Meerut and thrashed a couple.

By India Today Web Desk: A couple in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut was harassed, thrashed by members of Hindu Yuva Vahini, a youth group founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Members of the group barged into a house in Meerut's Shastri Nagar locality and thrashed a Muslim man after he was found in a compromising position with a woman, local residents said. The incident took place on Tuesday (April 11).

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"When we entered the house, we found the two in a compromising state. The rooms in the building are rented out for suspicious activities," Nagendra Pratap Singh, the leader of the group, said.

A video of the incident being circulated on social media shows the couple being bombarded with questions such as - "What is your name? Name your baap (father), What are you doing here?" - by members of the group.

"Why your names are different? Have you converted?" the quizzing of the couple goes on.

The couple was later handed over the police which denied the two being beaten up by the group.

Superintendent of police (City) Alok Priyadarshi said that the man and women were Muslims and they were released later.

Headquartered in Gorakhpur, the Hindu Yuva Vahini was founded by Yogi Adityanath in 2002.However, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister has distanced himself from the organisation now.

ALSO READ:

Patna police arrest 2 after Hindu woman complained of forced conversion to Islam by Facebook friend

'Love Jihad' in Uttar Pradesh to face might of BJP ire

Aligarh: Radical right-wing group trains women to raise arms against love-jihad

Waging war against Love Jihad: Inter-faith couples share their love saga

ALSO WATCH | When Hindu Yuva Vahini's leader Nagendra Singh Tomar nearly came to blows with India Today's Rahul Kanwal

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UW Wraps Up Cloud-Seeding Project in Southwestern Idaho

The UW King Air research aircraft is prepared prior to a flight in a snowstorm in Boise, Idaho. UW led the SNOWIE Project -- cloud-seeding research funded through the National Science Foundation -- in southwestern Idaho Jan. 7-March 16. (Jeff French Photo)

Jeff French learned very quickly that clouds over Boise, Idaho, are much different from those he had previously observed over the Snowy Range.

I was surprised at the characteristics of the clouds in Idaho, says French, a University of Wyoming assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric Science and principal investigator for the recent SNOWIE Project. The air was surprisingly cleaner over there, and the clouds had very low concentrations of liquid drops.

If you have the same amount of mass of liquid, but you have fewer droplets, this means the droplets have to be larger, he adds. That impacts what processes in clouds may be important; how many droplets you have; and how big they are.

UW, with the use of its King Air research aircraft, headed a cloud-seeding project -- funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF) -- in southwestern Idaho Jan. 7-March 16. Cloud seeding is a process by which silver iodide is released into the clouds, either from the air or via ground-based generators. In the case of the SNOWIE Project, the silver iodide was released by a second aircraft funded through Boise-based Idaho Power Co. while the UW King Air took measurements to understand the impact of the silver iodide, French says.

The research, dubbed SNOWIE (Seeded and Natural Orographic Wintertime Clouds -- the Idaho Experiment), was conducted in concert with Idaho Power, which provides a good share of its electrical power through hydroelectric dams. The research took place within and near the Payette Basin, located approximately 50 miles north of Boise. It is considered, to date, the most comprehensive cloud-seeding study in winter.

Idaho Power is interested in putting more snow on the ground in the mountains, which leads to more water in the rivers and, ultimately, more power generation capability throughout the year. Due to water shortages and droughts in some states and in countries around the world, cloud seeding is seen as a potential way to increase water supplies for communities and to irrigate crops. Cloud seeding is typically paid for by water resource managers, power companies (hydropower) and agricultural interests.

I think Idaho Power was really pleased. It was a wonderful working relationship, French says. It was a perfect example of a for-profit company -- that has its own agenda and needs and stakeholders -- working with publicly funded organizations on a project that neither group was otherwise able to do by itself.

Tom Drew, one of the pilots for the King Air research aircraft, views a cloud in Boise, Idaho, as part of the recent SNOWIE Project. Here, the King Air flies above the cloud deck in order to take LiDAR and RADAR measurements. (Spencer Faber Photo)

During the project, French says the King Air was able to operate in 24 IOPs (intensive observation periods) that lasted 4-8 hours each. During those IOPs, researchers collected measurements in both seeded and unseeded clouds over a range of atmospheric conditions.

The last week of the experiment, we had to suspend cloud-seeding operations because so much snow had fallen in the basin, French says, referencing Idaho Power policy that requires cloud seeding be suspended, due to potential flooding concerns, when the basin exceeds 140 percent of maximum normal snowpack on the ground.

Still, French remained a bit perplexed that the air was cleaner in Boise because he expected industry there to put more pollutants in the air compared to clouds in the Snowy Range, where there is no nearby industry. He surmised the reason may be how well aerosols within surface air mix to higher altitudes.

If there is no way for aerosols to get up to 14,000 feet, that air at 14,000 feet would be very clean, French says. How connected is the air at the cloud level to air at the surface? Im not sure why. It took us all by surprise.

Spencer Faber, a UW masters degree student from Guernsey majoring in atmospheric science, worked the bulk of the project as an instrument operator aboard King Air.

I was responsible for monitoring a variety of instruments -- including cloud water content probes, a cloud droplet counter, cloud particle imagers and a LiDAR -- and troubleshooting issues should they arise, he explains. I also kept an eye on incoming data that were important both for the scientific mission and crew safety. We really had to watch out for icing.

Faber, who will graduate in May and previously earned his bachelors degree in earth systems science from UW, says the experience improved his skills as a researcher and scientist.

Flying on the King Air and seeing all the data in real time gave me a completely different perspective on cloud processes and the highly dynamic nature of cloud systems, he says. I have lots of experience analyzing aircraft data, but seeing everything firsthand really helped me put together the big picture.

SNOWIE also was valuable because it gave me a glimpse into just how difficult it can be to run a successful field campaign, he adds. The team had a lot to deal with between the highly variable schedule -- 3 a.m. mission briefings, making accurate weather forecasts, coordinating with seeding aircraft and DOWs (Doppler on Wheels) -- and tackling some pretty perplexing instrument issues.

Adam Tripp, from Idaho Springs, Colo., and Adam Majewski, from Pittsburgh, Pa., both UW Ph.D. students, also assisted French. The cloud-seeding project included researchers from the University of Colorado, University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign, Boise State University and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCARs) Research Applications Laboratory.

Results from SNOWIE are expected to provide a new and important understanding of cold-season precipitation -- both naturally and that augmented through cloud seeding -- and will have an impact throughout the American West, a region that increasingly suffers from drought and water shortage, French says.

SNOWIE field research was an important step toward improving our understanding of cloud seeding and winter precipitation in general, says Nick Anderson, program director in the NSFs Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, which funded SNOWIE. From an early look at the data, the scientists have conducted a successful campaign and have a lot of important data to analyze.

Numerical modeling of cloud and precipitation processes will be conducted using the supercomputer, nicknamed Cheyenne, at the NCAR-Wyoming Supercomputing Center. The numerical models will simulate clouds and snow precipitation -- created in natural storms and with cloud seeding -- over the Payette Basin.

I think we have enough information to do computer modeling on these storms for the next two and a half years, French says.
After the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath came into power in Uttar Pradesh everyone has started considering saffron as the new colour of politics.

By Kumar Abhishek: In Lucknow, the city of Nawabs, where the white kurta pyjama was dominant so far, a new colour trend is in vogue as 'Rang de tu mohe gerua' seems to be on everyone's mind these days.

After the BJP government led by Yogi Adityanath came into power in Uttar Pradesh everyone has started considering saffron as the new colour of politics. Saffron can now be seen at different places all over the state.

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Since the CM comes from Gorakhnath Math every cloth he wears is of saffron colour - right from his dhoti to 'safa', socks and ever underwear.

Considering the importance of 'gerua', bureaucrats are trying to paint the environment with the trending colour.

BUREAUCRATS RESPONSIBLE?

The CM had only instructed officers to keep a saffron-coloured towel on the chair but the officers extended the colour code to everywhere in Lok Bhavan where he does cabinet meetings.

During press conferences, saffron towel is seen on Yogi's chair kept in the middle of the row. If the CM doesn't come to the press conference then the chair is removed.

The lobby of Lok Bhavan is decorated with saffron-coloured cloth. At the main gate the flowers and the pot too follow the colour code.

It is learnt that initially bureaucrats were busy colouring things with saffron but gradually they realised that more than colour their work matters as Yogi keeps a close eye on everyone.

Gorakhnath temple's Dwarika Tiwari explained the importance of saffron in the Nath monastic order.

The way white-coloured clothes are important for the Vaishnavs similarly for the Naths saffron is the key colour. Tiwari said saffron is not a matter of choice but of tradition.

According to him, Yogi's clothes come from Gandhi Ashram and are coloured with saffron.

In the shops of Lucknow, saffron-coloured clothes now sell like hot cakes.

Also read:

The menu at this hotel in Lucknow is 'inspired' by Yogi Adityanath

Yogi Adityanath backs anti-romeo squads to make UP safe for women; all that he said at Gorakhpur

Also watch:

Is Vande Mataram issue pushing development agendas behind in Yogi Adityanath's governance?

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Banking is one of the first decisions that will determine how investors choose to remit their profits to their parent companies.

Understanding which kind of banking account to operate is crucial for investors doing business in Vietnam.

Vietnam Briefing guides investors on the various types of bank accounts and the processes required for set up.

In the event that a company has established operations and turned a profit within the Vietnamese market, challenges will remain with respect to ensuring that its proceeds may be sent abroad without a hitch.

Whether it be a decision over the method of repatriation or when to take profits, the ways in which investors choose to approach the remittance process can have a significant impact on the quantity and timeframe under which profits will become accessible.

One of the first decisions that will have to be made by investors is that of banking. Upon entering the Vietnamese market, foreign investors who wish to remit profits to their home markets will be required to open a foreign currency bank account. This account is to be utilized for all foreign currency transactions carried out within the country.

For companies that have already established operations in Vietnam, foreign currency accounts will have been set up during the transfer of funds to capitalize on given projects.

Alternatively, those considering Vietnam as a destination for future investment should note that, while the use of foreign bank accounts is important at the latter stage of the remittance process, it is nonetheless crucial to finalize banking arrangements on the front end of the investment.

Understanding which actions require the use of a foreign currency account, where restrictions are placed upon these types of accounts, and what documents must be prepared will all ensure that operations are optimized effectively.

Actions requiring foreign currency accounts

The following are transactions that require the use of a foreign currency bank account:

Receipt of charter capital;

Increased capital expenditure in which the funding of such expenditure originates in third party countries;

Receipt of financing via loans from foreign sources;

Disbursement of loan payments to third parties outside of Vietnam (inclusive of interest); and

Disbursement of dividends and other profits to shareholders, the origins of which have been derived from Vietnam-based operations.

Restrictions

When selecting and operating a foreign currency account, investors are faced with a number of restrictions. The following are some of the most pressing issues that investors should prepare for when opening foreign currency accounts:

Institutional selection

When opening a foreign currency account, investors are limited to the selection of a single account with a bank that has been licensed by the SBV. In practice, the only banks that will be able to operate foreign currency accounts for investors are those with this license. While limiting the selection of institutions, a number of large international banks such as Standard Chartered and HSBC are able to host foreign accounts. Individual banks should be contacted in order to ascertain their status with Vietnamese officials.

Currency limitations

When opening foreign currency accounts, investors must select the accounts denomination. At present, foreign firms are limited to one foreign currency account in a single currency. Exceptions to this rule may be made in the event that investors can prove that the denomination of their overseas loans differs from the currency utilized in funding FDI projects within the country.

Switching banks

Pursuant to the aforementioned limitations on foreign accounts, those seeking to switch banks may be required to close existing accounts prior to establishing relations with new financial institutions. In the event that this course of action is taken, the closure of accounts must be conducted in compliance with procedures outlined by respective banks.

Requisite documentation

Upon the selection of a government-approved bank, the following documentation should be prepared in order to open the foreign currency account. It should be noted that the specific requirements of banks may vary and that requirements may differ depending on the nature of FDI projects within the country (i.e. 100 percent Foreign-Owned Enterprise vs Joint Venture).

Under Circular 6 an FIE can open two types of banks accounts: direct investment capital accounts (DICA) and deposit accounts at an authorized bank.

(I) Direct investment accounts

a. Direct investment accounts in a foreign currency or Vietnamese dong

FIEs are required to open a direct investment account to conduct foreign investors capital transfer transactions.

This application dossier includes:

Bank account opening form;

A written justification (signed by authorized representatives) of the necessity to identify account holder;

Notarized photocopies of documents proving legal status, including Decision of Enterprise Establishment, and Business License or Investment License;

A notarized copy of the original Certificate of Off-shore Investment;

A copy of the approval on investment in the foreign language and its translation in Vietnamese issued by the authorities;

The original copy of the document specifying the anticipated progress of investment capital contribution of an FIE; and

The original copy of the document issued by credit institutions granting foreign investors to right to open an off-shore direct investment capital account

A direct investment capital account can be used to perform the following transactions:

Deal with foreign investors charter capital contributions, investment capital implementations, medium and long-term foreign loans;

Pay foreign currency into Vietnam-based FIE accounts;

Pay all costs of medium and long-term foreign currency loans overseas (principal, interest and fees, and other related costs);

Transfer capital, profit, and other legal revenues out of the country;

Sell foreign currency to credit institutions for foreign exchange; and

Other revenue and expenditure transactions related to investment.

b. Overseas foreign-currency accounts

FIEs may open foreign-currency accounts at overseas banks to borrow medium-term and long-term foreign loans.

In addition, as per Circular 20/2015/TT-NHNN an overseas foreign bank account can also be used for:

To meet conditions for granting licenses for establishment and operation of their branches and ROs as per laws of the host countries;

To serve operations of their overseas branches and ROs; and

To open and use overseas accounts to fulfill their commitments, agreements, and contracts with foreign partners.

The application dossier includes (submitted to the State Bank of Vietnam, Foreign Exchange Management Department):

An application to open and use overseas accounts;

Notarized photocopies of documents proving legal status, including Decision of Enterprise Establishment, and Business License, or Investment License;

Loan contracts signed with the foreign lenders and the loan registration approval from the State Bank;

Documents proving the requirement of the foreign lenders of opening accounts at overseas banks;

The plan for monthly foreign-currency revenues and overseas account expenditures; and

Other documents as required.

II) Deposit accounts

a. Foreign-currency deposit accounts

FIEs may open and use foreign-currency deposit accounts to bring foreign investors capital and profits into and out of the country. Generally, FIEs have to exchange foreign currency for VND by selling it to a bank licensed to make such transactions.

FIEs can use the foreign currency stored in foreign-currency deposit accounts for the following purposes:

Remittance from overseas;

Revenues from the export of goods and services;

Domestic transfers, including those resulting from the issuance of commercial papers in foreign currency and their interests, and buying foreign currency from credit institutions that are allowed to conduct foreign exchange activities;

Cash deposits, including those for resident organization allowed by the State Bank to collect foreign currency through exporting commodities and services, and cross-bordered (with the certification of border customs);

Payments, including those for imported commodities and services (including related costs arisen);

Commodities and services to individuals and organizations who are allowed to collect foreign currency;

Foreign currency loans (principal, interest and fees and other related costs arisen) borrowed from domestic banks and foreign loans in accordance with the current regulations;

Organizations staff who are sent abroad, to pay for salary, bonus, and other allowances to non-residents and foreign residents working for the organization;

Fees and interest;

Sale of foreign currency to credit institutions, which are allowed to do foreign exchange business;

Investment in securities and commercial papers issued in a foreign currency and principal and interest payments;

Exchange into other foreign currency payment instruments, including checks, payment cards and as regulated by the bank, which is allowed to do foreign exchange business;

Capital contribution for implementing investment projects as regulated by the Law on Investment; and

Other transactions, including those in the form of account transfer or cash deposit having license by the Governor of the State Bank.

Foreign-currency deposit accounts can receive bank interest according to account structure. For demand deposit, specialized or cash-cover accounts, interest is counted on the number of actual deposit days and incorporated into principal monthly or on the balance withdrawal date.

For fixed deposit accounts, interest is paid once at maturity. If FIEs do not withdraw at maturity, all the principal and interest will be transferred into a new account with a new period upon the account holders request at that moment; or into the current account if the licensed banks receive no notice from the account holder about the maintaining fixed deposit account.

b. Vietnamese Dong deposit accounts

All transactions relating to investment activities can be done through VND accounts, including:

Receipt of revenues in VND for transactions in-country;

Payment in VND for expenses incurred in-country;

Purchase of foreign currency from credit institutions allowed to transfer overseas; and

Other income and expenditure transactions related to investment in-country.

The procedures and materials required to open VND accounts are similar to those required for opening direct investment accounts and foreign-currency deposit accounts.

For newly established FIEs, after obtaining an investment license, normally all capital bank accounts and deposit accounts in both foreign currency and VND can be opened at the same time. The VND deposit account can receive bank interest according to the current interest rate structure.

Optimizing your remittance process

As Vietnam continues to attract record levels of investment, the importance of repatriation will only continue to increase, with banking playing a significant role. Those investing within the country are highly advised to maintain an up-to-date understanding of all regulations and procedures related to accounting, banking, and the general remittance process.

Given the rapidly changing nature of regulations within the Vietnamese market, it is also highly advisable to consult with government bodies or other professional service firms should any concern arise over compliance and related procedures.

Note: This article was first published in April 2017, and has been updated to include the latest developments.
Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Craig Chittick (left) and World Bank Country Director Ousmane Dione on Tuesday signed the 2016-2020 partnership to continue their co-operation to support Viet Nam. - Photo courtesy of the Australian Embassy

Australian Ambassador to Viet Nam Craig Chittick and World Bank Country Director Ousmane Dione on Tuesday signed the 2016-2020 partnership to continue their co-operation to support Viet Nam, which was first established in 2012.

The renewed partnership will help the Vietnamese Government undertake reform priorities identified in the countrys five-year Socio-Economic Development Plan to 2020, focusing on trade and competitiveness, transport, ethnic minorities, the Mekong delta and gender equality.

One of the great achievements under the first phase of the partnership was to support the Government of Viet Nam to develop the Viet Nam 2035 report, a bold and ambitious vision for Viet Nams economy in the next 20 years, Australian Ambassador Craig Chittick said at the signing ceremony.

Through the second phase of this partnership, Australia looks forward to working with the World Bank to support Viet Nam in implementing this vision so that all citizens benefit.

Ousmane Dione, meanwhile, hailed the initial partnership for having created a strong synergy to support Viet Nams development agenda.

This stepped up engagement will be mutually beneficial and help deliver stronger development results for Viet Nam, he said.
British DJ Paul Oakenfold plays a set to mountaineers and trekkers at Mount Everest base camp. (AFP/Anton Nelson)

The 53-year-old artist, who trekked for 10 days to reach base camp, mixed his beats on a makeshift stone stage set against the spectacular backdrop of the world's highest mountains.

With brightly coloured Tibetan prayer flags fluttering overhead, climbers and trekkers danced as best they could in their heavy hiking boots and thick down jackets.

"It was truly amazing. I feel very lucky to have played here. We did a wonderful event and had people from all over the world. I feel very blessed," Oakenfold told AFP by phone from base camp after the performance.

Base camp lies at an altitude of 5,380 metres, and around 100 climbers and trekkers were there for the gig.

"It was pretty cool. I've been here many years but never seen anything like that," 38-year-old American climber Ben Jones told AFP by phone.

The number of trekkers at the camp will swell in the coming weeks as the climbing season gets into full swing.

Hundreds of climbers spend weeks acclimatising to the altitude before attempting to reach the summit during the brief spring window when the weather is at its best.

It was a dramatic departure for Oakenfold, who admitted he was more used to playing the world's top clubs and the beaches of Ibiza and Goa than the mountains of Nepal.

Oakenfold, who had never trekked before, trained for four months before arriving in Nepal, fitting it in between a hectic schedule of late night gigs.

"I'm not going to pretend it was easy to get here ... but it has been a wonderful trek. If you could see the view I'm looking at, it is very inspiring," he told AFP on Monday.

The gig is the first in the record producer's SoundTrek series, aimed at drawing attention to the effects of global warming and raising money for charities.

Oakenfold, whose three-decade long career has included collaborations with Madonna and U2, is also raising funds to help survivors of Nepal's devastating 2015 earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people and left thousands homeless.

"I want to support in the rebuilding and to shed light on the environment ... I would like to do my bit," he said.
The award is held annually by the Vietnam Economic Times (VET) in collaboration with Foreign Investment Agency (under the Ministry of Planning and Investment), and Furama Resort Danang has received this for eight times in a row.

The Golden Dragon award is one of the largest held by VET, aimed at recognising foreign-invested enterprises that have achieved outstanding business performance and made significant contributions to the development of Vietnams economy. The award criteria focus on businesses efforts to maintain sustainable development, promote environmental protection and fulfill the corporate social responsibility.

In 2016, Furama Resort Danang reached the growth rate of over 30 per cent, an increase of 20 percentage points compared to its plan, contributing to the tourism revenues of Danang City. Furama Villas growth rate alone doubled, 50 per cent surpassing the plan. Over 20 years of development, Furama Resort Danang has always tried its utmost to maintain the leading status in Vietnams market of luxurious beach resorts, owing to the resorts efforts to improve management and diversify services, especially culinary services in order to meet various demands of tourists.

After putting the Ariyana Danang Exhibition & Convention Centre (ADECC) into operation to welcome APEC 2017, we will become a worth -experience destination in Danang. Winning the Golden Dragon award has proved our efforts in offering the high-quality services, considerably contributing to tourism development of Central region and Vietnam, said Matthias Wiesmann, general manager at Furama Resort Danang.

Along with interest generation, contributing to the national budget as well as supporting the economic growth, Furama Resort Danang is well known for its great contributions to society through a number of programs such as Tet traditional culinary events, support programs for children at Danangs SOS village, a program of Go Green @ Fabulous Furama, aimed at encouraging guests to contribute more to a green living and better environment.
Long Bien District proposes to move the Gia Lam Train Plant for causing serious environmental pollution and its land was not utilised in the proper manner.- Photo dantri.com.vn

The proposal was presented at a conference attended by the chairwoman and secretary of the Ha Noi Party Committee Hoang Trung Hai.

Since the plant was located at the centre of the district, once it was shifted, the land could be used for socio-economic development of the district and the capital, chairwoman Ha said.

She added that at present, most of the plants areas were rented, so the land was not utilised in the proper manner, leading to inefficient disposal of waste and environment pollution.

Earlier, on April 21 last year, the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment released a report saying the Gia Lam Train Plant was responsible for serious pollution.

On May 16 last year, the Ha Noi Peoples Committee wrote a letter agreeing with the Ha Noi Department of Natural Resources and Environments proposal to shift the plant and other buildings which were no longer viable with the new urban scheme.

The letter said the plan to move the buildings should be completed before 2020.

Agreeing with the proposal, director of the Ha Noi Department of Transport Vu Van Vien said the relocation of the plant should go together with the construction of an urban railway system.

Director of the Ha Noi Department of Information and Communications Phan Lan Tu said when one mentioned Gia Lam District, every person automatically thought about the Gia Lam Train Plant because it was closely interwoven with the lives of locals.

Director Tu suggested setting up a museum in the area once the plant was shifted to house souvenirs related to the plant.

The Gia Lam Train Plant was built in 1905 to repair locomotive and carriages.

The revolutionary struggle movement of the plants workers was powerful since its foundation until the August Revolution of 1945. Subsequently, the plant effectively served the countrys construction needs during different periods.
Italy Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano speaks during the closing press conference of the meeting of G7 Foreign Affairs Ministers in Lucca, Italy on Apr 11, 2017. (Photo: AFP/Vincenzo Pinto)

"At the moment there is no consensus on new sanctions as an effective instrument," he said at the close of a two-day meeting in Italy, after his British counterpart Boris Johnson raised the issue with the Group of Seven.

"There are clearly different opinions," Alfano said, adding that the G7 had reaffirmed its support for those sanctions already in place.

Johnson on Monday raised the possibility of "further sanctions on some of the Syrian military figures and some of the Russian military figures who have been involved in coordinating the Syrian military efforts".

US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last week that the US would soon impose additional sanctions on Syria, as part of a military, diplomatic and financial response to a chemical attack blamed on the regime.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault confirmed Johnson had raised the issue on Tuesday morning but said the diplomats had not discussed the issue in any depth.

Italy's Alfano stressed that for Rome "sanctions are a tool and not an end in itself" and warned against measures that would isolate Russia and back it "into a corner".
The April 3 suicide blast on the Saint Petersburg metro killed 13. (Photo: AFP/STR)

The eight people detained in Moscow and Saint Petersburg over the Apr 3 bombing that killed 13 are "all originally from Central Asia", the head of the FSB security service Alexander Bortnikov said, quoted by RIA Novosti news agency.

Bortnikov, speaking at a meeting of the National Antiterrorism Committee (NAK) that he chairs, did not specify the suspects' current citizenship.

"To prevent attempts by fighters to enter Russia," there is a need for "additional measures of control on the state border ... towards those suspected of taking part in terrorist attacks," the security chief said.

The country's border guards are under the control of the FSB.

Russia's Investigative Committee last week named the eight suspects but not their ethnic origin.

The suspected suicide bomber has been named as 22-year-old Akbarjon Djalilov, who is thought to be a Russian national born in Central Asian Kyrgyzstan.

Millions of migrants from the poverty-stricken ex-Soviet countries of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan come to work in Russia.

The core of "terrorist groups in Russia" is made up of citizens of ex-Soviet countries arriving "in flows of migrant workers," Bortnikov said.

Some of these had trained and fought in Syria and Iraq, the FSB chief added.

President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly warned that Russia faces a threat from hardened extremist fighters returning from Syria.

The investigation into the Saint Petersburg metro bombing shows that "operational work on the ground still does not fully correspond to the threat from illegal terrorist organisations," Bortnikov said.

Bortnikov linked the Saint Petersburg attack to the Islamic State militant group, which has however not claimed responsibility.

He cited information according to which "the heads of terrorist groups active in the Middle East as part of IS are working on plans to carry out terrorist attacks in various regions of the world, including Russia."

"Examples of this are the high-profile terrorist attacks in recent weeks in Britain, Russia, Sweden and Egypt," Bortnikov said.

In Sweden, an Uzbek man is suspected of driving a truck into pedestrians in the capital Stockholm, killing four and injuring 15.

IS has not claimed responsibility, but Swedish media reported the suspect had told investigators that he had received an "order" from the group.
A man has been arrested "on suspicion of a terrorist crime through murder," after a stolen truck drove into a crowd outside a department store in Stockholm, killing 4 AFP/Odd ANDERSEN

"Akilov confesses to a terrorist crime and accepts his custody detention," his lawyer Johan Eriksson told a custody hearing in a Stockholm district court.

Arrested in a Stockholm suburb just hours after Friday's attack, Akilov appeared in a special heavily-guarded high-security courtroom. Handcuffed and wearing a thick green hoodie over his head, he kept his head bowed down.

Judge Malou Lindblom ordered him to remove the hoodie and he complied, revealing dark hair with streaks of grey.

Akilov, a Russian speaker, had an interpreter at his side to help him follow the proceedings. He did not address the court directly.

After Eriksson's statement, the judge agreed to the prosecution's request to have the rest of the hearing held behind closed doors due to the classified nature of the information in the investigation.

After about an hour, journalists were readmitted into the courtroom and the judge remanded Akilov in custody.

Court documents seen by AFP showed Akilov, who is facing a lengthy prison sentence, had requested that his state-appointed lawyer Johan Eriksson be replaced by a Sunni Muslim, saying "only a lawyer of this faith could assert his interests in the best way". The court refused the request.

The four people killed in the attack were two Swedes - one woman and an 11-year-old girl - a British man, and a Belgian woman.

Eight people were still in hospital on Tuesday, including two in a critical condition.

Akilov, a construction worker who was refused permanent residency in Sweden in June 2016, went underground last year after receiving a deportation order, police said.

'ORDER' FROM IS

Friday's attack resembled previous rampages using vehicles in Nice, Berlin and London, which were all claimed by the Islamic State (IS).

IS has not claimed responsibility for the Stockholm attack, but Swedish media reports on Monday said Akilov had told investigators that he had received an "order" from IS to carry out the attack against "infidels".

The Aftonbladet newspaper reported that he had said he was "pleased with what he had done".

"I mowed down the infidels," Aftonbladet quoted him as saying, citing sources close to the investigation and describing him as a father of four whose family had stayed behind in Uzbekistan. "The bombings in Syria have to end," he was quoted as saying.

Deputy chief prosecutor Hans Ihrman refused to comment on the suspect's motive, while Akilov's lawyer Johan Eriksson would only say that his client had told police why he committed the attack.

'CONFESSION NOT ENOUGH'

Eriksson said the court had ordered Akilov to undergo a psychiatric evaluation as a standard procedure, and that a confession alone would not lead to a conviction.

"A confession is not enough to be convicted of a crime, other evidence is needed to back this up," Ihrman told reporters at the courthouse.

Police have previously said they are sure the suspect is the driver of the truck, citing technical evidence and video camera surveillance images.

Prosecutors said Tuesday that a second man arrested on Sunday would not be remanded in custody, but he would not be released due to a previous deportation order against him.

"We will continue to investigate if Akilov had other people around him" who may have been accomplices, Ihrman said.

Police have earlier said the investigation could "take up to a year to finish."

Swedish politicians have meanwhile expressed anger over the authorities' failure to deport the suspect, as police said around 12,000 people had absconded after being denied the right to stay.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven, who led a nationwide minute of silence for the victims on Monday, said he was "frustrated" by the problem, while far-right Sweden Democrats leader Jimmie Akesson called it a "huge scandal".

Intelligence agency Sapo has said the Akilov had appeared on their radar last year for undisclosed reasons, but national police commissioner Dan Eliasson said "there was nothing in the system that indicated (the suspect) would do something like what he did on Friday".

Justice Minister Morgan Johansson meanwhile told AFP he wants to beef up Sweden's anti-terror laws.
The female visitor bleeds after the incident (Photo: SGGP)

After a meeting with the Peoples Committee in District 1, the company sent a letter of apology and the sum of $ 1,000 to the elderly female foreigner who fell flat on her face in the pavement in Le Loi- Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street on April 4.

Additionally, the company must cover all medical cost for the female.

Before, Deputy Chairman of Peoples Committee in district 1 Doan Ngoc Hai asked the company to make apology to the female foreign visitor when he read information of the incident on newspaper.

Through investigation, related agencies verified the iron picket-pin made by Vien Dong Company for music performance in the Tet holiday (Lunar New Year).

Deputy Chairman Hai also asked the company to remove the iron hook in the street for pedestrians safety.
A driver opening Uber application on his smartphone. The pilot e-hailing project of Uber got approval in Viet Nam. - Photo Uber

The Ministry of Transport has approved Uber Vietnams pilot project of applying technology in managing and connecting contracted passenger transportation.

Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong said on April 10 that Uber Vietnam had met the requirements of the ministry to carry out such a scheme. However, Uber Vietnam would need to get the necessary approvals from local authorities where the company has registered its operation.

Grab secured the same approval in October 2015 to carry out a similar pilot project in two years, but at the moment, Danang is still banning it.

On April 9, newspaper tuoitre.vn reported that Yen Hock Lim, Grabs representative in Vietnam, submitted a petition to Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asking for interference in Danang, so that Grab can continue operating in the city.

As of mid-March, Danang, the most popular tourist destination in Vietnam, said it was still waiting for guidance from the Ministry of Transportation regarding Grabs operation here.

In the meantime, the earlier order from the Traffic Safety Committee of Danang outlined in Document 57/CV-BATGT on preventing the operation of GrabCar and Uber in the city, remains valid. In the document, the committee asked that the City Department of Information and Communications order Internet and mobile service providers to prevent mobile phones from accessing the Grab and Uber apps, and that the city police and the City Department of Transport work together to find and punish people and organisations that are providing illegal services through these apps.

Lim said that the ban is not only inappropriate in light of the governments resolution on supporting companies from now to 2020, but also in light of the 2005 Law on Competition.

On April 7, as reported by the Guardian, in a ruling that is subject to appeal, a court in Rome upheld a complaint filed by taxi unions and banned Uber because it contributes to unfair competition.

The court gave Uber ten days to end the use of its various phone applications on Italian territory, along with their promotion and advertising. If Uber does not comply, it could face a fine of 10,000 euros ($10,600) for each day it remains in defiance of the court.

Uber said in a statement that it would appeal.

In a related development, Uber is returning to Taiwan, with a redesigned model that the company said would be legal this time. Earlier on February 2, Uber announced halting operations in Taiwan, claiming an impasse with authorities that deem the ride-hailing app illegal. The Taiwanese Ministry of Transportation and Communications had requested the company to register as a taxi company instead of a technology company in order to operate legally there.
In 2016, VIB recorded significant achievements thanks to its efficient, safe and sustainable development, and focus on sustainable source of revenue, cost optimisation, and efficient risk management.

In particular, VIB achieved VND702 billion ($31 million) of profit before tax, equivalent to 104 per cent of the target set by GSM. Total assets amounted to VND104.5 trillion ($4.6 billion), equivalent to 116 per cent of the target set by GSM. Credit growth reached approximately VND70 trillion ($3.1 billion), up 25 per cent for two consecutive years.

Also in the year, VIB re-purchased 30 per cent of the debts sold to VAMC while controlling its NPL under 3 per cent. Thanks to good deposit growth, the banks loan-to-deposit and short-term deposit to medium- and long-term loan ratio reached 65.6 per cent and 47.1 per cent respectively, which both well comply with the ratios required by SBV. The banks capital adequacy ratio (CAR) was 13.5 per cent.

Besides, in 2016 VIB continued to be well recognised by international institutions and government authorities. VIB was rated by Moodys to be in the group of banks with the highest financial strength for three consecutive years (2014, 2015, 2016); VIB won Bank of the Year Vietnam award for two consecutive years (2015, 2016) given by The Banker, UK.

Also in 2016, VIB successfully organised its annual GSM and elected the board of directors (eight members) and supervisory board (three members) for Term VII (2016-2019). The banks board of directors had six meetings and issued 84 resolutions in different areas of operation.

Distribute dividend and bonus share, increase charter capital, and plan for 2017

Adhering to VIBs policy of paying dividend and bonus share at a high rate in 2014 and 2015 (23 per cent and 25 per cent respectively), in 2016 the banks board of directors proposed to its annual GSM a plan of distributing dividend and bonus share at a maximum rate of 44.6 per cent of the charter capital, including 5 per cent in cash (estimated depending on SBVs approval) and 39.6 per cent by bonus share (including 3.5 per cent accumulated profit, 20.5 per cent capital surplus and 15.6 per cent reserve fund for charter capital supplement).

In another plan, which is also proposed to the GSM , VIB will not distribute dividend in cash but apply a 44.6 per cent rate by bonus share only (including 8.5 per cent accumulated profit, 20.5 per cent capital surplus and 15.6 per cent reserve fund for charter capital supplement).

In addition, the board of directors will also submit to the GSM a plan of paying bonus share to the banks employees at a 0.4 per cent rate of the charter capital, equivalent to VND23 billion ($1.01 million).

The plans of increasing charter capital mentioned above aim to strengthen VIB and its charter capital size so that the bank can get ready to meet liquidity and capital adequacy ratios in its business and operation.

According to VIB, 2017 will be a promising year when the bank focuses on its targets of sustainable growth and size expansion. Apart from the plans of distributing dividend and increasing charter capital, VIB also pays due attention to its business plan for 2017, including a credit growth plan with 2 options: i) 16 per cent credit growth approved by SBV before; ii) 32 per cent credit growth estimated by the Board of Management based on its risk management capability and the economys priority direction, depending on approval of SBV; Profit before tax estimated at VND750 billion ($33.1 billion); Deposit on market 1: over VND80 trillion ($3.53 billion); Total assets: VND120 trillion ($5.3 billion); Minimal decrease in credit balance with VAMC and NPLs controlled below 3 per cent.

Besides, the Board of Directors propose a plan to mobilise funds (maximum VND7 trillion ($310 million) on the secondary market for up to 10 years in order to strengthen its CAR and other financial indicators to serve the banks business.

The banks annual GSM is scheduled to take place at Sheraton Hotel, Hanoi on April 27 , 2017.
Robert Duglin (L), vice president of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), and Vu The Binh, chairman of the Vietnam Society of Travel Agents (VISTA), sign a cooperation agreement in Hanoi last week

The two sides agreed to exchange information on tourism events such as travel expos, road shows and other activities organized in the two countries, especially those organized by the two parties.

The two organizations will also cooperate to organize tours for travel and media agencies of both countries to learn about tourism products, services and destinations.

The two sides will match their members for cooperation and update each other on changes in the entry and tourism policies of the two countries.

The signing ceremony took place at the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) organized by VISTA from April 6 to 9.

The U.S. is a major source market for Vietnams tourism sector. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, more than 552,000 Americans visited Vietnam last year, up 12.5% against the same period in 2015 and accounting for over 5% of all international arrivals in Vietnam.
Russian President Vladimir Putin reacts during a joint press conference with Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella after a meeting in Moscows Kremlin on Tuesday. Putin called last weeks U.S. airstrike in Syria a provocation.
RSVP is Irelands top selling womens magazine and has been under the leadership of Paula Lenihan since 2011 and has an online digital audience of over 1 million unique users, says Mirror Media. Paula Lenihan will become part of the senior editorial team in Mirror Media in the role of Associate Editor whilst continuing to head up the publishing of RSVP and report into John Kierans, Editor in Chief.

The Cork native spoke enthusiastically about the sale; I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for the entire team at RSVP, the readers and the advertisers to enjoy the benefits of the resources and extensive experience available from Mirror Media. We have worked with Mirror Media in the past and found them to be a professional, principled and genuine team. I would like to thank everyone who have supported us in our journey so far and look forward to providing all involved with an even better service and content across all platforms. Becoming part of a company with such an impressive track record in the Irish media industry will enhance the RSVP brand enormously. We are very excited about its future.

Joanne McGreevy, Managing Director of Mirror Media said We are delighted with this - our first acquisition in the Irish market. We have been working very hard over the last 2 years growing our existing brand online with IrishMirror.ie and creating new successful brands - Belfast Live and more recently Dublin Live. Acquiring the RSVP brand will help us accelerate our audience growth in Ireland. Its print and online brands are a great fit with our existing business.
The Cambodian government has announced it will schedule monthly press briefings, following meetings with German officials.

Ouk Kimseng, Information Ministry spokesman, said an official would soon be appointed to field questions from the press corps.

Organizing a regular press briefing is most useful for public institutions as spokesperson will have an opportunity to speak to journalists and the public about their institutions having done their work and what to do in the future, he said.

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Hun Sen held the first in what he promised would be a series of annual correspondents dinners in Phnom Penh.

The decision to begin monthly media briefings follows a visit to Berlin by several information ministry officials, sponsored by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), to observe the relationship between the media and state institutions.

Kay Kimsong, editor-in-chief of Post Khmer, welcomed the announcement, saying the briefings would enable journalists better access to officials.

The gatherings ... are good and they have already prepared to answer reporters questions while reporters have prepared themselves to ask them...this is ideal, he said.

Moeun Chhean Nariddh, director of the Cambodian Institute for Media Studies, said the events would also be an education for officials in how to interact with a lively press and would help strengthen democracy.

In a democratic society, when we get better and good information, it will make our democracy even stronger democracy ... based on good governance, transparency and social accountability, he said.

He added that he hoped spokespeople conducting the briefings would not try to mislead the public.
Authorities in eastern Afghanistan say counterterrorism army operations have killed up to 50 Islamic State militants, including three senior commanders.

The overnight deaths occurred in the district of Achin, an IS stronghold in Nangarhar province near the border with Pakistan.

A regional military spokesman told VOAs Afghan service on Wednesday there were 12 foreign militants among the dead but gave no information about their nationalities.

IS has not yet responded to the official claims.

Afghan special forces, backed by air power and armed U.S. drones, have recently launched a major operation to clear several Nangarhar districts of IS extremists.

Afghan and U.S. commanders say that the offensive dubbed as Hamza has made significant advances, killing hundreds of loyalists of the Middle East-based terrorist group and destroying their bases. In March alone, U.S. airstrikes killed more than 200 IS fighters.

The U.S. military says that former members of the militant Pakistani Taliban have joined IS ranks in Afghanistan after fleeing military operations against their strongholds in Pakistan.

On Saturday, the U.S. military confirmed that one of its soldiers died as a result of wounds sustained during counter-IS operations in Nangarhar.

Separately, local media quoted a district governor as saying that clashes with Taliban insurgents Wednesday in the volatile southern Zabul province left an Afghan army battalion chief and one soldier dead.

The province borders Pakistan, and lately it has been the site of intense clashes between Afghan security forces and the Taliban.

Afghan officials reported earlier this month that an airstrike in the Shamulzayi district of Zabul destroyed a major Taliban training center, killing 18 suicide bombers and their eight Pakistani trainers.
156 years ago  April 12, 1861  the war that nearly tore the United States of America apart began when Confederate forces opened fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

Slavery

The conflict between the Confederate South and Union North over the issue of slavery had been brewing for several years.

Southern leadership met to discuss a unified separation from the United States, and by 1860 the majority of the slave states were publicly threatening secession if the Republicans, the anti-slavery party, won the presidency. Other tensions included states rights,trade and taxes.

Following the election of Republican Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860, South Carolina immediately initiated secession proceedings. On December 20, the South Carolina legislature declared the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other states, under the name of the United States of America, is hereby dissolved.

After the declaration, South Carolina set about seizing forts, arsenals, and other strategic locations within the state. Within six weeks, five more Southern states  Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana  had followed South Carolinas lead.

President Lincoln, an abolitionist and pacifist, but most of all a realist, believed the cost of war was worth saving the country, whether or not a single slave was freed. He argued this in a letter to Horace Greeley, editor of the influential New York Tribune newspaper:

If there be those who would not save the Union, unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them. If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time destroy slavery, I do not agree with them.

My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that.

What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.

Four years after the first shots were fired, an estimated 620,000 Union and Confederate soldiers were dead, many from disease, in addition to combat.

On April 9, 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered, ending the war, slavery and keeping the country intact.
Bangladesh hanged three extremists Wednesday who were found guilty of a 2004 grenade attack on a British diplomat.

Early last year the High Court dismissed the appeals of Mufti Abdul Hannan, chief of the banned group Harkatul Jihad al-Islami, and two of his followers. The three were convicted of attacking Anwar Choudhury, who at the time of the attack, was British high commissioner to Bangladesh.

Choudhury survived the grenade attack, which took place as he visited a Sufi shrine in the northeastern city of Sylhet. Three worshippers at the shrine were killed.

The three men were convicted in 2008 of murder and of planning the attack, and were sentenced to death. Two other militants were sentenced to life in prison.
A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Tuesday opened investigations into eight ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet and dozens of sitting lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest corruption scandal ever.

The office of Justice Edson Fachin released the names of the politicians targeted after lifting the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of builder Odebrecht, which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes.

The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temer's efforts to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record.

Temer's office declined to comment.

Chief of staff

The ministers targeted include Eliseu Padilha, Temer's chief of staff and an experienced politician who is considered key in negotiations with Congress to approve the administration's landmark pension reform.

Padilha declined to comment on the investigation order, saying he would defend himself in court.

Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture will also be investigated as part of the case that has shaken Brazil's political establishment and jolted financial markets.

The heads of both houses of Brazil's Congress are being targeted, as well as senior politicians from both Temer's ruling coalition and the opposition, including former Presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff.

"The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question," opposition Senator Jorge Viana, who is also under investigation, said in a statement.

Brazil's top public prosecutor in March asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees' testimony.

Petrobras contracts

Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin America's biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras.

Rodrigo Maia, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said his innocence would be proved during the investigation. Other politicians also insisted they were innocent and discredited the testimonies.

Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted.

Aides close to Temer have told Reuters that it could take months for the ministers to be charged, meaning Padilha and other key cabinet members will most likely stay in their posts long enough to secure the pension reform's passage.

A former presidential candidate and likely contender for the 2018 elections, Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party, also will be investigated, the daily reported.
The captain of an Indian boat hijacked by Somali pirates told VOA that eight of the crew were held on land for nine days before they were freed by Somali security forces in an operation near the village of Dugulle in the Mudug region on Wednesday.

Captain Salim Osman, who was among those taken to land, said the pirates separated the 10-person crew just three days after hijacking the boat.

Two of the sailors had been found on the boat after security forces took it over during the early hours of Monday.

Osman said he was happy to be free. VOA's Somali service spoke to him while he was riding a vehicle with the mayor of Hobyo, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali.

"Now I feel better," said Osman, who is from the Kutch district in western India's Gujarat state.

Ali said security forces detained four pirates who were holding the crew after moving them from their boat off the coast of Hobyo.

Osman, 31, says the boat, Al Kausar, was traveling from Dubai to Bosaso when the pirates attacked it April 1. Earlier, maritime sources said the boat was headed for Kismayo.

"This date I will never forget it, this was April Fools' Day," he said.

Osman said the pirates asked for money. He also said they talked about the release of suspected Somali pirates being held in Indian jails.

Osman said the pirates did not mistreat or threaten them, but that the main challenge was not getting enough food and drink.

"No person hit me but we have not eaten for three days, two days, no drinking. We have been in the jungle," he said. "Jungle does not have any food, and not any water."

He said the pirates holding them were tired after being chased by security forces for several days.

Osman said this was the first time his boat was attacked by pirates in the 13 years that he has been sailing to Somalia from the United Arab Emirates.

Asked if he will continue sailing to Somalia, he replied, "No; maybe one year I will relax to home and after that I will decide."

He said he has a wife and an 18-month-old daughter who live in Gujarat.

Maritime experts say piracy is reemerging in Somali waters following an increase in illegal fishing, but Somali regional security forces appear to be better prepared this time to face the challenge.

On March 16, pirates also abandoned a Sri Lankan-flagged ship, Aris 13, after Puntland security forces briefly exchanged gunfire with pirates.
The United States imposed financial sanctions on Wednesday against two militia leaders accused of collaborating on violence intended to destabilize the Central African Republic, which is struggling to end years of division and bloodshed.

The assets of Abdoulaye Hissene and Maxime Mokom were both frozen, although it was not clear whether either holds any property within U.S. jurisdiction. Generally, U.S. nationals are also prohibited from transactions with those under sanctions.

Hissene is a chief in the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel coalition that ousted then-President Francois Bozize in 2013.

Mokom is an leader in the Christian militias known as anti-Balaka, which arose in reaction to Bozize's ouster.

Violence between the Seleka and the anti-Balaka, which included waves of ethnic cleansing, has left the country deeply divided along religious fault lines.

"Today's action underscores our ongoing efforts to target those responsible for fueling violence and human rights abuses in the Central African Republic," said John E. Smith, the director of the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

The allegations against Hissene and Mokom, who initially hailed from rival armed factions, underline the increasingly convoluted web of alliances between rebels and militias that continue to undermine security despite successful elections.

U.S. authorities accuse them of collaborating as part of a plot to overthrow Central African Republic's transitional government in September 2015 and attempting to derail through violence a constitutional referendum later that year.

They were suspected of planning to disrupt the arrival of President Faustin-Archange Touadera at the airport in the capital, Bangui, last June, raising fears of a possible coup attempt.

"From seemingly opposing sides of the conflict, Hissene and Mokom have in the past few years conspired to keep the war going, much for their own personal benefit," said Ruben de Koning of The Sentry, which researches the financing of conflict in Africa.

Both Hissene and Mokom have commanded fighters during a new wave of clashes that has struck the center of the country since November.

The violence, among the worst since 2015-16 elections, has stretched the capacity of a U.N. peacekeeping mission and highlighted the chaos that still reigns in much of the former French colony.
The United Nations Childrens Fund says there has been an alarming surge in the number of children being used as suicide bombers by the militant Boko Haram in the conflict engulfing the Lake Chad region in West Africa.



Data gathered by the UN childrens fund shows children were used as suicide bombers in 27 attacks in the first quarter of 2017. That is three times more than during the same period last year and nearly the same number as the whole of 2016.

The militant Islamist group Boko Haram has been forcing children to blow themselves up in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014. As the Islamist group finds itself on the run, it reportedly is resorting increasingly to this tactic to spread terror among civilian populations of the Lake Chad region.

UNICEF spokesman Christophe Boulierac says Boko Haram uses children, rather than adults, as human bombs because they can be easily manipulated and more likely to escape scrutiny. He tells VOA girls are mostly used in these attacks.

Since January 2014, among the 117 children that have been used in suicide attacks, more than 80 percent of them are girls. So, girls are particularly exposed to this horrific practice, he said.

Boulierac says children are viewed with deep suspicion by the authorities and public at large. He says children who have escaped captivity from Boko Haram often hide what they have experienced when they return to their communities.

They fear the stigmatization and even sometimes the violent reprisals from their community who might at some point think that these children are still dangerous," he said. "It is important, in any case, to remember that these children are victims. They are not perpetrators.

UNICEF says local authorities often hold children intercepted at checkpoints in prolonged periods of administrative custody. It is calling for an end to this practice and for the children who often are severely traumatized by their experiences to be immediately handed over to civilian authorities who can support them.
The recent gas attack in Syria has resurrected Russian-Turkish tensions. Turkey is again calling for the removal of Russian backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the creation of safe areas and no-fly zones, but renewed tensions between Russia and Turkey could cost Ankara economically.

Ankaras robust stance against the Syrian regime has brought a swift response from Moscow. The Russian Union of Travel Industry warned Monday that an embargo on charter flights to Turkish holiday resorts could be reintroduced.



The embargo, which only recently was lifted, was part of tough economic sanctions enforced by Moscow after Turkish jets downed a Russian bomber operating from a Syrian airbase in 2015. "I don't think it can afford another crisis with Russia, warns political columnist Semih Idiz of Al Monitor website, especially from the economic dimension, just with the advent of tourism season around the corner. So there has to be a balancing act there, a very delicate one."



Russian tourists account for the second-largest number of vacationers to Turkey. Last years embargo devastated the countrys lucrative tourism industry, with the number of Russian visitors dropping by nearly three million. Tourism accounts for 6.2 percent of the Turkish economy, employing eight percent of the labor force.



Until now, Turkish media had been reporting on a surge in Russian tourist bookings and the opening of new air charter routes from Russia, but, hopes of a new tourism boom now appear firmly on hold.

Economy slowed already

The uncertainly could not come at a worse time for the Turkish economy.

The nation is exhausted by weight of economic slowdown, warns political consultant Atilla Yesilada of Global Source partners, Despite the massive economic stimulus that has been injected into the economy, the consumer side is not recovering. Weve seen the latest unemployment figures are at multi-year highs, we see a more important indicator, visit to shopping malls, turnover down by 1.5 percent, visitors down by 5.5 percent.



Even before the latest outbreak in bilateral tensions, Moscow's sincerity over rapprochement efforts, was already in question in Turkey, it was a one side arrangement points out Aydin Selcen former senior Turkish diplomat who served widely in the region.

Despite both presidents talking about progress, Moscow left in place most of the most Draconian economic sanctions against Turkey, even practical issues like export agricultural products is not solved yet, the issue for visa for Turkish citizens is not solved yet, also the tomato issue is unresolved, points out Selcen

Rotten tomatoes

Moscows ban on Turkish tomatoes is one of most painful and contentious issues for Ankara. Russia had accounted for more than 70 percent of Turkish exports, worth annually more than $250 million. A year later Turkish suppliers have struggled to find alternative markets, and the sight of tomatoes rotting on the vines are again starting to be reported in Turkish media.

Ankara last month hit back, introducing its own sanctions against Russian wheat imports. But in an interview last month Turkish Agriculture Minister Faruk Celik acknowledged the trade war was unsustainable.

But strategic interests over Syria could help ease bilateral tensions. Turkey and Russia, along with Iran, are seen to have a vested interest in cooperating over Syria, despite their differences, if there is going to be peace in Syria it will require at least for those three countries to be on board, so their proxy actors in Syria to be on board too, points out Sinan Ulgen, a visiting scholar from Carnegie Europe in Brussels, So that's what is creating this feeling  interdependence.



Turkish Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci, voicing frustration over the situation, said next week economic delegations will sit down to resolve bilateral trade issues, No country can win through bans. On the contrary, all lose. In an environment devoid of bans, all will win, said Zeybekci. Strategic considerations over Syria, however, also could be a factor in preventing a breakdown in relations.


The publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper apologized Wednesday to U.S. first lady Melania Trump and agreed to pay her about $2.9 million in connection with a 2016 article that repeated false allegations a modeling agency she worked for operated as an escort agency.

Trump filed a defamation lawsuit in February seeking $150 million in damages for harm done to her business interests and emotional distress. The suit said the article harmed her ability to earn millions of dollars during a time when she would be "one of the most photographed women in the world."

The article discussed allegations that first appeared in a book and a Slovenian magazine, which Trump's lawyers said falsely portrayed her as a prostitute. The lawsuit said the Daily Mail published the piece either knowing the allegations were false or "with reckless disregard for the truth."

"We accept that these allegations about Mrs. Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them," the Daily Mail said in a statement Wednesday. "We apologize to Mrs. Trump for any distress that our publication caused her."

The Daily Mail had already posted a statement in September, a month after the article was published, saying "there was no support" for the allegation in the book and magazine and that the aim of the article was to examine how the claims could impact the U.S. presidential election even if untrue.

Trump's husband, U.S. President Donald Trump, was by that point already deep into his campaign against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom he defeated in the November election.
Hundreds of detainees at an immigration holding center in Washington state began refusing meals in a hunger strike to protest conditions at the facility and delayed immigration hearings, activists said on Tuesday.

A group of about 100 detainees at the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington, refused their lunches on Monday, with 300 others joining the protest that night and the following morning, according to Maru Mora Villalpando, an activist in touch with the detainees.

The 1,575-bed facility houses immigrants awaiting hearings or deportation after being arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Hunger strikes common

Hundreds of immigrants at federal detention centers across the country have gone on hunger strikes in recent years, calling for improved conditions or to be released.

The Tacoma protesters' demands include expedited legal proceedings and higher-quality food, according to a statement from Northwest Detention Center Resistance, a volunteer group founded by Villalpando that has worked with detainees at the facility since a similar strike in 2014.

Some detainees have had legal paperwork lost when they were abruptly transferred out of state while waiting months for hearings, Villalpando said.

'Meal refusal'

Seattle ICE spokeswoman Rose Richeson said the agency was aware of the situation in Tacoma but said it would not count as a hunger strike under ICE guidelines until it had lasted at least 72 hours.

Right now it's more of a meal refusal thing that some of the detainees have done, Richeson said in a telephone interview.

Any detainees that do cross the 72-hour limit can be isolated and could eventually be ordered by a court into medical care, according to ICE guidelines.

Richeson declined to comment on demands by the protesting detainees.

No comment from Geo Group

The Geo Group Inc, the company that operates the Tacoma facility and other prisons and detention centers around the United States, would not comment on the situation on Tuesday, referring inquiries to ICE.

In fiscal year 2016, ICE placed more than 350,000 individuals in civil detention facilities, according to the department's website.

In January, new President Donald Trump signed an executive order making illegal immigrants with pending criminal cases priorities for deportation whether they have been found guilty or not.

The order was a departure from former President Barack Obama's policy, which prioritized deportations of those convicted of serious crimes.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will temporarily halt the release of its report documenting the failure of some local law enforcement agencies to help federal immigration authorities apprehend undocumented immigrants.

The weekly declined detainer outcome report was mandated in President Donald Trump's executive order, "Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States," to expose cities and counties that choose not to cooperate with federal immigration agents, especially self-styled sanctuary jurisdictions.

But now, after the release of one such report, DHS says it will review its methodology.

DHS issued corrections Monday on the detainer report from January 28 to February 03 that incorrectly denounced counties that had refused to cooperate with immigration enforcement authorities. These locations include Franklin County, Iowa; Franklin County, New York; Franklin County, Pennsylvania; and Montgomery County, Iowa.



DHS said the mistake happened due to a data processing error.



Additionally, detainers that appeared as being declined by Williamson County, Texas, and Bastrop County, Texas, were cases where the individual was transferred to another facility where they were released, according to a DHS statement.



Time needed to analyze and refine

Sarah Rodriguez, a spokeswoman for ICE, told the New York Times that this temporary suspension would grant the agency time to analyze and refine its reporting methodologies.





Detainers are immigration holds that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issues on individuals the agency is seeking to deport.



The website also says detainers that seemed to have been declined by Chester County, Pennsylvania, and Richmond County, North Carolina, were in fact immigration holds wrongly issued to these locations.



The subjects of those detainers were in different locations, DHS said.

The now corrected report was initially released on March 20 and showed more than 200 jurisdictions refusing to honor ICE detainer requests.

Also read: New Government Report Aims to Expose Sanctuary Jurisdictions

Immigration holds or detainers have been a controversial topic as sheriffs departments have become increasingly skeptical about the legality of these requests.

Also read: Local US Officials Question Legality of ICE Holds

The practice has raised constitutional concerns among local enforcement and rights groups that have said ICE uses detainers as a way to hold people for 48 hours without due process of law and, in many cases, without any charges pending or probable cause of any violation.

The National Immigration Law Center estimates there are 600 sanctuary cities and counties, as well as some states.
Outside of Cairo's St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope, a dozen high-ranking police officers are stationed on all entrances, searching cars and scanning the area, as security measures are visibly beefed up outside churches before Easter prayers on Sunday.



The usually festive occasion is tainted with fearful apprehension after twin bombings in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria killed 45 Coptic Christians this week on Palm Sunday, which marks the start of the Coptic Holy Week.

The increased security measures on display outside churches across the country are meant to restore a sense of security for Egypt's Copts amid a war on the embattled minority declared by the Islamist State group, which claimed Sunday's bombings. However, the enhanced security can do little against the effect of repeated attacks on Coptic churches in recent years.



No security measure can stop a suicide bomber with jihadist beliefs from blowing up a church, Coptic engineer Emad Thomas told The Associated Press on Wednesday. However, he believes that Copts will still attend prayers on Sunday as they have continued to go to church despite earlier attacks. Egypt's Copts put their trust in God and not in security measures, he said.



Egypt's Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday the identity of the Alexandria church bomber, saying that he belongs to the same terrorist cell that carried out the December bombing of a chapel adjacent to Egypt's main cathedral. The ministry identified the suicide bomber as Mahmoud Hassan Mubarak Abdallah, a 30-year-old worker at a petroleum company, and published his picture. It also published names and pictures of others identified as fugitive members of the same cell, offering LE100 thousand ($5,510) for leads on their whereabouts.



Outside of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Cairo's central downtown area, a military tank is stationed with five soldiers on top - one of the more overt manifestations of President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi's declaration of a three-month state of emergency.



In the southern city of Assiut, security barriers closed off an area of about 100-meters around large churches. A local security source told the AP that agents will be dispersed ahead of Sunday's prayers and a special unit will be formed at the security directorate to receive reports about suspicious individuals in the vicinity of churches. A military source said that troops have started patrolling the city and will be stationed across town before Sunday. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.



In the neighboring city of Minya, home to the highest Coptic Christian population in the country, the Coptic Orthodox Diocese said that celebrations will only be limited to the liturgical prayers without any festive manifestations, in mourning for Sunday's victims.



Peter Naggar, a Coptic lawyer, saw the enhanced security around churches as an effort to appease Copts, many of whom blame the state for failing to protect them. In the Tanta attack, the bomber was able to enter the church and reach the front rows before blowing himself up.



The government should have taken these measures before the Coptic celebrations season and not after disaster struck, he said.



After claiming the December church bombing that killed 25 worshippers, the Islamic State group vowed in a statement circulated online to continue its war on Egypt's Copts.



The group continues to target security in the Sinai Peninsula almost daily while carrying out sporadic operations in mainland Egypt. According to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online activity of militants, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency announced on Tuesday that the group has killed 172 soldiers in Sinai since the beginning of the year.



The latest church bombings deal another blow to Egypt's struggling tourism industry, which has suffered from political instability and a fragile security situation since the 2011 uprising. The U.S. issued a travel warning on Wednesday, advising its nationals in Egypt to stay away from places of worship for the next two weeks and to avoid crowds as long as they remain in the country.
Turks living overseas are turning out in greater numbers to vote in a referendum on changing the constitution to create an executive presidency, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, a development that pollsters say could benefit him.

Voters in Turkey will go to the polls on April 16 to decide on the referendum that would give Erdogan sweeping new powers.

Voting for expatriate Turks began as early as late March in some countries and is due to run until Sunday.

The referendum campaign has brought a rapid deterioration in relations with some of Turkey's European allies over the banning of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany on security grounds, something Erdogan has denounced as "Nazi-like" tactics.

A high turnout abroad is likely to boost Erdogan, pollsters say, citing past elections, but at home it could hurt him as opposition voters traditionally make up a bigger proportion of those who tend to shun the polls on an election day.

"There is an amazing explosion of votes abroad. Around 1.42 million votes have been cast," Erdogan said at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa, calling on his supporters to flood the ballot box with "yes" votes in the referendum.

The figure Erdogan cited suggests a turnout of around 50 percent, based on the 2.88 million voters registered abroad in the last general election in November 2015, according to data from the High Electoral Board (YSK).

In that election the turnout was around 40 percent among expatriates, with 56 percent of those votes being cast for the AK Party, which Erdogan founded more than a decade ago.

Polls show a close race days before the referendum, putting the "yes" vote slightly ahead, but indicate that nearly half the country could reject the proposed constitutional changes.

Foreign vote results will be announced once the actual referendum is held on Sunday.

Bitterly Divided

One polling company, Mak Danismanlik, seen as close to Erdogan, said initial exit polls from abroad showed the "yes" vote at 62 percent. It said the only country where the "no" vote had prevailed was the United States. It did not say how many people it had polled or where the research was conducted.

Pollsters Gezici, whose research has tended to overestimate opposition support, forecast 82-83 percent voter participation domestically and a "yes" vote as high as 56 percent if the turnout is lower in Turkey.

The referendum has polarized the nation of 79 million.

Erdogan's opponents fear increasing authoritarianism from a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkey's democracy and secular foundations.

Erdogan argues that the proposed strengthening of the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey faces security threats from Islamist and Kurdish militants.

It was not immediately clear what the turnout in specific countries was, but in the November 2015 election, around 40 percent of the Turks in Germany cast their votes while the figure was around 45 percent in the Netherlands.

Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said Turks living there had cast 696,863 votes for the referendum, bringing turnout in Germany to 48.73 percent.
The European Commission is not ready yet to take measures against Hungary, despite the country passing laws to curb academic freedom and trying to decrease the freedom of civil society organizations. The EU executive arm complete a legal assessment to study if newly introduced laws are compatible with EU rules.

EU Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said Wednesday the commission decided developments in Hungary need discussion, but do not warrant action.

There is in the view of the commission today, not a systemic threat to the rule of law in Hungary. ... The college unanimously agreed that a broader political dialogue between the Hungarian authorities, other member states, and the European Parliament and Commission is now warranted.

Since Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban was elected in 2010, independent media and civil society freedom to operate is shrinking. He frequently criticizes the European Union and says he is working to transform Hungary into an "illiberal democracy."

Despite signing the Rome Declaration on the future of the bloc last month, Orbans administration started a "stop Brussels" campaign that includes a nationwide survey asking citizens how the government should deal with threatening policies.

Academic freedom targeted

A law passed earlier this week targets academic freedom. It is believed the law is intended to stop operations of the Central European University that is funded by Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.



Tens of thousands of protesters have demonstrated against the education bill, and are opposing a law targeting non-governmental organizations, which is expected to be approved in May.

Eszter Kiss of the Eotvos Karoly Policy Institute says there have been several times when it seems its employees are under government surveillance. Kiss feels that the new law would further stigmatize civil society organizations.

Because of the hate campaign and the aggressive, unpredictable legislation practice of the government very few people in Hungary have the courage to openly donate for CSOs and the law will make the situation only more difficult. The draft and the plan of this law were introduced with the communication that CSOs should operate transparently. In fact, they are already obliged by the law to publish their financial reports.

Hungarian Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Stefania Kapronczay says the proposed law will not shut down organizations immediately, but that it strengthens the negative rhetoric used against civil society. Kapronczay hopes the European Union will defend democracy in the country and the freedom of expression.

When Hungary joined this union we signed up for the adherence to those values, so we expect the European Union and the European politicians to hold Hungary accountable to upholding those values. We believe that is something that holds together the union and these are the European values.

A few options for pressure

The EU Commission said follow up steps on legal concerns in Hungary will be decided by the end of this month. The country has been able to enact most of its illiberal reforms.

Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska of the Center for European Reform says the tools the bloc has to address rule of law issues arent working properly.

When a government violates European law and in the process goes against democratic values the commission can open an infringement procedure and bring the case in front of the Court of Justice. This procedure cannot be applied however when an EU government backtracks on democratic values but does not break any EU law. If the European Commission does not find any evidence that the EU law has been broken by government's reforms on higher education there is little it can do.

A recent report by monitoring group Freedom House claims Hungary has the lowest democracy score in Central Europe and that Poland is also failing.

European Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova said earlier this week the European Union sees worrying trends in countries such as Hungary and Poland, which has received several warnings from the bloc on issues related to democracy and rule of law.

Massive demonstrations were staged in both countries, but the governments are still moving forward with their agenda. Jourova said she encourages people to be vocal.

I myself do not believe that any administrative steps or infringements or other measures taken by the European commission in relation or against some member state will help a lot. It must be the people in the member states which feels the need to say something on the future development, said Jourova.

One EU measure could be to trigger Article 7, a punishment whereby a member state loses its voting rights. But triggering Article 7 needs backing of all member states and is so politically sensitive its called the "nuclear option."


U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed NATO support on its condemnation of Syria's use of chemical weapons on its own people last week.

Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg spoke to reporters after meeting at the White House Wednesday.

Trump called the attack, blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a "murderous attack, using the most horrible weapons," and said "the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life."

Stoltenberg said any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and cannot go unanswered. He said whoever is responsible for the attack must be held accountable.

Earlier, European officials blamed a lack of clarity about U.S. and British policy toward Syria for their opposition this week to the imposition of new punitive measures against Russian and Syrian military officials.





The officials said it remains unclear how the sanctions would change Moscows backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, whos been leading the Anglo-American effort, took comfort after the G7 meeting of foreign ministers in the broad recognition secured at the gathering that theres no solution to the crisis in Syria while Assad remains in power.

He has emphasized targeted sanctions are still on the table, but moving forward with them will have to wait for a full investigation into the alleged April 4 Sarin Gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

But European Union officials say unease about the legal basis for a renewed sanctions regime isn't the only worry of the Germans and the Italians in particular. There were two problems at the G7 meeting, a senior European official told VOA. One was with the lack of a clear step-by-step proposal for what happens after the imposition of sanctions, the vision of how to get rid of Assad and to persuade the Russians to withdraw their backing of the Syrian leader; and the second was with the salesmen for sanctions.

Skepticism about Johnson

The Europeans view Johnson with deep skepticism. The colorful former journalist has established a reputation for inconsistency, a reputation that Britains Financial Times acknowledged raises serious questions over his ability to play the world statesman.

Johnson was pro-EU before becoming a leading campaigner for Britain to break with the European Union, a shift seen as part of a bid for leadership of the ruling Conservative Party.

He has shifted from being a dove when it comes to Russia to a hawk: in 2015 when London mayor he advocated Britain shouldnt be afraid of "dealing with the devil" and aligning with Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad against the Islamic State terror group, but the next year he was urging more sanctions on Moscow. At the start of this year he shifted yet again saying Assad should be allowed to run for re-election.

Europeans see the back-and-forth as a reflection of Britains effort to secure a post-Brexit free trade deal with Washington. So do some British critics. Boris is finding out that a foreign policy based on following the USA quickly becomes contradictory when American policy goes on walkabout, tweeted Labor politician Stewart Wood.

Tim Farron, the leader of Britains Liberal Democrats, has dubbed Johnson a poodle of Washington.

Mixed signals

Mixed signals from Washington about Syria policy havent reassured Americas European allies, even those who have long favored a tougher approach to Assad. White House spokesman Sean Spicer, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, have all cut across each other about the details of what U.S. policy is toward Syria, and European officials fear theres not an approach combining political and military solutions to the conflict.



Haley has touted the possibility of regime change, while Tillerson has emphasized the defeat of IS is paramount.

The final communique Tuesday night after a two-day meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the Italian town of Lucca made no mention of the Anglo-American bid to isolate Putin and to impose sanctions on Russian and Syrian military figures.

Analysts are raising increasing doubts about next-steps and question whether Assads foreign backers, Russia and Iran, are ready to ditch the Syrian leader. The battlefield favors Assad, as it has done for months, thanks to Russian airpower and Iranian-linked Shi'ite militias.

The U.S. Cruise missile strike in response to the Sarin Gas attack cheered rebels and pro-opposition analysts alike, but the follow-up has left them as skeptical as European leaders.

The U.S. strikes in Syria have already had significant effects, but they still leave the questions of overall Syria strategy hanging, argued Paul Salem of the Washington-based Middle East Institute.

On the immediate side, the attacks provide a tangible deterrent to future use of banned chemical weapons," he added. "They have also signaled to Americas friends and foes that this administration is open to taking quick military action. But the reversal of the administrations own course on Syria, Bashar al-Assad was not seen as a central problem or priority days before the attack, and the inconsistent messaging from administration officials since the strikes have left an air of confusion as to Trumps future policy on Syria.
The Hungarian government should engage in "serious, urgent and good-faith talks" with Central European University about legal changes seen to be targeting the school founded by billionaire George Soros, a U.S. diplomat said Tuesday.

A bill signed Monday by President Janos Ader sets new conditions for foreign universities in Hungary, some of which seem aimed specifically at CEU. The law requires universities in Hungary also to have a campus in their home countries. While CEU is accredited in Hungary and in New York state, it does not have a U.S. campus.

"We're very concerned about the legislation," Hoyt Yee, U.S. deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs, told The Associated Press. "The legislation targets Central European University and threatens the ability of the university, an important American-Hungarian institution, to continue operating in Hungary."

The law also calls for bilateral agreements between Hungary and the home countries of universities from outside the European Union on how to manage the institutions.

Yee said "the United States does not engage in such agreements about ... how universities are going to be run in foreign countries. This is a matter for the government of Hungary and CEU to work out."

"We hope that the government of Hungary is going to engage in serious, urgent and good-faith talks with Central European University, as well as other affected institutions," Yee said Tuesday during a visit to Budapest.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the issue had wider implications.

"The legislation, we believe, can also similarly threaten operations of other American universities with degree programs in Hungary," Toner told reporters. "We're urging the government of Hungary to suspend implementation of the law. We want to see a review, a discussion, in order to address any concerns through dialogue with the university itself and other affected institutions."

Germany's deputy foreign minister, Michael Roth, said he expressed "incomprehension" about the foreign universities bill and its targeting of CEU at a meeting Tuesday with Hungary's ambassador in Berlin, Peter Imre Gyorkos.

"A lot that is happening in Hungary at the moment fills us with genuine concern," Roth said in a statement. "We are seeing that Hungary is taking an ever-stronger course of confrontation with the EU and its institutions."

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who briefly studied at Oxford University in 1989 thanks to a Soros scholarship, is an avowed ideological foe of the Hungarian-born investor and philanthropist's "open society" ideal, which contrasts with Orban's plan to turn Hungary into what he calls an "illiberal state."



Orban says Soros, through his support for nongovernmental organizations like the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, a rights advocacy group, is trying to influence Hungarian politics and opposes Hungarian interests by supporting refugees and migrants.

"The final debate is about the migration question," Lajos Kosa, parliamentary leader of Orban's Fidesz party, said on broadcaster TV2. "This is why the Hungarian government and the empire directed by Soros are straining against each other."
Italy's parliament approved on Tuesday measures to accelerate asylum procedures, cutting the number of possible appeals and speeding up deportations of rejected migrants.

Since 2014 the number of migrants reaching Italy's shores has surged, with half a million arriving in the country, and under European Union law Italy has to set up so-called "hotspots" where migrants with the right of asylum are set apart from those without.

As a result, Italy's asylum applications have jumped, burdening the national civil courts and with procedures further delayed by appeals that can take years.

Under the new rules the asylum ruling can be appealed only once, instead of twice, and the request has to be submitted within a month.

The law, named after Interior Minister Marco Minniti and Justice Minister Andrea Orlando, also creates 26 new sections in courts across the country, specialized in immigration.

It enables the Interior ministry to employ up to 250 people in the next two years to work in specialized state-run committees dealing with the asylum request.

Rights group Amnesty International said on Tuesday it was worried for the "significant reduction in the procedural guarantees for the asylum seekers" claiming that the new procedures could be unconstitutional and discriminatory.

"Faster decision are in the interest of those requesting asylum but they must not lead to a limitation of [the migrants'] rights," the head of Amnesty International in Italy Antonio Marchesi said in a statement.

The new rules had already been adopted by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's government at the beginning of February with an emergency decree on the grounds that the court backlog was stacking up quickly and asylum-seeker shelters were filling up.

Under Italian law, emergency decrees have to be converted into law by parliament within 60 days.

Italy has estimated that it will spend about 3.9 billion euros ($4.1 billion) this year on managing immigration, almost three times as much as in 2013. The annual bill could rise to 4.3 billion euros if arrivals increase, the equivalent to a quarter of the country's annual spending on defense.

($1 = 0.9428 euros)
Philippine troops have killed a key commander from the Abu Sayyaf militant group, the country's military chief said Wednesday.

Chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said the military recovered the body of Moammar Askali, also known as Abu Rami, in a village on Bohol island where Philippine forces clashed with Abu Sayyaf fighters.

Askali has been linked to the kidnapping and beheading of two Canadians last year and a German in February.

The military said Abu Sayyaf was attempting to carry out new kidnappings when they arrived by boat in the town of Inabanga, located on Bohol, a resort island outside of the areas in the southern Philippines where the group traditionally operates.

Clashes broke out when government forces went to investigate, and by Wednesday the fighting had left six militants, three soldiers and a policeman dead. The military said some fighting was still ongoing Wednesday as they worked to chase down remaining militants.

The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines issued a warning last week that it had received unsubstantiated yet credible information that terrorist groups may attempt kidnappings in Bohol and Cebu provinces.

The United States and the Philippines each consider Abu Sayyaf to be a terrorist organization.

The group has carried out numerous kidnappings, bombings and beheadings since its formation in the 1990s. In late February, Abu Sayyaf executed a German hostage after its deadline for a $600,000 ransom expired.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that his government has had a lot of questions about what he said were ambiguous and contradictory ideas coming from the new administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Lavrov spoke at the start of a meeting in Moscow with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, adding that it is important for Russia to understand U.S. intentions.

Lavrov also referenced last week's U.S. strike on a Syrian airbase, which came in response to a chemical weapons attack, calling the U.S. response "troubling."

Tillerson was more brief in his opening statement, but like Lavrov, he said that Wednesday's talks were happening at an important time and would include a frank discussion of their differences and mutual interests.

The top U.S. diplomat said the lines of communication between the two countries "shall always remain open." He said he wants to understand why certain areas of sharp differences exist and the prospects for narrowing those divides.

Tillerson arrived in Russia with less ammunition than Washington and London had hoped he would have in his bid to convince Russia to abandon its support for Syrian President Bashar al Assad.



But he does have a tough ultimatum in hand, following reports quoting unidentified senior U.S. officials as saying that Russia had prior knowledge of the attack that killed scores of people including women and children.

G7 ministers meeting Tuesday in the Italian city of Lucca failed to agree on targeted sanctions against the Russian and Syrian military, arguing that an investigation would first have to confirm who in Syria used chemical weapons against civilians in the country last week.



We cannot let this happen again, Tillerson told reporters before flying to Moscow. We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role, he said. Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia's interests longer term.

The chemical attack prompted a world outcry and a U.S. missile attack that marked a turning point in the Trump administrations approach to the seven-year-old conflict.



U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May had agreed to press Russia to distance itself from Assad following the chemical attack by imposing targeted sanctions, but Germany and Italy, both leading G-7 nations, disagreed.



Russian President Vladimir Putin must not be pushed into a corner, said Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said Tuesday.

For his part, Putin called Tuesday for a U.N. probe of last week's attack. Without elaborating, he also said Russia has received intelligence about planned "provocations'' using chemical weapons that would put the blame on the Syrian government.



The G7 ministers decision in Italy means the prospect of sanctions is dim. The process of launching an investigation would be long and complex, requiring a U.N. resolution and an agreement by the Assad government for weapons inspectors to access sites in territory under Assads control before establishing who was responsible and whether there was Russian complicity.



As the ground rapidly shifted regarding the U.S. approach to Syria, Tillerson made it clear that Washington hopes Assad will not be part of Syrias future. He told the foreign ministers in Lucca U.S. missile strikes were necessary as a matter of U.S. national security, and indicated the Trump administration may not be done with Assad.



We do not want the regimes uncontrolled stockpile of chemical weapons to fall into the hands of ISIS or other terrorist groups who could, and want, to attack the United States or our allies. Nor can we accept the normalization of the use of chemical weapons by other actors or countries in Syria or elsewhere, Tillerson said.
A lawyer for one of the women accused of murdering North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half brother with a chemical nerve agent said Wednesday that Malaysia has potentially compromised the case and that he's afraid his client will become a scapegoat.

In an interview with The Associated Press, the attorney for Siti Aisyah said the man who he believes recruited his client was allowed to leave Malaysia late last month, after the country struck a surprise deal with North Korea.

"(He) may not be implicated in the actual event of the murder, but his evidence is so important, central to our defense because it clearly shows how this naive girl was duped into doing things outside her knowledge," Gooi Soon Seng said at his office in the suburbs of Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysian police did not immediately respond to calls for comment, but they have said in recent weeks that the deal with North Korea did not affect the investigation.

The Feb. 13 killing of Kim Jong Nam sparked a fierce diplomatic battle between two countries that once had warm relations. Aisyah and another woman, from Vietnam, have been charged with murder for allegedly smearing Kim's face with VX nerve agent at a bustling airport terminal.

Although Malaysia never directly accused North Korea of carrying out the attack, speculation is rampant that Pyongyang orchestrated a hit on a long-exiled member of its ruling elite.

The countries ended a tense standoff on March 31 with a deal that gave North Korea custody of Kim's body and allowed Malaysia to question three North Korean men who had been hiding in their country's embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Malaysian police then allowed the men to fly home, saying they found no grounds to hold them.

It was an abrupt turnaround in the investigation. Earlier, Malaysia's national police chief, Khalid Abu Bakar, had hinted that the men had valuable intelligence, saying he would wait to question them, "even if it takes five years." One of the men identified by police is Ri Ji U, known by his nickname James.

Gooi said James should not have been allowed to leave because he was key to Aisyah's defense. He said James had recruited Aisyah in early January to star in his video prank shows. Over the course of several days, he had her rub oil or pepper sauce on a victim's face, "from forehead downwards," which he would film on his phone, the lawyer said.

They practiced at malls, hotels and airports, Gooi said, speaking ahead of a court appearance Thursday by the two defendants in which prosecutors are expected to ask for the case to be moved to a higher court for the trial.

Aisyah was paid about $100-$200 for each prank and hoped the income would allow her to stop working as a social escort, Gooi said.

"She was giving up that part of her life after meeting James and being given a role in the prank show. She was quite excited," he said. "She was quite well remunerated and she was telling her friends about the fact she doesn't want to live the life of a social escort anymore."

Gooi said that in January, Aisyah flew to Cambodia, where James introduced her to a man known as Chang. He said that Chang identified himself as a Chinese who produces video prank shows for the China market, and that Aisyah did three pranks at the airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital. Chang was later identified by Aisyah as Hong Song Hac, one of four North Korean suspects who fled Malaysia on the same day Kim was killed.

Gooi said Hong asked Aisyah to do several more pranks at the Kuala Lumpur airport a few days before Kim was attacked. He said Aisyah met Hong at the airport on the day of the killing, and that Hong identified Kim to Aisyah and allegedly put the poison on her hand.

"The real culprit has escaped and the people who have been (used) become the scapegoats," Gooi said. "By allowing James to go back when he could shed light on the truth of the matter, that would have compromised the defense and that I would say constitutes a miscarriage of justice."

Although Malaysia says the three men who were allowed to leave the country have no bearing on the investigation, authorities here have asked Pyongyang to return the four North Korean suspects, including Hong, and have issued an Interpol red notice alert for them.
Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Canada on Wednesday to receive her honorary citizenship and address the country's lawmakers after her first visit to Parliament in 2014 was put off because of a terror attack.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented her with a framed certificate of citizenship. She's only the sixth person to receive the honor and the youngest ever.



The 19-year-old Pakistani activist was 15 when she shot in the head by Taliban militants while returning from school. She was targeted for advocating women's education.



She won world acclaim for her campaign and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.



Malala originally was scheduled to receive honorary citizenship in October 2014, but the Canadian Parliament was stormed by an armed terrorist that day. The gunman killed a soldier standing guard at Ottawa's war memorial shortly before storming Parliament in an attack that was stopped cold when he was shot to death.



"The man who attacked Parliament Hill called himself a Muslim - but he did not share my faith. He did not share the faith of one and a half billion Muslims living in peace around the world. He did not share our Islam - a religion of learning, compassion and mercy," she said to applause.



Malala also praised Canada for welcoming more than 40,000 Syrian refugees, and appeared to add an appeal to the U.S. as well.



"I pray that you continue to open your homes and your hearts to the world's most defenseless children and families," she said, "and I hope your neighbors will follow your example."



And she joked about Trudeau, Canada's 45-year-old prime minister.



"People are always talking about how young he is. They say he is the second youngest prime minister in Canada's history. He does yoga, he has tattoos," she said. "When I was coming here everyone was telling me to shake his hand and let us know how he looks in reality. People were just so excited for me to meet Trudeau. I don't think anyone cared about the Canadian honorary citizenship."



The other five honorary citizens are the Dalai Lama, the Aga Khan, Nelson Mandela, Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi and Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg.
Despite comments from the U.S. secretary of defense, the Navy says the USS Carl Vinson Strike Group is still participating in planned exercises with the Australian navy.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters Tuesday at the Pentagon that the strike group was set to travel south for joint exercises with Australia but "canceled" its role there when the warships were directed north to the Western Pacific instead. Mattis said the move north was announced in an attempt to "explain why" the Vinson "wasn't in that exercise."

However, military officials told VOA on Tuesday that the Vinson was still participating in the exercises with Australia.

"The Carl Vinson Strike Group has placed scheduled joint operations with Australia on an accelerated timeline in order to facilitate the transit north," Navy spokesman Lieutenant Loren Terry said.

The strike group includes its namesake aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, as well as three guided missile destroyers.

A military press release Saturday said the Vinson would "operate in the Western Pacific rather than executing previously planned port visits to Australia." The press release did not mention U.S. participation in exercises with Australia.

Commander Dave Benham, director of media operations for the U.S. Pacific Command's Third Fleet, told VOA the fleet operates to "safeguard U.S. interests in the Western Pacific."

"The No. 1 threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilizing program of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability," he said.

Pyongyang has repeatedly defied international warnings about conducting missile launches and testing nuclear devices.

Mattis said the Vinson group was called north to the Western Pacific without a "specific demand signal," or threat seen emanating from the Korean Peninsula.

On Sunday, a North Korean Foreign Ministry official was quoted on state-run media as vowing to step up the country's defenses to protect itself from airstrikes like the one that the U.S. carried out against Syria last week.
At least 489 people have died from a meningitis outbreak in Nigeria, according to Nigeria's Minister of Health Isaac Adewole.

During an emergency health meeting in the Nigerian state of Kaduna, Adewole said most of the victims are children aged 5 to 14.



Local and international health workers met with traditional rulers from Nigerias predominantly Muslim northern region to discuss how to contain and stop the outbreak. Northern Nigerias traditional Islamic rulers wield enormous influence. Many people trust them over government officials. These rulers have been instrumental in dispelling false myths about the polio vaccine, helping to eradicate polio in the north.



More than 4,000 meningitis cases have been recorded since the outbreak began in December, hitting the countrys poor northern region the hardest. While meningitis outbreaks are not uncommon in Nigeria, this C strain of the disease is fairly new, according to the head of Nigerias Center for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu.



Meningitis C was fairly rare in our context until 2013, 2014, thereabouts. Meningitis A was the dominant group by a lot, a huge margin all over West Africa, Ihekweazu tells VOA. As far as Meningitis C, its probably the worst weve seen. Its a fairly serious one. This particular strain weve found it in five states only.



The disease is killing people who live in communities where access to hospitals is low and poverty is high. In poor northern neighborhoods families are usually polygamous with several children. Relatives are packed into small homes with little ventilation. Meningitis A and C are bacterial infections spread by saliva and close physical contact.

Vaccinations in Abuja



The Nigerian capital, Abuja, in central Nigeria has reported six suspected Meningitis deaths, and Niger state, which neighbors Abuja, has reported 16 cases. Health authorities in Abuja have administered more than 70,000 doses of Meningitis A and C vaccine.



When we heard, we started collecting and we starting vaccinating. We are very careful, because this is national federal capital territory. People are coming in and out. Its about 9.5 percent growth rate. Its really a peak place where infections can be transferred easily, says Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, the executive secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Development Board.



The immunization campaign is targeting high-risk populations, like people who have fled their homes in northeastern Nigeria in fear of Boko Haram. About 65,000 of them are living in camps across Abuja. Health workers are also targeting motor parks, the prison that sits on the outskirts of the city, and Nigerian military barracks.



Vaccine running short

Its a robust immunization aim, but there is not enough vaccine. Health workers are facing the reality of a global shortage of Meningitis C vaccine.



The allocation given to Abuja by the federal government of Nigeria ran out about a week ago. This year, the World Health Organization gave Nigeria 500,000 doses of the Meningitis A and C vaccine, but that stock is nearly gone. An additional 800,000 doses of conjugate Meningitis C vaccine from the British government is expected soon, most to sent to the northwestern state of Sokoto.

Zamfara state, where the outbreak began, says it needs three million doses.

If we had all the currently available global stock of vaccine, it will not be enough to provide immunity for Nigeria alone. We really need to plan more aggressively but we need the world to help us. We need to increase global production and reduce prices. The best vaccine we have at the moment, the polyvalent conjugate vaccine cost close to $50 a dose, Dr. Ihekweazu says.



Ihekweazu says its unaffordable for Nigeria and other West African countries. He suggests strong global advocacy to reduce the price.

A treatable disease



Dr. Ikekweazu says Meningitis is a bacterium that lives with people in West Africa, where nearly 20 percent of the population carrys a Meningitis strain in the respiratory tract. But people dont always get sick. When someone does get sick the disease inflames tissue around the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is treatable, but survivors may live with long-term or even permanent medical disabilities, such as visual impairment and neurological dysfunction. The World Health Organization says the disease is fatal in 50 percent of cases, if untreated.

Meningitis rates are highest in a region stretching from Senegal in westernmost Africa to Ethiopia in the east.

The 2015 outbreak of Meningitis C killed 1,100 people and sickened more than 10,000 in Nigeria and neighboring Niger. More than 2,000 people died from the A strain of the disease in 2009. In 1996, more than 1,000 cases were recorded, mostly in northern Nigeria.



Nigerians have turned to social media for public health advocacy. The hashtag Meningitis is trending in Nigerias Twitter space as public officials and concerned citizens discuss how to handle the epidemic.



Health Minister Adewole used Twitter to denounce the actions of health workers who are charging people for the Meningitis C immunization. Adewole says the immunization is supposed to be free of charge, provided by the Nigerian federal government.
Its been less than a week since President Donald Trump and Chinas Xi Jinping held their first high-level talks. Chinese state media have been playing up the positives following the get-together, highlighting how the meeting put ties back on track and how it is giving the relationship new dynamism.



Just days later, though, the two countries appear to be heading full steam toward the biggest test yet of Sino-U.S. ties under the Trump administration: North Korea.



A U.S. Navy strike force is heading for waters in North Koreas neighborhood, what President Trump said is a very powerful armada, including an aircraft carrier and submarines.





At the same time, anticipation is growing that Pyongyang could carry out another nuclear test  again in violation of United Nations sanctions  to mark the birthday of Kim Il Sung, North Koreas founding father and the grandfather of Kim Jong Un.



Its a big test of diplomacy, shuttle diplomacy. Its a test of Trump and Xi Jinping's rapport that they have built together, said Alex Neill, a senior fellow for Asia-Pacific security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.



Trump-Xi call

On the eve of talks last Thursday and Friday between Trump and Xi in Mar-a-Largo, North Korea launched missile tests, thrusting the issue to the forefront of their discussions.

The two spoke again on the phone Wednesday, discussing North Korea and Syria. It was a phone call that Chinas foreign ministry says Trump initiated.

In a Wednesday morning tweet, Trump said he had a "good call with the president of China concerning the menace of North Korea."



During the call, Xi stressed that while China is willing to work together with the U.S. on North Korea, it wants the situation to be handled peacefully.

Neill said that going forward, however, it is China that may be facing the biggest challenge.



Its probably more of a test for China than it is for the United States. To put substance to what may have been discussed at Mar-a-Largo, he said.



President Trump has warned that if China does not help, Washington may have no choice but to act on its own. The Trump administration says that all options are on the table, and has noted the missile strikes that were carried out last week in Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.



New sanctions

Analysts say tougher sanctions are still the most likely weapon that the U.S. and others could use to pressure North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions.



Trump has resolve to deal with escalation and atrocities in a decisive way, but I think in all likelihood this aircraft carrier is going to do maneuvers and mount exercises in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula, said Neill.



Neill disagreed with the assumption that actual operations could be launched from the aircraft carrier against North Korea. He said such a move would be disastrous.



Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with the S. Rajaratnum School of International Studies in Singapore, said that while the U.S. is likely to adopt a strong military posture, he does not believe it will take military action.



There are simply too many targets to worry about, he said. Assuming you want to take out some of these nuclear sites and so on, if you miss one, that will wreak havoc on the rest of the region.



Oh said that in the short run, China will intensify the enforcement of the relevant UN sanctions resolutions.



Direct talks

Just as Trump has been calling on China to do more, Beijing has been pressing Washington to talk with North Korea.



During a visit to South Korea this week, Chinas top nuclear negotiator, Wu Dawei, was quoted as saying that Beijing is actively working to arrange the talks.



According the Yonhap news agency, during a meeting with Justice Party presidential candidate Sim Sang-jung, Wu said, "[China] has always endeavored to resolve [the North's issue] through talks on the basis of the denuclearization principle. ... But there are states that have denied dialogue. One is North Korea, and the other is the United States."



Some analysts believe that dialogue without any pre-conditions is the solution, but Neill says that is highly unlikely. There is room for tighter sanctions, he argues.



Its been plain to see, with the Kim Jong-nam assassination in Kuala Lumpur, that North Korea has enjoyed far more freedoms of maneuver across significant swathes of Asia, as well as elsewhere in world than we would like to imagine, Neill said.



Until recently, North Koreans could travel visa-free to Singapore and Malaysia. And while United Nations sanctions target very specific individuals in the North Korean regime, the rest of the party is free to do business with whomever they want in China or elsewhere, Neill said.



A new set of strictures [restrictions] needs to be discussed with China, which will put genuine pressure on the regime to desist from its proliferation activities both conventional and nuclear, he observed. I suspect that China would be open to doing that.
A celebratory atmosphere hung over President Jacob Zumas home on the occasion of his 75th birthday Wednesday. Tens of thousands of South Africans donned bright colors and marched to his official residence in central Pretoria, singing and dancing as they made their way through the streets.

But they were not bringing birthday wishes.

Instead, tens of thousands of South Africans massed on the presidents front lawn to ask the increasingly unpopular leader to leave office. Seven major opposition parties organized Wednesdays march at Pretorias Union Buildings, and said they will continue to loudly, and peacefully, protest Zuma for the duration of his term, which is set to end in 2019.

"Zuma is no longer a credible president of South Africa," far-left political leader Julius Malema told the ebullient crowd.

The president has already earned many critics for a raft of long-simmering corruption scandals. But his decision last month to fire a well-respected finance minister and reshuffle his Cabinet prompted those critics to call for a nationwide shutdown and protests on Friday. The opposition has called for a no-confidence vote in parliament next week.

ANC also targeted



Protester Ntshebele Baphela, 35, a supporter of Malemas far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party, said the long-ruling African National Congress, the party Zuma leads, is his true target.

I dont only want Zuma to resign, he said. But what Im calling for, Im calling for the ANC to leave. ANC is not in the interest of the people of South Africa. ANC is not in the interest of the poorest people of South Africa.

Like Baphela, many people in the mostly black crowd refuted Zumas claims that those who stand against him are racists.

A florist who gave only her first name, Bongiwe, stood out, not for her political allegiances, but for the fact that she marched in four-inch stiletto heels. She said she doesnt identify with a particular political party, and accused the president of race-baiting.

He sows division by always playing the race card to suit his own plans and ambitions, she said. So we dont buy it. As black people, we also have, we believe in ethics. We know whats right and whats wrong. We believe in accountable government. We are anti-corruption. Its not a white thing, its not a black thing, its a human race thing. It has nothing to do with color. So really Zuma, your time is up.

A festive protest



As tens of thousands of participants sang, danced, blew vuvuzelas and created a party-like atmosphere on the lawns of the presidents home, one of the youngest protesters, six-week-old Yann, slept through the whole thing.

But his mother, Susanna Hattingh, 38, said she felt strongly that she needed to interrupt her maternity leave with some peaceful protest action against Zuma.

Hes the main leader and he doesnt lead by example, she said. And it seems like everything that filters down is led by him, in terms of the breakdown of the country.

And what of the birthday president? He did not make an appearance before the crowd, choosing instead to meet with supporters  many of whom had been bused in from other provinces, where he remains popular  in Soweto. In a statement, his office said his birthday wish is to see more progress being made in building a better life for the poor and the working class.

Leaders of the growing mass of South Africans calling for his resignation say theyd like the same, which is why they say Zuma needs to go.
Authorities in Pakistan said Wednesday that security forces in separate raids have captured a group of five senior militants working for al-Qaida and Islamic State terrorist networks out of Karachi.

The detainees included bomb-making experts, trained suicide bombers and an al-Qaida recruiter" for Pakistan, said Colonel Qaisar Khan, a spokesman for the provincial paramilitary force called Rangers.

Security forces have also seized suicide vests, weapons and ammunition from their possession, he told reporters in Karachi. The militants, Khan said, have been plotting attacks on religious minorities, Rangers and police personnel in the port city, Pakistan's largest and commercial hub.

An initial probe has established the mens links and footprints with both al-Qaida and Daesh, he added.

Some of the detainees received training in al-Qaida-run camps in North Waziristan and neighboring Afghanistan in 2013 before moving and basing themselves in Karachi, the spokesman asserted.

Al-Qaida operatives have for years used volatile Pakistani areas, including the Waziristan tribal district, as their sanctuaries, though officials insist the terrorism infrastructure has been dismantled by sustained counterterrorism military operations.

Pakistani authorities deny an "organized" presence of IS in the country and allege that loyalists of the Middle East-based terrorist groups are staging attacks in Pakistan from sanctuaries inside ungoverned border areas of neighboring Afghanistan.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says U.S.-Russia relations are "at a low point," pointing to a lack of trust between the two countries.

His comments came Wednesday after hours of contentious talks in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Putin, speaking separately to an interviewer from Russian state television, agreed that relations between Washington and Moscow have deteriorated this year.

The immediate dispute between Moscow and Washington involves how the April 4 chemical weapons attack in Syria occurred. Tillerson said the U.S. was "quite confident" that it "was planned and it was directed and executed by Syrian regime forces." But Lavrov gave no ground on the Russian claim that the sarin gas assault was either a provocation by Syrian rebels or was triggered when Syrian warplanes struck a rebel munitions depot holding sarin gas.

'Thorough' probe

"We have insisted that we have a very thorough investigation," Lavrov said at the news conference with Tillerson. "We want an honest investigation."

Russia's top diplomat said Moscow would not "shield anyone" responsible for the attack.

Tillerson's trip to Moscow represented the highest-level contact between the U.S. and Russia since Trump took office in January. The world's two biggest nuclear powers are at odds over multiple issues, including Moscow's continued support for rebels in eastern Ukraine battling the Kyiv government, and the U.S. intelligence community's declaration that computer hackers acting on orders from the Kremlin interfered in last year's U.S. presidential election.

Putin and Tillerson, the former head of the oil giant ExxonMobil, know each other well. The Russian president once gave the then-CEO the Kremlin's Order of Friendship award, but the climate has cooled considerably since then.

Tillerson said Wednesday that Russian meddling in the U.S. election was a serious problem that had been "fairly well established."

Lavrov protested that Russia was the victim of "very slanderous attacks," and added: "I have to say once again ... no one has shown us a single fact."

"Give us the evidence" of Russia's illicit involvement in U.S. politics, Lavrov said, "and we will respond."

'Potential' for improved relations

The U.S. cruise missile attack on a Syrian air base last week escalated tensions in the Syrian conflict, now in its seventh year, Lavrov said. However, he added that he believed Moscow and Washington have "great potential" to improve their relationship.

U.S. criminal investigators and members of both congressional intelligence committees are studying last year's Russian hacking into computers at Democratic Party headquarters and the eventual release of emails by the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks that were seen as embarrassing Trump's challenger for the presidency, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The FBI is probing whether Trump's staff engaged in criminal collusion with Russian officials to boost Trump's election chances.

Tillerson said, "We need to attempt to put an end to this steady degradation, which is doing nothing to restore the trust between our two countries or to make progress on the issues of the greatest importance to both of us."

The U.S. envoy said the two countries "have agreed to establish a working group to address smaller issues and make progress towards stabilizing the relationship, so that we can then address the more serious problems. Foreign Minister Lavrov and I agreed we would consider further proposals made about the way forward in Syria, including consulting with our allies and coalition members, and we will continue discussions about how to find a solution to the Syrian conflict."

Putin wants 'proof'

Putin discussed the general decline in U.S.-Russian relations with the state television channel Mir before his meeting with Tillerson.

"It can be said that the level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better, but most likely has degraded," Putin said. "Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

Trump praised Putin as a strong leader during his long campaign for the White House, but on Wednesday he highlighted the Russian president's role in the Syrian civil war.

"Frankly, Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person," Trump said, referring to Assad. "I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind."
On Saturday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani remarked, Today, more than ever before, we must unite because it is not clear what visions the people in power now in the U.S. have for the region and the world. We must be very aware and plan very carefully, to be ready for a variety of probabilities. Good elections are the power of Iran and our nation

Controlled by the faction loyal to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Irans state TV censored these remarks from Rouhanis speech. To understand why they were censored, one must look to an article published by the Kayhan daily, which is known to also be controlled by Khamenei. The piece reads, A Western leaning current (referring to Rouhanis faction) that has no achievements to boast about, legitimize their continued presence by claiming the possibility of a U.S. attack is very serious if others come to power and are not willing to engage with the U.S.

According to the Arya website, Rouhanis faction stated, If Iran resorts to adequate political statements and refrains from providing pretexts to [U.S. President Donald] Trump, the government will be able to contain Trumps America.

The Aftab News website reported this statement, Irans opponents seek a quick and emotional response by us to events such as the U.S. missile attack against Syria. However, Iran understand what its opponents are after and should prepare itself from within against foreign threats. No doubt this is why the Americans have scheduled their next measure against Iran after the May presidential election.

Tasnim news agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, wrote, [The U.S. attack on Syria] is a type of message meant to create a climate of fear, that with Trump in the White House all forecasted predictions have changed and the results will be changing. The necessary individuals able to prevent such developments must be elected.

What all of these viewpoints have in common, is that the U.S. attack on Syria rocked both of Irans factions and increased their political disputes.

However, the main issue is that the entire Iranian regime has suffered a major blow after this groundbreaking development.
The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of Carter Page, an adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump, because the government had reason to believe Page was acting as a Russian agent, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.



Page is among the Trump associates under scrutiny as the FBI and congressional committees investigate whether his presidential campaign had ties to Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, but the investigations could shadow his presidency for months or even years.



The Post, citing unnamed law enforcement and other U.S. officials, said the government surveillance application laid out the basis for believing that Page had knowingly engaged in intelligence activities on Russia's behalf. The newspaper said the application includes contacts Page had with a Russian intelligence operative in 2013.



Those contacts are detailed in a 2015 court filing involving a case against three men charged in connection with a Cold War-style Russian spying ring. According to the filing, Page provided one of the men documents about the energy industry. He was not charged as part of that case.

No comment from FBI

An FBI spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Page, who has denied having improper ties to Russia, told the AP Tuesday he was happy that the court order had been revealed and blamed the Obama administration for trying to suppress dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy.

It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time, said Page, using an acronym to refer to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.



The FISA court and its orders are highly secretive. Judges grant permission for surveillance if they agree there's probable cause that the target is an agent of a foreign power. Though the standard is a high bar to meet, applications are hardly ever denied.

90-day warrant renewed

The Post reported that a 90-day warrant was issued for Page and has been renewed more than once by the FISA court.



Page was a little known investment banker when Trump announced him as a member of his foreign policy advisory team early last year. Trump aides insist the president has no relationship with Page and did not have any dealings with him during the campaign.



Page's relationship with Russia began to draw scrutiny during the campaign after he visited Moscow in July 2016 for a speech at the New Economic School. While Page said he was traveling in a personal capacity, the school cited his role in the Trump campaign in advertising the speech.

Page attends Republican National Convention

Page was sharply critical of the U.S. in his remarks, saying Washington has a hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change.

Days later, Page talked with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. at an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention. Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke with the Russian envoy at the same event, a conversation he failed to reveal when asked about contacts with Russians during his Senate confirmation hearings.

The campaign began distancing itself from Page after his trip to Russia, saying he was only an informal adviser. By the fall, he appeared to have cut ties to the Republican campaign.



It's unclear how Page got connected with the Trump campaign. One campaign official said Page was recruited by Sam Clovis, an Iowa Republican operative who ran the Trump campaign's policy shop and is now a senior adviser at the Agriculture Department. Those who served on the campaign's foreign policy advisory committee also said they had limited contact with Page.

Letter casts Page as Trump Tower regular

But in a letter Page sent to the Senate intelligence committee last month, he cast himself as a regular presence in Trump Tower, where the campaign was headquartered.

I have frequently dined in Trump Grill, had lunch in Trump Cafe, had coffee meetings in the Starbucks at Trump Tower, attended events and spent many hours in campaign headquarters on the fifth floor last year, Page wrote. He also noted that his office building in New York is literally connected to the Trump Tower building by an atrium.

Page, a former Merrill Lynch investment banker who worked out of its Moscow office for three years, now runs Global Energy Capital, a firm focused on energy sectors in emerging markets. According to the company's website, he has advised on transactions for Gazprom and RAO UES, a pair of Russian entities.
Guinea worm is on course to become the second human disease to be eradicated, after smallpox, thanks largely to intervention overseen by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. Little was known about the infection for decades, as diseases like malaria took priority. However, previously unpublished research from the 1970s, released this month, shows the burden the disease has had on millions of people.

Watch: Jimmy Carter Leads Push to Eradicate Guinea Worrm

Guinea worm is contracted when people drink water contaminated with tiny crustaceans that contain the worm larvae. A year later, a meter-long female worm emerges through a painful blister, often disabling the infected person for months.

Professor Brian Greenwood, a British scientist, first came across Guinea worm in the 1970s when working in northern Nigeria. He says little was known about the disease, despite millions suffering from it across Africa and India.

"People were much more concerned with malaria, bilharzia and other tropical infections," Greenwood said. "And part of the reason was that these people were so disabled they never got to the clinic or the hospital. So that if you looked in hospital records, you did not see this as a big problem."

Greenwood spent four years studying the disease and trying to find out why sufferers often developed repeat infections, without developing immunity.

"We extracted some of the worms," he said. "And the traditional way is winding them out on a matchstick, just gradually. And the problem is that if the worm then snapped inside, then they got a very severe reaction."

Greenwood credits the Carter Center, a charitable foundation set up by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, for helping fight the disease to the brink of eradication.

There is no vaccine or treatment. Instead, community education programs teach people to filter drinking water and avoid entering water sources.

Speaking in 2011, Carter described the initial difficulties.

"It was kind of an insult to say 'this disease comes out of your pond,'" he said. "So we have had to do a lot of diplomacy and convincing the people there to take care of their own problems. Well, it has worked. And now almost every nation on earth has eradicated or eliminated Guinea worm."

When the Carter Center first became involved in 1986, there were around 3.5 million cases in 21 countries; last year, 25 cases were recorded in only three countries  Chad, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Greenwood's early study of Guinea worm remained unpublished, as he was directed to focus on malaria and meningitis instead; but last year in London, he met Carter, who persuaded him to publish the research.

"I hope that we have been able to document what a horrible disease this was," Greenwood said. "And it is really important that people realize that. And if we do get eradication in the next year or two, which I hope will be the case, that this will not just be seen as a minor thing, but to be a really very important public health triumph."

The last few cases of Guinea worm remain because they are the most difficult to reach. Many are in conflict areas like South Sudan, but scientists are optimistic this ancient disease can be eradicated within the next few years.
The United Nations Security Council is due to vote on Thursday to close a13-year-long peacekeeping mission in Haiti this year and replace it with a smaller police operation, which would be drawn down over two years as the country boosts its own force.

The closure of the $346 million mission, recommended by U.N. chief Antonio Guterres, comes as the United States looks to cut its funding to U.N. peacekeeping. Washington is the largest contributor, paying 28.5 percent of the total budget.

We regard the transformation of the Haiti mission, including the withdrawal of the military, as a strong example for how peacekeeping missions can and should change as a country's political situation changes, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, told the council.

There are currently 2,342 troops on the ground in Haiti, who would withdraw over the coming six months.

Vote expected on Thursday

The 15-member Security Council is due to vote on the U.S.-drafted resolution on Thursday. While Russia had some concerns about spelling out when the successor mission could use force, diplomats said those issues were likely to be overcome.

We see a reason to reconfigure MINUSTAH (the U.N. mission) to the new situation but that has to be done in a most cautious manner. It's important to prevent a security void, Deputy Russian U.N. Ambassador Petr Iliichev told the council. We are convinced that the situation remains quite tenuous.

U.N. peacekeepers were deployed to Haiti in 2004 when a rebellion led to the ouster and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. It is the only U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Americas.

Haiti suffered a two-year political crisis until the recent election and inauguration of President Jovenel Moise.

Hit by natural disasters

It has suffered major natural disasters, including an earthquake in 2010 and Hurricane Matthew last year. But the impoverished Caribbean country has not had an armed conflict in years.

U.N. peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse and blamed for a cholera outbreak. Haiti was free of cholera until 2010, when peacekeepers dumped infected sewage into a river.

The United Nations does not accept legal responsibility for the outbreak of the disease that causes uncontrollable diarrhea. Some 9,300 have died and more than 800,000 people sickened.

Britain pledges $600,000

Deputy British U.N. Ambassador Peter Wilson said he was gravely concerned about the continued presence of cholera, as he announced Britain would give $600,000 to help with the response.

Deputy French U.N. Ambassador Alexis Lamek said the time had come to move toward a new U.N. presence in Haiti, one which is better adapted to the country's needs and the conditions on the ground, which have significantly changed.

"The United Nations still has work to do in Haiti," Lamek told the council.

China's U.N. Ambassador Liu Jieyi said he supported the recommendations by Guterres.
Somali's president vowed Wednesday that his administration will eradicate the terrorist militant group al-Shabab across Somalia within two years, and he offered its leaders peace talks.

Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, better known as Farmajo, was speaking at a ceremony marking the 57th anniversary of the foundation of the Somali National Army, which was held at the compound of the Ministry of Defense in Mogadishu.

"We confirm to the Somali people that we are prepared and within two years' period we will eradicate al-Shabab from all areas they are present in Somalia," the president said.

He said that, after more than a decade of the insurgency, al-Shabab still is not capable of overthrowing the Somali government. Mohamed says his government, therefore, is calling on al-Shabab leaders to engage in peace talks before they are forcibly dislodged from their hideouts across the country.

"We are ready to talk to al-Shabab, including its leaders. We say to the leadership of al-Shabab that you have been fighting for more than 10 years and still you cannot overthrow the government, which has international support and military power. We tell you if you do not accept peace, we will come to you at your hideouts," Mohamed said. "You cannot destroy the government, but you have been destroying the hope of the Somali people."

Mohamed's remarks come a week after he declared that the country is at war with al-Shabab, and he gave the group 60 days to surrender in return for education and jobs. He also replaced the country's military and intelligence chiefs, while instructing the army to prepare a new offensive against al-Shabab extremists.

Increased attacks

In response to the president's declaration of war with al-Shabab, the militants have increased their attacks in Mogadishu, the country's capital.

In one of the attacks on Sunday, the new Commander of the Somali National Army (SNA), Gen. Mohamed Ahmed Jimale, escaped a car bomb explosion close to the Defense Ministry where Wednesday's army anniversary commemoration was held.

On Monday, a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest penetrated a fortified Somali National Army base in the city, killing at least five soldiers.

Government critics say publicly declaring war will only help the militants by inspiring them to carry out additional attacks aimed at disrupting any ongoing military plan against them.

"I think it is not a good decision to declare a war in public while you are still in preparation. You see, the militants are carrying out attacks because they are either desperate or want to disrupt any plans of a military move against them," said Mohamed Omar Dalha, a member of Somali parliament.

"Whenever the militants feel there is a military threat against them, or when the country is in transition from one government to another, they carry out such excessive attacks to take advantage of the situation and, most importantly, to send a message that they are still capable of harm," said Dahir Amin Jesow, a Somali lawmaker.

Abdirashid Hashi, director of Mogadishu-based research group Heritage Institute for Policy Studies (HIPS), said the group has always been at war and serious about their insurgence.

"Somali governments come and go, and it takes them time to adjust, but al-Shabab has been in serous insurgency for 10 years, so they have been always ready to attack in opportunistic way," said Hashi.

With the help of the international community, and technical and training support from the United States, Somalia has put together a Somali national army of more than 20,000 troops. They are poorly equipped, however, and lack regular salaries.

The Somali government depends on the 22,126-strong force operating under the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia.

This month marks 10 years since the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) started. The mission is set to withdraw from Somalia by 2020.

Despite inflicting military setbacks and territory loss upon al-Shabab, the militants continue to create chaos in the country, as fears grow that al-Shabab and Islamic State are too much for the country to handle.
Somali officials say security forces have rescued eight Indian sailors who were taken to land by pirates on Monday.

The mayor of Hobyo town, Abdullahai Ahmed Ali, told VOA's Somali service Wednesday that the sailors from MSV Al Kausar are safe and in the hands of the security forces.

The captain is riding the car with me, Ali said.

He said the security forces detained four pirates who were holding the crew after moving them from their boat off the coast of Hobyo.

Two other sailors had been found on the boat after the security forces took it over during the early hours of Monday, bringing the total crew to 10. Initially maritime sources put the number of sailors at 11.

The boat was taken by the pirates on April 1 off the coast of Somalia while transporting commercial goods to the town of Kismayo.
There is heightened interest in intelligence surveillance involving American citizens after a report that the FBI obtained a secret court order last year, months before the U.S. election, to monitor the communications of Trump campaign adviser Carter Page.

The Washington Post reported Wednesday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order for Page as part of an investigation into alleged links between Russia and the campaign of Republican candidate Donald Trump.

Since Trump's inauguration as president three months ago, he has alleged that U.S. intelligence agents improperly monitored him and his campaign staff in the weeks before he took office. Intelligence and law enforcement agencies have rejected Trump's allegation that his predecessor ordered the tapping of his telephones at Trump Tower in New York. However, they say it is possible communications by Trump and his campaign aides may have been swept up in the "incidental" collection of information during surveillance of a foreign official.

Here is a look at some key U.S. surveillance methods and laws:

Title III surveillance

There are two sets of laws that govern most surveillance that U.S. intelligence agencies conduct: the 1968 Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act and the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Title III of the 1968 law authorizes law enforcement agencies to surveil electronic communications during criminal investigations.

To obtain a Title III warrant, law enforcement agencies must present a federal court with "probable cause" of a crime. While judges approve 99 percent of surveillance applications, they attach heavy strings to their orders: a detailed description of the suspected criminal activity, time and place of the planned surveillance, "minimization" procedures to ensure private conversations are not recorded, periodic reports to the court, and evidence that all other investigative options have been exhausted.

"It's a last resort, not the first thing you can do," said former federal prosecutor Alan Vinegrad.

He said the protections are designed to ensure the government doesnt use it as long as they want, however they want, and whenever they want.

In 2015, the latest year for which data are available, courts issued 4,148 warrants, the Electronic Privacy Information Center said.

Traditional FISA surveillance

Eavesdropping of foreign nationals and agents inside the United States falls under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

FISA, which grew out of a landmark 1972 Supreme Court case about warrantless wiretapping and post-Watergate calls for judicial oversight, set up a secret 11-member court to approve foreign surveillance applications.

To obtain an order, the National Security Agency and FBI present the court with probable cause that the target is "a foreign power" or "an agent of a foreign power" inside the United States, and that the planned surveillance is for the purpose of gathering "foreign intelligence information." But unlike a wiretap request for a criminal investigation, there is no requirement to show the surveillance target is engaged in wrongdoing.

The FISA court approves virtually every application, but not before one of the Justice Department's three most senior officials  the attorney general, the deputy attorney general and the assistant attorney general for national security  signs off.

Its a very high-level approval process, said Amy Jeffress, a former top Justice Department official now a partner at the law firm of Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer in Washington.

Until the attacks of September 11, 2001, FISA surveillance mostly targeted foreign spies and diplomats. But with "the arrival of international terrorism on our shores, there has been more focus on that side of things," said William Banks, director of the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism at Syracuse University.

In 2015, the FISA court approved 1,456 surveillance applications, up from 934 in 2001, the Electronic Privacy Information Center said.

Section 702 surveillance

The 9/11 attacks led then-President George W. Bush to authorize widespread electronic surveillance without congressional authority, leading to concerns about personal privacy and executive overreach.

In response, Congress in 2008 passed the FISA Amendments Act, authorizing much of the controversial intelligence gathering.

A powerful provision of the law, Section 702, enabled intelligence agencies to conduct "programmatic surveillance" of large swaths of foreign targets and of all incoming and outgoing international electronic communications. The government is not required to ask for court approval of individual surveillance targets.

The NSA's two controversial surveillance programs  PRISM and Upstream, which NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden disclosed in 2013  are carried out under this provision.

According to the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board, a bipartisan, independent agency within the executive branch of the U.S. government, more than 25 percent of the NSA's intelligence on international terrorism is collected under Section 702.

National security vs. privacy

Current and former law enforcement officials credit surveillance with preventing terrorist attacks. But civil liberties advocates worry that conversations of innocent citizens can be incidentally swept up during otherwise well-intentioned surveillance.

To allay those concerns, Congress in 2007 created the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board. In 2014, the board issued 22 recommendations to U.S. intelligence agencies, ranging from ending the NSA's bulk telephone records collection program to publicly releasing the minimization procedures of the CIA, FBI and NSA.
Despite the heightened inter-Korean tensions over the North's accelerated nuclear and ballistic missile testing, and the increasing talk of a U.S. preemptive strike, few South Koreans appear concerned by the prospect of imminent conflict.

In Seouls Yeouido Park, carefree crowds flock to see the cherry blossoms at their peak. Few are old enough to remember the Korea War that ended over 60 years ago, nor do they seem concerned that this region may be on the brink of war.



Well, it is scary to talk about war as I am from the generation which never experienced war. But I don't really feel fear yet, said Oh, a Seoul resident who would only give her last name.

War posturing

North Korea and the United States seem increasingly poised for conflict over Pyongyangs repeated nuclear and ballistic missile tests aimed at developing the capability to target the U.S. mainland.

The Trump administration has placed a high priority on preventing North Korea from developing a credible long-range nuclear ballistic missile capability that could directly threaten U.S. national security.

The U.S. Pacific Command has ordered a naval strike force that includes the USS Carl Vinson nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, as well as guided missile destroyers and aircraft squadrons, to sail towards the Korean Peninsula over concerns that the North will soon conduct its sixth nuclear test.

Satellites monitoring the Punggye-ri nuclear test site have detected recent activity. Pyongyang in the past has timed provocative military acts to coincide with the April 15 birthday of its founding leader, the late Kim Il Sung, a holiday known as the Day of the Sun.



U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble."



And during an interview on the Fox Business Network the president said, We are sending an armada. Very powerful. And he said North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is doing the wrong thing.

The U.S. military move has sparked speculation that Washington may be prepared to launch a military strike to take out North Korean nuclear or ballistic missile sites. Such action, analysts say, could draw the entire region into a nuclear war.

North Korea state media Tuesday warned it is prepared for any American aggression and would retaliate with nuclear weapons specifically targeting, U.S. invasion bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater, but also in the U.S. mainland.

Seoul at peace

However in Seoul, the flare up in tensions is not causing any sense of panic, even though the city is situated within range of the Norths artillery and missile arsenal. Many in South Korea see the current crisis as political theater that has been played out repeatedly in the past.

I have heard similar stories many times before. I think the possibility for war is very low, said Seoul resident Kim Hyo-dong.

Many see the U.S. show of force in the region as a means to increase pressure on China to take stronger measures to restrain its economically dependent ally in Pyongyang.

Others view the U.S. military posturing as a right of passage for a new U.S. president demonstrating toughness and resolve.

Every time the U.S. had a new president, we had similar types of crises, but we passed through them without any major struggle, said Baek, a Seoul resident who only gave his family name.

Ultimately many in South Korea expect all sides in the standoff will act with restraint to keep the peace, rather than face the risk of triggering a war that no one can win.

The government in Seoul has also downplayed the possibility that the United States would take unilateral action against the North, which would jeopardize both its allies in the South and thousands of U.S. troops based in the country. There has also been no mass evacuation of American civilians and no heightened defensive readiness measures taken that would indicate the United States and South Korea are preparing for military conflict.

North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.

Youmi Kim contributed to this report.
Despite the heightened inter-Korean tensions over the North's accelerated nuclear and ballistic missile testing and the increasing talk of a U.S. preemptive strike, few South Koreans are actually concerned by the prospect of imminent conflict. VOAs Brian Padden reports from Seoul that many in the South Korean capital see the increased military posturing as just more political brinksmanship.
The Pentagon's decision to move a powerful U.S. Navy strike force to Pacific waters near North Korea serves as a signal to the regime to cease further provocations, former U.S. officials say.

The USS Carl Vinson Strike Group departed from Singapore on Saturday for waters off the Korean Peninsula, a deviation from its original schedule of port visits in Australia, the U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Vinson and accompanying ships, including guided missile destroyers and aircraft squadrons, are expected to arrive in Korean waters near the April 15 birthday of the late Kim Il Sung, founder of the communist nation. Because of the significance of the date, many experts think the Democratic People's Republic of Korea might be provoked into launching its sixth nuclear test.

While Seoul's official reaction toward the deployment has been supportive, the ships' movement has stirred concerns in the South that the U.S. might take pre-emptive strikes against the regime.

Retired Admiral William Fallon, who commanded U.S. forces in the Pacific in the George W. Bush administration, told VOA that the strike group was rerouted "to send a message to Pyongyang that its recent belligerent activities, the provocative missile shootings and the violation of U.N. resolutions are not something we take lightly and to show some U.S. resolve in the region."

North Korea staged a medium-range missile test a day before the summit between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, last week.

"When a single striker is sent to an area, it's meant as a message to pay attention and cease the provocative activities," Fallon said Monday. "Of course, these groups can be put together into a much more significant force, and there happens to be another carrier striker out in the Western Pacific now."

Christine Wormuth, undersecretary of defense for policy from 2014 to 2016, also said that repositioning U.S. forces is oftentimes used for signaling an adversary like North Korea that "we have military capabilities to deal with challenges that they are posing and let the North Koreans know that that's happening."

Despite the latest U.S. action, the Kim Jong Un regime appears to be remaining defiant, issuing a scathing statement against what it called a "reckless move" of the U.S. to invade North Korea.

"We will hold the U.S. wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions," said the North's state-controlled news agency KCNA.

With the growing North Korean nuclear threat, there appear to be increasing calls for the U.S. to employ military tools to try to curb Pyongyang's ambitions.

While the U.S. could move additional forces like the Vinson group into waters near the Korean Peninsula, Fallon said it also could set up more permanent bases and orchestrate more joint military exercises in South Korea and Japan.

Deploying more missile defenses like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the region, the admiral added, could also provide additional coverage against possible North Korean ballistic missile attacks.

"The objective of any of that activity would be to try to deter the DPRK from further provocative actions," Fallon said.

The White House is not addressing the question of whether the Trump administration would act unilaterally to counter the Kim regime. But tough talk from the commander in chief is fueling speculation that the U.S. may take military action.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his position, tweeting that "North Korea is looking for trouble" with its nuclear weapons development program, and again imploring Beijing to do more to restrain Pyongyang.

"If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!" Trump tweeted.

Wormuth, however, cautioned that "whatever the United States might do in response to future provocations, the Trump administration will think very carefully about that and coordinate very closely with the South Koreans," given Seoul's proximity to Pyongyang.

NBC News reported that the National Security Council told Trump his options for dealing with North Korea's nuclear threats also included assassinating Kim.

This story originated with VOA's Korean service.
A suicide bomber on foot detonated his jacket in front of a police station in the Afghan capital Kabul, killing at least five people and wounding up to 10 others, according to Najib Danish, a spokesman for the Ministry of the Interior.

The Ministry of Public Health confirmed that the wounded were shifted to Kabul hospitals.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defense said the target was a government vehicle.
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Carter Page, an adviser to then-presidential candidate Donald Trump whose communications were reportedly monitored under an FBI-obtained court order, denied Wednesday that he'd worked for the Russians.

"Of course, I wasn't a foreign agent," he said in an interview with CNN.

Last month, FBI Director James Comey acknowledged that his agency was investigating whether members of Trump's campaign had colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. U.S. intelligence officials believe Moscow intervened to try to sway the election in favor of Trump.

The FBI obtained a secret court order last year to monitor the communications of Page, whom the Trump campaign had hired as a foreign policy adviser in March 2016, The Washington Post reported. Citing unnamed law enforcement and other U.S. officials, the Post said the FBI and Justice Department were able to secure a FISA warrant after convincing a judge "there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia."

Other reported targets

Page was one of several Trump associates reported to be a focus of that investigation. Others included former campaign chief Paul Manafort, former national security adviser Michael Flynn and longtime Trump confidante Roger Stone.

In the CNN interview, Page  who has praised Russian President Vladimir Putin and criticized U.S. sanctions against Russia  refused to say who'd brought him into the Trump campaign, calling that issue irrelevant. But he did emphasize that it was not Manafort, whom he said he'd never met or spoken with.

In recent months White House officials have tried to downplay Page's role with the campaign.

"This confirms all my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page said in a statement to the Post. He also compared his situation to that of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., who was monitored and harassed by the FBI.

Page, a former investment banker, has not been accused of a crime. But in order to obtain the FISA warrant, the Post said, law enforcement officials submitted "a lengthy declaration that laid out investigators' basis for believing that Page was an agent of the Russian government and knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow."

Contacts detailed

Specifically, the application mentioned contacts Page had with a "Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013," as well as other contacts with "Russian operatives" that had not been previously disclosed, the report said. Reports last month suggested that Page met with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. on the sidelines of the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

The original 90-day warrant has been renewed "more than once" by the FISA court, the Post report said. It added that Page was the "only American to have had his communications directly targeted with a FISA warrant in 2016 as part of the Russia probe."

Russia denies trying to influence the 2016 election. Trump officials insist any suggestion they colluded with Moscow is false and politically motivated, although the FBI investigation and a separate congressional probe have continued to draw headlines.

Asked Wednesday during an interview on the Fox Business Channel whether he would consider asking Comey to step down, Trump said: "I have confidence in him. We'll see what happens. You know, it's going to be interesting. But, you know, we have to just  look, I have so many people that want to come into this administration."
Just one week ago, U.S. President Donald Trump stood before a crowd of construction workers and made the same promise he did hundreds of times during his presidential campaign.

"I'm not, and I don't want to be president of the world," Trump told the trade union conference in Washington. "I'm president of the United States, and from now on it's going to be 'America First.'"

But in the week since, Trump's "America First" policy has been challenged by problems elsewhere in the world. And the president's interventionist response is leaving many to wonder if he is more open to the U.S. role as world policeman than his campaign rhetoric suggested.

The problems broke out in familiar hotspots.

In Syria, a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held area prompted Trump to launch airstrikes against the government of President Bashar al-Assad, further pulling the U.S. into a bloody, six-year conflict.

In northeast Asia, the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group was redirected toward North Korea, in a show of force to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has threatened the U.S. and its allies with nuclear weapons.

On a related note, a shakeup in the White House National Security Council resulted in the demotion of Steve Bannon, Trump's nationalist chief adviser who was a main architect of the "America First" policy.

A fundamental shift?

The moves were widely praised by the Washington foreign policy establishment. But they don't necessarily represent a wider shift toward more intervention, cautions James Carafano, a member of Trump's presidential transition team.

"I don't think it's an interventionist foreign policy, per se," said Carafano, a national security expert at the conservative Heritage Foundation. "What the president has demonstrated is the willingness to intervene when U.S. interests are pushed."

In the view of Carafano, both the Syria missile strike and the repositioning of the aircraft carrier send the same message: "It's that if you're beginning to infringe on my interests, I am going to demonstrate that I'm willing to protect them."

While that's a contrast from former President Barack Obama, who at times was reluctant to use military force around the world, and George W. Bush, who was accused of intervening too much, it's not out of the mainstream of historic U.S. foreign policy, Carafano argues.

"I think in some ways, history will look back and they will find that Trump's foreign policy is actually more mainstream than Obama's or (that of) George W. Bush," he said.

Syria strikes only a 'warning'

Trump administration officials stress that the Syria strikes are only a "one-off," meant to warn Assad not to use chemical weapons, and do not reflect a new policy aimed at regime change.

That reasoning is similar to the justification given for previous U.S. military interventions, such as Obama's strikes in Libya in 2011, which were originally presented as a humanitarian effort but later morphed into attacks to oust Moammar Gadhafi.

But while there is a risk of unintended escalation, the U.S. is not likely to get further involved in Syria's civil war, says P.J. Crowley, a former U.S. assistant secretary of state.

"Barack Obama defined the American interest in Syria as the defeat of the Islamic State," he said. "President Trump has largely embraced the same definition of the conflict. I'm not sure [the airstrikes] really represent a fundamental change in policy."

Tougher on North Korea?

Trump also appears to be relying on familiar strategies for dealing with North Korea's nuclear threat. So far, those strategies include pressuring China to contain the North; making clear that the U.S. will act alone if necessary, and occasionally demonstrating the superior U.S. military might with symbolic shows of force against Pyongyang.

But Victor Cha, who worked on Asia policy in George W. Bush's administration, said rerouting the Carl Vinson strike group is especially notable, given that it was not a part of regular military exercises in the area. "I think it certainly sends the message that they seem to be conveying about being much tougher on North Korea than the last administration," said Cha.

But in the end, despite all the tough rhetoric against foreign adversaries, the president who was elected on promises of putting "America First" may eventually run into domestic political limitations, said Crowley.

"President Trump was elected to fix problems in America," he said. "He was not elected to fix problems in Syria."
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States is not going to get further involved in Syria despite ordering last week's missile attack on the Syrian air base believed to be the source of the chemical weapons that killed scores of civilians, including children.

"We're not going into Syria," Trump told Fox Business News reporter Maria Bartiromo in an interview that aired Wednesday.

After seeing images of dying children in the chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun, Trump said he decided a military response was necessary. "When I saw that, I said we have to do something."

Trump warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin's support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been accused of launching the chemical weapons attack with Russia's help, is "very bad for Russia" and "very bad for mankind."

White House spokesman Sean Spicer, however, said the president would not rule out another strike if Assad attacked civilians with chemical weapons again.

"Should they continue to use gas, especially against children and babies ... all options remain on the table," Spicer told reporters Wednesday in Washington. "I think the president showed last Thursday night that he will use a decisive, justified and proportionate action to right wrongs."

The United States, meanwhile, has sharply rejected Russian claims that the nerve gas sarin, the agent believed responsible for scores of deaths in Syria last week, was the inadvertent result of an airstrike on a rebel-held munitions depot. A U.S. report says it is clear the chemical-weapons assault was a deliberate attack on civilians.

The National Security Council released a report at the White House Tuesday declaring that Syria's "unacceptable" use of outlawed chemical weapons is a clear threat to the world. It accused both Syria and Russia of attempting to "confuse the world community about who is responsible for using chemical weapons against the Syrian people," both on this occasion and previously.

The NSC called on the international community to speak out and make clear that "this behavior will not be tolerated," although it did not specify possible consequences.

Security Council resolution

At the United Nations, the United States, Britain and France look set to go ahead with a revised Security Council resolution on Wednesday  even though such an effort is expected to be vetoed by Russia.

At a White House briefing in Washington, U.S. national-security officials said Moscow, a key ally of Syrian President Assad, engaged in "a very clear campaign to obfuscate the nature of the attack." They cited evidence, such as images of charred roadway showing that the gas shells dropped from the sky on April 4 landed in the middle of a street, not on a building, as Damascus and the Kremlin have claimed.

The American officials said Syria has ignored its 2013 agreement to dismantle its stockpiles of chemical weapons. "We know the Syrian regime has sarin gas," one official said, speaking on background. "We are confident the rebels [fighting Assad's government] don't have sarin."

The clear-cut nature of this month's sarin attack should be seen as "an opportunity for Russia to end its disinformation campaign" about Syria's use of banned weapons, they added.

Turkey announced Tuesday that its tests confirm sarin was used in the attacks that killed about 90 people and sickened hundreds more.

Question of Russia's role in attack

Ankara's health minister said blood and urine samples were examined during autopsies on three victims of the gas attacks whose bodies were brought in from Syria's Idlib province. The World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the post-mortem examinations.

Despite the growing agreement about Syria's tactics, there was no clarity on the question of whether, or to what extent, Russia colluded with Syria in carrying out the attack. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said U.S. intelligence officials have not been able to come up with a "consensus" on that issue.

Russian President Putin has called for a U.N. investigation of the chemical weapons attack, which prompted U.S. naval forces to fire Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian air base believed to be the source of the sarin.

Putin contended the U.S. staged "provocations" to bolster its charges against Syria, although he gave no details or evidence in his statement. The Kremlin leader also claimed Washington is planning a new missile launch against Syria, which supposedly would target an area south of the capital, Damascus, "where they [the Americans] are planning to again plant some substance and accuse Syrian authorities" of using chemical weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared the North Atlantic Treaty Organization no longer obsolete, three months after he said the alliance had outlived its usefulness because it had not defended against terrorist attacks.

The secretary general and I had a productive discussion about what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism, Trump said at a joint news conference with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg. I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism. I said it was obsolete. Its no longer obsolete.

Watch: Trump, Stoltenberg Discuss NATO



Trump also reiterated his complaints made during German Chancellor Angela Merkels recent visit about other NATO countries not paying their fair share for defense.

The president, standing in the East Room alongside Stoltenberg, said NATO members must meet their financial obligations and pay what they owe. Many have not been doing that.

All NATO countries have agreed to spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product on their own defense by 2024, but only a few of the member countries currently meet that goal. The U.S. spends about 3 percent of its GDP on defense, while Germany spends about 1.2 percent.

Fair burden sharing has been my top priority since taking office. We have now turned a corner, Stoltenberg said during the joint news conference.

Hours before the event, a U.S. official agreed that better burden sharing is on the right trajectory, noting that for the first time in 2015 and 2016, after a collective decline in allies national defense budgets, the numbers started to peak back up.

Russia, the leading adversary that compelled the creation of NATO in 1949, also was discussed by Trump and Stoltenberg.

We dont want a new cold war; we dont want a new arms race, said the NATO secretary general. We strongly believe that there is no contradiction between a strong NATO, a credible deterrence on defense, and political dialogue with Russia.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met Wednesday in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov and, then, with President Vladimir Putin. Following the meetings, Tillerson said he told Putin that U.S.-Russia relations were at a low point.

Trump, in his remarks hours later, amplified that assessment, saying, we may be at an all-time low in terms of relationship with Russia.

The U.S.-NATO meeting at the White House and the U.S.-Russia discussions at the Kremlin were held a day after Trump gave his official approval for the small Balkan country of Montenegro to join NATO. Montenegros accession, which the U.S. Senate voted overwhelming to support last month, will make clear that no third country (i.e. Russia) will have veto power over NATO membership, said a U.S. official, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity.

Russia has described Montenegro's NATO membership as a "provocation," due to the country's geographical proximity to Russia. The Kremlin has long seen the Balkans as inside its "sphere of influence." The official added that while it is not anticipated that any other countries will join the alliance in the near future, the door remains open.

Trump and Stoltenberg also discussed NATOs role in supporting international efforts to fight terrorism globally. NATO commanded the U.N.-mandated International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan for 11 years from August 2003.

Trump announced Wednesday he is sending to Afghanistan his national security adviser, Army General H.R. McMaster, to find out how we can make progress alongside our Afghan partners and NATO allies.

During the Wednesday afternoon rush hour in Kabul, a suicide bomber killed five people in an attack near the Ministry of Defense. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.
Civil liberties groups on Wednesday said they were filing a series of lawsuits against the U.S. government seeking details on how federal agencies enforced President Donald Trump's ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The lawsuits were filed by local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union against U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security and cover their operations in 14 cities stretching from Portland, Maine, to San Diego.

The suits are an attempt to enforce requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) just days after Trump signed his first executive order limiting travel.

That January 27 order, intended to fulfill a campaign promise to take a tough stance on immigration, first temporarily barred travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order, which also temporarily barred refugees, led to a weekend of chaos at U.S. airports with travelers barred from entering the country upon landing while thousands of people turned out to protest the measures.

A federal judge ordered a halt to enforcement of that ban and Trump followed up in March with a less-sweeping order that did not limit travelers from Iraq, but which has also been challenged in courts. Opponents said the orders violated the U.S. constitution's prohibitions on religious discrimination, citing Trump's campaign promises to impose a "Muslim ban."

The Trump administration said the restrictions are legal and are necessary to protect U.S. national security.

The suits, filed in federal courts, seek disclosure of how many people have been detained or subjected to additional screening since the first executive order as well as the guidance that was provided to DHS staff about how to enforce the order.

"Customs and Border Protection has a long, rich history of ignoring its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and so these lawsuits are an effort to enforce its obligations," said Zachary Heiden, legal director at the ACLU of Maine, in a phone interview. He noted that the ACLU filed its FOIA requests for information on February 2.

Officials at CBP and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the suits.

In addition to Portland and San Diego, the suits cover CBP operations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson, Miami and Tampa. One suit filed in Florida covers the two cities in that state.
President Donald Trump appears to be offering a grand bargain to Chinese President Xi Jinping in which each would get something he dearly wants -- an assurance of economic stability ahead of a critical Communist Party Congress in exchange for Chinese help in halting North Korea's nuclear programs.

The offer has come in a burst of television interviews and social media posts. In a pair of Twitter posts this week, Trump suggested he would agree not to launch a threatened trade war with China, helping to ensure a strong domestic economy as China's ruling party reviews Xis achievements and determines whether he should stay in power. All Xi has to do, Trump says, is to solve the Korean problem.

The second post was seen as a variation on the old take it or leave it negotiating ploy.



In a news conference Wednesday, Trump hailed the rapport he developed with Xi during last week's Florida summit.

"I think he wants to help us with North Korea,'' Trump said of Xi, crediting China with taking a "big step'' by turning back boats loaded with coal that North Korea sells to its northern neighbor. North Korea conducts some 90 percent of its trade with China.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Trump was more specific in linking U.S.-China trade policies with cooperation on North Korea.

He said that he told Mr. Xi during their summit: But you want to make a great deal? Solve the problem in North Korea. Thats worth having deficits. And thats worth having not as good a trade deal as I would normally be able to make.

The comments mark a start departure from Trump's pledges during the campaign to punish China for artificially devaluing its currency to gain an unfair trade advantage.

Trump had promised to label Beijing a currency manipulator on his first day in office, a designation that could have ended with punitive tariffs and a potential trade war between the world's two largest economies.

"They're not currency manipulators," Trump said flatly, adding that Beijing has not been manipulating its currency for months.

Striking a Nerve

Balbina Hwang, who served as a State Department special adviser on East Asian affairs in the George W. Bush administration, says Trumps overture seems to be striking a nerve in Beijing.

China understands that it cannot be engaged in an all-out trade war with the U.S. right now, said Hwang, now a visiting professor at Georgetown University in Washington. Certainly not before this falls crucial leadership conference. China and others frankly are going to scramble to come up with ways to essentially appease Trump before things go too far. 



A post-summit analysis in Hong Kongs influential English language South China Morning Post argued that the real importance of the meeting for Xi was in building his portfolio ahead of the Communist Party congress, where he not only hopes to extend his term in office, but to cement his place in the pantheon of Chinese leaders.

The article quoted political commentator Zhang Lifan as saying Xis target is to stabilize the Sino-U.S. relationship at all costs.

A trade war with the U.S. would affect the Chinese economy badly, and a military clash on the Korean peninsula would trigger a political crisis in China and put the leadership under challenge from inside the Party, Zhang said.

Trumps diplomatic overture seems to have caught the Chinese leaders attention. The U.S. president followed up Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning in China) with a phone call to discuss the latest developments on the Korean peninsula.

Chinese state media reported that during the call, Xi called for peaceful resolution of tensions over North Korea.

Charles Stevenson, acting associate director of the American Foreign Policy Program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, cautions that Trumps very public negotiating strategy could backfire if he gets ahead of key U.S. allies in the region, South Korea and Japan.

I hope the administration realizes that when Trump says, if they wont do it, I will, which is the tone if not his exact words, it has to be consistent with what our regional allies can accept, Stevenson says. Im more optimistic on this score than I was, but a tweet can blow up everything overnight.

The latest Trump-Xi phone conversation comes as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group heads to the waters off the Korean peninsula.

We are sending an armada. Very powerful, Trump said Wednesday in an interview with Maria Bartiromo of the Fox Business Network.

The president declined to be specific on his strategy with regard to Pyongyang. I dont want to talk about it, he said. Asked about North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un, Trump told Bartiromo, He is doing the wrong thing.

Pyongyang said Monday it would hold the U.S. wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences after Trump dispatched the USS Carl Vinson and an accompanying battle group to the region.
Chinese state media say President Xi Jinping told U.S. leader Donald Trump that resolving North Korea tensions should be achieved peacefully.

The reports said the leaders spoke by telephone Wednesday, nearly a week after after face-to-face talks at a summit in the U.S. state of Florida. The White House has not yet issued its account of the conversation.

On Tuesday, Trump used Twitter to reiterate his calls for China to help rein in North Korea.

North Korea is looking for trouble, Trump wrote. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!

He did not elaborate on what actions the U.S. might take. But in another message posted minutes earlier, Trump said he told Xi terms of a trade deal would be better for China if they solve the North Korea problem.

China weary of North Korea

China is North Korea's main benefactor, with the Council on Foreign Relations describing Beijing as North Korea's most important ally, biggest trading partner, and main source of food, arms, and energy.

But China has also grown weary of North Korea's repeated missile tests in violation of United Nations sanctions, as well as its five nuclear tests. Some analysts believe North Korea is preparing a sixth nuclear test.

Trump Saturday dispatched a U.S. Navy strike group to the northern Pacific waters near North Korea to send a message to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea has said that the U.S. missile attack last week on Syria in response to that country's use of chemical weapons justifies Pyongyang's nuclear development program, as the country fears a similar U.S. attack.

Trump talks trade gap

Trump also urged Xi to help close the yawning U.S. trade gap with China, with Chinese interests last year exporting $347 billion more in products to the U.S. than American businesses sent to China. The U.S. imports consumer electronics, clothing and machinery from China, while U.S. manufacturers send raw materials to China for low-cost assembly of some consumer products.

Trump has suggested he will try to impose tariffs on goods made overseas by U.S. companies that then bring the products back to the U.S. for sale to American consumers. But he has not made any tariff proposal to Congress, which would have to approve a new levy. Such an action could initiate a trade war with foreign governments and also boost the price of consumer goods in the United States.
There are only two options on the ballot - "yes" or "no" - but tens of millions of Turks will cast their votes in a referendum on Sunday with a myriad of motives.

The referendum could bring about the biggest change to Turkey's system of governance since the founding of the modern republic almost a century ago, replacing its parliamentary system with an executive presidency.

The question on the ballot paper may be about the constitution, but looming large is the figure of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who could win sweeping powers and stay in office until 2029 if the changes are approved.

Polls show a close race, with a slight lead for "yes." But the vote may yield surprises.

I want a democracy

"I'm a patriot," said Cengiz Topcu, 57, a fisherman in Rize on the Black Sea coast, Erdogan's ancestral home town where his supporters are among the most fervent.

But Topcu is voting "no."

"In the past, Erdogan was a good man but then he changed for the worse. I want a democracy: not the rule of one man," he told Reuters in his boat.

The proposed changes, Erdogan and his supporters say, will make Turkey stronger at a time when the country faces security threats from both Islamist and Kurdish militants.

Violence has flared in the largely Kurdish southeast since the collapse of a cease-fire between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in 2015, and parts of the region have long been strongholds of opposition to Erdogan.

But Hikmet Gunduz, 52, a street vendor in the main regional city of Diyarbakir, hopes his "yes" vote will help bring peace.

"I like President Erdogans character. He is a bit angry and a bit authoritarian but his heart is full of love."

Freedoms

Erdogan, arguably modern Turkey's most popular but divisive politician, has long cast himself as the champion of ordinary, pious Turks exploited by a secular elite.

Although a majority Muslim country, Turkey is officially secular and the headscarf was long banned in the civil service and in universities until Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party overturned that restriction.

Aynur Sullu, a 49-year-old hotel owner in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, a bastion of the secularist opposition, said she planned to vote "yes," dismissing suggestions that Erdogan's Islamist ideals were encroaching on people's private lives.

"Anyone can drink raki or swim with a bikini freely," she said, referring to the alcoholic drink favored by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern secular republic. "Also, now women with headscarves have freedom."

Businesswoman Dilsat Gulsevim Arinc, however, said Erdogan was acting like a sultan and hoped her "no" vote would help teach him a "useful lesson".

"He is too authoritarian," said the 68-year-old cafe owner in Cesme, an Aegean resort town. "If things go on like this, I think Turkey will be finished in the next 10 years."
I cried, said Itzel Gonzalez, on learning she was eligible for DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that granted temporary immunity to undocumented young people who were brought to the United States as children.

It was during her last year on high school. I was like, I can work. I can earn some money this summer to help my mom out. ... I can go to school and get my license. I cried that day."

Gonzalez came to North Carolina from Mexico when she was 4 years old. She didn't learn her status was illegal until she was in high school and wanted to apply to colleges and get her driving license.

My mom would be like, you can't do that. And I was just like, but why?And I have always wondered what's a social security [card]? What is that? Do I have one, do I need one?

Watch: Life in Limbo Requires Courage

She soon discovered that without a nine-digit Social Security number issued by the federal government to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and temporary (working) residents, she could not apply to college, obtain a driving license or get a job. She was effectively shut out of the only country she really knew, where she had lived most of her life.

The Obama-era DACA, which deferred deportation and granted work permits for a renewable two-year period, was a lifeline, not only to Gonzalez but also to almost 50,000 undocumented young people in North Carolina. The Atlantic seaboard state has a high percentage of the at least 750,000 DACA recipients nationwide.

Living in limbo

DACA's survival, however, has been uncertain since President Donald Trump took office in January.

Trump campaigned on a promise to undo DACA. As VOA reported, he has since angered immigration hardliners by declaring himself divided on a "very, very tough" issue. No announcements have been made about the program's future, leaving DACA recipients in limbo.

Eighteen-year-old Edith Galvan, who has been in the U.S. since she was 6, is not letting the program's uncertain status force her into the shadows. "I have a drive for social justice and change and helping everyone," says the first-year social work major at Meredith College here.

Recently, Galvan organized her first protest for her boyfriend's father, Vicente Marcial Noyola, an unlawful immigrant and father of seven U.S.-born children. Marcial Noyola was detained for driving without a license and is due to be deported.

Chanting "Free Vicente now," about 50 people gathered in front of the Wake County Detention Center in this state capital. Standing in front of the group and the news media, Galvan introduced each of Marcial Noyola's children, who range in age from 5 to 21.

The small protest had almost no chance of convincing immigration authorities to let Marcial Noyola go, but that did not stop Galvan.

"He shouldn't be taken away from his kids, who are so young and innocent," she said.

(Update: Galvan has reported that Marcial Noyola was released from custody on May 21 after the driving without a license charge was dropped. He is back home with his children.)

Depending on DACA

Gonzalez is a senior at Meredith College. A cross-country runner, she was recruited by the school.

"I talked to them about my situation  and Meredith helped me financially a lot, and that's how I'm able to graduate in May," she said.

DACA recipients are not eligible for taxpayer-funded assistance.

Gonzalez initially wanted to go to medical school but ended up majoring in public health, finding it "more useful to do public health and help people prevent diseases."

Now she is struggling once again to see into the future. She has already started looking for jobs, mostly with the government; but the jobs require her to be a U.S. citizen.

Instead, Gonzalez says she will sign up for AmeriCorps, a government-run program that places thousands of young people in yearlong public service jobs in nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country.

AmeriCorps is one avenue that is open to DACA recipients  if DACA survives.

I don't know what's going to become of DACA, says Gonzalez, and I depend on it a lot.

The things that I have gone through, I wouldn't want anybody else to go through, because I know the feeling and it's a horrible feeling, especially for kids.

(This is the second in a two-part series from Raleigh. The first part, on immigration hardliners who want to undo DACA, can be seen here.)
United Airlines Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz took to the airwaves Wednesday in an attempt to quell the outrage over Sunday's forced removal of a passenger, vowing that kind of incident "will never happen again."

Facing mounting pressure, Munoz was much more contrite in an interview with ABC News, apologizing profusely to Dr. David Dao and promising that security officers will no longer be used to remove passengers. "We can't do that," he said.

The tone of Munoz's remarks contrasted sharply with some of his previous statements criticized as perfunctory - including one in which he called Dao "belligerent and disruptive."

The controversy began when video taken by other passengers showed Dao, limp and bleeding from a facial wound, being dragged from a United Airlines flight Sunday at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Dao was one of four passengers bumped from the flight to accommodate four airline employees. He supposedly was chosen at random after other passengers spurned the airline's offer of cash payments if they would agree to disembark and take a later flight to their destination in Kentucky.

Dao refused to leave his seat, prompting flight attendants to call for help from Chicago aviation security officers. Three security guards pulled the Vietnamese physician out of his seat and dragged him down the aisle on his back, toward an exit. Passengers screamed in apparently dismay and shock at the man's treatment; some recorded images of the incident on their cellphones, and that video quickly went viral.

Dao was hospitalized in Chicago Tuesday for injuries he sustained while being removed, according to Thomas Demetrio, a personal injury lawyer now representing him.

Public outrage over the incident has resulted in calls for a boycott of the airline and online petitions demanding Munoz's resignation. Reaction was particularly intense among Asian-Americans and in Vietnam.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is investigating the incident and several legislators have called for new rules to curb the airline industry's practice of overbooking flights. The security officer who dragged Dao from the plane was placed on leave "pending a thorough review of the situation," authorities in Chicago said.

The website of the state medical board in Kentucky, where Dao is licensed to practice medicine, shows he graduated in 1974 from the University of Medicine of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Dao was convicted in 2004 criminal charges involving his medical practice. He surrendered his medical license and observed a five-year probationary period, then was allowed to practice medicine once again in 2015.

The 2004 incident was dismissed by many Vietnamese as a smear campaign. "Dr. Dao didn't do anything wrong on that flight and that's the main thing," Clarence Dung Taylor wrote on Facebook, the most popular social media platform in Vietnam.
Russia deployed yet another U.N. Security Council veto Wednesday to protect Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad from international condemnation for last week's deadly chemical weapons attack.

"With its veto, Russia said 'no' to accountability, Russia said 'no' to cooperation with the United Nations' independent investigation, and Russia said 'no' to a resolution that would have helped promote peace in Syria," U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council. "Russia has once again chosen to side with Assad," she said in reference to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

In a vote of 10 in favor, two against and three abstentions, Moscow blocked the measure put forward by Britain, France and the United States. China, in a rare break with Russia, abstained, while non-permanent members Bolivia voted no, and Ethiopia and Kazakhstan joined China in abstaining.

The draft resolution sought to condemn the gas attack and strengthen an international investigation into what happened. An earlier, similar draft resolution failed to make it to a vote last Thursday.

"If the regime is innocent, as Russia claims, the information requested in this resolution would have vindicated them," Haley said. "By its failure, Russia will continue to be isolated."

Haley also had a warning for the Assad regime in Damascus: "The United States is watching your actions very closely. The days of your arrogance and disregard of humanity are over," she said. "I suggest you look at this vote very carefully, and heed this warning."

The Trump administration believes the Assad regime launched the April 4 gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun from the Shayrat airfield. After seeing images of dying children in the chemical attack, President Donald Trump said he decided a military response was necessary. The United States launched a targeted missile attack against the airfield two days after the chemical attack.

Russia's U.N. deputy envoy Vladimir Safronkov rejected the Western draft resolution, saying it "appointed the guilty party prior to an independent and objective investigation."

Finding definitive evidence

At an earlier session of the council Wednesday, also about Syria, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said his government shares the U.S. assessment that it is highly likely the Assad regime was responsible for a sarin attack on the town last week.

"Chemical weapons scientists at Porton Down, in the United Kingdom, have analyzed samples obtained from Khan Sheikhoun, and these have tested positive for the nerve agent sarin, or a sarin-like substance," he told council members.

"We need to find out the facts, conduct a comprehensive investigation," Russia's Safronkov told the council. He questioned how foreign experts already could have concluded that Damascus is responsible. "I am amazed this was the conclusion. No one has yet visited the site of the crime. How do you know that?" he asked.

Syria's Ambassador Bashar al-Jaafari said it is all "lies and accusations" against his country, and Syria no longer possesses chemical weapons, as confirmed by the United Nations in June 2014.

Seeking a political solution

Council members also were briefed by U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who is tasked with trying to bring the opposing Syrian sides together in a political settlement.

He recently completed a fifth round of intra-Syrian talks in Geneva, the first time the two sides have spoken directly instead of through him. De Mistura said that while there were no breakthroughs, there also were no breakdowns, and that the parties held substantive talks for nine full days on all the issues.

"Yes, the gaps are still wide," he said. He warned that the talks were overshadowed by an intensification of fighting on the ground and urged the restoration of a nationwide cease-fire.

"This is a time for clear thinking, strategy, imagination, cooperation," de Mistura said.

He welcomed the talks Wednesday in Moscow between U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov. He said he knows the two powers have "serious differences," but they also have "common interests and responsibilities."

"They must find a way to work together, to stabilize the situation, in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way, in support of the political process," de Mistura said.

Ultimately, de Mistura said there is a choice: Either the killing and destruction continue, or there is a shift to serious discussion and real de-escalation and a cease-fire to reach a political settlement. "The stakes in Syria are very high."
Scattered protests flared Wednesday in slums that have long been a bulwark of support for Venezuela's socialist leaders only hours after a pro-government rally degenerated into heckling of President Nicolas Maduro.

Maduro was attending a rally Tuesday night in the poor eastern state of Bolivar when a crowd turned on him. The official broadcast of the event cut out, but videos circulating on social media show people throwing objects at the president's vehicle and shouting "damn you!" A witness said people threw stones, bottles and cold water at the president, whose approval ratings have dipped below 20 percent as the country's economy has plummeted.

Later that night, hundreds of young men burned trash and clashed with police in scattered protests around the economically flailing country. The unrest notably included slums outside of Caracas and other cities that had long shunned any part in the near-daily protests that have embroiled middle-class neighborhoods.

"People went into the streets last night because we are very upset," said Wilfredo Martinez, who lives in the working-class Caracas neighborhood of La Vega. "We're having a terrible time. We can't find food and sick people can't find medicine."

Dozens of police in riot gear stormed into his neighborhood as dawn broke to reestablish order and stop the looting of local stores.

Congressman Daniel Antequera said that a 14-year-old boy was killed in protests Tuesday night in the city of Barquisimeto, apparently shot by government supporters. The boy is the third protester killed in recent days. Officials said Wednesday they were charging two police with killing a 20-year-old college student earlier in the week.

Opposition leaders seized on the videos of Maduro being harassed at the official event as evidence he can no longer travel freely in his own land.

"Leave already, Maduro. Wherever you go here, people hate you," two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles said Wednesday. The episode recalled an incident several months ago in which people chased Maduro down the street on the resort island of Margarita, banging pots and pans to express their anger.

The unrest is the strongest the country has seen since 2014, when protests left dozens dead  but the government's hold on power stronger than ever. Opposition leaders say the country has further soured on Maduro in the years since, and are calling for continued protests to demand immediate general elections.

Freddy Guevara, vice president of the country's opposition-led congress, called on protesters to avoid violence.

"Peaceful protesting is resistance, not violence," he said. "Looting and destroying property is not. It strengthens the dictatorship and puts us all at risk."
President Donald Trump told a group of chief executives Tuesday that his administration was revamping the Wall Street reform law known as Dodd-Frank and might eliminate the rules and replace them with "something else."

At the beginning of his administration, Trump ordered reviews of the major banking rules that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, and last week he said officials were planning a "major haircut" for them.

"For the bankers in the room, they'll be very happy because we're really doing a major streamlining and, perhaps, elimination, and replacing it with something else," Trump said Tuesday.

"That will be the minimum. But we're doing a major elimination of the horrendous Dodd-Frank regulations, keeping some obviously, but getting rid of many," he said.

The many provisions of the Dodd-Frank measure were aimed at decreasing risks in the U.S. financial system. The White House is not unilaterally able to upend Dodd-Frank's rules, almost all of which are implemented by independent regulatory agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Reserve.

A sweeping change to the law would require congressional action, though in some cases regulators may also have wiggle room to make changes through a formal rule-making process.

Report on regulations

In February, Trump issued an executive order requiring Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to consult with U.S. regulators and submit a report outlining a proposal for possible regulatory and legislative changes that will help fuel economic growth and promote American business interests.

That report, due to be released in June, will most likely serve as a blueprint for possible changes down the road. However, congressional action on a Wall Street bill is not expected in the near term, as Congress focuses primarily on health care and tax reform.

Participants in the Tuesday meeting included Rich Lesser, chief executive of Boston Consulting Group; Doug McMillon, chief executive of Wal-Mart Stores; Indra Nooyi, chief executive of PepsiCo; Jim McNerney, former chief executive of Boeing; Ginni Rometty, chief executive of IBM; and Jack Welch, former chairman of General Electric.

The business leaders are part of Trump's "Strategy and Policy Forum" that last met with him in February.

Trump also reiterated his criticism of the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

"NAFTA is a disaster. It's been a disaster from the day it was devised. And we're going to have some very pleasant surprises for you on NAFTA, that I can tell you," he said.
There were audible gasps in the White House press room Tuesday when spokesman Sean Spicer appeared to forget about the Holocaust in asserting that the Syrian military's use of sarin gas on civilians exceeded the atrocities of Nazi Germany.

With Spicer's credibility already strained, opposition Democrats and others began calling for the White House press secretary to be removed from his position.

Spicer, known for previous incidents of clumsy wording on the White House podium, said: "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," making a comparison to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military using chemical weapons on its own civilians last week.

When a reporter subsequently asked, "What about the Holocaust?" Spicer responded that he understood the point but said Hitler used chemical weapons in what the White House spokesman termed "Holocaust centers." The German dictator, Spicer said, "was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Ashad (sic) is doing."

That explanation "made things much worse," CNN senior media correspondent Brian Stelter said after the briefing, adding, "He's got some more clarifying to do."

Written statement

Indeed, shortly after similar comments on other cable television news channels, Spicer issued a further written clarification saying he was "in no way  trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust," but rather "trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers."

That explanation did not mollify some.

"Sean Spicer must be fired and the president must immediately disavow his spokesman's statement," said the Democratic Party's leader in the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi of California. "Either he is speaking for the president, or the president should have known better than to hire him."

Pelosi noted Spicer's statements came on the first day of Passover, the story from the biblical Exodus celebrating the ancient Israelites' liberation from Egyptian slavery.



During an interview Wednesday at the Newseum, Spicer again acknowledged the mistake, noting that he has "sought people's forgiveness."

"It's a very holy week for both the Jewish people and the Christian people ... to make a gaffe and a mistake like this is inexcusable and reprehensible," he said. "It's painful to myself to know I did something like that."

The chastened White House press secretary has made several separate appearances on national news programs to apologize for his latest verbal gaffe.

I just want to set the record straight on what was intended, Spicer told VOA as he shuttled outside the West Wing between live and taped appearances on several television networks.

Minutes earlier, on CNN, Spicer said, "I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust ... I apologize."

Spicer said he was apologizing not only to Holocaust survivors, but also to anyone who was offended by those comments. It was a mistake, I shouldnt have done it, he added.

The press secretary was accused of "Holocaust denial" by Steven Goldstein, executive director of New York's Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect.

"Spicer's statement is the most evil slur upon a group of people we have ever heard from a White House press secretary," added Goldstein, saying Spicer now "lacks the integrity to serve as White House press secretary, and President [Donald] Trump must fire him at once."

The Holocaust was the systematic state-sponsored persecution and murder of 6 million Jews by the Nazi regime and its collaborators.

Call for education

Historians saw Spicer's stumbling as a learning moment to call for better education about one of the most horrific events in world history and a cornerstone of modern Jewish identity.

"It's embarrassing," said professor Wolf Gruner, a specialist on the Holocaust who heads the University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research.

Gruner, originally from Germany, said a public figure of Spicer's stature "should be informed of the basic facts of the Holocaust and other genocides."

Historians conservatively estimate that about 300,000 German citizens (including those of Austria) were killed by the Nazis using poison gas, whether as Jews or during euthanasia programs, according to Gruner.

Spicer had other rhetorical difficulties during both of his briefings held so far this week.

He suggested on Monday that Trump could take military action if Assad dropped more barrel bombs, something Syrian government forces have done with regularity.

The White House subsequently walked back that comment.

And in Tuesday's briefing, the press secretary also declared Iran a failed state in discussing Russian allies.
The statement by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that the reign of President Bashar Assad's family "is coming to an end'' suggests the U.S. is taking a much more aggressive approach about the Syrian leader.



The remark Tuesday came after a U.S. airstrike in Syria and threats of more punitive action.



Any attempt to unseat Assad faces huge hurdles and risks unleashing chaos. It could also relieve the suffering of nearly 1 million Syrians living under constant siege and bombardment.



Despite six years of civil war, Assad is firmly entrenched in his seat of power, Damascus, largely thanks to powerful allies Russia and Iran who continue to prop up his government politically and militarily.



Taking him out of the equation without a clear transition plan would be a major gamble with consequences that would likely resonate far beyond the Syrian borders and raises the following questions:



What is the U.S. Position on Assad?



The past week has brought about an almost seismic shift in the U.S. administration's position on Syria. Only weeks earlier, U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, were signaling a willingness to work with Russia and saying that Assad's status was not a priority for the time being.



The April 4 chemical weapons attack that killed more than 80 people in an opposition-held town in northern Syria appears to have completely altered Trump's calculus, triggering the first direct U.S. airstrike on Assad's forces in the conflict.



The Trump administration continues to offer mixed messages about its ultimate goal in Syria and whether Assad must surrender power  and when.





"It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end,'' Tillerson said. "But the question of how that ends and the transition itself could be very important in our view to the durability, the stability inside of a unified Syria.''



What is the Assad Family's Power Base?



The Assad family has ruled Syria for nearly five decades. So entrenched is the dynasty that die-hard supporters label the country as "Assad's Syria.'' In battle zones, loyal fighters have sprayed "Assad, or we burn the country.''



Despite the spectacular devastation he has presided over, Assad has managed to retain a level of support. He maintained, from the beginning, that his war is one against terrorism, and through a deft policy of divide and conquer, he has made the war a choice between him and the Islamic extremists.





Among his supporters are members of his Alawite sect, as well as other minority sects such as the Christians and Druze who fear reprisals by extremists in case they take over the country. Many in the powerful business community also support Assad and see him as a source of stability compared to other, opposition-held parts of Syria that are run by scores of rebel factions and warlords. Syria's powerful security agencies, notorious for human rights abuses, also will back Assad until the end.



What are the Alternatives to Assad?



There is no obvious replacement. Assad's term has been an extension of the rule by his father and his father's predecessor, both of which stifled any form of dissent for decades. Following the uprising, which began in March 2011, opposition figures have either been jailed, exiled or killed. Some analysts say the only replacement could be an Alawite army general, since the presence of such a leader would serve as a guarantee to Syria's minorities.



Such a figure is not apparent for the time being. Thus, finding an alternative to Assad has bedeviled foreign policy experts for years.

More recently, as Russia helped reverse his military fortunes and left him in control of most of the country's major population centers, much of the West had appeared to come to terms with the conclusion that Assad could stay on for the time being.



Could Assad be Removed by Force?



The U.S. can take any number of measures against Assad to degrade and ultimately remove him from power. That includes bombing command and control centers, grounding his warplanes and significantly increasing weapons support for rebels fighting to topple him.



Any such action risks a igniting a confrontation with Russia and Iran. Such flagrant action may also become counterintuitive and risk a backlash from rebel factions who may not welcome U.S. bombing of Syria even though they want Assad out.



What Would Happen if Assad Was Ousted?



Europeans and the previous U.S. administration have been very clear that they don't want a collapse of the regime similar to what happened elsewhere, including neighboring Iraq.

The concern is that a sudden unseating of Assad would lead to a collapse of state institutions, unleashing sectarian massacres and facilitating the spread of militant groups, such as the Islamic State group, al-Qaida and the Shiite militias who have fueled violence in Iraq.



Russian officials often cite the U.S. failures in Iraq and Libya, where state institutions disintegrated following Western military intervention, to illustrate the perils of forced regime change in Syria.
Strolling down the quayside in Izmir, a liberal bastion on Turkey's Aegean Coast, Kubilay Mutlu and his Street Orchestra sing of the naked emperor and the collapse of sultanates in a bid to rally no voters ahead of Sunday's historic referendum.

With mainstream media saturated by pro-government campaigning ahead of the vote on broadening President Tayyip Erdogan's powers, those opposed to the changes are seeking alternative channels to get their message across.

No supporters have complained of threats and bans from the authorities, and a report by one non-governmental group said television coverage of the yes campaign had been ten times more extensive than that of the opposition.

What we want to stress, despite the pessimistic picture, is that no is a very important option. Let's use our right to object, said Mutlu, whose band, made up of teachers and students from a local university, put their song One no is enough on video-sharing site YouTube.

Referendum to be decided Sunday

Sunday's referendum will decide on the biggest change in Turkey's system of governance since the foundation of the modern republic almost a century ago, potentially replacing its parliamentary system with an executive presidency.

Erdogan and his supporters say the change is needed to give Turkey stronger leadership at a time of turbulence. Opponents fear increasingly authoritarian rule from a president they cast as a would-be sultan who brooks little dissent.

The vote is being held under a state of emergency imposed after a failed military coup nine months ago, meaning there are substantive limitations on freedom of expression and assembly, according to the Venice Commission, a panel of legal experts at the Council of Europe.

Turkey has purged more than 113,000 people from the police, judiciary, military and elsewhere since the coup attempt, and has closed more than 130 media outlets, raising concerns among Western allies about deteriorating rights and freedoms.

Many opposition leaders jailed

The leaders of the pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, parliament's third-largest party, have been jailed over alleged links to Kurdish militants along with a dozen of its MPs and thousands of its other members. The HDP opposes the constitutional changes.

The extremely unfavorable environment for journalism and the increasingly impoverished and one-sided public debate that prevail in Turkey at this point question the very possibility of holding a meaningful, inclusive democratic referendum campaign, the Venice Commission said last month.

Turkish officials have said international observers are free to monitor all aspects of the referendum and have repeatedly rejected the notion that the media is muzzled, saying that outlets shut down in the purges were closed on terrorism-related charges, not for their journalism.

Erdogan was quoted in February as saying there was more press freedom in Turkey than in many Western countries.

Dominating the airwaves

A stream of music videos exhorting people to vote no have emerged on social media, as opposition politicians complain that the playing field ahead of the vote is far from level.

In one such video, which has had close to 400,000 views on YouTube, a women's group appeals to listeners to use power of laughter in a song entitled ha ha ha, hayir, a play on the Turkish word for no.

They have the media, meeting halls, municipalities and resources in their hands. But stubbornly we try to touch people on the streets, through social media," Dilara Yucetepe, who was part of the project, told Reuters.

Another no video draws on imagery from anti-government demonstrations in 2013, when hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in what grew from a protest against the redevelopment of an Istanbul park into a broad show of defiance.

Opposition leader interviewed

State broadcaster TRT interviewed Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition CHP, on Friday evening and was set to interview a spokesman for the HDP on Tuesday, a development the party described on its Twitter feed as seemingly unbelievable.

Such appearances are relatively rare, all but drowned out by the multiple speeches each day by Erdogan, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and others broadcast live on all the major networks.

According to a report by the Unity for Democracy (DIB), an opposition-affiliated organization, live television broadcasts from March 1-20 period dedicated 169 hours to Erdogan, 301.5 hours to the ruling AK Party and 15.5 hours to the nationalist MHP, which supports the yes campaign.

The CHP had 45.5 hours of coverage while the HDP had none, the report said. A Turkish court last week banned the HDP's no campaign song on the grounds that it contravened the constitution and fomented hatred.

In a report published on the party's website, CHP lawmaker Necati Yilmaz said no campaigners had faced 143 incidents of pressure, threats and bans by the end of March.

While the state's resources and financial power are being used to boost the yes vote, its legal, administrative and security forces are used to clamp down on no, he said.
Zambias outspoken opposition leader has been charged with treason after allegedly blocking the president's motorcade recently, police said Wednesday.

Hakainde Hichilema, who has said he does not recognize former opponent Edgar Lungu as the legitimate president, was arrested late Monday.

"It has been established that the opposition leader disobeyed police orders to clear the way, thereby putting the life of the head of state in danger," police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka.

"We have charged Hichilema and five others with treason."

There is no bail on the treason charge, which carries a possible death penalty.

The arrest is part of a deepening fallout from a contentious August presidential poll that both contenders claim to have won.

Opposition spokesman Charles Kakoma said police broke through the doors of Hichilemas upscale home late Monday, blocked the gates and doors to prevent escape, tear-gassed the occupants and then took him away.

This is Hichilemas second arrest since October, when police held him and charged him and his deputy with sedition over their claims that the presidential poll was unfair. Dozens of their supporters were also arrested at the time.
Ahead of Zimbabwes independence on April 18th, United States Ambassador Harry Thomas Jnr will on Thursday participate in a panel discussion on the future of Zimbabwe.

The discussion is organized by VOA Africa Division and will be moderated by VOA Zimbabwe Service reporter Blessing Zulu.

During the VOA organized discussion, Ambassador Thomas Jnr. will be joined by Dr. Chipo Dendere, Assistant Professor, Gettysburg College; Dr. Tawuya Katso, Developmental and Social Consultant; and Dr. Rhoderick Machekano, Zimbabwe Diaspora Network North America (ZDNNA) while Amanda Bennett, VOA Director will give the opening remarks.

Members of the public can tune in live via www.voazimbabwe.com or through Facebook www.facebook.com/VOALiveTalk.

Ambassador Thomas Jr. started his assignment in Zimbabwe on February 25th 2016 after presenting his credentials to President Robert Mugabe. His assignment to Zimbabwe is his second as a diplomat since the southern African country attained its independence in 1980.

He joined the Foreign Service in 1984, and has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines from 2010 to 2013 and to Bangladesh from 2003 to 2005. He also served in the White House as the Director for South Asia at the National Security Council from 2001 to 2002.

His other postings include: New Delhi, India; Kaduna, Nigeria; and Lima, Peru. A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Columbia University, Ambassador Thomas Jr. also served at Arizona State University as the State Departments Diplomat-in-Residence for the Southwest from 2013 to 2015.

After meeting President Robert Mugabe, the top American diplomat pledged to continue the important work of building strong and respectful relations between the two countries.

We stand by the commitments that we made to the people of Zimbabwe at independence in 1980; to work together to promote democratic institutions, equitable economic growth, public health, and food security, he said at the time.

The United States shares the desires of the people of Zimbabwe, who want to see a peaceful, democratic, and prosperous Zimbabwe that provides for its people and contributes to regional stability.

Ambassador Thomas immediate assignment has included overseeing U.S. government response to the 20152016 El Nino induced droughts and the construction of the New Embassy Campus in Bluffhill Harare. The latter has created more than 850 job opportunities for local Zimbabwean workers and injected more than $30 million dollars into the local economy each year since construction work began.

On the humanitarian front, the United States has ensured that humanitarian assistance reaches two million Zimbabweans during the El Nino-induced drought that led to widespread crop failure and left 4.1 million rural Zimbabweans food insecure. - ZimPAS
Theres a reason their interviews have been getting longer. Photo: Getty Images

In the interrogation room, questioning can go on for hours to weed out the lies. But cops, unlike morning show anchors on network TV, dont have to cut to commercial; their time in the spotlight doesnt expire after a couple hours to hand it off to Kathie Lee and Hoda. In Donald Trumps America, morning show anchors now say the rules have changed  even the simplest questions or presentation of facts that contradict the administrations alternative ones require enough time to fill the whole show. Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos says that ABC has now allotted more time for interviews with government officials on its morning show so the network can get to the truth. You have to log far more time now in order to get anything done over the course of the interview. We usually do two to four minutes on Good Morning America. Weve had to double that, Stephanopoulos says in a Hollywood Reporter roundtable discussion with several other anchors. And you can still maybe not get anything done. Today Show host Savannah Guthrie notes that NBC had to implement the same interview strategy to get officials off script.

For Stephanopoulos and other anchors, the presidents often distorted reality has forced an ethical debate in the newsroom about when to stop interviewing officials who habitually lie. Its not serving our viewers to allow people to come on and say things that are not true. Were all dealing with it, Stephanopoulos says. We put them on, we challenge them, but then youre also facing the question of: Is this really helping people by allowing falsehoods to propagate? CNNs Jake Tapper, sounding like a cup of tea tipping over, had this to add:



We all know members of the House and Senate  especially the House  who are just crazy and say things that arent true, Democrats and Republicans. Im sure were probably all thinking of some of the same people  And typically we dont have them on our shows. But theres a difference when its the White House or somebody who is definitely a big player.
Fearlessly standing her ground. Photo: Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Ready for an art war? Italian-born sculptor Arturo Di Modica, who created the massive Charging Bull bronze sculpture on Wall Street after the 1987 stock market crash, has a bone to pick with the creatives behind the new Fearless Girl sculpture, saying that its distorting and detracting from his original work. Di Modicas attorney claims that the feminist sculpture  which was placed across from Charging Bull to celebrate International Womens Day in March by artist Kristen Visbal  is nothing more than an advertising trick conjured up by State Street Global Advisors and McCann, and that the sculptures presence infringed on his own artistic copyright by changing the creative dynamic to include the other bold presence. As a result hes challenging New York Citys authorities to have Fearless Girl removed before its intended February 2018 closing. Were all for gender equality, his attorney told the Washington Post. But the questions are because there are other issues.

Men who dont like women taking up space are exactly why we need the Fearless Girl. https://t.co/D2OZl4ituJ  Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) April 12, 2017

Interestingly, both sculptures appeared on the small Wall Street walkway in similar fashions  the two artists both installed their respective works in the middle of the night without permits, with New York City eventually letting them remain due to overwhelmingly positive public responses. Di Modica plans to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon to further address his course of action, though its unclear if he plans to formally file a lawsuit.
Harris Wittels. Photo: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

In 2015, comedian, writer, and coexecutive producer of Parks & Recreation Harris Wittels died from a reported drug overdose. He was 30 years old. Now his sister, Stephanie Wittels Wachs, is honoring her brother with a festival dedicated to him: Harris Phest. The name pays homage to Phish, which Wittels loved so much he and Comedy Bang Bangs Scott Aukerman recorded a podcast about the band. The festival is set to take place on April 20, which would be Wittelss 33rd birthday, at 8th Wonder Brewery in Houston*, Texas, and will include performances by Phish cover band A Live One, stand-up sets, scenes he wrote for Parks & Rec, and a select reading of his finest tweets. During the event, the brewery will also be serving a special Humblebraggot beer (Wittels coined the term humblebrag).

Wittels Wachs previously paid homage to Harris in 2016 with a devastating essay about her loss. Proceeds from the event will go to the Harris Wittels Fund, which provides scholarships to students from the comedians alma mater, Houstons High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Find out more about the event here.

* Correction: The post previously stated that 8th Wonder Brewery is located in Dallas, Texas. It is located on Dallas Street in Houston.
J. Geils Photo: Ed Perlstein/Redferns

Guitarist John Warren Geils Jr., known best by his stage name J. Geils, was found dead at his Massachusetts home on Tuesday reports Rolling Stone. He was 71. Geils formed the J. Geils Band in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1967, originally as an acoustic blues trio. After adding new members, including vocalist Peter Wolf, the band achieved mainstream success outside the Boston area in the 1970s with several hit singles. It wasnt until the next decade, however, that the band would hit its commercial stride with albums Love Stinks (1980) and Freeze-Frame (1981). Songs from those records, including Centerfold, Love Stinks, Freeze-Frame, and Come Back, did well on the Billboard charts and continue to receive frequent air time on rock and throwback radio stations. The band officially split in 1985, a year after Wolf left to pursue a solo career. Geils continued to release music, in the 90s as part of the band Bluestime, and in the aughts as a solo jazz musician. His cause of death has yet to be released.
Throughout his run on The Americans, Frank Langella has done such subtle work as Gabriel that its been hard to think of him as an individual separate from the dictates of the Center. We might notice that Gabriel takes a gentler hand in dealing with Philip and Elizabeth than Claudia, whose approach could get so underhanded and adversarial that Elizabeth brushed her back memorably on occasion. We might also notice that hes been acting as a buffer between the Center and the Jennings, reassuring Philip, in particular, of his value and tamping down concerns that hes shaky, as Claudia so ominously put it.

But its never been Langellas style to draw too much attention to himself. Hes been a steady performer since the early 1970s, but with the exception of his work on stage and screen as Richard Nixon in Frost/Nixon  and, okay, his turn as Skeletor in Masters of the Universe  Langella allows his imposing physical presence and his deep, mellifluous voice to do most of the heavy lifting. In his run as KGB handler, Langella has acted as the steady, calming center of a gathering storm  which has had the side effect of keeping the attention on the thunder and lightning. Just last week, I noted how crucial the scene in the car between Gabriel and Claudia was in understanding an episode where the characters sad fates were determined by larger forces, but I failed to recognize Gabriels evident pain in keeping Misha from meeting his father.

Crossbreed gives Gabriel  and Langellas performance  some long overdue acknowledgement. As Gabriel abruptly announces his retirement, its a clarifying moment for his character and for Langellas value to the show. Certain grace notes spring to mind, like how Gabriel cuts off Philip and Elizabeth before they can express any misgivings about taking on the Topeka assignment. He knows how excruciating it will be for both of them to handle the additional stress, but an order is an order, and he chooses to rip the band-aid off rather than allow them to marinate in despair. Hes like a father figure, setting the guardrails firmly to keep his children from careening off the path.

At the same time, Gabriel has the privilege of retiring while Philip and Elizabeth face the threat of being retired, should the Center ever consider them more of a liability than an asset. Gabriel sincerely attempts to reassure Elizabeth that the unfortunate killing of the lab worker is something that should weigh on her, but should also be considered in the larger context of her mission. On balance, he implies, the work that shes doing is important and valuable, and such instances of collateral damage should not dominate her conscience or tarnish the righteousness of their cause. And yet Langellas reading of the line, Its a long career, suggests a deep reservoir of regret and his decision to step away translates his world-weariness into action. Hes not just tired. Hes lost faith.

What could Gabriel be thinking when he pays a visit to the Lincoln Memorial? And what could Oleg thinking when he climbs the rooftop of a building and gazes out at the Kremlin? Maybe the same thing. This season of The Americans has been about patriots questioning their faith in a government theyve devoted their lives to serve and protect. In their separate roles, Gabriel and Oleg are confronting the hunger crisis thats sweeping their homeland, but for all the intrigue over midges and super-wheat and a corrupt system of bribes and kickbacks in food distribution, theyre both coming to the tough conclusion that the country is dysfunctional and cannot perform the basic service of feeding its people. Theyre giving their lives to a failed state.

Yet everyone must go on. When Elizabeth finds Paige reading Karl Marx in bed, Paige seems energized by Marxs ideals, just as Elizabeth herself must have been when she was younger. While Paige has trouble reconciling Marxs views on religion with her own, mother and daughter bond over the essential fairness of a worker state where no one is exploited. But even Elizabeth cant bring herself to endorse the socialist wonderland of Paiges imagination: Asked if everybody is equal, she replies, We have our problems. But everyone is in it together. Which is the nicest way to imply that theyve all gotten themselves into a terrible mess. When Paige, whod felt so wonderful getting baptized into the Christian faith, finally gets to meet Gabriel in the final scene, its another kind of baptism altogether.

Without Gabriels protection and guidance, Philip has no advocate left to offer assurances to the Center that hell continue to play his role effectively. Ill do my job. Ive always done it, says Philip wearily, but theres nothing approaching conviction in his voice; when Elizabeth offers that maybe something good can come out of the super-wheat assignment after all, he lets it pass without an Amen. With further disillusionment arriving this week in news about his fathers past as a guard at a labor camp, Philip cannot summon any enthusiasm for the work and likely never will again. The Center will have to be happy that he has no choice other than to perform at its will, because the consequences of doing otherwise are too dire to consider. Everyone is in it together, all right.

Hammers and Sickles

 And Stobert just wants to end world hunger. Like Miss America.

 The image of Philips mother scrubbing the dirt and blood caked on a pair of worker boots is a chilling suggestion that his father wasnt one of the nicer guards. The juxtaposition of that memory of extreme poverty and despair with Philip reminiscing about their lives now, in a queen-sized bed on the second floor of their suburban home, is quite a study in contrasts.

 Theres some evidence that Elizabeth is extracting something from Stobert besides information, something personal. He notices shes softer today than she has been before, which is natural given that she no longer believes hes intent to starve an entire population. But that tai chi lesson seems to take. Elizabeth is used to speaking with her body, but moving it around for a different purpose seems to relax her. (She also gets to lie to a therapist about taking up karate.)

 For all of Philip and Elizabeths concerns about how Paiges relationship with Matthew might blow their cover, theres evidence that Henrys bond with Stan is equally threatening. Stan knows more about about Henrys goings-on than his parents, to the point where hes up to date on the boys crushes. Without even considering a future where Henry might be indoctrinated into the KGB, hes already inadvertently leaking information on his family to Stan.

 The Peter Gabriel song near the end of the episode, Lay Your Hands on Me, comes from his 1982 self-titled album, the same one that produced Shock the Monkey. (One of the highlights of the early music-video era, incidentally.) The song is about trust and healing, but its set against the scenes where Oleg destroys the blackmail materials and the Jennings cart Paige to a safe house to visit Gabriel. So, ironic.
Dwayne Johnson in The Fate of the Furious.

If nothing else, The Fate of the Furious will go down as the first film of the Fast and the Furious franchise to contain the phrase disarm the nukes. We have our pick of dozens of suitable moments, but Ill pick that one on which to meditate on how far this film series, which was at one point about a group of street racers, has come. Eight films in, Doms crew is juggling not only nukes, but an EMP device and a Russian submarine.

That said, theres no reason to be sentimental for the Fast franchises roots. If you like these films, the logic goes, you should want them to get exponentially more ridiculous. While I generally agree, The Fate of the Furious is the first time I really stopped to wonder if this course, which we can only assume has been charted to outer space, is in its best interest.

Fate is the first film in the series to be conceived after the death of Paul Walker, and the absence shows. Furious 7 gave Walker a fittingly misty send-off, which for all its tears was well within the boundaries of the films emotional palette. (This has always been an earnest series.) With Walker gone, you have to wonder if he was the mayonnaise of the Fast sandwich all along  not terribly compelling on his own, but a much-needed binder. These films live and die by the balance of the ensemble, and without Walker and Jordana Brewster, the equilibriums been thrown off. Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson are the undisputed stars of the series now, and they are the two slabs of breaded chicken on either side of this KFC Double Down of a series: proudly and conspicuously too much, and rarely in contact with each other.

Meanwhile, the action has become incoherent, largely past the point of enjoyability. The one exception is a sequence in the streets of New York City, in which hundreds of hacked cars turn into a swarm of zombie vehicles. At one point a waterfall of cars send themselves off the side of a parking garage like a rainbow of Skittles. The Fast films have always used their muscle cars as a more kinetic alternative to guns (though there are plenty of guns here as well). Now, theyre using them as bullets.

The Fate of the Furious new baddie on the scene is Charlize Theron, playing Cipher, a hacker whose technical prowess has been yadda-yaddad into vague supervillain omnipotence. She blackmails Dom, now internationally known as the worlds most capable guy, into leaving the team and helping her steal some nuclear launch codes, so she can hold the world hostage and get everything she wants, whatever that is. Those eagerly awaiting Therons foray into the quarter-mile-at-a-time lifestyle could be underwhelmed; she plays the part in a barely modulated purr, like shes auditioning to be the spokesperson for InfoSec Femme cologne. Despite Therons well-documented action chops, she barely gets into the physical fray, mostly just pacing around and lecturing the captive Dom about game theory, sometimes while holding a gun to his head.

The rest of the team is brought together by Kurt Russell, now with his very own charisma-free Scrappy-Doo in the form of Scott Eastwood. Within the core group, director F. Gary Gray has tweaked the EQ in Tyrese Gibsons favor, continually turning the spotlight on the ever-excitable Romans puerile punch lines. But Jason Stathams Deckard Shaw, now allied with the crew, gets the biggest upgrade here  including the introduction of none other than Dame Helen Mirren as his mother. Gray turns him into an all-out Looney Tunes lout, pulling reaction-GIF faces at every opportunity, milking every chance to antagonize Johnson. Statham is in full flower.

It would spoil too much to get into how or why, but the climax of the film involves Statham taking out a roomful of henchmen while toting around a baby in a carrier. I was reminded of the undersung 2007 action oddity Shoot Em Up, a brisk, self-aware riff on the tough-guy genre in which Clive Owen protects a newborn baby from an army of goons while chomping on a carrot. If thats the direction the Fast franchise wants to take, it wouldnt be the series first tonal shift. But The Fate of the Furious is so overloaded with muscle and spyware now (*cough* buy a Jeep *cough*), its hardly suited to attempt anything so nimble.

The films opening, however, shows promise: Its classic Fast, an exhilarating street race in Havana that Dom wins by stripping down an old junker to its barest bones and giving it a flaming shot of NOS. It bursts into flames and crashes into the ocean after crossing the finish line, but Id take it over Charlizes frozen submarine any day.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Photo: HBO

Veep has always found a way to distance itself from Americas actual politics throughout its foulmouthed tenure  hooray, small-screen escapism!  but there was a pretty close call during production of the shows sixth season, which begins airing on HBO this weekend. One joke (only one?) needed to be cut from the script because it became too real in the age of President Trump. So much of Veep is often just sitting around thinking: Whats the dumbest thing that could happen? Theyre doing stuff that we couldnt invent if we tried, showrunner David Mandel explained in a column for The Hollywood Reporter. The only thing we did have to change  it sounds like a bad joke, but its true  was a golden shower joke in one of the episodes where someone is yelling at Jonah about a golden shower. We hadnt filmed it yet, and we realized, Oh, we need to change that. Instead, a different non-Trumpian joke was written in its place. Who knew we would literally have to change a Veep golden showers joke because of the real president of the United States of America? Mandel continued. It doesnt get any weirder than that. We wouldnt disagree.


L-R: Tony Hale and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Photo: HBO

In the first episode of the new season of Veep, Selina Meyer, still trying to regain equilibrium after a humiliating presidential-election loss, reveals a foolproof plan to get her life back on track: Shell run for president again.

That is a great ideeeeee-a, says Gary, Selenas perpetually hovering assistant, who greets this news with the kind of sycophantic panic that is his trademark. I think youre definitely ready for this. As played by the sublime Tony Hale, Gary utters these two sentences in a single, strained gasp, his face reddening as though this information is already giving him a rash. Seriously, Hale is so good in this scene that somehow, he even makes it look like the back of Garys neck is having a nervous breakdown.

This is one of several moments in the sixth season of Veep, which begins Sunday on HBO, that calls to mind Hillary Clintons recent, agonizing election loss. Heres another: Selina, in a subsequent episode, saying shed like the grounds of her presidential library to feature a reflecting pool so people can come and sit and reflect on what this cocksuck of a country did to me. Its important to remember that Veep is neither based on nor about the former Democratic presidential candidate. For starters, Selina Meyer actually did, albeit briefly, become the first female president of the United States. Second, Clinton is way more competent and articulate than Selina has ever been. Third, and most relevantly, this new season of Veep went into production before the results of the 2016 election were confirmed. As this Washington Post piece points out, on November 8, cast and crew were in the middle of shooting episode three  an episode, ironically, about the dirty politics behind an election in Georgia, the former Soviet territory, not the state  when they, along with the rest of America, learned that Trump had defeated Clinton.

Veep season six is not intended to be a commentary on what our cocksuck of a country did to Hillary Clinton, nor is it an exploration of the Trump era. Its just that occasionally, purely by accident, it feels a little bit like one. For the most part, though, Veep remains committed to the same basic principle: capturing the absurdity that is endemic to the democratic process, then cranking it up to uproarious, acerbic, and squirm-inducingly high levels.

The context for that absurdity, both within the show and outside of it, obviously has changed. Selina (Julia Louis-Dreyfus, still a boss at tossing off elaborate profanities like shes casually snapping bubblegum) is now out of office and based in New York City, but still focused on boosting her reputation and legacy, while the members of her staff have scattered to the winds that tend to sweep away former White House aides. Some of them have new jobs in the media, while others continue as advisors to other political power players, or become alleged power players themselves. Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons), elected to Congress last season just in time to cast a vote that Selena didnt want him to cast, is still serving in the legislature and, yes, still the worst kind of D.C. wannabe.

As a result of all these moving pieces, the show now has to engage in even more creative plot construction to ensure key characters are represented and continue to cross paths with one another. In the initial three episodes made available to critics, it pulls that off with an ease first established under creator Armando Iannucci and continued when David Mandel took over as showrunner last season.

As for the political world outside the show, as previously noted, things have obviously gotten a little insane. In the time I spent writing this review, the following New York Times headline was circulating on social media: The Latest Test for the White House? Pulling Off Its Easter Egg Roll. That sounds less like a headline and more like a log line from an unaired episode of the Selina Meyer story. On a consistent basis, the Trump administration seems determined to out-Veep Veep. Given the way the show operates, though, thats not a major issue.

Unlike a lot of politically focused television, particularly post-Trump, Veep has traditionally always avoided specific references to actual leaders and Washington figures. That works in its favor, especially now. During such a tense period, when a lot of people may be interested in avoiding politics altogether, the series still effectively serves as a 30-minute exercise in escapism. And when it does tackle a situation reminiscent of current or recent events, something that happened a lot last season, too, it plays like a clever wink from the other side of the political looking glass, which, comedically speaking, is more welcome at this point than another predictable riff on a bad Trump tweet.

Other reasons to relish the fact that Veep is back: Every member of the ensemble cast is still performing at his or her peak, adding just the right amount of salt on dialogue thats already high in sodium. Louis-Dreyfus and Hale, in particular, have got their physical comedy rhythms down so well that in some of their scenes, theyre practically dancing. In the second episode, when Selina visits the presidential library of Stuart Hughes, the commander-in-chief under whom she served as vice-president, Gary hastily lifts her body out of the fake Oval Office just in time to avoid getting caught by her old boss. Its a well-choreographed bit of business that would have been right at home in an episode of I Love Lucy.

Of course, in the days of I Love Lucy, people on TV didnt talk the way they do on Veep. This season, the writers continue to prove that no series on television is more inventive in its use of obscenities and insults than this one. An example, from Selina to Jonah: I will destroy you in ways that are so creative, they will honor me for it at the Kennedy Center. Louis-Dreyfus chokes and hisses this line with such barely contained anger, she makes Sean Spicer look extremely measured and calm by comparison.

In summary, then: Even though the political tectonic plates in this country continue to shift every day, things on Veep are basically the same as they ever were. Which makes watching it an almost nostalgic experience. You turn on an episode and you think, You know, if were really lucky, maybe one day we can have a government thats filled with the kind of bumbling but basically harmless idiots who keep trying to run the world on this show. Veep: its no longer just a brilliant satire. Its almost  almost  something to which we can aspire.
Congratulations to John Boyega, whose space-American accent in The Force Awakens was good enough to land him a part as an actual American character in Kathryn Bigelows Detroit. The film, written by Bigelows Zero Dark Thirty partner Mark Boal, dives into the race riots that overwhelmed the city, focusing specifically on the Algiers Motel incident. Will Poulter, he of the distinctive eyebrows, seems to be playing an unnerving villain. Detroit premieres August 4.
Waco City Council members wanted a wish list of capital needs from city department heads. They got their answer Tuesday: more than half a billion dollars worth of requests over five years.

In the next year alone, department heads are seeking $90.1 million in capital improvements, largely debt-financed. That could include $2.8 million for police evidence storage and crime scene lab, $4.2 million for fire station relocations, $5.3 million for parks and recreation projects and $7.5 million for street improvements.

City Manager Dale Fisseler will make his budget proposal to the city council this summer, but he allowed department heads this year to make their case directly to the councils budget and audit committee even before Fisseler drafts his budget.

In the past, I would cut it back and say, This is what Im going to recommend,  Fisseler said. But this year, because (the council) has so much invested in infrastructure, I felt they needed to see the projects. I wanted the department heads to make a presentation so the council sees the balance we have to make.

City officials appear to have a new appetite for making public investments, including $77 million in bonds the council authorized for water, wastewater and street improvements last year.

I think thats been a theme over the last couple of years, Mayor Kyle Deaver said. I think that appetite continues to get our infrastructure into shape and take care of our parks and streets. . . . Weve got a lot of deferred maintenance in cities in America we need to catch up on.

Tax rate priorities

During a four-hour meeting Tuesday, council members and staff discussed the possibility of shifting more of the existing tax rate  up to 9 cents on a tax rate of 77.6 cents per $100 valuation  to cover new debt-financed capital projects. A 9-cent shift could fund $137.8 million of new capital projects during the next five years. That is in addition to water and sewer projects, which are funded by utility rates.

The proposed tax-supported projects over the next five years are numerous but include the following:

$21.1 million for fire services, including $5.6 million in the next two years to relocate Fire Station No. 5 and Fire Station No. 6.

$7 million for police facilities, including $2.5 million next year to renovate the property room at the old police station on Fourth Street and a new building close to police headquarters for crime scene analysis. In addition, Assistant Chief Frank Gentsch asked for $1.7 million over several years to replace aging and inefficient windows at the police headquarters tower.

$18.3 million in drainage improvements, including $1.4 million next year. City officials are studying the possibility of a stormwater fee to pay for such projects instead of using property taxes.

$211.8 million in street improvements, including $7.5 million for general street improvements and $1.1 million in sidewalk improvements next year. Nearly $10 million would go to the joint city-county project to improve Speegleville Road over the next couple of years. Also proposed for next year is a $3.4 million project to rebuild and widen part of Richie Road, paid in part by the developer of the new Park Meadows subdivision. Councilman John Kinnaird called the project critical.

$32 million during the next five years for the citys share of a city-county service facility on South 12th Street and Loop 340, housing the water office, solid waste, purchasing, streets and traffic departments. Much of that money would come from solid waste and water funds rather than property taxes.

$41.4 million for park and recreation improvements, including $5.3 million this year for parkland acquisition, facility renovations and new facilities.

Parks director John Williams is pushing in the next two years for a $1.5 million inclusive playground where children could play together regardless of disability.

He also is calling this year for a $350,000 face lift for the Bledsoe-Miller Community Center and renovations for several parks and facilities: $800,000 for Lawsons Point and Emmons Cliff in Cameron Park, $500,000 for the Suspension Bridge, $900,000 for Indian Spring Park and $900,000 for Cotton Palace Park.

Future projects include a $6.7 million Bledsoe-Miller renovation and $11.3 million for new development at the Waco Mammoth National Monument, though most of that money would be from private or federal funds.

Fisseler, the city manager, said he expects to include at least $200,000 in engineering for the inclusive park in the coming years budget.

For the other (park) projects, I dont think theres a question of whether they need to be done, but that was a pretty aggressive schedule he laid out, Fisseler said.

Deaver agreed that the inclusive park is a priority, and he also wants to see parkland developed in underserved areas, such as Trailblazer Park in the West Highway 84 corridor. He said he also would like to see Emmons Cliff and Lawsons Point brought up to par with the rest of Cameron Park.

I think parks are certainly a big part of quality of life for our citizens, Deaver said.
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has rejected a motion by the McLennan County District Attorneys Office to reconsider its previous ruling that reversed the capital murder conviction and death sentence of Albert Leslie Love Jr.

Without comment, the court denied the states motion for rehearing, which will remove Love from death row and send him back to the McLennan County Jail to await a retrial or other court action.

A 19th State District Court official said it could be a year or more before Loves retrial could be held.

The Court of Criminal Appeals overturned Loves conviction in December, ruling that text messages used against him at his trial in 2013 were improperly obtained without a search warrant.

Love was sentenced to death after a trial in Williamson County in the March 2011 shooting deaths of Keenan Hubert, 20, and Tyus Sneed, 17, at the Lakewood Villas apartment complex, 1601 Spring St.

The Court of Criminal Appeals, in a 6-3 opinion, ruled that Love deserves a new trial because his Fourth Amendment rights were violated when the contents of his text messages were seized without a search warrant and used by prosecutors at his trial.

McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna and his first assistant, Michael Jarrett, did not return phone messages Wednesday.

The states motion argued that Waco police officers were relying on what they understood the law to be at the time and exhibited a good-faith belief that warrants were not necessary for the cellphones.

In appellants case, the courts opinion acknowledged that law enforcements good-faith reliance on a statute that has not been held unconstitutional is a valid basis to not apply the exclusionary rule, based on federal jurisprudence, the state argued.

The exclusionary rule prevents the government from using most evidence gathered from an unreasonable search or seizure in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Loves trial was moved to Georgetown because the trial of his co-defendant, Rickey Donnell Cummings, was held first in Waco. The appeals court affirmed Cummings conviction.

Cummings, like Love, is a member of the Bloods gang. He was sentenced to death in 2012 for his role in the double slaying.

Cummings younger brother, DArvis Cummings, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in September 2014. He pleaded guilty to murder as a party to the ambush slayings.

Deontrae Majors and Marion Bible, who were in the front seat of the car Hubert and Sneed were in when they were killed, were wounded in the attack but managed to escape.

Testimony from both trials showed Cummings and Love wanted to kill Hubert out of revenge because they thought he killed their best friend, Emuel Man Man Bowers III, at East Waco Park the year before.

Prosecutors introduced Loves cellphone records, which included 37 pages showing the contents of about 1,600 text messages.

A message was sent to Bowers mother shortly after the attack that said, mission accomplished. Later, after Rickey Cummings was arrested, Love sent a text to his former girlfriend saying, hide the guns.

Trial testimony showed Bowers mother, Shelia Bowers, was upset at the pace of the Waco police investigation into her sons murder.
Early voting for the May 6 election starts in a little more than a week, and McLennan County residents have a chance Thursday to learn more about a ballot measure for a new tax that would support a $34.4 million overhaul of the Extraco Events Center.

Extraco Events Center officials will host a Sip & See at 5:30 p.m. at The Backyard, 511 S. Eighth St.

They will give a short presentation to explain a referendum on a proposed new tax on hotel stays and car rentals. Organizers say the renovations supported by the tax would put the Heart Of Texas Fairgrounds at a competitive advantage over like-size cities in Texas, allowing multiple venues to operate at the same time.

Proposed work at the 60-acre site off Bosque Boulevard includes building an 80,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art multipurpose center that would connect to the existing coliseum.

The proposition includes a 2 percent hotel occupancy tax and a 5 percent tax on short-term car rentals.

Organizers hope to see a crowd of 300 as they share how money would be collected and where it will go, said Charva Ingram, marketing director for the HOT Fair & Rodeo. A political action committee formed to support the ballot measure and proposed expansion will have members on hand to answer questions.

The big thing for us is we want people to vote and be informed on what they are voting for, she said.

People who stay in hotels or rent vehicles in the county, primarily people from outside the county, will pay the tax, said Wes Allison, Extraco Events Center president and CEO.

Allison has said a Baylor University study projects improvements to the fairgrounds could boost its economic impact from $47 million to $60 million.

Volunteers will be on hand until about 7 p.m.

Early voting runs April 24-29, then continues May 1-2. Applications for a ballot by mail must be received by the McLennan County elections department no later than the close of business April 25.
John was born in Mineola, NY to Tharald and Malene Drivdahl. He married Judy Taylor on February 24, 1973. Following graduation from Fairhaven High School (Mass.), he enlisted in the Army and served with the 11th Airborne Division. After an honorable discharge, he attended Bryant University and obtained a B.S. degree in Business Administration. He then went on to do graduate work at the University of Miami in Florida. In 1955 John relocated to California and was employed by North American Aviation, later known as Rockwell International. As an Industrial Engineer, John received three patents for his work with micro-circuitry equipment. After 30 years he retired and moved back to Texas, where his wife was born. Always ambitious, John took on numerous volunteer positions in the Waco area. John assisted with AARP Tax-Aide and supervised several AARP Driver Safety instructors. He is a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Waco Seniors, and a past Lt Governor of Kiwanis Division 23. John also helped charter the local Canuteson-Reierson Lodge 1-660, of the Sons of Norway, serving as their second president. He later became director of Zone 8, and assisted in chartering the Scandinavian Friends Club of Waco as well as serving two terms as a Texas Silver-haired Legislator.
Harold Lloyd Federwisch

January 24, 1928 - April 10, 2017

Harold Lloyd Federwisch, 89, passed away April 10, 2017. Services will be held 1 p.m., Thursday, April 13, at Pecan Grove Funeral Home, 3124 Robinson Dr., in Waco, with Jerry Arthur officiating. Burial will follow at Friedens Cemetery in Riesel. The family will receive visitors 5 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, at the funeral home.

Reverend Harold Federwisch was born on January 24, 1928 in Riesel, Texas, to Paul Theo Federwisch and Lena (Kunze) Federwisch. He was raised in the rural communities of Otto and St. Paul in Falls County where his parents farmed for many years. In 1939, the family was doubly blessed with the arrival of Harold's only sibling, Mildred Louise, with whom Harold shared a lifelong, loving bond. As a child, he attended schools in both Riesel and St. Paul and ultimately graduated from the old St. Paul School in 1943. Harold enlisted in the U.S. Army in April 1946 and was first stationed at Camp Chaffee, Arkansas before being transferred overseas to Japan to serve as part of the post-World War II Army occupation. He served first as a trained army cook while stationed overseas before eventually becoming a Military Policeman. After being discharged from the peacetime Army in 1947, Harold returned to the States and worked a variety of jobs throughout central Texas.

On February 3, 1951 Harold married his sweetheart, Mary Louise Courtade. At the time of his death, Harold and Mary had enjoyed over 66 years of loving marriage. To this union were born three daughters: Martha Marie, Patricia Ann, and Rose Mary. Harold worked for many years as a truck driver for McLennan County before retiring in the 1980s. After graduating from Baylor's Truett Seminary school, Harold found his true life's calling as a Baptist minister, ultimately preaching full-time at the Otto Baptist Church for many years until his retirement. He was also a longtime member at Meier Settlement Methodist Church where he also preached on occasion, in addition to officiating at numerous local weddings, christenings, and funerals at which he was always a beloved presence. Harold was a man of strong Christian faith who had an abiding love and passion for his family and close friends, antique cars and motorcycles, the U.S. military, and studying his beloved Bible and family history. He took great pride in his World War II Army service by participating in numerous military parades and attending meetings devotedly as part of his local VFW chapter until his final illness.

Harold was preceded in death by his beloved parents, and his younger sister, Mildred Yett.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Federwisch, of Waco; three daughters, Martha Curry and husband, Jerry, of Hewitt, Patricia Shaw and husband, Marshall, of Riesel, and Rose Mary Tanner and husband, Bob of Riesel; six grandchildren, Brian Curry and wife, Kristi, Lori Curry, Brent Shaw and wife, Angela, Daryl Shaw and wife, Natalie, Derek Tanner, and Dylan Tanner and fiancee, Brittany Sutherland; seven great-grandchildren, Rebekah, Jacob, and John David Curry, Matthew and Alexandra Shaw, and Daryl Jr. and Nathan Shaw; brother-in-law, Kenneth Yett; sister-in-law, Frances Burney; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers will include his five grandsons and one great-grandson, Daryl Shaw, Jr.

Honorary pallbearers will include his granddaughter, Lori Curry; his three sons-in-law, Jerry Curry, Marshall Shaw, and Bob Tanner; and his brother-in-law, Kenneth Yett.

Harold's family would like to express their everlasting thanks and gratitude for the amazing staff of both Royal Manor II Nursing Home and Southern Care Hospice, and Harold's chaplain Sarah Miller, for all of the loving, devoted care they have given Harold in his final days on Earth.

Online guestbook at www.pecangrovefuneral.com.
A Rosary will be recited and Mass of Christian Burial celebrated 10:30 a.m., Thursday, April 13, at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption. Military Graveside Rites will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, conducted by the West Veterans Honor Guard.
Kenneth O. Henager

December 17, 1936 - April 9, 2017

Kenneth O. Henager, 80, passed away peacefully April 9, 2017 surrounded by family.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 13, at Connally Compton Funeral Directors, with Dr. Joe Bailey and Rev. Roy Marshall officiating. Burial will follow in Post Oak Cemetery in Oglesby. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.

Kenneth was born December 17, 1936 in Leon Junction, Texas to Jesse and Mattie (Bates) Henager. He was a devote Christian and was saved at Pecan Grove Baptist Church in Coryell County. In February of 1958, he met the love of his life, Waydell Freeman, at that same church during Sunday morning service. They married in Gatesville, Texas April 15, 1960 and to that union on December 12, 1961, they welcomed their only child, Janis Marie Henager.

Kenneth and Waydell moved their membership to Beverly Hills Baptist Church in 1965 in Waco, Texas. Kenneth was very active with the Church Bus Ministry driving a bus route and volunteering as mechanic for their fleet of 10 buses. He was ordained as a Deacon in March of 1974. Kenneth taught the 6th grade boys Sunday school class for many years. After moving to the Speegleville area, Kenneth and Waydell moved their membership to Speegleville Baptist Church. They also spent a few years attending First Baptist Church of Hewitt and returned back to Speegleville Baptist to be closer to home.

Kenneth started working for the Texas Highway Department in 1959 and retired after 34 years of dedicated service. He was a shop mechanic for 17 years and became a shop foreman for the remaining 17 years. He was an avid trout line fisherman who frequently caught fish that weighed anywhere from 20 to 60 pounds from his secret fishing places shared in confidence with his son-in-law. They had many pleasurable trips together. Kenneth would share his catch with several of the churches at their fish fries and at several family reunions.

He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings.

Survivors include his wife, Waydell Henager, they would have celebrated 57 years together this week. He is also survived by his daughter, Janis Marie Guest and husband, James Gregory Guest; grandchildren, Amber Nicole Guest and Rachel Nicole Guest both of New York City; brother, Vernon Henager and wife, Bobbie; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Kenneth grew up in the depression and that molded him as to the man he became. He was a selfless, giving, and special person who will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Valerie Kim Wright

Dec. 10, 1943 - April 7, 2017

Valerie Kim Wright, M.D., 73, of Waco, passed away unexpectedly Friday, April 7, 2017, at Providence Hospital. She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on December 10, 1943, to Grant and Venita Brown. Dr. Wright attended college at the University of Utah and also received her Master's degree in Anatomy there. She earned her medical degree from Women's College of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Valerie married Dr. Robert M. Wright, Jr., on May 7, 1977. They were just one month short of celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. She was the first woman to attend and complete Baylor College of Medicine residency in plastic surgery; and along with her husband, was one of the first married plastic and reconstructive surgeons to practice together in Texas.

Valerie had been a model, ballerina, pianist, skydiver, horseback rider, guitar instructor, loving wife and mother, as well as gifted surgeon. She loved animals and was an accomplished visionary in the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. Dr. Wright was in her last year of general surgery residency when she gave birth to her daughter, A.J., on October 7, 1980. Possessing a strong spirit and drive, Dr. Wright resumed her work a mere week later.

She established her independent medical practice with her husband in Waco in 1984. In 1985, she and her husband performed one of the first hand re-plantations in Central Texas. Valerie had her second child, Randy, on May 23, 1985. During her 34 years of practicing medicine in Waco, Dr. Wright touched the lives of countless people and inspired her family and loved ones. Dr. Wright was a fearless pioneer and leader. She thoroughly enjoyed her long and accomplished career. Valerie enjoyed reading, bead-making, knitting, and playing the piano and guitar.

Dr. Wright was preceded in death by her loving parents, Grant and Venita Brown.

Besides her husband, Robert, Valerie is survived by her children, A.J., M.D. and Randy Wright, attorney-at-law; brother, Marshall and his wife, Yoko Brown, of Elk Grove, California; sisters, Judee and Jill Wright; sister-in-law, Connie Hamilton and her daughter, Chelsea Garcia; and brothers-in-law, Byron and Keith Wright and his wife, Dee.

In accordance with her final wishes, no service or memorial is scheduled. She was an organ donor and requested that her remains be cremated. Valerie is sorely missed by her family, friends and loved ones.

In memory of her incredible life and achievements, the family respectfully requests that donations be made to Fuzzy Friends Animal Rescue, 6321 Airport Rd., Waco, Texas 76708.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our "Tribute Wall" at www.WHBfamily.com.
Senaida Zamora

June 27, 1936 - April 9, 2017

Senaida Zamora went to be with the Lord, Sunday, April 9, 2017, in the company of her loving family. Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 12, 2017, with the Rosary to be recited at 7:00 p.m., at Lake Shore Funeral Home, 5201 Steinbeck Bend, in Waco. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m., at St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church, 612 North 3rd Street, in Waco with Deacon Jessie C. Garza as celebrant. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery.

Senaida was born to Cecelia and Refugio Zamora in Skidmore, Texas. Senaida was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend. She was so full of life; she would brighten any room she walked in with her beautiful smile. Senaida was kind, loving and generous to all those she encountered. She was a strong, independent, and very determined person who gave her all every day of her life. Senaida lived a very hard but happy and very blessed life.

Senaida leaves behind to cherish her memory daughters, Diana DeLeon Holt and husband, Larry, and Dalia DeLeon; son, Eddie DeLeon and wife, Janie; brother, Refugion Zamora, Jr.; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews.

Thoughts and memories may be shared at www.LakeShoreFH.com.
Americans have learned that Middle East dictatorships are less like pottery store merchandise: (You break it, you own it) and more like Jenga towers: Remove one piece and the whole structure collapses. Ignoring that lesson in Syria could easily cause more harm than good.

After the U.S. military strike on a Syrian airfield, President Donald Trump called for changing Syrian President Bashar Assads behavior, and he asked for Gods wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world. Given the history of U.S. intervention, trying to impose a new government in Damascus would be not just unwise, but quite dangerous for the Syrians whom Trump now professes to care for.

The call for removing Assad rests on a powerful emotional premise: Anyone who ordered an attack that left infants choking to death in their parents arms should reckon for his crimes  by force if necessary. But even if the case for ousting Assad reflected the best of intentions, it rests on the dubious assumption that Assads departure would make Syria a safer place for Syrians and for the world. Its an assumption disproved by the current landscapes of Iraq and Libya.

In Iraq and Libya, ill-conceived attempts at delivering humanitarian relief ripped social fissures that the U.S. military could not mend. The consequences for ordinary Iraqis and Libyans have been devastating. Countries that no one thought could get any worse got dramatically worse. State violence ebbed briefly, but communal violence expanded indefinitely. Murderous rulers disappeared while murder proliferated.

In these situations, ordinary people faced wrenching choices. Lethal chaos has often meant Libyans and Iraqis could protect themselves and their children by either acquiescing to local militias or fleeing the conflict zone. Libyan fathers and mothers who loathed Moammar Gadhafis tyranny have watched their country become a mosaic of warlord fiefdoms. Their counterparts in Iraq have been compelled to weigh the threat of sectarian killing squads against the risks of leaving altogether.

These are calculations no parent would wish on another  and the lessons of Iraq and Libya ought to weigh heavily in formulation of U.S. policy on Syria, a country already reeling from a six-year-long civil war, the onslaught of the Islamic State group and multiple foreign air campaigns.

Until recently, regime change in Syria looked inconceivable. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley had earlier stated that we no longer sought to end the Assads brutal 47-year dynasty. Then came the Syrian militarys reported chemical attack in the rebel-controlled town of Khan Sheikhoun that asphyxiated upward of 90 people, including 26 children and infants. Within days the Trump administration had spun around 180 degrees, speaking as if the United States would seek to remove Assad from power.

If the Trump administration is serious about ending the war in Syria, its approach must look further back than the latest chemical attack and consider options that leave Assad in power. A punitive regime change policy based solely on our gut reaction to the Khan Sheikhoun massacre will not end Syrias tragedy and could make it much worse, for example, by leaving families who currently live in areas of government control vulnerable to retribution from portions of the countrys long-persecuted Sunni Arab majority.

Launching more cruise missiles or threatening a larger intervention may play well to some Americans, but will not resolve the Syrian crisis. A more productive route would be for the United States to promote a negotiated settlement that does not raze the Syrian state and thrust countless more innocents into armed conflict.

In 2012 the Obama administration reportedly rejected a Russian proposal for ending the conflict. The Trump administration could now put its own proposals on the table or, at the least, actively join the framework of the Geneva talks. Either approach will require working with Russia and not demanding Assads departure as a precondition of any solution.
Medicaid: Its not just about hospitals and doctor visits. It may be helping you, your neighbor or co-worker.

When most of us hear about Medicaid, we also think Medicare, a health insurance program that helps pay for hospital visits, doctors and other parts of health care. About 28 percent of the time, we would be right.

We also think that it is health insurance for people on welfare, even though the term welfare has been outdated for a long time. If by welfare we mean people who receive benefits from the government  well, almost everyone is on some form of welfare, including some of the largest businesses in this country (e.g. the oil industry and agriculture) and large employers who pay so little that the only way their employees can often survive is by being eligible for food stamps or other benefits (e.g., Walmart). But thats another story.

If we mean health insurance for people below or near the poverty line, then in fact, the Affordable Care Act  Obamacare  did expand Medicaid eligibility to people making up to 138 percent of the poverty line. For one person, that translates to an annual income of $15,800; for a two-person family, $21,300; three-person family, $26,800; and a family of four, $32,300. Most people and families making that level of income can in no way afford to pay for health insurance out of their own pocket and many have jobs without health-care benefits.

And without Medicaid, the only place you could go would be the emergency room  and that costs we the taxpayers much, much more. Those people are in that 28 percentile.

But Texas chose not to expand Medicaid eligibility through the Affordable Care Act, so about 700,000 people with incomes under those amounts are thus not actually eligible for health insurance at all. That is a little less than the number of people who live in the 17th Congressional District. But that is also another story.

So where does the other 72 percent of Medicaid funding get used? You might have been reading about the Texas Legislature battling over early-intervention therapies for young children with severe disabilities. In 2015, the Legislature cut huge amounts from that program. Some legislators are now trying to restore it.

What do we know? Early intervention is the most important time to provide therapies that will help children with disabilities develop for the long run. Many of these kids are on Medicaid, which means their families are not ruined financially by therapies and complex medical issues. These parents still work (and pay taxes). You may know some of these families. We often call them heroic. I guarantee you: They are grateful for the support, as you and I would be if we were in their shoes.

But early intervention is only a small piece. Think about most of the people in nursing homes in Central Texas. They are somebodys mothers and fathers who cannot afford retirement centers. Medicaid pays for ongoing care: nurses, aides, meals, recreation, housekeeping, and more. Think about the programs supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities  both those who live in group homes and those who live at home with their families. In the latter case, supporting someone living at home is much more cost-effective than residential programs. Both options are far cheaper than an institution. Plus, they get to be part of the communities in which they grew up rather than being uprooted and sent away.

In the past decade, Texas has done some good work to redirect general revenue that paid for some of these supports into Medicaid. And they were able to use Texas taxes to draw down more federal dollars. However, the American Health Care Act  the Repeal and Replace Obamacare Act, some call it  would cut federal Medicaid dollars significantly, which means longer waiting lists for aging parents.

Then think about people with psychiatric issues who, if they cannot afford treatment, can often end up unemployed and homeless or in the largest treatment facility in most of the country  the county jail or a state prison. You may now be able to think of people you know. And through the help of Medicaid, the Heart of Texas MH/MR program has been able to start several creative programs to provide treatment that keeps people with mental illness with minor offenses out of jail, avoids admission to Austin State Hospital, and keeps them from being homeless. If Medicaid funding is cut dramatically, those cases might very well overwhelm community-based nonprofits and county services  or, to put it differently, end up falling totally on local and state taxpayers.

After its defeat last month at the hands of ultra-conservative House Republicans as well as Democrats, new attempts have arisen to revise the AHCA  this time by not just cutting Medicaid but also by eliminating the requirement for essential health benefits, which means required coverage for mental health issues and substance abuse that the ACA required. Think about people you may know who are addicted to drugs or alcohol or whose insurance is now paying for treatment and recovery programs at whatever income level. The new AHCA being crafted would also allow for insurance plans that would not cover pre-existing conditions  something President Trump once thought necessary. How many people in the 17th Congressional District have pre-existing conditions before they get to Medicare age? Around 400,000, about half of the 17th District population. You would know a lot of those people. You, like me, might even be one of them.

The truth is that Medicaid helps thousands of people in our own congressional district live lives that keep them out of more expensive medical and health services that someone would end up paying for. That someone, ultimately, would be you and me. It helps families at multiple income levels to provide care at home while they also work and pay taxes. It provides the opportunity for children and adults with physical, intellectual and/or psychiatric disabilities to learn, grow and/or recover where they learn and grow best, in community settings that enable relationships, participation, and contribution. When given a fair shot, many have the possibility of a job and becoming a taxpayer themselves.

To make this come alive, you plug in the stories of the people you know whose lives are more secure because of one of these kinds of programs, all made possible by this state/federal partnership we call Medicaid. Tell your stories to our elected leaders. If Texas was willing, we could do something about the ongoing stigma of being one of the states with the lowest quality of long range services for people with disabilities and the highest percentage of people who have no insurance at all.

In one of the richest states in the country, and within sight of some of the worlds best health care systems, this is not just a moral shame. It is obscene.
AUSTIN  Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wants the judge presiding over his upcoming criminal trial to step aside after moving the case out of the Republicans hometown.

State District Judge George Gallagher made the decision Tuesday after special prosecutors argued they could not get a fair trial in the conservative Dallas suburb of McKinney, where Paxton lives. Paxton was indicted in 2015 on felony securities fraud charges over allegations he duped investors in a tech startup.

Gallagher said he chose Harris County in part because attorneys on both sides work in Houston.

But Paxtons lawyers said in a court filing Tuesday that they wont give the consent required by state law for a judge to remain on a case after transferring it elsewhere.

Gallagher did not immediately respond.

Driver lost in flood

FORT HOOD  Emergency officials are searching for a driver whose vehicle was swept into a flooded creek at Fort Hood after storms dumped up to 8 inches of rain.

Post spokesman Chris Haug had no immediate details on the person missing Tuesday in Clear Creek. Fort Hood officials closed all low-water crossings amid the heavy rain.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a flash-flood warning for Coryell and Bell counties.

Haug said three other people, including at least one soldier, escaped their respective vehicles Monday night after being caught in high water on Fort Hood. Haug said a Bradley Fighting Vehicle got stuck in mud.
ASHLAND  The citys plan to replace the historic bridge on Silver Street continues to move forward.

Julie Ogden, senior project manager with JEO Consulting Group, told the Ashland City Council on April 6 that she is almost ready to go to bid on the project, which is expected to be completed in late 2018.

The $3 million project has been in the works for the past two years, after a study showed it would cost up to three-quarters of the price of a new bridge to repair the 81-year-old structure.

Eighty percent of the replacement cost will be borne by the Nebraska Department of Roads from monies set aside to help communities replace bridges of this nature, Ogden said. The city will foot 20 percent of the bill, which amounts to about $500,000.

Ogden said she hopes to have the bid opening next month and to award the contract in late May or early June.

The project will take 125 working days to complete. The start date will be set by the contractor, Ogden said.

Due to the length of the project, the work will not begin right away. However, Ogden said they are encouraging the contractor to start the project in the winter months. As an incentive, the winter days will not be counted toward the 125 working days, she added.

Ogden said it would be beneficial for the contractor to work in the creek channel during the winter because it is low flow season and they would be less likely to deal with flooding at that time. However, the cold weather would make pouring concrete more difficult.

Our hope is theyll try to take advantage of that time and try to get some work done on the piers and abutments, she said.

The new bridge will be considerably longer and taller than the existing bridge, Ogden said. The bridge deck will be raised about five feet to help prevent floods.

It wont guarantee that its going to get a whole lot better, but we shouldnt be catching the big pile of trees that we do now when our bridge restricts those flows, she said.

The new design has a seven-foot wide pedestrian bridge. There will be lights at the approaches, but none on the bridge itself, which raises an issue for Council Member Russ DeVries.

Im more concerned for pedestrians, he said.

Ogden said she would discuss lighting with OPPD, which will be replacing the lights at the approaches.

Ogden will also explore adding architectural features to make the new bridge more attractive, something council members said they would like to see. Ogden said she will also look into replacing the chain link fence with a more decorative metal picket style.

The bridge was erected in 1936 by Central Bridge and Construction Company of Wahoo when the Lincoln Drainage District planned to alter the course of Salt Creek. The new bridge was needed to carry traffic on heavily-traveled Highway 6 (now Silver Street) over the new channel of the creek. Funds were provided by Saunders County, which owned the bridge until it was turned over to the City of Ashland when the area was annexed.

The bridge was constructed using the Warren truss configuration, which was used in very few bridges in Nebraska. In 1992, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places as one of only two of this type of bridge still standing in the state. The age, bridge type, design and historical significance were all considered in the selection process.

At a public hearing last September, members of the public asked that the bridge be salvaged due to its historic nature. While many wanted the bridge to stay in the community, there were no solid proposals to do so.

Prior to the public hearing, the City of Papillion expressed interest in using the bridge on a pedestrian trail, but later withdrew their request due to the cost. City Administrator Jessica Quady later reached out to municipalities and counties in the state to see if there was any interest in the bridge. Ogden said five or six entities have expressed interest, but no one has committed to taking the bridge at this time. They will contact the interested parties again to make sure there are no takers, Ogden added.

Itd be nice to find a home for that, said Council Member Jim Anderson.

If no one wants the structure, it will be removed and taken to salvage, Ogden said.
When 'Palestinians' die and no one cares

According to the statement, Liberman protested that the UN is ignoring a number of killings and executions that have happened in recent days among the Palestinians in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon, as well as in Gaza.



The international communitys ignoring dozens of dead and wounded shows again the hypocrisy and the double standard that the world employs by ignoring these grave incidents, while on the other hand condemning Israels justified actions against terrorism, he said.



Liberman, according to the statement, expects that the issue of intra-Palestinian killings will be raised at the next meeting of the UN Security Council.

Mladenovs office issued a no comment when asked about the phone call.

...

On Saturday, Mladenov issued a statement saying that he was deeply concerned by growing tensions in Gaza.



He said that over the past decade the Palestinians in Gaza have lived through four conflicts, with no freedom, unprecedented Israeli restrictions, a dire humanitarian crisis, high unemployment, an ongoing electricity crisis and the lack of political perspective.



Mladenov called on all Palestinian factions to allow the Palestinian Government to assume its responsibility in Gaza. Gaza is an integral part of the future Palestinian state and no efforts should be spared to bring about real national reconciliation that ends the division. Leaders have a responsibility to avoid escalation and bridge the growing divide between Gaza and the West Bank that further fragments the Palestinian people.

Moadim l'Simcha, a happy holiday to all of you. I know that it's been a while since I posted on this blog - finding the time to sit down and write more than 140 characters has been difficult recently because of work. But it's been quiet today and I thought I would post something.When does no one care if 'Palestinians' die? When they are killed by other 'Palestinians.' I've been saying that for years, but now, Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has said the same thing - to Russian Middle East envoy Nikolay Mladenov.Who does he think will raise it? Does anyone really care?'Unprecedented Israeli restrictions'? Really? That would be news to East Germans, Hungarians, Czechoslovaks and ordinary Russians.And which 'Palestinian Government' does Mladenov expect to function in Russia? The one that is in the 12th year of its four-year term? Or the Hamas 'government' which throws its opponents off building roofs?No, the world doesn't care when 'Palestinians' or other Arabs die - so long as Israel is not involved. That double standard is anti-Semitism - pure and simple.

Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Fatah, Gaza, Gaza blockade, Gaza plenty, Hamas, hypocrisy, Russia
WAHOO  There appears to be new life in the trees on the north end of Lake Wanahoo.

Master Naturalist Paula Hoppe recently reported she has seen signs of at least one new eaglet at Lake Wanahoo.

Hoppe said she observed the top of the eaglets head as one of the adults was feeding it on April 1.

The Colon woman who has been watching the lakes resident eagles since they arrived in 2011 said there could very possibly be a second eaglet in the nest, as the mating pair at Wanahoo has produced two eaglets the past two years.

Hoppe guessed the eaglet probably hatched during the last week of March, but there is no way to know for sure.

Bald eagles incubate their eggs for about 35 days. The chicks grow quickly, but it will take another 70 to 90 days for the chicks to fledge. Once fledged, they will still remain near the nest and dependent on their parents for some time.

The bald eagle parents have moved just north of their old nest in the sediment trap on the north end of the Wanahoo project. Hoppe said the couple built a new nest last fall.

This is the third nest for the pair. Their first nest in 2011 was located to south of the breakwater levee in the middle of the lake.

All three of the nests have been located in protected areas.

Fishermen and other visitors are asked to comply with an exclusion zone implemented to protect the lakes nesting bald eagles. The exclusion zone is an area closed to all access from Dec. 1 through July 15.

Just southwest of the eagles current nest, construction continues on a bird watching platform at Lake Wanahoo.

Hoppe and Non-game Bird Program Manager Joel Jorgensen with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission pitched the idea of the platform to the Lower Platte North Natural Resources District last year.

The NRD is waiting for better weather to finish the grade work for the parking lot off County Road O, said Lower Platte North NRD Operations and Maintenance Manager Bob Heimann.

The county has already completed culverts from the road and the NRD is making the parking lot. Then, Jorgensen will facilitate building a 96-square-foot platform for bird watching.

Hoppe said a mowed path will extend one-eighth of a mile east from the parking lot to the bird-watching observation deck.

From there, a variety of birds will be available for view, depending on the time of year.

Its a good habitat for shore birds and ducks, Hoppe said.

Some species seen recently are white-faced ibis, greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, wilsons snipe, coots, pelicans and ducks such as the blue-winged teal and green-winged teal, Hoppe said.

The observation deck will not be concealed like a blind, but certain plantings might be done by there, Hoppe said.

Other future plans include an informational kiosk for bird watchers, Hoppe said.

Funding through Nebraska Game and Parks is from the Watchable Wildlife grant, Hoppe said.

Upon completion, the bird-watching platform will be available to anyone, and based on its location outside of the state recreation borders, no park permit will be required for use, Hoppe said.

Though bird watching on the platform will not be available until the construction is complete, Hoppe will be hosting a bird walk May 6 from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Lake Wanahoo.

Hoppe said watchers should meet at the northeast parking lot off Highway 109 by the breakwater.
Two B-1 bombers from the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, will participate in a high-speed flyover at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force exactly 75 years after aircrews from these same squadrons helped launch the Doolittle Tokyo Raid. Plans call for the B-1 flyover to take place on April 18 at approximately 3:15 p.m. at the conclusion of the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders memorial service in the museums Memorial Park (weather dependent). The flyover will offer visitors a unique opportunity to witness the speed and power of two variable-sweep wing supersonic bombers as they fly by at a speed of 0.9 Mach and then ascend into an unrestricted climb.Although the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons have gone on to fly a variety of aircraft since the Doolittle Tokyo Raid (B-26, B-58, B-66, B-52 and B-1), and transitioned to other commands (they now fall under the command of the 28th Operations Group)  the Raid remains the very cornerstone of their heritage, said 28th Operations Group Commander Col. John Martin.

We have the proud honor and distinct privilege of being Raider posterity  which includes Jimmy Doolittles own 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons, said Martin. Our heritage clearly defines us, motivates us and propels us forward against todays threats. The B-1 Bone continues to provide critical around-the-clock long range strike to combatant commanders throughout the world.

Prior to the memorial service and B-1 flyover, 17 privately-owned B-25 Mitchell bombers from around the country are scheduled to land on the runway behind the museum on April 17, and be placed on static display from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The aircraft will remain available for public view on April 18 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m., before departing for a flyover prior to the start of a memorial service in the museums Memorial Park at approximately 2:15 p.m. These events are free and open to the public. (Note: All outdoor events are weather dependent, and those near the museum and surrounding communities may experience the sights and sounds of increased aerial activity. The memorial service will still take place indoors in the event of inclement weather.)

On the evening of April 18, the Air Force Museum Foundations Living History Film Series presented by Mr. W. Craig Willan, will feature Doolittles Raiders: The Final Toast, in the Air Force Museum Theatre at 6:30 p.m. The event will be opened by Lt. Col. Richard Dick E. Cole and following the film screening, two of the Raiders children  Cindy Cole Chal and Jim Bower  will share stories and insight and conduct a question and answer session with the audience. Tickets for this event have been sold-out.

In addition, the Air Force Museum Store will host several authors including Stan Cohen (Destination Tokyo); Frank Goldstein (The Last Reunion: A Salute to The Jimmy Doolittle Tokyo Raiders); Dennis Okerstrom (Dick Coles War: Doolittle Raider, Hump Pilot, Air Commando); and James Scott Target Tokyo, who will be available to sign copies of their books. The store will also have commemorative merchandise available to purchase. (Federal endorsement is not implied.) Further information on the entire event schedule, along with photos and videos of past Raider events at the museum is available at: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Upcoming/DoolittleTokyoRaid75thAnniversary.aspx.

On April 18, 1942, 80 men achieved the unimaginable when they took off from an aircraft carrier on a top secret mission to bomb Japan. These men, led by Lt. Col. James H. Jimmy Doolittle, came to be known as the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders. Only one of the Raiders survives today  Lt. Col. Richard Dick E. Cole  who served as Doolittles co-pilot on Crew No. 1. Cole, now 101 years old, plans to be at the museum to commemorate the anniversary and will privately honor fellow Raider Staff Sgt. David Thatcher, who passed away last year.

Each year since the end of World War II, with the exception of 1951, the Doolittle Raiders held an annual reunion. The museum had the privilege of hosting the Raiders in April 1965 (23rd), 1999 (57th), 2006 (64th), 2010 (68th) and 2012 (70th), before Cole, Thatcher and Lt. Col. Ed Saylor had a final toast to their fallen comrades on Nov. 9, 2013. On April 18, 2015, Cole and Thatcher returned to the museum and were presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, which is now on display as part the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders exhibit in the museums WWII Gallery.

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the worlds largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about one million visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.

The theatre and store are operated by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., a Section 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization that assists the Air Force in the development and expansion of the facilities of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. For more information on the Air Force Museum Foundation, visit www.airforcemuseum.com. The Air Force Museum Foundation is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and it has no governmental status.
Dr David Dao was visibly bloody and injured after the incident. Credit:Facebook By Tuesday in China, the incident was a focus of social media and government comment. The hashtag #UnitedForcesPassengerOffPlane was the top trending item on Sina Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, with more than 270 million views. The swift social media condemnation, which extended to Washington, was sparked because Dr Dao wasn't being ejected for misbehaviour or a security threat but because United said it needed his seat. Video posted to Facebook and Twitter showed him being dragged out of his seat and down the aisle of Flight 3411 from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky.

He said he was a doctor and had to be in Louisville on Monday for work, according to a Twitter account by a passenger who said he was on the flight. "Chinese Lives Matter" China's state mouthpiece the Global Times questioned in an editorial if "the victim's Chinese ethnicity potentially made a difference" in how the passenger was treated. By dragging the man from the plane, officials "left the man with no dignity", the editorial said. An online petition, "Chinese Lives Matter", calling for a US investigation into the case has garnered 38,000 signatures.

Mr Munoz had apologised on Monday for "having to re-accommodate these customers". The airline is conducting a review and seeks to resolve the matter with the man who was dragged off the airplane, Mr Munoz said in an emailed statement. In a subsequent message to employees, he called the passenger "disruptive" and "belligerent". Airline "bumping" The incident demonstrates how airline "bumping" can veer into confrontation.

Airline carriers around the world routinely oversell their flights, using an algorithm that calculate the likelihood that passengers will not show up. Overselling is a way to cover that situation while maximising the airline's revenue. However, there are times when all the passengers arrive for a flight and some have to be "bumped" off. United said initially that the flight was overbooked, its staff chose Dr Dao and he didn't want to get bumped. United spokesman Charles Hobart said the airline required the seats on plane to accommodate several crew members who needed to get to Louisville to get to another flight. The flight wasn't, in fact, oversold.

"It's not something we want to do but occasionally it's something we have to do," Mr Hobart said. "This was an instance where, unfortunately, we had to request the assistance of law enforcement because we had to get that aircraft off the ground." United's contract of carriage says it chooses passengers to be bumped based on a fare class, an itinerary, status in its frequent-flyer program, "and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment". That means those who paid more for a ticket and those who fly the airline frequently are less likely to be selected for an involuntary bump, criteria that are not unique to United. A volunteer is paid for the seat and booked on another flight.

But if there aren't enough volunteers, an airline resorts to the involuntary method. When it goes wrong, it can get ugly. That is one reason at least two US airlines - JetBlue and Virgin - don't do it. Last year, the 12 largest US airlines bumped slightly more than 40,600 of 659.7 million passengers, at a rate of 0.62 per 10,000 passengers, down from 0.73 per 10,000 in 2015, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 'Brand damaging event' United's initial response did not satisfy Senator Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, who called the incident "disturbing". Eleanor Holmes Norton, a non-voting House Democrat representing the District of Columbia, called for Congressional hearings.

The incident poses an incremental risk of inviting a response from lawmakers, Buckingham analyst Daniel McKenzie wrote in a note to investors. "It's a brand damaging event, but it's unlikely investors will be able to pinpoint the fallout in UAL's revenue production," he wrote. Shareholders are more worried about competition and whether the carrier will miss revenue targets this summer as it increases seat availability, he said. The incident came two weeks after United drew social-media scorn for enforcing its dress code for those who fly as "non-revenue" passengers, such as those for employees. A girl flying from Denver was told to change her leggings before boarding.
Labor has rejected government claims the Adani Carmichael coal mine project in central Queensland deserves a $900 million concessional loan funded by taxpayers, saying the project should stand or fall "on its own two feet".

The opposition supports the $22 billion endeavour, which backers say will create thousands of jobs, but resources and northern Australia spokesman Jason Clare has dismissed Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce's claim on Tuesday the government funding is a "tipping point issue to get this mine going".

"The project should stand on its own two feet," Mr Clare told ABC Radio on Wednesday morning.

The government is currently considering offering a $900 million loan to the company, to build a railway that would transport coal from the mine to the port at Abbot Point, where it would be shipped to India.
The former senior member of the Hawke and Keating Labor governments also called on the government to put "more bucks" into defence spending, potentially including nuclear-powered submarines, to be more self-reliant.

Mr Evans labelled Mr Trump as "manifestly the most ill-informed, under-prepared, ethically challenged and psychologically ill-equipped president in US history".

Former foreign minister Gareth Evans has launched a scathing attack on Donald Trump, urging Australia to reduce its dependence on the US alliance and accept China as a legitimate "global rule maker".

"Less United States does not mean walking away from the alliance, from which we, of course, profoundly benefit in terms of access to intelligence and high-end armaments," Mr Evans, now Australian National University chancellor, said in the speech to the National Press Club on Thursday.

Former foreign affairs minister Gareth Evans has some choice words for President Donald Trump. Credit:Evan Vucci

"But less reflexive support for everything the US chooses to do is long overdue."

Mr Evans said Australia's support for the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the immediate backing of last week's American missile strikes against Syria were examples where Australia had been too quick to back the US.

"My own experience strongly suggests that periodically saying 'no' to the US when our national interests are manifestly different makes for a much healthier and [more] productive relationship, [rather] than one of craven dependence," Mr Evans said.
Public servants at Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support will up the stakes in their long-running fight with the Department of Human Services over pay and conditions, starting two weeks of rolling strikes on Thursday.

The agency's staff could strike from 30 minutes to a day each time in the fresh wave of industrial action, which the Community and Public Sector Union has blamed on the DHS' unwillingness to compromise in negotiations.

People with savings applying for welfare will be forced to wait for at least than six months, if a new budget measure passes the Senate. Credit:Marina Neil

But the department says the move will not change its offer in talks for a new enterprise agreement.

CPSU national secretary Nadine Flood said it expected the industrial action, involving longer strike periods and held at a time of high demand for the department's services, would cause significant disruption.
WAtoday staff observed the latest advertisements for a City of Perth media liaison position at $130,000. The Post hoped for a probe, but the move has been stalled - for now. There are three local newspapers covering the area. Post Newspapers' Lloyd Gorman, a reporter with 20 years' experience, has not had a response to a query from a journalist in 12 months. The Voice has gone hard in the past - but there is no evidence of it breaching professional standards.

The Perth Voice's David Bell said the paper had not had a response in 18 months to its various inquiries and attempts to discuss the issue with management a year ago were unsuccessful. WAtoday understands the third Perth paper, The Guardian Express, has also experienced problems getting meaningful and timely responses. But the CCC report that indicated the Lord Mayor herself was taking gifts from outside parties and then voting on their applications before the council, to me that is as serious as it gets. WAtoday journalists have had the same experience, with long delays of up to a week customary, demanding follow-ups that eventually result in evasive and inadequate responses. All these publications have covered the scandals surrounding Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, asking about travel and gift policies, Lord Mayor Scaffidi's speech at a briefing for mayors and chief executives about changes to declarations, requests to view a report the Lord Mayor said she wrote on a National Infrastructure Summit in 2015, questions on whether CoP ratepayers were paying legal fees and numerous questions regarding the sacking of the City's previous chief executive.

The Perth Voice has written numerous stories that are highly critical of Lord Mayor Scaffidi. It must be noted City administration cannot respond to queries regarding the activities of the elected members, which must be referred to the individuals, as the City's media staff pointed out  within the deadline  when asked by WAtoday. But there appear to be many, many examples of stories on routine operational matters, of public interest both to wider Perth and local ratepayers, that the City of Perth has refused to engage in. Some of these topics: CoP's sponsorship of the City to Surf and charges to organisers

Development applications for QEII Medical Centre

Skip bin policies (despite a similar question from another outlet receiving a response)

$500,000 allegedly promised to Subiaco Council for staff redundancies resulting from CoP Act

Survey work on a dangerous road near Kings Park

Enforcement of two hour ticket parking at a local shopping centre

Reviews of al fresco dining rules for local cafes

Opening of the new city library

Sponsorship of the Hopman Cup

Questions on the CoP's operating expenditure

"In order to best serve ratepayers and the community, the City allocates resources responsibly to address legitimate and reasonable media enquiries," its response to WAtoday on Wednesday said. "Due consideration is given to the prominence of the media outlet, the subject matter of the enquiry, the outlet's readership or audience, timing of the enquiry and deadlines provided." The Post's Lloyd Gorman said he believed it was impossible to address important local issues in the way they needed to be addressed. "By not responding to questions from The Post we think they are doing their own ratepayers a disservice," he said. WAtoday understands one of the councillors who voted down the motion described The Perth Voice as never writing anything "positive", and that Lord Mayor Scaffidi said during the meeting she believed The Post and The Perth Voice were not following Press Council guidelines.

The City's official response to WAtoday on Wednesday denied any policy of media exclusion, but also said the council "prioritises enquiries that will afford the greatest chance of balanced, ethical reporting and can be held accountable to the Statement of Principles set by the Australian Press Council." A search of Press Council adjudications over the past decade found zero complaints against The Post and only one against The Perth Voice - six years ago, and only partially upheld. The Perth Voice's David Bell told Radio 6PR on Monday he knew the paper was "a bolshy paper at times" and "definitely liked to keep a close eye on them" but the paper was not there to "polish the turd". "We report the truth and some of the truths are a little harsh, especially given the Lord Mayor's difficulties over the last couple of years, the internal fighting on council, the CEO being sacked with odd timing," he said.

"We can't make that look good. We just have to try to put the truth across. They could make it look better if they would at least present their point of view. "Every few weeks we will have a query for the staff. This is separate from questions about the Lord Mayor or councillors. Purely to the staff, who are on the ratepayer dime." The denial of any official policy of media blacklisting stands in contrast to Lord Mayor Scaffidi's history of attempting to control the press. Several journalists, including WAtoday's David Prestipino, who has written several unfavourbale articles on the Lord Mayor, are blocked from following her public social media accounts. Recently it was revealed she attempted to force fellow councillors to sign a statutory declaration promising they had not talked to The West Australian.

While it is not clear who, if anyone, has directed City staff to blacklist certain outfits, it is illegal for a council member to direct a local government employee on how to do their job. Moreover, the Local Government Act describes the five aspects of a councillor's role, the third being that a councillor "facilitates communication between the community and the council". While Cr Harley will not be able to move another motion with the same wording, there is the potential for another councillor to attempt to progress the issue with a fresh motion in future. Meetings have been scheduled between the City, The Perth Voice and The Post. Scaffidi not a priority: McGowan

Meanwhile, new WA Premier Mark McGowan has indicated he'd prefer to not be talking about the Lord Mayor every day but said he was looking at options to sack the embattled City of Perth council. "I really don't want to be talking about the City of Perth everyday but it seems to be a question I get all the time," he told Perth Live's Oliver Peterson on Radio 6PR. "I think what happened at the City of Perth in terms of the CCC report and some of the dysfunction in the relationships between the councillors means there needs to be a circuit breaker. "We're looking at other options in terms of dismissing the council... it's overly complicated, the (Local Government ) Act is overly complex. Loading
When a Perth woman lost her precious eternity ring off Rottnest Island in early April, it would have been easy to write the piece of jewellery off as a lost cause.

But Jacqui Caldwell wasn't willing to give up that easy.

"In the shores of beautiful Parker Point yesterday I was devastated to lose my eternity ring," she wrote.

"It flew off my finger in the seaweed to the right of the bottom of the stairs. If you are a metal detector owner and are interested in helping me find my sentimental ring, I would happily reward you with $1000."
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged his US counterpart Donald Trump to seek a "peaceful solution" on the Korean peninsula, in a phone call that came in the wake of Mr Trump's latest tweeted salvo linking the issue to a trade deal.

According to a Chinese state television account of the call, Mr Xi stressed that China insisted the goal of denuclearisation of Korean Peninsula should be realised while safeguarding peace and stability.

Speculation the United States, which has sent an aircraft carrier to the region, is considering a military response to any nuclear test or missile launch that may be made by North Korea, was fuelled by the Mr Trump's bellicose tweet. Mr Trump wrote the US would solve the North Korean problem "without" China, if it declined to help.
President Donald Trump shared a story with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo in an interview that aired on Wednesday morning in the US, and it's a story he says others have been begging to get their hands on. It's about how things went down Thursday night when he authorised missile strikes in Syria - all while he was wining and dining Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago.

And in his recounting, Trump seemed positively wowed by his ability to use military force over dessert - "the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen." In fact, Trump mentioned "dessert" or "cake" five times while telling the story.

Here's the relevant section:

Trump: I was sitting at the table. We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen, and President Xi was enjoying it. And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way. And I said, Mr. President, let me explain something to you - this was during dessert - we've just fired 59 missiles, all of which hit, by the way, unbelievable, from, you know, hundreds of miles away, all of which hit, amazing.
New York: White House press secretary Sean Spicer, besieged by widespread condemnation and calls for his resignation, made a televised apology on Tuesday afternoon for a baffling series of gaffes in which he favourably compared Adolf Hitler to President Bashar al-Assad, and claimed the Nazi leader had not used chemical weapons against his own people.

Democrats and the Anne Frank Centre for Mutual Respect were among those calling for the senior official, already a frequent target of criticism and ridicule for his combative and at times bumbling style, to be dumped from the role.

In making his unreserved apology, Spicer made a further couple of gaffes, mispronouncing the name of the Syrian leader and stating that he didn't want to distract from President Donald Trump's attempt to "destabilise the region".
MATTOON -- Float pool nurse Heather Kirkeng, RN, was honored with the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at Sarah Bush Lincoln on March 22.

Kirkeng was nominated after making a big impression on one of her patients for her dedication, kindness and compassion.

Her nominator wrote: I was a patient on 4 West nursing floor recently and Heather was my nurse. I came into the hospital with a rare form of cancer. She had not heard of it and immediately looked up the necessary information. She wanted to learn more about it. She was very kind and compassionate! I also had a drain that wasnt familiar to those on the nursing unit. Heather wanted to learn more about that, too. She said she always wanted to learn new things for her job. My son had been trained to empty this drain and was willing to show my nurse about it. She stayed late, after her report to learn how to drain my side catheter.

"The next night, Heather was not working my wing -- but she came over to show the nurse on the night shift how to use the drain. Every time she came into my room, she was so kind and friendly. My family and I felt she went above and beyond to learn more and to be helpful to us.

Sarah Bush Lincoln has joined more than 2,400 health care facilities by becoming a DAISY Award hospital partner. During the award presentation, Kirkeng received a certificate, a DAISY Award pin and a unique, hand-carved serpentine stone sculpture from Zimbabwe, titled, A Healers Touch.

The DAISY Award was established in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died at 33 of complications of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a little known but not uncommon auto-immune disease.(DAISY is an acronym for Diseases Attacking the Immune System. The care Patrick and his family received from nurses while he was ill inspired this unique means of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and families.

Patients, visitors, nurses, physicians and other employees may nominate a deserving nurse for The DAISY Award and a nurse will be selected by SBLs DAISY committee every month to received this special honor. Nomination forms are located at www.sarahbush.org and at all SBL clinics and on patient floors. The forms can be submitted to any Sarah Bush Lincoln staff member, or sent via email to daisy@sblhs.org or mail to Sarah Bush Lincoln, DAISY Nursing Award, 1000 Health Center Drive, Mattoon, IL 61938.

For more information, contact SBL DAISY coordinator, Cynthia Edwards, RN, at 217-238-3422 or cedwards@sblhs.org.
EFFINGHAM -- HSHS St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital will host its next monthly "Walk With a Doc" walking program on Saturday at 9 a.m. at the TREC Trail.

Walkers should meet in the Effingham Performance Center parking lot. For those unable to walk on the trail, a doctor will be available to walk with walkers in the EPC parking lot.

Participants will walk with Ryan Jennings, MD, St. Anthonys chief medical officer; Brian Parks, DO, anesthesiologist and pain management; and other health care professionals, who will provide support to the walkers and answer questions during the walk. Prior to the walk, Parks will give a brief presentation on the benefits of exercise in the management of pain.

This is a free program, and pre-registration is not required. Walks will be held monthly, on the third Saturday of each month. When there is inclement weather, the walks will be held at the Village Square Mall.

For cases of inclement weather, check the hospitals Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StAnthonysMemorialHospital or listen to local radio stations for notices about cancellation or changes in location.

Walk With a Doc was created by Dr. David Sabgir, a cardiologist who practices at Mount Carmel Health Systems in Columbus, Ohio, and he has been walking every weekend since 2005. The expansion and support of the program is thanks to Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

For more information about St. Anthonys Memorial Hospital, visit St. Anthonys website at stanthonyshospital.org. To learn more about the Walk With a Doc program, visit walkwithadoc.org.
Clark County Interagency Group to meet

CASEY -- The Clark County Interagency Group will meet at noon Thursday at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Casey.

Katie Hanner from The Villa of Hollybrook + Reflections Memory Care will be the speaker.

For more information, contact Amy Corbin, Triple C Coordinator, at 217-345-7245.

Make and Take craft day scheduled at library

CHARLESTON -- Charleston Carnegie Public Librarys Make and Take will be held from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, or while supplies last, in the KidSpace Atrium. Kids under 8 should attend with a parent or guardian.

Make projects there and then take them home. This is a free family program, open to the public. A library card is not needed to attend. For further information, call 217-345-1514 or visit www.charlestonlibrary.org.

Community Easter egg hunt to be held

STRASBURG -- The Annual Strasburg Community Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary Liberty Unit 289 will be held Saturday at the Strasburg Park with registration to begin at 9:45 a.m. and the hunt to begin at 10 a.m.

In case of rain, this event will be held at the Strasburg Community Center. All children, toddlers through third grade, are invited to participate.

Tickets available for MMS spaghetti supper

MATTOON -- The MMS Band Annual Spaghetti Supper will be held April 29, with lunch from noon-1:30 p.m. and dinner 5-6:30 p.m. at the Mattoon Middle School gym.

Pagliacci's will be providing spaghetti, salad, breadsticks, lemonade, and tea. There will also be a variety of desserts, a silent auction with dozens of items from local businesses, as well as a live performance featuring classic movie selections performed by the MMS band.

People can purchase tickets in advance from any MMS band student, from the band director who can be contacted through the school, or at the door the day of the event: adults $8, children 4-10 for $5; anyone 3 and under is admitted for free.

Neoga spring rummage sale announced

NEOGA -- The date for the Neoga citywide spring rummage sale has been set for April 29.

Those who would like to be included on the flier should bring the following to the city office no later than 4 p.m. Monday, April 24. Questions can be directed to the city office at 217-895-3237:

Name

Address of sale

Phone number

Hours of sale

List of items you want to advertise

$5 for advertising fee

PCH/FMC offers free diabetes foot clinics

PARIS -- In recognition of National Foot Health Awareness Month, Dr. Philip Holloway, podiatrist, will offer free foot clinics throughout April for new diabetics. The clinics will take place at Paris Community Hospitals Wound Care Center.

Blood glucose testing and foot screenings for neuropathy (nerve damage) will be available. The clinics will include evaluation, education on foot care and proper footwear, as well as referral assistance for diabetic shoes and inserts.

According to the American Diabetes Association, about 60 percent of non-traumatic, lower-limb amputations among people age 20 years and older occur in people with diagnosed diabetes. National Foot Health Awareness Month stresses the importance of foot health and its impact on overall body health.

Appointments are required. Call Leslie Brown, RN, BSN, Wound Care Center manager, at 217-465-2606, Ext. 4570.
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.
CHARLESTON -- Whether the appraiser Coles County is using for a reassessment project completed training was a main concern in the latest comments on the project Tuesday.

As a crowd returned to the Coles County Board's meeting for the fifth month in a row, some asked if appraiser Bob Becker completed the course work he indicated he would when he was hired for the job.

Mattoon business owner Rex Dukeman was among those who said they'd viewed county records that showed Becker didn't take the courses as indicated before reassessing business property in Mattoon Township.

"How can the assessments he's done in Mattoon Township be honored?" Dukeman asked the board.

In response, county Supervisor of Assessments Karen Biddle told those in attendance that Becker did complete the course work. She said she's reviewed the county's assessment work for the year and forwarded data to the county clerk's office for its work on calculating taxes.

Asked about the matter after the meeting, Biddle explained that Becker finished the courses recently. She said Becker indicated he thought other courses he took earlier covered the same material but then completed the course he first mentioned.

Becker's approach and qualifications have been among the issues raised at the board's meetings since Mattoon Township business owners received notice of their new property values late last year.

The county decided in 2015 to conduct a reassessment of all commercial and industrial property because that hadn't taken place since a complete, countywide reassessment of all property in 2001.

The board opted to do the project over four years, which county officials said would spread out the cost.

Business property in Mattoon Township was reassessed first, leading to the questions and complaints. Earlier concerns centered on how 16 years' worth of property value changes would affect property taxes but they've largely evolved into questions about the process being used.

At the board's meeting in March, the opposition group said a lawsuit against the county was possible, with one of the contentions that first applying the changes in Mattoon Township lacked uniformity.

Tuesday's crowd was slightly smaller and a bit less combative than those in past months. But the group still filled the courtroom to where the meeting was moved to accommodate the public and the discussion did get heated at one point.

Dukeman also addressed county board Vice Chairman Mark Degler, asking why Degler hasn't attended some of the board's meetings when the reassessment was questioned.

In response, Degler didn't give a reason for the absences but said his constituents can "call me any time." He added that if someone had concerns about his service, "I would like to encourage you to run" for the board.

The exchange led James DiNaso, a Charleston business owner and frequent critic of the reassessment project, to say he found Degler's comments "highly arrogant."

"This is the kind of thing that's driving us nuts," DiNaso said. "We will remember this come election time."

Degler didn't respond to DiNaso's comments.

There was also discussion Tuesday about whether Becker's hiring made him a county employee or a contractor and how that affected his being legally able to handle the county's assessment duties.

County State's Attorney Brian Bower said the board approved the proposal Becker presented but he's actually an agent of the assessment office and legally allowed to perform the duties.
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By West Kentucky Star Staff

Apr. 12, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By West Kentucky Star Staff Apr. 12, 2017 | 12:24 PM | PADUCAH, KY

The Empty Bowls Project raised $17,000 this year to help feed local families.



Michael Terra of Terra Cottage Ceramics presented a check for $17,000 to Community Kitchen Executive Director Sally Michelson on Wednesday, April 5. The funds were raised through the Empty Bowls Project, which was held on February 25 at the Paducah-McCracken County Convention and Expo Center.



Each year Terra coordinates the Empty Bowls Project, a fundraiser that raises financial support that helps to provide meals for individuals and families in Paducah who visit the Community Kitchen.



"Michael Terra and all of the volunteers who help with the Empty Bowls event are simply priceless to our organization," Michelson says. "We could never pull off a fundraising event of this magnitude without the full support of the community and everyone who dedicates their time and resources to making this event a success."



The Paducah School of Art and Design opens its ceramics studio space to the public as they host Throw-A-Thon and Glaze-A-Thon events leading up to the main event. These events helped produce over 1,800 bowls for this year's project.



The Community Kitchen is a non-profit, charitable organization staffed entirely by volunteers. Lunch is served Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The organization serves about 70,000 meals each year and that number continues to grow as more families find themselves in difficult situations.



In addition to feeding the hungry, the facility provides a place for guests to shower and to do laundry. During the winter months, the Community Kitchen serves as The Warming Center for adults who need shelter on evenings when temperatures drop to 40 degrees or below.



In order to provide these services, the organization relies on financial support from local businesses, foundations, churches and individuals throughout the year. The funds raised through the Empty Bowls Project go a long way in helping to continue the Community Kitchen's mission.



The Community Kitchen is located at 1237 Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. For more information please contact Sally Michelson at 270-519-9233.
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By Adam Morton

Apr. 11, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By Adam Morton Apr. 11, 2017 | 08:37 PM | PADUCAH, KY

On Tuesday, the Paducah Board of Commissioners introduced an ordinance to change the zoning of a property on Pecan Drive, but not without hearing from neighbors about potential flooding problems.



The wooded 18-acre property located at 4231 Pecan Drive would be rezoned from an R-1 low density residential zone, to an R-4 high density residential zone.



The zone change request is coming from CDB Service Finance, LLC. The company wants to construct a 100-bed nursing facility that would be 77,300 square feet in size. According to city ordinances, a facility of this type is only allowed in an R-4 zone.



A public hearing was held at the April 3 Planning Commission meeting, where a resolution was adopted to approve the zone change.



Several nearby residents raised concerns about increases in flooding. Pecan Drive resident Janice Coward spoke to the commission Tuesday. "I do know that there's a lot of flooding," Coward said. She asked commissioners not to change the zone and to keep the residents safe.



Commissioner Sarah Stewart Holland also posed questions about storm water runoff, and how the area would be addressed by the consultant working to develop a Comprehensive Storm Water Master Plan. "My main concern is we just spent a lot of money to gather a lot of information on the storm water issues in our city, and I am hesitant to move forward on something like this when we don't have that information," Holland said.



Commissioner Allan Rhodes said he understood the concerns, but was ready to move forward. "I'm just not ready to say we should just not have any kind of activity in the City of Paducah; any kind of new building activity until they do what they are going to do. We have a plan. If it needs to be tweaked in the months and years ahead, we will. But I am not interested in just stopping economic activity. We have to grow. We need the jobs," Rhodes Said.



City Engineer & Public Works Director Rick Murphy said retention ponds would be included at the site as required by the current city ordinance. The ponds would hold the additional runoff and release it slowly.



The final vote on the measure will take place at the next commission meeting.
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Canadas Lax Kwalaams show us how we can be saved: by loving the natural world and local living economies more than mere money and profitEverything has a price. Everyone can be bought. We assume this principle is endemic to modern life  and that accepting it is most obvious to the impoverished. Except all over the world, people are defying it for a greater cause. That courage may be even more contagious.It has been in full supply in north-west Canada, where an oil giant is aiming to construct one of the countrys biggest fossil fuel developments: a pipeline to ship liquified natural gas (LNG) out of British Colombia. To export it overseas via tankers, Malaysian-owned Petronas must first win approval for a multi-billion dollar terminal on the coast.That happens to be at the mouth of Canadas second-largest salmon river, on the traditional territory of the Lax Kwalaams First Nation. One of the worlds longest un-dammed rivers, the Skeena abounds in the fish relied on by surrounding wildlife  and by First Nations and an entire regional economy.Last year, following our modern principle, Petronas offered the First Nation an offer they imagined couldnt be refused: in exchange for their support, a whopping $1.15 billion in cash. But put to a vote, the Lax Kwalaams resoundingly said no  every single community member.When Petronas made the offer, Lax Kwalaams hereditary chief Yahaan says he believed the community  poor and with few employment prospects  might vote yes.Opportunities like that dont come to your door every day, he says. But I give my people credit for taking that bold step. They showed their love and their passion for the land and water. No amount of money can compare to the richness of the river and what it gives us.They knew something even a billion dollars couldnt persuade them to ignore: that you couldnt pick a worse place to transform into an industrial landscape. The proposed site for the LNG plant is smack in the middle of a unique estuary, a coastal Mecca for fish: where every year hundreds of millions of young salmon, having travelled down the river after birth, feed and nurture as part of their journey to adulthood.
"There is a mix of the modern and the traditional, of the indigenous people and the mestizo people, that fight to conserve that indigenous part that they inherited,Oaxaca was something that had to happen, it was something that I didnt look for. It simply occurred.Thats how photographer Diego Huerta describes his work in the southern Mexican state, where he has diligently traveled to for the past four years to document its indigenous communities with breathtaking portraits.The 30-year-old Mexican photographer began working on this project, titled Inside Oaxaca, after traveling to Oaxaca and inadvertently witnessing the Guelaguetza, its biggest annual celebration and parade that features traditional dances and customs from the States eight regions.I was struck by all the colors and by the faces of the various delegations, and I wanted to know where they came from, Huerta told The Huffington Post via e-mail. It was at that moment that I knew I had to go to their place of origin to know more about their traditions and customs and document them via my portraits.About 15 percent of the Mexican population identifies as indigenous, according to the United Nations Human Rights Council. That number jumps to 56 percent in Oaxaca, where there are 16 different indigenous groups.In Oaxaca something very interesting happens: there is a mix of the modern and the traditional, of the indigenous people and the mestizo people, that fight to conserve that indigenous part that they inherited, Huerta told HuffPost. The portraits that Ive done are from four of the eight regions that exist in Oaxaca (after four years Im only halfway through the project) and they are people that Ive met directly in the villages or small towns that Ive visited. Some of those people I can now call my friends.As part of his project, Huerta travels to remote parts of the State and has photographed women and men from the Zapotec, Mixtecos, Mixes and Chontales communities. His project in Oaxaca will feed into a larger photo endeavor he has planned called Native Nation, which consists of documenting Mexicos more than 50 indigenous groups.
The Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission on Wednesday gave what will be the first of several needed approvals for a proposed redevelopment of the block at Ninth and P streets that houses the offices of the Lincoln Journal Star.

Planning Commission members voted unanimously that the proposed City Centre project conforms to the city-county Comprehensive Plan for land use.

The mixed-use plan calls for an 11- to 12-story building on the western two-thirds of the block bounded by P, Q, Ninth and 10th streets.

Newman Development Group of Vestal, New York, wants to build 245 market-rate apartments, two or three floors of office space, parking and first-floor storefronts.

The company has a deal in place to buy the Journal Star building at 926 P St. and plans to demolish it. A bank on the corner of 10th and P streets and the city's parking garage at 10th and Q streets will remain. The project does not include the Journal Star's production building to the north of the site.

The Journal Star still is evaluating options to relocate its business offices, Publisher Ava Thomas said. The terms of the deal with the development group call for the Journal Star to vacate its building by the end of the year. Newman Development hopes to have the new building completed sometime in 2020.

The building will feature underground parking with 100 spaces and a parking deck with about 140 spaces on the second floor.

The company also plans to negotiate with the city for about 340 parking spots in the city-owned Market Place Garage at 10th and Q streets.

The estimated cost of the project is $92 million, a number that will potentially generate $12 million to $14 million in tax-increment funding that the developers can use to pay for portions of the development that provide a public benefit. The developer could use TIF for site acquisition and demolition, among other costs.

Urban Development Director Dave Landis said the project is "perhaps the largest single redevelopment project for a single building we have done in the history of Lincoln."

He noted that the city and developer still have to negotiate the details of a redevelopment agreement, which likely will take several months.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/04/2017 (2037 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Former Aveos airplane maintenance workers have beefed up their efforts to pursue a $1-billion class-action suit against Air Canada and the governments of Canada and Quebec.

Lawyers from the Quebec firm Trudel Johnston & Lesperance have joined other firms in the province  Jean-Francois Bertrand Avocats Inc., Bruno-Pierre Allard and Jean Poirier  in litigating the class action.

More than 400 Winnipeg Aveos workers, who lost their jobs in 2012 when Aveos Fleet Performance closed its doors, are eligible to join the class action. Aveos was spun off from the former Air Canada Technical Services.

Mark Blinch / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Former airplane maintenance workers have ramped up efforts to force Air Canada into a settlement in their $1-billion class-action lawsuit.

Gilbert McMullen, a Montreal-based spokesman for the laid-off workers, said the addition of the Trudel firm puts more firepower behind efforts to get Air Canada to settle.

We think it will mean that Air Canada will no longer be able to play their games, McMullen said.

The lawsuit likely represents the last opportunity at compensation for workers who believe the shutdown of the plant was a flagrant and deliberate violation of the Air Canada Public Participation Act. That act required Air Canada to maintain operation centres in Winnipeg, Montreal and Mississauga.

When Aveos went out of business, the airline shipped those jobs elsewhere, many of them out of the country.

Air Canada argued because it still had line maintenance workers in those cities, the airline was not violating the law. Quebec and Manitoba disagreed, and the former filed a lawsuit against the airline. Manitoba was an intervener in the case. A Quebec court sided with the provinces, and that decision was upheld on appeal. The case was destined for the Supreme Court of Canada, but the airline negotiated settlements with the two provinces.

Air Canada said it would establish maintenance centres of excellence in Winnipeg and Montreal. In Quebec, the airline also has committed to a maintenance contract on the Quebec-made C-Series jets Air Canada intends to purchase.

In return, Quebec and Manitoba withdrew their legal challenges.

However, the promised centre of excellence in Winnipeg has not materializing.

Air Canada has stated publicly on several occasions it was supporting the establishment of Manitoba operations for three of its suppliers  Cargojet Airways Ltd., Hope Aero Propeller & Components Inc. and Airbase Services Inc. The plan was for them to locate in the old Aveos hangar on Saskatchewan Avenue. Air Canada recently signed another 10-year lease on the buildings.

Last year, it was rumoured Cargojet would build a heavy maintenance operation there and might need to hire a few hundred workers. It seems increasingly unlikely the Mississauga-based cargo carrier is going to follow through with that.

An industry official familiar with the heavy maintenance business in Canada said he understands Cargojet is not coming to Winnipeg. That page has been turned, and I strongly doubt it will be reopened.

Barry Rempel, the CEO of Winnipeg Airports Authority, is decidedly less optimistic than he was only a few months ago about Cargojet setting up in Winnipeg. The WAA holds the land lease on those Air Canada hangars and is strongly motivated to see it occupied and generating economic activity.

Ive come to the point of believing the hoped-for Cargojet work is unlikely but for reasons that have nothing to do with Winnipeg location or business climate, Rempel said in an email exchange. We are pursuing what we hope to have potential for some additional Air Canada partner work here, but nothing is yet firm.

Cargojet had no comment, spokeswoman Pauline Dhillon said.

Air Canada is still officially sticking to the party line.

Our commitment to all three remains unchanged, company spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said.

Officials from Hope and Airbase were unavailable for comment, but a Winnipeg aerospace industry official said Airbase  an airplane interior cabinet and furnishings manufacturer and maintenance organization  is in the process of setting up a shop, with four employees in Winnipeg.

martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The phrase charge it will soon take on a new meaning at Winnipegs largest regional shopping mall: CF Polo Park.

The malls owner, Cadillac Fairview, announced Tuesday it will be installing a total of 45 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at 15 of its Canadian shopping centres over the next two years, including CF Polo Park.

At Cadillac Fairview, we are dedicated to making strategic investments that drive growth, innovation and corporate responsibility, said Sal Iacono, executive vice-president of operations for Cadillac Fairview. Not only are we proud to continually introduce new and highly relevant amenities that provide a unique experience for our guests and clients, but more importantly, were also proud to support the transition to a low-carbon future in Canada.

The company said the new charging stations will be connected to the FLO charging network, which is Canadas largest EV charging network with more than 3,000 stations across the country.

We are pleased to partner with a Canadian company, FLO, to facilitate the rollout of this exciting program across Cadillac Fairviews national retail portfolio, said John Massey, vice-president of operations for Cadillac Fairviews Ontario portfolio.

As pioneers in the EV charging space, FLO has the expertise and infrastructure to support this program, while providing Canadians with an intuitive and reliable charging experience, he added. We believe the addition of these new chargers at CF shopping centres will help alleviate range anxiety and provide EV drivers with superior destinations to recharge in more ways than one.

CF Polo Park general manager Deborah Green said plans call for three chargers to be installed at the shopping centre.

But nothing has been solidified yet as to exactly when this is going to happen. Theyre rolling them out across Canada, she added.

 Murray McNeill
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A vigil will be held Wednesday afternoon for Christine Wood, the missing 21-year-old Oxford House First Nation woman who police now say was killed.

The vigil will be held at 4 p.m. at the St. Marys Parish at 365 Burrows Avenue, in the same block where Wood was believed killed. People will then walk to Thunderbird House at 715 Main St. for a memorial service from 5 to 7 p.m.

Organizers are the Bear Clan Patrol, Canadian Centre for Child Protection and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak.

SUPPLIEDChristine Wood

The vigil will be a way for friends, family and the general public to show support for Woods family.

Christine came to Winnipeg last summer with her parents George and Melinda Wood for a medical appointment. She was last seen Aug. 19, 2016, leaving the hotel on Berry Street where her family was staying.

Police said this week that she was killed in a home in the 300 block of Burrows Ave. Brett Ronald Overby, 30, has been charged with second-degree murder.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They went online looking for work, or a place to live, or someone to love.

But in the end, more than 50 people across Canada, the United States and Europe fell victim to an international mass-marketing scheme facilitated by a Winnipeg business-school student who laundered nearly half a million dollars in three years.

Michael Odine, 26, is headed to prison and faces deportation back to Nigeria after he pleaded guilty to 24 criminal offences, including fraud over $5,000, money laundering and using forged documents. Crown prosecutors are seeking a five-year sentence, while Odines defence lawyer asked he serve 31/2 years behind bars. Court of Queens Bench Justice Vic Toews has reserved his decision.

I realize that what I did was terrible, Odine told the judge Tuesday in a courtroom half-full of his supporters. I have learned my lesson, and I fully intend to pay back whatever restitution this court orders me to. And I will continue working on myself to become a better person and make sure I never repeat such actions in the future.

In the meantime, a key question remains largely unanswered: how did a brilliant young Nigerian man who came to Canada on a student visa  with dreams of earning a business degree from the University of Manitobas Asper School of Business  get involved in a sophisticated scheme that saw him set up at least eight different bank accounts using three false identities to forward fraudulently obtained money to unknown agents in the U.S., Ukraine, South Africa, Malaysia, Nigeria and Pakistan?

Spent money on travel, clothing, tuition

Over the course of slightly more than three years, from February 2013 till his arrest on March 8, 2016, Odine handled about $442,000 that arrived in his illegitimate bank accounts from people who believed they were sending money at the request of a new employer, or to participate in a charity, or to secure a much-needed rental agreement, or to help out a romantic interest who had gained their trust through online dating sites.

The 53 victims, including a university student in Winnipeg who had advertised her services as an independent housekeeper on an online classifieds site, were subjected to various online scams. In most cases, they were sent fraudulent cheques and then asked to deposit them and transfer some of the funds to other individuals.

The original cheques would bounce, and the victims would be on the hook for the money they had transferred to other bank accounts  including the ones set up in Winnipeg by Odine.

Odine didnt communicate directly with any of the victims, but he followed instructions from others who mailed him high-quality, forged drivers licences and passports bearing false names and his real photo. He forwarded some of the money he received and kept some for himself  splurging on flights, designer clothes and nightclub tabs as well as paying for his U of M tuiton and textbooks.

Suffice it to say, the accused was living a good life, Crown prosecutor Don Melnyk said Tuesday.

Melnyk said Odine was vague when police asked him how he got into the international fraud  which they determined wouldnt have been successful if Odine hadnt been willing to open a network of Winnipeg-based bank accounts to transfer money to other fraudsters around the world. He said his job didnt pay the bills.

While attending university, he worked part-time at a not-for-profit supported living organization helping people with disabilities  the irony of which was noted by both Crown and defence lawyers during Odines sentencing hearing Tuesday. Odine said he was mailed letters and eventually the forged documents after looking online for a job, court heard.

Hopes to stay in Canada

The Winnipeg Police Services commercial crime unit launched an investigation after a Vancouver police officer asked for help in October 2015 with a case involving a B.C. victim who had been defrauded out of money that ended up in a Winnipeg bank account.

Odine was arrested the following March carrying forged drivers licences and passports he would use to open the bank accounts. Police were not able to find the source of those forged documents or lay charges against others who may have been involved in the scheme.

Odine, who was described as brilliant by family members interviewed in a pre-sentence report, hopes to stay in Canada. Hes six credits short of the business degree he was pursuing while he was involved in the online fraud, defence lawyer Steven Keesic told court.

Keesic said Odines family and friends had been surprised to learn the young man with a bright future had been involved in organized crime.

I do believe he was absolutely manipulated, duped, but he gave in to the temptation, he said.

Odines parents  his father a pharmacist and his mother a nurse  sent him to Canada when he was 18 so he could receive a quality education, according to the pre-sentence report. He spent a year in Fort St. John, B.C., before moving to Winnipeg and transferring to the U of M.

A bank account he opened in his own name in Fort St. John collected more than $208,000 from a woman in Switzerland who had been duped by an online dating scam.

None of the victims has been repaid. Justice Toews is considering whether to order restitution as part of Odines prison sentence.

katie.may@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @thatkatiemay
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Islamophobia  the fear of Islam  has recently been targeted by the federal government with its passage of motion M-103, which condemns those who target Islam. I confess I am an Islamophobe. But let me explain.

I strongly believe everyone should be able to worship  or not worship  as they choose and have their right to do so respected. I also believe people should have the right to join  or leave  any religion without fear of reprisal.

I also believe we all have the right to freely criticize other belief systems, religious or secular, with the corresponding obligation to tolerate criticism of our own belief systems. That criticism can be harsh. I do not believe extremely intolerant concepts such as Holy War, apostasy, or blasphemy laws have any place in a civilized country. Finally, I believe women must have the same rights as men.

In short, I believe in tolerance. I fear any belief system, religious or secular, that is intolerant. And the reason I fear certain segments of Islam is because they are intolerant.

I point to Muslim countries such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia that base their oppressive systems on Sharia law  a literal interpretation of the Quran. Citizens of those countries do not have the right to exercise many of the rights we in the West believe to be fundamental.

A person who renounces Islam is guilty of apostasy and liable to the death penalty. A person who blasphemes faces the same fate. Women do not have the same rights as men. This is all done in the name of Islam. Aspects of the operating philosophies of al-Qaida  and now the Islamic State group  are but more radical versions of this fundamentalism.

Intolerance of this kind is by no means unique to the Islamic world. Something similar to Sharia law applied for thousands of years in the Judaeo-Christian world. A person reading Leviticus will be struck by the eerie resemblance of those passages to todays proclamations from IS.

Apostates and heretics were put to death in that Old Testament world, as they were later in New Testament times. The concept of Jihad, or Holy War, was very much a part of those worlds.

The chilling exhortations of the fierce prophets of old to annihilate every sinful man, woman and child in the name of God, or the battle cries of the blood-thirsty popes of the Middle Ages calling on the faithful to go to the Holy Land and slaughter infidels (namely Muslims) because God commanded them to, make these ancient warmongers brothers-in-arms to the worst of the IS brutes of today. The Jewish and Christian worlds lived for a very long time with absolute intolerance.

But heres the thing: the Jewish and Christian worlds evolved. They changed. Their holy books didnt change  those books still contain all the vicious and bloody parts that inspired the old violence, hatred and intolerance. But, after countless religious wars, burnings of so-called heretics and other atrocities, these religions reinterpreted their holy books in such a way as to first allow  and then, insist upon  tolerance.

Today, only the lunatic fringe of the Christian or Jewish world still believes in primitive concepts such as Holy War, apostasy sanctions or blasphemy laws. But, such is not the case in countries such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, or with those in the West who advocate intolerance.

Hatred of Muslims must be loudly denounced, just as anti-Semitism or other extreme forms of intolerance must be denounced. Respect for the freedom of others to hold any belief is essential to our way of life.

Muslims, like everyone else, must be free to worship in peace. But, just as I can be critical of Israels settlement policies, or the Popes sexist policies, I insist on my right to criticize Islams intolerance. And that is why I am an Islamophobe.

Brian Giesbrecht was a Manitoba provincial court judge from 1976 until 2007. He is now retired.
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When U.S. President Donald Trump authorized a cruise missile strike against a Syrian air force base, it marked the first time the U.S. has used direct military force against forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Trumps rationale for the missile attack was Assad had launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians using a deadly nerve agent.

At that juncture there was still confusion, allegations and denial as to what exactly had caused the tragic, horrific death of more than 80 Syrian civilians in the town of Khan Sheikhoun three days earlier.

SANA / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Syrian President Bashar Assad

It was clear a chemical weapon had been employed, but experts were only able to speculate it could have been a nerve agent because soil samples had yet to be tested by any international authorities.

Yet somehow, Trump and his advisers were not only sure of the substance used, they knew without a doubt who was to blame and even where the attack had originated.

That is why at 3:45 a.m. Friday, 59 U.S. cruise missiles slammed into hangars, control towers and ammo dumps at the Assad-controlled Shayrat airbase.

Syrian military authorities claimed seven people were killed and nine wounded in the attack.

One has to ask what was achieved by launching such a hasty, punitive attack before all the facts were investigated. Those Syrian troops on duty in the middle of the night at Shayrat airbase would not have been the individuals who would have authorized the use of a chemical weapon.

Retaliation for the sake of retaliation is a futile exercise.

Trump would have been better served to have put Assad on notice action would be taken once the Hague-based Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) team concludes its investigation into this incident.

In 2013, after a deadly chemical weapons attack in a suburb of Damascus, OPCW investigators were able to access the scene of the crime within five days.

After weeks of thorough analysis, they were only able to conclude sarin gas  a nerve agent  had been used.

There was insufficient evidence to conclude Assads loyalists were responsible, and certainly no proof Assad was personally responsible.

That incident, however, prompted Assad to comply with a Russian-brokered agreement to surrender his entire arsenal of chemical weapons under international supervision.

The attack on Khan Sheikhoun last week has been held up as proof positive Assad reneged on that deal. There were also speculative claims the recent shift in U.S. policy in Syria had caused Assad to become emboldened.

In the last week of March, White House spokesman Sean Spicer admitted to reporters Assads presidency was a political reality that we have to accept. That sentiment was echoed by Nikki Haley, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

According to one Canadian pundit, this supposed weakening of resolve on the part of the U.S. allowed Assad to get back to slaughtering his own people.

If that is indeed what transpired, then not only is Assad a bloodthirsty monster, he is also one of the dumbest villains in history.

Just 20 months ago, Assad and his embattled loyalists were on the verge of defeat. Russia and Iran stepped in militarily to assist, and together they were able to successfully reverse Assads battlefield fortunes.

With the support of both Moscow and Tehran, suddenly Assad was back in the catbird seat.

Add to this equation the U.S. withdrawing their demand for his ouster and Assad must have thought he had beat the odds  and that his familys three decades of rule would continue in perpetuity.

Then he allegedly did the one thing that would bring that all crashing down around him  recklessly used a chemical weapon. Not only has Trump already brought military might down upon him, the U.S. has also renewed its pledge Assad will have no role in any future Syrian administration.

Assad authorizing the use of a banned weapon with victory being within his grasp makes absolutely no sense.

He must be mad. The results of the OPCW report on this latest incident should prove this once and for all.

Scott Taylor is the founder and publisher of Esprit de Corps Magazine. He is also a bestselling author and award-winning documentary filmmaker.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 11/04/2017 (2037 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Flood control projects will get substantially more money this year  but infrastructure spending is dropping in most areas of highways, health, education and housing.

The Pallister government kept its promise in Tuesdays provincial budget of spending at least $1 billion annually on strategic infrastructure.

Water-related infrastructure spending was $40 million last year, and this year Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen has $60 million to spend.

We inherited a mess, said Finance Minister Cameron Friesen said. You can subtract schools and overpasses you could have done if you werent paying money lenders in Toronto." (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press)

Finance Minister Cameron Friesen said in his budget speech that the province will invest in flood protection, drainage, and other water control infrastructure.

We are committed to addressing the vulnerabilities, most notably with the completion of the Lake Manitoba and Lake St. Martin outlets project, said the minister.

Infrastructure capital spending in health and education has so far concentrated on maintenance and repairs to existing buildings and structures to the exclusion of the large-scale new projects promised by the former NDP government. I wont go line-by-line on an infrastructure list, Friesen said.

What else may be coming, Friesen isnt saying, but he vowed not to run up debt as the NDP did.

We inherited a mess, Friesen said. We indicated in the first year of our mandate that we had to put the brakes on. You can subtract schools and overpasses you could have done if you werent paying money lenders in Toronto.

When capital projects come, Manitobans are likely to see some public private partnerships already in use in several provinces  companies bid, build a project, and the province repays them over decades.

Youll see a salute to P3s, said Friesen, who cited hundreds of successful projects across Canada financed through public private partnerships.

Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman welcomed municipal infrastructure funding being consistent with last year  he had no problems not getting more.

Thats something we should welcome  I certainly appreciate the financial circumstances they inherited, Bowman said. We wanted to see a very strong sign of partnership. We saw that today.

Manitoba Heavy Construction Association president Chris Lorenc would have preferred more emphasis on roads, bridges, and sewers.

Its very much a transitional budget, Lorenc said. Its not a shock and awe budget  people feared the worst.

Lorenc noted that P3s can be a good way to go: Theyre a good return to the economy, he said.

Education Minister Ian Wishart has publicly shown interest in Saskatchewans use of P3s to build new schools.

The government can call for proposals on P3 projects late this year  the red-tape reduction bill will become law in November, which includes a clause repealing the former NDP governments strict controls which discouraged P3 projects.

The message I would have to Manitobans is, were on a journey together, Friesen said. We dont take an ideological approach, we value results over ideology.

We might say no to a new gym, but approve another project of value, the finance minister said.

The Business Council of Manitoba has beseeched Pallister and Friesen to spend capital dollars  to avoid an economic downturn and to encourage skilled workers not to seek employment elsewhere.

Earlier this year, the Tories postponed  opponents say cancelled  $1 billion worth of health care capital projects promised by the former NDP government, most notably the new $300 million CancerCare Manitoba building and a $32 million personal care home in Lac du Bonnet.

The NDP had promised new schools in northwest Winnipeg and south Brandon, but there was no sign Tuesday of money for new schools. Nor is there a sign of the $150 million the NDP promised to the University of Manitoba for its $500 million Front and Centre fundraising campaign.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
An NRA-backed bill that would erase the authority of Lincoln and other Nebraska communities to enact their own gun regulation laws -- with a single exception carved out for Omaha -- barely cleared a filibuster Wednesday and leaped its first floor hurdle.

The bill (LB68) was advanced on a 32-12 vote after gaining the 33 votes required to break a filibuster. That motion to invoke cloture and end debate was approved on a tense 33-8 roll-call vote.

Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister huddled with individual senators in the Capitol Rotunda during the debate, arguing against the bill.

The measure would erase "our ability to adapt to the needs of our community," Bliemeister said, through adoption of local ordinances.

The practical effect of the bill in its current form would be to allow people to enter public venues like Pinnacle Bank Arena, Pinewood Bowl, the Hall of Justice and even the Lancaster County Jail openly carrying weapons, he said.

Sen. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln, sponsor of the legislation, said he is prepared to address those concerns with an amendment to the bill at a later stage of its consideration.

Hilgers said the bill protects "the fundamental right to keep and bear arms" by centering authority for gun regulation in the Legislature and ending a patchwork of local laws that place law-abiding gun owners in jeopardy of violating local regulations as they travel in the state.

The Omaha exception, primarily negotiated by the Omaha Police Officers Association, would maintain the city's prohibition against possession of handguns in public places and a requirement that firearms in vehicles must be unloaded and locked up.

Those restrictions are needed to specifically address Omaha's gang problems, the Legislature was told.

"Omaha is different," Hilgers said, in terms of its "specific gang problem."

Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said his city has gang problems too, but LB68 provides "a special deal for Omaha."

The politically charged bill has strong support from the National Rifle Association, which called on its members to phone and email Nebraska senators to urge support for the measure.

Morfeld said he is a gun owner and a hunter, but he believes the bill "harms public safety."

"Responsible policy allows local control to react to circumstances in their communities," he said.

Hilgers said Nebraskans should be able to "travel through Omaha or Lincoln without losing their constitutional rights."

Other supporters argued that local restrictions infringe on Second Amendment rights.

A series of motions to shelve the bill or return it to the Government and Military Affairs Committee failed.

A number of senators chose not to vote on the politically charged cloture motion.

Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha voted to invoke cloture, but against advancement of the bill.
Fastenal saw a positive start to its 50th year of business and is hoping theyve hit the end of a rough patch.

Dan Florness, Fastenal CEO, said in his conference call Wednesday morning that theyve seen growth almost across the board after a 2016 that was a lot about righting the ship.

Both Fastenals traditional fastener and non-fastener sides of the business saw growth in the first three months of the year, the non-fastener by 9.4 percent. The companys fastener business grew by less than 1 percent but was the first growth since the second quarter of 2015.

Florness said he was very pleased with the trends in our business as it relates to both aspects of Fastenal.

The company reported earnings of $134.2 million, or 46 cents per share, up 6.3 percent from last years first quarter. Their net sales increased to $1.05 billion, up 6.2 percent.

Fastenal also finished its acquisition of Manufacturers Supply Co. on the last day of quarter.

The company, also known as Mansco, is headquartered in Hudsonville, Mich., and has additional facilities in Wisconsin, Alabama and Texas. It generated around $50 million in revenue in 2016.

The company is also continuing its concentration on sales and industrial vending operations.

Their full time employee headcount is up 3 percent from the last quarter of 2016, though still lower than it was at this time last year. There was a reduction of 687 people since then.

The number of stores has also continued to contract, down 26 to 2,480 in total. Both the stores and employees were attributed to natural attrition and focus on growth drivers.

The company has increased in vending machines and onsite stores, or areas selling products within other companies.

Vending machines are up 13.3 percent to 62,822 compared to last years first quarter, while the active onsite locations have increased to 437, a 51.2 percent increase.

Florness said they met the goal they set for themselves for each month, and for the first quarter in general, which he attributed to challenging each other.

We are a sales centered organization, a growth centered organization, Florness said. Part of growth is a mindset, an attitude, and I think we have a great mindset, a great attitude of going forward and serving our customers at a high level.

The company had also seen an increase at the end of 2016.

Their October to December period showed a 2.7 percent increase in overall sales compared to the same time last year, as well as a 2.6 percent increase in earnings.

By midday Wednesday, Fastenal stock was down 3.40 percent, and trading at $46.94.

The company reported earnings of $134.2 million, or 46 cents per share, up 6.3 percent from last years first quarter.
Miller Ingenuity this week announced a $15,000 donation to REACH, a program seeking to groom young people for local manufacturing jobs.

Steve Blue, president and CEO of the Winona-based manufacturing company, said hes seen a growing divide between employer needs and worker skills. Its a divide that REACH  a collaboration between Winona Senior High School and the Winona and Minnesota chambers of commerce  is intended to close.

Partnering with the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce and investing in the REACH program will not only provide students with necessary workplace skills, Blue said in a release, but will also set them up for stable and engaging employment post-graduation.

Each year, beginning this fall, REACH will take in roughly 30 juniors at Winona Senior High School.

REACH students will spend their final two years of high school taking classes focused on both manufacturing and personal development, visiting local companies in need of workers, and earning the degrees and certificates theyll need to fill those jobs.

The program is open to all students who apply, but specifically targets at-risk students who are short on credits but still on track to graduate.

This is an exciting program to address workforce issues, said Della Schmidt, president of the Winona chamber. We are thrilled to have Miller Ingenuity as the Founding Legacy Partner for REACH. Steve Blue has always been a champion for promoting careers in manufacturing. He understands the potential impacts of REACH for local manufacturing employers.

If the Minnesota chamber has its way, programs like REACH might soon begin popping up across the state. Winona is one of three Minnesota cities taking part in a chamber pilot program  Business Education Networks  intended to help high school and college students transition into the workforce.

Every conversation we have with employers includes their urgent concerns about workforce needs, said Laura Bordelon, senior vice president for advocacy at the Minnesota chamber. The strategy behind Business Education Networks is to mobilize employers to engage directly with students and help them understand what jobs look like in their communities, how to prepare in school for those opportunities, and how to access these opportunities.

REACH is the next step. We are really excited to see the project launched and the students succeed.
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We are up to our gills in meth, the county worker told me. Four years ago one quarter of our child-protection cases were related to meth. Now, 92 percent of these cases are related to meth.

Our system just isnt equipped to deal with the meth problem, said another social worker.

Recently, more than 400 county supervisors and Health and Human Services staff came to the Capitol. I had visitors from every county in our Senate District. These officials brought me one clear message: Help us deal with the meth problem.

The statistics the county employees shared were staggering. Trempealeau County experienced more than a four-fold increase in child-protection cases in less than two years. Most of these children were living with a meth-addicted parent.

Dunn County officials told me about the increase in people entering treatment. Last September, 35 percent of those entering treatment were meth addicts and this number steadily grew. By February, 60 percent of those entering treatment were addicted to meth.

The county staff shared many stories about the impact of meth addiction on children. These children are exposed to the drug because addicts smoke the substance. The drug pollutes the air and surfaces of the home. All workers test children of meth addicts for exposure to meth

We tested a four-year-old and a one-year-old, said a social worker. The two children tested higher than the average meth users.

The social workers said they are struggling to fill the needs of so many youngsters ravaged by the addiction of their parents. Counties assess the childs needs but as the county staff explained, it is difficult to tease out what is happening with a child.

Is a child suffering withdrawal symptoms because of second-hand drug exposure or suffering developmentally because of poor nutrition. Has the child experienced emotional or physical trauma? Certainly, the vast majority of children of meth-addicted parents suffer neglect.

A social worker told me that she visited a mom in jail who decided to voluntarily give up her child. The sorrowful mom told the social worker she wished she never did meth, because it makes you forget you ever had children.

Helping the large number of suffering children has stretched county budgets thin. The cases are hard. Social workers are difficult to find and often not trained to assist children from drug-troubled homes. Staff turnover is high.

For the addicts themselves, treatment programs are limited. Insurance only pays for a few days of inpatient treatment. To be effective, a meth addict must stay inpatient for at least a month. In my own research, I learned the brain takes at least a year to recover from some damage done by meth. Relapses are common, as is depression and other forms of mental illness.

A few months ago, I first began hearing about meth from law enforcement. Sheriffs told me the combination of mental illness and meth resulted in violence. Community and officer safety was at risk. Treatment options were very limited. Often officers must drive four to six hours one-way to deliver the addict to treatment at one of two state-operated mental health institutions.

Local sheriffs explained how their entire annual budget for transporting the arrested mentally ill person was gone in the first few months of this year because of so many new cases of mental illness and meth-induced violence.

Opioid users go to the emergency room, a human services manager told me. Meth addicts go to jail.

Lawmakers recently paid much attention to problems associated with heroin and opioid-related drugs. However, the epidemic in western Wisconsin is meth.

Counties need resources to help children who need safe homes. Our region needs treatment and emergency crisis centers. Long-term inpatient treatment is expensive but can be effective. Further, we must help those suffering from mental illness and keep them from turning to addiction instead of mental health treatment.

Lawmakers will soon take up a series of bills to combat heroin. I ask my colleagues to expand their awareness and consider the impacts of meth: on our children, our county budgets, the safety of our communities and the lives of the addicts.

In the spirit of rebirth, Easter and spring, I ask families affected by mental illness or drug addiction to get help. It is not easy. But there is hope.
The Legislature's Appropriations Committee took a vote Tuesday on the $8.9 billion spending plan it will offer to the full Legislature for 2017-19.

But unlike most years -- when committee members have been united, or maybe one vote off -- this budget plan netted a 6-3 outcome, with Sens. Robert Clements, Dan Watermeier and John Kuehn voting no.

The committee has struggled to get to a balanced budget in a particularly tough year in which Gov. Pete Ricketts suggested cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services, providers of Medicaid services and the University of Nebraska, and increases to the Department of Correctional Services and state aid to schools.

The Appropriations Committee put its own unique stamp on the budget that will go to the Legislature for debate later this month. It represents a 1.1 percent average increase in spending over the two years.

The committee voted on Tuesday to take $180 million from the state's rainy day fund, or cash reserve, to balance the budget.

It took away some of the increase Ricketts wanted for corrections staff, much to the governor's dismay, and restored a few of the cuts Ricketts made to HHS.

Clements said he felt the funding for the Department of Economic Development was too restrictive.

"It's a tough time, but I was hoping we could provide more funding," he said.

Watermeier said the committee needed to do more cutting on the budget in a year like this.

"I think we're going to be hammered on the floor that we didn't cut enough," he said. "I haven't heard that specifically yet, but this is going to be a hard one for me to swallow. ... We had a chance to lower our base, and we didn't do that."

The committee also approved too many transfers from cash funds to balance things out, he said.

Kuehn, too, said he disagreed with the raiding of cash funds, some that came as a surprise to directors. Money was swept from some of those funds without the committee thoroughly vetting those decisions, having a public process or knowing what the implications would be for particular departments or state committees.

Kuehn is concerned about coming years, he said, if the state's economy doesn't grow as projected and the slowing agriculture situation doesn't turn around.

"This creates a complicated scenario going forward," he said.

The committee is expected to formally amend and advance the budget bills next week.
Passenger rail service from the Twin Cities to Chicago is very important to our community as service between these points includes a much-used stop here in Winona. A recent survey by the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Transportation showed that 4 in 10 southeast Minnesota college students had ridden Amtrak and would ride more often if service was available. (MnDOT survey results can be found here http://www.dot.state.mn.us/newsrels/17/03/23survey.html )

Our community has a strong relationship with our educational institutions and the revenue they generate. Rail service provides students and travelers an opportunity to reach Winona without the added expense of owning and operating an automobile while relieving some of the parking stress the many student owned vehicles create within our neighborhoods.

Significant additional ridership is foreseen, enough to support a second train from Chicago to St Paul. Infrastructure improvements to accommodate a second train would significantly improve rail crossing and rail yard concerns for both our businesses and citizens in Winona. Expanding passenger rail services along the River Route in Minnesota takes the combined effort of local elected officials, business and community leaders, and residents.

The House and Senate versions of omnibus transportation bills provide no funding for passenger rail activities. As a member of the Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission I encourage you to reach out to elected state and federal leaders to support Amtrak and the service it provides to our community. Your involvement is welcome and vital to the success of the vision of the Minnesota High-Speed Rail Commission. You can find out more at the Minnesota High Speed Rail website; http://www.mnhighspeedrail.com/html/get-involved, or contact one of the legislative leaders below who control the conversation.

Rep. Kurt Daudt, Speaker of the House, 651-296-5364, rep.kurt.daudt@house.mn<mailto:rep.kurt.daudt@house.mn>

Sen. Paul Gazelka, Senate Majority Leader, 651-296-4875, sen.paul.gazelka@senate.mn<mailto:sen.paul.gazelka@senate.mn>

Rep. Dean Urdahl, Chair, Capital Investment Committee, 651-296-4344 rep.dean.urdahl@house.mn<mailto:rep.dean.urdahl@house.mn>

Sen. David Senjem, Chair, Capital Investment Committee, 651-296-3903, sen.david.senjem@senate.mn<mailto:sen.david.senjem@senate.mn>

Paul Schollmeier is a member of the Winona City Council and the Minnesota High Speed Rail Commission.
Dorothy was born on Nov. 18, 1943. She was a longtime resident of Rock Springs with her husband, Dr. John Elfers, who preceded her in death on July 2, 2016. Dottie was an avid outdoorswoman, farmer, animal lover, equestrian athlete, and friend to family, her horse community and town community. Dottie was born in Montclair, New Jersey, to Dorothy and Clarence Kreider and was raised in a family of four siblings in Denver, Colorado. She graduated from St. Marys High School in Faribault, Michigan, and attended Colorado University in Boulder, Colorado. She flew for Frontier Airlines as a flight attendant for 18 years and worked at the Denver Zoo as a zookeeper for primates and large cats before moving to Wisconsin with her husband, John. They settled on their farm where Dottie kept horses, sheep, llamas, and a variety of cats and dogs. They shared their life with two exchange students, Marie Hallberg of Sweden and Anastasia Guscina of Moldova, as well as Tyler Kreiter of DePere, who spent many summers with them helping on the farm. Her good friend, Sherri Lower, was at her bedside when she passed.
Congratulations to the Legislatures finance committee for responsibly purging all non-fiscal policy out of Gov. Scott Walkers state budget request.

This hasnt happened since 2003. And back then, a Republican Legislature was pulling policy out of a Democratic governors spending plan, so partisan policies were at play.

Last week, the Republican-run Joint Finance Committee removed all 83 non-fiscal items  as identified by the nonpartisan Fiscal Bureau  from its own Republican governors budget. Well done, committee leaders Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, and other members.

Now the goal should be to keep policy changes that dont relate to spending money out of the budget for good as the committee and then the full Legislature approve a final two-year tax and spending plan. Unfortunately, Nygren already has hedged on whether some of the unvetted policy could come back in. It shouldnt.

This is a good-government issue that too often gets short shrift from both political parties. When governors or lawmakers slip public policy into the state budget, they are attempting to fast-track changes to state law that, in many cases, could never survive public scrutiny and tough votes if the policies were to stand on their own merits as separate bills.

The governors budget had included language that would have allowed local governments to bury meeting minutes and other public notices on obscure government websites, rather than publishing them in local newspapers. The proposal had nothing to do with spending state money.

Gov. Walkers budget also sought to make Wisconsin the only state without a minimum number of hours required for educating children. Other non-fiscal items included the elimination of several boards and councils, and changes to the private school voucher program.

This prompted some whining from the conservative special-interest group Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin.

But if the governors policy ideas are so important and necessary, they should be able to survive a legislative process controlled entirely by Republicans, and become law as individual bills. If they dont relate to spending money, they shouldnt be buried in a $76 billion state budget for expediency and to help lawmakers dodge accountability.

Sen. Rob Cowles, R-Green Bay, commended his colleagues on the finance committee for their honorable actions last week.

I too, wholeheartedly, agree that the state budget is no place for policy items, Cowles said. I look ahead to working with my colleagues on a much cleaner budget.

This is the same Joint Finance Committee that tried to dismantle much of Wisconsins open records law on the eve of the July Fourth weekend two years ago. So we hope the committee has learned its lesson and is sincere about keeping rash and surprise policy changes out of the budget for good.
President Donald Trump held a listening session about opioids and drug abuse at the White House recently.

The gathering included former addicts, parents of children who had overdosed, top federal officials and others. Trump vowed to make drug treatment more widely available  a worthwhile goal with bipartisan appeal. He also spoke of strengthening law enforcement and dismantling drug cartels.

But there is a cheaper, low-risk tactic for curbing some opioid misuse that was neglected: changing doctors prescribing habits and better educating patients.

A recent study found that for every 48 patients who receive an opioid prescription in the emergency room, one will likely become a long-term user. A more cautious approach to prescribing could save lives.

Across the United States, health care professionals wrote 249 million prescriptions for opioid pain medicines in 2013. In 2015, about 22,000 Americans died after overdosing on some form of opioid drug, legal or illicit, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Of those deaths, 15,000 were attributed to prescription opioid overdoses. In fiscal 2015, Texas pharmacies dispensed almost 7 million prescriptions for the opioid painkillers hydrocodone or oxycodone alone.

There is no medical explanation for the rise in opioid use. Sales of prescription opioids nearly quadrupled from 1999 to 2014, even though Americans dont report having more pain now. Prescribing rates vary widely among states, even though health conditions dont. Even among doctors working in the same emergency room, some prescribe opioids much more frequently than others.

The federal government  along with some states and professional associations  has produced extensive prescribing guidelines. Opioid medications are not the preferred option for managing chronic pain. Doctors and patients should try other approaches first and carefully weigh risks before starting prescription opioids.

For acute pain, such as after surgery, doctors should prescribe the lowest possible dose of opioid for the shortest duration. Prescribers must be especially careful with older adults because opioid painkillers can put seniors at higher risks of falls and fractures.

Pharmacists, patients and lawmakers have an important role.

And the public can help, too. How do most people who misuse prescription pain medications get them? One large study showed that about half obtained them free from friends or relatives. So, if you have pain pills left over from surgery or dental work, drop them in the toilet. Really.

These medications are so dangerous when misused that the FDA recommends flushing them down the sink or the toilet if you cant find an official drug take-back event. That will keep everybody in your home  you and your friends, relatives, kids and pets  safe.
JUNEAU  The Juneau Common Council approved the hiring of Valerie Knetzger for Juneaus clerk/treasurer Tuesday night.

I think she will be good fit for Juneau, said Juneau Mayor Daniel Wegener over the phone Tuesday.

While she has no background in municipal duties, she does have an extensive background in accounting, Wegener said. He added that accounting experience is a key factor for the position.

In addition, he said that she showed up on election night last week to acclimate herself to some of the municipal duties she will be taking on.

She seems like a very pleasant person, Wegener said.

Her first day as Juneau clerk/treasurer will be April 24.

The council voted unanimously to approve her hiring.

The previous clerk, Gladys McKay, resigned in February after serving seven years in the position. According to a letter sent to Wegener Feb. 9, McKays last day was Feb. 28. She accepted a new position in the University of Wisconsin system.
JUNEAU  A former correctional officer at Fox Lake Correctional was found guilty on Tuesday to charges that he abused residents of penal facilities.

Thomas J. Lukas, 46, Beaver Dam, entered a no contest pursuit to an Alford plea to three disorderly conduct pleas. An Alford plea is not admitting to guilt, but admitting that the state has enough evidence that the suspect could be found guilty.

Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger found Lukas guilty and withheld his sentence. He was placed on probation for a year. He may have no contact with any Department of Corrections inmates unless such contact is incidental in regard to any lawsuit. He may not be on the premises of any Department of Corrections facility. He shall perform 40 hours of community service.

According to the criminal complaint, Lukas was employed at the correctional institution from 2011 to 2013 when an inmate was allegedly being abused. The inmate approached a captain at the prison April 13, 2014, to talk about the abuse and said that acts of staff sexual misconduct were done to him by Lukas.

A representative from the Dodge County Sheriffs Office met with the inmate Oct. 16, 2015, at Oak Hill Correctional Institute. The inmate said the incidents began when Lukas would use a stick in his genital region. The inmate said that something happened every day, according to the criminal complaint. Lukas also made racial slurs toward the inmate, and the inmate remembered several other incidents where he felt abused by Lukas.

According to the criminal complaint, Lukas left a gay marriage article in the inmates room with his name and another inmates name written on it.

The inmate said the incidents stopped when Lukas went to another facility, and he was told to forget everything. However Lukas sent an email harassing the inmate and the inmate decided he finally had proof.

The inmate said there was no sexual contact or conversations about beginning a sexual relationship.

Other inmates were contacted in the first few months of this year and remembered incidents of Lukas making comments or abusing the inmate.
JUNEAU  A 49-year-old Randolph man and former state of Wisconsin employee was found guilty Tuesday of storing child porn on his work computer.

Sean E. Robillard appeared before Dodge County Circuit Court Judge Brian Pfitzinger who accepted Robillards no contest plea to three counts of possession of child pornography. Seven additional counts of possession of child pornography were read into the record.

According to the criminal complaint, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, conducted a search warrant at a residence in Randolph May 3.

Officers interviewed a man who identified Robillard as his stepfather. The man told officers that Robillard possessed a laptop computer that he took to work with him daily. Officers also learned that Robillard had left for work that morning. Robillard was employed as a technical engineer for the Wisconsin Circuit Court Automation Program at the time of his arrest.

Officers conducted a traffic stop on Robillards vehicle in the city of Eau Claire. Two laptop computers and two USB drives with approximately six terabytes of storage capacity were confiscated as a part of the search warrant. During the search Robillard told officers they would find child pornography on the devices.

Officers located multiple files containing child pornography with prepubescent victims including photos and videos. Officers believe that at least one of the children depicted in the files is under the age of 13.

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 21.
The New Lisbon School board approved the 2017-18 contract with the Cooperative Education Service Agency 5 (CESA) contract at their school board meeting April 10. The contract with CESA provides exactly $351,413.74 of services with the agency.

According to their website CESA gives schools resources to accommodate students in many areas such as educational technology, career and technical education and special education.

Its like a menu, New Lisbon Superintendant Dennis Birr said. Each school picks the services they need. Because we dont have a curriculum director and if we had a curriculum director it would cost a whole lot more.

Birr said the costliest part of the contract is providing students with special needs the correct resources to help them succeed in the classroom. He said special education makes up around $334,000 of the contract, which includes services to the Juneau County Charter School, the Intellectual Charter School and Speech and Language therapy.

The school district currently has six special education students.

A couple years ago, we had nine students instead of six and we ran a deficit that year because its $23,000-$25,000 a piece, Birr said. If you have one teacher for about six kids and two full-time aides its almost a 1 to 2 ratio of adults to kids  They needs lots and lots of individual attention.

Birr said the district has used the contract in the past to provide services to the school district for RTI programs, teacher renewal licenses and structural technology support.

Weve done a lot of that with our Google training to keep our teachers up to date, Birr said. We will probably be using that more (because) we are trying to write a grant for more technology through the Wisconsin Technology Initiative.

Special education director

The school district approved hiring Ashley Baker as the school districts psychologists/special education director. Birr said it is the first time in around 20 years the school district hired a special education director.

Ashley will be in charge of the whole special ed department to make sure they are doing the best they can and helping them get the best education they can, Birr said. When we investigated the applicants we thought Ashley would be a wonderful fit for our school and community.

Birr said when considering a candidate for the position, the school board was looking for someone with a special education license and school psychologists license because the school wouldnt have to hire another person to evaluate if a student needs accommodations.

By hiring Baker full-time, the school district is limiting the services they need through CESA, saving the district about $10,000.

Getting some of those services from CESA and its nice when someone comes in to help you but people from CESA come and go, Birr said. We would have Ashley here everyday.

Birr said Baker has previous experience at Wonewoc and Ithaca High Schools as a school psychologists and special education director. He called Baker a bright and energetic as well as a thoughtful person.

Shell listen to the people and then come up with a really well thought out solution or discussion, Birr said.

Hes hoping Baker will help those with special needs in the classroom and prepare for the real world.

If you look at test scores thats where special education student lay behind, Birr said. Were hoping Ashley could help us help those kids be more ready to go to work; more ready to be functioning as a responsible adult by the time they leave school.

In Other Business

The board made approved the second reading of updated policies which include number 5830 involving child fundraising for school organizations and to allow wireless internet access during school events.
OMAHA  Doctors in Omaha have been monitoring a patient who's believed to be the first pregnant Nebraska woman diagnosed with a Zika infection.

Evelyn Suastegui says she began feeling ill while vacationing last year in Mexico. Her Zika infection was diagnosed after she returned to Nebraska.

One of the doctors involved in the case is Dr. Hemand Satpathy, a maternal-fetal medicine specialist. He says he's seen nothing in the uterine ultrasounds to raise concerns. Suastegui's due date is May 8.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that 1 in 10 pregnant women in the continental United States with a confirmed Zika infection delivered a baby with serious defects.

Authorities say 16 travel-related cases of Zika have been reported in Nebraska.
Military children deal with absent parents and constant moves.

But they wouldnt trade their lives for anything.

Students spoke of sacrifice and gratitude during a Thursday luncheon at Cranberry Country Lodge to honor children of military personnel. The Tomah, Sparta and New Lisbon school districts sponsored the luncheon to coincide with the Month of the Military Child in April.

New Lisbon High School sophomore Holden Rydmark said being the son of a military father has taught him responsibility and self-reliance.

When he leaves home, I become the man of the house  not something every 16-year-old gets to hear, he said.

The three school districts serve 245 military families. Tomah superintendent Cindy Zahrte said teachers and staff in her district recognize the special challenges military students face.

I cant imagine the difficulty of not being able to kiss mom and dad good night because theyre deployed overseas, Zahrte said. I cant imagine the frustration of having to pick up and move once again, leaving friends behind, and I cant imagine saying good-bye to someone I love, knowing it could be six months or a year before Im with that person again.

Military students, however, learn to adapt. Sparta High School junior Eve Estradas journey has taken her from North Carolina to Guam, and shell be moving again at the end of the school year.

You learn that life goes on and life is great if you make it that way, she said.

She is grateful for the reception she received from her Sparta classmates.

The people here have really helped me assimilate, she said. I really feel like I belong in the community when people come up to me and say, I really appreciate what your dad is doing. Theres so much support for the military and people like me.

Local schools benefit from military students, said Lt. Col. Shelley Joan Weiss, state commissioner for the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children. She described military children as well-traveled and resilient.

One thing military children teach other children is how easy it is to come into a new group and make new friends, Weiss said. You have a very special skill and a very special talent when you come to school.

New Lisbon superintendent Dennis Birr said military students learn a lot from their parents. Birrs father served in Italy during World War II.

I learned a lot of my social studies listening to him, Birr said. I hope you are proud of your parents. Not everybody has the courage to do what your parents do.

It was the fourth luncheon to honor military students, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers has attended every one.

Children in the military live such different lives from their peers, said Evers, who won re-election to a third term Tuesday. They have challenges that other kids dont have, but ... they rise above those challenges. It means a lot to the communities where military families serve.
Information is taken from the records of the Portage Police Department and does not represent a comprehensive list of police activity. Each individual named in this report is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Between 6:04 a.m. Friday and 7:55 a.m. Monday police responded to 105 calls.

West Emmett Street: Police on Saturday at 12:36 a.m. responded to a report of potential suspicious activity in which, after consenting to a search, Kenneth M. Jones, 23, of Portage, was arrested on a probation and cited for possession of marijuana.

West Conant Street: Police on Saturday at 3:44 p.m. stopped Heather Ullas, 34, of Portage, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as a fourth offense and driving without proof of valid insurance.

Jefferson Street: Police on Sunday at 12:40 a.m. responded to a domestic disturbance in which a 28-year-old Portage man was arrested and cited for two counts of domestic disorderly conduct and three counts of domestic battery.

Dunn Street: Police on Sunday at 3:51 a.m. responded to a domestic disturbance in which a 27-year-old Portage woman was arrested and cited for domestic disorderly conduct, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Airport Road: Police on Sunday at 7:25 a.m. stopped Jessie Santas, 37, of Pardeeville, who was cited for operating a vehicle after suspension of a license as a second offense and driving without proof of insurance.

DeWitt Street and East Franklin Street: Police on Sunday at 8:37 a.m. stopped Lisa McClinton, of Harvey, Illiinois, who was cited for driving 52 mph in a 25 mph zone and fined $174.

East Highway 33 and County Highway EE: Police on Sunday at 9:49 a.m. responded to a reported vehicle accident in which a vehicle stopped to make a left turn and was struck by the following vehicle. The driver of the following vehicle, Daniel Sparling, 39, of Portage, was cited for following too closely and both vehicles were towed.

Wauona Trail: Police on Sunday at 4 p.m. responded to a complaint regarding threatening text messages. Paul P. Ford, 41, of Madison, was issued a city ordinance citation for telephone harassment and obscenity.

Express Laundry Center: Police on Sunday at 5:33 p.m. responded to a report of individuals smoking marijuana in a vehicle. Angeline Wardingley, 22, of Hanover Park, Illinois, was issued a city ordinance citation for possession of marijuana.
Holy Week is a reflective time for people of many faiths, and Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are marked by tens of millions around the world. Holy Week in 1865 proved to be a defining period in American history.

On Palm Sunday, April 9, Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, signaling the death knell for the Confederate cause that wilted away in the coming weeks. Five days later on Good Friday, President Lincoln was mortally wounded in his box at Fords Theater by assassin John Wilkes Booth, and died the next morning.

This years calendar days of the week for April 9-15 correspond to those for 1865, beginning with Palm Sunday on April 9, the same as Appomattox. It is only the sixth time for this occurrence since 1865, happening only in 1876, 1911, 1922, 1933, and 2006.

The timing of Lincolns death has drawn parallels to Christ, and it has been claimed that only Christ has been the subject of more books than the 16th President. However, the extent of Lincolns Christian devotion has been one of the most intensely debated topics among Lincoln scholars for decades.

Lincolns Christianity  or lack thereof  was an issue in his successful 1846 congressional race against Methodist Rev. Peter Cartwright. His own law partner, William Herndon, even declared that Lincoln was an infidel. Many of Herndons various claims about Lincoln have since been debunked.

It is accepted by many writers that Lincoln underwent a religious transformation after the death of his second son, four-year-old Eddie, in 1850. Still, Lincoln never was an official member of any church in his lifetime.

Despite this, Lincoln clearly was a believer. His words are peppered with Christian phrases and alliterations, and some of his greatest orations, such as the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural, have been cited by scholars for their religious references.

On the opposite side were men like Lee, a deeply religious individual who frequently credited his military successes and setbacks to a higher power. His reports and verbal declarations often contained references to a merciful God, the blessings of God, and the giver.

Lee biographer Michael Fellman wrote in 2000 that the general transparently and warmly believed in the existence of a literal heaven, a far better place to which all Christians would go and that death was no void but a permanent home.

As Lee was about to ride to Appomattox Court House for the surrender on Palm Sunday, he told a subordinate that as good Christian men we must consider only the effect which our action (to continue or surrender) will have upon the country at large.

Lees devotion was reflective of the period, as Christianity was a greater part of life for many Americans in the mid-19th century than now. Though less than half of Americans were members of a church in that era, as many as four out of five attended services regularly. Christian phrases and prose also were common in writing and everyday vernacular.

The evening of Maundy Thursday, April 13, was remembered for the grand illumination of candles and lanterns in nearly every house and business in Washington. The illumination was less for religious observance and more as part of a day-long city holiday celebrating the Union victory. The New York Times described the spectacle as general and brilliant, utterly beyond anything ever before attempted here.

Two days before, on April 11, Lincoln delivered a speech by candelight from a second-story White House window. In that appearance, he laid the groundwork for African-American citizenship, much to the dismay of Booth, in the audience below. Many scholars believe Booth made the decision at that moment to kill the president.

Many in 1865 noted the congruity of Lincolns death to Holy Week. In a funeral address at Lincolns Springfield, Illinois burial in May, Bishop Matthew Simpson said the presidents assassination on Good Friday, the saddest day in the whole calendar for the Christian Church, henceforth in this country was made sadder, if possible, by the memory of our nations loss so filled with grief was every Christian heart that even all the joyous thought of Easter Sunday failed to remove the crushing sorrow.

For those of the Jewish faith, April 14, 1865 was the fifth night of Passover. Their services on the seventh and eighth days also were tinged with Lincoln reference. Many rabbis likened Lincoln to an American Moses.

Elsewhere in the world, particularly among some European populations, there was shock that Lincoln would attend a theater performance on Good Friday, a practice apparently not done in those societies.

When Lincoln died at 7:22 a.m. on Saturday morning, April 15, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton stared at Lincolns lifeless body and uttered the words now he belongs to the angels. Stanton later changed the final word to ages, believing it would read better in history.

Stantons edited words have become synonymous with Lincolns assassination, and are engraved above the memorial room at the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois.
Law enforcement officials fighting a wave of heroin abuse and other drugs question an effort to reform laws they say help them stop the flow of drugs into Wisconsin.

Civil asset forfeiture is a tool used at both the state and federal levels to seize property during investigations, especially those involving the sale of drugs. However, the laws don't always require those whose property is targeted to have been convicted of a crime before their property is seized. Some whose property has been taken have found it hard, if not impossible, to recover their property even when charges are not filed or they have been exonerated.

A federal law also allows local law enforcement agencies to retain some of the property or funds taken from suspected criminals, which has led to questions about the motivations behind the seizures.

While law enforcement officials say such instances are rare, defense attorneys claim the frequency of abuses doesn't change the legal requirement that suspects receive due process. An effort to reform the law in Wisconsin to reduce the potential for abuse has received mixed reviews, and the Wisconsin Chiefs of Police Association says asset forfeiture is an effective tool to assist law enforcement in catching criminals and denying them of the proceeds from their illegal acts.

Civil asset forfeiture is centered on the idea that property such as a car, cash or even a house can aid in the commission of a crime. While laws vary from state to state, law enforcement can seize a persons property if they suspect it has been used in connection with a crime. A conviction is not always necessary for the law to be applied.

Abuse

Isolated instances have occurred in Wisconsin in which the motivations of law enforcement when applying civil asset forfeiture laws have been questioned.

In Brown County, Judy Greer began pulling together $7,500 from her disability payment and tax return to pay her sons bail after he was arrested by the county's drug task force. Her daughter-in-law and other children chipped in as well. Greer said she was told by police specifically to bring cash.

When she arrived to bail him out, the police brought a drug-sniffing dog to inspect the cash and was told the dog had alerted to the presence of drugs on the money. The police department confiscated the bail money.

Greer had to prove her money had just come from several banks with the receipts shed saved and documentation of her tax return and disability check. It took her and an attorney four months to get her familys money back.

In Walworth County, the state court of appeals upheld a judge's decision to confiscate a vehicle that was used in three drug sales by a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student, even though the vehicle legally belonged to the students father. The total value of the three drug transactions was about $250. Prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture action against the vehicle in May 2013, but never charged the student with a crime.

The student and her father fought the forfeiture, stating he was the innocent owner of the vehicle, as law permits. He purchased the vehicle new for $26,000 and it was registered and insured in his name. The students father also paid for its maintenance.

The court upheld the seizure and found the action would impact the student most as she no longer would have access to transportation for illegal drug transactions.

Two systems

A bill introduced in the Wisconsin State Senate would reform the way civil asset forfeiture works in the state and remove what critics see as incentives for law enforcement agencies to pursue such actions for their own gain.

Senate Bill 61, co-sponsored by state Sen. David Craig, R-Town of Vernon, aims to seal a so-called federal loophole that allows local law enforcement to transfer property to federal agencies and get a cut of the seized funds. The bill instead would require all seized property to be directed into the state's school fund, a requirement already established for seizures made under Wisconsin's forfeiture law.

The reform bill also would raise the burden of proof for the government to provide clear and convincing evidence when seeking to seize property not directly related to a crime. It also would require property be returned to the owner within 30 days of a dismissal or a not-guilty verdict.

Craig believes the reform ensures people are treated as innocent until proven guilty by allowing a persons property to be forfeited only after a conviction.

Civil asset forfeiture reform is an important step to ensure no person is deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of the law as guaranteed by the 5th Amendment, Craig stated in a press release. Criminal justice policy should focus on punishing the convicted, not raising revenue. Our bill accomplishes that 

Legitimate use

Local law enforcement agencies say the law is most effective at deterring crime and helping law enforcement track down offenders the way it is.

We are not raising revenue, we are ensuring that money and property from illegal activities goes back to help combat those activities and doing so with proper due process as set forth in statutes, said Baraboo Police Chief Mark Schauf.

He said criminals are getting more sophisticated and the tools they use can be technologically advanced. We as law enforcement need to keep pace and cant do so on tight budgets.

Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson said reports of abuses are infrequent.

I think the law is fine there are these allegations of police abuses of the law and its just not really the case around here, he said. There is really no need to change the law and it could have an adverse effect on how we deal with criminals.

Robert Everett Johnson, an attorney with the libertarian law firm Institute for Justice, said the changes proposed in the law don't limit law enforcement's ability to take property after a conviction.

"But taking money without convicting anyone of a crime  it isnt law enforcement at that point," he said. "This complaint that makes it harder what makes it more difficult is that the constitution gives people rights and we have those rights for a reason."

Sauk Prairie Police Chief Jerry Strunz said all professions have some examples of abuses, but said there is a system in place to ensure due process.

The cases I have been involved in I have always found it is our job to prove property comes from an illegitimate source, rather than the other way around before wed even file for such a case or the district attorneys office would even accept such a case.

Due process

Doug Kammer, a criminal defense attorney in Portage, said the problem is that civil forfeiture is an ex parte procedure, essentially taking property without an appearance in court.

The suspicion of a crime isnt an acceptable standard, especially because the suspicious party is the cop who gets to keep the car, Kammer said. The accuser has a conflict of interest with the discharge of his duties.

Kammer also believes the law conflicts with the fifth and sixth amendments, where the punishment doesnt fit the crime  nor is it within legislation. He said in these instances, a crime could be minor but the penalty could be millions of dollars or the taking of a livelihood or other terrific penalty with no conviction backing it up. Thus, its an arbitrary penalty.

Rebecca Ballweg of the state Department of Justice said asset forfeiture is not being abused by Wisconsins law enforcement. While the law certainly could be improved and clarified to provide more certainty to prosecutors, law enforcement and property owners, the process should not be rendered ineffective as has been proposed in Senate Bill 61.

Ballweg called the practice time-tested and is supervised by a judge who takes away drug money, stolen property, weapons and other instruments of crime from violent criminals. She said asset forfeiture in particular provides a way for the proceeds of a crime to be returned to the most vulnerable victims of crime.

Halting enrichment

Strunz said the law allows the state to remove the incentive for people to benefit from their crimes.

What asset forfeiture is really about is depriving people who have committed criminal actions  where they have benefited financially from it  the proceeds of those crimes, he said.

Strunz pointed to criminals who have accumulated significant wealth and assets through embezzlement, drug dealing and tax evasion.

Civil asset forfeiture gives the government the ability to go after those assets to deprive those individuals of the proceeds of those crimes.

Det. Lt. Roger Brandner of the Columbia County Sheriffs Department said law enforcement believes in the right to take assets from illegal criminal activity, and that it benefits the agency and the community.

We approach our drug investigations from asset forfeiture accounts, Brandner said. When we need a specialized piece of equipment, we purchase it through this account. We put it to good use.

He said a "vast majority" of the department's asset forfeiture claims are drug-related, but the law also allows large crime rings or professional burglars to be targeted.

Brandner said law enforcement will take a vehicle if it can be proven it was used to further a crime. But he said he also hasn't seen the abuse in his county that the bill is trying to prevent.

Once we have that forfeited property we use or sell it  those are tracked to the penny," he said. Its the best check ledger you have ever seen.

Forfeiture types

Reedsburg Police Chief Tim Becker said his organization works with the Sauk County Drug Task Force, which handles a the majority of the seizures in the county.

Normally if there is a case involving civil asset forfeiture, they are involved and do it for us," he said.

Most of the local law enforcement agencies participate in the federal forfeiture equitable sharing program, enacted in 1984, in which the proceeds of liquidized assets from asset forfeitures are shared between state and federal law enforcement agencies. It allows local police to bypass state restrictions on use of the funds. Under federal law, there are three types of forfeiture: criminal, civil judicial and administrative. Wisconsin law only allows for civil and criminal forfeitures. Up to 50 percent of the proceeds from the sale of forfeited property under federal law goes to law enforcement. If the property is money, and the amount forfeited does not exceed $2,000, 70 percent goes toward law enforcement agencies to pay forfeiture expenses under federal law. If more than $2,000 is forfeited, law enforcement receives 50 percent.

Sen. Craigs office draws a legal distinction between civil and criminal forfeitures.

Only a judge and jury should be deciding on the facts of a case," he said. "When we allow law enforcement to essentially determine guilt by leveling a stiff penalty prior to conviction, we expand police powers beyond what the constitution allows and skirt due process rights of the individual.

He states by changing the law to reflect forfeiture only after a conviction, it ensures only guilty people who have had their day in court are subject to forfeitures.

Schauf said the state Legislature is very aware of the impact illegal drugs have on communities and have developed programs to help combat opioid abuse such as heroin or prescription pill abuse. There are new laws they pass onto law enforcement all the time that want us to be the spear in dealing with issues like these, Schauf said. "But to take an avenue we use to fund drug task force activities away without providing alternate funding will put a significant burden on local law enforcement to stay in the fight against illegal drugs.

Portage Police Chief Ken Manthey said his department rarely uses the civil asset forfeiture law but it has, the money was used to investigate future drug crimes.

Doing drug investigations is very timely and expensive, Manthey said. Every law enforcement agency has a very tight budget. I think it makes sense to use money or assets obtained in drug investigations to help fund future investigations.

Schauf said the bill is misguided and won't help communities across the state face growing problems.

I would like the representatives to come to law enforcement and ask what they can do to help the problem, instead of creating new laws that force the police into programs they design while limiting the budget," Schauf said.

Johnson, from the Institute of Justice, argued changes to the law would not limit the ability of law enforcement to rightfully seize property from criminals.

"All that we are asking for is that it requires a criminal conviction before taking a person's property," he said. "It's common sense and required by the constitution. If police think someone committed a crime, they should have to convict before they are punished."
OMAHA -- A faceless patient behind a splash mask, in the bulky profile of a biocontainment suit, slowly descended the steps of a Gulfstream jet at Eppley Airfield to a waiting ambulance.

Underneath a hospital tower at the University of Nebraska Medical Center six miles away, staff at the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit were waiting for their second patient of the day.

The simulation -- called Operation Tranquil Shift by the U.S. State Department and coordinated by the National Strategic Research Institute -- was designed to test the nations state of readiness should an outbreak of a highly infectious disease take place.

More than 100 health care staff and support personnel took part in Wednesdays live-action drill, the latest for Nebraska Medicine since November when a 747 jet dropped off multiple patients bound for the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit.

You play like you practice, so you want to make sure you practice hard, said Shelly Schwedhelm, Nebraska Medicines executive director for emergency preparedness and infection prevention.

Wednesdays drill aimed to test the countrys capabilities in receiving multiple patients inbound on multiple aircrafts from West Africa, each having been exposed to a highly infectious disease like Ebola.

On Monday, five planes left Atlanta and flew to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to begin the exercise, returning to Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., with 11 patients bound for a growing network of biocontainment hospitals across the country.

Three of those patients were destined for Omaha, which made its name in 2014 after caring for two Americans who contracted Ebola in West Africa during a deadly outbreak.

The success shown by Nebraska Medicine has propelled it to the forefront of infectious disease preparedness in the country, earning federal grants to establish new agencies like the National Center for Health Security and Biopreparedness.

But Nebraska Medicine isnt resting on its laurels.

Schwedhelm said the November drill exposed some areas Nebraska Medicine hopes to correct and improve before an actual outbreak takes place and it is called on once again.

Every time we learn things, every time we tighten things up, every time we make sure that were doing the best we can to safeguard both the patient and our caregivers, she said.

Dr. Chris Kratochvil, who leads clinical research efforts at both UNMC and clinical partner Nebraska Medicine, said training exercises like the one taking place this week provide invaluable experiences for all involved.

Each and every time we do patient care or any type of exercise or drill, were evaluating what we can do better next time, he said.

The process has continued to improve and create safer conditions both for the patients and the doctors and nurses treating them.

Inside each of the small jets owned and operated by the Phoenix Air Group, a small isolation unit constructed to be similar to the biocontainment units at Nebraska Medicine houses the patients in a negative air pressure chamber.

That prevents the medics traveling with the patients, as well as the flight crew, from being exposed to the disease, said Daniel Polanski, deputy director of field operations for the National Strategic Research Institute, who traveled to Africa and back this week as an observer.

Once the plane landed, crews wrapped the plane's entrance in a sticky plastic to prevent the patients, who donned personal protective equipment along with their caretakers, from leaving any contaminants behind.

Schwedhelm said new procedures for covering the inside of the ambulances were also tested on Wednesday.

As part of his role as an observer, Polanski said he monitored how closely safety procedures were followed, as well as the effectiveness of the communication between the aircraft descending into Omaha as well as crews on the ground.

Each part of the exercise provides valuable experience and insight into how well the procedures are designed and used, said Lt. Gen. Bob Hinson, executive director of the research institute.

Hinson, who coordinated the exercise with the State Department, said the drill was created to prepare everyone for a real world situation.

If you watch the people in the protective equipment, thats no small task, Hinson said. People prepare in those suits to deal with these types of situations, and when youre dealing with multiple patients, these procedures become even more prominent.

Kratochvil said Nebraska Medicine and UNMC will convene for what he called a hot wash after the exercise to debrief each of the staff on what went well and what needs more work.

Well spend a significant amount of time really evaluating what happened and what we will do next time, he said.
A Lancaster County judge Tuesday sentenced an 18-year-old Lincoln man to a year and a half in prison for making a threat with a gun on school grounds.

Joseph Thomas Thompson pleaded no contest to terroristic threats.

According to court records, an 18-year-old student at Lincoln High School reported on Sept. 19, a Monday, that three guys had come up to him as he walked through the parking lot at 22nd and J, asked if he was in a gang, then one lifted his shirt to show a gun in his waistband. The teen denied he was in a gang and walked into the school.

When he left over lunch, it happened again but he and the 15-year-old girl he was with were able to drive away. He reported it to the school staff who contacted police.

School security used surveillance video to find the Jeep involved, which led to Thompson, who was found with a 9 mm handgun, according to court records.

On Tuesday, District Judge John Colborn sentenced him to 18 months in prison, plus a year of post-release supervision.
Lockheed Martin Corporation, a security and aerospace company, engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control, Rotary and Mission Systems, and Space. The Aeronautics segment offers combat and air mobility aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. The Missiles and Fire Control segment provides air and missile defense systems; tactical missiles and air-to-ground precision strike weapon systems; logistics; fire control systems; mission operations support, readiness, engineering support, and integration services; manned and unmanned ground vehicles; and energy management solutions. The Rotary and Mission Systems segment offers military and commercial helicopters, surface ships, sea and land-based missile defense systems, radar systems, sea and air-based mission and combat systems, command and control mission solutions, cyber solutions, and simulation and training solutions. The Space segment offers satellites; space transportation systems; strategic, advanced strike, and defensive missile systems; and classified systems and services in support of national security systems. This segment also provides network-enabled situational awareness and integrates space and ground-based systems to help its customers gather, analyze, and securely distribute critical intelligence data. It serves primarily serves the U.S. government, as well as foreign military sales contracted through the U.S. government. Lockheed Martin Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland.
Sunoco LP, together with its subsidiaries, distributes and retails motor fuels in the United States. It operates in two segments, Fuel Distribution and Marketing, and All Other. The Fuel Distribution and Marketing segment purchases motor fuel from independent refiners and oil companies and supplies it to independently operated dealer stations, distributors and other consumer of motor fuel, and partnership operated stations, as well as to commission agent locations. The All Other segment operates retail stores that offer motor fuel, merchandise, foodservice, and other services that include credit card processing, car washes, lottery, automated teller machines, money orders, prepaid phone cards, and wireless services. It also leases and subleases real estate properties; and operates terminal facilities on the Hawaiian Islands. As of December 31, 2021, the company operated 78 retail stores in Hawaii and New Jersey. Sunoco GP LLC serves as the general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as Susser Petroleum Partners LP and changed its name to Sunoco LP in October 2014. Sunoco LP was founded in 1886 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
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Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, a technology company, focuses in the areas of automation and digitalization in Europe, Commonwealth of Independent States, Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. It operates through Digital Industries, Smart Infrastructure, Mobility, Siemens Healthineers, and Siemens Financial Services segments. The Digital Industries segment offers automation systems and software for factories, numerical control systems, motors, drives and inverters, and integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines; process control systems, machine-to-machine communication products, sensors and radio frequency identification systems; software for production and product lifecycle management, and simulation and testing of mechatronic systems; and cloud-based industrial Internet of Things operating systems. The Smart Infrastructure segment offers products, systems, solutions, services, and software to support sustainable transition in energy generation from fossil and renewable sources; sustainable buildings and communities; and buildings, electrification, and electrical products. The Mobility segment provides passenger and freight transportation, such as vehicles, trams and light rail, and commuter trains, as well as trains and passenger coaches; locomotives for freight or passenger transport and solutions for automated transportation; products and solutions for rail automation; electrification products; and intermodal solutions. The Siemens Healthineers segment develops, manufactures, and sells various diagnostic and therapeutic products and services; and provides clinical consulting services. The Siemens Financial Services segment offers debt and equity investments; leasing, lending, and working capital financing solutions; and equipment, project, and structured financing solutions. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1847 and is headquartered in Munich, Germany.
No charges will be filed against the driver who hit and killed Mason Triplett in Wahoo in February, Saunders County Attorney Steven Twohig said Wednesday.

A comprehensive review of all the facts, circumstances, and evidence does not establish that Sean Buffum should be charged with motor vehicle homicide," Twohig said.

"No alcohol or texting was involved."

Eleven-year-old Mason was crossing a street on his way home from school about 3:45 p.m. Feb. 1 when he was hit by a truck driven by Buffum, 27, of Omaha, Twohig said in February.

Buffum, who works in Wahoo, got out of his truck immediately and called 911, Twohig said.

Mason was taken to Saunders County Medical Center, where he died.

In the days after the crash, Twohig indicated charges were unlikely against Buffum, but said the Nebraska State Patrol was still investigating the crash.

The release didn't give details about why investigators believe the boy was hit.

This has truly been a sad and horrific event," Twohig said in a statement announcing his decision.

"Masons family, friends, and the Wahoo community continue to grieve over the devastating loss of a young boys life.

Mason was a fifth-grader at Wahoo Elementary.
A baby boy born premature at Bryan East Campus on Friday was given up by his mother under the state's safe haven law, according to court documents.

The boy is the first child surrendered this year under the 2008 child welfare law, according to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Three were surrendered last year.

After giving birth to the boy at 30 weeks, his mother left the hospital, where he is in the neonatal intensive care unit due to his preterm birth, according to an affidavit to take him into state custody.

The next day she told a state social worker that she isn't able to care for the boy and doesn't know the identity of his father, the affidavit said.

This boy is the 11th child given up since 2009, when state officials closed a problematic loophole in the safe haven law.

Lawmakers enacted it the year prior in hopes of giving parents a safe, quick and legal way to drop off babies for whom they were unable or unwilling to care.

But of 32 children left at Nebraska hospitals, fire stations and other sites that year, 26 were older than 10, according to DHHS.

Those children included nine from one family and children from Iowa, Michigan and Georgia.

The law was changed to apply to only children 30 days and younger.
Judge Lucy H. Koh to speak at W&M Law Schools diploma ceremony

Judge Lucy H. Koh will address J.D. and LL.M. graduates, their families and friends at the May 14 ceremony. Courtesy photo Photo - of - Hide Caption

Judge Lucy Haeran Koh, a federal district court judge for the Northern District of California, will deliver the address at William & Mary Law Schools diploma ceremony on May 14.



Degrees will be awarded to approximately 260 students in the J.D. and LL.M. programs. The ceremony is scheduled for 8:15 a.m. and will be held at the Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheater at Lake Matoaka. Seating will be limited to graduates and their guests.



Student Bar Association President Spencer Anderson J.D. 17 said he and his classmates were honored that Koh accepted the graduating classs invitation to speak.

We are excited to host someone who has contributed so much to her community and country as a skilled lawyer and accomplished member of the judiciary, he said. Judge Koh's incredible background, experience and advice will be a wonderful addition to the celebration of our graduating citizen lawyers.



President Barack Obama appointed Koh to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in June 2010. She was confirmed by a 90-0 vote in the U.S. Senate. During her tenure on the court she has presided over a number of high-profile legal suits involving the technology industry.



Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Koh to the California Superior Court for the County of Santa Clara in January 2008. She was formerly a litigation partner at McDermott Will & Emery in Palo Alto and an assistant U.S. attorney in the major frauds section of the U.S. attorneys office in Los Angeles.



She began her career in Washington, D.C., as a womens law and public policy fellow on a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee and as a special assistant to the U.S. deputy attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice. She earned her undergraduate and law degrees at Harvard University.




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Later this year, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business Administration will cease to exist in both location and identification.

UNLs fastest growing academic unit, which enrolls nearly 4,200 students and employs 117 faculty, will rebrand itself as the College of Business when it moves into its new $84 million building in August.

The change, approved by the NU Board of Regents in March, comes after advisory boards and committees spent months reviewing the proposal, according to Kathy Farrell, the colleges interim dean.

We felt like the word administration was a little outdated, Farrell said. We dont offer any courses in administration, so we wanted the name of the college to accurately reflect the current mission of the college.

The agenda item considered by regents noted the original name predated any records kept by NU.

Dropping the antiquated name will put UNL in line with each of its peers in the Big Ten Conference.

Farrell said the administration moniker once referred to technical-oriented education rather than the critical thinking-based curriculum now taught across several disciplines, including accounting, actuarial science, finance, marketing, management and entrepreneurship.

We prepare students for several established roles in business, Farrell said. Administration isnt really how we train our students. None of them had administration as part of their education.

The college considered the change last fall, a discussion spearheaded by former Dean Donde Plowman before she was tapped to become the executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer of UNL. Farrell said faculty, staff, alumni and students were consulted.

They welcomed the change, Farrell said, retelling how one alum described it: This is the most important decision were going to make.

In addition to changing the name to better fit the colleges mission and educational offerings, Farrell said the timing made sense.

UNL will order new signage, business cards, letterhead and other office items as it prepares to move into the 240,000-square-foot building. The colleges social media accounts and website will also change at that time.

Changing the name on those documents at the same time as the address change means the college wont incur any additional expenses, Farrell said.

And while the name change was made official when the NU Board of Regents signed off on it on March 31, Farrell said the official rollout will take place at the beginning of the 2017-18 school year.

Still, she said, administrators, faculty and staff are making an effort to promote the colleges new identity, as she demonstrated in a phone call Monday morning.

Hi, this is Kathy Farrell from the College of Business, Farrell said at the beginning of the interview. Notice how I only called it the College of Business?
Lt. Gov. Daniel McKee takes a minute out of his busy day to reflect on his time in office.
Chinese transit assured for LEU Bank

12 April 2017

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China has signed an agreement under which it will ensure the safe and secure transit of low-enriched uranium (LEU) and equipment through its territory to and from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) LEU Bank, which is being established in neighbouring Kazakhstan.

The agreement was signed at a ceremony in China (Image: CAEA)



The agreement was signed on 5 April by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano and Wang Yiren, acting chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), during Amano's official visit to China.

Owned and controlled by the IAEA, the bank will host a physical reserve of up to 90 tonnes of LEU suitable to make fuel for a typical light water reactor. It will serve as a supplier of last resort for IAEA member states in the event they are unable to acquire the material from the commercial market or by any other means. The bank will be located at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Oskemen, Kazakhstan.

The facility is seen as an important part of international efforts to prevent nuclear proliferation, dissuading countries from building enrichment facilities that might be misused to purify uranium to weapons-grade levels by guaranteeing access to LEU for fuel use should other sources fail. Other assurance of supply mechanisms established with IAEA approval include a guaranteed physical reserve of LEU maintained by Russia at the International Uranium Enrichment Centre in Angarsk, and an assurance of supply guarantee for supplies of LEU enrichment services in the UK. The USA also operates its own LEU reserve.

The IAEA in 2015 signed a similar transit agreement with Russia, providing for the transport of LEU and equipment through Russian territory to and from the bank.

According to IAEA figures, funding for the bank has come from the European Union (24.4 million, $26 million), Kuwait ($10 million), Norway ($5 million), the United Arab Emirates ($10 million), the USA ($49 million) and US-based organisation Nuclear Threat Initiative ($50 million). Kazakhstan has contributed funding of $400,000 plus in-kind contributions.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News





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There is no universal approach to water and food security, the researchers, farmers, executives and nonprofit workers spending three days at Nebraska Innovation Campus will tell you.

The irrigation technology Nebraska farmers implement across hundreds of acres of cropland presents one set of challenges, while the small farmer in sub-Saharan Africa who just installed a pump to irrigate a few acres last year has another, for example.

But how the lessons learned in rural areas of India, where irrigation has transformed the landscape, can inform water and food security on the other side of the planet is at the nexus of the discussion between 400 people from 30 different countries in Lincoln this week.

Take Sithembile Mwamakamba, who sees the annual Water for Food Global Conference as a chance for her to share the work being done in Africa while also looking at how it fits into a larger picture.

The project manager at the Farm, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network in Johannesburg has helped 5,000 farmers in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe start small-scale irrigation practices.

Irrigating cropland has led to increased profits for the farmers, who are then incentivized to invest back into their own operation.

Mwamakamba said the program has changed societal attitudes toward irrigation and created new economic opportunities for African farmers.

She hopes others at the conference can help spark new ideas to continue improving the food production capabilities across Africa.

We want to hear what Asia is doing -- theyve done really well in developing their irrigation systems, she said. Were hoping to get some lessons from them on how we can improve the things in the countries were working in.

Three-quarters of the 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa depend on crop and livestock farming for their livelihoods, said Timothy Williams, director of the International Water Management Institute in Accra, Ghana, but only 5 percent of that number are engaged in irrigation practices.

To transform rain-fed landscapes to irrigated agriculture, we need scientific knowledge, we need investments, Williams said.

Williams led a panel Tuesday afternoon that presented a half-dozen case studies on how that transformation can work at the local level.

This weeks eighth annual global conference is also a chance for University of Nebraska-Lincoln students to present their research and connect with like-minded individuals from around the globe.

Olufemi Abimbola, a biological systems engineering student from Nigeria, said once he finishes his doctoral degree, he is thinking about returning to his home country to share what he has learned while launching his own farm.

Whoever feeds Nigeria, feeds Africa, he said. We have a better economy compared to all of those countries, so if we can feed ourselves, we can actually export our food.

Opening Tuesday's session, NU President Hank Bounds said hosting the global conference in Nebraska was appropriate.

"We're located in the middle of the country, and certainly in the middle of this conversation," Bounds said.

He said the problems undertaken by the Water for Food Institute as well as the conference are shared by all.

"If you eat, this topic impacts you," he said. "In my view, water security is the biggest national security issue of our time. It takes all of us coming together bringing our collective will to solve this matter."

Jeff Raikes, a former Microsoft executive and CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said the conference was a chance to discuss "the challenges we see to humanity."

"Global change begins at home and global influences affect local issues," he said. "We must collaborate at the local levels to ensure innovations are successful and that they take root."

Lincoln is the right place to ensure those collaborations take root, Mwamakamba said.

We are not sitting on our hands, she said. What we need are partnerships to take the work were doing to the next level.
The offices of Gov. Pete Ricketts and Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler both said complaints would be lodged with Kansas after a stinking haze of smoke once again settled over Lincoln.

Smoke blown north from agricultural burning in the Flint Hills area of Kansas caused the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department to issue a health warning Wednesday morning advising people to stay indoors and avoid strenuous physical activity.

Ricketts spokesman Taylor Gage said the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality will follow up with counterparts in Kansas.

"The air quality today is unacceptable, Gage said in an email. We will continue to work with Kansas to ensure they take action, and we will consider our options if we do not see a better plan from them."

Beutler also planned to give Kansas his two cents about health concerns posed by the smoke, Chief of Staff Rick Hoppe said.

"The administration is reviewing all of our options, including potential legal action. Mayor Beutler will be contacting Kansas officials to make our concerns known," Hoppe said.

The air was bad enough Wednesday morning for Lincoln Public Schools to cancel outdoor recess and physical education classes for elementary and secondary students.

Calvert Elementary second-graders were particularly unhappy to wake up to the haze because the health risks prompted school administrators to cancel a field trip to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. The school had applied for a grant to help pay for the first-time class visit, said Principal Jeff Brehm.

We had some disappointed parents and students, but we were able to reschedule, he said.

Lincolns Air Quality Index -- a yardstick for measuring pollution that runs from 0 on the good end to 500 on the bad end -- peaked at 163 from 6 to 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Officials said that level put Lincolns air in the red zone on the index -- unhealthy for everyone.

Light winds out of the south carried the smoke from fires that happened Tuesday in the Flint Hills and surrounding areas, including Southeast Nebraska. The burns keep cedar trees from taking over the Kansas plains and are a controlled way to deal with brush and dried grass that otherwise could fuel wildfires.

Nebraska has been complaining about the smoke from the annual prescribed fires for years. On one day in 2014, Lincoln had the worst air quality in the nation, attributed largely to the Kansas burns.

Nebraskas Department of Environmental Quality has worked with Kansas and the federal Environmental Protection Agency since the 2014 incident to encourage landowners to spread controlled burns over a longer period of time to mitigate the nuisance. Kansas has responded positively, NDEQ spokesman Brian McManus said in an interview.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has encouraged more fires in March to minimize the amount of smoke on a given day and created a predictive model that shows which days would be best for burning to avoid sending smoke into populated areas.

The Kansas Department also issues public notices when it expects extensive burning will produce voluminous smoke.

This year, spring rains in Kansas condensed the number of days in which burns could happen, McManus said.

Smoky conditions generally are more prevalent at night and in the morning because of something called temperature inversion, which happens when warm air creates a "cap" on top of cooler air, trapping smoke close to the ground. The smoke tends to lift as the day warms, allowing air near the ground to warm, rise and mix with cleaner air above.

Winds help clear out the smoke, Schroeder said.

The smoke blanketing Lincoln on Wednesday began to lift after noon with the Air Quality Index improving from red to orange to yellow.

The yellow category means there could be some pollutants that pose a health concern for a small number of people unusually sensitive to air pollution.

The orange category warns of possible health effects to people with asthma, lung disease, other respiratory conditions or heart disease as well as older adults and children.

With the improved conditions by noon, the school district decided to allow middle and high school students outdoors for P.E. classes and activities.

Preschool and elementary school students remained inside, however, including after-school clubs.

Additional burning Wednesday could lead to elevated or at worst moderate smoke conditions Thursday, but it's expected to be better than conditions Wednesday morning, according to information on the Nebraska DEQ website.

The Air Quality Index, updated hourly, can be found at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: air).
Last Friday Australian time, within hours of the Trump administrations attack on Syria, the Liberal-National government and the Labor Party opposition both declared full support for the unilateral and illegal US actions. In doing so, they simply underscored a basic reality of world politics. The Australian ruling class, through its strategic alliance with the US, its hosting of the critical satellite communications base at Pine Gap and its provision of other military basing arrangements, serves as a direct facilitator of American imperialist aggression around the world.

US warships pounded the Syrian government airfield at Shayrat, near the city of Homs, with 59 cruise missiles. There is little doubt that Pine Gap played a key role in targeting the strikes.

Pine Gap, a complex of facilities located near Alice Springs in the centre of the Australian continent, is used to spy on a vast swathe of the worlds surface, from the Middle East, across Eurasia, to the Western Pacific. The base is widely acknowledged to have been crucial for the US during the 1991 Gulf War on Iraq; throughout the now 15-year war in Afghanistan; and during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and subsequent repression of resistance across the country. Pine Gap, through intercepts of Saddam Husseins satellite telephone, reportedly provided the coordinates for the US air strike that attempted to assassinate him in the first hours of the war.

Since 2001, the base has provided the targeting information for Predator drone-launched missile strikes in North West Pakistan, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, which have killed thousands of civilians. Over recent years, it will have facilitated US-led air strikes in Iraq and Syria since 2014, which, while ostensibly aimed against Islamic State (ISIS), have resulted in uncounted civilian deaths and injuries, especially in Iraqi cities such as Fallujah, Ramadi and Mosul, and the ISIS capital in Raqqa, Syria.

According to sources cited in yesterdays and todays Murdoch media in Australia, the 1,000 or so American and Australian intelligence personnel working at Pine Gap have now been directed to prioritise their attention on a new target: North Korea.

The Sydney Daily Telegraph on Tuesday reported that the US military is preparing to shoot down any long-range missile fired by North Korea this coming Saturday as part of the celebrations of the birthday of Kim Il-sung, the first dictator of the Stalinist regime and grandfather of current regime head Kim Jong-un. The Australian-United States joint facility at Pine Gap monitors North Korean missile launches, the Telegraph noted, and is on standby.

If Pine Gap is on standby, it is to do far more than monitor missile launches. As in Iraq and Afghanistan, its role is to provide the coordinates for US military strikes, whether by aircraft, cruise missiles, or, potentially, by nuclear weapons. A range of reports indicate that the Pentagon has drawn up plans for a massive assault on North Korea, including decapitation attacks to assassinate Kim Jong-un and other leadership targets.

In statements yesterday, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull endorsed Washingtons bellicose rhetoric against Pyongyang, declaring that the reckless and dangerous conduct of the North Korean regime is threatening peace and stability, not just of the region, but of the whole world.

Time and again, Australia has functioned as an unalloyed US ally in its murderous use of military force to retain global military and economic hegemony. The real aim of the continuous build-up toward a confrontation on North Korea has been to threaten, destabilise and extract massive concessions from China, which Washington considers its major rival for strategic dominance.

Decades of US provocations, and the North Korean regimes reckless and fatuous bluster that it can resist imperialism with a handful of primitive nuclear weapons, now appear to be approaching a point of no return from war.

Pine Gap is only one of the ways in which Australian imperialism is enabling the Trump administration to contemplate actions that could trigger a catastrophic war on the Korean Peninsula, potentially resulting in the use of nuclear weapons and direct military confrontation with China.

The Australian military and intelligence agencies are essentially integrated with their American counterparts and would be immediately involved in any Korean war. Dozens of Australian personnel are embedded into US Pacific Command (PACOM) headquarters in Hawaii, including in senior positions, or are on exchange with US units across the region.

Under agreements signed by the Gillard Labor government in 2011, and expanded under the current Turnbull conservative government, northern Australian airbases such as Tindal and Darwinwell out of range of existing North Korean and most Chinese weaponrycan be used by the US air force as required. Australian air force (RAAF) mid-flight refuelling aircraft have undergone extensive training in refuelling long-range American bombers that periodically land in Australias north. A squadron of 12 US F-22 Stealth fighters has been operating from Tindal since February.

The Australian guided missile frigate HMAS Ballarat left Perth for Singapore nine days ago, while at least one of the countrys Collins-class conventional attack submarines is generally on deployment in the Indo-Pacific on any given date. These warships, and possibly others, could be assigned to join US operations.

The brunt of a war on the Korean Peninsula would be borne by tens of thousands of young South Korean and North Korean military conscripts, as well as the 28,500 or so American troops in the South, and potentially millions of civilians on both sides of the border. If nuclear weapons were used, millions more people in Japan and northern China would be at risk from radiation fall-out.

If tensions escalate with China due to an attack on North Korea, the specific role allocated to the Australian military in US war planning is to assist a blockade of the key sea lanes between the Indian and Pacific Oceansthe Malacca Straits and the Lombok and Sunda Straits through the Indonesian archipelago. In the event of open hostilities, US and Australian naval, air and marine forces operating from Australia would seek to economically starve China into submission by blocking Chinese shipping from transporting sea-borne oil, gas and other essential imports. US strategy is predicated on the staggering assumption that a war with China would not escalate into a nuclear conflict. The global consequences of a large-scale nuclear war between the US and China would be catastrophic.

The working class in Australia must join with the workers and students in South Korea, North Korea, the United States, China and Japan, and around the world, who are deeply opposed to the prospect of war. A unified international anti-war movement must be built. Such a movement must be based, not on futile protest appeals to the very governments which are plunging the world towards a disaster, but on the socialist perspective of ending capitalism itselfthe source of national antagonisms and conflicts.
US retail store closures for 2017 are on pace to exceed 2008 when more than 6,000 locations were shuttered. In the first three months of this year 2,880 store closures were announced, compared to 1,153 in the same time period in 2008. If the current pace of retail bloodletting continues total store closures could top 11,000 by the end of the year, an unprecedented number.

Along with mounting store closures, retailers eliminated 30,000 jobs in March, with a similar number cut in February, making it the worst two-month period for workers in the retail sector since 2008, when the economy was in the depths of the recession caused by the bursting of the housing bubble and stock market crash.

According to Retail Metrics, the combined same-store sales for retailers in the first quarter of this year are expected to rise only 0.3 percent, the worst quarter in four years. Current expectations are well below the 0.8 percent growth in retail sales, which economists had predicted in February. Without positive sales growth posted by discount giant Walmart the retail industry would have posted negative figures. The dismal first quarter of 2017 follows poor in-store holiday sales at the end of 2016.

Traditional retailers are being slammed by competition from Internet retailers, in particular Amazon. Even as many companies are increasingly turning to online sales in an attempt to shore up their poor in store sales Amazon continues to dominate, accounting for 53 percent of all online sales growth in 2016.

Reviewing poor holiday sales figures last month Richard Hayne, the CEO of clothing retailer Urban Outfitters, told investors that too many stores had been built in the US inflating a massive financial bubble. [L]ike housing, that bubble has now burst, Hayne noted. We are seeing the results: Doors shuttering and rents retreating. This trend will continue for the foreseeable future and may even accelerate.

While market analysts point to the competition from Amazon as a key factor in retailer bankruptcies and store closures, another factor is the underlying weakness of the American economy and years of wage stagnation for the working class. Wage growth has been flat since the Great Recession and monthly year-on-year increases have not exceeded three percent since early 2009. According to the Economic Policy Institute average hourly wages are $3.22 behind where they would be if wages grew at 3.5 percent over the last decade.

Even as the stock market has boomed over the last nine years thanks to an infusion of unlimited cash through quantitative easing and other measures, the real economy has not recovered from the recession. The economic growth rate has not exceeded three percent in a decade and was a meager 1.2 percent in the first quarter of this year. Nearly all of the jobs created since 2008 have been either part time or temporary.

Retailers are shutting their doors and laying off thousands of workers in predominantly poor and working class neighborhoods in both urban and rural areas. Nearly a third of US shopping malls will be hollowed out by store closures or lose a key anchor, with many of these threatened with outright closure without major department store locations and smaller chain retailers.

The last decade has seen a series of buyouts, mergers and acquisitions by private equity firms as part of last ditch efforts by retailers to avoid bankruptcy and outright liquidation by corporate raiders squeezing every penny before liquidating or reselling them.

An overview of the companies that have announced closing or filed for bankruptcy this year gives a sense of the current crisis.

Discount retailer Dollar Express will close all 323 of its locations, including a number which operated under the Family Dollar brand, eliminating almost 3,000 jobs, after being bought out by rival Dollar General.

Payless Shoes filed for bankruptcy earlier this year and announced plans to close 400 stores, 10 percent of its stores nationwide. Rue 21, a clothing retailer targeting young adults, will soon file for bankruptcy, a few years after being bought by private equity firm Apax Partners

Indianapolis-based electronics and home appliance retailer HHGregg (liquidating all 132 stores), Omaha-based clothing retailer Gordmans (closing 48 stores) and St. Paul, Minnesota-based sporting goods retailer Gander Mountain (closing 32 of 162 locations) have filed for bankruptcy this year. Electronics retailer RadioShack has filed for bankruptcy for the second time in two years and announced the closure of 552 stores.

Major department stores Sears, Macys and JC Penney are on the verge of bankruptcy and are planning to close hundreds of locations.

Gamestop, which sells video games and consoles, is closing more than 150 stores in the US this year, nearly three percent of its locations worldwide. Office supply store Staples and the health goods and pharmacy chain CVS each announced plans to close 70 locations.

Family Christian bookstore, the largest Christian bookseller in the US, announced at the end of February it is closing all of its stores, more than 240 locations, two years after emerging from bankruptcy. Recent years have seen the failure and liquidation of most bookstore chains, including Borders and Walden Books, under pressure from Amazon and other online book retailers.

Hundreds of smaller retail clothing stores, mainstays of many shopping malls, are set to be closed this year, including Abercrombie and Fitch, Guess, Crocs, The Limited and Wet Seal locations. American Apparel is liquidating all 110 of its remaining stores and a factory in Los Angeles as the company completes the process of going out of business following years of legal and financial woes.
The two-day G7 foreign ministers summit that ended yesterday in Lucca, Italy was marked by an obvious contradiction: despite the fact that all of the member states endorsed last weeks attack by the United States against the Syrian government, the meeting was characterized by deepening divisions between the US and Europe over foreign policy and trade.

With Lucca under police lockdown, the foreign ministers of what are supposedly the worlds seven leading democraciesCanada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States of Americacollectively applauded Trumps unprovoked act of war against Syria.

They also endorsed the pretext for the strike: unsubstantiated claims that the Syrian government launched a sarin gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, which served as the pretense for last weeks US cruise missile strike against a Syrian government airfield. They ignored the widely reported fact that US-backed Islamist opposition fighters both possess and have previously used chemical weapons, including a 2013 attack in Ghouta for which the US sought to blame the Assad government.

The G7 communique declared, We are shocked and horrified by the reports of use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in the Khan Shaykhun area of southern Idlib on 4 April... The subsequent US military action against Shayrat Airfield was a carefully calibrated, limited in scope response to this war crime and was directed against Syrian military targets directly connected to the 4 April chemical weapons attack in order to prevent and deter the proliferation and use of deadly chemical weapons in Syria.

At the same time, however, the summit failed to agree on a US-backed plan for stepped-up economic sanctions against Syria and Russia, proposed by the British government, amid growing opposition from the continental European powers. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said his British counterpart Boris Johnson had raised the proposal, but that it had not been discussed in depth.

At the moment there is no consensus on new sanctions as an effective instrument, said Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano. He warned against imposing more sanctions, saying it could back Russia into a corner.

It was left to German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel to warn that further attacks and pressure on Russia could lead to war, and to signal to Washington that the continental European powers for now favor talks with Russia and Iran: None of the G7 countries want military escalation, but rather a political settlement without a further spiral of violence. We want to persuade Russia to support the political process for a peaceful solution to the Syria conflict Not everyone may like this, but without Moscow and Tehran, there will be no solution for Syria.

The Italian government made its opposition to the US-led confrontation with Russia crystal clear, sending President Sergio Mattarella to Moscow to discuss Russia-European Union (EU) ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev during the G7 summit. The Italian president said the Russian-Italian friendship is solid and remained strong.

Remarkably, Mattarella stood by Putin at a joint press conference in which the Russian president identified the Khan Sheikhoun attack as a provocation, comparing it to the lies on weapons of mass destruction the Bush administration used to launch the illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq. Putin also warned that US-backed militias in Syria might launch another gas attack soon.

It reminds me of the events when US envoys to the [UN] Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq. We have seen it all already, Putin said. He added, We have information that a similar provocation is being preparedin other parts of Syria, including in the southern Damascus suburbs, where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities.

The conflicts between the G7 diplomats are only a pale and distorted reflection of deep objective conflicts that are developing between the imperialist powers, as well as rising opposition to war in the international working class.

The Trump administration is unpopular both in the United States and in Europe, where Trumps disapproval ratings after his inauguration were over 80 percent in Germany, France, and Spain. Trumps turn to war has enormously exacerbated these political and class tensions. In Germany, strikes on Syrian targets have only 26 percent support, while in France, support for presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon is rapidly rising after he criticized Trumps missile strike.

As the summit took place, moreover, the initial stages of a trade war between European and American capitalism were beginning to unfold. Shortly after Trump threatened German car exports to the United States with steep tariffs, German steelmaker Salzgitter yesterday denounced tariffs the US Department of Commerce imposed on German, French, Italian and Belgian steel exports. The decision and the level of duties for our products are not comprehensible for us, said the company in a statement.

The worlds population is confronted with a catastrophic breakdown of the capitalist system. The bitter rivalry between US and European corporations for the division of markets and profits, which twice in the previous century exploded into world wars, threatens to do so again.

The Suddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) published its lead comment on Tuesday on this issue, under the extraordinary title Thoughts of war. The leading German daily all but declared that it had to prepare for a military confrontation with the United States: Someone threatened by trade war needs a defense strategy This is the logic of the post-globalization epoch: Germany must defend itself against its most important ally.

The SZ advised Berlin to look for allies within the EU and, provocatively, by exploiting divisions within the United States itself. It wrote, The Germans can also find partners among the US states. The governors and senators of South Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama know very well that BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler are among the most important employers in their states.

European officials all but publicly accused US officials of threatening to leave Europe, which is still militarily reliant on its relationship with Washington, unaided against Russia. Ayrault told Reuters that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had asked him why US taxpayers should care about Ukrainewhich has been racked by civil war since 2014, when Washington and Berlin toppled a pro-Russian government with a fascist-led putsch.

Ayrault manifestly viewed this question as an indication that US officials are no longer reliably committed to European security. It is in the interests of US taxpayers to have a Europe that is secure and politically and economically strong, Ayrault said he replied to Tillerson. You do not want a Europe that is weak, divided in many small parts, and feeble.

The powerful inter-imperialist rivalries driving the massive increases in European defense spending, the remilitarization of Germany, and calls for the reintroduction of the draft in France, are coming to the surface. With 500 million citizens, we Europeans cannot stand on the sidelines and watch international politics unfold. Rather we have to become a confident player on the international stage, Gabriel wrote in a comment in the German daily Tagesspiegel before heading off to Lucca.

When Gabriel and the European powers state their support for Trumps air strike and press for Assads overthrow, they are not doing so as friends of US imperialism. Rather, they are biding their time and trying to advance their interests for the time being through the plunder led by Washington. At the same time, they hope that the decisive trial of strength with Washington will not come until their own remilitarization programs, financed at the expense of working people, allow them to more effectively assert their own imperialist interests.
The number of self-employed workers in the UK has skyrocketed over the last decade, reaching 4.7 million in 2016. Businesses often classify workers who are, to all intents and purposes, full- or part-time employees as self-employed so they can avoid paying sick pay, holiday pay and pensions. Self-employed workers also have far fewer employment rights than employees.

Self-employed workers are some of the worst paid and most exploited in the UK, with over half on low pay, compared to 30 percent of all employees. The low pay is not compensated for by providing pensions, savings or investments64 percent of low-paid self-employed workers have none of these, compared to 36 percent of low-paid employees. Across the country, 80 percent of self-employed workers live in poverty.

Many of these workers are a component part of the international phenomenon known as the gig economy. Some 162 million individuals in the United States and the European Union, or 20 to 30 percent of the working-age population, engage in independent work. This work, as defined by the McKinsey Global Institute, involves a high degree of autonomy; payment by task, assignment, or sales; and a short-term relationship between the worker and the customer.

The most brutal forms of exploitation exist in this growing sector of the economy.

Last month, a courier working for delivery company UK Mail, Emil Ibrahimov, was charged nearly 800 by the company for the several days he was forced to take off work after being involved in a car accident while on duty.

Ibrahimov was taken into hospital by ambulance after he was hit by a car in east London while taking out parcels to be delivered from the rear of his van. He received injuries to his legs and was instructed by doctors to rest and move around only on crutches.

After telling UK Mail that the accident meant he would not be able to work, the company informed him that he would be charged 216 a day, supposedly to recoup the costs of finding a replacement courier. For Ibrahimov, this meant a total fine of 789 for the time spent off work.

In an interview with the Guardian about his treatment, Ibrahimov spoke of the appalling conditions faced by workers at UK Mail. Every day they were calling saying come to work.  I would say I couldnt and they would say I was going to be charged. So after a few days I had to go back. It was very painful but I had to go. It is inhuman because this happened while I was doing their job. The car accident didnt stress me out as much as what UK Mail did afterwards.

In a previous incident, Ibrahimov also received a heavy fine from UK Mail, when a doctor signed him off work for two weeks with sciatica and acute back pain caused by lifting heavy parcels at work. Despite giving his employers a doctors note, Ibrahimov was forced to return to work after two days, despite the doctors advice, in order to avoid further losses.

In the past year, Ibrahimov has lost around 1,800 from taking only seven days off work, when UK Mails fines and his lost earnings are combined. In a typical week he worked five 12-hour days, but after expenses this saw him earn the equivalent of less than 7 an hour. This is below the national minimum wage (NMW), which stands at 7.20 per hour for over-24s. The national minimum wage does not apply to self-employed workers.

UK Mail, which made a profit of 16 million last year delivering for major retailers including Tesco, Homebase and O2, classifies their couriers as self-employed contractors and pays them per delivery. The system of charges for missed work is written into their contracts, with drivers required to find cover for any time taken off sick, and incurring punitive fines if they are unable to do so.

The company is by no means unique in employing these abusive practices. Other delivery firms, such as DPD and ParcelForce, also charge their courierslike those working for UK Mail considered to be self-employedextortionate rates if they cannot find cover. According to the Guardian, DPD charges their drivers 150 a day, while ParcelForce can charge their drivers as much as 250 for each day spent off work.

Despite claims from DPD that their drivers own their own franchise and run their own businesses, workers at the company maintain that their jobs do not remotely resemble self-employment. DPD requires couriers to attend compulsory training, uses a rota system, as well as having a uniform and requiring drivers to use DPDs handheld computers.

One worker stated, It is not real self-employment, it is employment, with another courier declaring, We have to adhere to the same procedures as employed people. The only difference is that we dont get any holiday pay or sick pay and we have no rights at all. Self-employed couriers are also required to fund their own vehicle, fuel, insurance and uniform.

Around 460,000 out of the 4.7 million self-employed workers in the UK could be falsely classified, according to the charity Citizens Advice. In November, a UK employment tribunal ruled that the car-sharing company Uber had been falsely classifying their 1 million workers40,000 of which work in the UKas self-employed, after two Uber drivers took the company to court. The ruling pronounced that Uber should now pay its drivers the national living wage, and opens Uber to claims from its drivers for holiday pay, pensions and other workers rights. Uber has appealed the verdict.

Last year, couriers for the food delivery company Deliveroo staged a protest outside the companys London office, campaigning against plans to pay workers 3.75 per delivery instead of an hourly rate of 7 plus 1 per delivery.

The prevalence of these super-exploitative contracts is the result of decades in which both Labour and Conservative governments have committed to the wholesale deregulation of the UK economy, in the name of creating a globally competitive economy. With the active encouragement of the government, many companies have moved towards this form of employment in recent years as a means of slashing labour costs and other overheads associated with jobs with decent terms and conditions.

Last year, Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May announced a review into such employment practices, supposedly with the aim of protecting self-employed workers. The review will do nothing to change the super-exploitative conditions faced by millions of workers in the gig economy. This is confirmed by Mays appointment of Matthew Taylora former adviser of Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair and an ardent proponent of the flexibilisation of the economyto head the review.

After being appointed, Taylor declared, New forms of employment have many advantages for workers and consumers, but there are challenges and risks. We need to approach this issue with an open mind, recognising that within our flexible system of employment the same type of contract can have a diverse range of impacts on the people who use them.

The trade unions, for their part, offer no way forward in the fight against the super-exploitation rampant in the gig economy. Frances OGrady, the general secretary of the Trades Unions Congress (TUC), criticised the rapid rise of new, insecure forms of employment mainly from the standpoint of them being detrimental to the economy, with 4 billion a year in lost tax payments.

Fearful that the trade unions may lose their grip over the working class, and keen to reap the benefits of a potentially lucrative position managing this growing section of the labour market for the ruling class, she declared, Getting more people into unions is key. Employees in unionised workplaces are twice as likely to be on better-paid, secure contracts.

The reality is that the trade unions have carried out one betrayal after another of workers struggles over the past three decades, showing themselves to be completely unwilling to lift a finger in defence of the pay, terms and conditions of employed and self-employed workers.
In recent weeks, as part of the intensifying war drive against Russia, various US politicians have put forward the proposition that Vladimir Putin and his governments campaign of disinformation are responsible for rising social discontent in the US and other major economies.

In US Senate hearings at the end of last month, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio claimed Putin was engaged in informational warfare, seeking to exploit social protests in order to portray America as a disaster.

Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, claimed that Russia was using disinformation to undermine Americas strength and leadership, while Republican Susan Collins said the Russians were trying to disrupt society and cast doubt on Western democracies.

Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, joined this chorus, claiming that the regime of Vladimir Putin was alienating people in the West from their governments and undermining trust in our institutions.

In other words, the growth of social opposition in the US, Europe and the major economies is the product of a Russian plot.

A report issued by the International Monetary Fund this week, Chapter 3 of its World Economic Outlook, prepared for its spring meeting later this month, exposes the farcical character of the attempts by the increasingly desperate ruling classes in the US and elsewhere to revive the propaganda of the Cold War.

Titled Understanding the Downward Trend in Labor Income Shares, it details the massive transfer of wealth from labour to capital over the past four decades, one of the main drivers of ever rising social discontent.

According to the IMF analysis: In the advanced economies, labour income shares began trending down in the 1980s. They reached their lowest level of the past half-century just prior to the global financial crisis of 2008, and have not recovered materially since. Labour income shares are now almost 4 percentage points lower than they were in 1970.

With advanced economies accounting for around half of global income, which is between $75 trillion and $80 trillion a year, workers are receiving some $1.5 trillion less in annual wages income than they would have had the share that existed in 1970 continued.

The research also found, despite more limited data, that labour shares in emerging market and developing economies had also declined since the early 1990s, especially for larger economies in the group. In China, for example, over the past two decades the labour share of national income has fallen by almost 3 percentage points.

The analysis found that the falling labour share has contributed directly to rising social inequality. Within the workforce, the brunt of the fall has been borne by lower-skilled workers amid evidence of persistent declines in middle-skill occupations for middle-skilled workers in advanced economies. Over the period 19952009, the combined income share for this group was reduced by more than 7 percentage points.

The other side of falling labour share is a rise in the return to capital. With capital ownership concentrated in the upper-income groups, this has led to rising inequality.

The IMF report found that between 1991 and 2014, the labour share declined in 29 of the 50 largest economies, with the 29 where it declined making up about two thirds of global gross domestic product. Labour incomes declined in 7 of the 10 major industry groups, with the sharpest falls occurring in the most tradeable sectors, such as manufacturing, transport and communications.

The most significant factor in the advanced economies has been technological advancement, with empirical analysis suggesting that about half the total decline in labour shares can be traced to the impact of technology. The decline has been particularly sharp for middle-skilled labour, with routine-based technology taking over many of the tasks performed by that segment of the workforce.

One of the most striking phenomena of the past two decades has been the establishment of what are known as global value chains, in which segments of the production process are outsourced across the planet to take advantage of cheaper labour.

The IMF analysis noted that according to traditional theories, trade integration of labour-abundant emerging market economies should raise the labour share in those countries. However, the actual evolution of labour shares in this group of countries is at odds with this prediction.

It pointed out that that rising inequality can fuel social tensions and also harm economic growth, and that low productivity growth, a characteristic feature of the major economies, leaves little room for expectations of future wage growth.

Together with subpar growth in the world economy, this had led to an increasing recognition that the gains from growth often have not been broadly shared. This has led to a backlash against economic integration and bolstered support for inward-looking policiesthe phenomenon that US politicians are attributing to Russian interference and disinformation.

The authors are at a complete loss to explain the forces behind the apparently widespread decline in labour income shares, acknowledging that the experiences of different countries are not well understood.

In fact, they have been known for a long time, this being the 150th anniversary of the publication of Marxs Capital in 1867.

Marxs analysis revealed how under the capitalist mode of production, based on wage labour, the material forces of production take the form of capital, that is, self-expanding value. The basis of this self-expansion is the surplus value extracted from the labour of the working class in the production process.

Hence, every development in science and technology, leading to an increase in the material forces of production and thereby providing the basis for increasing social wealth for the mass of humanity, is pressed into the service of capital and becomes a means for extracting additional surplus value from the working class.

Consequently, Marx explained, the inherent logic of capital is the accumulation of wealth at one pole and poverty at the other.

During the post-war economic boom, bourgeois economists of all stripes and some self-professed Marxists who had come under their influence maintained that his analysis had been refuted by events.

But the course of economic history since the end of the boom, and particularly of the past two decades, conforms to the essential logic Marx revealed. This history has been characterised by the unprecedented growth of social inequality and the accumulation of vast wealth at the heights of society, to the point where eight billionaires own as much wealth as the bottom half of the worlds population.

All of this remains a closed book to the economists at the IMF. But their analysis is not without value because their data reveals the essential trend in both advanced and so-called emerging economies alike.

The analysis is a refutation, in facts and figures, of the assertions by right-wing populist and nationalist demagogues that workers in China and elsewhere are stealing the jobs and wages of workers in the advanced countries, demonstrating that all workers face a common struggle against the depredations of capital.
The Socialist Equality Party and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality are holding public meetings throughout the U S. Contact the SEP for information on setting up a meeting in your area.

With the launching of military strikes on Syria, the US is opening a new chapter in its bloody wars in the Middle East, which have left more than 1 million dead. The consequences of the direct targeting of the Syrian government are incalculable. How will Russia respond? The world could wake up some morning in the near future to the news that the two largest nuclear-armed powers in the world are at war.

There is no opposition to war from within the media and political establishment. Indeed, the Trump administrations actions against Syria are in line with the demands of the Democratic Party, backed by the most powerful factions of the Pentagon and CIA.

As always, the US government justifies its actions by reference to allegations of atrocities carried out by whatever government is in its crosshairs. The media treats as established fact the claims that the Syrian government is responsible for the use of chemical weapons, while ignoring the horrific atrocities committed by the US throughout the Middle East.

What are the real motivations for the unending war drive? What are the geostrategic interests of the US in the Middle East? What will be the consequences? Above all, how can war be opposed?

Meeting Details:

Geneseo, New York

Thursday April 13, 5:30 p.m.

SUNY Geneseo

Bailey 101

New York City, New York

Saturday April 15, 3:30 p.m.

University Settlement at the Houston St. Center

Classrooms 2&3, 273 Bowery

at the corner of Houston St.



Syracuse, New York

Wednesday, April 19, 5:00 p.m.

Onondaga County Central Library

The Galleries of Syracuse

447 S. Salina St.



Minneapolis, Minnesota

Wednesday, April 19, 6:30 p.m.

University of Minnesota

Folwell Hall Room 119

9 Pleasant St. SE

Amherst, Massachusetts

Sunday, April 23, 2:00 p.m.

Jones Library

Woodbury Room (downstairs)

43 Amity St.

Speaker: Fred Mazelis

Northern Virginia Community College

Tuesday, April 25, 3:00 p.m.

Annandale Campus

CC 236



Chicago, Illinois

Tuesday, April 25, 7:00 p.m.

University of Illinois at Chicago

Lecture Center A, Room 3

New Orleans, Louisiana

Monday, May 1, 7:00 p.m.

Tulane University

Lavin Bernick Center

Room 202 (Rechler Conference Room)


The life sentences an Indian judge meted out to 13 autoworkers last month were an act of class retribution for the leading role that workers at Maruti Suzukis Manesar, Haryana car assembly plant have played in resisting the sweatshop conditions that prevail in Indias factories and special economic zones.

From June 2011 to July 2012, the workers engaged in a series of strikes and plant occupations, and defied a lockout, victimizations, and police and company-thug violence. This sent a shudder through the Indian ruling class, which has sought to market the country as a source of cheap and docile labor for transnational corporations.

Since the countrys economic liberalization began in 1991, Suzuki Motors, Hyundai, Ford, Caterpillar and other transnational corporations have made vast profits from the exploitation of desperately poor workers who largely come from impoverished rural villages. The high-rise apartments, modern shopping complexes, supermarkets and banks that now dot the better-off neighborhoods of Indias cities are out of reach for these workers. They live in cramped slums and shanties and send much of their earnings home to their families in rural India.

Maruti Suzuki has two assembly plants in the Gurgaon-Manesar industrial belt, just outside of Indias national capital, New Delhi, where well over 200,000 workers are employed in auto and other manufacturing facilities.

When it opened in 2006, Maruti Suzukis Manesar plant produced 250-300 cars a shift. Three years later this was raised to 550-600 per shift, with a target of one car rolling off the assembly line every 42 seconds. Workers labored on eight-and-a-half hour shifts, with only a half-hour lunch and two seven-minute tea breaks, leaving them scarcely any time to drink water or relieve themselves. A minute late returning from a break, let alone reporting to a shift, meant an immediate and devastating pay reduction.

According to company personnel records, the Maruti Suzuki Manesar plant employed 4,295 workers in 2012. Of these, 1,054, or less than a quarter, were regular or permanent full-time employees. These workers earned Rs 19,250 (US $298) per month, but nearly half their pay (Rs. 8910) was tied to a production performance reward. If workers took leave they would be deducted Rs. 1,500 (US $23.22) for one day, Rs. 2,200 (US $34.06) for two days, and Rs. 7,000 (US $108.38), or well over a third of their monthly salary, for four days.

Another 2,600 workers were supplied by labor contractors and employed on short-term contracts. They did the same work as the regular workers, but wore different uniforms, earned less than half the pay (Rs. 9,000 or US $139.69) and could be terminated at will. Another 641 workers were designated as apprentices and trainees, trapped on a low-paid treadmill to become a contract or regular worker if a supervisor deemed they werent troublemakers.

To make matters worse, workers estimated that between the overtime work required during shift changesit was mandatory for a worker to remain on the line until he was relievedand the time for repairing defects, they performed an average of two hours of unpaid overtime per day.

These were the conditions that gave rise to the defiant resistance of the Maruti Suzuki workers. On June 4, 2011 workers launched a 13-day strike and occupation at the Manesar plant, demanding the recognition of a new, independent union, the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU) and the abolishing of the hated contract-labor system. Even though the MSEU applied to represent only the permanent workers, all workers, including the contract workers, apprentices and trainees joined the struggle.

The workers rebelled against the company-controlled and state-sanctioned Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union (MUKU), which enforced managements dictates. The puppet or stooge union, as workers called it, was associated with the Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) or Workers Assembly of India, which was a founding member, along with the American Federation of Labor and the British Trades Union Congress (TUC), of the anti-communist International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) in 1949.

The day before the walkout, workers applied to the Haryana Labor Commissioner to register the MSEU. The commissioner apparently tipped off management and the next day the company tried to force workers to sign an affidavit saying they were satisfied with the MUKU. After the workers launched the strike, management fired all 11 workers whose names were on the form submitted to the labor commissioner. They demanded these workers leave the premises, threatening to bring in police to break up the strike if they did not.

As some 100,000 workers throughout the Manesar-Gurgaon industrial belt threatened to call a two-hour sympathy strike, the All-India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), which is affiliated with the Communist Party India (CPI), prevailed upon the MSEU to end the struggle on June 16. Two dozen militant workers were then fired or suspended.

This would soon become a repeated pattern. The CPI and the other major Stalinist party, the Communist Party India (Marxist) or CPM, and their affiliated unionsthe AITUC and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)are not socialist. They have long collaborated with the Congress Party, the traditional party of the Indian ruling class, and have been complicit in its policy of attracting foreign investment with cheap labor. This has included pursuing what the CPI and CPM themselves call pro-investor policies in states, like West Bengal, where they have formed the government.

Exploiting the shutdown of the strike, the company and Congress-led Haryana state government went on the offensive. First the labor commissioner rejected the MSEUs bid for recognition, although workers had deserted the MUKU en masse. Then, two weeks later, on August 29, 2011, the company locked out the workers, with the state government dispatching 500 police to expel them from the plant.

2011 newscast of the Maruti strike

As a condition for their return, Muruti Suzuki demanded that workers sign a good conduct bond, pledging that they would carry out no work stoppages, sit-ins or protests of any sort that could adversely impact production. Workers defiantly rejected this blackmail.

On the picket lines workers spoke passionately about their struggle to reporters from the World Socialist Web Site. The company says workers are entitled to 42 days leave annually. But in practice we are penalized for taking even a single day. If I inform management in advance that I want a days leave, 1,500 rupees will be cut from my salary. If, for some unavoidable reason, I take leave without informing management, double that amount is cut as a punitive measure.

How can we visit our parents if they are sick? the worker asked. When we may need more money for medical expenses during these times, our salary is cut! He added, During the seven-minute tea break we have to rush to get a cup of tea and then rush to the bathroom with a cup of tea in hand. The limited number of toilets available makes the problem worse.

We cant speak boldly against these inhuman acts by management because we will immediately face disciplinary action. We wanted to establish our own union to fight for our rights. Unless our union is recognized, we cannot take on the management legally. Everybody knows we are suppressed. Why is the government not doing something for us?

Once again, the Stalinist unions isolated the embattled workers. As a result, Maruti Suzuki was able to prevail. After 33 days, the lockout was ended after the MUKU signed an agreement, brokered by state labor officials, that accepted the good conduct bond, along with the suspension of 44 militant workers.

The deal broke down, however, when management refused to hire back 1,000 contract workers. On October 7, 2011, permanent and contract workers started a sit-in demanding the re-hiring of the contract workers as well as the 44 victimized workers, and the dropping of managements plans to dock workers two days pay for each day of the lockout.

This led to a wave of sympathy strikes involving as many as 12,000 workers across the Manesar-Gurgaon industrial belt. The state government responded by deploying 1,500 police to force an end to the eight-day occupation, but the strike continued.

With the workers once again isolated by the major unions, the MSEU leadership suddenly ended the walkout on October 21, 2011, without convening a meeting or vote. The leaders had accepted managements worthless promises to hire back the contract workers at their discretion and to carry out an inquiry into the suspensions against 30 workers, including Sonu Gujjar and Shiv Kumar, respectively the MSEU president and secretary.

Soon after, it was revealed that Gujjar and Kumar had been paid off for resigning from their jobs. While the amountestimated to be about 1.6 million rupees or about $32,500was a pittance for management, it was unheard of for young industrial workers to receive such large severance payments. The deal, backed by the Haryana government, allowed management to rid itself of many of the workers who had led the struggle over the past six months, while simultaneously discrediting and undermining the MSEU, and, it hoped, the very idea of workers solidarity and struggle.

However, workers quickly regrouped and soon formed a new organization, the Maruti Suzuki Workers Union (MSWU) to continue their struggle. It would still take more than six months, for the MSWU to gain recognition from the state and the company, which finally relented on March 1, 2012.

This was clearly a temporary and tactical retreat before the growing militancy of the Indian working class, which the next day, on March 2, 2012, engaged in a one-day general strike, involving some 100 million workers, to oppose the economic policies of the national Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance government.

In April 2012, the MSWU issued its Charter of Demands, including the abolition of the contract-labor system, and the regularization of all workers. Over the next several months, management stonewalled the MSWU, and prepared a counter-offensive to smash the new union and re-impose its unilateral dictatorship on the shop floor.

This is the background to the company provocation on July 18, 2012, that was used as the pretext to round up, arrest and torture hundreds of workers, summarily fire 546 permanent workers and 1,800 contract workers from the Manesar plant, and frame-up the entire leadership of the MSWU on bogus murder charges.
Directed by Pablo Larrain; written by Guillermo Calderon Pablo Larrains Neruda is a highly unconventional and dissatisfying biopic of the Chilean poet (1904-73). The film focuses in particular on the year 1948, when the beginning of the Cold War led to a sharp change in Chiles political situation and a climate of increasing repression. Neruda, at the time already a significant artistic and political figure, went into hiding for an extended period and ultimately was able to escape the country.

Initially Neruda appears to be a relatively straightforward chronicle of the increasing political pressure coming to bear on the then Communist Party senator, side by side with his personal life and eccentricities. In this initial portion, the voiceover narration offers some stock anti-communist phrases that crudely portray Neruda as a vain and hypocritical intellectual and the communist movement as a whole as a trick played by that particular social type against working people.

For all his rhetoric about a government of workers and peasants, Neruda is depicted as being very much at ease playfully trading barbs with his political opponents in the Senate. Receiving news of the impending illegality of the Communist Party from some mortified working class comrades in the middle of a ridiculous bohemian party, however, he awkwardly demurs and seems eager to go back to the festivities.

The distinctive editing style prevailing at this stage of the film already suggests a certain dreamlike quality and warns against taking the events being represented too literally. Conversations are often shown in a manner that deliberately disrupts the viewers sense of continuity of time and space. The director achieved this effect by shooting those scenes multiple times in distinct locations and then patching together the final version by drawing from each.

Once the poet goes underground, the axis of the narrative shifts decisively to the relationship between Neruda and a young police inspector tasked with his capture. Among other things, we eventually realize that the narrators voice belongs to the inspector, whose name he himself reveals to be Oscar Peluchonneau, though in a manner that suggests further narrative complications.

Soon enough one also begins to realize that the story of Nerudas cloak-and-dagger escapes and cat-and-mouse toying with the police is too preposterous to be taken literally. Neruda foils the inspectors attempts at every turn, leaving behind detective novels to taunt but also communicate with him in an increasingly intimate manner.

As the chase goes on, the character of the police inspector, played by noted and talented actor Gael Garcia Bernal, also accrues more and more fantastical and implausible traits. Part Inspector Javert as Nerudas nemesis, Peluchonneau at times begins to resemble the bumbling Inspector Clouseau.

Correspondingly, the films phases in and out of different genres, including elements of comedy, thriller, or striking at other times a purely lyrical tone. In submitting Neruda to the festival at Cannes, apparently the director left the information concerning its genre blank. Perhaps this sort of approach was intended to mirror Nerudas style, which, considering his work in the aggregate, contained a number of disparate stylistic elements. But Larrain is no Neruda, and the results here are unserious and irritating.

The film then spins off of this axis in a predictable direction given the air of literary conceit that eventually settles around the whole enterprise. Nerudas wife suggests to a visibly disturbed Peluchonneau that he may simply be the figment of the poets imagination, perhaps created while in prison to pass time after his arrest. In other ways the film suggests that Peluchonneau could also be a fictional device for Neruda to embellish his tales as a fugitive and rebel, particularly to impress the ladies.

The dramatic charge of Neruda shifts then to Peluchonneau, who, cognizant of his unreality, and thrown into a crisis by his status as a mere supporting character, regains his position at the end of the film by somehow attaining the status of co-author and co-creator of Neruda himself.

Not surprisingly, Larrain has explained, lamely, that his film is at bottom about how we need to tell stories in order to survive. But there are stories and there are stories.

Nerudas life intersected with many of the great and decisive events of the twentieth centuryfrom the Spanish Civil War, when Neruda became a Communist, to the Pinochet dictatorship, which reportedly played a direct role in his death. In between, the enormous crimes of Stalinism and its appeal to a layer of initially well-meaning and important figures; the cultural front of the Cold War, pitting two political camps of significant intellectuals and artists against each other; the international impact of the Cuban revolution, and many more developments, all of which affected Nerudas life and art, and were affected in turn by them.

Virtually none of this finds its way into Larrains film. A few stinging remarks by right-wing senators reminding Neruda of his partys support for the soon-to-be dictator Gabriel Gonzalez Videla could evoke the catastrophic political record of the Stalinist Popular Front. More likely, they are placed there to help establish the portrayal of Neruda as a lovable hypocrite.

In another scene we see a single shot of future dictator Augusto Pinochet, then in charge of an isolated prison camp where Neruda might have been taken had he been arrested. The audience in the theater gasps, but the scene turns out to be a gratuitous celebrity sighting since there is no discernible attempt to link the events of 1948 to the later, bloodier political developments.

As we already noted in reviewing Larrains No (2012), as well as Jackie (2016), although happy to employ them as an empty canvas, the director seems programmatically uninterested in tackling complex historical and political issues and exhibits a certain cluelessness to boot.

It should be noted that an investigation of Nerudas deeply personal traits, including, conceivably, by means of a setting up a completely fabricated co-creative tension with fictional characters, does not by itself constitute an erroneous starting point. Even taking some liberties with the historical facts concerning the poets life, as Larrain does repeatedly, could under certain circumstances be justified.

And as a matter of fact, in spite of its overall weakness, a few of Neruda s scenes still manage to express something interesting and valuable.

A drag queen in a brothel, the scene of one of Nerudas daring escapes, is later interrogated by the police inspector, and narrates a powerful if fleeting exchange with the poet that expressed a profound equality and human connection someone in the cops position could never understand. A working class Communist militant, who initially appears to be one of Nerudas aspiring groupies, questions his political motives publicly and with increasing audacity. A delirious Peluchonneau reminds the audience that for all his faults Neruda was able to articulate the deep sentiments of the oppressed, even as the poet is shown whoring around in Paris.

These scenes surprisingly express something true, and in an artistically convincing manner. But this seems more or less a sort of happy accident, as the eclectic devices employed by Larrain are not put to use seriously or judiciously. They are not intended to pursue a deeper truth that, without necessarily placing them front and center by conventional narrative means, would have to meaningfully engage the broader historical and political currents in which Neruda moved.

In describing the manner in which Nerudas poetry informed the film and its structure, the director remarked, nothing is entirely serious. A figure of Nerudas magnitude, along with the conditions in which he lived, deserved a different approach.
Since the Australian Education Union (AEU) announced yet another sell-out industrial agreement covering public school teachers in the state of Victoria, various pseudo-left organisations have rushed to the defence of the union bureaucracy.

The in-principle deal announced last month by the AEU and the state Labor government entrenched previous workplace concessions, imposed another effective real wage cut, maintained the exploitation of contract teachers and education support staff, and did nothing to resolve the workload pressures on classroom teachers that see them working an average of 15 hours unpaid overtime every week (see: Australian teachers agreement: The reality behind union victory claims).

Above all, the deal is aimed at preventing school staff from having any opportunity to collectively discuss the public education crisis and the need for a political counter-offensive against the entire political establishment. The AEU called off planned industrial action before it began, and plans to ram through the agreement without any mass meetings.

Within the AEU, the pseudo-left groups function as active accomplices of the union apparatus, and through it, of the state Labor government.

Several members of Socialist Alliance, Socialist Alternative and Solidarity are on the AEU State Council. This body meets eight times a year and comprises about 120 elected delegates. According to the union web site, it develops policies and campaigns in between annual branch conferences. The State Council is also consulted on the closed-doors negotiations between the AEU leadership and the state government.

In November 2012, during discussions preceding the release of the previous industrial agreement, the pseudo-lefts Teachers and Education Support Alliance (TESA) faction made public the unions preparations to allow greater government leeway to sack excess teachers. TESA quickly fell into line following a complaint from the union leadership of a breach in its confidentiality commitment with the government. No such complaints were required this timethe pseudo-lefts said and did nothing while the AEU stitched up its latest betrayal with the government.

Pronouncements from different pseudo-left members that they voted against the proposed agreement when it was tabled in the State Council for ratification, and that they now call for a no vote in the state-wide ballot, amount to nothing more than cynical posturing.

A statement on the latest AEU deal, posted on the TESA web site, was authored by Steven Adams, a member of the State Council.

Even someone who is as critical as me has to admit that the proposed agreement has a number of gains across a number of areas, Adams declares, adding that he will let the AEU leadership outline these. He later states that the deal is certainly not an agreement where we have gone backwards. He concludes: My belief is that a strong Union vigorously debates issues and then stands together. The intention of this document is not to create division within the AEU but to inform debate.

Adams does not wish to create division between the union bureaucracy and the pseudo-lefts precisely because there is no division. His minor criticisms of the agreement directly assist the AEU leadership by covering up the fact that there are no gains in the rotten deal for the overwhelming majority of teachers.

This is again clear in the response to the AEU sell-out from Socialist Alternative, a middle-class protest organisation that has close relations with the International Socialist Organization (ISO) in the US.

It has likewise sought to promote the AEUs lies that teachers stand to make gains from the proposed agreement. An article posted on Socialist Alternatives web site on March 28, Missed opportunity to tackle teacher workloads in Vic deal, was authored by Tess Lee Ack and Manolya Moustafa, the latter another member of the AEU State Council.

The article begins by declaring that teachers and school support staff stand to make fairly modest gains in the new industrial agreement between the Australian Education Union and the Labor government.

Its description of these so-called gains points to the material interests that unite the union bureaucracy and the pseudo-left tendencies. Like their counterparts internationally, the pseudo-left organisations in Australia represent a layer of the affluent upper-middle class, including privileged trade union functionaries.

Ack and Moustafa declare that welcome initiatives in the AEU deal included some time release for AEU reps [and] union training leave for all members. They could have added several other rewards provided to the AEU by the government as payment for services renderedincluding union representatives now being present for induction processes for new school employees and two days paid leave provided each term for State Council members, with the latter measure directly benefitting pseudo-left members of the council.

The pseudo-lefts back the agreement, because, like the AEU, they stand to gain from it, while the working and living conditions of ordinary public school teachers and their students continue to decline. It allows the entire union apparatus from top to bottom to strengthen its position in the schools.

The pseudo-left groups reluctance to openly call for a yes vote on the agreement only reflects their calculations that a left political safety valve is needed to divert the hostility of teachers to the AEU.

Socialist Alternative is posturing as a supporter of militant action, concluding its article on the teachers deal by stating: [W]e could have done much better if wed proceeded with an industrial campaign, including strikes. What is proposed, however, is entirely within the union framework and thus doomed from the outset.

Ack and Moustafa declare that it will be another four years before we can address the workload issue again. In other words, teachers can do nothing to address the crisis within public schools outside the AEUs scheduled enterprise bargaining negotiating periods.

The pseudo-lefts ultimately aim to come to the head of the AEU bureaucracy and themselves impose the cuts demanded by state and federal governments. This is precisely what Socialist Alternative co-thinkers have done in the US, with multiple Chicago school closures enforced by the ISO .

Teachers in Victoria can secure decent pay and conditions only as part of a broader struggle by the working class to defend public education. That requires a complete break with the AEU and the formation of independent rank-and-file committees in every school, mobilising teachers, students, families and other sections of the working class in a political fight against the state and federal governments.

Such a struggle can advance only on the basis of a socialist perspective and the fight for a workers government that will reconstruct society to meet basic social needs, including high quality, free education and decent pay and conditions for teachers, not the profits of a wealthy few. The Socialist Equality Party is the sole political tendency fighting for this perspective, and we urge teachers and other workers to contact us for discussion.
The brutal deportation policy of the central and state governments in Germany is driving more and more refugees to commit suicide.

In mid-March this year, WDR radio reported that, according to official figures, 433 refugees sought to commit suicide in the years 2014 to 2016, with 19 resulting deaths. In fact, the real figure for suicide deaths is undoubtedly many times higher. Only a few German states actually collect statistics on suicides and suicide attempts, and the data that is available is mostly based on individual case studies or on an evaluation of police statistics.

In the state of Bavaria alone, 162 refugees attempted suicide last year, according to the Suddeutsche Zeitung in early April. Christine Kamm, the spokeswoman for asylum issues of the Green Party, said that this figure has tripled compared to previous years. Among those attempting suicide were 43 people from Afghanistan.

Last December, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere imposed compulsory deportations for refugees from war-ravaged Afghanistan. The result has been growing despair and fear on the part of thousands of Afghans living in Germany, who in the past had been given protection due to the war raging in their homeland.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is now sending out a succession of deportation orders, irrespective of the problems or backgrounds of those affected. The deportations affect many Afghans who have been living in Germany for some time.

Immediately after receiving notice that his application to stay in the country had been rejected, a 20-year-old Afghan threw himself in front of an ICE high-speed train travelling in Haar near Munich. He had fled to Germany from the Afghan province of Kandahar 19 months ago and was reported to be severely traumatised and depressed.

Every day he had studied German for four to five hours, but had become increasingly reclusive in the past few weeks, a volunteer helper reported. He had a huge fear of having to return, she said. The Afghans all receive negative decisions. Fear is spreading in the Afghans temporary collective accommodation. The volunteer added angrily, The rigid deportation policy of de Maiziere killed him.

Cologne-based lawyer Gunter Christ, a member of the Cologne Refugee Council, confirmed that the suicide risk had dramatically increased and condemned the refugee policy of the government. There were more and more people who would be hospitalised, he told Deutschlandfunk at the end of February. To that extent, it is also a kind of suicide programme. Others do not kill themselves, but go completely insane and end up in psychiatry.

The Bavarian refugee council also drew attention to two other cases: 24-year-old K. and 27-year-old S. had tried to take their own lives in a deportation prison.

K. had been living in Germany for six years. His planned marriage to a German woman was postponed due to a lack of confirmation of his status from the German Embassy in Kabul. K. then slit his wrists and swallowed a potion containing chlorine. After first aid at the deportation prison he was transferred to a psychiatric clinic in Wasserburg. His fiancee reported to the refugee council that the treating physician told the patient on the day of his arrival that he would be sent to a detention centre three days later (on March 27).

With the help of his lawyer, S. had been able to dispute the deportation detention order issued by Augsburg District Court. He was then, however, lured into the immigration office in Augsburg and arrested to await deportation.

Stephan Dunnwald, the spokesman for the Bavarian Refugee Council, condemned the cooperation between the government, doctors and magistrates: A psychiatrist declares someone prepared to take his own life as healthy so the authorities can quickly put the person in question on a flight to Kabul. A judge at the District Court issued a detention order, well aware that only a few days previously a different magistrate had stated that there was no sufficient reason for deportationthese are the servile accomplices of the Bavarian minister for deportation.

Dr. Tom Nowotny from the medical organisation IPPNW also criticised the doctors involved in the mass deportations, saying, Refugees are declared fit for deportations to Afghanistan, although they are not.

Refugees from other states are also affected. At the end of October 2016, the state of Thuringia, led by Left Party Premier Bodo Ramelow, hit the headlines when a highly depressed 15-year-old Somalian leapt off the top floor of a tower block building in Schmolln reserved for unaccompanied refugees. He had only recently been released from a psychiatric clinic.

On March 30, 28-year-old Pakistani Faisal Imran leapt from the roof of a hotel near Leipzigs main station, as terrified passers-by looked on.

In some states, suicides by refugees are not recorded. This includes Thuringia, headed by the Left Party, and Baden-Wurttemberg, which is governed by the Greens. The red-red-green (Social Democratic Party, Left Party, Green Party) coalition in Berlin also does not yet provide statistics. Other states, such as Christian Democratic Union-ruled Saxony, record such numbers, but then play down their significance. The Saxony Interior Ministry recently declared that such figures had no statistically conspicuous order of magnitude and that beyond existing measures there would be no need for action.

Psychologists and social pedagogues reject this. The danger of a suicide attempt arises clearly from refugees experiences of war and flight from their country, which is then compounded by the surly treatment and inadequate housing they receive in their host country, Germany.

One psychologist, Corinna Klinger, told WDR the reasons behind suicide attempts were often extreme fear of deportation and renewed confrontations with hostile forces back home. Lack of perspective, despair or the situation in an asylum shelter can be decisive. Despite this crisis situation, adequate psychological care is lacking.

The Merkel government has long since turned its alleged welcome culture into a cold-blooded deportation and isolation culture. The opposition Green and Left parties are also involved in this policy at the local and state government level.

The tragic fate of Salah J. at the end of March exposed the cruel consequences of Germanys refugee policies. The young Syrian father fled with his family to Turkey. He left his pregnant wife and little daughter back in Turkey because he wanted to secure their passage to Europe. In the meantime, the German government has suspended migration for the families of Syrian war refugees. His wife, no longer prepared to wait, drowned with their newborn child and daughter attempting the perilous passage across the Mediterranean.
South Korea is heading into the May 9 presidential election, triggered by the impeachment of conservative President Park Geun-hye, as the danger of military conflict in East Asia grows.

However, none of the candidates represents a progressive response to the crisis gripping the region, let alone an anti-war position. Their support for Washingtons recent attack on Syria is a clear indication that they would not oppose a similar strike against North Korea.

The South Korean government backed the attack on Syria saying that the use and proliferation of chemical weapons can never be condoned under any circumstances and to do that the international community should work together. None of the major candidates challenged this position.

Last Saturday, Moon Jae-in of the opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) did not deny the possibility of a similar attack on North Korea. Instead, he called for the United States to be sure to have prior consultation with Korea on whichever measures it takes. The DPK, which postures as a progressive party, is not opposed to war with the North, but wants to be informed so Seoul can take an active role in the conflict.

The Democrats campaign has also denounced North Korea in terms consistent with the line set by Washington. Spokesman Park Gwang-on said on April 5, Candidate Moon has issued stern warnings on North Koreas provocative actions several times and has emphasized that if the Kim Jong-un government does not give up its nuclear and missile development, it does not have a future.

The US is deploying a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile battery to South Korea, which has drastically raised tensions with China and is a symbol of the war-drive in the region. Moon has danced around the issue, saying the decision should be postponed until the next administration takes office.

Ahn Cheol-soo of the Peoples Party, a breakaway from the Democrats, has more explicitly defended THAAD, despite previously claiming to oppose it. He stated last Sunday, At a time the deployment is under way, it would not be a responsible attitude for a presidential aspirant to oppose it and promise to cancel it if elected. He called for a close alliance with the US as well, saying, More fundamentally, when we are at odds with the United States over the issue of THAAD and the alliance is cracked, we could not resolve the critical issue of North Koreas nuclear problems.

Ahns campaign stated last week that his presidency would work to develop similar, domestically-built weaponry, including the early completion of the Kill Chain and the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD).

The Kill Chain is a system designed to carry out preemptive attacks on North Korean military positions, while the KAMD is similar to THAAD, supposedly capable of shooting down incoming ballistic missiles. A third strategy is also in place, announced late last year, known as the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan, under which all of Pyongyang would be destroyed under a barrage of missiles.

While Moon once held a comfortable lead in the polls, Ahn has gained ground. In a Gallup Korea survey last Friday, Moon led Ahn by only three percentage points, a jump of 16 points for the latter from the previous week. Ahn is a multi-millionaire and businessman who rose to prominence in 2011 by painting himself as a political outsider and making mild criticisms of the conservative government. He ran for president against Moon and Park Geun-hye in 2012, but bowed out in Moons favor.

In 2013, Ahn won a seat in the National Assembly and then formed the New Politics Alliance for Democracy with the Democrats the following year. However, Ahn left the alliance to form the Peoples Party in February 2016 following factional strife. He took with him a number of high-profile Democrats who represent the pro-business sentiments of the Democrats as a whole, uncomfortable even with a phony progressive facade.

Another candidate close to the DPK is Sim Sang-jeong from the Justice Party. Sim and her party regularly provide the Democrats with a left-sounding cover and have close ties to the labor unions, particularly the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). She also ran for president in 2012 before dropping out in favor of Moon. Trailing the other candidates with 3 percent in the polls, she claimed recently she would not drop out this time or form any alliances.

The candidates from the conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) and Bareun Party, Hong Jun-pyo and Yu Seung-min respectively, have failed to galvanize support, with their candidacies stuck in the single digits as well. The Bareun Party broke from the ruling LKP (formerly the Saenuri Party) in January, supporting President Parks impeachment and removal from office. Before the primaries, talk of a single, unified candidate of all the parties against Moon and the DPK was raised, but discussion of such an alliance has stalled.

Hong denounced the idea of forming any alliance with Ahn and demanding that Yu and the Bareun Party come home to the LKP. Yus campaign has rejected this however, calling Hong an unqualified candidate in reference to an ongoing corruption scandal in which he is alleged to have received illegal funds. The case is now before the Supreme Court.

Hong has also become increasingly belligerent toward his political opponents and critics, with speculation that he is attempting to mimic Donald Trump and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in order to bolster his poor poll numbers.

While the Bareun Party is portraying itself as a clean and honest alternative to Hong and the LKP, one does not have to go far in South Korea to find a politician who is corrupt. These scandals are used to obscure political differences while settling scores.

Moon is running on claims of eliminating corporate corruption. However, he is facing allegations that he used his political position to ensure a job for his son at a state-run company, as well as unanswered questions surrounding bribery allegations that led former President Noh Moo-hyun to commit suicide in 2009. Moon served as Nohs chief of staff.

President Park was not removed from office because she was corrupt. Her attempts to balance between Washington and Beijing caused a political rift within her party to deepen. Politicians like Yu and Kim Mu-seong, another conservative bigwig, criticized Park and her government for not taking a more pro-US line. Washington tacitly supported Parks removal, at no point making an attempt to defend her.

While nervous about the development of an anti-war movement, the entire political establishment in South Koreaconservative and democratic alikeare committed to the US alliance even as Trump threatens war against North Korea.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer falsely stated at a press conference Tuesday that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons, triggering widespread popular anger and disgust in the US and internationally.

Spicer made the comment as part of a denunciation of Syrian President Bashar al Assad, which the US government accuses, without presenting any evidence, of having carried out a chemical weapons attack in northwestern Idlib province in Syria last week.

Spicer declared, even someone as despicable as Hitler ... didn't even sink to using chemical weapons. When he was asked by a reporter to explain this patently absurd statement, Spicer clarified: He [Hitler] brought them [his victims] into the holocaust center, I understand that, but that the Nazi leader was not using the gas on his own people in the same way that Assad is doing.

That a leading figure in the White House could make such a statement, even in an offhand remark, speaks to the extreme ignorance, backwardness and toxic right-wing atmosphere that prevails at the highest levels of the US state.

Hitler widely used a chemical weapon, namely Zyklon B, to murder millions of Jews on a mass scalenot in the Holocaust center but in death camps like Auschwitz, Treblinka, Bezec, Chemno, Majdanek and Sobibor.

Before the industrialized use of Zyklon B in these death camps, which started at the turn of 1941-42, the SS would gas thousands of Jews in mobile vans in the occupied territories of the Soviet Union and in Nazi-occupied Poland. In total, between 2.5 and 3 million European Jewsabout half of the total number of victims of the genocide of the European Jewswere killed in this way. Added to this must be the thousands of mentally ill people, Soviet prisoners-of-war and Sinti and Roma who were also gassed with Zyklon B.

Following a public outcry, the White House felt compelled to withdraw the statement and Sean Spicer made a public apology on CNN, saying that he had mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust.

The whole incident was revealing on many levels. It underscores the obscene character of the entire campaign demanding regime-change operation against Assad, which has been based on a tissue of lies and the whipping up of hysteria. While the American media has glossed over in silence the US-backed siege of Mosul, which has taken the lives of thousands of civilians, it has seized upon last weeks chemical weapons attack in Syria to beat the drum for war.

No evidence whatsoever has been presented as to who perpetrated the attack, which in all likelihood was a deliberate, imperialist provocation aimed at providing a pretext for an escalation of the regime-change operation in Syria and stepped-up war preparations against both Russia and Iran.

It should also be noted that some of the same so-called liberal outlets who denounced Spicers comments on Tuesday have been fully implicated in this lying campaign, culminating in their endorsement of Trumps illegal attack on a Syrian airfield on Thursday.

The fact that Spicer now went so far as to basically deny the most notorious aspect of the Holocaust is more than a slip of the tongue. It reflects moods prevailing in the White House that range from callous indifference to the horrendous crimes of the Nazi regime, to more or less open endorsement.

In January, the Trump White House published a statement on Holocaust remembrance day which ignored the six million Jews that were murdered by the Nazis. The White House likewise kept silent for weeks about a wave of anti-semitic attacks in January and February, before issuing a potted statement about prejudice and evil.

The Trump campaign has, from the beginning, critically relied on the support from and encouragement of the far-right. The most notorious embodiment of this alliance is White House Chief Strategist Stephen Bannon, the former editor of the far-right Breitbart News, which serves as an outlet for right-wing extremist groups tied to white supremacy and anti-Semitism.

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Behind the anti-Semitic and racist attacks in the US

[March 1, 2017]

Syrias alleged gas attack: An imperialist provocation

[April 6, 2017]
Relations between Washington and Moscow have entered their worst period since the end of the Cold War, the Russian Foreign Ministry warned Tuesday in a statement released in connection with the arrival of US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

The threat of a direct clash between the two nuclear-armed powers has been posed in the starkest terms in over half a century following the airstrike last week in which US destroyers fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles into a Syrian air base where a Russian unit is stationed.

The Foreign Ministry statement condemned the airstrike, carried out on the pretext of an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syrias Idlib province on April 4, as an act of aggression against a sovereign state committed in violation of international law.

The statement pointedly referred to the string of disastrous US interventions in the Middle East, affirming that Moscow hoped to learn what the United States will do in Libya, which has been split by NATOs military intervention, just as Iraq. What plans do our American colleagues have for Yemen, where US weapons are used to bomb cities, killing civilians and aggravating the humanitarian catastrophe?

The bitter tone of the statement reflected the disillusionment of the government of President Vladimir Putin, which had pinned its hopes on the election of President Donald Trump paving the way for improved relations with Washington and improved conditions on the world stage for the ruling capitalist oligarchy that the Kremlin represents.

Instead, relentless pressure by predominant factions within the US military and intelligence apparatus, amplified by an hysterical anti-Russian campaign conducted by the Democratic Party and the leading elements of the corporate media, has brought about a sharp reversal of the positions put forward earlier by Trump on Russia and Syria, culminating in the attack on the Syrian air base.

In a sign that the Russian government still holds out hopes for a shift in the US line, the statement blamed the irresponsible policies of the Obama administration for escalating tensions by trying to restrain the growth of Russias influence in international affairs and undermine its economic development through sanctions.

Washington, however, continued to spell out a hard line in relation to Moscow even as Tillerson was making his way to Russia. Before leaving a meeting of foreign ministers of the Group of Seven (G7), representing the major capitalist powers, Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO, asserted that it is clear to all that the Russian-backed government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is coming to an end. He went on to warn that Russia could either maintain its alliance with the Assad regime, the Iranians, and Hizballah or realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis; i.e., accept the Western drive for regime change in Syria and the assertion of unchallenged US hegemony over the Middle East.

Tillerson also accused Moscow of having failed to assume its responsibilities as a guarantor of a 2013 agreement brokered by Russia in which the Obama administration backed down from earlier threats of military strikes against Syria in return for Syrias chemical disarmament. He alleged that Russia either failed to take this obligation seriously or has been incompetent.

In reality, Syrias chemical disarmament was overseen by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, with the US military participating directly in the destruction of Syrian chemical weapons materials.

Meanwhile, the White House ratcheted up the attacks on Russia over the alleged Syrian gas attack, with one official speaking on condition of anonymity Tuesday alleging that Moscow was complicit. How is it possible that their forces were co-located with the Syrian forces that planned, prepared and carried out this chemical weapons attack at the same installation and did not have foreknowledge? the official stated.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer bizarrely heated up the rhetoric at a Tuesday press conference comparing Assad unfavorably to Adolf Hitler, claiming the latter never employed chemical weapons. When asked for a clarification, Spicer responded that the Nazi leader was not using the gas on his own people, but rather had brought them into the Holocaust center.

Washington has yet to present any substantive evidence to the United Nations or the US Congress, much less the American and world public, substantiating its allegations that a Syrian warplane dropped chemical munitions on the town of Khan Sheikhun, which is held by Al Qaeda-linked rebels.

Nor have American officials indicated any motive for the Assad regime to carry out such an attack, provoking an entirely predictable reaction of Western aggression, under conditions in which his forces have routed the Islamist militias that were armed and funded by Washington and its allies. The incident has all the earmarks of a CIA provocation staged in collaboration with Al Qaeda elements, who have carried out previous chemical attacks in both Syria and Iraq.

Russian President Vladimir Putin Tuesday charged that the alleged chemical attack was a manufactured pretext for US aggression, similar to the events in 2003, when US envoys to the Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq.

Putin went on to say that Russia had information that a similar provocation is being prepared... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using (chemical weapons). He made the statement alongside Italian President Sergio Matarella, who was in Moscow for talks. At the G7, Italy opposed US-British proposals for an ultimatum to Moscow on Syrian regime change as well as fresh economic sanctions.

Tuesday afternoon, US Defense Secretary James Mad Dog Mattis, a recently retired Marine general, and Gen. Joseph Votel, the chief of US Central Command, gave a Pentagon press conference on last weeks US strike on the Syrian air base.

While both Mattis and Votel deflected reporters questions about Russias role in Syria and US plans for regime change, Mattis issued a clear threat to the Syrian government, declaring that it would pay a very, very stiff price in the event of another chemical weapons attack.

All that is required is for the Al Qaeda elements and their CIA sponsors to stage such an incident for anotherand undoubtedly far largeract of US aggression.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has rejected claims that he interfered with domestic politics in Papua New Guinea (PNG) by visiting Port Moresby and praising Prime Minister Peter ONeill on the eve of national elections. Nominations for the PNG elections open within two weeks, and polling starts on June 24.

Turnbulls first official visit to Australias neighbour and former colony took place on April 79. Former PNG Prime Minister Mekere Morauta criticised the insensitive and dangerous timing of the trip and accused Turnbull of seeking to endorse ONeill. That is a very dangerous position for the Australian Prime Minister to put himself in, especially with the prospect of a new government just around the corner, Morauta said.

Turnbull dismissed the complaint, saying the timing was entirely unrelated to PNGs domestic political events. He claimed the visit would focus on trade, security, economic growth and education.

During a joint media conference, however, Turnbull praised ONeill for his co-operation in the vitally important fight against people smuggling and commitment to strengthening relations between the two countries. Turnbull also deflected questions about PNGs dire economic situation. Asked if it was a concern that the PNG government was broke, Turnbull said management of the finances of PNG was a matter for the PNG government.

Deepening social polarisation and resentment over grinding poverty and austerity measures are fuelling a political crisis in the Pacific nation. Earlier this month, a rift erupted between the two main partners in the ruling coalition, ONeills Peoples National Congress (PNC) Party and the National Alliance (NA), over the state of the economy.

Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, leader of NA, attacked the PNC for mismanaging the country, noting that last years per capita income fell for the first time in 13 years and is expected to drop again this year and for at least another four years. Since the financial boost from ExxonMobils Liquefied Natural Gas project first came on stream in 2014 the economy had fallen off the cliff, Pruaitch declared.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth plunged to 2 percent last year, significantly lower than the population growth rate of over 3 percent. The government has borrowed K13 billion ($US4.1 billion) to take the total debt this year to K21.6 billion, above the debt-to-GDP ratio of 30 percent set by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

As in every country, the working class and rural poor are profoundly alienated from all the established political parties. Over the past 12 months, the ONeill government has repeatedly mobilised the police and armed forces to suppress mounting unrest, firstly among students, then against villagers living near the $US19 billion ExxonMobil site.

Visits to PNG by Australian leaders are infrequent. Turnbulls trip was undoubtedly motivated by concern over Australias commercial and strategic interests. Addressing an Australia-PNG Business Council breakfast on Sunday, Turnbull told local business leaders Australia had a vested interest in the PNG economy. Almost 5,000 companies are doing business in PNG, he pointed out, with total investments worth $A5.8 billion.

Turnbull emphasised that PNG also receives $A500 million ($US375 million) annually in aid. Signalling Canberras determination to dictate the terms of the relationship, the Turnbull government in March rebuffed a request by PNG to shift the aid away from traditional programs and into the PNG governments accounts, in order to fund core services such as health and education. Australias Minister for International Development and the Pacific, Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, bluntly declared that the aid program was not a charity.

Canberra also made clear that its interests will prevail in the planned closure of Australias refugee detention centre on PNGs Manus Island. Last year the PNG High Court ruled that the centre violates the refugees constitutional right to personal liberty. Turnbull dodged questions about where his government would send the detainees if the Trump administration does not accept all 900 under a deal previously struck under Obama.

Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton told Sky News that any refugees not taken by the US would be settled in PNG, while non-refugees would be sent back to their home country. He said that under an agreement with the previous Australian Labor government, PNG had the responsibility to settle refugees not accepted by the US. They are not coming to Australia, Dutton asserted. We have been very clear those people are not going to settle in our country because that would restart the people trade.

Behind the scenes there is growing alarm over Chinas influence in the region. The state-owned Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported in February that Beijing is investing billions in infrastructure and business developments in PNG. The $A260 million Edevu Hydro Project is funded by the China Development Bank, while Chinese companies are building roads in the highlands and redeveloping Laes port. The Chinese government has loaned PNG hundreds of millions of dollars to build roads, create a National Broadband Network and a National Identity Card system.

In a bid to counter Beijing, the Australian government recently announced it will pay at least a third of the costs of PNGs hosting of next years APEC summit. The commitments, including a two-year extension to the deployment of 73 Australian Federal Police officers, will exceed $A100 million. Security, diplomatic support, advisory roles, immigration and intelligence processes will all be provided by Canberra. According to the ABC, security and foreign policy advisers warned that leaving the PNG government to fund the summit would risk China filling the breach.

Canberra and Washington are particularly concerned about PNGs growing defence ties with Beijing. Following a state visit there last year, ONeill expressed his governments respect for Chinas legitimate and lawful rights and interest in the South China Sea. ONeill also endorsed Chinas One Belt One Road trade route system across the Asia-Pacific, designed to counter the aggressive efforts by the US to isolate China.

ONeills predecessor, Michael Somare, was ousted in 2011 with the backing of the Australian government because he was seen as too close to Beijing. ONeill, who assumed office through an illegal parliamentary manoeuvre, has relied on Canberras backing. He welcomed an expanded Australian police and advisor presence, while supporting Australias neo-colonial interests in the wider region.

Under conditions of intensifying geo-strategic tensions, Australia is determined to see this continue, whoever wins the forthcoming election. Turnbull used the occasion to remind the PNG ruling elite of the historical ties between the two countries, dating back to previous imperialist wars. He visited Isurava, a 1942 battle site where Australian forces fought Japanese troops in World War II and the Bomana War Cemetery, where 3,800 Australian soldiers are buried.

Turnbull noted that Bomana has the largest number of Australian war dead of any cemetery. Australias freedom, he declared, depends on courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice of those Australians and Papua New Guineans who stood together and held back the Japanese advancement.
The video of a 69-year-old doctor being beaten and dragged off a United Airlines flight by police in Chicago has generated widespread international outrage. Nearly half a billion people have viewed the video, including several hundred million people in China and Vietnam alone, where the beating was justifiably understood as an act of discrimination. The victim, David Dao, is a medical doctor based in Kentucky who was born in Vietnam.

Daos beating is the product of the monopolization, deregulation and financialization of the airline industry. Uniteds decision to order the police to beat an innocent man who stood in the way of their drive for profit is only a particularly brutal expression of a generalized process taking place in the world economy over the course of the last 40 years.

The Gestapo-like tactics of the police sum up the role of the state in using violence against the population to enforce the demands of the corporate elite. Over the past 15 years, airports have become hotbeds of military and police surveillance, with travelers forced to undergo intrusive and humiliating searches in the name of national security. The omnipresence of heavily armed police has become part of the increasingly militarized fabric of American life.

The beating of Dao can be seen as the convergence of the war on terror with the daily violence of the police on Americas streets.

Dao was boarding a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky to return home in time for patient visits scheduled for Monday. Though United first claimed it removed Dao because the flight was overbooked, the airline now claims that space had to be made for four employees to work a shift the next day in Louisville.

None of the four passengers who were asked to leave got up from their seats, including Dao and his wife, and the airline called the police, who proceeded to beat Dao until he was bloody, dragging him through the plane. United CEO Oscar Munoz added fuel to the fire by issuing a statement praising the employees for following the company manual. He referred to the beating as a re-assignment and called Dao belligerent and disruptive.

On Tuesday, the corporate media began denigrating Dao, who reportedly has a criminal conviction from over a decade ago. NBC Nightly News highlighted Daos legal record as though it made him culpable for what took place. ABC News ran the headline: Man removed from jet is Kentucky doctor with criminal record. Publications such as USA Today, the Chicago Sun Times, the Toronto Sun, People Magazine and the tabloid press followed suit.

The company lost $600 million in value on Monday due to a stock sell-off, but as BuzzFeed Business Editor Tom Gara explained, United is unlikely to suffer serious long-term consequences for Mondays public relations disasterbecause there isnt much competition in the US airline industry.

Monopolization and deregulation have transformed for-profit air travel in the United States into a social disaster.

Last year, airlines forced over 40,000 ticketed passengers off of flights for which they had paid. Airlines charge passengers large sums for necessities such as checked luggage and compel travelers to pay extra for a decent seat. Spirit Airlines orders its flight attendants to deny passenger requests for free cups of water.

Many travel delays are caused by the fact that airline corporations can trade takeoff and landing slots with one another. Speculators and companies participate in a massive secondary market to wager on slot trading, and financial institutions often use slots as security to finance other financial instruments.

A 2015 study by Jose Azar, Martin C. Schmalz and Isabel Tecu titled Anti-Competitive Effects of Common Ownership exposes the monopolistic character of the airline industry and its links to the finance industry. The report notes that the degree of share ownership concentration is directly linked to higher pricing, more delays and lower quality, and that the more invested financial firms are, the worse the service. The report quotes an officer of a financial firm who says he would like to see [airline corporations] boost their fares but also cut capacity.

The study shows that five of the seven largest United shareholders are also the biggest shareholders of Delta Airlines and Southwest Airlines, and that large financial shareholders own 49.5 percent of United stock. The major shareholders include Berkshire Hathaway, BlackRock, Vanguard and JPMorgan. Many of these firms are also the biggest investors in American banks and pharmaceutical, technology and weapons firms. Berkshire Hathaway lost $58 million in Uniteds stock drop on Monday.

Financialization and monopolization have been facilitated by bipartisan deregulatory efforts beginning with the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, signed into law by Democratic President Jimmy Carter. In the past decade, the number of major airlines dominating the market has shrunk from nine to five. In 2013, the Obama administration dropped opposition to a merger between American Airlines and US Airways after having previously approved the merger of United and Continental, as well as of Southwest and AirTran.

ProPublicas Justin Elliott wrote in October 2016 that airlines tapped former Obama administration officials and other well-connected Democrats to launch an intense lobbying campaign to force through the American-US Airways merger. The airlines used their pull in the administration, including at the White House with people like Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obamas White House chief of staff, to ram through the merger.

The Trump administration plans to further deregulate the industry. In February, Trump met with airline CEOs, including Uniteds Oscar Munoz, to discuss further deregulation. Future deregulation will make conditions even more unsafe, expensive, environmentally destructive and personally unbearable for travelers.

The beating of David Dao highlights the need to take the airline industry out of the hands of Wall Street so that air travel can be brought into harmony with human and social needs.

The technological advances that have been made in air travel over the past decades are indisputable. For the first time in world history, travelers can move from any two points in the world within a single day. This technology must be freed from the restraints of the capitalist system. Under socialism, air travel will play a central role in facilitating the free interchange of ideas, cultures and people, who will not be barred from international travel by lack of funds or restrictions on their immigration status.

At their choosing, residents of todays most isolated villages in underdeveloped regions will be free to travel to the worlds great capitals, monuments and museums, and families currently separated across different continents by war and forced migration will be free to reunite. Through the organic process of global social interaction, new cultures will emerge that enrich humanitys social and intellectual life.

This requires the nationalization of the major airlines, their transformation into publicly owned and democratically controlled utilities, and the redistribution of the billions of dollars in profits the corporations have accrued through the exploitation of their employees to meet the needs of the working class.
Valdosta, Ga. (WTXL)  Authorities say multiple arrests are pending after several agencies joined forces to execute eight searches for violations of Georgia's commercial gambling laws in Lowndes County.

On Wednesday, the GBIs Commercial Gambling Unit, along with the Lowndes County Sheriffs Office, the Valdosta Police Department, and in cooperation with the Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Georgia Department of Revenue executed eight search warrants in Lowndes County.

Search warrants were served at seven business locations and one home.

While searching, agents collected evidence related to crimes of commercial gambling and seized monetary assets gained from the illegal use of gaming machines.

Authorities say that all the businesses are currently licensed to operate Coin Operated Amusement Machines.

However, during the investigation, agents discovered that customers were receiving cash payouts for winning credits. They said that in Georgia, credits may only be redeemed for lottery tickets and/or store merchandise.

Search warrants were executed at the following business locations:

* Warraich 7862, LLC (7-11 Grocery), 1407 West Hill Ave., Suite C, Valdosta

* Leah 229, 2904 North Patterson Street, Suite I, Valdosta

* Lee Minit Mart #2, 1306 North Ashley Street, Valdosta

* Lee Minit Mart #1, 505 East Ann Street, Valdosta

* Citgo Station, 1836 West Hill Ave., Valdosta

* One Dollar Family, 1913 North Ashley Street, Valdosta

* Exclusive Production, 1412 East Park Ave., Suite D, Valdosta

Multiple arrests are pending. In total, more than 60 officers were involved in the operation.
TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- Tourism in the Sunshine State is a big topic lately as lawmakers continue to cut funding for organizations like Visit Florida.

In Florida, tourism is one of the biggest sources of revenue, with visitors spending over $109 billion dollars in 2016. That generated close to $11 billion in tax revenue, which helped fund and support millions of jobs, like police officers, firefighters, and teachers. Without the extra money from tourism, residents in Florida would have to pay over $1,000 more in taxes to sustain the current level of services.

A cut to Visit Florida's funding wouldn't only be felt by residents within the state, but also local attractions like the Tallahassee Museum. In fact, the main concern among museum officials is that a decrease in Visit Florida funding could mean a decrease in guests, spending, and staff cuts.

About a third of the visitors at the museum are tourists. Thanks to the extra money from these tourists, the museum is able to offer many programs and services to the community that would otherwise need to be cut.

While larger tourist attractions like Disney World and Universal Studios may not feel the effects of decreased funding to Visit Florida, smaller attractions like the Tallahassee Museum would be hit hard.

"For us, the Tallahassee Museum, they greatly expand our marketing abilities in terms of reach and frequency," says Russell Daws, the president of the Tallahassee Museum. "If we were to try to maintain the kind of visibility we have with Visit Florida gone, we couldn't afford to do that."

This budget cut would mean that the Visit Florida funding would drop from $75 million dollars to only $25 million.

For more information on the importance of tourism in Florida, visit www.floridafacesoftravel.com.
Thirty minutes southeast of Estacada and a half-dozen left turns into the heart of Mount Hood National Forest, this is the quintessential beaten path, full of old-growth masses, dense forest vistas and a roaring river. The 1.5-mile dirt trail to Bagby Hot Springs, with only the occasional knot of craggy roots defining the edges, leads visitors to hand-crafted wooden baths and a refuge of tranquility.

Or so it did five years ago, that is.

Today, Bagby is in turmoil, suffering from a rise in crime and an internal meltdown of the group that nurtured the springs' rise from the ashes.

For more than 100 years, Bagby has served as a peaceful getaway. Friends of Bagby Inc. formed in 1981 as an all-volunteer effort to rebuild the original bath houses, which had burned in a fire. The group negotiated an alliance with the U.S. Forest Service that allowed them unlimited access to a cabin overlooking the springs in exchange for their supervision and maintenance. For 20 years, these steam enthusiasts were the heart of a wooded wonderland. This summer, however, all that came to an end when the Forest Service terminated their contract.

"For me it's really heartbreaking, because Bagby is such a sacred place," says Margie Kingsley, former FOB secretary.

This heartbreak, in a way, can be traced to February of 1997, when Leigh Springer, then FOB vice president, turned a Discovery Channel crew away from the lookout cabin, even though the crew had Forest Service approval to stay there. He followed up with an angry letter to the federal agency, further shaking the critical partnership between the two organizations. Fed up with Springer's unauthorized power plays, Jeff Murphy, who was then president of the group, resigned. Most longtime members followed, leaving Springer and his allies in control.

"He likes to order people around," says Dave Bybee, a former FOB vice president who emerged as Springer's chief rival. "He likes to tell them what to do."

During Springer's reign, visitors to the springs lodged several written complaints, alleging indecent dress, drinking and a generally gruff attitude among the volunteers. The Forest Service's liaison to the group complained to her supervisor that Springer had threatened her.

Springer denies all charges, saying that Bybee was the decisive force in splitting FOB. This June, however, the Forest Service had had enough. Tired of dealing with the fractured group, it severed ties and booted FOB from the cabin.

The springs have lost their guardian just when they're in desperate need of protection. Vandalism, always a problem, has increased sharply this year. In July, for example, the Clackamas County Sheriff's office was called for incidents near the springs 21 times, compared to three times in July of 2000.

One of these calls was made by 17-year-old Christopher Dwigans of Estacada. According to the police report, Dwigans was camping near the springs in the wee hours of July 8 when he went for a soak, only to find a score of self-identified "Russian Mafia" and a collection of empty whiskey bottles. Dwigans told the police that a man called Big K smashed a Maglight over Dwigan's head, leaving a one-inch-deep cut. With Friends of Bagby banished from the cabin and no ranger in sight, Dwigans went back to his campsite and reported the incident the next morning from his home. The police retrieved a whiskey bottle but little else. Dwigans never showed up at the police station for a follow-up interview.

Clackamas County Deputy Angela Blanchard says Dwigan's experience is unusual. "It's the belongings and the property that you have to worry about," she says. "Physically, people are generally safe."

Mount Hood National Forest Service Park Ranger Jeff Walter is aware of the safety problems at Bagby and has hired a new Mount Hood ranger to be on call. Two sheriff's deputies who patrol the area have been making more regular checks at the parking lot. But Blanchard concedes that even the cops do not feel safe on the trail and only go for emergency calls.

Some longtime Bagby boosters see yet another threat on the horizon: Sometime soon, 40 truckloads of gravel will be dumped on the trail.

The Forest Service claims the path is currently unsafe, especially in dim light. Bridges over swamps can be slippery, and bulging rocks are hazards for the less aware hiker. Most would agree the trail needs some work, but critics say turning it into a turnpike for troublemakers will permanently alter Bagby's rustic spirit. Even Walter admits the $100,000 project was overdesigned. "If it had started with me, I would have scaled it back a bit," he says.

But there was no resistance when the Forest Service unveiled the plans four years ago. FOB's Executive Committee was informed of the project in 1997, just when the Springer contingent assumed power. The committee supported the trail improvements and did not think it important enough to put in the group's newsletter.

"If [FOB members opposed to the plans] had come forward sooner, we would have worked with them," says Walter. "There would have been chances to make modifications in the trail, but it's very awkward to stop now. We have a legal contract."

Bybee, who learned of the trail changes last year, is well aware of his missed opportunity and the role that Springer played in it. This was FOB's trail to look after, he says, and the group failed her. Even though laborers are already ascending the hill, Bybee has still not given up. He has gathered 941 signatures of opposition, and he has rallied the Oregon chapter of the Sierra Club, the Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs and Mazamas, a Portland mountaineering club, to publicly denounce the trail.

But the official campaign against the trail suffered a big setback last week. A Thursday-evening strategy session disbanded after Springer and his allies showed up, Bybee says, and the focus shifted from the trail to the ongoing internal dispute.

The Forest Service is trying to reestablish a volunteer presence at the hot springs. Some former Friends of Bagby are now staying at the cabin under terms they've worked out individually with the federal agency.

Criticisms of the improvements to the Bagby trail, and news about the project's status, can be found at www.bagbytrail.com .

In a May 27 letter to Gary Larsen, supervisor of the Mount. Hood National Forest, the Columbia Group of the Sierra Club said the proposed improvements to the path "will dramatically diminish the rustic qualities" of the trail and are "certainly not appropriate for a trail leading into a designated wilderness."

WWeek 2015
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The American Civil Liberties Union of Nebraska joined nine other states' ACLUs Wednesday in filing a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit in Chicago demanding government documents about how President Trump's travel ban is being implemented.

Federal judges blocked the ban in March.

The suit, filed in federal court in Illinois, was one of 13 FOIA lawsuits like it filed by ACLU affiliates across the country.

In a press release, spokesman Tyler Richard said the lawsuit the Nebraska ACLU has joined is seeking records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Chicago Field Office.

In particular, it seeks records related to Customs' implementation of President Trump's executive order banning travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen at airports that include Omaha's Eppley Airfield, Kansas City International Airport and the Des Moines International Airport.

It also seeks records about the number who have been detained or subjected to secondary screening or extended questioning since Jan. 27 and the number released or removed from the U.S. or who had valid visas or green cards and agreed to voluntarily return.

The ACLU first sought the information through Freedom of Information requests submitted to Customs' Chicago Field Office on Feb. 2.

According to the lawsuit, they had gotten no response to the request by Wednesday, which they allege is a violation of the Freedom of Information Act 20-day deadline.

"The ACLU has been proud to work in solidarity to uphold Nebraska's strong tradition of welcoming new neighbors," said ACLU of Nebraska Executive Director Danielle Conrad. "Just as welcoming refugees has been a strong Nebraska tradition, so has transparency in government. Nebraskans have a right to know what federal government actions have been taking place in the Cornhusker state, particularly if those actions have violated court orders."

The lawsuit in Chicago was filed by ACLUs in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
The chance to bridge the gaps between Israel and the Palestinians is almost nonexistent. Only last week, during the Arab League summit , the Arab leaders revived the Arab peace initiative. It should not be downplayed, and it should not be rejected out of hand. But we should pay attention to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas comments: He stressed that the initiative should be accepted as is, with all its sections, referring primarily to the right of return. He knows there is no chance that any government in Israel, including a Meretz-led government, will agree to that. Nevertheless, he is reiterating the demand, which means: I am not a partner for peace.

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There are two facts we must not ignore, however. First of all, unlike other areas in which Trump is gaining more and more failures, in the Arab world he is actually getting off on the right foot. There are only two issues the Arab-Sunni world is united on: Iran and Israel. It sees Iran as an enemy and Israel as a partner, as long as an agreement with the Palestinians is achieved. Trump is portrayed as the Arab worlds partner on these two points. He is stepping up his hostile statements against Iran, and the agreement that is being formed for a settlement construction freeze outside the existing communities is an achievement that even former President Barack Obama never dreamed of.

Arab League summit in Jordan. When discussing a regional alliance or a regional summit or a new initiative today, we should return to the old Arab agreement (Photo: Reuters)

Is there a chance to bridge between the Arab initiative and Israel? It should be noted that there was once a point of agreement between the parties. It happened in late 2000, after then-US President Bill Clinton presented his parameters for Israeli-Palestinian peace. The guidelines he presented included recognizing Israel as the Jewish peoples national home and solving the refugee problem not through a mass return to Israel. Clinton pressed the leaders of the important Arab statesSaudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Moroccoand the pressure worked. The leaders, at least according to Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States at the time, adopted the parameters. It was the first time that leaders of Arab states agreed to recognize Israel as the Jewish peoples national home. The Israeli government, led by Ehud Barak, made a dramatic decision as well, giving a positive answer.

The Palestinians were and remain the impassable barrier. The Arab states demanded that then-Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat accept the Clinton parameters. Thats didnt help. The Palestinians agreed to two states, but not to two people. That explains Abbas insistence, even last week, on the right of return.

When discussing a regional alliance or a regional summit or a new initiative todaywe should return to the old Arab agreement. In this state of affairs, even if Netanyahu isnt eager to adopt the Clinton parameters, he can afford to be flexible. Because if he says yes, the Palestinians will say no. It wont be a change of direction on Netanyahus part. During his talks with former US Secretary of State John Kerry, Netanyahu was surprisingly flexible. He agreed to an Israeli withdrawal from 90 percent of Judea and Samaria. The details have been exposed. Netanyahu didnt admit it, but he didnt deny it either.

Its unlikely that Trump and the Arab states leaders will succeed in making the Palestinians budge from their position. Its unlikely that the Arab states will publicly recognize Israel as a Jewish state and/or withdraw from the right of return demand. But its possible to come up with an outline that would be accepted by Israel, the US and the Arab states leaders. A shelf draft agreement. The first clause of the outline is essentially already being launched: The construction freeze outside the existing communities in Judea and Samaria. It doesnt take much more than that to prevent the crawling disaster of one big state. This can be continued with further steps which will allow other cities in the West Bank to advance to a Jenin model of economic welfare.

The chance of reaching a peace agreement, let me reiterate, is almost nonexistentbut that does not mean that there is nothing to do, that we cant get closer to a regional agreement, that everything must remain as it is now. The first step has been taken, and if thats acceptable and its happeningother things can happen too. Inshallah.

(Translated and edited by Sandy Livak-Furmanski)
David, 43, divides his life between Israel and France: He spends four days at the beginning of each month and four days at the end of the month with his wife and four children at their home in the southern city of Ashdod, and the rest of the time he is in Paris, where he works as a certified nurse at a hospital. David and his family find this arrangement very difficult. When he decided to immigrate to Israel, he never imagined that his life would look this.

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When we started thinking about making aliyah, he says, we were told that the Assuta hospital was about to open in Ashdod, and people said I would have no problem getting a job there. They said the same thing to my wife, who is a surgical nurse. We were very happy. We made aliyah last July, and then we found out that its not a simple process. We were told that in order to get a job at Assuta we would have to pass a Health Ministry exam, as nursing certifications from France are not recognized here. In the meantime, I see Ashdod from the window of my house, and it hurts every time. I cant understand why a person like me, who has years of experience in caring for patients, is unable to find work here.

David is not alone. Flights leaving from Ben-Gurion Airport on Sundays and returning on Thursdays are filled with immigrants from France who are leading a similar life: As they have failed to get a job in Israel, they are forced to keep working in their native countrya phenomenon known as Boeing Aliyah.

On the plane, I always meet doctors, lawyers, accountants and businesspeople who immigrated to Israel and couldnt find a job, David says. Its a very problematic arrangement: I see my children only several days a month, and I cry over the fact that they are growing up without a father. Not to mention the fact that these flights cost me several hundred dollars a month, and thats a very big expenditure.

I dont want to be a millionaire, Im not waiting for a huge salary, Ill do just fine with NIS 6,000 a monthbut Im not even offered that. The children love living here, but Im having a hard time with the flights and the distance. You cant live like that for long. I work in Paris, I take many shifts, and I have no energy anymore. If I dont find a job in Israel in the coming year, well consider returning to Paris.

His wife Rivka., 40, got a job as a nurse assistant at a Meuhedet Health Services clinic in Ashdod, but she doesnt consider herself lucky as she would rather practice her own profession. It really annoys me that after working as a certified nurse at a hospital in Paris for 15 years, it doesnt count in Israel and I have to pass a Health Ministry exam as if I were a student who just graduated, she says. My husband tried to find work here and failed, so his job in Paris is the only choice. These trips are taking a toll on us, but its better than nothing.

'Curing a fracture with a band-aid'

The couple is part of the target audience of the Employment HUB initiative, which was inaugurated in Jerusalem last week in a bid to help immigrants from France find work in Israel and cut short bureaucracy processes. Statistics show that most immigrants are in need of this kind of help: A survey initiated by Qualita, the umbrella organization for French immigrants, reveals that 65 percent of French nationals who made aliyah in the past four years are looking for help finding a job, 40 percent work in a different field from the one they worked in abroad, and 37 percent of immigrants in the working age dont work at all.

Laura and Dan Azoulay, who immigrated to Israel from Paris last July, work herebut not in their profession. We are both psychologists, says 26-year-old Laura, and when we came to Israel, we submitted our certifications and credentials to the Health Ministry to be able to practice our profession. Much to our surprise, we were turned down. They demanded that we complete our studies at a university and submit a thesis. We were astonished. My husband and I studied at good universities in France, and we couldnt understand why it didnt count in Israel.

We turned to the Qualita organization, and with its help, we came to meetings with all the documents and certificates. We explained to the Health Ministry representative what we had studied in France and what was the level of our knowledge, and in February we received a license and were recognized as general psychologists. Now we have to do an apprenticeship, but we are having trouble finding a place that will take us.

Until that happens, she is working as a saleswoman at a clothing store in a Jerusalem mall, while her husband offers consultancy services to companies in France from Israel. The couple is aware of the option of living on the Israel-France route, but wont take it. I see it with our friends, Laura Azoulay says, and in my opinion, its like trying to cure a fracture with a band-aid. Its not a long-term solution. Its bad for the family too: The husband flies to France for work, leaving his wife to deal with the new life here on her own.

Laura Azoulay. I have to be very patient (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

But with all the difficulties, the couple sees no option of returning to France. Im not even considering it. I sold an apartment and left a good job in the training department of a large finance company so that my future and my childrens future would be here. I want to be optimistic, and every morning I remind myself that I have to be very patient.

Michael Levan, 31, who immigrated to Israel from Paris in October 2014, with a degree in materials engineering, is about to run out of patience. Before I came here, I met with people from Israel who spoke to me about making aliyah. They told me about Israels high-tech companies and said I wouldnt have a problem getting a job as an engineer. I decided to immigrate, but then I discovered that there definitely is a problem: In order to work in high-tech, you have to be a computer engineer, while there is no demand for materials engineers.

After making aliyah, he worked in a lab at the TechnionIsrael Institute of Technology, but was forced to leave and search for another job a year later due to financial trouble at the lab.

I sent my resume to many companies and got no response, he says. It was frustrating. I had to work in something to be able to eat and pay rent. I am not familiar enough with the companies in my field, and I dont know Israelis who can connect me to them either. Although I have the knowledge, and I speak several languages, I was left without a job.

Having no other choice, he began working in telemarketing. I travel every morning from Haifa to Netanya and work into the night, selling solar panels for home electric systems to people in France. There are 20 French immigrants working there after failing to find a job in the field we studied. We include economists, administration and hotel workers. We have all been working in telemarketing for several years now, and its sad, because its not our profession.

I made aliyah because of anti-Semitism. I thought I would have a good life here and work in what I like to do. Seeing that its not happening, I sometimes think about returning to France. I know the situation there isnt so good for the Jews, but things arent very nice here either for French immigrants.

Ariel Kandel, the CEO of the French immigrants umbrella organization, is well aware of the situation described by Levan. Its a common phenomenon, he says. There are dozens of centers in Israel which employ dozens and even hundreds of immigrants. These centers are legal, but when immigrants spend years in a French bubble, its not an ultimate absorption. We are working with the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, the Economy Ministry and the Health Ministry to help French immigrants get what they deserve and get to know how things work in Israel.

Ariel Kandel. We cant afford to fail in French immigrants absorption (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)

According to Kandel, there are some 500,000 Jews in France todaymostly educated white-collar workersand 43 percent of them say they will immigrate to Israel if the radical right rises to power. In 2015, 8,000 French Jews made aliyah; in 2016, the number dropped to 4,000, and Kandal says one of the reasons for that is the difficulty to find a job.

Ten percent of immigrants return to France during their first three years in Israel, while the majority stays, he says. We cant afford to fail in their absorption and not let them earn a living in dignity. Certified nurses, for example, should receive recognition and get a job. We are fighting to make that happen.

Huge potential

If Kandals fight succeeds, 50-year-old Elizabeth Genasiyah may finally get a job. Genasiyah, a certified nurse, immigrated to Israel from Marseilles five years ago with her husband and five children. Since then, she has been sitting in her rented apartment in Jerusalems Har Homa neighborhood, doing nothing, and failing to understand why she is not permitted to practice her profession and take care of patients.

If they only gave me a chance to see how I work in a hospital, she says, they would realize that you cant just wipe out 20 years of experience. But they are asking me to pass a licensing test here, and its too difficult for me. I took the test four times and failed. At my age, its not easy to study academic material. Its a shame that the Health Ministry cant see how painful it is not being allowed to work.

The State of Israel, apparently, has an interest in letting people like Genasiyah work. In a study conducted several months ago at Bar-Ilan Universitys Economic Research Institute, Prof. Elise Brezis and Daphna Aviram-Nitzan looked into French immigrants contribution to the Israeli economy. We found that the expected accumulated economic efficiency from the absorption of French immigrants in the years 2014-2026 will be reflected in an addition of some 65 billion shekels (roughly $18 billion) a year, says Aviram-Nitzan. The study assumed that the growth would be the result of a wave of immigration of 100,000 people from France during those years, who would integrate into the labor market and lead to a rise in the standard of living of all residents.

Furthermore, the researchers found that the states income from taxes is expected to rise as well thanks to the absorption of French immigrants. The findings indicate that the state will receive 3.7 shekels in income from taxes for every shekel it invests in encouraging and absorbing immigration, so this is a very profitable investment, Aviram-Nitzan explains.

But French immigrants are having a hard time here: They arrive as outsiders, they have no friends from high school or from the army, so they cant use the friend brings friend system. They cant show their boss a letter of recommendation from their previous workplace either. Offering them employment support is critical for their incorporation in the Israeli labor market, as they bring a huge potential of knowledge, languages, a connection to the Western European organizational culture and familiarity with the European market.

The immigrants, however, are finding it difficult to fulfill this potential. In the study, we detected a major difficulty to adapt to workplaces in Israel, primarily due to language difficulties, and employers are also reluctant to hire them due to the language barrier, the researcher says. Its clear to us, therefore, that they must be given proper training. The very high potential of this immigration can be realized through a very small investment.

According to Elizabeth Genasiyah, French immigrants suffer from an unfair image. Israelis think that all the French people immigrated to Israel to buy apartments, and thats not the case, she says. Most of them sold their apartments and made aliyah. They really arent filthy rich. They have to work hard to put food on the table.

In the past few months, I have been considering the possibility of travelling to Marseilles in August and working in a hospital there. In the summer, most nurses go on holiday and there is a manpower shortage there, so I might leave my children here with my husband and go work there. It will be hard on the children, but it seems like the best solution. If I didnt have kids, I would go back to France, because how long can you suffer? A year or two maybe, but not forever.

(Translated and edited by Sandy Livak-Furmanski)
The IDF and the Shin Bet arrested overnight Tuesday a Hamas legislator in the West Bank parliament, Ahmed Atun, who resides in the city of Al-Bireh, north of Jerusalem. Two other wanted individuals in the West Bank were also arrested in the process.

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Atun is one of four Hamas members of parliament who were stripped of their residency in east Jerusalem and expelled in the last decade, the others being Muhammad Abu Tir, Khaled Abu Arafeh, and Muhammad Totah.

Ahmed Atun

Atun was provided sanctuary in the Red Cross headquarters located in Jerusalem for a year until he was captured in 2011 at the entrance by the police.

His brother was sentenced to a life sentence for the murder of three Israelis and was released under the provisions of the Shalit deal in which more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners were surrendered in exchange for the handing over of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit in 2011, who had been in Hamas captivity for 1941 days.

Two days ago, the IDF also arrested Maan Fukha, the brother of the Hamas military senior official Mazan Fukha, who was recently assassinated in the Gaza Strip.

Maan, who lives in the West Bank city of Tubas, east of Nablus, was arrested while on his way to work. In addition, another brother was arrested for his alleged membership in a Hamas military cell.

Ma'an Fukha

With the identity of Mazan Fukhas killers still eluding the Hamas rulers in the strip, security forces remain in an almost helpless state of confusion, fumbling their way through the investigation, desperately overturning any rock that could shed light on the matter, and frantically attempting to save face by executing so-called Israel collaborators.

On Monday, Hamas security officials arrested a man who allegedly claimed to have carried out the hit. His identify has yet to be publicized.

Mazan Fukha

As far as investigators are aware, the events leading to Fukhas death transpired thus: He arrived in the late hours in his vehicle to his home in the neighborhood of Tel al-Hawa with his wife and children.

When Fukah dropped them off as he drove his car to the buildings underground parking lot, that was the last time they saw him alive as his assassins were awaiting his arrival. Homing in on their target, they fired four shots at close range into his head and immediately fled the scene.

(Translated and edited by Alexander J. Apfel)
For the first time ever, a German official will attend an official Israeli Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony this year.

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Former German President Joachim Gauck, whose term ended about a month ago, has accepted an invitation from Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to attend the state ceremony marking the end of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The ceremony will take place on Monday, April 24, at the Ghetto Fighters House.

Presidents Rivlin and Gauck in Berlin marking 50 years of diplomatidc relations between the two countries (Photo: EPA)

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghetto Fighters House, Dr. Arik Carmon, explained that Rivlin and his German guest will in effect launch a new approach to dealing with the moral lessons of the Holocaust.

The Ghetto Fighters House is currently addressing the question of how they will relate to the Holocaust in the next generation. They intend to shift the focus from the tragedy that befell the Jewish people to drawing moral lessons for all of humanity.

The basic assumption of the new approach is that the extermination camps were established by human beings, and hence evil in its most terrible manifestations is part of human nature. Thus, intolerance towards the other may degenerate into fear of the other and from there to discrimination, murder and even crimes against humanity.

The positioning of the Holocaust as a warning sign is intended to burn its moral lessons in the collective consciousness of all the worlds communities.

During his presidency, Gauck apologized for the 1943 atrocity at Ligiades, Greece, where Nazi troops executed dozens of villagers, including months-old babies, in reprisal for a partisan attack: With shame and pain I ask the families of those murdered for forgiveness in Germany's name.

The former Lutheran pastor, who received an honorary doctorate from Hebrew University, also came to Israel to attend the funeral of former Israeli President Shimon Peres.

(Translated and edited by J. Herzog)
Racist graffiti was found sprayed next to a Star of David against Arabs in the Baka neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Arabs, go home, and We want revenge were two of the hateful slogans sprayed on walls on Mekor Chaim street.

Khaneh was right was also sprayed on the walls in reference to Rabbi Meir Kahane, the founder of the outlawed Kach movement, who was assassinated in Manhattan in 2012.
Following the request of an Israeli doctor and the Israeli Embassy in Lithuania, the Vilnius University decided to award bachelors degrees to hundreds of Jewish students who were expelled from the university during World War II. Many of these students were later murdered by the Nazis.

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This project was initiated by the Israeli Prof Moshe Lapidot. After visiting Lithuania to connect with his family roots, Lapidot contacted the Rector of Vilnius University, Prof. Arturas Zukauskas, and Israel's ambassador to Lithuania, Amir Maimon.

He asked them to recognize the academic studies of his uncle, who had not completed his studies and was murdered by the Nazis. The rector immediately accepted the request and decided to extend the gesture and grant degrees to all the Jewish students and lecturers who had been forced to leave the university due to Nazi decrees.

A few days after Maimon met with Zukauskas, the university administration in Vilna announced that it was launching an initiative to locate those students who had been expelled from the institution because they were Jews.

A few days ago, a ceremony took place at the University of Vilna, where Prof. Lapidots cousin was awarded a bachelor's degree. In addition, three of the university's former professors were awarded diplomas in memoriam. Lapidot attended the ceremony along with one of the memorialized professors granddaughter, Moriah Shahaf.

Maimon described the ceremony as "unprecedented" and added, "We intend to encourage the applications of the relatives and descendants of those Jewish students and lecturers whom the university was not able to locate.

(Translated and edited by J. Herzog)
This is the story of a most exciting and unique Passover Seder for Ethiopian-born Maj. Yaros (Yerushalem) Shigot, who returned to Ethiopia this week for the first time since immigrating to Israel.

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The following moving letter, which was written to Yedioth Ahronoth by Shigot, who serves in the IDFs Education Corps, contains the recordings of her journey, in which she shares her family history of their arduous journey to Israel, and explains why she shed tears while reading the Haggadah with the Jewish community in Addis Ababa.

Shigot also explains why the sight of her birthplace, combined with her love for Israel and family history, at once overwhelmed her with sadness but filled her heart with pride and longing.

Yaros Shigot (Photo: Yuval Chen)

I decided! For the first time in my life I would take advantage of Passover and go toward freedom. I am on my way to my birth countryEthiopiato find an answer to difficulties that I often raised to my family. While in Israel they are having a Seder and telling the story about the departure from Egypt, I will be telling the story of the departure of Beta Israel ("House of Israel"a group of descendants of Jewish nomads who travelled first to Egypt, then on to Ethiopia) and I will feel for myself in my legs the journey that my family underwent. Yes, I intend to spend the Seder night this year in Ethiopia with Jews who are waiting to make aliyah to Israel.

I was born in Ethiopia, I made aliyah (immigrated) to Israel at age 4. My memories of the place are blurred. I am being photographed at a muddy house in some place in a village in the south of Gondar. My mother was carrying me on her back and getting the home ready for Passover with the women of the village. My memories of the village are isolated but those which are etched into my consciousness escort me at every moment, like the ambiguous memory of mine and of my fathers where we are sitting on the banks of a river near the village or the memory of the frightening night during which people from the adjacent village came to us to harm Jews.

"I know the tears will stream down my face the moment that I land because everything I will feel will be a sensation of missing outa huge missing outthat my father, may his memory be blessed, never managed to do his own personal exit from Egypt and come with us to Israel.

Yaros Shigot

I learned more from my mother than everyone. Without any diploma or training whatsoever but with the wisdom of life which she acquired, she succeeded in teaching me every day a new lesson about empowerment and faith. She moved to Israel with six children all on her own and the difficulties of absorption which she carries with her every day.

In one of our conversations I asked her: Mom, isn't it hard for you in this country?

She responded, The yearning to come here was hard and agonizing, so everything is dwarfed.

My mother went through a life that was not easy and still she repeatedly says that for Israel she would do it all again. My grandma died a few months after my mother was born. Until she married at a very young age, my mother grew up with close family relatives. After she got married, she went to live with my father and together they brought ten children into the world. I was the youngest.

"My parents decided to pack up their small home in the village and head to the Land of Israel, but the physical and emotional difficulties, particularly of my fathers, stopped them and they returned to the village. My father got sick and my mother was compelled to look after him, the children and the house earnings together with my brother. Further up the road, my family and parents lost three children.

But the dream of Jerusalem never faded. My brother, despite the slim chances, decided to make his way to Israel with other youths from the village and to ignore the rumors of the deaths of many who had embarked on the voyage and didnt manage to survive the hunger and sickness.

"All this time we didnt know what became of my brother and only when we got to Israel in 1991 did we have the privilege of meeting him. We realized that he was one of the few from the village who managed the journey. This emotional meeting was mixed with sadness because only then did my brother learn that our father had died earlier and did not manage to immigrate to Israel with us.

Temporary synagogue where Shigot spent Passover

After I heard these things from my motherI realized what true closeness was even more. I tried, while in conversation with her, to imagine the yearning for the Land of Zion to such an extent that women and children get up and set out on a trek through the deserts of Sudan to get here. And I admit that I didnt manage to imagine it. In my eyes everything sounds incomprehensible. Afterall, they preserved their Judaism so strictly on Ethiopian soil for hundreds of years, so why was it so important for them to come to Israel?

Today, at the age of 30, now that I am a major in the Education Corpswhich deals with values, educates IDF soldiers and emphasizes the common denominator among all the soldiersI realize that in order to better understand this common denominator, I must return to where I was born.

Twleve hours to Seder night, on the morning of the flight arrived, I received a blessing for safe travels from my mother and all the while my heart pounded hard. What does the journey hold for me? At 3:30pm we landed at the airport in Addis. At this point I began to digest things. The sights and memories flooded me all at once. It was as if I had kept silent all my life and in the first second that created a meeting between the thoughts that were buried deep and the reality before my eyeseverything rushed up and burst out.

The pictures from the taxi window seemed as familiar to me as if I had never left. The mass of people in the streets, a group of men leading their flock, the children running and the faces of the women on the street. On one side of the road I see markets, poverty, simplicity and happiness, and on the other side luxury hotels and luxurious homes.

I arrived at the hotel where I will be staying for the next few days. The Seder night will be held at the synagogue in Addis Ababa, which is located in the Magnia neighborhood. I quickly got ready and caught a taxi to the synagogue. The ride was a long onethis is the busiest time in Addisand I keep asking the driver how long until we get there. I was like a little girl looking forward to something she had been promised. At the entrance to the synagoguea temporary building composed of tin and an asbestos roofthe head of the committee stood up and slowly brought the members of the community to prayer and the Seder.

He asked me with some suspicion where I was from, and at the same time apologized and made it clear that sometimes people came to seek to harm the life of the Jewish community. After I verified my identity, I was allowed to enter.

Inside I saw that everyone was sitting with a bag containing the Kita, which is actually the matzot baked by the community, and other traditional Passover dishes. In a moment I became the attraction of the eveninghere came a guest from Jerusalem, from Israel! Rows of chairs on both sides of the synagogue, a side of men and a side of women, in front of a platform with a table and festive delicacies on which the cantor stands behind the Torah scroll.

The cantor begins the seder, and on the rows sit weeping people, yearning and hoping. The embrace and thirst of the members of the community to feel my closeness at once stirred and ripped my heart. They have been waiting in this temporary structure for 16 years after they left their homes.

"I remembered that my mother told us that we also waited here for a year until we immigrated to Israel. Everyone bursts into prayer: 'Next year in Jerusalem!', they shout as a huge crowd of men, women and children sing and dance. The power of faith and hope in spite of everything, astonished me and very much strengthened mehow much they want to immigrate to Israel and how they do not give up the dream despite what they are going through.

The first morning in Ethiopia and the feeling of Seder continues. I realized that I knew almost nothing about the roots and culture that I had come from, and that I still had a lot to learn. A nation that does not know its pastits future is shrouded in fog is proverb that takes on takes on a special significance for me.

"This is just the beginning of my journey in Ethiopia and I hope that what I am studying here will serve as a tool for me to continue my educational work in the army and in my life in general. But only when I was standing in front of my father's gravestone, which was erected more than twenty years late and inscribed with his name and which had a Star of David engraved on itonly in that moment would I know that I had achieved the purpose of the trip.

(Translated and edited by Alexander J. Apfel)
Nebraska's new tourism director says he's more focused on luring visitors from other places than on increasing in-state travel.

John Ricks, who was hired late last year to lead the Nebraska Tourism Commission, said people from other states bring "new money" with them, adding to Nebraska's economy.

"They come, stay longer, spend more," Ricks told a Lincoln Chamber of Commerce luncheon crowd of about 150 people Wednesday at the Nebraska Club.

He complimented the popular Nebraska Passport program, which is mostly aimed at getting residents to explore their home state.

But he made it clear that his focus in the coming months will be to identify the image Nebraska should convey to visitors from outside the state, starting with research on why people come here and the impacts of their spending.

Ricks said he isn't delaying his big-picture work until after a proposed revamp of the Tourism Commission's board.

That proposal, which would make the commission more geographically diverse, has advanced through two rounds of voting in the Legislature but has yet to receive final approval.

The commission drew criticism in years past over its divisive "Nebraska Nice" campaign and a critical state audit.

Ricks cautioned against expecting a complete rewrite of the state's tourism marketing, however.

"My humble opinion is that you always evolve things," he said.
On the eve of the Six-Day War, the city of Jerusalem was divided in two, through a massive line of fortifications and outposts controlled by the Jordanian Legion.

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In preparation for the attack on the liberation of the Old City, engineer and inventor, Lt. Col. David Laskov of the Engineering Corps, was responsible for planning and producing secret means to break enemy lines.

It was a covert unit consisting of a small number of engineers and soldiers that was responsible for many combat developments such as Roller Bridges (Gesher HaGlilim), which was used in The Yom Kippur War.

Cpt. Yigal Milo (Photo: Assaf Kamar)

Over the years, it became the Yiftah unit of the Engineering Corps, which develops weapons.

Laskov's deputy, Cpt. Yigal Milo, was in charge of implementing the secret plan to break through the Jordanian posts along the seam line in the heart of Jerusalem. In preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Six-Day War, he told Ynet about the order he received on the eve of the war.

The two stage hollow charger rocket (Photo: Yigal Milo)

Fifty years after that fateful morning, Milo returned to what is now known as the Engineering Corps Street. The route of the light rail is the only evidence on the ground to the seam line that used to divide the Holy City in two.

Milo points to the location of the Mandelbaum Gate, the infamous fortified outpost under Jordanian control, through which IDF convoys traveled to the demilitarized Israeli enclave on Mount Scopus.

Charger ready for launch (Photo: Yigal Milo)

"Because of the cease-fire agreements, we couldnt approach the Jordanian posts with the explosive devices, so all the equipment was secretly transferred to the third floor of a shared building on the Israeli side of the city, which overlooks the Mandelbaum Gate, 100 meters away, he recalled.

The perfect technical solution by the Laskov squad's engineers to detonate all of the enemy positions at the touch of a button was a two-stage rocket with a hollow charge dubbed the secret codeCharger L. and Charger 90.

The Jewish family living on the third floor, and the intelligence officers of the Jordanian Legion, were completely unaware that the secret weapon that would demolish the Mandelbaum Gate was stashed in one of the rooms, and that in the same manner the rest of the fortified Jordanian outposts would be destroyed along the municipal border.

For the first time in fifty years, Milo is climbing up the stairs to the third floor of the apartment building where he hid the hollow rocket and his excitement rings clear in his voice.

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
If you have yet to book a summer vacation and find yourself in a conundrum over whether you should rush to order or wait for the last minute, stop floundering. According to what is expected this summer at Ben-Gurion Airport, those who do not rush to make reservations, at least for flights, may discover in a few weeks that prices have skyrocketed.

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Many have already learned that in the era of low-cost airlines and during the summer, when vacation packages to popular destinations are in huge demand, the price rises as the departure time approaches. And there's nothing more aggravating than going on vacation, and finding out that the passenger sitting next to you paid exactly half the price you have.

(Photo: Yedioth Ahronoth)

Is this rule always true? No. It is mainly true for flights. When it comes to vacation packages, sometimes wholesalers bite more than they can chew, committing themselves to more packages than they can actually sell and then drop prices at the last minute, a day or two before the flight.

According to data from the Central Bureau of Statistics, the upcoming summer will break the record of Israeli departures when in fact, nearly a quarter of the state will be on vacation overseas during July-August. The reason: there are more and more low-cost flights, new destinations, the shekel is one of the strongest currencies in the market, which makes us rich tourists abroad, and we simply have to take a vacation to recharge.

The list of popular vacation destinations from Israel remains almost unchanged. The United States is a central destination, followed by Greece (including its islands, mainly Rhodes and Crete), and Italy, which sees many Israelis touring the entire country, including Sicily, the Amalfi region, Rome, Tuscany, Venice and the lakes. Other popular destinations include Berlin and the Black Forest, France (mainly Paris and including EuroDisney) and England (mainly London).

So before booking, remember to check the list of terms, since the cheaper the tickets are, the more terms you usually get. Also, extras cost extra money. When you fly, especially low-cost, remember that you pay for every action you need to take at the airlines counter. Dont settle for the search engines or applications to find the cheapest flights, its a good idea to also give a quick once over to the airlines websites. And if you find all of this too cumbersome, there are always the travel agents, who would be happy to offer their services.

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
WASHINGTONPresident Donald Trump is appearing to rule out deeper American military intervention in Syria beyond retaliatory strikes if Syrian President Bashar Assad continues his assault on civilians with chemical weapons.

"Are we going to get involved with Syria? No," Trump told Fox Business News in an interview that aired Wednesday.

Trumps comments come less than a week after he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airfield after US evidence indicated that Assad killed civilians using the nerve agent sarin.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Wednesday said that the president was not ruling out another attack on Syrian government installations if Assad continued to use chemical weapons against civilians.

But Spicer said "going in and occupying Syria for the express purpose of regime change is something the president has been very clear on."
On the occasion of the Priestly Blessing that is set to take place Thursday at the Western Wall, several roads in the area will be blocked between 8:00am and 8:00pm. The roads that will be blocked are: Hebron Road - from Mirian Hashmonait Street to the Old City, Road 1 - from the National Headquarters to the Old City, Agron Street towards Mamilla, Hativat Yerushalayim Street will be blocked in both directions, and the Old City will be blocked to private vehicles, except for residents of the area.

The police said that the public was asked to refrain from reaching the Old City area in private vehicles.
Hundreds of meters below the sea, between currents and far from the Israeli border, submariners operate at all times. As Israel celebrates the holiday of Passover, submarines operate in the depths of the sea providing the IDF with intelligence that will decide the next war.

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SSgt. 'B,' who serves on a submarine, explains what life is like in isolation from the outside world.

The view through the periscope

"When you go out on a mission, the submarine is constantly submerged and you don't surface again until the mission is complete," said SSgt. B.

"Aside from my professional training, they prepared us for the fact that we are going to be hundreds of meters underwater and disconnected from the outside world. Throughout your service, you learn to enjoy the small things in lifeseeing the blue sky, the sun set, a rainbow. However, through the periscope, you can also see the enemy in front of your eyes and understand the importance of the mission."

Israel's submarine fleet was established in 1959 and combines sophisticated technology, quality manpower and a family atmosphere resulting from the intimacy created when a group of people are confined in an underwater box for months on end.

"The operations are the most dominant aspect of life in the unit and we have dozens of operations a year, some of which are very complicated," said B. "A submarine can be underwater for a very long time, and it creates a special fraternityit's like a second home for a lot of people. We live together around the clock, my team is my family."

(Translated and edited by Fred Goldberg)
The United States told Russia at the United Nations on Wednesday that is it isolating itself by continuing to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Britain said its scientists found sarin was used in a deadly toxic gas attack on Syrian civilians last week.

Russia is set to block a push by Western powers at the United Nations later on Wednesday to bolster support for international inquiries into the April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria. It will be Moscow's eighth veto in support of the Assad government since the Syrian war began six years ago.

"To my colleagues from Russia - you are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, told the UN Security Council.
Approximately 10 people were killed and 50 wounded in ongoing confrontation in the Ein El Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon between Palestinian factions and Islamists affiliated with the Salafi movement. Recently, an attempt was made to reach a cease-fire, and now the person who heads an armed group and is affiliated with the Salafis is being pursued.

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Ein El Hilweh refugee camp in Lebanon

X

Under the Cairo agreement signed in the early 1970s, the Lebanese army does not enter the Palestinian refugee camps. However, since the 1990s, the Lebanese army has increased its presence around the problematic camp, where some 80,000 people live in crowded conditions. In recent months, in light of fears that support for ISIS has been growing in Ein El Hilweh, the authorities have begun to build a kind of concrete fence around the camp. The move aroused great resentment among the Palestinian factions inside and outside Lebanon, and as a result, construction has been frozen.

Ein El Hilweh refugee camp

Ein El Hilweh is considered the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. In the camp in question there were occasional serious security incidents and liquidations. There are a number of Palestinian factions, headed by Fatah, who have recently been dealing with a group of armed men loyal to a man named Bilal Bader, who operates from the a-Tiri neighborhood in the crowded refugee camp. Bader, a Palestinian identified with the radical Salafi movement, has already been dubbed "the Rambo of Ein El Hilweh." His gang is accused of assassinating senior Fatah officials in the camp.

In recent days, the confrontation between these Palestinian factions and the same group of armed men was particularly violent. It is estimated that 10 people were killed and another 50 injured in the fierce battles that are still taking place there, during which various weapons were used. This evening, the joint Palestinian force entered the problematic neighborhood in order to impose orderand then announced that a lull had been achieved.

Residents outside the camp were also affected by the difficult fighting. As a result of the situation, the political leadership of the Palestinian and Islamic factions gathered in the camp on Tuesday to form a unified position. A cease-fire was agreed upon, and action was taken to destroy the armed group of Bilal Bader, who is now considered a fugitive. The Lebanese authorities are concerned about the events and if the fighting continues, it is possible that the Lebanese army will be forced to intervene and enter the camp, a move that it has avoided for years in light of the already sensitive relations between the authorities and the Palestinians.

Lieberman (Photo: Ido Erez)

Israel also addressed the battles in the refugee camp in Lebanon. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman spoke on the phone with the UN Secretary-General's envoy to the Middle East, Nikolai Maldanov, and expressed his protest over the worlds apathy in the face of the assassinations and executions in Ein El-Hilweh and the Gaza Strip.

"The international community's disregard over dozens of dead and wounded proves once again the worlds hypocrisy and double standard when it ignores such grave events, while condemning Israel's justified actions against terrorism," Lieberman said. The defense minister added that he expects the issue of the assassinations among Palestinians in the refugee camp to be discussed at the next UN Security Council meeting.

(Translated and edited by N. Elias)
Nebraska lawmakers approached a difficult issue the right way this week.

They had to think through how to provide justice in child sexual abuse cases while not running afoul of the Constitutions protections for those accused.

Sen. Bob Krist of Omaha sponsored Legislative Bill 300, which would remove the statute of limitations on the ability to file civil lawsuits against individuals involving alleged sexual assault of a child. Eight states so far have taken that action.

Nebraska has no statute of limitations for filing criminal charges against someone accused of sexual assault of a child.

I brought this bill on behalf of people who were damaged as children at the hands of an adult, Krist told his colleagues during floor debate Wednesday. Krist said he drew up the legislation so that those people who suffered from those injuries could find their own peace in their life.

Lawmakers underscored the heinousness of such abuse and how in many cases it can take decades before child victims are able to confront their abusers. Current Nebraska law allows victims to file civil lawsuits until they turn 33.

Under LB 300, there would be a three-year window from the passage of the bill for anyone to bring a claim based on a prior assault. Otherwise, victims making claims on offenses that occurred before enactment of the law would have to file lawsuits by the time they turn 53.

Sens. Mike Hilgers of Lincoln and Ernie Chambers of Omaha helped the legislative process by pointing out a legal complication from the retroactive portion of Krists proposal. Hilgers and Chambers explained that LB 300s provision applying the law to past incidents of sexual assault might be unconstitutional, given court precedents.

The discussion on this point was productive and illustrated an important obligation for lawmakers: Even when addressing allegations of appalling crimes, they must be mindful not to disregard constitutional requirements for defendants rights.

The Legislature approved the bill on first round after adopting a Krist amendment to allow the retroactive provision to be removed if a future court rules that it violates the Constitution.

Krist is going to work with fellow lawmakers and legal staff on a possible amendment to remove the retroactive component altogether when LB 300 comes up for a second reading. The retroactive aspect is part of a current case before the Nebraska Supreme Court, and a ruling later this year by the court could provide clarity.

Lawmakers are handling this issue in a careful, responsible manner. The process should allow LB 300 to reach a final form that deserves passage into law.
YORK  A California man has been fined in a case in which he was initially charged with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.

Torey D. Tuck, 33, of Sun City, Calif., earlier entered his plea of no contest to an amended charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

The plea agreement allowed his charge to go from a Class 1D felony to a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Tuck was the renter of and passenger in a vehicle that was stopped on Interstate 80 by a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol.

The driver was Ty Rivers, 32, of Romoland, Calif.

The trooper stopped the vehicle for speeding.

It was discovered that Rivers was a convicted felon with a suspended license. It was also discovered that Tuck was a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history and this was the sixth vehicle he had rented in a year, which officers felt could be indicative of criminal activity.

Investigators said Rivers, Tuck and two other passengers were making conflicting statements about their travel plans.

Then a drug dog alerted to the car, indicating there were narcotics inside.

A search was conducted and investigators found a container of rolling papers, marijuana joints, a grinder, marijuana and THC candies.

In the glove compartment, they found a .40 caliber pistol which was located with a magazine and had a bullet in the chamber.

In a rear compartment, they found a black violin case and inside were additional handguns, which were not loaded. Also in the rear compartment were several magazines which were loaded with bullets and approximately 100 rounds of ammunition.

One of the guns was allegedly stolen in Florida.

It was also noted in court documents that the men were members of the known gang, The Thunderguards.

This week, Tuck was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
YORK  York County employees will not have to contribute anything toward the premiums for individual insurance policies after all, as the majority of county commissioner voted Tuesday to leave the payment arrangement the way it is now.

Two weeks ago, Commissioner Kurt Bulgrin revived a proposal hes brought to the board several times in the past  that county officials, department heads and employees should contribute at least 5 percent of their premium costs for individual policies. They do contribute a percentage for family, child and spousal coverage, but individual policies are solely paid for by the county. Bulgrin also suggested that next year, the percentage could be raised to 10 percent, then 15 percent the year after that and 20 percent the year after that . . . to be capped at 20 percent.

Based on the current premium rates, the following would have been the monthly cost to county employees for individual policies, should the change have been made: 5 percent participation would have cost the employee $38.29 a month; 10 percent would have cost the employee $76.58 a month; 15 percent would have cost the employee $114.87 a month; 20 percent would have cost the employee $153.16 a month.

The purpose, Bulgrin said, would be to save taxpayer dollars . . . which, based on current figures, could have totaled about $139,000 a year (if the 20 percent participation had been approved and reached).

He also noted that most people who work in the private sector either pay all their own premiums, or 50 percent, or higher, in cost-shares with their employers . . . so they expect their public employees, whom they pay with tax dollars, to financially participate in some way, at even a small percentage.

This raised an argument among the county board members and the employees who were present at that meeting two weeks ago.

The matter was tabled, so the county commissioners could hear input from the public on the matter.

On Tuesday morning, Bulgrin told the board, I still feel county employees should contribute something.

And I still disagree, said Commissioner Bill Bamesberger. We will have to put the budget together. We havent talked about any employee raises, or not. And any raises that are given, I think the employees would still be behind the Eight Ball (if they have to pay toward their insurance) as they would get less than they do now.

I also had to look at employee morale and I think we would lose employees, Bamesberger continued. I have to think about the longevity of our employees as I think people would look at working at lots of places where they wont have to pay that rate for insurance. I think our insurance costs are ridiculous  but I think we need to bid out our insurance again. I think we can do something different and not have to impose a fee on the employees.

Right now, the county spends the following: $765.78 a month for each individual employee policy; $1,019.86 for each employee/spouse policy; $840.13 for each employee/child policy; and $1,320.78 for each family policy. All totaled, York County spends $78,483.49 a month for health insurance premiums. The annual total (based on Jan. 1, 2017 premiums) is $941,801.88.

Other counties were polled about how they provide insurance benefits, and looking at that survey, we seem to be right in line with the other counties, said Commissioner Randy Obermier. I did have three or four people from the public make comment to me on the subject, which wasnt as many as I expected. They mostly commented on the $139,000 (potential cost savings) figure. That figure, however, is pretty much theoretic. Ive struggled with this a bit, especially when we compare ourselves to the private sector.

Obermier said people working in the private sector who have to financially participate in their insurance policies probably didnt get that benefit (of not paying for individual policies) when they were hired on. Our people did get that as a benefit when they were hired on. Thats what they were given as part of their pay. But, yes, I do see that trend is changing (with more employee participation, at other counties). I also have to point out that we are in line with other taxing entities (such as the city and the school district, which do not require their employees to financially participate at all).

I could maybe go with a 5 percent participation, if persuaded, Bamesberger said, but then not up to 20 percent. We are supposed to be cutting taxes and watching spending, but I dont think we should cut employee benefits.

The proposed percentages of increases were for discussion only, the way I understood it, said Commissioner Paul Buller. I dont have a problem with employees paying 5 percent. Over that, I dont think that is necessary. But I do have to say that I think we need to bid out for insurance completely, this year.

We need to look at the demographics of our employees, said Commissioner Chairman Jack Sikes. If we had all 25-year-olds working for the county, well, wed likely have cheaper premiums. You could raise the deductible, and remember, we pay the second half of the deductibles as benefits. The school district pays 100 percent for their employees and their families and they are a taxing entity. Ive heard the superintendent talk about getting money from the state, but if they can afford to pay for all their employees . . . well . . .

And I want to talk about the comment about saving that $139,000, after which the comment was made that the savings could be spent to fix the courthouse. That is just switching where the money is spent. Thats not saving taxpayers money, Sikes continued. If you are not reducing spending, then you are not saving any money at all. Most people live check to check . . . take some of that out and it hurts everyone.

Sikes noted that a recent advertisement said a starting position at the Nebraska Center for Women was for $18 an hour . . . some positions at the county roads department start at $14 an hour.

Some people cant afford to lose some of their checks and Im afraid employees would look elsewhere for work, Sikes said.

Bulgrin said hes talked with a number of people who have $13,000, $15,000 and higher dollar deductibles, and they question the countys $2,000 deductible (which is then half-way paid down by the county).

Obermier noted that benefits (insurance, vacation pay, etc.) equate to about 50 percent of many county employees wages, which he felt should be recognized.

A man in the audience, who did not identify himself except to say he worked at the roads department, said this topic has stirred up a lot of discontent and mistrust. Im afraid that if you open that door there will be no limit to it. If a young guy had to pay for some of his own insurance costs, it would be tough. It would be a big chunk of change.

Another man who said he also works at the roads department added, the majority of our guys are really good help and they earn their keep. We had one guy quit because our insurance got so high he couldnt keep his family on it. That means we have to retrain people and many have no experience or licensing when they first come here.

And, I hate to say it, but I hear rumors, too, of a word I dont really like . . . union, the other road worker said.

Years ago, the roads department was unionized . . . which was later dissolved.

Well, I would like anyone to show me how taxpayers benefit from a union or employees benefit from a union, Bulgrin responded. Do you want to know why government entities pay full benefits for employees? Its because of the existence of unions. Unions hold the taxpayers hostage. Its disgusting.

York County Treasurer Brenda Scavo asked how many employees benefit from the deductible co-pay  that information was not readily available. By us not using that (going over the first half of the deductible), if we dont need that, we are saving the county money.

We need to know what we will do with the budget before we can make any insurance decisions, said Bamesberger.

Lori Byers from the countys aging services noted that her department has the least-paid employees with some at $10 an hour. I have one employee working three jobs to make ends meet, she said.

At $14 an hour, those are our new ones, the ones we train and want to keep around, said York County Highway Superintendent Harvey Keim. If not, we will become a stepping stone and they will go somewhere else. And that will shrink our pool even further. Im dead set against taking money away from people. They were hired with us saying this is what we will give you.

The reason, I think, that the word union was brought out was because of what we went through in the past, said the road department employee. I realize that raised a sore subject, but so did taking money away from us. I think it was more of a statement to prove a point. I know unions are bad subjects, I helped end the one we had.

I didnt bring any of this up to stick the employee in the side, Bulgrin said, but to save the taxpayers money.

Maybe we officials and department heads can find ways to save money and cuts without taking anything from the employees, said Assessor Ann Charlton. Maybe we can cut other things.

Either we say the employees pay something or they dont, are we interested or not? Thats the decision we are making right now, Obermier said.

We can talk about this until the sun sets tonight, Bamesberger said. Im making a motion that we leave things as they are, for this next fiscal year.

Sikes seconded the motion.

Before we vote, I have to say something that will probably make people mad but it is what it is, said Commissioner Buller. I have no problem with everyone paying 5 percent. The 10-20 percent, probably not, thats probably pretty steep. Ill support the motion but I would like to see us re-bid . . . the broker, the insurance, whatever, all of it. We are paying too much. I want to say that on the record.

If anything, this conversation brought up the fact that we pay a lot, it brought the employees into the process, Bulgrin said. I want to thank the taxpayers who contacted us. I think we need something. We need to bring the costs down.

Which is why we need to rebid it, Bamesberger said.

We need to look for cost savings, Buller added.

When the vote was taken, everyone but Bulgrin voted in favor of leaving the financial configuration of the countys health insurance premiums the same as they have been.
YORK  Ten women need the Cornhusker Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., and the association of builders needs them right back.

Construction jobs in the hundreds and thousands are going unfilled in Nebraska. The situation has become so critical to its industry that the ABC trade association has taken recruitment and training into its own hands.

To that end, ABC president and CEO Anne M.N. Klute came to the state prison for women in York last week to personally bestow certificates of completion upon 10 women who have successfully completed the first phase of an intense, but by all appearances thoroughly fun, session of classroom study in combination with hands-on training under the tutelage of Geneva resident Perry Valcoure and Kent Will, a six-year member of the NCCW maintenance staff.

Such was class members interest and motivation, said Klute, that the women completed the three-month course of study a full month early.

To honor their accomplishment the ladies were treated to a graduation ceremony complete with class photo, beverages and a big pan of thick brownies that proved to be an enormous hit.

A sure-to-be-challenging course of applied construction math will be followed by a section in which the 10 women will study construction technology.

The program is a logical strategy for the fact it is certain to reduce inmate recidivism while also helping the construction trades industry to fill at least some of the open jobs the 140 members of Nebraskas branch of ABC are desperate to fill.

The program, said Valcoure, is a succession of building blocks which, placed one atop the next, will form a staircase sure to make the ladies extremely employable.

Cassandra Southwick of Omaha said, I really enjoy the class. The teacher is knowledgeable, she said, and we worked at our own pace which made the women comfortable in what was, for them, a foreign environment of tools, materials and new techniques.

Southwick and the others, she said and Klute confirmed, have earned 18 months of free ABC training when each is released.

Rachel Church from Central City enjoyed the class, too. It was a great experience, she said, that presented a lot of valuable experience in furthering her education along a new path laden with potential.

The potential impact upon the graduates lives cannot be overstated for how it offers a perfect opportunity to get and keep higher-paying, consistent construction jobs they can do anywhere.

Warden Denise Davidson, speaking to the full group, called Valcoures involvement, A match made in heaven and it came from heaven, too.

That said, The real work was done by you guys, she said to the graduates while saying she is also, Very grateful to Anne (Klute) and ABC.

Class member Valerie Barron from La Puente, Calif., spoke up to thank the warden, ABC and the programs instructors.

A lot of people in the yard are interested, too, she reported. I really learned a lot. I have done time in California, she added, but this is the first time I have something to take out with me upon release.

Classmate Claudia Perez from Norfolk agreed.

I appreciate it very much, she said of what is likely a life- and behavior changing experience for a young woman who, in her own words, turned a one-year sentence into seven years. What happened? I fought the police, she answered bluntly.

Now, however, Perez and the others are experiencing hope, optimism, self-worth and the extent of her own potential.

Its a blessing, she said of the program. They are doing something at NCCW, she said. A lot of people are doing something inside the facility, she said, to help the ladies lift themselves up, turn troubled lives back toward the light and take command of their own futures.

The construction industry needs you, said Klute. We are looking forward to having you in the industry, she added, punctuating the unmistakable sincerity of her words by making direct eye contact with each of the 10 women individually. This is an opportunity that corrections is giving you. Its a blessing that the legislature and corrections made this possible.

We want you in the industry, she said, now with even more conviction in her voice.

Hear me, she slowly and deliberately repeated, We  WANT  you!
Reserve wins in AF Media contest

Air Force Reservists took four first and one third place in the 2016 Air Force Media Contest.



Winners by category are:



Civilian Graphic Artist of the Year -- Katie Justen, 459th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs, Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.



Operational Documentation Photography -- Capt. Bernie Kale, 512th Airlift Wing Public Affairs, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.



Short-Form Production



Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.



Civilian Enterprise News Publication, third place -- 452nd Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs, March Air Reserve Base, California.



Communicator of the Year -- Tech. Sgt. Nathan Rivard, 512th Airlift Wing, Dover AFB.



Some first-place winners will go on to compete at the Department of Defense level. :
This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company.

As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism.

We hope you are equally as excited as us.

This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers.

Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited.

In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy.

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The Sirius building in Sydneys The Rocks district has been a source of contention between those who want to preserve it and those who wish to see it sold and demolished.

In early 2016, the Heritage Council of NSW unanimously recommended the listing of the Sirius Building in the State Heritage register, citing its historical and architectural importance. However, then Heritage Minister Mark Speakman decided against listing the building in July, saying the structure would deny the state about $70m that could be spent on other social housing.

Since then, the community group Millers Point Community Assoc. Incorporated has been battling to convince the Land and Environment court to quash Speakmans decision. The groups Save Our Sirius foundation launched a legal challenge that could block the intended sale and demolition of the social housing block, which is situated next to Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Our client argued that [Speakman] did not make a determination as to whether or not the Sirius was important in regards to heritage significance, said Elaine Johnson from the Environmental Defenders Office, which is representing Millers Point. Secondly, our client rebutted the ministers argument that it would cause undue finical hardship to the state of NSW.

The state government has argued that the sale of the Sirius building could finance 240 new social housing units in Sydney.

The legal case may be the final chance for the Save Our Sirius foundation to preserve the building, which is home to one remaining tenant: legally blind 90-year-old Myra Demetriou. All the other tenants have been rehoused and the buildings communal areas have been sealed off.

Many Sydneysiders wish to see the building preserved for future generations. There were so many supporters at the Land and Environment court during the cases hearing last Friday that it had to be moved to a bigger court.

We went to a lot of trouble to assemble the best team possible for the case to go to court  and they [are] all exceptional and presented our argument in a very good way, said Shaun Carter, chairperson of Save Our Sirius. The hearing was a fine display of legal skills from both sides. Whatever the outcome we  feel that our complaint was dealt with thoroughly and we will accept the result as it comes.

Each side has a week to submit supplementary documents before the judge is required to make his decision.

Related stories:

Surge In Demolitions As Investors, Home Owners Look To Redevelop Sydney's West

Sydney Real Estate Is Cheap, And There Is No Property Bubble
The Lutheran Education Foundation (LEF) raised over $127,000 at its 22nd annual Lincoln Lutheran Gala and Dinner Auction on March 17 at the Embassy Suites, 1040 P St.

Proceeds from the silent and live auctions will support the Christian education of current and future students. For the first time gala attendees were able to utilize mobile bidding during the silent auction. Auction planners tapped the expertise of Lincoln Lutheran students to support attendees in the use of this new technology.

Kristin Bennett, development assistant and Gala coordinator, said she was excited to have new items on the auction and many new attendees. It was very humbling to see everyone get together for a great night of celebration of Lutheran education.

Pastor honored

Pastor Luke Schnake was honored as the 2017 Lincoln Lutheran Founders Award winner. Wil Tewes received the LEF Lifetime Commit to the Lord Award. These awards recognized ways in which these individuals have worked to enhance the ministry of Lincoln Lutheran and Lutheran education to the community of Lincoln.

It was a humbling experience to stand in front of 400 people and watch as attendees donated more than $30,000 in support of needs-based scholarships in just a few short minutes, said Lloyd Wagnitz, Director of Ministry Advancement. The event brings people together in generous support of students and for an evening of fun and fellowship.

Derek Trutna, chairman of the Gala Committee, added: This years gala was a great success. Year after year, the gala continues to be a special evening for the Lincoln Lutheran community.

"We especially thank all of those that attended and supported this year's event. It is because of their generosity and the help of all the volunteers and staff that this event continues to be so successful."

Next years Gala is scheduled for March 23, 2018.
Washington: White House spokesman Sean Spicer triggered an uproar on Tuesday by saying Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons. He apologised after his comments drew immediate criticism on social media and elsewhere for overlooking the fact that millions of Jews were killed in Nazi gas chambers.



Spicer made the assertion at a daily news briefing, during a discussion about the April 4 chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed 87 people. Washington has blamed the attack on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.



"You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn`t even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said when asked about Russia`s alliance with the Syrian government.



The Nazis murdered six million Jews during World War Two. Many Jews, as well as others, were killed in gas chambers in European concentration camps.



When a reporter asked Spicer if he wanted to clarify his comments, he said: "I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing."



Later on Tuesday, Spicer apologised and said he should not have made that comparison.



"It was a mistake. I shouldn`t have done it and I won`t do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive."



Spicer`s assertion, made during the Jewish holiday of Passover, sparked instant outrage on social media and from some Holocaust memorial groups who accused him of minimizing Hitler`s crimes.

"Sean Spicer now lacks the integrity to serve as White House press secretary, and President Trump must fire him at once," said Steven Goldstein, executive director of the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect.



Shortly after the White House briefing, Spicer e-mailed a statement to reporters in response to their querie but had stopped short of offering an explicit apology.



"In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centres. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," Spicer said in the statement.



The US Holocaust Museum did not mention Spicer`s comments directly but sent out a tweet shortly after the briefing that showed graphic footage of dead bodies US forces found while liberating the Buchenwald concentration camp.



The video was retweeted more than a thousand times, with many Twitter users referencing Spicer`s comments.



US House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called on Republican President Donald Trump to reject Spicer`s assertion.



"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman`s statements," Pelosi said in a statement.



The White House did not immediately respond when asked to comment on Pelosi`s statement.



It was not the first time the White House has had to answer questions about the Holocaust. Critics in January noted the administration`s statement marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which omitted any mention of Jewish victims.



At the time, Spicer defended that statement by saying it had been written in part by a Jewish staff member whose family members had survived the Holocaust.
New Delhi: The CBI has arrested four directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited for allegedly cheating consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2240 crore.

Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal have been arrested on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB), the CBI sources said.

It is alleged that the four accused used more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds, they said.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the CBI sources said.

The PNB alleged that the company had diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium.

Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, they said.

The accused will be produced before the Patiala House Court today.
New Delhi: The Finance Ministry has rejected iPhone maker Apple's demand for tax exemptions for setting up a manufacturing unit in India saying that the decision will have to be taken up by the GST Council.

The US-based firm has indicated plans to put up manufacturing lines in India this year.

Apple had sought concessions such as duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment for smartphones for 15 years, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, P P Chaudhary, said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

These demands were "examined in the Department of Revenue and have not been accepted", he said.

He said these incentives cannot be accepted as with the coming into force of the new indirect tax regime "all imports will be liable to IGST (integrated GST)and any exemptions from CGST (centre)/SGST (state)/IGST can be granted based on the recommendations of the GST Council only".

All existing exemptions from excise duty to countervailing duty will also be reviewed by the GST Council, he added.

India is all set to roll out the Goods and Services Tax from July 1 which will subsume all the indirect taxes at the state as well as the central level. It is billed as the biggest tax reform in the country since the Independence that aims at making India a 'one nation, one tax' market.

There is no exemption from basic customs duty (BCD), countervailing duty (CVD) and special additional duty (SAD) on imports of parts for repair of mobile phones, he said.

Chaudhary said that zero BCD, CVD and SAD is provided for making of mobile phones' components and sub parts.

However, in the Budget 2017-18, a concessional SAD of 2 per cent was imposed on populated Printed Circuit Boards for manufacture of mobile phones, he said.

Chaudhary said specified capital goods required for making mobile phones have already been exempted from BCD with effect from 2004.

Meanwhile, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha said that Apple has indicated its plans for putting manufacturing lines this year.

"Apple in their communications, indicated their plan for selective introduction of manufacturing lines in Spring 2017," Sitharaman said.

With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs.

It, however, does not make devices on its own and does it through contract manufacturers.

The company sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others.

It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.
Hyderabad: Veteran industrialist Adi B Godrej has disapproved the move of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy to publicly express concern over the pay hike of the company's COO, as he justified a big gap between salaries at the entry and top levels.

"Of course, there will be a big gap because there are very few people capable of taking top-level things but I think that it (executive pay packets) should be left to each company," the Godrej Group Chairman told PTI.

"And I don't think people should publicly comment on such issues. There is no need to publicly comment on such issues," he said.

Godrej was responding to questions on Murthy criticising the pay hike of Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Infosys, U B Pravin Rao.

"Each company should decide, its Board should decide. If the Board has decided after proper considerations why should others complain?" the former President of the Confederation of Indian Industry asked.
New Delhi: A high-level FRBM panel has recommended keeping budgetary deficit at 3 percent of GDP in three years to March 2020 and setting up a new council to determine annual targets.

Calling for more focus on debt-to-GDP ratio, its recommendation for the fiscal deficit for the current fiscal is lower than 3.2 percent that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has set for himself in the Budget for 2017-18.

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) committee headed by former revenue secretary N K Singh suggested combined debt-to-GDP of 60 percent by 2023, 40 percent for the central government and 20 percent for state governments.

The report, which was made public today, was submitted to the finance minister before budget this year. Many of the recommendations were incorporated in the Budget for 2017-18.

While recommending 3 percent fiscal deficit for current fiscal and the next and progressively reducing it to 2.5 percent by 2022-23, the panel has provided for 'escape clauses', for deviations up to 0.5 percent of GDP, from the stipulated fiscal deficit target.

Among the triggers for taking recourse to these escape clauses, the panel has included "far-reaching structural reforms in the economy with unanticipated fiscal implications".

The government has this fiscal marginally deviated from earlier fiscal consolidation road map by deferring the 3 percent target by a year. Fiscal deficit in 2016-17 was 3.5 per cent of GDP.

The panel recommended constituting a three-member Fiscal Council to prepare multi-year fiscal forecasts and a debt and fiscal sustainability analysis that makes projections on key fiscal indicators.

It is to provide an independent assessment of the central government's fiscal performance and compliance with targets as also advise if conditions exist to permit a deviation for invocation in the escape or buoyancy clause.

The committee wanted the existing FRBM Act, 2003 and the FRBM Rules, 2004 repealed and replaced by a new Debt and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

It also suggested lowering revenue deficit to GDP ratio by 0.25 percentage points each year by bringing it down to 0.8 percent in FY2023 from 2.3 per cent in FY2017.

"If there is a sharp increase in real output growth of at least 3 percentage points above the average for the previous four quarters, fiscal deficit must fall by at least 0.5 percentage points below the target. Similar to the escape clause, this buoyancy clause can be invoked by the Government, after formal consultations and advice of the Fiscal Council," it said.

The panel provided that the central government shall not borrow from the Reserve Bank except to meet temporary excess of cash disbursement over cash receipts in any financial year.
New Delhi: The Board of Intermediate Education Andhra Pradesh (BIEAP) will on Thursday declare the AP Intermediate results 2017.

Around 10 lakh students had appeared for the exams.

Once the results are out, students will be able to check both AP Senior Inter Result and AP 11th Result 2017 online by visiting BIEAP's official websites - www.bieap.gov.in or results.cgg.gov.in.

Reportedly, the AP Inter Result would be announced from BIEAP's new office located in Vijayawada.

The result declaration ceremony will be hosted by Andhra Pradesh Education Minister GS Rao and Vice Chairman of the BIEAP Aditya Nath Das.

Following the formal declaration, the BIEAP Results 2017 will be made available online to the students.

Steps to check AP inter results 2017:

Visit www.bieap.gov.in or results.cgg.gov.in

Click on live result link for AP Intermediate Result 2017

Enter your admit card or hall ticket number and other details

Click on submit button

Check your AP Inter Result 2017 online

Download PDF copy and take a printout for future reference


New Delhi: Kerala government has on Tuesday declared National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance Test (NEET) as a compulsory entrance examination for admissions to the private medical colleges across the state.

NEET rankings will now determine admissions for MBBS and BDS courses, however, the government entrance test would be the benchmark for other medical and para-medical courses.

Citing the Supreme Court's ruling of making NEET mandatory for admissions to all medical colleges, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan informed that an ordinance has been issued relating to the regulation of the private colleges of the state.

The admissions to government and private medical colleges in Kerala are now expected to become entirely merit-based depending on the NEET rankings.

Apart from modulating the admissions and fees structure of the private medical colleges of the state, the Kerala Medical Education aims at safeguarding reservations to the backward and the SC/ST communities.
New Delhi: A delegation of 13 Opposition parties met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to being his attention to issues like the lynching of a man in Alwar by cow vigilantes and the concerns surrounding safety of EVMs.

The delegation comprised leaders of various parties led by the Congress and will include the Left and the TMC, the DMK, the NCP, the JD-U, the RJD, the SP and the BSP, among others.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi, CPM Sitaram Yechury were among those present.

Briefing the media after the meeting, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, A 13 member delegation of Opposition parties met Rashtrapati ji. We have given a detailed memorandum to the honourable President.

Azad said the memorandum has detailed many issues facing the country today.

There is a sense of insecurity prevailing in the country; voices of dissent are being muzzled, he said.

The memorandum mentions incidents like the recent killing of a man by a mob in Alawar, Rajasthan by cow vigilantes and similar such incidents that happened in Jharkhand, Udhampur and elsewhere.

The Opposition parties have also expressed their concern over bypassing of the Parliament by the government.

Critical appointments have been made arbitrarily bypassing the Parliament. Key bills are being passed as Money Bills to undermine the constitutional position of the Rajya Sabha, he said,

The Congress' allegations that BJP formed governments in Goa and Manipur by unfair means also finds mention in the memorandum.

The EVM issue was also raised by the Opposition during their meeting with President Mukherjee.

The Opposition had met the Election Commission and they have taken note of it and has promised to hold an all-party meet (on the issue), Azad said.

Azad also alleged that the government is 'attacking' universities and educational institutions in its attempt to create a new history.

He gave examples of the developments concerning the Nalanda University and the Nehru Museum and Library to stress his point.

People who have no connect with the independence movement are being given charge of such institutions, he alleged.

The Opposition parties also expressed concerns about what they called the failure of governance in Jammu and Kashmir.

We have requested the President to protect India's constitutional democracy, safeguard fundamental rights of citizens and to uphold the rule of law, he said.
New Delhi: A group of army veterans today staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission against the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. A group of army veterans today staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission against the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The protesters were led by Delhi Assembly legislator Col (retd) Devinder Sehrawat. They also handed over a memorandum to the authorities at the Pakistan High Commission in Chanakyapuri.retd) Devinder Sehrawat. They also handed over a memorandum to the authorities at the Pakistan High Commission in Chanakyapuri.

"We urged the Pakistan High Commissioner to communicate the outrage over the unacceptable treatment meted out to Jadhav," Sehrawat said.

"Pakistan is creating problems for itself and will have to payback if it continued with such actions. We request the country to take the case of Jadhav seriously and think over continuing any relationship with Pakistan," he said.

Nearly two dozen ex-servicemen, including Col (retd) Ravi Tokas and Col (retd) KPS Rana, took part in the protest.

India has warned Pakistan to consider the "consequences" on bilateral ties if Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid an outrage throughout the country.

Jadhav was "arrested" on March 3 last year by Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was "a serving officer" in the Indian Navy and deputed to the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

The Pakistan Army had released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest.

India has acknowledged that Jadhav served with the navy but denied he has any connection with the government.
Islamabad: China's investment in its ambitious economic corridor project in Pakistan has reached USD 62 billion, jumping more than 34 per cent from its initial investment of USD 46 billion, a top Pakistani official said today.

Sindh province Governor Mohammad Zubair said China's approved financing for several projects in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has reached USD 62 billion.

He made the remarks at a conference on 'Infrastructure demand and financing' jointly organised by credit rating agencies Pacra (Pakistan) and Dagong (China) in Karachi.

"New investment has been approved for projects in various sectors including [establishment of] industrial zones," said Zubair.

He said that the government was also in talks with China to place the Karachi Circular Railway project under the CPEC.

CPEC project will link the Pakistani city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.

The project was launched in 2015 with USD 46 billion but later the investment increased to USD 55 billion.

It for the first time that a senior official revealed that now Chinese invent under the flagship Belt & Road initiative has reached to USD 62 billion.

"This [USD 62 billion investment] is good news. People will bear fruits of the investment,? said Zubair.

The investment is being made for several power generation projects which will add more than 10,000 MW electricity to the national grid by end of 2018, according to government.

China is also building industrial parks and railways and roads to link up its western region through land route to Gwadar port on the mouth to the Arabian Sea.
New Delhi: Excerpts from a class XII Physical Education textbook, titled "Health and Physical Education" written by Dr VK Sharma, defining 36-24-36 as the "best body shape for females" has created an outrage on social media.

The book has been published by Delhi-based New Saraswati House, is taught at various schools affiliated to CBSE.

CBSE, however, clarified that it "does not recommend any books by private publishers in its schools".

"36-24-36 shape of females is considered the best. That is why in Miss World or Miss Universe competitions, such type of shape is also taken into consideration," read an excerpt from the chapter "Physiology and Sports" which is going viral.

In a statement, the CBSE said, "Schools are expected to exercise extreme care while selecting books of private publishers and the content must be scrutinised to preclude any objectionable content that hurts the feeling of any class, community, gender, religious group. Schools have to take responsibility of the content of the books prescribed by them," as per PTI.

Various Twitter users shared picture of the mentioned text and demanded that the publishers withdraw the content and schools replace the book in their curriculum.

The HRD Ministry had last month said that CBSE has no mechanism to evaluate the quality of textbooks of private publishers.

"There is no mechanism to evaluate the quality of textbooks of private publishers. The Central Board of Secondary Education has no mandate to prescribe or recommend the textbooks of private publishers in its affiliated schools," Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha had said in response to a written question in Lok Sabha.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Tuesday lashed out at his own party for jumping on the bandwagon to oppose Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

Arguing that EVMs are beyond doubt, Moily said: I am a former law minister. During my period, EVMs were introduced. And complaints also came. We got them verified. Then you know, you should not forget the history. Just because you think there is a popular wave against EVMs, we will also catch up with that.

Opposition parties on Monday approached the Election Commission expressing their "complete loss of faith" in EVMs and demanded the use of VVPAT (voter-verified paper audit trail) and paper ballots in upcoming polls.

A delegation of 13 opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Nationalist Congress Party and Left parties, among others, met the poll panel following allegations of EVM tampering during the February-March Assembly polls in five states as well as the Sunday by-polls in several states.

When asked if Congress should have joined other opposition parties in approaching the EC, The Times of India quoted Moily as saying, "We shouldn't have. None of us have been consulted... many of us were not consulted."

"EVMs, we know very well. Even during our period (UPA), we got them tested. EVM is not the reason. Just because you are defeated? Only the defeatist people will blame EVMs, otherwise there is no point," Moily said.

The former Union law minister said that "local mistakes" in EVMs are reported but there is a system to address them.

However, he added: "(Talking about) Abusing the technology itself isn't right. It is something I don't subscribe to.

Moily further called the rant against EVMs as "populism".

"This populism will destroy your base. Congress should not go for populism. Just because somebody in some region took up the issue, I don't think you (Congress) should play second fiddle to them," he said.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it does not want to "shut the door" to an amicable settlement of Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal dispute as the Centre expressed its keenness to find a solution, saying it had convened a high-level meeting of Punjab and Haryana on April 20.

"We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution," a bench comprising Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said while deferring to April 27 the final hearing in the matter relating to execution of its verdicts favouring construction of SYL canal.

The observation came when Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, said, "A meeting has been called at the highest level on April 20. The Government of India is very keen to find a solution."

While giving the Centre a chance to explore possibilities of an out-of-court settlement to the water dispute between the two neighbouring states, the top court made it clear that it would proceed with the hearing on the next date if the bid fails.

"Some other things have cropped up," the bench said when senior advocate Shayam Divan, appearing for Haryana, reminded it about the previous order.

The apex court also said that the only issue which remained was the execution of its verdicts allowing construction of the canal.

During the brief hearing, senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Punjab, said he has been saying that the dispute cannot be settled by the judiciary and the parties should sit together and try to find a solution.

Divan reminded the bench that the matter was listed for final hearing to deal with the execution of the court's judgement on construction of the canal.

The senior advocate also said that he was optimistic about the Centre's move to step in to find a solution.

The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has written a communication on April 10 to the Chief Secretaries of both the states intimating them about the proposed meeting on April 20 to discuss the issue.

Earlier, the Centre had made it clear that it was not taking any sides in the dispute between the northern riparian states which also included Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Union territory of Delhi.

In a stern message to Punjab, the apex court had on March 2 said its verdict allowing construction of the SYL canal in Haryana and Punjab has to be implemented.

A five-judge bench, while answering the Presidential Reference on November 11, 2016, had held that the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 was unconstitutional as it negated the effect of apex court judgements of 2002 and 2004.

The court had favoured the construction of SYL canal.

Punjab had contended that the apex court order was not binding as it was given under its advisory jurisdiction and the Punjab law still stands.

The Punjab government had said that the verdict, holding Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 as unconstitutional, did not render the law invalid, as the apex court had only given an opinion on the Presidential Reference.

The apex court had on November 30 last year directed status quo on SYL canal and appointed Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary of Punjab and Punjab DGP as court receivers of the lands, works, property and portions of the canal.

The court had also thwarted Punjab's attempt to wriggle out of SYL water sharing pact, saying it cannot "unilaterally" terminate it or legislate to "nullify" the verdict of the highest court.

The controversial 1981 water-sharing agreement came into being after Haryana was carved out of Punjab in 1966.

For effective allocation of water, the SYL canal link was conceptualised and both the states were required to construct their portions within their territories.

Haryana constructed the portion of SYL canal in its territory. However, Punjab, after the initial phase, stopped the work, leading to spate of litigations.

In 2004, the Congress government in the state came out with the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act with an intention to terminate the 1981 agreement and all other pacts relating to sharing of waters of rivers Ravi and Beas.

The apex court had first decreed the suit of Haryana in 2002 asking Punjab to honour its commitments with regard to water sharing in the case.

Punjab challenged the verdict by filing an original suit that was rejected in 2004 by the Supreme Court which asked the Centre to take over the remaining infrastructural work of the SYL canal project.
Mogadishu: Somali troops on Wednesday rescued eight Indians who had been taken hostage two days earlier by pirates near the coastal town of Hobyo, officials said.

"Our forces have on Wednesday morning rescued eight Indian crew who had been held hostage by Somali pirates in El Hur area," said the Hobyo police chief Bashir Elmi.

"We have also arrested four pirates in the operation," he added.

Somali pirates have waylaid several ships in the past month, raising fears that piracy has regained a hold in the Indian Ocean, reported the New York Times.

The resurgence has been attributed to several causes, including drought, famine, corruption, a surge of smuggled weapons and the influence of the Islamic State militant group.

The recent attacks, including the hijacking of an oil tanker in March, are believed to have been carried out by buccaneers from central Somalia or from Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in the country's northeast.

According to Elmi, the hostages were taken after a clash on Monday between Somali forces and pirates over the Indian ship M.S.V. Al Kausar.

The pirates withdrew but took the eight hostages, leaving behind two other crew members.

"All the crew, including the captain, are now safe and healthy," said Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the mayor of Hobyo.
MILWAUKEE  The CCB TechShowcase, hosted by CCB Technology, will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 13 at Miller Park, 1 Brewers Way. Keynote speaker and former FBI operative Eric ONeill will discuss security issues that companies are facing.

This event will allow local business and IT leaders to view exhibits from more than 30 top technology vendors. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about IT trends and innovations in breakout sessions with companies like Dell, Cisco, HP, Apple, and Microsoft.

The TechShowcase is designed for business professionals who make technology decisions for their organizations. The event is not open to the general public and pre-registration is required. Admission is free and a cybersecurity breakfast and ballpark lunch will be provided. For more information about the event or to register, visit www.ccbtechnology.com/techshowcase.
Haridwar: Upping the ante against Pakistan for awarding death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jhadav, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Wednesday said India should consider Islamabad's move a 'proxy war' and give befitting reply to it.

"Kulbhushan Yadav is a respected citizen of India. Pakistan sentenced him to death which is very shameful. We should consider this as proxy war by Pakistan against India. Our nation should give a befitting reply to Pakistan," Ramdev told ANI.

Asserting that entire nation is with Kulbhushan Jhadav, who has become victim of Pakistan's conspiracy, Ramdev further said India would not tolerate such kind of act.

Earlier, India sent out a stern message to Pakistan with the Parliament strongly condemning the Pakistan military court's verdict sentencing Jadhav to death on charges of spying.

Replying to the issue in the Lok Sabha during the Question Hour on April 11, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh asserted that the government would do whatever is possible to give justice to Jadhav.

Singh said India's request for basic consular access to Jadhav was denied several times.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, in a suo motu statement made in both the Houses of Parliament, warned Islamabad of consequences in bilateral relations if death sentence on Kulbhushan Jadhav is carried out.

She said if the decision of the Pakistani court is implemented, it will be a pre-meditated murder asserting that there was no evidence against Jadhav.

There were also strong protests in front of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year by Pakistan and accused of espionage, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday triggering tension between India and Pakistan.
Islamabad: The Pakistan government's decision of awarding death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav - an alleged Indian spy - can spark "a new, highly destabilizing round of covert actions" by both countries, a Pakistani daily warned on Wednesday.

Another newspaper wondered if the Pakistani military had been hasty in deciding to execute Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of espionage and waging war against Islamabad.

Spy wars between India and Pakistan erupt occasionally, the Dawn said in an editorial.

"But Jadhav`s case is far beyond routine action and could herald a new, highly destabilizing round of covert actions by one country against the other`s security and intelligence apparatus," it added.

The Dawn hoped that back-channel communications or third-party interventions would help India and Pakistan to quickly de-escalate tensions on Jadhav -- and establish new rules on spycraft.

India has warned that if Jadhav was executed, it would amount to premeditated murder.

The sentencing of Jadhav, who Pakistan claims was arrested in Balochistan last year, had sent the "already troubled India-Pakistan relationship into deep uncertainty", the Dawn said.

And despite Jadhav`s conviction, "there remain many unanswered questions", it added.

The Daily Times wondered whether Pakistani authorities had procured all information from Jadhav "or whether they have been hasty in deciding to execute him".

Jadhav`s arrest and sentencing "is a reminder that the deadly proxy wars these two neighbours like to engage in are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

"It is high time both sides to an end to such manoeuvrings and draw up a new outline to work on the prospect of establishing peaceful relations."

Pakistani routinely accuses India of fomenting trouble in Balochistan and Karachi. New Delhi has for years accused Islamabad of funding and supporting terrorist groups in India, including in Jammu and Kashmir.

With IANS inputs
New Delhi: Members cutting across party lines on Wednesday conveyed their greetings to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on the occasion of her birthday.

Mahajan turned 73 today.

Soon after the House assembled, all members stood up and wished her a very happy birthday.

On behalf of the entire House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar conveyed greetings to the Speaker on her birthday.

"On behalf of the entire House, I wish you a long and healthy life," he said.

The Speaker in return thanked everyone for their greetings.

On a lighter note, she said she hoped the members would not mind as she has been reprimanding them often while conducting the House.

Here's the video:

Later while asking a supplementary during Question Hour, TRS member Jithender Reddy wished her on her birthday and said a play, based on her book 'Matoshree' and staged in the Parliament House complex yesterday, was very good.

"I hope you too become an icon like Devi Ahilyabai," he said.

The book 'Matoshree', authored by Mahajan, covers the life and times of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, the Queen of the erstwhile Malwa kingdom in central India.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday unveiled the book.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: India has no plans to construct a wall along its border with Pakistan, Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

"There was no proposal with the government of India to build a wall along the Pakistan border," Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said replying a written question.

The Minister said the government has adopted a multi- pronged approach for security arrangements at the Indo-Pak border.

"The arrangements include deployment of BSF, construction of border fence, construction of border roads, installation of floodlights, construction of BOPs, introduction of hi-tech surveillance equipments, providing weapons and specialised vehicles to security forces," he said.
New Delhi: A report on Wednesday claimed that Mohammad Habib Zahir, the retired Lt Colonel of the Pakistan Army who disappeared from Lumbini near Nepals border with India on April 06, was a part of the team that kidnapped Kulbhushan Jadhav from Iran in March 2016.

The Indian Express has quoted sources in the security establishment as saying that Indian agencies had been on Zahirs trail for long and he is now suspected to be in the Indian custody.

He was last spotted in Lumbini. Pakistan's announcement of awarding death penalty to Jadhav was linked to the disappearance of Zahir, the daily cited sources as saying.

Zahir was at the Indo-Nepal border last week. He was in the team that had trailed Jadhav. There is definitely a connection between the two cases, an officer said.

No sooner did the Pakistani authorities learn of Zahirs disappearance, Jadhav was pronounced guilty of being a spy. The purpose is clear. They didnt want any Indian agency to go public, the officer added.

Albeit Zahir retired from the Pakistan Army in October 2014 yet was reportedly roped in by the Pakistan's spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to carry out its clandestine operations.

In 2015, he picked up conversations between Jadhav and his family members and started tracking him, the daily quoted sources as saying.

Jadhav used an Indian passport issued in the name of Hussein Mubarak Patel to carry out his dhow business in Iran. Pakistani agencies heard him speaking to his family members in Marathi. Zahir started trailing Jadhav. A trap was laid and Jadhav was apprehended in March 2016, the officer said.

Sources said Zahir was lured of a big catch to ensure his presence in Nepal. The man who turned in Zahir established a connection with him through a UK phone number to pass information on a mole, said the daily. The duo met a couple of times in Oman.

Zahir arrived in Oman on April 2 and reached Kathmandu the next day. On his arrival in Nepal, he was handed over a SIM card at Bhairawa. Zahir was told that this was to facilitate his communication with a point person. From there, he was made to travel to Lumbini near the border, the officer said.

The family of the retired Pakistan Army officer has also told police that he may have been kidnapped by "enemy spy agencies", an apparent reference to Indian intelligence agencies.

Saad Habib, a son of the missing officer, in an FIR lodged late Sunday with Rawat police station near Rawalpindi, said that his father was received by one Javed Ansari in Nepal who took him to Lumbini, a town near the Indian border.

We suspect that my father has been abducted and enemy spy agencies might be responsible for it, a police officer quoted Saad as saying. Enemy word is often used for India in Pakistani security circles.

Zahir last contacted his family on Thursday afternoon and since then his phone numbers have not been reachable.

Habib, who belonged to artillery wing of the Army before his retirement, was currently employed with a private firm in Pakistan and had posted his CV online for employment.

News agency PTI had earlier reported that a caller identified as Mark Thompson had reportedly contacted him both via e-mail and telephone for a job interview in Nepal for which he was also provided an air ticket.

An initial probe by security agencies showed that the UK number was computer-generated and the e-mails and website domains were registered in India, creating an alarm that Indian spies might have tricked the officer.

Habib last contacted his family on Thursday afternoon and since then his phone numbers have not been reachable.

Foreign Office spokesman Mohammed Nafees Zakari said the ministry had asked authorities in Nepal to look into the disappearance of Habib.

The last message that Habib sent from Lumbini said he had reached his destination.

A Pakistani statement described Jadhav as an Indian Naval officer attached to the Research and Analysis Wing. India, however, says that Jadhav, whose family lives in Mumbai, had gone to Iran for business purposes and was kidnapped by Pakistan.
Islamabad: Pakistan's Hindu Marriage Act 2017, which came into effect on March 19, has raised hope that it will help prevent incidents of kidnapping of Hindu minority women and their conversion to other faiths for bigamous, forced marriages.

The new law, passed by Pakistan's Parliament, allows Hindus to register their marriages for first time since 1947.

The landmark law, which was unanimously adopted by the National Assembly, aims at regulating marriages of minority Hindus in the country.

The law was passed after a lengthy process of enactment. The National Assembly had passed the bill in September last year but had to pass it again as its version of the bill was changed by the Senate, when it adopted the law in February.

The historic Hindu Marriage Act aims to protect families - and the women and children of the Hindu community particularly, by recognizing their marriages in law.

After the passing of the law, millions of women from Pakistan's Hindu minority community now have the right to a certificate establishing their marital status under the Hindu Marriage Act 2017 that was signed into law on March 19.

"We Hindu girls and married women have lived in the shadow of constant fear ... of being kidnapped, forced to abandon our faith and convert and re-married forcibly to someone not from our faith," said Gobia, a graduate in English literature from a government college in the town of Dharaki in southern Pakistan.

She hopes the new marriage law will help prevent such incidents of kidnapping of Hindu minority women and their forced conversion to other faiths for bigamous, forced marriages.

"With our marriages now legally registered with government authority ... no one could be able to stop us and our husbands from proving our marital status," Gobia was quoted as saying by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"More importantly, bigamy has now been termed an unlawful and punishable crime in the new law - that is a big relief."

Since partition from India in 1947, and the creation of Pakistan as a separate state for Muslims, marriages of the Hindu minority of 30 million were not officially recognized, leaving Hindu women without protection under the law.

"Our married daughters and sisters have been kidnapped by local non-Hindu influentials and forced to convert to Islam," said lawyer Arjun Das, chairman of Pakistan Council of Meghwar, a Hindu community, who campaigned for the marriage law.

The historic Hindu Marriage Act aims to protect families - and the women and children of the Hindu community particularly, by recognizing their marriages in law, said Zahid Hamid, Federal Law and Justice Minister.

"Marriage registrars will be appointed by the government in different parts of the country as provided in the law," he said.

"The registrars will be authorized to register Hindu marriages under the act. Besides maintaining Hindu marriage records, they will also be authorized to issue legal marriage certificates," he added.

The minister said particular efforts had been made to address the issue of bigamy in Pakistan.

Representatives of the Pakistan Hindu Council and Pakistan Council of Meghwar have long struggled for a law to protect women from conversions to other faiths and forced marriages.

But Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, patron-in-chief of Pakistan Hindu Council, said the new law needed strong political will to ensure its implementation and campaigns in schools and the media to raise awareness of the legislation.
New Delhi: Parliament was on Wednesday adjourned sine die as the Budget Session (242nd Session) came to an end. While the Chairs of both houses expressed satisfaction over the amount of legislative business conducted, the government called it the most fruitful and golden session in Indian legislative history.



Apart from the Budget 2017-18, Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill, Parliament also passed the crucial Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill aimed at introducing a uniform indirect tax regime across the country.



A total of 24 bills were introduced during the session. Of these, the Lok Sabha passed 23 bills, while the Rajya Sabha passed 14. A total of 18 bills were passed by both the houses.



The session commenced on January 31, a first in the history of Indian Parliament. It went into recess for 27 days from February 10, and was reconvened on March 9. In all, both houses of Parliament held 29 sittings each during the session.



"This Budget session has been very fruitful... in the last 70 years. This is for the first time in Indian legislative history that all financial business of government has been completed before the start of the next financial year, and that too by following the due process of general discussion and scrutiny by Standing Committees," Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.



He said the Union Budget 2017-18 has already come into effect from April 1, which is "unprecedented".



The Finance Bill led to sparks in the Rajya Sabha as the opposition accused the Centre of misusing the money bill route to amend laws in order to bypass the upper house. It made certain recommendations to the Finance Bill, which were rejected by the Lok Sabha.



The Lok Sabha's productivity turned out to be 113 per cent while that of the Rajya Sabha was 92 per cent.



While the Lok Sabha lost around eight hours to interruptions, the Rajya Sabha lost 18 hours.



The lower house worked 19 hours extra while the upper house worked seven extra hours to make up for the loss.



Some of the important bills passed by both the houses include the four GST Bills, Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, Mental Healthcare Bill and the Employee's Compensation (Amendment) Bill.



The government also got the contentious Enemy Property Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha -- where it is not in majority -- albeit in the absence of a majority of opposition members and a walkout by remaining few in protest before the bill was passed. The government had brought the bill on a Friday when the attendance is usually thin in the Rajya Sabha.



The Parliamentary Affairs Minister appreciated the cooperation extended by the opposition in the transaction of legislative business, but blamed the Congress for stalling a bill for the grant of constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.



Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chair Hamid Ansari, in his valedictory remarks, appreciated the members' enthusiasm in participating in the house proceedings, especially those from the last two rows.



"The participation of the members occupying the last two rows is remarkable. Out of a total of 205 Zero Hour submissions, they raised 86 -- approximately 42 per cent," Ansari said.



"The members' zeal to raise matters of urgent public importance with concern and passion is manifested in the 205 Zero Hour submissions and 76 Special Mentions made and in the 435 Starred Questions with more than 535 Supplementaries and 4,629 Unstarred Questions raised by them," he said.



Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too expressed pleasure over the smooth conduct of the session and hailed it as "very fruitful and productive".



"All processes related to the Budget, related to tax or expenditure, have been completed before the end of this financial year. This gave the government departments an opportunity to spend on public welfare works," she said.



During the Winter Session in 2016, which saw a complete washout in the wake of the November 8 demonetisation, the Chairs had expressed deep displeasure over the stalling of the two houses by their respective members.


Beijing: In yet another provocative attempt, Chinese media has said, people of Arunachal Pradesh are unhappy under India's 'illegal' rule, and looking forward to returning to China.

Annoyed with Dalai Lama's recent Arunachal visit, a report in China Daily described the spiritual leader as 'troublemaker'.

The Dalai Lama has betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither. China and India have engaged in border issue negotiations for more than 20 years, which has yet to yield any final conclusion, the Chinese daily reported.

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Tuesday wrapped up his week-long tour of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing had strongly objected to.

The Chinese media last week described India's move to allow Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh despite China's objection as clumsy and rude.

It further threatened that China could interfere in turbulent Kashmir against Indias invitation to the 82-year-old Tibetan leader.
New Delhi: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said the people of his country were eagerly waiting for the "historic" visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He stated this in a tweet while responding to a message of greeting by Modi.

"Thank you, my friend, for your kind holiday greeting. The people of Israel eagerly await your historic visit," Netanyahu tweeted, which was re-tweeted by the PMO.

Two days back, Modi had tweeted, "Khag Sameach Khaverim". In Hebrew, it is used as a greeting for the holidays.

Modi is expected to travel to Israel some time in the next few months.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed opposition parties for stalling a bill that seeks to accord constitutional status to the OBC commission, questioning why they stopped its passage in the Rajya Sabha when it aims to benefit backward castes.

Modi was addressing the OBC MPs of BJP, who had gathered to thank the Prime Minister for the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha which seeks to create National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC), with judicial powers and constitutional status.

"The Prime Minister said this bill will ensure justice to backward sections of the society and will also help in their social empowerment, but it is surprising why this bill was not passed in the Upper House," BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said, quoting Modi, after the meeting.

The Prime Minister said it would have been better if this bill was passed in the Upper House, he added.

Modi also asked the MPs to spread the message about the bill and make backward classes aware about it and how it would be a game changer in their lives.

The Rajya Sabha had yesterday referred the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-third Amendment) Bill, 2017, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, to the Select Committee after opposition forced the government.

The committee to examine the bill will be headed by BJP member Bhupender Yadav. It has been asked to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the next session.

The 25-member Rajya Sabha Select Committee includes Sharad Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Satish Mishra and Praful Patel.

According to the bill, the new body NCSEBC will replace the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

Once the Bill is passed, states will not be able to add or delete castes from the backward classes' list without Parliament's approval.
RACINE  A 33-year-old man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison in connection with a fatal Christmas night crash two years ago.

Bradley Hayek fatally struck Robert Castaneda with his vehicle while Castaneda crossed a residential street at about 9:15 p.m. Dec. 25, 2014.

Hayek was convicted in January of six felonies including hit-and-run involving death and homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Hayek, of the 2400 block of Geneva Street, was also found guilty of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle and three counts of bail jumping.

During a week-long trial, prosecutors said Hayek initially drove a few blocks away before coming back to the scene in the 900 block of Romayne Avenue. He then reportedly fled again on foot to his sisters house. Hayek also drank alcohol and took sedatives before the crash, prosecutors said.

Hayeks attorney argued the area was dark and Castaneda, 45, wore dark clothing. The attorney also said it wasnt immediately clear what happened when the collision occurred and that Hayek was back at the scene before emergency responders arrived.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Gujarat trial court to consider self styled godman and rself-styled Asaram Bapu case urgently and finish the trial in a time bound manner.

Earlier in February, the Apex Court had directed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Government to provide full protection to the witnesses in the Asaram rape-case.An apex court bench headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan passed the interim order after hearing the plea filed by the lawyer of the four witnesses.

Advocate for petitioners, Utsav Bains appeared and argued before the court and sought full protection of the witnesses in the case. The apex court on February 6 had refused to hear the self-styled godman`s bail plea.

Asaram had knocked the doors of the apex court seeking bail in connection with the same case. The apex court earlier on January 30 also dismissed his bail application.While refusing to modify its earlier order that denied bail to Asaram, an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar remained resolute on its decision.

The bail plea was sought on medical grounds. The Jodhpur Police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013 and since then he is in prison. A teenager had accused Asaram of sexually assaulting her during celebration in a village near Jodhpur ashram.

The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court division bench that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely to proceed in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months so the bail should not be granted to him in the case.

The apex court had in October last year sought the Centre`s response and five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probe into the alleged murder of children through black magic and attacks on ten witnesses in Asaram`s rape cases.
New Delhi: The terror launch pads that the Indian Army destroyed after the Uri attack are active again, a report said on Wednesday.

This is the time of the year when snow thaws and Pakistani forces try to push through infiltrators into India.

Talking to NDTV, Major General RP Kalita, who heads the Army's 19 Division based in Baramulla, said that terror launch pads directly opposite Uri in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) have now been reoccupied.

"After the surgical strike, for some time we had intelligence inputs that some of them (terrorists) had moved back but during the winter, we continued to get inputs about their occupation (of launch pads)," Major General Kalita told the channel.

He added that almost all the areas targetted after the Uri terror attacks which fall under his area of responsibility are now "active".

The Army's 19 Division is shouldered with the responsibility of defending 100 kilometres of the Line of Control in Kashmir's Uri sector.

"Across our area, there are nine or ten launch pads that we are aware of," he said. "The structure can be a hut, a dhok (a makeshift structure) which is temporarily occupied from which they carry out the final coordination and thereafter they are launched for infiltration."

On the intervening night of September 28 and 29, India carried out surgical strikes on seven terror launch pads across the LoC with the Army inflicting "significant casualties" on terrorists preparing to infiltrate from PoK, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned Uri attack would not go unpunished.

The strikes came 11 days after the attack by Pakistan-based terror outfit JeM on an Indian Army camp in Uri in Kashmir.
Bhopal: Pakistan stunned on Monday by awarding the death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. However, in India, the Bhopal Police has been feeding and sheltering a Pakistani spy named Sajeed Muneer for almost a year after his release from jail.

Muneer was jailed for 12 years for espionage. However, after his release, Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian Government.

By default, he became the Bhopal Police`s responsibility and the District Special Branch (DSB) has been taking care of him for 10 months now.

The DSB pays for his food and other necessities.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Bhadoria said since the time of his conviction every angle is being discussed related to the issue but Pakistan is delaying the process of deporting.

"On June 4 last year, his conviction was completed and it was a 12-year conviction. In between the deporting process, he was kept in the detention centre, as those who are not from India they are kept in that centre," he said.

He added that police officials are in constant contact with the Pakistan embassy and the process of councilor access, where embassies of both the countries did the verification of Sajeed Muneer has been done.

"The Bhopal Police arrested him in May 2004 when he was collecting some official secret material from the Army regiment. That time he was impersonating himself as an Indian national. He has been current put in Shahjahanabad police station`s detention centre," Bhadoria said.

Investigations revealed that Muneer was lured by the ISI while he was on a hideout in a murder case.

He had murdered a Karachi youth to avenge his brother`s killing.

"Muneer is afraid to go back to Pakistan as he fears he might be killed there. He says he trusts Indian justice system more," said Bhadoria.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Tuesday justified the death sentence awarded to Jadhav and said it was capable of protecting itself against external threats.

Refuting Indian claims that the sentence was "premeditated murder", Defence Minister Khwaja Asif told the Senate that the law of the land had been applied and the trial of Jadhav went on for three months.

Jadhav has a right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days according to the country's law. He can appeal for mercy to the Army Chief and failing that, to the President of Pakistan.

India has warned Pakistan that bilateral ties would be hit if it went ahead with the death sentence awarded to Jadhav, who Islamabad says was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016.

India denies he was a spy and says he was abducted from Iran.

(With Agency inputs)
Melbourne: Political allies of Australian Opposition leader Bill Shorten, who has been opposing the 21.7 billion dollar Adani Coal and Mine project, on Wednesday expressed strong support to the Indian mining giant's venture in Queensland.

According to media reports, unions, including Australian Workers Unions, regional mayors and Queensland Labour government were now pushing for approval to be granted for a commonwealth loan for Adani's project as well as changes to native title laws.

The support comes a day after Australian Opposition leader Shorten opposed granting the loan to the project while questioning if the project "stacks up", according to Sky news.

Shorten said although he was "very keen to see jobs in mining", federal Labour opposed any loan being given to Adani.

"But I also have to sound this note of caution: we need the Adani project to stack up," he was quoted as saying by the local media.

"It needs to stack up environmentally, it needs to stack up commercially. I haven't seen the case made for the taxpayer to underwrite a billion-dollar loan to build a rail line," he said.

Adani has applied for a concessional loan from the 5 billion dollar Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund, with the support of Queensland Labour government, to help build a rail line connecting its proposed coalmine and the Abbot Point port.

The 2.5 billion dollar rail line has won state and federal approval on the condition it could be used by other resource companies that are proposing to build coalmines in the Galilee Basin.

Yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met Gautam Adani, chairman and founder of Adani Group, during his trip to India and discussed the?issues of loan and native title laws.

Turnbull?said it would create "tens of thousands" of jobs and boost state and federal budgets for years and that the rail?project was only a "relatively small part" of the capital required for the total project.

'The Australian' qouted an indigenous member of Wangan and Jaglingou people, Robert Langton, who have a native-title claim over the mine site, saying "I just want a job, the unemployment around here is really high and here isn't much hope".

Langton said, "This mine is hopefully going to give a lot people a job now and into the future".

Yesterday,?Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said "The carmichael coalmine rail port project has undergone a comprehensive and transparent environmental assessment process, according to state and commonwelath legislation and hundreds of condisions apply".

Queensland Australian Workers' Union state secretary Ben Swan backed the project and said securing a loan will open up the region.

"Whatever the application is for Adani, it should be assessed on its merits and the government has set up an independent process for that," Swan said.

"My union is hopeful that this project gets beyond what has seemingly been an endless process of objections and obstacles," he added.

Townsville mayor Jenny Hill said, "it should be considered as investment in building infrastructure for whole industry that is going to build jobs for this region".

Meanwhile, a group of anti-Adani mine protesters held a demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission in Canberra protesting against the project.

The protesters from 'Stop Adani Canberra Action Group', raised their objections after Adani-Turnbull meeting and to send a message to the Indian Government that a section of local people were against the mine.

The group, in a statement, said that they gave a copy of Adani Files which contained?a report about?details of Adani's alleged "reckless corporate behaviour and destructive environmental and social impacts".

"We're sending a clear message to the Indian Government that the Australian community does not want the Adani mine," said Harita Sridhar, spokesperson for Canberra Stop Adani Action Group.

"Over the past month, over 140 'Stop Adani Action Groups' have sprung up from one end of the country to the other," Sridhar said, adding "We're serious about stopping this damaging mine because of its impacts on the global climate, the Great Barrier Reef, and our groundwater".
New Delhi: Aircel subscribers can now enjoy free incoming calls on national roaming, the telecom operator announced on Wednesday.

"Aircel customers will enjoy free incoming calls on roaming without any extra charges on Aircel network across the country, the company said.

Customers need to dial in *121*909# to activate free incoming calls while roaming on Aircel networks.

In February this year Bharti Airtel announced removal of all roaming charges for outgoing and incoming calls as well as SMSes and data usage within India as it takes on competition from new comer Reliance Jio.

Idea Cellular last month announced free incoming calls on domestic roaming effective April 1, 2017.
Srinagar: A video has surfaced showing a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan being attacked by an angry mob while he was returning from a polling booth in Srinagar.

The video, shot on Sunday, shows a group of angry youngsters targeting the CRPF personnel as they return from carrying out their duty in Budgam district.

Despite having weapons, the CRPF jawan showed the utmost restraint and chose to stay silent while walking down the street filled with the slogan-shouting mob.

In the video, the Kashmiri youngsters are seen slapping and kicking the jawan, who had a rifle in hand, in an attempt to evoke a sharp reaction from him, but to no avail.

The video has gone viral.

When asked why he did not retaliate to the beatings, the CRPF jawan said he wanted to protect the electronic voting machines he was carrying.

Notably, massive violence and a very poor turnout marred the Srinagar Lok Sabha by-poll on Sunday.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded strict action against Pakistan where a court awarded death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

A Pakistani military court on Monday awarded death sentence to Jadhav after declaring him a "spy".

"Merely expressing feelings or threatening Pakistan of consequences will not work now. Now is the time for direct action to teach them a permanent lesson. Jadhav has to be brought back at the earliest," Thackeray told reporters at his residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra.

He said the Sena was criticised when it protested the welcoming of Pakistani politicians and artistes in India, but after events such as the awarding of death penalty to Jadhav, the nationalism of people suddenly springs up.

Notably, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday made a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".

Asked about the fate of Sena-BJP relations after his party attended the NDA constituents meet in New Delhi earlier this week, Thackeray said, "Relations are going in the right direction at a snail's pace."

The Sena chief today felicitated the actors of Marathi films "Ventilator" and "Kasaav" which recently won the National award.

"I feel proud of Marathi artistes. In future we will hold a Marathi film festival for regional movies. The whole world is felicitating these artistes and it is thus imperative that we felicitate them," he said.
Karachi: The family of Pakistan's renowned Sufi Qawwal Amjad Sabri, who was killed by Taliban militants last year, wants to leave the country as they feel "unsafe". "We are not comfortable with the security provided and we feel we are being watched. That is why we are trying to leave the country," said Sabri's brother Azmat.

"We are trying to settle in London, we have a brother there," he told Dawn, adding that the family "would be ready to leave tomorrow" if they get the visas.

Earlier, speaking to a TV channel, Azmat said: "We feel unsafe here now, even though we have lived here all our lives and love Liaquatabad (in Karachi)."

He, however, clarified that the family has received no threats to their life. Sabri, 40, and an associate were travelling in a car in Liaquatabad area, when Taliban militants fired at their vehicle, critically injuring him on June 23 last year.

The two were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital immediately, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries.

Hakimullah Mehsud faction, a splinter group of the Taliban, had claimed responsibility for the attack.

Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this sufi art and mystic poetry.

Sabri was one of Pakistan's finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry.
New Delhi: With normalcy limping back, and no untoward incident reported in last 48 hours in violence-hit Bhadrak town in Odisha, the district administration has relaxed curfew the from 7 a.m. till 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

The curfew was imposed last Friday following unrest triggered by alleged abusive remarks posted against deities on the Internet.

Ban on social media sites has been lifted and educational institutions, banks and government offices have started functioning since yesterday, even as security forces kept a close vigil on the situation.

Police have filed 8 cases and arrested more than 100 people including the prime accused.

Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is scheduled to visit Bhadrak today to review situation.

He is also scheduled to hold meetings with senior district administration officials.
New Delhi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is an epitome of brillance and great acting in Indian cinema. The thespian has an ocean of fan following is an avid social media user. He keeps his Twitter family happy with regular updates and shares lots of interesting trivia as well.

Big B recently took to Twitter and shared a throwback picture in which a cute looking baby Ranbir Kapoor along with sister Riddhima can be seen. Also, we can spot Neetu Kapoor and veteran actor Shashi Kapoor.

T 2491 - And that wide eyed little fellow is the Superstar of the day today ! Ranbir Kapoor .. !! what an actor !! pic.twitter.com/sQFOpz1ooJ  Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) April 11, 2017

The picture is an old gem and an absolute unmissable thing. Big B captioned the image as: "And that wide eyed little fellow is the Superstar of the day today ! Ranbir Kapoor .. !! what an actor !!"

What an honour it is for Ranbir Kapoor to get such praise from the legend himself.
RACINE  Public Works Commissioner Mark Yehlen has no problem with the quality of the work that Cornerstone Pavers has done on Racines roads in recent years.

What Yehlen does take issue with is Cornerstones tendency to finish projects weeks after its set deadlines, and thats why hes asking the City Council to find the Caledonia-based company unqualified to bid on city projects. According to a document compiled by Yehlen, Cornerstone has been late on at least seven projects in Racine in the last decade, with some delinquencies lasting as long as nearly two months.

Yehlen said that although the city does save some money from Cornerstones late work because of monetary penalties, the delays are an inconvenience to residents whose streets are affected by the work.

We want to minimize that impact to the residents, Yehlen said. When theyre impacted, they receive no relief ... when theres delays in getting roads completed and opening roads up, it impacts the driving public.

According to Yehlen, Cornerstone was late completing two projects in 2016: street and alley paving on the north side of the city; and concrete reconstruction on Kinzie Avenue. Cornerstone completed the former 17 days behind schedule and the latter 13 days late, Yehlen said.

Yehlen said Cornerstone was even worse with deadlines in 2015, when it completed a similar street and alley paving project 45 days late and finished a concrete street reconstruction project 56 days behind schedule. Beyond public frustration, climate issues make Cornerstones tardiness problematic, according to Yehlen.

Its the nature of road construction in Wisconsin, he said. When you get to the middle of the November, the temperature is not going to allow you to place concrete.

Yehlen first brought the issue up two weeks ago in front of the Public Works and Services Committee. The three members of the committee present then initially affirmed his recommendation.

But at last weeks City Council meeting, the matter was referred back to the committee so that all five members could consider the issue. With two members again absent Tuesday, the committee deferred the issue for another two weeks.

Cornerstone not initially informed

At the first meeting two weeks ago, Yehlen acknowledged he had not informed anyone at Cornerstone that the unqualified recommendation was being made that day. That rubbed 12th District Alderman Henry Perez the wrong way, even though the city technically didnt have a legal obligation to do so.

I agree theres no legal obligation, but if youre going to be denying a person their opportunity to have income, at least you should give them an opportunity to explain the issue or hear the issue thats being presented about them, Perez said.

Perez can vouch for Yehlens account of Cornerstones work, as part of the 2016 reconstruction on Kinzie Avenue was in his district. He said his constituents complained to him about delays with the work, but loved their new street once Cornerstone got it done.

We have to be able to say to them, Theres a real reason you cant bid, and this is why, Perez said. But its not because of your work. We like your work. Does that make sense?

Cornerstone Pavers Project Manager Chris Cape attended Tuesdays meeting but declined to speak on the record. He did address the City Council last week during the public comments section of the meeting, saying that recent delays were caused by weather and a number of things that occurred.

We have saved the city over $200,000 over the second bidder over the past two years, Cape said. Both of last years projects came in a combined roughly $65,000 under bid.
New Delhi: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe on Wednesday was reportedly ordered by the Kerala High Court into the much-talked-about death case of popular actor Kalabhavan Mani. It is being said that the agency has been asked to start the investigations within a month's time.

According to a New Indian Express report, the petitions seeking probe were filed by Manis wife Nimmy and brother RLV Ramakrishnan. The report further stated that the court rejected CBI's argument of not taking over the case.

It was being found out that two different poisonous substances were found in Mani's body.

Last year, Mani was taken to a hospital in Kochi from his farm house near Chalakuddy and breathed his last two days later on March 6.

Mani's untimely death, left the film industry as well as those in his hometown in Chalakuddy, shocked. He had acted in 200 films in Malayalam and other languages.Malayalam and other languages.

A CBI probe into the death was sought soon after the new Pinarayi Vijayan-led government assumed office in May last year.

A few of the actor's close aides who were present at his farmhouse when he collapsed, had undergone the lie-detector test earlier.

(With IANS inputs)
Mumbai: The makers of "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" have locked Cinestaan AA Distributors to release the Hindi version of the cinematic spectacle in the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand markets.

Cinestaan AA Distributors is a joint venture between Cinestaan Film Company and AA Films. Officials are delighted that the movie's makers have reposed confidence in them and given them the opportunity to distribute this landmark film, read a statement.

Directed by SS Rajamouli and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, the much-awaited sequel to "Baahubali: The Beginning", will have a worldwide release on April 28.

Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia, it is said to be the first Indian film to be released in 4K High Definition format, the statement read.
New Delhi: Scientists have measured the brightness of all the galaxies in the universe by using images taken by NASA's New Horizons mission.

Researchers from Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in the US used archival data from the instrument onboard New Horizons - the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager, or LORRI - to measure visible light from other galaxies.

The light shining beyond the Milky Way is known as the cosmic optical background. The findings give an upper limit to the amount of light in the cosmic optical background.

"Determining how much light comes from all the galaxies beyond our own Milky Way galaxy has been a stubborn challenge in observational astrophysics," said Michael Zemcov, assistant professor in RIT's School of Physics and Astronomy.

Light from the cosmic optical background can reveal the number and location of stars, how galaxies work and give insights into the peculiar nature of exotic physical processes, such as light that may be produced when dark matter decays.

Dark matter is the invisible substance thought to comprise 85 per cent of matter in the universe.

"This result shows some of the promise of doing astronomy from the outer solar system," Zemcov said.

"What we are seeing is that the optical background is completely consistent with the light from galaxies and we do not see a need for a lot of extra brightness; whereas previous measurements from near the Earth need a lot of extra brightness.

"The study is proof that this kind of measurement is possible from the outer solar system, and that LORRI is capable of doing it," said Zemcov.

Spacecraft in the outer solar system give scientists virtual front-row seats for observing the cosmic optical background.\

The faint light from distant galaxies is hard to see from the inner solar system because it is polluted by the brightness of sunlight reflected off interplanetary dust in the inner solar system.

Cosmic dust is sooty bits of rock and small debris that moved, over time, from the outer solar system towards the Sun.

Scientists launching experiments on sounding rockets and satellites must account for the dust that makes the Earth's atmosphere many times brighter than the cosmic optical background.

New Horizons mission has been funded through 2021, and Zemcov is hopeful for the chance to use Long Range Reconnaissance Imager to re-measure the brightness of the cosmic optical background.

"NASA sends missions to the outer solar system once a decade or so," Zemcov said.

"What they send is typically going to planets and the instruments onboard are designed to look at them, not to do astrophysics. Measurements could be designed to optimise this technique while LORRI is still functioning," he said.
Mumbai: A delegation of DMK leaders today met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao here and demanded dismissal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and some other ministers after tax officials questioned Health Minister C Vijayabaskar in an alleged tax evasion case.

The party, in a memorandum, urged the Governor to dismiss the Chief Minister and other ministers allegedly involved in corruption, Raj Bhavan sources said.

The delegation comprised DMK leaders R S Bharathi, TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva.

The memorandum also highlighted some other issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu.

The Income Tax Department officials had earlier this week questioned Vijayabaskar and actor-politician Sarath Kumar in an alleged tax evasion case.

It also conducted searches at the official residence and properties owned by Vijayabaskar and at Sarath Kumar's home in Chennai on April seven.

The searches at the premises of an associate of Vijayabaskar had allegedly revealed routing of Rs 89 crore for distribution to voters in R K Nagar Assembly constituency, where a bypoll was originally scheduled for April 12.

The Election Commission has cancelled the bypoll, saying the electoral process has been "seriously vitiated" by parties through the use of money power.
Aligarh: Amid growing clamour for banning evil Sharia tradtions like triple talaq, polygamy, nikah halala, a Muslim woman from Aligarh is sitting on a dharna outside her in-laws' residence after her husband divorced her with 'triple talaq'.

Rehana  the woman in question  is married for more than five years. However, she has been staying with her parents for the last one year, after her husband reportedly refused to take her back and demanded money.

Rehana's father claimed that after three years of marriage, her daughter's in-laws started demanding money. I gave them Rs 10 lakhs and had also spent Rs 30-40 lakhs during the wedding, but they were not satisfied and demanded more.

The father further claimed that when Rehana came to know about her husband's plan to divorce her, she reached her in-laws residence, but was not allowed to enter the house.

The police has intervened into the matter and said that it would sit down with both the parties and try to sort out the matter amicably.

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that practices like triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women and are not protected by the right to profess, practise and propagate religion under Article 25(1) of the Constitution.

While putting forward its argunets before the SC bench, the government reiterated its earlier stand saying these practices render Muslim women "unequal and vulnerable" as compared to men of their community as well as women belonging to other communities.

The Centre described triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy as "patriarchal values and traditional notions about the role of women in society".
Lucknow: A case was slapped on Wednesday on Yogesh Varshney, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader, who announced a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for beheading West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.



Police said a complaint was filed by Aligarh district Trinamool Congress President Ramphool Upadhyaya at the local Civil Lines Police Station.



The announcement of the bounty by the BJP Yuva Morcha leader on a video created nationwide furore, with party leaders cutting across party lines demanding stringent action against Varshney. The BJP also distanced itself from the controversy by disowning its leader.



The youth wing leader had earlier said that he was deeply hurt at a cane charge on a crowd of Hindus at Birbhum on Tuesday when they had had gathered to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti -- the birthday of Lord Hanuman.



Varshney has since apologised for his statement and withdrawn the bounty announced in the morning.



He told reporters that he made this announcement in a fit of rage and emotional outburst after seeing video footage of the cane charge in West Bengal.



Meanwhile, former legislator of the Samajwadi Party (SP) Jameer Ullah also jumped into the raging controversy on Wednesday evening and sought to get the tongue of the BJP Yuva Morcha leader chopped off.


Meerut: Activists of Hindu Yuva Vahini allegedly barged into a home in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut and thrashed a couple on the suspicion of love jihad.

They also dragged the couple out of the home and took them to a nearby police station.

The outfit reportedly asked the police to take action, alleging that the Muslim boy was romancing with a `Hindu girl` in the house.

The boy has, however, accused the volunteers of the outfit of moral policing.

The incident took place in Meerut`s Shastri Nagar area.

Nagendra Singh Tomar, the head of Hindu Yuva Vahini in western Uttar Pradesh, demanded action against the boy while alleging that he was trying to convert the girl`s religion.

Tomar told news agency ANI, "I have asked the police to take strict action as the Muslim boy was romancing with a Hindu girl in the house. He wanted to convert her religion. I also insist on taking strict action against the landlords, who give rooms on rent without proper verification."

Police said the youth brigade created a ruckus after some local residents informed them that the man had called the woman to his friend's rented accommodation. The activists told police that the two were allegedly found in an objectionable position.

While the woman was released after warning, the man, who is a resident of Muzaffarnagar, was booked on charges of obscenity, they said.

Earlier on Friday, the members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini forced the police to halt prayer at a church in Uttar Pradesh`s Maharajganj, alleging forced conversion.

Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had last month assured that the anti-Romeo squads will not trouble couples who move around together with consent.



"I have received many complaints from the mothers, daughters, and sisters in the state of harassment towards them. We have assured them that we were are committed to their safety and security," Yogi Adityanath had said.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has finalised to construct a Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan here, reports on Wednesday said.

Reports say that the state government has finalised its plan and the construction work will begin soon.

The UP CM last month announced setting up of Kailash Mansarovar Bhavan at either Lucknow, Ghaziabad or Noida.

The Bhavan will be built on the lines of Haj House in the state capital.

CM Yogi Adityanath recently announced doubling of financial grant given to pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.

The previous Akhilesh Yadav led government too had doubled that the grant given to pilgrims of Mansarovar from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000. The grant had to be given to those who produce a domicile certificate or a copy of the passport, certifying that they belong to UP.

Last year, former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav a seven-storeyed Haj House in Ghaziabad, which acts as a transit and facilitation point for pilgrims from the state.
Aligarh (UP): In a major development on cow slaughter controversy, AMU students' union has come forward to express what they feel.

The President of the AMU Students' Union has demanded a complete ban on cow slaughter across the country.

President Faizul Hasan addressing protesters at a rally organised by the AMUSU at the District Collectorate on Wednesday, said "We would support any move made by the Central government to impose such a ban keeping in view the sentiments of Hindu brethren."

Hasan said he would also support a "complete ban" on the closure of all export-based slaughterhouses and a total ban on all import and export of bovine meat, including buffalo meat, because it was leading to an unnecessary internal tension between different communities in the country.

Transport of buffaloes to slaughterhouses has become a cause of communal friction since so-called cow vigilantes are continuously taking law in their own hand at highways in different parts of the country, he said.

The AMUSU later presented a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee to the Additional City Magistrate demanding fast track court trials of the cases of violence involving cow vigilantes.

The memorandum stated that country needs to "take urgent notice of non-State actors spreading terror" and threatening the peace of the land in the guise of cow protection.

It also demanded framing of a new law to prevent acts of cruelty against minorities and other weaker sections.

Earlier, the students' union took out a procession to press their demands.
Lucknow: UP CM Yogi Adityanath is all set to launch Annapurna Bhojnalaya' to provide subsidised food to residents of the state.

Reportedly, the subsidised food will be for the students, people low income group in private sectors, workers and attendants of patients.

This amazing step by Yogi government has been welcomed by all.

What are the rates for lunch, dinner, etc?

UP people will get breakfast and refreshments at just Rs 3.

Dinner and lunch or full meal will be available at just Rs 5.

What all you will get in breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Breakfast menu includes idli, sambhar, poha, pakode, kachori and tea.

For lunch and dinner, people will be offered dal, rice, chapatis and seasonal vegetables.

Also, food will be served in steel plates and water purifiers will be installed in all canteens.

This means one can get three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for Rs 13. The government will incur Rs 48 on it.

How money will be paid for food?

Reportedly, the consumers will be issued pre-paid tokens and plastic cards to avail the facility.

Tokens will be valid for a week and plastic cards will be linked to Aadhar card.

Both the token and the card will be applicable in all the canteens of a city.

Pilot project

The pilot project will be launched in Lucknow, Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Ghaziabad.

Reportedly, 20 such canteens will come up in Ghaziabad, 28 each in state capital Lucknow and Kanpur and 18 in Gorakhpur.
Kolkata: In its bid to expand its sphere of influence, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) -- the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that rules at the Centre -- has zeroed in on West Bengal as its next big target, contending the situation in the state is "unprecedented".

The RSS is focussing on increasing its strength and presence in West Bengal in a bid to "combat rising radicalism and fundamentalism" in the eastern state that, according to a top functionary of the local unit or the organisation, poses "a major threat to the nation`s security".

"The RSS generally focuses on places that pose a major threat to the nation. The situation in Bengal is very much similar. The radical forces, Maoists and other separatist powers have combined with the state`s ruling (Trinamool Congress) party to work together.

"The situation is unprecedented. This nexus of jihadis and radicals in Bengal is a major threat to the nation`s security," the RSS` South Bengal General Secretary Jishnu Basu told IANS.

The RSS, in fact, adopted a resolution at its National Council meet in Coimbatore last month over the "alarming" situation in West Bengal, and blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for the rise of jihadi elements and the "decline" of the Hindu population.

The BJP, the political arm of the Sangh Parivar, is led in the state by a veteran RSS hand, Dilip Ghosh.

"Over the past one year, the Muslim fundamentalists and the so-called ultra-left organisations have held several collaborative programmes. RSS vows to fight against those threats and make people aware of the impending risks," Basu said.

He claimed the organisation`s efforts to reach out to the masses has helped erase the "wrong image" about the RSS in West Bengal that was ruled for 34 years by a communist-led government, adding that the RSS` active members in the state had doubled over the last four years.

"The RSS gained in significance in West Bengal in 2013 during the celebration of Swami Vivekanada`s 150th birth anniversary. Since then the organisation has grown more than two times in the state. We now have more than 1,800 shakhas (the smallest RSS unit where daily activities are held) in Bengal."

"We reached out to people from all sections of society, starting from villagers to urban intellectuals, and helped them realise what RSS stands for. There has been years of false propaganda against the organisation," he said.

Accusing the state government of favouring a "certain community" to get their votes, Basu claimed the state`s ruling party is responsible for the rise of Muslim fundamentalism and an "attack" on the Hindus in the state "that threatens to change the demography of some border districts".

"The state government is also fuelling these issues to satisfy a certain community. Looking at the vote bank, the government is supporting the most popular fundamentalists. The ruling party is constantly trying to appease a certain section of society while the troubles of the other half is unattended.

"As a result, the demography of certain border districts of West Bengal like North Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad is changing," he contended.

Basu said the RSS considers Hinduism as a "way of life" and would primarily focus on saving common people from the increasing attack of radical Islamic forces.

"For the RSS, Hinduism is not just a religion, it is a way of life. We consider Hinduism as synonymous with nationalism. In our view people like (poet) Kazi Najrul Islam and (late president) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam were major supporters of Hinduism. We will keep pursuing that brand of Hinduism in the state," he said.

Terming cow slaughter a "non-religious" issue, the RSS activist claimed the state has many illegal slaughter-houses that run under the nose of the state administration but no action is taken against them.

"The proper guidelines should be followed to run slaughter-houses in the state. I challenge the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to show what guidelines they have for running the slaughter-houses.

"I am sure they have none. They have taken no steps to abide by the laws related to the slaughter-houses," he added.

However, according to political analyst Udayan Bandyopadhyay, the rise of RSS in Bengal wouldn`t have any major implications in the long run.

"RSS is a socio-cultural organisation. It doesn`t have a direct political linkage or baggage. Yes, the percentage of BJP`s votes may increase, but in the long run it will have to prove its own strength," Bandyopadhyay told IANS.

He felt the RSS might grow and have some impact on social life, "but it won`t create any trouble as Bengalis are largely tolerant".

He said the RSS had its presence in Bengal at the time of partition in 1947 and at the time of the communal riots in the state after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 -- without any adverse effects.

"We have gone through all these phases in history. So I don`t think it would create major polarisation," Bandyopadhyay concluded.

But he expressed concern over the brand of erudite Hinduism being replaced by a kind of "hooligan and lumpen Hinduism."
China says Donald Trump initiated phone call with Xi Jinping

China`s Foreign Ministry said U.S. President Donald Trump initiated a telephone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, an exchange in which the two discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula.
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a peaceful resolution of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula in a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as a US aircraft carrier strike group steams towards the region.

Xi`s call with Trump came after an influential state-run Chinese newspaper warned that the Korean peninsula was the closest it has been to a "military clash" since Pyongyang`s first nuclear test in 2006.

Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test or more missile launches and Trump`s threat of unilateral action to solve the problem.

Trump had already ordered the US Vinson aircraft carrier group to head for the Korean peninsula in an attempt to deter North Korea`s nuclear and long-range missile ambitions, which it is developing in defiance of United Nations resolutions and sanctions.

Wednesday`s call between Xi and Trump came hard on the heels of their first face-to-face meeting in Florida last week. It was not immediately clear who initiated the call.

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in North Korea, had warned earlier on Twitter that Pyongyang was "looking for trouble" and that the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing`s help.

Xi stressed that China "is committed to the target of denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving problems through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the exchange between the two leaders.

"China is willing to maintain close communication and coordination with the U.S. side", Xi said.

Earlier on Wednesday, two sources in Tokyo said Japan`s navy planned exercises with the Vinson carrier group in a joint show of force.

The influential Chinese state-run Global Times also said in an editorial North Korea should halt any plans for nuclear and missile activities "for its own security". While widely read in China and run by the ruling Communist Party`s official People`s Daily, the Global Times does not represent government policy.

The editorial noted Trump`s recent decision to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly gas attack last week.

"Not only [is] Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honours his promises," the Global Times said.

"The US is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesn`t plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang," it said. "Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time."

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.
Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a peaceful resolution of rising tension on the Korean peninsula in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as a US aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards the region.

Trump`s call with Xi, just days after they met in the United States, came as an influential state-run Chinese newspaper warned that the Korean peninsula was the closest it has been to a "military clash" since North Korea`s first nuclear test in 2006.

The communication between the leaders underscores the increasing sense of urgency as tension escalates amid concern that reclusive North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test, or more missile launches, and Trump`s threat of unilateral action to solve the problem.

Trump had ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group to head to the Korean peninsula in an attempt to deter North Korea`s nuclear and long-range missile ambitions, which it is developing in defiance of U.N. resolutions and sanctions.

Trump pressed Xi to do more to curb North Korea`s nuclear programme when they held their first face-to-face meeting in Florida last week.

He said on Twitter on Tuesday that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without China`s help.

In their telephone call, Xi stressed that China "is committed to the target of denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving problems through peaceful means", Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who said Trump had initiated the call, urged everyone to lower the tension.

"We hope that the relevant parties do not adopt irresponsible actions. Under the current circumstances, this is very dangerous," Lu told reporters at a regular press briefing.

China`s Global Times newspaper said in an editorial North Korea should halt any plan for nuclear and missile activities "for its own security". While widely read in China and run by the ruling Communist Party`s official People`s Daily, the Global Times does not represent government policy.

The newspaper noted Trump`s recent decision to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly gas attack last week.

"Not only is Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honours his promises," it said.

"The U.S. is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesn`t plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang," it said.

"Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time."

The Global Times said if North Korea made another provocative move, "Chinese society" might be willing to back unprecedented sanctions, "such as restricting oil imports".

`NOT AFRAID`

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.

Officials from the North, including leader Kim Jong Un, have indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming.

North Korea launched a long-range rocket carrying a satellite on April 13, 2012, marking the anniversary of the birth of North Korea`s founding president Kim Il Sung.

Saturday will be the 105th anniversary of his birth.

Residents thronged Pyongyang`s boulevards on a sunny spring morning, some practising for a parade to be held on the weekend, with no visible sign of the tension.

"So long as we are with our supreme leader Marshall Kim Jong Un we are not afraid of anything," a woman who gave her name as Ri Hyon Sim told Reuters journalists, who were escorted by North Korean officials.

Russia has said it is worried about the possibility of a U.S. attack on North Korea and it would raise the issue with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian media quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying.

Earlier on Wednesday, two sources in Tokyo said Japan`s navy planned exercises with the Carl Vinson carrier group in a joint show of force.

Japan`s Maritime Self Defence Force and the U.S. Navy could conduct helicopter landings on each other`s ships, as well as communication drills, they said.

A senior Japanese diplomat said it appeared the U.S. position was to put maximum pressure on North Korea to reach a solution peacefully and diplomatically.

"At least, if you consider overall things such as the fact that the U.S. government has not put out warnings to its citizens in South Korea, I think the risk at this point is not high," said the diplomat, who declined to be identified.

South Korea`s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, has warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring.

The North fired a liquid-fuelled Scud missile this month, the latest in a series of tests that have displayed its ability to launch attacks and use hard-to-detect solid-fuel rockets.

North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.
Ankara: Turks living overseas are turning out in greater numbers to vote in a referendum on changing the constitution to create an executive presidency, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, a development that pollsters say could benefit him.

Voters in Turkey will go to the polls on April 16 to decide on the referendum that would give Erdogan sweeping new powers. Voting for expatriate Turks began as early as late March in some countries and ended on Sunday.

The referendum campaign has brought a rapid deterioration in relations with some of Turkey`s European allies over the banning of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany on security grounds, something Erdogan has denounced as "Nazi-like" tactics.

A high turnout abroad is likely to boost Erdogan, pollsters say, citing past elections, but at home it could hurt him as opposition voters traditionally make up a bigger proportion of those who tend to shun the polls on an election day.

"There is an amazing explosion of votes abroad. Around 1.42 million votes have been cast," Erdogan said at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa, calling on his supporters to flood the ballot box with "yes" votes in the referendum.

The figure Erdogan cited suggests a turnout of around 50 percent, based on the 2.88 million voters registered abroad in the last general election in November 2015, according to data from the High Electoral Board (YSK).

In that election the turnout was around 40 percent among expatriates, with 56 percent of those votes being cast for the AK Party, which Erdogan founded more than a decade ago.

Polls show a close race days before the referendum, putting the "yes" vote slightly ahead, but indicate that nearly half the country could reject the proposed constitutional changes.

Foreign vote results will be announced once the actual referendum is held on Sunday.



One polling company, Mak Danismanlik, seen as close to Erdogan, said initial exit polls from abroad showed the "yes" vote at 62 percent. It said the only country where the "no" vote had prevailed was the United States. It did not say how many people it had polled or where the research was conducted.

Pollsters Gezici, whose research has tended to overestimate opposition support, forecast 82-83 percent voter participation domestically and a "yes" vote as high as 56 percent if the turnout is lower in Turkey.

The referendum has polarised the nation of 79 million. Erdogan`s opponents fear increasing authoritarianism from a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkey`s democracy and secular foundations.

Erdogan argues that the proposed strengthening of the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey faces security threats from Islamist and Kurdish militants.

It was not immediately clear what the turnout in specific countries was, but in the November 2015 election, around 40 percent of the Turks in Germany cast their votes while the figure was around 45 percent in the Netherlands.

Germany`s Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said Turks living there had cast 696,863 votes for the referendum, bringing turnout in Germany to 48.73 percent.
Tehran: Iran`s former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took the shock move on Wednesday of registering for next month`s presidential election, going against the advice of the supreme leader.

Ahmadinejad had previously insisted he would not stand after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said last year that his candidacy would have a "polarising" effect on the nation, and instead backed his ex-deputy Hamid Baghaie.

But the former president -- whose tenure between 2005 and 2013 saw mass protests at home, plummeting relations with the West and a shattered economy -- surprised everyone when he registered along with Baghaie on Wednesday.

He told reporters at the interior ministry, where registration was taking place, that he remained committed to his "moral promise" to Khamenei of not running for the May 19 election.

But he said Khamenei`s "advice was not a ban".

"I repeat that I am committed to my moral promise and my presence and registration is only to support Mr Baghaie," he added without explanation.

Only last week, flanked by his former deputy at his first press conference in four years, Ahmadinejad said he had "no plans to present myself. I support Mr Baghaie as the best candidate."

The formal registration period for presidential hopefuls began on Tuesday and will continue until Saturday evening, after which candidates are vetted by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council, with a final list to be announced on April 27.

So far, 197 people have registered to run in the May 19 vote, eight of them women. No woman has ever been allowed to stand for the presidency in the Islamic republic.Ahmadinejad lost the support of many mainstream conservatives during his contentious presidency, and some said on Wednesday that violating the supreme leader`s advice was a final straw.

"With today`s move -- registering for the presidential election, my belief in you was broken," ex-lawmaker and Ahmadinejad loyalist Mehdi Koochakzadeh wrote on social media.

"End of Ahmadinejad," tweeted Elyas Naderan, another conservative former MP.

Analyst Farzan Sabet, a fellow at the Center for International Security and Cooperation in Stanford University, said his registration was indeed "shocking".

But his motivation "may be to send an implicit threat to the Guardian Council that if they disqualify Baghaei -- like they did his former chief-of-staff Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei in the 2013 presidential election -- he will go back on his pledge and run for president," said Sabet.

He added that the Guardian Council would find it hard to disqualify Ahmadinejad, a two-time president who previously had the firm support of conservatives and the supreme leader.

"Although it is quite possible that Ahmadinejad will be disqualified by the Guardian Council, this could turn out to be politically messy for them," said Sabet.

The conservatives have been struggling to unite around a single candidate to challenge President Hassan Rouhani, who is expected to register in the coming days.

They held a mass meeting last week at which they shortlisted five candidates, who will be narrowed down to one before the vote, although some conservatives have already suggested they will run independently.

Ebrahim Raisi, a judge who currently heads the powerful Imam Reza charitable foundation in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Mashhad, topped the shortlist.

Tehran mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was also on the list, but it remains unclear if he will make his third bid for the presidency.

Rouhani has stabilised the economy and ended some sanctions through a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

But many Iranians are frustrated by the continued lack of investment in the economy and a jobless rate that remains at 12 percent.

Rouhani`s administration argues it inherited a devastated economic landscape -- the result of Ahmadinejad`s populist policies that included monthly cash handouts and ill-fated housing projects.

But these policies have also ensured Ahmadinejad, 60, retains considerable popularity, particularly among the poor, potentially undermining attempts by conservatives to unite their base around a mainstream candidate.

If Ahmadinejad is allowed to run, "he would likely draw more votes away from conservative candidates than from Rouhani," said Sabet.
Pyongyang/Washington: North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a US Navy strike group steamed towards the western Pacific - a force US President Donald Trump described as an "armada".



Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing`s help.



Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson towards the Korean peninsula in a show of force.



"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump told Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.



Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump said: He is doing the wrong thing. Asked if he thought Kim was mentally fit, Trump replied: I dont know. I dont know him.



North Korea said earlier it was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression.



"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focussed on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the US mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.



In spite of the military rhetoric, US officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme. At the same time, Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.



The strike group heading towards Korea includes the nuclear-powered flagship aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, two destroyers and a cruiser. Such a strike group is generally accompanied by submarines, although the Pentagon does not normally publicise this.

"PRUDENT" MOVE



US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the deployment was not tied to a specific event but a matter of prudence.



"She is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time," he said at a Pentagon news conference.



White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" that he would not tolerate certain actions but dismissed Pyongyang`s nuclear attack threat.



"I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don`t have the capability of isn`t really a threat."



North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.



However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache.



South Korea`s acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country`s Supreme People`s Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries.



He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.



North Korea convened a Supreme People`s Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong-un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.



The agency made no mention of North Korea`s nuclear weapons programme or being under threat from the United States.



Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Korea`s founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.



A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.



Men and women in colourful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practising for the parade.

TRUMP PRESSES CHINA



Trump said a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem".



"If China decides to help, that would be great," he tweeted. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!"



Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week.



China`s U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China`s call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.



We believe that it is highly important to move towards denuclearisation, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.



Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on.



South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation".



North Korea`s foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washington`s "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase".



"We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said.



U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.



A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented.



Russia`s Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of U.S. foreign policy, particularly North Korea.



"We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement.



China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said.



On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said.



China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country`s most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented.
Moscow: President Vladimir Putin said ties between Russia and the United States appear to have deteriorated under Donald Trump in an interview released Wednesday as the countries` top diplomats met in Moscow.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in a transcript from an interview with Mir television posted by the Kremlin.

The comments came out as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held tense talks following an alleged Syrian chemical attack and subsequent missile strike by Washington.

Moscow and Washington are trying to figure each other out during the first visit by a senior member of Donald Trump`s administration to Russia.

The US has blamed Moscow`s ally and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of the deadly attack that killed scores of civilians and launched missile strikes against one of the regime`s airbases in retribution.

Putin has angrily rejected the accusations against Damascus and slammed the US bombing as "a violation of international law".

Despite hopes of an improvement in Russia-US ties under Trump, the Tillerson-Lavrov talks look set to be dominated by the split over Syria -- where more than 320,000 people have died in six years of war.

Washington has said it is hoping to pry Russia away from its support for Assad, but the Kremlin on Wednesday decried any calls to drop the Syrian leader as "pretty absurd".

Prior to Tillerson`s arrival, hopes in Moscow had already dimmed that Trump would make good on his pledge to improve ties with Russia, as relations with the Kremlin have become politically toxic on the back of claims that Putin conspired to get Trump elected.
President Donald Trump redrew his predecessors red line against Syrian President Bashar Assads use of chemical weapons against civilians in the war-torn state last week.

But, unlike President Barack Obama, Trump showed he meant it.

At his direction, U.S. missiles rained down on an air base that Assad had used to initiate an air strike using chemical and nerve weapons on the town of Khan Sheikhoun in rebel-held territory, killing 80 civilians.

The strategic and limited deployment of U.S. Tomahawk missiles reportedly destroyed more than 20 Syrian warplanes, but it also signaled new aggressiveness by the Trump administration to answer atrocities with military responses.

The president said as much immediately after the Assad chemical attack, but before the U.S. response: When you kill innocent children, innocent babies  babies, little babies  with a chemical gas that is so lethal people were shocked to hear what gas it was, that crosses many, many lines, Trump said.

My attitude towards Syria and Assad has changed very much, he added.

Indeed it has. As a candidate for president, Trump had steadfastly opposed Obamas proposal for a military response to Assads use of chemical weapons in his Russian-backed effort to retain power and defeat rebels and ISIS troops.

Facing lukewarm support from Congress, Obama failed to follow through on his threat of air strikes and instead brokered a deal  with assurances from Russia  to remove chemical and nerve weapons from Syria.

Despite assurances to the contrary that the removal had been done, the events of last week showed that was a lie and that Russia  either through incompetence or being complicit had failed to abide by the 2013 agreement, according to Trumps Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

That should set the stage for a very icy meeting between Tillerson and Russian officials when they meet this week in Moscow.

We cannot let this happen again, Tillerson said. We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role, or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe it not going to serve Russias interests longer term.

Trumps willingness to do more than just rattle the saber in the face of humanitarian atrocities is a welcome new direction. It demonstrates to U.S, allies and foes as well that the new administration is fully prepared to act with force  and forebearance  when necessary.

Thats a shot across the bow to those who would harm U.S. security interests and a warning to Assad, in particular, that his atrocities and use of chemical weapons against civilians will not find shelter even under the protective wings of Russia.
Washington: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria will pay a "very, very stiff price" if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that America's top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State militant group.

"If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.

Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

"Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," he said.

"In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies," he added.

Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

"We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful," Mattis said.

"Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said.

This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.

"We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack," he said.

Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.

"Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.

Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.

"We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded," he said.

"We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission,? Votel said.

Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking ISIS and destroying ISIS in Syria.

"This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.

Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.

"Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again, he said.

"I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score," the Defence Secretary said.

Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance.

"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We don't know anything beyond that," he said.
Gwadar: At least three people were injured in a bomb explosion on Gwadar's Airport Road on Wednesday

According to the Daily Pakistan, seven shops in the area were also damaged as the bomb placed on a motorcycle ripped off on Wednesday noon.

Police and local administration cordoned off the area while further investigations are underway.

Gwadar is a strategic port city that forms the southern Pakistan hub of a USD 57 billion CPEC of infrastructure and energy projects.
Istanbul: An explosion at a police compound in the southeastern Turkish city of Diyarbakir that killed three people on Tuesday was the result of a terrorist attack, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Wednesday.

In an interview with the broadcaster Haberturk, Soylu said the attack had been launched via a tunnel dug beneath the compound. The death toll from the attack has risen to three from an initial one, hospital sources said on Wednesday.
Beijing: Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve surging tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme, as the US president touts the power of a naval "armada" sent to counter fresh provocations by Pyongyang.

Trump said yesterday that the US was ready to solve the North Korean "problem" without China if necessary, as he and Pyongyang engage in tit-for-tat saber-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in East Asia.

"North Korea is looking for trouble," Trump wrote on Twitter. "If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA."

In a phone call with Trump, Xi told him China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said today.

Trump made his comments as a US naval strike group headed towards the Korean peninsula.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."

The strike group includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided- missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser

A barrage of recent North Korean missile tests have stoked US fears that Pyongyang may soon have an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.

North Korea is also believed to be preparing to test a nuclear weapon in the coming days.

The US show of force prompted the North to declare it was "ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US."

"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said, according to state news agency KCNA.

During their call, Xi told Trump that China remains "willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side on the issue of the peninsula," according to the CCTV report.

Trump, it added, said that it was very important for the two heads of state to maintain close ties, and that he agreed that the US and China should work together to "expand pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of areas".
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. The Central Electoral Commission has set up district centers ahead of the Yerevan City Council election.

10 district electoral commissions have been formed.

Currently one NGO, the Geghama Youth Regional Association, is registered to carry our observing of the election with 147 observers.

Organizations can apply to the CEC to carry our observing mission during the election until April 29.

The same deadline applies for media outlets.

The passport and visa department of the Police provided information on the number of voters in Yerevan to the CEC. 841973 people are eligible to vote in the Yerevan City Council election.

The Republican Party of Armenia, Yelk bloc and the Yerkir Tsirani party will take part in the election.

The Ruling Partys proportional list is headed by the current Mayor Taron Margaryan, the list of Yelk bloc is headed by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, and Yerkir Tsiranis list is headed by Zaruhi Postanjyan, president of the party.

The Yerevan City Council election will be held on May 14.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijani forces made more than 25 ceasefire violations in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the defense ministry of Artsakh told ARMENPRESS.

On April 11 and overnight April 12 Azerbaijani forces made more than 25 ceasefire violations, firing over 400 shots at Artsakh positions from various caliber firearms.

The Defense Army refrained from taking countermeasures and confidently continued their service, the defense ministry said in a statement.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Economic Development and Investments Suren Karayan had a meeting with the representatives of light industry field to discuss issues related to sectors development, the Ministry told Armenpress.

The Minister said the light industry field has a great development potential and it is strictly important in terms of ensuring employment. Each of the meeting participants presented the Minister the upcoming programs and expansion opportunities.

Suren Karayan proposed the sectors representatives to submit their investment programs to the Ministry aimed at discussing the possible state assistance format and the respective solutions.

The representatives of textile companies discussed with the Minister issues related to the field, such as study and training of specialists, raw material import-related issues and etc. Agreement was reached to hold working discussions with the sectors representatives aimed at finding solutions for the issues.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. No precipitation is expected in Armenia at the night of April 13, the Ministry of Emergency Situations told Armenpress.

On the second half of the daytime of April 13, on 14-15 in most regions from time to time, in the afternoon of April 16 rain with thunderstorm is expected, in separate places the wind speed will exceed up to 18-23 m/s.

Southwest wind speed is 3-8 m/s.

In the daytime of April 13-14 the air temperature will increase by 3-4 degrees and at night it will rise by 6-8 degrees.

In Yerevan clear weather is expected at the night of April 13, in the daytime of April 16,17. On the second half of the daytime of April 13, on 14-15, at night of 16 from time to time rain with thunderstorm is predicted, the wind speed may exceed up to 15-20 m/s.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan received the delegation led by Chief of International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission to Armenia Hossein Samiei, press service of the Government told Armenpress.

The sides discussed summary review results of Armenias program with the IMF, speaking about Armenias macroeconomic figures and economic development trends, improvement of business environment, attracting foreign direct investments, as well as issues related to fiscal and monetary policy.

Hossein Samiei said they have received positive signals over the Governments activity led by Karen Karapetyan and one of them relates to changes made in tax and customs field aimed at cutting the shadow, improving the administration. He said it is necessary to continue efforts aimed at expanding the tax network for more effectively fighting against the shadow. We attach importance to the issue of attracting foreign direct investments and we are happy that the Government is already taking steps on this path. We have met with the representatives of the Center for Strategic Initiatives and it was good to see that active measures are being taken aimed at improving the business environment, contributing to attracting new investments, Hossein Samiei said.

The Prime Minister attached importance to the mutual cooperation with the IMF and thanked for the assistance provided so far, as well as talked about the Governments future plans. Karen Karapetyan said the second round of reforms in tax and customs field will launch, and the Government is going to be consistent on this issue.

Besides that we have a quantitative increase in own revenues, we have also recorded a qualitative change in this field, a shadow is brought to tax field, we have refused from prepayments. A number of decisions concerning the VAT return were also adopted, the return period has been reduced. Our goal is to expand the tax field, install fair principles in the SRC system. We are decisive and are confident that we will achieve our goal, the PM said, adding that the Government also takes measures aimed at attracting foreign investments. He said the Government is consistent on the 2017 state budget performance. We understand very well todays situation and we tend to make reforms in all sectors since we have a performance deficit. In near future we are going to develop Armenias 5-year development program where we as well want to outline bold steps, the PM said.

Hossein Samiei welcomed Armenian Governments commitment to make reforms and stated that the IMF is ready to show necessary assistance for their implementation.
Wisconsin Republicans on Wednesday introduced a package of bills aimed at reducing homelessness throughout the state. The legislation comes along with a set of proposals in Gov. Scott Walker's 2017-19 budget designed to tackle the issue.

"These bills  give us an opportunity to bring the right people to the table, to access more and different resources and to try alternative approaches in order to end homelessness for those 5,800 people on any given night in Wisconsin that lack a place to call home," said Carrie Poser, coordinator for the Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care, an organization that deals with homelessness throughout Wisconsin.

One bill, authored by Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, and Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, would create an Interagency Council on Homelessness led by Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch. The council would include secretaries of the eight state agencies that receive homelessness funding and would add a position within the state Department of Administration to oversee the council's activities.

Joe Volk, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, said the creation of the council would "institutionalize progress."

"Ive been involved in this issue for 35 years. I can tell you this is the first time in 25 years that this issue has been talked about in this building," Volk said.

Another bill, authored by Darling and Rep. Pat Snyder, R-Schofield, would allow money previously allocated for transitional housing to be used for other housing models and would allow homelessness prevention funds to be used in areas with the greatest need.

Those changes would "give us the ability to make each dollar stretch farther and do more with existing resources to combat homelessness," Snyder said.

A proposal authored by Darling and Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, would create a $75,000 grant program for a municipality to pilot a program based on the "Better Way" program in Albuquerque. The program would give homeless people jobs cleaning up parks and public spaces with the goal of moving them into permanent employment.

The municipality would be required to provide $50,000 to go along with the grant. A similar proposal was included in Walker's budget.

The fourth piece of legislation, from Darling and Rep. Treig Pronschinske, R-Mondovi, would allow the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority to prioritize chronically homeless people on the wait list for federal Housing Choice Vouchers, known as Section 8 housing.

Asked about issues with capacity in Section 8 housing, Steineke acknowledged the package of bills doesn't address it. That's a long-term problem lawmakers would like to address in the future, he said.

It's "far too easy" to pretend homelessness is a "big-city problem," Steineke said, but it exists throughout the state. Of the 5,800 people in the state on a given night who don't have a home, Poser said, 60 percent are from counties outside of Dane, Milwaukee and Racine, and half are families rather than single individuals.

Rep. Melissa Sargent, D-Madison, accused Republicans of offering "cosmetic solutions."

"This is just another legislative agenda item Republicans can check off their list, pat themselves on the back for, and tell the people of Wisconsin they tackled the tough issues when theyre running for reelection, meanwhile not a single piece of this legislation will do anything to help someone whos sleeping on the street tonight," Sargent said in a statement.

Walker's budget, currently working its way through the state Legislature, would also give 10 homeless shelters $50,000 grants to provide intensive case management services for homeless families and would transfer a program that serves the homeless population from the Department of Administration to the Department of Health Services to help connect homeless people with mental health services.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenian patriarchal locum tenens of Istanbul Archbishop Garegin Bekchian issued a statement before returning from Marseille to Istanbul on April 12, Istanbuls Armenian Zhamanak daily reported.

He stated that last week the Patriarchal General Vicar Archbishop Aram Ateshian tried to get his signature under the text of agreement which is not agreed yet.

In his statement Bekchian recalled his meeting with Aram Ateshian in the Istanbul Patriarchate on April 3 which was attended also by Bishop Sahak Mashalian and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Savory hospital Bedros Shirinoglu. The meeting was focused on issues related to the locum tenens election. Aram Ateshian informed me his personal opinion and concerns on this. However, I ask him to present what he thinks in a letter. He asked me two days for writing what he has said and give it to me, Bekchian said, adding that later he was informed that Ateshian prepared a written agreement or a protocol, he even invited media representatives and wanted that both, he and Bekchian, will sign that agreement.

Bekchian released the draft agreement prepared by Ateshian.

I leave the readers to decide a name to describe this step. So, Aram Ateshian, instead of presenting to me his stances and views on the current situation in a letter, expected that I also would sign the so-called agreement prepared by him which contradicts to the will and decision of the Church congress, only formally recognizes the legal election of a locum tenens, deprives the newly elected locum tenens of all his powers and tries to legalize his insistence on not resigning from the post of General Patriarchal Vicar, Bekchian said in the statement.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian on April 12 took part in the extended format meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU Eastern Partnership and Visegrad Four (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary) in Warsaw, the MFA told Armenpress.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Ministers of other EU states, EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy & Enlargement Negotiations.

During the session FM Nalbandian delivered speech which says:

Dear colleagues,

I would like to thank the Visegrad 4 Polish Presidency for hosting this ministerial meeting.

Approaching the upcoming Summit in Brussels with tangible achievements will be important for the future of the endeavors within the Eastern Partnership. In this regard we appreciate the initiative to give a political push to our sectoral cooperation and focus the debate on infrastructure connections, since it is one of the priorities of the Eastern Partnership enshrined in the Riga joint declaration.

On March 21st Armenia and the EU have initialed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that will reflect the depth and essence of our relations and set new guidelines for enhanced partnership.

Interconnectivity occupies a solid place in the Framework Agreement, as well as in the Armenia-EU Partnership Priorities for 2017-2020, underlining its importance not only for the bilateral relations, but also in the context of the regional cooperation.

Dear Colleagues,

Together with the EU and other partners, we are involved in different interconnectivity projects. We welcome the decision to extend the Trans-European Transport Network to the Eastern Partners. Last year, Armenian and Georgian principal highways were included as core connections on the comprehensive network of TEN-T maps.

Another good example is the Armenia-EU negotiations that started a month ago to conclude the Common Aviation Area Agreement.

The European Union, through the European Investment Bank, contributes to the realization of the one of Armenias strategic projects  the construction of the North-South road corridor that crosses the country with 556 km-long modern highway.

The recent modernization of Armenia-Georgia border crossing points with the support of the European Union is a practical step towards implementation of the Eastern Partnership Integrated Border Management Initiative. It provides more efficient capacities for increased volumes of transit and trade.

Interconnectivity does not limit only to transport communications. The European Union through the Neighborhood Investment Facility has contributed to the construction of a new Armenia-Georgia high-voltage transmission lines.

Ensuring mobility and people-to-people contacts are essential for enhancing the connections between our societies. This was one of the core principles set into the foundations of the Eastern Partnership. One of the ways to realize this commitment and to bring our societies closer is the visa free regime. Armenia and the EU for the past three years have been actively implementing the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements. The next step is the visa liberalization dialogue as targeted in the Riga Summit Declaration.

Dear Colleagues,

Through connectivity and economic cooperation we can effectively foster growth and stability in the region at large. It is essential that we consider the notion of connectivity in a broader context, not only among EU and EaP countries but also between different integration formats.

The links between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union should be a matter of pragmatic and result oriented dialogue. Armenia as a member state of the EAEU and one of the Eastern Partnership countries is ready to contribute to this end.

Promoting the connectivity and strengthening economic cooperation can help to forge common interests and joint projects that bring mutual benefits. In this regard they should also be viewed as confidence building measures and should be considered as a strong tool within the context of the efforts of agreed formats of the conflict resolutions.

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to use this opportunity to thank the European Union for significant financial and technical assistance in support of organizing a free and fair parliamentary elections in Armenia in the beginning of April. After the elections the European Union stated that they were well administered, fundamental freedoms were generally respected, and that the result reflected the overall will of the Armenian people. The EU further stressed its willingness to work with the democratically elected new Parliament and Government.

Armenia is also looking forward to continue its close cooperation with the European Union.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. The Republican Party of Armenia and the Armenian revolutionary Federation discuss the format of their future cooperation, Vice President of the National Assembly of Armenia, RPA spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov told the reporters after the Executive Body meeting of the party.

Since these discussions are underway and are not over yet, it would not be correct for us to discuss the issue of ministerial portfolios of the future Cabinet, National Assembly President, Vice Presidents, Chairmen of standing committees, Armenpress reports Sharmazanov saying.

He added that they will inform about the results when talks with the ARF are over.
Guinea has seized a haul of shark fins and carcasses from Chinese ships fishing illegally off the coast of the west African country and fined the owners.

The seizure was part of a push launched in February to crack down on illegal fishing in West African waters, aided by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

"Three ships were boarded and searched, two for having shark fins on board," Demba Guisse, the director of Guinea's national fishing monitoring body, told AFP late Tuesday.

With its vessel "Esperanza", Greenpeace is working with local officials from six African countries to monitor the waters off their coasts.

Guinean inspectors discovered 30 bags of shark carcasses including a huge hammerhead -- an endangered species -- on one of the ships.

The two vessels with shark fins aboard -- some discovered on the roof or stashed between crates -- were each fined around $265,000, Greenpeace said.

Both are owned by Dalian Lian Run Pelagic Fishery Company Ltd, which Greenpeace said is one of China's largest distant water fishing outfits.

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing, with around 100 million killed each year, Greenpeace said.

Global conservation efforts are complicated by the high prices fetched by shark fins, considered a delicacy in Asia where they are served for special occasions like weddings and banquets.

Greenpeace and authorities from neighbouring Guinea Bissau last month stopped four ships for various infractions including the use of unauthorised equipment.

?What we're seeing here is an utter lack of respect for West African fishing laws," said Greenpeace campaigner Ahmed Diame.

Illegal fishing in Guinea has risen sharply in recent years, with the hauls rising from 40,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 150,000 in 2015.

Most of the over 40 vessels currently licensed to operate in Guinean waters are Chinese-owned.
Gails Bakery is to open up a new outlet at Dickens Yard in Ealing.

The bakery said it wanted to make word-class craft bread a part of every community with freshly made breads as well as cakes, sandwiches and salads, when it opens the shop in autumn 2018, in the new St George West development.

Craig Carson, managing director of St George West, said: We are delighted that Gails has chosen to open a new store at Dickens Yard in Ealing. The popular bakery will give local residents yet another reason to visit our new public square and high street at Dickens Yard. I look forward to making further exciting announcements in the coming months.

Tom Molnar, co-founder of Gails added: Ealing is a great community and well look forward to baking in Dickens Yard.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations asked for and received a secret court order last summer to eavesdrop on communications between Carter Page, then a campaign adviser to candidate Donald Trump, as part of the FBI's investigation into connections between Team Trump and Russia.

The Washington Post reported the news Tuesday, citing multiple unnamed sources.

In the government's application for the Carter Page surveillance order, investigators said they believed Page was an agent of Putin's Russian government, and that Page was involved in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow.

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page told a reporter today. "I have nothing to hide."

Page then compared his predicament to when the FBI and Justice Department spied on the black civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

From the Washington Post:

The FBI and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting Carter Page's communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, according to the officials. This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump campaign adviser was in touch with Russian agents. Such contacts are now at the center of an investigation into whether the campaign coordinated with the Russian government to swing the election in Trump's favor. Page has not been accused of any crimes, and it is unclear whether the Justice Department might later seek charges against him or others in connection with Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The counterintelligence investigation into Russian efforts to influence U.S. elections began in July, officials have said. Most such investigations don't result in criminal charges. The officials spoke about the court order on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of a counterintelligence probe.

Among other things, the application cited contacts that he had with a Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013, officials said. Those contacts had earlier surfaced in a federal espionage case brought by the Justice Department against another Russian agent. In addition, the application said Page had other contacts with Russian operatives that have not been publicly disclosed, officials said.

Photo: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters.
Wordfence, a security research company, discovered that the reason Algeria is the country most often seen in attacks on WordPress blogs is that the country's largest ISP distributes home routers that are locked in an insecure state, with an open port that lets attackers seize control of them and use them to stage attacks on higher-value targets.

All told, Wordfence sees 10,000 Algerian IP addresses implicated in 2,000 attacks per month, each.

The hackable routers are made by Zyxel, and they leave port 7547 open to listen for messages sent on Allegro RomPager 4.07 UPnP|1.0 (ZyXEL ZyWALL 2), an embedded webserver with a known, unpatched vulnerability.

Other major ISPs that distribute these insecure routers are BSNL India and Philippine Long Distance Telephone. Attacking WordPress blogs is the least of the mischief that these things can wreak, they can also be used for unstoppable Denial of Service attacks.

OVH was hit by a 1 Terabyte DDoS attack in September last year, one of the largest in history. Approximately 152,000 IOT (Internet of Things) devices that had been compromised generated the traffic in that attack. In just the past month we have seen over 90,000 unique IP addresses at 28 ISPs that fit our compromised-router attack pattern. We monitor these attacks across our customer websites which is an attack surface of over 2 million websites. We only see a sample of the attacks that all websites globally experience. If you extrapolate the numbers, it indicates that there is a very large number of compromised ISP routers out there performing attacks and acting in concert. At this point it would not be a stretch to say that vulnerabilities in TR-069 may have created a very large botnet which could soon generate the largest DDoS attack the Internet has ever seen.

Thousands of Hacked Home Routers are Attacking WordPress Sites

[Wordfence]





(Thanks, Chris!)
By TJ Strydom and Wendell Roelf CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Africa's biggest grocery retailer Shoprite is considering a push into Eastern Europe, where it hopes to use knowledge gleaned from former suitor Steinhoff International, its new CEO told Reuters. The move signals a change in strategy for Shoprite under Chief Executive Pieter Engelbrecht, 47, as sovereign rating downgrades and a weak economy cloud prospects at home. It also leads it down a competitive path crowded with established retail giants such as Tesco, Carrefour, Lidl and Aldi . Engelbrecht, who took over from 37-year veteran Whitey Basson in January, said the company wants to enter markets in Eastern Europe that either "have low competition or high economic growth". Shoprite has grown rapidly over the past two decades as shoppers from Lagos to Luanda increasingly shunned street markets and spent more of their wages in formal retail stores, but still less than 20 percent of its sales are outside its home market. "We will look at other developing countries. That is also something that came out with our Steinhoff discussions and they've got good presence there, so we would like to leverage off that knowledge and definitely have a look at the East Bloc countries," he said in an interview at the company's head office outside Cape Town. Steinhoff in February called off a plan to merge its African clothing and furniture assets with Shoprite's stores, a deal bankers had said could create a giant valued at more than 180 billion rand ($13 billion). "The two types of entry countries that you look at is either one with low competition or you look at one with high economic growth," he said, adding that a trip to the region was planned although he did not say which countries he was considering. "We will go slow. We are not going to over commit ourselves to learn if the market accepts us. So we will first establish a couple of stores and make sure the market likes us, and if we find acceptance then one can look at a merger or acquisition." However, a move to Eastern Europe would be fraught with risks and would not likely provide the profits necessary to offset the impact of reducing its exposure to the impact of credit ratings downgrade on South Africa, analysts said. "So whatever ratings uplift one can expect from reducing South African exposure, might well be given up on lower profit margins and execution risk from such an acquisition," said Unathi Loos, an Investec Asset Management retail analyst. But Shoprite's experience in selling to low income earners in far-flung cities across Africa could help it mount a strong challenge. The company is also pondering a move into the South American market, Engelbrecht said. SOUTH AFRICA Engelbrecht, a chartered accountant who - before a serious neck injury - had dreams of playing rugby professionally, said Shoprite was maintaining sales and customer growth in South Africa and should reach its profit targets this year, but was concerned that a weaker rand currency could hurt consumers. South Africa's rand was the worst performing emerging market currency this month, retreating more than 10 percent against the greenback, as the shock of a midnight cabinet reshuffle and subsequent credit ratings downgrade weighed on sentiment. [ Engelbrecht said Shoprite had a strong balance sheet to help weather the volatile rand and was talking to banks to raise between 10 billion and 15 billion rand for its capital requirements over the next six years. Though raising funds in South Africa is likely to be more costly due to the downgrades, Shoprite can still tap foreign markets through its structures in Mauritius. And raising funds in Eastern Europe could be significantly cheaper than in South Africa, analysts said. ($1 = 13.6146 rand) (Editing by Louise Heavens and Susan Thomas)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came under opposition attack on Tuesday, accused of misleading Canadians when he said he had to fly in the Aga Khan's helicopter during his controversial Bahamas vacation because it was the only way to travel to the billionaire's private island.

Opposition Leader Rona Ambrose led off the attack, demanding to know why he told Canadians the private helicopter was the only way to get to the island when a government employee arrived via seaplane.

"It's bad enough that the prime minister chose to vacation at one of the most expensive destinations in the world when taxpayers have to pay," Ambrose said during a raucous question period.

"But why did the prime minister tell Canadians a private helicopter was his only option when he knew it was against the law, against his own ethical guidelines  and now we find out it wasn't even true."

New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen also accused Trudeau of misleading Canadians and being above the rules.

"Today we learned that the prime minister's excuse is categorically false," Cullen told the House. "So does he wish to change his story or does he wish to continue to mislead Canadians?"

Trudeau, however, refused to directly answer the question, saying repeatedly that it was a private family vacation and that he will answer any questions that Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson may have.

He then suggested the decision to take the Aga Khan's helicopter was made by the RCMP.

"On prime ministerial travel, as is always the case, the RCMP makes determinations around what is the safest way for the prime minister to travel."

"Is he saying today then that the RCMP told him to break the law?" shot back Ambrose.

Ethics investigation underway

Dawson is conducting an investigation following complaints about the trip and allegations that Trudeau violated government rules, which prohibit the prime minister, cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries from accepting free travel on non-commercial chartered or private aircraft without prior approval from the ethics commissioner.

Story continues

Government rules also bar a prime minister from flying on a regular commercial flight for security reasons, meaning they generally travel on government planes. (During election campaigns, however, prime ministers generally travel on commercially chartered flights.)

The attacks in the House of Commons came after CBC News revealed early Tuesday that a Privy Council technician who accompanied Trudeau to Bell Island travelled from Nassau on a commercially chartered seaplane.

CBC News also revealed that the cost to taxpayers for the trip was higher than was disclosed to Parliament.

While the government initially told Parliament that it cost more than $127,000, that total failed to include a charge of $6,695 for the commercially chartered seaplane flight, which brought over the Privy Council technician and 400 pounds of equipment.

The total tab, then, was more than $133,000.

A Privy Council technician accompanies prime ministers whenever they travel  for business or personal reasons  to ensure they have access to a secure office and secure communications.

'Personal family friend'

Trudeau has repeatedly come under fire in the House of Commons for the Bahamas trip and for his office's initial refusal to disclose where he was vacationing.

Fellow Liberal MP and longtime friend Seamus O'Regan and his husband, Steve Doussis, joined Trudeau's family on the island, along with Liberal Party President Anna Gainey and her husband, Tom Pitfield. Pitfield was a key member of Trudeau's election campaign team.

In January, O'Regan told the National Post that he and his husband also travelled on the Aga Khan's helicopter.

Trudeau has defended the trip, arguing that the Aga Khan  a billionaire and leader of the world's Ismaili Muslims  is a longtime family friend.

However, the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, which lists the Aga Khan as its chairman in its most recent filings with the Canada Revenue Agency's charities section, has received federal government grants in the past for its international development projects. The foundation is currently registered to lobby several government offices, including the Prime Minister's Office.

On Jan. 12, Trudeau defended the decision to use the Aga Khan's helicopter, insisting it was the only way to get to Bell Island.

"The travel back and forth from Nassau to the island happens on the Aga Khan's private helicopter, which he offered us the use of," Trudeau told reporters in Kingston, Ont.

"The fact is, as I have said many times, the Aga Khan is a personal family friend, and travel to and from the island only happens through private means," he later added.
By Ed Stoddard and Tiisetso Motsoeneng PRETORIA/JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - More than 30,000 people marched in South Africa's capital Pretoria on Wednesday calling on President Jacob Zuma to quit, keeping up pressure from the streets on the leader over his handling of the struggling economy. The protesters marched through the city and held a rally at a field outside the Union Buildings, the site of Zuma's offices. Zuma, who turned 75 on Wednesday, has survived previous protests. But the main opposition party Democratic Alliance (DA) and other parties behind the protest believe they can drum up support to force Zuma out of office following his dismissal of respected Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in a cabinet reshuffle. South Africa's economy has grown lethargically over the last six years and the jobless rate stands near record levels. Analysts say the political crisis is making it hard to reform the economy, improve social services and fight crime. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party has rejected calls for Zuma to step down. He has denied repeated allegations of corruption since winning power in 2009. More than 60,000 people marched on Friday calling for him to quit. The ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters and other parties took part in Wednesday's protest, dubbed "National Day of Action". "He is misusing state money," said 21-year-old student and Pretoria resident Thomas Monyoko wearing a red EFF T-shirt. "Let the message be clear today that Zuma is no longer a credible president of South Africa," Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema said. "We don't care whether you are white, whether you are Indian, whether you are black, we are here to defend the future of our children." Zuma had accused Friday's marchers of having racist motives. Like Friday, a mixed racial profile of people attended Wednesday's rallies but there were less white people. Patricia Maguire, a white 40-year-old risk analyst who also took part in Friday's protest, held a sign saying: "Recall The Wrecking Ball," referring to Zuma. "I don't think this is a party thing, it is a governance issue. I can't see how anyone cannot see that he is critically destructive," said Maguire, who said she had no party affiliation. In another development, parliament said a motion of no-confidence in Zuma called by the opposition had been postponed until a court decided whether the vote should be taken by secret ballot. Opposition parties requested the delay. The parties have said the vote could have a chance of success if it is held by secret ballot, but the ANC has said it will vote against it. ZUMA'S BIRTHDAY Zuma's office said he was expected to hold a cabinet meeting to discuss the economic situation after Fitch and S&P Global Ratings last week downgraded South Africa to "junk", citing Gordhan's dismissal as one reason. Zuma meanwhile sang, danced and cracked jokes at his 75th birthday celebrations held in Soweto township, near the commercial hub of Johannesburg. Thousands gathered under a large tent, while others outside made merry, some performing the high-stepping "toyi toyi" dance as pro-Zuma and anti-apartheid tunes blasted from huge speakers. "I'm not worried when people call me names. I've been called names for years," said a jovial Zuma, speaking in the Zulu language. "The opposition are doing their job, which is to oppose, don't be worried," he told supporters. Wrapping up his speech, Zuma said: "If tomorrow you (ANC) say that I should step down, I will do so with a pure heart." Rachel Mokgatshwane, 73, said she was there to support Zuma and wish him a happy birthday. "We get our welfare payouts in time. I don't complain," she said. Another ANC supporter, Patrick Nyende, 54, said: "We don't see any reason for him to step down. None." The rand climbed to a one-week high on Wednesday, in part encouraged by comments from the new finance minister indicating no significant change in policy. Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba has sought to reassure investors since Gordhan was sacked. Nomura analyst Peter Attard Montalto said: "There is a general question about where South Africa is going." But he added "The probability of Zuma's exit is low at just 20 percent." (Additional reporting by James Macharia, Nqobile Dludla and Lynette Ndabambi in Johannesburg, Writing by James Macharia, Editing by Angus MacSwan)
By Katie Paul RIYADH (Reuters) - A Saudi woman claiming she sought asylum in Australia was stopped on a layover in the Philippines and returned to Riyadh on Wednesday. Dina Ali Lasloom said in self-recorded videos the Philippine authorities had held her at the Manila airport and confiscated her passport. The videos circulated widely on social media over the last two days. "My name is Dina Ali and I'm a Saudi woman who fled Saudi Arabia to Australia to seek asylum," she said in one video, adding she feared violence from any relatives who came to bring her back home. "Please help me. I'm recording this video to help me and know that I'm real and I'm here." The woman did not say why she sought refuge abroad and the authenticity of the videos could not immediately be verified. The Saudi embassy in Manila issued a statement on Wednesday calling the case a "family matter" and added without elaborating that she had "returned with her relatives to the homeland." Philippine authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. In Saudi Arabia, women are legally subject to a male guardian, who must give his approval for basic decisions on education, marriage, travel and even medical treatment. Saudi authorities have over the last decade granted new opportunities for women to study and work. But women are still barred from driving and must obey a strict dress code requiring that they wear loose robes when in public. CARRIED ONTO FLIGHT Meagan Khan, a Canadian tourist, told The Australian newspaper after landing in Bali that she had allowed Ali to use her phone to post the videos on Twitter. Ali began to cry when two men whom she identified as relatives arrived at the Manila airport, Khan told the paper. Saudi activists said Ali was forced onto a Saudi Arabia Airlines flight from Manila to Riyadh on Tuesday night. She did not emerge at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh after the flight landed early Wednesday morning, but multiple passengers told Reuters they had seen a woman being carried onto the plane screaming. "I heard a lady screaming from upstairs. Then I saw two or three men carrying her. They weren't Filipino. They looked Arab," said one Filipino woman, who declined to give her name. A rare gathering of about 10 Saudi activists appeared in the arrivals area of the Riyadh airport around midnight on Wednesday, after a hashtag began circulating on Twitter urging people to "receive Dina at the airport." One of them, a 23-year-old medical student named Alaa Alanazi, appeared to have been detained after approaching airport security about the case. Her sister, Nada, said airport officials told her Alanazi had been sent to a police station in central Riyadh, but said she was unable to confirm her sister's whereabouts. Reuters could not immediately reach security officials for comment. Saudi authorities brook little public dissent and frequently detain activists on charges of undermining social cohesion and participating in demonstrations. (Reporting by Katie Paul, editing by Larry King)
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Venezuelan opposition supporters have been protesting against the government of President Nicolas Maduro since the Supreme Court ruled to strip the National Assembly of its lawmaking powers at the end of March. This is the longest sustained wave of anti-government demonstrations since 2014.

Local and international journalists covering the protests have been attacked, beaten, arrested and sprayed with tear gas, and have had their equipment confiscated and stolen. The Emergencies Response Team (ERT) at the Committee to Protect Journalists has issued the following safety advisory for journalists covering or planning to cover the protests throughout Venezuela.

Venezuelan authorities have been using tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, reportedly firing from helicopters above the crowds. Hundreds have been injured and arrested, and so far three deaths have been reported.

Journalists covering the story told the CPJ that the authorities have been firing tear gas into the crowds at close range. One photographer who was hit by a canister suffered significant injury to his leg. At the same time the protesters have been throwing rocks and projectiles at security personnel.

Local and international media have found it increasingly difficult to operate in Venezuela due to government obstruction. Police and armed pro-government gangs have detained, harassed and attacked journalists. Assaults have taken place in broad daylight, and pro-government gangs have stolen media equipment, a journalist who spoke to CPJ said.

Here are some tips to help journalists working in Venezuela stay safe. They are intended as guidance, and may not fit all situations.

General advice:

Plan the assignment and ensure that you have a full battery on your mobile phone. Know the area you are going to. Work out in advance what you would do in an emergency.

Always try to work with a colleague and have a regular check-in procedure with your base. Particularly if covering rallies or crowd events.

If going to rallies or crowd events, wear clothing and footwear that allows you to move swiftly. Consider your positionif you can, find an elevated position which would offer greater safety.

At any location, always plan an evacuation route as well an emergency rendezvous point if you are working with others.

Remember that crime and kidnapping are a serious problem in Venezuela. Maintain situational awareness at all times and limit valuables you are taking. Do not leave any equipment in vehicles as they are likely to be broken into and after dark, the criminal risk increases dramatically.

Tear gas:

It is sensible to wear personal protective equipment which includes gas masks, eye protection, body armor and helmets. (For visiting journalists, please note there are mixed reports about getting such equipment into the country. Some journalists have entered without issues, but others have had complications entering when identified as journalists. Journalist permits are very hard, if not impossible to obtain.)

Venezuelan authorities are using tear gas indiscriminately and there is the possibility of high concentrations of tear gas sitting in areas with no movement of air. Individuals with asthma or respiratory issues should avoid areas where tear gas is being used. Likewise, contact lenses are not advisable.

If you are exposed to tear gas, try to find higher ground and stand in fresh air to allow the breeze to carry away the gas. Do not rub your eyes or face as this may worsen the situation. Once possible, shower in cold water to wash the gas away from skin, but do not bathe. Clothing may need to be washed several times to rid the crystals completely or even be discarded.

Dealing with aggression:

Read body language to identify an aggressor and use your own body language to pacify a situation.

Keep eye contact with an aggressor, use open hand gestures and keep talking with a calming manner.

Keep an extended arms length from the threat. Back away, breakaway firmly without aggression if held. If cornered and in danger, shout.

If working in a crowd, keep to the outside of the crowd and dont get sucked into the middle where it is hard to escape. Identify an escape route, and have a team emergency meeting point if working with others. If aggression increases, keep a hand free to protect your head and move with short, deliberate steps to avoid falling. If in a team, stick together and link arms.

While there are times when documenting aggression is crucial journalistic work, be aware of the situation and your own safety. Taking pictures of aggressive individuals can escalate a situation.

Report any aggression to the authorities.

If you are attacked, threatened or otherwise intimidated while covering these events, you can contact CPJ by emailing [email protected].

For more information on basic preparedness, assessing and responding to risk, or covering safety measures when covering civil conflict and disturbances, we encourage journalists to review CPJs Journalist Security Guide.
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New York, April 12, 2017Venezuelan authorities should ensure that journalists can cover protests safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Several reporters have been detained, injured, or had equipment seized while covering ongoing protests over a Supreme Court ruling to strip the opposition-led National Assembly of its lawmaking powers, according to news reports and local press freedom organizations. Access to at least three independent news websites that broadcast footage of the protests is blocked in Venezuela, according to reports.

Venezuelans cannot be fully informed on the political and economic crisis rocking the country when journalists are beaten, arbitrarily detained, blocked, and harassed by law enforcement officials, said Carlos Lauria, CPJs senior program coordinator for the Americas. We urge Venezuelan authorities to ensure that the media can report freely on protests and all matters of public interest without fear of violence.

Elyangelica Gonzalez, a correspondent for Univision Noticias and the Colombian-based station Caracol Radio, is among the journalists attacked while covering the protests. She was surrounded by at least a dozen Bolivarian National Guard officers while reporting outside the Supreme Court for Caracol Radio on March 31, according to reports. A video of the incident published on Univisions website shows officers hitting her, grabbing her hair, and dragging her on the ground.

Roman Camacho, a reporter for the news website La Patilla, suffered a fracture in his tibia bone when Bolivarian National Guard officers threw a tear gas canister that hit his leg on April 10 in Caracas, according to a report by the website and an interview after he left the hospital. Miguel Gutierrez, a reporter for the Spanish news agency EFE Noticias, was hit in the chest with a tear gas canister on April 6, moments after he took a photograph of a confrontation between police and an opposition senator, according to a report in La Patilla.

Bolivarian National Police detained Elvis Flores, a cameraman for the news website Venezolanos por la Informacion, (Venezuelans for Information or VPI TV), in Caracas on April 6 while he filmed a clash between police and protesters, according to a statement by VPI TV. He was held for at least nine hours and was beaten, according to the National Union for Press Workers in Venezuela. Separately, the Bolivarian National Guard detained Andry Rincon, a reporter for VivoPlay, in Caracas on March 31 for about a half hour and seized all his equipment apart from one memory card, according to a video report released on Twitter by his outlet. CPJ could not determine if his equipment has been returned.

Ramon Veliz, a correspondent with El Venezolano and Union Radio, said on Twitter on April 9 that members of the Bolivarian National Guard raided his home in the northern Venezuelan state of Lara, without a warrant and pointed weapons at his family members. According to Velizs account of the raid on Twitter, the officers said they were looking for stolen goods and seized his cellphone when he started to record them. Veliz told CPJ he saw military police taking photos of him covering a protest the day before the raid.

Venezuelan freedom of expression organization Espacio Publico documented at least 29 cases of journalists injured, harassed, attacked or prevented from covering the protest in Caracas and elsewhere between March 30 and April 8, the groups director, Carlos Correa, told CPJ.

CPJs calls to the public relations department of the Bolivarian National Guard and calls to the Bolivarian National Police went unanswered.

Access to at least three news websites has also been blocked. VivoPlay, VPI TV, and Capitolio TV, which is owned by the opposition controlled National Assembly, have been inaccessible since April 7, according to reports.

Luis Carlos Diaz, a tech reporter and contributor to Global Voices, confirmed to CPJ that access to the websites is blocked inside Venezuela. He said he was unable to access the sites when he tried to view them on internet service providers within Venezuela, but when he used Tor anonymizing software or a virtual private network (VPN), which hides a users location online, the sites were accessible. Diaz told CPJ that he spoke with multiple contacts at privately owned telecommunications companies who told him the state operator Conatel issued an order to block the sites.

Conatel did not immediately respond to CPJs request for comment.

In 2014 Conatel blocked the news sites NTN24 and Infobae, both of which remain blocked. In February Conatel announced that it was suspending all broadcasts from CNN Espanol, arguing that the broadcaster had distorted the truth and attacked the stability of the country.

In response to the unrest, CPJ has issued a set of recommendations to journalists reporting on the protests. The safety advisory is available in English and Spanish.
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New York, April 12, 2017Belarusian authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalists for covering protests and should allow the news media to work unobstructed, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

A district court in the southwestern Belarusian city of Kobryn is scheduled to try Ales Levchuk and Milana Kharitonova, correspondents for the independent broadcaster Belsat TV, tomorrow, according to their employer. The journalists are to face charges of violating regulations on manufacturing and distributing [illicit] mass media materials and disobeying police for covering a March 18 protest in the city.

Journalists covering protests are not committing a crime; they are doing their jobs, said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova. Belarusian authorities should drop the absurd charges against Ales Levchuk, Milana Kharitonova, and all journalists who have been detained for their work, and should cease trying to intimidate the news media.

I have no doubt that we will be found guilty and ordered to pay huge fines tomorrow, Belsat quoted Levchuk as saying today.

Belarusian courts convicted several other journalists yesterday and today for covering protests last month. In two separate sessions today, the Vitebsk Regional Court upheld a lower courts conviction of Halina Abakunchyk, a correspondent for the Belarusian service of the U.S.-government-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, locally known as Radio Svaboda, and Katerina Bakhvalava, a correspondent for Belsat, on charges of participating in an unsanctioned protest in the eastern city of Orsha on March 12, their employers reported today.

Police detained Abakunchyk as she broadcasted live from the protest and detained her overnight, CPJ reported at the time. Police confiscated her phone, questioned her for six hours, and sent her to court the following day, where she was convicted and fined the equivalent of US$300. Bakhvalava was also detained overnight and convicted the following day of the same charge, and was fined the equivalent of US$365, Radio Svaboda reported.

Also today, freelance correspondent Larisa Schirakova, who covered March protests in the southeastern cities of Rahachow and Gomel, stood trial in Gomel for manufacturing illicit video products. The judge ordered her to pay a fine of the equivalent of US $500, Belsat reported.

Yesterday, the Oktyabr District Court in Vitebsk, convicted Belsat journalists Olga Chaychits and Andrey Kozel in absentia on charges of manufacturing illicit video products, Belsat reported, without specifying the amount of the fine. According to the Belarusian Criminal Code, the offense is punishable by a maximum fine of US$600.

Protests erupted in February after the imposition of a new tax on Belarusians who have been unemployed for more than six months without seeking work at a government job center, but have since developed into broader protests against the 23-year rule President Aleksandr Lukashenko. CPJ reported on dozens of cases of detention and other forms of intimidation of journalists covering the protests. At least eight journalists were sentenced to 5-15 days of arrest following the March 25-26 rallies, according to CPJ research.

CPJ on March 24 issued safety advice for journalists covering the protests in Belarus.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey today signed into law a bill that says juries, not judges, have the final say on whether to impose the death penalty in capital murder cases.





Ivey signed the bill, which had been passed by the Alabama House of Representatives on April 4.





Rep. Chris England, one of the legislators who had supported a bill to do away with override confirmed Ivey had signed it into law through a tweet.





Alabama had been the only state that allows a judge to override a jury's recommendation when sentencing capital murder cases.





The bill approved on April 4 was one submitted by Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Montgomery. It passed the House on a vote of 78-19 for signature by then Gov. Robert Bentley, who had said he planned to sign it into law after a standard legal review. Bentley, however, didn't get a chance to sign it, resigning Monday amid a sex scandal and a plea agreement with prosecutors.





At least one Alabama judge was happy to see the law changed.





"I'm glad to be stripped of this power," Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Circuit Judge David Carpenter told AL.com Tuesday. "Also, this is long overdue. Our Capital Murder sentencing statute would eventually have been struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court."





Robert Dunham, executive director of the Washington-D.C.-based Death Penalty Information Center, said that the new law is "important" and significant. "Judicial override has been responsible for some of the unfairest and most unreliable death sentences in the United States," he said.





Judicial override was initially designed to prevent runaway juries and an extra level of procedural safeguards to prevent the unjustified imposition of the death penalty, Dunham said. "That has not been the way it has worked historically in Alabama," he said.





"It has been used to impose death sentences against the will of the community and has been disproportionately used in election years in cases of white victims and African am defendants," Dunham said.





Alabama was an outlier with judicial override, becoming the last state to allow its use by judges for overriding life without parole recommendation to impose death, Dunham said.

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Source: al.com, April 11, 2017
More than 1,000 death sentences were handed down in Africa in 2016. That's according to the latest report by Amnesty International . Botswana was singled out for resuming executions.





DW: Could you briefly tell us the components of your report with a focus on the African countries?





First of all, it's quite important to highlight the major elements of the report itself. In 2016, Amnesty International recorded a 37 % decrease in the number of executions carried out globally. In 2016, we found that China was the world's top executioner. And progress towards abolition was recorded in all regions of the world.





In terms of sub-Saharan Africa, the use of the death penalty was mixed. On one hand, we recorded fewer executions; on the other hand, the number of death sentences rose dramatically to a staggering 145 % increase. At least 22 executions were carried out in 5 countries compared to 43 executions in 4 countries in 2015. In 2016, the countries that carried out executions included Nigeria, Botswana, Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia. Death sentences rose from 443 in 2015 to at least 1,086 in 2016. And this was mainly due to an increase in the number of dead sentences handed out in Nigeria. Nigeria handed down 527 death sentences and that's the highest we recorded excluding China in the world.





What could be the reason for this rise of the death sentences in Nigeria?





We are not exactly sure of the reason for this dramatic sharp increase in the number of death sentences handed down in 2016. However, I must note that we recorded a similar number of death sentences for Nigeria in 2014. So in 2015, there was a decrease and then it's gone back up again. It's very possible that a lot of [capital punishment] cases came to a conclusion in 2016 and judgments were handed down.





Botswana has been described as a model for democracy and good governance. Why do you think they have resumed executions?





Botswana is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa that still hangs on to the use of the death penalty. Although they do not carry out as many executions as some other countries like Somalia, they still hold steadfastly to the death penalty. It's unclear why they have resumed executions; they carried out 1 execution last year. It's a country that consistently uses the death penalty and has refused to stay away from this cruel and inhuman degrading punishment.





Amnesty International works to end executions and opposes the death penalty. What's being done at the moment to scrap the death penalty?





Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases without exception, regardless of the nature of the offence or the characteristics of the individual or the methods used by the states to carry out the executions. Since 1977, we have been calling on all countries in the world that are yet to abolish the death penalty, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa to establish an official moratorium on executions as a fast step towards abolishing the death penalty.





Source: Deutsche Welle, April 12, 2017. Oluwatosin Popoola is Amnesty International's Nigeria researcher.

Amnesty International urges Ghana to abolish death penalty

Amnesty International (AI), a human rights group, has urged the Government of Ghana to abolish the death penalty.





Mr Frank Doyi, the Acting Director, AI Ghana, said: "The death penalty is the ultimate denial of human rights. It is premeditated and cold-blooded killing of a human being by the state. This cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment is done in the name of justice."





He said the death penalty violates the right to life as proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human rights.





He said Ghana's retentionist policy of the death penalty was out of step with the rest of the world; stating that abolition of the death penalty would reinforce Ghana's commitment to human rights.





Mr Doyi made the appeal on Tuesday in Accra during the launch of the Amnesty International Global Report: "Death Sentences and Executions 2016".





He said Article 13 of the 1992 Ghanaian Constitution guarantees the right to life, however the same article allows for the death penalty.





He noted that Article 3(3) provides for mandatory death sentence for the persons convicted of high treason.





"We call on the Government of Ghana to expedite action on the review of the 1992 Constitution to: Amend articles 3 (3) and 13 (1) of the 1992 Constitution to remove the mandatory death sentence for persons convicted of high treason (3(3)) and to prohibit the execution of the citizens by the state (13(1))," he said.





He noted that according to information that the Ghana Prisons Service provided to AI, no executions were carried out in 2016, whilst 17 death sentences were imposed.





Mr Doyi said at the end of the year, 148 people were under sentence of death, 7 of whom were foreign nationals - 5 Togolese, 1 Burkinabe and 1 Nigerian; adding that 4 commutations were granted and 1 person was exonerated.





He said Ghana had international human rights obligations to respect, protect and fulfill the human rights for everyone within its juisdiction, without discrimination.





"These human rights include the right to life, the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the right to a fair trial," Mr Doyi stated.





"Ghana has explicitly accepted obligations in regard to these rights in the international and regional human rights treaties which it has ratified, including the international Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights," he added.





He said Ghana had ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.





He said the acceptance of the proposal for the abolition of the death penalty would provide a unique opportunity for Ghana to truly and fully commit to the protection of the internationally recognise human rights.





Dr Vincent Adzahlie-Mensah, AI Board Member, said government's white paper on the constitutional review report backs the abolishing of the death penalty in Ghana.





He therefore, appealed to government to ensure that a referendum was held to approve the appropriate constitutional amendments.





"What we need is for government to protect us from our killers, rather than kill our killers," he added.





Mr Ron Strikker, the Dutch Ambassador to Ghana said his country and the European Union would support every effort by Ghana to abolish the death penalty.





Mr Lawrence Amesu, retired Director, AI Ghana, who chaired the event, said at the time AI started advocating for the abolishing of the death penalty, there were only 18 countries that had done that, but now the number had progress to 104.





He said AI looks forward to seeing the day when there would be no death penalty in the world.





Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, Director of Public Prosecution, Attorney General's Department, said "It is gratifying to note that we all want an end to the death penalty".





She said after the necessary constitutional procedures had been met, government would hold a referendum on the recommendations of the constitutional review committee; which would lead to the abolishing of the death penalty.

Abolish Death Penalty, Zimbabwe Urged

Amnesty International has pleaded with Zimbabwe to abolish the death penalty with some 97 convicts currently awaiting the hangman's noose in the country.





The Zimbabwean constitution now exempts women and those under 21 from the penalty.





Although the country last implemented the death sentence in 2003, it remains 1 of the only 3 countries in the region yet to abolish the sentence.





Amnesty fears that Botswana's executions last year may cause the region to regress.





"Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe were the only countries in Southern Africa who handed down death sentences in 2016 - a total of 110, the overwhelming majority of which (101) were in Zambia," said Amnesty in its latest report released this Tuesday.





"Botswana's step backward must not be replicated elsewhere in the region. While they didn't carry out any executions, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe continued to hand down death sentences. We urge all countries to totally abolish the death penalty."





At least 283 people across the region were under sentence of death at the end of 2016, including 157 in Zambia and 97 in Zimbabwe.





Justice minister Emmerson Mnangagwa has since declared his opposition to the death penalty.





"At a time when the number of countries carrying out executions around the world is going down, indicating that the world is moving away from this inhumane and degrading form of punishment, Botswana is the only country in the region still showing flagrant contempt for the right to life," said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director for Southern Africa.





Across sub-Saharan Africa as a whole fewer executions were recorded but the number of death sentences more than doubled, largely due to a steep rise in Nigeria.





About 1,032 executions were carried-out worldwide in 2016, down 37 % from 2015. Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan join China as world's top 5 executioners.





China however remains the leading country in terms of executions in the world with over 1 100 executions. The world generally registered a drop in executions.

Nigeria Records 2nd-Highest Number Of Death Sentences In 2016

According to the human rights organization, 2016's figure represents a "massive and worrying" spike from 2015, when the country recorded 171 death sentences.





Nigeria handed down 527 death sentences in 2016, tripling 2015's figure and placing it 2nd only to China in death sentences recorded throughout the world in 2016.





Amnesty International Nigeria announced the figure in its 2016 global review of the death penalty published on Tuesday.





Lagos State recorded the most executions in Nigeria in 2016 with 68, followed closely by Rivers State with 61.





According to the human rights organization, 2016's figure represent a "massive and worrying" spike from 2015, when the country recorded 171 death sentences.





The group emphasized that Nigeria's sharp increase in death sentences puts the country at odds with the global decline in death sentences. In 2016, there were 1,032 executions recorded worldwide, down from 1,634 in 2015 (a 37 % decline).





"By handing down more death sentences last year than any other country except China, Nigeria has tripled its use of this cruel and inhuman punishment and skyrocketed up the shameful league table of the world's death penalty offenders," said Damian Ugwu, Amnesty International's Nigeria Researcher.





"The danger of people being executed for crimes they may not have committed remains ever-present. Investigations show many death row inmates live in constant fear of execution in some Nigerian prisons."





The group stated that on December 23, 2016, for example, Apostle Igene, an inmate of Benin Prison, Edo State, was executed after being sentenced to death in 1997 by a military tribunal. He was never permitted to appeal the sentence.





The report also pointed out that Oyo State passed a law in 2016 making kidnapping punishable by execution and that Lagos and Bauchi States passed similar laws in 2017.





The group condemned such laws, saying that there is no evidence demonstrating that the death penalty deters crime more than any other punishment. It also pointed out that Nigerian security authorities have been ramping up police training with a view towards improving crime detection and prevention. These measures, the group said, "are likely to have a greater impact on the crime rate than any moves to expand the scope of the death penalty."





The organization concluded its report by calling on the Nigerian government to establish an official moratorium on death penalties and to eventually abolish it altogether.





"For years, the federal government has claimed to have a voluntary or self-imposed 'moratorium,' but executions have happened nonetheless. This demonstrates the urgency of formally establishing a moratorium," the group said.





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Source: ghanabusinessnews.com, April 12, 2017Source: allafrica.com, April 12, 2017Source: saharareporters.com, April 12, 2017
Gov. John Bel Edwards said he's interested in hearing the debate about abolishing the death penalty in Louisiana, but won't commit one way or the other on the issue.





"I acknowledge that it costs a lot in terms of the criminal justice system to have the death penalty," Edwards said during interview Monday with The Advocate's editorial board. "But I am not endorsing moving away from the death penalty in Louisiana."





Neither would Edwards commit to vetoing legislation if 1 of the 2 bills being considered by the Louisiana Legislature in the session that began Monday passes both chambers and makes it to his desk.





"I understand the indigent defenders (the lawyers who represent, at taxpayers' expense, most criminal defendants accused of capital crimes) could take $10 million right away and put it towards other types of cases that make up the overwhelming majority of their caseload," Edwards said. "I am sort of interested to see how the conversation goes and who really plays a part in that."





6 states have abolished the death penalty since the recession began in 2007, largely for financial reasons, and others are looking at it now.





3 former law enforcement officials filed 2 bills in the House and the Senate that would make Louisiana the 1st state in the South to abolish capital punishment.





Democratic state Rep. Terry Landry, of New Iberia and a former superintendent of the Louisiana State Police, and Republican Rep. Steve Pylant, of Winnsboro and a former sheriff, sponsored House Bill 101. Republican state Sen. Dan Claitor, of Baton Rouge and a former prosecutor, filed Senate Bill 142, which has nearly identical wording.





The measures would eliminate death as a possible sentence for defendants convicted of heinous crimes committed after Aug. 1. Those convicted would instead be sentenced to life in prison.





The sponsors say that beyond the moral and ethical grounds that are the usual arguments for such proposals, capital punishment is an expensive affectation because nobody has been executed in Louisiana - with the exception of a single volunteer - in 15 years.





The bills would not invalidate the sentences of the 73 men and one woman already on death row. But the state's rejection of capital punishment could influence appeals of those sentences.





Additionally, the state doesn't have the chemicals necessary to lethally inject any of the 74 condemned prisoners in the state penitentiary at Angola. And the manufacturers of those pharmaceuticals, which cause cardiac arrest, refuse the sell the chemicals for executions. Louisiana would need to change its law to use some other method to put people to death.





The state's district attorneys voted unanimously last week to oppose the legislation. The state's sheriffs have issued no position but are meeting in Baton Rouge Tuesday to discuss these bills as well as a package of measures that would revamp the way criminal justice is administered in a state that incarcerates more of its citizens, per capita, than China and Russia.





Claitor chairs Senate Judiciary Committee, which is slated to consider SB42. Rep. Sherman Mack, the Albany Republican who chairs the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice, opposes the legislation but said he would give HB101 a hearing.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!

Source: The Advocate, April 11, 2017
Companies are getting lower returns for the resources they pour into research and development. Across industries, innovation is one of the main ways companies grow, and these discoveries deliver tangible benefits to individuals and the economy as a whole.

Why has the rate of return fallen? Is it that companies have made poor investments?. Or, even worse, have returns to all innovation declined?

Professor Anne Marie Knott of the Olin Business School from Washington University in St. Louis, in a new paper, suggests that returns in some industries have declined, dragging down companies average return to research and development investment. Fortunately, companies can diversify their research and development investments into other areas if their current industry has limited opportunity. Companies adept at shifting research and development investment to more promising areas have been able to push the maximum returns to new heights even as the average has fallen.

Innovation overall has not become more difficult. While the prospects for some industries have gotten worse, companies can still uncover opportunities in other areas or even generate entirely new markets through research and development.

Data show that reductions in the inputs do not seem to be the culprit. The number of R&D personnel has increased over time, while total R&D investment has risen modestly as a share of GDP.

Sources: OECD

Some shift has occurred in the composition of R&D investment. The growth in funding by private industries has far outpaced the growth in government funding, so companies have accounted for a growing share of the total over time. The greater role for companies could have implications for the rate of innovation if their returns to research have declined over time.

Innovation as a whole could be getting harder for different reasons. The first, and most prevalent, theory is that the nature of innovation has changed, because developed countries like the United States have already discovered and adopted the major, easy-to-find innovations. The supply of low-hanging fruit fueled a century of growth and prosperity that would have been difficult to imagine before then, but the fruit has now been eaten.

A second theory is that research has diminishing returns, so even though the resources directed to it have not fallen, the return on those inputs has fallen. This could be because they are focused on marginal improvements to existing products or bogged down in projects that are duplicative.

Other headwinds for innovation and economic growth identified by Robert Gordon, professor of social sciences at Northwestern University, include the end of a one-time demographic dividend last century and a plateau in educational attainment.

Professor Knott calls these theories plausible, as her calculation of companies research quotient, (a metric she developed to measure the return to innovation inputs) has fallen by 65 percent over the past three decades. This is a startling trend, but it could be happening because innovation overall is getting harder, or because companies are having trouble generating returns on their R&D investments.

Dr. Knott makes a compelling case that it is the latter. Although it may not be intuitive, this is an optimistic diagnosis, because it means some companies have devised ways to get high returns on their innovation investments, and others could figure it out in the future.

If innovation had gotten uniformly harder, not only would the average return be falling, but so would the maximum return. A divergence between some select companies that have been able to maintain or even increase their rates of return to research and development would undercut the pessimistic theory that it has uniformly gotten harder.

Professor Knott finds that the maximum research quotient has actually been increasing over time. Higher maximums could mask differences between industries: if one unicorn technology firm is able to increase maximum returns but every other industry is faltering, the scenario is hardly distinguishable from the pessimistic scenario outlined above.

Fortunately, the same pattern she identified when analyzing all public firms held when she narrowed her range of analysis to industries. At more granular levels, however, she did find that the maximum return decreased over time.

Source: Anne Marie Knott, Harvard Business Review.

Companies can respond to worsening prospects within a narrow industry by shifting to areas with more opportunity. Knott gives the example of landlines being replaced by cell phones and eventually smartphones. While the market for landlines shrunk, the new market created by the development of new technologies ended up being far greater in the long-run. With the ability to adapt, companies are not resigned to the same fate as the specific industries they operate in at the time.

On average, companies are getting lower returns for their research and development investments. While falling average returns for companies seems like a bleak story, it is actually far better than the alternative: that all of the low-hanging fruit has been picked and innovation will only continue to get harder. Thriving companies have been able to increase their returns even as the average has fallen. This goes against the argument that innovation overall has gotten more difficult--it just has for some companies. Firms that are able to allocate investment to the most promising areas and shift away from fading industries will be better able to generate these higher returns to R&D investment.

Firms in industries with limited opportunity could create new markets or switch over to new industries with more room to grow, boosting their return on R&D investment and bringing new ideas to the economy. If policies constrain their ability to respond to evolving R&D opportunities the potential return many of them can hope for will fall. In some instances, outright bans deter investment, such as the FAAs 1973 ban on overland supersonic flight. In others such as autonomous vehicles, requirements to get prior approval from state or local regulators to test products slow the rate of progress. Some companies might respond to more limited returns by reducing the inputs they are willing to dedicate to research and development.

Policymakers should resist this rush to regulate, and give companies the room to adapt to a changing research and development landscape.

Charles Hughes is a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute. Follow him on twitter @CharlesHHughes.

Interested in real economic insights? Want to stay ahead of the competition? Each weekday morning, E21 delivers a short email that includes E21 exclusive commentaries and the latest market news and updates from Washington. Sign up for the E21 Morning Ebrief.
ASKER, NORWAY (12 April 2017) - The 2017 annual general meeting of TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA ("TGS" or the "Company") will be held on 9 May 2017 at the offices of Schjdt law firm at Ruselkkveien 16, in Oslo at 17:00 CET.

Registration of attendees will begin at 16:30 CET.

The notice for the annual general meeting is attached hereto (English and Norwegian), together with relevant appendices. The notice will be sent to all registered shareholders per 12 April 2017.

To register your attendance, send proxy or to cast your vote electronically in advance through VPS Investor Services, please use the electronic link here and available on www.tgs.com. The pin code and reference number, which are sent out with the notice, will be needed. Kindly note that shareholders that have received the notice electronically will not receive and do not need a pin code or reference number, but must submit their notice of attendance, proxy or advance votes through their online investor account services (investortjenester).

Online registration will open on 12 April 2017 at 14:00 CET.

Company Summary

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company (TGS) provides multi-client geoscience data to oil and gas Exploration and Production companies worldwide. In addition to extensive global geophysical and geological data libraries that include multi-client seismic data, magnetic and gravity data, digital well logs, production data and directional surveys, TGS also offers advanced processing and imaging services, interpretation products, and data integration solutions.

For more information visit TGS online at www.tgs.com.

Forward-looking statements and contact information

All statements in this press release other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict, and are based upon assumptions as to future events that may not prove accurate. These factors include TGS' reliance on a cyclical industry and principle customers, TGS' ability to continue to expand markets for licensing of data, and TGS' ability to acquire and process data products at costs commensurate with profitability. Actual results may differ materially from those expected or projected in the forward-looking statements. TGS undertakes no responsibility or obligation to update or alter forward-looking statements for any reason.

TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSLO:TGS).

TGS sponsored American Depositary Shares trade on the U.S. over-the-counter market under the symbol "TGSGY".

For additional information about this press release please contact:

Sven Brre Larsen

Chief Financial Officer

Tel: +47 90 94 36 73

Email:sven.larsen@tgs.com

Will Ashby

VP HR & Communication

Tel: +1 713 860 2184 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Email: will.ashby@tgs.com

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lion One Metals Limited (TSX-V:LIO) (ASX:LLO) (OTCQX:LOMLF) (the Company) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ian I Chang, M.A.Sc, P.Eng., as Chief Development Officer. Mr. Chang has over 30 years of experience in executive roles, project and engineering management ranging from smaller high-grade underground gold mines to large-scale projects, and will lead the advance of Lion Ones fully permitted high-grade underground Tuvatu Gold Project located near Nadi on the island of Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji.



From 2011 until 2016 Mr. Chang was Vice-President, Project Development for Pretium Resources Inc., where he managed the feasibility study and subsequent development of Brucejack, Pretiums $1 billion, 2,700 tonne per day (tpd), high grade underground gold project. Mr. Changs corporate responsibility encompassed all capital project development at Pretium including engineering, procurement, and construction of all roads, powerlines, site infrastructure, work camps, processing facilities, and related permitting.

Mr. Chang was previously Project Director and Head of Project Management for Fluor Canada Limited, with responsibility for the management of EPCM for mining and metal projects, including the EPCM contract for Vale's $3 billion Long Harbour nickel-copper-cobalt refinery in Newfoundland. Over the course of his career he has held management, engineering and commissioning roles on a number of projects that have progressed through feasibility to successful operation. His roles have included: project manager for the engineering and procurement portion of the US$650 million mine expansion of Minera El Abra in Chile; pre-feasibility study manager for a 2,000 tpd mine at Meadowbank in Nunavut; project manager for the design of the 3,300 tpd Musselwhite gold mill; project engineer on the engineering, construction and commissioning of the copper and zinc autoclave system of Hudson Bay's Flin Flon operations; mechanical engineer involved in the design for the column flotation cells at the Campbell Red Lake mine and for the design of the 450 tpd gold-silver concentrator at the Mineral Hill mine in Montana. Mr. Chang holds Bachelor and Master of Applied Science degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia and is a registered professional engineer.

Lion One CEO Walter Berukoff commented On behalf of the Lion One Metals team, we would like to welcome Mr. Ian Chang to the companys senior management and Fiji operations team. Ians EPCM and project development skillset will be invaluable to Lion One, and will be a cornerstone of our technical team as we transition through development at Tuvatu.

The Company also announces it has granted incentive stock options to various directors officers, and employees of the Company, for the purchase of 1,200,000 common shares of the Company. The Options each have an exercise price of $1.00, are exercisable for a period five years, and vest over a three year period from the date of grant. The grant of Options is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Lion One

Lion One Metals Limited is focused on the development of its fully permitted high grade underground Tuvatu Gold Project located near Nadi on the island of Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji. For more information on Lion One including diagrams, maps, photos, and technical reports please visit the Companys website at www.liononemetals.com or the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of Lion One Metals Limited

Walter H. Berukoff

Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limiteds current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the early stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
11 hurt as clashes erupt during Bisket Jatra

As many as 11 persons including four policemen on duty were injured when clashes flared up among devotees who were pulling the chariot of God Bhairav as part of the Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur on Monday night.
The Board of Deep Sea Supply Plc hereby gives notice that Annual General Meeting in Deep Sea Supply Plc will be held on 04th May 2017 at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Limassol, Cyprus at 09:00 hrs. local time.



Please find enclosed the Annual Report, Notice of Shareholders` meeting, Proposal from the Nomination Committee and the form of request for proxy for use at the Shareholders` meeting.

The Annual Report for 2016 and the documents for the Shareholders' meeting are also available on the Company's web site: www.deepseasupply.no



Shareholders who want to receive a printed copy of the Annual Report for 2016 should contact the Company by e-mail: post@dess.no



Limassol, 12 April 2017

Deep Sea Supply Plc



This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.



Attachments:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6c581b8c-cbba-44ef-9084-3129ae8dd127

Attachments:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0d100788-3486-408b-8a10-139b97588b3f
Defining Your Pacing Problem in the Quant and/or Verbal Sections (Part 1)

QUANT

1.

2.

3.

A) What information did the prompt include?

B) What question were you attempting to answer?

C) What steps did you go through?

D) Were the numbers that you wrote down labeled?

4.

5.

Over the years, one of the most common concerns that Ive heard from GMATers is about their pacing  specifically, the fact that they have to rush through a number of questions at the end of a section just to finish on time. How do I fix my pacing problem? they ask (and you might be asking it too!).First, you have to understand that a pacing problem doesnt exist on its own  its the result of OTHER issues. In simple terms, something about how you handle the Quant and/or Verbal sections is CAUSING this pacing issue. To better define that cause (or causes), we have to analyze how youre handling questions on your CATs. To properly do that, we need to look at one of your recent CATs and your NOTES for that CAT.Certain practice CATs include information on how much time you spent on each question  and we need a CAT result that includes that information. THAT data is remarkably important, but we need more than just some numbers to solve your pacing issue. We also need to see what you wrote down, the steps that you went through to try to answer each question, etc. For review purposes, you should always keep your notes from each CAT. At the very least, youll be able to reattempt questions that you originally got wrong.  which is a great way to measure your progress as you study and define how well you are improving. In addition, you can go back and see how you successfully answered certain questions (as those Tactics and patterns will likely be helpful on future questions.) At deeper levels, you can define WHY you got questions wrong in the first place  and that information can help you to change your tactics, improve your work and hone your skills.On a CAT, no Quant question is worth more than 3 minutes of your time - not even the first question.Say that quote out loud. Right now. Then say it again. I dont care where you are (and I dont care if anyone looks at your strangely). Say it a third time. Now start living by that rule.Believe it or not, 75 minutes IS enough time to work through the Quant section, but NOT if youre making silly mistakes (that you then have to go back and fix) or wasting time by staring at the screen and hoping that an idea comes to you.If you had to rush through even a couple of questions at the end of the Quant section, then you over-committed to certain questions earlier on and wasted a bunch of time. If you have a pacing issue in the Quant section, then heres what we have to specifically look for in your CAT results:Count up the number of times that you spent 3 or more minutes on a question. Write all of those times down in a row.What fraction of those questions did you get WRONG? Circle the times associated with the ones that you got wrong.Over time, for most GMATers, the long-term fraction of wrong answers on questions that took 3+ minutes is about  meaning that when you spend THAT much time on a Quant question, theres a really good chance that youre going to get that question WRONG anyway! So in addition to getting a bunch of questions wrong, you end up wasting a bunch of time AND you end up not having enough time for the questions at the end of the section (which you mostly get wrong too). In effect, youre getting killed twice for the same mistake so you need to stop making that initial mistake. To figure out how to do that, we have to start with your notesTake a look at your notes for the first question from your list of 3+ minutes questions. If you were to hand that section of your notes to someone else, would that person be able to answer the following questions:If any of those 4 questions cannot be answered, then youve defined the first (and probably the BIGGEST) issue  you dont take the proper notes. The GMAT will NEVER ask you to do work in your head  thats why youre given a note pad and marker to work with.Now, review each question that you spent 3+ minutes on. How many of those questions had insufficient notes attached to them? By extension, how hard would it have been to write down those notes?Try redoing each question, from scratch. Write down all of the notes (as defined above). How long did it take to JUST write down the notes? Not too long, I bet. Now, try to solve the problem. If you decide its too hard, then thats fine now dump it (take a guess and move on). Physically do it. Choose an answer. Accept that making that choice is in your best interests there are questions at the end of the section that you almost certainly CAN correctly answer if you have enough time.With this newfound perspective, you can start making changes to how you work through practice questions and how you take your CATs. Next time, well talk though how to apply similar ideas to how you handle the Verbal section.GMAT assassins arent born, theyre made,RichIf you have any questions about anything in this thread, then you can feel free to contact me directly via email or PM._________________
bb

Quote:

What can I tell you different from other testimonials regarding test techniques to beat the test?

Absolutely nothing.

Remember that GMAT is JUST a part of your application!



Meditate at least 20 minutes Daily, to Control your anxiety!



Read these little and powerful guys here along with your Gmat courses and methodology. Expect them to shake your earth and not to teach anything surreal to tackle the test.

 How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading

 How to Think Clearly: A Guide to Critical Thinking

 GMAT - Mind Games - Advanced Techniques To Improve your GMAT Score Drastically

 Mastering Logical Fallacies: The Definitive Guide to Flawless Rhetoric and Bulletproof Logic

 Thinking, Fast and Slow
tanv4u wrote:

So i recently gave GMAT for a second time and scored a 690 (Q47 V38). This came as a huge shock to me as I have previously written the GMAT have scored a 710 (Q47 V40).My aim was a 740+ this time. In fact, verbal is my strength and I was pretty confident of getting a 44 or so as was being indicated by my practice mocks (GMAT prep)which were mostly in the range of 730 to 760. Well I must admit I was very nervous before and during the exam as the stakes were so high as I had studied a lot for this.I was also a bit sleepy. But even then, the kind of questions that I encountered in SC and CR were very alien.I have read the Manhattan SC book thoroughly twice and the also. Yet I was facing difficulties and had to guess between two similar choices often.I am assuming this caused the drop in my verbal score. Quant was purely nerves and pacing issues.Anyway anybody has any insights on the latest SC and CR types questions asked in GMAT. I feel the prep questions are pretty dated.I have used up the default GMAT prep and exam pack 1. What study material/tests do you people suggest to get acquainted with the new question types as I am pretty sure that something has changed in the SC/CR trends but can't pinpoint exactly what.

When did you first take the GMAT? I understand you were looking to improve, but your score drop (which, by the way, is a very small score drop) is probably due to chance or lack of focus or both. If you feel that you are in a position to get a V44 or more, you could just take the exam again. I'm sure that the GMAT has evolved over time, but not to the extent that you probably think it has._________________
A 28-year-old graduate of accountancy from Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo state, Williams Okonoboh Eromosele, has been arrested for allegedly stealing a Huawei G73 phone.

PMNews reports that Eromosele who is an ex-convict had earlier in 2016 been arrested for stealing money from church offering box at a church in Victoria Island and charged to court. He pleaded guilty to the crime and was jailed for six months.

Legit.ng gathered that Eromosele committed the latest crime four months ago when he went to The Church of Resurrection Anglican at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, to attend their service. While everyone was praying, the suspect stole one Mrs Ehindinibu Omowunmis phone valued at N70,000 and escaped from the church.

Williams Okonoboh Eromosele

The police stated that when the woman observed that her phone was missing, she used another phone to call the number of her missing handset, but the suspect received the call and told her that she must pay him N10,000 before he returns the phone to her.

The woman reported the matter to the DPO in charge of the Bar Beach division, Victoria Island, CSP Olusegun Ajamolaya, and he advised her to play along and pay the money as bait into the suspect's account. The suspect was arrested when he went to the bank to withdraw the money. He was taken to the station and interrogated where he allegedly confessed to the crime.

READ ALSO: Secondary school student storms Lagos mosque, steals phone

I am an OND holder in accountancy from Auchi Polytechnic and I have not been able to secure job with the certificate. When I came to Lagos and could not secure any job, I went to a church on Victoria Island to steal from church offering box and I was arrested, charged to court and jailed for six months. When I came back, the devil pushed me again as I went to The Church of Resurrection, Anglican, 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos and I was arrested again. I promised to change if am set free from this present case, he reportedly confessed to the police.

He has however been arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates court on one-count charge of stealing.

Source: Legit.ng
29 families rendered homeless in Siraha fire

A massive fire broke out in a Dalit settlement in Simaraha, Siraha, on Monday afternoon, destroying 56 huts.
China says Dalai Lama "provokes" with visit to disputed border with India

China on Wednesday denounced in the strongest terms yet a visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to a disputed stretch on the China-India border, saying he had provoked China by supporting India's claim to the region.
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
DIG Silwal moves court, again

DIG Nawaraj Silwal moved the Supreme Court on Tuesday, second time in as many months, challenging Mondays decision of the government to promote DIG Prakash Aryal to the post of inspector general.
Dont discriminate Madhes, its people

Chairman of Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party, Sharad Singh Bhandari, on Tuesday said that persistent discrimination against Madhes will disintegrate the country.
Read wherever you want - on desktop, mobile or in the app
A pet macaque sits with its owner in Bangladesh. Such familiarity could facilitate the transmission of infectious diseases from owner to monkey. Credit: Lynn Johnson

As the World Health Organization steps up its efforts to eradicate a once-rampant tropical disease, a University of Washington study suggests that monitoring, and potentially treating, the monkeys that co-exist with humans in affected parts of the world may be part of the global strategy.

Yaws, an infectious disease that causes disfiguring skin lesions and bone destructionstems from a bacterium, Treponema pallidum, that also has been found in certain primates in Africa and Asia. The disease, treatable with a one-time dose of penicillin or, as part of the renewed eradication effort, the antibiotic azithromycin, has experienced a significant resurgence in the past two decades.

UW researchers and colleagues examined macaques in South and Southeast Asia, where the monkeys live in the wild, temples and villages, or are kept as pets. While researchers could not identify how a particular animal became infected, treponemal infections are known to be transmitted by contact with the skin lesion of an infected individual, so a pet macaque could potentially pick up the bacteria, said Lisa Jones-Engel, a UW research assistant professor of anthropology who led the study.

The study will be published online April 12 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prone to spread in areas that are overcrowded, under-resourced, or have inadequate sanitation, yaws afflicts mostly children. At one time, the disease had a massive reach, affecting more people than malaria in some parts of the world: From 1952 to 1964, the WHO and UNICEF treated 50 million cases and contacts in 46 countries. But officials scaled back efforts when it appeared the disease had been contained, only to see it gradually re-emerge at the end of the 1970s. Today, the WHO estimates tens of thousands of cases in a dozen countries in Africa and Asia, aiming for global eradication by 2020.

While monkeys may be infected with the bacterium, it's not yet clear whether the infection can pass from human to animal and vice versa, said Sheila Lukehart, a UW professor of medicine and global health who co-authored the study. The prevalence of the animals in daily life in many countries makes them an important factor in how to approach eradication efforts, she said.

Jones-Engel pointed to the vast geographic range of the study, as well as the range of environments in which the macaques livedboth in captivity and in the wild. "Although yaws is endemic in a number of regions that we tested, infected monkeys were seen only in a region that had experienced a recent upsurge in reported yaws cases. So if you go through and treat only the villagers, then your eradication effort may be compromised," she said.

The study, which also involved researchers from universities in Asia, Europe and Canada, examined blood samples of more than 700 macaques. Fewer than 2 percent tested positive for the bacteriamostly on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where a yaws outbreak was active at the time samples were collected.

These circumstances represent an opportunity to take a One Health approach to controlling yaws, UW researchers say. A holistic strategy, One Health calls on professionals at all levels and disciplines to acknowledge the links among human, animal and environmental health, and to collaborate to improve all three.

Treating animals for a disease that can spread to humans is not unprecedented: The rabies vaccine routinely administered to pets in the developed world, for example, prevents the infection in animals, which in turn protects people.

"If you go into a village where you know yaws is prevalent in the human population, and animals are part of that population, then those animals may need to be targeted for treatment," Jones-Engel said. "We tend not to think of animals in these kinds of disease-treatment programs, which is such a human-centric approach. That has to change."

More information: Amy R. Klegarth et al, Survey of Treponemal Infections in Free-Ranging and Captive Macaques, 19992012, Emerging Infectious Diseases (2017). Journal information: Emerging Infectious Diseases Amy R. Klegarth et al, Survey of Treponemal Infections in Free-Ranging and Captive Macaques, 19992012,(2017). DOI: 10.3201/eid2305.161838
(HealthDay)Enhanced patient-centered communication (E-PCC) positively impacts patients' psychological state during bad-news encounters, according to a study published online April 5 in Cancer.

Jelena Zwingmann, from Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany, and colleagues conducted a prospective, experimental study to examine the impact of physician communication style during a bad-news encounter. The authors randomized 98 patients with cancer and 92 patients without cancer to view a video of a clinician delivering a first cancer diagnosis with an E-PCC style or a low patient-centered communication (L-PCC) style.

The researchers observed a substantial increase in state anxiety and negative affect for all participants viewing the disclosure of a cancer diagnosis. Physician communication style moderated this emotional response. Significantly less anxiety was reported by participants viewing an oncologist displaying an E-PCC style versus those watching an oncologist displaying an L-PCC style; they also reported significantly higher trust in the physician.

"Under a threatening, anxiety-provoking disclosure of bad news, a short sequence of empathic PCC influences subjects' psychological state, insofar that they report feeling less anxious and more trustful of the oncologist," the authors write. "Video exposure appears to be a valuable method for investigating the impact of a physician's communication style during critical encounters."

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A Nigerian health official said Wednesday that a suspected 489 people have died during the latest meningitis outbreak to hit Nigeria.

At least five northern statesSokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kebbi, Nigerand the Federal Capital Territory have been affected by the epidemic over the past five months.

Nigeria has started a large-scale vaccination programme in response to the mass outbreak that has affected mostly children.

"As of now, there have been a total of 4,637 suspected cases out of which we have had 489 fatalities. Of these, 207 have been confirmed in laboratory tests," junior health minister Osagie Ehanire told reporters after cabinet meeting in Nigeria's capital of Abuja.

Ehanire said that an ongoing vaccination campaign is yielding positive results.

"I can tell you now that we are beginning to see the plateau, that is to say the epidemic is no more rising. It's beginning to flatten out," Ehanire said.

"We cannot tell immediately how many doses of vaccines we will need. But we have placed an order for an additional two million doses," Ehanire said.

Meningitis is caused by different types of bacteria, six of which can cause epidemics.

It is transmitted between people through coughs and sneezes, and facilitated by cramped living conditions and close contact.

The illness causes acute inflammation of the outer layers of the brain and spinal cord, with the most common symptoms being fever, headache and neck stiffness.

Nigeria lies in the so-called "meningitis belt" of sub-Saharan Africa, stretching from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia in the east, where outbreaks of the disease are a regular occurrence.

 2017 AFP
New University of Nevada, Reno and The Open University research study used two new approaches to determine ranges of the best times of day for learning for college-age students. Credit: University of Nevada, Reno.

A new cognitive research study used two new approaches to determine ranges of start times that optimize functioning for undergraduate students. Based on a sample of first and second year university students, the University of Nevada, Reno and The Open University in the United Kingdom used a survey-based, empirical model and a neuroscience-based, theoretical model to analyse the learning patterns of each student to determine optimum times when cognitive performance can be expected to be at its peak.

"The basic thrust is that the best times of day for learning for college-age students are later than standard class hours begin," Mariah Evans, associate professor of sociology at the University of Nevada, Reno and co-author of the study, said. "Especially for freshmen and sophomores, we should be running more afternoon and evening classes as part of the standard curriculum."

Prior research has demonstrated that late starts are optimal for most high school students, and this study extends that analysis to freshmen and sophomores in college. The analysis by Evans, Jonathan Kelley, fellow University sociology professor, and Paul Kelley, honorary associate of sleep, circadian and memory neuroscience at The Open University, assessed the preferred sleeping times of the participants and asked them to rate their fitness for cognitive activities in each hour of the 24-hour day.

"Neuroscientists have documented the time shift using biological data - on average, teens' biologically 'natural' day begins about two hours later than is optimal for prime age adults," Evans said. "The survey we present here support that for college students, but they also show that when it comes to optimal performance, no one time fits all."

The study showed that much later starting times of after 11 a.m. or noon, result in the best learning. It also revealed that those who saw themselves as "evening" people outnumbered the "morning" people by 2:1, and it concluded that every start time disadvantages one or more of the chronotypes (propensity for the individual to be alert and cognitively active at a particular time during a 24-hour period).

"Thus, the science supports recent moves by the University to encourage evening classes as part of the standard undergraduate curriculum," Evans said. "It also supports increasing the availability of asynchronous online classes to enable students to align their academic work times with their optimal learning times."

The results, Identifying the best times for cognitive functioning using new methods: Matching university times to undergraduate chronotypes, were published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience March 31, 2017.

"This raises the question as to why conventional universities start their lectures at 9 a.m. or even earlier when our research reveals that this limits the performance of their students," Kelley said. "This work is very helpful for asynchronous online learning as it allows for the student to target their study time to align with their personal rhythm and at the time of day when they know they are most effective."
Fury as passenger dragged off overbooked United

The social media storm prompted by footage of United Airlines forcibly removing a passenger from an overbooked flight continued to spread on Tuesday with accusations of perceived racism and calls for a boycott of the US carrier.
Credit: Colourbox.com

A study among over 7000 women in 11 European countries shows the proportion of women in Europe who drink alcohol when they know they are pregnant is lowest in Norway and highest in the UK. The countries with the highest proportion of women who reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy were the UK (28.5 %), Russia (26.5 %) and Switzerland (20.9 %).

This is the first study that compares alcohol consumption during pregnancy across 11 European countries. The study uses the same method for collecting data, thereby making the results comparable between the countries.

Results

On average, 16% of women in the 11 European countries reported that they drank alcohol after they knew that they were pregnant.

The countries with the highest proportion of women who reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy were the UK (28.5 %), Russia (26.5 %) and Switzerland (20.9 %).

The countries with the lowest proportion of women who reported alcohol consumption were Norway (4.1 %), Sweden (7.2 %) and Poland (9.7 %).

Women who reported alcohol consumption during pregnancy were more likely to be older, more highly educated, in employment, and had smoked before pregnancy than women who did not report this consumption.

Why do so few women in Norway drink during pregnancy compared to the UK?

Although the British population in general drink more than Norwegians (ref: Report: Drugs in Norway in 2016, FIG. 2.6.2, p. 30), the study found that countries with a comparable drinking culture to the UK  like Poland and France  had relatively low proportions of women drinking during pregnancy. Therefore, the drinking culture in the overall population may not necessarily apply to those who are pregnant.

"Differences in pregnant women's drinking behaviour between countries can have many explanations besides variations in willingness of women to provide information about their alcohol consumption during pregnancy. There could be differences in national guidelines or educational campaigns about drinking during pregnancy, differences in prenatal care and attitudes towards alcohol use in pregnancy, or a combination of all these factors," saysProfessor Hedvig Nordeng from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, who is the principal investigator of the study in Norway.

Who drinks most?

Of those women who said they drank alcohol during pregnancy, 39 % consumed at least one unit of alcohol per month. Those who drank most frequently (more than one to two units per week) were in Italy (7.8 % of the women said they drank during pregnancy) and the UK (2.8 %).

Those who drank the least (1-2 units during the whole pregnancy) were in Norway and Sweden (over 80 % of the women who said they drank during pregnancy) and France, Poland, Finland and Russia (70-80 %).

Therefore, even though a larger proportion of Russian women continue to drink during pregnancy, compared to the other countries they do not actually drink that much. The women who drink during pregnancy in Italy seem to drink a lot more than the women in the other countries. Again, this may be due to a combination of factors.

Post doc Angela Lupattelli from the University of Oslo, who coordinated the study in Norway and Italy, explains:

"We can speculate that both social and cultural factors play a role. Women's attitudes on the one hand, and national alcohol-related guidelines and policies on the other, may influence women's drinking behaviour during pregnancy," saysLupattelli.

Smokers and highly educated women drink most

The association between smoking before pregnancy and alcohol use during pregnancy has been observed in earlier research. A plausible explanation for this association is the underlying risk-taking health behaviour among these women.

It seems like a paradox that older and more highly educated women were more likely to drink during pregnancy, which also confirms prior research on the topic.

This study did not look at the relationship between education and the amount or frequency of drinking during pregnancy.

The study authors speculate whether older, more educated women might be more critical towards guidelines that recommend complete abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy. The authors wonder whether older women are less exposed than younger women to the health campaigns that warn against alcohol use during pregnancy, especially if they drank a little during previous pregnancies and had healthy children.

The study authors believe it is important for national campaigns to target all women of childbearing age:

"There is no defined safe minimum amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy. We therefore recommend that all pregnant women should adhere to the guidelines for total alcohol abstinence during pregnancy," says Nordeng.

Data

The study consisted of 7905 women, 53 % were pregnant, and 46 % were new mothers (with a child up to one-year-old).

The countries included were Croatia, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

The women completed an anonymous online questionnaire, which was available on selected websites intended for pregnant women in the respective countries. Since the questionnaire was anonymous, the authors believe that underreporting was minimal.

More information: Ann-Charlotte Mardby et al. Consumption of alcohol during pregnancyA multinational European study, Women and Birth (2017). Ann-Charlotte Mardby et al. Consumption of alcohol during pregnancyA multinational European study,(2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.wombi.2017.01.003
(HealthDay)Behaviors that residents value in intensive care unit (ICU) attending physicians include enjoyment of teaching and treatment of patients, families, and non-physician staff, according to a study published in the April issue of the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

Lekshmi Santhosh, M.D., from the University of California at San Francisco, and colleagues surveyed internal medicine residents regarding the importance of behaviors of ICU attending physician role models using a 37-item questionnaire. The questionnaire included behaviors that residents observed in ICU attending physicians. Two hundred sixty residents responded to the survey.

The researchers found that enjoyment of teaching, demonstrating empathy and compassion to patients and families, the ability to explain clinical reasoning and differential diagnosis, respectful treatment of non-physician staff members, and enthusiasm on rounds were the behaviors most commonly rated as very important to residents. Trainees rated having numerous research publications, having served as chief resident, sharing personal life events, and organizing end-of-rotation social events as less important.

"Our study provides new information to attending physicians striving to influence resident education," the authors write. "We discovered that behaviors, such as expression of empathy, explanation of clinical reasoning, and qualities of professionalism, were commonly seen in esteemed teaching attending physician."

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
A new paper in The Gerontologist examined sexual assault in nursing homes. The report finds that the most vulnerable residents are likely to become victims; legal examinations were infrequent due to administration complexities and training and institutional policy, and nursing homes are not adequately equipped to deal with sexual assault cases.

Although sexual assault is among one of the most shocking types of assault, it is also the least acknowledged, detected and reported type of assault against nursing home residents. This systematic review examined 15 studies published in peer-reviewed journals to characterize sexual assaults among nursing home residents.

The aim of this paper was to examine victim/perpetrator relationship characteristics and the forensic characteristics of sexual assaults occurring in nursing homes comprising assault type, examination process, legal outcomes, and preventive measures. Victims of sexual assault were likely to be females with cognitive or physical impairments. Perpetrators were likely to be male residents, although sexual assault by staff members was also substantial. Forensic characteristics and investigative data were limited.

This review surveyed original research published in peer-reviewed, English-language journals between January 1949 and October 2015. The combined searches yielded 2,291 articles, of which 15 were eligible for inclusion. Eleven studies reported the number of nursing home sexual assault victims with eight studies focusing on nursing homes and/or other facilities. The number of nursing home sexual assault victims from these ranged from 20 to 50 victims. The number of victims in mixed settings (for example, community, nursing homes, and assisted living) ranged from 46 to 127 victims. Isolated incidents were most commonly observed.

Victims of sexual assault were predominately Caucasian females with a form of mental and physical impairment and perpetrators were predominately Caucasian males. Perpetrator information was limited, with the majority of research studies failing to identify characteristics beyond race and gender.

Nine studies described victims' socio-demographic characteristics, who were most often female, Caucasian, widowed, required assistance in all activities of daily living, required financial assistance had difficulties with orientation, communication, or ambulation were disabled mentally impaired or suffered from a number of illnesses.

Seven studies reported on perpetrators, who most often were male, Caucasian, had a criminal or sexual assault history abused substances, were low in social competence exploited frail and defenseless victims, had an untreated psychiatric illness, and were financially dependent on the victim or unemployed. Accused direct care staff were typically male, between 19 and 65 years, and with criminal histories. Accused residents were typically male, between 21 and 96 years, substance abusers, with criminal histories and/or a form of disability.

A definitive estimate of prevalence of sexual assaults in nursing homes is not possible to ascertain, however, staff-to-resident sexual assault was than 1% (per 1,000 residents per year). The challenges of ascertaining rates of sexual assaults are hampered due to underreporting and the inability to confirm reported incidents. While sexual assault is perceived to be the least common form of elder abuse, it is also likely to be greatly underreported. Within a year of being assaulted, 50% of victims died.

One study identified barriers to reporting sexual assault incidents occurring in healthcare facilities. Over 50% of investigative personnel reported sexual assault as more challenging than any other form of assault to investigate due to state investigation regulations, limited resources (staff, training and power), limited forensic evidence and victim deliberating conditions. Facility limitations to the investigative process (untrained staff or failing to follow protocols) and enhancing factors (person-centred, healthcare provider, reporting and examination) were also discussed.

"Much more needs to be done for this vulnerable group of people as the nursing homes," said lead author Daisy Smith. "Regulatory investigative personnel remain poorly equipped to appropriately identify and respond to sexual assault"

More information: Daisy Smith et al, A Systematic Review of Sexual Assaults in Nursing Homes, The Gerontologist (2017). Daisy Smith et al, A Systematic Review of Sexual Assaults in Nursing Homes,(2017). DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnx022
Credit: National Research Nuclear University

Having applied new neurocognitive and mathematical approaches, a group of Russian scientists has described an interaction between the hippocampus and other important areas of human brain for the first time. The results of work have been published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience.

Scientists have researched processes of memory and spatial orientation in the hippocampus, a conjugated structure in the medial crotaphic cerebral hemispheric region.

The researchers studied effective connections between the left and right hippocampal regions of the human brain with main structures of the default mode network, active during the conscious resting state. The default mode network includes the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and the inferior parietal cortex of the left (LIPC) and right (RIPC) hemispheres.

30 healthy subjects took part in the research (10 males and 20 females), all right-handed, aged 20 to 35 years. In the resting state, the researchers recorded functional magnetic resonance tomography (FMRT) of the subjects. To calculate effective relationships, they applied spectral dynamic causal modeling (DCM). The main idea of this method is to evaluate the parameters of a biologically based model of brain neural network interaction so that it best predicts the FMRT data observed in the experiment.

Scientists conducted three DCM analyses, verifying predictions of about 3,000 quantitative models. The first two analyses identified interactions between areas that included four key structures of the passive brain network in addition to the left and right hippocampus. The third analysis was a virtual neurosurgical experiment to determine the potential consequences of removal of one of the key structures of the human brain.

The study of effective (cause-effect) connections of the human hippocampus to other important structures of the brain was carried out for the first time. "We found evidence of a pronounced asymmetry in the work of the left and right hippocampus, which was completely unknown from previous studies conducted on animals. In general, the left hippocampus is more active than the right, interacting with the other brain structures. Apparently, this is due to the fact that speech mechanisms in humans (in 97% of right-handers and 75% of left-handers) are localized in the left hemisphere. But the right hippocampus has its advantage: It receives information from both intermodal centers, LIPC and RIPC, which serves as the basis for a holistic view of the environment. The left hippocampus, on the other hand, receives information only from the LIPC, so its knowledge about the environment is limited to the right half-space," said project manager Boris Velichkovsky.

"An analysis of effective connections allows us to determine the architecture of neural networks," said Vadim Ushakov, senior research fellow at the Cybernetics Department of the ICIS MEPhI.

He noted that such asymmetry of effective hippocampal connections explains one of the most frequent disorders of consciousness caused by local brain lesions, namely, left-sided space hemineglect in patients with lesions of the right hemisphere. A patient with this condition will, for instance, ignore food located on the left side of the plate at meal times, or, preparing for medical examination, shaves only the right half of their face. As a rule, traumas of the left hemisphere do not lead to similar loss of perception of the right half.

According to Vadim Ushakov, the study allows for a more holistic understanding of the work of the neural networks of the brain in order to provide a basic level of consciousness. In medical practice this serves as a good help for an accurate diagnosis of the functionality of the brain.

More information: Vadim Ushakov et al. Dynamic Causal Modeling of Hippocampal Links within the Human Default Mode Network: Lateralization and Computational Stability of Effective Connections, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (2016). Journal information: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Vadim Ushakov et al. Dynamic Causal Modeling of Hippocampal Links within the Human Default Mode Network: Lateralization and Computational Stability of Effective Connections,(2016). DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00528
WICHITA, Kan.  Ron Estes, the Republican candidate for an empty House seat in Kansas, survived a surprisingly competitive race in a heavily conservative district on Tuesday. He defeated James Thompson, the Democratic candidate, in the first national test of the Republican Partys electoral strength, in a contest that saw a late infusion of national support from Republicans nervous about the tumultuous political environment during President Trumps initial months in office.

Mr. Estes, 60, the state treasurer, overcame the challenge by Mr. Thompson, a Wichita civil rights lawyer, and won by a count of 53 percent of the vote to 46 percent, according to unofficial results, to fill the seat in the district that was vacated by Mike Pompeo, now the C.I.A. director. In a race more than a year before the midterm elections, Mr. Estes was initially expected to cruise to victory in a district that his party has held for more than two decades and that Mr. Trump won by 27 points.

But after internal Republican polling last week revealed Mr. Estess lead was in only the single digits, the national party scrambled to rescue his campaign  and effectively conceded that even seats in the reddest corners of the United States are not safe at a time when Democrats are so energized against Mr. Trump.

In his victory speech late Tuesday, Mr. Estes took aim at those who thought he might lose.

The pundits were talking about  this wasnt a seat we were going to win, Mr. Estes said before several hundred people in a hotel ballroom, that we were going to lose a Republican seat, that it was a special election, that it was a chance for the Democrats, they were motivated, there was a lot of angst against the president. But we really showed the pundits tonight, didnt we?
White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday for insensitive remarks in which he seemed to favorably compare Adolf Hitlers actions during the Holocaust to atrocities carried out now by president Bashar al-Assad in Syria, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency.

During a White House briefing Spicer sought to intensify criticism of Assad, painting the Syrian leaders suspected use of sarin nerve agent against civilians last week as historically evil.

You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, the spokesman said during a White House press briefing.

Spicers comments came during the Jewish festival of Passover.

But his latest claim brought anger from across the political spectrum and looks of astonishment from the assembled White House press corps, who offered Spicer a chance to clarify.

I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no -- he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing, Spicer said, returning to the subject.

As journalists shouted what about the Holocaust? Spicer continued, I think there is clearly... I understand the point, thank you, thank you I appreciate that.

Hitler brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But Im saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down, to innocent -- into the middle of towns, it was brought... so the use of it, I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent.

A few hours later, Spicer appeared on US television expressing regret for the comments.

Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive comment about the Holocaust and there is no comparison, he said. For that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that.

In an earlier written clarification, Spicer said he was in no way... trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust.

I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable, he explained.
Army Commander-in-Chief: Even those who claim to be superpowers do not dare to attack Iran

Iran and Russia to build joint pipeline

India to continue buying Russian oil

Businessman Zhong Shanshan becomes richest man in China

Armenia and Poland emphasize OSCE role in promoting stability in South Caucasus

Banks are searched in Germany in case of money laundering by Russian businessman

Armenian President reacts to Aliyev's speech at League of Arab States summit

Armenia increases trade with EEU member states by $1.2 bln

Cavusoglu: Sweden and Finland have not yet fulfilled all Turkey's conditions

Oldest member of Rothschild dynasty die in Britain

Armenian National Security Council head and Polish Secretary of State discuss regional security issues

Stepantsminda-Lars highway faces restrictions

Kyiv realizes if China starts supplying ammunition to Russian troops it will be terrible

State Department: U.S. remains committed to supporting peace in South Caucasus region

Iran condemns thousand protesters and calls for retaliation against rest

Delegation from Israel visits Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide

Media: London is close to agreement with Washington on LNG supplies

Aliyev in fact confirms fact of Azerbaijani aggression against sovereign territory of Armenia

Toivo Klaar: Important meeting held in Washington between Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs

Aliyev switches from threatening Armenia to insulting foreign leaders

Karabakh ombudsman: Todays occupation does not change status of Shushi

Envoy briefs Kazakhstan human rights commissioner on consequences of Azerbaijan aggression against Armenia

Dollar, euro continue to rise in Armenia

U.S. Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield arrives in Kiev

EU partners welcome justice sector reforms in Armenia

Armenia government to have academic city project development working group

Rybar: Publication of Iranian film about 'skeletons' of Aliyev family is blow to positions of Aliyev family

Zelenskyy to attend G20 leaders' summit

Voting for midterm elections to Congress begins in U.S.

Russian MFA offers Tehran and Riyadh to mediate dialogue

Survey: Georgia residents say Armenia is their friend

Arman Yeghoyan to Poland colleague: Armenia needs support from European platforms

State Department official: American side is impressed by Armenia Police reforms

Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte: I realized that this project is the right one

Heads of general staffs of CSTO countries armies to discuss military cooperation development

President: Climate change agenda continues to remain priority for Armenia despite challenges, security concerns

Armenia discusses issue of EEU citizens' stay in country for more than 180 days

Economy minister: 74% of Diaspora Armenians ready to invest in Armenia

Constitutional Court of Georgia revokes ban on pornography

158 people die in Philippines storm

Close to $7.5M allocated for Armenia scientific infrastructure, material, technical base modernization

Byblos Bank Armenia finances the construction of two major solar parks

Bloomberg: EU mechanism to provide Ukraine with $18 billion implies conditions

Turkey voices its full and unconditional support for Azerbaijan

Ombudsperson attends Armenia-EU Human Rights Dialogue session, presents facts recorded in her ad hoc reports

Israeli embassy congratulates Azerbaijan on 'Victory Day'

World gold prices going down

Ankara offers its storage capacity for Russian grain

Zelenskiy calls key conditions for talks with Russia

Bitcoin price goes down

Copper price goes down

World oil prices dropping

Blinken: Armenia and Azerbaijan are taking courageous steps to achieve peace

Newspaper: What changes expected in "Brussels package" of Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization talks?

13 billion cubic meters of natural gas found off Israel coast

State Security Service of Azerbaijan is scared by YouTube video about situation in Nakhichevan

Newspaper: There were serious problems in organizing Global Armenian Summit

MFA: Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs agree to expedite their negotiations

President: UAE is a responsible energy supplier as long as the world needs oil and gas

EU has serious concerns about US inflation reduction act

Head of IMF: The global surge in consumer prices may be close to the high point

Germany wants EU to resume trade talks with US as soon as possible

Pashinyan's closed meeting with MPs of ruling Civil Contract faction is over

Hungary will not support EU efforts to help Ukraine with joint funds

Greece to soon ban sale of spyware

U.S. military delegation arrives in Turkey

German industry calls for postponement of global minimum corporate tax

Podolyak: Ukraine has never refused to negotiate

Elon Musk calls on 'independent-minded' voters to vote for Republicans

Bezos Earth Fund pledges $1 billion by 2030 to protect carbon stocks and biodiversity

7 people killed in collision between truck and passenger bus in Turkey

Nikol Pashinyan holds closed meeting with members of ruling party faction

Qatar's foreign minister calls criticism of West 'arrogant' and 'racist'

Algeria officially applies to join BRICS group

Delegations headed by Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs meet in Washington

French Finance Minister calls on EU to oppose U.S.

Armenian President: Aliyev's statements about intentional destruction of mosques have nothing to do with reality

German MFA reports constructive talks in EU on new sanctions against Iran

Kazakhstani President Tokayev instructs to increase oil supplies bypassing Russia

President of Artsakh holds expanded working meeting

Armenian Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sports to receive more than 250 billion drams in 2023

Borrell says EU is dependent on supplies from China

Armenia official: Peace treaty implies restoration of sovereign territory

Guterres thinks mankind is heading for climate hell

Dollar, euro gain value in Armenia

General: Iran riots were US plan to derail nuclear deal

Minister: 'Lydian Armenia' may start exploitation of gold mine on Mountain Amulsar

Armenia political scientist: Balance is formed in region thanks to Iran

Minister: 70 schools will be repaired or newly built in Armenia in 2023

UAE lifts most COVID-19 restrictions for tourists

Political scientist: There is no Armenian-American agenda

President of Finland says country has no plans to host nuclear weapons

Russian Ambassador to Armenia: We are not used to making PR and playing games

Flight restrictions extended to 11 airports in Russia

Kopirkin: Spiritual core will help Armenia, Russia overcome difficulties, challenges

Armenia ranks among top 5 CIS countries for winter tourism

Envoy: Russian president awarded Armenian philologist with medal

Iranian intelligence arrests 26 terrorists: an Azerbaijani citizen among them

Russian Defense Ministry confirms: Azerbaijan fired at Khramort village in Artsakh

Number of oil and gas drilling rigs is up in US
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has gone on for too long, said Robert Cekuta, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, speaking to Trend news agency of Azerbaijan.

There is no military solution for this conflict, he noted. It is essential that the parties come together and work towards finding a peaceful settlement to this conflict. This conflict has gone on for too long.

The ambassador stated that the United States works through the OSCE Minsk Group and is very active in this work, helping the parties come together to find the settlement.

Ambassador Cekuta noted that Richard Hoagland, the new OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from the United States has a lot of experience in the US State Department, knows this part of the world well and has worked with this part of the world before.

According to the ambassador, Hoagland has already engaged with his partners  the French and Russian Co-Chairs  to look at the situation, engage with people, help bring the parties together and help them realize a peaceful settlement.

He [Hoagland] is a very energetic and very strong player, and I think he can really help to move this process ahead, Cekuta said.

Also, he noted that when he travels around the country he meets with IDPs and sees the effect the conflict has on people. Meanwhile his colleagues on the other side of the contact line see the same thing, he said.

We need to do what can to help move things forward, to help the parties to reach a settlement, added the US diplomat.
Despite a deadly spike in the confrontation over Nagorno-Karabakh and limited progress overall, we persist in striving towards peaceful and durable settlement to the conflicts, OSCE said in a report summing up the 2016 activities.

The report says the renewed escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in spring 2016 necessitated intensified crisis management. The German Chairmanship invested considerable efforts in addressing these and other conflicts with the aim of strengthening OSCE formats for conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of people affected by these conflicts.

With regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Chairmanship reacted swiftly after the escalation of hostilities at the line of contact in April 2016, initiating a special meeting of the Permanent Council (PC) and advocating the implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level in Vienna and St. Petersburg concerning the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and the establishment of an investigative mechanism. The Chairmanship called for the resumption of a political negotiation process to settle the conflict. The Chairperson also called a special meeting following the escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, the report reads.

The OSCE indicates that with the support of the sides, the Personal Representative and his team conducted 22 monitoring exercises, five on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and 17 on the line of contact.

Working in support of the Chairperson-in-Office and co-chairs in negotiating a peaceful settlement, the Office of the Personal Representative supported the Chairpersonin-Offices visit to the South Caucasus in June and two visits by the MG co-chairs to the region in April and October. The Personal Representative also supported the co-chairs in a series of separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, May, June and September, as well as joint meetings in July and December, and helped them prepare for the meetings of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in May and June. Together with the co-chairs, he participated in briefings with ministers of foreign affairs and senior diplomats in Washington, Berlin, Moscow and Vienna, as well as regular briefings for the MG and the Chairperson-in-Office.

Armenias contribution to OSCE made 45,408 euros.
FNCCI polls: Golchhas panel wins landslide victory

Shekhar Golchha, executive director of Golchha Organisation, has been elected as the new senior vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) garnering 63.3 percent of the total votes cast.
Georgia is interested in developing relations with Armenia, albeit there are some issues, said Giorgi Kanashvili, Georgian political scientist and executive director of Caucasian House think tank, at a videoconference.

And as an example of such an issue, he noted Armenias position on Georgian refugees, and, on the contrary, he stated that Georgia conducts itself in the same way by supporting Azerbaijani resolutions.

Probably, the parties [to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] are trying to defend the compromise alternative, noted Kanashvili. I hope something will come out from it.

At the same time, he noted that a stable region was important for everyone, and that there will be no investments in an unstable region.

Therefore Tbilisi is interested in a pacific settlement of the Karabakh conflict, said Giorgi Kanashvili, and added: If not in the settlement, then at least in peace in the region.
The activities of the CSTO justifies itself, President of Russia Vladimir Putin said in an interview with MIR television.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty, but also the 15th anniversary of the creation of the CSTO as an organization.

And these are very important milestones, which give us an opportunity to look back, to evaluate everything that has been done in the sphere of security, Russian leader said.

The President stressed the importance of cooperation in the field of security, which is a priority.

In general, for us, as for our partners - I am deeply convinced of this - cooperation in the field of security is one of the priorities, and it is beneficial for all participants in the organization of collective security, he added.
For the second consecutive year the Orange County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation designating April 24 as Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, commemorating those who perished during the first Genocide of the twentieth century, Asbarez reported.

Representatives of the Armenian American community of Orange County were in attendance.

Chairwoman Michelle Steel opened the program by stating that this year marks the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide that took the lives of one and a half million Armenians. She stated Not only were Armenians massacred within their historic homeland but their lands and property were stolen. The Chairwoman explained that Orange County continues to do its part in honoring the victims of this tragedy to ensure it is not forgotten or repeated.

Reverend Fathers Moushegh Tshajian from St. Mary Armenian Church in Costa Mesa and Karekin Bedourian from Forty Martyrs Armenian Church in Santa Ana took the podium and addressed the crowd. They thanked Chairwoman Steel and the County Board of Supervisors for their commitment to accurately remembering the past and honoring the victims of the Armenian Genocide, then together lead with the prayer.

Honorable Gassia Apkarian, Orange County Superior Court Judge, passed out pins with the U.S. and Armenian flags then thanked the Board of Supervisors for upholding justice, setting the historical record straight and not playing politics with historical facts. Alexander Gonzalez, District Director for Congressman Dana Rohrabacher also stressed the importance making sure such atrocities are not committed in the future and pointed to Congressman Rohrabachers reintroduction of the House Resolution calling for the defense of Christians and Yezidis in the region.

Anahid Arakelian, ANCA Orange County chapter addressed the crowd and also thanked Chairwoman Steel and the entire Board of Supervisors. She gave a historical account of how a few of her grandparents escaped the devastation, survived, then eventually moved to the United States where many survivors relocated and contributed on multiple levels, such as Calvin K. Kazandjian founder of Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars, MRI inventor Raymond Vahan Damadian, and Kirk Kerkorian.

Arakelian urged those in attendance to see The Promise on April 21st, a powerful film about the Armenian Genocide. She highlighted the freedoms we sometimes take for granted in the U.S. and the need to make sure such tragedies are not repeated in the future. Anahid closed by once again thanking the County of Orange and urging those in attendance to follow events at home and abroad, and highlighted the situation in Artsakh and the current struggle for liberation and basic human rights taking place there.
The European Union, through the European Investment Bank, contributes to the realization of the one of Armenias strategic projects  the construction of the North-South road corridor, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at a meeting of Eastern Partnership and Visegrad 4 Foreign Ministers.

Edward Nalbandian addressed the meeting participants:

Dear colleagues,

I would like to thank the Visegrad 4 Polish Presidency for hosting this ministerial meeting.



Approaching the upcoming Summit in Brussels with tangible achievements will be important for the future of the endeavors within the Eastern Partnership. In this regard we appreciate the initiative to give a political push to our sectoral cooperation and focus the debate on infrastructure connections, since it is one of the priorities of the Eastern Partnership enshrined in the Riga joint declaration.

On March 21st Armenia and the EU have initialed the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement that will reflect the depth and essence of our relations and set new guidelines for enhanced partnership.



Interconnectivity occupies a solid place in the Framework Agreement, as well as in the Armenia-EU Partnership Priorities for 2017-2020, underlining its importance not only for the bilateral relations, but also in the context of the regional cooperation.



Dear Colleagues,



Together with the EU and other partners, we are involved in different interconnectivity projects. We welcome the decision to extend the Trans-European Transport Network to the Eastern Partners. Last year, Armenian and Georgian principal highways were included as core connections on the comprehensive network of TEN-T maps.



Another good example is the Armenia-EU negotiations that started a month ago to conclude the Common Aviation Area Agreement.



The European Union, through the European Investment Bank, contributes to the realization of the one of Armenias strategic projects  the construction of the North-South road corridor that crosses the country with 556 km-long modern highway.



The recent modernization of Armenia-Georgia border crossing points with the support of the European Union is a practical step towards implementation of the Eastern Partnership Integrated Border Management Initiative. It provides more efficient capacities for increased volumes of transit and trade.



Interconnectivity does not limit only to transport communications. The European Union through the Neighborhood Investment Facility has contributed to the construction of a new Armenia-Georgia high-voltage transmission lines.

Ensuring mobility and people-to-people contacts are essential for enhancing the connections between our societies. This was one of the core principles set into the foundations of the Eastern Partnership. One of the ways to realize this commitment and to bring our societies closer is the visa free regime. Armenia and the EU for the past three years have been actively implementing the Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements. The next step is the visa liberalization dialogue as targeted in the Riga Summit Declaration.



Dear Colleagues,



Through connectivity and economic cooperation we can effectively foster growth and stability in the region at large. It is essential that we consider the notion of connectivity in a broader context, not only among EU and EaP countries but also between different integration formats.



The links between the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union should be a matter of pragmatic and result oriented dialogue. Armenia as a member state of the EAEU and one of the Eastern Partnership countries is ready to contribute to this end.



Promoting the connectivity and strengthening economic cooperation can help to forge common interests and joint projects that bring mutual benefits. In this regard they should also be viewed as confidence building measures and should be considered as a strong tool within the context of the efforts of agreed formats of the conflict resolutions.



Dear Colleagues,



I would like to use this opportunity to thank the European Union for significant financial and technical assistance in support of organising a free and fair parliamentary elections in Armenia in the beginning of April. After the elections the European Union stated that they were well administered, fundamental freedoms were generally respected, and that the result reflected the overall will of the Armenian people. The EU further stressed its willingness to work with the democratically elected new Parliament and Government.



Armenia is also looking forward to continue its close cooperation with the European Union.



Thank you.
YEREVAN. - The nomination of the Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia, Polad Bulbuloglu as a candidate for UNESCO Director Generals post is a phenomenon of concern to Armenia, and in case of turning into reality, it may have painful consequences for Armenia and generally Armenians.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Arman Navasardyan said at the meeting with journalists Wednesday.

In his words, Bulbuloglu has Armeniaphobia or he is paying tribute to the current authorities. He was the Culture Minister of Azerbaijan for over ten years, and during this very period all the khachkars (cross-stones) of Nakhchivan were destroyed.

The Ambassador also noted that an official, who constantly comes up with a position to solve the Karabakh conflict by use of force, but has also announced that he is ready to take arms and fight for those lands, expressing such aspirations with regard to Yerevan as well, cannot be appointed to that position. When street mob makes steps and is not stopped, it gets more excited. I havent seen any official countering to what he says by the Armenian Embassy and community. This is a bitter truth, and with the time he got more excited. I dont want to go deep into what money is circulating in UNESCO, but there are chances for his appointment. There is information that everything is done so that exactly he is appointed, considering the financial condition of UNESCO: some countries, including U.S., have reduced their member fees, while Turkey, Azerbaijan and other Muslim states have increased their payments, the diplomat said.

Furthermore, Navasardyan expressed conviction that Armenia should respond to this issue. We have been settled down to this work for over a month: together with the academic circles and NGOs, we organized and sent letters to relevant addresses, explaining what consequences his appointment may have. We also referred to the charter, which bans a person preaching such philosophy to engage in that matter. Lets see what happens. It is necessary to raise the alarm through such personalities, as, for instance, Charles Aznavour. Vatican can also play a great role, Navasardyan said.

Nine candidates for the UNESCO Director General should by the end of April present their programs on how they see the UNESCO activity during the upcoming four years. The election will be held in November.
Govt forms taskforce to revisit foreign policy

The government has formed a new taskforce to suggest a new comprehensive foreign policy in changed global, regional and domestic contexts. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
YEREVAN. - The consideration of the appeal of the First Instance Court decision against former Karabakh defense minister Samvel Babayan in the Appeals Court was extended Wednesday.

His attorney, Avetis Kalashyan, told the aforementioned to Armenian News  NEWS.am. Babayan also expressed a wish to be present at the consideration of the appeal. A motion was made in that regard, which was granted by the court.

The Appeals Court will consider the appeal on April 20.

Considering the motion made by the body carrying out pre-trial proceedings, the First Instance General Jurisdiction Court of Yerevans Kentron and Nork-Marash administrate districts, upon the decision of 24 March 2017, enforced a precautionary measure of two-month arrest regarding him. Babayans attorney appealed the decision of the General Jurisdiction Court on the two-month arrest in regard to his client.

Earlier, charges were brought against Babayan under Article 235(2) and 235.1(2)(1) of the Criminal Code of Armenia.
MOSCOW. - The Russian Embassy in Baku continues to closely watch the situation round blogger Alexander Lapshin, the official spokesperson for the Russian MFA, Maria Zakharova, said Wednesday.

In her words, the investigation on his case is currently continuing (the deadline for the investigation has been extended to July 15). He doesnt complain of detention conditions. The administration of the pre-trial detention facility was notified on the concern of the Russian citizens relatives regarding his health deterioration. Upon the imperative request of the Embassy, Lapshin passed a medical examination. I will not elaborate on the conclusion. I can [only] say that we control the situation. The Embassy is in constant touch with the attorney and relatives of the Russian citizen, she noted.

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.
Holding their breath

People are curious to find out how rookie politician Mishra will deliver clean politics
IG Prakash Aryal instructs officials to work diligently

Newly appointed Inspector General (IG) of Police Prakash Aryal has instructed police officials and personnel to work diligently for local level elections and constitution implementation.
If youre familiar with Norse mythology, the term Valhalla is sure to resonate. Its a heavenly place (of sorts) reserved for brave warriors whove been chosen to fight in the ultimate battle at the end of days.

Its also the proposed name for a new Scandinavian bar and restaurant moving onto Old World 3rd Street. And you wont need to be a war hero to partake in what theyve got brewing.

Valhalla, which will be located at 1111 N. Old World 3rd St. adjacent to Brick 3 Pizza, will be operated by Melissa and Ken McNulty, owners of Wisconsin Cheese Mart and Uber Tap Room. They originally purchased the building in 2011 to use for warehousing and shipping cheese; but, now that operations have outgrown the space, making it into a gathering space seemed natural.

As for the concept, "I wanted to pay homage to my heritage," says McNulty. "My dad grew up in a little farmhouse in Vernon County, Reedstown. My mom was from Viroqua. My great-grandparents on both sides came from Norway and settled in the area."

The restaurant, she says, gives her an opportunity to revisit some of the traditional foods shes eaten over the years, as well as those shes experienced while traveling.

"My father traveled to Scandinavia regularly," she notes. "And in his later years he started a Scandinavian tour business. I havent spent as much time there as Id like, but I utterly fell in love with Copenhagen while we were there. I remember getting to the airport and just feeling at home."

Valhallas menu, says McNulty, isnt quite nailed down at this point. But offerings will reflect traditional Scandinavian dishes, while incorporating local products in potentially unique ways.

Foods like lefse, herring and cod are likely to have a place among the offerings, each of which will have its own unique Milwaukee spin.

"Valhalla will really be more a bar than a restaurant," she says. "Well have aquavit and aquavit-based cocktails, also ciders and hopefully Scandinavian beer."

Her hopefulness is based in consideration of current exchange rates, which are higher for Scandinavian products, since they do not operate on the euro.

Currently, the 1880s vintage building  which once held a cigar factory  is under construction. The facade has been restored, bringing it back in line with the vintage of the building. Entry doors have been refurbished so that they can be opened fully in the summer, offering up an open-air bar area. The next step, says McNulty, will be to begin work on the bar.

As far as the look and feel of the space, McNulty says it will be a casual environment that incorporates upcycled materials and dark wood, along with original exposed Cream City brick. There will be a Viking theme with nods to mythology; but, the decor wont be cluttered or heavy.

"Were aiming to create a comfortable place that stays as true to the Scandinavian culture as we can," she says. "Well keep things simple and let the food and beverage do the rest of the storytelling."

But, she notes that customers will also play a role in shaping the concept.

"People who come to a place really begin to shape what it becomes," she says. "And I have hope that this will be the sort of place where that happens."

McNulty says shed love to open before syttende mai (May 17), a holiday celebrating the day on which the constitution of Norway was signed, declaring the country an independent nation.
Theres no shortage of articles and television shows that showcase the dishes that chefs love to cook at their restaurants. But, what do they love to eat at the end of their exhausting 16 hour days? Or on their days off?

In this series, we ask Milwaukee area chefs to share their favorite dishes -- both from area restaurants and for eating at home. In this edition, we talked with Chef Peter Sandroni of La Merenda and Engine Co. Number 3. Sandroni will be among eight featured chefs at the upcoming 3rd Annual Moveable Feast event at the Milwaukee Public Museum.

Sandroni grew up cooking Italian food. But food wasn't his first thought when it came to choosing a career. In fact, when he graduated from Marquette University with a degree in political science, a job as a chef was the last thing on his mind. Instead, his passion for learning led him to enroll in the masters program for medieval history. It wasnt until he moved to Atlanta, Georgia to assist his aunt and uncle with running their Italian restaurant and deli, that he found his calling. Culinary school followed, and Sandroni unearthed a flair for creating internationally-inspired fare with a local focus.

And Sandroni's favorite foods follow suit.

"My approach to eating has changed since having kids," notes Sandroni as we discuss his favorite dishes. "Between all the extracurricular activities for my kids, and my schedule, were a really busy family. So, we dont eat at restaurants very much. In fact, eating -- and enjoying meals -- revolves more around keeping everyone happy than anything."

Ginzas Wauwatosa Roll

"We started going to Ginza after my daughters swimming practice at Wauwatosa West; its so close, and it was a matter of convenience. We kept going back because there were things that the entire family liked. They do a really great avocado salad and a great miso soup. I love the spider roll, but the family favorite is really the Wauwatosa roll: shrimp tempura, avocado and topped with spicy lobster. That combination -- the creaminess of the avocado and the spiciness of the lobster are really great together. And then theres the crispiness, the texture, from the tempura. And everything on your tongue is working: sweet, salty, spicy and umami."

La Merendas Empanadas

"If I dont have time to come home and cook, Ill bring home food from the restaurant. When thats the case, I bring things that everyone likes. My kids will eat almost every flavor of empanada. But, they love the red wine braised beef, for which we alternate between either a Malbec or Cabernet for the braising. The filling also has bacon and mushrooms. They dont really like mushrooms, but they never seem to complain about them in the empanadas. And my wife is happy because the empanada dough comes from her family, so theres happy memories there."

Pizza with a side of spinach

"We like to make pizzas at home. I have a recipe for the dough I got from my aunt and uncles Italian deli in Atlanta. And we have a family recipe for sauce. From there, we tend to use whats on hand. The other day it was soppressata. Sometimes we use grilled chicken. My girls really love sauteed spinach, so we sometimes put it on the pizza, but often we just eat it as a side. Its the same as what we serve at La Merenda. Its fresh spinach sauteed with garlic and olive oil. You take the hot spinach -- only cooked about three-quarters of the way through -- season it with salt and pepper and put it on a plate thats covered with parmesan. Then you sprinkle more parmesan on top."

Ultimate Comfort food

"Meatballs. Im nuts about meatballs. The first thing I do whenever I go home is raid my moms fridge to see if she has meatballs. Ill eat them hot, cold, spicy, not spicy, however. In fact my favorite way to eat them is cold the day after. Theyve been soaking in marinara. And theyre just so good.

"As kids, we made them every Sunday with my mom. And for me, its all about that flavor memory. Its one of the few recipes I have memorized, because I made it so much. We always made them with beef and pork, and for each pound of ground meat, theres one egg, a half cup of dried breadcrumbs,  cup of freshly grated parmesan, salt, pepper and fresh basil. We bake them off and then add them to marinara sauce. Theyre simple, and I can make them quickly. I can also make a ton of them and freeze them."
"For years, if anyone bothered to think of it all, the gay community in Milwaukee was thought to consist of some guys hanging around Juneau Park restrooms or sitting in a seedy little tavern across from the Arena."  columnist Joel McNally, Milwaukee Journal, August 7, 1977

When I was a child, my family made an expedition to the Holiday Folk Fair every November. The ritual was the same every year: My family would drive Downtown in one very packed vehicle, park in the seemingly endless surface lot on 4th and State, and walk down 4th Street to MECCA.

Every year, Id catch a glimpse of people standing outside the Mint Bar, 422 W. State St. Id always wonder what was going on inside this oddball little tavern. Id hear Folk Fair patrons making rude and confusing remarks under their breath as they hurriedly walked past in judgment. Somehow, the Mint Bar had a mysterious power to terrify and thrill people.

Years later, my mother revealed something hilarious to me: As a teenager, she and her friends had gone Downtown and gotten "dolled up" at the Boston Store with cosmetics, wigs and fancy dresses. After their shopping spree, they went over to the Mint Bar for drinks. They thought they were mighty cool, being served underage, until they had a moment of clarity.

"There were no other women in the bar," my mother said, "and the only man who approached us was more interested in our wigs than our age. When the bartender complimented us for being 'convincing queens,' we suddenly realized we were in a gay bar, and everyone thought we were female impersonators."

I may have been 12 years old, but the Mint Bar suddenly sounded amazing.

During the great Downtown reinvention of the 1980s, dozens and dozens of buildings disappeared from the heart of Milwaukee. One year, the Mint Bar vanished too. Thirty-one years after its demolition, theres no evidence the Mint Bar even existed. Theres no tribute of any kind to one of the earliest and brightest-burning beacons of LGBTQ Milwaukee or the kind and generous owners who made it all possible.

And thats really a damn shame.

PHOTO: Collections of the Milwaukee Public Library

Today, the Mint Bar would be considered a dive bar. There was absolutely nothing fancy about it. The building was only 51 by 50 feet in size  far smaller than the average Starbucks  and its linoleum floors and faded walls had barely been remodeled since its days as an A. Gettleman Brewing Company tavern. What it lacked in size and statute, the Mint Bar made up with enthusiastic heart and soul.

At the same time, the Mint Bar would be considered a local historic landmark. For a full generation before the Stonewall Riots, owners Angelo and Bettie Aiello were creating a safe and harassment-free haven for Milwaukees emerging LGBTQ population. Between 1949 and 1986, the Mint Bar openly operated as a gay-friendly bar within walking distance from the police station and courthouse.

The bars twelve counter stools were occupied by every possible walk of life: police officers, judges, attorneys, journalists, city officials, vagrants, conventioneers, brewery workers, educators, drag queens, streetwalkers, rock stars, grifters, circus performers, strippers and, as its rumored, a closeted celebrity or ten.

PHOTO: Wisconsin LGBT History Project

The Mint Bar witnessed Westown at its best and at its worst, weathering postwar blight, urban flight, Downtown vice and superblock-style renewal. It "came out" as a gay bar at a time when homosexuality was still classified as a criminal act, a mental illness, and a source of shame and rejection. Along the way, its owners fostered the future of LGBTQ Milwaukee in a way they never expected.

Secret origins

The Mint Bar property was constructed around 1902, when the Milwaukee Common Council first issued J.L. Gaines a saloon license for this address. At the time, State Street was still lined with wooden farmhouses. The business changed hands at least ten times in its first three decades. After Prohibition, Fritz Gettleman acquired 35 Milwaukee taverns  including the Mint property  as brewery-tied taverns. The popular Bowlers Club Tavern opened here in 1933 and operated until at least 1947.

After World War II, Milwaukee officials resurrected their long-lost City Beautiful vision for a central Civic Center. Dozens of historic buildings between Wells, Highland, 4th and 6th began to fall for the construction of the Milwaukee Arena. Almost everything on the north side of State Street was razed for Arena parking, including a building that originally wrapped around and above the tavern property.

PHOTO: Milwaukee County Historical Society

Although the Bowlers Club Tavern had been scheduled for demolition, it somehow escaped its death sentence. Inexplicably, the "little tavern that could" overcame the "everything must go" mindset of the times to live another day.

Restored to life, the Mint Bar debuted at 422 W. State Street in 1949. Originally operated by businessman Christ E. Mares, the bar and grill served Milwaukee Arena customers from day one. It seems to have quickly attracted a red light reputation, since two of its bartenders were sent to the House of Correction on "morals charges" in the 1950s. The exact nature of these charges is lost to history.

LGBTQ elders remember a "Legion Bar" on N. 6th Street between Wisconsin and Wells where gay men could somehow meet discretely in a backroom area "just behind the jukebox." Historical records point to this bar being the Nicholas Marmigas tavern at 743 N. 6th Street, next door to the original Hellenic Post 419 of the American Legion. Both the Mares and Marmigas families were members of Milwaukees Greek community and the Hellenic Post, and there seems to have been some crossover between their businesses and intermarriage between their families. Ultimately, the Marmigas tavern was razed for Civic Center renewal between 1948 and 1950, along with most of the adjacent buildings.

Angelo Aiello, who had worked at the "Legion Bar," moved over to the Mint Bar. He quickly became the heart and soul of the business. When Mares retired in 1961, Angelo took full ownership, and the bar was often known as "Angelos" or "Angelos Mint" no matter what name was on the sign out front.

PHOTO: Bunny

Although the Mint spent most of the 1960s camouflaged in billboards, it made no attempt to hide who it was or what it embraced. Everyone was welcome  no matter what race, gender, expression or identity. As early as 1963, the Mint Bar was already listed in national mail-order gay guides, like the Lavender Baedeker. It became the anchor of a pre-Stonewall gay loop that included the Clifton Tap (336 W. Juneau Ave.), Sallys/GayTime Pub (731 N. 4th St.), the Belmont Coffee Shop (751 N. 4th St.), the Royal Hotel Bar (435 W. Michigan St.) and Castaways (424 W. McKinley Ave.), the first place in Milwaukee where men could dance together in public.

In 1971, the Mint Bar started publicly promoting itself as a "male bar" and later "Milwaukees original gay bar." Angelo Aiellos long-term success inspired everyone from upstart Walkers Point bar owners to the Balistrieri crime family, who unsuccessfully sought to duplicate Angelos model at other venues. By the 1970s, over 36 known gay bars had already opened and/or closed in Milwaukee, but the Mint Bar still developed a fiercely loyal following. For many years, the Mint didnt even have to advertise. Everyone just knew where it was and what it was.

PHOTO: Wisconsin LGBT History Project

"People who worked at Johnnie Walkers, or Chapmans, or Boston Store always thought they were holier than thou," said Bunny, a Milwaukee LGBT History Project contributor connected to the Mint Bar as far back as 1949, "and they tended to hang out at bars that tried to impress people. The Mint Bar didnt care if you were impressed, and neither did the people who went there. It was a come-as-you-are party, every day of the year, except New Years Eve when everyone dressed up in their finest and stayed out all night!"

"The Mint was the first gay bar I ever went to," said Larry, another Wisconsin LGBT History Project contributor. "After finals at MATC, a group of us decided to go there. I was just a country boy who liked boys and never knew such places existed. It was like going to a candy store!"

"In 1976, This Is It was for men in suits, and the Mint Bar was for men in jeans and sweatshirts," said longtime community member Paul Toonen. "I worked and lived Downtown, so I gave the Mint Bar a try. There were about 10 guys in there over the noon hour. One was sleeping on the bar. The guy next to me was so drunk that he wet his pants at the bar. Nothing a bucket of bleach couldnt take care of. The bartender didnt mind, because they knew life was hard outside those doors."

PHOTO: Bunny

While the Mints close-knit family feel built a strong and consistent culture, some feel it worked against the bars long-term sustainability. Whenever a stranger would walk into the bar, everyone noticed them immediately. As longtime patrons aged into their senior years, the Mint became known as the "granddaddy of the gay bars," which made it difficult to attract the next generation of customers. During the disco era, night clubbers were more likely to choose the Factory, Park Avenue or Red Baron experience than the corner taverns of the 1960s.

Looking back, it is amazing that the Mint survived almost forty years in the heart of the Civic Center. Patrons share that the Mint was rarely, if ever, raided. There were several reasons: It was too small to enable the dancing and cabaret violations that other gay bars were busted for; it drew a more mature crowd which reduced the risk of underage drinking charges; and bartenders could supervise everything happening in the space  and they took that job very seriously.

Most importantly, the Aiellos had an outstanding relationship with the Milwaukee Police Department, and the police treated them very well.

"Beat cops could see right into the bar from the street whenever they wanted to," said Bunny. "Think about it. Anybody who leaves their blinds open doesnt have much to hide."

Changing times

Angelo Aiello passed away on February 7, 1978, leaving his widow Bettie, two children and four grandchildren. Bette, Rosie and Tracy kept the business going for nearly a decade. Even now, the original Mint Bar is warmly remembered for its cast of colorful characters.

PHOTO: Bunny

"Any time you went to the Arena or Auditorium, you just had to pay homage to the Mint Bar," said Karen Valentine, a drag performer and hostess in the area. "It was just a tiny, corner tap, but it offered a feeling of comfort and safety. The Mint also served up personality plus behind the bar, including little Rosie, who was an inch taller than the bar itself. She was a true character! There was also the glamorous Tracy, the first and most visible trans woman working in a Milwaukee bar. The Mint Bar was her beehive  if you will!"

"When Rosie was bartending, it would set her off if you left your empty drink glass closest to you on the bar, because she was too short to reach it," said Jamie Taylor, curator of the History of Gay Milwaukee Facebook group. "She was a tough cookie. Trust me, she would read you the riot act if you pissed her off."



"We would stop and buy 'package goods' and have shots before shows at the Arena," said local designer and stylist Bjorn Olaf Nasett. "The bar had a certain smell, like old cigarettes, stale beer and a certain timeless perfume. Deja vu!"

When the $53 million multi-block Bradley Center project was proposed in 1985, the Mint Bar was one of seven properties acquired for the site. The 83-year-old tavern sold for just $92,900. On June 28, 1986, the Mint hosted a wake for its State Street location, complete with black wreath, black balloons, tombstones and a "rest in peace" banner. Although the bars maximum capacity was only 50 patrons, more than 300 attended the ceremony in black armbands.

Bradley Center construction began on Oct. 20, 1986. By the time the facility opened on Oct. 1, 1988, the Mint Bar had been so effectively erased that most people forgot it ever existed.

PHOTO: Wisconsin LGBT History Project

Bettie promised a resurrection party when the Mint Bar reopened as its new address, 819 S. 2nd St. The Decision, an early Walkers Point gay bar, had briefly operated at this address in the mid-1970s. The Mints rebirth was similarly short-lived. After the Mints 40th anniversary party in May 1989, the bars popularity dwindled. The bar, which thrived in the heart of a 24/7 Downtown, now lacked the foot traffic of a Civic Center location. Its devoted following was destabilized and began to disperse to other bars. Many of its older patrons simply stopped going out.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Jamie Taylor

"After the Mint moved, it lost its cache," said Karen Valentine. "Maybe they didn't change enough with the times, but back then, there was just so much competition. After all, there were over two dozen gay bars in the city in 1990!"

"It just wasnt the same," said Bunny. "The space was different, the neighborhood was different, the people were different. Everything that made the Mint the Mint was lost in the move. People stopped coming  even Bettie and Rosie stopped coming as much as they used to."

When Bettie Aiello finally retired in 1991 at age 69, the Mint Bar held a 42-year record as the longest-running gay bar in Wisconsin. The bar was renamed BJs Mint Bar to reflect new ownership. However, Bettie passed away in April 1992, and the Mint Bar name was formally retired for the first time in 43 years. BJs, as the bar became known, closed a year later. Fluid, which opened at this location in July 1998, continues a successful two-decade run to this day.

Rosie, who retired after serving the Mint Bar for 19 years, passed away in 2004.

The Mint Bar was truly the last of its generation of gay bars. It had the potential to be Milwaukees Stonewall Inn, serving as a visible and accessible landmark to who we were and how far weve come. It could have become a living museum, whose walls would talk and teach future generations about the importance of their history and heritage.

Instead, were experiencing a strange sense of cultural amnesia as we slowly lose not only all sense of this place, but also everyone who actually experienced it. As Milwaukee continues to lose its LGBTQ landmarks and elders, the need to document, preserve and celebrate our history only becomes more critical.

Want to learn more? Explore nearly 100 years of local LGBTQ heritage at the Wisconsin LGBT History Project website and the new book, LGBT Milwaukee. And what memories do you have of the Mint Bar? Share them with info@milwaukeepride.org.
Eric Church's Friday night visit to the BMO Harris Bradley Center is teed up to be one of the best shows this year. And judging from the buzz, reviews and what Im hearing from FM 106s Kerry Wolfe about the country star's "Holdin My Own" tour, Milwaukees Friday night will rock with nearly 40 tunes and three-plus hours of music.

Like many performers, Church, 39, is his own man. Hes a mega-star for sure, but an "Outsider" still to many. Hes loves the stage, and youll be madly impressed if you see him on Friday.

Here are the four things Im looking forward to the most.

1. "Kill a Word"

If theres an anthem for the time, its this. Its country music at its finest: preachy, a bit corny and simply wonderful.

2. Genre be gone

Country is Americas music, because its all types of music: gospel, blues, rock, pop, rap.

Country dominates because its authentic, honest and doesnt take itself so seriously. It can, of course, be serious - like many rock artists. Indeed, youll likely hear multiple Church/Springsteen comparisons during the show. If youre not a "country fan," use this show to bust your notion of what the genre is or isnt. Music is music  and trust me, Eric Church will prove it.

3. "Three Year-Old"

Warning to my wife and the friends were going to the show with: I might weep a bit when I hear this tune live. How can you not love these lyrics?

You can be a cowboy on the moon

Dig to China with a spoon

Talk to Jesus on the phone

Say "I love you" all day long

And when you're wrong, you should just say so

I learned that from a three year old

4. The unexpected

The set lists for the tour have been somewhat consistent, but Church is infusing between five and eight different tunes for each stop. With his love of music  especially of Merle Haggard; Churchs "Pledge Allegiance to the Hag" features Haggard  and his own impressive catalog, Im looking forward to the unexpected and some cool covers on Friday. Church said this at his Lincoln stop at Pinnacle Bank Arena in January:

"Here's the thing: Were gonna play everything. I don't care how long the show may be, I still want you to give it to me the whole time," he said. "At the end of the night, either you're gonna drop or I'm gonna drop."

Bring it, Chief. Bring it. We cant wait.

Eric Church plays the BMO Harris Bradley Center at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 14. Its a two-set show, with no opener.
After a raid, a Matabele ant carries an injured mate back to the nest. Credit: Erik Frank

The African Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) are widespread south of the Sahara and are a specialised termite predator. Two to four times a day, the ants set out to hunt prey. Proceeding in long files, they raid termites at their foraging sites, killing many workers and hauling the prey back to their nest.

These attacks, however, are met with resistance and the ants get involved in fights with termites of the soldier caste. Injury and mortality can occur during such combats, as the soldiers are very adept at using their powerful jaws to fend off the attackers.

So the invasions bear an increased risk of injury. For this reason, the ants have developed a rescue behaviour hitherto unknown in insects:

Chemical signal triggers rescue

When an ant is injured in a fight, it will "call" its mates for help by excreting chemical substances. The injured insect is then carried back to the nest where it can recover after receiving treatment. What is the "therapy" like? Usually, treatment involves removing the termites still clinging to the ant.

A german research team of the University of Wurzburg's Biocentre has discovered this rescue behaviour of Megaponera analis and describes it in the journal Science Advances. Erik Frank, Thomas Schmitt, Thomas Hovestadt, Oliver Mitesser, Jonas Stiegler, and Karl Eduard Linsenmair, all from the Chair of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, have participated in the research.

Matabele ants returning from a successful raid. The big ant carries two termite soldiers of Macrotermes sp. in its mouth as prey. Credit: Erik Frank

Rescuing the injured pays off

"We have observed helping behaviour vis-a-vis injured animals for the first time in invertebrates," says Ph.D. student Erik Frank. This was an unexpected finding, especially for social insects, where individuals are usually of little value. But obviously, it pays off for the colony as a whole to invest in the rescue service as the researchers demonstrate in their publication.

More information: "Saving the injured: Rescue behavior in the termite-hunting ant Megaponera analis," Science Advances (2017). advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/4/e1602187 Journal information: Science Advances
Dark matter filaments bridge the space between galaxies in this false colour map. The locations of bright galaxies are shown by the white regions and the presence of a dark matter filament bridging the galaxies is shown in red. Credit: S. Epps & M. Hudson / University of Waterloo

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have been able to capture the first composite image of a dark matter bridge that connects galaxies together. The scientists publish their work in a new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The composite image, which combines a number of individual images, confirms predictions that galaxies across the universe are tied together through a cosmic web connected by dark matter that has until now remained unobservable.

Dark matter, a mysterious substance that comprises around 25 per cent of the universe, doesn't shine, absorb or reflect light, which has traditionally made it largely undetectable, except through gravity.

"For decades, researchers have been predicting the existence of dark-matter filaments between galaxies that act like a web-like superstructure connecting galaxies together," said Mike Hudson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Waterloo. "This image moves us beyond predictions to something we can see and measure."

As part of their research, Hudson and co-author Seth Epps, a master's student at the University of Waterloo at the time, used a technique called weak gravitational lensing, an effect that causes the images of distant galaxies to warp slightly under the influence of an unseen mass such as a planet, a black hole, or in this case, dark matter. The effect was measured in images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

They combined lensing images from more than 23,000 galaxy pairs located 4.5 billion light-years away to create a composite image or map that shows the presence of dark matter between the two galaxies. Results show the dark matter filament bridge is strongest between systems less than 40 million light years apart.

"By using this technique, we're not only able to see that these dark matter filaments in the universe exist, we're able to see the extent to which these filaments connect galaxies together," said Epps.

More information: Seth D. Epps et al. The weak-lensing masses of filaments between luminous red galaxies, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2017). DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stx517 Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
he Saint Lucia whiptail lizards body fearures all the colours of the national flag. Credit: Twyla Holland/FFI

Plans to link offshore island refuge to mainland would spell disaster for the world's rarest snake and other threatened species.

Conservationists across the globe are expressing grave concerns about a proposed development in Saint Lucia that would mean certain extinction for some of the country's most valuable wildlife. The next phase of the so-called Pearl of the Caribbean Project poses a serious threat to the country's ecological, cultural and archaeological heritage. Most alarming of all is the proposal to build a causeway linking the Maria Islands to the mainland, a move that would have calamitous consequences for this offshore wildlife haven, which is officially a protected area.

Maria Islands Nature Reserve, one of only two Wildlife Reserves on Saint Lucia, is home to critical populations of six endemic Saint Lucian reptile species, including the world's rarest snake  the Saint Lucia racer  which is found only on the island of Maria Major, and 90% of all remaining Saint Lucia whiptail lizards. The reserve is the last refuge of an extraordinary community of native species that have been wiped out on the mainland by a combination of habitat loss (in part due to ill-advised development), persecution and invasive alien species.

The causeway proposed by the company Desert Star Holdings Caribbean Star (DSH) would undoubtedly be a bridge too far for the beleaguered snake and whiptail lizard  both of which are already on the brink of extinction and categorised as Critically Endangered by IUCN  and for the other offshore wildlife. It would literally pave the way for an invading army of rats, mongooses and other non-native predators, condemning the remaining reptile populations on the Maria Islands to the fate already suffered by their mainland counterparts. To date, the sea has provided an effective barrier to these predators accessing the island. A causeway would remove that barrier.

The harmless, non-venomous Saint Lucia racer is so vanishingly rare that it was actually feared extinct. Hopes were revived following a painstaking search in 2011 and 2012 by a team comprising staff from the Saint Lucia National Trust, the Saint Lucia Forests and Land Resources Department, Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (Durrell), which located 11 snakes. However, with the entire global population now estimated at fewer than 20 individuals, it is clear that every individual matters if we are to save this species from extinction.

Aerial view of the Maria Islands. Credit: Jenny Daltry/FFI

These same organisations are collaborating on a coordinated conservation programme to safeguard the future of Saint Lucia's unique biodiversity and, in particular, the endemic reptiles confined to the Maria Islands. News of the proposed land bridge  which would destroy a delicately balanced ecosystem and scupper current efforts to save the Saint Lucia racer and the rare plants, lizards, seabirds and migratory birds that depend on this island sanctuary  was greeted with dismay by the conservation community.

The irony is that a misguided attempt to enhance the tourist experience is in danger of destroying the very natural heritage and beauty that attracts so many visitors and, in the process, jeopardising one of Saint Lucia's most important sources of revenue.

"Managing this site is not a new-found interest for the Department," said a Senior Forestry Officer at the Saint Lucia Forestry Department. "We and our partners, in-country and from overseas, have been actively managing this site to conserve Saint Lucia's biodiversity for over three decades. The proposed causeway is simply not compatible with the need to keep these highly sensitive islands and their wildlife free from invasive alien species."

Bishnu Tulsie, Director of Saint Lucia National Trust said, "We will do all in our power to ensure that these priceless and fragile assets are protected for the benefit of every Saint Lucian and for future generations. We call on all Saint Lucians who genuinely care about our heritage to support us in our conservation work and to ensure that Maria Islands and the Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area are not destroyed."

"Durrell has committed the last 30 years to supporting Saint Lucian partners to protect and restore their natural heritage," said Matthew Morton, Eastern Caribbean Programme Manager for Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. "The Maria Islands are a jewel in the natural crown for Saint Lucia and source of national pride. This causeway would spell the end for the Saint Lucia racer; it's that simple."

"Saint Lucia has long been respected as a leading light in conservation and sustainable development for its many great achievements, such as bringing the Saint Lucia parrot back from the brink of extinction," said Dr Jenny Daltry, Senior Conservation Biologist at Fauna & Flora International, adding, "Why jeopardise the survival of unique wildlife and an admirable reputation for the sake of a non-essential causeway?"
Virginia Tech faculty members James Hawdon (left) and Samarth Swarup helped develop a computational model to assist policymakers in identifying more-effective criminal justice reform measures. Credit: Virginia Tech

According to U.S. Bureau of Justice statistics, American prisons currently house more than 2.2 million individuals, a population roughly the size of Houston, Texas. This incarceration rate is staggeringly highno other country in the world jails such a high proportion of its citizenry.

If, as these figures suggest, incarceration in America has reached epidemic proportions, its ill effects are felt especially strongly in communities of color.

In addition to sentencing biases that regularly condemn African Americans to longer prison terms for the same crimes committed by other population groups, social scientists have observed that the friends, family, and neighbors of incarcerated people often face an increased likelihood of being incarcerated themselves.

Researchers from Virginia Tech, Louisiana State University, and the Human Rights Data Analysis Group found that the community-wide ripple effect caused by incarceration strongly resembles patterns seen in the spread of a contagious disease.

By re-creating these real-world incarceration trends within a computational model, these scientists have created a toolset that can estimate how a particular set of criminal justice reforms will impact overall rates of imprisonment.

The group's latest findings, which address methods for eliminating racial biases in imprisonment, were recently published in the journal Corrections: Policy, Practice, and Research.

"Under our current justice system, communities of color are being exposed to the 'contagion' of incarceration at a much higher rate," said James Hawdon, director of Virginia Tech's Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention and a professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. "Our model suggests that laws enforcing equal sentencing for individuals need to be paired with policies that address elevated risk of incarceration at the community level."

Starting with a simulated population of 1,500 unique individuals, Hawdon's team began by modeling incarceration rates using observed racial differences in sentence lengths and probabilities of being incarcerated. This model produced racial disparities in incarceration rates that closely matched reality.

The team then tested the potential impact of "color-blind" sentencingassigning the same penalty to every person who commits a particular crime, regardless of race.

Their model projected that, four decades after implementing this policy, African American incarceration rates would still be 2.5 times higher than their white peers.

Researchers compared these results with a more comprehensive set of reforms that equalized the sentences of people who were already in jail and limited community members' repeated exposure to incarceration. Under these conditions, rates of imprisonment among white and African American populations evened out in less than ten years.

Highly detailed simulations like this are a hallmark of the Biocomplexity Institute of Virginia Tech's Network Dynamics and Simulation Science Laboratory (NDSSL.)

The lab uses its immense library of demographic data to construct "synthetic populations" that work, move, and respond to change much like a real-world community. Researchers can use these tools to assess a policy's potential impact on society, before it is put into practice.

"While real-world policy implementation will be much messier than it appears in a model, simulations like this give us a strong indication when we're headed in the right direction," said Samarth Swarup, a research assistant professor in NDSSL. "We can get an idea of what might work, how quickly, and where we should be committing our resources."

In a field as costly and slow-moving as criminal justice reform, technology that can provide fast, reliable estimates of policy's long-term success could prove to be invaluable.

"In the real world, we would have to wait generations to see a reform's full effects," said Hawdon. "That's too longit's not just an individual's livelihood at stake, it's the wellbeing of their entire community. Until we can ensure true, equal treatment under the law, we need to use every tool at our disposal to start closing this gap."

More information: James Hawdon et al. Addressing the Race Gap in Incarceration Rates: An Agent Based Model, Corrections (2017). DOI: 10.1080/23774657.2016.1265472
Farm in the arabian desert. Credit: Nullplus / iStock

Previously, scientists have suggested that agricultural irrigation affects mean climate in several regions of the world. New evidence now shows that this cooling influence is even more pronounced when it comes to climate extremes.

Irrigation is an essential practice for sustaining global food production and many regional economies. Although representing only about 2% of the global land surface, irrigated lands account for over 40% of global food production. To meet growing demand for food, irrigation amounts have been rising rapidly throughout the last century, with estimated total volumes increasing from around 500 km3 per year at the start of the twentieth century to 2,2003,000 km3 per year around 2000.

Irrigation impacts on climate

Besides enhancing agricultural yields, irrigation also affects climate. The practice generally leads to cooling, but the effect is local and usually very small. This cooling occurs because solar energy arriving on an irrigated field evaporates the water rather than heating up the air above that field. Besides affecting temperature, irrigation may also change rainfall patterns. In India, for instance, irrigation is believed to lead to a reduction in rainfall. Yet how this practice influences climate extremes was so far unknown.

Farmland in dry regions needs a lot of water, that also influences climate. Credit: Celso Diniz / Colourbox

In a new study that combined the efforts of researchers from ETH Zurich and the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium, we were able to quantify this impact. In collaboration with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, we performed a number of climate simulations with an advanced computer model. We find that irrigation has a large impact on temperature extremes, with a particularly strong cooling effect during the hottest day of the year (0.78 Kelvin averaged over irrigated land, see figure).

Cutting the extreme

There are two reasons why irrigation exerts a stronger influence on extremes than on mean climate. To start, farmers irrigate mostly when it is hot and dry, so obviously the effects during these periods will be larger. The second reason is more subtle: the regions in the world where humans irrigate are typically those where temperature fluctuations are very sensitive to the amount of water in the soil. These regions are neither dry nor wet, but somewhere in between (so called "transitional" regions). Systematically adding water to the soil through irrigation renders these regions less prone to the vagaries of climate.

Climate model output showing the influence of irrigation on daytime temperatures during the hottest day of the year (temperature change in degree Celsius). Credit: ETH Zurich / Wim Thiery

Masking regional warming trends?

Our results indicate that the impact of irrigation on climate extremes is much more pronounced than its influence on the mean climate. This is highly relevant for understanding the past and possible future climatic effects of irrigation, particularly since most research to date has focused only on the influence on the mean climate. The strong response also suggests that irrigation may have masked warming trends for temperature extremes in some regions of the world. The next step for research thus consists of verifying whether irrigation-induced cooling has been offsetting CO2-induced warming.

Does it make sense? Irrigation in the Ad Dahna Desert, Saudi Arabia. Credit: Andreas Kallioras / Imaggeo

Watering the world vs. water scarcity

Should we then start irrigating the whole world to reduce the negative consequences of global warming? Although this idea may sound attractive from a climate perspective, we most likely do not have enough water available for that. In India, irrigation is mostly needed during the hot and dry springtime months. During this time of the year, rivers are fed by meltwater from the Himalayas and there is some water available for irrigation. But in the Mediterranean, irrigation is most needed during the hot summer months, and this is of course also the time of the year when the rivers are almost running dry. Already today, we need five times more water for irrigation in the Mediterranean than is available from rivers (according to our simulations).

As the Mediterranean continues to dry out, we will have even less water available in the future. In such a scenario  where we cannot even sustain present-day irrigation rates  we may even see accelerated warming.

More information: Matthieu Guimberteau, Katia Laval, Alain Perrier, and Jan Polcher, Global effect of irrigation and its impact on the onset of the Indian summer monsoon, Climate Dynamics, 39, 1329-1348, 2012 Michael .J. Puma and Benjamin I. Cook, Effects of irrigation on global climate during the 20th century, Journal of Geophysical Research  Atmospheres, 115, 2010 Wim Thiery et al. Present-day irrigation mitigates heat extremes, Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (2017). DOI: 10.1002/2016JD025740 Sonia I. Seneviratne, Thierry Corti, Edouard L. Davin, Martin Hirschi, Eric B. Jaeger, Irene Lehner, Boris Orlowsky, Adriaan J. Teuling, Investigating soil moisture-climate interactions in a changing climate: A review, Earth Science Reviews, 99, 125-161, 2010 Journal information: Climate Dynamics , Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres
Election materials from China arriving today

The Election Commission (EC) is scheduled to receive election materials from China on Wednesday, in first foreign assistance for the upcoming local elections slated for May 14.
A geothermal well the depth of 10 Empire State buildings could be a new source of clean electricity - if engineers can contain its power. Credit: Chris Baraniuk/ DEEPEGS

Using state-of-the-art drilling technology, engineers have dug more than 4.5 km below the earth's surface in an attempt to harness the endless geothermal energy inside our planet.

For millennia, humans have used the heat energy stored inside the earth  known as geothermal energy  wherever water naturally bubbled to the surface in the form of hot springs, and this heat has been used to produce electricity for over 100 years.

Now, the idea is to generate a more powerful source of clean electricity using the heat of volcanic areas  but the question is whether it can be controlled.

'We just have to see  whether we are able to tame this monster,' said Hjalti Pall Ingolfsson, from the Geothermal Research Group (GEORG) in Iceland.

He works on the DEEPEGS project, partly funded by the EU, under which a team of geothermal researchers recently drilled the world's deepest well in an active volcanic area  the HS Orka geothermal field in Iceland  reaching a depth of 4 659 metres. They hope to tap into the limitless supply of geothermal energy by accessing searing hot water under such extreme pressure that it's in a supercritical state, which has properties of both a gas and a liquid.

'Supercritical conditions can increase the power output of a typical (geothermal) well by 10 times,' said Ingolfsson. 'That's at least the theory, and our aim with doing this demonstration is to see if the theory is true.'

Geothermal energy uses hot liquids stored inside the earth to create steam that turns a turbine to generate electricity. In a standard geothermal well temperatures may reach 250 degrees Celsius, producing approximately 5 megawatts of power, while the temperature of the new well reaches more than 426 degrees Celsius.

'Drilling into a volcanic system, we can expect much more heat,' explained Ingolfsson. However, there are also risks to drilling into volcanic areas. 'We can expect magma, which we actually did get in another well.'

In addition to magma, which the engineers need to make sure they avoid, volcanic rock contains many faults and cracks, which can cause the drill to get stuck, slowing down the drilling process and increasing the difficulty.

Seeing through rock

The work of the DEEPEGS team was aided in the exploration phase by IMAGE, another EU-funded project which improved the methods used to assess geothermal areas.

'Often the earth is compared to the human body,' said Dr Jan-Diederik van Wees, from the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and one of the lead scientists on the IMAGE project. 'It's very hard to simply expose it, you need to rely on a few holes you make from the outside.'

Exploration is a costly part of geothermal development and it can cost millions of euros to produce a single image of a small area. However, it is vital to help engineers know what is beneath them before they start drilling. The IMAGE scientists are testing out cheaper and more effective survey techniques to view what's underground.

In Iceland, the project deployed sensitive land and sea sensors around existing wells, including the new well, to record the noises produced by movements in the earth's crust.

Advanced analysis of these signals provides information on the size and depth of water reservoirs deep underground, as well as the presence of magma chambers so they can be avoided.

The team turned the metal casings of geothermal wells into huge electromagnets and measured changes in the magnetic fields to find fractures and fault lines deep in the rock. The multi-faceted approach of the IMAGE project has provided a wealth of information to both current and future geothermal projects.

Targeted drilling

'It's not a matter of depth, it's a matter of target,' said Ruggero Bertani from Enel Green Power, which is a partner on both the DEEPEGS and IMAGE projects, as well as a project coordinator of DESCRAMBLE, which focuses on improving the methods used to drill targeted geothermal wells into high-temperature, high-pressure areas.

In order to hit its targets, the project uses surface-sensing techniques to determine the properties of the rock at different levels, some of which were developed and carried out by the IMAGE project.

The team have chosen Larderello in Tuscany, Italy, as their test site. It was here in 1904 that the first electricity was produced from geothermal energy.

Due to Larderello's unique geology, supercritical conditions are present at much shallower depths, at about around 3 kilometres. To monitor the presence of gases and chemicals associated with supercritical conditions, and anticipate any possible problems, the DESCRAMBLE team will build a state-of-the-art well which uses a technique called mud logging.

'When you drill, you need to pump down some mud to compensate the friction (from the drill) and to remove the cuttings,' explained Bertani. By extracting and examining this mud, the drill engineers can get a real-time analysis of the conditions in the well.

The level of survey work and advanced technology required makes these wells more expensive. However, as Bertani explained, even if the well has double the costs, the energy content of fluid is so high that one supercritical power plant can produce the same output as multiple standard wells.

The DESCRAMBLE project has also developed and tested new sensors for geothermal wells that are capable of withstanding extreme conditions better than any device on the market. The knowledge and cost reduction will open up new areas for geothermal energy production.
Phytoplankton provide the main source of food and energy to the marine food web. Credit: NOAA's National Ocean Service

The extent to which climate change impacts the vital marine food web - which feeds the already pressured global fisheries  is revealed through a new, innovative study.

An international research team, which includes Professor Peter Cox from the University of Exeter, has identified a pioneering technique to determine the degree to which global warming affects the ocean's main source of food over the course of this century.

The research, published in Nature Climate Change, suggests this biological production will show a huge reduction under global warming. As lead author Lester Kwiatkowski, of the Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace in France, explains: "Using our approach we estimate that under a business-as-usual emissions scenario there will be approximately an 11% decline in tropical marine primary production and a 6% decline in global marine primary production by 2100".

The team of scientists believes that unless strong action is taken to limit climate change, there is likely to be a serious impact on already pressured global fisheries in the coming decades.

Professor Cox, a world-leading climate scientist from Exeter's Mathematics department said: "we estimate that tropical primary production will decline by 3% for each degree centigrade that the tropical ocean warms".

Previous studies have shown that amount of marine plankton fluctuates significantly as a direct response of the El Nino phenomenon  indicating that climate change will weaken the biological production of tropical oceans in the coming decades.

Marine primary production by phytoplankton  microscopic plant-like organisms that rely on photosynthesis to reproduce and grow - provides the main source of food and energy to the marine food web, and influences the concentration of atmospheric CO2.

Projections of how this vital source of energy and food will respond to climate change are currently highly uncertain  some models indicate that climate change may boost primary production, whereas others project declines of up to 20% by 2100.

The new study identifies a novel way to reduce the uncertainty associated with projections of marine primary production. Using a vast collection of modelling results, the study shows a consistent relationship between the long-term sensitivity of ocean primary production to climate change and the interannual sensitivity of primary production to El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability.

Models that are highly sensitive to interannual climate variability are also highly sensitive to long-term climate change. By using this relationship in combination with satellite-based observations of the historical interannual sensitivity of primary production, the authors were able to constrain projections of the long-term climate impact on primary production.

Study co-author Laurent Bopp added, "This work substantially increases our confidence in model projections. Without strong action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, climate change will almost certainly result in a long-term decrease in ocean phytoplankton. This is likely to have negative consequences for already pressured global fisheries."

More information: Lester Kwiatkowski et al. Emergent constraints on projections of declining primary production in the tropical oceans, Nature Climate Change (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3265 Journal information: Nature Climate Change
Elephant. Credit: Picture by Yathin S Krishnappa. Licensed under CCBY-SA3.0

Asian elephants are able to recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in problem-solving, further strengthening evidence of their intelligence and self-awareness, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge.

Self-awareness in both animals and young children is usually tested using the 'mirror self-recognition test' to see if they understand that the reflection in front of them is actually their own. Only a few species have so far shown themselves capable of self-recognition - great apes, dolphins, magpies and elephants. It is thought to be linked to more complex forms of perspective taking and empathy.

Critics, however, have argued that this test is limited in its ability to investigate complex thoughts and understanding, and that it may be less useful in testing animals who rely less on vision than other species.

One potential complement to the mirror test as a measure of self-understanding may be a test of 'body-awareness'. This test looks at how individuals may recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in a problem-solving task. Such a task could demonstrate an individual's understanding of its body in relation to its physical environment, which may be easier to define than the distinction between oneself and another demonstrated through success at the mirror test.

To test for body-awareness in Asian elephants, Dr Josh Plotnik, visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge, visiting assistant professor of psychology at Hunter College, City University of New York and founder of conservation charity Think Elephants International, devised a new test of self-awareness together with his colleague Rachel Dale (now a PhD student at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna). The new test was adapted from one in which children were asked to push a shopping trolley, but the trolley was attached to a mat on which they were standing.

In the elephant version of the test, Plotnik and Dale attached a stick to a rubber mat using a rope; the elephants were then required to walk onto the mat, pick up the stick and pass it to an experimenter standing in front of them. The researchers wanted to investigate whether elephants understood the role of their bodies as potential obstacles to success in the task by observing how and when the animals removed themselves from the mat in order to exchange the stick. In one control arm of the test, the stick was unattached to the mat, meaning the elephant could pass the stick while standing on the mat.

The results of the study, which was largely funded by a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society awarded to Dr Plotnik, are published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

Asian elephant demonstrating body awareness. Credit: Josh Plotnik/Rachel Dale

"Elephants are well regarded as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we still need more empirical, scientific evidence to support this belief," says Dale. "We know, for example, that they are capable of thoughtful cooperation and empathy, and are able to recognise themselves in a mirror. These abilities are highly unusual in animals and very rare indeed in non-primates. We wanted to see if they also show 'body-awareness'."

Plotnik and Dale found that the elephants stepped off the mat to pass the stick to the experimenter significantly more often during the test than during the control arm. Elephants stepped off the mat an average (mean) of around 42 out of 48 times during the test compared to just three times on average during the control.

"This is a deceptively simple test, but its implications are quite profound," says Dr Plotnik. "The elephants understood that their bodies were getting in the way, so they stepped aside to enable themselves to complete the task. In a similar test, this is something that young children are unable to understand until they are about two years old.

"This implies that elephants may be capable of recognising themselves as separate from objects or their environment. This means that they may have a level of self-understanding, coupled with their passing of the mirror test, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom."

Species that have demonstrated a capacity for self-recognition in the mirror test all show varying levels of cooperative problem-solving, perspective taking and empathy, suggesting that 'self-awareness' may relate to effective cooperative-living in socially intelligent animals. A more developed self-understanding of how an individual relates to those around may underlie more complex forms of empathic perspective taking. It may also underlie how an individual targets help towards others in need. Both aspect are seen in studies of human children.

Both self-awareness as demonstrated by the mirror test and body-awareness as demonstrated by the current study help scientists better understand how an animal's understanding of self and of its place in the environment may impact social decision-making in the wild.

Plotnik argues that studies such as this are important for helping increase our understanding of and appreciation for the behaviour and intelligence of animals. He also says that understanding elephant behaviour has important implications for the development of human/elephant conflict mitigation strategies in places like Thailand and India, where humans and elephants are competing for land. Only through careful consideration of both human and elephant needs can long-term solutions be sustainable.

"The more we can understand about elephants' behaviour, the more we can understand what their needs are, how they think and the strains they face in their social relationships," he says. "This will help us if we are going to try to come up with viable long term solutions to the problems that these animals face in the wild, especially those that bring them into regular conflict with humans."

More information: Dale, R, and Plotnik, JM. Elephants know when their bodies are obstacles to success in a novel transfer task. Scientific Reports; 12 April 2017; DOI: 10.1038/srep46309 Journal information: Scientific Reports
Credit: Bill Kuffrey/public domain

New research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests that the process of dealing with emotional exhaustion can sometimes increase happiness.

The study examined when and how dealing with emotional exhaustion can enhance happiness in a work environment. The research was focused on the role of perceived supervisor support (PSS) - the workers' view of their manager's level of supportiveness, caring and appreciation for their efforts - in stimulating ways to cope with exhaustion.

The research was conducted by Carlos Ferreira Peralta of UEA's Norwich Business School and Maria Francisca Saldanha of Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada. They found that perceiving low supervisor support stimulates the employee's engagement in developing an action plan which, when paired with what the researchers call instrumental social support - the activity of searching for advice, support or information from others - boosts happiness.

Low PSS enhanced the relationship between emotional exhaustion and planning activities; whereas searching for instrumental social support enhanced the relationship between planning and happiness.

This new study is thought to be one of the first to investigate how the negative relationship between emotional exhaustion and happiness can be reversed. Previous studies have highlighted the harmful consequences of emotional exhaustion, such as poorer performance and depression, and that PSS can prevent the emergence of emotional exhaustion.

However, little was known about how people could overcome emotional exhaustion and experience positive outcomes in its aftermath, and about the role of PSS once employees experience emotional exhaustion. The findings are published in the journal Work & Stress.

Dr Peralta, a lecturer in organisational behaviour, said: "Perceived supervisor support appears to be a double-edge sword, on the one hand preventing the emergence of emotional exhaustion but on the other hand diminishing the likelihood that employees will engage in planning to deal with the emotional exhaustion they are experiencing.

"It is important to note that it is not emotional exhaustion per se, but rather how people cope with it, that is beneficial for individuals. Our findings suggest that the activities people engage in have a key role in building happiness from an internally stressful experience and that emotional exhaustion can have a silver lining."

Dr Peralta added: "This research contributes to a greater understanding of whether benefits can be gained by individuals as they cope with emotional exhaustion. The findings help clarify the role of social support in dealing with and becoming happy after emotional exhaustion."

The researchers suggest that managers would probably help their employees by being attentive to their experiences and could benefit from training that differentiates between the actions that can prevent employees' emotional exhaustion and those that can support employees' efforts to cope with emotional exhaustion.

"Providing support may prevent the emergence of emotional exhaustion in employees," said Dr Peralta. "However, when an employee is experiencing emotional exhaustion it might be useful to just provide support when and if requested. Otherwise, the employee may not engage or delay the engagement in coping activities that can enhance their happiness. This is particularly relevant as caring supervisors might be tempted to increase the support they provide when an employee is showing signals of emotional exhaustion."

The findings suggest that emotionally exhausted employees may benefit from an individually developed action plan enriched with instrumental social support, such as a focused and directed search for potentially useful information, in order to increase happiness after emotional exhaustion.

The researchers conducted three complementary studies involving a total of 500 employees in Portugal and the United States. They worked in multiple occupations including management, architecture and engineering, computer and mathematical, business and financial operations, as well as office and administration support, sales, education and healthcare. The studies used different measures of emotional exhaustion, happiness and PSS and the participants were asked to complete questionnaires.

More information: 'Can dealing with emotional exhaustion lead to enhanced happiness? The roles of planning and social support', Carlos Ferreira Peralta and Maria Francisca Saldanha, is published in the journal Work & Stress, Volume 32 part 2, 2017. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/1  2678373.2017.1308445
Mapping a lake by GPS positioning and depth sounder by boat is very time-consuming, therefore the researchers decided to use a theory driven approach in the study. Credit: David Seekell

What is the volume of water in lakes on Earth? Using a mathematical analysis, researcher David Seekell, at Umea University, and his American collaborators now suggest that the mean depth of lakes is 30 per cent lower than previously estimated. Shallower lakes implies less fresh water and has consequences for our understanding of climate change and the carbon cycle. The results have been published in Geophysical Research Letters.

"Our estimations measure around 190,000 km3, which is a very small amount of water. In comparison, the ocean contains 1.3 billion km3 of water. If we poured the water of all lakes on Earth together into one big lake, the mean depth of the lake would be 42 metres. The mean depth of the ocean is 3,682 metres," says David Seekell, associate professor at the Department of Ecology and Environmental Sciences and the Climate Impacts Research Centre (CIRC) at Umea University in Sweden.

A possible conclusion is if lakes are shallower, they release more methane into the atmosphere than previously estimated.

Measuring the volume of the lakes on Earth seems like a simple task. Nevertheless, the challenges to carry out a measurement on a global scale are huge. Satellites can measure the volume of very large lakes, such as for instance Lake Vattern in Sweden or Lake Superior in the United States and Canada, but measuring the tens of millions of small lakes spread across the surface of the Earth requires time-consuming field work. A commonly used method is GPS positioning and depth sounder by boat. The researcher is required to row around on the lake until he or she has collected a large number of depths. The depths and coordinates are later used to build bathymetric maps which the volume and mean depth can be derived from. The approach works well for small lakes, but is expensive due to the time-consuming process and only a small number of lakes can be mapped.

A model in theory

So far, there have been few estimates of the volume of fresh water in lakes on Earth, and those that exist vary greatly and are typically presented without any data or methods.

"We decided to use a theory driven approach. We assumed that the surface of the Earth is self-affine. This basically means that if you zoomed in and out of a cross-section of the Earth's surface, the statistical characteristics of the vertical topography are predictable based upon a stretching factor," says David Seekell.

The researchers evaluated their model with measured volumes from thousands of lakes from diverse landscapes. The presumptions proved accurate and based upon this model, the researchers were able to deduce a theoretical volume-area relationship.

"We were able to use the model to estimate the mean volume of lakes at each given lake surface area, but also for variations in volume of lakes with the same surface area. Given the total lake surface area on Earth  which can actually be accurately recorded by satellite, even for small lakes  we were now able to estimate the total volume and assess the uncertainty in the estimate," says David Seekell.

The research team assessed that there are 184,000-199,000 km3 of lake water. The reason behind the variation can be explained by how lakes are counted and how their surface area is measured, particularly the smaller ones.

The majority of lake water can be found in a few very large lakes such as the Caspian Sea, Lake Superior, and Lake Baikal. In fact, about 80 percent of lake water can be found in the 20 largest lakes alone.

A scarce natural resource

The quality and quantity of lake water can rapidly change due to human activities. For example, in some regions many ponds and reservoirs have been built for ornamental purposes, for irrigation, to generate electricity, or to store drinking water, which increasing the volume of fresh water.

On the other hand, some large lakes have dried up and disappeared. For example, Lake Poopo in Bolivia previously had a surface area of about 3,000 km2 and was one of the largest lakes in Bolivia. Due to climate change and water diversions for agricultural production, there is almost no water left, which greatly affects local communities. A very similar story can be told about the Aral Sea  once the fourth largest lake on Earth  where climate change and water diversions for agriculture have left only a tiny fraction of its former surface.

It is not only quantity that is of great concern at the moment. The water quality of the largest lakes on Earth are subject to degradation due to human activities. For example, Lake Erie in the United States and Canada with a surface area of about 25,667 km2 has been exposed to nutrient pollution and harmful algae blooms. This has rendered the lake an unreliable source for drinking water for communities along the shoreline. As a consequence, over 400,000 people even lost access to drinking water due to neurotoxins in the lake water associated with algae bloom in 2014.

"Our study emphasizes the relative scarcity of lake water, and how rapidly human activities can change the quality and quantity of water resources," says David Seekell.

More information: B. B. Cael et al. The volume and mean depth of Earth's lakes, Geophysical Research Letters (2017). DOI: 10.1002/2016GL071378 Journal information: Geophysical Research Letters
For several years, businesses have invested in formal training and development programs to ensure their employees had the proper knowledge, skills and experience to adequately perform their jobs and perhaps future career opportunities.

While these structured training avenues have not gone away, in recent years, employees have begun to develop their skills and acquire knowledge outside of this formal environment, according to a University of Kansas researcher who is co-editor of a new book, "Autonomous Learning in the Workplace," as part of the prestigious SIOP Organizational Frontiers Series.

"Technology has really transformed when people work and how they work. That relaxing of boundaries has made it possible for work to happen anywhere and at any time," said Jill Ellingson, professor of human resource management in the School of Business. "Jobs are changing more quickly. Employees are being asked to do more, learn more and learn faster."

Those developments have made it harder for the formal training model to keep up, especially as employees tend to change jobs on average of eight or nine times in their careers, she said. According to one estimate, informal learning accounts for as much as 75 percent of learning within organizations. Budget constraints and other factors likely have played a role in this.

The edited volume takes a deeper look at various aspects of voluntary autonomous learning to understand how workers develop themselves on their own. Contributors to the book are experts in the field of training and development who examine the topic from different perspectives in the hope of spurring continued research on how autonomous learning happens and its effectiveness, said Ellingson, who is also a Dana Anderson Faculty Fellow.

With technology, e-learning, online learning and mobile learning are all growing, giving employees a greater deal of control over what and when they learn. These methods can often encourage continuous learning that is not required or mandated, Ellingson said.

Many job skills that organizations ask employees to use and develop tend to be much more fluid than in past decades.

"Instead of the organization coming to you and assessing and discerning that you need more training on a particular competency, the employee is often now making that decision," Ellingson said. "Then the employee would seek out a way to access that type of training."

A key topic to explore among human resources practitioners, she said, is how to capture the economic value from autonomous learning, especially because it is more informal.

"If it helps meet productivity goals, an employer may invest in encouraging these methods," Ellingson said. "At the same time, the question is, 'Will they recoup that investment?'"
Credit: USGS

Florida's iconic manatee population is highly likely to endure for the next 100 years, so long as wildlife managers continue to protect the marine mammals and their habitat, a new study by the US Geological Survey and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute has found.

The study, conducted by a team of veteran manatee scientists, estimated there is less than a one-half of one percent chance that either Florida's Atlantic or its Gulf of Mexico manatee population could fall to as few as 500 adults - the level that could imperil Florida manatees' long-term survival.

"Today the Florida manatees' numbers are high. Adult manatees' longevity is good, and the state has available habitat to support a population that is continuing to grow," said USGS research ecologist Michael C. Runge, lead author of the USGS report, "Status and Threats Analysis for the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), 2016," published today.

"Still, new threats could emerge, or existing threats could interact in unexpected ways," Runge said. "Managers need to remain vigilant to keep manatee populations viable over the long haul."

Florida's manatee population is likely to gradually double over the next 50 years and then level off, the research team concluded. Over time, environmental and habitat changes will probably cause manatees to become less abundant in South Florida and more numerous in North Florida, but the population as a whole will remain high.

The Florida manatee is a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, one of the first creatures listed as endangered when the federal Endangered Species Act went into effect in 1973. In the mid-1970s only about 1,000 individuals survived in Florida. But over the last 40 years, boat speed regulations, habitat protection and other measures have helped the population rebound. The most recent count, in early 2017, tallied 6,620 manatees in Florida waters.

On March 30, 2017 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is charged with protecting plants and animals covered by the Endangered Species Act, announced a final decision changing the West Indian manatee's status (including the Florida subspecies) from endangered - the law's gravest classification - to threatened. Information from the USGS' new threat assessment was used by the USFWS in making its decision.

Scientists of the Sirenia Project, based at the USGS' Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida, have studied manatees since the 1970s, photographing more than 3,000 animals and identifying them from each individual's unique pattern of propeller scars and other markings. From a database of more than 750,000 manatee photographs, satellite tracking, genetic information and other data, the USGS researchers and their FWRI partners have developed a detailed understanding of how manatees interact with their environment.

At USGS' Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Laurel, Maryland, endangered species experts feed this information into a computer model that assesses how Florida manatee populations are doing and how they're likely to fare in coming decades. The model is updated periodically, incorporating insights from experts and new information about changing conditions.

"The long-term collaboration between USGS and FWRI has been integral to the development of the population model," said USGS research wildlife biologist and report co-author Catherine Langtimm. "Our joint efforts on the model began in the early 2000s, but the collaborative field studies extend back to the 1980s. Blending state and federal research capabilities and expertise has been critical in monitoring and studying Florida's manatee populations."

The study published today is the latest overview.

It shows that in the coming decades, manatee populations will continue to face two longstanding, serious threats: fatal collisions with watercraft, and the loss of warm-water habitats that provide them with refuge during the winter. (Manatees lack an insulating layer of fat, so water colder than about 70 degrees can kill them.) The new analysis projects that mortality due to red tide will become an equally significant threat, if red tides are more frequent and more intense in coming decades.

The researchers tested many scenarios, some likely and some unlikely, to see whether they could find a set of circumstances that would trigger a significant statewide decline in the manatee population.

"If the rate of mortality from watercraft collisions were to double, the population's resilience would be compromised," said Runge. In that scenario, the risk that either the Atlantic or Gulf populations could fall to 500 animals was about four percent, he said. "We looked at all the other pressures people have mentioned, and we did not find any combination of threats that raised the risk of a decline to fewer than 500 animals on either coast above nine percent."

The next 100 years are likely to see manatee populations shift around the state in response to regional environmental changes, the analysis finds. For example, some southeast Florida power plants are expected to shut down over the next 40-50 years, and if they do, manatees will lose the warm water refuges created in the plants' discharge canals. Manatees in southwest Florida are likely to be increasingly affected by red tide and may also lose some warm water refuges. So southeast and southwest Florida may see their manatee populations decline.

Those losses will be balanced by increased manatee numbers in northeast and northwest Florida, where warm natural springs are capable of hosting more manatees, the analysis concludes.

"Manatee populations will continue to face threats," Runge said. "But if these threats continue to be managed effectively, manatees will be an integral and iconic part of Florida's coastal ecosystems through the coming century."
Newly planted almond trees, like these on a San Joaquin Valley farm, and other crops in California depend on groundwater. Credit: Shutterstock

Decades of over-pumping groundwater have irreversibly altered clay layers in parts of California's Central Valley, causing the ground to sink and permanently reducing its capacity to store water, a new satellite remote sensing study shows.

The research, published by Stanford scientists online in the journal Water Resources Research, reveals that land in the state's San Joaquin Valley (roughly the southern half of the Central Valley) sank nearly three feet (85 cm) during a recent drought due to over-pumping. This translates into a permanent loss of natural water storage capacity of between 336,000 and 606,000 acre feet; an acre-foot is equal to 326,000 gallons. For comparison, the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir that supplies water to San Francisco (and Stanford) has a capacity of about 360,000 acre-feet.

The San Joaquin Valley is one of the United States' largest agricultural hubs, growing an estimated $17 billion worth of crops per year. The new findings come just as the state is experiencing its wettest season in years following an extended, record-setting drought. "California is getting all of this rain, but in the Central Valley, there has been a loss of space to store it," said study co-author Rosemary Knight, who is the George L. Harrington Professor at Stanford's School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences.

Reduced storage

Knight and her colleagues used data acquired with a satellite technology called Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, or InSAR, to measure centimeter-scale changes in elevation in the San Joaquin Valley between 2007 and 2010. "Our work is a good example of the use of Earth-observing satellites to answer down-to-earth questions about the sustainability of water resources," said study co-author Thomas Farr, a research scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

With the InSAR data, the team was able to calculate the amount of subsidenceor sinkingthe land was experiencing. Subsidence happens when the water pressure in the subsurface dips below a critical level due to too much groundwater removal, leading to sediment compaction. "As you pump groundwater out of an aquifer, the water pressure in the tiny pores of the sediment drops," said study first author Ryan Smith, a doctoral candidate in Knight's lab. "That reduces the ability of the aquifer to hold up the ground above it and causes it to collapse. That collapse is manifested at the surface as subsidence."

If too much water is extracted, particularly from clay layers, the compaction becomes irreversible and the soil's ability to retain water is permanently diminished. "When too much water is taken out of clay, its structure is rearranged at the microscopic level and it settles into a new configuration that has less storage space," said Knight, who is also affiliated with the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.

This not only makes it more difficult to store water in the future, it also makes it harder to draw any existing water out in the present. "It's like trying to suck water from a really thin straw," Knight said. "The pressure that needs to be exerted to pull the water out gets greater and greater as the clay structure collapses."

The scientists only examined InSAR data collected during the drought period between 2007 and 2010. Since then, California has experienced a more severe drought, from 2012 to 2016.

"I think it's safe to say that the latest drought may have caused at least as much, or even more, subsidence and permanent compaction in the region than the last one," Smith said. He pointed to recent InSAR data not included in this study showing additional subsidence from the recent drought.

Improve recharging

One way farmers in the region could alleviate the problem, Knight said, is to avoid drawing water from clay layers and instead pumping from sand and gravel layers, which are more easily recharged and are less susceptible to permanent compaction.

Until recently, however, distinguishing clay layers from sand and gravel from the surface required drilling expensive wells. But Knight's group is testing a novel geophysical electromagnetic method that involves flying a helicopter equipped with instruments capable of imaging the subsurface from the air to create a three-dimensional map of clay, sand and gravel deposits.

"With the right geophysical tool," Knight said, "we can not only better understand the composition of the subsurface, but also help guide pumping and groundwater recharge efforts."

More information: R. G. Smith et al. Estimating the permanent loss of groundwater storage in the southern San Joaquin Valley, California, Water Resources Research (2017). DOI: 10.1002/2016WR019861 Journal information: Water Resources Research
Parameter regions with different behavior of the classical bound for an XXZ-like Hamiltonian with two parameters. Credit: ICFO

Classical correlations are part of our everyday life. For instance, if one always puts on a pair of socks of the same color and shape, looking at the color or shape of one sock determines the color or shape of its pair. Even more, by observing the color and shape of one sock and we can simultaneously know the color and shape of the other one.

In the quantum realm, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that accurately measuring a pair of properties of an atom puts a limit to the precision of measurement you can obtain on the same properties of another atom. Therefore, if the socks are said to be entangled, observing the color of one sock would allow us to predict the color of the other. However, if we also observe the shape of the sock, this would "disturb" the color, making it completely unpredictable to a certain extent. This weird "synchronization" between particles is defined as quantum entanglement, and is one of the intrinsic features of the quantum world.

In nature, there exists a much stranger form of so-called nonlocal correlations, which are manifested by some entangled states between atomic particles. By making the minimal assumptions that properties of objects (shape/color) exist regardless of our knowledge of them, and that information cannot propagate instantaneously, one finds that quantum physics can generate correlations that are incompatible with these two apparently reasonable principles.

Although extremely fascinating to study, these nonlocal correlations are very hard to characterize in systems composed of many particles for three reasons. First, classical correlations are mathematically very complex to study; second, quantum many-body states are very complex to describe due to the exponential growth of their described states; and, third, currently available experimental techniques are rather limited, constraining the measurements that can be performed in the laboratory. In order to explore the role of nonlocal correlations in many-body quantum systems, one thus has to address these three problems at the same time.

In a recent paper published in Physical Review X, a team of scientists from MPQ in Munich, ICFO in Barcelona, University of Innsbruck and the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences have proposed a simple test to study nonlocal correlations in quantum many-body systems. They have studied whether nonlocal correlations appear in natural systems as ground states of some spin Hamiltonians, such as electrons (described by their spin degree of freedom) in a system of one spatial dimension. By combining numerical and analytical results, they have shown that some Hamiltonians that have been studied by physicists for some decades have a state of minimal energy that can display nonlocal correlations.

As the first author, Jordi Tura, has commented, "We provide a set of tools to study a problem that has always been complicated on its own. The techniques we developed are much simpler than previous ones. If you wanted to implement them in the lab, you would just need to ensure that the system is prepared in a state of sufficiently low energy."

The results sheds some light onto this fascinating problem, hopefully sparking further progress in our understanding of nonlocality in quantum many-body systems.

More information: J. Tura, G. De las Cuevas, R. Augusiak, M. Lewenstein, A. Acin, J. I. Cirac, Energy as a detector of nonlocality of many-body spin systems, Phys. Rev. X, 7, 021005 (2017) Journal information: Physical Review X

Provided by ICFO
In cattle, Mycobacterium bovis causes the disease, which easily spreads among large herds, periodically resulting in the quarantine and destruction of thousands of cattle in the United States, Canada and abroad and restricting international shipments. Credit: Los Alamos National Laboratory

A research breakthrough allowing the first direct, empirical, blood-based, cow-side test for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis (TB) could spare ranchers and the agriculture industry from costly quarantines and the mass slaughter of animals infected with this easily spread disease.

"We have adapted an assay originally developed for human TB to bovine TB, a particular challenge because the bovine disease is caused by a different species of the pathogen," said Harshini Mukundan, leader of the Chemistry for Biomedical Applications team at Los Alamos National Laboratory that developed the assay and corresponding author on the study, published this week in the journal Analytical Sciences.

"We have validated the assay in cows that were positive controls of a vaccination study done at the US Department of Agriculture, tested at different time points during the course of infection. This work supports the global One Health strategydeveloping diagnostics that are not host limited," Mukundan said.

TB is one of the oldest known diseases, and it infects both animals and humans. In cattle, Mycobacterium bovis causes the disease, which easily spreads among large herds, periodically resulting in the quarantine and destruction of thousands of cattle in the United States, Canada and abroad and restricting international shipments. It also infects wild deer and elk, which can pass it on to domestic cattle with which they graze. A skin test to detect exposure or infection is used in cattle, but due to various colors of cows' skin and hide, environmental exposures, previous testing for M. bovis and other factors, the visual assessment can be inconclusive. Further, Mukundan notes, gathering a herd once for testing and then again 48 hours later for reading the skin results can be a challenge in itself.

The idea for the bovine application evolved from discussions between Laboratory researchers and scientists at the New Mexico health laboratory, who recognized the need for rapid detection by ranchers seeking to ship their herds. "It's one of these things that took on a life of its own," Mukundan said. The conversations eventually included a request from the New Mexico Livestock Board's state veterinarian at the time, David Fly, who reached out to the New Mexico Small Business Assistance program (which involves Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories). Mukundan's team responded, collaborating with a number of interested ranchers in the state.

Infection of humans with M. tuberculosis can be recognized in blood by a biomarker called lipoaribinomannan (LAM), but it has been difficult to detect because LAM is a lipid, a greasy molecule that doesn't blend with the watery blood and so eludes regular testing techniques. Targeting the body's fat transport system, the lipoproteins (such as HDL and LDL measured for cholesterol analysis) allowed the researchers to measure LAM in blood.

To detect it, the Los Alamos team has developed a novel assay - lipoprotein capture - which exploits the interaction of LAM with host lipoproteins and can thereby detect it in blood. Combined with a highly sensitive waveguide-based optical biosensor for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic biomarkers, the team has effectively identified greasy biomarkers associated with diseases like tuberculosis, food poisoning, leprosy and others.

In cattle, the TB infection M. bovis secretes a similar biomarker called lipomannan (LM). The team adapted the human assay to target LM, thereby suggesting the possibility of a molecular cow-side test for bovine TB.

Key outcomes from the research include the following:

The team can directly measure pathogen biomarkers in bovine blood, which allows medical specialists to discriminate between simple exposure and actual infection.

This is the first profile of the LM biomarker in bovine blood over a full one-year time period.

The same assays applied to humans can thus be transitioned to assessing cattle, elephants and other species, supporting a global One Health strategy for diagnosis.

Research such as the TB detection project aligns with the Laboratory's national security science mission in providing innovative tools for improving responses to emerging threats to health. In addition to Mukundan, the team includes Dung Vu of Los Alamos, Rama Sakamuri (a post-doctoral fellow who has since left Los Alamos) and Basil Swanson and Ray Waters from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What's next? "We are hoping to work with the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA to evaluate infected animals in the real world," Mukundan said.

"It will be wonderful if the assay can be adapted to a rapid cow-side test that can be used by ranchers and farmers to effectively diagnose bovine TB. I am especially interested in providing something concrete to farmers and veterinarians in our state, the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA, all of whom require such a test," she said.

More information: Masayuki FUTAMATA et al, Versatile Gap Mode Plasmon under ATR Geometry towards Single Molecule Raman, Laser Trapping and Photocatalytic Reactions, Analytical Sciences (2017). DOI: 10.2116/analsci.33.417
Loathsome trade

Investigation should expose the dirty nexus involved in rhino poaching
Skull of Edmontosaurus regalis, from Xing et al. 2017.

The duck-billed dinosaurs (hadrosaurs) may not be as glamorous as tyrannosaurs (and most tyrannosaur researchers sure don't respect these "Cretaceous food items" anyhow), but in many ways they are a far more interesting and scientifically viable group to study. Hadrosaurs are known from literally tons of fossils from around the world, often with nearly complete skeletons and frequent soft-tissue preservation. As a result, you can answer a lot of research questions with hadrosaurs that are difficult to address with more rare groups. But, surprisingly (or perhaps not surprisingly, given many people's inexplicable preference for the sharp-in-tooth-and-claw tyrannosaurs), lots of basic research on hadrosaurs remains. This is a golden opportunity for scientists!

In many ways, Edmontosaurus is the archetype of hadrosaurs. Their fossils, abundant in North American rocks from around 72 to 66 million years old, are on display in numerous museums and have consequently been featured in toys and on television alike. Early researchers, beginning in the first half of the 20th century, lavishly described and illustrated many of these specimens in the scientific literature. Yet, that grand tradition of detailed description has fallen somewhat fallow. We as scientists are often happy to rest on the laurels of our predecessors. If Edmontosaurus was already well-described back in 1920, what's the point in doing it again?

As paleontologists learn more about the anatomy and evolution of hadrosaurs, it's readily apparent that earlier workers didn't even know to bother describing, comparing, and illustrating certain features. This is not their fault, of coursedifferent aspects of anatomy are considered more relevant at different times. As additional species are uncovered or as old species are invalidated, the importance of some anatomical details is elevated, and that of other details is decreased. So, it never hurts to revisit "old" and well-described fossils.

Skeletal reconstruction of Edmontosaurus regalis, from Xing et al. 2017. Note that we do not advise walking so closely to the back end of a large herbivorous dinosaur.

A new paper by Hai Xing and colleagues redescribes skulls of the original Edmontosaurus species, Edmontosaurus regalis. Uncovered in Upper Cretaceous rocks of Alberta, over a dozen pretty decent crania, partial skeletons, and many fragments are known. Edmontosaurus as a genus was recently revised, showing that many things previously lumped into various species and genera (including the old classics Anatosaurus and Anatotitan) were likely just two species of Edmontosaurus: E. regalis (the earlier Canadian form) and E. annectens (the later form found in both Canada and the United States). An Alaskan form, Ugrunaaluk, was considered to be closely related. So, with all of the family tree stuff sorted out, now is a good time to review the variation within Edmontosaurus regalis and describe some newly relevant (and previously unrecognized) anatomical details.

The paper, published last week in PLOS ONE, provides detailed illustrations and text descriptions for numerous details on the skull in Edmontosaurus regalis. Once the anatomical work was out of the way, the authors re-evaluated previously proposed differences with the sister species E. annectens, and were able to add several formerly unrecognized features that can help separate the two species. Next, a comprehensive analysis produced a new family tree, which was broadly similar to previously published versions but also had a few interesting adjustments. For instance, an animal from Alabama called Eotrachodon was found to fall outside of the main group of "true" hadrosaurids (rather than within the group as previously proposed). A number of other slight readjustments also appeared in the analysis, all of which have relevance for how hadrosaurs spread across the surface of the globe during their evolution.

Finally, restudy of Edmontosaurus regalis indicates a potential shake-up for the Alaskan duck-bill Ugrunaaluk. Ugrunaaluk is known from numerous specimens, but they are all juveniles. Xing and colleagues note many similarities between Ugrunaaluk and Edmontosaurus regalisenough that they may even be the same species. Frustratingly, though, no juveniles of E. regalis are known at a size similar to those for Ugrunaaluk, meaning that equivalent life stages from the animals can't be compared directly. So, we're back to the classic refrain: we need more fossils to know for sure!

More information: Hai Xing et al. Supplementary cranial description of the types of Edmontosaurus regalis (Ornithischia: Hadrosauridae), with comments on the phylogenetics and biogeography of Hadrosaurinae, PLOS ONE (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175253 Nicolas E. Campione et al. Cranial Growth and Variation in Edmontosaurs (Dinosauria: Hadrosauridae): Implications for Latest Cretaceous Megaherbivore Diversity in North America, PLoS ONE (2011). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025186 Journal information: PLoS ONE

This story is republished courtesy of PLOS Blogs: blogs.plos.org.
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) near Kaktovik, Barter Island, Alaska. Credit: Alan Wilson/Wikipedia.

Researchers at the University of Alberta have demystified the way that polar bears search for their typical prey of ringed seals. The answer, it turns out, is simple: they follow their nose using the power of wind.

Using satellite telemetry data collected from 123 adult polar bears in Canada's Hudson Bay over 11 years, the researchers merged the movements of polar bears with wind patterns to explore how they looked for seals.

They hypothesized that when a bear smells prey, it moves up-wind to find it. But what is a bear to do before it smells anything at all?

"Predators search for prey using odours in the air, and their success depends on how they move relative to the wind," explained Ron Togunov, University of Alberta alumnus and lead author on the study. "Travelling crosswind gives the bears a steady supply of new air streams and maximizes the area they can sense through smell."

While this phenomenon had been suspected in many animals, it had not been quantified in mammals until now.

The best conditions for olfactory hunting, explained UAlberta professor Andrew Derocher, co-author and renowned polar bear expert, takes place at night during the winter.

"Crosswind search was most frequent when winds were slow, when is is easier to localize the source of a certain smell, and at night when bears are relatively active and when vision is less effective, so bears rely more heavily on their sense of smell."

The findings also raise questions about the implications of climate change.

"Wind speeds in the Arctic are projected to increase, potentially making olfaction more difficult," explained Togunov. "It is important to understand how polar bear hunting success will be affected by these changing conditions."

The study, "Windscapes and olfactory foraging in a large carnivore," was published in Scientific Reports in April 2017.
Credit: University of Sheffield

Children who spend more time social networking online feel less happy with a number of different aspects of their lives, according to new research by the University of Sheffield.

The research by academics in the University's Department of Economics, presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference this week, shows that the more time children spend chatting on social networks such as Facebook, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram, the less happy they feel about their school work, their school attended, their appearance, their family and their life overall. But they do feel happier about their friendships.

Spending an extra hour a day on social networks reduces the probability of being completely happy with life overall by approximately 14 percentage points. That is three times as large as the estimated adverse effect on children's wellbeing of being in a single parent household (4.6 percentage points), and is also larger than the effect of playing truant (10.3 percentage points).

The research also reveals that boys and girls may be affected differently by social network use. Girls are more adversely affected than boys, as it makes them feel less happy about five specific areas of their life, in particular about their appearance and school attended. For boys, it makes them feel less happy with their friendships, but happier about their school work.

The researchers explore three explanations for their results. They find some support for the idea that reduced happiness may be due to making social comparisons with others or cyberbullying, but no support for the theory that time on social networks has an adverse effect because it detracts from time spent doing other beneficial social activities.

The new study uses information from a large representative sample of around 4,000 10 to 15 year olds from the UK Household Longitudinal Study. The analysis of these data is designed to deal with important methodological issues, so as to get as close as possible to estimating a causal effect of social network use on wellbeing, rather than simply saying social networking is associated with poor wellbeing.

To do this the researchers used matched data on internet and mobile connection speeds from Ofcom.

The advent of online social networking is one aspect of childhood that has changed dramatically in the past decade, and is causing concern among policy-makers and other bodies responsible for safeguarding children.

Around 92 per cent of 16 to 24 year olds use online social networks and while most sites stipulate a minimum user age of 13, few apply any checks, and a survey for the children's BBC channel found that more than three quarters of 10 to 12 year olds also have social media accounts.

There are concerns that social media use is associated with low self-esteem and common mental health problems. The NSPCC has recently cited social media as a major cause of the dramatic increase in the numbers of children admitted to hospital as a result of self-harming.

This research suggests that children's time spent chatting online should be regulated in order to encourage greater life satisfaction.

The research is by Emily McDool, Philip Powell, Jennifer Roberts and Karl Taylor from the University's Department of Economics.

Dr Powell said: "This research adds to a growing body of literature highlighting a potential negative impact of increased social media use on the wellbeing of children and young people.

"The findings suggest that efforts to reduce the time children spend on social media on a typical school day would be beneficial to their happiness in multiple domains."
Researchers including Professor Margaret Martonosi (center) and graduate students Yatin Manerkar and Caroline Trippel have developed a tool that eliminates bugs by checking computer processor designs for memory issues. The tool is already leading to improvements in a major open-source chip project. Credit: David Kelly Crow

With backing from some of the largest technology companies, a major project called RISC-V seeks to facilitate open-source design for computer chips, offering the possibility of opening chip designs beyond the few firms that dominate the space. As the project moves toward a formal release, researchers at Princeton University have discovered a series of errors in the RISC-V instruction specification that now are leading to changes in the new system.

The researchers, testing a technique they created for analyzing computer memory use, found over 100 errors involving incorrect orderings in the storage and retrieval of information from memory in variations of the RISC-V processor architecture. The researchers warned that, if uncorrected, the problems could cause errors in software running on RISC-V chips. Officials at the RISC-V Foundation said the errors would not affect most versions of RISC-V but would have caused problems for higher-performance systems.

"Incorrect memory access orderings can result in software performing calculations using the wrong values," said Margaret Martonosi, the Hugh Trumbull Adams '35 Professor of Computer Science at Princeton and the leader of the Princeton team that also includes Ph.D. students Caroline Trippel and Yatin Manerkar. "These in turn can lead to hard-to-debug software errors that either cause the software to crash or to be vulnerable to security exploits. With RISC-V processors often envisioned as control processors for real-world physical devices (i.e., internet of things devices) these errors can cause unreliability or security vulnerabilities affecting the overall safety of the systems."

Krste Asanovic, the chair of the RISC-V Foundation, welcomed the researchers' contributions. He said the RISC-V Foundation has formed a working group, headed by Martonosi's former graduate student and co-researcher Daniel Lustig, to solve the memory-ordering problems. Asanovic, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of California-Berkeley, said the RISC-V project was looking for input from the design community to "fill the gaps and the holes and getting a spec that everyone can agree on."

"The goal is to ratify the spec in 2017," he said. "The memory model is part of that."

Lustig, a co-author of Martonosi's recent paper and now a research scientist at NVIDIA, said work was underway to improve the RISC-V memory model.

"RISC-V is in the fortunate position of being able to look back on decades' worth of industry and academic experience," he said. "It will be able to learn from all of the insights and mistakes made by previous attempts."

The RISC-V project essentially offers specifications that guide the hardware and software design of RISC-V processors and software applications. These specifications, known generally as an Instruction Set Architecture, describe the most basic functions of the processor including its arithmetic and logic operations, as well as the way programs use the computer's memory. Hardware designers use the instruction sets when building new chips, and computer programmers rely on it when writing new software.

The vast majority of computers in use today, including the millions of PC and Apple systems, use microprocessors based on instruction sets created by the chip-making giants Intel or ARM (Intel's, for example, is commonly known as x86). By contrast, the RISC-V instruction set has been open source from the start. It was first developed at UC-Berkeley, with the idea that any designer could use the instruction set to create chips, and also the software compilers that translate software applications from high-level programming languages in order to run on them. The project is now run by the RISC-V Foundation, whose membership includes a roster of universities, nonprofit organizations and top technology companies, including Google, IBM, Microsoft, NVIDIA and Oracle.

Martonosi's team discovered the problems when testing their new system to check memory operations across any computer architecture. The system, called TriCheck, allows designers and others interested in working with a design, to detect memory ordering errors before they become a problem. The name TriCheck derives from three general levels of computing: the high-level programs that create modern applications from web browsers to word processors; the instruction set architecture that functions as a basic language of the machine; and the underlying hardware implementation, a particular microprocessor designed to execute the instruction set.

"We call it TriCheck because it is making sure that the memory-ordering guarantees made by these three levels are in alignment," Martonosi said.

In a paper presented April 10 at the ACM International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems, the researchers describe the TriCheck system. The paper also details how TriCheck identified potential memory issues in high-performance hardware implementations of the RISC-V instruction set. (Similar errors were not uncovered in other implementations of the architecture.) The authors describe how they ran tests of the RISC-V instruction set using a high-level program written in the C programming language. On one particular RISC-V-compliant design, TriCheck found 144 errant programs out of 1,701 test programs.

The memory ordering challenge stems from the complexity of modern computers. As designers squeeze more performance out of computer systems, they rely on many concurrent operations sharing the same sections of computer memory. This parallel, shared-memory operation is extremely efficient, both for speed and power usage, but it puts a heavy demand on the computer's ability to interleave and properly order memory usage. If, for example, several processes are using the same section of memory, the computer needs to make sure that operations are applied to memory in the correct order, which may not always be the order in which they arrive from different concurrently running processors.

Subtle changes in any of the three computing levelsthe machine level, the compiler and the high-level programming languagescan have unintended effects on the other layers. All three have to work together seamlessly to make sure memory errors don't crop up. One advantage of TriCheck is that it allows experts in one of these layers to avoid conflicts with the other two layers, even if they do not have expertise in them.

"If I write a program in C, it makes some assumptions about memory ordering," Martonosi said. "Subsequently, a different set of memory ordering rules are defined by the instruction-set architecture. We need to check that the high-level program's assumptions are accurately supported by the underlying instruction set and processor design."

However, the researchers said the TriCheck's greatest strength is its ability to give designers a broad view of memory usage. Although designers have long been interested in this perspective, previous attempts to comprehensively analyze memory operations have been too slow to be practical.

TriCheck is able to check memory ordering efficiently by using succinct formal specifications of memory ordering rules, known as axioms. For a given program, compiler, instruction set and hardware implementation, TriCheck can enumerate many ordering possibilities from these axioms, and then check for errors. By expressing the memory-ordering possibilities as connected graphs, TriCheck can identify potential errors by looking for cycles in the graphs. These checks can be done very efficiently on modern high-performance computers, and TriCheck's speed has allowed it to explore larger and more complex designs than prior work.

The TriCheck project culminates four years of work by Martonosi's group of developing checks across various layers of hardware, memory and software. A recent project, PipeCheck, was aimed at allowing the teams who were developing the physical microchip to alter their designs to avoid memory-ordering problems. Typically, chip designers focus detailed verification of the chip's correctness in the last stage of development. But problems can be expensive to fix that late in design. PipeCheck allows designers to check the memory usage much earlier in the design pipeline and to correct errors sooner at this cheaper stage.

"PipeCheck helps determine whether the central processing unit keeps the promises it makes about memory usage," Martonosi said.

Lustig worked on the PipeCheck and TriCheck projects and joined NVIDIA after receiving his doctorate in 2015. Now at NVIDIA, which makes processors that specialize in computer graphics, Lustig said he appreciates the ability to closely analyze designs for bugs.

"Tools like PipeCheck and TriCheck are extremely useful when building new architectures, particularly for designs that really try to push the envelope," Lustig said. He added that identifying bugs can be difficult, but even when they are uncovered, making sure that solutions don't cause problems in other areas of the system poses new challenges. "TriCheck puts all the pieces together by verifying the software, the compiler, the architecture and the microarchitecture in one single package."

In addition to Martonosi and Lustig, the paper's authors include: Caroline Trippel and Yatin Manerkar, of Princeton; and Michael Pellauer of NVIDIA. Support for the work was provided in part by the National Science Foundation and by CFAR, one of six centers of STARnet, a Semiconductor Research Corporation program sponsored by the Microelectronics Advanced Research Corporation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Martonosi said the goal for the TriCheck project is to stop bugs before they create problems for users.

"TriCheck is an important step in our overall goal of verifying correct memory orderings comprehensively across complex hardware and software systems," she said. "Given the increased reliance on computer systems everywhereincluding finance, automobiles and industrial control systemsmoving towards verifiably correct operation is important for their reliability and safety."
- The special assistant to governor of Ekiti state on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has blasted the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari

- Olayinka said two years ago, before APC, came into power JAMB was working, INEC was functioning, but now things have taken a different turn

The special assistant to governor of Ekiti state on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has blasted the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a series of messages on his social media pages on Wednesday, April 12, Olayinka said: "Two years ago, before APC, JAMB was working, INEC was functioning, you could apply for a new passport and get it that same day.

READ ALSO: Woman asks Osinbajo about corruption in Aso Rock, see his reply

But under a regime that promises change, you now have to wait for five months after capturing before getting your passports renewed, due to lack of passport booklets. Getting JAMB form now takes weeks.

Lere Olayinka, the special assistant to governor of Ekiti state has blasted President Muhammadu Buhari

May God never forgive those who foisted this calamity on us."

The special assistant also wondered why people believed the report of the Department of State Security (DSS) on the judges and PDP leaders, but find it difficult to believe the same DSS report on acting EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

In a previous report by Legit.ng, Olayinka said he felt like giving the APC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi a slap.

Lamenting over a remark made by Abdullahi, the special assistant said he is afraid that an end has come for democracy in Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Magu will continue as EFCC chief, Osinbajo opens up

Legit.ng previously reported that candidates have been finding it hard to register for the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and have been lamenting about the stress.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) abolished the use of scratch card and introduced new procedures this year which candidates have described as very slow, cumbersome and very stressful.

JAMB registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede said about one million UTME candidates were registered as at Friday, April 7.

Legit.ng TV crew went to the streets to speak with candidates on how they are managing with the difficulties surrounding registration for the UTME. Watch below:

Source: Legit.ng
By Jessica Resnick-Ault and Julia Simon NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil futures turned lower on Wednesday, pulling back after eight straight sessions of gains after U.S. crude inventory data suggested that the market was still heavily supplied. Traders focused on preliminary U.S. production estimates in the weekly EIA report that suggested domestic output is still climbing. The report also showed stockpiles at the U.S. crude hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, rose 276,000 barrels in the week. Brent crude futures were down 30 cents at $55.93 a barrel by 1:43 p.m. EDT (1743 GMT), after hitting a one-month high of $56.65. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 20 cents at $53.20 a barrel, after touching the highest since March 7 at $53.76. Both contracts had initially jumped to the highest in more than a month, the eighth straight session of gains, after Saudi Arabia was reported to be pushing fellow OPEC members and some rivals to prolong supply cuts beyond June. Analysts and traders said long-term fundamentals remained strong and more stockpile draw-downs are likely as refiners exit maintenance season. "Crude inventories at Cushing rose 0.28 million barrels (mb) to 69.42 mb; however, this leaves just over 10mb of available storage before operational efficiency starts to be compromised," Standard Chartered said in a note. "We do not expect inventories to reach this point, particularly with the added downward pressure on Midwest inventories from the reduction in Canadian flows." The data showed an unexpected drop in overall U.S. crude inventories, which fell in the week by 2.2 million barrels as imports declined by 717,000 barrels a day. [EIA/S] The U.S. data followed bullish reports from OPEC nations, which said they had cut March output beyond measures they had promised, according to figures the group published in a monthly report, as it sticks to an effort to clear a glut that has weighed on prices. [OPEC/M] However, OPEC also raised its forecast for supplies from non-member countries in 2017 as higher oil prices encourage U.S. shale drillers to pump more, reducing demand for OPEC's oil this year. OPEC and other producers, including Russia, agreed late in November to cut output by around 1.8 million barrels per day in the first half of 2017 to rein in oversupply. Fearing a loss of market share, Saudi Arabia is shielding its most important customers in Asia from the cuts, continuing to supply them with all contractual volumes. (Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore and Amanda Cooper in London; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and James Dalgleish)
By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Supreme Court justice dealt President Michel Temer and Brazil's political elite a heavy blow on Tuesday by ordering investigations into eight cabinet ministers and dozens of lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest corruption scandal. The list of names under investigation released by Justice Edson Fachin read like a Who's Who of Brazilian politics, tarnishing past statesmen and potential presidential candidates alike. The list, whose contents had been subject to furious speculation and a number of leaks, became public when Fachin lifted the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of construction company Odebrecht [ODBES.UL], which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes. In Sao Paulo, residents banged pots and pans in protest against political corruption, while in the capital Brasilia deputies left a session in the lower house earlier in the day as news of the list began to break. The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the president's cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temer's efforts to pass austerity reforms that he says are needed to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record. Temer's office declined to comment. "More than having eight ministers on the list, the biggest problem for the government is seeing its whole political nucleus there," said Danilo Gennari, partner with Brasilia-based consultancy Distrito Relacoes Governamentais, referring to the implication of key government allies. Among that core is Temer's chief of staff Eliseu Padilha, an experienced politician considered key in negotiations with Congress to pass the administration's crucial pension reform. Padilha said he will defend himself in court. RISK OF INSTITUTIONAL PARALYSIS Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture also are under investigation, as well as the heads of both houses of Brazil's Congress and former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. "The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question," opposition senator Jorge Viana, who is under investigation himself, said in a statement. It also throws into doubt the credibility of a number of potential presidential candidates for elections in 2018, with some of the most commonly mentioned names under investigation. PSDB party leader Aecio Neves and former Foreign Minister Jose Serra are cited on Fachin's list, with a possible investigation of Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin referred to a lower court. Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted. Aides close to Temer have told Reuters that it could take months for ministers to be charged, meaning Padilha and other key cabinet members likely will stay in their posts long enough to secure the pension reform's passage. Tuesday's decision to make public the names targeted in the investigation goes back to March, when Brazil's top public prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees' testimony. Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin America's biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras . Rodrigo Maia, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said his innocence will be proved during the investigation. Other politicians also insisted they were innocent and discredited the testimonies. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Alonso Soto and Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Daniel Flynn, G Crosse and Bill Trott)
Prerna Pant of Circus Social will speak about social media in Echelon Thailand. Read on to find out more.

January 2017 posted over 2.7B users of social media globally  a 21 per cent growth January 2016. That means that in a span of one year, the number of social media users have bumped up by 482 million or roughly 40 million new social media users a month. It is no wonder, then, that businesses from startups to large enterprises are setting their eyes on social media. The market is there, after all. Understanding the ins and out of social media, as well as utilising insights and data gained from it, is a matter of strategic importance, especially for startups looking to scale their businesses.

Join Prerna Pant, co-founder and COO of Circus Social, as she discusses the use of social media for a scaling startup at Echelon Thailand. Gain insight on how the social intelligence platform helps many global brands leverage on social media to make informed decisions, and learn how to apply it to your business.



Echelon Thailand 2017 is a tech conference (May 15-16, Bangkok) and year-long digital platform attracting international speakers, founders, investors and professionals.

Register for your Echelon Thailand access pass now.

New in 2017 is Echelon Thailands digital platform. Get immediate access to exclusive insights, participate in discussions and engage with the speakers and fellow attendees directly on Echelons digital platform, the moment you register (accessible from the Ecosystem page). Whats more, the digital platform will be accessible all-year even after the conference, so kickstart your Echelon experience today and embark on a year-long journey of discovery.

About Prerna

Prerna Pant is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Circus Social. With over 12 years of experience in the digital marketing space in roles spanning digital, social media strategy, 360 marketing and data analytics  her strengths in digital strategy and marketing have seen her in leadership roles in both agencies and in-house.

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Save 10% on Echelon Thailand passes just for being our favourite e27 reader! Register NOW.



Featured image credit: vasilevki / 123RF Stock Photo

The post Circus Social COO to speak in Echelon Thailand, will discuss social media for scaling startups appeared first on e27.
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DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Charles Jose

DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Charles Jose

MANILA  Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Assistant Secretary Charles Jose will head for Kuala Lumpur on April 15, Saturday.

This is to perform his new duty as the Philippine ambassador to Malaysia.

On the other hand, Robespierre Bolivar has been appointed as the acting DFA spokesperson replacing Jose.

Before being appointed as the DFA spokesperson, Bolivar worked as a special assistant under the Office of the Undersecretary for Policy.

Bolivar was also the charge daffaires of the Philippines in Belgium.  UNTV News & Rescue

The post DFA spokesman is new PH envoy to Malaysia appeared first on UNTV News.
Guinea has seized a haul of shark fins and carcasses from Chinese ships fishing illegally off the coast of the west African country and fined the owners. The seizure was part of a push launched in February to crack down on illegal fishing in West African waters, aided by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace. "Three ships were boarded and searched, two for having shark fins on board," Demba Guisse, the director of Guinea's national fishing monitoring body, told AFP late Tuesday. With its vessel "Esperanza", Greenpeace is working with local officials from six African countries to monitor the waters off their coasts. Guinean inspectors discovered 30 bags of shark carcasses including a huge hammerhead -- an endangered species -- on one of the ships. The two vessels with shark fins aboard -- some discovered on the roof or stashed between crates -- were each fined around $265,000, Greenpeace said. Both are owned by Dalian Lian Run Pelagic Fishery Company Ltd, which Greenpeace said is one of China's largest distant water fishing outfits. Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing, with around 100 million killed each year, Greenpeace said. Global conservation efforts are complicated by the high prices fetched by shark fins, considered a delicacy in Asia where they are served for special occasions like weddings and banquets. Greenpeace and authorities from neighbouring Guinea Bissau last month stopped four ships for various infractions including the use of unauthorised equipment. What we're seeing here is an utter lack of respect for West African fishing laws," said Greenpeace campaigner Ahmed Diame. Illegal fishing in Guinea has risen sharply in recent years, with the hauls rising from 40,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 150,000 in 2015. Most of the over 40 vessels currently licensed to operate in Guinean waters are Chinese-owned.
Local gangster shot at in Boudha

A local gangster, who is on Nepali Polices most wanted list, was shot at in Boudha on Tuesday.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP)  Iran's former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday stunned the country by unexpectedly filing to run in the May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race.

Ahmadinejad's decision could upend an election many believed would be won by moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers. Though Rouhani has yet to formally register, many viewed him as a shoe-in following Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's recommendation in September for Ahmadinejad to stand down and conservatives' inability to coalesce around a single candidate.

Ahmadinejad's firebrand style could prove appealing for hard-liners seeking a tough-talking candidate who can stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump. His candidacy also could expose the fissures inside Iranian politics that linger since his contested 2009 re-election, which brought massive unrest.

Associated Press journalists watched as stunned election officials processed Ahmadinejad's paperwork on Wednesday. Asked about Ahmadinejad's decision, one Tehran-based analyst offered a blunt assessment.

"It was an organized mutiny against Iran's ruling system," said Soroush Farhadian, who backs reformists.

Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he became eligible to run again after four years out of office, but he remains a polarizing figure, even among fellow hard-liners.

Two of his former vice presidents have been jailed for corruption since he left office. Iran's economy suffered under heavy international sanctions during his administration because of Western suspicions that Tehran was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Ahmadinejad's disputed re-election in 2009 sparked massive protests and a sweeping crackdown in which thousands of people were detained and dozens were killed.

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Internationally, Ahmadinejad is more known for repeatedly questioning the scale of the Holocaust, predicting Israel's demise and expanding Iran's contested nuclear program.

The memory of the 2009 unrest likely sparked Khamenei's comments in September. At that time, he recommended an unnamed candidate not seek office as it would bring about a "polarized situation" that would be "harmful for the county."

Ahmadinejad described comments by the supreme leader suggesting he not run as "just advice" in a news conference shortly after submitting his registration.

"His advice does not prevent me from running," he said. "There is extensive pressure on me from dear people of different walks of life as their small servant to come to the election."

There was no immediate reaction from the supreme leader's office.

Ahmadinejad said his decision to run was intended to help former Vice President Hamid Baghaei, a close confidant. Baghaei, who was imprisoned for seven months after he left office, registered alongside Ahmadinejad on Wednesday. So did Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, another of the former president's close allies.

More than 120 prospective candidates submitted their names as candidates on the first day of registration Tuesday, including six women and seven clerics. Registration remains open until Saturday.

Under Iran's electoral system, all applicants must be vetted by the Guardian Council, a clerical body that will announce a final list of candidates by April 27. The council normally does not approve dissidents or women for the formal candidate list.

The May 19 election is seen by many in Iran as a referendum on the 2015 nuclear agreement and other efforts to improve the country's sanctions-hobbled economy. Under the nuclear deal, Iran agreed to curb its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.

Since the deal, Iran has signed multi-billion-dollar contracts with airplane manufacturers Boeing Co. and Airbus. The benefits have yet to trickle down to the average Iranian, however, fueling some discontent.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Adam Schreck in Dubai contributed to this report.
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MANILA, Philippines  Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella has clarified that during the bilateral meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud of Saudi Arabia, the issue on Filipinos on death rows was not discussed.

Based on data from the Department of Foreign Affairs, about 31 Filipinos have been sentenced with the capital punishment.

Reports on the cases of Filipinos on death row have not reached the King yet.

President Duterte had a plane prepared for Filipinos who will be sent home to the Philippines because they do not have the necessary documents.

The process has not yet reached the level of the King. In this case, there is no place for us to ask for clemency at this stage so let us wait for the process regarding death row issues. However regarding amnesty, he did make mention that hes planning to bring home those would take advantage of the amnesty program regarding violation of the immigration rules, Presidential spokesperson Undersecretary Ernesto Abella said.

Some agreements are expected to be signed between the Philippines and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Were hoping to sign three agreements during the Presidents visit. Firstly, the establishment of political consultations, secondly, the bilateral labor agreement. And thirdly, a foreign service institute, said Philippine Charge dAffaires in Riyadh Saudi Arabia Consul Imelda Panolong.

Both sides have also talked about cooperation for maintaining the security and the eradication of transnational crimes like illegal drugs trade and terrorism.

President Duterte will meet with businessmen in Riyadh to urge them to invest in the Philippines particularly in Mindanao.

The last part of President Dutertes visit in KSA includes a visit at the Filipino community gathering where some 2,000 overseas Filipino workers are expected to attend.

Based on data from the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh, 76 percent of the voters in KSA voted for President Duterte during the last elections.  Rosalie Coz | UNTV News & Rescue

The post No talks on death row Pinoys in Saudi Arabia appeared first on UNTV News.
MANILA, Philippines (AP)  The killing of a Muslim extremist leader on a resort island in the central Philippines this week was a clear victory for the military, but it also drove home an unsettling reality: that the militants are venturing farther from their jungle hideouts to spread terror.

Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said that troops recovered and identified the remains of Abu Sayyaf group commander Moammar Askali at the scene of the battle in the coastal hinterlands of Bohol island. Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman also were killed in Tuesday's clashes.

"This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf," Ano told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice."

"We are gaining important headway in our fight to degrade the ASG in regard to our timeline," Ano later told a news conference, referring to a military objective to considerably cripple the extremist group of more than 300 armed fighters within six months.

Former Abu Sayyaf militants identified Askali from a photo troops took of the young militant leader after his death, confirming that the gunmen who quietly cruised into Bohol on three motorboats under cover of darkness late Monday before clashing with troops belonged to the Islamic extremist group. Askali, who used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, had partly served as an Abu Sayyaf spokesman in recent years.

Askali was an emerging hard-line leader of Abu Sayyaf and had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Abu Sayyaf was founded in 1989 as an offshoot of a decades-long rebellion by minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. He had received bomb-making training from Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, a top Southeast Asian militant leader who was killed in 2015, according to a police profile.

It was Abu Sayyaf's first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the central Philippine heartland, far from the group's jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan. Ano said the troops were still hunting for at least five Abu Sayyaf gunmen, though fighting had eased Wednesday.

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While the bold kidnapping attempt appears to have been foiled, the militants' success in penetrating the bustling region of beach resorts and other popular attractions could raise concerns among tourists and businessmen.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila had earlier advised Americans to take precautions amid "unsubstantiated yet credible information" of possible kidnappings by terrorists in Bohol and other central areas.

The United States and the Philippines both list Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.

Bohol island lies about 640 kilometers (397 miles) southeast of Manila and is about an hour by boat from Cebu province, a trade and tourism center that has hosted some of the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the regional bloc the Philippines is leading this year.

Ano said military intelligence operatives had been trying to track the movements of Askali's group for several days after learning of their planned abductions.

The gunmen traveled on motorboats along a river into a village in Bohol's Inabanga town where government forces assaulted them, military officials said, adding that troops recovered four rifles, a homemade bomb and a sack load of bomb-making materials from the slain gunmen.

In past years, Abu Sayyaf militants have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists, reflecting their growing capability and desperation for money. In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they seized 20 people from a resort, including three Americans, one of whom was beheaded and another shot and killed during an army rescue.

Although they rely mainly on ransom kidnappings, Abu Sayyaf has displayed incredible resiliency and has survived through U.S.-backed military offensives under six presidents.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June, has ordered troops to destroy the extremists and has threatened to declare martial law in the country's south if the threat posed by Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups aligned with the Islamic State group gets out of control.

Although weakened by years of battle setbacks, the militants again hogged headlines last year when they separately beheaded two Canadians then decapitated a German hostage earlier this year after ransom deadlines lapsed. Askali was involved in those kidnappings and the captives' gruesome murders, Ano said.

The militants are still holding at least 29 captives in Sulu's jungles.

A confidential government threat assessment report obtained by the AP last year said that the militants have started to target slow-moving tugboats crisscrossing the Sulu Sea and the busy sea border between the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia in their effort to avoid constant military offensives in the southern provinces where they operate and raise desperately needed funds.

In the first half of last year, the militants raised 353 million pesos ($7 million) in payments from ransom kidnappings, according to the report.

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Associated Press writer Teresa Cerojano contributed to this report.
In this photo taken Tuesday, April 11, 2017, A woman walk back to her home after receiving food distributed by ICRC at a site in Leer County region of South Sudan. Two months after a famine was declared in two counties amid its civil war, hunger has become more widespread than expected, aid workers say, region on the brink of starvation and people at risk of dying without sustained food assistance. (AP Photo)

THONYOR, South Sudan (AP)  "I went only with my fear," said Gatluok Chuol. "If the soldiers found me, they would have killed me."

For several months last year, the 65-year-old South Sudanese farmer risked his life in order to feed his family.

In July, when fighting erupted between South Sudan's government and opposition forces close to his village in the town of Leer, Chuol, his wife and their 10 children, fled to the swamps in search of refuge.

However, Chuol was unwilling to abandon his crops. He'd been cultivating sorghum and maize and without proper care his harvest would die and his family would starve.

Guided by the moon and shielded by darkness, Chuol and his wife crept back to their farm at 3 a.m. and secretly tended their crops. Almost nightly, the couple evaded soldiers to toil in the shadows, he said. They cut weeds until the sun rose when they were forced to disappear back into the bush.

When renewed clashes broke out in October, Chuol said soldiers attacked his village. They burned down his house and stole his recently harvested food.

"It was so painful," he said. "We cultivated it with our own hands and they took everything."

Shifting his body under a tree trying to avoid the sun, Chuol leaned on his walking stick. His face was worn, yet his eyes were eager as he waited in line for seeds and tools distributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross.

He's hoping for a fresh start this year as South Sudan's rainy season approaches, but he knows it won't be easy.

South Sudan's three-year civil war and economic crisis has disrupted farming so much that famine has been declared in two counties and threatens to spread. Millions of people are going hungry and thousands are at risk of starvation, say aid officials.

Leer is one of two counties in South Sudan's Unity state where famine was declared in February and it's also on the frontline of the war. The combination of instability and severe food insecurity has caused thousands of people to flee their homes and they are unable to grow their own food, according to aid organizations. In 2013 Unity state's traditional sector produced 26,000 ton of cereals which by 2016 had dropped to 9,000 tons, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization.

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"When fighting erupts, people just keep being pushed out into the swamps," said Scott Doucet, an ICRC official in South Sudan.

Leer and Thonyor were once populous hubs but are now desolate ghost towns. Overturned cars and derelict buildings line Leer's main road. Today Leer is mostly inhabited by government troops and Thonyor has only a handful of residents.

This week, the ICRC distributed seeds and tools to 30,000 people in Leer and the surrounding areas. The aim is to provide 54,000 individuals in Unity State with seeds for okra, maize and kodra grain as well as axes and hoes, so they can grow their own crops, and nets to catch some fish.

"The longterm solution isn't dropping food from the sky," said Doucet. Although he admitted that due to repeated fighting, realistically it will take years before people stop relying on food drops.

"Humanitarian assistance alone is never going to be enough for the people of South Sudan," said George Fominyen, spokesman for the World Food Program in South Sudan. "What you need is a situation where people feel safe enough that they can go ahead with their lives and take care of themselves."

"We didn't grow anything last year," said Nyayok Dhol. "Our farm has become a bush."

During the summer, when government forces ransacked Dhol's town of Thonyor and lit her house on fire, the 29-year-old seized her five children - including her 2-week-old infant - and escaped to the swamps.

"I grabbed the kids who could run by the hand and carried the others and left behind everything," she said.

Before fighting broke out, Dhol and her husband had a successful farm. Unable to maintain it when they lived in hiding, she said last year's harvest was a complete write-off.

After five months of feeding her small children water lilies and roots of grass, Dhol decided to return home and try to rebuild her family's life.

"I still get scared when I see people in uniform," she said. "But I want time to cultivate my land." As soon as she gets her bag of seeds and tools, she said she'll start planting "the very next day."

However, if fighting breaks out again, Dhol said she will have to move her family back into the swamps.
FILE - In this file photo dated Tuesday, March 28, 2017, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, right, speaks to journalist during a visit to the U.N.-run Zaatari camp for Syrian refugees, in northern Jordan. According to a U.N. report made available Wednesday April 12, 2017, Guterres wants renewed negotiations to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, which has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front independence group for 40 years. (AP Photo/Raad Adayleh, FILE)

RABAT, Morocco (AP)  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he wants renewed negotiations to resolve the Western Sahara conflict, which has pitted Morocco against the Polisario Front independence movement for 40 years.

In a report to the U.N. Security Council this week, Guterres proposed relaunching the negotiations "with a new dynamic and a new spirit."

The goal, he said, should be reaching "a mutually acceptable political solution" that would include "an accord on the nature and form that the exercise of self-determination" would take for the disputed and mineral-rich Western Sahara area.

Morocco annexed Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, in 1975 and fought the Polisario Front. The U.N. brokered a cease-fire in 1991 and established a peacekeeping mission to monitor it and to help prepare a referendum on the territory's future that has never taken place.

Morocco considers the Western Sahara its "southern provinces" and has proposed giving the territory wide-ranging autonomy. The Polisario Front insists on self-determination through a referendum for the local population, which it estimates at between 350,000 and 500,000.

Guterres said in the report that he hopes to start new negotiations "on the basis of consultations with the parties and neighboring states, members of the Friends of Western Sahara Group and the Security Council as well as other important parties."

Morocco's government wants Algeria to be involved in any future talks and considers the neighboring North African country a party to the conflict. Algeria says it is not directly involved in the conflict and supports the U.N. process.

The U.N. chief expressed concern about the tense situation in Guerguerat, a town in the buffer zone on the Morocco-Mauritanian border, and asked the Polisario to "pull out completely and unconditionally" from the site.

The Guerguerat crisis began in August, when Morocco started work on a road in the area. Ragat said the work was needed to combat contraband. The Polisario Front protested and deployed armed forces, saying the road work violated the cease-fire accord. Morocco denied breaking the accord.

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At the request of the U.N., Morocco pulled out of Guerguerat in February. The Polisario Front's forces remain in place.

Guterres is expected to name a new envoy for Western Sahara. Morocco accused the previous special envoy, Christopher Ross, of having a "bias in favor of Polisario." Ross resigned in January.

The name most often floated to succeed Ross is former German President Horst Kohler.

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Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
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U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson talks with E.U. High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini as they arrive to pose for a family photo during a G7 for foreign ministers in Lucca, Italy April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Max Rossi

President Donald Trumps administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syrias government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to go into the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assads government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syrias Idlib province that killed 87 people, including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there was no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there, one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, he told reporters.

However, at the same briefing, Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying: You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. It was a mistake. I shouldnt have done it and I wont do it again, Spicer told CNN in an interview. It was inappropriate and insensitive.

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The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, and his administration into confrontation with Moscow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and urged a political solution for Syria, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the telephone exchange.

(We) must persevere with moving towards a political solution for the Syria issue. It is very important that the United Nations Security Council maintains unity on the Syria issue. (I) hope the Security Council can speak with a single voice, CCTV cited Xi as saying.

Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize, she said on CNN.

U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack, the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shiite Muslim Iran.

TILLERSON MESSAGE

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on Americas traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Tillerson told reporters in Italy. We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad.

He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assads government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them.

We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared  in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons, Putin said.

Trump denied further plans in Syria.

Were not going into Syria, he said in an interview with the New York Post. Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria.

A senior Trump administration official called Putins remarks part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syrias government to cooperate with investigators.

TURNING POINT

The secretary of states role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing skepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.

Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp, which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russias Order of Friendship in 2013.

He is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting could take place.

Western countries have been calling for Assads departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.

Assads position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assads government directly.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focused on defeating Islamic State.  By Steve Holland and Andrew Osborn | WASHINGTON/MOSCOW

(Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Moscow, Ayesha Rascoe, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Eric Beech in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff, Alistair Bell and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker)

The post White House accuses Russia of Syria chemical attack cover up appeared first on UNTV News.
Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes the victory sign as he arrives at the Interior Ministry to register his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Ahmadinejad on Wednesday unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defied the advice of the Islamic Republic's supreme leader and registered to run again for the nation's presidency.

While the hard-line showman's candidacy still would need to be approved by authorities, his entering the race could upend politics in the country of 80 million people and affect global affairs.

Here's why it matters:

INTERNAL POLITICS

Ahmadinejad's decision runs directly counter to advice offered in September by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say over all state matters. While Ahmadinejad described that directive as "only advice," his decision challenges Khamenei's authority. Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election sparked massive internal unrest. Coming back to the political stage now could reopen those wounds.

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WORRIED NEIGHBORS

Sunni Arab states in the Gulf remain highly suspicious of Iran, especially after it secured its landmark nuclear deal with world powers. They see Iranian influence in the campaign of Shiite rebels in Yemen who hold that nation's capital despite a Saudi-led military campaign against them. They also stand opposed to Iran's backing of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad. Israel is staunchly opposed to Ahmadinejad, who questioned the scale of the Holocaust and called for Israel's destruction as he presided over a massive expansion of Iran's nuclear activities.

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THE NUCLEAR DEAL

Ahmadinejad's return to Iran's presidency could see the West, particularly the U.S., reevaluate the nuclear deal struck under the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who is expected to seek re-election. Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions. Since the deal, Iranian oil has started flowing more freely in the world market. Airplane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing Co. have struck billion-dollar deals. U.S. President Donald Trump, a staunch critic of the nuclear deal, could move to dismantle it, particularly if a hard-liner like Ahmadinejad is elected.

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HIS CHANCES OF WINNING

Ahmadinejad's candidacy must be approved by the Guardian Council, a clerical body, before he can stand in the May 19 election. Half the 12-member council's members are selected by Iran's supreme leader and half by the country's judicial chief with parliament's approval. Even if his candidacy is given the green light, it's unclear whether he has enough popular support to win. Ahmadinejad remains a deeply polarizing figure, even among hard-liners, and his decision to register for the election could be a political stunt to try to remain relevant.

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Iran remains a major force in the Middle East and supports Shiite militias fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq. It routinely has tense encounters with the U.S. Navy in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. An Ahmadinejad presidency could inflame those tensions while increasing the likelihood of an Israeli military strike on the country's nuclear facilities. His name appearing on the ballot could cause unrest and spark other challenges to Iran's clerically overseen government.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.
Phones have this funny way of making our lives more personal and less personal all the time. Whether its pulling them out to avoid talking to people you dont quite remember at your high school reunion or sending some happy birthday texts to the people youre trying to stay in touch with on Facebook, our smartphones have introduced us to a social medium well have for the rest of our lives.

By 2018 more than 50 percent of customers will use mobile first for all their online activities, according to a study by Gartner. And while that number may seem about right, when you factor in that over 68 percent of Americans have smartphones, the market potential for the personal interactions (on and off screen) could have is monstrous.

However, its no easy task getting people to engage with what youre doing (especially on mobile). After all, youre taking up a limited amount of space, so its important to use it wisely. Countless marketing efforts have ended up in the mobile market grave due to a lack of understanding of how this behavior works.

Tips for Increasing Mobile Engagement

The first step you need to take is knowing what your brand and story represent, as well as how others can relate to it. Like we said above, you have a limited amount of space to make an impression, so make it one that counts.

According to a 2016 study by the Data and Marketing Association, Social Media is now outperforming email, display, and search on mobile. The secret to these brands success? Knowing how to make their story one worth sharing.

The driving factor behind SidelineSwaps success is that we make sure to keep our brands online presence genuine, instead of giving into the temptation to serve canned content and activity. We dont post articles just for keyword metrics, we dont pay for followers just to make our account look more appealing  we operate our brands online presence the same way we run our personal social media accounts. which, as Brandon Candon of SidelineSwap points out, is exactly how to make your mobile marketing can tell the easiest story there isthe one happening to your brand right now.

Once you get them in the door, its important to follow through on the next step: getting them to stay for awhile.

Seventy seven percent of marketers feel that real-time personalization is highly important, but face numerous obstacles in achieving that goal. And thats a valid concern, especially considering we dont always have the resources to add that human touch to every interaction we have, but technology is quickly catching up to allow us to do so.

As most marketers want as many sign-ups as they can fit under the sun, getting people to follow through on receiving push notifications can be an intrusive process. But as Lean Plum points out in the article Guide to the 10 Best Push Notification Tools, theres plenty of steps you can take to make your notifications feel more personal, such as time or behavior notifications, as well as using personalized data.

Another optimal tool to add a level of personalization on mobile is implementing chatbots. As Fast Company points out, while not perfect at first, bots have quickly been improving their artificial intelligence to levels that have allowed from some great interactions and innovations. Brands have been figuring out ways to not only improve customer service, but a customer experience, citing the automated system as a way to handle orders, appointments, and other services.

Finally, Ill note that If you choose to go down more traditional routes such as targeted ads and other growth hacking tactics, take the time to make sure your data is correct. Everyone has had that notification on their phone for a product they cant use in a city they visited over six months ago. Albeit, theres ways from a consumer standpoint to make these go away, but its your job as the relationship builder to respect their space.

With all the various approaches listed above that you can use to make your mobile marketing more personal, its important to step back and remember that your brand has a living, breathing presence everywhere it goes. As marketers, weve all gotten caught up in buzzwords and lingo, hoping that our metrics pan. But then again, those words dont mean nearly as much as your brands story, and thats one of the most personal things you could share.
Bratislava plant is being considered as VW's showcase.

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The brand-new SUV Audi Q8 will be made exclusively at Volkswagen Slovakias plant in Bratislava, with production to be launched in 2018

We view it as a display of great confidence in us, to be entrusted with the production of the prestigious Audi Q8 model, VW SK spokesperson, Lucia Kovarovic Makayova, announced on April 11.

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Were happy with the entire team in Bratislava, said VW SK Board chairman Ralf Sacht, noting that the Bratislava plant is being considered as Volkswagens showcase, with quality cars being produced by skilled staff for customers worldwide.

In producing the new upper-class SUV model, VW SK will use technologies and experience learnt from producing the Audi Q7 model, the TASR newswire wrote. Overall, three SUV models will be produced at what is one of Volkswagens most advanced body workshops featuring around 1,000 robots  the VW Touareg, Audi Q7 and Audi Q8. Some of the technology at this body workshop is being used for the first time ever by VW, with the level of automation reaching 90 percent.

The Audi Q8 concept was unveiled at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January, with a new look, designed for serial production by the brands chief designer Marc Lichte and was presented later in Geneva.

The VW SK plant in Bratislava will be producing the following types: Volkswagen/Audi (Volkswagen Touareg, Audi Q7, Audi Q8), Porsche (Porsche Cayenne) and the New Small Family models (Volkswagen up!, the electric Volkswagen e-up!, SKODA Citigo and SEAT Mii).
Morcha leaders meet to decide stand on amendment proposal

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha has begun an internal discussion to decide on their official stand regarding the new constitution amendment proposal registered at the Parliament by the government.
Transport Ministry says the carrier will not provide adequate service.

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Czech private railway carrier, RegioJet, has approached the Transport Ministry with an offer to operate trains on two routes from Slovakia to the Czech Republic that are currently being subsidised. The offer concerns three pairs of trains that operate between Humenne  Kosice  Zilina and Prague, and four pairs of trains that operate between Sturovo  Bratislava - Kuty and Prague, the SITA newswire reported.

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The ministry however says that the private carrier is not ready to provide substitutes.

RegioJet wants to extend lines already in operation. It promises to ensure the full operation of the trains, as of this December, without a subsidy from the state. The state currently allocates about 9.2 million annually for the trains. If the trains are operated by RegioJet, the state would save as much as 36 million by 2020 and passengers will receive better and cheaper services, the carrier said.

If the ministry accepts the plan, it will be fulfilling the Value for Money programme and the state will receive the necessary investments, according to the carrier. Moreover, it claimed that European and Slovak legislation stipulates that the state should not subsidise trains that can be operated by other carriers without state funds, reported SITA.

RegioJets owner, Radim Jancura, also asked Transport Minister, Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) to call a meeting at which they will discuss the proposal and further steps to be taken. The carrier is ready to sign an agreement with the ministry, which will guarantee the range of services provided. As for free travel, it is ready to sign a tariff commitment and offer free travel to social groups under more advantageous conditions for the state.

Read also:

Read also: RegioJet puts more trains on Kosice-Prague line Read more

The Transport Ministry says that the proposal submitted by RegioJet completely changes the departure times of state trains.

Therefore it is not true that they are ready to fully substitute the service, said the ministrys spokesperson, Karolina Ducka, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

If the ministry agreed with the proposal, it would significantly limit evening transport from eastern Slovakia to Prague. Moreover, the afternoon connection between Kosice and Prague would be scrapped completely. It would be replaced by a completely different timetable, Ducka said, adding that we dont consider this tenable.

Moreover, RegioJet claims it would not require the state to subsidise its trains, while on the other hand it asks for compensation from students and pensioners who currently travel for free.

This means that RegioJet wants to move money from state trains to its own service, Ducka said, as quoted by TASR. "This is also the reason why in the end the state would be paying extra money and there is a threat that state expenses will increase.

The ministry is also convinced that the contracts with a carrier should be signed after a transparent competition.

It will however read through the proposal and assess it, TASR reported.
A car was crushed at the construction site of the longest D1 highway tunnel.

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The 7,520 metres long Visnove tunnel, near the city of Zilina, now under construction as part of the Lietavska Lucka  Dubna Skala stretch of D1 highway, was the site of a fatal accident on April 10, a fact later confirmed by the spokesperson of the Falck Zachranna rescue company, Vladimir Vanko.

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Early that evening, the driver of an excavator was turning the machine and crushed two people in a passenger car: the driver of the car was not injured but the passenger, a geodesist aged 25, suffered serious chest injuries and died despite resuscitation attempts, the Sme daily wrote.

The accident took place about three kilometres after the tunnel entry.

On April 11, Transport Minister Arpad Ersek visited the site of the accident and also the mourning area in the office of the late employee, while expressing condolences to the bereft, the SITA newswire wrote.
The region of the Slovak capital improves its position, but a closer look at the statistics paints a different picture.

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The Bratislava region repeatedly places high among EU statistics of the richest regions. It has even improved its position. While Bratislava was the sixth richest region of the EU in 2014, it ended fifth based on the Eurostat statistics for 2015. But analysts warn that when interpreting such positive results, indicators on which the ranking is based should be taken into consideration and the whole picture should be considered.

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Moreover, regional politicians point out that due to this distorted picture painted by the statistics, Bratislava has limited access to EU funds as their allocation is also based on the economic performance of the region.

Based on a report published in late March by Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union, the region of Bratislava placed fifth overall with 188 percent of the EU average when regional GDP per capita, expressed in terms of purchasing power standards for 2015, was taken into consideration. This is an improvement of 2 percentage points compared with the previous year. The Bratislava Region also surpassed the region of Prague, which placed sixth with 178 percent. Even Vienna registered a lower figure, 155 percent.

Inner London - West in the UK placed first with 580 percent, followed by the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (264 percent) and Brussels, Belgium (205 percent).

Yet analysts warn to take caution when reading the statistics. Katarina Muchova, an analyst with Slovenska Sporitelna bank points out that the regional GDP per capita indicator does not take into consideration how many people actually dwell in a given region and how many commute to work in the region.

This is also the case of Bratislava when often people from different regions commute here. Others have already moved to Bratislava, but neglect to change their permanent residence.

The volume of workers commuting to Bratislava is so significant that if it were taken into consideration, it would have a significant influence on this comparison with other regions of Slovakia as well as regions outside Slovakia, said Vladimir Vano, head of CEE research at Sberbank Europe, as cited by the Sme daily.

Also the operations of international companies may distort the statistics. While they operate throughout the country and thus also in other regions, since they have their headquarters in Bratislava, their results are reported in that region. In both cases the regions may record higher GDP per capita. This is the case of Bratislava and other large cities in Europe.

It is also necessary to say that GDP per capita speaks about economic production but not about income per household in the given region or the country, said Muchova.

Branches of foreign companies may distort the statistics as well. Economist Vladimir Balaz from the Institute for Forecasting of the Slovak Academy of Sciences indicates that most of the profit they earn here does not remain in Slovakia as they export it outside of Slovakia, for example, also to tax havens. He estimates that people receive only about one third of what is generated in a given region in the form of salaries.

Regional disparities

On the other hand, other regions in Slovakia significantly lag behind when eastern Slovakia ended with only 54 percent, central Slovakia with 62 percent and western Slovakia with 71 percent.

Since Slovakia accessed the European Union [in 2004] the GDP per capita increased in all of Slovakias regions, but not evenly as regional disparities have not only remained but have even widened, Muchova of Slovenska Sporitelna wrote in her memo.

Especially disparities between the Bratislava region and eastern Slovakia have grown since 2004. At that time the Bratislava region had a GDP per capita 3.1-times higher than eastern Slovakia, this difference was as high as 3.5-fold in 2015.

EU funds

Bratislava Regions Governor Pavol Freso keeps pointing out that due to the distorted statistics metropolitan regions are discriminated against when drawing EU funds. The wealth of regions is one of the indicators based on which regions can apply for EU money and under what conditions they can draw the funds.

Metropolitan regions are today punished for being successful and cannot draw EU funds, said Freso in early March as cited by the website www.netky.sk. On the other hand, they suffer from problems which less developed regions even do not know, for example, suburbanisation, collapsing transport or endangered environment. And these are exactly the problems, the solutions for which the EU funds should be used.

Freso also points out that while the statistics takes into consideration the regional GDP, it does not take into consideration different prices of goods and services in the regions.

Bratislava does not have the standard of living of Vienna and its vicinity, not to mention Berlin or Munich, said Freso in November as cited by the TASR newswire.

Freso would like to see the statistics take into consideration the economic power of a regions' citizens expressed by incomes of households, therefore, the statistics would take into consideration the difference between the buying power and standards of living.

We are trying to put right the error that Eurostat repeatedly does not solve, at least for the next programming period after 2020, so that we can draw EU funds and put statistics with reality in one accord, said Freso.
Following the recently amended law on criminal liability of legal persons, the issue of cost-effectiveness of prevention emerges more and more.

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On why should Compliance Management have an important role in the company, and also on the upcoming conference of the European Compliance Forum 2017, we talked to JUDr. Jaroslav Ruzicka, Managing Partner and one of the founders of the law firm Ruzicka Csekes s.r.o.

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On 18 and 19 May 2017, a unique European Compliance Forum 2017 is being held that you decided to co-organise. What was the main motivation to hold this prestigious conference in Slovakia?

The decision to co-organise the European Compliance Forum is a logical result of several recently adopted or proposed legislative changes that fundamentally affect and interfere with the business life of many of our clients. As the biggest intervention in commercial law we consider the adoption of law on criminal liability of legal persons, which as prevention requires the adoption of effective measures to protect the company. We are one of the last countries in the European Union to introduce this obligation. Our experience from abroad shows that this issue is certainly not marginal and it requires legal persons to have active and innovative approaches to solving issues. Responsibility that the law imposed on the shoulders of top management, is not theoretical, it is a challenge, which together with our clients we need to face, and active participation in the conference is one of the tools.

Jaroslav Ruzicka (Source: Ruzicka Csekes s.r.o.)

You talk about new approaches. What will be innovative in this conference?

The European Compliance Forum is not just a conference. It is a space, where top management will have the opportunity, in terms of a strategic view, to compare their views on this issue with other companies. The Forum is primarily intended for top management because they are the critical stakeholders, who within their own company structure, will determine the direction, which the company will move in the field of Compliance. They will have to weigh the risks and the manner of dealing with them. At the same time, it is necessary to recognise that the broad spectre of the Compliance topic also delivers the debit in availability of information, which are the risks that need to be considered. And of course, where you do not have enough information, you cannot adopt relevant solutions. Therefore, the Forum is structured and organised in such a way that we touch upon the key issues that companies will have to deal with, such as IT security, Know Your Customer processes, internal fraud, modern Compliance structures and how they are formed. Finally, of course also prevention in criminal law terms. The ambition of the Forum is not to explain the thematic areas in detail. Therefore, we supported the idea of short, however concise presentations with a focus on what matters the most in the given area. The aim is to understand the principles and the subsequent search for a suitable and effective alternative, which the particular company chooses. The Forum participants will have a relatively wide range of possibilities of interaction with the aim to establish relevant discussion on these topics, so in addition to the specialised part we have provided maximum support also for networking and interaction.

That sounds interesting. If you had to choose one speaker, whom we will see at the ECF 2017, who would it be?

This is a very difficult question, I admit. In each of the areas that will be presented at the Forum, we have chosen those, who have truly valuable information for top managers. This was an essential criterion for us. At the same time we wanted to avoid an event, where only consulting firms would be presenting themselves. Therefore the Forum will be primarily about professionals and managers from specific companies operating in various sectors of the economy. Expertise in different slots will then be taken by speakers who are experts in the given subject at a high professional level. The Forum will comprise of an appropriate mix of what the business environment debates, complemented by short lecture sessions given by experts on selected topics.

I am convinced that someone can be captivated by a lecture given by an ethical hacker, who normally only appears at high profile IT security events, others will be attracted by the economy of creative accounting and related internal fraud, which will be presented by the Senior Analyst of Sberbank, Mr. Vano. Equally important is also Prof. Zeleny, working at Fordham University New York, who is the most-cited economist in the Czech Republic. I cannot but mention, for example Mr. Juraj Szabo from the CEZ Group, who introduced the Compliance system in the CEZ Group, in Slovak terms assented by the icon of Compliance in the Slovak Republic, Mr. Vittek from Tatrabanka. Academic environment, which significantly affects the fate of this issue and its development, is represented by such names as Prof. Remisova from the Faculty of Management of the Comenius University or Prof. Centes from the Faculty of Law of the Comenius University. Certainly, also for JUDr. Dulla, chairman of the Criminal Senat of the Supreme Court or Col. Krcmarik from NAKA, these topics of the Forum are very close. From the business environment, I can reveal Mr. Slezak, CEO of SIEMENS, Mr. Gabriel Szabo, the new CEO of Slovnaft or Laszlo Ivan, CEO of Arriva Group for the Slovak Republic.
President Kiska also does not plan to run for parliament; the decision on his next presidential candidacy is not yet clear.

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President Andrej Kiska will not pursue expanding his political career.

I will not found any political party, he announced on his Facebook account on April 12. I will not run for parliament. And, thus, I dont even think of becoming prime minister.

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The president added he will announce the possibility of running for a second term in the presidential office next September at the latest.

Such declarations were a response to speculations about his future political career that started soon after he announced he was expecting another child with his wife, Martina, the Sme daily reported.

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The president also thanked people for the congratulations on account of the pregnancy . The presidents family lives in Poprad, but he visits them every weekend. Because he was using the governments special plane for this purpose, he was recently criticised by several ruling politicians.

Following the criticism, he decided to use a car to travel to his hometown. The car broke down, however, during the very first drive, Sme wrote.

Kiska already said in the past that the separation from his family and loss of privacy have impacted his decisions concerning his potential political career. His wife was not very pleased about his candidacy for the presidential post in 2014, but she later supported it with the condition that she would take care of the children, Sme reported.
Statements by PM Robert Fico and Parliamentary Speaker Andrej Danko about the public-service broadcaster provoke press freedom concerns.

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If I won the election, I would scrap concessionaire [fees] and I would not play the public-service games.

Parliamentary Speaker Andrej Danko said that on April 9 on the TA3 private news channel as he unveiled his plan for the public-service Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS) to become a state institution. This is the furthest he has gone in his statements about the RTVS since he started trying to gain some control over the broadcaster.

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The pressure that two of Slovakias top constitutional officials, Parliaments Speaker Danko and Prime Minister Robert Fico, have asserted on the public-service broadcaster has prompted commentators to point to the attitude of the ruling power towards the media in Slovakias neighbouring Hungary and Poland, and has generated substantial concerns about press freedom in Slovakia.

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Press freedom concerns

The International Press Institute (IPI) condemned particularly the statements of Prime Minister Robert Fico who has repeatedly stated over the past weeks that he wants to see a change in the top post of the Radio and Television of Slovakia (RTVS).

I will give clear guidance to the MPs to make a change at the helm of the RTVS, Fico said on April 6 in the parliament.

The IPI labelled Ficos RTVS-related efforts as inappropriate and unwise in a reaction published on April 12. The public-service broadcasters cannot fulfil their vital role unless they are independent from political interference, IPI Director of Advocacy and Communications Steven M. Ellis said.

The prime ministers call for parliament to interfere in RTVS operations risks the broadcasters independence and raises the troubling spectre of it becoming a pro-government mouthpiece, Ellis said and added that Fico as an elected leader needs to accept the higher degree of scrutiny and the tough questions that come with the job rather than seek to use his power to silence critics.

Fico is discontented

In another of his highly critical comments about the media in Slovakia, PM Fico accused the media in general of publishing only critical information about the government and avoiding the positive news.

Im sorry but it pisses me off how you report the affairs of this state and what kind of image is created; it is impossible, even unacceptable, Fico said during a discussion organised by the Hospodarske Noviny daily on April 5.

This time, Fico targeted mainly the RTVS and said that it is no longer a public-service and that the current management has failed to fulfil this task.

I consider the news service of the RTVS opposition-oriented. There should be a change at its helm, he said.

Getting ready for a vote

The current RTVS general director Vaclav Mika reacted with a letter that he sent to the RTVS staff in early April, in which he announced he will run as a candidate to be re-elected to his post.

The RTVS general director is elected in a secret ballot in the parliament. The election is scheduled for June 22, and the parliament is accepting applications until May 10. The MPs from the parliamentary culture and media committee are planning to hold hearings of the candidates on May 30. The candidate who receives more than half of the votes of all MPs present will be elected the new RTVS general director. If none of the candidates gets the necessary number of votes, the broadcaster will be led by its current programme director Tibor Buza and the election process will start anew.

Mika and Reznik are mentioned as the two main candidates. Reznik, who formerly led the public-service Slovak Radio (before it was merged with the public-service TV and RTVS was created), confirmed his candidacy on April 12. He also ran in the previous election in 2012 and lost to Mika, who was endorsed by Culture Minister Marek Madaric.

Mikas re-election is, however, highly questionable, with SNS and part of Smer (including the prime minister) against him. Most-Hid is the only coalition party that has not put any pressure on Mika, but its politicians have suggested in interviews with the Sme daily that the change in the RTVS top post will probably be one of the compromises that they will have to make.

Such a colourful coalition has its taxes and this is probably one of them, prominent Most-Hid MP Gabor Gal told Sme.

Director, not content

Most-Hids chair Bela Bugar, meanwhile, insists that the politically-motivated change of the general director does not necessarily mean a political influence over the public-service broadcasters news service.

I am aware of the discontent with the current director, so I suppose a change will come. But that is the only place where they can interfere, Bugar told Sme.

Ivan Godarsky, media and legal consultant at the non-governmental MEMO 98 media watchdog, admitted that the director is important, but often not defining.

He or she sets a certain vision, direction, or culture of the institution, Godarsky said. Media and journalists covering political news mostly do not accept political control or dirigisme any longer. Professionalism and ethics are the main criterion for them, Godarsky believes.

A compromise candidate?

Coalition partners discussed the RTVS director election on Monday, April 10. Most-Hid is for now not willing to support Reznik, whom SNS is expected to endorse.

The culture minister, meanwhile, does not have many allies among the Smer MPs who would vote for Mika despite Fico, particularly as the Smer caucus is known for its unison voting, regardless of the election being secret or public, the Dennik N daily wrote.

The opposition wants to agree on a candidate they will support jointly and did not rule out this could be Mika or any other candidate who will apply. Speaking to Dennik N, most opposition politicians agreed that the most important thing now is to prevent the SNS from gaining control over the broadcaster.

Reznik made headlines in early April after it transpired that the state-run newswire TASR that he is the director of, signed a contract with the Russian newswire Sputnik, a known producer of hoaxes that are part of the pro-Russian propaganda. After a wave of harsh criticism, TASR withdrew from the cooperation.

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The fact that the contract was signed (and cancelled only after the pressure of a significant negative response), suggests quite clearly that the public interest could be under serious threat if he were elected, Godarsky said.

Politicians do not understand

While Mikas tenure has had its darker moments, among them the sudden withdrawal of the popular late-night debate Pod Lampou, which Godarsky mentioned, generally speaking the public seems to be reacting positively to Mikas RTVS.

Contrary to the criticism from Fico and Danko, in 2016, RTVS recorded its best audience share in the past twelve months, for the first time in years.

RTVS main news TV programme was evaluated as the most objective on the Slovak market for the first time in years, based on a survey by Median SK made between July and September 2016, in which 24 percent of respondents preferred RTVS.

The main problem that Godarsky describes about the whole RTVS dispute is that politicians like Fico and Danko do not seem to understand the role of the media in democracy in general, and public-service media in particular.

To think that by promoting ones own, or ones loyal person I will get control, is the thinking from the past regime and it shows what the manners of the individual politicians are, said Godarsky.

According to the analyst, the two politicians are clearly captured in a different societal framework - the politician on the top of the pyramid, and all the others, including the media, should obey this hierarchy and behave accordingly.

But democratic standards are something else - politicians govern the public affairs in the name of people and out of their will, the media do not belong to them, quite the contrary, in a democracy they have the role of guardians to check whether the elected representatives govern the affairs in the way that they have committed themselves to, Godarsky said.
After judges themselves complained about their numbers, President Andrej Kiska is set to appoint another group.

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This announcement came from the head of the president's press and communications department, Roman Krpelan, on April 12, after the Slovak Judges Association (ZSS) urged him, on April 10, to ensure a sufficient complement of judges in Slovakia. Without this step, the normal functioning of the courts may be disrupted, said the ZSS as quoted by the TASR newswire, adding that the country is short of at least 100 judges at the moment.

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The ZSS, in a letter sent last week, pointed out that between December 2016 and March 2017, the Judicial Council presented 40 candidates for the district courts to be appointed by Kiska but the president has not installed any of them.

The date [April 24] has been set to fit the president's work schedule, said Krpelan. He added that on April 24 most of the 40 candidates are expected to be appointed, with the remainder to follow shortly afterwards.

Kiska last increased judicial manpower on December 19, 2016, swearing in 22 judges. The group complied with the tougher criteria related to the newly introduced examinations for judicial level of competence. Young judges most often fill vacancies left by retiring judges.
The eastern-Slovak metropolis has decided to vie for membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

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The city of Kosice is to answer the open call from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network and apply for the chance to join this club, the TASR newswire wrote.

On April 12, activists from public life, culture, creative industry, ITT and professional education signed a memorandum on cooperation.

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This is a special project and our city has the chance to acquire the title of UNESCO Creative City of New Media, Kosice mayor Richard Rasi noted, as cited by TASR. The project connects art with new technologies, creativity, digital technologies and the information technologies sector. It strives to offer art to citizens maybe in a way they have not always understood until now and it is a connection of art as we perceive it with whatever life and the new era bring along.

The application for membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network mostly provides a chance to continue the development launched when the city received the title, European Capital of Culture in 2013 and it offers a huge potential for advancement, Rasi added.

This means a completely new image for the city, acquiring new tourists, for example, with a totally different intellectual orientation but it is also about the development of the city's economy, as the result should be artists in new technologies and arts concentrating in our city and presenting it in a creative way.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was founded in 2004 and its goal is to unite cities that have identified creativity as an important factor for sustainable development. Currently, it has 116 members from all over the world. Each creative city focuses on one of seven branches: music, literature, film, fold art and crafts, design, media art and gastronomy.

Kosice's ambition is to become a creative city of media art, TASR wrote.

The membership of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network is not limited in time. The call for applications is open until June 16. UNESCO will announce successful candidates on October 31.
Viewpoint

Parent Communications: How Cloud Apps Can Boost Engagement

A teacher calls cloud-based apps and websites "game changers" for parent communications.

Its time for educators to stop and think: What is the primary purpose of parent-teacher communications? To simply report negative behavior? Or is it to build a relationship with parents that allows them to play an active role in educating our learners?

In any case, parental involvement is critical to student success. Ongoing research shows that family engagement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism and restores parents confidence in their childrens education, according to NEA Today.

But it isnt always easy. Parent communication has been a constant struggle since I began my teaching career 11 years ago in Las Vegas, Nevada. I was using paper newsletters as my main source of communication up until this year. The problem with sending papers home, especially important ones with parent-teacher conference times or field trip paperwork, is how often they would get lost in the endless pit of the backpack 'black hole'.

We live in an ever-changing world and in the last 11 years technology has advanced at a rapid pace. Yet, schools are sometimes reluctant to adapt and tend to cling to archaic methods of communication. While Im still required to send home a paper newsletter, I find using parent communication apps to be a more effective way of reaching parents. I can easily keep track of all of my class communications to see if parents and guardians are receiving important messages. On the flip side, apps make organizing volunteers, helping with classroom activities, setting up conferences, sending reminders and other critical educational events easy tasks for parents.

I believe cloud-based apps and websites like Remind, Bloomz, and ClassTag have been real game changers for parent-teacher communications. No longer do newsletters and important papers get lost in the shuffle. Most parents have a mobile device or laptop, and these direct channels of communication present new opportunities to receive class information. In some cases, apps give parents a hyper boost, as they start to take more initiative in their students learning.

In my classroom and other ones at my school, we use ClassTag to streamline parent-teacher communication. Its user-friendly and parents find it to be helpful. One parent conveyed to me that, prior to using the app, they felt left out of the loop and not an integral part of their daughter's academic success. Now, they enjoy communicating with me in real time and feel like they can a glimpse inside their childs classroom.

At my school, we are on a mission to build a community of learners and educators and recognize that fostering a culture of open parent-teacher communication is essential to this vision. Apps have allowed us to increase communication and break down the barriers weve been struggling with for years. Educators and parents have enough to worry about  they dont need to be chained to a printer or fax machine to respond to newsletters and other paperwork. (Or worse: left wondering how they can help their child succeed.) Cloud-based apps are an easy answer to these issues and more. They can take the guesswork out of parent communication and have created a rich and dynamic community where learners can feel empowered and successful.
Blended Learning

How to Build a Blended Summer School

Inspired by the number of students who read at home during spring break, a district launched a summer school program that empowers students to take charge of their own learning.

A few years ago, we experienced an exceptionally cold winter in Chicago. Several schools in Berwyn South School District 100 had to close for snow days due to the wind chill. During this time, the district was working with myON, a digital literacy tool that allowed our students to access thousands of texts from home while on their mobile devices. Our staff could monitor their reading through the online teacher portal, and they were pleasantly surprised to discover how many of their kids were reading at home during those days when school was closed.

The districts leaders loved what we saw and decided to use a similar approach to encouraging students to read independently during spring break. Over that initial break, our kids read for 750 hours. These impressive results got us thinking: Why not try the same thing as part of a virtual summer school model?

Setting up a Blended Summer School

Our myON leader at the time was Principal and Director of Literacy Jeremy Majesty, who along with Vice Principal Lindsey Lahr, led the Virtual Summer School initiative, which kicked off with a pilot in the summer of 2014. There were quite a few student volunteers that first year, since kids who participated in the inaugural virtual summer school were allowed to keep their school-issued devices over the summer (as long as they completed weekly reading and math assignments).

We started with the tools we already had, using the myON website and dashboard to help our students enroll in their virtual summer school classes. The dashboard gave us access to lists of all of the students who had registered, so we could assign those students to a teacher and place them on a designated roster for the summer. We also used the platform to assign our kids their weekly assignments. Because we had used the same system during the school year, our students were already familiar with logging in to see their tasks, so there was little to no learning curve.

From there, we worked with our students and staff to set goals for the summer program. We used a blended learning approach: Students checked in with teachers on a semi-regular basis, but we also relied on our kids to be accountable for their own work. myON allowed them to set their own reading goals that matched both their Lexile levels and their individual interests. Our teachers had access to these stats as well, and could tap into their students plans and assign reading that matched the subjects and genres that each child showed interest in.

Expanding Opportunities

By creating the virtual summer school, we opened a door of opportunity for students who needed it most: 70 to 80 percent of our participants are low-income, Hispanic students. As I mentioned, every child who enrolls gets a school-issued tablet to keep and use over the summer. For many families this means a lot, just as it means a lot to our faculty to provide students and families with continual access to reading material. Our virtual summer school students have all the materials and resources they need on their devices at home, so they dont have to rely on a community library.

Encouraging Student Accountability

Keeping students on track with their reading has evolved over these last few summers. The first year, some students participated because they couldnt attend a physical summer school. Some parents wanted their kids to keep up with reading over the summer. As our demographics and goals have changed over the past few summers, the program has evolved, alongside our expectations for students learning.

During our last summer, under the leadership of Allison Boutet, principal of Heritage Middle School, the program was redesigned to be a more blended format, with the intent to help develop more personalized goals, better track progress and offer support each week. The district hired a handful of teachers to check in with our students on a weekly basis to make sure they were staying on track. These teachers worked around five hours a week, so it was a modest commitment from the teachers standpoint, but it was a huge help in inspiring student accountability. Another way we hold students accountable is by creating student contracts on which students agree to meet a certain threshold of work in order to participate.

How to Replicate Our Results

As we enter our third summer, the transition to a blended environment has gone better than we could have expected. The program continues to grow, surprising us with the results every year.

To districts or even individual schools considering venturing into the virtual summer school model, I recommend beginning with a digital platform that is familiar. Without being able to lean on myON the way we did, our virtual summer school wouldnt have been nearly as successful as it has been. Students, parents and teachers all need to feel comfortable with the online platform prior to starting a summer program, so that everyone involved can help each other succeed.




NEA sends back PPA guideline for revision

The governments plan to enforce new power purchase rates for different hydropower projects is likely be delayed as the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the sole buyer of the electricity produced in the country, has sent back the power purchase agreement (PPA) guideline to the Energy Ministry for a revision.
This site focuses on Republican politicians and conservatives that rip off their constituency. We have the Tea Party, fundamentalist churches, the corruption of ALEC and other special interests groups. But the site also supports progressive Democrats and the local Democratic Socialist of America. We must have ideas on how to replace regressive and corrupt politicians with something better. For comments steveotto2001@yahoo.com or ottozero2001@yahoo.com.
By Alexandra Ulmer and Corina Pons CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelans in poor areas blocked streets and lit fires during scattered protests across the country on Tuesday night, and two people were killed during the growing unrest in the midst of a crippling economic crisis. In a worrying sign for leftist President Nicolas Maduro, groups in Caracas' traditionally pro-government hillside slums and low-income neighbourhoods took to the streets, witnesses and opposition lawmakers reported. Maduro foes were galvanised by footage of a crowd in the south-eastern Bolivar state heckling and throwing objects at the closely-protected leader during a rally on Tuesday, before state television cut off the broadcast. In the western Lara state, two people, aged 14 and 36, were killed during unrest on Tuesday, according to opposition governor Henri Falcon, who said that after an energy blackout armed "infiltrators" and "delinquents" on motorcycles roamed the city. "They go by neighbourhoods and shoot people who are protesting," said Falcon, a former member of the ruling party, urging a negotiation to end Venezuela's political crisis. The opposition says Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader who took office four years ago, has morphed into a dictator after a Supreme Court decision in late March to assume the functions of the opposition-led congress. The court quickly overturned the most controversial part of its decision, but the move breathed new life into the fractured opposition movement. Two young men had already been killed in protests during the last week, according to authorities. Many are bracing for further violence in a country that is racked by crime and has one of the world's highest murder rates. Witnesses said residents of a number of working-class Caracas neighbourhoods blocked streets with trash or burning debris on Tuesday night, describing confused street melees and clashes with security forces. The capital appeared calm on Wednesday morning, although some roads were charred and littered with broken glass. Government officials did not provide an official account of the events, and the Information Ministry did not respond to an email seeking comment. Maduro has said that under a veneer of pacifism, a U.S.-backed right-wing opposition is encouraging violent protests in a bid to topple his government and get its hands on Venezuela's oil wealth. His administration accuses the opposition of exaggerating the protests. "You walk through Caracas today and all the streets are normal, but look at social media, and Caracas is ablaze, Caracas is blocked!" said Socialist Party official Aristobulo Isturiz in an interview with state television on Wednesday. "MADURO DICTATOR" Maduro's adversaries are demanding the government call delayed state elections, which polls suggest would not go well for the ruling Socialists. They also want an early presidential vote after authorities quashed a recall referendum against Maduro last year. A ban on opposition leader Henrique Capriles from holding office for 15 years drew broad criticism as he was seen as the opposition's best presidential hope. But it is Venezuela's extended economic crisis that has ordinary people fuming. Venezuelans have been suffering food and medicine shortages for months, leading many to skip meals or go without crucial treatment. Lines of hundreds form in front of supermarkets as people jostle for hours under the hot sun hoping price-controlled rice or flour will be delivered. The crisis has especially hurt the poor, long the base of support of Maduro and his predecessor the late Hugo Chavez. Protesters say they have also been encouraged by stronger condemnation from American and European nations in the last two weeks. "We cannot accept that the regime is willing to sacrifice Venezuelan lives to remain in power," said Luis Almagro, the head of the Organization of American States, in a video posted on Wednesday, urging elections. Another round of protests are planned for Thursday in Venezuela's more than 300 municipalities. Opposition leaders are calling for the "mother of all marches" on April 19. ARRESTS, LOOTING Amid what the opposition coalition says is a crackdown on dissent, some 71 people were arrested on Tuesday, according to rights group Penal Forum. In total, 364 people were arrested between April 4-12 during the most sustained protests since 2014, with 183 people still behind bars, the group added. A group of young men and teenagers were arrested for throwing "sharp objects" against Maduro's vehicle on Tuesday night, according to a report by a local National Guard division seen by Reuters. Local media reported lootings overnight in the working class bedroom community of Guarenas outside Caracas, as well as in parts of the capital. State officials have tweeted images and videos of demonstrators vandalising public property and throwing rocks at police. Despite the spiking tensions, many in the opposition worry extended protests will not spur early or fair elections, but rather increase clashes in the already turbulent country. Major anti-government protests in 2014 eventually floundered, though the opposition at the time did not have as clear-cut demands, poor neighbourhoods largely abstained, and the economy was in better shape. (Additional reporting by Eyanir Chinea, Brian Ellsworth, Diego Ore, Miguel Angel Sulbaran, Liamar Ramos, Felix Carrillo, Maria Ramirez and Mircely Guanipa; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Andrew Hay)
Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) -A federal judge in New York temporarily suspended many parts of the state's new gun restrictions on Monday to allow members of a gun-owners' rights group to continue their lawsuit challenging the new law as unconstitutional. Judge Glenn Suddaby of the U.S. District Court in Syracuse agreed to issue the order at the request of six New York residents who are members of Gun Owners of America, which competes with the National Rifle Association in political influence. New York's old gun license regime was thrown out by the U.S. Supreme Court in a landmark June ruling that established an individual right to carry weapons in public for self-defense, making it harder for lawmakers nationwide to regulate guns in a country where mass shootings are commonplace.
BEIJING (AP)  Beijing on Wednesday warned outside groups against seeking to intervene in the case of a Taiwanese pro-democracy activist detained in China, saying that would complicate matters and harm already tense relations between Taiwan and the mainland.

Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman An Fengshan said that China had passed on letters from Lee Ming-che, who is under investigation for endangering China's national security, to his wife and parents.

On Monday, Lee's wife was prevented from flying to Beijing to seek a meeting with her husband because China canceled her travel permit. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, doesn't recognize Taiwanese passports and requires islanders to use to a Beijing-issued document called a Taiwan Compatriots Pass to visit the mainland.

Although Beijing cut off its already limited contacts with the island's government in June, An said it had commissioned a third-party in Taiwan to "relate the relevant situation" to Lee's wife and pass letters from Lee to her and his parents. Lee's wife, Lee Ching-yu, says he has hypertension and has attempted to have his medication shipped to him.

An told reporters at a biweekly news conference that authorities were protecting the legal rights of Lee, who was taken into custody on March 19, but that he had no other information about his case.

However, he said outside interference would "only render the issue even more complicated and harm the interests of the person concerned."

"A few Taiwanese people and groups with ulterior motives who are seizing this opportunity to attack the mainland are doomed to failure. They will not achieve their goal of interfering in the work of relevant mainland departments in handling the case by law," An said.

An warned also against "attempts by the Taiwan authorities to use the incident to attack the mainland," saying that "can only make the current, already extremely grim cross-strait relationship even worse."

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On Tuesday, the head of Taiwan's Cabinet-level Mainland Affairs Council Chang Hsiao-yueh said China's refusal to respond to requests for information about Lee would "surely harm the feelings of the Taiwanese people."

"We are expressing our utmost disagreement toward China for refusing to respond to our inquiries and requests since the issue began," Chang said at a news conference.

China demands Taiwan's independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen endorse its view that the island and mainland are part of a single Chinese nation before it will restore contacts. The sides separated amid civil war in 1949.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)  The next national drug czar is likely to be a congressman who was an early supporter of President Donald Trump, the head of the Pennsylvania Republican Party said Tuesday.

Party chairman Val DiGiorgio said "any day now" he expects an announcement from the White House that four-term U.S. Rep. Tom Marino has been nominated to be the next director of national drug control policy.

"He looks likely, based on my conversations with the White House and folks in Marino's office" on Tuesday, DiGiorgio said.

Marino's spokesman and the White House declined to comment. CBS News first reported Marino was in line for the appointment.

Marino, who lives outside Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is a former county prosecutor who served as U.S. attorney in Pennsylvania's Middle District under President George W. Bush.

DiGiorgio said Marino would be able to draw from a background in law enforcement as well as connections in the Capitol.

The prospect that his seat in Congress may soon open up has drawn interest from potential candidates, said state Rep. Garth Everett, a Republican who once was an intern under Marino when he was Lycoming County's head prosecutor.

"I think that his experience as a prosecutor, practical experience with those kinds of things, he's almost the perfect person to be involved" in national drug policy, Everett said.

If Trump taps Marino for drug czar, he would be the fifth member of the House to join the administration. Trump selected Georgia Rep. Tom Price to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney for Office of Management and Budget director, Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke for Interior secretary and Kansas Rep. Mike Pompeo for CIA director.

Trump's attorney general is former Sen. Jeff Sessions.

Marino's official online biography describes how he worked factory jobs before enrolling in community college at age 30 and then going to college and law school. He worked as an attorney in private practice before winning election as district attorney in 1991. Bush appointed him federal prosecutor in 2002.

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Marino became one of the first sitting congressmen to endorse Trump, saying in February 2016 that Trump was right to focus on illegal immigration.

"I have never seen such excitement and enthusiasm around a candidate in my lifetime," Marino said at the time. "He is able to attract new voters from across the spectrum and that is exactly what our party and country needs."

Marino, 64, has contributed to the GOP's focus on restraining government regulations with a proposal that would stop all rules with costs over $1 billion annually from going into effect until all court challenges are settled. The measure is part of a bill that passed the House earlier this year but faces difficult prospects in the Senate.

Speaker Paul Ryan appointed Marino to serve on a committee last year that worked out the details on legislation designed to expand access to treatment for people struggling with opioid addiction.

Marino has at times gotten in trouble for his outspokenness. He shouted at protesters outside a campaign event in Williamsport, "What do you do for a job?" and "What kind of welfare are you on?"

He tweeted after Superstorm Sandy: "Happy Halloween and Happy Belated Monday to all of you lucky stiffs who haven't been to work yet this week." The tweet was quickly deleted, and the congressman said his account had been improperly accessed.

___

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville and Kevin Freking in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
Constitution amendment: New bill registered at Parliament Secretariat

The government on Tuesday withdrew an earlier constitution amendment bill that it had tabled in Parliament on January 8 and registered a new proposal at the Parliament Secretariat.
By Sue-Lin Wong, David Brunnstrom

PYONGYANG/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific - a force U.S. President Donald Trump described as an "armada".

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help.

Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump told Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.

Referring to the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump said: He is doing the wrong thing. Asked if he thought Kim was mentally fit, Trump replied: I dont know. I dont know him.

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North Korea said earlier it was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression.

"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

In spite of the military rhetoric, U.S. officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. At the same time, Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.

The strike group heading towards Korea includes the nuclear-powered flagship aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, two destroyers and a cruiser. Such a strike group is generally accompanied by submarines, although the Pentagon does not normally publicise this.

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"PRUDENT" MOVE

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the deployment was not tied to a specific event but a matter of prudence.

"She is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time," he said at a Pentagon news conference.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" that he would not tolerate certain actions but dismissed Pyongyang's nuclear attack threat.

"I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don't have the capability of isn't really a threat."

North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.

However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache.

South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country's Supreme People's Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries.

He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.

North Korea convened a Supreme People's Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong-un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.

The agency made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme or being under threat from the United States.

Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.

A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.

Men and women in colourful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practising for the parade.

TRUMP PRESSES CHINA

Trump said a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem".

"If China decides to help, that would be great," he tweeted. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!"

Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week.

China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China's call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.

We believe that it is highly important to move toward denuclearization, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.

Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on.

South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation".

North Korea's foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washington's "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase".

"We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said.

U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.

A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented.

Russia's Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of U.S. foreign policy, particularly North Korea.

"We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement.

China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said.

On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said.

China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country's most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented

(For a graphic on 'The Carl Vinson strike group' click here: http://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/rngs/USA-NAVY-NORTHKOREA/010040LK1BH/USA-NAVY-NORTHKOREA.jpg)

(Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom, Ayesha Rascoe and Eric Beech in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan and James Dalgleish)
TASHKENT (Reuters) - An Uzbek asylum-seeker accused of ramming a truck into a crowd of people in Stockholm last week, killing four people, had tried to travel to Syria in 2015 to join the Islamic State group, an Uzbekistan security source said on Wednesday. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the suspect, Rakhmat Akilov, was an ethnic Tajik who came under the influence of a Tajik Islamic State cell while living in Sweden. Akilov has been living in Sweden since at least 2014. Akilov was detained at the Turkish-Syrian border in 2015 and deported back to Sweden, the source said. The source added that in February this year Uzbekistan's authorities had put him on a wanted list for people suspected of religious extremism. Swedish security police declined to comment on the information, citing the ongoing investigation. Police believe Akilov, 39, whose asylum application failed and was wanted for deportation at the time of Friday's attack, hijacked a beer truck and drove it into a busy pedestrian street in the Swedish capital before crashing into a department store. Akilov has confessed to committing a terrorist crime, his lawyer said on Tuesday. A judge has remanded him in custody for a month while investigations continue. Swedish security services have said Akilov had figured in intelligence reports but they had not viewed him as a militant threat. Sweden's state migration agency declined to comment on the Uzbekistan security source's remarks. (Reporting by Mukhammadsharif Mamatkulov; Additional reporting by Johan Ahlander in STOCKHOLM; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Olzhas Auyezov and Alison Williams)
Members of Venezuelas National Assembly marched to the headquarters of the National Guard in Caracas to demand that they, the armed forces and the government of Nicholas Maduro follow the constitution and respect the rights of all Venezuelans.

This type of repression doesnt have any legal justification," said Juan Andres Mejia, a National Assembly congressman. "Yesterday people were gassed, including from helicopters. The national police threw tear gas bombs at [medical] clinics where people were being treated, including children. We want to uphold the law.

Opposition leaders and private citizens have been protesting against Maduro in the nations capital since the Supreme Court in Caracas moved to take power from the democratically elected National Assembly on March 30.

The assembly was led by parties opposed to Maduro and has been critical of his policies as a whole. The move to neutralize the assembly drew criticism and condemnation from Venezuelan opposition politicians and international governments alike. Credit: Juan Andres Mejia via Storyful
Easter this year is a festival to particularly savour for Christians around the world. In a relatively rare occurrence, Eastern and Western traditions find that their liturgical calendars coincide, with Easter Sunday happening on the same date. It wont happen again until 2034.

In Western Europe, it is barely noticed that the movable feast of Easter is not universally celebrated on one day each year. Nor does the fact that Western and Orthodox Easters move on different paths cause significant problems. But at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, it is a very different story.

On my first visit to Syria exactly 20 years ago, the Western and Orthodox calendars were not aligned. In fact, the two feasts of Easter were over a month apart. On the day of Catholic or Western Easter, as it was known locally, there was a knock on the door of my apartment. I opened the door to find a beautiful bouquet of flowers shyly thrust at me by Salah, my Kurdish florist friend, who muttered: For your Easter, before retreating hastily. Perhaps he thought I might mistake this gesture for a romantic act 

The next week he asked me why Christians had two Easters. And what was the religious meaning of this strange duplication? But even 20 years later, I struggle to understand the arcane process by which the liturgical year is calculated.

There is no way to explain to someone why the dates are reckoned differently without entering into the hairsplitting minutiae of historical intra-Christian conflict. At the time, I just shrugged and thought no more about it.

But over the years I have come to realise just how much it does matter  particularly in the Middle East. In this region, the Christian minorities of Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Jordan, and the larger Christian population of Lebanon, face a series of existential crises.

Wars wage in Syria and Iraq; Lebanon and Jordan wrestle with an almost unprecedented influx of refugees, and Palestinian Christians struggle to survive in the continuing Arab-Israeli conflict.

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What would be helpful would be some kind of intra-Christian solidarity to bind them together. Living in Aleppo, I counted more than 12 Christian denominations in that city alone. I even discovered that my landlady was a Palestinian Quaker.

I later learned to appreciate the generous ecumenical attitude of Syrian Christian society, which was apparent at all levels of society. But this sense of cooperation had a weakness  Easter. However cordial relations were, it was hard to convince the rest of the world of your Christian solidarity if you couldnt even agree on which date to celebrate the festival at the heart of the faith.

In Syria, there was one famous phenomenon that Christians of all denominations anticipated, and which only occurred on those special years of a single Easter date. Myrna Nazzour, the keeper of the miraculous icon known as Our Lady of Soufanieh, received the stigmata (sensations of pain in locations corresponding to the crucifixion wounds of Jesus Christ). When she returned to consciousness after each of these episodes, she would say the Virgin Mary had appeared to her with a simple message: that Christians must heal their internal divisions and come together to serve Christ.

Has Myrnas message from the Virgin been heeded? Well, last year talks were opened once again with the Archbishop of Canterbury rather hopefully predicting that this ancient problem should be resolved within five to ten years. Without calendar reform, we will not have another united Easter after 2017 until 2034.

And given the ferocity of various other Church conflicts at the moment, it seems to me that the question is unlikely to be resolved in the next 50 years. So this year, Christians of all denominations should come together and celebrate worshipping in a truly ecumenical manner in communion with all the Christians in the world. After all, it will be almost two decades before such an opportunity comes around again.

Shutterstock

And the flowers from Salah? No, I wasnt mistaken. He was not trying to change our platonic friendship. In fact, he had worked out that a Syrian Orthodox priest regularly came to my apartment to teach me Syriac. After seeing the lovely bouquet on my dining room table, Father Antoun gave Salah the contract to supply the Easter flowers to Mar Georgios Church. It was a major coup for a Kurd to win one of the most coveted contracts of the year. And I like to think of it as me doing my little bit for intra-communal relations in Aleppo.

Happy Easter.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Emma Loosley does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.
By Chris Mfula LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been arrested and will be charged with treason for allegedly obstructing President Edgar Lungu's motorcade, the national police chief said on Wednesday. On Saturday, Lungu had passed through Mongu, 500 km (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka and his motorcade was obstructed because Hichilema's refused to give way, police said. They raided Hichilema's house early on Tuesday took him in for questioning. The two men are old rivals, with Lungu beating Hichilema narrowly in two presidential elections. The Patriotic Front (PF) leader only just won last August's vote, which the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says was rigged. "It has been established that the opposition leader disobeyed police orders to clear the way, thereby putting the life of the head of state in danger," police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters. "We have today jointly charged and arrested Mr Hichilema and five others with treason." Hichilema's lawyer Jack Mwiimbu said he was waiting for Hichilema to appear in court. "After that, we are going to take appropriate action in the interest of our client," Mwiimbu told Reuters. "He is still detained in police cells at Lilayi but he is in high spirits. He has always known that the PF have always wanted to charge him with a non-bailable offence, so he is not shocked," he said. Zambia's Human Rights Commission (HRC), established under the constitution to investigate human rights violations, said in a statement, that it hoped Hichilema would be treated fairly and brought before the courts of law without unreasonable delay. Kanganja said the police were acting independently and not under political pressure. "I wish to reiterate that the actions by the opposition leader were unreasonable, reckless and criminal. Therefore members of the public are being warned that as police we are not going to watch such kind of behaviour by any person, irrespective of their status," he said. Kanganja said some unnamed people had issued death threats to him and this was under investigation. Hichilema was granted bail in October after being charged with sedition, a move his team said was an attempt by the ruling party to silence dissent. Zambia's economy has been depressed for years by low commodity prices, mine closures, rising unemployment, power shortages and soaring food prices that Hichilema blames on mismanagement by Lungu. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Louise Ireland)
Aryana Smith, 9-months, and Leighraughnzo Benally, 23. (BCSO) A police officer carries 9-month-old Aryana Smith to an ambulance after she was found inside a maroon Acura at a house near Ellison and 7 Bar Loop NW Monday evening. She had been allegedly abducted earlier in the day by a man who is an acquaintance of her mother. (Greg Sorber/Journal) Police and paramedics carry 9-month-old Aryana Smith to an ambulance after she was found inside a maroon Acura at a house near Ellison and 7 Bar Loop NW Monday evening. She had been allegedly abducted earlier in the day by a man who is an acquaintance of her mother. (Greg Sorber/Journal) Lieghraughnzo Benally, 23. (BCSO) Authorities were looking for this maroon Acura SUV with an Arizona tag of BEX7719 after a man allegedly drove off with a 9-month-old girl inside Monday afternoon. (BCSO) Deputies search a maroon Acura while looking for an abducted child in Albuquerque Monday afternoon. (Greg Sorber/Journal) Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office deputies check out a woman who was in a maroon Acura while searching for an abducted child in Albuquerque Monday afternoon. (Greg Sorber/Journal) Prev 1 of 7 Next

Correction: This story previously included incorrect information from BCSO about where the alleged abduction occurred, as well as the spelling of the childs name. The abduction happened near Central and 114th Street near Nine Mile Hill. The correct spelling of the childs name is Aryana Smith. The story also failed to include the first name of Capt. Andi Taylor. It has been modified to reflect these changes.

A man who sheriffs deputies say abducted his girlfriends 9-month-old daughter from a gathering at the sand dunes near Nine Mile Hill was arrested late Monday night, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies arrested 23-year-old Lieghraughnzo Benally around 11 p.m. Monday night near I-25 and Montano after, they say, he abducted the 9-month-old earlier in the afternoon by stealing the SUV she was in. Deputies didnt immediately say what charges he would face in connection with the alleged kidnapping.

The little girl, tiny Aryana Smith, was found in the stolen Acura SUV with the windows rolled up around 6:30 p.m. in a Northwest Albuquerque neighborhood after an Amber Alert was issued and authorities launched a massive search, according to the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office.

She was taken to the hospital because she was dehydrated and had a high temperature. She will be cared for by the Children, Youth and Families Department while deputies investigate child abuse allegations, BCSO said.

BCSO Capt. Andi Taylor said Benally was hanging out with Aryanas mom, who was Benallys girlfriend of one week, along with two other adults and another young child watching ATVs on the mesa that afternoon. Aryana was in the car while the adults were outside, Taylor said.

Aryanas mom got in an argument with Benally, who deputies believe was drunk, and he took off with Aryana still in the car around 1:30 p.m., Taylor said.

It was believed at the time that Mr. Benally had been drinking and was intoxicated as he was driving off, Taylor said. There was a great deal of doughnuts and dust that was kicked up.

Aryanas mother walked half an hour to call 911, and deputies then began an exhaustive search in the sand dunes, which stretch all the way from Central to Interstate 40 on the West Side.

New Mexico State Police issued an Amber Alert around 4:30 p.m.

Albuquerque residents then began calling in sightings of similar-looking vehicles across the city and BCSO rushed to check them out.

Deputies stopped an SUV matching the description of the stolen car near Paseo del Norte and Interstate 25. They held the woman who was driving the car at gunpoint before searching it, then quickly let her go.

We are following any and all leads, BCSO spokeswoman Felicia Romero said before the baby was located. Were trying to find anything we can. There are multiple detectives working on this.

Around 6:30 p.m., deputies got a break.

Someone called an off-duty BCSO detective to say there was a suspicious vehicle in an upscale neighborhood near Ellison and 7 Bar Loop in Northwest Albuquerque.

The detective went to check it out and saw Aryana in the locked car in her car seat. He immediately smashed one of the windows and got her out of the car.

She is at a local hospital and she is being treated for dehydration, Taylor said Monday evening. Were trying to get her temperature back down.

An officer was seen carrying her away from the car and police had blocked off Calle Sombra with crime tape around 6:30 p.m.

A car matching the description of the SUV appeared to be parked in a driveway.

Taylor said after they found the girl, deputies focused their resources on finding Benally.

Benally has had run-ins with the law before. Online court records show he was convicted of felony child abuse in May 2012. He has also been convicted of unlawful taking of a motor vehicle and faced other criminal charges in the past.

Taylor said the other adults who were out on the mesa, including the girls mother, may also face charges in connection with the abduction.

Journal staff writer Elise Kaplan and Digital Editor Robert Browman contributed to this report.
No G7 consensus on new sanctions on Damascus

G7 allies rejected a call for fresh sanctions on Damascus and its key ally Moscow on Tuesday as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson insisted President Bashar al-Assad should not be part of Syrias future.
At only eight years old, Jonathan Martinez was already a survivor.

He had endured heart surgery and many other challenges presented by Williams syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder marked by cardiovascular disease, developmental delays and learning disabilities, as well as impressive creative talents.

On Monday, however, the little boy with the bright smile came face-to-face with an obstacle he couldnt overcome: a raging gunman who entered his special education classroom at North Park Elementary in San Bernardino, California, and started shooting. Martinez was fatally struck as he stood near his teacher, Karen Elaine Smith, who was shot dead by Cedric Anderson, her estranged husband.

By all accounts, Jonathan Martinez was a happy and friendly child, San Bernardino City Unified Superintendent Dale Marsden said at a press conference Tuesday.

Though special education students are often saddled with stereotypes, Martinez was born with a genetic disorder that often defies preconception. Though Williams syndrome often leads to health problems and cognitive challenges, people with the disorder are also known for being extroverted, passionate and creatively inclined.

Unlike disorders that can make connecting with your child difficult, children with Williams syndrome tend to be social, friendly and endearing, Marsden said, reading from a description on the Williams Syndrome Association website.

Parents often say the joy and perspective a child with this syndrome brings into their lives had been unimaginable, he added.

Marsden added that the Martinez family wants to use their tragic loss to raise awareness about Williams syndrome, which affects up to 30,000 people in the United States, according to the Williams Syndrome Association.

A GoFundMe page that refers to Martinez as our family angel and seeks to raise money for his funeral has raised nearly $50,000 in less than a day.

The syndrome is genetically based, affecting males and females, researchers say. The disorder is caused by the deletion of about 26 genes on a single copy of an individuals chromosome number 7, according to the Williams syndrome Association. Babies with Williams syndrome often face grave cardiovascular problems, while children face challenges understanding abstract reasoning and numbers, researchers say. The disparate challenges can include kidney problems and hypersensitive hearing and poor motor skills, according to the association.

In a paper exploring the genetic origins of the syndrome  The Neurocognitive Profile of Williams Syndrome: A Complex Pattern of Strengths and Weaknesses  researchers from The Salk Institute for Biological Studies and The University of California, San Diego describe a little girl named Crystal to highlight the unique challenges the syndrome presents.

At 14, the researchers write, Crystal is enthusiastic and ambitious. She enjoys creating original stories and telling them on the spot and says things like Youre looking at a professional book writer.

She is also a music lover who has composed the lyrics and notes to a song.

Considering her ease with language, her creative ideas, and her unshaking enthusiasm, her ambition to become a writer may seem plausible  however, Crystal has an IQ of 4, the researchers write. She fails all Piagetian seriation and conservation tasks, milestones normally attained by age 8. She has reading, writing, and math skills comparable to those of a first-grader, demonstrates visuo-spatial abilities of a 5-year-old, and cannot be left alone without a babysitter.

In adulthood, people with Williams syndrome can often hold jobs or work as volunteers, but benefit from supportive housing, according to the Williams Syndrome Association. Among their biggest challenges in adulthood is finding people to bond with.

As people with Williams syndrome mature  beyond the structure of school and family activities  they often experience intense isolation which can lead to depression, the association notes. They are extremely sociable and experience the normal need to connect with others; however people with Williams syndrome often dont process nuanced social cues and this makes it difficult to form lasting relationships.



TWEETS:

Our condolences go out to the family & friends of Jonathan Martinez. A candlelight vigil will be held at North Park at 7 p.m. today.

Our condolences go out to the family & friends of Jonathan Martinez. A candlelight vigil will be held at North Park at 7 p.m. today. pic.twitter.com/yhYYIt3i7T  San Bernardino City Unified School District (@SB_CitySchools) April 11, 2017

Family says 8 yr old Jonathan Martinez suffered from Williams syndrome, hope this tragedy raises awareness of the genetic disorder. #CBSLA

Family says 8 yr old Jonathan Martinez suffered from Williams syndrome, hope this tragedy raises awareness of the genetic disorder. #CBSLA pic.twitter.com/dmIKbw3cy2  Tina Patel (@tina_patel) April 11, 2017



VIDEO:

Williams Syndrome: Extraordinary Gifts, Unique Challenges

Williams Syndrome Association
SANTA FE  An Espanola man pleaded guilty to conspiracy in Albuquerque federal court Tuesday for his part in a robbery of the Peoples Bank in Red River in October, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Troy Montoya, 24, faces up to five years in prison for conspiring to rob the bank with 23-year-old Jennifer Marissa Miera of Questa on Oct. 6. Montoya admitted that he met with Miera to buy disguise items and to prepare the demand note and also acted as the getaway driver.

A statement from the U.S. Attorneys Office said Miera, who was employed at the bank at the time, tried to get 20-year-old Michael Goodrum of Pima, Ariz., to participate in the robbery, but Goodrum allegedly blackmailed Miera into giving him some of the proceeds of the robbery and threatened to report her to police if she didnt.

Miera pleaded guilty to conspiracy and bank robbery last month and faces up to 20 years in prison. Goodrum pleaded not guilty to receiving proceeds from a bank robbery and is awaiting trial.
AUSTIN, Texas  Austin police said they uncovered a prostitution ring at a Northwest Austin massage parlor after a waste pipe at the business became clogged and destroyed by hundreds of condoms, according to an arrest affidavit filed on Tuesday.

The affidavit said police were tipped off about possible prostitution on Feb. 7 from a realty company that had recently taken over a property in a local neighborhood.

One of the tenants of the property was listed as Jade Massage Therapy LLC.

The affidavit said several other tenants had expressed concerns that prostitution may have been going on at the business, and that an industrial disposal unit connecting the property to the citys sewer service was found clogged with condoms.

Austin police Human Trafficking and Vice Unit Sgt. Kevin Covington said the clogged disposal system was one of several pieces of evidence that led to the bust.

I was like, youve got to be kidding me,' he said. Its not the normal tip you would get, or lead you would get on a place committing criminal activity, but it happened, so that helped us out.

Investigators identified the owners of the business as a woman named Juan Wang and her husband, Joseph Emery.

Two days before officers received the tip relating to the clogged pipe, Wang was stopped by security at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with $30,000 in cash wrapped up in several duct-taped bundles, the document said.

She told police she had saved the money for a medical procedure in China, and that the money came from Jade Massage, the affidavit said.

According to the document, Wang estimated that she made about $20,000 there each year.

When (an officer) pointed out that she was carrying in excess of a years worth of income Wang became visibly nervous and had difficulty answering further questions, the affidavit said.

Wang gave police a contact number and was allowed to board a plane to China, the document said.

Investigators found that the number was tied to a Backpage.com account that had apparent advertisements for Jade Massage for sexual services at a second location, according to the affidavit.

On March 22, Austin police executed search warrants at the address and found Wang in a room with a naked man, the affidavit said.

Another woman was also found in a separate room with a naked man, according to the report.

Wang and Emery face charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and money laundering, the affidavit said.

Neither was listed in custody at the Travis County Jail on Tuesday morning.
As in medicine, the first rule of budgets is do no harm. New Mexicos budget is already significantly lower in real dollars than it was a decade ago, and the number of state employees providing core services has been slashed by about 25 percent.

The five primary functions of the state are public safety, education, health, infrastructure and providing a temporary hand up to our most vulnerable. In all five areas, were near or at crisis stage, and cutting core services further with furloughs exacerbates these problems.

In public safety, our correctional facilities are understaffed at levels not seen since the deadly 1980 riot at the Penitentiary of New Mexico. Angels like Victoria Martens and Omaree Varela fall through CYFDs cracks because caseloads are far above national standards.

Education? Class sizes in the 30s are a regular occurrence, and teachers are leaving as the administration wrongly blames the very people who are part of the solution for societys ills.

In health care, Gov. Susana Martinezs dismantling of behavioral health still hurts. Thanks to Obamacare  and credit Gov. Martinez for accepting Obamacares opportunity to expand Medicaid  were barely afloat. We should be doing more.

Our infrastructure  roads, bridges and buildings used by the public every day  is deteriorating, and were delaying maintenance more than is safe.

Our safety net is understaffed. The administration allegedly forced workers to inflate food stamp applicants income so they would be rejected. Understaffing means longer waits, less follow up, errors and poor delivery of critical services.

During the October 2016 special session and the 2017 session, legislators in both parties and Gov. Martinez agreed to fixes that balance the fiscal 2017 budget for the year ending June 30th. Nothing major or unexpected has happened since. Oil and gas prices are stable, theres no recession and no major emergency expenditures.

Data from the state Treasurers Office show the state checking account  from which payroll is cut  was up over $71 million in March, finishing with almost $1.3 billion. Thats before an infusion of $110 million from the tobacco settlement fund that should hit in early April, and before April 15 tax receipts. Even the checking accounts monthly low points have stayed above $800 million. The administration admits well end this fiscal year with a balanced budget, and with the hiring freeze the budget improves weekly.

The last thing New Mexico needs is more temporary layoffs, otherwise known as a furlough. AFSCME state employees average about $30,000 a year, meaning most of them live paycheck to paycheck.

To take a percentage of these New Mexicans pay for a month or two is absolutely devastating to them and their families, not to mention harmful to New Mexicos economy. For taxpayers, furloughs mean longer lines, worse service, deteriorating infrastructure and cases falling through the cracks.

Yet for all this harm to thousands of families and core services, five weeks of 20 percent pay cuts  as was done in 2010  generates just over a tenth of a percent of the budget, about $8 million out of $6.1 billion. The Journal was right when it said that before the administration implements drastic pay and service cuts, it must prove furloughs are absolutely necessary.

The administration itself says we have a balanced budget for the current fiscal year. Treasurers data show there is more than sufficient money in the bank. State laws (NMSA Sections 6-4-6 and 6-5-6) are clear there is tremendous flexibility to meet payroll when there are sufficient funds. Theres just no reason for furloughs this year.
Last week was bad for two nations. The first was Syria, which got 59 Tomahawk missiles slammed into it, destroying part of its air force, causing some casualties and losing the confidence that it could use a nerve agent with impunity. The second was the United States, which launched those missiles and then, with some exceptions, roared its approval of what its president did. That will change soon enough. It was the right decision, made by the wrong person.

Virtually up to the moment those missiles were launched, President Trump not only had an entirely different Syria policy, he in fact had none at all. In the preceding weeks, his White House spokesman, his secretary of state and his U.N. ambassador had all shrugged their indifference to the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It came down to this: The White House didnt give a damn.

Whether those foolish pronouncements encouraged Assad to have his air force drop the nerve agent sarin on the hapless civilians of Khan Sheikhoun is not yet known. What is known is why Trump retaliated. He had seen television pictures of the slaughter and he was sickened. Assad would have to pay. Trump fired up the Tomahawks.

Assad had it coming. Even better, Trump reversed Barack Obamas shameful retreat from the brink back in 2012, when he warned Assad that the use of chemical weapons would cross a red line and then, a year later, when WMD were used, shockingly, said oh, never mind. Even before that, Obama had refused to intervene in the Syrian civil war when it might have mattered. American inaction allowed the war to become a humanitarian catastrophe. Roughly 400,000 have died, and half the country has been displaced. Europe still reels from a tsunami of refugees clamoring to get in.

But Trump never cared about that. His stated policy was some absurdity called America First  and the rest of the world last. He pivoted in a flash. Why? Because he felt like it. His feelings may have been warranted, but next time  and there will be a next time  they may not be. He did not consult Congress nor wonder, it seems, where the decision to punish Syria will take him. Is America First dead? Is Steve Bannons desire to let the rest of the world go hang now considered foolish? Is Trumps recent declaration that he is president of the United States and not president of the world under reconsideration? I hope so.

The many commentators who cheered Trumps missile strike ought to note that this is roughly what some of us feared: a cocksure president using the power of his office any way he wants. Trump will not be restrained by nettlesome constitutional questions nor the nagging examples of history. His respect for the Constitution is nil and history to him is, well, history  not on television, anyway. Not only will he do whatever he wants, but the success of the missile strike and the standing O it received will only encourage him.

Probably Trump will now get a bump in the polls. Presidents often do in the immediate aftermath of a military strike and none needed it more than Trump, with an approval rating nosing under 40 percent. It takes a while for things to go wrong  remember the banner Mission Accomplished, which later came to mock the clueless George W. Bush? In the meantime, Trump will learn what all presidents do eventually  that when it comes to approval ratings a military strike is better than infrastructure any day. It takes less time, too.

Donald Trump is now being thumped on the back for the swiftness of his decision, his disregard for the bureaucracy and the purity of his emotional reaction to the killings he saw on TV  so admirably American, so unlike the emotionally pinched Obama. Yet the precedent is there for a reckless presidential action by a reckless president. He will do this again because, as he just learned, he can.
Less than two months after the Journal published an investigative series about Mexican drug cartels and their influence across the nation and New Mexico, a trio of suspects linked to the Sinaloa Cartel was arrested and charged with three murders in Albuquerque.

The arrests not only reiterate how deeply the cartel tentacles reach into our own backyards but highlight the inherent dangers of the United States inability to control its own borders. Our porous southern border with Mexico, in particular, makes it relatively easy for drugs  and what President Donald Trump calls really bad dudes  to wreak havoc in our neighborhoods.

Anyone hoping the long-awaited extradition to the U.S. of former Sinaloa Cartel boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman Loera would curtail the carnage and violence associated with one of the worlds biggest drug organizations is surely disappointed by now.

Recently unsealed Metro Court documents indicate the FBI had been on the trail of Eder Ortiz-Parra, 24, his brother Edwin Ortiz-Parra, 26, and their cousin, Rafael Gonzalez-Parra 25, for months before they were arrested and charged with murder in March. Eder Ortiz-Parra had been on New Mexico law enforcements radar since October 2014 when an arrest warrant was issued in connection with the discovery of a cultivated field of marijuana in the Santa Fe Forest.

Then, on Aug. 8, 2016, police responded to a shooting at a house in the 300 block of General Marshall NE, where they found Daniel Chumacero, 24, and Juan Carlos Saenz-Ponce, 23, dead. Two other men, Jose Hernandez and Jorge Hernandez, had been shot and wounded. Eight months later, the Ortiz-Parras and Gonzalez-Parra were each charged with two counts of murder, aggravated battery, kidnapping and other charges related to those shootings.

The month after those fatal shootings, the body of Carmen Celeste Velasquez, 33, of San Luis, Ariz., was found by a passerby on County Road 110 near State Road 68. Investigators found Velasquez was a girlfriend of one of the men who had lived at the General Marshall address.

Then on Dec. 12, 2016, police were called to the 1100 block of Palisades NW, where they found Gilberto Medina-Pena, 32, shot dead in the driveway. The woman who had called police said the victim, her boyfriend, had owed someone a $500 debt. Eder Ortiz-Parra was later charged with Medina-Penas slaying as well.

This complex crime web has three common threads, according to investigators  the Sinaloa Cartel, drugs and murder. We would add a fourth; it happened in our own backyards, which should worry everyone.

It will take a concerted effort on true, workable border security  not a wall that can be scaled  to simply make a dent in drug trafficking, the violence it fosters and illegal immigration. But the court records on the Sinaloa Cartels operations in New Mexico show we cant start soon enough.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
New Mexico has submitted a federally required plan to the U.S. Department of Education that will guide policy for years, though teachers unions and Albuquerque Public Schools were critical of its mandates.

The state Public Education Departments Every Student Succeeds Act plan maintains controversial policies like school grades, PARCC testing and teacher evaluations, with a few tweaks. For instance, by 2020, high school students will have to score higher than now on PARCC to demonstrate competency for graduation.

School grades will also include new measures like science scores and English-language learner student progress by the beginning of the 2018-19 school year.

Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera touted the plan Tuesday as an important step forward that was designed with extensive input from educators, families and community leaders statewide.

Skandera and her staff crafted the ESSA document after holding 25 public forums in six cities across the state last fall. New Mexico First, a nonpartisan policy organization, collaborated with PED to organize and facilitate the series of meetings, which attracted 663 participants.

We didnt talk at these other than to kick it off and say, Were here to listen,  Skandera told the Journal editorial board Tuesday. This was an incredible opportunity to hear from folks and make change based on what matters in our community.

Skandera said the PED is a national leader on listening to teacher voice, and education chiefs in other states have been calling to ask about her approach.

But teachers unions argue that Skandera has not heard their concerns.

Betty Patterson, National Education Association New Mexico president, attended ESSA forums in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and said she was uncomfortable with the process.

Simply stated, the process was not as neutral as they claim and keep working hard to make it appear it was, she said in an emailed statement. Many of the concerns I heard during the two meetings I went to dont appear to have been addressed. The group doing the sessions was said to be unbiased, but most sessions were run by PED cheerleaders and all sessions were attended by teachers on the advisory committees.

Albuquerque Public Schools, six other districts and 15 charter schools held their own forums in partnership with the University of New Mexico Center for Education Policy Research and Learning Alliance New Mexico in an attempt to influence the ESSA plan. The UNM center compiled feedback from more than 4,000 participants and submitted it to PED.

Last week, Carrie Robin Brunder, APS director of government affairs and policy, told Board of Education members the PEDs forums received different feedback than the districts.

Most noticeably is the disconnect between the two reports regarding social and emotional well-being of students and the need for more individualized learning experiences for both teachers and students, APS administrators wrote in a response to the state ESSA plan. APS believes the ESSA plan should highlight these themes and seize the opportunity to work on new innovative models to shift the paradigm in our schools.

The UNM center also reported that its forum participants wanted more limited testing, hands-on learning and individualized assessments.

Asked about the UNM CEPR report, Skandera said she worked hard to incorporate feedback only under the presupposition that all students can learn.

Students deserve that we have high expectations for them, she said.

Ellen Bernstein, Albuquerque Teachers Federation president, said she felt Skanderas response marginalizes those who dont agree with her educational philosophy.

Bernstein was critical of the states ESSA plan overall, arguing that it includes ideas recycled from the federal policies it is replacing: No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top.

The teachers I talk to are interested in professional support, not PED punishments, she said.

Critics also expressed concern about funding.

Charles Goodmacher, NEA New Mexico government and media relations director, said many of the specifics in the ESSA plan are unattainable so long as our Legislature and the governor fail to sufficiently fund our public schools.

PED is asking districts to meet the new targets by the 2019-20 school year, including increasing the graduation rate to 80 percent, up from the current 71 percent. At the same time, half of students must show math and reading proficiency by earning a 4 or 5 score on PARCC. In 2016, when a score of 3 was acceptable, proficiency rates hovered around 20 percent to 30 percent.

APS administrators are worried about reaching the goals.

Brunder told the APS board that it could be difficult for the district to raise the bar on PARCC and graduation rates at the same time.

Several board members said at the meeting they were disappointed with the ESSA plan.

Board member Barbara Petersen said the plan is almost harder to stomach than recent budget cuts because she believes the policies are not good for students and teachers.

This is undermining the vision of the district, she said. I have such a headache listening to this right now, I can barely talk.

New Mexico ESSA plan highlights goals for 2019-20 school year

 Graduating classes of 2017, 2018 and 2019 will need a score of 3 on the PARCC to show competency for high school graduation. Starting with the class of 2020, students will need a score of 4 or 5. English-language learners are expected to show English fluency within six years of classification.

 PARCC remains the major standardized test, administered in grades three to 11.

 Schools will still lose a letter grade if they fall below 95 percent participation on PARCC.

 PED can consider options including closure, reconstitution or other external management providers to redesign very low-performing schools that have received intervention for four years without showing improvement.

 50 percent of students academically proficient in reading and math.

 80 percent of students graduating from high school.

 No more than 25 percent of college students requiring remediation.
In a giant middle finger to President Donald Trump, California is on its way to becoming the first sanctuary state in the nation.

Democratic lawmakers there are moving a bill that would prevent local and state law enforcement from helping the federal government deport undocumented immigrants. (The state Senate passed it last week, and the state Assembly is expected to take it up soon, though Gov. Jerry Brown (D) hasnt said whether hell sign it.)

Sanctuary cities are one of the most high-profile acts of defiance to a Trump presidency, and hes already expressed a zero-tolerance policy for them. In his first week in office, Trump signed an executive order declaring that sanctuaries are in violation of federal law and have caused immeasurable harm to the American people.

Except its not as simple as winning the presidency and then putting pen to paper to force Californias hand. There are legal and political challenges Trump will run into if he wants to go to war with California over this. His ability to do so could even end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.

We talked to immigration experts on both sides of the issue to see how this potentially epic immigration showdown between California and Trump might go down  and it could shape what happens in the hundreds of other liberal cities and counties attempting to flout Trump on this.

 Step 1a: The Trump administration tries to publicly shame California

Actually, this is already in the works. His executive order requires the federal government to make a list of immigrants these cities and states are protecting and whether any have been charged with crimes. Its an effort to put public pressure on these communities to hand over immigrants. (Most, if not all, of sanctuary jurisdictions have said they will offer up immigrants convicted of violent crimes for deportation.)

The first report, out in March, accused the Philadelphia police department of releasing one immigrant who was charged with homicide.

 Step 1b: The Trump administration cuts off grant money to California

Actually, this is already in the works, too. California is on track to lose law enforcement funding as well as federal funds for health care and nutrition for the poor because of a 2014 law that limited the states cooperation in handing over fingerprints of undocumented immigrants.

In March, Attorney General Jeff Sessions stepped onto Press Secretary Sean Spicers podium, faced the cameras and warned cities, counties and California that the Justice Department would withhold billions of dollars if they dont hand over illegal immigrants when asked.

Pulling this financial lever has solved at least one problem for the Trump administration: Under a Republican mayor, Miami-Dade County reversed its policy earlier this year to only hold immigrants if the federal government pays for it so it wouldnt lose some $300 million in federal funds.

But California has clearly calculated pursuing its policy is more valuable than the money. Which brings us to 

 Step 2: California challenges the withholding of money in court

Ilya Somin, a constitutional law professor at George Mason University, thinks the administration would lose this legal battle. The Supreme Court has long ruled that the federal government can only impose conditions on grants if those conditions are unambiguously stated in the grant.

It would take an act of Congress to go back and insert a clause declaring these unrelated law enforcement, health care and poverty grants deliverable only if the municipality hands over its illegal immigrants for deportation when the government asks for them.

The likely vehicle for this lawsuit could be in San Francisco, one of the oldest sanctuary cities in the nation. In March, the city sued the Trump administration for threatening to withhold what it says is $1.2 billion in grants.

If San Francisco wins, that could be a fatal blow to the Trump administration, Somin said: If California is able to do this and Trump isnt able to do much to prevent them, that will give momentum to other sanctuary cities.

 Step 3: The Trump administration sues California

The Department of Justice could sue California right back and try to block the implementation of this law.

Its never been tried before, and the Trump administration would likely have to sue in the same San Francisco-based federal court that unanimously blocked its first travel ban.

But it may be the best chance theyve got, says Jessica Vaughan of the conservative-leaning Center for Immigration Studies. Lower courts have split on whether its legal for the federal government to require local law enforcement to hand over immigrants.

This would be the first court challenge in which the administration is giving a full-throated defense of its deportation requests in court, she said: Its a whole new ball game with a new administration that wants to go to the mat on this.

Speaking of going to the mat 

 Step 4: Trump does it himself

Well, not himself himself. But Trump could just order federal deportation officials into California to try to round up undocumented immigrants that California refused to hand over.

But here we get into a problem of resources for the Trump administration, Somin says: Trying to round up immigrants in one sanctuary jurisdiction is like playing whack-a-mole with the others; hed be taking federal officials away from the dozens of counties that are openly defying the administration.

The final step, perhaps: Congress gets involved

Most of Trumps problems could be solved if Congress passed a law that made it OK for the government to cut off funding for sanctuary cities and states.

Such a law passed the House of Representatives in 2015 and could probably pass the House again if it came up. But it would almost surely face a Democratic filibuster in the Senate  in fact, this kind of law has already been defeated by Senate Democrats.

Even those laws could be subject to court cases challenging the federal governments authority over the states.

Our experts could envision a world where all of this drags out for years and eventually ends up at the U.S. Supreme Court. Theres too much at stake politically for both sides to give up easily  for Trump, one of his premiere campaign promises is on the line, and in sanctuary cities, Democrats have a chance to publicly defy Trump and win.

I dont see any side letting up because its a political battle, not just a policy one, Vaughan said. Its too fundamental to the views of each side.
SANTA FE  State Sen. Michael Padilla  who grew up in foster homes around New Mexico  says he knows what its like to go to school hungry.

Now state lawmakers across the country, he said, are asking about a bill he helped pass this session to address the problem.

The Hunger-Free Students Bill of Rights Act, in fact, has landed New Mexico on the Today show, National Public Radio and The New York Times.

The proposal  crafted with help from New Mexico Appleseed, an anti-poverty group  prohibits schools from publicly identifying or stigmatizing students whose parents dont pay their cafeteria bills. It also requires schools to serve a meal that meets federal standards to any student who asks for one, regardless of ability to pay, unless a parent wants the meal withheld.

Schools would also be required to take extra steps to sign up students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.

Supporters described it as the first law of its kind in the country.

We just cant have kids being shamed at schools and going hungry, said Jennifer Ramo, executive director of New Mexico Appleseed. For a lot of these families in New Mexico, its a triumph to even get your child to school. The idea that we wouldnt feed them while theyre there is unthinkable.

She told the Journal that the New Mexico legislation has made the news as far away as France. And she spoke on the Today show on NBC just this week.

I think it really hit a nerve, she said.

Padilla, an Albuquerque Democrat, said he learned as a child to befriend the lunch ladies to ensure hed get a meal. But he also helped set up chairs, clean tables and do other work in the cafeteria.

Its very hard to focus on your studies when youre hungry, Padilla said in an interview Tuesday.

Senate Bill 374  co-sponsored by Padilla and Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque  also prohibits requiring a student to do chores if his or her parents cant pay for lunch, unless all students participate in the chores regardless of lunch debt.

Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed over half the bills passed this legislative session, but she and lawmakers found common ground on the hunger legislation.

Study after study tells us that hungry students cant keep up in school to meet their potential, she wrote in her message approving the bill.

New Mexicos largest school district  Albuquerque Public Schools, where 73 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch  is evaluating how the bill will affect its operations.

The district, in some cases, serves cheese sandwiches to students with unpaid debts, but the meal meets the required nutritional standards, a spokeswoman said. The students dont have to stand in separate lines or otherwise be publicly identified, she said. But its not clear whether APS will continue serving the cheese sandwiches.

Our greatest hope with the passage of this bill is that more families will sign up for the (federal lunch) program, APS spokeswoman Monica Armenta said in a written statement. Weve long believed that there are many, many more students who qualify for the federal lunch program, but they dont apply for a number of reasons, such as stigma, immigration concerns and others.

The districts unpaid meal tab is about $35,000, she said.

The legislation, meanwhile, has provided a bright spot after a 60-day legislative session dominated by New Mexicos budget crisis.

Martinez vetoed parts of a budget and tax package passed by the Legislature, and she plans to call a special session to address state finances later this month.

But the Hunger-Free Students Bill of Rights Act has captured national attention. Padilla said hes heard from 20 states interested in passing similar legislation.

New Mexico outlaws school lunch shaming was the headline of a New York Times article that contrasted the bills passage with an episode in Alabama last year in which a student was stamped with the words I need lunch money on his arm, according to a report on AL.com, the website of The Birmingham News.

In Utah, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that elementary school students in 2014 watched as their lunches were tossed into the trash because of meal debts.

People on both sides of the aisle were genuinely horrified that schools were allowed to throw out childrens food or make them work to pay off debt, Ramo told The New York Times. It sounds like some scene from Little Orphan Annie, but it happens every day.
An 872,000-pound transformer on its way from Kirtland Air Force Base to the PNM substation on the West Side will be making its way through the middle of Albuquerque and up to the Town of Bernalillo at a very slow clip tonight  the first part of a two-day move.

New Mexico State Police says in a news release that its officers along with those from APD will be helping PNM move the Super Load transformer starting from the Eubank Gate at Kirtland.

It will be traveling at a max speed of 10 mph, State Police said.

The move, which was set to start at 9 p.m., will take place north on Eubank to Central, west on Central to Louisiana, north on Louisiana to Lomas, west on Lomas to San Mateo, north on San Mateo to Menaul, east on Menaul to Eubank, north on Eubank to Montgomery, east on Montgomery to Tramway, north on Tramway to Interstate 25, and north on Interstate 25 to Avenida De Bernalillo, where it will park for the duration of the day. The move should end at 6 a.m. Wednesday.

The second part of the move is scheduled to start at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, and will go west on Avenida De Bernalillo to N.M. 313, north on N.M. 313 to U.S. 550, west on U.S. 550 to N.M. 528, south on N.M. 528 to Northern Boulevard, west on Northern to Unser Boulevard, south on Unser to Old Ouray, and then into the substation. The second move should end before 6 a.m. Thursday.

This route was selected to handle the weight of the transformer, State Police said in its news release. The public should expect delays during this move but traffic flow interruption should be kept to a minimum due to the night time move. Security and traffic control will be heightened during this move.
One-window solution urged for stalled airport projects

With all four international airport projects bogged down in problems, the parliamentary Development Committee on Wednesday directed the government to deal with them through a single window.
SANTA FE  U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce says Donald Trump is a good negotiator.

But he twice told him no when the president wanted Pearce to support the repeal and replacement of Obamacare, at least not the version proposed last month.

Pearce told business leaders this week that he was called to the principals office  along with other members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus  to see Trump at one point in the negotiations.

In the end, Pearce said, he simply couldnt support the proposed health care law backed by Trump and Republican leaders in the House. It was too similar to whats already in place under Obamacare, Pearce said Monday during a luncheon sponsored by the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce.

But Pearce, a Republican from southern New Mexico, said he believes the effort to replace Obamacare isnt over.

Sure enough, negotiations have continued, he said.

TIMEOUT: Also at the chamber luncheon, U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham had a good line about her time in middle school.

A teacher, she said, once moved her desk into the hallway because she was talking too much.

Talking too much? Thats not hard to believe.

But the lonely hallway desk didnt stop her.

I found a way to get notes in, Lujan Grisham told the audience, as people laughed. Ive always been a problem-solver.

She told the story while making a broader point about her desire to treat teachers better and pay them more.

Lujan Grisham represents an Albuquerque-based district in Congress.

CAMPAIGN CASH: U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich is preparing to report what his supporters say is a record-breaking amount of campaign donations at this point in the election cycle.

He is on track to raise about $1.3 million this quarter, and he has about $2.5 million in cash on hand, a Democratic official said.

The money raised is more than any senator or candidate for the first quarter in a nonelection year in the state, the official said.

Heinrich faces his first re-election test in 2018.

UNPOPULAR GOVERNOR: A survey by the media firm Morning Consult says 43 percent of registered voters in New Mexico approve of Gov. Susana Martinezs job performance and 48 percent disapprove. The firm ranked her among the 10 least popular governors in the country.

The company said the results came from an online survey of 556 registered voters in New Mexico from January to March this year.

Dan McKay: dmckay@abqjournal.com
A sculpture of two stylized horses with winged birds as riders was dedicated Tuesday in the courtyard of the Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico.

Created by artist Enrico Embroli, Bird Ryders represents the beauty, majesty, strength and freedom of horses in full gallop and birds soaring on wind currents, according to the artist.

Battered and abused women and children summon up the fragile courage to face each day, said Embroli. These true warriors fight the devastating impact of their abuse, their fear, the guilt, mistrust, memories, humiliation, and the rage of every moment of each day. Yet, as they fight to survive, something keeps them moving forward through life. This series of sculptures relates to the resiliency and strength as they pursue freedom from the abuse they have suffered.

The cast bronze figures, each about 20 inches tall and weighing 15-20 pounds, are mounted atop steel pedestals with a baked-on patina. The pedestals are set inside a raised planter layered with turquoise colored river rock. It is the first thing that visitors see before passing through the doors into the Rape Crisis Center.

The cost for the art installation was just under $20,000, which came from Bernalillo Countys Public Art Program, funded by voter-approved general obligation bonds.

Bill Burk, chairman of the Bernalillo County Arts Board, which selected Embrolis work from among 15 artists submissions, said public art has the power to inspire curiosity, encourage contemplation and dialogue, foster community engagement and create a sense of place.

Bernalillo County Commissioner Wayne Johnson, who represents District 5, where the Rape Crisis Center is located in a building owned by the county, observed for those in attendance that April is national Sexual Assault Awareness Month, making the dedication of the sculptures on Tuesday that much more meaningful, he said.

He also read a proclamation signed by members of the Bernalillo County Commission that acknowledged the essential programs and services provided by the Rape Crisis Center for 45 years. The proclamation noted that one in four women will experience a sexual assault or rape in their lifetimes, and one in six males will experience some type of sexual violence in their lifetimes.

Jim Harvey, executive director of the Rape Crisis Center, thanked the county for partnering with the center. He called the Bird Ryders sculpture inviting and reassuring, and thanked Embroli for the beautiful sculptures that symbolize freedom to so many of the people we see at the center.
A theft ring in Farmington, an armed robber in Albuquerque and a drug dealer in southern New Mexico with a violent criminal history.

Those are some of the criminal cases around the state in which prosecutors have tried to hold the defendant without bond pending trial.

But what prosecutors have to do in order to get that court order varies depending on the judge  and district attorneys say they need some guidance on what the procedure should be.

On Tuesday, several New Mexico district attorneys said theyre in support of 2nd Judicial District Attorney Raul Torrez and his attempt to get a New Mexico Supreme Court opinion on the protocols prosecutors have to follow before a defendant is held without bond.

Torrez is scheduled to appear before the states high court this morning to make his case.

Attorney General Hector Balderas has said in a court filing that he also wants clarification on the matter. Defense attorneys have said prosecutors should be required to present evidence in open court in order to hold a suspect without bond.

Several district attorneys said the question is what should happen at the detention hearing. Do prosecutors have to call witnesses and investigators to testify? Or are public documents, such as criminal complaints, enough to hold a defendant without bond?

Most of my crime is committed an hour away from my district court, said John Sugg, the district attorney for Otero and Lincoln counties. If I have to haul everybody in within a tight time frame of three days, thats really hard to get organized.

And its problematic for judges in different judicial districts to enforce the law differently, said Rick Tedrow, the district attorney in San Juan County. He said district attorneys often prosecute cases from different judicial districts if one DA has a conflict of interest and cant prosecute a particular case.

I need to know the rules, said Tedrow, who is the president of the New Mexico District Attorneys Association. Right now, if Raul needed somebody to come in and take a conflict (case), everybody would scratch their head and say, I dont know what the rules are.'

Tedrow and other district attorneys said they seek no-bond holds only for the most serious and repeat criminals.

Torrez last month filed a petition to the state Supreme Court after state District Court Judge Stan Whitaker denied to hold a suspect, Paul Salas, in jail on a no-bond hold unless prosecutors called witnesses and presented some evidence about the case.

Whitaker denied the no-bond hold and set Salas bond at $100,000 cash. The judge reached a similar ruling when prosecutors asked that he hold a man suspected of shooting his girlfriend.

The petition also asks the Supreme Court to force Whitaker to reconsider his decision in those two cases.

Judges are allowed to hold certain criminal defendants without bond after voters overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the state Constitution. The amendment allows some defendants to be held without bond pending trial, but also states that the majority of defendants should get a bond that they can afford.

Torrez has said hes tried to get a no-bond hold for about 75 criminal defendants this year, but judges have sided with prosecutors only about a third of the time.
The New Mexico Supreme Court is set to hear arguments this morning in a dispute over a District Court decision to deny bond to the woman accused of crashing a stolen van into a car in January, killing an Albuquerque mother and her teenage daughter.

The appeal brings up two separate provisions under the state Constitution, which both permit a defendant to be held without bond. The first allows bail to be denied to individuals facing a capital felony charge, such as felony murder. And a new provision, approved by voters in November, lets judges hold felony defendants without bail when they determine by clear and convincing evidence that no other conditions of release will ensure the safety of the community.

Elexus Groves faces two counts of felony murder, along with lesser charges. Second Judicial District Judge Cindy Leos issued an order denying bond at an arraignment hearing in February. Weeks later, during a hearing to review Groves conditions of release, Judge Brett Loveless, according to the appeal, raised the point that Groves was not entitled to bail under the older Constitutional provision.

Groves attorney argues in the appeal that the denial of bail was arbitrary and based on an incorrect standard of law.

In a response, an assistant attorney general asked justices to affirm the District Courts decision. Kelley wrote that Groves is facing capital charges, warranting no bond, and, on top of that, that the state showed by clear and convincing evidence that Groves was subject to a hold under the new amendment because no other release conditions could protect the safety of the community.
They should have known, the city attorney argued, that their car would one day be declared a nuisance and seized under Albuquerques civil asset forfeiture law.

Which is to say that Johnny and Cynthia Martinez, in the attorneys view, should have reasonably anticipated that the silver 2006 Pontiac G6 they lent to their adult daughter would one day be seized by an Albuquerque police officer because the mechanic friend she took the car to  a friend the Martinezes had never met, did not know and had no idea was anywhere near their car  turned out to be a guy with a lengthy history of DWI and driving on a revoked license.

Because who doesnt know the driving history of people theyve never met?

Lisa Torraco, attorney for the Martinezes, called that unreasonable and anti-family.

State District Judge Denise Barela-Shepherd called it wrong.

On Monday, the judge ordered the city to give the car back to the Martinezes without any of the costly charges it tacks on for towing and storage expenses.

And so ends the long, strange journey of an Albuquerque family who for 15 months  a lengthy period of time that even the judge questioned  fought to get back the car seized under a city ordinance that flies in the face of state law, constitutional protections and our sacrosanct concept of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

I introduced you to the Martinezes and their car in my April 1 column  a nice couple who thought they were being helpful parents by lending the Pontiac to their daughter to use on her job as a caretaker and to drive her two children to and from school.

You want to help your kids out, Johnny Martinez said. You want your kids to do good.

Back in December 2015, they had never heard of civil asset forfeiture, which allows municipalities such as Albuquerque to seize a vehicle if it is declared a nuisance because it is driven by a person behaving like a nuisance by driving drunk, being previously convicted of drunken driving or by driving while his or her drivers license is revoked or suspended.

Back in December 2015, they had also never heard of accused nuisance Eddie Sisneros.

I wish I never had now, Johnny Martinez said.

Ah, but law enforcement had. Court records indicate that the 24-year-old Albuquerque man has amassed 11 arrests for drunken driving and driving on a revoked license since 2011 and has had five vehicles seized, though its unclear whether any of them were his.

On Dec. 17, 2015, the fifth car was the Martinezes Pontiac.

In testimony Monday, Albuquerque police Sgt. Kevin Napoleone said he clocked the Pontiac near Atrisco and Hanover NW going about 40 mph in a 25-mph zone. Sisneros had been driving with the Martinezes daughter Ashley Martinez in the passengers seat and a male in the back.

Napoleone testified that he seized the car because Sisneros had an unsavory driving record and was driving with Ashley in the car  never mind that the vehicle was registered and insured by Johnny and Cynthia Martinez, whom he admitted he had not contacted, considered or met.

Ashley Martinez testified that the car had been misfiring so she took it to Sisneros, who worked on cars but was not a certified mechanic. Sisneros, she said, was a mutual friend and not someone she would ever interrogate over his traffic citations.

Im not a cop, she said. Its not like I asked him for his driving record.

But Assistant City Attorney Kyle Hibner argued in court that Sisneros was more than a friend, showing the court a cozy photo of Ashley and Sisneros together on Facebook and comments that indicated they were in a relationship or married. Because of the close relationship, Hibner suggested that she could  or should  have been more aware of his driving record.

Yes, but I never was married to him, a perturbed Ashley Martinez testified.  In a relationship can also mean friendship.

It can also mean a whole bunch of nothing, Torraco argued.

We do not dispute that Mr. Sisneros has no right to drive the car, Torraco said. These people had no idea that he was driving.

The citys actions were anti-family, she said, because of the chilling effect the case could have on other parents simply wanting to help their children by lending them their car.

But Hibner argued that the city was pro-protecting the people of Albuquerque by taking the car from a problematic driver like Sisneros.

That stance, however, places the blame on the vehicle and not the driver. Sisneros is the nuisance, not the car, not the Martinezes.

New Mexico abolished civil asset forfeiture in 2015, but the city continues to enforce it, arguing successfully in other courts that its ordinance is exempt from state law. It protects citizens from dangerous drivers, the city argues. And besides, it brings in more than $1 million in revenue each year.

But this policing for profit can punish the wrong people, who are forced to pay a hefty fine to get their property back or a hefty retainer for a lawyer even though they broke no law.

Maybe the city should have known that.

UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor.
CHICAGO  United Airlines sought to quell the uproar over a man being dragged off a plane by announcing on Tuesday that it would no longer ask police to remove passengers from full flights and would compensate customers who were on the flight when the man was removed.

In an interview with ABCs Good Morning America aired Wednesday, United parent company CEO Oscar Munoz said he felt ashamed watching video of the man being forced off the jet. He has promised to review the airlines passenger-removal policy.

Munoz, who leads Uniteds parent company, apologized again to Kentucky physician David Dao, his family and the other passengers who witnessed him being taken off the flight.

That is not who our family at United is, he said. This will never happen again on a United flight. Thats my promise.

In the future, law enforcement will not be involved in removing a booked, paid, seated passenger, Munoz said. We cant do that.

In an effort to calm the backlash, United also announced that passengers on United Express Flight 3411 would be compensated equal to the cost of their tickets. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said Wednesday that the passengers can take the compensation in cash, travel credits or miles.

The flight was loaded and preparing to leave Chicagos OHare International Airport on Sunday when the man was dragged off. Video shot by passengers showing the mans bloodied face went viral on social media, prompting a storm of protest.

Also Wednesday, a Chicago alderman said representatives from United and the citys Aviation Department have been summoned before a city council committee to answer questions about the confrontation at OHare Airport.

Alderman Mike Zalewski said he did not know who will represent the airline before the Aviation Committee, but Munoz has been notified of the hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Chicago Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans will also speak.

Munoz called the incident a system failure and said United would reassess its procedures for seeking volunteers to give up their seats when a flight is full. United was trying to find seats for four employees, meaning four passengers had to deplane.

It was at least Munozs fourth statement about the confrontation.

After the video first emerged, he said the airline was reaching out to the man to resolve this situation.

Hours later on Monday, his tone turned defensive. He described the man as disruptive and belligerent.

By Tuesday afternoon, almost two days after the Sunday evening events, Munoz issued another apology.

No one should ever be mistreated this way, Munoz said.

The passenger was identified as Dao, a 69-year-old physician from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Attorneys for Dao filed court papers Wednesday asking the airline and the city of Chicago to preserve evidence in the case. Those documents are often the first steps toward a lawsuit. His legal team planned to hold a news conference Thursday to discuss the matter with reporters.

Airport officials have said little about Sundays events and nothing about Daos behavior before he was pulled from the jet that was bound for Louisville, Kentucky.

Likewise, the Chicago Aviation Department has said only that one of its employees who removed Dao did not follow proper procedures and has been placed on leave. The department announced Wednesday that two more officers have been placed on leave.

No passengers on the plane have mentioned that Dao did anything but refuse to leave the plane when he was ordered to do so.

The event stemmed from a common air travel issue  a full flight.

At first, the airline asked for volunteers, offering $400 and then when that did not work, $800 per passenger to relinquish a seat. When no one voluntarily came forward, United selected four passengers at random.

Three people got off the flight, but the fourth said he was a doctor and needed to get home to treat patients on Monday. He refused to leave.

Thats when three Aviation Department police officers boarded the plane. When Dao refused to leave his seat, one of the officers could be seen grabbing the screaming man from his window seat and dragging him down the aisle by his arms.

Other passengers on Flight 3411 are heard saying, Please, my God, What are you doing? This is wrong, Look at what you did to him and Busted his lip.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it was reviewing Sundays events to see if United violated rules on overselling flights. The four top-ranking members of the Senate Commerce Committee asked the airline and Chicago airport officials for more information about what happened.
BEIJING  Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday that Beijing is willing to work with Washington on ending North Koreas nuclear weapons program but wants a peaceful solution to the escalating conflict.

Xis comments came after Trump tweeted that China should do more on the issue Washington sees as an increasingly urgent threat, or the U.S. would go it alone.

Chinas calls for calm come as tensions have risen with the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the area and the conducting of the biggest-ever U.S.-South Korea military exercises.

During their phone call, Xi told Trump that China insists on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and wants to find a solution to the problem through peaceful means, according to a brief description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry.

China insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula  and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side over the issue on the peninsula, Xi was quoted as saying.

The two leaders spoke Tuesday night Washington time after Trump said an armada of vessels including the USS Carl Vinson carrier was steaming to waters off the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday at a regular briefing in Beijing that it was a good thing that the two leaders were in touch again days after meeting in Florida.

Regarding the U.S. navy flotillas arrival in the western Pacific, Lu said: We hope all parties will refrain from irresponsible actions that would be very dangerous at the moment.

North Korean state media has warned of a nuclear attack on the United States in retaliation for any signs of aggression, a threat that has been made numerous times before.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump suggested the U.S. could solve the North Korea issue unilaterally.

North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A., Trump tweeted.

In another tweet, he sought to persuade Xi to put pressure on North Korea in exchange for a good trade deal with the U.S. He wrote: I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!

Trump and other U.S. officials have repeatedly called on China to leverage its status as North Koreas biggest economic partner and source of food and fuel aid to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

China says it is in full compliance with sanctions enacted under U.N. Security Council resolutions. In February, China suspended imports of coal from North Korea  a key source of foreign currency for Kim Jong Uns hard-line Communist regime.

However, Beijing also says it will not countenance measures that could bring about a collapse of the regime that could release a flood of refugees across its border, destabilize northeast Asia and result in a U.S.-friendly government taking power in Pyongyang.
TUCSON, Ariz.  Authorities are trying to determine the cause of a small fire at Old Tucson Studios.

Drexel Heights Fire District officials say the blaze Tuesday afternoon was contained to an observation deck near the parking lot area.

Old Tucson Studios had a water tender and personnel on site that had most of the fire extinguished quickly.

Drexel Heights fire engine arrived on scene and helped extinguish the rest of the blaze.

Authorities say the fire didnt spread beyond the 10-by-10-foot observation deck.

Old Tucson is a movie studio and theme park just west of Tucson.

It was built in 1939 for the movie Arizona and has been used for the filming of several movies and television westerns like Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, El Dorado and Little House on the Prairie.
FARMINGTON  A Shiprock man has pleaded guilty to killing one person and injuring another when he drove his vehicle off a road and rolled it over while driving under the influence.

Travis Mustache, 34, was arrested last month on an indictment filed on Jan. 24 on federal involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury charges, according to a U.S. Department of Justice press release.

Mustache admitted in Albuquerque federal court he was driving his vehicle recklessly on the Navajo Reservation in San Juan County on June 15 when he killed one victim and injured another victim, according to the press release. Neither victim is identified in the court documents.

Mustache admitted in the plea agreement the two victims were passengers in the vehicle he was driving and that he had consumed alcohol prior to operating the vehicle.

The second victim suffered scalp bruises, a liver laceration, rib fractures and bruised lung tissue, according to the plea agreement.

He acknowledged the alcohol had rendered him incapable of exercising clear judgment and a steady hand in operating the vehicle, according to the press release.

Mustaches blood-alcohol content registered at 0.281 shortly after the vehicle crash, according to court documents. The legal limit for operating a vehicle in New Mexico is 0.8.

He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000 and a term of supervised release of not more than three years, the plea agreement states.

A sentencing hear has not been scheduled.

Joshua Kellogg covers crime, courts and social issues for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627.

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DETROIT  President Donald Trump claimed direct credit for Toyotas new investment in a Kentucky plant, calling it new evidence of economic improvement in a White House discussion with CEOs. The company says the move was planned long before Trump even announced he was running for president.

Trumps statement Tuesday was not the first time he has veered from reality when claiming hes produced new jobs in his 82 days in office.

TRUMP: Already weve created more than almost 600,000 jobs. And yesterday Toyota just announced that it will invest more than $1.3 billion  into its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant, an investment that would not have been made if we didnt win the election.

THE FACTS: Trump had nothing to do with the changes that Toyota announced. The company says its the culmination of plans in the works for at least four years.

The investment is part of revamping the underpinnings of Toyotas midsize Camry sedan, long the best-selling car in the United States. Such a change requires years to plan and doesnt hinge on the economic conditions of the moment.

The company didnt mention Trump in a statement sent on Friday in advance of its announcement. The release was updated Sunday evening with the addition of a paragraph in which Trump claimed credit, calling it evidence that the economic climate has greatly improved under my administration.

The company initially said Trumps comment was added at the request of the White House. The administration countered that Toyota had asked for it. On Monday, Toyota said it had requested a Trump comment.

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Find all AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd

EDITORS NOTE  A look at the veracity of claims by public figures
Police chief calls on PM

Newly appointed Inspector General (IG) of Police Prakash Aryal called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Tuesday, a day after he was appointed the chief of the security agency.
AUSTIN, Texas  The Travis County district attorney says shes changing longstanding policy on officer-involved shootings and will only forward to a grand jury those cases where a shooting was unlawful or if the facts are in dispute.

District Attorney Margaret Moore tells KVUE-TV and the Austin American-Statesman (http://atxne.ws/2nEhg2A ) that shes discussed the change with groups like the Austin police union, which supports the move.

The district attorneys office previously forwarded to the grand jury all cases in which police used lethal force.

Moore says the change makes her office more accountable in determining which cases are forwarded for possible prosecution.

Her predecessors had viewed grand jurors as independent reviewers who should determine whether to indict.

Travis County grand juries rarely indict officers for using deadly force. Only one officer has been indicated in the past decade.

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Information from: Austin American-Statesman, http://www.statesman.com
BRUSSELS  In a story April 12 about the European Union launching a probe of Hungarys education law, The Associated Press erroneously reported the location of a university founded by billionaire George Soros. They university is in Budapest, not Bucharest.

A corrected version of the story is below:

EU launches probe of Hungarian education law

The European Unions executive arm questioned Hungarys commitment to the blocs fundamental values as it launched an investigation of a new law which is widely seen in Europe as targeting a Budapest university founded by billionaire George Soros

By RAF CASERT and PABLO GORONDI

Associated Press

BRUSSELS  The European Unions executive arm questioned Hungarys commitment to the blocs fundamental values Wednesday as it launched an investigation of a new law which is widely seen in Europe as targeting a Budapest university founded by billionaire George Soros.

EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said the investigation of Hungarys amended higher education law would be completed as soon as possible and that the commission would consider possible next steps by the end of April.

The probe will look into whether the new law conflicts with EU rules and could apply to other European universities, Timmermans said. It would also examine whether it is compatible with EU principles on the free movement of services and respects the blocs rules governing the admission of researchers from outside Europe.

The action illustrates the EUs growing frustration with the seven-year rule of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who increasingly has pursued policies that fly in the face of EU ideals.

Where do you want to be in this European Union? asked Timmermans, confounded by Orbans signature at a summit two weeks ago on a pledge to work for a united EU and promotion since then of a national voter questionnaire with the motto Lets Stop Brussels.

What the heck is going on? Timmermans asked.

In response, Hungarys government said the EU Commission was motivated by Hungarys anti-migrant positions, including its court challenge to an EU plan to resettle asylum-seekers among the 28 members of the bloc.

Hungary has built fences on its southern borders to stop the flow of migrants and new rules allow all asylum-seekers older than 14 to be held in border container camps until their asylum petitions are decided.

Mr. Timmermans every word is proof that Hungary is again under attack regarding migration, government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told reporters.

We are ready for negotiations, but regarding migration, Hungary wont make changes to its positions, Kovacs said.

Orban has long planned to transform Hungary into an illiberal state where majority rule trumps minority rights and national policies trump adherence to EU standards in some areas. The plight of the Soros-founded Central European University has come to crystalize the debate.

Orban views the New York-based Soros as a political antithesis pushing globalism contrary to Hungarys cherished local values. The Hungarian leader also accuses Soros of trying to illegitimately influence his government and Hungarys politics through support of non-governmental organizations such as Transparency International.

The law sets new conditions for foreign universities in Hungary, some of which seem aimed specifically at CEU. It requires universities in Hungary also to have a campus in their home countries. While CEU is accredited in Hungary and in New York state, it does not have a U.S. campus.

Central European University has been a pearl in the crown of Central Europe in forming a new generation of European leaders that see East and West as geographical denominations, not moral or political denominations, Timmermans said.

Timmermans said there also were serious doubts on the Commission about the compatibility of Hungarys recently tightened asylum laws with EU norms. He also mentioned the discrimination of Roma children in education and the protection of pregnant working women as areas where Hungary had failed to respond to EU concerns.

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Gorondi reported from Budapest. Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.
HOUSTON  The top criminal appeals court in Texas on Wednesday refused to allow additional DNA testing of evidence in an inmates lengthy death penalty case.

Rodney Reeds attorneys sought the testing on more than 40 items collected in the investigation into the 1996 abduction, rape and strangling of 19-year-old Stacy Stites. Her body was found off the side of a road about 35 miles (56.32 kilometers) southeast of Austin.

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals said in its decision that the request by Reeds lawyers was the latest in a series of legal moves to unreasonably delay the execution of his sentence or the administration of justice. The court said in its 38-page ruling that the attorneys failed to show the additional testing would change the outcome of Reeds trial.

The ruling upheld the findings of a judge in Bastrop County who also denied the DNA request after a hearing in 2014.

Reed engaged and continues to engage in protracted litigation since his conviction was affirmed in 2000, the appeals court said.

The court also said the timing of the latest request is even more suspect when we consider that it was filed on the same day the judge heard the states motion to set an execution date filed three months earlier.

Reeds lead attorney, Bryce Benjet, said the ruling was deeply flawed and flouts the clear intent of the Legislature that comprehensive testing be performed before the government sends a man to his death.

He said its puzzling to him that the court would accuse Reeds lawyers of dragging out the appeals process.

After the state delayed resolution of our request for months and the appellate court deliberated on the matter for over two years, a finding that Mr. Reed caused delay is simply inconsistent with the record, Benjet said.

He said he now expects to take the request for new DNA testing to the federal courts.

Reed, now 49, was arrested nearly a year after Stites April 1996 slaying when his DNA surfaced in an unrelated sexual assault. He long has insisted he and Stites had a sexual relationship that was secret and consensual, accounting for his DNA on her body, and that her police officer fiance more likely was her killer.

The fiance later was jailed for abducting a woman in his police custody and having improper sexual activity with her.

The appeals court said the new DNA tests would not corroborate the defense theory of a secret relationship between Reed and Stites.

Reeds lawyers previously have referred to what they describe as the cases racial aspects. Reed is black and Stites was white. There was no reference to race in the latest court ruling.
MESA, Ariz.  U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs was met with applause and boos at the Arizona Republicans first town hall meeting since taking office in January.

Biggs addressed topics such as health care and climate change during his town hall in Mesa Tuesday, which was attended by approximately 600 people. Some attendees said there was not enough time for everyones questions.

Constituents from Biggs 5th Congressional District in southeastern metro Phoenix had been asking Biggs to hold the meeting.

In February, police were called to Biggs office in Mesa during a rally hosted by a group of protesters who said the representative did not make himself available to his voters.

Boos erupted from the crowd, filled with liberal and conservative constituents, when Biggs said he was skeptical of scientists who believe in human-caused global warming after reading reports from both sides.

I think that what they say is actually valid and is something that maybe you should look at as well, he said. There are credible scientists who say climate change exists; we arent sure why. There are credible scientists who say that. There are credible scientists who say it doesnt.

Biggs also addressed his opposition to the GOPs proposed plan to replace the Affordable Care Act, which was met with mixed reactions from the crowd.

I do not like that bill because it does not keep a promise we made to repeal (the Affordable Care Act), Biggs said. It leaves the framework in place. Those of you who like Obamacare, this is your best alternative.

Other voters asked for his opinion on high-risk pool insurance programs and internet privacy.

Betty Breeden of Gilbert said the representative earned her respect.

I think it was an ambush. The people who were here were not really interested in answers to their questions, Breeden said. They were here to jump on him.  I think he did very well under the circumstances.
NEW YORK  Sikhs in the United States are launching a million-dollar awareness campaign that seeks to stop violent attacks against followers by explaining more about who they are and what they believe.

The We are Sikhs campaign set to launch Friday is funded by Sikh leaders who have become frustrated with attacks that have persisted since Sept. 11, 2001, from the angry and uninformed who see followers beards and turbans and wrongly believe they are Muslims.

The ads, which will air in part on CNN and Fox News, make no mention of the more than 300 hate crimes reported by Sikhs in the U.S. since the 2001 attacks.

Rather, they feature Sikh families explaining how the worlds fifth-largest religion aligns with American values of tolerance, religious freedom and opportunity for all.
HOUSTON  The Houston City Council has approved an ordinance that bans homeless camps in public places and also cracks down on panhandling.

Council members on Wednesday approved the measure that prohibits temporary shelters, tents and unauthorized cooking devices in public areas. People who block Houston roads, sidewalks or building entrances could be cited for a misdemeanor violation.

Officials have said the measure was prompted by complaints from the public. The ordinance takes effect in 30 days in Houston, the nations fourth largest city with more than 2.3 million people.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says the rules are meant to strike a delicate balance between regulation and helping the homeless.

Councilman Mike Knox says panhandling in streets is dangerous to both panhandlers and motorists.
PHOENIX  A conservation group and an Arizona congressman on Wednesday filed what they say is the first federal lawsuit against President Donald Trumps proposed border wall.

It calls for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to put together a report on the environmental impact of construction of the wall and expanded patrolling operations on the U.S.-Mexico border.

It also asks a judge to find that DHS has violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to make an environmental assessment since 2001. DHS said it does not comment on pending litigation.

The lawsuit was filed in Tucson by the Center for Biological Diversity and U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, a southern Arizona Democrat.

Wildlife conservationists say the wall would be detrimental to rare animals such as jaguars and ocelots that are known to traverse the international line and are listed as endangered species.

What we need is a thorough analysis and some real science to determine just how much damage has been done and how much more would be done by the proposals that are on the table now, said Randy Serraglio of the Center for Biological Diversity.

Prior legal challenges to border fencing have been unsuccessful. The Southwest border already has roughly 650 miles of fencing in various forms, along with underground sensors and camera towers.

The latest lawsuit is broader than others and considers the larger implications of more border patrol operations, not just the wall, Serraglio said.

Trump has promised to build the wall and make Mexico pay for it, though Mexico has refused.

The push to add 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and to increase overall border surveillance operations have come at time when illegal crossings are at historic low.
Hulu, a video-streaming service, has decided to open its new service center in San Antonio, Texas, rather than in Albuquerque.

There are still a few hurdles to cross, but Im excited Hulu is coming , San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor said Wednesday.

The center is expected to generate 300 jobs initially, growing to 500 within a couple of years.

Mayor Richard Berry said the decision was based on the size of San Antonios workforce.

We had a great proposal; they just wanted to be in a larger market, Berry said Theyre a much bigger city than we are, and theres nothing we can do about that.

The state had offered Hulu an incentive package that was similar to the one it is providing to Safelite AutoGlass, which will open a support center in Rio Rancho, Economic Development Secretary Matthew Geisel said. Safelite is getting nearly $3.9 million from the states Job Training Incentive Program and Local Economic Development Act.

Geisel said he was heartened that Albuquerque was chosen as a contender for the Hulu project and noted that it was up against the seventh-largest metro area in the nation.

Does it suck to lose? Yeah, he said. But when youre a finalist, that can open the door to new opportunities.

The 24-hour Hulu customer center is expected to open by the fall in advance of its live streaming service.
AUSTIN, Texas  Texas health officials say the state is experiencing its highest incidence of mumps in more than 20 years, including cases possibly linked to the popular spring break destination of South Padre Island.

The Texas Department of State Health Services said Wednesday that Texas has had 221 cases of mumps so far this year, the largest total since there were 234 cases in 1994.

Texas officials say they were contacted this week by another state health department about a mumps patient whod traveled to South Padre Island for spring break.

Texas then alerted other states and has been notified of 13 mumps cases in people who traveled to South Padre Island between March 8 and March 22 from six states, including two cases from Texas.
PORTALES, N.M.  The Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regents has chosen a new president from among five finalists.

The regents voted unanimously Wednesday to offer J.S. Jeff Elwell of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga the post. Portales radio station KENW reports that he accepted a three-year contact with an annual salary of $230,000.

Elwell will take over later this summer once current president Steven G. Gamble retires.

Elwell will be in charge of the main campus in Portales as well as campuses in Roswell and Ruidoso.

At Tennessee, Elwell is currently dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, overseeing 15 departments and affiliated groups and a budget of $42 million in state and private funds.

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Information from: KENW-TV, http://kenw.org
Prez Bhandari to embark on 5-day state visit to India

President Bidya Devi Bhandari will embark on a five-day state visit to India from April 17-21 at the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.
UNITED NATIONS  Russia vetoed a Western-backed U.N. resolution Wednesday that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in a town in northern Syria and demanded a speedy investigation into the attack that killed nearly 90 people.

The vote on the Security Council resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States was 10 in favor, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.

Russias U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council before the vote that during talks in Moscow Russia asked for an independent international investigation to examine the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun. He said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is considering the request.

Russia has criticized previous investigations carried out by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the United Nations which blamed the Syrian government for at least three chemical weapons attacks. Safronkov has repeatedly called for an independent investigation with experts drawn from a much broader group of countries.

We are convinced that we need to have a full and immediate investigation, and the possibilities for that have not been exhausted, Safronkov said after the vote, accusing the resolutions sponsors of jumping to conclusions about responsibility before a full-fledged investigation.

The United States, Britain and France have pointed a finger at the Syrian government saying their experts have found that nerve agents were used in the April 4 attack.

Looking at the resolutions supporters sitting around the horseshoe-shaped table in the Security Council, Safronkov said: You are afraid of an impartial investigation.

Britains U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said it was Russias eighth veto in support of President Bashar Assads regime and asked: How could anyone look at the faces of lifeless children and yet veto this resolution?

Frances U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre said with this attack, the Syrian regime has plumbed new depths of horror.

Russias Safronkov called the U.S. strikes on a Syrian air base in retaliation for the Khan Sheikhoun a provocation, but Delattre said they were a legitimate response to a mass crime which could not go unpunished.

China typically sides with Russia in the Security Council, including in opposing U.S.-backed measures to punish Syria for its use of chemical weapons. So Chinas decision to abstain rather than join Russia in vetoing the resolution at this time was a significant shift for Beijing.

It came days after Chinese leader Xi Jinping held his first meeting with President Donald Trump at a summit in Florida last week.

In an interview with Fox News aired Wednesday, Trump said he broke the news of the U.S. missile strike on Syria during a dinner with Xi and that the Chinese leader was OK with it because it was in response to the use of gases and victims had included young children and babies.

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Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report
SANTA FE  The for-profit Santa Fe University of Art and Design on Wednesday announced that it will cease operations after the 2017-2018 school year, raising questions about what city government will do next with the 60-acre campus it bought for nearly $20 million in 2009.

According to a statement released by the school, the universitys board of directors and owners are reviewing options for the future, but announced the closure to provide clarity for students.

SFUAD had announced last month that it was suspending enrollment of new students for the fall semester after a deal to sell the school to a Singapore-based company fell through.

The closure is due to the significant ongoing financial challenges, similar to the challenges that many small institutions are also facing both nationally and was a very difficult decision, said the statement from spokeswoman Rachel Lighty.

Staff and students of the four-year, accredited university were informed Wednesday morning.

Certainly we have been seeing enrollment decline in the last few years, SFUAD interim President Maria Puzziferro said in an interview. We and the board started exploring options for the university. The board and the leadership felt that we just couldnt continue, and we made the announcement we made today. The school has said it has 700 students.

City government bought the campus site near the intersection of Cerrillos Road and St. Michaels Drive for $19.5 million in 2009, as the former College of Santa Fe was collapsing, and leases it to SFUAD.

The school has been run by for-profit Laureate Education Inc.. The original lease was for 27 years at $2.35 million per year. Its just too soon to speculate what that means for the campus in the coming year, said Puzziferro. Were working with the city to see how the termination of the lease looks. There are a lot of unknowns. But she said LEI Holdings, the entity leasing from the city, will no longer have the lease when the school closes in June 2018.

We havent received any termination notice under the lease, and the university continues to be a tenant in good standing, said city spokesman Matt Ross in a statement. In the meantime we are being proactive, continuing dialogue with the university and other potential partners to discuss next steps for this anchor in the St. Michaels corridor.

About a year go, Raffles Education Inc., which operates about 30 educational sites mostly in Asia, had negotiated a deal to take over the school. According to a financial document made public in connection with the failed deal, SFUAD had a net loss of more than $7 million as of June 2015.

The schools statement Wednesday said it will work with the city to explore new and innovative public-private partnerships to further the educational and arts mission of the campus. SFUAD also said will begin a phased teach-out and transfer process for student eligible to complete their degrees by May 2018. The university said it will assist in placing other students at other accredited schools.
The team behind The 24s@Uptown hope the mixed-use project, where several luxury condominiums and office spaces are for sale, will launch a wave of redevelopment in the area.

The investors have updated the entire fourth floor, where six residences are selling in the $470,000 to $830,000 price range. Four have been purchased  three of them by the developers, which includes John Lewinger, Irwin and Debbie Harms and Darrell Gustin.

Lewinger, who recently hosted a sneak peek of the construction underway at 2424 Louisiana NE, the former Main Bank building, said the remaining units will probably be sold to a well-employed millennial or a well-heeled baby boomer.

A veteran of the commercial real estate industry, Lewinger said the residential

component, admittedly pricey for Albuquerque, is a game-changer for Uptown. This concept is very new to the city. Other developers are watching it closely, said Lewinger of venturing into uncertain development waters with The 24s@Uptown.

Financing partner for the project is New Mexico Bank & Trust.

Buyers are expecting a lot for the big bucks they are spending for a project urban advocates have been pushing for years: mixed-use development with residences above offices or retail space.

These are being handled as if we were building custom homes, said Lewinger, referring to the high-end finishes and appliances for the units, which range in size from 1,200 to 2,200 square feet.

He said the development team is eyeing other 1970s- and 1980s-era structures along the active corridor to bring back to life as mixed-use properties that feature commercial and residential condominiums.

Irwin Harms, whose construction firm Sun Vista Enterprises is general contractor for the design-and-build project, said costs are $4.5 million to convert the top floor into residential units.

That includes installing windows, plumbing, Sub-zero and Wolf appliances in the kitchens, double-walled soundproofing between the units and adding balconies. The punch list also includes turning the buildings basement into a parking garage for residents  a space where the Mary Kay Cosmetics training center was once located.

It was very pink down here, said Debbie Harms, CEO of the real estate company NAI Maestas & Ward.

Plans are also on the drawing board to build a brand new 6,000-square foot retail center in front of the property facing Louisiana Boulevard. Were not looking for a restaurant; there are over 30 in the area already, Debbie Harms added. Well look for a tenant that nicely complements the businesses in the area.

The 86,000-square-foot building incorporates some of the history of the location into its design, including a Carrara marble wall in the lobby. Its all the rage now, said Debbie of the stylish material now back in vogue. Its staying, she said.

The second and third floors already have been sold to accounting and law firms, said Lewinger.

That leaves 16,000 square feet on the ground floor open for sale or lease, said Tim With, a broker with Colliers International of New Mexico. The space would be ideal for a bank, credit union or an urgent care clinic with a pharmacy, he said, since the space it comes with the use of a rare drive thru. With said 7,000 square feet of the ground floor already is leased to an agency of the federal government for the next four years. A future user could subsidize debt service with the rent from the tenant, added With.
Its well established  and backed by solid research  that audiences trust a company more if its chief executive officer actively engages with them on Twitter or Linkedin (and increasingly on both).

Darren Childs (@DarrenMChilds), CEO of satellite and cable TV group UKTV, a major advocate of social media and active on Twitter, says it is essential on several fronts. UKTV began to realise that Twitter was increasingly where its audience was and that it could use the platform to activate millions of fans and drive them to viewership. We were starting to realise that huge amounts of our audience  and opinion formers around what was good on television  were very active on Twitter, so we thought it was very important to engage with them, says Childs.

Whether Twitter or Linkedin, engagement is about setting the tone for the company. Ronan Dunne (@ronandunneo2), CEO of mobile phone company O2, says, I use it to let everybody know what I think is important thats going on with the company, and that both works with opinion formers and journalists that follow me and journalists that I follow, but it also works with the staff as a great communication tool to let them know that: 1) engaged media is very important for our future, and 2) whats at the top of my agenda.

However, many are reluctant. Jacqueline Gold (@Jacqueline_Gold), CEO of lingerie retailer Ann Summers, admits to being worried about saying the wrong thing, looking like a fool or upsetting people. Now she has embraced Twitter, using it to establish her #WOW (Women on Wednesday) competition, which mentors women business owners who tweet her about their business questions.

Social media provides great opportunities for brands to engage with audiences. Twitter, in particular, has delivered Ann Summers something else: helped redefine brand perception and allow the business to reach people who might not have considered themselves customers.

Why LinkedIn?

Image: By creating a professional profile, CEOs display accomplishments, education, company brand and endorsements. They can post status updates, job openings and new hires to show the success of the company. A CEO must have a very strong profile. An incomplete profile can hurt a companys reputation and perception.

By creating a professional profile, CEOs display accomplishments, education, company brand and endorsements. They can post status updates, job openings and new hires to show the success of the company. A CEO must have a very strong profile. An incomplete profile can hurt a companys reputation and perception. Engagement: A LinkedIn profile allows better accessibility to audiences. When they feel they can interact with the CEO, it allows for a more personalised experience that creates trust. Most believe that a company whose C-suite executives use social media to communicate brand values is more trustworthy.

A LinkedIn profile allows better accessibility to audiences. When they feel they can interact with the CEO, it allows for a more personalised experience that creates trust. Most believe that a company whose C-suite executives use social media to communicate brand values is more trustworthy. Promotion: Part of having a strong LinkedIn profile is publicising your companys products and services, and showing your personal experience and skills.

Also

LinkedIn advertising helps you reachspecific audiences. You can better target ads by utilising the CEOs connections

You are accessible not only though the website, but also through search engines

The LinkedIn page could be the face of business for internal and external customers

CEOs share content to establish thought leadership and industry influence

Why Twitter?

Raise your brands profile: Twitter can raise your brands profile, online an offline. The more you interact with other leaders and customers, the more visible your company will become. By tweeting regularly, a CEO can effectively speed up the process of building brand recognition and loyalty

Twitter can raise your brands profile, online an offline. The more you interact with other leaders and customers, the more visible your company will become. By tweeting regularly, a CEO can effectively speed up the process of building brand recognition and loyalty Thought leadership: By tweeting his or her thoughts about your industry, company news and related topics, your CEO can shoot up the influence ranks. Many CEOs have distinguished themselves as not only business leaders, but influential members of a community willing to share knowledge and grow ideas. They are looked up to by customers, partners and competitors. By using Twitter, CEOs can show that they understand, and can respond to, industry news in real time

By tweeting his or her thoughts about your industry, company news and related topics, your CEO can shoot up the influence ranks. Many CEOs have distinguished themselves as not only business leaders, but influential members of a community willing to share knowledge and grow ideas. They are looked up to by customers, partners and competitors. By using Twitter, CEOs can show that they understand, and can respond to, industry news in real time Plug in: Company leadership can quickly scan the latest news and thought pieces in your industry. They can see whos vocal about various topics, what news is garnering attention, and what customers are interested in

Company leadership can quickly scan the latest news and thought pieces in your industry. They can see whos vocal about various topics, what news is garnering attention, and what customers are interested in Crisis management: Your CEO can address issues during crises to inform and connect with the public. By tweeting transparently, leadership can show that they are unafraid to face challenges and may even stop a crisis before it gets out of hand

Your CEO can address issues during crises to inform and connect with the public. By tweeting transparently, leadership can show that they are unafraid to face challenges and may even stop a crisis before it gets out of hand Media relations: Speaking one-on-one to the press is a great way to network and make announcements. Many journalists use Twitter to source stories and conduct research. By connecting to those covering your industry, CEOscan form positive relationships with them. He or she can compliment them on a recent article, point them to industry news, and even offer to conduct an interview as an expert

This document is a collation of insights from various sources:https://blog.twitter.com/2013/why-ceos-should-be-on-twitter, http://www.adweek.com/digital/5-reasons-why-your-ceo-should-be-tweeting/, http://www.adweek.com/digital/5-reasons-why-your-ceo-should-be-tweeting/, https://www.circlesstudio.com/blog/why-your-company-leadership-should-have-strong-linkedin-profiles/

(Jaideep Shergill co-founded Pitchfork Partners Strategic Consulting LLP on New Years day, 2015. Pitchfork Partners is a new-age strategy consultancy, specialising in corporate and business issues that need holistic solutions. With an MBA in international business, Shergill until recently was the CEO of MSLGROUP in India.)
Network18 Digital raced past all other media networks to be at the forefront of digital revolution and emerged as the second most visited media network in the country. Based on ComScore Indias Feb 2017 data, Network18 Digital has surpassed both on traffic and on engagement. Apart from the 42.4 million unique visitors across its brands such as Firstpost, moneycontrol, News18 and others, it commands leadership in the quality of content and innovation demonstrated in its audience engagement metrics; Network18 Digital has the highest engagement rate with its audience, a massive 5x higher engagement rate than any of its peers leaving all other media networks behind.

Over the year, Network18 Digital has solidified its leadership and talent across editorial and business. It has been at the forefront of the digital revolution through innovation, building capabilities for drawing audience insights and investing in targeted content for mobile, desktop and social media platforms. Driving engagement through videos and delivering superior quality news content has been a major force in contributing to the network becoming the leader in user engagement.

Network18 Digital brands have set new benchmarks in the media world. Firstpost.com set a record for the longest livecast on Facebook when covering the Indian elections; the first time ever that a television-like real time experience was created on social media platform. This was also recognized and applauded by Facebook in its global case study. Likewise the Moneycontrol app was lauded at the Mobile World Congress to be the first to have an in-car app in the financial content category. Furthermore, the Moneycontrol website was upgraded with smart and extensive content, charting tools and data brought to the portal by senior analysts, amongst other additions.

News18 has exclusive/breaking news content and analysis with a minute-to-minute coverage of key events, in an easy to consume style across various categories. Further with a vision to cover India inch-by-inch, News18 expanded its vernacular presence in five languages backed by the television network presence in fourteen Indian languages. This included insightful coverage propelled by expert analysis setting the bar high for delivering news online. Network18 Digital continues its focus on vernacular through News18 languages and Firstpost Hindi and other regional platforms that have played an imperative role in tapping into a whole new set of audiences with easy-to-digest captivating content.

Commenting on the success of the network, Manish Maheshwari, CEO, Network18 Digital, said, We have a scientific approach to understanding our audience needs and we closely watch out for emerging trends and changing consumer habits. This has allowed us to ride on the digital revolution and create new disruptive user expereinces. Our vision is to be game changer through content creation, delivery and consumption experiences. We have already established ourselves as leaders in traffic and high user engagement and are now moving to penetrate further in regional markets. In the coming financial year, we look forward to building on the success we have achieved thus far, drawing more group synergies and continue creating new benchmarks in the industry.
India is finally waking up to the conversation on heinous crimes of sexual assault against women. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in Star Pluss latest campaign on Victim Shaming urges families, authority figures and citizens to reflect upon the need to break the tolerance towards how victims of sexual assault are treated. Society has failed these victims by stripping them off their dignity through incessant interrogation about the horrific incident by authority figures and merciless character assassinations shaming her instead of the perpetrators. In a Public Service Awareness Initiative by Star Plus, Amitabh Bachchan questions these culprits of the character assassination with one pertinent question Whos fault is it?. The campaign advocates that society needs to place the guilt rightfully with the perpetrators by putting them on trial instead of shaming the victims.

Mr. Bachchan says, The idea that a woman loses her dignity if she is sexually assaulted is instilled strongly in our cultural mindset. The shame should be on the perpetrators instead of the victim. We need to foster a safe, secure and supportive environment where victims can seek refuge especially from those who they turn to for protection like Authority Figures, Family and Society. There is a strong need to step forward and talk about this through stories which can trigger this change in mindset of the people. Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka is an effort by Star Plus in the same direction.

A lighthouse brand, Star Plus has always endeavored to tell stories which inspire change keeping the progress of the women at the heart of every initiative. Talking about this special initiative, Mr. Narayan Sundararaman, General Manager-Star Plus says  Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka is a story about the indomitable spirit, courage and unimaginable strength of one woman's quest for justice against all odds. The story is not just about Amala but representative of every woman who lives in fear, measuring her every move to keep herself safe thereby giving power to the perpetrator to dictate her life on his terms. Amala's uphill battle to conquer these demons of society and her refusal to back down in the face of all hurdles will make viewers pause, reflect and think 'Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka?'

Through this story on Star Plus Dopahar, our intent is to sensitize audiences and society at large, to the trauma of the victims of sexual assault. Television has the power to spark meaningful change and as a channel, we want Amalas inspiring story to reach maximum people through our platform.

We have tied up with an NGO - Jan Sahas Social Development Society- which is an organization providing support to survivors of sexual assault since 2000. Victims can reach out for aid to them via a toll-free helpline which is 180030002852

A first on television, Star Plus is telecasting this brave story Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka? as part of its afternoon programming lineup at 12 30 pm. The show is an official adaptation of the acclaimed international Turkish series called Fatmagul which has been remade with an Indian cultural backdrop. The show portrays Amala as a woman of substance and a survivor who has the conviction to fight for justice conquering the demons in peoples minds and reinforcing through her story that the shame should rightfully be placed with the perpetrator and not the victim of sexual assault.

Keep Watching Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka? From Monday to Saturday at 12:30pm only on Star Plus
Taproot Dentsu, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has partnered with Airtel, Indias leading telecom service company, with an innovative solution for people who become unfortunate victims of accidents.

In an accident or medical emergency, one may want to help, but there is no way a stranger can reach out to the victim's family because the phone contacts are stuck behind pass codes. Howsoever a person wishes to be a Good Samaritan, this is one wall no one can get beyond.

Thats where Taproot Dentsus innovation comes in. The Life Saving Wallpapers help everyone make mobile wallpapers with emergency contacts and blood group, so that that information remains accessible without having to unlock the screen. Dentsu WebChutney, Airtels Digital partner, supported the idea with flawless execution.

Titus Upputuru, Creative Head, Taproot Dentsu, Gurgaon adds, "At Dentsu Aegis Network, we are innovating the way brands are built in todays world. In the unfortunate circumstance of an accident, when the victim becomes unconscious or is badly injured, there is no way people can reach out to the victims family and friends because the contacts are hidden behind the phones passcode. Thats where Airtels Lifesaving Wallpapers come handy. All the important data such as emergency contact numbers and blood group details are now available on the phone screen through the customized wallpapers, so that people can reach out to those who need to be contacted and help the victims. Across India, people are benefitting from this initiative. Who thought Wallpapers can save lives, but in todays world it is possible.

Airtel Lifesaving Wallpapers is a mobile-first site, which embeds emergency info on mobile wallpapers, irrespective of your phone or network. It is provided to people via social media. The campaign is supported by social media posts, retail posters and other collaterals, at different points of contact with people at large.

The idea won two Gold awards at the recently concluded Goa Fest 2017, Indias best advertising festival.
In line with the massive transformation that is happening at Hamdard Laboratories India, the over 100-year old FMCG company is now venturing into the ready-to-serve beverage segment with the extension of their 100-year old iconic brand RoohAfza. Christened RoohAfza Fusion, the beverage is a unique combination of RoohAfza with pure fruit juice. Fusions formulation has the cooling power of 10 herbs. With the launch of this brand, Hamdard endeavours to target the youth who aspire for convenience, cool and on-the-go formats.

Following a test launch carried out in various parts of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in September 2016, RoohAfza Fusion is now launching pan India. According to the company, feedback was obtained from 50,000 people (including consumers and trade partners) post the test launch and the product achieved primary sales of approximately 9 Lakh units in the launch month itself. Consumer off-takes recorded live from shelves were more than 70 per cent, the company claimed.

Basis the feedback received from the test launch, the products packaging has been revamped to connect better with the target audience by showcasing RoohAfza in a brand new, cool avatar. Subsequently, basis the in-depth sensory panel study, the recipes of the product were also tweaked for an even better product experience. Instead of bottle packaging, RoohAfza Fusion is available in Tetrapaks in five flavours  Refreshing Lemon, Delicious Orange, Juicy Mango, Exciting Pineapple & Orange and Luscious Litchi.

Speaking at the launch, Mansoor Ali, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, Hamdard, said, In the last few years, there has been a perceivable growth in the popularity of ready-to-drink fruit juice based beverages, especially amongst the youth. This segment is actually the pivotal force that is driving growths in the overall consumption for this category. There is a perceptible shift of consumers towards natural and herbal products, and this is evident with RoohAfza growing in share in modern and general trade. Keeping the intrinsic qualities of RoohAfza intact with the presence of 10 natural herbs fused with fruit juice, RoohAfza Fusion sits naturally on this positioning. We are confident that RoohAfza Fusion will create the positive disruption required, and prove to be a category shaker. Consumers are going to love this new avatar of their favourite drink.

In conversation with Adgully, Mansoor Ali speaks at length about the reason for foraying into the ready-to-drink market, marketing plans, digital push, the ready-to-drink market and much more. Excerpts:

What was the need to foray into the ready-to-drink segment?

Two years ago, when we analysed what our strengths were and the current issues that we are facing, three things came up. The first was that RoohAfza is not a convenience-based format, which means that you have to actually take it home and make it. Secondly, it was not very relevant to the youth. They were only having it at home or when their parents insisted on their kids having it because they have a connect with the brand. So, we saw that the younger generation today didnt have a very high connect with RoohAfza. Thirdly, it was available in only one flavour and in a bottle form, so we wanted more expansion.

On analysing the market we saw that the juices market has been showing strong growth and hence, we decided to do a fusion version, which would be a new combination of RoohAfza and fruit juice. Thats when we started developing this product and we decided to package it in Tetrapak as thats the most convenient format. Later, we did the test launch and got very positive results. We took all the learnings from the test market and then launched this final version of RoohAfza Fusion.

What kind of feedback did you receive from the test markets and what changes did it bring to the product?

One of the feedbacks was on the sensorial side  when we made people taste it, some felt that the flavour of lemon came out more strongly than the RoohAfza flavour. So, we took that into consideration, collated the data and made those changes. Another feedback was on the earlier packaging, where people told us that the concept of it being a RoohAfza and fruit fusion drink was not coming out too clearly. So, we have made the packaging more attractive, relevant and understandable to more consumers. These were some of the changes that we did in the product.

RoohAfza Fusion is targeted at the youth and working professionals (15-35 age group) and a large segment of this population is present on digital. How do you plan to utilise digital in your marketing plan?

We work with a very strong digital agency and all our strategies are focussed on what the current trends are on social media and digital. So, we do many live videos as well. For a product like this, we have to spend a lot of money on digital since the youth are largely on the digital platform and to make this product more relevant, it is not just about promoting and advertising  it is about engaging the youth through interesting videos, games, etc. When you engage them in your activity, they will automatically start writing about your product and share it.

What is the budget allocated for marketing the product?

At present I cant put a percentage to it because there are no sales. So there is going to be disproportionate investment. But I think we will be spending more than Rs 15 crore on marketing.

What about the sales and revenue target?

We have a distribution target and a consumer acquisition target. Sales will automatically come in. We intend to sell close to 5 million units this year.

When do you plan to launch the campaign?

We will create distribution in April and once we are done with a sufficient amount of distribution, we will launch the TVC probably in the first week of May.

Any on-ground activities lined up?

We will do a lot of sampling in general and modern trade as we want more and more people to try out the product. We will also do samplings at schools, colleges, malls and get the consumer to engage more with the product by building kiosks, etc. That is where we will be able to build a strong connect.

What about signing a brand ambassador for RoohAfza Fusion?

As of now we dont have anyone onboard in the upcoming TVC. But going forward we will be considering a brand ambassador for the offering.

How big is the ready-to-drink market?

If you look at the overall beverages, the market is about Rs 28,000 crore. If you remove the carbonated drinks, the market size is around Rs 18,000 crore. If you look at juices, it is about Rs 10,000 crore. The juice category is growing at about 25-26 per cent. Thats a massive growth coming in. So the entire growth engine is towards the juice category. Most of the juices are in PET bottles or Tetrapaks. Thats what we are focusing on. We might also be looking for 1 litre packs very soon and try to upgrade the people from the smaller pack to the larger pack.
The Federal Council

Bern, 12.04.2017 - Multilateral development banks play a central role in supporting the poorest developing countries. Their expertise and size enable them to tackle global challenges such as financial crises, climate change and pandemics. On 12 April 2017, the Federal Council therefore decided to allocate the necessary resources to participate in replenishing the corresponding funds, namely the International Development Agency (IDA), the World Bank, the African Development Fund (AfDF) and the Asian Development Fund (AsDF).

The multilateral development banks are priority partners in Switzerlands international cooperation efforts. They coordinate and implement programmes and projects in the partner countries. Their political neutrality allows them privileged access to the beneficiary countries. They are also invaluable partners for Switzerland as, due to their size and know-how, they are able to achieve an impact far beyond that of individual donors. The banks also make an important contribution to implementing the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Some of the funds will also go towards debt relief measures.

Switzerland is a longstanding member of the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The funds managed by these banks are used to provide low interest loans and grants to countries with the lowest incomes and thus limited access to capital markets. The funds are regularly replenished by the member states.

Over the next three years, the IDA will invest USD 75 billion in development projects in the poorest countries. It has set itself the aim of encouraging more private investment, expanding its involvement in fragile regions and investing more in climate protection measures. The financial resources of the African Development Fund (USD 5.8 billion) will be used in particular to assist fragile states, particularly against the backdrop of the current migration crisis. In implementing its programme (USD 2.4 billion) the Asian Development Fund will place special emphasis on developing the private sector and strengthening governance in developing countries.

Switzerland has committed itself to contributing a total of CHF 645 million to the 18th replenishment of the IDA (IDA-18), CHF 174 million to the 14th replenishment of the AfDF (AfDF-14) and CHF 28 million to the 12th replenishment of the AsDF (AsDF-12). The payments will be made over a nine-year period.

At the same time Switzerland is continuing its commitment to the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative. This initiative aims to progressively cancel the debts to the International Development Agency and the African Development Fund of the poorest over indebted developing countries, as long as the countries can demonstrate that they are carrying out specific reforms. The Federal Council approved MDRI contributions to the IDA and the AfDF amounting to around CHF 131 million.

Due to their proven track record the multilateral development banks have become a mainstay of international development cooperation. The importance that Switzerland attaches to these organisations is underlined by its ongoing commitment.

For further information on Swiss cooperation with the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank:

Address for enquiries

Daniel Birchmeier, Head, Multilateral Cooperation SECO

Tel. 058 464 08 19, daniel.birchmeier@seco.admin.ch



Nicole Ruder, Head, Global Institutions SDC

Tel. 058 462 86 09, nicole.ruder@eda.admin.ch

Publisher

The Federal Council

https://www.admin.ch/gov/en/start.html



Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research

http://www.wbf.admin.ch



Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

https://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home.html




Many have been a bit worried by the sizes of the batteries in the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus, and thats because they are roughly the same sizes as last years smartphones, but they are powering much larger displays. And with there not being a removable battery once again, this means customers will need to rely on battery packs. Luckily there are plenty of great ones on the market, and weve rounded up the very best below.

Anker PowerCore 10000

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This one here from Anker is a pretty small battery pack, with a capacity of 10,040mAh, it should be able to charge either the Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus about 2-3 times. Thats enough to get through a day or even an entire weekend without connecting to a wall outlet. Theres just one port on this battery pack, so unfortunately your friends are out of luck.

RAVPower Portable Charger 22000mAh

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RAVPower has a much larger battery pack here, this time its a 22000mAh battery pack which is enough to charge your Galaxy S8 around 5 or 6 times before it runs out of juice. This one does actually have three USB ports, so you can charge your friends phones if you want, but you can also charge your tablet or smartwatch from this same battery pack as well.

Buy the RAVPower Portable Charger 22000mAh

EasyAcc 20000mAh Power Bank

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This one here is a slightly smaller capacity than the RAVPower one above, but it does have enough juice to keep your Galaxy S8 or Galaxy S8 Plus going for quite a few days. It does also have four USB ports, so you can charge multiple devices at the same time. And perhaps the most important feature of this battery pack is the fact that it has a flashlight included. Now you never know when you may need a flashlight, so its definitely good to have one available.

Buy the EasyAcc 20000mAh Power Bank

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AUKEY 3600mAh Portable Power Bank

While this one here does have a pretty low capacity, its a popular battery pack because of how thin and lightweight it is. Not everyone wants something that is as big as the EasyAcc or RAVPower battery packs that are listed above, and this one from AUKEY definitely fits that bill. It does have just one USB port, which with only 3600mAh capacity, thats really all youd want.

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Buy the AUKEY 3600mAh Portable Power Bank

Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger

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This is one of the larger capacity models on this list, and itll keep your Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus going for quite some time. This has a capacity of 26800mAh, which is enough to keep your device charged for about a week. It has plenty of USB ports, and as youd expect, it is not a lightweight battery pack.

Buy the Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger

RAVPower 20100mAh Portable Charger

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Capacity isnt the only thing that matters when it comes to portable chargers. This RAVPower charger is pretty much future-proof. Were looking at Quick Charge 3.0 supported here, as well as USB Type-C, and since the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus both use USB-C, this is a great battery pack to pick up and put in your possession. And while 20,100mAh capacity isnt the largest on this list, it still is pretty large, and definitely nice to have.

Buy the RAVPower 20100mAh Portable Charger

AUKEY 12000mAh Portable Power Bank

This one is still somewhat lightweight, in terms of capacity, but its also pretty thin, making it nice and portable. This power bank is great because it offers up two USB ports, allowing you to charge your smartphone and a tablet at the same time, or possibly a smartwatch as well.

Buy the AUKEY 12000mAh Portable Power Bank
RPP to support constitution amendment proposal

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has decided to support the constitution amendment proposal registered by the government at the Parliament on Tuesday.
Qualcomm Inc has been ordered to pay an $814.9 million settlement to BlackBerry Ltd. for a dispute which started in 2016, and involved royalty overpayments on certain technology contained in smartphones. The dispute was centered around a licensing agreement, and whether Qualcomm was required to cap certain fees following an unexpected slump in demand for BlackBerry devices. The payment must be made after a hearing which will take place on May 20th. The final award to BlackBerry will also include legal fees and interest. Qualcomm said in a statement on Wednesday that it does not agree with the decision of the arbitration panel. They will not be able to appeal against it as the decision is binding and they have no right to appeal.

Qualcomm owns patents on much of the technology used in todays modern smartphones, including semiconductors. BlackBerry no longer produces the devices that used the Qualcomm technology  all of the design, production, and sales of new handsets are now outsourced to various companies, including Alcatels parent company TCL. The company has recently shifted their focus from producing smartphones to software and they have a range of new security-focused products.

The Chief Executive Officer of BlackBerry Ltd., John Chen stated, we are pleased the arbitration panel ruled in our favor and look forward to collaborating with Qualcomm. He also said that the two companies have a long-standing relationship and would continue to work together. Following the statement on Wednesday, Qualcomms shares dropped by approximately 2.2%, while BlackBerrys shares soared up to 19%. Qualcomm currently has other legal troubles too  they are currently involved in legal disputes over royalties with a number of other companies, including LG Electronics and Apple Inc. Apple has filed disputes stating that Qualcomm illegally tried to control the market for chips. In December last year, they were given a record fine of $902 million by South Koreas Anti-Trust regulator for violating laws. Qualcomm is also under investigation at this time by the US Federal Trade Commission for forcing Apple to use only their chips, which unfairly cut out their competitors. The US Government have said that Qualcomm has a monopoly over the technology and accused them of resorting to anticompetitive tactics.
The Galaxy S8 wont have the Bixby Voice Assistant at launch according to Samsung who has reportedly issued a statement that says the voice assistant wont be available on the Galaxy S8 and the Galaxy S8+ until later in the Spring. While Spring has already started and the Galaxy S8 is launching officially soon, launching later in the Spring means it could end up launching just before the Summer starts which is still a couple of months away.

To clarify, Bixby itself as a piece of software will be launching with both devices, and Samsung has already confirmed this when they announced Bixby officially alongside both of their new flagships back in March. While the voice control service wont launch until a little bit later, users who purchase either the Galaxy S8 or the Galaxy S8+ will still be able to use Bixby to set reminders, and Bixby Vision as well as Bixby Home will also be accessible right from the start, so most of what Samsung had planned for Bixby in terms of functionality wont be held back. Having said that though, Bixby Voice is the most functional part and the biggest part of the A.I. software and could very well be the portion that users were most excited for.

Samsung doesnt explain the reasoning for holding this part of Bixby back and simply mentioned that it would be arriving later in the Spring, as mentioned above, so users will just have to sit and wait until Samsung believes its ready to push to consumers. Its also been reported that the Spring-time launch of Bixby Voice will only be for U.S.-based consumers of Samsungs latest smartphones and there is no word on when Samsung plans to roll the same feature out to other consumers across the globe. Bixby Voice is the part of the software that will enable users to control things by simply speaking to Bixby. So, if users want to initiate tasks or send messages and such, theyll have to wait to use Bixby for this purpose, at least for now. Once Bixby Voice is ready for the public, Samsung will be be sending the feature out to users through a software update.
According to a new leak, the Meizu MX7 might be fueled by one of Qualcomms processors. As some of you might know, Qualcomm actually sued Meizu for patent infringement a while back, and after some negotiations, the two companies signed a global licensing agreement back in December last year. Since then, weve seen quite a few rumors saying that a Snapdragon-powered, Meizu-branded handset is on the way, and if todays leak is to be believed, the Meizu MX7 might actually ship with a Snapdragon SoC.

Now, if you take a look at the image down below, youll notice that the Meizu MX7 is already listed on JD.com (JingDong Mall), one of the largest retailers in China. This handset is covered by a red cloth, so we dont really get to see its design, and it is listed with a 9,999 Yuan ($1,450) price point. Now, this price point is almost certainly completely off, it could be a placeholder pricing for the phone, as the Meizu MX7 will probably be a mid-range smartphone. The Meizu MX6 was announced back in July last year, and was the companys mid-range offering, a quite affordable mid-ranger, actually, so the Meizu MX7 will probably be quite affordable as well. Now, the Meizu MX6 was fueled by the Helio X20 64-bit deca-core processor, and if rumors are to be believed, its successor will ship with the Snapdragon 660 64-bit octa-core processor, which is Qualcomms mid-range SoC.

In addition to the Snapdragon 660 SoC, the Meizu MX6 might sport 4GB of RAM, and the phone will probably be made out of metal. A 12-megapixel snapper will be placed on the back of this phone, if the rumors are to be believed, and you can expect to see Meizus mBack home key below the devices display. Android Marshmallow or Android Nougat will come pre-installed on the Meizu MX7, and the companys Flyme UI will be installed on top of Googles offering, of course. That is more or less all the info that we have thus far, and if Meizu plans to introduce this handset in the next month or two, well probably get more info soon enough.

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A smartphone thats said to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) has been certified by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), according to a recent listing on the regulators website. The certified device bears the model number SM-J727S, and while the listing on the FCCs website doesnt say as much, the device is believed to be the next-generation Galaxy J7 smartphone that will very likely be marketed as the Galaxy J7 (2017) by the South Korean consumer electronics giant. The device has already been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance and also by the Bluetooth SIG organization, implying Samsung may be looking to make it official in the near future. A device with the model number SM-J727P was also spotted on Geekbench back in January, and the phone was also believed to have been imported into India for testing purposes late last year, according to a listing on the countrys import and export tracking website Zauba.

Previous rumors suggested that the Galaxy J7 (2017) will be launched by a number of U.S. carriers including AT&T, Verizon, and U.S. Cellular, and while those reports are yet to be officially confirmed by Samsung, this latest development certainly seems to lend credence to that assertion. As is usually the norm, the listing on the FCC website doesnt really reveal a whole lot about the upcoming handset, but earlier rumors seem to indicate that it will ship with mid-range hardware and be aimed at the pre-paid market for the most part. Samsung is also expected to launch its upcoming mid-ranger in emerging markets like India, but theres currently no word on when it will be released or how much it will cost.

Taking a quick look at the rumored tech specs of the Galaxy J7 (2017), the device is said to feature a 5.5-inch display panel with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Other key specs include a 2.2 GHz octa-core CPU, 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of internal storage. Imaging options on the upcoming Samsung mid-ranger will reportedly include a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel front sensor. Not much else is known about the Galaxy J7 (2017) at this point in time, but more information will hopefully be available soon.
A new Samsung smartphone bearing model number SM-G615F has been certified by the FCC, paving the way for its U.S. release at some stage going forward. The device comes with FCC ID A3LSMG615F, and is expected to be marketed as the Galaxy On7 Pro (2017) by the South Korean consumer electronics company. As is to be expected, the FCC listing doesnt really reveal any of the key tech specs of the upcoming device apart from the fact that it will ship with a 3,300mAh battery and run Android 7.0 Nougat out-of-the-box. The device has also been spotted on benchmarking websites Geekbench and GFXBench in recent times, revealing quite a bit about its hardware configuration.

According to those listings, the upcoming Samsung mid-ranger will feature a 5.7-inch screen with a display resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. The device is also expected to be powered by the MediaTek Helio P20 (MT6757) SoC, which comes with an integrated Cortex-A53 octa-core CPU and the Mali-T880 MP2 GPU. The smartphone is also expected to offer 4GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, alongside 12-megapixel cameras on both the front and rear. The smartphone has already been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA), so all that remains now is for Samsung to make it official. Of course, this is not the only mid-range smartphone that the company is rumored to be working on, with the 2017 iteration of the Galaxy J7 also expected to hit the market fairly soon.

Samsung had launched the first-generation Galaxy On7 and Galaxy On5 as online-only devices in India and a few other markets around the world back in 2015, and followed that up by releasing Pro versions of both devices with extra RAM and storage. With the next-gen Galaxy On7 now certified by the FCC, it will be interesting to how long the company will take to make this official. It will also be interesting to see if the company has any plans to launch an upgrade to the Galaxy On5 and Galaxy On5 Pro, both of which are getting a bit long in the tooth. Either way, theres no more info about the upcoming smartphone right now, but more details will hopefully be available soon.
Sony President Kazuo Hirai recently spoke about a major change in the smartphone industry and predicted the end of contemporary smartphones within the next decade. Hirai gave a comprehensive interview to AFR Weekend in Australia and talked about the long-term future of mobile technology. The Sony chief is already looking ahead to a time beyond smartphones as we know them right now, to a time when virtual reality (VR) solutions will have a more significant role in the consumer electronics industry.

Hirai spoke about the current domination of Apple and Samsung in the slowing smartphone market and acknowledged that Sony is no longer in a position to gain significant market share from the two major players in this segment. This statement was made despite the favorable impact made by the recently released high-end Sony Xperia XZ Premium. Although Hirai also said that the company anticipates its phone division will still be somewhat successful in the future, Sonys executive said it was unlikely that consumers will be seeking smartphones in their current form in the future. Instead, Hirai sees a complete turnaround in mobile communications devices over the next ten years. Although Sonys chief didnt elaborate on the matter, Hirai went on to discuss the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry, implying that segment might somehow change smartphones in the future.

Hirai also spoke about Sonys interest in commercial-grade VR technology, and of the companys beneficial standing in this regard because of its participation in several related fields. Sony will be increasingly focusing on VR, which will encompass many of its business arms including business technology, TV and movie production, gaming, and TVs. Hirai went on to say that the companys established base of PlayStation 4 users made this a rational place to begin the drive forward with VR and said that VR content not related to games will follow in the future. Sonys President went on to emphasize that the VR experience and content creation is important for the future success of the company, as it will have a beneficial impact on not just the companys video game arm but also other areas such as Sony Pictures and Sony Music.
SLMM decides to boycott local polls, dubs new amendment proposal regressive

The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) has decided to boycott the local level elections slated for May 14 and announce fresh protest, saying that the new constitution amendment proposal is even more regressive than the previous one.
Stockholm attack suspect admits to terror crime

Suspected Stockholm truck attacker Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek and jihadist sympathiser, admitted on Tuesday to committing a terrorist crime by mowing down pedestrians on a busy street, killing four people and injuring 15 others.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. In September 2017, 6 countries, including Armenia, will take part in the Combat Cooperation-2017 joint military exercises, Pavel Kurachenko, first deputy chief of the Aerospace Force of Russia told reporters on April 12, RIA Novosti reports.

This years main event of operative readiness is the Combat Cooperation-2017 joint military exercise of CIS participating states through a combat shooting of joint air defense system of troops which will be held in September 2017, he said.

The troops of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as the military delegations of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan as observers will take part in the military exercise.

The 46th session of the Coordinating Committee on Air Defense under the CIS Defense Ministers Council is being held in Bishkek on April 12.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Peaceful talks are strictly important for the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta told the Azerbaijani Trend news agency.

This conflict has no military solution. It is important that the sides gather and work on finding a peaceful settlement. This conflict is already going on too long, the US Ambassador said.

Cekuta stated that the US is actively working by the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group to help the sides to together reach the conflicts peaceful settlement. We must help the sides to move forward, Robert Cekuta said.

Speaking about new US Minsk Group Co-Chair Richard Hoagland, Cekuta highly appreciated his qualities. Hoagland is very energetic and strong player. I think he really will help to move forward the process, the Ambassador said.

As for the ceasefire violations in the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact, the US Ambassador ruled out the military settlement of the conflict. Violence will not help anyone. It is really important that the sides gather together aimed at finding a way for moving forward the process and reaching the peaceful settlement. This is important for all people in the region, Robert Cekuta said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Lithuania Tigran Mkrtchyan on April 11 met with Archbishop Lionginas Virbalas at the Catholic Archdiocese of Kaunas during his visit to Kaunas county, press service of the Armenian MFA told Armenpress.

During the meeting Ambassador Mkrtchyan presented his activity priorities and the upcoming steps. The sides discussed the cooperation prospects between the Catholic and Apostolic churches, the growing pressures on Christians in the Middle East, the religious intolerance. The Armenian Ambassador also presented details related to the Syrian-Armenian community. Agreement was reached to organize joint cultural events in future.

The same day Ambassador Tigran Mkrtchyan had a meeting with Mayor of Kaunas Visvaldas Matijosaitis during which they discussed the decentralized cooperation prospects between Armenia and Lithuania, the opportunity for exchange of experience in the economic development, ensuring tourism growth, establishing trade and cultural ties, services and other fields.

An initial agreement was reached to establish cooperation between one of Armenias regions and Kaunas.

The sides also attached importance to the engagement of business sector representatives within the frames of possible mutual visits of Mayors and Governors.

Kaunas is Lithuanias 2nd largest city, with a population of over 306.000. It is considered Lithuanias educational, industrial and transportation center.
Whereas Europe gets only the five-door hatchback, the all-new Rio in U.S.-spec attire is also available as a sedan. And as with every other cheap subcompact, its the hatchback that wins the beauty contest... if there only were beauty pageant for vehicles in this segment and at this price point.Programmed to arrive at retailers nationwide in later summer, the 2018 Kia Rio stays true to the South Korean automakers core values. Not only does it raise the bar in the small vehicle class, but the Rio is also a better value proposition compared to the model it replaces. And speaking of which, the new-gen Rio is that bit longer, bit lower, and bit wider than the old one.172.6 inches for the Sedan and 160 inches for the five-door, the 2018 Rios length is complemented by a minutely longer wheelbase, thus offering more leg room for those seated in the second row. As far as cargo capacity is concerned, the sedan makes do with 13.7 cu.ft., whereas the 5D has 17.4 cu.ft. to offer. With the rear seats folded, thatd be 32.8 cubic feet.Dont, however, think that Kia skimped on convenience and technology when designing the Rio as a means of transport for the masses. Bluetooth? Check. Satellite navigation? Its got that too. Seven-inch touchscreen for the top-tier EX? Of course! Android Auto and Apple CarPlay ? Check and check again.There are three trim levels to choose from (LX, S, and EX), and only one engine. The carryover Gamma series 1.6-liter GDI features better everything, though, including cast iron linings and aluminum for the block and valve cover. 130 hp and 119 pound-feet it all it has to offer in the 2018 Rio, and transmissions include a good old stick shift or a six-speed automatic.Value has always been a core tenet for the Kia brand and the all-new Rio sedan and five-door continue to underscore our commitment to those buyers looking for an entry-level vehicle but desire more than what the subcompact segment currently offers, said VP of product planning Orth Hedrick.
SUV

Called FT-4X, it is a concept vehicle that portrays how anfor Generation Y city-dwellers could look it Toyota made one. The theme of the automobile was bringing casual-core in a form that will be enjoyed by this generation of consumers, which is not that interested in buying cars as its predecessors were.In other words, Toyota designed an SUV for millennials who live in cities, where they experience a frequent urge to get away. We understand this concept, and we feel this from time to time, but Toyota went further and designed an automobile that was ready for unexpected getaways.Instead of preparing a hard-core off-roader to climb to the top of the mountain, Toyota has made a vehicle that can handle a trail and the city, and that will take you to the scenic point to take the pictures you crave to post on social media.If you are old-school, theres a chance that you may stand on the scenic point and enjoy nature for as many moments as you like.The name of this exhibit signifies Future Toyota, while the 4X stands for four-wheel drive crossover. Responsible for this design is Toyotas Calty Design Research facility, which is located in Newport Beach, California.Since the concept vehicle is not being driven anywhere, Toyota has not specified what kind of drivetrain equips it. Instead, the representatives of the brand have preferred to say that you could assume that the FT-4X would be powered by a small displacement four cylinder engine.The unit would be mated to a mechanical four-wheel-drive system, which will set it apart in the segment if it became a reality, and the setup has the potential of featuring a low-range gear to allow adequate off-roading.
Without providing too many details, the German automaker has published a teaser image of its next exhibit, which will be shown at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. Volkswagen was gracious enough to explain that this is a crossover concept, which means that the brand is exploring all of the possibilities in the field of passenger cars with electric drive.The crossover prepared by Volkswagen wants to blend a four-door coupe with a sport utility vehicle. That is the reason why the rear hatch door looks so short in this teaser image. Theres a possibility that the angle of the photograph tricks the eyes, but it still appears that the rear overhang is unexpectedly short.VW will unveil the next member of the I.D. family this month, and we hope that it will preview a production model. The carmaker has been involved in a massive scandal in the past 18 months, and it would be a positive thing for it to snap out of the entire situation by fixing the affected cars, compensating owners, and building eco-friendly products.Representatives of the automaker have explained that this vehicle is capable of driving itself, and that the self-driving mode is activated by pressing the VW logo on the steering wheel. Once that action is done, the wheel retracts into the dash, to give the driver room to relax.The steering wheel is integrated almost seamlessly into the dash, the marque notes. No buttons will occupy the element, as all of the controls are on touch screens or digitally implemented.The electric revolution could bring a new wave of clients for Volkswagen, a company that is already doing great when sales are concerned, but needs to recover its image capital after the emissions scandal.If the conglomerate manages to launch the range of EVs previewed by the crossover concept and its siblings, Wolfsburgs giant has a shot at achieving that objective.
Syria war: US to press Russia over Assad support

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to urge Russia to stop supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after last week's chemical weapons attack.
 







 



   Dr. Mark Finkler Dr. J. Phillip Sponenberg Dr. Pamela Hand   







   Dr. Wesley Parquette  Dr. Derek Vandrey  

Event: Virginia Veterinary Conference, Feb. 14-16, Roanoke

Awards: Paul F. Landis Veterinarian of the Year: Dr. Mark Finkler, Roanoke. A 1980 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Finkler owns Roanoke Animal Hospital. He also serves as an adjunct professor at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Finkler is a past president of the Virginia VMA. Distinguished Veterinarian Award: Dr. J. Phillip Sponenberg, Blacksburg, in recognition of his professionalism, compassion, and humanity while practicing veterinary medicine. Dr. Sponenberg earned his veterinary degree from the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences in 1976 and his doctorate in veterinary medicine from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1979. He serves as a professor of pathology and genetics in the Department of Biomedical Sciences & Pathobiology at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary Service Award: Dr. Pamela Hand, Free Union, for excellent representation of the veterinary profession through active community involvement and veterinary service. A 1979 graduate of The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Hand served as a behavioral science clinician at the University of Minnesota prior to retirement in 2007. She continues to educate the community on dog behavior and trains Labrador Retrievers to serve as service dogs in Virginia and Minnesota. Recent Graduate Leadership Award: Dr. Wesley Parquette, Manassas. A 2013 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Parquette practices at Pender Veterinary Centre in Fairfax. Mentor of the Year: Dr. Derek Vandrey, Amissville. A 2000 graduate of the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Vandrey practices at Warren County Veterinary Clinic in Front Royal.

Business: The VVMA has partnered with the McLaughlin Young Group to offer an assistance program for members. The program is designed to help with family problems, stress, work-life balance, work-related issues and concerns, depression, substance abuse, grief and loss, and healthy living.

Officials: Drs. Melinda McCall, Louisa, president; Jason Bollenbeck, Leesburg, president-elect; Kelly Gottschalk, Richmond, vice president; Martin Betts, Charlottesville, secretary-treasurer; and Margaret Rucker, Lebanon, immediate past president
Steve LeVine, a former foreign correspondent who joined Axios from Quartz this week, writes: "Putin knows that he has a problem in Syria  he wants to retain Russia's military presence there, but is not wedded to President Bashar al-Assad. Therefore, he will be looking for a face-saving way out of the current crisis."

Get smart: Both presidents have extremely sober-minded senior aides who understand that the harsh exchange of rhetoric between the countries could escalate out of control.

Same lead story in all Big 3 papers ... N.Y. Times: "White House Says Russia Is Engaged in Covering Up Syrians' Chemical Attack" ... WSJ: "U.S. Accuses Russia of Cover-Up" ... WashPost: "U.S. disputes Russia's claims."
Republican Ron Estes won a special election for a typically safe Republican seat in Kansas' 4th District, and will replace CIA Director Mike Pompeo in the House.

Why it matters:
Financial records confirm that Paul Manafort's firm received at least $1.2 million in payments from clients, which were originally listed on a handwritten ledger that surfaced in Ukraine in August when Manafort was still Trump's campaign chairman, The Associated Press reported.

Why it matters: Although the details of the ledger are unrelated to the 2016 presidential election, the newly-confirmed payouts suggest Manafort had pro-Russia operations while he was managing Trump's presidential campaign  and he is currently part of a larger FBI investigation into Trump campaign members and their potential ties to Russia.

Manafort's firm: He had a lobbying firm called Davis Manafort located in Kiev, Ukraine, for many years where he acted as a consultant for the country's pro-Russian ruling political party at the time, when Viktor Yanukovych was president. Yanukovych was also Manafort's main client, and some Ukrainian officials think the payments indicate evidence of a corruption scandal between Yanukovych's party and various clients of Manafort's firm.

The initial documents: The ledger, which originally surfaced in August, showed $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments from Yanukovych's political party to Manafort between 2007-2012, per the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau. The bureau argued that the payments were off-the-books and illegal, often going to election officials.

More money, more problems: "Secret Ledger in Ukraine Lists Cash for Donald Trump's Campaign Chief." Trump fired Manafort as his campaign chairman in August when the New York Times broke the story of his firm's connections to Yanukovych and his pro-Russia political party.

The confirmed payments, obtained by AP:

November 2007, a payment of $455,249 from Graten Alliance Ltd., a now-inactive company that had been registered in Belize.

Oct. 14, 2009, a payment of $750,000 from the Party of Regions. A Ukrainian lawmaker argued in March that this payment was part of a larger money-laundering effort conducted by Yanukovych's political party.

Odd detail: The October 2009 payment invoice was actually addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., which is another company that had been registered in Belize, but the banking details (address, account and routing numbers) belonged to Manafort's Wachovia National Bank account in Alexandria, Virginia.

The explanation: Although Manafort had previously disputed the authenticity of the ledger, he said in a statement to AP that "any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank," adding that he was paid according to his "clients' preferred financial institutions and instructions."

The explanation pt. 2:"Mr. Manafort's work in Ukraine was totally open and appropriate and wire transfers for international work are perfectly legal," Jason Maloni, Manafort's spokesman, said in an email statement today.

What's next: Ukrainian officials have been investigating Manafort's involvement with Yanukovych, particularly after he was ousted as president in 2014 and fled to Russia, which is also when Ukrainian assets were stolen. There's no telling whether things will go, but between the Ukrainian and FBI investigations, Manafort's financial disclosures and ties to Russia will continue to be under scrutiny.
The Syrian Ambassador to the UN claimed Wednesday during a Security Council session that the deadly chemical weapons attack on April 4 was part of a conspiracy, "planned in capitals all over the world," to "put the blame on the Syrian government."

He also said the government had invited the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to Syria to investigate the attack: "The Syrian government wants to know who used the chemical agent in Syria."

What's next: The Security Council reconvenes at 3PM ET to vote on a draft resolution calling on Syria to provide UN investigators access to aircraft and airbases as well as flight plans from the day of the attack.




First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain.





Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that.





And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details.





If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Teacher quits job for polls

Madhu Bohara, of Shuklaphanta Municipality-4, Kanchanpur, has quit her job of a school principal to contest in the upcoming local level elections.
International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday Greece was heading in the right direction on reforms, but talks on its bailout review and the IMF's potential role in it were "only halfway through."

Last week, euro zone finance ministers agreed on the key elements of reforms that Greece needs to implement in exchange for a new loan under its 86 billion-euro bailout program, the third since 2010.

The loan is needed to pay debt due in July, but talks continue and the IMF has not yet decided whether to join the bailout. The fund's participation is seen as a condition for Germany to unblock new funds to Greece.

"What I have seen in the last couple of weeks is heading in the right direction," Lagarde told a conference in Brussels, but "we are only halfway through in the discussions."

She reiterated Greece's debt - now 178 percent of gross domestic product - will need to be restructured to guarantee the stability of the country's finances.

The scope of any restructuring "will be decided at the end of the program," but "the modalities have to be decided upfront," Lagarde said.

Germany, the largest European Union economy, opposes debt relief, believing that agreed reforms are enough to sustain financial stability. But Berlin still wants the IMF to join the bailout, now provided by euro zone governments alone, to make it more effective and less expensive for euro zone countries.

Talks between Greece and its lenders are continuing and no date is fixed yet for negotiators to return to Athens. The Greek government believes talks may resume in Athens after the IMF spring meetings on April 21-23.

"We are still elaborating under what terms we could possibly give some lending to the country. We are not there yet," Lagarde said, adding any IMF loan to Greece would have to abide by strict conditions and no special treatment can be expected for Athens.

The IMF wants pension costs to be cut and the threshold for tax exemptions to be lowered. Athens has accepted the reforms, worth 2 percent of its gross domestic product, but it wants to link their application to a reduction of its public debt burden.

Lagarde said the additional belt-tightening measures could be implemented "as soon as the conditions of growth are consolidated." (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie

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World Bank extends $100m for financial sector stability

The International Development Association (IDA), the anti-poverty support programme of the World Bank Group, is providing $100 million (approximately Rs10.70 billion) in loan assistance to the government to launch programmes to ensure stability in the financial sector.
Alabama Senate grants church its own personal police force

The Senate of Alabama has voted to allow a church to have its own police force.

Legislators on Tuesday voted 24-4 to grant Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, Alabama permission to establish its own law enforcement department, according to AP.

The church said it requires its own police force to keep its congregation, which numbers over 4,000, safe.

'We've got over 30,000 events a year that take place at Briarwood - going on all day, all night, at the school, at the church, at the seminary,' Attorney Eric Johnston who drafted the bill told AL.com in February.

'We have to hire policemen all the time. It would be so much easier to have someone on staff.'

Critics of the move say a personal police unit beholden to the church could be used to cover up criminal activity. Law enforcement experts have reportedly said that such a department would be unprecedented in the US.

Alabama has previously given some private universities the right to create their own police forces, but has never extended the option to non-school entities or churches.

A similar bill is scheduled for debate in Alabama's House of Representatives next Tuesday.

Recent years have seen increased concern about security in churches. Last year Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant signed a gun rights bill called the 'Mississippi Church Protection Act'. The legislation allowed churches to create security programmes designating members to carry firearms to defend worshipers against violence.

The state of Alabama has been caught in controversy this week, with Governor Robert Bentley resigning on Monday, pleading guilty to two misdemeanors regarding campaign finance violations. His resignation ends a year-long scandal that has beleaguered the state government.

'I have decided it is time for me to step down as Alabama governor,' said Bentley at a news conference in the state capital of Montgomery. He said his service as Governor 'was a calling that God placed on my life.'

Additional reporting by Reuters
Armed Conflict, Starvation And Sickness: The Forgotten Children Caught Up In Lake Chad's Crisis

International children's charity World Vision is urging donors attending an Oslo Humanitarian Conference on Nigeria and the Lake Chad Region this Friday to take swift action to help millions of suffering vulnerable children in the Lake Chad Basin.

Some 2.4 million people have been forcibly displaced due to violence and conflict or are trapped in areas that are hard to reach, the charity says. More than 1.2 million of them are children.

World Vision said that children trapped by the fighting are particularly vulnerable to being forcibly recruited into armed groups, sexual exploitation and child marriage.

'This is a crisis of forgotten children. Not only have children been forced to endure atrocities of enormous proportions, but many are also suffering the effects of hunger and illnesses,' said Kathryn Taetzsch, the Lake Chad Basin response director for World Vision.

'Some children are traumatised and require psychological support as well as medical assistance. We are especially worried about those children who have been caught up between armed groups and are now held hostage or forced to fight.'

A total of 17 million people across Niger, Chad, Nigeria and Cameroon have been affected by the long-running violence incited by Boko Haram and the military counter-offensive. Of those affected, 10.7 million people need urgent humanitarian assistance, World Vision says.

While there is much focus on the mass kidnappings of women and girls in northern Nigeria, boys have also suffered the brunt of the crisis in the region, as many are abducted and conscripted.

Over the past three years, militant groups have kidnapped more than 10,000 boys and trained them in boot camps, abandoned villages and forest hide-outs. Boys, and at times girls, as young as five years old are being indoctrinated into violence and used as fighters, suicide bombers and spies. Since 2014, 86 children have been used as a suicide bombers, including 38 last year, World Vision says.

One boy affected by the crisis  and now being supported by World Vision  is Mohamed, aged 12.

Mohamed (which is not his real name) was living in Damasak, Nigeria with his family, before being captured by Boko Haram militants.

Each day before school he used to sell fried yam at the local market. 'The day Boko Haram attacked our town for the first time, I was at the market selling yam,' he told World Vision. Disorientated and afraid, he ran away and was kidnapped and taken to a large compound in town.

Mohamed explained that his kidnapper told him: 'We will educate you, teach you the Holy Quran and you will all become fighters.'

The man who kidnapped Mohamed, who was flanked by three soldiers, made him recite verses of the Quran every day and whipped him if he was too slow in carrying out that and other tasks.

After two months he was eventually rescued by his grandfather, who had been spared by the militants along with other elders. He is now being looked after by World Vision at a refugee camp.

'Children like Mohamed will continue to pay the highest price for this crisis unless their humanitarian and protection needs are urgently met and there's a swift and sustainable resolution to the conflict, World Vision said. 'As donors and humanitarian actors meet in Oslo, Norway, World Vision calls on all parties to the conflict to take immediate measures to protect children and civilians from both direct involvement and the indirect effects of armed conflict.'

That conflict, coupled with the effects of climate change and dire poverty, has further exacerbated the crisis. The land is parched and Lake Chad itself is receding, according to the charity. Water points are scarce, water quality is poor, harvests have dried up and livestock have perished.

Millions have been left struggling for food and water, with traditional means to generate income like fishing, agriculture and trade severely limited.

'Surviving has become a near miracle', Taetzsch said. 'This generation's future is in peril. The scope of this crisis coupled with the humanitarian community's inadequate response are nearly unprecedented. Decades of humanitarian and development gains are threatening to unravel if the global community continues to turn a blind eye to the scale and severity of the crisis. All actors must protect rights, uphold the rule of law, provide emergency water and food assistance, and prioritise ending violence against children.'

The deteriorating humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin has caused World Vision to elevate its response to the equivalent of a UN Level 3 emergency. The charity has established new programmes in Western Chad and scaled-up interventions in Eastern Niger to respond to the needs of 300,000 of the most vulnerable children and their families.

World Vision is appealing for $15m to respond to the urgent needs of families and children in affected areas in the Lake Chad Basin.
Boko Haram Has Murdered 100,000, Displaced 2 Million In War To Wipe Out Christianity In Nigeria

The figures are mind-boggling.

Since the Islamic militant group Boko Haram began its campaign of terror in 2009, about 100,000 people have been killed, consisting of both Christians and Muslims.

Moreover, the jihadist group has displaced over two million people in Nigeria in its ongoing mission to eradicate Christianity in the region, Premium Times Nigeria reported.

The figures were released on Monday by Borno state Governor Kashim Shettima, apparently the first time such accounting of Boko Haram's atrocities was officially declared.

Boko Haram has been waging a relentless campaign of death and destruction in Nigeria since 2009, attacking government buildings, churches, and entire towns and communities, with the ultimate objective of driving Christians out of the country. Christians make up roughly half of Nigeria's population of over 173 million people.

Although Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari claimed that government troops dealt Boko Haram major losses in 2016, the jihadist group continues to launch sporadic attacks on both military and civilian targets.

In fact, last month, Boko Haram made it more difficult for government authorities to stop its suicide bombers by reportedly using babies cradled by female jihadists to attack civilian and military targets.

One such attack took place on Jan. 13 when two women suicide bombers disguised as mothers cradling babies were able to pass through a vigilante checkpoint before detonating the bombs they carried on their suicide vests, instantly killing themselves, the babies, and four other people, officials said.

Boko Haram has also been carrying out terrorist attacks using kidnapped girls as suicide bombers.

In December, Boko Haram reportedly used two young teenage girls to carry out a suicide bombing that left 56 people dead.

A previous report also noted that the jihadist group has destroyed at least 900 churches since its emergence.

Adding more miseries on the lives of Christians in Nigeria are the Fulani herdsmen who compose a radical group that is also waging a violent campaign against Christians. This year alone, the herdsmen have reportedly killed dozens of believers over alleged land disputes.
Britain needs some of Aslan's 'deep magic' to reimagine its future, says Archbishop of Canterbury

Britain needs to 'reimagine' a new set of values to face a radically different future, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the first of his Holy Week lectures at Canterbury Cathedral last night, Archbishop Justin Welby drew on the biblical story of Mary anointing Jesus' feet with perfume to appeal to 'the extravagant, gratuitous love that is the Kingdom of God and which when even palely absorbed into human society is the root and flower of human flourishing'.

He referred to the combination of the huge economic shock from the 2008 Great Recession and the decision to leave the European Union. 'The task of reimagination of our future values is far more complicated than after 1945, and the result is that the process will be one of generations not of a few years,' he said.

He said that by contrast with previous historic periods, 'Today's society is faster, more complicated, more independent and more confused. Religious observance is far weaker, yet where it occurs, far more committed. Political life is very complicated, and nationalism and populism are strong, the former especially in Scotland. The very existence of the UK is seen as at risk.'

However, he said: 'Our deepest narrative of a good society in this land is the Christian one. It is an ever growing story of how the great virtues and benefits of gracious love are lived out in the hard pounding of a changing world. Moments of great change require us both to keep in contact with the deep narrative, and also to express what that means in new ways.'

The choices Britain faces today, he said, had to take account of increased secularism and 'multi-ranging values' as well as a plurality of religions. But he warned of the danger of a 'rootless and self-protective society without generosity, arising from a lack of confidence of what it is to be British'.

Welby drew on CS Lewis' idea of 'deep magic' in his children's novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, saying: 'In such deep values lies the force which drives us forward and corrects our errors. When the deep values are fractured then all hell breaks out. The deep values are those which set our boundaries and cause us instinctively to say "this is not right", or "that is wrong".'

He warned of 'an absolute lack of foundations to deal with numerous faiths, different cultures, globalised economies, and above all, a world in which all values from all over the world confront us more rapidly and effectively than ever before', and suggested that Christian faith could be a 'model and example' of 'a generous and hospitable meta-narrative within which competing truths can be held, a narrative which has the spirit of Mary, extravagant, gracious, beautiful'.

Welby also revealed he is writing a book on British values, to be published next year.
Britney Spears' little sister says God put her in her place after daughter's serious accident

Jamie Lynn Spears, the younger sister of international singing sensation Britney Spears, experienced the stormiest season of her life last February after her daughter, Maddie, got into an ATV crash and was placed in critical condition at the hospital.

Thankfully, Maddie survived the accident. Jamie Lynn, who turned 26 last Tuesday, recalled her daughter's ordeal on Instagram (@jamielynnspears), saying God used the accident to teach her a lesson.

"I'm not one to preach, and I'm no priest, but God's timing is no coincidence," she wrote. "I hate seeing, much less, reading someone's long post, but here I go: Music, and my career [has] always been a big passion in my life, as well as to create a future that my family could be proud of. I have been working on my music for almost a decade now, and I have had many great successes as an artist/writer, but I was always wondering, how long I would have to WAIT for my big break? Wow, did God put me in my place..."

When Maddie, 8, was unconscious for several days in the hospital, Jamie Lynn said time felt like a "blur." She said she put everything on hold while her daughter was in the hospital, and it felt like time did not matter.

"Now, more [than] ever, I realize how important it is to only put your time into things that matter, and I can't wait to get back to my music. Now, that my baby girl is better  I can't wait to make her proud. She is my everything. I want to thank you all for your patience, and prayers as we worked through this hard time."

Jamie Lynn told her fans that she will be creating new music soon, and guaranteed that "26 is gonna be a good year."

Jamie Lynn's daughter was rushed to the Children's Hospital in New Orleans last February after Maddie accidentally drove an all-terrain vehicle into a pond on a relative's property in Kentwood, Louisiana.

The whole Spears family was extremely worried over Maddie's condition, and turned to God during that difficult time. Britney even made an appeal to her 50.5 million Twitter followers, saying, "Need all the wishes and prayers for my niece."

This article was originally published in The Christian Post.
Children are being raped, drugged and used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram

The Islamist terror group Boko Haram is drugging children to turn them into suicide bombers, according to a shocking report today from Unicef.

Eight years after the conflict began and three years since the Chibok girls abduction, the report Silent Shame describes how the situation in the Lake Chad Basin is deteriorating and how thousands of children abducted in Nigeria and elsewhere are enduring 'unimaginable horrors'.

'This crisis is marked by massive violations of children's rights  evident in the use of children on both sides of the insurgency. Boko Haram, in particular, has been leading a systematic campaign of abduction that has forced thousands of girls and boys into their ranks.

'Local militias, formed to protect their communities, have played a key role in stemming the tide of Boko Haram violence, but they too have used children in their operations,' the report says.

A defining feature of the conflict has been the increasing use of children in so-called 'suicide' attacks. Since 2014, 117 children have been used in attacks across all four countries in the crisis  27 since the start of 2017.

The report says: 'While the abductions in Chibok horrified the world, a shocking part of the story is what happens to children in captivity  and after they are released.'

According to the report, child abductions by Boko Haram are carefully planned and targeted.

'Young girls are spotted in the markets, and nighttime raids drag them from their beds. In some cases, parents are killed in front of the girls during the process. This is typically followed by an extended journey to a Boko Haram base in the forest where the girls are forced into early marriage and sexual slavery. For boys, the stories are equally harrowing, with fewer reports of sexual abuse.'

Some children are forced to become abductors themselves and given weapons or whips to round up children and pry them from their mother's arms.

Girls are assigned 'husbands' who rape them. Many girls, some as young as 13, became pregnant in captivity and gave birth without medical care. Frequent beatings are common.

Girls and boys are forced to take part in prayer and attend mosque and adhere to strict religious routines.

The insurgency has changed its tactics over the course of the conflict, from holding towns and territory to a guerrilla-style insurgency that uses hit and run attacks and improvised explosive devices. As militaries have stepped up their attacks on Boko Haram strongholds, there has been a marked increase in 'suicide' attacks across the region.

Since January 2014, 117 children  more than 80 per cent of them girls  have been used in 'suicide' attacks in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon. As of March this year, 27 children have been used in this way in northeast Nigeria alone, the report says.

'The rise in these attacks is deeply troubling for both the civilian victims and for the children being forced to carry out the bombings. Children have been intercepted at checkpoints and taken into military custody for questioning, raising concerns about this practice and the prolonged periods of custody.

'It is unclear whether some of these children are even aware of what they are being asked to do. That they are carrying explosives in a belt on their chests is incontrovertible, but it has been difficult to ascertain if some of these children are being used to transport the devices to other locations and other active combatants or if they are being forced into a perverse death mission in exchange for promised redemption and martyrdom.

'The upward trend of using children as a means to avoid detection is a defining feature of this conflict, already marked by grave human rights abuses. The result is that girls, boys and even infants are being viewed with increasing paranoia at checkpoints, where they are thought to be carriers of explosives,' the report adds.

'Communities are increasingly suspicious of children who have been linked to Boko Haram, creating barriers to reintegration and reconciliation. Society's rejection of these children, and their sense of isolation and desperation, could be making them more vulnerable to promises of martyrdom through acceptance of dangerous and deadly missions.'

Dada's story from Nigeria

Dada, now 15, was just 12 when she was abducted. She recalls one terrible day with Boko Haram, when a young girl was murdered

She remembers the girl screaming, 'Why are you doing this to me? I have a baby!'

The fighters severed her head from the body and threw both the corpse and the decapitated head into the bush.

'Her eyes were wide open,' said Dada.

Four months after being kidnapped, she was sitting outside again with the other abducted girls. Boko Haram members came to her and pointed to a young man about 18 years old. Bana was a fighter and a sheikh.

'This is your husband,' she was told. That night, Dada was raped for the first of many times.

Dada managed to escape the camp, trekking through the savanna for days with no food, until she eventually came across a military camp in Cameroon. Her belly had been swelling up for some time now, and she felt as though she was having a problem with her stomach. After running some tests, the military told Dada that she was pregnant.

Today her daughter is two years old. Dada loves to play with Hussaina, picking her up and tickling her.

'At times, when I look at her I get angry,' Dada said. 'But after thinking, I calm myself down. Wherever I go, I can't be without her.'

Amina's story from Chad

Amina was 16 when a man from another village proposed to her. She accepted against the will of her family and left her village. She had not realised her husband was part of Boko Haram.

After being manipulated and drugged, she was forced into an attempted suicide attack. Four people including Amina were on a canoe riding towards a weekly crowded market. The four girls carried bombs that were strapped to their bodies. When a vigilante committee spotted them on the canoe, two of them activated their explosives belt.

Amina didn't detonate her device but she was injured in the explosion. She lost both her legs.

She was brought to the hospital in severe shock and with grave injuries. She didn't speak and barely ate for months. Following family tracing efforts, her family was found but they rejected her at first out of fear of stigma. After a process of mediation they took her back home.
Christians denied vital aid as famine sweeps sub-Saharan Africa

Christians in sub-Saharan Africa are being denied access to vital aid as a famine affecting millions sweeps across the region, according to the charity Open Doors.

In Nigeria, where Christian refugees have fled the terror of Boko Haram, Christians have reportedly been discriminated against in refugee camps and denied food because of their faith.

The jihadist group began its reign of terror, aimed at eradicating Christianity in Nigeria, in 2009. Bishop William Naga was displaced from his home in Gowoza, Nigeria by Boko Haram in 2014.

Naga told Open Doors: 'The governor did his best when the Christians had to flee in 2014 and 2015. But when the care of the camps was handed over to other organisations, the discrimination started. They will give food to the refugees, but if you are a Christian they will not give you food. They will openly tell you that the relief is not for Christians.'

Not receiving welcome as the main camps, Christians began to form their own alternatives. John Gwamma, the chairman of an informal Christian camp, said: 'We have started informal, purely Christian camps because Christians were being segregated in the formal camps. They had not been given food, or allowed to go to church. There is a term called "arne", meaning pagan. Meaning, you are pagan and not a Muslim, and as long as you are not a Muslim, we don't like you to stay together with us.'

Some faced such dire circumstances that they were forced to eat leaves to survive. Open Doors has partnered with local churches to provide necessary aid such as food and blankets to thousands of families.

One displaced Christian, Mary Charles, was grateful for the support. She said: 'We had to flee Boko Haram because they didn't allow us to go to our farm. We had no drinking water and we didn't have anything to eat. I thank God for this food aid and I thank the people who brought it. We now have food that we can give to our children.'

According to Open Doors, Christians are 'frequently denied access to community resources, such as clean water, health clinics and higher education'. Nigeria is ranked #12 on the Open Doors World Watch List, listing the countries where it is hardest to be a Christian.
Christians in Hungary call on Church leaders to speak up for refugees

Leading members of Catholic and Protestant Churches in Hungary are backing an online petition calling for Church leaders to follow the example of Jesus Christ and serve the gospel rather than the state in the way they respond to the refugee crisis.

The open letter, signed by more than 400 leading Christians, warns of rising concern at the 'growing xenophobia' in Hungary along with a general hardening of public attitudes and laws on refugees.

It all combines to make the plight of refugees even 'more acute', they warn.

They have spoken out after a new law came into effect on March 28 under which all asylum seekers will be contained in a Serbian-Hungarian border container camp.

They describe abuses of power as refugees are deported, including setting dogs on them, depriving them of warm clothes and not helping them deal with cash shortages and broken mobile phones.

'Hungary treats for their guests as potential Muslim terrorists, while most are just fleeing the violent actions of Islamic extremist organisations,' they say. Their dignity is in ruins, and the fear and xenophobia being exacerbated by media reporting jeopardises the whole ethos of helping the poor and disabled.

It is wrong to 'protect' one faith while rejecting refugees of another. It is also wrong to close eyes to 'cruelty' and be ruled by fear, rather than having faith in God and the exercise of mercy.

The lay people acknowledge that Church leaders are cautious because they are reluctant to engage in politics.

They plead: 'We ask you to speak out publicly to our country for humane asylum procedures.... to call for procedures to be put in place that will ensure humane treatment and basic assistance in border areas, and that asylum seekers receive the necessary medical and legal assistance.'

They urge Church leaders: 'Please do not serve the state, but the followers of Jesus: represent the teachings of Christ. Easter approaches. Churches especially must the plight of people who suffer, regardless of their origin or religious affiliation.'

According to The Tablet, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's centre-right government has been widely condemned for using razor fences and armed police to restrict the flow of refugees into Hungary, which granted protection to just 425 of 29,432 asylum-seekers last year.

The country's Catholic Bishops Conference made no mention at its early March plenary of the new Asylum Law, which has been condemned by Western governments and human rights groups, and also denounced by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees for its 'terrible physical and psychological effects'.
Conservative priest asked to take a break after congregation storm out when he criticised Pope Francis

A priest is being asked to take a break from his parish in the Italian town of Montesilvano after some in his congregation reportedly stormed out of Mass when he openly criticised the progressive agenda of Pope Francis.

Reports said that the congregation shouted 'Shame, shame!' at the priest, Edward Pushparaj, when he said Pope Francis had 'only' been 'bad' for the Catholic Church while preaching on Palm Sunday.

The local Archbishop, Tommaso Valentinetti of the Archdiocese of Pescara-Penne, has now pledged to meet the unhappy parishioners from St. Anthony of Padua parish.

In an article published on the archdiocesan website, Archbishop Valentinetti suggested that Pushparaj, an assistant pastor at the church who is also known as Don Edward, may have overstepped the mark during his preaching.

'Preaching is one of the main activities in the ministry of a priest,' Valentinetti said. 'It is a service linked to meditation on the Word of the day, the liturgy, and certainly cannot relate to personal judgments, especially when they are not in communion with the Pope.'

In his homily Pushparaj, who is from India, reportedly referred to the Pope's dialogue with other faiths and in particular his decision to wash the feet of a Muslim woman at a detention center outside Rome on Maundy Thursday in 2013.

'In four years Pope Francis has only been bad for the church,' the priest is reported to have said.

According to Italian media reports, Pushparaj's parishioners have been complaining about the priest for some weeks and claim that he has criticised the Pope's exhortation on the family, 'Amoris Laetitia'.

Valentinetti said that Pushparaj may have been influenced in his anger by certain 'clericalist and pseudo-traditionalist currents that the Pope, fortunately, goes against'.

The Archbishop said he hoped that Pushparaj was just weary and in need of a rest.

'I think it's fair to ask the priest to take some time to rest and release him, temporarily, from his pastoral duties,' Valentinetti wrote.
Coptic churches in Egypt cancel Easter celebrations, mourning Palm Sunday bombings

Coptic churches in the south of Egypt said they would not hold Easter celebrations this year, in mourning of the 45 Coptic Christians killed in the two Palm Sunday bomb attacks.

The Minya Coptic Orthodox Diocese said it would be commemorating Easter 'without any festive manifestations'.

'The Easter mass will be limited to prayers only,' a Facebook statement by Bishop Makarious of Minya and Abu Korkas said, according to Ahram Online.

The Minya diocese, located in Upper Egypt, south of Cairo, hosts the highest Coptic Christian population in the country.

It said the cancellation of services would take effect across all its churches, 'due to the current circumstances the country and the Church are witnessing'.

At least 45 people were killed and more than 100 injured in Palm Sunday bombings on two Coptic churches in Egypt. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The first bombing, yesterday morning in Tanta, a Nile Delta city less than 60 miles north of Cairo, killed at least 27 and injured nearly 80 people.

Just hours later a second bombing took place from a suicide bomber in Alexandria, at St Mark's Cathedral, the historic seat of Coptic Pope Tawadros II. The blast killed 17, including three police officers, and injured 48. The Coptic Pope was unharmed.

Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a three-month nationwide state of emergency following the attacks, and established a Supreme Council to Combat Terrorism and Fanaticism.

The bishop's statement added: 'We apologise that we will not be receiving felicitations from officials or regular citizens. The Eparchy also appreciates all the kind regards it has received from everybody.'

In December, ISIS claimed responsibility for a Cairo Coptic church bombing that killed 27. In February, the jihadist group released a video inciting violence against the 'infidel' Christian faith community. At least seven individuals have been murdered by militants in northern Egypt since January 30, with victims being burned alive, stabbed in their sleep and shot in the street.

Hundreds of Coptic Christians fled the coastal city of El-Arish, Sinai in late February following an increasing terror threat from ISIS against the community. Bishop Angaelos, the head of the Coptic church in the UK, said Copts in the area were essentially told to 'leave or die'.

Egypt's Christians  mostly Orthodox Copts  represent about 10 per cent of the country's majority Muslim population.
'Cyrus Prophecy' the reason why witches everywhere are casting spells on Donald Trump?

A Christian author has provided one possible explanation as to why witches all over the world, not just in America, are apparently casting spells on President Donald Trump.

Speaking to CBN News, author and speaker Lance Wallnau said the reason why witches want Trump out of the White House is because of the "Cyrus Prophecy" that has been spoken about the U.S. President.

"It's particularly interesting. You would think that this would be a uniquely American problem. But the witches community globally is incensed with Donald Trump," Wallnau said.

"That gives you a sense of the metron of authority that this particular ruler has that witches around the world are uniting trying to curse him," he said. "I don't recall a presidency that ever stirred up so much intense unity among occult opposition, and that ought to tell a Christian something."

Wallnau said this shows that there has been "an anointing on this administration and God Himself must have an agenda because the devil's organizing publicly to try to block it."

Before last year's U.S. presidential election, Wallnau had predicted that Trump was the "prophesied president," CP reported.

Wallnau claimed that he had a talk with God who told him that "the 45th president is Isaiah 45."

"I said, 'Isaiah 45?' The Lord said, 'The 45th president is Isaiah 45,'" Wallnau stated.

Later he found out that America was about to elect its 45th president. He then turned to Isaiah 45, which read: "Thus saith the Lord that Cyrus whom I have anointed, I will break open for you the two leaved gates of Babylon and I will drain the river dry."

That was when he claimed to have found the connection between Trump and Cyrus.

"Cyrus, historians say, snuck into Babylon without a fight because He drained the river upstream and marched his soldiers through so they came through the gates without any resistance," Wallnau said. "Cyrus was the individual who the prophet Isaiah prophesied 100 years before he came to power and said that he is being raised up for Israel's sake, for God's people."

In the interview with CBN News, Wallnau said the works of the witches should not be taken lightly.

In February, the witches launched a campaign to #BindTrump on social media, casting their first spell on Feb. 24.

They vowed to continue casting spells on Trump every month until he leaves office.

A group called "Magic Resistance" even launched a Facebook page to help recruit more people to #BindTrump.

ExtraNewsfeed detailed the spells the witches are casting on Trump.

Wallnau said these curses need to be blocked "by a vigilant shield of intercession 24 hours a day for the president, for his family and for those who are his top advisors."

He recently hosted a live stream prayer for Trump's protection on Facebook.

Wallnau said the witches' effort to get rid of Trump is actually encouraging more Christians to pray for the president.

"As witches go public on cursing Trump, Christians increase their intercession for him. So it's possible while they're attempting to do him damage, it's mobilizing more prayer than the president's had since election night," he said.

This article was originally published on The Christian Post.
Evangelical churches are booming in Brazil's poorest communities

Evangelical churches are booming in traditionally Catholic Brazil, particularly among the country's most deprived communities.

In Brazil's favelas, low-income slum settlements lacking access to resources such as healthcare, sanitation, transportation and property registration, the Church has become a vital support.

'The government doesn't help us so God is the only option for the poor,' Pastor Antonio, 37, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Antonio, like many poor young men, was raised in the favela and drawn to the drug trade before finding God and becoming a minister. He says the Church provides hope and support for deprived Brazilians who have little else in their lives.

'There are a lot of problems here in the favela. Poverty, a lack of work, crime, mental health issues - the church helps with these things.'

Evangelical churches are growing, experts say, in part because they provide essential services such as education, security and economic development.

Evangelicals make up much of Brazil's more-than-20 per cent Protestant community, according to the Pew Research Centre. Overall Brazil has a population of about 200 million. In 1949, the Protestant community was only three per cent of the country.

In favela communities, the evangelical communities are larger, sometimes about 50 per cent, according to Jeff Garmany, a lecturer at King's College London's Brazil Institute.

In Cantagalo, one of three favelas in southern Rio de Janeiro, with a population of about 30,000, there are two Catholic churches and over 15 evangelical churches, according to Antonio.

'People in favelas are dealing with serious issues of stigma, poverty and violence,' Garmany said.

'The state's inability to adequately deal with these issues allowed the churches to grow and make inroads with people.'

About 20 per cent of Brazil's big city residents make their home in informal favelas, making conservative evangelicalism an increasingly significant force in society.

Senator Marcelo Crivella, an evangelical mega-church bishop, was elected mayor of Rio de Janeiro last year, with a significant vote from working class communities.

Garmany added: 'The evangelical churches aren't just providing religious services in the favelas, they're addressing social issues people are dealing with head-on.'

One worshipper at a service at a charismatic Assemblies of God service in Cantaglo had a simple explanation for the church growth.

'What the world can't provide us, the church provides,' she said.

'The church gives me things the physical world cannot offer.'
Franklin Graham hits back at Saeed Abedini over claims he failed to help the pastor after his release from Iranian prison

The evangelist Franklin Graham has hit back at his former ally Saeed Abedini, the pastor who has claimed that Graham did very little to help him since his release from an Iranian prison last January.

'It is unfortunate that Graham's efforts to secure his [Abedini's] release from an Iranian prison and provide transportation of him from Germany to America, his financial assistance to Saeed and Naghmeh ... his provision of marital counseling at no cost to them, and various offers of employment for Saeed have now been met with a bitter Facebook post about him and his ministry, Samaritan's Purse,' Graham's spokesperson, Mark DeMoss, said in a statement.

The response comes after Abedini hit out at the 'life-style' and alleged hypocrisy of Graham, the President of Samaritan's Purse who has supported Abedini in the past.

Abedini, who was arrested in Iran in 2012 and sentenced to eight years imprisonment for preaching the gospel, was released along with three other Americans last January in exchange for seven Iranians.

He wrote on Facebook that he was 'used' by the likes of Graham, the president of the charity Samaritan's Purse, saying that 'persecuted' Christians such as himself have 'always have been used with famous and rich pastors and preachers who used us for fundraising and recently because of special media attention on me some of them tried to show themselves as saviors of the persecuted churches and me which it wasn't true and right but their own benefit'.

He added: 'One of theses pastors is Franklin Graham, who has about 1000,000 $ salary and so many planes and private jets and every time he flies his gas price is just 10,000$ means tides of 300 teachers with 3000$ salaries and he flies a lot with his jets. He tries to show he is helping persecuted a lot and he has some speech about them but this kind of life style shows he doesn't have any idea of life of persecuted churches.

'This kind of people ask others to come to repentance nationally but first themselves needs to start the real repentance which starts with changing their life-style.'

The pastor, who is based in Boise, Idaho, continued: 'A week after I got released and Franklin Graham welcomed me home (because of the huge international media attention on me he badly wanted to be involve) he knew I don't have any place to go but he left me alone in Boise until I was forced to call him to ask money to rent a place.

'When all cameras and social media attention were gone in my life, all the famous pastors and lawyers were gone too, and just a week after my freedom, I saw myself so alone with my family while still news were talking about me.'

Abedini claimed that Graham refused to help him find a job to pay the bills or to meet Donald Trump.

He added that the subject of the 'persecuted Church' is 'always hot' in the media and makes 'people's heart melt to give financially' but ultimately only benefits 'famous rich pastors' such as Graham.

But responding, Graham's spokesperson continued: 'While he never raised money from others for Saeed or Nahgmeh [Abedini's wife], his ministry did provide funds to help Naghmeh travel and raise awareness for her husband's case, and to help her care for her two children and herself while her husband was unable to work and provide for them.

DeMoss continued: 'When Franklin Graham first learned that American pastor Saeed Abedini had been imprisoned for his Christian faith in Iran in 2012, he did what millions of people around the world did  he began to pray for his release and for his family here in America. He also did whatever he could to draw attention to the plight of this pastor, including speaking personally to President Obama and President Putin about his situation and urging Christians around the world to pray for his release.'

Abedini is a former Muslim who grew up in Iran and converted to Christianity in 2000, moved to Idaho in 2005 and became a dual US-Iranian citizen in 2010.

While in Iran, he organised underground 'house churches' where groups of Christians worshipped together.

In 2009, while on a family visit to Iran, Abedini was detained at the airport and he agreed to cease all house church activities.

He travelled back and forth to Iran to build an orphanage over the next few years.

But he was again detained in July 2012 on charges of evangelising and sentenced to eight years in prison. Abedini, who said he was imprisoned for 'being a Christian and refusing to renounce my faith in Jesus Christ', suffered internal injuries from beatings he endured and was denied medical care during his imprisonment in Iran.

In February, Abedini pleaded guilty to violating a restraining order taken out by his estranged wife, Nagmeh, who had campaigned for his release from prison.

Graham's spokesperson concluded: 'Mr. Graham is no longer in communication with Saeed or Naghmeh  having exhausted efforts to help them be reconciled  and he does not intend to respond to future comments from either of them. However, Franklin still requests prayer for Saeed, Naghmeh, and especially their children who don't understand the adult issues they are facing.'

Graham has been criticised for his annual compensation of $880,000 for his work with Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Samaritan's Purse has its own planes to carry out mission work. Graham, who is 64, has said that he wants to make enough money to be able to work for free when he turns 70.
NASA announce new discoveries about 'life beyond Earth': Have they found God?

Tomorrow NASA will announce important new discoveries in 'the search for life beyond Earth'. Have they found God?

It's a question prompted by an historic moment in man's search for the stars, celebrated today. On April 12 in 1961 Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Garagin became the first human to travel into outer space, and perform the first manned orbital flight.

When Gagarin returned to Earth he reportedly reflected that in space: 'I looked and looked, but I didn't see God.' Another imagining of the quote has Gagarin staring into space simply saying 'I see no God here'.

It looks good on a poster, but Gagarin didn't actually say it. The line is a reworking of what Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev said as part of the state's anti-religious propaganda.

For some, the line makes a snappy polemic and a cunning 'gotcha' moment: Imagine God lives somewhere just outside of Earth  go to space and 'ha! He isn't there!' Take that, theists.

It is somewhat amusing to imagine the creator of the Universe hiding-not-very-well in the spatial vicinity, perhaps camping out on the dark side of the moon, hoping he isn't rumbled by the invention of space travel.

But humankind's quest for the divine has never seriously been a question of getting to space and finding out where God lives. It's a quest that runs deeper  through the very human heart. To misquote a classic country ballad, Khrushchev was looking for God in all the wrong places.

When the psalmists of the Old Testament wonder at the beauty of the stars, they praise God  but they don't suggest that the divine is also up there among them. For them, God is the powerful, pre-existing creator  the one behind all things and beyond all things: 'the heavens declare the glory of God' (Psalm 19:1). Christian theology has twinned this idea  a holy, transcendent God far beyond our comprehension  with another: that God is also far closer than we think.

The story of Scripture is not so much one of man searching for God, but of God searching for man. As David declares in Psalm 139: 7-12:

'Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.'

The cosmic drama celebrated at Easter takes this even further. Through the incarnation, God himself becomes human, dwells with us, makes his home on Earth. The evangelist St John reflected on this mystery: 'No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.' (John 1:18)

St Paul encouraged the pagan crowd at Athens that God is 'never far from any one of us'. (Acts 17:27) God isn't a distant, cosmic cloud-dweller waiting to be found somehow. In Jesus, God is the daring traveler, the pioneer, the savior  and he finds us.

What then of NASA's upcoming announcement? The space agency have promised important news about 'the search for life beyond Earth'. I'm guessing they haven't 'found God' (though that would be impressive) but they do have interesting discoveries to share about 'ocean worlds' within our solar system. Interest has risen in Jupiter's moon Europa, with speculation that its oceans may in fact provide stable conditions for life. NASA are otherwise playing their cards close to their chest, so before their press conference at 7pm GMT tomorrow, we can only wonder.

The search for 'life on other planets' can make some Christians nervous, since the Bible doesn't say much about other-worldly aliens. If intelligent extra-terrestrial life were discovered, would it shatter Christian faith? Would it undermine the idea that human begins are God's special creation as implied in the Bible? Vocal creationist Ken Ham thinks so, having argued that the search for life in space is pointless and 'driven by man's rebellion against God'.

Others are more optimistic and open. Christian theology after all, doesn't say that humans are special because they're at the centre of the universe, but because they're recipients of God's grace. As David wrote in his psalm, it's the gift of life and relationship with God - not our place among the planets - that gives us value.

As for exploring, Christians have frequently led the way in the search for the unknowns of our Universe. The quest for knowledge and the exploration of creation can bring us wonder, beauty and crucially  humility. In space, you can find God  but not in the way that Khrushchev imagined.

When we look to the heavens, we don't need space-exploration to tell us we're not alone. I'm excited about NASA's news, but Christian wisdom is clear: we've never walked alone.

You can follow @JosephHartropp on Twitter
Piers Morgan attacks US and world media for failing to cover Islamist 'war' on Christianity

The British commentator Piers Morgan has criticised American and other world media for not giving enough coverage to the 'war' on Christianity waged by Islamic extremists.

Morgan, who co-presents ITV's Good Morning Britain, was speaking in the wake of the bombings of two Egyptian churches on Palm Sunday that left at least 47 people dead and 100 more injured.

Speaking to Fox News, Morgan said that the latest attack on Egypt's Coptic Christians was 'unbelievably significant' and that ISIS was carrying out 'a genocidal attack' on Christianity across the Middle East.

'You know, if you look at what ISIS really stands for, what they are carrying out in the Middle East, and in Egypt in particular, is a kind of genocidal attack on Christians and Christianity,' he said.

'They want Christianity eradicated, and they want to convert all Muslims to their crusade, they want it to be a Holy War, and they want Christians gone.'

He added: 'I don't think that narrative is getting the attention it should get in the American media, and I have to say in other media around the world.'

The bombings were the latest in a string of attacks on Coptic Christians in recent years.

Islamic State claimed that two Egyptian suicide bombers were responsible for the blasts and threatened further attacks.

Egyptian Christian leaders have been warning of inadequate protection in the face of attacks. Bishop Angaelos, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, warned before Sunday's bombings: 'At the highest level, a lot of attention and care is given to this issue. But the problem is at the local security level.'

He told the Guardian: 'Reports [of attacks] are not taken seriously or investigated robustly. There are a lack of prosecutions and people not being held to account. That almost reinforces a sense of impunity.'

The Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis will carry out a trip to Egypt later this month.

The Pope's visit is 'very significant' for both Catholic and Orthodox communities, said Bishop Angaelos. 'It's a wonderful chance for Francis to practically show support for Christians in Egypt and in the Middle East.'

The Bishop has said that lists of churches and individuals have been released as 'desirable targets' by terrorist groups. 'Innocent men, women and children have had their lives brutally and tragically ended for no other reason except that they are Christian.'

Last December, 29 people were killed in a bombing at St Peter's church, near the main Coptic Christian cathedral in Cairo.

In February, 40 Christian families fled Al Arish in northern Sinai after the murder of seven people.

According to Jantzen Garnett, an expert on ISIS with the Navanti Group analytics company, it was not until December 2016 that the Islamic State began a systematic campaign to target Coptic Christians in Egypt.

He told Agence France-Presse: 'As the Islamic State is squeezed in Iraq and Syria it often conducts spectacular attacks elsewhere in an attempt to regain the narrative, boost morale and win recruits.'

Security is expected to be tight for the Papal visit, which includes a speech to an international peace conference and a celebration of Mass with the small Catholic community in Cairo.

Angaelos said: 'The world we live in now means there is always a risk. Someone of the profile of Pope Francis  both the head of a church and a head of state  means there will be security protocols in place to protect and safeguard him.'
Priest On The Front Line Of The Refugee Crisis Speaks Out

A priest who acts as an Army chaplain has spoken about the conditions aboard the board where he is stationed.

Speaking to the Catholic News Agency, Father Alberto Gaton talked about his position on a Spanish rescue ship which patrols the Mediterranean Sea and rescues boats which have got into difficulty.

In recent months he says the team has rescued around 3,000 people. 'Seventy percent of them are Christians fleeing from persecution in their countries,' he told CNA. 'They're fleeing persecution from Boko Haram in Nigeria, the terrorists groups, the situation in their countries.'

The clergyman celebrates communion every day on board the resuce boat. He says that in five months, he has yet to see a rescue that wasn't successfully carried out. 'Thanks be to God,' he said, 'we were able to rescue all the boats we were responsible for, even though some of them were in very bad sea conditions.'

As a Roman Catholic Priest, he has been meeting Christians of other denominations on the boat. He says he spent some time with a Protestant pastor who was on the run from persecution. 'I helped him in everything I could,' Fr Gaton said, 'I am always there with the families, with the sick.'
Top US-based evangelical author and broadcaster converts to Eastern Orthodox Church

A prominent US-based evangelical author and broadcaster known as 'The Bible Answer Man' has been formally received into the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Christian Post (CP) revealed that Hank Hannegraaff, who is president and chairman of the Christian Research Institute, was 'chrismated' on Palm Sunday at Saint Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Fellow Orthodox Christian Rod Dreher, the author of the New York Times best-selling book The Benedict Option, welcomed the development. 'What outstanding news,' he told CP. 'Many evangelicals seek the early church; well here it is, in Orthodoxy,' the author said.

'I am sure some will be scandalised by Hannegraaff's conversion but I hope at least some will wonder how someone as knowledgeable about the Bible as Hank could convert to Orthodoxy, and go to a Divine Liturgy to taste and see what it's like.'

Dreher described how 11 years ago, he came to the 'foreign country called Orthodoxy' himself and now cannot imagine being anywhere else.

'The richness of Orthodox theology and worship is incomparable,' Dreher said, and Orthodox life is 'sedimenting love for Christ into my bones'.

Hannegraaff is considered one of contemporary America's leading Christians apologists. Born in the Netherlands but raised in the Christian Reformed Church in the US, Hannegraaff was once strongly linked to D. James Kennedy and the ministry of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Florida, according to CP.

In 1989, he became the president of the conservative Christian Research Institute, which was founded in 1960 as a Protestant countercult and apologetics ministry.

He is best known as host of the nationally syndicated 'Bible Answer Man' radio broadcast in which Hannegraaf frequently answers questions about Christian doctrine, Bible interpretation, and theological differences between denominations.

He is the author of more than 20 books, including Christianity in Crisis and The Apocalypse Code: What the Bible Really Teaches about the End Times and Why It Matters Today.

Fr. Patrick Cardine, a priest at Saint Patrick's Orthodox Church in Bealeton, Virginia, said that one of the main differences between Eastern orthodoxy and evangelical Protestantism is the nature of the Church.

The Orthodox view of the Church is that it is 'an icon of Christ and the Body of Christ,' he told CP.

'And by physical we mean hierarchical and sacramental ... the expression of her concrete reality,' he added.

Cardine told CP that he was not surprised that Hanegraaf was received into the Orthodox Church in the light of his deep knowledge and study of the Scriptures.

Protestantism, he said, 'is actually much more philosophical and abstract and adheres to theological systems created by men, which tries to take the Scriptures as proof texts to prove those teachings'.

Cardine, who is a former Baptist, noted that since he became Orthodox he was for the first time 'able to actually embrace the Scriptures on their own terms and without reservation,' adding: 'The Scriptures say all kinds of things that Protestants don't really like or believe.'
Trump spokesman Sean Spicer faces sacking calls after claiming Hitler did not use chemical weapons

Donald Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer is facing an international backlash and calls to resign or be fired afterclaiming that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War Two.

During his daily press briefing yesterday, Spicer compared the Syrian President Bashar Assad to Hitler while responding to a question about an alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria last week.

'You had a  someone as despicable as Hitler, who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons,' Spicer said.

Later in the briefing, Spicer claimed that Hitler 'was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing'.

The Anne Frank Centre for Mutual Respect led the criticism, calling for the President to sack Spicer 'at once'.

Steven Goldstein, the executive director of the centre, said in a statement: 'On Passover no less, Sean Spicer has engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable, by denying Hitler gassed millions of Jews to death.'

He called Spicer's comments 'the most evil slur upon a group of people we have ever heard from a White House press secretary,' adding: 'Sean Spicer now lacks the integrity to serve as White House press secretary, and President Trump must fire him at once.'

Spicer later apologised for the comments, telling Fox News: 'I was trying to describe the attack on his own people - the use of chemical weapons. Frankly, I mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there's no comparison.

'Obviously, that's not what I wanted to do and especially during this week, I regret using that term.

'I apologise and hope that we continue to focus on the President's decisive action that he took to deal with the situation in Syria.'

Democratic House leader Nancy Pelosi also called on Spicer to be fired, saying: 'While Jewish families across America celebrate Passover, the chief spokesman of this White House is downplaying the horror of the Holocaust. Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the President should have known better than to hire him.'

In Israel, Transportation Minister Israel Katz (of the Likud party) called Spicer's statement 'grave' and 'outrageous,' adding that there is a 'moral obligation that precedes diplomatic policy'.

The Knesset Israel-US Relations Caucus Chairman Nachman Shai (Zionist Union) said Spicer's statement was ignorant and outrageous and called Trump to renounce them.

'The White House urgently needs a history teacher,' said Shai. 'Ignorance is not acceptable...Hitler used chemical weapon of mass destruction in a large scale that human history hadn't seen until then, and since then.'

Referring to the White House statement commemorating International Holocaust Remembrance Day in which Jews were not mentioned as victims, Shai added: 'This a second failure of the White House recently, regarding the biggest tragedy that occurred to the Jewish people and took place in the twentieth century...Where are the president's tweets when you need them?'
Americans trust big companies less and less. When Bill Clinton took office in 1993, only 31 percent of Americans said that they had little or no trust in business, according to Gallup. On the eve of Donald Trumps presidential victory, 38 percent said that they didnt trust business. Some public skepticism of any large institution, whether government or corporate, is healthy. But that skepticism has turned rancorousand big companies have played a significant role in their loss of credibility.

On Sunday, United Airlines became the latest corporation to show that it is unaccountable to its customers. As everyone knows by now, the company had overbooked the last flight of the day from Chicago to Louisville. No one volunteered, so United bumped four paying customers. Three left voluntarily. The fourth, a 69-year-old man, refused to go. Chicagos aviation police officers dragged him out of his seat and up the aisle, causing bleeding to his face.

Instead of apologizing and promising to change its protocol, United grew defensive and entrenched itself behind legalistic corporate-speak. The company claimed that its employees had followed established procedures to remove the man from the planeto re-accommodate him, in their clunky euphemismusing its legal right to deny people boarding when it overbooks a plane.

This approach reminds ordinary people that they are at a legal disadvantage in their day-to-day business transactions with large institutions. Uniteds contract of carriage the rules you agree to abide by when flyingis 37,286 words long, the length of a short book. Nobody reads it.

Aside from the legalese, people dont read contracts of carriage, or warranties, or car rental agreements, or website terms of service for a good reason: we have no input. Its not as if United has a team of lawyers to propose a draft of the contract, and then each passenger employs his own team of lawyers to pore over it and decide which provisions they think are fair or not, sending it back to United for negotiations. If you dont electronically sign the contract of carriage as is, you cant fly. That technically insulates the company from as much liability as its lawyers think they can get away with, while preserving a tattered freedom of choice for the consumer.

The law aside, Americans have an innate sense of fairness. Bumping a passenger before he boards an aircraft may be fair, if inconvenient. Frequent fliers are accustomed to seeing it happen, and they know that they run this risk. Bumping a passenger after he is on the aircraft, by contrast, is unfair. After a prospective flier has arrived at the airport on time, thrown away his water, and gone through security and boarding, his reward is that he gets to relax for a couple of hours with a book or some music. He is done worrying about missing his flight.

When United decided that it needed some seats, the company could have used simple economics to change behavior. If nobody took up the airlines reported offer of $1,000 to leave voluntarily, they could have raised it to $2,000, or $5,000, or $10,000in cash, not vouchers. Airlines charge whatever they can get from the market for their seats, so why should auctions to find volunteers to be bumped have an artificial price ceiling? Instead, the airline used its power to summon the governments brute force to circumvent market forces.

Consider that United bumped its four passengers not because it had booked too many paying customers, but because it needed to fly four of its own employees to Louisville. The airline found it inconvenient to make its employees wait until the next day. But United did not seem to consider that the same truth holds for the flying public. The man that United dragged off the plane claimed to be a doctor with patients to see. Other fliers refused to give up their seats voluntarily because they, too, presumably, had things to do and places to be.

United is not the only corporation alienating Americans by acting outrageously. This week, Wells Fargo moved to claw back $75 million in compensation from its former CEO and retail-banking chief, noting somewhat startlingly that the CEO had been aware of systemic fraud at the bank for 15 years.

Its time that corporate executives do some self-examination into their own role in losing public trust. The customer isnt always right. But an airline that assaults a customer is always wrong.

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images
The Department for International Development has delayed the launch of a new funding programme intended to improve co-operation in the aid sector.

UK Aid Connect, which was announced at the end of last year, was supposed to invite proposals in March with a view to awarding funding later this year. DfID did not say how much funding would be available via this programme.

A DfID spokeswoman told Civil Society News that UK Aid Connect is due to launch soon.

It was one of four new programmes announced by DfID at the end of last year, following its Civil Society Partnership Review.

A number of funding programmes for charities ended in 2016 and will be replaced with the new funding - the recipients of which have yet to be announced.

Between 2011 and 2016 DfID provided just under 689m to 41 organisations. Oxfam was the largest recipient and received nearly 65m. DfID said that as part of its new programmes it was moving away from funding core costs.

The aim of UK Aid Connect programme is to support coalitions of CSOs, think tanks, public, private and third sector organisations to help find solutions to current complex situations whilst tackling tomorrows challenges.

Two programmes took applications for funding in January. Around 60 charities have applied for funding from the 30m UK Aid Match programme and around 600 have applied to the UK Aid Direct.

DfID is currently reviewing applications to these funds.

No timescales were attached to the fourth programme, UK Aid Volunteers, which intends to support International Citizen Service.

End of longstanding programme for large charities

When the Civil Society Partnership Review was announced in November Priti Patel, Secretary of State for International Development, said she want to support more smaller charities.

Last month she announced another fund for smaller charities, which will be run with the help of the Charity Commission. The size of the fund has not been revealed and more details are not expected until the summer.

In Charity Finance

Funding for development infrastructure

Bond, the umbrella body for international aid charities, has seen its sustainability questioned. Last year Devex, an international aid publication, reported concerns that the organisation faced closure if it could not secure additional funding from DfID.

Its funding from DfID came to an end in March last year but some of it was extended for nine months.

Bonds accounts show that it was uncertainty over DFID funding from January to March this year, and that if there was no additional funding secured the charity would use its reserves.

The most critical risk concerns long term DfID funding, its accounts say. Bond has developed outline contingency plans, which would require further significant reduction in costs and in the strategic scope of its work going forward. We plan to review the outlook for DfID funding in middle 16/17 and take appropriate action in order to ensure the cost of Bonds work are in line with expected income levels.

For the financial year ending March 2016, total income for the year was 2.8m, with nearly 1m coming from DfID. Nearly 350,000 for advocacy and representation and 645,000 for its effectiveness and futures programme. Both programmes were three-year programmes ending in 2016.

Bond received 1.3m from its membership and communications activity and the charitys leadership said it was in discussions with DfID but that it would be able to continue regardless.

Civil Society Media is hosting its NGO Insight conference on 28 November 2017. For more information, and to book, click here
Two farming and food education charities have proposed a merger to increase the impact of their work.

Linking Environment and Farming (Leaf) and Farming and Countryside Education (Face) today announced their plans to merge. The charities anticipate the merger to be complete by summer 2017.

The charities said that the proposed merger will serve to combine the strength and expertise of the two organisations, to help drive forward an efficient and effective strategy that will directly improve education in and appreciation of, agriculture and food production.

Leaf has an income last year of 1.1m, while Face had an income of 683,000. A spokeswoman for the organisations said that it is envisaged that, if the merger completes, the Leaf brand will remain as it is, and the Face brand will remain in the short to medium term.

She added that in the longer term, and as part of the merger agreement and subsequent strategic development, a full review of the brand positioning will be undertaken, during which key stakeholders will be consulted.

Caroline Drummond, chief executive of Leaf, will lead the merged organisation. She will work with Dan Corlett, chief executive of Face, to ensure the merger meets the Charity Commissions legal requirements.

Chief executive of Face to step down

Corlett will leave his post at the end of August to take his career in a new direction, which the boards and trustees of Face and Leaf wish him well with. They have also expressed their thanks and appreciation for all that Dan has achieved for Face in the last three years and the positive difference he has made to the quality of education, school aged children now receive in farming, food production and the countryside.

Drummond said: We are really excited at this opportunity which comes at a time when it has never been more important to demonstrate and state the case for British agriculture. The potential merger offers a real opportunity for our two organisations to work together even more effectively and efficiently to deliver multiple benefits to our partners and stakeholders.

The proposed merger will enable Leaf to further deepen our public engagement activity and allow the Face team to scale up their work, nationally and regionally as the interface between agriculture and schools. Such a combination will undoubtedly strengthen the impact of both organisations and improve the publics understanding of farming, food and the environment.

See also

Corlett said: This is a very exciting moment for Face. I am very proud of all that the Face team has achieved and the place we hold as a leader in taking agriculture into schools. The exploration of this new phase, would allow us to maximise Faces expertise in creating systemic change in education and the potential for this newly expanded organisation to offer stakeholders and partners improved efficiencies, enhanced engagement and create even greater opportunities for educating and engaging the public.

No redundancies are expected to be made as a result of the merger, although as part of the due diligence process the governance structure will be reviewed and staff, partners and stakeholders advised in due course.
Gregory Vincent explores the changing landscape for charities remitting money abroad.

The globalisation of the worlds economy is resulting in two important developments that threaten to turn traditional financial behaviour on its head. The first such development is that, increasingly, funds are now spent in the developing world in the local currency of the country in question, instead of in US dollars (USD).

For a myriad of reasons, governments are insisting that their sovereignty be respected and local expenses be settled in local currency, making the argument for holding USD onshore significantly less relevant.

At the same time, it is becoming easier and easier to now source local currency efficiently and (most importantly) transparently from international hubs, reducing the need to run multiple local treasury and finance operations in programme countries.

Nearly all major INGOs (including supranational organisations and even some government departments and development agencies ) now run international hubs, with one central specialised finance team responsible for sourcing local currency needs. This helps keep expenses to a minimum whilst simultaneously increasing head office oversight and is becoming an increasingly cost-efficient strategy even for mid-size and smaller charities.

Why is this story relevant to charities working abroad? Well historically there has been an argument for sending and holding USD (and other hard currencies) for the developing world. These arguments have centred around maintaining the value of the sent amount (as regards protecting against devaluation), the requirement to pay locally in USD and the complexities involved in exchanging into local currency in international markets.

The reason that recent developments are welcome is due to the risks associated with simply remitting USD, which include:

Delays in funds arriving

USD continues to be the worlds funding currency, meaning that relatively smaller aid and development payments sit a long way down the priority list of the large correspondent banks  where there are problems it can be very difficult to get sufficient attention from the correspondent network to fix quickly.

The involvement of multiple banks in the chain

Any of these banks may choose to charge a fee or may add to the potential delay; lack of clarity as to what is the genuinely available exchange rate (when funds sit already in the hands of the local bank before they are exchanged into local currency, ones negotiating position is weakened)

The ultimate use of the funds

USD can easily be sent back offshore and are far more attractive to those who seek to divert the proceeds of local development organisations than local currency which, by its nature, must stay in the local economy.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it certainly represents a series of worries for any CFO or Finance Director when contemplating how to fund offices and projects in the developing world. Fortunately, with the benefits highlighted above, at least many of these can now be avoided!

Gregory Vincent is head of FX payments (EMEA) at INTL FCStone.

Civil Society Media would like to thank INTL FCStone for their support with this article.
Grewen Hall at Le Moyne College, which will use a nearly $1.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to train 18 undergraduates as teachers of science, technology, engineering, and math, or the STEM fields. Those obtaining New York teaching certificates would serve high-need districts in Central New York, the office of U.S. Representative John Katko (RCamillus) said in a news release. (Eric Reinhardt / BJNN file photo) 

SYRACUSE, N.Y.  The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Le Moyne College a grant of nearly $1.2 million to train teachers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.

The teachers would then serve high-need school districts in Central New York, the office of U.S. Representative John Katko (RCamillus) said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Le Moyne will use the grant to recruit, enroll, and prepare 18 undergraduate students in the STEM fields to obtain New York teaching certification, according to Katko. The Congressman had supported the application that Le Moyne College submitted for the federal funding, his office said.

Le Moyne will collaborate with local organizations, including the Syracuse City School District, Onondaga County Libraries, On Point for College, the Museum of Science and Technology, and Baltimore Woods Nature Center, to establish the program and prepare 18 undergraduate students to pursue careers in STEM education to help high-need districts.

The NSF awarded the funding through its Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program. It responds to the critical need for K-12 teachers of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by encouraging talented STEM students and professionals to pursue teaching careers in elementary and secondary schools.

STEM education is key to our economic future, and it is critical that we equip our local students with the skills they need to pursue careers in these innovative and high-demand fields, Katko contended in the release. This major grant to Le Moyne College will help recruit and develop educators so that they can equip our local, high-need students with STEM skills.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com
The industry growth story over the coming 10 years will be MSC Cruises based on existing ship orders and known deployment and withdrawals.

MSC will increase its market share to 11.6 percent from 7.0 percent at the end of this year and be the third largest cruise company in the world, according to the 2017-2018 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

The privately-owned company is set to grow its passenger capacity at an average annual rate of approximately 9.9 percent over the 10-year period, from being able to carry an estimated 1.8 million passengers this year, to 4.4 million by 2027.

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings slips to fourth place with 3.6 million passengers and a market share of 9.5 percent in 2027. The companys brands are expected to carry some 2.2 million passengers this year.

Carnival Corporation will continue to be the largest cruise company, but will see its market share shrink from an estimated 44.1 percent this year to 40.7 percent in 10 years. The companys brands, which can carry more than 11 million passengers a year today, will have an annual capacity of 15.5 million by 2027.

While growing, Royal Caribbean will also see its market share slip a bit from 23.9 percent this year to 21.6 percent by 2027. Its estimated annual passengers capacity now is about 6 million passengers and will be 8.3 million in 10 years.

About the Annual Report:

The Cruise Industry News Annual Report is the only book of its kind, presenting the worldwide cruise industry through 2027 in 400 pages.

Statistics are independently researched. See a preview of last years edition by clicking here.

The report covers everything from new ships on order to supply-and-demand scenarios from 1987 through 2027+. Plus there is a future outlook, complete growth projections for each cruise line, regional market reports, and detailed ship deployment by region and market, covering all the cruise lines.

Order the 2017-2018 edition today.
Princess Cruises has announced that the Majestic Princess will be based in Sydney over the 2018-2019 and will not be year-round in China as previously announced.

As well, in 2018, Princess will move the Sapphire Princess out of the Chinese market and re-deploy the ship to Europe.

The Majestic Princess will be the largest Princess ship ever to sail in Australian waters, with her deployment confirming the cruise lines popularity amongst Australian and New Zealand cruisers, said Princess, in a statement.

She will offer cruises in Europe and China before heading south to Sydney where she will be homeported from September 2018 through to March 2019, when she will return to China.

During her inaugural Australian season, Majestic Princess will sail on 16 cruises to destinations including Fiji, New Zealand and Tasmania as well as two Asia voyages between Shanghai and Sydney, and Sydney and Hong Kong. Unveiling the program, Princess Cruises Vice President Australia & New Zealand Stuart Allison said the deployment of Majestic Princess was testament to Australians love of cruising and the popularity of Princess Cruises in the region.

From her gourmet restaurants to her stunning onboard features, Majestic Princess is nothing short of magnificent. Were thrilled to be welcoming our newest, most stylish and most luxurious flagship to our shores  having just experienced her preview voyage I know Australian cruisers will love all that she has to offer, Allison said.
Fincantieri announced that it signed a deal with the French State, represented by the Agence des Participations de l'Etat (APE), in regards to its buy-in of the STX France shipyard.

The agreement, which is a key element for the finalization of the final agreements among future shareholders, also includes the guidelines of the business plan, shared with APE, prepared by Fincantieri for STX France.

Fincantieri is working with the Court of Seoul in order to finalize the acquisition of STX France as soon as possible, said a press release.
Throughout my 20+ years in the credit union industry, I have heard many credit unions discuss developing a merger strategy. In reality, the majority of credit unions only consider consolidation strategies and, consequently, many of them dont gain as much value as they had hoped.

Whats the difference?

Consolidation can be an excellent path forward for credit union growth. With consolidation, CUs are able to leverage economies of scale and enjoy a wider base of members. When organizations consolidate, they likely bring a lot of similarities to the table. This can lead to reduced operating expenses, but is not the only pathway to growth and is not right for all credit unions.

Because of a deal struck to avoid a debt-ceiling showdown during the presidential elections, the Treasury has been cutting its cash balances at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, helping to boost liquidity and forcing a retreat in the metric the Bank for International Settlements recently crowned the markets new fear gauge.
Talking Points

- The USD/CNH consolidates within a range; Chinese exports could add momentum to it.

- Shanghai Composite Index tests a major resistance; Xiongan-related shares show divergent moves.

- Read DailyFX Q217 trading guides for the U.S. Dollar and equities outlook.

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Yuan Rates

The USD/CNH tested 6.8980 but failed to break below this level. Earlier this week, the offshore Yuan pair hit above 6.9088, but didnt hold above the level either. In the coming 24 hours, event risks from China and the U.S. could add momentum to the pair.

USD/CNH 4-hours

Prepared by Renee Mu.

On Chinas side, March exports and imports prints could lead Yuan rates. Last month, China unexpectedly posted a trade deficit, the first time in three years. Also, Chinas trade practices were in the spotlight during the Trump-Xi meeting last week.

The Chinese trade data are normally scheduled to be released within a time frame (a couple of days) rather than at a specific time on a specific day. For instance, the March prints are scheduled to be released between April 12 and 13, according to Bloomberg.

This time, the Chinese media has reported that the spokesman from the General Administration of Customers will host a press briefing and take questions on the Q117 exports and imports conditions at 10pm ET Wednesday. This narrows the range of the release time for the trade report. Also, 9 out of 12 times in 2016, China Customers Department published trade gauges between 9pm to 11pm ET.

On the U.S. side, the job market report to be released at 8:30am ET on Thursday and the Michigan Confidence print at 10:00 am ET could be major drivers.

Click here to read the full DailyFX Economic Calendar

Chinese Shares

Shanghai Composite Index has been testing 3282, the November high day close, over the past five trading days, but has not yet broken above the key resistance. The new special economic zone theme could continue to lead price moves in Chinese shares for the coming session.

Data downloaded from Bloomberg; chart prepared by Renee Mu.

Xiongan-related equities have showed divergent moves Wednesday: some shares hit the daily limit-up of 10% while others fell by -10%, the daily limit-down. Following the release of Xiongan New Area, Chinese investors have been eager to trade this theme and are trying to figure out which companies could benefit from it.

On one hand, investors showed strong confidence in Tangshan Port and several other companies, despite that these companies announced last Friday that the new special economic zone will have no immediate impact to them. Their stock prices touched the daily limit-up for the sixth consecutive day on Wednesday. On the other hand, investors began to sell shares of Tianjin Port, Beijing Shougang and a few other firm, after held them for less than a week.

This could continue to be the case for the following days, as Chinese investors, especially retail investors, make investment decisions more based on news or even rumors than solid analysis. They could rush to purchase some stocks amid speculation. Then the next day, they may say wait a minute, that was not right and then began to sell their shares.

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Talking Points:

Gold prices surge as interest rates decline amid risk aversion

Crude oil prices rise on Saudi support for output cut extension

Commodities may reverse recent move on US/Russia bargain

Gold prices surged as risk aversion swept financial markets. Haven-seeking capital flows pushed up Treasury bonds and sent yields lower while the priced-in 2017 Fed rate hike outlook implied in futures markets flattened. This bolstered the relative appeal of non-interest-bearing assets including the yellow metal.

A risk-off mood may continue to translate into gold gains as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travels to Russia, where a diplomatic showdown looks likely after last weeks missile strike against Syria. Indeed, S&P 500 futures are down alongside local bourses in Asian trade, hinting that investors remain on edge.

While Tillersons rhetoric hardened at a G7 meeting this week, he also reportedly questioned why US taxpayers should be interested in Ukraine. That may hint at a possible bargain that has Russia trading some easing of Ukraine-linked Western pressure for dialing back support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Signs pointing to the emergence of such an accommodation may be interpreted as de-escalation by investors, opening the door for a recovery in market-wide sentiment. That may see rates rebounding as Treasuries retreat, putting gold prices back on the defensive.

Crude oil prices continued to march higher amid reports that Saudi Arabia will support extending last years OPEC production cut accord into the second half of the year. API reported that US inventories lost 1.3 million barrels last week, helping to push prices upward.

If signs of a fledgling understanding between the US and Russia trickle out, easing supply disruption fears may weigh on energy prices. Selling pressure may be tempered if EIA inventory data falls closer in line with APIs estimate than the consensus forecast calling for a smaller 772.2k barrel weekly draw.

Will gold prices continue to rise in 2Q? See our forecast to find out whats driving market trends!

GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Gold prices broke trend line resistance guiding the move lower since July 2016, hinting a significant change of direction is at hand. From here, a daily close above the 61.8% Fibonacci expansion at 1282.31 opens the door for a test of the 1302.90-08.00 area (76.4% level, former support). Alternatively, a reversal below the February 27 high at 1263.87 exposes the 1241.50-49.01 region (chart inflection point, 38.2% Fib).

Chart created using TradingView

CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Crude oil prices rose for a fourth consecutive day. Near-term resistance remains at 53.57, the 50% Fibonacci expansion, with a break above that exposing the 55.10-21 area (January 3 high, 61.8% level). Alternatively, a turn back below 38.2% Fib at 50.04 paves the way for a retest of the 23.6% expansion at 50.14.

Chart created using TradingView

--- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com

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DHAKA  Members of the Bangladeshi government recently met with stakeholders from the African cotton sector to look at Africa as an alternative source of cotton imports in a bid to reduce its dependency on China, where government stockpiling causes huge price volatility, and India. At present, India and China are the two leading cotton exporting countries to Bangladesh, however, Africa as an alternative source was discussed at the 'African-Asian Cotton B2B Meeting' which was arranged by International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation in Bangladesh.
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The issue of water availability, water conservation in wet processing, wastewater discharge, the circular economy and the rise of environmental awareness in India will dominate this years Planet Textiles Summit on sustainability on 24th May at the JW Marriot Hotel in Bangalore, India.

Speakers at this years event will include the Indian Governments Textile Commissioner, Dr Kavita Gupta, will make an opening address at this years Planet Textiles Summit to be held in Bangalore on 24th May.

Known for her engagement and interest in environmental issues in relation to Indias vast textile industry, Dr Gupta will use her opening address to outline some of the key approaches and new challenges that the Indian Government will help the textile industry to address going forward as it continues a rapid growth trajectory.

The value of the Indian textiles industry, is currently estimated at around US$ 108 billion, but is expected to reach US$ 223 billion by 2021, according to the India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF)  a trust established by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. The textile industry is the second largest employer in India after agriculture, providing employment to over 45 million people directly and 60 million people indirectly  and has faced many environmental challenges during its growth.

Also speaking, will be Manoj Gulati, Executive Director, India, of the international NGO Water.org, which was co-founded by actor Matt Damon and which has so far positively transformed more than five million lives around the world through access to safe water and sanitation.

In 2015, Spanish apparel retailer Inditex allocated 3.7M to Water.org to help improve access to safe water and sanitation in developing areas. The money provided more than 33,000 microloans which benefitted over 160,000 people in Bangladesh and Cambodia. In January this year, Inditex chairman and CEO, Pablo Isla, met with Water.org founders Matt Damon and Gary White, at Davos in Switzerland to reaffirm the Spanish apparel retail giants commitment to the NGO.

Wastewater solutions

One of the key environmental issues for Indias textile sector surrounds wastewater treatment, pollution and remediation, an issue which has also been a massive issue for the global textile sector at large. As an international event taking place in India this year, Planet Textiles will also hold a special breakout session on wastewater in the textile sector featuring Sajid Hussain, Chief Operating Officer of Tamilnadu Water Investment Co. Ltd, a company which was instrumental in the zero liquid discharge (ZLD) initiative in Tirupur  a city at the epicenter of Indias knitted fabric sector.

Sajid will discuss experiences of the ZLD project and possible ways forward including the development of policy framework, and challenges such as how ZLD can mean the generation of hazardous solid wastes, which pose new disposal challenges for the global textile sector.

He will be joined on the panel by Stefan Seidel, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Puma Group who will also flag up the work of the ZDHCs wastewater discharge initiative and how brands and retailers and the textile industry in general can roll out these guidelines across the whole sector.

Reliance and Ellen McCarthur Foundation confirmed

Delegates at Planet Textiles 2017 will also hear a unique insight from polyester textile giant Reliance Industries  which in addition to its polyester manufacturing arm, also has 3,300 retail outlets across India.

Middle class consumer spending in Asia-Pacific is expected to outstrip the rest of the world in the next decade, which is fuelling phenomenal growth in the Indian retail industry. This is expected to result in the sector doubling in value from 2015 to 2020, according to Gunjan Sharma, CMO, Reliance Polyester Sector, which is the worlds largest integrated polyester fibre producer, who will also give delegates an appraisal of how the company is addressing the issues of carbon and water footprints as well as supply chain traceability.

Reliance also manufactures the PET chips that are used to make bottles and recycles the same bottles back into textile fibres, thus closing the loop, which will also be a feature at this years event thanks to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
BETHESDA, MD - The American Association of Anatomists (AAA) is honored to announce its 2017 award winners. All awards will be presented during the Closing Awards Ceremony at AAA's 2017 annual meeting at Experimental Biology (EB) in Chicago, IL. The ceremony is being held at Hilton Chicago on Tuesday, April 25, 2017, at 7:30pm.

The 2017 award winners are:

Henry Gray Distinguished Educator Award

Wojciech Pawlina, M.D., Mayo Clinic School of Medicine

Dr. Pawlina will receive AAA's highest education award. He is being recognized for his distinguished work in human anatomy education. He will present a lecture, "Getting to the Heart of Anatomical Sciences Education," at EB. His talk will highlight goals of anatomy education and discuss how anatomists must ensure that learners not only possess the necessary breadth of knowledge in anatomical sciences, but also skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, and professionalism among others.

Henry Gray Scientific Achievement Award

H. Joseph Yost, Ph.D., University of Utah, School of Medicine

Dr. Yost will receive AAA's highest scientific award for his unique meritorious contributions and achievements in the anatomical sciences. Dr. Yost will also lead a lecture that highlights an overview of Left-Right (LR) developmental pathways that impact cardiovascular and neural development. He'll also give his view toward the future, in which the LR development field will impact basic sciences, human genetics, and clinically relevant biomedical research.

A.J. Ladman Exemplary Service Award

Marion "Emmy" Gordon, Ph.D., Rutgers University, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy

Dr. Gordon is being recognized for her exceptional service to the society and mentorship and outreach in the field of anatomy. She will present a lecture, "The Path to Anatomy via Molecular Biology," at EB. Her talk will highlight her career path from molecular biology to anatomy and her role and commitment within the AAA.

Basmajian Award

Heather Jamniczky, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, will be honored for her excellence in teaching gross anatomy and her accomplishments in biomedical research and scholarship in education. She will be presented with a plaque and honorarium.

Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards

Katrina Jones, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Scholar, Harvard University; Aleisha Moore, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Mississippi, and Alice Accorsi, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow, Stowers Institute for Medical Research will each be honored with a fellowship of $20,000. This fellowship is intended to provide salary support for recipients in their pursuit of postdoctoral research.

Keith & Marion Moore Young Anatomists' Publications Award

Ali Nabavizadeh, Ph.D., Assistant Professer at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University is being recognized for having the best publication by a young anatomist in our society's journal, The Anatomical Record, "Evolutionary Trends in the Jaw Adductor Mechanics of Ornithischian Dinosaurs."

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About AAA: The American Association of Anatomists (AAA) was founded by Joseph Leidy in Washington, D.C. in 1888 for the "advancement of anatomical science." Today, via research, education and professional development activities, AAA serves as the professional home for an international community of biomedical researchers and educators focusing on the structural foundation of health and disease.

About Experimental Biology (EB): EB is an annual meeting comprised of over 14,000 scientists representing six sponsoring societies and multiple guest societies. Primary focus areas include anatomy, physiology, pathology, biochemistry, nutrition and pharmacology. EB is open to all members of the sponsoring and guest societies and nonmembers interested in the latest research impacting life sciences. Attendees represent scientists, academic institutions, government agencies, non-profit organizations and private corporations.
New statin guidelines are more likely to treat these people before their heart attacks

MINNEAPOLIS - 04/12/2017 - For decades, national guidelines on which Americans should take cholesterol-lowering medications relied heavily on an individual's level of bad cholesterol (LDL). In 2013, new guidelines moved to treatment based on a person's overall heart attack risk.

"The data on statins clearly shows that individuals with normal cholesterol levels can also reduce their risk of heart attacks," said Michael Miedema, MD, MPH, cardiologist with Minneapolis Heart Institute and principal investigator for a Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation study of the new guidelines.

However, the study found that more than half of the patients had not seen a physician in the two years prior to their heart attacks.

"The more recent cholesterol guidelines are clearly a big step in the right direction, but we need to have better systems and incentives in place to get patients the assessment and treatments that could potentially be life-saving," Miedema said.

When the more recent cholesterol guidelines were applied, the patients were twice as likely to be eligible for a statin prior to their heart attacks compared to the older guidelines that relied on cholesterol levels. Seventy-nine percent were statin eligible according to the newer guidelines, compared to 39 percent that qualified by the older guidelines.

"Heart disease is a multifactorial process, and factors others than cholesterol, like smoking or high blood pressure, can raise your risk even if your cholesterol is normal. In fact, we found that the average cholesterol levels in this group of individuals were quite average," Miedema said.

Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation researchers analyzed risk factor data, cholesterol values, and prior medical encounters in 1,062 patients who were treated for STEMI heart attacks between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2014 as part of Minneapolis Heart Institute regional STEMI program. A STEMI, or ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction, is one of the most serious cardiovascular events, as it can frequently lead to severe damage to the heart and even cardiac arrest.

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"Statin Eligibility and Outpatient Care Prior to ST-Elevation Myocardial Infection" will be published April 12 in the American Heart Association's peer-reviewed Journal of the American Heart Association. The study was funded by the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. About the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation

The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation (MHIF) strives to create a world without heart and vascular disease. To achieve this bold vision, it is dedicated to improving the cardiovascular health of individuals and communities through innovative research and education.

Scientific Innovation and Research -- MHIF is a recognized research leader in the broadest range of cardiovascular medicine and population health initiatives. Each year MHIF leads more than 175 active research projects and publishes more than 175 peer-reviewed abstracts. Cardiologists, hospitals and communities around the world adopt MHIF protocols to save lives, improve care and create healthier living opportunities.

Education and Outreach -- MHIF provides more than 10,000 hours of education each year putting its research into practice to improve outcomes. And, MHIF leads cutting-edge, transformative population health research to connect, engage, inform and empower individuals and communities to improve their health.

The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation's work is funded by generous donors and sponsors and supports research initiatives of Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

Minneapolis Heart Institute physicians provide care for patients at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis and at 38 community sites across Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Minneapolis Heart Institute and Abbott Northwestern Hospital are part of Allina Health.
Mothers who work as health care professionals, such as physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners, can reduce their stress levels and burnout significantly by participating in close supportive groups at work, according to a new study by researchers at Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic.

According to the study, "Fostering Resilience Among Mothers Under Stress: 'Authentic Connections Groups' for Medical Professionals," the shared experiences in these support groups provide a wealth of nurturance for the women. The study results are published in the current issue of Women's Health Issues.

Groups in the intervention provided "comfort, solace and advice, as needed, building what some called a 'secret sisterhood' of shared experiences with genuineness and reciprocity in the relationship," says Suniya Luthar, a Foundation professor of psychology at ASU and the lead author of the study. "These factors help build resilience for professional mothers who are under great daily stress, with substantial dual demands at work and at home."

Cynthia Stonnington, M.D., associate professor, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, and chair of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic's Arizona campus, is senior co-author and collaborator on the project. Other authors are Alexandria Curlee, an ASU graduate student; Susannah Tye, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic; and Judith Engelman, M.D., a psychiatrist in private practice.

"Women medical professionals who are mothers often face the dual role of being the primary caregiver both for their patients and their children," says Dr. Stonnington. "This puts them at higher risk for burnout than their male counterparts. Our study investigated how this supportive program might help mitigate stresses and promote their day-to-day health and well-being."

The Authentic Connections Groups intervention involved weekly sessions at work over a three-month period. The researchers randomly assigned 40 women at Mayo to one of two groups -- either the 12 weekly one-hour sessions of the Authentic Connections Groups or 12 weekly hours of protected time to be used as desired. The study was supported by seed funds from ASU to Luthar, and the Mayo Clinic contributed time to participate.

The study showed that those who participated in the Authentic Connections Groups significantly reduced their depression and other global symptoms of stress than those given free time (the control group). Secondly, relative gains were still more pronounced three months after the program ended. Follow-up assessments showed significant differences between the groups -- not only on depression and stress, but also on almost all other central variables, including parenting stress, self-compassion, feeling loved and physical affection. Participants in the Authentic Connections Groups also showed more reductions in cortisol levels (a biochemical indicator of stress) than control moms after the intervention and at a three-month follow-up.

In explaining why this program worked, Luthar says the Authentic Connections Groups actively and continually fostered development of close, mutually supportive relationships, and the resulting shared experiences and bonding helped to lower participants' stress levels.

"Resilience research clearly shows the critical protective power of reliable close relationships," Luthar says. "In this program, our focus was on developing and strengthening what we called go-to committees for each woman. As topics were shared in the weekly group sessions over time, the moms each also shared them with their respective go-tos. By the end of three months, each woman had developed great closeness not only with other moms in their work setting, but also with at least two or three other women in their personal lives."

A critical factor in enabling this effort was the institutional commitment to wellness. Dr. Stonnington reported that the Authentic Connections Groups program was implemented as part of an initiative begun in 2015 at Mayo Clinic's Arizona campus to address burnout and turnover among female physicians.

"Another major reason for the success of this program is that the groups were implemented in the women's everyday settings, during their regular workdays," says Luthar. "That the Mayo administration gave them the one hour per week free time to participate was a critical consideration, given how very packed these women's schedules can be."

The U.S. surgeon general recently stated that efforts to promote the well-being of medical professionals must become a major priority among health care organizations. This study demonstrates that facilitated colleague support groups can provide a viable, low-cost preventive way to mitigate burnout among women medical professionals who also are mothers.

More broadly, the authors note that the Authentic Connections Groups program could be widely used in workplace wellness programs, given the high cost of worker stress and depression in contemporary America. Since completion of the Mayo project, Luthar and colleagues have completed groups with military mothers and now are offering it to women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, with both new projects implemented at ASU.

"It is our hope that, over time, the Authentic Connections Groups program will come to benefit women, mothers and other adults in salient caregiving roles, as they routinely give so much of themselves to others while experiencing high everyday stress," Luthar says. "It just makes common sense. Those who serve as first responders and offer so much tending for many others, must themselves be tended - with this happening on a reliable and ongoing basis."

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About the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University Alliance for Health Care

The Mayo Clinic and ASU Alliance for Health Care is developing comprehensive improvements in the science of health care delivery and practice, all toward one goal: continually advancing patient care. Together, the recognized world leader in patient care, education and research, and the nation's No. 1-ranked university for innovation are combining expertise from every corner of health care - doctors to bioengineers to business experts - for an adaptive approach to preparing the next generation of health care pioneers and practitioners in our communities. Learn more at http://mayo.asu.edu.

About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to clinical practice, education and research, providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Skip Derra, ASU, 480-965-4823, skip.derra@asu.edu

Jim McVeigh, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 480-301-4368, newsbureau@mayo.edu

Tags: Resilience, Arizona news releases, news releases, physician burnout, Dr. Suniya Luthar, Dr. Cynthia Stonnington, Women's Health Issues, Authentic Connections Groups program, Arizona State University, Mayo Clinic
This article by Dr. Stefania Brotini et al is published in CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets, Volume 16, 2017

Parkinson disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. First described by the English physician James Parkinson two centuries ago, there is yet no cure for PD. Indeed, there is a long list of failed clinical studies based on successful data obtained with exogenous neurotoxin preclinical models [1]. Palmitoylethanolamide, an endogenous fatty acid amide signalling molecule well-known for its ability to promote the resolution of neuroinflammation and exert neuroprotection, has shown potential therapeutic action in such animal models [2,3]. In our research, we show that ultra-micronized palmitoylethanolamide (um-PEA), slows down disease progression and disability when used as add-on therapy in advanced PD patients.

30 patients with diagnosed PD (mean age of 73) receiving L-DOPA daily and other PD medications in some cases were assessed monthly over 3 consecutive months. Thereafter, um-PEA (Normast, a food for special medical purposes) was given at 1200 mg daily for 3 months, followed by 600 mg/day for up to 12 months. The MDS-UPDRS questionnaire was used to assess motor and non-motor symptoms. Patients underwent clinical assessment at months 1, 3, 6 and 12. PD medications were maintained during the period of um-PEA treatment.

um-PEA add-on therapy to L-DOPA led a significant and progressive reduction of total score in Non-Motor Aspects of Experiences of Daily Living, decreasing from 9.7  1.18 at baseline to 4.5  0.69 at month 12.

Moreover, one year um-PEA adjuvant therapy brought about a significant and progressive reduction in the average Motor Aspects of Experiences of Daily Living total score, from 12.7  1.37 at baseline to 7.6  1.06 at month 12.

In addition, average total motor complication score diminished from 8.8  0.8 at baseline to 4.2  0.48 after 12 months of um-PEA adjuvant therapy.

The addition of um-PEA treatment also induced a significant and progressive reduction of motor complications that went from 8.8  0.8 at baseline to 4.2  0.48 at the end of um-PEA therapy.

None of the participants reported side effects attributable to um-PEA.

In conclusion, um-PEA represents a safe and efficacious adjuvant treatment in patients with advanced PD receiving L-DOPA therapy, by providing clinically meaningful improvements in non-motor and motor aspects of daily living, as well as motor symptoms and motor complications of the disease. Moreover, our findings demonstrate the translatability of um-PEA action in PD from rodent to man.

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Stefania Brotini1, Carlo Schievano2, and Leonello Guidi3

1,3Movement Disorder Center, Department of Neurology, San Giuseppe Hospital, Empoli, Florence, Italy.

2Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Padua, Italy; Innovative statistical Statistical Research, Padua, Italy

Reference: Brotini S. et al. (2017).

Ultra-Micronized Palmitoylethanolamide: An Efficacious Adjuvant Therapy for Parkinson Disease, CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets, doi: 10.2174/1871527316666170321124949.

[1] Athauda D, Foltynie T. The ongoing pursuit of neuroprotective therapies in Parkinson disease, Nat Rev Neurol (2015);11:25-40.

[2] Avagliano C, Russo R, De Caro C, Cristiano C, La Rana G, Piegari G, et al. Palmitoylethanolamide protects mice against 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity and endoplasmic reticulum stress: in vivo and in vitro evidence, Pharmacol Res (2016);113:276-89.

[3] Esposito E, Impellizzeri D, Mazzon E, Paterniti I, Cuzzocrea S. Neuroprotective activities of palmitoylethanolamide in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. PLoS One (2012);7:e41880. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041880.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] -- The idea of sleep is supposed to evoke feelings of peace, relaxation and refreshment, but when expert Mary Carskadon talks about teen sleep in school districts with early start times, she uses far less comfortable words.

"Social policy clashes with what we see from the biology," said Carskadon, a professor of psychiatry and human behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. "For teens, when they have not gotten enough sleep and they have to get up too early, they are crushed in the morning."

Over decades of study, Carskadon has shown that two systems that regulate sleep, circadian rhythms and sleep pressure, both change as children grow up. While they still need the same amount of sleep throughout childhood -- ideally 9 to 10 hours -- older kids naturally become inclined to go to sleep later (as their circadian rhythms skew later). That means they become biologically predisposed to sleep later, too, to fully relieve that sleep pressure - or biological need to sleep. Yet society frequently requires that they wake early.

"They are incredibly sleepy from the sleep pressure, but also they have to be at school at a time when their circadian system wants them to be asleep," she said.

Carskadon will share the insights from her research as one of many speakers at "Adolescent Sleep, Health, and School Start Times," a national conference in Washington, D.C., from April 27 to 28. Co-organized by Dr. Judy Owens, director of sleep medicine at Boston Children's Hospital and former professor at Brown University, the event will feature scientists, physicians and K-12 educators from across the country who will gather to discuss the health, educational and controversial policy implications of the issue.

The issue is a hot button in several states, including Rhode Island where a newly proposed law would set a statewide high school start time of 8:30 a.m. Carskadon, meanwhile, has been invited to address the Rhode Island Association of School Committees in May even as she gears up for a new study this summer.

The biology of bedtime

Carskadon's work began in the 1970s when she was a graduate student at Stanford University. She surveyed teens about their sleep habits and preferences. Perhaps not surprisingly, the results showed that teens stayed up later and slept less than when they were younger. The prevailing assumption was that they needed less sleep. But when she experimentally put teens on a schedule that allowed them to sleep longer, they did. Teens didn't need less sleep than younger kids, she concluded. The fact that they also stopped waking on their own was apparent in the data, but was not Carskadon's focus at the time.

"We kind of missed that clue until we started looking at it in different ways," she said.

In a nationwide round of surveys in the early 1990s, she asked sixth graders when they felt best during the day and what their sleep preferences were. She also asked them to rate their maturity. She found an interesting trend.

"The more mature they rated themselves, the more evening type they rated themselves," she said. "There was a hint that maybe something was going on around the time of pubertal development that has to do with the circadian system."

In her Bradley Hospital sleep lab located on the campus of Butler Hospital in Rhode Island, Carskadon began to expand her research to incorporate biomarkers such as saliva levels of melatonin, a natural hormone driven by circadian rhythms that cues the onset of sleepiness. She found that given the same light/dark schedule, teens will produce melatonin at later times than younger kids, indicating their circadian rhythm grows fundamentally later as they age.

One of her most seminal findings came in the late 1990s, when she studied 10th graders who had a high school start time of about 7:20 a.m. Wrist-worn sleep monitors showed they were getting about 7 hours of sleep a night. When she brought them into the lab, she'd wake them up for their regular school start time but then let them go back to sleep starting at 8:30 -- a time when in school they'd be expected to be well underway with taking exams or listening intently to lectures.

"About half of them looked like they had a major sleep disorder -- narcolepsy," she said. "At 8:30, half of the kids fell asleep in under a minute and went directly into REM sleep which means that their brains were set up

in a very strong way to be asleep. When you are trying to teach and learn, it's a non-starter."

As her lab grew and she added expertise to the team, she also began to look at brain wave patterns of teens as they slept. That helped her observe the buildup of sleep pressure. Her lab's finding was that sleep pressure builds up more slowly in older kids. It's easier for them to stay awake longer. But what doesn't change is how quickly they relieve sleep pressure: they need just as much sleep.

Her studies have continued all along. In 2014, she added more to the evidence of a later shift in sleep schedules with age, not by comparing groups of differently aged kids as before, but by comparing kids to themselves as they aged. Carskadon and colleagues published a study in PLOS ONE tracking the same children for more than two years. The data clearly showed that as they got older, they went to bed later.

A recurring theme in Carskadon's studies is that later-to-bed and later-to-rise is not entirely a behavioral choice -- it's a physiological imperative.

"The force behind the change that we see behaviorally is in the biology," she said.

Even the newest threat to teen sleep -- the temptations of portable screens lit up with games and social media -- has direct and specific biological impact on sleep. In a 2015 study she found that the sleep biology of boys and girls aged 9 to 15 who were in the earlier stages of puberty was especially sensitive to light at night compared to older teens, meaning that late-night gadget use is particularly disruptive for young teens.

The clash with policy

For all the scientific evidence she has found, Carskadon acknowledges that policy is driven by many factors. Her studies have identified significant overall trends, but individuals vary widely, she said, and there are no doubt many households where teens are managing early school days just fine.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of reasons why school districts start when they do, she said. For some families, for example, having older kids home from school before younger kids allows parents to be sure that younger kids have an older sibling to come home to.

"The school system is central to community life," she acknowledged.

But the biological evidence for letting teens sleep in longer is overwhelming, she said. So long as school starts at a time when they physiologically still need to be asleep, she said, teenagers on average may be consigned to suffer from a "social jetlag" in which the timing of life is not the timing of the body.

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BINGHAMTON, NY -- Excessive smartphone use leads to problems, and females are especially susceptible to addiction, according to new research from Binghamton University- State University of New York.

"Our smartphones have turned into a tool that provides short, quick, immediate satisfaction, which is very triggering," said Isaac Vaghefi, assistant professor of management information systems at Binghamton University-State University of New York. "Our neurons get fired and dopamine is being released, and over time this makes us acquire a desire for quick feedback and immediate satisfaction. This process also has contributed to developing shorter attention spans and being more and more prone to boredom."

Vaghefi and his colleagues recently surveyed 182 college students and asked them to report their daily routine of smartphone usage. Based on the analysis of the responses, they classified the user as one of the following types: Thoughtful, Regular, Highly Engaged, Fanatic and Addict. Seven percent identified as "addicts" and 12 percent identified as "fanatics." Both groups experience personal, social and workplace problems due to a compulsive need to be on their smartphones. Overall, these users exhibited signs that could indicate depression, social isolation, social anxiety, shyness, impulsivity and low self-esteem. Females were most likely to exhibit susceptibility to addiction.

"Technology addiction" is not an official mental disorder in DSM-V, but the umbrella term refers to addictive behavior related to social media, excessive texting, information overload, online shopping, gambling, video gaming, online pornography and overall smartphone usage.

"While self-identified "addict" users were in the minority, I predict technology addiction will increase as technology continues to advance and application, game and gadget developers find new ways to ensure users' long term engagement with technology," said Vaghefi.

Vaghefi said that if you recognize any of these signs, you may want to consult professional help:

You use technology as a way of escaping problems or relieving feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression.

You ignore what's happening in real time in favor of what's happening virtually.

You constantly check your smartphone, even when it doesn't ring or vibrate.

You get paranoid when you do not have your smartphone with you.

The paper, "A typology of user liability to IT addiction," was published in Information Systems Journal.

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How can you tell if an individual is expressing sexual interest? With males, it's usually quite obvious and can be anything from lavish theatrical displays of song and dance to downright relentless insistence. Females, on the other hand, are far more subtle, to the degree that very similar behaviours can have opposite intentions.

In fruit flies, for instance, males are known to chase after the female while producing a distinct courtship song using their wings, whereas the female's behaviour often involves mild acts of rejection. It is no wonder then, that capturing the features that define female receptivity has been such a longstanding challenge.

In a study published today (April 12, 2017) in the journal Scientific Reports, researchers at the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown in Lisbon, use advanced genetic and behavioural tools to establish that walking speed is in fact a key indicator of female's receptivity and discover neurons that control mating in the brain of fruit flies.

"Courtship behaviour is an integral part of sex and reproduction", says Maria Luisa Vasconcelos, the researcher who led the study. "In most species, including fruit flies, it is the female who decides whether or not to copulate with a given courting male, but until now the manner by which she expresses her interest and the brain circuitry that underlies it, were largely unknown."

To find out how the brain controls receptive behaviour in female fruit flies, Vasconcelos, together with her team, performed a wide search across many types of neurons in the brain and came up with one strong candidate. "When we silenced these particular neurons, called apterous neurons, females significantly reduced their receptivity towards males."

Once the team identified that manipulating this specific set of neurons leads flies to stop mating, they decided to take a closer look at the behaviour of the flies to try to see what has changed. "There are many possibilities, but we uncovered that only one behavioural hallmark was affected: the female never slowed down her walking pace."

"We were very encouraged when we observed this", says Marcia Aranha, the first author of the study, "modulation of the female's walking speed has been contemplated as a sign of receptivity by the scientific community and our results support this idea."

But this was just the first step in the journey. As Aranha explains, they still had to rule out many factors before they could be certain that the neurons they found control specifically female receptivity. "We had to make sure that silencing these neurons did not result in motor or sensory deficits that would change the behaviour of the fly in a way that looks as though she's less receptive, but is in fact just physically unable to slow down or perhaps can't even sense the presence of the courting male."

To that end, the researchers performed a series of experiments. "First, we checked whether the locomotion of the flies was intact and it was. We found that silencing the neurons only affected the fly's walking speed during courtship and remained normal in other situations. Then, we evaluated if we were affecting sensory modalities that are critical for the female to evaluate the male. It is known that females assess the male's qualities using auditory and olfactory information, but we think it is unlikely that we are affecting their capacity to smell or hear, given the location and anatomy of the identified neurons.", Aranha explains.

Final confirmation of their discovery included additional tests, but at long last the researchers were certain: they discovered a set of neurons in the brain that control what they now knew to be a key behavioural feature of female receptivity.

For the next step, the team is trying to pin down the neural circuitry these neurons tap into. According to Vasconcelos, they believe that "these neurons might be in charge of integrating different types of information about the male. This way, when we silence them, even though the female is aware of the presence of the male, she is not able to make a proper overall evaluation and that's why she doesn't slow down. We are currently pursuing this hypothesis and we hope to know the answer soon enough", she concludes.

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Link to original article: http://www.nature.com/articles/srep46242
LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 12, 2017--A research breakthrough allowing the first direct, empirical, blood-based, cow-side test for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis (TB) could spare ranchers and the agriculture industry from costly quarantines and the mass slaughter of animals infected with this easily spread disease.

"We have adapted an assay originally developed for human TB to bovine TB, a particular challenge because the bovine disease is caused by a different species of the pathogen," said Harshini Mukundan, leader of the Chemistry for Biomedical Applications team at Los Alamos National Laboratory that developed the assay and corresponding author on the study, published this week in the journal Analytical Sciences.

"We have validated the assay in cows that were positive controls of a vaccination study done at the US Department of Agriculture, tested at different time points during the course of infection. This work supports the global One Health strategy -- developing diagnostics that are not host limited," Mukundan said.

TB is one of the oldest known diseases, and it infects both animals and humans. In cattle, Mycobacterium bovis causes the disease, which easily spreads among large herds, periodically resulting in the quarantine and destruction of thousands of cattle in the United States, Canada and abroad and restricting international shipments. It also infects wild deer and elk, which can pass it on to domestic cattle with which they graze. A skin test to detect exposure or infection is used in cattle, but due to various colors of cows' skin and hide, environmental exposures, previous testing for M. bovis and other factors, the visual assessment can be inconclusive. Further, Mukundan notes, gathering a herd once for testing and then again 48 hours later for reading the skin results can be a challenge in itself.

The idea for the bovine application evolved from discussions between Laboratory researchers and scientists at the New Mexico health laboratory, who recognized the need for rapid detection by ranchers seeking to ship their herds. "It's one of these things that took on a life of its own," Mukundan said. The conversations eventually included a request from the New Mexico Livestock Board's state veterinarian at the time, David Fly, who reached out to the New Mexico Small Business Assistance program (which involves Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories). Mukundan's team responded, collaborating with a number of interested ranchers in the state.

Infection of humans with M. tuberculosis can be recognized in blood by a biomarker called lipoaribinomannan (LAM), but it has been difficult to detect because LAM is a lipid, a greasy molecule that doesn't blend with the watery blood and so eludes regular testing techniques. Targeting the body's fat transport system, the lipoproteins (such as HDL and LDL measured for cholesterol analysis) allowed the researchers to measure LAM in blood.

To detect it, the Los Alamos team has developed a novel assay - lipoprotein capture - which exploits the interaction of LAM with host lipoproteins and can thereby detect it in blood. Combined with a highly sensitive waveguide-based optical biosensor for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic biomarkers, the team has effectively identified greasy biomarkers associated with diseases like tuberculosis, food poisoning, leprosy and others.

In cattle, the TB infection M. bovis secretes a similar biomarker called lipomannan (LM). The team adapted the human assay to target LM, thereby suggesting the possibility of a molecular cow-side test for bovine TB.

Key outcomes from the research include the following:

The team can directly measure pathogen biomarkers in bovine blood, which allows medical specialists to discriminate between simple exposure and actual infection.

This is the first profile of the LM biomarker in bovine blood over a full one-year time period.

The same assays applied to humans can thus be transitioned to assessing cattle, elephants and other species, supporting a global One Health strategy for diagnosis.

Research such as the TB detection project aligns with the Laboratory's national security science mission in providing innovative tools for improving responses to emerging threats to health. In addition to Mukundan, the team includes Dung Vu of Los Alamos, Rama Sakamuri (a post-doctoral fellow who has since left Los Alamos) and Basil Swanson and Ray Waters from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What's next? "We are hoping to work with the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA to evaluate infected animals in the real world," Mukundan said.

"It will be wonderful if the assay can be adapted to a rapid cow-side test that can be used by ranchers and farmers to effectively diagnose bovine TB. I am especially interested in providing something concrete to farmers and veterinarians in our state, the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA, all of whom require such a test," she said.

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The paper: "Detection of Lipomannan in Cattle Infected with Bovine Tuberculosis," Dung M. Vu*, Rama M. Sakamuri*, W. Ray Waters**, Basil I. Swanson*, and Harshini Mukundan*

* Chemistry Division, MS J567, Los Alamos National Laboratory,

**National Animal Disease Center, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of Agriculture, Ames, IA

Videos about Dr. Mukundan's work:

TEDx Los Alamos talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BxTbjtI8qo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkF3_waOfFk

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stTukjqyVOY (video courtesy of New Mexico Tech Council).

Funding: This work was supported by funding from the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) program (http://www.nmsbaprogram.org/), the US Department of Agriculture and the Los Alamos Research and Development (LDRD), Directed Research Program. Ranchers and veterinarians in the state of New Mexico supported this work via NMSBA. The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) supported the effort by providing required antibodies for the detection.

About the CDC's One Health program: https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/global-activities/index.html

About Bovine TB, from USDA: http://bit.ly/2o2HZCL

About Los Alamos National Laboratory

Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is operated by Los Alamos National Security, LLC, a team composed of Bechtel National, the University of California, BWX Technologies, Inc. and URS Corporation for the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration.

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and global security concerns.
The team of researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) together with Swiss physicists had synthesized unique material for the new generation solar elements -- Japanese company Tokyo Chemical Industry has acquired the license for the patent

The team of researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) together with Swiss physicists had synthesised unique material for the new generation solar elements. Japanese company Tokyo Chemical Industry has acquired the licence for the patent of the invention.

Organic semiconductors created at KTU are cheaper and of the same efficiency as the currently used alternatives.

"The material created by us is considerably cheaper and the process of its synthesis is less complicated than that of the currently used analogue material. Also, both materials have very similar efficiency of converting solar energy into electricity. That means that our semiconductors have similar characteristics to the known alternatives, but are much cheaper", said professor Vytautas Getautis, head of the research group at KTU responsible for the discovery.

The process, which lead to the invention started in October 2014, when KTU researchers together with partners began to work together under the 7th Framework Programme (funded by European Commission). Doctors of science from KTU Maryte Daskeviciene and Tadas Malinauskas, and PhD student Artiom Magomedov headed by Getautis worked on synthesising the new material for four months.

The main partners of KTU were researchers from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne. The team headed by professors Michael Gratzel and Mohammed Khaja Nazeerudin is among the leading researchers working in creating new photovoltaic technologies.

"We conceived, synthesised and characterised the new organic semiconductors, and our Swiss colleagues have tested them in solar elements", said Getautis.

The research was funded by FP7 European research funding programme (Project No 604032, MESO). KTU and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne registered the invention at the European Patent Office.

Japanese company Tokyo Chemical Industry has approached researchers and started to negotiate the conditions of acquiring the licence after the new organic semiconductors were introduced at the international scientific conference in Lausanne.

"Licence in a way is similar to a lease contract - a patent is being exploited not by its owner, but the other person interested in commercialisation. Temporarily, the rights are being handed over to other party for a certain percentage-based fee from the patented technology. Licence agreements can be made both for application and for the patent itself, and the licence can be acquired by anyone interested in patented solution for commercial purposes", said Greta Zekiene, Head of Intellectual Property Management at KTU's National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre.

Every year, around 3 million patent applications are being submitted globally. In 2016, the licencing agreements were negotiated for 4 KTU inventions.

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Researchers from North Carolina State University have released the first chemical "map" of dyes from the Max A. Weaver Dye Library, which contains almost 100,000 samples of unique dyes and fabrics. The information could assist researchers in developing dyes with desirable properties.

NC State analytic chemist Nelson Vinueza is working on digitizing and analyzing the library so that its contents are accessible to the public. "Each vial has the chemical structure written on it, so we must first digitize those molecular structures and then select candidates to do further characterization," Vinueza says. "Obviously with a library of this size, the time and expense associated with characterizing each dye would be prohibitive, so we needed a faster, more efficient way to be able to analyze these dyes."

Vinueza partnered with NC State computational chemist Denis Fourches to create a cheminformatics map of the 2,700 dyes that had their molecular structures already digitized. The computer models allowed the researchers to compare dyes with similar chemical structures and properties.

The cheminformatics analysis also enabled the identification of 150 chemically unique dyes representative of the library. In order to assist researchers in developing dyes with desirable properties, these sampled chemical structures are now publicly available in the ChemSpider database. "There are 58 million chemicals in the ChemSpider database, and 143 of the dyes have completely unique chemistry, which is really fantastic," Vinueza says.

"We believe that this addition can prove invaluable to researchers who are looking for particular characteristics in these chemicals, such as antibiotic or anti-cancer properties, or for dyes that absorb light in ways that could lead to better solar-cell technology," Vinueza continues. "This dye library could prove invaluable in creating cutting-edge solutions to problems ranging from human health to the environment."

"The chemical maps and the other cheminformatics modeling techniques we used here provide a cheaper and faster way to screen for chemical dyes with the desired properties," Fourches says. "Doing that same analysis by experimentally characterizing and testing all samples in a lab would take decades.

"And since these dyes were constructed sequentially over time, it is straightforward to pinpoint where structural changes led to properties of interest. We actually show that small modifications of the dyes' chemical structures can lead to dramatic changes of their properties. This library is a real treasure trove for chemists."

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The research appears in Chemical Science, and was funded by NC State Chancellor's Faculty Excellence program. The Max A. Weaver Dye Library was donated to the NC State College of Textiles in 2014 by the Eastman Chemical Company. Vinueza and Fourches are co-corresponding authors. Postdoctoral scholar Melaine Kuenemann in the Fourches laboratory is lead author. NC State graduate students Yufei Chen and Nadia Sultana from Vinueza's laboratory, research assistant professor Malgorzata Szymczyk, Ciba professor of Dye Chemistry Harold Freeman, Dean David Hinks, and the Environmental Protection Agency's Antony Williams contributed to the work.

Note to editors: An abstract of the paper follows.

"Weaver's Historic Accessible Collection of Synthetic Dyes: A Cheminformatics Analysis"

DOI: 10.1039/C7SC00567A

Authors: Melaine Kuenemann, Malgorzata Szymczyk, Yufei Chen, Nadia Sultana, David Hinks, Harold Freeman, Denis Fourches, Nelson Vinueza, North Carolina State University; Antony Williams, Environmental Protection Agency

Published: Chemical Science

Abstract:

We present the Max Weaver Dye Library, a collection of ~98,000 vials of custom-made and largely sparingly water-soluble dyes. Two years ago, the Eastman Chemical Company donated the Library to North Carolina State University. This unique collection of chemicals, housed in the College of Textiles, also includes tens of thousands of fabric samples dyed using some of the library's compounds. Although the collection lies at the core of hundreds of patented inventions, the overwhelming majority of this chemical treasure trove has never been published or shared outside of a small group of scientists. Thus, the goal of this donation was to make this chemical collection, and associated data, available to interested parties in the research community. To date, we have digitized a subset of 2,700 dyes which allowed us to start the constitutional and structural analysis of the collection using cheminformatics approaches. Herein, we open the discussion regarding the research opportunities offered by this unique library.
Scientists have long wondered what the earliest dinosaur relatives looked like. Most assumed they would resemble miniature dinosaurs, about the size of chickens, and walk on two legs.

The discovery of Teleocrater rhadinus, however, has forced scientists to reassess their ideas. Based on a fossil unearthed in southern Tanzania, these early relatives were carnivorous animals that measured approximately 7-10 feet long, with long necks and tails. Rather than walking on two legs, they walked on four crocodilian-like legs.

The finding, published today in the journal Nature, fills a gap in the fossil record.

"The research sheds light on the distribution and diversity of the ancestors of crocodiles, birds, and dinosaurs," said Judy Skog, a program director in the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Division of Earth Sciences, which funded the research. "It indicates that dinosaur origins should be re-examined now that we know more about the complex history and traits of these early ancestors."

T. rhadinus predated dinosaurs, living more than 245 million years ago during the Triassic Period. It shows up in the fossil record right after a large group of reptiles known as archosaurs split into a bird branch (leading to dinosaurs and eventually birds) and a crocodile branch (leading to alligators and crocodiles). T. rhadinus and its kin are the earliest known members of the bird branch of the archosaurs.

"The discovery of such an important new species is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Sterling Nesbitt, a paleobiologist at Virginia Tech and lead author of the Nature paper.

The late paleontologist F. Rex Parrington first discovered T. rhadinus fossils in Tanzania in 1933. The late Alan J. Charig, then-curator of fossil reptiles, amphibians and birds at the Natural History Museum of London, was the first to study those original specimens in the 1950s. Charig could not determine whether the creature was more closely related to crocodilians or to dinosaurs, largely because the specimens lacked ankles and other bones.

The new specimens, found in 2015, clear up those questions. The intact ankle bones and other parts of the skeleton helped scientists determine that the species is one of the oldest members of the archosaur tree and had a crocodilian look.

Nesbitt and his co-authors chose to honor Charig's work by using the name he selected for the animal, Teleocrater rhadinus, which means "slender complete basin" and refers to the animal's lean build and closed hip socket.

"The discovery of Teleocrater fundamentally changes our ideas about the earliest history of dinosaur relatives," said Nesbitt.

The team's next steps are to return to southern Tanzania to find missing parts of the T. rhadinus skeleton.

"It's so exciting to solve puzzles like Teleocrater, where we can finally tease apart tricky mixed assemblages of fossils and shed light on broader anatomical and biogeographic trends in an iconic group of animals," said Michelle Stocker, a paleobiologist at Virginia Tech and co-author of the paper.

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Other co-authors include: Richard Butler at the University of Birmingham; Martin Ezcurra at Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Paul Barrett at the Natural History Museum of London; Kenneth Angielczyk at the Field Museum of Natural History; Roger Smith at the University of the Witwatersrand and Iziko South African Museum; Christian Sidor at the University of Washington; Grzegorz Niedzwiedzki at Uppsala University; Andrey Sennikov at the Borissiak Paleontological Institute and Kazan Federal Univeristy; and Charig.

The National Geographic Society Young Explorer program and other institutions also funded the research.
Bacteria are everywhere. And despite widespread belief, not all bacteria are "bad." However, to combat those that can cause health issues for humans, there has been an over-reliance on the use of antibiotics - so much so, that many of them are now proving ineffective due to bacteria developing increased resistance to them.

"More and more antibiotics are essentially becoming useless," says Robert Smith, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at NSU's Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography. "Even the most routine infections, such as ear infections that are often seen in children, are becoming more challenging and expensive to treat."

This notion isn't new - just prior to winning his Nobel Prize in 1945, Alexander Fleming, the scientist who discovered antibiotics, warned that overusing them would lead to bacteria that were no longer killed by these drugs. Since then, scientists and bacteria have been locked in a deadly arms race. While scientists rush to discover new antibiotics, bacteria fight back by developing new tools to resist antibiotics. In recent years, the bacteria have been winning.

So this paradigm led researchers at NSU to take another look at how bacteria do what they do to see if there was another way to approach this issue. Researchers are now focusing on developing new ways to treat infections that reduce the use of antibiotics. And what the NSU researchers found, working with colleagues from Duke University and the University of Minnesota, was interesting.

Their findings are detailed in the March 27 edition of Scientific Reports.

One way that bacteria infect people is by working together. First, they build a home called a biofilm, and then use chemicals to "talk with each other." This allows the bacteria to coordinate an attack on the infected person. Led by NSU graduate Cortney Wilson, Smith's lab recently discovered that by shaking the house that the bacteria have built, the ability of the bacteria to talk to one another is affected. Wilson earned her Master's from NSU and is now at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

"We found that shaking the bacteria forced them to face a decision; do they want to grow, or do they want to cooperate," Smith said. "And if we shook them at just the right frequency, we created enough confusion that the bacteria could do neither effectively."

Smith notes that this strategy to prevent bacteria from talking to one another has promise in reducing the need for antibiotics. The team of scientists hope to begin testing their theory in more species of bacteria, and eventually in mice.

"It is a very exciting time for our research team. We are looking forward to building upon our very promising results and to moving our strategy into the clinic."

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About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): Located in beautiful Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree levels. A private, not-for-profit institution, NSU has campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, while maintaining a presence online globally. For more than 50 years, NSU has been awarding degrees in a wide range of fields, while fostering groundbreaking research and an impactful commitment to community. Classified as a research university with "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is 1 of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie's Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private, not-for-profit institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education's criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit http://www.nova.edu for more information about NSU and realizingpotential.nova.edu for more information on the largest fundraising campaign in NSU history.

About NSU's Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography: The college provides high-quality undergraduate (bachelor's degree) and graduate (master's and doctoral degrees and certificates) education programs in a broad range of disciplines, including marine sciences, mathematics, biophysics, and chemistry. Researchers carry out innovative basic and applied research programs in coral reef biology, ecology, and geology; fish biology, ecology, and conservation; shark and billfish ecology; fisheries science; deep-sea organismal biology and ecology; invertebrate and vertebrate genomics, genetics, molecular ecology, and evolution; microbiology; biodiversity; observation and modeling of large-scale ocean circulation, coastal dynamics, and ocean atmosphere coupling; benthic habitat mapping; biodiversity; histology; and calcification. The college's newest building is the state-of-the-art Guy Harvey Oceanographic Center, an 86,000-square-foot structure filled with laboratories; offices; seminar rooms; an auditorium; and indoor and outdoor running sea water facilities. Please visit cnso.nova.edu for more information.
The threshold for transitioning students from English learners to fluent English proficient status--a process termed reclassification--varies widely across and within states, finds a study by NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, Oregon State University, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The findings, published in a special centennial issue of the American Educational Research Journal, inform conversations about statewide policies for English learner reclassification, which are now mandated under the 2015 Every Student Succeeds Act.

"Our study examined the effect of state-level decisions as implemented at a local level. With the Every Student Succeeds Act stipulating that reclassification policies be standardized within a state, our work gives a glimpse into what we might see more broadly once these policies are standardized," said Joseph Robinson Cimpian, associate professor of economics and education policy at NYU Steinhardt and the study's lead author.

"Notably, our findings revealed a wide array of effects of reclassification on achievement and graduation, ranging from large negative effects in some districts to large positive effects in others, even when considering students subject to the same state-level policies."

By 2050, over a third of school-age children in the U.S. are projected to be immigrants or the children of immigrants, and many of these children will be classified as English learners. Effectively educating the large English learner population requires appropriate instructional services and settings throughout the time students are learning English, as well as during their transition to fluent English status. Because reclassification often entails a change in services and settings, it is important that the switch occurs at the appropriate time: when the student no longer receives added benefit from the English learner setting.

Reclassification criteria vary across states, districts within a state, and even within districts. However, they all use some determination of whether an English learner is achieving at a pre-specified level on an assessment determined by local policymakers.

A recent wave of education research uses a technique known as regression discontinuity designs, which use large amounts of data to compare the outcomes of students who just barely attained the reclassification criteria with those who just barely failed to attain it, helping researchers to understand the effects of reclassification on students with very similar profiles.

While previous studies have examined effects within a single school district, the current study is the first to examine reclassification effects across multiple districts and measure variability between them. The researchers used longitudinal data from 107,549 students in two states--one in the Southeast and one in the Northwest--and applied regression discontinuity designs to assess the effects of reclassification on later achievement and graduation. All students studied were at some point considered English learners and were enrolled in elementary, middle, or high school when they were reclassified.

The researchers found remarkable variability between districts in how reclassification affected student achievement and graduation rates. In some districts, reclassification had negative effects on graduation, where students who were reclassified but just barely made the cut-off were as much as 80 percent less likely to graduate. Meanwhile, reclassification in other districts had positive effects on graduation. Just-barely reclassified students were 38 percentage points more likely to graduate than peers who stayed in an English learner setting.

"This variability tells us that we should not default to a belief that reclassification is universally beneficial or detrimental," said Cimpian.

The researchers conclude that this type of research can help policymakers see misalignment between their thresholds for reclassification and the instruction and services in their state and districts. Fixing this misalignment might include lowering or raising the reclassification threshold as well as modifying instruction and services for students near the threshold. For example, if reclassification was found to have a negative effect on student outcomes, a district might consider providing additional language development support for students right after reclassification.

Of note, the passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act requires states to establish uniform reclassification criteria for all districts, meaning districts may not have the freedom to adjust their thresholds or add in additional considerations for reclassification.

"On one hand, establishing the same criteria has the benefit of facilitating comparisons across districts and providing a common metric by which to assess English learner status for students who move across district boundaries. On the other hand, requiring a common threshold across the state restricts the ability of a district to adjust the threshold to meet the needs of its own students given the services that the district provides," Cimpian said.

Commenting on the importance of this research in the American Educational Research Journal, Kenji Hakuta of Stanford University said it is a "wonderful display of the power of combining current analytic methods, present-day educational datasets, practitioner-researcher collaborative arrangements, and key policy questions pertaining to the educational outcomes of English learners.

"This paper's important message is that policies and implementation matter at the state and local levels in ways that demonstrably affect the probability of graduation for individual students," Hakuta continued.

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In addition to Cimpian, authors include Karen D. Thompson of Oregon State University and Martha B. Makowski of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This research was funded by a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship and a University of Illinois Hardie Fellowship awarded to Cimpian and a U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences grant (R305H140072) for which Thompson is the principal investigator.

About the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (@nyusteinhardt)

Located in the heart of Greenwich Village, NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development prepares students for careers in the arts, education, health, media, and psychology. Since its founding in 1890, the Steinhardt School's mission has been to expand human capacity through public service, global collaboration, research, scholarship, and practice. To learn more about NYU Steinhardt, visit steinhardt.nyu.edu.
A new paper in The Gerontologist examined sexual assault in nursing homes. The report finds that the most vulnerable residents are likely to become victims; legal examinations were infrequent due to administration complexities and training and institutional policy, and nursing homes are not adequately equipped to deal with sexual assault cases.

Although sexual assault is among one of the most shocking types of assault, it is also the least acknowledged, detected and reported type of assault against nursing home residents. This systematic review examined 15 studies published in peer-reviewed journals to characterize sexual assaults among nursing home residents.

The aim of this paper was to examine victim/perpetrator relationship characteristics and the forensic characteristics of sexual assaults occurring in nursing homes comprising assault type, examination process, legal outcomes, and preventive measures. Victims of sexual assault were likely to be females with cognitive or physical impairments. Perpetrators were likely to be male residents, although sexual assault by staff members was also substantial. Forensic characteristics and investigative data were limited.

This review surveyed original research published in peer-reviewed, English-language journals between January 1949 and October 2015. The combined searches yielded 2,291 articles, of which 15 were eligible for inclusion. Eleven studies reported the number of nursing home sexual assault victims with eight studies focusing on nursing homes and/or other facilities. The number of nursing home sexual assault victims from these ranged from 20 to 50 victims. The number of victims in mixed settings (for example, community, nursing homes, and assisted living) ranged from 46 to 127 victims. Isolated incidents were most commonly observed.

Victims of sexual assault were predominately Caucasian females with a form of mental and physical impairment and perpetrators were predominately Caucasian males. Perpetrator information was limited, with the majority of research studies failing to identify characteristics beyond race and gender.

Nine studies described victims' socio-demographic characteristics, who were most often female, Caucasian, widowed, required assistance in all activities of daily living, required financial assistance had difficulties with orientation, communication, or ambulation were disabled mentally impaired or suffered from a number of illnesses.

Seven studies reported on perpetrators, who most often were male, Caucasian, had a criminal or sexual assault history abused substances, were low in social competence exploited frail and defenseless victims, had an untreated psychiatric illness, and were financially dependent on the victim or unemployed. Accused direct care staff were typically male, between 19 and 65 years, and with criminal histories. Accused residents were typically male, between 21 and 96 years, substance abusers, with criminal histories and/or a form of disability.

A definitive estimate of prevalence of sexual assaults in nursing homes is not possible to ascertain, however, staff-to-resident sexual assault was than 1% (per 1,000 residents per year). The challenges of ascertaining rates of sexual assaults are hampered due to underreporting and the inability to confirm reported incidents. While sexual assault is perceived to be the least common form of elder abuse, it is also likely to be greatly underreported. Within a year of being assaulted, 50% of victims died.

One study identified barriers to reporting sexual assault incidents occurring in healthcare facilities. Over 50% of investigative personnel reported sexual assault as more challenging than any other form of assault to investigate due to state investigation regulations, limited resources (staff, training and power), limited forensic evidence and victim deliberating conditions. Facility limitations to the investigative process (untrained staff or failing to follow protocols) and enhancing factors (person-centred, healthcare provider, reporting and examination) were also discussed.

"Much more needs to be done for this vulnerable group of people as the nursing homes," said lead author Daisy Smith. "Regulatory investigative personnel remain poorly equipped to appropriately identify and respond to sexual assault"

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The paper "A systematic review of sexual assaults in nursing homes" is available at: https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article-lookup/doi/10.1093/geront/gnx022

Direct correspondence to:

Joseph E. Ibrahim

Head, Health Law and Ageing Research Unit, Department of Forensic Medicine

Monash Univeristy

Southbank, Victoria 3006, Australia

joesph.ibrahim@monash.edu

To request a copy of the study, please contact:

Daniel Luzer (daniel.luzer@oup.com or 212-743-6113)

Sharing on social media? Find Oxford Journals online at @OxfordJournals
Many young stars, as well as more middle-aged stars like our sun, have "debris disks"--like the Oort Cloud in our own solar system--that are believed to be remnants of the system's formation. Recently, radio observations have detected gas within a number of such discs, but it was not clear why the gas was there. There are two major hypotheses: either the gas is primordial gas from the original gas cloud that formed the star, or it originates from collisions between objects in the disk.

In search of a solution to this problem, a team from the RIKEN Star and Planet Formation Laboratory decided to look at emissions of carbon, which are important as they can provide clues to the origin of the gas. Normally, carbon will exist mostly in a molecular form, as carbon monoxide. Ultraviolet light from the central star will "dissociate" the atoms, creating free atomic carbon, but normally a chemical reaction--mediated by hydrogen--recombines the carbon into CO. However, if there is no hydrogen, then the reaction does not take place and the carbon remains in its atomic state.

Aya Higuchi, the first author of the paper, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, was able to use the ten-meter Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) in Chile to examine the atomic carbon line from two young star systems--49 Ceti and Beta Pictoris--that are known to have debris disks. They then compared this from data on CO taken by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an array of telescopes in the same facility. "We were surprised," she says, "to find atomic carbon in the disk, the first time this observation has been made at sub-millimeter wavelength. But more so, we were surprised at how much there was. It was about as common as the carbon monoxide."

The implication, at least for these two star systems, is that there is very little hydrogen to drive the carbon back into CO. Because hydrogen makes up most of the gas in protoplanetary clouds, this hints that the gas is not primordial, but rather is generated from some process taking place in the debris disk. Gas has been found in other debris disks, but is not found in all. Higuchi says, "If we can perform similar measurements on other young stars, it will help to clarify the origin of the gas in debris disk. Our data here suggests that the gas is secondary."

Looking to the future, she continues, "This work will also help to understand how a protoplanetary disk evolves into a debris disks by distinguishing the origin of the gas in the disks."

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The work was done in collaboration with scientists from Ibaraki University and Nagoya University.
The magnitude 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake that struck the South Island of New Zealand last November was the largest on-land recorded earthquake in the country's history. In a special session at the 2017 Seismological Society of America's (SSA) Annual Meeting, researchers will gather to describe their findings on the quake and its implications for further seismic activity in the region.

Shaking from the earthquake lasted about two minutes and 20 seconds, and was felt in the New Zealand capital of Wellington, about 260 kilometers away from the quake's epicenter. Deformation of the sea floor off the coast of Kaikoura caused a tsunami that rose to about seven meters at its peak. The earthquake triggered about 80,000 landslides over an area of about 9000 square kilometers, according to research by the U.S. Geological Survey, which hopes to use data collected on the Kaikoura quake to improve models of earthquake-generated landslides and ground failure.

The Kaikoura quake is the fourth earthquake of magnitude 7 or larger to hit the region in the past seven years, which has seismologists suspecting that the earthquakes are connected in some way, write session chairs Bill Fry and Matt Gerstenberger of GNS Science.

One of the most unusual aspects of the Kaikoura earthquake was the widespread slow slip events (SSE) triggered by the main quake, say Gerstenberger and colleagues. Slow slip events are millimeters-small movements that occur over hours or months in subduction zones, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another. SSE have been detected in the New Zealand subduction zone before, but the Kaikoura earthquake appears to have sped up the rate of slip in some areas, produced simultaneous patches of slip in other areas, and triggered slip in other regions where no slow slip events have been previously detected--in this case, at a place where the far southern portion of a slice of oceanic crust called the Hikurangi Plateau is sliding underneath the Indo-Australian plate underlying New Zealand's North Island. Seismologists are carefully monitoring these slow slip events, as they may increase the likelihood of other large earthquakes on the southern portion of North Island in the near future.

Ground faulting during the earthquake was very complex, rupturing at nine to 12 different faults with multiple orientations and overlaps, resulting in a combined rupture length of about 180 kilometers (nearly 112 miles), according to work by GNS Science's Nicola Litchfield and colleagues. About half of the faults had been identified previously as active in a 2010 New Zealand National Seismic Hazard Model, Mark Stirling of the University of Otago and colleagues say, which had predicted a slightly smaller magnitude earthquake of 7.6 if a multi-fault earthquake were to occur.

Evidence from past seismic activity in the area suggests that earthquakes occur on these faults at intervals ranging from 300 to 400 years to many thousands of years, which indicate that the Kaikoura quake was a relatively rare event, Litchfield and colleagues note.

The unusual faulting of the earthquake also has researchers studying whether the quake was primarily a megathrust event, meaning that it was the kind of earthquake caused by one tectonic plate being forced under another at a subduction zone. However, the multiple surface-rupturing fault segments might suggest that the earthquake event was mostly restricted to strike-slip motion on the upper tectonic plate. In their SSA presentation, Penn State University's Kevin Furlong and colleagues will demonstrate how the surface faulting could be compatible with a megathrust event.

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A recent survey of over 2,000 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer found that half of those who undergo bilateral mastectomy after genetic testing don't actually have mutations known to confer increased risk of additional cancers, according to a study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and four other U.S. medical centers.

Instead the women had what are known as variants of uncertain significance, or VUS, that are often eventually found to be harmless. A bilateral mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which both of a woman's breasts are removed after a diagnosis of cancer in one breast.

The finding highlights the need for genetic counselors to help both patients and physicians better understand the results of genetic testing intended to determine a woman's risk for cancer recurrence or for developing a separate cancer in her ovaries or unaffected breast.

"Our findings suggest a limited understanding among physicians and patients of the meaning of genetic testing results," said Allison Kurian, MD, associate professor of medicine and of health research and policy at Stanford. "Clinical practice guidelines state that variants of uncertain significance should not be considered to confer high cancer risk, and that patients with these variants should be counseled similarly to a patient whose genetic test is normal. However, many of the physicians surveyed in our study stated that they manage these patients in the same way as they do patients with mutations known to increase a woman's risk."

Only about half of the surveyed women who received genetic testing ever discussed their test results with a genetic counselor, and between one-quarter and one-half of the surveyed breast cancer surgeons indicated they treat women with VUS no differently than women with known cancer-associated mutations, the researchers found. Furthermore, some women undergo surgery prior to receiving genetic testing or seeing the results.

Kurian is the lead author of the study, which will be published online April 12 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. University of Michigan researchers Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil, and Steven Katz, MD, MPH, share senior authorship.

The need for genetic testing

The findings come on the heels of a February study by many of the same researchers showing that physicians often fail to recommend genetic testing for breast cancer patients at high risk for mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, which are strongly associated with ovarian and other cancers.

In this study, the researchers asked 2,502 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer whether they had received genetic testing, and if so, whether the testing and any discussion of results occurred before or after breast surgery.

They found that of the 666 women who had received testing, 59 percent were considered to have a high risk of a dangerous mutation in a cancer-associated gene. About one-quarter of these women had genetic testing only after surgery -- meaning critical decisions were made about their care before information about their mutation status was available. Delays in testing were particularly pronounced in women who lacked private health insurance.

The researchers then polled the surgeons who treated the women in the survey. They found that, when compared with doctors who had treated 51 or more newly diagnosed breast cancer patients during the previous year, doctors who had treated fewer than 21 breast cancer patients were: less confident in discussing the results of genetic testing with patients, more likely to order the genetic test without referring women to a genetic counselor, less likely to delay surgery in order to have test results available for surgical decision-making and more likely to manage a patient with variants of uncertain significance in the same way they would manage patients with proven high-risk mutations in cancer-associated genes.

"Our findings suggest that we are not maximizing the benefit of genetic testing for our patients with breast cancer because of barriers related to timeliness of testing and lack of expertise necessary to incorporate results into treatment decisions," said Katz, who is a professor of medicine and of health management and policy at the University of Michigan.

Expertise to interpret the results

Although genetic testing has become more common and less costly, it's also become more confusing. The advent of multiplex gene panels that simultaneously test for mutations or variations in many different genes can render results that are difficult to interpret without the help of a trained genetic counselor. Uncertainties as to the meaning of test results may lead less-experienced surgeons to recommend aggressive treatment in the form of bilateral mastectomies, or cause women to opt for what they may feel is the safest option to manage their cancer.

Conversely, high-risk women who do carry dangerous mutations need this information to make informed decisions about their health care choices.

"The gaps identified in this study are striking," said Jagsi, professor and deputy chair of radiation oncology at the University of Michigan. "It is critical to ensure that patients at high risk for known cancer-associated mutations are fully informed of the potential benefits of genetic testing, and counseled accurately about the meaning of test results."

"We're learning that clinicians' knowledge of breast cancer genetics can be highly variable," said Kurian, who is a member of the Stanford Cancer Institute. "It's important for women at high risk of carrying a dangerous mutation to see someone with expertise in cancer genetics when planning their care. Unfortunately, in many cases genetic counselors may not be optimally integrated into the care of newly diagnosed cancer patients, making it difficult to rapidly triage these patients. Our study highlights the urgent need for improved patient access to cancer genetics experts, particularly genetic counselors, and for educating physicians about the appropriate use of genetic testing and interpretation of test results."

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Researchers from the University of Southern California, Emory University and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center also contributed to the study.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant P01CA163233), the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kurian has received research funding from Invitae, Myriad Genetics, Ambry Genetics, GenDx and Genomic Health.

Stanford's departments of Medicine and of Health Research and Policy also supported the work.

Print media contact: Krista Conger at (650) 725-5371 (kristac@stanford.edu)

Broadcast media contact: Margarita Gallardo at (650) 723-7897 (mjgallardo@stanford.edu)

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu.
A study led by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine has revealed a possible new therapeutic approach for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease.

The Stanford-led team performed a series of experiments showing that suppressing a certain protein in a mouse model of ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, could markedly extend the animal's life span. In one experiment, none of the untreated mice lived longer than 29 days, while some of the treated mice lived over 400 days.

A paper describing the work will be published online April 12 in Nature. The paper -- by senior author Aaron Gitler, PhD, associate professor of genetics, and lead author Lindsay Becker, a graduate student -- details a series of experiments that together suggest a possible strategy for treating ALS.

Finding a different approach

ALS is a disease in which the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord degenerate, leading to wasting of the muscles. Patients gradually lose the ability to move, speak, eat or breathe, often leading to paralysis and death within two to five years. It is associated with environmental risk factors, such as old age and military service. In addition, mutations in certain genes can cause ALS. Exactly how ALS works is still poorly understood, but knowing which genes are involved can point researchers toward processes inside cells that would be good targets for drugs.

One indicator of ALS, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases, is clumps of protein in the brain. In ALS, these clumps, or aggregates, are made up of a protein called TDP-43. Eliminating TDP-43, and therefore the TDP-43 aggregates, might seem like a good way to prevent or cure ALS. But cells need TDP-43 to survive, so suppressing TDP-43 itself is not a good idea.

A different approach was needed. The researchers knew that a second protein, ataxin 2, helped cells survive when TDP-43 formed toxic clumps. Unlike TDP-43, ataxin 2 is not essential for a cell's survival, making it a reasonable therapeutic target, Gitler said.

In a previous study, the Stanford-led team had shown that when ataxin 2 is suppressed or blocked in yeast cultures and fruit flies that carry the human TDP-43 gene, cells are more resistant to the potential toxic effects of the clumping TDP-43 protein.

In still another study, Gitler and his colleagues had shown that versions of the human ataxin 2 gene that resulted in a more stable ataxin 2 protein -- and therefore more of the protein -- increased the risk for developing ALS. The researchers reasoned that if mutations that increased the amount of ataxin 2 raised the risk of ALS, maybe lowering the amount of ataxin 2 would protect a person from ALS.

Becker used genetically engineered mice whose neurons produced human TDP-43 protein at high levels. These mice exhibit some features that resemble human ALS, including a buildup of clumps of TDP-43 in their neurons. These mice also have difficulty walking and typically have life spans of no more than 30 days.

"We wanted to find out if we could protect these mice from the consequences of TDP-43 by lowering the amount of ataxin 2," said Gitler. Becker genetically engineered these ALS mice to have half the normal amount of ataxin 2, and also engineered other mice to completely lack the protein. She found that with half the ataxin 2, the ALS-like mice survived much longer. "But what was really astounding," said Becker, "was that when we completely removed ataxin 2, there was really an unprecedented survival; some of the mice lived hundreds and hundreds of days."

A preventive that worked in mice

Gitler's team next tried something that could have a more direct therapeutic value: treating mice with a type of DNA-like drug, designed to block the production of ataxin 2. These so called "antisense oligonucleotides" are strands of synthetic DNA that target a gene and block the expression of the protein that it encodes. Delivery of the antisense oligonucleotides to the nervous systems of some of the ALS mice enabled them to maintain their health much longer than the ALS mice treated with a placebo.

A similar antisense oligonucleotide was recently approved for safety trials in pediatric patients with spinal muscular atrophy, and other antisense oligonucleotides have passed safety trials -- factors that Gitler said give him hope for a similar strategy for ALS.

Becker said the study showed that suppressing ataxin 2 delayed onset and slowed the progression of the ALS-like disease in mice that were not yet showing symptoms. Whether oligonucleotides or other protein-blocking treatments could reverse symptoms in mice that are already sick is another question. "That's the next set of experiments that we are working on," she said. Because TDP-43 clumping occurs in nearly all ALS cases, targeting ataxin 2 could be a broadly effective therapeutic strategy, she said.

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Other Stanford-affiliated co-authors are postdoctoral scholar Brenda Huang, PhD; graduate student Gregor Bieri; research assistant Rosanna Ma; and postdoctoral scholar David Knowles, PhD.

Researchers from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Goethe University Frankfurt, the University of Utah, Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Ionis Pharmaceuticals also contributed to the study.

The research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grants R01NS065317, R01NS09386501, R01NS073660, R35NS097263 and NS069375), the National Science Foundation, the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins, Target ALS, the Glenn Foundation and the German Research Foundation.

Stanford's Department of Genetics also supported the work.

Print media contact: Jennie Dusheck at (650) 725-5376 (dusheck@stanford.edu)

Broadcast media contact: Margarita Gallardo at (650) 723-7897 (mjgallardo@stanford.edu)

The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation's top medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://med.stanford.edu/school.html. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health. For information about all three, please visit http://med.stanford.edu.
EDMONTON (EMBARGOED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, ARPIL 12 AT 4 A.M. MST)--Researchers at the University of Alberta have demystified the way that polar bears search for their typical prey of ringed seals. The answer, it turns out, is simple: they follow their nose using the power of wind.

Using satellite telemetry data collected from 123 adult polar bears in Canada's Hudson Bay over 11 years, the researchers merged the movements of polar bears with wind patterns to explore how they looked for seals.

They hypothesized that when a bear smells prey, it moves up-wind to find it. But what is a bear to do before it smells anything at all?

"Predators search for prey using odours in the air, and their success depends on how they move relative to the wind," explained Ron Togunov, University of Alberta alumnus and lead author on the study. "Travelling crosswind gives the bears a steady supply of new air streams and maximizes the area they can sense through smell."

While this phenomenon had been suspected in many animals, it had not been quantified in mammals until now.

The best conditions for olfactory hunting, explained UAlberta professor Andrew Derocher, co-author and renowned polar bear expert, takes place at night during the winter.

"Crosswind search was most frequent when winds were slow, when is is easier to localize the source of a certain smell, and at night when bears are relatively active and when vision is less effective, so bears rely more heavily on their sense of smell."

The findings also raise questions about the implications of climate change.

"Wind speeds in the Arctic are projected to increase, potentially making olfaction more difficult," explained Togunov. "It is important to understand how polar bear hunting success will be affected by these changing conditions."

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The study, "Windscapes and olfactory foraging in a large carnivore," was published in Scientific Reports in April 2017.
Mitochondrial DNA moving to the nucleus contributes to genomic instability in cancer cells, and a novel Fiber-FISH technique can rapidly map the mitochondrial DNA insertions in nuclear genomes

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Patients with colon and rectal cancer have somatic insertions of mitochondrial DNA into the nuclear genomes of the cancer cells, University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers report in the journal Genome Medicine.

This study provides the novel role for mitochondria inducing genomic instability in the nucleus of cancer cells, the UAB researchers say.

Overall, a study of the genome sequences of 57 colorectal cancers showed, on average, 4.42-fold more somatic nuclear mitochondrial DNA as compared to matched healthy blood controls. This suggests that migration of mitochondrial DNA into the nuclear genome plays an important role in development of cancer, say corresponding authors Hemant K. Tiwari, Ph.D., and Keshav K. Singh, Ph.D. Tiwari is professor of biostatistics in the UAB School of Public Health, and Singh is professor of genetics in the UAB School of Medicine.

Numerous mitochondrial organelles reside in nearly all higher eukaryotic cells, and they function as the powerhouses of the cells to create ATP, the cell's major energy source. Human mitochondria have just 37 genes. The mitochondria are located in the cytosol of the cells, outside of the cell nucleus; the cell's DNA genome is located inside the nuclear membrane.

Over eons, pieces of mitochondrial DNA have naturally inserted into eukaryotic genomes; at birth, for example, humans have between 755 and 1,155 germline mitochondrial DNA inserts that have been passed on through generations. These germline, inherited mitochondrial DNA insertions are seen over a wide range of organisms, including humans, plants, yeast, malaria parasites and nematodes.

Besides DNA, entire mitochondria, mitochondrial proteins and mitochondrial RNA can also be found in the nucleus; but their roles in human health and disease remain relatively unexplored. The increased mitochondrial DNA in the genomes of the cancer cells observed by the UAB team suggests somatic insertion of mitochondrial DNA occurred as the cancer developed.

The median nuclear mitochondrial DNA fold-change in colorectal tumors of women was higher than the median for men. There appeared to be a correlation of increased fold-change with poorer patient survival, but the researchers say further analysis of a larger sample size is needed to make a definite conclusion.

The somatic mitochondrial DNA inserts appeared to correlate with gene-rich segments of the genome, and the researchers mapped hotspots on the mitochondrial genome for migration into the nuclear genome.

Since the gene product of YME1 is a potent suppressor of mitochondrial DNA migration into the genome of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Tiwari and Singh investigated the human homologue of the YME1 gene, called YME1L1. Both gene products have conserved roles in mitochondrial assembly (mitochondria are made up of 2,000 proteins encoded by the nuclear genome and 13 encoded by the mitochondrial genome), mitochondrial integrity and DNA metabolism. However, a role for the human YME1L1 in suppressing migration of mitochondrial DNA into the nucleus was unknown.

As indirect evidence, the UAB researchers found that 16 percent of the 57 colorectal cancer sequences examined had mutations in the human gene YME1L1. An expanded analysis of colorectal cancer sequences in The Cancer Genome Atlas database showed a high incidence of YME1L1 mutations. The researchers also found high mutation rates of YME1L1 in other cancers.

The UAB team next showed that knocking out YME1L1 in a human cell line strikingly increased the amount of mitochondrial DNA in the nuclear fraction of YME1L1 knockout cells. These results identified YME1L1 as the first reported suppressor gene for nuclear migration of mitochondrial DNA in humans, and they suggested that inactivation of YME1L1 leads to increased migration of mitochondrial DNA into the nucleus.

This was tested in yeast. A marker that can only be transcribed in the nucleus was inserted into yeast mitochondrial DNA. When the yeast YME1 was mutated, the marker was 20-fold elevated compared to yeast with non-mutated YME1. When human YME1L1 was introduced into yeast with the mutated YME1, the human gene product partially rescued the YME1 mutation, preventing migration of mitochondrial DNA into the nucleus. Thus, human YME1L1 appears to suppress migration of mitochondrial DNA into the nucleus.

Tiwari and Singh have dubbed a new term -- numtogenesis (pronounced "noo-mitto-genesis") -- for this phenomenon of mitochondrial occurrence in the nucleus.

In a companion paper in Analytical Biochemistry, the Singh laboratory and the Bernd Friebe laboratory at the Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, describe a molecular tool to rapidly detect and analyze insertion of mitochondrial DNA into the genomes of cells.

Up to now, analysis of mitochondrial DNA inserted into the nuclear genome depended on deep genome sequencing combined with comprehensive computational analysis of the entire genome, a time-consuming, cumbersome and cost-prohibitive approach. The researchers, led by corresponding author Singh and first author Dal-Hoe Koo, research assistant professor at Kansas State, developed a single-molecule mitochondrial Fiber-FISH technique, using fluorescence in situ hybridization. This permits high-resolution mapping of genes and chromosomal regions on single fibers of DNA, and it targets the physical location of mitochondrial DNA probes down to a resolution of 1,000 base pairs.

"This novel technique," they said, "should help distinguish and monitor cancer stages and progression, aid in elucidation of basic mechanisms underlying tumorigenesis, and facilitate analyses of processes related to early detection of cancer, screening and/or cancer risk assessment."

Besides Tiwari and Singh, co-authors of the Genome Medicine paper, "Migration of mitochondrial DNA in the nuclear genome of colorectal adenocarcinoma," are Vinodh Srinivasainagendra, Michael W. Sandel, Bhupendra Singh, Aishwarya Sundaresan, Ved P. Mooga and Prachi Bajpai, UAB departments of Biostatistics and Genetics.

Besides Singh, Friebe and Koo, co-authors of the Analytical Biochemistry paper, "Single-molecule mtDNA Fiber FISH for analyzing numtogenesis," are Jiming Jiang, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Bikarm S. Gill, Kansas State University; Paul D. Chastain, William Carey University, Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and Bhupendra Singh, Upender Manne and Hemant K. Tiwari, UAB.

At UAB, Tiwari holds the William "Student" Sealy Gosset Endowed Professorship in Biostatistics, UAB School of Public Health, and Singh holds Joy and Bill Harbert Endowed Chair in Cancer Genetics.

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Rather than a brain-drain, the 13-country European Union (EU) expansion initiated more than a decade ago triggered a brain-reconfiguration -- the rising circulation of knowledge through the increased mobility of highly skilled workers in high-demand fields.

UC Merced Professor Alexander M. Petersen and his colleague Michelangelo Puliga with the IMT Lucca School for Advanced Studies in Lucca, Italy, used the 2004 EU expansion -- and its implicit guarantee of free movement of labor -- as a basis to study the effects of the expanding high-skilled labor markets on European integration.

Petersen and Puliga's new paper, featured on the cover of the April issue of the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, shows how the EU expansion facilitated the inter-European circulation of people in the medical, technical, educational, scientific, engineering and business and legal communities.

One factor facilitating the growth of the high-skilled labor markets is the EU's policy of converging standards. Think of it as reciprocity between American states, where some achievements in one state -- such as passing the bar in California -- mean the achiever can practice his or her trade in some other states without retaking tests or re-earning degrees.

By developing data-driven models to explore the structural dynamics of the labor-mobility networks, the researchers provide quantitative insight into the process and outcomes of highly skilled migration.

While most workers are going from east to west, as was traditionally true, Petersen and Puliga also uncovered an emerging reverse migration channel moving west to east.

"... We observe a net directional loss of human capital from east to west, representing 29 percent of the total mobility after 2004. Nevertheless, the counter-migration from west to east is 7 percent of the total mobility over the same period, signaling the emergence of brain circulation within the EU," the researchers wrote.

"This is important for science and other knowledge-based domains that rely on the free mobility of knowledge," Petersen said. "Also, when people move, they don't just take their knowledge and skills, they build social mini-bridges. When you add those mini-bridges together, they create substantial bridges between cultures and knowledge. What we observed in our study is a good sign of circulation, and thus integration, which wasn't really visible before."

Expanding circulation suggests the increased potential for international collaboration, which in science can lead to huge advances and breakthroughs. That could further contribute to the competitiveness of the collective science systems.

However, in a companion paper published in the April 12 issue of Science Advances, Petersen and colleagues demonstrate the negative effects of brain-drain on the cross-border collaboration rate in Europe. Quite unexpectedly, the researchers show that European cross-border integration would have been higher had the Eastern European countries not joined the EU.

The EU incentivizes migration and collaboration, and the member countries have spent a lot of time and effort on trying to integrate research.

"However, sadly, when people move around, the bridges they've built will dissolve if they are not actively maintained," Petersen said.

Another huge change the researchers began to consider but will have to factor in later in more detail is Brexit -- Great Britain's imminent divorce from the EU -- the legal proceedings of which began at the end of March.

"There are a lot of ramifications, even with a 'soft' Brexit," Petersen said. The change in mobility could have a downside for the United Kingdom, which is a dominant immigration hub toward which high-skilled laborers have long gravitated.

"Nevertheless, while it might not be great for the U.K. and some secondary countries, the prospects for labor mobility and competitiveness in the rest of Europe may become more egalitarian," Petersen said.

For example, the EU pools research money from its member countries and distributes it, and the U.K., being such a powerhouse, likely got more than its share, he said. What will happen to British scientific research when the country has to pay its own way is still unknown.

"This could be a really good time for rethinking and retooling programs for the EU," Petersen said. "It's a good time to take advantage of what we can learn from past experiences -- both personal and collective."

A computational social scientist, Petersen is a member of the Ernest and Julio Gallo Management Program, housed in the School of Engineering. Before joining UC Merced in 2016, he was an expat scientist in Italy.

The outcome of his interdisciplinary collaboration at the IMT Lucca speaks to the possibility and potential fostered by international mobility.

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Asian elephants are able to recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in problem-solving, further strengthening evidence of their intelligence and self-awareness, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge.

Self-awareness in both animals and young children is usually tested using the 'mirror self-recognition test' to see if they understand that the reflection in front of them is actually their own. Only a few species have so far shown themselves capable of self-recognition - great apes, dolphins, magpies and elephants. It is thought to be linked to more complex forms of perspective taking and empathy.

Critics, however, have argued that this test is limited in its ability to investigate complex thoughts and understanding, and that it may be less useful in testing animals who rely less on vision than other species.

One potential complement to the mirror test as a measure of self-understanding may be a test of 'body-awareness'. This test looks at how individuals may recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in a problem-solving task. Such a task could demonstrate an individual's understanding of its body in relation to its physical environment, which may be easier to define than the distinction between oneself and another demonstrated through success at the mirror test.

To test for body-awareness in Asian elephants, Dr Josh Plotnik, visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge, visiting assistant professor of psychology at Hunter College, City University of New York and founder of conservation charity Think Elephants International, devised a new test of self-awareness together with his colleague Rachel Dale (now a PhD student at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna). The new test was adapted from one in which children were asked to push a shopping trolley, but the trolley was attached to a mat on which they were standing.

In the elephant version of the test, Plotnik and Dale attached a stick to a rubber mat using a rope; the elephants were then required to walk onto the mat, pick up the stick and pass it to an experimenter standing in front of them. The researchers wanted to investigate whether elephants understood the role of their bodies as potential obstacles to success in the task by observing how and when the animals removed themselves from the mat in order to exchange the stick. In one control arm of the test, the stick was unattached to the mat, meaning the elephant could pass the stick while standing on the mat.

The results of the study, which was largely funded by a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society awarded to Dr Plotnik, are published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Elephants are well regarded as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we still need more empirical, scientific evidence to support this belief," says Dale. "We know, for example, that they are capable of thoughtful cooperation and empathy, and are able to recognise themselves in a mirror. These abilities are highly unusual in animals and very rare indeed in non-primates. We wanted to see if they also show 'body-awareness'."

Plotnik and Dale found that the elephants stepped off the mat to pass the stick to the experimenter significantly more often during the test than during the control arm. Elephants stepped off the mat an average (mean) of around 42 out of 48 times during the test compared to just three times on average during the control.

"This is a deceptively simple test, but its implications are quite profound," says Dr Plotnik. "The elephants understood that their bodies were getting in the way, so they stepped aside to enable themselves to complete the task. In a similar test, this is something that young children are unable to understand until they are about two years old.

"This implies that elephants may be capable of recognising themselves as separate from objects or their environment. This means that they may have a level of self-understanding, coupled with their passing of the mirror test, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom."

Species that have demonstrated a capacity for self-recognition in the mirror test all show varying levels of cooperative problem-solving, perspective taking and empathy, suggesting that 'self-awareness' may relate to effective cooperative-living in socially intelligent animals. A more developed self-understanding of how an individual relates to those around may underlie more complex forms of empathic perspective taking. It may also underlie how an individual targets help towards others in need. Both aspect are seen in studies of human children.

Both self-awareness as demonstrated by the mirror test and body-awareness as demonstrated by the current study help scientists better understand how an animal's understanding of self and of its place in the environment may impact social decision-making in the wild.

Plotnik argues that studies such as this are important for helping increase our understanding of and appreciation for the behaviour and intelligence of animals. He also says that understanding elephant behaviour has important implications for the development of human/elephant conflict mitigation strategies in places like Thailand and India, where humans and elephants are competing for land. Only through careful consideration of both human and elephant needs can long-term solutions be sustainable.

"The more we can understand about elephants' behaviour, the more we can understand what their needs are, how they think and the strains they face in their social relationships," he says. "This will help us if we are going to try to come up with viable long term solutions to the problems that these animals face in the wild, especially those that bring them into regular conflict with humans."

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Reference

Dale, R, and Plotnik, JM. Elephants know when their bodies are obstacles to success in a novel transfer task. Scientific Reports; 12 April 2017; DOI: 10.1038/srep46309
Around two in every five GPs in the South West have said they intend to quit within the next five years, exposing the magnitude of the region's impending healthcare crisis suggesting that the picture for the UK may be particularly challenging.

The University of Exeter's recent largescale survey of GPs across the region also found that seven out of ten GPs intend to change their working patterns in a way that would mean less contact with patients. This included leaving patient care, taking a career break, or reducing their hours.

More than 2,000 GPs responded to the survey, in research which involved collaboration with Bristol University. It was funded by the National Institute for Health Research and published today in BMJ Open. The data provides a snapshot of low morale which, if echoed in other regions, could point to a deeper and more imminent crisis than previously anticipated in relation to the worsening shortage of GPs nationwide.

Professor John Campbell, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research, has called for a move away from "sticking plaster solutions" towards robust, joined-up action to avert the crisis nationwide.

Professor Campbell, a practising GP, said: "We carried out this survey because of a nationally recognised crisis in the shortage of GPs across the country, and our findings show an even bleaker outlook than expected for GP cover, even in an area which is often considered desirable, and which has many rural communities. If GPs have similar intentions to leave or reduce their hours in other regions, as many are reporting, the country needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought."

Over the past four years, a crisis has been developing around the national GP workforce. The number of unfilled GP posts quadrupled between 2012 and 2014, while the numbers of GPs fell substantially. The national situation has prompted political action, with the Government announcing measures to train 5,000 new GPs in 2015, and to increase the proportion of medical students who choose general practice as a career.

In response, and to get a true picture of the scale of the problem in the region, the research team sent surveys to 3,370 GPs across the South West, and received responses from 2,248. The study found that more than half of GPs (54%) reported low morale. This group was particularly likely to indicate that they intended to leave the profession. The researchers conclude that the findings highlight the magnitude of the potential GP shortage crisis that is imminently facing the region, and reflect the current state of general practice in the UK.

Professor John Campbell, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research and who is a practising GP, said: "We know that there's an ageing workforce in general practice, with 30 per cent of GPs being over 50 years old. Previous research has found that GP morale is low because of workload pressures, and many younger GPs do not want the financial risk and responsibilities of taking on a practice. Yet if the GPs we surveyed fulfil their intentions to leave or to cut back their patient contact, and no action is taken to address the issue, the South West will experience a severe shortfall of GPs in the next five years."

Professor Campbell said: "Whilst numerous government-led initiatives are underway to address recruitment, there is a need to address the underlying serious malaise which is behind this data. We are in a perilous situation in England, with poor morale of the current GP workforce, and major difficulties with recruitment and retention of GPs reflected in the stark overall reduction in the GP workforce. Reactive, sticking-plaster approaches are not the answer.

"GPs and their teams deliver nine out of every ten patient contacts with the NHS but attract just seven pence in every pound of NHS resource; that is unsustainable. The government needs to work with the Royal College of General Practitioners, the British Medical Association, and Universities to obtain evidence on the causes of the problem, to develop and implement relevant strategy, and to effect fundamental change in healthcare resourcing and planning nationwide."

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The paper 'Quitting patient care and career break intentions among general practitioners in South West England: findings of a census survey of general practitioners' is published in BMJ Open on April 12. Authors are Emily Fletcher, Gary A Abel, Rob Anderson, Suzanne H Richards, Chris Salisbury, Sarah Gerard Dean, Anna Sansom, Fiona C Warren, and John L Campbell.
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.

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Wearing silk clothing offers no additional benefit for children who suffer from moderate to severe eczema, a study led by researchers at The University of Nottingham has found.

The results of the trial, published in PLOS Medicine and funded by the National Institute for Health Research, revealed that wearing specialist silk garments did not reduce the severity of eczema for the children taking part, not did it reduce the amount of creams and ointments used for their eczema, or the number of skin infections experienced.

Professor Kim Thomas, from the Centre for Evidence Based Dermatology in the University's School of Medicine, led the study. She said: "The silk garments that we looked at as part of this trial did not appear to provide additional clinical or economic benefits over standard care for the management of children with eczema."

"These results provide robust evidence to inform health commissioners and prescribers in making informed clinical decisions about the treatment of their patients."

An animation of the study has been made to explain the trial and its findings.

Three small clinical trials had suggested that the use of DermaSilk clothing might offer some possible benefits for children with eczema. However, these previous trials were insufficient for guiding clinical practice because of limitations in their methodology, prompting the Nottingham study to examine the issue in more detail.

The CLOTHing for the relief of Eczema Symptoms trial (CLOTHES trial), which involved recruiting hospitals from across the UK, was the first large, randomised controlled trial to evaluate the use of silk garments (DermaSilk or Dreamskin) for children with moderate to severe eczema.

Eczema is an itchy, inflammatory skin condition that is common throughout the world. It can have a huge impact on the quality of life of children and their families, particularly when sleep is affected.

Clothing has been thought to play a role in either soothing or making eczema symptoms worse, and specialist clothing is now available on prescription in the UK in a variety of forms (including silk).

Due to limited evidence supporting the efficacy of silk clothing for the relief of eczema, the NIHR HTA programme commissioned the CLOTHES trial, which aimed to examine whether adding silk garments to standard eczema care could reduce eczema severity in children with moderate to severe eczema, compared to use of standard eczema treatment alone. The CLOTHES trial also looked at whether the use of the silk clothing was cost-effective.

The study took place in five recruiting centres across the UK, and included children aged between one and 15 years of age. The children were randomly given either standard eczema treatment or standard treatment plus the use of silk clothing.

The participants were given either Dermasilk or Dreamskin clothing - the two brands of garments available on prescription at the time the trial was designed. Both brands are made with antimicrobially-protected, knitted, sericin-free 100% silk. The participants were given three sets of long-sleeved vest and leggings (or body suits and leggings depending on the age of the child) and were instructed to wear the clothing as often as possible during the day and night.

All the children continued with their regular use of emollient creams and topical corticosteroids for controlling inflammation, and were asked not to change their standard treatment for the duration of the trial if possible.

The participants' skin was assessed by nurses every two months using the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), which measures how bad the eczema is (e.g. how red and inflamed the skin looks, evidence of scratch marks and swelling in the skin). The nurses were trained in how to make the assessments reliably and did not know which group the children had been allocated to. This was so that they could judge the effectiveness of the treatments fairly.

In addition to the main outcome measurement of EASI, the trial also assessed eczema symptoms, use of topical corticosteroid creams and ointments, quality of life and the number of skin infections and hospital admissions.

Use of the garments was good and probably reflects how people might wear the silk clothing normal practice - 82 per cent of the participants wore the clothes for at least 50 per cent of the time, although the clothing was worn more often at night than during the day.

In terms of severity of eczema, quality of life and use of eczema medications, the trial found no difference between the two groups. Safety outcomes e.g. the number of skin infections and hospitalisations due to eczema were also similar in the two groups.

When asking patients to monitor the severity of their eczema symptoms weekly, those using the silk clothing reported small improvements in the eczema, but these differences were small and unlikely to be clinical meaningful.

At the time the research was commissioned, 840, 272 was spent on prescriptions for silk garments per year in the UK, rising to more than 2 million by 2014. The CLOTHES study found that the average cost of garments for 6 months was 318.52 per participant, and this amount was not offset by a reduction in other healthcare costs, such as prescriptions or GP visits. Overall the trial concluded that using silk garments for the management of eczema is unlikely to be cost-effective for the NHS.

Professor Thomas added: "Whilst some may find these results disappointing, we hope that patients and doctors will find the CLOTHES study useful in helping them to make informed decisions about how best to help children with eczema. Unfortunately, this trial suggests that silk clothing probably does not provide value for money for patients or for the NHS."

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The research paper, Silk Garments Compared with Standard Care for Treating Atopic Dermatitis in Children: A Randomised, Observer Blind, Pragmatic Trial (CLOTHES Trial), is published in PLOS Medicine.

The research involved collaboration with Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Nottingham; the University of East Anglia; Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust; the University of Portsmouth; Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Hull, University of Dundee; and Ninewells Hospital and Medical School in Dundee.

Silk clothing for use in the trial was donated Espere Healthcare Ltd. (UK and Ireland distributor for DermaSilk, AlPreTec SrL. Italy) and DreamSkin Health Ltd).
University of Utah professors Bradley R. Cairns, professor and chair of Oncological Sciences and senior director of Basic Science; Dana Carroll, distinguished professor of Biochemistry; and Christopher D. Hacon, distinguished professor of Mathematics, were raised to a high honor in science today with their election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The three scientists join 225 U.S. scholars, scientists, writers, artists, as well as civic, business and philanthropic leaders, elected by the Academy, which is headquartered in Cambridge, Mass. Members of the 2017 class include winners of the Pulitzer Prize and the Wolf Prize, MacArthur Fellows, Fields Medalists, Presidential Medal of Freedom and National Medal of Arts recipients, and Academy Award, Grammy Award, Emmy Award and Tony Award winners.

Bradley R. Cairns was honored for his work examining how chromatin, the structures that package chromosomal DNA, switch genes on or off. He is working to understand how changes in chromatin affect cellular mechanisms that can lead to cancer development. As an investigator at the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah, Cairns is using zebrafish to study genes associated with many types of cancers.

Along with this latest honor, Cairns has been a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator since 2000.

Dr. Cairns has made fundamental discoveries in the areas of DNA remodeling and regulation of gene expression that are influencing how we think about human development and disease," said Mary Beckerle, CEO and director of HCI. In addition to his innovative and high-impact scientific work, Dr. Cairns is also an exceptional leader who has built a culture of excellence and collaboration at Huntsman Cancer Institute and the University of Utah. The American Academy of Arts and Sciences couldnt have chosen a better person to honor with membership in this distinguished society."

Dana Carroll has been on the faculty at the U of U Health for 42 years. Starting 21 years ago, he developed the earliest of the precise genome editing platforms, zinc-finger nucleases. He has worked with ZFNs and the successor technologies, TALENs and CRISPR-Cas, all of which are being used around the world to learn the consequences of specific mutations, to improve agricultural plant and animals, and to develop treatments for human diseases.

Carroll received both the 2012 Edward Novitski Prize from the Genetics Society of America and the 2014 Herbert Sober Lectureship from the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He also received the 2016 Distinguished Innovation and Impact Award from the University of Utah.

I am ecstatic to hear that Dr. Dana Carroll has been elected into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, said U of U Vice President for Research Andrew Weyrich. Dr. Carroll is a pioneer in the research community for his groundwork in genome editing platforms, which have been used effectively to modify the genomes of over 80 organisms. This is a great honor for his continuous dedication and contribution to research and science.

Christopher Hacon is a scholar of algebraic geometry, the field of mathematics that studies geometric objects defined by polynomial equations. He is particularly interested in objects that exist in more than three dimensions, and he and his colleagues have applied studies of these objects to extend the minimal model program, a foundational principle of algebraic geometry, into higher dimensions. The American Mathematical Society has lauded the work of Hacon and his colleagues as a watershed in algebraic geometry.

Hacon is a fellow of the American Mathematical Society and recipient of the 2016 EH Moore Research Article Prize, the 2015 Distinguished Scholarly and Creative Research Award from the University of Utah, the 2011 Antonio Feltrinelli Prize in Mathematics Mechanics and Applications, the 2009 Frank Nelson Cole Prize in Algebra and the 2007 Clay Research Award.

"Hacon's election as a member of the AAAS stands in recognition of his towering stature as a research mathematician and his deep contributions not only to the discipline of mathematics, but also to the University of Utah," said Peter Trapa, chair of the Department of Mathematics.

It is an honor to welcome this new class of exceptional women and men as part of our distinguished membership, said Don Randel, Chair of the Academys Board of Directors. Their talents and expertise will enrich the life of the Academy and strengthen our capacity to spread knowledge and understanding in service to the nation.

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This release and associated images can be found here.
Scientists report a significant step toward combatting two degenerative brain diseases that chip away at an individual's ability to move, and think. A targeted therapy developed by investigators at University of Utah Health slows the progression of a condition in mice that mimics a rare disease called ataxia. In a parallel collaborative study led by researchers at Stanford University, a nearly identical treatment improves the health of mice that model Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly called Lou Gehrig's disease.

The findings benchmark a new approach toward alleviating these previously untreatable conditions. In addition, they suggest that the therapy's target, the ataxin-2 gene, may be important for maintaining the health of brain cells. Additional work needs to be done to determine whether the regimen is safe and effective in humans and forestalls the death of brain cells over the long-term.

"This is a proof of concept that these new compounds could become the basis for new therapies for neurodegenerative disease, which so far have been largely impenetrable," says Stefan Pulst M.D., Dr Med, , chair of neurology at U of U Health, also senior author on the first study and a collaborator on the second. Both reports will be published online in the journal Nature on April 12, 2017.

At first glance, patients with a type of ataxia, called spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, appear drunk. They stumble, slur their speech and have trouble keeping balance. Patients are often puzzled by the odd collection of symptoms when they first appear, usually after they reach adulthood. But for Pulst, a neurologist, the signs raise alarm bells. They flag a genetic mutation that causes brain cells to die and symptoms to worsen over time.

"It is frustrating when I have to tell patients that there is no magic bullet," says Pulst. In the most severe cases, ataxia resembles ALS, making it difficult to swallow and eventually to breathe. "At this point there's nothing we can do to slow the pace of their disease."

In order to test experimental treatments, Pulst's team engineered mice that carry the human disease gene. Like their human counterparts, the rodents have many of the same signs of disease, including an overactive ataxin-2 gene that is toxic to brain cells. The scientists injected the rodents with small snippets of manufactured, modified DNA, called antisense oligonucleotides. Like a homing beacon, these compounds found instructions specified by the mutated gene and targeted them for destruction by natural processes.

In less than two months following treatment, mice performed significantly better on a balance and coordination test, an improvement that the scientists showed was more than skin deep. The brain's cerebellum, a region that coordinates movement, showed signs of restoration, too.

The activity of cells in the cerebellum, which had slowed considerably, returned to firing at normal rates after treatment. Further, expression of a handful of genes that had diminished during disease reverted back to normal.

"The antisense oligonucleotides are directly targeting the root cause of disease inside the cell, explaining why the mice recover some of their motor behavior," says lead author Daniel Scoles, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at U of U health.

One injection directly into the brain lasted for more than four months, and mice did not have obvious side effects.

The idea of targeting errant disease genes with antisense oligonucleotide is not new. Recent advances in the technology, however, have increased their accuracy and enabled them to last longer in the body, making them more effective.

In a separate investigation, scientists were surprised to find that the same treatment using antisense oligonucleotides to target the ataxin-2 gene is also effective against an ALS-like condition in mice. Like ataxia, ALS is a neurodegenerative disease but it progresses much more rapidly. While many patients live with ataxia for decades following diagnosis, the life expectancy of patients with ALS is generally two to five years.

The therapy improved movement in mice with ALS and they survived considerably longer, with their lifespan increased by more than one-third. The ataxin-2 gene is not mutated in ALS, and so the treatment is believed to work by an indirect mechanism.

"Nearly all ALS cases are associated with accumulation of clumps of a protein called TDP-43. We have found a way to protect against the toxic consequences of this - by targeting the ataxin-2 gene," explains Aaron Gitler, Ph.D., associate professor of genetics at Stanford University and senior author of the ALS study. "If this works in humans and is safe, then we could potentially treat a large number of patients with ALS."

Additional research is being carried out to further understand how the therapy alleviates ALS in mice and determine whether targeting ataxin-2 may also work against other brain degenerative conditions with a similar pathology, such as frontotemporal dementia.

Pulst says that while much work remains to be done, he now faces his patients with a renewed optimism fueled in part by another recent development. In Dec. 2016, the FDA approved the first drug to slow a neurodegenerative condition, a childhood disease called spinal muscular atrophy. That medicine is also based on antisense oligonucleotides, demonstrating that the technology can effectively treat this class of disease in people.

"Our combined work is an example of how understanding a rare disease can impact more than the small number of people affected by it," says Pulst. "It is leading to insights into treatments for more common diseases."

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In addition to Pulst and Scoles, additional researchers from University of Utah Health and from University of California, Los Angeles, and Ionis Pharmaceuticals co-authored the ataxia study, published as "Antisense oligonucleotide therapy for spinocerebellar ataxia type 2" in Nature.

Gitler, Pulst, and scientists from Stanford University, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, St. Jude's Research Hospital, and Goethe University, Germany, co-authored the ALS study, published as "Therapeutic reduction of ataxin 2 extends the lifespan and rescues pathological features of ALS and TDP-43 transgenic mice" in Nature.

The ataxia research was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the Noorda Foundation, Target ALS Foundation, and a gift from Ionis Pharmaceuticals. The ALS study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, Target ALS Foundation, National Science Foundation, Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins, Glenn Foundation, and the DFG grant.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have been able to capture the first composite image of a dark matter bridge that connects galaxies together.

The composite image, which combines a number of individual images, confirms predictions that galaxies across the universe are tied together through a cosmic web connected by dark matter that has until now remained unobservable.

Dark matter, a mysterious substance that comprises around 25 per cent of the universe, doesn't shine, absorb or reflect light. It has traditionally been largely undetectable, except through gravity.

"For decades, researchers have been predicting the existence of dark-matter filaments between galaxies that act like a web-like superstructure connecting galaxies together," said Mike Hudson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Waterloo. "This image moves us beyond predictions to something we can see and measure."

As part of their research, Hudson and co-author Seth Epps, a former master's student at the University of Waterloo, used a technique called weak gravitational lensing. It's an effect that causes the images of distant galaxies to warp slightly under the influence of an unseen mass such as a planet, a black hole, or in this case, dark matter. The effect was measured in images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

They combined lensing images from more than 23,000 galaxy pairs located 4.5 billion light-years away to create a composite image or map that shows the presence of dark matter between the two galaxies. Results show the dark matter filament bridge is strongest between systems less than 40 million light-years apart.

"By using this technique, we're not only to able to see that these dark matter filaments in the universe exist, we're able to see the extent to which these filaments connect galaxies together," said Epps.

Hudson and Epps' research appears in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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As the World Health Organization steps up its efforts to eradicate a once-rampant tropical disease, a University of Washington study suggests that monitoring, and potentially treating, the monkeys that co-exist with humans in affected parts of the world may be part of the global strategy.

Yaws, an infectious disease that causes disfiguring skin lesions and bone destruction -- stems from a bacterium, Treponema pallidum, that also has been found in certain primates in Africa and Asia. The disease, treatable with a one-time dose of penicillin or, as part of the renewed eradication effort, the antibiotic azithromycin, has experienced a significant resurgence in the past two decades.

UW researchers and colleagues examined macaques in South and Southeast Asia, where the monkeys live in the wild, temples and villages, or are kept as pets. While researchers could not identify how a particular animal became infected, treponemal infections are known to be transmitted by contact with the skin lesion of an infected individual, so a pet macaque could potentially pick up the bacteria, said Lisa Jones-Engel, a UW research assistant professor of anthropology who led the study.

The study will be published online April 12 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Prone to spread in areas that are overcrowded, under-resourced, or have inadequate sanitation, yaws afflicts mostly children. At one time, the disease had a massive reach, affecting more people than malaria in some parts of the world: From 1952 to 1964, the WHO and UNICEF treated 50 million cases and contacts in 46 countries. But officials scaled back efforts when it appeared the disease had been contained, only to see it gradually re-emerge at the end of the 1970s. Today, the WHO estimates tens of thousands of cases in a dozen countries in Africa and Asia, aiming for global eradication by 2020.

While monkeys may be infected with the bacterium, it's not yet clear whether the infection can pass from human to animal and vice versa, said Sheila Lukehart, a UW professor of medicine and global health who co-authored the study. The prevalence of the animals in daily life in many countries makes them an important factor in how to approach eradication efforts, she said.

Jones-Engel pointed to the vast geographic range of the study, as well as the range of environments in which the macaques lived -- both in captivity and in the wild. "Although yaws is endemic in a number of regions that we tested, infected monkeys were seen only in a region that had experienced a recent upsurge in reported yaws cases. So if you go through and treat only the villagers, then your eradication effort may be compromised," she said.

The study, which also involved researchers from universities in Asia, Europe and Canada, examined blood samples of more than 700 macaques. Fewer than 2 percent tested positive for the bacteria -- mostly on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, where a yaws outbreak was active at the time samples were collected.

These circumstances represent an opportunity to take a One Health approach to controlling yaws, UW researchers say. A holistic strategy, One Health calls on professionals at all levels and disciplines to acknowledge the links among human, animal and environmental health, and to collaborate to improve all three.

Treating animals for a disease that can spread to humans is not unprecedented: The rabies vaccine routinely administered to pets in the developed world, for example, prevents the infection in animals, which in turn protects people.

"If you go into a village where you know yaws is prevalent in the human population, and animals are part of that population, then those animals may need to be targeted for treatment," Jones-Engel said. "We tend not to think of animals in these kinds of disease-treatment programs, which is such a human-centric approach. That has to change."

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The study was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the National Center for Research Resources (divisions of the National Institutes of Health), and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, among others.

For more information, contact Jones-Engel at ljengel@uw.edu.

For photos, contact Kim Eckart, keckart@uw.edu
For decades, scientists have wondered what the earliest dinosaur relatives looked like. Most assumed that they would look like miniature dinosaurs, be about the size of a chicken, and walk on two legs.

A Virginia Tech paleobiologist's latest discovery of Teleocrater rhadinus, however, has overturned popular predictions. This carnivorous creature, unearthed in southern Tanzania, was approximately seven to 10 feet long, with a long neck and tail, and instead of walking on two legs, it walked on four crocodylian-like legs.

The finding, published in the journal Nature April 12, fills a critical gap in the fossil record. Teleocrater, living more than 245 million years ago during the Triassic Period, pre-dated dinosaurs. It shows up in the fossil record right after a large group of reptiles known as archosaurs split into a bird branch (leading to dinosaurs and eventually birds) and a crocodile branch (eventually leading to today's alligators and crocodiles). Teleocrater and its kin are the earliest known members of the bird branch of the archosaurs.

"The discovery of such an important new species is a once-in-a-lifetime experience," said Sterling Nesbitt, an assistant professor of geosciences in the College of Science.

He and Michelle Stocker, a co-author and also an assistant professor of geosciences in the College of Science, will give a free public talk with the fossils at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 13, 2017 at the Virginia Tech Museum of Geosciences on the second floor of Derring Hall.

Teleocrater fossils were first discovered in Tanzania in 1933 by paleontologist F. Rex Parrington, and the specimens were first studied by Alan J. Charig, former Curator of Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds at the Natural History Museum of London, in the 1950s.

Largely because the first specimen lacked crucial bones, such as the ankle bones, Charig could not determine whether Teleocrater was more closely related to crocodylians or to dinosaurs. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete his studies. The new specimens of Teleocrater, found in 2015, clear those questions up. The intact ankle bones and other parts of the skeleton helped scientists determine that the species is one of the oldest members of the archosaur tree and had a crocodylian look.

Nesbitt and co-authors chose to honor Charig's original work by using the name he picked out for the animal, Teleocrater rhadinus, which means "slender complete basin" and refers to the animal's lean build and closed hip socket.

"The discovery of Teleocrater fundamentally changes our ideas about the earliest history of dinosaur relatives," said Nesbitt. "It also raises far more questions than it answers."

"This research sheds light on the distribution and diversity of the ancestors of crocodiles, birds, and dinosaurs," says Judy Skog, program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences, "and indicates that dinosaur origins should be re-examined now that we know more about the complex history and traits of these early ancestors."

Teleocrater and other recently discovered dinosaur cousins show that these animals were widespread during the Triassic Period and lived in modern day Russia, India, and Brazil. Furthermore, these cousins existed and went extinct before dinosaurs even appeared in the fossil record.

The team's next steps are to go back to southern Tanzania this May to find more remains and missing parts of the Teleocrater skeleton. They will also continue to clean the bones of Teleocrater and other animals from the dig site in the paleontology preparation lab in Derring Hall.

"It's so exciting to solve puzzles like Teleocrater, where we can finally tease apart some of these tricky mixed assemblages of fossils and shed some light on broader anatomical and biogeographic trends in an iconic group of animals," said Stocker.

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Stocker and Nesbitt are both researchers with the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech. Other co-authors on the paper include: Richard J. Butler with the University of Birmingham; Martin D. Ezcurra with Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; Paul M. Barrett with the Natural History Museum of London; Kenneth D. Angielczyk with the Field Museum of Natural History; Roger M. H. Smith with the University of the Witwatersrand and Iziko South African Museum; Christian A. Sidor with the University of Washington; Grzegorz Niedzwiedzki with Uppsala University; Andrey G. Sennikov with Borissiak Paleontological Institute and Kazan Federal Univeristy; and Charig.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, National Geographic Society, a Marie Curie Career Integration Grant, a National Geographic Society for Young Explorers grant, and the Russian Government Program of Competitive Growth of Kazan Federal University.

More information is available through the Paleobiology & Geobiology Research Group at Virginia Tech website.
Wednesday, April 12, 2017

The 2017 Frozen Dead Guy Days festival was another huge success! More than 20,000 people flooded the streets of Nederland, Colorado for this crazy celebration of the dead and the frozen. We had more than a thousand people, a 25% increase over last years number, who came to see the documentary Grandpas in the TUFF Shed and cheer on the couples who played The Newly-Dead Game. You can watch videos of all three games through this Family Plot Blog post.

Thanks to our sponsor Passages International, leaders in environmentally-friendly and green funeral products, for their support of community outreach on preneed funeral planning through this unique festival.

Saw lots of interesting products and services at the convention and expo of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) in Nashville, TN. You can see Family Plot Blog posts with videos of new developments over the coming weeks through the Tools of the Trade section of the blog. There are already a few online, and you can peruse coverage of past expos, too.

The next Albuquerque Death Cafe will be held on Sunday, April 23 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at my home. First-timers can RSVP to Gail [at] AGoodGoodbye.com for address and directions. Or join the ABQ Death Cafe Meetup group to be kept apprised of upcoming events.

Links to recent posts at The Family Plot Blog, upcoming events and a funny quote follow. Please call 505.265.7215 if I can be of assistance!

Gail Rubin, The Doyenne of Death

The Family Plot Blog Highlights

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Favorite Funeral Film Harold and Maude Holds Time-Tested Laughs Film writer Mark Caro asks if Harold and Maude, a favorite film from his youth, can still hold its charms all these years later.

Checklist: Memorable Life Celebration or Funeral Must-Haves Wondering what information youll need to create a moving, memorable memorial service or funeral? Use this handy checklist of questions to have answered BEFORE a loved one dies.

Why You Want a Physicist to Speak at Your Funeral For those who want a funeral or memorial service without any mention of spiritual matters, you may find this reading to be helpful.

Patient is a Compelling, Honest Look at End-of-Life This documentary tells Dr. Jeffrey Piehlers story about facing cancer and building his own plain pine casket.

Upcoming Events and a Funny Quote

See the Calendar page for a full listing of events.

Sunday, April 23, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Death Cafe at Gail Rubins home. RSVP for address and directions. More information here.

Saturday, April 29, 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Gail Rubin speaks on Keys to Downsize and Organize Your Life at the Delta Kappa Gamma convention for New Mexico educators. The event takes place at the Albuquerque Marriott, 2101 Louisiana Blvd. NE. More information here.

Tuesday, May 23, 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.  Gail Rubin presents Kicking the Bucket List: Important Downsizing and Organizing Things to Do Before You Die at two Phaneuf Funeral Homes locations in Manchester, New Hampshire. More information here.

Mark your calendar for the inaugural Before I Die ABQ festival, October 20-24, 2017. Before I Die festivals are part of a growing social movement to foster reflection about how we as individuals and as a society manage death and dying. By providing space and opportunities to openly discuss end-of-life issues, we can improve the percentage of those who plan ahead and take actions to address our mortality. More information here.

The one who dies with the most toys still dies. Gail Rubin

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Livestock conservation charity Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) has said the situation for iconic British pig breeds is 'extremely worrying'

While registration of breeding females remains largely stable or increasing for sheep and cattle, with positive trends for goats, the situation for pigs has been described as extremely worrying by the charity.

Out of the 11 native pig breeds, all except the Berkshire, Middle White, Tamworth and Large Black, are showing declining numbers.

The Gloucestershire Old Spots  arguably one of the breeds most well-known to the general public  is showing the most dramatic decline.

In 2014, there were 837 sows producing birth-notified litters, while by 2016 this had dropped to only 416. This puts the breed in Watchlist Category 4  At Risk.

'Economic factors'

RBST CEO Tom Beeston says: It is not that our native breeds lack their enthusiasts and we must give huge credit to those breeders who devote time, energy and money to ensuring the survival of their favoured breeds.

It is these efforts that have seen the situation for most native pig breeds vastly improving over the past 40 years. However, economic factors have a massive influence and for many people working with pigs, breeding is very challenging at present.

From the Watchlist, RBST reports hopeful signs for native sheep breeds, despite the uncertainty of Brexit looming large over the sheep industry.

Renewed interest has resulted in broad increases across the Primitive and Hill & Heath breeds, with numbers for Borerays and Whiteface Dartmoors going up.

Conversely, the picture is more mixed for the Shortwool & Down and Longwool breeds although Dorset Down and Greyface Dartmoor registrations are increasing at an encouraging rate.

One new breed, the Derbyshire Gritstone, has made its first appearance on the Watchlist, entering in Category 4  At Risk.

#GoNative

With the Watchlist helping fulfil RBSTs role of monitoring native breed livestock, the charity is working with key food and farming industry partners to promote consumption of native breed products.

Tom Beeston says: Our message to breeders and consumers alike is #GoNative. We want to emphasise the importance of pedigree breeding and registrations to producers and to push home the message to consumers that unless the meat they buy comes from a registered animal, they cant be sure they are eating the real thing.

We have to maintain the genetic diversity of our native breeds of livestock and to do that we have to make the market for the produce to encourage more breeders.

By continuously emphasising the necessity for breed registrations, we will also promote the importance of maintaining the integrity of native breed produce.
Farmers are 'justifiably angry' at the level of imported lamb products on British supermarket shelves this Easter.

NFU Scotland members have been inspecting the amount of imported lamb on shelves.

Twitter

Sainsbury's, Waitrose and the Co-op were found to have the largest percentage volumes of imported lamb.

Twitter

The Co-op has previously pledged to NFU Scotland that, from May 2017, it will exclusively source home-produced lamb for its stores.

'Expressed concerns'

Looking at the results, Livestock committee chairman Charlie Adam said he has contacted the retailers expressing his concerns.

"Members found that the Co-op carried very little home-produced lamb but it is important to note that it has committed to exclusively sourcing home-produced lamb for its supply chain in from May onwards.

"Overall, our shelf watchers found 69 percent of the lamb on shelves was produced in the UK and we want to see this proportion rise in future years.

"We continue to urge our members to keep an eye on shop shelves and let us know both good news and bad news on Scottish lamb being offered."

Farmers also expressed concerns that Morrisons, a long-standing supporter of British farmers, had a worrying level of imported products available.

Farmers have said they have contacted the retailer about this.

NFU livestock board chairman Charles Sercombe said it was a 'shame' that the retailer was acting contrary to its commitments.

"There is obviously a demand for British lamb so I would urge Morrisons to be clear to consumers about what its commitments are."
Five things for farmers to watch out for in Autumn Statement
ALDI to expand Duncan Hill Road store

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ALDI, the fast-growing discount grocery chain, is expanding its Hendersonville store, adding an additional 2,000 square feet of retail floor space to accommodate more produce, dairy and bakery offerings, the company told local media outlets this week.

ALDI vice president Thom Behtz told the Asheville Citizen-Times and WHKP radio that the company will remodel the Duncan Hill Road store this summere, increasing its total sales floor space to 12,065 square feet. At 17,597 total square feet, the ALDI store is less than half the size of the Publix, expected to open on Greenville Highway, and about a third as big as the new Ingles on Spartanburg Highway.

The work here and at ALDI's Asheville store on Patton Avenue comes as part of a $1.6 billion expansion plan nationwide. The German-based grocer plans to expand and remodel more than 1,300 U.S. stores by 2020.
Grand jury indicts Tryon town officials on public corruption charges

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A Tryon City Council member and a former town manager were charged with a conspiracy to commit fraud by carrying out a scheme designed to enrich both with public money, according to a federal grand jury indictment unsealed Wednesday.

City Councilman Leroy Miller Jr., 51, and former fire chief and town manager Joseph Samuel Davis, 42, are charged with federal program fraud conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose said. The indictment also charges Miller with three additional counts, including federal program fraud, extortion under color of official right and witness tampering. The indictment was returned under seal by a federal grand jury sitting in Asheville on April 4 and remained under seal until Millers arrest earlier today.

John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation joined U.S. Attorney Rose in making todays announcement.

Violating the trust of the public deserves swift and sure action by prosecutive authorities, said U.S. Attorney Rose. Today, on behalf of the citizens of Tyron, my office responded with an indictment against these two individuals who egregiously abused the trust bestowed upon them by the people.

The individuals arrested today are accused of stealing from the very system they were entrusted to support. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will investigate those who prey on programs that provide essential services to our citizens for their personal gain, said Special Agent in Charge Strong.

The public holds government officials to a high standard, and when that public trust is broken, we all suffer, said SBI Director Schurmeier. The SBI will continue to place a high priority on public corruption cases such as this one in Polk County, and we sincerely appreciate the diligent work of the U.S. Attorneys Office in prosecuting this case.

According to allegations in the indictment, over the course of the alleged conduct, Davis served the fire chief of the Tryon Fire Department. Beginning in January 2012, Davis was also appointed as Tryons interim, and later permanent, town manager. The indictment alleges that during the relevant time period, Davis received an increase in his salary of more than $5,000 per year, for serving as fire chief and town manager. The indictment further alleges that during this time, Miller was an elected member of the Tryon town council. In his position as a town council member, Miller had the power to affect and influence appointments, including that of Davis as interim and permanent town manager.

As detailed in the indictment, from at least April 2012, Miller began soliciting money from Davis. The two defendants reached an agreement whereby Davis would pay some of Millers personal bills in exchange for Millers championing within the town council for Davis to receive a higher salary, among other things. Miller sometimes made his solicitations for money in person or by telephone, and sometimes by text and email messages. The indictment alleges that from time to time, when he made these solicitations of money, Miller reminded Davis that Miller was in a position to help the fire department with a budget increase, that he had the power to affect Daviss appointment as town manager and his retention of that position, and that Miller had the power to affect Daviss salary in both positions.

Until in or about April 2016, Davis gave money to Miller out of Daviss personal funds. Beginning in or about April 2016, Davis had insufficient personal funds to pay Miller when Miller solicited money from him. Davis therefore wrongfully used the towns credit cards, on multiple occasions, to pay for Millers personal expenses, including to pay Millers utilities and cable bills and Millers car insurance premiums.

The indictment alleges in September 2016, when Tryons new town manager assumed that post, Davis would return to being solely the fire chief at a lower salary than his town manager pay. The next month Davis sent Miller a text message discussing the strategy and language that Miller should use in attempting to protect Daviss salary. Miller responded a few minutes later, asking Davis to send him what Davis wanted him to say. On the same day, Miller sent a text message to the new town manager stating that they needed to meet to discuss a budget amendment about salaries, and specifically to Joey Davis [sic] salary.

On or about Nov. 8, Miller sent a text message to Davis asking if he could possibly pay one utility. That same day, Davis told Miller via text message that he could not run anything through the town anymore with [the new town manager] checking behind me on all my expenditures.

The indictment further alleges that in addition to obtaining payments of his personal bills using the towns credit cards, Miller also solicited Davis to participate in a bill-padding and kickback scheme. On or about March 23, 2016, a private contractor (the contractor) submitted a bid for construction work on municipal buildings of the town. Davis, as town manager, was responsible for choosing a contractor, and he approved the contract. As a town council member, Miller was aware of the contract. In May 2016, Miller asked Davis for $2,500, and suggested Davis inflate the contractors bill by that amount and give the extra money to Miller. Davis, however, did not inflate the contract, and Miller therefore received no money from this proposed scheme.

According to the indictment, beginning in January 2017, Davis told Miller that he had been contacted by the SBI regarding Tryon town funds being used to pay for Millers personal bills. Miller advised Davis not to say anything, but that the money was from the towns needy fund and that Davis anticipated the money would be repaid. Miller also advised Davis to get rid of his emails and text messages and to make sure that he did not have a trail. Later the same month, the indictment alleges that Davis again met with Miller and told him that the FBI as well as the SBI had now contacted him and wanted to speak with him. Miller again told Davis several times during this meeting to inform the FBI and SBI that Davis made the payments out of the needy fund and that he thought the money would be reimbursed. When Davis said that he had things on his phone, Miller told him he to wipe it clean.

Millers initial appearance was scheduled for Wednesday in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell. Davis is also expected to appear in court on the charges pending against him.

The conspiracy charge carries a maximum prison term of five years and a $250,000 fine. The federal program fraud charge carries a maximum prison term or 10 years and a $250,000 fine. The extortion under color of official right charges carries a 20-year maximum prison term and a $250,000 fine. And the witness tampering charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.

The charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are innocent until proven guilty, beyond reasonable doubt, in a court of law.

In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Rose commended the FBI and SBI for their investigation of this case. U.S. Attorney Rose also thanked District Attorney Greg Newman of North Carolinas Judicial District 29B, which encompasses Henderson, Polk and Transylvania counties, for his offices assistance with this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Edwards, of the Asheville office, is in charge of the prosecution.




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
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A man from Coventry has become the first Briton to be charged by police over the swatting craze that sees computer gamers make fake calls to police to implicate other players in serious crimes.

Robert McDaid, 21, is alleged to have called a terrorism hotline in the US state of Maryland posing as a man called Tyran Dobbs.

Claiming to be armed with a gun and several bags of explosives, he said that he would kill three hostages unless $15,000 (12,000) was delivered in a red bag to his address.

Taking the threat seriously, armed police then raided Mr Dobbs home and shot the 20-year-old between the eyes and in the chest with rubber bullets, breaking bones in his face and bruising his lungs. Images taken after the incident show him with a heavily swollen, bruised and cut face.

After realising their error, investigators said they traced the call to Mr McDaid, who has now been charged in the US with three offences, including conspiracy to produce false information and hoax. He faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence if convicted.

The US Department of Justice said Mr McDaid was reportedly acting at the request of an American gamer called Zachary Lee, who contacted the Briton via an internet telephone service in February 2015 and asked for his help in swatting Mr Dobbs.

Mr McDaid is said to have responded: Ill do it when Im up.

The swatting trend  named after the Specialist Weapons and Tactics (Swat) teams that often respond to the calls - has seen police respond to hundreds of false reports by raiding the homes of completely innocent people who have been reported by their online rivals.

Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Show all 12 1 /12 Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Protesters hold up signs and flags to show solidarity with House Democrats after they staged a sit in over gun-control laws on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on June 23. 2016. Andrew Caballero/AFP/Getty Images Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC A lone protester wears tape printed with the U.S. flag on her mouth while attending an open hearing of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence where intelligence chiefs, including Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, testified at the U.S. Capitol February 25, 2016 in Washington, DC. Clapper said that the group known as the Islamic State, or ISIS, has become a greater global threat than al-Qaida ever was. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) waves to supporters along with House Democrats after their sit-in over gun-control law on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber shout encouragement from outside the U.S. Capitol on June 22, 2016 in Washington, DC. Led by civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) Democrats, have maintained control of the House chamber since this morning demanding a vote on gun control legislation. Pete Marovich/Getty Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Democrats walk out on the East Front on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., after their sit-in over gun-control law, June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC A poster for the gun-control law support is left on the ground on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) applauds as Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) (L) waves to supporters along with House Democrats after their sit-in over gun-control law on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Supporters of House Democrats taking part in a sit-in on the House Chamber shout encouragement from outside the U.S. Capitol on June 22, 2016 in Washington, DC. Led by civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) Democrats have maintained control of the House chamber since this morning demanding a vote on gun control legislation. Pete Marovich/Getty Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) (R) and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) (L) walk out with House Democrats on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., after their sit-in over gun-control law, June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Democrats walk out on the East Front on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., after their sit-in over gun-control law, June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC U.S. House Democrats walk out on the East Front on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., after their sit-in over gun-control law, June 23, 2016. Yuri Gripas/Reuters Protests call for stricter gun-control laws in Washington DC Protesters hold up signs and flags to show solidarity with House Democrats after they staged a sit in over gun-control laws on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on June 23. 2016. Andrew Caballero/AFP/Getty Images

Mr Lee has been charged with the same offences as Mr McDaid.

Maryland US prosecutor Rod Rosenstein, who has been nominated by Donald Trump to be Deputy Attorney General at the US Department for Justice, said: We are working with officials in the UK to ensure that Robert McDaid is held accountable for his alleged actions because the alleged criminal activity represents a grave threat to public safety.

Mr Dobbs, meanwhile, has criticised police for their response and asked why they did not check the authenticity of the call before acting.

Officers reportedly ignored his father, Tom, and his cousin telling them there was no hostage situation and that the so-called hostage taker was actually asleep.

In an interview with US news channel ABC7, Mr Dodds said: How did yall not trace this call back? How did yall not figure out where it came from? I want justice. I want them to pay for my medical damages and I want whoever shot me in my face to have to do some time."

The Independent was unable to reach Mr McDade for comment.
In Person US Ambassador to Burma: We Urge All Parties to End the Fighting Now

US Ambassador to Burma Scot Marciel / Kyaw Phyo Tha / The Irrawaddy

In an interview at the US Embassy in Rangoon in February, The Irrawaddys English editor Kyaw Zwa Moe talked to the US Ambassador to Burma Scot Marciel about the countrys troubles and achievements over the past year.

Please give us your brief assessment of the current political situation in Burma.

There were 50 years of military rule, and there are a lot of big issues that have to be addressedthe relationship between civilians and the military, the constitution, the peace process, communal conflict, economic development. It was always going to take time to address these things and was never going to be easy.

The last few months have really highlighted those challenges. But when we step back, we can also see that there is a need for persistence. All the institutions in Myanmar need to step back and think how can they contribute.

At the end of January, the prominent lawyer and NLD legal adviser U Ko Ni was assassinated at Yangon International Airport. What was your response?

I was shocked. I had the good fortune of knowing U Ko Ni. It is a terrible loss for his family but also for the country because of his great contribution here. Im struck by how everybody is calling for justice. One of the key challenges for Myanmar is building what the State Counselor always talks aboutthe rule of law, and part of the rule of law is justice, which means in this case, completing a credible and transparent investigation to make the people of the country feel that justice has been done.

Many people see this as a political assassination because U Ko Ni was a strong advocate for amending the Constitution, or even writing a new Constitution. What is your analysis?

It is not appropriate for me to speculate on who did this or the motivation. Firstly, I am a foreigner, a government official, and should not in any way interfere with the ongoing investigation. Secondly, I dont have access to all the information.

Some local people, especially those who are openly critical about the Constitution, are frightened after the killing. Are you also frightened?

I lot of people told me they are frightened. Someone who is involved in moving the country forward is gunned down, and the motivation is still not clear. It is a natural reaction. This is why its so important for justice to be done.

Lets talk about the peace process. What is the main obstacle for our country to achieve peace?

The main obstacle to both is a lack of trust based on too many years of conflict. People on different sides do not have faith that the other side is committed to peace or will fulfill their commitments.

We urge all parties right now to end the fighting. There is a lot of suffering and ongoing fighting in Kachin and northern Shan states. Long-term, it shouldnt been in the interest of anyone or any institution in the country.

It is going to take a long time, a lot of dialogue, people on different sides reaching out, taking risk to try to build up the trust. It is easy to say, but harder to do. We are very careful not to tell different groups you should sign the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) or not but everybody should be trying to take an extra step to peace, particularly right now.

What role can the international community, especially the United States, play to help halt the ongoing clashes and build peace?

We are always very careful not to interfere. But not interfering doesnt mean we cant play a helpful role.

As a friend, our interest is only in peace. We dont have a separate agenda other than promoting peace. We talk to the different groups: the military; civilian authorities; ethnic armed groups; civil society participantsand urge them to keep walking toward peace.

Sometimes we offer suggestions about ways to build trust. The other role we play is a bit on the technical side because over time a lengthy dialogue on a federal Union is going to be required. We are doing some seminars and programs to help people understand better what federalism means and some of the issues that need to be addressed. Its not to say you should follow this system or that, but here are some of the things that would be helpful to understand as you continue the dialogue.

Our biggest neighbor, China, has been influential in Burma for generations. What are the conflicting policies and ideas between the United States and China regarding the peace process?

We dont view the peace process as a US-China issue in any way. My colleague the Chinese ambassador and I have agreed on the importance of working for peace. I dont want to speak for his government, but we have regular conversations supporting the peace process.

There are still restrictions in providing humanitarian aid to refugees, especially in Kachin State. Who is blocking it?

I dont know for sure, but it is a big concern. There are tens of thousands of internally displaced people and significant restrictions on humanitarian access to them. There needs to be greater access to the people both in government-controlled areas and in KIA-controlled areas. I have raised this with the military, civilian authorities and others multiple times.

Lets talk about another area of conflict, Arakan State. You have a team there and have visited the area. What were your findings?

We are not doing any kind of investigation to come out with an independent findingthats not our role.

The security operations have resulted in many human rights allegations. The UN has issued a very strong report. We are not in a position to confirm whether this or that specific case happened.

It is very concerning to have these widespread and severe human rights allegations. It should be concerning for everybody and highlights the importance of a serious, credible investigation that gets to the bottom of this.

It also highlights the need to address the underlying problem. We all know how complicated and incredibly sensitive it is. Only the Myanmar people and government can figure this out.

But there is a way forward for human rights, following the rule of law, promoting dialogue and gradually building trust between these communities as well as addressing the legal status of the Muslim population. The fair way to do this is according to Myanmar law.

As you mentioned, the UN has issued a very strong report, citing massacres or indiscriminate killings after the security operation launched. The military and the government keep denying such crimes occurred. What do you know about the situation?

Without sustained access to the region it is hard to know all the facts. We are not in a position to verify or rebut specific cases of allegations, but the number of allegations, interviews and reports are very concerning.

The allegations need to be investigated thoroughly and there should be as much factual information provided as possible. The governments response to the UN report was that they took the allegations very seriouslya good response. But only a thorough investigation can determine the facts.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been under fire because of ongoing wars in the ethnic areas and conflict in Arakan State. Do you think she is taking the right path on these issues?

Her government is facing incredibly difficult, challenging issues. It is also demonstrating a very strong commitment to achieving peace, and implementing the rule of law. One of the great things about freedom of press is people can question, and even criticize, which is healthy. This doesnt necessarily mean I always agree with the criticism, but it is healthy to have that debate. The key is her clear commitment, and to turn that commitment into reality on the ground.

Do you think the military is fully collaborating with the current government and the ruling party to achieve the countrys goalspeace and a federal Union?

Its still very much a work in progress. Im not privy to detailed information on their communications and how closely they are working together.

The people of this country clearly have voted for a move to democracy. The military is going to play an important role. Weve encouraged the military to continue to support reforms including whatever constitutional changes the people of this country want, leading presumably to civilian control over the military, and to focus on supporting the peace process. We have made this very clear to the military.

You are a seasoned diplomat in the region, with your experience including Indonesia. The military still plays a very important role in Indonesian politics. Do you have any comparisons between Burma and Indonesia?

There are certainly some surface similarities but very different histories and very different circumstances so I wouldnt want to take the comparison too far. Indonesia is a very good example of the countries that successfully made the transition to democracy in which the military is out of politics, but is a very respected institution, domestically and internationally. The transition allows us to greatly increase our relationship with the Indonesian military.

You have a new administration under President Trump. Have you seen any changes in terms of diplomacy to Myanmar?

No. I cant say there wont be some adjustments; normally the new administration would have some changes. In the United States, there is a long history of both Republicans and Democrats supporting the democratic transition here, wanting to be a good friend of Myanmar people. Every indication Im getting from Washington is that this will continue. Some details might change, but Im very confident the core principle of trying to be a good friend and supporter of Myanmar will continue.

With the lifting of economic sanctions, the United States has encouraged US businesses to come into the country, but we havent seen many. What problems are stopping US businesses from coming here?

Some are coming in to take a look and some are investing. US companies will tend to be a little bit cautious coming into new markets. Now there is an investment law, people are waiting for the by-laws to come out and for a bit more clarity on the policy. Other issues are if there will be enough electricity.

Finally, you have been here for almost a year. Im sure that you have mixed feelings about the situation. What are they?

I have served in seven countries around the world and in each of those I have at times felt encouraged, at times discouraged, and at times frustrated. People here are understandably focused on the immense challenges this country faces and so are we. It is time to redouble the efforts to try and help the people who are trying to achieve progress.

There is huge opportunity for peace, which is what people want. There is also tremendous opportunity economically. No question the challenges are there and can sometimes be discouraging, but overall, Im quite optimistic because there is a lot of energy and a lot of people working very hard in this country to make progress.

The Irrawaddy has edited this interview for clarity and brevity.
Burma Police Search UWSA Liaison Office, Seize Detonators

The UWSA liaison office in Lashio, Shan State. / The Irrawaddy

RANGOON  Police seized thousands of detonators and ammunition during a search of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) liaison office in Lashio on Saturday following an incident with a local office member. The UWSA claimed the search was unlawful.

The search happened after UWSA liaison office deputy economic coordinator Ah Hongaka Tun Tun Aungshot his gun during a dispute with his wife Ma Phyu Hnin Aye at her home in Taunggyi on April 7.

The officer was arrested and detained by Taunggyi police and his gun and ammunition were confiscated. The police also found 10 used shells and a broken window in the home.

The Burma government said the incident would be handled in accordance with the law.

Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay said, The state police are acting in accordance with procedure, as this is a family matter but a gun threat was involved.

He told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that the government was trying to communicate with the UWSA headquarters regarding the storage of detonators and explosive materials at the liaison office, which is supposed to serve the purpose of smoothing relations between the UWSA and the government.

The UWSA claimed in its statement on Sunday that the Lashio police raided the liaison office after destroying the door. It condemned the unlawful action of the police and said the police exaggerated the April 7 incident.

The UWSA demanded a police apology for destroying property and urged that they do not create a bigger problem.

The statement continued that without an apology, the Wa had the right to respond to the intrustion by any means necessary.

The Irrawaddy could not reach the UWSA for comment at the time of this articles publication.

U Zaw Htay said the Was allegations were untrue and that police acted officially with search warrants, which local administrators witnessed.

He added that when Lashio police arrived at the liaison office, a woman and a translator were there but officer in-charge U Thar Hlan was not as he was traveling back to Panghsang, the capital of the Wa region.

When the Lashio police searched the building, U Thar Hlans door was closed. They used a locksmith to open it with a key and found 3,000 detonators, 750 feet of copper wire and M22 ammunition, U Zaw Htay said, adding that if the detonators were combined with gunpowder, it would be easy to create an explosion.

The Wa statement omitted the April 7 incident, U Zaw Htay said, and added that the government asked peace negotiatiors to find out if Wa headquarters knew about the incident or about the release of the statement.

The Irrawaddy reporter Kyaw Kha contributed to this report.
Burma Thingyan: Past and Present

Thingyan revelers on Strand Road in Moulmein, the Mon State capital, during the festival in 2015. / Hintharnee / The Irrawaddy

MOULMEIN, Mon State  Tu Po melodies float in the air. There is no need to look at the calendar. Traditional Thingyan rhythms and a festive atmosphere mean that people are preparing for Thingyan and the New Year. Young people are ready to celebrate, and parents are anxious about the revelry getting out of hand.

In recent years, Thingyan has shifted away from the traditional washing away of sins and doing good deeds toward a party atmosphere. Drugs and alcohol have caused an increased number of injuries and fatalities during Thingyan around the country.

Mon State is said to be one of the liveliest areas of Burma during Thingyan, with people throwing water and celebrating.

But drunk driving and traffic violations caused four car accidents and four motorbike accidents in Mon State during Thingyan last year. Thirteen people were killed and 26 were injured in these accidents, Mon State traffic police officer Kyaw Thu told The Irrawaddy.

Mi Non Tal Pon, a first year university student living in Yay Township said she will celebrate at Yay and Zee Phyu beach as well as at a pagoda festival near Moulmein.

She has put a lot of thought into what color to dye her hair and what to wear for the festivities.

But her mom said she worries about road accidents and has warned her to take extra care during this time.

During Mon States Thingyan Festival it is common to see young people rocking punk, rock, or emo hair and make-up styles. Many ride their motorbikes in groups, showing off stylized group stickers, graffiti and flags. Some show up to the pavilions in cars, speakers blaring, and water barrels ready to go.

We usually hang out in a groupfive or six, all about the same age, said Ko Badin from Moulmein.

And while young people enjoy the different styles, some of the older generation think the fashions disrespect tradition.

There is a tug-of-war between individual freedoms and cultural norms during Thingyanthe younger and older generations brandishing their conflicting views.

I want to see girls dress elegantly. But today, they wear low-cut and tight-fitting dresses, which tarnishes cultural norms. Parents need to talk their children into preserving our traditions and customs during Thingyan, said a teacher.

This year, the Mon State government has banned drunk driving, loud motorcycle exhaust, racing, more than two people riding a motorcycle at a time, and motorcycle flags. They also reminded drivers to ride with helmets and display plate numbers.

In recent years, alcohol consumption has led to fighting and sexual assault during the holiday.

Adults know their limit and can control themselves, but teenagers booze and run wild, said Ko Wai Yan Tun, a university student from Ywalut Village in Belu Island.

People paint their faces and act aggressively. They sometimes carry sticks and swords, said university student Ko Htet Lin Zaw.

In the past, people used to playfully rub soot on each others faces during Thingyan. This custom has faded away, either being replaced by Thanaka and talcum powder, but being seen altogether less often and replaced by more raucous partying.

Accounts of sexual assault against women have been reported, and authorities cite a lack of sufficient security for the number of people and the scope of the festival.

Ko Min Min Latt, chairman of Thanphyuzayat Township development committee, said it is hard provide security at this time of year.

Police have to provide security at various places, and so there are only one or two policemen at a place. If revelers are drunk and cause trouble, it is hard to control them. Maybe they are not only drunk, but also on drugs, said Ko Min Min Latt.

U Aung Naing, who is in his 70s and living in Thaton, worries for his 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.

Today, liquor can be bought anywhere. I worry as soon as they leave the house and can only breathe a sigh of relief once they come back, he said.
News Former Exiled News Outlets Granted Licenses for State Media Channel

Television reporters work inside a studio in Rangoon, May 5, 2014. / Reuters

RANGOON  Two former exiled news outletsthe Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) and Mizzimahave been selected to run their own digital channels in Burma under the state-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV).

In late 2016, the Ministry of Information (MOI) put out a call to local companies interested in becoming content providers for MRTV. Out of the 42 that expressed interest, 29 submitted formal proposals, which were then shortlisted to 10.

MRTV announced the five companies granted broadcasting licenses on Tuesday. These are: Young Investment Group Co., Ltd; Fortune International Co. Ltd; Kaung Myanmar Aung Co.,Ltd; DVB Multi Media Group., Ltd; and Mizzima Media Co., Ltd.

The five were selected after being assessed for transparency, strong capital, a legal background history and conformance to policy guideline, the MRTV stated in the announcement.

MRTV was set up in 1979, and for decades was used to broadcast propaganda by Burmas former military regime.

Launched in 1992 by exiled Burmese activists in Oslo, Norway, DVB long operated satellite radio programs and eventually satellite TV programming from Norway and Thailand before moving to Burma in 2012. It will now have a digital platform in Burma.

Mizzima was founded in New Delhi, India, in 1998 by Soe Myint, who in 1990 hijacked a Thai Airways plane flying from Bangkok to Rangoon in an act of protest against Burmas former military regime.

Eleven Media Group was included in the shortlist but not selected. The groups CEO U Than Htut Aung and chief editor U Wai Phyo are currently facing trials after being sued by Rangoon Divisions chief minister U Phyo Min Thein under defamation charges.
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By Dulcie Leimbach | (Inter Press Service) |  

UNITED NATIONS (IPS)  When Antonio Guterres was chosen by the United Nations Security Council in October to become the next leader of the UN, neither he nor anyone else could have predicted precisely who would be commanding the Oval Office of the White House in January 2017, just as Guterress term opened.

Now that Donald Trump has assumed the presidency of the United States, Guterres not only inherited a caseload of hellish problems to control with limited powers but he must also manage Trumpian plots to minimize if not gut the UNs core work.

As a European ambassador summarized the situation for Guterres: The terms of engagement have changed since he got the job. This is very different from anything weve ever seen before.

While the wars in Yemen and Syria rage on and people die there with not one person sent to jail or prosecuted for war crimes; and as terrorism persists, famine looms in parts of the world and millions of refugees hang in limbo, Guterres surely knew his job would be ridiculously challenging.

To put it graphically, Guterres has inherited a real pile of shit, said Thomas G. Weiss, a New York scholar on the UN.

Raised a Catholic in Lisbon, Guterres wanted to become secretary-general to act as a savior. Having spent 10 years visiting refugee camps as head of that UN agency and given his Socialist tendencies to remember the poor and fix human injustices, Guterres might have innocently assumed he had the backing of the richest country in the world, America.

His deep caring and pain were evident when he confessed that there was one question that always weighs heavy on his heart. That is: how can we help the millions of people caught up in conflict, suffering massively in wars with no end in sight?  said Kairat Umarov, the ambassador of Kazakhstan to the UN and an elected member of the Security Council.

But support from Trump, who tweeted revenge for what he perceived as the UNs anti-Israel bias and clubby ways right before he moved into the White House, couldnt be more unreliable than at any time in the last 10 years for the world body. This is not the first secretary-general to withstand serious blows by US administrations that were striving to win points from a broad swath of American voters, who are generally clueless about the UN.

The other time it was like this was in the early days of [Ronald] Reagan  rocky, recalled an American who held a top political affairs post at the UN. Moreover, with John Bolton, a US ambassador to the UN under the George W. Bush administration, the American noted, things could have been hairy. Yet everything, he concluded, worked out in the end for the UN.

In talking with ambassadors who represent their countries at the UN as well as policy specialists and academics, most people expressed instant empathy for Guterres as he copes in his first months in his new job, especially regarding his relationship with the US. People who commented on Guterres  mainly on background  want him to succeed.

Advice to Guterres came from many quarters. He should frame his interests and agenda in a way where he convinces the Trump administration that hes their ally, not their opponent, said Melissa Labonte, a professor of political science at Fordham University in the Bronx who has written about the UN.

Trumps fast moves to defund parts of the UN has made the normally confident Guterres very troubled, said a South American diplomat. Trump recently cut millions of dollars of contributions to the UN Population Fund, which provides lifesaving maternal-health care  and contraceptives  to the worlds poorest women.

Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the UN, is busy hammering away at peacekeeping missions, regardless of what any mission may do  like fight Al Qaeda terrorists in the Sahel region of Africa  or whether she has ever visited these precarious sites. She skipped a UN Security Council trip to the Lake Chad basin in West Africa, what some media and political leaders are calling the worlds most neglected crisis. Instead, she tweeted that she was home, not feeling well and watching Lone Survivor.

Prompted by Haley, who has admitted she is still learning on the job, Guterres sent a memo to UN program leaders to adjust to US cuts. Reductions to other UN aid programs hover as the US sharpens its knife to its own development arm, USAID.

All objectives  the SDGs, peace and security  will not be achieved in the short- to medium-term, the South American diplomat said. Guterres, who has been traveling nearly nonstop around the Middle East, Africa and Europe, would prefer to stay in New York more often. But if you consider where he has traveled  to such places as Berlin, Brussels and oil-rich Middle East nations  it may indicate he is seeking money to fill a widening US hole.

Some diplomats noted with alarm that with the US retrenching financially and criticizing it in blanket ways  always a simple target  China is eager to step into the void. Japan, which is the second-largest donor to the UN general budget, after the US, and the third-largest to the peacekeeping budget (after US and China), said it was tracking such moves by its giant neighbor.

Yet a Japanese diplomat said in an interview that it was premature to declare whether his country would increase its financial donations to the UN peacekeeping budget and other operations.

China is obviously more active on the international front, the diplomat said. We will see what China will do in the UN and observe what China is going to do on the ground.

Guterres, who is 67 and goes by Tony, is married to Catarina Vaz Pinto, who has stayed in Lisbon as the deputy mayor for cultural affairs. Guterres did his homework when he arrived on the 38th floor of the UN secretariat: his roomy office offers stunning views of New York from his aerie above the East River, including densely packed Queens, a microcosm of UN nationalities. His goal was conflict prevention, a mantra he invoked as a candidate for secretary-general, and his rhetoric was rooted in practicality: he wanted to keep conflicts from happening rather than unwind them as they tore places and people apart.

He was also more than willing, he said repeatedly, to reform the UN bureaucracy to be more deliberate.

We expect Mr. Guterres to continue to work on a number of important agendas: peace and security, reform and development and ridding peacekeeping of sexual abuses, the Japanese diplomat noted.

Angela Wells, the communications officer for the Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs at Fordham University, has worked with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Africa. She said she appreciated Guterress focus on conflict prevention, but that he needs to give more attention to protecting humanitarian workers, who have been increasingly killed on the job.

In South Sudan, where historically humanitarian workers could work free from any substantive insecurity, were not seeing that anymore, Wells said. They are continually under threat in places like Yemen and Syria. He needs to emphasize that there must be no immunity for these crimes. Once humanitarian workers lose access, the whole response can collapse.

The Trump administrations proposed money cuts to parts of the UN  most of which must go through Congress  could provide an opportunity for Guterres to change the world body, like sharing control more evenly among the 193 member nations, a few people suggested.

The UN at large and Secretary-General Guterres, in particular, should regard these cuts as an opportunity to welcome greater contributions from the many emerging political and economic powers to better reflect the new multipolar world order, said Mona Ali Khalil, a legal adviser for Independent Diplomat, an international group that represents nonstate actors in peace negotiations.

Guterres, Khalil added, could also achieve more diversity and regional representation in what remains a permanent-five-centric distribution of leadership positions over the substantive departments of the Secretariat.

UN staff members cheered on Guterres when he arrived for his first day at the UN in New York on Jan. 3. His jaunty enthusiasm struck a new tone for the UN, downtrodden by the inability of the former secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, to halt the war in Syria  stuck by Russia and China on the Security Council and unsuccessful diplomacy by the US, Britain and France, the other permanent Council members.

Guterres ran into political flak immediately with the US as he chose a special envoy for the UNs support mission in Libya. Salam Fayyad, a well-respected former prime minister of Palestine, may have gotten the imperative green light from Nikki Haley, but she was apparently overruled by the White House. This embarrassment for Guterres revealed how much he needed to clear his decisions deep within the US presidency. Such direct approval has not been necessary for previous secretaries-general.

As a counterweight, Guterres had also planned to pick Tzipi Livni, the Israeli politician, for another top envoy spot in the UN. That idea vanished amid the Fayyad flap.

Another first step for Guterres was to revive the dormant Cyprus peace talks on political reunification of the island, now divided into Greek and Turkish sections. Much fanfare was made as Espen Barth Eide, the UN envoy for Cyprus and a Norwegian, met with the two sides in the Cyprus standoff early in the year. After many photo opportunities and sessions, the talks have fallen off the map.

Some analysts and media accuse the Russians for interfering in the negotiations, as they try to maintain control of offshore gas development near the island and their offshore banking interests in Cyprus.

The first Trump immigration ban, announced on Jan. 27, symbolized Guterress inner conflicts as the new secretary-general: should he speak against the ban on seven Muslim-majority countries to the US or relegate that tricky role to other UN officials, like the low-key refugee chief, Filippo Grandi, an Italian? Guterres took days to remark publicly on the ban, which was blocked (as was the one trotted out in March), taking heat on Twitter and from the media at the UN for his days of silence.

Since then, Guterres has held only two meetings with journalists who cover the UN in New York; for a man who vouched he would be a transparent secretary-general, his distance has provoked anger from reporters. His discreet diplomacy, as his office calls it, has meant not automatically issuing statements about meetings with VIPS like the ex-mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, and some government leaders, such as Justin Trudeau, the prime minister of Canada, who stopped by the UN last week.

Other crucial private discussions include half-dozen conversations with Haley, who said she found the UN misguided. (When asked by a reporter about what worked at the UN, Haley said the diplomats  who are not, of course, staff members of the UN.)

Haley is rumored to be forging a national name for herself through her ambassadorship to the UN, starting with unpopular tactics like decreasing the size of UN peacekeeping missions and closing others. Haley hammered the Congo operation first, despite violent politics in the country and the recent murder there of an American working for the UN, Michael Sharp. (Another UN colleague, Zaida Catalan, from Sweden, was also murdered, along with a Congolese translator.)

Haleys approach to UN peacekeeping is not strictly about numbers, said an Italian diplomat; otherwise, we would oppose that. Instead, peacekeeping reform by Haley  and by Guterres  represents an evolution in fleshing out which missions need to be reviewed.

An accountant who ran South Carolina for nearly two terms as governor, Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, has endorsed Trumps refugee bans, calling them necessary for keeping America safe. Her profile at the UN has spiked as she condemned the chemical weapons assault in Syria on April 4 and justified the retaliatory US missile strikes two days later. Yet her contradictions linger, as the week before those events she said that removing Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, was not a US priority. Her immediate boss, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, has also been contradictory on US foreign policy in Syria, but he has grown more consistent on his stance as he heads to Russia for a visit this week.

Haley came to the UN after turning down Trumps offer of secretary of state, she confirmed, and as her second term as governor had one year left, with term limits stopping her from a third try in the near future. Her reputation in South Carolina was built on combining stern warnings with Happy Monday greetings. A big win for her was preventing a Boeing plant from unionizing in a state that never embraced collective bargaining by employees.

Haleys blunt disdain for the Human Rights Council  so corrupt  echoes ancient sentiments from previous US administrations. Except, that is, for Obamas, which determined that participating in the Council was smarter diplomacy than abandoning it. Haleys foreign-policy contradictions extend to the Councils membership: as Trump welcomed Egypts leader, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to the White House, he and Haley didnt mention that Egypt may be one of the big spoilers on the Council.

Inner sanctum: Antonio Guterres and Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, on April 6 in the UNs secretariat, New York. MARK GARTEN/UN PHOTO

Inner sanctum: Antonio Guterres and Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, on April 6 in the UNs secretariat, New York. MARK GARTEN/UN PHOTO

Ambassador Haley has said she is looking for value in the Council, which she called corrupt and filled with bad actors  ignoring that it has, for example, established important investigations and reports on North Korea, Iran, Syria, Belarus, Mali and other countries, said Felice Gaer, the director of the American Jewish Committees Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights.

Meanwhile, Guterres, Gaer noted in an email, hasnt defended the Council when it should be defended, nor criticized it directly. (In Geneva he said it had to be balanced, and credible, but attached no country names to his remarks which seemed to be aimed at the Councils treatment of Israel  but might have just as easily been soothing word for Iran or Syria.)

He needs to focus more directly on fixing the Councils obsession with Israel, including by conveying to states that they need to end the biased treatment and should treat Israel like other countries.

Guterres is also lagging in his goal to inject fresh blood in his ranks. He kept Bans communications team in place and reappointed Western officials to the most influential jobs, like peacekeeping (France), political affairs (US) and disarmament (Japan)  all men. His vow to shape a more equal UN by gender and by region is flagging. His senior appointments by gender, however, are much more advanced than under the previous secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, according to the New York University Center on International Cooperation.

In addition, his deputy, Amina Mohammed, a Nigerian who was environment minister until March and the orchestrator of the UNs 17 global development goals, made a splash when she arrived at the UN but has not been seen much since.

Guterress most powerful ally among UN member states is France. France wanted Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, in the UN job from the get-go, reflecting the Socialist agenda of Francois Hollande, who leaves office as president of France this year, as well as other Western European governments. South Americans, like Brazil, a Portuguese-speaking nation, rallied close to him, too.

Most ambassadors interviewed for this article offered sympathetic assessments on Guterres: a Russian diplomat  as if mirroring his own plight  said Guterres was a strong man working under huge pressures. The American who worked in UN political affairs under Reagan and George W. Bush said that Guterres was hitting the right notes on peace and security issues while not getting into arguments with the incoming administration of the US.

After all, he added, They [Trump administration] dont know what theyre doing.

Member states, explained an African ambassador on the Security Council, were banding together to optimize Guterress position with the US. We are helping him by talking to America on how to improve this issue, the diplomat said.

If any man can deal with that government  the US  its Antonio Guterres, said Terje Rod-Larsen, a Norwegian who runs the International Peace Institute, a think tank located across the street from the UN.

A low bar for Guterres could be his most important advantage, said Thomas Weiss, the academic expert, given that Guterres followed Ban Ki-moon  a disaster.

Never take a job after someone who has done a terrific job, Weiss said. You cant possibly do it better. So, Guterres has the good fortune of following Ban Ki-moon rather than Kofi Annan.

Kacie Candela contributed reporting to this article.

(Courtesy PassBlue, online independent coverage of the UN, a project of the Ralph Bunche Institute, City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center)

Via Inter Press Service



Related video added by Juan Cole:

CNN: Trump to cut $20 billion in UN funding
The Young Turks | (Lively Video Discussion) |  

The Trump Administration would like you to think they arent still plagued with infighting. Wrong. Sad. Babies. Ana Kasparian, John Iadarola, and Maz Jobrani, hosts of The Young Turks, discuss. . .

White House advisers Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner are at war, creating the necessary conditions for a grand press narrative about the future of the administration, the country, and the world. The feud between the frumpy white nationalist and the preppy nepotism case reflects a larger struggle to guide the direction of the Trump presidency, the New York Times writes, played out in disagreements over the policies Mr. Trump should pursue, the people he should hire and the image he should put forward to the American people. In short, Bannon is pushing Trump to govern the way he campaigned while Kushner is urging him to adopt the sort of useless, elitist centrism that Kushner personifies.
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By Mattea Kramer | ( Tomdispatch.com) |  

Ill tell you up front that my personal vehicle has crowns of rust on the rear wheel wells and an interior that smells vaguely of dog puke. Its a 2006 Mazda3 with 150,244 miles on it and it gets me around my modest world well enough, but I sure never considered it the stuff of headlines  until I went to Cuba, an experience that tuned up my feelings about several American phenomena.

Id booked the trip because I wanted to get out of this American time. Cuba seemed like a prime destination for escape: a nearby yet isolated island where the culture had developed without well, us. But after United Flight 1502 had touched down in an airfield where lush green hangs over the encircling chain-link, and a rusted sedan dropped my husband Fletcher and me in trash-strewn central Havana, I began to understand that Cuba isnt so much a great place to get lost in, as a place to get found in.

Why are rich countries rich? Alexander asked us, from the front seat of his 1955 Easter-egg-pink Ford Fairlane. He glanced our way in the rearview mirror, beneath which a huge yellow TAXI sign rested on the glossy pink dash. His tone tipped us off that his query was rhetorical, so we waited patiently for the answer. They suck something from somewhere else, he said. And thats why Cuba is poor. We never suck nothing from no one.

What little we knew about Cuban history confirmed this, so Fletcher and I nodded.

Alexander wondered aloud about the U.S. embargo  el bloqueo, as its called here. How could Washington still be afraid of Cuba? He gestured at the scenery, mostly vegetation punctuated by the occasional lone roadside vendor selling ropes of garlic or handfuls of potatoes. We have nothing here, he said.

You know what the Cuban dream is? he continued. To own a car.

We hadnt, in fact, known this. And while Alexander himself was apparently doing well by this metric, most of his country is not. Cuba is famous for its antique American cars, a favorite attraction for tourists. But to Cubans, those ancient vehicles  whose only original parts are their steel bodies, welded together and repainted untold numbers of times  are just evidence of their islands pervasive scarcity. There certainly arent enough cars, or buses, or motorcycles, or motor scooters, for all the people who want them. This was a fact with which I became personally acquainted on my second day in the country when Fletcher and I tried to buy bus tickets out of the capital city. Everything, wed discovered, was booked. Everything! And the bus stations were mobbed with people trying to get their hands on tickets.

I was learning that Cuba is a lot more complicated than it appears from the north side of the Straits of Florida. In the U.S., we generally only talk about Cuba since 1959, when Fidel Castro came to power, publicly renounced U.S. imperialism, declared his communist intentions, and cozied up with the Soviet Union. Washington responded first with the embargo, now more than half-a-century old, and later with several attempts to topple or simply assassinate Castro. No dice on unseating or killing el lider (despite the CIAs poisoned cigars and exploding seashells), but the embargo, which prohibited trade with Cuba and made it illegal for Americans to visit  and which surely hurts innocent Cubans far more than any government official  has stuck. In 2016, President Obama relaxed some of its rules so that Americans can now legally visit, subject to certain limitations; our new president could rescind that freedom on a whim.

But theres another part of the Cuban story, the part where American corporations expeditiously capitalized on the destruction left behind by Cubas long war for independence from Spain, buying up land and taking over much of the islands lucrative sugar industry at the turn of the twentieth century. The United Fruit Company, more famous for inflicting lasting damage in Central and South America than in the Caribbean, ran a titanic sugar operation in Cuba, and did the same thing there as in other Latin American countries: it extracted wealth and funneled it to American bank accounts. When Castro came on the scene with plans to overthrow U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista, he was successful in part because that grim history of American exploitation helped make his revolution popular. In the U.S., we generally omit this part of the story.

And once youve glimpsed that fuller picture, it sure seems like Castro had justice on his side when he emerged victorious on New Years Day 1959, although things soon grew complicated for the Cuban people. Its true that Castro would orchestrate certain genuine social achievements like a national health care system and near universal literacy, but he also set about executing his political opponents and closing down radio and television stations that werent controlled by the state. Over the ensuing decades, large numbers of people were imprisoned for political crimes, and others starved for lack of basic foodstuffs under the communist regime. Things got especially tricky when the Soviet Union, a crucial trade partner for the little country (given the U.S. embargo) imploded. Millions of Cubans fled to the U.S. and elsewhere. Like so many other struggles in human history, what had begun as an uprising against an oppressor became a new form of oppression. And despite its embargo and its past acts, the United States, the former oppressor, became, for many Cubans, a sort of savior.

In the backseat of Alexanders 1955 Ford, we toured the Bay of Pigs, the very spot where thousands of CIA-trained Cuban exiles landed under the cover of darkness in 1961 with doomed hopes of overthrowing Castro, and where American B-26 bombers (slyly repainted to look like Cuban air force planes) flew overhead on orders from officials in Washington who hoped for the installation of a pro-U.S. government. Washington wasnt motivated by a desire to help the Cuban people, naturally, but rather to refashion this Caribbean island into the American toy that it had for so long been.

Today, around that same bay, theres a string of quiet beach towns where you can buy fruit from a horse-drawn cart  not because horse-drawn carts are quaint and charming, but because the fruit vendor couldnt get his hands on a car.

Two Cars in Dallas

Cubans dont chat about the matter casually, but there were 7,900 reports of arbitrary detention of Cuban citizens by their government in just eight months in 2016, according to Human Rights Watch. Those detained are regularly accused of counter-revolutionary, or anti-government, activities. Its common practice for detainees to be beaten and held for days without access to a phone or other means of communication. At the same time, the government maintains control of all sanctioned media outlets and blocks access to nearly all others, so information is scarce. Independent journalists are routinely jailed.

As it turns out, just a few days before I landed in Cuba a journalist was arrested while en route to Havana, where he planned to cover a ceremony in which political dissidents would present an award to a Uruguayan diplomat who had spoken out against the Cuban government. The journalist, who had previously co-founded a magazine thats critical of living conditions in Cuba, was charged with fomenting enemy propaganda. He never made it to Havana to cover the ceremony, but that didnt really matter, because the Uruguayan diplomat was denied a visa to enter the country, and the whole thing had to be cancelled.

I was still only becoming acquainted with such facts when I met Cedro, who gave Fletcher and me a brief walking tour of sewage-scented central Havana. We quickly began to chat and soon our conversation strayed into his personal life, including the fact that both his children had left Cuba in search of opportunity elsewhere. His older son had gone to Costa Rica and then traveled north until finally crossing the U.S. border. Now, the son and his wife live in Dallas, where they own two cars. Cedro emphasized the part about the cars. So they were finally living the Cuban dream  in north Texas.

Cedro was a lot more delicate when it came to discussing Cuban politics. Dancing around my questions about life here, he finally shook his head and said, One president all these years? One person cant do it. And here, the president also controls the army. He pantomimed getting shot.

One afternoon in Havana, while I was walking along a promenade that stretched from the capital to the coast, I passed a group of police with two muzzled German shepherds. Milking my foreign innocence, I went up to them and asked, What are the dogs for? I figured they might not be too forthcoming, so I offered a possible answer: Drugs?

One of the officers, a woman, nodded. Then an officer by her side made a gesture Id already seen several times: the right hand closing over the left wrist. I wasnt sure quite what it meant in this context, but it didnt seem impossible that it was the fate of nosy foreigners, so I nodded, smiled, and continued on my way.

In Plaza Vieja, in Havanas most touristy neighborhood, I met a kid named Alex who works as a bow-tied waiter at an open-air cafe. We first spoke in Spanish, but when I faltered he switched to flawless English, explaining that hed taught himself the language by watching old American movies. A self-starter, you could call him. He told me that he has family in Nevada, but when I asked if he was considering emigrating, he shook his head ruefully. He has to keep working to support his family here, he said. But if he could, he went on, he would head for the U.S. and go to college.

Brief though my trip was, I met many Cubans like Alex. And each of their stories was a reminder of the pull of the superpower to the north, whose economy is still a magnet for the rest of the planet. Despite deplorable American politics, past and present, the U.S. still glowed with the promise of something better.

Hitting the Road in a Mazda3

From the Bay of Pigs we took a shared taxi through Cienfuegos, a city in central Cuba, and then south toward the coast again, speeding through Jurassic Park-like terrain in a 1948 DeSoto as the wind blew my hair. We hiked a damp forest in a mountainous region and spotted a Prairie Warbler, a yellow songbird that migrates thousands of miles to nest in the northeastern U.S., often in trees outside my home.

When only a day remained before our flight back to the States, we climbed into another shared taxi, a 1990 Peugeot, in which Fletcher rode shotgun and I sat in the narrow backseat with a French couple. On our way to Havana, we soon got to chatting with the driver, Jimeno (also not his real name), who looked to be in his early thirties. This was not, he told us, his car. Rather, he works for a company that pays him peanuts to spend 14 hours a day shuttling tourists between the coast and the capital city.

For a while, we drove on in silence. Then he said something I hadnt heard from anyone else. Perhaps, he commented, sometime after 85-year-old Raul Castro, the countrys president, passes away, there will be an actual election in Cuba.

Do you think that will happen in your lifetime? I asked.

Dont know, he said.

Since Fidels reign began 58 years ago, the Cuban people have not had a meaningful say in their countrys future. Over the same period, the U.S. has elected 12 different presidents.

I had come here because I wanted to escape the newest of those presidents and this fearful time in the United States. In choosing Cuba, I had exercised a small, touristic freedom that we may soon lose, depending on how our new leader uses his considerable, though not limitless, power. But I had escaped nothing, it turned out, in part because in our present world of intricate and intricately connected troubles, a world in which vast population transfers are becoming commonplace and in which literally millions of people are crossing borders in varying states of desperation, its an illusion to think that anywhere could be an escape.

Instead of leaving my country behind, I spent two weeks in Cuba rediscovering it. I grew intimately familiar with some of the worst of our history, which so many of us are quick to ignore or elide, but also with some of the best parts of our national identity. For all our screw-ups, and even as we continue to create disasters around the world and deny our responsibility for them, were still a place of possibility. It turns out that even my rusty Mazda is evidence of that.

And here was the secret prize in my box of Cuban crackerjacks: our new leader and his benighted crew in Washington suddenly looked so much smaller, shrunk to the size of a half-forgotten island, shrunk to the size of a single episode in an endless history. I had glimpsed some of whats bad about my own country, but also what remains hopeful, and both are far bigger than Donald Trump and will surely persist long after hes but an unsavory page in history. More importantly, each of us here in the U.S. has a small yet crucial role to play in what happens next. Its something I think about every time I put the key in my Mazda3 and hit the road.

Mattea Kramer, a TomDispatch regular, writes cultural commentary. Follow her on Twitter.

Follow TomDispatch on Twitter and join us on Facebook. Check out the newest Dispatch Book, John Dowers The Violent American Century: War and Terror Since World War II, as well as John Feffers dystopian novel Splinterlands, Nick Turses Next Time Theyll Come to Count the Dead, and Tom Engelhardts Shadow Government: Surveillance, Secret Wars, and a Global Security State in a Single-Superpower World.

Copyright 2017 Mattea Kramer

Tomdispatch.com
MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - April 12, 2017) - Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX:OSK) ("Osisko" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has identified a site (the "Site") covering approximately four square kilometres for the potential construction of a mill complex that would process mineralized material from the Windfall Lake deposit. The Site is located near an existing industrial property (the former Domtar Corporation pulp and paper mill) in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Quebec. A location map of the Site is provided at www.osiskomining.com.

Osisko intends to evaluate the Site location through the environmental assessment process and in the preparation of a feasibility study for the Windfall Lake gold project. The Site is located 11 kilometres from Lebel-sur-Quevillon and 103 kilometres via existing all-weather gravel road networks from the Windfall Lake deposit, and is adjacent to a Hydro-Quebec electric substation and a water pumping station. The Site is located on Crown land immediately southeast of the municipal limit of Lebel-sur-Quevillon. Osisko holds the mineral exploration titles under the Site.

As part of the ongoing evaluation of the Windfall Lake deposit, Osisko plans to file the Project Description with the federal government (Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) and the Project Notice with the Quebec government (Ministere du Developpement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques) in the coming week.

Subject to the results of the full environmental assessment and feasibility study to be completed, the Corporation believes advantages of this Site over construction at Windfall Lake include:

limiting Windfall Lake infrastructure to mining activity, greatly reducing the environmental footprint;

access to existing grid power and the Hydro-Quebec electrical substation at the Site, eliminating the construction cost of a 103 kilometre power line to Windfall Lake and the corresponding environmental permitting along the power corridor;

access to the existing water pumping station near the adjacent dormant pulp and paper mill, which has ample capacity for the needs of a potential gold milling complex;

access to the regional work force centered at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, reducing the need for a large construction and operations camp at Windfall Lake, as well as a reduced rotational work force;

cost savings on transportation and construction/operations logistics from existing rail and road access to Lebel-sur-Quevillon, which is expected to offset the cost of transportation of mineralized material from the mine over the existing 103 kilometres of road networks; and

the location of the Site positively affecting the economics of gold deposits within trucking distance of Lebel-sur-Quevillon.

John Burzynski, President and CEO of Osisko commented: "Identifying this site near Lebel-sur-Quevillon dynamically changes the way we are evaluating the potential infrastructure for Windfall, including the mill complex, personnel accommodations, administration buildings and tailings management facility. Lebel-sur-Quevillon appears to have many strong advantages over Windfall and we believe the potential savings to both capex and opex would be significant."

The Corporation is currently evaluating the Windfall Lake gold project as a potential underground mining operation. Osisko is well-funded with approximately $190 million in cash and equity investments, and is carrying out an intensive definition drilling and large-scale exploration campaign on Windfall and the surrounding area. An updated NI 43-101 resource estimate on the Windfall Lake project is planned for release in the second half of 2017. Osisko has commenced collection of environmental baseline data in the vicinity of Windfall and intends to collect additional data along the potential haul road and around the proposed Site.

The Quevillon exploration property acquisitions and agreement recently announced (see Osisko press releases dated March 6, 2017 and March 15, 2017) include approximately thirty known gold showings as well as the Osborne-Bell gold deposit, which is located 32 kilometres northwest of the proposed Site. The Osborne-Bell deposit has been the object of significant historical drilling over the past fifteen years, and will be the focus of new drilling and resource re-evaluation by Osisko in 2017.

Mr. Burzynski continued: "Over the past 14 years, the Osisko team has always been innovative. The world-class Canadian Malartic mine was discovered, defined, financed, built and put in production, from first drill hole to first gold pour, in a little over six years, a remarkable achievement for our team. We are highly encouraged by the potential at Windfall and the potential of the region. With the possibility of centralizing a new milling complex at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, we believe we may be opening up the region to a new generation of Quebec mines, and at the same time securing Osisko's position as a new Canadian intermediate mining house."

About Osisko Mining Inc.

Osisko is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal resource properties in Canada. Osisko holds a 100% in the high-grade Windfall Lake gold deposit located between Val-d'Or and Chibougamau in Quebec and holds a 100% undivided interest in a large area of claims in the surrounding Urban Barry and Lebel-sur-Quevillon areas, a 100% interest in the Marban project located in the heart of Quebec's prolific Abitibi gold mining district, and properties in Ontario, including the Jonpol and Garrcon deposits on the Garrison property. Osisko continues to be well financed with approximately $190 million in cash and investments. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (OR:TSX / NYSE) is a significant shareholder of the Corporation with approximately 14% ownership.
North Vancouver, British Columbia---(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2017) - Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (ASX: LLO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ian I Chang, M.A.Sc, P.Eng., as Chief Development Officer. Mr. Chang has over 30 years of experience in executive roles, project and engineering management ranging from smaller high-grade underground gold mines to large-scale projects, and will lead the advance of Lion One's fully permitted high-grade underground Tuvatu Gold Project located near Nadi on the island of Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji.

From 2011 until 2016 Mr. Chang was Vice-President, Project Development for Pretium Resources Inc., where he managed the feasibility study and subsequent development of Brucejack, Pretium's $1 billion, 2,700 tonne per day (tpd), high grade underground gold project. Mr. Chang's corporate responsibility encompassed all capital project development at Pretium including engineering, procurement, and construction of all roads, powerlines, site infrastructure, work camps, processing facilities, and related permitting.

Mr. Chang was previously Project Director and Head of Project Management for Fluor Canada Limited, with responsibility for the management of EPCM for mining and metal projects, including the EPCM contract for Vale's $3 billion Long Harbour nickel-copper-cobalt refinery in Newfoundland. Over the course of his career he has held management, engineering and commissioning roles on a number of projects that have progressed through feasibility to successful operation. His roles have included: project manager for the engineering and procurement portion of the US$650 million mine expansion of Minera El Abra in Chile; pre-feasibility study manager for a 2,000 tpd mine at Meadowbank in Nunavut; project manager for the design of the 3,300 tpd Musselwhite gold mill; project engineer on the engineering, construction and commissioning of the copper and zinc autoclave system of Hudson Bay's Flin Flon operations; mechanical engineer involved in the design for the column flotation cells at the Campbell Red Lake mine and for the design of the 450 tpd gold-silver concentrator at the Mineral Hill mine in Montana. Mr. Chang holds Bachelor and Master of Applied Science degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of British Columbia and is a registered professional engineer.

Lion One CEO Walter Berukoff commented "On behalf of the Lion One Metals team, we would like to welcome Mr. Ian Chang to the company's senior management and Fiji operations team. Ian's EPCM and project development skillset will be invaluable to Lion One, and will be a cornerstone of our technical team as we transition through development at Tuvatu."

The Company also announces it has granted incentive stock options to various directors officers, and employees of the Company, for the purchase of 1,200,000 common shares of the Company. The Options each have an exercise price of $1.00, are exercisable for a period five years, and vest over a three year period from the date of grant. The grant of Options is subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

About Lion One

Lion One Metals Limited is focused on the development of its fully permitted high grade underground Tuvatu Gold Project located near Nadi on the island of Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji. For more information on Lion One including diagrams, maps, photos, and technical reports please visit the Company's website at www.liononemetals.com or the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.
Vancouver, BC / TheNewswire / April 12, 2017 - Nortec Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: NVT; OTC-PK: NMNZF) (the "Company" or "Nortec") - Nortec commences work program in preparation for Phase 1 drilling on the Tom-1 and Tom-2 targets, Tomboko Permit, Northeast Guinea, West Africa (Figure 1). Nortec entered into a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire an 80% interest in pro-rata stages in the Tomboko Gold Property, held by The Golden Rule Limited. Nortec will also earn an 80% interest in all of TGR's interests in other exploration permits located in Guinea.

TGR's properties consist of a 100% interest in the Tomboko permit, a 100% interest in the Diguifara Permit and minority interests in the Badamako and the Kouroussa permits. These land holdings cover prospective ground on three separate mineralised trends. Details on the Tomboko, Diguifara, Badamako and Kouroussa permits are in the Company's January 11and February 10, 2017 news releases.

The permits are in the northern part of the Birimian Siguiri Basin, a well-known prolific gold producing area. This part of the Basin already hosts three multi-million ounce gold mines, the Lero (Nord Gold NV), the SAG (AngloGold-Ashanti) and the Keniero (SEMAFO) along with several other lesser mines and projects in advanced stages. Historically, the Niger River lowlands have been the site of extensive mining of alluvial gold and high-grade quartz lode gold in the saprolite (rock altered to clay) that gave rise to several past African Empires. Artisanal mining is still very widespread in the area

Mohan Vulimiri, CEO commented "The consistency of the gold anomalies defined by termite mound and soil sampling on Tomboko supported by rock chip 'grab' samples averaging 5.9 g/t Au (17 samples) and 11g/t Au (10 samples) in two parallel trends at TOM-1 provides Nortec with a set of very robust initial targets for our first round of drilling."

The Company signed a drill contract with Gestion Fredal SARL, a drilling company located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Drill pads and access roads are being constructed in preparation for drilling with several drill pads already completed. The Company plans to drill 31 shallow reverse circulation drill holes for a total of 2500 metres on the Tom-1 North, Tom-1 South and Tom-2 targets (Figures 2 & 3). Drilling is expected to commence in two weeks. Nortec has a management and technical team in place on site to monitor and supervise the drill program.

The gold mineralization on the Tom-1 and Tom-2 targets is hosted in highly altered, sheared brecciated sandstone and volcanic rocks of the early Paleoproterozoic age Siguiri Basin. The SAG Mine is also hosted in the same age rocks. The Tom-3 Prospect is hosted in quartz porphyry intrusive rocks. The mode of occurrence of the gold mineralization at Tom-3 is similar to the 2.3 million ounce Koulekoun deposit located 120 kilometres to the south which is owned by Avocet Mining, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange,.

Figure 1: Location Map. Guinea, West Africa





Figure 2: Outcrop Sampling Results - Tom 1 North Target and Termite and Soil Geochemical Anomalies - Tomboko Permit.





Figure 3: Outcrop Sampling Results and Termite and Soil Geochemical Anomalies and interpreted A-B cross-section with proposed drill holes - Tom 1 North Target, Tomboko Permit.





Mohan R. Vulimiri, M.Sc., P.Geo, Director of Nortec and CEO of Nortec Minerals, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Vulimiri has approved the corporate and technical content contained in this press release. All the bedrock and termite mound samples were analysed by SGS Labs, an accredited laboratory in Bamako, Mali. A blank was inserted every 20th sample for quality control.

About Nortec Minerals Corp.

Nortec is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company has a 49% interest in the Tammela Gold & Lithium Project in South-West Finland. Avalon Minerals, a public Australian mining company has earned the 51% interest and is carrying out the 29% Stage 2 earn-in interest on the Tammela Project. Avalon has completed more than 3,000 meters diamond drilling on the Kietyonmaki lithium prospect and the Satulinmaki and Riukka prospects that comprise the Tammela Project. Detailed information on the Company's projects have been posted on the Company's website www.nortecminerals.com.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 11, 2017) - Atico Mining Corporation (the "Company" or "Atico") (TSX VENTURE:ATY)(OTC PINK:ATCMF) announces its operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2017 from its El Roble mine. Production for the quarter totaled 5.05 million pounds of copper and 2,550 ounces of gold in concentrates, an increase of 18% for copper and a decrease of 2% for gold over the same period in 2016.

"We are very pleased to report the Company has had another strong operating quarter maintaining its previously reached historic high for processed ore and produced copper, while getting us to a strong start of the year well in line with the operational objectives for 2017." said Fernando E. Ganoza, CEO. "Along with robust operating results the Company has made three concentrate shipments during the quarter that will be reflected in the first quarter financial results. We will continue to look for opportunities to further optimize the mine in the subsequent quarters and focus on delivering on our 2017 guidance."

First Quarter Operational Highlights

Production of 5.05 million pounds of copper contained in concentrates; an increase of 18% over Q1 2016.

Production of 2,550 ounces of gold contained in concentrates; a very slight decrease over Q1 2016.

Average processed tonnes per day of 810, an increase of 4% over Q1 2016.

Copper head grade of 3.89%, an increase of 2% over Q1 2016.

Gold head grade of 1.92 grams per tonne; a decrease of 13% over Q1 2016.

Copper and gold recovery of 93.5% and 65.8%; a decrease of 1% for copper 2% for gold over Q1 2016.

First Quarter Operational Review

Optimization of the operation continued throughout the first quarter with positive results in maintaining the recently reached steady state daily throughput and mill capacity above 800 tonnes per day.

Processed ore increased 17% over Q1-2016 driven by an increase of 12% in the number of days worked and to a lesser extent an increase in the daily throughput rate of 4%. The increase in processed ore explains almost entirely the higher copper production during the quarter relative to Q1-2016. In the case of gold production the increase in processed ore was offset by a lower head grade and a decrease in the gold recovery.

Copper and gold recovery during the quarter were in line with Company projections. Gold recovery decreased slightly as expected driven by an 8% increase in the copper content in the concentrate to 21.66% (20.08% in Q1-2016). This increase in the copper content in the concentrate provides a net economic benefit offsetting the resulting decrease in gold recovery. The Company will continue to explore increasing the copper content in the concentrate in the following quarters.

The operation remains on track to deliver on set guidance throughout the remainder of the year.

First Quarter Operational Details

Q1 2017 Total Q1 2016 Total % Change Production (Contained in Concentrates) Copper (000s pounds) 5,046 4,277 18% Gold (ounces) 2,550 2,566 nil Mine Tonnes of ore mined 63,468 53,752 18% Mill Tonnes processed 62,885 53,715 17% Tonnes processed per day 810 778 4% Copper grade (%) 3.89 3.82 2% Gold grade (g/t) 1.92 2.21 -13% Recoveries Copper (%) 93.5 94.4 -1% Gold (%) 65.8 67.2 -2% Concentrates Copper and Gold Concentrates (dmt) 10,566 9,674 9% Payable copper produced (000s lbs) 4,790 4,048 18%

Note: Metal production figures are subject to adjustments based on final settlement.

2017 Operational Guidance

The Company is basing 2017 guidance on year ended December 31, 2016 financial and production results. Please refer to Cautionary Note on Forward Looking Statements at the end of this document.

The Company set the following objectives for 2017 at the El Roble mine:

Process between 260,000 and 265,000 tonnes.

Maintain copper recovery above 93% and 65% for gold.

Maintain an average copper head grade between 3.3% and 3.5%

Maintain an average gold head grade between 2.0 g/t and 2.2 g/t

Maintain production between 37,000 and 39,000 dry tonnes of concentrate.

Maintain production between 8,300 and 8,500 tonnes of copper.

Maintain production between 9,700 and 10,000 ounces of gold.

Increase the mill mechanical availability to 90% and reach 320 days worked.

Continue increasing the safety and environmental standards.

El Roble Mine

The El Roble mine is a high grade underground copper and gold mine with nominal processing plant capacity of 800 tonnes per day, located in the Department of Choco in Colombia. Its commercial product is a copper-gold concentrate.

Since obtaining control of the mine on November 22, 2013, Atico has upgraded the operation from a nominal capacity of 400 tonnes per day. The mine has a continuous operating history of twenty-two years, with recorded production of 1.5 million tonnes of ore at an average head grade of 2.6% copper and an estimated gold grade of 2.5 g/t. Copper and gold mineralization at the El Roble property occurs in volcanogenic massive sulfide ("VMS") lenses.

Since entering into the option agreement in January 2011 to acquire 90% of El Roble, Atico has aggressively explored the mine and surrounding claims. The Company has completed 31,377 meters of diamond drilling and identified numerous prospective targets for VMS deposits on the 6,679-hectare property. This exploration led to the discovery of high-grade copper and gold mineralization below the 2000 level, the lowest production level of the El Roble mine. Atico has developed a new adit access from the 1880 elevation to develop these new resources.

El Roble has a measured and indicated resource of 1.87 million tonnes grading 3.46% copper and 2.27 g/t gold, at a cut-off grade of 0.93% copper equivalent. Mineralization is open at depth and along strike and the Company plans to further test the limits of the resource.

On the larger land package, the Company has identified a prospective stratigraphic contact between volcanic rocks and black and grey cherts that has been traced by Atico geologists for ten kilometers. This contact has been determined to be an important control on VMS mineralization on which Atico has identified 15 prospective target areas for VMS type mineralization occurrence, which is the focus of the surface drill program at El Roble.

Qualified Person

Mr. Thomas Kelly (SME Registered Member 1696580), advisor to the Company and a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101 standards, is responsible for ensuring that the technical information contained in this news release is an accurate summary of the original reports and data provided to or developed by Atico.

About Atico Mining Corporation

Atico is a growth-oriented Company, focused on exploring, developing and mining copper and gold projects in Latin America. The Company operates the El Roble mine and is pursuing additional acquisition opportunities. For more information, please visit www.aticomining.com.
BLAINVILLE, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - April 12, 2017) - Maya Gold & Silver ("Maya" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE:MYA) is pleased to report a monthly record production of 53,829 ounces (1,674 Kg) of silver during the month of March 2017 at its Zgounder silver mine in Morocco.

March 2017 Production Highlights

A silver production of 53,829 ounces represents a 15.74% increase from the March 2016 output;

A total of 5,270 tons processed yields a 5.78% increase from the total of March 2016;

This is the highest monthly silver output since the start of mining operations in September 2014;

The total recovery rate of 88.14% indicates an increase of 16.97% from that of March 2016

Operational Highlights

Production information

Month of March, % Production information

for three months ending on March 31, % 2017 2016 Var. 2017 2016 Var. Tonnage of dry material processed (t) 5,270 4,935 5.78 14,358 14,010 2.48 Average grade processed (g/t Ag) 360.42 389.00 -7.35 380.53 395.75 - 3.85 Metal produced (Kg) 1,674.27 1,446.6 15.74 4,703.30 4,347.11 8.19 Ounces of silver ingots produced 53,829 46,509 15.74 151,214 139,763 8.19 Average recovery rate (%) 88.14 75.35 16.97 86.08 78.43 9.75

Development highlights at the Zgounder Mine

During the month of March 2017, underground exploration and development consisted of 870.8 metres of percussion drilling in seven mine workings. Highlights of the work completed are:

Percussion drilling was carried out on level 2030.

Panel 1 was extended to the western zone of level 2100. The mineralization lies at the the dolerite dyke /Neoproterozoic metasediments contact at the intersection of EW- and NS-oriented structures. The mineralization consists of disseminated sulphides (sphalerite, galena and pyrite) accompanied by trace amounts of native silver within fractures and quartz veinlets. Panel 5y, located at the contact of the dolerite dyke and metasediments, manifests a strong clhorite and sericite alteration and is affected by an intense fracturation. The panel is contained within schistosed sandstones mineralized in sulphides (sphalerite, galena and pyrite) and exposing numerous plates of native silver in fractures.

Other percussion drill holes determined the extent of silver mineralization between levels 2006 and 2012, in panel 09 and at level 2000 (P8).

Qualified Persons

The technical content of this news release has been provided by Zgounder Millenium Silver Mining and has been reviewed and approved by Michel Boily, PhD, geo from GEON; an independent Qualified Person under NI 43-101 standards.

ABOUT MAYA

Maya Gold & Silver Inc. is a Canadian publicly listed mining corporation focused on the exploration and development of gold and silver deposits in Morocco. Maya is initiating mining and milling operations at its Zgounder Mine owned by Zgounder Millenium Silver Mining ("ZMSM"), a Maya 85% owned joint venture with l'Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines ("ONHYM") of the Kingdom of Morocco (15%).
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 12, 2017) - IDM Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:IDM)(OTCQB:IDMMF) ("IDM" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that key technical work related to its Feasibility Study ("FS") is nearing completion for its Red Mountain Gold Project ("Red Mountain" or the "Project"), located 15 km northeast of Stewart, BC. IDM anticipates releasing the Feasibility Study within two months.

Key Feasibility Study Components Status Update

Results from metallurgical testwork suggest Whole Ore Leach ("WOL") as the preferred process option

Processing plant design is 80% complete

Underground stope design is complete, mine development and infrastructure design is ongoing

Tailings Management Facility ("TMF") design is 70% complete, based on best available technology ("BAT") assessment

Access road design, including waterway crossings, is complete for lower section; 60% complete for upper section

JDS Energy and Mining ("JDS") is Project Lead for the FS with support from several independent engineering and consulting firms. In addition to Project oversight, JDS is completing underground mine design, metallurgy and Project economics. Allnorth Consultants Ltd. is completing process plant and site infrastructure design. Access road design and engineering is being completed by Onsite Engineering Ltd. SRK Consulting is responsible for hydrology, geochemistry and underground geotechnical work. Knight Piesold Consulting is leading the design of the TMF and water management systems.

"We are excited for the results of the Feasibility Study, which is incorporating the expanded and upgraded resource and increased gold grade from the 2016 preliminary economic assessment, as well as improved metallurgical recoveries," said Robert McLeod, President and CEO of IDM Mining. "Additionally, our 2017 underground resource expansion and exploration drilling program at Red Mountain is underway, targeting extensions along strike and down-dip."

Metallurgy and Processing

Metallurgy

During the 2016 field season, mineral resource infill and metallurgical drill holes were distributed throughout the three primary resource zones at Red Mountain: the Marc, AV and JW Zones. Metallurgical test work and analysis was completed at Base Metallurgical Laboratories Ltd. This work included variability sample selection followed by comminution, minerology, gravity, leaching and flotation testing. The outcome of the program is that WOL using Carbon in Leach ("CIL") method with a 25 micrometer grind achieved consistently better metal recovery. Composite recoveries for Red Mountain average 89.4% Au and 86.1% Ag. This is an improvement from the 88.9% Au and 80.3% Ag average composite recoveries using the flotation-leach circuit contemplated in the July 2016 Red Mountain PEA. Results by zone are as follows:

Zone Au Recovery (%) Ag Recovery (%) Marc average 93.3 91.8 AV average 86.2 81.5 JW average 88.4 84.2

Further metallurgical test work is currently underway with the objective of optimizing and improving recoveries, particularly in the AV and JW zones.

Due to close proximity to grid power and low British Columbia power costs, the fine grind to 25 micrometers and CIL processing to produce gold-silver dore bars was selected. The processing plant flowsheet is complete, and feasibility level design is underway.

Underground Mine Design

Underground stope design for the Feasibility Study was recently completed. Mining will primarily be longhole and transverse stoping along with cut and fill mining. Access, haulage and ventilation design is underway and is 50% complete. Work is ongoing to assess optimal scheduling and production rates from the underground.

Tailings Management and Design

Design work for the TMF is 70% complete. An extensive site investigation program of drilling, mapping and lab testing was performed at the proposed Bromley Humps tailings site during 2016. Design work will be completed to environmental assessment ("EA") and relevant BC Mines Act standards, which can be more detailed than feasibility-level design. IDM has been working closely with regulators and the Nisga'a Nation on the TMF design and assessment of alternatives, including incorporating Best Available Technology (BAT) into all aspects of the Project.

IDM has contracted Dr. Dirk Van Zyl as an independent third party peer reviewer for tailings and waste management engineering and design. Dr. Van Zyl, a professor with the University of British Columbia (UBC) Keevil School of Mining Engineering, is considered one of Canada's foremost experts in the field of TMF design and safety.

Underground Geotechnical and Hydrogeology

SRK Consulting gathered extensive surface, underground and drill core geotechnical data during 2016, supplemented by historical work at Red Mountain. Minimal ground support was required during the construction of the five by five meter decline in the early 1990s, and minimal work was needed by IDM during the 2016 underground rehabilitation work. SRK has completed stope design parameters and is currently finalizing its recommendations for ground support in both stoping and development areas. SRK is also modeling groundwater hydrology and chemistry. Significant but manageable melt water inflows were encountered during the 2016 summer months in the underground workings, and a water management plan will be included in the FS.

About Red Mountain

The 17,125 hectare Red Mountain Gold Project is located in northwestern BC, 15 km northeast of the Town of Stewart. IDM is advancing a Feasibility Study for a high-grade, underground gold mine, which envisions primarily bulk underground mining methods and the production of gold dore on site. The Project is advancing through the provincial and federal environmental assessment processes, with comprehensive, thorough, and ongoing consultation with Nisga'a Nation.

Additional information, including the Company's NI 43-101 Technical Reports for the Red Mountain gold project, is available at www.idmmining.com and at www.sedar.com.
Toronto, Ontario / TheNewswire / April 12, 2017 - Toachi Mining Inc., ("Toachi" or the "Company") (TSX-V: TIM) is pleased to announce results from on-going drilling at its La Plata gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") project in Ecuador.

Program Highlights

Hole CMLP-17-45 intersected 5.42 metres (m) of massive and disseminated sulphide mineralization grading 4.35 grams per tonne (g/t) gold, 77.34 g/t silver, 7.48% copper, 4.24% zinc and 0.22% lead from 69.26 m in the La Mina North zone of the La Mina deposit.

Hole CMLP-17-42, drilled on the same section as CMLP-17-45, intersected 18.25 m of massive and disseminated sulphide mineralization grading 1.57 g/t gold, 12.14 g/t silver, 3.44% copper, 1.06% zinc and 0.15% lead from 138 m.

Hole CMLP-17-42 included a high grade intersection of 6.38 m grading 2.4 g/t gold, 16.33 g/t silver, 4.9% copper, 1.99% zinc and 0.24% lead from 142 m.

Hole CMLP-17-41 intersected 0.66 m grading 24.26 g/t gold, 200 g/t silver, 1.94% copper, 31.27% zinc and 9.57% lead from 5.44 m in La Mina North.

Drilling Highlights

Hole (36)(37)(40)(41)(42)(45)(47) From (m) To (m) m Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Pb (%) Zn (%) CMLP-17-36 106.2 107.48 1.28 2.27 35 7.71 0.41 2.48 CMLP-17-37 29.66 31 1.34 8.90 71 4.37 0.77 10.84 CMLP-17-40 104.23 105.09 0.86 0.96 26 5.77 0.11 0.99 CMLP-17-41 4.57 6.9 2.33 10.00 92 1.06 4.14 10.75 including 5.44 6.1 0.66 24.26 200 1.94 9.57 31.27 CMLP-17-42 138 156.25 18.25 1.57 12 3.44 0.15 1.06 including 142 148.38 6.38 2.40 16 4.90 0.24 1.99 CMLP-17-45 69.26 74.68 5.42 4.35 77 7.48 0.22 4.24 78 81.24 3.24 1.11 13 2.49 0.05 0.59 CMLP-17-47 64.17 71.63 7.46 1.68 152 2.98 0.10 0.86

Core widths in CMLP-17-36, CMLP-17-37 and CMLP-17-45 are considered to be true widths. Core widths in CMLP-17-40, CMLP-17-41 and CMLP-17-47 are considered close to true widths. CMLP-17-42 was drilled obliquely to the zone with a true width of 8.5 m. Gold assay composites were calculated using uncut assays.

A complete list of all intersections is available in Table 1 below along with a plan map and cross section of CMLP-17-40, CMLP-17-42, CMLP-17-45 and CMLP-17-47.

Program Results

The drill program, which began in August 2016, is designed to validate the historic drilling database at the La Plata project. The drilling program is also intended to infill and expand known resources in the main La Mina VMS lenses leading to the completion of a National Instrument 43-101 resource estimate later this year.

Modelling of historic and current drill results by Toachi staff has delineated four discrete mineralized zones which define the La Mina North and La Mina South blocks. For a 3-D graphic of the wireframed zones, please visit our website at www.toachimining.com and see our latest presentation.

Holes CMLP-17-36, CMLP-17-40, CMLP-17-42, CMLP-17-45 and CMLP-17-47 were collared in the southern part of the La Mina North block and were designed to test the southern extension of the VMS mineralization in Zone 1. These holes were successful in identifying high grade VMS mineralization and extended the mineralized envelope down dip, up to near-surface and to the south.

Holes CMLP-17-37, CMLP-17-41 and CMLP-17-44 were collared in the northern part of the La Mina North block around the old open pit area and were designed to test the northern extension of the near-surface VMS mineralization in Zone 1. These holes were successful in identifying high grade VMS mineralization and confirming continuity of the VMS mineralization in this area.

Nick Tintor, President and CEO, stated, "Our drilling continues to generate exceptional gold, copper and zinc values over good widths at the La Plata project. This drill program is being successful in not only verifying the high grade nature of the project but in extending mineralized envelopes as well."

See the longitudinal section below for the location of the pierce points of these holes in relation to historic resource blocks. A list of drill results, cross section and plan map with collar locations is also available at the end of this press release.

Management believes the La Plata project, which is characterized by geology typical of major gold-rich VMS camps around the world, hosts excellent potential for the discovery of additional discrete VMS zones amongst the 14 exploration targets identified to date.

La Plata Deposit Geology

Gold-bearing sulphide mineralization at La Plata occurs as compositional banding composed of chalcopyrite, sphalerite and pyrite laminae with barite occurring as clasts and also as thin layers.

Base and precious metal mineralization at La Plata is interpreted to have formed as part of multiple volcanic episodes that created a stacked volcanic-exhalite hydrothermal sequence which is considered favorable for hosting multiple VMS lenses.

Examples of this exclusive group of gold-rich VMS camps include Noranda, Doyon-Bousquet-LaRonde and the Flin Flon camps in Canada.

Toachi's exploration staff has identified more than 14 discrete exploration targets across the property concessions which extend for more than 9 kilometres, attesting to the potential of this emerging district.

The La Plata Project

Toachi entered into an option agreement with a private Ecuadorean company to earn between a 60% to 75% interest in the La Plata gold-copper-silver-zinc VMS project, located 85 km south of Quito, Ecuador.

For complete terms of the transaction, please see our press release dated February 11, 2016 which is available on our website at www.toachimining.com or on www.sedar.com.

La Plata is a gold-rich volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit which was the subject of small scale mining from both an open pit and underground workings from 1975-1981.

From 1996 to 2000, Cambior Inc., a Canadian mining company, completed 8,628 metres of drilling and a preliminary resource estimate totaling 840,000 tonnes grading 4.8 grams gold per tonne, 4.1% copper, 54.4 grams silver per tonne and 0.7% lead and 4.2% zinc per tonne in 1999, according to a report completed by AMEC Foster Wheeler, a mining consulting firm, in March 2015.

Following a drill program by Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc., which included 5,933 metres of drilling from 2006-2007, a revised mineral resource estimate totaling 913,977 tonnes grading

8.01 grams gold per tonne, 88.3 grams silver per tonne, 5.01% copper, 6.71% zinc and 0.78% lead per tonne in the inferred category was completed.

The resource estimates described above are historical estimates as defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects S.2.4 ("NI 43-101").

Toachi has not completed the work required to independently analyze and verify the results of the previous operators nor has a qualified person completed sufficient work to classify the estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. With respect to the Cambior estimate, the Company is also not aware of what categories were used in the estimate. As a result, Toachi is not treating these estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

The Company believes these historic results provide an indication of the potential of the property and are relevant from an on-going exploration perspective.

QA/QC Sampling and Core Sampling Protocols

Before sampling, a centreline, representing bottom of hole (or a reference line when this is not known) is marked on the drill core. The core is cut and sampled, always sampling the right-hand side of the drill core. Samples are selected based on logged geological features, such as rock type, mineralization, alteration, veining etc. Sample length does not exceed 1.2 m nor is smaller than 20 cm. In areas of similar geological characteristics, sample length is, in general, 1 m.

A total of 10% of the samples submitted are certified blanks and standards and field duplicates with, as a minimum, one blank submitted at the beginning of each sample batch. Certified standards are submitted at an average of 6% of the samples submitted. Field duplicates are taken at a rate of 1 in 20 of the samples taken.

Drill hole analysis was completed by MS Analytical in Canada.

The analysis was completed by MS Analytical in Canada with preparation performed by Ecuadorian partner, LAC y Asociados. Both LAC y Asociados and MSA are ISO 9001:2008 registered companies. MS Analytical also meets the requirements as outlined in ISO/IEC 17025.

Qualified Person

Phil Fox, MAIG, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the contents of this press release.

About Toachi Mining Inc.

Toachi brings a disciplined and veteran team of project managers together with a high grade gold-copper-silver-zinc project at La Plata in Ecuador. Toachi is focused on and committed to the development of advanced stage mineral projects throughout the Americas using industry best practices combined with a strong social license from local communities. Toachi Mining has 51,653,935 shares issued and outstanding.

Table 1

La Mina Drill Results

Drill Hole From (m) To (m) m Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Cu (%) Pb (%) Zn (%) CMLP-17-36 106.2 107.48 1.28 2.27 35 7.71 0.41 2.48 CMLP-17-37 29.66 31 1.34 8.90 71 4.37 0.77 10.84 CMLP-17-40 104.23 105.09 0.86 0.96 26 5.77 0.11 0.99 CMLP-17-41 4.57 6.9 2.33 10.00 92 1.06 4.14 10.75 including 5.44 6.1 0.66 24.26 200 1.94 9.57 31.27 CMLP-17-42 126 128 2 1.31 58 0.15 0.34 0.67 138 156.25 18.25 1.57 12 3.44 0.15 1.06 including 142 148.38 6.38 2.40 16 4.90 0.24 1.99 CMLP-17-44 37.25 39.62 2.37 1.17 12 0.36 0.07 1.07 CMLP-17-45 69.26 74.68 5.42 4.35 77 7.48 0.22 4.24 78 81.24 3.24 1.11 13 2.49 0.05 0.59 CMLP-17-47 64.17 71.63 7.46 1.68 152 2.98 0.10 0.86

Cross Section





Plan Map





Longitudinal Section




TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 12, 2017) - Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX: WDO) ("Wesdome" or the "Company") today announces first quarter 2017 ("Q1") gold production results of 15,162 ounces.

Mr. Duncan Middlemiss, President and CEO commented, "We are very pleased with the strong operational results of Q1, having surpassed our internal expectations. This is primarily attributable to the increased mining of the 7 Zone and 811 Zone stopes, as well as the development ore generated from the newly discovered 300 Zone East (301 and 303 Lens). We expect the head grades to continue to be at, or higher than reserve grades, as we continue mining in these zones, and bring additional stopes online from the 300 West and 300 East Zones. We also expect head grades at Mishi to improve during the year as we move beyond current mining in the northwest portion of the pit to higher grade areas. In comparison to the same period in the previous year (Q1 2016, 8,036 ounces), the Company has been able to demonstrate improved execution of the mine plan, which has been the operational focus. I would like to thank the team for delivering these excellent results safely and look forward to future successes."

Tonnes Head Grade Average Mill Gold Produced Milled (t) (g/t Au) Recovery Rate (%) (ounces) Eagle River Mine 38,578 11.5 95.3% 13,588 Mishi Open Pit 36,641 1.7 80.9% 1,574 Q1 2017 Production 75,219 6.7 93.6% 15,162

The Company's guidance remains unchanged at 52,000 - 58,000 ounces for 2017. Ounces sold were 12,320 ounces at an average sales price of CAD$1631 per ounce, (revenue of CAD$20.1 M) exceeding the Company's internal forecast of CAD$1550 per ounce.

The technical and scientific disclosure in this press release has been prepared and approved by Philip Ng, P. Eng, Chief Operating Officer of Wesdome and "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43-101 disclosure standards.

ABOUT WESDOME

Wesdome Gold Mines is in its 29th year of continuous gold mining operations in Canada. The Company is 100% Canadian focused with a pipeline of projects in various stages of development. The Eagle River Complex in Wawa, Ontario is currently producing gold from two mines, the Eagle River Underground Mine and the Mishi Open pit, from a central mill. Wesdome is actively exploring its brownfields asset, the Kiena Complex in Val d'Or, Quebec. The Kiena Complex is a fully permitted former mine with a 930 metre shaft and 2,000 tonne per day mill. The Company has further upside at its Moss Lake gold deposit, located 100 kilometres west of Thunder Bay, Ontario, which is being explored and evaluated to be developed in the appropriate gold price environment. The Company has approximately 132 million shares issued and outstanding and trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WDO."
VANCOUVER, April 12, 2017 /CNW/ - GoldMining Inc. ("GoldMining") (TSX-V: GOLD; OTCQX: GLDLF) and Bellhaven Copper and Gold Inc. ("Bellhaven" and, together with GoldMining, the "Companies") are pleased to jointly announce that they have entered into an agreement (the "Agreement"), pursuant to which, among other things, GoldMining will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Bellhaven (the "Bellhaven Shares") by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Colombia) (the "Arrangement").

Upon completion of the Arrangement, GoldMining will own 100% of Bellhaven and its La Mina Gold Project ("La Mina" or the "Project"), which includes the La Mina concession (1,794 Ha) and the contiguous La Garrucha concession (1,416 Ha).

Amir Adnani, Chairman of GoldMining, commented: "We are pleased to announce our second major transaction in Colombia, which will further expand our significant land package within the Mid Cauca Belt, one of the most prospective and underexplored gold belts in the world. Beyond the current defined resource base, La Mina hosts several underexplored porphyry targets, which we believe offer excellent opportunities for new gold discoveries in an area of excellent infrastructure."

Mr. Adnani, further commented: "I look forward to working with Dr. Paul Zweng, CEO of Bellhaven, who has agreed to join GoldMinings advisory board on closing of the transaction. This acquisition further advances our strategy of acquiring significant gold-copper projects in the Americas, and we look forward to welcoming management and shareholders of Bellhaven as new shareholders of GoldMining."

Dr. Paul Zweng, CEO, Chairman and Director of Bellhaven, commented: "We believe that combining Bellhavens assets with those of GoldMining will place these assets into much stronger hands. As a result, La Mina will have greater market visibility as well as the potential to move forward with more certainty and at a greater pace than what Bellhaven could achieve on its own. There are also potential synergies between Bellhavens La Mina and GoldMining's nearby Titiribi gold property (Colombia) including geological, engineering, environmental, community relations and shared administrative overhead. This combination creates one of the largest resource portfolios and most exciting exploration land packages in Colombia. I look forward to joining GoldMinings advisory board to assist GoldMining in advancing La Mina as well as the rest of its extensive portfolio of gold projects in the Americas."

Transaction Details

Under the Arrangement, Bellhaven shareholders will receive 0.25 common shares of GoldMining for each Bellhaven Share held (the "Exchange Ratio") and existing warrants and options of Bellhaven will similarly become exercisable into GoldMining common shares based on the Exchange Ratio in accordance with their existing terms. There are currently 5,133,750 Bellhaven warrants outstanding with exercise prices ranging from $0.225 to $0.50, which, after closing, would be convertible into up to 1,283,438 common shares of GoldMining. The terms set out above do not apply to the Bellhaven Shares and warrants issued to the Toquepala Fund LP (the "Fund") on conversion of their previously issued US$350,000 convertible loan (the "Convertible Loan"), which Convertible Loan was converted concurrent with the execution of the Agreement.

In connection with the Arrangement, GoldMining has entered into an agreement with the Fund, pursuant to which, concurrently under the Arrangement, GoldMining will acquire from the Fund, the 6,300,000 units of Bellhaven, issued on conversion of the Convertible Loan with each unit consisting of one Bellhaven Share and one warrant to purchase a Bellhaven Share at an exercise price of $0.075 per share, for total consideration consisting of 1,842,750 common shares of GoldMining (the "Unit Acquisition"). The Unit Acquisition is being completed at a discount to the consideration to be received by Bellhaven shareholders generally under the Arrangement. Nancy Zweng and Paul Zweng, directors of Bellhaven, are also principals of the Fund.

The Arrangement will be carried out by way of a plan of arrangement and is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of requisite stock exchange and court approvals and the approval of at least 66% of the votes cast by Bellhaven shareholders at a special meeting (the "Meeting") of Bellhaven shareholders, including approval by a majority of disinterested Bellhaven shareholders. The Meeting is currently expected to be held in late May 2017, with completion of the arrangement expected to occur shortly thereafter following receipt of necessary court approval.

Additionally, Bellhaven has entered into an agreement with Monpal S.A.S., a company controlled by Alejandro Montoya-Palacios, a director of Bellhaven, to amend the terms of Bellhaven's existing option to acquire the balance of the ownership interest in the entity that owns one of the exploration concessions underlying the La Mina Project concurrently with completion of the Arrangement, in exchange for total consideration of US$300,000 and the delivery of 162,500 common shares of GoldMining to Mr. Montoya-Palacios, payable by GoldMining upon completion of the Arrangement.

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Bellhaven has agreed that it will not solicit or initiate any discussions concerning any other acquisition proposals. In the event that the Arrangement is not completed, Bellhaven has agreed, in certain circumstances, to pay GoldMining a termination fee of $440,000 and an expense reimbursement fee of up to $150,000. GoldMining has agreed to reimburse Bellhaven for its incurred expenses up to $150,000 in relation to the Arrangement if the Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances.

Directors, senior officers and key shareholders of Bellhaven, collectively holding approximately 67.5% of the issued and outstanding Bellhaven Shares, have entered into agreements with GoldMining under which they have agreed to vote their Bellhaven Shares in favour of the Arrangement. Pursuant to such agreements, such Bellhaven supporting shareholders have agreed that GoldMining common shares issued to them under the transaction will be subject to re-sale restrictions, which provide for the release of legend restrictions as follows: (i) 25% of such shares on closing; and (ii) 25% of such shares on each of the dates that are one, two and three months after the closing of the Arrangement.

Recommendation of the Bellhaven Board

An independent special committee of the Bellhaven board of directors has reviewed and unanimously recommended approval of the Arrangement and related transactions to the Bellhaven board of directors. After taking into account such recommendation and considering, among other things, the verbal opinion of Evans & Evans Inc., financial advisor to Bellhaven, that the consideration to be received by Bellhaven shareholders under the Arrangement is fair from a financial point of view to Bellhaven shareholders, the Bellhaven directors entitled to vote thereon have unanimously determined that the Arrangement is in the best interests of Bellhaven and is fair from a financial point of view to Bellhaven shareholders (other than GoldMining and its affiliates).

The Bellhaven board of directors unanimously recommends that Bellhaven shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement.

Details regarding these and other terms of the Arrangement are set out in the Agreement, which will be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additional information respecting the Arrangement and the Agreement will be included in the management information circular to be filed by Bellhaven and mailed to Bellhaven shareholders in connection with the Meeting.

The Project

The La Mina Project is located approximately 41 km southwest of the city of Medellin in the Department of Antioquia, in central Colombia and approximately 6 km southeast of GoldMinings Titiribi Project (Fig. 1). The Project is comprised of two concessions that cover an area of 32 km2. Northern Antioquia has seen steadily increasing activity over the last several years including, but not limited to success by Cordoba Minerals and High Power Exploration at the San Matias copper-gold project, Continental Golds recently permitted high-grade Buritica gold project, IAMGOLDs recent option agreement with Gran Colombia Gold on the past producing Zancudo gold mine, and AngloGold Ashanti and B2Golds development stage Nuevo Chaquiro project. The Project is road accessible by paved highway to a junction with an 11 km gravel road that leads to site. Water, power and labour are readily available at the Project site.

La Mina includes the Middle Zone and La Cantera gold-copper porphyry deposits as well as the highly prospective La Garrucha prospect located approximately 800 m to the east. The aeromagnetic anomaly over the nearby La Garrucha prospect is substantially larger than those over both the La Cantera and Middle Zone deposits. It has been partially tested by drilling (6,734 m in 17 holes) and future exploration programs will focus on expanding the area of mineralization in order to complete a revised resource estimate. In addition, there are several prospects including El Limon, El Oso, Media Luna and Buenavista that require additional follow-up exploration (Fig. 2).

The Middle Zone and La Cantera deposits occur within 400 m of each other and were the subject of a resource estimate published by Bellhaven in October 2016 (Table 1). The resource was based on 14,284 m of drilling in 88 drill holes. Block models were created with parent blocks measuring 5 m3 for the Middle Zone and 10 m3 for La Cantera. Inverse distance squared was used to interpolate grade into blocks at the Middle Zone and ordinary kriging was used to interpolate grade into blocks at La Cantera, which in both cases were constrained by geology. Indicated mineral resources, which comprise approximately 70% of the resource, were defined as blocks that are within 35 m of a drill hole and where a minimum of two drill holes were used to estimate grade. Grade-capping was employed at the Middle Zone to limit the impact of high-grade outlier samples. Gold was capped at 4.2 ppm, silver at 25.5 ppm and copper at 3,000 ppm. Densities of 2.65 t/m3 for the Middle Zone and 2.70 t/m3 for La Cantera were used to convert volumes to tonnages and were based on 636 individual measurements of drill-core samples.

The conceptual pit delineated resource used a Whittle-Pit algorithm with the following input parameters to calculate the in-pit resources:

Median consensus long-term projected metal prices of US$1,275 /oz gold, US$17.75 /oz silver, and US$2.75 /lb copper;

/oz gold, /oz silver, and /lb copper; G&A of US$0.98 /t;

/t; Open-pit mining costs of US$1.72 /t;

/t; Processing costs of US$5.83 /t;

/t; Metallurgical recoveries of 93% for gold and 90% for copper; and

Average pit-slope of 50 degrees.

Table 1: Indicated and Inferred Resource at a 0.25 g/t gold cut-off for La Mina published by Bellhaven in 2016.

Deposit Tonnage Grade Contained Metal Mt Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Cu

(%) AuEq

(g/t) Au (oz) Ag (oz) Cu (Mlbs) AuEq

(oz) Indicated Resource La Cantera 17.984 0.87 2.06 0.32 1.37 503,021 1,191,062 125.344 789,953 Middle Zone 10.186 0.50 1.27 0.11 0.68 163,740 415,899 24.898 223,232 Total Indicated 28.170 0.74 1.77 0.24 1.12 666,761 1,606,962 150.242 1,013,185 Inferred Resource La Cantera 10.806 0.69 1.83 0.29 1.15 239,715 635,766 70.256 400,099 Middle Zone 1.588 0.39 1.19 0.09 0.53 19,911 60,754 3.038 27,309 Total Inferred 12.394 0.65 1.75 0.27 1.07 259,626 696,520 73.294 427,408

Table 1 Notes:

1. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves.

2. Gold-equivalent grades were calculated using the following formula: AuEq = [{Au (g/t) + [Cu(%)} x {%Recoverable Cu / %Recoverable Au} x {Cu Price/Au Price} x 22.0462 x 31.1035] + [Ag (g/t) x {Ag Price/Au Price}]. Metal prices used were the median consensus long-term prices as of July, 2016 for gold (US$1,275/oz), silver (US$17.75), and copper (US$2.75/lb). Metal prices are not constant and are subject to change. Metal recoveries of 93% Au and 90% Cu are estimates based on metallurgical results announced in Bellhavens news release dated September 21, 2016.

3. All quantities are rounded to the appropriate number of significant figures; consequently sums may not add up due to rounding.

The resource estimate for La Mina is based on a technical report completed for Bellhaven by Scott E. Wilson, C.P.G. titled "Technical Report for the La Mina Project, Antioquia, Republic of Colombia" with an effective date of October 24, 2016. To the best of GoldMining's knowledge, information and belief, there is no new material scientific or technical information that would make the disclosure of the mineral resources therein inaccurate or misleading.

Exploration Applications

Additional exploration applications covering approximately 4,375 Ha were submitted by GoldMining in March 2017 to the Mining Secretariat of Antioquia for review. The applications cover areas located between the Titiribi and La Mina Projects.

Advisors

Haywood Securities Inc. is advising GoldMining in connection with the transaction, and Sangra Moller LLP is acting as legal counsel to GoldMining. Evans & Evans Inc. acted as financial advisor to Bellhaven and McMillan LLP is acting as legal counsel to Bellhaven.

Qualified Person

Paulo Pereira, President of GoldMining has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release for GoldMining. Mr. Pereira holds a Bachelors degree in Geology from Universidade do Amazonas in Brazil, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Mr. Thomas J. Drown, P. Geo., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release for Bellhaven pertaining to La Mina. Mr. Drown has more than 25 years relevant experience and is a B.C. Professional Geoscientist. He has been a senior project geologist with the Company at the La Mina Project and is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

About GoldMining Inc.

GoldMining Inc. is a public mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of gold projects in Colombia and other regions of the Americas. GoldMining Inc. is advancing its Titiribi Gold-Copper Project located in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, its Cachoeira and Sao Jorge Gold Projects located in the State of Para, northeastern Brazil, its Whistler Gold-Copper Project located in the State of Alaska, United States of America, and its Rea Uranium Project in the western Athabasca Basin in northeast Alberta, Canada.

About Bellhaven Copper and Gold Inc.

Bellhaven Copper and Gold Inc. is a Canadian-listed (TSX-V: BHV) exploration company exploring for gold and copper in Colombia. Bellhaven's flagship project is the La Mina gold-copper porphyry deposit in the Middle Cauca belt of Columbia. For more information regarding Bellhaven, please visit our website at www.bellhavencg.com.
by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, April 12, 2017



Any idea whats really lurking in your toothpaste? Hello, a new natural products brand, doesnt think so. So its going full-throttle cute to blow the whistle on mainstream brands in the $3 billion oral care market, with a digital campaign focusing on the natural ingredients it uses in its toothpastes, like coconut oil, aloe and plant-based sweeteners.

Called An Inconvenient Tooth (see? cute!), the animated spot features a moderately outraged molar who tells a grossed-out family just how much bad stuff theyve been brushing with, including saccharine artificial dyes and propylene glycol, the chemical used to de-ice planes.

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Our research showed us that as aware as consumers are about ingredients in other products, they really havent gotten around to thinking about whats in their toothpaste, says Joshua Nafman, who joined the Montclair, N.J.-based startup as VP/marketing five months ago. Hello, which also makes toothbrushes and breath spray, is based on founder Craig Dubitskys observations that other brands treat peoples mouths as a kind of a war zone, talking about killing and fighting odors, germs and bacteria. The goal was to change that and build a friendly brand. (Hello was the friendliest word Dubitsky could think of.)

Nafman acknowledges that convincing consumers to back away from the standard imagery of white-coated dentists at war with plaque wont be easy, but its worth a try. While the product does carry the symbol showing its been proven safe by the American Dental Association, that detail is less likely to get noticed than, lets say, the hopping bunny that promises the product hasnt been tested on animals.

You think about whats in your food, the tooth says in the ads, and whats in your cleaning supplies. But no one asks about toothpaste.

He says the decision to use animation grew from its determination to target Gen Y, typically the most open to natural and niche products. We know they lean heavily toward video and social media, he tells Marketing Daily. And we wanted to break away from the seriousness of the category, and bring the brands natural personality to life.

Nafman expects the campaign to resonate with Millennials, who are already enamored of trends like coconut-oil pulling and in love with such chem-free brands as Method. (Dubitsky has worked on that brand, too, and also founded EOS, the spherical lip-balm company.)

Marketing Hello as gluten-free, vegan-friendly and cruelty-free also increases its appeal. Kids flavors include blue raspberry and bubblegum, which taste so good kids rush to brush, it promises. That positioning is helping reach young parents, he says. So far, the product has achieved distribution in such mass retailers as Walmart, Target, Kroger, and CVS.

The campaign, from 72andSunny, includes the video, which is scheduled to run on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, as well as an influencer campaign. To increase sharing, the video steers users towards a free sample for themselves, and an opportunity to send one to a friend, as well.

Mintel says sales of oral care products in the U.S hit $3 billion last year, a 3.4% gain from 2014. (Toothpaste accounts for about 39%.) And while theres plenty of resistance to natural products, with 20% of consumers saying they dont work as well and 30% describing them as too expensive, 23% think natural oral care products are safer, 18% say they are better for teeth and gums and 20% wish mainstream brands had more natural offerings.

Toms of Maine, a chief competitor of Hello, gained 17% in sales in the last year, Mintel reports, largely because so many more people are paying attention to ingredients. Consumers are demanding more information about a products ingredients and are more attuned to the perceived dangers of certain goods, it writes in its latest report on oral care products. This elevated concern surrounding product safety is certainly contributing to the success of naturally positioned brands like Toms of Maine.
by Sara Guaglione , April 11, 2017

The Atlantic has put up a hard wall against online readers using ad-blockers.

Previously, TheAtlantic.com had put up a soft wall as the site transitioned to a secure HTTPS; it did not prevent ad-block users from reading The Atlantic online. Instead, it suggested they buy an ad-free subscription.

Now, ad-block users will hit a hard wall when they arrive at TheAtlantic.com. The site gives readers two options: whitelist the site, or pay for an ad-free subscription.

The Atlantic warned users of their hard stance in a note to readers last fall. The 159-year-old publication explained its decision: to protect their editorial content.

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For our publication to continue to grow and be sustainable, we need to create an environment where readers can accept and feel good about ads alongside our workor else support it in alternative ways, the company wrote.

This week, a spokesperson added in an e-mail: We strongly believe that it's about choice. And if the choice is to block ads, there must be a value exchange. We appreciate that people have privacy concerns and that -- regardless of improvements we make to user experience and security -- some may not be satisfied. And so were giving them other ways to support The Atlantic."

According to a Juniper Research white paper published last summer titled Digital Advertisers vs. The Ad Blockers, ad blocking is expected to cost publishers $27 billion in lost revenues in the next five years.

Online ad blocking is also expected to contribute 70.2% of all lost revenues in 2020, with the rest coming from mobile platforms.

The study found that most ad blocker adoptees are between the ages of 18 and 29. Female millennials were more likely to use ad blockers.
by Sara Guaglione , April 11, 2017



Fans of Anthony Bourdains CNN show Parts Unknown can dive deeper into his food and travel exploits with the launch of a new site, based on the series.

The new mobile-first site, called Explore Parts Unknown, is a collaboration between independent food and travel digital publication Roads & Kingdoms and CNN. The former oversees editorial while the latter takes care of the business side.

In 2015, Bourdain made his first financial foray into digital media by becoming an investing partner in Roads & Kingdoms. He is also its editor-at-large.

Roads & Kingdoms co-founder Nathan Thornburgh told Publishers Daily the partnership was inspired by Bourdains initial interest in his site. He saw what we did online and that it seemed similar to what he did on television.

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The idea is not to make this the show page, Thornburgh continued. Its more about using the destinations that [Parts Unknown] has gone to as our canvas. The world that we describe in Explore Parts Unknown is the world the show has visited.

Explore Parts Unknown aims to give fans of the show an in-depth look at where Bourdain went, what he ate and drank, as well as important topics he touched on throughout the eight seasons of Parts Unknown.

Thornburgh said readers can use Explore Parts Unknown to travel like Bourdain.

In [Bourdains] mind that doesn't just mean, heres the number of the hotel, book a room. But it means being really well-informed about the place youre going to. Being moved about the lives of the people that are there. Well show you how to get a fantastic meal, but also tell you a lot about the country from an emotional and intellectual level through the site.

The site features articles, travel itineraries, Bourdains personal travel notes, travel tips and city, restaurant and bar guides. Explore Parts Unknown also produces exclusive videos, such as a seven episode digital series called Catalunya: The Return, featuring Bourdains road trip across Spain.

The site even includes recipes of dishes featured in episodes of Parts Unknown, with accompanying articles that give context to the dish, its origins and its importance.

Explore Parts Unknown is organized by four categories  Eat, Drink, Know and Go  as well as by geographical location.

Land Rover is the launch sponsor of Explore Parts Unknown.

The site highlights destinations such as Hanoi, Las Vegas, Los Angeles Koreatown, Manila, Buenos Aires, London, Punjab, Montana, The Greek Islands, Senegal, Madagascar, Istanbul, New Jersey, Colombia and South Korea.

New destinations will roll out weekly.

Separately, Roads & Kingdoms is gearing up to launch a travel podcast called The Trip." The first installment is sponsored by Tiger Beer and will include cameos from Bourdain.
by Jess Nelson , April 11, 2017

SparkPost and Iterable announced a partnership on Tuesday that combines SparkPost's email infrastructure with Iterable's growth marketing platform.

Iterable is now a SparkPost Enterprise customer, and marketers can benefit from new integrated capabilities between the two marketing platforms.

Based in San Francisco, Iterable specializes in cross-channel user engagement. Iterable aims to help B2C marketers determine the best next steps to increase conversion rates, helping communications professionals build segmented audiences and automating touchpoints.

Email generated with Iterables drag-and-drop email templates and workflows builder are now sent to subscribers with the reliability of SparkPosts delivery service. SparkPosts delivery and engagement metrics are also now natively available on the Iterable platform.

Built on Amazon Web Services (AWS), SparkPost is a cloud-based and API-driven email delivery company that sends over 3 trillion messages a year. SparkPost claims that more than 25% of the worlds non-spam emails are sent from its platform.

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SparkPost and Iterable already have several joint customers that have seen success leveraging both marketing platforms congruently, including Zillow, Ebates and Weiss Research, Inc.

Delivery services like SparkPost have becoming increasingly important for marketers as Email Service Providers (ESPs) beef up their email authentication screening protocols to protect consumers from email-based threats.

Email deliverability rates in the United States have actually been on a steady decline over the past three years, according to annual studies by Return Path, illustrating the need for better email infrastructure services.

More than a quarter of promotional emails sent in the United States now fail to reach their intended recipient, according to Return Paths 2016 email deliverability report, with only 73% of promotional emails reaching their intended destination.

Average deliverability rates in the United States have dropped year-over-year for three consecutive years, dropping from a peak of 87% in 2014, 76% in 2015, and 73% in 2016.

The United States now lags behind the global average email deliverability rate of 79%, according to Return Path.
by Tanya Gazdik , April 12, 2017

NEW YORK  Ahead of its official unveiling this morning, The Lincoln Motor Company hosted small groups of media Tuesday afternoon at the Trunk Club, a posh mens store on Madison Avenue, to show off the all-new 2018 Lincoln Navigator.

The space was reconfigured to have the feel of a Hamptons home in recognition of a partnership the automaker announced with Hamptons hot spot The Surf Lounge. The collaboration will include a 10-date concert series at the Montauk beachfront resort, Lincoln president Kumar Galhotra told reporters.

A custom Lincoln bedroom within The Surf Lodge was inspired by the new Lincoln Navigator Black Label Yacht Club theme immersing guests in nautical-inspired design elements and materials; available for select guests from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

'The Lincoln Way' delivers warm, human, personally crafted experiences to clients through both products and services, Galhotra says. Lincoln x Surf Lodge is the latest exclusive experience to be offered through The Lincoln Way.

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The automaker also announced a new premium service being pilot tested in Miami. The Lincoln Chauffeur program offers owners the opportunity to schedule a driver to come to their location and drive them in their own vehicle. The chauffeur can also be assigned other tasks, like picking up children and running errands.

Owners in the test market are being given eight hours of complementary service, after which they can pay $30 an hour to continue using it, Andrew Frick, Lincoln director of sales and service operations, tells Marketing Daily.

The program will expand to San Diego later in the spring and then continue to roll out to the rest of the country thought the remainder of the year, Frick says.

Another program is being tested in Houston and Dallas which allows remote test drives. A Lincoln sales person will bring the desired vehicle to home or work.

Lincoln also unveiled the new Navigator, which goes on sale in late January. Pre-launch marketing will emphasize social media. Lincoln spokesman Matthew McConaughey will return in the TV portion of the campaign, which will break early next year.

The automaker conducted observational research facilitated by trained anthropologists to help inform the marketing approach, Galhotra says, adding that quiet luxury is both a look and a feeling.

The luxury vehicle includes new advanced technology allows drivers to adjust Navigator with the twist of a knob to make driving easier and more enjoyable in any weather or terrain. Unique split front seats in the front allow for positioning to better support the thighs and will curtail driver fatigue, Galhotra says.
by Sara Guaglione , April 12, 2017

Rolling Stone, its parent company Wenner Media and writer Sabrina Rubin Erdely have agreed to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by University of Virginia administrator Nicole Eramo over a debunked article about an alleged rape at a fraternity on campus, the magazine announced Tuesday.

Eramo claimed in the suit the discredited November 2014 article, A Rape On Campus, defamed her and portrayed her as the chief villain trying to discourage the woman identified as Jackie from reporting her alleged assault to police.

Lawyers for Eramo filed a notice in Federal District Court in Virginia yesterday that she was dropping the suit.

We are delighted tthis dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault, Libby Locke, one of her lawyers, said in a statement obtained by The New York Times.

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A spokeswoman for Wenner Media told the NYT, Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely and Nicole Eramo have come to an amicable resolution. The terms are confidential.

Last November, a federal jury ordered Rolling Stone and Erdely to pay Eramo $3 million in damages, after it found the magazine liable of actual malice in its portrayal of Eramo.

Eramo was originally seeking $7.5 million. The magazine and Erdely have since appealed the ruling.

"A Rape on Campus" sparked a national outcry regarding campus sexual assault, portraying Jackie as the victim of an alleged gang rape at a Phi Kappa Psi fraternity party.

The story was retracted in April 2015 after investigations by The Washington Post, Columbia Journalism Review and the Charlottesville police contradicted the magazines account.

Before printing the story, Rolling Stone did not seek out Jackie's alleged attackers to corroborate her story.

Rolling Stone still faces a $25 million lawsuit from the Phi Kappa Psi chapter of the University of Virginia, claiming the story made the fraternity and its members "the object of an avalanche of condemnation worldwide.

The 10-day jury trial is scheduled to begin in October.
by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, April 12, 2017

The Gunn Report has teamed with ACT Responsible to create a ranking recognizing the best cause-related ad campaigns in 2016 called The Good Report. The most successful cause-related campaign for the year per the report was Nivea Doll, from FCB Brasil (Sao Paulo) for client Nivea, designed to teach kids in a fun way about the importance of using sun screen.

The campaign featured kits containing UV sensitive toy dolls and Nivea sun screen. The dolls turn red when exposed to the sun but return to their normal color when sun screen with UV protection is applied to them. Not only do children learn about sun screen, they also sit still when its being applied to them as theyre applying it to the doll. (Or at least thats the idea.)

A total of 702 campaigns from 71 countries were evaluated for the report. The ranking is created by combining the industrys recognition as measured by the Gunn Report, the promotional effort behind the campaigns and public support reflected in voting organized by ACT responsible.

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Taking the number two spot on the ranking was a campaign called Priceless Traps from Geometry Global Bogota on behalf of Colombias Ministry of Environment and Sustainability. It focused on the problem of the invasive lionfish in Caribbean waters that are gobbling up local seafood supplies and endangering local fishing economies. Lionfish have few if any natural predators in the region (theyre native to the Indo-Pacific) and the campaign illustrated how local fisherman could quickly and affordably build traps to catch the invasive species. The traps were credited with saving millions of indigenous fish vital to the areas fishing economy last year.

This Girl Can ranked number three on the list. The campaign, from FCB Inferno for Sport England promoted and celebrated female physical fitness in the UK.

Print For Help, also from FCB Brasil (Sao Paulo) ranked fourth. For client HP, the campaign showed how globally networked printers could quickly disseminate posters about missing people in the country.

Rounding out the top-5 spots was an anti-cyberbully effort from Prolam Y&R Santiago for UNICEF.

The report also has lists of the most successful agencies, agency networks and advertisers promoting good causes for the year. More on the report and its rankings can be found here.
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Cook, TXF LLC, Tambourine, TargetST8, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Ltd, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Tquila, Trivadis, Trivadis AG, Trivadis Austria GmbH, Trivadis Denmark AS, Trivadis Germany GmbH, Trivadis Holding AG, Trivadis Partner AG, Trivadis Services AG, Trivadis Services SRL, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Vector Acquisition Company LLC, Vector Topco LLC, Verax Solutions, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd, Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd, Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Wabion GmbH, WaveStrike LLC, White Cliffs Consulting LLC, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wise Partners SAS, Wolox, Wolox Colombia S.A.S, Wolox LLC, Wolox Mexico S.R.L de C.V., Wolox S.A., Wolox SpA, Workforce Insight, Workforce Insight LLC, Yesler, Yesler LLC, Yesler Limited, Yesler Singapore Pte Ltd, Zag, Zag Australia Pty Ltd, Zag Limited, Zag USA LLC, Zebra Worldwide Australia Pty Ltd, Zebra Worldwide Group Limited, Zebra Worldwide Media Pty Ltd, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines Inc, Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc, Zestgroup, Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, solid-serVision.com GmbH, and umlaut.

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AstraZeneca PLC, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of prescription medicines. Its marketed products include Calquence, Enhertu, Faslodex, Imfinzi, Iressa, Koselugo, Lumoxiti, Lynparza, Orpathys, Tagrisso, and Zoladex for oncology; Brilinta/Brilique, Bydureon/Byetta, BCise, Byetta, Crestor, Evrenzo, Farxiga/Forxiga, Komboglyze/Kombiglyze XR, Lokelma, Onglyza, Qtern, and Xigduo/Xigduo XR for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases; Bevespi Aerosphere, Breztri Aerosphere, Daliresp/Daxas, Duaklir Genuair, Fasenra, Pulmicort, Saphnelo, Symbicort, and Tudorza/Eklira/Bretaris for respiratory and immunology; and Andexxa/Ondexxya, Kanuma, Soliris, Strensiq, and Ultomiris for rare diseases. The company's marketed products also comprise Synagis for respiratory syncytial virus; Fluenz Tetra/FluMist Quadrivalent for Influenza; Seroquel IR/Seroquel XR for schizophrenia bipolar disease; Nexium, and Losec/Prilosec for gastroenterology; and Vaxzevria and Evusheld for covid-19. The company serves primary care and specialty care physicians through distributors and local representative offices in the United Kingdom, rest of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. It has a collaboration agreement with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule medicines for obesity; Neurimmune AG to develop and commercialize NI006; Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to develop eplontersen, a liver-targeted antisense therapy in Phase III development for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis; Proteros Biostructures GmbH to jointly discover novel small molecules for the treatment of hematological cancers; Sierra Oncology, Inc. to develop and commercialize AZD5153. The company was formerly known as Zeneca Group PLC and changed its name to AstraZeneca PLC in April 1999. AstraZeneca PLC was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.
First Horizon Corporation operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank that provides various financial services. The company operates through three segments: Regional Banking, Specialty Banking, and Corporate. It offers general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments. The company also underwrites bank-eligible securities and other fixed-income securities eligible for underwriting by financial subsidiaries; sells loans and derivatives; and offers advisory services. In addition, it offers various services, such as mortgage banking; title insurance and loan-closing; brokerage; correspondent banking; nationwide check clearing and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency; equipment finance; and investment and financial advisory services. Further, the company sells mutual fund and retail insurance products; and credit cards. It operates approximately 500 banking offices in 22 states under the First Horizon Bank brand; and 400 banking centers in 12 states under the FHN Financial brand in the United States. The company was formerly known as First Horizon National Corporation and changed its name to First Horizon Corporation in November 2020. First Horizon Corporation was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services in Canada, the United States, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases. It also provides credit cards and payments; real estate secured lending, auto finance, and consumer lending services; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, and advice to retail and institutional clients through direct investing, advice-based, and asset management businesses; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking products and services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to corporations, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,061 branches and 3,381 automated teller machines (ATMs) in Canada, and 1,148 stores and 2,701 ATMs in the United States, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. It has a strategic alliance with Canada Post Corporation. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Entries are being accepted for the 3rd annual Golden Movie Awards Africa (GMAA) to be held in the last week of June in Accra, Ghana. The deadline for submissions is April 30, 2017. The annual GMAA is an initiative by NMJ Ghana and its Ghanaian and international partners to reward excellence in filmmaking on the Africa continent and among Africans in the diaspora.

GMAA gives the opportunity to African filmmakers from around the world to receive praise, recognition and be awarded for their efforts at telling the African stories to both Africans and the rest of the world during the period under review.

The scheme is accepting films of all genres and lengths with any official language or subtitled in any official language. All films presented shall be watched and shortlists made based on the awards criteria for the consideration of the jury.

Award winning films in the various categories of the scheme will be chosen based on merit and the content of the films by a jury made up of experienced filmmakers and film industry practitioners of different nationalities. Only films made between 1st January 2016 and 31st January 2017 should be submitted for consideration in the 2017 edition of awards.

To make fair and just decisions in its choice for the various winners at the GMAA, the jury will consider relevant African stories, relevant methods of storytelling, technical excellence and other important factors of filmmaking.

Submissions should be made via the GMAA website: www.goldenmovieawards.com or delivered by courier to or by dropping copies of the film in MP4 format at the NMJ Ghana offices at Number 35 Akoofio Street, Adenta, Accra, Ghana.

For further information on submission of films for award, selection criteria, submission process and the final event to be held in Accra, kindly visit www.goldenmovieawards.com or contact the undersigned.

Signed: Francis Doku

Director of Communications

Golden Movie Awards Africa
Twenty-year-old Miss Ghana South Africa 2016, Michelle Danso, has opened up about being crowned Miss Ghana South Africa (SA) and her personality, revealing before the pageant, she had self-esteem issues.

She told NEWS-ONE's Francis Addo in this exclusive interview that she was less confident because of her dark skin while in high school. Entering the pageantry, she revealed, was a decision she took to overcome that weakness and love herself.

A couple of weeks ago, the beautiful young lady graduated from the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, with a degree in Bachelor of Arts. She was born in South Africa to Ghanaian parents. She also spoke about the importance of Miss Ghana South Africa, the pageantry in general, xenophobia in South Africa, among others.

Below is the full interview with Michelle Danso:

Congratulations on your recent graduation.

Thank you very much. It's all God, not my wisdom or knowledge.

How has it been so far as Miss Ghana South Africa?

It's been very challenging, but I'm loving it. Being an ambassador for Ghanaians in South Africa comes with a lot of pressure, but I am enjoying it.

What are the fun and the challenges that come with you having to be schooling at the same time working as a queen?

It is honestly about having to find the balance between the two. I am very serious about school, so school comes first always. So for example, if I have an interview related to Miss Ghana South Africa and an assignment on the same day, one has to go and because I take my school work seriously, my interview has to either be postponed or cancelled. So for me, there is time for school work and time for my duties and responsibilities. Luckily enough this year, I have quite a lot of time to myself, so Miss Ghana SA takes priority at the moment.

What motivated you to get into pageantry?

I suffered with issues of self-esteem when I was in high school because of my dark skin complexion. So I took a decision one day to just love myself and turn what I saw as a weakness into strength. So entering Miss Ghana SA was a challenge to step out of my comfort zone and embrace my flaws. So I did this for me, to prove and confirm that I am dark and beautiful.

What does the crown mean to you now, as compared to when you were yet to join?

The drive that I had before winning is the drive that I still have now. Being crowned has opened so many doors for me and has given me a platform to do what I want to do; which is to motivate and encourage women.

What is the essence of Miss Ghana South Africa to you?

Being Miss Ghana South Africa means a lot to me that I have to be an ambassador for Ghanaians in South Africa. It is my responsibility to educate South Africans about Ghanaian culture and Ghana as a whole. I feel richly blessed as Miss Ghana South Africa because I get to learn both cultures.

Do you think beauty pageants serve any importance in todays world?

I think pageants are important nowadays because people always think that pageant is about beauty and all these pleasant things. Whereas I see it as a platform for us women to showcase that we are able and we are enough and that not our outward beauty can take us far but also our inner beauty.

What have you done so far as Miss Ghana South Africa?

I have been involved with my charity organisation which is Lerato House for Girls. It mainly deals with abandoned girls from the age of 13. I have been to quite a few interviews and appearances. I recently just came back from Ghana where I visited the Rema's Children Home in Tema. I did quite a number of interviews and appearances that side too. I'm currently working on building my brand and my personal projects.

One of the biggest issues being discussed around the world concerning South Africa and its relationship with other African countries is xenophobia. Whats your opinion on xenophobic attacks?

It is a very serious issue for us foreigners in South Africa because no one wants to feel left out in a country which they live in. To see all the pictures and videos that are going viral is very saddening because I believe we are all one and we should love one another and put all our differences aside.

Any personal xenophobic story you want to share with the world? Have you lost a friend through that?

I have had an attack but it wasn't physical but verbal. I was rushing to class from my apartment, I got stopped by a stranger, he angrily held my hand and he asked me for my ID (had a serious and angry face on). I told him in Xhosa that I didn't have it. Because I answered in Xhosa (South African language), he asked me where I was from with a smile and he let go of me. If it wasn't for my knowledge of the language, I don't know what could have happened to me. Fortunately, I haven't lost anyone to a xenophobic attack.

Who is Michelle? Where did grow up?

I was born in the Eastern Cape, in a very small town called Mthatha. I am very down to earth and an ambitious girl who is passionate about her goals and will do anything to achieve them.

How old are you?

I am 20 years old and will turn 21 on June 21.

School attended? And certificates?

I went to Qumbu Christian School. In Grade 6, I went to Kokstad Junior School. For my high school phase, I attended Queenstown Girls High School and finished my matric with two distinctions. I then proceeded to the University of Witwatersrand with a university entrance scholarship and recently graduated. Hoping next year I go back to do my post-graduate.

Hobbies?

Reading, sleeping, eating, scrap booking, doing my make-up, baking, blogging, Instagram, taking pictures, listening to Afrobeats, spending time with friends and family.

Which part of Ghana do you come from?

My father is from the Ashanti Region and my mother is from the Eastern Region.

You are not married yet, but at what age do you intend to marry?

I am not married. I want to get married around like 27, hopefully by then I will be well-established.

What qualities will you be looking out for in your prospective future husband? And do you consider money, fame and looks as some of those?

God-fearing, tall, handsome, funny, ambitious, romantic, loving, trustworthy, caring and love children. Thats my top 10. I don't consider all of those things, but he must be well-established and must be financially stable.

Whats your favourite Music? Movie? And colour?

Everything Afrobeats. Movie: all romantic movies. colour: baby pink

Whats next for Michelle after pageant?

Building my brand. Hosting workshops. Connecting RSA to Ghana and vice Versa.

By Francis Addo (Twitter: @fdee50 Email: [email protected] )
After Christmas and New Year, the most anticipated holiday among Nigerians is Easter. Easter for many is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ while for others it is much more than a celebration.

Whatever the case maybe, the undeniable fact is that Nigerians love Easter and Jumia Travel , the leading online travel agency shares 7 exciting reasons why.

It is a five-day break from your regular routine

For quite a number of Nigerians, this is the first holiday they are having since the Christmas and New Year break. Hence, they look forward to taking a well-deserved Easter break that will allow them to get out of the rut and do other things.

Enough shows and event

Since Easter is one of the longest holidays in the country, a lot of shows are fixed during the period. From music to comedy and drama, they are all open for you to attend as long as you pay the gate pass.

No work

To put it mildly, some employees are already basking in the euphoria that they wont have to go work for two days (Friday & Monday.). In addition, the holiday also knocks out Monday that you probably dislike. So, Easter holiday is a moment they cherish and savour. This doesnt mean they dont love what they do though. For persons who will still go to work, sorry! Lol!

Spend a good time with family and friends

This may be simplistic but you will be surprised that some individuals are homesick. They cannot wait to return home to see wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, and even parents. The Easter holiday makes this possible especially for those who leave home in the week and return weekend. Even if you return home daily, you will still be excited about the holiday because you will relax and have fun with your friends and family.

Time to enjoy frejon

Frejon is a coconut bean soup that is prepared and eaten during Easter. It is very tasty and delicious. If you ate it last year, jumia travel is very sure that you are already drooling to empty plates into your belly.

Opportunity to Travel home

For Nigerians who didnt go home in December, Easter is an opportunity for them to travel to see their people in the village. This is peculiar with Igbos of Eastern Nigeria whose trade sojourn has taken them to different parts of Nigeria.

Rest & Sleep

If you are not travelling, you can simply stay home and recover lost strength by simply sleeping and waking. Anyway, make sure you enjoy this long holiday!
In a bid to survive Lagos life, you find a large number of hawkers on the highway selling all sorts of items including homewares and consumables. Clearly, it is because they have a market for whatever they are selling and many of us patronise them.

In fact, it has gotten to a point that you can buy the ingredients to cook a pot of soup on the highway without alighting from your car. Despite this, there are reasons you should never patronise traffic hawkers. Jumia travel , the leading online travel agency shares some of these reasons.

You will be arrested

The Lagos state government has passed a law banning street trading. So, you are liable to be arrested by Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials if you are caught buying things in traffic. So, desist from patronising these hawkers.

Fake and substandard products

There are many substandard products that are been sold in traffic. And when you buy them, you cannot guarantee whatever you are buying. Hence, you are more likely to purchase a fake and untested gadget or expired products in traffic.

You are exposing yourself to theft

Some persons have had their phones stolen because they are buying Lacasera in traffic. As they are buying from the hawker, another person is picking their gadgets and when they eventually realise it, the hawker and the thief would have disappeared.

You are causing traffic clog

Rather than parking on the side way to buy whatever you are buying, some motorist mindlessly stay in the middle of the road to perform their transactions. They are very aware that they are causing traffic but they dont care.

They may escape with your money

Certain traffic hawkers are crooks. They usually escape with the buyers money without providing the service. This has happened so many times. If you dont want to lose your money stop patronising these hawkers. It is advisable to go to a market or to the departmental store of one of your favourite Lagos hotels .
12.04.2017 LISTEN

In times past, hotels and guesthouses were the preserve of the elite and well-to-do in society. The main customers were foreign travelers and businessmen from all over the world. These days, nearly everyone uses a hotel or guesthouse.

The market woman who travels from Accra to Kumasi to pick up wares for sale, the businessman who comes to Accra from Tamale to register his business and the Family that comes from Kenya to Takoradi for holidays. Everyone needs a hotel/guesthouse at some point.

The major influencers of ones choice are price, distance and quality of service. Apart from the renowned well established hotels and the 5 star hotels in Ghana, many are oblivious of the other beautiful facilities available all around the country. Jumia Travel , Africas leading online travel agency showcases a few beautiful hotels in Ghana you may never know existed.

Protea Hotel, Takoradi

The luxuriant 4-star Protea Hotel by Marriott Takoradi Select is located in the Western Region of Ghana. It is an attractive leisure destination with miles of white beaches. This hotel ranges from the stylishly contemporary to the opulently elegant. The 132-rooms at Protea Hotel represents an oasis of comfort and hospitality in close proximity to the Takoradi air and sea ports. The safe haven Protea Hotel boasts first-class conference facilities and up-to-date fitness facilities. Guests can splash out in the ultra modern swimming pool after a long day at work or during a relaxing weekend retreat. Protea Hotel boasts 24-hours electricity and water supply.Protea hotel is a 5-minutes walk to the beach and the whindo river.

2. Bays Lodge and Apartments , Accra



Situated at Nungua, opposite the Junction Mall in Accra, Bays Lodge and Apartment serves as the ideal location for all guests looking to spend time in the City. Are you on a business trip or just visiting to enjoy all the goodies the City has to offer? Lay all your accommodation needs on Bays Lodge and Apartment. This new exquisite facility boasts 24 hour electricity supply with wifi easily accessible in all rooms. Breakfast is complimentary. Bays Lodge and Apartments well stocked bar provides all guests with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks from which they can order. It offers a free airport shuttle service for the convenience of guests. Other services offered at a charge include Laundry and concierge services. There is also a meeting space for all business guests. The hotel is opposite the Junction Mall and in close proximity with the Tema Harbour and the Accra Train station.

3. The Highbridge Guest Lodge , East Legon



Highbridge Guest Lodge Accra is a charming lodge offering upscale accommodation coupled with great hospitality services.It is a top boutique hotel in East Legon-Accra. The elegant 3-star Highbridge Guest lodge Ghana is located away from the hustle and bustle of Accra's city centre. Highbridge Guest lodge rooms are fitted with en-suite bathroom, flat screen tv with satellite channels, a desk, telephone, shower and a refrigerator. Each apartment comes with indoor dining facilities and a lounge area. A kitchenette is also available for long-term guests. Toiletries are provided for free in each room . The Guest Lodge is 15-minute from the Kotoka International Airport, 5-minute from the University of Ghana and 10-minutes from Accra mall.

4. Petit Palais Charming Boutique Hotel , Takoradi



Petit Palais Charming Boutique Hotel is an awesome boutique hotel in Takoradi that is ideal for business travellers. The hotel boasts 24-hour electricity and air-conditioning. Free WiFi is provided for all guests. Guests can enjoy workout session at the well-equipped gym and swimming sessions at the outdoor pool. The beautiful Boutique Hotel rooms are very spacious and fitted with en suite bathrooms, a fridge and air-condition facilities. All rooms are provided with flat screen TV with satellite/cable facilities. All rooms are designed and decorated to provide maximum comfort to all guests. Petit Palais Charming Boutique Hotel is a 15-minute walk from the Takoradi Beaches, 10-minute drive to the nearest Bus Terminal and a 30-minute drive to the Takoradi Airport.

5. Asantewaa Premier Guesthouse , Kumasi



Asantewaa Premier Guesthouse is located close to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi , Ghana. The guesthouse offers elegant rooms at affordable prices. Free WiFi is provided for all guests. Each room is spacious , fitted with an air conditioner, a wardrobe, floor tiles, a TV with satellite reception, an armchair and designed with an en-suite bathroom. Complimentary breakfast is served daily. Local and continental dishes can be ordered at the onsite restaurant, while a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are available at the well stocked bar. Asantewaa Premier Guesthouse is 5-minute drive away from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and opposite Poku Pharma Industry.

If you are going to any of these locations and you are out of options , remember there are many more beautiful hotels with amazing services at affordable prices for you. Simply go online and click! You will have an unforgettable experience.

Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel
Guwahati: As healthcare initiatives become expensive every single day across the globe, Guwahati Press Club in northeast India has adopted a unique program for the sack of healthiness of its members along with their dependants. Launched last year Evening with a Doctor program is now a regular feature at its premises on every Saturday.

The last evening OPD clinic at the press club was conducted by two practicing doctors from Mahendra Mohan Choudhury hospital, a Panbazar based government run institution (now an annex of Gauhati Medical College hospital) on 8 April 2017.

Dr Madhab Rajbongshi and Dr Hitendra Nath Chakravarty from the MMC hospital were available for free consultations to nearly 30 participants including women and children.

Staff nurses Sewali Deka Pathak and Gitumoni Thakuria assisted the participants to check their blood pressures in the camp.

Earlier, the city based Ayursundra Superspecialty Hospital conducted the camp on 1 April, where Dr Prerit Sarma and Dr Ayona Barthakur were present to advice the participants after examining their weight, blood sugar & pressures.

It may be mentioned that the scheme was launched in August 2016 with initial supports from Dr Jayanta Bardoloi, managing director of Dispur Hospitals for raising a doctors chamber at the press club premises. The city based hospital also conducted the first evening OPD clinic and kicked off the noble initiative.

Till date, a number of practicing doctors from Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, Apollo Chennai Hospital, GNRC Group of Hospitals, Down Town Hospitals, Narayana Super-Specialty Hospitals, Swagat Super-Surgical Institute, Sankaradeva Nethralaya Guwahati, Wintrobe Hospital, Barthakur Clinic, Nemcare Hospital, Rahman Hospitals, Sun Valley Hospital, Sight First eye-clinic, Government Ayurvedic College, Institute of Dental Science & Research Center etc have graced the camps.
I read the recent China Missions letter to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources with an extreme disappointment and puzzlement.

Parts of the said letter read: "The Chinese side is very concerned about this unhealthy tendency. We hope the Ghanaian government will pay due attention to this situation, take necessary action to stop such things from happening".

"The Chinese government attaches great importance to the illegal mining issue. The position of the Chinese government on this issue is consistent and clear-cut. The Chinese is firmly opposed to the involvement of the Chinese citizens in illegal mining Ghana and supports the efforts taken by the Ghanaian government to tackle the illegal mining issue within the legal framework."

"We sincerely hope that the Ghanaian government shall take responsibility of guiding the media and requesting them not to publicise such defamatory reports or stories against Chinese leaders, officials and the Chinese government.

This will help create a sound environment for our joint efforts to address this issue and the continuous development of our bilateral relations" (ghanaweb.com/myjoyonline.com, 08/04/2017).

Obviously, we do not have to remind the China Mission that a large number of genuine Chinese immigrants are already plying their trades on our streets. However, foreigners are not allowed to engage in small-scale mining operation, and the Chinese immigrants are not exempted from such laws.

Our security services therefore have no option than to arrest and detain the recalcitrant Chinese immigrants, who are forcibly digging our natural resources and in the process destroying our sources of drinking water. I, for one, salute our security services for the good work done.

Every mineral in its natural state in, under or upon land in Ghana, rivers, streams, water-courses throughout the country, the exclusive economic zone and an area covered by the territorial sea or continental shelf is the property of the Republic and is vested in the President in trust for the people of Ghana.

Let us therefore humbly remind the China Mission that subject to subsections (1) of 1989 small-scale mining laws (PNDCL 218) and (2) of section 75 of the Minerals and Mining Law, 1986 (PNDCL 153) and amended Act 2006(Act 703), no licence for small-scale gold mining operation shall be granted to any person who is not a citizen of Ghana.

Thus, in theory, any person who without a licence granted by the regulatory bodies and chooses to undertake any small-scale gold mining operation contrary to (subsection 1) of section 1 of small-scale mining law; or acts in contravention of any other provision of small-scale mining law in respect of which an offence has not been prescribed, shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years or to both.

More importantly, where a foreigner is convicted of an offence under this Law he, shall after paying the fine or serving any imprisonment imposed on him, be liable to deportation under section 13 of the Aliens Act, 1963 (Act 160).

Apparently, the Minerals law was amended in 2014. Just like Act 703, the law criminalises illegal small scale mining, popularly known as galamsey, but unlike the old law, it criminalises mining by foreigners and Ghanaians without a permit.

Clause two of the new law criminalises the engagement of foreigners in small-scale mining operations and also makes it an offence for a Ghanaian to employ or engage a foreigner to undertake or participate in illegal small scale-mining activities.

Clause three of the law empowers the court to order the forfeiture to the state of any mineral extracted as a result of the offence, while clause four ensures strict liability for offences committed under the law.

An accused person could be convicted even if it is proven that he or she did not knowingly commit the offence.

Under the new law, a person who sells or buys minerals without a licence granted or without valid authority commits an offence and is liable to a summary conviction to a fine of not more than 3,000 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than five years or to both.

A foreigner who undertakes small scale mining operations contrary to the provisions of the law commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 30,000 penalty units and not more than 300,000 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years or both.

A Ghanaian who employs or engages a foreigner to illegally undertake or participate in small- mining scale in the country commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not more than 17,000 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 10 years or to both (See: www.graphic.com.gh/news/politics/parliament-passes-minerals-mining-law.html

).

With all due respect, China Mission should take cognisance of the fact that the Ghanaian authorities are only seeking to enforce the laws of the land. Suffice it to stress that the Republic of China would not hesitate to do same if found itself in such a position.

In fact, it is quite worrying and extremely disappointing for China Mission in Ghana to overlook Ghanas unparalleled cordial reception towards foreigners.

Indeed, Ghanaians are known for showing exceptional cordiality towards visitors. Ghana has thus signed and ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Family Members.

Ghana ratified the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families (the UN Migrant Workers Convention), on 8 September 2000 (See: http://www.migrantsrights.org/Ratificationchart.htm ).

It is, however, worth emphasising that Ghana is not obliged to protect stubborn illegal miners per the provisions of the International Convention on the Rights of all Migrants Workers and their Family Members.

And, with all due respect, China has neither signed nor ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (ICRMW)( See: www1.umn.edu/humanrts/research/ratification-china.html -).

Interestingly, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrants Workers and Members of Their Families is one of the numerous core international human rights treaties. So by ratifying the treaty, Ghana has demonstrated its willingness to protect migrant workers and their family members.

Likewise, migrant workers have a duty to obey the laws of the land. Suffice it to state that it is on record that some Chinese immigrants are illegally mining our natural resources, and destroying the environment in the process.

What is more, the illegal miners are poisoning our sources of drinking water with mephitic mercury and cyanide.

Mercury is freely available in shops and can be bought with a canister, bottle, or as a ball wrapped in a plastic cling film. Much of it has been brought in by Chinese miners.

They mix the mercury with the ore to create a gold-mercury amalgam, and then burn the mercury off so the raw gold remains.

The problems stemming from mercury use dont stop at exposure from inhalation. Once used for gold processing, mercury-contaminated water is often dumped on the ground, polluting Ghanas rivers and lakes, and poisoning its fish and those who eat them (HRW, 2014).

Given the dangers associated with mercury and cyanide exposure, our elected president, Nana Akufo-Addo, has no option than to halt the activities of the illegal miners.

Let us therefore respectfully remind China Mission that no one is above the laws of the land. Indeed, the inviolability of the state sovereignty supersedes any other interests.

What is more, Article 1 (2) of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is emphatic on self-determination and the ownership of natural resources.

It emphasises: All peoples may, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources without prejudice to any obligations arising out of international economic co-operation, based upon the principle of mutual benefit, and international law. In no case may a people be deprived of its own means of subsistence (UN 1966).

More importantly, under no circumstances whatsoever, should any country and for that matter, a citizen of such country, choose to trample upon the inviolability of ones sovereignty.

And more so Article 9 of the 1993 Vienna World Conference on Human Rights affirms that least developed countries committed to the process of democratization and economic reforms, many of which are in Africa, should be supported by the international community in order to succeed in their transition to democracy and economic development.

Bizarrely, however, in spite of the fact that by law, only Ghanaians are allowed to obtain mining licenses for small-scale mining operations, thousands of Chinese and other foreigners are working in the small scale mining sector in Ghana.

The involvement of the Chinese has changed the dynamics of small-scale mining, the head of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said in an interview.

They use bulldozers, pay loaders and really heavy machinery. They have in fact mechanized artisanal mining and as a result the level of environmental devastation is huge.

In so far as the China Mission has the interests of their citizens to protect, the Mission should not deflect from the Republic of Chinas foreign policy of non-interference and desist from undermining the work of the government of Ghana.

K. Badu, UK.
Kinshasa (AFP) - Police have detained dozens of people accused of violating a ban on protests against DR Congo President Joseph Kabila, police said Tuesday.

"Police have arrested and detained 34 people in Kinshasa," after Monday's protests, said national police spokesman Pierre-Rombaut Mwanamputu.

"Some wanted to breach the ban on a march, the others were preparing acts of vandalism."

Mwanamputu said he had no details of arrests in other parts of the vast country, where there is strong anger to Kabila remaining in office beyond the end of his mandate in December 2016.

Human Rights Watch said in a blog that over 80 people were arrested in Kinshasa and several other towns, including Bukavu in the east and Lubumbashi in the southeast.

The rights group told AFP that its figures include people who were arrested and subsequently released but was unable to say how many remained in detention.

The call by Democratic Republic of Congo's main opposition party for nationwide protests Monday appeared to have been ignored in Kinshasa, however, where people stayed home fearing violence after the authorities banned the rallies.

In the country's second city, Lubumbashi, Hubert Tshisuaka, the head of a local human rights group, told AFP he had no news of six people in a group of 24 detained by police on Monday.

In northeastern Goma, six people who tried to barricade roads were briefly detained and then freed, a local police source said.

The opposition is seeking to pressure Kabila, who has ruled since 2001, to implement a power-sharing deal brokered by the Catholic church to avert a crisis, by holding elections late this year.

Under the accord, Kabila agreed to share power ahead of the polls with a prime minister from the opposition.

But last week he named as premier a dissident member of the opposition, Bruno Tshibala. The main opposition has rejected this choice as being contrary to the letter and the spirit of the power-sharing accord.
Politics is like finding cure for cancer. It is not luxury. It is a human need. That is why no one should use this need for his or her selfish interest. There is something wrong when the people you are serving are dying of this need

I am a man on a mission. That is, to stop cancer in Ghana before its strikes. Cancer is an extremely complex diseasemultiple subtypes of this cancer exist, some aggressive and lethal, others non-aggressive and non-life-threatening. The vast majority of cancer occurs as an indolent, slow-growing form of the disease that poses little threat to our lifespans. Its time to stage an intervention, no matter how uncomfortable the subject matter. cancer is the controversial subject in the medical world today and affecting more blacks and there is therefore the need for Physicians in the black communities to wake up, provide solutions, research and better services for patients including government.

I am urging the nation Ghana to join the fight against cancer by pressing on the government to implement their special policy in their manifesto and help in recognition of particular months as awareness day such as , the fathers day as national Prostate Cancer day and mothers day as national womens health day

I know that others will do anything to avoid awkward subjects, but we also know that cancer cannot be ignored. By shining a light on this serious issue with a bit of gentle humour, we hope more Ghanaians will be aware of their own risk and join us in the fight to stop cancer being a killer. The light has to be shifted on the de factor and de jure of cancers.

National Cancer day in Ghana will go a long way to help inform the population about the disease. This project will also provide a better platform for the government to let the general public be aware of the effort the government is taking to help in raising awareness of the disease and for the first of its kind in the history of the country for a concerned government to tackle cancer issue.

I think it is time for establishment of a national cancer foundation in Ghana by this current government. This will also provide the needed national policies on cancer interventions to help save the lives of those suffering from the disease and those concerned about the disease. The cases of increasing cancer incidence and mortality rates in the country is worrisome and needs a strong force to help shape and campaign for the ordinary Ghanaian. We need a strong and united force to pressurize the government to help address this urgent need.

I am in hurry for governments intervention on cancer just as the president is also in hurry to transform this country.

In view of that, I am reminding them of their promise and we want to hear the government stance, green light and positions on the cancer pathway in the country. It is rather unfortunate and really disappointed to not see any green light in the national budget on cancers and what the government promised Ghanaians on cancers.

I want to remind them now on the statistics of cancers in Ghana, though currently we also struggling with a national population based cancer register. Most of these statistics are hospital based population datas and appears worrisome. Cancer is a clever, detestable disease and has some super weapons activity hence we also need some super weapons to tackle this. According to the GNA - Dr Lorna Awo Renner, Consulting Pediatrician at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital has said about 1,000 cases of childhood cancer cases were recorded annually in Ghana. Likewise, on May 18, 2016, the Daily graphic also reported that Breast cancer deaths are high in Ghana, with about 2,900 cases being diagnosed annually and at least one of eight women with the disease dying.

Additionally, the GNA further reported that, Ghana has exceeded global prostate limits as the country records 200 cases out of every 100,000 men as against 170 world-wide, a survey by the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital revealed. Dr Mathew Kyei, Urologist said at a Ghana Health Service monthly programme in Accra that the situation called for immediate attention from government and the public to reverse the trend. Speaking on: "Prostate Cancer Disorders in Ghana", he said in 2006, 60 per cent of all cancers reported at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital were prostate cancers, adding that 27 people died from the disease in 2005 alone.

On cervical cancer, the Current estimates indicate that every year 3052 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1556 die from the disease. Cervical cancer ranks as the 1st most frequent cancer among women in Ghana and the 1st most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age.

What are we doing as country to reverse this trend? There are many barriers to action on the primary prevention of cancer; cancer is also cause by lack of political will power to fight it. In my view, the biggest barrier to addressing cancer services is the lack of action on primary prevention which necessitates greater resources into services in the first place.

As a president of Cancer Voices Ghana, I sincerely hope this is a great opportunity to include the environmental and occupational risk factors for cancer into new cancer planswithout addressing these confounding risk factors, we can only look forward to a cancer forever future

As a charity, Cancer voices Ghana is seeking to change the approach, because at the end of day, cancer patients reporting at late stages do not only make treatment expensive but also ineffective, so we are seeking to tackle cancer from the angle of primary and secondary prevention. And this will take the form of sensitizing the public on the disease, its causes, who is at risk, screening interventions and healthy lifestyles of preventing it

Cancer differs by race; hence there is the need for cancers to be addressed as such. Ghana needs a comprehensive cancer policy to address this racial disparity.

Our research has revealed some important Issues to be address as a nation. Poor data quality, inadequate cancer research, weak health infrastructure, extensive patronage of traditional Medicine with lack of professionals with the scientific knowledge in these facilities, low public awareness, ignorance among patients, lack of organized and effective cancer screening, inadequate health professionals and public attitude, Distrust in the medical sector as a whole, are some of the obstacles confronting cancer control in Ghana and Africa entirety

There are diverse schools of thought on cancer genesis and exodus in entirety when diagnosed and its recurs. Cancer is often misunderstood, by even the most respected medical professionals in the world.

This is because some even believed that people get cancer like the same way they would catch cold or bacterial infection. But in reality, every cell has the ability to be cancerous, and a variety of factors can prompt a cell to do so. And while most Oncologists (and even leading cancer associations) consider cancer a genetic disease, we realized that this is not entirely true.

Cancer, therefore, occurs when genes within a cell lose their ability to regulate that cells growth. These disobedient cells dont know how to stop multiplying or die. But all cells have the potential to lose this ability, meaning any cell can cancer at any time, depending on the environment it finds itself!

I know people may be wondering and asking if cancer is unavoidable? No. The choice to die without disease is ours to make, right now. But trying to live our entire life cancer-free seems like a pretty formidable goal.

Cancer is not an equal opportunity disease and we believe that unless we tackle the primary prevention of cancer, i.e. stopping cancer before it starts, we are unlikely to see any improvement in the cancer situation in Ghana.

Disease triggers when the body tries to protect itself from further damage by concentrating toxins, pollutants and excesses from less vital Organ to other part so that the body can still carry on.

Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

I sincerely hope this is a great opportunity to include the environmental and occupational risk factors for cancer into new cancer planswithout addressing these confounding risk factors, we can only look forward to a cancer forever future

Cancer Voices Ghana believes that there are cancer inequalities. With the Charity concerned about the situation in other to transform the future for cancer in Ghana has set up some goals to be met by 2025 and we need support and collaboration from individuals and corporate institutions to achieve our objectives.

The 2025 goals and 2015-2016 strategy, Transforming the future for cancer, sets out a framework for tackling inequalities and improving care and treatment for cancer patients. The goals are:

1. By 2025, significantly more patients will survive the disease

2. By 2025, society will understand the key facts about cancer and will act on that knowledge

3. By 2025, Ghanaians will know more about cancer and will act on that knowledge

4. By 2025, inequalities in access to high quality cancer services will be reduced

5. By 2025, people affected by cancer will have their information and support needs addressed effectively by Cancer Voices Ghana.

In conclusion, I end my submission with this creed I developed for all those willing to fight the disease including government.

The Cancer Fighters' Creed

WE can make Ghana a better one for us. My goal is to create a model of national recognition in ending cancer disparity.

The cancer problem is a central issue to all concerned Ghanaians with unacceptably high mortality rates.

So why dont we Let us raise little David high enough to challenge Golliath, challenge the System and challenge the status quo. The cure for cancer is not a luxury, it is a human need. No man should use this need to profit for their personal gains. Something is wrong when we let people die for money and ignorance.

THIS is my cancer pledge and you can also do it so we can fight together.

I am fighting for cancer freedom, one chest at a time.

I stand for the end of cancer crisis, the end of suffering and the end of cancer disparity

I fit in this world as man, of all kinds, shapes and sizes.

I share one important value.

In this noisy cancer world, I want you to hear the truth.

I want to be clear what being diagnosed as a cancer patient is about.

I honor great people, thats who we arethats what we are about.

We honor ourselves and those who love us, those who take care of us, those who only know us from where we started from as a nation 60years on.

Our core value is that we believe truth comes from experience.

We believe that concerned Ghanaians want to end cancer suffering, and help us fight it

We honor great peoplepeople who are living and those who are dead.

Those who use their brains and resources to end cancer

So I can live better.

So I can keep enjoying life.

All of us, keep enjoying life.

I am always guided by this personal philosophy, which goes like this the future you picture is the future you will feature, the YOU you see is the YOU you will become. Therefore picture a great future to feature and desire a great YOU to become and the almighty God will see to it that you have featured in the future you have pictured and have become the YOU, you have desired. So what plan have your pictured for cancer free nation. Mr. President, speak now.. We are in Hurry.

Dr. Raphael Nyarkotey Obu: PhD is the president of Cancer Voices Ghana. He is a research professor of prostate cancer and Holistic Medicine at Da Vinci College of Holistic Medicine, Larnaca city, Cyprus.

He can be contacted on 0546620718, 0243802187, 0203916518
Solomon Boar

12.04.2017 LISTEN

The deputy northern regional minister, Honourable Solomon Boar said the perennial Water challenge faced by some parts of the region will soon be a thing of the past as government has already budgeted plans towards addressing it.

Tamale, Yendi, Damongo and Navorongo for many years now have been facing water shortage especially during the dry season when the dams they mostly depends dried up.

But addressing chiefs at the Bolin-lana palace on Tuesday, honourable Solomon Boar said budgetary allocations have already been made to end the menace

The Deputy regional minister was in Bolin-lana palace as part of his visit to the Yendi which the capital of the Dagbon kingdom to introduce himself as someone deputizing honourable Salifu Saeed who stands on behalf of the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufu Addo in the region.

I know in the budget for 2017, there is budget to solve the Yendi water crisis, there is budget to solve the Navorongo water crisis and that of Damongo. Plans are also far advanced to address that of Tamale water crisis he said

He said he and the member of parliament for Yendi honourable Ahmed Tijani are in the same committee; water and sanitation and housing and the region was lucky to have its own son, Clifort Braima as the managing Director of the Ghana water company Limited with honorable Kofi Adda, MP for Navorong being the minister for water and sanitation, the four of them will work together solve any challenge that has to do with water or sanitation in the region.

myself and your MP, honourable Ahmed Tijani are in the committee for water and housing with my big brother who is the minister for water and sanitation, honourable Kofi Adda, MP for Navorongo and together we will address those water crisis he noted.

We are also fortunate to have our own brother who is the managing director of the Ghana water company limited, Mr Clifort Braima. So is something we are going to tackle heard on because water is life he added

He said the government of Nana Addo has better plans for the Northern region but cannot executive them without peace and stability.

A lots of good things are on their way coming especially to the North. But it will be very difficult for us to prosecute the agenda of the president if there no peace in our region. We need the support of everyone to ensure that there is sustainable peace to give confident to the investors who are line up and want to come to the country for investment he stated

Honourable Solomon Boar also mentioned the free SHS, the one village one dam, the one district one factory as some of the policies the NPP government will implement to help alleviate poverty in the country.

He however noted that, government cannot work without the support of the chiefs who are the custodians of the people, and appealed to the chief to support government in developing the country.

Myself and the regional minister are two tinny flies. Two tinny flies because if you look at the challenges of the region there are quite monumental and we cannot sermon that without your support of our chiefs and opinion leaders in the region he said.

We are here with this team now to officially tell him (the chief) that, I have officially assumed work as the deputy regional minister he explained

On behalf of the Bolin-lana Abdulai Mahamadu, the Dugu-naa Iddrisu Iddi thanked the deputy minister and the team for recognizing the role of chiefs in governance and pledged their support to maintain peace in the region.

He also pleaded with honourable Solomon and the Nana Addo led government to pay more attention to agriculture.

According to him, people of Dagbon are noted for farming and the need for government to support them in subsidizing most of the farm in-puts so that farmers will be able to buy them to be able to realize bumper harvest.

The deputy minister and his team earlier called on the regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-Naa Andani Abdulai Yakubu in his palace for the same reason where he, (Kampakuya-Naa) assured him that, there will be peace in the area for development to take place.

Naa Kampakuya-Naa Andani Abdulai Yakuba however blamed the educational structure that pay more attention to literature or book knowledge than technical and vocational knowledge resulting in more graduate unemployment in the country.

He also lamented over the negligence of tradition in handling chieftaincy matters in the country. According to him tradition and customs are often left out when addressing matter has to do with chieftaincy creating more problems than solving them.
A Police force, made up of 150 personnel from the National Police Headquarters and 150 from the Western Regional Command, today [Tuesday], arrested 50 residents of Ekpu, a fishing community in the Jomoro District for vandalizing properties belonging to the Half Assini District Police Command.

Residents of Ekpu are alleged to have gone to the Half Assini District Police Command last month, to vandalize a police car, destroyed furniture and fittings at the charge office, and physically assaulted a police officer who had assumed duty, over the death of one Asuaboah, who died whilst in the Half Assini Police custody.

Tension over the past month has been mounting in Half Assini and Ekpu as residents of Ekpu seems not to agree to the account from the police over the death of the 48-year-old resident.

The residents suspect that the police might have killed the victim, as the police gave us a conflicting report leading to the death of Asuaboah, the Assembly Member for Ekpu, Peter Miezah told Citi News.

Peter Miezah mentioned that family members and opinion leaders from Ekpu went to the Half Assini Police Station a day after Asuaboah's arrest on Monday, to seek for bail for him after he was picked for allegedly stealing a T-Shirt and selling it to the owner at Half Assini, but the police told them they were interrogating Asuboah and that they could not see him for bail.

On Tuesday evening, family members went there to give him food, but they were told he is sick and has been sent to the hospital with two police officers. But some inmates told the family that they saw the police wrapping a body and sending it off. They quickly left the police station to the Half Assini Government Hospital hospital, but could neither see the two police officers nor Asuaboah. They however proceeded to the hospital's mortuary to see him lying lifeless.

Peter Miezah continued that, the family members returned home without saying anything to the police. On Wednesday morning, the family members went to the police station again to check up on Asuaboah. At the police station, the police maintained that Asuaboah was at the hospital responding to treatment. They returned home to inform the Ekpu community of what the police were up to. That infuriated the youth to go to the Half Assini Police station to demand for the whereabouts of Asuaboah. In the process, they vandalized some belongings of the Half Assini Police Command.

The youth were later called to a meeting with other stakeholders for the issue to be addressed, whilst the family was advised to prepare the body for burial. A postmortem, according to the Member of Parliament for Jomoro, Paul Essien, carried on the deceased indicated that he was beaten to death. He even had his throat dislocated and other physical assault.

The MP in an interview with Takoradi-based Skyypower FM, expressed his dissatisfaction towards the arrest of the 50 residents.

He said that since the incident last month, the youth, District Coordinating Council, leadership of the Regional Police Command, chiefs, myself and other opinion leaders have been speaking to have a lasting solution to the issue. The youth have been told to let sleeping dogs lie, whilst the family of the victim is on preparation for the burial of Asuaboah, only to have the police carry out this raid in that huge numbers. The arrest, I believe was in retaliation to the assault by the community members.

Commenting on why 300 officers will be sent to a community with a population less than a thousand, the Western Regional PRO of the Police Service, ASP Olivia Ewurabena Adiku, said, it is because the police looked at the situation and determined that, that number is what will be required to arrest that situation. It was not to intimidate the people.

The 50 residents, made up of 46 males and 4 females, have been sent to the Regional Police Command in Sekondi, and are going through screening, after which they will be processed for court.

Those we will find to have taken part in the destruction of the police properties will be arraigned ASP Olivia Adiku added.



By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/Citifmonline.com/Ghana
MTN, Ghanas leading mobile service provider, says it will continue to focus on creating a distinct customer experience for valued customers.

The statement was made by Mrs Cynthia Lumor, Corporate Services Executive of MTN, during the MTN Media and Stakeholders forum held in the Western region to brief the media and stakeholders about MTNs business performance in 2016. During the session, Mrs Lumor also highlighted the key focus areas for 2017, emphasizing customer experience as the central theme. She said, MTN Ghana is very passionate about creating a distinct customer experience; at every touchpoint in our relationship with the customer  from the retail distribution point through our contact centres to experience on the network, our customers must feel special and valued.

MTN Ghana has the widest customer service reach in Ghana, with 213 customer service locations nationwide and two nationally accessible contact centres. The company also has the widest distribution footprint with over 200,000 retailers nationwide. In pursuit of the strategy to enhance customer experience, the Companys customer service centres in regional capitals are being transformed into state-of-the-art flagship stores.

As we celebrate 60 years of Ghanas independence we take the opportunity to renew our commitment towards the customer and to ensure that top class customer service is available at all touch points where customers may find themselves. We continue to invest heavily in these areas in 2017 and beyond, Mrs Lumor added.

The focus on customer experience has also been the impetus for even greater network investments. Having invested US$96 million in network expansion and upgrades to enhance customer experience in 2016, MTN is investing a further $143.7 million in 2017 to improve network capacity, increase infrastructural back-up and accelerate rollout of 4G sites. Greater data speeds, enhanced voice quality and overall improved Quality of Service resulting from these investments ensure a distinct experience for the customer, according to MTN. The Company is particularly excited about the role it is playing to bring the superior speed and quality of 4G data services to its subscribers. So far 475 4G sites are live nationwide, and 197 more will be rolled out in 2017, in order to improve capacity and make 4G service accessible to many more Ghanaians.

Conscious of device compatibility issues in Ghana, MTN is also focused on ensuring that customers with 3G and 2G devices enjoy their experience on the Companys network. In 2017, MTN will add 561 3G sites to the 1713 already on air, and 354 2G sites to 2600 already existing sites. Additionally, a total of 2,600 of MTNs Base Transceiver Stations will be modernised to offer superior and quality services to customers. The Company will further increase voice and data capacity by adding 410 kilometres to its fibre-optic network. The expansion and modernization projects are expected to boost the provision of mobile data, broadband, video-on-demand and value -added Services (VAS).

Organised under the theme Celebrating Ghana, 60 years on; A Bold New Digital World for National Transformation, the MTN Stakeholder and Media Forum was used as a platform to discuss the impact of MTNs operations and its contributions to Ghanas economy. It was also an avenue to discuss industry prospects and challenges.

In attendance at the forum were the Regional President of the GJA, representatives from Western Regional office of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Ghana Highways Authority and the Department of Urban Roads Department.
Snip, snip, snip the scissors went, cutting up United-Chase credit cards and frequent flyer member cards.

The public outrage flared on social media after a passenger was dragged off a United flight at Chicago O'Hare Airport.

Aninda Sadhukhan visited his shredder to dispose of his United MileagePlus Explorer card with Chase Bank on Monday night after he canceled the account. It's a potential travel sacrifice for the IT auditor, who lives in Indianapolis and flies United frequently.

His "general disatisfaction" with flying United in the past few years, some issues with the credit card rewards program and videos of other bad experiences on United all contributed to his decision, he said. But the images of what happened to the passenger being removed from the plane were too much for him.

"The bloody pictures were crossing a red line for me," the 35-year-old told CNN.

#boycottunitedairlines @united hey cancelling my chase united card. Will not fly you again, period! $UAL  aninda sadhukhan (@anindakumars) April 11, 2017 "Getting rid of the card is the first step in making myself feel accountable in not being able to fly United."

Others with the same credit card took similar measures to show their anger with the airline.

"Cutting up my United credit card in protest of their recent brutal treatment of a legal paying passenger. Please do the same," wrote Phyllis Brown on Facebook.

"Just for the sake of a crew member to be able to get on board, a paying customer gets booted off. So, I cut up my credit card," she said. "My kids live in Africa now, but I'll find other airlines to get around."

Dear #UnitedAirlines I just "re-accommodated" my credit card. #united pic.twitter.com/oHctrNwPqC  Alexis Roos (@alexisroos) April 11, 2017 Some people even went through the trouble of finding their frequent flyer cards to chop them up in protest and declare they were done with United,

My new #united card. Not planning to fly them any more after this: https://t.co/j24MuPiCpQ . 1k bye bye pic.twitter.com/NUge0Ypjni  Josh Perfetto (@jperfetto) April 11, 2017 "This is certainly something that happened on United, but this is a systemic issue," Sadhukhan said. "I think the entire consumer protection of overbooking a flight should be looked into. It feels like there's little recourse for the consumer. "

Cutting up my United frequent flyer card, and will NEVER EVER fly them again. #boycottunited #united pic.twitter.com/JX2Ds916eU  Steven Reichert (@StevenReichert1) April 11, 2017
The Minority in Parliament has called on the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the committee that reviewed the Ameri power deal.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislators do not understand why the committee's activities must be funded by Ameri, the same company it is investigating.

Their call for investigation follows the admission by the Information Minister, Mustapha Hamid, earlier Monday that the Philip Addison Committee had sponsorship by way of hotel accommodation, airfare, food among others from the Ameri group.

Even though the Minister found the move regrettable, he did not think it compromised the work of the committee.

He told Joy FMs Super Morning Show host, Kojo Yankson that the Minister told him after earlier communication with Ameri, the Dubai-based company said some facts needed could only be provided in Dubai.

The minister told them, we are not going to come to Dubai on our purse...in my view, that was an anomaly on the part of the minister, he said.

Regarding the objectivity of the conclusion from the investigations; Mr Hamid said, If the investigations were done to perhaps whitewashed and Ameri was absolved of all wrongdoing, then maybe one can question the work they did.

However, Mr Ato Forson who is also the ranking member on parliaments finance committee doubts the committee's work was not influenced in any way.

He told Evans Mensah of Joy FM's Newsnight programme that the minority is reliably informed that not only were some of the members flown on first and second class tickets, but they were "accommodated in first class hotels."

"And paid per diems to the extent that some monies were given to the participants for the purpose of their shopping," he added.

The Member of Parliament said he would assess the materiality of the amount given to them and what role it played in their work and whether they make any disclosure to that effect to Ghanaians.

"If no disclosure was made to the people of this country and they are only waiting for the minority to say some payments were made to them, then that is a serious matter," he said.

He recounted the 2013 Election Petition case in which an accounting and auditing firm KPMG were called in to independently audit and verify the claims of the then minority New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Mr Forson said because the company wanted to help the country and keep their neutrality and professionalism in the matter, they did not charge the nation any fees.

"The principles are clear and this standard [of being independent of people being investigated] does not exist anywhere in this world. It is a news standard set by this administration and we find it bizarre.

"The Information Minister was not even forthright with Ghanaians with his 'I think, I think' what is he telling Ghanaians?" he quizzed adding it was only an attempt to extort money from the Ameri group.

The former deputy Minister wants answers from government for not wanting to invest when it knows that it is seeking answers about the deal to save the country money.

He said their report did not mention the fact that the committee was sponsored by the Ameri group cannot be accepted.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
Lagos (AFP) - An "alarming" number of children, most of them girls, have been used by Boko Haram as suicide bombers in the first months of 2017, UNICEF said Wednesday.

The Islamists have increasingly been using children to attack crowded markets, mosques and camps for internally displaced people in northeast Nigeria and the broader Lake Chad region.

Experts said the number of children used in suicide attacks by Boko Haram surged to 27 in the first quarter of this year, compared to nine over the same period in 2016.

Since 2014, 117 children -- the "vast majority" of them girls -- have been used to carry out attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon, said the report by the United Nations children's agency UNICEF.

Four children were used to carry out bomb attacks in 2014, 56 in 2015, 30 in 2016 and 27 in the first three months of 2017, reported UNICEF.

"The increase reflects an alarming tactic by the insurgents," said the report.

"This is the worst possible use of children in conflict," said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF's regional director for West and Central Africa.

In a separate statement, UNICEF said it was concerned that children were being held by the Nigerian military for alleged association with Boko Haram militants.

"They are held in military barracks, separated from their parents, without medical follow-up, without psychological support, without education, under conditions and for durations that are unknown", said Patrick Rose, a UNICEF regional coordinator.

Last year, Amnesty International warned in a May report that children were dying in the Giwa barracks detention centre in Maiduguri, northeast Nigeria.

"Babies and young children have died in appalling conditions in military detention," said the rights organisation.

On Monday, the Nigerian army released nearly 600 children, women and elderly from Giwa barracks described as a "major step" by aid agencies toward the protection and reintegration of the children back into society.

Boko Haram has been largely weakened since Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari came into power in 2015, but the Lake Chad region remains unstable with some areas still completely inaccessible.

The Boko Haram conflict has killed more than 20,000 people since 2009 and displaced more than 2.6 million from their homes.

Today the region is suffering from a severe food crisis. The UN warned Tuesday of a growing risk of mass deaths from starvation among people living in the Horn of Africa, Yemen and Nigeria.
The Marketing Manager for Vivo Energy Ghana, Jerry Buachie-Danquah wants the government to focus on well-engineered roads to reduce accidents and boost transport services.

Mr Buachie-Danquah admits that although some of the causes of fatal accidents on Ghanas roads can be attributed to negligence, bad roads too have been a contributing factor.

If you look at the rate of accidents on our roads currently, apart from driver-error and a couple of issues, you cannot rule out the fact that some of our roads are not good.

So I think the government has to do its best to ensure that our roads are motorable, he said.

He made the appeal on Tuesday during the official launch of a premium service that has been rolled out in partnership with VIP Jeoun Transport Ltd at the Airport Shell filling station in Accra.

The first-of-its-kind transport premium services will be available at the new Airport terminal of the VIP Jeoun and offer customers on-board wifi, executive passenger waiting area, free luggage space (up to 30 Kg) and a night police escort all at GHE65.

The Premium Centre service also includes refreshments and is aimed at providing passengers, especially those disembarking at the Kotoka International Airport to other locations, a comfortable traveling experience.

The Vivo Marketing Manager explains that the aim of the VIP-Vivo partnership forms part of Vivos commitment to support governments efforts to grow the transport business and the private sector in Ghana.

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN
Accra (AFP) - Ghanaians were horrified when members of a vigilante group loosely affiliated with the ruling party stormed a court to free 13 members standing trial for assault late last week.

The Delta Force is just one of a handful of groups responsible for commandeering public facilities since New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader Nana Akufo-Addo won December's presidential polls.

In March, more than 200 Delta Force vigilantes attacked a regional government building, in a bid to force a senior official out.

Described as "macho men" in Ghana, vigilante groups like the Delta Force campaign on behalf of political parties. In return, they expect jobs.

With names like "Aluta Boys (wrestling boys)", "Pentagon", "Al Qaeda" or "Al Jazeera", members of the over 20 vigilante groups in Ghana tend to come mostly from poor backgrounds.

These groups have been helping mobilise voters -- sometimes by force -- since the 1970s, said Kwesi Aning, a security expert from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, a research organisation based in Accra.

The influence of the groups has risen since 2000, with the violence becoming "dramatically worse", Aning told AFP.

"They do the filthy work in the hope that you will gain political power," Aning told AFP.

"If you don't provide the jobs, then, of course, they feel let down and want to fight back."

For a country that takes its peaceful reputation seriously in a region scarred by conflict and despots, the Delta Force violence has been a rising cause for concern.

"The president will have to fight back and the only tools he has to fight back are the police and the armed forces," Aning said, warning that the "potential clash is nasty."

Speaking to local media on Monday, Akufo-Addo said the government was working to end the vigilante unrest.

"The events in Kumasi are being brought systematically under control," the president said.

"We are not wavering from the commitment that we made that we were going to serve Ghana under the conditions of the rule of law."

'Tarnishing Ghana's image'

The UN on Monday condemned the post-election violence, describing the court invasion in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti region, as "reprehensible".

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, head of the United Nations office for West Africa and the Sahel, said the Delta Force group was acting with "impunity" following the 2016 election.

"These acts are likely to tarnish the image of Ghana as a model of democracy and the rule of law," the UN statement said.

Ashanti Regional Police commander Ken Yeboah said he suspects the groups are lashing out because "they feel they have been neglected".

Yeboah said that in the Ashanti region alone the Delta Force may have over a thousand members.

Police have "declared war against all vigilante groups in the country," Yeboah said, adding that security has been ramped up in Kumasi.

The violence clouds Akufo-Addo's mostly peaceful victory and smooth transition of power, hailed as a validation of Ghana's deepening democracy.

"There is a big push and a lot of pressure on the NPP government to clamp down on the violence happening," said Kwesi Koomson, an analyst at risk advisory firm Africa Practice.

"The public outroar is huge and the condemnation has come at a very loud level."

Akufo-Addo came to power after beating New Democratic Congress (NDC) incumbent John Dramani Mahama in December's election.

He dominated at the polls riding on a wave of economic discontent after Ghana suffered a currency crisis, electricity shortages and was forced to take out a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Election observers praised Ghana's free and fair polls, despite reports of macho men intimidating voters.

In past elections, vigilantes were accused of stealing ballot boxes and attacking political opponents.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has replaced John Mahama as the Co-Chair of the United Nations Secretary-General's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocates.

This was announced by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres on Tuesday.

President Akufo-Addo will co-chair the group alongside the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg, until the end of 2018.

The SDG advocates comprise 16 persons meant to support the UN Secretary-General in efforts to generate momentum and commitment towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.

Meanwhile, John Mahama extended his best wishes to President Akufo-Addo on his Facebook page.

I wish President Akufo-Addo, my replacement as Co-Chair of the UN SDG Advocates the best of strength, focus and vision as the Advocates work to enhance the gains made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the former President said.

As co-chair, President Akufo-Addo will work with his fellow Advocates to promote the SDGs as part of an ambitious and transformative global development agenda.

The SDG Advocates promote the universal character of the SDGs, including a commitment to leave no one behind; to promote the engagement of new stakeholders in the implementation and financing of the SDGs; to encourage partnerships with governments, civil society and the private sector, to share knowledge and resources; and to raise awareness for the integrated nature of the SDGs.

The SDGs were adopted by world leaders at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25th September 2015.

The SDGs represent a commitment by all nations to work together to end poverty, achieve shared prosperity, build peace, and secure a life of dignity and a healthy planet for present and future generations.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
The call for President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by Sheikh Aremeyaw, the spokesman of the National Chief Imam, to take a public stand on the purely private conduct and culture of homosexuality is quite understandable but grossly misplaced. Indeed, Ghanaian Muslim leaders would do better to pay sedulous attention to the perennial and systematic slaughtering of Egyptian Coptic Christians by their Muslim compatriots (See Akufo-Addo Must Declare Stance on Homosexuality  Sheikh Aremeyaw Starrfmonline.com / Modernghana.com 4/6/17). It is grossly misplaced because Ghana is a constitutional democracy whose rules of conduct are clearly articulated by the Fourth-Republican Constitution which went into effect in 1992. If, as a recent news report indicated, the countrys laws are silent on homosexuality, then it is precisely as the framers and/or drafters of the Constitution wanted it.

If any Ghanaian citizen, irrespective of ethnicity, religious creed or profession wants to have any aspect of the supreme legal document of the country changed or modified, that person has an inalienable right to petition Parliament or the Supreme Court to have his/her case heard. The President of Ghana does not make any laws regulating the conduct of our citizens; neither does he interpret any of these laws. The latter role belongs to the judiciary, while parliament enacts the laws.

The presidency, or the executive, can only carry out or administer the laws. Nana Akufo-Addo is a trained lawyer who has served in Ghanas parliament as well as practiced the same before the highest court of the land; so he fully appreciates the fact that what he feels about any form of human sexuality has absolutely no bearing on both the judicial system and our law-enforcement system as well.

The news story reporting that a 27-year-old gay man called Benjy, of unspecified nationality and/or citizenship, has been going around engaging in rampant acts of unprotected sex with other men is squarely the province of the Ghana Police Service (GPS), especially since Benjy is also alleged to have been clinically diagnosed and been determined to be carrying the Aids virus. But it is also interesting to learn about the manner in which the alleged male prostitute acquired both his promiscuous lifestyle and sexual orientation, at least as contained in the news report referenced above. If the timeline given in the news report has validity, then former President John Agyekum-Kufuor may be partly to blame, albeit obliquely so.

Benjy, we are told, informed the Starrfmonline.com reporter who interviewed him that he acquired his patently unsavory promiscuous sexual habit sometime in 2007, during the electric-power load-shedding regime when he and his classmates were forced to stay in their dormitories because there was no light by which to go to prep or study in their classrooms after supper. It has been said time and again that The Devil finds work for idle hands. The dear reader can add his / her own spin or interpretation to the foregoing quote. So far, Benjy claims to have copulated anally with at least a half-thousand clients. We are not told whether all his clients have been straight-out gay. In other words, some of our subjects sexual partners could have been bisexual who could have gone on to spread the HIV or Aids virus by having sex with unsuspecting women, thereby possibly spreading the deadly disease among the general heterosexual population.

It is on the latter score that I unreservedly agree with those social commentators and cultural critics who want to have Benjy promptly arrested and rigorously prosecuted, especially if he also happens to have deliberately hidden his HIV infection from prospective clients or sexual partners. Short of tracking down Benjy by the steps detailed above, there is absolutely nothing that President Akufo-Addo can do about homosexual culture in the country, a practical reality that no Imam or religious leader can proscribe.

Equality of all before the law simply means just that; which is that all Ghanaians, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender and sexuality have the right to full legal protection. We may not like the lifestyle of our next-door neighbor, but we have no other choice but live with it, except where the practitioner of such lifestyle criminally offends or attempts to proscribe or endanger our own.

In essence, Benjy has a right to do whatever he likes and wants with his body, provided that he does not force his sexual orientation on anybody else. So far, he has reportedly said that he is not averse to clients who prefer to engage in coitus with him by the use of prophylactics or condoms. But he is also wickedly democratic enough to allow those who prefer it unsafe or natural to have their way. I really dont see where and how the stance of Nana Akufo-Addo comes in.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
12.04.2017 LISTEN

Once again, the debate over whether the 3-year Senior High School (SHS) system, disastrously implemented by the corner-cutting National Democratic Congress (NDC), compares favorably with the traditional 4-year system pursued by most countries in the English-speaking world, was resurrected recently when then-Minister-of-State for Tertiary Education-Designate, Prof. Kwesi Yankah, appeared for vetting before the Parliamentary Appointments Committee (PAC). As was to be expected, the former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana staunchly maintained that empirical evidence pointed to the fact of students who undertook the 4-year Senior High School curriculums performing significantly better than their 3-year curricular counterparts (See 4-Year SHS Students Better than 3-Year Counterparts  Prof. Yankah Graphic.com.gh 3/28/17).

Prof. Yankah also acknowledged the fact that like all systems of education around the world, there were well-endowed or talented students who finished their coursework and showed themselves to be prepared for advanced college studies earlier than their curricula durations. He also added that such gifted students needed to be encouraged to challenge themselves and excel in their chosen courses of study. However, noted Prof. Yankah, it was imperative for public education policy to focus attention on the 4-year curriculum which was better suited to the academic temperament and aptitude of many an average Ghanaian student. What this means is that a policy guideline for an accelerated curriculum would be pursued alongside that of the traditional 4-year SHS system.

This is a very good idea that needs to be healthily promoted; however, a policy initiative or agenda also needs to be promptly formulated and implemented by the government. It would not be peculiar or unprecedented in the history of public education in the country. For starters, there were always students who performed well above average and had to skip several grades before gaining admission into any one of the three seminal public university colleges under the old regime. What the leaders of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have vehemently decried, and for very good reasons, is the strait-jacketing of the truncated 3-year system.

There can be no gainsaying that the much-touted relatively more qualitative Ghanaian public school system prior to the apocalyptic emergence of the Rawlings-led Provisional National Defense Council (PNDC), during the late 1970s and before, was primarily predicated on the fact that unlike Nigeria, for example, Ghana had opted to maintain the Advanced-Level certification system of the two-year pre-university system, whereas the proverbial giant of the West African sub-region had elected to abrogate the same. Ghanaian educators who taught at colleges and universities in Nigeria during the period in question, have been quick to point to the foregoing as a significant factor in the relatively more qualitative Ghanaian public education system, compared to that of Nigeria in the referenced period.

As one critic aptly suggested recently, it would be nothing short of the absolutely quixotic for Ghanaian policymakers to attempt to reintroduce the decidedly effete and moribund ancient regime. What needs to be done is to ensure that our public education system is well-funded as well as well-resourced. Prof. Yankah was also dead-on-target when he counseled President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to ensure equity in support by having GETFUND resources evenly spread out between students who attend both public and private institutions of higher learning. For at the end of the day, both types of students are being produced to equally serve the needs and the development of Ghanaian society at large.

Shortchanging the privately schooled Ghanaian citizen means that only half of our near-future leaders are being adequately prepared to confront and tackle issues pertaining to our national development. Which would be both a great tragedy and a travesty of justice.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Our Ref.: CLG/AKA/AKA/2017/0016 11th April, 2017

The Inspector-General of Police

Ghana Police Service

National Headquarters, Accra.

Dear Sir,

PETITION FOR INTERVENTION AND FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS

We act for Madam Mary Yankey and Mr. John Akossey Addo, surviving spouse and head of family respectively of Mr. Assuah Buah, late of Ekpu who died under some bizarre circumstances in police custody, and hold their collective instructions to write this petition to your high office praying that you may be pleased, in the interest of justice, to intervene and conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the untimely death of Mr. Assuah Buah.

Our instructions are that on or about Sunday 26th March 2017, Mr. Assuah Buah, hereinafter called the deceased, was arrested by the Half Assini police on the promptings or at the instigation of a woman who had earlier lodged a complaint with the police that the deceased had been found in possession of a shirt believed to have been stolen from the said woman.

The arrest, we are instructed, was on the strength of a tip-off made to the said woman by one Buah Beneah to the effect that she had purchased a shirt from the deceased and she was convinced that the shirt was among the items believed to have been stolen from the said woman. We are further instructed that upon his arrest, the police at Half-Assini, especially one Aaron, believed to be the paramour of the woman, subjected the deceased to such physical abuse that he gave up his life.

The historical antecedents to the unfortunate incident, as we are instructed, are that somewhere in December 2016 a woman (whose name is not readily available) believed to be a dealer in the sale of clothes (boutique owner) lodged a complaint with the Half-Assini police that some of her stock of wares or clothes had been stolen by unknown persons.

After some period of investigations by the police, one Elvis was arrested and subsequently arraigned before the court on the relevant charges under the law. We are informed that Elvis pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him and was accordingly convicted on his own plea and sentenced. Elvis is currently serving his sentence in jail.

Our clients aver that on that fateful Sunday, the deceased was met wearing a particular shirt by the said Buah Beneah who expressed her feigned desire of purchasing same. We are told that the deceased readily agreed and sold the shirt to Madam Buah Beneah for ten Ghana cedis (GH10.00). We concede on behalf of our clients that the circumstances under which this transaction was made may raise some suspicions; for it is very inconceivable that a person would remove his shirt and sell it in the street in the circumstances we have described.

However, his conduct is explainable by the fact that the deceased led a loose and lackadaisical life and habitually disposed of his personal effects in the manner described above. Indeed, we believe that it is acknowledgement of this fact that the said Buah Bennieh offered to buy the shirt in this manner. Be that as it may, there has not been any proof that the said shirt was part of the stolen items.

We are instructed that apparently by reason of the circumstances under which the shirt was sold by the deceased, the said Buah Beneah went to the Boutique Owner to inform her that she had found one of her stolen items on the deceased and presented the shirt as evidence of the deceased's possible complicity in the crime committed earlier on her. We are informed that armed with this piece of evidence the Boutique Owner made a fresh report at the Half Assini police station for the arrest of the deceased.

Our clients allege that Aaron, one of the policemen, who is alleged to be in a relationship with the Boutique Owner, was goaded into action by that relationship and he quickly assumed control of the case. He dispatched one Opare to effect the arrest of the deceased. After his arrest, Aaron took over the investigation and took the deceased to his room conduct a search; nothing was found to suggest that he had in his possession any of the items stolen from the Boutique Woman.

We are instructed that despite the scantiness of the evidence, the police decided to keep him in custody. The Assemblyman of the area and other prominent persons went to the police to ask for bail. However, try as they did, the police would not budge. Meanwhile, the said Aaron kept subjecting the deceased to such inhuman treatment and indignity that it led a few people who visited the police to be asking why the deceased was being so cruelly treated. His answer to these innocent queries was that the deceased was an armed robber. The deceased was kept in custody until he died on Tuesday 28th March 2017.

Our instructions are that in the evening of that fateful Tuesday, the wife went to the police station around 4pm to present food to the deceased but the police kept asking her to wait. She waited in obedience for about an hour when she realised that a person completely wrapped with a cloth was being whisked into a waiting van; she could sense that the person being carried was dead; little did she know that it was her husband.

In the final analysis, the police did not allow her to give the food to her husband so she returned without even seeing the deceased. The wife then went to tell the family members that the police had prevented her from seeing her husband and had even refused to allow her to serve him any food. Within the same period, some family members also went to the police station ostensibly to visit the deceased; it was at this time that they received some intelligence that the deceased had passed away.

Our clients instruct that armed with this piece of ominous information, the family members and other willing sympathisers went to the police station early the next day to seek answers from the police about the whereabouts of the deceased. The police fraudulently informed the family members that the deceased was ill; he had therefore been taken to the Half-Assini Government Hospital where he was on admission. The people followed up to the hospital but the deceased was nowhere to be found.

They inquired from the hospital authorities if any person had been rushed there ill by the police. In response, the medical superintendent informed them that no sick person had been brought there by the police; on the contrary, the medical officer informed them that the police rather brought in a corpse which had been put in the mortuary. With full knowledge that the police were lying to them, the community became incensed and regrettably rushed back and vandalised the police station.

At this time, the Member of Parliament of the area, Honourable Paul Essien, who was on his way to a programme in the constituency chanced on the irate crowd and was led by the volatile situation to intervene. He spoke to the people to remain calm. They obeyed and went home. In attendance at this meeting were the Divisional Police Commander, the BNI Officer, the District Coordinating Director and the District Crime Officer. Later, the Regional Commander and his team including the MP visited the Ekpu community to talk to them. It was after these events that the police formally went to inform the family of the death of the deceased.

Meanwhile, the police officers at Half Assini were circulating the propaganda message that the deceased was beaten to death by the inmates. The Regional Police Commander assured the community that the police administration would delve into the matter and punish the person who caused that assault, believing then that the deceased died as a result of assault on him by the inmates. In the meantime it is instructive to state that our clients have given us copies of the autopsy report which also confirms that the deceased died as a result multiple assault on the body.

Our clients have cause to believe that the deceased was beaten to death by the police officers, and not the inmates. We are inclined to agree with them. We know that the cell in the station is so close to the charge office that any little disturbance therein will not escape the attention of even the busiest officer on duty. We state therefore that even if it is assumed that the inmates were responsible for the assault which led to the death of the deceased, then we pray that the relevant police officers should be arrested and charged for criminal negligence. Indeed we dare say that they are not worth their name and title as police officers!!! We ask again: why did the police not intervene when the assault was going on in the cells, assuming that is true?

Our position is even strengthened by the fact that the police were reluctant to even inform the wife that the deceased had passed away. Why did the police keep mute about it from Tuesday when the incident happened until Wednesday? Why did the police lie to the people that the deceased was sick and had been rushed to the hospital? We have also heard that the police are telling the inmates to assume responsibility for the death of the deceased with the promise that they would intervene to get the courts to be lenient with them.

It is our respectful submission that the police are not telling the truth. On the basis of the facts recounted above, we have our clients instructions to pray that you may be pleased to institute a thorough investigation into the circumstances leading to the untimely death of Mr. Assuah Buah.

By copy of this letter, we are also praying that the Attorney-General and the Minister for Interior to intervene and take the appropriate action in this case.

Your cooperation in this regard will be highly appreciated.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Alexander K. K. Abban, Esq.

Cardinal Law Group

cc. Madam Mary Yankey, Half-Assini

Mr. John Akossey Addo, Ekpu

The Director-General, CID, Police Headquarters, Accra

Director-General, Legal, Police Headquarters, Accra

The Western Regional Police Commander, Takoradi

The Commander Jomoro District Police

The Attorney-General, A-Gs Department, Accra

The Minster, Ministry of Interior, Accra

The Member of Parliament, Jomoro Constituency

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12.04.2017 LISTEN

Their voices are not familiar and their faces not known. But like biblical Zacchaeus they showed up on the national television sets in hour homes and offices. Against the odds, they vented their feelings, unveiled their fear and anxiety. For me it was the first time I heard the name of the town they live--Appiah-Junction, which is near Kasoa in the central region not far from Accra Ghanas capital city.

The community is situated along the newly-constructed Kasoa Highway that stretches from the sprawling suburb (Kasoa) to the Liberia Camp. Unfortunately their daily activities have been wrought by terror and apprehension. The voices represent school children, mothers and traders and theyre appealing to the government to construct a footbridge on that highway or find a solution to the looming disaster.

Sometimes you just cant help it but let it out. Beat the drums hard, scream your lungs out and challenge the status quo to wake up.: Wake up and see the rot going on under your watch. Ask them to wake up from their seemingly long slumber, if thats what would make things change for better or necessitate the authority to take quick action.

A frustrated young man resident at the town did just that: Leaders of Ghana dont think about anybody, its themselves and their children and family. They dont think about other peoples children. Who made them who they are today, he rhetorically asked.

We made them who they are. We placed them where they are.

Certainly, there are times you have to demand answers: Find out why things are in a wrong state when theyre supposed to be in the right way?

But it seems to me that we are averse to that which is right- doing the right things or delivering the right goals and projects. And I am not laying the blame squarely at one particular administration; it goes for all governments that had once steered the affairs of this nation in the last three decades nearly.

Ive got a few questions on my mind though, just cant let them stay any longer my head is spinning.

Is it possible for one to eat Fufu--the Ghanaian staple food without soup?

Or fly an airplane without a compass (navigation device) and drive a car without wheels: how is that possible?

How do you get goods and services from the opposite or other side of the Offin River?

First and foremost you would consider this if youve the means to do so: Build a bridge across the river. Alternatively, you would use a ferry or pontoon a canoe or boat to cart the goods and services. I can assure you, if everything is done right--- thats employing the right engineers to do the right job and the funds are used for the intended purpose we would have everything in its right perspective. Remember you cannot achieve that if the project is fraught with freebies-- ministers and project directors slicing their shares of the enchanada. Its normally the 10 or15 per cent cuts that throw us under the bus or screw us up.

No doubt something spooky is shaping up at the south-west corridor, on the Accra Kasoa road. And if the eyes could speak I dont know how their story would be received. More than one thousand school children cross that stretch every day to and fro. And nearly the same number of women some of them pregnant, some breastfeeding, some with loads on their heads and some aged cross the same road day in day out. More than ten thousand vehicles ply that road and every day hundreds of pedestrians are seen jostling with these machines for space.

Theres no zebra crossing (crosswalk), no speed rumps and no foot-bridge. But theres a midriff concrete wall built in the middle that divides the four-lane highway.

How does that sound?

I dont know when this is going to stop but I know where its heading to. Disaster looms!

Its a disturbing scene. So scary that one wonders if the planners considered the people who live in the community. Ive heard some make this flimsy excuse that oh, they wont even use the bridges, if you build them. Yes, I know my people. Some of them are stubborn-- stick in the mud. They wont use them but the majority would. You dont starve your 10 children to death because three of them say they dont like the food. Therefore build the footbridges because its their money and not yours. Youre just a trustee, a custodian of their wallet.

Helloooo!

Did you hear me? Do you know how many lives you would save if you build a bridge on that stretch? I suppose youve no idea of the economic, social and political impact. How do they go to school? How do they go to work? How do they see their doctors at the clinics and hospitals? How do they go to the church or mosque or synagogue? How do they attend a social function? I mean how!

I know all the answers to them. Simply they dont matter. Perhaps all wasnt factored into the grand scheme of things. They arent considered in the equation. They only count when its time for their votes. So you expected them scale over, jump over, walk over and be run over r. Of course theyre already doing all that, putting their lives in danger.

Then when they enquired to know if there would be a crossover foot bridge this is the response they get like a slap on the face: : Go and see the big men at the top.

The question is who made them the big men and big women?

See, I told you in our part of the world government is not for the people its rather for the government. They call the shot and not the people who gave them the mandate to govern in the first place. ,A cheek of that.

The N1 (National highway 1) had claimed many lives not several and communities that line the highway are still counting the dead---motor accidents. And already the Appiah-Junction highway has registered its first victiman elderly woman.

We missed the sunrise, we missed the mid-day bus, I dont think we can afford to miss the midnight train. That said, I will like to plead with the government and ask the minister in charge of Roads and Highways to look into this Kasoa road expansion project once again. Something isnt right!
12.04.2017 LISTEN

It is generally acceptable to hear a yield for water from someone who lives in the middle of a desert. It is however the inverse to hear the same tone from a person who lives on an island. This comparison actually defines the unconditional attitude of Africans.

Current Africa commenced as a dead animal on the open dump and controlled by Vultures, symbolically the West. Each vulture could land on it and bite as bigger portion as it could, while enjoying every bit of its benefits. France bit Algeria, Benin, Congo and other fifteen countries, Britain bit not only Ghana but in addition to other sixteen countries; Portugal could bite about five including Angola, Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau. This is not all; we had many other vultures like Spain, Italy, and Belgium.

They really enjoyed the flesh of Africa without limit. They manipulated every single thought and belonging to their advantage. Indeed the sad encounter with the dead animal and these Vultures is no an unforgettable event on the minds of any individual African, therefore it isnt my interest to state any particular event. We could not do anything to our benefit, be it physically, mentally and particularly economically.

With time, we anticipated better and stronger economic strength when we are made to control our own affairs. We hoped of higher standard of living for every African, higher standard of health care, where we can get our own people working for Africans instead of been enslaved to the West again with no hope of returning home alive. Then again we hoped whoever gets the opportunity to lead any Africa country will not unreasonably amass wealth for himself but will consider the toil our of fore fathers, and serve their generations with clean hearts, and we hoped to be controlled to carelessly dump our resources no more. In fact we thought of many hopes so we began wrestling for political independence as the years passed by.

Countries like chad, Niger, Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, La Cote Divoire and many others including Mauritania therefore managed to attain independence in the 1960. Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Gambia gained theirs on 1962, 1963, 1964 and 1965 respectively. Up to the smallest country whatsoever, every African country is politically independent currently. After this unimaginably difficult task of attaining political independence for ourselves, what do we see, how is Africa?

The search for greener pastures from the West has been an uncontrollable and common concentration and interest of Africans. Most Africans see it as a bad luck to belong to the African continent. They actually become sick when they are referred as Angolans, Tanzanians, Ghanaians, Nigerians, Mauritanians, and the rest. They rather prefer to run back to the home of their Colonial Masters; those people who they once asked to stay away from them the Britain, France and Italy; otherwise the United States, Canada and Australia. They go to tell them we have brought ourselves to you again. It is at these places where Africans foresee easy success in life so they run at a high speed with the very least opportunity wishing to live and work there without the least thought of returning home. They leave with their acquired knowledge and the special potentials for the benefit of the White instead. The Black is left to go to hell. Our younger generation has gotten no opportunity to learn these potentials sent abroad. Therefore they too pray to follow suit someday.

Next to the search for greener pastures is our growing love for foreign assets instead of our own. Among the important ways a countrys economy is able to flourish is the patronage of the countrys own resources rather than foreign ones. The story is different as countries in Africa gained their political independence. Like Ghanaians, all other Africans have developed an intense love for foreign goods, talk about clothing, ornaments, books, foot wear, everything, even food. We have lost our faith to the extent our culture currently is in a state of instability. Almost everything has been influenced by the Western culture.

They believe the White is more capable. For example as building contract arises, governments of Africa who invested in their local students in engineering and construction studies ignore their own people and invite Western service, paying huge sum of money to the foreigners; therefore widening their scope of understanding and encouraging them to learn more than us and to produce more personnel to replace them later in their absence. What happens to us (Africans), discouragement and regression in our own home.

Aside the aforementioned, most Africans at the working sectors, especially those working for their respective governments exhibit very poor working attitudes. These are sometimes seen to be normal due to their frequency. Moreover, the heads of institutions, be it schools, security agencies, companies, parties even nations, are the very starters of these attitudes. Many heads of private institutions prefer cheating their workers by not paying their appropriate salaries and incentives but take the greater parts. It happens too in nations where parts of workers monies are taken for different purposes not as taxes but for the service of self-interest. Then to permanent government employees which I strongly believe are at least paid with average salaries are never content with their salaries. They exhibit unimaginably bad characters. They feel no need of attending work early, why they should be serious at work and finally why the respect for laid down rules and regulations at work places. They will be the same people always seen on strike seeking for more to give less. African is recorded to be the continent with rampant strikes. These people believe that the White deserves more effective service delivery. Africa is in a sorry state.

Aside these kinds of attitudes, our mindset as Africans has also done very well by distancing us from development. Africans are too pessimistic. We envy our own selves and that like to do anything to drag each other down instead. We are never courageous and scared to make a change a change of mind from depending mainly on the White.

If we do not discard this mindset our level of development will be down beyond compare. It is only in African where politicians go all length to acquire political power not for money alone but to escape from intimidation, assault and stigmatization. It is only in Africa where premium is put on power more and more than life, even lives. No wonder tens of thousands of pastors attend to smaller gods for spiritual powers and support to establish churches.

They walk within and outside the continent calling themselves men of God and worsening lives of innocent people. They are required to kill and burry more, even when alive before acquiring their so-called powers self-interest. This is the kind of people African contains negative and wicked minded. We live with all sorts of mindsets and we happily brand each other as Black Man. We are happy with useless tittles. Africans must think positive and act the same way. The former first lady of the United States of American in her final speech in the White House spoke to the American youth and made emphasis on The Power of Hope. This has been the ever-blazing syndrome to the developed worlds optimism, while our own is otherwise.

Now is the wave of bribery and corruption in Africa. We are only famous for horrible subjects in the world forum of discussion. Almost all agencies and ministries in Africa are corrupt. Givers always give and collectors do the same to let go anything which worth attention. The Whites have as a result known as much than themselves to the extent they least entertain the Black to their worlds.

They see us as burden and take us as people of bad luck and backwardness. Thats why they see it appropriate to dump their already used, weak and even useless goods in Africa whiles we gladly embrace all with gratitude. Receivers of these goods receive bride before giving them out to owners. It goes on everywhere. Are these the causes of our struggle for political independence?

It is our continent where the less educated chooses to be rich in politics. Those who know it is important to exercise their franchise vote them to power with pride. They (the elected) therefore do what serves them right. We make bad leaders and expect mass development; is that possible at all? Africans practically worship our leaders who are supposed to serve instead.

Why am I saying this, taxes are collected and few portion is used for developmental projects. The rest get to unknown pockets whilst school children have no desks to use, students allowances are cancelled, patients sleep on no bed at the hospital, everything become expensive to the average national. During their terms of offices, these same political animals are beseeched by about half a countrys population to continue their service.

These shameful leaders are not ashamed of their ineffective services but are found in convoy on streets making noise and displaying their ineffectiveness to the world His Excellency, Honourable, My Lord this is what we are for. African is a disappointment to divinity and indeed to our number of generations; a disappointment which is unpardonable if we live in this sorry state till the End.

Our inability to utilise our resources is another deadly factor of our seemingly endless poverty. Per the analogy I made at the preamble of my article, Africans have gotten all that it takes to be rich but we are poor because we lack the capability to effectively utilise our mineral resources towards transforming the lives of Africans. Our hope is still vested in the Whites where we strongly believe we are nothing without them. We have turned to be the custodians of these minerals for the real owners, inevitably the White.

We transport each of these through whatever means to them with the aim of selling and exchanging goods and services but in actual sense theyre given for free. I said so because prices taken are never worth the goods given. After such a cheat we invite them to teach us how to use the little money acquired from them which creates additional opportunity for another cheat. One can now agree with me that we are nothing else but keepers. We portray high sense of immaturity in resource management in the eyes of the Whites after we have given out all our monies and made them known that we are incapable of controlling our affairs. Were kept under continuous control. Indeed Africa is in a sorry state.

Yes, Africa is in a sorry state because we have more than enough to provide for ourselves. To mention few we have strong and productive labour force which was once mercilessly used by the various colonial masters to do all sorts of stressful works. Our mineral deposits the gold, diamond, bauxite, manganese, aluminium, silver, copper, coal, oil, rocks, salt, then the arable land and water bodies, timber, beautiful vegetation, herbs, mention them.

In addition to these is our various precious cultures alongside tourist sites which have of late attracted many foreign interests and credits. We have failed completely to utilize all these precious mineral resources to our maximum benefits and the flag of poverty has eventually overtaken us. I stand to lose my credentials as an advocate however if I do not suggest some ways to reject the inputs which have brought us this far. I therefore believe in a change when we ensure the following two main measures. We can however cast our eye back on our shortcomings (such as mentioned above and turn around our minds).

Let us first consider nationalism. Except few, more than half of Africans lack nationalism. Even among the few they come out to claim high sense of nationalism when they are in need of political defence and recognition and whenever they put on their artificial identity. The love for one country as strictly observed in the United States and the European countries contribute massively to their advancement. It has sent many countries many steps beyond development.

The idea of nationalism takes not just years to attain but decades and centuries and even beyond. If we therefore wish to see Africa transforming then the Advocates for Nation Development advices Africans to communicate it to our children the first day they are borne, informing them to place their countries first in whatever they do. When this happens we will not do anything to put our nations any slippery grounds.

Aside issues on nationalism, governments in all African countries including political parties, political aspirants and position occupiers should look beyond party and personal interest and realise the need to live more independently, aside political independence for each country. This suggests that mechanisms should be put in place, within the continent, in a collaborative way, so that we as Africans eat what we grow, buy what we sell, wear what we sew, believe in our professionals, operate with our own opinions and protect our ideas as Africans.

We have gotten everything to fulfil all these; there is no need for a single leader for the continent. It is unfortunate instead no country of Africa has emerged with such thoughts and trying to solicit external support (from among leaders of other African countries). Each seems serious trying to manage its own affairs but we do not actually see any improvement. We should open our scope of thinking a thinking which will have a wide impact on Africa on the long run; not an impact on political parties, ones life and families. That is a shallow way of thinking.

Well, we can continue to advocate and establish many appropriate directions, even in-depth than ever before but it will only take us to gear our conscience to making them realities, otherwise all will prove fruitless. It is not enough to be the second largest continent in the world; and it is not enough to accumulate all the worlds beautiful resources; whats bad is bad and whats otherwise remains the same.

It is time we call spade a spade and avoid hypocrisy hypocrisy at our work places, to our Creator and to our very selves, and stick to determination for no power on this earth can transform our current situation to the better if we dont recognise our possessions, analyse their significance and work hard towards utilizing them to our endless benefits.

A WRITE-UP BY MARFO HUSSAIN YUSIF, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ADVOCATES FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA (AfND-UEW)

ON PHONE: 0267673964, 0200676890, OR 0206184837.

EMAIL: [email protected] |  MARCH 2017
Ghanas former President, Jerry John Rawlings has condemned the attack by the United States of America on Syria describing it most vicious, cowardly and evil.

The US last week attacked a military base in Syria after that countrys president Bashar al-Assad was accused by the Trump administration for launching a chemical attack on civilians.

Mr. Ralwings in an article titled: The immortality of international politics, the former military leader stated that the chemical attack was launched to create a false impression in order to justify what the US and the west are doing.

The big question now is how an Armed Force that has virtually beaten the rebel resistance with Russian assistance and with victory on a threshold could conceive of such madness as to dump chemical weapons at innocent civilians and children. Where is the sense in this illogical accusation if it wasnt done to create a false impression in order to justify what the USA and the West are doing?

The US pulled this con at the UN before invading Iraq. This time its Syria, Mr Rawlings said.

Below is the full article:

The immortality of international politics

By Jerry John Rawlings

The world has witnessed yet another display of the military might of the United States with the missile strikes on Syrian targets a few days ago.

The United States justified its strikes because it believed the Assad regime was behind a chemical weapons attack on opposition strongholds in Syria last week.

The action of the United States raises serious questions of justification and the real motives behind the positions taken by the worlds super powers on Syria.

The pattern of behaviour only goes to perpetuate the immorality of international politics.

When these dastardly scenes of chemical warfare were being given their usual high publicity in the Western media it was quite obvious that it was designed to poison the atmosphere against the Assad regime.

In spite of all the sophisticated armed support that the rebels have enjoyed, the Assad armed forces with Russian support were able to degrade and defeat so many ISIS targets and rebels. The world saw the huge blow that the Assad forces dealt the rebels.

The big question now is how an Armed Force that has virtually beaten the rebel resistance with Russian assistance and with victory on a threshold could conceive of such madness as to dump chemical weapons at innocent civilians and children. Where is the sense in this illogical accusation if it wasnt done to create a false impression in order to justify what the USA and the West are doing?

Most world leaders have gone quiet instead of condemning this subterfuge. Who are most likely in that demented situation to do such an atrocious act of chemical weapon usage?

Not too long ago the West looked away, the media kept quiet while the Yemeni were being bombed and starved of food and water. Vessels bringing aid (food and water) were blocked and children were left looking emaciated in scenes straight out of the holocaust.

Some of these Western countries must regain or reset their own internal moral compasses before embarking on such adventures. Right from the outset, when the Assad regime and other Shia nations refused to subordinate themselves to the unipolar power of the West and some Sunni powers, Russia under Putin, was one of the powers that stood tall in defence of international freedom. Russias effort to assist the Syrian government set the West to attack her economy with so-called sanctions and the reduction of the price of oil in a bid to cripple her.

This act of underhand desperation should be seen and recognised for what it is. The world cannot be so naive as not to see through this kind of confidence propaganda.

The audaciousness to embark on this fraudulent behaviour (and to follow up to this extent) can only happen as a result of the extent of decline of international morality and it is a manifestation of the decay in the quality of leadership in some parts of the world.

All in all an independent body involving neutral states must be set up to investigate where these chemicals came from. This body must be free from the influence of the accusers and must carefully investigate and expose the real perpetrators. Then and only then can the world know who the real hidden perpetrators are.

Trumps warmth or respect for Putin contained the seeds of peaceful co-existence and there were those who were so dead against it and for whatever random reason wanted to restore an antagonistic position of the old days with Russia. Looks like the negative forces who wanted to see a climate of conflict between Putin and Trump may finally have their way.

The minute Secretary of State Tillerson said enough of talking at Korea and the US ambassador at the UN staged her drama at the Security Council followed by Trumps act, it was clear a scapegoat would have to be found. What better target than Assads Syria on taking the verge of a military high ground and the political process kicking in with Russias support?

The West and their Sunni allies attempt to unseat the Syrian Government is what has precipitated this military and refugee crises in the region. Russias attempt to prevent a handful of countries in the West from constituting themselves into global governors to decide and dispense freedom and justice is partly why this war is being fought. This is nothing more than the fraud that was perpetrated at the UN prior to the shock and awe in 2003. The world cannot be so naive, so uninformed, so blind, so emasculated as not to see through this daylight robbery thats going to degrade international ethics even further? The life of freedom, justice and democracy is whats at stake. The deafening silence of most leaders around the world will lead to further degrading the already sad state of democracy.

Are these Western countries prepared to back the Iranian and Russian calls for a very competent neutral investigation? This call should have been made the first time this madness occurred. I have to repeat that a regime on the threshold of defeating its perceived enemies will not do this. A rebel group on the verge of defeat is likely to resort to this madness on the urging of its mindless backers.

The world must wake up. Leaders must wake up. Assads Government and Assange are not those in danger. Freedom Justice and genuine democracy is what is in danger from a unipolar ambition to rule the world!!!

This has been the most vicious and persistent cowardly act over the seven-year period. America and her allies know those behind it. Russia, Assad and Iran must know those behind it. Weve all kept mute about the real culprit nation and the situation has now been exploited by the US in a senseless manner that insults the intelligence of human beings. And because of the seeming ineffective denial and rejection of the act by those being accused, the propaganda against them has been exploited.

No matter how much we may hate or resent Assad, its absolutely outrageous and immoral to resort to this uncivilized behaviour so as to provide the pretext to engage in military action.

Abdul Hamid who escaped the chemical weapon attack has every right to fight Assad for over drum bombs etc. for anything and everything but not for the chemical weapon attack. That comes from behind himhis own back. Point being killing the children with the gas can serve an exploitable purpose than leaving them to be killed by Assads bombs. Lets wake up. Lets wake up. This kind of evil should not be allowed to pass!!

We have been living in an age where the ability and the capacity to make an accusation more impressive than the denial by the accused and victim seemingly puts the truth on your side. The US pulled this con at the UN before invading Iraq. This time its Syria. Syria is politically in a very very tight spot and has conducted her war with Russian support in a fairly conventional way and dislocated and dislodged ISIS and rebels in a very impressive manner when the Russian Air Force got involved.

They were left with cleaning up a few areas. So why they would do anything so stupid is a question Id like to direct to the world and especially Mr. Trump and his allies and most of all to the Western media.

This daring and dangerous fraud undermines mans attempt to restore trust and integrity into words and actions of nations. The world watched Mr. Trump hack and brutalize the truth and noble people on his way into office. This behaviour will make the world unsafe. Lets show a little more respect and reverence for basic truths and natural justice.

Its unfortunate that those around Trump have taken advantage of his shortcomings. This is shameful, disgraceful and a serious indictment on the forces of good in this world. The war and its toll on human life is a painful sight for all of us. Defeat Assad if you may, but dont resort to this deceit to justify the unjustifiable. This fraud is going to be a test on the leaders of today and the citizenry.
The Pulpit is an annual Gospel reality show on TV which brings out evangelistic talents in children and excites a lot of viewers over the last few years. But in commercial buses that ply Lapaz to Kasoa, little kids do not preach for the cameras; they live what the other children do every year on TV, preaching almost every day in commercial buses, winning souls for Christ and taking money for it.

It is not as if preaching in commercial vehicles is a new phenomenon in Ghana. It is as old as the buses that ply the Circle, Kaneshie and Odorkor roads, but when kids between the ages of eight and ten are quoting scriptures with authority in rickety buses and begging for coins after each journey then the battle for salvation has become even more keener.

That is the story of some young 'trotro' evangelists whom I have decided to call Paa Nii and Yaw. Their story is one of determination to survive against all formidable odds and a zest to win souls for Christ.

It was a Saturday trip to the office in this commercial vehicle. The trip was unusually long but in it were Papa Nii and Yaw.

Papa Nii, 11, was the elder of the two. He wore a striped T-shirt and broke the ice with a shrill shout of "Hallelujah! Hallelujah!"

After two attempts with no satisfactory response from the passengers he amplified his voice with a little passion and more power. "Oh Hallelujah!

He got the attention he needed. Some passengers including myself looked at him in awe and finally responded Amen! Then he began his sermon in Twi invoking the peace of God upon all saints.

Then he called for a prayer and directed all passengers to bow and close their eyes. It was an unusual call, one that many would have been angered by, were it to do with politics or social matter. But it was religious; a call to prayer, so some passengers obeyed. I did too. Those who didn't looked on in awe.

Papa Nii recited the ten commandments in the Bible, handed it over to his younger brother Yaw, 8, and took his seat. The sermon had just begun!

Yaw quoted Job 1:2 as his foundational scripture and reminded the passengers that human beings came naked into this world and shall return the same way they came, without the material wealth they have been scrambling for, on earth.

He touched on greed, warned against vanity, called for true worship to God and a genuine expression of love to mankind.

He said: For everything shall pass except the word of God, hence the need to worship him with all our hearts, minds, bodies and souls.

To close his short sermon he said, God does not take bribe, so if a pastor or anyone tells you to pay money to secure your place in heaven, do not believe them. He crowned the sermon with a prayer and resumed his seat.

Without asking for money, hearts were touched and the monies started exchanging hands. The passengers started passing GhE1 notes and coins to them depending on the financial strength of the each passenger. The kids then alerted the driver's mate they would alight at Kwashieman. I was touched and surprised at what had just happened and I wanted the story behind the preaching. I also decided to get down at Kwashieman, even though my destination was several stops away. I stopped them and began a little conversation.

After interrogations, I got to know they were a group of four with the oldest being 12 years old and the youngest, seven.

The two other boys also alighted from another vehicle and joined in the conversation. I call them Nana, 10 and Kofi, 8. The four lived around Kasoa, I reckoned, but they hop into commercial buses that ply those routes to preach each day after school.

On Saturdays they do it full time only on buses that run the Kasoa-Madina route. Out of curiosity I asked of the whereabouts of their parents and whether or not they knew about their young careers.

Paa Nii answered in the affirmative, adding that they give them the proceeds each day. That got me thinking: "Could some adults purposely be using these children to make money?"

Yaw confirmed that his team could make at most E60.00 on a good day and at least E15.00 any other day. I asked if I could go home and say Hi to their parents but they declined. I pushed further but they resisted harder. Paa Nii said they could only go home in the evening when business is over. When I asked if they could get punished if I went home with them, Paa Nii said yes but Kofi quickly said no.

I enquired of the contact numbers of their parents. There was another tussle. Paa Nii said he knew and could give it out, but Yaw interrupted, claiming his brother cannot remember the number.

They were in a hurry to get into another bus and they did. Paa Nii and Yaw boarded the first commercial vehicle that came along. Nana and Kofi took the other. I stood for a while defeated in my quest to learn more about these minors.

I never met them again until about a month later. Paa Nii was preaching in a Lapaz-Kasoa bus I boarded while Nana sat, supporting him with responses to his Hallelujah chorus.

After preaching, the passengers on the bus started passing on monies to the boys. One passenger who sat close to me pulled out a E20.00 note and handed it over to Paa Nii. Then with a smile, he said: "God bless you sir."

I asked the passenger what motivated him to give the little Evangelist E 20. He said "Aww...I think these children are really blessed to know how to preach the gospel in front of tens and not feel shy. We hardly see this and I think they are doing great and I wish they were my children. There's no way they will grow up and become wayward."

I joined the boys on the next bus they picked and told them I wanted to go home with them and talk to their parents. They quickly remembered our previous encounter. Paa Nii agreed but Nana was reluctant. He said they would go home after 10pm. I said no problem. Whatever time they decide to go home, I will go with them. I was determined not to miss the story behind the preaching this time around.

Nana conferred with Paa Nii, briefly and they agreed to go home with me. We set off to Osiadan near Kasoa in the Central Region, where they live.

They preached again in the bus we boarded and were blessed by the passengers with cash. Soon after the preaching, Paa Nii fell asleep. He was tired. Nana was wide awake and prompted the driver when we got to his destination. We had to cross the main Kasoa-Winneba Highway after getting off the bus.

Through a mechanic shop up on a hill along the highway, we got unto a bushy footpath where I picked my way with care, mindful of what animal might be lying on the way. Interestingly, these little boys walked through the footpath with so much ease. The had been doing that for weeks, months and deep at night.

The path led us to a muddy rough road. When I asked how far we were from their home, Paa Nii pointed to a house which was sited on a hill and surrounded by bushes.

I thought the story I heard from these little Trotro Evangelists was heartbreaking but that was only the tip of the iceberg.

It was a long journey home with the kids but at home was a bigger story of a whole community where kids have stopped schooling and have joined the seemingly lucrative business of Trotro Evangelism in buses to fend for themselves and their families. It emerged some of them went missing for days with no contact to their guardians. It was a touching encounter with the parents, guardians and teachers of the kids some of whom shared the story of how the whole concept of little Evangelism business started and who was the brain behind it. Let's meet Nana's guardian.

Before the encounter with the guardians and teachers Section 6 of the Children's Act 1998 prescribes the Parental duty and responsibility. (1) No parent shall deprive a child his welfare whether:

(a) the parents of the child are married or not at the time of the child's birth; or

(b) the parents of the child continue to live together or not.

(2) Every child has the right to life, dignity, respect, leisure, liberty, health, education and shelter from his parents.

(3) Every parent has rights and responsibilities whether imposed by law or otherwise towards his child which include the duty to:

(a) protect the child from neglect, discrimination, violence, abuse, exposure to physical and moral hazards and oppression;

With the Country's laws clearly spelt out in the Children's Act, let's meet;

Nana's Grandmother

She sat, watching, as I walked with Nana towards the house. She is Nana's grandmother and looked to be in her 50s. I told her my mission and she welcomed me heartily. Sooner than expected she started blaming Nana for the state of affairs. She claimed to have warned Nana several times against evangelising in commercial vehicles but to no avail. She blamed one Asare, a boy who apparently introduced the business to the kids in the community. She accused him of luring her grandson into the preaching enterprise.

According to her, Nana flees from the house after school each day and comes back late at night. It is worse on weekends, she laments, saying in Fante that Nana pretends to be playing with the children and before she will say jack, he is gone.

When I asked if she benefitted from the proceeds of the preaching, she was quick with a denial. She said she and her husband do not have enough to take care of him but have tried their best since his mother abandoned him when he was six months old. She however promised to ensure Nana did not go preaching anymore.

She also promised she would take Paa Nii home and thanked me. That was my first encounter with her.

The second time I met her, she told me Nana had gone to school and had stopped the act because the leader of the little preachers, Asare, had been moved to Swedru in the Central region by his parents, i was in no position to confirm that.

Feeding the family at age 11; the story of Paa Nii



It was an emotional encounter with Paa Nii's father- Mr Tei. He is 43-years-old. He has been taking care of Paa Nii and his younger brother, Kobe since the death of their mother.

They were both in school until he lost his job as a security man. Now, he helps friends do some small jobs but that does not fetch enough money. Mr Tei confessed he could not afford to pay their school fees.

He was also quick to point accusing fingers at Asare, the boy who introduced the business but whom I was yet to meet.

I have been beating him over that but I had to stop at some point because it was yielding no results, he noted.

Mr Tei admitted that on days when he doesn't get any job to do, Paa Nii feeds the family with proceeds from the preaching in commercial buses. It is his wish that his children will be in school but he does not have the financial muscle to enroll and keep them in school. He is however happy with how obedient he is at home.

I was then introduced to many more children with horrifying stories about how they spent several days out in buses, preaching and making money.

Is the preaching a gift from God or another spirit?

I met Mr Prince Danso, who had a chilling story to tell about his son believed to be notorious for spending several days and night out preaching.

Mr Danso is a concrete mixer. His 12 year-old son Kwame is believed to have picked up the habit of staying out for days, sometimes weeks, together with Asare.

He was scared his son had gone missing just like a twin boys who went missing for close to two weeks.

After frantic search, a phone call came through from the police at Odorkor. It emerged that his son together with Asare had been sent there by a commercial driver and his mate at a very late hour. He was reunited with his beloved son.

He believed his son was in bad company and needed different school environment. "Sometimes they run from school and go preaching...In fact I think he's been possessed by some bad spirit because I do not believe what he does is truly from God," he narrated.

The twin story



The 42-year old mother of four, known as Ataa Maame said her six-year-old twin boys fled early one morning when she had gone to fetch water.

One of them returned later that Sunday evening but his brother was nowhere to be found. I asked him and he said they went to Kasoa, she narrated. Like the other children in the vicinity, they went to preach. She went on saying, I was very worried ...In fact, I could not eat, I could not sleep. She said she reported the incident to the Police at Tuba, near Kasoa through whose help she found him after a week and three days.

Apparently, a good samaritan found him and took him to an Orphanage at Ofankor, near Kasoa.

All my four children are not in school because my husband and I cannot afford their school fees, the helpless mother narrated. She said whenever she left their two younger siblings in the care of the twins to go and sell, they would follow the other children and go preaching.

I could not bear it any longer so I sent the two of them to live with my sister in the Northern region...because if I let them stay, they might go one day and never come back, she added.

An Encounter with the famous Asare?

Almost all the parents and the children I spoke to mentioned one boy- Asare. He was named as the leader of the children who preach in buses. I was bent on meeting him, the ring leader in the preaching business. Upon reaching his house, I was told Asare had been sent off to live with his auntie in Swedru in the Central Region but i met his mother.

The mother of five admitted that her second son, Asare, 11 started the preaching business in the neigbourhood.

According to Millicent Adom, Kobe, her third son who is 9, began by preaching to elderly persons in the community and he made some money out of it.

His elder brother, Asare became interested because of the money Kobe was making from the preaching so he learnt some quotations and started doing it too, the mother said.

Then one day, he said the Holy Spirit has directed him to preach the word of God in commercial buses so he went with his brother, Kobe, she said in Twi.

One thing about Asare is that he is very generous...he buys food for the children who are not in school and so they follow him wherever he goes, she indicated.

She said some of the children could go to Asare's school to wait for him so that they could go and preach in buses. According to her, the husband was able to stop Kobe, the 9-year-old from preaching in buses by constantly flogging him but could do same to his elder brother.

She said initially, her son could bring home up to GhE50.00 until a woman in the niegbourhood promised to give him her daughter's hand in marriage.

At that young age, Asare had been convinced. His mom alleged that Asare stopped bringing the money home and rather gave the woman all his proceeds from the preaching. She also confirmed how her son could escape with other children in the neigbourhood for days.

"In his most recent episode, he was with one other boy who is not schooling. They went for about two weeks and it took the Kaneshie Police to find them," he narrated.

She was however heartbroken that other parents in the community blame her son for the turn of events and even on many occasions hurl insults at her.

I was so frustrated and did not know what to do...the insults were becoming too much and his father threatened to kick me out of his house if I did not do something about him so I took him to my sister's place at Swedru, she added.

An Encounter with Asare's teacher



Together with his four siblings, Asare used to attend 3GS Royal School at Machigani, another settler community near Kasoa and about two miles away from their home. They travel all the way there because there is no school in their community.

The headmaster of the school said Asare and Kobe started performing poorly when they started the preaching business.

"His brothers and sister also school here and they are all very brilliant students but he and Kobe started performing poorly and when I investigated, I was told they had been preaching in buses for money," Jonathan Hammond indicated.

He said he tried to help his parents to stop Asare from preaching in buses and focus on his studies but to no avail.

"One time he run away from school and went to preach in commercial buses in his school uniform and after he made some money, he went to gamble with it," Mr Hammond said, adding, with his dirty uniform from his gambling nest Asare came to school the following without bothering to go home.

"I punished him but he and another boy who is not in school left home again for days. His father came here to say he was sending him away. Where? I never knew " he noted.

He stated that Kobe has been picking up academically after he stopped preaching.

The journey behind little trotro Evangelists has been long, chilling and heart breaking. Over 90% of children of school-going age linger around in the neigbourhood each day because their parents cannot afford their school fees.

A UNICEF statistics show about 623,500 children of primary school age are still not enrolled in primary school and one out of four children in the kindergarten age range (from four to five years of age) are not in pre-school.

Preaching the gospel is not a bad thing but what does the future hold for these children if they do not have access to basic education despite living close to the country's capital, Accra?

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Patricia Akosua Asiedua Akuffo
12.04.2017 LISTEN

Accra, April 11, GNA - Management of Starbow Airlines has explained that its scheduled flight en-route to Accra from Kumasi, flight S9103, on Sunday 9 th April, 2017 was re-routed back to Kumasi due to unfavourable weather conditions which prevented it from landing on arrival in Accra.

A statement issued and signed by Mr Eric Antwi, Starbow CEO and copied to the Ghana News Agency said the airline's attention had been drawn to information circulating in some local media in relation to an alleged incident in its flight S9103 on Sunday.

The domestic airline explained that the flight was airborne from Kumasi to Accra at 15.35 hours and on approaching its destination in Accra, the weather changed, resulting in a severe thunderstorm and moderate turbulence during the flight.

The change in weather at the destination led the Captain to enter a holding pattern with other aircraft that were also due to land in Accra when conditions were better, but subsequently opted to fly back to Kumasi when the conditions did not improve.

'Due to this, the Captain decided to return to Kumasi as a safety precautionary measure and all passengers were disembarked safely without any incident and the flight was not in any danger at all,' the statement said, adding that the sudden change in weather was consistent with the changing season and could not be anticipated.

'Starbow apologises to its cherished guests, especially those who were on its flight S9103 on Sunday 9th April, for any inconvenience this incident might have caused' it said.

GNA
Mogadishu (AFP) - Somalia security forces on Wednesday freed eight sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off a hijacked Indian ship earlier this week, a coast guard official said.

"The eight hostages were freed without fighting. The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured," Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Somalia's Galmudug state said.

Pirates stormed the "Al Kausar" ship off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31, holding the 10-man crew hostage and making ransom demand

Somali security forces liberated the vessel on Monday, rescuing two Indian crew members, but the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages during an exchange of gunfire.

Ahmed said the newly freed crew members were "safe and healthy."

The Al Kausar, which was transporting cargo including wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia's Bossaso port, was the third vessel hijacked in the space of less than a month off the coast of the East African nation.

Experts have warned that shipping companies have let down their guard after the piracy crisis reached its height five years ago.
12.04.2017 LISTEN

The fight against Galamsey is a laudable campaign, which requires efforts from all well meaning Ghanaians and institutions. There is no doubt that for some curious reasons, the laws governing small-scale mining have flouted with impunity to the detriment of river bodies.

This stage of the fight of the struggle is requires smart regulation and action. What is needed are targeted actions and the will to implement the laws of the land. Thus, the EPA, Mineral Commission and the Ministry of Lands should intensify their monitoring activities with support from the Police service and security agencies to ensure that best practice.

AFAG believes that this campaign cannot be successful without the tacit support of Chiefs and local communities. We are therefore pleased to hear of their public support for the campaign.

We wish to indicate that the clampdown should not be/ is not an attack against one nationality, but the protection of water bodies and land which is our birthright.

We further call on the Minerals Commission to publish the rules and regulations governing small-scale mining. Additionally, a dedicated call center should be set up for the citizens to report any suspected illegal mining. The Ministry of Lands, should publish a clear guidelines for tackling this menace.

AFAG wishes to urge all stake holders; the media, political leader, traditional authorities and civil society to join hands in this fight. We wishes to indicate that this fight would long and difficult but with resolve it can be contained.

God bless Ghana.


Minister of Energy, Emmanuel Boakye Agyarko, says Ghana has enormous renewable energy potentials which need to be tapped for rapid development.

According to him, there were potential for solar, wind and biomass to generate electricity which could be harnessed for the industries.

Mr Agyarko disclosed this in a speech read on his behalf at the launch of Ghana's participation in Expo 2017, a renewable energy forum in Astana, Kazakhstan scheduled from June 10 to September 10, 2017 on the overall theme of Future Energy.

Government expects to unlock investments into Ghana's renewable sector.

Ghana's chosen theme for this year's expo is 'Ghana -Haven of Renewable Energy Resources.'

He reiterated government's commitment to increasing the contribution of the renewable energy sector to 10 percent of the total power generation mix by 2020.

Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry, also in a speech read on his behalf, said Ghana's participation in Astana would underscore government's commitment to being an active player in the deployment of sustainable energy solutions through the use and expansion of the renewable energy sector.

He said the goal of government's overall energy policy was to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix of the country to 10 percent by 2020.

Mr Kyerematen said reliable, affordable, abundant and sustainable supply of energy and power was key to fulfilling government's agenda of industrial transformation, job creation and economic growth.

He revealed that Ghana's participation in the Astana Expo 2017 would enable the country to attract investors in the renewable energy sector to further explore the untapped renewable energy potential.

In a presentation on Renewable Energy in Ghana, Fred Appiah, an engineer at the Energy Commission, said Ghana's renewable energy law provides the framework and the incentive regime for investors who are interested in the sector to make good returns on their investments.

[email protected]

By Samuel Boadi


Minister of Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has indicated that she will work hard to ensure the smooth operation of 4G network by Vodafone.

She said this during a working visit to the headquarters of the telecom giant to familiarize herself with the operations of the company.

Addressing management and the media after a closed door meeting, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful commended Vodafone for creating a respected brand and transforming the company into the largest telecommunications operating company in Ghana.

We will assist you and we are committed in doing that. I am impressed with what you have done so far and the vision you have for the future. I am committed to do what I can as a minister to assist you to improve profitability and grow the business to serve your customers, she said.

Touching on fiber cuts, the sector minister said her ministry was working to make it a high risk activity to prevent people from engaging in the illegal act.

She was happy that Vodafone's leadership team was being led by a woman.

CEO of Vodafone Ghana, Ms. Yolanda Cuba, expressed appreciation to the minister for the visit to the headquarters.

Ms. Yolanda Cuba added that Vodafone has invested greatly in infrastructure and capacity building as part of its commitment to improving network quality and delivering an unmatched customer experience.

For us, once Ghana becomes the digital hub of Africa, then we will have achieved our goals. We will not rest until we do that. We will continue to invest in technology and people, she added.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri


Case IH took part in the Annual Africa Sugar Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya from 4-6 April for the seventh year running.

The two-day event, which was covered by the international business and trade media in Nairobi, brought together around 200 participants, representing senior decision makers from government, industry bodies, millers, traders, advocacy groups and service providers from across the world.

The delegates discussed the trade and investment opportunities in Africa's sugar sector.

For the first time, the conference also invited top sugar producers from the region to speak about sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

Speakers at the event included Ian Allen, General Manager of the Agricultural Division of Case IH distributor in Kenya, TTEA.

He provided advice on the mechanization of sugar cane farming, presented Case IH's approach to supporting producers on their path to higher productivity and sustainability, and introduced the brand's new Corporate Farming Division focused on offering large-scale operations with everything they need from a single source.

A business desk report


William Quaitoo, (3rd left); Carlos Ahenkorah (4th left) Harold Poelma (2nd right), President of Cargill Cocoa and Chocolate and other dignitaries at the launch

Cargill has celebrated the establishment of its own licensed buying company, Cargill Kokoo Sourcing Limited in Ghana.

The new LBC has been fully operational since November 2016 , and allows Cargill to directly source cocoa from certified farmers in Ghana for the first time, putting the farmer at the heart of the business.

So far over 25,000 farmers are registered, of which 9,000 are actively pursuing selling beans through Cargill's LBC network.

Cargill already sources directly from farmers and farmer organisations in other countries.

The event held at the Labadi Beach Hotel was attended by a deputy Minister-designate for Trade and Industry, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah; a deputy Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture, William Quaitoo; deputy Chief Executive of the COCOBOD in charge of Quality Control and Assurance, Dr. Adu Ampomah; Ambassador of the Netherlands to Ghana, H.E Ron Strikker; players in the cocoa sector and executives from Cargill's cocoa and chocolate business.

Farmers deliver their cocoa to community warehouses where their beans are digitally weighed in front of them, assigned a fully traceable bar code and funds are then transferred straight to the farmer's phone or e-wallet using e-Money through partnerships with e-Zwich, MTM mobile Money and Tigo Mobil Money.

The revolutionary move to mobile money in Ghana adds assurance for the farmer, improves their ability to trade more effectively and eradicates all risks associated with cash payments.

Details of the beans are then recorded in a standardized management system before the beans are collected by larger trucks, which transfer them to central warehouses.

Through Cargill's new bar code system, the company can now trace each individual bag of Ghanaian cocoa beans, sourced through the Cargill LBC, to the individual farm, creating a fully traceable supply chain down to farmer level for the first time in Ghana.

Lionel Soulard, Managing Director West-Africa Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate stated: We strongly believe that this way of doing business is the future for cocoa farmers in Ghana. Mobile money is the first step towards improving incomes for farmers, as we build the infrastructure and capabilities for a more efficient and effective supply chain.

Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO of COCOBOD said, We are pleased to have worked with Cargill on such an innovative project, and this shows our continued partnership with Cargill grows from strength to strength. We see this model as the future of cocoa sourcing in our country.

A business desk report


Indiscipline is certainly not one of President Akufo-Addo's hallmarks. Discipline and respect for the rule of law are and he has sacrificed so much to uphold the latter when it was threatened by politicians at various times of the country's contemporary political history.

It is for this reason that we are our wits end when some overzealous political activists go overboard in expressing themselves when faced with perceived challenges.

We have for instance witnessed a growing instance of activists in the fold of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) getting close to NDC rating indiscipline since the pendulum of power changed position.

So much has happened since the Delta Force episode and we do not intend to dwell on it beyond stating that it was but one of the instances hereby alluded to. It took the party leadership aback when it happened: it gave easy headlines to newspapers and even radio stations.

The shock we endured when it happened is almost over and all we can wish is that it never happens again in our body-politics. As for over-flogging it, the NDC would do so for want of something negative to hold on to and abundance of blemishes they have suffered.

Indiscipline continues to be the bane of our development and its replacement with orderliness in the fields of finance, good governance and social life should be the preoccupation of all Ghanaians.

Policy changes such as the ones the new administration has come up with would take about a year to manifest in the manner that would catch the eyes of the ordinary man in the street.

It is preposterous therefore to expect dividends from these changes overnight.

For those who claim to support the President, their love for him should manifest in their strict respect for the rule of law and all that he stands for.

When party supporters go to misconduct themselves at the Customs Headquarters because they have underpaid their customs duties such persons cannot be helping the President to achieve his goals.

They are selfish and insincere persons who scream at the top of their voices in support of the President but turn round to abuse the institutions of state implementing the policies of the same head of state.

A few days ago, a nasty scene was recorded when a known supporter of the ruling party virtually insulted state officers simply because they were doing their work.

No country would grow when such attitudes are allowed to grow. Ours is a country requiring progress and not retrogression.

Countries in the other hemisphere have reached their enviable statuses because of discipline. The unrivalled quality education and good governance in countries which do not come near us in terms of natural resources is because of the special place of discipline in all spheres of human endeavour.

Education in Finland is superior and full of lessons for countries like ours; the country's all-round discipline serving as an important factor.

President Akufo-Addo's vision for the country demands a radical change in our attitude and not the 'my government is in power' attitude. Thankfully the President would be the last person to condone indiscipline. If you love President Akufo-Addo, the NPP and Ghana then let discipline run through your attitude.
Wontumi at the court premises. INSET: The convicts leaving the court premises

The Kumasi Circuit Court 4 has fined the 13 Delta Force members who escaped from court a whopping GH31,200, or in default serve three years in prison.

The accused persons pleaded guilty to a charge of escaping from lawful custody and they were each fined GH2,400, totaling GH31,200.

The court, presided over by Ekow Mensah, also ordered the convicts to sign a bond of good behaviour for six months or face a two-year jail term.

Substantive Case

They are also facing charges of rioting, causing unlawful damage, conspiracy to commit crime and assault on a public officer in a different case.

The 13 men allegedly assaulted George Adjei, the Ashanti Regional Security Liaison Officer, resulting in their arrest and eventual arraignment before court.

They were handed a two-week remand sentence by the judge when suddenly, they escaped with the assistance of other eight members of the vigilante group.

The 13 people, who later surrendered themselves to the police, are still serving the two-week remand sentence. They would be in court on April 20.

The eight people that worked to ensure their escape from the court were also remanded into prison custody for one week by a different court on Monday.

Yesterday's Sitting

Counsel for the convicts, Gary Nimako, prayed the court to grant his clients bail, arguing that they were first time offenders.

He noted that the 13 people didn't have any prior intentions to escape from court, but circumstances on the day compelled them to do so.

Mr. Nimako added that the fact that his clients willingly surrendered themselves to the police later on clearly buttresses his claim.

He then pleaded with the court that the convicts are young and so the court should grant them bail to be part of society to reform.

Wontumi In Court

The Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Wontumi, was also in court.

The outspoken politician, who uncharacteristically looked calm, was said to be at the court to offer morale support to the accused persons who support the NPP.

Tight Security

In a related development, security at the court premises was for the second time running very tight, as armed policemen flooded the area.

The regional police command, which didn't want to be taken by surprise again, stationed armed men at vantage points.



FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi
(Bonn, 12 April 2017)---The United Nations Climate Change secretariat is now seeking partnerships with all stakeholders, including the private sector, in support of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference (COP 23) to be held in Bonn, Germany, on 6-17 November 2017.

During these two weeks of November, the worlds eyes will be on Bonn where thousands of government delegates and leaders from all sectors of society will gather to move forward on implementing the Paris Agreement http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php

and to increase ambition for successfully achieving sustainable development for all.

As host of COP 23, the secretariat is organizing the conference in close collaboration with the Government of Fiji, who will serve as the President of the COP, the Government of Germany, as the host country of the secretariat, along with the City of Bonn and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

This is an exciting opportunity to join forces with the secretariat as partnerships will be formally recognized and given high visibility through the UNFCCCs websites and social media channels, conference branding, media engagement activities (see an example https://vimeo.com/114299927 ) among many other opportunities to reach a global audience.

The UN Climate Change secretariat is seeking to establish partnership under the following categories:

1 General public outreach

 Public outreach activities to support the conference branding, marketing campaigns and issue-driven competitions.

 Production of marketing materials from flyers and posters to public advertisements and TV spots.

 Media partnerships, including collaborations to promote content via TV programming and social media networks, as well as tools to analyze media content.

2 Enhanced stakeholder engagement

 Financial support to ensure the presence of non-Party stakeholders such as civil society from developing countries.

3 Virtual participation

 Increasing or facilitating virtual participation through any technology that could help those who will not be at the conference to follow the UNFCCC sessions and meetings remotely; projects comprising but not limited to, making information accessible to people with disabilities including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities.

4 Sustainability

 Measuring and reducing the climate and overall environmental footprint of the conference: any technology or initiative that can help measure and reduce the events footprint.

5 Other in-kind and or financial contributions

 Proposals for partnerships outside of the categories indicated above can also be addressed by interested stakeholders.

A new, more comprehensive framework for partnering with the secretariat, including new guidelines for partnerships, is also now in place and accessible on the UNFCCC website: http://unfccc.int/secretariat/partnerships/items/10110.php

For more information about this call for partnerships ahead of COP 23, as well as the new guidelines for partnerships with the secretariat, please visit the UNFCCC website or contact [email protected]
In one of his numerous quotations, Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States of America, indicated that, Government was not the solution to our problems, but that government was the problem. This philosophy of his is not lost on we Africans, it is widely accepted within the African context as the bane of our under-development and for which basis African nations are far behind within the global competitive space.

Nonetheless, this Reagan Philosophy seems to be an antithesis of what is manifesting in the new Ghana anchored by the newly led Akufo Addo administration. I quote a local adage, that says; agr) beso a efri anapa, to wit, if the play will be good, it will depend on what happens in the morning. It is obvious that this government unlike what President Reagan conceived, is to be, a government that offers not just solutions, but, prosperity to its people through a strategic reconstruction of the national economy.

Without need for hyperbole nor flowery language to excite any political libido, I shall proceed to put the 100 days of this government under the probing lens of my microscope in efforts to share with you dear readers, nothing but verifiable facts.

I recall the words of President Akufo Addo during his investiture at the famous independence square grounds, where he acknowledged the fact that there were indeed a lot of work to be done to clean up the mess facing us as a country with a sense of optimism and the ease of a man with a plan. He was eloquent and poised to duty and in hurry to paddle the affairs of the nation onto the path of progress.

Appointments

True to his words, barely a week after his iconic investiture as the President of our republic, he began the processes of putting up his government to shape by making appointments to certain key sectors of the economy. Thus, positioning himself in the eyes of well-meaning Ghanaians as ready and able to hit the ground running.

It is important to acknowledge that, the foundation of every governance structure is crucial to its success  critical among which is the caliber and quality of its skills-set that are timely put in place to deliver on the vision of the government.

Indeed, those privileged to serve in an Akufo Addo government who were chosen amongst an array of talents within the NPP political fold are men and women of tremendous experience, exposure, action and results oriented who have over the years demonstrated competence in harnessing their energies and capabilities in translating vision into reality in their various endeavors. No wonder, despite the political polarization that has characterized our body politics, none of our citizens (definitely not spectators) of our land have been able to genuinely question the competence and quality of the team that is being assembled by the President thus far  indeed to state otherwise, is in itself an admission of self-incompetence. Aptly put, give credit when it's due.

The creation and realignment of certain ministries saw an unprecedented increase in the appointments of Ministers and their respective deputies. As expected, it generated a lot of controversies and public outcry, however, this bold move by the President was to add impetus to his government in fulfilment of his promise to the Ghanaian people to salvage the nation from the economic downturn he inherited. Even though these public outbursts were legitimately grounded and with the usual mischief by the opponents of government, to whom much is given, much is expected. The performance of this government should be able to justify this huge appointment by government.

Economy

The economy was not without turbulence. The economic indicators had plummeted. The early days of this government saw a consistent depreciating of the Ghana Cedis against the major trading currencies especially the US dollar, and the intermittent increment of fuel products by the regulatory body. This had a direct impact on the cost of living of the people. There were still complaints by some sections of Ghanaians including those in the private sector who were reasonably impatient and expectant of a decisive measure by the government to put the nation back on track. After all, they voted to the get job done and not excuses. Obviously, prices of goods spiraled and businesses were struggling to meet their overhead cost.

Thankfully, we are currently witnessing the reverse of this phenomenon. The government through its Minister of Finance presented what they christened as asempa budget to the parliament of Ghana, the representative of the people. The document outlined a number of policies that will ensure fiscal discipline and revitalize the national economy. These fiscal measures are responding positively on the economy, a reflection of which Ghanaians and businesses are already having a feel of, although, marginal. The Ghanaian Cedi has regained its strength and performing better against the US dollar. The monetary policy rate has also been reduced from 25.5% to 23.5%. Prices of fuel products has also seen further reduction in the last few weeks. There is a growing of momentum and confidence in the economy. This is a signal of a great beginning for the economy, even though, there is still work to be done to correct the economic fundamentals.

Policy Interventions/ Campaign Promises

Prior to last years general elections, a litany of promises were made, some of which were documented in the ruling partys manifesto. These promises were geared towards creating the enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and ensuring social justice for every Ghanaian, whether rural or urban dweller. The President in his maiden SONA enumerated same and announced some policy interventions that will attract the immediate attention of his government. The asempa budget captured many taxes that government was going to review or abolish.

In the light of these, many taxes which the government described as nuisance taxes were either abolished or reviewed downwards. Popular amongst which were the abolishment of levies imposed on Kayayes, abolishment of 1 percent special import levy, initiation of steps to remove import duties on raw materials, machinery for production and spare parts within the context of ECOWAS Common External Tariff protocol and 17.5 percent VAT/NHIL on domestic airline tickets. These are but a few of the interventions made by government with respect to our tax regime in other to bring relief to many businesses and households.

The restoration of the Nursing and teacher training allowance, which was a major policy intervention that the previous government shied away from is yet another great feat in fulfilment of the governments campaign pledge. There are several other interventions that has/is being initiated by government which I may not have the luxury of space to enumerate.

Energy

The three critical issues that concerns Ghanaians are the availability, reliability and the cost of power. Over the years, the unrealistic pricing and unreliability of electricity in most parts of the country raised unforgettable uproar amongst the populace  people and businesses suffered. The Akufo Addo governments much talked about vision of industrial revolution could be challenged if the status quo remains. The government had to be creative by first of all, ensuring prudence in the supply of power and downward review of the electricity tariffs which saw a reduction of the National Electrification levy from 5% to 3% and public lightening levy from 5% to 2%. Though it is early days yet, there has been a relative stability within the power sector and our electricity bills have seen some marginal reduction. Also, it is instructive to note that, government as a matter of policy, initiated steps to ensure power autonomy within the MMDCEs through the use of renewable energy.

Good Governance

Certain elements in all new governments as we have come to witness over the years have had the audacity to take laws into their own hands in efforts to wrestle certain state installations from the hands of their perceived opponents. In the wake of an Akufo Addo led government, it is safe to say that, such sentiments have been curbed and not allowed to fester as has been previously witnessed in some governments past. The President in speaking to the nation has been firm and precise in affirming his beliefs to protect every person within our jurisdiction and called on the relevant state institutions to deal decisively to any person(s) who acted contrary to the law including members of his party.

It is also safe to say that, this government has remained the most engaged and accountable in its 100 days of work. We the Ghanaian people, in the style of ministerial nomination and appointments, witnessed a novelty in the openness of the process. The Ghanaian people were presented with the highlights of the credentials of the various ministerial nominees by the President. The President also took pains to communicate the reasoning behind the realignments of their respective portfolios, especially, with regards to some of the ministries, it afforded us with the opportunity to appreciate the vision of the government in clearer terms. This singular action has enhanced the engagement between the seat of government and the people in whom they hold those position in trust.

In keeping to his promise of good governance, the President has in a few days past, issued through a press briefing a fiat against the purchase of government vehicles by public officers. This practice over the years has been a pain on the neck of successive governments and a burden on the national purse. Such a policy is a good measure to ensure discipline with respect to the capital expenditure of government and the abuse of public privileges by public officials.

Corruption

The President has shown fidelity to his commitment to fighting corruption and running a transparent and accountable government that will inure to the collective benefit of our people. He has since his ascension to the high office kept to reminding his appointees of the reasons why the Ghanaian people gave him such an overwhelming mandate.

For him, such a mandate places a higher burden of responsibility on his shoulder to be able to serve the nation with dignity, honesty and integrity  a quintessential trait of his that cannot even be extinguished by the flames of his fiercest critics.

The creation of a Minister of State at the Presidency in charge of Procurements is one of the many means the President intends to check corruption and ensure value for money with respect to all major projects within his government. It is trite knowledge that, procurement, is one of the major avenues for engaging in acts of corruption.

Security

Relatively, the security situation in the country has seen tremendous improvement but for the emergence and activities of some of the vigilante groups, notable among which is the delta force. A situation I believe my readers are familiar with as a matter of public knowledge.

What is more worthy of note, however, is how the government has handled the situation. The President has in no uncertain terms restored the people's confidence in law enforcement agencies as he continuously calls on them to deliver on their duties with neither fear nor favor. Gradually, we are moving away from the era where government stayed away from prosecuting its own who commit crimes against the state for political expediency.

Conclusion

At the turn of a 100 days into the governance of the President who was elected by an overwhelming mandate of the people of Ghana, we could not have had it better, save for a few. We are witnesses to the demonstrated actions of a poised to deliver, accountable and transparent, and a firm yet decisive government.

The finesse of delivery in a 100 days grants us surety to the depth of plans in rollout to better the lots of all Ghanaians.

Yet, as with all great plans and intentions, there is still a need for the participation and the "can-do" attitude of all well-meaning Ghanaians to take their parts as natural parts of an organism, but also, as fellow team members in combined efforts to build the nation and to constructively keep this government on its toes in its agenda to develop this country for God, Country and the kind judgment of posterity. For this is our duty as citizens and as well-meaning people participating in the creation our future.

We do not say this with the hope that the President and his government achieves perfection, but that, they together with the rest of Ghanaians achieve a Ghana capable of fulfilling the darest of dreams of its people both young and old in freedom and prosperity.

By: Chief Obosu Mohammed

NPP Member, Mfantseman
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It is Easter and Christians are remembering the life and death of Jesus Christ. In all this, the focus is on the sacrifices Jesus Christ made, the pain he went through and the rewards it brought to the world. Although none of us lived to see him, those of us who are Christians believe it and we are encouraged to emulate him.

From the account in the Bible,we are told that Jesus left his glory and SACRIFICED his life that man will get a better life. In simple everyday language, Jesus saw a need and came to fulfil it to make life better.

It is good for all Christians to reflect during Easter but as we do it is also important to think about what lessons we can pick from the life of Christ and translate it into our communities. As we celebrate Easter, I also like to pay tribute to people who are making a great difference in their communities.

The story of the MTN Heroes of Change is such an amazing story of men and women who identified a need in their communities and took steps to address that need. If you follow their stories on TV, on social media and in the newspapers, these heroes are making great sacrifices in their own unique ways. All of these heroes I am going to mention have sacrificed their time, finances, families and their own pleasures to make their communities better. They are saviours too.

These people have to be commended and recognized and I am not surprised that MTN Heroes of Change have received such huge commendations from all over the country and even outside the country. Read their stories below.

JOSEPH ASAKIBEEM: Based in Sirigu in the Upper East Region, Mr. Asakibeem provides medical aid to children born with varying deformities. These children named spirit children are treated as outcasts. Mr Asakibeem educates the community about the medical state of these children and how they can be cared for to improve their survival rates.

REV. MONSIGNOR. ALEX BOBBY BENSON : Through funding from the Catholic Church, friends and other individuals, Father Benson has been able to cater for the needs of marginalized HIV/AIDS persons. His Matthew 25 house has provided spiritual, emotional and financial support to individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. He is a savior to these people who are often rejected by members of their family and the entire society.

MICHAEL ADUSEI-NSOWAH: Through his rural eye health project, Dr. Adusei-Nsowah has helped numerous people suffering from diverse eye problems. Dr Adusei-Nsowah travels to health facilities in Asonomaso in the Ashanti Region to give medical help to people who require eye treatment. His project is largely self-funded.

REV. FR. MOSES ASAAH AWINONGYA : Through his NGO, Regentropfen Education Foundation, Rev. Asaah takes care of orphans and other needy children within Namoo in the Upper East by providing shelter and food. He set up a scholarship fund which helps brilliant but needy children go to school. He has also built a library and a university in the village of Namoo with a hostel facility that is nearing completion. Through his projects he is giving hope to many young people.

JOANA MANSAH DEEGBE: She set up a community library in Shiashie to enable children improve their reading and literacy skills. She's a lawyer and an educationist and loves to see children grow and glow into responsible citizens in future.

NANA PROF. OSEI KOFI DARKWA III : The Chief of Patriensa, Professor and President of the Ghana Technology University College has established a five year developmental program to transform his community. He has helped construct a road that has significantly cut the travel time of farmers from their farms to the market.He is also championing many education interventions in his town.

Today, I pay my respects to the six heroes whose stories are out there for all to see. There are four more to be showcased and I believe there will be time for their stories to be heard.

These people need to be commended and applauded for being the little Jesus in their generation. They saw a problem in their community and they took action. All of them faced challenges but they had to find a way of overcoming it.

These people are teaching us valuable lessons. You don't require all the resources in this world to take action. All you need is a caring heart, a stimulating mind and a restless spirit that wants to make a difference.

When we are confronted with challenges in our workplaces and communities, what do we do? We sit back and murmur. We often blame other people except ourselves. We blame Assembly men, MPs, or the government for not doing anything about it. The issues that are difficult to explain or crack we leave it to God. We hardly consider what we can do to solve that problem.

As we celebrate Easter we should not just be happy with the Easter story. We must not leave Christ alone to carry his cross. We must all look for crosses in our communities. We must be the saviours in our communities and our country. Let's not just allow the Easter to pass by without awakening the Christ within us. If we can remember the love of Christ we should also spend sometime to applaud the heroes in our communities. There are more. Just look around you and you will find many people who are living the examples of Christ, not by words, songs and prayers but through their actions

Catch the stories of the MTH Heroes of Change on GTV Saturdays 5:30; TV3, Multi TV and GHOne between 5 -7pm. The broadcast last for only 30 minutes.
Kwaku Agyemang-Manu and Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare with some dignitaries unveiling the new COD statistics

Minister of Health Kwaku Agyemang-Manu has assured service providers of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) that government is working assiduously to pay claims owed them.

According to the minister, settling the debts that the NHIA owes service providers is a top priority for government and the Health Ministry.

The NHIA owes health service providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) claims for the past seven months due to untimely release of funds to the NHIA.

The delay in the release of the funds has led to some facilities reverting to the cash-and-carry system.

However, Mr Agyemang-Manu stated that claims will be paid within the shortest possible time, adding that most health facilities have received their April 2016 claims as government works to pay that of May to October last year.

The president has charged the Finance and Health Ministries to regularise disbursement of funds to the NHIA let me assure you that every month I will get something, he said.

He was speaking at the 2017 Ghana Health Service (GHS) senior management meeting and dashboard and improved cause of death statistics workshop themed: 'transforming from MDGs to SDGs: the vital role of measurement for impact'.

Improved Cost of Death Statistics

The District Health Information Management System (DHIMS) of the Ghana Health Service deployed in 2012 to capture health data has revealed that only 25 percent of cause of deaths in health facilities is recorded.

Thus, in order to improve the health service data collection, including cause of death (COD) statistics, the GHS launched the DHIMS2 which is operational in 216 districts.

The service has moved a step further to create a new COD data to be a new medical COD certificate aligned to international standards.

Mr Agyemang-Manu, unveiling the new statistics, lamented the low record of COD in the country and urged the authorities involved to scale up their activities, especially with the introduction of the newly-improved COD statistics.

Casual Workers

The health minister also used the platform to warn against the engagement of casual staff beyond six months as stipulated by the labour law.

He, thus, advised the heads of the various institutions to regularise the workers under that category with the GHS or discontinue their engagement in order to avoid any unfortunate incidence.

I have directed the chef director that people employed as casual worker should cease immediately because the dangers have manifested in other facility, he said.

The Director General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Anthony Nsiah-Asare, in his remarks, laid emphasis on leveraging ICT in the health sector.

I will provide leadership for sustainable ICT to improve quality healthcare and strengthen the system for data governance and decision making. We will, therefore, employ Tele-nursing and mobile Medicare to provide services, especially in rural areas, he said.

Dr Nsiah-Asare also mentioned that district hospitals, in collaboration with teaching hospitals, will have consultants upon arrangements to help medical practitioners gain practical experience from specialist.

He later called on development partners who want to assist to support the initiatives.

By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
The ministers in a group photograph with the regional minister and his deputy

The Western Regional Minister, Dr Kweku Afriyie has appealed to the clergy to embark on sustained crusade against same-sex marriage in the country.

He indicated that it has become difficult for politicians to speak against homosexuality because of the rule of law.

Dr Afriyie explained that in a democratic system, same-sex marriage could be accepted if the majority deemed it fit.

So you cannot expect governments or politicians to be at the forefront on the crusade against homosexuality. It is rather in the realm of pastors and other religious leaders to lead this crusade, he stressed.

The Regional Minister stated this when members of the Sekondi-Takoradi Ministers Network paid a courtesy call on him and his deputy, Gifty Eugenia Kusi at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Sekondi.

He disclosed that even though the practice could be legalized if the majority of Ghanaians accept it, the citizens should not compromise on their cultural values.

Even though I don't like polygamy, but I want to know why some Ghanaians will push for the criminalization of polygamy but want homosexuality be decriminalized, he quizzed.

He mentioned that the principle for marriage, which is also in line with African cultural values, is between a man and a woman, indicating that this is supposed to be the foundation for every family as prescribed by God.

Therefore, for a man to marry a man and a woman to marry a woman is very ungodly and unnatural.

This will ultimately lead to a morally decayed nation, so please I am urging you don't be afraid to speak against same-sex marriage, he stressed.

Rev Timothy Ennor of the Presbyterian Church in Takoradi told Dr Afriyie that the churches in the region would support him in prayers to succeed as a regional minister.

He, however, admonished the regional minister and his deputy to work hard to achieve the vision of the President for the region.

There might be some people who will want to discourage you or pull you down in the discharge of your duties but be focused and know that the Lord is with you, Rev Timothy Ennor stated.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi


President, Mr. Meghan presenting the Cheque to the Headmaster of the school, Rev Father Pascal Afesi

Some old students of the St. Mary's Seminary Senior High School (SMASCO) at Lolobi in the Hohoe Municipality have instituted scholarship scheme for the school to improve on academic excellence.

The scholarship will see the best students in Science, General Arts and Business in the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) receive GH1,000 each to pay part of their tertiary education fees.

The scholarship which was instituted by the 1991-year group of the school is also to motivate the students to put up their best in their final examinations.

George Megbenu, President of the St Mary's Old Boys Association 91-year group, (SMOBA 91) in an interview with DAILY GUIDE explained that the scholarship was the year group's small way of raising academic excellence and discipline among the students. It also marked 25 years' anniversary of the group after they left school.

Mr. Megbenu also disclosed that apart from the scholarship package, the 91-year group has over the past years been contributing in diverse ways to the school to make life easier for the students.

They have also instituted a motivational package for teachers who supervise students in the evening during prep hours. This, he noted, is to appreciate the efforts of teachers who spend extra hours after school with students which they could have otherwise spent with their families.

We have also donated some reading materials towards the school's participation in the 2017 National Science and Maths Quiz as well as installed ceiling fans in all the classrooms to provide comfort during classes hours. Apart from that we have done so many things just to make sure that the school that moulded us into what we are today continues to produce academically and morally brilliant human resources for mother Ghana.

The Headmaster of SMASCO, Rev. Father Pascal Afesi who received the cheque on behalf of the school commended the 91-year group for the gesture and urged other year groups to emulate their gesture.

He stressed that the school currently lacks infrastructural facilities as all the ongoing GETFund projects in the school have stalled due to lack of funds. This he noted is causing congestions in the classrooms, dormitories and dining hall.

He has therefore called on government to come to aid of the school.

Gibril Abdul Razak, Ho ( [email protected] )
Even though a three-week ultimatum has been given by the Minister of Lands and Forestry to 'galamsey' operators to seize operations, it seems the call has fallen on deaf ears. At Timiabu in the Nkoranza North District the group has set camp with heavy earth moving machinery to engage in the menace.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Nana Nyarko, the chief of Timiabu who sold the land to the 'galamsey' people, he said the people came to tell him that they wanted land to cultivate cashew plantation and so he did not see anything wrong with that. He confirmed that even though the Timiabu village is known since time immemorial to be sitting on gold, it never occurred to them that anyone will like to extract gold there without the knowledge of the government. Nana Nyarko said the amount the people paid for the acquisition of the 1600 acres of fertile land was shared among some chiefs in Nkoranza and as such he did not pocket the money alone as being rumoured by the youth of the town.

The queenmother of Timiabu who looked so peeved said some people first came to her to look for that particular land to mine gold but she refused because she has seen how gold miners have degraded some lands in this country anytime she watched TV and she will never give in to such destroyers of the environment. According to Nana Saah, there are about two thousand settler farmers on the land, cultivating maize, yam, cassava, beans etc but sadly since the 'galamseyers' started operation they have served them notice to quit else their houses would be mowed down by the heavy machines.

Nana Saah revealed that the police at Busuya, the district capital have compromised on the issue and even protect the 'galamseyers' anytime they went on site. She said what is most disturbing is that some of the tenant farmers have lived there close to seventy years and as such it is unacceptable for such persons to be displaced. She appealed to the government to wade into the matter to avoid violence since the youth of Timiabu, who are predominantly farmers would not take it lightly.

FROM Eric Bawah, Timiabu


Parliament on Friday rose for the Easter break, with the Speaker of Parliament, Prof Mike Oquaye assuring that the new code of conduct will seriously engage the attention of Parliament when it resumes in May.

He said Parliament would focus on getting in place the new code of conduct, which is under consideration, to specify the conduct of MPs in Parliament and beyond.

He said the new code of conduct would bring sanity and respect to MPs and the House as a whole.

The new code of conduct was initiated during the tenure of the immediate past speaker, Edward Doe Adjaho, who said there was the need for such a code of conduct to guide MPs in their conduct on the floor of the House and beyond.

Delivering brief remark to end the first meeting of the first session of the 7th Parliament on Friday, the speaker said there was the urgent need to finalize the code of conduct to ensure that MPs do not go overboard in their public and private engagements and to earn inordinate respect for MPs and Parliament as a whole.

The speaker also spoke about the need for the next meeting which will begin in May to start looking at Private Members' Bills, which are bills to be initiated by individual MPs on pertinent social issues and how these issues could be tackled through legislations.

He expressed his gratitude to the MPs for fully assisting him to steer the affairs of the House during the first meeting.

Prof Mike Oquaye, however, expressed his unhappiness with the way in which some MPs absented themselves from Parliament and also not reporting punctually to the House.

He expressed the hope that such attitudes would change when the next meeting begins in May.

The minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu said the minority will always work to ensure that parliament plays its oversight role well to ensure that there is always value for money.

He also condemned the recent attack on the courts by Delta Force, a vigilante group supposedly aligned to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and said the government must put its foot down to nib these serious attacks on the citizenry in the bud.

The majority leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, also condemned the attacks by the Delta Force and said the NPP as a government will not condone such attacks.

He admonished the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be moderate in criticising the NPP government over the attacks since they (NDC) superintended over atrocities by their supporters when they were in government.

Meanwhile, the House has approved the nomination of MP for Effutu, Alex Afenyo-Markin to replace the Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, O.B. Amoah in the ECOWAS Parliament.

Mr Amoah stepped down after he was appointed by the President.

In the same vein, the deputy majority leader and NPP MP for Dome/Kwabenya, Adwoa Safo, who was appointed a minister of state by the president, also resigned from the Pan African Parliament.

She has been replaced by the MP for Agona West, Cynthia Morrision, whose nomination was also approved on Friday.

The protocol of ECOWAS Parliament does not allow a minister or member of the Executive to be appointed to the Parliament.

By Thomas Fosu Jnr


Ngomoromo (Uganda) (AFP) - In the no man's land between South Sudan and Uganda wind lashes though scrubland, whipping hot dust into the eyes of David Otong Oroma and his sister as they struggle to push their heavily laden motorbike over the border.

The pair fled from the South Sudanese town of Pajok, an ethnic Acholi agricultural and trading community which pro-government forces attacked on Monday 3 April, killing at least 85 people, according to witnesses.

Refugees told AFP how soldiers from the government's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), along with allied militiamen, entered the town with armoured vehicles and unleashed violence against civilians in the latest bloody episode of a three-year civil war.

"Anybody they found there they would just shoot," said Otong, 36, a counsellor who works with deaf people.

"Those SPLA they term us all as rebels and they kill us. That is why I ran to the bush."

After days of increasing tension as SPLA soldiers surrounded Pajok, shortly before 8am on that Monday -- just as people were getting ready for work and school -- a gun mounted armoured vehicle burst onto the main street.

Men wearing SPLA uniforms followed behind and immediately opened fire - apparently targeting male civilians.

'Not a normal operation'



Newly arrived refugee children from South Sudan are given food food and drinks at the Ngomoromo border post, on the Ugandan side, where 830,000 South Sudanese have fled

Robert, 31, a maths teacher and community leader who preferred not to give his last name, knew immediately that this attack was different from previous skirmishes.

"Three civilians had already been killed in those first minutes and the place was covered in soldiers. Seeing the government breaking down doors and looting the properties - that was not a normal operation. We had to make a quick decision to evacuate the civilian population," he said.

From the lion's face insignia on their badges, witnesses recognised soldiers from the notorious Lion Brigade unit commanded by SPLA general Santino Deng Wol, mixed with the khaki uniforms of the National Security Service -- a feared intelligence organ.

In this region, Pajok is seen as sympathetic to a fractured and diverse rebel force linked to former vice president Riek Machar, fighting government troops loyal to his foe President Salva Kiir.

A power struggle between the two men led to an outbreak of civil war just two years after South Sudan won independence.

The conflict initially pitted Kiir's Dinka supporters against Machar's Nuer community, but fighting has metastasised with other ethnic groups taking sides or turning against each other.

Refugees described how Acholi militiamen from neighbouring Magwi -- which is pro-government -- attacked alongside regular soldiers.

"The crisis in South Sudan is basically ethnic. Here Acholi people were used against their fellow Acholi," said Robert.

Kiir is regularly accused of unleashing private militias in the fight against the rebels.

South Sudan government spokesman Michael Makuei last week confirmed to AFP that troops had gone to take Pajok from the rebels.

"In any fighting there must be casualties," he said.

'We counted 85 dead'



A newly arrived refugee child from South Sudan sleeps on a dirty floor at the Ngomoromo border post, Uganda

Okumu Philip Paulino, 29, escaped being shot by rolling on the ground as bullets flew overhead.

He was arrested, beaten and taken to the Atebi River Hotel in the centre of town where Deng had set up a command post.

Later that day, Deng identified the warehouse manager as being particularly well-educated among the prisoners, and he was sent out to tally the number of dead in the streets.

"We counted 85 people including three ladies," said Philip.

"I organised the youth among the prisoners and asked to be allowed to bury the bodies. I carried the first person to be shot - Charles Ogeno. He died and I carried him. All my body was covered in blood.

"Then we buried together a man called Onen, then Jacob, then Paul, then Amos - they shot him with his hands up. I tried to carry him while he was still alive but the blood was coming from his body and I couldn't lift him until his life had completed."

Exhausted and overcome by the stench of bodies decomposing in the heat, Philip is haunted by those he could not bury.

"I pulled a 17-year-old girl and her mother who had been shot from the river because people were using the water ... I was very tired - I didn't have the energy to bury them. I put a big stone by another man and covered him in a tarpaulin."

Inside an army barracks, Philip found the bodies of 18 men and a woman.

Soldiers take turns raping



Refugees from South Sudan receive a portion of sorghum at the Ngomoromo border post, Uganda

A day after the attack, a woman approached Philip and said that she had been raped.

"She said one soldier was keeping people away by shooting a bullet while another" raped her, said Philip. The two men then traded places.

"I gave her painkillers and took her to the commander who punished the soldiers. He gave them 100 lashes and released them."

The feared SPLA general Deng has been on a UN sanctions list since mid-2015 facing allegations of war crimes.

Along with a few other men, Philip eventually escaped after convincing Deng that he was going to collect his family and return.

He made it to a makeshift refugee camp where some 5,000 Pajok residents are living in squalor inside the Ugandan border. The UN refugee agency plans to move them to a more formal settlement.

Uganda already hosts over 830,000 South Sudanese refugees -- some in what is now the world's largest refugee camp -- who are given a plot of agricultural land and are free to move around the country.

However, with no end in sight to the war, questions are being raised about how sustainable the response is.

Glancing over his shoulder in the direction of Pajok, David Oroma, like many refugees, says he will never return.

"It's better to die somewhere in hell rather than South Sudan."
Lusaka (AFP) - Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been charged with treason after allegedly refusing to give way to President Edgar Lungu's motorcade on a main road, police said Wednesday.

Hichilema, who has refused to recognise Lungu as president, was accused of deliberately endangering his life in the high-speed incident at the weekend.

"We have charged Hichilema and five others with treason," Zambian police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka.

"The opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the presidential motorcade in an attempt to put the life of the republican president in danger."

The accused, who include Hichilema's aides, have also been charged with disobeying lawful orders and use of insulting language.

Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of death.

The state-owned Zambia Daily Mail said that Hichilema's motorcade ignored police attempts to clear the road between Limulunga and Mongu, 500 kilometres (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka.

"The behaviour of Mr Hichilema and his cohorts was not only a senseless act of disrespect to the presidency but also endangered the life of the head of state and many other people," it said in an editorial.

Police raid

More than 100 armed police surrounded Hichilema's house outside Lusaka early on Tuesday and tear gas was fired before a raid when he was taken into custody.

Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND) said Tuesday that he had done nothing wrong and criticised the raid as "barbaric" after his wife and children were trapped and choked by gas.

Hichilema has launched several legal attempts to challenge the August election result, which he lost narrowly.

He says that the vote was rigged and accuses Lungu of an unprecedented bout of political repression in Zambia, which has been known for its relative stability.

The election campaign was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party and the UPND.

Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman known as "HH", has run for president five times.

International observers said the election was marred by restrictions on opposition campaigning, voter intimidation and biased state media.

Last October, Hichilema and party vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba were arrested for unlawful assembly and sedition when they tried to visit supporters in jail.

Zambia, Africa's second biggest copper producer, recorded GDP growth of three percent last year -- its slowest rate since 1998.

"HH could be detained for some time, so this will suit the ruling party who want to silence the dialogue about the election result not being recognised," independent political analyst Neo Simutanyi told AFP.
Most Rev. Gabriel A.A. Mante, Bishop of Jasikan, has re-launched the Arbor Week celebration in the Diocese with a call on the Priests, Religious and lay faithful to intensify education on tree planting.

He asked for the extension of the tree planting to Schools, families, in the Media and embarking on catechesis, there is the firm hope and conviction that we shall not turn our backs on it and allow it to fail.

Bishop Mante said the re-launch on Tuesday April 11, was aimed at an ecological conversion and responsible change of direction in relationship with the environment.

Arbor Day, which is observed in many countries, is a day set aside to encourage individuals and groups to plant and care for trees as part of efforts to fight climate change. It is celebrated at the beginning of the raining season.

He said it was a response to the invitation of Pope Francis to seriously listen, consider and resolve to help repair the damage humanity was causing the earth our common home.

Dilating on the Pope Francis Encyclical Laudato Si, Bishop Mante said its name was taken from the invocation of the Canticles of creatures by St. Francis of Assisi: Laudato Si Praise be to you, my Lord through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and govern us, and who produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.

The Canticle, he said, called to mind that the earth, our common home, is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.

He said the Holy Father brings to the attention a very important fact that we and the rest of the world where forests are suffering cannot ignore, noting that it has brought all persons and peoples into dialogue, all institutions and organizations that share this same concern for our common home.

He noted that re-launch was also to share in the hope and conviction of Pope Francis that despite the mistreatment, abuse and laments of Mother Earth, all is not lost and that human being while capable of the worst, are also capable of rising above themselves, choosing again what is good and making a new start.

He noted that in 1998, the Ghana catholic Bishops Conference launched a tree planting programme in Kumasi, to be carried out annually in the first week of June of which Jasikan Diocese launched it in the last week of May 1998 during the Annual Diocesan pilgrimage to Tokuroano.

The Bishop lamented that the programme in the Diocese suffered the same fate as the national one, because the success or failure of the national programme depended on those of the Diocesan ones.

He said by the re-launching the Week, Catholics in the Diocese were being encouraged to plant trees to safeguard the earth and its natural resources, and avoid the unprecedented destruction of the environment.

He stated that Our re-launch of the Arbor Week, even if it has not yet affected this part of Ghana is our unqualified admission of the truth that we have destroyed extensive areas of the land of Ghana through mining, whether legal or illegal.

He noted that it was an acceptance that Ghanaians were needlessly causing costly damage to the major rivers and other water bodies in the country, stressing that we are poorly informed and unaware of the damage to our health and untimely deaths due to the use of dangerous chemicals as mercury and cyanide are causing high and vibrant proportion of Ghanas population.

To commemorate the re-launching, the Priests, Religious and lay faithful joined the Bishop to plant trees, a sign of encouragement to others to also embark on tree planting in their various communities.

The Bishop prayed that in the next five years, the communities in the Diocese become a forest hence avoid suffering from the climate change and global warming.

In an interview with the faithful, they noted that the re-launch would help them appreciate and understand the importance of a clean and sound environment.
Minerals have always been in Ghana. Before 1471, when the first white Europeans found their feet on this land, the land was already mineral filled. These Visitors from outside Africa named Ghana Gold Coast because they could literally see and pick gold from the sand. Extraction of gold therefore began long before the Europeans arrived in Ghana in 1471.

It is estimated that between 1471 and 1888, 14 million ounces of gold (35,000 ounces per annum) were produced. (WACAM, 2012)

Artisanal mining popularly referred to as galamsey by indigenous people pre-dates the period of contact with foreigners, who landed on our shores to trade in gold, ivory and slaves. Mining (galamsey) was however carried out as an off-season economic activity on marginal lands by people who were mainly farmers.

The indigenous methods of gold mining used then have been described as superior because of the zero usage of chemicals and the absence of heavy machinery.

Rivers and sacred sites were adequately protected through religious beliefs and the conflict between mining and other land use systems was very minimal because the Farmer-Miners did not want their off-season mining activities on marginal lands to destroy their capacity to sustain their farming activities.( Owusu-Koranteng D. et al, 2017)

Large-scale mining then started around1880 at Tarkwa and 1898 at Obuasi.(WACAM, 2012)

As at 1983, 5 mining companies operated in Ghana, 13 companies operated in the 1990s; the Government granted more than 200 mining leases resulting in mining companies holding 30% of the countrys land surface area in mining concessions (Vital Statistics, 1998).

The surface mining operations create a major land use conflict between farming and mining, where large tracts of fertile farmlands are ceded to mining companies for surface mining operations. For example, AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi Mine) control almost 400km2 land as its concession. (Owusu-Koranteng D. et al, 2017)

With all of these mining companies flooding our forests and shores, it is expected that the country and the people will benefit from the business. However, the opposite has been the case.

Ross (2001) indicates that most of the worlds mineral-dependent states are concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa and an initial assessment suggests that the economies of these countries are not performing well. According Ross, twelve of the worlds most mineral-dependent states including Ghana and six of the worlds 25 most oil-dependent states are classified by the World Bank as Highly Indebted Poor Countries (Ross Michael 2001).

An assessment of the performance of Mining in Ghana by the World Banks Operations Evaluation Department (OED) stated the following:

It is unclear what gold mining true benefits are to Ghana. Large scale mining by foreign companies has high import content and produces only modest amounts of net foreign exchange for Ghana after accounting for all its outflows. Similarly, its corporate tax payments are low due to various fiscal incentives necessary to attract and retain foreign investors. Employment creation is also modest given the highly capital intensive nature of modern surface mining techniques. Local communities affected by large scale mining have seen little benefits to date in the form of improved infrastructure or services provision because much of the rents from mining are used to finance recurrent, not capital expenditure. A broader cost-benefit analysis of large scale mining that factors in social and environmental costs and includes consultations with the affected communities needs to be undertaken before granting future production licences ( http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servelt/WDS_IBank_Servlet?pcont=details&eid=000094946_03081404004344 )

According to Aryeetey et.al.(2004) liberalisation of the mining sector in Ghana has generally led to a decrease in employment partly as a result of the new technologies and the labour rationalisation introduced into the sector and partly because of the weak linkages of mining with other sectors of the economy. Aryeetey further posits that the closer you get to the mining communities, the poorer the people become.

The blame game being played between the so-called legal and illegal (Galamsey) on water and environmental pollution rages on. The simple truth is that both legal and illegal mining operations have contributed to the pollution of our river bodies. Mining, whether licensed or unlicensed is characterized by series of problems. (Frimpong, K. 2012) Indeed, artisanal mining Galamsey has seen tremendous change in the period of the third gold rush.

Artisanal mining, which used to be a pickaxe and shovel activity with the use of mercury for gold extraction on a lower scale has become a medium to large-scale mining operations based on heavy machinery and the use of the heap leach method, which goes with the use of cyanide, has become the standard practice for Galamsey operators.

The lessons on the use of cyanide for processing of gold and heavy machinery for excavation have been learnt by artisanal miners from the operations of large surface mines by multinational mining companies. (Owusu-Koranteng D. et al, 2017)

The level of displacement of indigenous people from their lands and the payment of low compensation by mining companies, have served as push factors for many agrarian based communities, especially the youth, into illegal mining operations.

The Writer is a journalist, student leader, youth/political activist

Kwasi Frimpong

+233201833775

[email protected]
The assertion by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that the Delta Force problem is under control in Kumasi is one of the ways we have persistently attempted to resolve national issues, irrespective of political party and leadership, leaving the issues to fester on to assume a life of their own (News about Akufo-Addos claim here: http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Kumasi-troubles-under-control-Akufo-Addo-527640). Bringing the Delta Force uprising in Kumasi under control is yet another demonstration of the halfhearted attempt at resolving a national crisis that requires the commitment of political leadership to uproot the menace once and for all.

In this piece, I argue that there is a triumvirate relationship between political vigilantism, galamseyism, and the land guard syndrome. Thus, the attempt to portray the temporary cessation of the Delta Force mayhem in Kumasi as having brought the lawlessness that has engulfed Ghana under control is a demonstration of poor political leadership which the president will own as a legacy.

All of a sudden, the Ghanaian is concerned about Delta Force and Galamsey. What about the third whammy, the land guard syndrome? Can we effectively deal with the lawlessness that has engulfed our dear country by dealing with Galamsey and political vigilantism without dealing with the third evil, the land guard syndrome?

The triumvirate relationship between these three evils is undeniable. While elections tend to be seasonal, galamsey activities and the land guard syndrome are two evils Ghanaians have to put up with on daily basis. Together, the three have become the new normal in Ghana. In 1997, I bought my first piece of land at Ablekuma, a suburb of Accra. On the instigations of the middleman, I put up a chamber and hall on this piece of land only for land guards to pull it down and left threatening inscriptions on part of the wall that was left standing. It was around the time Owusu Sekyere (alias Kweku Ninja) and his pal, Jerry Wornu (alias Taller), were murdered in cold blood by suspected land guards.

After the murder of those two individuals, the issue of land guard took center stage but not for the right reasons. The short sighted reason the issue took center stage was how to locate the killers of Kweku Ninja and Taller and to also locate the cadaver of the two. While one would have expected the police service in collaboration with military to design a comprehensive strategy to deal with the menace of the land guard syndrome, soon after locating the cadaver of the two, we all went to sleep, waiting for the next killing that would create another sensation to tickle our hyperactive emotions.

Since the killing of Kweku Ninja and Taller, many private developers have been harassed, some maimed, and others killed for the simple reason that they dared to invest in a landed property in Ghana. In some of these cases, it is not difficult to trace the trouble to the doorsteps of some high-ups in the Ghanaian society.

The recent case involving Tony Lithur, John Dramani Mahamas lawyer, and a senior police officer, Commissioner of Police Mr. J. Oppong-Boanuh is a typical example of the lawlessness in land administration that can be traced to the doorsteps of those in authority. While Lithur found it expedient to file a suit in a court of jurisprudence to restrain Oppong-Boanuh, the latter found it more convenient to deploy armed guards to protect what he claims to be rightfully his. As observable, the two are using their professional networks to pursue what each of them thinks rightfully belongs to him.

The question is: what about the ordinary citizen of the land who lacks these professional influences? Clearly, if the disagreement between either of the two and an ordinary citizen, it is obvious that they would have employed all kinds of methods, including the use of violence to frustrate that individual. This suggestion is not farfetched, based on the behavior of these prominent citizens of the land. If the senior police officer could not adhere to due process but employ armed guards to terrorize his opponent who had chosen to use the law, it only confirms the lawlessness and the impunity that has become the daily staple that is being visited on the ordinary Ghanaian day in day out.

I must be quick to point out that I cited this case because it is recent and active. I am aware of some Ministers of State and parliamentarians both in the current and the previous administrations who are deeply associated with some of these thugs who go around neighborhoods terrorizing private developers, maiming some and stealing from them, and even killing some of them. Have we not heard that some land guards have become members of parliament and/or ministers of state?

Political Vigilantism as seasonal

The question then is how do you deal with the current spate of lawlessnesspolitical vigilantism and galamseywithout dealing with the land guard syndrome. First, it should be noted that political vigilantism is a seasonal phenomenon. In the life of Ghanas 4th Republic, the phenomenon of political vigilantism picks up or peaks in an election year. As an election observer with the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) in 2000, I observed the activities of these groups from a very close vantage point and have been raising concerns over their activities ever since. In 2009, when the NDC took office, we are all aware of the widespread attacks by individuals belonging to some of these groups on state institutions for similar reasons Delta Force is in the news today.

Perhaps the effrontery with which Delta Force has carried out its raids, extending them to the national security apparatus and the courts is what has incensed every Ghanaian to begin to speak about the issue of vigilantism. But a closer look at this issue reveals a few patterns. Elections being seasonal, the activities of these vigilante groups fizzle with the elections. But the land guard syndrome and galamsey activities have always served as a huge reservoir for some of these individuals, if not most of them, to return to. Once the elections are over and the tensions associated with them begin to fizzle, these individuals, apart from those who are coopted into the security services by the winning party as the case has been, find their way back into galamsey and land guard activities. Others are on constant standby to be employed for a fee against perceived enemies or as a debt collectors.

Having followed the current debate on the issue of political vigilantism cum galamsey activities fervidly, I am of the view that the third component of the phenomenon, which is the land guard syndrome, has been left completely untouched. I have listened to representatives of some of our Ghanaian think tanks, for example IMANI and OccupyGhana; the Clergy, politicians, and people from all walks of life. It is heartwarming to hear most of these individuals, including people who belong to the staunchly opposed political persuasions in Ghana, the NPP and the NDC, for once, agree that political vigilantism and galamsey activities pose a great risk to the peace and security of Ghana.

What is, however, missing in the equation is the failure of all these groups to integrate the land guard syndrome into the equation. The land guard syndrome remains the third angle of the trianglepolitical-vigilantism-galamseyism-cum-land-guard-syndromethat completes this triumvirate relationship. Failure to integrate the land guard syndrome into the equation implies failure to deal with the problem holistically. Once the political season is over and galamsey activities come squarely under the radar of the security services, we will see an increase in land guard activities.

The point is that members of political vigilante groups that are not fortunate to find their way into the security services would consider other means of livelihood similar to what they already know too wellthe use of excessive force to perceived targets to comply with their illegal demands. In this regard, being a land guard is simply a naturally shift.

Thus, the eradication of this high level of insecurity and impunity from the Ghanaian society requires a holistic approach to dealing with the problem. The problem will not go away if we choose to deal with it along partisan lines. The problem will not go away if we do not consider the multifaceted aspects of it. There is an integrated approach to dealing with this issue. A holistic approach to these issues should include investigating even some of our ministers, parliamentarians, and individuals in uniform who aid some of these criminals. A stitch in time saves nine!

Prosper Yao Tsikata, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Communication
12.04.2017 LISTEN

Shama (WR), April 12, GNA - Fishmongers in the Western Region, have been advised to use smokeless oven for fish processing in order to safeguard their health and that of fish consumers.

The smokeless oven also known as 'Ahotor Oven' was introduced by the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) after a research by the Fish Research Institute (FRI) and approved by the Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana Standard Authority (GSA).

Madam Gifty Baaba Asmah, the Executive Director of Daasgift Quality Foundation, a financial NGO, made the call at the commissioning of 'Ahotor Oven' in Shama, in the Western Region, on Tuesday.

She urged fish processors to patronise the oven in view of its economic benefits, adding that it saves fish processors 40 percent of the cost of firewood used for processing fish and prevent them from inhaling smoke.

She said the oven had already been introduced to fish processors in Elmina and Winneba in the Central Region, and the NGO had been educating fish processors in the Shama District and Nzema East Municipality as well as other coastal communities in the Region to embrace the innovation for the sake of their health and safety.

Madam Asmah assured them that the SFMP would pay 30 percent of the cost of the oven, which stood at GH1,500.00 and that the NGO was collaborating with GN Bank, which would provide loans to interested fish processors to purchase the oven.

Madam Asmah advised fish processors to strictly adhere to personal hygiene during fish processing, by keeping their surroundings clean, keeping the fishes in an iced-box and wear gloves and other protective gear.

Nana Kwesi Akon, District Chief Fisherman, said fish was one of the most traded commodities in the world and constituted more than 60 percent of animal protein consumed by many people and, therefore, encouraged fishmongers to embrace the technology to safeguard their health and that of their consumers.

He called on the District Assembly to give financial assistance to the fish mongers who were ready to acquire the Ahotor Oven, this he noted, would help the women to provide quality fish for both the local and international markets.

He commended SFMP and Daasgift for introducing the Ahotor Oven to fish mongers in the Western Region and encouraged all fishmongers in the Region to patronise the Oven.

Nana Akon urged them to always observe fire safety measures any time they used the oven to avoid any domestic fire.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the 'Feed the Future' initiative introduced by the US President Barack Obama, to reduce poverty and hunger in Africa, thus committed funds towards the implementation of the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project in 2014.

The project, among other things, aimed at rebuilding the marine fish stocks through the adoption of sustainable fishing practices and exploitation levels.

The fishing industry offers more than two million indirect jobs to Ghanaians and contributed as much as 4.5 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at some point in time.

GNA
Accra, April 12, GNA - Cargill has celebrated the establishment of its own Licensed Buying Company (LBC), Cargill Kokoo Sourcing Ltd, in Ghana.

The new LBC has been fully operational since November 2016, and allows Cargill to directly source cocoa from certified farmers in Ghana for the first time - putting the farmer at the heart of its business.

So far over 25,000 farmers are registered, of which 9,000 are actively pursuing selling beans through Cargill's LBC network.

Cargill's innovative high-tech purchasing model is built on the principles of sustainability and full traceability in Ghana.

Farmers deliver their cocoa to community warehouses where their beans are digitally weighed in front of them, assigned a fully traceable bar code and funds are then transferred straight to the farmer's phone or e-wallet using E-money through partnerships with E-Zwich, MTN mobile Money and Tigo Mobil Money.

The revolutionary move to mobile money in Ghana adds assurance for the farmer to improve their ability to trade more effectively and eradicates all risks associated with cash payments.

Details of the beans are then recorded in a standardized management system before the beans are collected by larger trucks, which transfer them to central warehouses.

Through Cargill's new bar code system, the company can now trace each individual bag of Ghanaian cocoa beans, sourced through the Cargill LBC, to the individual farm, creating a fully traceable supply chain down to farmer level for the first time in Ghana.

Speaking on the importance of working with partners to introduce the new payment system into rural areas in Ghana, Mr Lionel Soulard, Managing Director West-Africa Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate said 'Never before has it been more critical for cocoa farmers in Ghana to be the master of their own destiny and improve their own livelihoods'.

He said with the introduction of an innovative digital payment system, or mobile money for short, this first-of-its kind initiative at scale in Ghana is creating a great opportunity for smallholder finance at the farm level.

'We strongly believe that this way of doing business is the future for cocoa farmers in Ghana. Mobile money is the first step towards improving incomes for farmers, as we build the infrastructure and capabilities for a more efficient and effective supply chain. Our aim is to create an enabling environment for smallholder finance for the future, resulting in better entrepreneurial spirit already noticeable at the farmer level,' Mr Soulard said.

He said having long standing relations with cocoa farmers and their communities is critical for the full implementation of our sustainability approach and we now intend to expand our existing sustainability activities to enable farming communities to benefit from training, community and farm development support.

He said Cargill planned to scale up existing activities to enable the current 9000 farmers dealing with the LBC to benefit from good agricultural practice training, community development, farm development and support in line with the COCOBOD strategy.

He said developing our sourcing capabilities in the world's second largest cocoa producing country is an essential step to meet growing customer demand for sustainable, certified cocoa.

'We are excited to continue this sustainability journey in Ghana, in partnership with COCOBOD, to address key challenges for our industry such as deforestation. Together, we are investing in the next generation of cocoa farmers and supporting the development of farmer aggregates,' said Soulard.

'We look forward to building on our long history in the country and to embracing innovative sustainability practices and the latest technologies along the way. Above all else, we are committed to improving the livelihoods of Ghanaian cocoa farmers and their communities for generations to come,' he added.

Mr. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO from COCOBOD, said: 'We are pleased to have worked with Cargill on such an innovative project, and this shows our continued partnership with Cargill grows from strength to strength. We see this model as the future of cocoa sourcing in our country. COCOBOD will continue to work with all stakeholders in the sector to support the livelihoods of the farmers to bring about efficiency in production and at the same time environmental sustainability and transparency in the sector.'

The introduction of this model reflects Cargill's commitment to transform the Ghanaian cocoa sector for the benefit of all stakeholders, and reaffirms the Cargill Cocoa Promise, Cargill's commitment to improving the lives of cocoa farmers and their communities and, in doing so, securing a long-term supply of cocoa.

GNA
12.04.2017 LISTEN

Cape Coast, April 12, GNA - The Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), Professor George K.T Oduro has challenged teachers to take active participation in national discourse on education as it was crucial in the country's pursuit of the 'Agenda 2030'.

The Sustainable Development Goal four (SDG-four) enjoins countries to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and the promotion of lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030.

He said it was only when teachers engaged in national discourse on educational matters that they would become committed to teaching methods that would develop critical thinking minds for the development of the nation.

Prof Oduro threw the challenge during the 5th quadrennial and 52nd delegates' conference of the Cape Coast Metropolitan branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) on Tuesday.

The conference was on the theme: 'Transforming societies through education: the contribution of teachers towards agenda 2030'.

Prof Oduro said the inability of teachers to actively participate in nation-related matters had led to situations where teachers were constantly blamed for the 'quality related woes' facing the educational sector in the country.

He said it was not proper for teachers to remain unconcerned whilst politicians, journalists and other groups led the way in discussing issues in education and therefore urged them to defend their professional identity by engaging more in such discourses.

He said the teacher remained indispensable in the transformation process of the society through education and thus, should be provided with the necessary professional and personal support in the discharge of their duties.

Prof Oduro also urged teachers to guard against anything that would derail the image of the profession.

'The outcome of education would be adverse to the desired positive change if teachers do not protect their professional identity through good role modeling and ensure that students' personality development was balanced intellectually, morally, emotionally, physically and spiritually'.

Prof Oduro said transforming societies within the framework of the SDGs could not be accelerated unless governments prioritised the provision and delivery of quality education in their development agenda.

He advocated the supply of adequate teaching and learning materials for schools, reiterating that the effectiveness of a teacher would see little achievement if the requisite teaching and learning materials and professional support were absent in schools.

Mr William Abedi Boadu, the Central Regional Secretary of GNAT tasked teachers to exhibit high level of professionalism because they were the key stakeholders in the transformation agenda.

'It is an affront if you are now chasing money and throwing away your professionalism and losing credibility,' he stated.

He encouraged teachers to use the first year of the 15-year agenda to adequately transform themselves and take centre stage in transforming societies in achieving the SDG goal of inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

The transformation, he said, must give teachers the impetus and the courage to point out to their colleagues what they did wrong as well as the wrongs in the society.

Mr Boadu also bemoaned the state classrooms of Kindergarten (KG) and Basic school levels and other challenges teachers faced and urged teachers to be courageous to speak against such debilitating working conditions. GNA

By Afedzi Abdullah, GNA
The Lebanese Community has extended its scholarship programme to the wards of martyrs in the Police, Immigration and Prison Services.

At a colourful ceremony at the Police Headquarters in Accra, Lebanese ambassador to Ghana Ali Halabi said in his address that  It is such an honour to be gathered here again this year to repeat a gesture which has become a tradition of the Lebanese community in Ghana.

Its a great privilege for me to be with you to honour the sacrifices to brave security men and women who gave their lives to preserve the security of Ghana. In support of the hard work of these gallant men and women, I am here today on behalf of the Lebanese community in Ghana to award 31 scholarships to the sons and daughters of our brave heroes.

He indicated that the Lebanese community whose presence in Ghana dates back to a century and who witnessed Ghanas independence from colonialism, and the creation of its army and security services highly appreciates the role played by these services in restoring and preserving the internal security of Lebanon.

The Lebanese Ambassador revealed that the Community shares governments vision of providing free and quality education, hence their support for education in Ghana.

Your government is leading and paving the way of creating an enabling environment for foreign investors to invest in the country. It is important that, as you welcome new investors into the country, efforts should be made to improve and strengthen ties with already existing investors."

Interior Minister, Ambrose Derry, commended the Lebanese Community highly for the gesture.

He said, I am informed that this is the second time the Lebanese Community in Ghana is awarding scholarships to wards of officers and men of the Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Prisons Service who lost their lives in the course of duty. I am further informed that a total of 31 students will benefit from the scholarships being awarded today."

He added that We are all aware of the reality of the harsh conditions of life for families which lose their main breadwinner. Certainly, life has not been easy for these families and their wards. This is the main reason why I am so happy for these families today.

He praised the Lebanese Community for investing in the economy of Ghana saying, In the course of my work as Minister for the Interior, I have encountered many Lebanese nationals.

Many of them have made substantial investments in the economy of the country. I know that some of the Lebanese families have been in Ghana for over 100 years.

The Inspector General of Police Asante-Apeatu, who was also present to grace the event lauded the gesture by the Lebanese Community.

Parents and some of the wards thanked the Lebanese Community profusely for the huge financial support.
The Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, believes there has been a failure of security and authorities culminating in the proliferation of military-grade arms in the Agbobloshie area.

In a Citi News interview, Mr. Vanderpuije lamented the insecurity in the area, which he says puts the lives of vulnerable residents at risk.

I have no doubt in my mind that if we should be able to give that place the needed attention security wise, we will be able to make the peace loving Ghanaians who struggle to make ends meet within the community live in peace and tranquility, he said.

The MP's concerns with arms in the area, follow the clash at the Agbobloshie Yam Market on Tuesday, which has so far left two dead and eight injured.

The clashes, which were reportedly sparked by an alleged mobile phone theft case, centered around two ethnic factions, the Konkombas and Dagombas, with reports from the ground indicating that there were assault rifles wielded by some aggressors.

Mr. Vanderpuije compared the potential cache of arms in the area to what would be found in a war zone, and was adamant that, security personnel had to assert themselves on the area to stem the tide of clashes and possible reprisal attacks.

The security has to be firm; they have to do sporadic and random searches and raids to make sure they rid the area of undesirables and also try as much as possible to clear those unlicensed weapons that are being used indiscriminately in the area.

Some of the weapons that these young guys brandish, you have no idea where they got them from. Some of them are serious assault rifles. Some are weapons that you expect only the security agencies to have and you don't know where they get these weapons from.

Five arrested so far

Five persons have been arrested in connection with the clashes, and police disclosed that some locally manufactured weapons have been retrieved from some of the suspects.

The Accra Regional Police Command is investigating the matter, and the area has remained calm since the clashes.



By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Ghana and the Czech Republic have signed a Double Taxation Agreement.

The Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori Atta, and the Czech Ambassador to Ghana, Margita Fuschova, signed on behalf of both countries.

This agreement was signed after the two countries concluded negotiations for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to taxes on income.

The agreement gives investors a stable and predictable tax environment and consequently, will encourage investments in both countries.

It will also eliminate the incidence where income from both countries are taxed twice and as well as increase Ghana's Exchange of Information network, which allows treaty partners to exchange information in order to mitigate tax risk and tax evasion across borders.

In addition, tax evasion through the mutual assistance in the collection of taxes will also be reduced.

Furthermore, cross border trade and investments between the two countries by the elimination of tax impediments will be greatly enhanced.

The agreement will also foster diplomatic and other relations between the two countries.

The Minister for Finance expressed the hope that diplomatic and economic ties will improve with the signing of this agreement.

The Czech Ambassador also expressed similar sentiments saying she looked forward to improving relations between the two countries reminiscent to the 1960's.



By: citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Busan, South Korea, 12 April 2017  The African Development Bank (AfDB) and Busan Metropolitan City have jointly urged South Koreas private sector to do more business with Africa.

The call was made at the Korea-Africa Business Forum held at Busan Exhibition & Convention Center on 3 and 4 April 2017, supported by Korean Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

The AfDB mission led by the Vice President for Finance, Charles Boamah and the Executive Director for Canada, China, Korea, Kuwait and Turkey, Hau Sing TSE, provided information on investment, procurement and recruitments at the Bank during two-day forum.

Boamah encouraged Koreans to join the Bank and to support Africa with Koreas experience and technology. "We welcome South Koreas private sector to work with us to bring the capital, technology and entrepreneurial skills to Africas youth, to spur the next generation of entrepreneurs, he said.

For his part, Executive Director Tse who is also Dean of the Board, also emphasized the need for the Korean private sector to participate in African businesses.

Tadashi Yokoyama, Head of AfDB Asia External Representation Office, explained the Banks High 5 development priorities and gave a picture of Africas general business environment. Other staff provided information on the Banks procurement, sovereign operations and recruitment processes. These were followed by interactions with Korean private sector.

The panel discussion was moderated by Ambassador Kim Il-soo, Executive Director of Korea-Africa Center, with the ambassadors of Angola, Kenya and Ethiopia to Korea in attendance

The Banks team held a special meeting with African beneficiaries of the KOAFEC Next African Leader Program scholarships, currently studying for Masters Degrees in ICT run by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), (established in 2010 by the AfDB-KOAFEC Trust Fund).

Cultural events were held on the last day with the participation of African People's Association in Busan. These included a fashion show of African attires, cultural dances and music. The Busan Foundation for International Cooperation (BFIC) organized a photo exhibition.

The forum, hosted by Kim Young-whan, Vice Mayor of Busan City, and Song In-chang, Deputy Minister of Strategy and Finance attracted more than 600 participants. The event Foreshadowed the Bank's 53rd Annual General Meetings to be held in Busan from 21-25, May 2018.

For more information on the AfDB Annual Meetings, please visit: http://www.afdb.org/am

Official hashtag of the 2018 AfDB Annual Meetings: #AfDBAM2018
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has urged the newly sworn-in Deputy Ministers of State to perform in their assigned roles, guided always by Almighty God, so as to shame their detractors who used unpalatable words to describe their appointments.

According to President Akufo-Addo, words such as obscene, jobs for the boys, which were used to describe the announcement of the list of Deputy Ministers, imposes a clear obligation on you to justify your selection, adding that your success vindicates me.

The President made this known on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, when he swore in 50 Deputy Ministers of State, at the Banquet Hall of the State House, signaling the complete composition of his central government.

He noted that the success of the deputy Ministers in their assigned roles, at their respective ministries, will be a function of three things.

The first, according to President Akufo-Addo, is the spirit of loyalty that will be exhibited to their Ministers, especially as Article 79(1) of the Constitution provides that a Deputy Minister is appointed by the President, in consultation with the Minister and with the prior approval of Parliament, to assist the Minister in the performance of his or her functions.

Loyalty to the Minister is the fundamental premise for the success of your work. I will not countenance any acts of disloyalty or subversion of your Minister, for I will take such an act as disloyalty to me personally, and, by inference, disloyalty to the Party and the State.

Any Deputy, who thinks the route to advancement lies in your ability to subvert or undermine your Minister, will be sadly mistaken. You will not profit from that conduct in Akufo-Addo's presidency. I want you to work with your Minister in all sincerity and transparency. That is the guarantee of your success, and our collective success, he said.

The second element to success, President Akufo-Addo noted, is the quality of integrity which will permeate the work of the deputy Ministers, stressing that the solemn commitment the NPP has made enjoins members of his government to serve the Ghanaian people honestly and competently.

We are called to these public appointments to provide public service, not to promote our personal gain. Accordingly, you are required to file your assets declarations expeditiously.

Indeed, our Manifesto compels me to notify the Auditor General of the names of all Article 71 office holders, such as yourselves, within two weeks of their appointment. You will be happy to know that all your Ministers have filed their assets declarations. Follow their example, and do so promptly, he said.

The President continued, The third element of the success of your work is the hardwork you bring to it. You have all been carefully chosen for your portfolios. Your educational and professional backgrounds and life experiences have dictated these choices.

An opportunity is being afforded you to serve your country in an elevated capacity. Seize the opportunity with humility, but with determination, and perform, guided always by Almighty God. Shame your detractors, and, together, let us build that dignified, self-reliant, prosperous Ghana that successive generations of Ghanaian patriots and the founders of our free, democratic nation sought with their sweat, toil and blood.

President Akufo-Addo urged the Deputy Ministers who, also, double as Members of Parliament not to renege on their duties as members of the Legislature, urging them to balance these roles effectively.

Naturally delighted at assembling his central government faster than any of his predecessors in the Fourth Republic, President Akufo-Addo was grateful to Parliament for their co-operation in this undertaking, explaining that sincere partnership between the legislative and executive arms of the state bodes well for the welfare of the Ghanaian people.

-Adomonline
Airtel Ghana, the Smartphone Network has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting quality education in Ghana through a Back to School donation of educational supplies to pupils of Tanoso SDA Cluster of Schools and the Sokoban Methodist School in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti Regions respectively.

The donations are in line with the companys bold ambition to empower young people to fully realise their potential through the provision of educational materials and infrastructure.

A team from Airtel Ghana, led by the Zonal Business Manager for Ashanti and Brong Ahafo, Kwaku Asiedu, made a donation of books, school bags, pencil cases, mathematical sets, and lap desks to over 1,000 pupils in both schools.

Speaking at a brief ceremony at the Tanaso SDA Cluster of Schools, Kwaku Asiedu reiterated the companys commitment to support the education of thousands of young people in the country through the provision of educational materials. He said Airtel Ghana believes in empowering the next generation of leaders to fully realize their potential through the power of education. This is evidenced through our School Adoption and Evolve with STEM initiatives which seeks to invest in infrastructure developments and encourage the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Through the School Adoption programme, we have invested in infrastructure such as classroom blocks, libraries and ICT centers to facilitate effective teaching and learning in several schools across the country. This donation is aligned to our commitment to invest in communities we operate in  especially in the area of education. This donation is also a way for us to invest in the lives of our brothers and sisters as part of the Easter festivities.

Mr. Kwaku Asiedu Presenting The Materials To Mr. Charles Berko, Headmaster Of Sokoban Methodist School

The Heads of the Sokoban Methodist School and Tanoso SDA Cluster of Schools, Mr. Charles Berko and Mr. Daniel Kwasi Okrah were optimistic that the pupils would put the materials to good use and expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Airtel Ghana for investing in the lives of young people across the country.

The beneficiary pupils expressed their gratitude to Airtel Ghana for the kind gesture.

Airtel Ghana continues to play a significant role in promoting education in Ghana through its CSR initiatives. The company has won several local and international awards such as Best CSR Initiative at the Africa and Global Carrier Awards.

About Bharti Airtel

Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers.

In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 359 million customers across its operations at the end of July 2016. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com

About Airtel in Africa

Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com, or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana.
The Dagbon regent and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council has condemned the violence by people he describes as lawless and criminals at the Agbogbloshie market on Tuesday.

In a press release Wednesday, Kampakuya-Na Andani Yakubu Abdulai, expressed his deepest condolences to the bereaved family and wished the injured speedy recovery.

Conflicting reasons have been given for the clashes at Agbogloshie which claimed two lives.

Eyewitnesses said a man from one of the ethnic groups allegedly stole a mobile phone and was beaten by others in the opposing ethnic group. The suspect then reported the assault to his kinsmen who went on a rampage in retaliation.

The police are yet to give an official account of what actually happened.

On Wednesday a battalion of police and military men were seen moving about in the community trying to maintain law and order but that is not completely reassuring to the residents.

Some of the residents complained about what they believe to be a slow response by the police and the military.

To this developments, the Dagbon regent said "It is unfortunate and sad for the police and the press to cover criminal actions with tribal or ethnic connotations. We live in a country where there is rule of law and respect for human rights of individuals."

"Let me take this opportunity to say that Dagomba's and Konkombas are peace loving people and they are not at war with each other. Therefore, what happened at Agbogbloshie in Accra should not be generalized and linked to any tribe," the statement added.

Read the statement below:

CONDEMNATION OF THE VIOLENCE AT AGBOGBLOSHIE MARKET IN ACCRA

As the Regent of the Great Dagbon Kingdom and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council, on my own behalf and on behalf of the Chiefs, Elders and Citizens of Dagbon, I wish to strongly condemn the acts of violence perpetuated by some lawless people and criminals at the Agbogbloshie market on the 11th day of April, 2017.

The information received so far indicates that some people have died and others sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the violent conduct of some individuals. I wish to express my deepest condolences to the bereaved family. I also wish the injured speedy recovery.

The cause of the violence is that someone is alleged to have stolen an item from a market woman and was beaten up by a mob. Subsequently, that person led some people to another person's shop and pointed him out as one of those who beat him up.

It is from here that the violence and destruction of lives and properties started. The sequence of events as narrated clearly points out to acts and conducts which amount to the commissioning of crime and lawlessness.

It is important for Ghanaians to appreciate the need to distinguish crime from other considerations such as ethnicity or tribe in order to allow the law to deal with persons who commits crime in our country.

It is unfortunate and sad for the police and the press to cover criminal actions with tribal or ethnic connotations. We live in a country where there is rule of law and respect for human rights of individuals.

Therefore, the police, the press and the members of the general public should recognize and treat anyone who commits crime as a criminal who is acting on his/her own accord and not to link him/her to a tribe.

In my capacity as the Regent of Dagbon and Acting President Dagbon Traditional Council, I wish to reiterate that there is cordial relationship between Dagomba's and other ethnic groups within the kingdom.

Let me take this opportunity to say that Dagomba's and Konkombas are peace loving people and they are not at war with each other. Therefore, what happened at Agbogbloshie in Accra should not be generalized and linked to any tribe.

I am calling on the police to arrest all persons involve in perpetuating the violence for investigation and prosecution in accordance with laws of the country.

SIGNED

REGENT OF DAGBON

(KAMPAKUYA-NA ANDANI YAKUBU ABDULAI)

Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Abubakar Ibrahim
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN chief Antonio Guterres has named a German with extensive experience at the world organization, Achim Steiner, as the new administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Steiner, who previously served at the UN Environment Programme and headed the UN office in Kenya, was selected to succeed Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister, who has steered the UNDP since 2009, according to a letter by Guterres dated Tuesday.

Headquartered in New York City, the UNDP seeks to reduce poverty, improve social development and encourage women's empowerment.

One of the candidates passed over for the post included French Environment Minister Segolene Royal, who said she was surprised because Guterres had promised a woman would take the job.

She intimated that Germany used its weight as a major UNDP donor to have Steiner chosen.

"I regret it, of course. That doesn't gel with what was said, but c'est la vie," Royal told French television.
12.04.2017 LISTEN

Accra, April 12, GNA - The Australian High Commission has launched the 2016-17 Direct Aid Program (DAP) to support the vulnerable in the society.

The project seeks to work with local communities to develop meaningful projects to help reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development.

Mr Andrew Barnes, the Australian High Commissioner, speaking at the event attended by beneficiaries of the grant, expressed the hope that through the DAP initiative, the Australian government would be able to support the provision of many life-transforming interventions for the deprived in the community.

He said since the commencement of DAP in 2004, hundreds of communities in Ghana and other African countries have benefited from high-quality initiatives implemented by local development partners.

Mr Barnes said the DAP projects have been successful over the years because they are organic, home-grown initiatives, implemented by local organisations who are conversant with the needs of communities and know how best to address them.

'The missing ingredient is funding, and that's where we are happy to come in to support these projects,' he said.

Mr Barnes said this year 24 high quality projects would be supported from eight countries with a total budget of $1,030,000 Australian dollars.

He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the grants for its intended purpose to effect change in the lives of the vulnerable in society.

Ms Vicentia Kotia, DAP Program Manager, said there is the need for the beneficiaries to be mindful on the way they brand their efforts and ensure that the grants are effectively administered.

Ms Justine Townsend, the Second Secretary and Consul of the Commission, also took beneficiaries through acquittal- financial reporting requirements to ensure accountability and transparency in their efforts.

The DAP is a small grants program funded by the Australian Government. This year the various beneficiaries of DAP include nongovernmental organisations involved in the environment, education, disability, agriculture and Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector.

GNA

By Samira Larbie/Jamila Abubakar, GNA
Accra, April 12, GNA - Prosecution in the case of Eugene Ashie, aka Wisa, says the Police is unable to trace one of its witnesses so as to serve him with a court's summons to compel him testify in the matter.

According to Prosecution led by Inspector Judith Asante, the Police was trying to locate the witness and serve him with the court summons but they have not made any headway.

The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku said: 'I won't wait forever'. The matter was therefore adjourned to May 7.

Wisa, of Ekikimi fame, is being held for allegedly exposing his penis whilst performing at the Accra International Conference Centre on December 24, 2015.

He has, however, denied a charge of gross indecent exposure and is on a GH8,000.00 bail with one surety.

Prosecution said on December 25, 2015, the Accra Regional Police was alerted over a nude video posted on the internet from an unknown source, in which Wisa intentionally exposed his penis whilst performing live on stage.

According to the prosecutor, Detective Inspector Asante the Police contacted the managers of Ashe to produce him at the Regional Police Headquarters for investigations, which they did.

The prosecution said investigations into the matter disclosed that on December 24, Airtel Communications Company and Citi FM, an Accra-based radio station, organised an event dubbed: 'December to Remember,' which included the accused as a guest artiste.

In the course of the show, the accused, whilst dancing with a female dancer identified as Monica Kumadeh, suddenly removed his penis out of his pair of jeans and began to caress the buttocks of the dancer.

GNA

By Joyce Danso, GNA
Accra, April 12, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court on Wednesday granted bail in the sum of GH20,000.00 with one surety to one Musah Mahmud, who is facing charges for alleged possession of narcotic drugs.

He is to report to the Criminal Investigations Department every Friday.

The 23-year old, was on October 6, 2016 discharged by the same court for want of prosecution.

He was however re-arrested by the Police and charged for supply of 46 wrappers of rocky substances weighing 2.2922g, 45 wrappers of powdery substance weighing 5.9430g, 31 wrappers of dried leaves weighing 59.47g, and quantity of similar leaves suspected to be narcotic drugs without lawful authority.

He pleaded not guilty, and was granted bail by the Court, presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, to reappear on April 24.

Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) George Amega, told the Court that on December 9, 2015, at about 1900 hours, the Drug Law Enforcement Unit of the CID Headquarters carried out an anti-narcotic drug operation.

He said the exercise was conducted within the Accra Metropolis to clamp down on the activities narcotic peddlers.

He said the team, acting upon intelligence, visited a notorious narcotic drug peddling spot, located at Abollo Park, Accra New Town, and met the accused person and some others sitting on a bench.

The prosecution said upon seeing the Police, Musah attempted to escape but he was arrested, and a small blue-black waist bag he was holding was retrieved from him.

The prosecution told the Court that a search conducted in the bag and his pocket revealed the above listed items.

DSP Amega said during interrogation, and in his caution statement, Musah claimed ownership of the exhibits and explained said he had been in the narcotic drug business for about three months.

He said the exhibits were sent for examination and the report received certified they tested for cocaine, heroin and cannabis.

On March 38, advice from the Attorney Generals Department was received by the police to charge the suspect for supply of narcotic drug without lawful authority.

GNA

By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra April 12, GNA - An Accra Circuit Court has rescinded the bench warrant against the Administrator of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital who released an accused person referred to the facility for medical care.

On March 24, this year, the court ordered the arrest of the Administrator of the Accra Psychiatric Hospital for releasing an accused person who was referred to the facility for medical care.

The Administrator released the accused to his grandmother without recourse to the court.

The Administrator was summoned to appear before the court but was absent when the matter was called earlier on March 23.

At the court sitting on Wednesday, the accused Nicolas Dzifanu a 20 year old porter and his mother appeared before the court after the court had asked the Administrator to produce them.

The court presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku warned the grandmother of the accused person not to send his grandson to any prayer camp but adhere to the days for medical review of the accused person at the medical facility.

According to the court accused ailment was not a spiritual one adding that a report provided by the Accra Psychiatric Hospital indicated that there was space to accommodate him.

The court was informed by Detective Inspector Kofi Atimbire that the Administrator of the hospital and the Medical Doctor had released Dzifanu to the grandmother.

They were therefore subpoenaed to appear before the court on March 23, this year to explain why they released the accused to his grandmother after the court had convicted him of a second degree felony.

Detective Inspector Atimbire told the court that the Hospital Administrator was duly served but failed to appear in court.

Dzifanu was convicted for defilement by having anal sex with a seven-year-old boy.

Dzifanu a head porter is said to have had anal sex with a seven-year-old at Community 18, Lashibi. The complainant is unemployed and mother of the victim.

The fact of the case as presented in Court was that Dzifanu lives in the same house with the complainant at Community 18 Lashibi.

On March 3, last year, at about 19:00 hours the complainant wanted to bath the victim but she could not find him and begun searching for him in the area until 12:00 am.

During the search the complainant was informed by the accused's grandmother that she heard the accused person conversing with the victim earlier.

Complainant, therefore, went to the accused person room only to find him having anal sex with the victim. She raised an alarm and accused person was arrested.

The victim was sent to the hospital after the complainant had been issued with a medical report form.

The accused in his caution statement admitted the offence.

GNA

By Joyce Danso, GNA
12.04.2017 LISTEN

The Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), a specialized Institution of ECOWAS, has said it is involving religious leaders and faith based organizations in the fight against money laundering and combating financing of terrorism in West Africa.

The organization in a statement by its media office, explained that the involvement of religious leaders in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing is to make the campaign more effective and sustainable to the level that it becomes a consistent message with the populace.

GIABA explained that the United Nations has since recognized the role of religious leaders in Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) and promoting the religious dimension of intercultural dialogue and had articulated a Plan of Action on PVE that emphasizes the importance for faith and community leaders to mentor vulnerable followers so as to enable them to reject violent ideologies and promote tolerance, understanding and reconciliation between communities.

It is obvious faith appeals to people on emotional levels and gives voice to a wide range of community concern. Using persuasion as a strategy, religious leaders need to understand what specific contribution they can, and have to make, to overcoming the menace of ML/TF and transforming public understanding, attitudes and behavior, the organization stated.

The process will commence with a 2 day national sensitization workshop for religious leaders and institutions on anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism.

It explained that the broad objective of the seminar is to raise the awareness level of religious leaders on their role in fight against Money Laundering (ML) and the Financing of Terrorism (TF) as well as build strong partnership with Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) in the fight agains the twin scourges of money laundering and terrorist financing and promote understanding of GIABAs mandate and agree on actionable points to curb violent extremism and promote peaceful co-existence in the society.

Fundamentally, one of GIABAs strategic goals is the promotion of strategic partnerships with the private sector, civil society and other key stakeholders. This is aimed at increasing awareness of ML/TF in order to empower citizens to take action, the organization stated.

The programme is scheduled to hold from 19-20 April 2017 in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria.

It stressed that the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders towards protecting the economies and financial systems from the laundering of proceeds of crime adding that GIABA recognises the valuable contribution of religious leaders as guardians of faith and the tremendous sway their institutions hold amongst their followers.
Fatal crash on Highway 108 in Oakdale area View Photos

Oakdale, CA  The CHP has released new information about a fatal crash that occurred late Friday afternoon east of Oakdale.

47-year-old Christine M. Busser of Modesto was traveling westbound on Highway 108 in a Ford Mustang. She came to a stop in the westbound turn lane at South Sterns Road and was hit from behind by a Chevy pickup truck driven by 19-year-old Eric W. Mildenberger of Modesto. The impact of the crash pushed Bussers vehicle into the path of an oncoming big rig truck driven by 34-year-old Christoper James Brazil of Escalon. Busser was pronounced dead at the scene by arriving law enforcement personnel. The CHP reports that the investigation into the crash is still ongoing, and Mildenbergers cell phone has been seized as evidence, as well as both the Chevy truck and Ford Mustang.

The crash blocked Highway 108 for a period of time late Friday afternoon and early evening.
There are numerous universities in present-day Nigeria. Some are private, while others are state or federal. If you are a student who desires to acquire higher education, you need to look at the list of federal universities in Nigeria. These institutions offer multiple programmes at different levels of academic learning.

A graduation hat is set on a plank of wood. Photo: unsplash.com, @Dragos Blaga

Source: UGC

Going through the list of federal universities in Nigeria is important for everyone aspiring to join the university. These institutions offer quality education and produce skilled and knowledgeable graduates who meet industry standards.

Federal universities in Nigeria and their school fees

There are many federal universities in Nigeria that are spread across the country in different federal states. The federal governments fund these institutions of higher learning.

These institutions offer certificate, diploma, undergraduate, and postgraduate courses. Check out the list of federal universities in Nigeria and their school fees below.

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1. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi

This institution is located along Bauchi/Kano Road in Gubi, Bauchi State. The tuition fees vary depending on the year of study.

Freshers: 44,250

44,250 Returning: 39,500

39,500 New international students: 99,600

99,600 Returning international students: 86,100

86,100 Accommodation (freshers/ returning): 12,590

2. Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

The fees below are for undergraduate courses.

Semester fees: 10,000

10,000 Semester examination fee: 10,000

10,000 Miscellaneous session expenses: 8,500

8,500 Acceptance fee: 10,000

Masters courses

Semester fees: 20,000

20,000 Acceptance: 10,000

10,000 Examination: 10,000 Per semester

10,000 Per semester Miscellaneous: 8,500 Per session

Postgraduate Diploma:

Semester fees: 20,000

20,000 Acceptance: 10,000

10,000 Examination: 10,000 Per semester

10,000 Per semester Miscellaneous: 8,500 Per session

BNSc.

Semester fees: 10,000

10,000 RN verification: 5,000

5,000 Acceptance: 10,000

10,000 Examinations: 10,000 per semester

10,000 per semester Miscellaneous: 8,500 per session

3. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna

AFIT offer multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to personnel from the armed forces.

Aerospace engineering: 135,500 pa

135,500 pa Other engineering courses: 120,500 pa

120,500 pa Non-engineering programmes: 106,000

A young man using a laptop. Photo: unsplash.com, @Good Faces

Source: UGC

4. Alex Ekwueme University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State

Alex Ekwueme University is located in Ebonyi State.

Freshmen

All faculties:  174,000 (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine)

174,000 (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine) Engineering: 246,000

246,000 College of Medicine: 630,000

630,000 Engineering students levy (Additional): 72,000

72,000 Medical students levy: 200,000

200,000 Caution fee: 20,000

Returning students

All faculties: 110,100 (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine)

110,100 (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine) Engineering: 182,100

182,100 College of Medicine: 380,000

380,000 Engineering students levy (Additional): 72,000

72,000 Medical students levy: 200,000

200,000 Caution fee: 20,000

International postgraduate students

All faculties: 80,000(PGD), 104,000 (MSc), 104,000 (PhD) (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine)

80,000(PGD), 104,000 (MSc), 104,000 (PhD) (excluding Engineering and the College of Medicine) Engineering: 130,000(PGD), 154,000 (MSc), 154,000 (PhD)

130,000(PGD), 154,000 (MSc), 154,000 (PhD) Engineering students levy: 50,000

50,000 Medical students levy: 200,000

5. Bayero University, Kano

One of the institutions of higher learning in Kano State is Bayero University.

New/returning: 26000 - 40000

26000 - 40000 Non-Nigerian students: 100,000 - 300,000

6. Federal University, Gashua, Yobe

The Federal University, Gashua is located in Yobe. The institution offers quality education and respects diversity, differences in opinion, and the free flow of ideas.

100 Level and DE (FAMSS): 32,700

32,700 100 Level and DE (Science/Agriculture): 34,200

34,200 Returning (FAMSS): 25,200

25,200 Returning (Science/ Agriculture): 26,700

7. Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun

The Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun is located in Delta State. It was established and approved on 14th March 2007 and admitted its first students in 2008.

New: 80,000

80,000 Returning: 37,050

37,050 Basic studies (pre-degree) programme: 95,000

95,000 Foundation programme: 250,000

250,000 International Project Management Professionals: 40,000

40,000 Acceptance fee: 45,000

45,000 Field trip: 15,000

8. Federal University of Technology, Akure

The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) is a top-ranking institution of technology in Nigeria.

Freshers (level 100): 52,100

52,100 Returning (levels 200 and 500): 14,400

14,400 Returning (level 300): 18,900

18,900 Returning (level 400): 16,100

A young woman studying. Photo: unsplash.com, @soundtrap

Source: UGC

9. Federal University of Technology, Minna

This institution was established on 1st February 1983. It is a specialised institution of technology offering courses in science and engineering.

Freshers: 61,200

61,200 Freshers (foreign): 61,200

61,200 Returning: 28,200

28,200 Returning (foreign): 28,200

10. Federal University of Technology, Owerri

This institution nurtures and develops promising students in technology and science. It offers practical training geared towards transforming Nigeria's economy.

Geology department

Level 100: 90,800

90,800 Levels 200, 300, and 400: 35,800

35,800 Level 500: 30,800

Other departments

Level 100: 88,300

88,300 Levels 200 and 300: 33,300

33,300 Levels 400 and 500: 28,300

11. Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State

This institution offers multiple programmes to qualified students. It has the required human and non-human resources for optimal learning.

Compulsory charges: 66,800

66,800 Non-compulsory charges: 10,090

10,090 Total school fees: 76,890

12. Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, Katsina

The Federal University is located in Dutsin-ma in the North-Western region of Nigeria.

Compulsory charges: 37,500

37,500 Non-compulsory charges: 10,090

13. Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State

This conventional public university is situated territory of Pindiga, Akko local government, Gombe State.

Newly admitted students: 41,000 (DE)/ 36,000 (UTME)

41,000 (DE)/ 36,000 (UTME) Returning: 27,000

27,000 Hostel maintenance (optional): 20,000

20,000 Alumni (final year only): 5,000

14. Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State

This institution was established in 2010. It offers quality education to all students.

Year 1: 50,000

50,000 Years 2, 3, and 4: 45,000

15. Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State

This higher learning institution was established on 16th February 2011, alongside eight others. It is sited in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State of Nigeria.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Freshers: 54,500

54,500 Returning: 46,500

Faculty of Science

Freshers: 55,500

55,500 Returning: 47,000

A laptop and books on a table. Photo: unsplash.com, @freddie marriage

Source: UGC

16. Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa

This institution is located in the heart of the oil-rich Niger-Delta Region. It offers a conducive learning environment for all.

Freshers:

FAHSS: 71,500

71,500 Science: 81,500

81,500 Education: 71,500

71,500 Engineering: 81,500

81,500 Management Science: 71,500

Returning students:

Levels 200 and 300: 47,500 (FAHSS), 57,500 (Science)

47,500 (FAHSS), 57,500 (Science) Levels 400: 47,500 (FAHSS), 57,500 (Science)

17. Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State

This institution offers students opportunities to collaborate and challenge themselves. It equips them with the ability needed for national transformation.

Faculties of Humanities, Social Sciences, Education & of MGT Science

Freshers: 99,000

99,000 Returning: 40,000

Faculties of Science, Agriculture and Engineering

Freshers: 107,000

107,000 Returning: 48,000

18. Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State

This institution is dedicated to advancing knowledge through high-quality ICT centric educational experiences for all students. It encourages entrepreneurship and teaches students to appreciate the entire spectrum of human experience.

Sciences

New students: 43,500

43,500 Returning: 34,000 - 37,000

Non-sciences

New students: 41,000

41,000 Returning: 31,500 - 34,500

19. Federal University, Birnin Kebbi

This institution aims at creating self-sufficient people who make a positive impact on Nigeria and the world.

Freshers: 51,000 - 63,500

51,000 - 63,500 Returning students: 32,500 - 40,000

20. Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara

The Federal University, Gusau, is a public, conventional, coeducational research university in Zamfara State.

Faculty of Science and Science Education

New: 39,500

39,500 Returning: 28,500

Faculty of Humanities, Education Arts, Management, and Social Science

New: 36,500

36,500 Returning: 25,000

21. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

This institution offers 179 programmes. Out of these, 44 are undergraduate and 135 graduate courses.

Civil Engineering, Electrical / Electronic Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering Microbiology: 72,750

72,750 All other courses: 62,750

A picture of books and a pen. Photo: unsplash.com, @Aaron Burden

Source: UGC

22. Federal University of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State

This institution offers courses in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, agriculture, animal science, fisheries and aquaculture, and veterinary medicine. Once admitted, students receive a customised fee structure.

23. Federal University of Health Sciences, Azare, Bauchi State

This institution is set to start running in September 2022. Students who gain admission to the university will receive the fee structure. The courses to start with include medicine, dentistry, nutrition and dietetics, and nursing.

24. Federal University of Health Sciences, Ila Orangun, Osun State

Adegboyega Oyetola, the Osun State Governor, reported that the state is ready for the smooth take-off of the recently approved Federal University of Health and Medical Sciences, Ila-Orangun. Admitted students will receive documents showing them the amount to pay per semester.

25. Federal University of Health Technology, Otukpo Benue State

This higher learning institution is a world-class specialised university. It trains and produces healthcare professionals that will contribute to the development of the Nigerian health sector. Each student receives an invoice showing them how much to pay for tuition and other expenses.

26. Federal University of Technology, Babura, Jigawa State

The Federal University of Technology, Babura, Jigawa State, is a newly-established institution. It is set to start running in September 2022. Details of the tuition fees and other charges are yet to be disclosed.

27. Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State

The Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, is among the new institutions approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. It will start operating soon. Its charges are yet to be publicised.

28. Michael Okpara University of Agricultural Umudike

This institution was established in November 1992. It is a specialised university well-known for agricultural training and research.

Freshers acceptance fee:  50,000

50,000 Other registration charges for freshers: 61,000

61,000 Returning students: 48,000 - 58,500

29. Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola

This educational centre is known for advancing science-based research. It offers multiple programmes in various modes of study, including distance learning.

Levels 100 and 200: 27,300 - 42,300

27,300 - 42,300 All foreign students: 20,000 (additional charges)

A picture of assorted books in a library. Photo: unsplash.com, @inakihxz

Source: UGC

30. The National Open University of Nigeria ((NOUN), Lagos

NOUN's programmes are tailored to make learning accessible, flexible and available to all students. It has 103 study centres spread across the nation.

Undergraduate (new): 36,000

36,000 Undergraduate (returning): 18,000

18,000 Postgraduate (new): 35,000

35,000 Postgraduate (returning): 18,000

18,000 Project fees (undergraduate): 15,000

15,000 Project fees (postgraduate diploma: 25,000

25,000 Project fees (Masters): 40,000

40,000 Exam fees (undergraduate): 1,000

1,000 Exam fee (postgraduate): 2,000

31. Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil

This institution is located in Wudil, Kano, Nigeria. It does not charge school fees for its students.

32. Nigerian Army University, Biu

Nigerian Army University Biu is a public education centre located in Borno State. Its charges are listed below.

Sciences

New: 42,500

Returning: 35,000

Arts, Mgt & Social Science

New: 37,500

37,500 Returning: 30,000

30,000 Accommodation fee: 8,000

33. Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna

This institution offers education and training to personnel and trainees of the Nigerian defence forces. It is headed by the Commandant, who is accountable to the NDA Council.

Undergraduate fee: 45,000

34. Nigerian Maritime University Okerenkoko, Delta State

This educational centre is situated in Okerenkoko, Gbaramatu, Delta State. It is the first military university and maritime college in Nigeria and West Africa.

New students: 51,500

51,500 Returning students: 40,500

35. Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka

NAU is located in the capital of Anambra State and is named after the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe.

Masters: 107,500

107,500 Postgraduate diploma: 67,500

36. Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife

This higher learning centre was founded in 1961, and classes started in October 1962. It is named in honour of Obafemi Awolowo (19091987).

Freshers semester fees

Law/Arts/Social Sciences/Admin/Edu. Arts: 43,700

43,700 Science/Edm/Educ. Science/Tech/Agric: 54,700

54,700 Medicine/Ph*rmacy/Health Sciences: 57,700

57,700 Development levy: 18,000

18,000 Tertiary Institutions Students Health Insurance Program: 2,000

2,000 Students Welfare Insurance Scheme: 1,000

1,000 Accommodation: 3,090

Returning undergraduate semester fees

Law/Arts/Social Sciences/Admin/Edu. Arts: 20,100

20,100 Science/Edm/Educ. Science/Tech/Agric: 28,100

28,100 Basic Medical Science, Clinical Science, Dentistry/Ph*rmacy: 31,100

31,100 Accommodation: 2,590

2,590 Penalty for late registration for courses: 2,000

A young person studying. Photo: unsplash.com, @windows

Source: UGC

37. University of Abuja, Gwagwalada

The University of Abuja was established in January 1988. It runs conventional and distance learning programmes.

Biology/Geography: 42,300

42,300 Other sciences: 40,300

40,300 Non-sciences: 39,300

38. Federal University of Agriculture (UAM), Makurdi

UAM is located in Benue State and was established in 1988. It has over 30 departments in ten colleges.

Freshers (pa)

PGDM: 129,900

129,900 PGDA: 109,900

109,900 MPA: 129,900

129,900 MBA: 159,900

Returning students (Weekend Executive Programme)

PGDM: 82,700

82,700 PGDA: 59,700

59,700 MPA: 79,700

79,700 MBA: 109,700

Newly admitted students (full-time regular)

PGD: 73,900

73,900 M.Sc: 83,900

83,900 PhD: 93,900

Returning students (full-time):

PGD: 52,700

52,700 M.Sc: 56, 200

56, 200 PhD: 74,700

39. University of Benin

This higher learning centre is located in Edo State. It has two campuses with fifteen faculties.

Sciences

Freshers: 73,400

73,400 Returning: 45,400

Non-science courses

New students: 69,900

69,900 Returning: 41,400

40. University of Calabar

The University of Calabar was a campus of the University of Nigeria until 1975. It is among Nigeria's second-generation federal universities.

Science

Freshers: 35,250

35,250 Returning: 31,500 - 34,750

Non-science

Freshers: 34,250

34,250 Returning: 30,500 - 33,750

30,500 - 33,750 MBBS: 42,750 (Fresh)

42,750 (Fresh) MB Bch returning: 39,000 - 42,250

39,000 - 42,250 Nursing: 42,750 (freshers)/ 39,000 - 42,250 (returning)

41. University of Ibadan

This institution was founded in 1948.

Acceptance fees: 35,000

35,000 Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry: 36,800 per semester

36,800 per semester Faculty of Art: 34,300-36,800 per semester

34,300-36,800 per semester Faculty of Law: 35,300 per semester

35,300 per semester College of Medicine: 36,800 per semester

36,800 per semester Faculty of Social Science: 34,300 per semester

34,300 per semester Faculty of Science: 36,800 - 46,800 per semester

36,800 - 46,800 per semester Faculty of Technology: 36,800 per semester

36,800 per semester Faculty of Ph*rmacy: 36,800 per semester

36,800 per semester Faculty of Education: 34,300 - 36,800 per semester

A young man reading a book. Photo: unsplash.com, @Emmanuel Ikwuegbu

Source: UGC

42. University of Ilorin

This institution is located in Kwara State.

New students: 23,000 - 40,250 per semester

Returning students: 13,900 - 37,800 per semester

43. University of Jos

This institution of higher learning is located in Jos, Plateau State.

New students: 20,000 per semester

20,000 per semester Acceptance fees: 25,000

25,000 Returning students: 45,000 pa

44. University of Lagos (UNILAG)

Founded in 1962, UNILAG is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning.

New Science students: 63,500

63,500 New Non-Science students: 53,500

53,500 Returning students: 14,500

45. University of Maiduguri

This institution of higher learning is located in Maiduguri, the capital city of Borno State. It offers multiple undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

New students: 33,000 per semester

33,000 per semester Returning students: 18,000 per semester

46. University of Nigeria, Nsukka

This institution is located in Enugu State, Eastern Nigeria. Its mission is to deliver world-class education and knowledge.

First year: 57,950 - 64,450

57,950 - 64,450 Second year: 39,250 - 45,750

39,250 - 45,750 Other years: 34,150 - 40,650

34,150 - 40,650 Final year: 33,700 - 43,000

47. University of Port-Harcourt

The University of Port-Harcourt is a federal university in Nigeria. It is located in Rivers State.

Freshers: 92,150 - 127,150pa

92,150 - 127,150pa Acceptance fee: 30,000

30,000 Returning students: 45,000 per semester

48. University of Uyo

The University of Uyo is one of the federal universities in Nigeria. It is located in Akwa Ibom State. This federal university's school fees for various levels are listed below.

Undergraduate Y1: 57,250 - 66,750

57,250 - 66,750 Undergraduate Y2: 47,100 - 52,100

47,100 - 52,100 Undergraduate Y3, Y4, Y5, Y6: 44,100 - 49,100

44,100 - 49,100 Postgraduate diploma (new): 92,900 - 97,900

92,900 - 97,900 Postgraduate diploma (continuing): 80,900 - 85,900

80,900 - 85,900 Masters Y1: 97,900 - 123,900

97,900 - 123,900 Masters Y2: 85,900 - 111,900

85,900 - 111,900 Masters Y3: 41,150 - 111,900

A young man using a laptop to study. Photo: unsplash.com, @cwojo

Source: UGC

49. Usmanu Danfodiyo University

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, formerly the University of Sokoto, was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in September 1975.

Fees per semester: 24,300 - 56,300

NB: The federal universities and their school fees above are subject to change. Each institution has a council with the right to alter the amount charged based on various factors.

How many federal universities are there in Nigeria?

There are 49 federal universities in the country. Some were founded years ago, while others were recently approved by President Muhammadu Buhari and are set to start operating soon.

Which is the most expensive federal university in Nigeria?

It is challenging to determine the most expensive institution because the charges vary depending on the course and year.

How much is federal school fees in Nigeria?

There is no fixed charge for all students in federal learning centres. Instead, the price varies depending on the course you wish to pursue and the level.

The list of federal universities in Nigeria is quite long because there are 49 institutions. They are spread across various states, making higher education accessible to everyone.

READ ALSO: Top 25 best schools in Nigeria in 2022: Get the best education

Legit.ng recently published a list of the best schools in Nigeria in 2022. Every parent desires to give their child the best education. Many people dream of taking their children to the best institutions.

The top schools in the country are known for producing excellent results in national examinations. They also have a conducive learning environment with adequate infrastructure and other resources needed for optimal learning.

Source: Legit.ng
- Former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has explained why she withdrew cash from her bank account recently

- Dame Jonathan withdrew $100,000 from her unblocked Skye Bank account

- She however clarified that the money was meant for medical treatment

Former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has explained why she withdrew $100,000 from her unblocked Skye Bank account recently.

According to Daily Trust, Dame Jonathan made the clarification through her solicitor, Barrister Charles Ogboli.

The former first lady, said she never wanted to withdraw all the money, but just to ensure compliance to the order of court.

READ ALSO: N23 billion bribe to RECs: INEC writes Buhari

Patience Jonathan (arrowed) was at a Skye Bank branch in Maitama to make withdrawals on her unblocked account recently

Ogboli said: She wanted to withdraw $5 million on Friday but unfortunately there was no funds and they (the bank) pleaded with her that she can withdraw $100,000 in order to comply with the order of court. They have complied fully with the order of court.

Therefore the Notice of Appeal (by the EFCC) came late. The Notice and Stay of Execution is a mere application. And we are talking of court order.

Appeal has not been entered yet; records have not been transferred from the lower court to the Court of Appeal. In the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, by mere fact that you have an appeal against a proceeding, it does not stop the trial from going on. That was what they were acting upon.

Unfortunately for them, the order has been executed. Even when you move the motion it is an exercise in futility. So we are going to court to respond to whatever they filed. The issue is that she went to the bank and applied and account was debited with $100,000.

Patience Jonathan exiting the bank premises after making the withdrawal

The legal practitioner noted that there were no challenges for the former first lady to withdraw from her account, adding that she was not in any pressure to withdraw all the money.

He stated that the money was for her medical treatment.

Mrs Jonathan is a law-abiding citizens and she has not done anything which is ultra vires to the laws of the land, he added.

READ ALSO: If Buhari fails in anti-corruption war, Nigeria is in big trouble - Osinbajo

Legit.ng had reported that the former first lady on Monday, April 10 visited the Skye Bank Plc branch in Maitama, Abuja to make cash withdrawal from her unblocked account.

Mrs Jonathan's visit to the bank reportedly follows a fresh order of a Federal High Court in Lagos lifting the order of interim forfeiture placed on her account with the bank by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

In the video below, a Nigerian told Legit.ng that former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was never a bad president.

Source: Legit.ng
- A report by a UN agency UNICEF says not fewer than 27 children have been used as bombers by Boko Haram to attack Nigeria in first quarter of 2017

- The report says the increase is worrisome because this was triple the 9 children used as bombers within the same period in 2016

- The reports says "The increase reflects an alarming tactic by the insurgents."

- For more reports on Boko Haram, please visit: https://www.legit.ng/tag/boko-haram.html

The United Nations childrens Fund (UNICEF) has expressed deep worries over the rise in the use of children as bombers by the insurgent group Boko Haram.

According to UNICEF, 27 child bombers have carried out various attacks across Nigeria in the first quarter of 2017 alone, a sharp increase from 9 around the same period in 2016.

READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan explains why she withdrew cash from her account

A further breakdown says 117 child bombers have been used in Boko Haram attacks on Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014 but the UNICEF has described the most recent increase as very alarming.

The agency said in a report that four children were used to carry out bomb attacks in 2014, 56 in 2015, 30 in 2016 and 27 in just the first three months of 2017.

"The increase reflects an alarming tactic by the insurgents," it said.

Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF's regional director for West and Central Africa, said: "This is the worst possible use of children in conflict."

In another statement, the UNICEF also expressed concern over children being held by the Nigerian military for alleged association with Boko Haram militants.

READ ALSO: If Buhari fails in anti-corruption war, Nigeria is in big trouble - Osinbajo

Patrick Rose, a UNICEF regional coordinator, said the fate of the children have remained unknown.

She said: "They are held in military barracks, separated from their parents, without medical follow-up, without psychological support, without education, under conditions and for durations that are unknown."

Legit.ng recalls that just on Monday, April 10, the Nigerian Army released nearly 600 children, women and elderly from Giwa barracks.

The Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, handed over the detainees to officials of the Borno Government at a ceremony in Maiduguri.

Irabor, represented by Brig.-Gen. Abdulrahman Kuluya, said the release was based on the directives of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai.

Source: Legit.ng
- Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has declared that Ibrahim Magu will continue as EFCC chief

- Senate had rejected Magus nomination twice based on DSS reports

- Osinbajo said without Senates approval Magu will become substantive chairman of EFCC

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has declared that despite the Senates rejection Ibrahim Magu as substantive chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), the Presidency had resolved to retain him as the head of the commission.

Premium Times reports that Osinbajo said there is no law in the Nigeria Constitution stopping the Presidency from representing the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, as substantive chairman.

READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan explains why she withdrew cash from her account

Osinbajo, a Professor of Law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made this known while speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa.

Acting EFCC chairman Ibrahim Magu

Legit.ng previously reported that the Senate recently refused to screen presidential nominees for the position of the resident electoral commissioners, saying it would not do so until Mr Magu is removed as Acting EFCC Chairman. The Senate had twice rejected the presidents request to confirm Mr Magu.

Osinbajo added that the Presidency is fully in support of Magu emerging as the substantive chairman of the EFCC.

He said: It is up to the Senate to make their judgement and it is up to us say what we want to do. If our candidate is rejected, we can re-present him.

"No law says we cant re-present him. And again, there is the other argument, whether or not we need to present him for confirmation and thats a compelling argument from Femi Falana.

His argument is that under the constitution, section 171, and if you look at that section, it talks about the appointments that the president can make.

"They include appointments of ministers, ambassadors and heads of agencies such as the EFCC. In that same section 171, the constitution rightly said that certain appointments must go to the Senate such as ministerial and ambassadorial appointments.

Those of heads of agencies like the EFCC do not have to go to the Senate. Thats what the constitution says. But the EFCC Act, which of course as you know is inferior, says that EFCC chairman should go to the Senate for confirmation.

READ ALSO: 6 reasons why the Senate may not confirm Magus nomination

"I am sure that even a pocket book lawyer knows that when a legislation conflicts with constitution, its the constitution that prevails.

I agree with Mr Falana that there was no need in the first place to have sent Magus name to the Senate, but we did so and it was rejected by the Senate, but I believe that it can be re-presented. I dont think there is anything wrong about the fact that Senate has rejected him.

Senate has acted in its own wisdom to say no, we dont want him, and we can say this is our candidate we like the gentleman and we want him to continue.

Speaking on report of the Department of State Services that indicted Magu, Osinbajo said President Muhammad Buhari could have interfered with the DSS report if he wanted to, but that he decided to hear Magus own account, after which he felt convinced to retain the anti-graft czar.

Osinbajo said: We should commend the President for not interfering with what the DSS said. The DSS came up with a report and the man who was accused refuted it. He explained and gave a reason.

When that happened, the President looked at what Magu said and what the DSS wrote and he said: I am satisfied with what Magu said. He then decided to retain Magu as the nominee for EFCC. I dont see any reason why that should be contested. The President has not interfered with what the DSS said.

If he wanted to interfere, he would have ordered the DSS to keep quiet. He didnt do that, but he said: I dont think the DSS report is meritorious enough to withdraw his nomination.

READ ALSO: How DSS report made Senate reject Magu

"The President reserves the right to say: this is who I want. Im fully in support of Magu as the EFCC chairman just as the President is.

Watch this Legit.ng video where a man regretted being a member of APC:

Source: Legit.ng
- Keyamo mocks Dogara following the release of his payment slips for six months

- He describes the development as the latest comedy showing in the cinema

- Dogara had released his payslips of October, 2016 to March, 2017 to newsmen

Festus Keyamo, lawyer and social critic, has mocked Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara following the release of his payment slips for six months.

According to Keyamo, the development is the latest comedy at the Cinema.

He said on his Twitter page: The latest comedy showing at Cinemas is some guys showing their 300k-a-month pay slips, but spent billions to get the job! Tickets available.

Keyamo mocks Dogara over salary slips

Earlier, Legit.ng had reported that Dogara released his payslips of October, 2016 to March, 2017 to newsmen.

READ ALSO: 2019: INEC urges Nigerians not to take Wike serious

He said that the move was in furtherance of his commitment to transparency and accountability in governance.

Dogara releases his pay slips for six months, earns N300,000

From the payslip, the Speakers total pay per month is N402, 5303.37 but his net salary after deduction is N346,577.87.

READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan explains why she withdrew cash from her account

The statement showed that Dogaras basic salary is N206, 425.83, constituency, N175, 461.96 and recess N20, 642.58.

This came after El-Rufai released details of his salary and challenged the national assembly to do same.

Watch video of man saying he may be force to steal if the economy doesn't get better

Source: Legit.ng
- Some gunmen are said to have unleashed an attack in Damaturu, Yobe state capital

- The gunmen residents said began shooting on Wednesday, April 12, morning

- However, some resident have also attributed the shooting to be an aftermath of a conflict between soldiers of the Nigerian military and police officers under the mobile police force

- reports reaching Legit.ng have allegedly confirmed three people have lost their lives in the incident

Unknown gunmen have reportedly unleashed an attack in Damaturu, Yobe state capital city.

READ ALSO: Magu will continue as EFCC chief, Osinbajo opens up

According to a twitter user, Gulani, gunshots were heard within the city on Wednesday, April 12, morning.

Legit.ng however gathered that the shots were from a conflict between some police officers and soldiers in the state.

READ ALSO: Otodo Gbame women storm Lagos High over demolition of their houses (photos)

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Nigerian army in Damaturu K.O Ogunsanya said the incident is currently under investigation.

Ogunsanya, a colonel said: What transpired and who and who among their men were involved.

He also said: A statement would be issued as soon as they get to the root of the matter."

Also sources told Daily Trust that the crisis which began at the Presidential lodge in Damaturu at about 6 am lasted till 10 am.

The source said the conflict followed the abduction of a MOPOL commandant in charge of 41 Damaturu.

READ ALSO: Salary slips: Keyamo knocks Dogara Salary slips: Keyamo knocks Dogara

He said: "Yesterday, the Commandant was moving in a convey when a man intercepted, and the police attached to him harassed the man, not knowing that he is an Army officer. Later this morning, the Army kidnapped the commandant."

The source added that the mobile police had gone to the Presidential Lodge to free the commandant when the crisis erupted.

Recall that Yobe state, a North-Eastern state have experienced its share of insurgents' attack in the region.

Legit.ng however gathered that the shots were from a conflict between some police officers and soldiers in the state.

However, in a long time the residents of Yobe have also lived in relative peace after insurgents in the state were defeated by the Nigerian military.

See reactions of some Nigerians on the incident below:

Watch this Legit.ng video of

Source: Legit.ng
Spectranet is one of the leading internet service providers in Nigeria. The company deals with internet services across various platforms, including Wi-Max, 4G, and broadband. Its subscribers get to choose among numerous Wi-Fi broadcasting devices, including wall-mounted, portable, and pocket-size ones. Like with other ISPs, Spectranet customers can change their Wi-Fi device passwords whenever they need to. Figuring out how to change the Spectranet Wi-Fi password is essential for those using the companys devices.

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A login page requiring a username and password. Photo: pixabay.com, @TheDigitalArtist

Source: UGC

How do I change my Wi-Fi password on my Spectranet router? Spectranet has made it extremely easy to use a Wi-Fi devices admin rights and change the current password.

How to change the Spectranet Wi-Fi password

Here is a look at how to change the Wi-Fi password on Spectranet.

Plug-in router

The company has a plug-in router that customers can use to project a Wi-Fi signal in their houses. Are you wondering how to change my Spectranet Wi-Fi password on a plug-in router? Here are the simple steps.

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Switch on your computer and ensure its connected to the Spectranet router. Open your preferred browser and input 192.168.1.1 on the search/address bar. You will be redirected to the routers login page. Type in the default name and password (these can be found on a sticker at the back of the router). Once you are logged in, you will be presented with the Spectranet admin login console. Navigate to the Wi-Fi tab, then select WPA You will be presented with an input field where you can change the Spectranet Wi-Fi password. Click on Apply then Save. You will then be required to reconnect all the devices using the router.

Spectranet MiFi E5573

A lady using a laptop. Photo: pexels.com, @Anna Shvets

Source: UGC

The E5573 is one of the most common portable routers that Spectranet provides. How do I change the password on my MiFi? Here is a quick look at the steps required to change the Spectranet password on an E5573 device.

Switch on your computer and ensure its connected to the MiFi device. Open your preferred browser and input 192.168.8.1 on the search/address bar. You will be redirected to the MiFis login page. Type in the default name and password (these can be found on a sticker at the back of the device). Once you are logged in, Click on Settings and then select WLAN Basic Settings. Locate the login credentials tab and change the value to your desired password. Doing this will automatically disconnect all the devices using the MiFi, so you will have to reconnect using the new Spectranet login credentials.

Pebble MiFi 5800

The Spectranet Pebble MiFi is also quite popular due to its remarkable portability. Here is how to change the Spectranet password on the pebble device.

Switch on your computer and ensure its connected to the MiFi device. Open your preferred browser and input the Spectranet IP address (192.168.8.1) on the search/address bar. You will be redirected to the MiFis login page. Type in the default name and password (these can be found on a sticker at the back of the device). Once you are logged in, Click on Settings and then select Wi-Fi. Locate the SSID and Password tab and click on it. You will be redirected to a page allowing you to change the devices login credentials. Input the new login credentials and save. Doing this will automatically disconnect all the devices using the MiFi, so you will have to reconnect.

Reasons for changing your Wi-Fi password

Here are some of the reasons you might want to change your Spectranet password.

Changing from the default: Most routers come with default login credentials that people with malicious intentions can easily guess.

Most routers come with default login credentials that people with malicious intentions can easily guess. Creating a stronger password: It is quite possible that your current router login credentials do not adhere to modern-day security standards. Changing them will enhance your browsing security.

It is quite possible that your current router login credentials do not adhere to modern-day security standards. Changing them will enhance your browsing security. Restricting further access: You can change your Wi-Fi password to restrict access to someone who previously had access to your network. Once the change is actualized, all the connected devices are instantly signed out and must be reconnected.

Password tips

A login page. Photo: pixabay.com, @geralt

Source: UGC

Here are some quick tips for creating a strong password.

Always ensure your password is at least ten characters long. Short passwords can be easily compromised.

Ensure your login credentials have a mix of upper and lowercase characters, numbers, and special characters.

Avoid using easily guessable numbers or names as your login credentials. These include your year of birth, childs name, phone number, and first name.

How often should I change my Wi-Fi password?

It is advisable to change your Wi-Fi login credentials every three months. This is also an appropriate timeframe to make other password changes related to your frequently used devices.

What should a good password contain?

A good one should have at least ten characters that are a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Can I have more than one Spectranet 4G LTE account?

Yes, you can. A subscriber can purchase up to five Spectranet devices. However, all the devices must then be registered with the same details, such as email address, phone number and customers name.

What do I need to enjoy Spectranet 4G LTE services?

You will need an internet broadcasting device such as a plug-in router or MiFi, an internet-ready device such as a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or desktop, and live in an area with Spectranet coverage.

What does FUP mean on Spectranet?

It is short for fair usage policy. This is a policy that dictates the amount of data a single subscriber can use before their bandwidth is lowered to avoid unfairness to others. Once the limit is reached, access to the internet continues at a reduced speed till the expiration of validity.

How do I reset my Spectranet?

Here is how to reset the Spectranet Wi-Fi password. All the companys Wi-Fi devices have a reset button on the side. Pressing on the button for a few seconds resets the login credential to their default values.

How do I set up Spectranet Wi-Fi?

The process is quite straightforward and involves purchasing a router, paying for your preferred bundle, and connecting your device to the router.

Figuring out how to change the Spectranet Wi-Fi password is essential for those using the company's internet devices. It's easy to set up a new password using any device at your disposal. Now you can enjoy a stable and fast internet connection with Spectranet.

READ ALSO: How to transfer airtime on Airtel in 2022: a comprehensive guide

Legit.ng recently explored the different ways one can transfer airtime from their Airtel line. Airtel is among the prominent mobile telecommunication service providers in Nigeria. It offers its subscribers numerous relatively low-priced voice, data, and SMS packages.

The companys Me2U service makes it possible for a subscriber to transfer airtime from the line to that of another Airtel subscriber. How do you use this incredibly useful feature?

Source: Legit.ng
A Nigerian woman, Zara Gift Onyinye, who recently met the vice president asked him about cabals within Aso Rock and his reply was quite firm and strong.

Zara Gift Onyinye who posted the incident on her Facebook wall, said:

"Well, it's for those of you who deal so much on assumptions and all imaginary stories and assumed it is an opinion worth believing.

"When I asked our VP if there is anything like cabals in Aso Rock, he had this to tell all assumption opinion molders.

"Mr President and I don't know the cabals and where they are in Aso villa. We are still searching for them,we have not seen them around Aso Rock."

The Facebook post garnered a lot of shares

READ ALSO: If Buhari fails in anti-corruption war, Nigeria is in big trouble - Osinbajo

Below is a picture of the woman with Vice President Yemi Osibanjo:

The woman, Zara Gift Onyinye was spotted in company of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

Meanwhile, Yemi Osinbajo, the Nigerian vice president has warned that Nigeria would be in trouble if the present war against corruption was not won.

Osinbajo said that corruption was fighting back, but assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to sustaining the anti-corruption fight.

According to Vanguard, he said that Buhari had plans to ensure that the system was cleaned up and government business done the right way. He also called for a re-orientation of the Nigerian people.

Legit.ng recently went on the street to talk to Nigerians about corruption. Below is what they had to say:

Source: Legit.ng
- DSS says it arrested five ISIL-connected terrorists while planning attacks on foreign embassies in Abuja

- The attacks, the secret police said, were foiled on March 25 and 26, 2017

- The US and UK governments have expressed gratitude to Nigeria for protecting its embassies in Nigeria

- For more reports on the activities of the Nigerian government against Boko Haram, please visit: https://www.legit.ng/tag/boko-haram.html

The Department State Services (DSS) has announced the arrest of five suspects who had allegedly concluded plans to attack the United States and United Kingdom embassies in Abuja.

Vanguard reports that a statement by DSS official Tony Opuiyo said it busted the ISIS-linked Boko Haram members based in Benue state and the Federal Capital Territory.

He said: The group had perfected plans to attack the UK and American Embassies and other western interests in Abuja.

During the operation to thwart this plan, five key suspects, namely: Isa Jibril, Jibril Jibril, Abu Omale Jibril, Halidu Sule and Amhodu Salifu, were arrested.

READ ALSO: Buhari absent at FEC meeting, Osinbajo takes charge

The statement added that several other arrests were made of terrorists in other parts of the country.

It read: "Earlier, on 22nd March, 2017, at Fika, Yobe State, a 20 year old Boko Haram member, Adamu DATTI was arrested.

"He confessed his involvement in executing the sinister activities of the group. Read Also; DSS Arrests Boko Haram Top Commanders And Other Criminal Gangs

"In the month of April, two (2) suspected Ansaru kingpins, Ahmed MOMOH and Al-amin Mohammed JAMIN were arrested on 4th April, 2017 at Igarra, Akoko Edo LGA, Edo State.

"The duo were confirmed associates of Abu UWAIS, a main Ansaru kingpin terrorizing residents in Kogi and Edo States.

"While these terrorists are already undergoing detailed investigations, the Service stepped up its efforts at stamping out the menace of kidnapping.

READ ALSO: Federal Government declares Friday, Monday public holidays

"In Rivers State for instance, Daniel DIBIAMAKA was arrested on 24th March, 2017 at Obio/Akpor LGA, for his complicity in the kidnap of one Emmanuel Orji UKAH on 20th January, 2017.

"On that same day, Godsgift ISIOMA was arrested over his plan to kidnap one Dr. G.N DOUGLAS."

The BBC reports that the US embassy in Abuja has expressed its appreciation of the DSS's efforts in "fighting terrorism".

It quoted the US embassy as saying it had a "strong partnership in countering violent extremism" with Nigeria.

On UK's part, BBC quoted an unnamed spokesman as saying the British government is grateful for the stopped attack.

The spokesman said: "We are grateful for the support we receive from the Nigerian security authorities in protecting UK diplomatic staff and premises in Nigeria. We are in regular contact with the Nigerian security authorities concerning potential threats to UK interests in Nigeria."

Meanwhile, Legit.ng gathered that the UNICEF has raised the alarm over the increasing number of children that Boko Haram insurgents are using for their attacks on different parts of Nigeria.

According to the UN children's agency, the insurgents have used 27 children as bombers in the first three months of 2017, three times the 9 they used in the same period in 2016.

Some survivors of Boko Haram attacks narrate their experience to Legit.ng TV crew. Watch:

Source: Legit.ng
- Governor Obiano said Anambra indigenes will make up 75 percent of the workforce of the international airport

- Upon completion, the airport is expected to help ease the difficulty faced by importers especially in the south-east zone

Anambra state is preparing to have an international airport as Governor Willie Obiano has successfully signed a memorandum of understanding with two investment companies for the project.

The governor signed the $2 billion agreement with Orient Petroleum Resources and Elite International Investment Limited for the construction of the international airport city in Umueri, Anambra East local government area.

Obiano said at the Government House Awka where the agreement was signed that the project would help to reduce the cost of importation and boost development in the state.

Obiano signed the MOU with two investors

The project is estimated to cost over $2 billion. It is a partnership between the government of Anambra state, Orient Petroleum Resources Limited and Elite International Investments Limited (Sinoking Enterprises Limited).

Under the contractual agreement, Elite International Investments Limited will provide all the funds needed for the project under the Build-Operate-Manage-and-Transfer arrangement.

READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan explains why she withdrew cash from her account

However under the same SPV arrangement, the Anambra Airport City Infrastructure Limited has allocated 75 percent equity stake to Elite International Investments Limited, 20 percent to Oreint Petroleum Resources Limited and 5 percent to the government of Anambra state.

The host communities are entitled to 3 percent of the profit from this project in perpetuity as a part of the standard corporate social responsibility, he said in the speech obtained by Legit.ng.

The governor said the project is expected to generate 1,200 direct and 3600 indirect jobs adding that Anambra indigenes are expected to grab 70 percent of these jobs.

It will also provide an opportunity for training and skills transfer to our people. I have no doubts whatsoever that this project will have a tremendous impact on the ease of doing business in Anambra state as it opens a direct access by air to our vast markets.

In particular, I hope that on completion, the Umueri Airport City project will wipe out the difficulties our businessmen and women often encounter in exporting and importing goods and services and help in improving the entire supply chain," he said.

READ ALSO: If Buhari fails in anti-corruption war, Nigeria is in big trouble - Osinbajo

The chairman of Anambra state Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA), Igwe Cyril Enweze, who spoke more about the project, said it would promote rapid urbanisation and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.

Watch this video of the closure of the Abuja airport for the repair of its runway:

Source: Legit.ng
The $1.2 billion paid to Malabu Oil and Gas for the procurement of one of Nigerias richest oil fields, OPL 245 by Shell and Eni, which was then reportedly used to bribe Nigerian politicians and intermediaries who helped to secure the controversial deal has been a hot topic for discussion.

The Malabu topic was resurrected once again following a BBC report which seems to implicate former president Goodluck Jonathan. The ex-president of Nigeria as however denied collecting a $200 million bribe.

Whose names have been mentioned in the Malabu scandal? Here are some of them:

1. Dan Etete

Dan Etete was born on January 25, 1945 and he was a former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum. In 1995 under military dictator General Sani Abacha, he reportedly facilitated the transfer of payment of $1.1bn to a fake company he set up before.

The fake company, Malabu Oil and Gas was set up in 1998 by Etete reportedly using a false identity, so as to award himself a lucrative oil block, OPL245, for which he paid only $2m of the $20m legally required by the state.

2. Goodluck Jonathan

Italian prosecutors of the Malabu case quoted Ednan Agaev, a Russian middleman who helped negotiate the transfer of the oil block to Shell and Eni, as saying that Dan Etete, the former Petroleum Minister at the heart of the oil scandal, said he intended to dole out as much as $400 million in bribes if the deal went through.

If Mr Etete actually paid out such an amount in bribes to Nigerian officials, then they think President Goodluck Jonathan got at least $200 million of this money.

Several names have been mentioned in relation to the Malabu deal

3. Mohammed Abacha

Mohammed Abacha the son of Nigeria's military ruler Sani Abacha is a Director and the largest shareholder of Malabu Oil Gas Limited.

READ ALSO: Report of $200 million Malabu bribe false in its entirety  Jonathan

4. Diezani Alison-Madueke

Diezani Alison-Madueke, the immediate past petroleum minister, was also allegedly given a bribe in the $1.2 billion deal involving ENI and Royal Dutch Shell.

5. Mohammed Bello Adoke

Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mohammed Adoke reportedly transferred over $800 million, purportedly meant for the purchase of the OPL 245 to former petroleum resources minister, Dan Etete, who is also believed to be the owner of Malabu Oil.

6. Austen Oniwon

The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Austin Oniwon was reportedly a signatory to the Malabu deal.

READ ALSO: FG seeks arrest warrant against Adoke

7. Bayo Ojo

According to Adoke, the Terms of Settlement for the Malabu oil deal, which was later reduced to a Consent Judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, was brokered by predecessor in office, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) and signed on behalf of the Federal Government of by the then Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Edmund Daukoru, during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

8. Edmund Daukoru

It was alleged that Obasanjo gave approval for return of the oil bloc to Malabu through his then Minister of Petroleum Resources, Chief Edmund Daukoru.

9. Olusegun Obasanjo

It has been alleged that the Malabu oil deal started off its dubious contracts under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. Although the former president has denied the accusation.

Meanwhile, although former president, Goodluck Jonathan, has dismissed a report which suggested that he received the sum of $200 million as bribe from the Malabu oil deal, Nigerians are reacting furiously to the allegation.

The report which was published by an American news website, Buzzfeed, claimed Jonathan probably received as much as $200 million to approve the controversial $1.3 billion sale of OPL 245 oil field.

Reacting to the accusation, the former president in a statement on Tuesday, April 11, by Ikechukwu Eze, his media adviser, described the report as fake news.

Corruption has eaten so deep into the fibers of Nigeria. This is clearly what Nigerians talked about in this video by Legit.ng:

Source: Legit.ng
- Osun state government has announced a free train ride for its indigenes willing to travel from Lagos to Osogbo during Easter

- The train would move from the Iddo Terminus of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Ebute Meta, Lagos on Friday morning to Osogbo and return on Monday

- Semiu Okanlawon, a media aide to the governor, said the gesture was in line with the current administrations commitment to the welfare of the citizenry

The Osun Government on Wednesday announced a free train ride for its indigenes willing to travel from Lagos to Osogbo at Easter.

Mr Semiu Okanlawon, a media aide to the governor, said in a statement in Osogbo that the train would move from the Iddo Terminus of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Ebute Meta, Lagos on Friday morning to Osogbo and return on Monday.

READ ALSO: Scores of Boko Haram detainees allegedly die in Military camp

He said that those in the corridor of Osun through Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States could benefit from the free train offer, urging indigenes of the state to take full advantage of the offer.

Okanlawon said the gesture was in line with the current administrations commitment to the welfare of the citizenry.

Government, therefore, enjoins indigenes of the state to maximise the advantage the free train ride offers them to visit home and enjoy the celebration.

The free train ride, as introduced by the Aregbesola government about six years ago, is aimed at facilitating the easy movement of the citizenry wherever they are, and this programme takes care of both Muslims and Christians during their festivals.

Since its commencement, we can say confidently that it has been a boost to the economy of the state, he said.

READ ALSO: Former PDP senator defects to APC in Akwa Ibom

Okanlawon said millions of people had benefited from the free train offer since its commencement.

Watch this Legit.ng video of Biafra supporter that claims he is 'God' below:

Source: Legit.ng
- A concerned Nigerian has asked El-Rufai to make public how he spent Paris Club Fund

- Speaker House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara had told El-Rufai to publish his security vote

- El-Rufai published his security vote but House of Reps accused him of deceiving the public

Barely twenty four hour after the leadership of House of Representatives said that Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state deceived Nigerians for publishing security budget instead of security vote, a concerned Nigerian has asked him to make public how he spent Paris Club Fund.

In a message sent to Legit.ng by a Facebook user, Malam Isah Abbas Ahmed, said since the Speaker of House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has made public his monthly salary, Governor El-Rufai should also tell the world how he spent local government funds he received from federation account if he is transparent.

READ ALSO: Magu will continue as EFCC chief - OsinbajoMagu will continue as EFCC chief - Osinbajo

He said: Now that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, shared his pay slip, what's next? As a concerned citizen of Kaduna state and if Nasir El-Rufai is truly transparent, I have these simple challenges for him.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state

He should make Local Government funds received from Federation Account and how he spent it public. He should also make detailed account of Security Votes public not shady report.

We will also like to know how much of Paris Club money he got and how he spent it. Finally, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in conjunction with Dangote supported the state with huge amount of money for construction of drainages in their effort to "roll back malaria".

READ ALSO: President Buhari nominates 5 non-executive directors of CBN board

"We require detailed account of this fund. Our eyes and ears are widely opened.

Watch this Legit.ng video where a man regretted being a member of APC:

Source: Legit.ng
- The People of Biafra will sit at home on Tuesfday, May 30, says Mr George Onyeibe

- Onyeibe says there would be no economic activity in "Igboland" on the specified date

- The National Coordinator of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says the action is non-negotiable

George Onyeibe, the National Coordinator of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has said that nothing can stop the sit at home order that has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 30.

Onyeibe made the statement on Tuesday, April 11, while speaking to newsmen in Owerri, alongside representatives of IPOB.

He also alleged that the use of Sharia law to try their detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, would not be accepted by them, adding that it was a ploy by the Federal government to Islamize the country.

The IPOB chief said: "The right for self determination is bestowed on man by God as it is backed by the united nation constitution. Biafra has an agenda.

We understand that the use of Sharia law to try Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was an arrangement to Islamize the country called Nigeria. And their plan is that when they use it on Nnamdi Kanu and succeed, it will become a reference point for them.

READ ALSO: See Gobe! Pastor in police custody after sleeping with General Overseer and her daughter (Photos)

A May 30th sit at home action by pro-Biafrans in the southeast and other parts of the country, will have a great impact on Nigeria's economic output for that day

From there they will start to use it against other people. I want to tell you that they have failed in this their plan.

"The simple fact, is that we have come to restore the sovereign state of Biafra.

Which has existed before the forceful amalgamation of the county called Nigeria."

On the issue of the sit at home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Oyeibe said that it was not negotiable, adding that Biafra should not be deterred.

Onyeibe said: "Yes, I will simply say that 30th of May we dont negotiate about it. We remember that some of our members have been killed.

READ ALSO: President Buhari gets crucial warning ahead of Government Tompolo's birthday

We remember the one which happened during the time we were celebrating the President of the United States of America. So, I want to tell them that the 30th of May sit at home is not negotiable.

According to an earlier report by Legit.ng, IPOB condemned the remark by the United Kingdom High Commissioner Paul Arkwright on Nigeria and Biafra agitation.

The Biafra group said Arkwright's statement is distasteful and unfortunate.

Legit.ng gathered that Arkwright in a public lecture on, "Brexit: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria" at the Federal University, Lokoja, on Thursday, April 6 said the UK remain firm in its support for one Nigeria.

But IPOB in its statement signed by Ikenna Chinaka and Grace Ukpai said the British envoy's comment displayed a lack of understanding of international law and protocol.

"From our very careful observation, we are of the view that two factors could have been responsible for Mr. Arkwrights uncharacteristic diplomatic blunder.

"The first that immediately comes to mind is ignorance and the second, which is equally unfortunate, even more so than the first, is mischief.

Riding on these assumptions, we shall now take the liberty of this press statement to address these two possible inadequacies which His Excellency might be suffering from and to clear every doubt his stance may have engendered in the minds of a largely undiscerning and docile populace," IPOB said.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday, April 10 gave an update of operations conducted in the last quarter

- The air component OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE has continued to play its role in the efforts to end insurgency in the North East

- NAF has been conducting of a range of day and night air operations in the region

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday, April 10 gave an update of operations conducted in the last quarter.

The air component OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE has continued to play its role in the efforts to end insurgency in the North East, conducting of a range of day and night air operations in the region both independently and in concert with the Theatre Command, MNJTF and other partners.

The air component has been able to hinge its air operation in the theatre on the strategic direction of search, locate and destroy. This involves intensive missions conducted with the ISR platforms and then the attack platforms.

NAF Mi 35m helicopters

The air components efforts have also been evidently successful in inflicting considerable damage to the activities of insurgents, thereby limiting their freedom of action.

The air component activities in the quarter was therefore geared towards providing support for offensive/clearance operations conducted by the Theatre Command and the MNJTF as well as towards conducting independent air operations.

Air Force guard of honour for the Director of Public Relations and Information NAF, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa

Legit.ng focuses on the NAF Operations in the region during the first quarter of 2017 with a view to outlining ways forward.

Some of the fighter jets of NAF on display

During the first quarter of 2017, the air component was able to conduct the following air missions:

1. Air Interdiction

Air interdiction missions were conducted by the F-7Ni, A-jets, CH-3A and the Mi17/24 to neutralize insurgents. A total of 80 AI sorties were conducted from January to March 17.

2. Close Air Support

The air component provided CAS in almost all of the instances ground troops reported being in contact with insurgents. The F-7Ni and A-jet provided CAS to the troops and flew a total of 37 sorties from January to March 17.

3. Armed Recce/Armed Escort

AR missions were conducted extensively to locate and engage opportunity targets. While AE missions were conducted to escort own platforms transiting through vulnerable areas. The F-7Ni, A-Jet and the Mi-17/24 conducted a total of 177 AR/AE sorties from Jan to Mar 17.

4. Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)

The Beechcraft (NAF 201 and NAF 202) as well as the Diamond 42 aircraft and CH-3A were used to conduct ISR over the AOR. A total of 208 ISR sorties were undertaken by these platforms from January to March 17.

5. CASEVAC

CASEVAC missions were conducted using the Mi-17 and A109LUH. These missions continue to help improve the survival rates of WIA thereby positively impacting on the morale of the fighting troops. A total of 27 CASEVAC sorties were conducted from January to March 17.

6. Tactical Airlift

Troop movement/logistics resupply missions were effectively provided by the Mi-17/24 and the A109 LUH. On The whole, a total of 232 sorties were generated to airlift 686 personnel and resupply 25,567Kg of logistics within the Theatre from January to March 17.

7. Combat Air Patrol Missions

Combat Air Patrol Missions were conducted to keep an eye on activities and potential threats in the outer and inner metropolis areas of Maiduguri and Yola using the Mi-24v and A109LUH. A total of 28 sorties of patrol missions were conducted from January to March 17.

8. Auxiliary Missions

Some auxiliary missions were conducted in the Theatre such as training missions, FCF missions, aerobatic displays/demonstration flights and ferry flights. A total of 185 sorties of auxiliary missions were conducted from January to March 17.

Source: Legit.ng
- Senegalese authorities have announced the arrest of a man suspected to be Boko Haram's chief recruiter

- The police say the Nigerian man was arrested on Saturday, April 1

- According to intelligence reports, the recruiter had been in Mauritania before coming to Senegal

Senegalese police says it has nabbed a man suspected to be Boko Haram recruiter.

The Police said Wednesday, April 12, they arrested the Nigerian on April 1 in a Dakar suburb.

Police said the suspect was known to Nigerian intelligence services and had been in Mauritania for some months before coming to Senegal to recruit on behalf of Boko Haram.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Violence erupts as ex-militant warlord, Government Tompolo celebrates 46th birthday (Photo)

Senegalese policearrest man who recruits fighters for Boko Haram

Senegal police also said they arrested two Moroccans at the international airport who had been linked to the Islamic State group.

The two men, who police said came from a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, denied association with the extremist group. Police said they came to Senegal for its proximity to Morocco.

Senegal has increased security following major attacks by al-Qaida-linked militants in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali.

In a previous report by Legit.ng, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said negotiations are ongoing for the release of more Chibok schoolgirls still in the custody of the Boko Haram terrorists.

Premium Times reports that Osinbajo also expressed optimism on Tuesday evening, April 11 at an interaction with journalists and activists at the state house in Abuja, that the dialogue would yield the desired result in due course.

He said the government has gone quite far with negotiations to free more girls, but did not provide details of the negotiations for apparent security reasons, adding that, there is a lot of negotiation going on.

Source: Legit.ng
The CEO of United Airlines' parent company, Oscar Munoz, apologized on Tuesday to the passenger dragged off a flight over the weekend, amid a massive backlash that had cut into the company's bottom line.

"Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," Munoz wrote in a memo to his team. "No one should ever be mistreated this way."

The passenger has been identified as Dr. David Dao, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky. An attorney for the Dao family released a statement Tuesday saying Dao was being treated for injuries in a Chicago hospital, CNBC reported.

"The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received," the statement reads.

A passenger recorded a video watched around the world that showed security officers dragging Dao off a sold-out United Express flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Sunday. United described the flight to Louisville as overbooked, but on Tuesday said it was sold out, not overbooked, according to USA Today.

The passengers were boarded when United tried to make room for four employees of a partner airline, meaning four people had to get off the flight.

Another snippet of video showed an even more troubling scene.

There stood the passenger who had been dragged, now identified as Dao, on his back to the front of the plane, appearing dazed as he spoke through bloody lips and blood that had spilled onto his chin.

"I want to go home, I want to go home," he said.

Late Tuesday, 21 senators, including Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), signed a letter of inquiry to Munoz, demanding answers about the incident.

Among the many questions are "Has United Airlines implemented any policy changes as a result of this incident?" and "Is it the policy of United Airlines to use taxpayer-funded law enforcement to forcibly remove paying passengers for non-security reasons?"

The letter concludes: "Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. Please provide a response no later than April 24, 2017."

It was released after Munoz released a memo sent to his team in which he apologizes to Dao.

"The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," he wrote.

"Its never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix whats broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. Well communicate the results of our review by April 30th. I promise you we will do better."

A spokesman for President Donald Trump says it was "troubling" to watch the video. But White House press secretary Sean Spicer said it's unlikely the federal government will launch a separate investigation.

Spicer noted that local authorities and United are reviewing the incident and said he's sure Trump has seen the video but that any comment from the president could influence a potential outcome of the investigations.

Spicer added that he thinks everyone who has seen the video can agree that the situation could have been handled better.

The ranking Democrats on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and House Subcommittee on Aviation also sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao requesting a review of the event, NBC News reported.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it is reviewing Sunday's events to see if United violated rules on overselling flights.

Dao's treatment prompted outrage and scorn on social media, and anger among some of the passengers on the flight as the man was evicted. As passengers threatened to boycott the airline, its shares slid by more than three percent Tuesday.

The event stemmed from a common air travel issue  a full flight. United was trying to make room for four employees of a partner airline, meaning four people had to get off.

At first, the airline asked for volunteers, offering $400 and then when that did not work, $800 per passenger to relinquish a seat. When no one voluntarily came forward, United selected four passengers at random.

Three people got off the flight, but the fourth said he was a doctor and needed to get home to treat patients on Monday. He refused to leave.

Three Aviation Department police officers got on the plane. Two officers tried to reason with the man before a third came aboard and pointed at the man "basically saying, 'Sir, you have to get off the plane,'" said Tyler Bridges, a passenger whose wife, Audra D. Bridges, posted a video on Facebook.

One of the officers could be seen grabbing the screaming man from his window seat, across the armrest and dragging him down the aisle by his arms.

Other passengers on Flight 3411 are heard saying, "Please, my God," ''What are you doing?" ''This is wrong," ''Look at what you did to him" and "Busted his lip."

"We almost felt like we were being taken hostage," Bridges said. "We were stuck there. You can't do anything as a traveler. You're relying on the airline."
The reactor pressure vessel for unit 5 of the Fuqing nuclear power plant has completed hydraulic pressure tests. The unit  the first of two demonstration Hualong One units being built at the site in Chinas Fujian province  is expected to start up in 2019.

In November 2014, CNNC announced that the fifth and sixth units at Fuqing will use the domestically-developed Hualong One pressurised water reactor (PWR) design, marking its first deployment. The company had previously expected to use the ACP1000 design for those units, but plans were revised in line with a re-organisation of the Chinese nuclear industry. Chinas State Council gave final approval for construction of Fuqing units 5 and 6 in mid-April 2015.

The pouring of first concrete for Fuqing 5 began in May 2015, marking the official start of construction of the unit. Construction of unit 6 began in December 2015. The units are scheduled to be completed in 2019 and 2020.

Construction of two Hualong One units is also under way at China General Nuclears Fangchenggang plant in Guangxi province. Those units are also expected to start up in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Last month, hydraulic pressure testing was completed on the reactor pressure vessel for the demonstration CAP1400 unit to be built at Shidaowan in Chinas Shandong province. That design is an enlarged version of the AP1000 PWR developed from the Westinghouse original by State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation, with consulting input from the Toshiba-owned company.
Rolling Stone and a writer have agreed to settle a libel suit brought by a University of Virginia administrator over a debunked article that described a gang rape at the university, the magazine announced on Tuesday.

The administrator, Nicole P. Eramo, asserted that the discredited November 2014 article defamed her and portrayed her as the chief villain, indifferent to sexual assault on campus. Last November, a federal jury awarded her $3 million in damages, which the magazine and the articles writer, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, appealed.

But lawyers for Ms. Eramo filed a notice in Federal District Court in Virginia on Tuesday that she was dropping the suit. We are delighted that this dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault, Libby Locke, one of her lawyers, said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for Wenner Media, the parent company of Rolling Stone, said: Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely and Nicole Eramo have come to an amicable resolution. The terms are confidential.
A tooth expert came to a Staten Island court in 1998 and said the teeth in James ODonnells mouth proved he had bitten a woman who had been sexually assaulted in Clove Lakes Park. Another such expert testified in upstate New York that Roy Browns teeth were entirely consistent with the bite marks found all over the body of a woman who was killed in 1991 outside a farmhouse near Auburn. Both men went to prison. Both were proved innocent later through DNA testing.

The bite-mark testimony was wrong. Mr. ODonnell and Mr. Brown were among 21 people across the country convicted on bite-mark evidence  some of them sent to death row  who were later proved innocent by DNA tests.

It is one of the classic forensic practices, familiar to generations who watched television crime shows, that turned out to have hollow foundations when compared with the rigorous science involved in DNA testing. Besides bite marks, the techniques include comparisons of hair, handwriting, tire treads and footprints, and certain kinds of ballistic analysis.

These revelations led to efforts over the past decade by scientists and the legal authorities to take stock of investigative practices that had become embedded in the American criminal justice system since the early 20th century. Many of them resembled science but turned out to be more like magic, and untrustworthy evidence.
Frederick B. Lacey, a police chiefs son who as a tenacious federal prosecutor helped drain New Jerseys fetid swamp of political corruption and who later built a reputation as a stringent judge presiding over celebrated cases, died on April 1 in Naples, Fla. He was 96.

His death was confirmed this week by his son John.

As an imposing, 6-foot-4 United States attorney for New Jersey, Mr. Lacey smashed the corrupt Democratic machines in Essex and Hudson Counties.

He successfully prosecuted Mayors Hugh J. Addonizio of Newark and Thomas J. Whelan of Jersey City; John V. Kenny, the Hudson County party boss; and Mafia leaders with whom local politicians, power brokers and officials conspired to plunder the public coffers.

Within four years, Mr. Lacey and his successor, Herbert J. Stern, won the convictions of three-dozen government officials after what Mr. Lacey called the most intensive investigation ever conducted by the federal government in New Jersey had uncovered graft unmatched in anything in my experience.
The program to provide free tuition for students at New York States public colleges and universities passed on Friday by the Legislature has been hailed as a breakthrough and a model for other states that will change the lives of students at public colleges across the state.

The Excelsior Scholarship, as the program is called, is expected to cut the cost of a degree from a four-year State University of New York college  now almost $83,000 for tuition, fees and room and board  by about $26,000 for an eligible family making $100,000 a year. That is a substantial reduction, but still means paying about $57,000 over four years.

And it was met with accolades from, among others, Hillary Clinton, who posted on Twitter: Lets celebrate New York State getting something important done that we wanted to do nationally. A great step for progressives.

The program, which Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made a legislative priority, will primarily benefit traditional students, those who go to college straight from high school and earn their degrees on time. The states college students, increasingly, are not like that. Many of them attend part time and take extra years to earn their degrees, so Excelsior will not help them.
INTERNATIONAL

An article last Wednesday about Matthew Pottinger, who has been advising the Trump Administration on relations with China, referred incorrectly to Chinas currency policy. In recent years the country has been intervening to slow the decline of its currencys value, not allowing the currency to rise.



An article on Tuesday about commercial aircraft sales to Iran misstated the middle initial of the Florida senator who co-wrote a letter to President Trump urging him to suspend licenses for those sales. He is Marco A. Rubio, not Marco J.

NEW YORK

An article on Monday about Mayor Bill de Blasios moving his office to Staten Island for the week misspelled the surname of a former Staten Island borough president. He is Guy V. Molinari, not Molanari.



An article on Tuesday about legislation that changes the way in which New York State deals with 16- and 17-year-old defendants, diverting the majority of those cases to Family Court, referred incorrectly to the death of Kalief Browder, a minor who was held with adult prisoners. He died at his home, in the Bronx  not at the jail complex on Rikers Island.
SAN FRANCISCO  Uber has lost a string of top managers in recent months as the ride-hailing company has dealt with scandals over its workplace culture and its executives behavior. That exodus is continuing with the exit of Rachel Whetstone, the companys head of policy and communications.

In an internal email to employees on Tuesday, Ubers chief executive, Travis Kalanick, said Ms. Whetstone was leaving amicably and of her own volition. Since joining in 2015, Rachel has blown us all away with her ability to get stuff done, Mr. Kalanick wrote.

In a statement, Ms. Whetstone said, I joined Uber because I love the product  and that love is as strong today as it was when I booked my very first ride six years ago.

But internally, Mr. Kalanick and Ms. Whetstone had a complicated relationship, according to three current and former employees who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss personnel matters. Mr. Kalanick and Ms. Whetstone are intense personalities and occasionally clashed over how to handle external communications, especially in times of crisis, these people said.
You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. So you have to, if you are Russia, ask yourself: Is this a country and a regime that you want to align yourself with?

SEAN SPICER, the White House press secretary, suggesting that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was worse than Hitler while saying, incorrectly, that Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War II. He said later that he did not intend to be dismissive of the Holocaust.
The buzz in Miami these days is about the revival of the MiMo Historic District, which is filling up with stylish shops, restaurants, bars and boutique hotels. Encompassing 27 blocks along Biscayne Boulevard, the stretch was vibrant in the 1950s but fell into disrepair, with its once family-friendly motels renting rooms by the hour. Today MiMo, which stands for Miami Modern, bears more semblance to its glory days; longtime residents as well as newcomers, motivated by comparatively affordable rents, have set up shop and are behind MiMos renewed energy.

Vagabond Restaurant and Bar

Part of the Vagabond Hotel, which was originally a motel, this 120-seat eatery serves international fusion cuisine and is a hot reservation. The bar has a retro feel with its midcentury-modern furniture. The executive chef, Roberto DuBois, has a menu that combines comfort food dishes such as spinach gnocchi with pomodoro sauce, and uncommon ones, like cucumber gazpacho with almond powder and mint.

7305 Biscayne Boulevard, 786-409-5635, thevagabondhotel.com
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration on Wednesday will lift the hiring freeze that it had imposed on the federal work force, even as it directs agencies to submit plans for personnel cuts and other restructuring moves to fit the budget blueprint released by President Trump last month.

The new guidance, to be issued by the Office of Management and Budget, is the next step in fulfilling Mr. Trumps ambition to reshape the federal bureaucracy into a lean, businesslike operation. It comes as many federal workers across Washington have feared that their jobs will be eliminated by the spending cuts that Mr. Trump has demanded.

This is a big part of draining the swamp, Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director, said at a briefing on Tuesday afternoon. This is a centerpiece to his campaign.

In January, Mr. Trump ordered an across-the-board employment freeze for the federal government, halting hiring for all new and existing positions except those in national security, public safety and the military. The administration is now making clear that it is not giving a green light for agencies to start hiring; instead, the White House is seeking long-term plans from each agency to, in most cases, prepare for cuts.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration is poised to sell up to 12 light attack aircraft to Nigeria to support the countrys fight against the Boko Haram militant group, despite criticism from human rights organizations that the West African country has not done enough to stop the abuses and corruption that flourish in the military.

The pending move is the third time in three years that the United States has moved toward selling the Super Tucano attack planes, a transaction that would require congressional approval. The Obama administration stopped one proposed sale on Jan. 17 just as it was about to be sent to Congress for approval, after a Nigerian fighter jet searching for Boko Haram members accidentally bombed a camp for displaced people, killing dozens of people and wounding more.

But in a telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria on Feb. 15, President Trump indicated that he would take another look at the proposed sale, administration officials said. President Trump expressed support for the sale of aircraft from the United States to support Nigerias fight against Boko Haram, the White House said in a statement after the call.

Several officials from the State Department, the Pentagon and the White House said that the sale of the attack airplanes, valued at $600 million, would help the Nigerian Air Force battle the militant extremist group Boko Haram.
RIO DE JANEIRO  A judge on Brazils Supreme Court authorized new corruption investigations on Tuesday involving dozens of the countrys most powerful politicians, dealing yet another blow to the beleaguered government of President Michel Temer.

The ruling by Justice Luiz Edson Fachin allows federal prosecutors to start new inquiries of at least eight ministers in Mr. Temers cabinet, including his chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, and his foreign minister, Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, as well as much of the Senate.

Altogether, this means that nearly a third of the cabinet and nearly a third of the Senate will be the target of inquiries in this new phase of the colossal scandal that emerged three years ago into graft around Petrobras, Brazils national oil company.

Governing under the cloud of investigations is nothing new for Mr. Temer, whose government has limped from scandal to scandal with low approval ratings since taking power nearly a year ago following a prolonged battle to oust his leftist predecessor, Dilma Rousseff.
SAN GIORGIO IONICO, Italy  Her husband can still recall how Paola Clemente used to set two alarms to make sure she woke in the middle of the night  1:50 a.m.  to catch the private bus that would take her and dozens of other women to the vineyards.

There, she would pick and sort table grapes up to 12 hours, taking home as little as 27 euros a day, about $29, after middlemen skimmed her pay. Sometimes she was so exhausted, she fell asleep in the midst of conversation.

Her death of a heart attack at 49 in the fields has set off nearly two years of soul-searching in Italy over what the authorities, labor experts and union organizers described as an elaborate system of modern-day slavery  involving more than 40,000 Italian women, as well as migrant and seasonal laborers  that remains at the core of Italys agricultural economy, especially here at the countrys jagged heel.

After months of investigation, this year the authorities arrested six people, accusing them of using their recruiting and transportation agencies to extort wages from women so poor and desperate they dared not speak up and worked under extreme conditions.
For some critics, it seemed to be a cynical way of distracting attention from the multiple investigations into possible contacts between associates of Mr. Trump and Russia even as Moscow was trying to help Mr. Trump win the presidency.

Either way, it suggested that the relationship between the two powers could be volatile in the months to come, subject to the impulsive reactions of a president with no prior experience in foreign policy, the often strident responses of a Russian leader given to his own moments of pique and the clashing national interests of both countries in key areas around the world.

I was skeptical from the beginning that it would be possible for the United States and Russia, after all that happened in the last few years, to engage in a successful reset, said Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer on Russia now at Georgetown University. Whats surprising is how quickly we returned to the status quo ante we had at the end of the Obama administration.

John R. Beyrle, a former ambassador to Moscow, said the extremes of the relationship were being exaggerated and it would probably settle back into the middle. Levels of trust have deteriorated so much that these initial meetings will produce little in the way of agreements and the investigations into likely Russian interference in the election cast a huge shadow that both sides need to acknowledge, he said.

Mr. Trump is the fourth president in a row who came into office determined to reboot the relationship with Moscow, an ambition that often eluded the other three. The difference is that the hacking of Democratic email during last years election, for which intelligence agencies blamed Russia, made Mr. Trumps embrace of Mr. Putin politically problematic.
WASHINGTON  President Trump, inspired by TV images of faraway suffering to launch missile strikes against Syria, may be about to discover a lesson that has confounded presidents for 25 years: American power can only do so much.

That truth is also embedded in another set of disturbing images that Mr. Trump has not cited publicly: those from Nigerias conflict-torn northeast, where a very different crisis is drawing different American action toward different ends.

Those two conflicts, in both their contrasts and commonalities, reveal something of the role that Mr. Trump has taken on and its limitation.

Both are humanitarian disasters whose ground-level stories horrify and enrage. And they are both crises of a sort that the United States, since emerging from the Cold War as the worlds policeman, has repeatedly tried but often failed to resolve.
If you measure a line of verse in terms of feet, youre recognizing its inner dance impulse. The links between poetry and dance go back several millenniums  but usually theyre made by music. With Christopher Bruces Ten Poems, however, the only music is the spoken word: recordings by the actor Richard Burton of poems by his fellow Welshman Dylan Thomas. Though not unprecedented, this is so unusual that it comes as a blast of fresh air.

I accept the theory that the essence of poetry is that which is lost in translation. And dances cant translate words. But Mr. Bruce, whose Ten Poems, with Scottish Ballet, is at the Joyce Theater this week, combines aspects of acted-out illustration with metric urgency and lyrical expansiveness: His dances become a frame to the words.

Sometimes hes too obvious: The gestures of rage and frustration in Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night are prosaically cartoonish, compared with the thought in that haunting poem, and there are a few too many moments when dancers turn their heads to the audience, signaling a thought process to us. Elsewhere, however, Mr. Bruce catches aspects of Thomass meter (notably, his fondness for three consecutive strong syllables) in pulsating footwork, or wraps a dance current around the words, like a song. Though the world onstage shifts with each new poem  the light changes, characters come and go  the scenes connect as if all part of a single village.
ROME  A team of Italian architects, art historians and police officers believe they have solved a mystery that had stumped generations of scholars: What did the Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio look like?

The fact is that no certain likeness of the architect, who lived from 1508 to 1580, was agreed on. Until now.

After a two-year study that resulted in the diagnostic and forensic examination of a dozen portraits thought to depict Palladio, the team got two positive hits. One portrait is in a private collection in Moscow. The other, also in a private collection, was bought at an antiques shop in New Jersey.

The findings were presented in Rome on Wednesday.

Although Palladio may not be a household name for many Americans, his 1570 treatise, The Four Books on Architecture, had a profound impact worldwide, including in the United States. The White House was inspired by Palladios architecture, and the American nickel depicts Monticello, Thomas Jeffersons plantation outside of Charlottesville, Va., which emulated Palladios Villa La Rotonda, outside of Vicenza, a town about 60 miles west of Venice. Jefferson was a disciple of Palladios, professing that that architects treatise was his bible.
One of the residual lawsuits from the scandal involving the Knoedler & Company gallery has ended with a court settlement between a man who bought a fake Rothko sold by the gallery and a Swiss art expert whom he had accused of aiding in the fraud.

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. But David R. Baum, a lawyer for the art expert, Oliver Wick, said his client was pleased with the result and that he had prevailed earlier in a similar case that had been filed by the buyer in Switzerland.

We won the case in Swiss court, where Wick was cleared of any wrongdoing and we won our legal fees, Mr. Baum said in a statement. When the Swiss order was upheld on appeal, the New York case had no future and was destined to be dismissed.

Both cases were brought by Frank J. Fertitta III, a casino magnate, who paid $7.2 million for the bogus work in 2008. It turned out to be one of dozens that were created in a Queens garage by Pei-Shen Qian, a Chinese immigrant who later fled the country, and then sold through Knoedler, a Manhattan gallery that closed in 2011 just ahead of a flood of lawsuits related to the sales.
William Kelly, the New York Public Librarys director of research libraries, described the restrictions, including the seal on roughly half the personal correspondence in the archive, as complicated but fairly modest.

Theres always a balance in guaranteeing access for scholars, while at the same time being sensitive to the family, Mr. Kelly said. (Gloria Karefa-Smart, Baldwins sister and executor, declined through the library to be interviewed for this article.)

Other limitations  like a seven-year waiting period on any public display of all but a handful of items  seem puzzlingly out of step with current trends at archives, which tend to make as much freely available and visible online as copyright will allow. (The library also declined to let The New York Times photograph anything beyond eight items the estate had approved for display.)

But Mr. Kelly said the restrictions were outweighed by the sheer richness of the archive, which sheds light on how Baldwin navigated different aspects of his identity  gay, African-American, political, artistic.

I was dazzled by it, he said, referring to the collection.

The library declined to disclose the purchase price, which was paid with donations from the Ford Foundation, the Knight Foundation, New York Life and three individual donors. (One donor, Mr. Kelly said, contributed the last $500,000.)

For its money, the Schomburg got some 70 boxes of material  about 30 linear feet, in archivist-speak. It spans the full range of Baldwins career, from typescripts of his teenage poetry to handwritten drafts of The Welcome Table, his final, unfinished play about an imaginary dinner party featuring an ex-Black Panther, a professor and a Josephine Baker-like dancer. (It was inspired by visits Baker made to Baldwins house in the South of France, where he spent the last decades of his life.)
LOS ANGELES  Elsa Miriam Escobar, a 47-year-old D.J., surveyed the crowd on a recent Wednesday night at La Cita, a downtown Mexican dive bar here. A cluster of twirling couples danced to a cumbia beat under the low-slung ceiling, while onlookers clutched bottles of Victoria beer. Some slipped notes to the D.J. scribbled on napkins, but they werent requests.

Ms. Escobar typed up their contents and held up the list for another D.J., Jorge Ariano (known as Sonidero Rumbandela), who used CD players and a laptop to juggle the steady, propulsive beat of guacharaca and guiro punctuated with accordion, guitar and bass. Un saludo [a shout-out] to Jose, another to Adriana! he read in Spanish, in the commanding voice of a master of ceremonies.

The call-outs to specific people, either at the bar or watching online via Facebook Live, never stopped, nearly drowning out the music. While such constant banter would frustrate dancers in some club settings, this microphone chatter is expected in the world of Mexican cumbia sonidera.

Cumbia has roots in the Afro-Latin culture of Colombias Caribbean coast. The Mexican variation is slower and features some instruments, like piano, less popular in South American varieties. Most distinct, Mexican cumbia requires a sonidero, a D.J. who will not only play songs but also communicate over them.
I get to say, through the dramatic interpretation of these stories, what I tried to say [on The Oprah Winfrey Show] in 135 episodes of stories with child molesters, victims of child abuse, talking to the molesters themselves. I tried and tried to make an impression on the consciousness of America about what sexual abuse looked like and its long-term effects. At the end of the show, it was the one thing I said I thought I failed at. That I couldnt get people to see it wasnt about the act, it was about the way we consciously accepted it. So then I decided, let me try to dramatize it, and then maybe you can see it.

How do the book and movie address another trauma of Henriettas legacy  that her cells were so instrumental to science, but she was virtually invisible in American history?

I live to tell stories that touch on what it means to be a black woman in the world, so I still feel its a miracle that we know it was an African-American woman who contributed all this to the medical field and we wouldnt even know the story without Rebecca Skloot. I get really upset when I hear people complain [namely some members of the Lacks family] that Rebecca, or I or HBO, havent done anything. When one of the sons started a Henrietta Lacks Healing Center, I did make a six-figure donation to it. And we offered them to be consultants on the film, but a small portion of the family didnt want to be a part of it. So I dont know what they wanted other than the $10 million they wrote me asking for.

I dont feel its my responsibility to now fulfill the role of the drug companies that have made billions off the cells. Do I think that her family should have benefited from that? Yes, I do. Do I think its my job or HBOs job to make sure that happens? No, its our job to tell the story with as much integrity as possible.

In the book Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-First Century, the sociologist Dorothy Roberts says that the story of Henrietta Lacks ultimately challenges the view that African-Americans were inherently inferior because her cells although they came from a black woman, helped to improve the lives of people the world over and testify to our common humanity. How could she die in a segregated ward and yet have her cells travel the world over?

How can you have Dorothy Dandridge come and sing at your club, and then she cant use the bathroom and find a hotel? We certainly want to be entertained by you and appreciate you and make ourselves feel good from the experience of your art. But nope, cant sit down, cant eat. In 1951, all the people that benefited from those cells didnt know that it was a black womans cells. Its indicative of the times. This is the thing I choose to focus on. Im obviously aware of and understand the complications of that. But look at whats happened. I sit here my black self, with George Wolfe, and with the ability to get this film made. Thats progress.
Bill Cosbys Little Bill childrens book series was among the 10 most challenged books in 2016, according to a list compiled by the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom.

A book is challenged when someone, like a parent or other community member, complains and tries to get the book removed from a library or a school curriculum.

Its the first time the Cosby series has attracted a complaint, the organization said. The Little Bill books, first published in 1997, tell the adventures of Bill Jr., a 5-year-old Philadelphia boy, and were the basis for an animated TV series.
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

By David Grann

Illustrated. 338 pages. Doubleday. $28.95.

If you taught the artificial brains of supercomputers at IBM Research to write nonfiction prose, and if they got very good at it, they might compose a book like David Granns Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI.

This is not entirely a complaint. Granns new book, about how dozens of members of the Osage Indian nation in Oklahoma in the 1920s were shot, poisoned or blown to bits by rapacious whites who coveted the oil under their land, is close to impeccable. Its confident, fluid in its dynamics, light on its feet.

What it lacks is the soulful, trippy, questing and offhandedly cerebral quality of his last and best-known book, The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon (2009). That volume is deservedly regarded as one of the prize nonfiction specimens of this century.
So Thomson makes the Here List, which includes a visit to the Okanagan Valley wine region in British Columbia, a weekend with the goats, cattle and sheep at a rural creamery and an evening at an extravagant restaurant on Washingtons Whidbey Island. She wants to shoot a deer, dig clams, hunt truffles, ride bikes  all the sorts of things we make excuses about and know in the back of our minds we should be doing instead of flopping down the same old timeworn paths. Our excuses will pale before Thomsons. She has lupus, so riding a bike for miles and miles through those Canadian vineyards isnt easy. Her young son has cerebral palsy, and although he comes across as dauntless and resilient, he too will find that many things arent easy. Like walking in sand.

In a book so intimate  Thomsons family, friends and husband are all in here  she needs to walk a very thin line, and she does it gracefully. Shes honest about people and their prickly selves. She doesnt cover for them, but neither is she mean. Of course, things dont go as planned. We all know what happens to the list you make at the start of the year. But if everything had gone according to plan, Thomsons book would be as straightforward as her original list. The twists and turns are what makes it  that and a solid recipe for fried chicken.

MY MOTHERS KITCHEN

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and the Meaning of Life

By Peter Gethers

301 pp. Holt, $28.

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Gethers was having lunch with his mother at the famed Los Angeles restaurant Ma Maison shortly after Wolfgang Puck, then in his 20s, had taken over the kitchen. Judy Gethers loved the place, and when the owner, Patrick Terrail, came to sit with them, she asked how she might learn to cook such wonderful food. Come to work in our kitchen three times a week, Terrail replied. We wont pay you and youll basically be our slave, but after a year youll be a real French cook.

While her son was still stifling a laugh, 53-year-old Judy agreed and began her powerful second act. She went on to write cookbooks, cook and teach. But in 2007 she had a massive stroke. Her resultant aphasia made it difficult to talk  unless the talk was about food. Asked to assess the duck shes eating, she doesnt miss a beat: Very well cooked. Better today at room temperature. Outside crisp but moist inside. Maybe too much salt.

Gethers decides to learn to cook his mothers favorite dishes, then cook them for her. This is no small task. While he says that every major decision Ive made and most key events in my life have revolved around food and drink, hes not very handy in the kitchen. (Or so he claims. He does all right working his way from the matzo brei from Ratners, which was owned by his mothers family, up through Pucks salmon coulibiac.)
This may be the most charming book Ive read all year. Its narrator, Sally Jones (Human beings have two names, a first name and a surname, but Im a gorilla and I just have the one name  Sally Jones, she explains), is a gorilla who understands everything humans say, though she cant herself speak. She can, however, write: The book begins with her pulling out a vintage typewriter shes mended (Sally Jones is also a master fixer of things) in order to put her story down and, she hopes, overcome her nightmares.

A lot has happened. Sally Joness best friend, the Chief, a man named Henry Koskela, was framed for a murder and sentenced to 25 years. In an effort to restore his reputation and reunite with her friend, Sally Jones embarks on a journey across the world: Shes in and out of homes and ships and even palaces, having adventures and relationships that are good and bad and complicated. (The Chief gives her the typewriter, so we know these two will find their way back to each other, but that doesnt take away from the fun.)

Wegelius, a Swedish writer and illustrator, peppers his work with delightful drawings, and though the book is lengthy, its heart and mystery keep you turning pages. Its a challenge to build a story around a protagonist who cant speak, and Wegelius does this skillfully, emphasizing qualities that make us human  though not everyone demonstrates them  and that are possessed by Sally Jones, a very good and fine person, as the Chief aptly puts it.

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A LIST OF CAGES

By Robin Roe

310 pp. Disney-Hyperion. $17.99.

(Young adult; ages 12 and up)

Adam Blake is the sort of kid everybody likes, gregarious and smiling, even if hes clumsy. Youre sort of unbreakable, his girlfriend tells him. A high school senior, hes finally gotten the right treatment for his A.D.H.D., and he and his friends are cool yet mostly pretty nice.

Helping the school therapist, Adam encounters his former foster brother, Julian, now a freshman. Julians parents died in a car accident, and after his time with the Blakes an uncle took him in, cutting off ties with his foster family. Shy and dyslexic, Julian struggles at school, bullied by peers and teachers. Adam reaches out to Julian, inviting him to hang out and to sit with the seniors at lunch. Julian re-emerges from his shell, but hes keeping terrifying secrets about whats happening in his uncles home.

This is Roes first young adult novel, and its impressive. Julians and Adams perspectives alternate, and the plot chugs steadily forward, moments of beauty and humor interspersed with scenes of abuse and violence. Roe runs a mentoring program for at-risk teens; its clear she brings firsthand experience to the subject. While the crimes she portrays are truly vile (and make for difficult reading), their evil cant stand up to the goodness in her protagonists, and the lesson that every kindness matters  and that we always have the choice to be kind.
In its lifetime, the same building can meet Julius Caesar, Napoleon and Adolf Hitler, James Crawford writes in Fallen Glory: The Lives and Deaths of Historys Greatest Buildings. What human could claim the same? Crawfords book tells the stories of 21 great and influential sites  their conception, construction and destruction  from the Tower of Babel to the Bastille to the World Trade Center. In doing so, he tours much of world history, and attempts to look into the future as well. Below, Crawford tells us about the inspiration for the book, what he learned while writing it and more.

When did you first get the idea to write this book?

JAMES CRAWFORD The inspiration came from a visit to the site of Knossos on the Greek island of Crete about eight years ago. I had studied the mythological history of the site  the labyrinth, the Minotaur, Theseus, Ariadne, Daedalus and Icarus  but was largely unaware of the early-20th-century story of Arthur Evans, the English antiquarian who partially reconstructed the ruins in reinforced concrete. I found exploring Knossos a confusing and at times surreal experience. You cant help but try to spot where the rebuilding (and garish redecorating) stops and where the original remains actually begin.

I was at first baffled and then intrigued by the eccentricity and audacity of Evans. Crete got under my skin, but no part of it more so than Knossos. The relatively recent intervention of a wealthy eccentric seemed such a deliciously bizarre episode in the life of a building. And it was this that got me thinking about the very idea of the lives  and indeed deaths  of buildings.

Whats the most surprising thing you learned while writing it?

CRAWFORD Its difficult to know where to start with this. The book spans some 7,000 years of human history, moving from the birth of civilization up to the present day. But the stories of each of the individual buildings I write about also often span thousands and thousands of years. As a result, the research could become a rabbit hole, and I found myself doing massive chunks of reading around subjects as diverse and niche as the Marquis de Sades prison eating habits, the sex lives of Byzantine emperors, French New Wave filmmaking in Cold War East Germany, the opium-fuelled poetry of Chinese princes, viral social-media shaming in South Korea, and how to 3-D print a 2,000-year-old Syrian temple. A particular favorite was discovering that the Stasi held a file on Bruce Springsteen  which commented approvingly on his lyrics about working-class economic depression in America  and that they permitted him to play a concert to 300,000 people in East Germany, a year before the fall of the Berlin Wall.
 Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution sponsored by the United States, Britain and France which would have condemned last weeks chemical attack in Syria. (China abstained.)

The vote reflected how President Trumps plan to mend ties with Moscow has given way to acrimony. We may be at an all-time low in terms of relationship with Russia, Mr. Trump said, as he met NATOs secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, at the White House.

President Vladimir Putin sat down with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the Kremlin for two hours, despite saying earlier that he would not have time to meet the oil executive.
1. President Vladimir Putin of Russia sat down with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the Kremlin for two hours, despite days of escalating acrimony over Syria.

President Trumps shifts on Russia have created geopolitical whiplash. In the latest, he criticized Mr. Putin for supporting the Syrian president.

Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person, and I think its very bad for Russia, Mr. Trump said. I think its very bad for mankind, its very bad for this world.
Yet another executive is leaving Uber, this time in an area where the ride-hailing company knows how to keep a person busy.

Rachel Whetstone, the head of policy and communications, is the latest top manager to leave, the company said on Tuesday. Travis Kalanick, the chief executive, says the departure is amicable. Ms. Whetstones statement maintained that tone: I joined Uber because I love the product  and that love is as strong today as it was when I booked my very first ride six years ago.

But current and former employees say the move is more complicated.

Mr. Kalanick and Ms. Whetstone, two intense personalities, clashed over how to handle external communications, especially in times of crisis.

Ms. Whetstone steered the company through several recent firestorms, including a campaign urging people to delete the Uber app and a former engineers report of harassment, which prompted an internal investigation.
When the worlds most powerful chief executive is renowned for never apologizing, it takes a special form of incompetence to be upstaged in the contrition department by President Trumps White House.

Somehow, against extraordinary odds, United Continental Holdings  an airline reliant on customer loyalty  managed this dunderheaded achievement.

It took Oscar Munoz, the chief executive of the $22 billion company, more than a day, and the incineration of up to half a billion dollars of investor wealth, before he finally found the right words to respond to his companys latest mistake. He revealed that the company enlisted airport security officers to forcibly remove a passenger from one of its planes after selling too many seats on the flight.

Even the White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, managed to apologize with greater finesse. In a press briefing on Tuesday he appeared to minimize the horrors of the Holocaust. From this, and Uniteds episode, there is a lesson to be gleaned by all businesses. The value of the humble apology is incalculable. Say sorry first, ask questions later.
Over the last year, the law firm Debevoise & Plimpton has hired the chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the head of that agencys enforcement unit and a prominent federal judge.

That trend will continue on Thursday, when the firms white-collar defense group is expected to announce another acquisition from the government ranks: Winston Paes, a federal prosecutor who specializes in financial fraud.

Mr. Paes, who prosecuted a number of Wall Street cases as head of the securities fraud section at the United States attorneys office in Brooklyn, will be counsel in Debevoises New York office, working alongside Mary Jo White, the former S.E.C. chairwoman; Andrew J. Ceresney, the agencys enforcement chief; and John Gleeson, who spent over two decades as a federal judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Debevoise also has hired in its Washington office David A. ONeil, the former acting head of the Justice Departments criminal division, and Julie M. Riewe, a senior S.E.C. enforcement official.

Although the job-hopping partly reflects an exodus of Obama administration officials to several prominent firms  and a homecoming for longtime Debevoise partners like Ms. White and Mr. Ceresney  the metaphorical revolving door between Debevoise and the government is spinning fast these days. Debevoises lock-step compensation system, which pays partners in a narrow range according to seniority rather than revenue generated, is attractive to government officials who often prefer to focus on clients and cases rather than the credit that individual lawyers receive.
LONDON  The Daily Mail apologized to Melania Trump on Wednesday and agreed to pay damages to settle two lawsuits she had filed over an article last year asserting that the professional modeling agency she worked for in the 1990s had also been an escort service.

We accept that these allegations about Mrs. Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them, a lawyer for the British newspaper told a judge, Andrew Nicol, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. We apologize to Mrs. Trump for any distress that our publication caused her. To settle Mrs. Trumps two lawsuits against us, we have agreed to pay her damages and costs.

The terms of the settlement were not immediately disclosed. She had sought compensatory and punitive damages of at least $150 million, according to the filing.

The Daily Mail published its article on Mrs. Trump on Aug. 20, 2016, quoting from a report in a magazine in Slovenia, where she was born, and a biography of her by a journalist, Bojan Pozar.
In a 2014 speech at his old high school in Rhode Island, Sean Spicer laid out his personal guidelines for success. Rule No. 4: Take responsibility when you mess up, and you will be rewarded.

I make mistakes; everyone does, Mr. Spicer, now the White House press secretary, told his audience. How you handle those mistakes is what makes the difference in life.

This week, Mr. Spicer is trying to take his own advice.

One day after he delivered a stunner of a gaffe from the White House lectern  favorably comparing Hitler to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, then clumsily referring to Nazi death camps as Holocaust centers  Mr. Spicer gave an abject apology on Wednesday, saying, It really is painful to myself to know that I did something like that.

I made a mistake; theres no other way to say it, Mr. Spicer said, his face taut, during a scheduled interview in Washington. I got into a topic that I shouldnt have, and I screwed up.
Techy smartwatches. Cheap fashion watches. Snowboarder-friendly sport watches.

The watch industry has been laboring to get millennials in the habit of checking their wrists, not their cellphones, for the time. The challenge is even greater for the makers of fine mechanical timepieces, which can cost $5,000 or more.

No wonder then that Nomos Glashutte made waves at the recent Baselworld watch fair with its new Club Campus line, a budget-priced collection of design-forward serious watches aimed at first-time buyers celebrating special occasions like college graduation or a first job.

Starting an independent life isnt always easy, but we think that a good watch can help  as a reliable accompaniment for whatever life brings next: whether that is a trip around the world, further studies or a job interview, said Uwe Ahrendt, the chief executive of Nomos.

As a father of two young adults myself, he added, I am particularly enthusiastic about these new customers, for whom there has been nothing on the market until now.
Times Insider delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how news, features and opinion come together at The New York Times.

Frank Bruni, a Times Op-Ed columnist, and his BFF, Jennifer Steinhauer, a congressional correspondent in The Timess Washington bureau, recently published a cookbook on meatloaf. The book, A Meatloaf in Every Oven, chronicles their adventures in meatloafing and features recipes from famous chefs, politicians, personal friends and their own kitchen. Over the last few months, theyve discovered that there are six things people want to know about meatloaf.

Why a whole book about meatloaf?

Over the years, we have talked somewhat obsessively about our mutual love of meatloaf. For Frank, who spent years as a restaurant critic and remains a loyal fan of New York City restaurants, the kitchen was long a place he was good at analyzing but not as great at laboring within. Meatloaf, however, was always his go-to dish for company. He was so adept at it that he once won a meatloaf contest at a dinner party. Jennifer has long found meatloaf a good dinner option for her family, and experimented with ways to make it new and different and international. Frank once confessed to Jennifer that he always wanted to write a cookbook about meatloaves, but being neither a cook nor cookbook writer  two seemingly insurmountable obstacles to such a project  he gifted the idea to Jennifer, who then insisted they do it together.

Favorite recipes?

This truly is like asking us to pick between our favorite children, or at least our favorite animal. Frank has a soft spot of course for his own mothers loaf, a classic that has gotten a lot of attention in stories about our book. He also loves his award-winning Greek loaf with lamb and feta and is known to surprise guests with the cheesy chorizo loaf, a decadent crowd pleaser. Jennifer has a soft spot for the spicy turkey loaf with sriracha, the Japanese loaf with miso and mirin, among the international numbers, and for a classic, Senator Susan Collinss mothers loaf, which has a dab of horseradish.
Ms. Betts said she had checked what historians refer to as Stokes, I. N. Phelps Stokess The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498-1909. It is considered by many historians to be the single most important work about the city, at least until 1909.

He was pretty comprehensive, she said. Youd think hed have mentioned it if he came up with it.

But Mr. Posner said he did not believe that there was no Weimar, even though he acknowledged that there was no official record of it and that it was not great art. To put it mildly, he said in an email, the quality is not of the first order. Later, by telephone from London, he added, I think my dogs could paint a better painting.

But based on references he found, Mr. Posner concluded that between 1858 and at least 1902, the Weimar painting was on display at City Hall, as was the Trumbull.

One can only conclude that the Weimar painting has been lost, stolen or destroyed, he said.

Ms. Betts countered with evidence from Charles Henry Hart, a lawyer from Philadelphia who doubled as an art historian as the 19th century waned and the 20th dawned. He credited the painting to Trumbull and said that it in some unaccountable way had the name of Weimar frequently attached to it as the painter.
ALBANY  In his six-plus years as New Yorks governor, Andrew M. Cuomo has slowly accumulated a national political portfolio peppered with popular, if niche, liberal causes: same-sex marriage, raising the minimum wage, and juvenile justice reform.

In the last four months, however, Mr. Cuomo has seemed intent on expanding his appeal by pursuing initiatives aimed at a larger constituency of vital importance to his and his partys long-term prospects: the middle class.

Riding solid home-state approval ratings amid whispered national ambitions, Mr. Cuomo, a second-term Democrat, has taken a deep plunge into the center of the pool in 2017, rolling out a middle-class agenda and a middle-class recovery act, promising to address middle-class wages, middle-class anxiety and middle-class frustration.

There is perhaps no better illustration of Mr. Cuomos current focus than the so-called tuition-free college initiative he flaunted on Wednesday at LaGuardia Community College in Queens, standing alongside another centrist Democrat, Hillary Clinton, using his roots in the borough to amplify his connection to a tax bracket to which he does not personally belong.
Mr. Di Modica and his lawyers did not disagree with that idea at a news conference  None of us here are in any way not proponents of gender equality, said one of Mr. Di Modicas lawyers, Norman Siegel, a former executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. They demanded that Fearless Girl be moved somewhere else.

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who spoke out in support of Fearless Girl last month, reiterated its importance on Twitter on Wednesday: Men who dont like women taking up space are exactly why we need the Fearless Girl.

Fearless Girl was seen by many as a unifying symbol during International Womens Day last month. Chelsea Clinton and the actress Jessica Chastain posted on Twitter expressing support for the statue.

But on Wednesday, Mr. Siegel said, Principle trumps popularity, and there are principles here.

For his part, Mr. Di Modica became emotional, explaining later that when he had heard about Fearless Girl, his reaction was to go to the site in Lower Manhattan and try to do something to end the face-off between the two statues. I said, Now Im going to turn around the bull myself, he recalled.
Before making his promise to replace Rikers Island with jails elsewhere in the city, Mayor Bill de Blasio was adamant about one thing: He would commit to the goal, but say nothing about precisely where any new jail should go.

He was insistent on that point behind closed doors, according to people briefed on the matter, and in public, when he sought to distance himself from a special City Council commission recommendation earlier this month that called for new jails near courthouses in all five boroughs.

The mayor may have had good reason to be wary.

At a time when Mr. de Blasio is battling neighborhood resistance to his plan for 90 new homeless shelters, City Council members from Staten Island to the Bronx  who have veto power over such projects  have expressed reservations if not outright hostility to the idea of constructing jails in their backyards.

The union for correction officers, whose ranks stand to be reduced by half or more under any closing plan, is also adamantly opposed to what its leader called a fantasy. Both Republican and Democratic challengers to the mayor have already seized on the plan as a fresh line of attack against Mr. de Blasio, who still holds a formidable lead in the polls heading into his re-election fight this year.
To the Editor:

President Trump was appalled when he saw the suffering of the Syrian children killed in a chemical weapons attack. Beautiful babies, he remarked.

Why is he not seeing the suffering of the beautiful American children who are being cruelly separated from their undocumented parents? He should.

ERWIN BACMEISTER, BALTIMORE
That opposition would look ironic in hindsight, since once on the bench Souter spent a brief time voting with the conservatives, then cast one of the crucial votes to uphold Roe, then swiftly evolved into as reliable a liberal as Bill Clinton or Barack Obama could have ever hoped to appoint  and then, as the by-then-inevitable coup de grace, retired under Obama, allowing Sonia Sotomayor to take his place. For Republicans and conservatives, it was the most extraordinary of own goals  as if Obama had been persuaded by, say, Ben Nelson or Joe Lieberman to appoint a jurist who turned out to vote like Samuel Alito.

Now imagine a counterfactual without this epic blunder. Had Souter simply voted like a typical Republican appointee  not in lock step with Antonin Scalia, but as an institutionalist, incrementalist conservative, in line with the current chief justice, John Roberts  then its likely that Roe v. Wade would have been mostly overturned in the 1990s, returning much of abortion law to the states, and that the gay rights movement would have subsequently advanced through referendums and legislation rather than a sweeping constitutionalization of cultural debate.

This, in turn, would have dramatically lowered the stakes of judicial politics for many Republican voters, making an untimely event like Scalias death less of a crisis moment, a response like the Garland pocket veto less of a necessity and the candidacy of Donald Trump something more easily rejected.

Indeed, I strongly suspect that in a world without the Souter own goal  a world where the Supreme Court had sided with cultural conservatives to the extent one would have expected given the number of recent Republican appointees  a nominee like Merrick Garland could still have been confirmed with Republican votes, and the filibuster could still persist, reserved for the unqualified, corrupt and genuinely extreme. Oh, and into the bargain, Donald Trump might well not be president.

Of course this is just a suspicion, and counterfactuals dont really work that easily; you cant change one thing and hold everything else constant. Moreover even if you could, few liberals would trade the kind of big Supreme Court losses on social issues (and not only on social issues, of course) that Im imagining for more comity in the nomination process and a slightly lower risk of a demagogue capturing the White House. If your foes score an own goal, you dont hand the point back to them; you welcome the edge and keep on playing, no matter how much they whine about what could have been or make dangerous plays to win the lost point back.

But a liberal can be glad that Bush nominated Souter, glad that he effectively betrayed the party that put him on the court, and still recognize the peculiar impact of that nomination. The gears of history grind, the tectonic plates shift  but individuals and contingencies still matter, and in their desire for a smooth and bipartisan nominating process almost 27 years ago it was Warren Rudman and John Sununu who helped transform it into a ruthless and purely partisan affair.
The Islamic States affiliate in Egypt is on the march. On Palm Sunday, a pair of bombs killed 45 people at church. This was the third major attack on Coptic churches in less than four months  and the first such attack recently in major Egyptian cities, which many people believed were more secure. These attacks follow after months of terrorism, and they could have been predicted: Just two months ago, the Sinai-based Islamic State affiliate issued a video promising that the group would target Copts in Egypts mainland.

These attacks demonstrate that President Abdel Fattah el-Sisis counterterrorism strategy is failing. Mr. Sisi claims that he is committed to fighting terrorism, but in reality his energy is directed toward his other enemies: secular activists, journalists, independent members of Parliament, businessmen and academics who oppose him, human rights organizations and peaceful dissident Islamist groups.

In response to Sundays bombings, Mr. Sisi declared a three-month-long state of emergency. North Sinai province has been under emergency law since October 2014. But the deterioration in the security situation there over the past year is a reminder of how such policies fail. The fact of the matter is that the national emergency law will do little beyond giving legal cover to the brutal practices that have already been enforced for the past few years in flagrant violation of Egypts Constitution. (After all, Mr. Sisi has previously stated that the Constitution was written with naive intentions.)

North Sinai looks increasingly like Mosul, which until recently was the Islamic States de facto capital in Iraq. Earlier this year, Egyptian news media was full of images of desperate Christians being forced from their homes in Sinai by Islamic State militants in a scene reminiscent of the jihadist groups takeover of Mosul in 2014. In al-Arish, North Sinais capital, the Islamic State has reportedly set up checkpoints to force female public servants to adhere to a strict Islamic dress code. Young men have reportedly been flogged in public squares for the crime of selling cigarettes.
PARIS  For the first time in the history of the last three French republics, the two front-runners in the presidential election deny belonging to the right or the left, or even the center, of the political spectrum.

Marine Le Pen, the leader of the Front National, widely known as a far-right party, has tried to rid it of its founder  her own father, Jean-Marie Le Pen  for being too extreme. Ms. Le Pen, who according to current polls will win the first round of the election on April 23, faults the outgoing Socialist president, Francois Hollande, for turning his back on the weak and the underprivileged  in other words, for abandoning the lefts ideals of social solidarity. In his time Mr. Le Pen instead faulted Francois Mitterrand, the first Socialist to be elected under the Fifth Republic in 1981, for his vile and harmful leftism.

During the last candidates debate on April 4, the words Ms. Le Pen used the most would never have passed her fathers lips: the unemployed, the downtrodden, poverty, the have-nots; all the product of capitalism and liberalisme (meaning, in the French sense, the pro-market economic theory rather than the political doctrine promoting individual rights). One curious result was that candidates from the left, even the far left, wound up sounding like they were on the same wavelength as she was when they castigated bankers and multinational companies.

Ms. Le Pens main opponent, Emmanuel Macron  who is forecast to make it past the first round of voting with her and then win the second  has tirelessly repeated that even though he has a social bent, he is principally a progressive and a pragmatist, and favors globalization and finance. A young graduate of the prestigious national school of administration known as lENA  as well as a former investment banker and an adviser to Mr. Hollande, who made him economics minister  Mr. Macron says he doesnt belong to the traditional political spectrum either. He refuses to be called left-wing, much less socialist, but balks just as much at being labeled right-wing. Campaign posters for his party, En Marche! (Onward!), tout the slogan France must be a chance for all.
Turkish democracy is on life support. On April 16, Turks will vote on 18 amendments to their countrys Constitution, including whether to abolish the office of the prime minister and transfer its powers to the president.

Pushing for a yes vote is President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A presidential system would not only give Mr. Erdogan more authority to appoint judges and ministers, and control budgets, but also allow him to rule for two more terms  until 2029  and it would solidify Turkeys shift to authoritarianism. But even if a no vote is preferable, it may not be enough to save the Turkish republic from Mr. Erdogans damage.

Representative democracy has never come easily for Turkey. Founded in 1923, the Turkish republic did not hold its first multiparty elections until 1946. Few Turkish governments since have run the country effectively; none has truly adhered to the rule of law. The military has contributed to Turkeys democratic deficit. In stepping in  in 1960, 1971, 1980 and 1997  to restore order to faltering governments, Turkeys generals reinforced top-down rule.

Several of Mr. Erdogans predecessors called for a stronger presidency to tame the military. Upon becoming prime minister in 2003, Mr. Erdogan managed to place civilian oversight over military expenditures and gutted the generals hold on the National Security Council. In part because of these moves, the European Union opened negotiations for Turkish accession in 2005.
John Stumpf, the banks former chief executive, has now been told by the board that he will not receive $28 million in proceeds from a stock grant in 2013; Carrie Tolstedt, the former head of community banking, will not be allowed to exercise vested stock options valued at $47 million. Those sums are on top of the cancellation last year of multimillions of dollars in unvested stock awards for the two executives.

None of this can make either Mr. Stumpf or Ms. Tolstedt happy. (Ms. Tolstedt issued a statement through lawyers on Monday strongly disagreeing with the boards finding that she was to blame; Mr. Stumpf did not comment.) Truth is, theyre getting off easy. The clawbacks still leave them with vast accumulated wealth. Mr. Stumpf will keep most of the $286 million he made from 2011 to 2016, according to Equilar, a compensation consultant. The hit to Ms. Tolstedt is harder to quantify because, unlike Mr. Stumpf, she was fired, which presumably affects the estimated $125 million she was set to receive upon retirement. But in 2015 alone, she made $9 million in total pay.

By focusing on just two villains, the clawbacks obscure the full extent of the banks activities. More than 5,000 generally low-level Wells Fargo employees were fired during the scandal, which strongly suggests that there were numerous enablers in the banks chain of command beyond Mr. Stumpf, Ms. Tolstedt and four lower-level executives, who were fired in February. It also suggests that the board failed in its oversight duty for a long period of time.

In addition, for all its talk about restoring trust and its reputation, Wells Fargo moved quickly to slam the courthouse door in the face of consumers wronged in the scandal. When some of the customers tried to sue over the sham accounts, the bank blocked the cases on the ground that the mandatory arbitration clauses signed by the customers when they opened accounts at Wells Fargo also applied to fraudulent accounts opened in their names without their consent.
There is so much appalling about this episode that its hard to know where to begin. But lets start with the fact that the Trump White House has a real issue with the Holocaust. It released a Holocaust Remembrance Day statement that didnt mention Jews, and a spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, later explained that the omission showed how incredibly inclusive the Trump team was and how much they grieved for all of those who suffered. Trump brought Steve Bannon, a man who made millions off racism, white nationalism and anti-Semitism, into his White House (though given Trumps recent comments about him, we can at least hope that he might not be there much longer).

Spicers ignorance about history is shocking, but then again his boss, the president, didnt seem to know who Frederick Douglass was or that he lived in the 19th century.

In an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN on Tuesday, Spicer said, I mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison.

His comments were not inappropriate and insensitive. They were disgusting. And what did he mean by mistakenly  that he made a boo-boo about the Holocaust, or that he actually uttered the thoughts spinning around his brain? Its not just that Spicer said those things about Hitler. Its that he thought them in the first place.

Spicer did better on Wednesday, telling an audience at the Newseum in Washington that his remarks were inexcusable and reprehensible. But he went on to complain about the attention he gets in his job as press secretary. No matter what you do, no matter what you wear, it gets amplified to a degree that you couldnt imagine, he said.

Actually we can all imagine, but this is typical Trumpian deflection. The president said in February that nobody knew health care could be so complicated, and told Fox Business on Wednesday that he has failed to fill so many jobs because the long-established process turned out to be hard.
One of the saddest stories of this year has been the death of Salome Karwah, a Liberian health worker who was featured on the cover of Time magazine as a fighter in the 2014 Ebola epidemic.

She lost most of her family to the disease. She was also infected, but she recovered to return to the clinical front lines to care for hundreds of other patients. Earlier this year in Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, she died from complications of childbirth.

Her death draws new attention to the governing structure in Liberia. The scope of the dysfunction that Ebola revealed is beyond what can be chalked up simply to being a weak state in West Africa. In 2014, Nigeria logged about 18,500 face-to-face visits to stop its few Ebola cases cold. Neighboring Sierra Leone, which had a higher number of initial infections than Liberia, ultimately experienced fewer Ebola deaths.

But Liberian health systems under Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman to be elected president of an African nation, were overwhelmed by the outbreak. Just 50 doctors at that time served Liberias 4.3 million people. Sluggish education and quarantine efforts failed because of widespread mistrust of the government, and particularly Ms. Johnson Sirleaf.
Each terrorist attack tests anew the values of openness and tolerance essential to free societies. Stockholm became the scene of another such attack on Friday when a barreling truck was turned, yet again, into a deadly weapon. This time four were killed and 15 were injured.

Though details are still being investigated, the attacker was apparently an Uzbek man who had been denied asylum and ordered to leave Sweden. This will no doubt add grist to the arguments of those  the autocrat Viktor Orban, the French right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen  who conflate terrorists with immigrants in search of a better life and refugees fleeing deadly conflict.

That was not the approach of Swedens prime minister, Stefan Lofven. In the hour of his countrys grief, he issued the bravest and the best rebuke to the terrorist, declaring: Our message is clear: You will never, ever win. We are determined never to let the values that we treasure  democracy, human rights and freedom  to be undermined by hatred.
But last week, Mr. Trump removed Mr. Bannon from his role on the National Security Council. This week, my colleague Jeremy Peters has been reporting on the growing perception that Mr. Bannon is in trouble.

On todays episode:

The relationship between two key figures in the White House, chief strategist Steve Bannon and senior adviser Jared Kushner, has deteriorated to the point of breakdown. Mr. Peters joins us to discuss.

Background reading:

 Heres the reason theres no middle ground, Mr. Bannon said to Mr. Kushner, according to this story in The Times. Youre a Democrat.

 More on Mr. Trumps removal of Mr. Bannon from the N.S.C.

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.

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At least one of the more than 12,000 species of ants is selfless and heroic in battle.

Megaponera analis, a species found in sub-Saharan Africa, hunts in groups for termites. A scout goes out to reconnoiter a termite nest, then returns to lead a battalion of 200 to 500 ants to the buffet.

Larger ants break open the nest; smaller ants follow, rushing in to grab the prey. But soldier termites with hard heads and big jaws fight them off, and the injury rate is high among the invaders.

So the ants rescue their injured buddies, carrying them back to the nest where they can recover to fight again.
Sean Spicer on Tuesday badly fumbled one of the major riddles of World War II: Why didnt Hitler use the thousands of tons of lethal nerve agents that German chemists had invented and military leaders had readied for battlefield use, including sarin, the deadly gas that recently killed scores of Syrian civilians, children among them?

Its a real mystery, said Raymond A. Zilinskas, director of the chemical and biological weapons nonproliferation program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, Calif. Therere a lot more questions than answers.

During the war, the deadly agents could have dealt a major blow to the Allies, who had no knowledge of the lethal arms. According to the Armys textbook on the medical effects of chemical weapons, German attacks with sarin and tabun, another nerve agent, would have been devastating and might have altered the outcome of that conflict.

Mr. Spicer, the White House press secretary, touched off a global outcry after suggesting that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria was guilty of acts worse than Hitler, and claimed that the Nazi leader had not used chemical weapons, ignoring the use of gas chambers at death camps during the Holocaust. Mr. Spicer later apologized.
MILAN  In 2008, a star of the international furniture fair known as Salone del Mobile was a carpet called Global Warming. It featured a tiny polar bear stranded on an ice floe in a fuzzy blue ocean. Nine years later, the bear is back. Only now its no longer small and forlorn, but sprawled over a couch.

The stylized bear, a huggable backrest on the Pack sofa by Francesco Binfare for Edra, was one of many escapist moments this year at the Milan fair, which ended on Sunday. With more than 2,000 exhibitors along with legions of outsiders showing throughout the city, it was the most exciting in a while. You would hardly guess from the crackling ideas and deep pools of beauty that we are in anxious times here and abroad.

What can I tell you? Italians are optimists, said Ferruccio Laviani, a founder of the 1980s Memphis group who designs products and exhibition booths for Fratelli Boffi, Kartell and others.

His colorful booth for Kartell this year was boldly called Contamination. As Claudio Luti, the chief executive of Kartell and newly reinstated president of the Salone, noted, the word in Italian means not just polluting but also cross-fertilizing. Its a nice thing when you put two things together, they are completely different, but they grow together, he said.
He went on a vacation with Bryan Ferry and I think the art dealer Paul Kasmin. Theyd all rented a house in Provence, or maybe Cap dAntibes, somewhere glamorous. It was a jolly bunch except for Bryan Ferry, who just sat in a lawn chair and was reading P. G. Wodehouse books and chuckling to himself. This irritated Glenn so much that he just went over and took the book out of Bryans hands and threw it over the sea wall. Which really irritated Bryan Ferry, who didnt think it was funny at all. I said to him, You actually did that? He said: Yeah, it was so annoying. Were all trying to have some fun and then theres Bryan Ferry chuckling to himself.

Matt Dillon, actor

Glenn was smart and honest and didnt care if people didnt like what he had to say. He spoke the truth.

Adam Rapoport , editor in chief, Bon Appetit; former editor at GQ

One day in the mid-2000s, Glenn and I were sitting in a conference room at GQ, going over a feature he had written. It was December, the thick of holiday-party season, and Glenn had been out the past three nights and was talking about what he had on tap that evening and the next. I asked, How could a 60-year-old guy have that kind of stamina? He looked at me, almost incredulously, and said, Adam, its my job. I had never thought of it like that. Glenn could be effortlessly charming and elegant. But in reality, Glenn was a hustler, one of the hardest working guys in the biz. He woke up every single morning, on what I imagine were really nice sheets, and punched the clock.

Christopher Bollen , novelist; editor at large, Interview

The year we relaunched Interview, 2008, was a notoriously difficult year for magazines. But Glenn made it feel that we were starting out on a gorgeous dawn. Whenever the subject arose of why a certain celebrity would want to appear on the cover or why a certain brand would want to advertise, Glenn would respond with a deeply bewildered expression, as if the questioner were on heavy pills. Why wouldnt they? hed answer, as if it were self-evident. Glenn had a trait known to geniuses: the confidence to assume that whatever he spent his time working on was the best and baddest thing going down. Unless some of those brands or celebrities made demands we couldnt fulfill. Then he would say, Tell them were just a little hippie magazine doing what we can to get by.

Michael Hainey , executive director of editorial, Esquire; former editor at GQ

He could be prickly. Maybe a year ago, he called me up and said, Lets meet for breakfast. We made a plan to meet at the Smile, which is across the street from his house. For some reason, I got there 10 minutes late. I walked in and said, Glenn, Im really sorry. And he said, Uh huh. He just froze me out. He said, I could have slept an extra 10 minutes. I said: Glenn, you literally rolled out of bed. You literally have your slippers on. And he says, Uh huh, and he starts moving things around the table. And I asked, Are we really doing this? He said: Youre right. Im sorry. I think that was like the father in him, where hed never be afraid to take you on. He had this way of tapping into my own lost father thing. He stepped into that role and scared the hell out of me. Like, Dads mad at me. At the same time he was a kindly priest for all of us. And someone who could draw your confessions from you.
On this weeks podcast, the actress Mireille Enos reads A Child of Two Worlds, an essay about a mother who, after two Western medicine-assisted deliveries, decides to give birth without it.
My biography is: David Lynch, born in Missoula, Montana, Eagle Scout, the director David Lynch says, not the tiniest bit facetious. Thats in love and respect for my father.

He was born on Jan. 20, which means every four years his birthday coincides with a presidential inauguration. In 1961, on the day he turned 15, Lynch and his Eagle Scout troop were called upon to seat V.I.P.s at John F. Kennedys swearing-in. At one point he stood beside a motorcade of limos passing by, chauffeuring four presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard M. Nixon. I couldve touched the glass. It was that close, he says, reaching out in pantomime.

That all-American upbringing  with its suggestion of latent darkness  informs much of Lynchs work, including the groundbreaking series Twin Peaks, credited with changing how America watched television when it aired for just two seasons (1990 to 1991). Of that fictional town in the Pacific Northwest (population 51,201), Lynch says, I love this world, and I love the people in the world. My old friends  you know they are like old friends. You think about them from time to time and wonder how theyre doing.

They seem to be doing well, considering he pronounced them and the series dead as a doornail years ago. It lived on only via a variety of appreciations, until now: A new Twin Peaks,  as Lynch refers to it, will debut May 21 on Showtime. Mark Frost, its co-creator, says he and Lynch would talk about the idea of a reunion tour periodically, but in 2012, he felt the time had come. I said to David, The way the show was left was unsatisfying for everybody  particularly us  and we have an opportunity to finish what we started. That was the thread that brought us to where we are now.
As a result, airlines have little incentive to reform themselves.

Airline executives will tell you they dont view themselves as being service companies, Mr. Harteveldt said. They want Wall Street to view them as industrial companies, and they want consumers to view them as transportation providers. Customer service is just not what the airlines are about.

You can see this in Uniteds initial response to what happened on Flight 3411. I apologize for having to reaccommodate these customers, Oscar Munoz, Uniteds chief executive, said in a statement dripping with all the warmth of a ransom note.

In a letter to employees, he repeatedly suggested that the customer, not the airline, was at fault. After all, the passenger was offered a bountiful $1,000 in United vouchers for his trouble. It was an offer he couldnt refuse. As a United spokesman told The Times, the passenger was asked several times, politely, for his seat before anyone beat him up.

It took two days  and a plunge in Uniteds stock price  for the airline to offer a real apology. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right, Mr. Munoz said in a statement on Tuesday.

Can technology improve how airlines work? Some people have ideas for how that may happen.

One of them is obvious and sensible: customer reviews. Last year TripAdvisor, the travel reviews site that has become indispensable for hotel bookings, began rating airlines. Its new rankings, released this week, show that over all, airlines get an average rating of 3.7 out of 5 from customers.

Emirates and Singapore Airlines are rated the best in the world; two American airlines, JetBlue and Alaska, made TripAdvisors Top 10 list. But Delta was the only major American airline to receive TripAdvisors seal of approval. United and American Airlines did not meet the sites minimum threshold, though Bryan Saltzburg, senior vice president for TripAdvisors global flight business, said that the two had been improving.

One can imagine how such reviews could prompt improvements in airlines. If instead of just price, travel search engines included prominent warnings from reviewers  This airline might give you a bloody lip while kicking you from your seat, 1-star!  that could alter travelers calculations in booking.
Ride-sharing Services

Jeff Jones

Joined: August 2016 | Left: March 2017

Mr. Jones was hired from Target to be Ubers president of ride-sharing, with a mandate to improve the company's relationships with drivers. He left after Uber began a search for a chief operating officer.

Mapping

Brian McClendon

Joined: June 2015 | Left: March 2017

Mr. McClendon, a former Google engineer, was a vice president at Uber who worked on mapping and autonomous vehicle technology initiatives. He left amicably to move to his home state of Kansas to explore politics.

Artificial Intelligence

Gary Marcus

Joined: December 2016 | Left: March 2017

Mr. Marcus joined Uber through an acquisition of his artificial intelligence company, Geometric Intelligence. He left three months after Uber began a new internal research arm on A.I.

Product Development

Ed Baker

Joined: September 2013 | Left: March 2017

Mr. Baker, a former Facebook executive, was hired as vice president of growth and later became head of product and growth. He resigned after the company began its internal investigation into workplace culture.

COMMUNICATIONS

Rachel Whetstone

Joined: May 2015 | Left: April 2017

Ms. Whetstone, who was at Google for a decade in charge of communications, joined Uber as senior vice president for policy and communications. She departed after tensions with Travis Kalanick, Ubers chief executive.
In the book, Wonka doesnt show up until Chapter 14. In London, he appeared to Charlie early in the show, disguised as a tramp, but that approach was deemed too subtle by the New York team. Now he spends a good part of the first act undercover as a candy-seller, running a shop near Charlies home, which allows them to bond  and lets the show open with one of the movies most popular songs, The Candy Man.

The king in a guise amongst his people is such a fantastic theatrical device  its a staple and it seemed like a lovely thread to wind through the first act, said the Scottish playwright David Greig, who wrote the book for the London show, and then rewrote it (and is still tweaking it) for New York.

As in the original film, but unlike in the book, Broadway Charlies father has died, creating a psychological context for the evolving connection between the fatherless boy and the childless chocolatier. The relationship between the two is the emotional and spiritual heart of the story, Mr. Greig said, and I wanted, given a chance to approach it afresh, to dig into that.

Image The creative team for the musical adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory includes, from left, Marc Shaiman, who wrote music and lyrics; Jack OBrien, who directed the Broadway version, and Scott Wittman, who wrote lyrics. Credit... Walter McBride/WireImage

The shows creative team is highly experienced. Mr. OBrien and the musicals songwriters, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, collaborated on Hairspray, a critical and commercial success that won the 2003 Tony for best new musical. Mark Thompson, the set and costume designer and a multiple Tony nominee, is joined in New York by a prominent puppeteer, Basil Twist, a 2015 MacArthur Foundation genius grant fellow. And Mr. Borle has a little-known back story with the material  he was a star of the NBC series Smash, which featured songs by Mr. Shaiman and Mr. Wittman, and years ago, when they first started sketching songs for Charlie, they asked him to record the first demo tracks.

They have made some bold, even risky, creative choices, starting with the casting of adults as the bratty golden ticket winners  Violet Beauregarde, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt and Mike Teavee. (The role of Charlie, the one winner who winds up with a prize rather than a punishment, is shared by a trio of child actors named, dizzyingly, Ryan Foust, Ryan Sell, and Jake Ryan Flynn.)

The use of adult performers, the creative team says, allows not only for greater precision when singing complex lyrics, but also permits the show to embrace moments that are even darker than Dahl: Violet, after eating the not-yet-ready gum, not only swells up like a blueberry but also explodes, while Veruca, insistent on taking home one of Wonkas squirrels, is torn apart by the rodents (in the book, they toss her down a garbage chute).
The Exil Ensemble actors have full-time contracts at the Gorki through the fall of 2018. Their mandate is to create two main-stage productions a year, in addition to holding workshops and studying to prepare for careers on the German stage. The Gorki is funded by the City of Berlin and has an ensemble of 18 actors. The Exils residency has been underwritten by 1.2 million euros (more than $1.2 million) from the German federal government, the Berlin lottery and the private Mercator Foundation.

Munich Kammerspiele has a similar initiative, the Open Border Ensemble. The new ensembles are part of a growing cultural response in Germany to the influx of more than one million asylum seekers from the Middle East since 2015, which has caused soul-searching about national identity. That surge has also led to a rise in right-wing political parties, which argue that the country took in too many refugees.

I would describe the climate in society as very fragile, said Philipp Ruch, the artistic director of the Center for Political Beauty, which produces artistic interventions that have pointed political messages.

The politicians say weve given enough refugees shelter; now it has to be stopped, he said. In a rich country like Germany, which is still grappling with its Nazi past, this has nothing to do with reality, he added.

The Exil Ensemble also has a touring educational component. Winterreise will run at the Gorki through July, then travel in Germany and to Zurich, performing at theaters that co-produced the play. The goal is to raise awareness about immigrants, said Shermin Langhoff, the Gorkis artistic director, who moved to Germany from Turkey as a child and who has often commissioned work that addresses questions of identity.

In Germany, the arrivals from Syria are all categorized as boat people, Ms. Langhoff said. But, of course, there are also artists, intellectuals, scientists fleeing war.
For a longish stretch, fans of the Pulitzer-winning playwright Paula Vogel had cause for selfish worry. Season after season in the American theater brought plays by the extraordinary talents she nurtured as a teacher, first at Brown and later at Yale  Lynn Nottage, Sarah Ruhl, Martyna Majok, and the list goes on. But Ms. Vogels new work was scarce, seemingly back-burnered by her devotion to younger generations.

Her Broadway debut at 65 with Indecent is that much sweeter, then. Directed by Rebecca Taichman and opening Tuesday, April 18, at the Cort Theater, it retells the story of Sholem Aschs Yiddish classic The God of Vengeance, which in 1923 featured the first Broadway stage kiss ever between two women. The company was indicted on an indecency charge. Ms. Vogel, who has spoken of the homophobia that met her early plays, resurrects Aschs actors in Indecent. So consider her their avenging angel, and her own. (indecentbroadway.com)
But now it was time to try something new: a bar called JBM Brew Lab. I turned down a narrow residential street featuring some great examples of Brnos celebrated functionalist architecture, and found the pub in the middle of the block.

Taking its name from the owners initials, JBM was narrow, warm, boisterous and blissfully smoke-free, unlike many of the countrys traditional pubs. The beer list, too, was up to date, as well as international, featuring 10 taps of unusual brews, including Kapitan Drake, a sour but incredibly refreshing mojito Gose from the cult Polish producer Browar Setka that tasted of limes and fresh mint. After finishing the Gose and a better-than-decent pastrami sandwich, I tried an aromatic wet-hop IPA from a favorite Czech microbrewery, Clock.

I figured that was enough for one evening. But then I encountered a bustling scene behind a magnificent Gothic church on the way back to my hotel. It looked like a late-night religious service had just ended, but instead of the faithful, the crowd turned out to be spillover from a nearby pub with tall windows. Both inside and out, just about everyone was holding a pullitr, or half-liter beer glass, and the atmosphere was remarkably festive.

I stuck my head inside and recognized it from my list of places to try  just from the decor. One of the nominees for the best beer bar was called Na Stojaka, a name that roughly means standing up, a Czech term for a quick cold one. Inside, almost everyone was standing, with the chest-high tables packed to overflowing, forcing some customers to move to the square like congregants.
My time was full of great eating and drinking establishments  vegan Polish fare at Apteka; cheap beer and cheaper eats at the bars Gooskis and the Rock Room, in Polish Hill; fresh Vietnamese sandwiches at Banh Mi & Ti in Lawrenceville  but Pittsburghs art scene impressed me the most. Not just standbys like the world-class Mattress Factory, where I saw light-bending shows by James Turrell and Yayoi Kusama, but less conventional exhibitions like the home of Randy Gilson, a local artist. The 60-year-old, who lives with his partner, Mac, turned a dilapidated home he bought in the 90s (It was all drugs and gangs back then, Mr. Gilson said), for $10,000, into Randyland, a personal expression of joy and an extraordinary piece of public art.

Mr. Gilson has the energy and childish curiosity of someone a fraction of his age; my conversation with him was peppered with exclamations of cool! and groovy! He welcomed everyone who came by his colorful residence. The backyard is filled with mirrors, painted mannequin heads, Tibetan prayer flags, lawn flamingos, bird cages and a Japanese-style gate painted purple and turquoise. Mr. Gilson calls it his house of junk and joy.

He said that he grew up poor and that his family didnt have money for toys at Christmas. As an 8-year-old, he played with toys he found in the garbage. But then I realized: My eyes are a tool to see, he said. Cool! My hands are a tool to take home. Wow! What? My mind is a tool to fix them? My heart is a tool to be happy! What other tools do I have?

Mr. Gilson has worked as a waiter at a local Westin hotel for the past 30 years to pay his bills. Its all about whats in your heart, the love in your heart, he said. Im a simple guy: I just drink beer and smoke pot. A visitor walked up to the backyard and Mr. Gilson asked him where he was from; the man said he was from Maine. Hi, Maine! Mr. Gilson said, almost knocking the newcomer backward with his enthusiasm. What are you doing here?

His energy was infectious. Soon, all of Randylands visitors were talking and chatting with one another and about the art. Mr. Gilson himself was holding court in his small corner of Pittsburgh, making sure everyone felt welcome, had what they needed and, of course, got enough pictures.
Robert Bentley resigned Monday as Alabamas governor in the face of an impeachment and a series of criminal investigations.

In a plea agreement, Mr. Bentley pleaded guilty on to two misdemeanor charges: failing to file a major contribution report and knowingly converting campaign contributions to personal use.

It was a stunning downfall for the governor, who acknowledged in March 2016 that he had made sexually charged remarks to his senior political adviser, Rebekah Caldwell Mason.
Good morning.

(Want to get California Today by email? Heres the sign-up.)

Complaining about the cost of living is a favorite pastime in California.

An exodus has led in large part to Texas, according to an analysis by The Sacramento Bee. But people looking for cheaper living neednt necessarily go so far.

According to a new survey, one of the countrys most affordable places to live is in California  Fresno.

Stay with me.

The Central Valleys biggest city has sometimes gotten a bad rap from outsiders.

True, Fresno has issues: unemployment is high (about 10.5 percent), the summers are scorching hot and air pollution often gets nasty.
Mr. Leach said no one at the party knew that Mr. Seely had a peanut allergy. He gave no further explanation of what happened that night. This is a total misunderstanding, he said. It was only learned the day after the incident that he had an allergy. I dont think this had anything to do with hazing.

It was a big misunderstanding that has been blown out of proportion, he added.

The episode came to light in March, when the police in Mount Pleasant, a city of about 26,000 people two and half hours northwest of Detroit, said they were investigating the encounter involving self-identified members of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity.

Mr. Seelys mother, Teresa Seely, contacted the police after her son told his family what happened, and she posted a photograph of his distorted face on Facebook. He could have been killed, she wrote, adding that he carried medicine to counteract accidental exposure to peanuts.

Ms. Seely wrote in the post that her son had passed out at the party. When he came to, he discovered that his eyes, nose and lips had ballooned because peanut butter had been rubbed on his face, she wrote. He was treated at a campus clinic.
WASHINGTON  The choice by President Trump of a pro-immigration economist to lead his Council of Economic Advisers is stirring a backlash among his most ardent supporters, who worry it is an abandonment of the tough stance he took on the issue during the campaign and the latest in a string of broken promises.

Mr. Trump had already disappointed some of his base supporters by intervening in Syria with a military strike last week and by delaying a tough stance on trade with China and Mexico. He expressed the idea via Twitter on Tuesday morning that he would be willing to offer the Chinese government a more favorable trade deal if it helped the United States with North Korea. Now there is growing unease that immigration is the next area where he will go soft.

To these supporters, the appointment of Kevin A. Hassett, announced late last Friday afternoon, as Mr. Trumps top White House economist is another sign that the president is succumbing to the swamp he promised to drain.

Like most economists, Mr. Hassett believes that immigration spurs economic growth. At times he has pilloried Republicans for becoming the Party of White, arguing in 2010 that Republicans like then-Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona have too often appeared hostile to immigrants. In 2013, Mr. Hassett said the United States should double its intake of immigrants.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Mr. Trump made clear Mr. Bannons subordinate role, calling him a guy who works for me.

Amid the clashing egos, news media leaks and insinuations of disloyalty, the president was once again faced with having to defuse a personnel crisis that was, in part, a result of assembling a band of Washington outsiders to run his administration. And this time the crisis erupted, perhaps predictably, around the senior aide who most embodies that renegade, anti-establishment ethos: Mr. Bannon, the self-proclaimed deconstructor of the administrative state and field general in the war against the opposition party news media.

Mr. Bannons reversal of fortunes is also a reflection of a White House with an unconventional management structure, opaque lines of responsibility and rafts of aides left to carry out complex and contested campaign promises: tighten immigration, roll back regulations, repeal the Affordable Care Act and take a more protectionist approach to trade.

Mr. Bannon, who has those campaign promises scrawled on white boards in his office, has described himself as being responsible for their implementation. But the execution has been botched. Courts have blocked the presidents immigration ban. The repeal effort failed after the White House and congressional leaders could not win enough support in their own party. And that is leaving some conservatives, who have never fully trusted the presidents convictions, afraid that Mr. Bannons possible removal could be a precursor to shelving the most complicated and contentious priorities.

One person with firsthand knowledge of internal White House dynamics, who asked not to be identified given how tense the situation had become, insisted that no immediate changes were likely. Mr. Trump is notoriously fickle in his decision-making process, and he dislikes confrontation. But by openly criticizing Mr. Bannon, he has created an environment that makes it hard for the swaggering and self-assured chief strategist to remain in place without appearing undermined.
Within 24 hours, President Trump repeated several false or misleading claims about wiretapping, Hillary Clinton and his own chief strategist.

Responding to last weeks chemical attack in Syria and his subsequent strike on a Syrian air base, Mr. Trump characterized President Bashar al-Assad as evil in an interview with Fox Business Network that aired early Wednesday morning. He also again faulted President Barack Obama for not intervening in the Syrian conflict more aggressively.

The comments contradicted Mr. Trumps earlier, more dismissive attitude on chemical weapons.

Saddam Hussein throws a little gas, everyone goes crazy, Oh, hes using gas!  he said at a July 2016 campaign rally. In 2013 and 2014, Mr. Trump repeatedly said that Mr. Obama should not attack Syria, and, after he was elected in November, he even questioned the incentive for intervening.

Mr. Trump told The New York Post that he didnt know Stephen K. Bannon before the 2016 campaign.

I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late. I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didnt know Steve. Im my own strategist, and it wasnt like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary.

FALSE. Mr. Trump has known Mr. Bannon, his chief strategist, since 2011, when Mr. Trump was considering a presidential run.
ALPHARETTA, Ga.  A gray mood has settled over conservative-leaning voters in some of the countrys most reliably Republican congressional districts, as the partys stumbles in Washington demoralize them and leave lawmakers scrambling to energize would-be supporters in a series of off-year elections.

While the next nationwide elections are not until 2018, Republicans have grown fearful that these voters are recoiling from what they see as lamentable conditions in Washington: a government entirely in Republican hands that has failed to deliver on fundamental goals like overhauling the health care system.

Early missteps by President Trump and congressional leaders have weighed heavily on voters from the partys more affluent wing, anchored in right-of-center suburbs around major cities in the South and Midwest. Never beloved in these precincts, Mr. Trump appears to be struggling to maintain support from certain voters who backed him last year mainly as a way of defeating Hillary Clinton.

Interviews with Republican-leaning voters in four suburban districts  in Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota and New Jersey  revealed a sour outlook on the party. These voters, mainly white professionals, say they expected far more in the way of results by now, given the Republican grip on power in the capital. In opinion polls, they consistently give Mr. Trump mediocre approval ratings, even as he remains solidly popular with lower-income whites.
Laws that restrict adding trans fats to foods have had immediate beneficial effects on heart health, new research has found.

The Food and Drug Administration plans to restrict the use of trans fats in foods nationwide in 2018, but between 2007 and 2011, some counties in New York State, but not others, banned trans fatty acids in restaurants, bakeries, soup kitchens, park concessions and other public places where food is served. In a natural experiment to test the effect of the ban, researchers compared nine counties with trans fat restrictions to eight that had none.

Cardiovascular disease has been declining nationwide in recent years, but the decline was even steeper in counties where trans fats were banned. Three years after restrictions were imposed, there was an additional 6.2 percent decline in hospital admissions for heart attacks and strokes in counties that banned trans fats compared with those that did not. The study, in JAMA Cardiology, accounted for age and other demographic factors.

The most important message from these data is that they confirm what we predicted  benefit in the reduction of heart attacks and strokes, said the lead author, Dr. Eric J. Brandt, a fellow in cardiovascular medicine at Yale. This is a well-planned and well-executed public policy.
MOGADISHU, Somalia  Somali troops on Wednesday rescued eight Indians who had been taken hostage two days earlier by pirates near the coastal town of Hobyo, officials said.

Our forces have on Wednesday morning rescued eight Indian crew who had been held hostage by Somali pirates in El Hur area, said the Hobyo police chief, Bashir Elmi. We have also arrested four pirates in the operation.

Somali pirates have waylaid several ships in the past month, raising fears that piracy has regained a hold in the Indian Ocean. The resurgence has been attributed to several causes, including drought, famine, corruption, a surge of smuggled weapons and the influence of the Islamic State militant group.

The recent attacks, including the hijacking of an oil tanker in March, are believed to have been carried out by buccaneers from central Somalia or from Puntland, a semiautonomous region in the countrys northeast.
BEIJING  Chinas leader, Xi Jinping, and President Trump spoke by phone on Wednesday about the escalating tensions with North Korea as a prominent Chinese state-run newspaper warned the North that it faced a cutoff of vital oil supplies if it dared test a nuclear weapon.

The phone call, reported by Chinas state broadcaster, CCTV, came hours after Mr. Trump cautioned Beijing in a Twitter message and a television interview that it needed to help Washington rein in North Korea, a Chinese ally. During the call, which was initiated by Mr. Trump, Mr. Xi said that the matter should be solved through peaceful means, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

Tensions escalated further on Wednesday as reports said the Japanese Navy would join the United States Navy strike group led by the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson in its mission off the Korean coast. Those joint exercises will take place as the American ships pass through waters close to Japan, Reuters said.

The Carl Vinson and several other warships are heading toward the Korean Peninsula in a show of force intended to deter the North from testing a sixth nuclear weapon or launching missiles.
BRUSSELS  Facing criticism for neglecting child welfare, European Union authorities appealed on Wednesday to member-state governments to do more to protect the hundreds of thousands of young migrants who reach the Continent seeking refuge from wars and poverty.

The recommendations by the European Commission, the blocs executive body, are not binding on member states and do not involve new outlays of money. They are meant instead as guidance to prompt member states to do more to protect children at all stages of the asylum process and to address one of the more delicate aspects of the blocs migration crisis.

The number of children arriving in the E.U. with or without their families has increased dramatically, Frans Timmermans, the first vice president of the European Commission, said in a statement accompanying the recommendations. We need to make sure that children who need protection actually receive it.

The recommendations call for a person responsible for child protection in all migrant reception centers and at all stages of the asylum process  a new suggestion that is not part of European asylum law. The commission also suggested offering legal assistance without delay to children regardless of their eligibility for asylum.
The ruling does not mean immediate legal change in any of the countries, and none of them have so far changed their laws. The court does not possess a strong enforcement mechanism that can make lawmakers pass new legislation, and activists cautioned that it may take several more court cases before legal change comes to individual countries.

But nevertheless, many greeted the ruling as an important milestone.

The European Court of Human Rights is very much respected in Europe and we can expect that in the majority of countries where this issue comes up, this ruling will be respected as the new precedent, said Richard Kohler, the senior policy officer at Transgender Europe. He said the first impacts of the decision may be seen in upcoming court cases in Bulgaria and Macedonia.

Sterilization procedures take many forms in the countries where it remains a requirement, said Kyle Knight, a researcher in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights division at Human Rights Watch. He said some countries mandate the surgical removal of genitalia and reproductive organs while other requirements more vaguely call for procedures that produce irreversible infertility.

All of these are coercive, humiliating, and unnecessary, he said.

While activists celebrated the ruling, many also said it did not go far enough. Transgender people in many European countries are required to receive a mental health diagnosis or undergo medical examinations before they can legally change their gender, and the court did not find those requirements to be a violation of human rights.

The court followed its previous arguments that trans issues are medical issues and decided it was in line with European standard of human rights to request a medical exam and a mental health diagnosis, said Mr. Kohler. We think the next frontier is to get trans people and trans issues outside the medical framework because no gender identity is pathological or can be determined by someone else except for the person concerned.

Governments in Western Europe have begun moving away from requiring transgender people to undergo sterilization or gender reassignment surgery in recent years. Mandatory gender reassignment was found to be unlawful in Austria in 2009 and in Germany in 2011. Sterilization requirements were outlawed in Sweden in 2012 and in Norway in 2014.

Only a handful of European countries allow transgender people to legally change their gender without the input of medical or mental health professionals, Mr. Kohler said: Ireland, Denmark, Norway and Malta, which also bans conversion therapy, a collection of pseudo-psychiatric methods that attempt to change a persons sexual orientation or gender identity.

In the United States, requirements for legally changing ones name and gender on official documents vary from state to state, said Arli Christian, a state policy counsel at the National Center for Transgender Equality. No proof of gender reassignment surgery is needed to change federally issued documents like a passport, but 23 states require proof of surgery before they allow someone to change state-issued documents like a birth certificate.
But the diplomatic theater playing out in Moscow on a rainy Wednesday morning was far from boring: Mr. Putin, operating on home turf, was looking for any way to shape the narrative of Mr. Tillersons first trip here as secretary of state.

The outcome could well decide whether Mr. Trumps oft-stated desire to remake American relations with Moscow will now disintegrate, just as similar efforts by Barack Obama did early in his presidency.

Russia said earlier this week that Mr. Putin would not meet with Mr. Tillerson, but on Wednesday the Russian leaders spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, held out the possibility of a meeting later in the day. Russian leaders have greeted virtually all new secretaries of state since the end of World War II, but Mr. Peskov said any meeting would depend on how Mr. Tillersons other talks went.

The drama appeared to be an effort by Mr. Putin to show that he was in control.

Critics of the Trump administration insist that the series of events around the attack in Syria had been meant to distract from the investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Mr. Tillerson, who was recognized with an Order of Friendship medal by the Russian government while he was the chief executive of Exxon Mobil, has insisted on a tough line on Russia, ruling out any early end to sanctions unless the country returns Crimea to Ukraine and ceases meddling elsewhere.

On Syria, Mr. Tillerson delivered what sounded much like an ultimatum to the Russians on Tuesday while talking to reporters at a Group of 7 meeting in Italy.

I think it is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Mr. Tillerson said, echoing a theme first heard from Mr. Obama in 2011, when the Arab Spring led many to believe the Syrian leader was about to be overthrown.
WASHINGTON  President Trump and Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson sought on Wednesday to isolate President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for backing the Syrian government in the wake of its lethal chemical weapons attack on civilians, and worked to build international pressure on Moscow to change course.

In Washington, Moscow and New York, the Trump administration publicly chastised Mr. Putin but privately worked to hash out increasingly bitter differences with him. At the same time, Mr. Trump embraced NATO  a military alliance he had previously derided as obsolete  as an effective and vital force for peace and security in a region where Russia has been an aggressive actor.

During his presidential campaign, and in his early days in office, Mr. Trumps approach to foreign policy included speaking warmly of Mr. Putin and the prospects of a United States alliance with Russia. He had also questioned the usefulness of NATO, and the concept of an alliance for common defense to counterbalance Moscows belligerence.

In an interview that aired on Wednesday, Mr. Trump said that Mr. Putin was partly to blame for the conflict in Syria and denounced him for backing President Bashar al-Assad, whom he called an animal. Later at the White House, Mr. Trump said that Russia had likely known in advance of the Syrian governments plan to unleash a nerve agent against its own people, and asserted that the United States relations with Moscow were at an all-time low.
ISTANBUL  When Aynur Barkin became one of roughly 40,000 teachers purged from Turkeys education system after last years attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, she was not immediately replaced. As a result, her second-grade students were forced to join the third grade, tripling their original class size.

I could pay attention to each of them one by one, said Ms. Barkin, 37, who was fired in February from a school west of Istanbul. But their new teacher cant do that.

That is one example of the administrative upheaval and chaos caused by the governments vast purge of Turkish institutions since the failed coup in July  the backdrop for a referendum on Sunday to expand the presidents powers.

Mr. Erdogans government has sought to root out any remaining dissent by targeting nearly every segment of society. It has also used the purge as cover for a crackdown on dissidents of all stripes, including leftists like Ms. Barkin.
Ayatollah Khamenei and the rest of the establishment could simply choose to disqualify Mr. Ahmadinejad, as a vetting council they control is expected to do to hundreds of others who have registered as candidates. But responding to Mr. Ahmadinejads desire for a political rebirth might require a more finessed response, analysts said.

President Hassan Rouhani is favored to win re-election. But many Iranians have been disappointed over the lack of economic recovery after the nuclear deal Iran reached with the United States and other major powers in 2015. Irans hard-liners strongly dislike Mr. Rouhanis desire to reach out to the West and even to the United States. They accuse him of wanting to smooth the sharp edges of Irans ideology and being too willing to consider compromises on cultural issues.

The hard-liners have seized on popular discontent over the economy, and they tried to undermine and pressure Mr. Rouhani where they could. About a dozen pro-Rouhani activists who oversaw social media pages have been arrested in recent weeks. Mr. Rouhanis brother, Hossein Fereydoun, was summoned to court last week on allegations of corruption. Morality police officers, whom Mr. Rouhani had promised to remove from the streets during the 2013 presidential campaign, are back and arresting women deemed to be wearing their Islamic scarves improperly.

Mr. Ahmadinejad, meanwhile, has been quietly trying to rebrand himself. Ever since his falling-out with Ayatollah Khamenei, which was over the selection of the minister of intelligence, a position that requires the supreme leaders approval, Mr. Ahmadinejad has been presenting himself as an anti-establishment figure  someone who is not afraid to ignore the will of Ayatollah Khamenei.
AMMAN, Jordan  The last surviving animals in the Montazah Al-Morour Zoo in the war-ravaged Iraqi city of Mosul  Lula, a bear, and Simba, a lion  reached safety at a wildlife shelter in Amman, the Jordanian capital, on Monday night.

Their home at the zoo was severely damaged as battles for control of the city, Iraqs second largest, have raged for months between Iraqi forces and Islamic State militants.

A half-million people are thought to be unable to escape the city. The Islamic State has used civilians as human shields, and American airstrikes, supporting Iraqi counterterrorism forces, have leveled parts of Mosul. A strike in one neighborhood last month was thought to have killed as many as 200 civilians.
Turning to security questions in Asia, where a United States Navy aircraft carrier strike group is headed toward the Korean Peninsula in a show of force intended to deter North Korea from testing a sixth nuclear weapon or launching missiles, Mr. Trump declined to discuss his strategy for reining in the North.

You never know, do you? he said. We are sending an armada  very powerful, and we have submarines  very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier, he added, apparently referring to American submarines carrying ballistic nuclear missiles.

He is doing the wrong thing, Mr. Trump said of Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader.

Mr. Trump also used the interview to defend his allegation that President Barack Obama tapped his phones, arguing that his unfounded accusation has been vindicated since it was discovered that Susan E. Rice, the former national security adviser, sought to learn the identities of Trump associates swept up in surveillance of foreign officials by United States spy agencies.

When you look at Susan Rice and whats going on, and so many people are coming up to me and apologizing now, Mr. Trump said. They say, You know, you were right when you said that. Perhaps I didnt know how right I was, because nobody knew the extent of it.

Mr. Trump has said Ms. Rices actions may have been unlawful, an assertion his allies in the news media have frequently made but for which the president has provided no evidence. Current and former intelligence officials from both Republican and Democratic administrations have said they do not believe Ms. Rices actions were unusual or illegal.

In the interview, Mr. Trump also said James B. Comey, the F.B.I. director who is leading an investigation into his campaigns potential ties with Russia, had helped Hillary Clinton, his 2016 Democratic presidential rival, avoid prosecution for her use of a private email server when she was secretary of state.

When Jim Comey came out, he saved Hillary Clinton  he saved her life, Mr. Trump said. Director Comey was very, very good to Hillary Clinton. If he werent, she would be right now going to trial.
Nearly two-thirds of people who complained to federal regulators about medical debt collectors said they did not owe the money, a new report found.

The report, by the advocacy group United States Public Interest Research Group  better known as U.S. PIRG  and the Frontier Group, a left-leaning think tank, examined more than 17,000 publicly available complaints about medical debt collection filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over more than three years. Researchers determined that more than 60 percent of the complaints made one of the following contentions: that the debt wasnt owed in the first place, that it had already been paid or had been discharged in bankruptcy, or that it wasnt verified as debt the consumer actually owed.

Debt collectors often go after the wrong people, said Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director for U.S. PIRG.

Complaints about medical debt are the second-largest cause of debt collection complaints made to the bureau, after credit cards, the report found. About 10 collection companies were responsible for about 20 percent of the complaints, the report noted.
Looking to 2018

Mr. Estes is the state treasurer and tied to the deeply unpopular Gov. Sam Brownback, but Republicans are worried that the Democratic shift in the seat could reflect a larger backlash against President Trump that will cost them seats in next years midterm elections. Tuesdays move to the left was similar to those of a large number of seats in the 2006 Democratic wave.
Special to OpEdNews

Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

As is well known, Donald Trump ran on what Steve Bannon calls "economic nationalism." (That it is really in major part a cover term for the racism/Islamophobia/xenophobia that was central to the Trump campaign from the beginning and so strongly reflected on Bannon's Breitbart , is another story.) Part of that position is that the US shouldn't intervene abroad, shouldn't get involved in "nation building," shouldn't be the "world's policeman," and certainly should try to get along better with Russia, for whatever reasons.

As is well-known, just a few weeks ago, Trump and Tillerson were essentially laying out a "hands-off" policy towards Syria. And then comes the bombing, both literally and figuratively out-of-the-blue, except that, apparently, the Russians were given advance notice. That they might pass this information along to their long-time ally, the Syrian government under one or another Assad, was apparently not taken into account. But as is well-known, Syrian jets were flying from that air-base the next day.

Fortunately, Trump has not put "boots on the ground" in Syria (and Iraq), yet (or at least any more that Pres. Obama had sent there). But he has changed US policy towards the Assad Regime and by so-doing, towards Assad's principal ally, Russia, as well. (And if you think that Russia is going to suddenly abandon Assad's Syria, you've got another think coming. First and foremost, Syria provides Russia [and before that the Soviet Union] with a naval base window on the Mediterranean at Tartus , and has done so since 1971. Russia will not give that up easily.)

As is well-known Trump ran on making nice towards Russia, for whatever reasons. As is well-known, speculation about them has run from genuinely wanting to reduce world tensions, to investment interests going in one way or another or in both directions, to possible Russian blackmail. But, as I and many other observers have discussed on numerous occasions, the U.S. does need a Permanent Enemy in order, among other things, to justify the truly gigantic Military-Industrial Complex.

Apparently Trump thought (if he gave it thought or was capable of doing so) that China or Iran might become the substitute enemy-for-the-purpose of maintaining a Permanent War footing (if not Prepayment War, which didn't go so well in Afghanistan or Iraq) But no (see "The Russia House"). So, back to Russia. This might cause personal financial difficulties for Trump and family, and no sanctions-lifting for Tillerson (so that Exxon-Mobil could pursue Arctic drilling with Russian oil interests). But it is seeming to becoming clear from statements first made by UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Sec. Def. James Mattis, and now by the White House itself that the US is going right back there.

But why now? As is well-known, Trump is in trouble politically, with disastrous poll numbers and the inability to get anything major done. And his poll numbers have upticked dramatically since the Syrian missile strike. And so, here's a shot (literally) to overcome all the negatives so far. (Really believe the watching-TV story? Such an attack takes quite a bit of planning.) And so, there are certain comparisons with Bush/Cheney and the establishment of Permanent War. Not exact, but they are there.

Let's connect the dots to see what was really happening , first with Bush/Cheney . 1. As is very well known, Bush/Cheney lied the U.S. into war. 2. There was no post-war planning, as is also well known. The U.S. State Department had a plan, and all 2,200 pages of it were just ignored. 3. The museums looting that could easily have been prevented could have part of a plan (well a different kind of plan) to develop permanent chaos. That would also explain the staffing of Paul Bremer's pro-consulate by totally unqualified, very young, Republican political operatives: not accidental or careless, but purposeful. In essence it was thinking what might be stated like this: "Let's do whatever we can to gum up the infrastructure even further than it is already gummed up by Saddam and our invasion." 4. In late 2006, the report of The Iraq Study Group, headed by no less than the man who coordinated the effort to steal the 2000 election for Bush, James Baker, had provided a perfect cover for withdrawal to begin then. CheneyBush disposed of it before the ink was dry, and [the famous/infamous "Surge" was begun . 5. At various times, the major Muslim countries offered to provide cover for an American departure, especially if it were attached to a real settlement of the Palestine/Israel problem. They were not taken up on those offers.

The United States could now be headed in precisely the same direction, for very similar reasons. Did Putin and Trump have some sort of deal? If they did, is Putin now feeling that he has been double-crossed? Duh! He is already ramping things up in Ukraine and the former territories of Georgia that are Russian-speaking. Many people, including some on the Left, are going to be disappointed because during the campaign, Trump did make nice with Russia on many occasions. But the reality of the importance of having an enemy for the maintenance of the MIC (which Trump actually wants to expand), and etc., has finally been brought home to Trump. Never a man of principle, he has fallen right in line.

A postscript on Steve Bannon . He is the Master of Hate who brought money and Kellyanne Conway with him from the Cruz campaign to the Trump campaign, or maybe it was the money who brought Bannon and Conway. But anyway, Bannon has now outlived his usefulness to Trump and like so many others before him, e.g., Lewandowsky and Manafort, he is gone from the inner circle (at least for the time-being). Trump can be counted on for few things. Having absolutely no loyalty to anyone who has ever worked with him is one of them.
Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121

"We're at a paradigm-shift moment in history, where we will look back at it and realize that a particular model of how we govern our affairs together became outdated. Kall's book Bottom-Up offers great alternatives and solutions that are not found in conventional governing models."



Carne Ross , is a former British diplomat, a strategy coordinator for the UN, and author of the book, The Leaderless Revolution.
Peace and conflict are the opposite state of circumstances. Where there is peace, there is no conflict. But where there is war and conflict, there is no peace. The world, getting globalized, has witnessed an egregious situation in terms of opposite relation of peace and conflict. If the one corner of the world is under horrors of conflict, the other cannot remain peacefully prospering. At least, it experiences terror and awe due to the fire and dreadfulness of conflict in the other far-flung corner.

Similarly, the awesome situation in the East Asia can be observed particularly when the US administration has decided to deploy its warrior fleet close to the North Korean water boundaries. There are many reasons to define the deployment as the scenario, converse to the peace: first, the topnotch leadership gives acrimonious statements against their rival and utilize a threatening language. The Trump administration has stated to maintain the balance of power in the Korean Peninsula and avowed to ensure peace.

On the other hand, the Korean leadership responded with rancorous remarks and affirmed to defend their land with firmness and resolve. Second, the rival states engage the rival into its own region and attempt to downside their morale employing variety of direct and indirect approaches. The US decision-makers have concluded many protocols and agreements with South Korean governments for the strategic goals, aiming at the encirclement of the discomforting states such as North Korea .

Similarly, the North Korean Government enjoys the close patronage of China under its security perceptions. Thus, union into the rival alliance reveals the intensity-seeking pathways by the two sides. Accordingly, these two reasons are the specific indication of the abnormality in relations between USA and North Korea . Third, the military deployments are the herald of the abnormal relations among the states. Particularly, the deployment of the military division on the borders or the mobility of the naval war fleets into the hostile region affirms the intense situation, prevailing between the two rivals.

The United States of America has recently deployed its war-fighting aircraft carriers close to the North Korea . That is why it is maintained by the analysts that President Trump's deployment of an aircraft carrier to the waters off the Korean Peninsula has raised tensions across East Asia . Accordingly, the threatening statements by the rivals' leaderships, the strategic engagement into hostile alliances and the mobility and the deployment of the armed forces on the enemy's borders have presently corroborated the intense confrontation between USA and North Korea .

The deployment of the US aircraft carrier is the omen of the horrors of the nuclear war the world may witness in the East Asian region. In fact, it is a region whose peripheries are suffocated with the immense populace. China , Subcontinent, Indonesia , Philippines , Japan and even both Koreas contain a major chunk of the population in the world. That is why a single inflammatory undertaking may lead to the irreversible loss of human in history. More hideously, North Korea is equipped with nuclear arsenals and is headed by a leadership with stubborn, arrogant and resolute attitude to defend their homeland.
The DNC leadership just Demonstrated, in Kansas, how they will lose in 2018. By doing the same failed thing they've been doing.

I just got an email from a progressive organization asking for donations for Jon Ossoff's Georgia Special election. The message says that the org didn't support James Thompson, the Kansas candidate, but gee, look how great he did=- losing by only six percent, as compared to Trump winning the district by 27%. So, they ask, please support Jon Ossoff, because Trump only won his district by one percent.

Excuse me, but why didn't a progressive organization help a real progressive? Why didn't the DNC help this real progressive. Imagine how much better he'd have done if he'd been supported by the DNC and progressive organizations (Dailykos did do some fundraising.) Could he have won, or cut the win by two, three or more points? I think so.

Howard Dean is, in many ways, a jerk, most recently calling for primarying Bernie Sanders endorser Tulsi Gabbard because she questions the wisdom of firing 59 cruise missiles at Syria. But he did run the DNC with a 50 state strategy. Tom Perez, the new Hillary backed DNC leader, chose not to back Thompson in Kansas nor Rob Quist, the progressive running in Montana. Speculation is that Thompson and Quist are too progressive.

The fact is, the DNC requires candidates it gets behind DNC policies and must spend huge amounts of time making phone calls raising money. Basically, the DNC requires that candidates give up their own positions and principles and embrace the DNC's. This is ugly stupid. Look at how well it's working in the House, the Senate, in almost two thirds of state Governors and state legislatures. I'll say it again. The DNC leadership just demonstrated, in Kansas, how they will lose in 2018.

Meanwhile, on Twitter king Moron Trump @realdonaldtrump and his trump moron bigot supporters are celebrating their Kansas win. An optimist on the left might point out that they won by 20 less points-- a massive drop. But a realist will note that they won because the Democratic leadership, including progressive groups, chose not to even try to help Thompson.

There's still time in Montana to help Rob Quist. The soulless leaders of the DNC and the Democratic party may have written it off because it's a "red" state that Trump won. But MT has John Tester, a Democratic US senator. It's possible and the special election isn't until May 25th.

But VICE reports, The DNC isn't even trying to win a surprisingly competitive Congressional race in Kansas. Stupid, stupid stupid. At least Moveon is getting behind Quist. After all 99% of its members voted to support him.

But wait, it's not about stupid. It's not a mistake. The DNC doesn't want progressives to gain power. If they did, they would throw the current leadership of the DNC out.

Here's an idea for the DNC. Replace it.

R. Buckminster Fuller said, "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." So, get all the progressive organizations together and create a shadow or alternative Democratic party. Pick and back alternative candidates that run in primaries against the DNC picks. Primary the corporate hack, shill and sellout incumbents who have been part of the decision process that has dragged the Democratic party down so low. I mean, seriously, the DNC is so bad it's almost a partner of the GOP.

Start off by refusing to give the DNC a penny. Give directly to candidates you want to support. Even if the DNC pitches you a candidate you like, don't donate through them. They put that monetary collar around candidates' necks. Go directly to the candidate's website.

There's an amazing possibility for a repudiation of right winger politicians and the clown king Trump in 2018. But it won't happen the way the DNC and some "progressive" organizations are operating. Tell them to wise up and smarten up. I know. Many of you have written off the Democrats altogether. I don't blame you. So, fight for change.


They gave him OxyContin for his pain.

(Image by Anne Worner) Details DMCA



This writer's friend Jerry told me a sad tale about his 45 year old nephew. "In 2010 he had major back surgery for a herniated discs. They gave him OxyContin for his pain, and he kept taking it for quite some time... legally. This escalated through time when his body got too used to OxyContin, and my nephew required something stronger. I don't know the details, but soon after he was taking stronger pain killers, and graduated into buying them illegally.

By 2016, my nephew had become even more than a ' couch potato'. He literally was so lethargic, with no exercise at all, putting on lots of weight and sleeping all the time. He developed a bad infection and wound up being rushed to the hospital, being placed for in intensive care for one month. Now he is in a hospital rehab center."

Jerry is really angry at the news of just how many 'Pill Mills ' there are in Florida, where we both reside. "It's big business, and they find a way to do it within legal bounds. For all I know my nephew may have gone this route himself, in order to get the ' High ' he required."

The Intercept website recently ran a great investigative piece on Dr. Scott Gottlieb, President Trump's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration. It revealed how Gottlieb (I refuse to refer to him as a ' Doctor', the same way I refuse to call those MDs who work in the ' Pill Mills ') has received significant payments from the opioid industry, while attacking attempts to deter the explosion of opioid ' Pill Mills'.

The piece explained how the FDA has great autonomy in the federal government to oversee manufacturers of prescription painkillers. In 2016 Gottlieb received nearly $ 45.000 in speaking fees from firms involved in the manufacture and distribution of opioids. Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals, the maker of a highly addictive generic oxycodone pill, paid Gottlieb $ 22,500 for a speech in London this past November. Prosecutors have charged that the firm ignored its own industry ' red flags ' and supplied as many as 500 million suspicious orders in Florida for its oxycodone product between 2008 and 2012.

Mallinckrodt agreed to settle and pay $ 35 million while admitting no wrongdoing. Gottlieb was retained as a speaker for the Healthcare Distributors Alliance, a trade group for the largest opioid wholesale distributors in America, just this past September. One member of this trade group's executive committee, Cardinal Health ( whose CEO is the HDA chairman) temporarily lost its license to distribute opioids from its Florida warehouse in 2012.The Drug Enforcement Administration found that the company supplied several so called ' Pill Mills ' that routinely filled inappropriate prescriptions for oxycodone.

Gottlieb, at the time of these events, quickly condemned the DEA saying that it had overstepped its bounds, and should lose its authority to police the opioid market. He argued that the DEA should not treat Big Pharma like street drug dealers. He said: "So Cardinal isn't a Colombian drug ring. Its CEO isn't Pablo Escobar." Tell that to my friend Jerry and his still addicted and hospital bound nephew.

Gottlieb, Trump the idiot's choice, according to Senator Ed Markey (D- Mass) "Wants the FDA approval process to move faster, and that the FDA has too high a standard for safety." Well folks, as Sgt. Joe Friday said it best in Dragnet: " Just give me that facts". The opioid crisis claims more than 16,000 lives from overdose deaths every year. The crisis has been exacerbated by the 'over- prescribing phenomenon', which is helped by industry efforts to court MDs and of course use of (successful) deceptive marketing practices.
Marie Brenner's 1990 profile of Donald Trump for Vanity Fair "captured the real estate mogul in turmoil, as he struggled to hold onto his empire amid a nasty divorce fight. It's a juicy piece, but one anecdote in particular stands out: that Trump owned a copy of Adolf Hitler's speeches and allegedly read them for inspiration:

Ivana Trump told her lawyer Michael Kennedy that from time to time her husband reads a book of Hitler's collected speeches, My New Order, which he keeps in a cabinet by his bed.... Hitler's speeches, from his earliest days up through the Phony War of 1939, reveal his extraordinary ability as a master propagandist.

"Did your cousin John give you the Hitler speeches?" I asked Trump. Trump hesitated. "Who told you that?" "I don't remember," I said. "Actually, it was my friend Marty Davis from Paramount who gave me a copy of Mein Kampf, and he's a Jew." ("I did give him a book about Hitler," Marty Davis said. "But it was My New Order, Hitler's speeches, not Mein Kampf. I thought he would find it interesting. I am his friend, but I'm not Jewish.") Later, Trump returned to this subject. "If I had these speeches, and I am not saying that I do, I would never read them." Absurd?! Herewith, I offer reflections on absurdity in order to come to an understanding of how only by rebelling against the lies that enslave us and justify violence can we rise out of despair to what Camus called "a strange love." This is a reflection on the strange love that arises out of the revolutionary act of saying NO.

The blind faith that masters of the Big lie manipulate echoes the concept of blind faith that Tertullian (200 AD) expressed when he said "I believe because it is absurd." Tertullian wrote "God's Son has been crucified? I am not ashamed because one has to be ashamed. And God's Son is dead? It is credible because it is inept. And the buried rose from the dead? It is certain because it is impossible."

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Dale Ruff Social Media Pages:

retired, working radical egalitarian/libertarian socialist old school independent, vegan, survivor

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White House of Gaffees

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It is for us whether to empower those who neither know nor care, elevate alternative realities centered more on the art of the deal than the democracy of the humanities -- or prevail as the United States of America, albeit inconsistently.

However, ignoring national lessons in international history, most recently we have damaged the infrastructure of our constitutional foundations by electing an insulated gang with limited vision, walled in by narrow ideology failing both past sacrifice and future promise.

When too many Americans turned their back on our electoral process, the fix was in for America First, white-washing our responsibilities, whether to the great barrier reef or humanity's historic loss in wars inflicted on innocent millions by the infamous. Yes, charity begins at home, but humanity is our home.

So, placing our trust in the hands of leaders for whom sincerity is a well scripted prompter performance, is not only, the Emperor has no clothes but his friendly relative support, pickpocketing our national conscience and international memories.

When our Holy Week faith is corrupted by those who ban children begging for help, in the shadow of a despot's scythe, we welcome moral decay -- worshipping an impulsive grim reaper more politically opportunistic than product of epiphany.

We know even a WWI weapon of mass destruction can be conveniently manipulated to raise unprecedented presidential poll numbers -- breeding faith in false prophets, reducing otherwise discerning adults into children blissfully gullible to a pied piper defaming humanity's holy history with the Sarin clouds of Reactionary Nostalgia.

Our Vital National Interests are not in nighttime streamers, but in realizing demagogues, Putin, Assad and Kim Jong-un are more transparent than the red glare of Trump's Tomahawks.

Questions:

How did Assad's April chemical attack threaten U. S. Security? With rebels all but defeated, why would he choose such an unnecessary public display of his power over defenseless women and children? What message was Assad sending and why?

Why would a president inspire anti-NATO and anti-U.N. suspicions in America?

How could the communication conduit for president, press and public be so utterly oblivious to war crimes that devastated generations of humankind?

Why is it the Trump team can't claim success without denigrating Obama?

Isn't American greatness measured by how well all Americans progress forward in an ensemble of diversity and intellectual curiosity, or in insisting future greatness is reviving the past with selective memory.

Is there greatness in repetitive pre-emptive invasions, violating programs that feed hungry children, assailing security of the elderly and enabling domestic violence, while covering up Russian digital intrigue?

Is it possible, revering people like, J. Edgar Hoover, Richard Nixon, William Rehnquist, Clarence Thomas, Grover Norquist, George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Jack Abramoff, Bernard Madoff, Stephen K. Bannon, Jeff Sessions, Rex Tillerson, Andy Puzder and Scott Pruitt endangers us constitutionally?

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Cheap Food Options in Las Vegas

April 11, 2017 Ashley Adams

The days of free food in Las Vegas are largely behind us. Although you occasionally do see some promotions that include food giveaways, those looking for bargains when eating out generally have a bit more work cut out for them.

To that end, I've assembled a list of some of the less expensive food options in Las Vegas. This isn't free food, but it's pretty darn close!

Cheapest Buffet Meals

These buffets may not be on par with the fabulous ones you find at Caesars, the Bellagio or the Wynn. But these will fill you up for a whole lot less, leaving you more to spend at the poker tables.

I've separated the list into categories describing the least expensive buffets in town  for breakfasts under $7, lunches under $9 and dinners under $10. You will need a casino loyalty (VIP) card to qualify for these low prices. They are free and easily available in each casino.

Here's my list of the very cheapest buffets in Las Vegas.

Breakfast buffets under $7

$5.99

Boulder Station

Sam's Town

Sunset Station

$6.59

Arizona Charlie's Boulder

$6.99

Aliante

Cannery

Palace Station

Red Rock Resort

Santa Fe Station

Suncoast

Texas Station

Lunch Buffets under $8

$6.99

Fiesta Rancho

Railroad Pass

Suncoast

$7.49

Fiesta Henderson

$7.99

Boulder Station

Rampart

Sam's Town

Sunset Station

Texas Station

Dinner Buffets Under $10

$6.99

Railroad Pass

$9.49

Fiesta Rancho

$9.99

Fiesta Henderson

Sam's Town

Texas Station

Non-Buffet Options

There are many other ways of eating inexpensively in Las Vegas. Cheap Mexican and Asian restaurants abound. Here is a list of some of my favorites, with some notes about especially inexpensive menu items.

Mexican

Roberto's  99-cent chicken tacos on Wednesday

 99-cent chicken tacos on Wednesday Tacos El Gordo  entire menu is inexpensive, and the quality is consistently excellent

 entire menu is inexpensive, and the quality is consistently excellent El Nopal Grill  $1 tacos on Taco Tuesday (officially for Stratosphere employees, but their Facebook page announces it for all)

 $1 tacos on Taco Tuesday (officially for Stratosphere employees, but their Facebook page announces it for all) Santa Rosa Taco Shop  mini-tacos for $1.39

 mini-tacos for $1.39 Del Taco  $.69 for "Value Taco" and $1.39 for the "Del Taco"

Asian

Asian Food in Las Vegas is often a great bargain. Here are five of my favorite places for Asian food for under $10.00 a meal.

Big Wong

Wendy's Noodle Cafe

Bobo China

Asian BBQ and Noodles

Pho Saigon

There are several other low cost eating options as well. Here are several more inexpensive places I can recommend, with a note or two about each.

Costco  $1.62 hot dogs

 $1.62 hot dogs Fernandez Hot Dogs  $1 Americano hot dog (hot dogs with different toppings are available for a little more)

 $1 Americano hot dog (hot dogs with different toppings are available for a little more) South Point Casino  $1.50 hot dogs; $3.00 hot dog & beer specials

 $1.50 hot dogs; $3.00 hot dog & beer specials Skyline Casino  $1.49 shrimp cocktail; $1.49 breakfast special (with purchase of drink)

 $1.49 shrimp cocktail; $1.49 breakfast special (with purchase of drink) Poker Palace  $5.98 prime rib; $4 eight-piece boneless wings; $2 foot-long hot dog

 $5.98 prime rib; $4 eight-piece boneless wings; $2 foot-long hot dog Marilyn's Cafe at the Tuscany Casino  all you can eat pancakes for $3.99

There are those who might argue that when you're in Las Vegas, you shouldn't worry about finding the cheapest meals. There's something to be said for that. After all, the city boasts some of the world's finest chefs and highest quality dining options.

But for me, finding food bargains is part of the adventure of travel. Besides, the money you save at these super cheap eateries can be spent later on at some posh restaurant of your choice.

Ashley Adams has been playing poker for 50 years and writing about it since 2000. He is the author of hundreds of articles and two books, Winning 7-Card Stud (Kensington 2003) and Winning No-Limit Hold'em (Lighthouse 2012). He is also the host of poker radio show House of Cards. See www.houseofcardsradio.com for broadcast times, stations, and podcasts.

Photo: Fiesta Henderson.
"Comedians are people who embarrass themselves in style." -A.D. Posey

Today, father brother and comedian, Charlie Murphy passed away in a New York Hospital while battling Leukemia. While his exact diagnosis date is unclear, it is certain that he has been battling this disease for a few years, as a 2016 appearance on Good Day LA shows a thinner Charlie Murphy channeling his energy to entertain, like a true performer. As TMZ reported this morning, Murphy was recieving chemotherapy treatment and his family actually thought he was getting better, even joking that they not call as much. That's what comedians do, especially comedians turned actors. They entertain, putting all of their physical and emotional turmoil to the side to bring joy and laughter to others, while still causing the world to contemplate reality-just look at Robin Williams, Chris Farley, and Bernie Mac as a few examples.

Giphy

While Charlie was first introduced to the world as, "Eddie Murphy's big brother", he quickly became known as an engaging standup comedian with an infectious laugh. His true skill, which he displayed in every facet of his professional (and I'm sure personal) life was his ability to tell stories. You know that saying, "it's not what you say, it's how you say it"? Murphy was the physical manifestation of that. With a look, a tone, he could tell a story in a way that no one else could, to the point where even his laugh could make you burst from the belly with t before he even told a joke. While he wrote for a lot of Eddie Murphy's most successful films, and had a successful career in standup and movies before then,the Dave Chappelle show highlighted his knack for retelling a tale, being a cornerstone in the show's funniest skits. Even as himself, when Charlie told a story, the people were entertained. Add in his real encounters with Prince and Rick James (both of whom confirmed the stories were mostly true) and you have a life meant for comedic re-enactments.



"He'd walk up to any chick and lick the whole side of their face, man."- Charlie Murphy on Rick James

One of my favorite interviews is this piece for Esquire. A free form retelling of someone's life, the "What I've Learned" series was like reading a conscience exercise or diary entry of a celebrity if they were as honest with themselves as they were at fifteen. Two years after the death of his wife (from cervical cancer in 2009), Charlie talked about knowing she was the one from the moment she saw her, and telling his family that same night, in front of her. It was evident Charlie loved his life, his wife, his family, and the discipline he sought out at a young age after a quick lesson from the judicial system and some Karate. "People with black belts have good moral standards. I never met a drug dealer at the dojo," might be the funniest and truest thing he said in that interview.

"I mean, you know where you got that shirt. And it damn sure wasn't the men's department"- Charlie Murphy to Prince

Most recently, Charlie was filming for the newest season of the Starz hit "Power", a job former costar and fellow comedian Donnell Rawlings said was supposed to be his. While it is easy to feel sad and shocked at the loss of this great comedian, I always think about how people would want you to honor them in their passing. A man who said he tried comedy and can't remember a week he was without a stage since wouldn't want you to dwell in his death. He'd want you to laugh, re-live some belly aching Charlie Murphy moments and be jealous that he is playing shirt versus blouses with Prince. I know I am.





1 . When he rolled through Snoop's GGN This guy is an amazing storyteller.

2 . When he shared his list of the five wackest rappers I know he's not trying to be funny, but my God he is.

3 . His Chapelle Show Extras

4 . Charlie Murphy talking about Prince's reaction to the infamous Chapelle Show set Is anyone else hoping that the fiercest, funniest game of basketball is going down in heaven right now?

5 . You know you are funny when all you have to do is laugh
MTV and Ludacris are bringing the classic gross out reality series back, but will young audiences watch?

Do you like money and possess a laissez faire attitude when it comes to your personal dignity? Well things may be looking up for you as MTV announced today they would be reviving the early 2000's reality hit Fear Factor this summer. For those who don't remember the conceit of this show, the series made contestants partake in challenges designed to test their tolerance for everything from dramatic stunts to exposure to creepy crawlers, and those who completed the challenge would be financially rewarded. While Joe Rogan hosted the original NBC iteration of the show, rapper and actor Ludacris, who also serves as the series' executive producer, will lead MTV's version.

In addition to a new face on the hosting front, the series will also be changing things up by creating challenges designed to appeal to millennial contestants and audience members. The announcement in The Hollywood Reporter highlighted a few examples of this including, "couch surfing at 300 feet and waterlogging personal cellphones." This is part of a larger rebranding effort for the reality program, aiming to connect with MTV's younger audience and comment on the real anxieties millennials face today.

On the one hand it makes complete sense that the series would actively try to adapt the show for its new home. While the series was a hit in its original NBC run, a 2011 revival of show failed to recapture the spark and lasted only one season. Despite the distinct branding of the series, it's admittedly difficult to convince viewers to tune in when YouTube is filled with videos of amateurs participating in their own self-designed gross-out challenges. The greatest asset the series has to compete in this modern landscape is to create distinct experiences that viewers couldn't likely imitate at home.

Yet, at the same time it's hard to deny the sense of desperation from this move. Promising new challenges, "inspired by urban legends, scary movies and online videos from the zeitgeist", the series is effectively trying to shout at the top of its lungs "We're hip! We're relevant!" In the respect, perhaps the show should stay away from trying to speak for a generation and instead focus on the mindless pleasures fans will be expecting from the show. Regardless, we won't know if this rebranding is a success or not until the series premieres on May 30th.

More from Film/TV

Is The Defenders doomed by Marvel's Netflix Universe's weak recent performance?

Which buzzy new TV shows will be coming back for season two?

CBS officially picks up a Sheldon Cooper/Big Bang Theory spinoff
Adorable Animals from a unique perspective.

Andrius Burba, is a 24 years old photographer, based in Vilnius, Lithuania. He has been with working on his most recent series of photographs called the Under-dogs project. It features pictures of dogs from shot from underneath. He has done this with other animals. It started with the Under-cats project, then expanded to Under-rabbits and Under-horse projects. He photographs them from under glass, that the animals stand with a black background, which has become his most recognized artwork.

The actual project was photographed about a year ago. It wasn't released until now as he wanted to present them at the same time his book of Underdogs had been published.

This project is closely related to the Under-Cats series. Cats are extremely cute but dogs have a much more lively temperament. Dogs are playful creatures and were running around the studio, but completely changed on the glass as they were as still as a statue, taking direction well.

Burba says he learned two observations from shooting the unusual perspective of dogs and cats, "Two main things from these photo shoots. First, cats think they are gods. since people feed, love and give them homes. Secondly, dogs see human as a god as they feed, love and give them homes."Probably you had to read that twice.

After capturing Under-dogs, he decided to go full-time the Underlook project. Currently working on Under-horse. They plan on taking on Tigers next!





The Underlook team:



Andrius Burba https://www.facebook.com/andrius.burba.studio

Ieva Midveryte https://www.facebook.com/ieva.midveryte

Lucas Bruggemann https://www.facebook.com/lucas.bruggemann

More info: underlook.org | getunderlook.com | Facebook | youtu.be
Writings on the Wall

Many years ago, I got a phone call from Troy Torres at a political candidates office. He had seen an election estimate I had written and didn Read morePower of polls and weekend talks
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Breakfast Drinks Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027 report to their offering.

Breakfast Drinks Market Trends

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Breakfast drinks are defined as a food products that are formulated through processing cereals with milk or other liquid ingredient. It is marketed as a supplementary food and positioned as a healthy, fast and convenient option for breakfast. Breakfast drinks must be shelf stable and liquid or dairy based. It must contain added minerals and vitamins and should be packed in on-the-go format. Growing number of single individuals along with rising number of working women across the globe is leading to changing lifestyle, improving living standards and increasing urbanization are some of the factors which are expected to drive the market of breakfast drinks over the forecast period.Market Dynamics of Breakfast Drinks Market:Consumers are increasingly shifting preference from edible breakfast products to drinkable breakfast products. They are looking for new product variants in the on-the-go market, owing to which, manufacturers are expanding product offerings by launching new flavored breakfast drinks regularly. For instance, in August 2016, Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing launched new flavors such as Up & Go Raspberry, Coconut & Yoghurt and Up & Go Energize Choc Coconut, followed by launch of Up & Gos 500ml bottle range in April 2016. In addition, younger consumers are shifting their preference towards healthy alternative drinks owing to increasing awareness regarding healthy lifestyle and wellness. Instead of having coffee or tea, these consumers prefer healthy alternatives such as soy drinks or other dairy-based drinks. This in turn is fuelling demand for on-the-go breakfast drinks among this consumer segment. For instance, in Australia, under 25-years consumers are the prime target segment for on-the-go breakfast products, with around 13% buying breakfast drinks each month. Consumers aged 3549 are also developing a taste for breakfast drinks, which is further expected to drive growth of the market during the forecast period.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2780 Market Segmentation of Breakfast Drinks Market:Breakfast drinks market is segmented on the basis of region which includes North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa and Japan. Geographically, Europe is expected to be the major market in terms of value for breakfast drinks, owing to increasing consumer shifting preference towards convenient breakfast options. Among the countries, U.K. is expected to remain major markets in terms of consumptions for breakfast drinks followed by Germany. North America is expected to represent the favorable market for breakfast drinks in terms of consumption. In the region the U.S. is expected to represent major value share during the forecast period. Increasing consumption of on-the-go breakfast alternatives is expected to support the market growth in the country. Asia Pacific is expected to represent a rapid growth in breakfast drinks market. Presently Australia is the largest consumer of breakfast drinks in the region as well as across the globe. Continuous product launch and targeted towards specific segment is expected to support the market growth in the country. For instance in Australia manufacturers are focusing on the children or pre-teen segment, who are known to skip breakfast. Independent surveys reveal that 1 in 10 children skip breakfast daily. In order to tap into opportunities this segment offers, manufacturers are introducing new products specially designed for kids. In 2013, Kellogg NA Co. launched its first two breakfast drinks for kids in Australia. The product was launched under its Nutri-Grain and Coco Pops brands. Moreover, among ASEAN countries Singapore is expected to represent potential market both in terms of value and volume consumption.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2780 Continuous introduction of new breakfast drink products coupled with increasing awareness among the consumers through aggressive advertisement by the manufacturers is expected to drive the market growth during the forecast period. Moreover, increasing per capita expenditure on prepared food coupled with rising demand for convenience breakfast products is further expected to fuel the market growth in the near future.Key Market PlayersSome of the key players operating in breakfast drinks market includes Quaker Oats Company, Kellogg Co., General Mills Inc. MOMA, Sanitarium and Anchor among others.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 14:34:02

Global Payments Launches Enhanced Ecommerce Offering in Canada

Global Payments Inc.

Investor contact:

Isabel Janci, 770-829-8478

investor.relations@globalpay.com

or

Media contact:

Amy Corn, 770-829-8755

media.relations@globalpay.com

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN), a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services, announced the launch of an enhanced ecommerce payments management offering for Canada. Leveraging the companys Realex ecommerce technology, the platform provides a range of cloud-based, software enabled technology services for both large and mid-sized businesses to enable them to accept payments online, as well as via phone, mail, email or mobile devices.

This new offering by Global Payments offers merchants mobile optimization and digital wallet support, consolidated payment acceptance, batch and recurring payment solutions, as well as enhanced fraud tools and analytics. With a range of integration options, merchants can be up and running in as little as five minutes and can leverage the hosted payment solution to help reduce PCI compliance requirements. The solution is pre-integrated with a wide range of platforms and shopping carts for a fast and seamless set-up across multiple payment channels.

As we continue to broaden our selection of innovative payment solutions, were pleased to offer Canadian businesses an enhanced ecommerce solution with a new suite of leading payment functionality, said Rene Belanger, President of Global Payments Canada. We are offering customers a flexible and customizable, easy-to-integrate payment management solution, designed to help them grow their businesses.

We are thrilled to expand our ecommerce capabilities, addressing both simple and complex payment requirements in Canada and further enhancing our regional ecommerce and omnichannel offerings, said Jeffrey Burke, President of Worldwide Ecommerce for Global Payments. The expansion of the Realex ecommerce technology to Canada, and other major markets around the world, allows our customers the unique opportunity to leverage Global Payments unmatched worldwide presence to enter new markets and expand their global businesses.

About Global Payments

Global Payments Inc. (NYSE: GPN) is a leading worldwide provider of payment technology services that delivers innovative solutions driven by customer needs globally. Our technologies, partnerships and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of products and services that allow our customers to accept all payment types across a variety of distribution channels in many markets around the world.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia with more than 8,500 employees worldwide, Global Payments is a member of the S&P 500 with merchants and partners in 30 countries throughout North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Brazil. For more information about Global Payments, our Service. Driven. Commerce brand and our technologies, please visit www.globalpaymentsinc.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201704120053
Green Power Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2016-2026 Research Report By Future Market Insights

Green Power Market

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Green power is basically production of electrical energy from environment friendly and renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, biomass, solar and low-impact hydropower. There has been an increased awareness among consumers regarding use of environment friendly sources of electricity supply. This in turn has led towards demand for green power sources in the recent past. In order to support green environment campaign, governments of various countries are taking initiatives to enhance consumer awareness as well as availability of green power sources. Globally, there has been integration of renewable energy and equipment installations. For instance, in Iceland 80% of the electricity is generated from earths heat. Similarly in Norway, 98% of electricity is generated using geothermal, hydroelectric and wind energy.There have been increased number of attempts to offer low-cost, environment-friendly options to low down the negative impact of using non-renewable sources of energy for electricity generation. For instance, in India the untapped market of renewable energy is anticipated to be around US$ 10.5 billion by 2017 end. In order to tap this potential market, government of India is taking various measures such as promotion of small power plants for both biomass and solar, entrepreneurship development for electricity in rural areas through solar power, biomass waste and rice husk, solar cooking initiatives, green campuses and buildings construction, and projects for off-shore wind generation, among others. With introduction of programs offering consumer choice for domestic electricity ensuring price stability balancing the increased electricity price volatility in some countries is leading towards increased adoption of green power sources as a mode of electricity generation.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2315 Green Power Market Segmentation:Green power market is segmented on the basis of energy resources, equipment type. Different type of energy resources include solar, biomass, wind and small hydropower. Of which, biomass is further segmented into landfill gas and agricultural waste. On the basis of different energy resources, equipment vary and are classified into solar energy equipment, wind energy equipment, geothermal energy equipment and hydropower energy equipment. Further, agricultural waste is sub-segmented into poultry litter and others. Geographically, the green power market is segmented into seven regions namely North America, Western Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.Green Power Market Dynamics:Factors such as population growth, urbanisation, industrialisation, growing per capita consumption, depletion of conventional reserves and increasing concerns for climatic change are contributing towards increasing adoption of green power sources as mode of electricity generation. This is further fuelling green power market growth at a robust rate and is expected to gain significant traction in the near future. However, proper balance of environmental stability and economic development is a concern for government and environment control authorities across the globe. However, barriers towards growth of green power market include low cost of utility default service, high entry barriers for new entrants, lack of existing renewable energy plants and insufficient unbundling of revenue-cycle services. Despite of the aforementioned challenges, green power market is anticipated to grow significantly in the near future. This is attributed to development of solar parks, government initiatives and programs, increasing awareness regarding use of renewable energy sources, among others.Request For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2315 Green Power Market Key Players:Depending on the equipment manufacturers for energy resources such as wind energy, solar energy, geothermal energy and hydropower energy, some of the key solar panel manufacturers are Trina Solar Limited, Yingli Solar, Canadian Solar and others. Similarly prominent wind turbine manufacturers include Siemens AG, General Electric Company (GE Power), and Senvion SE among others. Few prominent geothermal energy system manufacturers include FHP Bosch Group, Earthlinked Technologies Inc., Aquatherm Industries, Inc., and Ormat Technologies, Inc. among others.
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 07:52:22

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ACN Newswire+65 6304 8926

Survey Predicts Bright Future for LED, Green & Smart LightingHONG KONG, Apr 10, 2017 - (ACN Newswire) - The ninth Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), closed yesterday. The four-day fair (6-9 April) welcomed a record of 1,340 exhibitors from 13 countries and regions, welcoming close to 21,000 buyers from 115 countries and regions, a 5.8 per cent increase over the previous year."We saw brisk trading and networking at the Spring Lighting Fair," said HKTDC Acting Executive Director Benjamin Chau. "Buyers from European, US and Asian markets were actively engaged in sourcing, with buyer attendance from the United States, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand recording double-digit increases - bringing more business opportunities for exhibitors." Mr Chau noted that a fairground survey indicated that the industry was optimistic about the lighting market's outlook for the coming year, with expectations of persistent demand for smart lighting and substantial growth in LED and green lighting sectors. A new "Smart Lighting & Solutions" zone was introduced this year to showcase the latest smart lighting systems, remote controls and products, while "LED and Green Lighting" remained the fair's largest thematic zone, attracting more than 450 suppliers. These zones offered quality products catering to the latest market needs.The HKTDC commissioned the independent on-site survey during the fair, interviewing more than 373 exhibitors and buyers about their views regarding industry prospects. The survey found that 95 per cent of respondents expect overall sales of products to increase or remain unchanged this year, up 31 percentage points from last year.As for product trends, respondents consider lighting accessories, parts & components to be the product sector with the highest growth (38%), followed by LED & green lighting (18%), household lighting (18%) and smart lighting & solutions (9%). Among traditional markets, respondents are most optimistic about North America, Western Europe and Hong Kong. As for emerging markets, respondents believe the Chinese mainland, ASEAN countries, the Middle East and Latin America have the best growth prospects this year.- Persistent demand seen for smart lighting -Ninety two per cent of respondents say they believe "smart city and smart home" technology will drive development of the lighting industry in the next two years. The highest growth potential is seen in household lighting systems that can be controlled by smart phone/tablet applications, and in smart lighting systems primarily with energy-saving purposes for household/industrial/commercial applications."Smart lighting is favoured by the new generation in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries because young people like novelty and they can use mobile apps to control lighting effects and achieve home automation," said Muhammed Noufel, General Manager of Bella Nova Trading FZE. The buyer from the United Arab Emirates also said his company had identified many new suppliers through the fair, and planned to buy US$50,000-100,000 worth of LED lighting products from them.- LED and green lighting in spotlight -LED and green lighting has been a focus for global buyers due to declining prices, higher energy efficiency, longer life expectancy as well as growing environmental awareness. The survey found that the respondents expect indoor household lighting (28%), indoor office & commercial lighting (21%) and outdoor lighting (18%) to be the LED application categories with the highest growth potential for the next two years.Fair exhibitor Hangzhou Sky-Lighting Co Ltd was promoting its eco-friendly LED filament bulbs at the show, where it had met with buyers from Europe who were very interested in its products. Europe and the Middle East were the exhibitor's largest markets, "We are keen to expand into new markets such as Japan and the US through the fair. The Spring Lighting Fair provides an ideal platform for us to look for quality buyers," said Sales Manager Lu Lu.Albert Huang, Operation Director of US exhibitor Jaykal LED Solutions Inc said both the spring and autumn editions of the Lighting Fair provide a good platform for his company to introduce new products. He added that its solar streetlights had attracted strong interest from buyers from such regions as Africa and South America. The company runs a Chinese mainland factory that manufactures high-quality LED lighting products for industrial and commercial applications.Maria Cabrera, CEO North America for Swiss LED USA, was visiting the fair for the third time. She found at least eight potential suppliers of household lighting and two potential suppliers of hotel lighting products from the Chinese mainland and Vietnam. Mrs Cabrera said she plans to buy US$500,000 worth of lighting products from these new suppliers and would soon confirm orders with the hotel lighting suppliers.- Highly Effective Marketing and Sourcing Platform -Mable Fang, Lighting Consultant for Epistar Industrial (Hong Kong) Co Ltd - an exhibitor which has joined the fair for many years - said the show was an important platform to promote the company among international buyers and to look for new prospects. "We have received enquiries from many buyers including those from Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and the US. We expect that at least two to three new buyers will buy our products," she said.Argentine buyer Fernando Pache Brussoni, Director of Urulamp, appreciated the scale of this year's Spring Lighting Fair. "The LED industry is developing quickly. The fair brings together a lot of suppliers and new products, which allows us to grasp the latest trends. So far, we have found new models of flood lights and street lights, and already identified four to five new suppliers from the Chinese mainland. We'll buy their products after checking their quality and prices," he said.Photo Download Link: http://bit.ly/2bhp1Wf To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc (Photo:) The ninth Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Spring Edition) welcomed close to 21,000 buyers from 115 countries and regions, up 5.8 per cent over last year.About HKTDCEstablished in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus . Follow us on Google+, Twitter @hktdc, LinkedIn.Google+: https://plus.google.com/+hktdc Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/hktdc LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/hong-kong-trade-development-council Contact:HKTDCCommunication and Public Affairs DepartmentJoe KainzTel: +852 2584 4216Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2015- 2025" report to their offering.

Laboratory Information Systems (LIS) Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 12:31:14

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Future Market Insights (FMI) delivers key insights on the global laboratory information systems market in its latest report titled, Laboratory Information Systems Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2015 - 2025. In terms of revenue, the global laboratory information systems market is projected to register a healthy CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period owing to various factors, regarding which, FMI offers detailed insights and forecasts.The market has been segmented on the basis of end user, component, mode of delivery and regions. On the basis of end user, the market has been segmented into hospitals, clinics, independent laboratories and others. Clinics are usually installed with well-supported laboratory information systems for better information about both patients and indications at hand. The segment has been estimated to account for maximum revenue share in the global laboratory information systems market in 2015. Revenue contribution of the clinics segment is expected to increase at a CAGR of 10.0% during the forecast period. Hospitals segment is expected to be the second largest revenue contributor to the global market accounting for US$ 824.9 Mn by 2025 increasing at a CAGR of 8.5% over the forecast period.The report further segments the market on the basis of components into software, hardware and services. Services segment is expected to account for largest market share over the forecast period due to adoption of new pricing model strategies by major players in the market. However, software segment is projected to account for significant absolute $ opportunity during 20152025, owing to rise in product enhancements and advent of innovative LIS systems over the forecast period.Request For Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-875 In terms of mode of delivery, the laboratory information systems market is expected to witness substantial growth in the next few years. Executing database maintenance, back-up and retention services through cloud-based delivery mode and increasing customisation and standardisation of data by way of dedicated IT skilled persons in on premise delivery mode are major factors expected to drive revenue growth of the cloud-based and on-premise segments respectively over the forecast period. Currently, cloud-based delivery mode segment accounts for major share of the global laboratory information systems market.The primary barriers in the market include high costs related to LIS software and services and lack of skilled labour, for day-to-day operations and maintenance of information. In spite of substantial investments in the field of laboratory information systems, lack of qualified professionals is expected to slow down growth of the LIS market during the forecast period. Moreover design flaws in software can tamper test results generated through LIS and is expected to adversely affect the global laboratory information systems market to a certain extent. These factors are expected to affect adoption of laboratory information systems (LIS) over the forecast.The primary trend in the laboratory information systems market is an increase in development of healthcare information systems, rising healthcare per capita spending and increasing demand for integrated medical systems and precise handling of patient data. Other trends include increasing demand for LIS from smaller hospitals with less than 100 beds in developed nations for faster market capitalization and to provide quality care for patients. This is mainly attributed to LIS enabling systematic documentation, eliminating paper work and chance of errors associated with clinical tests report writing, and thereby enables a streamlined workflow.Send An Enquiry@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-875 This report assesses trends driving growth of each segment on global as well as regional levels. North America has been estimated to dominate the laboratory information systems market with maximum market share in 2015. Among emerging markets, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Eastern Europe are estimated to witness high CAGRs over the forecast period.Some key players identified in the global laboratory information systems market are CompuGroup Medical, Cerner Corp, McKesson, Evident, Medical Information Technology, LabWare, Sunquest Information Systems Inc., SCC Soft Computer, Epic Systems Corporation, etc. The report also provides individual strategies followed by these companies in terms of enhancing software products portfolios, market consolidation and software innovations. The report concludes with strategic recommendations for players in the market and also new players planning to enter the market, which could help them in the long run.Browse Full Report@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/laboratory-information-systems-market
PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 11:02:01

Nuvias Unified Communications Practice To Be Rolled Out Across EMEA

Nuvias Launches Unified Communications Practice

Nuvias

Annabelle Brown

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pr@nuvias.com

Nuvias announces the EMEA launch of its Unified Communications (UC) Practice. The Practice is based on the UC capabilities and services provided by SIPHON Networks, which became part of the Nuvias Group in October 2016.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201704120050

Steve Harris: "...significant opportunities to move into the lucrative Unified Communications market." (Photo: Business Wire)

SIPHON is a leading, award-winning UC solutions and technology enabler for the channel. In 2016, it was named the 24th fastest growing technology company in the UK, as part of Deloittes prestigious UK Technology Fast 50 rankings, achieving 723% growth in the four years prior to the award.

Roll-out across EMEA

SIPHON is already established in the UK and Benelux. The UC practice will be rolled out across EMEA over the coming months, through Nuvias regional branches, starting with Germany. More Nuvias staff are being added throughout EMEA to support vendor and reseller partners.

Existing UC vendors and new vendors are expected to take advantage of Nuvias growing UC capability across EMEA to increase sales in the region. Likewise, it is anticipated that both existing and new Nuvias reseller/integrator channel partners across EMEA will take up the opportunity to enter this thriving market or expand their UC business.

Paul Eccleston, CEO of Nuvias, said: SIPHON is an exceptional company with a very strong offering for the channel, as demonstrated by its phenomenal growth in the last few years. SIPHONs strong technical and solution engineering expertise has enabled it to work closely with vendors and resellers on the development of UC solutions; this factor, together with the provision of a very high level of service and solutions capabilities from SIPHON, has been instrumental in its success.

Steve Harris, EVP Unified Communications, Nuvias; and Managing Director SIPHON, commented: A major reason for joining Nuvias last year was the chance it gave us to grow and expand both in the UK and internationally. The UC EMEA launch of Nuvias lays the foundations for achieving that ambition.

This is a very exciting time in UC across EMEA, with really significant opportunities for the IT channel to move into the lucrative UC market and conquer the legacy competition. We believe that, as part of Nuvias, we are the right solutions and technology enabler to provide the service, support and technical know-how our channel partners want to help them make the most of this market opportunity.

SIPHON

SIPHONs solutions were developed for channel partners who want to deploy either cloud-based or premise-based UC technology, solutions and services. Through its work with service providers and resellers, SIPHON has honed a unique skillset around its professional and technical support services, as well as its solution engineering services, growing to become a trusted technology-enablement partner to many of the industrys key UC players.

SIPHON is now at the forefront of UC innovation, supporting channel partners who want to deliver a full UC experience to their customers. This includes Microsoft Lync/Skype for Business, as well as a suite of video and collaboration solutions. SIPHON vendors include BroadSoft, Polycom, Lifesize, Oracle, AudioCodes, Panasonic, Yealink and Dubber. Channel partners include Gamma, essensys, exponential-e, Freedom, Tancroft and Esprit Telecom.

SIPHON testimonials

Cloud services vendor partner  BroadSoft

SIPHON has continued to demonstrate its capabilities to sign, on-board and launch Channel Partners providing the full suite of BroadCloud services and applications. To date they are supporting 20+ UK channel partners to sell feature rich Hosted Telephony, UC and Collaboration services/applications into the SME and mid-market customer segments. With a growing cloud team, this puts SIPHON in an excellent positon to build on its results to date and achieve even greater success in 2017.  Andy Bannister, BroadCloud Sales Director UK&I, BroadSoft.

Microsoft UC Vendor Partner - AudioCodes

In SIPHON, weve found a true value-added distributor to help AudioCodes grow net new partners and increase run rate of a key product for us, Session Border Controllers (SBCs) in the UK. SIPHON involved us in its regular training sessions and customer call-out days that were focused on AudioCodes products. The sales teams embraced our recommended sales techniques and together with their improved product knowledge this has resulted in an impressive uplift in performance across both revenue and units shipped. - Ewan Haig, UK Country Manager, AudioCodes

Cloud Services Channel Partner  hSo

Aside from the fact that they are very flexible and easy to get along with, SIPHON offers an experience and depth of knowledge on BroadSoft technologies thats unrivalled in the UC market. By accompanying us to our customer meetings, SIPHON reinforces the depth of our partnership, an addition to the top-class commercial and technical support that they already provide to us. It was critical to us that SIPHON was able to address our scalability challenge by migrating our entire user base to a dedicated BroadWorks platform once we hit a certain number of users. The professional services offering from SIPHON was another sweet-spot in the installation and enablement of our brand new hosted deployment. Alongside relevant training that made sure our team was completely up to speed with the requisite knowledge to go it alone, SIPHON has eased our migration every step of the way. - Avner Peleg, Customer Development Director, hSo.

Case Studies http://www.siphonnetworks.com/siphon-customers.php

About Nuvias Group

Nuvias Group is the pan-EMEA, high value distribution business, which is redefining international, specialist distribution in IT. The company has created a platform to deliver a consistent, high value, service-led and solution-rich proposition across EMEA. This allows partner and vendor communities to provide exceptional business support to customers and enables new standards of channel success.

The Group today consists of Wick Hill, an award-winning, value-added distributor with a strong specialisation in security; Zycko, an award-winning, specialist EMEA distributor, with a focus on advanced networking; and SIPHON Networks, an award-winning UC solutions and technology enabler for the channel. All three companies have proven experience at providing innovative technology solutions from world-class vendors, and delivering market growth for vendor partners and customers. The Group has 21 regional offices across EMEA, as well as serving additional countries through those offices. Turnover is in excess of US$ 350 million.

ENDS

For further press information and photos of Paul Eccleston or Steve Harris, please contact Annabelle Brown on +44 (0)1326 318212, email pr@nuvias.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201704120050

Nuvias announces the EMEA launch of its Unified Communications (UC) Practice, based on SIPHON Networks
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Taurine Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027" report to their offering.

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 10:32:38

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CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

Taurine also known as 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is an amino acid present in most of the mammalian tissues and cells having high concentrations in tissues. Taurine is an organic compound having properties like antioxidant, detoxifier, bile acids and membrane stabilizer. Taurine is named after bull/ ox as it was isolated from ox bile first. Taurine is useful in cardiovascular function, development of skeletal muscle, cranial nervous system and retina. Taurine is derived from amino acid with thiol group known as cysteine. Taurine is obtained naturally from meat and fish. Daily intake of taurine is restricted to 500-2000mg to avoid the complications such as rise in blood pressure to strokes and seizures to heart disease. Taurine have different applications in industries like cosmetic industry, healthcare industry and food industryMarket Segmentation:Taurine market is segmented on the basis of application in different industries such as food industry, cosmetic industry etc. Taurine is mainly used in energy drinks like Red Bull which in turn supports neurological development and helps regulation of water and mineral levels in the body. Taurine combined with caffeine is helpful in improving mental performance. In cosmetic industry taurine can be used in products like shampoo and skin care products for anti-aging and reduce fine lines, wrinkles etc. Taurine can be used in toothpaste and mouthwash to give consumers an energy boost. Taurine also be used as supplement in bodybuilding as it increases alertness, strengthens heart, reduces blood pressure and helps prevent dehydration.Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2746 Taurine market is further segmented on the basis of regions as North America, Middle East and Africa, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan and Japan.Market Regional Outlook:On the basis of regions, the Taurine market has been segmented into North America, Middle East and Africa, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region and Japan. China is a leading manufacturer of taurine with more than 40 manufacturers in the country contributing to the maximum production of taurine globally. Countries like China, India and Brazil etc. are creating more opportunities for the Taurine market due to fast growing chemical industries.Market Drivers and Trends:The trends towards energy drinks is increasing globally which is driving global energy drinks market. Taurine is used in energy drinks to boost the physical activity, body building etc. Consumption of Energy drinks such as Red Bull which contains taurine is increasing trend in many developed as well as developing countries which is driving taurine market. Cosmetic industry is also rising due to awareness of healthy skin, taurine is used in some of the cosmetic products which helps in energizing the skin and reduce wrinkles and fine lines. As a result of health awareness trend of body building and fitness is also increasing, which is also driving the taurine market as it is also used in different health supplements. Use of taurine in in health benefits such as cardiovascular health, hydration etc. helps in driving the taurine global market due to demand of taurine in different food as well as pharmaceutical market.Visit for TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2746 Taurine Market Key Players:Some of the key players in the Taurine market include Qianjiang Yongan Pharmaceutical Co. ltd., The Honjo Chemical Corporation, Fuchi Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Jiangyin Huachang Food Additive Co. Ltd., Jiangsu Yuanyang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Qingdao Aufeng International Company Limited, Hangzhou FST pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shandong Fangming Pharmaceutical Group Co., Ltd., Shayang Tianyi Medicine Industry Co. Ltd., Tycoon (China) Company Limited etc. are among these.
Alastair Paterson, CEO and Co-Founder, Digital Shadows

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 07:38:39

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Comment article by Alastair Paterson, CEO and Co-Founder, Digital ShadowsThe huge cost of cybercrime was once again graphically illustrated this week by a story on the BBC ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39351215) of a hacker who allegedly used phishing techniques and fake websites to steal over $100m from two major U.S. companies.According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Lithuanian man allegedly set up a bogus company, which bore the same name as a legitimate Asian-based computer hardware manufacturer, and used the front to syphon off money from two major US companies between 2013 and 2015.The attacker allegedly registered the bogus company in Latvia and opened various accounts in its name at several banks around the world.He then is reported to have sent fraudulent phishing emails to employees and agents of the victim companies, which regularly conducted multimillion-dollar transactions with the cloned company, and got them to send money to bank accounts set up around the world for goods and services.If you wanted a graphic illustration of why there is such an active and motivated cybercrime underworld, its here - $100million worth of illustration!Malicious actors have a range of motivations, including geopolitical, ideaological and espionage purposes. However, it is the financially-motivated cybercriminals we commonly see targeting the organizations we work with. These actors will go wherever the money is. Pure and simple.It also ably demonstrates the threat posed by fake websites, companies and brands to legitimate businesses around the world.The trouble is it is easy to set up these resources, but its not always easy to identify them and act against them quickly and before they can have an impact. Intelligence is critical in these cases; the sooner you know about the threat, the sooner can you do something about it and protect your business.But knowing the risk posed by your digital footprint is critical in todays business environment. Companies need to be aware of the risks posed by malicious typosquatting and impersonation in support of targeted attacks. This is where attackers use domain names that are like a legitimate company to launch a wide variety of online fraud including phishing campaigns.Early detection of these domains is critical to helping organizations identify threats specific to their business so that they can quickly act to remove or neutralize them. In one case, I have worked with a U.S. based global brand was targeted by another company with 50 typosquat domains, which went undiscovered for some time. In a second instance, we detected 30 active phishing sites targeting a clients brand and detected customer and employees details being shared and sold on IRC channels.Early detection and effective intelligence is critical in todays digital world to mitigate the risks created by todays connected world. This case yet again shows why this is so important.
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the X-Band Radar Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2016 - 2026" report to their offering.

X-Band Radar Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 12:59:36

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# 507 Words

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comBlog: http://fmiblog.com/Abhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

According to a new market report published by Future Market Insights titled X-Band Radar Market - Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016 - 2026, the global X-band radar market was valued at US$ 4.6 Bn in 2015 and is expected to register a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2026 to reach US$ 6.9 Bn by 2026. Growth of the global X-band radar market is primarily driven by increasing need of advanced security and surveillance systems across the world.Increasing significance of weather and climate predictions, and aviation safety is propelling the demand for X-band radar market globally. X-band radars help improve aviation safety and increase the operational efficiency of the entire air transport industry. Besides, they also provide alerts on floods through continuous monitoring of rainfall. Vendors such as Saab Group and Northrop Grumman Corporation recently introduced weather monitoring radar.Inability to adjust quickly to track a stream of separate missiles is one of the factors restraining the growth of the market. Sea-based X-band radar can be supported by a land-based early warning radar in case of an event of an attack. These radars could help X-band radars by identifying a definite location for Sea-based X-band Radar (SBX) to focus on. However, aiming and re-aiming the giant radars beam is a clumsy process. This inhibits X-band radars ability to bend swiftly enough to track a range of different missiles.Request For Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-879 On the basis of type, the global X-band radar market is segmented as mobile X-band radar and sea based-X-band radar. The mobile X-band radar segment was valued US$ 3.1 Bn in 2015 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 4.1% during the forecast period 20162026. The sea-based X-band radar segment was valued US$ 1.5 Bn in 2015.X-Band Radar Market: Region-wise SegmentationNorth America, the largest market for X-Band radar, was valued US$ 1.5 Bn in 2015and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.1% during the forecast period of 2016-2026. In North America region, ARL-E long range radars developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation have witnessed traction in their adoption by the U.S. government. These radars have enhanced the U.S. Armys C4ISR capabilities.Western Europe region is expected be the second largest market of global X-band radar, followed by Eastern Europe. Ground Master 400 radar, developed by the Raytheon Company is very popular in this region.Send An Enquiry@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-879 Key Players in X-Band Radar MarketKey players of the global X-band radar market include Northrop Grumman Corporation, Raytheon Company, Saab Group, Japan Radio Company Limited, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd, Furuno Electric Co.,Ltd , Terma A/S, Detect, Inc., Reutech Radar Systems, and ProSensing, Inc.Leading players in the global x-band radar market are focusing on the development of end-to-end products and services such as logistics, infrastructure and maintenance, and providing support to their clients. Companies such as Saab Group, Raytheon Corporation, DeTect, Inc. serve both domestic and international government customers as a prime contractor and subcontractor of defence and related programmes.Browse Full Report@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/x-band-radar-market
Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Key Opinion Leader Management Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027" report to their offering.

Zika Virus Testing Market

PR-Inside.com: 2017-04-12 05:52:01

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616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comAbhishek Budholiya+1-347-918-3531

One of the biggest public growing threat is the rapid emergence of mosquito borne virus called as Zika virus. Zika virus was first identified in rhesus monkey in the year 1947 in Uganda. Later in 1952 the virus was identified in humans. The virus is a single-stranded RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family, and is transmitted by two species of Aedes genus, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. These are the same mosquito species that also spread dengue and chikungunya virus. The virus can also be vertically transmitted during fetal/perinatal period or by unprotected sexual contact. In case of perinatal transmission the virus can pass from mother to fetus through trans-placental transmission which can lead to the most common birth defect of brain called as microcephaly and other severe fetal brain defects. Eye defect, hearing problems and impaired growth are some of the issues commonly associated with the infection of Zika virus in fetus. Apart from this several evidences of Guillain-Barre syndrome, have also been reported in patients carrying the virus. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an uncommon sickness of the nervous system which leads to ascending paralysis. However, the risk is found to be higher in pregnant womens during their first trimester of pregnancy period. Symptoms associated with the infection of Zika virus includes, fever, rashes, joint pain, conjunctivitis, muscle pain and headache. These symptoms last for several days to weeks. Africa, America, Asia and Pacific regions are likely to be dominated regions witnessing outbreaks of Zika virus.The first largest outbreak of Zika virus was reported in the year 2007 across the Pacific island of Yap, in the Federated States of Micronesia. In 2016, World Health Organization (WHO) estimated the local transmission of Zika infection in more than 20 countries and territories across the Americas. Currently a number of Zika virus testing assays are available in the market some of which have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) while some of them are used for Research Use Only (RUO) and are used as Laboratory Developed Test (LDT). Currently, a number of diagnostic tests are available in the market for the diagnosis of Zika virus in humans. This includes, Zika ELITe MGB detection test, Sentosa SA ZIKV RT-PCR, LightMix Zika rRT-PCR test and many more. All these tests allow qualitative detection of RNA from Zika virus from body samples such as urine, human serum and plasma. The market for zika virus testing is expected to rise over the forecast period owing to continuous increase in population exhibiting symptoms of Zika virus over the forecast period.Request For Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2913 Zika Virus Testing Market: Drivers & RestraintsExpanded disease surveillance efforts undertaken by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to spur the market for Zika virus testing in the U.S. In august 2016, FDA announced screening of all donated blood and blood products for Zika virus across the world. This would help prevent increased chances of getting infected through transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs). Substantial spending by U.S. government and FDA to add Zika screening program across all the hospitals and blood banks in U.S. is expected to spur the market for Zika virus testing over the forecast period. Furthermore, increasing efforts by various manufacturers to develop Zika virus screening tests is expected to accelerate the market growth in the coming years. Major demand for Zika virus testing is expected to come from Florida attributed to increasing number of patients exhibiting symptoms of Zika virus. Lack of awareness in the developing countries and inaccurate results from available diagnostic tests may affect the revenues for Zika virus testing market globally over the forecast period.Zika Virus Testing Market: SegmentationZika virus testing market is segmented by test type, route of administration, end user and geography:By Test TypeNucleic Acid Amplification Test/ Molecular TestsZika Virus Antibody Test/ Serological TestBy End UserHospitalsDiagnostic CentersPathology ClinicsZika Virus Testing Market: OverviewAccording to WHO, since 2007, 67 countries and territories reported the evidence of Zika virus transmission. At present, the diagnosis of Zika virus in humans is dependent upon the molecular detection of viral RNA. However, presence of RNA only during the viraemia i.e. presence the virus in blood, and close clinical association of Zika symptoms with dengue and other infections, has resulted in lare number of undiagnosed cases.Accessibility of better diagnostic testing services (i.e. rapid near-patient tests) across several haeltcare facilities is expected to fuel the market for Zika virus testing over the forecast period.Zika Virus Testing Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region presence, Zika virus testing market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Continuous spread of Zika virus across several countries in North America is expected to increase the demand for Zika virus testing services over the forecast period. WHO estimated that as of July 2016, in the U.S. CDC reported 12 birth defects related cases and six pregnancy losses. Furthermore, increasing efforts by HHS, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to raise the fund for development of diagnostic assays for Zika virus detection is expected to drive the market growth of Zika virus testing over the forecast period. Also the Zika virus outbreak in several Latin American countries is rapidly growing. For example in Brazil alone the virus is known to affect 21 states out of 26 states. Rapid local transmission of Zika virus across the globe is expected to result in more number of diagnostic assays performed thus driving the revenues.Visit For TOC@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-2913 Zika Virus Testing Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in the Zika virus testing market are, ELITechGroup Inc. Molecular Diagnostics, Abbott Molecular Inc., ARUP Laboratories, Vela Diagnostics USA Inc., Roche Molecular Systems Inc., InBios International, Inc., Luminex Corporation, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc., Hologic, Inc. and Focus Diagnostics, Inc.
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.




2016s record-breaking 12.2bn investment in the real estate sector in the CEE region is likely to be surpassed in 2017  this is according to CEE Real Estate Investment Compass 2017 published by Colliers International and CMS. The sources of investment flows into the CEE region are also expected to

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Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has launched Nick Jr HD on the Colombian pay-TV platform Claro.





Following an agreement that took other Viacom linear channels to the platform last year, the high definition (HD) feed has been available to Claro subscribers since last week.Through the move, the America Movil platform will offer one of the most extensive Viacom catalogues in Latin America, as it already airs MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and Paramount, and enables access to the mobile and second-screen apps MTV Play , Nickelodeon Play and Comedy Central Play.We are very happy to announce the launch of Nick Jr HD on Claro, said Rita Herring, SVP, content distribution, Viacom International Media Networks. Nick Jr offers a comprehensive show portfolio in a safe place for preschoolers. With this launch, we complete our HD channel offering on Claro. Nick Jr includes series such as Dora the explorer, Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, Shimmer and Shine, Fresh Beat Band of Spies and Little Charmers.
Gary McBride will step down as president and CEO of the Latin American Multichannel Advertising Council (LAMAC) on 30 April.





McBride, who will return to the private industry as an entrepreneur, was part of LAMACs founding group and became its president in 2002.For the last 15 years leading LAMAC , McBride has focused on creating and transmitting the value and positioning of pay-TV advertising, improving pay- TV measuring metrics throughout Latin America.I have known Gary since the beginnings of the industry in Latin America and during the 15 years he has been with LAMAC, he has been a bastion in promoting the strategic value of pay-TV advertising and our industry in general, said Enrique Cusco, CEO of OLE Communications.Gary has always distinguished himself by being an excellent leader and asset for our industry; a true visionary that has worked hard to ensure the success of pay-TV, added Henry Martinez, president and general director of Discovery Communications, Latin America, US Hispanic and Canada.LAMAC is a non-profit association comprised and financed by 53 pay-TV channels, representing the seven industry leaders, whose objective is to communicate the value of pay-TV investment in Latin America and to promote the development of measurement resources to allow an accurate evaluation of the medias effectiveness as an advertising platform.I am excited about the future and the opportunities that will come as a result of this change in my professional life, said McBride. "We are living in a time of transformation for the advertising industry and the media in general; adapting to those changes is crucial. I will never be away from the world of television and the advertising industry in Latin America, to which I have dedicated 40 years of my career.
Amazon Prime Video is embarking on an Indian original series based on the true story of Subhas Chandra Boses Indian National Army, under the directorial eye of Bollywoods Kabir Khan.





Based on true events, the epic series is about the men and women who fought with the Indian National Army, led by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The army fought for the independence of India and were borne out of the British defeat in Singapore during World War II.The Forgotten Army (working title) will mark Kabirs Khans debut in the over-the-top (OTT) digital video sector, after creating blockbuster movies such as Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Kabul Express.We had made a commitment to our Indian customers to deliver high quality, binge-worthy shows that theyll love to watch, and our association with Kabir Khan greatly reinforces our commitment towards this promise, said Roy Price (pictured), head of global content, Amazon Prime Video Our aim is to build a compelling line-up of Indian shows, working with the greatest talents from the industry. Our association with Kabir Khan is one of the many such partnerships that India will see. We know our Prime members are going to love the epic war story being brought to life with Kabir Khan helming the project.Film director and producer Kabir Khan added: These are super exciting times for any content creator in India and I am elated to make my debut in the digital space with Amazon Prime Videos India Original.Amazon Prime Video provides greater access to reach new and vast Indian audiences. They are also bringing in global talent and knowledge to collaborate with Indian scriptwriters and content creators to further hone their skills and know-how. I am excited to make this truly international series which has a scale and reach far greater than any Hindi film.The series is slated to start production by the end of 2017, and will be available to subscribers of Amazons subscription video-on-demand ( SVOD ) service Prime Video when completed.
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.
Kyiv's forces have repelled several waves of Russian attacks in the Donbas, the Ukrainian military says, as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the heavy losses sustained by the Russians on a daily basis highlighted the "madness" of Moscow's strategy of attack.

In the southern city of Kherson, Ukraine accused Russia of looting empty homes and occupying them with troops in civilian clothes in expectation of a Ukrainian offensive to retake the city that was the first to fall to Moscow's forces at the start of its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

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.

The Ukrainian military's General Staff said in its daily update that Russian troops in the east continued their attacks on Bakhmut, Avdiyivka, and Novopavlivka, the focal points of Moscow's offensive in Donetsk in recent weeks.



At the same time, the military said, Russian troops continue to shell critical infrastructure and civilian objectives in various regions of Ukraine.



In his regular video address, Zelenskiy on November 7 called the intense combat in the Donetsk region "the epicenter of the biggest madness of the occupiers."



"They are dying in hundreds every day," Zelenskiy said. "The ground in front of the Ukrainian positions is literally littered with the bodies of the occupiers."



Zelenskiy also said that Russian soldiers in the Pavlivka area had complained to the governor of their region in the Russian Far East.



CNN reported on November 7 that in a letter purportedly sent from the front lines to Primorsky region Governor Oleg Kozhemyako, the men of the 155th Brigade of the Russian Pacific Fleet Marines say they were thrown into an "incomprehensible battle" in the Donetsk and had lost about 300 men, dead and wounded, in four days, while also losing 50 percent of their equipment.



Zelenskiy said that in response to the letter, Kozhemyako had said that the losses were "not that big" and they were "exaggerated."



In Kherson, the only pocket of Russian-held territory on the west bank of the Dnieper River that bisects Ukraine, Moscow has ordered civilians out of the city in anticipation of a Ukrainian assault to recapture the city.



Kherson, with a prewar population of nearly 300,000, has no power or running water, both sides said.



Russian-installed officials blamed Ukrainian "sabotage," while Ukrainian officials said the Russians had dismantled 1 1/2 kilometers of power lines.



Ukraine's military said Russian forces, "disguised in civilian clothes, occupy the premises of civilians and strengthen positions inside for conducting street battles."



Russian forces were "involved in looting and theft from residents and from infrastructure sites and are taking away equipment, food, and vehicles to the Russian Federation," it said in an update late on November 7.



The Ukrainian military reported hits on a Russian antiaircraft facility, ammunition dump, and the destruction of Russian armor in the Beryslav district of the Kherson region, in its November 8 statement. It said 32 Russian military personnel were killed.



The information could not be independently confirmed.

Meanwhile, Zelenskiy said the escalation of Russian missile strikes against critical infrastructure in his country has only resulted in the world responding with new aid to Ukraine.



Ukraine has received "new systems that significantly strengthen our air defense," Zelenskiy said on November 7 in his nightly address. Kyiv will do everything "to ensure that as many countries as possible join this aid," he said.



He added that the protection of the Ukrainian sky was "not 100 percent, but we are gradually moving toward our goal."



Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov announced earlier on November 7 that Ukraine had received a shipment of NASAMS and Apside air defense systems to help it defend against Russian missile and drone attacks across the country.



"These weapons will significantly strengthen #UAarmy and will make our skies safer," he said on Twitter. Reznikov did not specify which countries the systems were from, but in the tweet he thanked "our partners: Norway, Spain and the U.S."

With reporting by Reuters and CNN
"Marty has been pretty busy with all this travel," Jan writes in late 1953. "And no sooner gets one jaunt taken care of, starts reaching for the map."

Douglas Smith, the Seattle historian who helped discover the wealth of documents and letters, 16 mm film reels, and color photographs the Manhoffs left behind, said the artistic quality of Martin's images reflect the eye not of a spy, but of an aspiring photographer.

"He seems like he was someone more interested in documenting life inside Russia, not with any specific military, diplomatic intelligence gathering," Smith says. "Plus, if he was engaged in espionage, why did he have this stuff at his home?"

About a month after the couple's departure from Moscow  and four months after Trud publicly accused Martin and other American officers of spying  the first hints of what had happened behind the diplomatic scenes emerged. On July 6, 1954, The New York Times reported that three Soviet diplomats had been accused of espionage and expelled from the United States: two in February, and one in June.

The expulsions were not public knowledge, though they were almost certainly known to Manhoff and U.S. Embassy officials at the time. Another short article in the Times cited a diplomatic note from the Soviet Foreign Ministry accusing two of Manhoff's fellow military attaches and traveling partners of being spies, and ordering them expelled.

There was no mention of Manhoff.

The Times also reported that the U.S. Embassy in Moscow denied that the two officers, or any other members of the embassy, had "engaged in activities incompatible with their diplomatic status." The U.S. State Department told the paper that "it is obvious that the Soviet authorities have taken this action in retaliation for the expulsion in recent months of three Soviet officials for espionage and improper activities in this country."
IRKUTSK, Russia -- An anticorruption protest in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on March 26 passed peacefully. The authorities had given permission for the event, and about 1,000 people listened to a few young organizers give impassioned speeches calling for an investigation into allegations of corruption leveled against Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev before heading home. There were no reports of arrests or violence.

The drama came later, in the early morning hours of April 6.

"On Saturday at 6 a.m., I was awakened by the doorbell. They said that we were leaking water on the downstairs neighbor. When I opened the door, men in masks pushed me against the wall," says Natalya Maksianovich, the mother of 24-year-old Igor Martynenko, an organizer of the Irkutsk protest. "I am still in shock.... After a few minutes, they took Igor and [his girlfriend and fellow protest organizer] Sofia [Miktinyuk] out."

She says nobody knew anything about her son for two days. "I didn't even know where he was. I was afraid they were beating him or worse," Maksianovich says. "Why else would they hide him from us?"

The men refused to identify themselves and wore no insignia.

But that wasn't the end of the story. After Martynenko was driven off, the masked men spent more than an hour searching the apartment. They ignored requests for a court order as they packed up virtually all the electronics on the scene into plastic bags. They left without leaving a written protocol of what had been seized.

At the same time, officials were busy at the home of activist Dmitry Litvin. He, too, was hustled off without communication and disappeared into the web of Russian law enforcement for more than 48 hours.

A fourth protest organizer, Valeria Altaryova, was also detained.

The detentions came the day before the four organizers planned to get together and discuss their next steps after the March 26 rally.

"The four of us were the organizers of the protest," Miktinyuk tells RFE/RL. "And it was completely legal, by the way. All our opposition activity is completely legal. All the protests or other actions that we organized were always conducted with the permission of the authorities and kept within the limits of the law."

"Yes, we are unhappy with the current government and the direction it is taking the country," she continues. "I am certain that our detention was connected with our active opposition to the leadership of the country."

Sending A Message

While their concerned relatives were making the rounds of Irkutsk police stations and courtrooms, the detainees were being held at the city's Center for Combating Terrorism. The masked men who detained them, it turned out, were soldiers of Russia's newly formed National Guard.

The National Guard is a force of some 400,000 officers that was created in 2016 by President Vladimir Putin and placed under the command of Viktor Zolotov, who formerly headed Putin's personal protection service.

Although the official mission of the National Guard is to combat terrorism, many in Russia believe its true purpose is to protect the Putin government and to ensure his smooth reelection to a fourth term in March 2018. During the debate about the force in the State Duma, Communist Party lawmakers openly associated its creation with "the forthcoming election," while nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky said the force was essential to deal with "any mutineers, revolutionaries, and extremists."

In the end, only 19-year-old Litvin is facing criminal charges. He was released pending trial on charges of "insulting the feelings of believers" for posting allegedly antireligious images on social media. One photograph of someone making a rude gesture in the direction of a church, which Litvin reposted in 2015, particularly attracted the attention of prosecutors.

The other detainees were released, having been told officially that they had been detained in the capacity as witnesses in the developing case against Litvin. Except for Martynenko. He was sentenced to 10 days of administrative custody for allegedly resisting a police officer, although his relatives were not allowed to testify as witnesses to his detention and a video showing some of the incident was not taken into consideration.

Defense lawyer Svyatoslav Khromenkov tells RFE/RL that he believes the court "was guided by an a priori presumption of Martynenko's guilt."

Khromenkov says he has no doubt that the whole matter was drummed up as a means "for the current regime to let everyone understand that it has muscles."

"As far as I understand, the Irkutsk protest against corruption on March 26 passed relatively peacefully, without arrests like they had in other regions," Khromenkov adds. "The police were reproached for this. So [the authorities] retroactively went after the standouts -- in particular, the young people who particularly attracted attention with their opposition activities and their liberal views."

Robert Coalson contributed to this report
Patients with inflammatory diseases are often prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They are also often recommended to use a proton pump inhibitor to protect their stomach. In a joint study, clinical pharmacologist Markus Zeitlinger and gastroenterologist Werner Dolak from MedUni Vienna showed that this combination of medication can result in inflammation in the small intestine. However, if an antibiotic (rifaximin) is additionally given, the intestine remains protected. The study has now been published in the leading journal Gastroenterology.

People who suffer from inflammatory joint conditions or pain often take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, like the well-known drug diclofenac, for example. However, such drugs often attack the stomach lining, so that patients are also prescribed something to protect their stomach from the NSAID. But this combination damages the intestines. Anti-inflammatory drugs can cause inflammation throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract and proton pump inhibitors have a negative impact upon the bacterial gut flora so that the small intestine can be colonised by undesirable bacteria. This can adversely affect the highly individual microbiome of the person concerned.

Live images from the intestines

Markus Zeitlinger from the Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Werner Dolak from the Department of Medicine III studied sixty healthy volunteers over a period of fourteen days, monitoring the drug-related reaction in the intestinal tract by means of capsule endoscopy imaging. This process involves swallowing a capsule containing a camera, which then automatically takes pictures on its way through the gastrointestinal tract and transmits them to an external portable data recorder. The images can then be analysed on the computer and the camera is excreted in the normal way.

The volunteers were first of all examined by capsule endoscopy and then divided into two groups. One group was given diclofenac with omneprazol as gastric protection plus the antibiotic rifaximin, which the animal models had shown to have a beneficial and protective effect upon the intestines. The other group was given a placebo in place of rifaximin. After two weeks, another capsule endoscopy was performed and this showed significant inflammations in the small intestine in approximately one third of the latter group. The other group of volunteers, who had also been given rifaximin, displayed significantly fewer inflammatory changes and, where these did occur, they were less severe.

The results of the double-blind study served to confirm the proposition that the additional administration of rifaximin protects the intestines. As a next step, it is intended to conduct a study to investigate the treatment concept on regular users of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Asian elephants are able to recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in problem-solving, further strengthening evidence of their intelligence and self-awareness, according to a new study from the University of Cambridge.

Self-awareness in both animals and young children is usually tested using the 'mirror self-recognition test' to see if they understand that the reflection in front of them is actually their own. Only a few species have so far shown themselves capable of self-recognition -- great apes, dolphins, magpies and elephants. It is thought to be linked to more complex forms of perspective taking and empathy.

Critics, however, have argued that this test is limited in its ability to investigate complex thoughts and understanding, and that it may be less useful in testing animals who rely less on vision than other species.

One potential complement to the mirror test as a measure of self-understanding may be a test of 'body-awareness'. This test looks at how individuals may recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in a problem-solving task. Such a task could demonstrate an individual's understanding of its body in relation to its physical environment, which may be easier to define than the distinction between oneself and another demonstrated through success at the mirror test.

To test for body-awareness in Asian elephants, Dr Josh Plotnik, visiting researcher at the University of Cambridge, visiting assistant professor of psychology at Hunter College, City University of New York and founder of conservation charity Think Elephants International, devised a new test of self-awareness together with his colleague Rachel Dale (now a PhD student at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna). The new test was adapted from one in which children were asked to push a shopping trolley, but the trolley was attached to a mat on which they were standing.

In the elephant version of the test, Plotnik and Dale attached a stick to a rubber mat using a rope; the elephants were then required to walk onto the mat, pick up the stick and pass it to an experimenter standing in front of them. The researchers wanted to investigate whether elephants understood the role of their bodies as potential obstacles to success in the task by observing how and when the animals removed themselves from the mat in order to exchange the stick. In one control arm of the test, the stick was unattached to the mat, meaning the elephant could pass the stick while standing on the mat.

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The results of the study, which was largely funded by a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society awarded to Dr Plotnik, are published today in the journal Scientific Reports.

"Elephants are well regarded as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we still need more empirical, scientific evidence to support this belief," says Dale. "We know, for example, that they are capable of thoughtful cooperation and empathy, and are able to recognise themselves in a mirror. These abilities are highly unusual in animals and very rare indeed in non-primates. We wanted to see if they also show 'body-awareness'."

Plotnik and Dale found that the elephants stepped off the mat to pass the stick to the experimenter significantly more often during the test than during the control arm. Elephants stepped off the mat an average (mean) of around 42 out of 48 times during the test compared to just three times on average during the control.

"This is a deceptively simple test, but its implications are quite profound," says Dr Plotnik. "The elephants understood that their bodies were getting in the way, so they stepped aside to enable themselves to complete the task. In a similar test, this is something that young children are unable to understand until they are about two years old.

"This implies that elephants may be capable of recognising themselves as separate from objects or their environment. This means that they may have a level of self-understanding, coupled with their passing of the mirror test, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom."

Species that have demonstrated a capacity for self-recognition in the mirror test all show varying levels of cooperative problem-solving, perspective taking and empathy, suggesting that 'self-awareness' may relate to effective cooperative-living in socially intelligent animals. A more developed self-understanding of how an individual relates to those around may underlie more complex forms of empathic perspective taking. It may also underlie how an individual targets help towards others in need. Both aspect are seen in studies of human children.

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Both self-awareness as demonstrated by the mirror test and body-awareness as demonstrated by the current study help scientists better understand how an animal's understanding of self and of its place in the environment may impact social decision-making in the wild.

Plotnik argues that studies such as this are important for helping increase our understanding of and appreciation for the behaviour and intelligence of animals. He also says that understanding elephant behaviour has important implications for the development of human/elephant conflict mitigation strategies in places like Thailand and India, where humans and elephants are competing for land. Only through careful consideration of both human and elephant needs can long-term solutions be sustainable.

"The more we can understand about elephants' behaviour, the more we can understand what their needs are, how they think and the strains they face in their social relationships," he says. "This will help us if we are going to try to come up with viable long term solutions to the problems that these animals face in the wild, especially those that bring them into regular conflict with humans."

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akjDRRgeUoI
Researchers at MPQ, ICFO, University of Innsbruck and the Center for Theoretical Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences have developed a new method to show that the low energy states of some physical spin Hamiltonians can exhibit these nonlocal correlations.

Classical correlations are part of our everyday experience. For instance, if one always puts on a pair of socks of the same colour and shape, looking at the colour or shape of one sock determines the colour or shape of the other one. Moreover, one can observe the colour and shape of one sock simultaneously, and these will tell us the colour and shape of the other one. Entangled states, the paradigmatic form of quantum correlations, defy this basic principle: if the socks were entangled, observing the colour of one sock would allow us to predict the colour of the other, but if, at the same time, we would observe the shape, this would "disturb" the colour, which would become completely unpredictable. This weird "coordination" between particles is known as quantum entanglement and is one of the intrinsic features of the quantum world

Some entangled states show an even weirder form of correlations, namely nonlocal correlations. These violate two apparently reasonable principles, namely (1) that the properties of objects (like shape or colour) exist regardless of our knowledge of them, and (2) that information cannot propagate instantaneously.

While fascinating, these nonlocal correlations are very hard to characterize in systems composed of many particles. There are at least three reasons for that: First, the classical correlations are mathematically very complex to study; second, quantum many-body states are very complex to describe as well due to the exponential growth of their description; and, third, currently available experimental techniques are rather limited, and this constrains the measurements that can be performed in the laboratory. In order to explore the role of nonlocal correlations in many-body quantum systems, one thus has to address these three problems at the same time.

In the work just published in Physical Review X, an international research team composed of scientists from Munich, Barcelona, Innsbruck and Warsaw have proposed a new simple test to study nonlocal correlations in quantum many-body systems. This has allowed them to study whether nonlocal correlations appear in natural systems, more precisely, as ground states of some spin Hamiltonians, such as electrons (described by their spin degree of freedom) in a system of one spatial dimension. By combining numerical and analytical results, they have shown that some Hamiltonians that have been studied by physicists for some decades have a state of minimal energy which can display nonlocal correlations. This sheds some light onto this fascinating problem, hopefully sparking further progress in our understanding of nonlocality in quantum many-body systems.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have been able to capture the first composite image of a dark matter bridge that connects galaxies together. The scientists publish their work in a new paper in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The composite image, which combines a number of individual images, confirms predictions that galaxies across the universe are tied together through a cosmic web connected by dark matter that has until now remained unobservable.

Dark matter, a mysterious substance that comprises around 25 per cent of the universe, doesn't shine, absorb or reflect light, which has traditionally made it largely undetectable, except through gravity.

"For decades, researchers have been predicting the existence of dark-matter filaments between galaxies that act like a web-like superstructure connecting galaxies together," said Mike Hudson, a professor of astronomy at the University of Waterloo. "This image moves us beyond predictions to something we can see and measure."

As part of their research, Hudson and co-author Seth Epps, a master's student at the University of Waterloo at the time, used a technique called weak gravitational lensing, an effect that causes the images of distant galaxies to warp slightly under the influence of an unseen mass such as a planet, a black hole, or in this case, dark matter. The effect was measured in images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

They combined lensing images from more than 23,000 galaxy pairs located 4.5 billion light-years away to create a composite image or map that shows the presence of dark matter between the two galaxies. Results show the dark matter filament bridge is strongest between systems less than 40 million light years apart.

"By using this technique, we're not only able to see that these dark matter filaments in the universe exist, we're able to see the extent to which these filaments connect galaxies together," said Epps.
Led by scientists of the Senckenberg Research Institute and the University of Tubingen, the excavation team found the remains of a saber-toothed cat at the archeological site in Schoningen. An examination of the skull fragments at the Dutch University of Leiden revealed the animal to be a representative of the European saber-toothed cat, Homotherium latidens. The recent discovery constitutes the third example of this large predatory cat from Schoningen.

Long claws, razor-sharp, curved canine teeth and the size of a fully grown lion: the saber-toothed cat (Homotherium latidens) was a competitor as well as a dangerous predator that even posed a risk to the humans of its time. "In the course of our excavation in May 2015, we came across conspicuous bone fragments," explains Dr. Jordi Serangeli, a scientist at the University of Tubingen and the excavation leader at the approximately 300,000-year-old archeological site, and he continues, "In total, there are three individuals of Homotherium present in these relatively young sediment layers.

Until the first discovery of a saber-toothed cat in 2012 at the Schoningen excavation site in Lower Saxony it had been assumed that the large cats were already extinct about 200,000 years earlier, i.e., around 500,000 years ago. "Our findings show that 300,000 years ago, the saber-toothed cats were not as rare as previously thought," adds Serangeli.

During a restoration in 2016, Andre Ramcharan and Ivo Verheijen at the University of Leiden were able to reassemble the eleven bone fragments into an almost complete neurocranium. "We then compared the reconstructed skull with recent and already extinct species of large carnivores and were thus able to demonstrate that the remains represented the head of a European saber-toothed cat," explains Professor Dr. Thijs van Kolfschoten of the University of Leiden.

The third saber-toothed cat specimen that was discovered offers a great potential: thanks to the excellent level of preservation at the Schoningen dig, the interior of the skull reflects the shape and structure of the Homotherium brain. By examining the detailed brain structures, the team of scientists hopes to gain insights into the visual and hearing abilities as well as the feeding habits of the large cats. "The third Homotherium from Schoningen is invaluable for our understanding of the European saber-toothed cat," summarizes Professor Nicholas Conard of the Senckenberg Centre for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment and head of the Institute for Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology at the University of Tubingen.

In the near future the international team from the Schoningen project intends to publish the results of its interdisciplinary studies regarding the three saber-toothed cats discovered to date. "Moreover, we expect that future digs will produce additional Homotherium finds," offers Serangeli as a preview.

The dig in Schoningen keeps a team of ten members employed full-time -- and during the main excavation season, the team is joined by five to ten students, who support the scientific excavation. Worldwide, about 50 scientists from 30 institutions and a wide variety of disciplines are involved in researching the discoveries from Schoningen. The dig is financed by the State of Lower Saxony.

The spectacular new discovery is put on display for the public at the palaeon in Schoningen as part of the special exhibition "The Ice Age Huntress." Thanks to the close cooperation between Senckenberg, the international partners and the der palaeon GmbH, it is possible to make spectacular scientific findings available to the public in a timely manner.
A research breakthrough allowing the first direct, empirical, blood-based, cow-side test for diagnosing bovine tuberculosis (TB) could spare ranchers and the agriculture industry from costly quarantines and the mass slaughter of animals infected with this easily spread disease.

"We have adapted an assay originally developed for human TB to bovine TB, a particular challenge because the bovine disease is caused by a different species of the pathogen," said Harshini Mukundan, leader of the Chemistry for Biomedical Applications team at Los Alamos National Laboratory that developed the assay and corresponding author on the study, published this week in the journal Analytical Sciences.

"We have validated the assay in cows that were positive controls of a vaccination study done at the US Department of Agriculture, tested at different time points during the course of infection. This work supports the global One Health strategy -- developing diagnostics that are not host limited," Mukundan said.

TB is one of the oldest known diseases, and it infects both animals and humans. In cattle, Mycobacterium bovis causes the disease, which easily spreads among large herds, periodically resulting in the quarantine and destruction of thousands of cattle in the United States, Canada and abroad and restricting international shipments. It also infects wild deer and elk, which can pass it on to domestic cattle with which they graze. A skin test to detect exposure or infection is used in cattle, but due to various colors of cows' skin and hide, environmental exposures, previous testing for M. bovis and other factors, the visual assessment can be inconclusive. Further, Mukundan notes, gathering a herd once for testing and then again 48 hours later for reading the skin results can be a challenge in itself.

The idea for the bovine application evolved from discussions between Laboratory researchers and scientists at the New Mexico health laboratory, who recognized the need for rapid detection by ranchers seeking to ship their herds. "It's one of these things that took on a life of its own," Mukundan said. The conversations eventually included a request from the New Mexico Livestock Board's state veterinarian at the time, David Fly, who reached out to the New Mexico Small Business Assistance program (which involves Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories). Mukundan's team responded, collaborating with a number of interested ranchers in the state.

Infection of humans with M. tuberculosis can be recognized in blood by a biomarker called lipoaribinomannan (LAM), but it has been difficult to detect because LAM is a lipid, a greasy molecule that doesn't blend with the watery blood and so eludes regular testing techniques. Targeting the body's fat transport system, the lipoproteins (such as HDL and LDL measured for cholesterol analysis) allowed the researchers to measure LAM in blood.

To detect it, the Los Alamos team has developed a novel assay -- lipoprotein capture -- which exploits the interaction of LAM with host lipoproteins and can thereby detect it in blood. Combined with a highly sensitive waveguide-based optical biosensor for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic biomarkers, the team has effectively identified greasy biomarkers associated with diseases like tuberculosis, food poisoning, leprosy and others.

In cattle, the TB infection M. bovis secretes a similar biomarker called lipomannan (LM). The team adapted the human assay to target LM, thereby suggesting the possibility of a molecular cow-side test for bovine TB.

Key outcomes from the research include the following:

The team can directly measure pathogen biomarkers in bovine blood, which allows medical specialists to discriminate between simple exposure and actual infection.

This is the first profile of the LM biomarker in bovine blood over a full one-year time period.

The same assays applied to humans can thus be transitioned to assessing cattle, elephants and other species, supporting a global One Health strategy for diagnosis.

Research such as the TB detection project aligns with the Laboratory's national security science mission in providing innovative tools for improving responses to emerging threats to health. In addition to Mukundan, the team includes Dung Vu of Los Alamos, Rama Sakamuri (a post-doctoral fellow who has since left Los Alamos) and Basil Swanson and Ray Waters from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

What's next? "We are hoping to work with the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA to evaluate infected animals in the real world," Mukundan said.

"It will be wonderful if the assay can be adapted to a rapid cow-side test that can be used by ranchers and farmers to effectively diagnose bovine TB. I am especially interested in providing something concrete to farmers and veterinarians in our state, the New Mexico Livestock Board and the USDA, all of whom require such a test," she said.
The Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) is a key aviation hub for flights all over the globe, and the second largest airport in the United Arab Emirates. This is a first-class facility, and passengers will be treated to a huge range of facilities, from free shuttle services between the airports 5 terminals, to comprehensive information desks, a spa, and plush lounges. You will also have access to standard amenities, like ATMS, foreign exchange, a huge duty-free shopping area, numerous restaurants, prayer rooms, and a medical centre.

Buses and taxis are the main modes of transport to and from the airport. The 30km taxi journey costs a fairly reasonable 80AED ($30).

Etihad Airways has an operation hub here, so there are lots of flights available with them, otherwise you can find routes with Qantas, Virgin Australia, Qatar Airways, Air India, Jet Airways and Singapore Airlines.

Why visit Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the UAE, and like Dubai, its sister-city, Abu Dhabi has risen from the desert plains in gleaming skyscrapers that reach for the perfect blue sky above. Spending time here will allow you to learn and investigate the values of the Bedouin traditions of the Emirates, and enjoy the contemporary culture that has emerged in this citys museums, galleries, restaurants, malls and mosques.

Things to do in Abu Dhabi

Amble your way around the prominent landmarks of this city, from the white marble perfection of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, whose expansive halls and squares can hold thousands of worshippers, down to the 18th century Al-Hosn Palace, which is home to one of the citys most important museums that spotlights the history of Abu Dhabi.

Then learn about the role women have played in this culture by popping by the Womens Craft Centre, where you can pick up some lovely handmade items, such as slippers, scarves, and bags.

See the older side of the city by visiting the Heritage Village, which displays the way the culture was formed before the oil industry kicked into gear. You can look at how the Bedouins lived, farmed, and survived. This attraction stands in stark contrast to the glass faceted skyscrapers that line the inlets, and coastline of this city.

Taking a boat tour is a great way to see the jungle of buildings that dominate Abu Dhabis skyline, but you can also take a lift to Etihad Towers Hotels Observation Deck and see the entire city from above.

For the outdoor attractions try booking a trip out to Yas Island where you can lay on the gorgeous white sand beaches, or try a different type of sandy tourism by travelling across the dunes near Liwa Oasis, where you can hop on a camel, and see the sun go down over the desert sky.

Best time to visit Abu Dhabi

 The shoulder seasons, and in particular the months of April, May, September and October are the best times of year to fly to this city. Expect the days to sit at a pleasant 23-30C.

 Summer is hard for sightseeing because the mercury can rise to a sweltering 42C, and that can be uncomfortable for long period outside.

 Winters are the coolest time of year, with averages of about 18-20C though be warned this can sink quite substantially at night.

Arriving in Abu Dhabi by plane

 Perth (PER), Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE) all offer non-stop routes to Abu Dhabi.

Currency

 Emirati Dirham (AED).

Visa requirements

 Australian citizens, will be issued a 30-day stay on arrival to this airport. Make sure before you travel that these conditions are still current through the smart traveller website which updates regularly.

Please note that information is correct as of December 2016
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The British Royal Navy recently received the first of four Tide class fleet replenishment ships. These are basically oil tankers equipped to refuel ships at sea while also providing aviation fuel, lubricants, water, spare parts, and other supplies. The design is optimized for supporting the two new aircraft carriers Britain is building, the first of which (the Prince of Wales) is to enter service in 2020. The Tide class ships are 39,000 ton, 200.9 meter (622 feet) long vessels that also contain a helicopter hanger and landing pad for a helicopter as large as a 22 ton CH-47. Max speed is 49 kilometers an hour. In addition to the crew of 63 there are accommodations for 46 passengers (marines, commandos, trainees). Eight standard (20 foot) shipping containers can be carried. Armament consists of two Phalanx (20mm autocannon) for anti-missile defense and two 30mm autocannon for defense against helicopters and small boats (pirates, terrorists). Additional work to equip the ship with special equipment is being done in Britain and the first Tide class ship will enter service by the end of 2017.

This project became a political crisis in 2012 when it became clear that no British, or European, shipbuilder could match the prices (and equivalent quality) of Asian builders. The best bid was from a South Korean firm, who offered to build the four ships for $711 million, with 20 percent of the work done in Britain. The best European bid was for $950 million, with 35 percent of the work done in Britain. The Defense Ministry wanted to take the cheaper South Korean bid but a number of British politicians were willing to pay more to have more work done in Britain. The Defense Ministry officials pointed out that the South Koreans were currently the best shipbuilders in the world, especially at specialty type ships. This battle between politics and economics was resolved in favor of Daewoo Shipbuilding, which is delivering on schedule.
In 2017 Swedish defense firm Saab got its second order for its AT4CSER one-shot shoulder fired rocket launchers. The CS stands for "Confined Spaces" and ER is for extended (600 meters) range. The first customer (in 2014) for the AT4CSER was France. The second customer is unnamed but delivery is set for 2018 and the mystery buyer will probably be revealed by then. Saab had hoped for more interest from the CSER model, as the CS model itself proved quite popular.

The AT4CS is considered a separate model of the AT4 that weighs about 10 percent more (and costs more as well) but is has become a best seller. The majority of AT4s sold to the United States are the CS model. The standard AT4 has to be used in the open because of the back blast. Thus in 2015 the when the United States delivered 2,000 AT4CS to the Iraqi military, that was the model the Iraqis preferred because most of their fighting was in urban areas and the CS model made more sense. Note that half of this 2015 shipment was held back for training purposes, since it does require some practice to become proficient with the AT4.

The AT4 was introduced in the mid-1980s and the first major customer was the United States. In fact, the U.S. ordered so many (for the army, marines and SOCOM) that most of the 350,000 AT4s used by the Americans were manufactured under license in the United States. The U.S. Marines have been using AT4 since the 1990s and Iraqis who saw it in action were impressed. The 6.8 kg (15 pound) weapon has a range of 300 meters and can destroy bunkers as well as armored vehicles. Many have been used in Iraq and Afghanistan by American and other NATO forces.

The AT4CS can be fired from inside a building and that capability attracted U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) and the U.S. Marine Corps to buy many of these. The AT4CS is a one shot system that can operate with reusable night vision equipment. The standard 1.8 kg (four pound) 84mm rocket is fired from a one meter (40 inches) long launcher. The maximum range of the rocket is about two kilometers but effective (accurate) range is 300-400 meters for most rockets. The warhead doesn't arm until the rocket is about ten meters from the launcher. It takes about one second for the rocket to go 250 meters. The standard warhead can penetrate about 500mm (nearly 20 inches) of steel armor. Thus the AT4 is very useful against the thick walled compounds commonly found all over Iraq.

There are specialized rockets usable in the standard or CS models. These include HP (20 percent higher penetration of armor or masonry), HE (high explosive that can be set for air burst and thus have an effective range of 1,000 meters) and the ER (extended range).
France : Allied bombers (B-24), drop explosives on Nazi installations while ground troops attack from the sea. One bomber is in trouble. Note the closely packed design of falling bombs in the lower right.

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by Austin Bay April 11, 2017

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un is once again threatening war with South Korea, Japan and the U.S. He assures us his ballistic missiles will soon bear nuclear warheads.

Last week, aircraft loyal to Syria's Assad dictatorship dropped nerve agent bombs on a civilian neighborhood. The U.S. retaliated for the war crime with a classic punitive strike. American cruise missiles hammered the airfield used by Assad regime jets.

North Korea and Syria present the world with different diplomatic and military challenges. They differ geographically -- East Asia and the Pacific basin versus Southwest Asia. They differ in historical origin.

Yet North Korea and Syria have some fascinating and frightening similarities.

Let's start with this one: The current governments of North Korea and Syria are both hereditary dictatorships. North Korea's Kim regime is a hereditary totalitarian military autocracy with Communist trappings. The regime's progenitor, Kim Il Sung, began the Korean War in 1950 when his forces invaded South Korea. Thanks to help from Communist China, the war ended in a stalemate, leaving two heavily armed and determined adversaries confronting one another across a fortified armistice line.

Kim Il Sung acquired chemical weapons and began North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. He groomed his son, Kim Jong Il, to succeed him, which he did in 1994 when Kim The First died. Kim The Second died in 2011. Current dictator Kim Jong Un assumed Pyongyang's military throne.

Hafez al-Assad, a former Syrian Air Force officer, seized power in Syria in 1970 by toppling the ruling dictator. In 1971 he officially installed himself as president and began three decades of ruthless one-man rule. Assad The First allied Syria with the totalitarian Soviet Union. He wanted modern weapons, ostensibly to wage war with Israel but maintaining his regime was the first order of business. Assad The First acquired chemical weapons and began a ballistic missile program.

Assad The First originally pegged his younger brother, Rifaat al-Assad, as his successor, but the two had a falling out when Rifaat tried to succeed Hafez too soon. So Hafez named his eldest son, Bassel al-Assad, as heir apparent. Bassel was an army officer. But in 1994, Bassel died in an accident. His younger brother, Dr. Bashar al-Assad, became the heir and was given a senior military position. When Hafez died in 2000, Bashar took the throne.

Like the Kim dynasty, the Assad dynasty has military origins and deep military ties. However, its deepest roots are sectarian and tribal -- no surprise in sectarian- and ethnically-fragmented Syria. The Assads are Alawites, a minority Shia Muslim sect.

Syria is a hodgepodge of ethnic and sectarian groups. In comparison, North Korea is an ethnic monolith. However, both regimes need war in order to exist. They rely on war to eliminate their political opposition and to solidify support for their respective regimes.

Modern dictatorships usually conjure some type of philosophy or appeal to religious doctrine to explain and justify their tyrannies. The Assad dynasty claims to be secular, but among Syrian Alawites and Shias it sells itself as a defender of the faith. This Shia link is one reason Iran's radical Shia Muslim dictatorship supports the Assads and provides them with Shia fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah Shia terror organization.

Kim Il Sung created a secular religion called "Juche." It combines nationalism, collectivism and shards of Oriental and Western philosophies. Juche emphasizes the uniqueness of the Korean character and the need to unify the Koreas under the Juche banner and the Kim dynasty's rule.

Let's end with this sobering similarity: North Korea and Syria have long-standing relationships with powerful authoritarian states possessing UN Security Council vetoes, China and Russia respectively. That means in a crisis involving either state, the U.S. is the only effective major power counterweight.
Miracle the pit bull had been living in an abandoned factory in South Carolina when, one day, the factory caught fire. A kind passerby found her wandering around near the factory and took her to the county shelter. Staff at the shelter could see that Miracle had broken her leg somehow, and that she was producing milk - which meant that she had puppies out there somewhere. Scared that Miracle's puppies might still be in the factory that caught fire, an animal control officer with the shelter contacted the fire department to see if she could take Miracle to look for the puppies, but was told they wouldn't be able to go back to the site for several days.

Four days after Miracle was rescued, the officer took her back to the factory - where Miracle led her to the woods and showed her where she had hidden her six babies.

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It seemed that Miracle must have carried the puppies out of the factory one by one and hidden them in the woods until she could find help, which is probably how she injured her leg. The puppies waited patiently for her to return, and were so happy to see her when they were finally reunited.

After securing the puppies, Miracle and her family were transferred into the care of Dochas N Gra Animal Rescue and Sanctuary, which quickly set about getting the family the care they needed.

"The babies were in good condition, about 5 weeks old," Victoria McGonigal, owner and director of Dochas N Gra, told The Dodo. "Miracle had X-rays done and it was seen that her shoulder was broken and had a severe infection. They think she may have did it in the fire while moving her babies."

Because of the severity of her injury, Miracle had to have her leg amputated. The amputation did nothing to dampen Miracle's spirits, though, because while she may have lost her leg, she saved her babies. "Miracle is the sweetest, most laid-back dog," McGonigal said. "She is one of those dogs that you know truly appreciates us saving her life and the lives of her babies."
This dog loves attention, and he knows exactly where to get it. Every day, the dog wanders from his house in County Cavan, Ireland, to a local school, according to Sean Conway, a local resident, who posted a photo of the dog to Reddit earlier this week. Conway was visiting the school for an event when he spotted the dog doing his thing.

Sean Conway

"I noticed that the dog was waiting at the wall outside, and some kids were coming over to pet him," Conway told The Dodo. "He waited patiently and was there for about 10 minutes before he left." When the dog arrives arrives, he leaps up on the brick wall in front of the school, and waits for kids to come pet him. Apparently, this isn't the first time - the dog does it all the time.

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Sean Conway

"It's a regular thing and the kids were used to it," Conway said. This dog isn't the only animal who has been known to greet school kids. A couple years ago, a duck named Nibbles was caught on film quacking with excitement inside a car when his favorite little boy walked out of school. While Conway isn't sure exactly sure who owns this mystery dog, he is fairly certain of one thing - the dog will definitely be visiting the school again.

Ciara Clarke

UPDATE (4/14): Ciara Clarke, the dog's owner, told The Dodo that her name is Lucky and that she was adopted by Clarke as a stray."It doesn't surprise me that she visits the school!" Clarke said. "She's incredibly sweet and affectionate and loves nothing more than a cuddle!"Clarke also noted that Lucky gets lots of attention from her family. "She is very much loved at home, which is very close to the school, in the quiet Cavan countryside," she said.
Sometimes the love of an animal is nothing short of a lifesaver  just ask this formerly-ailing hospital patient, named Francisco Mena. (Or better yet, ask his doctors.)

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For the last four months or so, Mena had been bedridden at a hospital in Porto Alegre, Brazil. He'd originally been rushed there to undergo emergency treatment for a perforated intestine, but his recovery would take longer than he or his doctors expected. Mena eventually lost his appetite and became too weak to walk. The medication he received didn't seem to help, and soon he became disgruntled and depressed. That is, until he learned it might be possible to receive a visit from a dear old friend he hadn't seen in what felt like forever  his beloved horse, named Esquilador.

The hospital where Mena is staying had allowed patients in the past to invite their dogs to drop by as a way of lifting their spirits. Though Esquilador wasn't nearly as compact as a pup, his doctors thought the horse might be just whom Mena needed to see the most. They soon realized how right they were. Last week, on Mena's 65th birthday, friends transported Esquilador from his stable to the hospital, where nursing staff had arranged to have Mena meet him out front. And that's when everything changed.

One of Mena's physicians, Dr. Daniel Souto Silveira, said that after Esquilador's visit, the improvement in Mena's health was like night to day. Not only had his mood lifted and his appetite returned, Mena now found the strength to start taking steps with a walker. "It was surprising to me," Silveira told newspaper Zero Hora, adding that a transformation seemed to occur the moment Mena and Esquilador reunited. "He transmitted love and the horse reciprocated, doing something the animal couldn't imagine: saving his life."
For decades, the Kardashians have been haunted by O.J. Simpsons connections to their family. Now, Kim is opening up about how 
CIBC is moving its headquarters further down Bay Street into two massive office towers that the bank says will transform Torontos skyline over the next six years.

This is a gem of a location and a significant investment in our future, said Stephen Forbes, CIBCs executive vice-president and chief commercial officer in an interview.

The bank, whose headquarters are currently in Commerce Court at Bay and King Sts., will become the anchor tenant of the long-awaited Bay Park Centre development adjacent to Union Station and the Air Canada Centre.

Two connected towers will serve as both CIBCs head office and a campus for about 15,000 of the banks Toronto-area employees, the company announced Wednesday.

Bay Park Centre  a multibillion-dollar development that will eventually be rebranded by CIBC in the next few months  will comprise state-of-the-art facilities on a 2.9 million square foot area in Torontos financial district. CIBC will lease 1.75 million square feet of office space on the property.

This is the most coveted space coming on stream in Toronto. Its going to transform that area in terms of the skyline, Forbes said.

The bank has 21,000 employees in the GTA, and about 15,000 will be relocating from various CIBC offices between 2020  when the first tower is built  and 2023 when the second tower goes up.

The world class complex will feature a strong retail banking presence, with a flagship banking centre serving thousands of residents and businesses in the area, the company said.

The development is a joint project by global real estate firms Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines, with design by architects WilkinsonEyre and Adamson Associates.

The real estate giants expect more than 4,000 construction-related jobs to be created over the course of Bay Park Centres development.

The projects strategic location at the confluence of all major transit channels in the heart of downtown Toronto will set the site apart as the pre-eminent office complex in the city, Daniel Fournier, chairman and CEO of Ivanhoe Cambridge, said in a statement.

CIBC will continue to have a presence at its longtime Commerce Court digs along with some offices across the city after the big move.

In 2014, Ivanhoe Cambridge and Metrolinx announced an agreement by which the real estate company would build a new GO Bus Terminal at 81 Bay St., south of its current location.

A Metrolinx spokesperson said the bus terminal move will be seamless for passengers, noting the new terminal will be ready after the first tower goes up in 2020.

Bay Park Centre will feature a series of pedestrian pathways  above, below and at ground level  that will connect the complex to downtown Toronto's PATH network, businesses and amenities.

The site will also feature a one-acre elevated park linking the buildings to each other and serving as an outdoor space for CIBC employees, clients and the public.

The development deal is a bold step forward for CIBC as the historic bank marks its 150th anniversary, said Kevin Patterson, senior executive vice-president, technology and operations, who is responsible for corporate real estate strategy at CIBC.

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LOS ANGELESLook out, candy man: toymakers are moving in on your plastic-grass turf.

Retailers and toy companies are working together this year to create items for childrens Easter baskets that go well beyond chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks.

The efforts are paying huge dividends. Easter-season consumer spending is expected to hit a record $18.4 billion (U.S.) this year, a figure that would vault the holiday past Valentines Day for the first time, according to the National Retail Federation in the U.S. Easter would trail only Christmas, back-to-school and Mothers Day among the years main events for retail revenue.

Theres about a billion dollars of toys sold the three weeks leading into Easter, said Jim Silver, editor of Time to Play Magazine, an industry publication. Manufacturers have been making toys that are Easter-basket friendly and come in egg-shaped packages.

The trend presents another challenge for candy companies such as Hershey Co. Changing consumer tastes, including a shift away from sugar and processed ingredients, have eroded sales and put pressure on food companies to control expenses. Traditional candy-consuming holidays such as Easter are more critical than ever as the industry struggles to ignite sales growth.

The timing of the holiday is also crucial. Easter Sunday landed on March 27 last year, which gave people less time to shop for candy and gifts. Hershey, the largest seller of chocolate in the U.S., blamed the early holiday for weighing down 2016 sales.

This year, however, companies are benefiting from an Easter holiday that falls on April 16, almost three weeks later. Warmer weather this weekend could prompt more people to get out to stores and host family gatherings, said Ana Serafin Smith, a spokeswoman for the retail federation.

The extra time bodes well for retailers like Toys R Us Inc. The largest independent toy store chain is asking shoppers to think outside the basket, with basket-stuffers like $18 Lego dinosaurs, Mattel Inc.s $20 Monster High fashion dolls and Nintendo Co.s $50 Pokemon Moon video game.

Toy companies also got shrewder in their product design and packaging this year. Manufacturer Jakks Pacific Inc. is offering Disney Tsum Tsum collectible figures in pastel colours for the holiday.

Moms like the idea of adding other things, said Sara Rosales Montalvo, a spokeswoman for Jakks, so that the Easter basket isnt completely filled with candies and chocolates.

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While Tesla Inc. grabbed headlines this week by becoming Americas most valuable carmaker, its Ferrari NV thats been rewarding shareholders the most lately, with a 74 per cent surge in the Italian companys stock price over the past year.

Ferraris gain has been driven by earnings that exceeded expectations as Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne increased production of higher-margin, special-edition supercars, like the $2.1 million LaFerrari Aperta convertible. That compares with a 25 per cent increase for Palo Alto, California-based Tesla, which has capitalized on investor enthusiasm for founder Elon Musks vision of a future dominated by electric vehicles.

Tesla and Ferrari have at least two things in common: Their valuations are much higher than peers, and both are embarking on crucial expansions of their business models. Tesla is going into the mass-market segment with its Model 3 sedan, while Ferrari, which went public in an initial public offering in 2015, is mulling a move beyond its traditional supercars to attract new customers.

Investors have been discovering Ferrari and its ability to boost margins since the IPO, while Tesla, which benefits from being seen as the front-runner in the electric market, still needs to show it can generate adequate profits, said Vincenzo Longo, a strategist at IG Market in Milan.

Tesla has yet to report a profitable year, while Ferrari earned $450 million in 2016. That compares with multibillion-dollar profits for mass-market carmakers: General Motors Co. expects to earn more than $9 billion this year and analysts predict Ford Motor Co. will have profit of $6.3 billion. Tesla this week briefly became the largest U.S. automaker by market value, with a capitalization of $50.3 billion. Ferrari, which was spun off from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, has a $13.6 billion market value.

Relative to earnings, Teslas valuation is about 10 times Ferraris. The Italian carmaker trades at 26 times next years estimated profit, versus Teslas multiple of 257. Large-capitalization car companies on average have a price-earnings multiple of 7.8, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Ferrari unveiled in March the 812 Superfast, the speediest production car in its history, as the Italian manufacturer pushes the limit of how many autos it can sell without losing its allure. Marchionne, likely to reach his target of selling 9,000 cars annually by 2019, is pushing high performers like the 812 Superfast to maintain earnings momentum, even as he widens the lineup. The CEO is considering more hybrid models and less-powerful vehicles, including a version with a V6 engine.

The company, which previously limited production to 7,000 vehicles annually to protect its image as a superluxury brand, sold 8,014 in 2016 and expects to sell about 8,400 this year. Ferrari is on its way to 1 billion euros in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization this year, Marchionne said in an interview in March. The 64-year-old CEO may provide more details on strategy Friday at Ferraris annual shareholder meeting in Amsterdam.

We believe Ferrari is about to embark a growth phase as we see potential for volumes to double in a decade, Michael Tyndall, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., wrote in a note to clients March 23 as he upgraded his recommendation on the stock to buy.

Tesla delivered fewer than 80,000 vehicles globally last year. Its more-affordable Model 3 sedan, scheduled to roll out later this year, will be critical to CEO Musks ambitions for Tesla to transform from niche carmaker into a mass-market manufacturer. At last count the carmaker had reservations for about 373,000 Model 3s.

Ferrari and Tesla represent two different ways on how the auto industry is evolving, and they can easily coexist, said Massimo Vecchio, an analyst at Mediobanca in Milan. The person who buys a Ferrari does it not just for moving from one place to another in an eco-friendly way: He does it for passion and the fun of driving a supercar.

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The chief executive of Canadas highest-valued marijuana company expects the government to impose strict regulations on packaging and advertising when it legalizes recreational use.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government is expected to unveil its proposed law Thursday, and is set to leave many of the details up to provinces. One of the key recommendations of a federal panel was that the government heavily restrict how marijuana is marketed and promoted.

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Bruce Linton, chief executive officer of Canopy Growth Corp., predicted the government would do just that. The packaging will nonetheless include some details, such as the producers name and contact information, he said in an interview Tuesday.

What youre going to have is really boring packaging, for sure, which were not necessarily in favor of, Linton said. He expects marijuana packaging rules will be more stringent than alcohol, but less restrictive than those for tobacco. I think where were landing is somewhere in the middle.

Shares of marijuana companies like Canopy have surged fourfold in recent months in anticipation of the recreational markets opening, but several steps remain before legalization. Some observers are zeroing in on branding rules as something of a litmus test. Companies argued that allowing colorful, detailed packaging would help them build a following and undercut the black market -- which is Trudeaus chief objective -- but theres no sign that will happen.

Road Map to Legalization

The government is expected to draw heavily from an advisory panel report in crafting its legislation. Bill Blair, the lawmaker and former police chief leading the process, directed reporters to the report Tuesday when pressed for details.

In parliament, Trudeau said his key objectives are to keep marijuana away from minors and to cut off revenue to criminal groups that sell it illicitly.

Under the existing system, it is easier for a teenager to buy a joint than a bottle of beer, and that is not right, the prime minister said.

Smith Falls, Ontario-based Canopy, the first Canadian weed company with a market value of $1 billion , announced in October it was partnering with rapper Snoop Dogg on a line of products for the domestic market. Its shares closed 5.3 per cent lower on Tuesday in Toronto.

The task force, which released its recommendations in December, urged comprehensive restrictions to the advertising and promotion of marijuana. It called for plain packaging that includes a companys name, the name of the particular strain of marijuana, price, the amounts of active ingredients THC and CBD, and health warnings.

The panel noted that industry pushed to allow branding, with companies arguing it would help consumers distinguish between legal and illegal products. Companies said it would allow them an incentive to boost product quality to drive brand loyalty and, ultimately, pull business away from the black market.

Taxation and Revenue

The product is already in the market. Ziploc is my primary competitor, Linton said, adding the chances of migrating users to the legal market without branding are lower. I think were going to have the ability to educate, but not promote, at the point of sale.

The panel recommended leaving many key details, such as retail rules and the legal age for purchase, up to provinces -- meaning they wont be spelled out when legislation is unveiled this week.

Government will also have little leeway to tax marijuana while undercutting illegal sales, according to a memo published Tuesday by the C.D. Howe Institute, a non-partisan think-tank. It found that government would raise $675 million annually if it applies only existing sales taxes to marijuana, and wouldnt raise more than about $1 billion no matter how much it boosts the tax. High taxation levels, it found, would simply push users back toward the black market and lower government revenue.

If the government attempts to fill its coffers off marijuana, it will undermine its efforts to regulate the market, according to Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst who authored the report. Packaging and branding is part of the equation, too. Allowing for branding may give people a reason to pay a premium in the legal market, she said.

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NASA scientists glean valuable data about powerful space explosions and the energy of black holes from their Swift and Fermi satellites. The projects were supposed to last a few years. Instead, theyve survived for more than a decade.

Thats great for researchers but a challenge for Jeanette Hanna-Ruiz because of the projects aging computer operating systems. As the space agencys chief information security officer, she has to secure the data sent to and from planet Earth against cyberattacks.

Its a matter of time before someone hacks into something in space, Hanna-Ruiz, 44, said in an interview at her office in Washington. We see ourselves as a very attractive target.

Cybersecurity at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration extends from maintaining email systems at the agencys Washington headquarters to guarding U.S. networks in Russia, where Americans serve on crews working with the International Space Station. The agency also has to protect huge amounts of in-house scientific data and the control systems at its 20 research centers, laboratories and other facilities in the U.S.

Commandeering Controls

Among Hanna-Ruizs concerns is hackers breaching communications between NASA and one of its 65 spacecraft transmitting research data.

There could be a company that wants it, there could be a nation-state that wants it, Hanna-Ruiz said. The challenge, she said, is, How do I harden these streams and communications flows?

Her nightmare is a direct cyberattack on a satellite, perhaps even allowing adversaries to commandeer the controls.

Hanna-Ruiz, a lawyer, started her stint at NASA in August. She previously managed Microsoft Corp.s consulting services and also served in cybersecurity advisory roles at the Department of Homeland Security and the White House during the Obama administration.

Her goal in the next 12 to 18 months, she said, is to get control of our internal network and work with the agencys space missions on cybersecurity.

Last year, NASA reported 1,484 cyber incidents, including hundreds of attacks executed from websites or web-based applications, as well as the loss or theft of computing devices, according to the Office of Management and Budgets annual report to Congress in March on federal cyber performance.

NASA aims to show were leading the way in securitythats the place we want to get to, Hanna-Ruiz said.

Pre-Launch Testing

Building secure rockets, satellites and other instruments before theyre launched is key. Engineers submit equipment to tests to see whether it can withstand space, from subjecting it to severe vibration to temperature checks in deep-freeze chambers.

We have a lot of people who are focused on getting this particular thing to space, Hanna-Ruiz said. They may not be necessarily thinking of security. The truth is I dont know if I want them to be thinking about security. I want them to be excited and passionate about going to space.

So Hanna-Ruizs cybersecurity teams step in to look for vulnerabilities in coding, firmware and other areas. The agency is also working to harden old industrial-control systems, such as those used to launch spacecraft, according to Hanna-Ruiz.

At NASA thats a big conversation for us now: What is the most valuable data and how do we secure that? she said.

Working in Russia

NASA hasnt sent people beyond low-Earth orbit since the final moon missions more than 40 years ago. But American astronauts travel to the International Space Station on Russian Soyuz capsules that take off from Kazakhstan. U.S. teams monitor NASAs networks and data at the agencys multiple offices across Russia.

Were always looking at those networks, were always looking at those systems to figure out if theyre vulnerable, Hanna-Ruiz said, including data coming from the space station. The great thing is NASA has a good history of working with Russia on space exploration and partnering with them to get our astronauts up to space, and thats really worked out well for us.

So far, that collaboration has endured amid tensions after U.S. intelligence agencies concluded Russia hacked into last years U.S. presidential campaign.

As Hanna-Ruiz works to bolster NASAs cybersecurity, she says the agencys centre in Silicon Valley provides opportunities to connect with technologists attuned to the task.

It would be great to have more people who are like aerospace engineers who have a background in cybersecurity, or who are Earth-science gurus and also have a cybersecurity background, she said. That niche of person is difficult to find.

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OTTAWAFew new Canadians go right from a citizenship ceremony to addressing Parliament. But then few people are like Malala Yousafzai  Nobel Peace Prize winner, a United Nations messenger of peace, a global advocate for education.

And still just 19.

The Pakistan woman, who survived a Taliban attack five years ago, dazzled MPs and dignitaries Wednesday with a Parliament Hill speech sprinkled with inspiration, humour and a call for Canada to do more for global development.

The adoration was evident from the moment Yousafzai entered the House of Commons chamber to a sustained standing ovation.

In his introduction, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed her as everyday hero, the target of an assassination attempt simply for promoting the rights of girls and women to attend school.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is presented with an honorary Canadian citizenship by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday.









As the world prayed while she recovered, we were reminded that a bullet is no match for an idea, Trudeau said.

Just minutes earlier, Yousafzai had been made an honorary Canadian citizen, just one of six to ever receive the honour. It had been originally announced by the former Conservative government but delayed, ironically, by a terror attack here in Canada.

She had gotten as far as the Toronto airport in October 2014, when word came of the murder of a soldier standing guard at the National War Memorial and the attack on Parliament Hill, forcing the ceremony to be postponed.

Malala highlighted that incident, saying that while the Ottawa attacker called himself Muslim, he did not share my faith.

I am a Muslim, and I believe that if you pick up a gun in the name of Islam and kill an innocent person, you are not Muslim anymore, she said.

Instead, she said the Ottawa assailant shared the hatred of all those who have perpetrated other attacks, such as the murders in a Quebec City mosque, the attack in London, and even those who attempted to kill her.

Yousafzai praised Canada and said she was humbled by the honorary citizenship.

Your motto and your stand welcome to Canada is more than a headline or a hashtag, she said.

It is the spirit of humanity that every single one of us would yearn for if our family was in crisis. I pray that you continue to open your homes and your hearts to the worlds most defenceless children and families, and I hope your neighbours will follow your example, she said.

Yousafzai won over her audience, not just with her message but her humour, too, relating how people back home were excited over the prospect of her meeting with Trudeau.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai received her honorary Canadian citizenship in Ottawa on Wednesday. Yousafzai praised Canada and Justin Trudeau, saying world leaders will learn from the prime minister.

They say that he is the second youngest prime minister in Canada in Canadian history. He does yoga. He has tattoos, she said to laughter.

As a young student in Pakistans Swat Valley, she had advocated for education, which put her in the crosshairs of the Taliban.

Her mother, who was present for the speech along with her father, wiped away tears as Yousafzai related her fears and how the family kept a ladder propped against the back of the house in case they needed to make a quick escape.

I felt fear when I went to school thinking that someone would stop me and harm me. I would hide my books under my scarf, she said.

Those fears proved justified. In October, 2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen as she was riding the bus home from school.

But the attack did not deter Yousafzai in her campaign, one that she continued Wednesday with a powerful message to Canadian politicians that the answer to any of the worlds most challenging problems  conflict, economic instability, climate change  lies in the education of girls.

I can tell you that the answer is girls. Secondary education can transform communities, countries and our world, she said.

Education is vital to the security of the world, because extremism grows alongside inequality, in places where people feel they have no opportunity, no voice, no hope, she said.

She implored Canada to take a leadership role and make girls education the centrepiece of its presidency of the G7 next year with a special focus on refugee children.

The world needs leadership based on serving humanity, not based on how many weapons you have. Canada can take that lead, Yousafzai said.

Use your influence to fill the global education funding gap, she said.

Today, only a quarter of refugee children can get secondary education. We should not ask children who flee their homes to also give up their dreams, she said.

She had a message for young people, saying dont wait to be a leader. I have learned that even a childs voice can be heard across the world, she said.

And she urged young women in Canada to step forward, raise your voices, adding, the next time I visit I hope to see more of you filling these seats.

As Yousafzai finished her speech, an impromptu rendition of O Canada began in a corner and then filled the chamber as others chimed in.

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VANCOUVERAn international group of marine scientists wants the Canadian government to take steps to cut underwater noise in the Salish Sea off the southern coast of British Columbia.

The scientists, including five from B.C. and others from as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom, say increased noise from shipping and other industries threatens the critically endangered southern resident killer whale population.

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers of fisheries, environment and transport, the scientists urge the adoption of targets to reduce shipping noise by three decibels over the next decade and 10 decibels within 30 years.

Industrial noise has been linked to reduced foraging among southern resident orcas, which the scientists say already have difficulty finding enough salmon, their main food source.

The letter says constant vessel noise also masks or alters the calls of killer whales, affecting communication and inducing chronic stress, while the continuous hum is also associated with harm to fish and invertebrates of the inland waters of the south coast.

As of January, the scientists say there were only 78 southern resident killer whales and, because of noise, toxic contamination and other challenges, their long-term survival is threatened, unless a plan is developed to improve and restore conditions in the Salish Sea.

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Scarboroughs Cliffside neighbourhood residents are holding a memorial Thursday to mourn the loss of a city garbage collector, known for her infectious smile, who died after falling off the back of a moving garbage truck last week.

Diane Chicoine, 59, was standing on the rear passenger side of the truck April 6 on Folcroft Ave., in the Kingston Rd. and Danforth Ave. area, when she suffered a medical issue and fell off, Toronto police said.

She was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, where she died three days later.

In a Facebook event for the memorial, Amanda Smith wrote that even though she didnt know Chicoine personally, she was the best garbage truck lady ever!

You and my son Jake had a little bond he was always waiting for you at the window just to see you throw garbage out! You always told him he was your little buddy and he was always so happy just to see you, Smith wrote. We are very sad that you are gone, I cant believe this would happen. You were always so happy always smiling . . . You will be missed.

Chicoines cousin, Shelley Roberts, said her family is still reeling from the news.

I never thought this would ever happen to her, Roberts said. She was always so strong . . . She was healthy as a horse.

Chicoine loved children, Roberts added, and took joy in spending time with her granddaughter.

Im pretty sure its going to be a very big turnout . . . its going to be huge, Roberts said of the memorial. Everybody is really shaken up, this is really terrible, what happened.

Another cousin, Cindy McKenzie, described Chicoine as an independent, outgoing woman who would go out of her way to help anyone and always had a joke ready.

She was jovial . . . She comes into a room, you know it. She greets everybody, she comes into a room smiling from ear-to-ear, she changed the air of every room she walked into, you couldnt not notice it, McKenzie said from her home in Waterford, Ont., where Chicoine would visit her at least twice a month.

Chicoine, originally from Gaspe, Que., was also well-dressed and would often go shopping along the Danforth, McKenzie added.

She didnt look like the garbage person. Thats just what she dressed like for work, but she liked her job and she liked working with people . . . She really enjoyed her job, she didnt ever want to retire for her job, McKenzie said.

In an email, Chicoines manager Lisa Duncan said Chicoine had worked in the citys Solid Waste Management Services Scarborough District for more than 25 years and was a straight shooter and a hard worker.

Diane enjoyed coming to work every day and she enjoyed her work family . . . Diane was a valuable member of the Solid Waste collection team and we will miss her contributions and her sense of humour, Duncan wrote.

Chicoine is survived by her daughter and granddaughter. The vigil, which will be held at Cliffside Dr. and Folcroft Ave., begins at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a gathering at the Tara Inn.

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Real estate speculators  not ordinary buyers and sellers  will be a target of the provinces efforts to calm the housing market, says Finance Minister Charles Sousa.

Signalling that the Liberal government would not take steps to stop bidding wars now taking place, he acknowledged they are leaving buyers frustrated.

People are pissed that they cant win bidding wars, Sousa told reporters Wednesday at Queens Park hours before Premier Kathleen Wynne huddled with Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area mayors and regional chairs to discuss housing affordability.

While Wynne was more temperate in her remarks to municipal leaders  including Toronto Mayor John Tory  she emphasized the province would be taking action with a suite of real estate and rental measures.

Whether youre renting or whether youre looking to buy, the cost of housing is putting people in very precarious situations and its stressful. Theres a frenzy thats going on right now, the premier said, indicating the government would also help builders clear the hurdles needed to expedite construction of new homes.

I understand that there are supply and demand pressures  this is not just one or the other, Wynne told the mayors and chairs.

Were looking at a number of different kinds of policy instruments from land-use planning to regulation to financial tools. There are many options that are being put forward, she said.

In order to deal with this overheated market in the most rational way, we need to protect the value in peoples homes, we need to work to increase the supply of new units, and we need to work in partnership with all of you.

Wynne noted only 20 per cent of the land set aside for new development in the provinces 2006 growth plan for the region has been built on.

Whats going on there? What is it thats keeping that land from being developed? We have land  now we need to make it easier and quicker to build on if were going to deal with the supply issue.

Tory stressed the need for a balanced approach that tackles supply.

Ive also indicated a very strong and abiding commitment to addressing the supply problem  especially the supply of affordable rental housing  but once again, we will need the partnership of the province of Ontario, the mayor said.

Sousa cautioned that going after average families buying and selling homes or the system of real estate agents taking bids is not the answer.

We dont want to interfere terribly in these matters . . . this is a free market after all, said the treasurer, whose measures will come in a budget expected as early as April 27.

The seller of a home has a right to maximize their value in the sale of their home . . . how they achieve it, thats something thats in the market. I do not want to put anyone in harms way.

He said the root of the problem is a shortage of housing and high demand driven by a strong economy and an influx of new residents, made worse by scalpers who snatch up multiple homes in proposed new developments reselling them later for big profits as prices continue rising sharply.

Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz in a speech Wednesday also blamed the rapid increase in house prices  as much as 33 per cent over the last 12 months  on speculators, warning that is not sustainable and that prices could fall from current levels.

Ontario Real Estate Association CEO Tim Hudak urged the province to enable more housing to be built by allowing municipalities to speed up the permit approval process for builders, putting more supply on the market faster.

It can take over 18 months to get municipal approvals for standard, single-family and multiple-dwelling projects that may require rezoning, he said.

Rents have also been soaring  with some condo tenants reporting steep increases. To help, Housing Minister Chris Ballard is suggesting rent controls could be expanded to include buildings constructed after 1991.

As well, Queens Park is considering a British Columbia-style foreign buyers levy of around 15 per cent, and tax changes to discourage investors and speculators from sitting on vacant properties.

Progressive Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said theres no one silver bullet here, but increasing supply, cutting back red tape are all positive steps that the province can take.

New Democrat MPP Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth), meanwhile, is pushing a private members bill to make all buildings, not just those built before 1991, subject to rent control immediately.

With files from Betsy Powell

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MOSCOWThe White House accused the Russian government on Tuesday of engaging in a coverup of the chemical weapons attack last week by Syrian forces that prompted U.S. missile strikes, saying that U.S. intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people.

In a declassified four-page report that details U.S intelligence on the chemical weapons attack and contains a point-by-point rebuttal of Moscows claims, the White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments had sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and false narratives.

The strongly worded document calls for international condemnation of Syrias use of chemical weapons and harshly criticizes Russia for shielding an ally that has used weapons of mass destruction.

It marks a striking shift by President Donald Trump, who entered office praising President Vladimir Putin of Russia and seeking common ground with him  and now appears to be moving swiftly to isolate him. The charges came as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was preparing for meetings in Moscow on Wednesday.

Russia is in an island on this, said White House press secretary Sean Spicer. He said there was little dispute about Syrias responsibility for the attack  except by Moscow and the failed states of North Korea and Iran.

This is not exactly a happy-time cocktail party of people you want to be associated with, he said.

Before Tillerson exited his plane in Moscow, Putin told a news conference the Kremlin has information that provocateurs are planning to plant chemical substances in suburban Damascus and blame it on Syrian authorities. He gave no further details on the claim.

But he noted that the situation in Syria reminded him of events in Iraq before the U.S. invaded in 2003, an allusion to unfounded assertions of weapons of mass destruction that the George W. Bush administration used to justify the war.

Weve seen all this before, Putin said.

And the Russian general staff has put the United States on notice, saying that another missile strike would be unacceptable.

Putins spokesman said it remained unclear whether the Russian leader would meet directly with Tillerson on Wednesday.

Before departing Italy  where he met with like-minded allies in the G7 and diplomats from largely Muslim nations  Tillerson told reporters that the U.S. is aiming for a negotiated end to six years of conflict in Syria and wants Russias help in ushering Assad out of office.

Claiming that Assads rule is coming to an end, Tillerson previewed his message to Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar Assad, he said.

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Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the governments view, said Russias goal was to cover up the Syrian governments culpability for the chemical attack. They asserted that the Syrian government, under pressure from opposition forces in the strategically vital Hama province and lacking sufficient troops to respond, used the lethal nerve agent sarin to retaliate against rebels who were threatening government-held territory.

Neither Spicer nor any of the officials who detailed the U.S. governments chronology of the chemical attack would comment on the possibility that the Russian government had known in advance of Syrias plan to carry it out, or to launch a subsequent assault on a hospital that was treating victims.

But one official said that, given the history of close co-operation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, and that Russian forces were stationed at Al Shayrat airfield, which was used to launch the chemical attack, Moscow must answer.

Moscows response to the April 4 attack follows a familiar pattern of its responses to other egregious actions, the report said. It spins out multiple, conflicting accounts in order to create confusion and sow doubt within the international community.

Much of the report was devoted to rebutting Russias claim that the chemical attack last week was actually the result of a Syrian airstrike against a terrorist ammunition depot in Khan Sheikhoun that contained chemical weapons. The report also cited a video and commercial satellite imagery that showed that the chemical weapon had landed in the middle of a road, not at a weapons facility.

White House officials said U.S. intelligence agencies do not believe that Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL, or other terrorist groups have sarin gas.

The report also rejected Moscows claim that the April 4 attack was a prank of a provocative nature and denied Russian suggestions that the substance used might not have been sarin.

With files from The Washington Post

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WASHINGTONLast August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then Donald Trumps campaign chairman.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the countrys former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledgers authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by The Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manaforts name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manaforts firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trumps campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manaforts work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russias government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trumps unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.

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Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his clients preferred financial institutions and instructions.

On Wednesday, Manaforts spokesman Jason Maloni provided an additional statement to the AP, saying that Manafort received all of his payments via wire transfers conducted through the international banking system.

Mr. Manaforts work in Ukraine was totally open and appropriate, and wire transfers for international work are perfectly legal, Maloni said.

He noted that Manafort had never been paid in cash. Instead, he said Manaforts exclusive use of wire transfers for payment undermines the descriptions of the ledger last year given by Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities and a lawmaker that the ledger detailed cash payments.

Previously, Manafort and Maloni have maintained the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manaforts financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manaforts financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manaforts work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which The New York Times revealed that Manaforts name appeared in the Ukraine ledger  although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money  and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraines pro-Russian Party of Regions.

On Wednesday, Maloni told the AP that Manafort intends to register with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for work he did on behalf of political interests in Ukraine.

Manafort began discussions with the U.S. government about his lobbying activities after Trump hired him in March 2016, Maloni said, although it was unclear whether those conversations occurred before or after Trump forced Manafort to resign in August. By registering retroactively, Manafort will be acknowledging that he failed to properly disclose his work to the Justice Department as required by federal law.

Manafort has recently been given guidance by federal authorities related to whether he should register as a foreign agent, Maloni said. Asked by the AP whether Manafort intends to register as a foreign agent, Maloni said, Yes, he is registering.

Also Wednesday, one of the Washington lobbying firms involved in that covert campaign, the Podesta Group Inc., formally registered with the Justice Department under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. In doing so, it acknowledged that its work at the time could have principally benefited the Ukrainian government. The firm, run by the brother of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign chairman John Podesta, reported being paid more than $1.2 million for its efforts. It cited unspecified information brought to light in recent months and conversations with Justice Department employees as the reason for its decision.

The other firm, Mercury LLC, later said it also will register as a foreign agent over its work on the campaign.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovych, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manaforts work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manaforts namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard 7-year retention period. He said Tuesday the computer sales contract is a fraud.

The signature is not mine, and I didnt sell computers, he said in a statement. What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manaforts former Kyiv office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice  $750,000 and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manaforts account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Virginia.

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manaforts receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

In an interview with the AP, Leshchenko contended that Yanukovych, as Ukraines leader, paid Manafort money that came from his governments budget and was stolen from Ukrainian citizens. He said: Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovych. Its about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account, he said.

Maloni accused Leshchenko on Wednesday of changing his story, saying Leshchenko had previously said the ledger detailed cash payments but now said that wire transfers support his allegations.

Maloni said Leshchenkos allegations were politically motivated because Manafort once supported an opposing political party.

There is absolutely nothing improper with this method of payment and there is no basis to give any credibility to the current Leshchenko allegations to the contrary, Maloni said.

As the AP reported last month, U.S. authorities have been looking into Manaforts financial transactions in Cyprus. The records of Manaforts Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraines main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.

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ABUJA, NIGERIANigerian security officials have thwarted plans by Daesh group-linked Boko Haram members to attack the embassies of the United States and Britain, authorities said Wednesday.

A Department of State Services statement said it broke up a ring that had perfected plans to attack the U.K. and American embassies and other Western interests in Nigerias capital, Abuja.

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The statement said five suspects who had been based in Benue state and the Federal Capital Territory were arrested on March 25 and 26. Another 20-year-old Boko Haram member was arrested March 22 in Yobe state and confessed his involvement in executing the sinister activities of the group.

The statement gave no further details, and officials with the department could not immediately be reached.

For purposes of operational security, we do not comment on our security posture, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington. He added: The United States appreciates the work of Nigerias Department of State Security and Nigerian security forces in fighting terrorism and keeping citizens and residents safe.

The State Department on April 5 issued an updated travel warning for Nigeria, warning that Boko Haram has targeted government installations and other venues in the past in the Federal Capital Territory and elsewhere. In 2011, Boko Haram attacked the UNs Nigeria headquarters in Abuja with a car bomb that detonated in the reception area, killing at least 21 people.

We are grateful for the support we receive from the Nigerian security authorities in protecting U.K. diplomatic staff and premises in Nigeria, a British government statement said. We are in regular contact with the Nigerian security authorities concerning potential threats to U.K. interests in Nigeria.

One faction of Boko Haram is allied with Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

Nigerias president late last year declared the Boko Haram insurgency crushed, but its fighters continue to threaten the vast region around Lake Chad in defiance of a multinational force. It has increasingly used children, especially girls, as suicide bombers.

Boko Harams seven-year Islamic uprising has killed more than 20,000 people and driven 2.6 million from their homes, with millions facing starvation.

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WASHINGTONLaying bare deep and dangerous divisions on Syria and other issues, U.S. President Donald Trump declared Wednesday that U.S. relations with Russia may be at an all-time low. His top diplomat offered a similarly grim assessment from the other side of the globe after meeting with Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

Right now were not getting along with Russia at all, Trump said flatly during a White House news conference. It was stark evidence that the president is moving ever further from his campaign promises to establish better ties with Moscow.

Only weeks ago, it appeared that Trump, who praised Putin throughout the U.S. election campaign, was poised for a potentially historic rapprochement with Russia. But any such expectations have crashed into reality amid the nasty back-and-forth over Syria and ongoing U.S. investigations into Russias alleged interference in Americas U.S. presidential election.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Itd be a fantastic thing if we got along with Putin and if we got along with Russia, Trump said. But he clearly wasnt counting on it.

That could happen, and it may not happen, he said. It may be just the opposite.

Not long before Trump spoke in Washington, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson struck a similar tone after an almost two-hour meeting with Putin, saying the two countries had reached a low point in relations.

The president, who last week ordered airstrikes on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack, was asked if Syria could have launched the attack without Russias knowledge. Trump said it was certainly possible though probably unlikely.

More than 80 people were killed in what the U.S. has described as a nerve-gas attack that Syrian President Bashar Assads forces undoubtedly carried out. Russia says rebels were responsible for whatever chemical agent was used, which the Trump administration calls a disinformation campaign.

Not long before Trump spoke, Russia vetoed a Western-backed U.N. resolution that would have condemned the chemical weapons attack and demanded a speedy investigation.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Syria's president, Bashar Al Assad, could face possible war crimes charges in the future.

The dim view of U.S.-Russian ties from both Trump and Tillerson reflected the former Cold War foes inability to forge better relations, as Trump until recently has advocated.

Allegations of collusion between Russian officials and Trump campaign associates also have weakened Trumps ability to make concessions to Russia in any agreement, lest he be accused of rewarding bad behaviour. Russia wants the U.S. to eliminate sanctions on Moscow related to its 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimea region and support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Until the chemical attack, the Trump administration had sought to step back from the U.S. position that Assad should leave power. But Tillerson repeated the administrations new belief that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end.

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Trumps hardened view of Russia  including the administrations change of heart on Syria  could serve another purpose: It could partly defang a perception of cosiness between Trump and Moscow. As the FBI and multiple congressional committees investigate potential collusion between Russia and Trumps campaign, the president can point to his hard-line stance on Assad as evidence hes willing to stand up to Putin.

Beyond Syria, Russias alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election also hovered over what was the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and any Trump administration Cabinet member.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov blasted U.S. claims that it has irrefutable evidence of election interference.

We have not seen a single fact, or even a hint of facts, he said. I do not know who saw them. No one showed us anything, no one said anything, although we repeatedly asked to produce the details on which these unfounded accusations lie.

He also rejected American claims of certain evidence that Assad ordered the chemical attack.

Still, Tillerson sought to stress the positives from his meetings. He said working groups would be established to improve U.S.-Russian ties and identify problems. He said the two sides would also discuss disagreements on Syria and how to end the countrys six-year civil war.

But such hopes appeared optimistic as the diplomats outlined their sharply diverging views on Syria. Tillerson said Syrias government had committed more than 50 attacks using chlorine or other chemical weapons over the duration of the conflict. And he suggested that possible war crimes charges could be levied against the Syrian leader. Russia has never publicly acknowledged any such attacks by Assads forces and has tried for the past 18 months to help him expand his authority in Syria.

The civil war is separate from the U.S.-led effort against the Islamic State group in the north of the country.

While the most immediate U.S.-Russian dispute concerns culpability for the chemical weapons, broader disagreements over everything from Ukraine to Russias support for once-fringe candidates in European elections are among other sore points.

Tillerson was greeted frostily in the Russian capital as Lavrov began their meeting Wednesday by demanding to know Americas real intentions.

We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria, Lavrov said, referring to the 59 Tomahawk missiles Trump launched at an airbase to punish Assad for using chemical weapons. We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future.

Trump and others have indeed threatened similar action. But in a Fox Business Network interview, the U.S. president said he wouldnt intervene militarily against Assad unless the Syrian leader resorts to using weapons of mass destruction again. Are we going to get involved with Syria? No, Trump said. But, he added, I see them using gas ... we have to do something.

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NEW YORKWith hopes of dispensing the perfect antidote to the stock market crash of 1987, Italian-born sculptor Arturo Di Modica spent two years welding a 7,000-pound bronze bull statue designed to capture the resilience of the American people.

Under the cover of night and without a permit, he installed his massive Charging Bull directly before the New York Stock Exchange, a gift New Yorkers loved but New York City initially hated. Authorities removed it, but later reinstalled it under pressure at a small public park in the financial district.

In the 18 years since, it has become an institution.

Then last month, on International Womens Day, a new statue of a symbolically brave Fearless Girlstole its spotlight  and, Di Modica says, fundamentally corrupted the artistic integrity of his Charging Bull.

As Fearless Girl was heralded by many as a symbol for female empowerment, Di Modica doled out sharp criticism, casting the statue as not art, but a publicity stunt by the gender-oriented company that commissioned it.

He forcefully advocated against a global campaign to make Fearless Girl a permanent fixture, but fans persevered, persuading New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to extend the statues permit through April 2018.

On International Womens Day, the statue of a symbolically brave Fearless Girl was placed in front of Arturo Di Modica's 7,000-pound bronze bull, which he says corrupted the artistic integrity of his Charging Bull.





On behalf of his bull, Di Modica wont back down.

The artist held a news conference Wednesday to explain his plans to challenge the city officials who let Fearless Girl happen without asking his permission.

The new neighbouring statue changes his bull into something negative, he said, and the bulls message is supposed to be freedom in the world, peace, strength, power and love.

The placement of the statue of the young girl in opposition to Charging Bull has undermined the integrity and modified the Charging Bull, said Norman Siegel, an attorney for Di Modica. The Charging Bull no longer carries a positive, optimistic message. Rather it has been transformed into a negative force and a threat.

Siegel said he hopes the dispute can be resolved amicably but noted, We never dismiss the possibility of litigation.

Fearless Girl debuted on March 7, near the first anniversary of the Gender Diversity Index SHE, which tracks companies that are gender diverse and was created by investment firm State Street Global Advisors.

State Street commissioned Delaware-based artist Kristen Visbal to cast the four-foot bronze girl, who wears pigtails and a windblown dress, and, with hands on her hips, stares daringly at the beast before her.

We were focusing on making a statement about the future of Wall Street, Visbal told CNN Money last month. We wanted this wonderful contrast.

The project is about girl power, she said, a message to corporate boards on Wall Street with a dearth of women members that we are here, that we are heard, that we are permanent.

They also drew inspiration from Di Modicas surprise instalment, albeit with a permit, and dropped her off in the middle of the night. The girl quickly became an online sensation, earning praise from Chelsea Clinton and actress Jessica Chastain and drawing its own swarm of women and girls who felt inspired.

The plaque at the feet of Fearless Girl reads: Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.

This overt reference to State Streets SHE Index could contribute to Di Modica insistence that Fearless Girl is nothing more than marketing trickery orchestrated by the firms New York advertising partner, McCann.

That is not a symbol! the 76-year-old Sicilian immigrant told the New York Post and Market Watch in March.

He said in an interview from his art studio that his protest was not meant to snub the importance of gender equality, but to defend the integrity of his bull.

I put it there for art, he told the publications. My bull is a symbol for America. My bull is a symbol of prosperity and for strength.

Lawyer Siegel, who joined Di Modica and other lawyers at the news conference, said the attorneys sent letters requesting the girls removal to Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio and the CEOs of State Street and its advertising firm, McCann Worldgroup.

De Blasio responded on Twitter that men who dont like women taking up space are exactly why we need the Fearless Girl.

State Street spokeswoman Anne McNally said the firm is reviewing the letter.

After reading that Di Modica was upset by Fearless Girl, Visbal told the New York Post she was distressed and praised the sculptors artistic abilities as exceptional.

The bull is beautiful, its a stunning piece of art, Visbal told the New York Post. But the world changes and we are now running with this bull.

With files from The Associated Press

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A week ago, U.S. President Donald Trump was accused of being a tool for the Russians, an unwitting agent of influence, so full of admiration that he defended Russian President Vladimir Putin against critics who called him a killer.

Now, Trump is in a diplomatic clash with Putins Russia, his administration accusing Moscow of trying to cover up a Syrian chemical weapons attack on civilians and his secretary of state delivering us-or-them ultimatums.

Read the latest news on U.S. President Donald Trump

Even in a presidency marked by unpredictability, the head-spinning shift from cosiness to confrontation has left Washington and other capitals with a case of geopolitical whiplash. The prospects of improving Russian-American relations were already slim given the atmosphere of suspicion stemming from Kremlin meddling in last years election, but the detente once envisioned by Trump has instead deteriorated into the latest cold war.

For Trumps camp, the abrupt turnaround simply proved how false the conspiracy narrative was from the start.

If there was anything that Syria did, it was to validate the fact that there is no Russia tie, said Eric Trump, the presidents son.

For some critics, it seemed to be a cynical way of distracting attention from the multiple investigations into possible contacts between associates of Trump and Russia even as Moscow was trying to help Trump win the presidency.

Either way, it suggested that the relationship between the two powers could be volatile in the months to come, subject to the impulsive reactions of a president with no prior experience in foreign policy, the often strident responses of a Russian leader given to his own moments of pique and the clashing national interests of both countries in key areas around the world.

I was skeptical from the beginning that it would be possible for the United States and Russia, after all that happened in the last few years, to engage in a successful reset, said Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer on Russia now at Georgetown University. Whats surprising is how quickly we returned to the status quo ante we had at the end of the Obama administration.

John Beyrle, a former ambassador to Moscow, said that the extremes of the relationship were being exaggerated and that it would probably settle back into the middle. Levels of trust have deteriorated so much that these initial meetings will produce little in the way of agreements and the investigations into likely Russian interference in the election cast a huge shadow that both sides need to acknowledge, he said.

Trump is the fourth president in a row who came into office determined to reboot the relationship with Moscow, an ambition that often eluded the other three. The difference is that the hacking of Democratic email during last years election, for which intelligence agencies blamed Russia, made Trumps embrace of Putin politically problematic.

His willingness to overlook Russias annexation of Crimea, its armed intervention in eastern Ukraine and, until now, its support for President Bashar Assads government in Syria mystified many experts. He called Putin a stronger leader than President Barack Obama, praised him for doing a great job and expressed hope that he would be my new best friend. Michael Morrell, a former acting CIA director, wrote last fall that Trump seemed to be an unwitting agent of influence for Moscow.

By Tuesday, after Trump ordered a missile strike against Syria in retaliation for using chemical weapons on its own people, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow with a harsh warning that Russia had better give up its support of Assad. He was greeted with a cold shoulder, initially denied a meeting with Putin as no secretary of state has been on a first visit to Moscow going back to the days of Cordell Hull in the Second World War. Back in Washington, the White House held a briefing accusing Russia of shielding Syrias chemical weapons attack on civilians.

The Russians have responded with harsh language of their own. On Tuesday, Putin compared Trumps action in Syria to President George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq in 2003. And Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev suggested that Trump has turned out not to be what he presented himself to be during last years campaign.

Thats it, he wrote on Facebook last week. The last remaining election fog has lifted. In the end, he said, Trump was broken by the existing power machine in Washington.

Morrell said Tuesday that despite calling Trump a virtual Russian agent, he always believed Russian behaviour would lead to a parting of the ways. This seems to be happening now, he said. But he noted that Trump has left it to Tillerson and others rather than speaking out himself.

He needs to do that, and he needs to be critical of the large number of other aggressive actions that Putin has undertaken over the past two years, Morrell said.

Jennifer Palmieri, the communications director for Hillary Clintons campaign last year, said the shift in tone in recent days did not mean there was not collusion during the election.

Everything we believed happened in the election could be true  Putin wanted him to be president and the administration took the action it took last week, she said. It could all be part of the master ruse  or Putin could be upset about it.

Either way, she said, Theres no evidence that it changes anything I think happened in the election or that Democrats should back off investigations. And moreover, its really weird that he himself hasnt said anything.

Trump will have the opportunity Wednesday when he hosts NATOs secretary-general, Jens Stoltenberg. European leaders will be listening to what Trump has to say, given that during the campaign he criticized NATO even as he praised Putin.

Aides to Trump have been frustrated at the focus on the Russia investigations and the assumptions that the presidents associates did something wrong even though several officials have said no evidence has emerged that proves collusion with Russia. They blame the media for creating a false narrative that they see as now disproved. How, they ask, could Trumps team have made secret deals with Russia if his own secretary of state cannot even get a meeting?

Its interesting that we went from all of these direct links to Russia to now are we disappointed that we cant even get a meeting with him, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary. There is a bit of irony in the question.

Eric Trump voiced that sentiment in an interview with Londons Daily Telegraph published on Tuesday. The younger Trump said his father was influenced to retaliate against Syria for using chemical weapons on civilians in part by his sister Ivanka, who was heartbroken and outraged by the atrocity.

Even though some question the presidents approach to Russia, Eric Trump said his father would not be pushed around by Putin. He is not a guy who gets intimidated, he said.

The back-and-forth over Russia left lawmakers trying to make sense of it.

It speaks to the broader incoherence of this administrations foreign policy, said Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy. The change in rhetoric on Russia is head-spinning. Im glad to see it and I hope it continues, but so far the only thing we know about this administrations foreign policy is that it will probably change in a week or two.

But Murphy said the congressional intelligence committees still need to investigate what happened in last years election. If the shift in tone from the administration happened two months ago, he said, it might have undercut that determination. But since then, he said, more evidence has emerged.

Theres now some pretty important meat on the bones of this story, he said. The imperative remains to get to the bottom of it.

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PORT-AU-PRINCEIn the ruins of a tropical hideaway where jetsetters once sipped rum under the Caribbean sun, the abandoned children tried to make a life for themselves. They begged and scavenged for food, but they never could scrape together enough to beat back the hunger, until the UN peacekeepers moved in a few blocks away.

The men who came from a faraway place and spoke a strange language offered the Haitian children cookies and other snacks. Sometimes they gave them a few dollars. But the price was high: The Sri Lankan peacekeepers wanted sex from girls and boys as young as 12.

I did not even have breasts, said a girl, known as V01  Victim No. 1. She told UN investigators that over the next three years, from ages 12 to 15, she had sex with nearly 50 peacekeepers, including a Commandant who gave her 75 cents. Sometimes she slept in UN trucks on the base next to the decaying resort, whose once-glamorous buildings were being overtaken by jungle.

Justice for victims like V01 is rare. An Associated Press investigation of U.N. missions during the past 12 years found nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers and other personnel around the world  signalling the crisis is much larger than previously known. More than 300 of the allegations involved children, the AP found, but only a fraction of the alleged perpetrators served jail time.

Legally, the UN is in a bind. It has no jurisdiction over peacekeepers, leaving punishment to the countries that contribute the troops.

The AP interviewed alleged victims, current and former UN officials and investigators and sought answers from 23 countries on the number of peacekeepers who faced such allegations and, what if anything, was done to investigate. With rare exceptions, few nations responded to repeated requests, while the names of those found guilty are kept confidential, making accountability impossible to determine.

Without agreement for widespread reform and accountability from the UNs member states, solutions remain elusive.

Here in Haiti, at least 134 Sri Lankan peacekeepers exploited nine children in a sex ring from 2004 to 2007, according to an internal UN report obtained by the AP. In the wake of the report, 114 peacekeepers were sent home. None was ever imprisoned.

In March, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced new measures to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers and other personnel. But the proclamation had a depressingly familiar ring: More than a decade ago, the United Nations commissioned a report that promised to do much the same thing, yet most of the reforms never materialized.

For a full two years after those promises were made, the children in Haiti were passed around from soldier to soldier. And in the years since, peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse the world over.

In response to the APs investigation, the UNs head of field support said Wednesday the international body was aware of shortcomings in the system.

We believe we are advancing in the right direction, especially with the secretary-generals new approach, said Atul Khare who heads the UN department in charge of peacekeeper discipline and conduct. Improving the assistance provided to victims, who are at the heart of our response, is fundamental.

Read more: UN peacekeeping has glaring accountability gaps, documents show

Khare also said the organization was working with member states to hold perpetrators to account.

In one particularly grim case in Haiti, a teenage boy said he was gang-raped in 2011 by Uruguayan peacekeepers who filmed the alleged assault on a cellphone. Dozens of Haitian women also say they were raped, and dozens more had what is euphemistically called survival sex in a country where most people live on less than $2.50 a day, the AP found.

Haitian lawyer Mario Joseph has been trying to get compensation for victims of a deadly cholera strain linked to Nepalese peacekeepers that killed an estimated 10,000 people. Now, he is also trying to get child support for about a dozen Haitian women left pregnant by peacekeepers.

Imagine if the UN was going to the United States and raping children and bringing cholera, Joseph said in Port-au-Prince. Human rights arent just for rich white people.

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker agrees. The Tennessee Republican, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been calling for reforms in the United Nations. He may well get them under President Donald Trump, whose administration has proposed a 31 per cent reduction to the U.S. foreign aid and diplomacy budget. Corker and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley want a review of all missions.

Corker recalled his disgust at hearing of the UN sexual abuse cases uncovered last year in Central African Republic.

If I heard that a UN peacekeeping mission was coming near my home in Chattanooga, he told AP, Id be on the first plane out of here to go back and protect my family.

The Habitation Leclerc resort was once well known throughout Port-au-Prince as a lush refuge amid the capitals grimy alleyways. During its heyday in the 1980s, celebrities like Mick Jagger and Jackie Onassis would perch by the pool or stroll past the propertys Voodoo temple.

By 2004, the resort was a decrepit clutch of buildings, and several children, either orphaned or abandoned by their parents, were living in its ruins.

It was there that V01 met other victims, two girls referred to in the UN report as V02 and V03 and a young boy, V08. The boy initially supported them by occasionally bringing food from his aunt, but they were often hungry.

The peacekeepers had arrived that year as part of a new mission to help stabilize Haiti in the wake of President Jean-Bertrande Aristides ouster. The Sri Lankans, numbering about 900 troops, landed in a historically unstable country in the grip of scattered violence and kidnappings  and a broken government ill-suited to confront the chaos.

Some of the peacekeepers in the Sri Lankan contingent were based near the former resort.

In August 2007, the UN received complaints of suspicious interactions between Sri Lankan soldiers and Haitian children. UN investigators then interviewed nine victims, as well as witnesses, while the sex ring was still active.

V02, who was 16 when the UN team interviewed her, told them she had sex with a Sri Lankan commander at least three times, describing him as overweight with a moustache and a gold ring on his middle finger. She said he often showed her a picture of his wife. The peacekeepers also taught her some Sinhalese so she could understand and express sexual innuendo; the children even talked to one another in Sinhalese when UN investigators were interviewing them.

V03 identified 11 Sri Lankan troops through photographs, one of whom she said was a corporal with a distinctive bullet scar between his armpit and waist. V04, who was 14, said she had sex with the soldiers every day in exchange for money, cookies or juice.

During her interview with investigators, another young victim, V07, received a phone call from a Sri Lankan peacekeeper. She explained that the soldiers would pass along her number to incoming contingent members, who would then call her for sex.

The boy, V08, said he had sex with more than 20 Sri Lankans. Most would remove their name tags before taking him to UN military trucks, where he gave them oral sex or was sodomized by them.

Another boy, V09, was 15 when his encounters began. Over the course of three years, he said he had sex with more than 100 Sri Lankan peacekeepers, averaging about four a day, investigators said.

Under Haitian law, having sex with someone under 18 is statutory rape. UN codes of conduct also prohibit exploitation.

The sexual acts described by the nine victims are simply too many to be presented exhaustively in this report, especially since each claimed multiple sexual partners at various locations where the Sri Lankan contingents were deployed throughout Haiti over several years, the report said.

Investigators showed the children more than 1,000 photographs that included pictures of Sri Lankan troops and locations of where the children had sex with the soldiers.

The evidence shows that from late 2004 to mid-October 2007, at least 134 military members of the current and previous Sri Lankan contingents sexually exploited and abused at least nine Haitian children, the report said.

After the report was filed, 114 Sri Lanka peacekeepers were sent home, putting an end to the sex ring.

But the sexual exploitation visited upon Haitis people didnt stop there.

Janila Jean said she was a 16-year-old virgin when a Brazilian peacekeeper lured her to a UN compound three years ago with a smear of peanut butter on bread, raped her at gunpoint and left her pregnant. She finds herself constantly in tears.

Some days, I imagine strangling my daughter to death, she said in an interview under the shadow of banana palms near the former Jacmel base.

With her were three other women who said they also were raped by peacekeepers. One of them sat on her heels, scraping coconut from its shell and into a large cauldron of water and corn, the barest of meals for the women and their small children.

Adm. Ademir Sobrinho of Brazils armed forces said at a conference in London that his force had no such cases of rape, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.

But like many, Jean didnt report the rape. Nearly a dozen women interviewed by the AP said they were too scared to report the crimes out of fear they would be blamed  or worse, would meet their victimizers again.

The AP found that some 150 allegations of abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers and other personnel were reported in Haiti alone between 2004 and 2016, out of the worldwide total of nearly 2,000. Aside from the Sri Lankan sex ring in Haiti, some perpetrators were jailed for other cases.

Alleged abusers came from Bangladesh, Brazil, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uruguay and Sri Lanka, according to UN data and interviews. More countries may have been involved, but the United Nations only started disclosing alleged perpetrators nationalities after 2015.

Read more: Ottawa may help alleged victims of UN peacekeepers

The litany of abuses is long.

In July 2011, four Uruguayan peacekeepers and their commanding officer allegedly gang-raped a Haitian teenager. The men also filmed the alleged attack on their phones, which went viral on the internet. The men never faced trial in Haiti; four of the five were convicted in Uruguay of private violence, a lesser charge. Uruguayan officials said at the time that it was a prank gone wrong and that no rape occurred.

The following year, three Pakistanis attached to the UNs police units in Haiti were allegedly involved in the rape of a mentally disabled 13-year-old in the northern city of Gonaives.

UN officials went to Haiti to investigate, but the Pakistanis abducted the boy to keep him from detailing the abuse that had gone on for more than a year, according to Peter Gallo, a former UN investigator familiar with the case.

Finally, the men were tried in a Pakistani military tribunal, and eventually sent back to Pakistan. In theory, the tribunal could have allowed for better access to witnesses, but its unclear whether any were called. The Pakistani authorities also refused to allow the UN to observe the proceedings. In the end, one man was sent to prison for a year, according to Ariane Quentier, a spokeswoman for the Haiti mission.

Its an indictment of how the whole UN system works, Gallo told the AP.

Pakistans military has refused several requests for comment on the case.

UN data during the 12-year period reviewed by AP is incomplete and varies in levels of detail, particularly for cases before 2010. Hundreds of other cases were closed with little to no explanation. In its review, the AP analyzed data from annual reports as well as information from the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

In the wake of the child sex ring investigation, a team of Sri Lankans spent two weeks in Haiti in October 2007. They interviewed only 25 soldiers out of more than 900 in the country and concluded that just two Sri Lankan corporals and one private had sex with two young victims. Three soldiers denied sexual encounters but were suspected of lying, according to the UN investigation report.

For six months, the Sri Lankan army and the government declined to respond to APs questions about the 2007 case. Instead, officials first dodged repeated queries, then gave vague assurances that the scandal represented an isolated incident. Last month, the Sri Lankan government acknowledged its military had conducted inquiries into just 18 soldiers it said were implicated, and that the UN Secretariat has acknowledged in writing, action taken by the Government, and informed that the Secretariat, as of 29 September 2014, considers the matter closed.

Some of the peacekeepers involved in the ring were still in the Sri Lankan military as of last year, Sri Lankan military officials say. The United Nations, meanwhile, continued to send Sri Lankan peacekeepers to Haiti and elsewhere despite corroborating the child sex ring.

Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi defended the troops, saying, People are quite happy and comfortable with the peacekeepers.

Above a rusty bench at an abandoned bus stop in the village of Leogane hangs a sign that reads, Constructed by the 16th Sri Lanka Peacekeeping Battalion. Its one of the few physical reminders of the battalions mission  along with children fathered by UN personnel.

Marie-Ange Haitis says she met a Sri Lankan commander in December 2006 and he soon began making nighttime visits to her house in Leogane.

By January, we had had sex, she said. It wasnt rape, but it wasnt exactly consensual, either. I felt like I didnt have a choice.

She said when she first realized that she was pregnant, the Haitian translator assigned to the Sri Lankans told her to have an abortion. Then, she said, UN officials accused her of lying. As she spoke, her daughter Samantha sat on her lap wearing an oversized pair of sunglasses with a missing lens.

When she was interviewed in August, Haitis said she had been waiting nearly a decade for the UN to consider her paternity claim to help support her daughter.

Finally, early this year, Sri Lankan and UN officials told AP that a one-time payment of $45,243 had been made for Haitis daughter. The United Nations said Sri Lanka accepted the paternity claim without proof of DNA and the commander was dismissed from service.

But such payments are rare.

UN officials said they were unable to find any members of the mission in Haiti who might have dealt with the victims in the sex-ring case and did not know what happened to the children.

An Italian non-governmental organization, AVSI, said it helped the children by trying to find homes for them, providing them with counselling and helping reintegrate them into schools, but it also lost track of the children shortly after the countrys devastating 2010 earthquake.

Khare, the UN head of field support, acknowledged the scope of the problem and said the global agency must do more to help victims, including gathering accurate information and following up with troop-contributing countries.

What we all want to see is justice been served for the victims of these horrendous acts, he said.

An AP review of reports on the conduct of UN field missions showed haphazard record-keeping.

In a 2008 report, for example, 19 allegations were reported in Haiti  a number that seemed to contradict the UNs own investigation report in late 2007 that identified nine children and 134 peacekeepers in the sex ring. Before 2010, the number of allegations involving minors was not specified for all UN missions.

Some Haitians wonder whether the UN has done more harm than good in a country that has endured tragedy after tragedy since it became the first black republic in 1804.

UN personnel say they have contributed to the stability in the Caribbean nation over the years, saved lives during the 2010 earthquakes aftermath and prevented violence during periods of unrest. The mission, which currently has nearly 5,000 personnel and is expected to scale down by October, has also been credited with training police, providing security during elections and support to the judiciary.

I would not say we have achieved everything we set out to do, but we are engaged in a process of continuous improvement that any harmful effect on the local populations could be minimized, if not completely eradicated, Khare said.

Many here are not convinced.

Id like to see my attacker face to face and tell him how he has destroyed my life, said 21-year-old Melida Joseph, who said she was raped by one peacekeeper and narrowly escaped being gang-raped in Cite-Soleil, a seaside slum. Like others, she never reported the crime.

Theyll look at this as one big joke, she said. As far as the UN goes, they came here to protect us, but all theyve brought is destruction.

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WASHINGTONAn accidental foray into Holocaust revisionism was merely the capstone to an edifice of error erected this week by the spokesman for Donald Trumps White House.

It was the eye-popping assertion about Adolf Hitler that got all the attention: Sean Spicer suggested the Nazi leader had never used chemical weapons, apparently overlooking agents like hydrogen cyanide, used to murder millions.

Spicer quickly corrected himself  he issued several statements, called a famous Jewish donor to the Republican party to smooth things over, and went on a televised apology tour.

But other brain cramps the day before the Nazi flub, and in the hours after, illustrate why speculation about Spicers career life expectancy has become something of a pastime in official Washington.

Consider his first attempt to apologize for the Hitler oversight: it was riddled with errors. He messed up the name of Syrias strongman, calling him, Ashad, and then referred to concentration camps as Holocaust centres.

Read more: Spicer apologizes for Hitler comment: A mistake like this is inexcusable

He then went on TV and said he wanted to focus on what really matters: Trumps work to destabilize the Middle East.

By the way, Assad isnt the first leader whose name hes messed up. He appeared to call Canadas prime minister Joe Trudeau. And twice, his marble-mouthed version of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull sounded something like Trumble.

The reference to Joe Trudeau wasnt his only eyebrow-scrunching foray into Canadian affairs: Spicer also appeared to use the Quebec City mosque attack as an argument for Trumps travel ban  a shooting allegedly committed by a homegrown hater of Muslims.

Read more: The White House cited the Quebec mosque attack to justify Trumps policies

Other flubs have been more serious.

Take the one he apparently made just this week, the day before the Hitlerian mix-up. Spicer appeared to massively increase the odds of all-out war between the U.S. and Syria  then walked it back.

He suggested from the White House podium that the use of barrel bombs by Syrian President Bashar Assad could provoke an American attack, just like chemical weapons. As one Trump-loving radio host pointed out, that probably means war.

Laura Ingraham expressed frustration with Spicer.

Well be bombing Assad every day, she said, before turning on the spokesman: You see how the communications is important here? You have to actually have to be on the same page as the facts and the substance and the logic.

To White House critics, the basic problem is there is neither logic nor substance.

Thats the view of former spokespeople for Canadian prime ministers. One former aide to Paul Martin said Spicer is in an impossible position  and made it worse by failing to stand up to Trump on Day 1.

On the first day of his presidency, Trump fumed about coverage of the size of his inauguration crowd. He sent Spicer out to make inflated claims about the crowd, making him an instant object of media mockery and a hit on Saturday Night Live.

Read more: See Melissa McCarthy steal the show as Sean Spicer on SNL

Sean Spicer has made a thorough mess of an impossible job, said Scott Reid, a former Martin adviser.

He understands that what (his) boss (says) is often absurd, embarrassing and utterly invented . . . By refusing to stand up to his boss on Day 1, he condemned himself to being a nervous, awkward lie-merchant. Not exactly a recipe for success.

Andrew MacDougall, a former spokesman for Stephen Harper, called it sheer stupidity to take a communications job for someone who lies so frequently: (Spicer) is the author of his own misfortune.

Within days of entering the White House, there were already reports Trump was thinking of sacking his spokesman. Anonymous sources yapped about how the boss was displeased with Spicer  his performance, his suit lapel, his tie knot.

The president, meanwhile, is watching  and Spicer knows it.

A New York Times profile said those behind his Saturday Night Live send-up miss a fundamental fact: Hes not angry, hes nervous, performing for someone who insists millions of illegal voters kept him from winning the popular vote.

In fact, the actual Spicer is a nice guy, says one peer.

As the first reports surfaced that he was in danger of being axed  this was two weeks into the new administration  one person who came to Spicers defence was the former spokesman for the Democratic party.

Ex-Democratic spokesman Brad Woodhouse said of the family man, former Navy man, and ex-spokesman for the U.S. trade czar and Republican party: Hes a good egg. Hes someone who I think is a really decent and good person.

Should Spicer survive, heres some career advice from someone else tossed out of Trumps inner circle  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who was Trumps transition team leader before being sacked.

Dont bring up Hitler. Ever, Christie told Fox News. Theres no winning in bringing up Hitler.

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Police oversight in Ontario isnt broken  it is designed to protect police from accountability, and in that sense its working just fine.

After years of public discontent, the provincial government recently launched a comprehensive review of three police oversight bodies. The Special Investigations Unit, which looks into any death, serious injury, or allegation of sexual assault involving police, is the agency most tied to public trust, and therefore the one most in need of an overhaul.

Thanks to Justice Michael Tulloch, who led the review and published his report last week, we have new clarity on the strategic dysfunction that is the SIU. Tulloch has made 129 recommendations for better police oversight, including dozens for the SIU. Many of Tullochs recommendations are painfully obvious  some suggested improvements are so basic to accountability that the reader is left wondering what kind of sick joke the SIU has been playing on us during its nearly three decades of operation.

The SIU has always described itself as an independent civilian agency that oversees police, but thats just wordplay. The majority of SIU investigators are former police officers. Now consider Tullochs recommendation that going forward, at least 50 per cent of non-forensic SIU investigators should have a background in something other than policing. Why maintain even half of the spots for former cops? The tradition of having former police investigate current ones helps to explain why more than 97 per cent of all SIU investigations end without an officer being criminally charged.

The mandate of the SIU should include all incidents involving the discharge of a firearm by police officer at a person, reads another recommendation. Duh. The absence of this rule only helps the aggressive, reckless cops we all claim to dislike. I hope this recommendation is implemented, but it is just that  a recommendation. The provincial Liberal government ordered this review to suggest potential changes, not to compel itself to act.

Tulloch also recommends that the SIU should incorporate anti-bias measures into their recruitment, training, education, and evaluation of investigators. An agency whose interactions disproportionately involve disenfranchised people with a claim against police should not need this recommendation, but here we are.

Attorney General Yasir Naqvi praised Tullochs work last week, then immediately dodged multiple questions about whether he plans to implement all 129 recommendations. Naqvi did promise to move on two major ideas right away. One is the collection of demographic data on SIU complainants, including their race, religion, gender, and indigenous status. This is the most unambiguous victory of Tullochs report for vulnerable people in Ontario so far.

Unfortunately, Naqvis other immediate commitment shows how the SIU may still protect police instead of the public. Naqvi says his government will release all past and future SIU reports, but the government will first redact the identities of every cop who has ever been investigated. Even Tulloch said identifying police would not improve transparency in a meaningful way. Lord have mercy.

If the SIU has investigated a current police officer 10 times, the province will erase his name 10 times so the public is oblivious. No public servant deserves this much power, and police have certainly not earned it. Imagine a teacher or child care worker arguing that an allegation they harmed a child should be private. But for police, who have far more power, we continue this destructive tradition.

Also, important recommendations are absent from Tullochs report. While he rightly recommends expanding the definition of serious injury required to open an SIU investigation, the polices use of stun guns is notably absent. Its still cool to run 50,000 volts of electricity through a persons body if you are the police  here again, the lack of an automatic investigation protects police instead of the public.

Pascale Diverlus and Rodney Diverlus of Black Lives Matter Toronto, whose heroic protest last year pushed the government to review police oversight, have written that families of slain black people will not get justice from a report that sits on a shelf collecting dust. Implementation is key, but it will only occur when we discredit the unchecked reverence for police authority that has made all this work necessary.

Above all, we must not leave implementation up to Naqvi, who promised reform on police carding in 2015, but failed because he refused to acknowledge the depth of entrenched racism and police power behind that practice. To cite a famous protest chant: the system isnt broken, it was built this way. Only those willing to acknowledge this can change it.

Desmond Cole is a Toronto-based journalist. His column appears every second Thursday.

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United Airlines parent company CEO Oscar Munoz should have been mortified by the video of a passenger being bloodied and dragged off one of his flights simply for not voluntarily giving up his seat on an over-booked flight.

But Munozs first response was not to apologize to Dr. David Dao, a 69-year-old man who simply wanted to get home to see his patients the next morning. Rather, it was to express regrets for having had to re-accommodate him.

When, unsurprisingly, that did not put an end to the controversy, Munoz shifted to blaming the passenger for becoming disruptive and belligerent and praised his staff for going above and beyond.

This tone-deaf response received the appropriate social-media drubbing. Congrats United, wrote one Twitter user, you now have all the volunteers you could ever want giving up their seats on your flights #BoycottUnited.

But the incident has implications beyond the commercial consequences for United. Its yet another reminder of the need for legal protections for airline passengers.

This is particularly true here in Canada, where a lack of airline competition has produced high airfares and, too often, poor service. Meanwhile, the absence of robust consumer protections of the sort we see in many of our peer countries has left fliers vulnerable to abuse.

It was encouraging, then, in the aftermath of the United debacle, to hear Transport Minister Marc Garneau reiterate his governments commitment to introduce a passenger bill of rights this spring.

Garneau promises his bill will finally establish clear, minimum requirements for compensation when flights are oversold or luggage is lost. At the moment, when a plane is overbooked most airlines simply increase the value of compensation vouchers they offer until someone accepts. But travelers who are victims of airline incompetence or greed are entitled only to whatever justice the company sees fit.

Thats not good enough, as Garneau seems to recognize. When a passenger books a ticket, they are entitled to certain rights, he said. Presumably, that includes the right not to be dragged down the aisle of a plane like Dao.

United is now paying the price for its misstep: as it faces the threat of a boycott and the mockery of every late-night talk-show host, its stock has taken a significant hit.

But in Canada, where consumers have fewer choices and fewer protections, the need for government intervention is particularly pronounced. No one should be bumped from an overbooked flight without just compensation, and certainly never by force. Ottawa should make sure that what happened to Dao never happens here.

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Re: Ontario urged to tackle gender pay gap, April 11

Ontario urged to tackle gender pay gap, April 11

In a matter of days, it will be the 15th anniversary of Mike Harris leaving the premiers office. Kathleen Wynne is the third occupant of that office since Harris resigned and more than 4,900 days have passed since the election that brought the Liberals to power.

Isnt it about time that you stopped blaming Mr. Harris for things that the provincial government does, or doesnt do, today?

The Harris government may have cut funding to the Pay Equity Commission, but if the Liberals didnt restore the funding in the budgets of 2004 through 2016, surely responsibility for the current state of funding is theirs and no one elses?

Michael Wakefield, Hamilton

This report is incomplete and a divisive disservice to the working poor. We can help women more by reducing inequality and reducing the gap between the classes for everyone.

We can expand the earned income tax credit, increase the minimum wage, lower tuition and provide pharmacare, day care and affordable housing. Women would benefit disproportionately.

We should unite to reduce inequality and increase opportunity for all.

Joseph Polito, Toronto

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As I watched Sundays ceremony from Vimy on Radio-Canada, I felt both hope and despair.

It was encouraging that, instead of glorifying war, they stressed its futility and immense waste, never forgetting to praise the courage and dedication of the soldiers. It was also very good that the voice of the First Nations was as prominent as English and French.

However, the strip at the bottom of the screen with current news presented information about chemical weapons in Syria, the American missile response and a terrorist attack in Sweden. Will we ever learn?

In addition, it was disturbing that Prince Charles spoke on behalf of his mother the Queen, our official head of state. Although many journalists and historians claim that Canada as a nation was born on that ridge at Vimy a century ago, we are far from growing up. And we never will until we abandon the monarchy, that divisive and demeaning symbol of colonialism.

Jim Abel, Peterborough, Ont.

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From 2008 until 2014, Manish Singh was the CEO of two biotech companies, ImmunoCellular Therapies (IMUC) and Lion Biotechnologyundefined . During this same time period, Singh was also running two stock promotion companies.

That is quite the side hustle.

Singh was not the only small-cap biotech CEO to immerse himself in the stock promotion business. On Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged more than two dozen people and entities with misleading investors by creating and publishing bullish but fake articles about biotech and drug companies. Singh was among those accused of breaking securities laws by engaging in illegal stock promotion, as was former Galena Biopharmaundefined CEO Mark Ahn.

While not targeted with any specific charges by the SEC, the complaints also describe how the CEOs of Anavex Life Sciences (AVXL) , CytRx (CYTR) , Oncosec Medical (ONCS) and Neostem among others, paid promoters to tout their stocks, according to the SEC. These stock promotion firms, in turn, hired writers to publish cheerleading articles that did not publicly disclose payments from the companies.

No one should be surprised to learn that so many of the articles found on DIY investing web sites like Seeking Alpha are fake. But what is amazing and troubling about the SEC's enforcement action is the deep involvement and brazen misbehavior of biotech CEOs. They acted as if paid stock promotion was just another job responsibility.

Here are some of the worst and most noteworthy offenders, culled from the SEC's complaints and enforcement orders:

CytRx

In December 2013, Cytrx, led by CEO Steven Kriegsman, hired the DreamTeam Group to publish an article promoting the results from a phase II study of the company's experimental cancer drug aldoxorubicin. CytRx's payment for the positive article, published on Seeking Alpha, was never disclosed publicly.

Later that same month, CytRx decides to sell stock in a follow-on public offering, but first, it emails the DreamTeam.

"We need one to two articles that are bullish on Seeking Alpha by 12/31. In addition we need a huge blitz in January 2014...," CytRx instructs the DreamTeam, according to emails obtained by the SEC.

Soon after, three articles touting CytRx were published on an investment web site known as WallStreetCheatSheet.com. The same articles were summarized in a Seeking Alpha blog. The writer was paid by DreamTeam and not disclosed, according to the SEC.

At the end of January 2014, CytRx raised almost $75 million through a follow-on offering of 11.5 million shares of stock at $6.50 per share.

Kriegsman is still the CEO of CytRx. He was not charged individually by the SEC in the stock-promotion enforcement action. CytRx was ordered to pay a $75,000 fine. The company's stock now trades at 44 cents. Following the phase II study of aldoxorubicin promoted by DreamTeam, CytRx conducted a phase III study in sarcoma patients. The study failed. CytRx continues to insist the phase III aldoxorubicin was a success and that the drug can be approved. The company met with the FDA in March to discuss a filing plan. The company has yet to disclose the outcome of that FDA meeting.

A spokesperson for CytRx did not respond to emails seeking comment from Kriegsman.

Anavex Life Sciences

In February 2014, Anavex, run by CEO Chris Missling, paid $5,500 to CSIR Group for three stock-promoting articles, charged the SEC. Within days, an individual with CSIR emailed an Anavex executive with a draft article, stating, "It's about 2200 words and we focus on Anavex in the second half. Important not to be too obvious about our focus on Anavex because [Seeking Alpha] will reject it because the stock is small." When the article was published, Anavex's payment was not disclosed, according to the SEC.

The SEC did not charge Missling in the stock promotion enforcement action. An Anavex spokesman did not respond to email seeking comment.

OncoSec Medical

OncoSec, a small cancer drug developer, was a client of Lidingo Holdings, one of the two stock promotion firms controlled by Singh. [Lidingo's day-to-day operations were run by Kamilla Bjorlin, a D-list actress performing under the stage name Milla Bjorn.]

In the SEC complaint targeting Lidingo, regulators describe frequent communications between OncoSec CEO Punit Dhillon and Lidingo's Bjorlin and Singh in 2013. The SEC cites emails in which Dhilon sends notes and suggestions for articles to Bjorlin and Singh. The articles were then created and published under fake author names, says the SEC.

Dhilon was not charged by the SEC. He did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Neostem (known today as Caladrius Biosciences)

Like OncoSec's Dhilon, NeoStem CEO Robin Smith hired Lidingo to write articles touting her company's stock, says the SEC. From April 2012 to March 2014, more than 100 promotional articles about Neostem published, none of which tied the payment for the articles back to the company.

Smith resigned as CEO of Neostem in January 2015. The company changed its name to Caladrius (CLBS) later that same year, Most recently, Smith has was named co-chair of an advisory board on gender diversity in biotech formed by LifeSci Advisors, the investor relations firm that ran into trouble for hiring scantily clad female models to entertain guests at biotech investors functions.

Smith was not charged by the SEC. She could not be reached for comment. Andrew McCarthy, co-founder of LifeSci Advisors, did not respond to email seeking comment.

Galena Biopharma

Galena CEO Mark Ahn didn't just view stock promotion as a side hustle. For him, it was his only real job. As the SEC explains:

"From January 2012 to February 2014, Galena and its then-CEO Mark Ahn engaged in a scheme to mislead investors by commissioning over 100 internet publications promoting Galena that purported to be independent and objective when, in fact, they were paid promotions funded by Galena. As CEO, Ahn, on behalf of Galena, engaged two firms, Lidingo Holdings and the DreamTeam Group, that paid writers to communicate about Galena on investment websites through articles and/or postings without disclosing that Galena had funded the communications."

Here's how that arrangement worked:

"For example, on July 29, 2013, at about the time that Galena began preparing for the September 2013 Offering, Ahn proposed contract terms with Lidingo that included the following: "$20K/mo for three months. If the price is >$3.00 in 90 days [Galena's stock closed at $1.78/share on the day Ahn sent the email], then another 9 months. And on July 31, 2013, DreamTeam's McCarthy sent Ahn a message with the subject "Great day!" that listed the increasing closing prices of Galena's shares since DreamTeam started work five days earlier, and stated, "$2.00 here we come!" Ahn replied, "Great start!"

Which led to:

On January 27, 2014, while the price of Galena shares was inflated by the promotion scheme, Ahn sold 796,765 shares of Galena stock.

I have written extensively about Galena and Ahn's involvement in stock promotion. All of the activities described by the SEC in its enforcement actions Monday stopped around the same time as my first article in February 2014, which broke the story about Galena hiring the DreamTeam to use fake articles to tout the stock.

Ahn was fired from Galena in April 2014. The SEC ordered Ahn to pay disgorgement of $677,000 and civil penalty of $600,000. He's barred from being an officer or director of a publicly traded company for five years. Galena was also ordered to pay a $200,000 penalty.

ImmunoCellular and Lion Biotechnology

Singh, during his time as CEO of both companies, also earned $1.75 million in cash and equity from running his stock promotion businesses, according to the SEC:

From the SEC complaint:

From August 2011 to March 2014, Singh engaged in a paid stock-touting scheme involving 12 issuers, at least 10 writers, over 400 internet publications, and the distribution of emails to thousands of potential investors. At different points during this time period, Singh, who used his firm Lavos to engage in much of the stock promotion activity, was also the CEO of two publicly traded companies, ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. ("IMUC") and Lion Biotechnologies, Inc. Singh worked with stock promotion firm Lidingo Holdings, LLC to pay writers to publish articles about public company clients on investment websites as well as to coordinate the distribution of articles to thousands of electronic mailboxes. In addition, while he was their CEO, Singh hired Lidingo to perform promotional work for IMUC and Lion. The scheme was lucrative - entitling Singh to receive at least $1.75 million in cash and equity.

The SEC is making Singh repay all that money plus a $1 million fine.

Adam Feuerstein writes regularly for TheStreet. In keeping with company editorial policy, he doesn't own or short individual stocks, although he owns stock in TheStreet. He also doesn't invest in hedge funds or other private investment partnerships. Feuerstein appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email.
Workers at General Electric's (GE) headquarters in Nigeria blocked off the company's headquarters in Lagos on Wednesday as they strike in dispute over wages, Reuters reports.

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria "today picketed General Electric head offices in Lagos over unpaid salaries of some staff," a trade union leader told Reuters.

(What will move markets this quarter and how should investors position themselves ahead of time? Jim Cramer sat down with four of TheStreet's top columnists recently to get their views. Click here to listen to his latest Trading Strategies roundtable with them and read their advice for stocks, bonds, forex and gold.)
The following companies are subsidiares of Illinois Tool Works: A V Co 1 Limited, A V Co 2 Limited, A V Co 3 Limited, ACCU-LUBE Manufacturing GmbH - Schmiermittel und -gerate -, AIP/BI Holdings Inc., Accessories Marketing Holding Corp., Advanced Molding Company Inc., Allen France SAS, Alpine Engineered Products, Alpine Systems Corporation, Anaerobicos S.r.l., AppliChem GmbH, Avery Berkel France, Avery India Limited, Avery Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avery Weigh Tronix, Avery Weigh-Tronix Finance Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix International Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix LLC, Avery Weigh-Tronix Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Properties Limited, Avery Weigh-Tronix Suzhou Weighing Technology Co. Ltd., Azon Limited, B.C. Immo, Beijing Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. Ltd., Berkel Ireland Limited, Berrington UK, Brapenta Eletronica Ltda., Brooks Instrument B.V., Brooks Instrument GmbH, Brooks Instrument KFT, Brooks Instrument Korea Ltd., Brooks Instrument LLC, Brooks Instrument Shanghai Co. Ltd, Buell Industries Inc., CCI Realty Company, CFC Europe GmbH, CS Australia Pty Limited, CS Mexico Holding Company S DE RL DE CV, Calvia Spolka z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnosci, Capital Ventures Australasia S.a r.l, Capmax Logistica S.A. de C.V., Celeste Industries Corporation, Coeur, Coeur Asia Limited, Coeur Holding Company, Coeur Inc., Coeur Shanghai Medical Appliance Trading Co. Ltd, Compagnie Hobart, Compagnie de Materiel et d'Equipements Techniques-Comet, Constructions Isothermiques Bontami C.I.B., Crane Carrier Company, Denison Mayes Group Limited, Despatch Industries, Diagraph Corporation Sdn. Bhd, Diagraph ITW Mexico S. de R.L. De C.V., Diagraph Mexico S.A. DE C.V., Dongguan Ark-Les Electric Components Co. Ltd., Dongguan CK Branding Co. Ltd., Duo Fast de Espana S.A.U., Duo-Fast Korea Co. Ltd., Duo-Fast LLC, E.C.S. d.o.o., E2M Production B.V.., E2M Technologies B.V.., E2M Technologies Inc.., ECS Cable Protection Sp. Zoo, ELRO Grosskuchen GmbH, ELRO Holding AG, ELRO-WERKE AG, Elro Group, Eltex-Elektrostatik-Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Envases Multipac S.A. de C.V., Eurotec Srl, Exhibit 21, FEG Investments L.L.C., Filtertek De Mexico Holding Inc., Filtertek De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Filtertek SAS, GC Financement SA, Gamko B.V., Gun Hwa Platech Taicang Co. Ltd., HOBART Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Hartness International, Hobart Andina S.A.S., Hobart Belgium B.V., Hobart Brothers International Chile Limitada, Hobart Brothers LLC, Hobart Dayton Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Hobart Food Equipment Co. Ltd., Hobart International Singapore Pte. Ltd., Hobart Japan K.K., Hobart Korea LLC, Hobart LLC, Hobart Nederland B.V., Hobart Sales & Service Inc., Hobart Scandinavia ApS, Hobart Techniek B.V., Horis, ILC Investments Holdings Inc., ITW AEP LLC, ITW AOC LLC, ITW Aircraft Investments Inc., ITW Ampang Industries Philippines Inc., ITW Appliance Components EOOD, ITW Appliance Components S.A. de C.V., ITW Appliance Components S.r.l.a, ITW Appliance Components d.o.o., ITW Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, ITW Australia Property Holdings Pty Ltd., ITW Australia Pty Ltd, ITW Automotive Components Chongqing Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Components Langfang Co. Ltd., ITW Automotive Japan K.K., ITW Automotive Korea LLC, ITW Automotive Parts Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Automotive Products GmbH, ITW Automotive Products Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Bailly Comte, ITW Befestigungssysteme GmbH, ITW Belgium B.V., ITW Brazilian Nominee L.L.C., ITW Building Components Group Inc., ITW CER, ITW CP Distribution Center Holland BV, ITW CS UK Ltd., ITW Canada Inc., ITW Celeste Inc., ITW Chemical Products Ltda, ITW Chemical Products Scandinavia ApS, ITW China Investment Company Limited, ITW Colombia S.A.S., ITW Construction Products AB, ITW Construction Products AS, ITW Construction Products ApS, ITW Construction Products CZ s.r.o., ITW Construction Products Italy Srl, ITW Construction Products OU, ITW Construction Products OY, ITW Construction Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Construction Products Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW Construction Services Manila Inc., ITW Contamination Control B.V., ITW Contamination Control Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Covid Security Group Inc., ITW DS Investments Inc., ITW DelFast do Brasil Ltda., ITW Denmark ApS, ITW Deutschland GmbH, ITW Diagraph GmbH, ITW Dynatec, ITW Dynatec Adhesive Equipment Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Dynatec GmbH, ITW Dynatec Kabushiki Kaisha, ITW EAE B.V., ITW EAE Mexico S de RL de CV, ITW EF&C France SAS, ITW EF&C Selb GmbH, ITW EU Holdings Ltd., ITW Electronic Business Asia Co. Limited, ITW Electronic Components/Products Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Electronics Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Epsilon Sarl, ITW Espana S.L., ITW European Finance Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance II Co. Ltd., ITW European Finance III Co. Ltd., ITW FEG Hong Kong Limited, ITW FEG do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW Fastener Products GmbH, ITW Fluids and Hygiene Solutions Ltda., ITW Food Equipment Group LLC, ITW GH LLC, ITW GSE ApS, ITW GSE Inc., ITW Gamma Sarl, ITW German Management LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings LLC, ITW Global Investments Holdings Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita por Acciones, ITW Global Investments Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Europe GmbH, ITW Global Tire Repair Inc., ITW Global Tire Repair Japan K.K., ITW Graphics Asia Limited, ITW Graphics Thailand Ltd., ITW Great Britain Investment & Licensing Holding Company, ITW Group France Luxembourg S.ar.l., ITW HLP Thailand Co. Ltd., ITW Holding Quimica B.C. S.L. Sole Shareholder Company, ITW Holdings Australia L.P., ITW Holdings I Limited, ITW Holdings II Limited, ITW Holdings III Limited, ITW Holdings IV Limited, ITW Holdings IX Limited, ITW Holdings Inc., ITW Holdings V Limited, ITW Holdings VI Limited, ITW Holdings VII Limited, ITW Holdings VIII Limited, ITW Holdings X Limited, ITW Holdings XI Limited, ITW ILC Holdings I Inc., ITW IPG Investments LLC, ITW Imaden Industria e Comercio Ltda., ITW India Private Limited, ITW International Holdings LLC, ITW Invest Holding GmbH, ITW Ireland Holdings Unlimited Company, ITW Ireland Unlimited Company, ITW Italy Holding Srl, ITW Japan Ltd., ITW Korea LLC, ITW LLC & Co. KG, ITW Limited, ITW Lys Fusion S.r.l., ITW Materials Technology Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW Meritex Sdn. Bhd., ITW Metal Fasteners S.L., ITW Mexico Holding Company S. De R.L. de C.V., ITW Mexico Holdings LLC, ITW Morlock GmbH, ITW Mortgage Investments II Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments III Inc., ITW Mortgage Investments IV Inc., ITW Netherlands Administration BV, ITW Netherlands Beta B.V., ITW Netherlands Finance Alpha BV, ITW New Universal LLC, ITW New Zealand, ITW Ningbo Components & Fastenings Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Novadan Sp. Z.o.o., ITW PPF Brasil Adesivos Ltda., ITW Packaging Technology China Co. Ltd., ITW Participations S.a r.l., ITW Pension Funds Trustee Company, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Japan Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids Korea Limited, ITW Performance Polymers & Fluids OOO, ITW Performance Polymers ApS, ITW Performance Polymers Wujiang Co. Ltd., ITW Performance Polymers and Fluids Group FZE, ITW Peru S.A.C., ITW Poly Mex S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Polymers Sealants North America Inc., ITW Pronovia s.r.o., ITW Pte. Ltd., ITW Qufu Automotive Cooling Systems Co. Ltd., ITW Real Estate Germany GmbH, ITW Residuals III L.L.C., ITW Residuals IV L.L.C., ITW Rivex, ITW SMPI, ITW SPG Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., ITW Simco-Ion Shenzhen Co. Ltd., ITW Slovakia s.r.o., ITW Spain Holdings S.L., ITW Specialty Film LLC, ITW Specialty Films France, ITW Specialty Materials Suzhou Co. Ltd., ITW Sverige AB, ITW Sweden Holding AB, ITW Test & Measurement Equipment Shanghai Co. Ltd, ITW Test & Measurement GmbH, ITW Test and Measurement Italia Srl, ITW Test and Measurement Services Industry and Trade Ltd., ITW Texwipe Philippines Inc., ITW Thermal Films Shanghai Co. Ltd., ITW UK, ITW UK Finance Beta Limited, ITW UK Finance Delta Limited, ITW UK Finance Gamma Limited, ITW UK Finance Limited, ITW UK Finance Zeta Ltd., ITW UK II Limited, ITW Universal II LLC, ITW Welding, ITW Welding AB, ITW Welding GmbH, ITW Welding Products B.V., ITW Welding Products Group FZE, ITW Welding Products Group S. DE R.L. De C.V., ITW Welding Products Italy Srl, ITW Welding Products Limited Liability Company, ITW Welding Produtos Para Solgdagem Ltda., ITW Welding Singapore Pte. Ltd., ITW de France, ITW do Brasil Industrial e Comercial Ltda., Illinois Tool Works Chile Limitada, Illinois Tool Works ITW Nederland B.V., Illinois Tool Works Inc., Impar Comercio E Representacoes Ltda., Industrie Plastic Elsasser GmbH, Inmobiliaria Cit. S.A. de C.F., Innova Temperlite Servicios S.A. de C.V., Innovacion y Transformacion Automotriz S.A. de C.V., Instron Brasil Equipamentos Cientificos Ltda., Instron Foreign Sales Corp. Limited, Instron France S.A.S., Instron GmbH, Instron Japan Company Ltd., Instron Korea LLC, Instron Shanghai Ltd., Instron Thailand Limited, International Leasing Company LLC, Isolenge - ITW Sistemas de Isolamento Termico Ltda., Itw Spraytec, KCPL Mauritius Holdings, Kester, Kleinmann GmbH, Krafft S.L., Loma Systems, Loma Systems BV, Loma Systems Canada Inc., Loma Systems sro, Lombard Pressings Limited, Lumex Inc., Lys Fusion Poland Sp. z.o.o., M&C Specialties Co., MAGNAFLUX GmbH, MEHB Holdings Limited, MGHG Property LLC, MTS 2 LLC., MTS 3 LLC., MTS China Holdings LLC, MTS Europe Holdings LLC, MTS Holdings France S.a.r.l., MTS Japan Ltd.., MTS Korea Inc.., MTS Systems China Co. Ltd., MTS Systems Corporation, MTS Systems Danmark ApS., MTS Systems Europe B.V., MTS Systems Finance C.V.., MTS Systems Germany GmbH, MTS Systems Holding B.V.., MTS Systems Hong Kong Incorporated, MTS Systems Limited, MTS Systems Norden Aktiebolag, MTS Systems S.r.l, MTS Systems., MTS Systems.., MTS Sytems Do Brazil, MTS Testing Solutions India Private Limited., MTS Testing Systems Canada Ltd., Manufacturing Avancee S.A., Meritex Technology Suzhou Co. Ltd., Meurer Verpackungssysteme GmbH, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, Miller Insurance Ltd., NDT Holding LLC, NOVADAN APS, North Star Imaging Inc., Nova Chimica S.r.l., Orbitalum Tools GmbH, PENTA-91 OOO, PR. A. I. Srl, PT ITW Construction Products Indonesia, Pacific Concept Industries Limited Enping, Panreac Quimica S.L., Paslode Fasteners Shanghai Co. Ltd., Peerless Machinery Corp., Polyrey, Premark FEG L.L.C., Premark HII Holdings LLC, Premark International, Premark International LLC, Prolex Sociedad Anonima, QSA Global Inc., Quimica Industrial Mediterranea S.L., R&D Engineering A/S., R&D Prague s.r.o., R&D Steel ApS., R&D Test Systems A/S., R&D Tools and Structures A/S., RDGDK Engineering Private Limited, Ramset Fasteners Hong Kong Ltd., Rapid Cook LLC, Refrigeration France, S.E.E. Sistemas Industria E Comercio Ltda., ST Mexico Holdings LLC, Sealant Systems International Inc., Sentinel Asia Yuhan Hoesa, Shanghai ITW Plastic & Metal Co. Ltd, Simco Japan Inc., Simco Nederland B.V., Societe de Prospection et dInventions Techniques  SPIT, Speedline Holdings I Inc., Speedline Holdings I LLC, Speedline Technologies GmbH, Speedline Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Speedline Technologies Mexico Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Stokvis Celix Portugal Unipessoal LDA, Stokvis Danmark ApS, Stokvis Holdings S.A.R.L., Stokvis Promi s.r.o, Stokvis Prostick Tapes Private Limited, Stokvis Tapes B.V., Stokvis Tapes Benelux B.V., Stokvis Tapes Deutschland GmbH, Stokvis Tapes France, Stokvis Tapes Hong Kong Co. Limited, Stokvis Tapes Italia s.r.l., Stokvis Tapes Limited, Stokvis Tapes Limited Liability Company, Stokvis Tapes Norge AS, Stokvis Tapes Oy, Stokvis Tapes Polska Sp Z.O.O., Stokvis Tapes Shanghai Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Sverige AB, Stokvis Tapes Taiwan Co. Ltd., Stokvis Tapes Tianjin Co. Ltd., Stolvis Holdings II S.A.R.L., Subsidiaries, Technopack Industria Comercio Consultoria e Representacoes Ltda., Teknek China Limited, Teknek Japan Limited, Teksaleco Ltd., The Miller Group Ltd, Thirode Grandes Cuisines Poligny, Tien Tai Electrode Co. Ltd., Tien Tai Electrode Kunshan Co. Ltd., Unichemicals Industria e Comercio Ltda., VR-Leasing Sarita GmbH & Co. Immobilien KG, VS European Holdco BV, Valeron Strength Films B.V., Veneta Decalcogomme S.r.l., Versachem Chile S.A., Vesta, Vesta Global Limited, Vesta Guangzhou Catering Equipment Co. Ltd, Viltronics Soltec, Vitronics Soltec B.V., Wachs Canada Ltd., Wachs Subsea LLC, Weigh-Tronix Canada ULC, Weigh-Tronix UK Limited, Wilsonart International Holdings LLC, Wynn Oil South Africa Pty Ltd., Wynn's Automotive France, Wynn's Belgium BVBA, Wynn's Italia Srl, Wynn's Mekuba India Pvt Ltd, and Zip-Pak International B.V..

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The Daily Mail newspaper in the UK agreed to damages and costs to pay the U.S. first lady Melania Trump over an article it published about her career in modeling.

The UK daily published allegations that the current first lady, at one time had worked as an escort. The article was later retracted. The newspaper published the story during the presidential election campaign in the United States last year.

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Melania Trump accepted the damages as well as an apology from the Daily Mail in Londons High Court. Trump filed a lawsuit this past February seeking $150 million in damages. The amount she accepted was not disclosed by the court.

However, sources have reported that the settlement reached was for an amount said to be less than $3 million, including damages and legal costs.

In the apology it gave to Trump, the British newspaper acknowledged it published allegations that Melania Trump has provided services that went beyond those of just modeling.

The apology continued by saying that the newspaper accepted that the allegations they published about the U.S. first lady were not true.

One of the attorneys representing Trump told the court in London that the allegations had struck at the heart of the plaintiffs personal dignity and integrity.

The lawsuit filed by the first lady initially had said that she had a once-in-a-lifetime, unique opportunity to start a commercial brand that was broad-based in a number of product categories, of which each could have received multi-million dollar relationships for a term of many years during a time she is one of the women most photographed in the entire world.

However, critics used that phrasing to question if Trump was planning to receive financial gains through her current position as first lady.

The second filing of the suit, which was re-filed a few weeks later, omitted the controversial phrase.

Trump was born in the small town of Sevnica about an hour from the Slovenia capital of Ljubljana. Her birth name is Melanija Knavs.

She signed her first modeling contract with an agency while still in her teens, and starting flying across Europe and to the United States appearing in ad campaigns featuring high-profile products.

In 1998, at the age of 28, she first met Donald Trump during New York Fashion week. The two married 7 years later.
- Kenya has become the third most visited tourist destination for rich individuals worldwide

- This was revealed in a recent report by Afrasia New World Wealth

- The new report notes that the country hosted 4,000 multi-millionaires in 2016 alone. Which countries claimed the first and second spot?

Kenya has been ranked by the Afrasia New World Wealth as the third most preferred tourist destination for rich people globally.

READ ALSO: Terror as volcanic mountain erupts, pelts tourists with BOILING rocks (photos, video)

The great Maasai Mara.

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The country has beaten the likes of Mautirius and Seychelles in terms of tourism and has become one of the most visited tourists destination by High Net-Worth Individuals (NHWI).

According to the new report, Kenya hosted some 4,000 multi-millionaires in 2016 alone. Morocco was on the second place with 5,000 such guests and South Africa topped in the continent with 15,000. Botwana shared the third spot with Kenya.

The report classifies multi-millionaires as those people whose net assets are at least KSh1 billion, which is about US$10 million.

Among the most preferred tourist spots in the country are Nairobi and Maasai Mara. This, according to the Afrasia New World Wealth report, is due to safari experiences they offer.

READ ALSO: Keep off! A 25-year-old village that is EXCLUSIVELY inhabited by women, no man allowed

Kenya now the most preferred tourist destination for wealthy people globally.

The report adds that Cottars 1920s Safari Camp in Maasai Mara topped the preferred safari lodge in the country and fifth in Africa.

Tanzanias Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, South Africas Savanna and Ngala Tented Camp, and Zambias Royal Livingstone are some of the other safari lodges that are also very popular in Africa.

READ ALSO: 27-year-old woman breaks world record for visiting every country in the world (photos)

Watch video of the wild Maasai Mara:

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
The IMF welcomes the results of the activity of the Government of Ukraine, as well as its priorities identified in the medium-term action plan, and is ready to support the efforts of the Cabinet of Ministers regarding their implementation.

Head of the IMF mission to Ukraine Ron van Rooden said this at the meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, the Government portal reports.

"The head of the IMF mission stressed that the completion of the third review of the IMF-Ukraine cooperation program, approved in March 2015, and the allocation of another tranche are the confirmation of the progress that Ukraine has achieved in the implementation of reforms," the statement reads.

Ron van Rooden highlighted Ukraines successes in the energy reform and the banking sector reform.

"We welcome the fact that the land and pension reforms are among your priorities. We are always ready to provide assistance, so we are negotiating with your colleagues in the government on how to promote these reforms. Ukraine has a good window of opportunity as Ukraine can implement the pension reform, land reform and privatization," Ron van Rooden said.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Groysman thanked for the cooperation and stressed that discussion of the key reforms was ongoing.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko held a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovakia Miroslav Lajcak, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary Peter Szijjarto and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Lubomir Zaoralek, the presidents press service reported on Tuesday evening.

In particular, President Poroshenko thanked three countries for supporting Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The parties discussed the course of implementation of the Minsk agreements and developments in Donbas. They underscored the importance of compliance with the regime of the EU sanctions against Russia until full implementation of the undertaken obligations within the Minsk process and restoration of Ukraines territorial integrity, reads a report posted on the presidents official website.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs also stated they support the European integration aspirations of Ukraine. The parties welcomed the approval of a resolution by the European Parliament on the abolition of a visa regime for Ukrainians travelling to the EU.

In addition, special attention during the meeting was paid to the expansion of interaction within NATO and regional cooperation with the Visegrad Group that will be presided by Hungary starting from July 1.

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The G7 foreign ministers have positively assessed the results of the institutional and administrative reforms in Ukraine, though noting that much remains to be done.

This is stated in the joint communique of the G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting.

"We maintain our commitment to assisting Ukraine in implementing its ambitious and yet necessary reform agenda. We commend Kyiv for the results so far attained in implementing institutional and administrative reforms but much remains to be done," the statement reads.

The G7 urged the Ukrainian government to target the most critical areas, in particular public administration and political reform, justice reform, decentralization, the fight against corruption and the promotion of civil freedom, particularly the freedom of expression.

"Efforts to tackle corruption should not be used against civil society, which is vital to Ukraines reform path," the statement says.

The G7 foreign ministers confirmed their intention to provide support and assistance to accomplish the required reforms in the fiscal, judicial financial, energy, health, welfare and custom sectors as well as in corporate governance of state-owned enterprises.

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The Government of Ukraine needs to take additional steps to tackle corruption.

Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek said this at the meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in Kyiv on Tuesday evening, an Ukrinform correspondent reported.

"We are happy with the successful introduction of the e-declaration system, but the additional steps are needed to confirm the government's genuine interest in tackling corruption," Zaoralek said.

The minister is confident that the progress in reforming the Ukrainian economy will be the best response to the reproaches of those critics who argue that Ukraine cannot exist as a modern state.

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04/06/2017

North American Windpower

By Lauren Tyler

On Friday, March 17, the Manthala George Jr. Elementary School in Brockton, Mass., held its own Clean Energy Activity Day, at which students not only were introduced to wind power and its technology, but also were able to build wind turbines of their own.

Thanks to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), this elementary school is the first institution of six across the state to hold the educational event.

As part of its broader mission to promote clean energy technologies, companies and projects in the state, MassCEC developed the Clean Energy Activity Day program to educate and engage students about various clean energy topics and industries, including wind power.

Having previously organized similar events for high school students, MassCEC saw the benefits of familiarizing younger students with clean energy technologies. As a result, this pilot program was designed for students in kindergarten through eighth grade and specifically aims to provide an interactive, hands-on experience that the students will consider as they continue their education.

According to Tamika Jacques, leader of the Clean Energy Activity Day program and MassCECs director of workforce development, the goal of the activity day is to expose students to clean energy concepts; science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) topics; and higher-education opportunities.

In order to organize the program, MassCEC put out a request for proposals (RFP) last September, offering either $8,000 or $10,000 grants to all public and private schools in the state that could design and deliver their own one-day specialized Clean Energy Activity Day for elementary and middle school students, either at the students current place of education or at a clean energy business or organization.

As part of the RFP, MassCEC required the schools to showcase clean energy equipment or models that can be directly touched and seen by students.

During the first week of January, MassCEC presented funding grants to six Massachusetts schools  in Brockton, Fitchburg, Milton, Auburn and two in Boston  to carry out their own version of Clean Energy Activity Day.

The awarded schools then began carrying out their plans to work with guest speakers from clean energy businesses who would present on their personal career, the types of classes needed to work in clean energy, and higher-education and career pathways that lead to the clean energy workforce. According to Jacques, this initiative was developed to make students aware of those kinds of opportunities, especially those in their geographic region, and to encourage interest in the clean energy sector for the next generation.

As designed, Manthala George Jr. Elementary planned its activity day for fourth- and fifth-grade students, with the objective of improving students understanding of clean energy sources and the benefits of using alternative energy sources, featuring individual work stations where students could experiment with wind turbines, solar ovens and magnetism, as well.

Held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on March 17, the event was sponsored by KidWind Umass Lowell, ECA Solar, Boston Museum of Science, and the Stonehill College Environmental Science Department, in addition to MassCEC.

According to Jacques, students at the George School used the Boston Museum of Sciences Catching the Wind: Designing Windmills  Engineering is Elementary kit to construct sample wind turbines, using milk cartons, wooden dowels, paper cups and Styrofoam balls. After the students experimented and discussed, they were able to take their projects home.

Jacques says, Students were engaged to think as a mechanical engineer to use their understanding of air and wind to design and create the wind-powered machines.

As one of the designated guest speakers for the George School event, UMass-Lowell professor of energy David Willis gave a presentation on wind power and its benefits, demonstrating specific processes that create clean energy, such as wind rotation, before wrapping up the event.

Willis presented on behalf of KidWind, a project initiative that helps both students and teachers learn about wind energy  notably through the KidWind Challenge, which is coming to the American Wind Energy Associations WINDPOWER 2017 Conference & Exhibition next month.

Jacques notes that KidWind will also be a part of the Mario Umana Academys Clean Energy Activity Day, as well, which is scheduled to take place on May 25.

The response to the Clean Energy Activity Day has been amazing, Jacques says. Students are excited to have a hands-on learning activity, and teachers are happy to provide the experience to their students.

Its important for students to know that the clean energy industry is a viable industry that can provide economic stability for themselves and their families, she continues. The industry in 2016 saw over 45,000 new jobs added  a 75 percent increase since 2010  and over 70 percent of those jobs have a starting salary of $50,000.
UNICEF/UN058880/Gilbertson

DAKAR/NEW YORK/GENEVA, 12 April 2017  The number of children used in suicide attacks in the Lake Chad conflict has surged to 27 in the first quarter of 2017, compared to nine over the same period last year, UNICEF said in a new report released today.



In the first three months of this year, the number of children used in bomb attacks is nearly the same as the whole of last year  this is the worst possible use of children in conflict, says Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEFs Regional Director for West and Central Africa.



The increase reflects an alarming tactic by the insurgents, according to the report Silent Shame: Bringing out the voices of children caught in the Lake Chad crisis. So far, 117 children have been used to carry out bomb attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014: four in 2014, 56 in 2015, 30 in 2016 and 27 only in the first three months of 2017. Girls have been used in the vast majority of these attacks.



As a consequence, girls, boys and even infants have been viewed with increasing fear at markets and checkpoints, where they are thought to carry explosives.



These children are victims, not perpetrators, says Poirier. Forcing or deceiving them into committing such horrific acts is reprehensible.



Released three years after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, the report provides troubling accounts by children who were held in captivity at the hands of Boko Haram, and shows how these children are met with deep suspicion when they return to their communities.



In interviews, many children who have been associated with Boko Haram report that they keep their experience secret because they fear the stigmatization and even violent reprisals from their community. Some are compelled to bear their horrors in silence as they remove themselves from other groups for fear they might be outed and stigmatized.



The report also highlights the challenges that local authorities face with children who have been intercepted at checkpoints and taken into administrative custody for questioning and screening, raising concerns about the prolonged periods of custody.



In 2016, almost 1,500 children were under administrative custody in the four countries. The release of more than 200 children by Nigerian authorities on the 10th of April is a positive step towards the protection of children affected by the ongoing crisis.



UNICEF calls on parties to the conflict to commit to the following actions to protect children in the region:

End grave violations against children by Boko Haram including the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as so-called suicide bombers.

including the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict as so-called suicide bombers. Move children from a military to civilian environment as quickly as possible. Children who have been taken into custody solely for their alleged or actual association to armed groups should be immediately handed-over to civilian authorities for reintegration and support. Handover protocols should be in place in each of the four countries for children encountered during military operations.

Children who have been taken into custody solely for their alleged or actual association to armed groups should be immediately handed-over to civilian authorities for reintegration and support. Handover protocols should be in place in each of the four countries for children encountered during military operations. Provide care and protection for separated and unaccompanied children. All children affected by the crisis need psychosocial support and safe spaces to recover.

In 2016, UNICEF reached over 312,000 children with psychosocial support in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, and reunited more than 800 children with their families.



UNICEF is working with communities and families to fight stigma against survivors of sexual violence and to build a protective environment for former abductees.



In a crisis that has displaced more than 1.3 million children, UNICEF also supports local authorities to provide safe water and life-saving health services; restore access to education by creating temporary learning spaces; and deliver therapeutic treatment to malnourished children.



The response to this crisis remains severely underfunded. Last year, UNICEFs US$154 million appeal for the Lake Chad Basin was only 40 per cent funded.

###

Report, photo and video assets available here: http://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFLJWE2A
In defending President Barack Obama's decision not to enforce his chemical weapons red line against Syria in 2013, Obama and other former officials repeatedly pointed to a U.S.-Russia agreement to remove Syrian stockpiles as proof that the president got results without resorting to a military response.



While it's true that some 1,300 tons of Syria's declared chemical weapons and precursors were removed under the agreement, serious concerns always existed that not all such armaments or production facilities were declared and destroyed or otherwise made unusable.



Those concerns, aired publicly and privately by United Nations and other officials almost since the deal was struck in September 2013 in Geneva, gained credence last week when President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base in retaliation for the most recent chemical weapons attack blamed on the Syrian government.



Obama administration officials, starting with the president himself, often used nuanced words in declaring the 2013 deal a success. At times, they qualified their proclamations by referring only to the removal of Syria's declared or known stocks. Other times they have been less careful, as was Obama in a 60 Minutes interview just five days before he left office earlier this year.



Obama: I think it was important for me as president of the United States to send a message that in fact there is something different about chemical weapons, he told the CBS program when asked about criticism of his decision not to follow through with airstrikes he had threatened. Regardless of how that played in Washington, what is true is Assad got rid of his chemical weapons.



The Facts: Obama's comments glossed over doubts expressed by his own national security team and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that Syria had truly abandoned its stocks or ability to produce more. When that group announced in June 2014 that the program to eliminate the stockpiles had been completed, Secretary of State John Kerry lauded the result using a subtle caveat: With this step, 100 percent of the declared chemicals are out of war-torn Syria.



Kerry also noted the continued attacks with chlorine gas, which is not an internationally banned substance but isn't supposed to be used in weapons. Chlorine was not included in the 2013 agreement. He added that the international community has questions with regard to Syria's declaration that must be adequately answered.



Those questions were never addressed and Kerry's caution was well founded. Less than three months later, Kerry issued another statement in response to chlorine attacks that pointed again to deep concerns regarding the accuracy and completeness of Syria's declaration. This, he said, raises especially troubling concerns that continued chemical attacks on the Syrian people by the regime could occur.



And in February 2016, James R. Clapper Jr., the national intelligence director, told Congress that we assess that Syria has not declared all the elements of its chemical weapons program.



In an April 2016 report to Congress, the State Department went further, saying Syria was in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and may retain chemical weapons as defined by the treaty.



Even so, in a January 16 National Public Radio interview, Obama's former national security adviser, Susan Rice, portrayed the 2013 agreement as a success. She said the Obama administration had found a solution that actually removed the chemical weapons that were known from Syria, in a way that the use of force would never have accomplished.



Between June 2014, when the destruction and removal program was completed and January 30 of this year, the U.N. Human Rights Council's commission on Syria documented at least 13 instances of chemical weapons attacks in Syria, all believed to have used chlorine. Western experts say sarin, a nerve agent, was used in the attack last week that killed more than 80 people.
Nigerian security officials say they have thwarted a plan by terror group Boko Haram to attack the British and U.S. embassies in the capital.

Nigeria's Department of State Services says it arrested five Boko Haram members who plotted the attack late last month.

"The group had perfected plans to attack the UK and American Embassies and other Western interests in Abuja," authorities said in an emailed statement.

The DSS said a 20-year-old Boko Haram member arrested in the northeastern state of Yobe on March 22 confessed details of the planned attack. Five other suspected Islamist militants were arrested March 25 and 26 in Benue state.

Following the announcement, the British government expressed its gratitude for the support of Nigerian security officials.

"We are in regular contact with the Nigerian security authorities concerning potential threats to UK interests in Nigeria," according to a statement released Wednesday.

The U.S. embassy declined to comment on the situation. The State Department issued an updated travel warning to Nigeria April 5, warning that Boko Haram militants had targeted government installations and other venues in the past.

Boko Haram has killed at least 18,000 people since its insurgency began in 2009. It is not known how many Nigerian soldiers and civilians who fought alongside them have lost their lives.
Brazil's President Michel Temer urged lawmakers to carry on with business as usual on Wednesday, a day after a Supreme Court justice ordered corruption probes into nearly 100 politicians, including leading lawmakers and a third of his cabinet.

Temer avoided commenting directly on the unprecedented wave of investigations triggered by plea bargain testimony from executives at engineering group Odebrecht, but he made clear the government was committed to passing its ambitious reform agenda.

"We can never paralyze the government," Temer said at an event in the capital Brasilia. "If we aren't careful, it will seem Brazil's institutions don't work, which is not the case."

The investigation of eight government ministers, the heads of both chambers of Congress and dozens of senior lawmakers is the greatest challenge to date for Temer, an unpopular president struggling to stabilize Brazil's debt and end a deep recession.

Yet analysts at political consultancy Eurasia Group said on Wednesday that the probes were likely to delay rather than derail Temer's pension reform, a cornerstone of the program he is pushing through Congress to shore up government accounts.

Brazil's benchmark Bovespa stock index slipped just 0.5 percent in Wednesday trading, while the local currency was little changed against the U.S. dollar after the Supreme Court released the long-awaited list of new cases.

After more than three years of mounting corruption probes into political kickbacks for contracts at state-run companies, police and prosecutors have jailed dozens of business leaders and convinced many to provide evidence against elected allies.

The probes threaten several of Temer's closest confidants, including chief of staff Eliseu Padilha, who has played a key role in pushing unpopular austerity measures through Congress.

The president has said he will suspend any ministers charged with corruption, but it may take months before prosecutors bring charges, given the stack of new cases landing on their desks.

Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture also are under investigation, as well as former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. All of those under investigation have denied wrongdoing.

With the biggest names in Brazilian politics under the cloud of the widening corruption scandal, major parties may be left with few untarnished names for the 2018 presidential election, raising the odds of a successful run by an outsider candidate.
The arrest of an ex-governor of the Mexican border state of Tamaulipas caps a five-year, seemingly desultory search for the ruling-party politician accused of organized crime and money laundering.

It may have been one of the least serious searches in history. Analysts say the government was loath to arrest one of its own, a man who both reflected badly on the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, and who may have held sensitive information on other corrupt officials.

U.S. prosecutors have publicly alleged since 2012 that Tomas Yarrington accepted millions of dollars in drug cartel bribes and invested it in Texas real estate. But Mexico didn't offer a reward for his capture until last November.

The current Tamaulipas governor, Francisco Garcia Cabeza de Vaca, said that Yarrington  who left office in 2005, and has faced charges since 2012  still had a government-provided bodyguard assigned to him until late last year. The farcical nature of a policeman assigned to guard him while he was on the lam ended only because Garcia Cabeza de Vaca won the 2016 elections and belongs to the opposition National Action Party, or PAN, the party said in a statement Monday.

Detained in Italy



Yarrington's long-cold trail finally led to Italy, where he was detained Sunday in Florence. Alberto Elias Beltran, the chief Mexican prosecutor in charge of extraditions, said Yarrington was found carrying false documents suggesting he was living under a fake name. Elias Beltran said both Mexican and U.S. prosecutors had provided intelligence information that lead to the arrest and that both Mexico and the U.S. have requested Yarrington be extradited. Italy will decide which country he is sent to.

In a statement, the PRI praised the arrest, but acknowledged it had taken the party four years to expel him after the allegations first surfaced.

Yarrington is the first of a triumvirate of PRI fugitive governors accused of corruption to be arrested.

The other two are Cesar Duarte and Javier Duarte  no relation  the ex-governors of Chihuahua and Veracruz states, respectively. Both supposedly have international detention notices, but despite being very well-known and recognizable figures, no trace of them has been seen since they left office last year.

Phone trace key to arrest

But few well-known politicians have been on the lam as long as Yarrington, who allegedly took bribes from the Gulf and Zetas cartels to allow them to operate in his state. In the ensuing years, the gangs essentially took over Tamaulipas, killing thousands of people, instituting a reign of terror of widespread kidnapping and extortion. The state was left littered with mass graves and burned-out homes.

Raul Benitez, a security expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said the key to catching Yarrington came when authorities traced phone calls he made to his family in Mexico.

But Benitez also thinks politics came into play, and perhaps Yarrington's disastrous dealings with drug gangs.

The government had protected a lot of PRI governors, and now has to go after some of the corrupt ones, Benitez said. The mixture of corruption and drug trafficking is explosive, and it was very hard for the government to stand by.

Two governors still on run

The chief prosecutor of another PRI-governed state, Nayarit was arrested in the United States on drug charges last month.

But it doesn't necessarily mean that the other two fugitive governors will be caught soon. Both are accused of embezzlement and other crimes.

Edgardo Buscaglia, an international organized crime expert and consultant, noted that governors of Mexico's 31 states have traditionally enjoyed a sort of de-facto immunity because they are major sources of illegal financing for their party's campaigns.

They traditionally take money from state coffers, bribes from legitimate businesses and cash from drug gangs, and use it to ensure the election of a successor who won't investigate them. With few checks and balances in place, the governors face little accountability.

The governors are the main architects of this mafia-style financing for electoral campaigns said Buscaglia. When they become public embarrassments, like Duarte and Yarrington, the prosecutors will act under international pressure, but they have a lot of information that could bring down half of the ruling class.

He suggested that their long periods on the lam allow the ex-governors to negotiate exactly how much prison time they will face and how much of their illegal fortunes will be seized.

They are negotiating their apprehension, their fortunes. That is why, miraculously, the ex-governors can't be found.
North Korea's parliament convened Tuesday, with the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, taking the center seat.

The parliament meeting came amid heightened tensions on the peninsula, with the United States and South Korea conducting their biggest-ever military exercises and the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier heading to the area in a show of American strength. North Korea, for its part, has recently test-launched a long-range ballistic missile, and experts say it could be preparing for its sixth nuclear test.

The Supreme People's Assembly, nominally the highest organ of government, usually meets once or twice a year. It consists of approximately 600 deputies from around the country who usually confirm new domestic policies, changes to the constitution, budget decisions, laws and official appointments.

Economic, organizational matters

Initial reports from state media said the meeting went through various domestic issues, with North Korean Premier Pak Pong Ju speaking about the latest five-year economic plan, which was announced last year. Another closely watched category on the official agenda was organizational issues, which can mean new appointments of officials to senior positions.

According to the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency, Pak told deputies that the country had "overfulfilled" its goals on virtually all fronts of the economy and marked successes in everything from increased coal production to the development of a "new type of tractor, truck and various high-performance farm implements."

Pak said that the Cabinet this year was prioritizing improving the people's standard of living and noted, among other things, the need to solve the "acute shortage of electricity."

Foreign media are not allowed to attend the meetings.

Like other attendees, Kim was shown on the North Korean news late Tuesday, holding up his assembly membership card to vote on state business.

Anniversary celebrations

This year's meeting kicks off what are expected to be major celebrations, including a large-scale military parade and fireworks, to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's first leader and "eternal president," and Kim Jong Un's late grandfather.

Though the details of the April 15 anniversary, known as the "Day of the Sun," have not been officially confirmed, Pyongyang residents have been out every day, diligently practicing in the city's squares and parks for their roles in the mass event.

Pyongyang is always extremely sensitive to the annual U.S.-South Korea war games, which it sees as an invasion rehearsal, and has significantly turned up the volume of its rhetoric that war could be on the horizon if it sees any signs of aggression from south of the Demilitarized Zone.

In the capital, however, there has been little sense of urgency, other than that required to get ready for the big events later this week.

Though the North Korean parliament is often dismissed as a rubber stamp group because it tends to approve, rather than formulate, policies and laws, its role is a bit more complex than the facade and the spectacle presented to the nation by state-run media.

Cross section of public

For one thing, the regularity of its meetings is, in itself, a sign of stability.

"The SPA gatherings completely undercut any analysis or prognostications that the country is going to collapse. If they failed to convene an SPA session, that would be an indication that there is a fundamental problem among DPRK elites," said Michael Madden, editor of the North Korea Leadership Watch website. North Korea's formal name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

"If there was an existential problem with the [ruling] Workers' Party of Korea and the political culture, then they wouldn't be convening so many people at one time in Pyongyang," Madden said.

He said the parliament's members are a cross-section of the country's population, and not necessarily a collection of the elites, adding that assembly deputies get an administrative assistant, or "technical secretary," and receive a stipend for their work.

They are generally brought into the capital for a week of tours and visits to politically important sites that pay homage to the Kim family.

Back home, Madden added, being an assembly member also has its own perks and "bragging rights."
President Trump, who made opposition to free trade with China and other countries a centerpiece of his campaign and has continued with tough talk since entering office, is struggling to enact policies that match his trade rhetoric.

Within days, Trump will decide whether to follow through on his campaign pledge to declare China a currency manipulator, a designation that could lead to new U.S. tariffs if China does not change its practices.

And while Trump has called the Chinese the grand champions of currency manipulation as recently as February, three people familiar with a Treasury Department review said it does not appear likely that the department will officially designate China in its semiannual foreign currency report due Saturday. The three individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because discussions are still underway, stressed that no final decision has been made.

Trump had promised to label China a currency manipulator on his first day in office, but his administration has moved slowly to follow through on many of his trade-related threats. On Tuesday morning, Trump suggested he would now tie trade discussions with China to whether it works harder to contain North Korea  appearing to add a national security element to a negotiation that had previously been based only on economics.

In a tweet, he said he told Chinese President Xi Jinping in a meeting at the Mar-a-Lago estate last week that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!

Ahead of that meeting, Trump had warned of a very difficult discussion in which we can no longer have massive trade deficits and job losses. Yet the meeting ended with the White House announcing a 100-day plan to review the U.S. trade relationship with China. Senior administration officials stressed that the White House is working toward building a more constructive relationship with Beijing, not creating a more adversarial one.

Last week, President Trump, Secretary [Steven] Mnuchin and members of the economic team held substantive talks with President Xi and his team, a Treasury Department spokesman said. While the Treasury is in the process of assessing Chinas currency practices along with other major trading partners, the Trump administration will continue to have a productive dialogue with China on a wide range of issues.

The less confrontational approach drew harsh criticism from Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), who had urged a more aggressive stance in a call with Trump during the Xi summit.

The 100-day plan seems typical of what they do: a lot of talk, no action, he said in an interview.

Beyond China, the White House also missed an internal mid-March deadline to begin renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement with Mexico and Canada. A draft letter that would begin the process has not been formally signed. In a meeting with company executives on Tuesday morning, Trump promised more progress on the talks. Were going to have some very pleasant surprises for you on NAFTA, he said.

The White House also announced a mix of other relatively minor or technical measures to strengthen U.S. trade protections, but experts say those wont do much to benefit U.S. industry unless they are followed by far more substantial action.

Im someone who is still optimistic that the administration is going to act on trade reform, said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing, which represents the United Steelworkers as well as leading American manufacturers. But if it turns out to be the case that were in July, the executive orders are simply reports that are piling up and there hasnt been significant action, I think that will be a real challenge for the administration.

As with many other issues, there are differing camps within the White House over how to approach trade. Peter Navarro, director of the White House National Trade Council, has urged a much more confrontational approach with China, and Trumps nominee to be U.S. trade representative, Robert E. Lighthizer, has also been critical of the countrys trade and currency practices in the past. But other senior officials have urged more patience in working with China and Mexico, and Trumps tweet Tuesday morning reflects  for the first time  an acknowledgment that trade discussions can become subsumed into broader diplomatic negotiations.

I think what they have come to realize is that actual trade policy is a lot more complicated than the rhetoric you can utilize while campaigning, said Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics.

The United States is the largest economy in the world, and U.S. companies export goods and services across the globe. American consumers also buy products and services imported from around the world, and these trade relationships can be both beneficial and contentious. Trump has long argued that other countries take advantage of the United States free-trade position and use subsidies, low tax rates and other practices to gain an advantage, undercutting U.S. firms on pricing and hurting American workers.

A key allegation in his argument is that China has manipulated its currency to gain an unfair advantage over U.S. manufacturers. If Chinas currency is distorted in a way that makes it cheaper than it should be, this would make its exports more attractive. But analysts believe China moved away from this practice several years ago. Instead, they believe China is now essentially inflating the value of its currency by selling its vast reserves of U.S. dollars and buying its own currency.

By the measures the Treasury Department has traditionally used to gauge whether a country manipulates its currency, China does not appear to meet the threshold. In an October 2016 report, the Treasury Department said China fulfilled only one of the three main criteria  maintaining a large bilateral trade surplus with the United States by exporting more than it imports. Japan, Korea and Germany each met two of the requirements, the Obama administrations Treasury Department said at the time.

This dynamic makes it much more difficult for Treasury officials to prove Trumps long-held allegation that China is a currency manipulator, and Schumer  a longtime critic of Chinas currency practices  said in the interview that they are not manipulating their currency now. The United States last labeled China a currency manipulator in 1994.

In the campaign, Trump promised to crack down on immigration and trade, but he has taken a much different approach to both issues during his first months in office.

On immigration, he signed an executive order that put in place a temporary ban on travel for people from certain majority-Muslim countries. The ban was challenged and overturned in federal court. Trump has also sought several billion dollars to begin the creation of a wall along the Mexican border.

On Jan. 23, Trump signed an executive action officially withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade deal that President Barack Obama negotiated but that had languished with little congressional support.

On March 31, Trump signed two executive orders that direct reviews of trade practices but could eventually lead to action or inaction, depending on how they are executed. For example, they direct the attorney general to create prosecution practices for trade offenses, and call for a detailed report on trade practices.

White House officials defended Trumps steps on trade enforcement so far.

Despite Trumps promise to challenge Xi on trade during the Mar-a-Lago meeting, White House officials said the gathering was intended to serve as the beginning of negotiations and allow the leaders to get to know each other. The officials are considering more executive orders that could prod China on its trade practices, such as one that would launch an investigation into the use of subsidies to unfairly distort trade.

And they are hopeful that the White Houses trade strategy could begin firming up at the end of this month, as lawmakers look to confirm Lighthizer as trade representative.

White House officials said there are a number of things the administration could do to challenge China on its trade practices, regardless of whether it formally identifies Beijing as a currency manipulator. The administration could try to impose new trade enforcement cases against China for flooding global markets with cheap steel and aluminum, for example. And it could also seek to use a 2016 law allowing it to block U.S.-backed financing for projects in China if it finds Beijing has not done enough to change trade practices.

Meaningful steps toward fulfilling the presidents promise have already been taken, and there are more to come, a White House spokeswoman said.
David Jones? To Stravinsky he was a writer of genius, and Kenneth Clark once called him the best modern painter. According to military historian Michael Howard, Joness In Parenthesis, might be the most remarkable work of literature to emerge from either world war. As for Joness other masterpiece, The Anathemata, W.H. Auden claimed it was very probably the finest long poem written in English in this century. I wont even mention similar encomia from Graham Greene, Dylan Thomas, Henry Moore, Seamus Heaney and others.

So, if David Jones is this good, shouldnt he be, like, famous?

"David Jones: Engraver, Soldier, Painter, Poet," by Thomas Dilworth (Thomas Dilworth)

Well, he is, actually, except to those who confuse temporary celebrity with lasting artistic achievement. Still, Joness overall reputation may be slightly blurred because  like Beatrix Potter or Mervyn Peake  he was equally accomplished as both a writer and a visual artist. Moreover, his work can be demanding, even off-puttingly recondite. A Catholic convert, he imbues his pictorial and verbal art with religious imagery, Arthurian myth and intricately layered, deeply felt symbolism. Fortunately, Thomas Dilworths new biography, David Jones: Engraver, Soldier, Painter, Poet, provides an excellent introduction to this multitalented creators life and imagination.

[Can a chic Parisian intellectual also be a Christian?]

Born in 1895, half British-Celt, three-eighths English, and one-eighth Italian, he grew up in an ardently evangelical family. From childhood Jones was drawing so well that quite late in life he would hang over his mantel a large sketch of a bear, produced when he was 7, and impishly declare, Its much the best drawing Ive ever done.

In 1911 the young Jones began art school, studying drawing with A.S. Hartrick, who had been a close friend of van Gogh. Whatever his actual medium, Jones would always regard himself as primarily a draftsman, for whom, in his own words, line is everything.As a teacher, Hartrick urged students to push boundaries, often repeating Gaugins draconian remark that in art there are only revolutionaries and plagiarists.

During his art-school years Jones was also reading avidly, most notably Malorys Le Morte dArthur, Welsh history and that great repository of romantic legend, The Mabinogion. When war broke out in 1914, he naturally enlisted in the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Their tin helmets, he decided, resembled those of medieval infantry and his 18-inch bayonet looked like a sword.

As a combat soldier, writes Dilworth, Jones would be canny, efficient, adept at survival. He had to be just to live through the Battle of the Somme, in which one-third of his battalion died in the initial attack. By 1918, when he nearly succumbed to typhuslike trench fever, he had seen more active duty in the war than any other British writer, spending a total of 117 weeks at the front. He suffered from the wars aftereffects all his life, once confessing that I still think about it more than anything else.

In France, however, Jones had once stumbled upon a small Catholic service being celebrated near the front lines. What he later called the time-abolishing presence of Jesus in the Eucharist deeply affected his mythic imagination, so much so that he came to regard the Mass not only as a sacred rite but also as the supreme work of art. After the armistice, he turned for instruction to John J. OConnor, the prototype of G.K. Chestertons fictional detective, Father Brown, and converted to Catholicism.

About this time Jones also took up wood engraving, then joined two successive Catholic artists communities, both overseen by the master stonecutter and type designer Eric Gill. At the first of these, he studied Jacques Maritains Art and Scholasticism, learned that he was an inept carpenter and fell in love with Gills daughter Petra. During the 1920s, Jones was regularly commissioned to produce book illustrations, most notably for Swifts Gullivers Travels, the medieval Chester Play of the Deluge, the Book of Jonah and Coleridges Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Only gradually did he emerge as an equally accomplished painter.

[Michael Dirda picks books about books]

After Petra married someone else, Jones returned to London, where he survived for the rest of his life in the most humble rooming houses, subsisting on small stipends from friends and admirers. He was fond of whiskey, often sick with flu, sloppy in his living habits, sexually inhibited and prey to multiple phobias, serious depression and nervous breakdowns. Nothing came easily for him, though his paintings  landscapes, mythological scenes and portraits  often exhibit, amid their multilayered busyness, an almost ethereal delicacy.

He was also writing. In Parenthesis, his epic prose poem about World War I, appeared in 1937 and later won the Hawthornden Prize. Its models, says Dilworth, included Malory, the Mass, Wuthering Heights and Moby-Dick, while its linguistic richness derived from the Anna Livia Plurabelle section of James Joyces Finnegans Wake, Cockney slang and the compacted poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins. Do give In Parenthesis a try, especially during this season when we recall the United States entry into the Great War.

The Anathemata  the title can be translated as things set aside or consecrated for a deity  is a more forbidding work. This Mount Everest of fragments and broken lines takes as its subject nothing less than Western culture, sets up parallels between Roman and British incursions into the Middle East, and successfully rivals Ezra Pounds Cantos in its demands on the reader. Ive done nothing but sample bits and pieces and wish I were smarter.

In 1974, three days short of his 79th birthday, this least known of the great modernists died of degenerative heart failure. While his life was hard and never entirely free of post-traumatic stress disorder, David Jones now has  thanks to Thomas Dilworth  a biography worthy of his originality and genius.

Michael Dirda reviews books on Thursdays in Style.

On Wednesday, April 12, at 6:30 pm, Thomas Dilworth will be at the East City Bookshop, 645 Pennsylvania Avenue SE.
A periodic look at my communication with readers.



((Kim Salt for the Washington Post))

After a participant in my online dining chat complained about a rushed celebratory dinner in a Washington hot spot, fellow chatters asked how much time restaurants budget for customers.

As a general rule, say industry insiders, two people occupy a table for about 90 minutes, three to four diners stay about 2 hours and 15 minutes, and five or more guests spend 2 to 3 hours.

The more formal a place, says William Washington, director of BLT Prime in the Trump International Hotel, the longer customers typically stay. On any given night, he figures, 10 percent of diners want the express treatment  and the same percentage prefer to linger.

Restaurants have their own rhythms, though. At Blue Duck Tavern in the West End, general manager Joseph Cerione makes sure to budget more time for the weekday destination diners than for Friday and Saturday clientele, many with shows or other activities on their evening schedules.

Delayed customers affect the flow of the night  and the restaurants bottom line, since one way to appease diners who have to wait for a table is to send them to the bar for drinks on the house. As Washington says, Every chair has a dollar sign attached to it at the end of the day.

A relatively recent technology has helped restaurateurs everywhere move diners in and out of tables more efficiently, says Saied Azali, owner of Mintwood Place and Perrys in Adams Morgan. Partly because it solves parking problems, Uber is good for business.

Hard to read

A pet peeve of District resident Elizabeth Blakeslee: restaurants that hand out a single drinks list per table. I find this puzzling, she writes. If restaurants make a healthy profit on cocktails, why wouldnt they use the opportunity to entice all the diners with a cocktail menu?

Having recently dined at Red Hen in Bloomingdale and Ripple in Cleveland Park, where each establishment presented four of us with a single drinks list, I put the question to principals at both establishments. As it turns out, even the co-owner of Red Hen, Sebastian Zutant, was curious as to why his and other establishments are holding back. I dont know! There are no paper gods calling me at night, he cracked. Everybody has a drink, right? Its a mystery. One possible explanation for a single cocktail menu, he says, is the industry practice of dropping one wine list per table.

As for Ripple, general manager Jose Maria Aguirre says the restaurant doesnt want to overwhelm diners with paper when they sit down. We want you to be relaxed, he says.

News to toast for Blakeslee and fellow cocktail fans: Both restaurants plan to remedy the situation. Red Hen will start giving diners their own drinks list, and Ripple is considering adding cocktail and beer selections to the food menu.

Words to dine by

Frequent solo diner and cocktail enthusiast Jay Shampur, a reader from Toronto, shared a few tips for getting top-shelf restaurant service: Sit at the bar, ask the bartender his or her name, request a drink that the bartender likes (while noting your preferences) and tip 20 percent. If Shampur likes what hes eaten, he might ask to thank the chef in person and offer a glass of an interesting wine he has ordered.

Youd be amazed at how good the service is the next time I return, the reader wrote in an email. Being gracious goes a very long way in having a good meal and a happy experience. It makes the staff want to try that much harder.

He knows from experience. A former computer support technician, Shampur says he and his team went beyond the call of duty for polite users. And the others? Rude ones got shifted to the bottom of the pile.

Tipping points

((Kim Salt for The Washington Post))

I know in some service industries, you do not have to tip the proprietor if he/she performs the service, writes Joan Donato of Jacksonville, Fla. She wonders if the same is true in restaurants, where an owner might wait on a table.

Restaurateurs Ive talked to say they dont expect gratuities when theyre doing the ordering, delivering or schmoozing  but that doesnt mean you shouldnt leave monetary thanks on the table. Patrons should tip as they normally would; gratuities get passed along to the service team.

While he has been offered tips many times, Ashok Bajaj, the highly visible owner of such destination restaurants as Rasika in Penn Quarter and the Oval Room near the White House, says he always declines money. Not only are bosses salaried, says Bajaj, he sees customers as guests in my home.

The hosts response to anyone who wants to reward him: Take care of the staff.

See something, say something

Got an issue with a restaurant? Please say something while youre there, a self-described member of the food industry pleaded (in caps) during a recent chat  a topic Ive sounded off on almost as often as noise levels in restaurants.

Dont be afraid, the unnamed reader wants diners to know. If you dont tell the staff, they wont know, and we all think everything is fine. Just like the city doesnt know to fix the pothole or streetlight thats out unless you report it, waiters, chefs and managers cant fix issues they dont know about.

The poster went on to say that staying silent is a disservice to yourself and the establishment youre at  you want to enjoy yourself, we want you to enjoy yourself. Nobody wins when you stay silent and only share anonymously in a public forum.

A matter of security

Another week, another reader wondering why restaurants require deposits for a reservation.

While I understand needing to give a credit card if youre a no-show, what is the rationale for charging you to book the table? asked a follower of my online food forum who was eager to try the exclusive Metier in Washington but was turned off by the $150 per person deposit to book the table. I would rather be charged for not showing than have to be issued a refund if I need to cancel.

I forwarded the question to Celia Laurent, the managing partner of the tasting menu restaurant she owns with her husband, James Beard award winner Eric Ziebold.

In the couples luxe nine-table restaurant in Shaw, Laurent replied via email, it really comes down to security. Guests who fail to honor reservations are a problem that havent gotten any better, unfortunately. Metier has a 48-hour cancellation policy; guests who cancel before then get a full refund of their deposit. Laurent says the restaurant, which features costly ingredients including abalone and foie gras, hasnt kept a deposit since it opened last spring; in two cases, both emergencies, the deposits were applied to a future visit. Still, she said, With credit card companies, it puts us in a much better position should someone not show up and choose to contest the charges.

Next week: A review of Voltaggio Brothers Steak House at the MGM National Harbor.

For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine.

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The hanger steak, pictured with sides of broccoli with charred lemon and cheddar biscuits, packs more flavor than some of the more expensive cuts at Voltaggio Brothers Steak House. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

The only question I have after dining at Voltaggio Brothers Steak House at MGM National Harbor is this: What took the guys so long to do business together? Not only is the restaurant more imaginative than it sounds, it tastes like the culmination of everywhere the siblings have previously cooked.

Before they became famous on Top Chef, the sons of Maryland had grilled plenty of meat, Bryan Voltaggio at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington and Michael Voltaggio at the Grill in the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla. Each went on to greater glory at other establishments, with Bryan, 40, on the East Coast (think Volt in Frederick, Md.) and Michael, 38, on the West Coast (with Ink in Los Angeles).

[Where to eat at MGM National Harbor]

The Voltaggios have an honorary bro in the person of executive chef Cole Dickinson, 33, the day-to-day kitchen presence and a longtime associate of Michaels. Every single dish, says Michael, was the result of a three-brain trust. Take the wedge salad. It was Michaels idea to dust the dish with Gorgonzola snow and Coles notion to add tomato jam, for tang. Bryan weighed in with a ranch dressing spiked with Old Bay seasoning.



Oysters Rockefeller are topped with aerated bechamel made a brilliant green with spinach. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

The setting, on the other hand, is a multiroom extravaganza based (a wee bit) on the brothers childhood and meant to evoke a sense of home. From the hall of the casino, you get glimpses of the intent: a bar that looks like the library of a millennial with money to burn, and a dining room in calming shades of blue and a band of mirrors that affords everyone a view. Only when you pass the host stand and go deeper into the steakhouse do you grasp the sweep of the restaurant, which also embraces the Family Room, an area done up in rust-orange and wood paneling. Were 70s children, explains Bryan. Surprise, surprise, the kitchen is on display in a dining room, decorated with white ceramics, and billed as the Kitchen. (As at the neighboring Fish by Jose Andres, the cooks are treated to a view of the outdoors. Dickinson says he can see an eagles nest from his spot on the line.)

The menu provides a safe zone for steakhouse purists even as it seduces the food crowd. Caesar salad is an option, for instance, but the spears of romaine are stacked, like cross beams, and garnished with anchovy-spiked fritters instead of traditional croutons. Youll find oysters Rockefeller, too, although nowhere else have I seen brighter, bolder spinach than the aerated cover for barely warmed bivalves here. Shrimp cocktail is updated with banana ketchup for dipping, an improvement over regular cocktail sauce in that starchy green bananas make for a condiment that doesnt slip off the seafood. A little pasta before your main course? Voltaggio Brothers obliges, with al dente spaghetti treated to pecorino, cracked black pepper and an egg. Simple, meet sublime. There are sweet scallops, too, displayed on a base of rice grits enriched with sea urchin and set off with sea beans.

[This is what L.A. restaurants do better than any other citys]



Executive chef Cole Dickinson, center, previously worked with Michael Voltaggio in California. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

The dish that has Los Angeles written all over it is called umami cereal, and before you jump to the next paragraph, let me sing the praises of the accompaniment. Theres quiet magic in the steel-cut oats, flavored with mushroom dashi, and rousing crunch thanks to chicken-fried hen-of-the-wood mushrooms (catch that?) on top.

My only reservation about ordering as an appetizer pork shoulder with lettuce cups or a variation on poutine, Canadas famous beer sponge (sweetened here with blue crab), is a diminished appetite for one of the signature entrees.

Somehow, though, I managed to make short work of a $32 hanger steak. The amount of meat is sane (10 ounces), and its beefy richness and agreeably grainy texture explain why the cut is known as butchers steak. (Instead of selling it, butchers of yore sometimes saved the inexpensive prize for themselves.) Eight ounces of (American Wagyu) flat-iron steak offers similar value and good eating.

[The areas best seafood is now at MGM National Harbor]

A diner can explore bigger and costlier steaks here, but bite for bite, the lesser cuts pack in the most flavor. Voltaggios dry-aged New York strip is 14 ounces of dense, only slightly tangy beef for nearly $70. No matter your choice, its finished with wavy white chips produced from cooked, chilled, sliced, dehydrated and fried beef tendon: nice punctuation on the plate.



Scallop with sea urchin rice grits, fried rice and sea beans. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

The blue room features a view. Chef Cole Dickinson says he can see an eagles nest from the kitchen. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

Dont do beef? Buy into branzino, proof that the wood oven is the equal of the grill and that when you buy good ingredients, capers, lemon and brown butter are sometimes all they need to shine.

Sides can make or break a steakhouse. Voltaggio Brothers offers nearly a dozen ways to dress up dinner. In addition to the aforementioned oatmeal  Im telling you, tasting is believing  a shortlist of crowd pleasers would include broccolini striped with garlic aioli and punched up with charred lemon; macaroni and cheese featuring pasta made in-house and two cheeses; and cheddar cheese biscuits served with apple butter (a superior starch than the listless Parker House rolls).



The lemon tart features aerated lemon curd and whipped maple syrup. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post)

Youre near a casino. Dont expect to catch everything a waiter says. When a server inquired about our water preferences one evening, I was amused to hear him offer what I understood to be PG, as in Prince Georges County, home to the casino. PG? I repeated from across a long table. Fiji, he set me straight. On the other hand, I overheard every Cher joke imaginable the night I dropped by the bar of the steakhouse, when her highness was performing in the casinos theater. Want to CHER my poutine? one reveler loudly asked another. Wink. Wink. I was tempted to free some fries, finished with shellfish gravy, from the strangers plate. The joke may have been fun and cheesy, but so are those fries.

Desserts round up the usual suspects and play up presentation. Theres a lemon tart, in other words, encircled with brilliant bachelor buttons and served with tufts of whipped maple syrup. A white plate serves as a canvas for torn chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, chocolate mousse and chocolate ice cream, everything aligned in a row and easy to like. What most calls to me after dinner is another drink, though, most likely an Aviation floating lavender sorbet.

Bryan says he and Michael never worked together before because they wanted to focus on their individual brands. Also, until MGM approached them, the right project and location never materialized.

Former rivals on TV, the Voltaggio brothers have joined forces to create a distinctive meat market and one of the surest bets at MGM  a fraternal union of good tastes.

For stories, features such as Date Lab, Gene Weingarten and more, visit WP Magazine.

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People walk back to their homes after receiving food distributed by World Vision, an aid organization, in the Northern Bahr el Ghazal region of South Sudan. A famine in the country is expected to worsen as summer approaches. (AP)

Two months after the worlds youngest nation declared a famine, hunger has become more widespread than expected, aid workers say.

A northern region in South Sudan, which became independent from Sudan in 2011 and has been tangled in civil war for more than three years, is on the brink of starvation. Without sustained food assistance, about 290,000 people are at risk of dying.

In February, the United Nations and South Sudan formally declared a famine in two of the African countrys northern counties. Now five counties in the area known as Northern Bahr el Ghazal face the same fate.

Severe hunger in the region has been fueled by its remote location, harsh climate conditions and rising food prices caused by the civil war.

Weve only eaten leaves for three days, said Abuk Garang, a young mother in the city of Aweil. She and her 7-month-old son were later given a bag of sorghum, a grain, from aid workers in a nearby town.


A woman lights a candle during a remembrance ceremony at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington in January. Its amazing how relevant my work feels lately, a museum historian said this week. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

The line outside the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum stretched halfway down the block Wednesday, raindrops freckling the sidewalk, as Barbara Conroy and her teenage granddaughter, Molly Giguiere, inched toward the doors. They were in town for only a few days, but at this particular moment, it topped the list of sites they had to see.

If you think about the context now, in our modern time, it is especially important, said Giguiere, from Northern California. I mean, you have Steve Bannon . . . she said, referring to President Trumps top adviser, formerly publisher of a nationalist website popular with white supremacists.

  and Sean Spicer, Conroy, of Atlanta, interjected with a frown. A day earlier, Trumps press secretary had sparked an uproar with clumsy, offhand references to Nazi concentration camps.

It was disgusting, Giguiere said. She glanced toward the museums vast, light-filled atrium. Im glad Im here.

These are strange times for the Holocaust Museum. A new breed of authoritarian politics is on the rise around the world, mingled with an anti-immigrant sentiment that has sparked fears of fascism. In the United States, there has been a reported rise in hate crimes against Muslims and a wave of anti-Semitic threats and graffiti. These things have all combined to provoke a new surge of interest in the dark chapter of history the 24-year-old museum explores.

Now, though, the museum is trying to maintain a delicate balance, between its clear activist mission  the remembrance of the 6 million European Jews killed by Hitlers Nazi regime, and the prevention of genocide in the future  and studiously nonpartisan stance.

The institution hasnt remained silent. But it has been particularly deliberate about when, and how, it speaks up. (The museum declined to comment for this article.)

The museum didnt hesitate to sharply condemn Richard Spencer, a vocal Trump supporter who organized a gathering of white nationalists in Washington in November. Spencer said that America belongs to white people, the museum noted in a statement. The Holocaust did not begin with killing; it began with words.



Visitors at the museum in 2015. Current events have prompted a surge of interest in the history it covers but pose challenges for the museum. (Rachel Rogers/AFP/Getty Images)

European diplomats tour the main exhibit in 2015. If we dont understand the history, said a recent tourist, we cant stop it from happening again. (Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images)

But when it comes to some recent off-key words from the Trump administration, the museum has taken a more cautious and indirect approach.

After Trump issued a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that failed to acknowledge Jews specifically, the White House defended the phrasing, arguing that Jews were not the only victims of the Holocaust. The Holocaust Museum didnt take on Trump or his words directly  but it issued a pointed clarification of the terms involved.

The Holocaust was the systematic, state-sponsored murder of six million Jews by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. Nazi ideology cast the world as a racial struggle, and the singular focus on the total destruction of every Jewish person was at its racist core, the statement said. The Holocaust teaches us profound truths about human societies and our capacity for evil. An accurate understanding of this history is critical if we are to learn its lessons and honor its victims.

Other Holocaust-focused organizations have been less restrained. When Trump publicly condemned anti-Semitism in February  the first time he had done so since taking office  the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect decried the gesture as too little, too late.

Make no mistake: The Antisemitism coming out of this Administration is the worst we have ever seen from any Administration, the center wrote on its Facebook page at the time.

As Spicers remarks Tuesday began to spread across social media, Holocaust Museum staffers braced themselves, according to an employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity. (Spicer, in denouncing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said that someone as despicable as Hitler . . . didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, overlooking the Nazi gas chambers used to kill millions. Then, trying to explain that gaffe, he referred to the death camps as the Holocaust center.)

Josiane and Alfred Traum, both Holocaust survivors, attended the museums International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemoration in January. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

Theres a deep breath, and a here we go again,  the staff member said. Several employees took to their own social-media feeds to vent barely veiled frustration. Holocaust Museum historian Rebecca Erbelding shared archival news articles documenting Hitlers use of the chemical poison Zyklon B to murder Jews.

Its amazing how relevant my work feels lately, she added dryly.

On its official Twitter and Facebook pages, the museum posted a searing video of the liberation of the Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany. While the museum itself did not mention or respond to the press secretary specifically, plenty of others did.

Has Spicer seen this? one Facebook user asked in comments posted below the video. Another remarked: And in 2017 Sean Spicer denies Hitler ever used poison gas on civilians. God help us all.

For some who havent visited the museum recently, current events have given them a new sense of urgency.

After Spicers gaffe, I searched for a picture of gassed Jews. I was appalled to find Holocaust is a hoax among the top Google results, said Kathleen Delano, the head of a Virginia-based consulting firm.

She promptly vowed to take her 19-year-old son to the Holocaust Museum as soon as possible.

On Wednesday morning, a young couple from Wisconsin waited to enter the museums ticketed main exhibit. Ryan and Lindsay Jonas were visiting Washington for the first time and had made this stop a priority. Just before they arrived, theyd watched the latest news about Spicers comments on television in the museum cafe.

That sort of misinformation is a real threat, Ryan Jonas said. Its important to come here. . . . If we dont understand the history, we cant stop it from happening again.
(Whitney Shefte,Erin Patrick O'Connor/The Washington Post)

It was mid-November, and Tim Kaine was not going to be vice president of the United States after all, and some of his fellow senators had an invitation: They said, you got to come talk about being on the trail, he remembers. These were colleagues from his weekly prayer meeting, a private bipartisan breakfast Kaine attends, where senators share stories from their lives and faiths. He declined the invitation. I said: Ive got to collect my thoughts. I dont know what I would say. 

His colleagues asked him again in January. Was he ready to talk now? Nope, he said. He wanted to do it, he assured them, but still couldnt figure out what to offer.

In March, they asked a third time and Kaine considered it. If he waited until he knew what he wanted to say, he reasoned, he wasnt sure hed end up wanting to say it.

So he went to the prayer meeting. He found himself talking to his fellow senators not about the campaign, but about the effect that its first 72 hours had on his family. How it seemed to him like a combination of a microwave speeding things up, and a magnifying glass zooming in, and maybe also a pressure cooker, jostling everything around.

Sometimes it seems like a dream, like it didnt really happen, he says now, talking about the prayer meeting while eating lunch in rural northwestern Virginia. There is wood paneling on the cafes walls, and a lunch crowd of men in jeans and T-shirts. The proprietor had recommended the Big Jake burger, so Kaine, 59, has a half-finished one on his plate, and now he starts to laugh. Sometimes I wake up and think this isnt happening.

This, of course, is this: Russia, hacking, leaking, tapping, Obamacare repeals that keep rising from the dead like fiscally conservative zombies. A new uproar every week, a new headline every hour, a succession of columnists writing about how it all might signify the end of the world, or of the Republicans, or of a country that, unbeknown to all of us, has actually been held together by duct tape for a good long while.

The week after the Clinton-Kaine ticket fell, Hillary Clinton retreated to Upstate New York, removing herself from public life except for an occasional woodsy sighting by an intrepid hiker. Donald Trump and Mike Pence set about packing for Washington, planning the agenda for an administration almost nobody had predicted would ever exist. But Kaine  Kaine was back in the Senate. Instead of a partner to the first female president, one of a hundred senators.

Old office. Old shirt sleeves. Old routines: the Monday morning drive from Richmond to Washington, and the questions from fans about his harmonica collection. Kaine was back there for all of it, the elected representative of the only purple state Clinton had managed to win, bearing witness as the new order unfurled.

Im sorry youre not vice president, but senators still important, a fourth-grader wrote to Kaine recently. Can you please stop my classmates from being deported?



Kaine talks to lawyers and others in January at Dulles International Airport, where people turned out to support travelers in response to President Trumps executive order limiting who could enter the country. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Old job. Different world. Seventy-five thousand pieces of constituent correspondence reaching his office for the month of February, compared with 27,000 for the same period the year before.

I used to try public housing discrimination cases, says Kaine, a former civil rights lawyer. And Id be at the counsel table, and it would be me and a guy who wasnt able to pay me, and the other table would be filled with lawyers getting paid a lot, and I would just be there, really praying that the system worked. Like, if they didnt have me  Im it. They wouldnt have anyone. So I prayed the system worked. And usually it did, but not always. He shakes his head back and forth, weighing the metaphor. Im in that mental space again.

The Democrats in the Senate are the only emergency brake on the train, he says a few minutes later. This might be the most important period. Maybe Ill be in the Senate for the next 30 years, and the next two to four years  God willing, its more than two years for me  are the most important years Ill ever spend in the Senate.

He keeps track of the time, afraid of being late for meetings in Augusta County, which is a gateway to Appalachian Virginia. The White Houses recently proposed budget includes the elimination of the Appalachian Regional Commission, which provides funding to the area. The county voted 71 percent for Trump.

Im going to work my tail off to get money back to the Appalachian region, Kaine says, because thats what it is like to be Tim Kaine now: You could have won, but you didnt, and theres nothing to be done about it now, because the country that you tried to warn went and did the opposite thing anyway.

***

Two months before his trip to Augusta County, Kaine gained as much viral fame as can be achieved via a Senate confirmation hearing, for his operatic grilling of education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. He used his allotted minutes to fire off 27 questions about her experience.

In order to clarify, you never attended a K-12 public school, did you? he asked. And your children did not, either? And youve never taught at a K-12 public school?

(DeVos would be confirmed anyway, via Vice President Pences tiebreaking vote).

Two days before Augusta County, Kaine decided that he would not support Supreme Court nominee Neil M. Gorsuch because he worried about the judges positions on birth control and abortion. He released a statement saying as much, and, while power-walking to a committee hearing, anxiously checked his phone to see how it was being received. I could have worked on the verb tense for days, he said.

(Republicans later unilaterally enacted the nuclear option, changing Senate rules to allow Gorsuchs nomination to go through.)

[Senate confirms Gorsuch for Supreme Court]

He chastised Trump for bypassing Congress in his decision to launch a strike on Syria. He asked the president to veto legislation relating to Internet privacy. Ive been telling people, its shocking but not surprising, Kaine says of the deluge of recent political developments. The initiatives that President Trumps administration has been pushing were not, after all, secret initiatives. They were what Trump promised to do during the campaign: Overhaul health care. Curtail admission of refugees. Build a wall. They were what Kaine and Clinton had told people that Trump would do, over and over  the Cassandras of the campaign trail.



Democratic vice-presidential pick Tim Kaine celebrates with Hillary Clinton after she accepted the partys presidential nomination in Philadelphia last July. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

On another day, Kaine was in Norfolk, visiting a childrens hospital, where the cost of treating many of the patients is covered in part by Medicaid reimbursements, which could have been affected by the proposed, but ultimately scuttled, American Health Care Act. House Republicans were scheduled to set a vote on the bill later that day.

Kaine toured several floors, stopping to chat with families who had previously signed release forms. He passed through a chemotherapy ward, where small children sucked on popsicles as IVs dripped treatment into their veins. Im Tim, he told the families, one after another, as they talked about their childrens diagnoses. Im Tim.

When Kaine was almost through the room, a mother hurried over. She looked tired, with bags under her eyes. She asked a person accompanying Kaine whether she was allowed to talk to the senator, even though she hadnt signed a release. She started to cry. If that bill goes through, these children will be unsavable, she said. He leaned in close, listening for several minutes.

Just think about us? she asked him as they finished. Think about us, as a person in power?

As Kaine left, the mother told a hospital staffer that she was embarrassed about getting emotional, and she hoped it was okay for her to have approached the senator. Oh, you did the right thing, the staffer told her. Thats your warrior, right there.

As he continued his tour, another mom recognized him. Theres Tim Kaine, honey! a woman whispered to her small son. Do you want to get your picture? the boy shook his head. But hes a senator, she encouraged. He was almost  he was almost  oh, never mind.

***

An older man and woman stand in front of the Waynesboro Senior Center, holding a sign: Vote Yes for Gorsuch.

I can see Im going to disappoint you on Judge Gorsuch, Kaine says, exiting his car and reaching out to shake their hands. I spent six weeks reading up, he explains, and he just doesnt think that the man should be in the job.

The couple nod. They expected as much. Kaine stands and chats with them for a while, about vacation destinations in the Midwest, where hes from  Branson, Mo., Silver Dollar City. The woman tells him that she still remembers the speech Kaine gave at Virginia Tech, after the 2007 shooting that left 32 people dead when Kaine was the states governor.

He goes inside, where people from several nonprofit groups have gathered to talk to him about how the White Houses budget would impact their work.

Were not good Samaritans, one man tells him, comparing his center with the biblical parable about a man, a Samaritan, who brings a wounded stranger to recuperate at an inn. But were the innkeepers who allow good to take place. The innkeeper needs to have an inn. Please help us keep the inn open.

You know this county, someone else says. We went about 75 percent Trump. But theyre good people.

Theres no money to be made in our work, but theres a lot of justice, says a representative from a legal fund, who talks about taking on the pro-bono case of an older woman who had been tricked into spending her $10,000 savings on frozen meat. A case like that, you cant do without federal funding.

The event organizer hands Kaine a manila envelope of letters from seniors. He takes it and tells the group that hell fight for them as best he can, but he knows its going to be a tough budget cycle.

Well get some of the funding up, but not all, he says. Were probably talking about where the biggest win is just standing still.

In the car, a few minutes later, he asks his press secretary to pass him the envelope. He pulls a letter out and reads it aloud.

Dear Senator Kaine, he reads. I am 87 years old. I live alone and do not have my own transportation. If it were not for the senior center, I would be spending a lot of time alone. I have been attending the senior center for twenty years. I do not always feel up to making meals, so it means a lot to come here and enjoy a meal with others.

He slides the letters back into the envelope. Yeah, he says.

***

The Book of Job is something thats really important to me, Kaine says, back at the rural diner. The Book of Job, in the Bible, is the story of a man whose faith is tested by the loss of his wealth, health and family. It expresses a profound truth about humanity and causation, Kaine continues. What humans tend to do is ask, why am I here now? Its clearly because of something that came before.

The point of the Job story is that hes not where he is because of the past. Hes where he is because of the future.

Kaine pauses. I think I am here today, a senator in Waynesboro, more because of something that Im supposed to do tomorrow than something I did yesterday. And I think in this moment in time, what am I supposed to do tomorrow is assuming a lot of existential importance.



Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) talks with local media. (Norm Shafer/For The Washington Post)

A few days after the election, a Twitter account, @IfHillaryHad, was created and went viral  the premise being that the feed would recount the days of a parallel-universe administration in which Clinton had won. Clinton sees Merrick Garland confirmed to the Supreme Court, signs climate-change legislation, holds run-of-the-mill news conferences and sends Bill to fetch paninis. @IfHillaryHad has a companion account, @AltVP48, in which a fictional Kaine spends his Saturday nights reading policy papers and coming up with dad jokes.

Its a portrait of yearning, not for a soaring, impressive presidency, but a gently boring one.

But what-ifs are not a place that Kaine allows himself to go.

I assume hes got to have thoughts, when he sees Mike Pence presiding over the Senate, says Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who considers Kaine his best friend in Congress. But hes never heard Kaine say anything out loud, and in general, King says, the only difference in his colleague, pre-election vs. post, is that I think his role is more urgent. Hes fully committed to the Senate.

Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) has known Kaine for 37 years. He calls him the most relentlessly optimistic person Ive ever met.

Kaine says only that hes been proud of his emotional maturity in recent months. Where I really was able to look in the mirror and say, you know, Im comfortable to be in the reality that Im in, was when I was at the inauguration. I was sitting on the platform, and I was watching the president take the oath of office, and I was watching Mike Pence take the oath of office, and I didnt think, I wish it would have been me. At that moment, I was very peaceful with the role I was playing.

He finishes his Big Jake burger. Were living in a stress test of our constitutional democracy, he says. Its like we took it in for our 230-year checkup, and its up on the rack and were seeing how the systems work. He believes the systems will work. He has that faith.

Kaine thanks the restaurants owner for her hospitality, wishes a happy birthday to a young man celebrating at a table nearby and heads out to begin his afternoon of meetings.

A few hours later, he arrives at a construction site and sees a few people outside waiting for him.

Were not invited, one middle-aged woman calls out. We just saw you were coming and wanted to see you. To tell you to keep up the good fight.

I will, Kaine says, stopping to shake her hand.

With health care, the woman says.

With Russia, the womans companion adds.

All of it, the woman says. All of it.

I will, Kaine says again, and the senator goes inside.
Fairfax County

These were among incidents reported by the Fairfax County Police Department. For information, call 703-246-2253.

Fair Oaks District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Blake Lane, 9500 block, April 2. An air bag was stolen from a vehicle.

Jefferson Park Dr., 13800 block, April 2. A cellphone was stolen from a business.

Kingsbridge Dr., 9700 block, April 2. A steering wheel was stolen from a vehicle.

Lee Jackson Memorial Hwy., 12300 block, April 3. A cellphone was stolen from a business.

Penderview Dr., 3900 block, April 2. A cellphone was stolen from a residence.

Franconia District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Backlick Rd., 5700 block, April 2. Attempted unlawful entry.

Backlick Rd., 6500 block, April 2. A cellphone was stolen from a business.

Barry Rd., 7000 block, April 3. A bicycle was stolen from a business.

Edsall Rd., 6200 block, April 6. A wallet was stolen from a business.

Farrington Ave., 6200 block, April 5. Cash was stolen from a vehicle.

Franconia Rd., 6100 block, April 2. A laptop was stolen from a business.

Frontier Dr., 6500 block, April 2. Headphones were stolen from a business.

Frontier Dr., 6500 block, April 5. A cellphone was stolen from a business.

Heneska Loop, 7800 block, April 2. A purse was stolen from a vehicle.

Hibbling Ave., 6300 block, April 2. A skateboard was stolen from a residence.

Kingstowne Blvd., 5800 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Kingstowne Blvd., 5800 block, April 3. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Kingstowne Blvd., 5800 block, April 5. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Rose Hill Dr., 6100 block, April 2. Liquor was stolen from a business.

Springfield Towne Center, 6500 block, April 2. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

Vincent Gate Terr., 5500 block, April 3. A cellphone was stolen from a business.

VEHICLE THEFTS

Little River Tpk., 7100 block, April 2. A 2012 Honda CR-V.

Mason District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Beauregard St., 4800 block, April 5. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Columbia Pike, 5700 block, April 2. A laptop was stolen from a business.

Columbia Pike, 6500 block, April 3. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

Gouthier Rd., 6600 block, April 5. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle.

Leesburg Pike, 5800 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Little River Tpk., 6300 block, April 2. A jacket was stolen from a business.

Little River Tpk., 6300 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Little River Tpk., 7400 block, April 2. Beer was stolen from a business.

Seven Corners Center, 6200 block, April 6. Backpacks were stolen from a vehicle.

Seven Corners Pl., 6400 block, April 1. Property was stolen from a business.

South Jefferson St., 3500 block, April 6. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

VEHICLE THEFT

Frenchmens Dr., 6300 block, April 2. A 2011 Nissan Rogue.

McLean District

ROBBERY

Barrick and Nutley streets, 6:39 p.m. April 5.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Avenir Pl., 2600 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Chain Bridge Rd., 2000 block, April 6. A laptop was stolen from a business.

Crest Lane, 1100 block, April 3. Copper was stolen from a residence.

International Dr., 2000 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

International Dr., 2000 block, April 6. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Juniper St., 2800 block, April 2. Liquor was stolen from a business.

Lee Hwy., 7100 block, April 5. Earrings were stolen from a residence.

Leesburg Pike, 8000 block, April 5. A wallet was stolen from a business.

Leesburg Pike, 8300 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Nutley St., 3000 block, April 2. Groceries were stolen from a business.

Spring Hill Rd., 1500 block, April 2. Wheels were stolen from a vehicle.

Tannin Pl., 2100 block, April 2. A wallet was stolen from a residence.

VEHICLE THEFT

Barrick St., 9100 block, April 2. A 1995 Honda Accord.

Mount Vernon District

ASSAULT

Janna Lee Ave., 7900 block, April 6. Officers responded to a report of gunshots and a group of men getting into a car, with one of them appearing to be injured. Officers located and stopped the car nearby. An investigation determined that one of the occupants, 18, suffered a gunshot wound, was taken to the hospital and was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Cameron Run Terr., 5800 block, April 2. A cellphone was stolen from a residence.

Huntington Ave., 2300 block, April 3. Beer was stolen from a business.

Huntington Ave., 2300 block, April 6. Liquor was stolen from a business.

Huntington Ave., 2300 block, April 6. Snacks and beverages were stolen from a business.

Jake Pl., 8300 block, April 2. A bag was stolen from a business.

Lockheed Blvd., 3100 block, April 5. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Pheasant Ct., 3200 block, April 6. Medication was stolen from a residence.

Richmond Hwy., 5900 block, April 3. A wallet was stolen from a business.

Richmond Hwy., 5900 block, April 3. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle.

Richmond Hwy., 6300 block, April 2. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Richmond Hwy., 6700 block, April 5. Beer was stolen from a business.

Richmond Hwy., 7600 block, April 3. Shoes were stolen from a business.

Richmond Hwy., 7700 block, April 2. Tools were stolen from a business.

Richmond Hwy., 8300 block, April 5. Property was stolen from a residence.

Richmond Hwy., 8500 block, April 3. Cash was stolen from a vehicle.

Telegraph Rd., 6200 block, April 6. Cigarettes and cash were stolen from a vehicle.

VEHICLE THEFT

Richmond Hwy., 7400 block, April 3. A 2014 Subaru Forester.

Reston District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Beauford Ct., 1400 block, April 2. A gun was stolen from a vehicle.

Centreville Rd., 2100 block, April 3. Jeans were stolen from a business.

Freetown Dr., 2500 block, April 5. A wallet was stolen from a residence.

Great Meadow Dr., 11400 block, April 2. A wallet was stolen from a business.

Hemingway Dr., 11500 block, April 1. Property was stolen from a residence.

Kedge Dr., 2000 block, March 31. Property was stolen from a residence.

Laurel Glade Ct., 12200 block, April 2. A catalytic converter was stolen from a vehicle.

Reston Pkwy., 2600 block, April 5. A battery was stolen from a business.

Streamvale Cir., 12200 block, April 5. Shoes were stolen from a residence.

Sully District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Avocado Ct., 14300 block, April 3. Documents were stolen from a vehicle.

Bent Tree Cir., 13600 block, April 2. Medication was stolen from a business.

Braddock Rd., 13800 block, April 2. A watch was stolen from a residence.

Bull Run Dr., 7700 block, April 3. A cellphone was stolen from a park.

Chantilly Shopping Center, 4400 block, April 5. Merchandise was stolen from a business.

Cross Meadow Pl., 4800 block, April 5. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

Flushing Ct., 4500 block, April 5. Cash was stolen from a vehicle.

Fount Beattie Ct., 13800 block, April 5. A wallet was stolen from a residence.

Orchard Dr., 13500 block, April 3. A package was stolen from a residence.

Raina Dr., 6000 block, April 2. A ring was stolen from a residence.

Sammie Kay Lane, 5300 block, April 6. Property was stolen from a vehicle.

Smallwood Ct., 13600 block, April 5. A laptop was stolen from a vehicle.

Willard Rd., 14900 block, April 6. Property was stolen from a residence.

Woodmere Ct., 14400 block, April 3. A purse was stolen from a business.

West Springfield District

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Commons Dr., 4500 block, April 2. A laptop was stolen from a residence.

Furey Rd., 9100 block, April 3. A purse was stolen from a vehicle.

Gillings Rd., 6800 block, April 5. Rings were stolen from a residence.

Island Pl., 4400 block, March 30. Attempted robbery.

Shiplett Blvd., 6400 block, April 2. Cash was stolen from a residence.

VEHICLE THEFTS

Fort Craig Dr., 9000 block, April 2. A 2012 Nissan Sentra.

Grinnell St., 5200 block, April 6. Cash and medication were stolen from a residence.

Fairfax City

These were among incidents reported by the Fairfax City Police Department. For information, call 703-273-2889.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Jermantown Rd., 3900 block, 10:18 a.m. March 31. Larceny.

Norman Ave., 10600 block, 5:35 p.m. April 4. Larceny.

Old Pickett Rd., 3200 block, 12:56 a.m. April 4. Arrest made.

University Dr., 3500 block, 10:46 a.m. April 1. From vehicle.

VANDALISM

Meredith Dr., 3800 block, 7:22 p.m. April 2.

Falls Church

These were among incidents reported by the Falls Church Police Department. For information, call 703-248-5056.

ASSAULTS

Annandale Rd. E., 100 block, April 7. Simple assault.

Broad St. W., 1100 block, April 7.

James St., 300 block, March 30. Simple assault.

Oak St. S., 600 block, March 21. Simple assault.

Washington St. S., 200 block, March 18. Simple assault.

West St. N., 100 block, April 3. Simple assault.

Wilson Blvd., 6600 block, March 26. Simple assault.

Wilson Blvd., 6700 block, March 30. Simple assault.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Broad St. E., 1000 block, March 13. From building.

Broad St. W., 100 block, April 1. From building.

Broad St. W., 100 block, April 5. Shoplifting.

Broad St. W., 400 block, March 19. From building.

Broad St. W., 700 block, March 29. From building.

Broad St. W., 1200 block, March 30. From building.

Fairfax St. E., 200 block, March 21. From building.

Hillwood Ave., 100 block, March 22. Shoplifting.

Hillwood Ave., 100 block, March 25. Shoplifting.

Hillwood Ave., 200 block, March 27. From vehicle.

Leesburg Pike, 7100 block, March 13. From building.

Leesburg Pike, 7100 block, March 13. From building.

Villa Ridge Rd., 800 block, March 29. Residential.

Washington St. S., 100 block, April 3. Commercial.

Washington St. S., 800 block, March 25. Pickpocketing.

West St. N., 100 block, March 25. Shoplifting.

Wilson Blvd., 6700 block, April 1. From building.

FRAUD

Broad St. W., 1200 block, April 3. Credit card/ATM fraud.

VANDALISM

Broad St. E., 1000 block, April 5.

Hillwood Ave., 300 block, March 17.

Leesburg Pike, 7100 block, March 24.

Park Ave., 300 block, March 14.

Washington St. N., 200 block, March 14.

DEATH INVESTIGATION

Westmoreland Rd. W., 100 block, March 31.

Herndon

No incidents were reported by the Herndon Police Department for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-435-6846.

Vienna

These were among incidents reported by the Vienna Police Department. For information, call 703-255-6396.

ASSAULT

Cedar Lane SW, 100 block, 10 a.m. April 6. A man said his school-age son was assaulted by another student.

ARSON

Maple Ave. W., 100 block, 8 p.m. March 22. Arrest made.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Casmar St. SW, 100 block, 1:36 p.m. March 27. Grand larceny.

Glyndon St. NE, 400 block, 3 p.m. April 2. Grand larceny.

Ross Dr. SW, 1400 block, noon April 2. Petty theft.

Maple Ave. E., 300 block, 9:30 a.m. April 5. Grand larceny.

Maple Ave. W., 400 block, 9 p.m. April 5. Trespassing.

VANDALISM

Maple Ave. W., 100 block, March 26. Destruction of property.
Virginia Ames, right, and Kathryn Sanborn, wife of Library of Congress exhibits director Herbert J. Sanborn, display Mrs. Amess reproduction of the Bennington Flag, one of a dozen commissioned for the Bicentennial exhibition. (Herbert J. Sanborn)

Virginia W. Ames, a founding member of the Torpedo Factory Art Center in Alexandria, Va., and creator of an oversize set of Revolutionary War-era flags for display at the Library of Congress during the Bicentennial, died March 3 at her home in Tucson. She was 102.

The cause was congestive heart failure, said her daughter Mary Ames.

As an artist, Mrs. Ames worked in acrylic paints, watercolors and pastels, and she also did silk-screen paintings and collaged prints. In 1974, she was commissioned by the Library of Congress to prepare a Bicentennial exhibition of Revolutionary War flags and for the next two years researched and then hand-sewed 12 flags under which American units fought against the British.

Most were militia flags: the Rhode Island regimental flag, a Bunker Hill flag, the flag of the 3rd New York regiment and the Dont Tread on Me flag with a representation of a serpent.

Virginia Wade was born in Birmingham, Ala., on Nov. 6, 1914. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1936 and moved to the Washington area in 1945.

In 1970, after the city of Alexandria had acquired the derelict World War II torpedo factory on the banks of the Potomac River, Mrs. Ames and other members of the Alexandrias Art League pressed for its conversion into an arts center. Many of its neighbors in Old Town Alexandria objected, fearing it would attract hippies.

During one meeting, at the mention of hippies, Mayor Charles E. Beatley Jr. laughed and pointed at Mrs. Ames  then in her 50s  and declared Do you mean hippies like Virginia Ames over there.

The Torpedo Factory opened as an arts center in 1974. Now, fully renovated, it houses 165 art studios and draws 500,000 visitors a year.

Mrs. Ames had been a Sunday school teacher at the Episcopal Immanuel Church-on-the-Hill in Alexandria. She moved form Alexandria to Tucson in 1983.

When her eyesight began to fail with age, she became a writer and self-published her first book  a memoir  at 99

Her husband of 57 years, Robert H. Ames, died in 1993. Survivors include three daughters, Lucy A. Copass of Port Angeles, Wash., Martha A. Burgess of Tucson and Mary Ames of Temecula, Calif.; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Prince William County

These were among incidents reported by Prince William County police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-792-5123.

BRISTOW AREA

THEFT/BREAK-IN

Herring Lane, 13400 block, March 10 to 12. A computer and a printer were stolen from a business.

DUMFRIES AREA

ROBBERIES

Jefferson Davis Hwy., 17100 block, 6:46 p.m. March 30. A male juvenile in a store broke several wine bottles, then demanded money from a clerk, who refused. The juvenile grabbed cash from a customer and attempted to flee. A Dumfries male, 17, was arrested.

London Pl., 15700 block, 10:15 p.m. March 31. A man in the driveway of a residence hit a male resident in the head with a gun and robbed him of a wallet.

HAYMARKET AREA

THEFT/BREAK-IN

Mountain View Dr., 4300 block, 8:30 a.m. to 9:20 p.m. April 3. A residence was entered. Nothing was reported stolen.

MANASSAS AREA

ROBBERY

Sudley Rd., 8000 block, 8:25 p.m. April 4. A group of people assaulted a male acquaintance and robbed him of a cellphone and wallet.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Industrial Rd., 11300 block, 4:11 a.m. March 29. Cash was stolen from a business entered by damaging a rear window.

Livingston Rd., 12100 block, 7 p.m. March 30 to noon March 31. Several metal shelving units were stolen from a business.

TRIANGLE AREA

ASSAULT

Fuller Heights Rd., 18700 block, 3:17 a.m. March 31. A male motorist hit a male acquaintance with his vehicle, then exited the vehicle and assaulted the acquaintance, who was treated for injuries. A Dumfries man, 22, was arrested.

WOODBRIDGE AREA

ASSAULT

Frankfurt Ct., 3000 block, March 29. During an argument, a man assaulted a female acquaintance. An Alexandria man, 20, was arrested.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Cordell Ave., 14900 block, 2:09 p.m. March 31. Three men stole a scooter and a gas can from a shed.

Forestdale Ave., 3700 block, 2:45 p.m. March 30. A gunman entered a residence and demanded a package that residents had just picked up from outside. The gunman fled empty-handed.

Jefferson Davis Hwy., 13900 block, 2:08 a.m. April 3. Several cases of cigarettes were stolen from a business entered by damaging a rear door.

Manassas

These were among incidents reported by Manassas police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-257-8000.

THEFTS/BREAK-INS

Church St., 9200 block, 9:26 p.m. March 30. Two female juveniles entered a vacant business. Two Manassas girls, 13 and 16, were arrested.

West St., 9200 block, March 29. Cash, a wallet and a cellphone were stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

West St., 9300 block, March 29. Cash was stolen from an unlocked vehicle.

Manassas Park

No reports were received from Manassas Park police for this edition of Local Living. For information, call 703-361-1136.
The National Transportation Safety Board is recommending an audit of the Baltimore City Public Schools transportation department after the fatal bus crash that killed six people last year. (Jeffrey F. Bill/The Baltimore Sun via Associated Press)

Baltimore City Public Schools failed to review the qualifications of its bus drivers and monitor their criminal driving records, which put students and the public at risk, according to an investigation by a federal oversight agency.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a report Tuesday calling on state officials to audit the school systems transportation department five months after a school bus crash killed six and injured 10.

The report found that the man driving the school bus that collided with a city commuter bus Nov. 1 had been involved in at least 12 crashes or incidents while operating a bus or personal vehicle. But because the school system did not maintain files on the drivers criminal history or kept incomplete records, it could not effectively determine whether the driver should be disqualified from operating a school bus, the report said.

During its investigation, the NTSB documented numerous instances in which BCPS did not review or maintain records as required to comply with state or federal regulations, according to the report. BCPS did not review crash reports, did not maintain crash cost documentation, did not maintain criminal background reports, and had a drug-testing program that did not comply with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

[Six killed in Baltimore after school bus and commuter bus collide]

School bus driver Glenn Chappell, 67, died in the morning crash. In at least two of five school bus crashes Chappell was involved in between 2011 and 2015, he had passed out and injured a teachers aide on board, investigators found. Chappell had a history of hypertension, diabetes and seizures that caused him to black out, according to the federal findings.

After one 2011 crash in which Chappell passed out, the school systems transportation supervisor failed to have a conference with him as required by state law, the report said.

The NTSB concludes that BCPS did not adequately document or review the school bus drivers prior crashes or take appropriate action in response to the October 14, 2011, crash in which the driver passed out while driving a school bus, the report said.

The school system also didnt appear to track Chappells driving record in personnel files, even though the contractor that employed him sent 11 alerts involving criminal charges against him between 2011 and 2014, the report said.

[Driver in fatal Baltimore bus crash had history of crashes, seizures, NTSB report says]

A school bus contractor in a neighboring Maryland school system had previously rejected Chappell for a position because of his criminal record and traffic violations, the report said. In addition to auditing the school systems transportation department, the agency suggested the Maryland State Department of Education work to clarify policies on when a driver should be disqualified for a position and develop a database that would alert other school systems of people who have been found unqualified to drive a school bus.

In response to the NTSB report, the school system said in a statement that it has already changed several safety protocols, including establishing systematic and ongoing auditing of driver certification status, increased review of drivers following accidents regardless of cause or fault, enhanced programs for driver retraining and in-vehicle monitoring.

The school system also said it has implemented protocols to improve communications between the district and bus companies it has under contract to provide service.

The report received today from the National Transportation Safety Board will contribute to continuous improvement of our transportation services, the statement said.

The transportation board acknowledged the school systems changes but urged it to go further:

Although BCPS has taken some steps to improve its processes, the risks posed by unqualified drivers remain.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser addresses the crowd at the More For Housing Now rally at the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C. on March 18. (Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) is set to announce on Thursday legislation that would enhance the rights of victims of sexual assaults, particularly juveniles, and expand what can be considered a crime during an attack.

Measures being proposed reflect year-long deliberations of an independent task force formed to address concerns that rape cases from several years ago had been mishandled and that younger victims lacked the same resources offered to adults.

The bill was submitted last week, and Bowser plans to discuss details during a Thursday news conference. It adds provisions to a sexual assault victims rights act passed in 2014. It would allow victims a greater choice of advocates to be present during interviews with police and prosecutors, and it would require prosecutors to tell victims why a case might not be taken to court.

In addition, the bill would allow children as young as 12 to be provided advocates to help them navigate police and court proceedings. Those services are currently offered only to adult victims. Victims may be distrustful of law enforcement or believe their cases are not being handled with the appropriate decorum or respect, and the trained advocates act as guides and counselors.

[Read the proposed bill to enhance sexual assault prosecutions]

I think this bill will contribute to more victims and survivors accessing help, said Michelle Garcia, director of the D.C. Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants. We know that when victims feel supported, they are more likely to engage with and stay engaged with the criminal justice system. . . . I think it will have a big impact in a number of ways.

Issues regarding the handling of sexual assault cases emerged in 2013 when Human Rights Watch accused the D.C. police of fumbling investigations, losing reports and filing others away as unfounded without having conducted a thorough investigation. Police disputed the findings.

The task force also considered the case of Danielle Hicks-Best, who was 11 when she reported to D.C. police in 2008 that she had been raped by older youths. Hospital reports detailed her injuries and a witness was questioned, but in the end only she was arrested  on charges of lying to police.

Hicks-Best, who is now an adult, chose to identify herself publicly in hopes of helping other young rape victims. Her case helped drive the bills proposal to expand the use of youth advocates.

[Case of child who said she was raped being charged with lying to police drives proposed law]

There have been 67 sexual assaults reported in the District so far this year, a 29 percent drop from the 94 reported in the same period last year.

The bill would also, for the first time, make it a crime for a person to remove clothes from a victim without consent. Garcia said that provision would make it easier for prosecutors to target cases that otherwise might not be pursued.

Garcia said such cases involve women who say they woke up after having been drinking or secretly drugged and have a strong suspicion they have been assaulted and know who the perpetrator is. Garcia said that the suspect often admits he removed her clothes, but thats all he did.

Bridgette Stumpf, co-executive director of the Network for Victim Recovery of D.C., which provides the advocates who meet with sexual assault victims, said the bill addresses many issues that are needed to help in making arrests and prosecutions. She noted that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes.

In addition to expanding the work of the advocates, Stumpf said the bill also makes it easier for victims to obtain the results of rape kits  extensive tests done at hospitals to help prove a sexual assault  and allows victims to order law enforcement to preserve the kits up to the statute of limitations of the specific crime. That will help protect evidence should a suspect emerge years or, in some cases, decades later.

Expanding the rights of advocates and survivors helps victims process their experiences, process their options and helps them decide how to move forward, Stumpf said.
Felix Nelson Ayala, 58, right, of Rockville, with his wife, Maria E. Ayala, as he walked from federal courthouse in Greenbelt on Feb. 1, 2017. (Arelis Hernandez/The Washington Post)

A Rockville accountant accused of bribing a Prince Georges County council member to secure thousands in taxpayer dollars says statements he made to investigators should be thrown out because FBI agents lied to him about why they were interviewing him, according to court filings from his attorney.

Felix Nelson Ayala, 58, was indicted on a federal bribery charge and one charge of making a false statement after the government accused him of paying former Prince Georges County Council member William A. Campos (D) $15,000 from 2012 to 2015 in exchange for $75,000 in government funds directed to a nonprofit organization that Ayala founded. Campos also served as a state delegate but resigned from the position in September 2015, nine months into the job.

Ayala has pleaded not guilty to each charge.

[Rockville accountant accused of bribing Prince Georges lawmaker]

Ayala attorney Rick Finci said in court filings that his clients statements to investigators were involuntary and were collected in violation of his constitutional rights. Finci argued that the statements should not be included in the case against Ayala.

The agents lied to the [office] receptionist about the purpose of their visit, Ayalas attorney wrote in a motion to the court about the January day that FBI agents visited Ayalas offices. They informed her that they were conducting a background investigation into William Campos for the purpose of federal employment and needed to speak to the Defendant as a reference.

Ayala agreed to speak to the agents in connection with the background investigation, but eventually the agents began asking Ayala questions about the allegations against Ayala himself, revealing the true purpose of their visit to him.

Ayala twice asked for an attorney, but the agents continued to interview him, his attorney said in filings.

Prosecutors have not filed a response in court to Ayalas assertions and declined to comment on the matter.

[Former Md. State Del. Will Campos pleads guilty to accepting bribes for official favors]

The case against Ayala stems from a wider federal corruption investigation into state lawmakers, the Prince Georges County liquor board and local business owners.

Campos, 42, pleaded guilty to federal bribery and conspiracy charges in January, admitting that he accepted payments while serving on the county council to direct government money to those who bribed him, court documents state. Camposs sentencing is scheduled for August.

Last month, former Maryland delegate Michael Vaughn (D-Prince Georges) was indicted by a federal grand jury on allegations that he accepted more than $10,000 in cash from local business owners in exchange for favorable action on liquor sales legislation.

A trial date has not been set for Ayala.
First lady Melania Trump settled defamation lawsuits she had filed against the tabloid and online editions of the Daily Mail, one of her attorneys said Wednesday, effectively ending litigation that had roots in Montgomery County just north of Washington.

The Daily Mail agreed to pay unspecified damages to Melania Trump, said the lawyer, Charles Harder. The first lady had previously settled similar claims against Webster Tarpley, a blogger who operates out of his townhouse in Gaithersburg, Md.

[Melania Trump reaches settlement in libel lawsuit against Maryland blogger]

It was Tarpleys residence in Montgomery County that prompted Trumps attorneys to file many of their claims in Montgomery County. Trump arrived in person at a pretrial hearing in December for her case.

Her surprise visit on a Monday morning sent buzz racing through the Montgomery Circuit Courthouse in Rockville, as did the anticipation that she could be squaring off in a lengthy defamation trial sometime in 2017. But that will not be happening, and all claims in the matter appear to have been settled in payments, retractions and apologies to Trump.

Webster G. Tarpley. (Obtained by Washington Post)

Mrs. Trump will remain vigilant to protect her good name and reputation from those who make false and defamatory statements about her, Harder said Wednesday.

It was the blogger, Tarpley, 71, who published the first story, on www.tarpley.net, that caught the attention of Trumps attorneys. On Aug. 2, 2016, Tarpley reported about unfounded rumors that Melania Trump once worked as a high-end escort and stated that Trump may have suffered a nervous breakdown after her speech at the Republican National Convention.

Melania Trump sued him on Sept. 1. At the time, her attorneys also named as defendants the online Daily Mail, which published a similar article in August.

In court filings, Trumps attorneys argued that while the Daily Mail print edition was published in the United Kingdom, its online edition was published in New York and  since it had readers in Maryland  it could be sued in Montgomery County. Montgomery Circuit Judge Sharon Burrell rejected that argument, so Trumps attorneys refiled their lawsuit against the online Daily Mail in New York.

Additionally, in September, Trumps attorney also sued the Daily Mail newspaper in the United Kingdom.

Harder released a joint statement Wednesday on behalf of the first lady and the Daily Mail print and online publications. It included an apology from the publications, which stated:

The Daily Mail newspaper and Mail Online/DailyMail.com website published an article on 20th August 2016 about Melania Trump which questioned the nature of her work as a professional model, and republished allegations that she provided services beyond simply modeling. The article included statements that Mrs. Trump denied the allegations and Paulo Zampolli, who ran the modeling agency, also denied the allegations, and the article also stated that there was no evidence to support the allegations. The article also claimed that Mr. and Mrs. Trump may have met three years before they actually met, and staged their actual meeting as a ruse.

We accept that these allegations about Mrs. Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them. We apologize to Mrs. Trump for any distress that our publication caused her. To settle Mrs. Trumps two lawsuits against us, we have agreed to pay her damages and costs.

Tarpley also issued a statement after settling in February with the first lady.

I posted an article on August 2, 2016 about Melania Trump that was replete with false and defamatory statements about her, the blogger said in the statement provided by Trumps attorneys.
A human smuggling ring that helped people from Pakistan and Afghanistan illegally enter the United States by way of Brazil and Latin America was publicly revealed as the rings Brasilia contact pleaded guilty in federal court in Washington on Wednesday.

Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, who U.S. authorities said is a Pakistani national and permanent resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty to serving as a facilitator for dozens of people from Pakistan who contacted him in Brazil, paid $5,000 to $12,000 each, then walked through the Colombian jungle or traveled north by bus, foot and plane, according to court filings.

Khan pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to human smuggling for profit.

The trips he arranged were long, arduous and dangerous, court filings assert.

The average traveler took approximately nine months to get from Brazil all the way to the United States. During the voyage from Brazil through South and Central America, aliens were subjected to harsh conditions that caused a substantial risk of serious bodily injury or death, the court records stated.

Many aliens, the filings state, traveled to Turbo, Colombia, and from there into Panamas eastern border where travelers then had to hike through the Darien Gap which was described as a dangerous, wild tropical forest area stretching approximately 100 miles that cannot be traveled by vehicles.

The charge against Khan carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison. But in a plea deal, both sides agreed that federal sentencing guidelines called for a range of 24 to 46 months and prosecutors agreed to seek no more than 37 months at sentencing July 6 before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.

Are you entering this plea of guilty because you are in fact guilty? Walton asked Khan, who appeared in court in prison orange clothing.

Yes sir, said Khan.

Khan, who also used the pseudonym Dr. Nakib, was arrested July 14 in Washington after being extradited from Qatar, according to court documents. The circumstances of his arrest were not disclosed.

For the international case, prosecutors charged Khan under a statute that gives the District court in Washington jurisdiction over overseas defendants who are charged with certain offenses abroad and have never lived in the United States.

Khan is a well-known alien smuggler operating in Brazil, Special Agent Frank Iervasi of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a June 3 law enforcement affidavit filed to support Khans arrest. The affidavit said the characterization of Khans reputation was relayed to law enforcement officials by another alien smuggler.

Khans indictment cited only six smuggled individuals, but he allegedly was identified by name or photograph by about 81 foreign nationals who said he was the person who arranged their travel from Brazil between March 2014 through about May 2016, Iervasi wrote.

In court Wednesday, Khan and the government stipulated in plea documents that the actual number of individuals was between 25 and 99.

The June indictment, unsealed Feb. 21, alleged that Khan worked with at least three other unnamed conspirators, some of whose identities are known to a federal grand jury in the District.

The six immigrants, identified only by initials in court filings, are now in deportation proceedings in New York and Baltimore, said Bill Miller, spokesman for the U.S. attorneys office of the District.

ICE agent Iervasi wrote that recordings and electronic communications obtained by investigators, including some in Urdu, provided details of Khans smuggling activities, routes, fees, associates and payment methods.

The affidavit said the general route used by the smuggling operation went from Pakistan to Dubai, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mexico.

According to charging documents, several smuggled individuals said they were directed to Khans home or his telephone number, and some stayed in a house provided by Khan before further travel. Khan would tell the individuals to erase their phones or communications using his favored WhatsApp Messenger instant messaging application, Iervasi wrote.

Another source told law enforcement that Khan works at an airport in Brazil, had many foreigners show up at his home looking for him, and kept foreign currencies and foreign documents of people from different countries without any justification, Iervasi said in his affidavit.
United Airlines chief executive Oscar Munoz, shown last June, says he continues to be disturbed by the incident Sunday, when passenger David Dao was forcibly removed from a flight. (Richard Drew/AP)

After two days of conflicting explanations, falling stock prices and worldwide outrage, United Airlines entered full mea culpa mode Tuesday, with its chief executive apologizing for the horrific event in which a passenger was dragged from a plane screaming after refusing a last-minute request to give up his seat to make room for a crew member.

It is never too late to do the right thing, United chief executive Oscar Munoz said in a statement. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix whats broken so this never happens again.

Munoz ordered a review of the airlines policies on giving seats to employees and overbooking and promised a public report by April 30.

I continue to be disturbed by what happened, Munoz said. I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

Munozs statement was the culmination of two days of attempts by the airline to contain what exploded into a public-relations crisis. Since videos of the incident first surfaced Sunday on Twitter, the airlines stock price has plummeted and there have been worldwide calls to boycott the carrier.

(The Washington Post)

At least one person  a security officer caught on video as he and others removed the man from the flight  has been placed on paid administrative leave while the incident is under review.

Meanwhile, attorneys for the passenger, David Dao, said Tuesday that he remains hospitalized in Chicago, undergoing treatment for his injuries.

The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received, Chicago attorney Stephen L. Golan said in a statement.

Golan and Chicago aviation attorney Thomas A. Demetrio are representing the family. The attorneys said the family is focused on Daos treatment and recovery and would not be making any further statements.

Videos  shot by passengers aboard the Louisville-bound flight from Chicagos OHare International Airport that show Dao screaming as he is dragged down the aisle of the plane and again a few minutes later when he returns to the plane, his face bloody  have drawn widespread condemnation.

While there have been several high-profile incidents involving in-flight disputes recently, this one resonated with travelers increasingly frustrated with the flying experience.

Despite reports that say more flights are on time and that airlines are losing fewer bags, the incident fueled the perception that flying has become a nightmare and that air travel has become something travelers endure rather than enjoy.

The seats are getting smaller, what used to come standard with a ticket  thats all being segmented now, said Michelle Brignone, a legal analyst with FlyersRights.org, a nonprofit passenger advocacy group. Personal space is shrinking at a time when Americans are getting bigger.

[Video shows man being dragged off plane when he refuses to leave]

And airline mergers mean that consumers have fewer choices when it comes to flying.

In a market economy, youre supposed to be able to vote with your wallet. But because three or four airlines control most of the seats, you cant, Brignone said.

Uniteds PR missteps also fueled the perception that airlines simply dont care about their passengers, experts said.

I think this is one of the most shocking missteps Ive ever seen, said George Hobica, president of airfarewatchdog.com. I usually give the airlines a lot of leeway. Its not an easy business, but this was just stupid.

For Ghary Gappelberg, a physician in Massachusetts, Sundays incident brought back memories of the time United kicked his fiancee off a plane so a pilot could take her seat.

With Gappelbergs 11-year-old son in tow, the couple boarded at San Francisco International Airport in 2013  transferring planes on their way to a vacation they had been planning for months.

The couple resisted for over an hour, Gappelberg said, until security finally arrived and threatened to arrest her  at which point his fiancee relented and left the plane, catching up with her family the next day.

In the five years since, the family has avoided flying United whenever possible, Gappelberg said.

While Munoz has promised an investigation into Sundays incident, others have called for government action.

Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have sent letters to Munoz, as well as Chicago Department of Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans, about the incident.

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) has requested hearings on the matter, and Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-Pa.) said United Airlines and the Chicago Department of Aviation should be ashamed and embarrassed.

Illinois Reps. Rodney Davis (R) and Daniel Lipinski (D) also expressed outrage.

United failed in this instance, without a doubt, Lipinski said. Many of us who fly frequently have experienced overbooking situations, but obviously how it was handled in this circumstance was unacceptable, and no passenger should ever be put through what this individual was.

The Transportation Department also is looking into whether United followed proper procedures.

During the afternoon briefing Tuesday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said the videos were troubling but dismissed calls for a federal investigation into what he said should be a very simple local matter.

The incident may have indeed remained a local matter, had it not been for passengers who captured the scene of a man being dragged off the flight.

Tyler Bridges told The Washington Post that the mood on the jet quickly soured when passengers were told that some of them would be forced to leave.

Bridges and his wife were on the last leg of a journey home from Japan, he said. Before takeoff, an airline supervisor brusquely announced: This flights not leaving until four people get off.

And since no passenger was willing, United chose for them.

A young couple begrudgingly got up and left, Bridges recalled.

The third person also complied. But when the crew approached the man, he refused.

He says, Nope. Im not getting off the flight,  Bridges said.  Im a doctor and have to see patients tomorrow morning. 

Security was called.

On the video, passengers are heard saying, This is horrible and What are you doing? This is wrong, and by Monday, United had a full-scale PR crisis on its hands.

The incident also has made headlines in China, where tens of millions of people have read or shared reports that the passenger claimed he was targeted because he was Chinese. By late afternoon on Tuesday, the topic had attracted 160 million readers on Sina Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter, and 97,000 comments. Petitions to boycott United Airlines were also going viral on WeChat, a popular messaging service.

[Video of man being dragged off United flight fuels outrage in China]

On Tuesday, United spokesman Charles Hobart sought to clarify earlier reports saying that the flight was not overbooked but that the airline made the decision late into the boarding process that it needed four seats to accommodate crew members from Republic Airlines. Such an instance is rare, he added, but happens on occasion.

Officials offered various incentives, but no passengers came forward, he said.

When no volunteers came forward, Hobart said officials used a number of factors, including frequent-flier status, price paid for the ticket and ease of rebooking, to determine who would have to leave. Hobart said the passengers who were removed were compensated and given rebooking options, but he declined to go into detail.

Times are good for airlines. Profits are up, complaints are down and record numbers of people are flying, according to federal data. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported last month that 929 million people flew in 2016, an increase of 3.5 percent over the previous record-setting year, 2015.

BTS statistics also show that the United States largest airlines  including United  have improved on several measures of quality. In 2016, the number of passengers bumped from their flights hit its lowest annual rate since 1995, the most recent year for which DOT records are available. According to BTS, the bumping rate was 0.62 per 10,000 passengers.

Even so, the growing number of passengers can also mean more tension in the air and on the ground. And social media have given passengers a powerful tool by which they can air their grievances.

I dont think incidents of bad behavior are increasing. Youre just seeing it in a way you havent before, said Brignone, of FlyersRights.org.

Before people might complain to friend or family about a bad experience but thats as far as it went, she said.

It was all off-line, she added. But with the advent of smartphones and apps like Twitter and Facebook, people have a very public outlet to complain on.

While it may be embarrassing to airlines, it shows things that in the past would have gone unnoticed, she said.

That was the case for Martin Rubbiolo, an electrical engineer in Colorado. When he read about the viral videos, he flashed back to 2005  when he said United bumped him from a flight to an important meeting with his boss.

He shared a letter he wrote the airline afterwards  I was wondering what, if anything, will you do to right this wrong. It had no effect, he said, and he abandoned United.

Social media also provides airlines instant feedback for airlines to recalibrate their message as United has continued to do since news of the incident first broke.

Many thought early statements from the airline missed the mark, apologizing for having to re-accommodate these customers. That public apology, however, was undercut after CNBC reported that a leaked memo to employees seemed to blame the passenger for becoming, more and more disruptive and belligerent.

But perhaps social media is helping airlines fine tune their message.

Take the closing line of Munozs recent statement: I promise you we will do better.

Luz Lazo, Martine Powers and Simon Denyer contributed to this report.
At least two children have been hospitalized in what police say was a murder-suicide.

At least two children have been hospitalized in what police say was a murder-suicide.

At least two children have been hospitalized in what police say was a murder-suicide.

The scene in San Bernardino after a shooting at an elementary school

The scene in San Bernardino after a shooting at an elementary school

Third-grader Jeremy Muschell was returning to his classroom after using the restroom when he heard the first of four loud booms.

They were really, really loud, and he heard people yelling, No, dont!  said his mother, Jane Muschell. He told me he heard [the shooter] reload the gun  cocking the gun.

And so the nightmare began on Monday morning at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, where Cedric Anderson, 53, gunned down his wife, teacher Karen Smith, and killed 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez. Anderson also wounded a 9-year-old child before turning the gun on himself.

On Tuesday, the community was trying to regroup after its second high-profile shooting in only 16 months. In December 2015, 14 people were killed and 22 others were wounded when terrorists opened fire at the Inland Regional Center.

In a news conference Tuesday, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said Anderson and Smith had been in a relationship for about four years and separated soon after marrying in late January. The police chief said it appeared that Anderson had been attempting to contact Smith and persuade her to return home, but she was resistant.

People close to Smith, 53, said she was concerned about his behavior, and that he had made some threats toward her, Burguan told reporters, noting that Anderson had not specifically threatened to shoot the woman. We were also told from the family that she didnt necessarily take those threats seriously.

No one at the school where Smith was a special-education teacher knew about the issues, Burguan said, adding: She effectively kept her private life private.

Anderson stopped by the school office Monday morning and told administrators he needed to drop something off for his wife, Burguan said.

Smith, a special-education instructor, taught in a part of school where the classrooms are separated by cubicle partitions instead of walls. That day, she was there with 15 students and two aides.

Brianna Alcazar, 7, was one of those students in Smiths classroom. She said the bad guy didnt say anything before he started shooting.

I heard him load a gun, Brianna said, speaking softly from the back seat of the car in the parking lot of a middle school where counselors were seeing families. And then I saw his gun was black and his jacket was black.

In the classroom next door, third-grader Jeremy said he heard Andersons gun go off.

As the shots rang out, his teacher quickly led the class out an emergency door to a playground on the far end of campus, where they waited for police.

It happened so quickly; he said he was scared and wanted to cry, Jeremys mother said.

Kerrie Oestreich came with her adult daughter Emily Oestreich. They are recreational aides who interact with students at recess and lunchtime, and were in their workroom with another woman during the shooting. Kerrie Oestreich said a maintenance crew happened to be on the grounds making repairs.

It was like, What the hell are they doing?  she said, thinking the crew was the source of the noise. And then when the second shot went off, thats when the three of us looked at each other: those are gunshots.

Kerrie said she left the room and saw some children in the hallway; she ushered them into a bathroom.

I told them not to open the door, she said.

In Smiths classroom, two children had been shot. Student Benjamin Enriquez Jr. told his parents that hed seen his friend  the 9-year-old boy who was injured  bleeding from his abdomen.

Hes a special-needs kid and I dont know if his mind actually retains all that, like if he really  what his mind really retained, Benjamin Enriquez said of his son, who hid his face with a ball cap as his dad spoke outside the grief-counseling center that had been set up at the middle school. I dont think he really understands the whole picture of everything. But thats why were here.

The name of the injured child has not been released. Officials say he is in stable condition at a hospital. Jonathan was flown to a hospital, where he died of his wounds.

Kerrie Oestreich, who greets children each morning as they exit the school bus, said that she was the first adult Jonathan saw every morning when he came to school. She described him as a smiling and happy-go-lucky child.

He was always happy, even when he was sick, she said through tears.

Sometimes hed get off the bus and tell me, Miss O, I think today my foots going to hurt, she remembered with a chuckle. Id be like, Okay Jonathan. Ill check on you later.  And hed just bounce right on up with the rest of the kids.

Students remembered Smith affectionately. Clutching a teddy bear, Brianna said that she loved her teacher.

I miss her  I want her to come back, Brianna said, adding that Smith taught her how to read and do subtraction. Shes in heaven.

Lindsey Bever in Washington contributed to this report.
When he rose to speak in 1981 to the graduating sixth-graders at his old Harlem elementary school, Eugene M. Lang had planned, he said, on mouthing the usual commencement banalities.

But as the wealthy industrialist eyed the five dozen underprivileged, largely minority students, he could not bring himself to preach to them about the successes that they might never have the tools to reap. He discarded his remarks and recalled to them the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech, urging the children to pursue dreams of their own.

And then  with no forethought, he said  he made a vow that would change their lives and his. I didnt stop to do any arithmetic, he told the Associated Press. I just said, You can go. I promise that each one of you can go to college. 

By his account, Mr. Lang guaranteed each student $500 for every year of college that he or she attended, an amount he later increased. The immediate response, he said, was the most delightful mob scene a human being can have.

The principal sought to temper Mr. Langs expectations, privately estimating that only a handful of students might take up his offer. But the students defied the schools sky-high dropout rate. By 1991, 45 of the original cohort had graduated from high school, and 33 were in college, according to the New York Times.

The experience led Mr. Lang to found the I Have a Dream Foundation in New York. The initiative, which made him one of the most revered educational philanthropists of his time, reports on its website that it has served 18,000 students through 200 programs across the United States since 1986.

Mr. Lang died April 8 at his home in Manhattan. He was 98 and had Alzheimers disease and prostate cancer, said his daughter, Jane Lang.

Like the young audience of his commencement address at P.S. 121, Mr. Lang grew up in poverty  and was the beneficiary of the kindness of a stranger.

Eugene Michael Lang was born in New York City on March 16, 1919, to Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. His mother was a public elementary school teacher, and his father was a machinist at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Raising their family in a tenement with a toilet down the hall, the couple instilled in their children the importance of education. Mr. Lang graduated from high school at 14 and, amid the Depression, found work as a dishwasher.

One evening, when the waiter became ill, Mr. Lang removed his kitchen apron to serve a nightly customer. When the man asked why he was not in school, Mr. Lang explained that he had already graduated. Did he not wish to go to college, the diner inquired? Yes, Mr. Lang replied, he intended to enroll in the City College of New York. Had Mr. Lang never considered Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, the man asked?

The diner, it turned out, was a Swarthmore trustee and set up an interview for Mr. Lang. I was to go to the Harvard Club and I didnt even own a pair of long pants, Mr. Lang told the Times in 1985. I showed up at the club  the portals of heaven  in knickers and a sweater.

Mr. Lang was accepted at the college, where he ran a laundry operation and sold pennants. He received a bachelors degree in economics in 1938, followed by a masters degree in business and science from Columbia University in 1940.

He was unable to serve in World War II because of flat feet, he told a student interviewer, and began his business career at Heli-Coil, a Queens manufacturer of airplane parts where he became a part-owner. He later formed Refac Technology Development, a company that licensed products and defended their patents. Through the firm, and through frugality that included taking public transportation to work, he became a millionaire many times over.

The beneficiaries of his philanthropy included Swarthmore, to which he donated $50 million in 2012, and the New School in New York, where the Eugene Lang College was named for him. But Mr. Lang seemed to take greatest pleasure in his work with the Harlem students.

It became so apparent to me that I couldnt possibly relate to them. I knew the reverse was true, too. We were in completely different orbits, Mr. Lang told the AP. I could not accept the fact that I was just passing through. I wanted them to know that I was a good, caring human being and I lived in the same world.

He made himself personally available to them, counseling them when they faced obstacles such as teen pregnancy and addiction and delinquency. He cheered them at their graduations and helped arrange for jobs. When a student was incarcerated at Sing Sing, he helped him pursue college course work from prison.

In 1998, the New York Daily News reported that some of the P.S. 121 students felt betrayed by Mr. Lang, who they thought had promised a full ride to any college. Mr. Lang acknowledged that $2,000 would not fully cover costs at many institutions but noted that the students also qualified for need-based tuition assistance.

He was honored by presidents including Ronald Reagan, who invited Mr. Lang to the White House, and Bill Clinton, who awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, in 1996.

Mr. Langs wife of 62 years, the former Theresa Volmar, died in 2008. Survivors include a daughter, Jane Lang of Washington; two sons, David Lang and the actor Stephen Lang, both of Manhattan; a sister; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Mr. Lang described his work with the students at P.S. 121 as the most fulfilling endeavor of his life. The commitment I made was like getting on a tiger, he told the Los Angeles Times in 1987, but I dont want to get off.
From the time she was 8 years old, Michele Martinho wanted to be a doctor. The daughter of immigrants, she focused single-mindedly on that goal, shaping her education and extracurricular activities toward gaining admission to medical school and then finding a medical residency.

Fate seemed to cooperate. Soon after she finished her training, an opportunity came along to buy a medical practice on the Lower East Side of New York, not far from her childhood home in New Jersey. She borrowed money from her parents and began to set up the career of her dreams.

On Tuesday, she spoke to a small audience at the Georgetown University School of Medicine as both a physician and a felon, her world upended by an aspect of medical practice for which she received no training despite all those years of education.

In 2014, the internist pleaded guilty to one count of accepting a bribe. She accepted monthly payments of $5,000 to refer patients to a New Jersey facility, Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services, for blood tests and other screenings. Such referrals are illegal in medicine because of the potential that doctors will put their financial interests ahead of the needs of their patients.

[Why its so hard to hold a drug manufacturer accountable for the opioid crisis]

Blood test sample. (luoman/Getty Images/iStockphoto)

To date, 43 people have been convicted in the multiyear investigation, 29 of them doctors. The U.S. attorneys office in New Jersey said the case involves more than $100 million paid to the testing lab by Medicare and private insurance companies. The company is out of business and the government has recovered more than $12 million through asset forfeiture.

Martinho accepted $155,000  always, she said, in monthly envelopes full of cash. She blames only herself for her situation, acknowledging that she knew when she started taking the cash in 2010 that she was evading tax laws. But she said she didnt understand that the referral itself was considered a kickback. The idea had been suggested by a friend who helped set up her office and subsequently a rep from the laboratory itself.

Now, Martinho said, she speaks at any health-care or ethics institution that will have her, hoping to warn future doctors about how much they dont know. Her advice: Accept nothing from the parade of drug, device and other representatives who will try to gain access to your office, and always seek the advice of an attorney who specializes in medical practice.

I want them to know, Wow, this is how it happens,  she told about 25 people at the lecture, some of them medical students. Slowly it infiltrates into your practice, and you didnt see it coming.

A single mother of two small children, Martinho faces the possibility of jail and loss of her medical license when she is sentenced. The maximum penalty she is facing is a five-year prison sentence and a $250,000 fine. She said her future employment prospects are bleak as a felon. Already, she has had a bank account closed and she believes many institutions have ignored her requests to address their students because of the conviction. Her life, she said, has been destroyed.

[How drugs intended for legal users ended up on the black market]

All of these things from one decision, one crime, which is huge. But I want to make sure this rings in the minds of future medical students.

We have not been prepared for the business of medicine, she added. We were taught the medicine of medicine.

After taking an ethics training course, Martinho said she hit upon the idea of restorative justice by speaking to medical students and others. She said she has emailed about 350 medical schools, health groups and other institutions. Tuesday was her 25th lecture.

She said she has no deal with prosecutors and does not know whether her effort will help at sentencing time.

I am hoping it makes a difference overall in my future, she said in an interview after she spoke at Georgetown.
NIGERIA

Officials foil plot against U.S., British embassies

Nigerian security officials have thwarted plans by Boko Haram to attack the embassies of the United States and Britain, authorities said Wednesday.

A Department of State Services statement said it broke up a ring that had perfected plans to attack the UK and American embassies and other Western interests in Nigerias capital, Abuja.

The statement said five suspects were arrested March 25 and 26, while a 20-year-old Boko Haram member was arrested March 22 and confessed his involvement in executing the sinister activities of the group.

The statement gave no further details.

The United States appreciates the work of Nigerias Department of State Security and Nigerian security forces in fighting terrorism and keeping citizens and residents safe, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said in Washington.

The State Department issued an updated travel warning for Nigeria on April 5. In 2011, Boko Haram attacked the United Nations Nigeria headquarters, in Abuja, killing at least 21 people.

One faction of the Boko Haram insurgency is allied with the Islamic State militant group.

Nigerias president late last year declared the insurgency crushed, but Boko Haram fighters continue to threaten the vast region around Lake Chad.

 Associated Press

Meningitis death toll in Nigeria up to 489: Health officials said Nigerias meningitis outbreak has killed at least 489 people as of Monday. Health Minister Isaac Adewole said 4,637 meningitis cases have been confirmed. The government has kicked off a nationwide vaccination campaign, though there is a worldwide shortage for the strain. A meningitis epidemic killed 1,100 people and infected more than 10,000 in Nigeria and neighboring Niger in 2015.

Somalia rescues 8 Indians held by pirates: Somalias military has rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said. The sailors, whose ship was hijacked last week, were rescued after regional forces surrounded the captors in a village outside Hobyo town, said Mayor Abdullahi Ahmed Ali. Four pirates were arrested, he said. All the Indian crew members have been rescued, with two freed earlier, the mayor said. In recent weeks, there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalias coast after five years of inactivity.

Islamic State attack kills 5 in Kabul: At least five people were killed when a suicide bomber on foot carried out an attack in Afghanistans capital, an official said. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said three people were wounded in the Kabul blast. The Islamic State asserted responsibility for the attack via its Amaq News Agency. The attack occurred near the Defense Ministry compound.

Bangladesh executes 3 over 2004 attack on British envoy: Bangladesh executed an Islamist militant leader and two aides for a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, a senior prison official said, days after the president turned down their clemency pleas. The attack killed three people and wounded the then-British high commissioner. The execution comes amid a spate of militant attacks in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation.

Tunisian man seen as lone perpetrator of Berlin attack: A Tunisian man whose asylum application had been rejected appears to have been the sole perpetrator of the attack on a Berlin Christmas market even though he was in contact with an Islamic State member outside Germany, prosecutors said. The prosecutors said they have found no evidence that anyone else in the country besides Anis Amri was involved in the Dec. 19 attack, which killed 12 people. The Islamic State asserted responsibility for the assault. Amri fled Berlin after the attack and was killed by police in Italy.

 From news services
Barack Obama and Donald Trump talk to members of the media during a meeting in the White House in Washington on Nov. 10, 2016. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

In his April 9 op-ed, What must come next in Syria, Robert Kagan attempted an ingenious takedown of President Barack Obamas Syria policy. I agree with Mr. Kagan that not acting in Syria strengthened Russian and Chinese adventurism, at great cost to us and the world. But blaming Mr. Obama without context of our internal politics is hopefully not how serious historians will view it.

Can Mr. Kagan name anything Mr. Obama did that was not rejected and/or severely criticized by Republican leadership? (See, for example, Dana Milbanks April 9 Sunday Opinion column, Mitch McConnell, the man who broke America.)

My thinking at the time was that Mr. Obama had two options: He could take action to start another military intervention at the risk of young American lives or not. The consequences to his presidency, with the possibility of impeachment for going to war without congressional approval, were real; not so much for President Trump. So, he did what he could do. He bluffed. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad called his bluff, and now we have Russian and Chinese aggression as well as the refugee crisis as described by Mr. Kagan.

One can blame Mr. Obama, but not without placing as much blame on Republican politics of the time.

Robert Pokras, Silver Spring
Regarding the April 3 news article Brexit could give Spain major bargaining power over Gibraltar:

Spain is again rattling sabers over Gibraltar. The rocky outcrop was taken in 1704, and Spain ceded it to Britain under the Treaty of Utrecht. But that has not ended numerous attempts by the Spanish government to get the 2.6 square miles of land back.

To have that discussion, Spain should return a territory it has held illegally for 211 years: the town of Olivenca (Olivenza in Spanish). This border town was Portuguese from 1297 to 1801, when the Spanish army, along with French troops, invaded. The Treaty of Vienna of 1815 returned the town to Portugal, but Spanish forces never left. They outlawed the Portuguese language and prevented a bridge linking it to Portugal to be rebuilt. Despite Spains refusal to return the town of 290 square miles and 11,000 people, the two nations have been able to coexist peacefully since 1815, and Portugal has resisted political rhetoric that could have led to war.

If Spain wants Gibraltar back, which had been in British hands for almost a century when it captured Olivenca, then it should consider autonomy for Olivenca and honor its obligation under the Treaty of Vienna of 1815.

Jayme Henriques Simoes, Concord, N.H.
THE PROSPECT that the Trump administration will soon develop friendly relations with Russia appears to be fading fast. Though President Trump has yet to make a critical remark in public about Vladimir Putin, his aides are lambasting the Kremlin for its tolerance of, and possible complicity in, a chemical-weapons attack by Syria. White House aides are even denouncing the fake news reports with which Moscow is attempting to sow confusion about the use of the nerve agent sarin by the regime of Bashar al-Assad  which is certainly a change from Mr. Trumps campaign habit of echoing Russian disinformation.

If the administration is developing a more realistic view of Mr. Putin and the threats he poses to core U.S. interests, that is to be welcomed. That said, there seems to be more learning to do. On his way to Moscow for meetings Tuesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson coupled his criticism of Russia, and a welcome declaration that we see no further role for the Assad regime longer term, with an expression of hope that Russia would choose to drop its alliance with Damascus and Iran and instead realign with the United States, with other Western countries that are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis.

Mr. Tillerson might have been reading a script from his predecessor, John F. Kerry. For years Mr. Kerry doggedly repeated the phrase that Russia needed to make a choice in Syria between the Assad regime and those seeking peace  and over and over again, Mr. Putin chose Damascus. That will not change because a new administration has taken over in Washington. As Philip Gordon, a former senior official in the Obama administration, explained in a commentary for The Post, Mr. Putin is dead set against regime change in Syria or anywhere else the West seeks the removal of a dictator. Moreover, Russias new place of power in the Mideast, including its Syrian bases, is defended by Iranian-led ground forces, making a rupture of the Moscow-Tehran alliance unthinkable for Mr. Putin.

If Mr. Tillerson really wants Russia to switch sides, he will need to obtain what Mr. Kerry sought in vain  leverage provided by U.S. military action to cripple the Assad regime. One volley of cruise missiles wont do it: The United States would need to destroy the rest of the Syrian air force and provide greater support to non-extremist rebels on the ground. That would be far harder to do now than in 2012 and 2013, when Mr. Obama chose not to act; among other things, it would risk a direct military conflict with Russia.

A more modest goal for U.S. diplomacy would be to agree with Russia on a de facto partition of Syria into zones controlled by the regime, Western-backed rebels and Kurds, with a long-term cease-fire imposed on all sides. Russia could meanwhile round up and dispose of the chemical stocks that the Assad regime still retains. That would, at least, spare Syrian civilians from further atrocities and allow for a concentration of military efforts against the Islamic State and al-Qaeda. But as Mr. Kerry could tell Mr. Tillerson, even that wont fly with Mr. Putin unless the United States is willing to show greater resolve.
IT MAY be time to re-accommodate Oscar Munoz, chief executive of United Airlines. He might be re-accommodated in a different industry  mixed martial arts, for example, or corrections.

It was Mr. Munoz, formerly hailed as a modern-day corporate mastermind and communications clairvoyant for having spiffed up Uniteds once-pitiable record of customer service, who apologized for having to re-accommodate four passengers on a Chicago-to-Louisville flight Sunday. Never mind that one of the passengers was manhandled and bloodied by airport police, acting at the behest of United personnel, after he declined to be re-accommodated by giving up his reserved, paid-for seat. That passenger finally received a full apology Tuesday from Mr. Munoz, 48 hours after he was dragged off the plane with his glasses askew.

Video of that incident, shot by other passengers, instantly went viral, prompting Mr. Munozs clueless statement, in which he also promised to reach out to the passenger. The passenger might be within his rights to feel that United had reached out to him quite enough already.

Even as he was tut-tutting at what he called the upsetting event on Flight 3411, Mr. Munoz, who has made a great show during his tenure of redefining his airline as a people business, was sending an altogether different message internally. Openly blaming the victim, he assured United personnel in a letter, quickly leaked, that I emphatically stand behind all of you and that it was the disruptive and belligerent passenger who had invited the assault upon him by refusing to yield his seat to one of the airlines own employees, who needed to get to Louisville.

The victim on Flight 3411 was Asian American, fueling the videos virality in China, where it has been seized upon by untold millions, at the urging of state media and others, as evidence of anti-Asian bias in the United States and Washingtons hypocrisy on human rights.

It is a fact of life, and of Supreme Court precedent, that airlines may bump passengers from overbooked flights. Usually, passengers go voluntarily, lured by cash or voucher incentives offered by the airline. In some cases, they do not. Scarcely 1 out of every 10,000 United passengers was involuntarily given the heave-ho during a five-year stretch ending last year, according to the Transportation Department.

That may be legal, but there is no excuse for allowing a passenger to be mauled. The airport police officer who dragged the passenger from his seat, suspended for now, should face discipline. And one would have thought that further sweeteners  United had offered compensation worth up to $800 to passengers who agreed to leave the plane and take a flight the following day  might have coaxed one or two more customers from their seats.

Mr. Munoz is now in damage-control mode following his initial ham-handed response, vowing to fix whats broken by reviewing the airlines policies on summoning police, transferring crew and handling overbooked flights so this never happens again. Nice that he plans to avoid a repetition of an event that was utterly avoidable in the first place.
Julian Assange is the editor of WikiLeaks.

On his last night in office, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered a powerful farewell speech to the nation  words so important that hed spent a year and a half preparing them. Ike famously warned the nation to guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

Much of Eisenhowers speech could form part of the mission statement of WikiLeaks today. We publish truths regarding overreaches and abuses conducted in secret by the powerful.

Our most recent disclosures describe the CIAs multibillion-dollar cyberwarfare program, in which the agency created dangerous cyberweapons, targeted private companies consumer products and then lost control of its cyber-arsenal. Our source(s) said they hoped to initiate a principled public debate about the security, creation, use, proliferation and democratic control of cyberweapons.

The truths we publish are inconvenient for those who seek to avoid one of the magnificent hallmarks of American life  public debate. Governments assert that WikiLeaks reporting harms security. Some claim that publishing facts about military and national security malfeasance is a greater problem than the malfeasance itself. Yet, as Eisenhower emphasized, Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

Quite simply, our motive is identical to that claimed by the New York Times and The Post  to publish newsworthy content. Consistent with the U.S. Constitution, we publish material that we can confirm to be true irrespective of whether sources came by that truth legally or have the right to release it to the media. And we strive to mitigate legitimate concerns, for example by using redaction to protect the identities of at-risk intelligence agents.

Dean Baquet, executive editor of the New York Times, defended publication of our stolen material last year: I get the argument that the standards should be different if the stuff is stolen and that should influence the decision. But in the end, I think that we have an obligation to report what we can about important people and important events. David Lauter, Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, made a similar argument: My default position is democracy works best when voters have as much information as possible . . . And that information often comes from rival campaigns, from old enemies, from all sorts of people who have motives that you might look at and say, thats unsavory. 

The media has a long history of speaking truth to power with purloined or leaked material  Jack Andersons reporting on the CIAs enlistment of the Mafia to kill Fidel Castro; the Providence Journal-Bulletins release of President Richard Nixons stolen tax returns; the New York Times publication of the stolen Pentagon Papers; and The Posts tenacious reporting of Watergate leaks, to name a few. I hope historians place WikiLeaks publications in this pantheon. Yet there are widespread calls to prosecute me.

President Thomas Jefferson had a modest proposal to improve the press: Perhaps an editor might begin a reformation in some such way as this. Divide his paper into 4 chapters, heading the 1st, Truths. 2nd, Probabilities. 3rd, Possibilities. 4th, Lies. The first chapter would be very short, as it would contain little more than authentic papers, and information. Jeffersons concept of publishing truths using authentic papers presaged WikiLeaks.

People who dont like the tune often blame the piano player. Large public segments are agitated by the result of the U.S. presidential election, by public dissemination of the CIAs dangerous incompetence or by evidence of dirty tricks undertaken by senior officials in a political party. But as Jefferson foresaw, the agitation [a free press] produces must be submitted to. It is necessary, to keep the waters pure.

Vested interests deflect from the facts that WikiLeaks publishes by demonizing its brave staff and me. We are mischaracterized as America-hating servants to hostile foreign powers. But in fact I harbor an overwhelming admiration for both America and the idea of America. WikiLeaks sole interest is expressing constitutionally protected truths, which I remain convinced is the cornerstone of the United States remarkable liberty, success and greatness.

I have given up years of my own liberty for the risks we have taken at WikiLeaks to bring truth to the public. I take some solace in this: Joseph Pulitzer, namesake of journalisms award for excellence, was indicted in 1909 for publishing allegedly libelous information about President Theodore Roosevelt and the financier J.P. Morgan in the Panama Canal corruption scandal. It was the truth that set him free.
GOVERNMENT-TRANSPARENCY activists sued the Trump administration Monday, demanding the release of records showing who has visited the White House, when and for how long. Its not clear the activists have the better side of the legal question, which revolves around whether the visitor logs are Secret Service records subject to the Freedom of Information Act or White House records shielded from public transparency standards. But there is no question about how President Trump should respond. Under a 2009 settlement with these activists, the Obama White House disclosed the visitor logs for the rest of President Barack Obamas time in office; Mr. Trump should disclose his also.

The Obama administration released some 6 million visitor records over two terms, offering a picture of the daily rush of advisers, lawmakers and petitioners granted access to the president, the first lady and staff across the executive mansions grounds. Using this information, The Post noted that the Obama White House met with a variety of lobbyists  connected to everything from the meat industry to Wall Street  on a single sample day in 2012. That same year, the New York Times found that, along with the flood of lobbyists, those who donated the most to Mr. Obama and the Democratic Party since he started running for president were far more likely to visit the White House than others. It was undoubtedly in the public interest for Americans to know who was attempting to peddle influence and when. Former Obama officials say that the policy discouraged staff from taking meetings that they should not have.

Some other former presidential advisers argue that these benefits come at too high a price. People who would otherwise offer valuable advice might shy from visiting the White House, so as not to appear on a public registry. In times of crisis, the president should feel uninhibited from seeking counsel. Emergency or no, one can imagine a variety of tough scenarios: Foreign dissidents, for example, might benefit from a private meeting with the president or West Wing staff, but would not be eager to send a public statement of association with high-level U.S. officials.

Former Obama administration staffers nevertheless report that, though releasing visitor logs led to some negative news articles, staff generally did not feel inhibited from arranging worthwhile meetings or getting good advice. Obama officials maintained a national security exception from the visitor log reporting program, the continuation of which would allow Mr. Trump and his staff to meet with sensitive sources or seek help in times of emergency. Moreover, a three-month reporting delay meant that, say, touchy negotiations with members of Congress were not immediately revealed.

The White House should not backslide on transparency. In fact, if the Trump administration is to use the billionaires Mar-a-Lago retreat and Trump Tower as second and third White Houses, at considerable cost to the public, it should release logs of who visits there, too. Members of Congress, meanwhile, should raise their transparency game at least to match the Obama administrations. Their constituents are entitled to know who is helping to write the law.
Despite recent revelations that Fox News and anchor Bill OReilly had settled five complaints of sexual harassment against him to the tune of millions  his ratings went up.

A few days later, a United Airlines passenger was dragged from an airplane to make room for crew members on a full flight  and Uniteds stock initially went up.

And for this we pay good money?

The shock wasnt so much that monetary values seem to increase in direct correlation to the diminution of moral values but that weve become passive bystanders to appalling behavior and allegations. Well beyond defining deviancy down, as the great statesman Daniel Patrick Moynihan once described our cultural devolution  we hardly know what it is anymore.

Which reminds me of another great social observer, author Flannery OConnor. Frequently asked why Southerners write so much about freaks, she replied that it was because Southerners could still recognize them. Whether this was ever true is debatable only beyond the Confederate states.

(Erin Patrick O'Connor/The Washington Post)

What is true today is that social media has become the church lady and the party-line operator rolled into one. If somebody misbehaves, not just two people know about it. Within hours or minutes, millions do. Like a single organism endowed with the accumulated moral fortitude of human society, Twitter demands justice.

In viral videos of the airplane fiasco, passengers are heard protesting as security officials drag the man down the aisle toward the exit. But even their objections were relatively muted. Was this a one-off, crazy incident, they must have wondered? Or, was it just a matter of time until the blood-sucking, tentacled tripod machines in War of the Worlds reach down to select their next human cocktail to drain? But maybe thats just me.

Still. It happened. Right here in the USA. On a plane. To a random guy.

United stocks rallied and the friendly skies were no wiser.

That is, until the outrage gathering on social media reached investors. By the time the market closed Tuesday, Uniteds shares were down 1.1 percent and the company had lost $255 million in market value  not because of the airlines treatment of the passenger but because of investors loss of faith in the companys ability to handle a crisis.

As for OReilly, oreally?

I was beginning to think I was the last person on the planet for whom mention of OReilly prompted the instant association to loofah. OReilly. Loofah. OReilly. Loofah. Yes, my fellow Americans, not only is OReilly a smug, sarcastic, windbag/anchor of the self-promoting commercial called The OReilly Factor, he is also allegedly a sex talker of some renown.

Thirteen years ago, OReilly settled with a Factor associate producer, Andrea Mackris, who sued for sexual harassment. Specifically, she alleged that in telephone conversations, he bragged about his global sexual exploits, encouraged her to release tensions with a mechanical aid, and spoke of a shower fantasy with Mackris and that little loofah thing. Later in the same conversation, for reasons unknown, she said he changed his terminology to that falafel thing  word of the day, eh?  which falls somewhat short of correcting the record.

Your Honor, I did not say her little loofah thing. I said her little falafel thing. Theres a big difference, you know.

The upshot of the Mackris and more recent Fox News scandals was that women were paid for their silence, in some cases quite well. Gretchen Carlson was awarded $20 million to settle her suit alleging that Fox News boss Roger Ailes sexually harassed her for several years. Ailes is gone; Carlson is rich.

Mackris was paid as well, though not nearly so well. The tapes she supposedly had that would have proved her case were never released, she faded into scandal history, and OReilly went on to become Fox Newss ratings god for reasons Ive failed to glean.

Then #droporeilly was born and thousands of women shared their experiences with workplace harassment. At last count, more than 60 advertisers, including Jenny Craig, Advil and Mercedes-Benz, pulled their commercials from the show. Even OReilly is only as valuable as the bucks he brings in.

In a pre-Twitter age, the United event might have gone unnoticed by more than a few reporters who corralled a few passengers for interviews  if that. Pre-social media, allegations of OReillys brutish behavior might have been passed off as just-a-guy having some innocent fun.

Alas, and for good, the partys over for boors and bullies. Except, of course, for the president of the United States.

Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.
Daniel Hemel is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Law School.

State lawmakers across the country are pursuing creative methods to force President Trump to release his federal income tax returns before he can run for reelection in 2020. Unfortunately for citizens interested in greater presidential transparency, those efforts are likely to fail.

There is, however, a much easier way for state lawmakers to force the disclosure of Trumps tax information: publishing the state tax returns already in their possession, which would reveal much of the same information appearing in his federal documents.

So far, state lawmakers have focused their attention on bills that would require candidates to release their federal income tax returns before appearing on those states presidential ballots. The Democratic-controlled New Jersey legislature approved such a bill last month. State lawmakers in California, New York and 20 other states have introduced similar legislation.

The ballot-access approach faces three formidable obstacles: First, Democrats control both the governor slot and legislatures in only half a dozen states. Republicans are likely to block the bills from becoming law anywhere else. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, is widely expected to veto his states ballot-access bill.

Second, if a ballot-access bill becomes law in a deep-blue state, there is no guarantee that Trump will comply. In states such as California  where he lost by a landslide  Trump might decide to keep his name off the 2020 ballot rather than release his returns.

Finally, Trump would almost certainly bring a constitutional challenge to any law requiring him to disclose his tax returns as a condition for ballot access, and it is far from clear that these laws would hold up in court.

But publishing Trumps state tax returns is a much more viable option  and would make his returns available to the public now, rather than three years from now.

Trumps New York state resident income tax returns show his salary, dividends, capital gains, rental real estate income and other income from all sources  including sources outside New York. If Trump fills out a Resident Itemized Deduction Schedule  as most high-income individuals in New York do  he also reports his gifts to charity. And if he is using phantom losses from previous years to offset tax on his current-year income, then the New York state return shows that too.

New Yorks Department of Taxation and Finance keeps copies of Trumps state returns from as far back as 1990. Current New York law prohibits state tax officials from disclosing an individuals returns, but the New York legislature could amend that law to require the state tax authority to post the presidents returns from the past quarter-century on its website. For the sake of evenhandedness, the legislature might apply the same rule to its other elected officials. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo is unlikely to object: He releases his returns every year, as do the states two senators, fellow Democrats Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand.

Federal law does not stand in New Yorks way. The Internal Revenue Code prohibits state officials from disclosing a taxpayers federal return, but it does not stop New York from disclosing information that Trump reports on his state forms.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what President Trump has been doing since taking office View Photos The beginning of his term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. Caption The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

A bill requiring the disclosure of Trumps state tax returns should sail through the New York State Assembly, where Democrats enjoy an overwhelming majority. It would also stand a strong chance of passing the State Senate, where Democrats occupy roughly half the 63 seats. Moderate Republicans might come on board as well.

The political environment might be even more hospitable in other states with Democratic governors and Democratic-dominated legislatures  including California, Connecticut and Hawaii, where Trump has real estate investments and presumably files nonresident returns. While those returns dont include as many details as Trumps New York returns, they still could reveal some important information, such as his adjusted gross income from all sources, both in and out of state.

Skeptics might say that public disclosure of Trumps state tax returns would violate the principle of taxpayer privacy. But Trump is no ordinary taxpayer. The public has a right to know whether its president is paying his fair share of taxes and whether he has financial conflicts of interest as commander in chief.

State tax returns are not a complete substitute for the federal returns that every president for the past four decades has disclosed. And even Trumps federal returns might not reveal the full extent of his financial ties to the Russian government or other foreign entities. But some information is better than none  and it certainly would be better than the dribs and drabs of information disclosed through sporadic leaks.

State lawmakers have the power to provide voters with a more comprehensive understanding of the presidents taxpaying past. They should use it.
Paul Manafort on the floor of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last July. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press)

Paul Manafort, the former campaign chair for Donald Trump, has signaled that he plans to register as a foreign agent for his past work on behalf of political figures in Ukraine.

If he files, Manafort would become the second former senior Trump adviser in recent weeks to retroactively acknowledge the need to disclose foreign work. Gen. Michael Flynn, the former White House national security adviser, filed a disclosure last month saying he had done work on behalf of Turkish interests.

A spokesman for Manafort said Wednesday that the longtime political consultant considered a new filing under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) after receiving formal guidance recently from the authorities regarding work he and a colleague had performed on behalf of Ukrainian political interests.

Manaforts spokesman, Jason Maloni, said that the work in question was widely known and ended before Manafort began working with the Trump campaign, while emphasizing that the work was not conducted on behalf of the Russian government.

Manaforts ties to Ukraine have been controversial because he worked for a political figure, Viktor Yanukovych, who became aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

(Bastien Inzaurralde/The Washington Post)

For nearly a decade, Manafort advised Yanukovych, who was elected president in 2010 but fled to Moscow four years later after demonstrations demanding his ouster.

Manafort has done work advising political leaders around the globe, including some troubled figures, such as former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos. Manafort expects to file any additional FARA disclosure amendments within the next 30 days. It was not clear Wednesday whether Manafort was considering filing reports based on foreign work he did outside of Ukraine.

Manaforts acknowledgment of the foreign registration issue came Wednesday afternoon, hours after a detailed statement was issued by the Podesta Group, which, along with another firm, helped Manafort with a campaign to improve Ukraines image in the United States between 2012 and 2014.

The Podesta Group is led by Tony Podesta, the brother of Hillary Clintons campaign adviser, John Podesta.

In filing the FARA report, Podestas firm disclosed that it was paid more than $1.2 million by a Brussels-based group advocating for Ukraine. The Podesta Group statement, from chief executive Kimberley Fritts, said the consulting group received legal counsel at the time that foreign agent registration was not required. Instead, Podesta disclosed its lobbying activities only as part of a standard congressional lobbying disclosure for work done in the United States.

But information brought to light in recent months prompted us to review our original registration determination, Fritts said in the statement.

FARA registration is required if funding comes from a foreign government or political party. Registration is required as a result of legislation passed in 1938 to counter German propagandists operating in the United States before the start of World War II.

Initially, Podesta officials said they were advised that the Brussels group was a nonprofit that was not financed directly by Yanukovych or his political party.

Last summer, the Associated Press reported that Manafort and business colleague Rick Gates had overseen the lobbying effort in Washington on behalf of Ukraines Party of Regions, which was being criticized in Congress for jailing a prominent political opponent. Gates joined Manafort in working for the Trump campaign and stayed on after Manafort resigned in August.

That resignation followed the report from the AP and another from the New York Times that discussed payments Manafort allegedly received from the Party of Regions. Manafort has consistently denied any wrongdoing and said that reports of his receiving funds improperly are false.

The involvement of the Justice Department creates a reminder of potential pitfalls for Manafort and others associated with the campaign who did work overseas. Flynns work for Turkey has received scrutiny as had Manaforts work for the now controversial Ukrainian leader. It is a felony to fail to register under FARA. But legal experts said individuals typically avoid prosecution by cooperating with Justice Department recommendations.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologized on Tuesday for remarks that were viewed as downplaying the atrocities of the Holocaust.

In criticizing Syrian President Bashar al-Assads alleged use of chemical weapons during a Tuesday briefing, Spicer said that even Adolf Hitler did not sink to that level of warfare and was not using the gas on his own people in the same way that Assad is doing, despite Hitlers use of gas chambers to kill millions of Jews and others.

Following hours of controversy, Spicer walked back his remarks late in the day.

Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison, Spicer said in an interview with CNNs Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday evening that led the nightly newscasts of all three major networks. And for that, I apologize. It was a mistake to do that.

Blitzer, the son of Holocaust survivors, asked Spicer if he knew that the Nazis took Jews, gays, gypsies and others to death camps to slaughter them in these poison-gas chambers.

(Newseum)

Yes, clearly I am aware of that, Spicer said, adding that his original comments were meant to focus just on Assads use of chemical weapons dropped from aircraft. It was a mistake to do that and, again, thats why I should have just stayed on topic, stayed focused on the actions that Assad had taken and the horrible atrocities that he had committed against his own people.

President Trump and his aides rarely apologize for controversial remarks or stating factual errors and often take a confrontational approach when challenged. Spicers decision to appear on CNN late in the day was a sign of how badly his remarks were being received both inside and outside the White House.

Spicer brought up Hitler unprompted during Tuesdays White House briefing when asked about the alliance between Assad and Russia.

We didnt use chemical weapons in World War II, Spicer said. You had . . . someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to the using chemical weapons.

Later in the briefing, a reporter asked Spicer to explain what he meant.

I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no  he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing, Spicer said, mispronouncing Assads name.

Spicers comments drew stunned looks from reporters, and the mouth of one White House press aide seemed to fall open in a half gasp as he spoke. Reporters tried to correct Spicer, to remind him of the millions gassed in concentration camps, with one person shouting out: He gassed the Jews!

1 of 37 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  The Trump Administration: Moments that made headlines View Photos White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions in the early days of the administration. Caption White House and Cabinet officials left strong impressions in the early days of the administration. Sarah Huckabee Sanders comments on slavery Things got testy when April Ryan, a White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to comment on slavery at Wednesdays news briefing. READ THE STORY Al Drago/Bloomberg Wait 1 second to continue.

I understand your point, thank you, Spicer said. He brought them into the Holocaust center, I understand that. But what I am saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down to innocent, into the middle of towns . . . so the use of it. And I appreciate the clarification there. That was not the intent.

Before the briefing was even over, White House press aides realized the magnitude of Spicers mistake. Shortly after he stepped away from the lectern, Spicer put out a statement again trying to explain what he meant.

In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, he said. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.

Social media sites lit up with outrage, concern and mockery.

Trump and several people close to him have previously faced accusations of anti-Semitism and making insensitive remarks regarding the Holocaust.

During the campaign, Trump tweeted a graphic attacking Hillary Clinton that was circulating in anti-Semitic circles online that featured a Star of David on top of piles of money. Although the image was deleted, Trump later said he wished his staff had left it in place and allowed him to defend it. In January, the White House released a statement on International Holocaust Remembrance Day that made no mention of Jews or the anti-Semitic views that fueled the Holocaust.

When confronting these accusations, Trump and those close to him note that his daughter Ivanka, son-in-law and their children are Jewish. On Monday night, the White House hosted a kosher Seder dinner for staff members. Trump did not attend but tweeted: Happy Passover to everyone celebrating in the United States of America, Israel, and around the world. #ChagSameach.

After the briefing, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum tweeted a video showing footage taken when U.S. forces liberated a concentration camp in Germany in April 1945.

Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect Executive Director Steven Goldstein, a frequent critic of Trump, released a statement accusing Spicer of having engaged in Holocaust denial and called for his firing. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Trump should fire Spicer, accusing him of downplaying the horror of the Holocaust.

About four hours after the briefing ended, Spicer appeared on CNN to apologize for his remarks.
The Trump administration is quickly identifying ways to assemble the nationwide deportation force that President Trump promised on the campaign trail as he railed against the dangers posed by illegal immigration.

An internal Department of Homeland Security assessment obtained by The Washington Post shows the agency has already found 33,000 more detention beds to house undocumented immigrants, opened discussions with dozens of local police forces that could be empowered with enforcement authority and identified where construction of Trumps border wall could begin.

The agency also is considering ways to speed up the hiring of hundreds of new Customs and Border Patrol officers, including ending polygraph and physical fitness tests in some cases, according to the documents.

But these plans could be held up by the prohibitive costs outlined in the internal report and resistance in Congress, where many lawmakers are already balking at approving billions in spending on the wall and additional border security measures.

Administration officials said the plans are preliminary and have not been reviewed by senior DHS management, but the assessment offers a glimpse of the departments behind-the-scenes planning to carry out the two executive orders Trump signed in January to boost deportations and strengthen border enforcement.

Gillian Christensen, DHSs acting spokeswoman, said the agency would not comment on what she called pre-decisional documents.

Immigrant-rights advocates called the plans an unnecessary waste of money and resources that are aimed at scaring the nations 11 million undocumented immigrants, many of whom have lived in the country for more than a decade.

Although Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly has said DHS is not pursuing mass deportations, Trumps executive orders broadly expanded the pool of undocumented immigrants who are deemed a priority for removal.

This is an administration that very much is interested in setting up that mass deportation infrastructure and creating the levers of a police state, said Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. In these documents, you have more proof and evidence that theyre planning to carry it out.

Congressional Democrats, who have opposed Trumps immigration agenda, have expressed skepticism that Congress would agree to approve funding for many of the expensive initiatives.

For example, Trump has called for CBP to hire 5,000 new agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement an additional 10,000. The DHS assessment said the cost of hiring just 500 agents would reach $100 million.

Republican leaders have proposed delaying a decision on Trumps initial request of $1.5 billion for the wall and an additional $2.6 billion for more border security next year until after a new spending bill is approved this month in the hope of averting a government shutdown.

(Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)

We believe it would be inappropriate to insist on the inclusion of such funding in a must-pass appropriations bill, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and four Democratic colleagues wrote of the wall in a recent letter to the Senates Republican leadership.

But the DHS assessment states that Border Patrol is moving forward with the construction of a border wall prototype with $20 million that lawmakers reappropriated in March, with completion of the prototype to be completed July 22.

If Congress were to allocate more funds, the next step for CBP, according to the documents, would be to begin work with the Army Corps of Engineers to launch construction of 34 miles of levee wall or a border barrier in the Rio Grande Valley sector, which the agency calls the highest-priority area, as well as 14 additional miles of a border barrier in the San Diego sector.

Cost concerns are peppered throughout the DHS assessment documents. Although ICE has identified 27 potential locations that could increase its detention space by 21,000 beds, that agency will be unable to secure additional detention capability until funding has been identified, according to the documents.

In addition, CBP has made contingencies to expand its own detention capacity by 12,500 spaces, but the agency does not spell out whether funding is available for those slots.

CBP also is laying the groundwork to potentially hold immigration-court hearings through video conferences at or near U.S. ports of entry if the government of Mexico agrees to house third-country immigrants awaiting adjudication in the U.S. legal system, the documents show.

The Mexican government has balked at such a procedure, which would raise significant jurisdictional concerns. But if such a procedure were established, it would cost $50,000 per location for the video equipment, the DHS documents state.

Alternative plans to send U.S. judges to the port courts are also being considered, although such a procedure would cost $400,000 per location.

Theyre throwing a lot of public resources at a problem that should not be a priority, especially since the number of [border] crossers is down considerably, said J. Kevin Appleby, a senior director at the Center for Migration Studies.

Government figures show the number of people illegally crossing the border from Mexico has dropped sharply in the first two months of Trumps administration. The DHS assessment states that 2,100 detention spaces previously reserved by CBP and ICE during an immigration surge late last year are unused.

Overall, its a wasted use of resources that could be used more efficiently, Appleby said.

One area in which the Trump administration could potentially increase its deportation capacity at relatively lower costs is expanding a program in which ICE grants local law enforcement agencies immigration enforcement powers traditionally reserved for the federal government.

The program  known as 287(g), which is the federal code that established it in the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1996  grew to encompass more than 70 local jurisdictions at its peak. But immigrant-rights groups charged that the program has resulted in civil rights abuses and racial profiling by poorly trained local police and lax supervision by ICE.

The program fell out of favor in the latter years of President Obamas administration, and there are now 37 jurisdictions participating at a cost of $24 million, according to the American Immigration Council.

Trumps executive orders instruct ICE to expand the program and allow CBP, which did not previously participate, to launch its own version  in hopes of creating a force multiplier.

The DHS assessment states that the ICE review board is considering applications from 18 new jurisdictions and has identified 50 more that are interested in participating.

Yet the documents again raise a cautionary flag about funding, stating that ICE probably will be unable to add more than 20 new 287(g) partnerships this year because of limited resources.

Up to now, they have really been using scare tactics to put on a show, to demonstrate to supporters they are tough on immigration, Appleby said. Eventually, they really have to produce results. Without congressional approval [for funding], they will not reach the deportation numbers under Obama. That will be the test. If in the first year, if there are not a significant number deported, how will they distinguish themselves from the previous administration?
President Trump, shown here in November 2016 with then-president Barack Obama, has made Obama and Hillary Clinton regular foils during his early months in office. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post)

He boasted of besting Jeb Bush in the Republican primary campaign for months after the former Florida governor had left the race. Even after securing the Republican Partys nomination, he would rattle off his vote tally, noting how it dwarfed the performance of Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

And now nearly three months into his presidency  and more than five months after the election  Trump continues to relive his political victory over Hillary Clinton and her allies.

The counterpuncher in chief finds himself looking in the rearview mirror in search of sparring partners, repeatedly settling on Clinton, former president Barack Obama and others from the long-finished campaign.

No one within earshot of the president in recent months has gone long without hearing about his electoral college victory over Clinton. And on Syria policy, the economy, infrastructure investments and the ongoing probe over his campaigns ties to Russia, Trump has used Obama and his aides as foils for his administration.

One of the presidents best strategies is to have a straw man, said former Trump aide Sam Nunberg. Its very good for the base.

(The Washington Post)

Even as Trump is basking in one of his best political moments following his decision to authorize airstrikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Trump on Wednesday singled out his predecessor for criticism in a Fox Business News interview  despite repeatedly advising Obama not to use military force in the past.

What I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it, Trump said, while perched in an ornate chair at the White House. I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been.

[Has Trump become the dont blame me president?]

The remark is just one in a series of comments in which Trump has sharply criticized the former presidents foreign and domestic policy, even leveling the unsubstantiated claim that Obama ordered a wiretap of Trump Tower during last years presidential campaign.

The pattern breaks a tradition of presidents taking a forward-looking approach to their presidencies.

In terms of the etiquette of the presidency, its very poor form, said Stephen Hess, a presidential scholar at the Brookings Institution. Presidents by and large dont do this.

He added that Trump simply cant get over his infatuation with the Obamas and the Clintons.

1 of 83 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  See what President Trump has been doing since taking office View Photos The beginning of his term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. Caption The beginning of the presidents term has featured controversial executive orders and frequent conflicts with the media. March 17, 2017 President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son, Barron, walk to Marine One at the White House en route to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

But Trump supporters say the president is simply taking a page out of Obamas playbook. Years after the worst of the economic recession had passed, Obama frequently castigated Republicans for driving the economy into the ditch. But even with that well-worn line, Obama rarely criticized former president George W. Bush by name.

And former Obama aides note that he did, in fact, inherit an economy in a tailspin in early 2009, compared with the steady job growth and low unemployment rate inherited by Trump.

First and foremost, Obama was accurate in his descriptions and Trump is most decidedly not, said Dan Pfeiffer, who was a former senior adviser to Obama. There is an important tradition of presidents trying to pull the country together after elections, and Trump has tried to do the opposite by continuing to re-litigate the election.

During the presidential campaign, few issues would rouse Trumps supporters like Clinton and Obama. In front of a screaming mass of thousands, he criticized Obama for being weak on the world stage and regularly accused Clinton of breaking the law with her use of a private email server, prompting chants of Lock her up! from the crowd.

As president, Trump has changed little in that regard.

She was guilty on every charge, Trump said of Clinton in the Fox Business interview. [FBI Director James] Comey was very, very good to Hillary Clinton, that I can tell you. If he werent, she would be, right now, going to trial.

Trump has also pointed the finger at Obama, his aides and government staffers held over from the previous administration for damaging leaks and delays in moving his agenda forward. Most recently he has had former Obama national security adviser Susan E. Rice in his crosshairs, accusing her of using surveillance tools for political purposes; she has adamantly denied the allegation.

[President Trumps thoroughly confusing Fox Business interview, annotated]

For a president who counts winning among the most important and constant things in his life, his unexpected electoral college win over Clinton has become a high-water mark for his political career  especially with few clear victories during the early months of his presidency.

The electoral college is very, very hard, they say almost impossible for a Republican to win. The odds are stacked, Trump told union members at a conference in Washington last week. Theyre saying theres no way to 270. Well, but there was a way to 306.

Trump often pitches the American people on his policies by framing them in opposition to those of his predecessor. At a recent meeting of CEOs in the White House, Trump contrasted his goal of implementing ready-to-go projects with infrastructure spending in Obamas stimulus bill.

You know, there was a very large infrastructure bill that was approved during the Obama administration, a trillion dollars, Trump said at a CEO town hall this month. Nobody ever saw anything being built. I mean, to this day, I havent heard of anything thats been built.

While Trump claimed Obama spent infrastructure funds on social programs, the largest chunk of spending dedicated to infrastructure in Obamas 2009 stimulus package  more than $26 billion  went to highway infrastructure programs.

Trumps comments reflect a backward-looking approach to establishing Trumps presidential legacy, Hess said.

Is your legacy defined by your predecessor? By your enemies? Hess noted. Presidents look ahead. Why would a president spend so much time looking back?

Nowhere has Trumps focus on Obama been more acute than on Syria. In recent days, Trump has pointed to Obamas failure to enforce his red line against the use of chemical weapons by Assad.

Yet in June 2013  after a deadly chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs  Trump repeatedly praised Obama for not taking military action. In a tweet on June 15, 2013, Trump wrote: We should stay the hell out of Syria, the rebels are just as bad as the current regime. WHAT WILL WE GET FOR OUR LIVES AND $ BILLIONS? ZERO.

On the campaign trail, Trump continued to oppose any involvement in Syria and accused Clinton and some of his Republican opponents of wanting to start World War III.

Even among Obama critics in the Republican Party, Trumps focus on the past has little sway.

I dont think its a secret that I disagreed with many of the decisions made by the Obama administration on foreign policy, but that presidencys over, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said at a news conference last week. We have a new presidency.
Republicans fended off a surprising Democratic challenge on Tuesday in the first special election of the year for a House seat vacated by a Republican lawmaker who became part of President Trumps administration.

Ron Estes, the GOP state treasurer, was buoyed by an 11th-hour intervention from national Republicans, Vice President Pence and Trump himself in his bid to retain the seat of former congressman Mike Pompeo, who is now the CIA director. In a victory speech, Estes told voters hed repeal and replace Obamacare and fight for a balanced-budget amendment to the Constitution.

Republicans emerged victorious in the first contested special election of the 2018 cycle, said National Republican Congressional Committee chairman Steve Stivers, a congressman from Ohio.

With 99 percent of ballots counted, Estes led Democrat James Thompson, a lawyer making his first bid for office, by 8 points. Last year, Pompeo won reelection by 31 points in a race Democrats did not seriously contest.

I probably shouldnt say this, Mr. Estes did not beat us, said Thompson at his election-night party. It took a president of the United States, the vice president, the speaker of the House, a senator coming into our state, and a bunch of lies to try and drum up a vote.

Democrat James Thompson, a candidate for Kansas' 4th Congressional District, speaks during a debate in Wichita, Kan. (Bo Rader/AP)

Kansas Republicans resilience dashed Democratic hopes  which surged over the weekend  of slicing into the majority of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.). It also may dampen that partys hopes of performing well in the three House seats vacated by Republicans who joined the Trump administration  most significantly in Georgia, where Democrat Jon Ossoff is leading in the April 18 contest to replace Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price against a crowded field of GOP candidates.

Yet holding the 4th Congressional District  which Trump captured by 27 points in November, and is the home to Koch Industries  took more work, and money, than Republicans had expected. Thompson easily won voters who cast their ballots early and was poised to carry Wichitas Sedgwick County, which Trump won by 18 points.

In the campaigns final weekend, the NRCC spent close to $100,000 on the race, and the GOP-allied Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC paid for tens of thousands of get-out-the-vote phone calls. President Trump even recorded a call for the Republican and sent an Election Day tweet calling Estes a wonderful guy who would help him on Healthcare & Tax Cuts (Reform).

The victory helped House Republicans retain a 23-seat advantage over Democrats, despite entering the two-week recess short on their major legislative goals. Estes did not focus on Trump in his race, and though he is expected to be a reliable vote for Republicans in the House  he said on Monday he would not join either right-wing or moderate caucuses  he had criticized the GOP health-care bill that was pulled before the congressional recess.

Thompson, a 46-year-old U.S. Army veteran who had caucused for Bernie Sanders, fought a stronger-than-expected race that Democrats said would put more races on the map in 2018.

But progressives were critical of the party for letting the race play out without a major investment. We lose when we dont fight, period, said Neil Sroka, a spokesman for the progressive group Democracy for America, in a tweet.

Without the boogeyman of the Obama administration, and without the threat of Hillary Clinton picking a judge to fill an open Supreme Court seat, Republicans resorted to arguing that Thompson would use constituents tax money to fund abortions. Until it finally spent some money on get-out-the-vote calls, the DCCC stayed away for fear that it would nationalize the race.

The contest began with Pompeos Jan. 23 departure from Congress, which attracted little national attention until the start of April. The Cook Political Report marked the race as safe for Republicans, downgrading the partys chances only after the final weekends scramble.

Inside the district, however, both parties saw early potential for an upset. Estes, a businessman who entered politics in 2004, had only ever won landslides in the 4th District for state office.

But in Topeka, the state capital, he became associated with a Republican governing team that has presided over a weak economic recovery and a series of budget deficits. Democrats  and increasingly, voters  came to blame Gov. Sam Brownbacks supply-side tax cuts, which ate into the states revenue.

In 2016, as Republicans won across the country, the party lost ground in Kansas. Democrats gained 12 seats in the state House and one seat in the state Senate, after moderate anti-Brownback Republicans defeated conservatives in a series of primaries. On Election Day, Trump carried the 4th District easily  but Republicans lost three of their partys state House seats.

The Democratic Party, meanwhile, underwent an evolution of its own. Sanders crushed Hillary Clinton here in the 2016 caucuses, and many Sanders activists stayed inside the party to win leadership positions. When Pompeos seat opened, former state treasurer Dennis McKinney  who was defeated in 2010 by Estes  was initially seen as the Democratic front-runner. But the antiabortion McKinney lost a tight party contest to the pro-abortion rights, economically populist Thompson.

While Estes was tied up in Topeka working on the controversial state budget, Thompson barnstormed the district.

In the final 24 hours of the race, the Democrat attended a Seder with Jewish voters, recorded a thank you video for volunteers, shook hands at a breakfast for Learjet retirees, and (through a translator) sat for an interview with Wichitas Spanish-language radio station. Estes rallied with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and the national political director of the Chamber of Commerce, then cast his vote.

Read more at PowerPost
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney listens while President Donald Trump speaks before a meeting with CEOs on the White House campus April 11, 2017. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images)

The White House on Wednesday will instruct all federal agencies to submit a plan by June 30 to shrink their civilian workforces, offering the first details on how the Trump administration aims to reduce the size and scope of the government.

A governmentwide hiring freeze the president imposed on Jan. 23 will be lifted immediately. But Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney told reporters Tuesday that agency leaders must start taking immediate actions to save money and reduce their staffs. Mulvaney also said they must come up with a long-term blueprint to cut the number of federal workers starting in October 2018.

This does not mean that agencies will be free to hire willy nilly, Mulvaney said of the return to hiring. He called the restructuring  laid out in a 14-page memo  a smarter plan, a more strategic plan, a more surgical plan to rein in a bureaucracy that President Trump has called too big and bloated.

By following a budget the president proposed in March that calls for drastic cuts across most of the government, Mulvaney said some agencies such as the Defense Department and Veterans Affairs will add staff, while others, like the Environmental Protection Agency, will end up paring full-time employees even greater than they would have . . . during the hiring freeze.

The executive branch of government has never been rebuilt, Mulvaney said, claiming this effort will be more far-reaching than those of previous administrations.

(Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post)

But lawmakers have a significant say in how much money is provided to federal agencies and many  including Republicans  object to Trumps proposed budget cuts. Many large-scale changes to the government  for example, a consolidation of offices with similar missions  would have to be approved by Congress.

Trump has asked the White House to start from scratch and intends to solicit ideas not just from business leaders but also from the public, Mulvaney said.

The White House is requiring agencies to improve the effectiveness and accountability of their employees, by rewarding high performers and clearing a straighter path to take action against poor ones.

Mulvaney was careful not to specify how much the White House wants to cut the workforce of 2.1 million civil servants, saying it will be up to agencies to determine where they find duplicative or nonessential programs or services that can be provided instead by state or local governments or private companies. He also declined to specify whether layoffs, buyouts or early retirement offers would be on the table. Personnel and budget experts say these are inevitable and will be costly to put in place.

There are going to be some places where they have the ability to reduce size immediately and they may be called upon to do that in order to line up with the presidents priorities, Mulvaney said of agency leaders. There may be other places where they dont have that flexibility, and theyll have to figure out a way over the course of time to, through ordinary attrition, to get to where they need to be.

Based on Trumps spending plan, some agencies would see cuts of more than 20 percent  and the State Department would be 29 percent; EPA, 31 percent  in hits that would fundamentally alter their missions.

White House officials have said that more should be done to shift operations to private-sector companies.

Its unclear how many new hires were halted by the freeze, which over the two-and-half months it was in effect exempted bigger swaths of the government as lawmakers complained and agency heads became concerned about hurting their day-to-day operations without replacing departing staff.

Democrats oppose the proposed cuts and have pushed back against Trumps calls for reducing the federal workforce. Many Republicans have said there should be major budget cuts, but others oppose the across-the-board reductions. For example, a number of Republicans have opposed big cuts at the State Department and agencies that deliver foreign aid, saying this will hurt national security.

The federal government is expected to spend $4.091 trillion in the year that begins Oct. 1, but around 70 percent of that will go toward Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, interest on the debt and other programs that must be funded.

The remaining funds  roughly half of which go to the military  must be approved by Congress each year. The federal workforce is largely funded through these appropriations, and congressional approval for any plan is likely necessary before the major changes by the Trump administration.

The White House push comes during a delicate point in negotiations on Capitol Hill. Congressional leaders are trying to reach an agreement to fund the government after the end of April.

If Democrats believe the Trump administration will seek a major cut in the federal workforce, they could harden their stance with Republicans seeking other cuts. Likewise, many Republicans may be torn between backing the White House plan, which outlines the leaner government for which GOP rhetoric has long called. The support of several dozen Democrats will likely be necessary for the short-term spending bill to pass the House later this month.

Read more at PowerPost
Tens of thousands of people filled the streets of this capital city Wednesday morning, demanding that President Jacob Zuma step down or be forced from office after a string of political scandals that have rocked his administration.

The rally marked the second week of anti-Zuma demonstrations, which have included some of the largest protests in South Africa since the countrys anti-apartheid struggle. This time, the galvanizing issue is not race but Zumas leadership  most recently, his decision to fire a respected finance minister and eight other cabinet members.

The countrys currency subsequently crashed, and ratings agencies downgraded its investment grade to junk status.

[South Africa faces political turmoil after Zuma sacks finance minister]

The Pretoria demonstration drew as many as 30,000 people, police estimated. Participants from a range of South Africas opposition parties, including some with major ideological differences, chanted in unison Zuma must go. That emboldened front of opposition to Zuma, 75, is chipping away at the popularity of the African National Congress (ANC), which has ruled South Africa since Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994.

(Kevin Sieff/The Washington Post)

In coming weeks, Parliament is due to hold a no-confidence vote that theoretically could cut short Zumas term, up in 2019. Experts say that outcome is unlikely, but the ANCs longer-term prospects appear to be dimming as Zumas popularity declines.

This is a major mobilization that is inflicting a massive amount of damage on the ANC, said Susan Booysen, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand who has written extensively about the party. Even if the rallying call is around Zuma, its an indictment of the ANC.

The ANC suffered historic losses in last years municipal elections, but until recently, analysts had suggested that the party had enough nationwide support to win the presidential election in 2019. Now, with Zuma stumbling and nostalgia-driven attachment to the ANC fading, some question that assumption.

He has pissed on the graves of our forefathers and those who fought for our freedom, said John Moodey, the leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng province. The DA is the most popular opposition party in South Africa.

More than two decades after apartheid ended, South Africa still struggles with poverty and inequality. For many, frustration with the Zuma government is heightened by resentment that the countrys rebirth as a democracy has brought them little economic benefit.

They told us they were going to build us homes. They made so many promises, but weve seen nothing, said Mthobehi Sigagayi, 35, who had traveled to Pretoria from the Alexandra township, a development just across from Sandton, Johannesburgs modern business capital, that has battled poverty and crime.

[In South Africa, violence follows a surge in xenophobia]

Many South Africans saw the cabinet reshuffle as a naked attempt to consolidate power, with Zuma surrounding himself with inexperienced, manipulable bureaucrats. But that scandal was not the presidents first. Last year, he was ordered to reimburse the state after the top court ruled that he had spent public money on his private mansion.

Also last year, then-public protector Thulisile Madonsela alleged that South Africas wealthy Gupta family had bribed public officials and driven policy under Zuma. Zuma disputed her report, but the opposition embraced its findings, branding the president Zupta because of his alleged ties to the family.

In Pretoria on Wednesday, protesters carried signs reading Zupta must go and Our country is not for sale. And opposition leaders made an effort to apply the lessons of the anti-apartheid struggle to their new political crusade.

Apartheid was brought down by a united front, Floyd Shivambu, deputy president of the Economic Freedom Fighters party (EFF), told the roaring crowd. Now we must unite against Jacob Zuma.

The EFF and its leader, Julius Malema, have advocated a major redistribution of white-owned land. In February, Malema told his supporters: Where you see a beautiful land, take it. It belongs to you.

In a statement last year, DA leaders said Malemas radical and hateful statements have sought to divide South Africa. Yet on Wednesday, Malema and his supporters marched alongside DA members, many of them white.

We dont agree on many things, Moodey said, but we agree that Zuma must go. The rest we can sort out later.

Read more:

South African President Jacob Zuma survives vote to oust him

How a quiet, wonky lawyer became South Africas corruption-buster

Opinion: South Africa has reached its Mugabe moment

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
U.S. troops with a heavy machine gun during an operation against Islamic State militants in Khot district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, April 11, 2017. (Ghulamullah Habibi/European Pressphoto Agency)

Iran and Russia have stepped up challenges to U.S. power in Afghanistan, American and Afghan officials say, seizing on the uncertainty of future U.S. policy to expand ties with the Taliban and weaken the countrys Western-backed government.

The moves come as tensions have flared between the United States, Iran and Russia over the conflict in Syria, and officials worry that the fallout could hurt Afghanistans chances for peace. For years, Iran and Russia have pushed for a U.S. withdrawal.

Now, as the Taliban gains ground and the White House appears to lack a clear Afghan policy, Iran and Russia have boosted support for insurgents and sidelined the United States from regional diplomacy on the war.

Russia on Friday will host high-level talks on Afghanistan with Iranian, Pakistani and Chinese diplomats, the Kremlin said. But the United States, irked by Moscows recent outreach to the Taliban, has not confirmed whether it will attend.

Russia has begun to publicly legitimize the Taliban, and recent Russian and Iranian actions in Afghanistan are to undermine the United States and NATO, the top commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Army Gen. John Nicholson Jr., said in Senate testimony in February.

U.S. troops in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. (Noorullah Shirzada/AFP/Getty Images)

[Pentagon identifies U.S. Special Forces soldier killed fighting the Islamic State in Afghanistan]

The United States has roughly 8,400 troops in Afghanistan, most of whom are part of the NATO mission to assist Afghan forces. The remainder are part of a counterterrorism operation targeting al-Qaeda and a local affiliate of the Islamic State.

Nicholson said Iran and Russia are communicating about the efforts to support Taliban insurgents, and that Russia has become more assertive over the past year.

We know there is a dialogue. We know there is a relationship between Iran and Russia in Afghanistan, he said. And Iran, which shares a long, porous border with Afghanistan, is directly supporting the Taliban in western Afghanistan, he said.

While Russia and Shiite Iran appear to be unlikely allies of a hard-line Sunni group such as the Taliban, the two countries have for years played the different sides in the conflict. Both supported the U.S.-backed ouster of the Taliban in 2001, and Iran was the chief benefactor of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance.

But Iran and Russia eventually soured on the U.S. presence, which they both gradually saw as a threat.

Iran is worried that with American troops in Afghanistan, the two militaries will end up confronting each other, said Mohammad Akram Arefi, an Iranian-educated professor of politics at Kateb University in Kabul.





Iran also wants to revive its power in the region by having influence over Afghanistan. And with America here, they cant have the type of influence they want, he said.

Russia, which also sees Afghanistan as part of its sphere of influence in Central Asia, has suggested that the Taliban is an effective bulwark against the rise of the Islamic State. A local branch of the Islamic State has staged deadly attacks but has struggled to gain a foothold beyond its base in eastern Afghanistan.

[Afghanistan wooed a fugitive warlord, aiming to lure the Taliban, too. Now the deal is stuck.]

In a swipe at the legitimacy of the Afghan government, Russia has questioned Afghan security forces abilities to target the Islamic State. Still, Iran and Russia have both denied providing the Taliban with weapons or cash.

In an emailed statement this week, the Russian Embassy in Kabul said that the claims were absurd fabrications designed to distract from the failure of the U.S. and NATO missions here.

There is a continuing series of groundless accusations against Russia about alleged support of the Taliban, the embassy said.

A Taliban spokesman also called the allegations untrue.

Our contacts with Russia are for political and diplomatic purposes only, spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a phone interview. He did not say whether Taliban representatives would attend the Moscow talks.

But U.S. and Afghan officials say that the relationship between Russia, Iran and the Taliban goes beyond just diplomacy, and that conflict with the United States elsewhere could prompt Iran and Russia to raise the stakes here.

Afghan lawmakers have launched a probe into the alleged connections, including possible Iranian-Russian coordination to get weapons to insurgents in restive provinces in the south and the west.

Gul Ahmad Azami is an Afghan senator from Farah province, along the Iranian border. He says he was briefed by intelligence officials on reports showing weapons that had been transported into Farah from Iran, in part to ensure the allegiance of local commanders. Officials in Kabul, Helmand, Uruzgan and Herat all made similar claims.

In Helmand province in the south, provincial governor Hayatullah Hayat listed the type of weaponry he says local insurgents receive from Russia with Irans help. The list includes land mines, sniper rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and 82mm mortar rounds.

There is no doubt the two countries are helping the Taliban, Hayat said. He said he, too, had been briefed by intelligence officials.

He claimed that Iranian advisers have been present on the battlefield, also citing intelligence reports and tribal elders in districts where there is fighting. The police chief in Uruzgan province, Ghulam Farooq Sangari, also told the Voice of Americas Afghan service that Russian advisers were assisting insurgents there, too.

[Afghan government disappoints many, but some cling to hope]

Neither of those claims could be verified, and U.S. military officials have not said whether they know of Iranian and Russian personnel being on the ground. But the assertions indicate the extent to which the debate over Russian and Iranian influence has dominated Afghanistan in recent weeks.

We are worried that Afghanistan will become another Syria, with world powers confronting each other here, said Azami, the senator from Farah.

While President Trump has taken a harsh stance on Iran, he has said little about what he envisions for the U.S. role in Afghanistan. In just the past several days, U.S.-Russian relations plummeted after a U.S. missile strike last week on a Syrian military air base. The U.S. administration says the air base was used to launch aircraft that allegedly carried out an April 4 chemical attack that killed dozens of civilians in Syrias Idlib province.

The state of U.S., Russian and Iranian relations will determine Afghanistans stability, officials here say.

First, people are concerned now about how Americans view Afghanistan, and whether or not they will change their minds about supporting us, said Mohammad Nateqi, an adviser in the office of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.

The relationship between Afghanistan, the United States, and NATO has been very strong, said Nateqi, who spent decades in Iran. But if there are bad relations between Iran, the United States and Russia, it will be very dangerous for us.

Sayed Salahuddin and Walid Sharif contributed to this report.

Read more:

John McCain and Lindsey Graham: Why we need more forces to end the stalemate in Afghanistan

U.S. strike kills an al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan, Pentagon says

No, we dont need more U.S. forces in Afghanistan

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, seen recently at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., spoke early Wednesday about the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. (Jim Watson/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

During a telephone call early Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping urged President Trump to find a peaceful solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, state media reported.

The call came just four days after the leaders held face-to-face talks in Florida and hours after Trump tweeted that North Korea was looking for trouble and that the United States would solve the problem with or without Chinas help.

The Peoples Daily, the official Communist Party mouthpiece, said Xi thanked Trump for his warm hospitality in Florida but also took the opportunity to discuss common concerns about the Korean Peninsula and warn against any military escalation of the situation.

Xi Jinping stressed that China insists on realizing the goal of denuclearization of the peninsula, insists on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, advocates resolving the problem through peaceful means and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the U.S. side on the issue of the peninsula, the paper wrote.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs weighed in soon afterward.

All relevant parties should exercise restraint and keep calm, ease the tension instead of provoking each other and adding fuel to the fire, spokesman Lu Kang told a regular news conference.

Lu said Xi had placed the phone call, at Trumps request.

Trump later described the exchange in positive terms. Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea, he tweeted.

The Pentagon sent a Navy strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier toward the Korean Peninsula over the weekend to maintain readiness amid concerns that North Korea could be preparing for more missile launches and a sixth nuclear test.

The Carl Vinson is accompanied by a carrier air wing, a guided-missile cruiser and two destroyers, a group Trump described to Fox Business Network as an armada, very powerful.

[With both the U.S. and North Korea saber rattling, is conflict imminent?]

According to Chinese state media, Xi said that he and Trump had enhanced mutual understanding and established a good working relationship. On Syria, Xi said that any uses of chemical weapons are unacceptable and voiced the need for a political settlement there, as well as solidarity and unanimity at the U.N. Security Council, the media said.

(Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

But Lu Chao, a North Korea expert at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, said the situation on the Korean Peninsula appeared to top the agenda, warning that the U.S. carrier groups move to nearby waters had led to a very serious standoff.

The concerned parties should really signal red lights and hit the brakes to defuse the situation, Lu said. Otherwise, it would be very easy for this to accidentally turn into a conflict.

Pyongyang has also raised the stakes by warning that it could hit the U.S. first with nuclear weapons.

Our military is keeping an eye on the movement of enemy forces while putting them in our nuclear sights, said Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the ruling Workers Party, adding that North Korea will use its mighty nuclear weapons to obliterate the United States.

While China continues to call for dialogue and a peaceful settlement of the crisis, it has also shown signs of growing impatience with North Korea.

On Monday, a senior South Korean official said that China had agreed to toughen sanctions on the North, through a stronger U.N. resolution, if it carries out nuclear or long-range missile tests.

However, South Koreas chief nuclear envoy, Kim Hong-kyun, said there was no mention of a military option in his talks with Chinas envoy for Korean Peninsula affairs, Wu Dawei, nor had the two discussed the possibility of a strike by the United States.

U.S. officials have stressed that stronger sanctions are likely to come first but that military options are not off the table. Experts say a U.S. military strike remains unlikely, though, partly because it is not clear what the target would be and partly because North Korea would probably respond with a devastating attack on the South Korean capital, Seoul.

On Tuesday, Chinas state-run Global Times newspaper urged Pyongyang to stop its nuclear and missile program for its own security, arguing that a sixth nuclear test or inter-continental ballistic missile test would be seen as a slap in the face of the U.S. government and increase the chances of U.S. military action.

Not only is Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honors his promises, the paper wrote. Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time.

Global Times editorials do not represent official government policy, but they often reflect thinking within the Communist Party.

The paper also said that China would seek stronger action by the U.N. Security Council if North Korea continues to conduct tests.

If the North makes another provocative move this month, Chinese society will be willing to see the UNSC adopt severe restrictive measures that have never been seen before, such as restricting oil imports to the North, the paper said.

North Korea is expected to hold a huge military parade Saturday to celebrate the 105th birthday of its founding president, Kim Il Sung, and to mark with similar fanfare the 85th anniversary of the creation of the Korean Peoples Army on April 25.

Luna Lin and Jin Xin contributed to this report.

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The rift between the United States and Russia was laid bare Wednesday when Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held his first direct talks with Russias president. Their discussions failed to ease deepening tensions over Syria and Washingtons demands that Moscow abandon its main Middle East ally.

There is a low level of trust between our countries, Tillerson said in a news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The worlds two primary nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship.

Wednesdays meeting brought no indication that the relationship would improve any time soon.

After Tillerson spent three hours talking with Lavrov and almost two hours at the Kremlin with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Lavrov, sitting three feet from Tillerson, aired a long list of grievances with the United States, some dating back many years.

Unfortunately, weve got some differences with regards to a majority of those issues, Lavrov lamented.

[Tillerson brings tough line to Moscow]

The only concession that Tillerson appeared to have extracted from the Russians was that Putin offered to restore a hotline aimed at avoiding accidents in the air over Syria. Russia had suspended that effort after U.S. missile strikes on a Syrian air base following an April 4 chemical weapons attack on a village in rebel territory. Even this tiny success was conditional; Lavrov said the deal would apply only if the United States and its allies targeted terrorists  not Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces.

Hopes may never have been high, especially after Russia sounded a defiant note before Tillerson arrived in Moscow. But if this was the chance to find common ground before the Trump administration attempts any new action on Syria, it has ended in failure.

The Russians used Tillersons visit as a chance to reassert Moscows firm stance on Syria: that it will not abide by any effort to remove Assad from power.

Russia effectively hid from public view the hit that the Kremlin took to its standing in the region because of the chemical weapons attack, presumably by Assad. Just two weeks ago, Russia was in the drivers seat in Syria, as the lead military and diplomatic player in a peace process involving Turkey, Iran, the Kurds and rebel groups, all orchestrated by Putin. The most important part of this was that the United States was not getting in the way.

In an instant last week, when more than 50 Tomahawk missiles came crashing down around a Syrian air base, that all changed, and since then, the Kremlin has been fighting a rearguard action aimed at dulling the Trump administrations ultimatum that Russia must change sides or else.

Everything Putin did appeared aimed at minimizing the effect of Tillersons visit. He and his officials dismissed U.S. evidence that Assad had carried out the attack, and then Putin added a bombshell prediction of his own: Unnamed forces were going to carry out more chemical weapons attacks and blame them on Assad.

1 of 14 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Tillerson travels to Moscow for talks with Russian government officials View Photos In the first visit by a Trump Cabinet official to Russia, the secretary of state met with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin. Caption In the first visit by a Trump Cabinet official to Russia, the secretary of state met with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and is scheduled to meet with President Vladimir Putin. April 11, 2017 Secretary of State Rex Tillerson disembarks from his plane at the Vnukovo International Airport in Moscow. U.S. Department Of State/via European Pressphoto Agency Wait 1 second to continue.

[Trump administration unveils intelligence discrediting Russias claims ]

Tillerson reiterated the U.S. belief that Assad ordered the attack, though he stepped back from the U.S. charge that Russia was covering up Assads culpability.

With respect to Russias complicity or knowledge of the chemical weapons attack, we have no firm information to indicate that there was any involvement by Russia, Russian forces into this attack, he said. What we do know, and we have very firm and high confidence in our conclusions, is the attack was planned and carried out by regime forces at the direction of Bashar al-Assad.

Lavrov had a ready retort: This is obviously the subject where our views differ.

Lavrov called the evidence cited by Tillerson hypothetical and demanded that the United Nations investigate. Soon afterward, however, Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an investigation.

There were only a handful of issues Tillerson and Lavrov said they broadly agreed on  that the Korean Peninsula should be denuclearized, that Syria should be unified and stable after the Islamic State is defeated, and that there should be more communication between U.S. and Russian diplomats and militaries. Tillerson said both nations would set up a working group to seek ways to ease tensions.

On most issues  the chemical attack and Assad, Russias support for separatists fueling conflict in Ukraine, and Russian interference in the U.S. election chief among them  the diplomats offered different explanations and facts.

There were many times when it must not have been easy to be secretary of state Wednesday.

Lavrov seemed to delight in recalling U.S. attempts to oust dictators in Sudan and Libya. He mocked NATOs military incursion in Kosovo in 1999. He gleefully recalled the nonexistent weapons of mass destruction that led to the invasion of Saddam Husseins Iraq. A Russian reporter reminded him that President Trump called Assad an animal and that White House spokesman Sean Spicer had to apologize for his inept and inaccurate comparison of Assad and Hitler.

Trump himself seemed to deliver the coup de grace. Shortly after Tillerson and Lavrov finished speaking to reporters, Trump said in a news conference that the United States is not getting along with Russia at all and that their relations are at an all-time low.

That sounded like something both Lavrov and Tillerson agreed with.

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Aydin Engin, left, and reporter Miyase Ilknur in the newsroom of Cumhuriyet Gazette in Istanbul. The newspaper is under considerable stress as several of its writers are in prison and more are facing legal cases. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

He was anticipating retirement, after nearly half a century as a journalist. Then Aydin Engin, 76, a columnist for the daily Cumhuriyet newspaper, received a frightening visit from the law.

Eight policemen arrived at his Istanbul house early one morning last fall and took him into custody on terrorism-related charges. Across the city, police officers swept up a dozen of Engins colleagues, including the newspapers cartoonist, its editor in chief, a staff lawyer and Kadri Gursel, another noted columnist  the beginnings of a sudden and startling assault by the authorities on one of Turkeys oldest newspapers.

Now, five months later, 11 members of the Cumhuriyet staff remain locked up, their portraits printed each day on the newspapers front page and its website in a plaintive protest. Engin and another columnist were released because of their age, but last week they were formally indicted along with their imprisoned colleagues on charges that included publishing propaganda for various terrorist organizations. Some could be sentenced to decades in prison.

Journalism has been a risky enterprise in any of Turkeys recent eras, with reporters perennially facing arrest for offending the military or some government official, or facing dismissal by a media boss beholden to powerful political patrons. But since a failed coup attempt last summer sent the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan into a frenzied hunt for its enemies, members of the news media have faced exceptional peril, according to press advocates.

Prosecutors have focused most of their ire on outlets the government associates with the states two principal enemies: the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, which is classified as a terrorist group by Turkey as well as the United States; and a network loyal to Fethullah Gulen, an exiled Turkish cleric living in the United States whom the authorities accused of spearheading the coup attempt.

A crackdown has shuttered dozens of Kurdish or Gulen-related outlets and has landed more than 120 journalists in prison, Amnesty International reported. That earned Turkey the distinction last year of being the worlds leading jailer of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Government officials dispute the figures and have repeatedly insisted that many of those arrested should not be considered journalists because of their alleged crimes.

But several of the prosecutions, including the decision to pursue Cumhuriyet  which is associated with the mainstream anti-government opposition and frequently attacks the Gulenists  is evidence, press advocates say, that the authorities are seeking to stamp out critical or independent voices altogether.

In the background is a referendum set for Sunday that could greatly expand Erdogans powers and extend his term in office. The governments advocacy for a yes vote has dominated the public space, including the airwaves, in a sign of the shifting media landscape. The debate over the referendum, which has captivated Turkey for weeks, has included speculation that a government victory might prompt the authorities to ease their tightening grip, including over journalists.



A person walks through a stairwell at Cumhuriyet Gazette. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

Staff members at Cumhuriyet seemed doubtful, and they frequently used the word irrational to describe the campaign of arrests. Ive never seen anything like this before, said Engin, adding that he had worked through military coups and states of emergency and had been in and out of jail for his journalism seven or eight times. He sat at his desk at the papers offices on a recent afternoon, his plans for retirement postponed while his newspaper was under siege and as he took on the responsibilities of the now-imprisoned chief executive.

Never before have I seen the law chewed up like it is today, he said.

Those left behind in the sullen newsroom shuffle around their comrades empty desks as uncomfortable new habits and rhythms take hold. Engin said he and others had prepared prison bags for themselves, with slippers and sweaters for the feared trips back to jail. Then there were the visits to courtrooms and the families of those behind bars to comfort.

As journalists, these are things we shouldnt know, said Pinar Ogunc, a reporter who covers human rights issues.



Bulent Ozdogan, center, at the Page One meeting at Cumhuriyet Gazette. Ozdogan is the newspapers acting editor in chief. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

For the first four months after his colleagues were locked up, Bulent Ozdogan, Cumhuriyets acting editor in chief, said he worked without a break. There was no time for one. A thicket of legal cases threatened the newspaper and the foundation that runs it. The families of the journalists needed support, including a bus to shuttle them to prison. And the paper was facing a worsening financial crisis.

Advertisers, afraid of offending the government, were pulling their accounts, and newsstand sales were plummeting, he said during an interview in his office on a recent morning. It was becoming harder to pay salaries and even to produce the newspaper, he said.

When he finally did take a day off, he spent it on his couch, unable to move.

The pressure was not unfamiliar at Cumhuriyet, which has been a consistent voice of opposition to Erdogans government and has seemed to delight, at times, in poking Turkeys famously sensitive president. Ozdogan assumed his post late last year, after his predecessor was imprisoned. A previous editor, Can Dundar, who lives in exile in Germany, was convicted on charges of leaking state secrets after Cumhuriyet published pictures that purported to show Turkish intelligence sending weapons to Syrian rebels.

The paper had touched on a sore subject for the government, and its pursuit of Dundar was perhaps predictable.

But after the coup attempt, the governments red lines had become much harder to find, Ozdogan said. Investigations are being launched against us for our news articles, even though other papers are producing articles on the same subjects. As a result, it is hard to know where to step. I wouldnt say we are self-censoring, he said. We are acting a bit more cautiously given what we are facing.

If we sacrifice ourselves to self-censorship, he added, we would betray our friends who are in jail right now.



The exterior of Cumhuriyet Gazette. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

Some of Cumhuriyets reporters said they felt paralyzed as a result of the scrutiny, or had started to question the impact of their work on a public that had become both polarized and inured to Turkeys incessant political churn.

Fear, as well, had made some people withdraw. There was a shooting outside the papers offices recently that authorities insisted had nothing to do with Cumhuriyet. At one point, rumors surfaced that an Islamic State militant had cased the newspapers offices as a target, before unleashing a rampage at an Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people.

Canan Coskun, the court reporter at Cumhuriyet, stands in front of the Istanbul courthouse on a day when journalists from other media outlets were facing trial. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

For Canan Coskun, Cumhuriyets 30-year-old court reporter, there was no escape from the realities of Turkeys post-coup-

attempt landscape, as she covered the cases of some of the thousands of people facing trial in a court system that seems barely able to keep up.

Her daily routine sometimes bordered on the surreal. Coskun, who joined Cumhuriyet in 2012, is one of many of the newspapers journalists facing various investigations by the authorities. None of the charges were as serious as those facing her imprisoned colleagues, but they were enough to cast a shadow on a young journalists career.

At the same time, she found herself last month covering the trial of other journalists who worked for publications associated with the Gulen network, including people she knew. One of the defendants was Yakup Cetin, 32, a court reporter for the daily Zaman newspaper who used to sit near Coskun in the pressroom at the Istanbul courthouse.

As she covered a session from the crowded gallery on a recent morning, a judge asked the defendants to state their profession. Former journalist, some replied, with no hint of irony.

From time to time, the defendants would turn around, waving at the journalists covering the trial, their erstwhile colleagues, still free. Some of the journalists seemed hesitant to acknowledge the defendants, Coskun said.

It is painful to watch, she said. Cetin, the Zaman court reporter, was just someone sitting next to us in the pressroom.

He was a correspondent who did the same thing. He is being tried for the same things we wrote  the same trials we covered, she said.

A few weeks after the court session, word spread that prosecutors had dropped the charges against the 29 journalists and that a judge had ordered them freed. But the order was reversed, and the judge who had issued the decision to free the journalists was suspended.

Coskun, who went from covering trials two or three days a week before the attempted coup to spending all her time in the courthouse, said she considering leaving journalism and starting law school in the fall.

After all I have been through, she said, I would like to be a lawyer for the press.

In a recent column, Engin wrote about his fear that the crackdown on journalists would become normalized in Turkey, his concern that he and others at Cumhuriyet were losing the public by constantly writing about the imprisonment of their colleagues. The response was heartening, he said. The column drew more than twice the traffic he normally receives.

But it seemed a small comfort to maintain the support of the papers loyalists, including what is known as the secular Kemalist elite. Journalists in Turkey face a far deeper challenge addressing their broader audience: a polarized society in a country arguing over its identity, the nature of its democracy and the question of who belongs.

In that environment, whose idea can I hope to change? asked Ogunc, whose reporting often focuses on minorities struggling for recognition in an increasingly rigid society. Who is going to listen to the stories of the others? she said.

What I feel now is my kind of journalism is becoming powerless, she said. Day by day.



People work in the newsroom of Cumhuriyet Gazette. (Monique Jaques/For The Washington Post)

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The FBI obtained a secret court order in October 2016 to monitor the communications of a former adviser to presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, law enforcement and other U.S. officials said.

The FBI and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting Carter Pages communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, according to the officials.

This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump associate was in touch with Russian agents. Such contacts are now at the center of an investigation into whether the campaign coordinated with the Russian government to swing the election in Trumps favor.

Page has not been accused of any crimes, and it is unclear whether the Justice Department might later seek charges against him or others in connection with Russias meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The counterintelligence investigation into Russian efforts to influence U.S. elections began in July, officials have said. The FBI also began investigating Page in July as part of the probe, officials said. Most such investigations dont result in criminal charges.

The officials spoke about the court order on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of a counterintelligence probe.

During an interview with the Washington Post editorial page staff in March 2016, Trump identified Page, who had previously been an investment banker in Moscow, as a foreign policy adviser to his campaign. Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks later described Pages role as informal.

Page has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with the Trump campaign or Russia.

This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance, Page said in an interview Tuesday. I have nothing to hide. He compared surveillance of him to the eavesdropping that the FBI and Justice Department conducted against civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

[Despite early denials, growing list of Trump camp contacts with Russians haunts White House]

The White House, FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.

FBI Director James B. Comey disclosed in public testimony to the House Intelligence Committee last month that the bureau is investigating efforts by the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Comey said this includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russias efforts.

Comey declined to comment during the hearing about any individuals, including Page, who worked in Moscow for Merrill Lynch a decade ago and who has said he invested in Russian energy giant Gazprom. In a letter to Comey in September, Page had said he had sold his Gazprom investment.

During the hearing last month, Democratic lawmakers repeatedly singled out Pages contacts in Russia as a cause for concern.

The judges who rule on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) requests oversee the nations most sensitive national security cases, and their warrants are some of the most closely guarded secrets in the world of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence gathering. Any FISA application has to be approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department and the FBI.

Applications for FISA warrants, Comey said, are often thicker than his wrists, and that thickness represents all the work Justice Department attorneys and FBI agents have to do to convince a judge that such surveillance is appropriate in an investigation.

The governments application for the surveillance order targeting Page included a lengthy declaration that laid out investigators basis for believing that Page was an agent of the Russian government and knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow, officials said.

Among other things, the application cited contacts that he had with a Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013, officials said. Those contacts had earlier surfaced in a federal espionage case brought by the Justice Department against the intelligence operative and two other Russian agents. In addition, the application said Page had other contacts with Russian operatives that have not been publicly disclosed, officials said.

[Former Trump adviser admits to 2013 communication with Russian spy]

An application for electronic surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act need not show evidence of a crime. But the information obtained through the intercepts can be used to open a criminal investigation and may be used in a prosecution.

The application also showed that the FBI and the Justice Departments national security division have been seeking since July to determine how broad a network of accomplices Russia enlisted in attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, the officials said.

Since the 90-day warrant was first issued, it has been renewed more than once by the FISA court, the officials said.

In February, Page told PBS NewsHour that he was a junior member of the [Trump] campaigns foreign policy advisory group.

A former Trump campaign adviser said Page submitted policy memos to the campaign and several times asked to be given a meeting with Trump, though his request was never granted. He was one of the more active ones, in terms of being in touch, the adviser said.

The campaign adviser said Page participated in three dinners held for the campaigns volunteer foreign policy advisers in the spring and summer of 2016, coming from New York to Washington to meet with the group. Although Trump did not attend, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a top Trump confidant who became his attorney general, attended one meeting of the group with Page in late summer, the campaign adviser said.

Pages role as an adviser to the Trump campaign drew alarm last year from more-established foreign policy experts in part because of Pages effusive praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his criticism of U.S. sanctions over Moscows military intervention in Ukraine.

In July, Page traveled to Moscow, where he delivered a speech harshly critical of the United States policy toward Russia.

While there, Page allegedly met with Igor Sechin, a Putin confidant and chief executive of the energy company Rosneft, according to a dossier compiled by a former British intelligence officer and cited at a congressional hearing by Rep. Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Officials said some of the information in the dossier has been verified by U.S. intelligence agencies, and some of it hasnt, while other parts are unlikely to ever be proved or disproved.

On Tuesday, Page dismissed what he called the dodgy dossier of false allegations.

Page has denied such a meeting occurred, saying he has never met Sechin in his life and that he wants to testify before Congress to clear his name. A spokesman for Rosneft told Politico in September that the notion that Page met with Sechin was absurd. Page said in September that he briefly met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich during that trip.

Comey has declined to discuss the details of the Russia probe, but in an appearance last month, he cited the process for getting FISA warrants as proof that the governments surveillance powers are very carefully used, with significant oversight.

It is a pain in the neck to get permission to conduct electronic surveillance in the United States. And thats good, he told an audience at the University of Texas in Austin.

Officials have said the FBI and the Justice Department were particularly reluctant to seek FISA warrants of campaign figures during the 2016 presidential race because of concerns that agents would inadvertently eavesdrop on political talk. To obtain a FISA warrant, prosecutors must show that a significant purpose of the warrant is to obtain foreign intelligence information.

[How hard is it to get an intelligence wiretap? Pretty hard.]

Page is the only American to have had his communications directly targeted with a FISA warrant in 2016 as part of the Russia probe, officials said.

The FBI routinely obtains FISA warrants to monitor the communications of foreign diplomats in the United States, including the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. The conversations between Kislyak and Michael Flynn, who became Trumps first national security adviser, were recorded in December. In February, The Washington Post reported that Flynn misled Vice President-elect Mike Pence and others about his discussions with Kislyak, prompting Trumps decision to fire him.

In March, Trump made unsubstantiated claims about U.S. surveillance of Trump Tower in New York. Later that month, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a Trump transition official, charged that details about people associated with the incoming administration, details with little apparent foreign intelligence value were widely disseminated in intelligence community reporting. He said none of the surveillance was related to Russia. The FISA order on Page is unrelated to either charge.

Last month, the former director of national intelligence, James R. Clapper Jr., told NBCs Meet the Press that U.S. law enforcement agencies did not have any FISA orders to monitor the communications of Trump, either as a candidate or as a president-elect, or his campaign. But Clapper did not address whether there were any FISA warrants targeting Trump associates.

Three years before Page became an adviser to the Trump campaign, he came to the attention of FBI counterintelligence agents, who learned that Russian spy suspects had sought to use Page as a source for information.

In that case, one of the Russian suspects, Victor Podobnyy  who was posing as a diplomat and was later charged by federal prosecutors with acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government  was captured on tape in 2013 discussing an effort to get information and documents from Page. That discussion was detailed in a federal complaint filed against Podobnyy and two others. The court documents in that spy case only identify Page as Male 1. Officials familiar with the case said that Male 1 is Page.

In one secretly recorded conversation, detailed in the complaint, Podobnyy said Page wrote that he is sorry, he went to Moscow and forgot to check his inbox, but he wants to meet when he gets back. I think he is an idiot and forgot who I am. Plus he writes to me in Russian [to] practice the language. He flies to Moscow more often than I do. He got hooked on Gazprom thinking that if they have a project, he could rise up. Maybe he can. I dont know, but its obvious that he wants to earn lots of money.

The same court document says that in June 2013, Page told FBI agents that he met Podobnyy at an energy symposium in New York, where they exchanged contact information. In subsequent meetings, Page shared with the Russian his outlook on the state of the energy industry, as well as documents about the energy business, according to the court papers.

In the secret tape, Podobnyy said he liked the mans enthusiasm but planned to use him to get information and give him little in return. You promise a favor for a favor. You get the documents from him and tell him to go f--- himself, Podobnyy said on the tape, according to court papers.

Page has said the information he provided to the Russians in 2013 was innocuous, describing it as basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents. He said he had assisted the prosecutors in their case against Evgeny Buryakov, who was convicted of espionage.

Rosalind S. Helderman contributed to this report.

Correction: This story has been updated to note that government investigators obtained a FISA warrant on Carter Page in October 2016, not the summer of 2016 as originally reported, and that in October 2016 Page was no longer an adviser to the Trump campaign.

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US President Donald Trump made another menacing threat to North Korea yesterday, at the same time issuing a new ultimatum to China to force Pyongyang to submit to Washingtons demands to abandon its nuclear and missile programs. Trumps tweets compound the danger of war following his order, last weekend, for the aircraft carrier strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson to return to waters off the Korean Peninsula.

In one tweet, the US president declared: North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A. In an earlier tweet, Trump indicated that China might gain economic concessions if it bullied North Korea into submission: I explained to the President of China [Xi Jinping] that a trade deal with the US will be far better if they solve the North Korean problem!

The only conclusion that can be drawn from such reckless threats is that Trump is prepared to order a military attack on North Korea if China fails to heed his dictates and Pyongyang conducts another nuclear or missile test. Speculation is rife in the US and international media that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un might order such a test on Saturday to coincide with the birthday of his late grandfather, Kim Il-sung.

Top Trump officials have already ruled out any return to the Obama administrations policy of strategic patience based purely on ratcheting up sanctions on North Korea with the assistance of China. Speaking after Trumps meetings with Xi last weekend, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson also rejected any return to negotiations with Pyongyang unless it bowed to US demands. Tillerson has repeatedly declared that all optionsthat is, including the use of military forceare on the table in dealing with North Korea.

Last Friday, NBC reported on the outcome of a lengthy review by the Trump administration of US strategy toward North Korea. The options under active consideration include: returning US nuclear weapons to South Korea; decapitation raids to kill North Korean leaders; and covert sabotage operations inside North Korea by special forces units.

The Australian newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, yesterday reported that the US was fully prepared to shoot down a North Korean missile and has placed Australia and its allies on standby. This alert includes the key Pine Gap base in central Australia that provides intelligence and targeting data to US forces across Asia and the Middle East.

Speaking to the Fox Business Network, Trump boasted that the US was sending more than just the Carl Vinson strike group toward the Korean Peninsula. We are sending an armada, he said. Very powerful. We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.

North Korea has responded to US threats with its own bellicose warnings that play directly into the hands of US imperialism. The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper declared: Our military is keeping an eye on the movement of enemy forces while putting them in our nuclear sights. A Korean language statement issued by the foreign ministry declared that the country would not miss a chance to sweep the imperialist group with a nuclear fire of justice.

Such irresponsible threats to use nuclear weapons do nothing to defend the North Korean people. They only raise the stakes and increase the likelihood of a US attack. Already, US Defence Secretary James Mattis has warned that any attempt by Pyongyang to use nuclear weapons would result in an overwhelming responsein other words, the nuclear annihilation of North Korea.

The Trump administration is well aware that any US strike on North Korea or other military options could provoke retaliation and the rapid descent into a war that would drag in other powers, including China. Yet Trump has continued to heighten tensions and create a dangerous tinderbox on the Korean Peninsula in which any incident, whether accidental or deliberate, could set off a conflict.

The entire region is now on tenterhooks, especially China, which faces the prospect of war on its doorstep. Unconfirmed reports continue to emerge that Beijing has sent 150,000 troops to its border with North Korea in case conflict breaks out. The state-owned Global Times contradicted denials by the Chinese foreign ministry, citing South Korean diplomats as saying that military drills were underway in the border area.

A Global Times editorial yesterday urged North Korea not to misjudge the situation at this crucial moment and conduct a sixth nuclear test. If it does so, responses from both Beijing and Washington might be unprecedented, even becoming a turning point, it warned.

In another editorial today, the newspaper declared: The Korean Peninsula has never been so close to a military clash since the North conducted its first nuclear test in 2006. It suggested that Beijing would be prepared to impose crippling sanctions on Pyongyang. If the North makes another provocative move this month, Chinese society will be willing to see the UNSC [UN Security Council] adopt severe restrictive measures that have never been seen before, such as restricting oil imports to the North. North Korea relies completely on China for its oil supplies.

In South Korea, Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun sought to prevent a growing sense of public panic at the prospect of a new Korean war, in which Seoul could be one of North Koreas first targets. He called for caution so as not to get blinded by exaggerated assessments about the security situation on the Korean Peninsula.

South Koreas foreign ministry also tried to calm fears by declaring that the US will not take a new policy or measures without consultations with us. In fact, as the US wars in the Middle East underscore, Washington is quite capable of launching a war on the Korean Peninsula with complete disregard for the lives of people in South Korea or anywhere else in the region.

In Australia, an editorial in the Australian, while denouncing North Korea, urged the Trump administration to act cautiously. Cool heads are imperative in responding to the rogue nations provocations. A return to a shooting war on the Korean Peninsula would serve nobodys interests.

Far from cool heads prevailing in Washington, the Trump administrationdominated by generals, billionaires and fascistshas already launched strikes on the Syrian government, threatening a war with Russia, and could also attack North Korea, provoking a confrontation with China.

Millions of people died in the 195053 Korean War, which devastated the peninsular and sowed the seeds for the present dangerous confrontation. A new conflict that drew in nuclear-armed powers would be even more catastrophic.
A report by the British monitoring group Airwars has found that the death toll from US air strikes in Iraq and Syria nearly quadrupled in the month of March as compared to the last full month before Donald Trump entered the White House. Reported civilian deaths jumped from 465 in December 2016 to 1,754 in March 2017, a rise of 277 percent.

The report was issued in the midst of the media hysteria over fabricated charges of nerve gas attacks by the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, the pretext for last weeks missile strikes ordered by President Trump. It demonstrates that American bombing has killed far more innocent civilians in Iraq, including children, than reportedly died in last weeks alleged chemical attack in Syria. For that very reason, the study has gone virtually without mention in the American media.

The Airwars organization, which tabulates deaths due to air strikes in the Iraq-Syria war zone and evaluates the strength of the evidence supporting the reports, found that more civilians were reported killed during the first three months of 2017, a total of 2,826, than in all of 2016. The increases actually began in the fall of 2016, when the Iraqi Army and its US military advisers began their onslaught on the city of Mosul, occupied by the Sunni fundamentalist group ISIS for the past two-and-a-half years.

Amnesty International has investigated a series of mass killings due to US air strikes in the eastern half of Mosul, which was reconquered during the first phase of the assault, from October through December 2016. A report published last week found an alarming pattern of US-led coalition air strikes which have destroyed whole houses with entire families inside.

The groups senior investigator in Mosul, Donatella Rovera, said, The high civilian toll suggests that coalition forces leading the offensive in Mosul have failed to take adequate precautions to prevent civilian deaths, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. She cited particularly the Iraqi authorities advising civilians to stay in their homes instead of fleeing, following by bombing raids that targeted homes known to be fully occupied.

Even worse is the situation in western Mosul, where the second stage of the US-Iraqi offensive began earlier this year. This comprises the older core of the city of two million, the most densely populated area, where air strikes have been routinely called in to destroy apartment buildings with snipers on their rooftops, in the process killing most of the occupants of the floors below. One such US strike on March 17 killed as many as 300 people.

Three times as many innocent people were killed by US bombs on March 17 as the death toll of the massively publicized alleged Syrian chemical weapons attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun, the pretext for the US missile strikes on a Syrian airbase ordered by President Trump. The total civilian death toll from US bombing during March is 20 times as great.

But there has been almost no mention of the US bombing atrocities in the American media. Certainly nothing comparable to the nonstop propaganda barrage that provided political cover for the Trump-ordered barrage of Tomahawk cruise missiles against Syria.

None of the Democratic politicians who rushed to hail Trumps first major action as US commander-in-chief, from Charles Schumer to Nancy Pelosi to Elizabeth Warren, have made any objections to the ongoing massacre of civilians in Mosul.

Nor did the media advocates of human rights imperialism, like the trio of armchair warrior-pundits for the New York Times Nicholas Kristof, Roger Cohen and Thomas Friedmanspend so much as a column-inch on condemning the bloodbath in Mosul, or any of the other mass killings carried out by American military forces. Their sole concern is to demonize those governments and forces targeted by the CIA and Pentagon, and thus make American imperialist intervention more saleable to their upper-middle-class audience.

One major obstacle for the media campaign over the alleged Syrian nerve gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun has been the complete implausibility of the charges from the standpoint of motive. Assad heads a ruthless regime and is responsible for many crimes against his own people. But there was simply no reason to engage in such an attack under conditions where his forces have regained control of all of Syrias major cities, and where top Trump administration officials had just conceded that Assad was likely to survive the civil war and that the US goal in Syria was to destroy ISIS, not to overthrow the Syrian leader.

There is no such difficulty in determining a motive for the mounting death toll from US bombs and missiles in Iraq and Syria. It is an indispensable part of the drive by American imperialism to maintain its dominant position in the Middle East as a whole, an effort that has now cost the lives of more than one million people, and plunged Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and other countries into bloody chaos.

The escalating bloodbath represents both a continuation of the policies of the Obama administration and an intensification of its worst features. By one calculation, carried out by Micah Zenko of the Council on Foreign Affairs, drone missile strikes have tripled in frequency since Trump entered the White House, from an average of one every 5.4 days to one every 1.8 days.

The rules of engagement that prescribe the terms for US bombings and missile strikes have been significantly loosened in Yemen and Somalia, in both cases by executive actions of President Trump. At least one mass killing, of 30 people in Yemen, immediately followed the change, and hundreds of US Special Forces operatives have now been deployed in Somalia in a policy change that was initiated by the Pentagon under Obama and confirmed under Trump.

For the much larger US forces engaged in Iraq and Syria, the Trump administration is in the final stages of reviewing the rules of engagement with an eye to relaxing them or abolishing them altogether. Already, decision-making has been pushed down the chain of command so that field officers, not headquarters, are calling in air strikes. The soaring death toll of the past several months will skyrocket even further as the Pentagon carries out Trumps mandate to take the gloves off.

The Pentagon began this week an official investigation into the March 17 mass killing in Mosul and several other catastrophes brought about by US bombing. Pentagon spokesman Col. Joseph Scrocca conceded that these events have a negative impact on our image at least throughout the region and the world. But he suggested that thats exactly what ISIS is trying to target right now. In other words, those who expose the crimes of American imperialism are doing the work of the terrorists!

The reports by Airwars and Amnesty International underscore the completely criminal character of US foreign policy in the Middle East. They expose all those involved in the anti-Assad and anti-Russian hysteria as propagandists for imperialism.
In the wake of the April 7 US missile strike at Syrias Shayrat air base, the Turkish government is pressing for military a escalation and attacking Russia for not withdrawing its support to the Syrian regime. In an attempt to restore its position in the Middle East and prevent the creation of a Kurdish state along its southeastern borders, it is seizing on the chemical attack in Idlib province and the ensuing US missile attack to escalate the drive for regime change in Syria.

On April 9, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told journalists that after the US strike he asked his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, to withdraw Moscows support for the Syrian regime. You should leave your persistence on [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad and let the transition government begin, he told Lavrov in a phone call.

Cavusoglu also criticized both Russia and the US for competing to win over the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Protection Units (YPG). Its not acceptable that the two superpowers are competing over a terrorist organization, he said. The YPG is the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, a guerrilla organization that fights for the formation of an independent Kurdish state inside Turkey.

Cavusoglu also made a point of stating that his government was not in a position to choose between Russia and the United States.

He was echoing the reaction to the US missile attack by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who warmly welcomed the attack and called on Moscow to reconsider its support for Assad. In a televised interview on April 8, he dismissed the Astana talks on Syria, initiated by Russia and Turkey in parallel to the US-backed Geneva talks, stating that unfortunately it did not develop as we wanted. Instead, he hoped that Russia will get involved as well in the US-led regime change operation.

Earlier in the same day, Foreign Minister Cavusoglu signaled his support for US military escalation against Syria. He said last weeks attack on Syria would only be cosmetic, unless it was followed by more attacks. If this remains limited to just one air base, if this regime cant be removed from Syria, it will remain a merely cosmetic intervention, he said. He reiterated Ankaras insistence on carving out safe zones inside Syria and the need to implement a transitional government in Syria as soon as possible.

Ankaras reckless and warmongering attitude on Syria was perhaps best expressed by Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus just after the US missile attack: he described it as significant and meaningful, and stated, we do not only want to hear words, but we want to see action.

Continued military action by the NATO powers against Syria threatens to escalate into all-out war with Russia and Iran, however. Russia, supposedly Turkeys main partner in the Astana talks, has strongly condemned the strike against the Shayrat air base as a US act of aggression. The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that Moscow will take a range of measures to protect key Syrian infrastructure and reinforce and improve the effectiveness of the Syrian armed forces air defence.

Turkeys economically and strategically critical relations with Russia are again threatened with complete collapse. Before Ankara moved to build bridges with Russia last June, the two countries came to the verge of war in November 2015, when the Turkish air force downed a Russian plane that had allegedly violated Turkish airspace. Moscow called the Turkish government an accomplice of terrorists and imposed economic sanctions on Turkey, depriving the Turkish economy of an estimated $10 billion.

Last July 15, when US-backed sections of Turkish military attempted to topple Erdogan in a coup, Putin was the first major world leader to call and offer his sympathies to the Turkish president. In August, Erdogan travelled to Russia for a St. Petersburg summit, where he met with Putin and discussed how to improve economic and military ties. Despite ongoing differences over the future of the Syrian regime, Ankara and Moscow initiated the Astana talks to organize a cessation of hostilities in Syria.

Now, the US missile attack on Syriaa harbinger of more and broader military action to comeis throwing this collaboration into doubt, as Erdogan turns towards Washington and its preparations for war with Syria and, ultimately, Russia.

The US bombing came as Turkeys own military intervention in Syria is in deep crisis. Turkish forces are still occupying a swath of territory all the way to Al Bab. On March 29, a day before US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons visit, Ankara announced that Operation Euphrates Shield had been accomplished.

Ankara launched its Operation Euphrates Shield last August to fight the Islamic State (IS) and, above all, to push the YPG-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the main proxy force of the US imperialism in Syria, back to the eastern bank of the Euphrates River. Just a month ago, after the capture of Al Bab from IS, Ankara stated that its offensive would continue to the SDF-held town of Manbij, and then to the IS stronghold, Raqqa. Ultimately, however, the Turkish army only managed to seize a narrow strip of Syrian territory and capture Al Bab at the cost of high casualties.

Adding to Ankaras troubles, both Moscow and Washington have signaled in recent months that they will back and work with Kurdish nationalists in Syria. Russia has deployed military personnel to Afrin, the largely Kurdish-populated northwestern area of Syria and part of the YPG-controlled de facto autonomous region of Rojava, while the US Army is protecting Manbij with hundreds of Special Forces troops.

Operation Euphrates Shields objectives have not been accomplished, and the Turkish regime appears to be recklessly hoping to improve its military posture through a major US military escalation. Ankara is also discussing an escalation of its own military intervention into Iraq.

The Turkish president stated last week that the next stage of Operation Euphrates Shield would include northern Iraq. In an April 4 televised interview, Erdogan said, There are the Tal Afar and Sinjar situations [in Iraq]. We also have kin in Mosul. Such a military adventure in Iraq threatens to ignite a military conflict with Iraq and Iran, while escalating the simmering civil war between the Turkish army and the PKK within Turkey.

The Turkish governments warmongering meets with no real opposition inside the Turkish bourgeois establishment, however. Last October, the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP) voted for a resolution in the Turkish parliament that extended the governments authority to launch cross-border operations for a year.

The pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), for its part, objected to Turkish military operations in Syria and Iraq, but only on the grounds that they target Kurdish nationalists; they enthusiastically welcomed the US-led regime-change operations in Syria.
An Oregon man considered armed, dangerous and suicidal is dead along with his two young daughters after a Wednesday incident in which he exchanged gunfire with police, authorities say.

The incident began after the unidentified mans wife placed a domestic incident call to Portland police at about 12:30 a.m., Gresham police spokesman Sgt. John Rasmussen told reporters in videotaped comments seen by PEOPLE.

The woman said she was concerned for her husband and her two young daughters, ages 8 and 11, who were missing from the home, Gresham said, adding that the woman said her husband had made some sort of threat towards them.

According Rasmussen, based on the conversation with the mans wife, police considered the suspect armed, dangerous and suicidal.

Authorities located the man and his vehicle about 1:45 a.m. in the parking lot of a plasma center in Gresham, Rasmussen said.

As officers approached the vehicle, there was an exchange of gunfire.

The man and his daughters were dead inside the vehicle, but police are still trying to determine how the girls died.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

There was some sort of fire in the vehicle, and investigators are still trying to find out how it started, and exactly how the children died, Rasmussen said.

Its one of those situation that we dont know exactly what were walking into, he said. So when we pull up to a situation, were trying to assess whats going to happen, and then things unfold very rapidly, and maybe that initial thought of how this might go changes very quickly.

No officers were injured in the shooting, but those involved were placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

Calls by PEOPLE to police were not immediately returned.

Obviously its a horrible and horrific scene for all involved, especially the family, but for the officers and paramedics, too, that tried to save the children and were unable to do so, said Rasmussen.

This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com
Pennsylvania police have filed more than 150 criminal charges against a 44-year-old father accused of verbally and physically abusing his wife and two small children for years - at times even using an electric dog collar to shock them.

An arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE alleges that Joseph Myhre began punching, kicking, beating and choking his two children, ages 11 and 13, when they were 4 and 5. He was arrested on Friday.

The arrest report further accuses Myhre, of Collegeville, Pennsylvania, of inserting small needles under his childrens fingernails and toenails to make them bleed.

He also allegedly used electric dog collars to shock his two kids, leaving burn marks on their skin.

Police in Lower Providence, Pennsylvania, began investigating Myhre in March, after his wife drove herself to a local hospital for treatment. Doctors summoned officers to the hospital upon discovering fractures at the base of the back of her skull.

She told officers Myhre had allegedly forced her to the ground, sat on her back and repeatedly punched her in the head. She also claimed that he routinely abused their children.

Myhre, who is being held on $1 million bail, has yet to enter pleas to the charges against him, which include counts for aggravated assault, strangulation, unlawful restraint, conspiracy, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.

He has not retained an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Countless Alleged Assaults

Under questioning, Myhre allegedly told police he had grabbed his children and hit them with sticks but said he did not mean to hurt them. He also allegedly said the children never cried or indicated the abuse caused them any pain.

But the two children told police their father allegedly hit them countless times, sometimes using a stick or piece of PVC piping, according to the affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

Sometimes the strikes would knock them unconscious. Other times, the children reportedly saw stars.

Story continues

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter.

Myhres daughter told police her father would ask her to do many tasks for him throughout the day, and if she did not do those things to her fathers liking, he would punish her, the affidavit claims.

His son spoke extensively about his fathers alleged use of a shock collar to discipline him.

Where the two nodes were on the shock collar, it would leave a mark, the boy told police. He said his father allegedly tied it very tight around his leg, and I would not be able to feel my foot sometimes.

It Hurts So Bad

The boy also alleged to police that his dad once slammed his head into the floor - and that he later needed stitches to close the wound.

The affidavit claims the boys parents drove him to an urgent-care center and told him to tell nurses and doctors that hed fallen and not been attacked.

Many times he would hit [my] head with a wooden stick, one of the children told police of their dad, according to the arrest affidavit.

Another thing he would do is shock me with a dog collar, the child continued. He would also bang my head against the wall or floor sometimes. Usually blood. It was so severe one time, I needed stitches.

The boys body bore a number of permanent scars, according to court records.

Myhres wife provided police with an audio recording of one incident in which the children were physically reprimanded. It hurts so bad, Dad, one child yells in the recording, the affidavit states. Get off my feet I cannot stand it.

A male voice can be heard replying, Good.

Myhre is next due in court in early May for a preliminary hearing.

This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com
Photo credit: Getty

From Country Living

While summer may still be a couple months away, most vacationers are already booking their family vacations, and according to what people are researching through TripAdvisor, there's one getaway spot that stands out from the rest this year.

Panama City, Florida is one of the hottest places to stay this summer, according to TripAdvisor Rentals' data. The popular beach destination is receiving the most attention from site users looking to book vacation rentals this June, July, and August.

The Florida beach town is a hot spot for families and watersport fanatics, thanks to its beautiful beaches and parks, not to mention its affordability. The beach town sits between two state parks-Camp Helen State Park and St. Andrews State Park-and also boasts the scenic Panama City Conservation Park. What's even better? The average weekly rate for a two-bedroom rental in July is $1,835.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Photo credit: Getty Images

The seaside area was one of four Florida destinations to make TripAdvisor Rental's list. The other top rental vacation spots for 2017 included Ocean City, Maryland, Destin, Florida; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Kissimmee, Florida; Gulf Shores, Alabama; Orlando, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Davenport, Florida; and North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

If you're looking to book a summer stay in any one of these destinations, you'd better book early! According to TripAdvisor Rentals, 54 percent of travelers reserve their rental three to five months in advance, and these locations are especially competitive.

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For years, the Big Three have been selling parts-counter specials that are purpose built for drag racing: Cobra Jet Mustangs, COPO Camaros, and Drag Pak Challengers missing VINs that you order like an oil filter. These are cars only in the sense that they have four wheels. You cant legally drive one to the corner store for milk or bait teenagers on Woodward Avenue any more than you could in an IndyCar racer. But Dodge is changing that with the Challenger SRT Demon.

Born to Drag

SRT head honcho Tim Kuniskis admits that the company wanted to go in a different direction than the Challengers obvious competition. Ford and Chevrolet clearly targeted the road-course demographic with their ultimate pony cars, the Camaro ZL1 1LE and the Shelby Mustang GT350R. To be different, SRT zeroed in on a target 1320 feet longa quarter-mileand packed this Hellcat-cum-Demon with legit drag-racing technology normally reserved for purpose-built trailer queens.

via GIPHY

By fixating on a single goal, Kuniskis and company claim to have destroyed not only crosstown rivals, but all competition, in quarter-mile racesincluding the Porsche 918 (the quickest production car weve ever tested)with a 9.65-second elapsed time at a blistering 140 mph. Thats quick enough that the NHRA says no, thank you unless the Demons owner installs a roll cage.

A nine-second production car that we expect will cost one-tenth the price of a new 918. Let that sink in.

So how did SRT do it? Details have been released in a form of Chinese water torture over the last three months. First we learned of all the weight SRT cut to get the Demon as trim as possible, most notably by stripping out every seat save the drivers (the front passenger seat and the three-place rear bench can be optioned back in for $1 each). Then there was a mysterious box full of parts and tools, a glimpse at the hood scoop, the wrinkled-sidewall drag radials, some suspension details and transmission specs, and on and on. Thirteen teasers in total, which included more than a half-dozen cryptic hints that Chrysler has finally decoded. The campaign nearly caused our interest to wane. All we wanted to know was how fast and how much power.

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Eight hundred and forty horsepower regained our attention. However, that comes with a caveat: Showroom Demons make 808 ponies on premium fuel, an increase of 101 over the Hellcat. To unlock 840 in the Demon, buyers must also purchase the Demon Crate. Cost is TBD, but Kuniskis hopes it also will cost $1. In the crate are some skinny front wheels, all the Snap-on tools needed to change tires at the track, a new engine ECU, a new air filter, a low-temperature thermostat, a cover plate to facilitate removing the passenger-side mirror, and a new HVAC switch module with an extra button on it. That button, a gas-pump silhouette with HO in the middle, activates a high-octane engine map (hence the ECU and air filter), increasing power to 840 hp and torque to 770 lb-ft at 4500 rpm, up from 717. Kuniskis says the Demon is emissions compliant no matter what mode its running. All the tools and the runners, as the skinny wheels are called, fit in a molded piece of foam that stows nicely in the trunk and is easily removed in the paddock.

Demons ship with four Nitto NT05R drag radials in size 315/40R-18 tucked under blistered fenders that widen the car by 3.5 inches. The idea is that, with all the crate bits installed, one can drive to a drag strip on the barely legal street rubber and, with the runners in place, have two sets of rear tires at ones disposal.

At the Strip

Making that kind of torque is one thing; delivering it to asphalt is another, which is why SRT turned to drag-racing tools. The Demons launch control is unlike anything previously seen in a road car. It uses technology thats commonplace at the Winternationals. A Demon driver and the car itself must go through the following processes to unleash a most hellacious quarter-mile run:

Engage line lock, which locks the front brakes, to warm up the Nittos in the burnout box before approaching staging. Roll to the starting line and activate launch control, at which point a number of things are happening. First, the Demon has, essentially, air conditioning for its intake air. It superchills the intercoolers coolant by as much as 45 degrees versus ambient conditions to help pack as many oxygen molecules into the intake charge as possible. Next, the transmission engages its own brake. A trans brake locks the transmission in both first and reverse gears simultaneously. This removes any chance the car will move off the line when hitting the throttle to reach launch rpm. Finally, the Demons two-stage ignition kicks in. Here, the engine cuts spark and fuel to half the cylinders but keeps all valves operating. This allows the 2.7-liter supercharger (up from 2.4 in the standard Hellcat) to keep its bypass valve closed and generate maximum boost (because a belt-driven superchargers boost is directly tied to engine rpm), without generating maximum power. Now the torque converter, an upgraded unit with a higher stall speed and 2:1 torque multiplication, keeps all the launch torque from eating the transmissions innards. Flick either shift paddle, and the Demon launches. Youll want to keep the car pointed straight.

Free Wheelie

There is some trial and error to this. Launch rpm and tire pressure, both of which are set by the driver, are the two biggest variables in generating the kind of hole shot that will lift the front wheels into the air. Thats right: The Demon will wheelie.

Achieving a wheelie, or any great launch, comes down to load transfer. The Demons suspension is set up specifically for quarter-mile passes. The type of setup needed to transfer a lot of load to the rear axle for maximum grip can make a car somewhat scary on public roads. Ever see a drag car get into a speed wobble? To avoid that situation when the starting lights wink green, the adaptive dampers will quickly revert to a tamer setupwith compression and rebound characteristics intended to improve stabilityas soon as the driver lifts off the throttle.

The Uconnect systems SRT Performance Pages function in the Demon has a special display dedicated to intake temperature, and the car will tell you exactly how long you need to wait between runs to generate max power during every pass.

But, like the power, that 9.65-second ET comes with a caveat. Dodges quarter-mile time was achieved at a drag strip. We test on surfaces with much less grip, so we expect to be off SRTs pace. Once we get our hands on a Demon, we expect to burn a quarter-mile in 9.8 seconds on 100-octane fuel, or 10 flat when running premium unleaded. A zero-to-60-mph time on the street should be in the 2.3-to-2.6-second range.

The Demon hits showrooms this fall with an estimated base price of $85,000, but we suspect transaction prices will be higher due to demand. Dodge will produce 3000 Demons for the 2018 model year, plus 300 for customers in Canada. There is no word whether a second model year is in the Demons future, but it certainly will be remembered for many years to come.
Honda reaffirmed its commitment to hydrogen-powered vehicles a few years back with the redesigned Clarity fuel-cell car. Now its turning that car into an environment-friendly mini-brand with a plug-in hybrid and a battery electric version.

The two new Clarity variants were unveiled at the 2017 New York International Auto Show. The family of Clarity cars is a key part of Hondas strategy to transition from gasoline to electric power. The automaker has a corporate goal of having two-thirds of its fleet running on electricity by 2030.

Electrification is the future of mobility and the future of Honda, said Steven Center, vice president of environmental business development at American Honda Co. It all starts now with this Clarity series.

Honda describes the Clarity Electric as the first affordable, midsize, five-passenger battery electric vehicle. The vehicle is expected to have an 80-mile range, and it can be fully recharged in three hours. Thats an all-important measure for consumers wanting a more normal driving experience. It lags behind segment leaders like the Tesla Model S and the Chevrolet Bolt, both of which boast more than 200 miles. On the other hand, the Clarity Electric promises to be far cheaper than a Tesla and is bigger than a Bolt. It is powered by a 161-horsepower motor wired to a 25.5 kWh battery pack. Honda is projecting a sticker price in the mid-30s.

Its designed for EV purists who want the experience of an all-electric vehicle with the premium quality of a five-passenger sedan with the affordability of a Clarity, said Center.

Like the Clarity Fuel Cell, Honda will sell the Clarity Electric in markets best equipped with the infrastructure to accommodate future owners. For the fuel-cell car, that means Honda is leasing only in California, which has by far the most hydrogen filling stations in the U.S. For the Electric, look for Honda to concentrate sales and marketing in California and the nine other states that copy its zero-emissions vehicle rules.

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The Clarity Plug-In Hybrid, on the other hand, will be offered in all 50 states. This car will be the volume leader in the series, Honda says, combining an all-electric driving range rating of 42 miles and 330 miles factoring its 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine. The plug-in hybrid will compete with models like the Chevrolet Volt and Toyota Prius Prime.

Visually, the cars sit on low and wide aerodynamic bodies with unique design elements like a thin line of LED headlights. On the inside, Honda has created spacious interiors outfitted with premium, environmentally-responsible materials. All three versions of the Clarity will be quiet and smooth to drive, with good dynamic handling plus seamless electric-drive torque and acceleration, Honda says.

Other high-tech features include both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay interfaces with smartphones, and standard Honda Sensingthe automakers package of safety sensors and driver-assistive technologies.





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Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright  2006-2017 Consumer Reports, Inc.
Shocker: for the highest salaries, go to Google.

Glassdoor put together a list of the 25 companies that pay the highest salaries in the United States, and the results aren't that surprising. Most of the high-rolling employers are in tech, plus a few consulting firms. Other fields that offer some of the highest-paying jobs, especially healthcare, don't make the cut because their employers don't pay the rest of their staffs that much money.

The top companies are ranked by the median total compensation they provide, which includes bonuses. Glassdoor relied on members of its own site who reported their salaries to compile the list.

SEE ALSO: These internships are most likely to turn into jobs, according to LinkedIn

This report reinforces that high pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills and higher education, which in part, is why we see several companies on this list among the consulting and technology industries, Glassdoor Chief Economist Andrew Chamberlain said in the report. In technology, we continue to see unprecedented salaries as the war for talent is still very active, largely due to the ongoing shortage of highly skilled workers needed.

Here are the 25 top-paying companies in the United States:

1. A.T. Kearney

Median Total Compensation: $175,000

Industry: Consulting

2. Strategy&

Median Total Compensation: $172,000

Industry: Consulting

3. VMware

Median Total Compensation: $167,050

Industry: Tech

4. Splunk

Median Total Compensation: $161,010

Industry: Tech

5. Cadence Design Systems

Median Total Compensation: $156,702

Industry: Tech

SEE ALSO: Here's how women are represented (or not) in LinkedIn's highest-paying jobs

6. Google

Median Total Compensation: $155,250

Industry: Tech

7. Facebook

Median Total Compensation: $155,000

Median Base Compensation: $130,000

Industry: Tech

8. NVIDIA

Median Total Compensation: $154,000

Industry: Tech

9. McKinsey & Company

Median Total Compensation: $153,000

Industry: Consulting

Story continues

10. Amazon Lab126

Median Total Compensation: $152,800

Industry: Tech

SEE ALSO: How millennials can make the most of career milestones

11. Juniper Networks

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Industry: Tech

12. LinkedIn

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Industry: Tech

13. Salesforce

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Industry: Tech

14. Dimension Data

Median Total Compensation: $150,000

Industry: Tech

15. Synopsys

Median Total Compensation: $148,000

Median Base Compensation: $130,000

Industry: Tech

SEE ALSO: Follow your passion is wrong, here are 7 habits you need instead

16. Informatica

Median Total Compensation: $147,400

Industry: Tech

17. Boston Consulting Group

Median Total Compensation: $147,015

Industry: Consulting

18. Broadcom

Median Total Compensation: $145,025

Industry: Tech

19. Microsoft

Median Total Compensation: $144,000

Industry: Tech

20. Walmart eCommerce

Median Total Compensation: $143,500

Industry: Tech

SEE ALSO: 5 ways you can improve communication with colleagues

21. Visa Inc.

Median Total Compensation: $142,000

Industry: Finance

22. Twitter

Median Total Compensation: $142,000

Industry: Tech

23. F5 Networks

Median Total Compensation: $140,555

Industry: Tech

24. Palo Alto Networks

Median Total Compensation: $140,020

Industry: Tech

25. Akamai

Median Total Compensation: $140,000

Industry: Tech

WATCH: Ford created a crib that'll trick your baby into falling asleep
There are an abundance of American cities featuring renowned museums, storied sites and history-filled landmarks. Cities such as Philadelphia, Boston and the District of Columbia should, of course, be on every history buff's must-see list, but these three standout destinations with fascinating cultural and historical backstories are well worth a visit, too. Cross these places off your family bucket list in 2017.

[See: The 12 Best Cities for a Weekend Getaway.]

St. Louis

From westward expansion to the Civil War to beyond, St. Louis has played a significant role in many historical events. Lewis and Clark started their journey west of St. Louis in St. Charles. Today, visitors can explore the town's historic Main Street to learn more about the duo, and take the tram to the top of the Gateway Arch, which, at 630-feet tall, is the tallest man-made monument in the country. The Arch, part of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, was built as a monument to westward expansion.

Visitors can learn more about Lewis and Clark's journey in the Old Courthouse, which is also on-site. Once current renovations are complete, an updated museum at the foot of the Arch will feature interactive exhibits highlighting the history of the monument, Lewis and Clark and westward expansion. The Old Courthouse also played a significant role in the start of the Civil War. The Dred Scott Case, one of the most important cases ever tried in the U.S., was heard in this courthouse; the Supreme Court's ultimate decision in 1857 hastened the start of the Civil War. Other Civil War monuments can be found in the St. Louis area at Jefferson Barracks Park, which was a U.S. Army post from 1826 to 1946 and, today, offers the Old Ordnance Room and the Powder Magazine museum, as well as the Missouri Civil War Museum, the state's acclaimed Civil War museum. Another family-friendly attraction, Grant's Farm, also has ties to the Civil War. General Grant once called this land home, and today visitors can find multiple animal exhibits and shows, along with the famous Budweiser Clydesdale horses and Grant's Cabin, which was moved and restored by Anheuser-Busch after the company purchased the property.

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As for dining, try Mama's on the Hill, which claims to be the home of the famed toasted ravioli, a staple St. Louis dish. For another kid-friendly option, the Fountain on Locust is a fun restaurant and ice cream bar decorated in an art deco style. A stay at the historic Chase Park Plaza Hotel, which opened in the early 1930s, offers an ideal bookend to your trip.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Visitors to historic downtown Rapid City's Main Street are greeted by the "City of Presidents," a series of 42 life-size bronze statues of the nation's past presidents along the city's streets and sidewalks. The City of Presidents project began in 2000 to honor the legacy of the presidency and includes past presidents throughout the city's historic downtown. Travelers can pick up a map, which includes where each president is located. To bring the presidents to life, the map also details the inspiration behind each statue.

Families can continue learning about U.S. history at Mount Rushmore, which is located just 23 miles away from Rapid City. You'll find several stunning views of the 60-foot faces of George Washington Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt and Thomas Jefferson, whether at the stunning Grand View Terrace or on the Presidential Trail. As for lodging, consider Hotel Alex Johnson, which was built in the Roaring '20s by a railroad worker who had a flair for luxury, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. For kid-approved dining, try Tally's Silver Spoon, where the restaurant's original blueberry pancake recipe is not to be missed.

[See: 16 Free Things to Do in the Top Affordable U.S. Destinations.]

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

It's no secret Gettysburg is a hot spot for history seekers. History lovers will appreciate that the largest battle ever fought in North America happened here there in 1863, and our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, visited four months later to deliver the famous Gettysburg Address.

To engage families and ensure learning about America's past is fun for younger visitors, Gettysburg is making history come to life through battlefield tours, high-tech iPad technology and state-of-the-art museums. The Gettysburg National Military Park is the town's biggest historical attraction by far. With more than 6,000 acres and 1,300 monuments and markers, it is a great place to learn and reflect.

Another site, Soldiers' National Cemetery, the country's first national cemetery, is where Lincoln delivered the famous speech. "Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal," he remarked. Today, the cemetery is a beautiful yet grim reminder of the tragedy that occurred here. More than 3,500 union soldiers are buried here, but most travelers plan a trip in pursuit of retracing Lincoln's footsteps on that fateful day.

But Gettysburg's history doesn't stop at the American Civil War. One of our country's most admired president actually lived in Gettysburg for many years. Today, the home and farm of Dwight D. Eisenhower is open as a national historic site, offering a rare glimpse into the world of a president living in the '50s. He welcomed world leaders and even ran the country from his Gettysburg home after a heart attack during his presidency.

For dining, try Farnsworth House Tavern, which offers elaborate and simple dishes, brings guests into a 1860s home and an opportunity to taste some of the recipes of the time, including game pie and peanut soup. After sightseeing, settle in at the Gettysburg Hotel -- located in the heart of Gettysburg. It's historic, nicely appointed and well-suited for families.

[Read: 7 Family-Friendly Spring Trips You Can Afford.]

While in Pennsylvania, make the 2 -hour drive from Gettysburg to Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love will become better than ever for history buffs with the April opening of the Museum of the American Revolution, which will tie together the story of the American Revolution. The new museum is steps away from Carpenters Hall (the site of the first Continental Congress), and within close walking distance of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. If you're planning to spend the night in Philadelphia, book early at Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia, which is conveniently located nearby must-see historical attractions and landmarks.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow on Tuesday with perhaps more experience negotiating with Russians than any new secretary of state since John Quincy Adams  whose first diplomatic mission to Saint Petersburg preceded his admission to Harvard, and who served as our young republics first minister to the czarist court. Tillerson needs no advice on how to deal with Moscow, but he leaves behind a country riven by arguments about Russia. Democrats are furious over interference in the U.S. presidential election, whereas some Republicans have developed a blind spot in the weather eye they traditionally train on U.S. national security issues. Reestablishing a rough consensus on principles to guide American relations with Russia, therefore, is a high foreign policy priority. Five ideas might start that process.

First, except for a brief period in the 1990s, Russian and American political values are and have been deeply incompatible. Americas founding documents  the Declaration of Independence and Constitution  commit the country to democracy and respect for individual rights. Beneath a democratic veneer, President Vladimir Putins Russia is authoritarian, and committed to order and security at the expense of individual rights. The Russian government controls media outlets, especially television. It manipulates elections to make them noncompetitive. Rule of law is no protection for the assets and even the lives of those who run afoul of Putin. Consequently, Russias government derives no legitimacy from its ostensibly democratic procedures. Once, a booming oil industry granted legitimacy derived from prosperity, but no more. Increasingly, nationalism  truly the last resort of scoundrels  is the source of Putins claim to legitimacy.

This dynamic instills a profound sense of insecurity in Moscow, with the very existence of liberal democracies serving as a daily argument against the legitimacy of the Russian government. This is likely why Putin directed Russias intelligence services to meddle in U.S. and European elections. If all election processes are illegitimate, then Russias government is not disadvantaged, and authoritarian order may even outshine democratic chaos. The defeat of an American presidential candidate abhorred by Putin was probably an unexpected tactical victory in a broader strategic campaign to undermine the West. Until Russia values democracy, individual rights, and rule of law, Washington and Moscows policies will be animated by fundamentally different values.

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Second, Russian and American interests are incompatible in many but not all cases. Russia is revanchist. For Putin, who saw the dissolution of the Soviet Union as the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century  an era that included both Communism and Nazism, as well as two world wars  reestablishing a semblance of the Soviet Unions security domain is a priority. Thus, Russia has effectively seized territory from Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine, and furiously fought the right of all three nations, and others, to determine their own security policies. Most of all, Moscow seeks to crack European and transatlantic unity. The NATO alliance and European economic integration are emphatically in Americas interest. Hence, Russia opposes them.

Similarly, in Syria, Russian and American goals are far different. The United States seeks the defeat of the Islamic State and the establishment of a stable, democratic Syrian government that would permit the end of the brutal civil war and the return of refugees. Moscow seeks to preserve the Syrian government, employing Russian forces to eliminate all opposition. It also seeks to maintain its access to naval and air bases, and to minimize the risk from Muslim extremists returning to its territory. If the Islamic State kills off moderate alternatives to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, so much the better. The refugee flows into Europe, which stress democratic institutions there, advance Moscows interests.

On some matters, Russian and American interests coincide. Both countries seek to end radical Islamic terrorism. Both countries need to secure nuclear weapons and materials, and to work with third parties to do so. Both countries have an interest in a stable and transparent nuclear weapons balance, although Russias violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty must be reversed.

Third, we should cooperate where we can, even as we compete where we must. President Richard Nixon deployed a madman theory against the Soviet Union, but also pursued detente (admittedly, a steady policy between those extremes would have been optimal). President Ronald Reagan rightly saw the Soviet Union as an evil empire, but also pursued the INF and Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty negotiations.

Fourth, we should be clear-eyed about both U.S. and Russian vital national security interests. U.S. alliances advance American security interests and values. They have promoted unprecedented peace and prosperity in Europe, Northeast Asia, and elsewhere for over half a century. They have diminished American burdens and increased American influence. They must be defended as vital interests.

Moscow too has vital security interests  albeit some which are distasteful. Yet if they were vital to Russia but peripheral to us, it would be better not to pursue them at all costs. This does not mean simply acceding to Moscows use of force. For five decades, the United States refused to recognize the Soviet Unions seizure of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, mostly by placing an asterisk on official maps. The United States, however, chose not to risk World War III and the destruction of the countries in question by attempting to pry them away from the Soviet Union before its demise. Some sneered at this policy as an empty gesture, but today those nations are free and independent. Sometimes patience is a powerful weapon in the diplomatic arsenal. The greatest risk of war between the United States and Russia  the two most heavily armed countries in the world  stems from misjudging where each others vital interests lie. Prudent analysis and careful diplomacy are called for.

Finally, it is important to remember that no mortal government lasts forever, and Putins Russia is not the only viable model for Russia. The country is capable of democracy. Russia and the United States are not natural enemies. Until Russia changes of its own accord, however, we must deal with it as it is. That means recognizing the differences between U.S. and Russian values, fiercely defending those American interests that are vital, cooperating where we can, and refusing to be baited into conflicts that are not central to U.S. security. A bipartisan consensus behind these principles would make U.S. policy toward Russia more effective, regardless of which party controls the White House.

Photo credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images
After the initial celebration of receiving college acceptance letters, it's time to dig into the hard -- and sometimes confusing -- work of comparing financial aid packages.

As students pore over their financial aid award letters, there are some key figures to use to make a fair comparison. And while sometimes these numbers are itemized clearly on the letter, other times students may need to do the math.

[See how to map out your financial aid award letter.]

"A student might have a phenomenal award letter that's very clear from an institution , and then they might have an award letter that's highly confusing," says Laura Keane, chief policy officer at uAspire, a Boston-based nonprofit that gives students information about affording college.

Consider these five important numbers .

1. Cost of attendance: The cost of attendance, or cost of education, for one year is a key starting point when comparing financial aid packages. Most schools will include it on the financial aid award letter, but some will not, and then it's up to families to pull that figure from the college's website or another resource.

"Sometimes people focus on total dollars in the aid package and don't take into account the differences in the cost from school to school," says Karen McCarthy, director of policy analysis for the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

Make sure you understand what that number includes. Some schools only include direct costs -- bills you pay directly to the school, such as tuition, fees , and room and board -- while others may add in indirect costs, such as books and transportation. Keane recommends focusing on direct costs as a starting point to compare.

"You need to look at the language to make sure you're making an apples-to-apples comparison," Keane says.

2. Free money: How much free money a student can receive is also a crucial figure. While some schools will break this out under a heading, sometimes calling it "gift aid," others won't.

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The key words to look for on your financial aid letter are the terms "grant" or "scholarship," since these signify the amount is money that doesn't need to be paid back.

"You have to pay attention to the names," McCarthy says. "Is this a loan or is this a grant? It's really important to make that distinction between gift aid and non-gift aid."

Aid that falls into this category includes income-based federal grants, such as Pell Grants or the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, and institution-specific grants and scholarships. Some federal grants can vary from school to school depending on how the college chooses to administer the aid.

[Read about 10 ways to nab a scholarship to pay for college.]

Make sure to check out whether the grants and scholarships the school offer s will be renewed after the first year, which may require a call to the financial aid office. The school may have requirements, such as maintaining a certain grade point average.

"Some institutions may have freshman grants that are specific just for that first year to try to make the package look appealing," says Kari Gribble, financial aid director at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin. "That's where it's really important for students to find out: Are these renewable, and if so what's the criteria to make sure that happens?"

3. Net cost: The net cost is the cost to attend minus any gift aid -- but this number will not necessarily be on the letter, so you may need to calculate it on your own.

Students will pay for the net cost through a combination of loans, work study and cash or savings.

"Within the net cost, there's what you need to pay now and what you need to pay back later," says Keane. "That includes different loans -- money you need to pay back with interest over time."

Use this tool from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to compare up to three financial aid letters.

4. Work-study: Work-study -- a federal program that allows students to work while in school -- could vary between institutions. Some institutions may receive more funds than another , and the way the school decides to award the funds may differ.

"The same student could end up with $1,000 in work study at one school and $3,000 at another one," McCarthy says.

[Know how to make a work-study job pay off.]

5. Gaps or unmet need: Unmet need is anything you will owe after you've received all your grants and loans. This is also something that may not be on the financial aid award letter.

"That could be covered by a payment plan at the institution, or if the student is a dependent student, a parent loan might help to fill that gap," McCarthy says. "But if there's a gap there, you'll want to pay attention to what are the options for filling that."

Take care to check whether the school is including federal direct Parent PLUS loans -- where the parent is the borrower -- on the financial aid letter.

"Some institutions offer a Parent PLUS loan to fill that gap," Gribble says. "They put that on the award letter so it looks like there's no remaining balance due. They're working under the assumption that a parent is willing to apply for that and will be approved for the loan."

Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center.

Deborah Ziff is a Chicago area-based freelance education reporter for U.S. News, covering college savings and 529 plans. You can follow her on Twitter.
The 2,000-mile border joining the U.S. and Mexico is lined with lush jungles, sandy deserts, soaring mountains, and roaring rivers. Wildlife and flora effortlessly cross this boundary every day.

But turn that invisible line into a towering wall of metal and concrete, and those fragile ecosystems will quickly erode, scientists warn.

At least 800 animal species would be adversely affected by President Donald Trump's proposed border wall, said Gerardo Ceballos, an ecology professor at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Of those, about 180 species are already in danger of extinction, including the jaguar, pronghorn antelope, bald eagle, and grey wolf, he said.

SEE ALSO: Hug a tree while you still can: U.S. forests are disappearing

The impassible barrier would not only disrupt migration patterns but also keep animals and plants from spreading seeds and pollen. Soil and water quality would similarly suffer as complex ecosystems break down. More immediately, heavy construction and truck traffic would threaten habitats for miles beyond the wall itself.

"This will have an enormous impact on environmental systems," Ceballos said by phone from Mexico City.

Image: Rainer Lesniewski/shutterstock

Trump has said a "big, beautiful wall" along the U.S.-Mexico border would help stem the flow of undocumented immigrants into the United States. If completed, the project would cost as much as $21.6 billion and take more than three years to construct, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in an internal report seen by Reuters.

Trump's proposal involves putting fences and walls along 1,250 miles of the border. The remaining 654 miles are already fortified  and provide tangible proof of what can go dangerously wrong when countries construct impenetrable barriers.

Walls blocking easier entry points in California have forced migrants to seek more dangerous routes in recent years. As a result, Arizona's unprotected desert border has witnessed a rapid rise in deaths since the 1990s.

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Ecosystems have also suffered from the obstructions.

Otay Mountain Wilderness Area.

Image: scott nicol

Existing walls have blocked off or divided the habitats of rare animals, including the jaguar, ocelot, and the jaguarundi, a type of wild cat. Mountain lions, desert big horn sheep, and low-flying pigmy owls have been stopped at the fortified border.

Walls and fences can also act like dams, collecting vast amounts of water and dumping it into neighboring communities. The twin cities of Nogales  in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico  have both endured dangerous flooding since a wall went up in 2008.

"It's just been a disaster. The wall is blocking water, and it's blocking wildlife, but it is not blocking people or drug-smuggling vehicles," said Dan Millis, who coordinates the Borderlands program for the Sierra Club's Grand Canyon chapter.

Millis said he was skeptical the Trump administration could complete the wall, given how costly and complicated the first 654 miles have been. He noted that flooding, erosion, and tool-wielding smugglers have all knocked down the walls at various locations, requiring expensive repairs.

Image: sierra club borderlands

Image: sierra club borderlands

"There are amazing species that live in this area, and beautiful landscapes," he added. "That's what's at stake when we talk about bulldozing [the border] and walling it off."

Ceballos and his colleagues, who announced their findings in late March, determined 800 species were at risk by by studying wildlife maps and consulting data collected by NatureServe, a non-profit in Virginia, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, a global authority on conservation.

The professor also spent the last six months traveling the border, from Tijuana, on the Pacific coast, to the Gulf Coast of Texas, he told Fox News. The 2,000-mile stretch includes eight "co-regions" of immense biological diversity, including pine forests, dense jungles, and mountain ranges.

A separate analysis by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, conducted during the Obama administration, found that Trump's proposed border would "potentially impact" 111 endangered species, as well as 108 species of migratory birds, four wildlife refuges and fish hatcheries, plus an unknown number of protected wetlands.

Beyond the immediate effects, the border wall could also hamper wildlife's ability to adapt to the effects of a warming planet by limiting their range and diminishing their resources.

"It will reduce their ability to adapt to the effects of climate change," Ceballos said by phone.

WATCH: Trump loved Mexico and left, then came back to the U.S. and forgot all about it
Photo credit: Express Newspapers / Corbis

From Redbook

For the past few months, rumors have been swirling about Prince Harry possibly getting engaged to his girlfriend, Suits star Meghan Markle. The redheaded prince, who was formerly known for his notorious playboy behavior, finally seems ready to settle down. And though the Queen has approved of Markle and Harry's courtship, will she give her blessing for a royal marriage? With the thought of another royal wedding on the horizon, here's what you need to know about marrying into the British royal family.

Photo credit: Getty

1. Royals have to get the Queen's permission to marry.

Meghan Markle may have all the requirements to make a great royal, but there is one little catch: The actress has been married before. According to King George III's Royal Marriages Act of 1772, senior members of the royal families cannot marry someone who is divorced - or Catholic, for that matter.

Marrying divorcees has been frowned upon by the British royal family for decades. In 1936, Edward VIII famously abdicated from the throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who was not only divorced, but also still married to her second husband during the couple's love affair. Edward's parents, King George V and Queen Mary, did not approve of the relationship and refused to meet Simpson. When George V died, the government and Prime Minister Baldwin denied Edward permission to marry Simpson, leaving him to choose between the crown and the love of his life.

Photo credit: Getty

In 2013, the traditional Royal Marriages Act was repealed in favor of the Successions to the Crown Act. The new act means that only the first six in line to the throne need the Queen's permission in order to marry. If she objects to an individual, the marriage will not happen. In 2005, the Queen granted her son, Prince Charles, permission to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the fact that Camilla had been divorced and was also Charles' mistress. Today, Markle shouldn't have to worry about much.

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Photo credit: Getty

2. Royals can marry commoners, with the Queen's permission.

The Royal Marriages Act of 1772 also prohibited the marriage of royal family members to commoners (anyone not of noble blood). But now, as long as the Queen approves of the individual marrying into the family, then the marriage is considered valid, whether the person is of noble blood or not. Unlike Lady Diana Spencer, Charles' first wife, Camilla Parker Bowles was not only divorced, but also a commoner, whose marriage had to be approved by the Queen. Another famous commoner to marry into the royal family is none other than Kate Middleton. Kate became Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge after her marriage to Prince William in 2011.

Photo credit: Getty

3. Marrying a royal doesn't exactly make you Queen or King...or even a Princess.

If a British queen marries, her husband is known as a king consort, but does not become king. In the case of Queen Elizabeth's husband, Prince Phillip, because he is Greek, he cannot hold the title as King. Philip is Prince Philip in the same way that Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert, who was German, was prince consort. When a British king marries, his wife is called queen consort, rather than princess. If William becomes king, the Duchess of Cambridge will hold the title of Queen Consort. If Markle does in fact marry Prince Harry in the near future, then, like Kate Middleton, Markle will be a Duchess. There has only been one exception to this rule and it was for William III and Mary II, who jointly ruled England from 1689 until Mary's death in 1694.

4. Once married to a royal, you cannot be active in politics.

The Royal Family, while they are political representations of their country, refrain from participating in most political events, like voting and running for any form of public office. Though the family is technically allowed to vote, they choose not to participate because it would be considered unconstitutional. By not voting and remaining somewhat politically neutral, this helps to keep up the appearance of the Royal Family's public role, which is based on being able to identify with and relate to all sections of society.

5. Once you have a royal title, you cannot be addressed by any other name.

Don't even think about calling the Duchess of Cambridge by her former nickname, "Kate," or calling the Queen "Lizzie." When addressing royals, you must call them by their full title or simply by "Ma'am" or "Sir." If referring to the Duchess, her title would be "Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge" and her husband's would be "His Royal Highness, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge." And while the Queen's title is much longer, a simple "your majesty" is allowed.

Photo credit: Getty

6. You'll never get to play Monopoly with your in-laws.

If you're a fan of the classic board game, you'd have to give that up if you become a member of the royal family. As crazy as it sounds, in 2008, Prince Andre Duke of York, Prince Charles' younger brother, banned playing Monopoly with the Royal Family at home because it reportedly became "too vicious." And vicious behavior doesn't seem to fall under royal etiquette.

7. Shellfish probably won't be on the holiday dinner menu.

In the past, the royal family was advised not eat shellfish to avoid possible food poisoning and any allergic reactions. But today, there's a lot more fluidity to this rule. While the Queen Elizabeth reportedly still abstains from eating shellfish, Prince Charles is known to enjoy some shellfish every once and while.

Photo credit: Getty

8. The Queen sets the tone for every family event.

When the Queen stands, you stand. When the queen sits, you sit. The same goes for dining. When the Queen eats, you eat and when the Queen decides she is done with her dinner, then the meal is finished. When dining at a royal dinner table, the Queen decides how long the meal a will last - so if you're hungry, you better hope she is, too.

Photo credit: Getty

9. Royal rank is a way of life.

After becoming a member of the royal family, your title and your place of rank within the family becomes your way of life. When making public appearances and during processionals (such as weddings, parades, etc.), the royal family must always be in royal ranking order. The same goes for the seating at a royal banquet. The ranking order is determined by whoever is next in line to the throne. Currently, the order leads with the current reigning monarch, Elizabeth II, who is followed by her husband, Prince Philip, then Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and lastly Prince Harry. Maybe Markle will join Harry's side in the royal ranks soon!

Photo credit: Getty

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Two more officers involved in dragging a United Airlines passenger off a plane have been placed on administrative leave, according to a statement provided to Yahoo News.

The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) continues reviewing the details surrounding the incident, the CDA said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon. As part of our review, two additional officers have been placed on administrative leave until further notice. The employees collective bargaining agreement prohibits the CDA from releasing their names at this time.

Initially, one officer was placed on leave Monday following the removal of 69-year-old Dr. David Dao from United Airlines Flight 3411, which was scheduled to fly from Chicago to Louisville, Ky., on Sunday. Dao was forcibly removed from the plane when he refused to give up his seat after being notified that United needed four volunteers to give up their seats to allow crew members to make the overbooked flight.

Dao was selected by the airline to give up his seat but refused, leading to the actions by the three officers. Videos of Dao being dragged through the aisle of the plane and then returning to the cabin with blood on his face went viral, causing a drop in Uniteds stock price, sparking calls for a boycott of the airline in China, and eventually forcing an apology from CEO Oscar Munoz and an offer of a full refund to all passengers on the fight.

Lawyers for Dao filed an emergency request Wednesday in an Illinois court seeking to preserve surveillance videos, cockpit voice recordings, passenger and crew lists, and other materials related to United Flight 3411, Reuters reported.

The CDA, meanwhile, explained the reasoning behind the original officers being put on leave in a statement released Tuesday evening.

Aviation Security Officers (ASOs) are part of the public safety teams at both OHare and Midway, and complement and assist the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Chicago Fire Department (CFD) and federal law enforcement. While they do have limited authority to make an arrest, Sundays incident was not within standard operating procedures nor will we tolerate that kind of action. That is why we quickly placed the aviation security officer on leave pending a thorough review of the situation.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Photo credit: U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Kenney.

From Popular Mechanics

The U.S. Air Force turned an F-16 fighter into an autonomous combat drone capable of flying combat missions on its own and then returning to fly alongside a manned aircraft. The program, known as "Have Raider II," could lead to older U.S. fighters acting as semi-disposable wingmen for more modern planes, conducting missions too dangerous for manned aircraft to carry out.

The program was recently validated after a two week exercise at Edwards Air Force Base involving the Air Force Research Lab, the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Lockheed Martin, and Calspan Corporation, according to a press release by Lockheed Martin.

During the exercises, the F-16 planned and executed an air strike according to "mission priorities and available assets." The F-16 also managed "dynamically react to a changing threat environment" while managing "capability failures, route deviations, and loss of communication".

The Have Raider program is part of the Air Force's Loyal Wingman project to create autonomous aircraft that are paired with manned aircraft and can take on delegated tasks. Have Raider I focused on having an F-16 autonomously leave its manned lead aircraft, conduct an air strike, then return to flying formation. Have Raider II went a step further, forcing the F-16's software make decisions based on operational parameters and then changing them as the situation was updated.

The program is broadly part of the Pentagon's Third Offset Strategy, which plans to use existing equipment in new ways to maintain a technological and numerical edge over countries such as China and Russia. The U.S. Air Force will shed more than a thousand F-16s as the F-35A enters service. While older, the F-16s have the advantage of being cheaper to fly and semi-disposable.

In the future, Loyal Wingman could see a single F-35 accompanied by one or more autonomous F-16s on a strike mission. As the aircraft near the target, autonomous F-16s could be dispatched to take out advanced air defense systems. Survivors could then join up with the F-35 and proceed to strike the main target. Future wingmen could be purpose-built stealthy drones, but for now the Air Force has plenty of F-16s that are free, the only cost being to convert them to operate autonomously.

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Amsterdam (AFP) - Madrid talks with representatives from seven countries buying Airbus's troubled A400M military plane were "constructive," the boss of Airbus, Tom Enders, told AFP Wednesday, as he seeks relief from penalties due to delivery delays.

"We're not communicating about meetings like that, but I can say it was a constructive meeting," Enders said on the sidelines of the aerospace giant's shareholders general assembly in Amsterdam.

He also voiced optimism over the Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo, even though production is due to be halved next year amid falling demand, saying "customers love it".

The original contract for the military A400M between Airbus and its clients "puts heavy penalties on us for delivering aircraft late", he said.

"This is basically an area where we want to negotiate, or discuss, with the nations how we can mitigate that."

But he insisted the "discussions are not about Airbus demanding, like back in 2009, billions of additional contributions from the nations."

The A400M was commissioned jointly in 2003 by the governments of Germany, Belgium, France, Britain, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey, but since a delayed launch in 2013 it has run into difficulty, with behind-schedule deliveries.

In February, Enders said the group would ask clients to refrain from imposing further penalties over the delivery delays as the firm's 2016 profits nosedived due to charges related to problems with the transport plane.

Enders refused to go into further detail on the discussions underway, but praised France's continued support for the programme.

The A400M's delivery has also been hit by a string of technical problems and different requests from the governments.

- Not giving up on A380 -

Turning to the doubledecker superjumbo, Enders insisted: "We haven't given up on the A380 because the trend which we saw clearly when we started the project is visible in every area, i.e. a larger aircraft, with larger capacity."

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Airbus was "working on making the aircraft more attractive" and studies on how to add 80 more seats "obviously would boost the economics of the aircraft", he said.

However, Enders stressed: "If we should run out of backlog at some point of time, look, we are building aircraft for people who want them, for airlines who want them and who pay good money for it. We're not in the business of designing or building aircraft that nobody wants."

In July, Airbus said it would cut the production rate of its A380 to one a month from 2018 to reflect reduced demand. In 2015, the manufacturer handed over 27 planes, but next year aims to deliver just 12.

The group has seen a slowdown in demand for long-distance carriers due in part to falling fuel prices which have impacted on the renewal of ageing fleets, but also as a result of weakening demand from Gulf carriers which peaked in recent years.

Airbus ended the year with a backlog of 6,874 planes with a list price of $1 billion.

Enders said however he believed Airbus still has a number of years to find new customers for the A380, and to make the planes more attractive.

"While airlines are sceptical about it because their problem is they're not sure they can fill it, customers love it," he said.
Its been quite the week for air travel  particularly for United and Delta. Both airlines made headlines for separate instances involving moving passengers from aircrafts  both voluntarily and involuntarily.

The most recent incident involved a passenger who was forcibly removed from a United flight in Chicago that was bound for Louisville, Kentucky. A video of the incident went viral as the man was dragged off the flight after one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily, according to the airline.

Read: David Dao, Doctor Dragged Off United Flight, Earned $234K From Professional Poker

Another recent airline fiasco occurred when Delta experienced a major system outage related to weather issues, which resulted in the termination of over 3,000 flights from last Wednesday through Sunday. Travelers were angered by the failure, however, one family was paid $11,000 to give up their seats on their flight from New York City to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Airline bumping occurs when airlines oversell their seats on a flight. Travelers are encouraged to give up their seats with vouchers, cash and even gift cards (for American Express, Target and Macys, the recipient of the $11,000 seat exchange wrote in a Forbes article). When passengers refuse to voluntarily leave a flight, they can get bumped. Travelers that are bumped must be paid.

Depending on the delay time a bumped passenger might experience while waiting for another flight, the airline must pay the traveler twice the amount of the one-way destination fare, ABC News reported. If travelers are delayed over two hours (four hours for international flights), they must be paid four times the amount of the one-way ticket price. Compensation for bumping can be paid via check or travel voucher.

Compensation is capped at $675 if the delay time is within two hours and $1,350 is the cap amount if the delay time surpasses two hours. Its required by the airline to also provide a written notice for compensation and travel alternatives.

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Business can, at times, be so simple. For example:

1. Fewer companies means less competition.

2. Less competition means less incentive for companies to be great to customers, who have less choice.

3. Less incentive to serve customers... can end with a guy being dragged off an airplane, bloodied, after he'd already been seated.

If only someone could've seen this coming.

Spoiler alert: They did.

"Ive come to think that the ritualized abuse that we, as consumers, have become accustomed to in so many areas of life is a sad indictment of our civilization. So, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, I didnt actually leave United Airlines: the airline left me," wrote Columbia University professor Tim Wu in the New Yorkerin 2014.

Yes: Almost three years ago, Wu penned a letter to United, an airline he professed to have once held a strong affection for. Why? Because the company's service standards had dropped since the company's 2010 mega merger that combined United Airlines and Continental Airlines.

It's part of a decades-long trend of airlines buying up other airlinesfull-on industry consolidationthat has significantly decreased the number of options available to travelers. An Associated Press analysis in 2015 found that competition among major airlines had decreased, particularly as many airports became hubs dominated by a single carrier.

It's a situation that's left us, the passengers, with little choice in airlines. And it's left airlines with little pressure to better serve consumers, or really, anyone but their shareholders.

Why I left United Airlines .. (back in 2015) worth a reread https://t.co/PwjbTT8y89  Tim Wu (@superwuster) April 11, 2017

It didn't have to be like this. Even in the 1800s, people understood that it's not good for business (or society) when massive companies can just buy up the competition. Consumers get screwed, and innovation gets stymied. By the early 1900s, the U.S. was putting laws in place to ensure that no companies could become so big that they had a negative effect on whatever market they were in.

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Cut to: the Obama administration, which said it was going to be aggressive in trying to block consolidation in a variety of industriesand looked ready to back up its talk by blocking a merger of American Airlines and U.S. Airways in 2013.

Then, the administration let it through.

A ProPublica report found that an aggressive lobbying campaign succeeded in overcoming the objections of those in the government.

Could there be blue skies ahead? Don't count on it. The airline industry doesn't show many signs of changing its ways (and United's leadership hasn't exactly been apologetic). And Donald Trump isn't providing any answers.

In fact, the easiest way to jumpstart competition (and conceivably force airlines to improve service) has come from slightly more conservative, free-market voices. Put simply, let foreign companies into the U.S.

Foreign airlines are currently heavily restricted in what routes they can offer to American customers. As if that wasn't enough of an advantage, stateside-based airlines constantly complain that foreign carriers are unfairly subsidized by their governments. And any time a foreign company tries to open new routes to or within the U.S., domestic airlines pitch a fit.

One proposal is to eliminate or drastically reduce the amount of regulation on U.S. service that foreign airlines can provide. That would mean companies like Emirates and Lufthansa could start operating in the U.S. alongside United and Delta. It's a quick way to add competition to a market that isn't exactly welcoming to startups thanks to the incredibly high costs of purchasing airplanes and getting set up in airports.

The move to allow foreign airlines would have to be voted on by Congress and approved by President Donald Trump. Could a Republican-led U.S. government be swayed to further deregulate the airline industry and herald a new era of competition?

Nope. If anything, Trump has already been swayed by U.S. airlines over foreign competition.

"Probably about one hour after I got elected, I was inundated with calls from your industry and many other industries, because its a very unfair situation," Trump said at a White House meeting with representatives from the airline and freight industries, according to Bloomberg.

With no significant increases in competition on the horizon and little interest from the U.S. government to change things, any faith you have in the airline industry is misplaced, or moreover, needs to beas United Airlines so poetically put itfully "re-accommodated." After all, our government has the power to effectively change the very nature of just how friendly our skies are. And guess who put our government into power?

Yep: We did. That includes you. And until we do something about it, it's only right for us to ask everyone to deplane from this article, and take your complaints about air travel with you.

WATCH: Here's United Airlines' adjusted 2017 pre-flight safety speech
Now that consumers have had their rude awakening about the grim reality of overbooked flights, it's a good time to revisit a recently published study of the US airlines most likely to bump confirmed passengers off their flight.

The biggest travel story of the week has undoubtedly been the incident of a passenger wrenched violently from his seat by aviation security officers on an overbooked United Airlines flight leaving Chicago O'Hare airport.

Videos capturing the incident show the man screaming in protest, hitting his head against the armrest across the aisle and being dragged out of the plane, while fellow passengers express their outrage.

But as we've learned in this incident, fliers tacitly agree to the risk of being involuntarily bumped as part of the "condition of carriage" agreement attached to their flight purchase.

Overbooking flights is a common practice in the airline industry to fill seats that go empty from missed connections and no-shows.

Recently, MileCards.com released a report highlighting the US carriers where travelers are most -- and least --likely to be bumped from their flight, be it voluntarily or involuntarily.

-- Airlines and their bump rates --

According to MilesCard's number crunching, Delta, Hawaiian and Virgin America are the US airlines that are least likely to involuntarily bump confirmed passengers off their flight, at a rate of 0.1 out of every 10,000 passengers.

That figures spikes to 1 out of every 10,000 passengers on Southwest, which emerged the airline most likely to impose an involuntary bump.

Meanwhile, despite the amount of bad press overbooking has received, flexible fliers also stand to make a lot of money from the practice.

When a swath of storms swept through the US East Coast last week, forcing the cancelation of more than 3,200 Delta Air Lines flights, one flier wrote about how she profited from the mayhem, pocketing $11,000 in gift cards when the airline needed volunteers to give up their seats on overbooked flights from New York to Florida.

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Indeed, Delta emerged as the airline most likely to pay volunteers in the MilesCard report, with 10 out of every 10,000 passengers getting compensation for volunteering. That's twice as high as American Airlines where the rate is 4.1 for every 10,000 passengers.

If you absolutely must get to your final destination and want to avoid the risk of being bumped and missing your flight at all, your best bets are JetBlue and Hawaiian, says MilesCard, which engage least in the practice of overbooking.

The overall risk of bumping is highest on regional flights and feeder airlines like ExpressJet and SkyWest, where the bump rate is 14.7 out of every 10,000 passengers.

The report also offers a few tips on how to avoid an involuntary bump that include checking in online early, particularly for Southwest, so you get you get a lower boarding number, and getting to the gate on time.

Because if you don't present yourself at the gate and you're bumped, not only do you lose out on your flight but you've relinquished your right to compensation.

Check your boarding pass for the boarding time and be at the gate at least 30 minutes before departure for domestic flights.
The "Sean Spicer Shouldn't Have Said That" 2017 tour continues, and wow, does it keep inspiring more terribleness in its wake.

The latest and most cringeworthy comes to us from Republican Jack Kingston, a former Georgia Representative and frequent CNN panelist. Kingston was on CNN on Tuesday to discuss Spicer's recent statements about the Holocaust, which, like, already: bad idea.

SEE ALSO: Trump's 'Access Hollywood' tape now an HR training tool at 21st Century Fox

Journalist April Ryan was also on the show, highlighting the fact that Spicer's comments were horrifically timed, as they came during Passover, a week-long Jewish holy period.

As Ryan was explaining,"It's not about politics, it's about people that were hurt. Sean realized that and he apologized," she was interrupted by Kingston, who repeatedly called her "Ana."

The problem with this is that April's name is not Ana. It's, well, April.

Don Lemon, who was moderating the discussion, quickly pointed out the gaffe, spurring (the real) Ana Navarro to clap back with a scorching hot retort: "Not all colored girls are the same, Jack."

Curling up in the fetal position? Exactly. And the roast wasn't done with that blast. Far from it.

The tension continued to build after Kingston incorrectly called Ryan a Democratshe's not. She's a journalist, with no political affiliations.

In response, Ryan blasted Kingston: "So I'm a Democrat because I'm black?"

Navarro, giving a truly iconic eye roll, dryly piled on: "He thinks you're me, that's the problem." Then later, channeling what everyone was thinking, advised Kingston: "Why don't you just quit while you're behind?"

Kingston's doddering excuses that he couldn't see who was talking and Lemon's halfhearted "they're both wearing yellow" explanation weren't enough to save him from viewers who are now dragging him back and forth across the floor on Twitter. (Also, fwiw, Ryan is pretty clearly wearing green, so there's that.)

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@igorvolsky Oh God just looking at it without sound has me like: pic.twitter.com/OA2RLKUEyp  John Elezovic (@eLOLzovic) April 12, 2017

@igorvolsky When Jack Kingston goes low, he goes for the jugular. Get him off the panel, he's indecent.  Colleen Hamilton (@Colleen_ham1) April 12, 2017

Hey, Kingston: Next time, pay attention.

WATCH: Here's United Airlines' adjusted 2017 pre-flight safety speech
MOSCOW (AP)  President Vladimir Putin's intervention in Syria has saved President Bashar Assad's government from imminent collapse and raised Russia's global clout. But after last week's chemical weapons attack their relationship is increasingly becoming a burden for Putin, jeopardizing chances for improved relations with the U.S.

Still, the Russian leader has made clear he will not abandon Assad.

It's hard to imagine how Russia and the U.S. could agree on Syria after President Donald Trump called Assad "an animal" over the deadly chemical attack, while Moscow has insisted on the Syrian leader's innocence.

Putin hasn't lost hope of making a "grand deal" with Trump, but the Russian leader's unflinching support for Damascus indicates that he doesn't see dumping Assad as part of it.

The tense talks U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson held in Moscow on Wednesday didn't seem to narrow the gap.

Even though the Kremlin said last week that its support for Assad isn't unconditional and emphasized that it can't control the Syrian leader's every move, such statements sound more like rhetoric aimed at deflecting Western criticism than a signal of Moscow's readiness to bargain over Assad's fate.

The Russian president can't accept the Syrian ruler's demise for a variety of reasons. It would deprive Moscow of its only ally in the Middle East that hosts Russian air force and naval assets. But even more crucially, it would cast Russia as a loser in the six-year Syrian conflict, dealing a blow to its aspirations to regain Soviet-era global clout and prestige.

Putin has now found himself in a trap: Abandoning Assad would amount to recognition that the Kremlin's policy was wrong, while maintaining support for the Syrian ruler could risk destroying any chance for a detente with the U.S. and raise the threat of a military confrontation.

Russia has argued that civilians in the northern Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun likely died of toxic agents released from a rebel arsenal hit by a Syrian airstrike  a theory categorically rejected by the U.S. and its allies.

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Putin cited intelligence he said showed the Syrian opposition was preparing new "provocations" with toxic agents to cast blame on the Syrian government. He likened the U.S. response in bombing a Syrian air base to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, arguing that now just as then Washington relied on false data about chemical weapons.

The Russian leader also accused the West of playing the Syrian card to try to consolidate the solidarity shaken by Trump's election victory by casting Russia as a common enemy.

Putin's statements signal that he doesn't see dropping Assad as a viable option. Just the opposite, Moscow's decision to suspend a vital communications link with the U.S. military in Syria has signaled its readiness to raise the stakes.

Neither Syria nor Russia used their air defense assets to try to fend off last week's U.S. attack on the Shayrat air base, which Washington said had served as a platform for the chemical attack. The U.S. issued advance notice to Russia to avoid hitting its personnel before unleashing a volley of 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from U.S. warships in the Mediterranean.

In a paradoxical response to the strike, Moscow froze the military hotline with the U.S. The Russian move amounted to a stark warning: Don't launch any more strikes or risk unpredictable consequences.

Konstantin Kosachev, the head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of the Russian parliament said Moscow would only agree to restore the link on condition that the "U.S. abandons any action against the Syrian army."

In another warning to Washington, the Russian military has pledged to help Syria beef up its air defenses.

In some ways, Russia's official military presence in Syria could make the situation potentially even more menacing now compared to what it was during the war in Vietnam, when the Soviet Union never officially acknowledged its military involvement.

If Russia or Syria were to use their military assets to fend off any future U.S. strike, it may put Moscow and Washington on the brink of a head-on confrontation, and the Kremlin's decision to cut the crucial communications link between the militaries could make matters worse.

The Pentagon has insisted that no such danger exists. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said U.S.-Russian tensions over Syria "will not spiral out of control," arguing that Moscow has no interest in allowing the current disagreements over Syria to lead to a broader confrontation. He said that the two countries are maintaining military and diplomatic communications.

___

Vladimir Isachenkov has covered Russia for the Associated Press since 1992.
Tired of U.S. health officials studying deadly and infectious diseases? Sick of the Department of Agriculture assuring your food isn't rancid? Fed up with National Weather Service forecasts and NASA satellites? Wish the Environmental Protection Agency would stop trying to clean our air and water?

Now's your chance to say so.

SEE ALSO: Interior Dept. agency changes website from family visiting park to a giant pile of coal

The White House is asking citizens to weigh in as the Trump administration works to slim down the executive branch. From now until June 12, anyone can submit suggestions for reforming or eliminating any department or agency of the federal government. (Sorry, you cannot propose any new federal agencies.)

Image: whitehouse.gov

"President Trump calls it 'draining the swamp.' What it really means is making the government more accountable to you, more effective, and more efficient," Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), said in a video announcement on April 11.

Mulvaney stood before piles of Federal Register documents that he said were lists of regulations from the last two years alone. "I don't like that, you don't like that, and President Trump doesn't like that, and he's asked me to try and fix it," he said.

Last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that requires the OMB director to devise a plan to reorganize the executive branch and "eliminate unnecessary agencies."

Given the White House's proposals to drastically shrink the EPA, reducing its budget by more than 30 percent, and cut funding for climate programs at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA, and the Energy Department, the new website is likely to rattle climate scientists even more.

Image: whitehouse.gov

Using the website, you can upload a document containing your proposal. This may seem like a nod to transparent policymaking, but it also opens the door for lobbyists and think tanks to send the White House their proposals for realigning the government in potentially fundamental ways, no matter how big a stake they have in the outcome.

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For example, lobbyists for Wall Street could propose getting rid of or streamlining the Securities and Exchange Commission, plus parts or all of the Treasury Department that they don't like. The form allows multiple federal agencies to be selected for downsizing or elimination.

Along similar lines, lobbyists for the fossil fuel industry could propose gutting climate science research even further, or call for dismantling agencies that exist to oversee oil and gas drilling and formulate climate change policies. Such ideas could find a receptive ear in this White House.

White House Budget Director Mick Mulvaney.

Image: AP/REX/Shutterstock

Under Trump's executive order, the heads of each federal agency are also required to submit their own proposals to Mulvaney for how they could "improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability" of their respective agencies.

Sometime this week, Mulvaney's OMB is expected to send a "guidance" letter ordering government agencies to make themselves significantly smaller through deep budget cuts and widespread layoffs, Politico reported. The 14-page memo reportedly outlines cuts based on Trump's budget proposal, which seeks to shrink domestic programs while boosting military spending by 10 percent.

WATCH: Watch how global warming heats up the world from 1880-2016
There's little chance that Cable, a major character in the Deadpool and X-Men corner of the Marvel comic-book-movie world over at Fox, would ever cross paths with Thanos, the big bad guy from the Marvel Cinematic Universe at Disney.

But if they did, it just might tear the space-time continuum. Permanently.

SEE ALSO: It appears Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman can't stop trolling each other

That's because Josh Brolin, who's already played the gorilla-sized purple villain from Titan in multiple Disney Marvel films, has apparently won the role of Cable, Mashable has confirmed. Cable is a Deadpool companion of sorts  definitely don't call him a sidekick  with an origin story so loopy and time-bending that we'll just let someone else explain it.

Cable guy.

Image: marvel.com

Grizzled, world-weary and heavily armed (pun intended here), Cable is a perfect foil for the Merc with the Mouth as a serious, lantern-jawed, no-nonsense older fella with attitude. Though he's probably spent more of his comic-books life apart from Deadpool, their four-year run together in Cable & Deadpool made their pairing too popular to pass up in the movies.

Brolin beat out rumored contenders Michael Shannon and David Harbor (the sheriff in Stranger Things), and has signed a four-film contract to play the beefcake mutant with a taste for heavy artillery, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news Wednesday. Fox had no comment, but a source close to the production confirmed the news.

The Deadpool sequel is due in theaters sometime next year.

WATCH: How to make a homemade 'Deadpool' costume
Paella is universally acknowledged to be pretty damn tasty. But, lately, food enthusiasts have been fighting a battle to make the paella emoji more authentic. A battle they've just won.

SEE ALSO: Emoji are currently either male or female  but that could be about to change

Apple has updated the appearance of the paella emoji on iOS to reflect the traditional version of the much-beloved dish from Valencia, Spain.



In 2016, Emojipedia designed a sample image for the paella emoji featuring chicken, shrimp and peas. This emoji was added to iOS 10.2 in December 2016. But, there was a problem.



"To the dismay of the authors of the original paella emoji proposal; the mixed ingredients used by Apple in iOS 10.2 did not match those used in traditional recipes from Valencia," says Jeremy Burge, editor of Emojipedia.

Social media users shared the hashtag #ComboiPaellaEmoji while discussing the "ingredient issue".

 We made a change. Our paella emoji now has traditional ingredients @arrozlafallera https://t.co/APjN55EIxE pic.twitter.com/6uZ9eDvvxu  Emojipedia  (@Emojipedia) January 27, 2016

Burge says the first design looked good to him, but he was contacted by Guillermo Navarro  one of the authors of the original design proposal. "He wanted to let me know that the ingredients we used werent part of the traditional recipe from Valencia. "

"A year later, it looks like someone at Apple must have also agreed that this was a change worth making too. Im sure many in Valencia will be happy with this upgrade to their meal," says Burge.

ATENCION! #Apple modifica el #PaellaEmoji ahora incluye los ingredientes tradicionales de #PaellaValenciana Pollo y garrofo que no falten! pic.twitter.com/CAsDq0k3LQ  La Fallera (@arrozlafallera) April 10, 2017

The Valencian recipe typically includes chicken, rabbit, a variety of beans, snails and rice. The new and improved emoji features chicken, lima beans and green beans and, importantly, doesn't contain shrimp.

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Navarro couldn't be happier with the update. "All the Valencian society and Spain entire is very proud to have its national dish in The alphabet of XXI century (with the right ingredients)," says Navarro.

Anyone for paella?

WATCH: The earbuds of the future will let you control your phone with just the look on your face
Associated Press

Concerns over the Buffalo Bills troubling loss to the New York Jets were quickly overshadowed by even bigger worries regarding the status of Josh Allens throwing elbow on Monday. Suddenly, the entirety of the organization and its fanbase is holding its collective breath while awaiting the results of medical tests to determine the severity of Allens injury sustained in the final minutes of a 20-17 loss to the Jets  and what impact it will have on the second half of the season and the franchises Super Bowl aspirations. The reality, however, is bracing for the potential of having to turn over a very Allen-centric offense to journeyman backup Case Keenum to keep the AFC-leading Bills (6-2) afloat in the interim.
Amsterdam (AFP) - The aerospace industry is on the brink of a "third revolution" and Airbus boss Tom Enders is determined his giant company will play a leading role in its future.

"I do genuinely believe that we are at a point where those technological changes and breakthroughs in electric propulsion, autonomous flight, artificial intelligence, machine learning, new materials, all come together, plus the data usage, (and) will be nothing less than a third revolution in aerospace," Enders told AFP in an interview.

"Of course, we will only know that probably 20 years from now, when we look back and say 'Gee, did we get this, did we understand this, did we prepare for it or did we miss it, and why did we miss it?'," he said on the sidelines of an Airbus annual general assembly in Amsterdam.

"Obviously I don't want to look back in 20 years and say 'Jesus, I was at the controls of this company and we missed it, how could that happen'?"

This has led to some frenetic activity within the group, which has seen the Airbus chief executive officer targeted by criticism.

In November, Airbus announced it was cutting more than 1,100 jobs in Europe and closing one of its sites in Suresnes, near Paris, as part of an ongoing restructuring programme.

Unions accused Airbus of cutting jobs at a time when its order book is worth nearly 1.0 trillion euros ($1.05 trillion), equivalent to eight to 10 years of production.

Airbus however is running into headwinds, prompting the search for cost-cutting opportunities.

Its helicopter division has suffered from a weak market, the company has had to set aside nearly two billion euros to cover the cost of its military A400M model, and its A380 flagship has been slow to take off.

- Investment in future -

But Enders insisted the company was not cutting back on investment.

"Overall we are investing much more in innovation and digitalisation than we've done in previous years," he said. "It's inevitable to prepare for the future."

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He highlighted a number of projects such as a Pop Up venture for a flying car, and the launch of a partnership with Uber for helicopters.

The future is "more about partnership and ... aeronautic companies who are engaging in urban mobility like we do, and automotive companies, have a lot of potential for cooperation."

He added: "I think in the near future, we will able to go overground, i.e. airspace in cities, because technologically it is possible."

The pace of change is accelerating, he argued.

"There's a lot of projects, a lot of noise and a lot of activity, but that is inevitable. Because at this juncture, hardly any large industrial company knows exactly what its future will look like."

Enders also told AFP that Madrid talks last month with representatives from seven countries buying Airbus's troubled A400M military plane had been "constructive".

"This is basically an area where we want to negotiate, or discuss, with the nations how we can mitigate that."

The A400M was commissioned jointly in 2003 by the governments of Germany, Belgium, France, Britain, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey, but since a delayed launch in 2013 it has run into difficulty, with behind-schedule deliveries.

- Not giving up on A380 -

Enders also voiced optimism over the Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo, even though production is due to be halved next year amid falling demand.

"We haven't given up on the A380 because the trend which we saw clearly when we started the project is visible in every area, i.e. a larger aircraft, with larger capacity," he said.

Airbus was "working on making the aircraft more attractive" and studies on how to add 80 more seats "obviously would boost the economics of the aircraft".

In July, Airbus said it would cut the A380 production rate to one a month from 2018.

The group has seen a slowdown in demand for long-distance carriers due in part to falling fuel prices which have impacted on the renewal of ageing fleets, but also as a result of weakening demand from Gulf carriers.

Enders said however he believed Airbus still has time to find new customers for the A380.

"While airlines are sceptical about it because their problem is they're not sure they can fill it, customers love it," he said.
By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh executed an Islamist militant leader and two of his aides on Wednesday for a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, a senior prison official said, days after the president turned down their clemency pleas. The Supreme Court last month upheld death sentences for the three militants. Their attack on a Muslim shrine killed three people and wounded the then-British high commissioner. Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the banned Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, Sharif Shahedul and Delwar Hossain were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the attack, which took place on May 21, 2004, after Friday prayers in the northeastern district of Sylhet. The Bangladesh-born British envoy, Anwar Choudhury, was wounded in the leg. About 50 others were also injured. "They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT) in two prisons," Mizanur Rahman, senior superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail, told Reuters. Hannan, 60, and Shahedul were executed in the Kashimpur jail, on the outskirts of the capital. Hossain was hanged in Sylhet central jail. The execution took place amid a spate of militant attacks in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 160 million people. Responsibility for at least three attacks targeting police late last month was claimed by the Islamic state. Hannan's wife Zakia Parvin said he was innocent. "He has no connection with militancy," she told reporters earlier on Wednesday after meeting her husband for the last time. Last month, suspected militants attempted to free him by hurling bombs on a police van carrying him. Hannan, who was arrested late in 2005, was believed to have fought in Afghan war against Soviet Union before joining the militant group. Harkat-ul Jihad Islami was blamed for several other attacks, including a bomb blast later in 2004 at a rally by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was then the leader of the opposition. Hasina narrowly survived but 23 people were killed and more than 150 were wounded. Hannan was also sentenced to death for a bomb attack on a Bengali New Year's celebration in 2001 that killed 10 people and wounded scores. Security has been strengthen across the country before the traditional Bengali New Year celebrations on April 15. Police and army commandos have killed more than 60 suspected militants and arrested hundreds since a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year. Twenty-two people were killed, most of them foreigners. Al Qaeda and Islamic State have also claimed responsibility for killings of foreigners, liberals and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh over the past few years. The government has denied the presence of such groups, blaming domestic militants instead. (Reporting by Ruma Paul, editing by Larry King)
Bangladesh hanged three Islamist extremists including the leader of a banned militant outfit on Wednesday, after they were sentenced to death over a 2004 grenade attack on the British ambassador.

The authorities hanged Mufti Abdul Hannan, the leader of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI), and one of his associates at Kashimpur prison just outside Dhaka and another associate in a jail in the northeastern city of Sylhet, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

"They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT)," he told AFP.

The three were sentenced to death in 2008 for the grenade attack four years earlier at a 14th-century Sufi shrine in Sylhet, which killed three people and injured the British high commissioner at the time.

Bangladesh's highest court last month upheld the death sentence, rejecting the final appeals by Hannan and the two associates, Delwar Hossain and Sharif Shahedul Islam.

They had sought clemency from the Bangladesh President in a last-ditch attempt to commute the execution orders to life sentences, but he rejected their pleas.

A madrassa teacher who studied in India and Pakistan, Hannan, 60, fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, a group founded for jihadists who fought in that war.

Prosecutors said Hannan had headed HuJI since the late 1990s, masterminding deadly attacks on a church, secular gatherings, and mosques used by Islam's minority sects.

In August 2004, in one of the country's deadliest extremist attacks, he masterminded the blasts at a political rally of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outside her party office in central Dhaka.

Hasina, then leader of the opposition, narrowly survived what she said was an assassination attempt. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

By the time Hannan was arrested in late 2005, more than 100 people had been killed in attacks he orchestrated across the Muslim-majority nation.

HuJI was the first Islamist militant outfit to emerge in Bangladesh, and rose to prominence as Hannan escalated its deadly operations under his leadership.

Security has been tight at the Kashimpur prison and Sylhet prisons with hundreds of policemen and an elite security force patrolling outside the facilities.

Last month suspected Islamist extremists hurled bombs at a prison van in a daring attempt to free Hannan near the Kashimpur jail. Police arrested a 24-year-old former Madrassa student from the scene.
Kashimpur (Bangladesh) (AFP) - Bangladesh hanged three Islamist extremists including the leader of a banned militant outfit on Wednesday, after they were sentenced to death over a 2004 grenade attack on the British ambassador.

The explosion at a 14th century Sufi shrine in the northeastern city of Sylhet killed three people and injured the British high commissioner at the time.

Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI) and two associates were sentenced to death in 2008 over the carnage, with Bangladesh's highest court upholding the sentences last month.

"They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT)," Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told AFP.

Hannan and the two associates, Delwar Hossain and Sharif Shahedul Islam, sought clemency from the Bangladesh President in a last-ditch attempt to commute the execution orders to life sentences, but he rejected their pleas.

A madrassa teacher who studied in India and Pakistan, Hannan, 60, fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, a group founded for jihadists who fought in that war.

-- Deadly attacks --

Prosecutors said Hannan had headed HuJI since the late 1990s, masterminding deadly attacks on a church, secular gatherings, and mosques used by Islam's minority sects.

In August 2004, in one of the country's deadliest extremist attacks, he masterminded the blasts at a political rally of current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outside her party office in central Dhaka.

Hasina, then leader of the opposition, narrowly survived what she said was an assassination attempt. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

By the time Hannan was arrested in late 2005, more than 100 people had been killed in attacks he orchestrated across the Muslim-majority nation.

HuJI was the first Islamist militant outfit to emerge in Bangladesh, and rose to prominence as Hannan escalated its deadly operations under his leadership.

Security was tight at the Kashimpur high security prison, where Hannan and Shahedul Islam were hanged, and at Sylhet jail where Hossain was executed, with hundreds of policemen and an elite security force patrolling outside the facilities.

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Last month suspected Islamist extremists hurled bombs at a prison van in a daring attempt to free Hannan near the Kashimpur jail. Police arrested a 24-year-old former Madrassa student at the scene.

-- Islamic State group --

Tension is running high in the moderate Muslim country in recent weeks following a resurgence of extremist attacks, with at least three being claimed by the Islamic State group.

The fatalities included the head of intelligence of an elite security force tasked with tackling Islamist militancy across the Muslim-majority country.

Al-Qaeda and the IS have claimed responsibility in dozens of attacks in recent years, but Hasina's secular government blames local outfits, mainly another banned group, Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh.

Police and army commandos have arrested scores of suspected extremists and killed more than 60 people since an attack on a Dhaka cafe last year that left 22 people, most foreign hostages, dead.

New York-based Human Rights Watch had asked the government to halt the executions of the three extremists, saying evidence against them was based on confessions possibly extracted through torture.

With the latest executions, at least ten Islamists have been hanged by Hasina's secular government since 2013.
By Alexandra Ulmer and Corina Pons

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelans in poor areas blocked streets and lit fires during scattered protests across the country on Tuesday night, and two people were killed during the growing unrest in the midst of a crippling economic crisis.

In a worrying sign for leftist President Nicolas Maduro, groups in Caracas' traditionally pro-government hillside slums and low-income neighborhoods took to the streets, witnesses and opposition lawmakers reported.

Maduro foes were galvanized by footage of a crowd in the south-eastern Bolivar state heckling and throwing objects at the closely-protected leader during a rally on Tuesday, before state television cut off the broadcast.

In the western Lara state, two people, aged 14 and 36, were killed during unrest on Tuesday, according to opposition governor Henri Falcon, who said that after an energy blackout armed "infiltrators" and "delinquents" on motorcycles roamed the city.

"They go by neighborhoods and shoot people who are protesting," said Falcon, a former member of the ruling party, urging a negotiation to end Venezuela's political crisis.

The opposition says Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader who took office four years ago, has morphed into a dictator after a Supreme Court decision in late March to assume the functions of the opposition-led congress.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

The court quickly overturned the most controversial part of its decision, but the move breathed new life into the fractured opposition movement.

Two young men had already been killed in protests during the last week, according to authorities. Many are bracing for further violence in a country that is racked by crime and has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Witnesses said residents of a number of working-class Caracas neighborhoods blocked streets with trash or burning debris on Tuesday night, describing confused street melees and clashes with security forces. The capital appeared calm on Wednesday morning, although some roads were charred and littered with broken glass.

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Government officials did not provide an official account of the events, and the Information Ministry did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Maduro has said that under a veneer of pacifism, a U.S.-backed right-wing opposition is encouraging violent protests in a bid to topple his government and get its hands on Venezuela's oil wealth. His administration accuses the opposition of exaggerating the protests.

"You walk through Caracas today and all the streets are normal, but look at social media, and Caracas is ablaze, Caracas is blocked!" said Socialist Party official Aristobulo Isturiz in an interview with state television on Wednesday.

"MADURO DICTATOR"

Maduro's adversaries are demanding the government call delayed state elections, which polls suggest would not go well for the ruling Socialists. They also want an early presidential vote after authorities quashed a recall referendum against Maduro last year.

A ban on opposition leader Henrique Capriles from holding office for 15 years drew broad criticism as he was seen as the opposition's best presidential hope.

But it is Venezuela's extended economic crisis that has ordinary people fuming.

Venezuelans have been suffering food and medicine shortages for months, leading many to skip meals or go without crucial treatment. Lines of hundreds form in front of supermarkets as people jostle for hours under the hot sun hoping price-controlled rice or flour will be delivered.

The crisis has especially hurt the poor, long the base of support of Maduro and his predecessor the late Hugo Chavez.

Protesters say they have also been encouraged by stronger condemnation from American and European nations in the last two weeks.

"We cannot accept that the regime is willing to sacrifice Venezuelan lives to remain in power," said Luis Almagro, the head of the Organization of American States, in a video posted on Wednesday, urging elections.

Another round of protests are planned for Thursday in Venezuela's more than 300 municipalities. Opposition leaders are calling for the "mother of all marches" on April 19.

ARRESTS, LOOTING

Amid what the opposition coalition says is a crackdown on dissent, some 71 people were arrested on Tuesday, according to rights group Penal Forum.

In total, 364 people were arrested between April 4-12 during the most sustained protests since 2014, with 183 people still behind bars, the group added.

A group of young men and teenagers were arrested for throwing "sharp objects" against Maduro's vehicle on Tuesday night, according to a report by a local National Guard division seen by Reuters.

Local media reported lootings overnight in the working class bedroom community of Guarenas outside Caracas, as well as in parts of the capital.

State officials have tweeted images and videos of demonstrators vandalizing public property and throwing rocks at police.

Despite the spiking tensions, many in the opposition worry extended protests will not spur early or fair elections, but rather increase clashes in the already turbulent country.

Major anti-government protests in 2014 eventually floundered, though the opposition at the time did not have as clear-cut demands, poor neighborhoods largely abstained, and the economy was in better shape.

(Additional reporting by Eyanir Chinea, Brian Ellsworth, Diego Ore, Miguel Angel Sulbaran, Liamar Ramos, Felix Carrillo, Maria Ramirez and Mircely Guanipa; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Andrew Hay)
As Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders takes on a more public profile with numerous appearances and a scathing critique of President Donald Trumps administration, he retained his position as the United States' most popular senator, according to a new poll released Tuesday.

Sanders lost out the Democratic nomination for president to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last year, but has been vocal about many policies that featured on his presidential agenda, including the rights of the middle class and free college, among others.

Read: Bernie Sanders Slams Trump's Airstrike On Syria

His socialist outlook was appealing to a large section of society, especially the youth, earning him an approval rating of 75 percent in his home state of Vermont. The Morning Consult poll released Tuesday assessed the job performance of senators by asking over 85,000 registered voters across the country to evaluate their senators for the period between January and March 2017.

Bernie Sanders

Photo: Reuters

However, Sanders saw a dip in his approval over the past few months as a similar poll in September 2016 put the percentage of people approving of him at 87 percent. Along with the 12 percent fall, the liberals disapproval was up to 21 percent in the latest poll, nine percent higher than in September.

The Senates majority leader and Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell remained the least popular senator, according to the poll, with only 44 percent of Kentucky voters approving of him, compared to the 47 percent who disapproved. There has been some improvement in his approval ratings since September last year when only 39 percent approved of him, while 51 percent did not.

Among the senators with the highest rates of approval, Sanders was followed by fellow Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, a Democrat, Republican Sens. John Barrasso and Michael Enzi, and independent Sen. Angus King.

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In the list of most unpopular senators, McConnell was followed by fellow Republican Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Lisa Murkowski and Democrat Claire McCaskill.

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KABUL (Reuters) - Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least five people. A statement by the Afghan Interior Ministry reported several more people were wounded, while a Defence Ministry spokesman said at least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were among the casualties, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters. Islamic State claimed responsibility in an online post. A police officer at the scene told Reuters the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants. Last month, Islamic State fighters killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul. Islamic State's offshoot in Afghanistan, known as the Sunni jihadist group's so-called Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks on minority Shi'ite Muslim targets. U.S. officials say intelligence suggests Islamic State is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province. Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. U.S. officials have said they believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500. The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence. (Reporting by Mirwais Harooni in Kabul and Ahmed Tolba in Cairo; Editing by Alison Williams)
From Road & Track

Many years ago, when I was heavily involved in the BMW Car Club of America, one of my closer friends asked me exactly what it was we did at club events. "Do you just sit around and talk about your BMWs?" he asked, with an expression on his face that belies his readiness, even eagerness, to express his contempt for said leisure-time activity.

(BMW has issued the following comment to R&T regarding the Genesee Valley CCA's Banning of cars with driver aids on track:

The Genesee Valley BMW CCA Chapter created and published an unauthorized policy banning BMW's with Driver Aids from participating in HPDEs. The national BMW CCA office does not share their opinion and is discussing the issue with the chapter.

BMW NA is working closely with the national BMW CCA office to educate and develop a nationwide procedure for including BMWs with Driver Aids in HPDEs. Most advanced driver aids like lane departure warning and blind spot detection do not affect the ability of the driver to control the car on-track at high speed. In addition the systems can be shut off so that they are also not a distraction to a student.

Update 4/12: The Genesee Valley CCA has retracted the ban:

"Not at all," I replied, quite archly. "We never discuss the cars we actually have. Instead, half of us sit around and talk about how we can't wait to buy our next new BMW. The other half sits around and complains about how complicated the new Bimmers are, and how difficult they are to repair, and how only a fool would spend his hard-earned money on them." My periodic interactions with the club over the past thirty years have only served to reinforce my confidence in the above characterization.

The faction of BMWCCA members who don't like or trust the new cars has always wielded considerable power and influence, to the point that one issue of the club magazine about ten years or so back actually contained a recommendation on the part of a columnist that everybody who really wanted a good car should buy a brand-new four-cylinder Honda Accord coupe instead of a BMW. This is the kind of raw honesty that you will never get from any of the Porsche-centric mags.

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Trackdays are the glue that holds a very diverse membership together.

Though there has been considerable agitation on the part of the CCA faithful on topics as diverse as flame surfacing, the SMG gearbox, and the eta engine, none of this has ever managed to intrude on the club's core activity of racing-slash-drivers-education trackdays. The customer who takes delivery of a new standard-ride-height BMW automobile and then joins BMWCCA has always been able to count on being able to participate the next time his or her chapter holds a trackday. In many ways it is the glue that holds a very diverse membership together and allows the greasy-knuckled fellow with a head full of Kugelfischer troubleshooting procedures to peacefully co-exist with the venture-capital hotshot and his new M4 GTS.

Until now, that is. In a recent announcement, the well-respected Genesee Valley chapter of the BMWCCA announced that it will no longer permit certain new BMWs to participate in their driver's education programs. The chapter has stated the following:

As you know, the automotive world is rapidly deploying a variety of safety-related driver aids, and we are heading toward a brave new world of semi- and fully autonomous vehicles. This will undoubtedly be of great benefit to traffic safety, especially given the rise in accident rates attributed to smartphone use. However, some of these new driver aids may adversely impact the use of such vehicles on a racetrack. In particular, cars with "automatic emergency braking" and/or "lane keeping assistance" systems may behave in unpredictable and undesirable ways on a racetrack.Because there is so much uncertainty about how these systems behave in a variety of conditions, GVC have decided to ban all vehicles equipped with Automatic Emergency Braking and/or Lane Keeping Assistance systems (or their equivalent) for use in our HPDE events, even if these systems may be disabled by the driver GVC will deny participation, and forfeit the entry fees, of anyone arriving at our events intending to use a car equipped with these systems in the driving school.

As the little duck says at the critical moment of every Wonder Pets episode on Nickelodeon, "This is SEE-WIOUS!" On one hand, it's easy to see the rationale behind the club's decision. I've been flat-out shocked by some of the decisions made by modern "lane-keeping" systems during my testing. Some of the systems are very good, and some are less than good, but all of them are entirely capable of giving the wheel a solid yank when you least expect it. The same is true for the automatic-braking systems.

Very little imagination is required to conceive a situation where the sudden and unexpected intervention of these systems during a trackday could cause some very expensive and regrettable problems. For example: It's common for inexperienced drivers to move a bit too far out of the way when they are being passed, and it is also common for inexperienced drivers to "skim around" cars they are passing on track. If the lane-keep system responds to a white line at the track edge during a passing situationor even something like a blend lineyou could have one car swerving into another one.

Automatic braking could also cause trouble, because those systems are optimized for normal freeway speeds and situations. Most modern BMWs can reach 150mph on the back straight at Mid-Ohio. To the automatic braking system, that's autobahn speed. When the car ahead of you slows for the Esses, that's going to look a lot like an accident situation. Cue automatic emergency braking and an accordion of $75,000 cars.

The natural response to this situation is "Just turn the assists off." That seems reasonable when you're sitting at your office reading this webpage but it's quite a different thing for a student and his instructor to reliably ensure that everything is turned off before every session. The only way to do it would be a preflight-style checklistand that would not guarantee that something wouldn't happen to trip the systems back on during the session, the same way that my Porsche Boxster silently re-engages stability control any time the ABS is activated.

The day is coming where every BMW is likely to have these systems fitted as standard equipment.

For these reasons and many more, I understand why the Genesee Region doesn't want these electronic goblins intervening during a high-speed track event. Unfortunately, their decision to ban cars with those features places them in direct and mutinous opposition to BMW's explicit future plans. The day is coming very soon where every new BMW is likely to have these systems fitted as standard equipment. It won't take anything more than a few aggressive ambulance-chasing attorneys to make that happen; "Do you mean to tell the court that your company had technology that could have prevented this accident, but you didn't supply that technology because it cost extra money to do so?" Cue the multi-million-dollar judgments and the addition of crash-avoidance tech to the already-mandatory ABS and ESP.

I don't know what the fallout will be from this decision, but I can tell you with certainty that every other trackday organization in the country, from the Porsche Club of America to the for-profit go-fast hucksters, will be following the situation closely. It's a decision that all of them will eventually be forced to make one way or the other. The good news, if there is any, is that all of those bitter codgers in the BMWCCA will finally have an unassailable point in their favor when they say that the old cars are better. What use is an "ultimate driving machine" if you have to leave it in the paddock?

Born in Brooklyn but banished to Ohio, Jack Baruth has won races on four different kinds of bicycles and in seven different kinds of cars. Everything he writes should probably come with a trigger warning. His column, Avoidable Contact, runs twice a wee

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Photo credit: Norsk Titanium

From Popular Mechanics

Boeing has just signed a contract with Norwegian company Norsk Titanium for its first structural 3D-printed titanium parts for use in its 787 Dreamliners, Reuters reports.

While 3D printing titanium may sound exotic, the move is actually a cost saving measure that Norsk Titanium estimates could save Boeing as much as $3 million per plane if Boeing takes to printing as many parts out of titanium as it can. But to begin with, Norsk will only print four different parts, after long negotiations and cooperation with both Boeing and the FAA. By 2018, the pair hope to expand the variety of parts printed for use in Boeings roughly 144 Dreamliners produced each year.

3D printing is by no means new to aviation. Last year GE opened an entire factory dedicated to the exploring the possibilities of printed metal which include projects like a 3D-printed turboprop for the new Cessna Denali and mini 3D-printed jet engines that actually spit fire. And the applications aren't limited to planes. NASA is working on a 3D-printed rocket engine, which is making great if slow progress.

It's useful shorthand to call these processes 3D-printing since that is how they functional practically-the tech allows for metal to be laid down in layers and built up additively, for a finished product that is a single part. But the actual tech is a little bit more like welding layers of metal dust very carefully. Or in Norsk's case, it's more like layers of titanium ribbon:

The end result are components that are robust because they involve fewer seperated parts than traditionally-machined components, potentially cheaper because they're built in one go, and potentially more complex since they can be constructed essentially from the inside out.

With only a handful of parts to start, the partnership between Boeing and Norsk is only at its very beginning but you can bet that this duo and other parings like it, will become increasingly common in aviation from here on out.

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Source: Reuters

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Boko Haram, a militant Islamist group based in northeastern Nigeria and surrounding regions, has horrified the international community with its use of children in terrorist attacks. A new report from UNICEF reveals that the number of child suicide bombers has grown alarmingly over the past three years  and continues to rise.

Since 2014, a total of 117 children in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger have been manipulated, drugged, or otherwise coerced into attempting or carrying out suicide attacks, according to the report. 2017 has seen no reprieve; as of March, Boko Haram has used 27 children in attacks. The group disproportionately uses girls; more than 80 percent of these children are female. Boko Harams increasing reliance on suicide bombings stems from military setbacks as coalition forces have handed it numerous defeats.

Before they came we heard on the radio that they use children as suicide bombers, said Awali, a 13 year old abducted from Kukawa in northeastern Nigeria, according to the report, which didnt provide other details. My fear is that they would make us be suicide bombers.

So many children have either carried out attacks or have been discovered wearing suicide belts that guards at checkpoints now view children with suspicion. Young people who have escaped the militant group face growing stigma and may have difficulty rejoining their own communities. The Nigerian military has detained hundreds of children suspected of ties to Boko Haram. These children are held in military barracks, separated from their parents, without medical follow-up, without psychological support, without education, under conditions and for durations that are unknown, UNICEF regional coordinator Patrick Rose said in a statement provided to news agencies.

Amina, a 16 year old from Chad, was drugged and then forced alongside three others to put on a pack of explosives, then board a canoe headed toward a bustling market. When two of the others detonated their packs, Amina lost her legs in the explosion. She survived, but her family had to be persuaded to accept her back.

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The abduction of children is an important feature of Boko Harams strategy. The systematic practice provides the militant group with manual labor, fighters, and wives for its members. The 2014 abduction of 276 girls from the town of Chibok in northeastern Nigeria brought global attention to the phenomenon as the Twitter hashtag #BringBackOurGirls trended worldwide. To date, dozens of the girls have escaped or been released, but many still remain in captivity.

Boko Haram was founded in 2002, and in 2009 began military campaigns in an attempt to create an Islamic state. The United States designated it a terrorist organization in 2013. In 2014, the groups leader Abubakar Shekau declared the establishment of an Islamic caliphate in the territories it controlled, and Shekau later pledged allegiance to the Islamic State. But Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger formed a coalition to fight the militants, and by March 2015, Boko Haram had lost many of the settlements it had once controlled.

In December 2015, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said the group had been technically defeated. But with an estimated 9,000 men still fighting, and 27 children forced into suicide belts in 2017 alone, its clear that Boko Haram is far from gone.

EMMANUEL AREWA/AFP/Getty Images
Sarajevo (AFP) - Bosnian Serb police are pressing charges against retired Croatian general Ante Gotovina accusing him of war crimes against civilians during Bosnia's 1990s conflict, police and media said Wednesday.

Gotovina was acquitted on appeal by a UN court in 2012 for war crimes against Serbs in neighbouring Croatia during that country's 1991-1995 war, as the break-up of the former Yugoslavia unleashed a string of bloody conflicts across the region.

The Hague-based tribunal had initially sentenced Gotovina to 24 years in jail for war crimes against Serbs during the August 1995 Operation Storm, which Gotovina commanded and which practically ended the war in Croatia.

In Bosnia, a police spokeswoman in the southern town of Trebinje said Wednesday that they had filed charges with national prosecutors against a person identified only by the initials A.G., on suspicion of "committing war crimes against civilians and humanity".

Local media identified the suspect as Gotovina.

The crimes were committed in 1992 in the western Bosnian region of Livno, police spokeswoman Jovana Cvijetic told AFP without elaborating.

Serbs fled Livno during the war, and some now live in Trebinje which is in a Serb-controlled part of Bosnia.

An association of former war camp detainees in Trebinje said it knew about the charges and that some of its members were ready to testify against Gotovina.

"We have members who were directly tortured by Gotovina," association chief Vukan Kovac said, quoted by Beta news agency.

"We will do our utmost that this time, justice be served."

Prosecutors can either launch a probe or dismiss the charges.

The Balkan conflicts of the 1990s claimed 130,000 lives, 100,000 of them in Bosnia.
An 8-year-old Ohio boy drove the family van to McDonalds, with his 4-year-old sister riding shotgun, because the kids had an overwhelming desire for some cheeseburgers, police said.

The child maintained the speed limit and executed a perfect left turn into the drive-thru lane, where he came to a stop at the window and placed his order.

Read: Police Officers Respond to Traffic Complaint, End Up Playing Street Hockey With Kids

It was remarkable, East Palestine Police Officer Jacob Koehler told InsideEdition.com Wednesday. He got him and his sister to McDonalds without hitting anything or running any red lights."

The boy took money from his piggy bank to finance the fast-food adventure, and lifted the vehicles keys after his father went to bed early and his mother nodded off on the couch.

Police received two calls from pedestrians about a little boy driving a big van, Koehler said. The officer arrived at the McDonalds around 8 p.m. Sunday, just as the boy was pulling up to the drive-thru window.

"He said he and his sister looked up how to drive on YouTube, Koehler said. "They waited until mom fell asleep and grabbed her keys."

They drove a mile to Mickey Ds, stopping at four intersections along the way. Theyd already had dinner, but the boy told police, "Me and my sister really wanted a cheeseburger," Koehler recounted.

The boy was able to reach the pedals by standing up while driving.

Koehler was stunned that such a little boy was able to handle such a large vehicle.

"This was a one-ton work van," the officer said. "This thing was huge."

A customer at the restaurant recognized the children and called their grandparents. Police called their parents, and all of the relatives hurried to the restaurant.

"Im not sure there are any words to accurately describe their reactions," Koehler said.

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Read: 9-Year-Old Calls 911 as Her Dad Allegedly Drives Drunk With Her in Car: 'Help Me, Please!'

Employees thought it was a prank when the kids pulled up. "They thought the parents were in the back and it was a joke," the officer said.

The little boy certainly didnt think it was funny when the cops showed up. He burst into tears when he grasped how badly he had messed up, Koehler said.

He started crying when he realized hed done something wrong, Koehler said.

But he didnt get into any trouble with the law, as no charges were filed. Instead, cops were impressed.

"I was expecting to get call after call about mailboxes being knocked over, stupid stuff like that, Koehler said. But he didnt hit a single thing.

Watch: Meteorologist Erupts in Giggles When Kids Interrupt Her Weather Forecast

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Caracas (AFP) - A teenage boy was shot dead in renewed protests against Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, one of four people killed in a week of unrest, officials said Wednesday.

State prosecutors said a 13-year-old boy was one of two new victims in recent clashes.

Opposition lawmaker Alfonso Marquina identified the teenage victim as Brayan Principal and said he was killed during unrest in the western city of Barquisimeto on Tuesday night.

The boy "was shot in the abdomen last night," Marquina said.

He blamed the death on armed supporters of the government.

A 36-year-old man was also killed in Barquisimeto in a separate incident, the state prosecution service said.

Two 19-year-old students were killed during earlier unrest, one on April 6 and one on April 11, according to authorities.

- Food crisis -

Maduro is fighting efforts to oust him as Venezuela, once a booming oil exporter, struggles with shortages of food and medicine and a wave of violent crime.

Dozens of people have been injured and more than 100 arrested since last Thursday, according to authorities.

Scuffles broke out between government supporters and opponents during a Holy Week procession at the Santa Teresa church in central Caracas on Wednesday.

The last major clashes in Caracas erupted on Monday during protests formally called by the opposition.

The opposition has not organized any major protests since then, but sporadic rallies and blockades have been reported across the country, including those in Barquisimeto.

Riot police in Caracas and other cities have fired tear gas and water cannon at stone-throwing demonstrators, whose leaders have vowed to keep up pressure on Maduro.

No major protests were announced for Wednesday, but opposition leaders called for huge rallies on April 19.

That will be the next big showdown in an increasingly tense crisis that has raised international concerns for stability in Venezuela.

- International concern -

The opposition is demanding the authorities set a date for postponed regional elections.

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It is also furious over moves to limit the powers of the legislature and ban senior opposition leader Henrique Capriles from politics.

Those moves have also raised international condemnation including from the United States and the European Union.

The strongest criticism has come from the secretary general of the Organization of American States, Luis Almagro.

He has echoed the opposition's claim that Maduro has installed a dictatorship.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan television interrupted the live broadcast of a military parade when Maduro, who was taking part, was hit by objects thrown from a crowd.

Reports on social media said the projectiles included eggs and stones.

He has resisted opposition efforts to hold a referendum on removing him, vowing to continue the "socialist revolution" launched by his late predecessor Hugo Chavez.

Maduro says the economic crisis is the result of what he calls a US-backed capitalist conspiracy.
SAO PAULO (AP)  Brazil Supreme Court Judge Edson Fachin has dramatically expanded the scope of a nationwide corruption probe by ordering investigations of 108 people  including eight members of President Michel Temer's Cabinet.

 Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha, suspected of charging companies bribes to finance campaigns of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party in exchange for airport concessions.

 Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, suspected of accepting $159,000 in illegal campaign contributions from the Odebrecht construction company.

 Secretary General of the Presidency Wellington Moreira Franco, suspected of charging companies bribes to finance campaigns of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party in exchange for airport concessions.

 Science and Technology Minister Gilberto Kassab, suspected of receiving $6.6 million between 2008 and 2014 while mayor of Sao Paulo and later as minister of cities for road construction contracts.

 Minister of Cities Bruno Araujo, suspected of receiving $190,500 in illegal campaign financing to benefit Odebrecht projects.

 Industry and Trade Minister Marcos Antonio Pereira, suspected of receiving $2.2 million in exchange for his party's support of former President Dilma Rousseff's campaign.

 Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, suspected of receiving $3.8 million from Odebrecht for his campaign for governor of Mato Grosso state.

 National Integration Minister Helder Barbalho, suspected of receiving $500,000 in illegal financing for his campaign for governor of Para state.

Because only the Supreme Court can handle cases involving sitting politicians, Fachin asked lower courts to decide on whether to continue 201 other investigations of figures who do not have this right. Among them are four former Brazilian presidents: Dilma Rousseff, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Jose Sarney. The allegations against them have not been released.

The Supreme Court will however investigate former President Fernando Collor de Mello, who is now a senator. He is suspected of receiving from Odebrecht $254,000 to help finance his 2010 senatorial race.

Temer was also mentioned in some of the judge's decisions, but as president, he has temporary immunity for any crimes committed before he took office.
By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Supreme Court justice dealt President Michel Temer and Brazil's political elite a heavy blow on Tuesday by ordering investigations into eight cabinet ministers and dozens of lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest corruption scandal. The list of names under investigation released by Justice Edson Fachin read like a Who's Who of Brazilian politics, tarnishing past statesmen and potential presidential candidates alike. The list, whose contents had been subject to furious speculation and a number of leaks, became public when Fachin lifted the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of construction company Odebrecht [ODBES.UL], which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes. In Sao Paulo, residents banged pots and pans in protest against political corruption, while in the capital Brasilia deputies left a session in the lower house earlier in the day as news of the list began to break. The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the president's cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temer's efforts to pass austerity reforms that he says are needed to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record. Temer's office declined to comment. "More than having eight ministers on the list, the biggest problem for the government is seeing its whole political nucleus there," said Danilo Gennari, partner with Brasilia-based consultancy Distrito Relacoes Governamentais, referring to the implication of key government allies. Among that core is Temer's chief of staff Eliseu Padilha, an experienced politician considered key in negotiations with Congress to pass the administration's crucial pension reform. Padilha said he will defend himself in court. RISK OF INSTITUTIONAL PARALYSIS Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture also are under investigation, as well as the heads of both houses of Brazil's Congress and former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. "The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question," opposition senator Jorge Viana, who is under investigation himself, said in a statement. It also throws into doubt the credibility of a number of potential presidential candidates for elections in 2018, with some of the most commonly mentioned names under investigation. PSDB party leader Aecio Neves and former Foreign Minister Jose Serra are cited on Fachin's list, with a possible investigation of Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin referred to a lower court. Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted. Aides close to Temer have told Reuters that it could take months for ministers to be charged, meaning Padilha and other key cabinet members likely will stay in their posts long enough to secure the pension reform's passage. Tuesday's decision to make public the names targeted in the investigation goes back to March, when Brazil's top public prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees' testimony. Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin America's biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras. Rodrigo Maia, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said his innocence will be proved during the investigation. Other politicians also insisted they were innocent and discredited the testimonies. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Alonso Soto and Stephen Eisenhammer; Editing by Daniel Flynn, G Crosse and Bill Trott)
Brasilia (AFP) - The authorization by Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday of probes against nine ministers and dozens of lawmakers marks a new tremor in a corruption scandal shaking Latin America's biggest country.

Here are key moments in the unprecedented corruption probe known as operation Lava Jato, or "Car Wash:"

- 2014: Stumbling on a mega-scandal -

March 17: Probably Brazil's biggest ever corruption scandal starts by accident.

Police detain black market money dealer Alberto Youssef in what starts as a routine money laundering probe involving a gas station.

But the probe leads investigators to massive state oil company Petrobras. Paulo Roberto Costa, a Petrobras director, is arrested and testifies that the company has been funneling dirty money into the ruling Workers' Party and its allies.

- 2015: Massive scope becomes clear -

March 6: The Supreme Court authorizes probes against 12 senators and 22 lower house deputies suspected of participating in a scheme to embezzle from Petrobras.

June 19: The CEO of Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, Marcelo Odebrecht, is arrested and later sentenced to 19 years in prison for corruption. His company is found to have systematically bribed politicians to win inflated contracts from Petrobras.

Other arrests in 2015 include leading Workers' Party figures Jose Dirceu and Delcidio Amaral, and Andre Esteves, the head of Latin America's biggest investment bank BTG.

- 2016: Political unrest erupts -

March 4: Once hugely popular ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is taken in for questioning.

Prosecutors accuse Lula, who founded the Workers' Party and was in power during much of the period under investigation, of taking bribes in the form of real estate.

May 12: With popular anger against corruption growing, Congress votes to suspend Lula's successor, President Dilma Rousseff, for illegally manipulating government accounts. She is thrown out of office on August 31.

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Michel Temer, Rousseff's deputy, takes over as president, but is immediately caught up in the Car Wash scandal. Several ministers are forced to resign after being implicated.

- 2017: Odebrecht time bomb -

January 26: Plea deals by 77 Odebrecht executives provide Car Wash investigators with a flood of new testimony.

Fallout from Odebrecht goes international as it emerges that the company also paid bribes for contracts in a string of other countries. The company agreed with the US Justice Department in December 2016 to pay a record $3.5 billion fine to settle.

March 14: Prosecutor General Rodrigo Janot asks the Supreme Court for authority to open 83 new probes, based on Odebrecht plea deals, against sitting politicians.

March 30: Former lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha, until recently one of the most powerful men in Brazil, is sentenced to more than 15 years prison for corruption.

April 11: The Supreme Court authorizes the latest wave of probes. Nine Temer ministers are targeted, along with 29 senators and 42 members of the lower house of Congress, according to a count by the respected Estadao newspaper.
Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil's Supreme Court has ordered corruption probes against around 100 politicians, including at least eight government ministers and a third of the Senate.

Here's what we know so far:

- What are they accused of? -

The probes expand an existing investigation named "Car Wash" and focusing on embezzlement and bribery at the highest levels of Brazilian politics.

For years, contractors like the Odebrecht construction conglomerate paid bribes to top politicians and parties to get business deals. At the center of the scheme, the politicians and Odebrecht conspired in a pay-to-play scheme at state oil company Petrobras.

Once investigators unravelled the scheme, 77 Odebrecht executives entered plea bargains in hopes of getting lighter sentences.

Their tell-all testimony formed the basis for the deluge of new probes announced by the Supreme Court late Tuesday.

- Who's getting probed? -

It's almost easier to ask who's not getting probed.

The list of around 100 politicians includes around a third of the Senate and nearly 40 members of the lower house of Congress. There are at least eight ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet.

These include: chief of staff Eliseu Padhila and another key adviser with ministerial ranking, Wellington Moreira Franco, both of them close to Temer.

There's also Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes, Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, and the ministers for science, national integration, cities, and foreign trade.

From Congress, notable names include Senate speaker Eunicio Oliveira and lower house speaker Rodrigo Maia.

The list targets rival political parties fairly equally, with 20 figures from the leftist Workers' Party, which was in power during the period investigated by Car Wash.

Next comes Temer's center-right PMDB with 18 members probed and the centrist PSDB with 13. PMDB leader Romero Juca, a senator, is on the list, as is the president of the PSDB, Senator Aecio Neves.

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- Ex-presidents in firing line -

There are no fewer than four ex-presidents named.

They are leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) and his handpicked successor Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016), then Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995-2002) and Fernando Collor (1990-1992).

Lula is already facing five separate trials linked to Car Wash allegations and on May 3 he will go before the chief investigating judge, Sergio Moro.

Despite his mounting legal problems, and speculation over whether he will end up being convicted and jailed, polls show that Lula remains Brazil's most popular politician. He is the frontrunner in polls for the 2018 presidential elections.

The current president escapes for now. But Temer has previously been named in testimony alleging illegal transfers of campaign funds from Odebrecht to his center-right PMDB party.

- Prison time? Not necessarily -

The crackdown is dramatic, reflecting the incredible reach of Brazil's bribery problem. But it does not necessarily mean that dozens of big name politicians will end up behind bars.

Some prominent figures have already been imprisoned by Car Wash judges, including the former speaker of the lower house, Eduardo Cunha.

But most of those facing the new corruption allegations are sitting politicians. That means their cases are handled by the Supreme Court, not the lower courts.

The high court is so slow and overburdened that it can take years to bring cases to trial, let alone convictions. Supreme Court status is basically seen by many as a form of immunity.

Those without the privilege, including Lula and Rousseff, are not so lucky. Moro has proved he is able to move quickly from charges to sentencing.
A report by a committee of British members of parliament asserts that foreign states such as Russia and China may have interfered in the countrys Brexit vote last summer, which resulted in Britains decision to leave the European Union.

The Commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC) report hones in on the collapse of the British governments voter registration website, which crashed on June 7, 100 minutes before the deadline to register to vote in the countrys referendum on E.U. membership, the Guardian reports.

Although the sites downing did not materially impact the outcome of the referendum, it forced ministers to extend the deadline for voter registration and led to concerns that tens of thousands of people may have been left out of the process.

The PACACs findings indicate that the crash - which had earlier been attributed to a late surge in voter registrations - was caused by a distributed denial of service attack (DDOS). Although lawmakers did not directly accuse any nation of hacking the government site, the report referenced Russian and Chinese approaches to cyber-attacks.

More: 42 Questions About Brexit That Need Answering

The U.S. and U.K. understanding of cyber is predominantly technical and computer network-based, the report said. For example, Russia and China use a cognitive approach based on understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals.

[Guardian]

This article was originally published on TIME.com
By Gabriela Baczynska BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's executive stepped up pressure on Poland and Hungary on Wednesday to take in asylum seekers under the bloc's migration plan or risk legal action if their reluctant governments refuse. Warsaw and Budapest have stonewalled the scheme to move 160,000 people from Italy and Greece - the main ports of arrival - to elsewhere in the EU. Other member states have also dragged their feet, leaving the divisive plan stalled. The eurosceptic governments in Poland and Hungary have also put their media and judiciary under tighter state control, raising concerns in Brussels and other EU capitals that they are infringing on the bloc's democratic checks and balances. The influx of some 1.6 million refugees and migrants into the EU in 2014-2016 has led to rows on how to share the burden among member states. Only about 16,340 people have been moved so far under the emergency scheme that ends in September. "If Member States do not increase their relocations soon, the Commission will not hesitate to make use of its powers ... for those which have not complied," the bloc's executive arm said in a statement. The Commission had proposed to fine member states for failing to take in migrants, but there has been little political backing for such a step. A court case would not resolve the issue quickly, but could add to mounting pressure for action from other EU states. Italy has been in the forefront of calling for cuts to EU subsidies to Poland and Hungary over migration. Germany, Sweden, Austria and France - the most frequent final destinations - have also been stepping up pressure on the hold-outs. Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have taken in only a few asylum seekers and the European Commission also underlined their weak response to the plan. The Commission statement recalled the relocation plan was decided by EU leaders in September 2015 despite Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania voting against it. Although generally opposed to it, Poland eventually voted with majority. RARE GOOD NEWS In rare good news, Brussels noted that Austria has now decided to join the relocation programme. Vienna was previously exempted since it had taken in some 90,000 asylum seekers in 2015 as it sits on one of the key migratory routes into Europe. Austria's interior minister said he would make preparations for the country to receive people, with the first group expected to be around 50 unaccompanied children from Italy. Some 14,000 people are currently eligible for relocation from Greece, the Commission said. It recommended that Italy speed up the necessary legal and security proceedings as it currently only has some 3,500 people waiting to be moved. EU officials are split over whether to open legal proceedings over relocation, with some noting Poland and Hungary should be punished for undermining the bloc's solidarity. Others say that such so-called "infringements" would have to be launched against just about every EU state since so many cut corners on various agreements. Hungary has filed its own lawsuit against the relocation scheme, which assigns each EU state a specific number of asylum seekers to receive. A hearing at the EU's top European Court of Justice is due on May 10. Poland's and Hungary's disputes over migration with the bloc are just one area on which the two post-communist countries, now governed by eurosceptics, clash with Brussels and the wealthier western European states. The bloc has voiced concern over the weakening of the rule of law and undermining of democratic standards by both Budapest under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Warsaw under the right-wing government of the Law and Justice (PiS) party. The Commission on Wednesday separately warned Hungary it risked being sued in court over a number of Orban's policies. (Additional reporting by Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP)  California's attorney general says North Carolina's repeal of a strongly criticized "bathroom bill" doesn't protect LGBT people from discrimination. Consequently, he says the country's most-populous state will continue its ban on taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina.

Attorney General Xavier Becerra (ha-vee-AIR buh-CEH-rah) announced the decision in a statement Wednesday.

A California law went into effect in January barring state-funded travel or other spending in states with laws that discriminate against LGBT people. The law leaves it up to Becerra to keep a list of which states are banned.

Gay-rights groups argue North Carolina's repeal of House Bill 2 is inadequate because it bars local governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances covering sexual orientation and gender identity until December 2020.

California also bans taxpayer-funded travel to Kansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Canada's transport minister on Tuesday announced stepped-up security measures on some international flights to the country, acknowledging a "risk" that led to the United States banning certain personal electronics in the cabin of flights from several countries.

However, Minister Marc Garneau declined to elaborate on the new measures and said travelers to Canada would still be allowed to carry on personal electronics such as laptops.

Garneau said he ordered "some measures to increase security for flights coming from certain countries where the destination was Canada."

"Those measures have now been put in place to ensure greater security for our air passengers," he said.

But, the minister added, "I'm not in a position to tell you from where for obvious security reasons, and I'm not in a position to tell you specifically the measures either."

"For security reasons we don't talk about these things."

Canada last month weighed prohibiting laptops and other personal electronics as carry-on items on flights from Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa after both the United States and Britain announced bans.

US authorities said the measures were aimed at thwarting extremists in eight countries who planned to target planes with bombs in electronic devices.

Garneau alluded to the US ban, saying that the intelligence used to support it had been analyzed and a security "risk" had been found to exist.
New York (AFP) - J. Geils, the blues rock guitarist whose band topped the charts with the party-ready 1981 anthem "Centerfold," died on Tuesday, police said. He was 71.

The rocker, whose full name was John Warren Geils Jr., was found unresponsive when emergency personnel were called to his home in Groton, Massachusetts, police said in a statement.

Police said they were investigating the cause of death but had ruled out foul play.

Leading The J. Geils Band, the guitarist adapted blues influences to create a hard-rocking, fun-loving rock sound that appealed to a largely working-class male audience.

"Centerfold," a tale of a man who is stunned that a girl he fancied in school has posed in an adult magazine, spent six weeks at number one on the US chart, led by a video that enjoyed heavy airplay in the first days of MTV.

The J. Geils Band was sometimes compared to another Massachusetts band, Aerosmith, but did not have the same staying power.

The J. Geils Band had another hit with "Freeze Frame," the title track off the album that featured "Centerfold," but the band dissolved several years later.

Underlying the split were tensions pitting Geils against keyboardist Seth Justman and guitarist Peter Wolf, who together wrote much of the music.

The band members fought to keep the use of the name The J. Geils Band despite performing without Geils. He retreated to Groton, best known for an elite private high school, and pursued a passion for restoring racecars.

Although Geils occasionally still performed, he focused on jazz and more classic blues, saying he had grown tired of the harder-charging rock.

The J. Geils Band has been nominated to but not entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Sunday votes in a landmark referendum on a new constitution that would grant President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expanded powers.

While critics say the move is part of a grab by Erdogan for one-man rule, supporters say it will simply put Turkey in line with France and the United States and is needed for efficient government.

The current constitution was adopted in 1982 after the 1980 military coup.

Erdogan has denounced as "lies" claims by opponents that parliament would be neutralised and the judiciary would come under his political authority.

What would change under the proposed 18-article constitution for the nation of 79 million people?

- More powers for Erdogan -

Under the new constitution, the president would have strengthened executive powers to directly appoint top public officials including ministers.

The president would also be able to assign one or several vice presidents. The office and position of prime minister, currently held by Binali Yildirim, would be scrapped.

The changes would implement a shake-up in the judiciary, which Erdogan has accused of being influenced by supporters of his ally-turned-foe, the Pennsylvania-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen is blamed for the July failed coup but denies the government's accusations.

The president and parliament would together be able to choose four members of the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), a key judicial council that appoints and removes personnel in the judiciary.

Parliament would choose seven members on its own in what would be renamed the Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK).

Military courts, which have convicted officers and even sentenced former prime minister Adnan Menderes to death following the 1960 coup, would in the future not be allowed.

- Longer state of emergency -

Under the proposed constitution, a state of emergency would be imposed in the event of an "uprising against the homeland" or "acts of violence which put the nation in... danger of being divided".

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The president would decide whether or not to impose a state of emergency and then present it to the parliament.

Initially the emergency would last six months -- as opposed to three now -- then it can be extended by parliament after a presidential request for four months each time.

Turkey has twice extended the current state of emergency imposed after the failed July 15 coup.

- Erdogan can rejoin AKP -

The number of members of the Turkish parliament would rise from 550 to 600. The minimum age limit for MPs would also be lowered from 25 to 18.

Legislative elections would take place once every five years -- instead of four -- and on the same day as the presidential elections.

The parliament would still have power to enact, modify and remove legislation. If the president were accused or suspected of a crime, then parliament could request an investigation.

The president will also have to be a Turkish citizen at least 40 years old, and can be a member of a political party.

Currently the president must be impartial and without party favour, although opponents have accused Erdogan of blatantly flouting this.

The change would again allow Erdogan to become leader of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) that he co-founded.

- Erdogan in power to 2029? -

The proposed constitution states that the next presidential and parliamentary elections are to be held simultaneously on November 3, 2019.

The president would have a five-year term with a maximum of two mandates.

Erdogan was elected president in August 2014 after over a decade as prime minister, in the first ever direct elections for a Turkish head of state.

But with the clock wound back under the new system, the changes would mean that Erdogan could stay in power for another two terms until 2029.
Donald Trump Xi Jinping

Chinese President Xi Jinping appears to be on board with the US when it comes to North Korea's nuclear program.

The Chinese leader said his country "insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula ... and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side over the issue on the peninsula," after a call with President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Beyond words however, China seems to be making another move that underscores its interest in bringing Pyongyang to heel.

On April 7, Beijing's customs authorities issued an official order directing trading companies to return North Korean coal cargos, according to Reuters. That order came after the late-February ban on coal imports from Pyongyang, which was issued in response to North Korea's missile tests.

Days later, a dozen North Korea ships sailed home from Chinese ports, leaving 2 million metric tons of coal stranded in Chinese ports.

The rejection of North Korean coal marks a shift in China's dealings with its isolated neighbor. Beijing has long used the coal trade to shore up the regime in Pyongyang, which relies on coal for about 40% of its total exports.

While China has been willing to criticize Pyongyang, its past soft-peddling on sanctions and other measures against North Korea have reflected Beijing's desire to balance the need for stability on the Korean Peninsula with moves to temper North Korea's military ambitions.

North Korea China coal imports

In March 2016, weeks after the UN applied a new set of sanctions, Chinese shippers and traders told Reuters that they hadn't gotten any word from Beijing about curbing North Korean coal imports, and observers suggested at the time that China was pushing for or had secured an exemption for its coal purchases.

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"Coal is a big lever for them," Adam Cathcart, a North Korea-China specialist at the University of Leeds, told Reuters in mid-March 2016. "They're wise from the Chinese standpoint to keep some leeway (so) they're not branded as sanctions violators if a train goes from China to North Korea (carrying resources)."

"China fears that harsher sanctions may destabilize its northern neighbor, which could potentially send millions of refugees over the border," Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian wrote this week for Foreign Policy. "But recent missile tests  and growing international pressure  have only narrowed Beijings options."

Now, with Pyongyang's aggressive testing of missiles and Trump's hardline stance on relations with China and North Korea, Beijing appears more willing to push Kim Jong Un's regime.

china north korea

The US's threat of intervention on the Korean Peninsula was probably not the deciding factor in Beijing's change of tone on North Korea, however.

Though China was dismayed by the deployment of the US-made THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea, strategists in Beijing were likely confident the US would be hesitant to launch military action against North Korea.

Prior to Trump's meeting with Xi this month, US officials said a key goal was getting China onboard with using economic leverage against North Korea, and coal would be a central part of that.

The specter of economic retribution from the US  which has become a major source of coal for China  coupled with concerns about Pyongyang's advancing nuclear capabilities probably moved China toward a stricter stance on North Korea.

"I think that [the Chinese] are quite worried about what Trump might do in the area of trade and economics  thats really credible," Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Business Insider earlier this month.

NOW WATCH: How the US could prevent a North Korean nuclear strike  according to a former Marine and cyberwarfare expert





More From Business Insider


BEIJING (AP)  China lashed out at India for hosting the Dalai Lama near their disputed border, warning Wednesday that the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit has touched on the political foundation of the Asian giants' relationship.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said bilateral ties will suffer after Indian officials hosted the 81-year-old monk last week in disputed territory and "indulged in provocative political statements."

The comments were the latest salvo in a weekslong war-of-words between the two nuclear-armed neighbors over the Dalai Lama's visit, which has raised thorny territorial issues. Beijing considers the India-based Dalai Lama a dangerous separatist seeking Tibet's independence and frequently objects when governments host him on his travels.

His visit to a remote monastery has been galling for Beijing because it took place in Arunachal Pradesh state, which China also claims. China appeared to be particularly incensed by remarks by the state's Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who said that India shared a border with Tibet rather than China and that Beijing had no business dictating India's domestic affairs.

As part of a historic agreement, India acknowledges Tibet as a part of China  although it rejects Beijing's claim to about 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles) of Indian-controlled territory in Arunachal Pradesh.

Lu said Wednesday that India "violated its solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues" and that China would take "further action to safeguard its territorial integrity and national security."

The two countries' forces have faced off for decades across a long mountainous border, with tensions never fully settling after a brief but bloody war high in the Himalayan peaks more than 50 years ago.

The Dalai Lama fled to India in 1959 amid an uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet, which Communist forces had occupied earlier in the decade. The Dalai Lama denies being a separatist and says he merely advocates for substantial autonomy and protection of the region's native Buddhist culture.
BEIJING (Reuters) - China on Wednesday denounced in the strongest terms yet a visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to a disputed stretch on the China-India border, saying he had provoked China by supporting India's claim to the region. The Dalai Lama's week-long trip to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as "southern Tibet", has infuriated China, where the Nobel Peace laureate is considered a dangerous separatist. Indian officials have dismissed China's criticism of the Dalai Lama's second visit to Arunachal Pradesh in eight years, saying he is a spiritual leader who has a devoted following in the region. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said India had "indulged the 14th Dalai Lama and certain India officials to express political theories that provoke China". "The 14th Dalai Lama has long ago gone past the scope of a religious visit as claimed by India," Lu said, speaking during a regular briefing in Beijing. Chinese troops marched into Tibet and took control in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Troops crushed an uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled into exile in India. In remarks bound to anger China, the Indian chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, told Reuters on April 5 that he regarded the land on the other side of the border as Tibet, not China. "As far as the boundary issue is concerned, I have also maintained that we don't share our boundary with China, but we share our boundary with Tibet," Khandu said. Lu said the Dalai Lama supported that stand. The Dalai clique already fully stands with the position of foreigners. His display cannot in the slightest impact Chinas position on the border and Tibet, Lu said. "China has already made stern representations to India, and will take further measures to protect Chinas territorial sovereignty and national security," he added, without elaborating. The Dalai Lama denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for Tibet. The monk said on Saturday the institution of the Dalai Lama, the top reincarnated leader of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, should continue after his death. He was speak during his stay in the remote hill town of Tawang, near the border. (Reporting by Christian Shepherd)
(BEIJING)-North Korea should halt any plans for nuclear and missile activities for its own security, a Chinese newspaper said on Wednesday, warning that the United States is making clear it doesnt plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

North Korean state media cautioned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific-a force U.S. President Donald Trump described as an armada.

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbor, said in a tweet that North Korea was looking for trouble and the United States would solve the problem with or without Beijings help.

The Korean Peninsula has not been so close to a military clash since North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, Chinas influential state-run tabloid the Global Times said in an editorial.

Not only Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honors his promises, the paper, run by the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily, said.

The U.S. is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesnt plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang, it said.

Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time.

The Global Times, whose stance does not equate with Chinese government policy, said that Beijing would likely react strongly to any North Korean test.

If the North makes another provocative move this month, the Chinese society will be willing to see the (U.N. Security Council) adopt severe restrictive measures that have never been seen before, such as restricting oil imports to the North, the paper said.

Beijing has signed on to U.N. sanctions against North Korea, but it has repeatedly called for a return to dialogue to resolve the tensions.

A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark Saturdays 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Koreas founding father and grandfather of the current ruler. North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.

U.S. officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program, though Washington has said all options-including military ones-are on the table.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
In the world of medicine, the practice of treating musculoskeletal injuries, called chiropractic, seems to hover in that gray area between standard health care and alternative. (Physicians dominate the first type, while acupuncturists and massage therapists populate the second.)

Chiropractic was the original holistic medicine in that it focused on treating the whole person, not just the body part that hurt, says Michael Schneider, an associate professor of health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. His research on chiropractic suggests that cervical and lumbar manipulationthe back and neck adjustments most people associate with a visit to a chiropractorcan be an effective treatment for low back pain. A study published in April 2017 in the Journal of the American Medical Association supported this, finding that based on the latest research, spinal manipulation can modestly reduce a persons lower back pain.

Chiropractic manipulation also often leads to better patient outcomes, especially when combined with standard medical care, other studies suggest.

The benefits of chiropractic for acute low back pain have been pretty widely accepted for years now within the medical community, says Dr. Ronald Glick, assistant professor of psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and coauthor of several of Schneiders research papers. When I started in practice over 30 years ago, people would look askance at a physician who recommended chiropractic, but thats not the case anymore, he adds.

While the strongest evidence in support of chiropractic involves the treatment of back pain, Schneider says theres also evidence for neck pain and some types of non-migraine headaches. Still, his profession is not without controversy, he says. The controversy comes in when chiropractors make claims about treating non-musculoskeletal conditionsclaims he says have little to no basis in science.

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This failure to present a unified front is the biggest problem facing chiropractors today, says Dr. Scott Haldeman, a neurologist and chiropractor who teaches at both UCLA and UC Irvine. You could walk into a chiropractors office and find someone who is a pure back-and-neck-pain guya guy who has embraced the scientific researchor someone who says he can cure all things and provide general wellness, Haldeman explains.

Like any other type of doctor, some chiropractors are good, some are just OK and some are bad, says Dr. Simon Dagenais, a chiropractor and clinical epidemiologist. It takes just a few rotten apples to spoil the bunch.

Another thorny issue for chiropractors of all stripes is the public perception that spinal manipulation can result in injury or, more ominously, stroke or torn arteries.

The stroke question is basically resolved, Haldeman says, citing research that shows the risk of suffering a stroke following a chiropractic visit is extremely low, on par with the risk associated with visiting a physician. Neck pain can be a sign of a stroke in process, he says, so people may go see a doctor or chiropractor about that pain and then associate the subsequent stroke with their visit. When it comes to artery tears, Haldemans own research turned up only 23 such cases among more then 134 million chiropractic manipulations.

More of an open question is whether less-serious injuries can result from a chiropractors touch. One study of neck pain patients found 30% had some kind of adverse reaction following chiropractic treatment. In most cases, that adverse event was increased pain or stiffness, and it resolved itself quickly, says Dr. Eric Hurwitz, first author of the study and graduate chair of epidemiology at the University of Hawaii.

Hurwitz says more severe reactions were very rare, and most patients didnt experience any adverse event at all. But we cant predict who will or wont experience an adverse event, he adds.

Theres some risk involved, Haldeman agrees. But theres also risk from surgery or from taking medications. Compared to opioidsa class of painkillers commonly prescribed for back and neck pain, and one also linked to dependence and death due to overdosethe potential for soreness and ache seems minor, he adds.

Schneider agrees and points out that malpractice and liability insurance premiums for chiropractors are much lower than for physicians or surgeons. Insurance actuaries arent dumb, he says. They know that based on the malpractice data, chiropractic is very safe.

But the biggest unsolved mystery about chiropractic treatment is exactly how spinal manipulation reduces back or neck pain. Increased mobility of the spinal vertebrae and muscle relaxation probably has a lot to do with it, Haldeman says. But the truth is the mechanism is not well understood, just as back and neck pain are not well understood.

A recent study published in The Lancet found low back pain was the most common cause of disability globally. But despite its ubiquity, back painlike many other forms of painis difficult to explain. We know some things that cause it, but not exactly where it comes from or why it persists, Haldeman says. Looked at in this context, he says, its not odd that he and other researchers who have studied chiropractic cant pinpoint why their treatment is effective. Whats more important is that for many patients, it does work, he says.

Chiropractors tend to have very high patient satisfaction rates, Schneider says. And from a public health perspective, wed see a lot fewer unnecessary tests and hospitalizations and opioid prescriptions if people visited chiropractors for their back and neck pain.
In the past year, Christian Sirianos designs have been spotted everywhere. So much so that youve seen them on red carpets, awards shows, and even the DNC, where Michelle Obama sported one of his dresses to give her now-iconic when they go low, we go high speech.

With this kind of success, it could be easy to forget that Siriano got his start nearly a decade ago on Project Runway, where his unapologetically glamorous designs that eventually crowned him the winner of season 4. In the years since he was on the show, Siriano has become the go-to designer for some of the most prominent women in the world, thanks to his career-long commitment to designing clothes that flatter all women, regardless of size or background.

From creating a custom gown for SNL star Leslie Jones after she tweeted that no designer wanted to dress her for a movie premiere to ensuring that the diverse range of models he uses for his runways arent just token representation, Siriano knows that the inclusivity that his brand embodies is key to its success.

Women are wanting to wear my clothes not only because theyre great clothes but because of what we represent, he said.

This year looks to be another year of wins for the designer, who recently designed the wedding looks for the first couple of Orange Is the New Black, Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli. TIME caught up with Siriano backstage at the American Express Platinum takeover of the musical Hamilton, where he talked about his leading ladies, diversity in fashion, and why he wont be dressing Melania Trump anytime soon.

TIME: You recently designed the beautiful wedding looks for Lauren Morelli and Samira Wileys wedding - how did that happen?

Christian Siriano: They just asked me. I had dressed Samira for a bunch of awards shows, I dressed her for her first Emmys, I dressed her for the SAG Awards once, so we just became friends over the years. It kind of just worked out, super organic, and I was just honored to do it. They also both like fashion, so it was kind of nice to have brides thatll wear something interesting.

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Did you collaborate with them on the designs?

Yeah, a little bit. I think Samira knew that she wanted to be in something sort of grand and kind of unexpected - I think people sort of thought that she would wear a suit, but she wanted the total opposite. And for Lauren, the idea was that she wanted it to be kind of masculine but still feminine enough that it didnt feel kind of cliche. They were very easy-going brides, probably the easiest brides Ive had in a long time. The wedding was amazing. It was really nice because it was so small and just people that they loved. Thats the best kind of wedding.

I think whats been amazing to see is the diversity of your designs, especially on the runway, from the beginning. Youve always embraced all body types, all ethnic backgrounds. Why is diversity so important to you?

I think more and more in fashion now, diversity is so important because thats what the customer is. My woman, the person whos buying the clothes, is from all walks in life, shes from different countries and cultures, shes going to be different sizes. I felt that it was really important to start showing that right at the beginning of the process.

On your runway this season, you had a shirt that read People are people, which is one of many, many statement shirts that I saw that could be read politically this season. What prompted you to make the shirt?

Theres a lot of hate going on in the world, so I took it as a phrase people are people because thats what it is - we all are living in this world, we all are here for different purposes, and different reasons. As Ive been in this business now for almost ten years, Ive realized that thats a little more important, that we all try to celebrate each other a little bit more because theres enough hate going on in the world.

What was it like dressing Leslie Jones?

In a lot of ways, it was great because she definitely got her Cinderella moment which she so totally deserves. I love her, Im a huge SNL fan, Ive dressed a lot of them - Amy [Poehler], Tina [Fey], and I wanted to give her that same moment. And she looked f-king fabulous.

Speaking of another special lady wearing your clothes, I saw that Michelle Obama was wearing your dress when she gave her amazing speech at the DNC. Youve had quite the year.

Michelle Obama is not an average, It girl woman and I think thats why shes so fabulous. I didnt know [she was going to be wearing it] but it was amazing. Such a great moment! But even when anybody wears something, we dressed Celine Dion recently, who Ive been a fan of my entire life and that was exciting. Everyone is exciting! When you want to be a designer, you think about the people that you want to make clothes for and Im lucky enough that Ive gotten to make things for people that I admire.

SAUL LOEB-AFP/Getty Images Michelle Obama on Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How do you feel about getting your start on reality tv and now becoming a red carpet staple?

I actually dont think about it too much. I think everybody has to find their way into the world and everybody has different paths. I just try to make pretty clothes and hope that people like them. I think whats interesting is that Ive been doing kind of the same thing for a really long time, but people are just starting to notice it.

Would you dress Melania Trump?

I dont think I would. I think for a while everyone was trying to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, it really doesnt have anything to do with her, but she is representing whats happening politically and whats happening politically right now is not really good for anyone.

Do you think that its important that designers like Sophie Theallet and Marc Jacobs are making political statements by refusing to dress Melania?

I think to an extent, its important because as designers, thats the only voice we have. But its not just her. If I got a call from somebody tomorrow that was, say, a musician, who was all over Twitter or Instagram hate-bashing people, I wouldnt dress her either. I dress people that I can support and support what theyre doing in their lives. Thats why its important to me and it should be important to every designer because the people that you put in your brand represent the brand.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Sen. Ben Sasse, in a speech last week to a gathering of Christian pastors, went out of his way to criticize the alt-right, a movement that equates American greatness with preserving white Protestant culture.

American exceptionalism was never a claim about ethnicity. American exceptionalism was never a claim about Americans unique anthropology, Sasse, a Nebraska Republican, said at an annual meeting of a group called the Gospel Coalition, in Indianapolis.

American exceptionalism was an understanding about the historical moment in which the American founding flipped on its head the relationship between rights and government, said Sasse.

The Harvard- and Yale-educated Sasse said in the middle of a 30-minute speech that America at its founding was unique in its claim that rights were inalienable to each person, and automatic, rather than determined by the whims of government.

The American founding is a claim that God gives us rights, not government, and government is our secular-shared project to secure those rights. Thats all American exceptionalism means. Thats what Washington used to mean, Sasse said.

Americas identity is bound up first and foremost in an idea, Sasse said, and not a piece of land or a certain racial group.

Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., on Capitol Hill Jan. 10, 2017. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The claim that Americas greatness originated or resides in European or white Christian culture has become a central plank to many who have supported President Trumps political rise.

The rise of Donald Trump, perhaps the first truly cultural candidate for President since [Pat] Buchanan, suggests grassroots appetite for more robust protection of the Western European and American way of life, wrote Milo Yiannopoulos and Allum Bokhari for Breitbart News a year ago in an influential explanation of the movement.

They [the alt-right] truly believe that multiethnic democracies cannot succeed, said Ben Shapiro, a former top writer at Breitbart, who now runs the Daily Wire.

Yiannopoulos and Bokhari described much of whats known as the alternative right as a reaction to liberalism and identity politics among racial minorities. Donald Trump would not be possible without the oppressive hectoring of the progressive Left, they wrote, describing progressives as the real authoritarians in contemporary culture.

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A perceived bias against white people drives much of the alt-rights resentment. Any discussion of white identity, or white interests, is seen as a heretical offense, wrote the Breitbart authors.

There is also the alt-right view that many traditional conservatives lack the will to fight the left on cultural issues.

The alt-right would argue that [traditional conservatives are] too afraid of being called racist to seriously fight against [political correctness], Yiannopoulos and Bokhari wrote.

And they contended that while there are neo-Nazis and white supremacists among the alt-right, the majority of the movement is populated by young people who like to transgress against social taboos and by more average conservatives who want their own communities, populated by their own people, and governed by their own values.

They would prefer nonviolent solutions, they wrote.

And, they said, the movement is not going away. No matter how silly, irrational, tribal or even hateful the Establishment may think the alt-rights concerns are, they cant be ignored, because they arent going anywhere, Yiannopoulos and Bokhari wrote. The Left cant language-police and name-call them away, which have for the last twenty years been the only progressive responses to dissent, and the Right cant snobbishly dissociate itself from them and hope they go away either.

Milo Yiannopoulos speaks during a news conference on Feb. 21, 2017, in New York. Yiannopoulos resigned as editor of Breitbart Tech after coming under fire from other conservatives over comments on sexual relationships between boys and older men. (Photo: Mary Altaffer/AP)

But influential alt-right figures like Yiannopoulos and Trump adviser Steve Bannon have lost influence recently. Yiannopoulos lost his job with Breitbart in February when it came to light that within the past year he had defended sexual contact between grown men and underage boys.

And Bannon, who ran Breitbart News until becoming a top adviser to Trump during the presidential campaign, is now in danger of losing his job at the White House after clashing repeatedly with Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Bannon described the heart of the movement he believes has driven Trump to power. The center core of what we believe  that were a nation with an economy, not an economy just in some global marketplace with open borders, but we are a nation with a culture and a reason for being  I think thats what unites us, Bannon said.

Bannon has also defined American nationalism in opposition to Islam, especially ISIS pretensions to a new Islamic caliphate. Bannon said in 2014 that he is worried about the future of the Judeo-Christian West because we are in an outright war against jihadist Islamic fascism  and this war is, I think, metastasizing far quicker than governments can handle it.

Whatever the future holds for Bannon or Yiannopoulos, however, its likely that conservatives will be having this debate among themselves for some time, and Sasse  who was an outspoken critic of Trump during the presidential campaign  is one of the first elected officials to go out of his way to address it philosophically.

White House chief strategist Steve Bannon attends a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, where Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch was administered the judicial oath, April 10, 2017. (Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Sasse has spoken out against the alt-rights thinking on a handful of occasions over the past year. He has agreed with part of the alt-rights complaint that the modern left is intolerant of those who disagree with them and that the Democrats focus on minorities tends to divide Americans on ethnic lines. But he rejects the alt-rights response.

A lot of what is happening in the Republican electorate right now is the downstream effects of the tribalism of race, class and gender-identity politics on the left, Sasse said just over a year ago. Some on the right have decided, if theyre going to have an identity politics, we need one too. But we already have one postconstitutional party. We dont need another one.

And in February of this year, he said on Morning Joe that the Republican Party is experiencing a rising tribalism.

Were in danger of heading toward a kind of identity politics that the lefts had for quite some time, he said. Im against identity politics. Im for an idea politics that talks about what America means and what were for together.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Russias relationship with the West is on a knife edge, with multiple allegations of Russian involvement in the affairs of other countries. But are these the beginnings of Cold War II? And can Cold War history provide potential lessons for todays politicians?

As US secretary of state Rex Tillerson prepares for talks in Moscow, Russia-US relations are at their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. Moscows continuing support for Bashar al-Assads toxic Syrian regime, alleged Russian involvement in the US Presidential election, sabre rattling with NATO and the French far rights links to the Kremlin, point to an increasingly assertive Russia. Added to this are claims of an election-day plot in Montenegro, dismissed by foreign minister Sergei Lavrov as unsubstantiated.

In the West, Russias confidence has met with concern. Foreign secretary Boris Johnson warned that Moscow is up to all sorts of no good, and is pushing for tougher action against Russia and Syria following last weeks chemical weapons attack. Meanwhile, in Washington, there are increasing signs that president Trumps detente with Moscow appears to have been derailed.

But there is concern in Russia about the Wests security agenda. Plans to install an anti-missile defence shield in Romania were described as a real threat. President Putin pointed to NATO build-up in Eastern Europe as a provocation and warned of Western efforts to undermine the Assad regime, Russias longstanding ally. Having a balanced look at Moscows security concerns, rather than just London or Washingtons, could give us a better insight into where we are now and how to address East-West tensions.

Lessons from the past

It may be useful to find parallels in Cold War history. It could be that we are at a 1946 moment  early tensions, leading to a worsening of relations. For all the talk of Cold War in 1946 Britain, the US and the Soviet Union actually remained committed to amicable discussions on post-war Europe.

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Britains relationship with Moscow was set by Frank Kenyon Roberts, charge d'affaires at the British Embassy. In a series of letters to the foreign office in March of that year, Roberts painted a sombre picture about relations with the Russians.

From Moscow, Roberts warned that anti-British propaganda and the official line that the Soviet Union was surrounded by enemies did not bode well for the future. The present state of Soviet relations  is very different from what we had hoped for. Instead of a new post-war relationship, Britain faced a policy designed to advance Soviet interests at every  opportunity.

But Roberts was also keen to see things from the Kremlins perspective  especially on security. For Roberts, Russian policy was shaped by a constant striving for [the] security of a state with no natural frontiers and surrounded by enemies. Britains relationship with Russia, even before the Bolshevik revolution in 1917, was strained. Roberts didnt downplay the ideological gulf between London, Washington and Moscow or the true nature of the Soviet system. But he understood the need to see Russias perspective.

Britains Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) was also cautious. Hindsight shows they were remarkably accurate in forecasting Russian motives. For example, Soviet Cold War archives reveal that, rather than being bent on European dominance, the Kremlins policy aimed to ensure long-term security.

In March 1946, the JIC predicted the Soviets wanted military security and would avoid actions likely to provoke a war with Britain or the US. Key to Moscows security were the countries of Eastern Europe  behind the Iron Curtain  Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, East Germany and the Baltics. If this protective belt was threatened, the JIC concluded that the Soviets would retaliate by using all weapons  to frustrate these attempts. She will make full use of propaganda, of diplomatic pressure and of the Communist parties abroad  to weaken foreign countries. This response is not too dissimilar from todays  though cyber attacks and fake news take the lead. Western encroachment into former Russian spheres of influence, like Georgia and Ukraine, have provoked a significant response from Moscow.

Even as Cold War tensions started to grow in 1947, the JIC continued placing security at the heart of Soviet short-term policy. The Kremlins preoccupation with security  a view that Russia lacked natural defensive frontiers making her vulnerable  continued to be an important theme. Increasingly, ideology was another important factor. By 1948, the mood clearly changed: rather than being defensive, the Kremlin was judged to be intent on the elimination of capitalism - a chilling assessment, ushering in the start of the Cold War and a final breakdown in East-West relations.

East-West animosity may increase to Cold War levels, but we shouldnt see ourselves as locked in a struggle with Moscow just yet. Lessons from the start of the Cold War tells us that we still need to try and understand Russias underlying foreign policy motives. What may seem aggressive to us, could be defensive to Moscow  and vice versa.

Roberts and the JIC appreciated Soviet vulnerability alongside ideological motivations. If anything, we need to take into consideration present-day Russian security concerns as a way of understanding Moscows relationship with the outside world, rather than see Russia as irreversibly hostile to the West.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Conversation

Dan Lomas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.
Llorente (Colombia) (AFP) - Colombian forces sent to rip green coca plants from the earth to end a trade fueling violence complain the crops are being replanted as fast as they can destroy them.

Colombia is ranked by the United Nations as the world's biggest producer of coca -- the raw material for cocaine -- which has funded armed groups in the more than half-century conflict.

In a new peace deal, the state and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's biggest rebel group, agreed to eradicate coca and replace it with safer crops like coffee and cacao.

In Narino, a major coca-producing region in the southwest, those carrying out the eradication work are feeling exasperated.

Sweat soaks the face of Ivan Hidalgo, a 19-year-old assistant police official, rifle on shoulder, who has spent the past two months uprooting coca plants in the sweltering settlement of Llorente.

"You're tearing out the coca," he tells AFP, "and the farmers are planting it again behind your back."

- 'Too much coca' -

The surrounding municipality of Tumaco had nearly 17,000 hectares in 2015, according to the latest UN figures. The Narino district overall has nearly 30,000.

Among so much coca, assistant police officials like Pablo Riveros are tearing out the plants with their bare hands.

"There is too much coca," Riveros says.

Authorities have since January eradicated 200 hectares by hand and a further 400 hectares by spraying them with chemical herbicide.

But their efforts hardly seem to be making a dent in Narino. The mountains of the area are still blanketed in lush green coca leaves.

"The community is always going to be there watching out for people coming to eradicate the crops," says Elvins Caldon, who sprays the coca with herbicide.

- Earning a living -

Coca farmers complain they are getting a raw deal under the eradication agreement.

They say the government has not delivered on promises to replace the crop, which yields four harvests a year.

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Coca growers in Narino have blocked roads and faced off with authorities in recent weeks, sparking clashes that have left at least one person dead and four injured.

"We want a decent living for our children," the National Coca, Poppy and Marijuana Growers' Coordinator organization said in a statement.

- Drug trade -

Authorities say drug gangs are behind the protests.

"We are not drug traffickers," the organization said.

"Farming families have for decades had to resort to growing coca, poppy and marijuana -- not because they like it but because their lands have been abandoned by the state."

Growers earn a fraction of the riches generated by the coca as it is processed into paste, then powder, and consumed.

A kilogram (about two pounds) of coca fetches about a dollar where it is produced. But further down the chain, a kilogram of cocaine is worth about $1,650, according to the latest UN data.

- Rebels join in -

The head of the Colombian police drug squad, Jose Angel Mendoza, insists the eradication effort will not harm farmers.

"We are targeting the drug traffickers and organized crime," he says.

He warns that FARC renegades opposed to the peace deal as well as other outlawed groups are vying for a share of the coca trade.

Among them is the country's last active rebel group, the leftist ELN -- despite being in peace talks with the government.

"There are some places where the ELN had never been seen before, and now people say that they are arriving here," says Riveros.

- Landmine threat -

On top of resistance from farmers, the eradication teams face the danger of landmines planted to protect the coca.

Colombia has more landmines than any other country except Afghanistan, according to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Each 14-person squad of eradicators includes two specialists who check for mines with metal detectors and trained dogs.

Santiago Alvarez, one of the Narino eradication crew, tears up coca plants just yards away from the locals who depend on them.

"It is a hard job," he says. "But it is worth it to achieve a peace with zero violence."
DENVER (AP)  The Colorado Senate passed a bill Wednesday to allow pot growers and retailers to reclassify recreational pot as medical marijuana in the event of a federal crackdown.

The bill is seen as the boldest bid yet by a U.S. marijuana state to avoid possible federal intervention in its pot market. But critics say nothing guarantees that reclassifying pot as medicine would stop federal action.

Marijuana is illegal under federal law, and the Trump administration has given mixed signals on its policy toward U.S. marijuana states.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been skeptical of pot's medical value. President Donald Trump has suggested the handling of marijuana should be up to the states.

Recreational pot is legal in eight states plus Washington, D.C., and medical marijuana is legal in more than half the country.

The bill passed by Colorado's Republican-controlled Senate and sent to the Democrat-led House would allow the state's roughly 500 licensed recreational marijuana growers to reclassify their product "based on a business need due to a change in local, state or federal law or enforcement policy."

Republican Sen. Tim Neville, a sponsor of the bill, has said recreational pot businesses need to have the option of converting their goods into medicinal pot to stay in business.

But opponents say any such move would be costly. Colorado would lose more than $100 million a year because it taxes recreational pot much more than medical pot  nearly 18 percent versus 3 percent.

Governors from the recreational marijuana states of Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington have asked the Trump administration to let the experiment in legal pot continue, saying it's expanded their economies.
Hasan Minhaj, a Daily Show correspondent and comedian, will be the entertainer at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, the associations president announced on Tuesday.

I am thrilled that Hasan will serve as our featured entertainer at this years White House Correspondents Dinner, WHCA president and Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason said in a statement. Hasans smarts, big heart and passion for press freedom make him the perfect fit for our event, which will be focused on the First Amendment and the importance of a robust and independent media.

President Trump will skip the annual dinner this year, which typically brings a star entertainer together with the press corps, celebrities and White House staff. Trumps adversarial relationship with the press prompted several news organizations to pull out of this years event and many celebrities have called for a boycott. Like the president, the White House staff will not attend the dinner.

It is a tremendous honor to be a part of such a historic event even though the president has chosen not to attend this year. SAD! Minhaj said in a statement. Now more than ever, it is vital that we honor the First Amendment and the freedom of the press.

The dinner will be held on April 29 at the Hilton in Washington, D.C.

Samantha Bee, the host of TBSs Full Frontal and a former correspondent for the Daily Show, announced in January that she would host an alternative event on the same day as the dinner that shes calling Not the White House Correspondents Dinner.She promised to donate proceeds from the event to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Pepsi's disastrous advertising foray into race relations was near-universally reviled the instant it hit social media last week.

But a new poll suggests that the public at large may not have been as put off by the ad as the internet outrage might imply.

SEE ALSO: Pepsi autopsy: How the brand got its commercial so massively wrong

Media and survey research firm Morning Consult asked more than 2,000 Americans to rate how their opinion of Pepsi changed after watching Kendall Jenner broker peace with its product.

A surprising number of them liked what they saw. Forty-four percent said they saw the soda maker in a more positive light after watching the ad, while only a quarter saw it as a turn-off. (The remaining 31 percent didn't have an opinion.)

The findings are a world of difference from those brand research firm Amobee gleaned from social media data last week. Of the thousands of mentions of Pepsi in the days following the ad's release, the firm said 31 percent described the ad as "tone-deaf," and 10 percent included the words "worst ever."

YouGov, one of the most widely cited trackers of brand sentiment found that Pepsi tumbled a whopping 20 points in its "buzz" index in the week after the ad dropped among an unspecified number of online respondents in the UK.

Why do these two sets of people appear to be living on different planets?

One reason might have to do with who the Morning Consult asked. The researchers chose a sample pool that matched the demographic makeup of the country's population. That meant an overwhelming majority  80 percent  were white, and a similar portion were age 30 or older.

Meanwhile, outside of parent-friendly Facebook, social media skews towards a much younger and more diverse crowd, according to the latest Pew Research survey.

While the black people and young people (aged 18 to 29) polled actually seemed to like the ad slightly more than the group as a whole, the firm ultimately only spoke to 246 and 409 people from each group respectively (giving it a margin of error of about 7%).

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Reactions didn't seem to cut along political party lines either. Despite controversy over the ad's perceived exploitation of liberal political struggles, members of both major political parties tended to like the commercial more than their Independent counterparts. The ad made around 60 percent of Democrats and 55 percent of Republicans see the brand in at least a somewhat more favorable light as opposed to 48 percent of Independents.

Real-time opinion tracking throughout the duration of the ad reveals a bit more insight into these numbers.

Sentiment among Republican viewers plummeted to its lowest point when a woman wearing a Hijab appeared on the screen then rebounded once they glimpsed the line of riot cops. The introduction of Kendall Jenner prompted a bipartisan dip towards the negative.

The questioning was conducted during the latter half of last week  after the news cycle around the ad had largely blown over. Researchers didn't say whether respondents had seen the ad or followed the media's coverage of it.

Perhaps these overall mild responses are indicative of what Pepsi's marketers might have seen from the focus groups they conducted before foisting the commercial on the hapless public.

Since it's hard to construe the debacle as a win for Pepsi regardless of what any data might say, the poll may be more of an indictment of the practice of focus group testing than a vindication of the soda giant's marketing strategy. Some ad agency execs are skeptical of traditional focus groups in part because of something called the Hawthorne Effect  that is, people tend to act differently than they might otherwise when they know they're being observed.

Brand advertisers generally put more faith in that type of research than the agency creatives who make the ads. But Pepsi eschewed an agency in favor its in-house marketing arm.

A 2015 article in Digiday detailed the array of tech tools Pepsi uses to gauge how young people feel about it and its ads. The brand told the site it only gives commercials the green light once they've passed through multiple focus groups.

Like this new poll, those guardrails evidently failed to register the ad's overwhelming cringe factor.

So if surveys can't be trusted to reliably anticipate social media sentiment, how can companies predict such backlashes?

If Pepsi's marketing division looks anything like the rest of the industry, very few people of color were involved in the decision-making process. Maybe execs can start there.

WATCH: Man kicked out of city council meeting for trying to recreate Kendall Jenner's Pepsi ad
A hearing was set for Monday in the case of missing Tennessee student Elizabeth Thomas. The 15-year-old's family has begged for anyone with information about her disappearance to come forward. Her father, Anthony Thomas, requested the deposition of at least two witnesses who he believed might have information that could help him find his daughter.

Thomas filed a petition in court Thursday requesting the deposition of anyone who might have information about his daughter and Tad Cummins, the 50-year-old teacher believed to have kidnapped her.

Read: Elizabeth Thomas Knew Something Bad Would Happen Before She Disappeared

"The family cannot simply wait for information to trickle in," Jason Whatley, the attorney representing Anthony Thomas, told ABC News Thursday. "This petition will hopefully bring a fresh light into the disappearance of Elizabeth."

Elizabeth has been missing since Mar. 13 when she left her family's home for a restaurant and never returned. The girl told her brother that if she wasn't home by 6 p.m., he should contact police. Police believe she was abducted by her former teacher, Tad Cummins. The school had been investigating the relationship between Cummins and Elizabeth after an unidentified student saw them kissing in his classroom.

Since the pair disappeared, they have been spotted only once. Police confirmed the two were seen on security footage shopping in an Oklahoma City Walmart two days after Elizabeth was officially reported missing. Since then, there has been virtually no trace of the two. Police cautioned the public that this was not a romantic situation.

Read: Police Confirm Sighting Of Elizabeth Thomas And Tad Cummins

"She is 15, a child. He is 50, a grown man. She's a high school freshman. He's a former teacher. This is, and was, not a romance," Tennessee Bureau of Investigation director Mark Gwynn told reporters. "This was manipulation solely to benefit Tad Cummins. This is not a fairy tale. This is a case of kidnapping."

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In the petition filed Thursday, Elizabeth's father said he believed his daughter was coerced and intimidated by Cummins and that the teacher threatened her with repercussions at school if she didn't join him for a meal. He also said Elizabeth told some of her peers that she was "in over her head" and scared of Cummins. Anthony Thomas said Elizabeth also hid from Cummins when he repeatedly tried to visit her at work and asked her co-workers to say she was not there.

The petition also asserted that Cummins told Thomas that the school's investigation of the "kissing incident" had ruined his career, leading her to feel guilty about the situation. Cummins, taking advantage of her guilt, it stated, said the best option would be for them to leave together.

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Washington (AFP) - The White House ratcheted up its criticism of Russia on Wednesday, pointedly saying it had seen credible reports that Moscow backed an election-day attack in Montenegro last year.

A senior administration official -- speaking as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Moscow for difficult talks on Syria -- pointed the finger of blame at Russia for an alleged coup attempt during October's election.

"We are very concerned about Russian interference in the October elections in Montenegro," the official said, "including credible reports of Russian support for an attempted election-day attack on the government."

A special prosecutor in Montenegro has accused Russian state bodies and the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) party of trying to overthrow the government, in an effort to prevent Montenegro from entering NATO.

Andrija Mandic, who is one of DF's two leaders and is among 25 people accused by the prosecutor, told AFP in March that the case was "a staged political process" to discredit him and his party. Mandic is a fierce opponent of his country's looming NATO accession.

A dozen of the accused were sentenced to several months' imprisonment after reaching a deal with the prosecutor.

Prominent Montenegrin lawyer Branislav Lutovac, who said the case was "full of contradictions," told AFP last month that these were "light sentences for serious crimes".

Wednesday's US comments came a day after President Donald Trump approved Montenegro's NATO accession and prepared to meet the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House later in the day.

Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has long seen the Balkans as within its "sphere of influence".

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with Washington under Trump, the US new president has tempered his praise of Putin, most recently condemning his support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

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Trump's harder line comes amid growing questions about whether his aides and associates colluded with alleged Russian meddling in the US election. That line of inquiry has focused on Trump allies Carter Page, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.

Contested by a significant part of the predominantly Orthodox Slav population of Montenegro, the choice of former prime minister Milo Djukanovic to integrate it into NATO triggered protests in 2015 that turned violent.

Many fear that the demonstrations could resume when the parliament meets soon to ratify the accession.
Police in Tajikistan have been ordered to brush up their cultural knowledge with regular trips to the theatre, the Central Asian country's interior ministry said Tuesday.

Police "of all ranks" will now be expected to visit the theatre at least once a month, ministry spokesman Umarjon Emomali told AFP.

Attending the theatre will "raise the spiritual and cultural level of police officers and also reduce tiredness after a difficult and stressful day at work," the spokesman said.

"Police both in the capital and the regions will become aware of the latest theatrical productions," he added.

Tajikistan's authoritarian President Emomali Rakhmon, who has led the impoverished country since 1992, in 2015 launched the construction of a theatre that is set to be the biggest in the mainly Muslim region.

The new theatre will cost around $100 million to build, surprising many since theatre-going has lost popularity in the country following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In 2012 the country opened the largest library in ex-Soviet Central Asia -- but then had to ask the public to help fill it up with books.

Other grandiose government-endorsed projects in the capital Dushanbe include a flagpole that was once the world's tallest and an impressive teahouse-cum-museum celebrating national culture.

Following independence Tajikistan endured a bitter five-year civil war that ended in 1997 and is now strongly dependent on remittances sent home by migrants working in Russia.

Last year the country passed constitutional changes that allow Rakhmon, 64, to run for office an unlimited number of times.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP)  A disbarred Pennsylvania attorney has been charged with stealing nearly $147,000 from special needs clients whose money he was supposed to manage.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele says 45-year-old Patrick Bradley used his clients' funds like an automatic teller machine and spent it on his own mortgage payments, gasoline, sporting goods and dining out.

Bradley is accused of stealing more than $116,000 from the trust accounts of five clients, then also taking nearly $31,000 for legal work he never did for seven other special needs clients.

Online court records don't list an attorney for Bradley, who was disbarred in September.

He faces a preliminary hearing May 2 on 59 theft and related counts.
By Daniel Trotta NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Pulitzer Prizes on Monday honored The Washington Post for hard-hitting reporting on Donald Trump's presidential campaign and The New York Times for revealing Vladimir Putin's covert power grab, praising their probing of powerful people despite a hostile climate for the news media. The Daily News of New York and ProPublica, a web-based platform specializing in investigative journalism, won the prize for public service journalism for coverage of New York police abuses that forced mostly poor minorities from their homes. Other winners included an international consortium of more than 300 reporters on six continents that exposed the so-called Panama Papers detailing the hidden infrastructure and global scale of offshore tax havens used by the high and mighty. The Pulitzers, the most prestigious honors in American journalism, have been awarded since 1917, often going to famed publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. But they are also won by smaller, lesser known publications across the country whose work does not always gain national attention when it is published. Reporter Eric Eyre of Charleston Gazette-Mail in West Virginia took the prize for investigative reporting for exposing a flood of opioids in depressed West Virginia counties with the country's highest overdose death rates. The staff of the East Bay Times of Oakland, California, won the breaking news award for coverage of the "Ghost Ship" fire that killed 36 people at a warehouse party, exposing the city's failure to take actions that might have prevented the disaster. 'TRANSPARENT JOURNALISM' While the Pulitzer ceremony highlighted the news media's importance to democracy, it has been challenged by so-called fake news, which once referred to fabricated stories meant to influence the U.S. election but has become a term used by Trump to dismiss factual reporting that is critical. Trump has frequently excoriated the media and in February called it "the enemy of the American people." Operating in the glare of the 2016 presidential campaign, David Fahrenthold of The Washington Post took the national reporting award. The judges said he "created a model for transparent journalism in political campaign coverage while casting doubt on Donald Trump's assertions of generosity toward charities." Fahrenthold found that Trump's charitable giving had not always matched his public statements. He also broke perhaps the biggest scoop of the campaign, revealing Trump had been captured on videotape making crude remarks about women and bragging about kissing and grabbing them without their permission. The Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, a longtime Republican, took the commentary prize for a series of critical pieces about Trump during the real estate magnate's successful run for the White House. The New York Times staff won the international reporting prize for articles on Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to project Russia's power abroad, a particularly pertinent story given U.S. intelligence conclusions that Putin's government actively tried to influence the U.S. election in Trump's favor. The Times revealed "techniques that included assassination, online harassment and the planting of incriminating evidence on opponents," the judges said. Reuters was a finalist in the national reporting and breaking news photography categories. Photographer Jonathan Bachman was recognized for his image of a woman being detained by police during a protest in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In national reporting, the Reuters team of Renee Dudley, Steve Stecklow, Alexandra Harney, Irene Jay Liu, Koh Gui Qing, James Pomfret and Ju-min Park was recognized for their series Cheat Sheet, documenting how the business of college admissions and standardized testing has been corrupted. The 19-member Pulitzer board is made up of past winners and other distinguished journalists and academics. It chose the winners with the help of 102 jurors. More than 2,500 entries were submitted this year, competing for 21 prizes. Seven of the awards recognize fiction, drama, history, biographies, poetry, general nonfiction and music. Author Colson Whitehead won the fiction award for "The Underground Railroad," a work the judges said "combines the violence of slavery and the drama of escape in a myth that speaks to contemporary America." The Pulitzers began in 1917 after a bequest from newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
A host of hardy microbes may be living miles beneath the ocean floor, new research suggests.

Complex chemical compounds found in the rocks spewed from oceanic mud volcanoes suggest microbial life-forms may be dwelling some 32,800 feet (10,000 meters) beneath the seafloor. Though scientists have not yet found a smoking gun proving that life exists in these subterranean depths, similar chemical compounds have been found in other places where hardy microbes cling to life.

"Although we cannot pinpoint the exact origin of the organic matter, chemical analysis of the constituents resembles molecular signatures that could be produced by microbial life deep within or below the mud volcano," the researchers wrote in the study.

For more than two decades, scientists have known that life lurks beneath the Earth's crust. For instance, in 2010, scientists found microbes nearly 0.75 miles (1,391 m) beneath the planet's surface, in the mysterious gabbroic layer of Earth's crust, the deepest portion of the crust that lies above the oozing mantle. The mucky sediment in the ocean's crust may also teem with microbes that live in a thriving community, according to a 2013 study. Still other work has shown that microbes live in the watery portions of the Earth's mantle, which lies even deeper. The deeper that scientists have looked, the deeper life has seemed to go. [Photo Timeline: How the Earth Formed]

In the new study, which was published yesterday (April 10) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers ventured to the remote reaches of the South Chamorro Seamount, an underwater volcano close to the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean. The seamount is part of a vast string of ocean-buried volcanoes that span the 1,740-mile-long (2,800 kilometers) subduction zone from Tokyo to Guam, where the Pacific plate is diving beneath the Philippine Sea plate.

To search for possible life signs beneath the seafloor, the team sampled serpentinite taken from just beneath the ocean-floor surface. Serpentinite is a greenish rock that forms when mantle rock called olivine reacts with water, producing methane and gases that some microbes consume as food. The team estimated that the serpentinite came from more than 12.4 miles (20 km) deep. Other work has tied the presence of serpentine rocks to primitive microbes.

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The team found chemical traces that could have been associated with amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, although other organic processes can also produce these signatures, the researchers wrote in the paper. Other traces of organic matter with complicated chemical structures were also found, as well as tiny flecks of nickel-iron alloys that are often formed by primitive microbes in hydrothermal vent areas.

"We suggest, based on the similarities with molecular signatures of bacteria-derived biopolymers, that the organic matter may represent remnants of microbial life within or even below the mud volcanoes," the researchers wrote in the paper.

At this tectonically active part of the ocean, ocean water, oceanic crust, mantle and sediments are all churned and transported into a region in the mantle called the forearc mantle. From there, fluids may seep through fractures and fissures into the oceanic plate and mantle lying on top of it. This combination of fluid and rock may have provided the Goldilocks environment needed for microbes to thrive, the researchers explained.

Though it's not clear exactly how deep microbes could dwell (if there are any such microbes), the team did a rough calculation to estimate that limit. Past research showed that life can survive at temperatures as hot as 251 degrees Fahrenheit (122 degrees Celsius) and at pressures 10,000 times higher than atmospheric levels. Using a simple model for temperature and pressure, the team estimated that primitive microbes such as Archaea could dwell up to 32,800 feet (10,000 m) below the surface.

Originally published on Live Science.

Editor's Recommendations
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Democratic U.S. senator pressed Deutsche Bank <DBKGn.DE> on Wednesday to release information about issues including President Donald Trump's debt and any bank meetings with Trump administration officials, saying he had "great concern" about possible conflicts of interest.

"I write to you with great concern regarding conflicts of interest between Deutsche Bank and the President of the United States and how these conflicts may impact ongoing investigations and regulatory oversight of your institution," Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote in a letter addressed to the chief executive of Deutsche Bank USA, which he released to the public.

Van Hollen is a member of the Senate Banking Committee.

A spokeswoman for Deutsche Bank declined comment. White House officials did not respond to a request for comment.

Van Hollen's letter said prior financial disclosures listed two loans and two mortgages for which Deutsche Bank was the lender and Trump the borrower. Those loans amounted to about $340 million, with another $950 million extended to a venture in which Trump owns a 30 percent stake, he wrote.

The letter also noted that Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, holds a multimillion-dollar line of credit at Deutsche Bank.

Van Hollen asked for a response by May 12.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Tom Brown)
DENVER (Reuters) - The city of Denver will pay $1 million to the family of a teenage girl who police shot to death two years ago as she sat behind the wheel of a stolen car, both sides said on Wednesday.

Jessica Hernandez, 17, was killed in an alley in January 2015 after police said she tried to run over two officers who responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle in an east Denver neighborhood.

Autopsy results showed the girl died from "multiple gunshot wounds" to her heart and lungs.

Four other girls were in the car when the officers fired into the vehicle, police said.

The shooting sparked outrage in Denver's Latino community and protests. There were further demonstrations in June 2015 after the Denver district attorney declined to file charges against the officers who opened fire.

The agreement announced on Wednesday headed off a potential lawsuit, city officials said in a statement.

"Resolving this case early avoids protracted litigation that would have been costly and divisive and, hopefully, will be a significant step in moving forward as a community," Denver City Attorney Kristin Bronson said in the statement.

The shooting prompted the Denver Police Department (DPD) to revamp its policy on use of force, Police Chief Robert White said in the statement.

While the two officers who shot Hernandez were complying with policies in place at the time, White said, that did not "negate the pain felt by all involved."

"This incident was the catalyst for DPD's review of nearly a decade of records and data on officer involved shootings that resulted in the new policy on shooting into moving vehicles," he said.

The city also agreed to expand its outreach to the Hispanic and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities. Jessica Hernandez identified as gay.

"We are hopeful that these changes can help make sure no family goes through what we have and that Jessie's death was not in vain," the Hernandez family said in a statement.

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Police also agreed not to release criminal histories of people shot by its officers unless it relates to the specific incident.

After the Hernandez shooting, police said the teen had been charged weeks earlier in a neighboring county with a number of charges unrelated to the Denver incident.

The settlement is expected to be approved by the city council next week.

(Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Dan Whitcomb and Jonathan Oatis)
Among his critics, talk of impeachment began long before President Donald Trump even took office.

But impeachment demands escalated yet again this week, after Trump defended people who associate with white supremacist groups and said both sides were to blame for the violence in Charlottesville, Va., that left an anti-racism protester dead on Saturday.

While some Democrats have been raising questions about impeachment for months, party leaders have approached the subject with caution. But Trumps remarks on Charlottesville led more Democratic representatives to call for his removal.

POTUS is showing signs of erratic behavior and mental instability that place the country in grave danger, California Rep. Jackie Speier tweeted. Time to invoke the 25th Amendment.

My Republican friends, I implore you to work with us within our capacity as elected officials to remove this man as our commander-in-chief and help us move forward from this dark period in our nations history, Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore said.

In September, a law professor argued that lawsuits against Trump University had already laid the groundwork for an impeachment case. A history professor who has accurately predicted every presidential election since 1984 has said Trumps impeachment is imminent. Calls for impeachment grew stronger in May, after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey and linked the decision to the FBI investigation into possible collusion between Trump associates and Russia.

The process of impeaching an American president, much less removing them from office, is quite challenging, as can be seen from the impeachment of President Bill Clinton and the idle chatter of impeaching Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.

Heres a closer look at how hard the process actually is.

Impeachment talk would need to be taken seriously

Trumps unconventional political ascent and business background have raised a unique set of ethics questions, but talk of impeachment has been a common part of partisan rhetoric in the past.

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Bush and Obama both faced idle impeachment threats that never amounted to anything. People who now believe theres a serious case for impeaching Trump will have to overcome the reputation established by those who raise the specter of impeachment merely to demonstrate political opposition.

That makes it harder to separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak, to figure out whats really the substantive conduct and the substantive problem, said Michael Gerhardt, a constitutional law professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. We cant rely on political rhetoric to guide us because political rhetoric is so overheated.

Critics would need to settle on one argument

The Constitution states that a president can be impeached if convicted of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. Those looking to impeach Trump would need to show he has done something that falls into one of those categories  which requires more evidence.

While treason and bribery are defined by the Constitution and by federal law, high crimes and misdemeanors is a less specific charge. Gerhardt said the framers intended it to refer to political crimes, including abuses of power or other offenses against the United States. They dont have to be technically criminal things  things for which someone could go to prison  but they do have to reach a certain level of seriousness, he said.

Some of Trumps critics have argued that his business dealings are in violation of the Constitutions Emoluments Clause, which prohibits the President from accepting gifts from foreign leaders or governments. Others, including Waters, have argued that the ties between Russia and Trumps team are signs of wrongdoing. Christopher Peterson, a University of Utah law professor, maintains that the Trump University lawsuits provide grounds for impeachment and thinks theres already a fairly solid case to be made.

But for Trumps opponents to realistically pursue impeachment, they would likely need to focus on investigating one offense and making a specific, formal accusation of wrongdoing.

There would need to be more evidence

Right now, arguments for impeachment are resting on potentially flimsy claims. The critical thing that those congressmen will have to show is that hes done something that will qualify as treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors, Gerhardt said. Thats the threshold.

While there are mounting questions about potential coordination between Trumps campaign and Russian interests, no concrete conclusions have been reached.

So far there hasnt been a clear smoking gun, Peterson said.

I do think there are certain ways in which hes conducting himself in office that will come under scrutiny, said Gerhardt, who served on the transition team for Clintons Justice Department and later testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Clintons impeachment as a shared witness. To what end does that scrutiny end up producing any evidence or concern about how hes exercising power? He said its too early in Trumps presidency to know.

The House would need to decide there are grounds for impeachment

Impeachment proceedings begin in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers can introduce an impeachment resolution or a resolution authorizing an investigation into whether grounds for impeachment exist. If a House committee determines that there are grounds for impeachment, a resolution with a formal accusation of misconduct is presented to the full House for a vote.

In order to impeach a president, that resolution must pass the House by a simple majority. When the Presidents own party has control of Congress  as Republicans do now  thats a difficult bar to clear. If a vote were to take place today, when there are five vacancies in the House, all 193 Democrats and 23 Republicans would need to vote for impeachment in order for it to pass.

Impeachment is always difficult. Its designed to be difficult, Gerhardt said. Thats the nature of the process, the nature of the constitutional design.

Only two presidents in U.S. history have been impeached: Clinton in 1998 on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury, and Andrew Johnson in 1868 on charges of violating the Tenure of Office Act by firing the Secretary of War. Both Clinton and Johnson were Democrats who faced a Republican-controlled Congress, and both were still acquitted in the Senate because opponents failed to gather enough votes in the upper chamber. (Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached.)

The key committee chairs in the House of Representatives are reluctant to take on the President of their own party, Peterson said of Trumps situation. Whether or not they will act depends on how much political pressure is brought to bear on them.

The Senate would need to find the President guilty

In order to actually be removed from office, the President must then be convicted by a two-thirds vote in the Senate.

When the Presidents own party controls the chamber, thats unlikely to happen unless there is evidence of serious misconduct. Based on the current party makeup in the Senate, 19 Republicans would have to side with all 46 Democrats and two independents in order to remove Trump.

Even Clinton and Johnson, who faced chambers controlled by the opposing party, didnt provoke a consensus that strong. Both served out the remainder of their terms.

There would need to be public support for impeachment

Impeachment would probably need to be popular in order for Congress to act on it. Trumps approval ratings continue to be historically low for a new president, but its not yet clear how Americans would feel about impeachment. A survey released May 16 by the left-leaning Public Policy Polling found that more voters (48%) support impeaching Trump than oppose it (41%). In March, voters were split: 44% supported impeachment, while 45% opposed it.

An impeachment trial could backfire. During Clintons impeachment proceedings, public opinion of Republicans fell, while Democrats and Clinton experienced a surge. When asked whether they wanted Clinton or the GOP to have more influence over the nation, Americans were evenly split between the two in September 1998, according to a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll. But by the time Clinton was impeached in December of that year, the gap had widened significantly. While 60% said they wanted Clinton to have more influence, just 31% said the same for the GOP.

The proceedings also had the unintended effect of sending Clintons approval ratings to an all-time high.
By Steve Barnes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (Reuters) - A surgeon told a federal court in Arkansas on Wednesday that a sedative the state plans to use in its lethal injection mix is not suitable for surgery and should be prohibited when Arkansas holds an unprecedented series of executions later this month.

Arkansas plans to kill eight prisoners in dual executions over 11 days from April 17, although a federal judge has halted one execution. Death penalty opponents have said the rushed schedule is reckless and increases the chance of errors.

The European Union on Wednesday called on Arkansas to commute the death sentences.

The convicted murderers scheduled to die have asked U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker in Little Rock to halt their executions, saying the state's rush to the death chamber was unconstitutional. Baker set a Thursday deadline for evidence.

Lawyers for Arkansas, which has not had an execution in 12 years, have told the court that the drug in question, midazolam, has been used in executions in other states and its lethal injection protocols pass constitutional muster.

Jonathan Groner, a professor at Ohio State University's medical school and a specialist in pediatrics and trauma, testified that he has never used midazolam as the primary anesthetic in thousands of operations he has performed.

"It would be malpractice for me to do an appendectomy using midazolam as an anesthetic," he said. He was a witness for the inmates and on cross examination said he was a death penalty opponent.

When the number of executions was rising in the late 1990s, several states held double and even triple executions on the same day, including Arkansas.

At that time, a powerful sedative was part of the mix but since then, major pharmaceutical companies have banned sales to states for executions. This caused a scramble for new mixes, including combinations with midazolam, which has been used in flawed executions in states including Oklahoma and Arizona where witnesses said inmates writhed in pain on death chamber gurneys.

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Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, set the schedule, saying the state's midazolam supply expires at the end of April and it was in the interest of justice to hold as many executions as possible while Arkansas has the difficult-to-obtain drug.

Separately, Ohio has asked the entire U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to re-consider a decision last week from a three-judge panel from that court blocking the state's lethal injection process, the attorney general's office said.

(Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek in Brussels and Kim Palkmer in Cleveland; Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Matthew Lewis, Toni Reinhold)
After a month-long series of video teasers, the most powerful series production American muscle car in history is ready to impress its public.

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is so potent that it is essentially a collection of automotive superlatives with a wide, Nitto street-legal drag radial tyre at each corner. It boasts a 6.2-litre Hemi V8 with a massive supercharger bolted to it. This lifts boost pressure to 14.5psi, and in doing so, sends a gigantic 840hp and 770 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Those figures alone make this the most powerful production V8 currently on the market.

However, that's just the start. That engine catapults the Demon from 0-60mph in a record-breaking 2.3 seconds. It can hit 30mph in 1 second and has been independently certified by the National Hot Rod Association as the fastest-ever production car over the quarter mile -- 9.65 seconds and a 140mph top speed in the process.

"With Demon, our goal was to build a car that would tattoo the Dodge logo into the subconscious of the general market, beyond even our loyal enthusiasts, said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars - Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA North America. "To do so, we had to set records that have never been set before, do more than has ever been done before, go beyond even the legendary Hellcat."

And that's not hyperbole. During development, it set a Guinness World Record as the first production car to pull a 2.92 feet wheelie on take-off. And to prevent mechanical meltdown, the Demon also uses a liquid-to-air intercooler to stop the engine and supercharger overheating.

Ir's also the first production car with a secondary cooling system that kicks in when the car has stopped, bringing the components in the supercharger and block down to safe operational temperatures in time for the next run.

Keeping all of this performance in check is a transmission brake. Rather than melt the disc brakes trying to hold revs before a race, the car can build up power in the engine while locking the transmission output shaft. So the power outputed by the engine doesn't go to the rear wheels.

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However, all of this performance comes at a cost -- to comfort at least.

Dodge has had to jettison all passenger seats, the soundproofing, carpeting, the stereo system and speaker system among other things, to cut the car's weight by 200lbs.

What's more, though it will still impress on standard pump gas, to get the very best out of the car's engine, it will need to be fuelled by 100+ unleaded high-octane fuel, which can be hard to come by.

Still, since Dodge knows some buyers will want to use the car beyond the track, each seat can be reinstalled as a $1 option.

The Demon is a single production year car and just 6000 examples are planned -- 3000 for the US and a further 3000 for Canada. First deliveries will begin in the fall.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)  A drug dealer who sold fentanyl to a woman who overdosed and immediately died was convicted Wednesday of second-degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

It's the first time in Rhode Island, since the opioid crisis began, that a drug dealer was convicted of murder for selling drugs that killed someone, according to the attorney general's office, which said it is also believed to be among just a handful of such cases nationally.

Aaron Andrade, 25, pleaded no contest to the charge Wednesday and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with an additional 20 years suspended with probation.

Prosecutors said Kristen Coutu, 29, thought she was buying heroin in February 2014, but that Andrade sold her the powerful drug fentanyl, instead.

Coutu had struggled with a heroin addiction for several years, and had come home from a month's stay in a rehab facility in Texas the previous night, according to her mother, Sue.

She bought $40 worth of what she thought was heroin, and injected it on the spot, prosecutor Jim Baum said. Coutu died immediately and was found in her car a few hours later.

Superior Court Judge Kristen Rodgers choked up during the hearing.

"Her death should not be in vain," Rodgers told the courtroom, adding that the sentence sends a message to drug dealers. "Their actions, putting dangerous drugs on the street, will result in a murder charge."

Coutu's mother said outside court that she didn't know if the sentence would make a difference in the opioid crisis, but she hoped it would.

"There is so much heroin and fentanyl that's flowing through the state and every state right now. It's hard to say if it will make a difference with just one person," she said. "I would think if you are a small-time drug dealer, you would think twice before selling again."

Asked if the sentence would set a precedent moving forward, Baum replied, "I certainly hope so. That's why we did it."

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The attorney general's office said getting a murder conviction in such a case is difficult, and there few other cases they could find of similar convictions nationally. A woman in Tennessee pleaded guilty in September to facilitation of second-degree murder for supplying the heroin that killed a man, and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

In the Rhode Island case, they had cellphone evidence and other evidence that linked Andrade to the address, he admitted selling drugs to Coutu, and other factors, Baum said.

Stacey Veroni, chief of the attorney general's criminal division, said that in 2016, there were 329 overdose deaths in Rhode Island, and 58 percent involved fentanyl, and that going after people who sell such drugs is a top priority for the office.

"These cases are very difficult to prove and link the dealers, but where we can, where law enforcement can, we will prosecute these cases," Veroni said.

Andrade apologized in court to Coutu's family, and to his own.

"The action that I did that day," he said, "I never meant to hurt nobody."
Relatively new federal guidelines intended to make the student loan repayment process more accurate and transparent have all been rescinded today by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVosa move that consumer advocates says removes accountability for debt collectors and loan servicers.

Last summer, the Department of Education, in consultation with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, released enhanced guidelines aimed at crafting the way in which the federal government contracts with outside companies to service federal student loans in order to ensure that borrowers get the service and protection they deserve.

But today, in a memo sent to the Federal Student Aid office, DeVos withdrew two pieces of guidance from 2016 that required the FSA to consider servicers past behavior when awarding contracts, including whether the company had misled or provided wrong information to borrowers or engaged in abusive consumer service.

In her letter [PDF], DeVos made vague claims that the previous administrations processes lacked consistent objectives.

The Secretary also called for the creation of a student loan servicing environment that provides the highest quality customer service and increases accountability and transparency for all borrowers, while also limiting the cost to taxpayers.

However, critics counter that DeVos decision will remove critical protections for student loan borrowers.

It is utterly baffling that Secretary DeVos would undo guidance that asks servicers to do the basic things that anyoneliterally anyonewould expect a loan servicer to do, like respond to questions and help people access repayment plans they have a legal right to use, said Suzanne Martindale, policy counsel for our colleagues at Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports. Todays move is very shortsighted and could lead to an even bleaker picture for student borrowers who are already struggling.

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Americans for Financial Reform condemned the Departments move, adding that rescinding the memos pushes servicing toward less accountability and worse customer service.

In order to have accountability, there must be real consequences when servicers violate the law, Alexis Goldstein, senior policy analyst for AFR, said in a statement. Secretarys DeVoss actions today moves us away from true accountability, and creates dangers for the very student loan borrowers the Department is responsible for protecting.

Concerns with student loan servicing have come to the forefront in recent months.

Last year, the Government Accountability Office found an immediate need for significant improvement to the way in which the DOE contracts with and monitors the performance of servicers that handle billing and other services for borrowers.

The GAO report [PDF] found, among other things, limitations in borrowers access to federal service call centers, the departments complaint tracking and other areas.

More recently, the CFPB sued Sallie Mae spin-off Navient, accusing the nations largest student loan company of allegedly cheating borrowers out of repayment rights.

The company recently provided an example of some of the issues consumer advocates see with student loan servicers, by explaining in a filing to the lawsuit that was under no obligation to actually help student loan borrowers.

Persis Yu, Director of the National Consumer Law Centers Student Loan Borrower Assistance Project, says its simply mind-boggling that the Department of Education would take away basic rights for borrowers, particularly after the Navient allegations. Todays action by Secretary DeVos could make it easier for the Department to hire servicers with a track record of harming borrowers.





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CAIRO (AP)  Outside of Cairo's St. Mark's Cathedral, the seat of the Coptic Orthodox Pope, a dozen high-ranking police officers are stationed on all entrances, searching cars and scanning the area, as security measures are visibly beefed up outside churches before Easter prayers on Sunday.

The usually festive occasion is tainted with fearful apprehension after twin bombings in the cities of Tanta and Alexandria killed 45 people this week at churches on Palm Sunday, which marks the start of the Coptic Christian Holy Week.

The increased security measures on display outside churches across the country are meant to restore a sense of security for Egypt's Copts amid a war on the embattled minority declared by the Islamist State group, which claimed Sunday's bombings. However, the enhanced security can do little against the effect of repeated attacks on Coptic churches in recent years.

"No security measure can stop a suicide bomber with jihadist beliefs from blowing up a church," Coptic engineer Emad Thomas told The Associated Press on Wednesday. However, he believes that Copts will still attend prayers on Sunday as they have continued to go to church despite earlier attacks. "Egypt's Copts put their trust in God and not in security measures," he said.

Egypt's Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday the identity of the Alexandria church bomber, saying that he belongs to the same terrorist cell that carried out the December bombing of a chapel adjacent to Egypt's main cathedral. The ministry identified the suicide bomber as Mahmoud Hassan Mubarak Abdallah, a 30-year-old worker at a petroleum company, and published his picture. It also published names and pictures of others identified as fugitive members of the same cell, offering LE100 thousand ($5,510) for leads on their whereabouts. The Health Ministry said six Muslims were among the dead in Alexandria.

Outside of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church in Cairo's central downtown area, a military tank is stationed with five soldiers on top  one of the more overt manifestations of President Abdel Fattah El-Sissi's declaration of a three-month state of emergency.

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In the southern city of Assiut, security barriers closed off an area of about 100-meters around large churches. A local security source told the AP that agents will be dispersed ahead of Sunday's prayers and a special unit will be formed at the security directorate to receive reports about suspicious individuals in the vicinity of churches. A military source said that troops have started patrolling the city and will be stationed across town before Sunday. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to brief the media.

In the neighboring city of Minya, home to the highest Coptic Christian population in the country, the Coptic Orthodox Diocese said that celebrations will only be limited to the liturgical prayers "without any festive manifestations," in mourning for Sunday's victims.

Peter Naggar, a Coptic lawyer, saw the enhanced security around churches as an effort to appease Copts, many of whom blame the state for failing to protect them. In the Tanta attack, the bomber was able to enter the church and reach the front rows before blowing himself up.

"The government should have taken these measures before the Coptic celebrations season and not after disaster struck," he said.

After claiming the December church bombing that killed 25 worshippers, the Islamic State group vowed in a statement circulated online to continue its war on Egypt's Copts.

The group continues to target security in the Sinai Peninsula almost daily while carrying out sporadic operations in mainland Egypt. According to SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks online activity of militants, the IS-affiliated Amaq news agency announced on Tuesday that the group has killed 172 soldiers in Sinai since the beginning of the year.

The latest church bombings deal another blow to Egypt's struggling tourism industry, which has suffered from political instability and a fragile security situation since the 2011 uprising. The U.S. issued a travel warning on Wednesday, advising its nationals in Egypt to stay away from places of worship for the next two weeks and to avoid crowds as long as they remain in the country.
Cairo (AFP) - For years, Egyptian Copt Michel Fahmy could hear a Muslim preacher invoking God's wrath on Christians in sermons blared over loudspeakers from a mosque near his home.

The radical message, he says, is a reason for jihadist attacks on his minority like the twin bombings of churches on Sunday that killed 45 people.

Sunday's attacks followed a December 11 suicide bombing in a Cairo church. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for all three.

"In mosques there are prayers to harm Christians," says Fahmy, referring to Friday prayer sermons in which some preachers lead congregations in imprecations against Islam's "enemies".

"They incite to violence, youths are being filled with hatred against us and acting on it," says the 50-year old who runs a souvenir shop in Cairo.

"It concerns us all. It leads to terrorism and to Christians being targeted," he adds.

The shock from the Palm Sunday attacks was palpable on the faces of Coptic passersby doing their Holy Week shopping, as they passed by the wooden crucifixes and statues of Christ and Mary lining Fahmy's store front.

"Society does not teach youths that Muslims and Copts are brothers and of the same nation, upbringing plays a big role" he says.

Some Copts point to the school system, where Muslims and Christians attend different religious classes.

"The problem starts at school where children are treated differently," says Lillian Anis, 23, who works in a clothing store.

"In school some refused to speak to me because I was a Christian," she adds.

Coptic Christians have also long complained of radical discourse in some mosques and on Islamic satellite channels.

-'Incitement everywhere'-

Several Coptic Christians told AFP they had heard similar messages in Friday sermons or on Islamic television channels.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has repeatedly urged Cairo's Al-Azhar, the prestigious Sunni Muslim institution, to "modernise religious discourse."

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Following Sunday's bombing, he said a committee would be formed to tackle the issue.

Many of the Islamic satellite channels in Egypt that broadcast criticisms of Christians had been closed after the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013.

The religious endowments ministry which oversees mosques has also cracked down on unlicensed preachers and mosques, and picks the weekly topic for Friday sermons nationwide, to ensure any potentially subversive political content is avoided.

Sectarian unrest in Egypt had increased since the 1970s when president Anwar Sadat was seen as empowering Islamists over his socialist opponents.

The violence usually revolved around rumours of Christian-Muslim love affairs or reports that Christians were building churches.

Jihadists have also targeted Christians before the recent bombings, with a suicide bomber blowing himself up outside a Coptic Church in Alexandria in 2011.

Some Islamist extremists look down on Christians as second-class citizens.

Law student Abram Anis says the extremists are "brainwashed by the religious incitement they hear against Christians everywhere."

The incitement intensified after Morsi's ouster, which led to a crackdown that killed hundreds of his supporters and unleashed a jihadist insurgency that has left hundreds of policemen and soldiers dead.

Morsi's overthrow was announced by then army chief Sisi, flanked by Coptic Pope Tawadros II and Muslim religious leaders and politicians.

The Islamists singled out the Christians for blame, and following the deadly dispersal of pro-Morsi camps in Cairo on August 14, 2013 attacked dozens of Coptic properties across the country.

Sunday's attacks brought home the dangers of the incitement to the Christian minority, which makes up about 10 percent of Egypt's 90 million people.

"I'm afraid for my daughter -- I can't stop worrying about it," says Hala Bushra, clasping the hand of her five-year-old.
Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's interior ministry said on Wednesday it had identified the suicide bomber behind a deadly attack at the weekend outside a church in the coastal city of Alexandria.

The ministry said Mahmud Hassan Mubarak Abdullah had carried out the attack outside Saint Mark's church in Alexandria on Palm Sunday that killed 17 people and was claimed by the Islamic State group.

It said he was born in 1986 in the southern province of Qena and had lived in the province of Suez on the Red Sea.

The ministry said it had determined his identity by comparing the DNA of remains found at the site of the bombing with the DNA of "runaway suspects".

Abdullah, who had worked for an oil company, was linked to a "terrorist" network, a cell from which carried out a previous bombing of a Cairo church in December that killed 29 people, the ministry said in a statement.

It said security forces were "pursuing efforts" to identify a second attacker who targeted another church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta hours earlier on Palm Sunday, killing 28 worshippers.

IS also claimed that attack.

Egypt's Coptic Church announced on Wednesday that it would cut back Easter celebrations to a simple mass after the bombings.

Parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a three-month state of emergency declared by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the aftermath of the attacks.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)  Rochelle Hamm's eyes fill with tears when she reads her terrified husband's last words  uttered as the cargo freighter El Faro went down in hurricane, taking the lives of Frank Hamm and 32 others.

"My feet are slipping! I'm goin' down!" he cries after the crew is ordered to abandon ship.

"I'M A GONER!" he shouts.

A few lines later, the transcript ends, along with the lives of Hamm and the captain who desperately sought to save him.

"It's difficult to read," Rochelle Hamm acknowledges. "But it helps me continue to build my list."

That list includes visits to Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, among many others  people in power who might join her campaign to make the maritime industry safer. "When this happened, my journey changed, and I knew that it couldn't happen again," the mother of five said, in her suburban Jacksonville, Florida, home. "I had to be focused."

She is pressing for what she calls Hamm Alert, a new safety system that would keep ships in port during major storms. An online petition has collected more than 11,000 signatures in support.

"This tragedy could have been prevented with more oversight of shipping companies, similar to air traffic controllers for planes, to stop companies from sending ships into dangerous weather," she said.

The El Faro went down on Oct. 1, 2015, as it sailed near San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. It was toting cargo from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its captain, Michael Davidson, piloted his 40-year-old ship into Hurricane Joaquin, the most powerful October storm since the 1800s to hit those waters.

Two days before the sinking Frank called Rochelle before he was out of phone range as the El Faro left Jacksonville on its way to Puerto Rico, as he always did. He usually followed up with an email each day until they reached the island. No email ever arrived, and Rochelle instead got a call from her husband's employer, TOTE Maritime, Inc., saying the ship had disappeared.

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Months passed until search crews found the wreckage nearly three miles down on the seafloor near the Bahamas. Still, the ship's voyage data recorder, or "black box," remained missing. After another try, searchers returned to the site last summer and miraculously recovered the recorder. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a 500-page transcript with the ship's final hours of bridge conversations recorded by six microphones embedded in the room.

In the transcript, jittery crewmembers openly question the captain's decision to try to outrun the storm, and work hard to save the ship and themselves even as their fate becomes clear.

At the end of the document, a helmsman identified as AB-1 by NTSB pleads for help from the ship's captain as the El Faro goes down; Rochelle Hamm recognized her husband immediately.

Each day, she is reminded of him by a green hard hat that washed ashore two months after he disappeared. The helmet, found by a couple cleaning trash off a Florida beach, has the word "FRANK" scrawled in black marker across the front and back in her husband's handwriting. The couple later connected with Rochelle, and gave her the hat.

She keeps the hat, still encrusted with sand and dried seaweed, in a bag near her bed.

The El Faro's captain chose to sail about 60 miles from Hurricane Joaquin's path. He based his decision at least partly on inaccurate weather forecasting data he'd received, but also refused to authorize requests from his crew to sail farther away, or turn around altogether.

Representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board and U.S. Coast Guard have met with Rochelle Hamm, and she says they have told her they will include her proposal for the Hamm ALERT in their recommendations when the agencies' investigative reports are released.

"One person should not decide the fate of others," she said. She said she's talked two of her children out of becoming merchant mariners, at least until the Hamm Alert system is in place.

"Stuff goes on out there on the water all the time and is never reported. It cannot happen again."

____

Follow Jason Dearen on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)  The story of the cargo ship El Faro's final hours was reconstructed using thousands of pages of public documents, hours of testimony before the U.S. Coast Guard's investigative board and interviews with crew family members and maritime experts.

The most important source material for the story was the final conversations of the crew. In December, the National Transportation Safety Board released data from the El Faro's voyage data recorder.

That small machine held more than 20 hours of audio captured by microphones embedded in the El Faro's bridge, where the captain and crew fought desperately to save the ship as it sank after losing propulsion while sailing through a Category 3 hurricane. All 33 aboard died.

The NTSB identified the speakers in the transcript only by their professional titles. In some cases, like the captain, determining the identity was easy. For others, like helmsman Frank Hamm, it was more difficult. Hamm was among a group of able-bodied seamen on the vessel, so The Associated Press relied on Hamm's family and clues in the transcript to identify him.

The testimony of officials from the ship's owner, TOTE Maritime Inc., and El Faro crew members who weren't on the ship's final journey was also an important source. Most testified before the Coast Guard Marine Board of Investigation over the past year in Jacksonville, Florida.

For example, whether Capt. Michael Davidson knew prior to setting sail that he had not been selected by TOTE to lead one of the company's new ships was discussed by multiple witnesses. Former El Faro chief mate Jamie Torres testified that Davidson knew he'd been passed over and was disappointed. The master of the El Faro's sister ship also testified that Davidson knew he'd not gotten the job and was unhappy about it.

Information about incorrect weather data sent to the ship came from executives of Applied Weather Technology, provider of the ship's Bon Voyage weather program. They testified the El Faro had received old storm data early on in the trip. Bon Voyage was the program Davidson usually used to track weather, and he refers to it in his comments in the recorder transcript.

Background information for crew members Danielle Randolph, Steve Shultz and Frank Hamm was provided by family members, posts by the crew members on their Facebook pages, transcripts of private interviews between family and NTSB investigators, and Coast Guard testimony. Davidson's widow did not respond to multiple requests for interviews from the AP.
(This April 11 story has been corrected in second paragraph to show overseas voting has finished) By Tuvan Gumrukcu ANKARA (Reuters) - Turks living overseas are turning out in greater numbers to vote in a referendum on changing the constitution to create an executive presidency, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday, a development that pollsters say could benefit him. Voters in Turkey will go to the polls on April 16 to decide on the referendum that would give Erdogan sweeping new powers. Voting for expatriate Turks began as early as late March in some countries and finished on Sunday. The referendum campaign has brought a rapid deterioration in relations with some of Turkey's European allies over the banning of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany on security grounds, something Erdogan has denounced as "Nazi-like" tactics. A high turnout abroad is likely to boost Erdogan, pollsters say, citing past elections, but at home it could hurt him as opposition voters traditionally make up a bigger proportion of those who tend to shun the polls on an election day. "There is an amazing explosion of votes abroad. Around 1.42 million votes have been cast," Erdogan said at a ceremony in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa, calling on his supporters to flood the ballot box with "yes" votes in the referendum. The figure Erdogan cited suggests a turnout of around 50 percent, based on the 2.88 million voters registered abroad in the last general election in November 2015, according to data from the High Electoral Board (YSK). In that election the turnout was around 40 percent among expatriates, with 56 percent of those votes being cast for the AK Party, which Erdogan founded more than a decade ago. Polls show a close race days before the referendum, putting the "yes" vote slightly ahead, but indicate that nearly half the country could reject the proposed constitutional changes. Foreign vote results will be announced once the actual referendum is held on Sunday. BITTERLY DIVIDED One polling company, Mak Danismanlik, seen as close to Erdogan, said initial exit polls from abroad showed the "yes" vote at 62 percent. It said the only country where the "no" vote had prevailed was the United States. It did not say how many people it had polled or where the research was conducted. Pollsters Gezici, whose research has tended to overestimate opposition support, forecast 82-83 percent voter participation domestically and a "yes" vote as high as 56 percent if the turnout is lower in Turkey. The referendum has polarized the nation of 79 million. Erdogan's opponents fear increasing authoritarianism from a leader they see as bent on eroding modern Turkey's democracy and secular foundations. Erdogan argues that the proposed strengthening of the presidency will avert instability associated with coalition governments, at a time when Turkey faces security threats from Islamist and Kurdish militants. It was not immediately clear what the turnout in specific countries was, but in the November 2015 election, around 40 percent of the Turks in Germany cast their votes while the figure was around 45 percent in the Netherlands. Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper said Turks living there had cast 696,863 votes for the referendum, bringing turnout in Germany to 48.73 percent. (Additional reporting by Ercan Gurses and Tulay Karadeniz in Ankara and Andrea Shalal in Berlin; Writing by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by David Dolan/Mark Heinrich)
Istanbul (AFP) - If there was a global contest for winning elections, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would see himself as the undisputed -- and undefeated -- heavyweight champion of the world.

In one-and-a-half decades since his ruling party came to power, Erdogan has taken part in 11 elections -- five legislative polls, two referenda, three local elections and a presidential vote -- and won them all.

On Sunday, Erdogan faces his twelfth and arguably biggest ballot box challenge since his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in 2002, in a referendum on expanding his powers.

His supporters see the new system as a historic change that will create efficient government. But for detractors, it is a dangerous step towards one-man rule in the NATO member and EU candidate state.

Fighting for votes in every corner of the country, Erdogan has kept up a punishing schedule of daily rallies seeking to woo doubters with his indefatigable campaigning.

Prowling around the stage with a wireless microphone like a rock star, Erdogan bellows at the crowds: "Do you want a strong Turkey?".

Known to his inner circle as "beyefendi" (sir) and to admirers as "reis" (the chief), Erdogan is supreme on stage, holding the audience in the palm of his hand with near-matchless public speaking skills.

- 'Balancing act' -

Yet while Erdogan is seen in Western media as a near omnipotent sultan, there are constraints to his rule, according to Asli Aydintasbas, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

"Erdogan has to continue to win votes in order to stay in power and campaign round the clock," she said.

In order to win the referendum Erdogan has to perform a "delicate balancing act" of winning votes from both Kurds and nationalists, she added.

Erdogan also comes to the referendum after the most turbulent year of his political life which saw a slew of terror attacks, worsening relations with Europe and above all the July 15 failed coup.

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He appeared on the FaceTime app on live TV to urge supporters to flood streets and defeat the coup, saying he escaped being killed by just 15 minutes before returning in triumph to Istanbul.

The president has courted ever more controversy as authorities jailed over 47,000 under a state of emergency which has lasted nine months so far.

There has even been talk of fissures within the ruling AKP and with his two other party co-founders -- former president Abdullah Gul and ex deputy prime minister Bulent Arinc -- both deafening in their silence by failing to endorse the new system.

- 'My crazy projects' -

If the new constitution is passed, Erdogan could stay in power until 2029, by which time the energetic president, 63, would be aged 75.

Erdogan appears determined to leave a legacy at least as significant as Turkey's modern founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk whose picture hangs next to his at rallies.

He has embarked on a hugely ambitious drive to modernise Turkey's infrastructure with a new bridge and two tunnels spanning the Bosphorus, high speed trains and the construction of a third airport for Istanbul, schemes he affectionately refers to as "my crazy projects".

But critics worrying of a creeping Islamisation of Turkey's officially secular society with a surge in mosque building, use of Islamic schools and the abolition of all restrictions on the headscarf in public life.

Born in Istanbul but brought up by the Black Sea, Erdogan is intensely proud of the humble origins from which he rose to be Turkey's most powerful politician since Ataturk.

He gained prominence in the nascent Islamic political movements that were starting to challenge secular domination, becoming a popular mayor of Istanbul in 1994.

He was jailed for four months for inciting religious hatred when he recited an Islamist poem, a term which only magnified his profile.

Founding the AKP after the previous Islamic party led by his mentor Necmettin Erbakan was banned, Erdogan spearheaded its 2002 landslide election victory and became premier less than six months later.

It was in these early days that the AKP, lacking allies, forged an alliance with the movement of US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen that would end with the sides becoming sworn enemies and Gulen blamed for masterminding the coup bid.

- Return to pragmatism? -

Protests in 2013 over plans to build a shopping mall on an Istanbul park provided a rallying cause for secular Turks but Erdogan came out fighting, famously slamming the protesters as "capulcu" ("hooligans").

In 2014 Erdogan was elected president in the first ever popular vote for the post and moved into a vast new presidential palace opponents denounced as a needless extravagance.

In June 2015 elections the AKP won the most votes but lost its overall majority for the first time. But Erdogan swatted away any proposal of a coalition and called new elections in November where the majority was restored.

Whatever the April 16 referendum's outcome, all eyes on April 17 will be turned to whether Erdogan softens the campaign rhetoric and adopts a more conciliatory stance, especially on the EU membership bid and the shattered peace process with Kurdish militants.

"He has been extremely pragmatic in the past, often when you least expect it," said Aydintasbas.
BRUSSELS (AP)  In a story April 12 about the European Union launching a probe of Hungary's education law, The Associated Press erroneously reported the location of a university founded by billionaire George Soros. They university is in Budapest, not Bucharest.

A corrected version of the story is below:

EU launches probe of Hungarian education law

The European Union's executive arm questioned Hungary's commitment to the bloc's fundamental values as it launched an investigation of a new law which is widely seen in Europe as targeting a Budapest university founded by billionaire George Soros

By RAF CASERT and PABLO GORONDI

Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP)  The European Union's executive arm questioned Hungary's commitment to the bloc's fundamental values Wednesday as it launched an investigation of a new law which is widely seen in Europe as targeting a Budapest university founded by billionaire George Soros.

EU Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans said the investigation of Hungary's amended higher education law would be completed "as soon as possible" and that the commission would consider possible next steps by the end of April.

The probe will look into whether the new law conflicts with EU rules and could apply to other European universities, Timmermans said. It would also examine whether it is compatible with EU principles on the free movement of services and respects the bloc's rules governing the admission of researchers from outside Europe.

The action illustrates the EU's growing frustration with the seven-year rule of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who increasingly has pursued policies that fly in the face of EU ideals.

"Where do you want to be in this European Union?" asked Timmermans, confounded by Orban's signature at a summit two weeks ago on a pledge to work for a united EU and promotion since then of a national voter questionnaire with the motto "Let's Stop Brussels."

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"What the heck is going on?" Timmermans asked.

In response, Hungary's government said the EU Commission was motivated by Hungary's anti-migrant positions, including its court challenge to an EU plan to resettle asylum-seekers among the 28 members of the bloc.

Hungary has built fences on its southern borders to stop the flow of migrants and new rules allow all asylum-seekers older than 14 to be held in border container camps until their asylum petitions are decided.

"Mr. Timmermans' every word is proof that Hungary is again under attack regarding migration," government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told reporters.

"We are ready for negotiations, but regarding migration, Hungary won't make changes to its positions," Kovacs said.

Orban has long planned to transform Hungary into an "illiberal state" where majority rule trumps minority rights and national policies trump adherence to EU standards in some areas. The plight of the Soros-founded Central European University has come to crystalize the debate.

Orban views the New York-based Soros as a political antithesis pushing globalism contrary to Hungary's cherished local values. The Hungarian leader also accuses Soros of trying to illegitimately influence his government and Hungary's politics through support of non-governmental organizations such as Transparency International.

The law sets new conditions for foreign universities in Hungary, some of which seem aimed specifically at CEU. It requires universities in Hungary also to have a campus in their home countries. While CEU is accredited in Hungary and in New York state, it does not have a U.S. campus.

"Central European University has been a pearl in the crown of Central Europe in forming a new generation of European leaders that see East and West as geographical denominations, not moral or political denominations," Timmermans said.

Timmermans said there also were "serious doubts" on the Commission about the compatibility of Hungary's recently tightened asylum laws with EU norms. He also mentioned the discrimination of Roma children in education and the protection of pregnant working women as areas where Hungary had failed to respond to EU concerns.

___

Gorondi reported from Budapest. Lorne Cook contributed from Brussels.
Brussels (AFP) - The European Union on Wednesday urged the US state of Arkansas to spare the lives of seven men all scheduled to go to the death chamber over a few days later this month.

Arkansas Republican Governor Asa Hutchinson sparked intense controversy when he announced the planned executions which he said had to be brought together because of shortages of a drug used in lethal injections.

In a statement, the EU's external affairs arm said the planned April 17-27 executions would break a de-facto death penalty moratorium in effect since November 2005 in Arkansas.

"Arkansas would also become the first State in the US to conduct seven executions over an 11-day period since the resumption of the use of the death penalty in 1977 in the United States," it said.

The 28-nation EU "opposes capital punishment, which fails to act as a deterrent to crime, represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity and cannot be justified under any circumstances," it said.

It noted that 19 of the 50 US states did not impose the death penalty, and that the number of executions has fallen steadily, hitting its lowest level in 2016.

"The executions in Arkansas, if carried out as planned, would be a serious setback in this overall development," it said.

"We therefore call on the Governor of Arkansas to commute the sentences" on the seven, it said.

An eighth man due to die last week won a stay of execution and the EU statement also called for his sentence to be commuted.

Use of the death penalty has fallen in recent years partly because procuring deadly drugs that meet constitutional standards has become more difficult.
Brussels (AFP) - EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini will make her first official visit to Russia this month, with relations strained to breaking point by the Ukraine conflict and the war in Syria.

She will also visit China and India next week, her office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Most attention is likely to focus on her trip to Moscow on April 24, with ties in deep freeze over its support for pro-Russian rebels fighting an insurgency in eastern Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Adding to tensions, the European Union is pushing for a political solution in Syria without President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow's long-time ally.

The announcement of the trip comes just as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to confront Russia over its support for the Assad regime.

Mogherini will also meet Lavrov to "discuss the most pressing foreign policy issues, in particular the conflict in Syria", the statement from her office said.

They will also discuss the situation in Libya, the Middle East peace process, Iran, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as EU-Russia ties.

Mogherini took office in 2014 with a reputation of being sympathetic to Russia when she was Italian foreign minister and said repeatedly she wanted to visit Moscow.

She tried to stabilise relations with Moscow, arguing that Russia was a huge neighbour that the EU had to learn to live with, but the deepening Ukraine crisis prevented any accommodation.

Mogherini will visit China on April 19 to chair the EU-China Strategic Dialogue with top Chinese foreign policy official Yang Jiechi in preparation for an EU-China summit later in Brussels, a statement said.

They will discuss global challenges, such as climate change, as well as regional and security issues, it said.

In India on April 21, Mogherini will hold similar talks with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Mogherini has led efforts to give the EU a high profile voice on the international stage as a major security player, with the bloc looking to a post-Brexit future.
Beirut (AFP) - A deal to evacuate four besieged Syrian towns began on Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people had been expected to leave government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani on Wednesday, but sources told AFP that evacuations were likely to start at dawn the following day.

The exit of civilians and fighters from the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.

An AFP photographer in government-held Aleppo city saw 12 prisoners released by the opposition, nine of whom appeared to be suffering injuries, arriving along with eight bodies.

Syrian state news agency SANA said the four children and eight women had been transferred with the bodies of "eight martyrs" from "terrorist groups in Idlib province".

It said the exchange of prisoners marked the start of the "implementation of the first phase of the agreement".

SANA said that "19 militants" were transferred from Fuaa and Kafraya at the same time.

A source in the jihadist Tahrir al-Sham alliance confirmed the exchange.

Fuaa and Kafraya are government-held Shiite-majority villages in the otherwise rebel-controlled province of Idlib.

Madaya and Zabadani are opposition enclaves surrounded by regime forces in Damascus province.

The exchange marks the beginning of the implementation of the deal to evacuate the four towns, as well as part of the Yarmuk Palestinian camp in southern Damascus.

Negotiators and residents said buses had entered Madaya and Zabadani on Wednesday morning, but that people were heading back home after hearing of the delay.

"The implementation of the four towns agreement has been delayed until Thursday morning," government negotiator Hassan Sharaf told AFP, without specifying a reason.

- 'Back home' after delay -

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Another government coordinator for the negotiations, Mohammad Taqiddin, earlier said vehicles had yet to arrive at Fuaa and Kafraya, and blamed rebel groups for delaying the agreement.

"The entry of buses into Zabadani and Madaya was a goodwill gesture from the government but they will not leave without a simultaneous exit of the Fuaa and Kafraya convoy," Taqiddin said.

Madaya resident Amjad al-Maleh said he had not eaten since Tuesday "because the trip (to Idlib) takes about 20 hours and the buses don't stop" for restroom breaks.

"I'm back home now and I'll try to sleep. The deal has been delayed until tomorrow morning but I don't think it will happen before Sunday," Maleh told AFP.

More than 30,000 people are expected to be evacuated under the deal, which was postponed after objections from both sides and tensions following a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in Idlib province.

All 16,000 residents of Fuaa and Kafraya are expected to leave, heading to government-held Aleppo, the coastal province of Latakia or Damascus.

Civilian residents of Madaya and Zabadani will reportedly be allowed to remain if they choose. Those who leave, along with rebels, will head to opposition territory in Idlib.

The four towns are part of an existing agreement reached in 2015 that requires aid deliveries and evacuations to be carried out to all areas simultaneously.

But access has been limited, with food and medical shortages causing malnutrition, illness and even death among besieged residents.

The UN says 4.72 million Syrians are in so-called hard-to-reach areas, including 600,000 people under siege, mostly by the Syrian army, but also by rebels or the Islamic State group.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
By Will Dunham WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists have identified the oldest-known forerunner of the dinosaurs and are expressing surprise at how little it actually resembled one. Researchers on Wednesday described fossils of a long-necked, four-legged, meat-eating reptile called Teleocrater rhadinus that reached up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and prowled a Tanzanian floodplain roughly 245 million years ago. It lived during the Triassic Period millions of years before the first dinosaurs. Scientists called it a close cousin rather than a direct dinosaur ancestor. Its appearance differed from what scientists had expected from the earliest representatives of the dinosaur evolutionary lineage. Teleocrater possessed an unexpected combination of crocodile-like and dinosaur-like characteristics. "I'm surprised by the mosaic of features that it possesses," said paleontologist Ken Angielczyk of the Field Museum in Chicago, one of the researchers in the study published in the journal Nature. "In terms of how it shakes up our understanding of dinosaur evolution, Teleocrater shows that the earliest members of the dinosaur lineage were very unlike dinosaurs, and that many 'typical' features of dinosaurs accumulated in a step-wise fashion instead of all evolving at close to the same time." Dinosaurs belong to a larger group called archosaurs that about 250 million years ago cleaved into two branches: crocodilians in one and another that includes dinosaurs, extinct flying reptiles called pterosaurs, and birds, which evolved from feathered dinosaurs. Teleocrater is the oldest-known member of the dinosaur-pterosaur-bird archosaur branch. Scientists had expected such a dinosaur forerunner to be a smallish, two-legged predator resembling early dinosaurs such as Herrerasaurus, which lived about 231 million years ago in Argentina. While dinosaur predators were bipedal, Teleocrater instead was four-legged, looking superficially like a modern Komodo dragon. Virginia Tech paleontologist Sterling Nesbitt, the study's lead author, said fossils representing at least four individuals were found in southern Tanzania, representing about half the skeleton. Much like a croc and unlike a dinosaur, Teleocrater's ankle joints could rotate from side to side as well as flexing up and down, providing a crocodile-like gait. It also boasted telltale dinosaur features such as characteristic depressions for jaw muscle attachment on the roof of the skull, extra surfaces for the backbones to attach to one another, and distinctive hip muscle attachments on the thigh bone. Teleocrater's remains were found in the same Tanzanian region as fossils of the two-legged meat-eater Nyasasaurus, which lived perhaps a couple of million years later. Some scientists regard Nyasasaurus as the earliest-known dinosaur. (Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI secured a court order in 2016 to secretly surveil the communications of Carter Page, a foreign policy adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, as the agency investigates possible ties between the campaign and Russia, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Citing law enforcement and other U.S. officials the Post reported that the warrant for Page was obtained last summer by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. (http://wapo.st/2p3L6xi)

The judge was convinced there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of Russia, the Post said.

Page has denied in media interviews that he worked with the Russians to influence the election.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

In a statement to Reuters on Tuesday, Page said the court order was evidence that the administration of former President Barack Obama wanted to "suppress dissidents" who opposed its foreign policy.

"It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time ...," he said.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters, which could not independently confirm the Post story. The White House and FBI declined to comment.

The FBI and congressional committees are investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump's favor, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives' emails and releasing embarrassing information, or possibly by colluding with Trump associates.

Russia denies the allegations, which Trump also dismisses.

(Writing by Eric Beech; Additional reporting by Nathan Layne; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
(WASHINGTON) - Last August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then Donald Trumps campaign chairman.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party - and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the countrys former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledgers authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by The Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manaforts name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manaforts firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trumps campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manaforts work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russias government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trumps unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP on Tuesday, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.

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Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his clients preferred financial institutions and instructions.

On Wednesday, Manaforts spokesman Jason Maloni provided an additional statement to the AP, saying that Manafort received all of his payments via wire transfers conducted through the international banking system.

Mr. Manaforts work in Ukraine was totally open and appropriate, and wire transfers for international work are perfectly legal, Maloni said.

He noted that Manafort had never been paid in cash. Instead, he said Manaforts exclusive use of wire transfers for payment undermines the descriptions of the ledger last year given by Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities and a lawmaker that the ledger detailed cash payments.

Previously, Manafort and Maloni have maintained the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manaforts financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manaforts financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manaforts work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which The New York Times revealed that Manaforts name appeared in the Ukraine ledger - although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money - and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraines pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Also Wednesday, one of the Washington lobbying firms involved in that covert campaign, the Podesta Group Inc., formally registered with the Justice Department under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. In doing so, it acknowledged that its work at the time could have principally benefited the Ukrainian government. The firm, run by the brother of Hillary Clinton presidential campaign chairman John Podesta, reported being paid more than $1.2 million for its efforts. It cited unspecified information brought to light in recent months and conversations with Justice Department employees as the reason for its decision.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovych, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manaforts work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manaforts namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard 7-year retention period. He said Tuesday the computer sales contract is a fraud.

The signature is not mine, and I didnt sell computers, he said in a statement. What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manaforts former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice - $750,000- and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manaforts account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Virginia.

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manaforts receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

In an interview with the AP, Leshchenko contended that Yanukovych, as Ukraines leader, paid Manafort money that came from his governments budget and was stolen from Ukrainian citizens. He said: Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovych. Its about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account, he said.

On Wednesday, Maloni accused Leshchenko of changing his story, saying Leshchenko had previously said the ledger detailed cash payments but now said that wire transfers support his allegations.

Maloni said Leshchenkos allegations were politically motivated because Manafort once supported an opposing political party.

There is absolutely nothing improper with this method of payment and there is no basis to give any credibility to the current Leshchenko allegations to the contrary, Maloni said.

As the AP reported last month, U.S. authorities have been looking into Manaforts financial transactions in Cyprus. The records of Manaforts Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraines main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
New York (AFP) - Members of blues-rock powerhouse Fleetwood Mac on Tuesday announced a new album that will bring together all of the band's classic lineup -- except Stevie Nicks.

Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said the album would be the first by a duo of him and keyboardist Christine McVie, who rejoined Fleetwood Mac for a 2014-15 global tour after staying out of the spotlight for years.

Entitled simply "Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie," the 10-track album will come out on June 9 followed by a US tour. The duo will release a first single, "In My World," on Friday.

The duo in a statement said that the two started working on new material when McVie joined rehearsals for the tour and "their natural creative chemistry was reignited."

Recording the album at the Los Angeles studio where Fleetwood Mac made its 1979 album "Tusk," the pair was joined by two band mates -- drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.

Notably absent from the recording sessions was Stevie Nicks, who has gone on to become the most identifiable member of Fleetwood Mac with a successful solo career led by her unique sandy voice.

Buckingham, in a 2014 interview with Billboard magazine, had said that Nicks was busy with other commitments when the others headed to the studio.

The part-British, part-US band was notorious for internal tensions which played out in the music. Nicks was romantically involved at times with Buckingham and Fleetwood, while Christine McVie was formerly married to John McVie.

Fleetwood Mac has not released a studio album since 2003's "Say You Will," on which Christine McVie was absent, but the reunited lineup with Nicks has become a major draw on the live circuit.

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles will headline a new festival called The Classic in Los Angeles and New York in July.
PARIS (AP)  With a bleed-the-rich video game and suggestions of a "Frexit," French far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon is rattling financial markets by rising in polls just 11 days before the country's presidential vote.

Melenchon's surge is the latest surprise in a roller-coaster campaign that's being closely watched around Europe and has featured a strong dose of anti-establishment populism.

Most polling agencies still show that centrist Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen are leading ahead of the April 23 first round presidential vote, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the May 7 presidential runoff. Yet Melenchon, once a distant fifth, has risen in recent polls to roughly third, about even with conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon.

Melenchon's sharp-tongued wit and eloquent anti-capitalist rhetoric during the two presidential debates helped boost his standing among an electorate frustrated with France's traditional left and right parties, which have failed to create jobs or pull the country out of its economic stagnation.

Promising to heavily tax the rich and renegotiate France's role in the EU and trade pacts, Melenchon is also giving financial markets a new reason to worry. A possible French departure from the EU  a "Frexit"  would be devastating to the bloc.

Investors are growing more cautious ahead of the presidential election in the eurozone's second-biggest economy. The difference between the 10-year bond yields of France and Germany has risen to its widest in six weeks, as investors flock to the perceived safety of German debt.

"With the growing threat of Euroskeptic parties destabilizing the eurozone's unity weighing heavily on sentiment, the euro may be in store for further punishment," Lukman Otunuga of FXTM said Wednesday.

Melenchon, 65, is an unlikely iconoclast. He spent decades in mainstream politics, serving in a Socialist government and in parliament. He now leads a far-left alliance that includes the Communist Party.

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Yet Melenchon tapped into the populist zeitgeist  and the social media revolution  years ago.

An early Twitter user, he has mastered tweets targeting the world of finance. His YouTube channel - started for the 2012 presidential campaign, where he finished fourth  has garnered 21 million views. He's using holograms to broadcast election rallies to multiple cities at once.

And his campaign has generated new attention in recent days thanks to a goofy online game called Fiscal Kombat created by his supporters. The player  represented by a rudimentary caricature of Melenchon  grabs leading politicians and shakes them until money falls from their pockets. The money, presumably stolen from the masses, can then be used to build a more egalitarian economy.

His anti-EU, anti-globalization rhetoric echoes that of Marine Le Pen, his rival on the far right. But on immigration and Islam  key campaign issues  Melenchon is staking out the opposite ground from Le Pen.

At a Mediterranean Sea rally on Sunday, Melenchon held a moment of silence for the thousands of migrants killed trying to cross the sea in hopes of a better life in Europe.

"Listen - it's the silence of death," he told the crowd. "It is up to us to say that emigration is always forced exile, a suffering."

Calling himself the "candidate of peace," he's lobbying to quit NATO and denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's retaliatory missile strikes in Syria as a "criminal, irresponsible act." He's also campaigning hard for renewable energy  and wants French voters to eat more quinoa.

Thanks to his poll surge, Melenchon's rivals are increasingly attacking him instead of each other, saying he'd lead the economy to collapse.

At a rally Wednesday in Lille, Melenchon shot back at his three main rivals, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, independent centrist Emmanuel Macron  who share the top spot in most polls  and conservative Francois Fillon.

"If you elect those three, you'll be spitting blood," Melenchon told a full house.

Macron, an economy minister who bailed out of his job in the Socialist government, said at a rally in Paul, in southwest France, that only he can unify the nation. "We are the only binding force today for the country because we are the only ones who don't want to break it up."

Some fellow leftists are frustrated that Melenchon and Socialist presidential candidate Benoit Hamon didn't join forces; together they enjoy more poll support than anyone else.

Melenchon's rise is also worrying French President Francois Hollande, a moderate Socialist who's so unpopular that he is not running for re-election.

"This campaign smells bad," Hollande is quoted as saying in an interview being published Thursday in Le Point magazine, warning of the danger of "Melenchon-style" irresponsible populism.

While clearly enjoying the attention, Melenchon is also playing it down.

"I'm doing the work that needs to be done," he told reporters. "It's the voters who will decide."
By Adrian Croft and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS (Reuters) - Polls showed France's presidential election campaign tightening further on Wednesday as financial markets fretted about the rising popularity of a far-left candidate who wants to put France's European Union membership to a vote. Investors have long been anxious about election frontrunner Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, who has promised a referendum on whether to quit the EU and ditch the euro. (For election graphic clicl here: http://tmsnrt.rs/2lPduBG) She has been joined on the list of investors' concerns by far-left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon, who has surged in the polls after strong performances in two candidates' debates. The Communist-backed Melenchon also wants a referendum on EU membership after an attempt to renegotiate the EU treaties. The latest Ifop-Fiducial poll on Wednesday showed Le Pen winning 23.5 percent in the April 23 first round, one point ahead of centrist Emmanuel Macron. Both Le Pen and Macron's support dipped by half a point from Tuesday while conservative Francois Fillon was stable on 19 percent and Melenchon unchanged on 18.5 percent. The top two candidates go through to a run-off on May 7, where polls say Macron would easily beat Le Pen. Traders cited the French election, as well as U.S. relations with Syria and North Korea, as reasons why investors switched to safe assets, such as gold or U.S. Treasuries, on Wednesday. "Risk sentiment is not strong at the moment because of tensions in North Korea and also risk of a ... rising Melenchon," said Nomura currency strategist Yujiro Goto in London. GERMAN FORAY Concern about a Le Pen victory, which would put further pressure on the EU after Britain's decision to leave the bloc, led to an unusual foray into French politics by Germany, France's traditional partner at the heart of the EU. "We need a pro-European France," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said in Berlin. "I hope Le Pen does not become French president," he added. Outgoing Socialist President Francois Hollande is also concerned about Melenchon's rising popularity, according to Le Monde newspaper, and this has fed speculation he could endorse Macron as the best hope to win rather than official Socialist candidate Benoit Hamon, who is doing poorly in the polls. In an interview with Le Point magazine published on Wednesday, Hollande kept silent about his choice, saying he would endorse a candidate before the second round of the election. But he spoke highly of the decision by Macron, a former economy minister in his government, to launch a new party, saying "I think politics needs renewal" and he spoke out against demagoguery. "There is a danger in simplifications and falsifications which make people look at the ... speaker rather than the content of what he is saying," he said. Hollande, an unpopular president who did not seek a second term, said ruling parties should not hold primary elections in future, because it was impossible to be president and candidate at the same time. The conservative Le Figaro newspaper called Melenchon "the French Chavez", alleging in a front-page story that his plans were inspired by the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. Melenchon mocked his new notoriety in a blog on his website. "They announce that my winning the election would bring nuclear winter, a plague of frogs, Red Army tanks and the landing of the Venezuelans," he said. (Additional reporting by Gernot Heller in Berlin, Dion Rabouin in New York, Ritvik Carvalho and Jemima Kelly in London)
Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot seems to have it all - good looks, a fantastic personality and a wonderful family to boot. It seems like the actress is nothing short of perfect, and a recent video uploaded on to her Instagram only proves this idea.

Gadot posted a short video for National Pet Day featuring her dog. In the adorable snap, Gadot has a big smile on her face as she cuddles her pooch.

READ: Gal Gadot reveals what makes Wonder Woman a feminist icon

Its clear Gadot has a heart of gold, so much so that the love in her heart extends even to animals. Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins is of the same idea.

Jenkins told Empire that she has always wanted to direct Wonder Woman, so when they cast the role, she was initially apprehensive. The filmmaker let out a huge sigh of relief when she discovered the role went to Gadot.

Oh my God, they couldn't have found anybody better in the whole wide world. Just look at Gal Gadot when she smiles or when she meets somebody and shakes their hand. That is the embodiment of Wonder Woman. She is so beautiful and powerful, but kind and generous and thoughtful. She's just an amazing person, she gushed.

Jenkins also has equally nice things to say about the heroine Gadot portrays on the big screen. She believes in the character so much that she said Wonder Woman is the best fighter in the DC universe.

Shes not the only character who has a strong moral compass and a belief system, of course, but what I like about her is that that is her mission, Jenkins explained to the L.A. Times. Her mission is a belief of mankind and what they can be. I feel like there are a lot of superheroes who are chosen or find themselves in these positions. Shes one of the very few who believes in goodness and kindness and justice and love, who comes to our world hoping to instill that in other people, but is willing to use force if thats what she must do, to keep mankind safe.

Wonder Woman will be released on June 2.

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Gal Gadot

Photo: Getty Images/Kevin Winter

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Hyundais stand-alone Genesis luxury brand launched with two sedans, but in todays SUV-obsessed world, no brand, luxury or otherwise, can live on sedans alone. So you can probably guess whats coming next from Genesis. Enter this GV80 concept.

It has been reported that todays nascent Genesis brand will grow by 2020 from two models to six. Two of those six will be SUVs: a mid-size luxury SUV (think BMW X5) and an entry-level luxury SUV (a la X3). This GV80, a flashy utility vehicle that in concept form has a hint of the Bentley Bentayga, previews the former.

Thats no coincidence. Mere months before launching the Genesis brand in November 2015, Hyundai snatched Bentley chief designer Luc Donckerwolke from the British luxury-car maker, where he had led the Crewe team since 2012. Even more than CEO Manfred Fitzgerald, its Donckerwolke who must move Genesis past its growing pains and give the brand an identity. While the G80 and G90 sedans are attractive, theyre at best generic and at worst a mishmash of familiar design cues, with no heritage to lean on as inspiration. Donckerwolke thinks the GV80 is the vehicle that could solve that conundrum.

It doesnt matter what powers the GV80 (in theory, its a hydrogen fuel-cell plug-in hybrid). Genesis wants to prove its capable of nailing the delicate balance of proportion, surface detail, and elegant materials using its own language. The line sweeping above the flush door handles doesnt simply end at the rear flanks, it hangs a U-turn, angles downward, and fades into the rear doors. Check out the unusually low cutline on the front fenderbelow the Volvo-like thin headlightswhich allows an uninterrupted, curved front fascia to seamlessly blend with the lower air intakes. The detail is just as stunning here as on the Bentley Continental, although the high-temperature forming process it requires would put Genesis way over budget, were told. Other details show Donckerwolke and his team bowing to restraint, as they went with a more squared-off, traditional roofline that should afford more interior space than in trendy SUV coupes. The 23-inch wheels have partly vented spokes that match the crosshatch patterns of the transparent B- and C-pillars (an idea pioneered by Volvo in 2001 with its Safety Car Concept, or SCC, that didnt go into production). Up front, the hood gently slopes into a V-shaped chrome grille with an elaborate diamond-patterned mesh. Slit taillights using laser-lit fiber optics echo the headlights.

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Inside, theres a leather-lined stitched dash, aluminum trim, and ash wood. The expected oversize infotainment and instrument-cluster screens are rendered as a single 22-inch-wide organic LED split between driver and passenger. The metal inlays on the center stack are touch capacitive; theyre shortcuts to access various infotainment functions and can be customized. Located at the edge of the armrest, a knurled metal wheel surrounds a glass touchpad that supports rotating, tapping, swiping, and pinching gestures. The center console extends to the rear seats, each of which features touch-capacitive infotainment controls. The GV80 interiorwhich has room for four and no morestrikes us as the Korean version of a long-wheelbase Range Rover SVAutobiography.

Genesis hasnt hinted any timeline for production, but this vehicleor certainly one like itis coming. When it does, expect the real GV80 to grow normal side-view mirrors, a third row, and other family-friendly features. And then a little sibling.
PALATKA, Fla.  Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., wearing shiny black cowboy boots and a suit, was prepared to defend his opposition to President Trumps health care overhaul to dozens of his conservative, Trump-backing constituents at a town hall Tuesday night.

But Yoho, a former large-animal veterinarian who towers above most of his constituents, found he didnt really have to.

The Freedom Caucus? Yes, Im a member of that, he answered one man who asked if he was planning to influence the health care debate going forward as a member of the conservative group. I think we wield a pretty big stick.

Trump has used his own influence to take aim squarely at the Freedom Caucus, using Twitter to urge his millions of followers to fight Democrats and the conservative group in the upcoming elections.

The new president was angry after the GOP plan to repeal and replace Obamacare failed to gain enough support for a vote. The Freedom Caucus approximately 40 members were among the loudest Republican critics of the bill, though about half eventually said they would vote for the legislation under pressure from Trump.

Yoho was one of the holdouts, refusing to buckle and support the plan.

Many of the people who came out to see Yoho at his town hall, in solidly red Putnam County, were ardent Trump supporters, but few blamed Yoho for opposing the unpopular bill.

I totally supported Congressman Yoho being against that health care bill, said Kalena, a local resident who declined to give her last name. It was crap.

Kalena didnt blame the president for the failure to repeal Obamacare, either.

I think [House Speaker] Paul Ryan convinced the president that we needed to move faster than we needed to, she said. I think thats probably the first time in Donald Trumps life that he was disappointed.

Ted ran on doing away with health care, and he felt that [the bill] was just a Band-Aid, said Fred Moulton, a local cattle rancher.

Rep. Ted Yoho speaking to constituents in Gainesville, Fla. (Photo: Liz Goodwin/Yahoo News)

The few constituents who wanted Yoho to get on board with the bill, like Moultons wife, Edic, were not angry enough about it to withdraw their support from the congressman. I supported Donald Trump on that because I feel when you become a politician, you have to compromise, she said. Edic Moulton remembered attending a Trump campaign rally in Jacksonville, Fla., and hearing the campaign play the song You Cant Always Get What You Want by the Rolling Stones. That resonated with me, she said. You dont always get what you want! Moulton wants Republicans in Congress to compromise on health care.

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Yoho assured his constituents that Obamacare was not going to stay in existence. He said he was unable to support a bill that would have raised premiums for older Americans and kept some of Obamacares taxes while not addressing the root problem of rising costs. Youre telling people were fixing health care? Give me a break, Yoho said.

The congressman was also careful to point out that it wasnt just his group that opposed the bill, underscoring the potentially tight spot he is in if Trump backs primary challengers to Freedom Caucus members. According to FiveThirtyEight, Trump dominated in Yohos district against a crowded Republican primary field that included home-state Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a conservative stalwart.

There were only 17 members of [the Freedom Caucus] that werent going to support it, but there was over 20 [Republicans] that were not going to support it that werent members of the Freedom Caucus, Yoho said. We got the blame for it.

In the days before the planned vote on the American Health Care Act, Yoho says his office received 3,480 calls, with just 214 callers asking him to vote for the GOP bill. The rest of his constituents  either from the right or the left  urged him to vote no.

Some people are mad we didnt support the president, but when you explain it to them.  They say, We stand with you on that, Yoho told reporters after the town hall.

He explained that he believed the new president had been misled into believing that later legislation would bring health care costs down. Yoho didnt believe those bills would ever pass. Indeed, he told the president he would wash the presidential limo in front of the White House if the GOP leaderships so-called third bucket of health care legislation passed.

Yoho told reporters hes pushing for a clean repeal of the Affordable Care Act with a deadline of Jan. 1, 2018, to replace it with as-yet undetermined legislation. Until they do, that its going to be a pitiful two years, he said.

Protesters gather in Gainesville, Fla. (Photo: Liz Goodwin/Yahoo News)

His opposition to the health care plan did not seemed to mollify any of his districts Trump critics, many of whom live in Gainesville, home of the University of Florida. On Monday night, hundreds of protesters showed up to his town hall at a middle school on the east side of Gainesville, yelling, No Yoho! and demanding he answer questions about his votes against certain environmental regulations, his push to defund Planned Parenthood, and his continued support for fully repealing Obamacare, among other issues.

I think he voted the right way for the wrong reasons, said Dahlonega Peck, a plant nursery worker who showed up to his Gainesville town hall to protest him.

At this very different, rowdy town hall, Yoho dropped to one knee on the stage to answer one young woman who said she found his rhetoric divisive, and was angry and frustrated about the state of the government.

I feel your angst, I feel your frustration, trust me, he said, as the attendees booed and jeered.

Yoho said he had supported Obama when he felt it was right and opposed Trump when it was right as well. I sat with President Trump, and he wanted me to support this bill and I says, I will not support this bill because it doesnt do what we said its going to do, Yoho said, still on one knee. The crowd continued to boo and shout, No Yoho!

If you dont like it, you could run against me, Yoho said. An attendee shouted, We will!

On Tuesday, Yoho still appeared upset at the amount of anger he saw the night before, even though just a handful of protesters showed up to the town hall in rural Palatka.

I went over to the Congo and Africas got 1.1 billion people on that continent; 650 million people in Africa dont have electricity, Yoho told the town hall attendees. Average income in the Congo is $1.47 a day. I think those people have every right to protest and be mad.

He added: We have the privilege and the right to protest in this country, but I hope we put things in perspective about what were protesting about.

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Two-thirds of the length of the Great Barrier Reef is suffering from bleaching, a condition likely to cause mass coral die-offs.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) announced yesterday (April 10) that 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) of reef have bleached in 2017, meaning the symbiotic (and often colorful) algae within the coral's tissues are expelled. The most severe impacts were seen on the middle third of the reef's length; the entire reef stretches for 1,430 miles (2,300 km) off northeastern Australia.

Bleaching doesn't necessarily kill corals outright, but leaves them crippled in their ability to get enough nutrients to survive. The algae within the corals, called zooxanthellae, provide the corals with crucial nutrients and help the corals remove waste. Without them, the corals are more vulnerable to disease. If the algae are unable to recolonize the corals, the corals are also vulnerable to starvation. [See Images of the Great Barrier Reef Through Time]

"This is the fourth time the Great Barrier Reef has bleached severely  in 1998, 2002, 2016 and now in 2017," James Kerry, a marine biologist with the ARC Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, said in a statement. "Bleached corals are not necessarily dead corals, but in the severe central region we anticipate high levels of coral loss."

Lost hope

Bleached corals are visible from the air near Cairns and Townsville in North Queensland. Ed Roberts

In 2016, aerial surveys conducted by the ARC Center of Excellence revealed the most severe bleaching on record at the time. That bleaching event was partially spurred by El Nino, which brings warm water to reefs. High temperatures are a major source of stress for corals, which respond by expelling their algae, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). During last year's bleaching event, scientists found some hope in that the lower two-thirds of the Great Barrier Reef had not been badly affected, and said that the bleached areas might bounce back.

"It's really just a matter of whether or not we get another bleaching event in the next 10 years that would impede recovery," Rebecca Albright, a marine biologist with the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C., told Live Science at the time.

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That second bleaching event has already arrived, and in a non-El Nino year, to boot.

"Mass bleaching events 12 months apart offer zero prospects of recovery for reefs that were damaged in 2016," Kerry said.

New damage

Whereas, the new damage to the reef is most severe in the middle third, in 2016, the northern end of the reef took the most damage, the ARC reported. Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which made landfall in Australia last month, worsened the situation by damaging a swath of reef 62 miles (100 km) wide.

But scientists are most concerned about the main culprit in reef bleaching events: global warming. Climate change not only heats up the oceans, it increases ocean acidification, another stressor for coral. Changes in ocean currents might affect reefs, as well, while altered precipitation patterns can influence runoff into vulnerable areas, according to NOAA.

Already, 80 percent of hard coral cover in the Caribbean is gone, a 2003 study in the journal Science reported. The Indo-Pacific, home to 75 percent of the world's reefs, lost approximately 1 percent of its coral each year over the past 20 years, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE. In the 1980s, the PLOS ONE study authors reported, coral cover in the Indo-Pacific averaged 42.5 percent, an average that dropped to 22.1 percent by 2003. Before-and-after pictures show the rapid pace of change globally.

Original article on Live Science.

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Athens (AFP) - Greece's parliament on Wednesday voted to open an investigation into alleged health scandals going back two decades, involving bribes and inflated prices for medical equipment and medicine.

A broad majority of 187 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament approved a government proposal to look into suspected mismanagement between 1997 and 2014.

"Everything must be investigated... to clear up whether the public interest was upheld," Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told the chamber.

The ruling left-wing government says that past socialist and conservative administrations for decades allowed health contractors to overcharge Greek hospitals for equipment, supplies and medicine in return for kickbacks.

"For years, public (funds) were pillaged, hurting social security funds and benefiting powerful interests," the PM said.

Wednesday's move came as Greek magistrates are stepping up an investigation into claims of widespread bribery by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis.

Greece's justice minister last week said Novartis had likely bribed "thousands" of doctors and civil servants to promote its products.

"National health service doctors and state officials were bribed to promote drugs in an illegal and anti-scientific manner," Kontonis said.

The Swiss pharmaceutical giant has also been investigated by American and Chinese authorities, and forced to pay millions of dollars (euros) in fines.

Tsipras said there are also questions over the 2014 takeover of one of Greece's top hospitals, which had previously been managed by the Hellenic Red Cross.
A group of nonprofit organizations sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday for not releasing details of visitor logs of the White House. Currently, the White House website page at which visitor logs were made available, says: "This page is being updated. It will post records of White House visitors on an ongoing basis, once they become available."

The lawsuit was filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the National Security Archive and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It accused the DHS of failing to disclose records of visits to the White House and to President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower residences. The complaint said that the Secret Service, a part of DHS, which maintains White House visitor logs, violated the law by not providing information for visitors to the White House, Trump Tower in Manhattan, and the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.

Read: Who All Influences The White House?

We hoped that the Trump administration would follow the precedent of the Obama administration and continue to release visitor logs, but unfortunately they have not, CREW Executive Director Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. Given the many issues we have already seen in this White House with conflicts of interest, outside influence, and potential ethics violations, transparency is more important than ever, so we had no choice but to sue."

Trump has hosted several world leaders at his Mar-a-Lago residence, the most recent one being the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

A similar litigation by CREW was made in 2009 against the administration of former President Barack Obama for not disclosing White House visitor logs. After the lawsuit, Obama's administration became the first to routinely release logs of White House visits. It eventually disclosed about 6 million visits at the White House complex, reports said.

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Conakry (AFP) - Guinea has seized a haul of shark fins and carcasses from Chinese ships fishing illegally off the coast of the west African country and fined the owners.

The seizure was part of a push launched in February to crack down on illegal fishing in West African waters, aided by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

"Three ships were boarded and searched, two for having shark fins on board," Demba Guisse, the director of Guinea's national fishing monitoring body, told AFP late Tuesday.

With its vessel "Esperanza", Greenpeace is working with local officials from six African countries to monitor the waters off their coasts.

Guinean inspectors discovered 30 bags of shark carcasses including a huge hammerhead -- an endangered species -- on one of the ships.

The two vessels with shark fins aboard -- some discovered on the roof or stashed between crates -- were each fined around $265,000, Greenpeace said.

Both are owned by Dalian Lian Run Pelagic Fishery Company Ltd, which Greenpeace said is one of China's largest distant water fishing outfits.

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing, with around 100 million killed each year, Greenpeace said.

Global conservation efforts are complicated by the high prices fetched by shark fins, considered a delicacy in Asia where they are served for special occasions like weddings and banquets.

Greenpeace and authorities from neighbouring Guinea Bissau last month stopped four ships for various infractions including the use of unauthorised equipment.

What we're seeing here is an utter lack of respect for West African fishing laws," said Greenpeace campaigner Ahmed Diame.

Illegal fishing in Guinea has risen sharply in recent years, with the hauls rising from 40,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 150,000 in 2015.

Most of the over 40 vessels currently licensed to operate in Guinean waters are Chinese-owned.
Paris (AFP) - Eleven days before the first round of France's presidential election, Communist-backed radical Jean-Luc Melenchon fended off criticism of his programme and 40 economists gave centrist Emmanuel Macron the nod.

Here's what happened in the campaign on Wednesday:

- Economists for Macron -

"We don't agree with all of his proposals but we consider that Emmanuel Macron's programme offers the soundest basis for the new economic growth that our country needs," 40 economists wrote in an open letter in Le Monde daily, endorsing the centrist.

The group praised Macron's plan to give bosses and staff more freedom to negotiate working hours, improve professional training and work with other EU members on a "New Deal" for the bloc.

Contrasting it with Marine Le Pen's protectionist platform, they warned the far-right leader "would cause historic regression for the French, particularly the poorest".

- 'A plague of frogs' -

Communist-backed radical Jean-Luc Melenchon, who has been gaining on frontrunners Le Pen and Macron after strong performances in two TV debates, hit back at critics of his plans for eye-popping tax and spending hikes.

"Once again my election victory is being announced like the onset of a nuclear winter, a plague of frogs, the Red Army's tanks and the landing of the Venezuelans," the 65-year-old leader of La France Insoumise (Unbowed France) wrote on his blog.

Melenchon wants to impose a 100-percent tax rate on top earners, increase public spending by 173 billion euros over five years and renegotiate key EU treaties.

In a rare foray into the campaign outgoing President Francois Hollande warned voters against being lured by Melenchon's showmanship.

"The caste which is screaming blue murder about me has forgotten it is supposed to be combatting Mrs Le Pen," Melenchon said.

- Sweating it out -

Conservative candidate Francois Fillon revealed his trick for fighting stress.

"Running and biking allows you to bring down your aggression levels a bit," said Fillon, who has come out swinging against a string of allegations of misusing public funds and being in the pocket of the rich.

On Monday, the 63-year-old ex-premier lashed out at a journalist who pressed him about new revelations involving his wife's suspected fake job as a parliamentary aide. "Go to hell," Fillon told the reporter.
Meet the ant species with a strict "no nestmate left behind" policy.

African Matabele ants regularly risk death and injury while hunting down termites. So when one ant is hurt in the pursuit of prey, its nestmates will carry it to safety, scientists found.

The rescue not only saves the fallen comrade but also helps the entire colony by keeping the population from dwindling, a German research team said in a new study in Science Advances.

SEE ALSO: Bed bugs were blood-sucking pests even 11,000 years ago

While common to nearly every Hollywood war movie, dramatic rescues are extremely rare among predators. Before this study, it wasn't known that insects even had this rescue reflex, said Erik Frank, a doctoral student University of Wurzburg and the study's co-author.

"We have observed helping behavior vis-a-vis injured animals for the first time in invertebrates," he said in a news release.

The Matabele ants (Megaponera analis) are common in areas south of the Sahara Desert. Two or four times a day, the ants march from their nests in long lines and raid termites at their foraging sites, killing and hauling their prey back home.

But termites don't go down easily. Soldier termites fight back, using their powerful jaws to fend off their attackers. They'll bite off an ant's leg or antenna if they can, or attach themselves to the ant and weigh it down. It's truly a fight to the death.

The German researchers found that when a Matabele ant is injured, it will "call" for help by excreting chemicals that alert its mates. The fellow ants scurry to the rescue and carry the wounded ant back to the safety of its nest, where it can recover.

A Matabele ant, handicapped by a clinging termite, is carried off by a foraging African stink ant (Paltothyreus tarsatus).

Image: Frank et al., Science Advances (2017)

Frank and his colleagues tested this rescue behavior on wild colonies of Matabele ants in the humid savannah woodland of the northern Ivory Coast.

In a series of experiments, they found that ant rescues brought combat mortality down to nearly 0 percent, at no perceived cost to the rescuer. Nearly all rescued ants participated in later termite invasions, sometimes within an hour of the injury. Without the rescues, however, nearly one-third of injured ants died on their way home  most were eaten by spiders.

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The German scientists said their experiments can help identify drivers of "selfless" evolutionary behaviors in animals.

Video credit: Frank et al., Science Advances (2017).

WATCH: Wasp versus huntsman spider
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  Hungary's Constitutional Court on Wednesday repealed a ban by a village led by a far-right mayor on the construction of mosques and headscarves like burkas and chadors worn by Muslim women.

The village also outlawed the activity of muezzins, and it prohibited any "propaganda" or activities promoting marriage not exclusively between a man and a woman or which failed to recognize marriage and the parent-child relationship as the bases for family ties.

The rules, whose constitutionality was challenged by Hungary's commissioner for fundamental rights, "aim to limit directly the freedom of conscience and religion, as well freedom of speech," the court said in its ruling.

The measures had been in place since November in the village of Asotthalom, on the Serbian border, led by Mayor Laszlo Toroczkai of the far-right Jobbik party.

Before Hungary built fences on its borders with Serbia and Croatia in late 2015, Asotthalom was a frequent point of entry into Hungary for migrants and refugees on their way to Western Europe.

Last year, Toroczkai said the ordinance was adopted to defend the village's "community and traditions" and linked it to a plan by the European Union to resettle asylum-seekers among the members of the 28-nation bloc. Hungary is challenging the EU plan at the European Court of Justice.
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarians protested in central Budapest on Wednesday against what they fear is a crackdown on free thought and education by government proposals to restrict foreign universities and non-government organisations. Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has advocated a self-styled "illiberal democracy", has said strong national governments were necessary to preserve the European way of life in the face of migration and multiculturalism -- at odds with liberal beliefs. Protesters filled the capital's Heroes' Square and formed a heart shape and the word 'CIVIL' from human bodies. It was the fourth major street demonstration in the last two weeks as the government faces growing resistance a year before elections are due. "They have pressed ahead since 2010 with new moves ever day that hurt democracy in some way," Robert Ferenczi, a 55 year-old protester from Budapest, told Reuters. "Lately they seem to have sped up that effort. I dont know how far they can go. I always think there is no way to up this ante, but they always do." The protest drew a big crowd despite an apparent reversal of one law that targeted Central European University, founded by Hungarian-American George Soros and widely seen as a bastion of liberal thought in central Europe. [L8N1HK1AK] It still leaves in place another bill, which would require non-governmental organisations with foreign donations of at least 7.2 million forints ($24,500) to register with authorities and declare themselves as foreign-funded. STIGMA NGO's have said the bill stigmatises them. "They should cooperate so we can solve real problems together," said Kriszti Kovacs, an activist with Bagazs, a group that works on the integration of Roma slums into mainstream society. "This hurts us, not by the data we have to publish because we already publish them, it hurts us through the ideology that it brings, the discrimination, the rejection of civil input, of undermining our operations, and trying to turn society against us, who work the most for it." Critics have said Orban's effort to stifle dissent is akin to a similar push by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, a country which Orban has said it wanted to emulate in Hungary. Orban's moves have enraged his critics but failed to dent his political dominance, with his Fidesz party a runaway leader in all polls and the fragmented opposition chasing from afar. The Hungarian leader, whose power over the media and the courts, as well as a growing dominance of people loyal to him in many business sectors, gives him a choke hold that is seen unlikely to be wrested form him next year. The government in a statement on Wednesday framed the NGO and the university issues in the context of migration, another area where Orban has locked horns with the West. "Pressure on Hungary has begun in order to induce the Hungarian government to surrender on the issue of migration," spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said in an emailed statement. "This is the common point in the views of the Soros organisations and the (European) Commission in Brussels. Hungary is ready for debates, but we are not going to yield an inch as far as the issue of immigration is concerned." ($1 = 294.0300 forints) (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP)  Tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated Wednesday in the Hungarian capital to oppose government policies that are seen as limiting academic freedom and intimidating civic groups.

After the rally officially ended at Heroes Square, a Budapest landmark, some protesters faced off with police officers blocking access to the nearby headquarters of Prime Minister Viktor Orban's Fidesz party. There were small scuffles when some pushed up against police lines.

By nightfall, thousands of protesters were at Parliament, chanting anti-government slogans.

Student Flora Fekete said she attended the rally because "I don't want the government to follow the Vladimir Putin model for Hungarian society."

Recent amendments to the country's higher education law have been viewed by many as an attack on Budapest-based Central European University, founded by Hungarian-born American financier George Soros in 1991.

Soros' vision of an open society contrasts strongly with Orban's conservative, anti-immigrant views, and Orban sees these groups as working against Hungarian interests.

CEU is registered in Hungary and New York state, but does not have a U.S. campus, one of the new conditions set in the law signed Monday.

Several large street protests have been held in the past two weeks in support of CEU, while hundreds of Hungarian and foreign academics and many universities have expressed their backing for the institution, which has over 1,400 students.

The U.S. State Department has urged the Hungarian government to suspend the law. Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said the law could not be suspended but that the government is open to holding talks on the issue.

"We are going to have talks with everyone," Kovacs said. "If the Soros university is driven by good intentions, it will be able to solve the problem."

The university said it has not been approached directly by authorities.

Story continues

"Exchanges in the press are no substitute for sustained direct contact on a confidential basis," the university said. "We look to the Hungarian government to initiate negotiations with CEU so that we can resolve this and go back to work."

The new law calls for a bilateral agreement between Hungary and the home countries of foreign universities from outside the European Union. Universities that fail to comply cannot enroll new students and must end operations by 2021.

Opposition parties are planning to appeal the law to the Constitutional Court.

Lawmakers will soon debate a proposal from Orban's ruling Fidesz party to force non-governmental groups that receive more than 7.2 million forints ($24,450) a year from abroad to register with authorities or face fines or termination.

"The government tolerates it less and less if someone thinks differently," Stefania Kapronczay, managing director of the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, said at the protest Wednesday.
Brussels (AFP) - IMF chief Christine Lagarde on Wednesday said Greece and its eurozone creditors have made progress on resolving its chronic debt problems but more needs to be done.

Greece last week accepted in principle a tough set of new reform and tax measures in return for fresh bailout cash to avert a possible debt default in July.

Officials now have to nail down the deal in Athens.

"We're not there yet but what I've seen in the last couple of weeks is (that we are) heading in the right direction," Lagarde told a seminar in Brussels.

"We are only half way through the discussion that needs to be had," she added.

Greece and its creditors agreed a third, 86-billion-euros bailout deal in July 2015 but the IMF refused to take part, as it had in the first two, on the grounds that the targets were unrealistic and Athens' debt mountain unsustainable.

The IMF can only lend if it is assured that it will be repaid and in this case, it said Greece's debt burden has to be reduced if it was ever to pay its way again.

Lagarde -- who was sharply criticised over the IMF commitment to Greece in the first two bailouts -- said the details of the latest eurozone accord now needed to be worked out and warned that "the devil is always in the details".

"Once that is done ... the debt sustainability of Greece will have to be discussed and we know that together with that, a debt restructuring will be needed," she said.

The scale of debt relief will be finalised at the end of the current bailout programme in 2018 but "the modalities ... have to be decided up-front," she added.

Germany, the EU's most powerful economy, has led opposition to any discussion of debt relief as long as Athens has not met all the terms of its rescue programmes.

At the same time, Berlin has pressed hard to get the IMF on board with the third bailout so as to make it more effective.
President Trump told Chinas President about the Syrian aistrike decision over chocolate cake, and its lighting up the internet.

In an interview on Fox Business Network on Wednesday, Trump told Maria Bartiromo that the world leaders were eating the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen when he notified President Xi Jinping that the airstrikes in Syria would start.

Trump added that President Xi was enjoying it, when Trump received the message from generals at this formal dinner he hosted at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Trump told Xi he approved of the airstrikes because Syrian president Bashar al-Assad had used chemical weapons against his own people.

The intersection of politics and food - two online obsessions - led to a predictable swarm of reactions.

See some of the reactions below.

Huffington Post has really being killing it with the headlines pic.twitter.com/f8Mn0uhU0m - Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) April 12, 2017

Trump gave the go ahead to smack Assad during a slice of chocolate cake. Say what you will but my president has got style. pic.twitter.com/FePIJPrLAf - David Butler (@slimthig69) April 12, 2017

Leave it to Trump to ruin cake, too. - R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) April 12, 2017

Ladies and Gentlemen, it39;s President Donald "Let Me Eat Cake" Trump: pic.twitter.com/88giwoEA1i - Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) April 12, 2017

In his most recent interview, Trump described a slice of cake with more passion and precision than he39;s ever brought to foreign policy. - John Iadarola (@johniadarola) April 12, 2017

"Let me eat cake." - Donald Trump, bombing wherever - rob delaney (@robdelaney) April 12, 2017

Donald Trump, Our Kid President, Struck Syria Over Chocolate Cake https://t.co/K9SuocinJE pic.twitter.com/KJ0sdGu2Vi - usapolitic2 (@usapolitic2) April 12, 2017

Trump gleefully recounts launching missiles at Syria from Mar-a-Lago while eating chocolate cake https://t.co/bLdOUwsiAk @AaronBlake pic.twitter.com/IlJ8xeXvlD - Drew Harwell (@drewharwell) April 12, 2017

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Iranian President Hassan Rouhanis re-election is in doubt thanks to an unassuming cleric who only recently entered the public spotlight. On April 9, Ebrahim Raisi, a longtime behind-the-scenes operative of the Islamic Republic closely associated with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared his candidacy in Irans May 19 presidential election.

Though he is the most likely consensus candidate of Irans array of principlists, the umbrella term for the countrys roughly dozen smaller hard-line political parties, he is neither charismatic nor widely recognized by the Iranian public, and unless there is mass vote-rigging, his chances of unseating Rouhani are next to nothing. But Rouhanis camp has reason to fear that Khameneis inner circle will resort to just such tactics. That would set the stage for a potentially explosive showdown over the future of the country.

Raisis rise in the ranks of the regime is purely the product of nepotism by the Islamic Republics clerical and security establishments. Despite a nearly four-decade record as a government official, Raisi is not known for any instances of administrative inventiveness or political distinction. His personal background, including his place of birth and the family he married into, served as his indispensable launching pad. His knack, demonstrated over decades, for steadfastly following his superiors most controversial orders propelled his rise.

For months, Raisis name has been mentioned as the likely next supreme leader. His sudden jump into the presidential fray only makes sense as part of a broader campaign by the hard-line anti-Rouhani camp in the Iranian political establishment to engineer a Raisi win in May and place him on the path for supreme leadership when Khamenei dies. But it is hardly a risk-free strategy. Raisis first major crisis could be the domestic upheaval produced by his own election.

Khameneis doppelganger

Though shorter and more austere-looking, Raisi bears a physical resemblance to the 77-year-old Khamenei. Their relationship, however, goes far deeper than that.

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Raisi was born in 1960 in a village near the Iranian holy Shiite city of Mashhad, where Khamenei himself comes from. Before the supreme leaders rise, there were relatively few Mashhadis at the top of the echelons of power in Tehran. Mashhad was notably not a major player in the 1979 revolution that brought the Islamists of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power.

After Khamenei became supreme leader in 1989, he set out to bring his hometown of Mashhad into the regimes fold. This was not only about favoritism but a concerted attempt by Khamenei to create a loyal and close-knit base in Mashhad to which he could turn for support. Raisi, who was in his early 30s during the first years of Khameneis rule, duly got on the older clerics bandwagon.

But Raisi wasnt just a Khamenei hanger-on; his rise through the ranks of the regime had begun a decade earlier. At the time that the Shah of Iran was toppled, Raisi was a seminarian in Qom, the countrys top religious educational city. Raisi was only 18. Raisi claims to have been one of 70 young seminarians from Qom chosen by senior figures in the new regime for a crash course in statecraft and management as the new post-shah Islamist system attempted to govern. (One of the clerics who gave classes to the hand-picked rising regime operatives was Ali Khamenei, making it the first time Raisi crossed paths with his future patron.)

At the age of 19, Raisi became a clerk at a local court in the city of Karaj, near Tehran. Many Iranian sources identify him as an interrogator and de facto judge who engaged in identifying and handing down sentences to political prisoners. At the age of 20, he became the chief prosecutor at the court in Karaj. At this stage, his personal life becomes intertwined with his political ascent.

Raisi married the daughter of Ayatollah Alam al-Hoda, another prominent regime figure from Mashhad. Hoda, a die-hard reactionary, was throughout the 1980s to the political right of Khamenei, the future supreme leader. When Khamenei became supreme leader in 1989 and set out to forge his own political base, however, the two figures became close allies. This relationship between Khamenei and Hoda, Raisis father-in-law, has been very helpful to Raisis career.

Over the years, Raisi has held various other posts  but almost all were tied to Irans judiciary branch, where he began his career. He has since 2013 served as the lead prosecutor for the Special Court of the Clergy, the office that punishes dissenting voices among Irans religious class.

In 2006, thanks to his loyalty, the path was opened for Raisi to become a member of the 86-man Assembly of Experts, a body of supposedly learned clerical minds and membership in which is a minimum requirement for any future supreme leader. Raisis relative youth  then only 46  and feeble theological credentials proved to be of no obstacle in his climb to the top.

His exact religious qualification is a sore point. For a while on his personal website, he would refer to himself as ayatollah. When Iranian media investigated and publicized his lack of formal religious education and ran stories casting doubt on his claimed credentials, Raisi balked. Today, he no longer claims to hold that rank and instead refers to himself as hojat-ol-eslam, a clerical rank lower than ayatollah in status and privilege.

An unsavory enforcer

The gaps in Raisis resume, however, matter far less than the fact that he clearly continues to enjoy Khameneis confidence. In March 2016, Khamenei appointed Raisi the custodian of Astan Qods Razavi, also referred to as the custodian of the Imam Reza shrine.

This is Irans most important shrine, which is visited by millions of pilgrims each year, making it an important source of financial revenue. Not only does Raisi now oversee one of Shiite Islams holiest sites, but with it comes a huge endowment. The Imam Reza charitable organization is worth unknown billions of dollars in assets and is a major economic player in Mashhad.

As custodian of the Imam Reza shrine, Raisi replaced Ayatollah Abbas Vaez Tabasi, a very close personal friend of Khamenei who died at the age of 80 after heading the shrine since the revolution. Raisis appointment as custodian sparked the first speculation in Iran about whether Khamenei was signaling that the mid-ranking cleric was his preferred choice to serve as his replacement after he dies.

What followed next seemed to confirm as much. There was a noticeable uptick in Raisis public and media appearances. The government seemed at pains to introduce him to the broader Iranian population, though his stern and scripted performances did little to earn any public affection.

In an event that was highly publicized by regime media, the top brass of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also went to Mashhad to pay Raisi an official visit. The IRGC is widely believed to be among the principal voices, if not the kingmaker, on the question of choosing the next supreme leader  the image of the top IRGC generals sitting at Raisis feet in Mashhad elevated his political profile even further.

But Raisis loyalty to the regime is a double-edged sword. In August 2016, new revelations cast his devotion to the Islamic Republic in a new light  and reminded Iranians of his role in a regime crackdown many would rather forget. A son of former Deputy Supreme Leader Hossein-Ali Montazeri  who subsequently fell out of favor with Khomeini and was removed as his deputy in 1989  released an audio file of a conversation that his father had with four judicial officials in 1988. In the conversations, Montazeri chastised them for the mass executions of political prisoners that happened that year. History will judge you as killers, Montazeri said.

One of those judicial officials, a young Ebrahim Raisi, was thus placed as a key player at the heart of one of the bloodiest actions taken by the Islamist regime. This association counts against Raisi both as a presidential candidate and surely also a would-be future supreme leader.

Why the risk?

It was in this context that Raisi declared his candidacy for the presidency on April 9. On paper, Rouhani or any other moderate candidate should be able to crush Raisi at the ballot box. While Rouhani has hardly made good on every pledge he made when he ran for office in 2013, Iranian voters have a proven track record of opting for the most moderate of candidates available if given an opportunity. Raisis lack of political experience and reputation as a regime enforcer will further dampen any public enthusiasm for him as a president or future supreme leader.

Raisis only sources of hope are his impeccable hard-line credentials and the trust he enjoys from Khamenei himself, which could appeal to the deeply fragmented hard-line camp. For Khamenei and his advisors, the question is whether Raisi can safely be parachuted into the presidential palace without inciting the sort of popular outrage and protest that accompanied Mahmoud Ahmadinejads disputed re-election in 2009.

Khameneis circle has presumably made the assessment that they can do so. Why else would they promote Raisi for an opportunity he is otherwise overwhelmingly likely to lose? A candidate Raisi who loses in the May elections would be far less likely to later take over as supreme leader. The perception of popular legitimacy matters, even for the Islamic Republics undemocratic offices.

The deep concern in the inner circle of President Rouhani must be that an amalgamation of officials from the Office of the Supreme Leader, the top brass of the IRGC, and other hard-line elements in the security and intelligence services are hellbent on parachuting Raisi into the presidency. Once he has served as president, Raisis chances to take over from the 77-year-old Khamenei will markedly increase.

However, even if this is the blueprint that Khamenei is operating from, it is hardly a risk-free endeavor. While Khamenei and his allies might be preparing to propel Raisi forward, they cannot predict nor control the counter-reaction that will surely come from the Rouhani camp and the wider public.

The stakes are high  and Rouhani shows no signs of backing down. The ground is fertile for an epic intra-regime fight in Tehran.

Photo credit: VAHID SALEMI/AP
By Jeffrey Heller JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A senior member of Israel's government welcomed on Wednesday White House spokesman Sean Spicer's apology for saying Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons, comments that overlooked the killing of millions of Jews in Nazi gas chambers. "Since he apologized and retracted his remarks, as far as (I) am concerned, the matter is over," Intelligence and Transport Minister Israel Katz said in a statement, citing the "tremendous importance of historical truth and remembrance" of the victims of the Holocaust. Spicer made the assertion at a daily news briefing, during a discussion about the April 4 chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed 87 people. Washington has blamed the attack on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said when asked about Russia's alliance with the Syrian government. The Nazis murdered six million Jews during World War Two. Many Jews as well as others were killed in gas chambers in European concentration camps. When a reporter asked Spicer if he wanted to clarify his comments, he said: "I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing." Later on Tuesday, Spicer apologized and said he should not have made that comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive." Spicer's assertion, made during the Jewish holiday of Passover, sparked instant outrage on social media and from some Holocaust memorial groups who accused him of minimizing Hitler's crimes. Katz, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, had tweeted late on Tuesday that Spicer's comments at the news briefing were "grave and outrageous", and he said the White House spokesman should apologize or resign. There was no immediate comment from other Israeli leaders, during a Passover holiday period when government business is largely at a standstill and many in the country are on vacation. It was not the first time the White House has had to answer questions about the Holocaust. Critics in January noted the administration's statement marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which omitted any mention of Jewish victims. At the time, Spicer defended that statement by saying it had been written in part by a Jewish staff member whose family members had survived the Holocaust. Despite these difficulties, relations between Trump administration and the Israeli government have been more cordial than under the Obama presidency, although differences remain over the scope of Israeli settlement-building. (Additional reporting by Ayesha Rascoe, Steve Holland and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Paris (AFP) - Five percent of Italian women, and four percent of Britons, admitted to drinking alcohol at least once or twice a week during pregnancy, researchers said Wednesday.

Only 0.1 percent of expectant women in Sweden -- along with 0.2 and 0.5 percent in Norway and France, respectively -- said they imbibed with the same frequency, according to a survey of nearly 8,000 women from 11 European countries.

Looking at women who knowingly drank at least one or two alcoholic beverages over the course of their pregnancies, the study showed that more than a quarter of Britons and Russians met that criterion.

Just over 18 percent of Italians drank at least once while carrying a child.

"Overall, one in six women reported use of alcohol after the pregnancy was recognised," Angela Lupattelli, a scientist at the University of Oslo who took part in the study, told AFP.

By that measure, the most abstemious nations were Norway, Sweden and Poland, where only four, seven and 10 percent of pregnant women said they had consumed any alcoholic beverages at all.

A bottle of beer, a glass or wine or a single shot of spirits counted as one drink.

Some of these trends should be of concern to national health officials, the researchers told AFP.

"This figure from Italy should solicit tailored campaigns and policies, and increase awareness about the risk posed by alcohol use in pregnancy," Lupattelli said.

In Russia, more than 26 percent of women said that had had indulged while pregnant. But more than 70 percent of them imbibed only once or twice, with another 24 percent tippling no more than one-to-four times per month.

- No defined safe minimum -

A wealth of research has shown that drinking during pregnancy can cause a range of lifelong physical, behavioural and intellectual disabilities.

"It is important to differentiate between regular drinking and occasional drinking in small amounts," said Lupattelli.

But at the same time, there is no defined safe minimum amount of alcohol that can be consumed.

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"We therefore recommend that all pregnant women should adhere to the guidelines for total abstinence during pregnancy," said lead researcher Hedvig Nordeng.

Surprisingly, women who admitted to imbibing while pregnant were more likely to be older, more highly educated, and employed.

The researchers speculated that these women might be more critical towards guidelines recommending total abstinence, or less exposed to campaigns than younger women.

Women carrying a child were also more likely to have been smokers up to the time of their pregnancy, the study found.

The other countries included in the study were Finland, Switzerland, Serbia, Croatia and Poland.

The findings were published earlier this year in the journal Women and Birth.
Just as North Korean state media reportedly signaled that it would launch a nuclear attack on the U.S. at the first sign of American aggression against the isolated nation, Japanese officials appeared to suggest the American military might do just that, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported, citing unnamed diplomatic sources.

Coming just days after the wrap-up of a meeting between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the formers Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, the report said that, absent pressure on North Korea from neighboring China, the U.S. would strike Pyongyang, something the newswires source said had become a realistic possibility.

Read: US Attack On North Korea Unlikely, Seoul Says

Trump himself did not do much to relieve the tension, tweeting Tuesday that North Korea is looking for trouble and that if China chose not to solve the North Korean problem, the U.S. would solve the problem without them!

His tweets might not have held much sway had he not ordered unilateral air strikes on a Syrian military airfield Thursday, a direct confrontation with the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and a response to the Syrian leaders use of chemical weapons against his own people. And the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un had received a note from Assad offering commiseration and affirming their relationship.

"The friendly two countries [Syria and North Korea] are conducting a war against big powers' wild ambition to subject all countries to their expansionist and dominationist policy and deprive them of their rights to self-determination," the message reportedly read.

Read: US Orders Aircraft Carrier Closer To Korean Peninsula

Despite a South Korean officials dismissal of the notion that a direct conflict between Washington and Pyongyang was imminent, movements by U.S. naval vessels appeared to give the opposite impression, when the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its associated group of warships abruptly headed toward the Korean Peninsula Sunday, abandoning a planned trip toward Australia.

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A spokesman for U.S. Pacific Command characterized the change of plans as a prudent measure to maintain readiness and presence in the Western Pacific, as the number one threat in the region continues to be North Korea, due to its reckless, irresponsible and destabilizing program of missile tests and pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability.

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In a tougher approach to handle illegal immigration prosecutions at the U.S.-Mexico border, Attorney General Jeff Sessions vowed Tuesday to confront the gangs and cartels afflicting the region. He toured the border and called for a series of changes that he said will mark the beginning of an era to free American cities and the border of "filth" brought by drug cartels and criminal organizations, reports said.

Read: Is President Trump Ready To Hire Foreign Workers?

Sessions met with law enforcement, members of the military and border agents in Arizona and discussed the new tougher approach to immigration prosecutions under President Donald Trump. When we talk about MS-13 and the cartels, what do we mean? We mean international criminal organizations that turn cities and suburbs into warzones, that rape and kill innocent civilians, and who profit by smuggling poison and other human beings across our borders, Sessions said. He added, according to reports, "It is here on this very sliver of landon this borderthat we take our stand. It is a direct threat to our legal system, peace and prosperity.

In his announcement to border officials and the press, Sessions directed federal prosecutors to speed up their efforts to stop harboring undocumented immigrants and document fraud related to migrant smuggling.

Sessions also praised Trump saying that under his administration, there has been a considerable decrease in border crossings. "This is a new era. This is the Trump era," he said. "The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws, and the catch and release practices of old are over."

Sessions said that the Department of Justice (DOJ) must do its part in enforcing the law, according to reports.

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Sessions answered just a few questions from reporters after he discussed about tougher approaches to handle undocumented immigrants at the border. He also said that the civil rights of the people  who are charged with criminal offences at the border  will be protected. Sessions defended the president's proposed border wall, reaffirming that it will help fight illegal immigration. He reportedly said: "The barrier, the wall, will have a great and positive impact and will continue our ability to follow through on a commitment to end the lawlessness."

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At least five people were killed Wednesday when a suicide bomber on foot struck near the Afghan defense ministry in Kabul, officials said, in an attack that was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Three other people were left wounded in the explosion, which occurred during afternoon rush hour when employees of the ministry were likely to go home.

"Most of the people killed and wounded were civilians, but we don't know the exact target," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP.

Islamic State group claimed the attack through its propaganda agency Amaq. It said the bomber had targeted a checkpoint outside the Afghan presidential palace.

IS, notorious for their brutal reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years. They are known to be comprised of disaffected Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, as well as Uzbek Islamists.

But the group has been steadily losing territory in the face of heavy pressure from both US air strikes and a ground offensives led by Afghan forces.

Islamic State's strength has now depleted to 600-700 fighters from 3,000 in early 2016, NATO has said, adding that it killed the top 12 IS commanders in Afghanistan last year.

The jihadists also claimed a deadly assault on Afghanistan's largest military hospital last month, but survivors who spoke to AFP said the attackers chanted "Long live Taliban" in Pashto.

Afghanistan is also bracing for a fierce Taliban offensive in the spring after the failure of repeated government attempts to launch peace negotiations.
Kansas has a Republican governor, an all-Republican congressional delegation and hasn't given its electoral votes to a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964. The GOP controls the state legislature by an 85-40 margin in the House and a 31-9 majority in the Senate. Donald Trump won the state by more than 20 percent of the vote in November's election and Mitt Romney won by the same margin in 2012.

Kansas is as deep red as anywhere in the country, but a special congressional election held there Tuesday is expected to be close, which could spell trouble for Republicans heading into next year's mid-term elections. It has also prompted national political figures, including President Trump, to support Republican state treasurer Ron Estes, whose race against Democrat Jim Thompson was supposed to be a cakewalk for the GOP.

Read: Transgender Bathroom Bill Introduced In Kansas: Lawmaker Wants Chromosomes To Determine Who Uses School Bathrooms

President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence recorded robocalls in support of Estes. On Monday, Sen. Tex Cruz of Texas stumped for the Republican state treasurer, who is running against a surging opponent in Thompson, a civil rights attorney and military veteran.

If the election was in two more weeks, Thompson might win, a Kansas Republican strategist told The Hill Monday. Thank God the election is tomorrow.

Tuesday's election might be viewed as the first major voter referendum of the Trump administration. Even if Thompson loses, as is expected, a close finish could indicate Republican support is waning as Trump's approval ratings rank among the lowest ever for a president so early in his first term.

But despite Republican dominance in Kansas politics, Sam Brownback, the state's Republican governor, is the second most unpopular in the country, which could complicate any broad conclusions about the national electorate if Thompson wins.

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However, another special election campaign in a historically red district has been giving Democrats hope that Tuesday's election could be the beginning of a trend. In Georgia's 6th Congressional District, 30-year-old Democratic candidate Jon Ossoff is leading a crowded field to replace Human Services Secretary Tom Price. Early voting has started in that election, which is pitting several Republican candidates against Ossoff. If no one gains 50 percent of the vote, then the top two vote-getters will face off on June 20.

Ossoff is benefiting from a crowded Republican field and millions in outside funding. If he can capture a seat that has remained red since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich won it in 1978, and Thompson can push Estes in Kansas, Democrats may feel justified momentum for the 2018 elections.

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A Kansas woman is accused of decapitating her ex-boyfriends mother as the womans young grandson ran away and called for help.

Rachael Hilyard, 35, is facing a first-degree murder charge in the death of 63-year-old Micki Davis, who was found decapitated in the garage of Hilyards home, a spokeswoman with the Wichita Police Department tells PEOPLE.

The spokeswoman says Davis and her 9-year-old grandson went to Hilyards Wichita home to pick up items belonging to her son - who had dated Hilyard - when an altercation erupted between the suspect and the victim.

Her 9-year-old grandson ... he ran away from the house and called the police while the physical attack was happening. He did not see his grandmas death, or the decapitation, the spokeswoman tells PEOPLE.

Rachael Hilyard

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He did see an altercation take place so he grabbed the grandmas cell phone, ran away from the house and called 911, the spokeswoman says.

Officers arrived to find Davis body in the garage and Hilyard allegedly hiding in the home, the spokesperson says.

Police do not know what was used to decapitate the woman, with the spokeswoman noting that the weapon was likely a sharp object, possibly a knife.

Hilyard is being held at the Sedgwick County Jail on $200,000 bail, jail records show. A Sedgwick County District Attorneys spokesperson says Hilyard has not yet entered a plea or retained an attorney.

Shes going to be incarcerated for the rest of her days. I hope she just sits in that jail and thinks about that. Hope it eats her alive, Davis nephew, Casey Wallace, told KAKE. And I hope Mickis at peace.

Wallace called the details of the killing gruesome, saying, Im just glad that little boy didnt see all that.

KAKE identified Davis son as Jacob Gillespie III, who is currently in jail on unrelated charges related to a March police chase.

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Jail records show that Gillespie is being held at the Sedgwick County Jail on several charges including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property, fleeing and eluding authorities and more.

He is being held on $25,000 bail, jail records show. It was not immediately clear if he has retained a lawyer or entered a plea.

This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com
Key events in the career of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a hard-line firebrand who has surprised Iran by filing paperwork to seek the presidency again in next month's election:

Oct. 28, 1956: Ahmadinejad born in the city of Aradan in Iran's Semnan province.

2003: Ahmadinejad becomes mayor of Tehran, Iran's capital and largest city.

2005: Ahmadinejad becomes Iran's president, issues a series of provocative statements against the U.S. and Israel.

2006-2010: The U.S. succeeds in getting four rounds of U.N. sanctions passed against Iran. They demand Tehran stop enriching uranium and exporting weapons, and they set banking, trade and travel restrictions.

2009: Obama takes office promising engagement with Iran. Months later, Ahmadinejad gets another term as president after a contested vote and a violent, postelection crackdown. The U.S. and Israel covertly sabotage Iran's nuclear program.

2011: U.S. and Iran support opposing sides in Syria's civil war. Tehran actively helps Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Washington slowly expands aid to the rebels.

2012: U.S. begins working with countries around the world to reduce oil purchases from Iran. A year later, Iran's exports drop by half, leaving its economy in tatters.

2012-2013: Several rounds of nuclear negotiations between Iran and world powers fail to make progress.

2013: Hassan Rouhani assumes the Iranian presidency, promising a new course of moderation.

2015: Iran reaches landmark nuclear agreement with world powers in which it curbs uranium enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief. The agreement goes into effect the following year.

September 2016: Amid suggestions Ahmadinejad may run again for the presidency, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recommends an unnamed candidate not seek office as it would bring about a "polarized situation" that would be "harmful for the county." Ahmadinejad announces he won't seek the presidency.

March 5, 2017: Ahmadinejad launches his own Twitter account, writing in English for his first post: "In the name of God Peace be upon all the freedom loving people of the world (hashtag)Imontwitter." He also begins posting candidate-style videos.

April 12, 2017: Ahmadinejad files to run for president again, shocking Iranians.
Why are 200 Express Scripts pharmacists and pharmacy techs losing their jobs in Trevose?

Automation and more efficient software, says the St. Louis-based pharmacy management and mail-order drug company, one of the nations largest.

Increased automation and the market adoption of electronic tools as well as the adoption of member digital tools ... have streamlined processing of our prescriptions, wrote Brian Henry, an Express Scripts Holding Co. spokesman.

Call centers in the Philippines and temp workers in Indiana, says the union representing about 180 of the workers.

We know for a fact that a trainer from Trevose went to the Philippines to train them. We know these workers are performing the same work, said Neal Manning, an SEIU Healthcare official.

Manning said employees at Express Scripts office in the Bucks County Technology Park on Street Road in Trevose in Bensalem Township make calls verifying prescriptions, checking eligibility, and contacting doctors, all under the direction of pharmacists. Top technicians earn $17.50 an hour, plus benefits.

Outraged by the closing, State Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R., Bucks) was hosting a gathering Wednesday of Express Script workers at his office in the Neshaminy Valley Commons on Bristol Road in Bensalem.

"When a multibillion-dollar corporation posting enormous profits shuts down a facility and puts hardworking Pennsylvanians out of work just to make even more money, thats greed," he said in a statement last month.

Henry had no comment on whether Express Scripts uses call centers in the Philippines.

Express Scripts' 2016 profit grew to $3.4 billion, up from $2.5 billion in 2015, even as revenue declined slightly to $100.3 billion in 2016 from $101.8 billion, the company reported.

Increased automation and call centers in the Philippines are both likely to be true, said Albert Wertheimer, a Temple University professor emeritus specializing in the pharmacy economics, now at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

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They like to tie people up, Wertheimer said, explaining that pharmacy benefit management companies such as Express Scripts strive to get individual patients, perhaps through their health insurers, to enroll and have their prescriptions refilled automatically and delivered by mail. That requires fewer workers at all points along the supply chain.

Also, he said, drug companies are increasingly turning to pharmacy benefit management companies to market their products. Benefit management companies know which doctors are prescribing what types of drugs and can call them to tout an alternative.

That work can be done from anywhere, including the Philippines, he said.

Jacqueline Dixon, 52, a mother of four who lives in Willingboro, says she thinks at least some of the work she's doing inputting prescriptions into the computer system will go to 150 temporary employees hired in Indiana.

"I'm devastated," she said. "I'm without a job after 13 years of service. We've been fighting to stay here. We've given concession after concession, but it's never enough."

Express Scripts has been cutting jobs in the region. It told the State of New Jersey that it would be laying off 66 workers in Franklin Lakes, effective April 21. It had previously laid off 200 workers in New Jersey in 2013 and 2014.

The company has been trimming its workforce in Lower Bucks County since 2010 when it and the union negotiated a bittersweet deal to save 400 jobs while negotiating severance for 500 workers. They included 350 at its Marshall Lane plant in Bensalem, which was shuttered, and 150 at the Street Road office. Since then, primarily through attrition, the number of employees has dwindled to about 220 from 400.

The companys lease on the 53,000-square-foot space is up at the end of June. Operations will end there on May 28.

About 50 workers at the Trevose office are being given the opportunity to work from home or at another site, Henry said. Express Scripts employs about 2,000 people statewide, with offices in Blue Bell, North Huntingdon, and Warrendale, he said.

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GRESHAM, Ore. (AP)  The Latest on the deaths of two young girls and their father (all times local):

1:50 p.m.

Authorities say two young girls taken from their Oregon home by their suicidal father were likely already dead when police shot at the man.

Police say the 42-year-old had threatened to harm the girls, ages 8 and 11, and set the car on fire as officers approached him in the city of Gresham, near Portland.

Police Sgt. John Rasmussen said Wednesday that "initial indications" show the girls were dead before the officers showed up.

Rasmussen says at least one officer shot at the man in the moments after he set the fire. He died at the scene, though it wasn't clear if he was hit by police gunfire or if he shot himself.

Autopsy results on all three are expected Thursday. Their names haven't been released.

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12:24 p.m.

Police say a suicidal Oregon man who had threatened to harm his two daughters lit his own car on fire when police approached him.

Gresham police Sgt. John Rasmussen says at least one officer shot at the 42-year-old man in the moments after he set the fire. The man died at the scene, though it wasn't clear if he was hit by the police bullet or if he shot himself.

Officers then found his two young daughters, aged 8 and 11, dead in the backseat of the vehicle.

Their cause of death wasn't immediately known. No names have been released.

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11:45 a.m.

Authorities have blocked off an area around an Oregon parking lot where a man was killed in a shootout with police and whose two young daughters were found dead in his backseat of his car.

Few details on the deaths were released. Police in the city of Gresham, east of Portland, didn't immediately return calls from The Associated Press.

Earlier Wednesday, police Sgt. John Rasmussen told reporters that the man's wife reported her husband was suicidal and he and their 8- and 11-year-old daughters were missing.

Police approached the man when they found his car in a gas station parking lot. Rasmussen said the man "engaged" with officers, and at least one officer fired.

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The man died at the scene, and the two girls were found in the car.

A mourner left candles and red roses.

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11 a.m.

An Oregon man and his two young daughters have died after police got word he was threatening the girls, leading to a shootout with officers.

Police Sgt. John Rasmussen of the city of Gresham says a Portland woman told authorities early Wednesday that her suicidal husband was missing along with their 8- and 11-year-old daughters.

Rasmussen says an officer spotted the man's SUV in a parking lot in Gresham, east of Portland. He says the officer got out of his patrol car, and that's when gunfire erupted.

Police say at least one officer fired. The girls were found dead in the backseat.

It wasn't immediately clear how or when the girls and their father died. Their identities haven't been released.
ST. LOUIS (AP)  The Latest on Sen. Claire McCaskill's town hall series in Missouri (all times local):

10 a.m.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill has been greeted by a standing ovation at a town hall meeting, a far cry from the hostile crowds many of her Republican colleagues in Congress have experienced since the November election.

An overwhelmingly supportive crowd of about 150 people turned out Wednesday for the Missouri senator's event in Hillsboro, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis. She plans seven other town hall meetings this week, all of them in counties Donald Trump carried easily in the presidential election.

There was no open microphone at the Hillsboro event. McCaskill read questions that were submitted in writing.

She drew applause for expressing support for Planned Parenthood. She called for a thorough investigation of potential Russian meddling in the election, but said it's too soon to talk about impeachment. And she urged colleagues on both sides of the aisle to "fix the problems of Obamacare."

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12:30 a.m.

In a year when congressional town hall meetings have often turned angry, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill is wading into predominantly Republican areas of Missouri to host a series of them this week.

McCaskill's first town hall will be Wednesday at Jefferson College in the eastern Missouri town of Hillsboro. She also plans to meet with constituents Wednesday in Sikeston and Fulton; on Thursday in Hannibal, St. Joseph and Parkville; and on Friday in Springfield and Rolla.

Some of McCaskill's Republican counterparts have heard from angry crowds of opponents of President Donald Trump's early agenda at town hall meetings. McCaskill says it is important for her to be accountable and allow constituents to share their criticisms and concerns.

McCaskill is in her second term and is up for re-election in 2018.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

8:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign legislation Thursday erasing an Obama-era rule that barred states from withholding federal family planning funds from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.

The rule was finalized shortly before Obama left office in January.

The legislation squeezed narrowly through the Senate last month after Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote.

It was passed using an obscure measure called the Congressional Review Act, which lets lawmakers undo regulations enacted in the last months of the Obama administration with just a majority vote.

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6:10 p.m.

The nation's largest business group is joining doctors, hospitals and insurers in asking President Donald Trump to preserve a key part of "Obamacare," as his predecessor's health care law is known.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been critical of many parts of the Obama-era law, signed on to a letter Wednesday that asks Trump to keep cost-sharing subsidies provided by the Affordable Care Act. Those subsidies, totaling an estimated $7 billion this year, help lower deductibles and copayments for people with modest incomes.

The letter  also signed by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, America's Health Insurance Plans and other groups  says the cost-sharing subsidies are critical for the stability of health insurance markets.

The subsidies are in legal limbo.

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6 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he had a "great meeting" with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Trump tweeted shortly after his joint news conference with Stoltenberg: "Great meeting w/ NATO Sec. Gen. We agreed on the importance of getting countries to pay their fair share & focus on the threat of terrorism."

Trump said during the news conference that NATO members must meet their financial obligations and pay what they owe if they are to continue benefiting from the military alliance.

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The two also reiterated their commitment to collaborating on missions in Afghanistan and Iraq to help the war-torn countries.

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5:05 p.m.

A former foreign policy adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump won't say who brought him on to the Republican's presidential campaign.

Carter Page is under scrutiny for his ties to Russia. The Washington Post has reported that the Justice Department obtained a secret warrant to monitor Page's communications last summer because it had reason to believe he was a Russian agent.

Page has refused to say how he got connected with the Trump campaign, saying the question is irrelevant.

In an interview with CNN, Page says he was not brought in by Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman whose possible Russia ties are also being scrutinized. Page says he has never met or spoken with Manafort.

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4:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he told Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) that "the way you're going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea."

Trump, who spoke with Xi Tuesday night, discussed the call at a joint press conference Wednesday with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg) of NATO.

Trump wants China's help to crack down on North Korea's nuclear program. He says if China does not help "we're just going to go it alone."

He adds that "going it alone means going it with lots of other nations."

According to a description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry, Xi told Trump that Beijing is willing to work on denuclearization but wants a peaceful solution.

Trump and Xi recently held talks in Florida.

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4:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is praising China for abstaining from a Western-backed United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Trump says at a news conference with the secretary-general of NATO that it was "wonderful" that China abstained and the U.S. was "honored by that vote."

Russia vetoed the resolution calling for a speedy investigation into the attack.

China usually sides with Russia in the Security Council, so the move to abstain represented a significant shift for Beijing.

It came after Trump met last week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) and the two spoke by phone Tuesday night.

Trump says he's "very impressed" with Xi, adding he thought he means well and wants to help.

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4:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says it's "certainly possible" though "probably unlikely" that Syria could have launched a recent chemical attack without Russia knowing about it.

Trump says he'd like to think the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't know, but says "certainly they could have."

He notes the Russians were operating on the Syrian air base from which the attack was launched last week. Russia is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the U.S. blames Assad for the chemical attack that killed scores of civilians. Trump launched a volley of missile strikes at the Syrian air base in response.

Trump says Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is looking into whether Russia knew about the attack ahead of time.

Trump commented at a White House news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg).

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4:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is "not getting along with Russia at all" and relations between the two global powers are at an "all-time low."

Trump says in a White House news conference that he's hopeful that he can improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin but "we're going to see what happens."

The president spoke alongside the secretary-general of NATO shortly after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Putin in Moscow. Tillerson told reporters the two countries have reached a "low point" in relations in the aftermath of a chemical attack in Syria.

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4:20 p.m.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that, thanks to NATO, "America has the best friends and best allies in the word."

Stoltenberg is touting NATO's benefits at a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had previously questioned NATO's relevance.

Stoltenberg says NATO provides crucial support to the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, as well as help training soldiers and intelligence sharing.

He says NATO has committed to do more in the global fight against terrorism and is committed to ensuring that defense costs are split more fairly.

He says both he and Trump agree that NATO is "a bedrock" of security for both Europe and the United States.

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4:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump has done an about-face on NATO, the military alliance he once dismissed as ineffective.

Trump says at a White House news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg) that the organization is "no longer obsolete."

As a candidate Trump said the 28-member organization had outlived its usefulness. Since taking office, he has expressed support for NATO but has reinforced his view that European members must meet a 2014 agreement for member countries to boost defense spending to 2 percent of GDP within a decade. Just the U.S. and a handful of other countries are meeting the target.

Trump says NATO countries will be more secure and the partnership strengthened if other countries pay their fair share and stop relying on the United States.

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1:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump is saying he may reshuffle some of his major domestic priorities.

After Republican leaders pulled their health care bill back from a House vote last month, Trump signaled that he was ready to move on to tax overhaul and other issues.

But on Wednesday, Trump said on Fox Business Network that he'd rather move health care first. That's despite an ongoing impasse between GOP hardliners and moderates.

"I have to do health care first," said Trump. "I want to do it first to really do it right."

Without spending cuts in the health care bill, it's much harder for Republicans to cut taxes without adding to federal deficits.

"The tax reform and the tax cuts are better if I can do health care first," Trump said.

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9:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump will welcome Argentina's president, Mauricio Macri, to the White House at the end of April.

The White House says the April 27 visit will give the leaders a chance to discuss ways to deepen the close partnership between the United States and Argentina.

Trade, security and the deteriorating situation in Venezuela are among the likely topics for discussion.

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8:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he's had "a very good call" with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) dealing with what Trump calls "the menace of North Korea."

Trump tweets that he spoke with Xi on Tuesday night.

And Trump says in an interview with Fox Business News that solving the standoff with North Korea isn't "as simple as people would think."

Trump says China's long history with North Korea complicates China's ability to crack down on the North's nuclear program.

Trump and Xi recently held talks at Trump's estate in Florida. Trump says he made a deal with Xi that China will get a much better trade ties with the United States if Beijing helps to disarm North Korea.

___

8:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump says his chief strategist Steve Bannon joined his campaign "very late," downplaying the notion that Bannon is an influential member of his team.

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump was asked about infighting among top members of his administration in which Bannon is said to be a center figure.

Trump said, "I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late."

Trump said he had already jumped major hurdles in the campaign by that time, beating "all the senators and all the governors" before he met Bannon.

The president added, "I'm my own strategist and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary," referring to general election opponent Hillary Clinton.

__

7:42 a.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is not going to get involved in Syria but that he had to act because of chemical attacks there.

His comments, aired Wednesday on Fox Business News, come less than a week after Trump ordered a retaliatory strike on Syria based on U.S. evidence that Syrian President Bashar Assad attacked civilians with chemical weapons.

Trump said, "when I saw that, I said we have to do something."

But he also appeared to rule out deeper involvement, saying: "Are we going to get involved with Syria? No."

Trump also warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in backing Assad, is supporting someone who is "truly an evil person." That, Trump said, is "very bad for Russia" and "very bad for mankind" and the world.
BEIRUT (AP)  The Latest on the conflict in Syria (all times local):

10:45 p.m.

Russia has vetoed a Western-backed Security Council resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in a town in northern Syria and demanded a speedy investigation.

Wednesday's vote on the resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States was 10 in favor, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council before the vote that during talks earlier Wednesday in Moscow Russia asked for an independent international investigation to examine the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun that killed nearly 90 people. He said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is considering the request.

The final draft resolution included a paragraph that the Russians objected to last week stressing Syria's requirement to provide investigators with flight plans and information about air operations on April 4 when Khan Sheikhoun was attacked, names of helicopter squadron commanders, and immediate access to air bases where they believe an attack may have been launched.

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8:20 p.m.

Residents of the besieged Syrian towns of Madaya and Zabadani say their evacuation has been postponed until Thursday.

Muhammad Darwish, a doctor in Madaya, says the he has been told by authorities he will have to wait another day to leave the town where he has been trapped for two years.

Amer Burhan, a hospital administrator at the nearby town of Zabadani, confirmed the delay.

Pro-government forces have kept the two towns under tight siege since 2015, while rebels have kept two pro-government towns in northern Syria under a reciprocal siege. An agreement between the two sides was supposed to see residents begin to evacuate the towns on Wednesday, to ultimately lift the sieges. There are some 200 buses lined up at staging areas to move more than 10,000 people out of the four towns to safety, according to Syrian media.

Story continues

Future evacuations will see some 30,000 people moved around the country.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group says the population transfers have been postponed because of "technical delays." The Observatory has decried the arrangement as "demographic engineering."

Earlier in the day, rebel gunmen fired on the buses waiting to enter the two pro-government towns in Idlib province, Syrian media reported.

___

8:10 p.m.

Russia's deputy U.N. ambassador says the U.S. "provocation" by attacking a Syrian air base will only encourage those who want a military solution to the six-year Syrian conflict.

Vladimir Safronkov told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that the chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun needs to be investigated and he asked how French experts determined who was responsible when nobody has visited the area.

He also accused Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft of being far more interested in regime change in Syria than in seeking to bring peace to the country.

Safronkov gave strong backing to efforts by U.N. special envoy Staffan de Mistura to get the Syrian government and opposition to discuss key political issues in Geneva.

He stressed that a political settlement "is the only way to return Syria to peace and reduce tensions in the Middle East."

___

8 p.m.

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley is warning that the United States will not allow any further use of chemical weapons "to go unanswered."

She told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday: "We are not going to look the other way. We are watching the regime's actions carefully."

Haley also warned Russia that it is isolating itself "every time one of (President Bashar) Assad's planes drops another barrel bomb on civilians, and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death."

"It is long past time for Russia to stop covering for Assad ... and to push for peace," she said.

"We can start by working together to de-escalate the conflict," Haley said.

For Russia, she said, "getting serious about peace starts by fulfilling its commitment to get chemical weapons out of Syria."

Haley also urged the council to take action against Iran, calling the country "Assad's chief accomplice."

"Iran is dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so it can expand its own reach," she said.

___

7:30 p.m.

The U.N. special envoy for Syria is warning that the fragile peace process is "in grave danger" and is urging the United States, Russia and other key players to work for a real cease-fire and negotiations to end the six-year conflict.

Staffan de Mistura told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday that he is ready to hold a new round of talks between the government and opposition in May but some things should be sorted out first.

He said the United States and Russia, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group comprising about 20 countries with interests on both sides of the conflict, "must find a way to work together, to stabilize the situation ... in support of the political process."

De Mistura said Russia, Iran and Turkey, as guarantors of a December cease-fire that has been repeatedly broken, must also "step up and deliver now."

"Let us use this moment of crisis  and it is a moment of crisis  as a watershed and an opportunity perhaps for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution," he said.

___

7 p.m.

A senior Russian diplomat says Moscow is opposing the latest version of a Western draft UN Security Council resolution on a chemical weapons attack in Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency Wednesday that the draft submitted by the U.S., Britain and France is "unacceptable to us in its current form."

He added that "we will vote against it if our partners do not heed our calls and promote this draft artificially with the sole purpose of making the Russian Federation veto it again."

The U.S. and its allies have held the Syrian government responsible for the chemical attack in northern Syria that killed more than 80. Russia has insisted that the victims were killed by toxic agents from a rebel chemical arsenal hit by Syrian warplanes.

___

6 p.m.

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled a vote Wednesday afternoon on a Western-drafted resolution that would condemn the reported use of chemical weapons in northern Syria and demand that all parties provide speedy access for investigators.

Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft called on all 15 members to support the resolution drafted by the U.K., France and the United States saying "every country that really wants the truth will vote in favor of the resolution."

But the final draft includes a paragraph that the Russians objected to last week stressing Syria's requirement to provide investigators with flight plans and information about air operations on April 4 when Khan Sheikhoun was attacked, names of helicopter squadron commanders, and immediate access to air bases where they believe an attack may have been launched.

Rycroft said Russia has a choice of sticking with "the toxic Assad regime that poisons its own people" or seeking peace through negotiations and a political transition.

The Security Council is scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. EDT to vote.

___

10: 45 a.m.

A Syrian official and an opposition monitoring group say the government and rebels have exchanged 30 prisoners and nine bodies, part of an agreement to evacuate four besieged areas in different parts of the country.

Hakim Baghdad, a member of the relief committee for two rebel-besieged villages in northwestern Syria, said Wednesday the overnight release was overseen by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. The Red Crescent had no immediate comment.

Military-run media said rebels released eight women, four children and eight bodies. Pro-government militias freed 19 gunmen and released one body.

The exchange came as part of a deal to evacuate over 10,000 residents from two opposition-held areas near Damascus and the two villages in northern Syria, an agreement that critics say amounts to forced displacement.
Russia stepped up its rhetoric against the Trump administration in the wake of its missile attack on Syria, calling it "primitive" and "inconsistent."

This came as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Moscow on Wednesday, with the top U.S. diplomat receiving a barrage of criticism from Russian officials. Ahead of a meeting with Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he wanted to know what the real intentions of the U.S. administration are, following last week's attack on Syria in response to a deadly chemical attack in a rebel-held area.

Lavrov the U.S. must not conduct more military strikes on Russian-backed Syria, according to Reuters. He said last week's action violated the law.

Lavrov also said Russia has lots of questions about the "ambiguous" and "contradictory" ideas coming from the U.S. administration, according to The Associated Press. The news agency also described how Russia's top diplomat subtly mocked Tillerson for the fact that his top State Department roles are currently unfilled.

But some of the harshest comments came from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Going one step further than Lavrov, he said: "In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy," Russia's state-owned RIA news agency reported.

Escalation of words

The escalation of words marks a significant shift in U.S.-Russia relations. Donald Trump's election raised expectations that he could strengthen the relationship, but that seems now hard to achieve in the wake of the attack on Syria. U.S. officials have declared that Russia was complicit in the chemical attack and have urged Moscow to realign with the West and break ties with Syrian President Bashar Assad.

"As a whole, the administration's stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all," Ryabkov added.

Story continues

Tillerson told reporters that Wednesday's meeting aimed at clarifying the positions of the U.S. and Russia when it comes to the six-year war in Syrian. Tillerson could also meet with Russia President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, Reuters reported, citing a Kremlin spokesperson.

In a TV interview that aired Wednesday, Putin said the relationship with the United States has deteriorated since Trump took office.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated," Putin said, according to translated remarks by the Kremlin.

Putin added that Syria had given up its chemical weapons stocks, Reuters also reported.

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Californias Clear Creek ORV Area May Reopen After 9-Year Closure

One of Californias most popular off-road riding areas may reopen after a 10-year hiatus.

The 63,000-acre Clear Creek Management Area has been closed for almost a decade over concerns about the prevalence of naturally occurring asbestos in the soil. Covering parts of San Benito and Fresno counties, the expansive trail system was a longtime favorite of off-road riders, and hosted several regional and national enduros. (Rode one of the latter myself on one of the first Husqvarna 4-strokes, and was suitably humbled. Papa)

Introduced by U.S. Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley), David G. Valadao (R-Hanford), Jeff Denham (R-Atwater) and Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley), HR 1913 would also protect 21,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to Clear Creek by designating the area as the Joaquin Rocks Wilderness. A similar bill, HR 1838, was introduced in 2015 by then-Rep. Sam Farr. Once considered a premier off-highway-vehicle recreation site, Clear Creek was temporarily closed to the public in 2008 after a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency analysis of the risk created by naturally occurring asbestos.

The current bill instructs the BLM to develop a rigorous plan to minimize the risk from asbestos exposure and educate visitors about the naturally occurring asbestos. The BLM also would be required to find ways to reduce the impact of off-road vehicles to protect the areas habitat.

As a Californian on the Natural Resources Committee, it is important to me to protect and preserve Californias public lands for future generations, Panetta said. This bipartisan bill not only bolsters our areas conservation efforts, it also promotes recreation and tourism in our region. When this bill passes, locals and visitors will no longer be restricted from enjoying all that Clear Creek Management Area has to offer.
Scientists may have found evidence of life underneath the deepest point in the ocean, and that could be good news for anyone hoping to discover aliens on other planets.

Its not life forms themselves that the researchers dug up, rather it is organic matter that could have been created by a microbe of some kind. They found those traces in samples of rock that came from a point beneath the seafloor near the Pacific Oceans Mariana Trench, the lowest underwater point on Earth. We cannot pinpoint the exact origin of the organic matter, their study in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says, but it is entirely possible that life exists down there.

Read: Neil deGrasse Tyson Says Were Getting Closer to Finding Aliens

The place at the bottom of the ocean where the researchers found the organic sample is the South Chamorro mud volcano, one of many mud volcanoes and hydrothermal vents in the area that spew out heat and material from inside the Earth. According to the study, microbes could be living in or under the mud volcano. The heat would in those depths not be too much to handle  the researchers put the upper temperature limit for life to exist at about 250 degrees Fahrenheit, so they estimate that life could thrive as far down as 10,000 meters below the seafloor.

life-hydrothermal

Photo: Oliver Plumper, Utrecht University

That area may represent one of Earths largest hidden microbial ecosystems, the scientists wrote, and would have provided protection from space impacts and dangerous climate changes through Earths youth that organisms wouldnt have had on the planets surface. These types of protected ecosystems may have allowed the deep biosphere to thrive, despite violent phases during Earths history such as the late heavy bombardment and global mass extinctions.

The potential discovery of tiny organisms so deep within the Earth may give hope to people searching for extraterrestrials, although not necessarily intelligent ones. In addition to this recent finding of organic matter, scientists in Canada have also found evidence of bacteria that lived in underwater hydrothermal vents billions of years ago. Although the Mars surface can appear a bit like a wasteland, at one point it had similar environmental conditions. Some scientists searching for Martians  or evidence of past Martians  have been focusing their attention underground, because as climate change turned Mars surface from more hospitable to hot and barren, life may have gone underground to survive.

Story continues

Read: These Are the Signs of Extraterrestrials

Microbes at such Earth depths could also be important in the search for extraterrestrial life in places like Enceladus and Europa, moons of Saturn and Jupiter, respectively. Beneath their icy exteriors, astronomers believe there could be liquid oceans, and those could be potentially harboring tiny aliens.

About the possibility of life underneath the Mariana Trench, study leader Oliver Plumper, a researcher at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, told National Geographic, It could be huge or very small, but there is definitely something going on that we dont understand yet.

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By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Lithuania will keep increasing military spending after hitting NATO's recommended level of 2 percent of economic output in the next two years, its finance minister said, as Russia builds up capabilities on the borders of its Baltic neighbors. Relations with the West were damaged by Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and deteriorated even further last week after a gas attack in Russia-backed Syria. "We are a NATO member but we are also responsible for our security ourselves," Vilius Sapoka told Reuters on Tuesday in his first interview with international media since Lithuania's coalition government took office last year. "Next year we will already reach 2 percent of GDP (in terms of military spending) ... and I think we will keep gradually increasing that number." That rise in spending, alongside an improving European economy, is expected to nudge Lithuania's growth rate up to 3 percent this year. Sapoka's government, a "catch all" of the Peasants, Greens Union and Social Democrats that came to power in November, faces broad challenges though. Income inequality is among the highest in the European Union and has been increasing, driving younger people abroad for work. Sapoka said the government wants to raise tax revenues to 40 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the next five years from 30 percent, to help improve education and healthcare. It will stick to its predecessor's "fiscal discipline" path, he said, but is embarking on an aggressive drive to attract high tech finance and bio-medicine firms with tax breaks. It already allows firms to offset three times what they spend on research and development but is about to go further. "If you invest in new technologies, at the moment you can deduct 50 percent (from tax) and we will increase that up to 100 percent." Lithuania also has a stake in Britain's negotiations to leave the European Union. Brexit has made the future uncertain for the roughly 200,000 Lithuanians living in the United Kingdom. "Here we are very clear that all the rights that were acquired by Lithuanian people are preserved," Sapoka said. A "mirror arrangement" should be given to EU-based Britons, he said. Echoing the standard EU line, he also said that "all parties should respect their financial obligations," referring to the 60 billion euros ($64 billion) that countries such as Austria have said the UK should pay as it leaves. While Lithuania wants a show of unity in the EU, two years after joining the euro, it also leans on the side of fiscal discipline for Greece, as the Baltic nation takes part in its second batch of bailout talks. "We talk about solidarity but we should not forget the principle of responsibility as well," Sapoka said. (Editing by Louise Ireland)
Before you consent to a surgical procedure, its standard practice for someone on your treatment team to talk to you about the things that could go wrongblood clots or infections, for example. But theres one risk you and your doctors may not have considered: getting hooked on opioid painkillers after surgery.

A study published Wednesday in JAMA Surgery suggests that many people start down the road of long-term opioid use when their doctors prescribe medications such as OxyContin, Percocet, or Vicodin to relieve post-surgical pain.

The biggest surprise? People undergoing even minor outpatient procedureshemorrhoid or varicose vein removal, for examplewere just as likely to get hooked on opioids as those undergoing major surgeries such as a hysterectomy.

Researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School examined the records of more than 36,000 adults younger than 65 who underwent surgery and who had not taken opioid pain medication the year prior to their procedure.

Three months after surgery, when nearly all patients should have recovered, the researchers discovered that about 6 percent were still taking opioids.

Six percent may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that 50 million Americans undergo outpatient procedures each year, the implications are staggering, says Chad Brummett, M.D., director of pain research at the University of Michigan Medical School and lead author on the study. Up to 3 million people may become newly dependent on opioids each year simply because they started taking the drugs after a minor day surgery.

If we want to make a dent in the opioid epidemic, being more thoughtful about how we manage pain after surgery is a good place to start, says Brummett.

When Days Turn into Months

A recent study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that taking opioids for more than a few days sharply increases your risk of getting hooked on the drugs.

Over time, opioids can affect your mind and body in ways that make it hard to stop taking them, says Brummett.

Story continues

People who continue taking opioid painkillers after surgery for more than two weeks often become physically dependent on the drugs, meaning that they can suffer withdrawal symptomsincluding worsened pain, nausea, anxiety, and sleeplessnessif they try to stop abruptly without tapering off the drugs.

And up to one in four people taking opioids longer than three months shows signs of becoming addicted, according to the CDC.

In those cases, people may crave the drug between doses, continue to take it even though it is more harmful than helpful, and want to cut back or stop but be unable to do so, says Brummett.

The JAMA Surgery study did not look at why some people stayed on opioids for months after their surgery or whether they had become addicted to the drugs.

But the results did show that some people were particularly vulnerable to becoming long-term opioid users, including those who smoke cigarettes or who had a history of alcohol or substance abuse, anxiety or mood disorders, or pain before their surgery.

Other research has shown that those same groups are more prone to addiction, says Brummett.

Be Smart About Painkillers After Surgery

Orly Avitzur, M.D., Consumer Reports medical director, says make a plan with your doctor before your surgery about how you will manage pain.

One reason that people get into trouble is that doctors frequently prescribe far more painkillers after surgery than people actually need, says Avitzur. In the JAMA surgery study, for example, doctors prescribed an average of 14 days worth of opioids for patients undergoing minor procedures.

But some people having an outpatient procedure may not need opioids at all, says Avitzur.

And even when an opioid is warranted, most people can transition to safer over-the-counter pain medication within three days, she says. Few people need powerful prescription pain drugs for more than a few days to a week.

The safest approach is for doctors to prescribe only a few days worth of opioids and then reassess your pain level and medication needs, says Avitzur.

If you do wind up with unused prescription pain medication, dont hang on to it. Too often leftover opioids wind up being misusedeither intentionally or notand can even prove deadly. Instead, follow our easy steps for getting rid of unused medication.

Editor's Note: This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin (gabapentin).





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By Maria Ramirez and Alexandra Ulmer SAN FELIX, Venezuela/CARACAS (Reuters) - Angry Venezuelans threw objects at President Nicolas Maduro during a rally on Tuesday, as protests mount against the unpopular leftist leader amid a brutal economic crisis and what critics say is his lurch into dictatorship. State television footage showed a crowd mobbing the vehicle that Maduro was standing on as he waved goodbye at the end of a military event in San Felix, in the south-eastern state of Bolivar. Amid the commotion, people threw objects at Maduro, who was wearing a traditional Venezuelan suit and a yellow-blue-red presidential sash, while his bodyguards scrambled. The state broadcaster then halted transmission. In a separate video shared on social media, voices yelling "Damn you!" were heard as the vehicle apparently transporting Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader, tried to make its way through the crowd. Five males, aged 15, 17, 18, 19 and 20, were arrested for throwing "sharp objects" against Maduro's vehicle, according to a report by a local National Guard division seen by Reuters on Tuesday night. Further details were not immediately available. The Information Ministry did not respond to a request for information, although Socialist Party officials tweeted that Maduro had been received by a cheering crowd in San Felix. However, the opposition, which has been protesting in the last two weeks to demand early elections, pounced on the incident as evidence that Maduro is deeply despised amid food shortages and spiraling inflation. "The DICTATOR only needs to leave Miraflores (presidential palace) to see how the people repudiate him!" opposition lawmaker Francisco Sucre, from the state of Bolivar, said on Twitter amid a flurry of commentary on social media. "They cannot give a standing ovation to the man responsible for the worst humanitarian crisis in our history!" Sucre added. The incident drew immediate parallels with last year, when authorities briefly rounded up more than 30 people on Margarita island for heckling Maduro, a rare sight given that the president's appearances typically are carefully choreographed and show only cheering supporters wearing red shirts. Videos published by activists at the time showed scores of people banging pots and pans and jeering Maduro during a visit to inspect state housing projects. Authorities later accused opponents of "manipulating" videos. TWO DEATHS Venezuela's opposition on Tuesday pilloried what it says is repression during anti-Maduro protests after authorities confirmed a second death in unrest in the last week. The state prosecutor's office said in a statement on Tuesday that a 20-year old man had been fatally shot in the neck on Monday night at a protest in the city of Valencia. Opposition lawmakers said the man, Daniel Queliz, was killed by security forces while he was protesting. His death comes on the heels of the killing of 19-year-old Jairo Ortiz on the outskirts of Caracas on Thursday in the area of an opposition protest. A police officer has been arrested. After years of protesting with little results, street action had ebbed until a Supreme Court decision in late March to assume the functions of the opposition-led congress sparked outcry, with condemnation at home and abroad. The court quickly overturned the most controversial part of its decision. News that the national comptroller on Friday had banned high-profile opposition leader Henrique Capriles from office for 15 years drew broad criticism, too. Venezuelans have been suffering food and medicine shortages for months, leading many to skip meals or go without crucial treatment. Opposition leaders announced another round of protests in Venezuela's more than 300 municipalities for Thursday, saying scattered demonstrations would stretch security forces thin. Maduro says that under a veneer of pacifism, the opposition is actually encouraging violent protests in a bid to topple his government. State officials via social media have shown images and videos of demonstrators vandalizing public property and throwing rocks at police. "Who is taking responsibility for damage to public property and persons?" Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said on Twitter, posting pictures of demonstrators kicking police officers and breaking into an office of the Supreme Court. "What is their agenda? Terrorism, chaos, death?" Most of the protesters are peaceful and say street action is their only option after authorities last year blocked a recall referendum to remove Maduro. Local elections, due last year, have yet to be called. Still, many Venezuelans are pessimistic that street protests will yield any change, while others abstain out of fear of violence or because they are too busy searching for food. (Additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth and Diego Ore; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai on Wednesday received honorary Canadian citizenship and praised Canada's open embrace of refugees under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canada last year accepted 25,000 refugees from Syria and in January, when U.S. President Donald Trump issued an immigration ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, Trudeau pointedly tweeted that refugees were welcome in Canada. "Your motto and your stand - Welcome to Canada - is more than a headline or a hashtag," Yousafzai said in an address to legislators in the Canadian Parliament. "I pray that you continue to open your homes and your hearts to the world's most defenseless children and families," she said. Yousafzai, an Pakistani education activist who came to prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head in 2012, is only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship. Other recipients include Nelson Mandela and the Dalai Lama. (Reporting by David Ljunggren, Editing by Franklin Paul)
OCILLA, Ga. (AP)  A grand jury on Wednesday charged a man with killing a south Georgia teacher and former beauty queen who vanished nearly 12 years ago, a prosecutor said.

Authorities in February announced the arrest of Ryan Alexander Duke, a former student at the school where Tara Grinstead taught in rural Irwin County before she disappeared in October 2005.

The six-count indictment charges Duke with two counts of felony murder and one count each of malice murder, aggravated assault, burglary and concealing the death of another, Tifton Judicial Circuit District Attorney Paul Bowden said.

John Mobley, a public defender who has represented Duke, didn't immediately respond to a phone message and email Wednesday afternoon seeking comment on the indictment.

After Grinstead went missing from her home, her disappearance went unexplained for more than a decade until the Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Duke's arrest.

Duke burglarized the teacher's home, and used his hands to kill her inside the residence, according to warrants that were read at a court hearing when his arrest was announced. He then removed her body from the home with the intent of concealing her death, the warrants say.

Many questions remain about why she was killed.

Soon after Duke's arrest, the judge in the case issued a gag order prohibiting attorneys, investigators, potential witnesses and even relatives of the victim and suspects from publicly discussing Grinstead's slaying. She later modified it to prohibit attorneys, law enforcement and court personnel from disclosing case evidence, any statements made by Duke, expected witness testimony and potential pleas. The order no longer prohibits Grinstead's family and potential witnesses from speaking.

Another man, Bo Dukes, was charged in March with concealing a death, evidence tampering and hindering the apprehension of a criminal in the case. Bowden said Dukes has not been indicted.

Ocilla is 190 miles south of Atlanta.
WASHINGTON (AP)  A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to helping smuggle dozens of people from Pakistan and Afghanistan into the United States by way of dangerous treks through Brazil and Latin America.

Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, described by prosecutors as a Pakistani national and fromer resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States for profit. Prosecutors say he schemed with others to bring people from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America into the United States by planes, buses and on foot. At least 81 people identified Khan as the person who helped facilitate their travel from Brazil to the United States between May 2014 and June 2016, according to court records.

Prosecutors say Khan managed safe houses for the travelers and arranged for people in other countries to serve as their escorts on different legs of the route. He told prosecutors the voyage included long hikes with little food and water through the remote tropical forest of Darien Gap, on the border of Colombia and Panama.

Court records show the travelers paid between $5,000 and $12,000 each before their journeys, which sometimes included long days of walking through the jungle.

Khan is set to be sentenced in July.
An Arizona man was arrested for allegedly stealing a womans purse during their first date and making off with her personal belongings before heading to a casino, officials said.

Using the name Brad, David Harlow, 38, met the woman on dating app Tinder, where the pair chatted for weeks before agreeing to meet at the Phoenician Resort in Phoenix on March 30, according to reports.

During the date, the woman got up to use the restroom and asked Harlow to watch her bag, The Associated Press reported.

When she returned, both Harlow and her purse were gone, authorities said.

Read: Surveillance Video Captures Clumsy Robber Dropping Huge Stash of Bills

"I feel like I took the appropriate cautions with this  meeting him in public at a busy venue during the day, the unidentified woman told ABC15.

She told the television station that she left her things with Harlow after spending several hours together.

"He put me at ease," she said. "He seemed genuine and I trusted him, at least enough to leave my stuff with him while I went to the restroom."

The woman tried contacting Harlow, but the number he had given her had been disconnected and his Tinder profile had been deleted, she said.

Read: Woman Outraged That Man Brought 5 Women Who He Also Met on Tinder To Yacht Date

Police told the AP that Harlow took the victims credit card to a casino and tried to withdraw money from several banks.

Harlow was arrested Tuesday and booked into the Maricopa County Jail on suspicion of felony theft, theft of a credit card and taking the identity of another person, online records show.

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By Gabriel Stargardter MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The body of a man, who witnesses said was tossed from a plane, landed on a hospital roof in Mexico's northern Sinaloa state on Wednesday, according to a public health service official in the region, which is home to notorious drug traffickers. The body landed on the roof of an IMSS hospital in the town of Eldorado, around 7:30 a.m. local time, said the official, who was not authorized to give his name. Witnesses standing outside the health center reported a plane flying low over the hospital and a person thrown out, the health official said. He said two more bodies were reported to have been found in the town, which lies about 60 kilometers (40 miles) south of Culiacan, the state capital. Local media reported that those two bodies were thrown from the same plane as the body that landed on the hospital. The official did not know if the man was alive when he was thrown from the plane. Officials from the state prosecutor's office were at the scene, he said. The state prosecutor's office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. "This is an agricultural area and planes are regularly used for fumigation," the official said, adding that the IMSS hospital was operating normally. Local media reported that suspected gang members had picked up the two other corpses thrown from the plane. Sinaloa is the home state of Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman, who ran the Sinaloa drug cartel until his arrest in 2016. He was extradited to the United States earlier this year. Ever since Chapo's arrest, security in the state has deteriorated, as the Sinaloa cartel struggles to adapt to infighting and fresh threats from rival groups. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Leslie Adler)
Paris (AFP) - France's Communist-backed presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon came under attack from his rivals on Wednesday as yet another poll showed voters warming to the firebrand leftist, whose late surge has caused ripples in financial markets.

In the past few weeks the 65-year-old eurosceptic has moved behind to become a serious contender in an election shaping up as a four-way race along with far-right leader Marine Le Pen, centrist Emmanuel Macron and conservative Francois Fillon.

While Le Pen and Macron are still seen as frontrunners for the April 23 first round, Melenchon is now only about five points behind them, after overtaking conservative Francois Fillon in two opinion polls.

An Ifop Fiducial survey Wednesday showed the leader of La France Insoumise (Unbowed France) movement becoming the country's favourite politician, with 68 percent of the French approving of him, up 22 points in a month.

While the man famous for his fiery speeches promises he has mellowed, his plans for a 100-percent tax rate on top earners and threat to exit EU treaties if Brussels does not agree to a fundamental overhaul of the bloc have caused trepidation among investors.

On Tuesday, the gap between the yields on French 10-year bonds and German Bunds widened to 75 basis points, just shy of a four-year high of 77 points seen in late February when investors began factoring in the prospect -- seen as improbable but not unthinkable -- of a Le Pen win.

"A recent surge in support for euroskeptic candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon is bringing "Frexit" fears back to the fore," the popular MarketWatch site tweeted.

"Melenchon: the crazy programme of the French Chavez," the front-page headline in the conservative Le Figaro daily read Wednesday, comparing Melenchon to late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

Reviewing the leftwinger's plans to tax all earnings of above 400,000 euros at 100 percent and increase public spending by 173 billion euros ($184 billion) over five years, the paper warned: "Ruined by Mr Melenchon, France could be quickly forced to import its wine and cheese."

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- Showmanship -

The rise of Melenchon has further shaken up a rollercoaster campaign and brought him closer to his dream of a duel with his nemesis Le Pen and rival for the anti-establishment mantle.

Like Le Pen, Melenchon wants to restore protections for French industry and develop closer ties with Russia but he is fiercely opposed to her anti-immigrant agenda.

On Wednesday, President Francois Hollande, who has watched his Socialist party's nominee Benoit Hamon be overtaken by Melenchon, warned voters against being taken in by the latter's rhetorical talents.

"There is a risk of simplification and falsification, whereby we watch the showman instead of his programme," Hollande was quoted by French media as saying.

On Tuesday, Macron and Fillon also tore into the indefatigable Melenchon, who attracted tens of thousands of supporters at a rally in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille on Sunday.

The 39-year-old Macron sought to portray the former Socialist minister, who quit the ruling party in 2008, as a relic of a bygone era.

"The Communist revolutionary was a Socialist senator way back when I was in secondary school!" he told a rally.

Fillon painted Melenchon and Le Pen, who wants to bring back the French franc and put France's EU membership to a vote, as two sides of the same coin.

Neither would "get the French economy up and running again", said the ex-premier who is campaigning as a safe pair of hands but has been dogged by an expenses scandal.

Fillon's remarks echoed dire warnings from the head of France's employers federation, Pierre Gattaz.

"We're at a historic moment in our country," Gattaz told a press conference on Tuesday, declaring that a hypothetical run-off between Melenchon and Le Pen would force the French to choose between "economic disaster and economic chaos".
CINCINNATI (AP)  A Mexican mother of four U.S.-born children living in Ohio is being held in federal detention in Louisiana as advocates urge that she not be deported.

The 6th U.S. Court of Appeals on Tuesday dismissed an emergency appeal by Maribel (MAHR'-uh-behl) Trujillo (TROO'-hee-yoh) Diaz (dee-AHZ'). She was moved to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's LaSalle detention center near Jena, Louisiana.

Attorney Emily Brown said Wednesday there was no word on when authorities plan to schedule deportation. She and other advocates including the Cincinnati Archdiocese say she has contributed to her church and community and no good is served by deporting her.

Trujillo Diaz has sought asylum, saying her family has been targeted by drug cartels.

Immigration officials say she entered the U.S. illegally in 2002 and has exhausted her appeals.
Former first lady Michelle Obama joined her husband Barack Obama on his monthlong French Polynesia vacation over the weekend, according to reports. The former U.S. president arrived in French Polynesia last month after he left the White House in January.

According to Tahiti television station TNTV, Michelle and Barack Obama took a boat to Moorea island for swimming and other water activities. Two other watercrafts with several bodyguards on board escorted their boat.

Photos posted by the television station showed 53-year-old Michelle paddleboarding, while Barack swam in the lagoon.

Barack Obama has been staying at the Marlon Brando's privately owned retreat Tetiaroa, which is often visited by A-list Hollywood stars.

Prior to his French Polynesia trip, Barack Obama was pictured with his half-sister and friends at Noi Thai Cuisine at Honolulu's Royal Hawaiian Center last month.

He was "very friendly and down to earth, as well as very cool," the restaurant's general manager, Ying Rosawan, reportedly said at the time. "We wanted President Obama and his party to have a nice, quiet dinner at Noi Thai. We did our best to keep it under wraps the whole day -- even diners on the other side of the restaurant had no idea the president was eating here. Only a handful of people knew he was coming. We only told our staff just before he came. In the end, it was so worth it, and we really hope to see him on his next visit back home to Hawaii."

After he returns from his vacation, Barack Obama is expected to make his first visit to Scotland to attend a charity fundraiser in Edinburgh next month, according to the U.K.-based Hunter Foundation.

From the South Side of Chicago to the White House has been an epic, historic journey and it will be a true honor to hear that story from the man who made that journey, Tom Hunter, the founder of the charity, said. We are both truly proud and delighted to be hosting the 44th President of the United States in Scotland at this event.

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Rome (AFP) - A Spanish group which has been rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean since 2016 accused the EU's border control agency Frontex Wednesday of plotting to discredit private aid organisations in order to put off donors.

Allegations by Frontex that donor-funded rescue vessels may have colluded with traffickers at the end of last year prompted Italian prosecutors to begin an informal investigation into their funding sources.

"The declarations by Frontex and political authorities are intended to discredit our actions and erode our donors' trust," said Proactiva Open Arms head Riccardo Gatti.

"They are trying to say that we support the smuggling or the traffickers themselves," he said.

In a report cited in December by the Financial Times daily, Frontex raised the possibility that traffickers were putting migrants out to sea in collusion with the private ships that recover them and bring them to Italy "like taxis".

Prosecutors then publicly wondered at the amount of money being spent, though they stopped short of opening a formal probe.

"We feel there's someone who wants to put a spoke in our wheels, though we do not really know who is behind it," Gatti said.

The organisation said it had nothing to hide.

"We have 35,000 donors. Some are well known -- like Pep Guardiola, the current manager of Manchester City -- others are anonymous," said Oscar Camps, Proactiva Open Arms director.

He said the group had so far received 2.2 million euros ($2.3 million) in donations for an op in the Med that costs between 5,000 euros and 6,000 euros a day.

Pro-Activa Open Arms also heavily criticised a deal signed in February between Italy and Libya which purportedly hopes to stem the flow of migrants from the coast of North Africa to Italy.

Gatti said the deal was made with only part of the 1,700 militias he said control Libya and would therefore be ineffective. Human rights watchers have also warned the accord would put the lives of those fleeing persecution and war in greater danger.

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"Everything is controlled by the militias in Libya, even the coast guard, and 30 percent of the financial flows in the country come from human trafficking," he said.

The deal is in doubt after it was suspended in March by Tripoli's Court of Appeal.

Nearly 25,000 migrants have been pulled to safety and brought to Italy since the beginning of the year in a sharp increase in arrivals.
Islamic militants who landed on a Philippine tourist island triggering deadly clashes with security forces had planned to stage a mass kidnapping, the military said Wednesday as it pursued five fighters still on the loose.

The army said the Abu Sayyaf group, notorious for a kidnap-for-ransom spree that has targeted foreigners, had planned to snatch up to a dozen tourists around Easter Sunday when resorts are packed.

The group of 11 gunmen landed by boat on Bohol -- one of the country's top tourism spots -- sparking a gunbattle with security forces on Tuesday that left six insurgents dead and also killed three soldiers and a policeman.

Five Abu Sayyaf gunmen, along with an unknown number of local collaborators, remain at large after the clashes which took place in a rural district, said military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano.

Ano said the gang, which arrived on three boats, had planned to acclimatise in the area and send scouts into resorts to scope out kidnapping targets.

"They are expecting probably to kidnap four or five persons per boat, so at least 10 to 12 kidnap victims was their (overall) plan," he said.

The Abu Sayyaf launched the strike from their remote stronghold on the lawless southern Philippines island of Jolo, which is about 500 kilometres (300 miles) away from Bohol.

The island is just half an hour's boat ride from Cebu, another major tourism draw. The incursion is the first on a major destination in recent years by the group, which pledges allegiance to the Islamic State.

Ano said the Bohol plan was put into motion late last week as millions of local and foreign tourists prepared to hit the country's beaches ahead of the Easter holidays.

Philippine intelligence agencies got wind of the plot last week, and alerted the military and foreign counterpart agencies, though authorities lost track of the gunmen in the open seas.

The US and Australian governments later warned their citizens about possible "terrorist" abductions in Bohol and Cebu.

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- Tourism fallout? -

Ano said the five remaining fighters fled after an overnight siege near a remote village.

"They are all running for their lives," he said.

Helicopter gunships were used to bomb the militants, who fought back with high-end sniper rifles while holed up in a concrete house, according to officials.

Ano said that among the dead was a key Abu Sayyaf leader known by his alias Abu Rahmi. The claim could not be independently confirmed.

He said Abu Rahmi was behind a 2015 raid on the southern island resort of Samal in which four tourists -- two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina -- were snatched.

The two Canadian men were beheaded last year while the Norwegian man and the Filipina were freed unharmed.

Ano said Abu Rahmi's group also attacked a German couple on a yacht at sea last year, murdering the woman on board and taking the man hostage. He was later killed.

Authorities in Cebu, an island of nearly five million people, warned their citizens about potential kidnapping raids following the Bohol attack.

"It is unlikely that they have the operational capability to do further damage now. However, other elements may exist," Cebu city Mayor Tomas Osmena said on his Facebook page.

As the government moved to contain the fallout on the lucrative tourism industry, the military said it would repel similar incursions.

Authorities said some 100 residents had fled the fighting. Hoteliers and visitors told AFP the incident had not affected tourist traffic on the island, though there was increased police security.

- 'Woefully inadequate' -

Over the past year the Abu Sayyaf has been expanding its activities from its main Jolo base in the south where the military launched an offensive last year.

Its boat-riding gunmen have been boarding commercial and fishing vessels and abducting dozens of foreign crew members.

Zachary Abuza, a Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in the United States, told AFP the Abu Sayyaf had been regularly staging long-range kidnapping raids, including in Malaysia.

"They clearly benefit from the woefully inadequate maritime capabilities of the Philippine navy and coast guard," Abuza said.

"The amount of territory is very large, and these guys are moving on very small fast craft that blend in."
Just one day before President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met in Washington, the North Atlantic alliance came one big step to gaining its first new member in eight years: Montenegro.

The United States will work to further strengthen our already strong relationship with Montenegro, and looks forward to formally welcoming the country as the twenty-ninth member of the NATO Alliance, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday, shortly after Trump signed off on the near-unanimous Senate consent for the tiny Balkan state to join the worlds biggest alliance.

Trump apparently had a change of heart as to the utility of NATO. On Wednesday, at a joint press conference, the U.S. president said of the alliance, I said it was obsolete. Its no longer obsolete. He reiterated, however, that NATO partners need to increase their spending and not rely on the U.S. to make up the difference.

The U.S. approval for Montenegros accession to NATO is also recognition for all of the hard work and reforms Montenegro implemented during the rigorous process of integration to the Alliance, which proves that the membership is open to countries that share the common values and are willing to meet the criteria, Montenegros ambassador, Nebojsa Kaluderovic, said in an email to Foreign Policy.

The United States was one of the last of the 28 NATO members to approve the addition of Montenegro to the group; the Balkan country now just waits on Spains approval. (Though Spains parliament approved Montenegros bid, leftist parties fear provoking Russias wrath through an expansion of the Western alliance.)

Assuming Madrid consents, Montenegro will join the other NATO members at a summit in May  and will brace itself for the response from Russia. Moscow has long been opposed to Montenegros accession, as it has long opposed to NATO expansion, which it views as a provocation.

Montenegro, for its part, believes Russia was already taking action, blaming it for a failed coup attempt last October. (Russia denies that.) Russia has a long track record of expressing its opposing views about NATO expansion including Montenegrin membership, and in this case acted in an unprecedented way, Kaluderovic said.

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But whats less clear is whether, and how, Russia might respond. As seen in Moscows efforts to influence politics and public opinion across Europe, tanks and howitzers arent needed to push back against countries that step out of line.

In late March, during the same week that Montenegro got the U.S. Senates overwhelming approval for NATO membership, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed on their first arms deal since 2013. Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006.

Just being under the NATO umbrella may offer protection from a full-on assault, but doesnt provide any shield from other Russian efforts at destabilization. In 2007, Russia launched a major cyberattack on Estonias banks and government. Since then it has unleashed a campaign of hacking, disinformation, and astroturf political agitation meant to sow dissent among its former Baltic dependencies, NATO members all.

Montenegro may now be in the club, but will be vying with Albania for NATOs least-impressive military. It has about 2,000 soldiers, but no air force, no coast guard, and no military academy. But joining NATO, said foreign minister Srdjan Darmanovic last month, is the decision the country made when it decided to become independent.

And its a decision that the U.S. government apparently think benefits the United States, too. As Trumps letter noted, Montenegros accession will not increase American spending obligations. Some lawmakers went further still. Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.) said that, far from inviting a collision with Russia, Montenegros accession is critical for resisting it.

The behavior on the part of the Russians throughout the region and the world is not acceptable in these times, McCain said.

Kaluderovic agrees. Our impending accession shows that our future is in our hands.

Update, Apr. 12, 4:22 pm ET: This piece was updated to include President Trumps comments on NATO from the press conference.

Photo credit: Francois Nel/Getty Images for BEGOC
PODGORICA (Reuters) - Montenegro's accession to NATO is vital for regional stability and the joint effort of the Western allies to resist a resurgent Russia, U.S. Senator John McCain said on Wednesday. The visit of McCain, the Republican chairman of the influential Senate Armed Services Committee, to Montenegro comes a day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed the U.S. ratification for the tiny Adriatic republic's accession to NATO, which Russia opposed. "There is also evidence that Russians are trying to undermine the democratic process in other parts of the world," McCain told reporters. "I believe the Russian behavior requires our solidarity and our strength, in order to preserve principles and fundamentals of democracy," McCain said. Montenegro has population of 650,000 and a military of only 2,000, but it is strategically positioned along the Adriatic coast and surrounded by NATO members or hopefuls, except Serbia which maintains a military neutrality. The U.S. Senate backed Montenegro's bid to join the alliance last month. "The behavior on the part of the Russians throughout the region and the world is not acceptable in these times," McCain told a news conference after meeting Montenegrin Defence Minister Petar Boskovic. McCain's remarks also coincided with the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Russia as relations between the two superpowers soured over the course of the war in Syria. Backers of Montenegrin accession to NATO say it is important to support new members to promote Western values and push back against Moscow. Montenegrin officials said Russia was behind an alleged plot last October aimed at halting the integration of the former Yugoslav republic into NATO and bringing the opposition to power. Moscow dismissed the allegations. All 28 NATO members must ratify Montenegro's accession in order for the country to join the alliance. Washington was among the last to do so. (Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Toby Chopra)
The Philippines military said Wednesday it was on the trail of five Islamic militants who are on the run after landing on a tourist island, triggering clashes with security forces that claimed 10 lives.

The military chief said six Abu Sayyaf gunmen had been killed, among a group of 11 that arrived in Bohol by boat from their southern base of Jolo island, about 500 kilometres (300 miles) away.

The government lost three soldiers and a policeman in the battle that broke out Tuesday in a rural area of Bohol -- one of the country's top tourism draws.

Local officials said the armed men sailed upriver Monday through the island, raising fears they were there to kidnap foreign visitors travelling for the Easter holidays.

The Abu Sayyaf, made up of several hundred Filipino Muslim militants, is notorious for kidnappings, beheadings and deadly bombings. Its leaders have also pledged allegiance to Islamic State gunmen in Iraq and Syria.

Philippine military chief General Eduardo Ano said the five remaining fighters had fled after an overnight siege near a remote village. Officials said helicopter gunships were used to bomb the militants.

"They are on the run. They have left their belongings (behind)," Ano told a press conference.

"We already have leads on the direction of their escape. They cannot fight as a potent force like before. They are all running for their lives."

Ano said security forces had killed a key Abu Sayyaf leader known by his alias Abu Rahmi. The claim could not be independently confirmed.

He said Abu Rahmi was behind several kidnappings including a 2015 raid on the southern island resort of Samal in which four tourists -- two Canadians, a Norwegian and a Filipina -- were snatched.

The two Canadian men were beheaded last year after their families and their government failed to pay ransom, while the Norwegian man and the Filipina were later freed unharmed.

- Tourism fallout? -

As the government moved to contain the fallout on tourism, Ano said the military would repel similar incursions.

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"The Abu Sayyaf must think twice, our security forces (are) working... effectively as they thwarted their plans to sow terror in the area," he said.

Just days before the raid the US and Australian governments warned their citizens about potential "terrorist" kidnappings on Bohol and neighbouring Cebu island, also a major tourist destination.

Residents said they saw 10 gunmen on three fast boats sailing upriver to a farming region planted with palm oil and corn.

Authorities said some 100 residents fled the fighting. Hoteliers and visitors told AFP the incident has not affected tourist traffic on the island as yet, though there was increased police security.

Bohol bills itself as a tropical paradise sought after by foreign tourists who go there to swim with docile whale sharks, travel its rivers on boat cruises, and lounge on unspoiled beaches.

- Hostages, ransoms -

Zachary Abuza, a Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in the United States, told AFP the Abu Sayyaf likely sent its gunmen to Bohol "to kidnap and sow panic".

"If successful, the raid could have given them additional hostages, and potentially ransoms," he said.

"More importantly, it would undermine confidence in the government, and force (President Rodrigo Duterte) to redeploy forces to what were previously thought of as safe regions."

Over the past year the Abu Sayyaf has been expanding its activities from its main Jolo base in the south where the military has been waging an offensive in recent months.

Its boat-riding gunmen have been boarding commercial and fishing vessels and abducting dozens of foreign crew members.

Abuza said it was not the first time the Abu Sayyaf had staged long-range kidnapping raids, having regularly done so in Malaysian Sabah.

"They clearly benefit from the woefully inadequate maritime capabilities of the Philippine navy and coast guard ... The amount of territory is very large, and these guys are moving on very small fast craft that blend in."
Early expectations of an easy rapport between the Trump administration and Russia are crashing into reality as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has a fraught meeting in Moscow beset by escalating allegations over Syria.

The first Trump Cabinet official to visit Russia, Tillerson is on a thus-far-futile mission to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to abandon support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The fallout from Assads chemical attack last week and the U.S. airstrikes that followed have plunged the United States and Russia into tensions rarely seen since the Cold War.

As Tillerson arrived in Moscow, President Donald Trump declared Assad an animal.

Frankly, Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person. I think its very bad for Russia, Trump told the Fox Business Network. I think its very bad for mankind.

Tillerson planned to meet Wednesday with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, a seasoned diplomat whose strident defense of Putins agenda has frustrated several previous U.S. secretaries of state. It was unclear whether Putin, who typically doesnt announce high-level meetings in advance, would grant Tillerson an audience while he is in Russia.

Adding further fuel to rising tensions: the White Houses move to circulate declassified U.S. intelligence accusing Moscow of aiding Assads government in covering up a gruesome, nerve gas attack that killed more than 80 people. The U.S. also accused Russia of mounting a disinformation campaign aimed at exonerating Assad from blame for the attack.

Russia has insisted it was Syrian rebels - Assads forces - that were responsible for the chemical weapons. Intelligence services from several Western countries dispute that claim. The health minister in Turkey, which treated many of the attacks victims and conducted autopsies on others, said Tuesday that test results conducted on victims confirmed sarin gas was used.

Ahead of Tillersons meeting, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Moscow was still struggling to understand the Trump administrations Syria policy, including its plans for stability zones after the Islamic State group is vanquished.

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Overall, the U.S. administrations stance on Syria is still a mystery to us, Ryabkov told Russian news agencies.

There were no guarantees that Tillersons arguments in Moscow would prove any more successful than the Obama administrations failed effort to peel Russia away from its Syrian ally.

Tillersons mission, coming days after 59 U.S. Tomahawk missiles struck a Syrian air base, also carries serious risks: If Russia brushes off the warnings, Trump could be forced into another show of force in Syria or see his credibility wane.

I hope that what the Russian government concludes is that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad, Tillerson said Tuesday before flying to the Russian capital.

The reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, he confidently predicted.

But Tillersons claim is one that President Barack Obama, too, argued for several years, only to see Assad outlast his own term in office. And the Trump administrations nascent Syria policy seems to be increasingly centering on the same tactic Obama unsuccessfully employed: persuading Russia, Assads staunchest ally, to abandon him.

The parallels havent gone unnoticed by Putin. Calling for a U.N. investigation, Putin held to his claim that it was actually Assad opponents who introduced chemical weapons into Syrias harrowing civil war.

We have seen it all already, Putin said. Jabbing at U.S. credibility, the Russian leader reminded reporters about unfounded U.S. claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, used to justify Americas 2003 invasion.

The animosity is especially striking given widespread speculation that Trump, who lavishly praised Putin during his campaign, would pursue rapprochement with Moscow.

Even on Syria, the positions appeared to be hardening. Only a week ago, top Trump officials had spoken of de-prioritizing past U.S. efforts to remove Assad from office and accepting the reality that 18 months of Russian military intervention had secured him in power.

Since last Thursdays cruise missile strike, Tillerson and other U.S. officials appear to have reverted to the past administrations rhetoric of insisting that Assad is on the way out, without outlining any strategy for making that happen.

The Trump administrations change of heart, apparently spurred in part by Trumps emotional response to the images of chemical weapon victims, also is serving another purpose: defanging the perception of coziness between Trump and Moscow. As the FBI and multiple congressional committees investigate potential collusion between Russia and Trumps campaign, Trump can point to his hard-line stance on Assad as fresh evidence that hes willing to stand up to Putin.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Photo credit: J&J Snack Foods Corp

From Delish

J&J Snack Foods Corp., the company behind your favorite Oreo Churros, has done it again. This time, the New Jersey based company has teamed up with Pillsbury to release another variation of their ever-delicious churros.

Churro Bites will soon be heading to a store near you. The bite-sized treats come boxed with a cinnamon sugar packet, and each box provides 20 bites ready for customers to simply heat and eat. These are a great treat to share with friends, or to eat by yourself at 2 a.m. when you're in the middle of a Netflix binge (we don't judge). Wanna make some yourself, yeah we did that too.

And just in time for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, a 1 lb., 4.25 oz. club pack is available nationally. We're thinking of rigging them up in the same system as Louis on Even Stevens.

Follow Delish on Instagram.

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Warsaw (AFP) - As NATO pours troops into Poland to beef up its eastern flank, key Polish generals at odds with the defence minister over a series of controversial reforms are quitting or being ousted in droves.

Experts warn the exodus is leaving Poland short of experienced commanders as NATO sets up battalions there and in the Baltic states as tripwires against Russian adventurism in the region, formerly under Moscow's control and spooked by its actions in Ukraine.

President Andrzej Duda and NATO Supreme Allied Commander US General Curtis Scaparrotti launch a US-led NATO multinational battle group in the northeastern Polish town of Orzysz on Thursday.

Statistics show that around 90 percent of Poland's top military brass have either been replaced or left of their own accord amid an overhaul launched by Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz after his rightwing Law and Justice (PiS) party took power in October 2015.

The figure translates to 34 generals and 484 colonels in a force of 106,000 soldiers, up from 96,000 in 2015.

Notable departures include former chief of staff General Mieczyslaw Gocul and top strategic commander General Miroslaw Rozanski.

"Senior military figures are leaving because there are decisions that have been forced upon them about their subordinates without their consent," a Warsaw-based senior political analyst told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"Objectively there aren't enough generals in the Polish army," he added.

"It will take a very long time to replace some of the people who have left, especially regarding their experience working with allies" since Poland joined NATO in 1999, the analyst said.

Macierewicz maintains he wants to stamp out all traces of the communist era by blocking promotions of servicemen who joined before the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, especially those who attended military schools in the Soviet Union.

- 'Good change' policy -

Defence ministry spokeswoman Anna Peziol-Wojtowicz told AFP that "despite personnel changes, continuity of command in all military components is being maintained".

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But commentators, opposition parties and other critics have deep misgivings.

Many see the overhaul as part of the PiS's so-called "good change" policy of installing loyalists in key state posts. The government has replaced directors in a slew of state-controlled enterprises and public institutions like television and radio.

It has also pushed through personnel changes that critics insist undermine the independence of the Constitutional Court.

Jan Techau, director of the Richard C. Holbrooke Forum at the American Academy in Berlin, calls what he terms the PiS's "politicisation" of the military as "a train wreck in the making."

"What is worrisome is that the military now seems to be the next part of the Polish state that the government has sought out for ideologisation," Techau told AFP.

"Politicising the military is never a good idea, as it undermines professionalism and also creates very unhealthy frontlines in society."

Techau however said he did "not think that there are any concerns about the Polish armed forces readiness, yet".

While other observers contacted by AFP agree that it is still too early to judge whether the changes in Poland's top brass affect its ability to cooperate effectively within NATO, they have little doubt that its allies are wary of Macierewicz himself.

- 'Terrible reputation' -

"There are concerns among allies about the predictability of the minister," the Warsaw-based analyst told AFP.

"Macierewicz has a terrible reputation. He has a hard time meeting his counterparts."

The 68-year-old former anti-communist dissident has raised eyebrows on both sides of the Atlantic with a string of comments and actions.

He has been a leading proponent of the theory that far from being an accident, the deadly 2010 crash of a Polish presidential jet in Smolensk, western Russia, was caused by an explosion that was part of a Polish-Russian conspiracy.

He has also accused former Polish premier and current EU President Donald Tusk of "diplomatic treason" over an earlier probe into the crash that concluded it was an accident.

Last year Macierewicz launched a new paramilitary territorial defence force intended to recruit up to 53,000 civilian volunteers by 2019. Slated to cost 800 million euros ($862 million) critics warn it will syphon off funds desperately needed by the regular military for modernisation.

Warsaw's March move to reduce its role in the Eurocorps force, an intergovernmental European military body tasked with leading and coordinating multinational operations, could also not have gone ahead without his agreement.

Andrzej Zybertowicz, an advisor to Duda, told reporters that the force, seen by Warsaw as being focused primarily on defending Europe's "southern flank, does not interest us".
LAGOS (Reuters) - Nigeria's state security agency said on Wednesday it had thwarted plans by Boko Haram militants linked to Islamic State to attack the British and United States embassies in the capital Abuja. The Department of State Services (DSS) said it arrested five suspected members of the Islamist militant group based in Benue state, in the country's middle belt, between March 25 and 26. "The group had perfected plans to attack the UK and American Embassies and other western interests in Abuja," it said in an emailed statement. The security service said another suspected Boko Haram member, arrested on March 22, in northeastern Yobe state, confessed details of the plot. The British High Commission and U.S. embassy in Abuja did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and forced more than 2 million to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation. Attacks have also crossed into neighbouring Cameroon and Niger. (Reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram and Paul Carsten in Abuja; Editing by Chijioke Ohuocha)
ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's lower house of parliament has set up a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the award of oil prospecting licence (OPL) 245, the committee chairman said on Wednesday. Courts in Nigeria and Italy are investigating the purchase of the offshore block which was initially awarded in 1998 to Malabu Oil and Gas, in a disputed deal, before Royal Dutch Shell and Eni were awarded the rights in 2011. The House of Representatives mandated the committee to "conduct a thorough examination of the process and circumstances surrounding OPL 245 and identify culpability of any persons, groups or organisations," committee chairman Razak Atunwa said in an emailed statement. "The committee is aware of recent information that have come to light, both nationally and internationally, indicating that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may have been complicit in the controversial OPL 245 deal," said the statement. The statement said the committee was "considering inviting him to give evidence" on the grounds that he "may well be in a position to assist it with its inquiries". Jonathan's spokesman issued a statement on Tuesday in which he said allegations that the former president benefited from the proceeds of the oil block's sale were entirely false. Shell on Tuesday said it was aware that some of the payments it made to Nigeria for rights to the oilfield in the 2011 deal would go to a company associated with former Nigerian oil minister and convicted money launderer Dan Etete. (Reporting by Camillus Eboh; writing by Alexis Akwagyiram, editing by David Evans)
Chelsea Handler is never one to shy away from politics.

Season one of her Netflix show Chelsea tackled a ton of topics  ranging from education to the election  and the talk show host led and organized a star-studded Women's March at Sundance Film Festival.

Now that President Trump is in office, the on-air personality is ready to make the sophomore season of Chelsea even more political.

"Obviously there's a huge spectacle happening right now," she said in a phone interview with Mashable. "We're going to talk a lot of politics next season."

SEE ALSO: Chelsea Handler leads defiant, star-studded Women's March at Sundance

But no, Handler said, don't expect to see Trump on her show anytime soon.

Remember when every day wasn't a disaster and presidents weren't making their daughters "special advisers?" Remember that? Fucksky  Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) March 29, 2017

"I don't trust this administration," she said. "I don't think they are looking out for any Americans."

Handler is more interested in getting a mix of Republicans and Democrats on the show.

"I want people on the show with different opinions," she said. "I dont want to shame anyone for voting for Trump...it's about having real conversations with people, and learning and growing from them."

In fact, after the election, Handler said she re-registered as an Independent because she believes in parties "working together."

She's not the only talk show host to delve deeper into the political arena. Trump's election has been nothing but a momentum-changer many who have their own shows to helm, ranging from Daily Show host Trevor Noah to TBS' Samantha Bee.

Still, Handler emphasized the best part about having her own Netflix show is being able to do more than just one thing.

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The show will now switch to a once-a-week format, with episodes dropping on Netflix on Friday nights. There will be a total of 30 one-hour episodes.

"Netflix told me most people are watching my show on Fridays," she said. "Netflix viewing habits are so different from regular network TV. We were kind of experimenting [in] Season 1. And to me, one big episode per week instantly seemed more attractive because of my desire to delve into topics further. With an hour you can get into serious stuff, and still get into funny stuff."

Because Chelsea is available to stream across the globe, Handler said she likes incorporating "documentary style" into her show as well.

"My intention with this show is to go after things where I can get an education," she said. "I just want to find stuff that makes me uncomfortable, and make it funny and serious if it needs to be."

That means a lot of traveling, everywhere from Montana to France.

Next season, Handler has a lot of quirky adventures. Expect to see her participating in a Bollywood dance class while in India, helping farmers bring two baby lambs into the world in Whales and a whole lot of other fun activities.

Chelsea returns to Netflix on April 14.

WATCH: 2016 Social Good Summit will include Chelsea Handler and more
Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump is raising pressure on North Korea, touting the US naval "armada" he ordered to the troubled peninsula and promising America will "solve the problem" if China won't help.

He wants to stop Pyongyang from developing a long-range nuclear missile, but North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sees such a weapon as key to his regime's survival.

The situation has the makings of a stand-off, with Kim expected to conduct another nuclear test soon, and Washington aware that any military action would trigger an unknowable set of potentially catastrophic consequences.

Still, the Trump administration has been forceful in its warnings to North Korea that leave military options "on the table," as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson put it.

The threat carries extra weight after Trump's strike on a Syrian air base last week.

- What is America's military presence? -

The United States currently has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea, a legacy from the armistice at the end of the Korean War, along with multiple squadrons of F-16 fighters and A-10 ground-attack jets.

The American forces are closely intertwined with their South Korean partners and the two militaries conduct annual drills together.

A defining mantra for US forces in South Korea is that the risk of war is ever-present so they should always be ready to "fight tonight."

While training is supposedly of a defensive nature, US and Asian press have recently published excerpts of a secretive plan that supposedly lays out a pre-emptive strike on North Korea.

Additionally, another 50,000 US troops are stationed in Japan.

- An American 'armada' -

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump said Wednesday. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."

He was referring to a strike group headed by the USS Carl Vinson supercarrier that has been re-routed to the Korean peninsula in a show of force against Kim.

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The strike group, which deployed with about 6,500 sailors, is still some way south, conducting exercises with the Australian navy.

The US Navy already has a massive regional presence, including another carrier strike group headquartered at Yokosuka in Japan.

The US territory of Guam, a few hours away by plane, is home to stealthy B-2 bombers.

- Can the US stop a missile? -

The United States, South Korea and Japan have established an advanced regional missile-defense system that should be able to take out a North Korean rocket.

The US military last month begun deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to South Korea, capable of destroying short, medium and intermediate-range missiles in their final phase of flight.

The move infuriated China, which has argued the deployment would further destabilize the situation on the Korean peninsula.

The US and its allies also have the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System at their disposal, along with Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor batteries.

Japan has four destroyers using the Aegis system and 17 of these latest Patriot batteries. South Korea has an older variant of the Patriot.

- Do these work? -

No system is infallible and the combined missile defenses do not provide perfect protection.

North Korea experts Michael Elleman and Michael Zagurek Jr wrote on the 38 North blog that the THAAD and Patriot system would "substantially enhance South Korea's capacity to minimize the damage caused by a large North Korean missile attack."

"However, it is important to note that a layered defense will not be able to completely block such an attack. As a result, missiles armed with nuclear weapons could cause significant casualties as well as damage in the South."

According to a study by the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, experts believe Pyongyang probably has 1016 nuclear weapons, and the cache could swell to as many as 100 within the next few years.

It is possible the regime may already have succeeded in miniaturizing a warhead capable of being attached to a Nodong missile that could reach Japan.

- What about a warning shot? -

There is no "easy" way to back up the threat of military action with a low-level or limited strike such as that conducted last week in Syria against a regime air base.

"The administration knows any kind of military attack on North Korea could lead to a North Korean military response and even perhaps an all-out conflict on the peninsula -- and that would be hundreds of thousands of casualties," Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told AFP.

"Certainly the consequences of any military action could be dire. North Korea is not Syria."

Anthony Ruggiero, a senior fellow and North Korea expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, thinks cooler heads will prevail.

Ultimately, Kim is rational enough to understand that a missile attack on the South would spell the end for his regime.

"His ultimate goal is regime survival ... and that would be close to suicide for him," Ruggiero told AFP.
Pyongyang (AFP) - On the side streets of Pyongyang, small traders sell vegetables from impromptu stalls. At markets, dealers offer imported household goods -- even Coca-Cola -- and in state-owned department stores hard currency is openly exchanged at black-market rates.

Officially, North Korea denies it is reforming and declares it remains guided by the Juche, or self-reliance, philosophy of founder Kim Il-Sung whose 105th birth anniversary is being marked this weekend.

But under his grandson Kim Jong-Un -- the third generation of the dynasty -- economic change is quietly happening in the impoverished, nuclear-armed country, analysts say.

The North was once better off than the South, but decades of mismanagement saw it descend into stagnation and food shortages, while its neighbour propelled itself into the OECD group of leading economies.

Pyongyang remains almost entirely devoid of commercial advertising, its wide avenues instead lined with propaganda posters of heroic soldiers and striving workers, or slogans such as "Let us follow the decisions of the 7th Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea".

"We are a socialist country so we stick to our socialist principle economically," said Ri Sun-Chol, chief of the economic research institute of the North's Academy of Social Sciences. "We do not push for national reforms adopting a market economy."

But a series of rulings under Kim Jong-Un is taking the North in exactly that direction, say diplomats and researchers.

Many agricultural collectives have been effectively dismantled and farmland management distributed between individual households referred to as "family-based work units", sending food production climbing.

Beyond what they must produce for the state, under what Pyongyang calls the Socialist Corporate Responsible Management System, factory managers have been given freedoms to find suppliers and customers of their own.

Kwon Yong-Chol, chief engineer of the Song Do Won General Foodstuffs Factory in Wonsan, explained that as well as manufacturing goods according to government instructions, "there is also a commercial network of vendors we use to sign our own contracts."

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- 'Filthy wind' -

Officials have been told not to interfere with private businesses, even while many remain technically illegal.

Enterprises are often still set up under state entities to ensure political protection, but analysts estimate that the private sector, broadly defined, could be responsible for anything from a quarter to half of the North's gross domestic product.

All such figures are riven with uncertainty, as Pyongyang does not publish meaningful economic statistics. Last year, major South Korean think tanks were unable even to agree whether its economy grew or shrank in 2015.

"My rule of thumb is to never trust a datum about the North Korean economy that comes with a decimal point attached," said Marcus Noland, director of studies at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.

The changes are similar to the first stages of China's "reform and opening" under Deng Xiaoping in the early 1980s, which laid the ground for the decades-long boom that turned the Asian giant into the world's second-largest economy.

Beijing, Pyongyang's sole ally and main provider of trade and aid, has long urged its wayward neighbour -- which is subject to multiple UN sanctions over its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes -- to follow its example.

But in a speech to the party congress last year, Kim Jong-Un dismissed such concepts as "the filthy wind of bourgeois liberty", and professor Ri was adamant there was no connection.

"The reform was fit for China's situation and was something desired by the Chinese people and if that helped with China's economic development, we are very happy," he said. "Our country will follow the socialist path."

- 'Unparallelled geniuses' -

Andrei Lankov, director of specialist service NK News and professor at Kookmin University in Seoul, retorted: "Of course they are copying China, because China was so damn successful.

"They never admit that they are learning from anybody," he said, but Kim Jong-Un "understands very well" that market economy systems have produced stunning growth in multiple East Asian countries over the past half-century.

"The current North Korean leader is absolutely free of ideological sympathy towards the state socialist model," he told AFP.

Pyongyang's reluctance to talk openly about economic changes gives it room to manoeuvre while preserving its political foundations, according to analysts.

"As long as much of this activity remains technically illegal, and in many cases subject to the death penalty, the state can always reverse course if it sees fit," said Noland.

Formal reforms could "put the state on a slippery slope where its fundamental difference with capitalist South Korea is eroded, and the regimes whole raison d'etre is called into question", he added.

Avoiding undermining the authorities' claim to legitimacy was crucial, agreed Lankov.

"The idea is that they are run by a family of unparallelled geniuses and of course the current leader and his father and his grandfather and his family are always right."

Alluding to Deng's supposed assessment of Communist China's founding father Mao Zedong as "70 percent right, 30 percent wrong", he said: "Kim Jong-Un cannot say that his father, his grandfather was even one percent wrong.

"He has no choice but to maintain the illusion of ideological continuity, even when he is making a U-turn. Which is very smart."
By Sue-Lin Wong and David Brunnstrom PYONGYANG/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific - a force U.S. President Donald Trump described as an "armada". Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbor, said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help. (For graphic on the Carl Vinson strike group click here: http://tmsnrt.rs/2pqOMWA) Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force. MORE FROM REUTERS: * COMMENTARY: U.S. must walk dangerous line to manage twin Syria, North Korea crises http://reut.rs/2prlUNF * COMMENTARY: Why Assad used chemical weapons http://reut.rs/2omzlPz "We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump told Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you. Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump said: He is doing the wrong thing. Asked if he thought Kim was mentally fit, Trump replied: I dont know. I dont know him. North Korea said earlier it was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression. "Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater but also in the U.S. mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said. In spite of the military rhetoric, U.S. officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. At the same time, Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang. The strike group heading toward Korea includes the nuclear-powered flagship aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, two destroyers and a cruiser. Such a strike group is generally accompanied by submarines, although the Pentagon does not normally publicize this. "PRUDENT" MOVE U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the deployment was not tied to a specific event but a matter of prudence. "She is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time," he said at a Pentagon news conference. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" that he would not tolerate certain actions but dismissed Pyongyang's nuclear attack threat. "I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don't have the capability of isn't really a threat." North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries. However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache. South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country's Supreme People's Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries. He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington. North Korea convened a Supreme People's Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong-un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said. The agency made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons program or being under threat from the United States. Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding father and grandfather of the current ruler. A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities. Men and women in colorful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practicing for the parade. TRUMP PRESSES CHINA Trump said a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem". "If China decides to help, that would be great," he tweeted. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!" Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week. China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China's call for a return to dialogue with North Korea. We believe that it is highly important to move toward denuclearization, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters. Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on. South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation". North Korea's foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washington's "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase". "We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said. U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula. A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented. Russia's Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of U.S. foreign policy, particularly North Korea. "We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement. China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said. On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said. China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country's most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom, Ayesha Rascoe and Eric Beech in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan and James Dalgleish)
By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - - Many nursing home residents suffering from chronic pain dont get any medication or dont get enough to fully relieve their symptoms, a recent U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on almost 1.4 million residents in nursing homes nationwide from 2011 to 2012 and found that overall, roughly two in five had either intermittent or chronic pain. Among the residents with persistent pain, about 6 percent received no medication at all and another 32 percent didnt get enough drugs to properly address their symptoms, the study found. The good news is that we documented lower levels of untreated pain than previous studies, said lead study author Jacob Hunnicutt of the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. However, pain may still be undertreated and disparities in pain management by cognitive impairment and race/ethnicity remain, Hunnicutt said by email. Previous studies have estimated that at least 40 percent of nursing home residents experience persistent pain, and that 20 percent of those in pain dont get any medications, researchers note in the journal Pain. More than 1.4 million adults live in U.S. nursing homes, including about 3 percent of people over 65 and roughly 10 percent of people over 85. For the current study, researchers examined data on nursing home residents who spent at least 100 days in the same facility with no gaps in residency of more than 30 days. Residents provided information on the intensity and frequency of any pain they experienced as well as any medications provided during two assessments three months apart. Participants were counted as having persistent pain if they described pain on both assessments, and intermittent pain if they only mentioned it during one of the assessments. If residents reported pain and didnt have any scheduled or as-needed medications noted in their medical records, researchers counted them as having untreated pain. If their records only included as-needed pain medications, researchers counted them has having potentially undertreated pain. Non-white residents were 19 percent more likely than white residents to have undertreated or untreated pain, the study found. In addition, residents with severe cognitive impairments were 51 percent more likely to have untreated or undertreated pain than people with only mild impairments or none at all. One of the study authors is a consultant with the pharmacy benefits manager and drugstore chain CVS Caremark. Limitations of the study include the lack of data on pain levels between the two assessments, the authors note. Researchers also relied on residents to accurately recall and report on their own pain levels, which can be subjective. The study also didnt account for patient preferences or medical histories, said Dr. Gary Winzelberg, a geriatrics researcher at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill who wasnt involved in the study. It's possible that some patients prefer not to receive pain medications and may use non-pharmacologic approaches to managing their pain, Winzelberg said by email. Some residents might not believe they should report being in pain or think they shouldnt take medications. This might at least partially explain why older adults, men and residents of color were less likely to report pain and receive medications, Winzelberg added. Residents and families can see how nursing homes compare on pain management and other quality measures online, Hunnicutt said. He recommends Medicares Nursing Home Compare (http://bit.ly/1CHwbuM). To avoid untreated pain, residents and their loved ones shouldnt be shy about speaking up, said Dr. XinQi Dong of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging in Chicago. Patients and family should seek help when the pain is beginning to rise, and not to wait until pain is intolerable before asking for pain medications, Dong, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. After adequate assessment, health care professionals should provide an adequate mixture of long acting and short acting pain medications for those with chronic and inadequately treated pain, Dong added. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2nFmuLi Pain, online March 4, 2017.
David Lettermans beloved mother, a fixture on his late night shows and three-time Winter Olympics correspondent, died Tuesday at her Indiana home. She was 95.

Read: David Letterman's Most Important Moments Didn't Bring Laughter

Just a day before her famous son turned 70, Dorothy Mengering passed away at her home in Carmel.

Mengering first appeared on her sons NBC series, Late Night with David Letterman in 1986, when the host would call into his mothers home and chat with her on air.

Once Letterman moved to CBS in the mid-90s to kick off The Late Show, Mengering became a recurring guest.

She served as The Late Shows Winter Olympics correspondent in cities like Lillehammer, Norway, in 1994, Nagano, Japan, in 1998, and Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2002. She would also record segments from her home around the holidays for the show and told her son how she was preparing certain meals for Thanksgiving.

Mengering would also perform her son's infamous "Top 10" on occasion.

While Letterman has not yet released a statement regarding his mothers passing, his sisters, Jan and Gretchen, penned an obituary for the Indy Star.

"Though her quiet life took a detour into the spotlight as she flawlessly stepped into the role of Olympics correspondent and pie baker on her sons late night television show, she never lost her unassuming demeanor, a perfect foil for his comedy and her full life," the Letterman sisters wrote.

Read: David Letterman Calls Donald Trump 'Damaged Human Being' Over Behavior On Campaign Trail

Lettermans successor, Stephen Colbert, paid tribute to his predecessors mother on Twitter.

I'm so sorry to hear of Dorothy Mengering's death, and so grateful that Dave shared her with us.  Stephen Colbert (@StephenAtHome) April 12, 2017

Letterman, who has seldom been seen since his 2015 retirement after 33 years on the air, appeared in Brooklyn Friday as he inducted Pearl Jam into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Barclays Center.

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Watch: A Look Inside Don Rickles' Childhood Apartment

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AMSTERDAM (AP)  Two giant panda cubs are being prepared for a new life at a zoo in the Netherlands following a long airplane flight from China.

Male Xing Ya and female Wu Wen, 3-year-olds from Sichuan province, arrived at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Wednesday evening.

They were briefly displayed in cages at the airport before being transported to Ouwehand Zoo in Rhenen, a city of about 20,000 people in central Holland.

The zoo will quarantine the pair for several weeks before revealing them to the public. The pandas will live in a Chinese-themed enclosure with indoor and outdoor areas and even a refrigerator for their favorite food, bamboo.

Like other pandas loaned by China, the youngsters are intended to be a breeding pair and the zoo has a nursery for their future cubs.

For decades, China gifted friendly nations with its national mascot in what was known as "panda diplomacy." The country more recently has loaned pandas to zoos on commercial terms.

Most loans run from 10 to 15 years. China charges as much as $1 million per year for a panda, a fee many zoos will pay because the pandas attract more visitors and increase the zoos' revenue, especially if new cubs are born.

Around 420 pandas live in captivity in zoos and reserves, the majority within China, while an estimated 1,864 live in the wild.
GLENSHAW, Pa. (AP)  A worker has been charged with physically abusing a 5-month-old at a church-run day care center near Pittsburgh.

Nineteen-year-old Julia Spencer, of Hampton Township, was arrested Tuesday night on aggravated assault, child endangerment and intimidation charges. She doesn't have an attorney.

Shaler Township police say surveillance video shows her abusing the boy Monday at the Glenshaw Presbyterian Early Learning Center.

Police say Spencer pulled the boy roughly from a swing, pushed him into a bouncy chair and tried to yank him out by his arms before slamming him into a crib. The boy's parents took him to a hospital for bruises, redness and swelling to his head, neck and shoulders.

Police say Spencer told the parents the boy had rolled over on a toy and was given "ice and TLC."
Poland said Tuesday it was launching a new festival in Britain to celebrate the contribution of Polish immigrants as the country's biggest minority community at a time when many are rattled by Brexit.

Warsaw's ambassador to London, Arkady Rzegocki, told AFP that events in more than 30 locations around Britain will not only celebrate Polish traditions but attempt to promote greater cultural understanding.

The events, which include folk dancing, film screenings and picnics will take place on May 6 and 7, the weekend after Poland's Constitution Day.

"I hope this event will encourage Polish and British people to celebrate together because we should know each other better and the best way of integration is to know more about our neighbours," Rzegocki said.

There are just under a million Poles in Britain -- population 65 million -- making them the biggest minority community.

But their status, along with other EU migrants, is up in the air as London and Brussels negotiate Britain's exit from the European Union.

London wants to guarantee the rights of EU nationals already in Britain, but is waiting for Brussels to do the same for UK citizens in the rest of the bloc.

Immigration, particularly from southern and eastern Europe, was one of the central themes of last year's EU referendum campaign.

Rzegocki said the uncertainty caused by Britain's vote to leave the EU was the biggest problem facing the Polish community.

The ambassador said the situation meant more Poles are considering returning home, creating a headache for businesses worried about labour shortages.

"Freedom of movement is very important for Poles. I hope that our governments -- the EU and the UK -- will remember that during the negotiations," he said.

The Polish Heritage Day symbol is the red and white checkerboard used by Polish airmen in the 1940 Battle of Britain -- a reminder that the history of Poles in the UK pre-dates the post-2004 immigration wave, which took numbers from 44,000 to 984,000.
By Olga Grigoryants

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (Reuters) - Relatives of a school teacher shot dead by her husband in a San Bernardino, California, classroom have told investigators the slaying capped a brief, turbulent marriage and breakup marked by accusations of infidelity and threats, police said on Tuesday.

Police also revealed that surveillance video showed the shooter initially had tried to get into the school through a locked door, forcing him to gain entry instead by way of the front office, where he signed in and was allowed free access to the classroom by staff who recognized him.

School employees, however, were apparently unaware of the marital discord believed to have led the gunman, an unemployed former pastor and maintenance worker, to fatally shoot his estranged wife, Karen Elaine Smith, and an 8-year-old student in front of their class before reloading his revolver and killing himself.

The slain student and another boy hit by gunfire happened to be just behind Smith and were believed to be unintentional victims. The second child, aged 9, though badly wounded, was expected to survive. He remained hospitalized on Tuesday.

Later on Tuesday, the Mexican government confirmed in a statement that the deceased student was a Mexican national and that it "profoundly laments" his killing.

The shooting at North Park Elementary, the latest of dozens of U.S. schools traumatized by armed intruders in recent years, reopened debate about what educators can do to safeguard students against mounting gun violence.

It was especially wrenching for San Bernardino, the "Inland Empire" town about 65 miles east of Los Angeles where a shooting rampage 15 months ago left 14 people dead and more than 20 wounded at an office holiday party.

Unlike the 2015 massacre, carried out by a radicalized Muslim couple in what authorities described as an act of terrorism, police said the latest shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute between the suspect and his wife.

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BRIEF, STORMY MARRIAGE

Monday's gunman was identified as 53-year-old Cedric Anderson of nearby Riverside, who according to police had a criminal record that included four past arrests, most recently in 2013 on assault and weapons charges. But he was never convicted, Police Chief Jarrod Burguan told reporters on Tuesday.

Burguan said it was unclear whether that arrest had anything to do with Anderson's wife, also 53.

The couple had known each other for more than four years and were married in January. But Smith moved out of their home in mid-March amid domestic strife, Burguan said.

According to interviews with her family, Anderson had accused his wife of infidelity, the chief said. He said Smith also had confided to relatives that she was concerned about his "odd" behavior and that "he had made some threats toward her."

Burguan did not elaborate except to say there was no "specific threat to shoot her."

"It appears that he had been making efforts to contact her and have her come back home, and she was resistant to that. And I don't know if that just reached the boiling point or what it was. Nor do we know exactly why he chose to do this at the school," the chief said.

Burguan said Anderson, who had shown his identification to school employees in the front office before being allowed in to her class unescorted, kept his weapon concealed until opening fire without saying a word.

Fifteen special-needs students and two adult teacher assistants were in the classroom with Smith during the attack, in which 10 shots were fired, police said.

No suicide note as such was found. But detectives turned up a handwritten letter at Anderson's home in which he wrote about "the relationship and fixing things, and it also made reference to feeling dishonored, and moving forward," Burguan said. Still, there was nothing inherently alarming about the letter's language, he said.

(Additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and David Alire Garcia in Mexico City; Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Dan Grebler)
By Ellen Francis BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese President Michel Aoun suspended parliament for a month on Wednesday, temporarily blocking plans to extend the assembly's term without election for the third time since 2013 to try to push politicians to agree election law reforms. Parliament was expected to vote on Thursday to extend its own mandate again until 2018, officials said. The lawmakers were elected in 2009 for what was meant to be a four-year term. The president's move eased tensions simmering after activists had called for protests against the planned extension, which they decried as a blow to democracy. The two previous extensions triggered massive protests in central Beirut. Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said that it marked the first time a president had used the procedure and that the session had been postponed until May 15. In a televised address to the nation, Aoun said the delay would give politicians more time to agree on a new electoral law and help protect the Lebanese people's right to vote. He said there would be no room for another extension "in the era of the revival of the state, its authorities and its institutions". Parliament elected former army commander Aoun in October, ending a 29-month presidential vacuum in a deal that secured victory for his Lebanese Shi'ite ally Hezbollah, Iran and Syria. The power-sharing deal saw leading Sunni Muslim politician Saad al-Hariri, whose Saudi-backed coalition opposed Hezbollah for years, appointed premier. "LAST WARNING" The Lebanese government has often struggled to make basic decisions and feuding lawmakers have repeatedly crippled parliament. Since the formation of a new unity cabinet in December that includes nearly all the main parties, politicians including Aoun and Hariri have promised to end institutional paralysis. For years, the parties have been unable to agree on a new electoral law - resulting in parliament twice extending its own mandate, moves that critics including the European Union have condemned as unconstitutional. Most political parties have rejected holding parliamentary elections based on the existing system, a sectarian-based electoral law that dates back to 1960. The next round of elections had previously been scheduled for May. Some politicians say the law divides up the population into constituencies that do not fairly represent the sectarian or political preferences of their supporters. Christian lawmakers have been the most vocal in demanding a new law. Lebanese politics have long been dogged by sectarian divisions, exacerbated by the war in neighboring Syria and complicated by regional rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Critics and activists accuse Lebanese politicians of using regional upheaval as an excuse to dodge elections. Civil society groups and some parties opposing an extension called off the protests that had been planned for Thursday. A few dozen demonstrators gathered in Beirut on Wednesday evening. "The Lebanese president's move today remains incomplete" without political parties setting a new date for elections, said activist Hadi Mounla. "It postponed the problem for a month, but did not radically solve the problem." Another protester, Atallah Slim, said this should serve as "the last warning" for lawmakers. Anger at Lebanon's government has fueled repeated protests in Beirut, particularly in the summer of 2015, when politicians failed to agree a solution to a trash disposal crisis, leaving piles of garbage festered in the streets. (Editing by Alison Williams)
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary said on Wednesday there was a way for a university founded by U.S. financier George Soros to continue operations, following protests after opponents said a new law threatened its future. The law stipulated that the Central European University (CEU), viewed as a bastion of independent thinking in eastern Europe, must open a branch in its home state of New York alongside its campus in Budapest and secure a bilateral agreement of support from the U.S. government. The United States called on Hungary to suspend implementation of the law, which on Sunday drew some of the biggest demonstrations against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government by opponents who consider it part of a wider crackdown on dissent. Education Secretary Laszlo Palkovics told the news web site HVG.hu on Wednesday the CEU could issue diplomas if it extended a license agreement with its Hungarian sister school to teach its courses. (Reporting by Marton Dunai; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
Pretoria (AFP) - Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the South African capital Pretoria on Wednesday for further protests urging President Jacob Zuma to step down.

The march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government, was organised by a coalition of opposition parties following nationwide rallies against Zuma last week.

Zuma's recent sacking of respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan unleashed public anger over government corruption scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

Wednesday's march was led by the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, along with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and smaller opposition parties.

"I came because Zuma has to step down. He sold the country. I don't want him anymore," Mavis Madisha, a 37-year-old EFF supporter, told AFP.

Gordhan's sacking triggered unprecedented criticism from senior figures in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The ANC has since tried to close ranks behind Zuma and has vowed to defeat a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The vote is scheduled for next Tuesday but may be delayed due to a legal tussle over whether it should be a secret ballot for lawmakers.

Zuma, who turned 75 on Wednesday, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as president ahead of the 2019 general election.

He is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him.

The president branded last week's protests, which attracted tens of thousands of marchers, as racist.

The dismissal of Gordhan saw the Fitch and Standard & Poor's agencies cut South Africa's sovereign credit rating to junk status due to fears of political instability and growing corruption.

Zuma has been accused of being in the sway of the wealthy Gupta business family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.

The ANC has lost popularity in recent years and slipped to 55 percent of the vote in last year's local elections -- its worst ever result.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Authorities in Puerto Rico are searching for two children they say were swept away by a flash flood in the island's western region.

Police said Wednesday that the 14-year-old sister and 11-year-old brother were with their father near the Guajataca river when they were caught by the water. Police said their father told officers he tried to save them but that the current was too strong.

The incident occurred on Tuesday in the town of San Sebastian. Heavy rains have been pounding parts of the U.S. territory this week.
In several Western European countries, some politicians want to force imams to deliver sermons only in the official language: In Germany, imams should preach in German; in Italy, in Italian; in Britain, in English; in France, in French.

To justify this requirement, two rationales are cited. Some say it will function as a counterterrorism strategy. Others say it will promote the social integration of Muslims. A few appeal to both lines of reasoning.

Germanys Deputy Finance Minister Jens Spahn called last month for an Islam law that would make imams sermons transparent, saying that the authorities had to know what happens in mosques. He argued that imams should preach in German and that imported imams lead to social disintegration. Spahn, who also proposed an official registry for mosques, is a member of the executive committee of Chancellor Angela Merkels ruling Christian Democratic Union party. Other senior Merkel allies like Julia Kloeckner have joined the push for an Islam law, though a Merkel spokesman said this month that such a law is not now on the agenda.

In Italy, Islam isnt officially recognized as a religion, even though it has an estimated 1.6 million adherents in the country. (The Italian Constitution requires non-Catholic faith groups to sign an accord or intesa in order to be formally recognized, after which the groups gain the right to take days off for holidays, to have their religious marriages acknowledged by the state, and so on.) However, in February, the Interior Ministry agreed to facilitate the path toward official recognition in an unprecedented arrangement titled the National Pact for an Italian Islam. But the government wanted something in exchange: Muslim organizations had to agree to a registry of their imams, and to a requirement that the imams sermonize in Italian. Interior Minister Marco Minniti described the document as a safeguard against any form of violence and terrorism.

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In Britain, a counter-extremism task force is working on a plan to encourage imams to preach in English, the Telegraph reported last month. The report noted that the plan arose amid concern that preaching in foreign languages enforces divisions between Islam and mainstream British society and can foster radicalization. It cited a senior government source who said, If imams are speaking in another language it makes it far harder to know if radicalization is taking place.

In France, this rationale has been offered up by far-right National Front party leader Marine Le Pen, who claimed in 2014 that, Its not difficult to require sermons in France to be given in French. That would also make it much easier to report what subjects are being dealt with. Le Pen is not the only French politician to call for this requirement; it gained support from across the political spectrum after the 2015 Paris attacks. Another French politician put it bluntly: Sermons in France shouldnt be in Arabic.

Considering that fundamentalist recruiters dont need to speak in Arabic to be extremely successful at what they do, its not clear how clamping down on Arabic-language sermons would represent a viable counterterrorism strategy. After all, Anwar al-Awlaki, the al-Qaeda propagandist and cleric, gave many recorded sermons in English. In the U.K., prominent preachers like Anjem Choudary, Abu Hamza al-Masri, and Omar Bakri Muhammad likewise delivered their messages in English before they were convicted for supporting terrorism.

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Its easy to preach a resistance message even when youre speaking the same language as the people youre preaching against, said Brenna Powell, a Stanford scholar who studies civil conflict. And even when they speak the same language, people are often very good at manufacturing code.

Although preaching in Arabic makes it harder for those who dont speak the language to decode the substance of the message, that doesnt mean an Arabic sermon is more likely to be radicalizing anyone. It could just be more likely to make non-Muslim Europeans nervous about whats going on in mosques.

But experts say thats not where most Muslims who adopt extremist views are getting them.

We cant just pin everything on mosques, said Mubaraz Ahmed, an analyst with the Centre on Religion and Geopolitics who specializes in jihadi groups and online extremism. Overwhelmingly theres an acceptance within the [countering violent extremism] field that radicalization doesnt take place in mosques; its increasingly taking place elsewhere. Certainly in the ISIS era, a lot of it is online, with encrypted messaging serviceslike WhatsApp and Telegramcoming under the spotlight.

Its somewhat like using carpet bombing to kill a rat, and the rat still may get away.

Scott Atran, an anthropologist who studies terrorism through fieldwork with Islamic fundamentalists and others, echoed this statement. Traditional religious education is a negative predictor of involvement in these movements, he said in an email, adding that most who join jihadi movements from Europe are young adults who are born again into extremist strains of Islam, and that a significant number are converts (more than one in four in France, for example).

The upshot for the proposed Islam laws? As a counterterrorism strategy, its likely to be worthless, Atran wrote. More generally, mass programssuch as those aimed at reducing marginalization and encouraging integration, if not assimilation, including teaching religion in the host country vernacularmassively overreach, wasting resources (and perhaps lives by crowding out more targeted forms of engagement). Thats because considerably less than 1 percent of susceptible populations (those targeted by these mass programs) ever come close to joining violent extremist movements, so that any such mass program is somewhat like using carpet bombing to kill a rat, and the rat still may get away.

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At best this will alienate people, at worst it will radicalize them, Powell agreed. Anytime you feel like your culture is being taken away, thats what happens. She cited the example of Northern Ireland, where narratives about the loss of Gaelic language have become a force for political mobilization.

Several European Muslims have spoken out against the idea of a language law for imams. When the National Pact for an Italian Islam was signed, Milan-based scholar Yahya Pallavicini derided it as a document that Muslims had to sign in order to prove were good citizens and not bad people. Sumaya Abdel Qader, a sociologist also based in Milan, called it unfair, and said that some of the requirements have made some Muslims feel like theyre being treated unequally. The proposed law strikes critics as a double standard because other religious groups in Europe arent forced to preach in the local language. For instance, in Italy, Catholics can and do offer masses in Spanish and English as well as Latin. Rabbis can give synagogue sermons in Hebrew.

Even so, there are imams who believe that they should deliver their sermons in the local language and who are doing so of their own volition. In France, where most imams preach in Arabic, popular Bordeaux imam Tareq Oubrou makes it a point to preach in French as well.

We have to take Islam out of the context of ancient Arab-Muslim civilizations and adapt it to a modern, globalized, secular society, like France, Oubrou told NPR in February. And on a purely practical level, he noted, clerics who dont preach in French risk losing the next generation, because a majority of young French Muslims dont understand Arabic.

It could help them in their election push, but its wrong for politicians to play along these lines.

Some clerics are also acceding to the language requirement because its easy to comply. Were already encouraging imams to preach in Italian, Florence imam Izzedin Elzir told the Washington Post. If having this written down in a document is making non-Muslim Italians feel a bit safer, I dont see anything wrong with it.

This observationthat the requirement may be more about quelling the nervousness of non-Muslim Europeans than about actually curbing terrorismseems like a plausible reading of the underlying rationale, according to Atran. Its psychologically comforting to be able to understand whats being said by groups one perceives as threatening. And for politicians, promising to deliver this comfort through a new Islam law may provide a boost in popularity.

It is in part driven by electoral ambitions, Atran wrote.

With France and Germany preparing to hold federal elections (in April-May and September, respectively), taking a harder stance on Islam could help politicians in the pollsparticularly where they are facing challenges from their right, as has been the case for Merkel with the Alternative for Germany party. In the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte successfully used this tactic to forestall a Geert Wilders victory in the recent election.

It could help them in their election push, Ahmed agreed. But its wrong for politicians to play along these lines, not only because its a divisive tactic but also because even if they were to follow through with those policies, I dont think they would offer any great protection against the spread of extremism.

The language requirement may run into unsurmountable legal problems, anyway. But it wont be an open-and-shut case, according to Mark Movsesian, the director at the Center for Law and Religion. As parties to the European Convention on Human Rights, these countries will have to contend with that treatys religious freedom provision, which says that a government cannot substantially interfere with the manifestation of religion unless it has a compelling interestfor example, public safety. The interference has to be proportionate to that compelling interest.

Telling Muslims you cant preach in your own language I think wed say is interfering with their freedom of religion. It might also just be a flat-out free speech violation, Movsesian said. But the European Court of Human Rights gives each country a lot of leeway in deciding what they need to do to maintain public order, as it demonstrated in 2014 by approving France s burqa ban. So who knows, maybe the court would defer to these countries.

If a new language law isnt a viable strategy for countering Islamic extremism in Europe, then what would be a better strategy?

One answer lies in combatting online radicalization. Tech companies are working hard, Ahmed said, citing the anti-radicalization methods of Twitter and Google, but they could be doing more. Another answer is to work with Muslims, not against them. We have to empower those already within the Muslim community who want to take on extremism, he added. I think theyre vital not only in fighting the extremist ideas that hate preachers use, but also in helping identify where this stuff is taking place.

Atran suggested that the latter method is better than the first. If you look at enlistment patterns to ISIS and al-Qaeda, they are heavily clustered in certain towns and neighborhoods; if it were mostly social media and such, the pattern would be much more dispersed  The key, then, is counter-engaging with [extremists preexisting social] networks through the communities they are embedded in.

Theres just one problem with that: This is labor intensive and requires intimate knowledge of local conditionssomething governments and law enforcement have no patience for.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
By Yeganeh Torbati and Denis Dyomkin MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday trust had eroded between the United States and Russia under President Donald Trump as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria. Any hope in Russia that the Trump administration would herald less confrontational relations has been dashed in the past week after the new U.S. leader fired missiles at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas. In Washington, Trump said the United States was not getting along "at all" with Moscow, adding that the relationship "may be at an all-time low." (For graphic on battle for control in Syria click here: http://tmsnrt.rs/2nm68H0) Trump had frequently called during the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign for warmer ties with Putin, despite criticism from lawmakers in his own Republican Party. But the civil war in Syria has driven a wedge between Moscow and Washington, upending what many in Russia hoped would be a transformation in relations, which reached a post-Cold War low under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama. As Tillerson sat down for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday, a senior Russian official assailed the "primitiveness and loutishness" of U.S. rhetoric, part of a volley of statements that appeared timed to maximize the awkwardness during the first visit to Moscow by a member of Trump's cabinet. "One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated," Putin said in an interview broadcast on Russian television. He doubled down on Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, repeating denials that Assad's government was to blame for the gas attack last week and adding a new theory that it may have been faked by Assad's enemies. Tillerson reiterated the U.S. position that Assad must eventually relinquish power in Syria. "We discussed our view that Russia as their closest ally in the conflict perhaps has the best means of helping Assad recognize this reality," he said. Asked whether Assad could be subject to war crimes, Tillerson said people were working to make such a case, though he cautioned that would require clearing a high legal hurdle. AN ICY WELCOME Lavrov had greeted Tillerson with unusually icy remarks, denouncing the missile strike on Syria as illegal and accusing Washington of behaving unpredictably. One of Lavrov's deputies was even more undiplomatic. "In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russia's state-owned RIA news agency. But Lavrov said some progress had been made on Syria at the meeting and that a working group would be set up to examine the poor state of U.S.-Russia ties. He also said that Putin had agreed to reactivate a U.S.-Russian air safety agreement over Syria which Moscow suspended after the U.S. missile strikes. Tillerson noted the low level of trust between the two countries. "The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," he said. Moscow's hostility to Trump administration figures is a sharp change from last year, when Putin hailed Trump as a strong figure and Russian state television was often full of effusive praise for him. In another possible setback to a thaw with Moscow, Trump said on Wednesday that NATO is not obsolete, as he had declared during the election campaign last year. But he told a news conference at the White House with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg that alliance members still need to pay their fair share for the European security umbrella. Trump said U.S. relations with Russia were not going well. "Right now, were not getting along with Russia at all. We may be at an all-time low in terms of a relationship with Russia. This has built for a long period of time. But were going to see what happens," Trump told the news conference. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump said his administration's policy was not to demand Assad step down as part of a "peaceful resolution to the conflict", in some contrast to Tillerson's remarks in Moscow. "Are we insisting on it? No. But I do think its going to happen at a certain point," Trump said. The Wall Street Journal cited Trump as saying that Assad's use of chemical weapons again would elicit another military response but he also said he would not intervene in depth in the conflict. The White House has accused Moscow of trying to cover up Assad's use of chemical weapons after the attack on a rebel-held Syrian town last week killed 87 people last week. Trump responded to the gas attack by firing 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base on Friday. Washington warned Moscow, and Russian troops at the base were not hit. Moscow has stood by Assad, saying the poison gas belonged to rebels, an explanation Washington dismisses as beyond credible. Russia blocked a Western effort at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to condemn the gas attack and push Assad to cooperate with international inquiries into the incident. Trump came to the presidency promising greater cooperation with Russia in fighting against their common enemy in Syria, Islamic State. Tillerson is a former oil executive who was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship by Putin. Trump's relations with Russia are also a domestic issue, as U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of using computer hacking to intervene in the election to help Trump win. The FBI is investigating whether any Trump campaign figures colluded with Moscow, which the White House denies. (Additional reporting by Polina Devitt, Andrew Osborn and Vladimir Soldatkin and Jeff Mason in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff, Anna Willard and Dustin Volz; Editing by Yara Bayoumy and Alistair Bell)
This week, the Ram truck brand introduces two new option packages for the 2017 Ram 1500 large pickup at the New York International Auto Show. For the first time, Ram will offer the Ram 1500 Sublime Sport in lime green paint with matching grille and a Ram 1500 Rebel Blue Streak variant in a dynamic blue color with all-black interior. Both trucks will arrive in dealer showrooms next month. The limited-edition Ram Sublime Sport, with only 3,000 copies, lists for $47,135 (including $1,395 destination fee), while the Ram Rebel Blue Streak will retail for $46,490 (including fees).





2017 Ram 1500 Sublime Sport photo

Ram officials say the nearly custom Sublime Sport package is offered on Crew Cab V-8 models with an eye-popping lime green exterior paint color. Other features include a Sport performance hood with black wheels, black Ram grille and tailgate, and body-side badges. The 22-in., oversize, black aluminum wheels are available only on the 2-wheel-drive version of the truck.



Interior treatments for the Sublime Sport include Lime Green accent stitching and Rams head embroidery on the headrests and sport mesh seat inserts. A Lime Green Sport badge is embossed on the glove box and anodized black accents are featured throughout the interior.





2017 Ram 1500 Rebel Blue Streak photo

The Rebel Blue Streak Ram 1500 variant in a dramatic Blue Streak exterior paint also can be ordered with the Rebel Black appearance package that includes a black decal performance hood, grille, brush guard, and badging with black wheels.



Inside are black anodized bezels on the doors, center console, instrument panel, and gauge cluster trim rings. Optional black leather seats replace Rebel Radar Red ones and include black embroidery. Slate gray accent stitching is featured around the instrument panel, center console lid, doors, and seats. Floor mats are embossed with Rams head logos.

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The Ram truck brand introduces two new option packages for the 2017 Ram 1500 pickup--the Ram 1500 Sublime Sport and the Ram 1500 Rebel Blue Streak--at the 2017 New York Auto Show.

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When the largest Ebola outbreak in history exploded across West Africa in 2014, public health authorities raced to test experimental vaccines and drugs they hoped would quell the massive epidemic.

But the trials process was too slow, and in the end, a massive influx of outside medical help and strict enforcement of measures to prevent ongoing infection were what brought the outbreak under control.

Now, a new report commissioned by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine attempts to chart a road map for expedited clinical trials for future epidemics, hoping to ensure that the lessons from the devastating Ebola outbreak are not forgotten.

There will be one. The more we can start now, the better well be, said Dr. Gerald Keusch, co-chairman of the committee that produced the report.

Read more: Report: 10 ways to protect against a global health catastrophe

The report, Integrating Clinical Research into Epidemic Response: The Ebola Experience, was released Wednesday.

A number of the recommendations in the nearly 300-page report focus on trying to build up health systems in low-income countries, so that they are better able to spot, respond to, and contribute to research during future disease outbreaks.

That has long been a goal of global public health, but it remains a work in progress. And with the Trump administrations America First philosophy, it is not clear how much funding will be forthcoming from Washington for this type of work.

Youre going to pay now, or youre going to pay much more later, both in terms of money, lives, and morbidity. So thats the kind of context in which this conversation is going to need proceed, said Keusch, who is associate director of Boston Universitys National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory.

The report also recommends that work be done during times between outbreaks to try to set up flexible study protocols and other tools to fast-track research collaborations, so that they can be utilized when epidemics flare.

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Some of these efforts are already in the works, said Dr. Marie-Paule Kieny, an assistant director-general of the World Health Organization and the person who led the WHOs efforts to accelerate research during the Ebola outbreak.

For instance, discussions are underway to try to streamline the ethics approvals that must be done by every organization involved in a clinical trial. Kieny noted that the trial of an experimental vaccine in Guinea that involved Guineas department of health, the WHO, Doctors without Borders, and the government of Norway required independent ethics approvals by each.

And when you have one say, Ah, actually, I dont like this sentence, I want it changed, you have to go back and ask everybody again for approval, she said.

Public health has long struggled to do research during outbreaks of emerging diseases. Often the people who would normally write research proposals and funding grants are the same people racing to see patients and figure out the basics of the new threat  how its spreading, how to stop it.

During the SARS outbreak in 2003, for example, by the time clinician-scientists in Toronto could think about planning studies to see if the antiviral drug ribavirin would help patients survive, their efforts to control the disease had succeeded. There was no one to test ribavirin on.

And in some cases  SARS is an example  a new disease comes completely out of left field. Scientists hadnt seen the virus before, so there had been no research done to develop drugs or vaccines. The cupboard was bare but for a few antiviral drugs developed for other diseases that scientists proposed to try against the new virus.

Read more: Were not prepared for future Ebola outbreaks, experts warn

With Ebola, there had been research for years into possible drugs and vaccines, and there were quite a few candidates. But almost all of them were very near the start of the development pipeline. And in most cases, supplies were exceedingly limited. In the early stages of testing of a new drug or vaccine, laboratories make only small batches for animal testing or the first human trials, which involve small numbers of people.

There was great interest in testing ZMapp, a cocktail of antibodies that targets Ebola that had shown great promise in animal testing. But there were only a few treatment courses available and making enough to conduct clinical trials took months.

The report doesnt discuss the fact that lack of experimental products to test can be the biggest hurdle to conducting clinical trials during outbreaks.

We didnt address it directly and head-on, but its embedded in what we say because a lot of what comes out of our report in terms of recommendations pertains to, What do you do before theres an epidemic? Keusch said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of Carter Page, an adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump, because the government had reason to believe Page was acting as a Russian agent, The Washington Post has reported.

Page is among the Trump associates under scrutiny as the FBI and congressional committees investigate whether his presidential campaign had ties to Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing, but the investigations could shadow his presidency for months or even years.

The Post, citing unnamed law enforcement and other U.S. officials, said Tuesday the government surveillance application laid out the basis for believing that Page had knowingly engaged in intelligence activities on Russia's behalf. The newspaper said the application includes contacts Page had with a Russian intelligence operative in 2013.

Those contacts are detailed in a 2015 court filing involving a case against three men charged in connection with a Cold War-style Russian spying ring. According to the filing, Page provided one of the men documents about the energy industry. He was not charged as part of that case.

An FBI spokesman did not immediately return a call seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Page, who has denied having improper ties to Russia, told the AP Tuesday he was "happy" that the court order had been revealed and blamed the Obama administration for trying to "suppress dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy."

"It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time," said Page, using an acronym to refer to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

The FISA court and its orders are highly secretive. Judges grant permission for surveillance if they agree there's probable cause that the target is an agent of a foreign power. Though the standard is a high bar to meet, applications are hardly ever denied.

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The Post reported that a 90-day warrant was issued for Page and has been renewed more than once by the FISA court.

Page was a little known investment banker when Trump announced him as a member of his foreign policy advisory team early last year. Trump aides insist the president has no relationship with Page and did not have any dealings with him during the campaign.

Page's relationship with Russia began to draw scrutiny during the campaign after he visited Moscow in July 2016 for a speech at the New Economic School. While Page said he was traveling in a personal capacity, the school cited his role in the Trump campaign in advertising the speech.

Page was sharply critical of the U.S. in his remarks, saying Washington has a "hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change."

Days later, Page talked with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. at an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention. Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke with the Russian envoy at the same event, a conversation he failed to reveal when asked about contacts with Russians during his Senate confirmation hearings.

The campaign began distancing itself from Page after his trip to Russia, saying he was only an informal adviser. By the fall, he appeared to have cut ties to the Republican campaign.

It's unclear how Page got connected with the Trump campaign. One campaign official said Page was recruited by Sam Clovis, an Iowa Republican operative who ran the Trump campaign's policy shop and is now a senior adviser at the Agriculture Department. Those who served on the campaign's foreign policy advisory committee also said they had limited contact with Page.

But in a letter Page sent to the Senate intelligence committee last month, he cast himself as a regular presence in Trump Tower, where the campaign was headquartered.

"I have frequently dined in Trump Grill, had lunch in Trump Cafe, had coffee meetings in the Starbucks at Trump Tower, attended events and spent many hours in campaign headquarters on the fifth floor last year," Page wrote. He also noted that his office building in New York "is literally connected to the Trump Tower building by an atrium."

Page, a former Merrill Lynch investment banker who worked out of its Moscow office for three years, now runs Global Energy Capital, a firm focused on energy sectors in emerging markets. According to the company's website, he has advised on transactions for Gazprom and RAO UES, a pair of Russian entities.
Three Republican lawmakers in North Carolina filed a bill Tuesday that seeks to defy the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage. House Bill 780, otherwise known as the Uphold Historical Marriage Act, said the Supreme Court "overstepped its constitutional bounds" when it struck down an amendment of North Carolina's constitution in its 2015 landmark Obergefell v. Hodges case that made same-sex marriages legal nationwide.

North Carolina state Reps. Larry Pittman, Michael Speciale and Carl Ford are the primary sponsors of the Uphold Historical Marriage Act.

Read: Did The U.S. Census Bureau Abandon Plans To Include LGBTQ Americans In 2020 Census?

The bill quotes the Christian Bible and said the ruling "exceeds the authority of the court relative to the decree of Almighty God that 'a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh' (Genesis 2:24, ESV) and abrogates the clear meaning and understanding of marriage in all societies throughout prior history."

The American Civil Liberties Union released a statement condemning the bill. These extreme proposals would trample on the rights and wellbeing of all community members, spread fear and confusion, waste countless government resources, and do nothing to make North Carolina safer, said Sarah Gillooly, policy director for the ACLU of North Carolina. This bill potentially violates federal law and the U.S. Constitution and could expose North Carolina to costly litigation. But more importantly, state lawmakers should not be in the business of telling local officials to target and single out undocumented North Carolinians who work, go to school, and contribute to our communities in countless ways.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, tweeted Tuesday: This bill is wrong... We need more LGBT protections, not fewer.

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Other states who tried defying the Supreme Court same-sex marriage ruling have failed in the past. Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore ordered state judges not to issue same-sex marriage licenses. However, Moores decision was overturned and he was removed from office, according to reports.

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By Alex Bregman

Who is Bashar Assad, the man at the center of the Syrian crisis? What got him into power, and what keeps him there?

He was born the second son of Hafez Assad, who seized power in Syria in a coup and held it, with an iron grip, from 1970 to 2000.

As part of a religious minority, a Muslim sect known as the Alawites, the Assad family needed the full support of the military to avoid uprisings and often used that force to suppress their opposition, most notoriously in 1982, crushing an uprising in the town of Hama and killing as many as 30,000 people.

Bashar was never supposed to be president. His charismatic older brother, Bassel, was the heir apparent, but in 1994 he was in a car accident on a Damascus highway and died.

At the time Bashar was in London training for an ophthalmology career. He was called home and succeeded his father, whose health was failing.

When he became president in 2000, Assad promised to make Syria less repressive. There was even talk of a Damascus Spring. But soon it was business as usual, with the government rigging elections and cracking down on political opponents.

In 2011, when antigovernment rebels rose up against the regime, Assad initially offered new elections and political reform. But despite those overtures, he ultimately called on his countrys security forces to carry out a campaign of imprisonment, torture and murder.

Over the past five years, there have been many calls for Assad to step down. In 2011, President Barack Obama said, The Syrian regime has chosen the path of murder and the mass arrests of its citizens.  The Syrian people have shown their courage in demanding a transition to democracy. President Assad now has a choice: He can lead that transition, or get out of the way.

Those calls intensified in recent days after video of a grisly and barbaric chemical attack was broadcast around the world, leading to U.S. military strikes against Assad.

Now at least some in the Trump Administration are saying Assad must go. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said recently, In no way do we see peace in that area with Assad as the head of the Syrian government.

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Despite little evidence that the Syrian people are behind him, Assad recently said that if he doesnt have their support he will step aside. He told Yahoo News earlier this year: I would worry if Im in that position and I dont have the public support. This is going to be a big problem for me, and  I cant bear it.

Meanwhile, Syria has become the epicenter of a global crisis  at least 400,000 people killed, millions of refugees, a hotbed for ISIS and a potential powder keg for the U.S. as Russia and Iran continue to prop up the Assad regime.

As the human toll continues to mount and the worlds superpowers navigate their role in the region, Syrias president will continue to be the man in the middle. So when you hear the name Bashar Assad, who he is and how he got there, at least you can say, Now I can get it.

Read more from Yahoo News:
Pretoria (AFP) - Rival South African opposition parties joined forces on Wednesday when tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the capital Pretoria calling for President Jacob Zuma to resign.

The march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government, was organised on Zuma's 75th birthday and came after nationwide rallies against the president last week.

Zuma's recent sacking of respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan has fanned years of public anger over government corruption scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

Supporters of the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), and smaller parties mingled at Wednesday's demonstration in a display of unity.

Police said the event had been peaceful.

"You came out in large numbers and sent a strong message," EFF leader Julius Malema told the crowd.

"We are here to defend the future of our children whether you are black (or) white. We are united on the purpose of winning back our beautiful country."

Gordhan's sacking triggered unprecedented criticism from senior figures within the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Parliament announced late Wednesday that it had postponed a planned vote of no confidence in Zuma at the request of the DA.

The party had requested the delay pending the outcome of a Constitutional Court case to seek a secret vote by lawmakers.

The ANC lawmakers had in the past voted overwhelmingly against previous motions of no confidence launched by the opposition.

The date for the new vote has not yet been set.

- 'Moment of crisis'? -

"At this moment of crisis, we, as political parties, put our differences aside for one common cause -- to save South Africa from Jacob Zuma," said John Moodey, DA leader in Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg.

"(Zuma's supporters) will do everything to stay in power, even intimidating MPs. With a secret ballot, we could put Zuma out by a huge majority.

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"Even if it doesn't succeed, I can guarantee you that we will have a coalition government in 2019."

Zuma, who came to office in 2009, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as national president ahead of the 2019 general election.

"In December the ANC will elect a new leader, I don't know who that would be. The ANC will decide," Zuma told supporters at his birthday party in Soweto.

"In 2019 I will step down as president of the country," he said, adding that he was willing to step down from both his positions if asked to do so.

Zuma is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him.

Protesters on Wednesday held placards reading "Zuma must fall", "Hamba tsotsi" ("Go away thief"), and "Zuma liar".

"I came because Zuma has to step down. He sold the country. I don't want him anymore," Mavis Madisha, a 37-year-old EFF supporter, told AFP.

Zuma has been accused of being in the sway of the wealthy Gupta business family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.

The Constitutional Court last year found Zuma guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to repay taxpayers' money used to refurbish his private rural house.

He is also fighting a court order that could reinstate almost 800 corruption charges against him over a multi-billion dollar arms deal in the 1990s.

The dismissal of Gordhan saw the Fitch and Standard & Poor's agencies cut South Africa's sovereign credit rating to junk status due to fears of political instability and growing corruption.

The ANC has lost popularity in recent years and slipped to 55 percent of the vote in last year's local elections -- its worst ever result.

Zuma has easily survived previous parliamentary votes against him due to the ANC's majority.

The president branded last week's protests, which attracted tens of thousands of marchers, as racist.
(Reuters) - Rolling Stone magazine and the administrator at the University of Virginia have reached an agreement which ends a defamation case over the publication's retracted story about an alleged gang rape at the school, court documents filed on Tuesday showed.

Rolling Stone has been appealing a $3 million defamation verdict a Virginia federal court jury awarded in November to university administrator Nicole Eramo after it found the magazine and reporter Sabrina Rubin Erdely had defamed her.

"We are delighted that this dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault, Libby Locke, one of her lawyers, said in a statement provided to the New York Times.

Court documents showed Eramo dropped the case on Tuesday, five months after the jury found that the magazine and author were liable for actual malice, a key element in libel law, in six statements in the November 2014 story "A Rape on Campus."

The article played a key role in sparking a national debate about sexual assault on university campuses. While the article was discredited as depicting an assault that never occurred, campus sexual assault remains a major concern, with some reports estimating that one in five female students will be a victim during their college years.

The magazine has argued in court papers that there was no evidence that Erdely acted with actual malice in the story and that the jury erred in finding that the story had been republished.

The magazine's story said that a female student identified only as "Jackie" was gang raped at a university fraternity. Rolling Stone retracted the story and a police investigation found no evidence to support Jackie's claims.

Eramo accused the magazine of portraying her as the story's villain and as being focused on hushing up sexual assault reports.

"Rolling Stone, Sabrina Rubin Erdely and Nicole Eramo have come to an amicable resolution. The terms are confidential," a spokeswoman for Wenner Media, the parent company of Rolling Stone, told the Times.

(Corrects paragraph 4 to say the jury "found" the magazine and author "liable" for actual malice, instead of "ruled" they were "guilty" of actual malice.)

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday slammed as "unacceptable" a draft UN Security Council resolution put forward by Britain, France and the United States on an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

"In its current form this project is unacceptable for us," deputy foreign ministry Gennady Gatilov told Interfax news agency. "We, of course, will not vote for it."
Moscow (AFP) - President Vladimir Putin said ties between Russia and the United States appear to have deteriorated under Donald Trump in an interview released Wednesday as the countries' top diplomats met in Moscow.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in a transcript from an interview with Mir television posted by the Kremlin.

The comments came out as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held tense talks following an alleged Syrian chemical attack and subsequent missile strike by Washington.

Moscow and Washington are trying to figure each other out during the first visit by a senior member of Donald Trump's administration to Russia.

The US has blamed Moscow's ally and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of the deadly attack that killed scores of civilians and launched missile strikes against one of the regime's airbases in retribution.

Putin has angrily rejected the accusations against Damascus and slammed the US bombing as "a violation of international law".

Despite hopes of an improvement in Russia-US ties under Trump, the Tillerson-Lavrov talks look set to be dominated by the split over Syria -- where more than 320,000 people have died in six years of war.

Washington has said it is hoping to pry Russia away from its support for Assad, but the Kremlin on Wednesday decried any calls to drop the Syrian leader as "pretty absurd".

Prior to Tillerson's arrival, hopes in Moscow had already dimmed that Trump would make good on his pledge to improve ties with Russia, as relations with the Kremlin have become politically toxic on the back of claims that Putin conspired to get Trump elected.
By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia blocked a Western-led effort at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to condemn last week's deadly gas attack in Syria and push Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad to cooperate with international inquiries into the incident. It was the eighth time during Syria's six-year-old civil war that Moscow has used its veto power on the Security Council to shield Assad's government. In the latest veto, Russia blocked a draft resolution backed by the United States, France and Britain to denounce the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun and tell Assad's government to provide access for investigators and information such as flight plans. The toxic gas attack on April 4 prompted the United States to launch missile strikes on a Syrian air base and widened a rift between the United States and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that trust had eroded between the two countries under U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed that comment after meetings with Russian leaders in Moscow, saying that relations are at a low point with a low level of trust. Tillerson called for Assad to eventually relinquish power. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, called on Moscow to stop protecting Assad and said the United States wants to work with Russia toward a political solution for Syria. "Russia once again has chosen to side with Assad, even as the rest of the world, including the Arab world, overwhelmingly comes together to condemn this murderous regime," Haley told the 15-member Security Council. "If the regime is innocent, as Russia claims, the information requested in this resolution would have vindicated them." Russia's deputy U.N. envoy, Vladimir Safronkov, said the draft resolution laid blame prior to an independent investigation. "I'm amazed that this was the conclusion. No one has yet visited the site of the crime. How do you know that?" he said. He said the U.S. attack on the Syrian air base "was carried out in violation of international norms." ATTACK INVESTIGATION Syria's government has denied responsibility for the gas attack in a rebel-held area of northern Syria that killed at least 87 people, many of them children. A fact-finding mission from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is investigating the attack. If it determines that chemical weapons were used, then a joint U.N./OPCW investigation will look at the incident to determine who is to blame. This team has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and that Islamic State militants used mustard gas. China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began, abstained from Wednesday's U.N. vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. Ten countries voted in favor of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting no. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at an event in the White House, said he was not surprised by China's abstention. Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the Security Council that samples taken from the site of the April 4 attack had been analyzed by British scientists and tested positive for the nerve gas sarin. He said Assad's government was responsible. Diplomats said that Russia has put forward a rival draft resolution that expresses concern at last week's gas attack and condemns the U.S. strike on Syria. It was unclear if Moscow planned to put the text to a vote. (Additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Alistair Bell)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Russia vetoed a U.N. resolution Wednesday that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in a town in northern Syria and demanded a speedy investigation, triggering clashes between Moscow and the measure's Western backers.

The vote on the Security Council resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States was 10 in favor, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.

It was the eighth veto by Russia, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, on a Western-backed Syria resolution and reflected the deep division that has left the U.N.'s most powerful body struggling to tackle the use of banned chemical weapons and to help end the six-year Syrian conflict. China has vetoed six resolutions.

Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council before the vote that a resolution was unnecessary, and the draft put forward by the Western powers pre-judged that the Syrian government was responsible for the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun in which nearly 90 people died.

Safronkov said Russia's Foreign Minister asked U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during talks earlier Wednesday in Moscow to jointly request the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons "to immediately put together an independent international mission" to visit Khan Sheikhoun and the air base that the U.S. attacked in retaliation. Tillerson is considering the request, he said, "and we expect that Washington will have a constructive reaction."

Russia has criticized previous investigations carried out by the OPCW and the United Nations which blamed the Syrian government for at least three chemical weapons attacks without visiting the sites. Safronkov reiterated Wednesday that an investigation cannot be conducted remotely and experts must be drawn from a wide geographical basis.

The attack on Khan Sheikhoun is expected to be near the top of the agenda when the OPCW's executive committee meets Thursday at the organization's headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands.

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Both the Syrian government and opposition have asked for an independent investigation Safronkov said, "whereas the OPCW is doing nothing, for reasons unknown."

Looking at the resolution's supporters sitting around the horseshoe-shaped table in the Security Council, he said: "You are afraid of an impartial investigation" that the Syrian government was being blamed for chemical weapons attacks carried out by extremists.

After the vote, Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew looked at Safronkov and asked: "How could anyone look at the faces of lifeless children" and yet veto this resolution?

U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley told the council: "We want to work with Russia to advance a political process in Syria. We want Russia to use its influence over the Assad regime to stop the madness and the cruelty we see every day on the ground."

"Today's vote could have been a turning point," she said. But "with its veto, Russia said no to accountability. ... Russia now has a lot to prove."

___

Jennifer Peltz at the United Nations and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - Russia, Syria's top military ally, on Wednesday used its veto power for the eighth time at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus since unrest erupted there in 2011.

The draft UN resolution had demanded that the regime of President Bashar al-Assad cooperate with an investigation into the deadly suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun on April 4.

Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States are permanent UN Security Council members with veto powers, while the other 10 members are elected for two-year terms on a rotating basis.

UN resolutions require nine positive votes and no veto to be adopted.

The following recounts Russia's seven previous vetoes, six of which were followed by China. Beijing abstained in Wednesday's vote.

- 'Unacceptable' -

October 4, 2011: Six months after the Syrian conflict begins, Russia and China block a proposed UN resolution to impose "targeted measures" against Assad's regime.

Moscow, which terms the proposal "unacceptable," pushes its own version that emphasizes a need for dialogue and seeks to bring pressure on opposition groups as well as the Syrian government.

- 'Responsibility for the horrors' -

February 4, 2012: Russia and China again veto a resolution that condemns a Syrian government crackdown on the opposition, while the Security Council's other members vote in favor.

The veto sparks an international outcry, especially because it comes a few hours after Syrian forces bomb the protest city of Homs, killing hundreds of people.

Then US secretary of state Hillary Clinton says that by blocking the resolution, Beijing and Moscow must "bear responsibility for the horrors that are occurring on the ground in Syria."

- Blocking foreign intervention -

July 19, 2012: Beijing and Moscow again veto a Western-backed resolution that threatens Damascus with sanctions if it does not halt its use of heavy weapons.

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The resolution sought to "open the path to the pressure of sanctions and further to external military involvement in Syrian domestic affairs," Russia's then UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin says afterwards.

US Ambassador Susan Rice charges, meanwhile, that "the Security Council has failed utterly."

- Russian charges of hypocrisy -

May 22, 2014: A French-drafted proposal for the Security Council to refer Syrian crimes to the International Criminal Court (ICC) is blocked, again by Beijing and Moscow.

Sixty government bodies from around the world voice support for the move, but Churkin accuses France, Britain and the US of hypocrisy in not wanting war crimes in Iraq referred to the ICC.

- Russia goes it alone -

October 8, 2016: Russia alone vetoes a text proposed by France to halt the bombing of Aleppo, after presenting a rival draft that urges a ceasefire but makes no mention of halting the bombing campaign.

China abstains.

- 'Provocative step' -

December 5, 2016: A resolution that calls for a truce in Aleppo is vetoed by both China and Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticizes the proposal as a "provocative step."

- Chemical weapons -

February 28, 2017: Russia and China again veto a UN resolution, drafted by Britain, France and the United States that would have imposed sanctions on Syria over chemical weapons use in the conflict.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had warned that imposing sanctions on Syria during ongoing peace talks in Geneva was "completely inappropriate" and would undermine the effort to end Syria's war.
Post the Samsung Galaxy S8 launch, all eyes are on Samsungs next flagship, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The next-in-line device is expected to have some features of Galaxy S8 and some that it would retain from its predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

The Note 7, the company's 2016 flagship device, marks a dark chapter in Samsungs smartphone history. Many of the Note 7 devices exploded, endangering customers safety and in some cases causing damage to their person and property. The company is still being sued for damages caused due to Note 7 explosions.

Read: Galaxy Note 7 Class Action Suit Filed Against Samsung

But, amid the Note 7 fiasco, the many new features the device brought failed to grab attention. The Note 7 featured an iris scanner, a 2K display and a 12-megapixel camera capable of recording 4K videos.

The Note 8 is expected to be Samsungs effort at gaining the ground lost with the Note 7. While the company is yet to make any announcement regarding the Note 8, some expected features of the device have emerged.

Lets pit the two against each other and find out how they compare:

Display

The Note 7 featured a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a 1440x2560p screen resolution. It also featured Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which offered protection from falls.

The Note 8, according to a recent leak, might feature a 6.4-inch display with a 3840x2160p 4K resolution. It is also expected to feature an infinity display like the Samsung Galaxy S8, which means that in addition to the large display size, it will also have no bezels, which would give consumers a wider surface area to work on.

Performance

The Note 7 came with a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset with an Adreno 530 GPU. The Note 8 is expected to feature the 10nm technology-based Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with the next-generation Adreno GPU.

Camera

The Note 7 featured a 12-megapixel rear camera with a f/1.7 aperture with phase-detection autofocus and the capability to record 4K videos. The Note 8 is expected to feature a dual camera, similar to iPhone 7 Plus.

Story continues

Android OS

The Note 7 came with Android 6.0  Marshmallow OS, while the Note 8 is expected to come with Android O.

Accessories and other features

The Note 8 is expected to have a new S-Pen with increased sensitivity in comparison to the one that came with the Note 7. It is also expected to feature Samsungs artificial intelligence-based voice assistant, Bixby.

Read: Will Samsung Galaxy Note 8 Have A Smaller Battery Than Galaxy S8 Plus?

One area where Samsung is expected to be extremely careful is the battery, considering that the Note 7's 3,500 mAh battery was diagnosed to be the cause of the explosions. The tech giant might go for thermal-pipe cooled design for the Note 8.

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White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized for the remarks he made Tuesday in which he criticized Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by saying that Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, despite the Nazi dictators use of gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad had made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas, and frankly I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which frankly there is no comparison, Spicer said later Tuesday in an interview with CNNs Wolf Blitzer.

For that I apologize, it was a mistake to do that, Spicer added.

Sean Spicer: I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, there is no comparison https://t.co/Jgc1ccgMeK - The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) April 11, 2017

Spicers initial comments prompted widespread backlash on social media, with users questioning his comparison and use of the phrase Holocaust centers to describe death and concentration camps. Spicers remarks came during Passover - the most widely celebrated Jewish holiday in the United States.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
Theres no good time to make a Hitler comparison, but deploying one in the midst of Passover to justify voluntary airstrikes is an especially unwise choice, as White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer realized, to his chagrin, Tuesday afternoon.

Spicer was fielding questions about the Trump administrations confusing and diffuse strategy toward Syria when he was asked why the White House believed that Russian President Vladimir Putin would break with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at this moment.

Related Story

'The President Went Out of His Way to Recognize the Holocaust'

You look, we didnt use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, Spicer said.

As puzzled reporters and other observers immediately noted, Spicers statement was deeply confusing, even if one could make a case it was accurate in very narrow terms. The Nazi government did not release chemical weapons on the battlefield during World War II. This may be the point Spicer was trying to make, as Defense Secretary James Mattis used a similar line later Tuesday afternoon.

Recommended: The Brilliant Incoherence of Trumps Foreign Policy

But as Amarnath Amarasingam wrote here last week, the toxic agent that Assad used last week in Idlib, sarin gas, was discovered and then weaponized in Nazi Germany. Hitler decided not to use chemical weapons in combat, apparently in part because of fears that any Nazi use of chemical weapons would elicit much more destructive Allied use in retaliation.) Hitler nonetheless oversaw the most lethal use of chemical weapons in history. Nazis killed perhaps 1 million people, most of them Jews, using the poison gas Zyklon B.

(The Allied history with chemical weapons is not spotless. Winston Churchill considered, but rejected, a plan to use mustard gas a defensive measure in the event of a Nazi invasion. In 1943, a German air raid in Italy caused the release of mustard gas that was being transported on Allied ships, also for potential combat use. The incident was hushed up.)

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A few minutes later in the briefing, Spicer had a chance to clean up his statement.

I think when you come to sarin gas, [Hitler] was not using the gas on his own people the same way Assad was, Spicer started out, heading down another rocky road. Some of the Jews who were killed would have been Germans who had been stripped of citizenship, although its unclear why the use against ones own citizens is more despicable.

Seeming to realize his error, Spicer added, [Hitler] brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But I was saying in the way that Assad used them, where he dropped them down to innocinto the middle of towns, it was broughtso the use of it, I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent.

Recommended: How Trump Is Changing What 'Conservative' Means

That, too, was fraught. Aside from the strange use of Holocaust centers, Spicers abortive invocation of innocence was nonsensical as well. Following the briefing, Spicer issued a statement:

In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, however, I was trying to draw a contrast of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on innocent people.

Yet again, Spicers choice of words makes little sense: Were Holocaust victims any less innocent for having been rounded up and interned before they were killed? Indeed, Spicer than issued another statement changing the final phrase to using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers.

Spicer is not the first to make an ill-advised comparison between Assad and Hitler. The author and television writer David Simon, of The Wire fame, made a similar argument on Twitter last week:

Possessing sarin gas, Hitler wouldn't use it on soldiers even as his Reich fell. He'd been gassed in WWI. Assad has used it 2x on civilians.  David Simon (@AoDespair) April 6, 2017

The problem here, as with all Hitler analogies, is that comparing anyone to historys greatest villain feels as though it is a trump card when in fact it tends to undermine whatever argument it seeks to bolster. On the one hand, almost any comparison between the barbarity of a modern figure and Hitler will quickly fall apart. On the other, it always demands a single course of action, all-out war against the target, which paralyzes any debate.

Recommended: The Trump Official The FBI Was Investigating

The point here is not that Spicer is a Holocaust denier; his debacle today looked like the product of a series of errors, rather than ideology. The point is that he, and the Trump administration more broadly, are deeply sloppy in their messaging approach, and are as a result fall into grievous errors and then keep digging. And there is no greater danger for the improvising, combative speaker than foolishly invoking the Holocaust.

Indeed, the Trump administration has already done so once before. In January, a statement for Holocaust Remembrance Day inexplicably omitted any mention of the Jews. When called out, Spicer tried to suggest that was both intentional but also entirely reasonable. The president went out of his way to recognize the Holocaust and the suffering that went through and the people that were affected by it and the loss of life, Spicer stammered, as though this were some sort of extreme measure.

Its clear that theres little forethought about when to roll out Hitler comparisons. On Monday, Spicer refused to say whether the White House even considered Assad a war criminal. On Tuesday, Spicer said that in at least one respect, Assad was worse than Hitler. That is messaging whiplash, but it makes even less sense in practical terms. During the same briefing, Spicer said that while the Trump administration did not see a future for the Assad regime, its focus for the time being is on defeating ISIS.

But if Assad is worse than Hitler, how can the U.S. possibly defend anything short of immediate regime change? Hitler analogies are terrible political rhetoric, but they are even worse as the basis for policy.

Read more from The Atlantic:

This article was originally published on The Atlantic.
Sean Spicer incorrectly claimed that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War II while comparing him to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during a Tuesday press conference.

Asked about Russian support for Assad, whose regime used chemical weapons against its citizens in an attack last week, Spicer pivoted to talking about Hitler.

You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, he said.

Hitlers Nazi regime used the deadly pesticide gas Zyklon B to kill concentration camp prisoners during the Holocaust.

When offered a chance to clarify the comment, Spicer said Hitler was not using the gas on his own people the same way Assad is doing.

Hitler did employ chemical weapons against the German people. Prior to Hitlers rise, Jewish people were assimilated German citizens. Nazi Germany also targeted the handicapped, homosexuals and Catholics - people considered citizens of Germany - during the Holocaust.

In a second clarification, Spicer said he was not trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust.

However, I was trying to draw a contrast of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on innocent people, he said.

A few minutes later, Spicer released yet another clarification, saying he was not trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust.

.@HallieJackson From the print pool, what appears to be a 4th Hitler clarification from Spicer, which adds a sentence at the end not there previously pic.twitter.com/lxZDJb2rwt - Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 11, 2017

This article was originally published on TIME.com
White House press secretary Sean Spicer appeared Tuesday in a press conference to discuss Russia's connection to Syrian President Bashar Assad and his use of chemical weapons. But it didn't stay that way. The conference quickly devolved into confusion after Spicer said not even Hitler used chemical weapons.

Before his comment is explained, let's take a step back. A chemical attack in the beginning of the month on civilians in Syria killed and injured hundreds, including children, when the toxic nerve gas sarin was unleashed on the people.

In attempting to decry Russia's link to Syria  and the likelihood they knew about the attack beforehand Spicer invoked Adolf Hitler.

"You had someone as despicable as Hitler, who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said during the briefing.

Read: Toxic Nerve Gas Sarin Used In Syria Chemical Attack Developed By Nazi Scientists

This is simply untrue. Hitler used Zyklon B, a highly poisonous chemical, in the mass genocide of innocent civilians at concentration camps during World War II. After reporters challenged Spicer later in the press conference, the press secretary attempted to clarify what he meant.

"When it comes to sarin gas, [Hitler] was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," he said.

Reporters explained that Hitler did, in fact, use chemical weapons on innocent people.

"I understand your point. Thank you, I appreciate that. He brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that," Spicer said. "I was saying in the way that Assad used them where he went into town, dropped them into the middle of town. I appreciate the clarification. That was not the intent."

Social media users quickly took to the internet to mock the press secretary and his comments. "Even Hitler" "Sean Spicer" and "Holocaust Centers" began trending on Twitter Tuesday almost immediately.

Story continues

Spicer issued another clarification following the press conference. "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the holocaust," he said. "However, I was trying to draw a contrast of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on innocent people."

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Best Schools for Brain and Behavior Research

A degree in neuroscience can lead to careers in such fields as pharmacy, medicine or research.

Explore these slides to learn a little bit about the top 10 Best Global Universities for Neuroscience and Behavior, as ranked by U.S. News based on academic research performance in that subject area.

10. University of Pennsylvania

Location: Philadelphia

Best Global Universities overall rank: 17 (tie)

Fact: The Biological Basis of Behavior Program -- one route students can take to study neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania -- was one of the first undergraduate neuroscience programs in the U.S., according to the school's website.

8 (tie). Columbia University

Location: New York

Best Global Universities overall rank: 9

Fact: Two faculty members in Columbia University's neuroscience department are recipients of the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.

8 (tie). Johns Hopkins University

Location: Baltimore

Best Global Universities overall rank: 11 (tie)

Fact: Researchers who are members of the Kavli Neuroscience Discovery Institute at Johns Hopkins University aim to combine knowledge in neuroscience, engineering and computational data science to better understand the brain.

6 (tie). University of California--Los Angeles

Location: Los Angeles

Best Global Universities overall rank: 10

Fact: Areas of research in which University of California--Los Angeles neuroscience researchers are involved include addiction; learning and memory; and synapses, cells and circuits.

6 (tie). University of California--San Diego

Location: La Jolla, California, U.S.

Best Global Universities overall rank: 15

Fact: The University of California--San Diego's neurosciences graduate program faculty hail from multiple academic departments as well as several affiliated institutions, including the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the VA San Diego Healthcare System, according to the school's website.

5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

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Best Global Universities overall rank: 2

Fact: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers a postbaccalaureate Research Scholars Program in the department of brain and cognitive sciences, according to the school's website. Students in the program receive financial support.

4. Stanford University

Location: Stanford, California, U.S.

Best Global Universities overall rank: 3

Fact: Among Stanford University's institutes and programs focused on neuroscience is the Stanford Program in Neuroscience and Society, which, according to the school's website, is affiliated with the university's law school.

3. University College London

Location: London

Best Global Universities overall rank: 23

Fact: Undergradaute neuroscience students at University College London can choose between three- and four-year degree tracks, according to the school's website. During the fourth year of the longer program, students focus on research.

2. University of California--San Francisco

Location: San Francisco

Best Global Universities overall rank: 16

Fact: Neuroscience students at the University of California--San Francisco participate in three- or four-month research rotations in various neuroscience labs in order to become more familiar with different types of experiments, according to the school's website.

1. Harvard University

Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.

Best Global Universities overall rank: 1

Fact: There is a neurobiology concentration for Harvard University undergrads with tracks in mind, brain and behavior as well as computational neuro, where students learn to use math and computer science to evaluate brain signals, according to the school's website.

Learn More About Earning a Degree Abroad

Check off these to-dos if you want to earn a bachelor's degree abroad, and learn four myths about U.S. students earning graduate degrees overseas.

Follow U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter for more education rankings and advice.

Kelly Mae Ross is an education staff writer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at kross@usnews.com.


White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was reportedly contacted by the office of Republican mega-donor Sheldon Adelson for remarks he made Tuesday downplaying atrocities committed by Adolf Hitler during the Holocaust.

CNN reports that Adelsons office reached out to Spicer after the gaffe. Spicer confirmed to the network that a talk took place, but would not elaborate on his private conversation with Adelson advisor Andy Abboud.

Adelson, a billionaire and a major backer of Republican causes, is also one of Americas biggest donors to pro-Israel initiatives. The founder and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Casino is a major funder of the Republican Jewish Coalition, the founder of the pro-Israel charity Adelson Family Foundation, and the owner of an Israeli daily newspaper.

He also supports a number of political action committees geared toward electing Republicans, and provided some $25 million to President Donald Trumps campaign last year.

The conversation between Spicer and a representative of Adelson was first flagged by Politico reporter Alex Isenstadt on Twitter, prompting a whirlwind of speculation on social media.

Read More: Following Weeks of Silence, President Trump Has Finally Spoken Out Against Anti-Semitism

Spicer is battling a barrage of criticism for the comments he made during a White House press briefing, during which he attempted to make a comparison between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Hitler.

In a condemnation of Assads recent chemical attack that killed upwards of 80 civilians, Spicer falsely claimed that the German dictator didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.

I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad had made against his own people, Spicer said later in a televised apology. For that I apologize, it was a mistake to do that.

The mistake, however, was only the most recent in a string of public comments from the White House that have been viewed as anti-Semitic or insensitive; on Holocaust Remembrance Day in January, the administration neglected to mention Jewish people in a statement marking the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where more than a million Jews were killed.

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Tuesdays gaffe was particularly poorly timed as the comments were made during Passover, one of the most important Jewish holidays.

[CNN]

This article was originally published on TIME.com
With Adam Rawnsley

Reset this. The acrimony between Washington and Moscow has only increased since President Donald Trump took office Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, in one of the few assessments the leaders of both countries would likely agree on. One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated, the Russian leader said.

Putin spoke after the Trump administration leveled its most serious accusations against the Syrian and Russian governments to date, alleging the two worked together to float a series of false narratives in the aftermath of last weeks deadly sarin gas attack on Syrian civilians.

The attack, which killed at least 80 people and spurred Trump to launch a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base, has shifted the terms of the debate over U.S. involvement in Syria from defeating the Islamic State to the possible removal of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and under what circumstances Washington might strike Assads forces again.

In the days since the American response, Trump administration officials have offered differing assessments of American policy in Syria, from focusing solely on the Islamic State, to working for Assads ouster.

No changes. While cabinet members appeared to be trying out new policy suggestions in public for much of the past week, the past 24 hours has seen the president finally weigh in, and Defense Secretary James Mattis issue a simple, definitive statement on the administrations Syria policy.

Mattis told the Pentagon press corps Tuesday that our military policy in Syria has not changed. Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. President Trump put the presidential stamp of approval on that statement in two interviews released Wednesday morning, telling the New York Post, were not going into Syria. Our policy is the same  it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria. In another interview broadcast early Wednesday morning, Trump told Fox Business Networks Maria Bartiromo that Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person in Assad, but said regime change isnt in his plans. Were not going into Syria, he repeated.

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But were already there. The U.S. has around 1,000 troops on the ground in northern Syria, mostly training and advising Arab and Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State. But there are smaller contingents closer to the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa  Marines at a small base near the city, supporting the rebels with artillery  and groups of special operations forces advisors moving on Raqqa with the Syrian militias.

Can you hear me now? There has been plenty of confusion over U.S. foreign policy since January, summed up by one anonymous foreign diplomat telling the Washington Post that nobody can tell us on Russia what the American policy is, on Syria what the American policy is, on China what the American policy isIm not sure there is a policy.

This is a big deal. On Tuesday, the White House released a National Security Council assessment on the Syria strike that directly charges collusion between Damascus and Moscow on covering up Syrian government involvement.

The report stated that U.S. intelligence agencies have compiled evidence that sarin had been used in the attack, and accusing Russia of a cover-up in its aftermath. The document contends the United States has gathered evidence that includes satellite imagery, intercepted communications, and laboratory analysis to back its conclusions.

It referred to Russia as the Syrian governments primary backer, and laid out a damning assessment of Syrian and Russian action following the chemical strike. Both countries sought to confuse the world community about who is responsible for using chemical weapons against the Syrian people, by blaming local rebels and Islamist groups for the atrocity.

Diplos. The assessment came out the day Secretary of State Rex Tillerson landed in Moscow for meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In their first face-to-face meeting on Wednesday, Lavrov icily told Tillerson that Moscow considers the U.S. strike in Syria to be unlawful, adding, I wont hide the fact that we have a lot of questions, taking into account the extremely ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ideas which have been expressed in Washington, Lavrov said. And of course, thats not to mention that apart from the statements, we observed very recently the extremely worrying actions, when an illegal attack against Syria was undertaken.

Previewing the discussion on Tuesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said the Kremlin is somewhat confused about what the U.S. administration has in mind when at different levels it recalls zones of security or zones of stability, in Syria, adding that the Trump administrations policy towards Syria remains an enigma to us.

Welcome to SitRep. Send any tips, thoughts or national security events to paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or via Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley.

North Korea. Secretary of Defense James Mattis appeared to try and lower the temperature of discussion about the USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Groups return to the waters off the Korean Peninsula. When the Navy announced that the Vinson was canceling a visit to Australia and instead heading towards Korea, the move was widely interpreted as a show of force in advance of a possible nuclear test by the North. But in his press conference on Tuesday, Mattis said theres not a specific demand signal or specific reason were sending her up there. Nonetheless, North Korea is sticking to form and issuing threats as the Vinsons approaches its shores, saying we will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves.

Warrants. The FBI sought and received a warrant to surveil one of the Trump campaigns foreign policy advisors as a result of his ties to Russian intelligence, according to a scoop from the Washington Post. Federal agents convinced the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to approve a surveillance warrant for Carter Page because of his dealings with Russian intelligence officers in 2013 as well as other, thus far unspecified contacts with Kremlin intelligence services. Page has repeatedly denied acting as an agent for Russian intelligence and Trump campaign officials have previously sought to downplay his role on the campaign.

Addiction. The Navys SEAL teams have a growing drug problem, according to an investigation by CBS News. The network spoke to a handful of former SEALs recently kicked out of the units for drug abuse who say theyve abused drugs ranging from marijuana to cocaine. Drug use prompted Naval Special Warfare Group 2 Commander Capt. Jamie Sands to order a safety stand down during which he told SEALs that I feel like Im watching our foundation, our culture, erode in front of our eyes as a result of substance abuse issues.

Troll so hard. The Guardian profiles the trolliest Twitter account in international diplomacy, the @RussianEmbassy account for the Russian diplomatic mission in the United Kingdom. The account has become famous for its aggressive, sarcastic, and at times off-beat sense of humor as it hurls barbs at Western foreign policy. The account has become notorious for missives like a May 2016 tweet which used a screenshot of the classic Command and Conquer video game to illustrate its claim that Syrian rebel groups in Aleppo were supplied with chemical weapons. Other tweets have included the alt-right and allegedly anti-semitic icon Pepe the Frog in a broadside against British Prime Minister Theresa May and a picture of a lame duck aimed at President Obama after he ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats in December 2016.

East Africa. Somalia. Somalias al Qaeda-linked Shabaab terrorist group is vowing to respond in kind to the Trump administrations proposed expansion of operations against it. The groups Shahada News Agency propaganda outlet issued a statement on social media promising a doubled response to the Trump administrations moves in East Africa. The group pointed to a suicide bombing attack on Somalias new defense chief as an example of its capacity for retaliation.

Hire away. The federal hiring freeze put in place by the Trump administration is officially over. USA Today reports that the end of the freeze doesnt mean a return to business as usual, with the White House asking agencies only to staff up in areas outlined for expansion in the Trump administrations proposed budget. That marks a reprieve for the Defense Department, where the Trump budget has offered relatively more funds in its proposed spending for the next fiscal year.

Photo Credit: ALEXANDER NEMENOV/AFP/Getty Images
By Julie Steenhuysen and Michael Hirtzer CHICAGO (Reuters) - Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, has established a separate bioscience unit to expand its role in supplying pig parts for medical uses, with the ultimate goal of selling pig organs for transplantation into humans. Routine pig-human organ transplants are years away, but recent scientific advances are breaking down barriers that frustrated prior attempts to use pigs as a ready supply of replacement parts for sick or injured people, making it an attractive new market. "Our bread and butter has always been the bacon, sausage, fresh pork - very much a food-focused operation," Courtney Stanton, vice president of Smithfield's new bioscience unit, told Reuters in an exclusive interview. We want to signal to the medical device and science communities that this is an area we're focused on - that we're not strictly packers," she said. Smithfield, the $14 billion subsidiary of Chinas WH Group <0288.HK>, in its first move has joined a public-private tissue engineering consortium funded by an $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Smithfield is the only pork producer, joining health-care companies including Abbott Laboratories , Medtronic and United Therapeutics Corp . Transplants are used for people diagnosed with organ failure and who have no other treatment options. Transplants from animals could help close a critical gap to help those in need. The United Network for Organ Sharing estimates that, on average, 22 people die each day while waiting for a transplant. Smithfield already harvests materials for medical use from the 16 million hogs it slaughters each year. The company owns more than 51 percent of its farms and hopes to sell directly to researchers and health-care companies, which now typically buy from third parties. Stanton said the U.S. market for pork byproducts used for medical, pet food and non-food purposes stands at more than $100 billion, and that excludes any potential market for animal-to-human transplants, known as xenotransplants. Smithfield has deals in the works to supply pig organs to two entities, though Stanton would not disclose the names. "It's just a huge potential space, and to be at the leading edge and focused on building those relationships is critical, she said. HOG HEARTS Pigs have long been a tantalizing source of transplants because their organs are so similar to humans. A hog heart at the time of slaughter, for example, is about the size of an adult human heart. Other organs from pigs being researched for transplantation into humans include kidney, liver and lungs. Prior efforts at pig-to-human transplants have failed because of genetic differences that caused organ rejection or viruses that posed an infection risk. Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG folded its $1 billion xenotransplantation effort in 2001 because of safety concerns about pig viruses that could be passed to humans. George Church, a Harvard Medical School genetics professor and researcher, tackled that problem two years ago, using a new gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to trim away potentially harmful virus genes that have impeded the use of pig organs for transplants in humans. Church has since formed a company named eGenesis Bio to develop humanized pigs that do not provoke a rejection response or transfer viruses to people. The company last month raised $38 million in venture funding. Eventually, Church said, the process could enable researchers to harvest a dozen different organs and tissues from a single pig. Church estimates the first transplants involving humanized pig organs could occur in a clinical trial later this year, but these would only be used on people too sick to receive human organs. Genome pioneer Craig J. Venters Synthetic Genomics Inc has been working for two years with United Therapeutics on editing the pig genome and mixing in human cells to overcome the complex issues involved in immune rejection. "It's not like changing a couple genes and you've got it solved," Venter said. Stanton would not rule out breeding genetically modified animals, but said Smithfield's first ventures will likely involve whole pig organs that go through decellularization - a process in which existing cells are washed away and replaced with human cells. Miromatrix Medical Inc, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for example, is using whole pig livers to make a surgical mesh used in hernia repair and breast reconstruction, and it is working toward developing replacement livers, hearts and kidneys. Church welcomes the involvement of a big pork producer. "Even though we've got companies like eGenesis that would make the first pigs, you still need someone who will breed them and do it to scale," he said. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen and Michael Hirtzer; Editing by Leslie Adler)
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Tens of thousands of South Africans on Wednesday marked the 75th birthday of President Jacob Zuma with a protest against him, pushing for his resignation because of scandals and his dismissal of a widely respected finance minister. The president, meanwhile, danced at a party where well-wishers said they loved him.

The rally in the capital, Pretoria, which followed nationwide protests on Friday, comes amid sharp criticism of Zuma within the ruling African National Congress party, although the president still commands the support of powerful ANC factions. Zuma, who is in his second five-year term after becoming president in 2009, has become a flashpoint for concerns about government corruption and mismanagement in one of Africa's most powerful economies.

"Take a permanent holiday!" said one protest sign mockingly wishing a happy birthday to Zuma. Some demonstrators carried a mock coffin covered with a South African flag.

Crowds gathered at a central square and marched peacefully to the Union Buildings, which house Zuma's offices. Police estimated the crowd size in Pretoria at 30,000. Protest organizers said the number was higher.

The protest united groups with sharply different ideologies. The Democratic Alliance, the main opposition party, includes many members of the white minority that still controls much of the economy 23 years after the end of apartheid. The smaller Economic Freedom Fighters party, led by former ruling party member Julius Malema, says it seeks the rapid transfer of land and industry to South Africa's poor black majority.

"All political parties have come together to send one message," Malema said. "Zuma must leave office, and the soonest he does that, the better, because this country must recover economically."

Later Wednesday, Zuma attended a birthday party for him in the Soweto area of Johannesburg, sitting in a high-backed armchair on a stage before dancing. Supporters praised him, saying he would overcome political challenges and serve out his term until 2019.

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Zuma last month fired Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who coincidentally turned 68 on Wednesday, in a Cabinet reshuffle. Some top ruling party leaders openly criticized the decision. Two agencies, Fitch and Standard & Poor's, responded by lowering South Africa's credit rating to below investment grade, raising concerns about a weakening currency and price increases in a country with high unemployment.

In a birthday message, the ruling party commended Zuma for his record as an anti-apartheid leader and tenure as president.

Zuma spent 10 years in the same Robben Island prison where Nelson Mandela was held, but his anti-apartheid record has been overshadowed by scandals, including the spending of millions of dollars in state funds on his private home. He paid back some money after the Constitutional Court ruled against him last year.

On Monday, Zuma said many white demonstrators calling for his resignation are racist. Opponents described the remark as an affront to legitimate protest.

Key allies, including the South African Communist Party and the country's biggest labor group, have urged Zuma to resign. The divided ANC, however, is seeking to project an image of unity and says it will defeat an opposition bid to oust Zuma in a parliamentary vote of no confidence.

A small opposition party has opened a court challenge to try to have the vote conducted by secret ballot, which analysts believe could allow some ANC lawmakers to vote against Zuma with less fear of reprisal from ruling party loyalists. The vote, originally scheduled for April 18, has been delayed pending the outcome of the legal challenge.

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Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's main opposition party said on Wednesday it will not withdraw a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma after parliament earlier said the vote could only be removed by the party which had brought it to parliament and not the Speaker. The motion was brought to parliament by Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane. But on Tuesday, Maimane requested the Speaker of parliament to delay the motion until the Constitutional Court rules on whether the vote should be taken by secret ballot. "The DA never indicated that the motion of no confidence will be withdrawn but only requested that the Speaker postpone the motion due to the importance of the pending Constitutional Court application," the DA said in a statement, adding it was still within the Speaker's powers to postpone the vote. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Editing by James Macharia)
Heads up, residents of Ballarat, Australia: A man is wanted for stealing $70,000 worth of gold bullion from a home.

If you need help identifying the perpetrator, he looks exactly like this very professional portrait:

A man who looks exactly like this might be behind the theft of $70,000 of gold bullion in Ballarat: https://t.co/AZ1oYVKPyO pic.twitter.com/YZ2s15TcC9  PEDESTRIAN.TV (@pedestriandaily) April 12, 2017

Yep, exactly like this.

This wide-eyed, wide-chinned freak of nature was spotted by Dr. Rosemary Draper, the owner of the house that was broken into. She purchased the gold as an investment in the 1980s and since then, her gold stash has nearly tripled in value.

For our benefit, Dr. Draper drew out, exactly to perfection, a very detailed portrait of the thief.

As for the gold itself, leading Senior Constable Nathan Vercoe told the Herald Sun that it will be difficult for this Giant Stone Man to sell off the stolen gold because, well, they're huge bars of gold.

If you happen to have any information about this please contact Crime Stoppers or submit a report at crimestoppersvic.com.au.

And for deciphering this sketch, our best guess right now is that the thief was Roy from Blade Runner.

No Merchandising. Editorial Use Only. No Book Cover Usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ladd Company/Warner Bros/REX/Shutterstock (5886255be) Rutger Hauer Blade Runner - 1982 Director: Ridley Scott Ladd Company/Warner Bros USA Scene Still Scifi

Image: Warner Bros/REX/Shutterstock
Moscow (AFP) - The Uzbek national suspected of mowing down pedestrians in Stockholm last week had tried to join the ranks of the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, an Uzbek source told Russian agencies.

The 39-year-old suspect, Rakhmat Akilov, "fell under the influence of emissaries of the Tajik cell of the Islamic State, making attempts to take part in combat in Syria on the side of the fighters," an unnamed law enforcement source in the Central Asian state said.

According to the source, Akilov attempted to cross Turkey's border with Syria in 2015 but was detained.

"Given his refugee status he was deported back to Sweden," the source said.

The source added that Uzbek authorities had added Akilov to an international wanted list in late February after a criminal case on "religious extremism" was opened against him.

Akilov on Tuesday confessed to a "terrorist crime" for the truck attack that killed four people and injured 15 others on Friday, his lawyer said.

He had reportedly said he had received an "order" directly from IS to carry out the attack, according to Swedish media reports.

Akilov, a construction worker who had been refused permanent residency in Sweden, was arrested several hours after the attack.

He had gone underground after his application for Swedish residency was rejected last year, police said.
Following up the Viziv 7 SUV Concept is the Subaru Ascent, a closer-to-production show vehicle that portends of a three-row model to be offered in 2018.

The Ascent is based on a global platform that Subaru is using to underpin its latest and future models, including the Impreza and updated Crosstrek. The versatility of the platform can be seen in the dimensions, as the Ascent casts a large shadow over the current Subaru line-up.

Measuring 198.8 inches long, the Ascent is larger than the Honda Pilot and Toyota Highlander, prime targets in the three-row, midsized SUV market. The show vehicle demonstrates seven-passenger seating, with captains chairs used in the second row.

The Ascent will be powered by an all-new turbocharged, direct-injection engine. Standard all-wheel drive is a given. Other details will be released closer to the on-sale date.

The Ascent will be built at the Lafayette, Indiana, Subaru plant exclusively for North America.

Over the years, Subaru has perfected the small SUV with the Forester, offering a fuel-efficient, spacious model that stands out in a crowded field. Hopefully the lessons learned there will translate to this larger, more capable model whose main role may be to keep Subaru families from outgrowing the brand offerings.





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By Timothy Mclaughlin

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Police have arrested a suspect in the murder of an Illinois judge who was shot outside his South Chicago home earlier this week, officials said on Wednesday.

Joshua Smith, 37, was charged in connection with the murder of Raymond Myles, who was killed early on Monday morning, Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on Twitter.

Smith faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and armed robbery, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said.

He is expected to appear in bond court in Chicago on Thursday morning.

A vehicle believed to be the getaway car used after the shooting was stopped by law enforcement on Tuesday, police said. They believe the person driving the car at the time of the stop was not connected to the murder.

Myles, 66, was an associate judge in Cook County Circuit Court's Criminal Division. Cook County includes Chicago, the third-largest city in the United States.

A woman was also shot during the incident at Myles' home. She is expected to recover fully.

The incident started when the woman exited the home and encountered a man with a gun at around 5 a.m. local time, police said.

Words were exchanged before the man fired, hitting the woman once. Hearing the gunshots, Myles came out of the house to investigate and was shot multiple times.

Police have not said what they believe caused the dispute and are scheduled to provide more details on Wednesday evening.

Myles was appointed to the Circuit Court of Cook County in 1999, according to a statement from court, and served in the criminal division starting in 2009.

(Editing by Matthew Lewis)
SAN DIEGO (AP)  A 17-year-old boy adjusting to a new life as a refugee in the United States after fleeing war-torn Syria with his parents and four sisters is presumed dead after disappearing in the ocean on his first trip to the beach.

Mohammed al-Mustafa pleaded for permission to join friends on the beach, promising his mother he wouldn't go in the water, family friend Lisa Attardo said Wednesday.

Mohammed couldn't swim, according to Attardo, who believes the boy may have been knocked down Sunday in knee-deep ocean water. There were strong rip currents at San Diego's popular Mission Beach.

Rescue workers, with help from helicopters, searched for the boy over three days. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported there were no efforts planned Wednesday.

The family arrived in San Diego in January, having fled the town of Aleppo in 2014 for Turkey, where they sought to become refugees in the United States, said Robert Moser, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego, which helped the family resettle. They lived in a sparsely furnished apartment in El Cajon, a suburb of about 100,000 people that is a top destination for refugees from Iraq and, more recently, Syria.

Mohammed's father hoped to land a job in accounting, his profession in Syria. His mother, a seamstress, hoped to find work sewing wedding dresses.

Mohammed's older sisters, 19 and 21, were taking English classes to prepare for college. Mohammed and his younger sisters, 11 and 5, were in school.

Moser called them "a poster family for what refugees are all about."

"They had a plan for their future ... and great prospects for success," he said Wednesday. "They suffered a lot. They made many sacrifices. They know what they need to do to survive."

Mohammed, a budding photographer who liked soccer, overcame his mother's resistance to letting him go to the beach with four friends on Sunday, saying he wanted to be with friends, said Attardo. He checked in as promised.

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Attardo and her husband coordinated parishioner efforts at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Oceanside to help the family settle. They donated dish soap, toothpaste, toilet paper and shampoo.

On Sunday, they delivered a sewing machine for Mohammed's mother and a microwave oven. They watched the family talk with Mohammed on FaceTime about a half-hour before he is believed to have been swept away in the ocean.

His parents wanted to know if he would be home for dinner. The boy said he and his friends were eating pizza on the beach.

"He really wanted to fit in with his buddies in high school," Attardo said.

The family led a comfortable life in Aleppo before war struck. The father told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Tuesday that the family witnessed bombings and had friends and neighbors who were killed.

"He didn't have a childhood because of the war in Syria," he told the newspaper through a translator.

The teen's body hasn't been recovered.

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Information from: The San Diego Union-Tribune, http://www.utsandiego.com
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  The sponsor of a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks in Tennessee has delayed the legislation for a week to give lawmakers a chance to read the opinion of the attorney general, who has called sections "constitutionally suspect."

Republican Rep. Matthew Hill also defended the legislation on Wednesday.

The bill would ban abortions after 20 weeks if a doctor determines the fetus is viable. Exceptions would exist for mothers who would otherwise die or be severely hurt. Criminal penalties could be included for doctors.

Attorney General Herbert Slatery's opinion says the bill impermissibly subjects doctors to criminal liability while working in good faith to determine what's medically necessary.

It says another constitutional issue is failing to account for severe mental and emotional harm when considering if an abortion is medically necessary.
London (AFP) - Supermarket giant Tesco revealed Wednesday that it fell into an annual net loss of 40 million due to a costly accounting scandal at Britain's biggest retailer.

The after-tax loss, equivalent to $50 million or 47 million euros, was skewed by a 235-million hit in costs arising from the three-year-old scandal.

The company's performance contrasted with a net profit of 138 million in the previous financial year, Tesco added in a statement.

However, operating or underlying profits before one-off items rallied almost a third to 1.28 billion in its 2016/2017 financial year, which ran until the end of February. That beat market expectations.

And annual sales grew for the first time in seven years by 3.7 percent to 55.9 billion, despite fierce domestic competition.

The news comes two weeks after Tesco agreed to a fine and compensation costs in Serious Fraud Office deal, under which the firm will not face prosecution.

Charges have previously been brought against three former Tesco executives, who will face trial over alleged fraud and false accounting.

Tesco also said Wednesday that it expected its vast 3.7-billion takeover of British wholesaling giant Booker to be submitted for shareholder approval by either late 2017 or early 2018.

"We are confident that we can build on this strong performance in the year ahead," said chief executive Dave Lewis in the statement.

"On top of this, our proposed merger with Booker will bring together two complementary businesses, driving additional value for shareholders by realising substantial synergies and enabling us to access the faster growing 'out of home' food market."

- Share price slides -

The results were badly received on the London stock market.

Shares fell 3.14 percent to 189.45 pence in mid-morning deals, topping the fallers' board on the FTSE 100 index, which was 0.25 percent lower.

"Tesco's historic troubles have left a lingering mark on its current results," noted David Alexander, retail analyst at GlobalData.

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"Past indiscretions aside, there is plenty for executives to crow about in today's numbers."

Tesco is the world's third-biggest supermarket chain after France's Carrefour and global leader Wal-Mart.

The group had slumped into an enormous record loss of 5.7 billion in 2014/2015 after a vast property writedown and challenging home trade. However, it rebounded into slender profit last year.

Tesco had been accused of overstating profits by 326 million between February and September 2014 in an accounting error.

Following the incident, the company appointed outsider and former Unilever executive Lewis in July 2014 to replace long-standing chief executive Philip Clarke and oversee a drastic restructuring of the group.

In recent years, Tesco has suffered in the face of fierce competition in its domestic market from German-owned discount retailers Aldi and Lidl as consumers tighten their belts.

It has also been battered by supermarket price wars with British rivals Sainsbury's, Morrison and Wal-Mart unit Asda.

Naeem Aslam, analyst at trading firm Think Markets, said rising British consumer prices were a "problem" for Tesco.

"Inflation is still the major problem for the company," Aslam explained.

"The firm cannot increase prices too much because that will drive their customers back to Aldi and Lidl."
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was in damage control Tuesday night, hours after he compared Adolf Hitlers murderous Nazi tactics of the Holocaust to those of the deadly chemical attack launched in Syria last week by its President Bashar al-Assad. The controversy forced Spicer to issue apologies across the board, including a major supporter of President Donald Trump who just happens to be one of the nations most prominent Jews, Sheldon Adelson.

We didnt use chemical weapons in World War II, Spicer told reporters during the daily press briefing at the White House on Tuesday. You know, you had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.

Read: Sean Spicer's Hitler Comment Mocked With Memes And Gifs On Internet

Spicer, who ultimately admitted that Hitler did indeed use deadly chemicals to gas Jews being held in Nazi concentration camps, went on to say that Hitler was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing.

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

The new White House press secretary is no stranger to controversy, as he has been the subject of scrutiny since he assumed his current position beginning in January. But his latest apparent flub may have set off the biggest firestorm yet in his fewer than three months on the job.

Below is a timeline of other instances where Spicer sparked somewhat of a controversy over his words during a press briefing.

Jan. 21: The day after Trump was inaugurated, Spicer declared it was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration  period. Days later, he would call his remarks an honest mistake.

Feb. 6: Spicer adamantly denied Trump owned a bathrobe one day after the New York Times published a story that included a reference to the new president watching television in his bathrobe. Trump definitely doesnt wear one, Spicer said during his press briefing that day. Photo evidence to the contrary would surface on social media hours later.

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May 10: Spicer presided over the daily press briefing that day in his typical get-up of a business suit and pocket square, but there was one apparent anomaly that escaped the press secretarys eye: His American flag pin. Reporters took the fashion faux pas as a sign of distress, as described by the U.S. code on respect for the flag.

March 28: After months of ridicule and scrutiny, Spicer appeared to put his foot down when a reporter asked him about Russian ties to Trump and his administration. I've said it from the day that I got here until whenever that there's not a connection. ... If the president puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that's a Russian connection, Spicer told reporter April Ryan. I'm sorry that that disgusts you. You're shaking your head."

That exchange was dripping with highly charged sexist language, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said later that day.

April Ryan, a respected journalist with unrivaled integrity, was doing her job just this afternoon in the White House press room when she was patronized and cut off trying to ask a question, Clinton told attendees while delivering the keynote address at the Professional BusinessWomen of California conference in San Francisco.

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PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  In the ruins of a tropical hideaway where jetsetters once sipped rum under the Caribbean sun, the abandoned children tried to make a life for themselves. They begged and scavenged for food, but they never could scrape together enough to beat back the hunger, until the U.N. peacekeepers moved in a few blocks away. The men who came from a far-away place and spoke a strange language offered the Haitian children cookies and other snacks. Sometimes they gave them a few dollars. But the price was high: The Sri Lankan peacekeepers wanted sex from girls and boys as young as 12.

BANGKOK (AP)  Media reports in Thailand say authorities have declared it illegal to exchange information on the internet with three prominent government critics who often write about the country's monarchy. A letter from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society reported online Wednesday by the newspaper Thai Rath and other media advised all citizens not to follow, contact, share or engage in any other activity that would result in sharing information from historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul, academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun and online journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall. All three live outside Thailand. The letter says people who spread such information, directly or indirectly, could be violating the country's Computer Crime Act, even unintentionally.

NEW DELHI (AP)  Authorities in Bangladesh have executed a top leader of a banned militant group and two accomplices for their involvement in a grenade attack against a British diplomat at a popular Islamic shrine in 2004. The attack killed three people and wounded several others. The main target was then-British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury, who narrowly escaped. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said Thursday that Harkatul Jihad chief Mufti Hannan and one accomplice were hanged at Kashimpur Jail outside the capital, Dhaka, late Wednesday. The third man was executed in the northeastern district of Sylhet, also late Wednesday. The High Court and the Supreme Court had upheld their death sentences given by a trial court in 2008 and the president rejected their clemency appeals.

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WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)  New Zealanders on Thursday were bracing for a second major storm in just over a week as the remnants of Cyclone Cook bore down on the South Pacific nation. Civil defense authorities advised people in low-lying areas on the North Island's Coromandel Peninsula to evacuate to higher ground. Air New Zealand suspended flights from Tauranga Airport and the military placed 500 troops on standby. The storm appeared to be skirting the main city of Auckland, where authorities had earlier worried it could cause major problems. Authorities were advising people in Auckland to avoid traveling out of the city if they could avoid it.

BEIJING (AP)  Beijing is willing to work with Washington on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program but wants a peaceful solution to the escalating conflict, Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday. Xi's comments came after Trump tweeted that China should do more on an issue that Washington sees as an increasingly urgent threat, or else the U.S. would go it alone. China's calls for calm come as tensions have risen with the dispatch of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the area and the deployment of thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops, tanks and other weaponry for their biggest-ever joint military exercises.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP)  Lawyers for two women accused of murdering Kim Jong Nam say Malaysian police still have not provided them with security camera footage and documents crucial to the defense. Defense attorney Gooi soon Seng said in court Thursday that there must not be a "trial by ambush." The hearing was postponed until May 30. The women are the only suspects in custody in the Feb. 13 killing of Kim, the estranged half brother of North Korea's ruler. Siti Aisyah, from Indonesia, and Vietnamese Doan Thi Huong are accused of smearing Kim's face with VX nerve agent at an airport in Kuala Lumpur.

TORONTO (AP)  Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai returned to Canada on Wednesday to receive her honorary citizenship and address the country's lawmakers after her first visit to Parliament in 2014 was put off because of a terror attack. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented her with a framed certificate of citizenship. She's only the sixth person to receive the honor and the youngest ever. The 19-year-old Pakistani activist was 15 when she shot in the head by Taliban militants while returning from school. She was targeted for advocating women's education. She won world acclaim for her campaign and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) _ The killing of a Muslim extremist leader on a resort island in the central Philippines this week was a clear victory for the military, but it also drove home an unsettling reality: that the militants are venturing farther from their jungle hideouts to spread terror. Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said that troops recovered and identified the remains of Abu Sayyaf group commander Moammar Askali at the scene of the battle in the coastal hinterlands of Bohol island. Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman also were killed in Tuesday's clashes.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP)  An Afghan official confirmed that at least five people were killed when a suicide bomber on foot carried out an attack in the capital, Kabul. Najib Danish, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said three others were wounded in Wednesday's blast in central Kabul. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack via the IS-run Amaq news agency. The attack took place near the country's Defense Ministry compound, as well as a city police station. Last month around 50 people were killed after militants stormed a military hospital in Kabul; that attack was also claimed by the Islamic State group.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea's disgraced ex-President Park Geun-hye is likely to be formally indicted early next week and face a criminal trial over a corruption scandal that already led to her removal from office, prosecutors said Wednesday. Park has been jailed at a detention center near Seoul since she was arrested late last month amid accusations from prosecutors that she extorted money from businesses, took bribes from one of the companies and committed other wrongdoing, all in collaboration with a secretive confidante. An official at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office said Park will likely be indicted Monday but didn't elaborate on what charges she will face.
By Alicia Brunker. Photos courtesy of paint companies.

As anyone who's ever painted a room knows, color is paramount to its design: Pick the wrong hue and everything, from the furnishings to the artwork, can appear off-kilter. Meanwhile the right shade can add an extra layer of splendor to each texture and finish. In fact, choosing the perfect color is so important that many major paint companies devote an entire year to translating trends into applicable assets for the home. Color is an intensely relatable, personal choice that humans interact with everyday, says Sue Wadden, director of color marketing at Sherwin-Williams. It acts as a guide in design, and our role as a paint company is to help educate our customers on whats out there in the marketplace. That kind of assignment is where color forecasts play an integral role.

Every fall Sherwin-Williams, like many other brands, releases its Color of the Year and supporting palettes, many times with a story to match that demonstrates how to completely revive your home with a fresh coat of paint. While the trends are clearly laid out, the path to determining the final color range isnt so cut and dry. We dont have a crystal ball that tells us what our Color of the Year is going to be, says Benjamin Moores color and design expert Andrea Magno. We spend months researching and traveling around the world, attending design shows and picking up cues and influences from different industries, including fashion, art, and even politics. Then the next step is bringing that information back and determining what the common threads are between these different disciplines and areas of the world.

Charlotte Crosby, head of creative at Farrow & Ball, agrees that travel is the key to acquiring cultural trends, but she is quick to point out that different nations have diverse associations with color, which ultimately influences its color range. Culture is one of the biggest influences on color choice and its oftentimes intuitive, she says. It can change what we deem to be appropriate, lucky, sophisticated, positive, and so on. For example, in China, red is a symbol of good luck, while in the West it represents anger and passion.

More: 30 Best-Selling Paint Colors to Inspire Your Next Room Makeover

In addition to traveling to Salone del Mobile, Maison & Objet, and other design shows each year, some paint companies such as Behr and Sherwin-Williams also consult professional color associations, like Color Marketing Group and WGSN. But perhaps the most surprising discoveries are found during a sweep of Pinterest or a walk down a drugstores cosmetics aisle. Everyone has their own unique place of pulling research, says Behrs vice president of color and creative services, Erika Woeful. We look at Pinterest to see what people are looking at for paint projects, and in the cosmetics industry theres always a slew of fresh nail polish colors each season. In the springtime, you often see pastels in nail polish, but each year is different. For example, last year minty green was big while this year, sky blue is on trend.

With all of these worldly influences in the air, paint purveyors often arrive at similar conclusions but inform their decisions based on completely separate sources. For example, over the past couple of years both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams saw people lean toward darker tones. Sherwin-Williams spent months studying sleep patterns and spirituality before showcasing its noir collection, which includes moody hues, like Black Swan, Anchors Aweigh, and its Color of the Year, Poised Taupe. On the other hand, the relationship between light, color, and shadow that Benjamin Moores team saw at experimental art shows and the LVMH foundation in Paris was the groundwork for Shadow, a lustrous charcoal that earned its status as the brands 2017 color of the year.

By 2018 its possible that these deep hues will be on their way out the door, and we will turn our attention to a more optimistic outlook, looking at colors like a Fiery Red or Wedgewood Blue, but that doesnt mean we have to completely move on. Just like fashion, colors work in cycles, says Crosby. We get bored, move on, and then 20 years later we like them all over again. Magno predicts we will see these colors again but in a reimagined way, pointing to gray as the perfect example. If you lived through a period where gray was popular in the 1980s, then you probably have an association, like, Thats Miami Vice! Get away from that! But now we see gray used in different materials and color combinations. It gives it a new lease of life.

Now, one has to wonder how paint brands will repurpose the avocado greenpainted cabinetry and brick-colored walls of the 1970s, also known as the decade taste forgot, into something decadently stylish for the 21st-century. That is certainly a challenge we look forward to seeing accomplished in the future.

More: What Not to Do When Decorating with Gray

This story originally appeared on Architectural Digest.

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Washington (AFP) - US House Speaker Paul Ryan will head a bipartisan delegation next week to Europe to meet with leaders of NATO allies including Estonia, his office said Wednesday, amid Russia's rising tensions with the West.

The delegation will travel to Britain, Norway, Poland and Estonia to "meet with government officials and military leaders to review and discuss evolving security threats facing Europe as well as opportunities for greater economic cooperation," Ryan's office said in a statement.

The speaker, the most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives and an ally of President Donald Trump, will be joined by House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry and four other Republicans, along with two House Democrats.

As part of the trip, Ryan will deliver remarks at the Policy Exchange, a leading British think tank, on April 19.

The US delegation's mission will be seen as particularly poignant in Poland and Estonia, nations near the front lines of the Kremlin's increasingly sharp tone with the West.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization reinforced its eastern flank in March by deploying British troops and equipment in Estonia, where many citizens remain disturbed by Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin's sabre rattling in the Baltic region.

NATO decided at a July 2016 summit to deploy its troops to the Baltic states and Poland as a tripwire against Russian adventurism in states formerly under Moscow's control.

Tensions have risen following Trump's launch of an airstrike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for an apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians by the Syrian regime, a Russian ally.

Ryan's trip was preceded by a delegation to Italy and Portugal this week led by congressman Steve Scalise, the House's number three Republican.
Washington (AFP) - White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Wednesday offered a fresh apology for minimizing the atrocities of Adolf Hitler in his comments on Syria, amid a wave of indignation at home and abroad.

"I made a mistake, there is no other way to say it," Spicer told a forum at the Newseum in Washington, adding that the damage was especially unfortunate because "it's a very holy week for the Christian people and the Jewish people."

Spicer said his gaffe was "painful to myself" and was "disappointing because I think I've let the president down."

During a White House briefing on Tuesday, the spokesman for President Donald Trump sought to highlight criticism of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad, for his apparent use of the deadly nerve agent sarin against civilians.

"You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer told reporters, momentarily overlooking the Holocaust and prompting outraged calls for his resignation.

A few hours later, a contrite Spicer appeared on US television expressing regret for the comments.

Despite the apologies, Spicer's remarks provoked outrage around the globe from those who claimed he showed insensitivity to victims of the Holocaust.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said contemporary comparisons with Nazi atrocities were ill-advised.

"Any comparison of current situations with the crimes of National Socialism leads to nothing good," the spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told reporters

In Israel, the Yad Vashem memorial center urged Spicer to visit its website and expressed "deep concern regarding the inaccurate and insensitive use of terms related to the Holocaust" by the press secretary.

"His statements imply a profound lack of knowledge of events of the Second World War, including the Holocaust. Moreover, they are liable to strengthen the hands of those whose goal is to distort history," it said.

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- New Spicer woes -

In his first attempts to clarify his remarks Tuesday, Spicer appeared to compound his error, saying: Hitler "brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down, to innocent -- into the middle of towns."

Spicer -- the most public face of Trump's administration after the president himself -- has been a frequent target of ire and satirists for his angry denunciations of press coverage and sometimes loose grasp of the facts.

Spicer's comments, which came during the Jewish festival of Passover, sparked calls from anti-defamation groups and opposition Democrats for his ouster.

"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements," said top congressional Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

"Either he is speaking for the president, or the president should have known better than to hire him."

Steven Goldstein, head of the Anne Frank Center, described Spicer's comments as an "evil slur" and said he now "lacks the integrity to serve."

"On Passover, no less, Sean Spicer has engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news, by denying Hitler gassed millions of Jews to death," Goldstein said.

The American Jewish Committee also denounced the comments, saying it was "astonished."

"What did the Nazis use to exterminate millions of Jews if not chemicals in their death camps?" said AJC chief David Harris.
President Trump tore into Syrian President Bashar Assad, calling him an animal, and scolded Russia for continuing to support the embattled Middle Eastern leader.

In a Fox Business interview published Wednesday, Trump was asked what message hed like to see Secretary of State Rex Tillerson convey to Russian leaders on his current trip to Moscow.

No. 1, you should have peace in Syria, Trump told host Maria Bartiromo. Its enough.

He then launched into a condemnation of Assad and seemed to blame Russia for propping up the Syrian president.

Frankly, Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person, and I think its very bad for Russia, I think its very bad for mankind, its very bad for this world, Trump began.

But when you drop gas, or bombs, or barrel bombs  they have these massive barrels with dynamite, and they drop them right in the middle of a group of people  and in all fairness you see the same kids, no arms, no legs, no face. This is an animal.

After a sarin gas attack killed more than 80 people, including children, in Syria last week, the Trump administration bombed a Syrian government airfield and has more forcefully spoken out in favor of removing Assad from power. This is a marked shift from their previous position, which was to focus on the so-called Islamic State amid the multifaceted Syrian civil war. Russia, the patron of the Assad regime, expressed skepticism that the strongman was behind the attack.

In a departure from Trumps previous praise of Putin, the president seemed to blame Russia for Assads continued reign and argued that Russia would be responsible for brokering peace in Syria.

And I really think that theres going to be a lot of pressure on Russia to make sure that peace happens. Because, frankly, if Russia didnt go in and back this animal, you wouldnt have a problem right now. He was going to be overthrown. I thought he was gone. He had another week, I mean he was finished. He had nothing, nothing.

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And then Russia came in and saved him. And then Obama made one of the worst deals in history with the Iran deal, so you really have Iran and you have Russia and you have Assad.

Read more from Yahoo News:
MEXICO CITY (AP)  Mexico is mobilizing to resist President Donald Trump's policies in ways that range from the sensible to the strange.

Mexican negotiators are hammering out a trade deal with Europe in a bid to reduce reliance on U.S. markets following Trump's pledge to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement and his efforts to stop companies from moving U.S. plants south of the border. The U.S. receives three-quarters of Mexico's exports and supplies half its imports.

Faced with the U.S. president's anti-immigrant stance, Mexico has set up workshops and hotlines to educate migrants about their rights in the face of deportations, though those have actually have fallen about 13 percent since Trump took office.

So common are the public-service announcements about what migrants should do if U.S. immigration agents show up at their door  don't open it, ask for the agents' names and search warrants  that radio-listeners in Mexico City now likely know more about dealing with U.S. agents than with corrupt local cops, or about other pressing public issues like fighting dengue and Zika.

But Trump's policies and comments about Mexico have also stirred up some odder suggestions and awakened some very old ghosts.

For the past 30 years, lawyer Guillermo Hamdan has spent his free time preparing legal arguments for declaring null and void the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, under which Mexico received $15 million from the U.S. but ceded California and most of Arizona, Nevada and Utah, and parts of Colorado Wyoming and New Mexico. The territories have been part of the United States for almost 170 years  about seven times longer than they were part of independent Mexico.

Hamdan argues the treaty is invalid because it was signed under duress as the result of the 1846-1848 Mexican-American war launched with a U.S. invasion. A Mexican victory would require the U.S. to return much of the territory or pay reparations that Hamdan calls "incalculable."

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While Mexico's governments have shown no interest in taking up the case, his case has gained public attention lately in the country.

"The outrage over the humiliating treatment (of Mexico) by Trump" was the spur for dusting off the 170-year-old case, Hamdan said.

"What Trump did was to let the ghosts out by attacking us," he said. "He poured turpentine on a wound that has never healed."

Another old case  this one little-known even inside Mexico  has been brought up by Sen. Patricio Martinez, who claims that the present borders in southwestern New Mexico and Arizona are wrong due to a surveying error after the 1853 Gadsden Purchase, in which the U.S. acquired almost 30,000 square miles (77,000 square kilometers) from Mexico in exchange for $10 million.

Martinez has drawn up maps claiming that border markers were mysteriously moved sometime between 1853, when they were laid out and reviewed by both nations, and 1896, when another survey was done. He said the lines should have been drawn further north and that Mexico was robbed of almost 210,000 acres (85,000 hectares) of land.

He argues the U.S. should return the territory or pay for it.

This comes as a surprise to Gabriel Duran, a consultant for the U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission. In his 35-year career at the commission, he had never heard of the claim.

"As far as we know no monuments have been moved," said Duran. "They are where they should be."

He said officials of both nations have supervised, tracked, mapped and agreed on the border markers for generations, most recently, with GPS technology.

But the proposal that has drawn the most press coverage has been a somewhat quixotic idea floated by a single renegade senator, Armando Rios Piter, who wants to stop Mexico's imports of U.S. corn and replace them with suppliers from Brazil, Argentina or other countries.

Rios Piter suggests that would be a way to defend Mexicans against Trump and show displeasure with his policies.

While Mexico buys about a quarter of U.S. corn exports  it is the largest foreign buyer it would also mean considerable price increases for impoverished Mexican consumers, since transport costs would be steeply higher for South American grain.

Tom Sleight, president of the U.S. Grains Council, noted that, including transport costs, Brazilian corn would be 10 to 15 percent more expensive, meaning Mexicans would also have to pay more for beef and pork.

And that's not counting the huge cost of building new grain storage facilities and transport terminals to receive grain shipments arriving aboard large ships from South America, as opposed to the rail freight that delivers much of the U.S. corn directly to feed millers in Mexico.

"You have buyer-seller relationships that have built up over decades on very good infrastructure logistics," Sleight says. "To replace that overnight is not going to happen."

The chief  and most plausible  representative of Mexico's old resentments is Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the two-time leftist presidential candidate who came within a hair's breadth of winning the 2006 election. While Lopez Obrador vows he is not anti-American, he has filed a complaint against Trump's treatment of migrants with the Inter-American Human Rights Commission.

The fear and loathing Mexicans feel for Trump could translate into more votes in 2018 for Lopez Obrador, who advocates a sort of return to the hyper-nationalist days of the early 1960s personified by ex-President Adolfo Lopez Mateos.

"We are not accustomed to getting down on our knees," Lopez Obrador said of U.S. relations. "We are going to defend our migrants. We are going to defend our human rights."

It is the specter of a Lopez Obrador presidency that has the current Mexican administration eager to start any renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement now  and not in next year's presidential election season.

"We think there are better conditions for reaching a commercial agreement with the United States or any other national in 2017," said Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Luis Videgaray. "As the election year opens, particularly the presidential elections, it becomes more complicated for any type of international negotiation."
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump gave the order to strike Syria with dozens of cruise missiles "during dessert" with visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said in an interview aired Wednesday.

"We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it," Trump told the Fox Business television network.

"And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do?" Trump said. "And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way."

"And I said, 'Mr. President, let me explain something to you' -- this was during dessert -- 'we've just fired 59 missiles.'"

Trump said Xi "paused for 10 seconds and then asked the interpreter to say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign."

But then, Trump said, Xi responded that "anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, it's OK.... He was OK with it. He was OK."

Trump had been hosting Xi at his private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago on April 6. The US missiles struck a Syrian air base in retaliation for Syria's alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town, killing 87 civilians, many of them children.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Tuesday there was "no doubt" the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack. But Russia, Syria's ally, disputes that, saying no evidence has been produced.

Trump, in his interview, said all 59 missiles fired hit their targets and called the display of military prowess "unbelievable," "amazing," "incredible," "brilliant" and "genius."

Trump regularly spends his weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which his staff has nicknamed the "Southern White House."

Members of the club pay a $200,000 fee, which gives access to its amenities and its eateries.
President Trump is doubling down on his tough talk on North Korea, telling Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday that dictator Kim Jong Un is making a big mistake with his nuclear provocations.

I dont know him, Trump said. But hes doing the wrong thing.

Late last week, the president deployed a U.S. Navy strike group to the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula. In turn, North Korea warned of tough counteraction against the U.S. if there is any sign of an American strike.

We are sending an armada, very powerful, Trump said. We have submarines, very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier, that I can tell you.

We have the best military people on earth, the president continued. And I will say this. He is doing the wrong thing. He is doing the wrong thing.

Related: Trump declares that North Korea is looking for trouble

Trump, though, declined to say what the United States is doing in terms of North Korea.

You never know, do you? You never know, he said. You know I dont talk about the military. Im not like Obama.

North Korea is one of Trumps most difficult national security challenges. During the last two administrations, Pyongyang made enough progress on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles that, experts predict, it could strike the U.S. mainland, possibly even the East Coast, in two to three years.

As Yahoo News previously reported, the Obama administration enlisted China and other world powers in two rounds of international sanctions and left Trump options for further tightening the economic vise, according to administration and congressional sources.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, one of the vessels deployed to the Korean Peninsula. (Handout via Reuters)

Trump said he discussed the situation in North Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., last weekend.

The first thing I brought up was North Korea, Trump told Bartiromo. I said, Youve got to help us with North Korea, because we cant allow it. And its not good for you. And you have a tremendous power because of trade.

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I said, Look, you have a tremendous power because of trading through the border,' he continued. If they dont get food, they dont get, you know, they cant sell their coal. In fact, I hear today two massive coal ships from North Korea were sent back to North Korea, heading to China. They were sent back, which is a very good sign.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported that China had ordered its trading companies to return coal shipments, a key North Korea export, to the Stalinist regime in Pyongyang.

Trumps comments on North Korea came after a pair of tweets in which the president seemed to suggest that he would sweeten the terms of a trade agreement with China if Beijing assists in solving the North Korean problem  but that the U.S. is prepared to move forward in the western Pacific without Chinese help.

I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem! Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

North Korea is looking for trouble, Trump continued. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.

I think China can help us, he told Bartiromo. I hope China can help us. We talked about trade, and I can tell you, China will do much better on trade if they help us with North Korea.

Yahoo News Chief Washington Correspondent Olivier Knox contributed to this report.

Read more from Yahoo News:
President Trump has a simple message about military action in Syria: The United States is not going in.

Were not going into Syria, Trump told New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin in one of two new interviews published Wednesday.

Our policy is the same, Trump said. It hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria.

In an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo, Trumps message was the same.

Were not going into Syria, he said.

The United States already has hundreds of troops in Syria working to support the coalition against the so-called Islamic State, also known as ISIS. The Syrian government is locked in a multifaceted civil war against both ISIS and rebel forces. The United States accused Syrian President Bashar Assad of using chemical weapons against civilian targets in his broader campaign against rebel-controlled areas.

When you see these beautiful kids that are dead in their fathers arms, or you see kids gasping for life, and you know its over, its over for them  theyre hosing them down, Trump told Bartiromo. Hundreds of them. When you see that, I immediately called Gen. Mattis. I said, What can we do? And they came back with a number of different alternatives. And we hit them very hard.

Now, are we going to get involved with Syria? No, the president continued. But if I see them using gas and using things that  I mean even some of the worst tyrants in the world didnt use the kind of gases that they used. And some of the gases are unbelievably potent.

After seeing those images of the Syrian governments alleged deadly chemical attacks on its civilians, Trump ordered airstrikes against Syria  something he now says former President Barack Obama should have done after the 2013 chemical attacks carried out by Assad.

What I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it, said Trump. I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been.

At the time, however, Trump had a different message for Obama. In 2013, he repeatedly warned Obama  using forceful language  to not attack Syria.

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We should stay the hell out of Syria, the "rebels" are just as bad as the current regime. WHAT WILL WE GET FOR OUR LIVES AND $ BILLIONS?ZERO  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 16, 2013

If the U.S. attacks Syria and hits the wrong targets, killing civilians, there will be worldwide hell to pay. Stay away and fix broken U.S.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2013

What I am saying is stay out of Syria.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 4, 2013

AGAIN, TO OUR VERY FOOLISH LEADER, DO NOT ATTACK SYRIA  IF YOU DO MANY VERY BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN & FROM THAT FIGHT THE U.S. GETS NOTHING!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2013

Trumps comments in the Wednesday interviews were the first hes made publicly since last Thursdays airstrikes, which targeted an airfield used by the Syrian military.

According to a CBS News poll published Monday, most Americans approved of the decision  but few would support U.S. military action beyond them.

The survey showed 57 percent approved of Thursdays airstrikes, including an overwhelming percentage of Republicans (84 percent). But 69 percent believe the president needs to get authorization from Congress before taking further action, according to the CBS poll  and just 18 percent would favor full U.S. military involvement, including ground troops, in Syria. Nearly the same percentage (15 percent) said they want no U.S. involvement in Syria whatsoever.

Despite launching those strikes, Trump says the U.S. mission in Syria remains the same.

Our big mission is getting rid of ISIS, Trump told the Post. Thats where its always been. But when you see kids choking to death, you watch their lungs burning out, we had to hit [Assad] and hit him hard.

(NYP/Yahoo News)

Still, Trump said it wasnt an easy decision.

Its very tough to give that final go-ahead when you know youre talking about human life, he said. We went back and forth, and also back and forth about severity. We could have gone bigger in terms of targets and more of them, but we thought this would be the appropriate first shot.

Trump added: We hope he wont do any more gassing.

The presidents comments come following several days of Trump administration officials sending mixed messages on Syria.

On Friday, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the U.N. Security Council that Trump was prepared to do more in Syria.

I was trying to give warning and notice to the members of the Security Council and the international community that he wont stop here, Haley later explained CNN. If he needs to do more, he will do more.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, though, said the strike against Syria was a one-off.

I think the president was very clear in his message to the American people that this strike was related solely to the most recent horrific use of chemical weapons against women, children, and as the president said, even small babies, Tillerson said. Other than that, there is no change to our military posture.

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By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump does not like the "border adjustment" tax cooked up by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans in the House of Representatives. At least, he does not like the term. "I don't like the word 'adjustment', because our country gets taken advantage of, to use a nice term, by every other country in the world," Trump told Fox Business News in an interview that aired on Wednesday. "Adjustment means we lose. We lose." "Let's call it an import tax. Let's call it a reciprocal tax," he added. "Nobody gets angry when you say reciprocal tax." Trump was talking about a provision in Ryan's House Republican tax blueprint that has polarized the tax reform debate, as the White House tries to score a much-needed legislative victory by overhauling the U.S. tax code for the first time since the Reagan era. The proposal would exempt U.S. corporate export revenues from federal taxes, while requiring U.S. companies to shoulder the same flat 20 percent tax rate on supplies and other purchased products, whether produced overseas or domestically. But the president appeared to favor an import tax that could be adjusted to reflect the country of origin's tax rate for U.S. products. He said such an approach could take the form of trade policy rather than tax policy. "There has to be a certain reciprocal nature to it," the president said. "The other countries, if they're charging you a 50 percent tax, you say: 'O.K., whatever you charge, we're charging'." The House border adjustment tax, or BAT, would help Trump keep his campaign pledge to create manufacturing jobs, advocates say, by exempting U.S. export revenue from tax while subjecting imports to the same 20 percent corporate tax imposed on domestic products. But the measure has been angrily denounced by import-dependent industries and rejected by enough Senate Republicans to call its political viability into question. In his Fox interview, Trump lamented the inequalities of the international tax system, saying U.S. products face high tax rates overseas while foreign-made goods enter the U.S. market tax free. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin floated the idea of a "reciprocal" tax in February, but administration officials have offered few details and lobbyists have suggested that it could strongly resemble the House BAT proposal. "I love the idea of reciprocal," Trump said. "You can call it a reciprocal or a matching tax or a mirror tax. There are numerous terms. But the reciprocal tax is very important." (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by James Dalgleish)
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he had forged good "chemistry" with China's Xi Jinping during their summit in Florida, adding that he believes Beijing is willing to work with Washington on North Korea.

Trump and Xi met on Thursday and Friday at the US leader's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida -- their first face-to-face talks, aimed at breaking the ice between the leaders of the world's top two economies.

The summit was somewhat overshadowed by Trump's decision to launch a cruise missile attack on a Syrian air base in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack by Bashar al-Assad's forces, but both sides have been positive about the outcome.

"We had a very good bonding. I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North Korea. We talked trade," Trump told a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

"I was very impressed with President Xi and I think he means well and I think he wants to help. We'll see whether or not he does."

The two leaders followed up the summit late Tuesday what the White House called a "very productive" telephone call.

China's foreign ministry said Wednesday that Xi had urged Trump to use "peaceful means" to resolve tensions in the Korean peninsula, after the US president sent a carrier-led strike group to the area.

Trump's press conference came shortly after the release of an interview the Republican billionaire gave to The Wall Street Journal, in which he said Beijing was not manipulating its currency to gain a trade advantage.

Those remarks appeared to lay to rest a simmering issue that threatened to derail relations between Washington and Beijing.

The US leader had promised to label China as a currency manipulator on his first day in office, a move that would have initiated a process that includes talks but could lead to imposing unilateral trade sanctions, which almost certainly would have sparked retaliation.

But Trump told the newspaper Beijing has not been manipulating its currency for months -- a point economists have been making for some time.
Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump told allies it was time to end Syria's "brutal" civil war Wednesday, as he branded the country's leader Bashar al-Assad a "butcher" and questioned Russia's role in a suspected chemical attack.

Trump, standing alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, called on allies to "work together to resolve the disaster" in Syria and thanked them for condemning Assad's suspected sarin attack in Khan Sheikhun.

"Vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life," Trump told reporters.

"That's a butcher. That's a butcher. So I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing, and it was very, very successfully done," he added.

"It is time to end this brutal civil war, defeat terrorists and allow refugees to return home."

Trump's comments came shortly after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have compelled Damascus to cooperate with an investigation of the attack.

Trump said it was "certainly possible" that Russia President Vladimir Putin knew about the attack, blamed on Assad, indicating Russian officials were present at the source airbase, which Trump later bombed.

"I would like to think that they didn't know, but certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out," he said.

Trump also praised China for abstaining during the UN vote. He met President Xi Jinping last week in Florida and spoke again to the Chinese leader on Tuesday.

"I think it's wonderful that they abstained," he said. "We're honored by the vote. That's the vote that should have taken place."
President Trump offered only tepid support for Steve Bannon when asked Tuesday if he still had confidence in the political strategist amid reports of unbridled White House infighting.

In a brief exchange with New York Post columnist Michael Goodwin, Trump declined to offer his unreserved support for Bannon and downplayed the former Breitbart News chiefs role in his presidential campaign.

I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late, Trump told Goodwin.

I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didnt know Steve, he continued, referring to his myriad of primary opponents last year. Im my own strategist and it wasnt like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump similarly downplayed Bannons role, referring to his chief strategist as a guy who works for me.

Last August, Bannon left his position as executive chair of the right-wing Breitbart News to become CEO of Trumps White House bid, alongside campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, in a shakeup that replaced Paul Manafort at the helm of the campaign. The hiring of Bannon was highly controversial, as he was already a provocative figure who once described his own site as the platform for the alt-right, a movement derided by critics as a rebranding of white nationalism.

After the inauguration, Trump sparked more controversy by keeping Bannon on board as his chief political strategist. But Bannon has reportedly been feuding with Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and trusted adviser. Multiple reports suggest that the White House has split into two warring camps: populist firebrands like Bannon who want Trump to stay true to his base, and more moderate pragmatists like Kushner and the director of the National Economic Council, Gary Cohn.

President Trump and presidential adviser Steve Bannon (Photos: Win McNamee/Getty Images; Bill OLeary/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

A senior official recently told the Daily Beast that Bannon ranted about Kushner being a globalist. And a Trump ally told Yahoo News that Cohn has been called Globalist Gary by some administration officials and Capitol Hill Republicans.

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Rather than quash the rumors of tension in the White House, Trump told Goodwin that it needed to be addressed.

Steve is a good guy, Trump said, but I told them to straighten it out or I will.

The turmoil occurs as the White House approaches Trumps 100-day mark without a signature legislative accomplishment. The Republican-led push to repeal and replace Obamacare crashed and burned, but Trump insists that negotiations are ongoing. And Trumps travel ban for people from several Muslim-majority countries has been stymied by the courts.

During a Wednesday morning event at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., White House press secretary Sean Spicer dismissed media reports of a Bannon-Kushner feud.

I think a lot of it is overblown, what you see in the media. The president has brought together an unbelievably talented team of successful individuals, Spicer said. Its the same team, in a lot of ways, that had a very successful campaign. I think sometimes you see some of that spill over in the public and thats unfortunate, because theres going to be on policy a very spirited debate.

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GOP congressional candidate in the 4th district Ron Estes votes at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. At right is his wife, Susan Estes. (Photo: Jaime Green/The Wichita Eagle via AP)

A ruby-red Republican district in Kansas where Donald Trump trounced Hillary Clinton just five months ago stayed in GOP hands Tuesday night even as Democrats dramatically closed the margin in the state  an outcome sure to send shivers through Republicans facing reelection in 2018 in less favorable districts.

With more than 99 percent of the votes counted, state Treasurer Ron Estes was declared the winner of the first congressional election since Donald Trump won the White House, taking more than 53 percent of the vote. The special election in Kansas Fourth Congressional District had pitted Estes against civil rights attorney and army veteran James Thompson for the seat vacated by Mike Pompeo, now Trumps CIA director. Libertarian Chris Rockhold also ran.

Thompson won more than 45 percent of the vote  a percentage more than 15 points higher than that garnered by the Democrat who ran in the district last November.

Kansas is not a swing state in presidential elections, and the last time a Democrat won its Fourth Congressional District was 1992. This past fall, Pompeo bested his Democratic rival by 31 percentage points, and Trump won the district by a 27 percent margin of victory.

Thompsons under-the-radar campaign in the district proved to have surprising momentum, thanks to disillusionment in the state with the policies of GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and Thompsons own authentic-seeming message of helping the working class.

His ability to close the margin forced national Republicans to pitch in to bolster Estes over the final weeks of the race in what should have been an easy Republican seat to hold.

Mr. Estes did not beat us. It took a president of the United States, a vice president, the speaker of the House, a senator coming into our state, and a bunch of lies to try to drum up the vote, Thompson said after his loss.

Kansas has been going through a wrenching political period after a Republican experiment with massive tax cuts led to budgetary shortfalls, which are projected to reach more than $1 billion by the middle of 2019. That has transformed the normal political conversation in the state and led even Republican legislators to back tax increases in an effort to fix the state revenue gap, though their efforts have yet to succeed. The trouble with taxes led Kansas Democrats and GOP moderates to make significant gains in the state Legislature last fall, at the same time Trump was elected, though both remain in GOP hands.

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This more moderate Kansas state Legislature voted to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act shortly after the failure of Trumps Obamacare repeal efforts last month. GOP Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed the expansion, and the GOP-controlled Kansas House narrowly upheld his veto.

Democrat James Thompson gets a hug from supporter Djuan Wash at the Murdock Theatre in Wichita, Kan., Tuesday, April, 11, 2017. (Photo: Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle via AP)

The Estes campaign itself did not generate particular enthusiasm and came in for some light mockery over an ad featuring him in chest-high waders in a literal swamp, promising to drain the metaphorical one in Washington. His ads have focused more on reining in Washington excesses, while Thompsons have focused on biography and the struggle to get out of poverty and to live as a member of the working class in Kansas.

National Republicans piled in to the race to save the seat after internal polling showed the margin of the contest to be too close for comfort. I am personally reaching out to you today to help strengthen our House majority by electing Ron Estes in Kansas Fourth Congressional District, House Speaker Paul Ryan wrote in an email appeal. As a friend of Rons and as House Speaker, I can tell you that this is one of the most important House races in the country.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, stumped for Estes on Monday in Wichita, urging voters to take nine others to the polls with them and warning, Our enemy right now is complacency. Cruz, a former 2016 presidential candidate, beat Trump in the Kansas Republican presidential primary caucus last year.

Vice President Mike Pence recorded a robocall over the weekend. So did President Trump, speaking out on a one-minute, five-second robocall that went out to tens of thousands of likely GOP voters Monday.

I have something big to tell you.  On Tuesday, Republican Ron Estes needs your vote and needs it badly, Trump said in the recording.

Ron is a conservative leader whos going to work with me to make America great again. Were going to do things really great for our country. Our country needs help. Ron is going to be helping us, big league.  This is an important election.

On Tuesday, he followed up with a tweet:

Ron Estes is running TODAY for Congress in the Great State of Kansas. A wonderful guy, I need his help on Healthcare & Tax Cuts (Reform).  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

Though Trump is polling at roughly 40 percent nationally, his support remains strong in solidly Republican areas as well as among party members.

People here still like Trump, Thompson told the Washington Post. Its not been a referendum on him. Its a referendum on the failed Republican leadership in the state. People dont want these policies taken to the national level.

That hasnt stopped Thompson from allying himself with the anti-Trump resistance in no uncertain terms, tweeting out the hashtag #resistance in thanks to the local anti-Trump Indivisible group that has been organizing on his behalf.

Thompsons message has focused on working-class families, veterans, the Constitution and the need for a political change.

An earlier, much less high-powered Trump team effort to buoy a candidate in the state fell flat in February, when White House-backed Alan Cobb failed to make it out of the GOP special election primary. Sam Clovis, the one-time Trump campaign co-chair, had sent a letter supporting Cobb to the 126 state party delegates who would pick a candidate, and Trump social media guru Dan Scavino tweeted on his behalf. Cobb also had strong ties to the Kochs, as the former Kansas director of Americans for Prosperity and a one-time lobbyist for Koch Industries.

In the end, Estes long tenure in the district and history of winning office statewide made the difference.

Early voter turnout was low but had a disproportionately high share of Democrats, given the districts historic GOP tilt, and helped lift Thompson on Election Day.

Thompson raised a quarter of a million dollars in the final days of the race, much of it in small-dollar donations via liberal fundraising sites.

On Monday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which had been staying away from the contest, entered the race to do last-minute live calls to 25,000 households.

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the country is considering a bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics in the eastern provinces of Erzurum, Erzincan and Kars.

Erdogan made the announcement Wednesday during a campaign rally in Erzurum ahead of a referendum on strengthening the powers of the president.

Erdogan says "the Winter Games would suit Erzurum ... We are making preparations for such a bid for 2026."

Although Turkey has made several attempts to host the Summer Olympics, it would be the country's first bid for the Winter Games.

Erzurum previously hosted the World University Games in 2011.

In 2013, Istanbul lost to Tokyo in the vote for the 2020 Summer Olympics.
ZURICH (Reuters) - Turkey's ambassador to Switzerland has denied that his embassy spied on expatriate Turks, distancing his staff from a criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors into suspected espionage. The probe has drawn Switzerland into a dispute between Ankara and several European nations as Turkey seeks to drum up support in its diaspora in the run-up to a referendum on Sunday on expanding the powers of President Tayyip Erdogan. "It is certain that no such activities were conducted within the realm of our embassy," Ambassador Ilhan Saygili was quoted as telling broadcaster SRF's Rundschau program in an interview to be aired on Wednesday night. Saygili said that his deputy in Bern had been removed from office but did not confirm media reports that the diplomat and his family had sought asylum in neutral Switzerland. "If he is absolutely not guilty then he could have gone to Turkey and proven his innocence," the ambassador was quoted as saying, without specifying any accusation against his number two. Embassy officials in Bern could not be reached immediately. The Swiss foreign minister told his Turkish counterpart last month that Switzerland would "rigorously investigate" any illegal spying by Ankara on expatriate Turks before the referendum. The Swiss investigation follows alleged intelligence gathering in which participants at events at the University of Zurich in late 2016 and early 2017 were filmed or photographed, according to Swiss media. One of the reported instances was in December, where opposition Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet's chief editor was honored. The other was in January during an academic forum on mass killings of Armenians in Turkey 100 years ago that Armenians consider genocide, a term Ankara rejects. Allegations of intelligence gathering by Erdogan supporters have arisen elsewhere in Europe. German police in February raided the flats of four imams suspected of spying for Turkey's government on followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of organizing a failed coup last July. The head of Turkey's Diyanet religious authority, Mehmet Gormez, has denied its imams engaged in illegal activities and called such allegations defamatory. Swiss government statistics show 68,000 Turkish citizens live in Switzerland, while the Turkish embassy's website puts the figure at 130,000. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
(Reuters) - Two Illinois men were arrested on Wednesday on charges they conspired to help Islamic State, with one suspect saying he wanted to see the jihadist group's flag over the White House, the U.S. Justice Department said.

Joseph Jones and Edward Schimenti, both 35 and from Zion, Illinois, appeared before a federal magistrate in Chicago and were ordered held pending a detention hearing on Monday, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office said by telephone.

Federal public defenders assigned to the two men could not be reached for comment.

The pair pledged allegiance to Islamic State and took to social media to back violence in support of the militant group, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Jones and Schimenti discussed backing Islamic State with two undercover Federal Bureau of Investigation employees and an informant and shared photographs of themselves displaying the Islamic State's flag at a state park, the statement said.

Schimenti told the informant he would like to see the flag "on top of the White House," according to a 77-page criminal complaint.

Last month, Schimenti and Jones furnished cellular phones to the informant, believing they would be used to set off explosives in Islamic State attacks, the complaint said.

Thinking the informant would be traveling overseas to join Islamic State, Schimenti worked out with him at a gym to get him in shape for combat, according to the complaint.

Jones and Schimenti drove the informant to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport last week, believing the informant would be flying to Syria to fight with Islamic State.

The two men were with conspiring to provide and attempting to provide material support to Islamic State. If convicted, they could face up to 20 years in prison.

Forces backed by the United States, Turkey and Russia are advancing on Islamic State's Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. Iraqi government forces have also retaken several Iraqi cities and much of the city of Mosul.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Crispian Balmer LUCCA, Italy (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked his European counterparts on Tuesday why American voters should care about the conflict in Ukraine, France's foreign minister said. The new U.S. administration under President Donald Trump has indicated it might be less engaged on the international stage than some of its predecessors, telling its allies that it would put U.S. interests first. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said Tillerson had openly questioned why "American taxpayers" should be concerned about Ukraine, which has been racked by a separatist conflict for the last three years. Ayrault told reporters he had replied: "It is in the interests of the U.S. taxpayers to have a Europe that is secure and is strong politically and economically ... You don't want a weak Europe, broken into bits and feeble. The West slapped sanctions on Russia in 2014 over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and its support for the rebels in eastern Ukraine, in a conflict in which more than 10,000 people have been killed. Kiev and NATO say Moscow has fueled the fighting by supporting the separatists with troops and weapons, a charge it denies. Tillerson posed the question at a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations. The former oil executive flew to Russia immediately after the gathering and was not immediately available for comment. In its closing communique, the G7 said a Ukraine ceasefire agreement, struck in Minsk in 2015, had not been fully implemented, adding that Russia was not doing enough to help restore peace. "Russia's behaviour is not consistent with the rules-based international order," the G7 statement said. "We remain united in using a wide array of foreign policy tools, including restrictive measures and sanctions, with the goal of persuading Russia to return to a path of shared respect of those principles." German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told reporters a ceasefire was due to take effect over Easter. "We must convince both sides ... that a ceasefire in Ukraine is the key precondition for getting back into a political process," he said. (Additional reporting by Andrea Shalal in Berlin; editing by Andrew Roche)
By Ulf Laessing ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces are making progress in their offensive to expel Islamic State from Mosul but face a "very complicated" urban battle as the militants hide in mosques, homes and hospitals, a U.S. general told Reuters on Wednesday. Government forces have retaken much of Iraq's second-largest city since January but have been trying since then to dislodge the Sunni Muslim militants from the densely populated Old City in western Mosul, their last Iraqi stronghold. "Iraqi security forces continue to progress as they liberate the western side of Mosul," U.S. Army Major General Joseph Martin, head of ground forces for the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State, said by telephone. He declined to say whether the militants would be defeated rather within weeks or months, saying: "It's hard to tell because the terrain changes literally every day." Martin said Iraqi forces had surrounded Islamic State positions but it was not always possible to move vehicles into all parts of the Old City with its narrow streets. "Some days like yesterday (there was) significant amount of progress, other days there is not much progress but progress nevertheless," he said. Iraqi officers have said snipers have slowed them down in western Mosul in the biggest ground operation in Iraq since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein. "It's very complicated," Martin said. "The terrain literally changes from neighborhood to neighborhood ... the nature of the enemy, how the population reacts." He also said coalition forces continued to provide air support for Iraqi forces despite an explosion that followed an air strike that was believed to have killed scores of civilians on March 17. The U.S. military has said a U.S.-led coalition strike had hit an Islamic State-held area where residents and officials say as many as 200 civilians may have been killed. "Nothing has changed in terms of air support. It's been consistent," he said. He declined to discuss any involvement of the coalition in the explosion but said Islamic State was "very creative in exploiting the human element" by using hospitals, schools, churches, homes and mosques as hideouts or weapons caches. Some 400,000 people are believed to have been trapped in western Mosul with U.N. camps filling up with people fleeing the violence. Daily suicide attacks and roadside bombs, along with snipers and mortars, have been the most lethal Islamic State tactics in resisting the 100,000-strong Iraqi force. "It's clear that their (Islamic State) competence, their cohesion and their effectiveness continues to wane over time," he said. But he said the militants would fight to the end and there were no signs they would run out of ammunition anytime soon after preparing for the battle for two and half years. "Don't underestimate the ammunition," he said. "But the outcome is very, very clear. They are going lose and the Iraqis will win." (Editing by Alison Williams)
By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tensions between the United States and Russia will not "spiral out of control" following last week's U.S. cruise missile strikes on a Syrian air base, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday, describing it as a one-off response to Syria's use of banned chemical weapons. President Donald Trump, in his biggest foreign policy decision since taking office in January, ordered the strikes after concluding that Syria waged a nerve gas attack in rebel-held territory that killed 87 people, many of them children. Russia, which has advisers on the ground aiding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, warned the U.S. strike could have serious consequences. Syria denies involvement. "It will not spiral out of control," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon. "I'm confident the Russians will act in their own best interest and there is nothing in their best interest to say they want this situation to go out of control." Mattis has repeatedly warned that the U.S. military remained ready to act again should Assad use chemical weapons, saying on Tuesday that Assad would "pay a very, very stiff price." At the same time, he acknowledged that Trump had only authorized the single attack, meaning the U.S. military would not automatically have the authority to strike again should Washington determine another case of chemical weapons use. Mattis also sought to downplay concerns about Pentagon mission creep, saying the U.S. military's focus in Syria was still fighting Islamic State militants, not becoming entangled in Syria's messy civil war between Assad and his opponents. "The rest of the campaign stays on track exactly as it was before Assad's violation," Mattis said. U.S. CAN'T PROVE RUSSIA ROLE The incident has chilled U.S. relations with Moscow after a presidential campaign during which Trump frequently called for an alliance with Russia to fight Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. It has also led the Trump administration to harden its attitude against Assad weeks after top U.S. officials said they were more concerned with defeating Islamic State militants than getting Assad out of power. "I don't see a peaceful, stable Syria in the future that has Assad in charge," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said on Tuesday. "I don't see a future Syria that has (Assad) as the leader of that government." U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson denounced Russian support for Assad as he prepared to fly to Moscow on Tuesday. "It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson told reporters in Italy. U.S. intelligence indicates that Syrian Su-22 aircraft taking off from Shayrat airfield delivered the nerve agent sarin, according to a White House report given to reporters. Mattis said there was no doubt that Damascus was responsible. Although some U.S. officials have strongly hinted they suspect Russia, which has a presence at Shayrat, may have known something about the planned attack, none have conclusively linked Moscow to the incident itself. Mattis suggested the United States did not have firm evidence that Russia had foreknowledge or was complicit in the chemical attack. "It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it and executed it and beyond that we can't say right now. We know what I just told you, we don't know anything beyond that," Mattis said, when asked whether Russia had a role. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by James Dalgleish)
By David Morgan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan's tax reform blueprint appears to be losing its status as the likely framework for the first major tax overhaul since 1986, with rival approaches emerging from the White House, Senate and other quarters in Congress. Congressional aides, lobbyists and analysts say the changing focus could delay passage of a tax bill until late 2017 or 2018, potentially foiling Republican efforts to score a legislative victory for President Donald Trump by August, following last month's failed bill to repeal and replace Obamacare health insurance. Like the healthcare bill, the House Republican tax blueprint stems from Ryan's "A Better Way" legislative agenda launched during the 2016 election campaign. "The House can go and do what they want to do. We are going to formulate our own policies," White House budget director Mick Mulvaney told CNBC in an interview posted on the channel's website on Wednesday. "You will have a White House, Donald Trump tax plan that we are going to take down to the Hill and try and sell. In the meantime, Senate Republicans are expected to review a 2015 tax package from former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, as a starting point for their own tax legislation. Members of the House Freedom Caucus, a bloc of conservative lawmakers that helped derail Ryans healthcare bill, have also suggested that expanding the deficit to stave off adding new taxes could be acceptable. "The blueprint was the Republican ideal, written as a campaign document. Now they're dealing with the realities of a closely divided Congress and a president who wants a win on this key, signature issue," said one business lobbyist, who spoke on condition of anonymity. But Ryan is not giving up on the idea of forging agreement with the White House and Senate leaders. "Our intention has always been and continues to be to coalesce around a unified GOP plan and those conversations continue," said his spokeswoman, AshLee Strong. Business lobbyists and tax experts warn that a loss of focus could prove fatal for the tax overhaul effort, if the House blueprint disappears from the political stage. "Right now the blueprint is the only plan we have. There's a great amount of uncertainty about how this would play out without it, or whether this would play out at all," said John Gimigliano, who heads federal legislative and regulatory services for the accounting and consulting group KPMG LLP. Lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee say the blueprint's viability could become clearer next month, when the committee is expected to hold a series of public hearings and hopes to see a floor vote before the August congressional recess. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met this month with a bipartisan group of House lawmakers about possibly including infrastructure spending in an administration tax package, a feature that is not part of the blueprint. The House blueprint, which Ryan rolled out last June, would bring sweeping change to the U.S. tax code by slashing business tax rates by 15 percentage points, allowing companies to immediately write off capital investments and ending taxation of foreign profits of U.S.-based multinational corporations. But its future has become clouded by mounting opposition to two provisions that would raise a combined $2.4 trillion to pay for those tax changes: a border adjustment tax, or BAT, that includes a new 20 percent import tax and the elimination of business deductions for interest payments. Advocates of Ryans plan say it would generate revenues that would help Congress avoid paying for tax cuts by expanding the national deficit. (Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Julia Edwards Ainsley and Lisa Shumaker)
By Marton Dunai BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Thousands of Hungarian students marched on parliament late on Wednesday despite the government suggesting a compromise to keep open a university founded by U.S. financier George Soros. Central European University (CEU) found itself in the eye of a political storm after Hungary's parliament passed the new law last week setting tougher conditions for the awarding of licenses to foreign-based universities. Critics said the new terms would hurt academic freedoms and were especially aimed at CEU, founded by the Hungarian-born Soros after the collapse of Communism and considered a bastion of independent scholarship in the region. In an apparent change of tack, Education Secretary Laszlo Palkovics said CEU, which specializes in social sciences, could continue to operate if it delivered its teaching and issued its degrees through its existing Hungarian sister school. "We never wanted to close down CEU," Palkovics told news website HVG.hu. "The question is whether CEU insists on having a license in Hungary or having courses in Hungary honored with a CEU degree ... (CEU's own) license has little significance." Despite this, thousands of Hungarians protested in central Budapest against what they said was a crackdown on free thought. Thousands of students broke off from an earlier protest in Heroes' Square and marched some 3.5 km to the parliament, chanting "Europe! Europe!" and "Free country! Free university!" They threw paper planes - alluding to allegations in Orban-friendly media that Soros had flown in foreign protesters. One protester told Reuters he did not believe what the government said. "Look at the law: they are still out to get CEU, they are still out to get Soros, they don't care if they destroy the country in the process," said Geza Lukacs, 22, an engineering student from the northern town of Vac. CALLS FOR TALKS Wednesday's protests were the fourth major demonstration in the past two weeks as the government faces growing resistance a year before elections are due. "They have pressed ahead since 2010 with new moves every day that hurt democracy in some way," Robert Ferenczi, a 55-year-old protester from Budapest, told Reuters in Heroes' Square. The dispute over the university has come to symbolize rival visions of Hungary's future. Soros, whose ideal of an "open society" is squarely at odds with Orban's self-styled "illiberal democracy", has often been vilified by the prime minister. CEU itself was taken by surprise at Palkovics' comments. "The solution evoked by State Secretary Palkovics in the press does not appear to be legally and operationally coherent and certain," it said by email. "CEU has not been approached directly by Secretary Palkovics with this information." "Exchanges in the press are no substitute for sustained direct contact on a confidential basis. We look to the Hungarian government to initiate negotiations with CEU so that we can resolve this." Government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs said the government would not suspend the law but added: "We are going to have talks with everyone; if the Soros university is driven by good intentions, it will be able to solve the problem." The law said the CEU must open a branch in its home state of New York alongside its campus in Budapest and secure a bilateral agreement of support from the U.S. government. Both of those conditions would have been prohibitive by a deadline of January 2018, and CEU rejected them from the start. The United States asked Hungary to suspend the implementation of the law, and the European Union on Wednesday threatened Orban with legal action for moves that it saw as undemocratic. The European Union was adamant Hungary must show its actions would not harm democratic safeguards. "Taken cumulatively, the overall situation in Hungary is a cause of concern," European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said. (Additional reporting by Gergely Szakacs, Gabriela Baczynska and Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Alison Williams)
If you ask us, the best kind of marriage proposals always involves the help of an adorable animal. It's an instant YES.

That's why University of Connecticut alumnus Daniel Bronko (class of '15) enlisted in the assistance of UConn mascot Jonathan XIV the husky to ask fellow alumnus Holly Korona (class of '13) to be his wife.

SEE ALSO: Very good dog receives the wrong gift and is more grateful than we'll ever be for anything

Bronko said that UConn holds a special place in their hearts because it's where the couple first met through a work retreat for the university's recreation center. They started dating four months after they met and the rest is love history. He decided to propose near Mirror Lake, a place on campus where the couple spent most of their time.

"We spent a lot of time getting to know each other early on at that exact spot on campus, so I knew that was going to be the spot I chose," Bronko explained.

As for why he included Jonathan, he said the decision was inspired by his fiance's love of pups. "Holly is a lover of absolutely ALL dogs, so I thought it would be a nice and meaningful touch enlisting the help of the most famous dog in Connecticut," he said. "I actually reached out to Jonathan's Facebook page, which was weird because I've never direct messaged a dog before. But luckily, his handlers reached out to me and we were able to set it up where Jonathan would actually be delivering the ring."

Jonathan kept it calm, cool, and collected as he was entrusted with the engagement ring and stood nearby until it was his time to shine. He did such a good job that Korona suggested having him as the ring bearer at the couple's future wedding. Bronko posted this video of Jonathan's entrance and the priceless proposal on Facebook:

Jonathan also celebrated the happy occasion by posting pictures on his Facebook. With some commentary in the captions, he hilariously lets us all know what he was thinking during the big moment:

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She said yes! And who wouldn't? This guy has set the bar pretty high for all future wedding proposals and he has nothing but nice things to say about his trusty proposal partner.

"Jonathan was the PERFECT ring bearer," Bronko gushed. "He sure was more calm and collected than I was at that point. As soon as Holly saw Jonathan, she started crying. I know it was his first proposal he's been a part of, but he seemed like a professional."

Let's make it standard that all proposals must have at least one dog involved, shall we?

WATCH: Scientists have created edible water orbs that can help replace plastic bottles
By Elias Biryabarema ENTEBBE, Uganda (Reuters) - The killings and other atrocities going on South Sudan amount to a genocide and African leaders need to "step up" and not just rely on others for a response, Britain's secretary for international development, Priti Patel, said late on Wednesday. After a visit to Africa's youngest nation, Patel also told journalists in neighboring Uganda that President Salva Kiir's government was blocking access to aid. "There are massacres taking place, people's throats are being slit ... villages are being burnt out, there's a scorched-earth policy," she said. "It is tribal, it is absolutely tribal, so on that basis it is genocide." South Sudan has been convulsed by mass violence since July when fighting broke out in the capital Juba, and then spread to several other areas. The fighting erupted between forces loyal to Kiir and his former vice president, Riek Machar, who come from rival ethnic groups. Civilians who have fled the violence to neighboring countries say government troops, mostly drown from Kiir's Dinka tribe, carry out killings and other crimes against Machar's Nuer and other smaller tribes suspected of supporting rebels. The United Nations estimates about 3 million South Sudanese have been uprooted by the violence, the biggest cross-border exodus in Africa since the 1994 Rwandan genocide. More than half of those have fled to neighboring countries, mostly to Uganda. The mass exodus and widespread insecurity across South Sudan have left farm fields deserted which has led to severe food shortages. In February, the United Nations declared famine in some parts of the country. Patel, who also visited refugee camps in northwestern Uganda hosting South Sudan refugees, said Kiir's government had "actively blocked and prevented aid access" and that it was using food as a weapon of war. She said she had told Kiir in a meeting with him on Tuesday that she expected him to act to stop blocking aid and also end the conflict. In case Kiir refused, she said: "The international community will undertake consequences." Patel also criticized African leaders for not putting pressure on the South Sudanese government to end the atrocities and conflict and accused them of looking to others to solve a conflict in their backyard. "Why are they not standing up for the people that are being massacred ... who are their fellow African brothers and sisters," she said. "African heads of state ... they need to do a lot more and they should not just rely on others in the international community." The July 2016 fighting exploded just as the oil-producing country was still reeling from its first civil war which broke out in 2013 after Kiir sacked Machar from his vice presidency position. That conflict ended in a peace pact in 2015 and Machar was returned to his vice presidency position early last year. But tensions between the two men lingered and finally led to the latest violence. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP)  In the ruins of a tropical hideaway where jetsetters once sipped rum under the Caribbean sun, the abandoned children tried to make a life for themselves. They begged and scavenged for food, but they never could scrape together enough to beat back the hunger, until the U.N. peacekeepers moved in a few blocks away.

The men who came from a far-away place and spoke a strange language offered the Haitian children cookies and other snacks. Sometimes they gave them a few dollars. But the price was high: The Sri Lankan peacekeepers wanted sex from girls and boys as young as 12.

"I did not even have breasts," said a girl, known as V01  Victim No. 1. She told U.N. investigators that over the next three years, from ages 12 to 15, she had sex with nearly 50 peacekeepers, including a "Commandant" who gave her 75 cents. Sometimes she slept in U.N. trucks on the base next to the decaying resort, whose once-glamorous buildings were being overtaken by jungle.

Justice for victims like V01 is rare. An Associated Press investigation of U.N. missions during the past 12 years found nearly 2,000 allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers and other personnel around the world  signaling the crisis is much larger than previously known. More than 300 of the allegations involved children, the AP found, but only a fraction of the alleged perpetrators served jail time.

Legally, the U.N. is in a bind. It has no jurisdiction over peacekeepers, leaving punishment to the countries that contribute the troops.

The AP interviewed alleged victims, current and former U.N. officials and investigators and sought answers from 23 countries on the number of peacekeepers who faced such allegations and, what if anything, was done to investigate. With rare exceptions, few nations responded to repeated requests, while the names of those found guilty are kept confidential, making accountability impossible to determine.

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Without agreement for widespread reform and accountability from the U.N.'s member states, solutions remain elusive.

Here in Haiti, at least 134 Sri Lankan peacekeepers exploited nine children in a sex ring from 2004 to 2007, according to an internal U.N. report obtained by the AP. In the wake of the report, 114 peacekeepers were sent home. None was ever imprisoned.

In March, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced new measures to tackle sexual abuse and exploitation by U.N. peacekeepers and other personnel. But the proclamation had a depressingly familiar ring: More than a decade ago, the United Nations commissioned a report that promised to do much the same thing, yet most of the reforms never materialized.

For a full two years after those promises were made, the children in Haiti were passed around from soldier to soldier. And in the years since, peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse the world over.

In response to the AP's investigation, the U.N.'s head of field support said Wednesday the international body was aware of shortcomings in the system.

"We believe we are advancing in the right direction, especially with the secretary-general's new approach," said Atul Khare who heads the U.N. department in charge of peacekeeper discipline and conduct. "Improving the assistance provided to victims, who are at the heart of our response, is fundamental."

Khare also said the organization was working with member states to hold perpetrators to account.

In one particularly grim case in Haiti, a teenage boy said he was gang-raped in 2011 by Uruguayan peacekeepers who filmed the alleged assault on a cellphone. Dozens of Haitian women also say they were raped, and dozens more had what is euphemistically called "survival sex" in a country where most people live on less than $2.50 a day, the AP found.

Haitian lawyer Mario Joseph has been trying to get compensation for victims of a deadly cholera strain linked to Nepalese peacekeepers that killed an estimated 10,000 people. Now, he is also trying to get child support for about a dozen Haitian women left pregnant by peacekeepers.

"Imagine if the U.N. was going to the United States and raping children and bringing cholera," Joseph said in Port-au-Prince. "Human rights aren't just for rich white people."

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker agrees. The Tennessee Republican, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been calling for reforms in the United Nations. He may well get them under President Donald Trump, whose administration has proposed a 31 percent reduction to the U.S. foreign aid and diplomacy budget. Corker and U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley want a review of all missions.

Corker recalled his disgust at hearing of the U.N. sexual abuse cases uncovered last year in Central African Republic.

"If I heard that a U.N. peacekeeping mission was coming near my home in Chattanooga," he told AP, "I'd be on the first plane out of here to go back and protect my family."

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The Habitation Leclerc resort was once well known throughout Port-au-Prince as a lush refuge amid the capital's grimy alleyways. During its heyday in the 1980s, celebrities like Mick Jagger and Jackie Onassis would perch by the pool or stroll past the property's Voodoo temple.

By 2004, the resort was a decrepit clutch of buildings, and several children, either orphaned or abandoned by their parents, were living in its ruins.

It was there that V01 met other victims, two girls referred to in the U.N. report as "V02" and "V03" and a young boy, "V08." The boy initially supported them by occasionally bringing food from his aunt, but they were often hungry.

The peacekeepers had arrived that year as part of a new mission to help stabilize Haiti in the wake of President Jean-Bertrande Aristide's ouster. The Sri Lankans, numbering about 900 troops, landed in a historically unstable country in the grip of scattered violence and kidnappings  and a broken government ill-suited to confront the chaos.

Some of the peacekeepers in the Sri Lankan contingent were based near the former resort.

In August 2007, the U.N. received complaints of "suspicious interactions" between Sri Lankan soldiers and Haitian children. U.N. investigators then interviewed nine victims, as well as witnesses, while the sex ring was still active.

V02, who was 16 when the U.N. team interviewed her, told them she had sex with a Sri Lankan commander at least three times, describing him as overweight with a moustache and a gold ring on his middle finger. She said he often showed her a picture of his wife. The peacekeepers also taught her some Sinhalese so she could understand and express sexual innuendo; the children even talked to one another in Sinhalese when U.N. investigators were interviewing them.

V03 identified 11 Sri Lankan troops through photographs, one of whom she said was a corporal with a "distinctive" bullet scar between his armpit and waist. V04, who was 14, said she had sex with the soldiers every day in exchange for money, cookies or juice.

During her interview with investigators, another young victim, V07, received a phone call from a Sri Lankan peacekeeper. She explained that the soldiers would pass along her number to incoming contingent members, who would then call her for sex.

The boy, V08, said he had sex with more than 20 Sri Lankans. Most would remove their name tags before taking him to U.N. military trucks, where he gave them oral sex or was sodomized by them.

Another boy, V09, was 15 when his encounters began. Over the course of three years, he said he had sex with more than 100 Sri Lankan peacekeepers, averaging about four a day, investigators said.

Under Haitian law, having sex with someone under 18 is statutory rape. U.N. codes of conduct also prohibit exploitation.

"The sexual acts described by the nine victims are simply too many to be presented exhaustively in this report, especially since each claimed multiple sexual partners at various locations where the Sri Lankan contingents were deployed throughout Haiti over several years," the report said.

Investigators showed the children more than 1,000 photographs that included pictures of Sri Lankan troops and locations of where the children had sex with the soldiers.

"The evidence shows that from late 2004 to mid-October 2007, at least 134 military members of the current and previous Sri Lankan contingents sexually exploited and abused at least nine Haitian children," the report said.

After the report was filed, 114 Sri Lanka peacekeepers were sent home, putting an end to the sex ring.

But the sexual exploitation visited upon Haiti's people didn't stop there.

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Janila Jean said she was a 16-year-old virgin when a Brazilian peacekeeper lured her to a U.N. compound three years ago with a smear of peanut butter on bread, raped her at gunpoint and left her pregnant. She finds herself constantly in tears.

"Some days, I imagine strangling my daughter to death," she said in an interview under the shadow of banana palms near the former Jacmel base.

With her were three other women who said they also were raped by peacekeepers. One of them sat on her heels, scraping coconut from its shell and into a large cauldron of water and corn, the barest of meals for the women and their small children.

Adm. Ademir Sobrinho of Brazil's armed forces said at a conference in London that his force had no such cases of rape, sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.

But like many, Jean didn't report the rape. Nearly a dozen women interviewed by the AP said they were too scared to report the crimes out of fear they would be blamed  or worse, would meet their victimizers again.

The AP found that some 150 allegations of abuse and exploitation by U.N. peacekeepers and other personnel were reported in Haiti alone between 2004 and 2016, out of the worldwide total of nearly 2,000. Aside from the Sri Lankan sex ring in Haiti, some perpetrators were jailed for other cases.

Alleged abusers came from Bangladesh, Brazil, Jordan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uruguay and Sri Lanka, according to U.N. data and interviews. More countries may have been involved, but the United Nations only started disclosing alleged perpetrators' nationalities after 2015.

The litany of abuses is long.

In July 2011, four Uruguayan peacekeepers and their commanding officer allegedly gang-raped a Haitian teenager. The men also filmed the alleged attack on their phones, which went viral on the internet. The men never faced trial in Haiti; four of the five were convicted in Uruguay of "private violence," a lesser charge. Uruguayan officials said at the time that it was a prank gone wrong and that no rape occurred.

The following year, three Pakistanis attached to the U.N.'s police units in Haiti were allegedly involved in the rape of a mentally disabled 13-year-old in the northern city of Gonaives.

U.N. officials went to Haiti to investigate, but the Pakistanis abducted the boy to keep him from detailing the abuse that had gone on for more than a year, according to Peter Gallo, a former U.N. investigator familiar with the case.

Finally, the men were tried in a Pakistani military tribunal, and eventually sent back to Pakistan. In theory, the tribunal could have allowed for better access to witnesses, but it's unclear whether any were called. The Pakistani authorities also refused to allow the U.N. to observe the proceedings. In the end, one man was sent to prison for a year, according to Ariane Quentier, a spokeswoman for the Haiti mission.

"It's an indictment of how the whole U.N. system works," Gallo told the AP.

Pakistan's military has refused several requests for comment on the case.

U.N. data during the 12-year period reviewed by AP is incomplete and varies in levels of detail, particularly for cases before 2010. Hundreds of other cases were closed with little to no explanation. In its review, the AP analyzed data from annual reports as well as information from the Office of Internal Oversight Services.

In the wake of the child sex ring investigation, a team of Sri Lankans spent two weeks in Haiti in October 2007. They interviewed only 25 soldiers out of more than 900 in the country and concluded that just two Sri Lankan corporals and one private had sex with two "young" victims. Three soldiers denied sexual encounters but were suspected of lying, according to the U.N. investigation report.

For six months, the Sri Lankan army and the government declined to respond to AP's questions about the 2007 case. Instead, officials first dodged repeated queries, then gave vague assurances that the scandal represented an isolated incident. Last month, the Sri Lankan government acknowledged its military had conducted inquiries into just 18 soldiers it said were implicated, and that "the U.N. Secretariat has acknowledged in writing, action taken by the Government, and informed that the Secretariat, as of 29 September 2014, considers the matter closed."

Some of the peacekeepers involved in the ring were still in the Sri Lankan military as of last year, Sri Lankan military officials say. The United Nations, meanwhile, continued to send Sri Lankan peacekeepers to Haiti and elsewhere despite corroborating the child sex ring.

Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Karunasena Hettiarachchi defended the troops, saying, "People are quite happy and comfortable with the peacekeepers."

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Above a rusty bench at an abandoned bus stop in the village of Leogane hangs a sign that reads, "Constructed by the 16th Sri Lanka Peacekeeping Battalion." It's one of the few physical reminders of the battalion's mission  along with children fathered by U.N. personnel.

Marie-Ange Haitis says she met a Sri Lankan commander in December 2006 and he soon began making night-time visits to her house in Leogane.

"By January, we had had sex," she said. "It wasn't rape, but it wasn't exactly consensual, either. I felt like I didn't have a choice."

She said when she first realized that she was pregnant, the Haitian translator assigned to the Sri Lankans told her to have an abortion. Then, she said, U.N. officials accused her of lying. As she spoke, her daughter Samantha sat on her lap wearing an oversized pair of sunglasses with a missing lens.

When she was interviewed in August, Haitis said she had been waiting nearly a decade for the U.N. to consider her paternity claim to help support her daughter.

Finally, early this year, Sri Lankan and U.N. officials told AP that a onetime payment of $45,243 had been made for Haitis' daughter. The United Nations said Sri Lanka accepted the paternity claim without proof of DNA and the commander was dismissed from service.

But such payments are rare.

U.N. officials said they were unable to find any members of the mission in Haiti who might have dealt with the victims in the sex-ring case and did not know what happened to the children.

An Italian non-governmental organization, AVSI, said it helped the children by trying to find homes for them, providing them with counseling and helping reintegrate them into schools, but it also lost track of the children shortly after the country's devastating 2010 earthquake.

Khare, the U.N. head of field support, acknowledged the scope of the problem and said the global agency must do more to help victims, including gathering accurate information and following up with troop-contributing countries.

"What we all want to see is justice been served for the victims of these horrendous acts," he said.

An AP review of reports on the conduct of U.N. field missions showed haphazard record-keeping.

In a 2008 report, for example, 19 allegations were reported in Haiti  a number that seemed to contradict the U.N.'s own investigation report in late 2007 that identified nine children and 134 peacekeepers in the sex ring. Before 2010, the number of allegations involving minors was not specified for all U.N. missions.

Some Haitians wonder whether the U.N. has done more harm than good in a country that has endured tragedy after tragedy since it became the first black republic in 1804.

U.N. personnel say they have contributed to the stability in the Caribbean nation over the years, saved lives during the 2010 earthquake's aftermath and prevented violence during periods of unrest. The mission, which currently has nearly 5,000 personnel and is expected to scale down by October, has also been credited with training police, providing security during elections and support to the judiciary.

"I would not say we have achieved everything we set out to do, but we are engaged in a process of continuous improvement that any harmful effect on the local populations could be minimized, if not completely eradicated," Khare said.

Many here are not convinced.

"I'd like to see my attacker face to face and tell him how he has destroyed my life," said 21-year-old Melida Joseph, who said she was raped by one peacekeeper and narrowly escaped being gang-raped in Cite-Soleil, a seaside slum. Like others, she never reported the crime.

"They'll look at this as one big joke," she said. "As far as the U.N. goes, they came here to protect us, but all they've brought is destruction."

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Dodds reported from several locations in Haiti and London and Geneva. Others who contributed to the report were Katy Daigle in Colombo, Sri Lanka; Verena Dobnik and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Krista Larson in Dakar, Senegal; Kathy Gannon in Islamabad, Pakistan; Saleh Mwanamilongo in Kinshasa, Congo; Francis Kokutse in Accra, Ghana; Brahima Ouedraogo in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; and Sylivester Domasa in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Eds: Peacekeepers as Predators: The U.N.'s sex abuse crisis, first in a series. With AP Photos
A mother of four U.S.-born children in Ohio will likely soon be deported after failing to get the backing of a court of appeals.

Maribel Trujillo Diaz faces imminent deportation to her native Mexico following the Sixth Court of Appeals' decision to deny her request to stay in the country Tuesday.

Read: Undocumented Immigrant Blasted After Shaming Trump in Facebook Post That Shows She Pays Her Taxes

Diaz, whose youngest child is 3 and has special needs, is likely to be barred from re-entering her children's native country for the next 10 years.

As she awaits deportation in a Louisiana ICE facility, Diaz's supporters, including the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and even the state's Republican governor and presidential also-ran John Kasich, have come to her defense.

In a statement, the archdiocese wrote:

"Maribel has made a life in Ohio based on positive contributions to her church and her community. She has no criminal history. She is a lay leader at her parish, whose members are surrounding her with prayers that she be permitted to remain with them and her family.

"Maribels children, ages 14, 12, 10 and 3, are all U.S. citizens. Her 3-year-old daughter has recurring seizures and requires the attention and care of her mother."

The archdiocese called it "cruel and unacceptable" when Diaz was taken into custody last week.

A spokesman for Sen. Brown said the lawmaker has personally called immigration authorities urging them to reconsider Diaz's case.

"We have enough broken families in the country," Gov. Kasich told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "And now what were going to do is go hunt them down and ship them out and break up the family and scare the kids?

However, the former opponent of Donald Trump lamented that he personally was powerless to help. "In case you didnt know, Im not president," he said.

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In its decision, the court said Diaz wasn't timely in filing her appeal after becoming subject to a final order of removal since 2014.

Immigration officials contend Trujillo Diaz entered the United States illegally in 2002 and has exhausted her appeals.

Watch: Father of 4 Deported Back to Mexico for Incident That Happened 17 Years Ago

Nonetheless, her supporters stress that a family will be torn apart should Diaz be sent to Mexico.

"It is clear that the common good cannot be served at this stage by separating this wife and mother from her family. Our community gains nothing by being left with a single-parent household when such a responsible and well respected family can be kept together," the archdiocese wrote.

Watch: Instead of Tip This Latina Server Got a Note Saying 'We Only Tip Citizens'

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ISIS uses grisly violence to terrorize the West, recruit supporters, and subjugate people in the areas it controls. But its also waging a quieter war against more abstract enemies: culture and heritage.

As ISIS seized swaths of land in Iraq and Syria, it began destroying historic sites and artifacts, some thousands of years old. Museums, monuments, cultural sites getting caught in the crossfire of war is nothing new. But what ISIS is doing is different, UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova told Foreign Policy.

The group sells ancient artifacts to bankroll its war machine and demolishes sites to demoralize its enemies and erase multicultural symbols  moves that all support the groups wider plan. Its quite new, quite unseen, systematic and deliberate, Bokova said, speaking on the sidelines of FPs Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi. It goes hand in hand with the destruction of diversity, persecutionof minorities.

A key example was Palmyra, where the group recorded blowing up the ancient city that symbolized Syrias historic multiculturalism, then spread the video footage on the internet to gin up extremist support and recruit new fighters.

Bokova calls it cultural cleansing, and what worries her even more is ISIS found a way to make money from it. ISIS sells ancient antiquities on the black market to raise funds  and its no small change. The State Department estimates its made millions off looting antiquities (though the exact amount is hard to track and estimates vary widely; Russia estimated the terrorist group made $150  200 million a year off such activities in 2016). The terrorist group even has its own war spoils bureaucracy, which manages the sale of everything from hostages to oil to antiquities to line its coffers. This is something new we have not seen before, Bokova said.

As head of the U.N.s culture and education arm, Bokova is fighting on the frontlines of this new kind of warfare. The former Bulgarian foreign affairs minister lobbied hard in her U.N. seat for international action to clamp down on ISISs war on heritage. Its a slow, laborious process, but there are hints of progress.

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In February 2015, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution explicitly condemning ISISs profiteering and destruction of cultural heritage sites in Iraq and Syria. Bokova hopes the resolution spurs countries to crack down on the antiquities black market and focus on cultural destruction as a war crime.

The U.S. Congress heeded the call. A month after the U.N. resolution, the House passed a bill, the Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act, to ban the import of artifacts from Syria and stem the flow of the ISIS antiquities trade.

And in 2016, the International Criminal Court issued its first ever conviction exclusively for cultural destruction in a landmark case. After surrendering to the ICC in 2015, al Qaeda-linked militant Islamist Ahamd al-Faqi al-Mahdi was sentenced to nine years prison for destroying ancient cultural sites in Timbuktu, Mali.

Needless to say, cultural sites arent the main victims of the war in Syria and Iraq. When pressed on why to protect cultural sites when so many people are suffering or in danger of losing their lives, Bokova called it a false dichotomy. The two are mutually supportive. [When] you destroy identities of people, destroy their history, you destroy the reasoning for future reconciliation and peace, Bokova said.

When war refugees live in camps for years, merely shipping them food and tents wont cut it. To bring back a sense of normalcy and repair their lives, culture plays a key role, Bokova said. If Syria ever finds peace, Syrians need a Syria to return home to and rebuild  culture, heritage, and all.

Update: This article was updated to include new figures on how much ISIS makes off the antiquities trade.

Photo credit: JOSEPH EID/AFP/Getty Images
Each year, linguists, lexicographers and other language nuts gather at an annual conference under the banner of the American Dialect Society. The highlight of the confab is a raucous vote for choosing the word of the year, a now widespread tradition that this organization started decades ago. But in some ways, this event never ends, because the attendees are on the lookout all year long not just for possible WOTY winners but nominees for several subcategories: Slang Word of the Year, Most Likely to Succeed, Most Creative.

And on Monday, the CEO of United Airlines likely locked up a position in a category that one generally does not want to be found inspiring: Euphemism of the Year. As a viral video spread across the Internet, showing a man dragged off a plane, bloodied and protesting, after paying for a ticket to be on that plane, CEO Oscar Munoz released a statement apologizing for having to re-accommodate customers like him who found themselves bumped from a flight.

I thought that alternative facts wrapped up Euphemism of the Year, says Mark Peters, who follows the vote closely and writes a column on euphemisms called Evasive Maneuvers. But this one may be even better, in a worse way.

euphemism (n.): the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive expression for one that may offend or suggest something unpleasant

Alternative facts the already immortal phrase that Trump aide Kellyanne Conway used to describe falsehoods perpetuated by Trumps press secretary was euphemistic to the point that it may offend some people to call it a euphemism at all. Other language used by press secretary Sean Spicer on Tuesday, when he apparently referred to Nazi concentration camps as Holocaust centers, falls onto the same end of the spectrum. (Linguist Ben Zimmer, who presides over the event, notes that such items might find themselves in the running for an even more dubious honor known as WTF Word of the Year.)

While the vote is by no means sewn up, reaccommodate found serious resonance online, as did a statement in which reaccommodated passengers like the man who was hauled out of his seat were described as volunteers. Merriam-Webster, which monitors spikes in the words people are looking up, noted that lookups for volunteer spiked about 1900% following the incident. But lookups for the more rarely encountered reaccommodate spiked by 80,000%.

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On the dictionarys site, the definition is simple: to accommodate again. But accommodate itself has been defined with what Merriam-Webster Editor-at-Large Peter Sokolowski calls some particularly apposite meanings, such as to make room for and to hold without crowding or inconvenience. The Oxford English Dictionary describes accommodation as an act that involves obliging, assisting, providing comfort or conferring favors.

Its all about context, says Zimmer, a sociolinguist, of why this euphemism is so remarkable. Theres this enormous disconnect between peoples eyewitness views of a man being pummeled, versus this antiseptic corporate speak that came out in the apology.

In the days of social media, when there are helpful visual aides that can contrast with a politicians or companys account of a controversial event and when armies of irascible tweeters are ready to pounce on a single misplaced descriptor euphemisms arent great deflective shields. As hundreds of thousands of people watched the video and felt empathy for the man, Zimmer says, the notion that he was being accommodated not just once but twice conveyed a robotic lack of human emotion.

To some extent, people expect unhinged jargon from corporations, entities that describe widespread firings as talent upgrades and trump up shelf-stacking jobs as openings for replenishment associates. But reaccommodate stretched into the infuriation-prone realm of denying reality while being transparently, hopelessly self-serving, Peters says.

Euphemisms can certainly be used for good to spare feelings, to search out neutral ground, to avoid taboos among older folk who may be prone to cardiovascular events and they can be used for legalistic or procedural reasons that may seem as silly from the outside as they do practical from within, as when military officers swap nuanced officialese. But Peters says that the words in his euphemism collection are often cloaking shame. If you dont say it, or if you dont call it what it is, he says, it didnt happen.

Last years winner in the American Dialect Societys vote for Euphemism of the Year was locker room banter, the phrase then-candidate Donald Trump used to describe lewd bragging about how he could grab women by the p-y, caught on an Access Hollywood tape. In earlier years, the laurels went to EIT, an abbreviation used in a Senate torture report for the already euphemistic enhanced interrogation techniques. Gwenyth Paltrow got a nomination after referring to her separation from her husband as a conscious uncoupling. And former intelligence chief James Clapper uttered a winner when he characterized his denial that the NSA had collected data on millions of Americans as the least untruthful path.

There is something to be said for the fact that the context in which reaccommodate was used was air travel, a realm plagued by stilted euphemisms from the lavatory to the full, upright and locked middle seat. Passengers have bins of rage toward airlines just waiting to be deplaned, whether theyve been trapped in an automated phone call for hours or experienced the turbulence of trying to keep a carry-on bag while in the subordinate social underclass known as Group 5. The United Airlines employees who bumped the man in the viral video from his seat were referred to as must-ride passengers.

The language used by airline representatives often seems to be the corporate voice from nowhere, where theres no discernible individual behind the language, addressing people who want to engage in an emotional way and who are often shut down, Zimmer says. No doubt United has received some backlash about the statement out of frustration travelers have built up over years toward this type of doublespeak.

Euphemisms get a bad rap for lots of reasons: being vague, causing wearisome pussyfooting or perhaps because their users seem to be eschewing responsibility through reframing or willful obtuseness. United Airlines CEO seemed to realize that a frank acknowledgement was one thing the people wanted when Munoz released a revamped apology on Tuesday calling the reaccommodation incident a truly horrific event in which a customer was forcibly removed.

Euphemisms can be creative and funny and useful too, says Peters: If we were just completely truthful in the most direct language about everything all the time, we might kill each other. And the news is bound to be packed with many more examples, laughable and heart-breaking, before the next vote comes around. Theres a lot of year left, he says. But this one is going to be a contender.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
New York (AFP) - United Continental chief executive Oscar Munoz said Wednesday he would not resign, and he again apologized for forcibly removing a customer from an overbooked flight.

Munoz was asked about calls for his resignation as leader of the embattled airline on the ABC show "Good Morning America" following widespread outrage at the company's actions in the incident Sunday.

"I was hired to make United better and we've been doing that and that's what I'll continue to do," Munoz said.

Munoz reiterated his regret at the incident, which mushroomed into a global public relations disaster after video showing passenger David Dao, 69, his face bloodied, being dragged off the plane went viral.

"The first thing I think is important is to apologize to Dr. Dao, his family, the passengers on the flight, the customers, our employees," Munoz said.

"That is not who our family at United is," Munoz said. "And you saw us at a bad moment and this could never -- will never happen again on a United Airlines flight. That's my premise and that's my promise."

Munoz expressed regret for his widely-criticized initial response to the debacle in which he appeared to put partial blame for the incident on the 69-year-old passenger, saying he "defied" authorities and "compounded" the incident.

Munoz -- who last month was named "US Communicator of the Year" by PR Week -- pledged a "thorough review" of the airline's procedures and said the carrier would not send law enforcement officials onto planes remove passengers.
New York (AFP) - United Continental chief executive Oscar Munoz said Wednesday he will not resign and again apologized for the removal of a customer from an overbooked flight by force -- an incident that earned the carrier global scorn.

Munoz was asked about calls for his resignation as leader of the embattled airline on the ABC show "Good Morning America" following widespread outrage at the company's actions in the incident Sunday.

"I was hired to make United better and we've been doing that and that's what I'll continue to do," Munoz said.

Munoz reiterated his regret at the incident, which mushroomed into a global public relations disaster after video showing passenger David Dao, 69, his face bloodied, being dragged off the plane went viral.

"Probably the word is shame comes to mind," Munoz said, adding that he had not yet spoken to Dao but that his team had tried to reach out to him.

"We've not been able to contact him directly," Munoz said. "I do look forward to a time when I can as much as I'm able to apologize directly to him for what's happened."

Munoz pledged a thorough review of United's procedures and promised that police would not be used in the future to remove passengers. United also said it would compensate all passengers on Dao's flight.

United shares fell 1.1 percent to $69.93.

- 'Tone deaf' response -

Meanwhile, attorneys for Dao filed papers in Cook County courthouse in Chicago demanding preservation of surveillance video, passenger and crew lists and other evidence, a first step in apparent litigation.

"After being duly processed by the ticket agent, checked in by the attendant and seated in his assigned passenger seat, Petitioner was forcibly dragged and removed from the said aircraft by City employees, sustaining personal injury," said the filing.

A spokeswoman for Dao's lawfirm, Corboy & Demetrio, said Dao remained in the hospital but that a family member is expected to participate in a news conference Thursday in Chicago.

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Munoz came under fresh criticism for the initial response to the crisis in which he appeared to put partial blame for the incident on the passenger, saying he had "defied" authorities and "compounded" the incident.

PR Week blasted the United CEO for "tone-deaf" comments that seemed to be heavily lawyered and cast the incident "purely in terms of its effect on United, rather than the injured passenger."

The magazine had recently named Munoz its "Communicator of the Year" for 2016 based on his steadying of the airline after the prior chief executive resigned amid a scandal and Munoz himself suffered a heart attack.

"It's fair to say that if PRWeek was choosing its Communicator of the Year now, we would not be awarding it to Oscar Munoz," said a column written by editor in chief Steve Barrett.

"Reputational risk is a huge concern for modern enterprises and relates to the value of a brand or company just as much legal and liability risklawyers cannot be the first line of a communications defense."

- Overbooking under scrutiny -

The incident has spotlighted the common practice of overbooking and bumping passengers from flights, which airlines rely upon to avoid losing money on seats left empty by no-show passengers.

In this case, United needed to make room for a flight crew and called security personnel when no passengers volunteered to give up their seat.

A group of 21 senators on Tuesday sent a letter to Munoz announcing plans to examine the incident, while New Jersey governor Chris Christie called for the US Department of Transportation to suspend airlines from overbooking flights pending a review.

But Delta chief executive Ed Bastian called overbooking a "valid business process" that is sometimes unavoidable due to weather delays and other factors.

"It's not a question in my opinion as to whether you overbook; it's how you manage an overbook situation," Bastian said on an earnings conference call with analysts and reporters Wednesday.

Delta in 2016 had 1,200 denied boardings for the entire year, or one in 100,000 passengers. Management of the problem, which involves compensating inconvenienced travelers with gift cards of as much as $1,000 or more, was praised in some media in comparison with United's conduct.

"The key is managing it before you get to the boarding process," Bastian said. "And that's what our team has done a very effective and efficient job over."
United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz issued a letter to employees saying the company takes full responsibility for the incident in which a passenger was forcibly removed and dragged from a flight that was said to be overbooked.

Munoz, who previously faulted the passenger for being disruptive and belligerent, told United employees on Tuesday that he was disturbed by what happened.

I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard, he wrote. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

United sparked a wave of backlash on Monday after a videos emerged showing officers dragging a passenger off a flight because it was reportedly overbooked. The man was injured while being taken off the plane. One of the officers involved in the event was placed on leave.

On Tuesday, a United spokesman told USA Today that while all 70 seats on the flight were filled, the plane was not overbooked, as was previously reported.

In his note, Munoz said United plans to review crew movement, policies for incentivizing volunteers, how the company handles overbooked flights and how it partners with law enforcement officials. United will share the results of the review by the end of April, he said.

I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix whats broken so this never happens again, he said.

This article was originally published on TIME.com
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States is ready to work towards a diplomatic solution to end the six-year war in Syria, Washington's UN envoy Nikki Haley said Wednesday.

"We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end," Haley told the UN Security Council.

The US ambassador however added that a US commitment to the peace process was "not enough" and that Washington needed "partners who are serious about using their influence" over Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

She spoke as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was at the Kremlin for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

Haley's statement was the first clear indication that the new US administration was taking diplomatic efforts seriously to end the war after repeatedly stating that fighting the Islamic State was its priority in Syria.

"The United States firmly believes that a political process can work, despite the odds," said Haley.

The US envoy took aim at Russia, saying it must "stop covering for Assad" and accused Iran of "dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so that it can expand its own reach."

Russia and Iran are providing military support for Assad.

"The road to peace is long. We won't get a political solution overnight. But we can start by working together to actually de-escalate the conflict," she said.

UN peace envoy Staffan de Mistura earlier told the council that cooperation between the United States and Russia could help pave the way for a "real negotiation" on a settlement.

Washington and Moscow "must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process," he said.

"Let us view this moment of crisis -- and it is a moment of crisis -- as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution," said De Mistura.

The council was meeting ahead of a vote later in the day on a draft resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

Russia is expected to veto the measure -- which would mark the eighth time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action directed at Syria.
Washington (AFP) - The United States wants to improve ties with Russia from their current "all-time low" over Syria, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, as Moscow dug in to defend its ally in Damascus.

Standing side-by-side with NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House, Trump said: "It would be wonderful... if NATO and our country could get along with Russia."

But that prospect appeared remote, with Trump's secretary of state Rex Tillerson getting a frosty reception in Moscow, and Russia using its UN Security Council veto to swat down a US-backed resolution demanding Syrian cooperation in probing last week's suspected chemical attack.

"Right now, we're not getting along with Russia at all -- we may be at an all-time low in terms of our relationship with Russia," Trump admitted.

Moscow has accused the United States of breaking international law by striking Syria with 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles in what Trump said was retaliation for the chemical attack on a rebel-held town attributed to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has given such criticism short shrift, decrying the "vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons" and calling Assad a "butcher" and an "animal."

"I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing," he said.

He added it was "certainly possible" that Moscow knew about the alleged chemical attack, indicating Russian officials were present at the source airbase that Trump later bombed.

Earlier, Trump boasted in an interview with Fox Business television that the order to launch the missiles was given as he and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping were digging into chocolate cake at his Florida resort.

He called the US military action "genius," and stated that Xi, too, "was OK with it."

- Rapprochement dashed -

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Russian President Vladimir Putin made his displeasure felt as he hosted Tillerson at the Kremlin.

"There is a low level of trust between our two countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson -- who once received a medal of friendship from Putin -- told a Moscow news conference.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed there were many problems, but stressed that Moscow was "open to dialogue with the US in all different areas." He noted a shared vision of an "uncompromising" war on terrorism.

But neither side cited concrete avenues of cooperation, beyond establishing a working group to address what Tillerson called "smaller issues."

Trump had spoken warmly of Russia on the campaign trail, raising Moscow's hopes of some sort of rapprochement.

But since Trump came to office in January, relations have chilled, and the fallout from the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria has thrown them into crisis.

Putin accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

The polarized positions were evident at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, when Russia vetoed a Western-drafted resolution that would have required Syrian cooperation in an investigation into the suspected chemical attack.

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power to block action directed at Damascus. China opted to abstain, a move Trump praised.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the veto "puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument," while French President Francois Hollande warned Russia it "bears a heavy responsibility" for continuing to protect Assad.

"After today's vote to hold Syria accountable it's: A strong day for the US, a weak day for Russia, a new day for China & doomsday for Assad," the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said on Twitter.

- Litany of issues -

Undaunted by Russia's veto, Trump called on US allies to "work together to resolve the disaster" in Syria and thanked them for condemning Assad's suspected sarin attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun, which killed 87 civilians.

Even if the US and Russia were able to quell the festering antagonism over Syria, other issues are fraying relations.

They include -- as Tillerson mentioned in Moscow -- a US belief that Russian hackers and propagandists interfered in the US presidential election.

A senior US administration official speaking on condition of anonymity also said the White House has seen credible reports that Moscow backed an election-day attack in Montenegro last year.

There are also lingering differences over Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and Russian involvement with pro-Russian rebels fighting Ukrainian troops in the east of the country.

Russia, in turn, is concerned about NATO's presence in eastern Europe along its border. That preoccupation sharpened on Tuesday when Trump signed off on Montenegro's long-expected accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The US leader has backed away from campaign rhetoric that NATO was obsolete, saying Wednesday that he now viewed it as the "bulwark" for international security.

But he renewed his demand that NATO's members boost military spending to at least two percent of gross domestic product.

Lavrov, sitting next to Tillerson in Moscow, said many of the divisions between Russia and the US were the result of "time bombs" left behind by former president Barack Obama.

Putin, in a television interview ahead of the talks, was more blunt about the new chill in ties, and firmly rejected Washington's view of the Syrian attack.

In a sign the Kremlin is not ready to drop Assad, Syria's foreign minister will fly to Moscow to meet Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting with Iran on Friday.
Moscow (AFP) - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson battled to overcome differences with his Russian opposite number Wednesday, but they remained split over an alleged chemical attack in Syria after talks in Moscow.

"Despite the quantity of existing problems... there are considerable prospects for joint work," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after talks with Tillerson and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Russia is open to this, open to dialogue with the US in all different areas, not only to dialogue but to joint action aimed at results in the areas where this corresponds to the interests of both countries."

Tillerson, who met with Putin earlier Wednesday, deplored the "low level of trust" between the countries, whose relations have dropped to a post-Cold War low over Ukraine and Syria.

"The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said.

Lavrov said both sides were set on leading an "uncompromising fight against international terrorism".

He said Moscow was ready to resume a deal with Washington to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace as the two countries lead separate bombing campaigns.

"Today the president confirmed our readiness to return to its implementation on the understanding that the original aims of the air forces of the American coalition are reaffirmed, namely the fight with IS and Al-Nusra," Lavrov said.

The deal was suspended after US strikes against a Syrian airbase following last week's suspected chemical attack in Idlib province, in an act Moscow labelled "aggression against a sovereign state".

Lavrov however said that the two sides still "diverge" over their evaluation of the alleged chemical attack, which Washington has blamed squarely on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under President Donald Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun and the retaliatory US strike against the forces Kremlin ally Assad.

Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.
Moscow (AFP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after complaining of worsening ties with Donald Trump's administration as the two sides spar over Syria.

Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of the Kremlin's ally Bashar al-Assad last week.

Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

- 'Clarify differences' -

Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil.

But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis.

At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference."

During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

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Lavrov told Tillerson Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria.

In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later Wednesday.

The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack.

"We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the Security Council as it met.

Ahead of Tillerson's visit tempers rose sharply as US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

The White House compared Assad's tactics to those of World War II Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, sparking widespread criticism for apparently ignoring the Holocaust.

Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

- Evacuations in Syria -

In a sign that the Kremlin is not set to drop its firm support for Assad, Syria's foreign minister is set to jet in to Moscow for talks with Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting involving Iran's top diplomat on Friday.

As the powerbrokers wrangled over the six-year war in Syria that has cost some 320,000 lives, a deal on the ground to evacuate four besieged towns began Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people, both civilians and fighters, are expected to begin leaving government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani later Wednesday.

The evacuations of the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.
By Alexandra Ulmer and Corina Pons CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelans in poor areas blocked streets and lit fires during scattered protests across the country on Tuesday night, and two people were killed during the growing unrest in the midst of a crippling economic crisis. In a worrying sign for leftist President Nicolas Maduro, groups in Caracas' traditionally pro-government hillside slums and low-income neighbourhoods took to the streets, witnesses and opposition lawmakers reported. Maduro foes were galvanized by footage of a crowd in the south-eastern Bolivar state heckling and throwing objects at the closely-protected leader during a rally on Tuesday, before state television cut off the broadcast. In the western Lara state, two people, aged 14 and 36, were killed during unrest on Tuesday, according to opposition governor Henri Falcon, who said that after an energy blackout armed "infiltrators" and "delinquents" on motorcycles roamed the city. "They go by neighbourhoods and shoot people who are protesting," said Falcon, a former member of the ruling party, urging a negotiation to end Venezuela's political crisis. The opposition says Maduro, a former bus driver and union leader who took office four years ago, has morphed into a dictator after a Supreme Court decision in late March to assume the functions of the opposition-led congress. The court quickly overturned the most controversial part of its decision, but the move breathed new life into the fractured opposition movement. Two young men had already been killed in protests during the last week, according to authorities. Many are bracing for further violence in a country that is racked by crime and has one of the world's highest murder rates. Witnesses said residents of a number of working-class Caracas neighbourhoods blocked streets with trash or burning debris on Tuesday night, describing confused street melees and clashes with security forces. The capital appeared calm on Wednesday morning, although some roads were charred and littered with broken glass. Government officials did not provide an official account of the events, and the Information Ministry did not respond to an email seeking comment. Maduro has said that under a veneer of pacifism, a U.S.-backed right-wing opposition is encouraging violent protests in a bid to topple his government and get its hands on Venezuela's oil wealth. His administration accuses the opposition of exaggerating the protests. "You walk through Caracas today and all the streets are normal, but look at social media, and Caracas is ablaze, Caracas is blocked!" said Socialist Party official Aristobulo Isturiz in an interview with state television on Wednesday. "MADURO DICTATOR" Maduro's adversaries are demanding the government call delayed state elections, which polls suggest would not go well for the ruling Socialists. They also want an early presidential vote after authorities quashed a recall referendum against Maduro last year. A ban on opposition leader Henrique Capriles from holding office for 15 years drew broad criticism as he was seen as the opposition's best presidential hope. But it is Venezuela's extended economic crisis that has ordinary people fuming. Venezuelans have been suffering food and medicine shortages for months, leading many to skip meals or go without crucial treatment. Lines of hundreds form in front of supermarkets as people jostle for hours under the hot sun hoping price-controlled rice or flour will be delivered. The crisis has especially hurt the poor, long the base of support of Maduro and his predecessor the late Hugo Chavez. Protesters say they have also been encouraged by stronger condemnation from American and European nations in the last two weeks. "We cannot accept that the regime is willing to sacrifice Venezuelan lives to remain in power," said Luis Almagro, the head of the Organisation of American States, in a video posted on Wednesday, urging elections. Another round of protests are planned for Thursday in Venezuela's more than 300 municipalities. Opposition leaders are calling for the "mother of all marches" on April 19. ARRESTS, LOOTING Amid what the opposition coalition says is a crackdown on dissent, some 71 people were arrested on Tuesday, according to rights group Penal Forum. In total, 364 people were arrested between April 4-12 during the most sustained protests since 2014, with 183 people still behind bars, the group added. A group of young men and teenagers were arrested for throwing "sharp objects" against Maduro's vehicle on Tuesday night, according to a report by a local National Guard division seen by Reuters. Local media reported lootings overnight in the working class bedroom community of Guarenas outside Caracas, as well as in parts of the capital. State officials have tweeted images and videos of demonstrators vandalising public property and throwing rocks at police. Despite the spiking tensions, many in the opposition worry extended protests will not spur early or fair elections, but rather increase clashes in the already turbulent country. Major anti-government protests in 2014 eventually floundered, though the opposition at the time did not have as clear-cut demands, poor neighbourhoods largely abstained, and the economy was in better shape. (Additional reporting by Eyanir Chinea, Brian Ellsworth, Diego Ore, Miguel Angel Sulbaran, Liamar Ramos, Felix Carrillo, Maria Ramirez and Mircely Guanipa; Writing by Alexandra Ulmer; Editing by Andrew Hay)
By Gina Cherelus and Barbara Goldberg

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The sculptor of Wall Street's "Charging Bull" statue is seeing red over New York City's decision to keep in place the "Fearless Girl" sculpture that now stares it down, saying the adjacent art has changed the meaning of his work and violated his legal rights.

The city's ruling to let the bronze depiction of a defiant girl remain until February 2018 just feet from the bull's flaring nostrils should be reviewed, said a lawyer for sculptor Arturo Di Modica.

"How did the process happen and should permits be revoked?" the attorney, Norman Siegel, said in an interview on Wednesday, adding that his client ought to have been consulted.

"He should have been asked, never was," Siegel said. "There are copyright and trademark infringement issues."

Di Modica told a news conference he envisioned his statue as a positive symbol, but that the addition of the courageous girl turned his bull into a villain.

"It's really bad," Di Modica said, sounding distraught and adding that the bull was loved by people "all over the world."

The 50-inch (127-cm) girl stands fists on hips on a cobble stone plaza, eye-balling the 11-foot (3.4-meter) bull that has occupied the space in Manhattan's financial district for nearly three decades.

Siegel said they want the girl sculpture moved and for Di Modica to be awarded damages for the violation of his legal, statutory rights.

Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted in response: "Men who don't like women taking up space are exactly why we need the Fearless Girl."

'COMMERCIAL PURPOSES'

Initially installed to mark International Women's Day on March 8, the girl statue was meant to be removed on April 2. But the city extended its stay amid ebullient interest on social media, generous press attention and at least two petitions.

State Street Global Advisors, a subsidiary of State Street Corp , said it financed the installation by artist Kristen Visbal to highlight the need for more women on corporate boards. Twenty-five percent of the largest 3,000 U.S. companies have no female directors, State Street noted at the time.

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Siegel said the intent was less high-minded, adding, "They did it for commercial purposes."

A plaque originally placed at the girl's feet read: ''Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.'' It refers to an exchange-traded fund dubbed "SHE," which invests in companies with women in top executive posts.

"They have since taken the plaque away," Siegel said. "Which acknowledges perhaps it never should have been there in the first place."

Siegel said he has filed Freedom of Information requests about the permitting process with various city offices. He said he hopes to avoid going to court and would rather negotiate.

The 7,100-pound (3,200 kg) bull itself originally appeared as guerrilla art, installed unofficially in front of the New York Stock Exchange by Di Modica in 1989 and intended to convey the fighting spirit of the United States and of New York.

After police seized the sculpture, public outcry led the city's parks department to reinstall it days later nearby at its current location.

Kate Harding, assistant director of Cornell University Women's Resource Center, said the bull's "hypermasculine, aggressive image" belongs to a different era of New York.

She said images of "Fearless Girl" did not go viral online because people wanted to promote an investment company, "but because she represents a refreshing, inclusive, 21st-century vision of core American values like courage and righteous defiance."

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg and Gina Cherelus; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Frances Kerry)
By Melissa Minton. Photos by: Getty Images.

After becoming a media fixture in her own right at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, the Duchess of Cambridge's sister now has her own impending nuptials to look forward to. Pippa Middleton just announced that she will wed James Matthews on May 20, with her niece and nephew serving as a bridesmaid and page, respectively. The venue the couple chose might not surprise you; St. Marks Church in Englefield, Berkshire, is near the Middletons' childhood home in Bucklebury. It also happens to be where Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended their first Christmas church service this past December and stole the spotlight while enjoying some candy canes.

The nave of the quaint stone church is its oldest section, built in 1190, according to the church's website. It was extensively restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in 1857 and a tower was added in 1868. St. Mark's is also located near the royal family's Sandringham estate in southern England, where they typically celebrate Christmas. The Queen even sends Christmas trees from the country home to local schools and churches. With Pippa's royal connections, we can think of no more fitting setting.

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This story originally appeared on Architectural Digest.

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By Steve Holland and Andrew Osborn WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria's government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad. Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to "go into" the war-torn country. Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assad's government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria's Idlib province that killed 87 people, including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area. Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there was no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels. MORE FROM REUTERS: * COMMENTARY: Why Assad used chemical weapons http://reut.rs/2o5FMEV * COMMENTARY: The worrying lessons of the Syria chemical attack http://reut.rs/2o6r55r "It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there," one White House official said. White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. "Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," he told reporters. However, at the same briefing, Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying: "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust. Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive." The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community. The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, and his administration into confrontation with Moscow. Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and urged a political solution for Syria, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the telephone exchange. "(We) must persevere with moving towards a political solution for the Syria issue. It is very important that the United Nations Security Council maintains unity on the Syria issue. (I) hope the Security Council can speak with a single voice," CCTV cited Xi as saying. Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. "They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize," she said on CNN. U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters. In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward. "Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syria's chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack," the report said. Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shi'ite Muslim Iran. TILLERSON MESSAGE Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on America's traditional mantle as leader of a unified West. Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad. "It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson told reporters in Italy. "We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad." He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons. Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assad's government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them. "We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using" chemical weapons, Putin said. Trump denied further plans in Syria. "We're not going into Syria," he said in an interview with the New York Post. "Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria." A senior Trump administration official called Putin's remarks part of a Russian "disinformation campaign." The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syria's government to cooperate with investigators. TURNING POINT The secretary of state's role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing skepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow. Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp, which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russia's "Order of Friendship" in 2013. He is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting could take place. Western countries have been calling for Assad's departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the world's worst refugee crisis. Assad's position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assad's government directly. U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday the United States' military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focused on defeating Islamic State. (Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Moscow, Ayesha Rascoe, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Eric Beech in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff, Alistair Bell and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker)
In a briefing on Tuesday, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney gave reporters a broad roadmap to accomplishing a long-standing goal of small-government conservatives to trim the federal governments payroll. Ronald Reagan and other presidents may have tried to accomplish this goal, Mulvaney said, but President Donald Trumps day-one hiring freeze showed it to be a particular priority.

The freeze, however, will be lifted.

Trumps OMB Director Mick Mulvaney. Source: Reuters

Significant detail about future restructuring was absent from the briefing, apart from a general timeline for a larger version of the extended listening sessions Trump and other administration officials have been conducting, often with CEOs and other business leaders. Mulvaney said the administration fielded ideas earlier on Tuesday from a group of CEOs, and would take broad suggestions from the federal workforce, agencies, and general public from June to September.

Then in September well be going back to the president and start putting things into place roughly 11 months from today, he said.

Mulvaney says the people affected by downsizing need to understand that fixing the government is more important than a smaller groups interest, and that changes would engender meritocracy and curb frustration.

If youre a really good federal worker, you should welcome this because youll get a chance to be rewarded, he said.

Management consulting for the government

Without committing to specific examples before this comments period, Mulvaney pointed to the seemingly antiquated ways the government is run, like how the Department of Energy instead of the Department of Defense regulates nuclear weapons. He also noted that 43 workforce retraining programs spanned 13 different agencies, making accountability difficult without consolidation.

The White House is limited in the scope of what it can change, as some changes require the approval of Congress, which Mulvaney noted may have different priorities. However, the administration views the two branches as sharing the same goals.

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They have interest in finding the savings too, Mulvaney said, referring to Congress.

The common goals of efficiency and waste-reduction should transcend party lines, Mulvaney said, remarking on his agreements and discussions with Vermont democrat Rep. Peter Welch on good and bad government. Peter Welch would agree that leaving the lights at a federal building overnight is bad government, he said.

But Mulvaneys example of Vermont-friendly conservatismwhich is more conservation than conservatismmay come up against a strong road block along party lines when it comes to cutting the federal workforce significantly.

Mulvaney addressed controversy after his last meeting, where he proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels and after-school services. I didnt say we were cutting Meals on Wheels. We are looking at the effectiveness of programs, he said when asked by a reporter to clarify his earlier statements. We have a responsibility to give people the best services they can. We also have a responsibility for people who are paying, the taxpayers.

This is not Bannons deconstruction of the administrative state

Mulvaney said the Trump administration wants to rebuild the executive branch, but did not see any parallels in his strategy to White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannons deconstruction of the administrative state. Instead, Mulvaney likened it to a different slogan from the Trump camp: draining the swamp.

This is really important to the president, said Mulvaney. What youre talking about is restructuring Washington, D.C., which is draining the swamp. Thats what this isthis is a centerpiece.

Mulvaney further distanced himself from the Bannon camp. We are not going into this with any ideological preconception. Its a blank sheet of paper. Were not just asking conservative think tanks. Were asking the public.

Ethan Wolff-Mann is a writer at Yahoo Finance focusing on consumer issues, tech, and personal finance. Follow him on Twitter @ewolffmann. Got a tip? Send it to tips@yahoo-inc.com.

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Verona (Italy) (AFP) - Ask Cesare Cecchi about Brexit and he wrinkles his nose as if he has opened a Chianti Classico from his 'Riserva di Famiglia' range and found it to be corked.

"We are all very worried because the situation is very uncertain," the chairman of one of Italy's best-known wine dynasties says of the implications of Britain leaving the European Union.

"We are only at the beginning of negotiations that will take two years and clearly could be influenced by factors from outside our world, political factors, whether that is in Britain, in Italy or in the rest of Europe."

Cecchi is speaking at Vinitaly, a vast trade fair and get-together for industry insiders held every year in Verona.

With more than 4,000 exhibitors spread over almost 90,000 sq. metres and tens of thousands more buyers, reporters and amateur enthusiasts assembled, the vinous chatter never ceases.

And much of it this year has been about Brexit, less than a month after British Prime Minister Theresa May formally initiated divorce proceedings nobody in the wine world wanted.

Alex Canneti, a director of Berkmann Wine Cellars, a London-based importer, says his biggest fear is of food and drink becoming the focus for sniping that could sabotage hopes of a deal in the talks.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson's recent warning that Italy would have to agree to free trade with Britain because it wanted to keep selling its Prosecco, was a case in point, he said.

"It was exactly what we were worried about. We just thought, 'Oh my God!'."

- Major market -

Canneti told AFPTV he did not expect trade in areas such as banking services, nuclear technology or medicines to prove difficult.

"Whereas with things like cheese and wine, they might think 'we can use that to upset people'," he said.

"They know that, particularly in France, there are groups of vignerons that love burning trucks and getting angry. So it's a way of getting at Europe if Europe does not behave in the way the British would like them to."

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Apart from a recently-developed niche in posh sparklers, Britain has no wine production of its own.

But it has always been a thirsty place with deep pockets when it comes to booze, making it an influential player in the wine world.

Only the United States imports more and last year British imports from the other 27 EU states were worth 2.6 billion euros.

A nation of beer drinkers has become one that has embraced "Wine O'Clock" - the time-to-relax, early evening tipple that has helped to drive consecutive booms in the sales of Australian Chardonnay, Italian Pinot Grigio and, most recently, Prosecco, sales of which surged by a third last year.

Their success has made some wine-producing areas of Europe very exposed to the British market.

"Prosecco is huge, Rioja too. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Provence rose, you name it," says Canneti.

No deal in the Brexit talks would mean EU wine potentially becoming subject to import duties while wine from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa could be coming in tariff-free if, as is expected, Britain moves quickly to negotiate new liberalising trade deals with those countries.

- Tax fears -

Some say this will make little difference. All Chilean wine already enters Britain tax-free, as does a third of South African wine, under EU trading accords.

And the imposition of WTO-approved tariffs would add only 7-12 pence per bottle.

Not much if the bottle is from a top-end Bordeaux chateau, but it is equivalent to one to two percent of nearly all the wine sold in Britain, and such margins matter when the pound's slide is adding to upward pressure on prices.

"Clearly the level of (import) tax is a crucial element, particularly as duty on wine in Britain is already very high compared to other European countries," Cecchi said.

"Honestly I am very concerned, above all because of the uncertainty. But we have to hope that good common sense prevails. Don't forget that the UK exports just over two billion euros of spirits to Europe, it is in everyone's interest to have a good deal."

Importer Canneti echoes the sentiment, urging the negotiators on Brussels to do a quick deal allowing current computerised customs arrangements which mean "lorries come in and get checked through the border" are maintained.

"It is all done on the internet and it means there are no queues or complications."

Canneti also highlights another, less obvious, risk of Brexit: an interruption in the flow of talented, well-educated youngsters from the continent into Britain's food and drink sectors.

"Particularly the young Italians who have come in over the last few years, they have brought a lot to the British economy and we have got a lot out of it."
As the internet continues to buzz about the incident in which a passenger was violently dragged off a United Airlines flight on Sunday night, outrage has spread across the globe.

SEE ALSO: Not again. Another story about a United passenger emergesthis one with handcuffs.

The passenger, Dr. David Dao, is a Vietnamese American, and Vietnam is becoming a particular hotbed of anger over the incident.

Clarence Dung Taylor's Facebook post, liked over 5,000 times, called out United for their treatment of Dao and, translated, said, "Dr. Dao didn't do anything wrong on that flight and that's the main thing," per Reuters.

Taylor, who says he represents Vietnamese artists who frequently used United, has started a petition to boycott the airline and has around 1,200 signatures thus far.

Reuters flagged other responses of outrage from Vietnam, too.

Commenting on the Vietnamese news website Dai Ky Nguyen, one user wrote, according to the BBC, "You cannot beat someone up then just say I'm sorry. The man is old so the airlines don't appear at all human. They are also so greedy."

The incident also continues to churn up anger in China, where Weibo users have already made their feelings known. Some bigger names are lending their voice to the cacophony of complaints.

JD.com CEO Richard Liu reportedly told local media, per Fortune, "I can say this [responsibly]: UA's service is absolutely the world's worst."

Gao Xiaosong, a Chinese music producer and songwriter, echoed Liu's sentiment, calling United's service "heinous."

WATCH: Here's United Airlines' adjusted 2017 pre-flight safety speech
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defied the advice of the Islamic Republic's supreme leader and registered to run again for the nation's presidency.

While the hard-line showman's candidacy still would need to be approved by authorities, his entering the race could upend politics in the country of 80 million people and affect global affairs.

Here's why it matters:

INTERNAL POLITICS

Ahmadinejad's decision runs directly counter to advice offered in September by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say over all state matters. While Ahmadinejad described that directive as "only advice," his decision challenges Khamenei's authority. Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election sparked massive internal unrest. Coming back to the political stage now could reopen those wounds.

___

WORRIED NEIGHBORS

Sunni Arab states in the Gulf remain highly suspicious of Iran, especially after it secured its landmark nuclear deal with world powers. They see Iranian influence in the campaign of Shiite rebels in Yemen who hold that nation's capital despite a Saudi-led military campaign against them. They also stand opposed to Iran's backing of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad. Israel is staunchly opposed to Ahmadinejad, who questioned the scale of the Holocaust and called for Israel's destruction as he presided over a massive expansion of Iran's nuclear activities.

___

THE NUCLEAR DEAL

Ahmadinejad's return to Iran's presidency could see the West, particularly the U.S., reevaluate the nuclear deal struck under the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who is expected to seek re-election. Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions. Since the deal, Iranian oil has started flowing more freely in the world market. Airplane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing Co. have struck billion-dollar deals. U.S. President Donald Trump, a staunch critic of the nuclear deal, could move to dismantle it, particularly if a hard-liner like Ahmadinejad is elected.

Story continues

___

HIS CHANCES OF WINNING

Ahmadinejad's candidacy must be approved by the Guardian Council, a clerical body, before he can stand in the May 19 election. Half the 12-member council's members are selected by Iran's supreme leader and half by the country's judicial chief with parliament's approval. Even if his candidacy is given the green light, it's unclear whether he has enough popular support to win. Ahmadinejad remains a deeply polarizing figure, even among hard-liners, and his decision to register for the election could be a political stunt to try to remain relevant.

___

THE BOTTOM LINE

Iran remains a major force in the Middle East and supports Shiite militias fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq. It routinely has tense encounters with the U.S. Navy in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. An Ahmadinejad presidency could inflame those tensions while increasing the likelihood of an Israeli military strike on the country's nuclear facilities. His name appearing on the ballot could cause unrest and spark other challenges to Iran's clerically overseen government.

___

Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.
Carter Page, a former foreign-policy adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump, reportedly was targeted for surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, an extraordinary revelation that  if true  suggests Page may have been working as an agent on behalf of a foreign power.

The report late Tuesday in the Washington Post provided the first concrete evidence linking Page to Russian intelligence at the time when he was working on the Trump campaign. Page, a former investment banker who lived and worked in Moscow from 2004 to 2007, was a target of a Russian intelligence recruitment operation in New York in 2013, court documents show  before the Trump presidential campaign was operational.

He flies to Moscow more often than I do, one alleged Russian spy said then of Page, according to court documents. Page reportedly traveled to Moscow in July last year, where he was rumored to have met with senior Kremlin officials, including Igor Sechin, a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin and head of oil giant Rosneft.

The FBI and two congressional intelligence committees are currently carrying out wide-ranging investigations into the Russian campaign to meddle in the U.S. election and boost Trumps electoral chances last year, though those investigations have been overshadowed in the past week by the Trump administrations abrupt policy changes on Syria and suddenly chilled relations with Russia.

If the Post report is correct, U.S. officials convinced a FISA court judge during the presidential campaign that there is probable cause that Page was knowingly working as an agent of a foreign government while advising Trump.

Page has denounced any surveillance directed against him as politically motivated, even while Washington has in recent months been thick with rumors about who among Trumps inner circle may have been targeted for surveillance under FISA. Thinly sourced reports have claimed that the government sought and received FISA orders targeting Russian banks who may have been laundering money  which could have ensnared U.S. citizens.

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The Post article said that Page is the only American whose communications were directly targeted under FISA in 2016 in connection with the Russian investigation. But other Americans could have had their communications intercepted if they were in contact with foreign officials already under surveillance, as happened to former national security adviser Mike Flynn, whose phone calls to the Russian ambassador were intercepted.

In order to target Page directly under FISA, lawyers working on behalf of the Justice Departments national security division had to prove probable cause that he was an agent of a foreign power. But what, precisely, does that mean?

FISA sets out a series of criteria that government lawyers must meet. Principally, an agent of a foreign power is someone who knowingly engages in clandestine intelligence gathering activities for or on behalf of a foreign power. Such activity can be carried out at the direction of an intelligence service or network of a foreign power, but doesnt have to be.

U.S. persons can also be targeted for entering the United States under a fraudulent identity on behalf of a foreign power or by aiding or abetting the activities of an agent of a foreign power.

Government lawyers must meet a standard of probable cause to secure a FISA order, which refers to marshalling enough evidence to convince a judge that a crime may have been committed. FBI Director James Comey has described the onerous process the Justice Dept. must go through to assemble evidence against a possible target.

For many civil libertarians, the FISA court has been vilified as a rubber stamp for the U.S. governments surveillance activity. In 2015, for example, the court approved every one of the 1,456 applications that it considered. In previous years, the approval rate has hovered above 99 percent.

But former government national-security lawyers, speaking on condition of anonymity to describe classified legal proceedings, say those statistics dont reflect the real difficulties of convincing a judge to authorize surveillance on a U.S. citizen.

Government lawyers will frequently brief judges orally on their applications, or submit a read-copy of their briefs. Judges will then provide feedback and the government will resubmit their case. This back and forth between the government can include discussions of the evidence backing up the claim that a person is the agent of a foreign power, as well as so-called minimization procedures, which refer to the guidelines in place for handling the communications of Americans caught up in a surveillance operation.

The process means that the Justice Dept. only formally seeks authorization for a FISA warrant when it has all but ensured that a warrant will be granted; bids for a warrant that look like theyll be unsuccessful, lawyers say, are quietly withdrawn rather than formally submitted.

Government lawyers argue that this process results in heavy scrutiny of applications.

The identities of targets of FISA orders  both before and after their approval  are closely guarded. National security officials consider the targets of surveillance under FISA to be among the governments most sensitive secrets; targets are more valuable if they remain unaware of surveillance.

Additionally, former government lawyers also argue that the intense secrecy surrounding FISA orders is necessary because of the tarnish of being investigated under it. In the context of FISA, to be an agent of a foreign power is to be suspected of knowingly working against the interests of the United States.

Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images
(Reuters) - The widow of the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to aiding her husband in the June 2016 killings.

Noor Salman, 30, the wife of Omar Mateen, appeared in federal court in Orlando for less than five minutes. It was her first court appearance in Florida since she was transferred by U.S. marshals from California where she had been held.

She faces charges of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting Mateen in his attempt to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Prosecutors have said she made up a cover story for her husband that she told to police officers and FBI agents.

Salman has said she was herself a victim of domestic abuse by Mateen and was unaware of his intentions to attack the nightclub.

Her trial is scheduled to begin in June before U.S. District Judge Paul Byron in Orlando.

Salman's attorney waived the reading of the indictment against her and entered pleas of not guilty to the charges.

Police killed Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, after the shooting rampage at the Pulse nightclub. After the killings began, Mateen called emergency dispatchers to profess allegiance to a leader of the Islamic State militant group.

Salman was arrested in February at her mother's residence in the San Francisco area, and she appeared several times in federal court in Oakland, California. She lived in an apartment in Fort Pierce, Florida, with Mateen and their son prior to the rampage.

Last month, Byron ordered that Salman remain in jail, revoking a bail order issued by a federal magistrate in Oakland.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
The wife of a bus driver who was killed in a crash along with 12 other senior citizens on their way home from a bible retreat last month has been found dead in her home.

Police told InsideEdition.com that they responded to Dianne Barretts Texas home Tuesday at about 10 a.m. on a medical emergency call and found her body.

Read: Man Who Crashed Into Church Bus, Killing 13, Was Allegedly On His Phone: 'I'm Sorry. I Was Texting'

Spokesman David Ferguson said Barrett was "by herself at the time of her death."

An autopsy has been ordered, but police said there were no signs of foul play.

Barrett was a ministry assistant at First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, where the other victims attended.

"We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dianne Barrett," The church said in a statement. "We continue to pray for our Lord's mercy and comfort for our church family members who continue to grieve," the church said.

Jack D. Young, 20, who is suspected of causing the crash that killed Barretts husband, 67-year-old Murray Barrett, has not been charged in the crash. The investigation is ongoing.

Read: 2 Parishioners Killed as Elderly Driver Accidentally Backs Into Crowd in Church Parking Lot

Court records released Tuesday revealed that Young had taken two pills of Clonazepam and the generic forms of Ambien and Lexapro, according to MySanAntonio.com.

Young said Clonazepam made him sleepy and a state trooper said in a sworn statement he had probable cause to believe the 20-year-old was intoxicated at the time of the crash, according to the paper.

Witnesses at the scene of the crash also said Young reportedly apologized after the crash and said he had been texting.

Read: Devastated Dad Angry Over Acquittal of Driver in Crash That Killed His Daughter

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Let's face it  the world is a treacherous place full of dangerous substances, organisms and situations that can kill you. Some are hazards of everyday life  drowning in a bathtub, getting hit by a bus, falling onto train tracks, or having a severely allergic reaction to a bee sting.

Others are equally lethal but somewhat less likely  tumbling into a volcano, standing on the sun's surface, or going for a moonwalk without your spacesuit.

A physicist and a writer spent two years pondering the most outlandish, gruesome and extreme ways to die and wrote a book about them, published April 4, "And Then You're Dead: What Really Happens If You Get Swallowed by a Whale, Are Shot from a Cannon, or Go Barreling over Niagara" (Penguin Books). Then on April 5, they fielded questions from the curious in an Ask Us Anything (AUA) session on Reddit. [9 Weird Ways Kids Can Get Hurt]

Writer Cody Cassidy and co-author Paul Doherty, a senior scientist with the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, kicked off the AUA with a brief and disarmingly gleeful description of some unlikely but thought-provoking death-causing scenarios that are covered in their book.

"We looked into questions like what would happen if you swam out of a deep-sea submarine, were swallowed by a whale (surprisingly possible), your elevator cable broke (don't jump. It won't help), if it's even possible to die from magnetism (it is, yay!), if sticking your hand in the CERN particle accelerator is lethal (probably) and many more," they wrote in an introduction to the AUA.

Redditors rose to the challenge, posting over 2,000 comments about potentially deadly scenarios. To the query about whether it might be possible for a sound to be loud enough to kill you, the authors responded that a shock wave produced by an explosion or a meteor impact "can produce a pressure wave which will blow out the alveoli in your lungs."

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Another Redditor asked about the strangest fact the authors encountered during their research: They admitted that they were surprised to discover that it "seems impossible" to die from insomnia. They cited an example of a high-school student who stayed awake for 264 hours in 1964, and though he suffered from severe hallucinations and loss of motor control, he recovered completely after getting some sleep.

A fate worse than death

The book includes 45 horrible ways to die, a list that was winnowed from about 200 examples garnered from research and suggestions from friends and colleagues, Doherty told Live Science. [Top 10 Leading Causes of Death]

One method of death that didn't make it into the book was one that Doherty described ominously as "death by the devil's Super Soaker."

"We wondered, what would be the worst material on Earth to put in a Super Soaker? And we came up with chlorine trifluoride," Doherty said.

Chlorine trifluoride is extremely corrosive, produces toxic fumes, is violently explosive in water and is such a highly reactive oxidant  an agent that causes other substances to lose electrons  that it can set fire to sand, according to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's database of dangerous chemicals.

"When the fumes hit you, first of all they numb your nerves so you don't know you've been hit. Then, the chlorine will turn your bones to gelatin  your fingers will turn from rods into little rounded stubs. It was so gruesome that our publisher said, 'Why don't you leave that one out?'" Doherty told Live Science.

Thrilled to death

But on Reddit, curiosity about gruesome deaths kept the conversation flowing, with questions like: "If I were floating near a neutron star, say, within 1 mile, how spectacular would my death be?" And, "What would happen to your body if you were tied to a weight and sent to the bottom of the Mariana Trench?"

Death by neutron star would most likely be from exposure to lethal radiation, the authors answered. And intense water pressure at the bottom of the Mariana Trench would collapse all the air pockets in a person's body, not only killing them, but also stranding the corpse at the bottom of the ocean, to be consumed by a type of deep-sea mouthless worm known as the bone-eating snot flower, the authors explained.

Why are people so fascinated by these potentially horrific ways to die? Probably because we recognize that death is waiting out there for all of us, and it's somewhat easier to confront and acknowledge that troubling fact by placing it in a context that is unlikely to ever happen, Doherty explained.

"Whistling past the graveyard is a classic human thing to do," he said. "The idea of facing death in ways that are slightly humorous or exotic helps people to think about their own death in a way that's satisfying."

Original article on Live Science.

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BEIJING (AP)  Beijing is willing to work with Washington on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program but wants a peaceful solution to the escalating conflict, Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday.

Xi's comments came after Trump tweeted that China should do more on an issue that Washington sees as an increasingly urgent threat, or else the U.S. would go it alone.

China's calls for calm come as tensions have risen with the dispatch of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the area and the deployment of thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops, tanks and other weaponry for their biggest-ever joint military exercises.

During their phone call, Xi told Trump that China is willing to continue working with the U.S. on denuclearization, according to a brief description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry.

"China insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula, insists on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving the problem through peaceful means," Xi was quoted as saying.

The two leaders spoke Tuesday night Washington time after Trump said an "armada" of vessels including the USS Carl Vinson carrier was steaming to waters off the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.

Trump tweeted Wednesday: "Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea."

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular briefing in Beijing on Wednesday that it was a "good thing" that the two leaders were in touch again days after meeting in Florida.

Regarding the U.S. Navy strike force's arrival in the western Pacific, Lu said: "We hope all parties will refrain from irresponsible actions that would be very dangerous at the moment."

North Korean state media has warned of a nuclear attack on the United States in retaliation for any signs of aggression, a threat that has been made numerous times before.

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Earlier Tuesday, Trump suggested the U.S. could "solve" the North Korea issue unilaterally.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," Trump tweeted.

In another tweet, he sought to persuade Xi to put pressure on North Korea in exchange for a good trade deal with the U.S. He wrote: "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!"

Trump and other U.S. officials have repeatedly called on China to leverage its status as North Korea's biggest economic partner and source of food and fuel aid to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

China says it is in full compliance with sanctions enacted under U.N. Security Council resolutions. In February, China suspended imports of coal from North Korea  a key source of foreign currency for Kim Jong Un's hard-line Communist regime.

The U.S. and other foreign governments have long overestimated China's ability to affect Pyongyang's behavior, said Ruan Zongze, a U.S. relations expert at the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank run by the foreign ministry.

"There's a view that China possesses the key to solving the peninsula problem, or that China has the faucet and that all China has to do is shut it off and the peninsula issue is solved," Ruan said.

"In fact, I think the outside exaggerates the sort of role China can play. China isn't really as influential as all that," he said.

Beijing's insistence on a peaceful approach to resolving the issue is rooted in its belief that any attempt to denuclearize the North by force would bring cataclysmic results upon all sides, including China, Ruan said.

"When it comes to the issue of the Korean Peninsula, violence is not an option," he said.

Beijing says it will not countenance measures that could bring about a collapse of the regime that could release a flood of refugees across its border, destabilize northeast Asia and result in a U.S.-friendly government taking power in Pyongyang.
Lusaka (AFP) - Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been charged with treason after allegedly refusing to give way to President Edgar Lungu's motorcade on a main road, police said Wednesday.

Hichilema, who says he does not recognise Lungu as president, was accused of deliberately endangering his life in the high-speed incident at the weekend.

"The opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the presidential motorcade in an attempt to put the life of the republican president in danger," police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka.

"The actions... were unreasonable, reckless and criminal."

Hichilema and five aides from the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) have been charged with treason, breaking the highway code and use of insulting language.

Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of the death penalty.

The charges were strongly condemned by the Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC), an umbrella body of Zambian action groups

"Arresting opposition leaders on trumped-up charges is a recipe to heighten tension in an already volatile economic and political environment," its chairwoman Sara Longwe said.

The state-owned Zambia Daily Mail reported that Hichilema's motorcade ignored police attempts to clear the road between Limulunga and Mongu, 500 kilometres (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka, on Saturday.

"The behaviour of Mr Hichilema and his cohorts was not only a senseless act of disrespect to the presidency but also endangered the life of the head of state and many other people," it said in an editorial.

- Police raid -

More than 100 armed police surrounded Hichilema's house outside Lusaka early on Tuesday and tear gas was fired before a raid when he was taken into custody and later arrested.

The UPND has dismissed the charges and criticised the raid as "barbaric" after Hichilema's wife and children were trapped and choked by gas.

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Hichilema has launched several legal attempts to challenge the August election result, which he lost narrowly.

He says that the vote was rigged and accuses Lungu of an unprecedented bout of political repression in Zambia, which has been known for its relative stability.

The election campaign was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party and the UPND.

International observers said the election was marred by restrictions on opposition campaigning, voter intimidation and biased state media.

Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman known as "HH", has run unsuccessfully for president five times.

Last October, he and party vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba were arrested for unlawful assembly and sedition when they tried to visit supporters in jail.

"HH could be detained for some time, so this will suit the ruling party who want to silence the dialogue about the election result not being recognised," independent political analyst Neo Simutanyi told AFP.

Zambia, Africa's second biggest copper producer, recorded GDP growth of three percent last year -- its slowest rate since 1998.
REUTERS - Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc said it was asked to refund Canada's BlackBerry Ltd a sum of $814.9 million in an arbitration settlement over royalties for certain past sales. U.S.-listed shares of BlackBerry were up about 16 percent at $8.94 in heavy premarket trading. Qualcomm was down about 1 percent at $54.81. The companies in 2016 decided to arbitrate a dispute over Qualcomm's agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a licensing deal. Qualcomm said on Wednesday it does not agree with the decision of an arbitration panel, but the payment is binding and not appealable. Qualcomm is also fighting a lawsuit filed by Apple Inc, accusing the company of overcharging for chips and refusing to pay some $1 billion in promised rebates. The U.S. government has accused Qualcomm of resorting to anticompetitive tactics to maintain a monopoly over key semiconductors in mobile phones. BlackBerry said a final award including interest and reasonable attorneys' fees will be issued after a hearing on May 30. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP represented BlackBerry in the proceeding. (Reporting by Ahmed Farhatha in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Maju Samuel)
LONDON (Reuters) - Cyber security breaches erode companies' share prices permanently, with financials the worst hit, a study issued by IT consultant CGI and Oxford Economics has found. Severe cyber security breaches, such as those having legal or regulatory consequences, involve the loss of hundreds of thousands of records and hurt the firm's brand, caused share prices to fall on average 1.8 percent on a permanent basis, the analysis of 65 companies affected since 2013 globally has found. Investors in a typical FTSE 100 firm would be worse off by an average of 120 million after such a breach, the report said. Overall the cost to shareholders of these 65 companies would be in excess of 42 billion pounds ($52.40 billion). CGI's analysis compared each company's share price against a cohort of similar companies to isolate the impact of cyber breaches from other market movements, during incidents detailed in a breach index compiled by Dutch security firm Gemalto. Two-thirds of firms had their share price adversely impacted after suffering a cyber breach. Financial firms were the worst affected, followed closely by communications firms. "Financial services experience the greatest burden in terms of impact, reflecting the high levels of regulation, the importance of customer confidence and the potential for financial fraud to be a facet of the breach," the report said. Those least affected were retail, hospitality and travel companies. Hacking attacks and other cyber security breaches have impacted companies across the world in recent years, from retailer Target in the United States in 2013 to British communications firm TalkTalk in 2015. ($1 = 0.8015 pounds) (Reporting by Helen Reid; Editing by Robert Birsel)
Bixby, the digital assistant at the heart of the Galaxy S8 and S8+, promises to let you control a lot of the new smartphones' features with your voice. Unfortunately, when the S8 and S8+ ship on April 21, it doesn't sound as if Bixby is going to be a very good listener.





At least we'll still have Bixby Vision at launch. (Credit: Sam Rutherford/Tom's Guide)

At least we'll still have Bixby Vision at launch. (Credit: Sam Rutherford/Tom's Guide)

According to a statement from Samsung, the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will ship without Bixby's voice control features enabled. Instead, those features will be turned on later via a software update from Samsung.

MORE: Who Has the Best Galaxy S8 Deal?

Bixby won't be completely powerless when it arrives April 21. The digital assistant's Bixby Vision feature will work, according to Samsung. Bixby Vision taps into the S8's camera to recognize objects and deliver information about them  the price of a book you're looking at, for example, or the rating on a bottle of wine you may be thinking about purchasing.



Samsung says other Bixby features such as Home  a screen with dynamic cards  and Reminders will be operational when the Galaxy S8 ships. In the statement, Samsung also described Bixby as a "service that will evolve over time."

Still, voice control was one of the marquee features touted at the S8's unveiling last month and a way for Samsung to make its digital assistant stand out from the likes of Apple's Siri.

When we had some hands-on time with Bixby last month, Samsung had promised that its assistant would be capable of 15,000 tasks at launch. We were hoping to get more of a chance to forward photos, adjust settings and perform other tasks with a few simple commands, but it appears that we'll have to wait.



Samsung said that the voice control update would arrive later this spring.

See also : The Best New Features of the Galaxy S8
Apple announced the iPhone in 2007, and it soon became clear to Samsung that the iPhone was the device to replicate to succeed in the mobile business. The company has often been accused of copying everything about the iPhone with its Galaxy S phones. Lawsuits between the two revealed that books were written at Samsung about how to copy the iPhone, but this didnt stop the huge conglomerate from continuing to get inspiration from Apples mobile creations. However, Samsung significantly improved its design game in recent years, and the Galaxy S8 is a culmination of those efforts.

A comparison between the original Galaxy S and the Galaxy S8 shows how far weve come in just a few short years.

Don't Miss: It looks like Samsungs Galaxy S8 design might be even more impressive than the iPhone 8

The Galaxy S8 is probably the best-looking smartphone out there right now, thanks to its gorgeous Infinity Display and its curved design. The iPhone 8 is expected to feature a similar design, a rumor that actually predates all Galaxy S8 leaks  so in a way, Samsung already had a hunch this was going to be the next mobile design trend.

The original Galaxy S was probably one of the best iPhone alternatives back in 2010, and it was the handset that helped Samsung conquer the smartphone business in the years that followed.

Today, the Galaxy S is definitely not the phone you want to carry in your pocket, especially considering what 2017 smartphones can do. YouTube channel EverythingApplePro created a thorough comparison between the Galaxy S8 and the original Galaxy S that shows Samsungs incredible progress over the years, and its a pretty fascinating video. Check it out below.

Trending right now:

See the original version of this article on BGR.com
Your next Uber driver could deliver you and some breaking news.

An Australia startup aims to enlist drivers in the delivery of real-time news footage, according to the Financial Review.

Uber drivers can be found all over the city, so when an event occurs, NewsCar will help news networks direct nearby members to the scene. From there, they can shoot TV-ready footage from their smartphone using the company's app.

SEE ALSO: Hey youth: McDonald's wants you to apply for jobs on Snapchat

There are thousands of cameras out there  in pockets and on dashboards, but no one's making use of them, founder Adam Walters told the outlet. NewsCar will help newsrooms get breaking news footage quickly, and in the right high definition, widescreen format.

"No one's making burgers when the newsroom wants pizzas," he said. "It's attuned to the day to day demands of the newsroom."

According to its website, NewsCar's "First Response" offering will be followed by "NewsCar Pro," which will help newsrooms find the closest available professional videographers.

It's unclear what training, if any, is given to citizen-camera operators by NewsCar. It's unlikely police or victims of a crime would appreciate Uber drivers cum paparazzi getting in the way.

Image: newscar

In any case, they'll get paid. The newspaper reported a non-professional videographer may make around A$200 depending on time spent. The startup will also get a 30 percent commission.

Les Johnson, the secretary of Ride Share Drivers Association of Australia (RSDAA), a group that represents a "few thousand" drivers for Uber and other services, is working with NewsCar. He said his members would get first-dibs on NewsCar jobs.

"When they register through the app, if the job becomes available, our people will get the first bite of the cherry," he said.

Johnson saw NewsCar as an exciting opportunity for drivers and dismissed concerns the app might put drivers, inexperienced with shooting in potentially violent or chaotic situations, in any danger.

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"I don't think that will be the case," he said. "With any situation like this, it will be up to the driver to use his own discretion.

Not yet launched, the company aims to roll out in the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Australia, per its website.

Social news companies like Storyful regularly license smartphone-shot footage, but NewsCar would be unique in putting users under newsroom direction, as well as in supplying the app.

It comes as News Corp Australia announced prospective job cuts, with the photography department said to be hardest hit.

NewsCar and Uber have been approached for comment.

WATCH: This device can help 22 million Americans sleep better at night
The Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado steam train travels over the Ribblehead Viaduct in Ribblehead, nortern England, for the first time on October 3, 2009 (AFP Photo/PAUL ELLIS) (AFP/File)

London (AFP) - A steam train clocked 100 miles (161 kilometres) per hour on Britain's mainline railway network for the first time in almost 50 years on Wednesday.

Tornado, a Peppercorn-class A1 steam locomotive, reached the landmark speed during a test run aimed at proving it can operate passenger services at 90mph (145 kph).

A steam locomotive has not hit 100mph in Britain since 1968, according to The Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Built by heritage enthusiasts, Tornado hit the three-figure speed on the East Coast Main Line -- the route between London and Edinburgh -- during a run between Doncaster and Newcastle in northern England.

The test run was part of a bid to raise Tornado's speed limit for passenger services from 75mph (121 kph) to 90mph by the end of this year.

Preservation steam locomotives have been restricted to 75mph since the end of steam services on the main lines in the 1960s.

Tornado was the first steam locomotive to be built in Britain for almost half a century when it was completed in 2008.

If Tornado can run at 90mph it will be able to fit in better with other trains on the busy main railway lines.

Pulling passenger carriages on Wednesday on a secret run, it ran at 10 percent above the 90mph mark to demonstrate a sufficient safety margin.

"We are delighted to have completed the test runs that move us one step closer to 90mph operations with Tornado," said Graeme Bunker-James, operations director for the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

"This will allow us to ensure that the locomotive continues to haul trains on the busiest parts of the UK network, allowing as many people as possible to enjoy travelling with Tornado.

"As part of these tests, the locomotive operated at 90mph for a sustained period and also achieved 100mph under these special conditions and running with clear signals."

Workers on the locomotive, their faces blackened, celebrated with a cup of tea after hitting the landmark.

The world speed record for a steam locomotive is 126mph (203kph), set by the Mallard further south on the same railway line in 1938.
From Popular Mechanics

Scientists at Georgia Tech have developed a robot that is designed to hang above crop fields to inspect plants as they grow. Although it is based on the dynamics of a swinging sloth, they have given it a much more exciting name: Tarzan.

Drones are given farmers a way to monitor their crops from on high, but there's still a need for the up-close and personal look. Tarzans would "hang over the crops, suspended by parallel guy-wires," says the Georgia Tech Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines on its website. It would swing down to each plant from the wires, take a picture and document its growth or lack thereof, and send this data to a remote location to be viewed at a farmer's convenience.

Tarzan is still in the lab, maybe soon it'll be swinging over a field near you.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission said on Wednesday it has launched a patent infringement investigation of television set-top boxes and other components that Arris International supplies to Comcast Corp and DirecTV for their Xfinity and Genie customers. The U.S. ITC said in a statement it had launched the probe in response to a complaint filed by Sony Corp of Tokyo and Sony Electronics of San Diego. Arris International PLC and its subsidiaries were named as respondents in the case, which alleges that Arris has imported digital and satellite television products that infringe upon Sony patents. (Reporting by David Alexander)
It's difficult for anything to cross international borders faster than digital information. But the convenience of technology that allows more than 2.6 million emails, nearly 60,000 Google searches and 8,000 tweets to be sent each second inevitably puts the estimated 3.6 billion global internet users at risk of hacking.

"Our lives are powered by the technology we use. It's how we communicate with the world and interact with the world," says Gadi Evron, an influential cybersecurity thought leader and founder of the cyberdeception start-up, Cymmetria. "Whatever motive you have to use a tool do something, someone else has the opposite."

A pencil can be used by one individual to write a love note and another to write a hate note, just as a phone can be used to communicate with someone or disrupt a conversation by listening in, he says. And "the same is true for the internet, except it is much faster and the systems are much, much more complex."

Hacking can be loosely defined as unauthorized access to a computer or computer system. Meddling fingerprints can be easily masked within complex webs of information, making it a prime tactic for individuals, groups and governments that wish to spread messages quickly.

"Not all hacking is 'black hacking' with malicious intent," says Clint Watts, a senior fellow at the Center for Cyber and Homeland Security at George Washington University who testified to Congress on the subject. But the allegations against Russia. leading to what FBI Director James Comey confirmed as an investigation into the "Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election," could be an example.

Some cybersecurity experts agree that the internet may be Russia's latest, most powerful tool among the resurging propaganda-like tactics in use since the Cold War and earlier to influence global events in favor of Russia's interests, particularly by discrediting democratic governments.

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In the case of the U.S. election, Russia is suspected of orchestrating the leak of classified information to the public, in large part through hacking servers that held information connected to the Democratic National Convention.

The U.S. intelligence community has called it an " influence campaign," and cybersecurity experts have referenced the country's long history of employing " active measures," or coordinating efforts to influence international events.

Sometimes the most basic hacking tactics are enough to break through security barriers, Watts says. When pursuing a specific goal, he says, groups of hackers can spend all day sending targeted spam campaigns that include "spear phishing emails" that collect passwords as soon as they are clicked on and "watering hole attacks" that prompt users to enter login information on fake websites that appear to be real.

But politics aside, hackers are tough to hack.

Because the cyberworld is so complex and because the sheer volume of cyberattacks happening at any given time is so large, it is hard to pinpoint the source of any attack, Evron says from his offices in Israel. A person in Denmark could access a computer in China to connect to another system in Australia to breach a smartphone in the U.K., all in a matter of minutes.

"What we do understand is that it's not just about computers. It's about people, information and what they can be made to believe," he says.

Other countries, including China, Iran and North Korea, have attempted similar campaigns using the internet.

"Authoritarian regimes believe these instruments serve them well in discrediting Western democracy," Godson says, and are able to succeed due to their control over the media coupled with a lack of checks and balances.

In a blog post, internationally renowned security expert Bruce Schneier cites China's attacks against the New York Times in 2012 and North Korea's attack on Sony in 2014, among others. "It's one thing for the government to know who attacked it. It's quite another for it to convince the public who attacked it," he writes, especially when key evidence in tracking hacking attacks is becoming increasingly secret.

While it's difficult to track down budgets, some experts say it's likely that Russia is investing millions -- or perhaps billions -- into technology and training to spread a more convincing message, directly or indirectly.

"As far as we know, the Russian government is recruiting people to specialize in this [intelligence] instrument," says Roy Godson, an emeritus professor of government at Georgetown University who also testified to Congress on the topic. While some of these "agents of influence" are Russian nationals, others aren't, he says. But they're "hired because they will be influential people in society."

In addition to these experts trained for a career in the practice, Godson says, there is another category of agents: the "useful idiots," who "don't know very much but who can be useful in terms of their influence."

Thanks to the internet, methods of communication have grown exponentially since the term was used in Lenin's day, but today's useful idiots are the people who retweet, reblog and repost messages that are meant to serve interests that are not their own. A New York Times editorial called Donald Trump one.

To cut down on the number of useful idiots who spread propaganda-like messages unknowingly, experts recommend significantly enhancing training for government officials, individuals and private businesses. Building response strategies that are more offensive than defensive is critical, they say, as the waves of populism sweeping through Western Europe serve as the perfect foothold for similar attacks.

After assessing its impact on the U.S. election, "Russia is regrouping and will strategically continue what they're doing," Watts says. "They'll shift to any entity or issue that would help propel their message."

Deidre McPhillips is a data reporter at U.S. News. You can find her on Twitter or email her at dmcphillips@usnews.com.
Ive been all over the country and there is no state like Alaska. Its easy to dump bodies here, former Alaska State Trooper Lantz Dahlke says in the announcement of Discoverys newest true crime series, Alaska Homicide. If you shove a body into a crab pot, push it into 150 feet of water, theyre gone forever. Not only are cold cases dark and sinister in nature, but literally for six months we have less sunlight than any other state. Its a forbidding feeling.

Dahlke was a member of the Alaska Bureau of Investigations Cold Case Unit until it was disbanded. Each week on Alaska Homicide, premiering June 2, he sets out to continue his work in the hope that he and his team can bring victims families and friends answers.

Lantz Dahlke investigates cold cases in Alaska Homicide. (Credit: Discovery)

Alaska has more missing people per capita than any other state. In the premiere, the team investigates the disappearance of a Texas native who went missing on a road outside of Nome (was he killed by a bear, as some believe, or murdered?) and the 2004 mystery of a man who came to town to visit his girlfriend and vanished under suspicious circumstances.

Alaska Homicide premieres June 2 at 10 p.m. on Discovery.

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Outsiders Postmortem: Actress Talks About Her Characters Shocking Death and the Evidence She Left Behind

Ken Tucker Remembers David Lettermans Mom Dorothy, Who Has Died at Age 95


Lawyers in English-speaking parts of Cameroon will end their strike to demand an end to discrimination early next month, the head of their legal body has said.

However, the strikes end is conditional on the release of two lawyers who were detained following the outbreak of protests, Jackson Ngnie Kamga said in a statement.

English-speaking lawyers have been boycotting legal proceedings since October to protest against the use of French in courts and schools in Anglophone regions.

They are also opposed to the employment of court workers who do not understand the application of British common law.

Cameroon was colonised by Germany in the 19th Century and then split into British and French areas after World War One.

Later, areas controlled by Britain and France joined to form Cameroon after the colonial powers withdrew in the 1960s.

French-speaking Cameroonians form the majority in the central African state.

Story By BBC NEWS
By Damali Mukhaye

The opposition Forum for Democratic Change has refuted claims by the state minister for labour Herbert Kabafunzaki that he was set up by FDC after he was caught allegedly taking a Sh 5m bribe from and investor in Kampala.

While appearing before the Anti-Corruption Court yesterday, Kabafunzaki denied the allegations, blaming his on the FDC.

However, the FDC spokesperson Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda says Kabafunzaki was so naive that he fell in a trap set by the regime.

He says the FDC is not in any way involved in this matter because it holds nothing against the minister.

Kabafunzaki who was yesterday remanded to Luzira prison returned to the Anti Corruption Court this afternoon and was released on bail.
This semester, Whitman College student Anna Therese Brown of Chaseburg spent time teaching civil rights in Walla Walla, Washington, elementary schools through the Whitman Teaches the Movement initiative.

Brown attended training sessions and then, along with a classmate, lead a 45-minute lesson on civil rights history. The lesson was age-appropriate and based on curricula developed by the Teaching Tolerance project, history teachers and organizations that specialize in teaching history. The program includes lessons on immigration, the Greensboro sit-ins, Jackie Robinson, feminism in the civil rights movement, and Martin Luther King Jr.

The program is also being used as a model for schools across the country. The University of Washington, Seattle University and Whitworth University have all implemented similar programs modeled after Whitmans own.

Brown is a graduate of Central High School.
A new study finds trout fishing has a $952 million-a-year impact in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, supporting thousands of jobs and boosting local economies in places like Viroqua that have embraced the tourist trade.

That includes nearly $409 million spent by those who travel just to catch trout in the the 24,000-square-mile region marked by rugged bluffs and deep valleys, according to the study commissioned by Trout Unlimited from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse economics professor Donna Anderson.

Combined with the spending of local trout anglers, the hobby generates an estimated $1.6 billion a year in economic activity, Anderson found.

That has contributed to what Anderson calls healthy trout economies  where private businesses, non-profit organizations like TU, and local governments work together to make the most of the regions nearly 6,000 miles of spring-fed streams.

We call it the cold-water economy, said Luke Zahm, co-owner of the Driftless Cafe in Viroqua.

A native of La Farge, the 37-year-old chef returned to Vernon County with his wife and purchased the business in 2013 after a decade in Madison.

Zahm said nearly two thirds of his customers come from cities like Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago, spending money that he in turn spends with local farmers.

Theyre fueling the fire of so many entrepreneurs like us, he said. Its a platform to build a new economy.

The study, based on responses from a sample of the 157,247 trout stamp holders, found anglers came from as far away as Florida, Maine, Hawaii and Alaska. The typical angler was a 51-year-old man with an income of about $90,000, traveling about 138 miles to fish in the region. Most came with two companions and stayed about 2.5 days per trip, spending about $475 on everything from lodging and food to gear and guide services.

Most anglers said they were more likely to fish in the region because of habitat restoration and preservation efforts.

Over the past decade, Trout Unlimited has partnered with federal, state and local governments and other conservation groups to assemble about $45 million in restoration funding, covering at least 300 projects, said Duke Welter, outreach coordinator for TUs Driftless Area Restoration Effort.

Theres no comparable assemblage of trout fishing opportunities in the Midwest, Welter said, noting about 800 miles of restored waters and about 1,200 miles of publicly accessible streams. We get people from all over the country who are not used to that level of public access.

The total economic impact of the sport has grown by $500 million since TUs last commissioned study in 2008.
The latest Houston County regional tourism meeting kept it short and sweet as they considered going digital at the International Owl Center in Houston.

Playing catch up from the Jan. 12 meeting, the April 6 discussion covered the tentative county website.

The possibility of creating an internet presence has been a focus for the meetings. Local business owners, Community and Economic Development Associates (EDA) representative Courtney Bergey and local government members think a website will create exposure for the county.

We want to show more than the visual beauty of the area, Bergey said. We want to show what a fun day or week in Houston County could be. That includes shopping and eating. Well bring this to the commissioners soon.

According to Bergey, there is some money left over from a previous EDA project to put towards the website.

Bergeys tentative timetable is to complete the request for proposal process by the middle of summer.

Realistically we should complete the website over the winter and have it up and running next spring, she said.

To help further the organization of a county-wide website, Bergey asked community organizers to pencil in their upcoming events. She hopes to create a living document so in the future the events are already on the calendar, they can just fill in the dates every year.

The Explore La Crosse website has a huge draw, City of Houston Chamber of Commerce Director Sarah Wexler-Mann said. I think any collaboration will benefit us greatly.

The group generally agreed that the area businesses need to think regional.

I am fascinated by whats going on in this county and amazed that I hadnt known any of this stuff, said Jack Miller, Houston County Board Commissioner. I think that Houston County should get more involved with the La Crosse County Convention and Visitors Bureau. I know people come over from La Crosse and bike through, but we dont market it as much as we could.

Another attendee mentioned that Winneshiek County in Iowa has an active tourism center and would probably respond well to a collaboration with Houston County.

Karla Bloems work creating the International Owl Center was cited as an example of thinking regional.

She started the International Owl Center in Houston in 2001. Now part of Houstons identity, the center brings major tourism to the region through the annual Festival of Owls.

Bergey also asked attendees to support local events, businesses and products on Facebook.

The EDA will have their third and final business workshop at 11:30 a.m. on April 18. It will have a free lunch and will have a seminar based on the top 10 reasons for small businesses to succeed.
The La Crescent City Council Monday took aim at the future, stepping forward on several major projects that will potentially affect the citys expansion and recreational offerings.

City Engineer Tim Hruska announced at the regular council meeting that La Crescent received a $1 million grant from the Minnesota Department of Transportation to help fund Phase 3A of the Wagon Wheel improvement project.

The money would be used to fund just under half of the cost of a pedestrian/bike bridge over Highway 61. Hruska added that the bridge would also provide a safe route for students to and from school, but we still have a long way to go for funding. The grant will cover slightly less than half the cost of the project.

City Administrator Bill Wallin said, This was a project that MDOT was very fond of. This shows support for the project at the district level.

Wallin added that the city already has $730,000 toward Phase 2 in grant funding. Phase 2 will extend the trail from where it is now just south of the railroad bridge to west of the channel bridge.

The council also debated Hruskas engineering report on the additional infrastructure needed to run sanitary sewer and water along County Road 6 to the Hickory Lane properties. Hruska explained that providing utilities along Route 6 was straightforward, but Hickory Lane would require extensive infrastructure including a lift station, running up a million-dollar price tag. Compounding the problem was the lack of properties immediately available for hook-ups.

Council members were also sensitive to the plight of homeowners whose septic systems were failing and were waiting for the city to provide utility services. Mayor Mike Poellinger noted that there were five homes within the Phase One area whose septic systems were failing and urged the council to respond.

Hruska stated that even if work started now, they would still be two and half years away from a completed project. Poellinger then suggested that the city move forward with Phase One with an option for Phase Two. Hruska was asked to put together a proposal for both phases and present his findings at the May 8 city council meeting.

Councilman Bernie Buehler added that the city should, invite people to our meeting, more people might be interested in signing up.

Other business





In other business, the council approved a proposal submitted by City Attorney Skip Wieser to amend the citys current policy on public input at meetings. Weiser suggested that the deadline for filing Agenda Request Forms be extended to 5:15 pm on the day of the council meeting, thus giving residents several days to respond after the agenda was posted on the city website. This allows us to keep the structure we had but with more flexibility, said Weiser.

Weiser also proposed a change to La Crescents liquor law based on legislation signed March 6 by Gov. Mark Dayton, permitting liquor sales on Sundays between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Wieser told the council that the 2012 La Crescent ordinance was in conflict with the new state law and should be changed. The council voted unanimously to uphold the changes but said that it was up to the individual license holders whether or not they chose to open between the state-suggested hours.

The citys Green Team asked the council to issue a proclamation, marking April 28 and 29 as Arbor Day events. This event would draw La Crescent closer to meeting the requirements to receive a Tree city USA designation.

The citys maintenance department along with volunteers from the Lions Club will plant trees at the Frank J. Kistler Memorial Park and the Valley South Park. A community event will be held April 29 at the Community Building, Vetch Park.

The council also approved a recommendation to replace playground equipment at John S. Harris park. The approximately $10,000 purchase would include new swing sets and slides.

Don Smith of the Planning Commission also announced a public informational meeting on floodplain zoning and the bike trail extension. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 18 in the Community Room.
We are up to our gills in meth, the county worker told me. Four years ago one quarter of our child-protection cases were related to meth. Now, 92% of these cases are related to meth.

Our system just isnt equipped to deal with the meth problem, said another social worker.

Recently, more than 400 county supervisors and Health and Human Services staff came to the Capitol. I had visitors from every county in our Senate District. These officials brought me one clear message: Help us deal with the meth problem.

The statistics the county employees shared were staggering. Trempealeau County experienced more than a four-fold increase in child-protection cases in less than two years. Most of these children were living with a meth-addicted parent.

Dunn County officials told me about the increase in people entering treatment. Last September, 35% of those entering treatment were meth addicts and this number steadily grew. By February, 60% of those entering treatment were addicted to meth.

The county staff shared many stories about the impact of meth addiction on children. These children are exposed to the drug because addicts smoke the substance. The drug pollutes the air and surfaces of the home. All workers test children of meth addicts for exposure to meth

We tested a four-year-old and a one-year-old, said a social worker. The two children tested higher than the average meth users.

The social workers said they are struggling to fill the needs of so many youngsters ravaged by the addiction of their parents. Counties assess the childs needs but as the county staff explained, it is difficult to tease out what is happening with a child.

Is a child suffering withdrawal symptoms because of second-hand drug exposure or suffering developmentally because of poor nutrition. Has the child experienced emotional or physical trauma? Certainly, the vast majority of children of meth-addicted parents suffer neglect.

A social worker told me that she visited a mom in jail who decided to voluntarily give up her child. The sorrowful mom told the social worker she wished she never did meth, because it makes you forget you ever had children.

Helping the large number of suffering children has stretched county budgets thin. The cases are hard. Social workers are difficult to find and often not trained to assist children from drug-troubled homes. Staff turnover is high.

For the addicts themselves, treatment programs are limited. Insurance only pays for a few days of inpatient treatment. To be effective, a meth addict must stay inpatient for at least a month. In my own research, I learned the brain takes at least a year to recover from some damage done by meth. Relapses are common, as is depression and other forms of mental illness.

A few months ago, I first began hearing about meth from law enforcement. Sheriffs told me the combination of mental illness and meth resulted in violence. Community and officer safety was at risk. Treatment options were very limited. Often officers must drive four to six hours one-way to deliver the addict to treatment at one of two state-operated mental health institutions.

Local sheriffs explained how their entire annual budget for transporting the arrested mentally ill person was gone in the first few months of this year because of so many new cases of mental illness and meth-induced violence.

Opioid users go to the emergency room, a human services manager told me. Meth addicts go to jail.

Lawmakers recently paid much attention to problems associated with heroin and opioid-related drugs. However, the epidemic in western Wisconsin is meth.

Counties need resources to help children who need safe homes. Our region needs treatment and emergency crisis centers. Long-term inpatient treatment is expensive but can be effective. Further, we must help those suffering from mental illness and keep them from turning to addiction instead of mental health treatment.

Lawmakers will soon take up a series of bills to combat heroin. I ask my colleagues to expand their awareness and consider the impacts of meth: on our children, our county budgets, the safety of our communities and the lives of the addicts.

In the spirit of rebirth, Easter and spring, I ask families affected by mental illness or drug addiction to get help. It is not easy. But there is hope.
Michael William Gerrard (Bill) of La Crosse passed away peacefully Friday, April 7, 2017, surrounded by his family.

Bill was born July 23, 1924, in La Crosse. He attended Aquinas High School, Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1947 with a degree in business.

He founded Gerrard Realty Corp. in La Crosse, in 1954, and his legacy thrives today at Gerrard Hoeschler Realtors.

He was an entrepreneur, real estate broker, and lobbyist. He worked tirelessly to elect two of Wisconsins most influential governors, Patrick Lucey and Tommy Thompson.

Wisconsin benefited from his wisdom, expertise, and way with people. In the 1960s, he served several terms on the Wisconsin Real Estate Examining Board. In the early 1970s, he served as party chairman of the Wisconsin Democratic Party. His fundraising skills helped strengthen the party statewide.

In the 1970s and 80s, Bill served two terms on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. He was appointed by Governor Lucey and reappointed by Governor Dreyfus. While serving as chair of the Real Estate Committee, Bill was instrumental in developing the University of Wisconsin Madison Research Park, an area to house the cutting-edge research done at UW-Madison.

He was affectionately known in Wisconsin political circles as Uncle Billy. He was a deal-maker, but also always a champion for those less fortunate. He was a cherished father and grandfather, filled with funny expressions and always asked what can I do for you, and really meant it.

To his children, grandchildren, and friends, he was larger than life; the last of a great generation. He was a generous and gracious gentleman.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Willard and Merrylyn (Murphy) Gerrard; his wife, Anna Nancy Hyde Gerrard; and his son, Michael William Gerrard Jr.

He is survived by his sister, Ann (Gerrard) Harmon; his children, Mary Ann, Nancy (Rick Staff), Paul, Kate, and Peter Gerrard; grandchildren, Gretchen Gerrard, Avery, Will, and Fritz Scheuch, Erin and Anna Smith, Alex, Grace, and Olivia Gerrard, Laura, Lucas and Giana Gerrard.

If you would like to make a contribution in Bills name, contributions can be sent to: JDRF-Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (granddaughter affected); The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (granddaughter affected); The Autism Foundation (grandson affected).

The Gerrard family would like to give special thanks to Bernice Frisch, his incredible Madison support; his wonderful nurse, Tami Benson; caregivers, Margaret OMeara and Steve Scheuch; and CNAs Christy and Jen. And a big shout out to all the students and staff at La Crosse Exercise and Health Program at UW-L.

Services for Bill will be held beginning with eulogies by special friends at 11:15 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 22, all at the Roncalli Newman Center, 1732 State St., La Crosse. The Rev. Billy Dodge and the Rev. Robert J. Cook will con-celebrate. Friends may call from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 21, at the Schumacher-Kish Funeral & Cremation Services of La Crosse, 200 West Ave. S., and from 10 a.m. until the time of services Saturday at the church. A private family burial will be held at a later date.

Online guestbook is available at www.schumacher-kish.com.
ARCADIA  Students received some good lessons Wednesday about the importance of education and soft skills during an Ashley Furniture career fair.

More than 100 high school students from districts including Arcadia, Blair-Taylor, Independence and Whitehall attended the day-long career fair hosted at the Arcadia High School.

During the events, students heard from more than two dozen Ashley employees and were able to take a tour of Ashleys Arcadia facilities.

Kris Gengler, one of the Ashley public relations staff who led the panels, said the career fair was designed to introduce students to opportunities they might not know about at the company. Most people think of the manufacturing side of the company, he said, but might not know about the positions in information technology, interior design or strategic sales.

A lot of students might not know all that we do, he said. They might know we manufacture furniture, but a lot more goes into it than that.

Ashley has been a big supporter of local school districts career planning services, Gengler said, and is one of the reasons the company hosted the career day.

It is also a good way to recruit local talent and help to inform students of the studies and workplace skills they would need to be successful in a world of rapidly evolving technology.

The business world is changing continuously, he said. If we have to make those changes, employees have to adapt as well. Students looking to enter the workforce have to understand which skills and knowledge they need.

One of the members of the business operations panel, Ashley Strategic Sales Operations Manager Brian Menard, told students about the types of employees he wants to have work for him at the company. People need to be able to solve problems on their own, he said, and didnt want his employees coming to him every time something came up.

You want your employees to come to you with solutions, Menard said.

Other panelists spoke about how important communication skills are for employees who have to work together in teams and communicate with customers and coworkers. Prospective employees also need to know how to manage their time wisely, and one of the panel members suggested students practice the skill by taking five minutes before bed to prioritize the things they needed to get done the next day.

Many of the panelists also impressed upon students the importance of education and a sense of curiosity. Janelle Pogodzinkski, an Arcadia human relations director, said she originally went to college hoping to become a music teacher.

After a year and a half, she realized she didnt want to pursue that career. But because she took a broad selection of classes, she was able to pivot and find a field she was much more interested in and recommended students try out as many different things as possible.

You need to recognize what you have out there (at school), Tom Lyga, a senior talent developer, added. You are in a great space here at school.
The La Crosse Common Council heard recommendations on improvements to and rebuilding of the four existing fire stations and a possible new fifth station Tuesday night from the design team Five Bugles during the councils planning meeting.

Owner and principal Steve Gausman and senior emergency services specialist Ed Mishefske with Five Bugles, a design company with Architectural Design Group in Eau Claire, Wis., that primarily focuses on emergency response buildings, also recommended the city replace all four buildings and consider building a fifth station.

They recommended starting with Station 2, then 4, rebuilding Station 3 and finishing with Station 1. No timeline was given for Station 5 completion.

Rough cost estimates, according to Gausman, are $8.8 million for Station 1, $5.5 million for Station 2, $5.6 million for Station 3, and $4 million each for Stations 4 and 5.

The pair also recommended the city begin looking at land as soon as possible.

Station location isnt as easy as looking at a green spot and saying, Thatll do, Mishefske said.

Each building is approaching  if not older than  50 years and each still functions, but the pair identified common problems among each station.

Theyre old. Theyre tired, Gausman said about the buildings.

The duo said they spent time with each station and shift within the La Crosse Fire Department, and concluded each station badly needs to replace exhaust and contamination removal systems.

According to Mishefske, a former 23-year fire chief, the need to remove as much diesel exhaust as possible and to create spaces where firefighters can clean up after responding to a call is at the top of the priority list among their recommendations.

Mishefske and Gausman recommended an encapsulated exhaust system.

As some point theyre going to make you do it, Mishefske said to the council.

Fire Chief Gregg Cleveland said the department is pursuing a grant that would fund putting the systems in the existing stations. Should the department rebuild, the systems could be transferred to new stations, Mishefske said.

Decontamination areas, where the firefighters can clean up any spills, bodily fluids or chemicals they come in contact with while responding to a call, were also a high priority item, as Mishefske said they watched department members track waste throughout the station upon returning from calls.

The recommendations by Five Bugles also concluded that Stations 2, 3 and 4 were in high need of medical storage, and a washer and dryer site.

Other main concerns were the buildings noncompliance with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and energy codes, and the lack of functionality, primarily focused on gender equality.

These social issues were something Cleveland said the department could not have foreseen as problematic at the time the buildings were built, the newest stations, 1 and 3, having been built in 1967.

Cleveland stressed the importance of the improvements being a 10- to 12-year goal for the department, but he said he believes the council understood the need Tuesday evening.

I think the message sunk in in terms of what the current state of our stations are, Cleveland said.
HOLMEN  Shelby Levandoski wanted to do something to help empower women, so she put her feelings to canvas.

The Holmen High School sophomore created "War Paint" as part of an art project led by teacher Christine Michels. On display at the school, Art for Change asks students to take a stance on a current event or social issue they feel strongly about.

"I wanted students to be aware of the times and the issues that are going on," Michels said. "And be willing to take a stand if injustice is going on. What better way as an art teacher to promote something?"

Students could tackle all sorts of subjects, Michels said, such as issues of misogyny, transgender rights or bullying. Along with a painting, each of the 11 students involved in the display had to write an artist's statement about the work and their approach to it.

Levandoski said when working on her piece, her mind immediately jumped to the subject of women and empowerment. It can still be hard for women and teens to find their voice and courage, she said, and women are still sometimes viewed only as feminine or weak by society.

In her painting, she used the idea of makeup as war paint, with the subject applying bright red lipstick on her cheek as a way to show strength and power. This kind of artwork was challenging, Levandowski said, as she had to take into account how others might approach or react to her piece and didn't want to cross too many boundaries.

Holmen senior Sarah Ryam created a painted paper cut symbolizing the struggle many teens face with everything life is throwing at them. In her artist's statement, Ryam said "I feel like I am Drowning" was meant to appeal to a broad audience as so many young people can feel like they are drowning in the chaos that is life.

"Students can feel really overwhelmed in high school," she said. "That feeling can turn negative. I hope this artwork could help them better understand those feelings."

Students Cheruto Shiow and Jasmine Nieves weren't in Michels' art class, but created their own work to celebrate and raise awareness of diversity in the high school. Both are members of the African American Student Organization at the high school, and the painting features a black Rosie the Riveter figure and the quote "We must learn to live together as brothers (and sisters) or perish together as fools" from Martin Luther King Jr.

"It was a really good project to work on," Shiow said. "Even if it is a small thing, it still makes a statement."
Robert Wolf always aspired to live in the country, but after moving to northeast Iowa in 1991, after years in Chicago and Nashville, he found rural life was not as idyllic as it seemed, with dying farms, impoverished citizens and flagging morale.

"I had heard about the farm crisis but I didn't fully realize it until I got here and saw the poverty firsthand," said Wolf, who lived on a Lansing farmstead for 17 years and now resides in Decorah. "The towns have continued to wither. In Postville, over half the storefronts are shuttered. Other towns look hopeless, like a ghost town. People are moving away."

Looking to inspire hope and stability, Wolf, a former college professor, columnist and feature writer for the Chicago Tribune and award winning radio-editorialist, began a quarter-century-long mission to promote positive change through the development of regional economics, municipal-owned utilities and closed-loop agricultural systems, which use the waste of one source, such as fish, as nutrition for another, such as vegetables. Wolf details his research and concerns in a new book, "Building the Agricultural City," on which he will lead an open discussion on Saturday at Pearl Street Books, La Crosse.

"When I first started preaching regional economics in the early '90s I was met with disbelief  people didn't think there was a problem," Wolf said. "Now people are buying into regionalization. We need more control in our lives, and this is one way to support it. My job is simply that of bringing people together and promoting. It's up to more practical people to figure out the nuts and bolts."

In that effort, Wolf distributed "Building the Agricultural City," to Iowa area mayors, council members and agency directors to discuss. Wolf is adamant that a centralized economy is harmful to rural communities, stressing the benefits of stimulating economic development with regional boundaries, thus creating more business opportunities and a better quality of living. Part of the solution lies in alternative funding for entrepreneurs.

"(We can) either create a large community development bank or several large investment groups," Wolf said. "I want to democratize the whole process and give as many people as possible a way to buy into the new economy...we need to protect ourselves from the trauma of another national depression."

Wolf encourages citizens to think about and discuss their immediate needs, and shares the voices of the community through writing workshops in conjunction with his non-profit, Free River Press. The publishing house has printed three compilations of essays by Iowa farmers, who detail their struggles to compete with large farming operations and the expensive machinery they require to mass-produce crops. Wolf believes most city dwellers have little concern about the origin and growing conditions of their produce, which attributes to the connection between environmental and economic conditions.

"If we destroy the environment, we ultimately destroy ourselves," Wolf said.

Wolf advocates for municipal-owned utilities powered by renewable energy. He is in agreement with the proposal by Decorah Power, a non-profit comprised of area citizens, to become a municipal-owned utility, and cites the 100 percent turbine and solar powered electricity used in Greensburg, Kansas, as a "great model."

While some of Wolf's concepts could be categorized as partisan, he has no desire to make it a political issue.

"Trump supporters could enthusiastically support this  they just need to know about it," Wolf said. "They're worried about the same things I am."

Wolf hopes to inspire communication among rural communities in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, but stresses that talk needs to be followed with action and swift progress isn't a guarantee.

"Can it be achieved? I'd say it's a possibility," Wolf said. "But there's going to be a lot of work ahead of us."
With political polarization at a 20-year high, the Coulee Region is among a shrinking number of places where voters split their votes in federal elections.

Wisconsins 3rd Congressional District is now considered the most evenly split in the nation, according to the Cook Political Report.

The groups 2017 Partisan Voter Index report, released last week, found Wisconsins 3rd and Minnesotas 1st congressional districts are now considered to be among the 10 most Republican-leaning areas with Democratic representatives.

In the 3rd, which covers much of western Wisconsin, President Donald Trump won by 4.5 points in Novembers election, while Democratic U.S. Rep. Ron Kind was elected to an 11th term with no opposition. Across the Mississippi River, voters narrowly re-elected Democrat Tim Walz to a sixth term while also handing Trump a 14.5-point victory.

Both districts were also among only 35 where voters crossed over  casting a majority of votes for presidential and House candidates from different parties. Thats less than a third the number of cross-over districts two decades earlier.

Walz and Kind are two of only nine Democrats to win in districts that flipped from Obama in 2012 to Trump in 2016. The 3rd District is also among the 25 with the most dramatic four-year shifts to the right.

The Cook Report assigns a partisan voting index to each district, based on its performance in the past two presidential elections. A district that votes 2 points more Democratic than the national average would be scored D+2; one where the Republican candidate fared 2 points better would be R+4. Those that were within a half point of the average are considered even.

Wisconsins Third District went from D+5 to even.

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse political scientist Joe Heim said it remains to be seen if the shift is part of a trend or a fluke.

Youve got to see trends like that over a period of years, he said. I dont know whether it was Trump, Hillary or just a desire for change in certain areas.

Kind, who easily survived a primary challenge from the left, said voters appreciate his independence, which could be more important than ever as the district is now considered evenly split.

Ive been around for a while, he said. People have gotten to know me.

He also said the Clinton campaigns complacency  she did not set foot in Wisconsin after the Democratic primary  was a factor in Trumps victory.

Republicans have already taken note of the shift: Both Kind and Walz were on the National Republican Congressional Committees list of top Democratic targets for the 2018 election.

Walz, a centrist Democrat, has since entered the Minnesota governors race, increasing the GOPs chances of taking back the seat, which they held for 12 years before Walz was first elected in 2006.

Kind announced last month that he will not run for governor, putting to rest years of speculation.
WASHINGTON  In a conversation with an ambassador from Asia a few years ago, I asked why her country was still more favorably disposed to the United States than to a rising China. Because we know what you believe in, she responded. Since World War II the United States has operated in the Pacific with a certain set of interests and values. Both, she said, are less clear with respect to China.

It is predictability that builds and maintains alliances. It is constancy that enforces red lines, allowing others to accurately calculate the limits of American patience. It is vagueness and impulsiveness that invite testing and the possibility of deadly miscalculation.

President Trump has now placed his own line in the Syrian sand: At the very least, the Assad regime must not use chemical weapons against civilians in its showdown assault on Idlib. But is this commitment the expression of a set of values with broader implications? Does it reflect an expansive interpretation of Americas global role, including the responsibility to protect civilians when feasible? Or is it the enforcement of a narrow norm against the use of weapons of mass destruction?

We have no idea which interpretation is correct, because Trump himself is unlikely to know. Like on health care, he seems to be encountering these issues for the very first time. It is unlikely that he played through the scenarios of humanitarian intervention and regime change during campaign policy briefings with national security experts. Trumps Steve Bannon-ridden inaugural address claimed that the worlds troubles are not Americas problem. But then there are the babies killed by nerve gas.

On Syria, Trumps message has gone from mixed to pureed. Apparently, engagement in Syria is both a stupid move and a moral necessity. On foreign policy, Trump is ideologically rootless. He seems to have no considered views about the world, just confidence about his own abilities as a leader. And this places an unsettling randomness at the heart of Americas global role.

This inconsistency is the most consistent theme of Trumps young presidency. During the campaign, he opposed entitlement reform, yet his health care bill contained the most fundamental entitlement reform  moving federal Medicaid spending from an open-ended match for state spending to a capped amount per person  that Congress has recently considered. He campaigned as a tribune for the working class, yet his economic approach seems heavily tilted toward the interests of the wealthy.

This has been attacked as lying. It also indicates a complete unfamiliarity with the issues and debates at the heart of American politics. He never encountered these matters during previous government service (which he did none of). He was not forced to explain his views during primary or general election debates (a few lines from the stump speech more than sufficed). Trump was not hiding an inner sophistication. His ignorance was presented as part of an anti-establishment package  as contempt for the quibbles of smaller men.

In this context, the current palace intrigue between Bannon and Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner actually matters. This is not the normal circumstance in which a president with developed policy views is influenced at the margins by a diverse group of advisers. What we are seeing is a president without settled or tested policy convictions, influenced by advisers with sharp knives and fundamentally different views of the world. On Breitbart this is described as a conflict between national populists and liberal, NYC Democrats. It is the high-stakes struggle to provide the soul for a soulless presidency.

This inbuilt discord has turned normal West Wing tension into a red-carpeted cage fight. A Republican with recent White House interaction told me: Watching them work was frankly terrifying. They fear each other, they hate each other, they are paranoid beyond belief, and it doesnt work.

And it should concern conservatives that neither side in the main White House conflict  ethno-nationalists or moderates related to the president  is actually conservative. It would be better for the Republican Party (and for the world) if the family were to win this contest, as it almost certainly will.

That change would make the administration marginally more humane. But it would not, for the most part, be a victory for conservative policy ideas.

More importantly: Would this divided, chaotic White House, as it stands, be ready for a major shock such as a terrorist attack or a serious military move by a rival power? There is every reason to think it would not be ready. And that makes a major West Wing personnel shakeup, costing Bannon his role, both likely and desirable.
The circumstantial evidence is mounting that the Kremlin succeeded in infiltrating the U.S. government at the highest levels.

How else to explain a newly elected president looking the other way after an act of Russian aggression? Agreeing to a farcically one-sided nuclear deal? Mercilessly mocking the idea that Russia represents our foremost geopolitical foe? Accommodating the illicit nuclear ambitions of a Russian ally? Welcoming a Russian foothold in the Middle East? Refusing to provide arms to a sovereign country invaded by Russia? Diminishing our defenses and pursuing a Moscow-friendly policy of hostility to fossil fuels?

All of these items, of course, refer to things said or done by President Barack Obama. To take them in order: He reset with Russia shortly after its clash with Georgia in 2008. He concluded the New START agreement with Moscow that reduced our nuclear forces but not theirs. When candidate Mitt Romney warned about Russia in the 2012 campaign, Obama rejected him as a Cold War relic. The president then went on to forge an agreement with Russias ally Iran to allow it to preserve its nuclear program. During the red-line fiasco, he eagerly grasped a lifeline from Russia at the price of accepting its intervention in Syria. He never budged on giving Ukraine lethal weapons to defend itself from Russian attack. Finally, Obama cut U.S. defense spending and cracked down on fossil fuels, a policy that Russia welcomed since its economy is dependent on high oil prices.

Put all of this together, and its impossible to conclude anything other than that Obama was a Russian stooge, and not out of any nefarious dealings, but out of his own naivete and weakness. Obama didnt expect any rewards when he asked then-Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during a hot-mic moment at an international meeting to relay to Vladimir Putin his ability to be more flexible after the 2012 election; he was, to put it in terms of the current Russian election controversy, colluding with the Russians in the belief it was a good strategy. His kompromat was his own foolishness.

The cost of Obamas orientation toward Russia became clearer during the past two weeks. When he pulled up short from enforcing his red line, an agreement with the Russians to remove Bashar Assads chemical weapons became the fig leaf to cover his retreat. This deal was obviously deficient, but Obama officials used clever language to give the impression that it had removed all chemical weapons from Syria. Never mind that Assad still used chlorine gas to attack his population  exploiting a grievous loophole  and that evidence piled up that Assad was cheating more broadly.

The Russians eagerly covered for Assad because hes their client. What was the Obama administrations excuse? It effectively made itself a liar for the Russians at the same time Moscow bolstered the Assad regime we said had to go, smashed the moderate opposition we were trying to create and sent a destabilizing refugee flow into Europe. This was a moral and strategic disaster.

To be sure, Donald Trumps statements about Russia during the past year and a half have often been stupid and shameful. But there was always a good chance that Russias blatant hostility to our values and interests would make any attempted Trump detente unsustainable. With his secretary of state and U.N. ambassador hitting Russia hard over the Assad gas attack and Trumps strike challenging Russias position, the administration looks to be adopting a hardheaded attitude without bothering with a doomed reset first.

Even if Obama eventually got tougher on Russia  imposing sanctions after the Ukraine invasion and sending contingents of U.S. troops to countries near Russia  he never entirely shed his reflex toward accommodation. No matter what conspiracy theorists might say, theres nothing to suggest anything untoward about Obamas relationship with Russia. But based on the record alone, you might have suspicions.
Gov. Scott Walker ordered both the American and Wisconsin flags flown at half-staff on Tuesday, following the death of State Patrol Trooper Anthony Borostowski, killed in a crash early Tuesday morning on Interstate 90/94 near Wisconsin Dells.

The governor's proclamation applies to all state-owned buildings and facilities, but other flag installations can also lower their flags to half-staff to honor the fallen trooper.

Flags lowered for Trooper Borostowski can fly at full-staff once again at sunset on the day of his interment.
Though about 80-85 percent of Vernon County roads have been repaired since floods pounded the area in September, it may be some time until the bridge on Highway JJ is passable, Highway Commissioner Phil Hewitt said.

If workers fix  not replace  the bridge work could begin in April or May 2018 and the bridge could be done in late summer or early fall but I wont hold my breath, Hewitt said.

About 20 county roads were damaged during the emergency situation, he said. Hewitt says he is doing what he can to open JJ but that doesnt stop the phone calls he receives from residents every week wondering when it will be done.

They are not happy with the speed of the procurement of the project. Unfortunately thats the nature of the beast, he said.

Hewitt disagrees with FEMAs decision to pay for repairs, not replacement, of the bridge. FEMA will only give funds to bring the bridge back to its pre-flood condition, Hewitt said. They arent going to come in and just build new.

According to federal law, FEMAs Public Assistance Program can fund work necessary to repair or replace damage to pre-disaster condition, in conformity with current codes and standards. A structure is considered repairable when the cost to repair disaster-related damage does not exceed 50 percent of the cost to replace it based on its pre-disaster size, capacity and function.

In the case of the Highway JJ bridge, the repair cost was 27 percent of the replacement cost, so FEMA has approved moving forward with a grant to fund 75 percent of those repairs, FEMA spokesperson Casandra Ringsdorf said in an email to the Broadcaster.

Fixing the bridge could cost $100,000 and replacing it would cost about $500,000, Hewitt said. Hed like to make it 10 feet longer than its current 90 feet.

Pieces of trees and debris surround beams that are bent. Huge chunks of riprap are down stream and wood beams are exposed.

We are not making a wise use of funding, Hewitt said of the decision not to pay for replacement. We need to build it bigger and better. It was built to 1960s standards. Then it was state of the art.

If applicants want to incorporate capital improvements into repair projects FEMA lets them use the funding toward their improved project, Ringsdorf said.

About $300,000 came out of the Vernon County highway budget to repair flood damage in 2016. Its budget is $7 million and about $4 million of that is used for state roads (the state reimburses the county for work), Hewitt said.

The county has not received funds from FEMA for flood damage but the paperwork is in and Hewitt is confident the county will be reimbursed.

Senator secures funds Sen. Tammy Baldwin announced April 6 that $1.5 million has been made available for flood clean-up and Vernon County will share the funds with 14 counties. She has also secured funds for other areas in the state. The money is given to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation which disperses the funds, according to the senators office.

It all helps and we are grateful for every bit, Hewitt said. Ill take 50 cents if they give it me.

Area counties worked together during the desperate situation when rain pounded the area causing flash floods and mudslides. Crawford County was hit hard, too. Vernon County hired three private contractors last year because it couldnt do the work alone.

After the floods Baldwin viewed damage in northern Wisconsin. She sent multiple letters to the Department of Transportation requesting emergency relief. Other counties sharing in the $1.5 million are Adams, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, Sauk and Trempealeau.

Im happy to announce this investment in Vernon County and western Wisconsin communities so we can repair and rebuild after last summers damaging flooding, Baldwin said in an email to the Broadcaster.

During the floods, area winding creeks constructed new paths that continue to grace the landscape. Some homeowners and businesses are still cleaning up and county crews continue to remedy what the waters left behind. Reinforcing ditches so roads dont wash out will continue once it dries out, Hewitt said.
This is Whats Trending Today.

Britains star DJ Paul Oakenfold traveled to the base of Mount Everest to perform at the highest party on earth.

Oakenfold traveled for 10 days to reach the location just below Mount Everest, the worlds highest mountain. The base camp sits at 5,380 meters, while Mount Everests peak reaches 8,848 meters.

The 53-year-old dance music pioneer mixed his set on a stone stage in the middle of the Himalayan mountain range in Nepal.

"I'm not going to pretend it was easy to get here, but it has been a wonderful trek, he told the French Press Agency, AFP, by phone. If you could see the view I'm looking at, it is very inspiring."

More than 100 people withstood thin air and freezing temperatures to attend the event. Video showed fans wearing heavy winter clothing and hiking equipment as they moved to the music in the middle of snowy mountains.

Parts of the event were streamed live on Facebook.

Oakenfold called his mountain party truly amazing. I feel very lucky to have played here. We did a wonderful event and had people from all over the world, I feel very blessed," he told AFP.

The Grammy-nominated DJ and producer said that on the way up, he tried to spend time with local people and explored Nepali music. He donated the equipment used to the local community.

Money raised by the performance will also be donated to two organizations to help survivors of Nepals 2015 earthquake  the Himalayan Trust and Supporting Nepals Children. The earthquake killed about 9,000 people and left thousands homeless.

Oakenfold  who has teamed up in the past with Madonna and the rock group U2 - admitted the setting was very different from his usual performances at top world dance clubs.

The event is expected to result in a new album and documentary about his musical mountain trek.

The highest party on earth comes just before the busiest part of the climbing season. Hundreds of climbers will spend weeks at the base camp before attempting to reach the top of Mount Everest.

And that's What's Trending Today.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from Agence France-Presse and other sources. Hai Do was the editor.

Would you like to attend such an unusual dance party? Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

pioneer  n. person who is one of the first to do something

pretend  v. act as if something is true, but it is not

trek  n. long and difficult journey, usually made by walking

inspiring  adj. causing people to want to do or create something

hiking  n. walking a long distance for fun or exercise

blessed  n. feeling very welcome and appreciated


Imagine you have a test in school. It could be for a class in history or mathematics. Even worse, you could have an English test. How should you prepare for this terrible event? What can you do before the big day to help you do better?

Should you reread your history or math books? What about underlining important words or sentences?

If you are like many students, you probably use both rereading and underlining. But are these truly the best methods?

Today, on our Education Report, we will explore effective and ineffective ways to study for tests. You might learn that some study habits you used in the past might not be the best methods.

Are rereading and highlighting effective?

Rereading and highlighting are common strategies that you will see in schools around the world.

Students look at information they have already read in an effort to remember what is important.

Students often combine rereading with highlighting. They underline important information in what they read with a writing instrument such as a marker.

American Mary Pyc is a cognitive scientist. She studies the human mind and its processes.

Pyc says that both rereading and highlighting are ineffective study tools. While better than not studying at all, she believes they are not as useful as other habits.

"For example, with rereading, it's maybe not as effective because you are not trying to actively retrieve the information. You are not seeing "what do I actually know about what I read?" With rereading what is going to happen is that it is going to feel like you already know the information because you've already read it. So, you have this sense of fluency that is leading you to think "Ok, yes, I know the information."

The problem with highlighting, Pyc says, is that students have a false sense of understanding - similar to when they reread information. Also, there is a second problem that comes with highlighting.

"Students aren't always aware of what the most important information is. So it's possible that they are maybe highlighting details that aren't as important as the higher level concepts."

What can you do?

So what should you do if rereading and highlighting are not the best ways to study for a test?

One idea is to test yourself. We have discussed self-testing strategies in other education stories. Simple flashcards and practice exams can help when you want to make sure that you have learned something.

Another strategy is what education experts have called spaced practice. This means to practice remembering the new information over time, instead of doing everything all at once. We will discuss spaced practice in a future Education Tips story.

Regardless of which strategy you chose, you should know that effective learning takes time and it takes effort.

The next time you have a test coming, try to plan for the big day so that you can give yourself time to engage in different study habits. And remember, rereading and highlighting are better than not studying at all, but there are better methods out there!

I'm John Russell.

John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. ________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

ineffective  adj. not producing or having the effect you want; not effective

engage  v. to get and keep; to ask someone to perform a service

regardless  adv. without being stopped by trouble, difficulty

flashcard  n. one of a set of cards carrying information, such as words, numbers or other information

practice  v. to perform or work at repeatedly so you become better at something

highlight  v. to mark something in color for detail

strategy  n. a careful plan or method

habit  n. a way of doing something; a custom


The high-speed transportation system called Hyperloop is getting attention all over the world.

Last week, groups from the United States presented proposals for Hyperloop projects at a meeting in Washington D.C.

Hyperloop is the name for a transportation system that uses strong magnets to move containers inside tubes. The containers could move both people and goods.

The system is the idea of businessman Elon Musk, who created and owns the company SpaceX and the electric car maker Tesla.

He wrote a study in 2013 explaining why businesses should consider investing in the project. He said that Hyperloop could move people and goods faster than high-speed trains.

In the document, Musk wrote that a transportation system like Hyperloop would be good for travel between big cities less than 1500 kilometers apart.

Greater distances could be traveled more efficiently by fast airplanes.

Musk and others think the people-movers could reach speeds greater than 1,000 kilometers an hour. That would reduce a trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco to less than one hour. It usually takes about six hours by car.

A company seeking to develop the transportation system is Hyperloop One. It is a separate company from SpaceX.

The company has a test track in the state of Nevada near Las Vegas.

Hyperloop One launched what it called a Global Challenge. It looked at proposals from over 2000 teams in over 100 countries. They all claimed to have the best place for Hyperloop Ones first project.

Hyperloop One recently announced it had chosen 35 semifinalists. Eleven of them were from the United States.

Last week in Washington, D.C., Hyperloop One listened to presentations from the 11 U.S.-based semifinalists.

Groups from states including Massachusetts, Colorado, Missouri, California and Texas presented their proposals.

The shortest route links Boston, Massachusetts with Providence, Rhode Island. It is only about 100 kilometers, but it would reduce traffic in a busy part of the U.S. The trip would only take a few minutes.

The longest proposed route is over 1,700 kilometers. It would link Houston, Texas with Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Earlier this year, Hyperloop One went to India for a similar event. One of the proposed routes, known as Hyperloop India, would link Mumbai and Chennai. It could cover the distance of over 1,000 kilometers in less than an hour.

Another event is planned for April 27 in London. The remaining semifinalists will also show off their plans. Those include projects in Europe, Canada, Africa, the Middle East and South America.

Later this year, Hyperloop One will choose three finalists it will consider for the high-speed transit project.

Hyperloop One Vice President Nick Earle attended the event in Washington, D.C. According to a local radio station, he proposed that someday Hyperloop riders could go to dinner in a place 1,000 kilometers away and come home the same night.

Anthony Foxx was the U.S. Secretary of Transportation during the second term of Barack Obamas presidency. Foxx attended the event in Washington, D.C., and said it would be a good idea for organizations like Hyperloop One to prove that their system could work transporting goods before taking risks with people.

Hyperloop One also announced last November that it made a deal with Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, to study a link with Abu Dhabi.

During the announcement, Hyperloop One chief executive Rob Lloyd said in the Emirates, we believe everything is possible.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reports from the Associated Press, WTOP and the Denver Post. Mario Ritter was the editor.

Do you think you will ever see a Hyperloop in your area? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

concept  n. an idea of what something is or how it works

efficient  adj. capable of producing desired results without wasting materials, time, or energy

show off  v. to make something noticeable

route  n. a way to get from one place to another


Tim Mas parents came to the United States from Taiwan in the 1970s. They opened a restaurant. It was not a success. They found success in America, however, in computers and engineering.

In part because of their own experiences, Mas parents hoped he would study to become an engineer or doctor. They wanted financial security for their child.

Ma grew up in the southern U.S. state of Arkansas. He says the American South was a challenging place to live for a Chinese-American kid in the 1970s and 80s.

There was definitely some racism there. I came up through a very non-equal, very non-Asian environment. One of the few things I remember is waking up in the middle of the night because someone had thrown a brick through me and my sisters window. I was the kind of the dopey Asian kid and I sometimes would be not punished for that, I would be bullied for that.

Growing up, Ma considered many professions  writer, fireman, even president. But he had a sense early on

I didnt want to be an engineer.

Ma did well in math and science classes in high school. And he ended up choosing to study electrical engineering in college.

A change of heart

Several engineering jobs later, though, Ma had a change of heart. He wanted to leave the engineering world behind and enter the restaurant business.

It was in his blood. After all, his parents had owned a Chinese restaurant in Arkansas. His uncle also owned one in New York.

Ma has a clear memory of when he decided to open his own restaurant.

I was in Los Angeles eating in a simple sushi restaurant and sitting there with my sister and my brother-in-law and it's like you know what I think I want to, like, do like Mom and Dad and Uncle Paul and I want to go and open a restaurant.

His parents, Ma says, could not understand why he would want to leave such a good job to open a restaurant. They had worked long hours but their own restaurant still failed.

They kept asking, why?

But Ma remained certain. He was going to do things differently than his parents. He was able to learn from their one major mistake as restaurant owners  they knew very little about the art of cooking.

He believes the mistake caused the restaurant to fail.

My parents knew nothing about cooking and they knew nothing about owning a restaurant. They had this chef that was very, very good and he was making excellent food, but then the chef start(ed) to see a lot of money come in, the chef saw that and was like OK, Im going to go across the street and open a Chinese restaurant and it really put my parents in a bad situation.

Back to school

So, at age 30, Ma left engineering and returned to school  cooking school. He wanted to study the fundamentals of cooking so that he could work as a chef in his own restaurant.

Ma enrolled at the International Culinary Center in New York. He received training in French cooking.

I got to culinary school with just a little bit of savings in the middle of New York City, not knowing how to hold a knife. I didn't know anything about cooking. Never cooked through my entire life up until this point.

Ma soon learned that he enjoyed cooking. He discovered it was similar to engineering.







Professional cooking is consistency, efficiency, cleanliness and it's all about the process of things which you know my background in engineering was. Everything's a process everything's a theory.

Follow his heart

In 2009, Ma opened his first restaurant in Virginia. It is called Maple Avenue. The restaurant serves American cuisine.

He set up the place with help from his wife, parents and friends. He used tables and chairs left behind from the previous owner of the restaurant space.

At Maple Avenue, Ma cooked, cleaned the ovens, fixed equipment and paid bills. He worked long hours, seven days a week.

I dont have a repairman, so Im the guy. I know way too much about plumbing, equipment repair, he says.

His long hours paid off. Ma opened his fourth restaurant last year, Kyirisan in Washington, D.C.

For Ma, Kyirisan is a special name.

It comes from his old family name, kyin, and the Chinese words for one, two, and three. The numbers represent his three children.

"And we just pushed it all together and called it Kyirisan."

He mixes his training in French cooking with his Chinese heritage to create new dishes. A popular dish is a seared scallops with coconut risotto and basil ice cream.

We simply wanted to match basil and coconut. And we got to this point where were like, well, lets just do something off the wall, and see what happens and the response was good.

Kyirisans success is due to the creative menu and food, Ma says. But a lot of it just comes from sheer hard work.

I think in this country you can create your own success, just by working hard. Not because youre smarter than anybody, not because youre more creative than anybody, just by working hard. And that's I think thats why a lot of people end up coming to America.

Im Marsha James.

Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver and Ashley Thompson edited it.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

Quiz - People in America: Tim Ma Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz



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Words In This Story

racism  n. poor treatment of or violence against people because of their race

come up - phrasal verb to occur in the course of time

dopey  adj. foolish or stupid

bully  v. to frighten, hurt, or threaten (a smaller or weaker person) : to act like a bully toward (someone)

change of heart  n. an important change in the way a person feels or thinks about something

culinary  adj. used in or relating to cooking

fundamental  adj. of or relating to the basic structure or function of something

consistency  n. the quality of being thick, firm, smooth, etc.

efficiency  n. the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy : the quality or degree of being efficient

cuisine - n. a style of cooking

heritage - n. the traditions, achievements, beliefs that are part of the history of a person or group


U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has traveled to Moscow in an effort to persuade Russia to end support for Syrian leader Bashar al Assad.

Tillersons trip follows the deadly chemical attack on civilians in Syria last week. Dozens of people were killed - including many women and children  and hundreds more were sickened. U.S. officials have blamed forces loyal to Assad for the attack.

In response, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on the Syrian airfield suspected of launching the attack. A total of 59 missiles were fired. U.S. officials said the missile strikes had damaged about 20 percent of Syrias air force capabilities.

"We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people," Tillerson said before leaving for Moscow. "Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role. Or Russia can maintain its alliance" with Syria and Iran.

Tillerson left for Russia after meeting with foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) nations in Italy. Speaking to reporters there, he said it is clear that Assads leadership is coming to an end.

He added that Moscow had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal under which Assad had promised to give up his chemical weapons.

"These agreements stipulated Russia as the guarantor of a Syria free of chemical weapons. It is unclear whether Russia failed to take this obligation seriously, or Russia has been incompetent. But this distinction doesn't much matter to the dead. We can't let this happen again."

There were no scheduled plans for Tillerson to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Russian media outlets cited unnamed sources as saying the two might meet.

Tillerson previously met with Putin while presiding over the Exxon Mobil oil company. He was awarded Russia's "Order of Friendship" by Putin in 2013.

The Syrian government has denied its forces carried out the chemical attack. It instead blamed rebel forces. Russia and Iran have been strong supporters of Assads government. Both have aided his forces in the conflict against rebel fighters.

Russia condemned the U.S. missile strikes in Syria. Before Tillersons arrival in Moscow, Putin said Russia had information about new "provocations" being planned. He suggested that opposition rebels could carry out chemical weapons attacks and attempt to blame Syria and Russia.

Putin did not provide further details. But he added, "It reminds me of the events in 2003 when U.S. envoys to the [U.N.] Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq. We have seen it already."

Russia has called for a United Nations investigation into the chemical attack in Syria.

Meanwhile, Turkey says tests have confirmed that the chemical used in the Syrian attack was the deadly nerve gas sarin.

Turkey's health minister said the conclusion was reached after blood and urine samples were examined. The samples were used in autopsies on three victims of the gas attacks that were brought from Syria.

Officials said the World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the tests.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story for VOA Learning English, based on reports from VOA News, the Associated Press and Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

sponsor  n. organization that supports and/or gives money to a person or another group

obligation  n. something a person does as a duty or because they think they have to do it

incompetent  adj. lacking in ability or skills

distinction  adj. quality or fact that makes something special or different

provocation  n. action or occurrence that causes someone to become angry or start doing something

autopsy - n. medical examination of a dead body to determine cause of death
The Trump administration has agreed to sell Nigeria up to twelve attack airplanes for its campaign against Boko Haram Islamic extremists.

The sale will continue despite concerns over abuses committed by Nigeria's security forces, according to U.S. officials.

The U.S. Congress is expected to be officially informed within weeks.

A long history

The sale of the aircraft to Nigeria has a long history. The country has been trying to buy them since 2015.

However, the Nigerian air force has been accused of bombing civilian targets at least three times in recent years.

In one incident on January 17 this year, a fighter jet repeatedly bombed a camp at Rann, near the border with Cameroon. Civilians fleeing from Boko Haram were living there.

Between 100 and 236 civilians and aid workers were killed, according to officials and community leaders' counts.

The bombing at Rann occurred on the same day the Obama administration planned to notify Congress of the aircraft sale to Nigeria. However, due to the incident, the sale was immediately put on hold.

In previous years, both the U.S. State Department and human rights groups have warned against the actions of the Nigerian military.

The State Department said in 2016 that the Nigerian government has taken few steps to investigate or charge soldiers who commit violations.

And in 2015 Amnesty International accused Nigeria's military of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The group accused Nigeria of the unauthorized killings of an estimated 8,000 Boko Haram suspects.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari promised to investigate the suspected abuses after he won office in 2015.

However, no soldier has yet been charged.

Nigerias military has denied the allegations.

Politically strategic

Despite concerns about human rights abuses in the country, selling the aircraft to Nigeria helps the U.S. achieve some of its goals.

The sale would improve the U.S. relationship with Nigeria, which is Africa's largest economy.

The country is also in a strategic geographic position. The north of Nigeria sits on the edge of the Sahel, an area that bridges North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. The Sahel has a desert-like climate and is not well governed. Experts warn that Islamic extremists like Boko Haram may expand their influence here.

J. Peter Pham is vice president of the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and the head of its Africa Center. Pham says that no country in Africa is more important for American interests than Nigeria.

In Trumps interests, too

The aircraft deal also supports Trump's political goals. The U.S. president has said he wants to support nations fighting Islamic extremism.

Trump also wants to increase U.S. manufacturing and create well-paid jobs for Americans. The aircraft he plans to sell Nigeria is made in Jacksonville, Florida.

After Congress is officially informed of the sale, lawmakers have 30 days to reject the deal.

However, a rejection is not likely. Many U.S. lawmakers support the sale, even if they are uncomfortable with the actions of the Nigerian military.

Senator Ben Cardin said this week that he is not trying to block the deal. But, he added, There is progress that needs to be made in protecting the civilian population."

Im Phil Dierking.

This story was originally written for Associated Press by Richard Lardner and Michelle Faull. Phil Dierking adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.

Do you it is a good idea for the United States to sell planes to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

extremists  n. someone who has extreme ideas about politics, religion, etc.

geographic - n. the natural features (such as rivers, mountains, etc.) of a place

strategic  adj. of or relating to a general plan that is created to achieve a goal in war, politics, etc., usually over a long period of time
Three days after a passenger was dragged off a plane, the head of United Airlines went on television Wednesday to apologize for the incident.

On Sunday, passenger David Dao refused to give up his seat on a flight from Chicago. The airline said it needed the seat and three others for employees. The 69-year-old doctor said he had patients to see the next morning in Louisville, Kentucky.

He was then carried out of his seat by security officers. Passengers said he appeared bloodied, and his lawyer told Reuters News Agency he was still hospitalized in Chicago as of Wednesday afternoon.

Oscar Munoz is Uniteds CEO, or chief executive officer. In his first response to the incident, Munoz defended the airlines employees and blamed the man for being disruptive and belligerent.

As videos showing Dao being dragged off the plane caused global outrage, on Wednesday, Munoz offered an apology.

"This can never, will never happen again," Munoz said on ABC television.

Johnathan Bernstein is head of a crisis management company. He said the apology is better late than never.

For companies in crisis, like United, Bernstein said it is important for their leaders to apologize and explain what steps they are taking to make sure the problem does not happen again.

Munoz, who became CEO of United Airlines in 2015, is far from the first corporate leader to face bad news stories.

Paul Argenti is a professor of corporate communications at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He wrote on the schools website about examples of companies that responded well and not so well to crises.

After one Malaysian Airlines plane disappeared and another was blown up, the airline tried to appeal to travelers sense of adventure, Argenti wrote.

Want to go somewhere, but dont know where, the airline tweeted. Argenti called it a poorly thought out marketing campaign.

But he said Starbucks responded well to a New York Times story about a single mom who had difficulty with her work schedules. The day after the story appeared, Starbucks announced it was changing the scheduling system to make it easier for employees to care for families.

Many businesses have faced crisis from bad news stories.

Ride sharing Uber Technologies

In recent months, Uber has faced a series of bad news stories. Among them was a story by a former Uber engineer. She wrote that sexual harassment was common at the company and went unpunished. In another incident, the companys CEO, Travis Kalanick, apologized after Bloomberg News showed a video of him yelling at an Uber driver.

Kalanick responded by saying he needed to grow up. And he promised to bring in a chief operating officer to help him run the company.

Phony bank accounts at Wells Fargo

Last year, top officials at Wells Fargo Bank resigned after reports that employees had set up bank accounts for customers without telling them.

The employees said they did this because their pay was based on impossible sales goals. Some said their complaints went unanswered by company supervisors.

The bank responded by running advertisements that promised to make things right for both customers and employees.

Maclaren strollers and lost fingers

In 2009, Maclaren, an English company, recalled one million strollers after 12 reports of childrens fingers being cut off.

The companys CEO, Farzad Rastegar, wrote in the Harvard Business Review that the company was not prepared for the crisis. So many people called their phones and went to the company website that both systems stopped working, he said.

We thought the PR (public relations) would handle itself and that our money would be better spent supporting the recall, Rastegar said of the negative news stories. We were wrong.

People getting sick after eating at Chipotle restaurants



In 2015, customers at Chipotle Mexican Grill became ill. Steve Ellis, the restaurants founder, went on NBC TVs Today Show to apologize.

Im sorry for the people who got sick. Theyve having a tough time and I feel terrible about that, Ellis said. Ellis ordered the shutdown of restaurants for top-to-bottom cleaning. But sales still fell.

Now, Chipotle is back with a new As Real as It Gets advertising campaign. Comedians appear inside a large burrito, saying Chipotle offers quality and natural food.

Nick Bell is a vice president at Cision, a public relations company.

Bell said people are willing to forgive if they feel theyve received a sincere apology and see positive change and action moving forward.

I'm Ashley Thompson.

And I'm Bruce Alpert.

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for Learning English, based on reports by Reuters News Agency and other sources. Hai Do was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page.

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Words in This Story

drag - v. to pull someone against the ground who is heavy or does not want to be moved

response - n. something that is said or written as a reply to something

disruptive - adj. to interrupt the normal progress or activity of something

belligerent - adj. angry and aggressive

adventure - n. an exciting or dangerous experience

harassment - n. to annoy or bother someone in a constant or repeated way

complaint - n. a statement that you are unhappy or not satisfied with something

stroller - n. a small carriage with four wheels that a baby or small child can ride in while someone pushes it

comedian - n. a person who performs in front of an audience and makes people laugh by telling jokes or funny stories

burrito - n. Mexican food that consists of a flour tortilla that is rolled or folded around a filling such as meat, beans, and cheese
This is Whats Trending Today.

Airline passengers around the world were upset when videos of a man being dragged off a United Airlines flight came out on Sunday night. The videos showed blood on the mans face after his confrontation with the police.

The airplane was completely full, but four airline employees still needed to get on the flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky.

So, the airline asked passengers to give up their seats in return for money and the chance to take another flight the next day. It is a common practice for airlines when they do not have enough available seats on a flight.

No one volunteered. So the airline said it would make a selection itself.

Three people decided to leave the plane without a problem after being told they had been chosen.

But one man resisted. The newspaper in Louisville reported Tuesday his name is David Dao.

Passengers say Dao told the airline crew he was a doctor and had patients to see on Monday.

Dao is 69. He has been practicing medicine in the U.S. since the 1970s.

Some passengers said Dao said he thought he was chosen to leave the plane because he was Chinese. A different news report and another passenger said the man was originally from Vietnam.

Airline employees asked police to help remove the man from his seat.

Videos of the incident quickly showed up on Twitter and Facebook. They showed Dao being dragged off the plane. Other videos recorded later showed him back on the plane with blood on his face, saying, I want to go home.

Eventually, Dao was removed from the plane and treated for his injuries. The flight was delayed for two hours as all the passengers had to leave the plane and get back on.

But as the news of the uncomfortable situation spread around the world, many people in China said they thought Dao had been chosen because he was Asian.

The Chinese social media site Sina Weibo was filled with comments about the incident. The New York Times reports one story had almost 300 million views and over 150,000 comments.

Readers said they thought the man was chosen because the airline thought, Asian-Americans are always obedient.

Other readers said the United States always challenges civil rights abuses in other countries. They wondered why United Airlines thought it could treat a passenger that way.

Many others said Asian people should boycott United Airlines.

United is one of the busiest U.S.-based airlines in Asia. There are almost 100 flights per week to China and Hong Kong. A boycott could cause financial problems for the airline.

Joe Wong is a Chinese-American comedian who called for a boycott. He used Sina Weibo to write that many Chinese people are afraid to speak about discrimination. He said that keeps media and authorities from taking complaints of discrimination against Asians seriously.

The Chinese website Global Times reported a popular social media post in China showed a photo of a United Airlines airplane. The caption read: If we cannot beat our competitors, we will beat our customers.

And thats Whats Trending Today.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting from the Associated Press, Louisville Courier-Journal, New York Times and Global Times. Hai Do was the editor.

What do you think of the way Dao was treated? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

confront  v. to oppose or challenge (someone) especially in a direct and forceful way

practice  n. something that is done often or regularly

uncomfortable  adj. causing a feeling of being embarrassed or uneasy

obedient  adj. willing to do what someone tells you to do or to follow a law, rule, etc. : willing to obey

motto  n. a short sentence or phrase that expresses a rule guiding the behavior of a particular person or group


Somalias ambassador to the United States says his embassy has learned that U.S. immigration officers plan to deport about 4,000 Somali nationals.

Ahmed Isse Awad is the Somali ambassador to the U.S. He spoke to the Voice of Americas Somali service on Saturday.

He said that most of those set to be removed are not in detention centers.

The Somali embassy in Washington reopened in November 2015. Since then, Awad said, about 170 Somali immigrants have been deported to Mogadishu, Somalias capital. Some of them broke U.S. law. Others applied for asylum but were denied.

Another group of Somalis whose asylum requests were denied are now in detention centers or prisons. They will soon be deported.

Fewer than 300 Somalis are currently set to be moved out in the next couple of months, Awad told VOA. He said that his embassy was waiting for information from U.S. authorities about who will be deported and when.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently arrested 82 people from 26 nations. This happened late last month during a five-day operation in and around Washington, D.C.

In a statement, ICE said 68 of those detained had previously been convicted of crimes.

Awad said a 50-year-old Somali man was among those detained last month. He identified himself as a top official in Somalias National Security Service. He had previously been deported to Somalia in 1996.

"According to ICE, he came back to the U.S. in 1997 under a different name," Awad said. "In 2014, he was jailed for 11 months for forgery and drug-related crimes.

Since then, Awad said, the man has committed other crimes.

U.S. immigration officials said eight of those arrested during ICE's recent operation had no known criminal records. They either had stayed longer than their visas permitted or ignored final orders to leave the country.

Somalis who have already been sent back to Somalia have told VOA they returned to a changed  and dangerous -- country.

Somalia has not had a strong central government for more than 25 years. Because of this, many nations have not forcibly returned Somali immigrants to Somalia because of safety concerns.

Immigration policies in the United States, however, have become increasingly strict under the administration of President Donald Trump.

Im Alice Bryant.

Mohamed Olad Hassan reported this story for VOAs Somali service. Alice Bryant adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

__________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

detention center - n. a place where people who have entered a country illegally are kept for a period of time

deport - n. to force a person who is not a citizen to leave the country

customs - n. an agency that enforces duties or taxes on imported goods

forgery - n. the crime of falsely making or copying a document in order to deceive people

strict - adj. used to describe a command or rule that must be obeyed
While the biggest names in a movie tend to score top billing, a film's overall success often depends on the chemistry of the entire ensemble rather than just one or two stars.
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.
LEXINGTON  The Dawson County Jail was recently recognized for its consistency and longevity in meeting jail quality standards.

An Excellence in Detention Facility Operations award was presented to the Dawson County Jail during a banquet at the Nebraska Jail Standards Conference on April 6 in Kearney.

Each year, dating back to 2002, two jails are recognized at the annual event which celebrated its 20th year this year.

The award is given to jails that are consistently in compliance with state mandated jail standards, said Dan Evans, criminal representative over field operations with the Nebraska Crime Commission.

He said Dawson County was noteworthy for building a new jail in 1993 and its standards in operating the facility since, which have led to contracts with the U.S. Marshals Office, immigration and other counties.

The Dawson County Jails ability to secure and maintain those contracts is seen as a mark of success and notoriety, said Evans.

It showed that the county was capable of providing housing and maintaining contracts. These agencies dont want to risk liability by housing their detainees and inmates in a facility where there would be liability, he said.

Dawson County has a long history of such contracts which generates revenue for the county and takes the tax burden off local residents, said Evans.

The award was recommended by jail inspection staff, which took into consideration a review of the past 20 years, he said. Evans said Dawson County was more than deserving of the award.

He said the award recognizes an outstanding sheriff, Gary Reiber, and also the efforts of jail supervisors and staff. Evans said the last three jail supervisors were key people in the Dawson County Jail receiving an award: the late Renee Botts, Lt. Kay Enyeart and Lt. Shane Tilson, the current jail administrator.

Dawson County has achieved a great success. We have some fine folks doing some good work, said Evans.

All political things considered, building a new jail is not easily done, said Evans. He said the other jail recognized at this years convention was the newly constructed Antelope County Jail in Neligh, which was recognized with an administrative award because Sheriff Robert Moore was successful in replacing a 1960s era jail with a new facility.

It means a lot to be recognized by the Jail Standards Board, said Tilson, Dawson Countys current jail administrator.

He said credit for the award is shared with former jail administrators, Kay Enyeart and the late Renee Botts.

I also have to give credit to my staff, the experienced employees for their knowledge and the younger staff who bring excitement and drive, said Tilson.

He also credited Sheriff Gary Reibers knowledge of jail standards, noting that Reiber was formerly a member of the Jail Standards Board, where he served for at least 15 years.
LEXINGTON  Lexington Public Schools is taking a middle ground approach in response to requests for clarification on where it stands regarding recent executive orders.

Sisters and former LHS graduates Gladys Godinez, Class of 2000, and Rosangela Godinez, Class of 2008, asked the Lexington Board of Education to make a public statement to reassure parents that kids are safe in school in light of recent executive orders impacting immigration and expedited removal for undocumented individuals.

Rosangela is an attorney in Lexington with Justice for Our Neighbors, an Omaha based nonprofit offering free immigration-related legal services. Gladys is in the process of launching a non-profit organization in support of immigrant families.

During Monday nights board meeting, Superintendent John Hakonson shared four points of student protection under LPS policy and law, summarized as follows:

1. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA, and board policy protect the privacy of student records. The only personal information available without a warrant is that which is included in the schools Routine Directory Information policy.

2. The Supreme Court case Plyler v. Doe established that public schools cannot discriminate on the basis of whether a student is, or is not, documented. LPS does not collect or share that information.

3. In accordance with LPS policy regarding interactions with law enforcement, the district attempts to contact parents if students are to be removed from school or are to be questioned as the subject of a police investigation.

4. In the event of an ICE raid affecting the parents or guardians of LPS students, the school would activate its student crisis team. The team would triage with students and their families to assist in providing support. ICE is an acronym for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Hakonson said the schools challenge in emergency scenarios is not having up to date contact information for parents and guardians.

It is always important that families provide the school with accurate emergency contact information including up to date phone numbers, said Hakonson. He said the school frequently has problems with outdated phone numbers.

The Godinez sisters asked that LPS distribute the information shared at the board meeting with parents in some way, such as through notes sent home from the school.

Hakonson told the Clipper-Herald that school officials havent had a group of parents or students coming to them with major concerns, but realized the Godinez sisters may be more familiar with parent concerns that exist.

The board doesnt want to weigh in to the politics of the executive orders. The board wanted to put facts out there without getting into politics, said Hakonson after the board meeting of why facts were presented, but there was no attempt at an official statement.

Were trying to find that balance of answering questions without making it a political issue, he said.

Hakonson said the request to make a statement had been discussed in committee meetings with the feeling that being silent wasnt the right answer, but passing a resolution seemed too political.

Hakonson said the split vote in Omaha when Omaha Public Schools passed a resolution, made it seem like the board wasnt in agreement, when the dissenters on the board said they thought a resolution was unnecessary because of laws and policies already in place.

The board approved the purchase of social studies curriculum materials, paying $12,685 to Pearson for myWorld History Early Ages and $32,600 to National Geographic Learning for U.S. history and geography materials.

These items will be used by Lexington Middle School students, with sixth grade studying geography; seventh grade, ancient history; and eighth grade American history, said Hakonson.

The social studies materials currently in use are significantly outdated, said Julie Myers, LPSs director of curriculum, instruction and assessment.

We do not purchase a book per student, Myers told the board. Instead most materials used are computer based, with a set of books purchased to use within the classroom as backup if there are computer issues.

During committee reports, board members were told there is uncertainty over future funding of the after school programs when a grant expires in a year. The district is exploring various options, including a partnership with YMCA.

Currently the elementary schools receive $105,000 a year from the 21st Century grant and Lexington Middle School receives $72,000. We dont want to subsidize that (program) from the districts general fund, said Hakonson.

Board members approved a transportation request from the Class of 1977 for use of a school bus during their upcoming class reunion as they tour school facilities.

In other business the board accepted resignations from Morton Kindergarten teacher Ashley Axmann, Lexington High School math teacher Jennifer Evans, Lexington Middle School language arts teacher Amy Hadley, Pershing Elementary fifth-grade teacher Heather Holub, Lexington High School industrial technology teacher Michael Jorgenson, Sandoz Elementary second grade teacher Whitney Kuss, director of student services Teresa Schneider and school nurse Jeanne Wilke.

They approved the hiring of Zach Wayman as a high school social studies teacher.

Cristina Ruiz, a para educator with LPS for the past eight years who worked with special education students, was introduced to the board as the districts new administrative assistant, replacing Eunice DeLeon.

Hakonson said uncertainty regarding state funding means the district doesnt plan to fill some positions, such as two elementary teachers and a school nurse.
NOGALES  Nogales, Arizona, and Nogales, Sonora, share something more meaningful than their city name. They also share a source of water that is vital to their region of the border.

Officials from Sonora and Arizona say binational water cooperation is essential to their survival and growth. Both also acknowledge the relationship related to water and the issues involved.

We know that Arizona wouldnt be Arizona without water, probably our most precious resource, said Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan. People dont realize that things are grown in other countries.

Border towns commonly share water resources. In this case, both cities share the Santa Cruz River. At 184 miles in length, it flows from Arizona to Sonora and back into Arizona.

One organization that works to promote water cooperation between the two countries is the Sonoran Institute. Its CEO, Stephanie Sklar, says binational cooperation around water is essential and that the Sonoran Institute works with lawmakers to promote it.

Theres nowhere that we work that we are not dependent upon what is happening to a river or range of rivers that are providing sustenance to communities, Sklar said.

Politicians from both sides of the border said they acknowledge that most of the issues related to water have originated on the Mexican side of the river.

We are doing our part regarding water research with not only the water that comes through Nogales but the water that comes through the Santa Cruz, said Sonoran Secretary of State Miguel Pompa. That way the contaminated water does not come down to this side. We are working on that.

Pompa said that local, state, and federal governments in Mexico are cooperating to create a first of its kind solar water treatment plant in Sonora. Water treatment on the Santa Cruz is done in the U.S.

(Map by Tynin Fries/Cronkite News)

What we are currently doing  and it is working  is treating the residual water in Nogales and sending clean water into the U.S., said Esteban Martinez, a city councilman from Nogales, Sonora.

Pompa also said that federal governments on both sides are to blame for most of the issues pertaining to water in that Washington and Mexico City dont understand the border because they arent on the border.

Echoing Pompa, Sklar also said she hopes federal politicians minimize interference with water around the border.

I would like to not be distracted from what we do by politics taking the front seat, she said. Were very connected to the land in the West and we are very connected to our natural resources. That is something that I think transcends politics  a river cant be healthy on one side and not healthy on the other.

Nogales, Arizona, Mayor John F. Doyle said he commonly deals with issues related to mishandling of water on the Mexican side. He said factories in Sonora dump toxic waste into shared waterways.

He added that drug cartels commonly use the sewers that run under the border wall to transport bundles of narcotics. These bundles have caused dams in the waterways which lead to infrastructure problems such as blocked pipes and overflowing sewers.

What we want to see is that (the Sonoran government is) more on top of things and that the revelations dont just come from this side, Doyle said. If not, we end up dealing with this problem here.

Many factories in Sonora are owned by American companies. Under the NAFTA agreement, their waste is to be treated by American waste water plants.

Gilbert Anaya, an environmental engineer with the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC), said he focuses on educating factories in Sonora in order to combat some of the issues with water pollution.

International wastewater treatment is handled by the IBWC plant in Nogales. It treats about 9.9 million gallons of water from Mexico a day.

The goal is to educate them and say dont do it this way, and if you have waste that you need to dispose of, you need to know who to call, Anaya said. You arent going to get in trouble for calling and asking for help. You cant get rid of any waste without doing it properly.

Anaya said some of these American-owned factories, also known as maquiladoras, contract to smaller local Mexican companies which can lead to miscommunication and improper treatment of waste.

Youre shooting yourself in the foot; youre going to hurt yourself and everybody else if you dont treat your waste properly, Anaya said.

Recently leaders from both countries met to discuss issues pertaining to water cooperation. Doyle and other lawmakers, politicians, and business people from Sonora and Arizona gathered in Nogales, Arizona, to discuss the economic growth in the border region. The panel consisted of Reagan, Pompa and Doyle, who brought up water issues related to agriculture.

People dont realize that the food they buy isnt grown here (in Arizona), Reagan said. (It) is one of the biggest things I was surprised by coming down here.
The potential of mountain tourism to foster economic development, as well as to raise awareness on environmental protection, was the major topic addressed at the 3rd World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference. The event was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on 4-7 April, under the patronage of the Ministries of Tourism and of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

More than 300 participants from 32 countries gathered for the conference.

Opening the event, Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili said: "It is significant to note that mountains make up more than 65% of the country's landscape, and the government has been active in effectively using the aforementioned resource and advancing opportunities in tourism. According to various studies, Georgian ski destinations have the potential to generate more than 300 million US dollars in revenues from visitors. In this light, the Government of Georgia has focused considerable financial resources on sustainable development of the country's mountain destinations, including implementation of major infrastructural projects."

"Besides its economic potential for remote areas and isolated regions, mountain tourism is a key catalyst to raise awareness on sustainable tourism and to help us become more committed travelers, institutions and enterprises, a challenge especially pertinent at the present moment as we are celebrating the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development," said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General.

The conference was structured around five key sessions conducted by 25 international speakers from 17 countries:

Sustainable tourism in mountain destinations: challenges and long-term outlook Mountain resort planning: an integrated planning approach and illustration of good practices in developing mountain destinations Investment and incentive policies: legislative framework and investment-friendly practices Product diversification and attracting new markets: a strategic approach to improve the positioning of mountain destinations New revolutionary tools for mountain destinations: innovation and the digital media

Prior to the conference, eight companies and associations joined the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism: Adjara Group Hospitality; Caucasus Travel; Explore Georgia; Georgian Events, Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association; Georgian Tourism Association (GTA); Living Roots; and Tourist Agency 'VisitGeorgia'.

On the occasion, UNWTO Secretary-General Rifai was awarded the Order of Honor by Prime Minister Kvirikashvili for his contribution to the development of tourism in Georgia, for strengthening the relationship between UNWTO and Georgia, and for raising awareness about Georgia as a tourism destination internationally.

About The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is the United Nations specialized agency fostering tourism as a vehicle for equal, inclusive and sustainable development. Working with its Member States, international organizations and the private sector, UNWTO promotes safe and seamless travel for all. UNWTO also works to make tourism the foundation of trust and international cooperation and a central pillar of recovery. As part of the wider UN system, UNWTO is at the forefront of global efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through its ability to create decent jobs, promote equality and preserve natural and cultural heritage.

Follow UNWTO on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin.

Rut Gomez Sobrino

Principal Media Officer

(+34) 91 567 81 60

UNWTO
McDonalds Macau marked its 30th anniversary yesterday, launching a McDonalds Macau 30th Anniversary Memories Playland at the Science Center to celebrate with the local community.

Open to the public until May 7, the Memories Playland takes customers on a trip down memory lane via the iconic McDonalds characters on display, set amongst some of Macaus most well known backdrops.

The area also includes an exhibition of happy meal toys that were made available three decades ago.

McDonalds Macau opened its first restaurant on Rua do Campo on April 11, 1987.

Currently there are 29 restaurants in the territory.

According to the management, three more restaurants will be added this year, but they have yet to disclose the areas.

Michelle Ho, CEO of Golden Burger (Macau) Food Company Limited and Developmental Licensee for McDonalds Macau, told the press that the addition of restaurants is part of a bid to further expand its business.

We will continue to grow the business [and] more [will be set up] in the subsequent years, she revealed.

Combining the Zhuhai, Zhongshan and Macau stores, the firm is currently operating 79 McDonalds restaurants.

The CEO also stressed that the firm has not seen a plunge in its profit for a decade.

Our business continues to grow [] We have not seen a decline in our business for over 10 years, she said.

Also speaking on the sidelines of the event, John Ho, founder and Chairman Emeritus of McDonalds Macau, told the press that he had no regrets in launching the first McDonalds in Macau despite the pressure of bringing an American food chain to the then-insignificant territory.

There were a lot of naysays, he recalled, adding that the concept of fast food was not popular back then as residents were used to having a three-hour lunch break.

The founder assured the customer base that McDonalds Hong Kong and Macau acquires some of the best products compared to other Asian countries.

When asked what the differences were in the management of McDonalds Macau, the chairman briefly said, No difference, we just do it better.

The Macau company employs more than 1,200 staff. Five of them have been working from the very beginning and were awarded at the event yesterday.

Further, over one-third of the management team has a tenure of at least 20 years with McDonalds Macau.
The Gongbei tunnel in the Hong KongZhuhaiMacau Bridge (HKZMB) has been completed. A ceremony was organized on Monday to celebrate the event. The tunnel is the only channel that connects Zhuhai to the bridges main body. It is 2,741 meters long and is designed with six lanes. In order to construct the tunnel, the workers dug 255 meters underground, which took five years and cost RMB400 million, which is 40 times the price of producing a normal tunnel. The upper side of the tunnel is for vehicles driving from Hong Kong to Zhuhai, and the lower part is for vehicles traveling from Zhuhai to Hong Kong.

Guangdong sees high rate of product quality failure

In 2016, Guangdong detained more than 5,500 people and arrested 3,757 (of which 2,578 were charged), for getting involved in the production or selling of counterfeit products. The province discovered over 60 locations that were producing counterfeit products. Childrens clothing has been listed as one of the primary inspection points, with 189 violations found from 2,800 inspections. Childrens clothing produced in Guandong and sold via online platforms has a 57.5 percent failure rate.

Casino dealer arrested for domestic violence

A 38-year-old male Macau resident has been arrested for nine years of domestic violence, the Judiciary Police said yesterday. The suspect married his 32-year-old wife in 2008. The wife said that the man has a gambling habit, and would ask her for money every month after losing it to gambling. According to the wife, if she refused to give him money, her husband would physically abuse her, mainly over her head, hands and feet. On March 20, the suspect asked his wife for money, which she did not give. Afterwards, the man grabbed a knife from the kitchen to threaten his wife and their three-year-old daughter. The woman reported the abuse to the police five days later.
Chinas use of the death penalty remains shrouded in secrecy and still outpaces the rest of the world combined, even after the nations execution rate fell sharply over the past decade, human rights activists said yesterday.

Amnesty International reported 1,032 state-sponsored executions worldwide in 2016, excluding China, where the true number is unknown because the government considers it a state secret. The group said it believes China executed thousands, but it didnt offer a more precise estimate due to a lack of accurate information.

The human rights group Dui Hua estimates about 2,000 executions took place in China last year, down from a 6,500 a decade ago, said the groups executive director, John Kamm. The tally was based on research into lower-

level court cases and contacts with government officials and Chinese and Western legal scholars, Kamm said.

Amnesty said its figure for worldwide executions excluding China represents a 37 percent drop from 2015. The United States recorded 20 executions, its fewest in 25 years, in part because of court rulings and shortages of chemicals used in lethal injections.

Yet as other countries shift away from capital punishment, China increasingly is seen as an outlier, said Amnesty International East Asia Director Nicholas Bequelin.

Government officials did not immediately comment on Amnestys report. But Chinas chief justice, Zhou Qiang, told the national legislature last month that over the past decade executions were limited to an extremely small number of criminals for extremely serious offenses.

China has faced longstanding pressure from the international community to curb its use of the death penalty, which reached a frenzy in 1983 with 24,000 executions after provincial courts were given powers to mete out capital punishment, according to Dui Hua.

The nation also has faced criticism for harvesting organs from executed inmates, including for sale to patients from overseas. China banned the practice in 2015 but Bequelin said its impossible to know whether organ harvesting for profit has ceased because the legal system operates within a black box with little transparency.

China is trying to have it both ways, both getting credit and allaying international pressure over the death penalty in the county, while maintain and enforcing an elaborate system of secrecy, Bequelin said.

Oversight of death sentence cases was returned to Chinas highest court, the Supreme Peoples Court, in 2007. Since that time, the government has narrowed which crimes can bring capital punishment but still lists more than three dozen eligible offenses, including treason, separatism, spying, arson, murder, rape, robbery and human trafficking.

Chinese legal scholar Hong Daode contended that 90 percent of executions last year were for homicide cases.

There has been a long tradition in China that the one that has taken peoples lives should pay with his own life, said Hong, a professor of criminal law at China University of Political Science and Law.

However, Susan Trevaskes of Australias Griffith University, concluded in a recent study that close to half of all death sentences were handed down for drug crimes.

Efforts to reform how such cases are handled by the courts have been frustrated by the governments attitude that all drug crimes constitute a threat to society, according to Trevaskes, author of the 2012 book The Death Penalty in Contemporary China.

Thats despite the fact that many perpetrators are low-level mules  typically poor, rural residents hired by traffickers to transport their illicit contraband but who reap minimal profit from the work, Trevaskes said.

Whatever the breakdown, Dui Huas Kamm said the number of executions in China remains a national embarrassment.

Pushing for the Chinese government to release the number is perhaps the most effective way to drive it down, he said.

Hong and others faulted Amnesty for claiming in its report that verdicts on only 85 executions between 2014 and 2016 showed up on a supreme court website, out of at least 931 that the human rights group tallied through public news reports.

Among the cases omitted were the executions of foreigners for drug crimes and people accused of terrorism in Chinas in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, the group said.

But Hong said the website was never intended to provide a comprehensive database of executions and likely only includes verdicts intended to influence society or guide future trials. Matthew Brown, Beijing, AP
As reported yesterday by the Times, former New Macau Association (ANM) leader Jason Chao announced this week the launch of his new election monitoring project, titled Project Just Macau.

The purpose of the project, hosted at JustMacau.net, is to serve as a secure communication channel for residents to submit information and complaints on the Legislative Assembly (AL) elections due to be held in September.

It aims to complement  or substitute  official channels that lack transparency, according to the social activist, while at the same time monitor Macau authorities such as the Electoral Affairs Commission.

Speaking to the Times last night, Chao said that another of the projects major aims is to compile a public record of complaints, their nature and against whom they are directed.

This is key because in the past we could not see how many complaints were actually investigated, he said. I was deeply concerned with the reporting by the authorities during previous elections [] there were a lot of things that just should not have happened.

He said that while he has his own private expectations for the nature of the complaints, this was not the time to disclose them.

I am hoping for wide public participation [instead], said Chao. It is time for all citizens to join hands and be the guardians of election fairness.

Asked what the organization will do after receiving and handling the complaints, Chao said that it would forward some of them to the relevant authorities, taking note of requests for privacy and anonymity.

However, in taking up the role of watchdog, Chao risks the ire of the government that has on previous occasions clamped down on similar political activism.

A referendum on the chief executive election in 2014 provoked security forces in Macau to arrest organizers on the basis of personal privacy violations.

The law provides no justification for me to intervene in election fairness, but there is [also] no law prohibiting citizens [from] monitoring the election, Chao told the Times. This [the monitoring] will allow us to check that the authorities are doing their job.

He said that the authorities have not contacted him about the project, but admitted that it was possible they might do so in the future.

If it poses a threat to their [the governments] credibility well, then I dont know, he said. But we have to defend our freedom to the greatest extent under the current political circumstances.

According to the organizations webpage, a Webinar on Election Monitoring will be held on April 19 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., where Chao will answer questions from the media and the public on a live video link.

The former ANM leader said that he was uncertain about the future of his new organization beyond the AL elections conclusion in September. He also said he could not comment at this time on his own future political ambitions, but one way or another, he plans to stay involved in social activism.
Conrad Macao, Cotai Central marked its fifth anniversary yesterday by launching a limited edition of Conrad Macaos bespoke Bear and Duck in glossy black.

Guests who stay at Conrad Macao from April 10 will receive the Celebration Glossy Black Bear as a complementary gift on the day of arrival.

Those looking for an exclusive gift can also purchase a 30-centimeter tall anniversary bear, presented in a gift box, from the hotels gift shop, according to a press release issued by Conrad Macao.

Conrad Macaos collection of signature bears have become collectors items since the hotel opened in April 2012.

In addition to the signature gold bear that guests receive when they stay at Conrad Macao, there is also an exclusive collection of four bears produced every year.

Liquid metal is the inspiration behind the 2017 Conrad Macao bespoke limited edition Bears and Ducks, where the collection is made of shimmering silver, glossy black, shining red and polished pink colors.

MGM supports Le French May exhibition

Le French May Art Festival will be presenting TresOrs, an exhibition especially tailored for the festival, supported and sponsored by Le Musee a la Carte and MGM respectively.

French Curator, Anne Camilli, founder of Le Musee a la Carte, created the exhibition with the goal of assisting the public in Hong Kong and Macau to discover how the richness of gold has inspired French artists and craftsmen throughout the course of history.

The exhibition will present a unique selection of creations and artifacts, with over 150 works brought together for the first time ever.

According to a statement, among the works are religious pieces from the Musee Notre-Dame de Fourviere in Lyon, 18th and 19th century clocks and watches from the Musee de lHorlogerie de Morteau.

A 1930s sculpture  La Jeune Fille a la Colombe  by Zadkine, jewels from the Boucheron collection and 20th century French artists, a gold embroidered clutch by Van Cleef and Arpels are amongst the items that will also be presented.
Police said an anti-corruption commission investigator leading a probe into a scandal that threatens to implicate high-profile Indonesian politicians was attacked yesterday with a chemical as he returned from dawn prayers.

Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono said Novel Baswedan was attacked by two assailants on a motorcycle after leaving a neighborhood mosque. He said police are still investigating.

Local media described the incident as an acid attack. Images that circulated online showed Baswedans eyes and forehead swollen and discolored.

The anti-corruption commission is currently prosecuting a case in which it alleges about 80 conspirators and several companies stole more than a third of the funds provided for a USD440 million electronic identity card system in 2011 and 2012.

Some of those allegedly implicated have key roles in President Joko Jokowi Widodos governing coalition. They include the justice minister, a former interior minister, the current speaker of parliament and two provincial governors. The names were revealed in an indictment presented to a special corruption court last month at the start of a trial of two Interior Ministry officials.

Jokowi said he has ordered police to investigate the barbaric attack on Baswedan and capture the assailants.

Baswedan was arrested by the national police in May 2015 when he was accused of fatally shooting a detainee while serving as a police officer in Bengkulu province in 2004.

A public uproar resulted in police dropping the case. Many activists believed police were seeking revenge for Baswedans role in investigating corruption among senior officers. AP
Part of Macao Orchestras Concert Season 2016-17, Chamber Voyage  Loving Words from Brahms offered a rare glimpse into Johannes Brahmss well-guarded, hence little-know, world of intimate tenderness. Interpreted by six members of Macao Orchestras strings section, String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 18 filled the nostalgically cosy interior of Dom Pedro V Theatre with warmth  affectionate and infectious in equal measures.

Notwithstanding his glorious beard rivalled by perhaps only Karl Marx (1818-1883) and Friedrich Engels (1820-1895), Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was no revolutionary; far from it, both in life and music. Born into a Lutheran family in Hamburg, the young Johannes Brahms would often spend time in Schleswig-Holstein, wherein the Brahms family originated. The subject-matter of the eponymous Schleswig-Holstein Question, the Duchy of Schleswig and Duchy of Holstein had for decades been sitting precariously within the overlapping spheres of influence of the Kingdom of Denmark and the German Confederation. Despite his family origins from the far-flung corner of tapered German influence, Johannes Brahms was rarely, if ever, questioned about his Germanness. On the contrary, he may yet be the epitome of German  in the broadest sense of the word, including Austrian  classical music traditions.

His father Johann Jakob Brahms (1806-1872), himself a moderately successful musician, was the one who sowed the seeds of his sons musical Germanness. Whilst still a child, Johannes Brahms studied piano under German pianist Otto Friedrich Willibald Cossel (1813-1865), then under the tutelage of his teacher, German pianist and composer Eduard Marxsen (18061887). Himself a personal acquaintance of Franz Peter Schubert (1797-1828) and Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), disciple of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) and Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), and admirer of Georg Friedrich Handel (1685-1759) and Johann Adolph Hasse (1699-1783), Eduard Marxsen would instil, indeed ensure, in Johannes Brahms an orthodox continuation of German classical music traditions. Of all composers, Ludwig van Beethoven was in all probability the one Johannes Brahms venerated the most. In eternal rest, both were buried in the musicians corner of Wiener Zentralfriedhof (Vienna Central Cemetery).

I believe in Bach, the Father; Beethoven, the Son; and Brahms, the Holy Ghost of music.

Hans Guido Freiherr von Bulow on Johannes Brahms

Trained in and adept at both piano and violin, arguably the two most important instruments throughout his career, Johannes Brahms in his early days wrote a number of works for piano, chamber music and choir, which did not go unnoticed by Clara Schumann (1819-1896), the virtuoso pianist and composer wife of Robert Schumann (1810-1856), who in turn exalted the young Johannes Brahms. A leitmotif in his life, one which concerns his personality traits, was hence triggered. Already an extreme perfectionist  a condition, not self-congratulation  Johannes Brahms became ever more self-critical, to the point that he repeatedly revised his own compositions, even destroyed his early works, left others unpublished, and took 21 years  from 1855 to 1876  to complete his Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, hailed by the German virtuoso pianist, composer and conductor Hans Guido Freiherr von Bulow (1830-1894) as Ludwig van Beethovens Tenth.

The other leitmotif apparent in Johannes Brahmss life was his absolute devotion to family and friends. Although widely known amongst contemporaries for being brusque, Johannes Brahms pledged unwavering loyalty to members of his inner circle. Following Robert Schumanns attempted suicide and confinement to a mental sanatorium in 1854, he continued to support his benefactress Clara Schumann. Subsequent to his mothers death in 1865, he began composing the monumental Ein Deutsches Requiem, Op. 45. Family members and close friends were oftentimes both the cause and inspiration of his major compositions.

One of Johannes Brahmss only two music love letters, String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 18 was composed in 1860, merely one year after his engagement to an Agathe von Siebold  his last love, in his own words  was broken off, plunging him into agony. As Macao Orchestras six-

strong ensemble permeated the intramurals of Dom Pedro V Theatre with lyrical melodies movement after movement, one could not help thinking that the recipient of this moving piece would have been Agathe von Siebold. Ranging from cordially emotional to tragically poignant, the sextet drew to a vigorous close with renewed confidence, reminiscent of a budding, 27-year-old composer finding his feet again, maturing in the arduous journey of adulthood. Johannes Brahms would remain a lifelong bachelor, leading a simple  almost Spartan  life, despite the small fortune he amassed. Whether his supposed emotional sternness was the result of the aforementioned trauma, musicologists can only second-guess.

String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 18 was as explicit as it could possibly be for a composer renowned for his steadfast position on absolute music, who never wrote a single opera, the quintessence of programme music advocated by disciples of Neudeutsche Schule (New German School), notably Richard Wagner (1813-1883); or symphonic poem, propagated by Franz Liszt (1811-1886), the leading figure of the said movement. Both Leipzig-

based traditionalist conservatives and Weimar-based radical progressives claimed Ludwig van Beethoven as their very own champion  in the same way as both classical liberalism and Marxism claimed to be the brainchild of Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)  yet locked horns over various fundamental issues.

For the radical progressives, Ludwig van Beethoven ushered in a brand new era in music history, wherein sky was the limit for, inter alia, chromatic harmony and orchestration. For the traditionalist conservatives, St. Ludwig van Beethoven the Great shall remain the insurmountable apogee of music. With intricate structure, authentic counterpoints, enriched harmony, motivic saturation and occasionally rhythmic asymmetry, Johannes Brahmss compositional style is admired for maintaining a classical sense of form and order. In this regard, String Sextet No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 18 was a genuinely personal and intensely emotional piece composed by a young Johannes Brahms, at a time when the politics and strife of music had yet to come into play.

A comforting and engaging weekend evening concert, suitable for the initiated and newcomers alike, as musicians demonstrated tacit understanding between one another. The performance could have been rendered yet more persuasive, if only the acoustics at the historic Dom Pedro V Theatre were not so dry. A specialised venue, one similar to Londons Wigmore Hall, would have been ideal. Meanwhile, a much needed purpose-

built concert hall is what will propel Macao Orchestra, as well as the general classical music scene in Macao, to the next level.

Dom Pedro V theatre

Constructed in 1860 and named after Pedro V, King of Portugal, the neoclassical Dom Pedro V Theatre is the first European-style theatre in China, and one of the first in Asia. It has been an integral part of the designated site of the Historic Centre of Macao enlisted on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2005.
In 2016, the government spent MOP1 billion on the Macau Light Rail Transit (LRT) project bringing the bill to a total of MOP9.2 billion, the Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Raimundo do Rosario, said yesterday at a meeting of the Legislative Assembly Follow-up Committee on Land and Public Concession Affairs.

After the meeting, the president of the Committee, lawmaker Ho Ion Sang, informed the media that the government told us that the cost [of the LRT project] is according to the forecast. Back in 2011, Rosario estimated the budget for the first phase of the project, which includes the Taipa line and the connection to the transport hub in Barra, to amount to MOP11 billion.

Rosario reassured that the Taipa section will be running in 2019 and reported that the Transportation Infrastructure Office will be extinct in 2018. RM
A crude pipeline to southwestern China through its neighbor Myanmar began operations after years of delays, allowing the worlds second-biggest oil user to receive supplies faster from the Middle East and Africa.

A Suezmax-sized tanker, which can hold 140,000 metric tons (about 1 million barrels) of crude, began offloading oil for the pipeline on Monday at Myanmars Made Island, according to Chinas official Xinhua News Agency. Operations on the line, which was completed in 2014 and originally scheduled to start the same year, are beginning after the government of Myanmar agreed to lower transit fees, Wang Dongjin, president of PetroChina Co., said last month.

The link, which allows China to import crude from the Middle East and Africa without having to ship through the Straits of Malacca and into the South China Sea, is part of President Xi Jinpings One Belt, One Road infrastructure and trade development plan stretching across Asia to Africa and Europe.

It may send a message to those countries that are still hesitating about whether to participate that the initiative is Chinas top national strategy and can bring economic benefits to participants, said Fan Hongwei, an international relations professor at Xiamen University who specializes in Myanmar.

For Myanmar, the initial benefits are probably minimal, said Suresh Sivanandam, a senior research manager for Asia refining at Wood Mackenzie Ltd. The country may get a small amount of oil and some revenue from oil storage and pipeline tariff fees, while experience from China in building energy infrastructure will be a boon for the country later, he said.

Myanmar is growing very fast, and sooner rather than later they might need more oil refineries, Sivanandam said. The process of building energy infrastructure should help them in the long run to meet growing domestic demand.

China and Myanmar on Monday signed an agreement on the pipeline, as well as eight other cooperation documents, after talks between Xi and Myanmar President Htin Kyaw, state-

run China Daily reported.

The pipeline ends in Chinas Yunnan province, where PetroChina has built an oil refinery with the capacity to process 13 million tons a year (about 261,000 barrels a day) of crude.

PetroChina finished building the refinery in the provincial capital Kunming about six months ago and has been waiting for pipeline deliveries to start, according to Sivanandam. It will take about 12 million barrels of crude to fill the pipeline before deliveries can start, he said. MDT/Bloomberg
A law student seeking employment after graduation lands in a conspiracy inside the U.S. Supreme Court in The Outsider, Anthony Franzes latest legal thriller.

Grayson Hernandez gets a job with the court, but its in the mailroom. He listens to the various clerks discuss the cases and dreams of one day being in their company as an equal. One evening while heading home, he witnesses a mugging in the parking garage and intervenes. He ends up stopping the attack and saving the victim, who happens to be the Chief Justice of the United States. As a thank you, the head of the Supreme Court appoints him as a law clerk.

His happiness is short-lived, however, when FBI Special Agent Emma Milstein approaches him and asks for help. The case shes investigating involves murder that may be connected to the Supreme Court. She wants him to be an informant, and he reluctantly agrees. As he secretly begins investigating his fellow law clerks and the justices, he soon realizes that everything seems to be pointing at him being the one the FBI is seeking.

Descriptions of the law and how the Supreme Court operates are engaging, and Franze knows how to showcase the ins and outs of that world without diving into too much legalese.

Readers unfamiliar with elements of the justice system will still find this a satisfying mystery. Its like a mix of John Grisham and Scott Turow alongside the inner workings of the court system. Toss it all together and the end result is this winning novel.

Jeff Ayers, AP
At least nine people were killed yesterday in a gunbattle between Philippine forces and suspected Abu Sayyaf militants on a central resort island, far from the extremists southern jungle bases and in a region where the U.S. government has warned that the gunmen may be plotting kidnappings, officials said.

Military officials said at least five gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman had died in the ongoing gunbattle in a village in the coastal town of Inabanga in Bohol province. The island province is known for its beach resorts and wildlife and lies near Cebu province, a regional commercial and tourism center.

National police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said troops and policemen attacked the gunmen early yesterday in Inabanga, where the gunmen had arrived aboard three boats. The gunmen took cover in three houses as the firefight broke out.

Government forces seized control of two of the houses, and the rest of the gunmen either were in the third house or had fled the area, dela Rosa told reporters.

If it is proven that the gunmen were from the Abu Sayyaf, it may be the groups first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the heartland of the central Philippines, far from its jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

Bohol island, where one of the worlds smallest primates, called tarsiers, are found, drawing many tourists, lies about 640 kilometers (400 miles) southeast of Manila. Bohol is about an hour away by boat from Cebu province, a bustling commercial and tourism hub in the region.

Abu Sayyaf militants have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists in the past.

If we were not able to monitor this and engage them with our government forces, its a cause for alarm if they were able to carry out kidnappings, dela Rosa said.

Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano told The Associated Press that military intelligence operatives had been trying to track down the movements of the suspected militants, who first traveled from Sulu to southern Zamboanga peninsula. Intelligence later indicated the gunmen landed ashore in Inabanga, prompting military and police officials to deploy their forces, he said.

The gunmen traveled on board motor boats along a river to Inabangas Napo village, where government forces assaulted them, military spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said, adding that troops recovered four rifles and a homemade bomb from the slain gunmen.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila recently advised Americans to take precautions amid unsubstantiated yet credible information of possible kidnappings by terrorists in Bohol, nearby Cebu province and other central areas.

The United States and the Philippines have separately blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings. Some Abu Sayyaf commanders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the extremists in Sulu and in outlying island provinces, and has threatened to declare martial law in the countrys south if the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups aligned with the Islamic State group gets out of control.

Although the Abu Sayyaf militants have been weakened by years of battle setbacks, they came back to international attention when they separately beheaded two Canadians last year and a German hostage earlier this year after ransom deadlines lapsed. The militants are still holding at least 29 captives in Sulus jungles, many of them foreign tugboat and cargo ship crewmen seized at the sea border between the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. Jim Gomez, Manila, AP
The Legislative Assembly (AL) will discuss the amendment of the citys procurement law and also the governments unruly method of recruiting workers for public departments.

Proposed by Mak Soi Kun, the discussion on the citys procurement law was passed with 24 votes in favor.

In Maks words, Macaus procurement law has already become a sickness to the society, and it generates corruption, and severely damages the publics interests.

To support Mak, Jose Pereira Coutinho commented that besides sheltering corruption, the procurement law also causes unfair competition.

He challenged the citys high officials to stand up and tell the public about an exact schedule for an amended procurement law.

Song Pek Kei and a few other lawmakers also voiced their support of the discussion.

However, Tsui Wai Kwan deemed such discussion as meaningless, as the government has already admitted that the amendment should be applied to the procurement law.

Cheung Lup Kwan said that the government should have initiated the work a long time ago and said that the amendment has been delayed for too long.

There is an overdue every year because the government has too much money he said.

Moreover, Cheong hopes that high officials can face these things. Im not blaming the high officials, but I hope they can work it out as soon as possible.

Another motion proposed by Leong Veng Chai, is that he expects the Secretariat for Legal Affairs and Administration to supervise its related departments in their recruitment processes. Leong Veng Chai added that many of their employees were treated equally and fairly however they were hired through illegal methods.

Leong hopes that a discussion can allow the lawmakers to express their opinions and even establish clear laws on pursuing legal responsibilities over illegal recruitment. JZ
Starbucks Corp. will provide Chinese workers with health insurance that extends coverage to their parents, a unique offering by the coffeehouse chain that may be used by more than 10,000 people to treat cancer, heart disease and Alzheimers.

The plan is a response to traditional values in China, the company said, as children often care for their parents and grandparents in a society that doesnt have a comprehensive safety net for the elderly. The plan, covering 30 critical illnesses and some surgeries, will be available starting in June, Executive Chairman Howard Schultz said.

This is the first time weve done anything like this, and the reason for that is that it was clear there was an emotionally driven concern among partners about their ability to take care of their parents, Schultz said in an interview in Beijing. I heard first-

hand very emotionally driven, tragic stories about whats taking place with the parents who got sick, and many passed away. 

The program addresses a critical need for an aging population thats contending with increasing rates of major diseases from cancer to heart ailments. Its also a strategic move to retain employees, many of them recent college graduates in low-skill jobs, and create goodwill toward the company at a time of increasing political tensions between the U.S and China.

This insurance move is about recruiting and retaining talent but also about creating an image of Starbucks that is pro-China, pro-Chinese, said Shaun Rein, managing director of the China Market Research Group in Shanghai. If there are bilateral tensions and Starbucks doesnt have good public relations and a good image in China, they become a target for protests.

The swelling burden to pay for illnesses is stressing Chinas government-run health insurance programs, which provide basic coverage for 95 percent of its 1.4 billion people. Families in China can still face catastrophic medical bills for costly treatments not covered by public insurance, and the government has long sought private companies to fill that gap.

When Starbucks approached the countrys insurers on the plan, they were often met with surprise, said Belinda Wong, chief executive officer for Starbucks China business. There wasnt such a program in place and one had to be customized for Starbucks, according to the company.

The Starbucks plan complements the existing China Social Medical Insurance Program. Families are given a lump sum upon diagnosis of a covered illness, and the patient will receive subsidies for treatments for as many as three years. The program will cover a significant percentage of total medical costs, according to the company.

Parents must be younger than 75 and reside in mainland China to qualify, the company said. Starbucks will pay the full premiums for eligible workers  those whove been employed by the company for at least two years. The company has about 40,000 employees in China, Schultz said.

The plan was devised after employee surveys found that 70 percent of workers were concerned about the health of their elderly parents, according to the company. The company also noticed an increasing number of requests for financial assistance from employees to help cover parents health costs.

Once we sit down and listen to those stories, we could not be a bystander, Schultz said.

The private health-insurance sector in China is expanding rapidly: premium income for commercial health insurers jumped by almost 68 percent in 2016. Policies offering a one-time payment in case of specified major illnesses, such as when the customer is diagnosed with specific types of cancer, currently dominate Chinas commercial health-

insurance market, according to an August report by the Boston Consulting Group Inc. and Munich RE.

The plan is a multimillion-dollar investment annually, the company said. Starbucks said it was designed by one of Chinas biggest insurance companies, though it didnt name the insurer.

The move is a strategic one for Starbucks as many multinational companies in China are planning how to contain the fallout if President Donald Trump implements policies that affect business ties or trade with China. Trump and China President Xi Jinping met last week for the first time in Florida, and the leaders agreed to a 100-day plan to discuss trade.

Trump previously vowed to close the trade deficit with China that reached USD347 billion last year.

Schultz reiterated that China is the most important market for the company ahead. Starbucks generated about 14 percent of last fiscal years revenue in Asia including China, compared with about 6 percent three years earlier, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

We are playing a long game, Schultz said. Starbucks is here to stay. We believe that theres a very significant opportunity to build long-term growth. Bloomberg
From a possible border tax to higher tariffs, Americas push to reset trade relations is putting Vietnams small economy at risk.

Vietnam sells a fifth of its exports to the U.S., making it one of the few Asian nations counting America as a bigger market for their goods than China. Yet Vietnams USD32 billion trade surplus with the U.S. puts it in the crosshairs of the White House after Trump ordered a study to identify any trade abuse fueling American deficits.

Trump also professed support for a border adjustment tariff to encourage production of goods in the U.S. and reduce incentives for companies to move overseas.

Higher taxes on U.S. importers would reduce Vietnams gross domestic product by almost 0.9 percent, the most negative effect on any Asian country, Credit Suisse Group AG economists Santitarn Sathirathai and Michael Wan said in a January report.

If the U.S. creates a new wave of protectionism, Vietnam will be very vulnerable, said Alexander Vuving, a Vietnam political analyst at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.

The U.S. will investigate countries running the biggest bilateral trade deficits to assess the extent theyre caused by cheating or inappropriate behavior, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said.

That tone is triggering alarm in Hanoi. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told his cabinet that U.S. protectionist policies could hurt the economy and lead to a slowdown in exports and foreign investment.

But Hanoi may explore ways to keep TPP alive even without U.S. participation, said Michael Michalak, regional managing director of the U.S.-Asean Business Council and former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam.

One alternative would be bilateral or small-group deals with neighbors or Latin American countries on the basis of the earlier negotiations, he said. MDT/Bloomberg
Authorities in Chinas restive Xinjiang region have punished a local official for declining to smoke in front of Muslim elders, seeing that as a sign he was insufficiently committed to the regions fight against religious extremism, according to a government report and state media yesterday.

Jelil Matniyaz, Communist Party head of a village in Hotan Prefecture, was demoted for not daring to smoke in front of religious figures, said the report, issued Saturday and reproduced by official newspapers and websites. Matniyaz, identified as a member of Xinjiangs indigenous Uighur ethnic minority, was cited by the report as not having a resolute political stance.

The state-run Global Times newspaper yesterday quoted other local officials as saying that government leaders should push back against rather than comply with religious prohibitions against smoking to demonstrate their commitment to secularization.

The punishment appears to be the latest extreme measure by the authorities to exert their will in Xinjiang, particularly its southern portion including Hotan where Uighur culture is strongest. Chinese authorities and the state-controlled media have increasingly equated religious expression with extremism in their official rhetoric, partly in response to a bloody insurgency blamed on Uighur Islamic militants.

The government has argued that its measures, such as prohibiting women from wearing Islamic veils or men from growing beards, are part of an effort to roll back dangerous religious fundamentalism. Overseas Uighur advocate groups say the restrictions have only increased resentment over heavy-handed Chinese rule and fueled a cycle of radicalization and violence.

Although smoking is not strictly forbidden in many parts of the Muslim world, it is sometimes discouraged by the more religiously observant. Ironically, Matniyazs punishment comes as health officials are seeking to curb a deeply ingrained smoking culture in China, where about half of all males regularly light up.

Adrian Zenz, a researcher at the European School of Culture and Theology in Germany, said Xinjiang officials were attempting social re-engineering by purging any hint of Islamic influence on Uighur society.

The normal practice of religion is now being defined as extremism, Zenz said. This is a whole new dimension.

The Hotan Daily newspaper said a total of 97 local officials were censured as part of a Communist Party investigation into the conduct of its own members. The report indicated the probe was personally directed by Chen Quanguo, the Xinjiangs regional Communist Party leader and highest ranking official, who has vowed to crack down on extremism.

Chen was transferred to Xinjiang in August from Tibet, another region whose non-ethnic Chinese residents have long lived under social, political and religious restrictions far more severe than in other parts of the country.

In recent months Chen has ratcheted up security measures and sent phalanxes of armed paramilitary police and armored tanks rumbling through Hotans streets in large-scale displays of force.

An ancient stop on the Silk Road, Hotan and its surrounding region have seen an uptick in violence in recent years. State media reported that a car rammed into a Communist Party building in December and blew up, resulting in one dead. Months later, eight people died in a knife attack in a different part of Hotan. Gerry Shih, Beijing, AP
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  A state judge has issued a gag order to prevent officials from discussing the high levels of a cancer-causing chemical they found in the air near a battery parts maker in Lebanon, Oregon.

Linn County Circuit Court Judge Thomas McHill issued the order on Friday at Entek Internationals request, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. McHill said the preliminary findings by the state environmental and health regulators could cause the battery company irreparable harm.

Regulators found high levels of a cancer-causing chemical called trichloroethylene near Entek through computer modeling, public court records show. Officials argued it is more than 70 times higher than what is considered safe.

State and health environment officials had planned to inform the community of the pollution.

In the lawsuit filed against Department of Environmental Quality on Thursday, Entek argued the emission is within its permitted limits and said the state would only unnecessarily alarm Entek employees and members of the community by distributing information.

The companys attorneys, Joel Mullin and Stephen Galloway, did not respond to a request for comment.

McHills order is unprecedented in the state, said a department spokeswoman and several environmental attorneys.

If the agencies are forced to respond to inquiries from the public by explaining that it cannot answer any questions because Entek has secured a court order to keep the monitoring secret, it is entirely possible that Enteks reputation will be worse off, not better, an Oregon Department of Justice attorney argued in a brief.

Entek and state department representatives will return to court Wednesday.
TWIN FALLS  Twin Falls is preparing for a rebirth of its downtown, and it isnt going to be pretty for a while.

The city and Urban Renewal Agency commemorated the upcoming Main Avenue reconstruction with a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday. Alley work will begin Monday between Gooding and Shoshone streets to bring new electrical service for streetlights. Heavy demolition and construction takes place in earnest the following week.

While acknowledging the project will bring some inconveniences, URA and city officials expressed anticipation of what Main Avenue will transform into by the end of October.

Today we are reinvesting in our community downtown, URA Chairman Dan Brizee said.

And the project also pays tribute to times gone by.

Creating sustained excellence in Twin Falls begins at the heart because its really about our past, City Manager Travis Rothweiler said following the State of the City Address. Were not afraid to dream, were not afraid to remember our past. Were not afraid to grow.

Main Avenues reconstruction is about three weeks behind from the original schedule, Project Manager Anthony Guho said. But bids came in more than $50,000 under budget at about $6.45 million. All but one of the selected contractors is based in the Magic Valley.

Owners representative Paul Johnson with CH2M told the City Council on Monday that the savings from bids  and $9,200 saved on landscaping removal  allowed the URA to add to the scope of the project. CH2M will pay for flag sleeves along the sidewalks so a local Lions Club can continue its annual fundraiser.

Guho believes contractors will make up for the time lost due to working out last-minute details. So far, only the first block  Gooding Street to Shoshone Street  of the Main Avenue project should see an extended construction timeframe due to the delay.

Mayor Shawn Barigar compared the upcoming construction season to the unpredictable changes in weather that occur in the spring to prepare for summer.

Much like that spring rebirth, there will be some inconveniences, some sneezes, he said.

Heres a breakdown of what you can expect during construction:

The schedule

Construction on each block of Main Avenue should take a couple of months, with some overlap as work begins on the next block.

Gooding to Shoshone  April through late June

Fairfield to Gooding  May through July

Shoshone to Hansen  July through September

Hansen to Idaho  August through October

Idaho to Jerome  September through October

Hansen Street from Main Avenue to Second Avenue South  September through November

Access and parking

Visitors to downtown will be able to access businesses along Main Avenue during construction via a temporary walkway.

Parking, however, will be limited to blocks that are not being worked on and to back parking lots behind many of the businesses  accessible via the Second Avenues. Some businesses will have rear doors open for access from those back parking lots.
TWIN FALLS  A construction-themed window display and a chalk drawing of a construction cone are the first things to greet shoppers at The Brass Monkey.

Were definitely embracing the construction and the change because were super excited about it, owner Kindsey Ringenberg said.

Its just one of the ways shes working to keep people coming downtown over the next six months. Ringenburg also has been sprucing up her back entrance with flowers and signage. And she has a block party event in the back parking lot planned for May 13.

The Downtown Renaissance along five blocks of Main Avenue is a project thats been long awaited, but also somewhat dreaded by downtown business owners.

I think were all in the same boat, Twin Falls Sandwich Co. owner Shane Cook said. Were excited for it to be done, but terrified for it to start.

Still, some business owners have figured on making the most of it while theyre toughing it out.

Were looking at it as more of a celebration than an inconvenience, said Tom Ashenbrener, owner of Rudys  A Cooks Paradise.

Hes got some marketing strategies and sales planned for the store this summer  as well as extra cooking classes and wine and beer tasting events. Ashenbrener might even bring back the popular gadget Olympics.

Hes also reminding customers that many downtown businesses have large parking lots behind them.

Almost all of us have good back door access to the businesses, he said.

But down the street, a new business owner is pondering her opening date  tentatively planned sometime during May, in the height of construction along her block.

Having dirt from building to building on Main Street is not ideal for my opening, said Kathy Fitzgerald of Yellow Brick Cafe.

But shes already been asked by a lot of people about her opening, and that gives her hope that she will have some support.

When she opens the cafe, Fitzgerald believes the rooftop patio will be a huge draw for customers during warm months. She will, however, probably postpone her grand opening until the construction is over.

Other business owners plan on continuing their services as best they can.

Were going to come to work every day and do as good a job as we possibly can taking care of our customers, said David Nelson, owner of Sav-Mor Drug. You cant let your game slip.

But if that doesnt work, Nelson said, hes also got a bugle and a ukulele he could play outside the shop and stir things up a little.

Following Tuesdays groundbreaking ceremony, Ketchum Burrito and Twin Falls Sandwich Co. were flooded with people bringing in their event vouchers.

It definitely helps, said Ketchum Burrito owner Javier Serva. We had a full house. The more people who come to downtown, the more chance we have to get business.

Both restaurants recently joined the Twin Falls Food Express delivery service in an effort to boost or kickstart their deliveries. And Ketchum Burrito and The Brass Monkey are among several downtown businesses using a collaborative advertising campaign with a television station.

Online sales will also help businesses. Cook said hes ramping up an online ordering system to make things more convenient for customers  who can come pick up the orders through the back door thats been spruced up.

The Brass Monkey will also be giving its website some tender loving care with more products and updates.

If you cant come down or if its inconvenient downtown, you can shop us online, Ringenberg said.

The city and URA are also asking residents to continue to support downtown businesses.

Downtown is the communitys, URA Chairman Dan Brizee said. Its your park. Its your place.
TWIN FALLS  The Twin Falls Police Department was aware of sexual abuse allegations before hiring officer William Anthon Jansen but opted to hire him anyway after completing a thorough background check that included a polygraph test, police confirmed Tuesday.

Jansen, 33, of Twin Falls is accused of sexually abusing two pre-teen girls between 2005 and 2009, before he was hired as a Twin Falls cop in December 2013.

His attorney, Scott James, told a judge Monday the allegations by one of the victims surfaced during Jansens hiring process with the department.

He was ordered to take a polygraph pre-hiring on whether he engaged in contact with her, and he passed that polygraph, James said. The allegations  were already reviewed and investigated in a  pre-employment interview and investigation by the Twin Falls Police Department. They found there was no grounds to sustain that  and they hired him as a police officer.

Lt. Terry Thueson confirmed the department was aware of the allegations before making the hire.

We did a very thorough background investigation, Thueson said. Applicants are subjected to polygraph examinations. And based on what we were able to uncover at the time, there was no reason for us not to proceed with the hire.

Thueson said he was barred from saying more about the case because of the ongoing investigation and issues regarding disclosure of personnel information.

Jansen was placed on paid administrative leave during the recent criminal investigation and switched to unpaid leave when the charges became formal Monday, Police Chief Craig Kingsbury said.

Jansen is charged with touching the genitals of two pre-teen girls.

Bill completely and categorically denies these baseless allegations, his attorney told the Times-News on Tuesday.

The attorney also called it reckless, pure speculation on the part of a sheriffs investigator who said many more victims were likely to come forward.

Jansen was hired by TFPD in December 2013 and sworn-in March 2014 after completing training. According to his biography at that time, he was a sergeant in the Idaho Army National Guard and completed two combat deployments to Iraq.

A teenage girl came forward with the allegations two weeks ago and the police department turned the case over to the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office to investigate. County Prosecutor Grant Loebs also said hell refer the case to an outside prosecutor because it involves a local officer.

The girl who first reported Jansen last month said he sexually abused her in 2008 and 2009 when she was between 7 and 9 years old. Another girl contacted during the investigation said he abused her when she was 8, in 2005 and 2006.

Based on my training and experience and the evidence gathered in this investigation, I believe more victims will be uncovered through the course of this investigation and Jansen remains a threat to society and any current/future victims, Sheriffs Detective Travis DeBie wrote in a sworn affidavit.

One of Jansens ex-wives also told investigators he confessed to inappropriately touching the girls and having sex with a 17-year-old girl.

The defense attorney questioned the ex-wifes motive  he left her when she was having affairs on him, Scott told the court Monday  and called for heavy scrutiny of her claims.

It seems unusual that if he made those (confessions) to her, and she was aware he had sex with a 17-year-old girl back in 2005 or 2006, that she takes until 2017 to bring it to somebodys attention, James said.

Jansen was also in another marriage with a woman who had three children, including two young girls in the same age category as the alleged victims, and there is absolutely no indication he was involved in anything inappropriate with them, James told the court.

James also told the Times-News his client was sent home early from his Mormon mission to the Philippines after confessing to a consensual sexual relationship he had before his mission with his future wife  the same one who accused him of abusing the young girls.

I think the implication was far more nefarious than it is, James said, adding Jansen did nothing inappropriate while on his mission.

Jansen is out of custody after posting $100,000 bond and is set for a preliminary hearing April 21.
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TWIN FALLS  A man stole five replicas of Clovis Point artifacts from the Herrett Center museum, police say.

Between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on April 6, the man went into the museum and broke into a display case, removing the replicas, worth a total of $15,000.

Police say a person of interest is shown in surveillance footage.

The stolen items are replicas of pre-historic artifacts found at a site near Fairfield, said Joey Heck, exhibits/collections manager for the CSI Herrett Center for Arts & Science. Replicas were made at a casting lab and each one cost about $2,000.

The real artifacts, which were acquired by CSI in the mid-1990s, are priceless, Heck said. Theyre not on display and are kept in a secure vault.

Heck said he thinks the person of interest was under the impression the real artifacts were on display. It appears he targeted that particular set of artifacts.

The artifacts are world famous, he said, and online searches reveal theyre housed at the Herrett Center.

The man came into the Herrett Center earlier in the day April 6 and wasnt able to open the display case, Heck said.

The man returned just before the museum closed with a tool he had either acquired or made in order to remove security screws in the display case, he said. After removing a couple of screws, the man pried the case open.

Were just hoping someone recognizes his face and identifies him, Heck said. We would love to recover the replicas.

Police ask anyone with information on the man or the whereabouts of the artifacts to call TFPD at 208-735-4357 or Crime Stoppers at 208-732-5387.

Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward with information leading to an arrest.

Any information you have in regards to this case can help solve this crime and return the artifacts back to the museum, a police statement said.
TWIN FALLS  Six proposed education rules are up for debate, but one is causing the biggest stir: what student will learn about science.

On Tuesday night in Twin Falls, the Idaho Department of Education held the first in a series of six public meetings across the Gem State to gather feedback from educators, parents and community members.

Proposed changes to science standards drew controversy and debate during the legislative session  particularly, about climate change.

Science is a small but important set of standards, Scott Cook, content director for the Idaho Department of Education, told about a dozen meeting attendees at the College of Southern Idahos Herrett Center for Arts & Science.

It is kind of a long and winding road to get those standards approved, he said.

The Idaho legislature approved a concurrent resolution this spring to adopt new temporary science standards for kindergarten through 12th grades.

But it decided to remove five paragraphs, which include references to climate change caused by human behavior.

Even if you missed Tuesdays public meeting, theres still a chance to weigh in. Public comments will be accepted through April 26.

Formal recommendations will come before the Idaho Board of Education in August.

Revised standards will become a pending rule in the fall. A second public comment period will be held and state legislators will review permanent science standards in 2018.

Twin Falls parent Anna Scholes  whos a pharmacist and active school volunteer  attended the meeting.

She told the Times-News shes concerned legislators may or may not have a science background.

The process of deciding what students should learn in science classrooms should be directed by scientists, she said.

Scholes  the mother of a Twin Falls High School junior and a college studentsaid shes disturbed state legislators could decide line-by-line what should be taught based on popular concepts or what they personally agree with.

She said she doesnt want to come across as attacking legislators, but rather, says she has an issue with the process.

Plus, you cant be an expert at everything, she said, adding legislators make decisions on a wide variety of topics, including roads and education.

With the science standards, legislators approved almost all of the standards, but they did so in temporary rule, Cook told the audience. It means those go into effect immediately.

The exception is the five paragraphs dealing with climate change. They dont exist as standards, but theyre taken out for public comments and revisions, Cook said.

The purpose of Tuesdays meeting was for the public to provide input, said Helen Price with the Idaho Department of Education. Department staff will review comments as theyre developing changes.

In addition to science standards, driver education, and information and communication technology are also up for review.

For those two content areas, stakeholders and Idaho teachers review the standards every six years and make recommendations for changes.

Many of the attendees at Tuesday nights meeting provided comments into a voice recorder or in writing, but there wasnt any public discussion in front of the entire audience.

As a few attendees worked on written comments, one Twin Falls couple could be heard speaking into a voice recorder, saying they have two children and are in favor of the science standards.

They said they want references to climate change and the impact of human behavior to remain in the standards.

Valerie Van Leeuwen, a longtime science teacher at Robert Stuart Middle School, was among four Idaho middle school science teachers who helped create the new standards.

She was also in attendance at Tuesday nights meeting, along with other Twin Falls science teachers and school administrators.

The new science standards are a complete shift in how we teach science, said Van Leeuwen, who has taught science for 25 years.

Students will learn by doing and connecting scientific concepts, Van Leeuwen said, and which will deepen their depth of understanding.

Thats different than the current standards focus on vocabulary and isolated concepts, she said. Its a really huge change.

As for the controversy over removing references to climate change, Van Leeuwen said: Science is what science is. Theories can change with added information.

Ultimately, its about having an educated population, she said. The biggest thing for me is getting my students to succeed.

Students should be taught about theories, she said, so theyll have the information to make up their own mind.

It has been at least 10 years since Idahos school science standards were revised, Van Leeuwen said, and thats problematic. Science changes every time we turn around.
TWIN FALLS  A Taylor Swift tour poster. A revamped Starbucks logo. A picture of a dog thinking about bacon.

Those are three of the projects 15-year-old Lauren Fitzgerald designed using computer software in her advertising class at Twin Falls High School.

During a visit to Twin Falls Tuesday, Sherri Ybarra, the state superintendent of public instruction, made a stop at the school to visit Carrie Ploss class and learn about an Adobe pilot project.

As Lauren, a freshman, showed Ybarra her work, she said: Adobe Photoshop has taught me to think outside the box in many different ways.

She said it allows her creativity to flow and she can express herself. I love the challenge.

Twin Falls and Canyon Ridge high schools are among 25 Idaho schools participating in an Adobe pilot program this school year.

Students are working toward earning different levels of industry certifications for Adobe software programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

The project is in cooperation with Adobe and Idaho is the only participating state, Ploss said.

Locally, the project will expand next year to Vera C. OLeary Middle School in Twin Falls.

Through the pilot program, students have access to the full suite of Adobe offerings and that will continue for three years after they graduate from high school.

On Tuesday, six students in Ploss class each talked with Ybarra the projects theyve completed.

Sophomore Gage Plew, 16, showed Ybarra a logo he made for his fathers heating and air conditioning business.

Listen, I am way behind the times here when it comes to flyers and cards, Ybarra told students. I know who to come to.

On Tuesday, Ybarra also visited AP physics and welding classes at Twin Falls High.

After one physics class ended, Ybarra talked with five students about what theyre learning and how theyre preparing to take an AP test in May.

Senior Emily Pilling said she loves the hands-on components of physics class. She plans to study exercise science and physiology in college.

Students told Ybarra about how theyre making real-world connections with what theyre learning.

I do this job because of you all, Ybarra told the students, but I dont get to interact with you all that much. She said its very inspiring to see how much they enjoy learning about physics and it makes her miss teaching.
TWIN FALLS  In his yearly State of the City address, Twin Falls mayor painted a picture of a growing community that is both welcoming to newcomers and can attribute its successes to its deep roots in its agricultural traditions.

The city of Twin Falls is not the seven of us on the City Council, Mayor Shawn Barigar said. Its not the city employees. Its those of us who all live here and work here and play here.

The speech was sponsored by the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce. Barigar is also head of the chamber, but the tradition of the chamber sponsoring the yearly address predates his tenure as mayor.

Barigars speech came just before a ceremonial groundbreaking on the reconstruction of Main Avenue, a project that has been in the works for several years. Construction is scheduled to start soon, and the street and downtown will look very different when it is done.

It also came the morning after the City Council had voted unanimously to draft a welcoming city resolution, a statement of support for immigrants and refugees and a symbolic blow to opponents of refugee resettlement. Refugee resettlement has been one of the most controversial issues in town for the past two years, drawing national attention and news coverage to Twin Falls, both from more mainstream outlets  most recently, CBSs 60 Minutes ran a profile of Chobani owner Hamdi Ulukaya, who operates the largest yogurt factory in the world in Twin Falls  and from anti-Muslim and anti-refugee news sources.

Barigar noted this obliquely in his speech, saying we have found ourselves as a community painted with a brush by artists who are not in Twin Falls. He chose to start his speech by focusing on a different recent piece of national news coverage, a New York Times article that ran last week about economic development in Twin Falls, using it as a counterexample to the narrative of rural decline that has gotten much attention in the wake of Donald Trumps winning the presidency as a possible explanation of the results.

The reporter who wrote the story, Kirk Johnson, grew up in Utah and wrote a blog entry the day after the story came out reflecting on his impressions while reporting it. Barigar seemed particularly taken by Johnsons observation that what was making Twin Falls hum was not some new discovery or innovation but rather a reliance on the old regional foundations Id always known and loved: soil, irrigation and muddy cowboy boots.

I dont think we have departed far from our roots as an agricultural community, Bargiar said. As a community of tight-knit citizens coming together for the common good.

In Twin Falls first city election, 455 people from 12 countries voted, he said.

I think we often forget that we all came from someplace else, Barigar said.

Barigar placed much of his emphasis in the speech on the role individual initiative and non-governmental groups have played in helping to make Twin Falls a better place, giving examples from the past, such as neighbors helping each other during the Great Depression, and the present, such as the role private donations have played in raising money for the Canyon Rim Trail.

I think it is really a reflection on (our) community being individuals who choose to step up and helped deal with the challenges but look at them as opportunities, he said.

After Barigar was done, City Manager Travis Rothweiler spoke, thanking the nearly 300 city employees who work tirelessly every single day on behalf of all of us and outlining the major investments in infrastructure, the parks and trails systems, Magic Valley Regional Airport and downtown redevelopment the city has made over the past decade and is still in the middle of making.

Before he got into all this, though, Rothweiler had the lights in the theater turned on for a minute and asked everyone in the audience to introduce themselves to the people sitting next to them. Why?

Community starts by getting to know your neighbor.
June 17, 1927  April 8, 2017

He was born in Smithfield, Utah on June 17, 1927, to George Chester Cannell and S. Melba Greene Cannell. He was raised on the Cannell family farm west of Smithfield with his younger brother Darwin. After graduating from North Cache, Larry attended college at USAC (USU) and graduated with a BS degree in Chemistry in 1949. He then served a two year LDS mission to Southern California and for a time traveled without purse or scrip under President Oscar McKonkie. After his mission, he returned to USU and obtained a Master of Science degree in Chemistry in the fall of 1952. He then went on to Penn State University and obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry. He was awarded the prestigious Postdoctoral Fellowship in the field of Chemistry by the National Science Foundation in 1955, which allowed him to move to Cambridge, Mass. and complete his studies at Harvard University. He and Truman Madsen were roommates there and became fast friends. They loved discussing Gospel principles on a highly intellectual and deeply spiritual basis. Once he finished his fellowship at Harvard he was hired by Shell Oil Company and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. There he met his sweetheart Betty Jo Nielson. Prior to their marriage, it was discovered that Betty Jo had breast cancer. Afraid that she would not be able to give him the family they both wanted, Betty Jo offered to call off their engagement. Being the man that he is, and having spent nearly 20 years looking for the love of his life, Larry exclaimed No! We will marry and make our eternal family with whatever time we have. They were sealed in the Logan Temple on December 29, 1964 and were blessed with three children by loving adoption between 1966-69 (Steven, Ruth, and Brian). Larry and Betty Jo were thrilled to have their family sealed to them and were blessed with time added. The young Cannell family moved to Houston, Texas in 1972, when Shell Oil transferred headquarters. Sadly, Betty Jo succumbed to cancer soon after on October 7, 1973. While continuing his brilliant professional career as an analytical chemist, Larry balanced his numerous church and family responsibilities as a single parent. During this same time period his first cousin, Vern J. Waters, was tragically killed in a farm accident in Burley, Idaho, leaving behind his wife, Nora Fay Curtis Waters, and their four young children (Charee, Shane, Jason and James). Tragedy and a hope for a brighter future brought these two families together. Larry and Nora were married on July 16, 1977, and Nora moved her family down to Houston. Larry and Nora met the challenges of a blended family head on and raised their children with faith and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their home and lived it. It was a modern day miracle they made it through, especially having seven children who were all teenagers at the same time! To their parents credit, each of the children remain close and loving today without the need to refer to each other as step just Mom, Dad, sister, and brother. They are simply brothers and sisters, children of wonderful parents, bound together by love having overcome heartache to become a FAMILY these past 40 years. Larry retired from Shell Oil in 1986, after nearly 30 years of service, and continued to live in Houston. During this time Larry and Nora continued to serve in many church callings with a special call to serve as an LDS missionary couple with the local Vietnamese branch. Larry loved missionary workhe loved peoplehe loved his Lord. As they were aging, Larry and Nora moved to Burley, Idaho in December 2014 to be close to Shane and Jason and their families. They all lovingly cared for Larry at home until the very moment he passed. Larry was preceded in death by his parents, and his wife, Betty Jo. His wife Nora survives him with their children: Steven Cannell of Houston, Texas, Ruth (David) Henderson of Katy, Texas, Charee (David) MacDonald of Lafayette, Colorado, Brian (Diana) Cannell of North Logan, Utah, Shane (Heather) Waters of Burley, Idaho, Jason (Cherie) Waters of Burley, Idaho, and James Waters of Houston, Texas, and 18 wonderful and cherished grandchildren. He is survived by his brother Darwin (Pat) of Smithfield, Utah, together with many nieces and nephews and their families; and many of Noras and Betty Jos extended families...ALL whom he dearly loved.
Curtis Russell

BURLEY  Curtis Russell, memorial service at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 12 at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E 16th St, Burley.

J. Russell & Loyeda Nelson

HUNT, Idaho  Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 13 at Sunset Memorial Park, Twin Falls. Refreshments afterwards at LDS Church, 667 Harrison Street, Twin Falls from 3:30 until 5 p.m.

Donald Ray Bywater

PAUL  Donald Bywater, funeral services at 11 a.m. Friday, April 14, 2017 at the Paul LDS Stake Center. A viewing will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Thursday, April 13, 2017 at Hansen Mortuary and one hour prior to services at the church.

Emma Meservy Krieger

KIMBERLY  Emma Krieger, funeral services at 11 a.m. Friday, April 14 at the Kimberly Stake Center, 3850 North 3500 East. A viewing will take place from 6 until 8 p.m. Thursday, April 13 at Reynolds Funeral Chapel, 2466 Addison Ave. East, Twin Falls as well as Friday at 10 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at the church.

Tom Couch

TWIN FALLS  Tom Couch, memorial service at 1 p.m. Friday, April 14 at Rosenau Funeral Home, 2826 Addison Ave E, Twin Falls.

Barbara Bassler

TWIN FALLS  Barbara Bassler, memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15 at Rosenau Funeral Home, 2826 Addison Avenue East, Twin Falls.

Sharon Johnson

TWIN FALLS  Sharon Johnson, funeral services at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15 at Reynolds Funeral Chapel, 2466 Addison Avenue East, Twin Falls. A viewing will take place from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, April 14 at the funeral home.
Who would have thought air travel and local elections could be so fascinating? Well, here we are, and here are the 5 things 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.)
The day after President Trump signed an executive order to undo his predecessors efforts to fight climate change, the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology held a hearing that encapsulated everything thats wrong with the way U.S. lawmakers handle science.

Global warming is a time-sensitive threat; greenhouse gases are accumulating in the atmosphere, threatening a sharp increase in heat waves, droughts, and floods by mid-century (and eventually, the melting and collapse of the ice sheets at the Earths poles). But the March 29 hearing, titled Climate Science: Assumptions, Policy Implications, and the Scientific Method and chaired by Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texsas, meandered from one tangent after another. A good chunk of time was spent questioning whether Penn State University climatologist Michael Mann called a colleague who disagreed with him a carnival barker and a denier pundit. Some evidence was presented that he had. But does this diminish the evidence that carbon dioxide emissions pose a threat?

The Republicans dwelled on distractions that have bogged down policy for years, like a mangled historical factoid about scientists previously predicting an ice age, and an unrealistically optimistic interpretation of a temporary flattening in the global temperature curve. The latter, sometimes called the pause, was hailed as a sign that global warming was over. It isnt.

But few lawmakers seemed interested in exploring the subtleties of the scientific method as it applies to climate research. The Democrats directed nearly all their questions toward Mann, who, of the four scientists called as expert witnesses, was the only one to clearly express mainstream views about the connection between human-generated greenhouse gases and climate change. The Republicans gave most of their attention to the other three, and expressed mostly innuendo, suggesting that Mann and his fellow climatologists were untrustworthy.

It wasnt until the tail end of the nearly three-hour hearing that the one physicist in Congress, Bill Foster, D-Illinois, spoke up: Does everyone on this panel agree, he began, that the temperature of the Earth is set in general terms by radiative balance, and that the infrared absorption spectra of carbon dioxide is a very relevant driving term, and that the uncertainty really is in the other positive and negative feedback terms that may or may not be present, changes in the convection?

Foster rambled on about albedo and Siberian swamps, and most people in the room appeared to have no idea what he was asking about. But his was the only pointed question any Democrat had aimed at the three contrarians. In essence, Foster was asking if they agreed that well-established physics underlies the mechanism by which carbon dioxide causes global warming, and that the only remaining uncertainties are due to feedbacks that can damp down or amplify warming.

Even the contrarians agreed he was right. They also agreed that cutting climate research was a mistake. This rendered most of the previous squabbling irrelevant.

Anyone following the mainstream science journals would see that while politicians debate whether carbon dioxide really causes climate change, most scientists have moved on to the details  charting Arctic sea ice, examining the repercussions of warming oceans, and investigating the influence of climate change on human health.

I noticed a similar divide a few years ago when I wrote a series of columns about evolution. While certain members of the public and politicians were arguing that Darwins theory wasnt well-established enough to teach in school, the mainstream science community had moved on to figuring out how fish evolved proto-limbs and crawled onto the land, how and why some dinosaurs sprouted feathers, and where in Africa non-human primates first evolved into us. Those trying to keep evolution out of school would often misrepresent these detail debates as threats to the whole scientific paradigm.

Some of the congressmen at the hearing similarly misrepresented a disagreement over whether surface temperatures had flattened out for a few years in the early 21st century. In 2015, a group led by Tom Karl, director of the National Centers for Environmental Information in Asheville, North Carolina, published a paper in the journal Science saying temperatures during the so-called pause werent as flat as people thought. The next year, a team led by Canadian climate scientist John Fyfe offered new evidence that the pause was real. But in a phone conversation, Fyfe said the pause is easily explained as a temporary effect of El Nino and La Nina. With three years of record-setting warmth behind us, the pause is over  but some lawmakers wont let it go.

Republicans also harped on the notion that scientists in the 1970s forecast a coming ice age. A few did worry about global cooling because theyd discovered that some of the constituents of smog block sunlight. And a few did use the term ice age. As Mann explained at the hearing, scientists also knew about greenhouse warming, but werent yet sure what would have the biggest impact  smog or carbon dioxide.

What we know now is that smog eventually dissipates and gets rained out. Carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for centuries. Some scientists compare the situation to a bathtub with a badly clogged drain. You might turn down the spigot, but the tub will keep getting fuller.

Current models say doubling atmospheric carbon dioxide will cause global temperatures to rise between 1.5 and 4.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. But even if we reduce emissions, the total will keep rising. No one at the hearing suggested a better, more scientific way to make this kind of forecast.

The hearing went on for more than two and a half hours, and despite the promise of a discussion of the scientific method, the representatives never got around to asking about it. Thats too bad. In an interview after it was all over, climate researcher Richard Alley of Penn State University said that in the broadest sense, the scientific method is this: the human attempt to learn, done by people who have agreed to follow a rule set that makes it hard for those people to fool themselves. Theres something in that even Congress could use.
Man-caused climate change being caused by excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is a world-wide hoax. Global warming is a major part of the United Nations Agenda 21(Sustainable Development) program and plan to redistribute our wealth and control all human activity on the planet. Nearly $360 billion is being spent each year to promote global warming.

Carbon dioxide is not a pollutant, but is necessary for life on the planet. Carbon dioxide (CO2) plus water (H2O) during the process of photosynthesis in plants produces the oxygen we breathe and the food we eat.

Increasing levels of CO2 have not contributed to global warming. CO2 is a minor greenhouse gas with water vapor being the major greenhouse gas.

The atmosphere, biosphere and oceans contain an estimated 40,000 gigatons of carbon as CO2 and CO2 hydrations products. Only 800 gigatons of CO2 is in the atmosphere, or 2 percent.

Temperature controls the CO2 in the atmosphere. CO2 does not control temperature. The atmosphere-to-ocean equilibrium CO2 ratio is a temperature dependent thermodynamic constant of nature. The half-time equilibration is about seven years. This ratio alone proves the global warming hoax!

Global warming and cooling correlates very well with solar activity.

In 1966, the Hudson Institute released a study called The Report from Iron Mountain which revealed that global elitists planned to use perpetual war and environmental concerns to control the people on the planet. The EPA was created in 1970 to implement environmental controls.

In 1992, the United Nations Earth Summit resulted in Agenda 21.

The 1,100 page Agenda 21 (Sustainable Development) document was summarized and published under the title, Agenda 21: The Earth Summit Strategy to Save Our Planet (Earth Press, 1993).

In 1995, the US Senate voted 95-0 against the Kyoto Climate Treaty because it would destroy the US economy.

A U.S. Senate minority report contained the testimony of 650 international climate scientists that refuted man-caused global warming.

All 73 of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have been proven wrong.

In 2009, IPCC researchers admit global warming is a fraud. Hundreds of incriminating emails between British and American researchers showed fraudulent reporting of data to favor their own global warming agenda.

The earth has been going through periods of warming and cooling for millions of years. 1996, researchers discovered the Pacific Decadal Oscillation Cycle which may explain why we had global warming from 1916 to 1940 and then a cooling period ending in 1976.

It is a lie that 97 percent of scientists favor anthropogenic global warming.

Over 32,000 U.S. scientists including over 9,000 Ph.D.s are on record against man-caused global warming. See www.petitionproject.org.

Every year we hear that it was the hottest year on record. This is a lie! Surface readings are greatly influenced by the location of the recording devices.

Satellite measurements are much more accurate, and for the past 18 years there has been slight cooling.

Volcanoes are a very important source of greenhouse gases and pollutants. One major volcanic eruption puts out more pollutants into the atmosphere than all mans activities for an entire year.

Bottom line, mankind is responsible for only about 1 percent of the greenhouse effect and contributes nothing to warming!

Patrick Moore, co-founder of Green Peace, revealed that saving the environment was only a cover for the real goal of UN Agenda 21. The real goal is power and control by elitist totalitarians who run the United Nations.

Sustainable development is not sustainable!

Hydroelectric and nuclear power generation

Hydropower generation of electricity is the least expensive. Nuclear power accounts for about 20% of US electricity. Coal is vital to electricity generation.

Alternative energy sources

Ethanol: It takes more energy to produce ethanol that the energy derived. The inputs of seed, fertilizer, water, planting, equipment, harvesting and producing the ethanol requires huge amounts of energy.

Wind and solar: Without taxpayer subsidies neither is sustainable! They will never contribute more than 15 percent of our electrical power needs. Both require a 24/7 backup.

So what is the real goal of global warming alarmists?

United Nations co-chairman Ottmar Edenhofer of the IPCC working group on Mitigation of Climate Change from 2008-2015 said, We redistribute the worlds wealth by climate policy.

Summary: Carbon dioxide is not causing global warming. Temperature causes CO2 to rise. CO2 does not cause temperature to rise. All 73 IPCC climate models have been proven wrong. UNs Agenda 21 Sustainable Development is a plan to redistribute our wealth to third world countries and by controlling every human activity on the planet. World government is the goal!

Solutions: Expose the global warming hoax! Stop funding the EPA. Get out of the United Nations by passing H.R.193.
China called for a "peaceful" resolution to tensions on the Korean Peninsula Wednesday, as a United States aircraft carrier strike group churned towards the contested region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in North Korea and Syria with US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday, China's foreign ministry said, in what one analyst described as a "new phase" of China-US relations on North Korea.

"I think at this point the common interest between the US and China outweigh (North Korea saber-rattling)," Alexander Neill, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, told CNN.

"China may be prepared to do some sort of tradeoff... They want to rein in (leader) Kim Jong Un."

Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its unruly neighbor, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear program since 2016.

The US dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson after the latest missile test by North Korea last week, drawing a forceful warning from Pyongyang.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Lu Kang said Trump and Xi had pledged to stay in close contact after their first meeting earlier this month and the phone call didn't indicate any change in China's position.

North Korea 'looking for trouble': Trump

The unexpected phone call between the two came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations over North Korea.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he tweeted.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," he wrote in a second tweet.

According to a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Xi reiterated that China wants a denuclearized Korean peninsula and called for peace and stability.

"China advocates to resolve the issue through peaceful means, and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the Korean Peninsula issue," the statement quoted Xi as saying.

The two leaders met for the first time last week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

'A tipping point'

In the wake of the Trump-Xi meeting, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that China understood how dangerous North Korea's nuclear program had become and had agreed action must be taken to stop it.

China hasn't signaled any clear change in policy towards its neighbor and Xi's language followed China's usual script on North Korea.

However, Wednesday's read-out was the first time China confirmed in detail that the two leaders had directly discussed North Korea.

Two Chinese statements released directly after the Mar-A-Lago meeting didn't mention North Korea by name, even though the country had been expected to dominate discussions.

On Wednesday, Global Times, a state-run but provocative tabloid, released an editorial, warning North Korea to "avoid making mistakes at this time."

"More and more Chinese support the view that the government should enhance sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear activities ... Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program is intended for securing the regime, however, it is reaching a tipping point," the editorial said.

What China wants and fears

Despite the suggestions that they might be working more closely together, China and the US have very different views on the Korean peninsula.

"China's best case scenario, what it would really like to happen, would be a liberalized regime in the North, akin to some of the reforms that took place (in China) in the 1980s, so introducing economic reform, removing the concentrated power of the Kim family," Neill said.

China sees North Korea as a buffer between their vital economic regions next to the border, and South Korea, with its heavy US military presence, said John Delury, an associate professor at Yonsei University.

"North Korea has always been a very critical and also a very sensitive piece on the chessboard for China," he said.

Euan Graham, director of the International Security Program at Sydney's Lowy Institute, said the Korean peninsula was the focus of a "game of chicken" between Trump and Kim -- much to China's dismay.

"(Both are) waiting for the other to blink and you can imagine from China's risk-adverse perspective that could end very badly," he told CNN.
Algerias energy minister, Nourredine Boutarfa, met with European Unions Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete in Brussels to discuss energy matters with the latter assuring that Europe will remain the main customer for Algeria even though most long-term gas accords are ending between 2018 and 2019. Canete highlighted the advantages for Europe to continue getting its gas supply form the North African country while stressing that it is an interdependent activity because Algiers also relies on the European market for its security of demand.

Boutarfa informed the EU that the growth of output for natural gas is sustainable for the medium term and beyond following investments in the sector. The minister hinted that a reform of the sector is possible as the laws continue to deter foreign investors. We have engaged a dialogue with oil firms to shed light on their understanding of our laws, including their apprehensions with regard to taxes and to bring the necessary corrections so we can boost the development of our partnership and make our country more attractive, he said.

Canete underlined that the regulatory framework for investments be improved to attract more European investments and they are already considering ways to facilitate it. He hoped that the mutual beneficial trade will be strengthened as he deemed new supply contracts, investments in exploration and production necessary.

After Russia and Norway, Europe derives most of its supply from Algeria and Bourtarfas visit is geared towards deepening cooperation in the energy sector with the EU. Algiers continues to be wary of the threats posed to the sector by extremist groups in the Sahara desert. In January 2013, British Petroleums In Amenas gas plant was attacked by terrorists and the energy minister stated that security and contingency plans are taken into account to defend the country.

Meanwhile, the UK ahead of its Brexit has also begun to engage in business and investment opportunities related to the energy sector with Algerian authorities.
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.
The Senegalese government has unveiled plans to suspend the importation of foreign rice to allow the marketing of local produced rice as more than 6,200 tons of local rice stocks are struggling to find buyers in the west-African nation.

The country currently imports low-quality, cheap rice from Asia that consumers generally prefer to the locally produced rice.

Alioune Sarr, Minister of Commerce, Informal Sector, Consumer, Local Product Promotion and SMEs hopes that the suspension will allow 6,212 tonnes of white rice from the rice mills and 3,000 more from traders to find buyers.

Producers and traders who spoke to reporters indicated that, local consumers in Senegal prefer imported broken rice, of poor quality, rather than the home-gown rice.

As we speak, we have 500 tons of white rice in our processing unit and almost the same amount of paddy rice. The problem is that traders are not buying them because of the difficulties to find consumers, a woman in one of the production unit explained to journalists.

Fertile and politically stable, Senegal is beginning to compete with Nigeria, Rwanda and other sub-Saharan nations to encourage the consumption of locally made products.

The government is also developing a major rice production centre around the Senegal River to increase the production of the local rice.

President Macky Salls administration used a grant from the US Millennium Challenge Corporation to build roads and irrigation infrastructure in the region. The valley is project to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production by 2017. It also subsidies 40% of the cost of fertilizers and pays up to 60% of the cost of machinery for rice producers.
Parking lots to construct in Tbilisi

By Messenger Staff

Construction of multi-level parking lots is planned in Tbilisi.Tbilisi City Hall has announced the PWC Company has selected ten locations for the construction of ten new parking lots.Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania stressed that City Hall would invite all interested private companies to build multi-storey parking lots that will mitigate Tbilisis traffic jams.We will sign contracts with those companies that will offer the best conditions. We suppose that the parking lots will be built within a year, Narmania said.As it was announced, nine lots out of the 10 will be constructed underground.Tbilisi vitally needs parking lots, as there is simply not enough space in the capital city for so many cars.The streets in Tbilisi are already overcrowded at almost all times of the day.It is also good that the parking lots will be built underground, as parking lots are generally quite unsightly and could damage Tbilisis famous image.It is also important to establish what the price for parking would be, as if the price is high for a country wherein the majority of people have low incomes, there is a risk that the parking lots might go unused.It must also be stated that constructing parking lots alone will not ease traffic congestion in the city.Some other, more effective steps need to be applied, as every year the number of cars increases.Many cars which are seen in the capital are old, and cause serious harm to the environment.
The News in Brief

Execution of ECHR judgments in 2016: key findings on Georgia



The Council of Europes Committee of Ministers has published its annual report for 2016 on the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) today.



In accordance with the European Convention on Human Rights, the Committee of Ministers is responsible for supervising the execution of the courts judgments by the states concerned.



Todays annual report is an in-depth look at the current state of the execution process, providing statistics and examples for 2016 as well as longer-term trends.



Below are some of the key findings of the report about Georgia.



Among the examples of achievements the report listed:



 Abolition of the rule that no specific detention orders are required once the investigating authorities have sent the case files to trial



 Introduction of improvement of possibility to obtain compensation for illegal detention and/or abolition of the obligation to prove ones innocence in order to receive compensation for detention on remand if acquitted



 Improvement of health care for prisoners, including special problems such as HIV or mental health problems



 Access to courts through reforms of court fees and rules on legal representation and abolition of requirements of regular residence in the country to obtain legal aid



 Due enforcement of domestic judicial decisions, in particular against the State or State owned companies (including the setting up of a central state fund to honor such judgments)



 Adoption of a precise legal framework for peaceful assemblies



 Submission of property and income declaration no longer a prerequisite for registration for parliamentary elections



In 2016 Georgia had seven new cases registered at the ECHR. This number was a two-fold decrease as compared with 2015 when this number was 15. Meanwhile the countries with the highest number of new cases registered in 2016 were Russia (283), Romania (151), Greece (121), Turkey (114) and Ukraine (99).



Six cases related to Georgia were closed in 2016  the same as in 2015. The countries that closed the highest number of cases during 2016 were Turkey (274), Slovenia (265), Russia (261), Romania (214) and Poland (170).



Georgia has 39 pending cases while in 2015 it had 38. The countries with the highest number of cases pending at the end of 2016 were Italy (2,350), Russia (1,573), Turkey (1,430) and Ukraine (1,147).



For Georgia the length of execution of cases under enhanced supervision was 3.3 years in 2016. This number was slightly lower than average, which is 4.7 years.



The ECHR awarded 221,000 (the amount nominally increased in comparison to 2015 - 184,652) in "just satisfaction to applicants in cases concerning Georgia in 2016. The highest figures in this category was shown by Turkey 20,473,112, followed by 15,127,537 concerning Italy; 7,380,062 concerning Russia; 4,168,864 concerning Greece; and 3,329,990 for Hungary.



In 2016, Georgia respected payment deadline in most cases. And it has only one case awaiting for confirmation of payment from 31 December 2016 (as compared to 5 cases in 2015). (agenda.ge)







Georgian MPs Attend Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly



Georgias six-member Parliamentary delegation led by Chairman Irakli Kobakhidze took part in the 136th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on April 1-5.



On the sidelines of the IPU Assembly, Georgian MPs held a number of high-level meetings with representatives of the Parliaments of Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Egypt, Canada, Brazil, Czech Republic, Romania, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Kuwait, Argentina, Suriname, Morocco, Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Fiji.



The sides covered a wide range of issues at these meetings, including commercial and economic relations, cooperation in the fields of culture, education and tourism. Particular emphasis was drawn to Georgias sovereignty and territorial integrity.



We have received full support to Georgias territorial integrity from all parliamentary delegations we have met. We are also informing them on the process of democratic reforms in Georgia and are discussing the prospects of future cooperation, the Parliaments Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sopo Katsarava noted on April 3.



I would like to underline that IPU is a very useful format for strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, she added.



IPU is the international organization of Parliaments, which provides a forum for worldwide parliamentary dialogue. There are currently 171 member parliaments (including the Parliament of Georgia) and 11 associate members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. (civil.ge)







President of Georgia: Cooperation Between Georgia and NATO in Black Sea Security Framework is Crucial for Region



As a part of the NATO week activities, the President of Georgia, H.E. Giorgi Margvelashvili, has taken part in the event, organized by NATO and the EU informative centers. This event is being held in Tbilisi for the tenth time.



The President has highlighted the importance of NATO, and noted that the Georgian nation and political leadership are united under the values of NATO, and through this unity Georgian soldiers protect stability and peace in various parts of the world.



The President thanked Georgian soldiers for their service and their parents for sending their offspring to peacekeeping missions.



The Georgia-NATO partnership is based on important cooperation carried out between the armed forces of Georgia and NATO, but not only this; Georgia and NATO are also linked together by the political partnership. This partnership is related to the common values and aspirations. I would like to underscore a recently-initiated, important framework of cooperation between Georgia and NATO, the Black Sea framework.



Security and safety in the Black Sea region is important not only for NATO member countries and Georgia, but also for the entire region, in order to ensure the safe and promising regional cooperation between Asia and Europe.



In this regard we strengthen our partnership and relations with those countries, which significantly raise the topic of Georgia in international discussions. My agenda of the last week was almost entirely oriented around discussing these issues.



I would like to highlight the visit of the President of the Republic of Latvia to Georgia, as a part of which we have obviously stressed the importance of Georgias prospective European and Euro-Atlantic integration; also, my visit to the Republic of Lithuania, during which we have unanimously agreed that the President of Lithuania will raise the topic of Georgia in all Euro-Atlantic fora.



I strongly believe that NATO week will be another step forward in terms of further reinforcing our public awareness and political process, stated the President.



The meeting was also attended by the Head of the Administration of the President of Georgia, Mr. Giorgi Abashishvili, the Secretary of the National Security Council Mr. Davit Rakviashvili, advisors to the President, executive authorities, and the diplomatic corps. (Presidents Administration)




@PatriciaMazzei

Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo has yet to draw a single opponent ahead of his 2018 reelection. And he's stepped up his fundraising to try to keep it that way -- or at least to make potential contenders think twice about taking him on.

The congressman's team told the Miami Herald that Curbelo collected more than $610,000 in the first quarter of 2017, bringing his cash on hand to more than $600,000 to kick off his second term in office.

That's not much less than the $645,000 Currbelo raised the first quarter of 2015, after he had just been elected to Congress for the first time. He knew then he'd almost certainly face a difficult reelection campaign in 2016, given that Democrats do better in presidential years.

"This is a strong start for the campaign and shows that again Carlos will have the resources to share his record of putting South Florida and the country above the petty partisanship that is regrettably so prevalent in Congress," said Chris Miles, Curbelo's 2016 campaign manager.

Democrats consider the 26th district a top target, given that Hillary Clinton won there by 16 percentage points. But in the same election, Curbelo comfortably held on to his seat with a 12-point margin over challenger Joe Garcia.

Last cycle, Curbelo amassed $3.8 million, compared to Garcia's $1.4 million. In 2014, when Garcia was the incumbent and Curbelo the challenger, Curbelo raked in $2.4 million, compared to Garcia's $3.8 million.

Photo credit: Carl Juste, Miami Herald staff
Fishing guides who rely on Florida Bay and other fragile waterways arrived in the capital Tuesday to plea with lawmakers to follow through on the goal of buying land to build a water-storing reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee.

Were not up here to play politics, said Daniel Andrews, founder of Captains for Clean Water from Southwest Florida. Were here to say we have a need and we need help.

More than two dozen fishing guides and their families spent the day meeting with more than 40 legislators and staff to urge them to support a plan by Senate President Joe Negron to build a deep-water reservoir south of Lake Okeechobee that will store and clean water to flow into Florida Bay and alleviate the need to discharge polluted water into estuaries. The full Senate is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday.

The bay is constantly on the verge of collapse and we get a lot of water, its just enough water and when we dont get enough water, its devastating, said Steve Friedman, a back-country fishing guide from Islamorada.

Last week Friedman organized a protest of Florida Keys fishing guides who assembled their skiffs in Florida Bay, spelling the word Help! in an aerial message intended for Tallahassee.

The way I see this, the wick has been lit, so we dont have more time for delays, Friedman said Tuesday before he met with legislators and staff. We dont have more time for politics. Its about doing the right thing.

He and his colleagues said they are baffled at the failure of the political system to respond to a crisis that is costing peoples livelihoods and jobs when the notion of buying land for a southern reservoir was agreed to by the state, the federal government and the agricultural industry in 2000. Story here.

Photo: With winds blowing at more than 20 mph Thursday, April 8, 2017, skiffs and boats  and a floating tiki  line up near Islamorada to send a message to lawmakers demanding help to improve water conditions in Florida Bay. Dylan Hansen Bullsugar.org
@NewsbySmiley

The affordable housing arm of residential developer Related Group spent several thousand dollars currying favor among public housing residents last year en route to winning a $300 million county contract to redevelop Liberty Square, a Miami-Dade Inspector Generals investigation has found.

But despite some perceptually unseemly payments, a close-out memo released Tuesday says that Related Urban Development Group broke no laws, and the money that flowed into one of South Floridas poorest communities appears to be nowhere close to what was publicly alleged.

While these practices might warrant further scrutiny in the future, especially as more complex public private partnership arrangements gain traction and become the norm of financing public improvements where community and stakeholder input is crucial  it is recommended that this case be closed, Special Agent Dimitri Bernadotte wrote in a March 30 memo obtained by the Miami Herald.

The report  released less than 24 hours before a planned noon visit Wednesday to Liberty Square by HUD Secretary Ben Carson, county Mayor Carlos Gimenez and Related Group CEO Jorge Perez  sheds new light on the hard-fought political battle to win a contract to rebuild Miami-Dades oldest and perhaps most notorious public housing project.

To read the rest, click here.
For picture posts from 2010 and earlier, see the Earlier Picture Posts Page
HELENA  Concerned about the ecological and economic harm posed by zebra mussels, Montana lawmakers moved forward Tuesday with a pair of proposals aimed at preventing the invasive mollusk from getting a foothold on the state's lakes and mostly pristine waters.

The Senate overwhelmingly endorsed establishing a permanent council created by Gov. Steve Bullock to oversee the battle against invasive species, as well as a conservation commission for the upper Columbia River. Meanwhile, the House advanced a proposal that would raise about $14 million for the effort over two years by increasing fishing license fees and authorizing a new fee on hydroelectric facilities.

Last fall, Bullock declared a statewide emergency for the state's water bodies after the discovery of invasive mussel larvae in the state for the first time. As a result, the state established a Montana Mussel Response team. The state's Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department is in the process of establishing a new bureau in its fisheries agency to focus on invasive aquatic species.

Montana officials stress that no adult mussels have yet been found, but "we're certainly taking every precaution," said Greg Lemon, a spokesman for the department.

State officials have long worried about the spread of the tiny, striped shellfish, which latch onto boats, wading boots and other objects.

If left unchecked, the mussels could pose an ecological catastrophe to the state's mostly pristine waters. The shellfish could deplete food and oxygen in waterways and suffocate valuable fisheries in a state that depends on environmental tourism, including anglers who arrive to fish in some of the country's most prized fishing streams. It could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy, according to officials, although how much is not entirely known.

Of particular concern is the spread of the mussels across the Columbia River basin, which includes Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho and parts of Canada.

Last week, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter blocked efforts that would have created a new position in his office to focus on preventing invasive species for infesting the state's waterways.

The mussel has already infested waterways in the Great Lakes region and across the Midwest. Federal and state agencies have spent billions of dollars to contain the spread.

The Western states have been bracing for the mussel's arrival. That day came sometime last fall when the shellfish was found in Montana waters, prompting widespread alarm.

"Nobody has been successful in eradicating them so far, and nobody has been successful in containing them. The worst-case scenario will happen if we do nothing," said Republican Rep. Chas Vincent of Libby.

Vincent sponsored a bill that would increase fishing license fees by $2 a year for residents and $15 for nonresidents. The legislation would raise about $6.6 million over two years from the new hydroelectric fees. Officials also expect money from federal sources.

Most of the money will pay for inspecting and decontaminating boats and other watercraft, boosting monitoring of lakes and streams and public outreach programs, according to Mike Volesky, the chief of operations at the fish, wildlife and parks.

He said at least 300 department employees will have a hand in the effort, including 160 seasonal workers who will help with inspections and monitoring during the upcoming months.
County and state officials continued Tuesday to press the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on plans for dealing with PCBs beneath the surface of the former Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. site near Frenchtown and the earthen berms above it.

Sara Sparks, EPAs remedial project manager, said she hopes two areas with polychlorinated biphenyls on the abandoned Superfund site will be cleaned up by the end of the year.

The agencies are working with the PRPs (potentially responsible parties) to develop a removal plan, Sparks said in the second quarterly teleconference update of 2017.

The plan will be posted on the EPA Smurfit-Stone website, precipitating a two-week comment period for stakeholders, she said.

Sparks also reported that after a March 29 walk-through, officials still arent overly worried that a flooding Clark Fork River will breach the berms that separate it from sludge ponds at the long-time pulp mill.

We did not see any immediate problems with the berms, Sparks said. We are negotiating with the PRPs to continue berm inspection and investigation of the berms on-site.

Asked by Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier for a timeline for disposal of the berms, Sparks replied, We hope to have something in place in the near term.

EPA and the Montana Department of Environmental Quality have the same concerns as others, she added  making sure the Clark Fork River does not enter into the site.

We are working on that very quickly, Sparks assured.

Robert Moler, who was facilitating the teleconference as the EPAs community involvement coordinator, apologized for the lack of a more specific timeline.

We try to collaborate as much as we can (with the responsible parties), he said. We dont want to promise one date and not deliver.

Missoula County commissioners last October criticized EPAs slow pace in investigating the more polluted areas of the site and a lack of transparency.

We would like to see the data beforehand instead of being told what has already been decided, Commissioner Cola Rowley told Sparks at the time.

Moler said Tuesday the four teleconferences in 2017 are meant to help shine more light on the process. Strohmaier and Peter Nielsen, from the countys water quality district, agreed the first two have been useful.

But it doesnt substitute for other forms of communication as well, Nielsen said.

The responsible parties at the Smurfit-Stone site are M2Green Redevelopment, LLC; WestRock CP, LLC; and International Paper Co.

In November 2015, the three companies reached an agreement with EPA to conduct an investigation of soils, river sediments and ground and surface water to determine the nature and extent of contamination at the site. They also agreed to collectively reimburse EPA more than $600,000 for past costs incurred.

The parties are involved in negotiations related to the work being conducted at the site and have equally contributed to past costs and site investigation, Moler said after the teleconference. We look forward to continued cooperation among all parties in addressing environmental concerns at the site.

Illinois-based M2Green bought the property in 2011, the year after Smurfit-Stone shuttered it. By 2013 most of the industrial structures were removed and the company rebranded the site the Frenchtown Technology and Industrial Center.

WestRock, one of the worlds largest paper and packing companies, is the second iteration of Smurfit-Stone, which in 2011 emerged from bankruptcy and merged into Rock-Tenn CP. In 2015, Rock-Tenn and MeadWestvaco Corp. combined to create WestRock.

International Papers responsibility dates to 1977-1986, when the Frenchtown mill was operated by Champion International Corp. Champion merged with International Paper in 2000.

Participation in Tuesdays meeting reflected the wide range of interest and stakeholders in the Superfund site. Involved were representatives of EPA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on the federal side; the Confederated Salish Kootenai Tribes; Montana DEQ, Natural Resource Damage Program from the Department of Justice, the University of Montana and the state Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Missoula County; the Clark Fork Coalition; Clark Fork Cattle Ranch; consulting firms Newfields and Pacific West Technologies; and three media outlets.

Future teleconferences are slated for the second Tuesdays of July and October.

Meanwhile, a New York Times report this week cast further questions on EPA's ability to handle Superfund and Brownfields cleanups. President Donald Trump has proposed to slash Superfund enforcement and remedial components by 45 percent, from $404 million to $221 million. Funding to states under the Brownfields program, which helps cities and towns redevelop former industrial sites, would be cut by 30 percent, from $48 million to $33 million.
The woman who lead sheriffs deputies on a wrong-way chase down Interstate 90 while injecting herself with methamphetamine was sentenced on Tuesday after entering into a plea agreement earlier this year.

Missoula County District Court Judge Robert Dusty Deschamps said he would follow a plea agreement prosecutors worked out with 25-year-old Amy Sondra Johnson to wrap up three different criminal cases against her, including one for the chase.

On Dec. 1, 2016, a deputy tried to pull over Johnson, who was driving a stolen car on North Reserve Street. Instead she sped away and led them on a high-speed chase that went to Huson, during more than half of which Johnson drove in the oncoming lanes.

Johnson was only stopped when snowplows with the Montana Department of Transportation blocked the road in front of her, causing her to go back into the westbound lanes where she crashed. According to a court affidavit, Johnson had a syringe still stuck in her arm when she was arrested, and told investigators she was injecting meth. More drugs also were found in the car.

Under her plea agreement, which also covered a separate incident from early November where Johnson was found with drugs in a Missoula motel room, Deschamps sentenced her to 15 years with the Department of Corrections with 10 years suspended.

In February, Johnson pleaded guilty to four drug felonies, felony criminal endangerment, felony evidence tampering and a misdemeanor for fleeing from authorities.

Another case where Johnson was charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin and meth in Missoula was dismissed as part of the agreement.
While it still is unclear how the May 25 special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke will be conducted, some Missoulians may be voting at different locations than usual.

The Missoula County Commissioners voted Tuesday to change eight polling place locations because multiple schools around Missoula will not be available for use on Election Day.

County elections administrator Rebecca Connors told the commissioners several schools couldnt be used because of either construction or other events being held there.

After Zinke was confirmed as Secretary of the Interior on March 1, Gov. Steve Bullock set the special election for May 25, the earliest date he could under state law.

Last week, after the Montana House of Representatives tabled a bill that would have allowed the election to be conducted exclusively by mail-in ballot, Bullock issued an amendatory veto rewriting a bill sponsored by Rep. Bryce Bennett, D-Missoula. The governors veto included a recommendation for inserting a new section allowing a mail-in only election into the bill that was written to change some routine election rules.

County elections officers from across Montana have said that using mail-in only ballots could save the state as much as $750,000.

Its unclear if the House will be allowing the bill with the governors proposed addition to come to the floor for a vote. Connors set April 19 as the deadline when Missoula needs to know if it will be sending out all mail-in ballots or not.

She said if the current situation of using polling places in addition to absentee ballots remains in effect, they are only expecting some 5,000 to 6,000 ballots to be voted in person. The county wont be sending a tabulation machine to each polling place, and instead simply will have voters put their ballots in secure drop boxes that then will be taken to the elections office at the Missoula County Fairgrounds for counting.

Not having to program the cards that each machine uses, as well as the roughly four days the county usually spends testing the cards and the machines, will save around $20,000, Connors said.

On Tuesday, a federal judge in Great Falls denied a request by Green Party candidate Thomas Breck and independents Steve Kelly and Doug Campbell to delay the printing and mailing of ballots while they challenge his decision not to add their names to the ballot to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Republican Greg Gianforte, Democrat Rob Quist and Libertarian Mark Wicks are on the ballot.

Connors said Missoula County began printing ballots Monday, and said she thinks it is unlikely there will be any changes that will require reprinting.
For many of us, the first thing we do in the morning is reach for the phone to find out what happened overnight. And when life has calmed down a bit in the evenings, we grab our tablets to lean back and catch up with our worlds.

Thats why were rolling out a new Missoulian.com today that better reflects the way we live.

The new website has a cleaner design that was created with mobile readers  from phones to tablets  in mind. We hope youll find it easier to navigate and more attractive. The photos are larger, its easier to scroll through stories and the site is less cluttered.

The new design also will make it easier for news from western Montana to show up on all your feeds. Google will now index mobile sites first, which means that stories posted there will rank higher in searches.

Missoulian.com, which rolls out at 9:30 a.m. today, and Ravallirepublic.com, which changed last week, are the guinea pigs for the new mobile design planned for all Lee news sites. So we not only want to know what you think, we need to hear from you so that we can tweak and refine the design to give you a better user experience.

Please send your feedback to kathy.best@missoulian.com and karen.scherting@lee.net.

And enjoy!
Missoula police are investigating a reported gunshot outside an apartment building on Wednesday that occurred shortly after a woman called to say she was being held at gunpoint.

Public information officer Sgt. Travis Welsh said the call came in at 9:40 a.m. The woman was able to give officers the address of the apartment complex, near the intersection of Milwaukee Way and Catlin Street, before the line went dead.

As police were driving there, they got a report that a shot was fired. By the time they arrived, Welsh said, two cars and a SUV had fled the scene. Welsh said police found no evidence in a search of apartments that anyone had been injured at the complex. But they were not able to find the woman who called them and attempts to contact her again by phone failed.

Adam Brody, who was walking near the incident, said he was across the street when he heard a loud bang and saw two passenger cars  one dark orange and one black or silver  speeding away from the south end of the parking lot, nearly hitting another car as they turned onto the street.

Brody said an SUV followed more slowly out of the lot. When he yelled to the driver to ask what was going on, the driver told him a car had backfired.

Police cordoned off the south end of the lot with crime scene tape and evidence markers were visible on the pavement.

Welsh said the shooter has been described as a 6-foot-tall white man with shaggy brown hair who was wearing a gray short-sleeved T-shirt and a black bandanna.

***

Shortly before noon, law enforcement officers found a silver Dodge crossover vehicle parked in front of the StoneCreek Lodge hotel west of Missoula that matched the description of a vehicle seen fleeing the apartment complex, and a woman who was staying at the hotel agreed to come in for an interview with police. Welsh said she is not considered a suspect at this time, and added that the vehicle was impounded.

Three Missoula County Public Schools went into a soft lockdown at about 10 a.m. Wednesday after being notified about the incident. Big Sky High School, C.S. Porter Middle School and Hawthorne Elementary all locked their perimeter doors to control access to the buildings, said Hatton Littman, MCPS Director of Technology and Communication.

The lock was lifted about 11 a.m., Littman said.
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has reversed course on plans to hand management of the National Bison Range to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

His move casts doubt on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes plans to take control of the wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Saying he was committed to not selling or transferring public land, Zinke said Wednesday that the tribes would play a pivotal role in our discussions about the best path forward.

I took a hard look at the current proposal suggesting a new direction for the National Bison Range and assessed what this would mean for Montana and the nation, Zinke said in an email to the Missoulian. As Secretary, my job is to look 100 years forward at all of Interior's resources. I recognize the Bison Range is a critical part of our past, present and future, which is why I have changed course.

CSKT Tribal Chairman Vernon Finley said he had been informed of the new direction a couple weeks ago, but was still waiting for specific details on Interiors new management proposal.

We understood that President (Donald) Trump and Secretary Zinke himself had promised about not selling off public lands, but from my perspective, that isnt what this is, Finley said Wednesday. Its more of a restoration of reservation land, which is different than selling public land. That was the understanding with the previous secretary of interior. Well have to speak with the secretary and the (CSKT Tribal) Council, and look at what our possible options are going forward.

The decision met with mixed response from Montanas remaining congressional delegation.

I support more increased local management and look forward to CSKT playing a critical role in the National Bison Range, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in an email.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., had assisted CSKT leaders in crafting the transfer legislation, but does not plan to introduce it at this time, according to his office. Tester spokesman Dave Kuntz said the senator wanted the Interior Department (to) make this process more transparent and provide folks the opportunity to weigh in on any proposed action. Jon wants to ensure public access is protected at the National Bison Range and that all voices are being heard by the administration.

The tribes have long maintained the U.S. government illegally took the 18,800-acre site in 1908, which the Salish owners didnt want to sell in the first place. The government paid the tribes $1.56 an acre, a fraction of its value even in 1912. Almost 60 years later, a court ordered the government to pony up the rest of the actual 1912 market value of $14 an acre, and the tribes were compensated just over $231,000.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the refuge now. In January 2016, FWS announced it supported asking Congress to transfer management of the National Bison Range to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with the intention of allowing CSKT local control. The tribes drafted legislation for that change in June 2016, but Congress did not act on it.

On Jan 18, the Federal Register published a notice of intent for a new comprehensive conservation plan for the refuge. Its preferred alternative was to transfer the land to BIA control. Zinkes office reported that most of the public comments on the transfer came from Montanans and a majority of said comments were against the preferred alternative.

Zinke visited the National Bison Range in March just days after he was confirmed as Interior Department secretary. He resigned his seat as Montanas lone congressional representative to take the Cabinet post.

The Interior Department oversees both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A decade ago, a side-by-side management agreement between the tribes and FWS collapsed, with the government locking the tribal employees out and requiring them to turn in their gear as armed federal agents stood guard.

A second agreement, from 2008 to 2010, appeared to be working just fine, until Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility sued the government over lack of a proper environmental assessment. A federal judge ruled in PEERs favor, stalling the agreement.

CSKTs status at the refuge remained in limbo until a year ago, when FWS officials  in a surprise move  said they would back legislation to transfer the Bison Range to the tribes if such legislation were introduced in Congress. The tribes drafted their bill, and PEER sued again citing a lack of proper environmental review. That case is still pending.

I hope this ends it, Missoula resident and PEER lawsuit participant Susan Campbell Reneau said Wednesday. That was a diabolical attempt to completely change the direction of management of federal public lands. This has never been something that had anything to do with how I felt about CSKT. Those public lands belong to all of us, including members of CSKT.

Tom France of the National Wildlife Federation office in Missoula was a long-time supporter of the transfer. While he wanted to get more details about how Zinkes course-correction would work, he said he disagreed with the idea it was a transfer or sale of public land.

This would be a real step backward if the Department of Interior reverses 20 years of work, France said. The most recent proposal was to turn management to the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, but transfer ownership to the BIA to hold in trust. Thats not divesting public lands at all.

Zinke said the CSKT would be part of the new comprehensive conservation plan development. However, his statement on Wednesday did not give further details about what his course reversal did, or how the Fish and Wildlife Service would act differently.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will play a pivotal role in our discussions about the best path forward, Zinke said. We can do a far better job expanding access and informing the public about the National Bison Range. CSKT will be instrumental in helping make this significant place a true reflection of our cultural heritage.
In 2012 the people of Montana, by a supermajority, adopted Constitutional Initiative 166, (codified as  13-35-501-504), which requires this states congressional delegation to support the adoption of a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Courts infamous 2010 decision in Citizens United and to restrict our constitutional rights to natural human beings.

Only one member of Montanas congressional delegation, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, has complied with this law. Indeed, Tester was one of the first members of Congress to introduce a proposed constitutional amendment to undo the corruptive effects of dark money in politics ushered in by Citizens United and the decisions gift of unlimited political free speech to wealthy individuals, corporations and powerful institutions, and its devaluation of the voices and votes of ordinary human citizens.

But, Testers proactive representation of the supermajority of Montanans who are against Citizens United and Montana law came at a price.

Dark money organizations funded by the super wealthye.g. the Koch brothers and those who profess that soulless corporations have the same fundamental rights as natural human beingslaunched at multi-million-dollar campaign to pressure, among others, Tester, to cast an affirmative vote for Judge Neil Gorsuchs confirmation to the Supreme Court.

But Tester was not intimidated by these enemies of democracy. Tester announced his decision to vote against Gorsuch. because of the nominees judicial record supporting giving corporations even more political power than even Citizens United allowed, his record giving some corporations the right to practice religion, and his abysmal record on womens rights issues.

Montanans owe Senator Tester a thank you for his courageous vote to uphold Montana law and his refusal to be intimidated by the people and organizations that Montanans have made clear do not represent our values.
Here in Montana, we value our public lands, clean air and clean water. Unfortunately, with 2016 the hottest year on record, beating 2015 before that, climate change is threatening our state and our health.

It turns out that getting ourselves from point A to point B is cooking the planet. Americas transportation system has emerged as Climate Enemy No. 1, with cars, trucks and other vehicles now representing the nations largest source of carbon pollution. America also produces more transportation carbon pollution per capita than any other major industrialized nation.

Now more than ever, we need to drive towards a cleaner future. A future where our kids can breathe easier, a future where our fish arent dying by the thousands because of record-high water temperatures, and a future where we worry less about heat related illnesses.

And the good news is that automakers have the technology to build ever-cleaner cars. In fact, widely popular clean car standards finalized in 2010 would harness this innovation by getting cars to achieve 54.5 mpg by 2025, preventing 6 billion metric tons of global warming emissions from being dumped into our atmosphere and saving 2.4 million barrels of oil per day and a lot of money at the pump. In other words, that is the same as cutting the emissions produced by approximately 1, 746 power plants or saving more oil than we import from the Middle East and Venezuela.

Unfortunately, despite all these benefits, President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt have started a process to undo these critical clean cars standards. This action will not only threaten our planet and increase our dependence on oil but also threaten our health.

Thats because global warming increases smog formation, which threatens our lives. So, clean car standards also clean up the air that we breathe here in Montana and across the country. We know that the less oil we use, the cleaner our cars, the better it is for public health. Reducing emissions from tailpipes will not only save lives, but mean less trips to the emergency room because of asthma attacks and less missed work and school days from respiratory problems. Thats why its no surprise over 1,000 health professionals across the country want automakers to keep these standards, not roll them back.

Whats more, reducing climate pollution from our tailpipes means reducing gas guzzling and reducing our costly reliance on oil consumption. In fact, its been estimated that the standards will reduce oil consumption by a whopping 12 billion barrels of oil  more than the United States imports from the Middle East and Venezuela combined. That means less stress on our pocket books, saving us nearly $1.7 million at the pump and the average family $8,200 if they bought a car in 2025 compared to a similar car they would have bought in 2010.

America should be putting cars that burn too much gasoline in the rear-view mirror. Unfortunately, the Trump administration recent action gives a green light to cars that dirty Montanass air, endangers our health and threaten our children's future. Now, more than ever, we must charge ahead towards zero-carbon transportation, not put our most successful policies in reverse.
Is Montanas Legislature driving infrastructure funding down another dead-end road? After the major infrastructure bill failed by one vote in the 2015 session, legislators pledged to come with up a plan to pay for infrastructure projects this time around  and to make it a top priority.

Yet the clock is ticking and, with less than three weeks left before the session is scheduled to adjourn, legislators have yet to strike a compromise.

The biggest hang-up appears to be, as it was in the previous session, how much bonding or tax increases certain lawmakers are willing to support. Its up to Montanas legislative leadership to prevail upon their colleagues to recognize the pressing need for road improvements in this state and give critical infrastructure bills the gas.

***

Senate Bill 367, sponsored by Miles City Republican Sen. Eric Moore, contains a funding plan for a list of state and local infrastructure projects ranging from drinking water systems to wastewater treatment to bridges to conservation districts, and including capital projects such as the new veterans home in southwestern Montana. It also offers a formula by which local governments and school districts must provide matching funds.

The proposed legislation authorizes $98 million in bonds to complete these projects. The Senate approved this bill on a vote of 34-16 before forwarding it to the House Appropriations Committee.

The members of Montanas House ought to remember that its been longer than 10 years since a bonding bill became law in the state. During that time, Montana has relied heavily on federal dollars to pay for the most pressing construction needs. Its time for the state to start shouldering its share of the burden.

The Legislature took the right turn by giving the go-ahead to more than $210 million in cash for various other projects. This money will be matched with federal dollars to go a long way toward meeting many of the infrastructure demands in communities throughout Montana. But not quite far enough. The list of needs has been growing for several years now, and $210 million will only cover a fraction of the more than $13 billion in infrastructure costs tallied in the latest infrastructure report card.

The states legislative leaders must recognize that simply slamming the brakes on bonding will not get Montana anywhere. Legislators can quibble over which projects are worthy enough and whether their districts are getting their due, but all should be able to agree that the overall funding mechanism approved by the Senate last month is solid, and the timing is right.

Current interests rate are low, and Montana enjoys strong bond ratings. The bonds in SB 367 would raise the level of debt payments from the general fund from 0.46 percent to just 0.52 percent. And, as noted in a recent Missoulian State Bureau report, Montanans enjoy among the lowest debt in the nation. According to the 2016 State Debt medians Report from Moodys Investors Service, when it comes to bonded debt per capita, Montana ranks in 46th place. The debt is just 0.6 percent of personal income, or $247 per capita.

The bonding bill requires at least 60 votes to pass the House.

***

Meanwhile, Montanas senators must throw their support behind a critical highway funding bill that has already passed the House. An eight cent fuel tax increase is the smart way to pay for essential highway upgrades and repairs.

House Bill 473, sponsored by Kalispell Republican Rep. Frank Garner, received 54 votes on its third reading in the House, with 46 votes against. Its now up to the Senate to determine whether to make transportation safety a priority or allow the states roads and bridges to continue to deteriorate.

Hundreds of bridges have been deemed structurally deficient, and an astounding 30 percent of public roads in Montana are considered to be in poor condition. Aside from the increased wear and tear on all vehicles, hazardous roads are also responsible for a lot of vehicle damage. The national transportation research group TRIP estimates that poor road conditions cost Montana motorists a total $794 million each year.

But nothing compares to the human cost, which cannot be calculated. Montana has one of the highest highway fatality rates in the nation.

HB 473 proposes to create a special account to hold the money collected from the gas tax increase, to be used only on road and bridge projects, as well as to bolster the Montana Highway Patrol. It has built-in accountability provisions requiring an audit of the Montana Department of Transportation and the creation of an online reporting system so Montanans can track all gas tax spending.

SB 367 and HB 473 are two well-thought-out pieces of legislation that will push-start Montana down the right road toward fixing our longstanding infrastructure problems. So far, they have each made it halfway toward approval. Montanas legislators must see to it that they cross the finish line before time runs out.
It is obvious that the Republicans and Democrats have both made poor choices to determine our new representative. The only choice I can make is the Libertarian.

It is shameful that our Montana legislators are wasting thousands of dollars by failing to agree to a mail-in ballot.

Also, it seem odd that a group of primarily men wish to dictate to a woman her reproductive choices.

Russell L. Hartse,

Missoula
I support passage of House Bill 325, permitting the small-scale sale of unpasteurized milk to those who want it.

Montanans should have the freedom to make an informed decision on what they feel is safe and healthy food for themselves and their family, especially given the much more numerous foodborne illnesses linked to commercially distributed produce, meat and pasteurized milk.

Montana should be brought into line with the numerous other states that permit sale of unpasteurized milk. I ask our state legislators to carefully consider, and ultimately support, this bill. Thank you.

Jessie Lundberg,

Clinton
Montana Tech students, from left, Zachariah Brown, Logan Gaddis, Kodi Neumiller, John Bearden and A. J. Robinson (behind the truck and not visible) are seeing who can last the longest Tuesday with their hands on a Chevy truck parked at the campus mall. As of 3 p.m., the five were still there  putting in at that point 24 straight hours at the rig. The student who stays in contact with the truck the longest wins all the secret prizes on the dashboard inside the truck during the annual M Days celebration. The prize doesn't include the truck, however. Aside from the cold overnight, they all said that boredom is the hardest thing to overcome in this contest.
After 40 hours, 6 minutes, Montana Tech student John Bearden won the "M Days" competition that started Monday at 3 p.m. with 21 contestants keeping a hand on a pickup truck stuffed with enticing prizes.

By 7:06 a.m. Wednesday, he was the last one standing and officials declared him the winner. He stood the entire time and spent the night in the same spot, with bathroom breaks every three hours.

There were times when I got pretty cold, especially my hands and feet, said Bearden, 18, who hails from a much warmer climate  El Paso, Texas.

A freshman geological engineering major, he beat out second-place Logan Gaddis of Spokane and third-place Kodi Neumiller of Colstrip.

For his persistence, Bearden won several "heavy ticket items,'' including a $400 Nintendo Switch gaming system that can be played anywhere, camping gear and essential dorm items, according to organizers.

However, once the contest ended, he headed right to his 8 a.m. class Wednesday, then took a much-deserved nap.

I only missed a total of two classes, he said. Luckily, Tuesday was my light day.

He has yet to open the prizes.

I havent exactly unwrapped them yet, he said, his voice on the phone heavy with fatigue. Its like Christmas in April.

Contestants were required to keep at least one hand touching the truck at all times to remain in the game. Some sat, tucked into their sleeping bags. But Bearden stayed standing.

The new Chevrolet pickup truck was not part of the prize package, though, as passers-by freely noted.

Thats pretty much what everyone who passed by would say, said Bearden.
Lets consider the magic of air in baking and its role in making popovers, those amazing mountainous puffs of crustiness and egginess. To make them you beat eggs, milk, and melted butter into flour and salt, pour the cream-like batter into deep pottery or metal cups, and bake them until they more than triple in volume and become beautifully browned with huge cavities in their middles. Heaven!

I made my first popovers from Maida Heatters moms recipe, Sadie Heatters Popovers, in Maida Heatters Book of Great Desserts (Knopf, 1974). Maida said she likes to bake popovers in pottery custard cups that are deep and narrow, in either the 4-ounce or 6-ounce size. In the mid-1970s these were easy to find, so I bought some of both sizes. Maida says, Naturally, the popovers will be more dramatic if baked in 6-ounce cups.

I opted for the larger cups. Drama wins every time in my book. Luckily, you can buy these porcelain or ceramic cups online from many sources. And metal popover pans work great, too.

Over the years, I got into the habit of making popovers every Easter, Christmas and New Years Day. This became a ritual when our kids lived at home or came home during college break. Id whip up the batter the night before, refrigerate it, and bake the next morning. On Christmas, wed open stocking gifts while the popovers baked and delicious aromas wafted their way to us in the living room. About 5 minutes before they were done, Id open the oven door and quickly stab each popover in 2 or 3 places to release the trapped steam, then Id bake them a few minutes more to ensure theyd be crisp and not collapse.

When done, ease these beauties out of their cups, arrange them in a napkin-lined basket, and bring them to the table.

And dont be dainty when it comes to eating popovers. Rip them open to reveal their custardy innards and be generous with butter, honey butter, or whatever.

No matter how many times I make popovers I cant get over the fact that its just the air beaten into the batter that causes them to puff so miraculously. It doesnt matter if I whisk the liquid gradually into the flour or use a food processor to do the job in seconds. Cold batter or room temperature batter bake into equally spectacular popovers. And I never preheat my pottery cups or metal popover pans.

Rocky Mountain High Popovers

This recipe makes 10 large (4-ounce cups) or eight very large (6-ounce cups) popovers. You can use this batter as soon as its ready or within an hour or two of mixing or refrigerate it overnight and bake the next day. Just be sure to whisk cold batter well before dividing into the popover cups in case it has separated. I always make the batter in my food processor.

1 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into the cups and leveled (8 ounces)

 teaspoon salt

7 large eggs

2 cups whole milk

6 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled

Add the flour and salt to the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process 5 seconds. If you have a 1- or 2-quart glass bowl with a pouring spout, break the eggs into it and whisk to combine the yolks and whites well. Whisk in the milk and butter. Lacking such a bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and butter the same way in a medium bowl and transfer to a pitcher.

Start the processor, and take about 10 seconds to add the liquid through the feed tube. Process 5 seconds more and stop the machine. Scrape sides of work bowl well, making sure to dislodge any flour, and process 10 seconds more. Total processing time is 30 seconds or less.

To make the batter with a wire whisk, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add about 1 cup of the liquid and whisk well. Batter will be thick. Gradually whisk in remaining liquid, about  cup at a time. Do not overbeat. The batter should not be bubbly.

Regardless of how youve made the batter, strain it into a bowl with a pouring spout or into a pitcher. If baking right away, let the batter stand while you prepare the baking cups and preheat the oven. If baking the next day, cover the batter container tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Butter or coat generously with cooking spray the pottery cups or a 6-cup popover pan. Youll have extra batter if using the popover pan; cover and refrigerate to bake later.

Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If using pottery cups space them well apart on a large (17 x 12-inch) rimmed baking sheet.

Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling them to with -inch of the rim, and place in the oven.

Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees and continue baking about 35 minutes longer for 4-ounce cups or 45 minutes longer for 6-ounce cups or for popovers baked in a metal pan. Do not open the oven door once the popovers are in the oven. Oven temperatures can vary wildly, so check the popovers about 10 minutes or so before the baking time is up to see how brown they are. They should be very well-browned  peek through the glass on the oven door. Be sure not to underbake or the popovers will be soft and collapse after you take them out of the oven.

When the popovers are done, open the oven door and reach in with a sharp paring knife to stab the top of each one quickly in two or three place to release the steam. Close the door and bake 5 more minutes.

Take the popovers out of the oven and remove them from their cups. Set them in a napkin-lined basket and serve as soon as possible with plenty of butter, honey butter (1 part honey mixed with 2 parts butter) and any jam or preserve you like.

Makes 10 large or 8 very large popovers.
HELENA  Supporters of Martha Williams sang her praises Tuesday as the Montana Senate considers whether to make the attorney and former university professor the leader of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which is one of the highest profile agencies in the state.

Williams, who most recently taught natural resource law at the University of Montana, was nominated by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock to succeed Jeff Hagener as FWP director. On Tuesday the Senate Fish and Game Committee heard testimony during her confirmation hearing. If successful, her confirmation will be considered by the full body.

Nobody at the hearing testified against her confirmation.

Williams highlighted her personal history growing up on a farm, and her legal history as a former attorney for FWP, as solicitor for the Department of the Interior and as a law professor. Her lifes work and being an outdoorswoman helps her recognize the importance of the agency to Montana, she said.

I promise to focus on making Fish, Wildlife and Parks efficient and resilient so that we can ably address and adapt to challenges we face now and will face in the future while serving as the stewards of the resources of this great state and the opportunities they represent, she told the committee.

Williams says she has heard from the Legislature a need to build FWPs credibility and follow through on commitments the agency makes. The way to accomplish that goal is to pull together and pursue stronger partnerships outside FWP, she said.

About a dozen rose to speak in support of Williams confirmation, including conservation and agriculture groups, former students and colleagues, the CSKT Tribe and her son, Ian Williams, who spoke about seeing his mother work long hours as Montana faced federal delisting of wolves and as a professor preparing for class.

Cascade-area rancher and former legislator Emily Hibbard said she believes Williams will be a leader when dealing with contentious issues.

In my acquaintance which goes back around 25 years, Ms. Williams has consistently shown herself to be a woman of great integrity, Hibbard said. She has dignity, grace, knowledge when she speaks, depth and diplomacy, someone who cares. Ms. Williams has dedicated her career to law and her life to the land and the people of Montana who inhabit it.

Clay Miller, a former wildlife biologist and current third-year law student at UM, said he and other students saw Williams draw from a variety of viewpoints to understand that science or law alone would not always offer solutions.

Martha understood the complexity of issues surrounding our natural resources, and went to great lengths to bring this awareness to her students, he said. She was one of the few professors that reached across campus to bring scientific expertise into her classrooms, teaching her law and policy courses to students in the college of forestry, division of biological science and environmental studies.

Under questioning from lawmakers, Williams legal training was shown in measured answers to policy questions such as FWPs responsibility to landowners when elk populations exceed objectives. FWP works under the laws the Legislature passes, she said, and the agency must approach issues such as landowner relations and access carefully.

When asked if FWP planned to acquire more land, which has become a sticking point for some lawmakers, she said she saw no imminent purchases but would hate to lose the option of purchasing land.

On the subject of enforcement and a funding shift that could push game wardens away from enforcement, at least in part due to concerns about militarization of the division, Williams said the debate need not be about blue jeans versus battledress.

I think our game wardens have a duty to work with people as the interface of our agency as best as they can. Should they have proper safety equipment? I think so too, she said.

When asked by Bullock to become director, Williams said her two conditions were a clear line of communication and the administrations support of Montana State Parks. The parks division has faced a number of budgetary issues, which along with aquatic invasive species, have dominated her short tenure as acting director, she said.

When asked about her vision for FWP, Williams said she has a low tolerance for petty differences or camps. She feels that her role as director is to bring people together both inside and outside the agency, and to operate in a transparent way that the public can understand.

I think often people can live with decisions that arent just what they want, when were much better at explaining why were doing what were doing.
HELENA  Concerned about the ecological and economic harm posed by zebra mussels, Montana lawmakers moved forward Tuesday with a pair of proposals aimed at preventing the invasive mollusk from getting a foothold on the state's lakes and mostly pristine waters.

The Senate overwhelmingly endorsed establishing a permanent council created by Gov. Steve Bullock to oversee the battle against invasive species, as well as a conservation commission for the upper Columbia River. Meanwhile, the House advanced a proposal that would raise about $14 million for the effort over two years by increasing fishing license fees and authorizing a new fee on hydroelectric facilities.

Last fall, Bullock declared a statewide emergency for the state's water bodies after the discovery of invasive mussel larvae in the state for the first time. As a result, the state established a Montana Mussel Response team. The state's Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department is in the process of establishing a new bureau in its fisheries agency to focus on invasive aquatic species.

Montana officials stress that no adult mussels have yet been found, but "we're certainly taking every precaution," said Greg Lemon, a spokesman for the department.

State officials have long worried about the spread of the tiny, striped shellfish, which latch onto boats, wading boots and other objects.

If left unchecked, the mussels could pose an ecological catastrophe to the state's mostly pristine waters. The shellfish could deplete food and oxygen in waterways and suffocate valuable fisheries in a state that depends on environmental tourism, including anglers who arrive to fish in some of the country's most prized fishing streams. It could mean the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars from the economy, according to officials, although how much is not entirely known.

Of particular concern is the spread of the mussels across the Columbia River basin, which includes Washington, Oregon, northern Idaho and parts of Canada.

Last week, Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter blocked efforts that would have created a new position in his office to focus on preventing invasive species for infesting the state's waterways.

The mussel has already infested waterways in the Great Lakes region and across the Midwest. Federal and state agencies have spent billions of dollars to contain the spread.

The Western states have been bracing for the mussel's arrival. That day came sometime last fall when the shellfish was found in Montana waters, prompting widespread alarm.

"Nobody has been successful in eradicating them so far, and nobody has been successful in containing them. The worst-case scenario will happen if we do nothing," said Republican Rep. Chas Vincent of Libby.

Vincent sponsored a bill that would increase fishing license fees by $2 a year for residents and $15 for nonresidents. The legislation would raise about $6.6 million over two years from the new hydroelectric fees. Officials also expect money from federal sources.

Most of the money will pay for inspecting and decontaminating boats and other watercraft, boosting monitoring of lakes and streams and public outreach programs, according to Mike Volesky, the chief of operations at the fish, wildlife and parks.

He said at least 300 department employees will have a hand in the effort, including 160 seasonal workers who will help with inspections and monitoring during the upcoming months.
"War is the health of the state. It automatically sets in motion throughout society those irresistible forces for uniformity, for passionate cooperation with the government in coercing into obedience the minority groups and individuals which lack the larger herd sense."  Randolph Bourne (1886-1918)

WASHINGTON  One hundred years ago, two events three days apart set the 20th century's trajectory. On April 9, 1917, in Zurich, Vladimir Lenin boarded a train. Germany expedited its passage en route to Saint Petersburg  known as Leningrad from 1924 to 1991  expecting him to exacerbate Russia's convulsions, causing Russia's withdrawal from World War I, allowing Germany to shift forces to the Western Front. Lenin boarded the train three days after the United States, responding to Germany's unrestricted submarine warfare and other provocations, declared war. Soon 2 million Americans would be in Europe. They, and the promise of many more, compelled Germany to accept an armistice at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918.

Monday night and the next two nights, PBS' "American Experience" presented a six-hour documentary, "The Great War." Watch it and wince. It covers familiar diplomatic and military events, before and after America's bloodiest battle, the Meuse-Argonne offensive, in which American fatalities averaged 550 a day for 47 days.

Woodrow Wilson imposed and incited extraordinary repressions: "There are citizens of the United States ... born under other flags ... who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life. ... Such creatures of passion, disloyalty and anarchy must be crushed out. ... They are infinitely malignant, and the hand of our power should close over them."

His Committee on Public Information churned out domestic propaganda instructing the public how to detect pro-German sympathies. A 22-year-old Justice Department official named J. Edgar Hoover administered a program that photographed, fingerprinted and interrogated 500,000 suspects. Local newspapers published the names of people who were not buying war bonds or otherwise supporting the war. People were fired or ostracized for insufficient enthusiasm. The Espionage Act of 1917 made it a crime to "collect, record, publish or communicate" information useful to the enemy.

In Illinois, Robert Prager, a German-American coal miner suspected of spying, was stripped, marched through the streets and hanged. The Washington Post deplored such "excesses" but applauded the "healthful and wholesome awakening in the interior part of the country."

Josef Hofer and his two brothers were South Dakota Hutterites whose faith forbade any involvement in war, including wearing a military uniform. They were arrested in March 1918, and a week after the armistice they were sent to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Arriving at the military prison around midnight, they stood naked for hours in a 17-degree November night. Then they were suspended naked from the bars of their cells, their feet barely touching the ground, refusing to wear the uniforms left in their cells. Fed only bread and water, after two weeks David Hofer was allowed to telegraph to Josef's wife, telling her that her husband was dying. He died the morning after she arrived. Prison guards mocked his corpse by dressing it in a uniform.

The U.S. military was the world's 17th largest in April 1917, smaller (less than 250,000) than Romania's, and smaller than Britain's casualties in one battle. America's military became a melting pot for a nation in which one-third of the population had been born abroad or whose parents had been. Forty-three languages were spoken in one Army division raised in New York. One group was ineligible for melting: Printed at the bottom of draft registration cards were these words: "If person is of African descent, tear off this corner."

The African-Americans from around the nation who joined New York's 15th National Guard Regiment, the Harlem Hellfighters, included Leroy Johnston from Phillips County, Arkansas. He spent nine months in French hospitals recuperating from wounds suffered in the Meuse-Argonne, then in 1919 returned to an Arkansas seething with fears of an African-American insurrection because a returning African American veteran had formed a union of black sharecroppers. The narrator of "The Great War" says that as groups of white men "roamed the countryside, killing hundreds of black people, a train pulled into the station. A crowd rushed aboard and dragged out four unsuspecting black men. They were Leroy Johnston and his three brothers." After a melee, "the mob shot the Johnston brothers to pieces."

The war unleashed a flu pandemic that killed more people in a year  somewhere between 20 million and 50 million  than the war killed in four years. The flu's victims included Randolph Bourne.
On March 29, Montanans joined 1,300 other Alzheimers advocates from across the country in our nations capital, meeting our respective members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. On that single day, Senator Daines and Senator Tester and each elected official received the exact same message  Alzheimers is the most expensive disease in America and must be a public health priority.

Indeed, it is the epidemic of our generation. More than five million people are living with the disease and another 15 million family members are providing their care. These numbers are set to nearly triple by 2050. Families are struggling under the emotional, financial and physical weight of this devastating disease. On March 29, we urged for a greater investment in Alzheimers research and funds for vital programs providing care and support.

Just one day later, over 250 people from across Montana gathered in our states capitol with a like message  to beseech our elected officials to make Alzheimers a Montana public health priority. Unlike other diseases, Alzheimers is a triple threat  with soaring prevalence, lack of effective treatment and enormous costs.

Montana will have one of the highest percentages of senior citizens in the nation. Yet we are painfully unequipped to care today for our family, friends and neighbors  let alone the growing number at risk. By 2025 the numbers of people in Montana living with Alzheimers will climb from 20,000 today to 27,000  with no slowdown in sight.

Alzheimers advocates in Montana have been encouraged by the leadership of Representative Ron Ehli and the work of the Children and Families Interim Committee. Rep. Ehli is the sponsor of House Bill 17, a measure to increase home and community-based service waiver slots and assisted living reimbursement rates. The bill unanimously passed the House and now awaits action by the Senate and approval by Governor Bullock.

Why is HB 17 so vital? People can live an average of 8 to 12 years with Alzheimer's (or other dementias); depleting their resources and leading many of them to qualify for Medicaid services. The waiting list for these services is protracted, in excess of 500 people. These are proud, once hardworking Montanans, now largely seniors who have no real remaining assets and nowhere to turn. HB 17 would enhance the availability of Medicaid-covered home and community-based services so people can avoid or delay nursing home care  an option that is more costly than assisted living facilities or private homes. And less preferable.

Not surprisingly, just 8% of Montanans say they would choose nursing home placement over living at home with assistance or in an assisted living community if life becomes difficult due to illness. HB 17 further increases reimbursement rates to enable providers to pay more competitive wages to attract and retain caregiving staff.

Alzheimers already takes a large toll on Montanas Medicaid budget. Findings from the 2017 Alzheimers Association Facts and Figures report show that last year, Montanas Medicaid spending for people with Alzheimers exceeded $139 million. By 2025, that figure is expected to increase nearly 42% to $197 million. There are opportunities to save significant dollars by expanding home and community based options, costing Montana Medicaid far less than nursing home care. Research shows that caregiver support programs, collaborative care models and continuity of care can reduce avoidable health care use, including hospitalizations, for people with Alzheimers and other dementias.

The Alzheimer's Association joins our community partners in urging for additional care options for individuals and families buckling under the weight of Alzheimers. Please approve HB 17 and strengthen support for Montana families.
I do not find it surprising that Sen. Jennifer Fielder has been sued for not releasing emails, etc. I am surprised she is allowed to be a member of the Legislature as the CEO of the American Land Council out of Utah. I consider this arrangement a direct conflict of interest. I do not think she can represent Montanas interests and the American Land Council, which actively works to have federal lands turned over to the state or a local entity of some kind.

I am against paying for her lawsuit. Rep. Ken Ivory is reported to have resigned the Lands Council amid scrutiny for using government email and public time to conduct business on the group's behalf. I question whether Fielder might be doing the same thing, which is not why she is a member of the Legislature.

This situation is questionable at best and may need more looking into now that the question has been raised about paying for lawsuits and possible use of time and email.

 M.M. Plouzek, Thompson Falls
BILLINGS  Federal investigators say there is credible evidence of unwelcome conduct toward female workers in Yellowstone National Park.

Alcohol, inappropriate contact and remarks that female employees said made them feel uncomfortable and degraded were revealed during a seven-month investigation into Yellowstones maintenance division.

The report was issued Wednesday by Interiors inspector general, who concluded that harassing workplace behavior by male employees had gone on for years because of actions or inactions of men in charge of the maintenance division.

We found credible evidence that male supervisors and staff in the Maintenance Division unit created a work environment that included unwelcome and inappropriate comments and actions toward women, investigators reported.

The incidents involving a half dozen women took place between 2010 and 2016, according to witnesses. Investigators interviewed 30 women and 26 men working for the division last year. Most said they hadn't experienced or witnessed harassment, intimidation or discrimination. But seven of those women were concerned about a male-dominated environment and hiring discrimination.

The investigation was launched last September after a male Yellowstone National Park employee, Robert Hester, conducted a tell-all interview with The Montana Pioneer, a regional publication.

After the article published, Yellowstone Superintendent Dan Wenk spoke with Hester about the allegations and launched an investigation with a contract investigator. The effort was called off when the inspector general got involved.

Wenk issued a statement Wednesday about the Office of Inspector General's report.

"The National Park Service acknowledges the findings brought forth by the OIG and we appreciate the information that was gained through this comprehensive investigation," Wenk said. "Serious problems were identified within Yellowstones Maintenance Division, which we take seriously and will be addressing. Many of the original allegations were found by the OIG to be inaccurate or exaggerated. Appropriate, professional behavior is expected from all employees. Moving forward, the park will consider appropriate actions, which may include personnel actions, organizational realignment, or changes to park procedures and policy."

After conducting 100 interviews and reviewing 500 documents, investigators concluded that not all of Hesters allegations were founded, including that supervisors hired women they wanted to have sex with and ignored poor work performance.

There were, nonetheless, serious problems at Yellowstone, investigators reported. The Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, which oversees the Interior Department, is likely to take up the report.

The behavior described in this report is unacceptable and has no place in our National Parks or in any workplace across the country, said U.S. Sen Steve Daines, R-Mont.

Daines is the new chairman of the National Parks Subcommittee. Dainess Montana hometown of Bozeman is a short drive from Yellowstone. Rumblings of workplace harassment in Yellowstone have been circulating for months.

Our National Parks make our country uniquely American  but they must be a safe place for employees to work, Daines said. "I will demand vigorous oversight to ensure there is proper accountability.

Maintenance Division supervisors seemed accepting or unaware of workplace behavior involving alcohol, according to the report.

One female park employee told investigators she was having a consensual romantic relationship with her supervisor while also struggling with a drinking problem at work. The woman was eventually fired for driving a park vehicle while intoxicated on the job.

The Maintenance Division supervisor said he understood the woman "had consumed alcohol at her supervisor's house before driving the vehicle" drunk. He said he was unaware before the incident that the woman drank on the job.

Other employees contradicted their boss, saying the woman would drink on the job and had called her supervisor for rides home when she was concerned for her safety. One coworker said he had spoken to the division supervisor more than once about the womans drinking problem.

There were supervisors implicated in the report who have since retired.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, would not discuss the particulars of the investigation because it is a personnel matter. But Zinke acknowledged sexual harassment issues at Interior during an Whitehouse press conference April 3. He said the behavior won't be tolerated under his watch.

"On the management side, we have unfortunately uncovered a lot of internal controls that werent there. There's been in the news several incidents of sexual harassment and a culture of discrimination. And you can hear it from me, I put policies forth, zero tolerance for sexual harassment or discrimination," Zinke said. "We have 70,000 full-time employees, and each employee deserves the right to enter a workplace that's innovative, teamwork, but free from harassment."

A couple of park maintenance workers reported watching their supervisor during an office equipment demonstration give a female employee a lower back rub that made witnesses uncomfortable. One witness said he witnessed a supervisor grab a female subordinates buttocks.

The woman involved said she couldn't recall the Maintenance Division supervisor touching her during the demonstration, but if he had it was by the hips to move her out of the way. She said the supervisor had touched her shoulders and arms occasionally over the years. The supervisor would also stand behind her and put his hands on her shoulders while she was sitting, the woman said.

The Maintenance Division supervisor told investigators he didn't grab the woman's buttocks or rub her lower back during the demonstration. He did admit he could have touched her lower back because "they were friendly with each other and had a good working relationship."

Asked if the touching was right or wrong, the Maintenance Division supervisor said, Times have changed. Nowadays, yes, its wrong.

Female workers also voiced concern of a mens club atmosphere at work. One American Indian woman said male coworkers would make sexual and racist comments in her presence while she was working, and their remarks made her feel uncomfortable and degraded. The woman said someone also stole six pair of underwear from her dresser.

Another Yellowstone worker said she was exposed to verbal abuse and dirty language from two male coworkers, both of whom denied the remarks when interviewed.

One woman told investigators that Yellowstone was a mans world and that park officials needed to wake up about male employees being very dominating.

The Yellowstone investigation launch in September came as Interior's inspector general concluded that male employees at the Grand Canyon demanded sex from female workers, retaliating against women who objected.
MISSOULA  Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has reversed course on plans to hand management of the National Bison Range to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

His move casts doubt on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes plans to take control of the wildlife sanctuary in the middle of the Flathead Indian Reservation.

Saying he was committed to not selling or transferring public land, Zinke said Wednesday that the tribes would play a pivotal role in our discussions about the best path forward.

I took a hard look at the current proposal suggesting a new direction for the National Bison Range and assessed what this would mean for Montana and the nation, Zinke said in an email to the Missoulian. As Secretary, my job is to look 100 years forward at all of Interior's resources. I recognize the Bison Range is a critical part of our past, present and future, which is why I have changed course.

CSKT Tribal Chairman Vernon Finley said he had been informed of the new direction a couple weeks ago, but was still waiting for specific details on Interiors new management proposal.

We understood that President (Donald) Trump and Secretary Zinke himself had promised about not selling off public lands, but from my perspective, that isnt what this is, Finley said Wednesday. Its more of a restoration of reservation land, which is different than selling public land. That was the understanding with the previous secretary of interior. Well have to speak with the secretary and the (CSKT Tribal) Council, and look at what our possible options are going forward.

The decision met with mixed response from Montanas remaining congressional delegation.

I support more increased local management and look forward to CSKT playing a critical role in the National Bison Range, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., said in an email.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., had assisted CSKT leaders in crafting the transfer legislation, but does not plan to introduce it at this time, according to his office. Tester spokesman Dave Kuntz said the senator wanted the Interior Department (to) make this process more transparent and provide folks the opportunity to weigh in on any proposed action. Jon wants to ensure public access is protected at the National Bison Range and that all voices are being heard by the administration.

The tribes have long maintained the U.S. government illegally took the 18,800-acre site in 1908, which the Salish owners didnt want to sell in the first place. The government paid the tribes $1.56 an acre, a fraction of its value even in 1912. Almost 60 years later, a court ordered the government to pony up the rest of the actual 1912 market value of $14 an acre, and the tribes were compensated just over $231,000.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages the refuge now. In January 2016, FWS announced it supported asking Congress to transfer management of the National Bison Range to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with the intention of allowing CSKT local control. The tribes drafted legislation for that change in June 2016, but Congress did not act on it.

On Jan 18, the Federal Register published a notice of intent for a new comprehensive conservation plan for the refuge. Its preferred alternative was to transfer the land to BIA control. Zinkes office reported that most of the public comments on the transfer came from Montanans and a majority of said comments were against the preferred alternative.

Zinke visited the National Bison Range in March just days after he was confirmed as Interior Department secretary. He resigned his seat as Montanas lone congressional representative to take the Cabinet post.

The Interior Department oversees both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A decade ago, a side-by-side management agreement between the tribes and FWS collapsed, with the government locking the tribal employees out and requiring them to turn in their gear as armed federal agents stood guard.

A second agreement, from 2008 to 2010, appeared to be working just fine, until Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility sued the government over lack of a proper environmental assessment. A federal judge ruled in PEERs favor, stalling the agreement.

CSKTs status at the refuge remained in limbo until a year ago, when FWS officials  in a surprise move  said they would back legislation to transfer the Bison Range to the tribes if such legislation were introduced in Congress. The tribes drafted their bill, and PEER sued again citing a lack of proper environmental review. That case is still pending.

I hope this ends it, Missoula resident and PEER lawsuit participant Susan Campbell Reneau said Wednesday. That was a diabolical attempt to completely change the direction of management of federal public lands. This has never been something that had anything to do with how I felt about CSKT. Those public lands belong to all of us, including members of CSKT.

Tom France of the National Wildlife Federation office in Missoula was a long-time supporter of the transfer. While he wanted to get more details about how Zinkes course-correction would work, he said he disagreed with the idea it was a transfer or sale of public land.

This would be a real step backward if the Department of Interior reverses 20 years of work, France said. The most recent proposal was to turn management to the Salish and Kootenai Tribes, but transfer ownership to the BIA to hold in trust. Thats not divesting public lands at all.

Zinke said the CSKT would be part of the new comprehensive conservation plan development. However, his statement on Wednesday did not give further details about what his course reversal did, or how the Fish and Wildlife Service would act differently.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will play a pivotal role in our discussions about the best path forward, Zinke said. We can do a far better job expanding access and informing the public about the National Bison Range. CSKT will be instrumental in helping make this significant place a true reflection of our cultural heritage.
MUSCATINE  When Leticia Pozzi first laid eyes on Muscatine, she was shocked by how different it was from her native Brazil.

The then-15 year old grew up in Sao Paulo  a city many times larger than Muscatine.

Muscatine is probably two neighborhoods in my hometown, she said.

Driving around town, she would ask her dad, Wheres the rest of the stuff?

He said, Thats it, honey, Pozzi, now 25, recalled.

Years later, she would live in Iowa City and in Davenport, and she learned to appreciate Muscatines size.

Though she moved thousands of miles away from her home country, Pozzi retains a connection to her past through her art.

My Argentinian grandmother, she always painted, but never sold any of her paintings, Pozzi said.

Pozzi's connection to family appears in her art. In one poster, she created a honeycomb using an illustration software on the computer, adding the words youre sweeter than honey  the words her grandfather used when he talked to her.

Other pieces she creates are more abstract. In them, she explores different mediums, be it canvas, pixels, or paper.

Im obsessed with patterns, she said.

In a recent series, Pozzi blended two colors on a canvas to mimic the different shades of water. Then, using a shiny pen, usually gold or silver, she superimposed repeating lines that look like mountains, but also evoke waves or topographical lines on a map.

Patterns, she said, remind her of lifes rhythms: waking up in the morning, going to work, eating, sleeping. It also reminds her of lifes hurdles.

Sometimes in life, we have to overcome situation and we have to learn from them, she said.

Pozzi had a hurdle of her own to get past on her way to becoming an artist.

She started out studying engineering at Muscatine Community College. During physics class, one of her professors would ask her what type of engineering shed like to do when she graduated. Pozzis answer was always the same: she wanted to do design.

Dont take me the wrong way, Pozzi recalled her teacher telling her. I dont think this field is for you.

Pozzi would eventually arrive at that conclusion, and would go on to study graphic design at University of Iowa. Before she could do that, however, she had to convince her parents that art was her passion. Her dad, she said, was supportive, but her mom worried that Pozzi wouldnt find work.

She was trying to convince me to be an engineer and then I joked with her that Van Goghs mom probably said the same thing to him so he chopped off his ear so I was not going to help her clean the blood around the house, Pozzi said, laughing.

But it all worked out. Pozzi will begin a new job in graphic design at HON next week. On evenings and weekends, she will continue to work on her art in her studio, showing it at Sunrise River Gallery and on other occasions.
MUSCATINE  Muscatine County Attorney Alan Ostergren is on the short list of lawyers nominated to serve as one of two U.S. Attorneys for the state of Iowa.

U.S. Sens. Jodi Ernst and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, announced their nominees Tuesday in a news release.

"I am deeply honored to receive this recommendation from Senator Grassley and Senator Ernst," Ostergren said in an email Tuesday.

In Iowa's Southern District, which includes Scott and Muscatine counties, the nominations were: Marc Krickbaum, previously of Des Moines; Matthew C. McDermott of West Des Moines; and Ostergren of Letts, according to a news release.

Two people were nominated for Iowa's Northern District. They are: Peter E. Deegan Jr. and Patrick J. Reinert, both of Cedar Rapids.

U.S. Attorneys are appointed to each of the 94 federal districts  two of which are in Iowa  by the president. The U.S. Senate must confirm President Donald Trump's appointments. Senators from the same party as the president typically make recommendations to the White House for their state's posts.

According to the release, Iowans who expressed interest in the positions were interviewed by an independent panel.

Ostergren has served as Muscatine County attorney since 2011. From 1997 to 2011, he worked as an assistant Muscatine County attorney. He is a 1994 graduate of Grinnell College, where he received a bachelor of arts degree in political science, and he earned his juris doctorate degree with honors from the Drake University School of Law in 1997.

Grassley and Ernst said the nominees have the qualifications to serve as U.S. Attorneys.

"They have distinguished themselves with their legal education, professional experience and demonstrated leadership, and Im glad to recommend them to the president for his consideration in filling the positions, Grassley said in a statement.

"I am pleased to recommend such accomplished individuals to serve as U.S. Attorneys in Iowa. They are all proven leaders who are well-qualified to take on these critically important positions within the Department of Justice, added Ernst.
Calling All Amateurs | Win A Pro Card At The Olympia

Written by Peter McGough

12 April 2017

Calling All Amateurs - Win A Pro Card At The Olympia

The Joe Weider Olympia Weekend continues to grow under the energetic leadership and drive of Robin Chang, Vice-President of American Media Inc (AMI) events.

To all you amateurs out there how would you like to win a pro card during the 2017 Olympia Weekend and then be eligible to compete at a future date (not during Olympia Weekend) against the elite guys and gals competing that same weekend in their pro Olympia divisions? Plus you get the opportunity to win a title with the word Olympia in it.

The latest initiative from AMI does just that with introduction of the Amateur Olympia series which will take place during Olympia Weekend this coming September 13-17 in Las Vegas. This is the first time the Amateur Olympia series is to be held in the USA. It is open to all amateur bodybuilders in the USA, Canada, Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. To be eligible competitors have to be registered as members of the IFBB affiliated amateur organization in their own country.

The Amateur Olympic series in Vegas involves five classes: Men's Bodybuilding; Men's Physique; Bikini; Men's Classic Physique; and Mens Classic Bodybuilding. Please note, Classic Physique is the division introduced last year by the NPC and IFBB in the USA. Classic Bodybuilding is a class that pertains to some other countries and although sort of the equivalent of Classic Physique because it is judged differently both classes will be disputed during the Amateur Olympia Series.

All divisions have multiple classes (for instance Mens Bodybuilding has six classes, lightweight through to superheavyweight (no bantamweight division). The winners of each class will line-up for a posedown to decide the overall champ in each division. The winner of the overall will earn the title Olympia as in Mens Bodybuilding Amateur Olympia champion. The runners-up in the overall in each class will also earn an IFBB pro card. Meaning 10 pro cards are up for grabs.

For comprehensive details such as closing dates for entries and all information relevant to the 2017 Amateur Olympia series in Vegas, continue to click on http://amateur.mrolympia.com/2017-vegas.html, which will be updated with full information soon.

Those wishing to compete with will have to register by September 1, and arrive in time to check-in on Wednesday, September 13, at the Orleans Hotel in Vegas. The contests in all five divisions will take place on Thursday, September 14, in the Orleans Hotel Showroom, the venue that previously has staged the Olympia press conference. The press conference will still take place on Thursday but has been moved to the more spacious Orleans Hotel ballroom.



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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 []
Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday morning honored Mama Sarah Obama for her dedicated service in helping the less fortunate in the society.

The Head of State presented her the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear award at State House in Nairobi.

Mama Sarah  the grandmother to former US President Barack Obama  founded Mama Sarah Obama Foundation, a charitable organisation that helps orphans and poor families feed and educate their children.

The Foundations mission is to improve the education and welfare of disadvantaged children through forging partnership and linkages with both local leaders, national and international partners.

The Foundation also constructed Early Childhood Development Centres, rehabilitation of Primary and secondary Schools, Construction of Medical Centres, Development of a Vocational Centre and Establishment of the Mama Sarah Scholarship Fund.

The President also awarded Deputy CJ Philomena Mwilu and James Ogutu.

Lady Justice Philomena Mwilu who is the current Vice President of the Supreme Court was awarded the Moran of the Order of the Golden heart (MGH) for her distinguished service rendered to the country.

She is an advocate of the High Court with over 32 years of experience in the legal profession. She was admitted as an advocate of the High Court in 1984 after graduating from Nairobi University with a Bachelor of Law degree.

Otieno James Ogutu was awarded the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW) for his dedication and distinguished service rendered to the Nation.

Mr. Otieno who holds a Diploma in Advanced Youth and Development from University of Guyana was first employed in the Ministry of Culture and Social Services as a Research Assistant, where he was instrumental in recording and transcription of traditional music of Kenyan tribes.

He rose through the ranks to become Youth Officer in the same Ministry in charge of the Development and Management of Youth Polytechnics. Mr. Ogutu also headed the Youth Department at the Kenya Red Cross in 1983.

He left the Civil Service and ventured in business and started a company called Otieno International Limited which specializes in Military ornaments, Medals and ceremonial items.

In his company he has created employment to many youths and served many countries in supplying military ornaments.
Veteran Kenya Broadcasting Cooperation (KBC) broadcaster Eddy Fondo is dead.

Mr Fondo, 65, died at the gates of Kilifi county hospital on Tuesday where he had been referred from Mariakani sub-county hospital.

According to family members, he had earlier suffered stomach complications at his Kaloleni home.

A family member, Nelson Gona, said Fondo was admitted at Mariakani hospital on Monday night and was diagnosed with perforated gut.

At first, Eddy complained of stomach problems which doctors diagnosed as perforated gut. He was admitted at Mariakani hospital, but the condition worsened, prompting the medics to refer him to Kilifi county hospital for further medication. It is sad that he has succumbed to the illness before getting any treatment, said Mr Gona.

Fondo was an icon in the 1980 and 90s best remembered for his Chaguo Lako programme on Voice of Kenya.

Mr Kazungu Katana, who worked with Fondo at KBC, eulogized him as a suave person who curved a niche for himself during his time.

Fondo was a very reserved person who kept to himself most of the time. He was loved by many musicians and promoted local bands, he said.

He is the person who made Simba wa Nyika very popular and used to play the song, Pamela. He used to call himself MDJ (Music DJ) Fondo. He was an expert in radio continuity and I used to host him with Khadija Ali.

He touched many. He was an expert in radio continuity and he used to host me while they were together with Khadija Ali whom we used to call Dada Mrembo then. He nurtured many people during his time at VOK/KBC, added Katana.

The late Fondo retired from KBC in the late 2000s and went to his Kaloleni rural home in Giriama.

He is survived by a widow, a daughter, a son and three grand-daughters.
MANILA, Philippines  The killing of a Muslim extremist leader on a resort island in the central Philippines this week was a clear victory for the military, but it also drove home an unsettling reality: that the militants are venturing farther from their jungle hideouts to spread terror.

Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said that troops recovered and identified the remains of Abu Sayyaf group commander Moammar Askali at the scene of the battle in the coastal hinterlands of Bohol island. Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman also were killed in Tuesday's clashes.

"This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf," Ano told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice."

"We are gaining important headway in our fight to degrade the ASG in regard to our timeline," Ano later told a news conference, referring to a military objective to considerably cripple the extremist group of more than 300 armed fighters within six months.

Former Abu Sayyaf militants identified Askali from a photo troops took of the young militant leader after his death, confirming that the gunmen who quietly cruised into Bohol on three motorboats under cover of darkness late Monday before clashing with troops belonged to the Islamic extremist group. Askali, who used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, had partly served as an Abu Sayyaf spokesman in recent years.

Askali was an emerging hard-line leader of Abu Sayyaf and had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Abu Sayyaf was founded in 1989 as an offshoot of a decades-long rebellion by minority Muslims in the south of the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. He had received bomb-making training from Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, a top Southeast Asian militant leader who was killed in 2015, according to a police profile.

It was Abu Sayyaf's first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the central Philippine heartland, far from the group's jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan. Ano said the troops were still hunting for at least five Abu Sayyaf gunmen, though fighting had eased Wednesday.

While the bold kidnapping attempt appears to have been foiled, the militants' success in penetrating the bustling region of beach resorts and other popular attractions could raise concerns among tourists and businessmen.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila had earlier advised Americans to take precautions amid "unsubstantiated yet credible information" of possible kidnappings by terrorists in Bohol and other central areas.

The United States and the Philippines both list Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.

Bohol island lies about 640 kilometers (397 miles) southeast of Manila and is about an hour by boat from Cebu province, a trade and tourism center that has hosted some of the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the regional bloc the Philippines is leading this year.

Ano said military intelligence operatives had been trying to track the movements of Askali's group for several days after learning of their planned abductions.

The gunmen traveled on motorboats along a river into a village in Bohol's Inabanga town where government forces assaulted them, military officials said, adding that troops recovered four rifles, a homemade bomb and a sack load of bomb-making materials from the slain gunmen.

In past years, Abu Sayyaf militants have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists, reflecting their growing capability and desperation for money. In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they seized 20 people from a resort, including three Americans, one of whom was beheaded and another shot and killed during an army rescue.

Although they rely mainly on ransom kidnappings, Abu Sayyaf has displayed incredible resiliency and has survived through U.S.-backed military offensives under six presidents.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who took office in June, has ordered troops to destroy the extremists and has threatened to declare martial law in the country's south if the threat posed by Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups aligned with the Islamic State group gets out of control.

Although weakened by years of battle setbacks, the militants again hogged headlines last year when they separately beheaded two Canadians then decapitated a German hostage earlier this year after ransom deadlines lapsed. Askali was involved in those kidnappings and the captives' gruesome murders, Ano said.

The militants are still holding at least 29 captives in Sulu's jungles.

A confidential government threat assessment report obtained by the AP last year said that the militants have started to target slow-moving tugboats crisscrossing the Sulu Sea and the busy sea border between the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia in their effort to avoid constant military offensives in the southern provinces where they operate and raise desperately needed funds.

In the first half of last year, the militants raised 353 million pesos ($7 million) in payments from ransom kidnappings, according to the report.
The Napa Valley Film Festival, Village: Napa, and Aldea Children & Family Services present a community screening of the award-winning film Love is All You Need? at 6 p.m. on April 27 at the Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center.

This story of forbidden love highlights the issues of persecution and intolerance in a community where the social norm of sexual preference is reversed; homosexuality is mainstream and heterosexuality is taboo. The film was shown to festival audiences at the 2016 Napa Valley Film Festival and won both the Best Screenplay and Best Actress awards. It stars Briana Evigan, Kyla Kenedy, Tyler Blackburn, Elisabeth Rohm and Jeremy Sisto.

According to a press release, The goat of the event is to address the important and timely issues of intolerance and discrimination, and help raise community literacy around mental health, anti-bullying in schools, and suicide prevention.

The Napa Valley Film Festival is committed to sharing not only the best new independent films we can find with our audiences, but also to highlighting movies with a cause that will inspire conversations that result in positive change, said Brenda Lhormer, a co-founder and director of the Napa Valley Film Festival. This film is tough, important, well acted and thought provoking.

Mark Bontrager, executive director of Aldea Children & Family Services, said, We are excited to support community partnerships to bring events that will build community, educate our residents on mental health needs and create space where we can grow and heal.

Community partners in attendance include NVUSD Wellness Program, Napa County Office of Education, Arts Council Napa Valley, Mentis, NEWS, PLFAG Napa, LGBTQ Connection, Innovations Community Center, Napa Police Department Youth Services, LEGACY Project, Teens Connect, and V.O.I.C.E.S.

Doors open at 5 p.m. for a reception, offering complimentary hors doeuvres from Whole Foods Napa, coffee from Starbucks, and bottled water from Essentia. Wine will also be available for purchase from Rombauer Vineyards and Grgich Hills Estate.

Following the film, writer and director K. Rocco Shields and co-writer David Tillman will lead an on-stage discussion with cast members from the film and key community speakers.

To view the film trailer, visit www.loveisallyouneedthemovie.com/

The event is free for high school students with student ID and $10 for adults over 18. All of the proceeds collected from the event will be distributed equally between the NVFF Education Programs and Village: Napa.

To reserve tickets for student attendance and adult tickets visit nvff.org/box-office/love-need-screening/.
Kick up your heels on May 5

The American Canyon High School Alpha Wolf Club will host a night of fun, food and dancing as part of Cinco de Mayo on May 5. The event, dubbed Kick Up Your Heels for Education, will begin at 7 p.m and take place in the American Canyon Community Gym, 100 Benton Way.

The event will include a silent auction with prizes that include wine experiences and excursions, plus graduation seating and parking. Proceeds from the event will go to the Alpha Wolf Club. Tickets are $25 per person, and can be purchased online at https://squareup.com/store/achs-alliance-alpha-wolf-club.

The Hubs upcoming events

April at The Hub, located at 350 Georgia St. in Vallejo, will feature a variety of activities, which are held at The Hub unless otherwise noted. Call The Hub at 707-561-6514 for more information or to register (advanced registration highly recommended) for the following:

April 15, 22, 29, 9-12 p.m. Hula Hoop Exercise Class. Join the community for a morning of hula hooping. Hoops available for purchase. Free admission. All ages and talents welcome. Learn to Hula Hoop.

April 15, 12-4 p.m. Fantasy Role Playing Games. Join us for an afternoon of adventure. Whether you have tried RPGs before or not, you are welcome to give our games a try. We will be playing characters and exploring an imaginary world, complete with challenges, happenings, learning and progress. We will have pregenerated characters from which you can choose, or you can contact nathanstout@sonic.net, to meet an hour or two earlier on game day to make your own personal character.

April 13, 27, 7:30-9 p.m. Poetry by the Bay at The Hub. Come read, listen and share poetry. Free admission. Donations accepted.

April 14, 6-10 p.m. Art Walk at The Hub, part of the monthly Art Walk. Additional artists set up in the center of The Hub. Come shop the boutique, gallery and invited artisans. Free admission. All ages welcome. The monthly Art Walk is a community wide art event. This Friday the theme is Steampunk. Artisians wanting to rent a table or space outside, contact SherryMoyse@comcast.net.

April 15, 2-4 p.m. Hub CAP (Community Art Party). Come, create, and take home a project designed by you. Join members of your community for an afternoon of creative fun. This event is available to youth and adults, all skill levels. Free. Donation appreciated. Materials provided.

April 19, 6-9 p.m. Figure Drawing/Painting Session. Figure will be clothed for this session. All skill levels welcome. Fee: $20. Bring your own supplies & easel. Limited to 30.

April 23, 12-5 p.m. Third of three clay sculpting class. This class will concentrate on mold making lessons as you will create a support or (mother) mold to lock the silicon rubber mold into position. You will then cast a reproduction in plaster. Fee: $20 (12 yrs to adults). Materials fee: $30 per project. Limited to 4.
Napa County is poised to start building what amounts to a correctional campus along Highway 221 near the Syar quarry, with a re-entry facility to come first and ultimately a new jail.

The county Board of Supervisors approved awarding a $16 million construction contract for the 72-bed re-entry facility to Vila Construction of Richmond. The facility is to open in fall 2018.

Selected inmates preparing for release will stay there and participate in programs designed to keep them from ending up back in jail, from substance abuse and mental health programs to job preparation.

There will be a very much desirable effect of being in a building that is, while considered in custody, not locked and secured quite like a jail is, county Chief Probation Officer Mary Butler said.

Inmates will be in dorms, not cells, Butler said. They might leave during the day to go to work or classes and return at night. The idea is to provide a transition to life-after-jail.

The Probation Department will provide the programs and the county Department of Corrections will provide the security, which will include cameras and alarms and correctional staff. The reentry facility is to be one-story with a courtyard and have four dormitory wings.

But the 27-acre site along Highway 221 that Napa County bought for about $7 million is to have more than a reentry facility. It is to have a new jail that the county wants to ultimately replace the downtown Napa jail.

Napa County supervisors last year wanted to build a $103 million, 256-bed jail at the Highway 221 site. Voters in June turned down a quarter-cent sales tax that was to provide much of the funding, leaving supervisors searching for Plan B.

Plan B is to build a 96-bed first phase of a new jail, along with such core facilities as a central control room, laundry area and kitchen, with more cells to be added when more money becomes available. The cost is to be about $68 million, though that figure changes as the county refines its plans.

Supervisors on Tuesday took a step toward securing a big chunk of this money. They agreed to submit an application to the state for $22.8 million that the state has already agreed to pay for the project.

Still, the state money and funds the county has stitched together from savings and land sales arent enough. Supervisors on April 18 are scheduled to talk about how to erase a gap of about $14 million.

In addition, the county estimates operating its new jail complex will cost an additional $7 million annually. Among other things, another 60 correctional officers and other staff will be needed. Expenses will arise from operating both the new jail and downtown jail, until future new jail phases make the old jail unnecessary.

Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza called the operational costs a $7 million hit to the general fund that the county uses to fund many of its services.

Thats real, Pedroza said. We heard earlier about the priorities we have across the board, from roads to housing.

The county has time to figure out how to deal with the issue. Public Works Director Steven Lederer said construction of the new jail could start in 2019 and be finished in 2022.

Supervisor Diane Dillon said the county has put years of hard work into the reentry facility and jail project.

Its just what it takes to do a project like this, especially when were not just building a jail, were doing a whole new system leading to the reduction of the recidivism rate, she said.

Butler on Friday said having the reentry facility and the new jail next to each other on the same correctional campus will be a good thing, given the relationship between the two.

Some jail inmates will not want to change their lives, Butler said. Others might see the reentry facility out their cell window, know that they too might be going to school or work during the day and be motivated to try to get into the reentry program.
The Napa Police are seeking the public's help identifying a man who ran out of a jewelry store wearing a nearly $7,000 gold necklace last week.

Police said that the white man went into the Kay Jewelers Outlet with a pregnant white female at about 3 p.m. on April 1. The couple looked at the gold necklace and left the store, police said.

About an hour later, though, the man returned to the store, asked to try the necklace on and ran out while still wearing it, police said.

Anyone with any information is being asked to contact the Napa Police at 707-257-9223.
CALISTOGA  To the surprise of local law enforcement and residents, ICE agents made two arrests in Calistoga last week on the same day the city presented a proclamation of support to its immigrant population.

Stunned by the arrests of two immigrants, Viri Agapoff addressed the City Council at a regularly scheduled meeting on April 4 to ask for help in alleviating anxiety in the immigrant community caused by the event.

A lot of families are in fear, she said.

Few details of the arrests were available, but Mayor Chris Canning said the city is looking into the situation. He assured Agapoff and the community that the arrests were specific people that (ICE) came for. These were not sweeps, these were not raids, he said at the meeting. They achieved what their mission was and they left the community.

It was a departure from what residents had been assured of at an immigration forum sponsored by the UpValley Family Centers a few weeks ago. Canning and Calistoga Police had told residents that Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) agents would notify local law enforcement that they were coming to town to make an arrest.

It appears that there was a slip-up by ICE in notifying Calistoga police of last weeks arrests, the mayor said.

On Wednesday, James Schwab, spokesman for ICEs San Francisco office, said he wasnt sure if local law enforcement was notified on the day of the Calistoga arrests. We generally notify the watch commander in an area, he said.

While he could not give information about those who were apprehended, Schwab said agents typically target individuals who pose a risk to our communities, including street gang members and deportable foreign nationals with significant drug trafficking convictions.

Officers prioritize cases based on such factors as a persons criminal and immigration history as well as the strength of information about a persons whereabouts, Schwab said.

ICE is not required to give advance notice of its arrival in the city or to make arrests, Canning said.

Councilmember Irais Lopez-Ortega said she has no problem when police or ICE address individuals who are breaking the law, but she is concerned about those people who get caught up in the circumstances of the arrest of the offending person.

However what happened is that they (ICE) come to look for somebody specific and somebody else opens the door and they take that innocent person, she said. And its a horrible process for families that she said she has experienced herself.

She called on the city manager, mayor and police chief to make it less stressful for our families.

Canning said that prior to that morning, the city was under the understanding that they did have an agreement and a plan with ICE, but city law enforcement was not notified this time.

We will continue to act and behave as a sanctuary city without declaring sanctuary city status, Canning said at the meeting, hoping to assure immigrant residents that the city supports them.

The unknown unfortunately is this government agency (ICE) that doesnt answer to us, he said.

Calistoga Chief of Police Mitch Celaya has said that he and his department are not interested in the immigration status of any individual, and they will not seek out or question any individuals legal documentation. They are interested only in people who commit crimes, no matter their legal status.
Proponents of a proposed Napa County watershed and oaks protection ballot measure want to take their case to the California Supreme Court.

Whether the state Supreme Court will accept the case remains to be seen, given it hears less than 5 percent of civil case petitions. At issue is whether the county correctly disqualified the Water, Forest and Oak Woodland Protection Initiative from the November 2016 ballot on a technicality.

A victory would mean proponents wouldnt have to once again gather more than 3,700 signatures from local registered voters to qualify the measure for a future ballot. The proposed measure seeks to strengthen protections for watershed oaks and streams and would affect mountain vineyard development.

Still, proponent Mike Hackett doesnt expect a Supreme Court decision would be made in time for the 2018 elections. He said Wednesday that supporters are willing to collect signatures again.

One hundred percent, Hackett said.

In trying to convince the Supreme Court to overturn a decision by the California First District Court of Appeal, proponents say the stakes extend beyond Napa County.

The First Districts opinion upholding the countys action will wreak havoc in elections law, their request for state Supreme Court review said.

Last year, Napa Valley Vintners, Winegrowers of Napa County, Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa County Farm Bureau stated their opposition to the proposed ballot measure. They said the county already has strong watershed protections.

The legal issue centers on the states full text law for petitions being circulated to qualify measures for the ballot. California law requires that potential signers be able to read a proposed initiative so they can know what they are signing.

Last year, Oak and watershed initiative proponents went to shopping centers and other places to gather signatures with a text of their proposed measure. But their papers only referred to sections of the countys existing Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan and didnt include a copy.

The county concluded that the initiative would make parts of the Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan mandatory in certain cases. For that reason, the county concluded, the petition needed to include the appropriate Voluntary Oak Woodland Management Plan sections.

With that decision, what promised to be a ballot box battle royal over a controversial issue never happened. County Registrar of Voters John Tuteur rejected the initiative petition on the advice of county counsel.

Initiative proponents said that the measure merely refers to the county oaks guidelines. California law allows petitions to cross-reference existing laws without including copies of them.

As this case shows, establishing a uniform definition of text is no academic exercise, their Supreme Court filing said. Countys unprecedented interpretation of text was used to keep the proponents initiative off the November 2016 ballot.

Proponents for the Water, Forest and Oak Woodland Protection Initiative include local residents Hackett and Jim Wilson. They are represented by the San Francisco-based law firm Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger.
Dario Sattui doesnt do anything in a small way, whether its building a castle or throwing a party, and so the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the opening of his Castello di Amorosa in Napa Valley was bound to be a memorable one.

It was never meant to happen, Sattui said on Thursday, April 6, greeting guests in the courtyard of the medieval castle he spent 15 years building on a hillside in Calistoga.

The vintner proceeded to regale guests with the tale of the creation of his castle, which grew out of his fanatical love of architecture, especially castles.

Castello di Amorosa translates as castle of love and as Sattui notes, I put a lot of love into it. Before he began building his Napa Valley castle, Sattui said he spent days and months exploring old European castles. Id pry open a window if I couldnt get into it, he said. Id put on a suit and go to a Realtor and say I was interested in buying a castle.

He, in fact, did buy one Italian castle, which he later sold, as well as a monastery that he restored and a castle in France that he still owns.

And he had this property in Calistoga. It was my dream property, he said, because history came with it. He bought the historic Nash property on St. Helena Highway North primarily because of its Victorian mansion, which he also restored.

But it also came with vineyards, a building permit for a winery, and the last public tour and tasting permit in Napa County issued in 1989.

He started making plans to build a small winery; and then it grew. In Europe much wine is made in castles, he said. You can see I have an incurable disease.

But in deciding to build a castle in California in the late 20th century, he had one guiding principal: he wanted the real thing, not a faux, fantasy bit of Disneyland north.

From his years of exploring European castles he not only had a trove of photos, drawings, and plans, hed met artists and artisans, blacksmiths, stone masons and fresco painters, who could help him build the real thing. He wanted authentic materials as well: He shipped 200 containers of materials from Europe including half a million antique bricks. These were augmented by 8,000 tons of Napa Valley stone.

It was composed of everything Id seen, he said. I wanted it to be a new adventure every time you go around a corner.

He began construction in 1994 and throughout the next 15 years, he admitted he was plagued with doubts. I have to tell you, I had nightmares. Before this Id built a dog house, a rabbit hutch and a chicken coop, and they hadnt turned out very well.

When the Castello di Amorosa opened on May 7, 2007, he said he was still wondering, Did I make a total fool of myself? Will anyone actually come here?

Yes, people came. In the 10 years since its opening, the castle has drawn thousands of visitors to tour the castle with its towers, moat, courtyard, chapel and its torture chamber. Some come for the architecture, he said. Some dont even like wine. Im happy to take their money.

The castle has also hosted countless fundraisers for valley nonprofits and arts performances. Its a regular venue used by Festival Napa Valley.

For his celebration, Sattui invited the people whod helped him build the castle, and celebrated Italian chef Stefano Masanti flew in from Italy to prepare a lunch for the guests. It was served in the Great Hall, the walls of which are filled with colorful frescoes of medieval life.

Before the lunch, guests tasted a 10-year-vertical of Il Barone, the castles flagship wine, a robust cabernet sauvignon. More Castello wines were poured at the lunch, that also included Italian music, both operatic and popular.

Sattui also introduced his newly published book, Castello di Amorosa, a Labor of Love, which Sattui tells the castles story accompanied by an opulent collection of photographs by Peter Menzel.

Sometimes a man does something that makes absolutely no sense at all, vintner and film director Francis Ford Coppola writes in the introduction. And then later on, it still doesnt quite make sense, but you understand why he did it.

In my mind such a man is truly a hero because whenever something gets imagined, created or actually built that would never normally happen, we all stand in the light of something new, even if in fact it is very old, which is what happened in the case of Dario Sattui.

Coppola adds, When I first beheld the medieval castle that Dario built, I couldnt believe my eyes ... I was awed that a modern man could attempt something so outrageous  and moreover complete it successfully. It stands there for all to see.

The Castello di Amorosa has become one of the premier attractions in the Napa Valley and across the nation, said U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) in a video greeting he sent to Sattuis 10th anniversary party. Im one of the few congressman who has a castle in his district.

It shows what can be accomplished when you have the vision and dedication, Thompson added. No dream is too big or too ambitious if you have the grit to see it through. These were good words to keep in mind these days, he noted.
The future of the St. Helena Chamber of Commerces proposed Property Based Improvement District (PBID) is in question after a deadlocked City Council couldnt muster enough votes to direct staff to keep working on the project.

Chamber officials said the lack of city staff support wont deter them from going ahead with the petition process with property owners who will need to approve the district. However, the district will eventually need council authorization.

Commercial properties within the proposed district are being asked to approve a self-imposed assessment, which a new PBID board would spend on beautification, maintenance, marketing and business development.

Chamber officials say the PBID would give the business community a stable source of funding without having to rely on the citys annual contract with the Chamber.

On Tuesday Councilmembers Mary Koberstein and Geoff Ellsworth said they will not vote to form the PBID. Mayor Alan Galbraith spoke in favor of it, and Councilmember Peter White said hell wait until the affected property owners have weighed in before taking a position.

The fate of the PBID seems to hinge upon the vote of Councilmember Paul Dohring, who recused himself from Tuesdays discussion because hes awaiting an opinion from the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) on whether he has a conflict of interest. As an attorney, he represents clients whose properties are within the proposed district, so he asked the FPPC for advice on whether that amounted to a conflict of interest under state law. He said they told him to expect a response within a few weeks.

Koberstein said she opposes the PBID based on the cost to the city and her belief that the city, not the Chamber, should be in charge of business development, which involves economic strategy and reaching out to businesses that might be a good fit for the local economy.

As a major property owner, the city would have to pay $93,000 a year in assessments, a rate that could increase by as much as 3 percent a year for the five-year life of the PBID.

We should take this money ourselves and do something with it instead of handing it off for supposed special benefits that, frankly, I just dont see, Koberstein said, adding that the assessment on the citys vacant Adams Street property would be $49,000 a year.

Galbraith said the cost to the city would be offset by the eventual elimination of the citys annual Chamber contract of $200,000. He said the city hasnt been able to afford to hire a staffer to conduct proactive economic development, and he doesnt see that changing in the foreseeable future. The updated General Plan endorses a PBID, he added.

Lets see whether the property owners  embrace this, Galbraith said. It may well be, from what we heard tonight, that its going to be very hard to mobilize the sufficient number of weighted property interests to move forward.

Melanee Cottrill of the consulting firm Civitas, which is advising the Chamber, said after the hearing that due to an error in the staff report Koberstein had overstated the annual cost to the city. Koberstein said the city would have to pay $65,000 a year on top of the $93,000 regular assessment, but Cottrill said the city would only have to pay the $93,000.

Despite the lack of participation with city staff, the Chamber will go ahead with the first step of a two-step process necessary to form the PBID.

First, petitions will have to be signed by property owners who will pay more than 50 percent of the assessment. Then, if the council votes to go ahead, property owners will be asked to vote in a ballot process, again weighted based on who will pay the most.

Sewer rates

Also at Tuesdays meeting, several local property owners said they are on the verge of being driven out of business after drastic increases to their sewer rates.

Kathryn Kenney said her restaurant, That Pizza Place, saw its sewer bill jump from $42 a month to $840, an increase of 2,000 percent, as a result of being reclassified from a regular business to a restaurant even though weve been a restaurant for the eight years weve been there.

Debbie Fradelizio said Gillwoods, which she operates with her daughter Jennifer, has also seen its sewer bill go up to the $840 flat rate for restaurants.

Last year I paid the city $8,000 for water and sewer. This year its going to be $16,000, she told the council. I cant pay that.  I know you guys inherited this. I know its not your fault. But you cant put us all out of business to fix the problem.

Under the new flat rate, her 55-seat restaurant is charged the same base sewer rate as much larger restaurants, which isnt fair, she said. The new rates will force her to raise rates and lose customers, stop donating to schools and charities, or underpay her employees, she said.

Charles Hall, owner of the laundromat, said his base sewer rate jumped to $970 a month, which could force him to raise rates on customers who cant afford to pay more and make him uncompetitive with other laundries.

The issue wasnt on Tuesdays agenda, but Councilmember Geoff Ellsworth said the council urgently needs to address it, as well as parking and pedestrian safety concerns raised by neighbors of the new Las Alcobas hotel.

Fireworks

The council agreed without discussion to allocate $20,980 from the 2017-2018 budget to pay for half of the $40,000 Fourth of July fireworks show. The rest of the funding will come from $19,020 raised last year by volunteers with the Parks and Recreation Commission.

Editor's note: Councilmember Mary Koberstein says she stands by her statement that the city might have to pay more than $93,000 for the PBID. She cites the following statement from the city staff report, which Civitas consultant Melanee Cottrill said was inaccurate:

 ... the costs associated with general benefit, including those benefits received by non-assessed parcels must be paid from other sources of the local agency. It should be noted that the draft Report does indeed take this prudent approach and identifies $64,034.52 of general benefit conferred that must be funded from other sources of the local agency. The draft report identifies grants, corporate sponsorships, event income and other miscellaneous funds to fund the general benefits. However it must be noted that if these funding sources are not forthcoming in the amount needed, then it would become an obligation of the Citys general fund to make up any difference, up the full amount of $64,043.52. This amount would be in addition to the special assessment of $93,290.25 identified in the draft Report for City owned properties.

After this article was published, Koberstein said, "On page 17 of the Civitas Greater St. Helena PBID Management District Plan, the table on the bottom of page 17 carrying over to page 18 identifies this precise amount of $64,034.52 in general benefits. Clearly if there is a gap, the City is obligated to fund it. Solely in my view as one Council member, this would be a contingent financial liability and it would be irresponsible of the City not to set aside funds to cover the gap annually if the other sources had not already funded the full amount needed."
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg will visit the White House on Wednesday (12 April 2017) for his first meeting with President Donald J. Trump and his national security team. They will discuss preparations for the meeting of NATO heads of state and government in Brussels on 25 May, including NATO's contribution to the fight against terrorism and burden-sharing within the Alliance.

On Wednesday morning, Mr. Stoltenberg will lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, in tribute to fallen US servicemen and women. On Thursday, the Secretary General will hold a townhall meeting at the Elliott School of International Affairs at George Washington University.
Herman K. Trabish, August 11, 2016 (Utility Dive)

Editors note: Hawaii continues to work toward implementation of this groundbreaking idea.

In June 2015, Hawaiis Legislature passed a law ordering regulators to design and implement a community-based renewable energy program (CBRE) to help it meet its 100% renewables by 2045 mandate. Under the bill, electric utilities in Hawaii must work with stakeholders to develop a program and tariffs opening up access to renewables regardless of location. Hawaiis investor-owned utility, the Hawaiian Electric Companies (HECO), filed its CBRE plan in October 2015, but the staff of the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission found multiple issues. The proposal included cost calculations and flat bill credits to customers that limited program flexibility and did not include the best market signals, the commissioners said.

The PUC staff released an alternative proposal that included the first U.S. use of time-of-use (TOU) rates for a community solar program. The filing proposed three credit rate caps for the following time periods: Mid-Day, On-Peak, and Off-Peak. Generation sent to the grid at peak demand periods will be more highly compensated. The market-based framework, which won support from a broad group of solar and environmental advocates, seeks to set price signals for a full range of community-based project sizes and types. The intent is to give third-party community energy developers incentives to create business models that provide value to the grid and minimize any negative impact to non-participating customers, according to the filing click here for more

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Even as the Opposition has presented a united front over the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) tampering issue in the past few days, there seems to be infighting and disunity amongst the Congress party members with some being against their use, while others apparently not.



A day after Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh came out in defence of the EVMs, citing had there been any possibility of tampering with the EVMs, he would have not won the Punjab Assembly elections, Congress leader Manish Tewari on Thursday said Singh had himself demonstrated as to how the EVMs could be manipulated, when he was the Punjab Congress Committee (PCC) president in 2001.



"The Chief Minister of Punjab is a respected leader, but few years back in 2010 and even in 2001, when he was the PCC president, he had himself demonstrated as to how the EVMs can be gerrymandered," Tewari told ANI.



Capt. Amarinder Singh's reaction came following his landslide victory in the Punjab Assembly elections, in which the Congress secured 77 out of 117 seats making a strong comeback after a decade.



While reacting on the open challenge thrown by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the opposition to hack the EVMs, Tewari said the poll-watchdog should not act as an advocate for the voting machines.



"It's extremely unfortunate that the Election Commission has taken upon itself the role of being the lawyer for the EVMs. Democracy is based upon public trust. It is based upon confidence which elected representatives have in the process. So, therefore, if there is a lack of confidence in the EVMs, why is the Election Commission holding itself as the advocate of the EVMs? What is the difficulty if the ECI agrees to hold elections by paper ballot?" said Tewari.



The Congress leader further said that if the stakeholders were unhappy with a particular process, then a revised decision was needed.



"Democracy is a process which is an in interplay between various stakeholders and if, therefore, the stakeholders are unhappy with a particular process, then I am afraid the EC needs to reconsider its stand," he said.



A Congress-led delegation led by party president Sonia Gandhi had submitted a memorandum on the alleged irregularities in EVMs to President Pranab Mukherjee earlier on Wednesday.



The delegation included several popular Congress leaders including party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Satyavrat Chaturvedi, and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad among others.



Post meeting with President Mukherjee, Azad said that the alleged tampering of EVMs and the backdoor entry by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form the governments in Goa and Manipur, have raised questions on the electoral process in the country.



Azad said that the united Opposition sought the President's intervention to maintain the constitutional safeguards in India.
Inaugural Salukis United in Diversity Conference set

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Television commentator and best-selling author Keith Boykin will speak at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in April, one of the highlights of the inaugural four-day Salukis United in Diversity Conference.

A variety of activities are planned during the April 19-22 conference, designed to bring the campus and community together to highlight and strengthen SIUs diversity and inclusivity.

The celebration begins on April 19 as faculty and graduate teaching assistants make presentations and discuss diversity from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Student Centers Ohio Room. Afterward, the Chancellors Diversity Council will host a Meet and Greet event in the Mississippi Room, giving everyone a chance to get acquainted with the council and discuss their thoughts about campus diversity.

Students will gather at the Student Center at 4 p.m. on April 20 to participate in a Unity March and Celebration as a show of support for international and underrepresented students, faculty and staff. Students are encouraged to wear shirts that illustrate their diverse backgrounds, according to conference organizer Naomi Tolbert, a political science and international affairs major who is also vice president of cultural experiences and diversity for the Honors Assembly, a student trustee on the SIU Board of Trustees and a McNair Scholar.

This will be an inspirational Saluki celebration of the differences we have and a time to embrace them and come together, Tolbert said.

The walk will conclude in the area around the Shryock Auditorium steps for a campus-wide celebration featuring remarks by Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, a barbecue and music provided by a disc jockey.

There will be Safe Zone workshop sessions at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. on April 21 in the Mississippi Room at the Student Center, giving everyone the opportunity to learn about LGBTQ issues and how to help foster an inclusive and affirming campus. A documentary focusing on race relations will be shown at 5 p.m. in the Student Centers Delta Room.

Boykin will speak at 5 p.m. in the Student Center Ballrooms on April 22, followed by an awards ceremony and reception at 6 p.m. Boykin is the founder and first board president of the National Black Justice Coalition and the author of four books, all Lambda Literary Award nominees. The most recent publication is For Colored Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Still Not Enough, the winner of the 2013 American Library Association Stonewall Award for Nonfiction.

A St. Louis native, Boykin is a graduate of Dartmouth College and earned his law degree at Harvard Law School. He served as special assistant to the president and director of specialty media for President Bill Clinton, the highest-ranking openly gay person in Clintons White House. He spoke at the Millennium March on Washington and has appeared on numerous national news and media programs, including Anderson Cooper 360, The Tyra Banks Show, and the Montel Williams Show.

While there is no cost to attend Boykins lecture, you must register in advance at http://conferenceservices.siu.edu/conferences/salukis-united-for-diversity.php.

The awards to be presented following Boykins lecture will recognize groups and individuals on campus for their efforts in the past year to enhance and strengthen SIUs diversity and inclusivity.

Tolbert said conference events  all free and open to the public  will serve several purposes, including building Saluki pride, encouraging community engagement, and identifying and recognizing the efforts various units and organizations at the university are making to enhance diversity and inclusivity. The conference also is designed to give students, faculty, staff, administrators and community members opportunities to interact and address any issues or concerns.

The weeks fun and interactive events will address different aspects of diversity, providing knowledge, intercultural interactions and opportunities to enhance communication and inclusivity, Tolbert said. The goal is to get as many members of the campus and community of all backgrounds involved as possible in order to broaden the scope of understanding. We also want to create a foundation for future diversity events and initiatives.

Salukis United in Diversity Conference sponsors include the Office of the President, Office of the Chancellor, the Office of Diversity, the Diversity Council, the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, Student Affairs, the Student Center and University Housing.
Impact of leadership program felt in Brazil

by Tim Crosby

CARBONDALE, Ill.  When a group of Brazilian college students found their way into an engineering leadership program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Bruce DeRuntz could not have anticipated the impact the program and the students would have on that country.

DeRuntz, professor of technology at SIU and director of the College of Engineerings Leadership Development Program, recently returned from a trip to Brazil, where he gave a talk and met with his former students, who are now on a quest to transform their country.

Of the 100 Brazilian students who studied in the college during the 2014-15 academic year, six participated in the leadership program.

The SIU Leadership Development Program was founded in 2006 by Dick Blaudow, an engineering alumnus and chairman of the board of Advanced Technology Services based in Peoria. Blaudow along with his wife, Brigitte, established the program as a way to help develop the next generation of Americas technical leaders.

The program is designed to mold students into future executive leaders of industry by providing them with leadership training, mentoring and community service opportunities. Students also have the opportunity to complete a summer internship program with corporate sponsors.

DeRuntz said the Brazilian students developed a deep passion for leadership when they saw how it could transform lives.

They took this knowledge and passion back to Brazil and began teaching leadership to both college students and business, DeRuntz said.

DeRuntz visited with his former students in Brazil during at their Leadership Experience Day at Juiz de Fora Federal University in Juiz de Fora, which is located in the southeastern part of the country.

DeRuntz gave the keynote presentation, while former SIU students gave presentations on other leadership topics, including self-leadership and the science of teamwork.

The workshop attracted enough interest to sell-out UFJFs 210-seat university auditorium during the middle of their summer break, DeRuntz said. It not only attracted students, but also some of the largest employers in the area who desired to learn more about leadership.

Diogo Seixas was one of the presenters and SIU alumni presenting. He recalled what he learned in the LDP at SIU and said it inspired him to bring those lessons to his home country.

Through the LDP, I started to learn more and more about leadership and became more interested, he said. I started to read and pay attention to people's behavior. I noticed how much my friends had grown in the program and how much I was changing.

DeRuntz said he was proud to witness his former students progress in becoming industry leaders in their home country. Watching them perform, he said he knew the teacher was now learning from his students.

I was most impressed to see how my fledgling students have blossomed into articulate and engaging presenters who inspired the entire audience to see and believe how each of them can become the leader they always dreamed of becoming, DeRuntz said. Even though the presentations were in Portuguese, I could easily read their body language and see how the audience was locked on their every word and almost pushed each other out of the way to participate.
Japan's core machinery ordersrose 1.5 percent in February from the previous month, governmentdata showed on Wednesday, underscoring a gradual pick-up incapital expenditure. The rise in the core orders, a highly volatile data seriesregarded as an indicator of capital spending in the coming sixto nine months, was below the 2.7 percent gain expected byeconomists in a Reuters poll. It followed a 3.2 percent decline in January, the CabinetOffice data showed. Compared with a year earlier, core orders, which excludeships and orders from the electric power utilities, grew 5.6percent in February, after an 8.2 percent slide in the previousmonth.REUTERS AKC 0622 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1226352.Xml
Asif said three appellate forums are available under the law to Jadhav, whose family lives in Mumbai, Dawn online reported.

According to the minister, the trial of Jadhav, who Pakistan said was working for the Research and Analysis Wing and arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan, lasted three and a half months.

He faced charges of spying for India, working against Pakistan's integrity, sponsoring terrorism and attempting to destabilise the country.

Asif said Jadhav had the right to move the Pakistan Army's Court of Appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the President.

Asif rejected Indian claims that Jadhav's execution would be "pre-meditated murder", saying due process of law was followed in the trial.

The minister said those involved in terrorist activities and conspiring against the security and integrity of Pakistan would not be allowed any concession, whether or not they lived in the country.

--IANS py/vt

( 199 Words)

2017-04-12-13:44:09 (IANS)
He was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10.01 p.m, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told BDNews24.

His other accomplice Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the Minister said.

They went to the gallows for killing three in a grenade attack on the then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet in 2004.

Hannan was said to be the mastermind of 13 terrorist attacks, including an attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's life, perpetrated by the banned militant group HuJI.

He also faced trial for planting a bomb made with 76 kg of explosives near the venue of a public rally addressed by her at Kotalipara in 2000.

A Sylhet court on December 23, 2008 sentenced Hannan and his aides Ripon and Bipul to death and two others to life-time imprisonment for their role.

--IANS ahm/vd

( 180 Words)

2017-04-12-22:32:08 (IANS)
In her first foreign tour, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari is paying a state visit to India from April 17 to 21 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, it was announced on Wednesday. This will be the first foreign visit of Nepal's President after assuming the office in October 2015, the Nepal Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday, adding she will be staying at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi as a state guest. As per the itinerary, Bhandari will attend a reception and a dinner to be hosted by Nepal Ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyaya on April 17. On April 18, she will gave a ceremonial reception and inspect a guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. She will also pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and visitYamuna Biodiversity Park. On the same day, she will call on Mukherjee and attend a banquet hosted by him. Similarly, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some senior cabinet members will call on her. During the visit, Bhandari will also visit Gujarat and Odisha. In a statement, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said: "The upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections." "The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," it added. Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May last year but then Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli cancelled the visit at the last moment. The then Nepal cabinet cancelled the visit following political upheaval in the Himalayan nation when Oli's government was nearly toppled by its Maoist ally. --IANS giri-ab/vd ( 317 Words) 2017-04-12-23:20:07 (IANS)
The company lost about $800 million in total value in the morning session, Xinhua news agency reported.

A video released on social media showed that a bloodied passenger was dragged off a United Express flight by the aviation security officers, after he refused to give up his seat.

According to Chicago Tribune, the incident happened on a United flight at Chicago's O' Hare international airport on Sunday evening.

United Airlines had the flight overbooked and asked for four volunteers to give up their seats to United employees, after everyone boarded the flight.

The passenger said he was a doctor and had to be in Louisville on Monday for work, according to a Twitter account by a passenger on board.

Videos taken by other passengers on the same flight drew more than a million hits on social media, with many criticising United Airline's handling of the incident.

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz apologised on Monday for having to "re-accommodate" the customers in an overbooked flight.

However, in a letter to its employees, Munoz said: "Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this. While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you."

Around mid day, shares of UAL tumbled 3.9 per cent to $68.72 apiece.

--IANS sku/

( 256 Words)

2017-04-12-03:28:07 (IANS)
India's fastest growing lingerie brand Clovia on Wednesday announced raising of four million USD, a post-Series-A funding by current and new investors including Singularity Ventures and Ravi Dhariwal, an industry stalwart and former BCCL CEO. The company said that it will utilize the funds for marketing and boost product and technology development, in addition to expanding sales channels. Clovia has made exponential strides growing aggressively quarter on quarter, and has introduced several initiatives to position itself as a leader. It receives 1.5+ million visitors to its website monthly and registers nearly 80 percent of its sales today on the mobile website and app. Backed by its technology, Clovia offers nearly 200 styles per month with best working capital ratios in the industry. Over 75 percent of their inventory is fresh and less than 45 days old. "We are excited to welcome new Investors in Clovia. We look forward to a long-term relationship with them. We're extremely excited to learn from experiences of the likes of Ravi who've developed some of the biggest consumer businesses in the country," said co-founder and CEO Clovia, Pankaj Vermani. "I am delighted to partner with Clovia and impressed by the exponential strides they have made in the fashion space," said former BCCL CEO, Ravi Dhariwal. "I am impressed by Clovia's good growth potential going forward, and with the way, they have amalgamated technology and fashion and have disrupted the lingerie industry," added Ravi Dhariwal. (ANI)
Following the Supreme Court's rejecting the Tata Power plea for compensatory tariff, US rating agency Moody's said on Wednesday that though the company's 'Ba3 negative' rating remains unaffected, the court verdict is a credit-negative for the power major. "The Supreme Court's decision is credit-negative but does not impact Tata Power Company's (TPC) Ba3 rating," Moody's Investor Service said in a report. Ba3 is a Moody's medium grade rating indicating moderate credit risk. The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected the plea for compensatory tariff by Tata Power and Adani Power for the additional costs they were incurring on raised prices of the coal imported from Indonesia for their power plants in Gujarat. The apex court overturned the order issued by the Appellate Tribunal of Electricity (ATE) in April 2016 which allowed relief to Tata Power subsidiary Coastal Gujarat Power Limited (CGPL). CGPL's 4,000 MW Mundra ultra mega power plant (UMPP) relies entirely on imported coal, which is primarily sourced from Indonesia. The power generating companies had sought compensatory tariff after coal imported from Indonesia witnessed a steep hike following change in their laws in 2010 and 2011 by which the export price of coal was aligned with international market price. This changed prices that were prevalent for last 40 years. The order by the ATE would have benefited CGPL by allowing compensation for higher coal prices, the extent of which was to be determined by the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC). "Tata Power did not recognise revenue based on ATE's and CERC's earlier orders allowing for compensatory tariff, following a conservative accounting policy. Accordingly, this order should not lead to any restatement of historical financials," Moody's said. "CGPL is currently in breach of its bank loan covenants relating to its maximum debt-to-equity ratio and minimum debt service coverage ratio, given the impairment booked on its assets and the reduced cash flows, and they have been in discussions with its lenders for the waivers," it added. Tata Power is supplying power under a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Punjab and Haryana and Adani Power under PPA is supplying power to Gujarat and Haryana from its plant in Mundra. In the judgement, the Supreme Court has clarified that changes in the cost of fuel or the agreement becoming onerous to perform are not treated as force majeure events under the PPA. --IANS bc/dg ( 407 Words) 2017-04-12-15:08:07 (IANS)
Delhi University students on Wednesday called to root out casteism from higher education at a public meeting held just two days ahead of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary. The meeting on 'Cast Out Casteism: University of Ambedkar's Dream' was held in the wake of a string of steps taken by the Ministry of Human Resources Department (MHRD) lately, which have been criticised by the students. One such issue is for granting 'autonomy' to individual colleges in the university, which the MHRD is in the process of testing with a few colleges. "This is not autonomy. Autonomy was when we asked for freedom from the British. Autonomy means decentralization of power, not its opposite," Anil Chamaria, a noted journalist, said addressing students and teachers present at the open-air gathering. He also criticised the current lot of college principals, who he said were stooges of the political brass and have no say in the administrative decisions. The autonomous model suggested by the MHRD entails giving power to the colleges to administrate their admission process and to create their syllabi, under which the college expenditure, so far heavily subsidised by the government, will be curtailed drastically. "We are opposed to autonomy because that will lead to a steep increase in the fees charged from students. So far subsidised by the central government, colleges will have to raise funds by increasing the fees. The university will become an elite space, only for the rich," Aman Nawaz, a research scholar and member of All India Students Association (AISA), which organised the event, told IANS. Nawaz said there were seven colleges -- Hansraj, Venkateshwara, PGDAV (Evening and Morning both), Ramjas, St. Stephen's and SRCC -- which were asked to adopt the model. "Lower caste students will become more vulnerable if this design becomes a reality," he added. Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) President Nandita Narain also addressed the gathering. --IANS vn/vt ( 326 Words) 2017-04-12-18:34:09 (IANS)
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said she has demanded Rs 700 crore from the central government during her recent trip to Delhi, saying the amount has been pending for over 20 years. Banerjee said the central government had promised the amount to the state government for tackling erosion of Ganga and Padma rivers during the Chief Ministerial stint of Jyoti Basu when India and Bangladesh signed the Ganga water sharing treaty in 1996. The "sharing of the Ganga/Ganges waters at Farakka" pact was inked by then Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina on December 12, 1996, in New Delhi "I know Farakka is a major problem. We signed the Ganga water sharing pact. It happened during Jyoti Basu's rule. The centre had then said it will give Rs 700 crore to the state government to check Ganga-Padma erosion," said Banerjee. "The value of the Rs 700 crore at that time is equivalent to a sum of Rs 7,000 crore now. But not a single paisa has been given. Many villages are under water. During my recent visit to Delhi, I again raised this issue and reminded them about the centre's commitment," she said. --IANS ssp/vd ( 220 Words) 2017-04-12-22:28:08 (IANS)
Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal have been arrested on the complaint of the Punjab National Bank, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official.

It was alleged that the accused fraudulently used more than 100 shell companies for the diversion of bank funds.

The official said that there was no genuine business between the firm run by the accused and the shell companies.

"The firm also diverted Rs 376 crore out of the working capital limit obtained by the consortium of banks to six foreign subsidiaries based at Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Dubai and Ghana," he said.

They were presented before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass who allowed CBI to quiz them till April 22.

The CBI told the court that accused custodial interrogation is required to recover the cheated amount. It also told court that accused are required to be confronted with one another to unearth the entire conspiracy.

--IANS akk/vd

( 208 Words)

2017-04-12-23:24:08 (IANS)
After 'nepotism,' the latest buzz word in the B-Town is 'racism,' courtesy Abhay Deol. In a series of Facebook posts, the 'Raanjhanaa' star ridiculed the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor to Vidya Balan and John Abraham for featuring in ad campaigns, which promote fairness creams, especially the ones that chose campaigns that, subtly or blatantly, tried to sell the idea that being dark was not beautiful. Looks like, this came as a part of the much heated discussion over the recent incident, where a mob ganged upon young Nigerian men in a Greater Noida mall and physically assaulted them as the perpetrators believed the Nigerians to have played a role in the death of a local. In no time, social media erupted with protests over the issue, questioning, "Are Indians racist?" The 'Aisha' star wrote, "There's a lot more of these campaigns that are blatantly, and sometimes subtly, selling you the idea that whiter skin is better than darker skin. No one at the top of their game in any field is going to tell you that it is demeaning, false, and racist. You have to see that for yourself. You have to stop buying into the idea that a particular shade is better than others. Unfortunately if you look at matrimonial ads you will see how entrenched in our psyche this belief is. We even use the word 'dusk' to describe the colour of someones skin! While an individual may not be able to change this attitude in his/her community, he/she can at least start with the family." Below are some more posts in which Abhay has vented his ire on the logic given by the ads which the actor thinks is an irresponsible act to demean the dark skin:(ANI)
artolympic/iStock/Thinkstock(MIAMI) -- A North Miami police officer who shot the caretaker of a man with autism last summer has been charged with attempted manslaughter, according to officials.



On Tuesday, the Florida State Attorney's Office announced charges for North Miami Police Officer Jonathan Aledda for the July 18, 2016, shooting of behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey, who was unarmed.



Initial 911 calls described a "possibly suicidal" man with a "silver weapon in his hand," and officers with the North Miami Police Department were dispatched to the scene, according to the release from the state attorney's office.



The man detailed in the call was a resident of the Miami Achievement Center for the Developmentally Disabled, according to the release. After the resident had left the center, Kinsey closely followed him in "an attempt to return him from the street back into the facility," the release states. The man was holding a silver tanker truck toy in his hand, according to the release.



Aledda fired three shots, one of which struck Kinsey. At 152 feet away, Aledda was "not in the position to correctly assess the situation or in a position to accurately fire," the release states. Two other police officers "were within 20 feet of the situation" when Aledda fired.



In addition to the attempted manslaughter charge, a third-degree felony, Kinsey is being charged with culpable negligence, a first-degree misdemeanor.



Photos after the incident showed Kinsey laying on the ground with his arms up as the man with autism sits next to him.



The state attorney's office said the charges are "the result of a lengthy inquiry," which included a prosecutorial review of the police investigation, numerous police and prosecutor meetings to review case evidence, site enactments and statements from police witnesses.



After the shooting, Aledda, a member of the department's SWAT team, was placed on paid administrative leave, city officials said last July.



Aledda said in a statement last July through the police union, before his name was released: "I took this job to save lives and help people. I did what I had to do in a split second to accomplish that and hate to hear others paint me as something I'm not."



In a statement to ABC News Luis Fuste, secretary of the Dade County Police Benevolent Association, said the charges against Aledda are the state attorneys way of putting all officers on notice.



Fuste called the charges problematic in todays culture, in which there are endless situations where someone who is potentially brandishing a weapon could pose a threat to many people around them.



The North Miami Police Department did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment.



Aledda's attorney, Robert Switkes, did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment. It is unclear if Aledda has entered a plea to the charges against him.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday slammed Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's statement over Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence, saying that Islamabad has the tendency to confuse people by speaking in different languages, warning that even India can retaliate in the same manner. Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande opined that India needs to approach the United Nations and garner support from the entire world community for Jadhav. "Pakistan should not forget that some of the Pakistani prisoners are here in India and they should testing our patience. Even India can retaliate in the same manner," Kayande told ANI. Meanwhile, expressing solidarity over the issue, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar said Pakistan has never proved itself to be a friendly neighbour in the past 70 years. "Due to this behaviour of Pakistan, it split in 1971. Now, the Balochis want freedom from Pakistan. The Sindh people want their own country," Kumar told ANI. Kumar condemned Pakistan's decision dubbing it as inhuman, violent and anti-constitutional. "What Pakistan is doing is inhuman, violent and anti-constitutional. It proves that Pakistan is an intolerant country which hates India," he added. Kumar further said that instead of becoming a country promoting brotherhood and peace, Pakistan has become a shelter for terrorism. Khawaja Asif while speaking in the upper house of parliament yesterday said Jadhav has the right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days. However, Asif also defended the Pakistan Government's decision to execute Kulbhushan, saying that all legal processes had been observed in the ex-Naval officer's trial. "Jadhav's confession was a public document. He came from the approval of the Indian government.there is no doubt that India is fuelling terrorism in Pakistan," Geo News quoted Asif, as saying. Asif also said the death sentence of Kulbhushan should serve as a warning to those engaged in terrorism in the country. "Those plotting against Pakistan will not be spared," he said. Earlier, Jadhav was given the death sentence by the Pakistan Military, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan said in a statement. Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 through an operation in Balochistan's Mashkel area for his alleged involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan, the ISPR said. Earlier in March 2016, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the former Indian naval officer was arrested by Pakistan for allegedly engaging in subversive activities was possibly kidnapped from Iran and denied any possibilities of him being involved in subversive activities in Pakistan. The accused, used to run a business in the Iranian port city of Chabahar. He was seen in a video confessing that he was an official of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency. (ANI)
Tightening the noose on Naik, the Enforcement Directorate ( ED) on Monday yesterday approached the court over the same.

The move comes in the wake of Naik failing to appear before the agency despite being issued four summons.

The Enforcement Directorate had last month provisionally attached properties of Naik-led IRF worth Rs. 18.37 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in the form of mutual fund, real estate properties and bank balances.

Earlier in November last year, the Enforcement Directorate had registered money laundering case against the IRF on the basis of FIR registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

It was alleged that Naik and his associates are indulging in unlawful activities.

It was also alleged that Naik promotes enmity and hatred between different religious groups in India through his provocative utterances.

During the PMLA investigation, Naik avoided all four summons issued to him.

The IRF, headed by Naik, moved a petition last year seeking directions against the ban imposed on it by the Central Government. (ANI)
Asserting its commitment to energy efficiency and enabling access to clean energy, Schneider Electric India on Tuesday showcased a range of low-cost clean technologies at the catamaran as part of the Nomade des Mers (Nomad of the Seas) expedition. The expedition - which began in 2015 at Brittany (France) and will conclude in Indonesia - arrived at the Chennai port on Tuesday, after passing through Morocco, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Cape Verde, Brazil, South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The mission of the Nomade des Mers project is to showcase useful, simple and accessible technologies that are also environmentally friendly: low technologies. The catamaran will spend three years travelling the globe testing independent technologies and developing the international low-tech stakeholder and user community. On board, low-tech devices will be put to the test, optimised and linked to others to assess synergies toward achieving a self-sustaining ecosystem. The objective of the event was to create innovative low tech solutions for a greener future. The winning solution would be displayed and showcased in the ship and will be a part of it in the rest of its expedition. "These low-cost technologies are simple, cheap and easy to build system designed to tackle basic needs while respecting the environment. The prototype low-cost technologies can play an important role in meeting energy needs in isolated and off-grid areas as well as further add to the momentum established with regard to making India a net exporter of power", said Ramesh Phatak, R&D Head, Schneider Electric India. Phatak also stated that the fastest growing sources of environmental impact are not necessarily the tangible, visible ones; although they may dominate the debate and agenda. Increasingly significant are the 'unseen' consequences of technology like e-commerce, virtual reality, remote services, big data, remote collaboration, mobility and the Internet of Things etc.; all of which are instinctively perceived as 'environmentally friendly' but whose impacts can be equally pervasive. The solutions achieved through the research will be prototyped and submitted for approval by a jury of experts with the long-term ambition of creating a veritable library of tutorial videos open to everyone. As a financial, technological and human patron of Nomade des Mers, the Schneider Electric Foundation will harness the skills and expertise of Schneider Electric employees for the expedition. At each stop, volunteers of the Schneider Electric Teachers association will be able to take part in events, share their knowledge and pass along their skills. Additionally, certified technical experts will be invited to participate actively in LowTech Lab by collaborating on studies on select technologies and sharing results from some of their research. (ANI)
Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has questioned the Narendra Modi-led NDA government to observe Digital India on Good Friday. He, however, said Meghalaya will not be part of the proposed programme. "The central government has already communicated to the states that they wanted to have a digital India day on Good Friday. But will not be part of it," the veteran Congress leader told reporters here yesterday. Questioning the central government's move, Dr Sangma asked, "Is it that they selectively identifying these dates to marginalise the minorities with a complete disregard to the Constitutional obligation of ensuring personal liberty." He said people should be given space including government employees to engage themselves in their respective culture, or religious activities. "We will articulate our concern to the Union government particularly to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Chief Secretary (KS Kropha) have been asked to inform the Union cabinet secretary and it is also necessary for me (chief minister) to express my concern on behalf of the people of the state and people belonging to minority communities with special reference to sentiments of people of Northeast which has major chunk of Christian minorities," Dr Sangma said The Chief Minister said that the country was facing a challenge of unforeseen problem of peaceful coexistence which created fertile ground for the seeds of hatred to germinate and flourish. "All those trial balloons indulged by fringe elements including the RSS are dangerous indications. It is time for people to be blunt and frank to express their concern. The trial balloon was to have a person from the Sangh family likely to occupy the highest post (president). There are already certain things writing on the walls," he said. However, he asked other political parties to be alert, vigilant and fight against such agendas. UNI RRK KK -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0212-1226398.Xml
Former Union minister and Badminton Association of India (BAI) president Akhilesh Das Gupta died of a massive heart attack here today. He was 56.According to family members, Dr Das fell unconscious at his residence last night and was immediately rushed to the cardiac unit Lari of the King George Medical University (KGMU). He passed away at 0830 hrs. Dr Gupta is survived by wife, a son and a daughter. He was the son of former UP chief minister Banarasi Das Gupta.Recently, he had rejoined the Congress after leaving the party in 2008. He was also the member of the Rajya Sabha for three terms from 1996 to 2014. He was also the Mayor of Lucknow from 1993 to 1996. He was the Union Minister of State for Steel in the first UPA regime between 2006-08. He was a prominent educationist and owned many institutions.People from all walks of life have condoled the death of Dr Gupta and termed it a as a great loss.UNI MB SV 1130 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0196-1226445.Xml
Bihar has set up its first special court for speedy trial in cases relating to violations of the new prohibition law that seeks a total ban on liquor in the state, officials said. "A first special court has been set up in Patna civil court here following a directive of the Patna High Court for speedy trial of cases relating to violations of the new Bihar prohibition law," an official of the state Excise and Prohibition Department said. This court will hear prohibition cases only of Patna district. Last year, the state government requested the high court to set up special courts in all 38 districts for speedy trial in cases related to a total ban on liquor in the Bihar. Over 45,000 people have been arrested so far for violating the liquor ban imposed by the Nitish Kumar government on April 5 last year. Bihar has acted tough against the violators of prohibition law, Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan said. "At least 45,033 people were arrested for violating the new law and over 44,000 of them were sent to jail during the last one year," Mastan said. "The law enforcement agencies have been directed to act tough against those violating the law," he said. The state police have raided 2,18,722 locations and seized liquor valued at Rs 50 crore in the last one year, a state Excise and Prohibition Department official said. According to a police report, 40,413 cases were registered for violations of the dry law. "We have seized 3,13,187 litres of 'desi' (country-made) liquor, 47,161 litres spirit, 52,53,334 litres foreign liquor, 11,371 litres beer, 628 quintal mahua, and 1,07,320 raw liquor," the report said. Though most of those arrested were released on bail, the police said nearly 5,000 persons are still in jail. --IANS ik/sm/vt ( 312 Words) 2017-04-12-15:28:08 (IANS)
The Centre has convened a high powered meeting on April 20 of all the respective parties, including both the Secretaries of the two states-Punjab and Haryana- and water resources Secretary of the Union of India, to sort out all the issues in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal matter, Solicitor General (SG) Ranjeet Kumar said today.The Supreme Court, subsequently, adjourned the SYL canal matter to April 27 for further hearing.'' We are trying to find a solution in the matter,'' SG Kumar, appearing for the Central Government, told the division bench.The bench was headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose and also comprised Justice Amitava Roy. The senior law officer of the Central government said,'' We are hopeful that the matter would be resolved on April 20 during the high-powered meeting.'' UNI XC RP1532 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1226814.Xml
The district administration has made arrangements for viewing live recording of the strong room on LED screens in the tent in the wake of Mr Katare expressing apprehension that electronic voting machines (EVMs) could be tampered with.

Collector V Kiran Gopal said the arrangement was made following directives from the Election Commission of India. EVMs have been placed under tight security. A company of Central Armed Police Force is guarding the strong room.

The Congress candidate made a sudden visit to strong room on Monday night and alleged tampering by the administration under the regime's pressure. After much brouhaha, the Collector subsequent to his discussion with senior officials in Bhopal permitted Congress workers to erect a tent.

Mr Katare said that the Commission should have made the arrangements on its own without an argument.UNI GV-PS RSA SHK 1508

-- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0044-1226774.Xml
The bodies of Basavaraj and Shankar were recovered by fire forcepersonnel and police after more than 5 hours of rescue operationsusing excavators.

Condoling the mishap, Minister for Rural Development andPanchayat Raj H K Patil, who is also Gadag Incharge Minister, toldnewsmen in Bengaluru that land owner Basappa Mestri had taken upreboring of the borewell as it had dried up.

He said that the workers had removed one casing pipe and earthcaved in while removing the second casing pipe. The victims werestanding on the edge fell in and buried alive.

He said that the local Legislators have appealed to ChiefMinister Siddaramaiah to announce solatium to the family of the twodead. "I will also discuss the issue with the Chief Minister andsuitable compensation will be announced," he added.

Mr Patil said that "I feel the workers, who are also farmers fromthe same village took some amount of risk and they did not realisethe danger. such caving in of earth it is difficult to avoid.UNI XR/RS MSP AK1535

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After a video appeared showing a section of population targetting the Jammu and Kashmir security force personnel by pelting stones and raising anti-Indian slogans, PRO of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Bhavesh Kumar on Wednesday said that they were trying to ascertain the exact location of the video and the uploader. "This video is not made by our security personnel. We also got this through the social media. An unknown person has made this video and uploaded it. After seeing the circumstances, we think that this can be from some area of Budgam. We are trying to ascertain the exact location," CRPF PRO told ANI. The viral video features a CRPF personnel using immense restraint even when he is attacked by an angry mob at a polling booth in Srinagar. The video shows the Jawan walking when suddenly a civilian attacks the soldier. The impact of the attack makes the Jawan's helmet roll down the road. This caused him some injuries. Bhavesh also expressed his concerned towards the soldiers who worked in such conditions in Kashmir. He said, "This video automatically shows the condition our security forces are working under in Kashmir. Stone pelters were misbehaving with the security forces; still the forces didn't retaliate. 53 security personnel were injured, out of which four to five are injured badly. The security personnel gave more importance to the polling parties and EVMs as they were their first priority." In wake of the prevailing tension in the Kashmir Valley, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday deferred the Anantnag by-polls till May 25. Earlier, it was scheduled to be held on April 12. A school designated as polling station for Anantnag by-polls was set on fire in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir. A Panchayat Ghar was also set ablaze in Pulwama district. The Srinagar Parliamentary constituency witnessed lowest voter turnout for the by-polls in the wake of the clashes. (ANI)
Pal, who is in judicial custody after being arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his involvement in the scam, had moved the court seeking bail on health ground.

Pal had moved the high court after his bail plea was rejected in the special CBI court here.

Pal was arrested by CBI from Kolkata on December 30 last year. The actor-turned-politician, while working as a director of Rose Valley Group in 2010, had allegedly appointed his wife, daughter and niece in different positions.

Das, the younger brother of Seashore Group chief Prashant Das, was arrested on January 24, 2015 for his alleged link in the chit fund scam.

--IANS cd/vd

( 156 Words)

2017-04-12-18:26:09 (IANS)
"This is the same government that had said to us when we were in power that the Congress is not doing anything to decrease the petrol price. Their agenda changes everyday. This government changes colour according to the situation," Congress leader Satyavrat Chaturvedi told ANI.

Chaturvedi's statement comes in the wake of oil marketing companies' decision to put in place a mechanism under which fuel prices (petrol and diesel) will be revised everyday in sync with international rates.

The daily revision of fuel prices will be first implemented in Puducherry, Vizag, Udaipur, Jamshedpur and Chandigarh.

However, Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan made it clear that the government would not force a decision for daily revision of fuel prices.

"Everyday change in pricing of petroleum products is a recommendation of experts. The government has nothing to do with it," he told ANI.(ANI)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal matter to April 27 for further hearing. The final hearing was put off after the Centre informed the court that a meeting of Punjab and Haryana has been convened by it on April 20 to resolve the matter. The court, however, made it clear that if a solution was not found, it would proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing. The bench, also comprising of Justice Amitava Roy, considered the statement of Solicitor General, Ranjeet Kumar and deferred the hearing in the case. Earlier this month, the apex court refused to hear the Punjab Government's plea to adjourn the SYL Canal matter till the election results were announced and posted the matter for further hearing till February 22. Senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani, appearing for the Punjab government, sought an adjournment which the top court refused. A bench headed by Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh refused the plea and asked, "What has the Supreme Court to do with the election results?" In January, the apex court asked both the Haryana and Punjab Governments to file their replies on the issue within three weeks. The Punjab Government had earlier sought more time from the court to file a detailed reply on the same. A bench of the court headed by Justice Ghosh and Justice Amitava Roy granted the decision. The apex court had, in November last year, termed the law passed by the Punjab Government in 2004 to terminate the SYL Canal water sharing agreement with neighbouring states as 'unconstitutional'. Holding that the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 2004 was not being in conformity with the provisions of the Constitution, the top court answered in the negative to all four questions referred to it in a presidential reference. A constitution bench of the court ruled that Punjab could not and should not have taken a 'unilateral' decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh to share the Ravi-Beas river waters. The court ruling was also followed by resignations of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Captain Amarinder Singh and state Congress MLAs. (ANI)
The Union Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval for the setting up of an Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh as "an Institute of National Importance" through an Act of Parliament. The Institute will have the governance structure as well as legal mandate to grant degrees in a manner similar to that enjoyed by IITs. A separate Act will also impart the required status to the Institute to become a "Centre of Excellence" in petroleum and energy studies. The Cabinet also approved Rs.655.46 crore as capital expenditure to set up IIPE and contribution of Rs. 200 crore towards its Endowment Fund (in addition to a contribution of Rs.200 crore from Oil Companies towards the Endowment Fund). As committed under the 13 Schedule of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, it has been decided to set up this Institute. The objective is to meet the quantitative and qualitative gap in the supply of skilled manpower for the petroleum sector and to promote research activities needed for the growth of the sector. The academic and research activities of IIPE will derive strength from the Institute's proximity to sector-related activities such as KG-Basin, Visakhapatnam refinery and the planned Petrochemical complex at Kakinada. The Andhra Pradesh Government has allocated 200 acres of land, free of cost, for setting up of IIPE at Sabbavaram Mandal in Visakhapatnam district. The IIPE was registered as a society under the AP Society Registration Act, 2001 on April 18, 2016. A temporary campus of IIPE has been set up from academic session 2016-17 from the Andhra University Campus with two undergraduate programmes namely, petroleum engineering and chemical engineering (with capacity of 50 students each). IIT, Kharagpur has taken up the responsibility of mentoring the institute. (ANI)
Failing to give any positive sign of improvement in law and order in the state after change of guard, Uttar Pradesh Director General Of Police (DGP) Javeed Ahmed has now issued advisory to the cops to go with full preparedness to maintain law and order situation. The order came after the DGP office claimed of 15 attacks on police team in the state since Yogi Adityanath came to power. Three of the policemen were also killed in these attacks. Only in one attack on Khakhi, government shunted out SP and Additional SP of Sambhal as they failed to take action against the culprits.Interestingly, the top police bosses did not mention of any incident in which the ruling Party Legislators, or their kin openly threatened or even assaulted cops in full public view daring them to honour saffron leaders as BJP is in power now.In a circular issued by the DGP office here, IG (law and order) Hari Om Sharma claimed that the attacks on police parties were reported from Araniya in Bulundshahr, Saadayganj in Lucknow, Sammanpur in Ambedkarnagar, Khas in Sambhal, Shamsabad in Agra, Gowardhan in Mathura, Narkhi in Ferozabad, Iglas in Aligarh, Jaithara in Etah, City Kotwali in Fatehgarh, City Kotwali in Fatehpur, Raniganj in Pratapgarh, Sumerpur in Hamirpur, Madhuban in Mau, and Machlisaher in Jaunpur.Mr Sharma, on behalf of DGP Javeed Ahmed, directed that in wake of growing attack incident on cops, the police party should take all necessary steps before going for the raid or to maintain law and order situation. The cops were also directed to form teams and made arrest of the accused involved in these incidents. The incidents included killing of constables in Agra, Ferozabad, and Pratapgarh. In Agra, the miscreants also looted weapon of the cop.Sources said that while giving the figure, DGP office not include those incidents in which BJP leaders or their associated wings were involved in attack threatening 'Khakhi'.UNI MB PY 2101 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1227652.Xml
Former Punjab deputy chief minister and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today condemned the brutal manner in which Akali workers were being targeted and even eliminated by Congress activists and even the police force which had become an instrument to unleash vendetta against the SAD.In a statement here, Mr Badal said it was shocking that after a spate of vendetta incidents, the police force was used to strike at and eliminate a Dalit akali worker at Tarmala village in Lambi constituency yesterday. He said the entire chain of events leading to the death of Akali worker Gurdev Singh made it clear that the state police was being used as a weapon to intimidate SAD workers.The former Deputy CM said the SAD would not remain a mute spectator to the brutal repression being unleashed on the party. "I have already requested Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh to restrain his workers from resorting to vendetta politics but it seems my pleas have not had any effect. The SAD will now go to the people and build a movement against these repressive tactics", he added.Speaking about the Lambi incident, Mr Badal said it was shameful that the police party led by ASI Gurdeep Singh mercilessly beat up akali worker Gurdev after a raid to search for illegal hooch failed completely. "The callousness of the police force can be seen from the fact that it left Gurdev to die after injuring him seriously and refused to provide any medical aid to him." He said it was even more unfortunate that a cover up operation had started with a heart attack being stated as reason for demise even though Gurdev had been seriously injured in the head following the brutal beating. Asking for immediate dismissal from service and registration of murder charges against the five member team which had caused Gurdev's death, Mr Badal said only this would send out a message that the government believed in providing justice to everyone. He said this was also essential to send out a message to the Dalit community which was feeling insecure after a number of attacks against community members. He said earlier family members of a Dalit councillor Manjit Kaur were seriously injured following an attack on them by supporters of Congress leader Lalli Majithia. He said akali worker Gurbachan Singh was killed by a Congress activist immediately after the election results. Stating these and many other incidents which had occurred in the State spoke of a wider conspiracy against Akali workers, he called for an immediate end to the policy of vendetta unleashed against the SAD. UNI DB SHS2014 -- (UNI) -- C-1-DL0293-1227540.Xml
An official of the IUST said that all examinations of the University scheduled to be held tomorrow have been postponed. "Fresh dates for the deferred examinations shall be notified separately later," he said.

IUST has already postponed the examinations scheduled till today.

Kashmir University (KU) had also deferred all examinations till today.

Re-election was yesterday announced at 38 violence-hit polling stations in Budgam of Srinagar Parliamentary constituency on April 13.

Bypolls in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, spread in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal, which recorded only 7.14 per cent of polling, was marred by violence that left eight youth dead and over 150 others, including 100 security force personnel, injured.UNI ABS SHS SNU 1720

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A number of opposition leaders, including Congress President Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday met President Pranab Mukherjee on the EVM issue and raised concerns over what they called an "environment of fear and insecurity" in the country. A delegation of 13 parties that called on the President included Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mallikarjun Kharge, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United. They submitted a memorandum to the President on alleged tampering with the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) during the February-March assembly elections, undermining of constitutional institutions, attacks on minority community members by lumpen elements in Rajasthan and elsewhere, and unabated violence in Jammu and Kashmir, among others. The delegation sought his intervention to protect India's democracy, preserve its plurality and diversity, safeguard fundamental rights and ensure that the rule of law is upheld in letter and spirit, a Congress leader said. "Through our memorandum, we drew his attention to the recent critical developments which have seriously undermined accepted norms of governance and institutional integrity," said Azad, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. Arbitrariness in decision-making and the appointments to key constitutional positions in brazen disregard of established procedures and practices was a matter of concern, he said, adding: "The environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled." "Triggering false debates, orchestrating inflammatory narratives on nationalism, exploiting religious sentiments and threats of violence to the citizens are vitiating the environment and jeopardising the cause of peace and security." "Self-styled lumpen elements have indulged in violence and mob lynching of citizens and harassment is being witnessed across the country. In Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, a number of such incidents have taken place," he said. "We also informed the President about how non-BJP-ruled states are being destabilised by the central government through misuse of power of Governors and by creating artificial majority (in Goa and Manipur) through unethical means," Azad added. Azad said continued violence in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians and an overall failure of governance in the state, was a matter of great national concern. "It is imperative that the government addresses the crisis and creates an reassuring environment for the people to participate in the democratic process and cast their votes without intimidation and violence," he said. The memorandum said: "The government is misusing its brute majority in the Lok Sabha to scuttle parliamentary debate and scrutiny of bills by refusing to refer the same to the Standing Committees." "Many key bills masked as money bills expose the intention of the government to deny the council of states its constitutional position in the enactment of laws. Changing 11 Acts through the omnibus Finance Bill 2017 is unprecedented, improper and shocking," the memorandum said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the State Election Commissioner on Wednesday and urged him not to use EVMs brought from Rajastan during the April 23 municipal corporation elections in Delhi, claiming they were all tampered with. Kejriwal demanded that the civic polls be held through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) along with Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and that too after all political parties are given a chance to technically examine them randomly. Kejriwal earlier alleged that 18 EVMs registered votes only for the BJP during the Dholpur assembly by-election in Rajasthan, no matter which button was pressed. Leaders of various opposition parties had also met the Election Commission authorities on Monday on the EVM issue. The senior Congress leader said the Commission assured on an all-party meeting on the issue. --IANS am/tsb/vm ( 626 Words) 2017-04-12-21:20:10 (IANS)
Congress president Sonia Gandhi today expressed her condolences on the sudden demise of Congress leader and Former Union Minister Akhilesh Das Gupta.In her condolence message, Ms Gandhi said,"Das Gupta's contribution to education and public life is noteworthy."She conveyed her solidarity in this hour of grief to family and supporters of Gupta.UNI AR PY SB 2128 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1227616.Xml
Principal Secretary (home) Devashish Panda issued the notification for scrapping of the one member judicial probe led by Allahabad High Court Judge(Retd) Imtiaz Murtaza here.

According to the notification, when Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI probe into the matter hence there is no need for the judicial probe.

Allahabad HC had ordered CBI probe on March 2 last.

The judicial commission was set up by the Akhilesh Yadav government on June 7, 2016 which was slated to complete its probe in two month time. But even after three extensions which ended in March 31 last, it did not complete the task.

Now the government has asked the commission to submit its report which it had done till now in a sealed cover to the government soon.

Mathura SP (city) Mukul Dwivedi and Station Officer (SO) Farah Santosh Yadav were killed in the clash at Jawahar Bagh on June 2 last.UNI MB PY 2121

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Malappuram Assembly segment tops the chart with an estimated 74.5 per cent followed by Kondotty, Manjeri, Perinthalmanna, Vengara, Vallikunnu and Mankada 74.5, 74.1, 71.6, 70.9, 69.7, 69.6 and 69.4 per cent respectively. The constituency had polled 71.21 per cent votes in the 2014 general election.

Polling which started at 0700 hrs on a slow pace in the initial hours, picked up later.

Main contenders for the seat were Indian Union Muslim League national General Secretary P K Kunhalikutty (UDF), CPI (M) leader M B Faizal (LDF) and Bharatiya Janata Party's Adv N Sree Prakash (NDA). Besides, six more independent candidates were also in the fray.

Kunhalikutty, representing Vengrara in the state assembly, was trying his fortune for the Lower House for the first time.

Sate Industries Minister earlier, Kunhalikutty, who contributed immensely in the coalition politics of the state, appears to be front runner in the IUML citadel.

Political observers believed that unless there was a miracle his apple cart cannot be altered.

They were Adv PPA Sageer, Kunhalikutty Kulambil Padinharekara, Muhammed Musliyar N, Muhammed Faisal, A K Shaji and K Shajimon.

Commeting on Kunhalikutty's chances, IUML State President Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thagal said his party candidate would improve the 194,739 votes winning margin of E Ahamed in the 2014 general election from the minority dominated constituency.

Mr Kunhalikutty also said he would win with improved margin.

Faizal said he was hopeful of winning the election as people in the constituency favoured a change.

His party leader and former MP from Manjeri T K Hamza said whoever wins the margin would be low hinting that Kunhalikutty would not be able to walk away with a thumping majority as achieved by Ahamed. Hoping to win the poll, Sree Prakash said achievements of Narendra Modi government would reflect in the result which would be declared on April 17.

Kondotty, Mankada, Vallikkunnu, Manjeri, Malappuram, Perinthalmanna and Vengara are the Assembly constituencies under Malappuram LS segment.

According to Election Commission data, the total number of voters in the constituency was 13,12,693, including 1,14,975 new voters.UNI PCH PY SB 2120

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The 45-day annual ban on deep sea fishing along the East Coast of Tamil Nadu will commence from April 15. Fisheries officials said here today the State government imposes the ban under the provisions of the Deep Sea Fishing Regulation Act, 2001 every year between April 15 and May 29 to facilitate breeding of fishes and conservation of fish stock in marine ecology in the region. Fishermen of Mechanised fishing boats have been instructed not to venture into the sea to avoid disturbance caused by trawlers to marine life during the breeding season. In Tamil Nadu, the ban would be imposed from Tiruvallur district in the north to Kanyakumari district in the south. The fisheries department in all the coastal districts along the East Coast would stop issuing mandatory tokens to Mechanized boat fishermen. However, the conventional fishing with traditional Catamaran and Country boats has been exempted from the ban. The ban is in line with International standards and practices. Countries like the US, Spain and Australia impose similar bans every year and in India, it was Kerala which first imposed the ban in 1988. Due to the ban, as many as 800 registered mechanized boats in Rameswaram Island, one of the Major Marine Food Centres in South India would keep off the sea. Meanwhile, the fisheries department has advised the fishermen of mechanized fishing boats to strictly adhere to the ban order. The mechanised trawlers venturing into the sea were directed to return to the shores before commencement of the ban period. Fishermen violating the ban order would be subjected to stern action and the enforcement agencies such as Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Coastal Security Group of Tamil Nadu Marine Police would be involved in joint patrolling to prevent illegal fishing activities, the sources added. UNI GSM PY 2103 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1227672.Xml
"There is no justification, regardless of their motives, for the burning of schools and the denial of education to our younger generation," Mr Abdullah, who is the working president of main opposition in the state National Conference (NC), wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.

Meanwhile, reacting to a tweet which asked if the burning of schools were for 'Aazadi' or 'ISIS type Islam', Mr Abdullah said, "Actually schools (in fact any govt structure) have been targeted for destruction since the onset of militancy (89-90). Much before ISIS."

Two government schools were torched few days back in Anantnag parliamentary constituency, where polling stations were established.

However, the Election Commission (EC) deferred tomorrow's bypolls in view of violent clashes in Budgam in Srinagar Lok Sabha seat on April 9.

Eight youth were killed and 150 others injured, including 100 security force personnel, in the clashes on Sunday.UNI ABS SB 2212

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The White House said that the US intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people, New York Times reported.

The White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments have sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and "false narratives."

Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the government's view, said they could not comment on the possibility that the Russian government knew in advance of Syria's plan to carry out the chemical weapons attack, or of a subsequent attack on a hospital that was treating victims.

But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, Moscow must answer for the attacks.

--IANS sku/

( 169 Words)

2017-04-12-04:04:07 (IANS)
The shooting took place in Cookeville, at the parking lot of a factory, Xinhua news agency reported.

Local police said the nature of the shooting was presumed an "isolated domestic violence incident," and the the shooter was the woman who died.

The plant where the shooting had taken place was secured and there is no danger to the public, Cookeville police said.

--IANS sku/

( 98 Words)

2017-04-12-05:08:08 (IANS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday said Moscow has data that new provocations are planned in Syria with the aim of putting blame on Damascus for allegedly using chemical weapons. "We have information from different sources that these provocations - I cannot call them otherwise - are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern suburbs of Damascus where there are plans to throw some substance and accuse the official Syrian authorities," state agency TASS quoted Putin, as saying. Putin has called on for a thorough investigation into the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria's Idlib province on April 4. "We believe that any incident of this kind should be officially investigated. We plan to turn to the United Nations bodies in The Hague and call on the global community to thoroughly investigate into this incident and make balanced decisions based on the investigation's outcome," he said. Putin believes that the European countries, who have been anti-Trump, may back U.S.' decision to launch missile strike in Syria, to restore relations with the U.S. "Everyone wants to restore relations with the Western community after, thanks to the former US administration, many European countries took an anti-Trump stance during the US election campaign," he said. Putin further said that the political opponents in the U.S. may use the missile strike as an opportunity to attack Trump. "If something happens, they will put the whole blame on him. I have no doubt about this," he said. As many as nine civilians, including four children were killed in the United States missile attack on a military airbase in central Syria on Friday. Washington stated it fired a barrage of 59 cruise missiles at the Shayrat base in response to what President Trump called a 'barbaric' chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday that he blamed on the Damascus regime. The U.S. officials said Russian commanders in Syria were informed of the strike beforehand in order to avoid casualties that could prompt a broader crisis.(ANI)
Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko has said that Moscow would continue to support Syria in its fight against terrorism. He made these remarks at a meeting with Syria's Parliament Speaker Hadiyeh al-Abbas. "We will continue to make every possible effort to support the Syrian people in their fight against international terrorism," Russian state-owned news agency Tass News quoted Matviyenko, as saying. She added that the two sides would boost their cooperation in the war against terror. Condemning the recent U.S. missile attack on a Syrian air base, Matviyenko said that Russia considered it to be an act of aggression against a sovereign state. The Russian Senate speaker said that Moscow from the very beginning of the Syrian crisis had been emphasising that it was unacceptable to interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state. "We also believe that the Syrian crisis can only be resolved at the negotiating table," she said. On April 7, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a strike on Syria's Shayrat military air base located in the Homs Governorate. The attack, involving 59 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM), came as a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Idlib Governorate on April 4. The U.S. authorities believe that the airstrike on Idlib was launched from the Shayrat air base. The Syrian military, however, denied its involvement in the attack. Russia Defense Ministry said that on April 4, the Syrian air force had delivered an airstrike on the eastern outskirts of the town of Khan Shaykhun to destroy militant facilities used to produce chemical bombs. These bombs were sent to Iraq and were previously used in Aleppo. Russia strongly opposed the US missile strike. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow considered the attack to be an act of aggression against a sovereign state. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, in turn, said that the aggression was carried out under a false pretext. As many as nine civilians, including four children were killed in the United States missile attack on a military airbase in central Syria on Friday. While, Washington stated it fired a barrage of 59 cruise missiles at the Shayrat base in response to what President Trump called a 'barbaric' chemical attack on a rebel-held town on Tuesday that he blamed on the Damascus regime. The U.S. officials said Russian commanders in Syria were informed of the strike beforehand in order to avoid casualties that could prompt a broader crisis.(ANI)
Director General of the Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor, in a tweet, said, Uzair Baloch was taken into military custody under the Pakistan Army Act, the Express Tribune reported.

He added that Uzair has been taken into custody on charges of espionage, for leaking leakage of sensitive security information to foreign intelligence agencies.

The Lyari gang war leader who has close ties to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was arrested by the Sindh Rangers last year during a search operation on the outskirts of Karachi. (ANI)
White House press secretary Sean Spicer set off an intense backlash on Tuesday when he suggested that Syria President Bashar al-Assad was worse than Hitler and said incorrectly that Hitler had not used chemical weapons during World War II or against his own people. Spicer was attempting to lend gravity to the actions of Assad, who United States officials believe used sarin gas, a lethal chemical weapon, in an attack on a rebel-held area of Idlib Province last week that killed dozens, the New York Times reported. Asked to clarify his remarks, Spicer acknowledged that Hitler used chemical agents, but maintained that there was a difference. "We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You know, you had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said. "So you have to, if you are Russia, ask yourself: Is this a country and a regime that you want to align yourself with?" he added. The White House charged that Russia has sought to cover up the attack. "I think when you come to sarin gas, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," Spicer said and mentioned "Holocaust centers," apparently referring to Nazi death camps. His remarks immediately elicited outrage on social media, even as he continued his daily briefing of the news media. Later, he tried to clarify his comments, saying in a statement that he did not intend to be dismissive of the Holocaust. "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust," he said. "I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," he added. (ANI)
Japan's navy plans joint drills with the US Navy's Carl Vinson carrier strike group as it steams towards the Korean peninsula in a display of military power aimed at deterring the North Korean regime from further missile tests, two sources said.The Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (MSDF) may conduct helicopter landings on each other's ships, as well as communication drills, as the USS Carl Vinson and its escort ships pass through waters close to Japanese territory, the sources said."Japan wants to dispatch several destroyers as the Carl Vinson enters the East China Sea," said one of the sources.One the people who spoke to Reuters has direct knowledge of the plan, while the other has been briefed on the exercises. MSDF officials did not respond immediately when asked to comment.The display of US-Japan naval power close to China could upset Beijing, which is locked in a territorial dispute with Tokyo in the region over uninhabited islets close to Taiwan.The show of naval force by Tokyo comes as concern grows in Japan over the rapid pace of North Korea's ballistic missile development and US President Donald Trump's threat of unilateral action to solve the North Korean problem.North Korean state media warned yesterday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression.Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said on Twitter that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help.South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, has warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test.North Korea fired a liquid-fueled Scud missile this month, the latest in a series of tests that have displayed the Pyongyang regime's ability to launch attacks and use hard-to-detect solid-fuel rockets and tracked launch vehicles.North Korean officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, have indicated an intercontinental ballistic missile test or something similar could be coming, possibly as soon as Saturday, the 105th birthday of North Korea's founding president.North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.The Carl Vinson strike group, which cancelled a planned visit to Australia, is sailing from Singapore. The 100,000 ton Nimitz-class vessel is powered by two nuclear reactors and carriers almost 100 aircraft.Under Third Fleet command, it has been patrolling Asia for several months as the Seventh Fleet's forward-deployed carrier in Yokosuka, Japan, undergoes scheduled maintenance.Japan's navy, the second largest in Asia after China, is made up mostly of escort destroyers, but includes four large helicopter carriers. REUTERS AKC 0744 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-1226359.Xml
Five Sudanese soldiers have been killed while fighting for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition against Houthi forces in Yemen, a spokesman for Sudan's armed forces said today.The statement was a rare acknowledgement of casualties suffered by Sudan since the east African nation sent hundreds of its soldiers to Yemen in 2015 to bolster the mostly Gulf Arab alliance fighting the Iran-allied Houthi movement."We lost five martyrs and 22 others have been wounded ... we inflicted huge losses on the enemy and are holding many prisoners of war," said army spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami.The army gave no further details on the incident.The coalition includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Senegal and Sudan.Yemeni military sources said the Sudanese soldiers were killed when Yemeni forces backed by the coalition took control of a volcanic mountain on a road toward the Khalid bin al-Waleed military base, a key stronghold of the Houthis in southwestern Taiz province.More than 10,000 people have been killed by coalition air strikes and fighting on the ground as the coalition has fought to restore the internationally recognized government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi. REUTERS PS BL1444 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1226731.Xml
China called for a "peaceful" resolution of tensions on the Korean peninsula on Wednesday, as a US aircraft carrier strike group churned towards the contested region. Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in North Korea and Syria with US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. According to the statement, Xi reiterated that China wants a denuclearised Korean peninsula and called for peace and stability. "China advocates to resolve the issue through peaceful means, and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the Korean peninsula issue," the statement quoted Xi as saying. Trump had repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its "unruly neighbour", which stepped up its missile development and nuclear weapons programme since 2016, reported CNN. The US dispatched aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson after the latest missile test by North Korea last week, drawing a forceful warning from Pyongyang. An analyst described the discussion between Xi and Trump as a "new phase" of China-US relations on North Korea. "I think at this point the common interest between the US and China outweigh (North Korea sabre-rattling)," Alexander Neill, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, told CNN. "China may be prepared to do some sort of trade-off... They want to rein in (leader) Kim Jong-un," he said. The unexpected phone call between the two came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations over North Korea. "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he tweeted. "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA," he wrote in a second tweet. The two leaders met for the first time last week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. In the wake of the Trump-Xi meeting, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that China understood how dangerous North Korea's nuclear programme had become and had agreed action must be taken to stop it, the report said. On Syria, Xi said any use of chemical weapons was unacceptable and that the path of political settlement should be followed. He expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would speak in one voice as it was important for the world body to remain united on the issue. Xi also said China and the US should promote economic cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication and coordination in major global and regional issues, through the newly established four-pronged dialogue mechanism. --IANS soni/vt ( 467 Words) 2017-04-12-15:50:08 (IANS)
Russian President Vladimir Putin today said that the US violated the international law by launching an airstrike on Syria's military airfield Idlib without providing any 'evidence' of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government."How did NATO allies reacted? They have all been nodding like bobbleheads, without analyzing the events. Where is evidence of chemical weapons use by Syrian troops? There is none. Was there a breach of the international law? Yes, there was," Putin said in an interview to the Russian "Mir" TV channel. "This is an evident fact. Without an approval by the UN Security Council, an airstrike is carried out on a sovereign country. And, despite it being a clear violation of the international law, everyone agrees to it, accepts it and starts nodding (in approval) and expressing their support," Putin said in a preview of his interview, the full version of which will be aired on today evening.Earlier, Putin compared the ongoing accusations about the use of chemical weapons in Syria with the 2003 events when US used chemical weapons in Iraq it as a pretext to unleash a military campaign in the countryOn April 7, US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Syria's Shayrat military air base located in the Homs Governorate. The attack, involving 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles, came as a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Idlib Governorate on April 4. The US alleges that the airstrike on Idlib was launched from the Shayrat air base, but failed to provide any evidence of the use of chemical weapons so far.Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov yesterday condemned the US strike as an act of "aggression" against a sovereign state.UNI XC JW SHK 1600 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0364-1226863.Xml
Two Turkish opinion polls today showed a narrow majority of Turks, between 51-52 per cent, would vote "yes" in Sunday's referendum on changing the constitution to create an executive presidency.Voters in Turkey go to the polls on April 16 to decide whether to give Erdogan sweeping new powers. Voting for Turks living abroad finished on Sunday.A survey by pollsters ANAR put the "yes" vote at 52 per cent. Its poll was conducted face-to-face with more than 4,000 people on April 5-10 in 26 provinces. The number of undecided voters has fallen to 8 percent, it said, adding that led to a two percentage point boost for "yes" since the start of March.Similarly, the Konsensus polling company put the "yes" vote at 51.2 percent after the distribution of undecided voters. It conducted its survey face-to-face with 2,000 people on April 2-8 in 41 provinces.Erdogan has spent much of his recent campaign attacking the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which is spear-heading the "no" camp. He has accused its leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, of lying, language Kilicdaroglu has said is not fitting of a president.On Tuesday, Erdogan ridiculed the opposition leader for losing the last seven elections. "The people don't like you, they don't embrace you. The truth is plain," he said during a televised meeting with university students.The referendum campaign has damaged Turkey's ties with some European allies. Erdogan has described the banning on security grounds of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany as "Nazi-like" tactics.Germany has called the references unacceptable. But Erdogan has continued undeterred, repeatedly accusing Germany of harbouring members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an accusation Berlin has denied."Germany is currently sheltering terrorists. I say it openly. When I say they have resurrected Nazism they go crazy. Why do you go crazy? That's what you've done, that's why I say it," Erdogan said at Tuesday night's event.Erdogan said this week that Turks living overseas had turned out strongly to vote, which pollsters say could benefit him.REUTERS PS BL1632 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-1226949.Xml
The alliance of Madhesh-based parties also has decided to continue their protest until and unless the government addresses their demands as per the 11 and 26 point demand they have presented.

The decision comes after the government filed a new Amendment Bill in the Parliament claiming it to be brought with consensus with the disgruntled parties.

The alliance has urged the government to address their demand of delineation and other provisions to ensure their participation in the polls.

According to the proposal tabled on Tuesday, the issue of delineation will be solved by making a strong commission which the UDMF has declined.

"The government came up with another bill which is not according to previous agreements and consents and again does not address the demands. It is denounced by the UDMF and this bill like the previous one has no use," said Upendra Yadav, president of Federal Socialist Forum.

The UDMF has decided to continue with their non- violent protest in coming days.

The alliance of disgruntled Madhes based parties has called for protest in headquarters of all the districts in Terai region on Thursday. (ANI)
According to the Daily Pakistan, seven shops in the area were also damaged as the bomb placed on a motorcycle ripped off on Wednesday noon.

Police and local administration cordoned off the area while further investigations are underway.

Gwadar is a strategic port city that forms the southern Pakistan hub of a USD 57 billion CPEC of infrastructure and energy projects. (ANI)
A Palestinian security force deployed into an area of a refugee camp in southern Lebanon where it had been battling Sunni Islamist militants, ending six days of lethal clashes today, a Reuters witness said.The clashes at Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese city of Sidon have killed seven people.The violence began on Friday when the joint Palestinian security force sought to deploy throughout the camp and met resistance from the Sunni Islamist Badr group.The joint security force comprises the main Palestinian factions including Fatah, led by the West Bank-based Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.REUTERS PY AN2239 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1227761.Xml
Bangladesh executed an Islamist militant leader and two aides today for a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, a senior prison official said, days after the president turned down their clemency pleas.The Supreme Court last month upheld death sentences for the three militants, who included Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, for the attack on a Muslim shrine that killed three people and wounded the then British high commissioner.The trio were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the attack, which took place on May 21, 2004, after Friday prayers in the northeastern district of Sylhet.The Bangladesh-born British envoy, Anwar Choudhury, was wounded in the leg. About 50 others were also injured."They were hanged at 1600 GMT in two prisons," Mizanur Rahman, senior superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail, told Reuters.Hannan, 60, and another convict, Sharif Shahedul, were executed in the Kashimpur jail, on the outskirts of the capital, while the other militant, Delwar Hossain, was hanged in Sylhet central jail.The execution took place amid a spate of militant attacks in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million people, with at least three attacks targeting police late last month claimed by the Islamic state.Hannan's wife Zakia Parvin said he was innocent."He has no connection with militancy," she told reporters earlier on Wednesday after meeting her husband for the last time.Last month, suspected militants attempted to free him by hurling bombs on a police van carrying him.Harkat-ul Jihad Islami was blamed for several other attacks, including a bomb blast later in 2004 at a rally by then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who later became prime minister. Hasina narrowly survived the attack but 23 people were killed and more than 150 were wounded.Hannan was also sentenced to death for a bomb attack on a Bengali New Year's celebration in 2001 that killed 10 people and wounded scores.Security has been strengthen across the country before the traditional Bengali New Year celebrations on April 15.Police and army commandos have killed more than 60 suspected militants and arrested hundreds since a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year in which 22 people were killed, most of them foreigners.Al Qaeda and Islamic State have also claimed responsibility over killings of foreigners, liberals and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh over the past few years.The government has constantly denied the presence of such groups, blaming domestic militants instead. REUTERS PY AN2308 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0298-1227774.Xml
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-11 00:31:59|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Serbia's incumbent prime minister and president-elect Aleksandar Vucic (R) shakes hands with visiting U.S. Senator John McCain in Belgrade, Serbia, on April 10, 2017. Counterterrorism cooperation of Serbia and United States can prove to be of vital importance, U.S. Senator John McCain said at a joint press conference with Serbia's incumbent prime minister and president-elect Aleksandar Vucic on Monday. (Xinhua/Nemanja Cabric)

BELGRADE, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Counterterrorism cooperation of Serbia and United States can prove to be of vital importance, U.S. Senator John McCain said at a joint press conference with Serbia's incumbent prime minister and president-elect Aleksandar Vucic on Monday.

McCain attended a combined exercise training event with police officers from Serbia's special counterterrorism unit and U.S. Green Berets. He expressed appreciation for Serbia's contribution to common security, especially in countering IS.

"Our cooperation and exercises will be very important in time of terrorism. Countering these threats protects both Serbia and United States," McCain said at a press conference.

McCain said the situation in the South East Europe is of vital importance for U.S. national security, adding: "Vucic will play a lead role in bringing the parties together and having peaceful resolution to many outstanding issues."

He congratulated Vucic on behalf of the United States on his recent victory at the April 2 presidential elections, as well as for fast progress, economic reforms and movement in EU integration.

Vucic said he talked with McCain about the need to maintain stability in the region, bilateral relations of two countries as well as Serbia's attitude towards important international issues.

"We are always prepared to invest efforts into maintaining peace and keep best possible relations with countries in the region with that aim, because this has also high economic importance for us," said the Serbian PM.

Vucic reiterated that despite excellent military cooperation with NATO, the United States and Russia, Serbia wishes to maintain its military neutrality.

"We wish to have good traditional relations with Russia although we are strategically on the EU path," he said, adding that he got the assurance from McCain that the United States will support Serbia in its European integration.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 00:11:21|Editor: An

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Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2016 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, southwest China's Sichuan Province. Two giant pandas Xing Ya and Wu Wen, left for the Netherlands on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Xue Yubin)

CHENGDU, April 11 (Xinhua) -- With "visas" granted by Consul General Koen Sizoo of the Netherlands in Chongqing, Xingya and Wuwen, a pair of giant pandas, were given the all clear to fly to Amsterdam from their home province of Sichuan, southwest China, Wednesday afternoon.

Their 15-year sojourn will be at Ouwehands Zoo, the Netherlands, and was organized as part of a scientific research cooperation.

This is the first time that Holland has played host to China's national animal.

Zhang Haiqing, vice director of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), handed over files on the two pandas to the zoo Tuesday.

"Everyone is mad about them," said Brenda van Ekeren, a zoo keeper who escorted the pandas. She arrived in Wolong last month with her colleagues to get acquainted with the pandas.

They began to respond to her instructions, and she has learned to call their names in the Sichuan dialect, said van Ekeren.

Both Xingya, male, and Wuwen, female, were born in August 2013.

Xingya was "macho, playful" while Wuwen "is inquisitive, but very gentle," she said.

To ease the animals into their new lives, CCRCGP has prepared a welcoming feast of 40 kg of bamboo shoots, 80 kg of bamboo, and plenty of apples, carrots and a special kind of bread made of corn, rice, soy beans, eggs and other nutrients.

"They were both in a fairly good physical condition," said Hu Zhengquan, who has been caring for giant pandas for five years at the CCRCGP.

Xingya and Wuwen are due to land in Amsterdam Wednesday evening. They will go through a month of quarantine after a welcome ceremony.

Hu and his colleagues will be based at the zoo to help the pair get used to the new surroundings.

Giant panda protection specialist Li Desheng said that Chinese experts can learn advanced concepts from their foreign counterparts while providing technical support abroad.

The CCRCGP has forged ties with 13 zoos from the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, the Republic of Korea, and Holland, since 1996.

All together, 28 giant pandas were sent abroad under the cooperation schemes. Eleven of 17 cubs born abroad have returned to China.

China had 1,864 giant pandas in the wild at the end of 2015, up from about 1,100 in 2000. There are also 422 animals in captivity, according to China's State Forestry Administration.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 01:05:40|Editor: yan

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DHAKA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh jail authorities have asked family members to meet the death row militant Mufti Abdul Hannan, raising speculation that the local banned militant outfit Harkat-ul- Jehad-al-Islami (HUJI) ringleader might be executed soon.

The jail authorities Tuesday afternoon asked the family members to meet Hannan, who along with two others were awarded death sentence over the deadly attack on a British diplomat.

Senior Superintendent of the Kashimpur High Security Prison Md Mizanur Rahman told journalists that Hannan has been kept at the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur on the outskirts of capital Dhaka along with another convict Sharif Shahedul Alam, whose family was also Tuesday asked to meet him.

Rahman said they are all ready to carry out the sentences. Hannan and two of his accomplices face imminent execution as the Bangladeshi president has turned down their clemency pleas.

The third death-row convict Delwar Hossain Ripon is also behind bars at a jail in the country's northeastern Sylhet city.

A three-member Appellate Division bench of the Bangladesh Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, last month dismissed the final review petition of the militants who are now behind the bar.

The convicts had conducted the grenade attack on Anwar Chowdhury on May 21, 2004 at a shrine of Muslim saint in the country's northeastern city of Sylhet, some 241 km northeast of capital Dhaka, where the Bangladesh-born British high commissioner came to offer prayer.

Three people were killed and over 100, including Anwar Chowdhury, were injured in the deadly attack. Mufti Hannan reportedly in a statement before a court in Dhaka in 2006 confessed to having supplied grenades for launching the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 02:22:00|Editor: yan

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ROME, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries ended a meeting in Italy on Tuesday without agreeing on further Syrian sanctions, Italy's foreign minister Angelino Alfano said.

"There is no consensus at this moment for new sanctions as an effective instrument to reach our goal," Alfano told a press conference after the meeting.

The G7 gathered in the city of Lucca on Monday for a two-day meeting focused on key topics in foreign policy, and especially on the latest developments concerning the Syrian civil war.

During the meeting, British foreign minister Boris Johnson was said to have proposed fresh sanctions on Syrian and Russian military officials, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack launched on a rebel-held city in northwestern Syria on April 4.

Western countries blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces for the attack, which killed more than 80 people. On April 7, the United States ordered a missile strike against a Syrian air base in retaliation.

Syria's government denied any responsibility for the attack, and Russia, which is its strongest ally along with Iran, stood firmly by it.

The meeting in Lucca was seen as a key moment for the G7 countries to outline a common approach before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due to visit Moscow on Tuesday afternoon.

Yet the ministers seemed aware of the risk of "isolating" Russia, and their final statement made no mention of sanctions.

Instead, the final communique read: "We call on Russia and Iran, who have a responsibility, as allies of the Syrian regime, to use their influence to ensure Syria's compliance with all of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention."

Rather than sanctions, the group called for an investigation into last week's suspected nerve gas attack by the United Nations' Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW-UN), urging all parties involved in the conflict to allow the probe.

The ministers added they believed there was "an opportunity to bring this tragic crisis to an end."

"Russia has the potential to help resolve the conflict and restore a stable and unified Syria," they said.

Alfano said the group could not agree on new restrictive measures against Damascus and Moscow.

"We have expressed different opinions, and it seems to me the prevailing line was that of trying to involve Russia in a constructive cooperation aimed at avoiding the military conflict and boosting the political (peace) process," he told reporters.

Indeed, the G7 ministers in their joint statement said that if Russia was ready to use its influence on the Syrian regime, they were equally prepared "to work with it (Russia) in resolving the conflict... pursuing a political settlement, and ultimately contributing to the costs of stabilization and reconstruction."

Before flying to Moscow, the U.S. secretary of state also declared that "Russia can play an important role" in building a stable and secure future for Syria, according to Ansa news agency.

But it must first decide which side it is going to stand on, Tillerson warned.

Earlier on Tuesday, G7 ministers had held talks with their counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. The enlarged extraordinary session was called to discuss Syria with Arab and Middle Eastern regional powers able to play a role in the complex Syrian situation.

The Group of Seven is an informal bloc of industrialized nations comprised of the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and Japan.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 02:27:01|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian government Tuesday said it was not to be discouraged by the recent setbacks in the war against corruption, promising that the serial negative outcome of corruption cases that were recorded at the high court level would not dampen the anti-graft battle.

In a statement made available to Xinhua in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, assured that the government has appealed against all the negative decisions, and will vigorously canvass its case at the level of the Court of Appeal.

The minister said all the judgments are being rigorously reviewed to determine whether there were errors on our part or whether the government is the victim of mischief.

"The war against corruption is going to be long, tough and arduous, but this administration is equipped, physically, mentally and intellectually, for the long haul," he added.

"We must win this war because the law is our side, the people are on our side and God is on our side. This is only the beginning, so any setback will not deter or discourage us," Mohammed said.

According to him, Nigeria cannot afford unnecessary technicalities as far as the war against corruption is concerned, especially because of the adverse and devastating consequences of corruption on the polity.

He said the government is more determined than ever to recover as much of the plundered funds as possible and use them to put the youths back to work, fix roads and other infrastructure, equip hospitals and universities and invest in electricity.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (C) walks upon his arrival at the Vnukovo II Government airport in Moscow on April 11, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Moscow will remain open to frank dialogue and joint work with Washington in spite of bilateral tensions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson started his two-day visit to Russia.

"In connection with the beginning of today's working visit of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Russia, we would like to note that we are counting on fruitful negotiations. This is important not only for the prospects of further bilateral interaction, but also for the general atmosphere in the international arena." The ministry's Information and Press department said in a statement.

Tillerson arrived in Moscow Tuesday on first visit by a Trump Cabinet official to Russia and was scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

According to the statement, Lavrov and Tillerson will discuss multiple issues of mutual interests as well as a string of regional issues concerning Libya, Yemen, DPRK, Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic with the aim of reducing international tension.

"We have always been and remain open to the most frank dialogue with the U.S. on any issues of bilateral and international agenda and to joint work in areas where our goals coincide," the ministry said, specifying that such areas include fighting terrorism, preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, settling regional conflicts and economic growth.

Noting that Russian-U.S. relations are going through a rather difficult period, the ministry said that the U.S. attitude towards stabilization and normalization of bilateral relations needs to be confirmed and that Russia will "not surrender its legitimate interests and accept cooperation only on an equal basis".

"We tune in not to confrontation, but to constructive cooperation. We hope that the American side wants the same,"the statement said.

Tensions between Russia and the U.S. have aggravated recenlty.

The U.S. military fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield in the central province of Homs Thursday, which it claims to be in response to the alleged Syrian government's chemical weapons attack last Tuesday in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Before setting off for Moscow, Tillerson said on Tuesday at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy that Russia did not fulfill its obligations under the 2013 agreement on destruction of chemical weapons in Syria which stipulated Russia as the guarantor.

In the statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that the attack by the U.S. on Syria is an act of aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law, which leads in fact to the strengthening of terrorists.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 03:02:07|Editor: yan

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WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- One woman was killed and two others critically injured in a shooting in the U.S. state of Tennessee Tuesday, local media reported.

The shooting took place in Cookeville, at the parking lot of a factory.

Local police said the nature of the shooting was presumed an "isolated domestic violence incident," and the the shooter was the woman who died.

The two wounded, a man and a woman, was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The plant where the shooting had taken place was secured and there is no danger to the public, Cookeville police said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 03:02:08|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a U.N. investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country. (Xinhuanet file photo)

MOSCOW, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a U.N. investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country.

"We intend to officially address a relevant UN structure in the Hague and call on the international community to investigate thoroughly this incident, and to take a balanced decision depending on the results of the investigation," Putin said at a joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

A reported April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Province in northwestern Syria killed at least 70 civilians and wounded scores of others.

Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.

The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defense Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.

The United States launched last Thursday 59 cruise missiles against a Syrian air base, from which airplanes allegedly carrying chemical weapons took off.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that nine civilians, including four children, were killed and about 10 others were wounded in the attack.

Putin said Moscow had information from different sources that such "provocations" were being prepared in other regions of Syria including in southern outskirts of the capital Damascus, where "some substances" would be thrown in and the official Syrian authorities would be blamed for their use.

Putin said that the developments reminded him of the events of 2003, when representatives of the United States demonstrated in the UN Security Council toxic substances, allegedly found in Iraq to justify an invasion in that country.

"After this the military campaign began in Iraq, which ended in a destruction of the country, an increase of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the Islamic State (IS) in the international scene," Putin said.

Mattarella said at the press conference that Rome maintained the necessity of finding a solution for the Syrian crisis "on the basis of a dialogue at different levels between the Syrian parties, between regional players and within the international community".

He also expressed hope that Moscow and other powers would be able to use their influence to avoid repetition of gas attacks in Syria.

"Of cause it is necessary to find the guilty and persecute them. We hope that what has happened will make all the participants in the crisis, including the most influential, do everything in their power to overcome the current intolerable situation," Mattarella said speaking through an interpreter.

The press conference took place as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 04:22:21|Editor: Song Lifang

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Passengers wait to check in at a counter of the United Airlines at the O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, the United States , April 11, 2017. United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz Tuesday apologized for a bloody incident on one of its flights Sunday in which a passenger was brutally removed from the plane to make room for its own employees. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz apologized Tuesday for a bloody incident onboard of one of its flights Sunday in which a passenger was brutally removed from the plane to make room for its own employees.

"I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should be mistreated this way," Munoz said in a statement published on the airline's official website.

"We take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said.

The statement came after an initial response from the top executive, which said he was sorry for "re-accomodating" the passenger, was accused of sidestepping responsibility and downplaying the severity of the incident.

In an internal memo Monday, Oscar said the flight attendants on flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville were performing according to procedure and had his full support.

The horrific incident, coupled with the company's defiant stance, has led to an explosion of criticisms on social media in past 24 hours, with quite a number of web users vowing to boycott the airline for its inhumane treatment of passengers.

The outcry against the airline also wiped about 600 million U.S. dollars in the company's stock value, and drove down its value as much as six percent in premarket trading Tuesday.

The incident took place in Chicago O'hare International Airport late Sunday, when a passenger of Asian descent with bloodied face was literally dragged off a plane by airport police.

United Airlines said to make room for four of its employees, four passengers need to be bumped off the plane, and when an monetary incentive of 800 U.S. dollars lured no volunteers, flight attendants said they used computers to "randomly" chose four unlucky passengers.

Three complied with the airlines' demand but the fourth, a 59-year-old doctor who said he needed to reach a patient, refused to disembark.

Airport police were then summoned and wrestled the man out of his seat, in the process of which the man's mouth was hit and bled.

The Department of Transportation has announced a probe Monday.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 04:32:23|Editor: yan

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ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Tawfiq Fahim broke down in tears near the flower-decked coffin of his cousin Nessim Fahim who was killed Sunday in the suicide bombing attack that hit Saint Mark's Church in Egypt's Alexandria governorate.

Thousands of weeping mourners took part in an emotional funeral Mass in Saint Mina Coptic Monastery in Alexandria for the victims of the terrorist attack which killed 11 Christians and six Muslim police officers.

Also on Sunday, another explosion rocked a Coptic church in the Egyptian Nile Delta city of Tanta, killing 28 and injuring 85 others.

In a statement published on its so-called "Amaq" news website, the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the bombings of two churches that were crowded with believers observing Palm Sunday, an important feast that falls on Sunday before Easter.

Standing next to his cousin's coffin, Tawfiq, a man in his fifties, said that his deceased cousin sacrificed his life to save thousands of Christians inside the church.

Tawfiq said that his cousin was a church guard and he prevented the suicide bomber from entering the church through the gate he guarded after he doubted him.

"He asked the suicide attacker to the main gate where police officers stand guard ... minutes later the attacker blew himself up before he entered the church," he said as tears rolled down his cheeks.

As young scouts beat the drums, mourners rushed to shoulder the coffins of seven victims, moving them into the church for funeral Mass.

Tears, cries and weep were the main features of the scene when the coffins lined the prayers' place.

It was heartbreaking for everyone, even for Muslim mourners.

Amina Farag, a 50-something Muslim lady from Alexandria, could not hold her tears when she saw the caskets of three of her neighbors.

"We have been good neighbors for over 20 years. We were like one family," the lady said, almost sobbing as she spoke.

Farag said terrorists want to spoil the good relations between Muslims and Christians in Egypt, adding they will never succeed in doing so.

Naeem Somail, 52-year old, who also lost a cousin in the attack, agreed with Farag, saying terrorists targeted all Egyptians, not only Christians.

"They could not beat the army, then they turned to attack the Christians to make a wedge between Muslims and Christians. But we all stand united to show the terrorists that we are one people and our unity can never be broken," Somail said.

Just right after the attacks, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi declared in a televised statement a three-month state of emergency in the Arab country.

"This treacherous terrorism targets the nation with its citizens, both Copts and Muslims, and it will never break the determination of the Egyptians and their true will to confront the powers of evil," Sisi said in the statement.

Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population. They have largely coexisted peacefully with the Muslim-majority public for centuries.

At the end of 2016, at least 29 people were killed and 31 wounded in an explosion that targeted the Cathedral of Saint Mark in the Abbasia district in Cairo.

Egypt has been fighting a terrorist wave that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers since the military removed former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 and blacklisted his Muslim Brotherhood group as "a terrorist organization."

Mostly claimed by a Sinai-based group loyal to the IS regional militia, the terrorist attacks focused on security forces in restive North Sinai in the beginning, but after massive security raids that killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects, terrorists started to target the Coptic minority in the most populous Arab country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 05:37:31|Editor: yan

DAMASCUS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Intense battles raged on Tuesday between the Syrian army and the rebels in the southern province of Daraa, amid information that the rebels received large reinforcement through the Jordanian borders.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian air force carried out 40 airstrikes on Tuesday against the rebels, who are attempting to storm and control the Manshiyeh area, whose capture by the rebels threatens the downfall of the city to the rebels.

The London-based watchdog group said 16 Syrian soldiers and officers were killed a day earlier during the battles in Daraa, adding that among the rebels group is the Front for Liberating the Levant, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Meanwhile, a military source told Xinhua that the battles flared in Daraa after the rebels received a huge logistical support through the Jordanian borders, including heavy weapons and vehicles.

Hundreds of rebel fighters, as well as tanks and vehicles reached the rebels in Daraa, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The rebels have recently upped their offensives in Daraa to capture Manshiyeh neighborhood, which includes three hilltops overlooking most of the neighborhoods in Daraa.

It's feared that if the Manshiyeh fell to the rebels, the entire city of Daraa will fall as well.

Abdul-Aziz Farez, a political expert, said that Jordan supports the rebels in Daraa for two main points: the first is water, as Daraa contain two water sources.

The second, he added, is the geographic size and location near the Jordanian borders, which will enable Jordan, with the help of the rebels, to make Daraa as a buffer zone.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 05:47:32|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Some 11 million people are in urgent need of food assistance in drought-plagued Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, regional representatives of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program (WFP) said on Tuesday.

"In the Horn of Africa, we have a severe drought that's affecting three countries, primarily, Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia and in these three countries we see that 11 million people are in need of urgent assistance," WFP Regional Director for Eastern and Central Africa Valerie Guarnieri told reporters at UNICEF House, across the street from UN headquarters in New York.

She added there were famine conditions affecting 100,000 people, including 20,000 children, in two counties of conflict-stricken South Sudan.

"South Sudan is not directly affected by the drought except for a slice of it, but we have a large scale crisis in South Sudan, that's been going on for some time, since the civil war broke out in December 2013," Guarnieri said.

Leila Pakkala, UNICEF regional director for Eastern and Southern Africa, who hosted the briefing, said that in Somalia early numbers show an increasing number of children suffering cholera or acute watery diarrhoea (AWD).

Such "Deadly combinations of cholera and other illnesses combined with severe acute malnutrition" killed so many children in the famine of 2011, she said.

"We know that children don't die just because of a lack of food," she said. "They die because they are drinking contaminated water. They are missing out on their vaccinations. They don't have access to health care and they are much more prone to sickness and disease such as measles, malaria, diarrhoea and as we are seeing, cholera."

"The situation in Somalia is further exacerbated by the large displacements (of families) that we are seeing, families on move not just in Somalia but also in Ethiopia."

People in the region are moving en masse.

More than 440,000 people have been displaced inside Somalia since November 2016, adding to the existing 1.1 million already displaced, UNICEF said.

In Ethiopia, upwards of 350,000 people are currently in temporary resettlement sites due to drought, and in South Sudan the displaced population is at 1.9 million in total, with another 1.6 million people in neighbouring countries, of which 50 percent are women and children, the agency said.

Pakkala said that with such displacement children particularly face problems beyond the need of food and water.

"Children are at risk from and vulnerable to exploitation and abuse and separation from their family members," she said. "We've seen signs of increased gender-based violence in Somalia and South Sudan and we are now focusing on making sure that as communities are moving children do not get separated, particularly as they are moving across borders."

Both UNICEF and WFP have been pleading for funding to aid victims in the region.

However, in a related matter, as an indication of how slow contributions have been made to aid victims, Stephane Dujarric, the UN spokesman, told reporters Tuesday that of the 4.4 billion U.S. dollars UN relief organizations have been seeking this year for famine and conflict victims in the "prioritized area" of Northeast Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, donors have provided only 984-million U.S. dollars -- or only 21 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 05:52:33|Editor: yan

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PARIS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Ligue 1 side Monaco has showed full support to the club of Dortmund, its opponents in the Champions League quarter-final, as the two sides' first-leg clash was called off following explosions to the Bundesliga team's bus on Tuesday.

"In these difficult circumstances, AS Monaco would first of all like to express their full support for the Borussia Dortmund players and everyone at the club," Monaco said in a statement on its official website.

According to local police, Dortmund's team bus has been attacked with a bomb on its way to the stadium around 7 p.m. local time, and Spanish defender Marc Bartra was in hospital with arm and hand injury caused by shattered window.

The matchup between Dortmund and Monaco was postponed to 6:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

Monaco said that all tickets will be valid for the postponed match, adding that supporters will be reimbursed if they prefer, and instructions on how to obtain reimbursement will be announced by the club shortly.

Monaco fans who spent overnight in Dortmund will be reimbursed 80 euros (around 85 U.S. dollars) per person, the club later announced on its Twittter account.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 06:32:39|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana will serve as co-chair of the UN secretary-general's Sustainable Development Goals Advocates, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters here Tuesday.

"He will be co-chair of the group along with Prime Minister Erna Solberg of Norway until the end of 2018," Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

Launched on Jan. 21, 2016, the Sustainable Development Goals Advocates consist of 17 eminent persons assisting the UN secretary-general in the campaign to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that world leaders unanimously adopted in September 2015.

Since assuming office on Jan. 1, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has made it one of his top priorities to promote the realization of the SDGs, a blueprint for the global development efforts for the years running up to 2030.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 06:37:40|Editor: yan

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BELGRADE, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Repeated presidential elections ended at eight polling stations in Serbia on Tuesday, with incumbent Prime Minister and president-elect Aleksandar Vucic claiming victory the same day in the elections.

Around 9,800 out of Serbia's 6.7 million voters were eligible to cast their ballots at the polling stations in cities of Belgrade, Kraljevo, Pancevo, Vrsac, Zrenjanin and towns of Vrbas, Topola and Backa Palanka at Tuesday's repeated presidential elections, with no influence on the overall outcome of the elections.

Elections were re-held at the eight polling stations due to irregularities in the April 2 elections.

After polls closed Tuesday, Vucic declared victory at a press conference and said that according to estimates of the Progressive party, he won more than 70 percent of votes at the eight polling stations.

Thousands of people had protested for nine days in cities of Belgrade, Nis and Novi Sad against Vucic's April 2 election victory during which he garnered 55.06 percent of votes.

The election results meant that Vucic, candidate of the ruling coalition around his Progressives, will become the country's next head of state.

However, official results of the elections and the announcement of Vucic as the head of state will be further postponed, as re-voting would be held at two more polling stations due to irregularities in the elections ten days ago, according to reports.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 06:37:40|Editor: An

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China Southern Airlines Boeing 787 aircraft arrives at Benito Juarez International Airport in Mexico City, capital of Mexico, April 11, 2017. China Southern Airlines on Tuesday opened the flight connecting Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, with Mexico City. (Xinhua/Francisco Canedo)

by Edna Alcantara and Su Jiawei

MEXICO CITY, April 11 (Xinhua) -- China Southern Airlines on Tuesday inaugurated a flight that connects Guangzhou with Mexico City.

The route is the company's first to Latin America, where Mexican authorities hope the air connection will help boost tourism from China.

"With the inauguration of the flight, we hope to see an increase in the number of Chinese visitors traveling for leisure, but also for business," Mexico's deputy minister of tourism, Salvador Sanchez, said at a ceremony at the international airport of Mexico City.

According to Sanchez, tourists from China will grow 50 percent, thanks to the new air link.

Based in Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province, China Southern Airlines is the world's fourth-largest airlines as measured by passengers carried annually.

Mexico's deputy foreign affairs minister, Carlos Alberto De Icaza, said the flight "is the outcome of the good relationship and ties of friendship between China and Mexico."

Also on hand was China's ambassador to Mexico, Qiu Xiaoqi, who agreed "China-Mexico ties have entered a new stage."

China is now the second-largest trade partner for Mexico, a country that is "strategic in the Latin American region," and one with which China "seeks to strengthen economic and tourism development between the two countries," said Qiu.

The new route, which will operate three times a week, "was mandated by both governments," Qiu added.

China Southern Airlines President Wang Changshun hailed the route as helping to consolidate the carrier's presence in the Latin American market, and said his company plans to invest further to offer its newfound "potential" Mexican and Latin American customers diverse products.

The 228-passenger Boeing 787 landed in Mexico City at 8:30 a.m. local time on Monday, after a brief stopover in Vancouver, Canada, and was welcomed on the tarmac with the customary water-cannon salute, as well as a traditional Mexican mariachi band.

Prior to the opening of the new route, the only other air connection between Mexico and China was a Mexico City-to-Shanghai flight operated by Mexican national airline Aeromexico.

In 2016, 74,300 Chinese travelers visited Mexico, a 33.5 percent increase over the year before, according to Mexico's Tourism Ministry.

The new flight is expected to raise that number to 102,000, the ministry said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 06:42:41|Editor: yan

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TORONTO, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Canada's main stock market closed slightly down on Tuesday, as declines in Health Care and Financial sectors outweighed gold prices reaching a five-month high.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's benchmark Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite inched down 3.68 points, or 0.02 percent to finish the day at 15,727.11 points. Half of the ten sub-groups closed the day in negative territory.

With geopolitical concerns arising from tension in North Korea, Syria and the upcoming French election, investors jumped on gold causing the spot price of the precious metal to jump 19.60 U.S. dollars 1,274.00 an ounce, its highest close since Nov. 9. The same weight of silver also shot up 39 cents to a five-week high of 18.32 U.S. dollars.

As a result, shares Toronto-based miners New Castle Gold Ltd. and New Gold Inc. saw the biggest percentage spikes, soaring 11.11 percent and 7.20 percent, each. Meanwhile, Vancouver-based B2Gold Corp. shares climbed 4.59 percent to 3.87 Canadian dollars (2.90 U.S. dollars) and were the second most traded with more than 9.75 million shares exchanged. Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest producer of gold in the world closed the session at 26.79 Canadian dollars (20.10 U.S. dollars), a 3.08 percent uplift.

The remaining groups to finish ahead were: Consumer Discretionary (0.16 percent), Utilities (0.12 percent), Telecommunications (0.06 percent), and Industrials (0.05 percent).

The TSX Industrials group finished slightly ahead despite Montreal-based Bombardier shares being the top traded stock during a session and finishing with a 6.76 percent gain. Shares of the plane and train maker soared after reports of their train division merging with Germany' s Siemens AG. With more than 11.1 million shares exchanged, shares settled at 2.37 Canadian dollars (1.78 U.S. dollars), its highest end-of-day rate since March 3.

Dragging down the group was Montreal-based logistics company TFI International Inc. and rail company Canadian National, with respective declines of 3.00 percent and 0.81 percent.

The Health Care group was the biggest deterrent during Tuesday session with a 1.81 percent dip. One day after receiving a boost from the Federal government' s plan to formally introduce a marijuana bill later this week, shares of medical marijuana distributors Aphria Inc and Canopy Growth Corporation plunged 7.39 percent and 5.34 percent, apiece.

Also slipping within the group were Quebec-based drugmakers ProMetic Life Sciences and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International with respective drops of 3.24 percent and 2.59 percent.

The remaining groups to lose ground on the day were: Financial (0.43 percent), Information Technology (0.35 percent), Energy (0.31 percent), and Consumer Staples (0.02 percent).

Energy closed lower despite a barrel of Brent crude oil for June delivery closing at 56.05 U.S. dollars a barrel, its highest since Mar. 1. Weighing down the sector was May natural gas futures on the New York Mercantile Exchange slipping 2.75 percent to 3.150 U.S. dollars per million British thermal units.

Calgary-based Cenovus Energy Inc shares fell 2.00 percent, while Crescent Point Energy Corp retreated 0.47 percent. Suncor Energy Inc, the largest producer of crude oil in the country, closed the session at 41.47 Canadian dollars (31.11 U.S. dollars), a 0.77 percent decline.

The Canadian dollar did not fluctuate on the day, remaining at 0.7501 U.S. dollars.
MINSK, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko criticized the U.S. missile strike in Syria, his presidential press-service reported on Tuesday.

"When I heard about it, I regretted it very much. To tackle domestic issues through an aggressive foreign policy is not the right way," Lukashenko said.

"America alone or even with its closest NATO allies cannot overturn or govern the whole world today. One should watch one's appetite and deal with places where your interests are very strong. And they lie primarily in North America," he said.
PARIS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin was "deeply disturbed" following explosions to the Bundesliga side Dortmund's team bus ahead of Champions League quarter-final clash against Ligue 1 side Monaco on Tuesday.

According to local police, Dortmund's team bus has been attacked with a bomb on its way to the stadium around 7 p.m. local time for the quarter-final first leg matchup, and Spanish defender Marc Bartra was in hospital with arm and hand injury caused by shattered window.

The matchup between Dortmund and Monaco was postponed to 6:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday after a meeting between UEFA, representatives of the two clubs and local authorities.

"I was deeply disturbed by the explosions which occurred in Dortmund," said Ceferin, adding that the decision to postpone the match was correct as safety of all fans, team officials and players must be prioritized.

Ceferin also showed his sincere gratitude to the representatives of the two clubs, the local authorities, and the supporters for their cooperation in dealing with the matter.

Monaco expressed its full support for the Borussia Dortmund players and everyone at the club in a statement on its official website.

Bartra has undergone a wrist surgery late Tuesday, said spokesman of the club.

Local police were working on the assumption that the bomb was directly targeted at the club, while refusing to link the explosion to an organized terror attack.
SYDNEY, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Indian people are Victoria's biggest migrant group for the first time in history, Australia's national census has found.

The first results of the census revealed that after 12 years of strong growth India was the biggest source of migration to the state, beating England for the first time.

Harish Budhiraja, who moved to Australia in 2005, said Indians see Victoria as accepting and multicultural.

When Budhiraja moved India was not even a top four source of migrants to Victoria, with England, New Zealand, Italy and Vietnam holding the top four spots.

England remained the most prominent source of migrants for Western Australia (WA), South Australia (SA), Tasmania, the Northern Territory (NT) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) but China was number one for New South Wales (NSW) and New Zealand the most prominent in Queensland.

"People say Australia is struggling in industry but I don't think so; we are doing better than most other economies," Budhiraja told News Limited on Wednesday.

"Indians still see Australia as the land of opportunity when it comes to education, research and the standard of living."

Budhiraja, 42, now has two Victorian-born sons and married his Indian fiancee, Chhavi, in Melbourne.

He said he decided to leave India because it was easy for chartered accountants to get permanent residency in Australia and career prospects were better in Melbourne.

He said he had not experienced any racism in his 12 years in Victoria.

"I kept my social and religious beliefs with me but at the same time I started respecting the culture, like for example watching (local sports)," he said. Enditem
DAVAO CITY, the Philippines, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck parts of southern Philippines on Wednesday, state seismologists said.

The quake which hit around 5:21 a.m. local time was traced 6 kilometers east of Wao town, in Mindanao's Lanao del Sur province at a depth of one kilometer, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The U.S. Geological Survey pegged the quake's strength at magnitude of 5.6.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the temblor is expected to cause aftershocks.

It said shaking was felt in the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato.

Wednesday's quake came after a series of temblors, one measuring 6.0, rocked the main island of Luzon on Saturday, destroying several buildings and other structures.

The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates collide, causing frequent quakes and volcanic activities.
CANBERRA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Students at Australia's top universities have been found to be among the "least satisfied" with their experience, according to a government report released on Wednesday.

The Student Experience Survey, which took into account responses from more than 178,000 students across the nation, showed that six of Australia's elite Group of Eight (Go8) universities had student satisfaction levels below the national average of 80 percent.

Canberra's Australian National University, Sydney-based institutions the University of NSW and the University of Sydney, the University of Western Australia, the University of Adelaide, and the University of Melbourne all scored below the national average.

The University of NSW scored the lowest satisfaction rating of the Go8 universities with 76 percent, followed by the University of Sydney with 76.7 percent.

Queensland's Bond University - not a Go8 institution - was the highest-scoring university, scoring 90.8 percent.

Despite the poor results for Australia's top universities, Peter Hoj, chair of the Go8, brushed off concerns that students were not happy with their university experience.

"This is a good set of results - in university terms it's a distinction. We are happy to see that student satisfaction is high at all Australian universities," he told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.

Meanwhile the nation's Education Minister Simon Birmingham said the government was "determined to drive increased accountability in our higher education system" and said the Student Experience Survey would deliver "greater transparency" about how higher education institutions perform and engage their students.

"The more information that students can have at their fingertips, the better decisions they can make when considering the courses and careers they choose to embark on," Birmingham said in a statement on Wednesday.

"Today's results show an overwhelming number of students and employers had positive experiences across the higher education sector, highlighting that Australia delivers a world-class higher education system."

"Students can now compare satisfaction rates across a broader range of Australian higher education institutions and for the first time today can also compare how those courses are viewed by their prospective employers as part of a clearer picture of our higher education system."

The full results of the study will be uploaded to the Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) website on Wednesday, allowing future and prospective students to make informed decisions about which institution might be right for them.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 10:28:09|Editor: An

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SYDNEY, April 12 (Xinhua) -- New owners of the Port of Melbourne have warned that the city could be flooded by trucks as they aim to increase the capacity of the port.

The Lonsdale Consortium, made up of the Future Fund, Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and China's Shanghai CRED, said the port could grow to handle 12 to 15 million containers every year, up 500 percent from the current capacity of 2.5 million containers annually.

If successful, the increased capacity would make the port one of the ten busiest shipping containers in the world.

After paying 7.2 billion U.S. dollars for the 50-year lease of the port in 2016, the consortium has demanded that the Victorian Government, led by Premier Daniel Andrews, makes upgrades to Melbourne's infrastructure to cope with the increased freight traffic.

In a submission to Infrastructure Victoria, the Port of Melbourne Corporation asked the government to reconsider truck curfews in Melbourne's western suburbs and to re-consider the multi-billion dollar East-West Link that the government cancelled after winning the last state election.

It also said that Melbourne's two most important bridges, the West Gate and the Bolte, should be strengthened so they can safely support trucks weighing up to 109 tonnes, up from the current limit of 68 tonnes.

The submission, published by Fairfax Media on Wednesday, said, "Truck curfew hours should be carefully considered as it has significant impact on supporting the 24 hours operation model of the Port of Melbourne."

The submission also casted doubts over the ability of the government's major road project, the West Gate Tunnel, to keep trucks off suburban streets.

Luke Donnellan, Victoria's Roads Minister, maintained that local roads were inefficient for truck operators to transport goods.

"The freight industry needs an efficient connection to the port - one that has been specially designed for heavy vehicles - not suburban streets," Donnellan said.

Colleen Hartland, a Greens MP for the Western suburbs of Melbourne, said that in focusing on crash statistics, the submission had "completely missed the point on why trucks are dangerous to health."

"The issue for children is about exposure to diesel particulates and noise. Maribyrnong has the highest rate of children's admission to hospital for respiratory illnesses in the state," she said. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 11:48:18|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Any attempt to play up the case of a Taiwan resident under investigation will further harm the "already severe" relations between the mainland and Taiwan, an official said Wednesday.

Lee Ming-che is being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security," An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference.
The research team from Melbourne's Olivia Newton-John (ONJ) Cancer Wellness and Research Centre at the lab. (Photo from ONJCancerCentre Website)

SYDNEY, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Australian scientists have made a breakthrough in preventing cancer from mutating in the body.

The team from Melbourne's Olivia Newton-John (ONJ) Cancer Wellness and Research Centre have been able to interrupt the body's wound-healing process and lock cancer cells into a "harmless" state before they can mutate and spread.

The process has proved successful in treating colon and stomach cancer and lead researcher Matthias Ernst believes it could be applied to other cancers.

Instead of targeting cancer cells themselves, the ONJ breakthrough interrupts a white blood cell process called macrophages which has been known to fight cancer.

However, if the macrophage cells are exposed to a wound then the HCK protein signals the cells to take on a nursing role, prompting extra skin cells to grow and cover the wound.

The research team discovered that cancer cells can hijack the healing properties and use white blood cells to fuel their own growth rather than skin cells.

By blocking the HCK protein and preventing the macrophage cells from changing to a nursing role to begin with, Ernst's team has been able to suppress the growth of established tumours.

"We have identified a way you can therapeutically target the non-mutated cells in a cancer. The advantage of that is because they are non-mutated they are less likely to develop resistance," Ernst told News Limited on Wednesday.

"We know very well how to inhibit these molecules, and therefore it is very foreseeable on how you would develop a drug that can inhibit the activity of the HCK and therefore lock the macrophage into garbage collector state and rather than allowing them to become nurses."

Ernst said his team was currently working to develop a drug capable of safely freezing the process with human clinical trials on the horizon.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 12:08:21|Editor: Lu Hui

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six local governments Tuesday to promote international education cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative.

They include Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi and Qinghai, as well as the city of Qingdao.

Education cooperation for the initiative is part of China's 13th Five Year Plan from 2016 to 2020. The ministry has already signed similar agreements with eight other provinces and autonomous regions.

The plan aims to establish education cooperation platforms for the initiative at provincial level and train urgently-needed professionals in related fields.

Tian Xuejun, vice education minister, said the ministry had inked hundreds of projects on education cooperation with local governments, and would provide support for foreign students exchanges, Sino-foreign cooperative education, regional studies and people-to-people exchanges.
SYDNEY, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Maritime Border Command (MBC), a joint agency taskforce, has apprehended 15 Vietnamese fisherman accused of illegal poaching this week.

Authorities say a vessel was spotted by a surveillance aircraft on April 6, operating in the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia and was tracked, finally being boarded on April 10 by an Australian Border Force marine unit.

Upon searching the vessel, authorities discovered large quantities of sea cucumbers and began the process of returning the men, vessel and cargo to the port in Gladstone.

MBC Commander Rear Admiral Peter Laver said in a statement given to Xinhua that this was another successful operation to crack down on the scourge of illegal fishing in Australian waters.

"The enormous Australian maritime domain is subject to surveillance 24 hours a day, and we remain highly responsive to any attempts to engage in theft of this nature," Laver said.

"Our resources, including personnel, water and air-based assets, as well as cutting-edge technology, allow us to monitor and promptly apprehend those in the business of illegal fishing in Australian waters."

This latest illegal fishing arrest came after a similar incident in February, which saw 29 Vietnamese fisherman being charged with illegal poaching of sea cucumbers off the Australian coast.

In that instance, the men who were spread over two vessels, were intercepted at Saumarez Reef, the same place they were captured by authorities this time.

In 2016, 121 Vietnamese fisherman were convicted of illegal poaching, with over 32,000 tons of sea cucumber seized.
BANGKOK, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Over one thousand Thais, who paid for a trip to Osaka by charter flights, found they were swindled after they arrived at Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport Tuesday night.

These tourists paid between 9,700 and 20,000 baht (281-580 US. Dollars) to a company called Wealth Ever for a trip to Japan between April 13 and 15 and found there was no staff of the company receiving them at the airport as promised and there was even no booked charter flights for them, Bangkok Post reported.

Many passengers have left the airport after filing a complaint and realizing they were not going to Japan, while others stayed at Suvarnabhumi because they lacked transport to return home during the Songkran break.

Thai police are gathering evidence before taking action against the company that usually sells supplement vitamins.

The police said another large group of people will show up later on Wednesday, having also fallen for the WealthEver promise of budget trips to Japan.

The Office of the Consumer Protection Board announced on Wednesday that Wealth Ever was never registered with the Board for any service including sales of the supplements.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 13:18:33|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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BANGKOK, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese language has become more and more popular in Thailand due to the increase of Chinese tourists and China's development, which drives a Confucius Institute in Bangkok to voluntarily help train local teachers to meet the growing demand for learning Mandarin here.

On a hot Saturday afternoon recently, Mandarin teachers around Bangkok came to the Confucius Institute at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University (BSRU) to take their weekly three-hour course of Mandarin and Chinese culture, taught by teachers of the institute.

"Our teachers voluntarily use their spare time to train local teachers here every week," said Wen Xiangyu, Chinese dean of the Confucius Institute, which was established in 2006.

In Chinese teacher Song Chunzhi's class, some 20 Thai teachers were learning Chinese expressions and making new sentences under Song's instruction.

"I have been taking the course for three years, it helped me a lot," said Nantawat Radsamee, a Mandarin teacher in a primary school called Wat Ladplakao after the class.

The Confucius Institute also went to Nantawat's school and held a cultural event there to celebrate the Chinese lunar Year of the Rooster in February, which attracted many pupils to join.

Prasat Seri, an fine arts teacher, has been attending the course for several years. He even drew pictures to teach Chinese characters and made a picture book, which was later promoted by Bangkok's Department of Education as a standard textbook to teach Mandarin in all primary schools of the city.

Prasat expressed gratitude to the teachers of the Confucius Institute in helping him check and edit the picture book.

"I love the course, especially the cultural part as there are always something new every week," he said.

Besides Song's class, there were other three classes ongoing every Saturday as the Confucius Institute has put local teachers in different classes according to a language test at the beginning of every semester.

According to Wen, the Chinese dean, the Confucius Institute at the BSRU has cooperated with Bangkok's Department of Education in this training course for at least five years.

Around 1 million Thais are learning Mandarin right now, which means a lot of Mandarin teachers are needed, said Wang Wei, a teacher at the Confucius Institute.

Teachers of the Confucius Institute, originally from Tianjin Normal University of China, used their expertise in education to start the training program with Bangkok's Department of Education.

"We have thought of many activities to attract local teachers to keep coming to the classes," said Wen, and every year, 20 outstanding teachers of some 100 teachers in total get the chance to study Mandarin in Tianjin Normal University for a month with full scholarships.

She said Bangkok's Department of Education and the BSRU have given much support to the training program.

Thanita Praewanich, deputy director of Bangkok's Department of Education, praised teachers of the Confucius Institute for their expertise and devotion during a ceremony to mark the end of the training course in this semester late March.

"In five-year time, the training course here has covered 438 schools around Bangkok, and some outstanding local teachers went to China for further study, and became mainstay of our educational system," Thanita said, adding that the training program should go on.

Sutipporn Chotratanasak, Thai dean of the Confucius Institute, said the Confucius Institute even helped the BSRU to become more popular due to the training program and a postgraduate program.

Besides the training program, the Confucius Institute is working with the BSRU and Tianjin Normal University to enroll Thai students for a postgraduate program.

Every year, some 25 Thai students would choose to be in the postgraduate program and they would go to learn in Tianjin Normal University with full scholarships and come back for work, mainly as Mandarin teachers in secondary and primary schools, according to Wen.

"We have enrolled students for the program for three years, and some 94 percent of the first batch of students have found schools and the second batch is doing internship here in our institute," said Wen.

Wang believes training local teachers are very important for the Chinese-language teaching in the long term. "Thais cannot always rely on Chinese to teach them, they have to have their own Mandarin teachers."

"Some schools told us they don't need teachers with master degrees, but I think they will gradually understand a teacher with a master degree can help them improve their Chinese-language teaching significantly," Wang said.
MOSCOW, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Russian naval aviation will receive two Su-30SM advanced fighters in late April, the RIA Novosti news agency reported on Wednesday.

"In late April, the naval aviation will receive two Su-30SM multi-role advanced fighters in the framework of a program aimed at rearmament of the units," spokesman Captain 1st Rank Igor Dygalo Dygalo was quoted as saying.

Su-30SM is a two-seat fighter jet capable of carrying advanced high-precision air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons.
TUNIS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Protesters in several provinces of Tunisia staged general strikes on Tuesday to demand employment and better development in several underprivileged areas of the country.

Hundreds of unemployed young people demonstrated in Tunisia's southern Tataouine province Tuesday during a strike to show their dissatisfaction with the "unsuccessful and ineffective promises" of the government.

Tataouine, some 500 km south of Tunis on the edge of the desert, has been the scene of several protests over the past fortnight.

On Tuesday, cafes, shops and public buildings were closed, although bakeries, pharmacies and hospitals remained open, according to regional sources.

Earlier this week, Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed announced a series of measures in favor of Tataouine, aiming at quelling discontent in the region.

Measures included an immediate employment of 500 Tataouine residents by state companies and a quota system by which oil firms would be obliged to hire most of their employees from the local population.

The general strike at Tataouine coincided on the same day with peaceful protests in other inner provinces including Kairouan and Kef.

A parade took place in the city center of Kairouan, capital of the Kairouan Governorate in the middle of the country.

Citizens, trade unionists and representatives of civil society chanted slogans including "Anger" and "Priority for development," to send a message to the authorities and express their dissatisfaction with the lack of funds and development projects in their province.

The demonstrators said Kairouan remains one of the the provinces with the highest rate of unemployment, poverty and suicide, despite the promises made by the successive governments since January 2011.

Public gatherings also took place in Kef, a province in northwestern Tunisia, to call for social demands. The protests here were supported by the regional directorate of the Tunisian General Labor Union.

The labor union is planning a general strike in Kef on April 20, in order to condemn the "poor" social and economic situation in the region, which has been worsened by the closure of a cabling factory, a source of revenue for at least 300 people.

Some analysts believe that Tunisia will face domestic challenges especially concerning regional development and security, even though there is a sign of economic recovery confirmed by the Tunisian authorities and an estimated growth of 2.5 percent this year forecasted by international financial institutions.

Unemployment in Tunisia stood at some 15 percent in the last quarter of 2016, according to the country's official statistical agency.
PHNOM PENH, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers began to leave Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Wednesday for their home provinces to celebrate the lunar New Year, which falls on April 14, 15 and 16.

They take buses, taxis, boats, and motorcycles as they journey home to enjoy the occasion with their family members.

A 36-year-old construction worker Yan Leap said that the lunar New Year is one of the two occasions he visits his hometown a year.

"I visit my hometowns twice a year--Pchum Ben festival (honoring-the-dead festival) and Cambodian New Year," he told Xinhua while taking a bus to his home in Takeo province, about 80 km south of Phnom Penh.

He said that he had five days off on the occasion.

A native to Takeo province, Ouch Sreynou, 21, who has come to Phnom Penh for university study, said that the Cambodian New Year is the special occasion for family reunion.

"I visit my hometowns only on the occasions of major national festivals such as New Year and Pchum Ben," she said.

Approximately 80 percent of the country's 15 million people live in rural areas; however, most young adults have flocked to Phnom Penh for jobs, mostly in garment and construction sectors.

Phnom Penh is home to about 1.5 million people, most of them are migrants from various provinces. As they leave the city on the occasion, the whole city will be quiet and most of shops will be closed.

Last week, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen called for authorities and armed forces to beef up security during the New Year celebrations.

He also urged people to refrain from splashing water on each other, throwing bags of water on travelers, and painting charcoal or powder on other faces.
SYDNEY, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The New South Wales government has announced an 8-million-Australian-dollar (six million U.S. dollars) coastal dredging strategy on Wednesday, aimed at improving the state's ports and harbors.

"These waterways are the lifeblood of many communities and the NSW Liberal & Nationals Government is pleased to fund this essential dredging," New South Wales Minister for Lands and Forestry Paul Toole said in a statement.

"We will also be working with councils to develop long-term dredging plans for local waterways and enable councils to undertake their own dredging works to address the needs of their local communities."

As part of the government's Rescuing Our Waterways Program, all coastal councils will be eligible to apply to the state for funding, which will see 50 percent of the cost of dredging covered.

"I encourage eligible local businesses, chambers of commerce, commercial operators and boating clubs to apply for funding through the Rescuing Our Waterways program with applications now open," New South Wales Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said.

At the top of the government's priorities will be state-owned ports and harbors that need dredging to maintain navigational access.

"The NSW Coastal Dredging Strategy will improve boating safety and ensure the continued enjoyment of coastal harbors and rivers," Pavey said. (1 Australian dollar = 0.75 U.S. dollar)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 13:48:39|Editor: An

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday talked with his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump over phone on issues of Korean Peninsula and Syria, saying Peninsula denuclearization shall be achieved through peaceful means and any use of chemical weapons is "unacceptable" on Syria issue.

He added that the UN Security Council shall remain united and deliver "one voice" in this respect.

China and the United States shall work together closely to make sure that the visit of Trump to China later this year could achieve "fruitful" results, the Chinese president said.

He also urged the two sides to promote the newly-established four-pronged dialogue mechanism in such areas as diplomacy and security, economy, law enforcement and cyber security, as well as social and people-to-people exchanges, an important result of his latest meeting with Trump, and to conduct pragmatic cooperation in a trove of areas.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 14:18:44|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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ULAN BATOR, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Two Mongolian soldiers were killed and eight others injured in an explosion caused by mishandling live grenade during a field training, the armed forces said on Wednesday.

The accident occurred on Tuesday at a military training center about 65 km west of capital Ulan Bator. Both of the victims have peace-keeping experience in South Sudan, the armed forces told a press briefing.

An investigation has been underway, they added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 14:23:44|Editor: Mengjiao Liu

Brazil's President Michel Temer attends the signing ceremony of a joint decree in the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, capital of Brazil, on April 12, 2017. Brazil's Supreme Court authorized the Chief Prosecution Office to investigate dozens of high-profile politicians, including several cabinet members and a third of the senators. (Xinhua/Dida Sampaio/AGENCIA ESTADO)

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Supreme Court authorized the Chief Prosecution Office to investigate dozens of high-profile politicians, including several cabinet members and a third of the senators.

The information was published by local daily O Estado de Sao Paulo and later confirmed by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

Eight ministers of President Michel Temer's administration, three state governors, 24 out of the 81 senators and 42 federal House representatives are in the list of people to be investigated, including the head of Senate Eunicio Oliveira and the head of the House Rodrigo Maia, both in line for presidency in case the office becomes vacant.

The politicians were mentioned in the testimonies of 77 former executives of the construction company Odebrecht. The company was deeply involved in a major corruption scandal of state-run oil giant Petrobras and in numerous other corruption schemes in connection with governmental contracts.

The federal police have launched an investigation codenamed "Carwash," which initially dealt with the Petrobras case, but later grew to include corruption in other governmental contracts with private companies.

Senator Aecio Neves, who lost the last presidential elections to former President Dilma Rousseff and was one of the articulators of her impeachment last year, will be investigated, as will Senator Fernando Collor, who was elected president of Brazil in 1989 and impeached in 1992.

Rousseff, despite having been accused of corruption by the opposition, is not on the list, neither is her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

According to O Estado, President Temer was also accused, but cannot be investigated while in presidency.

Under Brazilian law, politicians can only be tried by the Supreme Court. Investigations on them must be authorized by a Supreme Court judge.

However, Judge Teori Zavascki died in January, reportedly only days before he would authorize the beginning of the investigations. The cases of "Carwash" had to be passed to Judge Edson Fachin, who took a few months to authorize the investigations at last.
by Eric J. Lyman

ROME, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Years of warming temperatures, extremist violence, and outdated farming methods are putting large parts of four countries surrounding Africa's Lake Chad on the edge of famine, head of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned Tuesday.

"The area is facing a humanitarian and environmental crisis that will grow even more desperate if action is not taken almost immediately," said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva, who has just returned from a three-day trip to the Lake Chad area.

The area provides drinking water for villages and livestock, helps irrigate agricultural lands, and supports fishing resources for parts of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria.

With the main planting season set to start in May and June, getting seed packs to impoverished farmers in time was a key way to improve food security in the region, the FAO chief told reporters.

But so far, money promised by donor nations to help pay for seed packs and other programs in the region has been slow in arriving. Of the 62 million U.S. dollars promised last year, only 10 million has so far been made available, according to Graziano da Silva.

Without fund, as many as 50,000 people in the Lake Chad region could face famine, he said.

"These are pastoral people," Graziano da Silva said, "without agriculture, without their animals, they are at risk of dying."

The dramatic reduction in the amount of water in Lake Chad is one of the main factors in the diminishing prospects for local residents.

In 1960, Lake Chad covered 22,000 square km of territory and was the sixth-largest freshwater body in the world. Now, it covers only 300 square km, only 13.6 percent of its size 57 years ago.

Graziano da Silva said the main factors behind the drying up of the lake are a changing climate and the inefficient use of water for local agriculture.

The dire situation is exacerbated by activities of Boko Haram, a Nigeria-based extremist group with ties to the Islamic State. The presence of Boko Haram can make it difficult for aid to reach many parts of the impacted regions.

"Now the region is more stable," Graziano da Silva said. "The extremists have less influence and the impact of El Nino has finally subsided. The time to take action is now."

He predicted that problems like the one surrounding Lake Chad would become more common with time.

He said the use of modern drip irrigation is one of the main reforms that will help reduce stress on Lake Chad.

The director-general also said it is important to help compensate farmers for livestock loss, provide a wider variety of resilient seeds and train farmers.

"Unless we respond to problems in crisis mode, the problems will never be solved," he said. "Of course the first goal is to bring food to starving population. But after that, we have to follow through with ways to make food production more sustainable, more autonomous, and more resilient."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 15:16:58|Editor: An

White cranes fly over the Momoge National Nature Reserve in Zhenlai County, northeast China's Jilin Province, April 12, 2017. Momoge Nature Reserve is one of major crane protection bases in China. About 200,000 migrant birds have returned to the reserve after wintering in the south. (Xinhua/Lin Hong)
JAKARTA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A plane with several people on board lost contact on Wednesday in Papua province of easternmost Indonesia, and search operation is underway, spokesman of Indonesian transport ministry J.A. Barata told Xinhua by phone.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 15:23:54|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that all businesses, regardless of their country, region or city, were welcome to join the Xiongan New Area program, as long as their line of work suited the overall industrial plan of the area.

An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to a question about whether enterprises from Taiwan would be able to participate in the development of the new area.

An explained that Xiongan New Area would help advance the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, also known as Jing-Jin-Ji.

At the press conference, another question was posed regarding the number of mainland travellers to the island.

An said that since last May, the number of travellers from the mainland to Taiwan had dramatically decreased over concerns of safety, after a series of accidents involving tourists.

"Taiwan should reflect," said An. "We have said many times that the root of the problem must be found for a solution to emerge," said An.

In response to another question on activities to commemorate the victory of the 14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), An said that the victory was the result of all Chinese including Taiwanese compatriots.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's invasion of the whole of China.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 15:33:55|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities on Wednesday publicized eight cases showing their success in cracking down on online pornography.

The National Office Against Pornographic and Illegal Publications in 2017 launched a new round of a nationwide campaign against the production, sale and distribution of illegal publications and online pornography that could affect juveniles.

The campaign has specially targeted online streaming and the use of instant messaging and cloud storage services to spread pornography, and many criminal suspects were caught and punished.

In one case, Beijing police in January found a company used its app platform to perform obscene live shows, gaining a large sum of illegal earnings. The platform was shut down and the company had its license suspended by the police.

In another case in east China's Zhejiang Province, the local police found some people using cloud storage services to distribute erotic videos. Two suspects were later apprehended, along with more than 10,000 illegal videos. They were found to have grossed illegal gains of more than 100,000 yuan (14,500 U.S.dollars).
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 15:38:56|Editor: Yamei

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, and discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Syria.

Xi said that China sticks to the target of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and that China is committed to peace and stability of the peninsula.

China holds that the issue should be solved through peaceful means, said Xi, adding that his country is ready to maintain communication and coordination with the United States on the issue.

On Syria, Xi said that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and that the path of political settlement should be followed.

He expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would speak in one voice as it is important for the Security Council to remain united over the issue.

Xi also asked teams of China and the United States to work together closely to make sure that Trump's visit to China later this year could achieve fruitful results.

He also urged the two sides to promote economic cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication and coordination in major global and regional issues,through the newly established four-pronged dialogue mechanism.

He expressed the hope that the dialogue mechanism will yield as many early-stage results as possible so as to inject impetus to bilateral relations.

The four-pronged dialogue mechanism, which covers the fields of foreign affairs and security, economy, law enforcement and cybersecurity, social and people-to-people exchanges, is an important result of Xi's meeting with Trump in Florida.

Xi said his recent tete-a-tete with Trump in the latter's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida has produced important results, which have won positive response among the Chinese people and the international community.

The two leaders held in-depth discussions and reached important consensus on bilateral relations in the new era and on major global and regional issues, said Xi.

He and Trump have increased mutual understanding and established sound working relations, he added.

In Wednesday's phone conversation, Trump said the meeting with Xi at Mar-a-Lago was a success. It is very important for the two presidents to maintain close communication, he added.

Trump agreed that the two sides should work together to promote pragmatic cooperation in wide-ranging areas.

He said he was looking forward to his state visit to China this year.

The two presidents agreed to keep close communication through all kinds of channels.
JAKARTA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A plane with several people on board lost contact on Wednesday in Papua province of eastern Indonesia, search and rescue operation have been underway, spokesman of Indonesian transport ministry J. A. Barata said.

"The cargo plane lost contact today (Wednesday). Now we are checking the number of crew," Barata told Xinhua via phone.

Marsudi, spokesman of the national search and rescue office, said the C208 Caravan plane was on route of Wajo and Sentani.

It departed at 2:45 p.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at 3:24 p.m. local time, Marsudi said.

"The plane sent S.O.S. message during the flight," Marsudi said.

"Search and rescue for the plane is underway now, involving a plane and personnel from local search and rescue office. But the weather seems unfavorable," said Marsudi.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump take a walk to further discuss bilateral cooperation issues in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the United States, April 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

Hi, here's what you need to know about China.

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday talked with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, over phone on issues of Korean Peninsula and Syria, saying Peninsula denuclearization shall be achieved through peaceful means and any use of chemical weapons is "unacceptable" on Syria issue.

Xi added that the UN Security Council shall remain united and deliver "one voice" in this respect.

- - - -

UNITED NATIONS -- China's Belt and Road Initiative can contribute to the implementation of a United Nations (UN) facilitated sustainable development agenda, which aims to end poverty and promote prosperity, said UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo on Tuesday.

The initiative offers "great potential" for advancing the agenda through economic growth, trade opportunities, job and income generation, infrastructure building and capacity building, said Wu at a high-level discussion held here.

- - - -

SHANGHAI -- China should speed up domestic legislation related to its increasing Antarctic activities, a senior Chinese official said Tuesday.

Currently, besides expeditions, trips to Antarctica from China are increasing, said Lin Shanqing, deputy head of the State Oceanic Administration, at a press conference about the country's 33rd Antarctic expedition.

- - - -

DUBAI -- The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) signed an agreement with Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza) to establish CNPC's regional headquarters in Jafza, an e-mailed statement said Tuesday.

The new headquarters covers 55,000 square metres and include a 10,000-sq. m multi-storey office and warehouse facility for storage, maintenance and repair of oil and gas equipment.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 15:48:58|Editor: Xiang Bo

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UNITED NATIONS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy said Tuesday that China hopes the new Haitian government will embark on a path of development suited to its national conditions.

"We hope the new government in Haiti identify as soon as possible a development path that fits its national situation, accelerate infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and other major sectors of development with a view to eradicating poverty, creating more jobs, improving people's livelihoods," among others, said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN at a Security Council meeting on Haiti.

Sandra Honore, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), briefed the Council on developments in the country from October 2016. Since then, she said, Haiti has made significant progress in consolidating democracy and maintaining security and stability with the inauguration of Jovenel Moise as President on Feb. 7, marking the restoration of constitutional order.

"China hopes all parties in Haiti jointly maintain this positive momentum and contribute to the overall stability and development of the country," said the Chinese envoy.

Liu expressed hope that the international community, including countries in the region, will continue to contribute to improving conditions in Haiti, help build a stronger national police force, and support the government's effort to maintain stability.

"At the same time, we hope that the international community will provide more assistance to help hurricane stricken areas in Haiti to build," he said.

In her briefing, Honore noted that the island's police force continues to show an increased ability to combat crime and maintain public order. Areas for improvement include strengthening internal management and oversight and increasing the police-to-population ratio.

She said a six-month extension of MINUSTAH, set to expire on April 15, would encompass the creation of a new mission, which would unfold against the backdrop of a significantly improved political situation. It would also occur at a time when there was a crucial window of opportunity to address the root causes of the political crisis that had preceded the elections.

The Chinese ambassador commended the move, saying that "this is a recognition of the Haitian government's ability to maintain stability."

"China supports the recommendation by this Security Council and the Secretary General and hopes MINUSTAH withdraws in an orderly manner, while ensuring stability in Haiti," he said.
ANKARA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The explosion that occurred on Tuesday at a police building in Turkish southeastern province of Diyarbakir was a terror attack, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Wednesday.

In an interview with private broadcaster Haberturk, Soylu said that investigations have revealed that the explosion was a terror attack, and there are currently 10 to 12 victims who are receiving treatment in hospitals.

The terror attack was carried out via an underground tunnel which was placed with explosives, he said.

Previously, the minister said that the explosion was not caused by outside interference, ruling out a terrorist attack.

On Tuesday, an explosion occurred during the repair of an armoured vehicle in the Diyarbakir Provincial Security Directorate compound, parts of the roof of the building collapsed.

One police officer and two civilian personnel were killed in the explosion.

Separately, five suspects were detained on April 12 as a part of the investigation into the attack, Dogan News Agency reported.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 16:09:02|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

Representatives of the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of South China (USC) sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research collaboration on fusion energy technology on ANU campus in Canberra, Australia, April 12, 2017. As the first project under the MoU, the ANU has agreed to provide the USC with its plasma Stellarator device, the first in China when the device is shipped to China later this year. (Xinhua/Xu Haijing)

CANBERRA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Australian National University (ANU) and the University of South China (USC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on research collaboration on fusion energy technology.

As the first project under the MoU, the ANU has agreed to provide the USC with its plasma Stellarator device, the first in China when the device is shipped to China later this year.

Dr Cormac Corr, Director of the Australian Plasma Fusion Research Facility at ANU, said the device, 4 square meters by 5 meters, will be shipped to Hengyang, in southern China's Hunan Province, where the USC is located, hopefully by the end of this year.

He said that the MoU was an important step towards developing a future energy source for the world.

"We're working towards making fusion a viable baseload power source by 2050, and Australia working closer with China on this technology will help to make this a reality," Corr said.

Professor Wang Hanqing, Chairman of the Council of USC, said the two universities will develop collaborative programs including the exchange of visiting students and researchers, joint research project declaration, etc, based on the stellarator provided.

Nuclear fusion, which powers our sun and all stars in the Universe, is regarded as as the alternative way to provide sustainable, zero-emission and relatively cheap power to grids.

Corr said that after years of funding support from the Australian government, ANU has developed strong technical expertise in stellarator, one of the two fusion devices that are most likely to be viable power sources.

China, the European Union, India, Korea, Russia, Japan and the United States are jointly funding the construction of the $30 billion ITER nuclear fusion demonstration facility in France that will start producing 500 megawatts of power by the late 2020s.

In September 2016, Australia became the first non-member state to enter a formal collaborative agreement with ITER.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 16:09:02|Editor: Yamei

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TAIPEI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Flowers across Taiwan were in full bloom as temperatures soared the past week, but for the local tour bus industry, nothing of spring can be seen.

The island's tour bus industry has been in a tight spot following a string of fatal accidents and a sharp drop in mainland tourists.

Nearly one-third of the 17,300 tourist buses in Taiwan are currently unused, with no customers to carry.

"There were about 4,000 buses to serve mainland tourists in May last year, but the number was slashed to just 500 after a standoff on cross-Strait ties," Ru Hsiao-ya, chairman of Taiwan's tourist bus association told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

"Taiwan's local tourism market has also been shrinking amid a sluggish economy. Now, about 4,500 tour buses have been pulled off the road, with over 3,000 put up for sale at a loss," he said.

Companies are desperately searching for a way out.

In September last year, around 15,000 people in Taiwan took to the streets in downtown Taipei after the number of mainland group visitors plummeted over 50 percent in August, the third month since Taiwan's new leader Tsai Ing-wen assumed office last May. Tsai has refused to adhere to the 1992 Consensus, angering people on both sides of the strait.

The number of mainland tourists fell 50 percent in the first quarter of 2017, compared with last year.

The island had rolled out incentives to draw visitors from Southeast Asian countries, but the gap left by the mainland has been almost impossible to fill.

Taiwan has also found it difficult to find tourists from other regions willing to spend as much as those across the strait.

"The average monthly income of Taiwan's tour bus drivers has more than halved to less than 30,000 new Taiwan dollars (about 980 U.S. dollars)," Ru said. "It is hard for them to survive."

While the fall in mainland tourists was due largely to a political change in cross-Strait relations, Ru said it was much more than that.

"Frequent accidents highlighted poor tour bus management in Taiwan, and too much shopping incorporated into mainland tour group trips has defamed Taiwan's tourism reputation," he added.

In February, a tour bus carrying 44 people overturned on a highway in Taipei, resulting in 33 fatalities. The driver, who died in the accident, was found to have been working 28 days every month.

The accident triggered fierce discussion about overworked long-haul bus drivers on the island and vicious competition in the industry. Taiwan's transport authority was pushed to announce plans to impose strict limits on the hours tour bus drivers are legally allowed to work.

To ensure better services, Ru said that authorities must take positive action against regulatory loopholes to improve the quality and safety of the industry.

"Vehicles should be phased-out on a regular basis and a regulating mechanism should be set up to supervise their operation," Ru said. "For example, by equipping buses with GPS misbehavior such as overspeeding can trigger an alarm system and police will be informed immediately."

"I hope misconduct in Taiwan's tour bus management can be curbed, cross-Strait ties can break the deadlock and more tourists from the mainland can enjoy high-quality travel services in Taiwan in the future," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 16:09:02|Editor: Song Lifang

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DAMASCUS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Rebels and pro-government forces swapped prisoners and detainees on Wednesday, as part of a major evacuation deal reached under the mediation of Qatar and Iran, well-informed sources told Xinhua.

The rebels in the northwestern province of Idlib released four children and eight women they kidnapped from the Shiite towns of Kafraya and Foa, and returned the bodies of eight government forces in exchange of the release of 19 rebels detained by the pro-government fighters in Kafraya and Foa.

The low-scale swap took place through the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC).

The deal, reached late last month, should see the evacuation of rebels and their families from the besieged towns of Madaya and Zabadani, which are under the rebel control northwest of capital Damascus, as well as the two Shiite towns of Kafraya and Foa, both pro-government towns besieged by the rebels in the northwestern province of Idlib.

Madaya and Zabdani are two towns under the rebel groups' control near the Lebanese borders. The government besieged the towns two years ago, allowing few aid convoys to enter under the supervision of humanitarian organizations in coordination with the SARC.

In the north, Kafraya and Foa are two Shiite towns besieged by the rebels in Idlib, which has largely fallen to the rebel control, mainly the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

According to the deal, around 3,800 rebels and their families should leave the towns of Madaya, Zabadani and nearby towns on Wednesday toward Idlib, the source told Xinhua, adding that the rebels in Idlib will allow 8,000 people from the two Shiite towns to leave.

The deal went into force near midnight Wednesday, but some delays happened as the rebels in Idlib fired on the SARC busses near Kafraya and Foa, the source said.

The source said 92 busses are now ready at the entrance of Zabadani and Madaya waiting for the evacuation.

Several previous deals saw the evacuation of people from Kafraya and Foa, as well as Zabadani and Madaya, but the current deal seems a comprehensive one that will see a large-scale evacuations from all the peoples in the four towns.

The UN has repeatedly warned for the dire situation in those towns, and the lack of humanitarian access to around 60,000 affected people in the four towns.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 16:29:05|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SINGAPORE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Shanghai Municipal Financial Services Office (SFSO) held the 3rd Singapore-Shanghai Financial Forum (SSFF) on Wednesday to promote financial linkages and collaborations between Singapore and China's Shanghai.

Nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Singapore and Shanghai's financial institutions and corporates, according to the joint media release statement by MAS and SFSO.

An agreement was signed between Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Singapore Exchange to deepen capital market cooperation and encourage more Chinese corporates to tap Singapore's capital markets.

Singapore's Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp (OCBC) and Bank of Shanghai also pledged to work closely together to extend their collaboration in areas such as trade finance, corporate and investment banking and loans and cross-border financing.

United Overseas Bank (UOB) and Nufin Data Private Limited further agreed to co-develop financial technology and data analytics solutions.

Meanwhile, Shanghai Municipal Financial Services Office will also work with Singapore in fostering multi-level and multi-dimensional cooperation, to further the development of the New Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Deputy Managing Director of MAS Jacqueline Loh said this edition of the SSFF takes Singapore-Shanghai financial cooperation to new heights, with entities from both sides forging agreements to work closer together.

"We will build on the strong partnership with our Shanghai counterparts to facilitate greater collaboration as we navigate the new financial world order," Loh added.

Jin Xingming, Deputy Secretary General of the Shanghai Municipal Government, said Singapore and Shanghai can deepen cooperation in the three areas of RMB internationalization, developing the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthening FinTech capabilities in times of changing global financial world order.
NEW DELHI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Delhi-bound passenger plane aborted take-off after it suffered a bird hit at Varanasi airport in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh Wednesday, a senior aviation official said.

"The incident took place at Varanasi airport when flight number 9W 2423 of private airline Jet Airways, with 150 passengers on board, was about to take off. The bird hit damaged at least three blades of the plane's right engine," he said, on condition of anonymity.

All the passengers, including some international tourists, have been stranded at the Varanasi airport due to the incident, the official said, adding that a probe has been ordered.

This is the third incident of bird hit in India in barely a month's time.

A passenger flight of low-cost private airline Indigo had to make an emergency landing at Raipur airport in the central state of Chhattisgarh Sunday after being hit by a bird. All passengers aboard flight number 6E 252 were reported to be safe.

Similarly, on March 25, an Air Arabia international flight carrying 182 passengers and crew from Nepalese capital Kathmandu made an emergency landing at Lucknow airport in Uttar Pradesh after the aircraft suffered a bird hit. The flight was on its way to Sharjah.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 17:42:15|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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HARBIN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A regular joint land and maritime cargo service from a northeastern Chinese city to an eastern Chinese port via a Russian port opened Tuesday, local authorities said.

The first batch of goods, including grain, petrochemical products, and starch, were transported by train from Suifenhe city along China's border with Russia in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province to Vostochny Port in Russia, according to the government of Suifenhe City.

A ship loaded with the goods in 290 standard containers set out from Vostochny Port Tuesday. It is scheduled to arrive at Taicang Port, eastern China's Jiangsu Province, on Friday, shortening the transport time from 10 days to around five.

The cargo ship will start its return journey on Sunday from Taicang Port, carrying electronic products, light industrial products and textile products to be exported to Russia, and is expected to reach Vostochny Port on April 19.

The new service along the route is operated by a Heilongjiang-registered company. Before the service opened, cargo services along the China-Russia-China route were all operated by foreign companies.

Li Lidan, president of the company, said the China-Russia-China land and maritime joint transport route had directly shortened the journey between Heilongjiang and southern China to make the transport more efficient and lower transport costs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 17:57:18|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered for the upcoming Iranian presidential election on Wednesday.

During the registration in Iran's Interior Ministry, Ahmadinejad, expressed hope for victory.

He vowed to serve the Iranians, and try hard for the establishment of "justice and freedom" if he is reelected as the president.

Ahmadinejad was accompanied by his confidant former controversial deputies Hamid Baqaee and Rahim Mashae. Baqaee also registered for the presidency.

In Sept. 2016, local media quoted Iran's Supreme Leader as saying that "I do not find it advisable that you (Ahmadinejad) participate" in the next presidential elections.

The former hardline president, Ahmadinejad, was a two-term president for 8 years, before President Hassan Rouhani took the office in 2013 election.

On Tuesday, Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli announced registration of candidates for Iran's 12th presidential race began in capital Tehran.

The registration will last for five days and all the hopefuls will undergo the subsequent vetting process by the country's high legislative body, namely the Guardian Council of the Constitution.

The Guardian Council will assess the qualification of the applicants and announce the names of the qualified candidates by April 27.

According to the schedule released by Iran's Interior Ministry, the campaign for presidential race will kick off on April 28 and will continue until the end of May 17.

The hopefuls will have 20 days for electoral campaigns, ahead of the election day slated for May 19.

The candidate should basically be an Iranian national, prudent and capable of taking on leadership duties, and being religious and believing in the Islamic republic's principles and its official religion.
PHNOM PENH, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Investment in Cambodia's construction sector saw a 22-percent decline in the first quarter of 2017 compared with the same period in 2016, the Khmer Times reported on Wednesday, citing government figures.

According to a report from the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction, construction investment from January to March this year stood at 1.28 billion U.S. dollars, a 22-percent decrease compared to the same period last year.

The ministry provided licenses to 786 construction projects, equivalent to 2.07 million square meters, in the first quarter of this year, the report said, adding that most construction projects were commercial buildings, shopping malls, condominiums, apartment and factories.

Despite the decline, property experts remained optimistic about the industry's outlook as there would likely be more capital inflow throughout the rest of 2017.

"There are many projects popping up in the outskirts of the city (Phnom Penh), but they are smaller than previous years so the investment capital saw a decline," Century 21 Mekong's CEO Chrek Soknim was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

"It is not a worrying sign for the property sector as projects keep popping up in the market. There already are many high-rise buildings in Phnom Penh, so this could be a sign showing an investment boost for projects in the outskirts of the city," he said.

CL Realty CEO Sear Chailin also expressed optimism, saying that political and economic stability will help all sectors flourish and will draw in more investors.

"The property situation in the country is still favorable and the country is still an investment destination. Cambodia has strong policies for investments to come here and invest compared with other countries in ASEAN," he said.

Since 2000, the government has issued construction permits to 37,637 projects, the equivalent to 93.5 million square meters, bringing in some 32.6 billion U.S. dollars in investment capital.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:27:23|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MADRID, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A woman and a child were killed and another went missing after an inflatable dinghy carrying 33 sub-Saharan immigrants from Morocco to Spain capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, the Spanish media report on Wednesday.

The incident happened Tuesday evening close to the Isle of Alboran, a small rocky outcrop, 90 km off the south coast of Spain.

It was reported that the dinghy overturned as Spanish rescue services were on route to reach it.

The 30 survivors were put on rescue vessel Guadamar Polimina and taken to the port of Almeria in southeast Spain.

The child was retrieved dead from the water, while the woman passed away while being flown to Almeria in a rescue helicopter. Efforts are underway to search for the missing people.

The Spanish rescue services were mobilized after they received a call from a charity worker that a dinghy had set sail for Spain from close to Charrana beach on the north coast of Morocco.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:32:23|Editor: Yamei

Aerial photo taken on April 1, 2017 shows Xiongxian County, north China's Hebei Province. China announced Saturday it would establish the Xiongan New Area in Hebei Province, as part of measures to advance the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. The New Area, about 100 km southwest of downtown Beijing, will span three counties that sit at the center of the triangular area formed by Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei's provincial capital Shijiazhuang. (Xinhua/Wang Xiao)

By Xinhua writers Lou Chen, Xiong Zhengyan, Chen Weiwei, Wang Min

XIONGAN NEW AREA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Expansive economic zone in the making, Xiongan New Area is like a magnet for those seeking fortune.

Since an announcement was made April 1, people have crowded squares and streets in front of government buildings in Xiongxian, Anxin and Rongcheng counties, taking photos, exchanging information and looking for places to set up shop.

When a brief property craze died down, private entrepreneurs, internet engineers, scholars, restaurateurs and lawyers came here, joined by ministries and state-owned companies from Beijing. More than two dozen state-owned enterprises have pledged support for development of the new area.

Feng Chuan, 28, drove with his wife and a friend to the gates of Xiongxian County government on the weekend.

"I come to see for myself what Xiongan looks like now, and to understand why this area was chosen. I should be prepared for future opportunities here," Feng said.

Feng quit a well-paying post at Standard Chartered Bank to work with a software firm in Tianjin. "Xiongan will become the capital of innovation in the future. We are looking for opportunities in the Internet industry," he said.

"I hope specific plans for the area will be made public as soon as possible," Feng added.

"We hope to start our own business and make the first bucket of money in our life," said his wife Bi Ying, giggling shyly.

A family from Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, about 1,000 kilometers to the southeast, drove here overnight to look into the possibility of opening a branch of their restaurant business here.

"People have to eat, right?" said Yu Hongping, the father.

On April 1, China announced plans to create Xiongan New Area, a new economic zone about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The new area spans the counties of Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin in Hebei, and is home to Baiyangdian, a major wetland in northern China.

Chinese leaders hope the new area will help address severe "urban ills" of traffic congestion and air pollution in Beijing, by curbing the capital's population growth and moving non-capital functions out of Beijing.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called for efforts to build Xiongan into "a demonstration area for innovative development."

"General Secretary Xi has set the goal, we need to figure out how to realize it, how to innovate," an official with the preparatory committee of Xiongan told Xinhua.

"Xiongan is a move to adjust China's economic and spacial structure," said Xu Kuangdi, a renowned metallurgist and former mayor of Shanghai. Xu is also director of an experts council for coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

"Xiongan represents a strategic effort to seek coordinated development between big cities and small towns. It is a ground to test new economic growth models and push for supply-side reform," Xu said.

Growth based on innovation, new ideas and methods, not exports or investment, is seen as a solution to China's growth conundrum. Top Chinese leaders have called for efforts to eliminate barriers to innovation and unleash productivity.

Experts said new rules regarding household registration and real estate management may be enforced in Xiongan, which is expected to be an example of a future city in China.

Xiongan New Area will initially cover around 100 square km and expand to 2,000 square km in the long term. Location of the central area and industrial layout, among other details, have yet to be published.

An official with the preparatory committee said they might welcome hi-tech industries such as 5G communications, bio-medicine, artificial intelligence and internet finance industries.

"There will not be large communities like Tiantongyuan in northern Beijing, no broad streets, but a green, organically connected and well-functioning place, a forest city, you might call it," the official said.

According to a government circular on Xiongan, the three counties feature geological advantages, convenient transport, an excellent environment and ample room for development.

"There are never any traffic jams here," said Zhou Jinhua, a retailer who sells doors, in Rongcheng County.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:42:25|Editor: Xiang Bo

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ADDIS ABABA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- For a first time visitor to Ethiopia, it is hard not to miss the construction boom all across the country.

Indeed many expatriates compare it with China's own construction boom of the 1980s and 1990s which eventually saw the Asian country become the world's second largest economy and the largest trading partner to many nations.

One such sector witnessing construction boom are industrial parks being built mostly by Chinese companies with a view to boost Ethiopia's exports in fields such as textile, leather and agro-industry.

Frehiwot Sisay, Office Manager at China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) is a first hand witness to the symbiotic relationship between Ethiopia and China.

Sisay, a graduate with civil engineering from South China University of Technology, says her decision to join CCCC partly was as a result of the modern buildings and infrastructure she saw as a student back in China.

"CCCC's good reputation in Ethiopia in the construction of roads and bridges also factored in my employment decision," she says, adding that she believes Ethiopians should learn from the hard work ethics and development experience of China if the country is to develop fast.

Sisay was speaking as she was inspecting the construction progress of Arerti Industrial Park 130 km east of Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The project is one of several flagship projects of CCCC in Ethiopia.

Arerti is one of 17 industrial parks the Ethiopian government has envisaged constructing in its ambitious Growth and Transformation Plan II (2015-2020) to boost the country's fledgling industrial base.

Sisay's belief is echoed by Abebe Aynete, senior researcher at the Ethiopian Foreign Relations Strategic Studies (EFRSS), a local think thank. He says Ethiopia's policy of mutual benefit and promoting peace and stability to have sustainable economic development is something that echoes China's lines.

"Both countries approach issues from national interest instead of ideological inclinations and favor multi-polar approach in their foreign policy," he says.

No one left behind

While the likes of Sisay are high skilled labor with tertiary education experience, Chinese firms' willingness to invest in low technology and labor intensive industries means the opportunities are spread out.

Woody Lau, Business Manager at CCCC Arerti Industrial Park PLC says the completion of the first phase of Arerti would see about 300 people being employed, and a further expansion of the labor force is still to be expected in the second phase.

One such beneficiary is Aboret Alemu, a former soldier who was mentored by a Chinese carpenter with vital skills that has eventually allowed him to become a site manager at Arerti industrial park.

"I miss my Chinese mentor, he's the father of my profession, but now he's living in China, a good guy with a good work culture typical of Chinese people I've met who are good hard workers." He added.

Already the company has made itself a name in Ethiopia by completing the construction of the country's first toll road, the Adddis-Adama toll road which was inaugurated in March 2014.

It's also involved in an electrified rail project in the mountainous northern Ethiopia.

Ethiopians rubbish colonization claim against China

With the ever growing presence of Chinese expatriates, restaurants, projects and even educational institutions in Ethiopia, critics mainly westerners are accusing it of "creeping colonization" or "neo-colonialism".

With Ethiopia being the seat of the African Union, the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa and dozens of other diplomatic missions, the accusations carry particular weight for Africa.

However, this is an accusation Aynete doesn't buy pointing out Ethiopia doesn't fit the natural resource country being exploited by powerful foreign countries.

"Ethiopia is an independent country that has its own historical development and external engagement which has refused even to liberalize to foreign market its banking and telecom sector," he explains.

"Furthermore as an agricultural economy transitioning to an industrial one, it needs Chinese investment in infrastructure which western countries are until recently absent from," Aynete says, adding that that Beijing's consensus of no attachment of political strings has also attracted Ethiopia.

He further believes that China can help in one area where Ethiopia has been deficient until present times.

"Ethiopia is dependent on rain-fed agriculture vulnerable to climate change shocks. China with its experience of feeding its vast population can help meet that gap," says Aynete.

Sisay also dismisses the colonization claim pointing out cooperation with China brings advantages to both sides.

"China has the money and technological expertise. Ethiopia has material and labor resource. The more Chinese firms invest, the more Ethiopia develops hard work and matching experience," Sisay says.

There's also another reason why Sisay rubbishes the "colonization" claim.

"Despite I being the only foreigner in the class back in China some years ago, I had supportive friends who used to play games, eat together and invite each other for holidays," she says, adding that as a mark of love, her Chinese friends even gave her a Chinese name, Xisai.

"Both the Chinese and western governments can pursue good relation with Ethiopian government as long as the country is peaceful and stable which is helpful for their national interest," says Aynete.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:47:26|Editor: Xiang Bo

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SINGAPORE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Singapore shares closed 0.35 percent higher on Wednesday, as bargain-hunting emerged amid geopolitical tensions in the Korean peninsula and the Middle East.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Moscow to denounce Russian support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad, raising the stakes in the Middle East.

Singapore's benchmark Straits Times Index rose 11.26 points to 3,186.01 points. Trading volume was 2.37 billion shares, worth 1.39 billion Singapore dollars. Advancers slightly outnumbered decliners 236 to 228.

Oxley Holdings rose 2.6 percent to 60 Singapore cents. It announced that it acquired properties in the Mediterranean island resort of Cyprus through Oxley Planetvision Properties, a 50 percent-owned joint venture company, for 42 million Singapore dollars. It acquired the entire issued share capital of Flitous Properties and Jemina Properties from seller Bank of Cyprus.

Incorporated in Cyprus, Flitous Properties and Jemina Properties are the owners of certain properties located in the District of Limassol, Cyprus, with total area of 70,771 square meters and 25,677 square meters respectively.

Imperium Crown advanced 1.4 percent to 7 Singapore cents. The property developer and property investment company has received letters of intent for the remaining two properties within its Japanese property portfolio, namely Green Forest Itabashi and Hatchobori Place properties, for a total sale price of 38.6 million Singapore dollars.

It said the sale of its Japanese property portfolio, when fully completed, will strengthen the company's cash and financial position and enable it to move forward with its proposed business plans in the coming years.

Among the top gainers, Jardine Matheson rose 0.3 percent to 65.90 U.S. dollars, whereas Singapore Telecommunications became one of the top losers by falling 1.5 percent to 3.82 Singapore dollars. (1 U.S. dollar equals to 1.40 Singapore dollars)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:52:27|Editor: Xiang Bo

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TIRANA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Albania is interested in further strengthening economic ties with China since there is still great untapped potential that needs to be explored, officials have told Xinhua.

Dorian Ducka, External Adviser to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama on Investments, said in a written interview that China has become the fastest growing international trade partner of Albania, in both import and export terms, which is beneficial for both countries.

The effects of Made-in-China products becoming global are being felt also among Albanian market consumers, Ducka said.

"We believe that we will see a growing trend into this relation, as at the same time China is becoming one of the largest foreign investors in Albania, with a remarkable share of Albanian FDI for 2016," he said.

"Our wish and hope is that there is still so much untapped potential for Chinese investments in Albania that will bring a boost into deeper and wider economic cooperation," Ducka added.

According to him, under the cooperation of "16+1" mechanism that China has set up to boost cooperation with central and eastern Europe, Albania could be one of the main beneficiaries, especially on energy infrastructure, transport infrastructure, tourism, agriculture and water management resources.

The "16+1" mechanism is a platform created in April 2012 by China and 16 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries.

"We desire to see more Chinese investments into the energy sector, especially on bringing more value added up the chain on oil by-products, and along the Gas Pipeline TAP Route for natural gas industries," he said.

Ducka also suggested that Chinese investors could make a difference through investments into the financial services such as banking and insurance companies, where Albania could benefit more also from accessing Chinese capital, both the government and the businesses.

The internationalization of the Chinese currency Renminbi could be an opportunity for Albania to maximize and optimize its potential by partnering with the world economic power such as China, Ducka said.

He also said that Albania and its government are looking forward to an upcoming visit by Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli with particular interest.

Zhang will visit Estonia, Slovenia, Albania, and attend meetings in Russia and Kazakhstan from April 11 to 19.

The Albanian government is very keen on this visit as it is a sign of economic and political relations reaching new levels of cooperation, he said.

He also hailed the Belt and Road initiative, considering it a golden opportunity not only for Albania but for whole East Europe to attract more Chinese investment and build stronger political and diplomatic relations with China.

Gjergj Buxhuku, general manager of Albanian Konfindustria and also an economic expert, told Xinhua that Albania and China needed to revive economic and trade relations.

Konfindustria, or the Confederation of the Albanian Industries, is the instituion that regroups the interests of the production and service companies in Albania.

The economic relations between the two countries are historical and they have almost been never interrupted, even during the period of the dramatic changes to the system in Albania, Buxhuku said.

According to him, recognition and friendship between the two countries is important for the cooperation of the businesses.

In this aspect, he said the friendship between the two peoples has been deep-rooted while he suggested that both countries needed to take the trade and economic relations to another level.

"We have present in Albania not only traders and the Chinese brand equipment, but also the presence of important investors in strategic sectors of the Albanian economy, such as the case of the oil company Bankers Petroleum and Tirana International Airport, TIA which are now run by Chinese companies," Buxhuku said.

He added that the necessity for promoting Chinese strategic investments had been directly requested by the state authorities of Albania in the First Albania and China Economic Forum organized by AlbKonfindustria in 2012 as part of Technology & Investments Expo.

"We should be pleased about this positive development and this strong basis for the deepening of economic relations between Albania and China," he underlined.

Buxhuku said the requirements of Albanian industries for Chinese products and technology have been steadily increasing.

"The time has come to understand that Chinese products are competitive not only in price, but also for the high quality of technology they offer. This has a great value for all sectors of the economy and the public," he noted.

However, there is still much to be done to get to know better each other's needs and opportunities in the field of business and trade exchanges, he said.

In his view, Albania could be important for Chinese investments also in terms of regional approach and in terms of closer economic and trade relations with the European Union.

Albania can also serve as a good entry gate of Chinese products in the rich markets of these countries and in the implementation of important projects in road infrastructure, railway, port, gas, electricity, etc, Buxhuku said.

He expressed the belief that business cooperation between the two countries will grow given that China has long been one of the main trading partners of Albania.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:52:27|Editor: Yamei

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Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang (Photo source: fmprc.gov.cn)

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday again expressed the expectation that all parties should work together to return to negotiations about Korean Peninsula nuclear issues at an early date.

At a daily briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said that China had noted that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently said regime change in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is not an objective for the United States.

Lu said that China also is in favor of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, adding that China's stance is consistent that denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula should be achieved through talks and peaceful means.

"China expects serious consideration by relevant parties of the 'dual-track' approach and 'suspension for suspension' proposal put forward by China," said Lu, expressing hope that relevant parties will increase mutual trust and understanding through contact and talks.

China recently proposed a "dual-track approach" to promote denuclearization of the Peninsula and establish a peace mechanism in parallel and "suspension for suspension" to defuse the looming crisis on the Korean Peninsula.

As a first step, the DPRK may suspend its nuclear and missile activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale joint military exercises by the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK).
iStock/Thinkstock(BARCELONA) -- Alleged Russian spammer Peter Levashov was arrested on Friday while vacationing with his family in Barcelona at the request of U.S. authorities.



Levashov, who officials say goes by the alias "Peter Severa," is considered one of the world's most notorious spammers, currently ranking seventh on The Spamhaus Project's list of the world's worst spammers and spam gangs.



"Last week, if you looked in your spam folder, you likely saw something from him," said John Bambenek, manager of threat system at Fidelis Cybersecurity, who has been tracking Levashov for many years. "He was a service provider to other criminals."



The criminal case remains under seal as Levashov awaits possible extradition to the U.S., so the Justice Department declined to provide any additional details to ABC News, but on Monday the Department of Justice revealed a related operation to "disrupt and dismantle" the Kelihos botnet, a vast network of malware-infected computers Levashov allegedly used to harvest login credentials, generate spam emails and defraud his victims.



According to an unsealed civil complaint, Levashov, 36, has operated the Kelihos botnet since approximately 2010, and stands accused of wire fraud and unauthorized interception of electronic communication as he used malware to enlist hundreds of thousands of computers around the world into a scheme that likely made him a millionaire.



The operation announced today targeted an ongoing international scheme that was distributing hundreds of millions of fraudulent e-mails per year, intercepting the credentials to online and financial accounts belonging to thousands of Americans, and spreading ransomware throughout our networks," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Departments Criminal Division on Monday. "The ability of botnets like Kelihos to be weaponized quickly for vast and varied types of harms is a dangerous and deep threat to all Americans, driving at the core of how we communicate, network, earn a living, and live our everyday lives.



The complaint describes the Kelihos botnet as a particularly "sophisticated" form of malware. According to court documents, Levashov first searched text files and intercepted network traffic to capture large quantities of usernames and passwords, then either used that network of hacked accounts to distribute spam directly or sold the ability to do so to a third party via online marketplaces.



According to the Justice Department, the riskier the scam, the higher the price -- $200 per million spam messages hawking products (such as pornography, mortgages or pills), $300 per million spam messages advertising dirty jobs (such as "mules" to launder money or transport stolen goods), $500 per million spam messages spreading "scam/phishing attacks" (such as ransomware, which encrypts a victim's computer and demands ransom to unlock it). He was particularly adept, the complaint alleges, at so-called "pump-and-dump" schemes, sending large quantities of emails to drive up the values of penny stocks and taking a commission on their eventual sale.



Following his arrest, Levashov's wife, Maria, told Russian state media that his arrest was connected to the FBI's ongoing investigation into potential Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections.



I asked for a warrant or some papers, they said they showed them to my husband, Maria told RT. With my husband, I talked in the commissariat by phone. He said that he was shown some piece of paper in Spanish without a seal and his photo in poor quality. Something was said about the fact that the virus my husband allegedly created was related to [Donald] Trumps victory in the elections.



Experts told ABC News, however, that claim is a dubious one.



"In the past he has indicated in underground forums that he has done some work with the Russian government from time to time," Bambenek said. "Whether that's bluster or reality, I don't know, but his long-running persona and methods don't seem to align with attempts to influence the voting public leading up to the election last year."



Adam Meyer, vice president of intelligence at CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm that assisted the FBI in taking down the Kelihos botnet, agreed that Levashovs primary motivation wasnt politics.



"He was a criminal kingpin, with scams going back 10 years," Meyer said. "Is there potential for other elements? Sure, but from our perspective, he was about profit."

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 18:57:28|Editor: Xiang Bo

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TOKYO, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Japan will hold a series of activities marking the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations this year and the 40th anniversary of a bilateral peace and friendship treaty next year, said Sadayuki Sakakibara, chairman of Japan Business Federation, here on Wednesday.

Sakakibara, head of an executive committee for holding the activities, said at the first conference of the committee here that Japan hopes to further enhance friendly exchanges with China through these activities.

Yasuo Fukuda, former Japanese Prime Minister and senior advisor to the committee, said China's economy is growing steadily and with a strong drive in general and Japan needs to strengthen economic cooperation with China for its own sake and for regional development.

Cheng Yonghua, the chinese ambassador to Japan, said he was glad to see the establishment of the executive committee here in Japan as it showed that the commemorative work here was making steady headway.

He also said leaders of China and Japan had reached consensus last year that the two sides shall make the most of the two anniversaries and build on the positive elements of bilateral ties while putting a lid on negative ones in order to ensure stable improvement of relations.

He urged the two sides to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries and to properly address sensitive issues, so as to create a more positive atmosphere for holding the commemorative activities this year and next year.

Some 200 people from Japanese political and economic circles attended the first conference of the committee which had been set up to mark the anniversaries.

China and Japan normalized diplomatic relations in 1972 after reaching important consensus on properly handling history, Taiwan, Diaoyu Islands and other issues.

The two countries further concluded a bilateral peace and friendship treaty in 1978.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 19:07:30|Editor: Xiang Bo

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DHAKA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Bijoy Bhattacharjee, a senior Bangladeshi official, recently led a delegation of his colleagues to China under a "Training and Exchange Program".

"Our visit to China was a wonderful experience," Bhattacharjee, an additional secretary of the Bangladeshi Cabinet Division, said at a seminar on Monday night, which was arranged to brief another team of 24 Bangladeshi senior officials who are all set to visit China this month.

"We discovered a new China which is different from story books," said Bhattacharjee.

"I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of the People's Republic of China and your good office, the embassy, for creating this opportunity."

Md Ashraf Shameem, another additional secretary of the Bangladeshi Cabinet Division, also joined Bhattacharjee in showing his appreciation for China and commenting on its remarkable developments.

"The tour was indeed a very nice experience," he said, adding that China has certainly developed a lot.

He went on to explain that such kind of visits will pave the way for Bangladeshi officials to understand China's administrative units and their systems to further contribute to Bangladesh's development.

"Such visits of officials will also immensely contribute to further bolster Bangladesh-China bilateral relations and trade, widen economic cooperation and boost investment flow, as well as reduce the bilateral trade imbalance," Md Ashraf Shameem said.

Officials have said the modern reincarnation of the ancient silk road, known as the Belt and Road Initiative, has immense potential and will create myriad opportunities to transform the lives of the people in the region and beyond.

"We look forward to sharing the prosperity. We also strongly believe it will rewrite the history of people's development and well-being pursuits," said Bhattacharjee.

"It is also really important to pay attention to policy coordination in China and we are mindful and take note of that," he said.

Officials here have said that Chinese President Xi Jinping in his recent visit to Bangladesh and in high-level talks with Bangladeshi leaders including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, spoke of building a bridge of friendship and harvesting golden fruits.

"We are a lesser-developed country and are just approaching expansion. Hence we welcome Chinese investment in Bangladesh," said Bhattacharjee.

Speaking at the seminar, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang stressed the need for further cooperation in different areas.

In response to the ambassador, Bhattacharjee said, "We stand ready to approach all specific proposals with the highest consideration."

"Our visit to China has broadened our understanding about the brand 'China' and we hope this will inform all levels of bureaucracy and guide policy frameworks."

Speaking at the seminar, Senior Secretary of Bangladesh's Ministry of Public Administration, Md. Mozammel Haque Khan, said such kind of visits help officials to learn and gather ideas to spearhead the next course of Bangladesh's development action.

"I am very happy to learn that China considers Bangladesh to be the fifth fastest-growing economy in Asia."

"If we can follow Chinese leadership, Chinese planning, education systems and courses China offers to our officials during their visits, our officials can get plenty of inspiration."

Deputy Secretary Naima Hossain who is visiting China on April 18 as part of a 24-member team of senior government officials is elated to have the opportunity to see China.

"I just look forward to seeing China and gaining knowledge which we can use in development activities in Bangladesh," said Hossain.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 19:12:30|Editor: Xiang Bo

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by Abu Hanifah

JAKARTA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) lambasted a resolution by the European parliament on palm oil trade, saying that environmental issues should not be used for discrimination and restriction to trade.

The resolution on Palm Oil and Deforestation of Rainforests was enacted on April 4 through a voting process in the parliament's plenary session held in Strasbourg, France.

In the organization's fourth ministerial meeting held here, CPOPC said such a resolution was against the principle of open, rule-based and free and fair international trade.

Ministers taking part in the meeting expressed their grave concern over the resolution, which they said has negative repercussions on palm oil trade.

They also expressed disappointment on numerous issues in the resolution, including the European Parliament's recommendation to develop a single certification system.

The CPOPC ministers said the European Parliament-proposed system actually ignores the existing certification mechanisms developed by producer countries ISPO and MSPO (Indonesian and Malaysia Sustainable Palm Oil).

"False allegation that perceives global palm oil production breaching fundamental human rights and adequate social standards neglects the reality that palm oil is an important economic enabler and provides employment opportunities and vital income for poor communities," they said in the Joint Communique after the meeting held on Tuesday.

They also said that phasing out of palm oil from European Union (EU) biofuel programme by 2020 is a risky solution as environmental impact from any proposed replacement is more damaging.

Among several aspects, the resolution indicates that management and development of palm oil industry in Indonesia are not addressing the environment sustainability aspect, and may lead to deforestation.

Indonesian Trade Minister Enggartiasto Lukita said that Indonesia has officially sent an objection note to EU ministerial board over certification of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and biodiesel sold in Europe.

"We apparently object (the European certification regulation). We already have implemented the ISPO certification," the minister said here on Monday.

He added that as the world's largest palm oil producer, Indonesia has its own procedure and standards in producing palm oil, bio diesel and their derivative products as the products are marketed globally.

Indonesia's objection to Europe's new certification mechanism was based on concerns that palm oil industry in the country involves huge number of families who earn their living in the sector.

Negative sentiment against palm oil sector would not only tarnish the industry's growth, it would eventually affect the life of the thousands of families relying on the industry, he added.

The CPOPC ministerial meeting was a regular session discussing joint strategies and policies for sustainable development of the palm oil sector.

The Jakarta-headquartered CPOPC was established in November 2015 by largest palm oil producer countries of Indonesia and Malaysia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 19:12:31|Editor: Xiang Bo

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HONG KONG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Internet Economy Summit 2017 was wrapped up in Hong Kong on Wednesday. The three-day summit consisted four forums covering FinTech, big data, smart city and E-commerce.

Organized by the Hong Kong government, the Internet Economy Summit provided a platform for renowned information and communications technology experts and leaders of innovative technology enterprises across the world to interact and share insights.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying attended the summit and delivered the keynote speech. He said, the Internet economy is expected to grow at 8 percent annually for developed economies, and 16 percent for developing ones.

So this year's Internet Economy Summit is very much welcomed. It underlines Hong Kong's commitment to technology and innovation.

Leung said, in order to advance Hong Kong's internet economy, the Hong Kong government would launch 2 billion Hong Kong dollars (about 258 million U.S. dollars) Innovation and Technology Venture Fund and 500 million Hong Kong dollars (about 64.34 million U.S. dollars) Innovation and Technology Fund for Better Living in mid-year.

The Hong Kong government will also consider offering enhanced tax deductions for I&T expenditure, encourage overseas I&T enterprises to set up business here, invest more in university R&D, develop a Smart City blueprint, and promote the use of data analytics and technology solutions in business.

Leung also said a new trans-Pacific cable between Hong Kong and Los Angeles would be completed next year. This cable would come with enough capacity for Hong Kong to run 80 million simultaneous high-definition video calls with Los Angeles.

"I would say that puts us in a good position to become Asia's data hub. As a matter of fact, many global data center providers already, or have plans to, set up cloud computing facilities here," he said.

Deputy Director of Cyberspace Administration of China Zhuang Rongwen said Hong Kong is part of China and at the same time an international city with a separate social and economic system. Hong Kong can serve as a "super-connector" linking the Chinese mainland and the rest of the world.

To gain more fruitful results, Zhuang suggested that the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong to enhance collaboration in big data and cloud computing and seize the opportunities in "Internet+".

Hong Kong's Secretary for Innovation and Technology Nicholas Yang said Hong Kong is well positioned to embrace innovation and technology to make the city smarter, more efficient and more comfortable.

Hong Kong have achieved a great deal in innovation that would make other cities envious. Hong Kong's world-class ICT infrastructure and well-established and robust legal framework facilitate the free flows of talent, capital and knowledge.

Apart from government officials, the summit also drew together experts and leaders from firms in the East and the West including Ant Financial Services Group,Tencent, Cogobuy Group & IngDan, TNG Wallet and etc.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 19:12:31|Editor: Xiang Bo

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YANGON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,883 prisoners were released on Wednesday ahead of Myanmar new year water festival which is to start on Thursday, Myanmar State Counselor Office announced.

The 1,883 prisoners, including 233 women, were freed from prisons across the nation to enable them enjoy cut of prison terms on new year occasion.

The release is the second of its kind after the National League for Democracy-led government took office.

The government released 2,283 prisoners including 138 political prisoners, in same period of last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 19:17:32|Editor: Xiang Bo

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MANILA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- An Abu Sayyaf sub-leader was killed during a clash between government forces and the Islamist extremists in the central Philippine Bohol province, the Philippine military said on Wednesday.

Government troops and police have recovered the bodies of six enemies killed in the clash on Tuesday, and Abu Rami, a sub-leader and spokesman of Abu Sayyaf, was among the dead, said General Eduardo Ano, the Armed Forces of the Philippines' chief of staff.

Ano described the death of Abu Rami as "a very big accomplishment and a big blow against the Abu Sayyaf."

Ano said Abu Rami had been involved in a series of kidnapping incidents.

Government soldiers and policemen clashed with heavily armed bandits of the Abu Sayyaf spotted in a town in the central Philippine Bohol province on Tuesday. Three soldiers, a policeman and six bandits were killed during the fierce fight.
LONDON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Actions by the British government during the European Union referendum led to public mistrust, a committee of MPs said Wednesday in a parliamentary report.

The House of Common's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report said any future referendum in Britain should take note of the lessons learned from the way Brexit referendum was handled, including damage to the reputation of the civil service and the lack of preparation for either of the possible outcomes.

The report said that while the then prime minister David Cameron's government did not support a Leave vote, they had a constitutional and public obligation to prepare for both outcomes from the referendum.

"Unfortunately, many of the government's actions in the run-up to the referendum, which were easily avoidable, appear to have increased public distrust. The use of the machinery of government during the referendum contributed to a perception that the civil service were, in some way, biased," the report said in its conclusions.

The MPs also said the presentation of government reports, particularly those from the Treasury, and the decision to spend 9.3 million pounds (11.7 million U.S. dollars) on sending a leaflet, advocating a Remain vote, to every home in Britain, were inappropriate and counterproductive for the government.

The committee has recommended that in the event of future referendums, civil servants should be tasked with preparing for both possible outcomes.

"Confusion as to the possible consequences of a referendum result serves only to heighten the potential tensions between referendums and representative democracy and risks increasing the public's disenchantment with politics," added the MPs.

Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, said: "The use of the machinery of government during referendums has a significant effect on public trust and confidence. Referendums need to be designed in such a way as to provide the utmost clarity for parliamentarians, campaigners and, above all, the electorate."

"It is of the highest importance that the referendum process is seen to be fair, by both sides, and that the result is agreed to, even if not with, by both sides," Jenkin added.

The committee has made recommendations which would improve the legislation and regulatory framework for referendums, as well as for the government, civil service and the country's electoral commission.

In last June's EU referendum, the majority of voters ignored the government recommendation for Britain to remain as a member of the 28-nation bloc. By a margin of 52 to 48, the British people voted in favor of leaving the EU.

Last month, Theresa May, who succeeded Cameron as prime minister after the result was declared, started the Brexit process by triggering the Article 50.

Remain supporters have argued that as the referendum gave people a simple remain or leave choice, many people were not aware of the full consequences of a leave vote.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 20:07:43|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Baidu succeeded in using artificial intelligence to reconnect a man with his family 27 years after he was abducted, the company announced Wednesday.

Working with baobeihuijia.com, a charity group dedicated to connecting missing children and their families, Baidu used its cross-age facial recognition program to analyze pictures of abducted children uploaded by the victims and their birth families and identified potential matches through the comparison of selected facial features.

Fu Gui, 33, who was born in Chongqing Municipality, western China, was abducted in 1990 and later transferred to Fujian Province, southeastern China. He registered with baobeihuijia.com in 2009, and his natural family did the same in early 2017.

Baidu's facial recognition program was able to draw up a short list of potential identities for the man from pictures uploaded to the site, and a DNA test later verified the correct match.

Baidu has about 200 million sample pictures that it uses to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of its facial recognition program, which can be over 99 percent accurate.

Baidu's founder and CEO Robin Li, who is also a national political advisor, proposed during the annual parliamentary sessions in March that AI systems, like facial recognition, could be used to help find missing children and suggested that there should be a central database with missing children's information.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 20:32:50|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's leather exports dropped 11.3 percent year on year to 76.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 on weak demand, according to the China Leather Industry Association.

Exports to the United States, the largest overseas market, declined by 15 percent year on year, Ye Xiangju, deputy secretary general of the China Leather Industry Association, said at a press conference.

The decline was caused by higher raw material costs, lower demand and weaker comparative advantage of Chinese leather products in the international market, according to Ye.

In 2016, imports dipped 7 percent from the previous year to 8.9 billion U.S. dollars, Ye said.

For the first time, imports of finished leather products surpassed raw materials in value during last year.

The industry's sales revenue last year stood at 1.4 trillion yuan (203 billion U.S. dollars), up 3.2 percent year on year, 2.9 percentage points lower than that in 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 20:32:50|Editor: Xiang Bo

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XICHANG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Shijian-13, China's first high-throughput communications satellite, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday.

The satellite, with a transfer capacity of 20 Gbps and a designed orbital life of 15 years, was sent into orbit on a Long March-3B carrier rocket.

The satellite is capable of providing better Internet access on planes and high-speed trains, as well as in less-developed regions.

"The launch is a huge milestone for China's communications satellite technology," said Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.
KABUL, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Casualties were feared as an explosion rocked near the government office buildings in Afghanistan's capital of Kabul on Wednesday, sources and witnesses said.

"The blast took place in Murad Khanni locality where the Defense Ministry building and Ministry of Finance are located, roughly at 04:45 p.m. local time. The nature of the blast remained unknown but suicide bombing is expected," witness Mohammad Ajmal told Xinhua.

The blast sent a thick black smoke at the site and the area was condoned off by the security personnel.

The obvious target of the attack was a moving bus carrying government employees, a security source told Xinhua anonymously.

"We still cannot provide details on causalities. There is fear of possible causalities," he said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 20:42:53|Editor: Xiang Bo

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HONG KONG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Military bands from China and overseas will perform in the "International Military Tattoo" in Hong Kong in July, according to a press release on Wednesday.

The event is one of a series to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Military bands performing at the shows will include the military band of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the military band of the PLA Navy, the Guard of Honor of the PLA, the Guard of Honor of the PLA Garrison in Hong Kong, as well as military bands from the Netherlands, Russia, and the United States, among others.

The Hong Kong Police Band and the Hong Kong Association of Choral Societies will also participate in the performances.

The shows will be staged from July 13 to 15, while meet-the-bands activities will be held before each performances.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 20:52:57|Editor: Zhang Dongmiao

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By Shristi Kafle

MUSTANG, Nepal, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The trans-Himalayan district of Mustang was once known as the forbidden kingdom of Nepal.

But since opening to the outside world in 1992, the region bordering China has never failed to enchant its visitors with mysterious and picturesque landscapes.

Located just in the lap of Mount Nilgiri and other Himalayan ranges, Mustang is a unique travel destination due to its remoteness and exclusive high-altitude deserts.

Often listed among the top tourist destinations in the world, Mustang in 2016 alone attracted nearly 40,000 foreign tourists compared to less than 500 a quarter of a century ago.

Foreign tourists are usually found trekking in this Himalayan region that comprises the world's popular Annapurna trekking circuit.

"The flow of tourists is increasing every year due to its beautiful landscapes, accessibility by road and hotels," Bal Bahadur Gurung, an officer at the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Mustang, told Xinhua,

"The fact that the culture and tradition have been preserved by the locals also adds to Mustang as a favorite destination for tourists," the officer added.

Although Mustang has the second lowest population of all regions in Nepal, it boasts more than 200 registered hotels with 4,500 rooms, with more hotels currently under construction. Also catering to visitors are restaurants serving European coffee, modern bakeries, souvenir shops and pool houses.

Between five and seven morning flights connect to the district headquarters of Jomsom from Lake City Pokhara every day.

One of the major features of Mustang, which lies along the Kali Gandaki River, is its pristine geography and climate. The landscape there reflects a natural architecture and where the weather, usually dry and windy, can be also be unpredictable.

Beside its geography, spectacular lifestyle and unique culture are also attractive. The region hosts a number of prominent festivals like Tenji, Yartung and Lha Phewa in which former royal family members, monks and locals participate.

Though Lower Mustang is easily accessible for travel, foreign tourists need to receive a special permit from the government by paying 500 U.S. dollars to visit Upper Mustang, known as "Lo Manthang," the unofficial capital city of Mustang.

Lo Manthang, also known as the walled city, is popular for monasteries, centuries-old caves and archaeological sites.

Muktinath temple is one of the major attractions of the Mustang district as it is a pilgrimage center for both Buddhists and Hindus.

Hindus believe that the temple is associated with Lord Vishnu while Buddhists consider the place to be linked with Buddhist master Guru Rinpoche, also known as Padmasambhava.

Located at an altitude of 3,800 meters above the sea level, the temple attracts 200,000 pilgrims every year.

"The cycle of life, death and rebirth goes on until the soul is freed. So this is the place where any human can attain salvation and they will rest in peace after this life," Krishna Prasad Subedi, who has been serving as the main priest of the temple for the past 20 years, told Xinhua.

The temple is located in the middle of an oasis filled with lush green forest and was established centuries back. The Buddhist-Hindu temple of Vishnu and Chenrezig was built in 1815, according to commonly believed accounts.

One of the most interesting things about Muktinath are the 108 water taps with chilled water in its courtyard. This is where devotees take a bath with a belief that it will wash away all the sins they have committed.

"Muktinath temple is a place for liberation. Our religious leader Shree Swami Narayan travelled to this place many years ago and practiced penance for a long time. So, I wanted to visit this place at least once with my family before I die," Dr. Mahendra Parmar, an Indian pilgrim, told Xinhua.

After years of isolation, the development of Mustang is now rapid. The road improvement project has already started from the nearest city of Beni to Jomsom, while a two-lane road is being constructed from Jomsom to Koro La Pass.

According to authorities, these road projects will be completed within three years. With the ongoing construction of bridges, schools and health centers and the opening of modern hotels, the once hidden kingdom is witnessing signs of modern progress.

Government authorities believe that Mustang's potential can be further developed economically through the advancement of tourism, thus enhancing local entrepreneurship and economic growth opportunities.

"There are many important plans for the development of Mustang. Currently, we are constructing five major bridges and a small-scale hydropower project as well as upgrading the roads. The tourism sector is growing very fast, which is the backbone of development in this region," Bhim Prasad Pokharel, chief district officer of Mustang, told Xinhua,

With a population of just 15,000 people, most of the locals are either fully dependent on tourism or on apple farming. Both avenues can generate an attractive income for individuals and their communities.

Having been exposed to the outside world and modernization, a visible change can be seen in the lives of the locals in terms of awareness and lifestyle.

The locals of Mustang are hopeful that the completion of road construction projects and the opening of the Nepal-China border at Koro La in the near future will provide a new life to this once isolated Himalayan region.
NEW DELHI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Parliament Wednesday witnessed massive uproar over the announcement of a bounty of a million rupees (17,000 U.S. dollars) on the head of the Chief Minister of the eastern state of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, by a member of ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

Members of Banerjee's regional Trinamool Congress party as well as members of other opposition parties condemned the announcement and demanded action against Yogesh Varshney, chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party's youth wing, for the announcement of the bounty.

Varshney issued the threat against Banerjee after police in West Bengal broke up a rally recently to celebrate Hindu god Hanuman's birthday.

According to media reports, police in West Bengal had refused to issue permission for Sunday's rally in Birbhum town, 180km from state capital Kolkata, and forcibly broke up the procession, led by BJP's youth wing leader, when it tried to enter a Muslim-dominated area.

Varshney accused Banerjee's government of targeting Hindu devotees. "Whoever comes to me with the severed head of Mamata Banerjee, I will reward him with over one million rupees," he said Tuesday.
Somali refugee Amina Ali feeds her kid beside her makeshift tent at the Dagahaley refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, on April 14, 2015. (Xinhua/Stephen Ingati)

by David Musyoka

NAIROBI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN refugee agency on Tuesday warned that the risk of mass deaths from starvation among the people of Horn of Africa, Nigeria and Yemen is increasing amid severe drought.

The UNHCR also warned that a repeat of the Horn of Africa drought of 2011 which cost more than 260,000 lives, more than half of these children aged below five, must be avoided at all costs.

"This warning is in light of droughts that are also affecting many neighboring countries and a funding shortfall that has become so severe that an avoidable humanitarian crisis in the region, possibly worse than that of 2011, is fast becoming an inevitability," the UN agency said in a statement.

According to the UNHCR, already displacement is rising, forcing it to upgrade the agency's displacement estimates for 2017.

It said consecutive harvests have failed, conflict in South Sudan coupled with drought is leading to famine and outflows of refugees, insecurity in Somalia is leading to rising internal displacement, and rates of malnutrition are high, especially among children and lactating mothers.

South Sudanese women carry water in a UN refugee camp in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Dec. 22, 2013. (Xinhua/Lu Rui)

The UN agency said internal displacement dynamics in Somalia are shifting too, adding that of the half a million people displaced since November 2016, 278,000 were displaced in the first quarter of 2017.

"More than 72,000 of these have moved to the capital Mogadishu. Some 69,000 others have headed to Baidoa in the country's southwest. Somalia continues to see a complex situation of both outflows and returns (mainly from Yemen)," it said.

UNHCR said a further 1 million people are now on the brink of famine in parts of South Sudan, where UN agencies warned in February that fighting, insecurity, lack of access to aid and collapsing economy had left 100,000 people facing starvation.

The UN agency said in total some 20 million people in the Horn of Africa countries, Nigeria and Yemen are in areas affected by drought, 4.2 million of whom are refugees.

A Somali woman and a child are seen at a camp for displaced persons on the World RefugeeDay in the outskirts of Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, June 20, 2014. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse)

"In Sudan, for example, where our initial estimate was for 60,000 arrivals from South Sudan this year, we are in the process of revising the expected total upwards to 180,000. Similarly in Uganda we are revising planning from 300,000 displaced to 400,000," it said.

In the Dollo Ado area of southeast Ethiopia for example, acute malnutrition rates among newly arriving Somali refugee children aged between 6 months and five years are now running at 50-79 percent, said the UNHCR.

The agency also said children account for the majority of refugees (62 per cent, for instance, in the case of refugees fleeing South Sudan) and in common with other refugees nearly all are dependent on food assistance via our sister-agency WFP.

"With no money to buy food, rations however are being cut. In Djibouti rations have been cut by 12 per cent, in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Rwanda by between 20 and 50 per cent, and in Uganda by up to 75 per cent," UNHCR said.

It said many refugees are without full access to livelihoods and agriculture or food production and their ability to take matters into their own hands and help themselves is limited.

Photo taken on May 8, 2015 shows an overlook of Dadaab refugee camp, Kenya. Dadaab, the world's largest refugee camp in northeastern Kenya, currently houses some 350,000 people. For more than 20 years, it has been home to generations of Somalis who have fled their homeland wracked by conflicts. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo)

UNHCR said some 175,000 students in drought-hit areas in Kenya have stopped attending school while almost 600 schools have closed in Ethiopia.

"In all, some five million children could in the coming weeks and months see their educations being disrupted," UNHCR said.

In Yemen, which is experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis with almost 19 million people in need of humanitarian help, around 17 million people are food insecure.

UNHCR said the situation is particularly bad in parts of northern Nigeria where seven million people are now struggling with food insecurity and need help.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 21:23:02|Editor: Xiang Bo

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HOHHOT, April 12 (Xinhua)-- A farmer in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is demanding that the state pay him 388,891.5 yuan (about 56,410 U.S. dollars) in compensation after he was acquitted of unlicensed corn trading during a retrial.

Wang Lijun submitted the applications to a court and public security bureau in Linhe District, Bayan Nur City, on Monday. The compensation is for infringement of his personal rights, mental anguish and economic losses due to the overturned conviction.

In the initial verdict in April 2016, Linhe district court sentenced Wang to a suspended one-year prison term with a fine of 20,000 yuan, after he was found guilty of trading grain without a license.

The Supreme People's Court ordered that the case should be reheard in December. In February, Bayan Nur City Intermediate People's Court revoked the verdict, saying Wang had not severely damaged market order.

Previously, China required businesses to acquire licenses to purchase grain. A rule on the practice last year, however, canceled the requirement.
Bai Yue, head of the 17th batch of Chinese medical team in Rwada, was awared a certificate of honor by Rwanda's Health Minister Diane Gashumba (R) on April 10, 2017. (Xinhua/Yang Mengxi)

KIGALI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda hailed China's supportive role in the country's health sector as the 17th Chinese medical team completed one-year medical service there.

At Kibungo Hospital in eastern Rwanda and Masaka Hospital in Kigali, the team received up to 4,355 cases, performed 450 surgical operations and 992 acupuncture treatments, according to officials.

Speaking at a farewell ceremony for the group in Kigali on Monday evening, Rwanda's health minister Diane Gashumba hailed the Chinese cooperation in the development of the country's health sector.

File photo shows Chinese medical expert Chang Zhenhua (2nd, L) performs an operation on a Rwandan youth at the Chinese Hospital in Kibungo Town, 120 km east of Kigali, capital of Rwanda August 19, 2003. (Xinhua Photo/Xu Xianhui)

She cited construction of Masaka Hospital and support toward Kibungo Hospital through construction of staff quarters among the areas of Chinese health intervention.

"The Chinese have also equipped Masaka Hospital with appropriate equipment ranging from clinical equipment to office furniture to cover all the different hospital departments. Talking of education, Rwandan professionals are going for short courses and study tours to gain experience from their colleagues in China," the minister said.

At the same ceremony, the 18th medical team from China was welcomed.

A group photo of members of the 17th batch of Chinese medical team in Rwada with Rwanda's Health Minister Diane Gashumba on April 10, 2017. (Xinhua/Yang Mengxi)

Gashumba said the support of the Chinese government in form of infrastructure, education and equipment is very important in the development of Rwanda's health sector.

Rao Hongwei, Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, hailed the medics who were set to leave the country, saying they made "real contribution" towards health services in Rwanda.

China started sending medics to Rwanda since 1982. Up to 800,000 people have been treated since then, according to officials.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 21:53:08|Editor: An

A Long March-3B carrier rocket carrying Shijian-13, China's first high-throughput communications satellite, blasts off from the launching pad at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Xichang, southwest China's Sichuan Province, April 12, 2017. Shijian-13 has a higher message capacity than all of China's previous communications satellites combined and will provide better Internet access in less-developed regions, as well as on planes and high-speed trains. (Xinhua/Ye Lefeng)

XICHANG, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese satellite will not only help those at the scene of natural disasters report on emergencies but enable passengers on high-speed trains to watch high-definition videos.

Shijian-13, China's first high-throughput communications satellite, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 7:04 p.m. Wednesday.

The satellite, with a transfer capacity of 20 Gbps and a designed orbital life of 15 years, was carried into orbit by a Long March-3B carrier rocket, the 246th mission for Long March carrier rockets.

Shijian-13 has a higher message capacity than all of China's previous communications satellites combined and will provide better Internet access in less-developed regions, as well as on planes and high-speed trains.

"The launch is a milestone for China's communications satellite technology," said Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

Shijian-13 is the first Chinese satellite to be powered by electricity, potentially improving efficiency by as much as 10 times compared with those using chemicals as propellant, extending the satellite's life and reducing launch weight, said Zhou Zhicheng, commander-in-chief of Shijian-13.

A large number of domestic components have been used. It also has the first laser communications system installed on a Chinese high orbit satellite with a long lifespan.

The satellite and the rocket were designed by academies affiliated with the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp., and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology respectively.

China plans to launch six communications satellites this year. Shijian-18 will be put into orbit in June to test the DFH-5 satellite platform.

On April, 24, 1970, the launch of China's first satellite Dongfanghong-1 marked the beginning of the country's space endeavors, which currently feature 16 communication satellites.

By 2025, China will have 22 communication satellites, with five built on brand new designs, according to a medium-long term development plan for civilian space infrastructure released in 2015.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:03:11|Editor: An

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Liu Yunshan (2nd R), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, meets with a delegation of the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, the voice of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), headed by Thuan Huu, Nhan Dan's editor-in-chief, in Beijing, capital of China, April 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Zhang Duo)

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Liu Yunshan, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), met on Wednesday with a delegation of the Nhan Dan (People) newspaper, the voice of the Communist Party of Vietnam(CPV).

The delegation was headed by Thuan Huu, Nhan Dan's editor-in-chief.

China and Vietnam are both socialist countries under the leadership of Communist parties, and they constitute a community of shared destiny with strategic significance, said Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

China is ready to work with Vietnam to implement the consensus reached by General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping and the CPV General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, so as to promote the sustained, healthy and stable development of China-Vietnam relations, said Liu.

He hoped that the Nhan Dan and the People's Daily would enhance exchanges, deepen cooperation, and continue to make contributions to the friendship between the two peoples, the two parties and the two countries.

Thuan Huu said the Nhan Dan is willing to strengthen cooperation with the People's Daily, and learn from the paper's experience in advancing media integration, in a bid to jointly boost friendly relations between the two sides.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:08:12|Editor: Xiang Bo

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council on Wednesday called for concrete measures to improve medical services through partnerships between medical institutions.

Establishing and developing institutional partnerships is important for health care reform and medical resource allocation, according to a statement released after a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang.

Partnerships in different forms at various levels should be established in both urban and rural areas, with municipal-level public hospitals taking a leading role.

Policies concerning government funds, medical insurance and personnel management should be adjusted to facilitate a nationwide trial of institutional partnerships. In most cases, personnel practicing in different institutions within a partnership will be able to transfer freely between partners.

The statement stressed that resources and information would be better shared within partnerships, with a collaboration network on distance healthcare for remote and poor regions.

Nursing facilities and rehabilitation institutions will be encouraged to participate in partnerships.

The family doctor system should expand to include all people living under poverty line by the end of this year.
NAIROBI, April 12 (Xinhua) -- More than 30 investors from Saudi Arabia on Wednesday expressed interest in investing in various fields in Kenya especially in infrastructure, energy and agriculture.

The investors led by Saudi Arabia's Commerce and Investment Minister Majed Bin Abdullah Al-qasabi expressed keen interest in investing in the country, noting the improved business environment created by the government.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, who welcomed the Saudi business people to set shop in Kenya, assured them of this administration's commitment to facilitate the smooth operation of their companies.

"We have taken deliberate efforts to create a conducive environment for foreign and domestic investment to thrive side by side. We urge you to take advantage of the huge opportunities that we have created, key among them being infrastructure projects," Kenyatta told the Saudi investors at a trade forum in Nairobi.

He emphasized the need for Saudi investors to make Kenya their investment destination of choice to bridge the balance of trade that is currently tilted in favour of the Arabian Peninsula State.

"We extend support to all foreign investors and will accord the same to business people from Saudi Arabia. It is my hope that your visit to Kenya will open channels of communication between our business communities that will lead to enhanced trade and investment relations," he said.

Kenyatta said the establishment of more Saudi companies would bolster the ongoing government's efforts to create more jobs through the setting up of manufacturing plants.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of importing cheaper crude oil from Saudi Arabia and explored ways of creating an opening for Kenya to export cattle as well as beef products to the Arabian State.

During the meeting, Akkad Systems Limited of Kenya and the Kingdom Paints Company of Saudi Arabia signed an MOU on cooperation in paint distribution and retail manufacturing.

Industry, Trade and Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed assured the Saudi investors that investing in Kenya will open doors not only to the local market but also to the wider regional markets of the East African Community and COMESA with a population of more than 600 million people.

Kenya's exports to Saudi Arabia include tea, coffee, vegetables, textile materials, fruits, nuts and beef among others while major imports include oil, molasses, chemical products and paper.
A girl wearing Macedonian traditional costume serves delicacies during the World on a Plate Festival at Europe Square in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, Sept. 2, 2015. (Xinhua/Miso Lisanin)

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Members of European Parliament (MEPs) on Tuesday presented proposals to cut food waste in the European Union.

MEPs called on EU countries to achieve food waste cuts by 30 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030. To this end, they called on the European Commission to lift existing restrictions on food donations and make consumers fully understand "best before" and "use by" labeling.

As for donations, the Commission should propose a change in the value-added tax (VAT) directive that would explicitly authorize tax exemptions on food donations. Moreover, the EU fund for European aid to the most deprived should get the possibility to finance the cost of collecting, transporting, storing and distributing of the food donations.

They called on the Commission to assess the possible benefits of removing certain dates for products without any risk to public health or the environment.

According to official figures, food waste has been estimated at some 88 million tons, or 173 kg per capita per year in the EU.

Among them, the highest food waste per capita per year is registered in the Netherlands, which is 541 kg. It was followed by Belgium's 345 kg. While the lowest food waste per capita per year is recorded in Slovenia, which is 72 kg. It is followed by Malta and Romania, which are both 76kg.
LUSAKA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Police on Wednesday formally charged Zambia's leading opposition leader with four counts, among them treason, for his failure to give way to President Edgar Lungu's motorcade last Saturday.

Kakoma Kanganja, Inspector-General of the Zambia Police, said Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND), has been arrested and charged with five others after investigations revealed that he disobeyed police orders to give way to Lungu's motorcade on a road in western Zambia's Mongu district, a move that endangered the Zambian leader's life.

The dockets of case will be taken to the director of public prosecutions for further dealings, he added.

The opposition leader and his co-accused have also been charged with disobedience to lawful orders, disobeying of statutory duty, and using of insulting language while 12 other party supporters have been arrested for obstructing police officers in execution of their duties.

"I wish to reiterate that the actions by the opposition leader were unreasonable, reckless and criminal," he told reporters during a press briefing at his office in Lusaka, the country's capital.

Treason is a non-bailable offense in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of death.

The opposition leader was arrested on Tuesday after hundreds of police raided and ransacked his house on Monday night.

He was first taken to Woodlands Police Station but later transferred to a police training college on the outskirts of the Zambian capital.

According to reports, the police switched off power to the house, blocked the main roads and broke down the gates to gain access into the house before firing teargas into the house, choking the opposition leader's family.

The police also fired rubber bullets and tear smoke and held his workers and family members at gunpoint.

Some of the party's senior leaders and journalists who went to the residence situated in east of the city were assaulted by the police.

The police chief however justified the raid on the opposition leader's house.

Hichilema, 54, narrowly lost to Lungu in last year's presidential election and has refused to recognize the Zambian leader's victory.

His lawyers have since described his treason charge as nonsensical, adding that there was no treason that was committed along the road.

His arrest has since ignited wide condemnation from both local and international observers.

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has appealed to the Zambian government to adhere to the rule of law and human rights principles in dealing with the opposition political parties, according to a statement released by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi.

Nevers Mumba, former Zambian vice-president and now leader of a faction of the opposition Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD), said the charging of Hichilema with treason was an illegality because it was the police who failed to do their duty while Mike Mulongoti, former government minister and now leader of the Peoples Party said order and the rule of law have broken down in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:28:17|Editor: Song Lifang

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Afghan policemen stand at the blast site near the Defense Ministry building in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan , April 12, 2017. At least five civilians were killed and three others wounded in a suicide bombing near the government office buildings in central of Afghan capital of Kabul on Wednesday, a spokesman of the Interior Ministry said. (Xinhua/Lu Shuqun)

KABUL, April 12 (Xinhua) -- At least five civilians were killed and three others wounded in a suicide bombing near the government office buildings in central of Afghan capital of Kabul on Wednesday, a spokesman of the Interior Ministry said.

"One suicide bomber detonated his explosive-jacket in a roadside in Pul-e-Yakpaysagi locality in police District Two of Kabul city. As a result five civilians were martyred and three others wounded," spokesman Najib Danish said in a statement.

The blast took place roughly at 04:05 p.m. local time in a area where the Defense Ministry building, Ministry of Finance and a police station are located, according to Danish.

He said police have launched a probe into the incident and further details will be share with media later on the day.

Unofficial sources told local media that the obvious target of the attack was a running bus carrying government's employees.

The local affiliates of Islamic State (IS) group have claimed responsibility for the bombing, according to local media.

More than 3,490 civilians were killed and over 7,920 others injured in conflict-related incidents across Afghanistan last year, according to figures released by the UN mission in the country.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:38:19|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Wednesday offered condolences to the Egyptian government on victims of church bombings in that country.

Lungu extended his deepest condolences to his Egyptian counterpart Abdul Fattah El-Sisi following last Sunday's attacks by terrorists which targeted two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, according to statement released by his office.

The Zambian leader said he learnt with a deep sense of sorrow and sadness of the tragic death, adding that Zambia stands with Egypt during the period of mourning.

The attacks left at least 45 people dead and 125 others injured.

Lungu was scheduled to travel to Egypt for state visit this week but canceled it after the tragic incident.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:43:20|Editor: yan

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BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Almost 13,000 migrants illegally crossed into the European Union (EU) in March, 10 percent more than in February, said Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, on Wednesday.

The total number of illegal border crossings by migrants in the first quarter fell 70 percent from the same period of last year to 32,650, according to Frontex's statement.

Italy continued to face high migratory pressure last month along the three main migratory routes -- the Central Mediterranean, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Western Balkans.

The number of migrants arriving in Italy through the Central Mediterranean route in March rose by more than one-fifth to 10,800 compared to February.

Nationals from Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Guinea accounted for the largest number of migrant arrivals.

The number of migrants coming to the Greek islands grew to 1,690 due to better weather. This was up by almost a half from February, but only six percent of the figure from a year ago.

On the Western Balkans route, fewer than 380 people were detected making illegal border crossings, representing barely seven percent of the figure in March 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:48:21|Editor: yan

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CAPE TOWN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma celebrated his 75th birthday on Wednesday with a pledge to win the fight against racism.

"We remain committed to building a non-racial society and will continue to work hard to unite our people against racism and all it's manifestations," Zuma said in his birthday message.

Zuma said one of his birthday wishes is to "see us winning the battle against racism in our country."

He said he would also like to see South Africans making more progress in fighting poverty and inequality.

"We need to make progress in black economic empowerment to promote true economic freedom," Zuma said.

He urged South Africans to work together to find solutions following the recent sovereign credit downgrades.

As Zuma celebrated his birthday, opposition parties and civic organizations organized marches in parts of the country, calling for Zuma to resign.

The marches were follow-ups of the nationwide anti-Zuma protests on April 7.

On Monday, Zuma said these protests were signs of a resurgence of racism.

Zuma said many placards and posters carried by the protesters "displayed beliefs that we thought had been buried in 1994."

Some posters depicted black people as baboons, Zuma said, stressing that "racists have become more emboldened" in the country.

There have been growing calls for Zuma to resign after he reshuffled the cabinet on March 31, sacking or replacing 10 ministers and 10 deputy ministers.

The reshuffle led international rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch to downgrade South Africa's credit rating to junk status.

As part of his birthday celebrations, Zuma will join the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for a celebration rally on Wednesday afternoon in Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg.

Also on Wednesday, the ANC sent revolutionary well wishes to Zuma, also president of the ANC.

Zuma has committed his life and energies to the liberation of the people of South Africa, in particular, the oppressed and the poor of the poorest, the ANC said.

"We salute and are grateful to him, and many other freedom fighters, for their unmatched sacrifices in the struggle for a just course," the party said.

In more than 22 years since the end of apartheid in 1994, Zuma has continued to pursue the struggle for economic freedom, said the ANC.

"In particular, the president has been at the forefront of the efforts to build a National Democratic Society underpinned by radical socio-economic transformation characterized by inclusive growth and a better life for all our people," the ANC said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 22:53:22|Editor: An

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XIAMEN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- More bridges instead of barriers are expected to allow cross-Strait intelligent manufacturing industries to jointly tap the market, as they are more complementary than competitive.

The remark was made by Li Rongmin, head of the Taipei office of China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products, at the 2017 Xiamen Industry Exposition which opened Wednesday.

He said that the mainland encourages investment both in and from Taiwan. Cross-Strait industries should cooperate in fields such as standards, personnel exchanges, finance and Internet cloud computing.

"Taiwan is strong in research and the electronic information industry," said Li, "but not in its investment environment."

The Chinese mainland has been growing very rapidly in international resource integration, robot manufacturing, 3D printing and other technologies. It also has great demand for semiconductors and high-end machine tools, he added.

Intelligent manufacturing is what the cross-Strait cooperation should aim for, said Gou Tai-chiang, chairman of the Taiwan Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association, who is attending the expo.

It would be conducive to cross-Strait industrial transformation and upgrading from traditional manufacturing to high-end manufacturing, said Gou.

"I hope that the cross-Strait industries, with support from the Internet and big data, will combine Taiwan's technology and product foundation with the mainland's talent and market, and grasp the opportunities from the Belt and Road Initiative," he said.

Xiamen Industry Exposition, authorized by the Ministry of Commerce, has been held annually since 1997. The event has received more than 10,000 enterprises as exhibitors over the past two decades.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 23:08:24|Editor: Mengjiao Liu

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) shakes hands with visiting Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada in Beijing, capital of China, April 12, 2017. Li held talks with Trovoada here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Wednesday that China is willing to promote practical cooperation and people-to-people exchange with Sao Tome and Principe to open a new chapter of bilateral ties.

Li made the remarks during his talks with visiting Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada on Wednesday.

Trovoada is on his first official visit to China from Wednesday to Tuesday.

Li said China advocates that all countries, big or small, be on an equal footing and respect each other's core interests and major concerns. He expressed the hope that Sao Tome and Principe would firmly adhere to the one-China principle.

China is willing to strengthen political mutual trust, promote pragmatic cooperation and expand people-to-people exchanges to open a new chapter of relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Li said.

He said China is ready to synergize development strategies with the African country to implement a five-year cooperation plan that was signed during the visit, Li said.

Both sides signed cooperation documents on the economy and technology, infrastructure and tourism among others. Agriculture and fisheries was also identified as a major area for cooperation.

"China is willing to offer assistance as needed in Sao Tome and Principe within its capacity, including providing more opportunities for study and training in China, and sending medical teams to Sao Tome and Principe," Li said.

Li noted it was China's long-term strategic choice to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with African nations and support lasting peace and sustainable development.

China will work with Sao Tome and Principe and other African nations to promote development of three major networks -- railways, roads and regional aviation, Li said.

Sao Tome and Principe will firmly adhere to the one-China policy and respect China's sovereignty and core concerns to consolidate political mutual trust with China, Trovoada said.

Trovoada said Sao Tome and Principe is confident in the future of bilateral relations and looks forward to China sharing experiences.

Sao Tome and Principe will provide sound conditions for Chinese investment, Trovoada said.

Li hosted a welcoming ceremony for Trovoada at the Great Hall of the People before their talks.
Illegal migrants arrive at the Zawiyah port, a naval base some 45 kilometers west of Libyan capital Tripoli, after they were rescued off the western city of Sabratha on May 24, 2016 as they were trying to reach Europe by boat. (Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Almost 13,000 migrants illegally crossed into the European Union (EU) in March, 10 percent more than in February, said Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, on Wednesday.

The total number of illegal border crossings by migrants in the first quarter fell 70 percent from the same period of last year to 32,650, according to Frontex's statement.

Italy continued to face high migratory pressure last month along the three main migratory routes -- the Central Mediterranean, the Eastern Mediterranean, and the Western Balkans.

The number of migrants arriving in Italy through the Central Mediterranean route in March rose by more than one-fifth to 10,800 compared to February.

Nationals from Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Guinea accounted for the largest number of migrant arrivals.

The number of migrants coming to the Greek islands grew to 1,690 due to better weather. This was up by almost a half from February, but only six percent of the figure from a year ago.

On the Western Balkans route, fewer than 380 people were detected making illegal border crossings, representing barely seven percent of the figure in March 2016.

Meanwhile, EU relocated an all-time high monthly number of migrants in overburdened Greece and Italy to other member states in March, but the pace is still lagging behind its targets, a latest report adopted by the European Commission revealed Wednesday.

There were additional 2,465 relocations taking place since March 2, bringing the total number of relocations to 16,340 so far, according to the eleventh progress report on the EU's relocation and resettlement schemes.

EU member states pledged in September 2015 to relocate 160,000 refugees from Greece and Italy in two years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 23:18:26|Editor: An

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BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Beijing reported 166 cases of norovirus in the first quarter of this year, and the outbreak is likely to last till June, said local health authorities on Wednesday.

Of the 166 cases, 82 were in kindergartens, 69 in primary schools, nine in middle schools, four in colleges, one in a restaurant and one at home.

"The epidemic is serious this year and we see many variants of the virus," said Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

Norovirus, a form of food-poisoning, is one of the major gastrointestinal viruses. Symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramps and usually appear within 12 to 72 hours of exposure, typically lasting for two or three days.

CDC warned that kindergartens and schools be disinfected and the health of students closely monitored as new cases emerge.
South African President Jacob Zuma (1st R) visits local communities of Mhlabuyalingana in northern KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa bordering Mozambique, on March 14, 2017.(Xinhua/DOC/Kopano Tlape)

CAPE TOWN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- South African President Jacob Zuma celebrated his 75th birthday on Wednesday with a pledge to win the fight against racism.

"We remain committed to building a non-racial society and will continue to work hard to unite our people against racism and all it's manifestations," Zuma said in his birthday message.

Zuma said one of his birthday wishes is to "see us winning the battle against racism in our country."

He said he would also like to see South Africans making more progress in fighting poverty and inequality.

"We need to make progress in black economic empowerment to promote true economic freedom," Zuma said.

He urged South Africans to work together to find solutions following the recent sovereign credit downgrades.

As Zuma celebrated his birthday, opposition parties and civic organizations organized marches in parts of the country, calling for Zuma to resign.

The marches were follow-ups of the nationwide anti-Zuma protests on April 7.

On Monday, Zuma said these protests were signs of a resurgence of racism.

Zuma said many placards and posters carried by the protesters "displayed beliefs that we thought had been buried in 1994."

Some posters depicted black people as baboons, Zuma said, stressing that "racists have become more emboldened" in the country.

There have been growing calls for Zuma to resign after he reshuffled the cabinet on March 31, sacking or replacing 10 ministers and 10 deputy ministers.

The reshuffle led international rating agencies Standard & Poor's and Fitch to downgrade South Africa's credit rating to junk status.

As part of his birthday celebrations, Zuma will join the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for a celebration rally on Wednesday afternoon in Soweto, southwest of Johannesburg.

Also on Wednesday, the ANC sent revolutionary well wishes to Zuma, also president of the ANC.

Zuma has committed his life and energies to the liberation of the people of South Africa, in particular, the oppressed and the poor of the poorest, the ANC said.

"We salute and are grateful to him, and many other freedom fighters, for their unmatched sacrifices in the struggle for a just course," the party said.

In more than 22 years since the end of apartheid in 1994, Zuma has continued to pursue the struggle for economic freedom, said the ANC.

"In particular, the president has been at the forefront of the efforts to build a National Democratic Society underpinned by radical socio-economic transformation characterized by inclusive growth and a better life for all our people," the ANC said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 23:33:30|Editor: yan

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DAR ES SALAAM, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from across East Africa on Wednesday began a two-day meeting in the Kenyan capital Nairobi to discuss implementation of the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and other Forest Products.

A statement issued by the Kenya Forest Service and availed to Xinhua said the meeting will also formally launch a steering committee on the implementation of the declaration.

The Zanzibar Declaration was signed in September 2015 during the XIV World Forestry Congress in South Africa and has been heralded as a huge step forward in regional efforts to address the rampant illegal timber trade in East Africa.

Member states currently include Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Madagascar, and mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar -- under the umbrella of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Eastern African Community (EAC).

As well as launching the steering committee and reviewing progress with implementation of the declaration, member state forestry department representatives will also discuss a range of shared issues relating to timber trade, said the statement.

The statement said issues for discussion included the development of a mechanism to collaborate on implementation of trade governed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), including how to deal with produce seized from illegal trade.

At the most recent meeting of the Convention in October 2016, a number of relevant timber species -- including the entire Dalbergia genus -- were listed within Appendix II of CITES, meaning trade is now regulated through a system of permits.

Another critical issue for discussion will be laying the groundwork for a block agreement between signatories of the Zanzibar Declaration and importing countries in Asia, such an agreement could have major economic impact for the region given the high levels of timber trade currently taking place with East Asia, in particular China.

"This meeting marks a significant step forward in efforts to ensure timber trade in Eastern Africa is managed in a way that brings equitable benefits to all those engaged in the legal trade chain -- everyone from the local communities on whose land the timber grows all the way to the end consumers in a distant part of the planet," said Emilio Mugo, Chief Conservator of Forest with the Kenya Forest Service.

Meeting delegates will also discuss ways to standardize gathering of import, export and transit records, including the nomenclature of the species in trade, said the statement.

"Standardization of trade reporting mechanisms may not appear terribly important at first glance, but it is an absolutely critical issue," said Said Hugues, Director of Forest Control in the Directorate General of Madagascar.

The meeting for the launch of the Steering Committee to the Zanzibar Declaration on Illegal Trade in Timber and other Forest Products was organized by TRAFFIC and WWF and hosted by Kenya Forest Service.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 23:43:32|Editor: An

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BAKU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Azerbaijan plans to appoint trade representatives to China and the United Arab Emirates, the country's Deputy Economy Minister Sahil Babayev announced Wednesday, according to the state news agency Azertac.

The official made the announcement when addressing the Fourth International Caspian Energy Forum 2017 in Baku, adding that the plan follows a similar dispatch in Russia, which is one of the former Soviet republic's main trading partners.

According to Babayev, the trade envoys are tasked with three main missions: increasing the export of Azerbaijani products, attracting investors to Azerbaijan as well as protecting the business interests of Azerbaijan.

Bilateral trade between Beijing and Baku reached 770 million U.S. dollars in 2016, up 15 percent from 2015 and over 500 times the sum 25 years ago when the two countries established diplomatic relations, according to Wei Jinghua, China's ambassador to Azerbaijan, who cited statics from China's General Administration of Customs.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-12 23:58:36|Editor: yan

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RIGA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The United States will remain a "steadfast friend and ally of Latvia", U.S. President Donald Trump wrote in a recent letter to his Latvian counterpart Raimonds Vejonis.

According to information posted on the Latvian president's official website on Wednesday, the American leader sent a letter to Vejonis in response to his congratulatory message to Trump upon his election as U.S. President.

In the letter, Trump acknowledged the importance of transatlantic ties and reaffirmed the United States' commitment to security obligations both within NATO and in the framework of bilateral U.S.-Latvia relations.

"I appreciate very much the Latvian commitment to spending two percent of gross domestic product on defense, which creates a good example of burden-sharing between the allies. I also appreciate Latvian participation in security and anti-terrorism missions in Afghanistan and Iraq," Trump said in the letter.

Trump also expressed readiness to develop business and investment exchanges between the two countries, noting that Latvia's admission to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was proof of the progress Latvia had achieved in improving its business climate.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 00:03:37|Editor: Tian Shaohui

File photo taken on April 18, 2014 shows the scene of the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii in southern Italy. The European Commission on April 12, 2017 allocated nearly 50 million euros (53 million U.S. dollars) for the renovation and preservation works on the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii. (Xinhua/Gong Bing)

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday allocated nearly 50 million euros (53 million U.S. dollars) for the renovation and preservation works on the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

This investment package, which will be allocated from the European Regional Development Fund, will finance the consolidation of the structures and ancient buildings of this city, the construction of a water canalisation and drainage system, other restoration and enhancement works and training for the staff, said the commission.

Once the restoration works completes, Pompeii is expected to welcome almost 200,000 additional tourists per year, the commission estimated.

Pompeii has been classified as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. This ancient city has been under excavation and the excavated site has deteriorated over time.

Thus European Union (EU) adopted the Pompeii "major project", which was worth 105 million euros, in 2007 to 2013 financial period to stop and reverse the deterioration of the site.

According to the commission, today's allocation will allow the project to be completed with funds in the 2014-2020 period. (1 euro = 1.06 U.S. dollars) .
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 00:08:38|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- An outbreak of cholera/ acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) in Somalia's semi-autonomous regions of Somaliland and Puntland has killed over 85 people, a global charity said Wednesday.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said 28 people were killed in the last ten days and 167 others hospitalized in Somaliland alone.

In neighboring Puntland, more than 1,600 cases of cholera/AWD with 57 deaths have been recorded since January, the charity said in a statement.

Julie Hall, IFRC Director of Health, said during the 2011 famine in Somalia, tens of thousands of people suffering from hunger died from preventable and treatable diseases like diarrhoea.

"What often stands between hunger and death is disease. We must move quickly to stop the spread of disease and provide those affected with treatment. Diseases haunt those who are hungry -- we can fight this," said Hall.

The charity said the outbreak has overwhelmed remote communities in drought-ravaged region. More than 411 cases of cholera/AWD have been reported in Somaliland since the beginning of April.

The vulnerable children and adults, already struggling to cope with malnutrition and food insecurity caused in large part by the failure of 2016's two rainy seasons, were struck down by the deadly disease after drinking contaminated water.

"This outbreak is frightening, as the people of Somaliland are already weakened by the drought and by lack of food," said Abdirasaq Ali Duran, Somaliland Tracing Assistant of Somali Red Crescent Society at Buhodle sub-branch.

IFRC said it was preparing to expand its support to the Somali Red Crescent Society, building on its existing emergency operation as part of the life-saving efforts.

The outbreak has come amid food crisis in Somalia that is growing more serious by the day with over 6.2 million people in need urgent humanitarian assistance, 2.9 million people facing crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity, and 363,000 children already suffering from acute malnutrition.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 00:28:40|Editor: yan

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KIEV, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The March's blast at a coal mine in western Ukraine that has claimed eight lives was caused by the violation of safety rules, an official investigation showed on Wednesday.

The improper ventilation of the mine, which had high methane concentration, was the main factor that had led to the disaster, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Gennady Zubko told the government, while unveiling the results of the investigation.

The violations of labor protection regulations and malfunction of the equipment have also contributed to the disaster, Zubko said, promising to strengthen the government control for mine safety.

On March 2, the methane gas explosion occurred at the depth of 550 meters at Stepova mine in Lvov region, killing eight workers and injuring 29 others.

In the wake of the accident, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman has asked the government to allocate 7.4 million U.S. dollars from the state budget to improve the safety of miners.

Ukraine's mines are believed to be among the most dangerous in the world due to their outdated equipment and high concentration of methane levels.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 00:58:45|Editor: yan

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MOGADISHU, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Security forces from Somalia's Galmudug State on Wednesday rescued eight of the 11 Indian crew members who had been kidnapped from a cargo ship and taken ashore by pirates.

District Commissioner of Hobyo town Abdulahi Ahmed Ali confirmed that the sailors were rescued without resistance from the pirates after the security forces overwhelmed them in the central town of Hobyo.

"I can confirm that all eight Indian hostages who were being held by pirates were rescued, we have them and they are safe and in good health.," Ali said.

Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Galmudug State, said their forces captured three pirates.

"The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured. All the freed crew are safe and healthy," Ahmed said.

John Steed, regional manager of not-for-profit group Oceans Beyond Piracy, also confirmed the release of the Indian hostages who were believed to be being held between the vicinity of Hobyo and Haradhere in central Somalia.

The Indian vessel Al Kausar carrying wheat and sugar was hijacked while en route from Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Bosasso in Somalia.

The ship was released by Somalia security forces on Monday night but some of the 11 crew members were taken ashore. It was not clear whether the kidnapped crew were eight or nine.

The pirating of the Indian dhow on April 1 came after the fuel tanker, Aris 13, was held for four days by armed pirates. Al Kausar was one of three foreign vessels to be hijacked after a five-year lull.

The release of the Indian vessel came after Indian and Chinese navies on Sunday freed a Tuvalu-registered vessel that had been boarded by pirates.

Maritime experts said lack of economic opportunities and the prevalence of illegal fishing are pushing more Somalis to turn to piracy, partly as a form of protest and partly as they see no other options.
Photo taken on May 20, 2014 shows the ancient city of Pompeii, Italy. (Xinhua/Xu Nizhi)

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday allocated nearly 50 million euros (53 million U.S. dollars) for the renovation and preservation works on the Ancient Roman city of Pompeii.

This investment package, which will be allocated from the European Regional Development Fund, will finance the consolidation of the structures and ancient buildings of this city, the construction of a water canalisation and drainage system, other restoration and enhancement works and training for the staff, said the commission.

Once the restoration works completes, Pompeii is expected to welcome almost 200,000 additional tourists per year, the commission estimated.

Pompeii has been classified as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. This ancient city has been under excavation and the excavated site has deteriorated over time.

Thus European Union (EU) adopted the Pompeii "major project", which was worth 105 million euros, in 2007 to 2013 financial period to stop and reverse the deterioration of the site.

According to the commission, today's allocation will allow the project to be completed with funds in the 2014-2020 period.
People attend the funeral of the church blast victims at St. Mina church in Alexandria, Egypt, April 10, 2017. The terrorist attacks that targeted two churches on Sunday in Gharbiya and Alexandria provinces in northern Egypt killed at least 44 and wounded over 120. (Xinhua/Zhao Dingzhe)

CAIRO, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's parliament has approved a three-month state of emergency, after twin attacks against churches Tanta and Alexandria, which killed 45 people.

The attacks coincided with Palm Sunday, one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar marking the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem.

The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying that two suicide bombers carried out the blasts.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in a nation televised speech on Sunday ordered the army's deployment to assist police forces in securing state institutions and declared the nationwide state of emergency.

Sisi said the measure was a measure to protect the country and to prevent targeting its facilities.

Following parliamentary approval, the state of emergency is the first nationwide one since Sisi assumed office in June 2014.

A regional state of emergency has been in place since October 2014 in North Sinai, as the country launched a widescale security operation to uproot extremists who used Sinai as both a shelter and a base for attacks against security forces.

Addressing the parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said the state of emergency is essential in combating terrorist groups seeking to undermine the country.

"It will grant state facilities greater ability, flexibility and speed in confronting the nation's enemies who do not hesitate to kill without justification," he said.

According to Egypt's constitution and the 1958 emergency decree, the state of emergency grants Sisi the authority to use State Security Emergency Courts for a duration of three months.

"Under the current emergency law, civilians can be transferred to State Security Emergency Courts without an appeal process for State Security Emergency Court verdicts, thereby combating terrorists and bringing perpetrators to justice," said Tariq Fahmy, professor of political science at Cairo University.

The emergency law also grants rights to monitor and intercept all forms of communication and correspondence, a curfew and the closure of commercial establishments, as well as designated evacuation spaces.

In addition, the state of emergency can specify opening and closing hours of public shops or shut them down completely.

Authorities can also withdraw and confiscate weapons' permits, ammunition, flammable material and fireworks.

Sisi asserted that the state of emergency would be implemented by "necessary legal and constitutional procedures" based on Article 154 of Egypt's 2014 constitution, which states that the president must consult the Cabinet before issuing an official declaration, after which the decision must be submitted to the parliament.

Furthermore, the Supreme Constitutional Court issued a ruling in June 2013, declaring some items of the 1958 emergency law unconstitutional, a legal move limiting the president's powers during the state of emergency, according to experts.

The 2013 ruling annulled an important article of the law, which gave the president the right under a state of emergency to instruct the interior minister to conduct arrests without warrants as well as administrative detentions.

What's more, according to the 2014 constitution, parliament can now amend the emergency law which requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority to be ratified, a state which wasn't feasible during Mubarak's era.

The measure's return heightens some Egyptians' fears, who view it as a return to former president Hosni Mubarak's police state era.

At Prosecutor General Hesham Barakat's funeral, assassinated in June 2015 in a car bombing, Sisi said that "justice is shackled by the law," vowing not to wait any longer in order to amend criminal laws and the state's implementation of justice as soon as possible.

"We will not wait another five or 10 years before prosecuting those attempting to kill us," Sisi said back then.

"They are issuing orders from within their cells," referring to Islamists in prisons but whose sentences have not yet been enforced.

The Arab Network for Human Rights Information said on Monday that the state of emergency would not attain security and was intended to "further suppress freedom of opinion, expression and belief, and to crack down on human rights' defenders."

However, Megahed el-Zayat, vice chairman of the National Center for Middle East Studies believes the measure is currently essential and will give authorities increased powers to achieve security and stability.

"The state of emergency isn't targeting individuals, but seeks to track terrorists and promptly try them, bypassing the typical criminal court procedures which take much longer," he added.

"I believe the primary purpose of the state of emergency isn't to hinder citizens' rights, but only aims to minimize the time and procedures of standard trials of terrorists which could last for years," said political expert Tariq Fahmy.

He added that the nationwide state of emergency aims to confront terrorism through reactionary methods.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 03:29:20|Editor: yan

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PRAGUE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Czech Republic will tighten security measures during Easter holidays, said Interior Minister Milan Chovanec at a press conference on Wednesday.

Over 500 police officers armed with assault rifles will preventively be in towns and all Czech international airports,

Chovanec said he did not presume that the military would have to be called. However, if needed, the military may provide around 600 soldiers to help the police.

The minister also said the tightened security measures were related to Easter and the Jewish Passover whose celebrations coincide this year. The measures were only preventive because there was no information saying the security of the Czech Republic was threatened.

The measures will be most visible in Prague, but the police patrols will also be in other regions. Police Presidium spokeswoman Iveta Martinkova said that the police patrols on the streets will be enhanced since Thursday.

During Easter holidays. the police will also increase their checks on road traffic in a national action involving 3,000 police officers.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 03:54:24|Editor: yan

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ZAGREB, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Presidents of Croatia and Hungary Wednesday met here on outstanding issues between the two countries in an attempt to create a favorable climate for resolving them.

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said the bilateral relations had been burdened by some issues, such as INA-MOL case and cross-border cooperation. However "those issues should not pose an obstacle to cooperation."

"Strong bonds and mutual interests should create a favorable climate for resolving outstanding issues -- from the INA-MOL case to other issues in energy and cross-border cooperation sectors and the migration policy," she added.

The Croatian president and her Hungarian counterpart Janos Ader agreed that the Western Balkan migrant route must stay closed and the dialogue with Turkey must continue, Grabar-Kitarovic said at a joint news conference.

We agreed that the priority was to protect the EU's external borders to avoid the need to control EU internal borders, including the one between Croatia and Hungary, she added.

The two presidents wished to help the attempts to resolve the INA-MOL issue burdening the two countries' relations for years.

Ader, who arrived in Zagreb on Wednesday for a two-day official visit to Croatia, said MOL, the Hungarian energy company which holds 49.08 percent of INA, the Croatia state energy company, had invested significant resources for the development of INA, stressing that if Croatia wanted to buy back its share in INA it should pay Hungary back the money invested so far.

Croatia has disagreements with MOL over the management rights and investment policy at INA for years. Last December, the Croatian government decided to regain ownership of INA by buying the entire stake held by the MOL after Croatia lost the lawsuit against MOL before the Arbitral Tribunal of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
Smoke rises after an explosion at a riot police building in the southeastern province of Diyarbakir in Turkey on April 11, 2017. (Xinhua)

ANKARA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in southeastern Turkey, local media reported.

A statement issued on a PKK website said more than 2.5 tons of explosives had been planted in a tunnel under the targeted police building in the central Baglar district of Diyarbakir province.

The explosion on Tuesday occurred during the repair of an armored vehicle in the provincial security directorate compound, which killed three people and injured 12 others.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu confirmed early Wednesday that the incident was "a terror attack" after initially calling it an accident, daily Hurriyet reported.

Investigations have revealed that PKK militants dug the tunnel in a short time and staged the attack by placing explosives underground.

A 30-meter-long tunnel was dug from the basement of an apartment adjacent to the repair shop of the compound, the Diyarbakir governor's office said in a statement.

According to the office, five suspects had been detained as a part of the investigation into the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 04:29:32|Editor: Tian Shaohui

U.S. President Donald Trump attends a press conference at the White House in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 12, 2017. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration won't label China as currency manipulator, and complained that the U.S. dollar is too strong. In an interview with Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Trump said "they (China) are not currency manipulators," according to the report. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his administration won't label China as currency manipulator, and complained that the U.S. dollar is too strong.

In an interview with Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Trump said "they (China) are not currency manipulators," according to the report.

Trump during the election campaign had accused China of manipulating its currency to gain from exports, while many economists have argued that the Chinese currency, RMB, has been at equilibrium level in recent years.

The International Monetary Fund declared the RMB as no longer undervalued in 2015.

In the interview, Trump again complained that the U.S. dollar is too strong. "I think our dollar is getting too strong, and partially that's my fault because people have confidence in me. But that's hurting -- that will hurt ultimately," Trump said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 04:29:32|Editor: yan

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by Samuel Okiror

KAMPALA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- A Ugandan minister has been charged with corruption offenses for allegedly soliciting a bribe to clear a prominent businessman of sexual harassment accusations, a judiciary spokesperson said Wednesday.

Solomon Muyita, Uganda's Judiciary senior communications officer, told Xinhua by telephone that Herbert Kabafunzaki, the state minister for labor, employment and industrial relations was on Tuesday charged with soliciting a bribe, receiving a bribe and conspiracy to commit a felony

The minister was charged before the anti-corruption court alongside his political assistant, who pleaded guilty to the three charges and another accomplice who pleaded not guilty.

"The minister was charged but pleaded not guilty. He was remanded to Luzira maximum prison," Muyita said.

The minister was later on Wednesday released on bail.

The police on Saturday arrested Kabafunzaki for allegedly receiving a 5-million Ugandan shillings (about 1,400 U.S. dollars) as first payment of a larger bribe he had solicited from Mohammed Hamid to conceal a sexual harassment allegations case filed by a former female employee.

The minister is under intense pressure from the country's parliament and activists to resign to pave way for proper investigation into the corruption allegations.

President Yoweri Museveni has expressed his commitment to tackle corruption, which activists have condemned as being widespread in society.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 04:59:37|Editor: yan

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HARARE, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's tobacco farmers have raked in more than 102 million U.S. dollars from auction floors and contract buyers since the beginning of this year's marketing season on March 15, figures released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) on Wednesday showed.

At least 36.2 million kilograms worth 185.5 million dollars have been exported at an average price of 5.12 dollars per kg.

TIMB said the 38.6 million kg of tobacco sold so far were higher than the 27.6 million kg worth 73.6 million dollars sold during the corresponding period in 2016.

About 30.5 million kg were sold through contract sales and the rest went through the auction floors at an average price of 2.65 dollars per kg.

Zimbabwe expects output of 202 million kg of tobacco in the 2016/17 farming season.

Challenges facing communal farmers, including the shortage of curing fuel and poor curing, grading and storage facilities had resulted in at least 36,121 bales of tobacco being rejected at the floors.

This was a huge rise from the 2,981 bales that were rejected during the corresponding period in the last marketing season.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 05:09:39|Editor: An

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HAVANA, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Cuba hosted a Chinese Bridge language proficiency contest on Wednesday, featuring seven local students of Chinese.

Students enrolled at the Confucius Institute in Havana demonstrated their language skills, as well as their knowledge of China's history and culture.

Sponsored by the institute, in conjunction with the University of Havana and China's Ministry of Education, the contest aims to promote cultural ties between the East Asian country and other regions of the world.

Following three competitive rounds in which students demonstrated their verbal and grammatical skills, and familiarity with Chinese customs and culture, Diana Blanco was declared the winner.

"I'm really excited about winning this contest because studying Chinese is very important in my life," said Blanco, currently an intermediate-level student.

"I am grateful to the jury and the professors of the Confucius Institute for selecting me as the winner and I will continue to deepen my knowledge of the language," she added.

During the competition, Blanco related a tale about her dreams, correctly answered history, grammar and general knowledge questions, and recited a poem, all in Chinese.

China's ambassador to Cuba, Chen Xi, was on hand to present the award, which includes an invitation to travel to Beijing as Cuba's contestant in the international Chinese Bridge competition.

Fellow intermediate-level students Deborah Velazco and Jessica Jaime came in second and third place, respectively, with performances that earned them the praise of the public and the jury.

Chen congratulated the contestants on their high level of language proficiency and artistic interpretations.

"Language is an instrument for communication and for developing cooperation, and in this sense it is important that many more Cubans learn Chinese to deepen our relations more fluidly," said the diplomat.

Chen also highlighted the work carried out since 2008 by the Confucius Institute, where hundreds of Cubans have studied Chinese.

"Every day, more and more Cubans are interested in studying the Chinese language and it is largely a result of the successful work of the Confucius Institute, which strives for more people to learn Chinese every year," he said.

More than 100 million people around the world study Chinese, allowing Beijing to better strengthen its economic, trade and cultural ties with different nations, said Chen.

The diplomat also thanked the Cuban government for its cooperation since 2006 in offering more than 3,000 scholarships to young Chinese students keen to study Spanish in the island.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 05:19:40|Editor: An

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AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Wu Wen and Xing Ya, two Chinese giant pandas arrived on Wednesday evening at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam for a 15-year stay in a Dutch zoo, making The Netherlands the seventh European country that hosts this endangered and adorable black and white bear.

The KLM special cargo flight transporting the pandas landed at around 19:30 local time. When the cages were unloaded from the plane, hundreds of people watching the live broadcast on a big screen in a nearby hall erupted into applause.

During their debut at the hall shortly after a sanitary check, both Wu Wen (Beautiful Powerful Cloud, the female panda) and Xing Ya (Elegant Star, male) made tentative steps then strolled in rounds in their tailor-made cages, saluting crowds of camera as if with somewhat curiosity.

The two three-and-half-year-old giant pandas moved in an agile way that does not match their weight of over 100 kilograms. The bamboo leaves prepared by their hometown keepers in their cages for the 9-hour trip were almost half consumed.

"It's a small step for Wu Wen and Xing Ya, but a big step for the history of Sino-Dutch relations," said Wu Ken, Chinese ambassador to the Netherlands.

The two black-and-white woolly balls also enthralled children waiting at the scene for the big moment. While some were screaming in excitement, some were holding their breath in awe for their first meeting with the pair.

There are some 2,000 giant pandas in the world. A conservation reliant vulnerable species, most of them live in captivity inside China. Before Wu Wen and Xing Ya traveled to the Netherlands, China had only agreed to carry out joint research on pandas with 12 countries, among which six in Europe. They are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Spain and Belgium.

The arrival of Wu Wen and Xing Ya in The Netherlands "fully proves the high level of our bilateral relations which are now at their best time," said Wu Ken.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the Netherlands. "This significant 'panda moment' marks the beginning of a new chapter in our relations," he added.

"What a beautiful day. What a special moment," said Ronald van Roeden, Deputy Secretary-General at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He recalled many years of efforts by the Netherlands to take part in the cooperation project for the protection of the giant panda. Ouwehands Zoo located in the center of the country had been bidding for this since 2000. During the state visit of Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima to China in October 2015, an agreement was finally signed.

"With this symbolically expression is given to the excellent status of the relationship of the Dutch-Chinese relations...And now they are here, finally! And we are proud and unbelievably happy with their arrival to the Netherlands," he said.

After the ceremony, Wu Wen and Xing Ya headed for their new home in the zoo in Rhenen, where a special compound with 7 million investment by the Ouwehands Zoo is waiting for them.

The pandas are expected to be given some 50 kilos of bamboo per day, which will be provided by a bamboo grower in the central south of the Netherlands. The bamboo grower also supplies a selection of different types of bamboo for pandas in Vienna and Edinburgh.

The zoo will also launch education program on endangered species and research projects on the breeding of panda in collaboration with Wageningen, the Dutch leading university and research institute on agricultural and nature.

However, eager visitors will have to stay patient before seeing the panda pair at the zoo, because they will first be held in quarantine for up to six weeks.
Photo taken on April 12, 2017, shows Vladimir Safronkov (C, front), Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations, vetoes a Security Council draft resolution on Chemical Attack in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia Wednesday vetoed a Western-drafted Security Council resolution on an alleged chemical attack in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.

Among 15 council members, ten voted in favor; Bolivia and the council's veto-wielding power Russia voted against; China, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan abstained.

The document drafted by the United Kingdom, France and the United States demanded the Syrian military to provide UN investigators with unfettered access to details of their operations on the day of the alleged attack.

The text also condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and demanded a speedy investigation.

On April 4, a reported toxic gas attack hit the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib, killing over 80 people and wounding scores of others.

Two days after, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles against the Shairat military base in central Syria, where the United States believes that airplanes carrying chemical weapons took off.

Ahead of the vote, Russia's Deputy Representative to the UN Vladimir Safronkov told the council that putting the draft resolution into a vote did not serve a useful purpose.

Safronkov said Russia has proposed an independent international mission sent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to visit Khan Sheikhoun and the Shairat airbase for investigations.

He said that Russia hopes the United States can give constructive response to this suggestion.

Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 05:34:42|Editor: Tian Shaohui

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Vladimir Safronkov (2nd L, Front), Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, vetoes a draft Security Council resolution at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 12, 2017. Russia Wednesday vetoed a Western draft Security Council resolution on an alleged chemical attack in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia Wednesday vetoed a Western draft resolution on an alleged chemical attack in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.

Among 15 council members, ten voted in favor; Bolivia and the council's veto-wielding power Russia voted against; China, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan abstained.

The document drafted by the United Kingdom, France and the United States demanded the Syrian military to provide UN investigators with unfettered access to details of their operations on the day of the alleged attack.

The text also condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and demanded a speedy investigation.

On April 4, a reported toxic gas attack hit the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib, killing over 80 people and wounding scores of others.

Two days later, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles against the Shairat military base in central Syria, where the United States believes airplanes carrying chemical weapons took off.

Ahead of the vote, Russia's Deputy Representative to the UN Vladimir Safronkov told the council that putting the draft resolution into a vote did not serve a useful purpose.

Safronkov said Russia has proposed an independent international mission sent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to visit Khan Sheikhoun and the Shairat airbase for investigations.

He said that Russia hopes the United States can give a constructive response to this suggestion.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 05:39:45|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that fighting continues in west Mosul and aid partners continue to aid the Iraqi people in need and respond to rising casualties and displacement, a UN spokesman told reporters here Wednesday.

"It is also providing assistance to families in newly-accessible areas," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said at a daily news briefing here.

Nearly 1,700 people who have been injured have been received near the front lines, with more than 6,300 injured people having been referred to hospitals around Mosul since the start of military operations last October, he noted.

Since late February, 292,000 people have been forced to flee west Mosul, with 362,000 people uprooted by fighting in both east and west Mosul.

To date, emergency aid packages have been distributed to help 1.9 million people inside Mosul and surrounding areas.

For its part, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has opened a new camp in Iraq' s Hammam al-Alil to house thousands of newly-displaced people fleeing the fighting in western Mosul, said the spokesman.

The first 500 families began arriving today at the site, which has 2,500 tents ready to house more than 15,000 people. When construction is completed, the camp will have capacity for up to 30,000 people, Dujarric added.

Mosul witnessed a fighting between the Iraqi government forces and Islamic State (IS/Da'esh) terrorists.

The Iraqi government force's advance toward Mosul came after the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Feb. 19 the start of an offensive to drive the extremist militants out of the western side of Mosul, locally known as the right bank of Tigris River which bisects the city.

Mosul, 400 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, has been under IS control since June 2014, when Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, enabling IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 05:44:47|Editor: yan

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ROME, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Italian parliament on Wednesday gave final approval to a package of measures to better manage the inflows of migrants and asylum seekers in the country.

The provision were already approved by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's cabinet with a decree in February, but needed parliamentary approval within 60 days.

The lower house passed it with 240 votes in favor and 176 votes against.

On Tuesday, the cabinet called and won a confidence vote on the decree.

Key measures in the package include boosting repatriation of illegal migrants, and shortening the average proceeding time for those who submit a request of asylum.

New permanent repatriation centers will be set up across the country, one in every Italian region, and their capacity should not exceed 150 available places each, Italian Interior Minister Marco Minniti said in February.

Overall, the facilities will be able to host a total 1,600 migrants pending repatriation, and would be located near major transport infrastructures and, if possible, outside cities.

Another key pillar of the package concerns the length of asylum request proceedings. According to interior ministry's estimates, it currently takes Italian authorities two years to give a definite response to an asylum application, which was considered a long waiting time.

Three provisions were introduced to speed up such procedures: firstly, it will be cancelled one of the two degrees in the Italian court system to which asylum seekers can currently appeal, in the case that their request is turned down.

But the right to appeal to Italy's Court of Cassation will be reserved for the applicants in the case of rejection.

Secondly, asylum committees assessing all requests will be strengthened by recruiting 250 extra experts in order to alleviate their burden.

Thirdly, some 26 sections specialized in immigration, international protection, and free movement of European Union's (EU) citizens will be created in about 14 Italian courts.

Another measure allows asylum seekers waiting for a reply to their requests to be involved by Italian municipalities in "socially useful" jobs, such as maintenance of public spaces, or volunteer work with local charities.

This practice is already in place in some Italian cities, and would aim at helping asylum seekers better integrate into the Italian society, according to the authorities.

But the new measures would not apply to unaccompanied minor migrants. In fact, a specific law has recently been approved, ensuring them a comprehensive protection, and the prohibition of turning them down at the border and of repatriating them.

Italy has taken in a large majority of the migration flows coming from North Africa to Europe through the Mediterranean since last year. It registered a record of 181,436 arrivals in 2016, up 17.9 percent and 6.66 percent over 2015 and 2014 respectively.

Some 25,846 children and adolescents travelled alone to the country last year, more than twice the number registered in 2015.

Regarding asylum seekers, Italy received 123,600 requests in 2016 against 83,900 in 2015, which marked a 47 percent increase.

Some 91,000 of those requests have been examined overall, with about 54,000 rejected, according to the interior ministry.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:04:49|Editor: Tian Shaohui

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attend a joint press conference in Washington D.C., the United States, on April 12, 2017. The U.S. is "not getting along with Russia at all" and the relations between the two countries "may be at an all-time low" , U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday. Trump made the remark at a joint press conference with visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. is "not getting along with Russia at all" and the relations between the two countries "may be at an all-time low" , U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

Trump made the remark at a joint press conference with visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. It came shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in Moscow that the U.S. and Russia have reached a "low point" in relations.

The Russian government has condemned the missile strikes by the United States on a Syrian airbase last Thursday, calling Washington's move "aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law."

At Wednesday's press conference, Trump defended his decision to launch 59 missiles at the Syrian airbase in response to the alleged chemical attack the U.S. has said the Syrian government should be to blame.

"It can't be a worst sight. And it shouldn't be allowed. That's a butcher," Trump said. "So, I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing. And it was very, very successfully done."

Asked about Russia's prior knowledge about Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons, Trump said it's "possible", but "unlikely" that Russia had known in advance of Syria's plan to launch a chemical weapons attack on its own citizens.

"I know they're doing investigations into that right now. I would like to think that they didn't know, but certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out," Trump said.

Stoltenberg said within the NATO alliance, the U.S. military action on Syria has been met with understanding.

"Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, cannot go unanswered and those responsible must be held accountable," the NATO chief said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:14:51|Editor: yan

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MINSK, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The Contact Group on Ukraine has reaffirmed commitment to ceasefire during the Easter holidays, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) Special Representative Martin Sajdik told local media Wednesday.

"I hope this commitment will be maintained and observed in the upcoming holidays," Saidik said following Contact Group's meeting.

In general, the diplomat noted that the situation in the conflict zone in the east of Ukraine is improving, but it is still unsatisfactory.

The parties discussed the issue of the release of detainees, who are being hold due to the conflict, as well as the organization of mechanisms for verifying the desires of the released to stay in the territory where they served their sentence.

The negotiators also discussed the current situation resulting from the blockade of transport routes and the introduction of the so-called "external administration" at Ukrainian enterprises based in the parts of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions not controlled by Kiev and its consequences.

In addition, the parties discussed the supply of water, electricity and gas, and payments for these services.

The next meeting of the Contact Group will be held on April 26.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:19:52|Editor: yan

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LA PAZ, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia's right-wing factions on Wednesday agreed to work in concert to prevent the reelection of President Evo Morales and his Movement for Socialism (MAS) party.

With general elections still some two years away, opposition figures, including two former presidents, an ex-vice president and three leaders of conservative parties, pledged to join forces to defeat the left-leaning government in 2019.

At a press conference held in La Paz, the parties signed a pact, which they titled a "joint declaration in defence of democracy and justice."

The declaration accuses Morales of having "broken the limits of independence and coordination between the branches (of government), and transformed the judiciary into an instrument of political persecution."

Several of the signatories said they were the subject of legal proceedings that were politically motivated.

Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, has been popularly reelected to office since first being elected in 2005, and has said he would like to run again. He lost a recent referendum on a constitutional amendment that would have allowed him to run again by a slight margin.

Bolivia's deputy minister of autonomy, Hugo Siles, accused the right wing of launching an "intentional disinformation (campaign) obviously motivated by political interest."

The declaration was signed by former presidents Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002) and Carlos Mesa (2003-2005), and ex-vice president Victor Hugo Cardenas (1993-1997), as well as the leaders of the National Unity party, businessman Samuel Doria Medina; Social Democratic Movement, Santa Cruz Gov. Ruben Costas; and Sovereignty and Liberty party, La Paz Mayor Luis Revilla.
Photo taken on April 12, 2017, shows Vladimir Safronkov(C, front), Russian deputy ambassador to the United Nations, vetoes a Security Council draft resolution on Chemical Attack in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Russia Wednesday vetoed a Western draft resolution on an alleged chemical attack in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.

Among 15 council members, ten voted in favor; Bolivia and the council's veto-wielding power Russia voted against; China, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan abstained.

The document drafted by the United Kingdom, France and the United States demanded the Syrian military to provide UN investigators with unfettered access to details of their operations on the day of the alleged attack.

The text also condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and demanded a speedy investigation.

On April 4, a reported toxic gas attack hit the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib, killing over 80 people and wounding scores of others.

Two days later, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles against the Shairat military base in central Syria, where the United States believes airplanes carrying chemical weapons took off.

Bashar Ja'afari (L), Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, talks with Vladimir Safronkov, Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations, prior to voting on a draft Security Council resolution at the UN headquarters in New York, on April 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Ahead of the vote, Russia's Deputy Representative to the UN Vladimir Safronkov told the council that putting the draft resolution into a vote did not serve a useful purpose.

Safronkov said Russia has proposed an independent international mission sent by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to visit Khan Sheikhoun and the Shairat airbase for investigations.

He said that Russia hopes the United States can give a constructive response to this suggestion.

China's Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi (C, front) abstains from the voting on a Security Council draft resolution on alleged chemical attack in Syria, at the UN headquarters in New York, the United States. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

China's Ambassador to the UN Liu Jieyi said China supports the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in conducting a comprehensive, objective and impartial investigation into relevant cases.

Liu said China supports the language in the text that condemns the use of chemical weapons and demands an investigation into the alleged chemical attack.

However, he said some elements of the text need to be amended to secure consensus among council members and therefore China abstained.

"We deeply regret the failure to reach such consensus on the draft resolution," he noted.

Liu also called upon relevant parties to stay on the course for the political settlement to the Syrian issues, uphold the Syrian-owned and Syrian-led principle and support the United Nations as the main mediator.

Photo taken on April 12, 2017 shows the United Nations Security Council voting on a draft Security Council resolution at the UN headquarters in New York. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)

Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.

The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defense Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.

After the vote, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said with its veto, Russia said no to cooperation with UN's investigation and Russia said no to a resolution that would have helped to promote peace in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:29:53|Editor: yan

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By Eric J. Lyman

ROME, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Although European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday voiced his confidence towards the Italian government, saying the country was "heading in the right direction," analysts here believe reforms are still necessary for the country after years of economic malaise.

Juncker's remarks came just four months after the defeat of a national referendum on a constitutional reform championed by former Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi. The defeat also forced the stepdown of Renzi and bolstered euro-skeptic forces in the country.

But in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Wednesday, Juncker said there was no fear that Italy may head towards economic trouble or it may vote to leave the 19-nation euro zone as some Italian euro-skeptic groups are calling for.

"The commitment of the Italian government is going in the right direction," Juncker said. "In the meantime, let me clearly rule out the possibility that Italy will leave the euro."

Juncker also supported the efforts of the government of Paolo Gentiloni, the former foreign minister who took over as head of government after Renzi resigned, to tackle banking sector problems. Juncker predicted Italian banks would emerge from the crisis "stronger and more robust."

Economists, who spoke to Xinhua, say although they do not think Juncker's optimism for Italy was misplaced, the country still has a lot of work to do.

"There are no big changes going on in Italy right now, but the political situation is more stable under Gentiloni and the economy is looking better," said Carlo Altomonte, a political economy professor with Bocconi University in Milan, in an interview.

"To a certain point, Juncker was saying what he is supposed to say, he is sending the right signals," the professor said.

Francesco Daveri, a public finance expert with Italy's Sacro Cuore University, holds a similar point of view.

"The situation in Italy right now is about as good as one can hope for, with the return of economic growth of about 1 percent per year," Daveri told Xinhua.

"But corporate taxes are still too high and the economy is still weighted down by too many regulations. These areas will eventually have to be reformed," cautioned the expert.

But many analysts do not foresee tangible reforms quite likely before an elected prime minister and a strong government.

ABS Securities political affairs analyst Gian Franco Gallo says the next Italian government will determine whether Juncker's confidence is warranted.

"If the next government managers to form a strong coalition then it will have a mandate to take on some of the difficult reforms the country needs," Gallo said in an interview.

"If it is a weak coalition or a coalition involving a euro-skeptic party, then I think this optimism may be short lived," the analyst added.

The current Italian parliament expires on March 15, 2018. And a general election will happen no later than 70 days after the expiration.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:34:54|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of children used in "suicide" attacks in the Lake Chad conflict has surged to 27 in the first quarter of 2017, compared to nine over the same period last year, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a new report on Wednesday.

The increase reflects an alarming tactic by the insurgents: so far, 117 children have been used to carry out bomb attacks in public places across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon since 2014.

Girls have been used in the vast majority of these attacks, the report said.

As a consequence, girls, boys and even infants have been viewed with increasing fear at markets and checkpoints.

Meanwhile, the report also highlights the challenges that local authorities face with children taken into administrative custody for questioning and screening, raising concerns about the prolonged periods of custody.

In 2016, almost 1,500 children were under administrative custody in the four countries.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:44:55|Editor: yan

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MINSK, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has signed the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), the presidential press secretary Natalya Eismont told local media on Wednesday.

The Customs Code is designed to lay necessary foundations for the transition to unified customs regulation within the framework of the EAEU.

It is planned that the Customs Code of the Eurasian Economic Union will come into force on July 1, 2017.

The presidents of Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia signed the Union's Customs Code at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg on December 26, 2016. Representatives of Belarus were not present at the meeting.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-04-13 06:49:56|Editor: yan

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TRIPOLI, April 13 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern parliament held a session on Tuesday to authorize creation of a political dialogue committee by the speaker, Agila Saleh, Libyan news agency (LANA) reported Wednesday.

The session also discussed reforming the dialogue committee and restrictions including a time-limit of four months for the committee.

Libya suffers a political division with three rival governments and two parliaments battling for dominance.

The eastern-based parliament suspended participation in the political dialogue following a recent attack by a rival militia on major oil ports.

Libya has swamped in chaos and escalating violence since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Libya has since been struggling to make a democratic transition.
Dad fires gun to save son from beating

Hyacinth appeared before Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert in the San Fernando Magistrates court, charged with possession of an unlicensed pistol and ammunition, and firing a gun within 40 meters of a public road. He pleaded guilty to all three charges.

The magistrate heard from court prosecutor Sgt Denzil Alexander, that at about 5.40 am on Sunday, Hyacinth saw men beating his 18-year-old son at the front of Club Mumbai located along the SS Erin Road in Debe.

Hyacinth, the court heard, whipped out a gun from his waist and fired several shots in the air. He then threw the gun away and ran to the Debe Police Post. Constable Sandeep Maraj investigated and later recovered the gun and two spent shells.

Hyacinth was cautioned, the magistrate heard, and he told PC Maraj: Officer, they start beating up my son, pelting bottle as if to kill him. I take out my gun shoot in the air to get them off my son. Attorney Subhas Panday said his client had no criminal record and no pending charges. Magistrate Alert told Hyacinth that while she holds some empathy for him, as he responded to his son being attacked, however, there could have been dire, even deadly consequences for his actions.

You could have been standing here before me on a murder charge, the magistrate said. For possession of a gun, Hyacinth was ordered to pay $3,500 and for the ammunition, $1,500.

On the charge of discharging the firearm in a public place, he was placed on own bail in the sum of $15,000 to return to court on May 9, after the Magistrate changed his guilty plea to one of not-guilty.
Rio Claro man killed

Police received a report of an attempted break-in at about 3.30 am yesterday. When police arrived, they were told by one of the occupants of a house that a man identified as Bisnath Askaran from Riverside Road, Poole Village was struck in the head with a piece of wood as he tried to break into the house. After being hit, Askaran walked a short distance before falling into a drain. Emergency services were alerted but Askaran was pronounced dead at the scene.

His relatives gathered at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday where they said that the victim was last seen alive at his home an hour before the alleged break-in attempt. He woke up this morning at about 2 am, and he was light-headed or something. Something happened to him and he just walked out of the house. He went by a neighbours house, and he knocked on the wall. Then someone said that they came out and hit him with a piece of wood in his back, but he has no injuries to his back, a relative claimed.

Askaran was described as a person who liked to go out and drink.

Askaran was unemployed and was receiving public assistance. He was the father of a 14-year-old girl. No arrest has been made in relation to the incident and investigations are ongoing.
Brothers charged with murder

Aziz Sam Shah, 26, brother Aleem, 19, and Doneil Roberts, 35, appeared in the First Court before Senior Magistrate Armina Deonarinesingh jointly charged with Trims murder. They are also jointly charged with stealing Trims car.

The magistrate read the first charge which alleged that sometime between Monday April 3 and Thursday April 6, at Robert Trace, Quarry Village in Santa Flora, they murdered Trim.

The second charged alleged that last week Tuesday at the same place, armed with a firearm, they robbed Trim of his car, during which time they used personal violence. The car, a Nissan B14 is valued $38,000.

Both charges were laid by PC Ferguson of the Homicide Bureau Region III. They were not called upon to enter a plea as the charges were laid indictably.

Sgt Starr Jacob prosecuted.

The Shah brothers are both scavengers from Springvale, Claxton Bay, police said.

Roberts, is unemployed and is from Couva. Trim lived at Flora Terrace off Dass Trace, Enterprise, Chaguanas. He was shot dead. Police arrested the men on Tuesday following which Cpls Francis and Bobb and PC Noyan and other officers continued investigations.

On Monday night, PC Ferguson laid the charges.

Yesterday, attorney Robert Mitchell represented Aziz Shah whom he said was shot in the right leg by police. Shah, the attorney added, was taken for medical treatment while in custody.

Attorney Dana ONeil-Gervais who represented Aleem, accused police of beating him. Attorney Rhea Sookhansingh who represented Roberts said she was ready to proceed with the case and requested fill disclosure.

Magistrate Deonarinesingh remanded the three men into custody and adjourned the case to May 9.
Compensation for a cuff

PC Asceviero of San Fernando CID appeared in the San Fernando Magistrates court to give evidence in the case with a plaster under his left eyelid. Gregory Zoma, 32, appeared before Senior Magistrate Margaret Alert charged with assaulting the policeman, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. He pleaded guilty to all three charges.

The magistrate heard that at about 4 pm on Monday, PC Asceviero was with other police officers on patrol in Tarouba when they stopped a vehicle in which Zoma was a passenger.

They searched the defendant and found a quantity of marijuana.

Court prosecutor Sgt Denzil Alexander said Zoma exited the car and confronted Asceviero.

When the policeman attempted to hold on to Zomas hands, the latter cuffed him in the face. Zomas attorney Shawn Teekasingh said the defendant had neither mother nor father and eight convictions for marijuana over the past ten years. Magistrate Alert said there are many orphans who will not fight back at a police officer.

You seem to have a love affair with marijuana, Magistrate Alert said.

She ordered Zoma to pay a fine of $2,000 for the marijuana possession, $1,000 as a fine for resisting arrest and compensation in the sum of $2,500 or 30 days in jail.
Freed after 7 years

Moore was before the court for the May 21, 2009, murder of Wendell Morris, at Springside Avenue, Eastern Quarry in Laventille. He first appeared on the murder charge on August 4, 2009, and presiding over the preliminary inquiry was the late chief magistrate Sherman McNicolls.

In 2010, McNicolls, who was then Chief Magistrate, took extended leave to battle cancer and was later replaced by Ayers-Caesar, after retiring at age 55.

The preliminary inquiry had to be restarted by Ayers-Caesar and progressed until yesterday when she upheld the no-case submission advanced by Moores attorneys Daniel Khan and Ula Nathai-Lutchman, on the poor identification evidence, advanced by the prosecution. It was alleged that on May 21, at Springside Avenue, Eastern Quarry in Laventille, Moore along with another person murdered Morris. It was also alleged he along with another person, at the same date and location, wounded Nneka Campbell with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Moore was also slapped with four other charges including possession of firearms and possession of an undisclosed amount of ammunition, both with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Gladiator awarded $.7M

Welch was yesterday successful in a defamation claim against talk show hosts Devon Welch, Andy Pitbull Williams and Juliet Davy, whom he claimed defamed him back in 2010, by labelling him as gay and being guilty of extortion during radio programmes they hosted called The War Room and The Ground Report.

Justice Mira Dean-Armorer presided over Welchs lawsuit in the Port-of- Spain High Court, where he claimed he was defamed and entitled to damages because of the actions of the three. In her ruling, the judge acknowledged that TT society has not yet evolved to be indifferent or acceptant of alternative sexual orientations.

She said a persons sexual orientation cannot be of public interest as she dismissed the fair comment defence of the three radio hosts. The judge also dismissed their other defences and held that it was unclear why they were malignant in their programmes.

She also said the words used by the defendants about Welch, were meant to invoke scorn and had the effect of weakening his reputation.

Welch also sued for, among other things, the cost of his car as well as a $16,377 medical bill, as he said the defamatory remarks affected his health.

While he was not successful in his claim for the cost of the car, his medical bills or his loss of friends and acquaintances, Justice Dean-Armorer ordered that Devon Welch, Williams and Davy pay $700,000 in damages and aggravated damages.

The judge also dismissed a similar claim for damages against More FM 104.7, owned by businessman Robert Amar, which was the radio station which aired the programmes. Welch, who objected to a seven-day stay being granted to the three, demanded immediate payment or possibly a down payment by early next week.

As he represented himself in court, Welch said he spent $200,000 on the lawsuit which included buying law books to familiarise himself with the law.

The seven-day stay was eventually granted by the judge who acknowledged that the compensation ordered by the court was a sizeable amount and the three defendants would require some time to consider an appeal.

As he was leaving the courtroom, Welch said it did not matter to him how the three chose to split the $700,000 which they are to pay to him. They gave their mouth liberty so they have to pay.

Let them pay, he said.
Army recruits on rape charge

They appeared before deputy Chief Magistrate Nanette Forde- John in the Seventh Magistrates Court in Port-of-Spain. The five, who are in their early 20s, were remanded overnight to the Regiment barracks at Teteron, Chaguaramas until they access bail today.

They were also brought to the courthouse, without handcuffs, by a TT Regiment van and accompanied by several senior Regiment officers in court. The five were charged by Cpl Ricardo Nicome of the Carenage Police and will reappear in court on May 9. Officer cadets are persons chosen by the Defence Force to train at Teteron, and after a certain period, they graduate as soldiers.

It has been alleged that on October 29, a female officer cadet was with five male colleagues when they decided to take a swim at the Crows Nest Jetty at Teteron in Chaguaramas. According to reports, the victim was seated on a rock and shortly before 8 pm, she decided to return to the jetty to proceed to her quarters when she was raped by her colleagues, who allegedly took turns in committing the act.
Sinanan: Port Authority to look at new vessels

Noting criticisms of how government has handled the Galicia issue, Sinanan said the vessel arrived in 2014 under the then Peoples Partnership (PP) government.

The Super Fast not only a question of money. The challenge with the Super Fast is infrastructure, he explained. Stating the Galicia has been berthed alongside the Hyatt Regency Hotel, for the last three years, Sinanan said the PP failed to build proper berthing facilities for the vessel during its time in office.

I have a letter from the Hyatt now claiming damages, he revealed. The minister also said trucks had transport cargo from one end of the port to the Hyatt to load on the Galicia. In addition, he said a barge and tug also had to be rented at a daily cost of US$1,500, to load cargo on to the Galicia. He claimed a study showed the Galicia failed five out of seven requirements, yet it was still acquired.

Indicating the Galicia was only supposed to operate for six months but the lease was extended repeatedly under the PP, Sinanan said, All of these are questions which somebody has to answer. Reiterating that the Galicia will continue to operate on the domestic sea bridge until April 21, Sinanan said it was unfortunate that the Tobago Chamber of Commerce was rejecting all options being advanced to fill the gap when the Galicia departs,  without putting a suggestion on the table.
Dont look back, Carmona tells port board

Speaking afterwards with reporters, Lewis said, This is a new board.

Whatever transpired with the last board is not for us to opine on in any way. She described herself as a team player and said this is reflected in her track record in public life.

I can never be on my own, on a frolic of my own, doing my own thing, she said. Lewis said she and other members of the new board are at one with doing what is best in the circumstances, not just on the Tobago issue but on the port as a whole in terms of its efficiency and ensuring it is restructured and reorganised to becoming the most efficient port in the Caribbean. Other board members are Brandon Primus, Suzette Baptiste and Dexter Jaggernauth.
Padarath: Shannens parents denied application forms

On Monday, Shannens parents application for funding from the Childrens Life Fund (CLF) was denied by the CLFA board on the ground that her condition was not life threatening and expenses had already been covered. Padarath is calling on Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh to look into the matter.

In a release, Padarath said Deyalsingh was aware of, the suppression of applications at the Childrens Life Fund, but was doing nothing. Padarath, who visited the CLFA with Shannens parents at the request of Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, on March 31, said he discovered that a data entry Clerk I, was screening potential applicants since 2016.

Several parents he met at the CLFA which is located in the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, complained about having the same experience of no forms. Padarath said he brought this to Deyalsinghs attention during discussions at the Parliament Tower, but the situation has not been rectified.

On the day he met with Shannens parents at the CLFA, Padarath said, they arrived before him and attempted to get an application form but was refused one for the third time.

They were told that they do not fit the criteria. When he arrived, Padarath added, he told staff they were not responsible for determining whether an application would be successful or not and they should not be screening and suppressing applications at the unit.

After he intervened, he said, Shannens parents were given a form. The CLFA accepted the application a few days later with supporting documents.

Padarath said he was surprised and alarmed yesterday at Deyalsinghs position on the issue.
Postal workers stage protest

Yesterday, over 100 workers lined the pavement in the front of TT Posts head quarters in Piarco, waving placards and demanding workers get proper governance. David Forbes, General Secretary of the Postal Workers Union said workers are dissatisfied with the overall governance of the corporation and alleged bad Industrial Relations practices.

The governance of TTPost is poor. We have seen a number of top level managers since 2014 departing the organisation and up to this day, they cannot seem to get it right.

We are very much dissatisfied with the situation. Therefore, we call on Minister of Public Utilities Fitzgerald Hinds to address this situation, Forbes said.

Just imagine, up to yesterday (Monday), a manager was calling around offices and saying to workers they should not be out here this morning to exercise their right under the Constitution. We are saying that it is a bad practice. We are also saying workers have not been afforded the necessary tools to do the job efficiently. Forbes said the union wrote Hinds on February 21, who gave an indication that the issues addressed would be dealt with immediately.

We talk about productivity and how does one be productive? You have to be happy when you come to work on a daily basis. You have to be given the tools to do the job. Motor scooter riders have to be working day in day out and doubling up on motor scooters in the southern areas of this country, Forbes said.

We have a number of workers going into high crime areas to work without proper uniforms. They are wearing civilian clothing and here it is the management has an obligation to provide uniforms and safe working conditions for workers and yet we cant see that up to now. This is a very serious issue regarding delivery of mail in high crime areas, the union leader said. Also speaking yesterday, Joint Trade Union Movement (JTUM) leader Ancel Roget accused Minister Hinds of, falling down on the job in terms of meeting and treating with workers issues.
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With the global launch of 5G set to arrive in the next two to three plus years, depending on the development of the country, telecom operators are eagerly awaiting the new revenue-generating next generation communications services this technology will offer. Two telecom companies in India, Airtel (News - Alert) and BSNL, are preparing for the arrival by working with Nokia to transform existing networks to 5G in a preparatory phase as both companies address their 5G strategies.





With affordable smartphones flooding the Indian market, and telecom operators deploying the infrastructure needed for 5G services, by the time Airtel and BSNL (News - Alert) as well as other operators are ready everyone will be on the same page. This is a very important component of the overall strategy, because currently only one fourth of the Indian mobile customer base has smartphones.

Nokia (News - Alert) signed a memorandum of understandings (MoUs) with both companies, and Sanjay Malik, head of India market at Nokia said, "Thoughts behind these MoUs would be to introduce 5G here, and what are the steps required for the same, besides identifying applications to define the target segment, which will lead to a complete 5G strategy for telcos," as reported by the ET.

Trials for 5G are set to begin in 2018 for India, and the country is also in the process of auctioning spectrum in bands over 3,000 MHz to ensure the smooth transition to 5G from previous generation networks. Once in place operators can provide next generation communications services, including VR, augmented reality, Internet of Things (IoT), remote healthcare monitoring and more.

The customer base for BSNL stands at 94.36 million cellular and1.02 million WLL, along with 13.88 million wireline phone subscribers. As for Airtel, it had an impressive customer base of 369 million subscribers across its operations at the end of February 2017. These are very big companies with a large customer base that will be able to give their customer next generation communications services with 5G in the coming years.

Nokia has already demonstrated 5G networks, proving it is a reality beyond laboratory prototypes for a wide range of use cases. This includes dynamic networks serving a multi-connected world. According to Nokia and its Bell Labs (News - Alert) Consulting, once there is full deployment it will provide ubiquitous connectivity for 46 billion connected devices serving the virtual reality needs of users as well as their augmented real-world. The applications of 5G will also extend to autonomous cars, industrial automation and remote robotics, smart cities and personal healthcare.

Edited by Alicia Young
Tunisian defense ministry announced Tuesday the conduction of military exercise on the sea in conjunction with the US navy in view of training Tunisian forces in combat and rescue techniques.

The drill will take place in the North African country and will take one month, the ministry announced.

The drill will focus on rescue operations on the battle field, helicopter operation on the sea and combat techniques in rural areas, the ministry further noted.

The North African country in 2015 was designated as a Major Non-NATO Ally, paving the way for the country to receive military support from NATO and from the US.

The US in January offered speed vessels to help in the fight against illegal migration and terrorism. Two other vessels will be delivered in one year time aside from the four already delivered.

Tunisia has been affected by unrest in neighboring Libya. Islamic State group militants have used Libya as a launch pad of attacks in the region.
The Libyan army commander opposed to the UN-backed Presidential Council (PC) has met with a senior US military official during his ongoing stay in the United Arab Emirate, Qatari London-based media The New Arab reports.

Khalifar Haftar has been visiting Abu Dhabi in search of support as the Arab League and the UN rally behind Tripoli-based weak PC.

The self-style army Marshall has been received in the Emirati capital as a key ally in the fight against terrorism.

The Qatari media citing close sources pointed out that Haftar under the Emirati auspice met with an unidentified US official allegedly stressed support for any efforts to combat terrorism but failed to specify the official position of the Trump administration on Libyas conflict.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed on meeting the Libyan army commander on Monday bolstered its support for eastern-based army aligned with rival Beida government also opposed to Prime Minister Faiez Serraj supported by the international community.

Haftar in the eyes of Crown Prince has overpowered terrorists in Benghazi and in the region.

Abu Dhabis stance on Haftar is the correct choice, and one that stands in line with the goal of the international community in the war on terrorism, Emirati authorities said.

The US has officially aligned with the PC. The Pentagon in August joined the PC forces battling the Islamic State group in Muammar Gaddafis hometown of Sirte. The US supported the campaign in the air, ruining positions of the terror group.
ABC News(NEW YORK) -- President Trump will meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House Wednesday, the first in-person meeting for the two leaders.



Mike Pence, in his first overseas trip as vice president in February, sought to reassure European allies at NATO headquarters in Brussels that America will honor its security commitments and has "strong support" for NATO, despite Trump's casting doubt on the U.S. role in the organization as recently as January.



In an interview with The Times of London, then-President-elect Trump repeated his view that NATO was "obsolete," raising doubts about whether the United States, under his leadership, would jump to the defense of its NATO allies in Europe if Russia attacked them.



I said a long time ago that NATO had problems. Number one it was obsolete, because it was designed many, many years ago. Number two the countries arent paying what theyre supposed to pay," Trump said in January. "I took such heat, when I said NATO was obsolete. Its obsolete because it wasnt taking care of terror. I took a lot of heat for two days. And then they started saying Trump is right."



In July, when specifically asked in an interview with The New York Times about his views of Russia, Trump said that if it attacked some of the small Baltic states, which are the most recent members of NATO, he would decide whether to come to their aid only after reviewing whether those nations "have fulfilled their obligations to us."



Pence tried to assuage European fears with a new message, saying during his trip, "It is my privilege here at NATO headquarters to express the strong support of President Trump and the United States of America to NATO and our transatlantic alliance."



"This alliance plays a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the north Atlantic and frankly in the entire world," he added.



Pence's words come after Defense Secretary James Mattis also affirmed "the full U.S. commitment to NATO" during his meetings in Brussels.



But one European official wasn't letting the new administration forget President Trump's criticisms of NATO.



European Union Council President Donald Turk said in February that "too many new and sometimes surprising opinions have been voiced over this time about our relations -- and our common security -- for us to pretend that everything is as it used to be."



"We are counting as always in the past on the United States' wholehearted and unequivocal -- let me repeat, unequivocal -- support for the idea of a united Europe," Tusk said. "The world would be a decidedly worse place if Europe were not united."



"The idea of NATO is not obsolete, just like the values which lie at its foundation are not obsolete," he added.



So, what exactly is NATO? ABC News breaks down the organizations history, importance and criticisms below:



What is NATO?



NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a security alliance established in 1949 during the early days of the Cold War to counter Soviet aggression in Europe.



Now numbering 28 countries in Europe and North America, the alliances goal is to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through political and military means, NATOs website reads.



The organization promotes democratic values and encourages member nations to work together on issues of defense and security to prevent long-term conflict.



When security disputes occur, NATO advocates peaceful resolutions. But there are guidelines for how military force can be used, outlined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the founding treaty of NATO.



NATO adheres to a policy of collective defense, meaning an attack on one member is considered "an attack against all." The policy is outlined in Article 5 and has only been invoked once, after the Twin Towers in New York City were attacked Sept. 11, 2001, and NATO members sent troops to Afghanistan.



After the Taliban fell, a United Nations Security Council resolution established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), under NATOs control, to stabilize the country. There were 1,044 non-U.S. NATO service members killed fighting in Afghanistan.



How does NATO work?



Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, each member nation is represented by an ambassador that sits on the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the alliances political decision-making body. The NAC meets at least once a week and is chaired by Secretary General Stoltenberg, the former prime minister of Norway.



When political decisions require the military, NATOs Military Committee is involved in the planning and resourcing of military elements needed for an operation. While NATO has few permanent military forces, member nations can voluntarily contribute forces when the need arises.



The Military Committee is made up of the Chiefs of Defense of NATO-member countries; the International Military Staff, the Military Committees executive body; and the military command structure, composed of Allied Command Operations and Allied Command Transformation.



Where is NATO operating right now?



Currently, NATOs website lists five active operations and missions: Afghanistan, Kosovo, counter-piracy off of East Africa, monitoring the Mediterranean, and supporting the African Union.



Who pays for NATO?



NATO recommends that member countries spend 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense.



Currently, only five members meet that goal: the United States, Great Britain, Greece, Estonia and Poland.



In January's interview with The Times, Trump mentioned the five, saying, "Theres five countries that are paying what theyre supposed to. Five. Its not much.



Latvia and Lithuania are two Baltic states that don't meet the target, but those countries are likely to raise their defense spending in the face of growing Russian aggression.



During his trip to NATO headquarters, Vice President Pence repeated Trump's desire for all NATO members to pay their fair share, telling nations who don't have a plan to increase their defense spending to "get one."



And Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's Secretary General, has emphasized in his remarks that, in 2016, defense spending increased in Europe and Canada by 3.8 percent in real terms, or 10 billion U.S. dollars.



"We still have a long way to go," Stoltenberg admitted.



What is the history behind its origin?



The North Atlantic Treaty was signed April 4, 1949, in the aftermath of World War II and rising geopolitical tension with the Soviet Union.



NATOs website lists three purposes for its creation: deterring Soviet expansionism, forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence on the continent, and encouraging European political integration.



As the Cold War settled in, NATO stood in opposition to the Soviet bloc, communist nations that allied with the Soviet Union.



In 1991, after the Soviet Union dissolved, NATO developed partnerships with former adversaries.



NATO responded to its first major crisis response operation in 1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina after the Bosnian civil war.



More recently, NATO responded to the Libyan crisis in 2011 by carrying out airstrikes to protect civilians under attack by the Gaddafi regime.



Is Trump alone in his criticism of NATO?



No. Trump isnt the first to criticize other NATO members for contributing less than the United States.



In 2011, Defense Secretary Robert Gates called the future of NATO dim if other nations didnt increase their participation in allied activities.



The blunt reality is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the U.S. Congress -- and in the American body politic writ large -- to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense, he said.



It should be noted that Gates made these comments prior to Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and escalating regional tension there.



NATOs history is fraught with waves of criticism, often in moments of relative peace. After the fall of the Soviet Union, critics alleged that a European alliance was no longer necessary to counter communist governments. But militant nationalism was still occurring and soon NATO was put to the test with the Balkan Wars. Indeed, changing security threats have consistently pushed NATO to evolve over the past 60 years.



But NATOs website perhaps provides the best defense of itself:



Since its founding in 1949, the transatlantic Alliances flexibility, embedded in its original Treaty, has allowed it to suit the different requirements of different times. In the 1950s, the Alliance was a purely defensive organization. In the 1960s, NATO became a political instrument for detente. In the 1990s, the Alliance was a tool for the stabilization of Eastern Europe and Central Asia through the incorporation of new Partners and Allies. Now NATO has a new mission: extending peace through the strategic projection of security."



This is not a mission of choice, but of necessity. The Allies neither invented nor desired it. Events themselves have forced this mission upon them. Nation-state failure and violent extremism may well be the defining threats of the first half of the 21st century. Only a vigorously coordinated international response can address them. This is our common challenge. As the foundation stone of transatlantic peace, NATO must be ready to meet it.

Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
A worse way. Photo: Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Getty Images

Last night, a pro-choice Democrat who proudly aligned himself with a self-avowed socialist almost won the House district where Koch Industries is headquartered.

Back in November, Kansass fourth district backed Donald Trump by 27 points and then-GOP congressman (now CIA director) Mike Pompeo by 31. Five months later, Republican Ron Estes needed a visit from Ted Cruz, a robocall from the president, and an infusion of national money to secure a seven-point victory over the aforementioned Democrat, James Thompson, a Wichita civil-rights lawyer who has never held public office.

That 24-point swing wasnt enough to shake the red off Kansas  but if Democrats can swing every congressional district by half that sum, theyll take back the House in 2018.

Naturally, Republicans are eager to paint last nights vote as an anomaly  one that says less about their partys national liabilities than it does about its local ones. Kansass GOP governor Sam Brownback boasts a woeful 27 percent approval rating, thanks in large part to gaping holes in the states budget. Estes was Brownbacks state treasurer. In other words: Estes wasnt just running as a member of an unpopular governors cabinet, but as the one most closely tied to Brownbacks biggest failure. Republicans might point out that, if anything, the fact that the treasurer of a state with wrenching budget problems won at all is a testament to the GOPs vitality! This is fine! America is already great again!

There are a couple problems with that story. To name the most obvious: The past three months have been replete with evidence that the Democratic base is highly mobilized. You can see it in the record-setting marches, town-hall protests, massive traffic enjoyed by left-wing Facebook pages, the tight special-election race in Georgias sixth district, and in the $150,000 that the liberal blog Daily Kos convinced its readers to pony up for Thompsons long-shot campaign.

But okay, lets ignore all that. Lets stipulate that last night was all about Brownback. That would certainly offer vulnerable House Republicans short-term comfort. But in the long run, a repudiation of Brownback is just as, if not more, threatening to the Republican Party than a repudiation of Trump would be.

Because Sam Brownback isnt unpopular for idiosyncratic, personal reasons; the governor didnt decimate his states finances by spending public funds on sex workers. He did it by implementing the conservative movements blueprint for utopia.

Some readers may be familiar with the legend of the red-state model, but for those who arent, here are the Cliffs Notes: The 2010 tea-party wave delivered Brownback to the Sunflower States governors mansion and Republican majorities to both houses of its legislature. Together, they passed massive tax breaks for the wealthy and repealed all income taxes on more than 100,000 businesses. They tightened welfare requirements, privatized the delivery of Medicaid, cut $200 million from the education budget, and eliminated four state agencies and 2,000 government employees. In 2012, Brownback helped replace the few remaining moderate Republicans in the legislature with conservative true-believers. The following January, after signing the largest tax cut in Kansas history, Brownback told The Wall Street Journal, My focus is to create a red-state model that allows the Republican ticket to say, See, weve got a different way, and it works.

The GOPs national leadership agreed: Voters should look to Kansas to see the Republican vision for the nations future. This is exactly the sort of thing we [Republicans] want to do here, in Washington, but cant, at least for now, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said of Brownbacks Kansas. And the supply-side nostrum undergirding the governors economic model  that massive tax cuts for the rich will pay for themselves, via heightened economic growth (provided that you kick the undeserving poor out of their welfare hammocks)  is the same one on which all of Paul Ryans celebrated budgets are based.

Of course, the GOPs different way didnt work. Instead of providing national Republicans with a winning advertisement for fiscal conservatism, it provided Kansass government with giant revenue shortfalls, its economy with weaker job growth than in neighboring states, and Brownback himself with one of the lowest approval ratings of any governor in America. For decades now, Republicans have been asking voters to trade pieces of their social safety net for stronger economic growth. Kansas took them up on it: The state government was able to throw more than 1,000 disabled Kansans off Medicaid, cut millions from the states university system, and, in some of its districts, shorten the K-through-12 school year.

Here is their reward.

No state economy has done worse over the last 5 years than right-wing paradise Kansas. https://t.co/rWPjwqo17r pic.twitter.com/3AYsgQHMqZ  Bruce Bartlett (@BruceBartlett) October 26, 2016

So to say that Kansas didnt swing against the GOP because of Trump, but, rather, because of Brownback, is to say that red America isnt souring on one particular Republican  its souring on the partys entire economic philosophy.

Last year, the Republican Party nominated a man who campaigned on a promise to deliver universal health care, preserve Social Security and Medicare, and intervene in the free market to protect American jobs. Last month, Republicans in the Kansas legislature passed a bill to expand Medicaid in their state.

President Trump has never been popular. But his approval rating began sliding in early March, right after Ryan unveiled his plan to finance a large tax cut for the rich by throwing millions of low-income people off their health insurance  an idea that enjoyed the backing of 17 percent of the electorate.

Turns out Tea Party voters want more government healthcare spending, yet support Ryan's healthcare bill. Go figure. https://t.co/y77gXZHn6j pic.twitter.com/VT7W2FqDPC  Guy Kawasaki (@GuyKawasaki) March 23, 2017

Path to Trump's base?



Trump should NOT lower taxes on the wealthy 



College whites: 74%

Non-college whites: 69%https://t.co/wPGAFETKBM pic.twitter.com/FWbVGxldRt  Will Jordan (@williamjordann) March 8, 2017

These are not coincidences. They are testaments to the GOPs fundamental weakness, the one they compensate for using gerrymandered districts, voting restrictions, fraudulent promises, defamatory conspiracy theories, and increasingly garish appeals to white racial resentment: Republican voters no longer want to buy what misanthropic billionaires pay their leaders to sell them. Not even in the Koch brothers backyard.
U.S. secretary of State Rex Tillerson with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. Photo: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images

After a day of meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin and foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, U.S. secretary of State Rex Tillerson painted a grim picture of relations between Washington and Moscow.

There is a low level of trust between our countries, Tillerson said at a joint press conference with Lavrov. The worlds two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship.

Tillerson met with Lavrov first Wednesday morning before both men joined Putin at the Kremlin for a two-hour sit-down. The meeting with Putin was something of a surprise after Russian officials previously said it was unlikely to happen. The last-minute scheduling has been interpreted by some as a power move on Putins part. Topics covered in the meeting included the war in Syria, the increasingly unstable situation in North Korea and Russias role in Ukraine.

In a press conference after the meetings Tillerson and Lavrov made it clear that they rarely found themselves on the same page behind closed doors. The most significant disagreement came on the issue of the recent chemical attack in Syrias Idlib province. Tillerson said again that the U.S. believes Syrian president Bashar al-Assad was behind the attacks, while Lavrov continued to bemoan the lack of evidence that Assad was involved.

Tillerson did say something on the issue that must have pleased Moscow though. We have no firm information to indicate there was any involvement by Russia, Russian forces, into this attack, he said. That contradicts previous reports that say Russia knew about the attack and tried to cover it up.

Tillerson and Lavrov did manage to find a few opportunities to come together. For one, they agreed to create a working group to ease tensions between the nations. They also agreed to work toward a unified, stable Syria, Tillerson said. During the press conference, Lavrov said they also reached an agreement to set up an international investigation into the sarin gas attack in Syria. Tillersons spokesman later disputed this though, telling the AP no agreement was reached.

Wednesdays meetings came after an icy reception for Tillerson upon his arrival in Moscow. Before the meetings, Lavrov warned the United States against carrying out an air strike on Syria similar to the one launched last week. Lavrov called the strike a an unlawful attack against Syria and added that Russia considers it fundamentally important not to let these actions happen again.

Lavrov didnt limit his criticism of the U.S. to the cruise-missile strike on the Syrian airfield: He knocked the entire foreign-policy message coming out of Washington, D.C., saying Russia has a lot of questions regarding the very ambiguous and contradictory ideas on a whole range of bilateral and international issues. He even pointed out that all the vacancies in the U.S. State Department make it difficult to tell whats going on in the U.S. capital.
International Man of Mystery Rex Tillerson. Photo: VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images

Last weeks strike against the Assad regime has left the world with geopolitical whiplash on the state of the U.S.-Russia relationship, as the New York Times put it. Even with allegations swirling about his campaigns ties to Russia, in the early weeks of his administration President Trump seemed willing to overlook Russias annexation of Crimea and defended President Vladimir Putin, saying, There are a lot of killers. You think our countrys so innocent?

Now the White House has accused Russia of helping the Syrian government cover up last weeks chemical-weapons attack, and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has warned Russia that it should reconsider allying itself with the Assad regime, the Iranians, and Hezbollah.

Its been hard to get a clear picture of the Trump administrations policy on Syria or Russia, and during a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of Seven on Tuesday in Lucca, Italy, Tillerson created even more confusion.

Why should U.S. taxpayers be interested in Ukraine? Tillerson asked the diplomats while discussing Russias invasion and annexation of Crimea, according to Bloomberg.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault described the offhand remark to reporters, saying he told Tillerson that Americans should want a European Union that is strong politically, strong from a security point of view, and strong economically.

This revived concerns that the U.S. might ease sanctions on Russia, despite all the tough talk in recent days. That would be a bizarre reversal, since two weeks ago the Trump administration explicitly ruled out lifting Russian sanctions  in a statement from Tillerson.

We do not, and will not, accept Russian efforts to change the borders of territory of Ukraine, Tillerson said at a NATO meeting in Brussels. The United States sanctions will remain until Moscow reverses the actions that triggered our sanctions.

Apparently the question is just the latest example of Tillerson not understanding the weight of every remark made by the secretary of State. Trumps State Department could have released a statement explaining that the United States stance on Russian sanctions has not changed, but it seems theyve challenged themselves to conduct foreign policy in as few words as possible. This is all a spokesman had to say when asked what Tillerson was getting at: rhetorical device.
Not just a beautiful cake, but a huge cake. Photo: FOX Business Network

President Trump was enjoying the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen when he ordered the air strike on a Syrian airfield last week. Moments later, he told Chinese president Xi Jinping  who was digging into some cake of his own  about the strike, he told Fox Business Networks Maria Bartiromo in an interview that provided plenty of bizarre moments.

Here are 150 seconds of his chat with Bartiromo, which gets weird at least five times.

First, at 0:30, theres Trumps childlike description of the cake he and Xi were eating when he ordered the strike. Not only was it beautiful, but it was big, as he helpfully indicates with his hands.

Then, at 1:04, Trump says its unbelievable that all of the missiles hit, which isnt so much unbelievable as it is inevitable. There has yet to be a missile launched into the air that didnt hit something. Of course, Trump likely means that all of the missiles hit their targets, but thats not true either. According to General Joseph Votel, who commands U.S. forces in the Middle East, only 57 of 59 targets were hit.

At 1:09, Bartiromo makes sure she looks silly in this interview, too, by gawking at the fact that the missiles were unmanned, which isnt exactly unique.

A second later, Trump begins heaping praise on the military and all of its incredible, brilliant technology. But at 1:23, he remembers hes supposed to think the military is depleted. So he says that, too.

The cake part might be the tastiest morsel of this video, but at 1:34, Trump delivers the most disconcerting bit when he says he told Xi that the U.S. just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq. Bartiromo corrects him, Heading to Syria. Trump probably just misspoke here. He probably had Iraq on the mind, after bringing up the Iraq War so he could bash Obama. But not everyone is going with such a generous reading.
Photo: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

If you know anything about human beings, it wont surprise you that shortly after a video of Kentucky doctor David Dao being dragged off a United Airlines flight went viral, people began looking for excuses to blame Dao himself for what had happened  despite his having appeared to incur a serious gash on his head or face, simply because he didnt want to give up a seat he had paid for. I first saw this manifest as a bunch of random tweets, but by yesterday, the Louisville Courier-Journal was digging deeply into Daos troubled past, seemingly in an attempt to explain what had happened to him  and much of the internet reacted in disgust.

Now, its worth pointing out that we still dont know the entire story about what happened on the plane, and people shouldnt be criticized for wanting more details and context. But whenever an incident like this happens, and the inevitable (s)he-had-it-coming backlash forms, its helpful to keep one psychological concept in mind: the just-world hypothesis.

The basic idea is simply that people tend to get what they have coming to them, in some sort of general moral sense. Reasonable people can differ on the extent to which this is the case, of course; the problem arises when people fall for the associated just-world fallacy, in which they attempt to explain terrible events by suggesting the victim must have done something to deserve their fate  despite lack of evidence and the fact that bad things happen to people randomly and for no reason, or as the result of human malevolence, all the time.

Over the years, psychologists have done some really interesting research isolating this form of bias, as a Santa Clara University page explains:

Melvin Lerner, a social psychologist, has conducted a series of experiments to test this hypothesis. In an impressive body of research, he documents peoples eagerness to convince themselves that beneficiaries deserve their benefits and victims their suffering. In a 1965 study, Lerner reported that subjects who were told that a fellow student had won a cash prize in a lottery tended to believe that the student worked harder than another student who lost the lottery. In another study a year later, Lerner and a colleague videotaped a simulated learning experiment in which it appeared that the participants were subjected to electric shocks. Lerner found that subjects who observed the videotapes tended to form much lower opinions of these victimized participants when there was no possibility of the victim finding relief from the ordeal, or when the victim took on the role of martyr by voluntarily remaining in the experiment despite the apparent unpleasantness of the experience. Lerner concluded that the sight of an innocent person suffering without possibility of reward or compensation motivated people to devalue the attractiveness of the victim in order to bring about a more appropriate fit between her fate and her character.

This bias appears to be fairly tightly woven into our thinking, which should make sense to those who study human biases and cognition. Were not big fans of ambiguity, and the statement Terrible things happen to people completely randomly contains embedded within it a particularly potent, barbed form of ambiguity; its more or less an admission that the universe doesnt really care about us  that an awful fate could befall us for no good reason at all. Thats an uncomfortable psychological state to linger in for any length of time, and one way to dispel it is to search for some bigger, clearer way to contextualize an event. Hence: Why was she wearing such a short skirt? And so on.

The Dao incident is interesting, but as the excerpt above suggests, the just-world hypothesis could also have much bigger ramifications. A general human desire to see outcomes as fair could explain a lot of empirically unjustified folk beliefs about wealth and privilege, for example, as well as many political attempts to manipulate people into thinking unfair outcomes are fair. The just-world fallacy certainly casts an interesting light on a lot of talk about makers versus takers, for example.

Of course, calling out the just-world fallacy in an individual case is tricky. People dont always have a great grasp on what is motivating their own reasoning, and its not as though the just-world fallacy  or any other bias  hijacks a persons thinking, Body Snatchersstyle, jerking their opinions in a completely different direction. Biases and heuristics are more complicated than that. Theyre more like tides: Sometimes tides are just a nuisance, nudging you in the direction you dont want to go; sometimes they push you in the direction you want to go anyway; and sometimes, more rarely, they drag you helplessly away from shore. Like tides, biases and fallacies affect different people in different ways at different times. Whats important is to recognize their potential influence  to never forget that cognition really is a roiling ocean, not some placid pond.
Photo: Nicole Franzen

Weekend With is an ongoing Instagram series that features people we like photographing places wed like to be. Follow @thecut on Instagram to join in, and tag your photos with #weekendwith when you travel somewhere new.

Nicole Franzen is an interior, travel, lifestyle, and food photographer based in New York City. Her photos of a recent trip to Mexico City captured all parts of her photography resume.

If I remember correctly, I was walking down the street in the city center with a group of friends and a pal shouted to my attention That is such a Nicole photo! Franzens time in Mexico City was used well, with the opportunity to try food from both street taco vendors and Restaurante Pujol, which was rated one of the best restaurants of last year (her enthusiasm for both was high!).

Franzen also suggests heading to further parts of the city to visit the famous artist Diego Riveras home, where he lived with another famous artist you may have heard of, Frida Kahlo. The Mexican painter and architect Juan OGorman, a personal friend of Diego Rivera, was in charge of the project.
Female Marines. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Just weeks after news broke that the Defense Department was investigating a Facebook group called Marines United for sharing nude photos of active female military members, nearly a hundred female Marines and Marine veterans have written an open letter calling for an end to misogyny in the Marine Corps, the Washington Post reports.

In a letter obtained by the Post, nearly 100 co-signers  ranking as high as colonel  urged their male colleagues to change their behavior. Written by the group Actionable Change, which started as a Facebook group of more than 400 members, the letter claims the Marine Corps has encouraged a culture where women are devalued, demeaned, and their contributions diminished, while brutality and barbarianism are mistaken for strength and ferocity. The letter states:

Yet we respectfully disagree with the notion that to fight and win our countrys battles, we must preserve an institution where men are permitted or even expected to behave like animals, and women trespass at their peril. Particularly if this institution is the United States Marine Corps.

The co-signers explain that the letter is not really about Marines United, though the group certainly served as a catalyst. This is about the fact that many of you knew, and it took a former Marine to say enough. The letter calls out servicemen for making degrading comments about women and treating sexual-assault training as a burden, and asks for Marine Corps members to encourage leadership and no longer embrace bigotry.

The letters authors also address their sisters-in-arms:

We will speak on your behalf. We will ensure your voice is heard. We will resist the idea that women are a threat, or that success as a female Marine can come only at the expense of family and self.

The letter comes one month after reports that members who abandoned the Marines United group are simply posting nude photographs of female Marines and other unidentified women elsewhere. According to the Post, Actionable Change seeks to increase the percentage of female Marine Corps members from around 7 percent to 20 percent, in addition to improving gender integration, making revenge porn illegal in the military, and addressing training problems.
The Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house at UVA. Photo: Jay Paul/Getty Images

Rolling Stone has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a former University of Virginia associate dean, Nicole Eramo, who claimed the magazine defamed her in a now-retracted article about an alleged gang rape on campus, the Washington Post reports.

The lawsuit, concerning a debunked 2014 story called A Rape on Campus, accused the magazine and journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely of painting Eramo as being unsympathetic to campus sexual assault, according to the New York Times. The confidential settlement, announced on Tuesday, comes months after a federal jury in November awarded Eramo $3 million in damages, which both the magazine and Erdely appealed.

We are delighted that this dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault, Libby Locke, one of Eramos attorneys, said in a statement. A spokesperson for Rolling Stones parent company, Wenner Media, called the settlement an amicable resolution.

Eramo, who served as UVAs associate dean of students, sued Rolling Stone and Erdely in May 2015, over her portrayal in their November 2014 cover story, seeking $7.5 million in damages. The administrator was portrayed in the story as indifferent to the narratives victim, Jackie, and of discouraging her from reporting the alleged gang rape at the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house to police. Rolling Stone retracted the story in April 2015, after the Columbia Journalism Review published a 12,000-word report condemning the article as a journalist failure that was avoidable.
Photo: Kazunori Nagashima/Getty Images

An investigation into the joy and pain of fitting in: With this series, were exploring the pathologies, hierarchies, and quirks of female socialization from high school to the workplace and beyond.

In second grade, I experienced a fleeting taste of popularity when my blonde hair earned me a spot as Baby Spice in our grades tribute group. Ruby (names have been changed) pulled my hair into two high pigtails, Grace offered to lend me a belly shirt, and suddenly a whole new world opened up before me. Id go on playdates to practice dance routines with the group and sashay around the lunchroom importantly, talking about whose mom could possibly get us concert tickets. But within a few days, another blonde-haired girl cried to the teacher about feeling left out, and through some murky, but extremely unfair, exercise of power, said teacher ruled that the group was allowed to continue, only with her swapped in for Baby.

I returned to my previous station in life, with the Horse Girls: a group who liked horses (obviously), cared about school, and played with dolls, even if we were a bit old. I knew with utter certainty, however, that Horse Girls dont get Hot Guys. In third grade, Shes All That came out and I too longed for a movie-like makeover. Through a mix of determination, cruelly distancing myself from the other Horse Girls, and what was probably an administrative decision to divide the popular clique, I ended up cool in fourth grade.

Over the next few years I moved in and out of Grace and Rubys orbit. I was close enough to observe their ways, to glean the techniques necessary to pursue Hot Guys  crucial in those pivotal few years when bodies begin to change and boys went from carriers of cooties to potential boyfriends  if not close enough to ever actually feel secure in our friendship.

Later, as our lives diverged further and further, Id sometimes wonder about the girls I once longed to be. And so, almost two decades after their elementary-school reign, I asked Ruby and Grace if theyd be willing to talk about what those years were like from their perspectives. I was curious about whether being supremely cool came with its own pressures (and, of course, I wondered how theyd learned what a blow job was before I did). I hadnt seen Grace in a decade or longer; Id run into Ruby at a bar a few years before. Both wrote me back quickly, agreeing to get on a three-way call  once our favored means for post-school debriefs.

When she answered, Ruby said that another cool girl, Meg, was actually visiting her at that very moment. I couldnt believe it and suggested we add Meg to the call. Oh, shes already on the line, Ruby said breezily. Hi, Alex! Meg added.

I began with a subject at the forefront of my mind in the old days: One of the hardest parts of school always came before even setting foot in the building, when Id stand in front of my well-stocked closet and decide, for the hundredth time, that I had nothing satisfactory to wear. But when I brought up the Malibu shirts, only Meg knew what I was talking about. So I found myself explaining to Ruby and Grace how in fourth grade, each one of them had a T-shirt (baby blue or pale pink) that said Malibu on it in red letters and somehow, these had been deemed the coolest shirts of all time. Back then it seemed almost a coincidence that Ruby and Grace both happened to own them. Sometimes youd lend them out and let another girl wear one for a day, I explained. Do you remember? Vaguely, one said. Yeah, the other said, only vaguely. I felt a bit humiliated, as if Id worshipped them like celebrities, fawning over outfits theyd worn in the pivotal scene of a movie they barely recalled starring in.

Since the Malibu shirts were a dead end, we talked through the larger trends that defined our youth, from Tiffany charm bracelets and Juicy Couture, to So Low fold-over pants and Petit Bateau shirts, to Herve Chapelier bags and Seven jeans. And while many rich girls at many private schools across New York (and the country) were wearing the same things, in our world, they mostly started with Ruby and Grace before trickling down to the rest of us. I was surprised to learn, upon asking, that Ruby and Grace were simply mimicking older girls, from camp, the country club in Long Island they went to, and even from our own school.

We all acted like we were teenagers and we were like 8, Grace said. Even the way in which we approached boys at that point, Ruby added. We had boyfriends in third grade. I had three boyfriends in fourth grade at the same time! But again, they were the ringleaders and seemed, unfairly, first to everything, from going through puberty to buying bras and thongs to grinding at school dances. On our call, they seemed mostly just surprised by their daring.

Both Grace and Ruby had older siblings and thus were more exposed to teenage antics than the rest of us, who mostly caught glimpses of high schoolers in the school lobby. Megs dad worked with the parents of some high schoolers, so there were also older, cooler kids to dote on her. For style tips and social cues, Ruby and Grace were heavily influenced by an eighth-grade girl who took them under her wing when we were in fifth grade. At sleepaway camp, Id always noticed something similar: older girls picking out the cool ones from younger bunks to dote on. As someone who was never picked for this special attention at camp or school, I was wildly jealous, and also certain these friendships were essential to passing on the chain of command.

But while older girls flitted in and out of the cafeteria, mostly we were on our own. As on remote islands where evolution results in strangely distorted flora and fauna, in the isolation of girlhood  where the only opinions that mattered were those of our peers  wed quickly developed unique rituals around courtship. The one I remember most clearly was Lists, which were extremely tiny pieces of paper on which youd write a list of your top crushes, in order of interest. After writing this list, you wouldnt store it in your Password Journal or hide it in a Christina Aguilera CD case; no, youd bring it to school with you every day, tucked somewhere on your person. I can still remember the utter high of the day Meg wore home a boys fitted hat only to remember that earlier in the day hed tucked his list inside the inner fold. The miniature ranking was unfurled with a dramatic flair and read aloud. (My name wasnt on it.)

Ruby and Grace each had their first kiss, at the movies, with two Hot Guys from our grade. As they volleyed back and forth their favorite songs to grind to Hot In Here! No, Peaches and Cream, Oh my god, Peaches and Cream!  I finally asked how exactly theyd learned to grind, which we started to do at school dances around fifth grade. Ruby explained that her older sister played music one day and taught her how. In turn, Ruby and Grace had taught the boys from our school, who then tried it out on the rest of us.

We were the most inappropriate girls, Grace said, And the joke is that I was super promiscuous when I was younger but then I got to eighth grade and for years I was very asexual. I blossomed young and then I just stopped. Ruby said shed experienced something similar  leading us through our experiences with first and second base, urging us to play Truth or Dare and Suck and Blow, then entering high school and avoiding sexual intimacy for a while.

The thought that I may have had sex before either of them had never before occurred to me. I remembered how mortifying it was not to know how to kiss, or to wonder if I could even go to second base when I didnt need to wear a bra. At the time, Ruby and Grace seemed utterly confident  but their later spells of abstinence suggested that maybe Ruby and Grace were responding to discomfort of their own.

Still, I was surprised, during our conversation, by how easy they described those years being. It was just like one big playdate, Grace said. But then I remembered that they actually hadnt done much work, had cheated on tests and turned in assignments late, while I took fastidious notes, studied intensely, and got all As. For sixth grade, Grace transferred to a school that was more academically rigorous and larger, so she lost her position of most-popular while also having the distraction of more school work. Ruby and Meg carried on as incredibly popular and incredibly uninterested in academics; both now say they regret not focusing more on school. Ruby noted a college wake-up call, when fear of failing out drove her to finally focus on school. It took Meg until after college, which she described squandering on partying and having fun, to realize how much education matters.

Hearing that made me feel kind of smug. I had once wished to be more like them, and now, 20 years later, they were wishing that back then theyd been a bit more like me. But I still cant believe how much I gave up and how hard I worked at becoming cool simply because I had a crush on a Hot Guy in third grade. Having the boys approval was, like, everything, Meg said, and so the meaner you were, the more attractive you were. I could almost see her shrugging on the other end of the line.

Im pretty disgusted by the way we treated one another, but Ruby, Grace, and Meg seemed much more willing to chalk it up to typical adolescent behavior. Why we let male attention rule our entire world and why we were so devastatingly mean to each other still confounds me. To them the answer seemed at once utterly obvious and also unremarkable. Because we were immature, Grace said. We didnt know any better, Ruby added. We were young and many girls deal with cliques, but we also did know better. Or, at least, I did. I began to consider that maybe Id been unable to hack it with the cool girls precisely because I couldnt ignore that sickening feeling of knowing better. It seems likely that peak popularity involves pushing that feeling aside, making your position and what it requires feel inevitable rather than a daily choice.

I thought I left the Horse Girls behind when I joined the popular crew, but I carried with me the experience of female friendships sans cruelty. And while I found myself able to be cliquey and cruel in fourth grade, I think those earlier experiences made me less willing to endure endless rounds of it. For better or worse, Ive always responded to authority figures, and teachers disappointment in our behavior got to me in a way that Grace, Ruby, and Meg seemed immune to.

Meg was most candid about the way popularity didnt just fall into anyones lap and, instead, required careful maintenance. It was almost like an evaluation every year, like, who are we gonna let be friends with us? she said, adding, Because its a challenge to get into it so you feel privileged to be a part of it. Grace and Ruby were a bit more skeptical. Ruby pointed out that now one of the Horse Girls is friends with a Cool Boy and she, herself, is friends with a semi-loser from our high school. (They talk twice a week on the phone.) Do you guys ever think that we thought we were cool but maybe it wasnt necessarily like we were the cool girls, it was just like in our minds that was the way it was, but, in actuality, it wasnt really that way? Grace asked, like a former cool girl would.

I knew she was wrong, but in a way Id never be able to convince her of, because she didnt know what it felt like to be kicked out of the Spice Girls group, to desperately hope youd get to borrow the Malibu shirt, to have a Hot Boy grinding against you but to be focusing instead on the girl you knew was doing it right and to try, as hard as you could, to copy her without appearing to. Even now, I wonder, upon reading this, what they will think.
The new J.Crews. Photo: Courtesy of the Vendors

Whats a sensible bride to do now that J.Crews bridal line is no more? Try one of these five reasonably priced gown purveyors.

For the Sexy Bride

Photo: Berkley Vopnfjord/Berkley Vopnfjord

Debut season: Spring 2017

Shown: Templin, $1,750

The dresses: Gaby Bayonas new line, Laudae, is all about gowns that happen to be produced with an eye toward sustainability. Each one is made with limited environmental impact  and has stretch lining for a sleek fit (No bra required!), plus details like plunging necklines and sheer gold lace.

For the Especially Budget-Minded Bride

Debut season: Spring 2016

Shown: Graceful Grandeur maxi-dress, $300

The dresses: Famous for Zooey Deschanelstyle polka dots and Peter Pan collars, the online retailer launched a bridal line when customers kept getting married in its normal white dresses and tagging the brand. The collection goes beyond its usual retro styling, though, with lace and beading.

For the Jazzy Bride

Debut season: Spring 2016

Shown: Hand-beaded cap-sleeve sheath, $1,458

The dresses: The wedding super-shop has offered multiple designer partnerships over the past few years. The latest, Wonder by Jenny Packham, provides her signature vintage-y beadwork at a fraction of her normal prices.

For the Low-Key Greenpoint Bride

Debut season: Spring 2017

Shown: Patsy, $1,870

The dresses: With a fresh degree from Parsons, Lein designer Meredith Stoecklein kicked off her company with a lean collection of six white pieces in breezy, made-for-summer cuts of cotton and linen. Lein even encourages brides to repurpose their Virgin Suicidesesque ensembles for a night out.

For the Less Low-Key Greenpoint Bride

Debut season: Spring 2014

Shown: Persephone, $750

The dresses: The designer, known for explosive patterns in neon colors, expanded into bridal a few years ago with dresses that suit her groovy aesthetic (if not her favorite palette). Her collection features silken braid, fluttery fringe, and silvery seed beads.

*This article appears in the summer 2017 issue of New York Weddings.
Wines of Georgia reveals plans for UK

The National Wine Agency of Georgia has launched a major 2017 UK trade campaign to build on record exports to the UK in 2016.

The agency announced this month that first-quarter exports for 2017 are up by 85% on the same period last year.

The campaign will be focused on raising the profile of Georgian Wines in the UK and expanding distribution in independent on and off-trades.

The countrys National Wine Agency has appointed Sarah Abbott MW and Robert Joseph to lead campaign strategy and trade liaison, while Madeleine Waters -who has previously worked with Abbott on campaigns for Wines of Turkey - will manage trade PR.

Last month Abbott and Joseph ran a two-day workshop in Tbilisi for Georgian Wine Producers, to help them get a good understanding of the UK market. The seminar, which was attended by around 50 wine producers, offered practical, branding and commercial advice.

Annual activities will include participating in the London Wine Fair and the Real Wine Fair in May, as well as dedicated Wines of Georgia tasting in June and masterclasses on Saperavi, Georgias noble and native grape.

Abbott said: Georgia is an incredibly exciting and inspiring wine country to work with. They have a unique wine style in Orange Quevri Wines, and a great offering of conventional wine styles. Georgian national identity is powerfully linked to their wine culture  they are so proud of their wines, history and varieties.

Jospeh added: In the last five years the quality and value of Georgian Wine has developed hugely. Sparkling and rose styles are particularly interesting, and Georgian Wines now has a real proposition to offer all sectors of the UK trade.

Irakli Cholobargia, marketing director of the National Wine Agency, said: We are really pleased to have the combined talents and expertise of Abbott and Joseph working on behalf of Georgian wine. The value of Georgian wine exports to the UK is growing, and with Georgian wine being listed in a growing number of top restaurants, the time is right for us to invest in developing this key market.

Related articles:
who IS this guy



WHERE DID HE EVEN COME FROM

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From his storied tenure as the official White House Easter Bunny.

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Omg I thought this was a sarcastic/humorous comment and then scrolled down. This is insane.

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And apparently the White House forgot until this week they're supposed to have the Easter Egg Roll in less than 7 days.

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The fact that this comment is 100 percent truth...

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A pic of Spicy as the Easter bunny for you.

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This little tidbit explains perfectly why he freaks out so easily during briefings. It's hilariously sad

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I thought this was a joke when I saw it posted on facebook

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In any other administration, Spicy's ass would be out the door.



But in this one, nothing is going to happen to him.

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Everything about this administration is



TruEverything about this administration is

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I heard they were thinking about trying out Omarosa as the next press secretary, or else some Fox host.

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even if he honestly got flustered and misspoke (no) ITS HIS WHOLE GODDAMN JOB *NOT* TO DO THAT

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Ya dun goofed, Shouty Spice.

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Spicer is really making Mike Mcclintock look like he's excellent at his job.

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lmao yep.

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LOL, perfect gif.

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lol

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seriously that moment he was scrambling to put a sentence together? panicking and saying random words? "holocaust centers"????? not even the veep writers could come up with that stuff.

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Lol mte

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Mte wtf

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mte!



i just finished watching veep these past two weeks and it hit me rly hard and gave me flashback to our past election thinking she was gonna win and then bloop

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April Ryan and Ashley Parker's reactions to Spicer KILLED me.

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When her head popped up and looked around checking to see if anyone else caught on... I died.

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omg is their video of this or a gif? i was with a client while this was going on and i missed the whole thing.

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Disgusting beyond words. Destroy him. Delete him immediately:

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lmao this gif...best part of that movie tho.

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Who is that in your avatar?

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Lol my dad quotes this all the time

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Wow surprised to see A Time To Kill GIF on here. <3

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iconic & ia

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Like he already isn't in the middle of one

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Fuck a breakdown, these clowns deserve strokes or worse lbr.

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You're not wrong. I'm surprised no one has kicked the bucket yet.

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If it doesn't happen naturally and soon I hope a Huck like person visits them at night and does all of us a favourite.

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I think we're currently witnessing that

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If "(Hitler Gassed Millions)" is in a fact-check chyron under your face, you aren't having a great day. pic.twitter.com/eGsY6I7g3v  Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) 11. April 2017



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omfg i'm loling but also what the fuck

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I'm laughing but I'm simultaneously stunned that this is a thing that happened and that it won't have a real impact on Spicy

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In this WH this will be forgotten by Thursday.

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this is like beyond parody at this point holy shit.

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lmao i was just watching this on tv, i almost died at that "(hitler gassed millions)"



you don't say

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Hitler gassed millions...

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the brackets are destroying me lmao i fucking hate this entire year

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The sad thing is this will probably blow over by tomorrow which shows how terribly numb America has become to this presidency. It's horrible.

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Most Americans have lost their ability to be shocked, they have also lost their ability to care.

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Holocaust Center

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honestly i just...how does one's mind even go to this

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i gasped

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Like it was some fucking day spa or something.

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I'm done

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I thought to myself "This screams of Spicer parroting Bannon-speak," trying to make it sound less awful than it was, until I realized Bannon is probably a denier :/

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Like a community center but hundred percent more geared towards torture and death.

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lol irl

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I was both Ashley and April here lmao

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Lol she's like, IS ANYONE ELSE HEARING THIS SHIT RN?

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Those two brunette women in front of her having two COMPLETELY different reactions is giving me life.

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O M G naksizijansmdkdks APRILS REACTION

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omg the way her head pops up like that



and then the other woman's eyebrow expressions lmfao

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haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahah aha

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Lmao

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I love April Ryan.

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She's like, "Did that bitch really say what I thought he said?!"

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April was definitely me when I heard this. Much <3

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I have never seen someone so clearly trying to hold herself back from yelling out "What the fuck?!"

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Lmmfao, like, he really tried that!!!!

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lmfao i am dead

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Imagine putting Rick on this list when Daryl and Negan exist.



Also it'll probably annoy me for the rest of my life how every single Gossip Girl character will get put on lists like these EXACT for the rapist. Figures.

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exactly what I came in here to comment.



He's a horrible leader, and compared to the other people on the show he's really bland. Yeah, because everyone else is a cartoon character. I've been annoyed by Rick's choices, but the first episode I ever hated was the first one that Rick wasn't in.



I never finished Gossip Girl but I still hate to this day how Chuck is never bashed. His character was so gross.

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ONTD is a Chuck-bashing zone. let your loathing flow.

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It kills me how even to this day everyone puts "relationship goals" for Chuck and Blair when he was an ugly-ass character. Enough, let's stop pretending like he was good lol.

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I've stopped watching TWD, but I didn't think Rick was bland? Idk if it was the writing more than it was Andrew's acting, but he's one of the few I didn't get sick of watching.

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Negan deserves to me on this list more than Rick does for sure.

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I mean I hate Rick but agree that Negan is way worse



Daryl is better than Rick

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It's like when people love Tate from AHS: Murder House, he was a 'tortured soul' with fluffy hair so people forget how awful he was.

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My friend ships Blair/Chuck and I judge her so hard for it. Not openly, but like quietly, to myself. It makes me question her sanity.

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Rick is one of the few male leads I can stand.

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srsly rick is the best ??

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I mean he's one of the only guys on the show I can stand so why is he on this list?

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mte. negan is so annoying and daryl is super boring as of late. i also hate eugene now.

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I love Rick. I don't hate Daryl that much, but he is overrated.

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The fact that Rick even made this list is crazy. But I guess being a bad leader and bland is not as bad as being a rapist



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I came in to see if he was on the list. Piece of shit.

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I'm still upset over the finale

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I still can't believe there are people who still don't believe he raped anyone and are in denial. It's fine if you like the character, and all the characters on TVD are horrible and murderers anyway. The fact that the show never said he raped anyone and Caroline only said that he abused her has always just rubbed me the wrong way. I have no problem with the characters being problematic on a show like that, but they need to deal with it in the narrative and call them out on it.



Katherine is also a rapist and they never stated that in the dialogue either, they just showed that she raped Stefan in a flashback. I can acknowledge that about her character and still like her character.

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He killed Elena's brother in a jealous rage. Ever since that I can't imagine shipping the two.

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I really thought that should be a deal breaker, for a while at least until Damon knew he was wrong and decided he needed to fix himself, but she got over it in like 2 episodes. I always had issues with Elena because I couldn't understand her decisions and choices, but then she became so much worse later on that I suddenly started to appreciate Elena in the first couple seasons a lot more.

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yes! thank you so much. i've been using the "but he killed elena's brother" argument ever since the moment happened. he had no clue jeremy was not actually dead.

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The amount of pushback you got most places if you ever happened to mention that what Damon did to Caroline was in fact rape, was just insane. People just did not want to hear it. And it was pretty clear that the writers themselves didn't really understand that it was rape either, which was a big part of the problem, because he was never treated as a rapist, just a hot, misunderstood 'bad' guy. And if it was ever pointed out to them, they clearly didn't agree or failed to understand what consent is, because they pulled that same shit with Damon and other female characters in later seasons.

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What really pisses me off - to this day - is how they later had Caroline explicitly acknowledge that he had abused her and Elena's response was slut shaming Caroline. Besides how OOC that was for Elena... really? And there was never any real acknowledgement of how wrong what Elena said was or why it was wrong. Because that would mean acknowledging the rightness of what she'd said.

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and not only did damon rape caroline, he sexually harassed elena for years until the writers created a sire bond to get them together. he is a terrible, disgusting character and the ship is a terrible, disgusting monstrosity of a ship

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Yes but remember he was nice to Elena and always there for her. So it's okay.

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Fitzgerald Grant and his etch-a-sketch eyebrows remain squarely at the top of my list

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You could play beer pong with those eye sockets, lordy

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100% this

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He really is the worst. I'm usually pretty good with suspension is disbelief but I had to stop watching after just a couple seasons because I could NOT believe that anyone could see anything in him as a politician or a romantic partner.

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lmao I came into this post specifically to make sure someone mentioned him

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I came here to mention him. I stopped watching scandal because I could not stand this man.

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Same tbh, I hate him, I was neutral to him on S1 because the show was actually good, but then I hated him, specially because how he treated Mellie and because he was so entitled to Liv, I still don't know why so many people caped hard for him tbh

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too lazy to look but fitzgerald grant's ass better be on here



nevermind i looked and he wasn't. blasphemy.



Edited at 2017-04-12 10:49 pm (UTC)

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wow, this is such a good post. why haven't we had one of these sooner?



jack from LOST is accounted for so i'm at peace. scratch that - add locke to this please



Edited at 2017-04-12 10:48 pm (UTC)

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Real Locke or smoke monster!Locke?



DON'T TELL HIM WHAT HE CAN'T DO OKAY

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AGREED, Locke is fucking awful. I mean, Terry O'Quinn is a gift, but all versions of Locke can suck it.

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Sawyer was worst than the both of them.

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I liked Locke at first but then he became so fucking irritating around season 3

Ben is the worst though, I hate how many fans he has

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Little finger from got. I started rewatching the entire series and it pisses me off that he put poor Sansa in the hands of a Bolton. Also I completely believe the theory that he caused Roberts rebellion

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ugh he is the worst

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I could buy that Baelish told people Lyanna had been "kidnapped" when he knew she hadn't or somehow stopped her "I ran way" note from getting to her family, but even if he did, everyone was still fucked. Aerys was still insane, Rhaegar still believed he needed to make Baby Jesus with a teenager, all the Starks not named Ned were still dumbasses. Lyanna was basically property from Rickard and Brandon's pov. It wouldn't have mattered to them if they knew she chose to run off.

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I really enjoyed Littlefinger as a villain in the books (like, obviously he's terrible, but he's compelling & unpredictable) but they made him SO over-the-top sleazy and mustache-twirly in the show that it took away half the point of the character - like, what sort of dumbass would EVER trust show!Littlefinger lol

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ross





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He was so damn insecure it was pathetic. Not like he was the manliness man around anyway. Even between the other two guys he hung out with.

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Ross is such a shitty person, but damn if he doesn't have all the funniest moments.

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My mom maintains he's the best character because so much of the comedy is played off of him being The Worst.

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lol yeah. I hated him but "MY SANDWIIIIIIICH" always gets me

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He really did have the best moments on the show.

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he's so hateful but my sandwich/unagui/the armandillo episode are sf great

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to be fair tho I think he grew up a lot over the course of the series

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Ross was awful but David was hilarious. Even thinking about his Fajitas I'm laughing

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Ross was so annoying.

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i don't care because he is hilarious, tbh

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nope, not when joey was around. i mean both werent shit when it came to women/relationships but atleast ross often got called out by the other friends. joey was just constantly treated like he was a child or oh that's just joey, which annoyed me more.

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IDK why Rachel even dated him. There's nothing appealing about him whatsoever.

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idg why Jack is on this list. Sure he was a lackluster leader but to be named along with the likes of such major dickheads like Ezra, Don, Mr. Big and Danny seems a bit much.

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I see buzzfeed called it a list of annoying male characters which makes more sense

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That makes more sense. Jack isn't half as bad as the other guys on this post.

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Jack's here for the excessive manpain and unending flow of Jears

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Because he's awful and the least interesting character of that entire show.

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danny i understand because he tried to force mindy to stay at home when she clearly didn't.

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ita like anyone else throughout most of the series i hated jack but by the end i was just like jesus @ his whole meaningless existence

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Because he was annoying and imo badly written

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I always feel like the lone Jack fan on ontd.

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negan with his endless speeches

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Fitz Grant and Peter Florrick

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Peter Florrick sucked so much. Chris Noth is really good at playing horrible men.

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All of them!

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Mte

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Your icon. <333 The LOTR cast are truly the best.

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They truly are

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Glaring omission: Dawson Leery

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Even after all these years, Dawson is still The Worst.

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I'm rewatching Dawson's Creek rn and I want to tear my hair out.............he is objectively a complete and utter loser.

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I cannot stand Dawson

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Currently rewatching Dawson and he was the worst for real. When I thought he wasn't so bad in S4, he goes and asks Joey if she slept with Pacey. Ughhh mind your business, tool!

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Ugh yes. Joey was just as bad but in a different way. They were meant for each other.

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mte

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I liked her when she was unreasonably angry all S1, and then as a foil for Pacey banter thereafter, but that's it. She started out spunky, then became totally spineless and insufferable pretty early on, then briefly recuperated in S3, but then went right back to being a doormat for the rest of the run. Easily the worst character arc on the show.

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I can't get through season 3 without RAGING at Dawson. He's the WORST

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Seriously. I hated him so much.

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yes. such an overblown sense of importance

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idg why chuck bass, actual rapist, isn't on this list

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Ugh I starting watching Gossip Girl last year at the same time as my friend, and she was so in love with Chuck and I was just like ????? He attempted to rape Jenny when she was only 15, majorly took advantage of her a few years later (although, was she even 18 then?), and emotionally AND physically abused Blair. But yeah omg so sexy!!!!!

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how about the time he traded Blair for a hotel and gave her to his uncle as a sex slave, and then blamed her for it because she chose to go see him, not knowing that he manipulated the entire thing.

then he tried to ruin her sabotage her relationship with a prince and humiliated her in front of his family, and then hit a glass window right next to her?

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I hated Chuck so much.

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Came here to say that Chuck is probably one of the worst characters of all time.

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Wow he's not?! List invalid then. He was so awful.

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Chick was legit the worst and I question the sanity of anyone who wanted Blair to end up with him.

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OH MY GOD I HATED NATE SO MUCH TOO



never trust a man who liked Nate, they're the person you never want to date

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lol the whole Quaker storyline with that turtle Maggie. unbearable

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Nate was so terrible.

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YESSSSS god he was terrible from the pilot on

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YES. David was the superior Fisher brother.

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I hate that I liked him because he was ~the worsssst~

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This gif makes me want to punch him in the face.

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YAAAAAAAS

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i was so glad when he died.

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I fucking H A T E him. I was so happy when he died.

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SAAAAME tbh





/super late reply

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They ruined him. Loved him so much in the first 2 seasons and then everything he did upset me. I still felt sad when he died though because it felt so sudden and I felt terribly for Claire, David, and Ruth.

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lmao I was so attracted to him in the early seasons but he really is the worst.

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If Venezuela defaults on its debt obligations, it could result in Russia taking control over U.S. refining assets, leading to more Russian control over oil and gas prices worldwide, which would inhibit U.S. energy security, and undermine broader U.S. geopolitical efforts.

That is the warning from two members of Congress, Reps. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) and Albio Sires (D-NJ). The two Congressmen sent a joint letter to the U.S. Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin, requesting his attention on the matter. A bipartisan group of six U.S. Senators also requested a response from Secretary Mnuchin on the matter.

They cite the fact that Russias government-backed oil company, Rosneft, gave Venezuelas state-owned oil company, PDVSA, a $1.5 billion loan. As collateral, PDVSA offered up 49.9 percent of Citgo, a subsidiary of the Venezuelan oil company. Citgo owns three refineries in the U.S., along with pipelines and retail gas stations.

The Congressmen are worried that if PDVSA defaults, Rosneft will seize the U.S.-based refineries. The Russian government could readily become the second-largest foreign owner of U.S. domestic refinery capacity, which would be to the detriment of U.S. interests, the Congressmen wrote. [W]e remain deeply concerned over the implications for U.S. national security.

The concerns are rather odd. What exactly would the Russians do with the three refineries? The Congressmen seem to be suggesting that somehow Rosneft would conspire to restrict gasoline production to drive up prices in an effort to somehow weaken U.S. national security or the American economy. Related: Is The Oil Price Rally Running Out Of Steam?

This is silly. While Rosneft is state-owned, it is also a company that would rather not lose a ton of money. Even if Rosneft somehow gained control of Citgos refineries, restricting gasoline production might provide some discomfort for U.S. motorists in the region, but it would be financially ruinous to the Rosneft-controlled refineries. "The Russians can't hold the U.S. hostage," John LaForge, head of Real Assets strategy at Wells Fargo, told CNN. The three refineries are also a drop in the bucket as far as U.S. gasoline production is concerned. "Other refineries would love to pick up the slack, LaForge added. Undoubtedly, Rosneft would rather operate the refineries just like anybody else, which is to say, selling gasoline in order to make money. Russian control of Citgos refineries would not threaten U.S. national security.

It is hard not to conclude that the Congressmen are engaging in a bit of bluster and Russia fear-mongering, not coincidentally at a time when U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow and U.S.-Russian relations are deteriorating. So, there isnt much to see here.

While this ongoing development is rather trivial to U.S. interests, the stakes could not be higher for Venezuela.

The country is in the midst of a multi-year economic meltdown, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Related: Why Breakeven Prices Are Plunging Across The Oil Industry

PDVSA has a $2.5 billion debt payment due this week, and at the time of this writing, it appears that the company will be able to meet that obligation. The state also has nearly $500 million in sovereign debt payments falling due. Cash is running out, but the Venezuelan government, for better or worse, has prioritized meeting bond payments at all costs.

The state has roughly $10 billion left in cash reserves before this weeks payment (although some of that is reportedly not in cash, but in gold), and billions more in coupon payments to meet later this year. A default this week doesnt appear likely. But it is not a given that Venezuela makes it through 2017 without a default, a missed debt payment, or some sort of debt restructuring.

According to the credit-default swap market, investors are pegging the odds of a Venezuelan default within the next six months at 41 percent, a jump from just 34 percent in March.

And, as the two U.S. Congressmen worried about the situation wrote in their letter, the states and PDVSAs assets are indeed on the line. The immediate spark to the latest political crisis was the governments negotiations with Rosneft to offer them a stake in Venezuelan oil fields. Last month, when the Congress objected, the Supreme Court  which is controlled by the ruling party  tried to neuter the legislature. That resulted in the mass protests that are still unfolding. The Venezuelan government is desperate to sell off some oil assets in order to raise cash.

The situation in Venezuela is dire, and deserves U.S.  and global  attention. But Russian control of U.S. refineries is hardly the main story here.

By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com

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ExxonMobil last week announced its third successful oil find offshore Guyana  the tiny Latin American country squeezed between Venezuela and Suriname. The Snoek discovery follows hitting oil-bearing rock in the Liza-1 well and the Payara-1 well, where Exxon struck oil at the beginning of this year.

The three finds together have led analysts to estimate the total reserves held in Exxons Starbroek block at between 1.4 and 2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, which Exxon is developing in partnership with Hess and Chinas Nexen.

First commercial oil will probably start flowing in 2020, from a floating production storage and offloading vessel, to be later joined by a second one and later by a third one, if all goes well. According to Wood Mackenzie, by the mid-2020s daily output from the Starbroek block could reach 450,000 barrelsa pretty respectable figure that is bound to attract the attention of other oil players.

Exxon is not the only one in Guyana: Tullow Oil and Eco Atlantic are exploring the potential of a neighboring block, Orinduik, which was initially estimated to hold some 700 million barrels of oil equivalent when exploration started last year but the companies later revised reserves to as much as 900 million barrels.

Eco Atlantics chief executive said that the company has been approached several times by companies offering to buy its stake in the Orinduik block. Noting they were big names, Gil Holzman added that Eco had declined the offers. Instead, the company plans to push the launch of drilling at Orinduik forward to 2018, three years ahead of schedule, in case international oil prices stay where they are now. Related: Is The Oil Price Rally Running Out Of Steam?

Now, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the oil and gas reserves in the Guyana-Suriname Basin at 2.79 billion barrels of crude, at 95 percent certainty. This means Exxon and Eco Atlantic/Tullow have it pretty much covered. At 50 percent certainty, reserves in the basin could be 13.937 billion barrels of oil, expanding the playing field considerably. Gas reserves are seen at between 7.035 trillion cu ft (95 percent chance) and 36.802 trillion cu ft (50 percent certainty).

Exxons chief of exploration, Steve Greenlee says the basins geology is technically complex, which normally translates into expensive, but the companys CEO Darren Woods said at an investor presentation that the first phase of development of the Starbroek block, with daily output planned at 100,000-120,000 bpd will have a breakeven cost of $40 a barrel.

Thats comfortably lower than current oil prices and could fall further as Exxon and the other explorers in Guyana get themselves familiarized with the local geology. Exxon is now planning a fourth well, in another sector of the Starbroek block as well as the launch of exploration at another block, Kaieteur, for which it won a license this February.

The very fact that a company the size of Exxon is focusing so much on tiny Guyana should be telling enough. Just one of four wells drilled so far in its acreage has turned out dry, which could be seen as pretty good odds there is indeed quite a lot of oil in Guyanas sector of the continental shelf.

It seems the industry is already taking note: Eco Atlantics CEO told NewsBase that Guyana recently held an oil and gas conference that saw more than 300 industry executives attend. It might be time for energy companies to try and get a piece of the Guyana pie before prices fly up, which is bound to happen  look at the Permian.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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In recent years, U.S. shale has thrown in another unknown in the mix of factors driving the price of oil. This year, shale output forecasts combine with OPECs production cuts, geopolitical factors, and unexpected outages to further complicate supply/demand and oil price forecasts by Wall Streets major investment banks.

The biggest banks remain bullish on oil prices, expecting moderate price gains by the end of the year, even after last month WTI prices dropped below $50 for a couple of weeks.

But analyst projections about oil global supply and demand are increasingly diverging, because expectations of the combined effects of OPECs cuts, U.S. shale production, new oil discoveries, and new project start-ups also differ a lot.

Goldman Sachs, for example, expects a material oversupply in 2018-2019, due to the increase in mega projects production in 2017-19 as a result of the record spending in those projects between 2011 and 2013. Short-cycle shale output will also add to the glut, says Goldman, projecting an additional 1 million bpd to global supply by 2018-2019 coming from the mega projects sanctioned before the oil price crash and from U.S. shale output.

Morgan Stanley, however, begs to differ, and has recently said that by 2020, we estimate that [around] 1.5 million bpd of demand will need to come from projects that have not been sanctioned yet, but that have break-even oil prices of $70-75 a barrel.

UBS, for its part, expects a 4-million-bpd supply gap by 2020.

Beyond 2017, the impact of a collapse in longer-cycle conventional investment over 2014-16 begins to be felt. 2015 saw just six major upstream projects totaling [some] 0.6 million bpd ... versus the 3-4 million bpd average, and 2016 has seen just one major liquids project sanctioned, UBS strategist Jon Rigby told Reuters.

Analysts and industry bodies warn of a supply crunch, especially after 2020, when the effect of the significantly lowered investments in conventional projects during the downturn will show. The International Energy Agency (IEA) sees a shortage in oil supply after 2020, unless new projects are approved soon. According to the IEA, supply could lag demand in a few years, which could lead to a surge in oil prices. Related: Is The Oil Price Rally Running Out Of Steam?

In the next few years, oil supply is growing in the United States, Canada, Brazil and elsewhere but this growth could stall by 2020 if the record two-year investment slump of 2015 and 2016 is not reversed. While investments in the US shale play are picking up strongly, early indications of global spending for 2017 are not encouraging, the IEA said in a report last month.

According to Wood Mackenzie, although projects around the world slated for final investment decisions (FIDs) will double this year compared with 2016, and prospects for 2017 are largely looking good, the longer-term deepwater pipeline is more challenged.

The oil price slump has not only deferred some investment decisions, it has also forced companies to scale back exploration spending for conventional oil.

Last year, total global discovered volumes of oil and gas combined hit their lowest since the 1940s, according to Rystad Energy. The Oslo-based consultancy sees exploration activity slowly picking up from 2018.

Although last years low discovery volumes wont have an immediate effect on global supply, they could influence supply a decade or so into the future because of the long lead-time in sanctioning conventional oil developments and actual production start-ups.

Meanwhile, short-cycle U.S. shale is now more flexible in scaling back or resuming production, depending on the price of oil and well economics. This adds another conundrum for investment banks in predicting oil prices - how fast U.S. supply could grow and how many barrels it could add on the global oil market.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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From Qatar, with love

Qatars engagement with Russia didnt begin with the Qatar Investment Authoritys (QIA) involvement in the privatization of 19.5 percent of Rosnefts shares. As far back as 2011, Qatar signaled interest in acquiring stakes in and partnering with independent gas producer Novatek. Last June, Novatek looked to market its future LNG production from its Yamal project with a Qatari firm. On February 20, Russian Ambassador to Qatar, Nurmakhmad Kholov, announced that Qatar was investing $2 billion into Novatek projects and QIA remains interested in acquiring stakes of a joint venture partially owned by Novatek.

Qatargas and Rasgas, Qatars oil and gas firms, want a greater share of the European market. To do so, they must compete with Gazproms pipelines and decades-old trading relationships largely built on long-term contracts indexed to oil prices. Gazproms contract prices are trending upwards as the oil market tightens slightly, likely creating an opening for more LNG sales come summer. Dependent markets like the Baltics or Bulgaria are already headed towards hub-trading status, a development that will add transparency to pricing and further strengthen spot trading. But Qatars play with Novatek is less about European market share and more about its ability to set prices in the future and challenging Gazprom on its home turf in Russia.

It was little surprise Novatek applied to prequalify for oil and gas exploration at Qatars North Dome gas field with the recent decision to lift a 12-year moratorium on further development. Qatars decision came in response to renewed Iranian development of its portion of the field and uncertainty about future market conditions for LNG supply and demand. Qatars North Dome field, Qatari capital, and its technical expertise are useful for Novatek as it seeks to claim a greater role in Russias natural gas exports and energy security strategy. Though Novatek is barred from developing offshore LNG projects in Russia, no legal prohibition stands in the way in doing so abroad.

Shifting sands for Gazprom

Novatek has become the primary driver of Russias LNG ambitions, a leader in localizing production of relevant technologies and gear, and a bridge to bettering energy security ties with China. Much of Novateks success hangs on the fact that the gas reserves for Yamal LNG are onshore, making Yamal LNG cost competitive against projects affected by low oil prices. Oxford Energy Institute analyst, James Henderson, projects a possible scenario in which Yamal LNG produces more than 20 mtpa annually by 2025. That figure rises to a prospective 60 mtpa by 2035 in the most optimistic scenario. Gazprom is not on pace to match that production with its expansion of Sakhalin-2 LNG and priorities elsewhere, as financial resources are poured into Nordstream 2, Turkstream, and the Power of Siberia pipelines. Related: Oil Prices Slip Despite Draw In Crude, Gasoline Inventories

The Kremlin is not looking to Gazprom to realize its LNG vision driven by Arctic projects. The decision, in part, reflects a need to foster new partnerships with Chinese companies and funds. Leonid Mikhelson, CEO of Novatek, owns a majority share of Sibur, a downstream petrochemical firm part of various industrial projects associated with the Eastern Gas Program and Russias ongoing pipeline diplomacy with China. Chinas Silk Road Fund owns 9.9 percent equity of the Yamal LNG project and 10 percent of Sibur. Mikhelson also closed a sale of a 20 percent stake in Yamal LNG to Chinas CNPC, Gazproms counterpart for pipeline negotiations. Rosneft has also sold upstream gas assets and signed other agreements with Chinese gas firms or consortiums to undermine Gazproms negotiating position.

China has also undermined Gazprom by purchasing volumes from Turkmenistan at roughly $185 per 1,000 cubic meters, a little over half of the $350 estimate provided when CNPC and Gazprom reached their historic 2014 supply deal. The cancellation of Line D, the fourth proposed trunk line running from Turkmenistan to Xinjiang, highlights the lack of urgency CNPC feels regarding supply. Chinas LNG imports in February were up 28.5 percent year-on-year and are primed to continue growing as Chinas coal substitution policy evolves, with little urgency to expanding pipeline coverage.

Japan, South Korea, and China account for 55.54 percent of global LNG consumption and are now in talks to form a buyers consortium, a move that will likely reduce prices and aid the formation of LNG trade hubs in East Asia that can end contractual practices like destination clauses. Japan is particularly over-contracted and is seeking to resell volumes it doesnt consume. None of this is good news for Gazprom, which now needs revenue from China to maintain its profitability. Additionally, greater flexibility on LNG markets in Asia will ultimately affect European markets as long as production outpaces demand and oil doesnt rise too much in price. Though rising international LNG production affects Qatars ability to profit from exports, its low production costs make it the most competitive producer in a market of abundance.

Novatek pressures Gazprom

Just as Gazprom has stumbled with CNPC, it too has been losing domestic market share for years now. For 2016, Non-Gazprom producers accounted for about 35.5 percent of natural gas projection, all of which was sold domestically. Novatek and Rosneft are the two most important firms competing for market share, but Rosneft has placed greater emphasis on supplying gas to domestic consumers. Whereas Gazprom is forced to subsidize prices for remote regions, other firms can choose their customers and use market prices. For now, Gazprom has a tight grip on pipeline exports and control of domestic pipelines but Novatek is less interested in pipeline exports. Its targeted supply deals for electricity generation with firms like Inter RAO, slowly pushing Gazprom back from the most lucrative parts of the domestic market.

With its LNG strategy, Novatek has little need to pursue pipeline exports. Qatar is a gateway. Last year, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific accounted for nearly three-quarters of global LNG production, with Qatar alone taking 29.9 percent of the global market share. Asia is the most profitable market. Its cheaper to produce in Qatar than in the Arctic and Novatek would also gain the possibility to sell to India, a market into which Rosneft is already moving. Taking Qatari investment is therefore another face of Novateks and Mikhelsons moves to open up the Chinese market as well as a means of gaining entrance to a foreign upstream project that can produce natural gas supplies that will be able to flexibly serve Asia or Europe as market conditions develop.

Structural factors for Novateks game of chess

Competitor Lukoil also factors into Novateks calculations. Lukoil applied for a prequalification for the North Dome field, but is much less likely to win a bid because of its cozy relationship with Tehran. Novatek still has to win over competitor firms from the Middle East but has fostered better relations with Qatar of late.

Assuming a contract award, its important to track consumption patterns. Short-term trades for LNG accounted for 28 percent of the market last year, down slightly as many newer projects coming onstream in the Asia-Pacific have used long-term contracts for buyers. But pure spot trades accounted for 18 percent, a 3 percent increase from 2015, led by China, India, and Egypt, a gateway market to the Mediterranean where potential hub developments may also affect pricing framework. Related: This Rare Metal Just Saw Its Price Jump By 30%

Even with some volatility between supply and demand, many long-term contracts are set to expire in coming years, creating greater pricing flexibility as buyers shift from long-term contracts towards medium/short-term agreements. Icebreaking LNG carriers are just now being tested for the route from the Arctic and shipping indicators are positive for LNG. Preference for short-term trades has arisen with increasing fuel efficiency for LNG carriers, increased ship sizes, as well as greater competitiveness for U.S. LNG volumes traveling to Asian markets through the Panama Canal.

Commodities traders like Trafigurawell connected to Rosneftare looking to increase their access and control of LNG import infrastructure in the UK and northwestern Europe. As these traders seek to maximize profits and exploit a market shifting away from long-term contracts, Gazproms pricing model will face greater competition both because of available supply and the greater flexibility afforded by LNG trades. The Asian Premium is fading as more LNG comes onstream and large importers aim to reduce the pricing power of producers, particularly to trade volumes from long-term contracts signed based on different energy demand calculations in previous years. LNG has also done much to sink Gazproms pricing hopes in China already and will soon play a greater role in Europe.

If Novatek starts production in Qatar, its hand against Gazprom will strengthen considerably in Russia. Market reforms of some kind are necessary and likelier as Novatek and Rosneft slowly go after Gazproms export monopoly and carve out more influence and power within the gas sector. Increasing Russian LNG production, paradoxically, will undermine Gazproms European ambitions in the long-term as it becomes more central to Russias export strategy. Price control, not market share, grants Gazprom the most power in Europe. Unfortunately for the gas giant, Novatek has set itself up to weaken that power as it has taken the lead in developing Russian LNG and cutting that same power out at the knees in Asia.



By Nicholas Trickett for Oilprice.com

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The Egyptian cabinet has agreed to purchase one million barrels of oil from Iraq monthly, according to a statement by the North African nations Oil Minister Tareq el-Molla on Tuesday.

The contract corresponding to the verbal agreement is due to be signed in the coming days, el-Molla said at a press conference in Cairo. The first shipment will arrive at an unspecified Egyptian port by May 1st, with the cycle repeating every 30 days.

"This step is very good as it's the first cooperation with Iraq in the direct import of crude oil," the minister said, adding that the contract will strengthen economic relations between the Egyptian Petroleum Authority and the Iraqi Petroleum Company. El-Molla began negotiating the deal with Baghdad during his visit to the Iraqi capital last October.

Cairo is in the process of securing new sources of energy after a hiatus from a 700,000-ton oil products contract with Saudi Arabia  allegedly caused by vague commercial conditions according to Saudi Aramco - shocked fuel supply in Egypt in the recent past.

Cairo is now in the process of securing new sources of energy after a six-month hiatus from a 700,000-tons-per month oil products contract with Saudi Arabia recently disrupted fuel availability in Egypt.

In March, the KSA shipped four cargoes of oil products to Egyptian ports, marking the reinstatement of Aramcos contract with Cairo from last year.

Saudi Arabia has been a major donor to Egypt since President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seized power in a violent countercoup in mid-2013, but Riyadh has become frustrated with Sisi's lack of economic reforms and his reluctance to be drawn into the conflict in Yemen.



Related: Is The Oil Price Rally Running Out Of Steam?

Both sides deny claims that geopolitical tensions led to the disruption in oil shipments, though the two nations have been at odds regarding Syria and other issues in the recent past.

Iraq needs oil and gas revenues to keep its government afloat as it battles the Islamic State in Mosul and rebuilds from 1.5 decades of domestic strife.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows the United States on track to produce crude oil at record numbers in 2018, according to a new report by Market Watch.

Marchs estimates for output next year had domestic oil production at 9.73 million barrels per day, but this month, the agency predicts a jump to 9.9 million for the same time period.

Based on EIA records that date to 1859, the newly forecasted production levels would be the highest to date.

U.S. crude oil production is expected to be higher during the next two years than previously forecast, with annual output in 2018exceeding the previous record level of 9.6 million barrels per day reached in 1970, Howard Gruenspecht, the EIAs acting administrator, said in a statement Tuesday.

But experts say high growth in American shale oil ventures could mean even the new forecasts could be too low.

The main driver is the growth in shale production, said James Williams, an energy economist at WTRG. We could easily be at 9.9 [million barrels a day] by next April. I think the average next year should be above 10 million b/d unless the oil price collapses.

Rapid growth in American shale output has prompted Saudi oil officials to warn of extended oil price volatility if the production hikes continue.



Related: Wall St. Gears Up For The Worlds Biggest Oil Trade

We will not bear the burden for free riders this time, Saudi Oil Minister Khalid told reporters in Houston last month. Saudi Arabia will not allow itself to be used by others.

This is for the benefit of all, the official added, referring to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) recent deal to reduce the blocs output by 1.2 million barrels. The group is currently in the process of deciding whether or not to extend the cuts through the second half of 2017.

By Zainab Calcuttawala for Oilprice.com

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The semi-autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) resumed on Wednesday crude oil exports via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean coast, following a three-day planned maintenance on the Turkish side, KRGs Ministry of Natural Resources said on Twitter today.

Export restart is a gradual process and so full export volume levels are expected by tonight, the ministry further noted.

Dilshad Shaaban, deputy head of the natural resources committee in Kurdistans parliament, confirmed to Kurdish media network Rudaw that exports were expected to reach their normal rate of 600,000 bpd by the local evening hours.

On Monday, a Turkish official said that required maintenance on oil pipelines connecting Kurdistan to Turkey would bring the facilities offline for three days. Kurdish oil revenues were expected to be set back by $23 million a day due to the closure.



KRGs Ministry of Natural Resources said on Monday that oil flows to Ceyhan were temporarily halted for planned maintenance. The maintenance work was initially due to be carried out in March, but Turkish company Botas and the Kurdish ministry had agreed to defer the start of works until April 10, for 2-3 days of maintenance. At the same time, Iraqs North Oil Company (NOC) took the opportunity to repair a technical problem with the Kirkuk pipeline to minimize overall disruption to flows, the KRGs Ministry of Natural Resources said.



Related: Will Summer Bring $60 Oil?

In August last year, the central Iraqi government and the KRG resolved a dispute over the shipment of oil via the Ceyhan pipeline from the Kirkuk fields operated by the central governments North Oil Company. But the shaky Iraqi politics, the ISIS threat that has not been completely erased, and the generally restive region are currently deterring foreign oil companies from betting big on the Kurdish oil fields, which offer low-cost production.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Saudi Arabia will export full volumes of crude oil to at least three Asian clients next month, sources from the company told Reuters. The move suggests that the Kingdom is determined to maintain its market share in the fastest-growing market for energy in the world, especially when the news is seen against the backdrop of an earlier report that Aramco is lowering the prices for May exports to Asia.

Aramcos export prices under long-term contracts  its preferred way of operating abroad  are based on the monthly average of oil prices in Dubai and Oman, adjusting for each grade. For May, it has raised the discount for the Arab Light benchmark to $0.45 a barrel, from $0.15 a barrel for this months shipments. The size of the discount is substantial enough to reinforce the belief that Saudi Arabia will do whatever it takes to keep the Asian market, and possibly even expand its share of it, seeing as everyone wants to export crude to Asia.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom has made an announcement that will keep oil prices higher for longer: Riyadh will back a production cut extension into the second half of the year. The move, which has already won the support of some OPEC members such as Kuwait and Angola, became necessary as prices failed to live up to OPECs expectations, falling back to $50 a barrel and below after briefly hovering around $56 (Brent) and $54 (WTI).



Related: Former Russian Energy Minister: U.S. Should Join OPEC Output Cuts

Now, geopolitical tensions in Syria have pushed Brent back to $56 a barrel and WTI to $53, but from OPECs perspective, geopolitical tensions are probably insufficient to ensure sustained price improvement.

With Saudi Arabias support, the extension is more likely than not to be effected. The question remains, however, whether it will push prices up to the coveted $60 a barrel, with U.S. shale producers unlikely to start cutting their output with prices rising.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The two leading candidates in next months presidential election in South Korea are vowing to scale back the countrys reliance on nuclear energy and coal imports, while boosting the use of LNG and renewables in a bid to address concerns over nuclear safety and environmental pollution.

South Korea is holding a presidential election on May 9 to elect a president to replace Park Geun-hye, who was impeached by Parliament late last year and ousted from office in March when the Constitutional Court upheld the Parliaments decision.

With the presidential election in less than a month, policy advisors for the two frontrunners in the vote have outlined plans to reduce South Koreas dependence on nuclear power generation and coal imports and promote renewables and additional rise in LNG imports to support renewable energy growth.

The two main contenders in the presidential race are left-leaning front-runner Moon Jae-In and centrist Ahn Cheol-soo.

Kim Jwa-kwan, head of Moons energy policy team, said at a forum, as quoted by Reuters:

We should move away from coal and nuclear power, and shift to clean or renewable energy-based platforms.

South Korea, currently the worlds second-largest LNG importer after Japan, generated 39 percent of its electricity in 2015 from coal, 31 percent from nuclear power, and 19 percent from natural gas, with the remaining part coming from oil and renewables.

Moon plans LNGs share of the power supply to grow to 37 percent by 2030 to support renewables growth, while nuclear and coal-fired generation to account for 18 percent and 15 percent, respectively. The liberal candidate is also vowing to scrap plans for construction of reactors that started last year and to rethink the nuclear power expansion plans.



Related: Could Guyana Become The Next Oil Hot Spot?

According to the World Nuclear Association, South Koreas current plans include increasing its nuclear capacity by 70 percent to 38 GWe by 2029.

The other leading candidate in the presidential race, Ahn, is also targeting reduction of coal-fired and nuclear power generation.

Both Ahn and Moon want renewables to account for 20 percent of South Koreas power supply by 2030.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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NO immediate execution of Indian spy: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has ruled out immediate execution of a convicted Indian spy and said three appellate forums are available to Kulbhushan Jadhav under the law.



He said that the trial of the Indian Navy officer  who was working for Indias Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and was arrested in March last year  lasted three-and-a-half months. The charges he faced included spying for India, working against Pakistans integrity, sponsoring terrorism in the country and attempting to destabilise the state.



Speaking in the Senate on Tuesday, Mr Asif claimed that Jadhav had the right to move the armys court of appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the president.



However, a perusal of the Army Act, 1952 showed that under Section 131 of the act, an appeal could be moved within 40 days, and not 60 days.



Rejecting the Indian claims that Jadhavs execution would be pre-meditated murder, Mr Asif said that due process of law had been followed in the case.



The minister made it clear that elements involved in terrorist activities and those conspiring against the security and integrity of Pakistan would be allowed no concession, whether they lived in the country or came from across the border.



Pakistans high commissioner in New Delhi had already responded to Indias reaction over Jadhavs conviction, he said. The government, the armed forces and the people have all resolved to defend the motherland.



He said that 200,000 troops had been deployed to the countrys western border and 80,000 to the Line of Control.



The minister said that no other country had suffered as much at the hands of terrorists as Pakistan, but added that its successes against the scourge of terrorism were also matchless.



The defence minister told the upper house of parliament that the much talked-about Saudi-led military alliance had not yet been established and that its terms of engagement and reference had yet to be given a final shape. A meeting of defence ministers of 41 proposed members of the alliance would be convened in Saudi Arabia in May where such matters would be finalised.



He said the government was committed to abiding by the parliaments resolutions and declared that Pakistan was not going to become part of any alliance against Yemen. We will become part of an alliance which is solely against terrorism, he remarked.



Islamabad felt that Saudi Arabia had no intention of forming an alliance against any third country, Mr Asif said.



Pakistan, he said, would use its status as a nuclear-armed country for reconciliation among Muslim countries. Islamabad would be ready to play the role of a mediator, if needed.



Pakistan enjoyed brotherly relations with Saudi Arabia and its army was already in the country under an arrangement made in 1992, the minister said. The countrys air force and navy also had a presence in the kingdom.



About the appointment of former army chief retired General Raheel Sharif as head of the alliance, he said that under the rules a military officer had to seek a no-objection certificate (NOC) if he wished to serve abroad after retirement.



The previous PPP government, he said, had given an NOC to the former ISI chief retired General Ahmad Shuja Pasha to become adviser to the UAE government after his retirement.



He said General Sharif had yet to apply for an NOC. However, a letter had been received from the Saudi government about a month and a half ago in this connection, he said and added that we have agreed in principle over Gen Sharifs appointment as chief of the alliance.



All concerns expressed by Iran in this regard would be removed, said the minister.



He referred to the recent visit of PMs adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz to Iran and his meetings with the authorities there.



Mr Asif held the United States as responsible for creating divisions within the Muslim countries. They support the ones who follow their agenda and those who resist become Qadhafi, Saddam and Bashar al-Assad.
Sindh Rangers arrested Uzair Baloch

The Rangers arrested five suspected terrorists and recovered a cache of arms and explosives during a raid conducted in Keamari Town, Colonel Qaiser Khan of the paramilitary force stated in a press conference on Wednesday.



The apprehended suspects include:



Bilal Ahmed: Allegedly a close accomplice of Safoora Goth massacre mastermind Tahir Minhas, suspected to be responsible for murder on Minhas' commands

Tahir Zaman: Suspected Al Qaeda militant, received training near Miranshah, allegedly responsible for grenade attack on police mobile near Hilal Chowrangi

Muhammad Nawaz: Allegedly passed information on Army, police and intelligence officials to Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan

Muhammad Farhan Siddiqui: Allegedly sanctioned by Al Qaeda Pakistan chief Ustaad Ahmed Farooq to recruit new members

Muhammad Mashhadi: Suspected Al Qaeda militant arrested in 2009 for transporting weapons from Karachi-Sukkur, allegedly returned to militancy after release in 2014

The Rangers said that 8 kilograms of explosives, one suicide jacket, four hand grenades, four bottle bombs, 20 meters of detonator cord, three detonators, four sub-machine guns (SMG), two pistols, 50 SMG rounds, and 15 pistol rounds were recovered from the suspects.



Anti-state and militant literature was also recovered from their possession, indicating the suspects' allegiance to banned outfits, Col Qaiser said.



Uzair was arrested by Rangers personnel outside Karachi last year in January in what the paramilitary force said was a raid.



The court had then handed him over to the police on remand. A JIT formed to probe the case in May 2016 said Uzair had allegedly worked for an Iranian intelligence agency, and had recommended that the head of the outlawed Peoples Amn Committee be tried by a military court for espionage.



The JIT report signed by representatives of the Sindh police, Rangers and intelligence agencies was sent to the home department on April 29 last year for perusal and necessary action.



According to the JIT report, Uzair was involved in espionage activities by providing secret information regarding army installations and officials to foreign agents (Iranian intelligence officers) which is a violation of the Official Secret Act 1923.



The saga of Uzairs arrest is embroiled in controversies as more than a year after his arrest in Dubai by Interpol, he mysteriously surfaced in Karachi only to be caught by Sindh Rangers in their targeted action.



Uzair, once known for his loyalty to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and close contacts with its certain leaders, was declared absconder in over 40 cases pending before ATCs.



Around 35 cases pertaining to murder, attempted murder and attacking the police were registered against him during the operation conducted in Lyari in 2012.



He was also declared a proclaimed offender in the triple murder of Arshad Pappu, the alleged leader of a Lyari gang, his brother Yasir Arafat and their confidant Juma Shera, who were killed in Lyari in March 2013.



A few hours after he was caught by the Rangers in early 2016, Uzair was produced before the administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts in Karachi and informed that his arrest was made in Chakiwara  a Lyari area that is not on the outskirts of Karachi  and of his three-month detention for inquiry.



He was held under 90-day preventive detention by the Rangers, who later handed him over to police.



While the high-profile arrest caused quite a stir in the national political scene because of Uzairs previous association with the PPP, the official version of the actual events remain shrouded in mystery.



On Dec 29, 2014, Uzair was arrested in Dubai by Interpol when he was crossing into the United Arab Emirates from Muscat by road. The Interpol move was confirmed by the Pakistani authorities and within a week they sent a Karachi police team to the UAE to get Uzairs custody but to no avail.



Later, the same team visited the Gulf state several times, met security officials there and also held meetings with Interpol but did not succeed. However, it was reported that the UAE authorities secretly handed over Uzair to Pakistani sleuths who later brought him to the country last year.



Since then, the former chief of the banned Peoples Aman Committee along with alleged Lyari gangsters  Amin Buledi, Ramzan alias Ramzani, Abdul Ghaffar alias Mama and Zubair Baloch  has been booked in five murder cases, including the killing of an SHO, and two cases of police encounters registered during the 2012 Lyari operation.
The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher,
There was a festival of prayers in Starbow flight S9103 that was en route to Accra from Kumasi. The flight is reported to have been hovering mid-air for close to one hour, causing some passengers to raise their voices in prayers.



The captain of the flight is said to have returned to the Kumasi Airport where he landed safely.



Management of the airline has explained in a statement Monday that the pilot was faced with bad weather.



...The captain decided to return to Kumasi as a safety precautionary measure and all the passengers were disembarked safely without any incident and the flight was not in any danger at all.



Watch the video below:-

Source: JFM Ghana









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KINGSBURY  A vehicle carrier driver over corrected after its load shifted causing a rollover Wednesday evening on Route 4.

No serious injuries were reported, but three people were involved as well as two vehicles. The vehicles were headed southbound as the truck traveled north at about 5:30 p.m.

State Police Sgt. Luke Splittgerber said, One woman was transported for neck and back injuries to Glens Falls Hospital. Her name was not released.

She was driving a Jeep Cherokee that experienced extensive damage as it came to rest in a ditch. The windows were broken and airbags deployed.

Splittgerber said, The driver of the truck was fine, suffering only minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Shannon OBrien, of Gansevoort, was traveling south in her BMW and opted for the ditch.

I just heard a loud screeching and I saw the back end come out, OBrien said. I took the ditch.

OBrien was not sure what caused the crash.

I couldnt see him, the cab or the other car, she said.

OBrien said she was traveling at 50 to 55 mph and the sun was directly in her eyes.

Splittgerber said, The truck driver felt his load shift. He said the trailer of the truck swerved into the gravel and likely struck a utility pole at the scene. The truck then fell on its side distributing its load and blocking the roadway.

The truck was carrying three vehicles at the time destined for a junkyard. The driver put the value of the automobiles at a couple hundred dollars, Splittgerber said.

Two vehicles remained on the back of the carrier while another was thrown. Tow crews were called to the scene to remove the vehicles to allow the roadway to reopen.

The Department of Environmental Conservation was also called to inspect the cleanup of diesel fuel and oil and gasoline spilled from the carriers vehicles.

Route 4 was closed at Kingsbury Road northbound and at Route 149 southbound. Tractor trailers were rerouted at Route 32 northbound to avoid the area.

Kingsbury Volunteer Hose Co. No. 1, Fort Ann EMS, State Police, Washington County Sheriffs Office, DEC and National Grid responded to the scene.
MOUNT HOLLY, Vermont  A man from Hague was injured and charged with driving while intoxicated after a one-vehicle crash Tuesday afternoon on a Vermont highway, police said.

James H. Real, 72, was taken to Rutland Regional Medical Center in Rutland, Vermont, after the 4:16 p.m. crash, according to Vermont State Police.

Real suffered facial and chest injuries, and the 2005 Civic he was driving was destroyed, police said. His condition was not available Wednesday.

He was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.10 percent, which prompted police to charge him with misdemeanor driving under the influence of alcohol, officials said. He was released pending prosecution in Vermont District Court.
FORT EDWARD  A convicted rapist who did not properly register as a sex offender when moving has been sentenced to up to 3 years in state prison.

Donald L. Denmark, 34, of Hudson Falls, pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender, a felony, in connection with an arrest last year.

He is a Level 1 sex offender because of a 2014 conviction for third-degree rape in Washington County Court. He was sentenced to 2 years in state prison in that case.
The lawyers for Lake George boat case defendant Alexander West have asked that his trial be moved outside the Capital District because of unprecedented and inflammatory pretrial publicity that has resulted in many people believing West is guilty before trial, court records show.

The reality is, if Mr. West is tried in Warren County, he will be presumed guilty from the moment he walks into the courtroom, wrote Kathryn Conklin, one of Wests lawyers.

Lawyer Cheryl Coleman revealed Tuesday at a pretrial hearing that Wests defense team had filed the motion before the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court. The motion asks for a stay of the case, which is scheduled to start jury selection on Monday in Warren County Court, if the court cannot decide the motion beforehand.

The Warren County District Attorneys Office is opposing the request, claiming Wests counsel made false allegations about the prosecutions actions, is exaggerating the media impact on potential jurors and that defense lawyer Cheryl Coleman was frequently quoted and interviewed during the coverage.

The media coverage of this case is not of the type which would support a request for a pre-voir dire (prior to jury selection) change of venue, Assistant District Attorney Emilee Davenport wrote.

In the 40-page document, Wests team points to not only newspaper and television coverage but also months of online social media commentary about his case as well as efforts to end the annual Log Bay Day party. Those efforts were spurred by the death of 8-year-old Charlotte McCue.

Charlotte, a California resident vacationing at her grandparents home, was riding on her grandfathers boat the night of July 25 when a boat driven by West hit it near Cramer Point, then left the crash scene. Charlottes mother suffered a serious back injury.

Police believe West spent the hours before the boat collision drinking and using illegal drugs at the annual late July party on the east side of the lake, and the tragedy led to legislators and community leaders taking steps to halt the party.

Wests lawyers asked that the trial be moved to another suitable county which is relatively untainted by exposure to prejudicial publicity, and suggested it should be moved west of Schoharie County or south of Albany County, outside the counties contiguous to Warren County and the Capital District television market.

Warren Countys relatively small size limits the jury pool and makes selecting a fair jury more difficult, the motion reads.

The motion uses a number of arguments, such as that potential jurors may have been influenced by reports about blood tests that police said showed West had used cocaine, marijuana and Ecstasy.

The grand-scale media coverage of this case has been biased against defendant, Conklin wrote. In this case, the media saturation has been intense and overwhelming. The presumption of innocence has been shattered and thus a change of venue required.

The motion includes a passage claiming, the media has repeatedly reported that the defendant is guilty.

The court could direct that jurors be brought in from outside the region to hear the case in Warren County Court, but Wests lawyers said that would not be sufficient.

Davenport wrote that the media coverage has been unbiased and press reports have not opined as to the defendants guilt or innocence. Media attention that is sympathetic to the victim is not the type that can be considered for a change of venue motion, she added.

There was no timetable for a ruling as of Wednesday afternoon.

West, 24, has pleaded not guilty to a 12-count indictment that includes counts of manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter and boating while ability impaired for allegedly operating his boat recklessly and under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
FORT EDWARD  Accused triple-murderer Matthew A. Slocums efforts to get a new judge assigned to his case were denied this week.

Slocum argued that comments Washington County Judge Kelly McKeighan made 5 years ago about potentially sentencing Slocum to death make him unable to hear the case going forward.

But McKeighan found that Slocums rationale did not rise to the level of a legal disqualification and rejected the request.

Slocum is to stand trial in June for the 2011 shotgun killings of his mother, stepfather and stepbrother in their Eagle Bridge home, which he was accused of torching after the shootings. He was convicted of murder and arson in 2012, but the convictions were overturned on appeal.

Washington County Public Defender Michael Mercure said the motion was filed late last week at Slocums request out of concerns about McKeighans comments when sentencing Slocum to 88-years-to-life. That sentence was reversed along with Slocums convictions by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court in 2015.

Slocum cited the judges considering of imposing a sentence of death and familiarity with Slocums confession, which was barred from the retrial by appellate courts, as the basis for the effort to have McKeighan recuse himself.

In view of the sentiment that the court expressed at sentencing and the subsequent appellate reversal, upon information and belief, your honor can no longer be fair and impartial, Slocum is quoted as saying in an affidavit to support the motion.

Slocums confession was struck from the case by the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court, which found he had been denied a lawyer when police questioned him after the killings.

Slocum is due in court before McKeighan on Thursday for a status conference in the case. He is being held in Washington County Jail for lack of bail, pending further court action.

The Albany County District Attorneys Office, which is handling the case as a special prosecutor, said it had no comment on the matter as of Wednesday.

Slocum, 29, of Cambridge, is accused of the July 2011 shooting deaths of his mother, Lisa Harrington, 44; her husband, Dan Harrington, 41; and Dan Harringtons son, Joshua OBrien, 24, in their Eagle Bridge home. He allegedly set the Turnpike Road house on fire after shooting them.

Trial in the case has been set to start on June 8.
Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office of China, presents the Cambodian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during the launch of the book in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. [Photo by Xu Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

The Cambodian edition of Xi Jinping: Governance of China made its debut in Phnom Penh on Tuesday as Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called on the young people of the country to read the book to understand how a country should be governed.

The book, which outlines the political ideas of the top leadership in China, has already been published in 16 languages, and 6.2 million copies have been distributed worldwide.

Hun Sen said at a ceremony marking the book's Cambodian language launch that the book has incorporated important ideas of Xi on governance, and can be read as the essence of China's development.

"The Chinese government has been sparing no efforts in improving its capacities on governance and its rule of law," he said.

The book has also recorded the country's efforts in the area of anti-corruption and the deepening of reform in an all-round way, he said.

The publishing of the book in Cambodian language followed the publishing of the book's Thai language version in Bangkok on Friday.

Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office, said at the ceremony that the idea that centers on the people thread throughout the book.

He added that Xi has always spoken up for the people, and devised the train of thought and measures of reform and development keeping the interests of the people in mind, to achieve equality in the society gradually.

The country's improvement in public welfare is also evident in the past five years, as it managed to lift more than 60 million people out of poverty and its total number of college students reached 37 million, he said.
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The White House press office released a statement praising NATO and affirming US commitment to strengthening its "already strong relationship with Montenegro."

"Since its inception in 1949, the NATO Alliance has been central to ensuring peace and security on the European continent," the White House said in the statement. "It is an alliance not only of shared interests but of shared values. President Trump looks forward to the NATO Leaders Meeting in Brussels and the opportunity to reaffirm those fundamental and enduring transatlantic values."

The statement also contained a veiled reference to Russian opposition to Montenegro's inclusion in NATO, saying it wil signal "to other NATO aspirants that the door to membership in the Euro-Atlantic community of nations remains open" and that countries in that region are free to "select their own partners without outside interference or intimidation."

At the end of March, the Senate also voted in approval of Montenegro's inclusion in NATO, 97 to 2. And 21 of 28 NATO allies have already backed Montenegro's membership. Before Montenegro officially joins NATO, the rest of the alliance's member countries need to ratify the decision.

While the Senate was considering Montenegro's NATO membership, Sen. John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, explained the importance of standing in defiance of Russian aggression around the former Soviet Union's sphere of influence.

"It is a nation in this contest that we are now engaged in with Vladimir Putin, who has committed to extending the reach and influence of the Russian government  to the point where he attempted a coup to overthrow the freely elected government of Montenegro," McCain said. "If we turn down Montenegro, it will not remain the democracy that it is today."

Russian President Vladimir Putin staunchly opposes Montenegro's accession to NATO, which he views as a threat to Russian sovereignty. Albania and Croatia joined the alliance 2009.

Russian intelligence agents allegedly orchestrated a coup plot to overthrow Montenegros pro-NATO government and replace it with a Russia-friendly regime, The New York Times reported last year.

Despite criticisms that the Trump administration is too close to Russia, the president and his secretary of state have stood by Montenegro in its bid for NATO membership.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrote to Senate leaders last month saying it is "strongly in the interests of the United States" to approve Montenegro's inclusion in NATO.

This is the second time in recent weeks that the Trump administration has made moves that could anger Russia.
The President said this when the Head of Middle East, Africa and Central Asia Sales at British Airways, Mr Paolo De Renzis, paid a courtesy call on him at the Presidency on Tuesday (April 12, 2017).

He explained that the numerous complaints about the movement of Accra-London flights from Terminal 5 to Terminal 3 at the Heathrow Airport means it is essential for the airline company to review its services to give value for money.

READ ALSO: This is how much Ghana will lose due to reduction in energy sector levies

In some quarters, there is a feeling that you are taking us a little for granted in the way in which we are receiving your services, Ghana's president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said.

I think on an occasion like this, for when friends are speaking, I think we should speak frankly. I think am I am the proper person to let you know what the pre-occupations of our people are. These are matters that will be easy for you to rectify, the president added.

On his part, Mr Paolo De Renzis described Ghana as one of the most important markets for British Airways, especially in Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.

READ ALSO: EU partners Ghana to improve fisheries sector

We have a longstanding relationship with the country. We are strongly committed to the market, and we appreciate your feedback. We will work very hard to improve the products and services to Ghana all the time.

In achieving an aviation hub within the shortest time, he said Ghana will be the place where aviation services will be guaranteed efficiently and competitively, and, that, we will have the infrastructure which will allow us to increase the volume of traffic that we have here, and expand the reach of our facilities at the airport.

The visit was to congratulate the President after he assumed office as President.
The school seeks out students who not only have high grades, but also have outstanding achievements under their belts  from overcoming homelessness to starting their own nonprofits. The students who manage to catch the attention of admissions officers overcome exceptional odds, but they should probably maintain some perspective.

Many things in life  for instance, landing a job at some Walmart locations  are even harder to achieve than getting into that prestigious university.

A job at this hedge fund

Landing a job on Wall Street is notoriously hard.

But gaining employment at hedge fund giant Citadel seems to be nearly impossible.

The top 50 posts on a friend's Newsfeed

When Facebook compiles your Newsfeed, it chooses from roughly 1,500 different posts.

The company uses an algorithm based on the popularity and relevance of posts, along with other factors, to decide what goes where.

If you want to boost your chances, posts with photos do far better than links or text-based posts.

A job at some Walmart locations

Met with both merriment and protest, Walmart came to Washington, D.C., at the end of 2013.

The store received more than 23,000 applications but hired just 600 associates, NBC Washington reported. That's a 2.6% acceptance rate  almost twice as selective as Harvard.

While many Harvard graduates can expect a six-figure income, Walmart employees pocket an average of $11.83 an hour or nearlaccording to the company.

The American dream

A report from researchers at Harvard and Berkeley Universities shows that in many major US cities, it's very hard to achieve a rags-to-riches success story.

The report analyzes the number of people who were born into the lowest income quintile but ended up in the highest income quintile. The results don't bode well for upward socioeconomic mobility.

The chances were below 5% in Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Jacksonville, Florida; Columbus, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Indianapolis, Indiana.

Even at the top of the list, people in San Jose, California, showed just a 12.9% chance of living the American dream.

A job at Goldman Sachs

In 2015, Goldman Sachs received more than 313,000 applications for 9,700 positions, making the company's hiring rate about 3%.

It's no surprise so many people want to work there, as Fortune magazine named Goldman one of the 100 best places to work in 2016.

The Secret Service

Protecting the president of the US isn't a job for any run-of-the-mill bodyguard or security detail.

The full responsibilities of the Secret Service are, well, secret, but agents remain with the president and his or her family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Other important government officials, like the vice president and his or her family, also receive protection, usually even after they leave their positions.

For these reasons, the Secret Service accepted about 1% of its 27,000 special-agent applications in 2015, USA Today reported.

Some prestigious New York City public high schools

Some of New York's most in-demand public high schools are actually harder to get into than Harvard.

16,962 students listed the Brooklyn Latin School as a choice on their application

A green card

Up to 15 million people apply to the US green card lottery every year, all hoping for a chance at a life in America, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

But only about 50,000 green cards are available.

The odds of obtaining a green card (known officially as a Diversity Visa) vary depending on the applicant's region. If you're not from Australia, New Zealand, or a Pacific island, however, the odds aren't good.

Fewer than 2% of applicants around the world end up getting a visa. The rate is about 6% in Oceania (because of fewer applications and relatively higher quotas).

The Indian Institute of Management

While Harvard lets in about 5.2% of applicants, not even 1% got accepted to India's top business school for the class of 2014, Bloomberg Businessweek reported.

.

Delta's Flight Attendant corps

You have less than a 1% chance becoming a Delta Flight Attendant, according to Bloomberg

In 2013, Delta received 44,000 applications for 400 jobs.

Stanford University

Actually, Harvard isn't even the toughest university to gain acceptance into in the US.
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In a statement issued by the company, it attributed the delay in landing to the poor weather condition in Accra when the flight had arrived and needed to land.

This scheduled flight S9103 airborne from Kumasi to Accra, at 15:35 and on approaching destination Accra, the weather changed resulting in a severe thunderstorm. Suffice to add that, moderate turbulence which is consistent with the unstable weather condition was experienced during the flight.

READ ALSO: Nana Addo urges British Airways to upgrade service delivery in Ghana

Due to the change in the weather at the destination, the captain entered a holding pattern together with other aircrafts that were also due to land in Accra, hoping for conditions to subside.

The statement added that the captain decided to fly back to Kumasi when the weather condition did not improve.

When condition did not improve, the captain opted to fly back to Kumasi so they could return to Accra when conditions were better. Due to this, the captain decided to return to Kumasi as a safety precautionary measure and all the passengers were disembarked safely without any incident and the flight was not 1in any danger at all.

Passengers on a Starbow flight were captured on video praying fervently because their plane reportedly delayed landing for an hour.

In the video which has since gone viral, the passengers could be heard praying and calling on the name of Jesus to intervene at that point in time.
Bello said this at the commencement of the programme on Wednesday in Minna.

Represented by the Project Coordinator of the foundation, Dr Ohize Stephen, she said the training had become necessary to reduce the scourge of the disease which is the second leading cause of female cancer deaths in the country.

We believe strongly in strengthening the existing system and bringing in interventions into the system.

We intend to improve the capacity of these health workers to deliver and support them and their health facilities, she added.

The governors wife disclosed that the foundation would establish a cancer screening unit in each of the 25 local government areas of the state.

She said that over 35,000 females are estimated to have cancer each year in the state, with breast and cervical cancer the most common.

One of the participants, Ms Rabi Idris, applauded the foundation for the initiative, adding that it will enable them educate and mobilise the women at the grassroots.

Cancer is very rampant now and is ravaging women in the state especially in the rural area.

This training will help me educate and mobilise the women at the grassroots and ensure that they go for screening regularly, Idris said.

Another participant, Mr Salisu Sule, described the training as an eye opener, adding that he is now better informed as he has been taught the symptoms to look out for.
Speaking on Metro TV's news analysis show, Good Evening Ghana, Dery said President Akufo-Addo wants gender parity in the security services.

What President Nana Addo is looking at is to recruit more women and try to work towards gender parity, he said.

According to him, the new government would put out a system to check recruitment access.

We would have a system that would ensure that all Ghanaians have equal access to recruitment.

The MP for Nandom constituency however, cautioned Ghanaians who want to be enrolled in the security services to beware of corrupt people who will demand bribes before they are recruited.

Under Nana Addos government there will be transparency and therefore people should not fall to any prey of people saying they should pay something special in order to be enlisted.
This follows her continuous advocacy for the provision of free sanitary pads to poor women in the country.

Stella Nyanzi uses social media to advocate for what she believes is the failure of the Museveni government to provide free sanitary pads for young Ugandan women.

READ ALSO: Five arrested over Agbogbloshie clashes

President Yoweri Museveni and his wife promised to provide free sanitary pads for girls and poor women in the country during the campaign ahead of the countrys election in 2016.

However, they failed to deliver. They explained that the difficult economic times is the reason for backtracking on their promise.

Stella Nyanzi then took to social media to denounce Musevenis 31-year old citing their lack of accountability as her reason.

One of her status updates on Facebook said the first lady who is often referred to as Mama Janet, said; She will never be Mama Janet to me. I should visit her without protection during my next menstruation period, sit in her spotless sofas and arise after staining her soul with my menstrual blood! That will be my peaceful demonstration in solidarity with Ugandas poor adolescent girls. Aluta continua!

Her actions earlier got her suspended from her job as a social science researcher and anthropologist at Makerere University in the countrys capital.

READ ALSO: Suhuyini blasts media for campaign to end galamsey

She was arraigned on Monday, where she pleaded innocent to the charges levelled against her which include disturbing the peace, quiet or right to privacy of the president.
The illegal miners said the president and his government must reconsider their plans before they destroy their business.

They said any attempt by government to disrupt their activities will send them into poverty because they depend on the mining.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu has cautioned illegal miners to stop their activities or face prosecution.

He had earlier indicated that his outfit will start using drones to augment its efforts to effectively combat illegal mining to ensure the protection of the countrys water bodies and the environment.

He said "we will not take things lightly because we believe that China and India are the sources of funding for these illegal miners; so we are dealing with the root cause of the menace."

READ ALSO: Ivory Coast not happy with Ghana over galamsey

But one miner who spoke to Accra-based Joy FM said "Does the Lands Minister [Peter Amewu] want us to sit home?... I have sat home for eight years and we want to make money because our government is in power but they want to stop us."

"If they stop us, we will also vote against the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

"We are begging Nana Akufo-Addo, we are hungry," he said.

Galamsey has destroyed several water bodies resulting in them drying up.
Police is yet to confirm what sparked the bloody conflict but eyewitnesses say it was over a phone theft.

A joint military and police team have since been deployed to the scene to restore calm.

The Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, ASP Effia Tenge said the police retrieved some locally manufactured weapons from the suspects arrested so far over the incident.

The place is relatively calm and since the incident broke yesterday [Tuesday], the police have been able to arrest four more persons. One person was arrested yesterday. Two of these persons were found with locally manufactured pestle on them and some cartridges. One of them even had a knife on him. So they are presently with the police and assisting with investigations, she told Accra-based Citi FM.

ASP Tenge added that: Eight people sustained various degrees of injury and they are being attended to at the hospital. They are currently responding to treatment. One has been discharged.

Meanwhile, over 30 people have been rendered homeless at Agbogbloshie following the clashes.
According to him, the fight against illegal mining goes beyond traditional authorities.

The Okyenhene in an interview on Accra-based Citi FM said "Yes, there may be some chiefs clandestinely doing this [galamsey], but I can tell you, Im not holding brief for them, most of what goes on is beyond the chiefs power."

He noted that "the constitution says it clearly that gold is the property of the Republic of Ghana and the president is vested with that power on behalf and in trust of the people. So the gold, according to the constitution, has to be protected and looked after by the president."

Galamsey has destroyed several water bodies resulting in them drying up.

This has resulted in the pollution of water the Ghana Water Company Limited, treats and supplies to the populace.

"So any chief who happens to grant land to any galamseyer to do galamsey is first in violation of the law. Most of what you hear is not chiefs granting lands, its individual farmers who are approached by these galamseyers to buy their land and then they proceed to inform the chief that the Minerals Commission has issued me a licence to come and do this, and, so, these persons have granted me the land, and, so, they give the chief, what we call drink money."

READ MORE: Ivory Coast not happy with Ghana over galamsey

He added that the only way to stop the menace is for the government to enforce the laws.

Minister's reacts to galamsey

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu has cautioned illegal miners to stop their activities or face prosecution.

He had earlier indicated that his outfit will start using drones to augment its efforts to effectively combat illegal mining to ensure the protection of the countrys water bodies and the environment.

He said "we will not take things lightly because we believe that China and India are the sources of funding for these illegal miners; so we are dealing with the root cause of the menace."
This follows violent clashes between Konkombas and Dagombas in the area on Tuesday.

A lot have been made homeless Yesterday, if I tell you the number of people who were in my office asking me to look for temporary accommodation for them, youll have no idea, especially women and children. I had over 30 of them in my office. Some of them I got my party executives to host them, some of them we had no option but to get them into a motel for a night and see what will happen today. Its been difficult for me, he told Accra-based Class FM.

For some time now after the elections, I sensed some danger. A number of people who were brandishing weapons in the area was alarming. So there have been attempts to draw the attention of the police to it. The police did well through the instrumentality of the Ministry of Interior and also the IGP. They started some road blocks and also did some patrols on the main road. But the community is a bit away from the main road. What you see at the front is the shops, but the community is behind and I thought the police would maintain a much stronger presence, they would do much more patrols within the community, have one or two armoured vehicles, crowd control vehicles and things there, but that couldnt happen. So whatever happened is just unfortunate and it has led to two deaths and many injuries, he said.

Background
The national chairman Kofi Portuphy said the NDC would reorganise to win because Ghanaians are disappointed with the government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo three months after winning power.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Wednesday 12 April, he said the NDC will unite and emerge stronger, having learnt their lessons.

The NDC, since its defeat in the 2016 general elections has seen a lot of divisions and chaos as it seeks to find out the reasons for its defeat.

Many supporters have criticised their executives from the constituency to national level as having mismanaged campaign resources which caused their defeat.

But Kofi Portuphy said the NDC will bounce back.

READ ALSO: Mahama relishes in achievements of his government

He added that "The NDC can do it again, not in eight years but, God willing, in four years. Why am I optimistic that the NDC can bounce back in 2020? Dont we hear Ghanaians expressing regret that they have exchanged their colour TVs for black-and-white? Dont we hear expressions of anger from trotro and taxi drivers over incessant increases in fuel prices contrary to what Nana Akufo-Addo promised them during their campaign? Dont we hear the anger and disappointment of parents who are now being told by President Akufo-Addo that the Free SHS is not free for all SHS students?"

"Dont we hear the expression of anger from the ordinary Ghanaian who now has to pay 15 per cent higher in transport fares? Dont we hear Ghanaians asking the NPP government: where is the competence you promised the country?

"Dont we hear Ghanaians expressing regret for not taking seriously the warning about Nana Akufo-Addo and his all-die-be-die mantra? Dont we hear Ghanaians lamenting of abject lawlessness and wanton violence sponsored by surrogates of Nana Akufo-Addo and his NPP?

"Yes, indeed the chickens have come home to roost. The sweet-sounding promises and deceitful nature of Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP have caught up with them and are daily being exposed for what they are and the selfish interest they represent."
According to the national chairman Kofi Portuphy, Dr. Abdul-Nashiru Issahaku's resignation was politically motivated.

READ MORE: Governor of the Bank of Ghana resigns

"Since the assumption of office, the Akufo-Addo administration has forced several professional public servants out of their offices, and replaced them with loyalist party members A typical example is the manner in which the governor of the Bank of Ghana has been prevented from completing his term of office and has been forced to resign prematurely," he said.

Kofi Portuphy addressing at a press conference said the BoG governor was forced to resign in order to satisfy party loyalists.

READ ALSO: BoG Governor under intense pressure to resign

Dr. Issahaku who was appointed by former president John Mahama resigned as head of the Central bank.

Dr Issahaku announcing his resignation said he decided to quit for personal reasons.

"They did not force me out. It was a personal decision," he said.

He succeeded Dr Henry Wampah in April 2016.
Mahama, who led the NDC said his government embarked on various projects that signified efficiency and competence.

Speaking at a meeting with former appointees of his government, the former President tasked them to hold their heads high, since the NDC has chalked success in developmental projects.

John Dramani Mahama said:

"In the monumental achievements that we chalked, I believe that you must hold your heads high because that government did a lot for this country and I believe that posterity will be the judge eventually.

"We did a lot to improve infrastructure of the country and often infrastructure is a thing people take for granted.

"It is possible to be in the opposition and criticize. We should not feel depressed or feel ashamed about our service in government was outstanding. We must continue to defend that legacy of that government," Mahama added.
Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, the NDC Chairman, Kofi Portuphy said the party finds it surprising that these same groups that had previously condemned every action of the previous government have now remained silent.

All of a sudden, they have abandoned their neutral outlook. They have ceased being the conscience of the nation. We dont want to believe the attitude of some clergy and civil society towards the disturbing developments in the political scene in Ghana is borne out of political or ethnic prejudice or is arousing out of hypocrisy and double standards, he said.

Mr Portuphy added that a number of such groups only condemned the Delta Force attack on the court where 13 members of the pro-NPP vigilante group escaped.

He, however, criticised the groups for not coming out publicly to condemn the NPP attacks on members of the NDC.

Where was the Ghana Bar Association, CODEO, Peace Council when the NPP brought in mercenaries from South Africa to train these terrorist elements. Where was the Peace Council, when after the elections, these NPP elements attacked, burned down and a took over operations of toll booths at Tiafre in the Brong Ahafo Region and in Tema at the Motorway?
Speaking at a meeting with former appointees who served under the previous NDC administration, the former President said he was surprised over what he calls the failure of the president, Nana Akufo-Addo to deal with members of such groups who are causing mayhem.

If you cannot look for vehicles in a more civilised manner than having troops going into peoples houses, breaking down their gates and say you are looking for vehicles, you cannot go to DVLA and look through the database and find out what government vehicles are available then what kind of efficiency do we have in government? Just this morning I heard Agyekums House was raided And they[NPP] will always come back and apologize because those are not vehicles that belong to the state.

Government is saying they cannot look for an efficient manner of looking for vehicles than forming storm troops to raid peoples house and I think that it is wrong. I am going to have the opportunity to tell Nana Addo that they should stop this This cannot continue, this thuggery is not good for our country and the point is we thought we had a good transition This [incident] serves as examples that make it difficult in future when there is another transition for another government to restrain party supporters. All the thuggery removing people from office, beating people is unfortunate. We must say it in the strongest terms and if they heed it fine, if they dont , it is a learning process for our whole country, he said.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Flagstaff House today [Wednesday], where Nana Addo charged the new deputy ministers to deliver on the promises he made during the electioneering period.

READ MORE: Parliament approves 17 deputy ministers

He also impressed on the new deputy ministers not to fail Ghanaians who, he said, expected the government to protect the public purse and ensure value for money.

They are Finance; Energy; Local Government and Rural Development; Information; Food and Agriculture, as well as Trade and Industry.

Others include Roads and Highways; Lands and Natural Resources; Works and Housing; and Education.

According to Nana Addo, the success of the deputy ministers will be based on their loyalty to their substantive ministers.

"I will not countenance any acts of disloyalty or subversion of your Minister, for I will take such an act as disloyalty to me, and, by inference, disloyalty to the Party and the State. Any Deputy, who thinks the route to advancement lies in your ability to subvert or undermine your Minister, will be sadly mistaken. You will not profit from that conduct in Akufo-Addos presidency," Nana Addo said.

The deputy Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, who spoke on behalf of his colleague deputy ministers pledged their commitment to the vision of the President.
The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Chicago aboard a plane bound for Louisville. The incident was recorded on video by a fellow passenger.

The disturbing video showed , a 69-year-old man, being yanked from his seat and dragged off the plane with blood on his face.

According to the Chicago Aviation Police Department, Dao was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

According to the WLKY report, Dao said he was still being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he suffered in the incident.

Dao also told WLKY that he was not doing well and that "everything" is injured.

United Airlines said in a statement that the airline needed room on the aircraft to transfer crew for another flight and that they offered $1,000 in exchange for customers to give up their seats. When no one volunteered, they selected several passengers to deplane the aircraft. Dao was chosen, but United said he refused to get off the plane.

Employees then contacted the Chicago Aviation Police to help remove Dao. One of the officers involved has since been put on leave, and the department has launched an investigation.

United's CEO Oscar Munoz originally issued a statement apologizing for having to "re-accommodate" passengers, but not for the treatment of Dao. The company quickly came under fire for its response and Munoz issued another statement on Tuesday formally apologizing for how Dao has been removed.
President Donald Trump's top adviser and frequent spokeswoman talked to journalist Michael Wolff at an event on "The President and the Press" at the Newseum in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

"I'm not the darkness," Conway responded. "Just because somebody says something doesn't make it true."

Wolff also asked her to grade Trump's relationship with the media, and Conway gave it an I for "incomplete."

"I think it's way too early to render a specific judgment, let alone a grade, on the relationship between this president, this administration, and the press," she said. "I think it's very important in a healthy democracy to have a free and fair press. Part of that democracy, too, though, is to have a presidency  no matter who the occupant  that is shown respect and is shown an openness to really cover all the items that he has put forth."

Conway said she didn't think "biased coverage" in the press needed to change because Americans could recognize unfair coverage.

But she wants to change what she called "incomplete coverage" and "presumptive negativity." She said she had heard from Americans who were upset that the economy under Trump wasn't getting the same amount of coverage as the investigations into his team's ties to Russian operatives, or his controversial executive order temporarily barring people from six majority-Muslim countries from entering the US.

She then lamented how cable-news interviews now seemed to have the goal of going viral instead of educating people.

"You can turn on the TV ... and people literally say things that just aren't true," she said.

The crowd laughed at that, presumably because in February, Conway cited a nonexistent "Bowling Green massacre" as justification for Trump's immigration ban. She later had to clarify she meant to say "terrorists" instead of "massacre," and apologized for her mistake. CNN has since declined to interview Conway in part because of "serious questions about her credibility."

Conway said she didn't think most journalists had made an adequate effort to understand why Americans elected Trump president and that they hadn't started talking to those people either.
On April 4, "the Syrian regime attacked its own people with chemical weapons," said Mattis, who added that there can be "no doubt the Syrian regime was responsible for the decision to attack and the attack itself."

Mattis explained that CENTCOM provided President Donald Trump with options for addressing the chemical weapons attack, and they "determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing it again."

Sharyat air base, the location struck by 57 of 59 cruise missiles fired from the US Navy on April 7, was determined to be the location from which Syrian forces launched the chemical attack on civilians, according to Mattis.
The energy-consultant-turned-foreign-policy adviser was named in an unverified dossier about President Donald Trump's ties to Russia as a liaison between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. His trips to Moscow and contact with at least one Russian official last year are now reportedly under FBI investigation.

Page has called accusations that he served as a liaison an "illegal" form of "retribution" for the speech, in which he slammed the US for its "hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, corruption, and regime change."

Law-enforcement and intelligence agencies wishing to monitor signal intelligence they deem relevant to an investigation  in this case, suspected Russian interference in the 2016 election  must obtain what is known as a FISA warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

governments application for the FISA warrant targeting Page, The Post reported, has been renewed more than once, and "included a lengthy declaration that laid out investigators basis for believing that Page was an agent of the Russian government and knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow."

There were contacts Page had with Russian intelligence officials that he did not disclose, according to The Post, and unanswered questions about a court case involving a Russian spy who tried to recruit him in 2013.

BuzzFeed News obtained the court filing for the case, which included a transcript of a conversation between Victor Podobnyy, the person accused of spying, and Igor Sporyshev, another Russian operative, about trying to recruit someone identified as "Male-1."

Page confirmed to BuzzFeed that he was "Male-1." But he said in a statement later that his personal identity was made "easily identifiable" in the court documents because the US government wanted to punish him for his "public positions of dissent."

Page found himself at the center of a Russia-related firestorm in late February after USA Today reported that he met Russia's ambassador to the US, Sergey Kislyak, during an event at the Republican National Convention. At least two other Trump associates, former adviser J.D. Gordon and then-Sen. Jeff Sessions, now the US attorney general, also spoke with Kislyak at the convention.

The White House has distanced itself from Page, insisting that he was an "informal" adviser to the campaign who left in early September. Page had no badge, an administration official told Business Insider last month, and never signed a non-disclosure agreement  two requirements of anyone working with the campaign in an official capacity. He also wasn't on the campaign's payroll, the official said, and did not have a campaign email account.
Near the beginning of the press conference on Wednesday, Tillerson said US relations with Russia were at a "low point."

"There is a low level of trust between our two countries," Tillerson said. "The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship."

Much of the tension centered on the chemical-weapons attack in Syria last week and the US's response to it. President Donald Trump ordered a strike on military installations used by the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, a major Russian ally.

Tillerson didn't pin the blame for the attack on Russia, which is involved in the Syrian civil war and supports Assad, but insisted that evidence showed it was carried out by the Assad regime. The Syrian government has denied responsibility for the attack, and Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested earlier this week that the attack was a "false flag" designed to frame Assad.

"With respect to Russia's complicity or knowledge of the chemical-weapons attack, we have no firm information to indicate that there was any involvement by Russian forces into this attack," Tillerson said. "What we do know, and we have very firm and high confidence in our conclusions, that the attack was planned and carried out by the regime forces at the direction of Bashar al-Assad."

Lavrov expressed doubt about this characterization. He called for an "honest investigation" of the attack and said Russia was "not convinced" by evidence that showed the Assad regime was culpable.

"There were no signs that would support the statement, the allegation that chemical agents were used there at all," Lavrov said. "We are 100% sure that if our colleagues at the UN, as well as The Hague, try to avoid this investigation, this will signify that they are reluctant to find out the truth, but we will insist that the truth will be found."

Tillerson also said Assad's rule was "coming to an end" and called on Russia to help with the transition.

"Our view is that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end and they have again brought this on themselves with their conduct in the war these past few years," Tillerson said. "We discussed our view that Russia, as their closest ally in the conflict, perhaps has the best means of helping Assad recognize this reality."

But Lavrov stood firm, saying that "removing or ousting" anyone from power was not on Russia's agenda.

"Talking about the whole of the Syrian government, we want it to be democratic, and we want it to be secular as well," he said. "We want to see all the ethnic groups in the country to feel protected, justly represented in all the branches of government."

Despite Lavrov's calls, Russia on Wednesday vetoed a UN resolution condemning the attack and urging an investigation.

Meanwhile, Putin said trust between the US and Russia had deteriorated under Trump, and Trump said at a press conference with NATO's secretary-general that the US "may be at an all-time low" in its relations with Russia.

Their relations indeed became more adversarial this week.

Senior national-security officials at the White House said Tuesday that it was "clear the Russians are trying to cover up what happened" in Syria with a "disinformation campaign." The attack killed more than 80 people and was the worst the country had seen in years.
When asked about chief strategist Steve Bannon, Trump said, "I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late."

"I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors and I didn't know Steve," Trump told the Post's Michael Goodwin. "I'm my own strategist and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary."

The president's comments follow several days of headlines in which Bannon, one of Trump's more controversial associates, seemed to be on the outs among the administration. He was removed from the National Security Council's principals' committee last week  reportedly against his will  and was said to be on his last legs inside the White House.

All of that was happening as reports of infighting painted top West Wing advisers like Jared Kusher and Bannon as avowed enemies. Reince Priebus, Trump's chief of staff, has rejected the rumors.
Trump announced the move during a press conference with NATO Secretary General Jans Stoltenberg. McMaster's trip will focus on assessing whether more US forces are needed to turn around the war in Afghanistan, which has been ongoing since late 2001.

In February, Army Gen. John Nicholson told Congress he needed a "few thousand" more troops in order to break what he called a "stalemate" with the Taliban.

There are about 8,400 US troops there, along with 5,000 from NATO allies.

The situation in Afghanistan is far from a stalemate, however. The latest assessment from the Institute for the Study of War released in February shows the situation has been deteriorating, especially since troop levels were lowered significantly after 2011.

Of about 400 districts in Afghanistan, the Taliban controls, contests, or influences 171 of them, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States said Tuesday his country could handle itself without NATO support "for the most part" by 2020.
Abati who rated the reality television programme as a sham criticized the nudity portrayed on the just concluded show, making TBoss, the third runner-up a case study.

Adetiba, in a series of tweets has expressed disapproval over the choice of words employed by the former Presidential Special Adviser in his analysis of the programme.

She raised a brow concerning the snooty manner at which Abati commented on the show.

Notable in his article titled "Television As Madness" are the expressions "Big Brother Naija and Big Brother Africa franchises seems committed to the promotion of base values, chiefly adultery, prostitution, love of money, nudity and sex."

Showing her discontent concerning these, she posted via Twitter:

"I just read the article by Mr. Reuben Abati in relation to #BBNaija and I'm in absolute SHOCK. Is it verified that he wrote this?

"Such condescending language. Someone's daughter washed down to zero with words.

"Girls sexually belittle because of a show that never claimed to be anything but what it is.

"The girls were called whores & jezebels, but the men who joined them in these "love" games are?? Never mind the men.Focus on the loose women.

"I might have cringed at a few things I saw on the screen or in the news, but then I changed the channel. THATS. THE. SHOW!!!

"It's like U visit porn hub or whatever and wonder why they aren't covering topical issues or world news?? Errmm.. Not that #BBNaija was porn.

"But that isn't the issue... the manner of language used to describe the women... made my eyes squint. I'm deeply saddened.
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The reason for my lackadaisical attitude to my wedding is the sudden appearance of , my ex-boyfriend who dumped me four years ago and traveled out of the country.

In truth, Prince was my first real love and despite the fact that we have been apart for four years, the love I had for him has never been able to quench and has further complicated things for me.

I find myself falling in love with him all over again and in spite of myself, I believe we were meant to be together and I am even happy he came back before I got married to another man.

I am not saying that I do not love Jason, after all, I agreed to marry him but Prince is one man that no one can ever replace.

I met Prince in my first year at the university while he was in his third year. Before I met him, I had had some relationships but they were all meaningless. Prince became my breath, my life and soul.

I worshiped the ground he walked and could do anything for him. When we made love for the first time, I felt more drawn to him and vowed never to sleep with another man as long as I lived.

But two years after he graduated, Prince traveled out of the country without letting me know. His friends too could not help matters as no one was sure where he went to. Some said he had gone to an obscure country in Europe, while some said he had traveled to either Asia or South Africa.

As days rolled into weeks, months and years and no word came from Prince, I was totally cut off from the world. I stayed for two years without dating any other man. Attempts by friends to match-make me with other men failed.

My family was becoming worried and my mother pleaded with me to forget Prince and move on with my life. After so much pressure, I decided to give in to Jason who had been asking me out for a very long time.

Our affair did not last for more than eight months when he proposed to me and shortly after, we had our introduction and a date was fixed for the wedding.

But just as I was looking forward to it, Prince suddenly showed up. I don't know how he got my number but he just called me up one day in the office and told me he was lodging in a hotel in Festac Town.

Without waiting for his invitation, I went to the hotel to see him and it was as if we did not have any break. I just fell into his hands and while we made love, I knew that nothing had ever changed.

He told me he had first traveled to China to look for greener pastures but he was deported after some months and in the past four years, he had traversed many parts of the world trying to make ends meet.

What finally killed me literarily was when he said all he did was to have a better future for me. I told him I was getting married in a month's time and he broke down and cried like a baby. That was when I knew Prince was made for me and the doubts about my intending wedding crept into my mind.

I have tried to justify my actions but in truth, I see no reason getting into a marriage I will not be happy in because I will still find a way to sneak into the arms of Prince.

May."
The attack set off a back and forth between the Nigerian and Indian governments. On March 29, 2017, five Indian men suspected of attacking Nigerians were arrested.

The Stream, a programme on Al Jazeera has put a spotlight on the xenophobic attacks. They reached out to Nigerians in India to understand what it means to be a black person living in the Asian country.

"They see us as cannibals; they see us as prostitutes; they see us as drug addicts, says Mina Wumbey, a Ghanaian student in Hyderabad, referring to how she feels stereotyped as an African in India. Wumbey told The Stream that not all Indians are racist, but in her experience the majority are.

A Nigerian student Sadiq Bello spoke about his experience. "If you are black, they consider you as trash."

This episode of The Stream features Nigerian brothers Endurance and Precious Amalawa who were strolling with a friend through a shopping mall in a New Delhi suburb when suddenly a mob of Indian students violently assaulted them. They speak about the attack.

Indian photographer Mahesh Shantaram was also a guest on The Stream, and he speaks about racism in his country. My experience is that its everywhere. Ive met Africans all over India and we see the same or similar incidents repeating themselves" he says.
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday, April 11, granted the bail application filed by Olunloyo's counsel, Fatai Lawal.

The accused had been detained at the Port Harcourt Maximum Prisons for weeks over alleged libel.

The General Overseer of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie filed a libel suit against the blogger for allegedly publishing false reports of adultery about him.

While delivering ruling, Justice H.I.O. Shamah said the court exercised its discretionary power, considering that the offence she is arraigned for is bailable.

The judge said the accused must produce a surety in like sum, and the surety must be resident in a verifiable address in Port Harcourt metropolis.

The surety, if a civil servant, should not be below Level 12 and must submit his or her letter of employment, as well as staff identity card. The surety would also sign an undertaking to ensure the accused did not jump bail and to bring her to court on adjourned dates, Justice Shamah said.

The judge added that Olunloyo must submit her international passport to the court and sign an undertaking never to influence the court proceedings and to appear in court any day the matter is adjourned.
Read his story here:

"My name is Basil, a 48-year-old deeply troubled man. I have been married for 15 years with five daughters from my wife, Isioma, with three other girls from my mistresses.

I can say that my quest for a male child led me into having this large number of children and I am finding it difficult taking care of all of them.

My problem started when my mother and other family members began putting pressure on me and my wife to have male children after she had our third daughter.

Typical of a woman from my part of the country, my mother was not happy that Isioma only gave birth to female children and began having issues with her.

Whenever she came to visit us, the issue of a male child always caused friction between my mother and Isioma. It got to a point I became so confused on whom to support because I was always caught in the middle of their quarrels.

My mother was on my neck to get married to another woman who will be able to give her male grandchildren.

So after our fifth daughter, I decided to try another woman outside to see if I could get a male child. I met when I traveled to my village for Christmas about four years ago. In fact, it was my mother who introduced her to me, telling me that women in their family gave birth to male children with ease.

But after Uzoma got pregnant and gave birth to another baby girl, I knew it was not my portion to have a male child but after one year, I decided to give it another try.

But the second woman I met after Uzoma also gave birth to a girl while just last year, another woman I met also gave birth to another girl.

Presently, I have a serious problem on my hands as I find it difficult to fend for the eight girls and their mothers.

I led myself into this mess with my quest for male children ably aided by my mother. How do I get myself out of this problem?

Basil."

How Nigeria voted:

They believe having male children prove their manhood - 23%

It has to do with the culture of where they come from - 22%

They are still living in the stone ages - 11%

Some female children are worth more than 10 male children - 44%

It is because of the society we live in - 22%
This is part of the fantastic reward available for everyone who buys two bottles of SKYY Vodka 100cl in designated supermarkets and departmental stores in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

From the 21 of March till the 30 of April 2017 every purchase of two Skyy Vodka 100cl gets you free 1 litre Sprite and a scratch card to win either a generator, mobile phone, sandwich maker, blender, Hi-ball glass, pen, beach bag or face cap free, whilst purchase of one bottle of SKYY Vodka 100cl gets you 50cl of Sprite free.

According to the brand manager, Mr Olawande Alaran, the big one is still in the mix and every consumer is encouraged to have their carts filled with bottles of Skyy Vodka as they prepare for the Easter holidays.
This is contained in a statement issued by Mrs Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, reaffirmed government resolve while fielding questions from newsmen on Health and Nutrition Emergency Response in Borno State (HNERIBS) on Tuesday in Maiduguri.

Ehanire explained that health sector response is one of the strategic interventions of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari towards rebuilding the North East region.

He stressed that it is a critical milestone in the effort of the federal government to mitigate the suffering of the people and restore normalcy to the IDPs who have endured such hardship.

The minister noted that the federal and Borno state governments declared a health and nutrition emergency in June 2016.

The policy was aimed at addressing the effects of the crisis on the health of the people.

He explained that the plan had been approved and funded by the federal government through the Federal Ministry of Health, which is currently being implemented.

He added that the intervention is providing emergency nutrition and strengthening the health surveillance system targeting the IDPs in camps or host communities.

Minister also flagged-off a 6-day workshop on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) organised for Health and Nutrition Emergency Response Project (HNERP) Personnel.

He explained that mental health and psychosocial support component of the government intervention programme has been identified as a critical component of the HNERP.

Ehanire stressed that the aim of the programme was to provide psychosocial and mental health intervention to the traumatised people in the state.

In order to ensure success of the programme, he said, the FMoH working in conjunction with other stakeholders have developed a detailed work plan which would be implemented to provide relieve to the IDPs in the state.

The minister had earlier visited Gov. Kashim Shettima, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa.

Durkwa expressed appreciation for the kind gesture shown to the people in the state by way of donation of medical supplies and other sundry consumables.
This was made known in a statement by Adoke on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 after the alleged raid on his home in Kano.

In a report by Punch Newspaper, Adoke said the operatives of the EFCC stormed his Kano residence and broke down the doors without a search warrant.

Adoke reportedly said the officials, however, found nothing at the residence after the search.

Some EFCC operatives today raided the house of former AGF and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke (SAN). They found nothing after breaking down the doors of his residence in Kano.

ALSO READ: Adoke calls out Obasanjo, Jonathan over involvement

There was no evidence of a search warrant but they broke down some doors, searched everywhere and the roof. No information on the actual mission of the operatives. This invasion is without deference to the ongoing cases in court against the ex-AGF, the statement read in parts.
The paper, citing sources in the know, reported that the Trump government is going ahead with the deal that could be worth up to $600 million.

The Super Tucano A-29 aircraft, an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is among the possibly 12 aircrafts expected to be sold to Nigeria.

The report said that former president Barack Obama's administration originally agreed on the sale, but it was delayed after the Nigerian Air Force bombing accidentally bombed a refugee camp in Borno State in January - the airstrike reportedly killed 90 to 170 civilians.

"Weve been told that the administration is going to go forward with that transaction," a congressional aide was quoted as saying.

ALSO READ: NAF conducts 701 aerial missions in 3 months - Commander

Trump has said he plans to go ahead with foreign defense sales delayed under Obama due to human rights concerns.
Fresh speculations regarding the state of Buharis health arose on Wednesday, April 12, due to the presidents absence from the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

He added that the president was carrying out other state functions during the FEC meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Mr President is not ill again. Mr. President is in town; Mr. President is attending to other issues. He looked at the agenda for the meeting and decided that the vice president should preside. It is not unusual for the vice president to preside over FEC meetings," Mohammed said.

This is Buharis first absence from the weekly FEC meeting since his March 10 return to Nigeria from a 49-day medical vacation in London.

Buhari had said, on arrival in Nigeria, that he did not remember being so sick in all his life.

He also said that he would soon need follow-up treatment.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has said that Buhari will receive further treatment in London and not in Nigeria.

ALSO READ: President Buhari expected back on Friday
Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo presided over the meeting but no explanation was given for Buharis absence.

This is Buharis first absence from the weekly FEC meeting since his March 10 return to Nigeria from a 49-day medical vacation in London.

Buhari had said, on arrival in Nigeria, that he did not remember being so sick in all his life.

He also said that he would soon need follow-up treatment.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has said that Buhari will receive further treatment in London and not in Nigeria.

ALSO READ: President Buhari expected back on Friday
Unlike the N250 million cash the anti-graft agency intercepted at the popular Balogun market in Lagos on Monday, the new 'illegal' funds were found in two bank accounts after a tip-off by a whistle blower.

The Commission on Tuesday, April 11, said the N4 billion belongs to a former deputy governorship candidate in Niger state, who is said to be on the run.

The suspect, who is yet to be identified, reportedly used Katah Property & Investment Limited and Sadiq Air Travel Agency to launder the funds.

Each of the companies' account domiciled in Guaranty Trust Bank has a fixed deposit of N2 billion in it, the EFCC said.

ALSO READ: Bank blocks Patience Jonathan from accessing her unfrozen account

It was learnt that the account officer is also at large.
Towoju made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that it was necessary that the EFCC carried out a self cleansing of its legal department in view of the recent losses of high profile corruption cases in courts.

He called on the EFCC to do its work with diligence by providing incontrovertible facts in marshaling their arguments in courts since the court often relied on the evidence before it.

He chided the lawyers handling cases for the EFCC for losing serially, adding that it appeared most of them were not ready for the cases before proceeding to court.

The prosecutors at the EFCC should always ensure that their evidence in court is quite overwhelming so that the commission will not be seen as being incapacitated.

The APC chieftain said that prosecutors working for the EFCC should get their act together and do self cleansing, adding that losing high profile corruption cases would not be in the interest of the country.

Towoju called on the Nigeria Bar Association to call its members to order not to jeopardise the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

He said that it would be in the interest of the association to support the fight against corruption, adding that selfless sacrifice was needed at this time to bring the nation on a sound footing.

Towoju equally called on the judiciary to embark on self cleansing by engaging judges that were fearless and rooted in the fear of God in handling corruption cases.

According to him, all hands must be on deck to fight the hydra headed moister that is plaguing the country.

He commended Buhari for his unrelenting effort to ensure that the country was rid of corruption and other issues that were stagnating the country.

It will be recalled that the EFCC lost four corruption cases within five days.

They include Elder Godsday Orubebe, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs under former President Goodluck Jonathan was acquitted by an Abuja High Court sitting in Apo.

The High Court in Maitama, FCT, Abuja dismissed all the 18 corruption charges filed against Justice Adeniyi Ademola and his wife, Olubowale.
They had placards, banners and raised voices.

The gathering was organised to protest the firms perceived breach of a contract it allegedly entered into with Arco, an oil services firm, in November.

According to Comrade Eze Obara, Deputy Chairman of the Lagos Zone of PENGASSAN, General Electric contracted Arco for its services in November with the express agreement that they would be paid after the services were fully rendered.

But months after Arco fulfilled its end of the agreement, remuneration had still not been paid.

Comrade Obara told Pulse that while GE was not a member of PENGASSAN and thus not bound by the unions decisions, he and his peers had decided to protest because, despite many previous attempts to get General Electric to fulfill the contracts terms, they had failed to even acknowledge its existence.

We are here because this is not longer about contracts. It is now a matter of life and death. One of our colleagues has his wife in the hospital and he cannot afford hospital bills because he has not been paid. He told Pulse at the scene of the protest.

We have tried to get them to pay Arco for the services they rendered but they didnt. How can you withhold peoples money for how many months?

When asked what plans they have to make their grievances known in the long run, he said Weve been here since 5.30 am and theyve refused to see us till now".

"If they dont, we will come here tomorrow, and I can assure you that this protest will not be as peaceful as this

General Electric, often abbreviated into GE, is an American multinational conglomerate that has been operating in Nigeria for over 40 years. This Nigerian branch has interests in businesses spanning a number of key sectors - aviation, manufacturing, power generation, healthcare, transportation and oil and gas.

Pulse spoke with GEs Head of Marketing, Patricia Obozuwa who told us that this diversity implies that the firm operates in multiple areas with different companies across Nigeria.

Obozuwa told us that General Electric had little obligation to the protesting union members, whatever agreement it might have entered would have been with Arco. As such, she expected that such persons would first inquire from Arco as to the specifics of the matter and the reasons why it had not paid its employees.

Regarding the protesters plans to continue the protest on more physical terms, she added Rest assured, we are working with authorities in response to this and any attempt to physically damage property will be managed.
The Director of the company, Alhaji Jamilu Gwamna, disclosed this when members of the society paid him a courtesy visit in Kano.

According to him, the training by the NSE will boost the experience of the engineers.

The aim of the collaboration is to make sure that we provide our teaming engineers with more knowledge on their profession in order to give our customers the best services.

We are also ready to sponsor any activities of the NSE for the interest of our people and for the development of the country, Gwamna said.

The Chairman of the society, Rabiu Haruna, said the purpose of the visit was to strengthen the existing good relationship between KEDCO and the NSE.

Haruna said the main focus of the society was to enhance the professional competence and development of its members at all times.

NSE has played a significant role toward developing professional competence of its members through Annual Conferences, workshops, seminars, mentoring and career guidance.

All these are to ensure that registered members have the required competence to compete professionally in all parts of the world, with a view to delivering results through active collaboration with other professionals, he said.
The state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Segun Martins, confirmed this to newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday.

He said the accident occurred at about 5p.m. on April 11.

He said seven of the victims died on the spot while four died between Tuesday and Wednesday morning at the hospital where they were receiving treatment.

According to him, the bus, with registration number Delta AYB 939 XP was travelling to Warri from Abuja while the truck was coming from Okpela, Edo State.
Twice the presidency has sent Magu to the senate for confirmation as substantive chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), twice Magu has been rejected by angry lawmakers.

The lawmakers have often cited a damning report from the Department of State Security (DSS) as reasonfor turning down the request from the Presidency.

ALSO READ: The security report that sank EFCC Chairman

The DSS report accuses the acting Chairman of the EFCC of living well above his means, dining with corrupt persons, flying first class and living in a N40M mansion.

During an interactive session with select journalists at the VP's Aguda House at the presidential villa on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, Osinbajo said the presidency will call the bluff of the lawmakers if push came to shove.

The non-confirmation of the anti-graft czar has set the executive arm of government on a war path with the legislature.

Pulse was part of a team of select journalists inside the villa, Tuesday night, for a chat with the nation's number two citizen.

"I am fully in support of Magu as EFCC Chairman and so is the President. If our candidate is rejected, the law says we can re-present him", Osinbajo said.

He added that; "Even a pocket book lawyer knows that the constitution overrides the EFCC Act. The EFCC Act says the presidency has to send the name of the EFCC nominee to the senate for confirmation. The constitution states otherwise.

ALSO READ: Why Senate rejected Magu as EFCC chairman

"There was no need, in the first place, to have sent Magu to the senate for confirmation", Osinbajo declared, hinting that the executive will rely on the prerogative powers of the President in matters like this, to keep Magu in his seat in perpetuity.

The Vice President also pushed back at criticisms from certain quarters that the inter-agency rift between the DSS and EFCC is clearest indication of a dysfunctional presidency.

Both institutions operate from within the presidency.

He said if anything, it shows that the presidency is allowing the institutions a free rein to run their affairs the way they deem fit.

Osinbajo also said the FBI recently disagreed with US President Donald Trump on Russia interfering with US elections; and no one has accused the US Presidency of being in disarray.

Osinbajo also denied allegations from certain quarters suggesting that the executive is disobeying court orders and flouting rulings with reckless abandon.

ALSO READ:

At the session, journalists cited the cases of Shiite spiritual leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Both men remain in jail in the face of favourable bail application rulings.

"I strongly believe that we must respect the law. With respect to the cases you've cited, we appealed those rulings and we'll keep appealing those rulings", Osinbajo said.

The Vice President also denied that the executive had disobeyed a court order demanding that the bank account of the former first lady, Patience Jonathan, be defrozen.

The EFCC had put a lid on the account on the allegation that the $5.9M in the ex first lady's Skye Bank account, were proceeds of corruption.

Five days after a federal high court in Lagos ruled that the account be defrozen, Mrs. Jonathan still has no access to her stash of cash.

Osinbajo said when court orders of that nature are reeled out, it is not the business of the prosecution to carry them out, but that of the institution; which is the bank in this case.

He said the question of why the account hasn't been defrozen should be directed to Skye Bank and not the presidency.

Osinbajo also made light of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State, who weighed in on the issue, accusing the Buhari presidency of disobeying court orders.
Writing on his official Instagram page on Tuesday, April 11, Sanusi said that the leaders in northern Nigeria are using their knowledge to impoverish the people of the region.

He pointed that when many other Muslim countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are competing with other developed western countries, leaders in the north are racing backwards.

The monarch said Yari's statement that the meningitis outbreak is a punishment from God for the sin of fornication is an example of the ignorance rooted among the leaders in that region.

He stated: "Muslim countries are holding their own in the modern world, proving that Islam is not a religion of underdevelopment. However, the likes of Zamfara State Governor Yari only strengthen this prejudice.

"Abdulaziz Yari quite ludicrously said the deadly meningitis, rampaging his state, is divine punishment for fornication. He didnt say how this was revealed to him because Zamfara certainly doesnt have the highest number of fornicators in the nation.

"His preposterous statement fails to take into account the fact that meningitis isnt a sexually transmitted ailment.

"The truth about the matter is that despite being warned of an impending outbreak, his government took no steps to prepare. Now he blames God! We are stuck with political leaders who only pretend to be godly because sycophants always refer to people in high political office as a God-sent.

"Paradoxically, despite being ruled by all these God-sents, we have spectacularly failed to progress as a nation. Its no secret that many of our political leaders are inept and not well-educated. Nigerians have learnt from experience not to expect much from them."

ALSO READ: I will never consider leaving my throne for public office - Emir of Kano

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said the belief by conservative Muslims that children do not need other knowledge than Islamic studies show that they are still stuck in the 13th Century.

He said: "I choose to fight for the progress of Nigerians and suggest solutions to their problems. Its my duty to speak the truth about the ill-effects of conservative Muslims who are harming Islam rather than helping it.

"I still believe that conservative Muslims are still stuck in the 13th Century and their claim that children need no other knowledge than Islamic studies flies in the face of reality. All the poverty, under-development and immense suffering in the North are a result of uneducated masses refusing to learn work or trade.

"The majority of technicians in Kano are from the south while untrained indigenes beg. How does that make sense? Why is it that conservative Muslims, who claim to be against scientific progress, enter aeroplanes and fly to perform the Hajj in Mecca rather than using camels to cross the desert!
Officers from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Lagos State Police Command said the two suspects, and one other person who is still at large, strangled the Uber driver, Emmanuel Innevosa, before disposing his body and stole his car, a KIA RIO salon car marked KTU 594DM.

According to a Punch Online report, the suspects requested a ride from Ikeja to Oke-Ira, Ogba  both in Lagos  before suddenly ordering the driver to make a U-turn and take them to another part of Ogba, where they strangled him and made off with his car.

One of the suspects narrated the whole thing thus: I and Michael met at Ogba where I went to drink and we became friends. I told him how difficult things were for me that I needed to relocate to Benin to start all over again.

It was at this point that Michael told me about a deal that could fetch me some money that we could get a car and then sell it to his boss.

Michael then told me about one Alex (Emmanuel) who had a vehicle and we agreed to meet the following day. Since then we had been meeting and discussing how to buy the vehicle.

On the fateful day the Uber driver came, I was with Michael in his office and his friend Destiny was with him but I dont know if he discussed the vehicle deal with Destiny.

Around 9:30p.m, we called the Uber driver to come and pick us at Tantalizer eatery at Ogba. I and Destiny were inside the vehicle with the driver, but Michael was outside while I was holding the belt.

Immediately I put the belt across the drivers neck, Destiny dragged the belt and we strangled him. When we were satisfied that he was dead, we took his corpse to Oremeji Street and dumped him in front of a church around 10:30 p.m., without anybody noticing us.

After killing the driver, we took the vehicle to Michaels boss to sell it. The buyer then inquired from us where we got the vehicle from and Michael told him that we killed the owner.

The buyer then said we should take the car away and Michael said we should take it to his house and park it outside, before taking it to another buyer in Benin.

Later we were tracked to Benin, arrested and brought back to Lagos.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the cops had received a report of an Uber driver gone missing and the drivers car stolen. The suspects posed as passengers, strangled the Uber driver and dumped his remains at Ogba and the vehicle was taken to Delta State, where it was recovered and the suspects arrested, Owoseni said.

About two weeks ago, three people were also arrested in Port Harcourt after they tied up a Jumia delivery man and threw him in a septic tank, leading to his death. This wave of disturbing incidences raises the question as to how tech companies in Nigeria protect the people who work for them.
"The bill will allow us to keep our compatriots who left from severing their last remaining link to their homeland," Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis told public radio on Tuesday.

Dual citizenship is currently an option only for those who left the country under the Soviet or Nazi occupations, with rare exceptions.

Under the current law, those who left after Lithuania regained independence in 1990 automatically lose their passport when they become citizens of another country.

President Dalia Grybauskaite said the law, tabled by 114 lawmakers on Friday, could breach the constitution and warned that she may use her veto -- though seventy-one lawmakers would be enough to override it.

Around 370,000 Lithuanians have left the country since it joined the European Union in 2004, half of them relocating to the United Kingdom, where an uproar over Eastern European immigration was seen as a key factor in the Brexit vote to leave the bloc.

British Prime Minister Theresa May promised to impose greater control on immigration from the continent, and guarantees for EU nationals currently living there will be among the issues negotiators discuss amid the Brexit divorce process.

Dalia Asanaviciute, the leader of the UK's Lithuanian community, welcomed the draft law and warned that otherwise a quarter of the roughly 200,000 Lithuanians living there could choose to swap out their citizenship in order to maintain their full rights in Britain.
Trump said Tuesday that the US was ready to solve the North Korean "problem" without China if necessary, as he and Pyongyang engage in tit-for-tat saber-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in East Asia.

"North Korea is looking for trouble," Trump wrote on Twitter. "If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A."

In a phone call with Trump, Xi told him China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said Wednesday.

Trump made his comments as a US naval strike group headed towards the Korean peninsula.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."

The strike group includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided-missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser

A barrage of recent North Korean missile tests have stoked US fears that Pyongyang may soon have an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.

North Korea is also believed to be preparing to test a nuclear weapon in the coming days.

The US show of force prompted the North to declare it was "ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US."

"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said, according to state news agency KCNA.

During their call, Xi told Trump that China remains "willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side on the issue of the peninsula," according to the CCTV report.

Trump, it added, said that it was very important for the two heads of state to maintain close ties, and that he agreed that the US and China should work together to "expand pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of areas".

Speculation also has mounted that North Korea might conduct a nuclear test to mark the 105th birthday anniversary of founder Kim Il-Sung on Saturday.

Trump launched a missile strike on Syria at the end of last week during his Florida meeting with Xi.

The move was widely interpreted as a warning to North Korea as well as retaliation for the Damascus regime's suspected sarin attack against civilians in a rebel-held town in Syria.
The Democratic Party will not stand in legislative elections scheduled for June 18 in the impoverished Balkan country, its head Lulzim Basha said, calling for the polls to be delayed.

"We decided not to participate .. because there is not political agreement on creation of a transitional government," which was the only way to ensure fair polls, he said opposition parties met Rama.

The opposition has decided not to submit lists of candidates to the central electoral commission "until a political agreement is reached on free and fair elections prepared by a technical government," Basha said.

The deadline for submitting the lists expired on Monday.

The right-wing opposition scheduled a protest for May 7 in Kavaja, a small western Albanian city, where local elections would be held that day.

Since mid-February its supporters have been protesting and occupying a tent in front of the main government offices in the capital Tirana.

They demand the departure of Rama, whom they accuse of having allowed the expansion of cannabis cultivation to raise money to manipulate voting.

The Socialist prime minister has denied the allegations, refusing either to resign or delay of the polls.

Since the fall of communism in the early 1990s, the results of elections have often been contested by the losing side, including with street protests that sometimes turned violent.
She will also visit China and India next week, her office said in a statement on Wednesday.

Most attention is likely to focus on her trip to Moscow on April 24, with ties in deep freeze over its support for pro-Russian rebels fighting an insurgency in eastern Ukraine and its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Adding to tensions, the European Union is pushing for a political solution in Syria without President Bashar al-Assad, Moscow's long-time ally.

The announcement of the trip comes just as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to confront Russia over its support for the Assad regime.

Mogherini will also meet Lavrov to "discuss the most pressing foreign policy issues, in particular the conflict in Syria", the statement from her office said.

They will also discuss the situation in Libya, the Middle East peace process, Iran, Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as EU-Russia ties.

Mogherini took office in 2014 with a reputation of being sympathetic to Russia when she was Italian foreign minister and said repeatedly she wanted to visit Moscow.

She tried to stabilise relations with Moscow, arguing that Russia was a huge neighbour that the EU had to learn to live with, but the deepening Ukraine crisis prevented any accommodation.

Mogherini will visit China on April 19 to chair the EU-China Strategic Dialogue with top Chinese foreign policy official Yang Jiechi in preparation for an EU-China summit later in Brussels, a statement said.

They will discuss global challenges, such as climate change, as well as regional and security issues, it said.

In India on April 21, Mogherini will hold similar talks with Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.
Hichilema, who has refused to recognise Lungu as president, was accused of deliberately endangering his life in the high-speed incident at the weekend.

"We have charged Hichilema and five others with treason," Zambian police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka.

"The opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the presidential motorcade in an attempt to put the life of the republican president in danger."

The accused, who include Hichilema's aides, have also been charged with disobeying lawful orders and use of insulting language.

Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of death.

The state-owned Zambia Daily Mail said that Hichilema's motorcade ignored police attempts to clear the road between Limulunga and Mongu, 500 kilometres (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka.

"The behaviour of Mr Hichilema and his cohorts was not only a senseless act of disrespect to the presidency but also endangered the life of the head of state and many other people," it said in an editorial.

Police raid

More than 100 armed police surrounded Hichilema's house outside Lusaka early on Tuesday and tear gas was fired before a raid when he was taken into custody.

Hichilema's United Party for National Development (UPND) said Tuesday that he had done nothing wrong and criticised the raid as "barbaric" after his wife and children were trapped and choked by gas.

Hichilema has launched several legal attempts to challenge the August election result, which he lost narrowly.

He says that the vote was rigged and accuses Lungu of an unprecedented bout of political repression in Zambia, which has been known for its relative stability.

The election campaign was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party and the UPND.

Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman known as "HH", has run for president five times.

International observers said the election was marred by restrictions on opposition campaigning, voter intimidation and biased state media.

Last October, Hichilema and party vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba were arrested for unlawful assembly and sedition when they tried to visit supporters in jail.

Zambia, Africa's second biggest copper producer, recorded GDP growth of three percent last year -- its slowest rate since 1998.
President Michelle Bachelet's landmark bill would expand access to free university education, with the number of beneficiaries based on Chile's economic growth in any given year.

That does not go far enough, say student protesters, who want free tuition with no strings attached.

Clashes erupted as the protest got under way. Rowdy groups of students, many wearing masks and dressed in black, threw stones at the heavy contingent of riot police standing guard.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them. The protest then unfolded peacefully, but new clashes broke out at the end.

The education committee in the lower house of Congress is due to vote on the bill Tuesday, deciding whether to send it to the floor for debate.

Bachelet won election in 2013 vowing sweeping reforms of the highly privatized education and pension systems.

But both projects have drawn violent protests in recent months.
US president Donald Trump's White House victory had raised hopes in Moscow that some kind of rapprochement was possible between the former Cold War foes.

Trump had spoken warmly of Russia on the campaign trail, but since he came to office in January ties have chilled and the fallout from the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria threw them into crisis.

Trump envoy Tillerson's talks with Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov have been haunted by the incident that saw the US launch punitive strike against Assad's forces.

On the alleged attack, and issues like Russian intervention in Ukraine and alleged interference in the US election, the viewpoints of Moscow and Washington remained far apart.

"We frankly discussed the state of US-Russian relations. I expressed that the current state is at a low point," the US envoy and former oil executive told reporters.

"There is a low level of trust between our two countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," he warned.

Lavrov had begun the day with the more combative tone, but at the pair's joint news conference it was he who stressed the areas where closer cooperation remains possible.

"Despite the quantity of existing problems... there are considerable prospects for joint work," Lavrov said, after he took Tillerson for private talks with Putin.

"Russia is open to this, open to dialogue with the US in all different areas," he insisted, citing the capitals' shared vision of an "uncompromising" war on terrorism.

And he said that Russia was open to restoring a "deconfliction" hotline to enable US and Russian military commanders to avoid accidental clashes over Syria.

But neither side cited much in the way of concrete new avenues of cooperation, beyond establishing a working group to address what Tillerson called "smaller issues."

The news conference was dominated by points of contention, chiefly Moscow's deep aversion to US interventionism and Washington's disgust at the carnage in Syria and Ukraine.

Tillerson was once a familiar and friendly face in Moscow as the chief executive of oil giant ExxonMobil, but he pulled no punches on his first visit as secretary of state.

He restated the US beliefs that Russian hackers and propagandists interfered in the US vote and that Assad's forces were behind the latest chemical weapons attack.

Missile salvo

He did play down suggestions from some US officials that Russian forces could have been complicit in last week's slaughter of 87 civilians in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

But he was firm that only Assad's forces could have carried out such a strike and insisted that Russia must do more to help strip the regime of its chemical arsenal.

Lavrov parried the accusations, noting that Moscow wants UN weapons investigators to probe not only Khan Sheikhun but also the Syrian air base that US missiles hit in response.

And he declared that many of the divisions between Moscow and Washington were the result of "timebombs" left behind by former president Barack Obama's administration.

"We are realistic and understand the need to overcome these obstacles we have to make efforts. And we seek to do that," the veteran diplomat said.

Putin, in a television interview ahead of the talks, was more blunt about the new chill in ties, and firmly rejected Washington's view of the Syrian attack.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," he said.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

Tillerson had said he would challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

Russia vetoes UN resolution

And -- even as Tillerson, Putin and Lavrov discussed their differences in Moscow -- a fresh storm broke at the United Nations Security Council in New York.

Russia vetoed a resolution tabled by the US, Britain and France tabled on the alleged chemical attack in Syria.

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus.

Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.
The march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government, was organised by a coalition of opposition parties following nationwide rallies against Zuma last week.

Zuma's recent sacking of respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan unleashed public anger over government corruption scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

Wednesday's march was led by the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, along with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and smaller opposition parties.

"I came because Zuma has to step down. He sold the country. I don't want him anymore," Mavis Madisha, a 37-year-old EFF supporter, told AFP.

Gordhan's sacking triggered unprecedented criticism from senior figures in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The ANC has since tried to close ranks behind Zuma and has vowed to defeat a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The vote is scheduled for next Tuesday but may be delayed due to a legal tussle over whether it should be a secret ballot for lawmakers.

Zuma, who turned 75 on Wednesday, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as president ahead of the 2019 general election.

He is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him.

The president branded last week's protests, which attracted tens of thousands of marchers, as racist.

The dismissal of Gordhan saw the Fitch and Standard & Poor's agencies cut South Africa's sovereign credit rating to junk status due to fears of political instability and growing corruption.

Zuma has been accused of being in the sway of the wealthy Gupta business family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.
The speaker, the most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives and an ally of President Donald Trump, will be joined by House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry and four other Republicans, along with two House Democrats.

As part of the trip, Ryan will deliver remarks at the Policy Exchange, a leading British think tank, on April 19.

The US delegation's mission will be seen as particularly poignant in Poland and Estonia, nations near the front lines of the Kremlin's increasingly sharp tone with the West.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization reinforced its eastern flank in March by deploying British troops and equipment in Estonia, where many citizens remain disturbed by Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin's sabre rattling in the Baltic region.

NATO decided at a July 2016 summit to deploy its troops to the Baltic states and Poland as a tripwire against Russian adventurism in states formerly under Moscow's control.

Tensions have risen following Trump's launch of an airstrike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for an apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians by the Syrian regime, a Russian ally.
The visit by Yemane Gebreab, advisor to Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, "is awkward," the Dutch cabinet said.

Gebreab is due to address a youth congress of Eritrea's sole political party, the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), taking place from Thursday to Monday, the group said on its Facebook page.

The Dutch government said in a statement that it "is concerned by the situation of human rights in Eritrea and considers the visit by Mr Gebreab to be awkward, since a top Eritrean official will be addressing Eritreans who have left their country".

Eritrean refugees make up the second largest group of refugees taken in by The Netherlands in recent years, after Syrians, and some have voiced fears of being intimidated.

Eritrea researcher Mirjam van Reisen, from the University of Tilberg, told AFP Gebreab had arrived Monday "a day earlier than expected".

"He's organising the youth part of the party and also more generally the long arm which includes the churches, the women's organisations," she said.

"The purpose of these organisations is to spy on anyone who does not agree with the dictatorship."

Isaias's regime is accused of jailing thousands of political prisoners since he came to power in 1993 in the Horn of Africa nation, one of the world's poorest countries.

No general elections have been held since the ex-rebel Marxist leader took power after a three-decade independence war against Ethiopia.

Intimidation, spying

In 2016, the Dutch took in some 2,800 Eritreans, some 9 percent of all refugees welcomed into the country, according to the official Dutch asylum-seekers' organisation.

The University of Tilburg said many of the 20,000 Eritreans now living in The Netherlands still feel intimidated.

Eritrean organisations here "report on people who are not loyal to the regime and... make sure that this is known so that measures can be taken," said Van Reisen.

Back home "people are punished. They don't get food vouchers. They are fined. They are put in prison. So their lives are really made impossible and very miserable."

The government said "Gebreab's visit will be treated as a private matter and we will not facilitate it," stressing no top Dutch officials would meet with him.

According to the youth movement of the PFDJ, some 650 people are expected to attend the congress, the 13th such event held in Europe, which aims to persuade "young Eritreans to become more active in serving their communities and the interests of Eritrea".
Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad last week.

Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations between Washington and Moscow have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil.

But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis.

At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference."

During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

Lavrov told Tillerson Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria.

In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later Wednesday.

The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack.

As tempers rose ahead of Tillerson's visit, US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

The White House compared Assad's tactics to those of World War II Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, sparking widespread criticism for apparently ignoring the Holocaust.

Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

In a sign that the Kremlin is not set to drop its firm support for Assad Syria's foreign minister is set to jet in to Moscow for talks with Lavrov on Friday before a three-way meeting involving Iran's top diplomat on Friday.

As the powerbrokers wrangled over the six-year war in Syria that has cost some 320,000 lives, a deal on the ground to evacuate four besieged towns began Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people, both civilians and fighters, are expected to begin leaving government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani later Wednesday.
Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg
Dozens of Quad-City employers got a look Tuesday at how their workers, including tomorrow's employees, could get their education and training in a virtual world and in the not-so-distant future.

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges' new Virtual Reality Interactive Digital Center in downtown Davenport  part of a partnership between the district and EON Reality, opened its doors to begin conversations with area employers.

Visitors heard from experts about how virtual reality, or VR, and augmented reality, or AR, technologies are already reshaping health care, manufacturing and education  particularly in the area of training.

"We want to educate the community about what VR and AR is and how it may be implemented into their institutions, organizations or companies," said Joshua Drake, Eastern Iowa's VR Training Initiatives project manager.

Drake surmised that for most of the nearly 130 visitors, it might have been their first exposure to virtual reality, though their children may already use it in their video games. "I bet if they have kids, they have it in their own homes and have never played with it."

But participants had the chance to experiment with the center's VR/AR equipment to see the benefits of a virtual world.

Helping to demonstrate the EON Icube Mobile unit, Joe Cheben discussed how the portable, multi-sided immersive environment  in which a user could step into a virtual reality  could be used to "show a mechanic 100 different ways to repair an engine." The 3D model could simulate any number of training situations for a variety of industries.

"You could have a mock-up of a whole facility in virtual reality versus the way we teach right now in a classroom environment,'' said Cheben, a senior engineering associate at ExxonMobil. "You could get eight to 10 years experience (on a machine or a control center) in less than a year."

Mats Johansson, the CEO and co-founder of EON Reality, based in Irvine, California, also was on hand for the center's first public unveiling. He said the 18-year-old company focuses on knowledge transfer with its VR software. Its "Big Six" industries, he said, are defense, aerospace, manufacturing, energy, health care and sports. But it also produces tailored-made programs for individual clients.

"For almost every large corporation, training is a big issue and it's expensive," Johansson said. Much of EON's software products are geared to users who need some form of training. Use of VR among health care professionals is exploding. "Some studies show health care is a large part of the future VR market," he said, adding "Some studies put it at No. 2, after video games."

Speaking to a group of health care professionals, Dr. Anuradha Khanna, associate professor of ophthalmology at Loyola University Chicago, discussed how a collaboration with EON created a new Eyesim software that they are using with their students at Loyola and a number of other universities.

"We're not trying to replace anything, this is enhancing what already exists," she said. The VR technology provides a safe environment where students can simulate actual eye problems on the computer, tablet or cellphone. "Knowing something is one thing, putting it into practice is another thing."

Genesis Health System's Jennifer Schmidt and Annette Holst were anxious to learn more about VR because they deal with students who already have embraced the technology.

"This is cutting-edge technology," said Schmidt, Genesis' talent acquisition and development director. "Virtual reality is becoming more popular and it's here to stay. We want to learn more to continue collaborating with EON and Eastern Iowa Community Colleges."

Holst, an RN and Genesis' nursing professional development specialist, said nursing students already are learning with new technologies, including life-like mannequins. "I see that a combination of mannequins and virtual reality will be the thing of the future. They still want to touch a patient's arm, feel the vein but they also want to have virtual reality."
While the quality of many other Christian movies often is questionable at best, The Case for Christ is a solid, true-life story of one mans journey into belief.

Audiences who saw God's Not Dead 2 may have recognized the real Lee Strobel in a small role. Now heres his story in The Case for Christ, the story of a journalists search for evidence for and against the existence of Jesus. Its based on Strobels best-selling book (theres a documentary, too, that was made in 2007).

Mike Vogel (Cloverfield) plays Lee Strobel in 1980. Lee is a newspaper reporter who suspects there is more to a local cop-shooting case then met the eye.

He has a lot more than that on his mind, because his personal life is going topsy-turvy after what his wife considers an incident that was divine intervention. Strobel, his pregnant wife Leslie (Erika Christensen, televisions Parenthood) and their daughter Alison (Haley Rosenwasser) are having dinner when the little girl gets a gumball and chokes on it.

A nurse named Alfie (L. Scott Caldwell, televisions Southland) helps Alison. Alfie believes that Jesus meant for her to be there at that moment, a concept that intrigues Leslie but annoys Lee.

Leslie, in fact, begins to seek more information about Christianity, and even attends services, much to the hard-drinking Lees dismay and, eventually, anger. I want my wife back! he shouts.

He becomes so angry and jealous of his wifes new belief and the time she dedicates to her new-found religion that he decides to gather all the information he can to disprove the existence of Christ. He spends hours doing research, and talks to both Christians and atheists in his quest.

What makes this movie a solid one is its lack of preaching and melodrama. It provides a realistic treatment of a marriage in turmoil, and shows true-to-life arguments that really do occur when one person in a couple is a believer and the other isnt.

The other thing this movie has going for it, unlike a lot of other faith-based movies, is that its populated with capable and sincere performers, from the two leads, who do a convincing job of depicting a marriage split by differing beliefs, to secondary and tertiary characters portrayed by the wonderful Robert Forster and Faye Dunaway.

Sometimes the proof that Lee is provided is a little shaky  the Shroud of Turin scene, for example, doesnt work well. But a medical explanation of Christs suffering on the cross is beautifully presented.
Poster of the TV drama In The Name of the People [Photo/VCG]

A new Chinese television drama, titled In The Name of the People, has made waves in the nation since it was released on Hunan Satellite TV, on March 28, 2017.

The plot revolves around a detective's efforts in unearthing corruption within a fictional Chinese city.

In the Name of the People has, so far, attracted large amounts of audiences in China. The release coincides with the Chinese government's anti-corruption campaign.

The production has received significant government funding from the Supreme People's Procuratorate, which is the agency responsible for investigations and prosecutions in the People's Republic of China.

In the television series, actor Lu Yi stars as detective Hou Liangping and Xu Yajun stars as Liangpings antagonist, Qi Tongwei.

The program was based on a book, written by Zhou Meisen.

Due to the popularity of the TV series in China, the drama has also attracted the attention of foreign media. BBC wrote China laps up glossy TV corruption drama.

Below are a few faces to look out for in the TV series, In The Name of the People.
Q. In the vicinity of Parkway Drive and Heather Lane in Bettendorf, three houses have been torn down recently. Were they demolished because they are in the floodplain, or is something else being built? It is near Grant Wood Elementary School, and the Bettendorf Community School District has plans to build a new school. Did the district buy the property and have the houses demolished?  Tim

A. We contacted the Bettendorf Community School District and the city of Bettendorf.

Celeste Miller, director of communications with the school district responded: "The school district would not have bought the properties and did not purchase the properties. However, I do believe that the city was able to do something, perhaps with grant money."

John Soenksen, city planner/flood zone administrator also responded: "The city of Bettendorf received a FEMA grant from the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department to purchase and demolish 10 homes in the regulated flood zone. This voluntary program offers the fair market value to homeowners who have experienced severe flooding in the past. The 'target area' was chosen due to the fact that Greenway Creek and Duck Creek converge and the area was identified as a first-to-flood area. Homeowners in the area have experienced increasing flood insurance rate hikes and have had difficulty selling their homes. This program is designed to eliminate flood hazards and allow homeowners to relocate outside of the flood hazard area. All of these properties will remain as open space. Bettendorf will continue to seek these grant funds in the future. The homeowners have been very pleased with the program. Thank you, and I hope this helps."
Concerns over proposed voting laws working their way through the Iowa Legislature, as well as a tense meeting with the Iowa Secretary of State, has two local county auditors thinking about making a run for the post in 2018.

County auditors Roxanna Moritz, of Scott County, and Eric Van Lancker, of Clinton County, are considering the run as are two other Democratic auditors, Travis Weipert of Johnson County and Jamie Fitzgerald of Polk County.

Im just thinking about it at this point, Moritz said Tuesday. Were quite a ways away from 2018. I have a lot going on in my office right now.

During a meeting last month with Secretary of State Paul Pate, Moritz said the Iowa State Association of County Auditors blocked out two hours for him to speak to the auditors and answer questions about a proposed voter ID law, as well as other voting issues.

He came and spoke for 20 minutes," Moritz said. And it was more of a chastisement than an informative meeting, she added.

He could have come to us and said, I know were going to disagree but were going to do this and work on other issues, Moritz said. He didnt stay and answer one question from us. He came in and did his thing and left."

The manner in which Pate acted, she said, was unprofessional to us.

Van Lancker said he previously considered making a run for the job, but the last time the office was up for grabs was not a good time for him.

And, he added, he loves his job serving Clinton Countys voters, so he has been prepared to say no to running for the state office.

And then, darn it, that day happened, Van Lancker said of Pate's lecture to the state group.

What really hit me that day is my peers deserve supportive leadership from the states commissioner of elections, he said.

Kevin Hall, communications director for the Secretary of States office, said late Tuesday that Pate's election integrity proposal included numerous items that were suggested directly by the county auditors. All 11 recommendations made by the association's ad hoc committee were included in House File 516, Hall said.

Hall added that Pates speech to the auditors addressed moving forward and his desire to continue to work with all 99 county auditors to ensure fair, clean elections across the state, and ensure no eligible voter is turned away.

The Iowa State Association of County Auditors has Pate's full support, Hall said, adding that Pate stated that in his speech.

Moritz said there are issues beyond the voter ID law she wanted to discuss with Pate. One of those is doing away with straight party voting which, she said, will mean longer lines. It also could mean, she added, that down-ballot candidates will not get votes. People wont fill out the forms back and front.

Van Lancker said his big issues has to do with the decrease in the number of days Iowas voters are able to vote absentee or engage in early voting.

Currently, for the general election, people may vote up to 40 days ahead of time. Dialing that window back to 29 days has been discussed.

To not have to go to the polls on Election Day is a convenient option for many voters, Van Lancker said. We also have our snowbirds that come up to our counter and vote in person before they head south. There are a lot of people who appreciate that.

Van Lancker did say he likes one idea and thats pushing back the deadline county auditors have to send out mailed ballots.

We had to mail out ballots by 5 p.m. on the Friday or Saturday before an election, depending on the election. That was setting up our voters for failure, sending it out on Friday when Election Day is on Tuesday.

Auditors will have to mail absentee ballots within 10-11 days before the election.

But, he added, he supported that measure not knowing the state was going to close the window of opportunity for people to vote absentee or early.

Moritz said there will not be a fight among the auditors over who might run for the Secretary of State office. If we decide to do it, well sit down and choose the best candidate, she said.
A 36-year-old Rock Island man convicted as a teenager in the 1996 shooting death of Augustus Gus Nance in Davenport was given a new sentence Wednesday that gives him a chance at parole.

Scott County District Court Judge Joel Barrows, during a lengthy hearing, sentenced Romeo C. Hardin to life with the possibility of parole.

Barrows did not offer a recommendation on when, if ever, Hardin should be released from prison. That decision will ultimately be made by the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Hardin, who already has served 20 years in prison, indicated Wednesday that he will appeal the sentence.

He was 15 when he was charged with fatally shooting Nance, 21, on Aug. 22, 1996, in what prosecutors say was a gang-related shooting.

Hardin was convicted in 1997 of first-degree murder and other charges and was given an automatic sentence of life without parole.

The Iowa Supreme Court vacated that sentence in 2013 on the grounds that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles violate the constitutional protection against cruel and unusual punishment.

In 2014, Barrows sentenced him again to life without parole and thought that he had discretion in these cases.

Hardin appealed, and in September, the Iowa Supreme Court vacated the sentence and referred to its ruling in another case, State v. Sweet, which holds that it is unconstitutional to sentence a juvenile to life without parole because it amounts to cruel and unusual punishment.

Hardin, who represented himself during Wednesdays sentencing hearing, asked the judge to consider giving him a deferred sentence, saying that life with the possibility of parole was still cruel and unusual punishment.

He argued that the juvenile court in the 1996 improperly waived him to adult court and that a lesser sentence would help resolve my situation and restore my rights as a citizen.

That is why essentially I keep putting the emphasis on the juvenile court because I felt that was my only shot at being treated and being where Im at as a person, he said.

He further said he has made efforts to better himself while in prison, such as entering into an apprenticeship program through the U.S. Department of Labor in June 2016.

Barrows said a deferred sentence is not an option on a first-degree murder charge under Iowa criminal code.

Hardin has 30 days to file a notice of appeal.
With just a slight difference, Iowa Quad-City metro school districts have more students graduating these days, just as the state numbers reach 91.3 percent.

At the same time, the high school dropout rate is up in Iowa.

The state's graduation rate is a new high, the Iowa Department of Education announced in a news release on Tuesday. The rate has been climbing the past five years.

But at least one local school superintendent says the state's graduation numbers are only half the story.

"What we need to focus on is the next chapter, and as a state, we are not where we need to be," Jim Spelhaug said.

Spelhaug is superintendent of the Pleasant Valley Community School Disrict, which has the highest average rate, locally, at 96.62 percent.

While the superintendent agrees that a high school diploma is important, he said an equal amount of effort needs to go to the next step in life, be it college, the military or some sort of certificate program.

Spelhaug argues a post-high school education is critical for today's students, especially in the current economy.

Spelhaug is among the local school officials who measure five-year graduation rates, as opposed to four-year rates. He and others think the five-year rates are fairer, as they take into account the many students who do not finish high school in four years, for a variety of reasons.

Nevertheless, state data released Tuesday shows the Iowa rate is 91.3 percent of students in the class of 2016 who graduated in four years. That compares to 90.8 percent in the class of 2015.

The dropout rate went up slightly statewide; it was 2.8 percent in 2016 and 2.5 percent in 2015. That rate represents 4,154 students in grades 9-12. That increase is unusual; the dropout rate has gone down every year since 2010.

Pleasant Valley looks at dropouts as individuals, not as a rate, Spelhaug said. The school district, and others, pursue students who leave school to find ways to engage them or connect them to some level of programming that can lead to a degree.

The consequences of not having a degree are devastating, Spelhaug said. Last year, six students dropped out at Pleasant Valley; he said eight to nine students did so this year.

"We have a fairly large high school, so that's pretty good," Spelhaug said. "But it won't be where it ought to be until it is zero."
CEDAR RAPIDS  Eastern Iowa officials condemned a proposal unveiled Tuesday to eliminate state funding for the Iowa Flood Center, an operation based at the University of Iowa that provides real-time flood mapping and helps communities see if theyll be affected by rising waters.

Before the floods of 2008, it was hard to communicate the risk to the public in a form they can understand, said Johnson County Emergency Manager Dave Wilson. Pulling the funding for that project would be shortsighted. Im kind of shocked they are even considering it.

The Iowa Flood Center was created by the Legislature in 2009  one year after devastating floods hit Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and other eastern Iowa communities.

The centers interactive tool provides weather conditions, inundation maps and stream sensor data. A flood risk calculator and maps show how far and where a river would flow based on the flood stage.

Cutting the $1.5 million the state provides the center annually would effectively eliminate the program and jeopardize federal money, according to an email from Larry Weber, director of the university's IIHR Hydroscience and Engineering, and Witold Krajewski, the flood center director.

Weber, speaking Tuesday in Des Moines, said he appreciated the budget challenges facing legislators this year but noted the Iowa Flood Center leveraged $136 million in federal funds and played a critical role in helping deal with the aftermath of the 2008 flood and meeting challenges posed by last years rising waters.

We think that we had a tremendous impact, said Weber. He also noted the center is in the first year of a $96 million five-year federal Housing and Urban Department project studying flood mitigation and water quality improvements.

Local officials say the center indeed has had an impact on Iowans.

In 2013 and 2014 when we had flooding, people would come in here and ask about their property, said Melissa Clow, project manager for Iowa Citys $40 million Gateway Project, which will raise Dubuque Street by 10 feet to avoid flooding.

The Iowa Flood Information System, an online tool that supports flood alerts and flood forecasts, is one of the first tools I pull up, she said. Its very user-friendly.

Cedar Rapids officials also used the system when preparing for last Septembers 21.9-foot crest of the Cedar River, which the city fended off with temporary barriers and other efforts.

While the National Weather Service has one gauge in Cedar Rapids, the flood center has gauges on large and small waterways across Iowa, said Sandy Pumphrey, a project engineer for Cedar Rapids. The flood centers inundation maps update information more regularly than federal maps, he said.

The Iowa Flood Center has much more detailed information that were able to see in real time, Pumphrey said. Its our eyes and ears.

Justin Koller, the citys sewer operations manager, said being able to share accurate information quickly with residents and business owners is vital in an emergency situation.

U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack, speaking Tuesday in North Liberty, said closing the Iowa Flood Center makes no sense. In fact, the Democrat from Iowa City proposed in June creating a national flood center  perhaps based in Iowa City.

Weve got to continue to invest resources, not only in the Iowa Flood Center but nationally as well, Loebsack said.

State Rep. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids, who is on the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Managements Flood Mitigation Board, said he would work to keep the flood center open.

We have repeatedly witnessed the devastating impact that floods have on our Iowa communities and its our responsibility as state lawmakers to work with local communities to minimize and mitigate flooding and the resulting damage to life and property, he said.
The Iowa Economic Development Authority has given preliminary approval to the final piece of financing needed to turn Davenport's old Buchanan school into 18 senior apartments, developer Chris Ales said Tuesday.

Development authority representative Tina Hoffman said a final decision is expected "soon."

Ales said he has been told he will receive $3 million from the authority's Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program. These are federal funds made available to communities affected by the 2008 floods and designated for projects that create new housing.

Work on the $5.4 million project is expected to begin in 60 to 90 days, with occupancy in 2018, Ales said.

Buchanan is located at 2104 W. 6th St., off Telegraph Road, southwest of the Putnam Museum and Fejervary Park. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is architecturally and historically significant, designed by the noted architectural firm of Clausen Burrows, whose work helped shape Davenport.

The building has become an eyesore in recent years, however, with some windows boarded up or broken out. The site itself is surrounded by a chain link fence with overgrown vegetation. It is "in dire need of preservation," Ales said.

The school was built and opened in 1904, according to research by the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center of the Davenport Public Library.

The building closed in 1940 and apparently was vacant until being purchased in 1951 for use as a U.S. Naval Training Center. The Navy stayed in the building until 1978, when the building again became vacant, according to library researchers.

It was purchased in 1988 by Donald "Bobe" Lopez, who has used it as storage space for his antique auto parts business on West 2nd Street, Ales said.

The project is "shovel-ready" because all other prep work already has been done, including marketing and environmental studies, final construction drawings and approval of all the other financing, Ales said.

In supporting Ales' request for the block grant funding originally filed in 2014, Bruce Berger, the city's community development director, called it an "exciting project" that would make high use of a building that "the neighborhood has been looking at for a long time."

In addition to the block grant, other pieces of financing include about $2 million in equity from the sale of federal and state historic preservation tax credits, benefits from the city's Urban Revitalization Tax Exemption program and the state's former Enterprise Zone program and conventional financing, Ales said.

The school was designed in the Georgian Colonial and Renaissance Revival architectural styles. It is made of brick and limestone and features arched doorways, three window shapes and a red clay tile roof.

Two other Clausen Burrows properties have been converted into apartments in recent years  the former Taylor School at 901 W. 5th St. and the former Pierce School in the Village of East Davenport. Taylor school is targeted for seniors.

Of the 18 apartments at Buchanan, several will be income-restricted, reserved for people with incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income, Ales said.

The Buchanan school at 4515 N. Fairmount St. that is in use today opened in 1971-72.
1. Warmer today with rain later

A good Wednesday to all. Here's what is ahead for the Quad-Cities in this wacky world of weather.

Today will be mostly sunny with a high near 68 degrees.

Tonight showers and thunderstorms are likely. The chance of precipitation is 80 percent with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible. The overnight low will be around 51 degrees.

Thursday scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible in the early morning hours. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a high near 67 degrees. The chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Thursday night there's a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Skies will be mostly cloudy with a low around 52 degrees.

2. Nestle Purina parking lot agreement in works for years

Dead silence accompanied quizzical looks two months ago as some of Davenport's aldermen questioned the origin of a proposed licensing agreement with Nestle Purina to build a parking lot for 360 trucks on 19-plus acres of riverfront.

The 50-year licensing agreement was shot down by the Levee Improvement Commission in January because of a perception that the terms were one-sided. They called for Nestle Purina to pay $1 per year for the first five years and at most $24,000 annually by its expiration.

City Administrator Corri Spiegel and City Attorney Tom Warner attributed the proposal to former Public Works Director Mike Clarke, who announced his retirement in October 2015. But documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed city staff continued to push the project after his departure. Read more.

3. VR showcased as next big thing for business

Dozens of Quad-City employers got a look Tuesday at how their workers, including tomorrow's employees, could get their education and training in a virtual world and in the not-so-distant future.

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges' new Virtual Reality Interactive Digital Center in downtown Davenport  part of a partnership between the district and EON Reality  opened its doors to begin conversations with area employers. Read more.

4. Old Buchanan school to become senior apartments

The Iowa Economic Development Authority has given preliminary approval to the final piece of financing needed to turn Davenport's old Buchanan school into 18 senior apartments, developer Chris Ales said Tuesday. Work on the $5.4 million project is expected to begin in 60 to 90 days, with occupancy in 2018, Ales said.

Buchanan is located at 2104 W. 6th St., off Telegraph Road, southwest of the Putnam Museum and Fejervary Park. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is architecturally and historically significant, designed by the noted architectural firm of Clausen Burrows, whose work helped shape Davenport. Read more.

5. Pee Wee's Restaurant aims to fill void in Rock Island

About 10 days in to his new venture, the owner of Pee Wees Restaurant in west Rock Island totally lost his cool when a familiar face walked through the door for the first time.

Will Clay said he "was blown away" when Rock Island native Booker Edgerson, a starting cornerback for the Buffalo Bills in the 1960s, unexpectedly showed up at his eatery.

I gave him a hug like I would hug my dad, said Clay, whose late father, Wayland Pee Wee Clay Sr., and Edgerson were "great friends" back in the day.

Pee Wee's, located at the corner of 9th Street and 21st Avenue at 2035 Martin Luther King Drive, offers a variety of soul food and Cajun-Creole fare. Read more.

6. Arconic Davenport Works installs new stretcher

It seems like every thing has its day and every day is "National fill-in-the-blank Day" Well, folks, today it is National Big Wind Day.

The day commemorates the recording of the highest natural wind gust measured on the Earths surface. Back on April 12, 1934, the Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire recorded winds of 231 miles per hour. For the geographically challenged, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288 ft, and it is the most prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.

If you're not impressed with it being National Big Wind Day, never fear, there's National Grilled Chess Sandwich Day. Also celebrated today, it's something you can really sink your teeth into ...
DUBUQUE  U.S. Rep. Rod Blum announced Wednesday he will host a series of four town halls in his eastern Iowa district May 8-11 during the congressional recess, including one in the Cedar Valley area of Waterloo-Cedar Falls.

Others will be in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Marshalltown. Venues, times and details have yet to be announced.

I look forward to these town halls and hearing the ideas and concerns of the citizens all across our amazing district, Blum said in a statement.

Congress currently is on a two-week recess, when several other members have planned town halls or other meetings with constituents.

Blum, a Dubuque businessman who represents Iowa's 1st Congressional District, currently has two events listed on his public schedule: a veterans fair on April 20 in Waterloo and a seniors fair on April 21 in Cedar Rapids. He doesnt have any town halls listed.

Advocates and critics have been rallying to urge Blum to hold a town hall since nearly the outset of his second term, including a March 9 rally in Cedar Falls over health care. The Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, all Democrats, also voted 3-2 in March to host meetings for the districts congressional delegation.

Blum said last week when The Courier asked about the potential for town halls during this recess that hes been kind of busy in Washington, D.C., with about six weeks straight in the nations capital to work on issues.

Weve been really busy. Ive been in Washington, D.C.; this calendar has been unbelievable  and dealing with the health care issues and some big issues, so everybody needs to take a deep breath, Blum said last week following a meeting with Republican Women of Black Hawk County.

He said the protests for town halls have largely been by Democratic and left-leaning groups.

That 'Indivisible,' I get that, Blum said last week. "Theyre a Democrat organization. Of course, theyre pushing for this (town hall), because of course, they want to show up and yell and get on TV, right? We get that. We got the manual. We understand. Theyre the ones pushing."

Indivisible of Northeast Iowa has been active on social media this week advocating for Blum to hold a town hall, including tweeting pictures showing a cut-out image of Blum at potential locations where he could meet with constituents. The Iowa Democratic Party also plans a rally Wednesday night in Cedar Rapids to urge the congressman to hold a town hall.

When I talk to real Americans, like Im talking to today, nobody is asking me about, Whens your next town hall, so we can show up and yell at you? Its the Democrat Party, Blum said. "They did it to Joni (Ernst). They did it to Senator Grassley. They did it to David Young. They havent done it to Congressman Blum yet, and darn it, they want to have their opportunity to show up and yell."

Town halls held this year by Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, since President Donald Trump took office, have been described as raucous, as attendees asked pointed questions ranging from the potential repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act to holding the new president more accountable.

Blum stressed when he is back in America, meaning his northeast Iowa congressional district rather than Washington, D.C., he regularly meets with constituents, even if they are not town halls. He said if people are interested in talking, they can always contact his district offices.

Blum previously held numerous meetings around his district on specific issues, such as those pertaining veterans and workforce development. He has not held a town hall-style event in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area since his election.
RAPID CITY - April marks the nation's "Month of the Military Child," a time to honor military youth in communities who have been impacted by deployments, as well as the unique opportunities and challenges that all military children face.

The South Dakota National Guard invites everyone to join in and be part of "Purple Up! For Military Kids Day," being held Thursday, April 13.

South Dakota schools, communities, businesses and organizations are being encouraged to wear purple on that date as a tangible way to show their support and thank all military children for their strength and sacrifices.

"This is a perfect time to celebrate military children and to recognize their character, strength and resilience," said Taryn Broomfield, SDNG Child & Youth Program lead coordinator. "Our military youth are impacted daily, whether their service member is home, deployed, at drill, or away attending training or school."

There are more than 7,100 military children in South Dakota with parents or guardians who serve in the National Guard, Reserves and active duty. Of these children and youth, over 3,900 are affiliated with the SDNG.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard demonstrated his support of military kids by signing a proclamation announcing April 2017 as the Month of the Military Child.

Established by Casper Weinberger in 1986, the Month of the Military Child recognizes the important role military children play in our communities. We pause each year to honor the millions of military children for their contributions to their families.

"Military kids are an integral part of our families and communities, and they serve too," said Broomfield. "Please celebrate the military children in your life and thank them."
India has passed a landmark bill which aims to ensure equal rights for those living with HIV/AIDS.

The HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, passed by the country's parliament on Tuesday, will make it illegal to discriminate against people living with and affected by HIV.

It is the first of its kind in south Asia, and will make India the largest country in the world to ban this kind of discrimination.

The legislation will make it illegal to discriminate against those living with HIV in the workplace; deny them access to education, housing and health care, or the right to stand for or hold public or private office. The legislation also bans businesses and other public places from refusing entry to anyone with HIV/AIDS.

There are also provisions where a person with HIV is not required to undergo an HIV test, medical treatment or research without their consent. An individual will also have the right to not disclose their status unless they choose to or if required by a court order.

There were more than 2.1 million people living with HIV in India in 2015, according to UNAIDS, the United Nations program which monitors global action on HIV/AIDS.

'Positive move'

Speaking Tuesday, India's Health Minister J. P. Nadda said the bill was "historic" and promised action "against those who create hatred against HIV patients," according to the Press Trust of India.

The move was welcomed by many organizations that advocate for people living with HIV.

"This legislation begins to remove barriers and empowers people to challenge violations of their human rights," said Steve Kraus, director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia and the Pacific.

Huidrom Rosenara, an associate director with the Delhi-based India HIV/AIDS Alliance, told CNN that "there have been many incidents of discrimination in hospitals, schools and communities."

"These incidents have decreased compared to decades ago but they still occur," she said.

"(The legislation) is a long awaited and positive move. We are very optimistic about it as it speaks volumes about the political commitment."

Long time coming

India has the highest number of people living with HIV in the Asia Pacific region, and the third highest in the world, behind South Africa and Nigeria, both of which have also passed laws banning some forms of discrimination.

There were an estimated 36.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS globally in 2015, according to UNAIDS.

In India, more than 68,000 people died of AIDS that same year.

It took more than 15 years to table Tuesday's act, discussion of which first began in 2002.

The bill has received assent from both of India's houses of parliament and is awaiting presidential approval before it becomes law.

Rosenara from the India HIV/AIDS Alliance warned the law "won't change the public's mindset," but agreed it was a step in the right direction.

"It will protect the rights of people with HIV and let them lead their lives with dignity and respect," she said.
As South Dakotas homegrown bicycle tour enters its fifth year, Ride Across South Dakota (RASDak) will pepper the ride with the best of South Dakota and new stops along the way between Rapid City and Sioux Falls, June 4-10.

Beyond showcasing South Dakotas towns and landscapes, tour coordinators focus on giving back to the tours host communities, in part for the local hospitality that makes the ride well-regarded by bicyclists each year.

As South Dakotas homegrown bicycle tour enters its fifth year, Ride Across South Dakota (RASDak) will pepper the ride with the best of South Dakota and new stops along the way between Rapid City and Sioux Falls, June 4-10.

The tour also opens National Bike Travel Weekend in South Dakota, June 3-4.

Registration for RASDak is limited, and full-week and single-day riders are welcome. Rates increase April 15. Registered riders receive on-route support and camping accommodations. Food and rest stops are provided on the route, usually by local groups as fundraisers. Find registration and full route maps at rasdak.com.
Dear Editor,

Global climate change is a bipartisan issue supported by sound, peer-reviewed science. Even Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, a former climate science denier, noted that some climate change is caused by man-made activity. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated in his confirmation hearing that the risk of climate change is a significant issue, and action should be taken. James A. Baker, Henry M. Paulsen, and George P. Schultz, all elder statesmen in the Republican Party, have even proposed a carbon tax to help reduce green-house gas emissions. The 115th Congress begins its work on the issue through a twenty-four-member Climate Solutions Caucus made up of twelve Republicans and twelve Democrats.

We are happy that these distinguished individuals are coming around to the scientific consensus, which says, It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. Over thirty thousand peer-reviewed papers make this case while only thirty-four papers deny it. This overwhelming consensus is not based on opinions. It is based on facts. All scientific papers must survive the peer review process. Before findings are published, a panel of anonymous experts reviews an authors methods and data and ensures that any conclusions are supported by that data. While not foolproof in every instance, taken in total, scientific peer review works. Within the scientific community, man-made climate change is not in question, it is real.

Science, in its purest form, does not have a political agenda. Still, science denial is not a new thing. In the 1960s some scientists denied the connection between cigarette smoking and lung cancer. They were in the minority, and they were wrong. Scientific outliers are always present. The preponderance of evidence, however, is generally correct. That is the goal of science.

In closing, man-made climate change is real, and it is a bipartisan issue. Energy independence and a strong economy are bipartisan issues, too. Lets move forward together. If anyone is interested in learning more, the Chadron chapter of the Citizens Climate Lobby is scheduled to meet at the United Church of Christ at 6:30 pm on April 11 and May 16. There are also showings of National Geographics Years of Living Dangerously at the Bean Broker on April 25 at 6 pm.

Citizens Climate Lobby members will also be at the Earth Day celebration on the courthouse lawn on April 22.

Kurt Kinbacher, Gus Passero, Cheryl Welch, and Steve Welch of the Citizens Climate Lobby, Chadron Chapter.
A group of community leaders met at Rapid City High School on Tuesday night to discuss ways to combat the rising rate of methamphetamine abuse across the state.

The hope, according to group organizer Paula Wilkinson Smith, is to bring different agencies and stakeholders to the table in a shared effort to tackle the problem.

We need to address this issue as a community, Wilkinson Smith said. It cant just be one agency. Addiction is a complex problem, especially in the case of meth.

Wilkinson Smith is the deputy director of Lifeways, a local nonprofit that works in Rapid Citys schools with children and teens to prevent drug abuse.

Lifeways was just one of several groups represented at Tuesdays meeting, which brought about 40 individuals together from groups like the Pennington County Public Defenders Office, Behavior Management Systems, the Rapid City Police Department and the Native Healing Program.

Amy Iversen-Pollreisz, deputy secretary of the Department of Social Services, was also present to answer questions and offer insight into two state initiatives to address the meth issue.

Signed into law by Gov. Dennis Daugaard last month, Senate Bill 43 appropriated $600,000 to expand the states inpatient and residential treatment capabilities. Senate Bill 117 increased the penalties for drug use.

But Wilkinson Smith urged the group to focus more on what could be done locally to intervene, prevent and offer treatment in instances of meth abuse. The group divided into subgroups to discuss goals for each of these categories.

Sometimes you fight drugs by making stronger, more resilient children, said Pennington County States Attorney Mark Vargo, who is part of the prevention group. Sports is prevention. Music is prevention. Art is prevention.

On the treatment side, Rapid City Police community liaison Vaughn Vargas and his subgroup suggested creating an inventory of existing treatment services while evaluating their effectiveness. In the intervention group, Albert Linderman of Rapid City Collective Impact emphasized the importance of creating new, quick-response programs that work with and support the families of meth addicts.

"It's such a critical thing to get them to stop before they keep going," Linderman said.

Its this kind of brainstorming and intergroup collaboration, Wilknson Smith said, that she hopes to continue generating moving forward.
RAPID CITY | Douglas Dale "Butch" Mallory, 71, died on Thursday, March 23, 2017, at Rapid City Regional Hospital due to liver failure.

Doug served honorably in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. He served as a police officer in the Dallas, TX, area for 15 years. He spent the last 27 years living in South Dakota in the Lead-Deadwood, Hot Springs and Rapid City areas.

He is survived by his two sons, Max and Bill Mallory. He also leaves behind five grandchildren: Douglas, Melanie, Dawson, Harper and Taegan.

Date and location of a memorial service is yet to be determined. He will be interred at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.

Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
MOSCOW, April 12 (RAPSI)  The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has extended house arrest of former Economy Minister Alexey Ulyukayev, who stands charged with extorting a $2 million bribe, until July 15, RAPSI learnt in the courtroom on Wednesday.

Investigators plan to bring final charges against Ulyukayev within next three months. According to investigator Roman Nesterov, results of psychological and linguistic expertise in the case have been already received. Investigators argued for extension of Ulyukayevs house arrest claiming that he may put a pressure on witnesses otherwise.

Earlier, the court ordered seizure of Ulyukayevs property valued at over 564 million rubles ($9.3 million). The ruling has not been appealed, according to the courts representative.

Ulyukayev was arrested while receiving a bribe in mid-November 2016. He allegedly demanded Russian state-controlled oil giant Rosnefts representative to pay him $2 million for lawfully providing a positive review and evaluation of a deal that allowed Rosneft to acquire governments share in mid-sized producer Bashneft. According to the Investigative Committee, the former minister threatened to create obtrusions for Rosneft with use of his position.

Ulyukayev has pleaded not guilty.

On November 15, the ex-minister was put under house arrest.

Later in the evening, President Vladimir Putin has relieved Ulyukayev of his post because of loss of trust.
Sheremetyevo Airport Ex-Customs investigator gets 15 years in prison for extorting bribes

MOSCOW, April 12 (RAPSI, Oleg Sivozhelezov)  Former Sheremetyevo Airport Customs investigator Dmitry Alekseyev has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and a 500-million-ruble fine ($8.8 million) for extortion of bribes and theft, Russias Investigative Committee announced on Wednesday.

His accomplices received prison terms ranging from 7 to 8 years for mediation in bribery.

According to investigators, in 2011, Alekseyev conducted investigation into carrying two tons of molybdenum powder across the Russian border by one of Moscows firms. During searches in the companys office, customs officers seized documents, computers, corporate stamps, $30,000 and 700,000 rubles belonging to one of the firms representatives. Alekseyev demanded $30,000 and 350,000 rubles from CEO of the inspected company and owner of the seized money for termination of a criminal case and return of the forfeited assets. The money was given through a mediator, who was a witness to the search.

At the same time, ex-customs lead investigator Alexander Boiko forfeited five tons of molybdenum powder and then top managers of the checked firm were asked to pay $200,000 through agents.

Alekseyev was also charged with stealing a part of goods confiscated from the companys warehouse.
Swiss court dismisses Russian Paralympic Committees appeal against CAS ruling

MOSCOW, April 12 (RAPSI)  Swiss Bundesgericht (the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland) has dismissed an appeal filed by the Russian Paralympic Committee (RPC) against the ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upholding termination of RPCs membership in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the courts website reads on Wednesday.

Switzerlands highest court has also ordered RPC to pay 10,000 Swiss francs of legal costs and to reimburse the defendant with 12,000 Swiss francs.

The IPC has suspended membership of the RPC on August 7, 2016 finding Russian Committee to be unable to fulfill its obligations to combat doping in sport as well as alleged existence of state-sponsored doping support system in Russia.

This decision was based on the so-called McLaren Report presented by Professor Richard McLaren from Canada acting as an independent person in a probe into alleged state-sponsored cover up and manipulation of the doping control process.

According to the first part of the report issued in mid-July 2016, the work of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory was allegedly aimed at protection of Russian athletes taking prohibited substances, whereas the Sochi anti-doping laboratory developed a system of samples swapping during the 2014 Winter Olympics.

The IPC made its decision on August 23 and was later supported by the CAS, which did not find a reason to satisfy the appeal of the RPC. The CAS ruling was appealed with the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland.
HELENA  A judge won't delay the printing and mailing of ballots for three minor party and independent candidates who are suing to run in Montana's special congressional election.

U.S. District Judge Brian Morris on Tuesday denied the request by Thomas Breck of the Green Party and independents Steve Kelly and Doug Campbell. They had asked Morris for an injunction while their case is before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The three men are suing to be added to the ballot in the May 25 election to serve the remainder of former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke's term. Morris declined to add their names, but he lowered the threshold for minor party and independent candidates to qualify from 14,268 voter signatures to 400 signatures.

None of the three had gathered that many signatures by the March 6 deadline.
HELENA  Enough state lawmakers agreed Thursday night that 4.5 cents is the right amount to raise the state gas tax, and got the proposed increase over a key legislative hurdle.

In a long debate, a legislative committee was divided over how much was too much of an increase for Montanans, who currently pay 27 cents a gallon. The initial pitch was 8 cents, proposed in early February by Rep. Frank Garner. An attempt to lower the amount to 3 cents was shot down Thursday, and the 4.5-cent jump that will increase to 6 cents by 2023 passed on a 11-7 vote.

Money from the gas tax goes into the highway state special revenue fund and is used to leverage federal money to pay for road construction, repairs and improvements.

In 2015 the tax generated $294.2 million, but the agencies that draw from it  mainly the Department of Transportation, along with the Department of Justice in a far smaller amount, and a few others  spent $308.5 million.

Expenses have outpaced revenues since 2011, and by July the fund is projected to be in the red. The drop is attributed to more fuel-efficient vehicles and a slowdown in industries such as oil drilling, which heavily use diesel fuel.

Before the start of the 2017 Legislature, the states Department of Transportation and Montana Highway Patrol said not having enough money would have delayed more than 30 highway construction projects and caused the layoff of 27 troopers, leaving lawmakers looking for a solution when they arrived in Helena in January.

"This is a step forward in our state and an investment in our future," said Sen. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, on Tuesday.

The amendment to House Bill 473, carried by Garner, R-Kalispell, calls for increasing the gas tax by 4.5 cents a gallon in 2018 and 2019, then moving it to 5 cents in 2020 and 2021, 5.5 cents in 2022 and finally 6 cents in 2023.

It increases the diesel tax by 1.5 cents in 2018 and 2019, then 1.7 cents in 2020-2012, 1.8 cents in 2022 and 2 cents in 2023. The original bill called for a 7.25-cent increase.

Wednesday the Senate Finance and Claims Committee, which amended the bill, is expected to hear a proposal to tax recreational vehicles and other light vehicles with a price tag of more than $150,000 at 1 percent when they are new, at 0.9 percent if they are a year old, and 0.8 percent if they are two years old. The money would go into the same account as the gas tax. This would address out-of-staters who buy expensive vehicles in Montana to skip out on taxes, since the state has no sales tax.

Sen. Eric Moore, R-Miles City, supported just a 3 cent increase, a proposed amendment that was shot down earlier in the evening, but didn't vote for the phased-in proposal.

This is a little more than I can stomach.

Sen. Dave Howard, R-Park City, said hes worried the increase is too much for people on a fixed income.

We think Oh gosh, this is only going to cost us $9 a month, $20 a month, no big deal. But when you dont have $9 or $10 a month its a big deal.

Howard also criticized the transportation department, citing a legislative audit that found it gave out raises without proper documentation.

I know they have themselves raises and then they got another raise, he said. I think they easy solution is to tax more.

Howard called for an audit of the department, something that is still in the bill. He also called for the tax to end in two years, and brought an amended to do that, but it failed.

Garner, who was at the hearing, didn't enthusiastically support the lower increase, but said changes to the legislation are necessary to get approval from the Senate and finally the governor. TLast month the bill cleared the House on a 54-46 vote.

"It's not a matter of if every element is OK with me," Garner said. "This is part of passing a complex piece of legislation."

He stressed the bill, called the Bridge and Road Safety and Accountability Act, still gets Montanans safer roads and accountability. In addition to the audit, it requires a website to track how funds are spend and project progress. The bill will now move to the full Senate for a vote.
HELENA  The Montana House has killed a bill to hike tobacco taxes after Democrats failed to muster enough votes to bring the measure to the floor for debate.

The bill would have raised the tax on a pack of cigarettes from $1.70 to $3.20. Nearly half of the extra money would have gone to give elderly and disabled caregivers a raise.

The Republican-led House Taxation Committee last week filed an adverse report meant to kill the bill.

Democratic lawmakers say the House Taxation Committee gave the tobacco tax bill short shrift a day after health care workers lined up to support it. Those lawmakers attempted to reject the committee's report and bring the measure to the floor.

The Democrats needed 60 of 100 representatives to support the procedural motion. They received only 42 votes on Tuesday.
Three public libraries in the Bitterroot Valley are celebrating National Library Week, April 9-15, with the theme Libraries Transform.

The Darby Community Public Library was awarded the Pat Williams Intellectual Freedom Award at the Montana Library Associations annual conference in Billings last week.

Library Director Wendy Campbell, the board and staff were honored for hosting the 2016 program Perspectives on Islam as part of their life-long learning series.

The presentation about Islamic culture by Samir Bitar, professor of Arabic languages and cultures, drew a large crowd, but also controversy in the form of written complaints and phone calls of opposition to the library board. The library board hosted a meeting for the community to share their concerns. Montana resident Bitar was the founder of the Arabic program at the University of Montana.

The Pat Williams Intellectual Freedom Award is given for significant contributions that enhance First Amendment rights. Through open dialogue and civility, the community of Darby was brought together to celebrate the right to free speech and intellectual freedom, the award stated.

Campbell said, Libraries do not promote or condemn. We offer opportunities for education. It is a safe place where we come together for respectful and peaceful discourse.

The staff at the Darby library said they were pleased to receive the award for going forward with the controversial program despite some opposition.

The event came together smoothly because of many supportive individuals and groups, Campbell said. It was so successful that the library was filled to capacity and regretfully many had to be turned away. I am especially thankful for the library board, the Friends of the Library, Darby Schools, Darby and Ravalli County Law Enforcement and Professor Samir Bitar, all of whom had vital roles in making this event happen in Darby.

Campbell said the event conveyed the importance of libraries.

Libraries are vital in our communities because they provide opportunities for education and communication for all community members, she said. Libraries are essential as they reflect our common ideals for freedom of expression, the right to be informed, and especially, as safe spaces for respectful discourse.

North Valley Public Library in Stevensville is offering events for adults and children to celebrate National Library Week. Students in grades K-12 can submit a two-paragraph essay, by April 15, on "what I love about my public library." Students will be eligible to win a prize and have any library fines waived. The essays will be shared with Montana legislators and the White House.

Upcoming classes and presentations will include Weed Identification, Family Financials, Local Folklore, Climate Change and Basics to Extract Brewing.

Thanks to the support and donations from the public, the North Valley Public Library has been able to complete renovations, including a new ceiling and improved lighting for public events in the community room.

Bitterroot Public Library received the Excellent Library Service Award from the Montana State Library Commission for a demonstrated excellent level of service to their community.

The commission thanks you for the support you give your local library, said Bruce Newell chair of the commission. It is essential to ensuring that your citizens have a better quality of life by giving them access to the information they need to make informed decisions to live healthy, happy lives.

The Bitterroot Public Library is planning unique and interesting summer programs for children and adults including the celebration of a solar eclipse in August. The library has collaborated with the Friends of the Bitterroot Public Library and the city of Hamilton to install a Little Free Library book exchange at River Park to reach outside the building and connect with the community.

Mark Wetherington, library director, said the library is wrapping up the 2013-2017 strategic plan.

We are looking forward to beginning the planning process for 2018 and beyond, he said. The public comment periods early on in the planning phase will be a valuable opportunity for the community to offer input into how their library can best serve them.
Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate seeking to replace former U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke as Montana's lone House member, will attend the free monthly meeting of the Advancing Conservatism Society at 7 p.m. on Monday, April 17, at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton.

The ACS describes itself as a Constitutional Christian Conservative Society which educates and informs Montanans on current issues.

Republican Pat Earnest is organizing the details of the Gianforte visit.

Earnest said Gianforte will speak for 20 minutes, then hold a question-and answer session then a public comment period.

People will want to come to hear Greg, she said. But the meeting also will feature Corvallis sophomore Michael McKay, the American Legion State Oratorical Winner, who will be presenting his 10-minute prepared speech on the Constitution.

The ACS doesnt endorse any candidates, Earnest said. The ACS invited Democrat Rob Quist and Libertarian Mark Wicks, Gianforte's rivals for the House seat, but only he accepted.

The Bitterroot River Inn is located in north Hamilton at 139 Bitterroot Plaza Dr.

Earnest said Gianforte has scheduled two other visits to Hamilton.

Gianforte and Donald Trump Jr. will be at the First Interstate Building in Hamilton on April 21. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m. for a rally from 4 to 5 p.m. The cost to attend is $35 for individuals or $50 per couple.

Gianforte will be the keynote speaker at the Ravalli County Republican Womens Lincoln Reagan Luncheon on May 6.

The special election for Congress will be held May 25.
Sometimes New Zealand publishers complain to me. The book market here is so small, this or that publisher says. Grants are inadequate. Bookshops are closing, as internet imperialists like Amazon expand.All of these complaints are justified. The life of a Kiwi book publisher can be a difficult one. But if our publishers need some perspective on their plight, and some inspiration, then they ought to read Phil Fitzpatrick's remarkable article 'The Lost Creative Writing Generation of Papua New Guinea' , which was published late last year on the popular PNG Attitude blog.Fitzpatrick begins his article by recalling the beginnings of written Papuan literature in the 1960s and '70s. As agitation for independence from Australia grew, the University of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby became a base for a generation of young writers. They worked in English and Tok Pisin, rather than one of their nation's eight hundred or so indigenous languages, and adapted traditional oral storytelling techniques to the page. Ulli Beier, a German Jewish scholar who had taught in Nigeria before fleeing the Biafran conflict, got a job teaching Creative Writing at the University of Papua New Guinea, and began to edit and publish anthologies of the nation's emerging literature. Aseries was successful, and the journalsandwere established.In the 1980s, though, Papuan writers struggled for support. Papua New Guinea had won independence, but successive governments struggled to find funds for roads and schools, let alone literary grants and Creative Writing courses. Libraries decayed and closed, local publishers folded, and the Australian and New Zealand literary worlds remained steadfastly uninterested in Papuan texts.Over the last decade the internet and cheaper publishing have revived Papuan literature. After Digicel raised its towers across Papua New Guinea, bringing the worldwide web to the territory beyond Port Moresby, writers began to self-publish on blogs and social media. When Phil Fitzpatrick and his friend Keith Jackson established an annual Crocodile Prize for Papuan creative writing in 2011, they were deluged with material. Fitzpatrick pays tribute to Martyn Namorong , the 'educated savage' in the photograph above this post. Namorong 'bombarded' Fitzpatrick and Jackson with 'short and incendiary essays' on Papuan society and politics. Namorong grew up in a logging camp in Papua New Guinea's western province, and learned English by listening to shortwave broadcasts from Radio Australia.Namorong has made himself an enemy of the government of Peter O'Neil, a businessman who was elected on an anti-corruption platform but has since been fighting a warrant for his arrest on charges of corruption. Last year police opened fire on students of the Papua New Guinea University, after they marched to demand that O'Neil address the charges against him. Seventeen students were wounded.Taking advantage of cheap Chinese publishers, Fitzpatrick and Jackson began to produce anthologies of new Papuan writing, and then to issue books by individual authors.By the time Fitzpatrick and Jackson had established Pukpuk Publications , some Papuan writers had begun to bring out their own books. Baka Bina, for instance, used Amazon's CreateSapce to self-publish a novel called, which describes 'two torrid days during a family dispute in an Eastern Highlands village'.Apart from Rapa Nui and the Philippines, no Pacific society developed its own script and written literature before contact with Europe. There has been a tendency for scholars to contrast the oral traditions of the Pacific with the written traditions of the West, and to suggest that the two are profoundly different, and perhaps incompatible. But the alacrity with which Papuan writers have adapted an indigenous storytelling tradition to new technology and new publishing opportunities shows that there need be no dichotomy between oral and written literatures.The Papuan literary movement of the 1970s stalled partly because of a lack of support from the country's wealthy southern neighbours. We shouldn't let a new Papuan generation suffer the same neglect. I'm ordering some books from Pukpuk Publications [Posted by Scott Hamilton]
Guwahati : The sleuths of Chief Minister's vigilance on Tuesday had raided at the office of the Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) in Guwahati for consecutive third day in connection with a multi crore rupees scam.

The CM's vigilance team had seized several files from the DIPR office and grilled the director Ranjit Gogoi and few other officials of the office.

According to the reports, five officials of CM vigilance had raided the office in connection with Rs 31 crore scam under DIPR during the previous Congress led state government tenure.

The CM vigilance sleuths led by SP K Choudhury had grilled director Ranjit Gogoi at his office for several hours.

A top official of CM vigilance said that, the previous Congress government had allocated Rs 31 crore in budget for Vision Assam Mission Assam project to make publicity the government schemes.

Earlier, the sleuths of the CM's vigilance had seized five trunks of files from the office in connection with the scam.

The vigilance official said that, Ranjit Gogoi had siphoned several crore of rupees in the name of a firm Nandita Creations, which firm was created in his wife's name.

'Following the government directives, the Directorate of Information and Public Relations had called tender for publicity the government schemes, works by advertising in print and electronic media and showing hoardings in various locations. Out of 15 agencies, which participating in the tender process, only four agencies were awarded the works,'A the top official said.

The top cop also said that, the works order awarded to Tatua agency for hoarding, Brahmaputra Television Network, Delta Publicity and Pradip Advertising for advertising in print and electronic media.

'Among the four agencies, alone Pradip Advertising was awarded Rs 10 crore work order. But the initial probe cleared that 90% fund was siphoned,' the official said.

'We have collected vital documents, which revealed irregularities and siphoning government money as the schemes implemented only in official paper works,'A the official said.

Meanwhile an official of DIPR said that, the Vision Assam Mission Assam project was implemented only in papers and it was done just before the last assembly poll in the state.

On the other hand, the CM vigilance sleuth has prepared to grilled more persons including the owners of the four farms in connection with the scam.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati : Indian Police Service (Central) Association has rallied around suspended Superintendent of Police of CID Dr N Rajamarthandan, who was arrested by the Assam police for leaking the information of investigation report of the All Assam Students Union (AASU) office attack incident in Silapathar on March 6 last.

The IPS office's association urged Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay to initiate a CBI probe into the issue leading up to the arrest of the IPS official.

Sending to a letter to the Assam DGP, the IPS officer's association also urged the Assam police head to consider recommending for the inter-state transfer of the arrest IPS officer until the legal processes against him are not completed or for a minimum period of three years.

In the letter, the IPS officer's organization said that the recent arrest of N Rajamarthandan under unusual circumstances has caused dismay members of the service across the country.

Information available in the public domain indicates that the officer was arrested within a short time after an offence was registered under the sections of law for which maximum punishment prescribed is up to seven years. The allegations do not indicate corruption, moral turpitude or heinous offence. The circumstances do not indicate that section 41A notice could not have served the purpose. The cadre officers shared with us that the accused officer holds a reputation of being honest and hardworking,' the association said.

The secretary of the IPS officer's association PV Rama Sastry said in the letter that, the association has constantly upheld the concept of functional autonomy to the investigating officers. Such autonomy however, in our humble opinion is contingent upon strict adherence to the law of arrests and bails.

'We are constrained to observe that the present situation leaves us with a feeling that the action taken by the investigating and supervising officers is disproportionately high and harsher than the usual response in such cases. If such examples recur and slowly become a norm, it will put a question mark on our ability to handle the power of arrest and treatment of officers of the service, which will indeed be against the best interests of the service,' said in the letter.

N Rajamarthandan, who was the supervising officer of the special investigating team constituted by the Assam government following the AASU office ransack.

Assam police had arrested the IPS officer after proving that he had leaked the information of the investigation report of the incident through RTI and provided the information to the general secretary of Nikhil Bharat Bangali Udbastu Samanvay Samiti (NIBBUSS).

'It has been reported that the complainant is a senior officer of the state CID. As a senior officer of the premier investigating agency of the state has taken a position in the matter, principles of natural justice warrant that investigation may be entrusted to the CBI which will be in a position to take a dispassionate view,' the IPS officer's association said.

The organization also urged the Assam DGP that, when the matter comes before the court for hearing on bail, it may be ensured that the response is not a mechanical opposition but a well-considered and fair one, taking into consideration the case law on bails which is against unnecessary incarceration in pre-trial custody.

Earlier, a local court in Guwahati had sent the arrested SSP (CID) to 14-day judicial custody.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
BEIJING, April 12: Beijing is willing to work with Washington on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program but wants a peaceful solution to the escalating conflict, Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Donald Trump in a phone call Wednesday.

Xi's comments came after Trump tweeted that China should do more on an issue that Washington sees as an increasingly urgent threat, or else the U.S. would go it alone.

China's calls for calm come as tensions have risen with the dispatch of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the area and the deployment of thousands of U.S. and South Korean troops, tanks and other weaponry for their biggest-ever joint military exercises.

During their phone call, Xi told Trump that China is willing to continue working with the U.S. on denuclearization, according to a brief description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry.

"China insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula, insists on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving the problem through peaceful means," Xi was quoted as saying.

The two leaders spoke Tuesday night Washington time after Trump said an "armada" of vessels including the USS Carl Vinson carrier was steaming to waters off the Korean Peninsula in a show of force.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday at a regular briefing in Beijing that it was a "good thing" that the two leaders were in touch again days after meeting in Florida.

Regarding the U.S. navy strike force's arrival in the western Pacific, Lu said: "We hope all parties will refrain from irresponsible actions that would be very dangerous at the moment."

North Korean state media has warned of a nuclear attack on the United States in retaliation for any signs of aggression, a threat that has been made numerous times before.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump suggested the U.S. could "solve" the North Korea issue unilaterally.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," Trump tweeted.

In another tweet, he sought to persuade Xi to put pressure on North Korea in exchange for a good trade deal with the U.S. He wrote: "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!"

Trump and other U.S. officials have repeatedly called on China to leverage its status as North Korea's biggest economic partner and source of food and fuel aid to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

China says it is in full compliance with sanctions enacted under U.N. Security Council resolutions. In February, China suspended imports of coal from North Korea  a key source of foreign currency for Kim Jong Un's hard-line Communist regime.

The U.S. and other foreign governments have long overestimated China's ability to affect Pyongyang's behavior, said Ruan Zongze, a U.S. relations expert at the China Institute of International Studies, a think tank run by the foreign ministry.

"There's a view that China possesses the key to solving the peninsula problem, or that China has the faucet and that all China has to do is shut it off and the peninsula issue is solved," Ruan said.

"In fact, I think the outside exaggerates the sort of role China can play. China isn't really as influential as all that," he said.

Beijing's insistence on a peaceful approach to resolving the issue is rooted in its belief that any attempt to denuclearize the North by force would bring cataclysmic results upon all sides, including China, Ruan said.

"When it comes to the issue of the Korean Peninsula, violence is not an option," he said.

Beijing says it will not countenance measures that could bring about a collapse of the regime that could release a flood of refugees across its border, destabilize northeast Asia and result in a U.S.-friendly government taking power in Pyongyang.
BHAKTAPUR, April 12: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the Nepalese Army has been establishing itself as the outstanding, professional and dignified institution remaining under the command of the constitutional government.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the commissioning ceremony for the graduates of the Serial Number 55 Officer Cadet Training and the Serial Number 45 Junior Cadet Corps/Sergeant Training organized at the Nepalese Army Training Academy at Kharipati, Bhaktapur today.

PM Dahal stressed that the newly commissioned cadet and JCOs should be able to perform the responsibility bestowed on them, serving the nation, nationality and the people by abiding by the designated principles of the state.

"The Army has not left any stone unturned to introduce the identity and valour of Nepal and the Nepalis to the world by making exemplary contribution to establishing peace in the international arena also besides remaining dedicated for the sake of the nation and the countrymen," the Prime Minister said.

PM Dahal also said that the Nepalese Army was capable of showing its excellence in a honest and professional manner by remaining at the forefront even at the time of national disasters and emergencies. "The participation of foreign trainees in the Nepalese Army Staff College in the recent days clearly shows that the professional excellence of the Nepalese Army has now become worth emulation among the foreign armies also," he added.

Defence Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Chief of Army Staff Rajendra Chhetri, among others were present on the occasion.

The Prime Minister on the occasion also honoured the outstanding trainees of the two-year training.

One hundred thirteen persons including 12 women attended the Serial Number 55 Officer Cadet Training also participated by students from Kenya and Bangladesh while 18 Nepali students attended the Serial Number 45 JCO/Sergeant Cadet Training. RSS
DHULIKHEL, APRIL 12: At least two people killed in a road mishap at Roshi rural municipality-11, Piple of Kavrepalanchowk this morning.

The deceased has been identified as Min Bahadur Poudel, 35, of Karkeswori VDC-3 of Okhaldhunga district while another is yet to be ascertained.

According to Police Inspector at Area Police Office, Mangaltar, Shanker Shrestha, a motorbike (Ba 45 Pa 6753) en route to Sindhuli from Kathmandu collided with a bus (Ba 4 Kha 603) coming from opposite direction.

Both the motorbike rider and pillion rider breathed their last, Police Inspector Shrestha confirmed.

Six injured are being taken to the Dhulikhel Hospital for treatment. RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: Though the new constitution amendment bill was registered by withdrawing the previous bill to please the agitating United Democratic Madheshi Front (UDMF), it has objected the bill and decided to launch protest against of the proposal.

A meeting of the UDMF leaders decided to object to the new constitution amendment bill registered by the government at the Secretariat of the Legislature-Parliament. The meeting has also decided to boycott the local polls slated for May 14.

The UDMF has accused the government of endorsing the new constitution amendment stating that the bill is against the spirit of the previous agreements. Likewise, the UDMF has also announced the fresh protest programs against the bill including the mass demonstration in Tarai district on Thursday.
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Shanta Gold posts high-grade results at Kenyan gold project East Africa-focused gold producer, developer and explorer Shanta Gold has reported high-grade results at its West Kenya project. Company chief executive Eric Zurrin said visible gold was identified across several of the intersections.

Petra suspends operations at Williamson after wall breach at tailings storage facility Petra Diamonds says the eastern wall of the tailings storage facility at its 75%-owned Williamson mine in Tanzania was breached, resulting in flooding away from the pit into certain areas outside of the mine lease area. Petra said mine production...

De Beers develops new diamond verification tool De Beers Ignite division has developed a new diamond verification instrument, which is set to be launched early next year. The new instrument, part of the automated melee screening range, will enable automated and rapid verification of up to 3,600 diamonds...

Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo achieved CHF 4,083,500 / USD 4,092,075 for the George Daniels Spring Case Tourbillon The unique Spring Case Tourbillon in yellow gold, by the founding father of independent watchmaking, appeared at auction for the first time. After a three-minute bidding war, the watch soared above its pre-sale estimate of CHF 1 million, eventually selling...
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Erdogan: What you need to know
North Korea issues a warning to the US as a carrier strike group heads to the Korean Peninsula. CNN's Will Ripley reports.

As featured on China calls for calm as US dispatches naval might to Korean waters China called for a "peaceful" resolution to tensions on the Korean Peninsula Wednesday, as a United States aircraft carrier strike group churned towards the contested region.
 Amnesty International releases report on global death sentences and executions in 2016 | Main | Looking at the latest data on private prison populations in the US 

April 11, 2017

AG Sesssions issues memo to federal prosecutors that "mandates the prioritization of criminal immigration enforcement"

As reported in this press release from the US Justice Department, "Attorney General Jeff Sessions today spoke to Customs and Border Protection personnel at the United States-Mexico border in Nogales, Arizona," and in his remarks the AG "announced that he has issued [this] attached memo to United States Attorneys that mandates the prioritization of criminal immigration enforcement." Here is more from the press release and the speech it references:

The memo directs federal prosecutors to focus on particular offenses that, if aggressively charged and prosecuted, can help prevent and deter illegal immigration. Additionally, the Attorney General revealed that the Department of Justice will add 50 more immigration judges to the bench this year and 75 next year. He also highlighted the Department's plan to streamline its hiring of judges, reflecting the dire need to reduce the backlogs in our immigration courts.... [From the AG's speech:] [T]oday, I am pleased to stand here with you and announce new guidance regarding our commitment to criminal immigration enforcement. As we speak, I am issuing a document to all federal prosecutors that mandates the prioritization of such enforcement. Starting today, federal prosecutors are now required to consider for prosecution all of the following offenses: The transportation or harboring of aliens. As you know too well, this is a booming business down here. No more. We are going to shut down and jail those who have been profiting off this lawlessness  people smuggling gang members across the border, helping convicted criminals re-enter this country and preying on those who dont know how dangerous the journey can be.

Further, where an alien has unlawfully entered the country, which is a misdemeanor, that alien will now be charged with a felony if they unlawfully enter or attempt enter a second time and certain aggravating circumstances are present.

Also, aliens that illegally re-enter the country after prior removal will be referred for felony prosecution  and a priority will be given to such offenses, especially where indicators of gang affiliation, a risk to public safety or criminal history are present.

Fourth: where possible, prosecutors are directed to charge criminal aliens with document fraud and aggravated identity theft  the latter carrying a two-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly: I have directed that all 94 U.S. Attorneys Offices make the prosecution of assault on a federal law enforcement officer  thats all of you  a top priority. If someone dares to assault one of our folks in the line of duty, they will do federal time for it. To ensure that these priorities are implemented, starting today, each U.S. Attorneys Office, whether on the border or interior, will designate an Assistant United States Attorney as the Border Security Coordinator for their District. It will be this experienced prosecutors job to coordinate the criminal immigration enforcement response for their respective offices. For those that continue to seek improper and illegal entry into this country, be forewarned: This is a new era. This is the Trump era. The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws and the catch and release practices of old are over.

April 11, 2017 at 05:38 PM | Permalink

Comments

What prosecutor's office does not already prioritize cases of assault on an law enforcement officer? (Especially as the cops are going to be very eager to invest resources into investigating such cases.)

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Apr 11, 2017 5:55:06 PM

Just what the doctor ordered: more incarceration for more people. Perfect.

Posted by: David from Texas | Apr 11, 2017 6:00:52 PM

Soronel is correct. As if the U.S. Attorneys don't already prioritize cases of assault on federal officers. Quickest ticket to the federal pen there is. A.G. Sessions, so far, nothing but bluster.

Posted by: James | Apr 11, 2017 6:05:00 PM

Spot on, I concur with all if you.

Posted by: MidWestGuy | Apr 11, 2017 9:39:08 PM

The identity theft stuff is really good---imagine having your tax refund intercepted because some alien used your SSN?

IMHO, illegal aliens don't have the Sixth Amendment right to paid for counsel.

Posted by: federalist | Apr 12, 2017 8:53:33 AM

Fed. There are millions of identity thefts, not being counted by pro-criminal lawyers in their argument that crime is decreasing, and that prisons may now be emptied. The average bank robbery nets $4000, the average id theft, $5000.

Posted by: David Behar | Apr 12, 2017 9:51:29 AM

Federalist,

The federal crime of aggravated identity theft is defined extremely broadly and often involves conduct that doesn't involve the "victim" being harmed financially or indeed even being aware that their identity had been "stolen." It also carries a two-year mandatory minimum sentence.

Here, what I think Sessions is urging is charging people with agg. ID theft who attempt to cross the border using a fake document, or folks who are already here who use a fake ID to get a job, etc. People who were using grandma's social security number to open fraudulent credit card accounts were already getting charged.

Posted by: Anon | Apr 12, 2017 12:34:30 PM

I think it's using identifying info of others in order to apply for jobs, pay taxes, etc. In other words, so they won't get paid under the table. Federal law almost certainly covers that, but it's rarely prosecuted in cases like this.

Posted by: Erik M | Apr 12, 2017 2:33:12 PM

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 AG Sesssions issues memo to federal prosecutors that "mandates the prioritization of criminal immigration enforcement" | Main | Might Dylann Roof have claimed ineffective assistance of counsel if he didn't get sentenced to death? 

April 11, 2017

Looking at the latest data on private prison populations in the US

The Pew Research Center has this new "Fact Tank" post titled "U.S. private prison population has declined in recent years." The piece effectively reviews a lot of private prison data, and here are excerpts:

After a period of steady growth, the number of inmates held in private prisons in the United States has declined modestly in recent years and continues to represent a small share of the nations total prison population. In 2015, the most recent year for which data are available, about 126,000 prisoners were held in privately operated facilities under the jurisdiction of 29 states and the federal Bureau of Prisons. Thats an 83% increase since 1999, the first year with comparable data, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). By comparison, the total U.S. prison population increased 12% during that span. In more recent years, however, both the private and overall U.S. prison populations have declined at modest rates. The private prison population has shrunk by 8% since its peak in 2012, while the overall prison population has fallen by 5% since its peak in 2009. (The state private prison population peaked in 2012 with 96,774 prisoners, while the federal private prison population reached its peak a year later in 2013, with 41,159 prisoners.)... Since 1999  the first year BJS began collecting data on private prisons  inmates in privately run facilities have made up a small share of all U.S. prisoners. In 2015, just 8% of the nearly 1.53 million state and federal prisoners in the U.S. were in private facilities, up slightly from 5% in 1999. State inmates make up the majority of the U.S. private prison population, as well as the overall U.S. prison population. In 2015, state prisoners made up 72% of the U.S. private prison population and 87% of the overall U.S. prison population. In 2015, nearly three-quarters (73%) of all state prisoners in private facilities were held in the Sun Belt region of the U.S., including Texas, which has the largest private state prison population in the country. (Texas also has the second-largest state population overall.) The Lone Star States private prison population peaked at 20,041 in 2008, or 21% of all state inmates in privately run prisons at the time. By 2015, Texas private prison population had dropped to 14,293. Florida had the second-largest private prison population (12,487) in 2015, while Georgia and Oklahoma had the third- and fourth-largest with 7,953 and 7,446, respectively. Arizona had the fifth-largest state private prison population (6,471) in 2015, a drop since the states peak of 8,971 in 2009. The number and share of private prisoners under federal jurisdiction have grown since 1999. That year, 3,828 federal prisoners were being held in private prisons, comprising just 6% of the total private prison population. By 2015, the number of federal prisoners in private facilities had jumped to 34,934, accounting for 28% of the U.S. private prison population. At the same time, the share of prisoners in private facilities under state jurisdiction shrunk from 94% in 1999 to 72% in 2015. In 2015, nearly 18% of all federal prisoners were being held in private prisons, a jump from 3% in 1999. By comparison, prisoners held in private prisons have made up less than 10% of the state prison population since 1999.... In February, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reversed a directive from the Obama administration to phase out work with private prisons at the federal level. The original Obama directive was motivated by a 2016 audit, which found that federal contract prisons had more safety and security incidents than comparable government-run prisons.

April 11, 2017 at 06:03 PM | Permalink

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Posted by: ashley | Apr 29, 2017 10:19:08 AM

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 Looking at the latest data on private prison populations in the US | Main | Effective coverage of the considerable challenges of sentencing reform in Louisiana 

April 12, 2017

Might Dylann Roof have claimed ineffective assistance of counsel if he didn't get sentenced to death?

Most murderers who get sentenced to death at some point claim their lawyers were constitutionally ineffective. But this new local article, headlined "Dylann Roof calls his lawyers 'sneakiest people I ever met,' says mental health defense was 'a lie'," suggests one high-profile condemned mass murderer might have claimed his lawyer was ineffective if he wasn't sentenced to death. The full article is fascinating, and here is how it gets started:

Calling his attorneys "the sneakiest group of people I have ever met, Dylann Roof reached out to federal prosecutors on the eve of his hate crimes trial in an effort to scuttle a planned mental health defense aimed at sparing him the death penalty. Roof blistered his legal team in a three-page jailhouse letter, accusing them of tricking him into undergoing tests to challenge his competency to stand trial for killing nine black worshippers at Charleston's Emanuel AME Church in June 2015. Roof told prosecutors he wanted no part of this strategy, which he labeled "a lie." "Because I have no real defense, my lawyers have been forced to grasp at straws and present a pathetic, fraudulent excuse for a defense in my name," he wrote in early November. "They have regularly told me in an aggressive manner that I have no say in my own defense, that my input doesn't matter, and that there is nothing I can do about it." Roof's letter was among more than 70 filings that U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel unsealed Tuesday  one day after the 23-year-old white supremacist pleaded guilty to nine counts of murder in state court. Though Roofs federal trial ended in January with a death sentence, Gergel had been reluctant to release records about his mental status while the state case was pending. The newly unsealed documents show procedural disagreements over how Roofs mental health would be evaluated and growing discord between the killer and his top-flight legal team of capital defense specialists. Roof railed at their slick tactics, and they in turn expressed frustration with a delusional client who seemed preoccupied with fantasies that white supremacists would break him out of prison and make him governor of South Carolina, the documents show. In the handwritten November letter to Prosecution, Roof alleged that his legal team had told him he was being tested to determine if a thyroid condition had affected his brain when they were really compiling evidence to challenge his competency. He said he wanted the people trying to convict him to know that what my lawyers plan to say in my defense is a lie and will be said without my consent or permission. My lawyers have purposely kept me in the dark about my defense until the last minute in order to prevent me from being able to do anything about it, which is why I have been forced to write to you, he stated. Throughout my case they have used scare tactics, threats, manipulation, and outright lies to further their own, not my, agenda. He warned prosecutors not to let his legal team fool you or the court like theyve fooled me. Prosecutors notified Roof's lawyers after receiving the letter, and lead defense attorney David Bruck agreed that Gergel, the trial judge, needed to see the missive, according to a chain of emails. After a closed-door meeting on Nov. 7, Roof's lawyers pleaded with the judge to delay planned jury selection in the case so Roof could undergo an extensive mental competency review. They repeatedly described Roof as delusional, and noted his "depression, extreme anxiety and autism spectrum disorder." They stated that their tenuous working relationship with him had suffered "a severe rupture" when he "openly attempted to sabotage his own case" by reaching out to prosecutors. "(W)e are now faced with a client who would rather die than be labeled mentally ill or neuro-developmentally impaired, and who would rather communicate and ally himself with those who propose to execute him than us," his attorneys wrote. The attorneys stated that Roof believed "the very white nationalists whom he considers his allies" would turn on him and persecute him for his "perceived infirmities" if he were to be labeled incompetent. They stated that Roof had "an irrational belief that being labeled mentally impaired will affect the defendant's standing with some hypothetical white nationalists whom the defendant has never met or communicated with  and cannot even name  but whom he believes may appoint him to a high government position some day." They attached notes indicating that Roof had been so distracted by his delusional ideas that he was unable to respond to the basic needs of his defense. Among his odd notions was a fantasy that white supremacists would stage a prison break to rescue him from captivity, they said. "His single-minded focus on being rescued and made governor of South Carolina makes salient to him things that are irrational and he cannot rationally assist counsel as a result," they stated.

April 12, 2017 at 11:10 AM | Permalink

Comments

At some level he must have agreed with the assigned counsel, as he did not simply plead guilty. Defense attorneys may take many choices away from the client but that is one they may not.

Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Apr 12, 2017 11:45:09 AM

Doug, your question is silly. A defendant doesn't have a cognizable right to a death sentence, which means that the claim of IAC doesn't fly from the Sixth Amendment---could he sue for damages---that's a different question.

Posted by: federalist | Apr 12, 2017 12:08:33 PM

federalist, a defendant does not have "a cognizable right" to any particular sentence, so that is a foolish way to frame any Sixth Amendment issue with respect to sentencing outcomes.

That said, I was not really asking an formal doctrinal question, but rather seeking to highlight how the disconnect/failings between client and counsel here was in various ways quite different than the disconnect/failings claimed in so many other capital cases.

Posted by: Doug B | Apr 12, 2017 1:23:20 PM

Fed. Think about the deaths of your loved ones. Would you prefer those deaths or the needle?

Posted by: David Behar | Apr 12, 2017 2:12:28 PM

He pled not guilty and wanted the services of his attorneys in the merits phase. Given that, the attorneys are free to pursue the tactics they can to best achieve the goals he set out. If he didn't want them to do that, he would have waived counsel, which he almost did. Checking for competency is a separate issue to make sure he is capable of setting those goals.

But it doesn't sound like he was requesting the death penalty, he just didn't want a psychiatric defense and that's not his call to make if he wants an attorney to achieve his goals.

Posted by: Erik M | Apr 12, 2017 2:12:35 PM

Doug, I was just busting chops.

Posted by: federalist | Apr 12, 2017 2:39:49 PM

Sorry, federalist, satire does not always come through via the interwebs.

Posted by: Doug B. | Apr 12, 2017 5:25:31 PM

Ha ha--well, I thought the "damages" was a dead giveaway--LOL. Shows how much I know . . . .

Posted by: federalist | Apr 12, 2017 5:59:02 PM

I suppose it is a rather difficult client-relations matter to advise a client that you think they are crazy and should tell everyone this is the case.

Posted by: Fat Bastard | Apr 12, 2017 7:22:04 PM

Erik: Address 3.3. These attorneys should be sanctioned, and be made to pay all costs from their personal assets.

Posted by: David Behar | Apr 12, 2017 7:33:55 PM

I guess the question is how narrowly or broadly you define goals and strategies. If a defendant has two desires -- minimizing the punishment and keeping his family from having to testify -- is the goal just minimizing the punishment or is it both. Does the defendant get to prioritize the goals or -- if he decides to go to trial -- is the decision about whether to use the family a matter of strategy? If defendant does not want to have his family testify, is it ineffective assistance to comply with that request? (On the last issue, given that the goals and strategies distinction comes from the rules of professional conduct and the Supreme Court has held that the Sixth Amendment does not mirror the ethical rules, do a defendant's wishes even matter to the competent representation analysis?)

In this case, it appears that Mr. Roof had two goals -- avoiding the death penalty and not going down in history as a crazy person. If the attorneys can treat the decision about a mental health defense as a strategy and not a goal (especially in the penalty phase), then pursuing a mental health based theory is within their discretion. And while Mr. Roof may not have been "insane," the DSM V is broad enough to find something that fits almost any criminal (and a lot of non-criminals who are generally functional and successful in life). So if a mental disease mitigation defense is just a strategy, we have almost required capital defense attorneys to at least have an evaluation done to see if a defendant fits a significant enough disorder to support an argument that the defendant should not receive a death sentence because of that disorder.

Posted by: tmm | Apr 13, 2017 11:05:34 AM

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A Bay Area newlywed couple got a lot more than they bargained for out of their trip to Hawaii in January, i.e. a terrible parasite, and thankfully they are both home and recovering three months later.

Hawaii News Now/KGMB broke the story of 64-year-old Ben Manilla, a UC Berkeley professor of journalism, and 57-year-old Eliza Lape, who went to Maui to get married in January and stayed on for two weeks afterward in the area of Hana. They both arrived back in the Bay Area with a brain-infecting parasite called rat lungworm disease, cases of which have recently been on the upswing on Hawaii's Big Island and on Maui.

Neither knows how they contracted the disease, but Lape tells the station that she began experiencing symptoms before the left the island. "My symptoms started growing to feeling like somebody was taking a hot knife and just stabbing me in different parts of my body," she said.

Manilla's case appears to have been more severe, and he was in intensive care for a month, and is still going through "intensive rehabilitation" he says. "Ive had several operations, two pneumonias, a blood clot. Right now, Im dealing with a kidney issue, all of which was spurred by the rat lung," he tells KGMB.

Rat lungworm disease, from the parasite Angiostrongylus, is carried by rats and typically transmitted to humans via slugs and snails on produce.

CBS 5 reports that nine cases have been confirmed in Hawaii, with six on Maui, and the Hawaii Department of Health is currently investigating four more. This follows on reports of only two cases on Maui over the last decade.

The Associated Press reports that the parasitic infection is seen on average about ten times a year in Hawaii, statewide, but the majority of those cases have been on the Big Island.

While the snails and slugs may be easy to kill, experts say the parasite is not. People eating raw produce that has any part of a slug or snail on it, or a freshwater shrimp infected with the parasite, can be sickened.

Lape just wants other people to know that the danger is out there. "Had we known we were walking into this kind of environment, we would have had a completely different attitude," she tells KGMB. "It really does disrupt and destroy people's lives."
A committee hearing a week from now, on April 18, will begin the process of deciding whether to radically move up the date of the California Presidential Primary vote in 2020, finally maybe giving our enormous state some influence on the primary season commensurate with our population.

The currently late primary, in June, can dilute the influence of California's massive voter base, some critics argue: 19.4 million Californians are registered to vote, the most of any state in the nation. The bill would reschedule the CA primary for the third Tuesday of March, authorizing the Governor to change it to even earlier if other states move up their primaries.

A state as populous and diverse as California should not be an afterthought," a press release issued today quotes California Secretary of State Alex Padilla. "Moving up the California primary in 2020 makes sense and will give California voters a more significant role. By holding our primary earlier, we will ensure that issues important to Californians are prioritized by presidential candidates from all political parties, Padilla said.

Senator Ricardo Lara authored the bill, SB 568, because "Californians voices are silenced when it comes to choosing presidential nominees."

Indeed, the difference an earlier primary could make is difficult to discount. "In 2016, the two candidates had nearly sewn up their partys nomination by the time our states primary election was held in June," Assembly Speaker pro Tempore, Kevin Mullin said. As the worlds 6th largest economy with the nations largest population, its absurd that California had no real say in who the presidential candidates would be.

Last June, more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans voted in our state primary. 56 percent of those Democrats voted for Hillary Clinton. Of course, plenty of Californians didn't wait until June to cast their ballot  making their decision by mail significantly in advance of others in the state who actually went to the polls.

Related: More Than Twice As Many Democrats As Republicans Voted In The California Primary
Congressional leaders across the country are taking a quick break from all the fun of our nation's capital, returning to face their constituents during a recess through April 23. Here, that means a quickly sold-out town hall event in San Francisco will give locals the chance to ask Senator Dianne Feinstein all their burning questions in person on Monday, April 17. An LA town hall with the senator is scheduled for April 20.

Scheduled at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center (19th Avenue and Sloat Avenue near St. Francis Circle) at 11 a.m. and lasting just an hour, the SF meeting is the first town hall for Feinstein since President Trump took office, and you better believe that much of the talk will be about his administration.

Signs aren't permitted as they block people's views, and attendees who want to ask questions can take a ticket at the entrance, and numbers will be drawn at random, a rule taken at the suggestion of Indivisible, a Trump resistance group encouraging citizens to make the most of this recess period.

"During the first recess period, thousands of you showed up to ask your [members of congress] hard, vital questions about whether theyll resist the Trump agenda," Indivisible writes in its dedicated town hall guidelines. Feinstein, for the record, Feinstein opposed the nominations of conservatives like Secretary of State Jeff Sessions and Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Still, as senior senator in more than one sense, Feinstein has faced scrutiny regarding her ability to stand up for her strongly liberal base. As Indivisible East Bay organizer Mark Garcia, a retired California state employee, complained the Chronicle in February, Feinstein needs to be more engaged  not just against Trump, but with her constituents." Feinstein, who turns 84 in June, is raising money for reelection but has not said for sure that she'll seek a new term. Its time for her to consider her legacy and all the great things she has done for California and plan for stepping down. We need someone who is more appropriate for the times, Garcia said.

You mean, like, Arnold Schwarzenegger?



Related: Is Schwarzenegger Seriously Eyeing Feinstein's Senate Seat?
Damage from a basement fire last night just before 9 p.m. at 662 Clay Street, a three-story building consisting of housing and SRO units over commercial units, has temporarily displaced more than 60 residents. It's also temporarily shuttered Alfred's Steakhouse, whose entrance is on the other side of the building in the alley of Merchant Street (near Kearny).

Firefighters soon reported the two-alarm fire as contained, and were hopeful residents would be able to reoccupy the space quickly. The American Red Cross had offered to help shelter the residents, and no injuries were reported.

#041217WF2 2nd Alarm UPDATE this fire is under control w/ no injuries fire isolated to lower level Hopeful tenants will be able to reoccupy pic.twitter.com/WUWlsDLYZn  San Francisco Fire (@sffdpio) April 12, 2017

Meanwhile, Alfred's General Manager Lisa Robbins tells SFist that smoke damage in the basement will close the restaurant temporarily. "We really hope it's days, not weeks. We're still having the damage assessed, and we're planning to close for the rest of this week and get reopened as fast as we can."





Alfred's, opened in 1928, was taken over by the Daniel Patterson Group in 2015, updated extensively, and reopened in February 2016. "After having remodeled the place just over a year ago this is a little bit heartbreaking," Robbins said. No need to worry about the bright red booths, though: "The whole first floor of the restaurant is fine, the damage is all really in the basement."

Related: Alfred's Steakhouse Reopens Thursday Under Daniel Patterson's Management




Jumping on the opportunity to legislate around a viral story pertaining to air travel, newly seated District 8 Supervisor Jeff Sheehy has asked the San Francisco City Attorney's office to draft legislation that would make it illegal for SFPD officers to interfere in the removal of passengers from airplanes at SFO.

This of course all relates to the story out of Chicago this week about 69-year-old United passenger David Dao who was forcibly removed from a Louisville-bound flight at O'Hare over the weekend in order to make space on the plane for United employees.

Sheehy points the finger at United and other airlines for the practice of overbooking flights, calling it "bad business policy," and tells ABC 7, "I don't think our police department should be cooperating with that."

The SFPD provides security in most parts of San Francisco International Airport, even though the airport is technically in San Mateo County. Department spokesperson Sgt. Michael Andraychak tells CBS 5 that he can't comment directly on the legislation, but that typically in situations involving a disturbance at the airport officers would "try to mediate a resolution" between any two parties. "We are the primary law enforcement agency for the airport, so if there was a disturbance anywhere for the airport, with the exception of the customs arrival area, we would respond to that call for service," Andraychak said in a statement.

Meanwhile, some victim-blaming began yesterday calling out the character of Dao, and United's stock took a significant plunge despite CEO Oscar Munoz doing an about-face and apologizing for what happened. Munoz also appeared on Good Morning America today to try to clean up this PR mess, which you can see below.
It was a video that shocked a city still reeling from a police shooting of a seemingly out-of-it man just weeks before: A San Francisco Police Department officer appearing to attempt to dump a quadriplegic man from his chair. And now we're all going to pay for that act, as the city is reportedly prepared to sign off on a settlement in that case for an as-yet undisclosed amount.

The video of the incident was posted on January 20, 2015, just a few weeks after the December 2, 2014 shooting of Mario Woods by San Francisco Police, an incident that was also caught on tape. According to the Free Thought Project, Devaughn Frierson (the man in the wheelchair) had been paralyzed from the neck down in an accident two years prior, and "has enough limited movement in one arm to control the wheelchair only."

Here's the video of the encounter, which contains loud profanity, so turn it down if you're at work.

"He f**king ran my foot over," the police officer who attempted to eject Frierson from his chair says in the video. "You don't run my foot over."

According to a Vice report at the time, the video was under investigation by both SFPD's internal affairs division and by the office of citizen complaints. By June, Frierson had filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city in the incident, the Chron reported at the time.

In the suit, which was filed by Oakland attorneys John Burris and Lateef Gray, Frierson said an officer identified in the suit only as "Carrasco" purposely and maliciously tried to shake him out of his chair and onto the pavement below.

Frierson said he was near the corner of Sunnydale Avenue and Hahn Street when he saw officers physically restraining his cousin and a friend. Frierson said he twice asked the officers something to the effect of, What are you guys doing, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco. Thats when an officer grabbed his wheelchair and turned it around, the suit says.

Police told him to leave, and Frierson started to comply by backing his wheelchair up...But Carrasco grabbed the wheelchair and tried to dump plaintiff out of the wheelchair while saying words to the effect of take your punk ass home.'"

Plaintiff was in mid-air dangling for several seconds while defendant Carrasco repeatedly attempted to dump him over the curb, the suit says. Once Carrasco realized that bystanders were filming the incident, Carrasco then lied and said that plaintiff had run over his foot, which plaintiff absolutely did not do."

Between then and now, it appears that the city of San Francisco realized that this was a fight they could not win, as 48 Hills reports that the San Francisco Police Commission will be deliberating on a proposed settlement for Frierson that was reached on April 6 of this year.

According to 48 Hills, the Police Commission will mull the mutually agreed upon settlement in closed session, and assuming they OK it, it'll then go to the Board of Supervisors for approval.

At present, the settlement amount hasn't been disclosed, but it's worth noting that the payout in the case, which the Chron says named SF, then-Police Chief Greg Suhr and Officer Carrasco as defendants, won't come from SFPD's budget. According to 48 Hills, the settlement "comes out of the General Fund...So all of us are paying for it."

Related: Two SFPD Officers Who Shot Mario Woods Previously Faced Excessive-Force Lawsuits
If you're relatively new to the Bay Area, and particularly if you've never lived or spent much time in the East Bay, it will be news to you that a great many people passionately despise the eucalyptus trees that are clustered throughout the Oakland and Berkeley hills, and around the UC Berkeley campus. The bath-shop-scented, stripe-barked, tall beauties, technically called Tasmanian blue gum trees, have elongated leaves that create a pleasant hushed rustling in the breeze. But they are not native to the Bay Area, and they've long been pointed to as a primary culprit in the Oakland Hills Fire of 1991. Many people still love them, have tied themselves naked to their trunks to protect them, and they deny that they have any special flammability and see them as vital habitat for birds and other species. These eucalyptus lovers also don't think that whatever could be planted to replace them will be any less of a fire hazard in what is already a fire-prone region.

The Chronicle's East Bay columnist Chip Johnson came down on the side of "chop them all down" in a 2015 column about the trees, arguing that "human life tops the list" of things we should be worried about preserving. At the time, a project was set to begin with the help of a $4.6 million federal grant to thin the forest along a 20-mile stretch of the East Bay ridgeline, cutting down eucalyptus trees along with diseased or dying Monterey pines and other non-native species.

Johnson quotes a UC Berkeley professor of fire sciences, Scott Stephens, who says the eucalyptus trees are absolutely a hazard even if they aren't close by. He points to the university's effort to clear trees on the upper slopes surrounding the campus because the trees can burn at such high intensity that they can deposit embers more than a mile downslope from them. "Given the conditions of the hills and the vulnerabilities of the people living in the area, its the right thing to do," Stephens said, "and the next time we get a great, big fire, were going to be happy that we did this."

Shortly after this piece was published and the work was to begin, lawsuits were filed, including one by the Hills Conservation Network to stop the "deforestation" that succeeded in cutting off FEMA funds for tree removal, and the group Save the East Bay Hills launched a website that calls the "thinning" plan a campaign of misinformation, and that FEMA has had plans to clearcut the forests and remove 400,000 trees.

The group argues also that the chopping down of all those trees will actually increase rather than decrease the fire risk in the area. "The plan will not eliminate fire 'fuel load' but instead render it highly flammable," they write. "Healthy, moisture-rich, fire-resistant trees are to be chopped down and chipped, their remains spread about sun-scorched hillsides at a depth of up to two feet, creating carpets of dried out tinder throughout the hills."

The Atlantic delved into this decades-long debate last fall, noting with some amusement, "It is a classic Bay Area dispute: greens vs. greens, experts vs. experts, and committed amateurs vs. committed amateurs."

Also in the fray are people who argue that the fire issue should be set aside, and the trees should be removed because they're not only reaching the end of their natural lives, but the oak-and-grassland ecosystem that predated their presence in the hills should be restored. In that camp sits native plant enthusiast Jake Sigg, who writes this newsletter/blog about issues surrounding SF parks and open spaces. Sigg says he loves the blue gum species and thinks they can be just fine in well-irrigated parks, but not untended in the East Bay Hills.

Even a fire ecologist at the University of Tasmania, where the trees are native, is torn about whether the trees have evolved to be encouragers of fire, or just to withstand fire themselves. He tells the magazine Bay Nature that there's a semi-compelling theory that eucalyptus species evolved "to burn their neighbors," and like some other tree species, eucalyptus trees tolerate fire very well, and rejuvenate quickly.

As of last month, according to Save the East Bay Hills, the City of Oakland's Vegetation Management Department is now conducting an environmental assessment to prepare for the cutting down of some of these trees.

Meanwhile, with those FEMA funds now relegated only to bush clearing, the East Bay Regional Park District is using other funds at its disposal to move forward with tree cutting, but it's unclear how much they've completed thus far. And Oakland's Vegetation Management team will be taking public comment on their plan and Environmental Impact Report to manage trees and vegetation on city-owned lands, with regard to fire safety, and that should be no-doubt lively. Save the East Bay Hills is already saying "the process may be a sham heading to a predetermined conclusion of deforestation."

If you want to keep up with the latest, or join in with your own thoughts, you can follow the pro-tree activists on Facebook, or follow the anti-eucalyptus faction among the local Sierra Club. A video produced by the Sierra Club on the topic of the East Bay hills is below.


A woman who returned to her vehicle as it was being robbed was beaten by the thieves, police say, and lost a laptop in the process.

According to the San Francisco Police Department, the 28-year-old female victim had parked on the 1600 block of Geary Boulevard, which is between Laguna and Webster Streets Tuesday evening. When she returned to her car at 8:30 p.m., she discovered two suspects, both believed to be aged 18-20, "taking property from her vehicle."

Police say that the woman confronted the two men, one of whom punched her in response.

The suspects then fled the scene on foot, the goods stolen from the woman's car in tow. According to the SFPD, that included a backpack, a laptop, and unspecified "accessories."

The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the attack, police say. The suspects, according to the SFPD, remain at large as of Wednesday morning.
 Expand Manderley Bed & Breakfast Inn

Situated between 27th and 35th streets and Wisconsin and Highland avenues, the Concordia Neighborhood is a testament both to Milwaukees past and to its continually changing urban center. Once the site of a Potawatomi village, the area was platted as Dousmans Subdivision in 1848." For the next few decades, it was mostly used as farmland and sat outside Milwaukees city limits. When it was finally fully absorbed into the city in 1885, 27th Street was quickly becoming a magnet for middle-class Milwaukeeansmostly German immigrants and relocated East Coast Yankeeswho worked Downtown and sought residential spaces away from the bustle of the citys more densely populated areas.

Crucial to the neighborhoods growth was Concordia College, for which the neighborhood was named, which was moved to 33rd and Highland from Downtown in 1882. The college was a Lutheran preparatory academy for the seminary and attracted a number of Lutheran families into the area. By the turn of the century, Concordia had grown into a cozy and well-to-do residential neighborhood.

The diverse character of this period of growth has left behind one of the most fascinating collections of architecture in the city. Some homes date as far back as the 1850s, when the only street in the neighborhood was the plank road that led to Watertown. The Robert Faries home (3011 W. State St.) was completed in 1851. The home was built in the Italianate Style with a flat roof so that its namesake, a telescope maker and amateur astronomer, could perch atop the house to view the heavens on clear evenings. The Charles Rogers house (3130 W. Wells St.) was built for a local grain commission merchant in 1897 and is an excellent example of the eras lush Victorian Gothic Style. The Germanic architectural influences common in the neighborhood can be seen in the massive Harnischfeger Mansion (3424 W. Wisconsin Ave.), completed in 1905. More modest houses were built in the Colonial, Queen Anne, and Prairie Arts and Crafts styles. The work of nearly every prominent Milwaukee architect of the late 19th and early 20th centuries could once be found here.

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Sadly, many of these historic buildings were lost in the 1950s through 1970s. Hundreds of homes had fallen into disrepair as families left the neighborhood and other central-city areas. The West-Side Conservation Corps was founded in the 1980s to help reverse this trend. The group purchased and renovated hundreds of historic older homes, many of which had been converted into multi-unit apartments, and sold them to families in an effort to return a base of dedicated residents to the area.

Marie and Andrew Parker bought into the neighborhood in the early 1990s. With a dream of running their own bed and breakfast, they purchased a large Victorian home at 3026 W. Wells St. which was about to be razed and had been stripped of its fixtures. It was an absolute wreck," said Marie, Twelve boarding rooms on three floors, all sharing only two bathrooms." With a lot of hard work and help from local neighborhood groups, the home was fully restored and today operates as the Manderley Bed & Breakfast Inn.

The drive to save Concordia has been long but fruitful; the neighborhood is now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and many of its older homes have been restored to their century-old glory. Other entrepreneurs have followed the Parkers lead, and today Concordia is known as Milwaukees Bed and Breakfast District." But like any Milwaukee neighborhood, its more than just buildings and businesses that make Concordia a true community. The homes drew us to the area," Maria said. The people keep us here."


Happy 100th birthday, Jazz! With the release of the Original Dixieland Jazz Bands (ODJB ) Original Dixieland One-Step/Livery Stable Blues on March 7, 1917, the world was set on its ear. But jazz has never been an art form to sit still and behave itself, and it has undergone so many transformations in its century of recorded history that most self-professed jazz fans would not recognize the ODJBs epoch-making record as jazz. This remarkable diversity of styles is reflected by Milwaukees own jazz culture.

Hot jazz demarcates both a body of music and a manner of playing. In terms of repertoire, it generally restricts itself to tunes written in the first third of the 20th century. In rendering these tunes, hot jazz is an ensemble music that thrives on collective improvisation and emphasis on melody and rip-roaring finales that disprove the supposed correlation between volume and excitement.

That hot jazz should be so endangered is a source of considerable consternation and confusion, for it is also arguably jazzs most accessible and invigorating style. I heartily encourage a trip to the Bollywood Grill (1038 N. Jackson St.) on the second Monday of every month where, from 6-9 p.m., the Rhythm Aces keep the flame burning.

Bop, in one form or another (viz. bebop, hard bop or post-bop), is the style most people associate with jazz. It is the music that won widespread acceptance and is now taught at institutions the world over, including UW-Milwaukee and the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music (WCM). As opposed to hot jazzs ensemble orientation, bop is a soloists art, emphasizing longer and more ambitious improvisations.

Venues across the city frequently feature bopfor instance, the Jazz Estate on the East Side, Carolines in Walkers Point, Blu on the Pfisters 23rd floor and Mason Street Grill on the Pfisters ground floor. Tuesday and Thursday at Transfer Pizzeria feature jazz and drink specials along with abundant pizza offerings. City.Net Cafe (306 E. Wisconsin Ave.) is billed by owner-drummer Sam Belton as Milwaukees Jazziest Coffeehouse, which he has undoubtedly earned given the cafes jazz paraphernalia decor and commitment to playing the music both live and recorded.

Riverwests Company Brewing hosts a weekly Wednesday night supper club jazz series. South Side supper club the Packing House also frequently features jazz, and Walkers Point boasts Milwaukees newest jazz club in Gibraltar, operated by local musician Evan Christian. The local purveyors of bop are too numerous to list, but We Six, WCMs resident faculty sextet, is jointly and severally responsible for much of this music in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is unusually rich in musicians pushing the proverbial envelope. However, it is difficult to give a blanket description of so-called free jazz, beyond saying that it challenges received assumptions about musical beauty, often to stunningly beautiful results, if one approaches it with open ears and mind. Milwaukees primary hubs of creative musical activity are celebrated Bay View beer bar the Sugar Maple, Riverwests Woodland Pattern Book Center and the West End Conservatory. To keep abreast of Milwaukees many jazz happenings, please visit mkejazzvision.org and sign up for the newsletter.

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Located in the new Kinn MKE guesthouse in Bay View, Kindred is a warm space to get together for innovative cocktails and modern twists on classic food.

Kindred is the perfect fit on the ground level of this boutique micro hotel, melting in with the character and charm of the old brick building housing it. Low lighting, warm reclaimed wood and little hidden banquettes of cozy dining areas all surround a table that expands to the length of the room and seats about 20 guests. Kindred is a place where you can dine alone and still feel like part of a family or meet new friends while dining at the communal table or in the intimate bar area. The velvety, almost Moroccan feel is everything I loved about the owners former restaurant, Firefly, and the food complements everything warm and earthy about the space. The chefs natural approach to food and locally sourced ingredients shine through in each creative and flavorful dish.

Kindred 2535 S. Kinnickinnic Ave, Bay View

414-446-3640

$$$

kindredonkk.com

Handicapped access: Yes (rear)

CC, FB, SB, RS, GF, V

Hours: Tu-Sa 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5-10 p.m.

The wine list has a nice variety by the glass and by the bottle, including some exceptional on reserve choices along with a good selection of beer. Female-named cocktails include the Farrah ($11) made with bulleit bourbon, fresh lime, demerara syrup, bitters and blackberry. We couldnt help but order a few of these innovative and playful cocktails to see which of these vixens tempted us the most. All were adorned with the finest ingredients.

The menu is broken down into three sections starting with the many options under the heading Gather. These not-so-small plates are perfect for sharing and have many options for vegetarians like the wood ear mushroom spread ($7) simmered in a creamy sherry sauce and topped with toasted pistachios for a light crunch. This is served with a salted pretzel roll thats grilled to add a little smokiness to the overall taste. It seems like such a simple dish, but was composed from layers of complex flavors masterfully prepared. The lemongrass mussels ($13) were served in a ginger-laced coconut broth rich in flavor. The mussels had a warm heat from the ginger and birds eye chilies and sweetness not only from the tender jewels in the shell, but from the heirloom carrots. The duck confit flatbread ($13) was also executed with a good balance of sweet and salty from figs and feta cheese topped with local sprouts.

Kindreds gnocchi uses parsnips in their little dumplings, sauteed in a brown butter with shaves of Parmesan cheese and topped with sage panko crumbles. The gnocchi themselves had good flavor and the ingredients paired beautifully, but I found the gnocchi to be a little heavy and not the little cloud pillows that I admire about the potato variety.

In the Dine section of larger plates the Black Angus burger ($13) tops the list of musts. Its served with Wisconsin aged cheddar, pickled chilies, and tobacco onions on a brioche roll. The stout-braised short ribs ($21) over a manchego polenta and the striped bass ($23) with white asparagus and red miso brown butter sauce are delicious options for a heartier fare.

The last section is called Indulgeand you must! The cinnamon sugar crullers ($7) with a coffee creme anglaise finish the meal on a sugary high note, especially when paired with the lovely quinto do vallado 10-year port ($12).
Plaintiffs who recently filed a federal suit against the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to stop a proposed $1 billion expansion of I-94 said state and federal decision-makers used misleading statements and faulty estimates to support a project they claim will harm minority communities by increasing pollution levels and restricting access to jobs.

Our complaint does not say that the decisions made with regard to this project are intentionally racially discriminatory, said Dennis Grzezinski, an attorney for the plaintiffs. We do say that the results of agency decisions on this project, and a whole series of projects that have preceded it, have [had] terribly disproportionately adverse impacts on minority individuals and communities. So, to that extent, the project, or the decision, is racist in its consequences.

The project, which has been in the works since 2014, would rebuild and expand 3.5 miles of highway from 16th Street to 70th Street. It would address congestion, safety concerns and the deteriorated condition of the freeway, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), by adding lanes and changing the placement of exits and on-ramps.

But representatives of the Milwaukee NAACP and John Muir Chapter of the Sierra Club, who are co-plaintiffs in the case, NAACP v. Ross, claim WisDOT violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by ignoring more affordable alternatives that included expanding public transportation. The complaint documents public pledges by WisDOT to expand transit, which plaintiffs claim the agency has failed to uphold, while skirting federal requirements. Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) is also a plaintiff in the suit.

WisDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which is also listed as a defendant, declined to comment for this story, citing department policies regarding pending litigation.

In 2000, the Campaign for a Sustainable Milwaukee sued WisDOT and Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, on behalf of seven individuals and 12 organizations. The suit alleged Thompson and WisDOT conspired to use federal funds in a manner that adversely impacts complainants and other similarly-situated minority residents in the City of Milwaukee who are dependent upon public transportation for the necessities of life.

The resulting settlement included a pledge by WisDOT that it would assist the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) in an effort to improve public transit to enable transit dependent residents of Milwaukee to better access areas of job growth.

In 2013, MICAH and the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin sued then-WisDOT head Mark Gottlieb, challenging a project to reconstruct the Zoo Interchange for reasons similar to the recent suit. That suit was settled in 2014 when the state agreed to spend $13.5 million to improve transit services, including the creation of three new bus routes that helped increase access to business centers in Wauwatosa, Brookfield and Menomonee Falls. That funding will run out by the time construction would be slated to start on the East-West expansion.

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The NAACP suit claims that WisDOT, FHWA and the U.S. Department of Transportation are in violation of these agreements, as well as the National Environmental Policy Act, which requires an agency to produce an adequate analysis of a projects environmental impact while thoroughly considering any alternatives.

So, thats why the suits are continuously being filed, said Fred Royal, president of the Milwaukee NAACP. Because the Department of Transportation, both federal and state, are not living up to what they agreed.

There are many, many layers to this, said Sierra Club John Muir Chapter President Bill Davis. There certainly is a race element to it that I think you cant ignore.

Segregation and Poverty

While Wisconsins unemployment rate currently stands at 3.9%an entire point better than before the nationwide economic recessionthe rate for Wisconsins African Americans is a staggering 19.9%, the highest in the nation, according to a 2015 Economic Policy Institute report. Milwaukees poverty rate of 29% is skewed by its populations of color39.9% of African Americans and 31.8% of Hispanics live in poverty, compared to 14.8% of whites, a number that is on par with the national average.

The complaint points to segregation as a factor that exacerbates these inequities, noting that, though just more than half of Milwaukees population is white, more than 90% of the surrounding countiesWaukesha, Ozaukee and Washingtonare white. Plaintiffs said the project will not provide African Americans and Latinos, who make up a majority of the study areas population, better access to employment opportunities in outlying areas, to which access is limited for those utilizing public transit.

According to a June 2005 study from the Employment and Training Institute at UW-Milwaukee, the most recent data available, only 45% of African American and Hispanic voting-age adults in Milwaukee County had a valid drivers license. Among whites, that number was 73%.

The study also noted that 23% of Wisconsin residents over 65 did not have a drivers license, and that whether an individual had a drivers license or not was more important than a high school diploma when it came to determining self-sufficiency.

According to data from the most recent American Community Survey, 19.2% of Milwaukee households do not own a car.

VISION 2050, a transportation plan released early this year by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, recommends a significant improvement to and expansion of public transit. According to the commission, the vision, which includes commuter rail, ride sharing and drastically expanded bus service, would decrease vehicle congestion, reduce carbon emissions, improve access to jobs and save more than $100 million a year in transit costs.

Eve Smith, an African American Milwaukee resident and member of the NAACP-Milwaukee Branch Executive Board, does not own a car and rides the bus just about every day; she estimated she spends upwards of 25 hours a week on public transit. She said fluctuations in service not only affect her, personally, but people in a variety of situations, noting that convenient public transit access is crucial for those who do not have the meansfinancial or otherwiseto get around without it.

What about the people you see thats [in] wheelchairs? What about the people we see thats on the cane? What about the people that I see on the bus, who get on the bus who only have one leg? she said. What about the mother who may have ... five or six children?

Sherry Meeriwether, 65, who walks with a cane between bus stops as she transfers at 27th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, said she would prefer to have a car but cant afford one. Meeriwether, who is retired but works part-time for a cleaning company, rides public transit three or four times a week. She doesnt know many people in the area so carpooling isnt an option for her. She said, This is the only transportation I got.

MCTS ridership has steadily declined since 2000, a trend that bucks the direction of public transit nationally. Officials with MCTS have said funding cuts and fare increases have added to the decline. Revenue also decreased after the County Board authorized free rides for seniors and individuals with disabilities in 2015.

In 2008, Milwaukee County voters narrowly approved a referendum to create a 1% sales tax that would have provided dedicated funding for public transit. The tax was not approved by the state legislature.

In an unexpected move, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker did not include funding for the I-94 expansion in his 2017 budget.

Davis said he doesnt know whether funding for public transit in Milwaukee County will increase without a settlement similar to that in the Zoo Interchange case, but noted it will take investment to improve service. He added that the Sierra Club is advocating that resources currently slated for highway projects across the state be directed to public transit.

Davis said, I think, if you do that, there would be significant [public transit] funding available ... not just for Milwaukee but for other parts of the state, as well.
Deep dish pizza. Shrimp de Jonghe. Chicken Vesuvio. All Chicago culinary classics with enduring spots on restaurant menus. Yet another, arguably as important to the history of the citys eats, isnt seen as much: the Palmer House brownie.

An iconic symbol of the city and its role hosting the Worlds Columbian Exposition in 1893, the brownie was created in Chicago, the story goes. Bertha Palmer, president of the fairs Board of Lady Managers, is said to have asked the hotel chef for a dessert to serve at the exposition  and thus the Palmer House chocolate fudge brownie was born. Nearly 125 years later, we decided it was time for an update.

We asked Alison Cates, the 2017 Jean Banchet Award-winning pastry chef formerly at Honeys, to put a new spin on the recipe, last published in the Tribune in 2004. Her approach was to keep much of the base the same, making a few tweaks, and update the topping of walnuts and an apricot glaze.

I liked the original brownie recipe, Cates. The base is really solid. It just needed some salt. And I wanted to keep it a little bit more exciting but still approachable enough, so people wont be scared making it.

Cates used bittersweet chocolate rather than the semisweet called for in the original recipe. And she avoided super-expensive chocolate because of the high percentage of sugar in the recipe.

I think thats kind of a waste, she said, referring to using high-end chocolate here, but staying in the bittersweet realm is smart because usually brownie recipes have a high amount of sugar in them and you dont want to add extra sugar (with a sweeter chocolate).

Cooks trying the recipe should be careful melting the chocolate because scorched chocolate would have to be replaced. Cates brings the water up to a simmer, turns the heat off and then puts the bowl with the chocolate over the water for melting.

For the topping, Cates went with a fig chutney and toasted macadamia nuts, a combo she used in a dessert at Honeys.

I love macadamia nuts, and I think they are completely underutilized. You dont see them a lot in pastries, so I thought theyd be fun, she said. You could, if you wish, substitute lightly salted and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Cates thought a fig chutney would have an acidity and a brightness to counter the brownies chocolate richness and offer more interest than a glaze made with apricot preserves.

What to pair with these brownies? Cates suggests a glass of port.
SIOUX CITY | The Iowa Transportation Commission on Tuesday awarded funding to Sioux City for construction of a $5.7 million road project that will serve inbound and outbound traffic at Sioux City's Bridgeport West Industrial Park.

The project, which will bring a southerly road connecting the plant to Aviation Boulevard and the nearby interchange with Interstate 29, will support the dramatic influx of traffic that will be seen when Seaboard Triumph Foods begins a second shift in mid-2018, bringing its total workforce up to 2,100.

The Iowa Transportation Commission approved up to $3.77 million in Revitalize Iowa's Sound Economy (RISE) funding for the project. The commission had already approved approximately $5.3 million in RISE funding for a series of road improvements currently underway in the area, bringing the total state aid to around $9.1 million. Those funds will cover 80 percent of the overall project.

Sioux City and Seaboard Triumph Foods will fund the difference, with Sioux City's share coming from tax-increment financing generated by the new construction of the plant.

Were very excited to receive this additional support from the state," Sioux City economic development director Marty Dougherty said Tuesday. "It's a pretty significant award."

The project will include 7,050 feet of new roadway, turn lanes at Aviation Boulevard and Discovery Boulevard, intersection improvements on Expedition Court, and realignment of 500 feet of Gavin Street and 300 feet of Discovery Boulevard.

Seaboard Triumph Foods' pork plant is expected to start up with its first shift in July of this year, with a second shift going online in mid-2018. The new road project is anticipated to be complete by July 2018.
SIOUX CITY | The Casey's General Store at the corner of Southern Hills Drive and South Lakeport Street could be in line for a full reconstruction, making it the latest Siouxland Casey's to experience substantial upgrades.

Sioux City's Development Review Committee is currently considering a site plan proposal from the Ankeny, Iowa-based company for construction of a new store at 4727 Southern Hills Drive, which would replace the current store at 4709 Southern Hills Drive.

The 4,346-square-foot structure would measure nearly double the area of the current store, which is 2,376 square feet, according to city documents. The number of gas pumps would also increase from four to 10.

The existing Casey's serves as the only gas station other than Hy-Vee in a roughly two-mile area and is heavily used and a frequent location of traffic congestion, according to documents. Property records show the current convenience store structure was built in 1993.

In recent years, Casey's has replaced aging stores along Floyd Boulevard, Lewis Boulevard and Gordon Drive with larger, updated formats.

The company most recently opened its new 4,475-square-foot store at 3731 Hamilton Blvd., replacing a 32-year-old store that was less than one-half its size.

In December 2016, the company purchased a four-acre lot in North Sioux City for $3.2 million to build a mega store off of Interstate 29. That Casey's will be 5,246 square feet, the largest Casey's in the region.

Sioux City's Board of Adjustment on Tuesday voted to defer taking action on Casey's request for a conditional use permit, which will allow the new store to sell alcohol and tobacco for off-site consumption despite its location within 300 feet of Southern Hills Baptist Church. The board will take a vote at its April 25 meeting.

Casey's corporate office did not return calls from The Journal for comment Tuesday.
CHEROKEE, Iowa | A 43-year-old Cleghorn, Iowa, man faces multiple charges after authorities say he sexually abused a girl under 15 who was "physically incapacitated" after he gave her an alcoholic drink.

Eddie Donovan Delong was arrested April 5 on charges of third-degree sexual abuse and supplying alcohol to a minor causing serious injury. The charges followed a joint investigation by the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation into the incident, which occurred between June 30 and July 1, 2016.

According to court documents, the girl was at Delong's residence June 30 visiting a friend who lives with Delong. Documents say during the evening and early morning hours of the following day, Delong offered the girl a drink with alcohol in it.

Documents say the girl drank the alcohol and later could not move her arms or legs. Documents say Delong began inappropriately touching her and started to remove her pants, at which time the girl passed out.

The next day, documents say, the girl woke up with her pants on backward and pain in her genital area.

Delong was arrested April 5 and was released Friday after posting $10,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled 3 p.m. Monday.
SIOUX CITY -- More public school students in Sioux City are earning diplomas, according to the latest data released by the state Tuesday.

The four-year graduation rate in Sioux City rose to 87.5 percent for the 2015-16 academic year, a slight improvement from the 87.19 percent level the year before, according to figures from the Iowa Department of Education. The latest rate is just shy of the state average of 91.3 percent, district leaders pointed out.

The Sioux City district also improved in the five-year graduation rate metric, going from an 89.16 percent in the 2014-15 academic year to 90.53 percent the next year.

During the same two-year period, the district's 7-12 grades dropout rate inched up, from 1.6 percent to 2.06 percent, according to the state data. The year-to-year growth in dropouts fell in line with the state average, which went from 2.5 percent to 2.8 percent between the 2014-15 and 2015-16 academic years.

Since the state began using a consistent federal formula for graduation rates in the 2009-10 school year, the district's four-year graduation rate has increased 8 percent, while the number of students who dropped out has decreased by 3 percent, the district said.

This celebration for the school district is the result of the hard work of our staff and students, Superintendent Paul Gausman said in a news release. We continue to hold one of the highest graduation rates of the urban school districts in the state, and this increase is truly remarkable.

"While we have a great deal of work yet to do, I thank our staff members for their commitment to our students by giving them every opportunity to succeed."

Statewide, Iowa public high schools students are graduating 91.3 percent of the time over a four-year period and 93.3 percent in five-year increments.

Ryan Wise, director of the Iowa Department of Education, commented on the improved graduation rates in a release that accompanied the newly released statistics.

Graduation is a critical milestone in every students path to success, he said. While were proud that Iowa continues to lead nationally in high school graduation rates, we have work to do. We must ensure all Iowa high school students not only graduate, but do so with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in post-secondary education and training.
SIOUX FALLS | A Georgia man was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in federal prison for robbing a North Sioux City convenience store.

Mykel Booth, 26, of Mableton, Georgia, had earlier pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls to one count of discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.

Booth also must pay $3,602 in restitution jointly with Terry McCoy, who attempted to hinder and prevent Booth's arrest by not telling police what he knew about the robbery.

Booth entered Casey's General Store, 1313 River Drive, on Dec. 1, 2015, took out a handgun and fired a shot in the air near one of the clerks and demanded money. He fled the store with cash and was arrested a day later in Sioux Falls.

McCoy, of Ellenwood, Georgia, was sentenced in January to 30 months in prison on one count of accessory after the fact to interference with commerce by threats or violence.
STORM LAKE, Iowa | A 21-year-old is facing a handful of charges -- including four felony counts of forgery -- following an investigation into a vehicle burglary that led police to find numerous forged checks in a college dorm room at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.

Kevin Kee, of Chicago, Illinois, was arrested 5 p.m. Tuesday and charged with four counts of forgery, possession of marijuana and possession of stolen property.

According to a news release from the Storm Lake Police Department, police on March 6 received a report that a car parked in the Buena Vista University campus parking lot had been entered, and several checks had been stolen and forged for an amount in excess of $2,000.

Police investigated the incident and, on Tuesday, conducted a series of interviews. At 2 p.m. Tuesday, authorities searched a room in Pierce Hall on the college campus, where they found stolen blank checks, forged checks, a debit card, receipts and a small amount of marijuana. Kee was arrested a few hours later and booked into the Buena Vista County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Buena Vista University Security Department assisted in the investigation.
SIOUX CITY | A Democrat who planned to run for the congressional seat held by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, has reversed course and will not seek that office in 2018.

Ryan Meyers, of Sioux City, told the Journal he will not run for the Iowa 4th Congressional District seat. Meyers said he backed away from his plan to be a candidate after speaking with his wife and friends, so he can devote more time to his business.

"I decided that my passion is in my business. While I despise Steve King and think Northwest Iowa deserves better and we're not getting what we're paying for when it comes to King's wages, I just don't have the time or energy to hopscotch across the district every weekend for the next year and a half," Meyers said.

He runs the Sioux Guitars business, and said he needs to focus his energy on building the best best amps, guitars and guitar hardware.

"Sioux Guitars just won a glowing endorsement from Billy F. Gibbons (of ZZ Top), and working with artists makes me feel like the guy who sold Michelangelo paint brushes," Meyers said.

The remaining announced Democratic candidate is Kim Weaver, of Sheldon, who entered the 2018 field in March. King, who was first elected in 2002, handily defeated Weaver in 2016.

Dirk Deam, an Iowa State University professor from Ames, is another Democrat considering a run.

A Democratic primary election to determine the party's nominee will be held in June 2018 if multiple candidates enter the race.
SIOUX CITY | Sioux City School Board member Jackie Warnstadt apologized Wednesday for comments the school district acknowledged were not "in the spirit of the amicable agreement" that ended Chief Financial Officer John Chalstrom's tenure with the district.

In a news release, the district said Warnstadt should not have used the term "disgruntled employee" during remarks during a public board meeting Monday.

"The District and Director Warnstadt regret and apologize if there was any implication that this comment referred to Dr. John Chalstrom," the news release said. "The District and Director Warnstadt recognize that the comment was not made in the spirit of the amicable agreement entered into between the District and Dr. Chalstrom."

The Journal in a Sunday investigative piece detailed a series of complaints Chalstrom lodged against Superintendent Paul Gausman two days before the district placed Chalstrom on administrative leave on Feb. 13. Dan Greenwell, a local businessman, shared Chalstroms concerns about Gausman's management of the district with school board members.

Following a 1  hour closed meeting Monday, the board voted 5-2 in open session to approve the separation agreement with Chalstrom. Under the deal, he will resign effective June 30, coinciding with the expiration of his contract, and receive three additional months of pay and health insurance benefits.

As part of the agreement, the two parties, "in their public and private dealings with one another," agreed to "treat each other with respect and professional courtesy and to refrain from making derogatory comments about one another."

Warnstadt voted for the agreement about 20 minutes after she made her "disgruntled employee" comment. While she did not specifically mention Chalstrom by name, the reference was clear to observers.

I am totally out of patience with an uninformed public who seems to be listening to a disgruntled employee and a disingenuous citizen who appears to be exercising a vendetta against a great superintendent," she said at the meeting, drawing a standing ovation from Gausman's Cabinet members in the room.

Though Warnstadt also did not mention him by name, Greenwell, a frequent district critic, was cast as the "disingenuous citizen." The apology issued by Warnstadt and the district Wednesday did not extend to Greenwell.

"I am aware the district and Director Warnstadt issued an apology to Dr. Chalstrom. Director Warnstadt was clearly disingenuous in honoring the agreement and appeared to have a vendetta against Dr. Chalstrom. I thought more highly of her," Greenwell told the Journal on Wednesday.

In the news release Wednesday, the district also thanked Chalstrom "for leading the Financial Department and for the accomplishments he achieved during his time with the District. We wish Dr. Chalstrom well in his future endeavors."

Chalstrom and his Sioux City attorney, Allyson Dirksen, declined comment Wednesday.

Chalstrom, who received an annual salary of $140,255, will continue to receive his pay and health insurance benefits through Sept. 30, under the settlement agreement.

Prior to coming to Sioux City in 2014, Chalstrom served as superintendent of the Cherokee School District for 10 years. He also previously was a high school principal in Clear Lake, Iowa.
Todays top picks from our online calendar. Find more events at siouxcityjournal.com/calendar.

Festival of Nations

Western Iowa Tech Community College will host its 4th annual Festival of Nations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Rocklin Center (room B174) on the main campus. This event is open to the public with an entrance fee of $5.

Grant Lyon & Phil Johnson

Starting his career in the vibrant San Francisco comedy scene, San Francisco Weekly described Grant as a hilariously sharp observer, not one of those tired white-guy bellyachers. Lyon will take the Anthem stage tonight at 8 p.m. Tickets $16.05-$26.75. Visit hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com for additional information.

Sioux City History Projects

Models and posters of local historic landmarks, people, and events created by 4th grade students are showcased in the annual Sioux City History Projects exhibit. The exhibit, now in its 26th year, will be on display through May 13 when students will be honored at a reception and awards ceremony. Visit siouxcitymuseum.org for museum hours.
By firing off five dozen Tomahawk missiles at a military airfield, our "America First" president may have plunged us into another Middle East war that his countrymen do not want to fight.

Thus far Bashar Assad seems unintimidated. Brushing off the strikes, he has defiantly gone back to bombing the rebels from the same Shayrat air base that the U.S. missiles hit.

Trump "will not stop here," warned U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley on Sunday. "If he needs to do more, he will."

If Trump fails to back up Haley's threat, the hawks now cheering him on will begin deriding him as "Donald Obama."

But if he throbs to the war drums of John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio and orders Syria's air force destroyed, we could be at war not only with ISIS and al-Qaida, but with Syria, Russia, Iran and Hezbollah.

A Syrian war would consume Trump's presidency.

Are we ready for that? How would we win such a war without raising a large army and sending it back into the Middle East?

Another problem: Trump's missile attack was unconstitutional. Assad had not attacked or threatened us, and Congress, which alone has the power to authorize war on Syria, has never done so.

Indeed, Congress denied President Obama that specific authority in 2013.

What was Trump thinking? Here was his strategic rational:

"When you kill innocent children, innocent babies -- babies, little babies -- with a chemical gas ... that crosses many, many lines, beyond a red line. ... And I will tell you, that attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me ... my attitude toward Syria and Assad has changed very much."

Two days later, Trump was still emoting: "Beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack. No child of God should ever suffer such horror."

Now, that gas attack was an atrocity, a war crime, and pictures of its tiny victims are heart-rending. But 400,000 people have died in Syria's civil war, among them thousands of children and infants.

Have they been killed by Assad's forces? Surely, but also by U.S., Russian, Israeli and Turkish planes and drones -- and by Kurds, Iranians, Hezbollah, al-Qaida, ISIS, U.S.-backed rebels and Shiite militia.

Assad is battling insurgents and jihadists who would slaughter his Alawite brethren and the Christians in Syria just as those Copts were massacred in Egypt on Palm Sunday. Why is Assad more responsible for all the deaths in Syria than those fighting to overthrow and kill him?

Are we certain Assad personally ordered a gas attack on civilians?

For it makes no sense. Why would Assad, who is winning the war and had been told America was no longer demanding his removal, order a nerve gas attack on children, certain to ignite America's rage, for no military gain?

Like the gas attack in 2013, this has the marks of a false flag operation to stampede America into Syria's civil war.

And as in most wars, the first shots fired receive the loudest cheers. But if the president has thrown in with the neocons and War Party, and we are plunging back into the Mideast maelstrom, Trump should know that many of those who helped to nominate and elect him -- to keep us out of unnecessary wars -- may not be standing by him.

We have no vital national interest in Syria's civil war. It is those doing the fighting who have causes they deem worth dying for.

For ISIS, it is the dream of a caliphate. For al-Qaida, it is about driving the Crusaders out of the Dar al Islam. For the Turks, it is, as always, about the Kurds.

For Assad, this war is about his survival and that of his regime. For Putin, it is about Russia remaining a great power and not losing its last naval base in the Med. For Iran, this is about preserving a land bridge to its Shiite ally Hezbollah. For Hezbollah it is about not being cut off from the Shiite world and isolated in Lebanon.

Because all have vital interests in Syria, all have invested more blood in this conflict than have we. And they are not going to give up their gains or goals in Syria and yield to the Americans without a fight.

And if we go to war in Syria, what would we be fighting for?

A New World Order? Democracy? Separation of mosque and state? Diversity? Free speech for Muslim heretics? LGBT rights?

In 2013, a great national coalition came together to compel Congress to deny Barack Obama authority to take us to war in Syria.

We are back at that barricade. An after-Easter battle is shaping up in Congress on the same issue: Is the president authorized to take us into war against Assad and his allies inside Syria?

If, after Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, we do not want America in yet another Mideast war, the time to stop it is before the War Party has us already in it. That time is now.
DES MOINES  Many times, state lawmakers are in complete agreement on legislation, and a bill passes unanimously. Many times, a bill divides lawmakers by political party; all Republicans support a bill, and all Democrats oppose it, or vice versa.

And every once in a while, there is near-unanimous agreement on a bill, except for a solitary member.

There were 11 lone wolf votes  in which nearly all legislators voted in favor of a bill and just one voted against it  cast during this years legislative session through the end of last week.

Thats a tiny number of the nearly 300 bills voted on this year in the Iowa House and Senate  3.8 percent, to be exact  and the reasons vary for those solitary stands.

According to the legislators who cast those lone wolf votes, some were the result of general opposition to a state program. Others were based on ideology. And sometimes, the vote was cast in error.

Whatever the reason, legislators said it can feel strange to look at a final vote tally and their name as the only dissenting voice among all of their colleagues.

It makes you laugh a little bit. Its like, Oh, my goodness, said Rep. Skyler Wheeler, a first-year state legislator from Orange City who cast one of those 11 lone wolf votes this year. But its just one of those things. You have to stand by what you believe in.

Of the 11 lone wolf votes cast this year, nine have been cast in the Iowa House, by nine different members. Two have been cast in the Senate, both by Sen. Tony Bisignano, a Democrat from Des Moines.

Both of Bisignanos lone wolf votes were on bills related to liability. One bill said property owners were not responsible for duty of care to a trespasser; another said the Iowa State Fair would not be liable for injury or death caused by pathogen transmission caused by animals at the fair. Both bills passed 48-1.

Bisignano also cast one lone wolf vote each in 2015 and 2016. He is among a group of four legislators with multiple lone wolf votes over the past three years. The others are Reps. Bruce Hunter, Chuck Isenhart and Jake Highfill.

You vote your conscience, vote your district, vote what you feel is right, and it doesnt really matter if youre the only no vote there, said Highfill, a Republican from Johnston.

Two legislators have cast three lone wolf votes in a single session over the past three years.

Sen. David Johnson of Ocheyedan cast three lone wolf votes in 2016 while he was a Republican. He changed his party affiliation to independent before the 2017 session.

Rep. Dan Kelley, a Democrat from Newton, cast three lone wolf votes in 2015. He lost his 2016 re-election bid in a primary.

There were 20 lone wolf votes cast in 2016 and 21 in 2015. Many of the legislators who have cast lone wolf votes said they wear those votes as a badge of independence.

Its a point of pride to me because I like to tell my people back home that I dont just follow the company line. I dont just do what my caucus and leadership tells me to do, and Ive got multiple examples that prove that, said Rep. Bruce Bearinger, a Democrat from Oelwein. And I vote for the people within my district, and I listen to the people in my district.

Here are some examples of lone wolf votes cast over the past three years:

Rep. Skyler Wheeler

Wheeler, R-Orange City, was the lone vote against a House bill that updates state alcohol regulations by, in part, allowing small distilleries to sell their product on site, similar to small breweries and wineries.

The bill passed the House on a 93-1 vote; it has not yet been debated by the full Senate.

Wheeler, who represents most of conservative Sioux County, said he voted against the bill because he viewed it as the expansion of alcohol production and consumption in Iowa, which he said he thinks is not good for the state.

Wheeler said he thinks the late Dwayne Alons, who represented Northwest Iowa in the Iowa House from 1999 to 2014, also would have voted against the bill for the same reason.

I think it increases the consumption and production of alcohol, and Im not for that, Wheeler said. Ultimately, thats what it came down to. It passed, and Im not going to lose sleep over it.

Wheeler also said his vote proves his independent thinking on proposed legislation.

If youre the only no vote, youre the only no vote. It happens sometimes, Wheeler said. You get to kind of go back home and tell people, Hey, you know what? I dont just vote straight party line. I dont just vote how somebody tells me to vote. I vote what I feel is right and what I ultimately feel what my district would want me to vote.

Rep. Tim Kacena

Kacena, a first-term Democrat from Sioux City, cast the lone vote in opposition to a bill that would add certain designated lanes to legal turns on red at stoplights.

The bill passed the House, 95-1, passed the Senate on a unanimous 49-0 vote and on March 23 was signed into law by the governor.

Kacena, a retired Sioux City firefighter, said he voted against the bill because he thought it was a safety issue.

Ive been on way too many accidents, and now you can double lane turn on red, he said. Basically, it wasnt good for traffic, I didnt think.

Despite being the lone voice of opposition, Kacena said the vote did not feel different from any other he has cast this session.

Basically, it was like any other vote, he said.

Rep. Bruce Bearinger

Bearinger was the only legislator to vote against a bill that proposes the state public defender coordinate representation of indigent persons who have been arrested and charged with a crime.

The bill passed the House on a 93-1 vote and has not yet been debated by the full Senate.

Bearinger said the voted against the bill because of an amendment that would have the state public defenders office, when involved in a case regarding a violation of a local law, seek reimbursement from that local government.

Bearinger said he thinks that is shifting the cost to city governments, and he fears it will force cities to either find money to cover the additional costs or local police will attempt to prevent any additional costs by bringing fewer criminal charges.

Bearinger said that concern was not expressed, even by his Democratic colleagues, but he contacted his local police chief, who shared the concern.

I voted against it because I believe its soft on crime by forcing cities into that position, Bearinger said. And it is a further example of (state lawmakers) saying we love local control until we dont.

Rep. Cindy Winckler

In 2015, Winckler, a Democrat from Davenport, was the lone vote against a bill that would have extended the deadline for contributions to the states college savings plan.

The proposal passed the House, 94-1, but was not voted on by the Senate.

Winckler said this week she recalls her vote was a mistake, that she intended to support the bill.

It is not uncommon for legislators to cast a mistaken vote, especially on days when they vote on numerous bills, which often have numerous amendments. Legislators have the option of changing their vote in the official record.

Sometimes, you try and juggle a little too much, which is part of the job, and I accept that, Winckler said. "But mistakes happen with those kinds of things."
Theory  April 12, 2017  Michael Brie and Mario Candeias

The future has gone astray. The neoliberal utopia is exhausted just as are left alternatives. The decades of an initially conservative-orthodox neoliberalism from Margaret Thatcher to Helmut Kohl; its generalization under the governments from Tony Blair to Gerhard Schroder; and, finally, its authoritarian deepening and anchoring in the years of the crisis have caused social inequalities and dynamics, which are hardly under control. The structural crisis is not resolved and cannot be solved in the old framework. The attempts to stabilize financial market capitalism only extend the agony and tear apart the European Union and our societies. The situation is however not characterized by rupture; instead, an old quote from Antonio Gramsci applies: The crisis consists precisely in the fact that the old is dying and the new cannot be born; in this interregnum a great variety of morbid symptoms appear. One such morbid symptom is the new radical Right in its various forms.

The political field currently is not being structured along the cleavages of left versus right, but rather along the polarization between a liberal and an illiberal capitalism, between the defence of globalized capitalism with modified means (Clinton, Merkel, May, etc.), and the turn toward a social-national and authoritarian ethno-racist gated capitalism (Trump, Le Pen, Petry, etc.). The good news is that the time of no alternatives is over. The bad news is that its precisely the wrong alternatives which are opening up. A response to the crisis that is democratic and solidaristic is thus far absent. What dominates is the loss of a general, positive idea of the good (Eribon).

There is a great need for this idea of the good. Constantly new movements and initiatives are placing this idea on the agenda. Occupy Wall Street and the Bernie Sanders campaign, the womens marches from the U.S. to Turkey, the passionate struggles for renewal of social democracy within the UK Labour Party or the German SPD, Nuit Debut and the militant strikes against the new labour law in France, the Indignad@s and the rise of Podemos in Spain, the activities for self-organization and solidarity structures and the struggle for a left government in Greece and its course  the list goes on. In Germany there are the welcome initiatives  about 8 million people  for those who have fled to Germany, including demonstrations against CETA and TTIP or participated in the De-Growth-Movement. Many people are pushing for a new politics of a good life, for a democratic mode of living within which dignity and solidarity are lived. But precisely in Germany, the neoliberal power centre of the EU, there lacks the integrative power to help the new world come into being. The masses lack the unifying force to usher in a change of political direction. To contribute to this  to constitute, and to make visible the democratic camp of solidarity  is the common strategic task of the left. Hope and power must converge around a third pole  a pole of solidarity  to effectively intervene in the hegemonic constellation, the contemporary battle-lines between those above and those on the right.

1. Times of Agonisingly Slow Development and Sudden Turns

The last few decades in Germany were only ostensibly times of stability. In reality, the international situation has become increasingly dangerous. On the southern and eastern border of the EU, wars have flared up or are smouldering, states are destroyed, disintegrated, and without hopeful prospects. The attempts to integrate the EU mostly through markets and the Euro have brought the European project to the edge of collapse. Hope for social participation and wellbeing vanished; fear and insecurity are growing. Impossible to continue like that. Already, the constitutive politics of neoliberalism has become a politics of permanent crisis modus and state of emergency. Barbarism is marching fast.

Such a situation generates tensions and strong contradictions. Left politics must prepare to fight long-term defensive struggles but also for very fast engagement in open situations: the war of position can rapidly become a war of manoeuvre and then come to a standstill again. As of yet, the left is not prepared for such a contradictory strategy of alternating moments, neither intellectually, organizationally, nor politically.

We are in a situation in which no political change of direction is possible, but modifications certainly are  to the right as well as the left, including more authoritarian but also democratic ones. Excessive inequality, the class question, and the heavy social dislocations in a downwardly mobile society (Nachtwey) are being discussed again. Large investment programmes are being debated likewise, along with ending the decline of pension levels and pushing back against temporary contract work and precarious employment. In foreign policy, agitators are confronted by opponents who expressly seek cooperative solutions. Already, some modifications to the Agenda-2010-politics[1] have been achieved, such as the introduction of the minimum wage law and more flexible regulations regarding the retirement age of 67. More of such things would certainly be possible; the discourse of the new social democratic leader, Martin Schulz, indicates that. For now, its about partial concessions to neutralize growing protest and absorb specific groups without changing the fundamental orientation of politics  precisely in order to avoid changing direction. Such a change of trajectory would be confronted by the oligarchic power structures of politics, corporations, consulting agencies, hardened interests even from sections of organized labour, as well as institutional blockades at the global, EU, and nation-state levels. A change of direction must be financed. This cannot happen if austerity politics continues.

But neoliberal continuity is not secured. The crisis is too deep. That is why the left must prepare for a political crisis in which the ruling elite will not be able to continue in their usual ways; in which hitherto political approaches appear neither effective nor legitimate, resistance massively increases, including under the banner of the new Right. At every moment, the possibility of a new, deep financial and economic crisis is conceivable, along with the intensification of international conflicts (even between the major powers) or massive terrorist attacks, acute ecological catastrophes, the rapid disintegration of the EU. This has unleashed a nervous tension among the rulers, who witness the rattling of their core political beliefs and assumptions, while coming under pressure from the new Right. Sections of the rulers even increasingly see hope in the new Right, and are considering it as an option.

In an open crisis situation, wherein a radical new situation emerges and the elite becomes divided (Klein 2016), a change of direction becomes possible  toward an authoritarian gated capitalism or toward a restructuring based on solidarity. The left must become capable of intervening in such a situation. Yet it is not. The left is too busy with internal divisions and subtle distinctions. It also lacks imagination and possibly also the strength and willpower to face the severity of the situation and the danger of the crisis.

In the current situation, all existing ideas about how left politics should be done must be reconsidered. The possibility of a left turn appears nearly impossible, and is however more urgent as social-ecological transformation increasingly unlikely and yet more acute. How can the left orient itself in these contradictions?

Saying what is, Ferdinand Lassalle said, is the first revolutionary act. What the Left in Germany needs first is an analysis of possible consequences and an open strategic discussion. All too often, different groups remain among themselves, fear that changes present danger, deny themselves an open self-critical discussion as well as challenging experiments. A common praxis and power perspective, however, cannot emerge spontaneously, but must rather be forged. This requires not a nit-picky, divisive debate, but rather a connective perspective that enables a common narrative and corresponding praxes. Clarity is needed, to avoid sinking into a mash of endless ambiguities, from which anything and everything is justified.

2. The Three Battle Lines of the Left in the Crisis

The societal left finds itself in a complex situation defined by three battle lines. First, precisely it has the task of defending liberal democracy, which it has always rightly criticized for its reduction to formal democracy with formal political equality and its limitation to the political field (with immunization by economic rule). But losing this democracy opens the gate to unrestrained barbarism. Second, it must protect what Wolfgang Abendroth means with social democracy (as political and social participation) even in its real-existing narrow form of a redistributive, paternalistic social state. Its authoritarian modernization and austerity-political hollowing-out has a triple effect: with the lowering of pensions, fear of poverty in old age has emerged. With the low-wage sector and the expansion of precarious jobs, employment and income fears have become generalized. With the division in education and life chances, people are concerned about the future of their children and grandchildren. This triple fear destroys democracy and solidaristic cohesion, and is the basis for racism and violence. Social, individual, and general security  it is increasingly obvious  are the indispensable conditions for freedom and self-determination.

Of course, the left cannot stop there, merely deflecting attacks against liberal and social democracy. Thirdly, it must go beyond, to develop its own practices of solidarity of

societal organizing and to a strongly radiating third pole, a pole of solidarity (as a basis for socialist democracy). The alliance with the bourgeois powers in defence of liberal democracy is only persuasive when the struggle against the prevailing politics is also effectively fought, a politics which contributed greatly to the erosion of democracy and thereby the rise of right-wing forces. The defence of social democracy in its old form is not enough, because it has been outmoded for some time; it provides no solutions to the questions of a completely different class of wage-workers whose composition has become more feminine, migrant, and heterogeneous. The left must therefore first undertake a political transformation of itself.

3. The Strategic Tasks of the Left

This demands a change of perspective: a new class politics, which does not negate the multiplicity of interests of the left mosaic. This cannot mean a simple return to the old class struggle. Racism, gender relations, and social questions, such as ecology and peace, are inseparably intertwined. Differences should not be treated as secondary contradictions, but instead actively connected with one another. Thats only possible in conjunction with people themselves being present and organizing together in their everyday lives, in neighbourhoods and workplaces, encouraging others to take decisions and act together. On this basis, credibility can also be restored to the Left Party, upon which a functioning parliamentary representation can be built  a magnet for the many who themselves do not want or cannot be politically engaged.

When speaking about the future, we must take the new democracy movements seriously. Representative democracy has its strengths, but in Europe

the social and political participation connected to it has been eliminated. Representation and self-organization must be brought into a new relationship. That requires new institutions, including our own organizations, and not least, of the party. They must become organizations where it is possible to take initiative in ones own hands, doing concrete and sometimes small things, but with a view toward society as a whole.

Solidarity initiatives could be important starting points for this. For example, inspired by the Greek example Solidarity4All , the Left Party works on pilot projects of organizing in deprived neighbourhoods. To organize in very practical terms, go out, and build real connection with the popular classes in the neighbourhoods, especially in deprived areas requires building a base beyond the usual left suspects. This is a precondition for any left perspective to win real power to pursue its goals. This is why we started ringing the doorbells in former strongholds of Die LINKE and in deprived city areas  all over Germany, in every region. We trained Hundreds of activists in canvassing techniques, and keep trying to multiply the numbers. A central part of the electoral campaign will include reaching out to the popular classes. And we will continue this after the elections as a long-term project. We listen, we discuss, we invite to very specific local meetings centred around local problems  and we come back again; we try again. The idea is not only to win members, but to build local nodes of resistance, especially around the housing question  but not only. This is combined with parallel training in transformative organizing.

In such initiatives as organizational nodes, peoples idea of what they can do can be changed, to develop, with them, a sense of their capacity for power (Wainwright[2]),

for a new inclusive we. This is because the experience of the common is imbued with agency and restores the belief in a possible and practical change in ones own future. Here too, approaches of a new emancipatory and democratic form of welfare could be developed.

Such approaches are thereby not only an effective counteragent to (right-wing) populism, but could also minimize dependencies to a (left) government and guard against clientelism. It doesnt limit itself to civic activity to compensate for the deficits of a slimmed-down welfare state, but instead aims with actions of civil disobedience and direct expropriation for the states reconstruction and democratic reorganization. From this perspective, the expansion and democratization of the welfare should reroute means and decision-making power into civil society: In and against the state (John Holloway).

Beyond this, whats required is a clear relation of antagonism  a constitutive outside. There are political factions and classes responsible for producing the current situation. So it would go against the governing political caste, the corporations, and the wealthy, who have emancipated themselves from their fiscal responsibility to support society and nurture the commonwealth. It would go against the normalcy of corruption,greed, and the competition fetish, which undermines the societal fabric of the common. And it goes against the political twins of la casta, the self-radicalizing right-wing populism, which seeks protection at the expense of vilifying other societal groups, fomenting hate and sowing violence.

In contrast to that, we should say that we are working to overcome capitalism and move toward a society which Bernie Sanders uninhibitedly calls Socialism. Belonging to this project are self-evident needs such as free healthcare and education as well as affordable housing for all; public services without charge, from libraries to public transportation; substantive and effective democratic participation; ecological reorganization of cities, transport, energy supply, and agriculture; and much more time for each other and for living. Here appear the unsatisfied past futures that have yet to be actualized, from the French to the Russian Revolution, 1968, or 1989. As Jeremy Corbyn says: For us, it may be the same thing for the last 40 years, but for the new generation it is brand new. Its about ways within capitalism that lead beyond it.

Now the word socialism has become speakable again. People are eager to know they look it up on Wikipedia, they inform themselves. We shouldnt remain behind but instead name our ideas for a solidaristic, democratic, feminist, anti-racist, etc. post-growth alternative by its new, old, unfulfilled name, and fight together over what it should mean in the twenty-first century: Socialism  a good, solidaristic, just society  something simple, but difficult to achieve. Not everyone in the mosaic left or in the third pole will support this, but it should be accepted as obvious that a transformative left within the mosaic stands for socialism.

And we shouldnt be afraid to make it clear how we feel. The Right works with fear, resentment and hate. We must counter it with solidarity and hope, not as an appeal but as concrete practice. It is good and does good to act in solidarity. A practice of solidarity, furthermore, with refugees and minorities, as well as with those whove been de-classed, and with the anxious middle-class: welfare/workfare recipients, the unemployed and low-wage workers, toward all those who, running on the hamster wheel, seek to acquire a good life, and are sometimes angry at those who are supposedly less productive. Not only do people want to feel that their interests are acknowledged, but also that their situation and existence is received with empathy. We must learn to create connections which lie beyond the discursive, all to rational, and bring forth, what in Spanish is called Illusion: Illusion can hardly be translated, means literally in Latin bringing something into appearance, a conception and a feeling about how something could be, not yet real, but can be sensed. Ernst Bloch called it the anticipation of another world. It is the desire, to live different and be different. We must practice that, it is another side of the factual analysis and debate, each must nurture the other.

And finally, the left must work on the perspective of political power. This should not be reduced to elections. On this electoral one-dimensionality is where a traditional parliamentary-orientation meets a purely discursively constituted populism. The episodic, but concentrated mobilization can certainly achieve success, this is however precarious when the mobilization is not connected to sustainable anchoring and organizing. A political left in the representative institutions without a strong, independent, critical left in society, anchored in neighbourhoods, workplaces, initiatives and movements, is doomed to fail. If it succeeds however to revive the heat flow (Bloch) of hope, which draws its power and energy from the experience of solidarity and self-determination, then, even taking part in a government may be discussed differently.

4. The Current Crucial Question:

How does a left party address the question of governing power?

It is a poor and empirically-disproved argument that societal and political opposition have no effect. The opposition can set fire under the seats of the rulers so that they must move. When they dont respect or fear the left, then nothing can be achieved. This is even true for Germany. Neither Bismarcks welfare state reforms, the workplace participation, nor the Adenauer pension reform would have come about without a powerful opposition. There would have been no plan to phase out nuclear energy and no minimum wage. It can be proved to the contrary that the left often weakened itself through its involvement in governing coalitions and even destroyed itself when it was not connected to any left real power options which it could bring about  quite so in Germany 15 years ago. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) became a party of social injustice under the government of Gerhard Schroder and has only recovered very recently, but still far from old strength. The Greens participated in a NATO war of aggression and the Agenda 2010, and dismantled the asylum laws

recently. Left is something else. The PDS[3]

and the Left Party had great difficulties in regional governments, failing to strengthen the left in society, and finally weakening the party itself. The actually decisive question is not whether to participate in government or not, but rather how to strengthen the left and build real power, in each concrete situation.

Usually, the governing question is discussed in a completely wrong way. In the foreground, it is asked, which single reforms can be pushed through and which cannot. But the question which must be posed regarding governing is not only what might be achieved, but whether the societal forces of the left would be strengthened or not. As Rosa Luxemburg said, most importantly is the question of how! The what is built on sand if no societal and political forces stand ready to defend and expand it. Working for individual reforms (not to mention for participation in government) that do not clearly strengthen the reverberating power and agency of the left, but instead, through them, weakens it and erodes its credibility, are a direct threat to democracy in the current situation.

But this answer is also too abstract. In our view, the entire left, including the Left Party, must prepare themselves for two very different situations for action. One is that the relative economic, social, and political stability in Germany may persist. Neither on social nor party-level conditions for a turn of the political trajectory will be present. That is the current situation. The other possibility would require the societal left and the Left Party alike to prepare themselves for an open-crisis situation. In this case, a much more radical approach is required along with a vigorous mobilization. The question regarding parliamentary opposition or participation in the government must reflect the possibility of both situations. If participation in a governing coalition would weaken the possibility for the Left Party to stand up in an open-crisis situation as a convincing alternative for a fundamentally different politic, than it would have historically utterly failed. The claim of the electoral alternative to represent an alternative trajectory would be relinquished.

The strategic use value of the Left Party exists in the dialectic of revolutionary realpolitik (Luxemburg). As a party, it must work to create the conditions for a fundamental change and simultaneously achieve politically feasible modifications of ruling politics today. This is its foundational consensus and reason for existence. Both efforts must strengthen the other in reciprocity, wherein exists the art of sailing against the wind of neoliberal finance market capitalism, to quote Walter Benjamin.

Social Democracy today constitutes, in a double sense, the boundary of the possibility for progressive transformation in Europe. Without it, all left projects reach their limit, including movement projects such as those in France and Spain, but also in Greece (due to the negligible support from European Social Democracy). But this also unfortunately means that the possibility for renewal of Social Democracy is limited. A rupture of the kind sought but not yet achieved in the British Labour Party under Corbyn would not be possible in Germany. It is questionable whether such a renewal would be possible in countries in which the position of a left social democracy is contested by other parties. In Germany, large parts of the left social democratic spectrum exited the SPD, and switched, through

WASG, to the Left Party. Left politics in Germany must therefore also focus on applying pressure toward a left renewal of the SPD and openly fighting against its current form, which stands as an obstacle for a left politics on the federal level.

The opening up with Martin Schulz is a chance and a danger at the same time; he brings back hope to a deeply frustrated party membership and mobilizes many to join the SPD. This reflects the strong desire for bringing back a social democratic discourse of justice. And, most importantly, this hope redirects voters from right-wing populist Alternative fur Deutschland (AfD) to social democracy. The danger: Schulz is not a lefty like Corbyn or Sanders. He supported not only workfare in Germany, but stands for imposing austerity in Europe, crushing the Syriza government in Greece, pushing through TTIP and CETA, avoiding parliamentary debate and decision taking, etc. Now he is propagating some social measures for a kernel of the hard working people, the core employees. At the moment he is not aiming to do something for the poorest, such as wealth distribution with higher taxes for the rich  core issues for a left turn.

A sober look at the SPD shows that programmatically and personnel have been closely intertwined with neoliberalism for decades, and that a leadership situated at the switch point of governmental and administrative power lacks the potential for renewal. It is threatened consequently with missing the historical moment in which the conflict between represented and representatives becomes too large: At a certain point in their historical lives, social classes become detached from their traditional parties. In other words, the traditional parties in that particular organizational form, with the particular men who constitute, represent, and lead them, are no longer recognised by their class (or fraction of a class) as its expression (Gramsci, 1992: 210). The societal groups turn toward the right or left. That is the point where such parties become politically meaningless. The Greek PASOK is a political

corpse, the Spanish PSOE finds itself in the most difficult existential crisis since its founding, and the French PS has little chances in the polls.

Before the so-called Schulz effect the poll numbers for the SPD stood near the 20 per cent mark and have shrunk nearly in half since the election of 1998 (40.9%). For the moment, they are back at 30 per cent or so. But the SPD holds tightly onto a government which ruthlessly forced an authoritarian neoliberal crisis regime throughout Europe, and relentlessly carries out the destruction of any alternative, and along the way is dismantling the asylum laws. A renewal of the Jeremy Corbyn kind is currently foreclosed in the SPD. But in no way however, should a (more or less opportunistic) change be fully omitted  even for pure self-preservation, in view of the list of their sister parties threatened with elimination. This possibility must also be considered, but not however over-estimated. Opportunism suffices only for the modification of politics. A real change of trajectory together with the SPD in the current moment seems unrealistic.

With the Greens, the situation is dramatic in a different way when measured against the challenges of left politics. Its position was relatively stable, with minor electoral variations up and down. But it would not be easy for the Greens to keep both of its political options open: a Black-Green coalition with the conservatives (including its right-wing populist faction, the CSU), or an unpopular red-red-green coalition together with the SPD and the Left Party (that would for the party and not least for its voters place it under the test of being torn apart). It too embodies no political change of trajectory, but rather just a green thread in the mesh of finance-market capitalism. Now confronted with bad polls, they are playing out the justice card, but with little credibility and two leaders identified with a green-liberal agenda.

5. Potential Overlaps and Conditions for a Change of Course

If a change of trajectory in the country is currently blocked, what does this mean for the Left Party with view toward the question of opposition or governing? The strategic goal of the Left Party should be a left government in Germany that has a strong civil society as critical partner. This would be a government of hope and powerful entry into transformation, a government of the third pole, the camp of solidarity. Therefore, the party should partake in an electoral strategy in the sense of a spirit of cleavage (Gramsci), a spirit which delineates a boundary and also makes clear the will for a societal project without sectarianism and one which transcends its own party. The conditions for a left government however are not yet established.

On 18 October 2016, hundreds of parliamentary representatives of the SPD, Left Party, and the Greens met to explore the possibilities of a governing coalition on the federal level. This was long overdue. Since 2005, the demobilizing contention that this is impossible has reigned. The search for left alternatives that join hope with power was almost completely abandoned. The assumption was that this cannot be brought about anyway. But why not a coalition of the three parties? It appears simple, even if difficult to realise: One explores commonalities, agrees on a list of projects which each favours, neutralizes the fields where a common denominator is not in sight, and develops trust which also passes stress tests.

The opening of the three parties to a serious exploration of possible collaboration on the federal level is an important building block toward breaking the barriers currently preventing a change of political direction. Yet, the danger is very, very large  namely, that too short of a leap would be made  with devastating consequences. One would like to say with Brecht: We would be good  instead of low. But our conditions such it cant be so.

There appears more or less to be a consensus around whats not possible for the Left party: No participation in a government that decides on more military interventions, privatization, or new cuts to social welfare  not even in exchange for positive reforms. But what could be the minimal conditions as positive realisable elements which could also be communicated or advanced through public participation and social movements and collectively realised? Which positive elements with the actually existing partners would be realisable? Which elements could be agreed upon? Lets try briefly to identify positive overlaps rather than dividing points.

An initiative for diversity and hope, which connects the expansion of social infrastructures (health, education, and housing) for all and the integration of refugees with a redistribution of wealth for a social-ecological investment offensive, which also massively creates new jobs  five or more per cent of the Gross Domestic Product or so. That also means taxing large incomes and wealth and putting an end to Schaubles austerity. The Greens have developed appropriate conceptions and, following a failed election, initially shelved this idea. Now there are new proposals. The SPD worked quietly on a feasible property tax  this of course may be too small, but it is a starting point. Would Schulz embrace it? Unclear for the moment. On the European level, an initiative for the adequate taxation of property, but also of specific financial operations, is imaginable. Major overlaps exist between the trade unions Marshall Plan for Europe, the Green New Deal of the Greens, and the compensatory union of the Left Party. And not least, the long awaited Financial Transaction Tax could finally be implemented, thanks ironically to Brexit. The fight against tax havens could also be more consequently pursued on the European level or even by single states (see USA). It will be more difficult to address the problem of removing export surpluses of the German economy of between 6 and 7 per cent of the Gross National Product, and redirect them toward domestic investment or connecting it all to a solidaristic rebalancing of the EU. This is not possible without beginning the process of comprehensive structural change of the German export industry and economy as part of the transformation of the economic structure of the EU. There are also commonalities in the need for pension reform to stabilize pension levels and to prevent poverty of children and the elderly as well as the rejection of private provisioning. Hartz-IV [4]

will surely not be abolished, but steps toward basic security free from poverty and sanctions and minimal retirement allowance would be essential. This includes the regulation of temporary and contract work, the strengthening of collective bargaining commitments, for instance, through general inclusion, and pay-rate committed laws fall in the area of collective possibility, just as do measures against rising rents and for the expansion of social housing. Certainly, there will be no exit from NATO and no immediate end to weapon exports  but whats definitely conceivable is the phasing out

of foreign military interventions, a significant reduction in arms exports, and an end to weapon shipments into conflict zones or to actors directly or indirectly involved in conflicts (e.g. Saudi Arabia). Instead, commonalities would be found in the strengthening of priorities for non-military conflict resolution, with the expansion of mediating rolls, redirecting military support into non-military reconstruction aid (also financial). A common peace initiative would need to be connected to the cessation of one-sided economic and trade agreements, involving not only a rejection of CETA, TTIP, and TISA, but also of the innumerous Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). And not least, the extension of possibilities for democratic participation into all levels is absolutely a shared goal, although with very different nuances. Included in this would be that the state (local, regional, statewide, federal, and in the EU) must take on important tasks of planning and steering investment, e.g. with the conversion of brown coal regions and the just transition for employees and local people, or with the social-ecological reconstruction of urban and rural areas, including mobility, and building up to the transition toward organic agriculture. Central to this is the relief and funding of re-communalization of public services and the funding of communal associations and solidaristic economies.

On all of these points there are certainly programmatic overlaps for common reforms. Yet on every one of these points, the resistance from economic, media, and vested interests  including the inner circles of the SPD and Greens  would be enormous. The idea of placing the common ahead of the divisions would be thwarted in concrete policy work, which would be confronted harshly on the national and European level, and would be quickly confronted, not only for the sake of reputation, but also to mitigate the confrontation with powerful interests, with specific power factions in society and even inside the SPD and the Greens. We regard this minimal program with todays actually-existing SPD and Greens as non-viable at the moment.

The Left would come under enormous pressure to accept unpalatable compromises in order to realise some of the aforementioned goals. This requires more spine than most have  namely, possibly terminating the coalition or toleration. The party is not prepared for such challenges  and nor is its societal support base. Its participation in government always endangers its societal standing and extra-parliamentary support. Often  nearly always  the Left Party is weaker after its participation in government because the government is not used for the broadening of its societal basis.

6. Toleration and Work on the Third Pole

If it is possible to tangibly influence government politics from the opposition; and if it is not possible to form a left government and initiate a change of political trajectory, as presented in point 5, due to the absence of necessary societal and political conditions, than the Left Party should not participate in a governing coalition at the federal level. To do so would abandon a realpolitik that takes seriously the demand for fundamental political change. The Left cannot afford the luxury of holding and spreading illusions.

This position means asking the SPD and Greens during the election campaign if they would like to take the risk of a change of trajectory or if they rather only want to modify existing politics. There are very simple questions for which we should demand answers. Retirement free from poverty: Yes or no? End to austerity politics: Yes or no? Restructuring of the financial sector: Yes or no? Publicly-steered investment: Yes or no? Social and ecological investment program: Yes or no? Turn away from the dominance of the export model: Yes or no? A real peace agenda: Yes or no?

If theres a parliamentary relation of power that would allow for an SPD-led minority government, the Left Party could offer toleration. In former years, this offer was always turned down by the SPD. The path of toleration of a minority government was taken recently in Portugal. There, the largest crisis protests relative to population size in Europe took place, but these did not consolidate into new organizational forms and the impulse of the movement threatened to fizzle out. It found a temporary expression in good election results for the radical left: the communist-led coalition and the Left Bloc (8.27 and 10.22 per cent of the votes). Against this background, the toleration of a minority-government of the socialist party in October 2015 by the communists and left bloc offered a chance to begin easing the austerity politics. This would certainly be a possibility in Germany, too. Since 2005, it has repeatedly been raised for discussion by the Left Party. The proposal of the Left Party parliamentary delegates giving their votes to the current SPD-chairperson for Chancellor has been around for some time. Important reform projects to modify current policies could get off the ground  with retirement, minimum wage, basic income, housing, energy transition, additional and better modifications than the continuance of a CDU-led government. The commonalities are known.

As with a coalition agreement in a toleration, the minimum conditions and measures are also set in a clear contract. In contrast to a coalition agreement, coalition discipline is limited from the start. The Left Party would not be tangled up in ministerial and administrative apparatuses which they cannot control, and they would have no ministers who would be compelled to frame the minor or even negative decisions and regressions as success. Instead, it could concentrate on the common development of reform initiatives and laws in parliament and in societal debates, without subordination of the party and parliamentary faction under the governing logic. Its own initiatives could be brought to the public (instead of just discussing government proposals). The party could further expand its function as a party demanding change and simultaneously achieve the possible in the form of an effective opposition or even hopefully an even more effective toleration arrangement.

Possibly alongside successful toleration, the conditions for an effective left government in Germany may rise, carried forward by society and social movements together. Then on the basis of effective social forces, a division of the ruling elite might emerge, and powerful left actors could possibly establish a firmly left government in the power centre of the European Union, and the approach that was developed before could be comprehensively implemented:

Halt the austerity politics in the EU and Germany, and support large projects for the solidaristic integration in the EU. Call for the willingness to selectively break with rules of the EU and common currency, and to implement new rules. The accumulation of

large property must be drastically taxed in such a situation. This requires comprehensive measures of capital controls. Initiate vigorous steps to subordinate the financial system to society and to an economy with a new approach. The financial sector must be significantly reduced. Fundamental protections for health, care, and old-age must be the exclusively public. The public banking sector must be strengthened, also through its privileging over the private sector. It would take priority over EU-competition laws.

Systemically important banks which are too big to fail, would be broken up and socialized. As long as tax havens still exist, capital transactions with them would be dealt with through tax penalties. Launch a comprehensive social and ecological investment programme, with a scale of 5 per cent or more of the Gross National Product. Only then could childcare, education, healthcare and nursing, a basic security free from poverty and sanctions, and the hindrance of child or elderly poverty, a quick democratic energy transition, the ecological renovation of housing and existing building stock, the transition to an ecological transportation system, as well as a solidaristic foreign policy, succeed. The social-ecological transformation of

urban and rural space, and the transition to an organic agriculture are pending. Public services belong in public hands again. Allow the state (local, regional, federal, and in the EU) took on important tasks of planning and steering investment. A left government would thereby also be a government of state restructuring. Steer the export surplus of 6 to 7 per cent of the Gross National Product in large part to domestic investment, connected to a solidaristic re-balancing in the EU. This requires nothing less than a comprehensive structural transformation of German industry and economy as part of the change of the political economic structure of the EU. Take seriously the international responsibility for a global politics of justice, of ecological restructuring, and of the securing of a positive idea of peace (not just the absence of armed conflict and war), today and especially in eastern Europe, north Africa, and the near and middle East. Military interventions and weapon exports to militarily engaged conflict participants must be ended by such a government. The arms industry must be reduced to the size necessary for a countrys defence, with conversion of the rest.

The conditions for this change of direction have not yet emerged. That the toleration model, favoured here for todays situation is unlikely, has to do with the fact that the most elementary approach of the necessary political courage is missing in the SPD and Greens, and maybe of the Left, too  a courage which would also be the minimal condition to discuss the governmental participation of the Left Party and to initiate a change of direction. A common government of SPD, the Greens, and the Left, right now is a positive alternative only for a third of the population. And the ruling elites are in no way divided on this question; they would counter such a politics with unlimited resistance. The rejection of the politics of Oskar Lafontaine as finance minister in 1998/9 would appear as a mild breeze compared to what must be expected. And in the EU, neoliberal politics are not by a long shot as weakened as they must be in order to initiate change.

The proposal for toleration should be brought forward with all seriousness. It would be the best possible scenario. It could make clear what could be possible even today. We

offer this third option because: a) there is no clarity about a left project, b) there is no sober assessment of the societal and political fields or of the potential coalition partners, and c) the debate appears to us to be stuck in the ascriptions of grim opposition and power hungry government participation. In the current conjuncture opposition means, when things go wrong, to build a coalition government of the conservatives and Greens, or a continuation of conservatives and the SPD, with a populist AfD as major oppositional force. Toleration makes it possible to proceed from the identified overlaps with the SPD and Greens  insofar as they are really willing  toward corresponding reforms, without the tight confines of direct government participation that splits the Left Party and weakens it in society. In each instance, the membership (not just a party congress) decides over the entry into government, toleration, or opposition.

On the one side, the discussion with the SPD and Greens should be intensively engaged  immediately. And on the other side, and just as important, its a matter of discussing with all those in society, who know that its about a fundamental change in the direction of the economy and social policy; that its about another mode of production and of living, about a change in the development of the EU and its global policy approach. Commonly we must produce an agenda for such a change of trajectory, actively discuss it and establish with it, the conditions for a decidedly left government in Germany  this is a task clearly beyond 2017.

The conditions for such a change of direction and a left government do not exist at the moment. We have to develop them first. Therefore we have to reach out to the people

and organize in their everyday life. The removal of the barriers of dialogue between the SPD, the Greens, and the Left Party is an indispensable step forward. But what could emerge from the commonalities of these parties right now is nothing more than a centre-left government on the basis of the existing rules of tempered neoliberalism. Fulfilling the double task  further influencing state politics from the left and working toward a radical transformation  would not be possible in that arrangement. For this reason, in our view, the question of participation in a governing coalition by the Left Party on the federal basis is not on the agenda, but rather the struggle over a change in direction of politics through societal and parliamentary opposition, or  possibly  toleration of a middle-left government. 
The gravity of the existential threat we face from Islamic Jihad is truly of epic proportions. It is essentially a battle pitting free-civilized man against a totalitarian barbarian. What is at stake is the struggle for our very soul - namely who we are and what we represent. The lives that were sacrificed for individual rights and freedoms that we've come to cherish are being chiseled away from right under our noses by the stealth jihadists. And many of us are in denial and totally clueless.



The left's appeasement and pandering to evil is nothing new. What makes their utopian delusions so infuriating and unpardonable is that it is not only they who will have to pay the consequences, and deservedly, so, they are thwarting and undermining our best efforts at resistance and are thus dragging us down in the process as well.







By Peter Lancz,, the head of the Raoul Wallenberg World Campaign Against Racism.
SUITLAND, Md. (April 12, 2017)Two unoccupied Maryland State Police patrol vehicles at the scene of a crash on I-495 last night in Prince George's County were struck by a driver who was later arrested for driving while impaired.



The driver is identified as Kenric L. Stephens, 62, of Temple Hills, Md. He is charged with driving while impaired and related traffic charges.



Shortly before 11 p.m. yesterday, two Maryland State Police patrol cars were stopped, one behind the other, in lane four of the inner loop of I-495, south of Allentown Road, while safeguarding the scene of a crash in the roadway. Both vehicles had their emergency lights activated. Both troopers were out of their vehicles and assisting those involved in the crash.



The driver of a 2016 Toyota Tacoma, later identified as Stephens, failed to stop and struck the rear of one of the patrol vehicles, driving it into the one in front. Troopers detected signs of impairment and further investigation led to the arrest of Stephens.



Stephens, who reported no injury, was taken to the Forestville Barrack for processing. He was then transported to the central booking center in Upper Marlboro for an initial appearance before a court commissioner.



Three lanes of I-495 at the scene of the crash were closed for about 45 minutes.
LEONARDTOWN, Md.

Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme.

(April 12, 2017)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following reports for outstanding warrant services and criminal summons services.03/08/2017 - James Elton Price, 40 of Hollywood, Md., arrested on an Arrest Warrant for Assault 2nd Degree and Malicious Destruction of Property less $1000. Arrested by Deputy First Class B. Gaskill.03/15/2017 - Charles Ernest Kenny, 42 of Mechanicsville, Md., arrested on a District Court Arrest Warrant for Peeping Tom and Private Place - Prurient Intent.03/17/2017 - Rosanne Elizabeth Nial, 39 of Lexington Park, Md., arrested on an Arrest Warrant for Burglary 4th Degree. Arrested by Deputy M. Beyer.03/22/2017 - Lovell Darcel Blair, 28 of Baltimore, Md., was arrested on a District Court Arrest Warrant for Assault - 2nd Degree. Arrested by Deputy First Class J. Maguire03/22/2017 - Terrell Devantee Atkins, 18 of Lexington Park, Md., was arrested on a District Court Arrest Warrant for Burglary 2nd Degree, Burglary 4th Degree, Malicious Destruction of Property valued over $1,000, and Theft $1,000 less than $10,000. Arrested by Detective Corporal D. Alexander03/23/2017 - Amanda Lynn Abell-Morgan, 35 with no fixed address, was arrested on an outstanding District Court Arrest Warrant for Failing To Appear. Arrested by Deputy First Class James Maguire03/23/2017 - Cedric Ricardo Willams, 25 of Lexington Park, Md., was arrested on an outstanding District Court Arrest Warrant for three counts of Assault 2nd Degree and two counts of Property Destruction less than $1,000 value. Arrested by Deputy First Class R. Steinbach03/24/2017 - Brian Christopher Hancock, 38 of Leonardtown, Md., was arrested on an outstanding District Court Arrest Warrant for Failing to Appear. Arrested by Deputy C. Ball03/30/2017 - Paul Daniel Panholzer, 33 of Lexington Park, Md., was arrested on two outstanding arrest warrants for Failing to notify of change of residence as a Registered Sex Offender. Arrested by Detective Cpl. Melissa Hulse3/24/2017 - Christie Elizabeth Smallwood, 27 of Clinton, Md., was arrested on an outstanding District Court Arrest Warrant for Failing to Appear. Arrested by Deputy C. Ball03/04/2017 - Lashannda Antronet Lowe, 39 of Virginia Beach, VA, was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy P. Robinson03/04/2017 - Shaven Leon Savoy, 37 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy D. Smith03/07/2017 - James Douglas Dennison, 39 of California, Md., charged via criminal summons for Assault 2nd Degree.03/09/2017 - Marcus Devon Shorter, 29 of Mechanicsville, Md., was charged via criminal summons for Assault 2nd Degree.03/10/2017 - Aaron Jamaal Hudson, 22 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via criminal summons for Assault 2nd Degree.03/10/2017 - Heather Marie Stone, 25 of Callaway, Md., was charged via criminal summons for (2 counts) CDS Possession: Not Marijuana and (2 counts) CDS Possession: Paraphernalia.03/11/2017 - Courtney Lauren Turner, 24 of Lexington Park, Md., charged via criminal summons for Credit Card: Steal another's, Credit Card of another's: Charge less than $1,000, Credit Card - Personation less than $1,000, and Theft: Less $1,000.03/11/2017 - David William Thompson Jr., 34 of Leonardtown, Md., charged via criminal summons for Unauthorized removal of property.03/13/2017 - Eric Lee Robinson, 31 of Lexington Park, Md., charged via criminal summons for Assault 2nd Degree.03/14/2017 - Linda Marie Short, 40 of Leonardtown, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault - 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy A. Budd03/14/2017 - Linda Marie Short, 40 of Leonardtown, Md., charged via criminal summons for Assault 2nd Degree.03/21/2017 - Belinda Noreen Young, 57 of Leonardtown, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Detective Corporal S. Ruest03/22/2017 - Largina Cassandra Henry, 18 of Leonardtown, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault - 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy A. Budd03/25/2017 - Curtis William Richardson, 23 of California, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Trespassing on Private Property. Served by Deputy D. McClure.03/25/2017 - James Roshawn Garrett, 35 of Hollywood, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy D. McClure.03/25/2017 - Jordan Danzell Savoy, 26 of Charlotte Hall, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy T. Payne.03/25/2017 - Marvin Jerome Savoy, 49 of Charlotte Hall, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 1st Degree and Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy T. Payne03/25/2017 - William Joseph Goodwin, 51 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Trespassing on Private Property and Disturbing the Peace: Hinder Passage. Served by Deputy D. Sidorowicz.03/26/2017 - Brianna Sherie Hatchett, 26 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for two counts of Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy First Class B. Gaskill03/28/2017 - Ryan Scott Binkney, age 30 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged on a Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy D. Holdsworth03/28/2017 - Lester Jerome Barnes, age 18 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged on a Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy S. Bowie03/28/2017 - Michael David Watts, age 18 of Hollywood, Md., was charged on seven separate Criminal Summonses, for a total of eight counts of Malicious Destruction of Property valued at less than $1,000. Served by Cpl. J. Vezzosi03/29/2017 - Catherine Anne Annulis, age 51 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged on a Criminal Summons for Failure to comply with a Peace Order. Served by Deputy D. McClure03/29/2017 - Jerel Tyrone Stewart, 24 of Great Mills, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy Edwards.03/30/2017 - Sandra Lee King, 39 of Hollywood, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Theft less $100. Served by Deputy First Class K. Flerlage03/30/2017 - Travis Nathaniel Nelson, 32 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Assault 2nd Degree. Served by Deputy D. Sidorowicz04/01/2017 - Alvin Thomas, 55 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Trespassing on Private Property. Served by Deputy First Class R. Steinbach04/01/2017 - Harrison Pierce Wilbanks, 23 of Hollywood, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for 4th Degree Burglary and Malicious Destruction of Property. Served by Corporal D. Corcoran04/01/2017 - Jonathan Albert Anderson, 26 of Park Hall, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Theft less $100 and Utter Forged Ticket. Served by Corporal D. Corcoran04/01/2017 - Raquana Earniecia Marshall, 19 of Great Mills, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Unauthorized Use of property. Served by Corporal J. Stone04/02/2017 - Julie Ann Clarke, 49 of Leonardtown, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for multiple counts of Credit card fraud /Theft Scheme: Less $1,000/Theft Less $1,000/Theft less than $100. Served by Deputy S. Shelko04/05/2017 - Brandon Michael Moreland, 23 of Lexington Park, Md., was charged via Criminal Summons for Contributing to Condition of a Child and Furnishing Alcohol under 21 Injury/Death. Served by Corporal P. Handy
Thank God, the legislative session is over. Gov. Larry Hogan better enjoy the next nine months, because if past is prologue, next year's session will be hell.



Ethics mess



Ethics in the legislature have been a mess this year, and after spurning an ethics reform bill proposed by Gov. Hogan, legislative leaders needed a lifeline.



Sen. Nathaniel Oaks, D-Baltimore, was charged last week with one count of federal wire fraud. He was indicted for using his former position in the House of Delegates to influence development projects in exchange for cash payments.



In Prince George's County, former delegate and county council member, Will Campos, D-Hyattsville, was convicted for bribery involving the Prince George's County liquor board. And shortly after the legislative session began, Del. Michael Vaughn, D-Prince George's, resigned, and last month was indicted for bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud in connection to the liquor board scandal.



In January, Gary Brown Jr. of Baltimore had his appointment to the state Senate rescinded by Gov. Hogan because Brown had been indicted for indicted for violations of Maryland's campaign finance law.



And last month Del. Dan Morhaim, D-Baltimore County, was censured by the House of Delegates on a vote of 138-0. He came under scrutiny of a Joint Ethics Committee when it was revealed he was consulting to a prospective medical marijuana dispensary that falls under his committee's jurisdiction.



Jujitsu



In response to the tsunami of ethical lapses by Democrats, Democratic leaders needed to be seen as taking the issue seriously. They took Gov. Hogan's proposed ethics bill and watered it down so they could make it their own. In the end, they passed ethics reform that, while not Hogan-strong, is still better than nothing.



Legislative leaders were then taken by surprise when Gov. Hogan publicly supported a ban on fracking in Maryland. Special interests had lined up support in the Senate to kill the bill while environmentalists were preparing to attack Hogan for hating the environment. Instead, with Hogan's support, the fracking ban sailed through the legislature and onto his desk for signature.



They similarly were caught off balance when Hogan stole their issue and proposed a paid sick leave bill. Instead, their own bill covered more employers and employees, and the governor has promised he would veto it. That way they can override his veto in an election year and claim that Hogan is against hard working Maryland families.



Of course, Gov. Hogan's call for common sense redistricting reform is like a dentist's drill to a bum tooth for Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch. They owe their veto-proof majorities to their redistricting legerdemain. In fact, they have proven so adept at gerrymandering that they have been ordered to testify about it in federal court.



This highlights that Hogan's proposal has merit, so to deflect the heat, they crafted a toothless redistricting bill that only goes into effect if five other surrounding states go first. It passed Friday in party-line votes.



Posturing



Putting forward bills designed to make a political statement, rather than doing any real good, was a top priority of Maryland Democrats this session.



They put forward a school bill that gutted meaningful metrics for student achievement. More important, however, it traps largely minority students in failing schools by limiting charter and voucher options. They couched it as standing up to President Trump's Education Secretary, Betsy DeVos, when it really was a sop to the teachers' union.



Democrats in the legislature also put forward bills to have the state make up shortfalls in funding for Planned Parenthood and Maryland Public Television should President Trump cut federal aid to those two corporations.



Their so-called Internet Privacy Bill, which failed to pass the House, was offered in response to Congress's recall of a similar regulation issued in the waning days of the Obama administration. The regulation would not have gone into effect before next fall anyway, so cancelling it did nothing but maintain the status quo. Not to be deterred by fact, Maryland Democrats disingenuously claimed that Trump is trying to sell your private data.



La piece de resistance was giving state Attorney General Brian Frosh authority and budget to sue the federal government without the governor's go-ahead. Like the education bill, and additional state funding for Planned Parenthood and MPT, this is about showing liberal voters that they are part of the "resistance" and they can nullify the results of an election.



Set up for next year



Significant legislative effort went into attacking President Trump, and then trying to tie him to Gov. Hogan in order to pull Hogan down. At one point, Hogan's popularity was 71%. After the session got underway, however, he is down to 65%.



This would be great in a normal state. Recall, however, that in 2006, the last Republican governor, Bob Ehrlich, had a 57% approval-rating going into reelection and was hindered by an anti-President Bush backlash, and lost reelection.



This year's session has all the markings of a repeat. Hinder a popular governor's agenda, set up veto overrides to excite the base, and tie Hogan to an unpopular president. As Sen. Miller said during the Ehrlich administration, Democrats would play nice for the first three years then break out the machine guns in the election year.



Gov. Hogan should enjoy the peace of the next nine months because we know what's coming next January. If there is one thing a monopoly hates, it's honest competition.



Michael Collins can be reached at michael.collins.capital@gmail.com
The following ran on the IANS wire today.

By Mayank Chhaya

India has to do no more than let the Dalai Lama be the Dalai Lama in order to rile China from time to time.

As diplomatic provocation goes, the Dalai Lama's just-concluded visit to Arunachal Pradesh was quite like the six previous ones, the last one being in 2009. Yet, Beijing has chosen to respond to this visit with an outrage that feels discernibly sharper than in the past. Perhaps what has accentuated the Chinese anger was an accompaniment in the form of Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.

Beijing, which treats the Dalai Lama purely as a political animal even at the best of times, saw in Rijiju's presence a calculated political dimension. New Delhi, being justifiably crafty about it, dismissed the suggestion.

The simple fact is that the Indian government is now more amenable to occasionally tapping into the Dalai Lama's obvious political consequence than before. The logic seems to be that since China treats all things Dalai Lama short of his breathing as political, India might as well make the most of it.

The Dalai Lama's visit to Tawang, the town along the India-China border where the sixth Dalai Lama was born 334 years ago, has always had unnerving optics for Beijing. Quite apart from being a border town, it is also part of what China gratuitously calls South Tibet. Left to Beijing, Arunachal Pradesh being part of China is a no-contest claim. It is because India rejects that wholly and clearly regards Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Indian Union that it sees no controversy in the Dalai Lama visiting there.

Of course, India's foreign policy establishment is acutely aware of such visits' potential for diplomatic provocation and approved of it not just irrespective of but precisely because of it. Although the Ministry of External Affairs insisted "no additional colour should be ascribed to the Dalai Lama's religious and spiritual activities", it knew well how it would be received in China. It was in a way aimed at riling Beijing by letting the Dalai Lama be the Dalai Lama. India-China relations have been going through a particularly rough patch, mainly because of a series of moves by Beijing in the past couple of years.

For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China has not been a particularly rewarding or uplifting experience despite the fact that early on in his tenure he effusively hosted President Xi Jinping in 2014 in Ahmedabad. The two sat on Gujarat's famous lacquer-work swing on the banks of the Sabarmati river whose front Modi had developed as the state's Chief Minister. In the intervening two-and-a-half years the Prime Minister finds the bilateral relationship not living up to its promise.

From opposing India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to consistently thwarting New Delhi's efforts to have the United Nations Security Council put Masood Azhar, the head of the Pakistani terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, on its blacklist, Beijing has been remarkably unhelpful. This is notwithstanding that early on Modi allowed Chinese investment into ports and telecom, something which was out of bounds earlier. Add to that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that China is building through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir much to India's outrage, and an earlier incursion by its soldiers into Ladakh, and a pattern seems to form.

A case can be made that China has flattered to deceive in its dealings with the Modi government, while making some polite noises. Even as the Modi government has taken care to describe China's latest fulminations over the Dalai Lama's Tawang visit as "artificial controversies", it has equally chosen to disregard its warnings of seriously damaging bilateral relations.

Although officially New Delhi would not acknowledge flaunting the Dalai Lama recognisably more than before, it could not be unaware of its consequences. It is Delhi's way of letting Beijing know that the latter's machinations on issues that deeply matter to India internationally have not only been lost on the government but may even be prompting a not-so-subtle counter.

The crux of Dalai Lama's visit was philosophical in terms of what he taught to thousands of Buddhists, but he did make it a point to say that the next Dalai Lama might also be a woman. On its part, of course, Beijing insists that the next Tibetan leader would be born in China. Its Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the next Dalai Lama will be chosen by drawing lots from a sacred urn in Lhasa. The Dalai Lama has dismissed the idea of Beijing choosing his incarnation as "nonsense".

For New Delhi, the Dalai Lama remains significant leverage even though, at 81, time may not be on his side.

--Indo-Asian News Service
Chicagos gay community lost a giant last week with the passing of Sidetrack bar manager Chuck Hyde. He was 55.

You cant mention gay Chicago without mentioning Chuck, said Mark Hunter, co-owner of Hunters Nightclub. He was a fixture in the community. A real icon.

Hyde passed away on April 6 from complications following open-heart surgery, Hunter told SFGN. A celebration of life tribute to Hyde is in the works for next month at the Wilton Manors boutique nightclub.

Were all in shock, Hunter said.

Hyde had moved from Chicago to South Florida and was helping the crew at Hunters. Mark Hunter described Hyde as a gentle and confidant man.

Chuck was power with grace tempered by humanity, Hunter said. He had a great sense of humor, was funny and handsome. He was one of those rare people who seemed to have it all.

Hyde went to work at Sidetrack, a popular video bar on Halsted Street in Chicago in 1982 and eventually rose to co-owner status. He is survived by his husband, Randy DAgostino. The men married three years ago in Palm Springs, California and were nearing 24 years together as a couple.

He was my husband, my best friend, DAgostino told the Windy City Times. We traveled, and had adventures. We appreciated our friends very much.

Hyde was inducted into the Chicago Gay & Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2001. He had a reputation, friends say, of putting together successful fundraisers for various organizations ranging from Equality Illinois to Frontrunners Chicago to AIDS Legal Council of Chicago to the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives.

Hunter said Hyde was a humble man who preferred staying out of the limelight and did his best work behind the scenes. Sidetrack, a staple in Chicagos boystown neighborhood, posted a tribute to Hyde on its Facebook page on Friday, saying Hyde influenced much of what Sidetrack has done as a business.
Intersectionality. Storytelling. Skill building. Those were just some of the topics and themes at this years LGBT media conference.

The 8th annual LGBT Media Journalists Convening was held in Orlando March 23-26 at the Orlando Rosen Centre.

This convening really opens my eyes to the many gender identities and lives we are leading that are sometimes foreign to one another, said Mark S King, an attendee and author of the blog, My Fabulous Disease. I always learn something from this event and go away with a dozen story ideas. More importantly, I have conversations with people who teach me through their lived lives.

The event was presented by the NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. It has been funded and sponsored by the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund since its inception. This year the Arcus Foundation also sponsored the event, which allowed organizers to add an extra day.

Ive been going to the convening for three years and this year's had a lot of new blood that really reinvigorated the trip for me. There were more journalists from local LGBT outlets that helped bring local color to the event, said Mathew Rodriguez, a staff writer at Mic. Also, this year's felt like people were able to discuss the pressing need for diversity in LGBTQ media. As a queer journalist of color, I really appreciated everyone's buy-in on the topic.

More than 70 journalists around the country took part in the two-day event. Most of the participants were journalists from LGBT publications, or journalists who cover the LGBT community for traditional or mainstream outlets. Lizz Winstead, creator of the The Daily Show, emceed the event and provided comic relief throughout the two days.

Everyone SFGN interviewed hailed it as a success.

"This was by far the most diverse of the three convenings I've been fortunate to attend, and one of my main takeaways was the importance of understanding intersectionality and why it should matter to today's journalist, said Dawn Ennis, assistant editor at LGBTQ Nation.

Some of the sessions included: Objectivity is Dead; International News Coverage Begins at the Source; Visual Storytelling; Covering Transgender People of Color; LGBTQ Equality and Religious Freedom; Covering Pulse; Intersectionality and Storytelling; Social Media and Social Justice Ethics; and Creating and Owning a New Beat.

Participants were encouraged to tweet during the event using the hashtag #LGBTmedia17. As could be expected the tag quickly drew a handful of trolls.

#LGBTMedia17 ALL I can say is God is against it and no matter how you try to convince yourself that it is right, it's not. 1 Cor 6:910, @lyan118 tweeted out.

Being held in Orlando last years Pulse shooting was naturally a big part of the discussions that took place. For many, emotions ran high during the event. There was a panel of journalists who spoke about covering the massacre, a survivor of the tragedy who spoke about his experience, and an organized trip to the Pulse nightclub.

Hearing a Pulse survivor talk about the emotional pain caused by exploitative journalism in the wake of the tragedy was made all the more real when we visited Pulse later that evening said Daniel Villarreal, editor at UnicornBooty.com. Most of us had never been to Pulse and the emotional scene really bonded us together. Someone read the victims' names aloud at the site, while others just quietly wept or reflected.

The Pulse visit inspired Villarreal.

It reminded us of our obligations to truth, queer communities of color worldwide and to each other as queer siblings and colleagues, he added. Journalism can feel very competitive much of the time; the convening and experiences like that remind us what's really at stake.

Another attendee, Curtis Wong, senior editor of Queer Voices at The Huffington Post, added The significance of having the 2017 event in Orlando less than a full year after the Pulse tragedy can't be overstated. Hence, hearing directly from survivor Ricardo Negron-Almodovar, as well as journalists and historians who witnessed the devastation firsthand, was a significant moment for me personally and professionally."

For freelancer writer Elizabeth Daley, who wrote profiles of each of the 49 victims after the tragedy for the Advocate, the Pulse visit was especially meaningful.

It was really powerful to visit the site of the pulse shooting after writing about it from a distance, she said.

Daley said the session helped her see how the Pulse shooting intersected with undocumented immigrants and gun control.

It was also powerful to hear from a shooting survivor about the fact that some undocumented pulse survivors are having trouble obtaining visas which are generally afforded to victims of violent crimes. These visas would enable survivors to work legally and without them the victims are stuck, she said. The Pulse shooting is one incident where the struggle for LGBT equality is linked with the lack of gun control and the struggles of undocumented immigrants. It's an important reminder that human rights issues are LGBT issues and LGBT issues are human rights issues.

Another moment that stood out for some of the attendees was not a session or panel, but a minor controversy that erupted during the event. The convening requested one of the public bathrooms be gender neutral and it was marked as such. Some guests though from another conference at the hotel harassed attendees of the convening outside of the restroom.

The hotel quickly intervened and handled the situation. Later they addressed the attendees emphasizing ignorance would not be tolerated at their establishment.

"To no one's surprise, our conference's 'All Gender Bathrooms' did cause a scene, said Leo Duran, a radio/multimedia journalist for KPCC Southern California Public Radio. But to my surprise, it got handled before we got to it.

Convening organizer and editor of Q. Digital Media, Bil Browning added, While there were some hiccups with transphobic guests attending another conference, the response from the Rosen Centre was not only quick and determined, they went the extra length to make sure the group knew we were a priority and any behavior that wasn't welcoming wouldn't be tolerated. The entire staff went well beyond normal hospitality to ensure the event wasn't just successful, it was a positive experience for everyone.

Going forward Derrick Clifton, a freelance writer and leader of a breakout session on intersectionality, feels hopeful.

In the era of Trump, and moving forward, we need intentional focus on building networks of support solidarity. I felt that beginning to blossom amongst members of the LGBT media during the convening. We need each other and we need intersectionality to get this right, and we can use our platforms and our influence to put the needs of the LGBT community's most marginalized people up front and center. Because in fixing the problems for those most in need, we fix them at the grassroots for everyone."

Cliftons session was a highlight for Trish Bendix, editor in chief of GO Magazine.

It was a really conversational and still informational sharing of thoughts, ideas and tactics that everyone in the room benefitted from, myself included, she said.

For others it was the networking opportunities that they enjoyed most.

It was a great chance to network, and it gave me a chance to start writing on a wider variety of topics by helping me make connections with the right outlets. I think that this sort of cross-pollination makes for a stronger, and more vibrant media environment, said transgender activist and freelance writer Brynn Tannehill. While Dino-Ray Ramos, another freelance writer added, as a first timer to the event it was enlightening and insightful to be around and hear from like-minded voices furthering the conversation on LGBTQ issues.

Organizer Bil Browning is already looking forward to next years event while everyone SFGN interviewed appeared to be inspired from the convening.

It was great for me to get out of my own bubble and hear about the struggles that journalists from around the country are dealing with. It really helps with my own job to understand what I can learn from them, and what I can teach them as well, said Leo Duran, radio/multimedia journalist. While Lynnette Beth Mcfadzen, bisexual activist and host of The BiCast, added, I feel the groundwork for powerful change will come from it.
Two Hungarians will spend more than two decades in prison each for forcing young gay men into sexual slavery in Miami, a judge ruled on Friday.

In a human trafficking case hailed as a major victory for Florida prosecutors, Gabor Acs and Viktor Berki will spend 25 years in prison each for forcing young gay men into human slavery. Acs and Berki were convicted of human trafficking, conspiracy and racketeering back in February. The two could have been sentenced to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.

A third man, Andrew Vass, was previously sentenced to 11 years in prison for his part in the scheme. Vass punishment marked the first prison sentence in Florida for someone convicted of the human trafficking of gay men. Floridas tougher human trafficking law went into effect in 2012.

Prosecutors say Acs and Berki found two of their victims on the website GayRomeo.com and another on Facebook. The victims were young gay men, lured to the U.S from Hungary and promised they would make up to $5,000 a month for legal escort work. Once they arrived, they were forced to prostitute themselves for months back in 2012, first in New York and later in Miami.

The victims told investigators that the suspects "used various techniques to keep them enslaved, including isolating them from others, withholding their travel and identification documents, and using financial manipulation to keep them in constant debt. According to court reports, the pimps confiscated the victims passports and threatened to hurt their families back in Hungary if they disobeyed their orders.

One victim, Mario Balog is pleased with the sentencing. His husband, Brian Suthers told SFGN Balog looks forward to putting the entire ordeal behind him.

He wants to learn to deal with the trauma,Suthers said. He still has panic attacks from the PTSD which get in the way of work and other everyday activities. But hes in better spirits now that this is over.
(CNN) In a case with far-reaching implications, a federal appeals court on Tuesday ruled that the Civil Rights Act protects LGBT employees from workplace discrimination. The full panel of 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals heard the case, holding that plaintiff Kimberly Hively's 2014 lawsuit against Ivy Tech Community College could proceed. Hively argued that the school violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it denied the adjunct instructor full-time employment based on her sexual orientation.

The appellate court's opinion could have been summed up in a sentence: We are going against several decades of judicial authority holding that Title VII does not cover sexual orientation.

Or even more simply, we think it's time to reinterpret Title VII.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate on the basis of a person's sex. That prohibition against sex discrimination has traditionally excluded discrimination on the basis of a person's sexual orientation. Twenty states ban such discrimination. The Supreme Court, however, has never squarely addressed the issue.

Make no mistake about it, this case was all but hopeless from the beginning. Hively had zero chance of winning ... right up to the moment she actually won.

That's why her original claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and her subsequent lawsuit were filed pro se, because no lawyer wanted to take on a case that was sure to lose. Not surprisingly, the trial court dismissed her case at the outset, because what she claimed -- even if true -- was not a violation of the law.

She then appealed to a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit, and those judges backed the trial court's decision: She didn't have a case. Then, that same appellate court agreed to hear the case again en banc. This time, all the judges would hear it, not just a three-judge panel. While that would have given Hively a glimmer of hope, there was every reason to expect that the appeals court would agree with not only the lower court, but its own prior decisions, and, and the historically accepted law of Title VII.

This time, eight of the 11 judges voted to do something very different. Something very rare.

For decades, Title VII has been interpreted as only prohibiting discrimination against women because they are women or against men because they are men, that Congress had only the traditional notion of "sex" in mind when it outlawed "sex discrimination."

Who said so? The same court deciding the Hively case. And pretty much every other court that has ever addressed the issue. The 7th Circuit acknowledged the binding precedent, yet it found a way through it.

After all, it observed, the Supreme Court has danced pretty close to this issue without actually taking it on. It has held that gender stereotyping falls within Title VII.

This means an employer can't deny partnership to a female employee because she's too "aggressive" and isn't feminine enough. The high court has also held that a sexual harassment claim is not defeated if the sex of the harasser is the same as the sex of the victim. And of course, more recently, the Constitution now protects the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The 7th Circuit did not seek to rewrite Title VII to add sexual orientation to the protected categories of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Instead it sought to define what it really means to discriminate on the basis of sex, and in particular, whether employer actions based on sexual orientation are actions taken on the basis of sex.

Ultimately, the test is whether the protected characteristic played a role in the adverse employment action. In other words, imagine Hively is a man, but everything else stays the same, including the sex of her partner. Isn't she then being treated differently only because she is a woman?

The court also pointed out that if gender stereotyping is unlawful, then Hively is the classic example of someone who does not conform to others' stereotypes about females, e.g., that females stay at home with the kids, that they cook and ... that they are heterosexual.

To the court, there really is no difference between a gender nonconformity claim and discrimination based on sexual orientation; if one is prohibited, so is the other.

What about discrimination based not on your sex, but the sex of whom you associate with? Is there even a difference? The 2016 film "Loving" introduced many to a famous Supreme Court case that held racial restrictions on marriage were unconstitutional. To the 7th Circuit, if the law prohibits discrimination on the basis of the race of someone with whom a plaintiff associates, it also prohibits discrimination on the basis of the sex with whom a plaintiff associates.

Even though the courts have excluded sexual orientation from Title VII since its enactment in 1964, the world -- and the laws -- have grown up around it since then. The landscape of sexual orientation laws is such that Title VII's long-accepted exclusion of sexual orientation is now an exception, rather than the norm.

It's an exception with a firm history and legal foundation, however. That's why the 7th Circuit's decision is so significant in the legal world. It takes a lot of chutzpah for a judge -- even an en banc panel -- to break with established precedent.

It's likely that this decision and the new interpretation of Title VII will stand, at least in this broad swath of Midwest states that make up the 7th Circuit. The employer, Ivy Tech, said Tuesday night it does not plan to appeal to the Supreme Court -- though it denies it discriminated against the plaintiff. It also likely means that, for the foreseeable future, there will be a split among the federal courts as to the meaning of federal discrimination law.

In the coming weeks, this opinion will be criticized as judicial activism -- deciding a case based upon social trends, personal feelings or even the political landscape instead of the actual law. That could be true; even the 7th Circuit acknowledges its decision defies precedent established by virtually every other court that has decided whether sexual orientation is covered by Title VII.

Of course, when you take a step back, Hively hasn't won the case against Ivy Tech. All the 7th Circuit did was allow her claim to exist, and to move forward. Hively's could still be a losing discrimination case. That doesn't matter today, because it wasn't really what the courts were deciding. They were deciding whether it was even a case to begin with. Last week it wasn't. Now it is.
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.




Debris disk RIKEN

Many young stars, as well as more middle-aged stars like our sun, have debris diskslike the Oort Cloud in our own solar systemthat are believed to be remnants of the systems formation.

Recently, radio observations have detected gas within a number of such discs, but it was not clear why the gas was there. There are two major hypotheses: either the gas is primordial gas from the original gas cloud that formed the star, or it originates from collisions between objects in the disk.

In search of a solution to this problem, a team from the RIKEN Star and Planet Formation Laboratory decided to look at emissions of carbon, which are important as they can provide clues to the origin of the gas. Normally, carbon will exist mostly in a molecular form, as carbon monoxide. Ultraviolet light from the central star will dissociate the atoms, creating free atomic carbon, but normally a chemical reactionmediated by hydrogenrecombines the carbon into CO. However, if there is no hydrogen, then the reaction does not take place and the carbon remains in its atomic state.

Aya Higuchi, the first author of the paper, published in Astrophysical Journal Letters, was able to use the ten-meter Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE) in Chile to examine the atomic carbon line from two young star systems49 Ceti and Beta Pictoristhat are known to have debris disks. They then compared this from data on CO taken by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an array of telescopes in the same facility. We were surprised, she says, to find atomic carbon in the disk, the first time this observation has been made at sub-millimeter wavelength. But more so, we were surprised at how much there was. It was about as common as the carbon monoxide.

The implication, at least for these two star systems, is that there is very little hydrogen to drive the carbon back into CO. Because hydrogen makes up most of the gas in protoplanetary clouds, this hints that the gas is not primordial, but rather is generated from some process taking place in the debris disk. Gas has been found in other debris disks, but is not found in all. Higuchi says, If we can perform similar measurements on other young stars, it will help to clarify the origin of the gas in debris disk. Our data here suggests that the gas is secondary.

Looking to the future, she continues, This work will also help to understand how a protoplanetary disk evolves into a debris disks by distinguishing the origin of the gas in the disks.

The work was done in collaboration with scientists from Ibaraki University and Nagoya University.
Astronaut Shane Kimbrough (left) is greeted by Johnson Space Center Director Ellen Ochoa after his arrival in Houston just 24 hours after completing his 173-day mission in space. Credit: NASA. NASA

NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is back in Houston just 24 hours after landing in Kazakhstan completing a 173-day mission in space. He arrived home aboard a NASA aircraft Tuesday morning while his two Expedition 50 crewmates, cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, have returned to Moscow.

Three crew members are staying behind on the International Space Station beginning the Expedition 51 mission. They are waiting for a new pair of residents to arrive in less than two weeks. Commander Peggy Whitson is orbiting Earth and leading the station crew of Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

All three crew members are busy aboard the orbital laboratory today maintaining its systems and performing critical space research. Whitson explored how new lights on the station are affecting crew performance and reconfigured science hardware with help from Pesquet. Novitskiy worked on Russian life support systems and studied ways to improve piloting spacecraft on long-term missions.

Two new Expedition 51 crewmates, veteran cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and NASA astronaut and first-time space flyer Jack Fischer, will join their orbiting crewmates April 10. The duo will blast off from Kazakhstan and take a six-hour, four-orbit ride to their new home in space aboard the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft.

On-Orbit Status Report

Lighting Effects: Upon wakeup, the 49S subject provided a sleep log entry and began the first half of a 48-hour urine collection to support the Sleep Shift and Biochem Profile/Repository portion of the Lighting Effects investigation. Subject conducted four urine collections which are performed within a 24-hour period. Each sample was stowed in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for freezing for return and analysis. The Lighting Effects experiment hopes to better quantify and qualify how lighting can effect habitability of spacecraft. The light bulbs on the ISS are being replaced with a new system designed for improved crew health and wellness. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance. Results from this investigation also have major implications for people on Earth who use electric lights

Device for the study of Critical Liquids and Crystallization (DECLIC) Hard Drive Exchange: The crew exchanged hard drives for the DECLIC investigation. DECLIC High Temperature Insert (HTI)-Reflight (R) studies water near its critical point, the point beyond which water loses its distinction between liquid and vapor and begins to behave as a dense gas. Salt tends to precipitate out from water at temperatures and pressures beyond its critical point. Understanding this behavior will assist designers in building extended-life and low-maintenance supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) reactors that will provide more environmentally friendly waste management systems and reduce operating costs of power plants that use supercritical water for its working fluid.

Dose Tracker: The crew launched the Dose Tracker app before completing entries for medication tracking on an iPad. This investigation documents the medication usage of crewmembers before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data is expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.

Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station (Express) Rack 6 (ER6) Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) Installation: The crew removed the Payload Ethernet Hub Bridge (PEHB) from ER6 and installed an Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) in its place. The iPEHG provides additional payload data band width needed for the TangoLab payload arriving on SpX-11. The iPEHG was checked out and is performing nominally. The PWD was removed and reinstalled back in the same ER6 location, to allow access for installing the iPEHG. While preparing for the iPEHG installation, the crew found damaged threads on one of the Microgravity Rack Barrier Posts and its threaded insert. The plan is to replace the Standoff Bridge Bracket to provide a good installation location for a spare Microgravity Rack Barrier Post.

Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) S11A_C Remote Power Controller (RPC) 3 Status: Yesterday, RPCM S11A-C RPC 3 tripped, removing power from the Starboard Thermal Radiator (STR) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM). Due to unusual temperatures in the RPCM after the trip, specialists suspected that the trip might have been caused by an RPCM failure rather than a true overcurrent. Multiple attempts to reclose RPC 3 were unsuccessful. Teams are reviewing data to attempt to isolate the failure to the RPCM or the STR MDM.

Nitrogen Repress from Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS): Today, the crew performed the first nitrogen repress from a NORS N2 tank. The tank is now empty and ready for return on SpX-11.

Todays Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Troubleshooting possible cause of generating inadvertent command in FGB Program-Logic Control Device [????] via SM-FGB  X Docking Assembly, preparation.

ISS HAM Radio Power Up

COTS UHF Communications Unit Removal

Dose Tracker Data Entry Subject

HRF Generic Urine Collection  Subject

Meteor Shutter Open

WHC UR and Insert Filter (IF) R&R

PILOT-T. Preparation for the experiment.

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations

ExPRESS Rack 6 Rack Preparation

PILOT-T. Experiment Ops

ARED Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation

IPEHG Hardware Install

PILOT-T. Closeout Ops

Verification of ??-1 Flow Indicator Position

Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??.

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations

Microgravity Science Glovebox Equipment Inspection and Cleaning

EMU Radio Frequency (RF) Camera Assembly (ERCA) Inspect

CONTENT. Experiment Ops

ExPRESS Rack 6 Rack Reconfiguration

HRF Generic Urine Collection Female  Subject

Galley Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Installation

HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations

DECLIC Removable Hard Disk Drive Exchange

Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) Nitrogen Manual Valve Open

Completed Task List Items

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Quarterly Inspection [Completed GMT 98]

Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection [Completed GMT 98]

Data Prep for Return [Completed GMT 98]

ESA Active Dosimeter Area Monitoring Mobile Unit Stow [Completed GMT 98]

ESA PAO Recorded Message 150 e du Canada [Completed GMT 98]

ESA PAO Message  Martian Meteorite video [Completed GMT 98]

ESA PAO Message  St. Exupery writing contest winners [Completed GMT 98]

EVA Hardware Audit [Completed GMT 98]

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection [Completed GMT 98]

NOD1S4 Zero-G Stowage Rack Strap Install [Completed GMT 98]

Station Support Computer 1 Reseat Hard Disk Drive [Completed GMT 98]

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test [Completed GMT 99]

RED Video Card Swap [Completed GMT 99]

SSC 4 Primary Hard Drive Swap [Completed GMT 99]

EXPRESS Rack 6 Locker Removal [Completed GMT 100]

NOD1D4 Audit  Part 2 [Completed GMT 100]

Rodent Research Inventory Audit [Completed GMT 100]

Strata Final Card Changeout [Completed GMT 100]

Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

SSRMS walkoff to N2 PDGF

IPEHG ER6 Activation and Checkout

NORS N2 repress

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 04/12: Cognition, ER6 locker install/CUCU install, Man. Device feedstock canister, extruder, print tray exchange, GLA visual performance test

Thursday, 04/13: Rodent Research inventory, ELF removal, MSL sample cartridge exchange

Friday, 04/14: Lab/N2 JSL router R&R, CB2 hardware setup

QUICK ISS Status  Environmental Control Group:

Component  Status

Elektron  On

Vozdukh  Manual

[???] 1  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV1)  Off

[???] 2  SM Air Conditioner System (SKV2)  On

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab  Standby

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab  Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3  Operate

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)  Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)  Process

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab  Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3  Full Up
Jupiter University of Leicester

A second Great Spot has been discovered on Jupiter by University of Leicester astronomers, rivaling the scale of the planets famous Great Red Spot and created by the powerful energies exerted by the great planets polar aurorae.



Dubbed the Great Cold Spot, it has been observed as a localised dark spot, up to 24,000 km in longitude and 12,000 km in latitude, in the gas giants thin high-altitude thermosphere, that is around 200K (Kelvin) cooler than the surrounding atmosphere, which can range in temperature between 700K (426C) and 1,000K (726C).

The results are published today (11 April) in Geophysical Research Letters.

Dr. Tom Stallard, Associate Professor in Planetary Astronomy and lead author of the study, said: This is the first time any weather feature in Jupiters upper atmosphere has been observed away from the planets bright aurorae.

The Great Cold Spot is much more volatile than the slowly changing Great Red Spot, changing dramatically in shape and size over only a few days and weeks, but it has re-appeared for as long as we have data to search for it, for over 15 years. That suggests that it continually reforms itself, and as a result it might be as old as the aurorae that form it  perhaps many thousands of years old.

The Great Cold Spot is thought to be caused by the effects of the magnetic field of the planet, with the massive planets spectacular polar aurorae driving energy into the atmosphere in the form of heat flowing around the planet.

This creates a region of cooling in the thermosphere, the boundary layer between the underlying atmosphere and the vacuum of space. Although we cant be sure what drives this weather feature, a sustained cooling is very likely to drive a vortex similar to the Great Red Spot.

The astronomers used the CRIRES instrument on the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to observe spectral emissions of H3+, an ion of hydrogen present in large amounts in Jupiters atmosphere, which allowed the scientists to map the mean temperature and density of the planets atmosphere. They then used images of H3+ emission from Jupiters ionosphere taken by NASAs InfraRed Telescope Facility between 1995 and 2000 to compare.

Through combining images taken over a period of time, including over 13,000 images taken over more than 40 nights by the Infrared Telescope Facility, the astronomers revealed the presence of the Great Cold Spot as an area of darkness amongst the hot environment of Jupiters upper atmosphere.

Dr. Stallard, who is funded by the Science and Technology Facilities Council, added: What is surprising at Jupiter is that, unlike weather systems on Earth, the Great Cold Spot has been observed at the same place across 15 years. That makes it more comparable to weather systems in Jupiters lower atmosphere, like the Great Red Spot.

Observations and modeling of Earths upper atmosphere have shown that, on the short term, there may be changes in the temperature and density of the upper atmosphere.

The two main differences are firstly that Earths aurora sees dramatic changes caused by activity from the Sun, whereas Jupiters aurora are dominated by gases from the volcanic moon Io, which are relatively slow and steady, and secondly that the atmospheric flows generated by Earths aurora can drive heat quickly across the whole planet, making the upper atmosphere ring like a bell, while Jupiters fast spin traps this energy nearer the poles.

Dr. Stallard added: The detection of the Great Cold Spot was a real surprise to us, but there are indications that other features might also exist in Jupiters upper atmosphere. Our next step will be to look for other features in the upper atmosphere, as well as investigating the Great Cold Spot itself in more detail.

The Juno spacecraft is currently in orbit around Jupiter and the observations of Jupiters aurora and upper atmosphere by the JIRAM instrument that have been released so far already provide a wealth of new information about the planet. When combined with our ongoing campaign of observations using telescopes on Earth, we hope to gain a much better understanding of this weather system in the next few years.

Reference: The Great Cold Spot in Jupiters Upper Atmosphere, Tom S. Stallard: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.; Henrik Melin: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K.; Steve Miller: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, London, U.K.; Luke Moore: Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; James ODonoghue: Center for Space Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA; John E. P. Connerney: Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Greenbelt, MD, USA; Takehiko Satoh: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, Japan; Robert A. West: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA; Jeffrey P Thayer: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Vicki W. Hsu: Aerospace Engineering Sciences, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA; Rosie E. Johnson: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester, U.K., 2017 April 10, Geophysical Research Letters [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL071956/full].
Moon's internal structure NASA

The moon no longer has a magnetic field, but NASA scientists are publishing new research that shows heat from crystallization of the lunar core may have driven its now-defunct magnetic field some 3 billion years ago.



Magnetized lunar rocks returned to Earth during the Apollo missions established that the moon once had a magnetic field. The moons magnetic field lasted for more than a billion years and, at one point, it was as strong as the one generated by modern Earth. Scientists believe that a lunar dynamo  a molten, churning core at the center of the moon  may have powered the magnetic field, but previously did not understand how it had been generated and maintained.

In a paper recently published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, scientists in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston argue that this dynamo was caused by crystallization of the lunar core.

Our work ties together physical and chemical constraints and helps us understand how the moon acquired and maintained its magnetic field  a difficult problem to tackle for any inner solar system body, said Kevin Righter, the first author of the study and JSCs high pressure experimental petrology lab lead.

According to the paper, the moon likely had an iron/nickel core with only a small amount of sulfur and carbon, thus giving the lunar core a high melting point. As a result, the lunar core likely started crystallizing early in lunar history, and the heat released by crystallization may have driven an early magnetic field that is recorded in ancient lunar samples.

We created several synthetic core compositions based on the latest geochemical data from the moon, and equilibrated them at the pressures and temperatures of the lunar interior, Righter said.

A magnetic field has been recorded in lunar samples as young as 3.1 billion years old, but is currently inactive, indicating that at some point between then and now, the heat flow declined to a point where the lunar dynamo became inactive. The lunar core is currently thought to be composed of a solid inner and liquid outer core, known from Apollo seismic and other geophysical and spacecraft data. The new specific lunar core composition proposed by the ARES group likely would be partially solid and liquid today, consistent with the seismic and geophysical data.

The ARES scientists prepared powders of iron, nickel, sulfur and carbon based on geochemical proportion estimates of the moon from recent analyses of Apollo samples. Once prepared, the powders were encapsulated and heated under pressures corresponding to those in the lunar interior. Because the moon may have experienced high temperatures in its early history and lower temperatures during later cooling, the scientists investigated a wide range of temperatures.

Detailed compositions and textures of the solids and liquids formed at the higher pressure and temperature conditions were examined.

Before these new results, the conundrum was that modelling of the moon involved an iron/nickel core with sulfur contents so high (and melting point so low) that crystallization would not have occurred until very late in lunar history. Thus the source of the heat flow out of the core required to drive a dynamo was unclear.

Various sources were proposed such as heat from impact or shear forces. The ARES research team acknowledges that such sources may be real, but if the heat from crystallization of the outer core is available, it is a simple and straightforward, source for a lunar dynamo and would fit well with the expected timing.

The ARES team is excited because this work shows that a specific geochemically-derived composition can explain many geophysical aspects of the lunar core, says co-author Lisa Danielson.

To view the paper, go to: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X17300638

To learn more about ARES, go to: http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov
Is data-driven farming the future of ACP agriculture? The short answer is it depends It may well be, but different areas of agriculture are benefiting in very different ways.

At government level  policy makers

Management of the agricultural situation in a country definitely is data-driven, with the opportunities from remote sensing for mapping and better weather prediction leading to a fuller understanding of threats.

At business level  agribusinesses

Throughout the value chain, the exchange of price data has improved and more systems to track suppliers have clearly changed the opportunities for agriculture.

For the smallholder farmer

Data-driven systems are being used by Women in Business Development Inc. (WIBDI), in the Pacific, to manage the supply from smallholder organic growers to hotels and restaurants. Markets that were difficult to reach because of the difficulty of ensuring a stable supply. Through the use of data-driven systems the logistics of delivery and the choice of crops to grow to supply the market can be managed.

But data-driven doesnt mean that the farmer will always be using the technology that collects, analyses or processes the data. There are often many steps between the raw data and the farm, with the farmer receiving advice derived from data through radio or word of mouth, not always through high technology.

Across the ACP farming is changing to take advantage of the range of data available. The improvement of weather forecasts has helped with answering when to plant and when to harvest, and communication of price information has informed the choice on what to plant for the best financial return. The global availability of mobile phones, satellites, drones, sensors and cloud computing have changed the range of data available and its application.

Open satellite data can be used to determine when to irrigate and has made fourfold increases in yields in trials in the Gezira in Sudan. In this case, individual farmers were reached through a standard mobile phone by SMS with simple instructions on when to irrigate. This proof of concept, however, requires the substantial processing power of an agency to interpret the satellite images.

Opening access to data from governments and companies through initiatives, such as Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN), can improve agriculture by providing more analysis and services to be developed using that data. These services can be brought together in one package, as in the Market-led, User-owned ICT4Ag-enabled Information Service (MUIIS) launched in March in Uganda.

A data-driven agriculture approach has shown that efficiencies can be gained in terms of yields and income, but the same data can be used to reduce environmental impacts and encourage cooperative working. As with all interventions in agriculture, there are potential pitfalls.

As the opportunities to collect data have grown with technology, the ability to harness this data and analyse it is still in the hands of the larger organisations. It is important that farmers know how their data can potentially be used before agreeing to share. A consideration of the rights which a farmer has as to how their data is used ensures that they are not exploited by the larger companies.

There is also a danger that data capture and analysis can have gender biases if data is not disaggregated by gender, or women are not involved in collection or analysis.

So data-driven agriculture is happening on the ground in ACP countries, through private enterprise and government assistance, and the opportunities must be taken with consideration for the control that the farmer keeps over their own data to ensure they are not exploited.
When Omotesando Koffee finally closed its doors in December of 2015, the building it called home was demolished. Soon after, another house went up in its placeperhaps lacking in the old-world charm of the original, but also stronger, sturdier, and less likely to collapse in on itself.

If you visit that residence now, you find an intriguing black square wrapped around one corner of it, with a neat stone path leading to 36 gold squares, and a sliding glass door.

Along this door read the words: Koffee Mameya.

Owner Eiichi Kunitomo says, The plan was always to rebuild here, where it all began.

Past the glass door, Koffee Mameya is an exercise in simplicity: a plain wooden counter, concrete floors and walls, two baristas, and coffee beans lining the back wall in shades of brown and black.

The Koffee Mameya experience is designed around communication. There are no pictures on the walls, and no seatsthere is only the customer, the barista, and the menu on the counter that brings them together.

At Omotesando Koffee, we wanted to create an experience between customer and barista through a single, perfect cup of coffee, says Kunitomo. With Koffee Mameya, we want to share truly good coffees, and build relationships with customers that results in better coffee at home.

But while Omotesando Koffee acted as a platform for the barista as craftsperson, Koffee Mameya looks at their potential next step. Though many baristas go on to roast themselves, Kunitomo sees his new project as an elevation of the baristas role, turning her from a server of coffee into a kind of coffee sommelier.



The goals of a barista at Koffee Mameya then, are two-foldsharing coffee and sharing brewing methods. Baristas talk to customers, learn their preferences, and talk through flavors and brew methods with them before brewing coffee selections on the Kalita Wave or espresso machine.

This strong focus on communication is the reason Koffee Mameya doesnt roast in-house. Instead, they work closely with a lineup of specialty roastersThe Cupping Room, Code Black Coffee, Bontain Coffee Company, Ogawa Coffee, and Tokado Coffeeand map each flavor profile across a map of 36 squaresthe shops logo.

We decided not to roast, says Kunitomo. Were partnered with roasters who put their heart in their work, so our responsibility is to make sure their beans are thoroughly enjoyed. [Here in Japan] people often line up for beans from famous roasters or unique locations, but get home and, because of a few small errors, dont like the coffee. Thats a real shame, so our baristas act as the middle point between roaster and customer. That particular role feels especially important now.

Kunitomo says he first envisioned Koffee Mameya in 2014, when he established Toranomon Koffee. But back then, domestic interest in specialty coffee wasnt strong enough to support such a bold idea.

Now, with growing interest in specialty coffee, Kunitomo envisions Koffee Mameya as a select shopa showcase of quality beans running the spectrum of dark to lightand a chance for anybody to discover a coffee to match their tastes, and the knowledge to brew it themselves.

People like stories, and its stories that often make food and drink taste better, says Kunitomo. Thats what I want this shop to be, tooa collection of stories that we help tell through our interactions with customers, and the coffees we brew.

The story of Koffee Mameya itself is also one that enchants. It is a place thatmuch like its predecessor Omotesando Koffeeis a reflection of the building it makes home. Once regarded for an approach and aesthetic that leaned upon the traditional, it is reborn in a more contemporary style.

A style where the art is not just displayed, but also shared and taught.

Hengtee Lim (@Hent03) is a Sprudge.com staff writer based in Tokyo. Read more Hengtee Lim on Sprudge.

Photos courtesy of Sonia Cao.
Two $8,500 conditioned paces highlighted the card at Plainridge Park on Tuesday afternoon (April 11) and the public heavily supported both winners.

Lukes Cowboy, who most recently competed in the Sagamore Hill Series at Yonkers Raceway, brought a heightened sense of awareness to Plainridge and threw the best race of his life.

Tucking fourth off the gate, Lukes Cowboy (Bruce Aldrich Jr.) watched as Rockin Delight (Eddie Davis Jr.) and Suellen (Greg Merton) took turns with the lead while cutting the half in :55.4. At that station, Aldrich pulled his charge and started motoring up the outside as the group moved towards three-quarters.

In a slow and methodic march, Lukes Cowboy eventually drew even with the front-running Suellen around the last turn and then, with two-taps from his driver, drew clear for the lead. At that point, the gelding swelled up and pulled away from the field with Aldrich a mere passenger, winning the race in 1:53.4. The time was a new lifetime mark.

The win was the second in nine starts this year for Lukes Cowboy ($3.20) and it raised his annual earnings to $19,900. The four-year-old gelded son of Brandons Cowboy is owned by Lester Gelardi Jr. of Mahopac, New York and Anthony Passafaro of Mamaroneck, New York. Lukes Cowboy is trained by Monique Cohen.

In the co-featured fourth race, Biggie shipped in from The Meadowlands off a solid third-place finish and simply destroyed the field to claim his first win of the year.

Starting from post seven, Biggie (Greg Merton) left for position and dropped in fourth while Gingertreefinnegan (Jim Hardy) and Checkisinthemail (Eddie Davis Jr.) argued for the front. Merton got Biggie underway just before the half and found himself on top and in control by two lengths before they hit three-quarters.

As the rest of the field struggled to keep up, Merton raised the lines just a bit and Biggie switched into glide, opening up an 11-length lead before he hit the wire. Merton had him wrapped up in hand and won in 1:55.1, off a back half in :56.4.

Biggie ($2.60) is owned by Michael Huff of Carmel, Maine and is trained by Scott Rollins.

Four drivers won all eight races on Tuesday. Jim Hardy, Steve Nason, Greg Merton and Bruce Aldrich Jr. all had driving doubles. On the conditioning side, Cohen and Rollins both saw two stable members be victorious.

Racing resumes at Plainridge Park on Thursday afternoon (April 13) with post time set for 4 p.m.

(With files from Plainridge Park)
Lunar Phase, last week a 40-1 longshot winner, is now the Delaware Standardbred Breeders Fund (DSBF) Three-Year-Old Filly Pace champion after winning the Delaware-sired title on Tuesday (April 11) at Dover Downs.

Art Stafford Jr. trains, drives and co-owns Lunar Phase with Wyatt Starkey. She enjoyed a two-hole trip in the $100,000 DSBF final behind race favourite Logans Girl (Vic Kirby), who had a three-race win streak at race time. In the stretch, Stafford pulled out and overtook the leader with Lunar Phase, who scored a lifetime fastest 1:52.1 victory.

She was underdeveloped last year and only raced five times with one win, but she came back stronger this year, said Stafford.

Lunar Phase with her connections in the winner's circle at Dover Downs after winning the DSBF final on April 11. (FotoWon)

The daughter of Roddys Bags Again-Blue Moon Artist was bred by Dr. Bill Moffett.

Logans Girl went the biggest mile of her career and finished second. Diva Demands (Corey Callahan) edged Free Flight Fran (Ross Wolfenden) for third-place. Spanish Dream was scratched.

The $20,000 DSBF consolation was all Westwind Roddylee, a wire-to-wire 1:54.1 winner for driver Tim Tetrick, trainer Jason Skinner and owners Joel and Dianne Halpern. The win was the first of 2017 for the Roddys Bags Again-Lees Best homebred. It was her fifth win lifetime bringing her bankroll to $60,460.

In the $20,000 Mares Open Handicap, Montrell Teague, who won four races, sent Apple Bottom Jeans right to the front from post seven and was in charge the rest of a 1:51 mile. The four-year-old Mr Apples-Scylla Hanover mare scored her fourth win of the year and 13th lifetime in 29 starts to go along with 10 seconds, extending her total purse earnings to $365,824 for KDK Standardbreds. Shine N Simmer (Callahan) was a strong second with 23-1 In The Shadows (Tony Morgan) third.

The third of four $100,000 DSBF Finals is set for Wednesday, headed by three-year-old trotting fillies Spoonful, Love Is Blind and Willow Mill Anna in an eight-horse field. Tough Mac will leave from the outside meeting Gural Hanover, Wind Of The North, Celebrity Pegasus, Market Share and Streamsong in a powerhouse field of six in the $20,000 Open Handicap Trot.

This is the final week of Dover Downs 48th season, which continues Wednesday and Thursday, with post time at 4:30 p.m. daily. Thursday, April 13, is closing day of the Dover Downs meet.

(With files from Dover Downs)
Longtime harness racing participant and official George Duane 'Duke' Dranichak, age 74, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on April 10.

Duke was the son of the late George and Rose (Mikitka) Dranichak. He is survived by his loving wife, M. Christine (Bass) Dranichak; his children, George Dranichak Jr. of Macedon and Melissa (Kevin) Mayeu of Wake Forest, North Carolina; brother of Edward (Sue) Dranichak and of the late Gregory Dranichak. Known as "Gumpa" to his grandchildren, he was a generous and loving grandfather to George III and Tyler.

Duke was born and raised in Binghamton and lived most of his life in Pavilion, New York. He graduated from Niagara University in 1964 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.

After college, he became a member of the Horseman's Association, where he raced harness horses professionally. After which he became a judge. Duke retired from the NYS Racing and Wagering Board, which he served on as the Director of Racing Officials for all of harness and thoroughbred racetracks in the State of New York.

Duke's family will receive friends on Thursday, April 13 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Falcone Family Funeral & Cremation Service Inc., 8700 Lake Rd. (Rt 19), LeRoy. His Celebration of Life Service will be held at the Holy Spirit Church in Binghamton, New York at a later date.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Duke Dranichak.
The 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada is a significant milestone that our industry has the opportunity to celebrate.

The Fan Club received several submissions with many great ideas to celebrate this occasion and they will be passed along to racetracks and associations across the country providing inspiration when planning their 250 events.

After much consideration, the judges selected Frank Charamonte of Stouffville, Ont., as the winner for his idea to bring harness racing back to the fairs where harness racing once lived.

Here is Franks submission:

To celebrate 250 years I would bring "fair racing" back to the fall fairs in Ontario that have a venue for harness racing, organizing a one or two-day meet during their fair. Some examples could include the Markham Fairgrounds and Port Perry Fairgrounds. Today, both sit empty during fair season since harness racing at fairs was taken away. Bringing it back and showcasing the product and history to new families and young children to teach them about the history of the sport could possibly get them involved someday as drivers, trainers or grooms. I remember as a young child sitting in the stands at those fairgrounds and the look of "awe" on my face as I watched the horses come charging down the stretch. The I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club could also be at the fairs to promote racing and talk about its history to a new crop of people who havent experienced it before. Pari-mutuel wagering could be offered, drivers and trainers could interact with the fans, horses could be jogged during breaks and tours of the backstretch could be offered. Bringing back racing to its roots could give it life once again in 2017 and would celebrate the 250th anniversary of horse racing in Canada.

Frank has been involved with harness racing since he was a young boy, going with his father to Greenwood Raceway where he worked as a mutuel teller. Years later Frank followed in his fathers footsteps also getting a job at Greenwood in the late 80s and early 90s and hes been hooked ever since.

I have always loved the sounds and excitement that the racetrack would bring, from the smell of the food at the concessions to the horses pounding their way down the stretch and the people cheering on their horses.

Although Greenwood no longer exists, Frank still has many memories that he will keep with him for a lifetime.

Back in the day at Greenwood I would love watching a horse called Shady Hill Pride race, this horse would always get away at the back of the field and would be more or less last by the 3/4 pole, but then all of the sudden the driver would tip this amazing horse to the outside and like a train he would get into another gear and unleash an amazing amount of speed to win the race from last to first more often than not.

This summer Charamonte will travel with his wife to enjoy live harness racing at Georgian Downs, Hanover, Clinton and Grand River Raceway.

For winning Frank will receive a swag package of Fan Club and 250 merchandise and a $50 gift certificate to Woodbine Racetrack, the Canadian harness racetrack of his choice.

The Fan Club would like to thank everyone who submitted their ideas and suggestions. We have created a list with the best ideas and will be sharing them with racetracks and associations across the country to give them inspiration for The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame's 250 miles for 250 years initiative.
Reports from Europe indicate that talented trotter and sire Donerail has passed away at age 25.

One of the last star horses trained by harness racing legend Stanley Dancer, Donerail (Valley Victory - Bedell) was an outstanding two-year-old. He ended his rookie season with a 13-0-1 summary from 15 starts, a mark of 1:55.4 taken at The Meadowlands (a track record) and more than $636,000 in purses.

He was hampered by throat problems as a three-year-old and never returned to that form, finishing his sophomore season before the Hambletonian with a respectable 3-1-2 record and retiring in late July.

As a stallion, Donerail sired 662 starters in North America with 111 winners of $100,000 or more and 39 with marks of 1:55 or faster. His top earning racehorse was Spellbound Hanover, whose son Marion Marauder won harness racing's Triple Crown in 2016. Of Donerail's top 10 earners, seven were fillies.

Daughters of Donerail have passed that on-track success to their offspring with three other Hambletonian winners coming from mares sired by Donerail: Donato Hanover (Andover Hall - D Train), Broad Bahn (Broadway Hall - Madonarail) and Royalty For Life (RC Royalty - Bourbon N Grits).

Donerail was exported to Finland in 2007 and stood at stud there for a number of years before being relocated to Denmark, where he passed away due to natural causes.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the connections of Donerail.
Student Club Gives Good News for Good Friday

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit



WIGGINS, Miss., April 12, 2017 /Standard Newswire/ -- Student members of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) will distribute Bibles, based on Liberty Counsel's advice, to their Stone County Public High School classmates tomorrow before Good Friday.

FCA members previously sought permission, as a student club, to freely offer Bibles for a personal, peer-to-peer distribution from a manned table in the lunch room during non-instructional time. However, staff with the Stone County Schools put the distribution on hold after becoming concerned by internet research. A "FindLaw" memo regarding "Bible Distribution in the Public Schools" was cited as authority for a directive that students could only leave Bibles unattended on a table for passersby. Yet this memo did not apply to Stone County student clubs, but applied (if at all) only to non-school organizations.

Liberty Counsel sent a letter on behalf of FCA to the Stone County Public School District presenting the actual law and offered to represent the district if anyone challenged it for allowing the students to express their faith by distributing Bibles. FCA students spoke to the school board, using the letter and Liberty Counsel's Religious Freedom in the Public Schools Handbook in support of their request. After reviewing the law presented by Liberty Counsel, the School Board decided to allow the student-initiated distribution of Bibles.



"The Stone County School Board made the appropriate decision to allow these students to distribute Bibles during non-instructional time to their fellow classmates," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "Students on public school campuses have constitutional protection of free speech, including religious speech. We are elated that the students with Fellowship of Christian Athletes will be able to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in time for Good Friday," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
Almagro is no stranger to criticism from Morales, who this time blasted the OAS chief for "encouraging" violence in Venezuela.

Bolivian President Evo Morales blasted the head of the Organization of American States once again on Wednesday, accusing Luis Almagro of inciting violence and promoting intervention in Venezuela by continuing to launch attacks on Caracas while ignoring increasingly violent acts carried out by the countrys right-wing opposition.

Luis Almagro is responsible for the violence in Venezuela and he will be responsible for intervention, Morales wrote on his Twitter account Wednesday.

In Venezuela, violent groups seek a coup detat, the Bolivian president continued. Luis Almagro doesnt repudiate them, rather he encourages them.

The comments come as heated political disputes in Venezuela continue to flare with opposition protesters repeatedly taking to the streets in recent days against the government of President Nicolas Maduro. The political clashes have only deepened deepened Caracas tension with Almagro and the OAS over insistent efforts to invoke the bodys so-called Democratic Charter against the South American country, which would trigger its suspension from the bloc.

Almagro has been quick to accuse Maduros government of authoritarian lawlessness and abandon(ing) democracy through a self-imposed coup detat, even though the Supreme Court decision that sparked the latest wave of anti-government protests was overturned within days. He has also targeted the government for allegedly repressing what he has described as pro-democracy demonstrations, while remaining silent on attacks carried out by the protesters and violence-inciting rhetoric of right-wing opposition leaders.

The OAS chief released a four-minute video message on social media Tuesday slamming the Maduro government while painting the opposition protesters, which have repeatedly turned to violence, as peaceful demonstrators.

Day after day, repression is increasing in Venezuela. Its authoritarian to repress demonstrators demanding democracy, he said, highlighting security forces use of tear gas during the protests. Despite these abuses and attacks, the Venezuelan people have showed their moral high ground and ability to strengthen themselves in the face of adversity.

Almagro went on to call for general elections in Venezuela as the only solution out of the political crisis  a position not even Washington has expressed  without mentioning opposition violence. He repeatedly criticized Caracas as undemocratic, accusing the Maduro government of wishing to sacrifice Venezuelan people in order to stay in power.

Venezuelas Ministry of Defense called on Almagro and the OAS Tuesday to condemn acts of violence, such as reports from Venezuelas Ombudsman that seven of its offices had been attacked in the anti-government protests. The call has not been answered, which Almagros critics say further lays bare the hypocrisy of setting his sights on the Maduro government while turning a blind eye to other concerning human rights situations both in Venezuela and across Latin America.

Almagros positions have drawn criticism from Venezuela and its allies in the region, which have accused him of serving the whims of U.S. imperialism in Latin America by promoting intervention in Venezuela.

Evo Morales has been among Maduros vocal supporters. He has recently and repeatedly called out Almagro on his Twitter account, pointing out how the OAS chiefs focus on Venezuela is disproportionate in light of other serious political and human rights issues in the region that the regional body has not responded to.

Luis Almagro does not condemn walls against Latinos, nor the judicial coup against Dilma Rousseff, nor the increase in drug trafficking in Colombia. Is he complicit? wrote Morales in his Twitter account on April 1.

The OAS should be a body of integration and not intervention, he added. Sovereignty and dignity of every is respected and defended.
With a critical public increasingly turning to social media to scrutinize the claims of the mainstream as well as the credibility of the assertions made by the various NGOs and government-funded human rights organisations, its arguably becoming more difficult for the corporate press to pass their propaganda off as legitimate news.

This is particularly the case during periods when the establishment pushes for military conflicts. One salutary lesson from the Iraq debacle, is that the public appear not to be so readily fooled. Or are they?

Trump, Cathy Newman on yesterday evenings Assad. However, for the reasons outlined below, such a scenario seems highly unlikely. Its a measure of the extent to which the mass media barely stray from their paymasters tune, that president with near-unanimous journalistic support , was able to launch an illegal missile strike on Syria on April 7, 2017.on yesterday evenings Channel 4 News (April 10, 2017) stated that the attack on the al-Shayrat airbase was in retaliation for an alleged sarin gas attack by president. However, for the reasons outlined below, such a scenario seems highly unlikely.

Michael B Gordon, who co-authored that papers infamous fake Anne Barnard), the latest chemical weapons New York Times reporter,, who co-authored that papers infamous fake aluminum tube story of September 8, 2002 as part of the medias propaganda offensive leading up to the 2003 U.S-led Iraq invasion, published (along with co-author), the latest chemical weapons fake news story intended to fit with the establishment narrative on Syria.

Lack of skepticism

Jonathan Freedland of the Guardian, Showing no skepticism that the Syrian military was responsible for intentionally deploying poison gas, the authors cited the widely discredited $100m-funded terrorist-enablers, the White Helmets , as the basis for their story. Meanwhile, the doyen of neocon drum-beating war propaganda in Britain,of the Guardian, wrote a day after the alleged attack:

We almost certainly know who did it. Every sign points to the regime of Bashar al-Assad. What these signs are were not specified in the article.

George Monbiot appears to be eager for military action. On Twitter (April 7, 2017) Monbiot Even the usually cautious Guardian journalistappears to be eager for military action. On Twitter (April 7, 2017) Monbiot claimed

We can be 99% sure the chemical weapons attack came from Syrian govt.

Three days later, media analysts Media Lens challenged Monbiot by citing the views of former UN weapons inspectors, Hans Blix and Scott Ritter, both of whom contradicted Monbiots assertion.

Peter Oborne and Peter Hitchens), that Assads motive for undertaking such an attack was weak. As investigative reporter Robert Parry, who broke many of the Iran-Contra stories, Apparently it hadnt occurred to these, and practically all the other mainstream journalists (with the notable exception ofand), that Assads motive for undertaking such an attack was weak. As investigative reporter, whobroke many of the Iran-Contra stories, argued

Since Assads forces have gained a decisive upper-hand over the rebels, why would he risk stirring up international outrage at this juncture? On the other hand, the desperate rebels might view the horrific scenes from the chemical-weapons deployment as a last-minute game-changer.

Charles Shoebridge Mark J Doran astutely remarked: A second major inconsistency in the official narrative are the contradictory claims relating to the sarin issue. referred to a Guardian article that claims sarin was used, but he counters the claim by stating: Yet, a rescuer tells its reporter we could smell it 500m away. The intelligence and terrorism expert was quick to point out that sarin is odorless (unless contaminated). As blogger

Now, who is going be stuck with lousy, impure sarin? A nation state or a terrorist group?

Dodgy doctor

Shajul Islam. Despite having been struck off the British medical register for misconduct in March 2016, the media have quoted or shown Islam in their reports where he Then there has been the willingness of the media to cite what is clearly an incredulous source, British doctor,. Despite having been struck off the British medical register for misconduct in March 2016, the media have quoted or shown Islam in their reports where he has been depicted as a key witness to the alleged gas attack and hence helped augment the unsubstantiated media narrative. In 2012 Shajul Islam was charged with terror offences in a British court.

He was accused of imprisoning John Cantlie, a British photographer, and a Dutchman, Jeroen Oerlemans. Both men were held by a militant group in Syria and both were wounded when they tried to escape. Shajul Islam, it was alleged, was among their captors. Shajul Islams trial collapsed in 2013, when it was revealed that Mr Cantlie had been abducted once again, and could not give evidence. Mr Oerlemans refused to give evidence for fear that it would further endanger Mr Cantlie. Mr Oerlemans has since been killed in Libya. So the supposedly benevolent medical man at the scene of the alleged atrocity turns out to be a struck-off doctor who was once put on trial for kidnapping.

Gilad Atzmon, argues: Fourth, there is the question as to why the U.S would launch a military strike in the knowledge that it would risk further sarin leaks into the atmosphere. As the writer and musician,

It doesnt take a military analyst to grasp that the American attack on a remote Syrian airfield contradicts every possible military rationale. If America really believed that Assad possessed a WMD stockpile and kept it in al-Shayrat airbase, launching a missile attack that could lead to a release of lethal agents into the air would be the last thing it would do. If America was determined to neutralise Assads alleged WMD ability it would deploy special forces or diplomacy. No one defuses WMD with explosives, bombs or cruise missiles. It is simply unheard of.

Atzmon adds:

The first concern that comes to mind is why do you need a saxophonist to deliver the truth every military expert understands very well? Cant the New York Times or the Guardian reach the same obvious conclusion? Its obvious enough that if Assad didnt use WMD when he was losing the war, it would make no sense for him to use it now when a victory is within reach.

Logical explanation

A far more logical explanation, given the location, is that chemicals were released into the air by Salafist terrorists. The location of the alleged attack is an al-Qaeda-affiliated controlled area in Idlib province. It is from here that the Western-funded White Helmets operate. Rather conveniently, they were soon at the scene of the alleged attack without the necessary protective clothing being filmed hosing down victims. A far more logical explanation, given the location, is that chemicals were released into the air by Salafist terrorists. The location of the alleged attack is an al-Qaeda-affiliated controlled area in Idlib province. It is from here that the Western-funded White Helmets operate. Rather conveniently, they were soon at the scene of the alleged attack without the necessary protective clothing being filmed hosing down victims.

As these are the kinds of people who cut out and eat human organs as well as decapitate heads, they are unlikely to have any compunction in desisting from an opportunity to use Syrian civilians, including children and women, as a form of war porn propaganda in order to garner public sympathy as the pretext for Western intervention.

Tom Dugan, who has been living in the country for the last four years, Syrian-based journalist,, who has been living in the country for the last four years, claims no gas attack happened. Rather, he asserts that the Syrian air force destroyed a terrorist-owned and controlled chemical weapons factory mistaking it for an ammunition dump, and the chemicals spilled out. This seems to be the most plausible explanation.

Patrick Lang Donaldwho, on April 7, 2017 Mr Dugans version is markedly similar to the analysis of former DIA colonel,who, on April 7, 2017 said

Trumps decision to launch cruise missile strikes on a Syrian Air Force Base was based on a lie. In the coming days the American people will learn that the Intelligence Community knew that Syria did not drop a military chemical weapon on innocent civilians in Idlib. Here is what happened:

The Russians briefed the United States on the proposed target. This is a process that started more than two months ago. There is a dedicated phone line that is being used to coordinate and deconflict (i.e., prevent US and Russian air assets from shooting at each other) the upcoming operation. The United States was fully briefed on the fact that there was a target in Idlib that the Russians believes was a weapons/explosives depot for Islamic rebels. The Syrian Air Force hit the target with conventional weapons. All involved expected to see a massive secondary explosion. That did not happen. Instead, smoke, chemical smoke, began billowing from the site. It turns out that the Islamic rebels used that site to store chemicals, not sarin, that were deadly. The chemicals included organic phosphates and chlorine and they followed the wind and killed civilians. There was a strong wind blowing that day and the cloud was driven to a nearby village and caused casualties. We know it was not sarin. How? Very simple. The so-called first responders handled the victims without gloves. If this had been sarin they would have died. Sarin on the skin will kill you. How do I know? I went through Live Agent training at Fort McClellan in Alabama.

Assad doesnt possess any chemical weapons. Even The Wall Street Journal, citing a Hague-based watchdog agency, now been removed from the country after a monthlong process. The former colonels testimony is extremely persuasive and exposes the medias attempts to take at face value Pentagon propaganda. Another convincing reason to discount the official narrative, is because. Even The Wall Street Journal, citing a Hague-based watchdog agency, conceded on June 23, 2014 that the dangerous substances from Syrias chemical weapons program, including sulfur mustard and precursors of sarin, haveafter a monthlong process.

Pattern

The alleged attack follows a recent pattern of anti-Assad stories exemplified by four similar controversial events in which the media have attempted to pass fiction off as fact. The first of these on February 13, 2017, relates to the findings of a report by Amnesty International which contends that Assad was responsible for the execution by mass hangings of up to 13,000 people. The alleged atrocity that evoked in the press comparisons to Nazi concentration camps, was within days criticised for its unsubstantiated and uncorroborated claims.

It should be recalled that it was Amnesty International who uncritically supported the emergence of a fake news story during the first Gulf War in which Iraqi soldiers were said to have taken scores of babies out of incubators in Kuwait City leaving them to die.

Anne Barnard of the New York Times The second press release, three days after the mass-execution story aired, concerned the heart-rending case of a Syrian boy whoof the New York Times reported on twitter as having his legscut because of attacks from Assad and Russia.

Dr Barbara McKenzie provides a detailed background to the story which can be read It soon transpired, however, that the organization credited with filming the attacks was Revolution Syria, a pro-insurgency media outfit who also provided the videos for the equally fraudulent claim that the Russians bombed a school in Haas in October 2016.provides a detailed background to the story which can be read here

The third piece of false reporting to have emerged, is in connection with Security Council resolution 2235 which highlights the conclusions of a August, 2015 OPCW-UN report . The said report, aimed at introducing new sanctions against Syria (which Russia and China vetoed), didnt make the claims subsequently attributed to it in the corporate media, namely that between April, 2014 and August, 2015 the Assad government was definitively responsible for three chemical attacks using chlorine.

Charles Shoebridge Security analyst pointed out on March 1, 2017, that most media didnt even seem to bother reading the report. Shoebridge confirmed that the OPCW-UN investigation contained findings that did not correspond to what the public was being told. Pointing out the reports many caveats and reservations, the analyst said the evidence wasnt sufficiently good to declare that Syria had dropped chlorine to a standard that could be considered strong, or overwhelming, adding that investigators were largely reliant on reports from the White Helmets.

Gareth Porter inferred that U.N. investigators increasingly make their conclusions fall in line with Western propaganda after report by the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry which claimed that an airstrike on a humanitarian aid convoy in the west of Aleppo City on Sept. 19, 2016, was undertaken by Syrian government planes. Porter Finally, independent journalistinferred that U.N. investigators increasingly make their conclusions fall in line with Western propaganda after he exposed distortions contained in a March 1, 2017which claimed that an airstrike on a humanitarian aid convoy in the west of Aleppo City on Sept. 19, 2016, was undertaken by Syrian government planes. Porter reveals that the reports findings were based on pro-rebel Syrian White Helmets testimonies that were full of internal contradictions.

Dr. Ulfkotte brought the lies of the mainstream out into the open by confessing live on television that he was forced to publish the works of intelligence agents under his own name, adding that noncompliance with these orders would result in him losing his job. Sharing this information in front of millions of people (reminiscent of the film Network), Ulfkotte Extraordinarily, in March, 2016 German journalistbrought the lies of the mainstream out into the open by confessing live on television that he was forced to publish the works of intelligence agents under his own name, adding that noncompliance with these orders would result in him losing his job. Sharing this information in front of millions of people (reminiscent of the film Network), Ulfkotte said

Ive been a journalist for about 25 years, and I was educated to lie, to betray, and not to tell the truth to the public. But seeing right now within the last months how the German and American media tries to bring war to the people in Europe, to bring war to Russia  this is a point of no return and Im going to stand up and say it is not right what I have done in the past, to manipulate people, to make propaganda against Russia, and it is not right what my colleagues do and have done in the past because they are bribed to betray the people, not only in Germany, all over Europe.
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Where Is Michael Strahan Since His Retirement From The NFL and Who Is His Partner? Michael Strahan is a retired American football player turned media personality. He played the defensive lineman position and holds the record for most sacks in a single NFL season. He also only played for the New York Giants throughout the entire 15-year professional career that saw him win a Super Bowl ring. In February 2014, ...

How Wendy Williams Went From Being a College DJ to Having Her Own Talk Show and More About Her Divorce Wendy Williams is a former radio personality, now talk show host, who is known for her outspokenness and brash no-nonsense attitude. She gained fame and notoriety for her on-air clashes with celebrities before moving on to host her own talk show. Since 2008, Williams has hosted the nationally syndicated television talk show, The Wendy Williams Show. ...

Who is Sunny Hostin? Her Husband, Family & Net Worth Sunny Hostin is no ordinary Latina  American lawyer but also a successful columnist, multi-platform journalist, and social commentator. A happily married woman and mother of two, Hostin is the Senior Legal Correspondent and Analyst for ABC News and co-host of ABCs popular morning talk show, The View. She is a legal expert popularly known as a former ...

Who Is Robert Costa and Is He Married, Who Is His Wife? Robert Costa is a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC who is regarded as being part of Americas next generation of journalists. The University of Notre Dame graduate, who is of Italian/Portuguese descent, has been lauded for his fresh political perspectives in an industry full of old heads. In addition to his work listed above, Costa ...

Team Valor Pokemon Go  7 Key Facts You Need To Know Team Valor Pokemon Go  The craze of the new game Pokemon Go is one that took the gaming world by storm sending teenagers and adults alike into a frenzy and one of its teams Team Valor, has proven to be instrumental in making it so. Before the game was created, Pokemon was a cartoon ...

Sheryl Underwood  Husband, Family & Net Worth She is known for her trademark smile which can be described as the brightest and broadest smile ever seen on planet earth. She is none other than Sheryl Underwood the comedian, actress, and TV host whose funny wits has left America in great awe. Although Sheryl has risen to become an important personality in the industry, ...

Team Mystic Pokemon Go: 7 Facts You Need To Know And Signs You Are One Team Mystic of the break out game Pokemon Go is a team that is full of sass and chivalry. With an enchanting monicker, Team Mystic stands out from the rest of its counterparts and deserves to take the crown as champion in the Pokemon gaming-verse. To be a member of this exceptional team of Pokemon battle ...

Exploring Guy Beahms Dr Disrespect Persona, Wife and Why He was Banned Permanently From Twitch Guy Beahm who is popularly known by his online alias  Dr DisRespect, is an award-winning Twitch.tv streamer. He has leveraged on the Twitch platform to become an internet personality that is quite widely known. His online success is just more proof that anyone who is good at what they do can attain celebrity status ...

Critical Facts About Lee Ann McAdoo  The Infowars Anchor Lee Ann Mcadoo is a conservative journalist and television host whose interests in conspiracies and astrology has established her as a famous American reporter. Often referred to as Wonder Woman, McAdoo is a reporter who works for InfoWars.com, a controversial right-wing website run by radio show host, Alex Jones. Who Is Lee Ann McAdoo? Lee Ann McAdoo was born on 7 ...

Millie Weaver  Age, Husband & Infowars Career Millie Weaver is an American model, journalist, political activist, and social commentator. The young and beautiful journalist rose to fame working as a reporter for a controversial right-wing website InfoWars.com. Also known as Millennial Millie, Weaver is a social media influencer with over 100,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel and over 35,000 followers on Twitter. Who Is Millie Weaver and What Is ...

Is Jessica Tarlov Married? What Are Her Height & Weight? Jessica Tarlov is an American political consultant, strategist, and analyst whose influential and regular TV presence has made a popular figure. A good example of beauty with brains, Tarlov has appeared on various TV networks, mostly the FOX News Network where she is known for her liberal views on political analysis and insights. She is also the senior director ...

Who Is Kelly Rebecca Nichols  Alex Jones Ex-Wife? Kelly Rebecca Nichols is the ex-wife of controversial American radio show host, Alex Jones. She got nationwide attention following her divorce and subsequent custody battle with her estranged husband. Nichols, who worked with PETAs public relations department, was herself no stranger to controversies as she was involved in several publicity stunts of the non-profit animal rights ...

Who Is Bree Morgan  Cole Sprouse Ex-Girlfriend And What Is She Up To Now? Although Bree Morgan became famous through the Instagram, she also sapped some dose of popularity from Disneys sweetheart, Cole Sprouse of the Sprouse brothers. She is not only an Instagram star but also a YouTube vlogger whose popularity has long exceeded the ordinary level. Bree is conspicuously prominent on the internet and has her digital savviness ...

Does Vanna White Have Husband or Children, What Is Her Net Worth / Salary? For over three decades, Vanna White has been a household name, famous as the co-host and letter turner of the iconic NBC game show Wheel of Fortune. The talented and beautiful television personality is also an actress with several TV series and films to her credit. Since making her Wheel of Fortune debut in 1982, she has become one ...

Liz Wheeler  Biography, Husband & Net Worth Liz Wheeler is the kind of girl who sets the room on fire whenever she comes around. In this situation, however, she sets our screens on fire each time she appears as the host of One America News Tipping Point. She is, therefore, a presenter, publisher, consultant and a member of the Board of Zoning ...

Betty White  Net Worth, Children & Husband The entertainment industry will remain indebted to personalities like Betty White who brought something extra to the table and kept the world entertained for donkey years. The comedienne, actress, and writer graced the big screens in the early 50s as a show host and has been a delight since then. She is the queen of ...

Is Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Dead or Alive, What Are His Net Worth & Education? Everyone will always remember Bill Nye as the Science Guy. Besides his TV show Bill Nye the Science Guy, he is well-known for his Netflix show Bill Nye Saves the World which started airing in 2017 as well as his appearances in many famous media projects as a science educator. The star studied mechanical engineering ...

Is Cesar Millan Dead, Who Is The Wife & What Is His Net Worth? Cesar Millan is the famous dog whisperer who often stirs up mixed emotions. The Mexican-American is precisely speaking, a dog behaviorist; he has been in the game for over 25 years. His Emmy-nominated television series, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan further pushed his method and tactics into the limelight. The series was produced from 2004 ...

Is Thomas Sanders Gay and Does He Have A Boyfriend? By the time Vine was shut down in January 2017, Thomas Sanders was already popular within and beyond the internet community for his heavy involvements on the online video hosting platform. After the tragic shutdown of Vine impacted on the growing career of the multi-talented personality, he immediately switched over to YouTube where he continued to upload ...

Is Shepard Smith Gay, Who Is The Boyfriend & What Is His Net Worth? There are only a few media personalities who are as bold and confident as Shepard Smith. Apart from his impressive stint at Fox News Channel which includes but not limited to his classic news delivery, upfront stance on virtually every issue and much more; he loves his job as much as he loves his personality. Smith ...

Is Milo Yiannopoulos Gay? His Husband and Net Worth Milo Yiannopoulos is a popular writer, journalist, polemicist, public speaker, and political commentator who is also known as the founder of The Kernel, an online blog. He has been said to be among the list of 100 weird and influential people in the United Kingdom. He appeared on this list as a result of personal beliefs and ...

Does Ryan Seacrest Have A Wife Or Girlfriend, What Is His Net Worth? From radio to television, Ryan Seacrest is a household name and a force to be reckoned with in showbiz. The radio personality, television host, and producer is best recognized as the host of the popular TV talent search contest American Idol. Heres how the media personality who always knew what his lifes ambition was and diligently pursued ...

Is Anderson Cooper Gay, Who is The Boyfriend or Husband? For many, the thought of becoming a millionaire by writing and talking about other people appears unachievable but this is the reality of the prominent American journalist Anderson Cooper who gathered millions of dollars for conducting accurate political analysis and other vital reports on TV. He is the main anchor of the CNN news show Anderson ...

Is David Muir Gay or Does He Have A Wife, What Is His Salary? David Muir is an Emmy Award-winning journalist who works for the ABC broadcast-television network and anchors the ABC World News Tonight with David Muir program while also co-anchoring the magazine program 20/20. The Ithaca College graduate, whose show has become the most-watched newscast in America, has covered stories from all across America and the world; reporting ...

Joel Osteen  Divorce Rumors, Net Worth & Family Members Joel Osteen is an American Televangelist, Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church based in Houston, Texas, a husband and a father of two. He is an author of many books, seven of which are New York Times Best Sellers and his televised sermons capture more than 7 million viewers per week and 20 million every month ...

Who Is Todd Chrisley? What To Know About His Children, Gay Rumors & Net Worth Premiered on the USA network in 2014, Chrisley Knows Best is one of the most watched family reality TV shows in the U.S. The series which is currently in its sixth season is centered around U.S real estate mogul Todd Chrisley and his family. The show reveals Todd the patriarch of the Chrisley family as a strict dad who rules ...

Who Is Shannon Bream Of Fox News? Her Husband, Children & Net Worth Shannon Bream who hosts the iconic primetime program started her journalism career in the late 1990s debuting as the evening and late-night news reporter for the CBS affiliate, WBTV. The beauty from America currently works for the Fox News Channel and she is best known for anchoring the primetime program. She also hosts Americas News ...

Is Troye Sivan Gay, Who Is His Boyfriend and What Is His Net Worth? Troye Sivan is an Australian singer and songwriter best known for songs like Happy Little Pill, Youth, Heaven (with Betty Who) and The Boyfriend Tag (with Tyler Oakley) which have all garnered him different awards and ranked on the Billboard Charts. Sivan, who was born in South Africa but now resides in the United States, is ...

Did iDubbbz Have Cancer, Is He Gay and Who Is His Girlfriend Now? iDubbbz is one YouTuber who has made a career out of courting controversy. Renowned for his absurdist channels and comedy video series, the Los Angeles based personality is the owner of two channels, iDubbzTV, and iDubbzTV2, as well as the brains behind comedy video series such as Content Cop, Kickstarter Crap, Gaming News Crap, and ...

Inside Greg Gutfelds Love Story With Wife Elena Moussa and Why Fans Thought He Was Gay Greg Gutfeld is a seasoned American television producer whose career in the media industry has spanned over a decade. He is a man of many talents who makes extra income through comedy, journalism, and editorial works. Gutfeld regularly appears on Fox News Channel as a panellist and co-host of the political talk show The Five ...

Works That Made Bo Burnham A Household Name and How Much He Is Worth Now One of YouTubes first viral stars and the worlds most exciting young comedian, Bo Burnham, has always amazed critics and comedy aficionados alike. Often regarded as the Justin Bieber of comedy, thanks to his fresh looks, floppy blond hair and hoodies, he has a multi-faceted career bigger than many comedians twice his age. It wouldnt ...

Is Louie Anderson Gay And What Is His Net Worth? Louie Anderson has one of the most abstract faces in the industry and equally knows how to use it to his advantage. He is not only a stand-up comedian but also an actor and television host who is known for his distinctive comic wits. Some of his notable projects include Family Feud, where he was ...

Is Don Lemon of CNN Gay, Who is His Partner and What Is His Salary? Don Lemon has risen to become one of the most recognizable faces on CNN over the past few years. The fiery journalist, who anchors CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, is liked and somewhat disliked for his strong and candid opinions on a variety of matters that do not just include politics but also race, significantly, matters that ...

Is Rachel Maddow Gay, Who is the Wife and How Much Does She Earn in Salary? Rachel Maddow is an award-winning American journalist, political commentator, and television news anchor. She is best known for hosting the popular nightly TV show The Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC. Prior to this, she hosted a talk radio program on Air America Radio from 2005 to 2010. As of now, the TV sensation co-anchors MSNBCs ...

Demystifying Pokimane  Her Real Name, Ethnicity & Boyfriend Like most social media celebrities in this digital era, Pokimane Thicc is one of those stars who took advantage of the internet to make a name for herself. Given the unlimited potentials which the social media space offers, many people have been instantly propelled to fame just by posting creative online contents. Not only has ...

A Breakdown of Kris Jenners Net Worth, Sources Of Income and Relationships Over The Years Standing outside and looking in, Kris Jenner looks like the oil that greases the wheels of the entire Kardashian/Jenner machine. She has been dubbed a momager and rightfully so because she seems to have had a part to play in the trajectory of each and every one of her daughters individually and the Kardashian brand ...

Pursuits That Brought Liza Koshys Fame To its Zenith and Her Love Life Since David Dobrik Liza Koshy is an American actress who has leveraged YouTube as a platform to promote her comedy while also serving as a television host on occasions. She is talented and funny and has gathered a lot of fans from around the world. Koshy started on Vine in high school and was able to get millions of ...

Alex Aiono Biography  Inside The Life Of The American Singer Not everyone who started from the streets has attained the heights where Alex Aiono is currently. His story could be referred to as the perfect definition of rising from Grass to Grace. He came into the limelight after he started out as a YouTuber, singer, and producer. One fascinating thing about the young YouTuber is ...

Virginia Vallejo Biography And Her Love Story With Pablo Escobar Virginia Vallejo can be referred to as one of the oldest whistleblowers in history after her involvement with Pablo Escobar which made her famous. Over the years, many questions have been raised about her relationship with the drug lord and why she endangered her life to be with him despite his notorious acts. The death ...

Princess Love Bio  Ethnicity, Real Name & Parents For many people, Princess Love is simply Ray Js wife but there is so much more to this feisty lady than meets the eye. She is a star in her own right and has many feathers on her cap. Princess Love is a reality TV star, a model, video vixen, and fashion designer. She and her ...

Who is Papa Franku Also Known As Filthy Frank or Joji, Where is He Now? The social media as we all know today has given people the opportunity to be creative and innovative and at the same time, make something of themselves. YouTube is one of the known social platforms we have today that makes it possible for people to express their God-given talents and post videos they created to ...

Who Is Molly Qerim, How Did She Become a Famous Sports Anchor and Who Is Her Husband? Molly Qerim is an American sports anchor popularly known for moderating First Take, a highly rated sports talk show, on ESPN. Prior to joining ESPN, Qerim hosted Fantasy Live and NFL AM on NFL Network. It is quite obvious that the widely acclaimed television personality is in a class of her own when it comes ...

Safiya Nygaard  Height, Parents & Net Worth Safiya Nygaard is an American YouTuber, writer, content producer, and director who is popular for posting makeup, beauty and fashion videos on YouTube. Her videos regularly top at least one million views, thanks to her lively character as well as her willingness to experiment with outrageous outfits and different beauty products. Here are the things to ...

The Rigors of Sunlen Serfatys Career Journey Until CNN and Fun Facts About Her Personal Life CNN correspondent, Sunlen Serfaty is an Emmy Award-winning journalist known for covering a broad range of breaking news stories, national news, and Washington politics. She has been able to garner widespread recognition for herself which even goes beyond the sphere of her work. Her profile also increased with the extensive work she did in covering ...

Demystifying Jazz Jennings Real Name, Boyfriend & Family Of One The Youngest Transgenders Jazz Jennings is an unusual personality who became famous as a transgender activist and was recorded as the youngest documented public figure to be seen as transgender. She is also a YouTube personality and spokesmodel for brands, her fans, and other transgenders. She fought for acceptance in her high school with her super supportive family for over ...

Inside Fred Armisens Life  Ethnicity, Romantic Relationships and Gay Rumors Fred Armisen is an award-winning American comedian, he is also a writer, an actor as well as a musician. He was a cast member of the legendary comedy show, Saturday Night Live for 13 years and also one of the brains behind the successful satirical show Portlandia. Find out more about this incredibly talented guy ...

Ed and Lorraine Warren Biography: Cases, Kids, and Family Life Have you ever woken up with fear you could not explain, or felt a strange presence that made the hair at your nape rise or even experienced strange occurrences around you? Well, these were some of the promptings that made the well-known paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren delve into trying to explain the ideas ...

Truth About Tony Romos Wife, Kids and Life Since His NFL Retirement Tony Romo grew from the field as a quarterback to the screens as an American Football Analyst. He was a quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys in the richest football league in the world (NFL) before retiring. As a junior, he was honored as an All-Ohio Conference Member, an Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year and ...

Who is Brittany Venti, The Controversial Game Streamer and YouTuber? In recent times, many people live stream themselves playing video games. This has become a popular pastime on the internet and many highly skilled gamers have become internet celebrities through this means. However, some of them rather than becoming renowned for their gaming skills and great commentary, have become controversial and infamous. A good example ...

Rob Dyrdeks Family: His Kids And Relationship With Wife Bryiana Noelle Flores A multi-talented star and an elite pro skateboarder, Rob Dyrdeks success story began at a remarkably young age. Yet another proof that schooling doesnt always correlate with success, Rob has established himself not just as a phenomenal sportsman but also as a successful entrepreneur. Besides perfecting his skill as a natural talent on the board, ...

xChocobars  Biography and Everything You Should Know About Her Having distinguished herself and recorded massive successes in an industry notably dominated by men, it is very safe to say that Xchocobars deserves all the attention and cash she makes from her career. A household name on Twitch (a smart live streaming video platform), the online-gamer is popularly known for streaming classic games such as Stardew ...

Everything To Know About Mary Padian, Her Boyfriend and Net Worth Mary Padian is a famous American television reality personality best known for her involvements on the Reality show Storage Wars. She also has her own shop called Mary finds where she displays her antique collections. Since her childhood, Padian has been a creative learner. At the time, she used to create new items out of reusable ones and ...

Betsy Woodruffs Family Life: Is She Married or Related To Bob Woodruff? An old name in the world of journalism, Betsy Woodruff has warmed her way into the hearts of many with her impressive talents. Through hard work, Woodruff has carved a niche for herself in a very competitive field. Betsy has strong family and work values and is also an advocate for equal opportunities for everyone ...

Matpat (Matthew Patrick)  Wife, Height & Net Worth As far as internet business is concerned, Matpat remains one of the most dynamic and seasoned figures. He boasts a wealth of experience that has helped him in growing his business from one level of greatness to another. Like most successful people, MatPat started out small but today, he makes millions of dollars from his ...

Facts About Ricegum  His Girlfriend, Real Name & Net Worth Ricegum is an online gamer and YouTube sensation who ditched college; took advantage of the digital era, and made a name for himself on the internet. Though he began as a gaming YouTuber, Ricegum soon gained recognition as a controversial internet star following his many diss tracks. Here is everything you need to know about the youngster ...

Joy Taylor Once Married MLBs Richard Giannotti  Inside Look At Her Love Life and Family The erosion of the sexist idea that women have no business in sports broadcasting created a host of women celebrities who attained fame outside of modeling and acting. One of them, Joy Taylor, a radio personality and TV host for Fox Sports 1, has been in the industry since 2009, becoming one of the most ...

What To Know About Conan OBriens Wife, Kids & Family Today The name Conan OBrien is one that jumps right at you almost immediately you start talking about the most popular television hosts in the USA and this is no surprise because the man behind that name has risen to become one of the most admired men in the business. Known for hosting the late-night talk ...

David Letterman  Net Worth, Wife & Son In all of American, one man whose face has been seen frequently by late night TV talk show lovers is none but David Letterman. The comedian and TV show veteran has been hosting late night talk shows for more than three decades. His Late Night with David Letterman show began on February 1st, 1982 aired ...

Demystifying Sssniperwolfs Family Background And The Boyfriends Shes Had Since she launched her eponymously named channel in 2013, Sssniperwolf has been on the rise when it comes to video game influencers. She is one of the biggest names in the online gaming subgenre of YouTube videos. Real name Lia Shelesh, she started with Call of Duty: Black Ops II but has diversified with other ...

Lester Holt  Wife, Family & Net Worth Lester Holt is a multiple award-winning journalist, newscaster, reporter, and actor who has worked for notable media houses like WCBS TV, CBS, MSNBC and among others. His remarkable feat in journalism has endeared him to the hearts of many and earned him some awards and recognitions. Read on to get acquainted with his biography, ethnicity, ...

What Is Louis C.K. Doing Now, Where Are His Family And How Much Is His Net Worth? It is not easy to make it in comedy. It takes more than a funny bone and the ability to elicit a few giggles from a listening audience. For all the complexities that go into making a successful career in comedy, Louis C.K, the Washington D.C-born comedian, did it. For years, he was at the ...

The Progression of Hoda Kotbs Career, Her Ancestry and Family Life Hoda Kotb gained fame as a television host and news anchor for NBC. She anchors the shows signature show Today, and it has been an excellent vehicle for her skills in front of a camera. Kotb has won several awards, including Daytime Emmys and Peabody Awards. Simply put, she is one of the most successful ...

Jerry Seinfelds Family: All About The Amazing Comedians Wife and Kids Apparently one of the highly important entertainers in America, Jerry Seinfeld is a man of many talents. A very funny man, he is considered to be one of the most successful comedians in the USA who has been in the business as a professional rib-cracker for more than 40 years. As an actor, he has ...

The Rigors Of Sarah Silvermans Rise To Prominence And Rundown Of The Men She Has Dated A comedian, writer, and actress, Sarah Silvermans art and craft is as unique as you would ever find. Her poignant use of comedy to discuss social issues such as race, sexism, politics, and religion has gained her an impressive following. As unorthodox as her style is, so is her life experiences. She previously suffered from epiglottitis ...

Who Is Hannibal Buress, Does He Have A Wife or Girlfriend & Why Was He Arrested? Making people laugh when they are tense or not in the mood is a tough order and to ply the trade, it must indeed take some guts and expertise, this is what the humor maker, Hannibal Buress has been able to achieve and sustain after his inital teething process. The African-American is a screen writer, stand-up ...

The Success of John Mulaneys Career Efforts Since His Work On Saturday Night Live and Facts About His Wife John Mulaney had been working as a professional comedian for years before Saturday Night Live changed his status for life and like many who are now his fans, you probably did not know of him then. However, that changed when he joined the sketch comedy show in 2008. Since then, he has been one of ...

Jeff Dunham  Wife, Children and Net Worth Ventriloquism is a very subtle method of making an inanimate object (like a puppet, doll or dummy) appear to be saying words which are actually coming from the person (holding the inanimate object). In effect, the individual throws his/her voice to the puppet and can even appear to be having a conversation with it. Not ...

Ellen DeGeneres  Net Worth, Wife  Portia de Rossi & Parents Ellen DeGeneres is an American female standup comedian who has proven that whatever a man can do, a woman can also do. Since her journey as a standup comedian started in 1981, she has held swirl as one of the finest comedians America and the world at large has seen. She is often referred to ...

Revisiting Joan Rivers Death  The Daughter, Husband & Net Worth She Left Behind Joan Rivers was a renowned American comedian, TV host, writer, and actress. Her brand of comedy consisted of scathing one-liners and no individual or topic is spared. She hosted her own talk shows in the 80s and 90s and was a pioneer for women in stand up comedy. She was the first woman to host a late night ...

The Struggles of Margaret Chos Childhood, How It Influenced Her Career Growth and Love Life Margaret Cho is best described as a comic star who knows how to maneuver everything related to life into a rib-cracking joke. She is also known to criticize every social and political problem, especially those involving race and sexuality. Apart from her talents as a comic actress, she does amazingly well as a singer and ...

Where Is Eric Bolling Today? Who Is His Son & What Is His Net Worth? Eric Bolling who was once a notable figure on Fox News, is an American TV personality, an author, and versatile Journalist. As a political and financial analyst/commentator, he anchored discussions bothering on finance for Fox Business Channel. Here is everything there is to know about his career, family, and allegations that led to his exit ...

Who Is Chelsea Handler and Does She Have A Husband or Boyfriend? Chelsea Handler is one of Americas top female comedians. She is also an actress, writer, television host, producer, and activist. She is known to be very outspoken even with things that are very personal. In separate interviews with The New York Times, Handler revealed that she had an abortion twice when she was 16. She has authored five books ...

How Did Laura Lee Achieve Fame, How Much is She Worth and Who is Her Husband? Laura Lee is a popular American YouTuber, make-up artist and beauty blogger. From posting videos of her makeup routines on Instagram, Lee has transformed into a beauty influencer and a YouTube sensation. Today, her YouTube Channel has over 630 million views and 4.5 million subscribers. Asides having millions of followers across all social media platforms, ...

Madison Gesiotto Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Measurements Madison Gesiotto is no ordinary woman; although she excelled in quite a number of pageants and competitions while she was in school, it is her views on politics and issues in America that has made her name known to most people. She possesses beauty and intelligence in a seemingly equal measure and has been able ...

Who Is Lil Tay? Parents, Brother, Sister, Age, Net Worth, Ethnicity Child stardom is nothing new in the entertainment world. With the advent of social media, we have seen more stars made from the internet than ever before, and Lil Tay is one of them. Her uploaded rap videos trademark is cursing, swearing, cash-throwing, and use of obscene languages. Her fame went wild after she dropped ...

What To Know About Tig Notaros Wife, Kids and Family Today Tig Notaro is an American stand-up comic star, writer, actress, and radio analyst. Since she started her career in 2001, she has become one of Americas best comedians, particularly when it comes to observational comedy. One prominent aspect of her routine involves her family, which includes a wife and two children. Interestingly, Tig Notaro is part ...

Who Is Chantel Jeffries? What To Know About Her Age, Ethnicity & Net Worth Chantel Jeffries is a lady of many talents. Beyond being celebrated as a DJ, she has fared well as a model, an actress, musician, and as an artist. She first rose to fame on Instagram where she has a large following. However, in recent times, she has hit the spotlight for her rumored relationships with some ...

Is Ellen DeGeneres Married, Who Is The Brother  Vance DeGeneres and Family Members? Ellen DeGeneres is one of a kind celebrity in todays world as she has used her wealth for the greater good for many people. She has served a host of famous awards shows like the Grammy, Primetime Emmy and Academy Awards. Moreso, she is probably one of the most decorated entertainment personalities around the world and ...

Carli Bybel Bio  Height, Boyfriend & Net Worth Video blogging is now on the rise and YouTube is the place where most of it happens. If you are a lady who cares about her looks or a guy who likes to help his woman out with her looks, then one person whose name rings a bell when it comes to giving beauty tips ...

Who Is Lexy Panterra? What To Know About Her Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth Lexy Panterra is one of the YouTube personalities whose breakout came through the Twerk dance videos she posted on her social media handles and YouTube which has so far generated over 13 million views for her. From there on, she created her LexTwerkOut workout program in 2014. She is sure very talented as she as moved ...

Who Is AnneMunition? What Is Her Ethnicity & Does She Have A Girlfriend or Boyfriend? AnneMunition is a professional gamer and content creator of American origin. She is one of the most sought-after streamers on Twitch  a popular online platform for watching and streaming videos, especially video games. AnneMunition has almost half a million followers on Twitch and her channel has accumulated at least 13 million views. Her favorite games ...

Norm MacDonald  Former Wife, Son & Net Worth Recently, 59-year-old former Saturday Night Live stand-up comic Norm MacDonald caused a not-so-funny stir when he expressed his personal opinion about the #MeToo movement speaking in defense of Louis CK and Roseanne Barr. Following the backlash of his actions, he is diligently doing damage control for his questionable opinion by posting a public apology on ...

Inside Iliza Shlesingers Life With Husband and How Much She is Worth Now Witty, spontaneous, and truly humorous, Iliza Shlesinger is an American comedian who is clearly proving that the stereotypical claim that women are not really funny is not only incredibly wrong but completely outrageous. Having been in the game for more than 10 years, Shlesinger has grown bigger with each step, stunning fans with her incredible ...

Who Is Nessa Diab? Details of her Parents, Ethnicity & Relationship With Colin Kaepernick Nessa Diab has gained more fame as the girlfriend of different footballers than in her career. She is currently with the popular National Football League (NFL) player, Colin Kaepernick, and has stood by his side during his most trying times. Also known for her mononym, Nessa, she recently engaged in a tweet battle with the ...

Samantha Bee  Inside the Life of Full Frontal Comedian and Presenter We have over the decades seen various brands of humor and personalities who have walked the ropes. One of the formidable forces in the world of comedy is no other than the iconic Samantha Bee of the Daily Show who now runs her own television show on TBS channel. She is a Canadian-American political commentator, ...

What Happened To Jessica Williamss Boyfriend And Which Are Her Best Works? Jessica Williams is a woman who has a lot of feathers in her cap  and keeps acquiring more. The former senior political correspondent of the comic Daily Show, who is also a comedian and actress whose recent movie appearance include starring as a playwright just recovering from a recent split with her boyfriend, Damon, and ...

Who is Nicole Byer? Here are 5 Facts You Need To Know About The Comedian Nicole Byer, an American comedian, actress, and writer, made a name for herself after she played supporting roles on MTVs prank show Ladylike and the reality show Girl Code. The latter was a series that featured comedians who analyzed in minute details, all the issues that young women deal with daily, from period to dating, to weird friendship dynamics and questions about sex. Currently, ...

A Closer Look At Bart Kwans Ethnicity, Height & Personal Life Bart Kwan is one of few Asians who is known for being successful in the comic industry at an international level. His fame broke out after the YouTube channel which he created with his close pal Joe Jo garnered up massive followings. The talented duo has been running the channel since 2007 and their success ...

Heres How VanossGaming Achieved Fame Online, His Worth and Other Facts About The Gamer For many years, the decision to drop out of college to pursue an online career was considered to be foolish and self-destructive by conventional wisdom. It was no different when Evan Fong, popularly known as VanossGaming, dropped out of college to pursue a YouTube career. However, that radical move paid off, and he stands shoulder to ...

Desi Perkins  Ethnicity, Net Worth & Husband YouTube is littered with videos of makeup tutorials by different people but if you are interested in learning how to do your makeup like a pro, there is just one person on that platform who you must follow. She is none other than Desi Perkins! She is a popular make-up artist, Instagram star, and vlogger. Desi, ...

The Phases of Casey Neistats Pursuits and His Love Story With Candice Pool YouTuber, vlogger, filmmaker, and creator extraordinaire; these are just a few hats that Casey Neistat wears and the story of how he got here is incredible. A native of Connecticut, Neistat started out by making refreshingly-authentic short films and videos that featured content that was based on everyday life and called attention to serious issues. He ...

Connor Franta  Inside The Life of American YouTuber YouTube has produced a lot of young celebrities in modern times and Connor Franta happens to be one of them. Apart from being a YouTuber, the young American is also an entrepreneur, entertainer, and writer. His journey to fame began almost a decade ago when he started a self-named YouTube channel where he uploads content ranging ...

Rhett and Link  Bio, Who are Their Wives, Net Worth and Family Facts Rhett and Link refer to an American comedy duo who are very popular on YouTube. They are known for their comic songs, viral commercials, skits and the daily show, Good Mythical Morning. Good Mythical Morning is the most watched daily show online, averaging 100 million views in a month. The show has featured guests such ...

A Walk Through The Maze of Ryan Higas Career Pursuits And Relationship With Arden Cho Ryan Higa is not only celebrated as a YouTube star, but he is also famed for appearing on television screens as an actor and comedian. Nigahiga, his Youtube channel, has gathered over 20 million subscribers and billions of views with his different comic acts, short films, and music videos uploads. With the rise in his career, ...

What to Know About The Shows That Made Craig Ferguson a Star and His Family Ties Rising to the top of your profession can sometimes be a hard and difficult process. It requires days and nights of working consistently hard to be better than what you were yesterday. It requires not giving up when all of your experiences seem to be pushing you to quit. It is because of these challenges ...

David Dobrik Married Liza Koshy for One Month  Inside His Family and Relationships David Dobrik is a YouTube sensation who has garnered fame not just for his vlogs but his love life too. Given his career as a YouTuber, his channel is one place where he shares his romantic escapades. With a cute boyish look like his, this Slovakian young man is definitely a good catch, and not ...

Merrell Twins Bio  Ethnicity, Parents & Boyfriend One of the beautiful things about modern life is social media. As rudimentary as it might seem, it could turn out to be the greatest thing that would be invented in the next 50 years because of its impact on human life. Very few tools have revolutionized human behavior and culture as much as social ...

Who Is Bunny Meyer, Is She Married & What Is Her Net Worth? Bunny Meyer is a YouTube celebrity who has amassed over 8.8 million subscribers with 1.5 million viewers on her channel. She is popularly known as Grav3yardgirl and is one of the highest-paid YouTubers in the world. She initially started out as a fashion designer and later chose the path of a YouTuber. Grav3yardgirl has used her knowledge on fashion, makeup, ...

Ninja  Inside The Life of The American YouTuber and Internet Personality Ninja is a talented video game player known for his mastery of Fortnite and other seemingly difficult games he plays with ease. The video gamer made a career out of what is ordinarily the hobby of many people and has since then amassed a huge online following. Find out about him here, including the controversies that ...

What Is Eva Gutowskis True Sexuality and How Did She Rise So Fast As an Influencer? Ever since Eva Gutowski joined YouTube in 2011, it has been an interesting journey for her, moving from one milestone to the other. Backed by an army of young women and teenage girl fans known as Evanators, she has risen to become one of the most-talked-about personalities in the digital stratosphere. She has also leveraged ...

Emma Chamberlain Biography  Age, Height & Net Worth Before now, people in the entertainment industry could only achieve popularity after many years of dedication and hard work but since social media came into the scene, massive success and overnight popularity became possible. That is the story of Emma Chamberlain who encountered fame as a fifteen-year-old. Emma is one of the many young people who became ...

Anna Akana  Ethnicity, Boyfriend & Net Worth There is a new crop of YouTubers known by their different contents with a very strong uniqueness that stands every one of them out, some upload video games, some fashion while some others have comedy video contents to showcase on their channels. Anna Akana has used her platform to showcase her comedy contents to the ...

Revealing Truths About Lilly Singhs Ethnic Background, Family and Her Relationship With Yousef Erakat Lilly Singh is an Indian-Canadian YouTube personality, actress, and comedian also known as Superwoman. She kicked off her YouTube career in 2010 with the launch of her channel IISuperwomanII and followed it up with a vlog channel in 2011. This paved the way for her fame and success which led to a world tour. The ...

Who Is Andrea Constand, Is She Married and What Is Her Connection With Bill Cosby? Many people got sexually molested but could not voice out due to the stigma victims suffer and what will become of them thereafter. Very few of the victims danm every consequence to seek justice and bring the perpetrator to the book, like Andrea Constand. She never got any media buzz, not until her friend cum molester; ...

Who Is Lazarbeam (Lannan Eacott)? Here Are Facts You Need To Know Lannan Eacott became a person of interest after his YouTube channel, LazarBeam pulled him to the limelight. Initially, he started with uploads of Madden Challenge videos before deciding to build his own channel in January 2015. Within the space of three years, his YouTube channel had gathered over 7 million loyal subscribers. Today, he has not ...

Puzzling Facts About Wengies YouTube Success and More About Her Fiance Among the many YouTubers who have succeeded in winning the hearts of millions of people is Wengie. She is a Chinese-Australian YouTube personality, vlogger, singer, and voice actress. Wengie is famous for a lot of things, from her simple life hacks, DIYs, craft ideas to fun experiments, tricks and pranks. Her content portfolio also includes hair tutorials, diet & fitness tips, lookbooks, ...

Is Jeffree Star A Billionaire and How Much Does He Make On YouTube? If looks can be deceptive then theres no other person who proves this maxim better than Jeffree Star. A quick look at Stars pictures would likely leave you wondering whether or not to tag him a male or female. But who says being controversial has to be a curse? For Star, his looks have caught ...

The Place of Rosanna Pansinos Career Hats In Her Rise To Fame and Facts About Her Personal Life There are a few phrases that could summarize Rosanna Pansinos rise to fame. None of them can do it better than the famous axiom, no knowledge is lost. Her popularity YouTube comes out of her foray into other professions, specifically acting. Although acting now occupies one of the major professional hats in Rosannas resume, it was ...

Muselk (Elliott Watkins) Biography  Age, Girlfriend and Net Worth The new and best in-thing in terms of career is video gaming and we have over time seen young men and women make massive income from an activity that was purportedly designed to serve as a hobby or a relaxation activity. One of such individuals is the Australian-born YouTube Celebrity and Twitch streamer, Muselk, whose ...

PopularMMOs Biography: 5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know We have over the years seen social media millionaires, especially on the YouTube social platform. These celebrities cum millionaires have made names for themselves after carving out niches on the internet, and a typical example of one of such exciting media personality on the YouTube is American Minecraft gamer and YouTube star, PopularMMOs whose channel ...

Jason Nash Once Married Marney Hochman  What To Know About His Ex-Wife and Kids The now-defunct video-sharing app Vine was the path that led Jason Nash to fame. With it, he built an audience of over two million followers, which he parlayed into a significant YouTube career. That move has seen him become one of the most popular personalities on the internet, with the cash income to go with ...

Where Does Dantdm Live? What Do We Know About His Net Worth, Wife and Brother? Most parents buy video games for their kids to occupy their time leisure, while other parents frown at their kids when they play video games. Despite the disparity, every parent would be proud of their child if he/she eventually turns a celebrity or millionaire through playing video games like Dantdm. Biography of Dantdm Dantdm was born Daniel ...

LaurDIY  Biography: 5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTuber LaurDIY is the YouTube channel of Lauren Riihimaki which she created on December 1, 2011, when she was still a college undergrad with the sole aim of giving Do It Yourself (DIY) as well as practical fashion and beauty tips to her followers. She has used the channel to establish herself as a YouTube personality ...

Lachlan Ross Power  Bio And Family Life Of Australian The YouTube Star It is amazing the varied sources of income that the internet has made possible in this day and age. Internet fame can get its holder a whole lot of monetary and social benefits, but it must be noted that it does not come easy or cheap. For those who desire fame, content is the sacrifice ...

Alfie Deyes  Bio and Net Worth: Everything You Need To Know Alfie Deyes is one internet personality you definitely would like to know about. He boasts of over 10 million subscribers on three of his YouTube channels and has three bestseller books to his name. He is probably the most renowned young personality on YouTube today and his vlogging empire continues to grow by the day. ...

Colleen Ballingers Love Story With Husband Erik Stocklin and How Much She Is Worth Now Colleen Ballinger is an American comedian and YouTuber who is a very funny, adventurous, and highly talented woman. She is also an actress, singer, and writer. Collen is widely known for her work on YouTube where she posts content on her channel, Miranda Sings. The comedian has gained many subscribers over the years and has ...

Who Are The Dude Perfect Members and How Much Are They Worth? Entertainment in the 21st century can be digested in many forms and with platforms like YouTube, the creators and purveyors of entertainment have been democratized. Today, one of the most popular platforms to exhibit ones creative talents is YouTube, even though there are other platforms like Twitter, Facebook, who suffer in comparison to YouTube because ...

Who Is Rudy Mancuso, What Is His Earning Power and What Do We Know About His Girlfriend? Rudy Mancuso started his internet journey on Vine. He would later transition to YouTube where he solidified his place among the internets most beloved comedic creators. He is now regarded as one of the renowned internet personalities in the world, with a presence in mainstream TV and film projects like Comedy Centrals Drunk History and ...

Vsauce (Michael Stevens) Biography and Net Worth: All You Need To Know The advent of YouTube and the internet as a whole revolutionized how human beings consume information. With each passing year, the percentage of learning that is done in a traditional classroom decrease as a seismic shift to internet-based learning happens in our education industry. From open courses online to YouTube classes and videos, there are ...

How did Jake Paul Make His YouTube Big Break and Who is His Wife? One of the most interesting Social Media personalities of the 21st century is the young and popular Jake Paul whose elder brother is the famed Vine star, Logan Paul. Jake has utilized the power of the internet to bring himself to the limelight with a channel named JakePaulProductions that has amassed up to six billion ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About Reaction Time (Tal Fishman)  The American YouTuber Before 2015, the leading meaning of reaction time was the amount of time it takes to respond to a stimulus, until Tal Fishman started his channel, Reaction Time on YouTube and the dominant meaning changed. Today, a google search of Reaction Time would deliver Tal Fishmans videos and YouTube channel link with a few physics ...

Grace Helbig  Net Worth, Boyfriend and Family Life of The YouTuber Grace Helbig is an American internet personality, comedian, actress, and writer. She became popular due to her daily vlog series, DailyGrace, which ran on My Damn Channel from 2008 to 2013. Helbig is also popular for her own indie series on YouTube, ItsGrace, which she launched in 2014. Her vlogs which feature random stuff such as ...

Mark Wiens Bio  Ethnicity, Wife and Parents Food is a great way to connect with people. We all love to eat, if not for the pleasure of food, the satisfaction of quenching hunger, and the very process of providing and sharing that food is part of the strongest bonds that bind humanity together. Maybe it is our historical connection to food, where ...

Is Filthy Frank Dead, What Happened To Him and How Much Is He Worth? As George Kusunoki Miller, he was a nobody. However, as Filthy Frank, George was one of the most famous internet personalities on the planet. The Filthy Frank Show, a sketch series on his YouTube channel, TVFilthyFrank, was one of the platforms most influential creations. He is the reason a crazy dance song, Harlem Shake, made it ...

CaptainSparklez Bio  Net Worth, House and Cars of The Famous YouTuber Sometimes, what society wants from its citizens is quite different from what the citizens want for themselves. This is evident in the life and career of video blogger and American YouTube personality, Jordan Maron famous for his YouTube channel CaptainSparklez. He dropped out of school after discovering his talent in playing an online game called Minecraft. ...

Who is Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg)? Here are Facts You Must Know Canadian Youtube personality, Simply Nailogical (Cristine Rotenberg) originally started out polishing and designing nails even before it became a trendy culture in the social media. Simply Nailogica started out her showbiz career in her early days as a child actress, acting in commercials for game and toy companies. Aside from acting, she is blogger, vlogger, specializing ...

5 Interesting Facts You Need To Know About Huda Beauty In the world of entrepreneurship, it is interesting when an individual has a mentor who he/she looks up to, this yield more productivity on the part of the individual. The iconic and rich American beautician and makeup artist Huda Kattan nicknamed Heida is the founder of the Huda Beauty blog which is number one Instagram beauty blog ...

Is Dino MasterChef Gay? Details About His Ethnicity, Girlfriend, Where He Is Now Food, for the better part of the early years of human life, was nothing more than what we needed for survival. There was no artistry or curation to the method of cooking. The scarcity of food left no room for artistic expression until we figured out agriculture and we could make as much as we ...

Who Is Gabbie Hanna And How Did She Become Famous? As the world shifts to digital media and depends more and more on streaming services for its news and entertainment content, YouTubers have become one of the leading creators in the new media world. Their understanding of the online audience: how to create, maintain, and increase followers, are all handy skills that have primed them ...

Jacksepticeye  Height, Girlfriend & Net Worth Jacksepticeye is a YouTuber and actor who gained popularity with a series of gaming videos he uploads on his channel to the delight of millions of his subscribers. He is Known primarily for his comic video game series titled Lets Play and his vlogs. His channel was formerly ranked 46th in the list of most subscribed ...

Chris Heria Personal Details: About His Wife, Height & Ethnicity Background In this generation, keeping fit has become one of the major criteria for being hale and hearty. In fact, most occupations these days are majorly concerned with ones body mass, weight and looks. Unlike the past where most people have to register in a gym to keep fit, social media has made it quite easy ...

Everything You Need To Know About Game Grumps Gaming is becoming incredibly popular on YouTube these days with game vloggers make millions of dollars out of them yearly. One of the most popular up-coming gaming YouTube channels is Game Grumps. The Lets Play series was created in 2012 and celebrated its fifth anniversary on July 18th, 2017. In six years of its existence, the ...

Daithi De Nogla Biography, Girlfriend and Net Worth YouTube has created an avenue for many to make wealth and become famous from the comfort of their homes while having fun. Many have built a career out of the platform, uploading numerous videos that have earned them the admiration of viewers across the globe. For Daithi De Nogla, he is loved for his humorous commentary on ...

Does Phoebe Robinson Have A Boyfriend or Husband and What Do We Know About Her Family? Phoebe Robinson is a New York-based comedian, writer, and actress. She is best known as the co-creator and co-host of the WNYC Studios podcast 2 Dope Queens. Just like some other female comedians, she never had any original plans of becoming a stand-up comedian even though, according to her, she took a class on a whim at Carolines on Broadway. After ...

Who Are Lex and Alana from Listed Sisters? What Is Their Ethnicity & Is the Show Cancelled? America is a country built on diversity. Everywhere you look all over the country, a countless number of immigrants or children of immigrants have become an integral part of the fabric of the country. From entertainment to business, immigrants are creating a niche for themselves and climbing to the summit of their respective professions. One ...

Riveting Facts About Danielle Lombard And What She Is Best Known For The American entertainment industry is one that provides many avenues for aspiring hopefuls to express their talents and become famous. From films to television shows and game shows, there is no shortage of ways for men and women who desire fame to pursue and earn it in the United States of America. Another tested medium ...

Unearthing New Details About The YouTube Success And Personal Life of Alex Burriss of Wassabi Productions Wildly hilarious and truly audacious, Alex Wassabi is an American YouTuber who has become a very popular face on the video-sharing platform after having garnered millions of subscribers over the years by keeping people glued to his channel with his witty parody video releases. If you have always loved parody videos, there is every chance ...

Everything You Need To Know About H2O Delirious H2O Delirious whose full birth name is reported to be Jonathan Gormon Dennis has successfully kept himself mystified by hiding his face behind the masks leaving his loyal fans speculating who he really is for many years. The American YouTube star is easily identified by the Jason Mask Style with make-up which he wears on his ...

Who Is HolaSoyGerman and What Happened To Him? German Garmendia has certainly seen it all when it comes to internet success. His channels, HolaSoyGerman and JuegaGerman are in the top twenty most subscribed channel on YouTube. The Chilean YouTuber found a way to tap into one of the worlds greatest inventions and make a living from it. He has been able to build ...

Who Are Glenn Becks Family, What Is His Net Worth And What Happened To Him? The American political commentary space is filled with different personalities. A few of them, through their rhetoric, charisma, and resources have been able to build a large following of men and women who listen to them for insight and direction for various political and social issues in the United States. For Conservatives, the story is ...

Following Charissa Thompsons Rise Through The Ranks Of Sports Casting and All About Her Boyfriend Superstar TV host and sportscaster, Charissa Thompson, has been hailed as one of the highest-profile women journalists in America, and the reason is there for all to see. She has worked for popular establishments such as Versus, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, GSN, and Big Ten Network. She currently hosts the popular pre-game show, Fox NFL Kickoff, ...

Is Chris Kattan Gay or Does He Have A Wife? What Is His Net Worth? Chris Kattan is a popular American comedian and actor. He has appeared in several comic movies and TV series such as The Middle, A Night at the Roxbury and Bunnicula. Kattan is, however, most popular for his six-year stint as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. During his time on the legendary show, he ...

Everything You Should Know About the Rise of Insta Star Claire Abbott and Why She Gave It All Up A lot of young Americans have shot into the limelight for uploading different kinds of videos on YouTube. Some of these young stars include Connor Franta, Desi Perkins, Emma Chamberlain, the Dolan Twins (Ethan and Grayson), and Claire Abbott. The latter became a social media celebrity for uploading sexy bikini pictures of herself on social media. Apart from ...

5 Facts You Need To Know About The YouTube Channel  h3h3Productions H3h3Productions is a YouTube channel that specializes on Comic responses or reactions of other contents or trendy stories. The celebrity couple that created the channel has over time racked up sizable views for their commentaries and contents. Even though they had their own fair share of copyright cases, thankfully they scored an unprecedented victory in all ...

Lilypichu Bio  Height, Brother and Love Story With Albert SleightlyMusical Chang Like most popular internet celebrities, Lilypichu is one of those Twitch streamers who spend their lives on camera. From daydreaming about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional streamer, she grew to live out her dreams on the popular live streaming platform where people play games, make crafts, and showcase their day-to-day activities. Given the rise of ...

KSI  What To Know About His Girlfriend, Brother  Deji Olatunji & Net Worth Assuredly, when Internet inventors Vint Cerf and Bob Khan created the technological masterpiece, they probably did not know how massive the creation will be harnessed by many for different purposes including as a platform for earning money through content creation. One of such person who smiles to the bank regularly today for spending time creating ...

The Interesting Progression and Highlights of Carrie Keagans Career as a Host and Actress Carrie Keagan has garnered huge fame through her various stints on television. She is not just your regular TV host but one with a difference. Keagan has hosted several high profile events and TV shows, including VH1s Big Morning Buzz Live and Fox News Channels Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld. However, not many know she ...

The Gist On Elise Jordans Marriages And Her Rise To Prominence Political commentaries tend to be boring when it is handled by someone who does not have a knack for it. However, when you see the likes of Elise Jordan run the same commentary, you will have a lot of reasons to look forward to watching her again as the journalist is well-versed in the field ...

What Is Timmy Thick Best Known For and How Successful Is The Star? Thanks to the internet, many people whose talents would have ordinarily gone unnoticed have become famous. A very good example of this modern-day internet celebrity is Timmy Thick, an American social media star. He became popular on Instagram due to his penchant for posting raunchy pictures of himself. He also often posted videos of himself ...

What Does Heather Storm Do For a Living and Who Is She Dating? Reality Television is a great way to make a name for oneself as well as amass a fortune. Heather Storm can attest to this as she is one of those who have made a name and earned a lot from reality TV. She made her name appearing on shows like Car Fanatics, Awesome Autos, and, ...

Matt Carriker Biography  Net Worth, Wife & Height Unlike your regular veterinary doctor next door, Matt Carriker chose to spice up his noble profession with the unusual. Though he is known to many as a medical practitioner, Carriker is better renowned as a YouTube star and an animal lover. Having recorded huge successes on his various YouTube channels, the vet doctors name and ...

Jillian Mele of Fox News Career Achievements, Husband & Measurements There are quite a good number of presenters on radio and television who listeners and viewers may never wish to miss any of their shows because of their sensational golden voice, beauty or the special way or artistry they anchor their shows. Jillian Mele is one of such. She has been at the top of ...

Who is Gillian Turner of Fox News? Her Fiance or Husband and Net Worth Gillian Turner is well-known as a news correspondent for Fox News Channel but before she became a TV personality, she built an intimidating resume working for different institutions, including the American government. She served in different capacities at the White House National Security Council during the administration of former US Presidents  George W. Bush and Barack Obama. ...

Gloria Govan Bio  Age, Ethnicity & Height Even as Gloria Govan is famous as an American actress, author, a TV host, and reality television star, shes more popular as the wife of the former NBA player, Matt Barnes. She became known after appearing on the Florida version of the reality television series, Basketball Wives and later, Basketball Wives: LA  after Matt was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Sadly, ...

Michael Fishmans Interesting Start as an Actor and Why He Divorced His Wife of Many Years When one door closes, another one opens. As silly as that axiom may seem, it is the story of the resurgence of Michael Fishman, who plays D.J Conner on the popular show, Roseanne. Having played the character for several years as a child actor into his teenage years; when the show originally ended, Michael did ...

Who Is October Gonzalez  Tony Gonzalezs Wife? All You Need To Know October Gonzalez is a popular American TV host and media personality. Additionally, she is also a model. Gonzalez has hosted several TV shows such as Beat Shazam, Entertainment Tonight, and Rachel Ray. She has also featured in several reality TV shows. Gonzalezs fame is not just due to her profession but also because of her ...

Who Is Tony Berlin  Harris Faulkners Husband: His Children and Family Facts Tony Berlin is a popular American media guru. He has variously worked as a reporter, anchor, and producer for some of the biggest TV networks in America. They include CNN, CBS, NBC, and ABC (where he hosted the popular Good Morning America). Berlin has now diversified into public relations and owns his own PR firm. ...

The Progression of Gianna Tobonis Journalism Career and Details About Her Marriage to Kyle Buckley Gianna Toboni may not be your ideal newscaster but her unusual reporting is what made her a household name. The American journalist is renowned for her hard-hitting and authentic reportage. A motivator and activist for total press freedom, Gianna loves to explore pervasive cultural issues. Not only does this unique and ambitious journalist call for all ...

Dog The Bounty Hunters Family Including Details of His Late Wife and Kids Popularly known as Dog, a name which he got from the television series, Dog The Bounty Hunter, Duane Chapman, an American bounty hunter, and one-time bail bondsman, went from being convicted for a felony to being a reality TV star. He was brought to the limelight following the capture of the convicted criminal, Andrew Luster in 2003 and this eventually made ...

Vicky Karayiannis, Chris Cornells Wifes Bio, Children and Family The world of showbiz is made up of different people who serve different roles, and function in a variety of capacities, and one of the most important people are those in the background. Publicists are undoubtedly one of these background people yet they are vital to the life and fame of most of our favorite ...

Joe Rogan Has A Step-Daughter and 2 Other Kids With Wife Jessica Ditzel  Meet His Family Joe Rogan is a popular American stand-up comedian and TV host. His journey to stardom began in the late 80s and has seen him host several shows, the most popular is the game show titled Fear Factor. The exciting show dares contestants to face some of their greatest fears and embark on challenging stunts. The ...

Josh Gates and Wife Hallie Gnatovich Have 2 Kids But Who Has the Higher Net Worth? Best known for his explorations and adventures, Josh Gates, is a television presenter with a voracious appetite for seeing the world and the beauties in it. Some of that beauty, however, is in his home, in the form of two children he shares with his wife, Hallie Gnatovich. Not excluded is their marriage which has lasted ...

Holly Sonders Wiki, Plastic Surgery & Why She Divorced Her Husband  Erik Kuselias After trying everything within her capacity to have a low key wedding, Holly Sonders was drawn to the public because of her husbands controversy at his workplace. Well, the two are rumored to be divorced but the article below will give more light on how true these rumors are. Meanwhile, Holly Sonders is yet to ...

Nadeska Alexis Bio  Age, Boyfriend & Net Worth Journalism is one diverse profession that allows the practitioners to choose their area of specialty, build a career on it by reporting the truth and facts which in the long run will distinguish them as deserving commendation and recognition among their peers. Some choose to specialize in political journalism, while to others it is sports ...

Media Platforms Charlamagne Tha God Has Explored and All The Controversies He Has Courted Charlamagne Tha God is an American on-air personality, radio presenter, and more recently, author. He is popularly known as a co-host on New York radios nationally syndicated show, The Breakfast Club, a program he has been hosting alongside DJ Envy and Angela Yee since 2010. However, his early years had no connection to his current career ...

A Look At Jimmy Fallons Net Worth and Family Including His Wife & Kids Sometimes, a childs passion for something is a pointer to what he/she would become in the future. As a child, Jimmy Fallon was literally obsessed with watching the late-night comedy program, Saturday Night Live (SNL). Then, his parents would tape the clean parts for him to watch and later, he and his sister would re-enact sketches from the ...

Kay Adams Biography  Does The Sportscaster Have A Husband or Boyfriend? When you hear the phrase sports enthusiast, women are hardly the first group that comes to mind. Well, thats changing pretty fast. Especially with the rise of female sports analysts and broadcasters like Kay Adams who is famed for knowing more about sports than most men do. And why not, shes paid handsomely for it ...

Ben Shapiros Family  Meet His Wife, Kids and Sister Who is Popular for the Wrong Reasons A multi-talented man, Ben Shapiro is a man of controversial nature, an attribute that has made him an unusual public figure. An intellectual whose career path was clearly defined even before he became a man, the Jewish conservative commentator has always had his way with words. He became popular by sharing his critical and often ...

QVC Shawn Killinger Bio  Husband, Net Worth & Facts To Know Shawn Killinger is a prominent TV personality who has worked her way to the top. Though not initially a journalist by training, she defied the odds and today has established herself as a household name, as well as, worked alongside some industry legends. More than just being a reporter, newscaster, and anchor, heres all you ...

Liv Lo  Dissecting the Ethnicity, Parents and Personal Life of Henry Goldings Wife While many are aware that Liv Lo is the better half to Crazy Rich Asians star Henry Golding, only a few understand why his beautiful wife appears increasingly endearing to fans. A former model turned TV personality, and fitness star, Liv has an impressive resume which when combined with that of her statuesque spouse is considered a perfect ...

Stpeach Age, Husband and Other Facts About The Twitch Streamer Lisa Vannatta, famously known by her online alias, STPeach is a Canadian video game streamer cum vlogger who has garnered fame through her appearances on different video-sharing/social networking platforms such as Youtube, Instagram, Twitch, Reddit, and Twitter. The beautiful lady got her career to a start in August 2015 when she joined the live streaming video platform, Twitch. She rose to ...

Insights into Seth Meyers Wife, Family and What His Net Worth Is Celebrities are mostly remembered and known for the work they do. For Seth Meyers, his career as a comedian, writer, actor, TV host, and producer is his biggest identifier. He was on Saturday Night Live SNL show as a head writer and cast member for more than ten years during which he built a reputation ...

Who Is Jessica Gadsden  Age, Net Worth & All About Charlamagne tha Gods Wife Jessica Gadsden is an American fitness coach as well as a personal trainer. She is better known as the spouse of popular American media personality, Charlamagne Tha God. Charlamange Tha God is a well-known TV and radio personality in the U.S. He has featured in several shows (both on the radio and TV) and is ...

Who Is Collins Tuohy  Michael Ohers sister ? Her Wedding, Husband & Net Worth Collins Tuohy is an American entrepreneur, philanthropist, blogger, and social media personality. She is also better known as the adoptive sister of NFL player, Michael Oher, whose life story inspired the Hollywood blockbuster The Blind Side. The Blind Side tells the true life story of Oher who grew up in an impoverished background consisting of a ...

Eye-Popping Facts About The Personal Life And Career Success Of Sportscaster Heidi Watney Heidi Watney is a media personality who has created a niche for herself as a sportscaster. Starting out as a radio presenter, the brilliant young lady has gone on to work for several prominent sports networks, and currently, she is with the MLB. The sportscaster is also known to have been an avid sports lady right ...

Marty Lagina Bio  Siblings (Martina and Rick Lagina), Net Worth and Wife Marty Lagina is an American engineer and businessman who has risen to fame as a reality TV star. This is thanks to his involvement in the adventure TV series, The Curse of Oak Island. The Curse of Oak Island is a long-running TV series which airs on the history channel. The show aims to solve ...

Is Jordan Schlansky Just A Character or a Real Life Person and What Does He Do? The world of late-night television is an interesting one. Shows during that time are geared towards giving viewers comedic relief from a long day at work through interviews and comedy sketches. The often charismatic host of this show requires the balancing talent of a producer whose primary job is to deliver great episodes. It is ...

Heres How Wealthy Jimmy Kimmel Is From All The Phases of His Career, Marriages and Sons Health Jimmy Kimmel is a renowned late-night talk show host known for his charm, wit, and the A-list guests he features on his show. As the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! On ABC, Jimmy has been serving comedy to television viewers for years which played a pivotal role in launching him into mainstream fame and enabled ...

Natasha Bertrand Biography  Is She Married? Who Is the Husband & What Is Her Age? Natasha Bertrand is not just a young prominent journalist but a first-rate investigative reporter. With her natural beauty and smile, Natashas sharp, insightful political commentary also makes her a thorough reporter. Her sound political perspective and coverage in the country have made her a force to be reckoned with in the profession. Renowned for her ...

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The creek crossing had me worried, even as I was still driving to the trailhead.

After an incredibly snowy winter, I knew Whychus Creek would be surging with force through the canyon, armed with snowmelt from the Cascades. If it was too deep and too fast to cross, I would be forced to turn around and the adventurous 6-mile hike I had planned would become a short 1-mile jaunt.

But no matter how far you plan to go, the Alder Springs Trail is an ideal destination to kick off the spring hiking season in Central Oregon.

Panoramic canyon views, intriguing rock formations carved by time, desert oases, yellow wildflowers and a variety of birds are several reasons to make the trip to this out-of-the-way trail in the Crooked River National Grassland. And while many other trails are still covered in snow or mud, Alder Springs is currently in perfect shape for an early-spring hike.

Alder Springs is located northeast of Sisters, about a 40-mile drive from Bend. Reaching the trailhead requires a slow, bumpy ride along a dirt road dotted with jagged rocks.

The hiking trail starts out on a barren ridge that overlooks Whychus Creek as it flows through the canyon. The trail follows the canyon for three-fourths of a mile before descending into the Alder Springs side canyon.

Half a mile farther down, the trail reaches Whychus Creek at Alder Springs, where, according to an informational sign at the creek, snowmelt from the Cascade Range magically reappears after a 40-mile downhill trip. Many migratory birds and other animals and plants not usually found on the High Desert survive on the water from Alder Springs.

At the creek, the trail seems to reach a dead end. No bridge or log is there to get a hiker to the other side and continue the trek. The only way is to wade through the water, which was rushing quite fast and rose to about knee-deep.

After scouting several different sections of the creek to find the shallowest spot at which to cross, I settled on an area just to the right of where the trail stops at the water. I grabbed a sturdy branch from some nearby brush to serve as a walking stick and made my way across the creek, which was about 30 feet wide. It was slow going as the water rushed past my legs, but I eventually reached the far side safely.

My shoes and socks were sopping wet, but they would soon dry during the sunny afternoon when temperatures would register more than 50 degrees.

On the other side of Whychus, the desert singletrack trail continued back up a ridge, rising above the precipitous canyon. The narrow path would lead me another 1 miles to where Whychus joins the Middle Deschutes just south of Lake Billy Chinook.

The trail soon became littered with sharp rocks and boulders, and it became increasingly technical and steep. Eventually the trail led me downhill to a green meadow alongside Whychus Creek.

From there, the trail tightened up as long grass and thick underbrush lined the path. I could see the creek cutting through the canyon at several different vantage points on that section of the trail.

The sound of trickling Whychus Creek is never far away along the Alder Springs Trail. But eventually that trickling sound turned into a mighty roar, as I had reached the point where the creek flows into the Deschutes.

At the trails end, I scrambled up a small tower of rocks to take in the full desert scene. As the mighty Deschutes surged below, castlelike canyon walls rose above the river, carved into interesting rock formations with various color layers.

I have been to many spots along the Deschutes in my 16 years of exploring the outdoors in Central Oregon, but this is one of my favorite places along the regions most well-known river. Something about the remoteness, the picturesque rock walls, and the stark beauty of the desert makes the confluence of Whychus Creek and the Deschutes River a truly special place.

On the way back, I took my time, pausing to note the small yellow wildflowers that had just begun to sprout along certain sections of the trail.

The 6-mile round trip took about four hours on the difficult path. But despite the challenges  including the rough road driving in and the worrisome creek crossing  Alder Springs is a spring hike not to be missed.
Lake Sacajawea is several shades of brown these days, with a bit of green.

South of the Louisiana Street Bridge, the water is a bit murkier brown, while the south end of the lake is closer to an algae green, with varying shades in between. Not to mention, the lakes level is higher than usual.

While the city has been able to drain extra water from the lakes south end, and add fresher water at the north end, it wont be able to pump any fresh Cowlitz River water from the citys new river intake structure until May 15. Protections for endangered smelt prevent pumping of any sort between Oct. 31 and May 15.

High iron levels, stormy weather and natural shallowness all play a part in the lakes odd display of colors, according to a lake water quality study the city released Tuesday. Some of the trouble can be traced back to the citys early shutdown of lake flushing last summer in order to rebuild the $1.7 million Cowlitz River intake structure off Fishers Lane.

The city turned the normal flushing of the lake off July 31 last summer to complete construction on the river intake system, said city engineer Amy Blain. After August we were able to get a week in (of flushing) or a day here and there but not a lot. (In-river work can only be done in August to avoid harming endangered fish. )

Adding 3 million gallons of clean water from the Cowlitz River, or flushing, has been a key management tool for the past 40 years in order to maintain water quality and control ugly, malodorous algae blooms.

Over the past winter, heavy rain fall collected in the lake and all drain valves remained closed, allowing the water level to rise. The city wanted high water levels that would later allow some flexibility to simulate flushing by opening a weir, or barrier, at the south end of the lake to let water flow out. The city was able to begin this simulated flushing last week.

But some parts of the lake are more vulnerable to murky conditions than others, particularly the middle section between Louisiana Street and Hemlock Street. The average depth there is only about seven and a half feet, as opposed to between 14 and 22 feet at the southern end of the lake. Engineers say that because the lake bottom is closer to the surface, sediment and nutrients are easily disturbed by winds and heavy rains, which essentially stirs up the material.

Engineers also know that iron levels are higher in this section than anywhere else: about 23 milligrams per liter here versus 1.3 milligrams per liter at the very north end. As iron in the groundwater reacts with oxygen in the lake, iron oxide forms. The particulate hangs around in the shallow water, causing part of that brown color.

Luckily, Blain said, the rusty color is just an aesthetic issue and doesnt pose a problem to the overall health of the lake.

Blain said that she hasnt noticed much of an issue with the smell of the lake either, a source of complaints in the past.

Water quality, level and flow are monitored daily, according to the city. As for anticipating an unpleasant lake stench later this summer, it depends on how hot of a summer we get and if we get some algae blooms, Blain said. But generally were able to send enough water through.
Northwest Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici announced four town hall meetings across the First Congressional District in the next month, which includes Washington, Yamhill, Clatsop, and Columbia counties and part of Multnomah County.

Bonamici, a Democrat, will provide an update on her work in Congress and take questions from residents. The town hall meetings will be held in Warrenton, Scappoose, Sherwood, and Portland.

My work in Congress is focused on the people I represent, and getting input from my constituents is one of the most important parts of my job, Bonamici, a Democrat, said in a prepared statement. Town hall meetings provide a great opportunity to discuss issues facing the residents of the diverse district I am honored to represent.

Here is the schedule:

Saturday, April 15: 11 a.m. at Warrenton High School.

Saturday, April 15: 3 p.m. at Scappoose High Schools

Monday, April 17: 6 p.m. at Sherwood High School.

Sunday, May 7: 11 a.m. Lincoln High School in Portland.
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The Dubai Civil Aviation Authority on Tuesday said it will implement compulsory registration of privately-used drones to ensure safety zones. Michael Rudolph, head of the authority's Airspace Safety Section, said that with the increase of drone aficionados and due to a number of disruptions near Dubai international airport in recent years, it had become necessary for the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor the activity of private drone users, Xinhua news agency reported.

An online registration scheme for buyers of drones has already been rolled out "and before the end of May, we plan to reach an agreement with the Dubai Economic Department, which will make a registration of drone buyers by Dubai-based retail stores compulsory", he said. In addition, any buyer will have to undergo a training course which enables him to steer a drone safely "or he will have to prove that he has the right experience and skills by going through a practical and theoretical evaluation process. It's like obtaining a driving licence", explained Rudolph, a former officer of the South African Air Force.

In 2016, Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest airport in relation to international passengers, had to shut down flight operations for several hours four times due to illegal drone activity near the take-off and landing tracks. Asked if the drone taxi for transporting a single passenger which Dubai plans to launch in July this year will be part of the scheme, Rudolph told Xinhua "our department is involved in this. If the drone taxi comes, it would be a first for Dubai".

The self-flying human-size drone taxi, produced by the Chinese manufacturer Ehang, was presented to the public by the Dubai transport authority RTA at the World Government Summit in Dubai earlier in February this year. "There will be only autonomous flights on pre-programmed trips from point A to point B within Dubai, for example from the Burj Al Arab to Atlantis Hotel on the man-made island Palm Jumeirah. The passenger will not have the power to steer the drone taxi," said Rudolph.

Reuters
Nimish Sawant

Facebook launched Instant Articles back in mid-2015 to ensure that Facebook users get a rich, but bandwidth-friendly view of the news story or feature article within the app itself. It brought with it a new magazine-style formatting and improved loading times for the articles (as opposed to the time it would take for the article to open in a separate browser). The idea, 'noble' as it seemed, keeps users within the Facebook app. And according to reports, it looks like it didn't really do much for the publishers after all.

Publishers pulling out

According to a report in DigiDay, major publications, including one of the first on the Instant Articles platform  The New York Times  are deciding to pull out of this Facebook feature. The reason? Well, as was always being debated, the monetisation on Instant Articles is nowhere close to what these publishers get if the article were linked back to their own site. Apart from NYT, other publishers such as Quartz, Hearst Digital (publisher of Cosmopolitan), Bloomberg, ESPN, and many more have either pulled out completely or are pushing only a fraction of their stories as Instant Articles.

According to Times' EVP of product and technology, Kinsey Wilson, Times' own site offers better monetisation than Instant Articles and people are more likely to subscribe to the Times if they directly come to the site. Facebook, in its attempt to ensure that more publishers use Instant Articles, has started a new subscription option, wherein you can enter your email ID to get updates from the publisher in your mailbox. It looks like this isn't working either.

With no incentives for publishers, it is a little surprising that they are pulling out of the Instant Articles platform in droves. The only beneficiary seems to be Facebook in this case, as users end up spending more time inside the Facebook ecosystem when using Instant Articles. Facebook is trying very hard to keep publishers on its Instant Article platform.

Facebook as a primary news source

Facebook started off as a social network where you could share your life updates with your social circles. This was the early, post-Orkut days, pre-2010. But then came the NewsFeed algorithms and things changed. Since the last 3-4 years, Facebook has transformed into quite the news platform as well. If Twitter is where news breaks, Facebook, with its sheer number of active users, can help in building traction around a news event and amplify it.

Yes, Facebook still calls itself a platform and not a publisher. This despite the fact that it is one of the major sources of news for a lot of people. According to a Pew Research Centre report, around 62 percent of US adults get their news from social media. And of this, around 67 percent get it on Facebook. That's a significant portion of the news audience.

Newspaper subscriptions are falling and advertising revenues generated through them are on a decline. According to this Financial Times report, print ad revenues are on a decline since 2016 and the only areas of improvement seem to be online subscriptions  but that's also not a very rosy picture.

In the 2014 national elections, we have seen how social media was used by leading Indian political parties to amplify its messaging. US Elections in 2016 played out similarly across multiple platforms online. Social Media platforms such as Twitter, Google and Facebook were used by both the Republican and Democrats to their advantage.

In India, the trends are different, but with the rise in mobile phone usage and dropping data charges, it is only a matter of time before we also start using online platforms as the primary news source. And considering Facebook already has around 166mn users with over 95 percent of those on mobile, there is only scope for these numbers to go up.

How Facebook moved into the news space

Facebook's user base of 2bn users may put the population of many countries to shame. In a way, it is a platform that has a quick recall value, is global in nature and has the true advantage of the 'network effect.'

In countries where free speech is stifled or mainstream media is not highlighting all aspects of a story, social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have been at the forefront to spread the message. We have seen this on many occasions  Tahrir Square or the Egyptian revolution of 2011, the Ukraine protests in 2013 and the Jallikattu protests earlier this year in South India. Yes, one can debate on whether social media helped or not, but the role of social media in giving these events a global platform cannot be overlooked. And when one says social media, Facebook is a major component.

Facebook has been used as a tool to mobilise the demonstrations. Facebook was used as a medium by the actors in these protests to ensure that these issues get global attention simply because there isn't a distribution platform with as many users as Facebook.

Facebook Live, a property which Facebook started without any delay after live streaming apps such as Meerkat and Periscope came on to the scene, is used by pretty much all of the media organisations as another distribution platform. And it has also been used by individuals to highlight injustice  as was seen in the Falcon Heights shooting incident. Citizen Journalism will only rise with tools such as Facebook Live, effectively making Facebook a news source!

Building up on the success of Facebook Live, is Live 360  which will be a platform to let you stream 360-degree content live on Facebook. With improved data connectivity speeds, being right in the middle of the action virtually using 360-degree feed would be any news enthusiast's dream come true. And with the kind of plans that Facebook has around VR, the Live 360 seems like a platform with a huge potential to propel Facebook into a news publisher's realm.

How Facebook is trying to keep publishers happy

Facebook Instant Articles makes sense for a publisher who is not heavily dependent on subscriptions or is behind paywalls. There is little incentive for such publishers to share content on Instant Articles, unless there is a guaranteed conversion trend in the offing. For websites who want to increase their reach, Instant Articles is just another distribution platform, if looked at purely from that perspective. But unlike other distribution platforms, which link back to the actual website, Instant Articles keeps the users within the Facebook ecosystem. A miniscule percentage of that audience may actually bother checking out the source site.

There are ads which show up in Instant Articles. Now these are generated through Facebook's ad network  and revenue generated from this can be shared with the publisher or the publisher can put up their own ads and keep 100 percent of the revenue. This is where major publishers are facing issues.

But then there are success stories such as Slate, which claims that Instant Articles have driven around 41 percent of newsletter signups.

Facebook has also been pro-active in terms of ensuring publishers get value out of its Instant Articles platform. To that effect, Facebook recently launched Call-to-Action units for Instant Articles as part of its Facebook Journalism Project. These call-to-action features include 'Page Like' and 'Email sign-up' units, which are buttons that appear at the end of the Instant Articles. Around 100 publishers had come on the beta platform for the call-to-action feature, which is now open to all publishers.

Email Sign-up call-to-action unit: Readers share their email address and agree to receive email newsletter updates from a publisher. Flexible design options allow publishers to customize messaging and clearly represent their brand.

Page Like call-to-action unit: Readers that Like the publishers Page are eligible to receive updates and posts from that publisher in News Feed.

Facebook's initiative to 'train' journalists

Facebook is even going to the extent of training journalists how to use its platform. Facebook has partnered with Poynter Institute for Media Studies to come up with a three-course certification for journalists called 'Facebook for Journalists Certification'. The idea behind this is to train journalists to leverage Facebook and Instagram platforms "for news gathering to storytelling to engaging with their followers." Real journalists who've tried the course think it's hilarious, and possibly pointless.

Since the US Elections last year, Facebook has been caught up in quite the backlash as the platform was exploited by those spreading fake news. Facebook was even accused of influencing the results of the US Presidential elections, which was denied by Mark Zuckerberg. But since then, Facebook has taken steps (pro-active or reactive, depending on your perspective) to ensure that its platform is not used to spread fake news.

Earlier this year, Facebook introduced the Facebook Journalism Project. Later in February, Zuckerberg sent out a 6,000 word manifesto, which also touched upon educating people about fake news, saying, "The two most discussed concerns this past year were about diversity of viewpoints we see (filter bubbles) and the accuracy of information (fake news). I worry about these and we have studied them extensively." But he went on to say that social media provides a lot more variety in terms of opinions as compared to mainstream news media.

So, is Facebook still a platform or is there a concerted effort to become a publisher?

Post-US Elections, we have seen many instances of Facebook finally taking steps to mitigate the spread of falsities on its platform. At the same time, it's working with media organisations to create a symbiotic relationship between the two.

While the publisher exodus on Instant Articles may be a reason for alarm, the fact that Facebook's media juggernaut is halting anytime soon is a myth.
tech2 News Staff

For those who love to use paint to sketch random things out, there's a smarter one out by Google called AutoDraw that will actually make sense of those rough doodles and turn them into well-designed sketches.

Head to www.autodraw.com and you will get access to a Microsoft Paint-like interface that offers basic tools for your not so professional mouse-held sketches. Google uses the power of machine learning to understand what you tried to draw and offer your a list of options at the top to select from and complete your sketch.

Google AutoDraw basically analyses your drawing and then compares it with similar offerings from its database. The tool works the other way around when compared to an earlier creation called Quick Draw, which tried to guess what you where trying to draw in the first place.

Once you are done with one doodle, you can simply start another one and keep going until you complete your scene.

The tools although basic allow users to choose colours, lay text, fill options and shapes to help you complete your masterpiece with a little help from its neural network. Once your artwork is complete you can even download your artwork and share it to social networks.

The idea here is to enable anyone to draw and create works of art and so far, it succeeds and goes far beyond that.
tech2 News Staff

Googles new machine learning algorithm harnesses the processing power of your smartphone to improve algorithms and save on data consumption by intelligent virtual assistants and the like.

Using a process called Federated Learning (FL), Google claims that they can collaboratively share a prediction model while keeping training data on the device. It might sound complicated, but its actually a simple, well thought-out solution to a problem thats been haunting machine learning for years.

I am excited about the progress here, really important work on machine learning without centralized training datahttps://t.co/MF5hN9bvlf  sundarpichai (@sundarpichai) April 12, 2017

Machine Learning (ML) is used to design algorithms. These algorithms help in the functioning of what we know as artificial intelligence (AI). Siri, Google Assistant, Bixby, theyre all just algorithms.

But ML is used for more than just digital assistants. Googles self-driving car, for example, learns to drive using ML. Essentially, data is harvested and analysed and then an algorithm is developed based on the results. This one-line description grossly oversimplifies how ML works, but you get the general idea.

For example, if you normally drink your coffee at 6 AM every day on weekdays and at 8 AM on weekends, ML will analyse the data and determine your coffee drinking patterns, potentially automating your coffee making process if you have, say, a smart coffee maker. More data might lead the algorithm to determine that you drink coffee late on public holidays as well, or the data might be tied to your heart rate, etc.

The possibilities are endless, but are predicated on a large amount of data, some of it very revealing and potentially a privacy nightmare.

Traditionally, this data would need to be harvested by some device, like your smartphone, and then sent to the cloud for processing. ML is then used to analyse the data further and learn from it, further improving algorithms.

As Google explains in its blog-post, this approach requires low-latency, high-bandwidth data transfer rates. Of course, the privacy issues also raise their head here and taking responsibility for the data can put a company in a tricky spot.

With FL, Google has changed how the learning process works. As they describe it, your device downloads the current model, improves it by learning from data on your phone, and then summarises the changes as a small focused update.

The data thats actually sent to the cloud is the updated algorithm and not the actual data itself. The data remains on your phone at all times.

Googles cloud-based FL then aggregates these updates and creates an improved model for all devices. This updated model is then sent to devices as an update and the process repeats itself.

Using this technique, Google claims that bandwidth needs can be dropped by up to 100x.

Better yet, for the sake of privacy, the cloud-based processing wont happen unless 100s or 1000s of users have participated. This ensures that the updates from a single user cannot be identified.

The updated algorithms that your phone creates are sent to the cloud in a compressed and encrypted manner to begin with.

Google has deployed this technique in their Gboard app to help improve its natural language processing, but as they refine the process, they hope to expand FLs scope to other applications as well.

FL has the potential to fundamentally change the way models are developed in the future. More information can be found here.
tech2 News Staff

For the first time ever, Earth-bound humans will partake of the glory of outer space via a 4K Ultra HD livestream, courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and Amazon.

The stream is primarily intended for broadcasters at the NAB Show convention to be held in Las Vegas on 26 April, but regular folks can also tune into the stream here. Nasa will also make the stream available as a recording after the event.

Variety reports that the stream will begin at 10:30 AM PT on 26 April, which would translate to 11:00 PM on 26 April in India.

The stream is actually a demo of Amazons Elemental encoding technology as well as the power of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and its Content Delivery Network (CDN). Elemental is a next-gen encoding format for compressing high-resolution video content in real-time, and NAB is a broadcasters convention, after all.

Nasa is also understandably excited for the technology. The ability to stream in 4K means that Nasa administrators on the ground will be able to better monitor whatever it is they need to in deep space or the ISS.

The stream itself will involve a conversation between astronaut Dr Peggy Whitson on the ISS and AWS Elemental CEO and co-founder Sam Blackman, reports Variety. There will also be a panel discussion with various engineers from Nasa and Amazon as well as people working in the field of AR, VR and broadcasting.

The stream will be available in 4K and HD.
The adversary violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between the Karabakh and Azerbaijani opposing forces more than 25 times, from late Tuesday night to early Wednesday morning.

April 12, 2017, 09:24 Azerbaijan fired around 400 shots at night

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: During this time the Azerbaijani armed forces fired about 400 shots toward the position-holders of the Republic of Artsakh Defense Army, and with different-caliber shooting weapons, the defense army informed.

But the Artsakh defense army vanguard units refrained from taking actions in response, and they continued confidently carrying out their military task.
IANS

India supports better international cooperation in cyber security to fight against growing cyber crime and cyber terrorism, IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. Attending bilateral meetings in Germany during G20 Digital Ministers meeting on Digital Economy, he said India is also of the view that multi-stakeholders model is the best option for the spread of digitalisation and that a border should not be an impediment in the way of mobility of professionals and information, according to an official statement here.

Bilateral engagements were held with representatives of Russia, Indonesia, Germany, Britain, Argentina, Singapore, China, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the International Telecommunication Union. The G20 Ministers expressed their warm appreciation for the accomplishments of the Digital India programme. They noted how Digital India is provisioning a unique digital identity - cheaply, securely, and with privacy - to 1.1 billion citizens through Aadhaar, said a statement by the Electronics and IT Ministry.

About the Indian government's drive towards Digital India, Prasad said: "Digital technologies and the internet, which represents some of the finest creations of the human mind are today a 'global common good'; which we can harness for bridging the digital divide, empowering and improving the quality of life for our citizens." Emphasising how India is advancing in the knowledge economy by catalysing innovation, he said: "We believe that innovation is key to our success as a digital economy.

India today has one of the most vibrant startup ecosystems with over 4,000 startups every year working in emerging technology areas including IoT, data analytics, Block Chains and machine learning. "Many of these startups are also in the forefront of developing solutions to many of our grand challenges in areas such as health and education."
tech2 News Staff

Now that the Galaxy S8 and S8+ are official, the rumour mill is now looking at Samsung's next flagship smartphone, the Galaxy X, one that is expected to be the answer to Apple's iPhone 8/X. Dubbed as Project Valley, the Galaxy X consists of a foldable smartphone with a foldable display that will be able to switch from phablet to smartphone with a simple fold.

But new rumours coming directly from industry sources tell that Samsung will first be testing out a dual display smartphone. One that will help the company better understand the use case for a foldable phone.

According to the Korean Herald, Samsung will soon start testing this concept smartphone that goes with the flip-phone form factor. According to its industry sources, the publication reports that the prototype device can be folded open to 180 degrees and features a pair of organic light-emitting diode display panels. Both displays will be connected via a hinge in the middle.

As of now, it is unclear how the device will be split up. We could have a traditional portrait split that makes for two almost square-like halves, or a horizontal split which would look similar to the Nokia Communicators of the early 2000s.

Samsung has reportedly placed orders for components, enough to produce 2,000-3,000 units of this smartphone. The same would be available in the first half of the year.

According to an industry source, "Samsung seems to be testing the waters with the dual-screen device to gather ideas about its upcoming foldable phone,"

Other sources also claim that Samsung and Samsung Display have sped up the research related to folding displays so as to be able to roll out a limited batch of the Galaxy X device in the second half of 2017.
tech2 News Staff

With the announcement of its latest flagship duo, the Galaxy S8 and S8+, Samsung also revealed its very own voice assistant 'Bixby'. The new AI assistant was touted to work just like Google Assistant. It's supposed to recommend context-aware information in the form of cards, allow voice control of apps and even allow for control of various smart Samsung devices.

At the time of its announcement, it was said that Bixby will only be available in English and Korean languages, but now there is a report that suggests that the AI assistant is not ready for the former language.

The new flagships are expected to go on sale this month in a variety of markets globally, but it might be missing the new voice assistant. According to The Wall Street Journal, Samsung will not launch the Galaxy S8 and S8+ with Bixby due to certain performance issues discovered in the past few weeks. While the English-language version of Bixby is expected to be delayed until the end of May, a Samsung spokesperson has confirmed that it won't be available until spring in the US.

Apparently, the performance of the English version of Bixby lagged behind that of the Korean version. Company executives are said to be discussing as to when exactly they want to launch the English version.

This could be a big setback for Samsung as the S8 series has received a good initial response thanks to its amazing design. Then again, if, as we suspect, Bixby won't be such a big deal, it shouldn't matter that the S8's flagship feature is missing.
Despite a deadly spike in the confrontation over Nagorno-Karabakh and limited progress overall, we persist in striving towards peaceful and durable settlement to the conflicts, OSCE said in a report summing up the 2016 activities.

April 12, 2017, 11:34 OSCE seeks to promote a peaceful and durable settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict

STEPANAKERT, APRIL 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: The report says the renewed escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in spring 2016 necessitated intensified crisis management. The German Chairmanship invested considerable efforts in addressing these and other conflicts with the aim of strengthening OSCE formats for conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of people affected by these conflicts.

With regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Chairmanship reacted swiftly after the escalation of hostilities at the line of contact in April 2016, initiating a special meeting of the Permanent Council (PC) and advocating the implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level in Vienna and St. Petersburg concerning the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and the establishment of an investigative mechanism. The Chairmanship called for the resumption of a political negotiation process to settle the conflict. The Chairperson also called a special meeting following the escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, the report reads.

The OSCE indicates that with the support of the sides, the Personal Representative and his team conducted 22 monitoring exercises, five on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and 17 on the line of contact.

Working in support of the Chairperson-in-Office and co-chairs in negotiating a peaceful settlement, the Office of the Personal Representative supported the Chairpersonin-Offices visit to the South Caucasus in June and two visits by the MG co-chairs to the region in April and October. The Personal Representative also supported the co-chairs in a series of separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in February, May, June and September, as well as joint meetings in July and December, and helped them prepare for the meetings of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in May and June. Together with the co-chairs, he participated in briefings with ministers of foreign affairs and senior diplomats in Washington, Berlin, Moscow and Vienna, as well as regular briefings for the MG and the Chairperson-in-Office.

Armenias contribution to OSCE made 45,408 euros.
Growing risk of mass starvation deaths in Africa, Yemen: UN

AFP, Geneva :

The United Nations warned on Tuesday of a growing risk of mass deaths from starvation among people living in conflict and drought-hit areas of the Horn of Africa, Yemen and Nigeria.

An "avoidable humanitarian crisis ... is fast becoming an inevitability", as the UN faces a "severe" funding shortfall to help people affected by famine, said UN refugee agency spokesman Adrian Edwards.

UNHCR's operations in famine-hit South Sudan, and in Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen, which are on the brink of famine, are funded at between just three and 11 per cent, he told reporters in Geneva.

As a whole, the United Nations has requested $4.4 billion to address the crisis in the four countries, but has so far received only $984 million, said UN humanitarian agency spokesman Jens Laerke said.

The current crisis risks becoming worse than the 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa that killed more than 260,000 people in Somalia alone, Edwards said. "A repeat must be avoided at all costs," he said.

More than 20 million people across Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, are in areas hit by drought and are experiencing famine or are at high risk of famine, according to UN numbers.

"It is of immediate urgency that more funds are committed to avert a further descent into disaster in these acute crises," Laerke said.

In conflict-ravaged South Sudan, where the UN warned in February that fighting, insecurity, lack of access to aid and the collapsing economy had left 100,000 people facing starvation, "a further one million people are now on the brink of famine," Edwards said.

And in Yemen, which is already experiencing the world's largest humanitarian crisis, 17 million people, or around 60 per cent of the war-torn country's population, are going hungry.

In northern Nigeria meanwhile, seven million people are currently struggling with food insecurity, with the situation particularly bad in the north-east of the country, a stronghold of Boko Haram jihadists.
Protecting students from psychological damages

Sir Frank Peters :

Provocative Mike Tyson like hitting comments by an American pastor on the evils of corporal punishment have set the social media ablaze. The Rev. Thomas E. Sagendorf has been a staunch critic of corporal punishment in public and private schools for years, calling the practice "criminal, cruel, and a sign of gross administrative incompetence, ineffective and totally unnecessary".

He is vigorously campaigning to abolish corporal punishment wherever it is practiced, especially in his native America. His hard-hitting, no-holds-barred, wake-up-to reality comments that call a spade a spade, are gaining new supporters by the thousands every hour, including from reformed born-again teachers of the outdated cruel practice.

Mr. Sagendorf emphasizes that any school that practices corporal punishment is run by a failed administration and teachers who practice corporal punishment are failed teachers and unworthy to be members of the otherwise noble profession.

He points out that no other public institution keeps order using fear and violent retaliation, not even prisons. He describes the practice of corporal punishment as a form of terrorism and that adults hold the power to assault a student at their whim when the student doesn't abide by the adult's vision of order.

"There are literally thousands of school systems in America that can keep order and provide quality education without even the threat of physically assaulting students. Why not all of them? Those that cannot - or won't - are guilty of gross administrative incompetence," he said.

The compassionate outspoken reverend said the practice of corporal punishment could be summarized with four C's.

Firstly, it is criminal. Corporal punishment is the practice of intentional assault and battery upon a student by a school official. In every other arena of public life, assault and battery is punishable by the legal system.

Secondly, it is cowardly. To willingly inflict extreme pain upon a student for violating adult-established rules, usually with an intensity arbitrated by an adult who has no fear of consequences (physical or legal) is gross cowardice. It is the kind of the bullying that quality schools seek to eliminate. The administrator of the corporal punishment may well enjoy the rush of domination, control, intimidation, or just a sick joy of hitting kids. It also may signal sexual perversion (sadism).

Thirdly, it is corrupting. If the beating of students is accepted behavior in the school, the same disregard for the dignity of young people is sure to creep into the wider community. It gives community adults license to hit kids at will. The community becomes a far less hospitable place for kids to grow up.

Lastly, it is contagious. It teaches that violence is a solution to problems in a world that's already bilious and retching in violence. Every academic/scientific study of corporal punishment in public and private schools has concluded that corporal punishment does not make for better discipline or for better education. In many instances, the effect is the exact opposite. One unanimous conclusion, however, is that students subjected to school corporal punishment may suffer long-term psychological damage-some even for a lifetime.

He concludes his thought-provoking observations with a couple of Mike Tyson like powerful uppercuts to the school system. He said the practice of corporal punishment has no place in public or private schools. And neither does the adults, administrators or teachers, who employ it.

Where it remains, he said, the people who conduct such abuse must face criminal charges. Likewise, prosecutors and judges must have the wisdom and courage to adjudicate severe consequences for those who practice this kind of cruelty and brutality on children.

School children in Bangladesh have been protected by law against the cruelty of corporal punishment in schools on paper at least. In January 13, 2011, modern-day heroes of the nation Justice Md. Imman Ali and Justice Md Sheikh Hassan Arif declared corporal punishment "cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and a clear violation of a child's fundamental right to life, liberty and freedom".

Has this put an end to the horrific practice? - Of course not. It's business as usual in some schools in a society where 'teachers' are revered despite their wrongdoings, are perceived to be educated, and know what's best for the child among the illiterate and uneducated who know no better and trust them explicitly. How sad.

Corporal punishment is not only evil, but brings out the darkest evil in humans who may not consider themselves to be evil. Take for example, the 'hellish nightmare' at the Talimul Quran Mahila Madrasa in Kadamtali where 14 young girls were literally branded for life with a red-hot cooking spatula by their 'teacher' to demonstrate her concept of what hell would be like!

And what about the 'teacher' at a Sunamganj school who forced students of Class V to cut their hands and legs with used razor blades until they bled, as punishment for not doing their homework?

Corporal punishment is an act of stupidity, ignorance, and child abuse and an act against humanity. It instantly destroys trust between parent and child, teacher and pupil. It's been proved emphatically to be totally ineffective, immoral, humiliating, degrading, harmful and serving no useful purpose whatsoever and definitely doesn't help make people better well rounded more balanced citizens. Fortunately, not all teachers are alike some children have nothing to fear.

A bully 'teacher' has a flawed character and a gripe against society. He takes his personal problems into the classroom where he has captive 'whipping boys' on whom he can release his frustrations without fear of repercussions.

Sadly, some children, beaten in the classroom by their 'teacher', complain to their parents only to be told by them that they must have deserved it... that discipline never did anyone any harm that it didn't do them any harm and that the teacher had acted in their best interests! God love them, these parents are more to be pitied than laughed at, but even unblemished ignorance deserves admiration for its perfection!

A best-selling book entitled Breaking the Paddle: Ending School Corporal Punishment by Nadine A. Block of the Center for Effective Discipline highlights the many dangers and long-term effects of corporal punishment on children - and society at large. "How is it possible for a child to simply ignore the humiliation and hurt of corporal punishment?" She asks. "It's like being slapped hard on the face and told to forget it."

Corporal punishment won't go away on it's own. If you love your child, the very least you can do is visit your child's school or madrasah and make it known that you do not want your child to be given corporal punishment. It's really that simple. It sends a clear signal to the 'teachers', headmaster, and administration.

I know of many fathers who took this approach, spoke to the 'teachers' face to face and their children were never hit again. Bullies lose power when confronted. Remember the immortal words of Irish statesman Edmund Burke (1729-1797) who coined the phrase: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".



(Sir Frank Peters is a former newspaper and magazine publisher and editor, an award-winning writer, humanitarian and a royal Goodwill Ambassador.)
India`s anti-dumping duty on jute goods ill planned

BANGLADESH jute goods exporters see no hope of withdrawal of anti-dumping duty imposed by India on jute goods from Bangladesh as the deadline for legal battle ended on April 5 with no local exporters, except one, filing appeals, as per a report of a local daily.



On the other hand, the visit of PM Sheikh Hasina has not brought any hope for jute exporters as India did not make any specific decision on the issue. The government will also have to wait for at least one year for seeking review of the decision in line with the anti-dumping duty law.



BJSA and BJMA have no information whether any exporter filed appeal or not as no exporter apprised the associations. Indian Finance Ministry on January 5 imposed the duty following an investigation of India's Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) for alleged dumping of the products in the Indian market by Bangladeshi exporters.



The decision hit hard Bangladesh's jute products like yarn, twine, sacks, bags and fabrics export to its neighbouring country as overall export slumped 52 per cent to 6,872 tones in January and 37 per cent to 6,155 tones in February compared with the same months in last year. Many believe that India has imposed the duty to force Bangladesh to export raw jute for Indian jute mills to run their plants. With huge trade gap such step by the Indian government is not a friendly act that the policy makers in Delhi should know.



Former vice-president of BJSA said that exporters thought that the issue would be solved politically during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to India. So, exporters did not file appeal though some exporters initially considered filing appeal, as per the report. Experts and exporters said that only new shippers could seek exemption from the duty arguing that they would not export during the period of investigation.



It was wishful thinking that the BJSA and BJMA thought that the problem would be solved magically during PM's visit - but unfortunately that has not occurred. PM Modi has only assured her of looking into the problem. But since the deadline for legal action has gone away there is nothing that can be done for the next year.



Our jute sector, once the golden sector earning almost 80 percent of our foreign exchange, has been in the doldrums for long. We have done little to uplift the image of jute in the international market despite the fibre being one of the best eco-friendly materials for use in packing food and other items. It is biodegradable and does not create pollution when dumped, making it an ideal product for export.



We can make jute bags, cloth, domestic items like sofa covers and many other items from the golden fibre. It is time that we think of ways to reinvent the use of jute for increasing our earning from it domestically and abroad.






BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia addressing a press conference at her Gulshan party office on Wednesday on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinaas India visit.
US accuses Russia of Syria chemical attack `cover up`

Reuters, Washington/Moscow :

President Donald Trump's administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria's government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to "go into" the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assad's government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria's Idlib province that killed 87 people, including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there was no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels. "It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there," one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. "Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," he told reporters.

However, at the same briefing, Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying: "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive."

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community. The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, and his administration into confrontation with Moscow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday that "any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable" and urged a political solution for Syria, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the telephone exchange. "(We) must persevere with moving towards a political solution for the Syria issue. It is very important that the United Nations Security Council maintains unity on the Syria issue. (I) hope the Security Council can speak with a single voice," CCTV cited Xi as saying.

Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. "They didn't look shocked. They didn't look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize," she said on CNN.
Hasina`s India trip a failed one, says Khaleda

Staff Reporter :

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's four-day India visit a 'failed' one, saying that she returned home empty-handed.

"She (Hasina) got nothing. The country's people think the tour is a failed one as it did not gain anything," she told a press conference at her Gulshan party office in the city.

Khaleda added Bangladesh has the right to get water from all international rivers, including the Teesta.

"To get water from the international rivers is not a matter of sympathy rather it's a right," Khaleda Zia said.

Earlier on Tuesday at a press conference, Sheikh Hasina claimed that her India tour concluded successfully and it was fruitful.

"I am satisfied at this visit and it has been fruitful," the PM told journalists.

Replying to a query about Sheikh Hasina's claim, Khaleda Zia said she (Hasina) is satisfied but not the people of the country.

"The people are not satisfied rather panicked," the BNP Chairperson observed.

She said the Prime Minister returned home with some assurances rather nothing.

"She didn't talk on various important issues including the proposed Rampal coal power plant. The Prime Minister's claim on success is untrue and one-sided," Khaleda Zia said.

She said the Prime Minister herself admitted at her press conference on Tuesday that she went to New Delhi not to seek anything.

"She went to India to get friendship and she got it. The country's people will judge what this friendship is," Khaleda said.

The BNP Chairperson said Hasina admitted indirectly through her speech that she brought nothing from India for the country's people.

"Instead, she gave everything to India as per its demand," she mentioned.

Khaleda Zia said only the deals proposed and prioritised by India were signed during this visit, keeping with the old pattern.

"But some very sensitive MoUs were still signed, setting aside the people's concerns. We are worried about their long term impacts."

Khaleda also said these agreements would be reconsidered if her party is voted to power.




3 teachers among four jailed for HSC question leak

Staff Reporter :

Four teachers and a student were sentenced to jail by separate mobile courts on charge of leaking question papers of the ongoing Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examination in the city and Patuakhali district on Wednesday.

They were caught red-handed by the detectives during providing solution to questions over mobile phone early in the morning.

They are Sifat Jesmine, a Biology teacher of a college in the city, and her accomplice Mehedi Hassan, a student of Tejgaon College, Khalilur Rahman, a lecturer of Accounting of Akkel Ali College, and Shafiqul Islam, lecturer of Computer Science of Hazi Mokhter Ali Mridha College in Patuakhali, police said.

In the capital, Sifat Jesmine and Mehedi Hassan were caught red-handed from the capital's Lalmatia in the morning. They were providing solution to questions over mobile phone during the ongoing Biology examination, said Jamal Uddin Mir, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Mohammadpur Police Station. After interrogation, a mobile court Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain sentenced Sifat to two years' imprisonment and Mehedy to one month jail, the OC said.

The mobile court found evidence that they got the leaked question paper from a Facebook page 'RJ Rahat'.

In Patuakhali, Khalilur Rahman and Shafiqul Islam were arrested by detectives in the district around 10:00am. They took photos of Accounting question paper, our local correspondent reports quoting Khondaker Mostafizur Rahman, OC of Patuakhali Sadar Police Station.

A mobile court led by Executive Magistrate Anu Das sentenced them each two years jail. The mobile court also fined Shafiqul Islam Tk 10,000, the OC added.
Hasina blasts Khaleda for giving `false info`

Taking a swipe at the BNP chief for giving 'false' and 'confusing' information about her recent India tour, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said no one will be able to show Khaleda Zia anything if she keeps her eyes closed.

"We've brought what we need from them (India) through maintaining friendly relations," she said while giving her introductory speech at the Awami League Central Working Committee meeting at her official residence Ganobhaban.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh will procure electricity, gas, LNG and diesel from India.

Under the 3rd line of credit, she said, India will provide Bangladesh US$ 4.5 billion at only 1 percent interest. Addressing a press conference at her Gulshan office on Wednesday afternoon, the BNP chief described Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent India visit as a 'failed one of giving and not getting anything' saying she returned home empty-handed. "The country's people think the tour is a failed one of only giving and not getting anything. The Prime Minister returned home empty-handed as she was given only assurances," Khaleda said.

About Khaleda's claim that she does not know how to place a thing what she wants, Hasina said, "Are we beggars? We've attained what we need through the friendly relations."

She mentioned that no political party is aware like Awami League regarding the country's independence and sovereignty. Talking about the anti-dumping clause that imposed by the Indian side, the Prime Minister said India imposed the cause newly on jute items. "I talked to the Indian Prime Minister about this and they assured us of looking into the matter," she said. About Khaleda's allegation that Sheikh Hasina does politics with religion, she said she performs religious rituals and maintains religious rules. "I never do politics with religion; rather BNP and Khaleda Zia do politics with religion," she said.

Hasina said the BNP is now talking about Teesta and other bilateral issues. "You were in power. Why didn't you raise the Teesta, LBA, maritime boundary and other issues then?" she questioned.

She said Khaleda, during her tour of India when in power forgot to raise the Ganges water-sharing issue with her Indian side. "She was so much busy sucking India's foot that she forgot to settle down the issues of maritime boundary and others." Regarding the USD 500 million MoU on defence cooperation, the Prime Minister said Bangladesh will procure what it needs from any country of the world. "There's nothing binding in the MoU. And there's nothing obscure here," she added.

About the January-5, 2014 election, she said the country's people had been with the polls. "Or else, the fate of the AL government would have been the same of BNP where it was overthrown by people after holding the voter-less election in 1996."

Hasina said AL always does politics for people's welfare and as a result, Bangladesh is marching forward and it has already graduated to the lower-middle income country. "Insha Allah the trend of this development will continue."






Pahela Baishakh tomorrow Security beefed up

Staff Reporter :

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have taken a foolproof security plan for Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bangla New Year, to be celebrated on April 14 (Friday).

A total of 11,000 uniformed policemen will be deployed to maintain law and order situation during the celebration though there is no specific security alert ahead of the day.

Intelligence Wings will also monitor the situation to deter any untoward situation on the day, said Asaduzzaman Mia, Commissioner of the DMP, in a press briefing at DMP Media Centre on Tuesday. "Dhaka University, Ramna Park and Suhrawardy Udyan areas will be brought under CCTV surveillance to monitor and prevent harassment and eve teasing. We have learnt our lessons from the 2015 incident. There were no such incidents last year and it will not happen this year," the DMP Chief said.

He said, "outdoor gatherings in Dhaka city are forbidden. No gatherings or concerts can be held in the Dhaka University area after 6:00 pm. Outsiders will also be barred from coming to the Dhaka University area after 6:00pm. Only the vehicles having Dhaka University stickers will be allowed to enter the campus from 6:00pm, April 13 to 9:00pm, April 14." Hawkers will not be allowed to set up shops near the places of events. Motorcyclists will not be allowed to carry passengers, other than wives and children, after 5:00pm, according to him. The DMP also slapped some restrictions on Mongol Shobhajatra, the Bangla New Year procession. Participants will have to join the procession from the time of beginning of the programme, as none will be allowed to join, the procession already in process, said Asaduzzaman. Policemen will be escorting the procession and no one will be allowed to wear the traditional masks, said the DMP Commissioner. The programmes to be held at open spaces in Dhaka University area have been asked to shut by 6:00pm. "Elsewhere in Dhaka, programme must be shut by 5:00pm." "Archway-type metal detectors will be set up in the Dhaka University and Ramna areas. Every visitor will have to go through search process. Anyone wishing to enter Ramna or Suhrawardy Udyan must pass through such process," the DMP Commissioner said.

Besides, 27 diversions points have been planned in the city for April 14, as entry to Dhaka University area from Kataban, Sonargaon intersection, Paltan, Chankharpool and Nilkhet will be sealed. A map of the diverted routes has been prepared.


One such is the family of the late Hore Avara (pictured), a cervical cancer patient who passed away on 15 March., Through their sorrow and pain, her family has decided to speak about their experiences, to share with others who have had similar experiences and help those in the same situation.

The treatment and care of cancer patients is also very costly, and many families who go through this experience are left broken financially and emotionally.

In Papua New Guinea, cancer cases are increasing and many families struggle to take care of their loved ones.

Hores daughter, Boio Eava Roana, took care of her mum when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. This is her story:

In my primary and high school days, I never heard of the term cervical cancer. I didnt know the effects, the results and what happens. I learnt so much about it through my own experience of taking care of my beloved mum. My late mother would have celebrated her 51st birthday on 6 May. It is very sad having loved ones passing on for a reason that is not accepted at all: that is no proper facilities to treat our mothers, sisters and daughters. When my mother was referred overseas for radiotherapy treatment, we were fortunate to have my first cousin brother and his family living in Brisbane. They accommodated her for three months. The financial burden of having a loved one treated overseas is very costly for any family. My mums big sister and her son and his wife and children had to make huge personal sacrifices to take care of my mum. Because of the radiotherapy treatment overseas, my mother was able to stay longer with us. On her return from overseas on 23 March 2016, she was given a referral letter. What good is the referral letter when our facilities are not up to the world standard? At that time, I moved from Lae to Port Moresby to look after my mother permanently. While caring for her, I educated myself about caring for cancer patients and I began to understand what cervical cancer was. The fear of losing my mother was really strong and the experience was challenging. From October to December last year, our hospital visits for morphine Injections were regular and the times of trying to get her morphine injection to ease her pain were really tough and upsetting because we had to wait for the doctors and nurses for hours just to get one morphine injection. It was so difficult witnessing her every day crying in pain, the pain is endless. Caring for my mother, who was young, and seeing her condition deteriorating was very painful. I cried in my heart while I attended my daily chores of looking after her. When she was bedridden, I had to stay full time with her; she was my world and my queen. I would bath her at her request, change her diapers, clothes, beddings, wash her clothes, brush her teeth, help her rinse her mouth, wash her face every morning and feed her. I did all of that knowing she would leave me anytime. She was a real fighter and my hero. Its not that easy caring for a cancer patient. Sometimes I felt like giving up but my mother never gave up the struggle, discomfort and endless pain until the day she was called by our Heavenly Father.

Hores niece, Maria Levo, a teacher, took care of Hore during the Christmas holidays. From her experience, she said:

My aunty would go to Port Moresby General Hospital emergency at least twice a day to get morphine so she would be relieved of the severe pain she had. Sometimes she was attended to as soon as she arrived but most times she had to wait in the long queue crying in pain till late at night - eleven o'clock or even midnight - just to get morphine to make her feel comfortable for six hours. This continued for eight months and the dose increased from two to three injections a day. She became addicted to the drug and would prefer morphine to the herbal medicines and vitamin supplements. Morphine is a drug given to a patient only with permission from a doctor. It does not heal the patient from disease but relieves severe pain for a few hours. This was what my beloved aunty was going through; her body became over drugged with the three doses a day, not getting any better but deteriorating each day. Seeing this, I encouraged her to take herbs and vitamins to dilute the drug in her body. So she did. She was very even though she encountered complications like constipation, mumps and swollen legs which I believe were side effects of the morphine. Despite these complications, she fought her way so courageously to overcome this deadly disease which kills many women in Papua New Guinea every year. We hear and read in the media about vaccines now available to protect young girls but how about the poor women with existing cases. How can we help them survive with inadequate facilities? The government should seriously look into this matter and make it a priority. It never occurred to us that one day we would be in the same shoes of the relatives of women who lost their lives. After losing their sister, mother and aunt to cervical cancer, the Avara Sevesoa family are now challenged to help other women suffering from cancer. Her sister Hari, who is heading the family on this project, talked about their motivation: It is very sad describing the experience of having my beloved youngest sister suffering silently from cervical cancer for almost one year and five months. The experience was heart breaking, agonising and tormenting. I hear stories and read stories about cervical cancer not knowing that one day one of my sisters would become a victim. I say victim because our country does not have the proper facilities to cater for cancer patients. People are dying of cancer due to poor or inadequate facilities in the main hospitals. In August 2015, my sister was diagnosed with cervical cancer stage 3B. Dr Mola referred her to the specialist oncologist Dr Niblet at the cancer unit of the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae. She travelled to Lae only to be told by Dr Niblet that the stimulator machine was out of order and the only option was for her to go overseas for radiotherapy treatment. I didnt believe what I heard as Angaus cancer unit is the only hospital treating cancer patients in PNG and my first instinct was; do we have a government and a minister responsible for the health department and are they aware of this. I decided to go to the media hoping that the health department will read and take necessary action. Despite my story and those of other cancer patients in the media, nothing was done to address this pressing issue. Every story had the same issue; there was no facilities to treat cancer patients. On 15 March, I lost my youngest sister, Hore, to cancer.

I am moved by the stories I read and hear every day in the media. What can I do to save another womans life? Its a pity there is little or no help from the authorities to address the issue of shortage of staff and facilities at Angaus cancer unit.

I believe peoples voice is very powerful and we can deliver, if we have the right leadership. I know there are ordinary Papua New Guineans out there living in PNG or overseas who also have the genuine heart to help support financially for a good cause but the question is will they see the end result. We are skeptical in donating funds for a good cause to organisations because we hardly notice the improvement of the existing facilities.

An important benchmark to measure our country's development and progress is to look at the welfare and wellbeing of its citizen. Cervical cancer is a high risk for our mothers, our aunties, our wives, our in-laws, our sisters, our daughters and our grandmothers.

I know and believe that there are some families out there who are silently facing the same situation as our story. Talking without action is already a syndrome for many people in authority and power, when are we going to take action and solve the problem of these cancer victims who encounter so many other complications with the endless agonising pain.
HuJI chief Hannan, 2 aides hanged

Staff Reporter :

Harkatul Jihad al Islami (HuJI) Chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two aides Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul and Delwar Hossain alias Ripon were executed at Gazipur's Kashimpur High Security and Sylhet Central Jails on Wednesday night.

The top HuJI leader Hannan and his cohort Bipul were hanged in a same scaffold at Kashimpur High Security Jail at 10:00pm while Bipul was also hanged at Sylhet Central Jail at the same time, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin confirmed The New Nation.

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said at his office on Wednesday that the death row-convict HuJI leaders' death sentenced executed in case of grenade attack on the then UK envoy Anwar Choudhury in 2004. "We have executed the militant in a same gallows at the jail around 10:00pm on Wednesday," said Mizanur Rahman, Senior Jail Super of Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur.

The executed HuJI leaders ate rice with vegetables before hanging at the gallows at 10:00pm, he said.

Earlier, the execution of the death sentence of two militants, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier Genral Seyed Iftekhar Uddin, Addition IG-Prison Iqbal Hossain, DIG-Prisnons Touhidul Islam, District Deputy Commissioner SM Alam, District Civil Surgeon Civil Surgeon Dr Syed Md Manzurul Haque, Police Superintendent Md Harun-Ur-Rashid, Kashimpur Senior Jail Super Mizanur Rahman, Jial recruited Imma Hella Uddin, his associate Hafiz Abu Noman, entered the jail in the evening, said our local correspondent.

Two ambulances were seen entering the jail around 6:30pm, reports our correspondent from the spot, he said.

The authorities beefed up security in and around the Kashimpur jail, where condemned HuJI militant Sharif Shahedul Alam Bipul was kept with Hannan. Nearby roads are made off-limit for commoners and business establishments within 500 yards of the jail were kept shutter down. Earlier in the morning, family members of Hannan met him at Kashimpur Central Jail. Mufti Hannan's wife Zakia Parvin, daughters Nishi Khanam and Nazrin Khanam, and elder brother Munshi left after 40 minutes around 7:45am.

On Tuesday, the jail authority asked the family members of Hannan and another militant, to meet them at the jail.

Aliuzzaman told the media outside the prison that his brother told him that the charges against him were not true and that it was a conspiracy. Hannan has expressed a wish to speak to his mother Rabeya Begum over phone, his brother says after meeting him.

"Hannan wants to talk to our mother over the phone. He told me that he wants to be buried at the village graveyard," said Alizzaman told journalists at Kashimpur Central Jail in Gazipur on Wednesday.

He said they had informed the jail authorities about his brother's wishes. "They (jail authorities) have assured us that they will take necessary steps regarding his burial after meeting the high ups." His wife Zakia Parveen said her husband had requested everyone to pray for him. Security has been beefed up around the jail and police patrols are ongoing across the city, said Gazipur Superintendent of Police Md Harun-Ur-Rashid.

The preparation for burying Mufti Hanna has been completed at his home district in Gopalganj, said Md Kamrul Faruq, OC of Kotwalipara Police Station. Besides, Delwar Hossain alias Ripon was executed at Sylhet Central Jail around 10:00pm, reports our Sylhet correspondent quoting Senior Jail Super Sagir Mian.

An 11-meber panel led by Fruq took part to execute the death sentence at the jail, he said.

Meanwhile, at least 25 family members met with Ripon as per his desire to talk to his family members and have Iftar with them as he was fasting on Wednesday, Sagir Mian said.

Ripon's father Abu Yousuf, mother Azizinnesa, wife Nuri, brother Nazmul Islam, uncle Abdun Nur, cousin Rumena, Lutfa Begum Zabir Hossain, were met with him among the family members.

Later, Jail Super Sagir Mian, Jailer Abu Sayem, district Civil Surgeon, Executive Magistrate, Hazratmaulana Mufti Md Belal entered the room at night.

He was buried at Kulaura upazila in Moulvibazar district. Said Abu Yousuf. Law enforcers strengthened security measures in and around the jail centering the execution, police said.

Earlier, on March, 27, the three Huji men, including its chief, filed separate petitions seeking presidential clemency.

On March 19, the Appellate Division upheld the death sentence of Mufti Hannan, Delwar Alias Ripon and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul after hearing the review petitions filed by the three death-row convicts. It released the full text of its verdict on March 21.

Among them, Mufti Hannan and Sharif Shahedul Alam alias Bipul have been kept at Kashimpur Central Jail while Delwar Alias Ripon is in Sylhet Central Jail.

On December 7, 2016, an SC bench, headed by Chief Justice SK Sinha, upheld the death penalty of the three in the case rejecting appeals filed by the Huji chief and Bipul challenging the High Court verdict that had upheld their death sentence awarded by the tribunal.

In 2004, then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury came under a grenade attack while coming out of Hazrat Shahjalal's shrine in his hometown Sylhet. The envoy and 40 employees of Sylhet district administration were injured in the attack.

Educated at madrasas, top HuJI leader Mufti Hannan hails from Gopalganj and is infamous for being one of the initiators of militant activities in Bangladesh. He is said to be the mastermind of 13 terrorist attacks, including an attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's life, perpetrated by the banned militant group Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI). He faces trial for planting a bomb made with 76kg of explosives near the venue of a public rally addressed by Hasina at Kotaliparha in 2000.

Mufti Hannan has been sentenced to death for the 2001 bombings at Dhaka's Ramna Park on the Bengali New Year.
Tanners for tough movement if utility links not provided

A huge black flag rally was brought out by Tannery Industry Protection Parishad in city\'s Hazaribagh area on Wednesday demanding protection of their factories.

Staff Reporter :

Hazaribagh Tanners have threatened the government of grater movement if all the utility connections are not given to their new factories at Savar on time.

Tannery owners said this from a demonstration against the government's recent move to cut all connections to the tanneries operating in the city's Hazaribagh area.

They said if the government fails to provide all utility connections to their factories at new tannery estate of Hamayatpur in Savar within the time fixed by the High Court, they will make the authority concerned bound to reconnect their delinked connections at Hazaribagh.

"We will go for grater movement in case of the government failure to provide connections in our factories in new Tannery Estate on time," said Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association's Chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahin.

We cannot sit idle as all our business activities are not in operation after delinking the utility connections of our factories. We are waiting to see what the government can do, he added.

Earlier, on March 30, The Supreme Court ordered all 154 tannery owners to relocate their factories from Hazaribagh to Savar by April 6.

Meanwhile, the utility services like power, gas and water to all the Hazaribagh tanneries were disconnected on Saturday as per a High Court order.

Earlier on March 6, the High Court directed the government to immediately shut down the Hazaribagh tanneries and disconnect all of their utility services, including gas line, power and water, as they missed several deadlines to relocate their factories to the Savar Tannery Estate.

On March 2, the HC directed 154 Hazaribagh tannery owners to pay Tk 306.50 million fine for not relocating their factories to the Tannery Estate in Savar within the given time.

On July 18 last, the Supreme Court ordered each of the 154 tannery owners at Hazaribagh to pay the government Tk 10,000 per day as fine for not relocating their factories to the Tannery Estate in Savar.

After the court's first instruction of relocation the government extended several times of the relocation deadline on requests from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), the implementing agency of the tannery estate project.

However, tanners said that many of their fellow businesses would be able to start production at Savar if the government agencies provide all utility connections within the time fixed by the court.

"We are happy with the court's order to provide connections within fifteen days. If such orders were issued earlier, then relocation would happen before. Now we are waiting for the implementation of the order, otherwise we will go for strict movement," said Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) Chairman Shaheen Ahmed.
Search for new site of Ganges Barrage

Staff Reporter :

The government cancelled construction of the proposed Ganges Barrage Project at Pangsha in Rajbari district, Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud on Wednesday said.



Anisul came up with the remarks after a meeting with a Chinese delegation led by Water Resources Minister Chen Lei at his Secretariat in the city.



The design of the proposed Ganges Barrage has been cancelled, as it was faulty. India and officials concerned have already been asked to look for another site of the barrage over a tributary of the cross-boundary river.



"A high-powered committee will be formed to find an alternative option," the Minister told journalists at a briefing.



Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a press conference on her just-concluded India visit termed the Ganges Barrage Project as a suicidal project like the Teesta Barrage.



Replying to a query Anisul Islam Mahmud said there is no difference of opinion over the necessity of the proposed Ganges Barrage construction project.



"It will be redesigned. As question has been raised about the project, its site will also be spotted. And the proposed Ganges Barrage construction project will be implemented," the Water Resources Minister said.



He said they would start conducting a fresh survey for the construction of the Ganges Barrage.



"After being redesigned, the barrage would be constructed jointly by Bangladesh and India and that too as per Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's instruction across a tributary of the Ganges River to set up a reservoir to preserve monsoon water for lean period." The Ganges Barrage Project is a proposed project in Bangladesh to hold back rain water of the monsoon season because of the periodic drying up of the Ganges River basin in Bangladesh due to the Farakka Barrage.



The government was expecting a breakthrough in the construction of Ganges Barrage on the Bangladesh side of the Padma River and the deadlock for signing of the Teesta water sharing deal during the PM's India trip.



The proposed Ganges Barrage Project was scheduled to be a 165 km long reservoir stretching from Rajbari to Chapainawabganj districts in Bangladesh, with a depth of 12.5 m. It is supposed to hold a phenomenal 2.9 billion cubic litres and its cost was estimated to be Tk 314 billion.



The south-western region of Bangladesh would benefit greatly from this project from generating about 100 megawatts (130,000 hp) of electricity and 250,000 tonnes of fish.



In April 1975, India commissioned the Farakka Barrage to divert the Ganges waters for flushing the Kolkata port.



India's withdrawal of the Ganges waters from the upstream using the Farakka Barrage drastically reduced the river's water flows into lower riparian Bangladesh adversely affecting its agriculture, fishery, forestry, navigation as well as industrial growth.



Salinity intrusion deep inside Bangladesh due to the low flow in the Ganges also poses threat to the biodiversity of the Sunderbans, a World Heritage Site.






The recent incident involving a medical doctor being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight has garnered worldwide attention. While neither the actions of the airport police nor the policies of United Airlines are acceptable, the reality of airlines overbooking flights is nothing new. Customer service, it seems, has always taken a back seat to corporate profits. I am grateful that what happened to me on Saturday, April 5, 1975 had a much more pleasant outcome.

I spent the 1974-75 academic year teaching in the Bahamas. Through the kindness of a friend, I had the opportunity to spend Easter break in the little town of Georgetown, on the island of Exuma. The flight from Nassau to Georgetown took about forty-five minutes. I arrived the day before Easter Sunday. I had been told to be sure to confirm my return flight twenty-four hours before my scheduled departure time, which was Sunday morning, April 6th, around 11:00 a.m. On Saturday, April 5th, I stopped by the BahamasAir office in town to confirm the flight. I was told quite matter-of-factly that I was Number 62, but that the plane had only 44 seats. I replied, But I have a ticket! The BahamasAir representative responded, Errybodys got a ticket, mon.

I was told that my chances of getting on that flight were slim to none. Since I had to be back in Nassau for classes on Monday morning, I asked about the next flight out. Wednesday. But the mail boat leaves today at 4:00 p.m.

So I packed up my bag and purchased a ticket for the mail boat, which would arrive in Nassau on Sunday morning around 7:00 a.m. I was a bit concerned about this default option, as Ive been known to experience nausea on boats. It didnt help when I told my host that Id be taking the mail boat back to Nassau, and he replied, I hope you have a strong stomach.

What could have been a fifteen-hour disaster turned into one of the highlights of my Bahamian experience. The boat left promptly at 4:00. The smell of diesel smoke was initially overwhelming, but once we got out on the open water, it wasnt a factor. My ticket did not provide lodging in any of the eight small rooms on the boat. Those were all taken. So I made myself as comfortable as possible on an open deck in the back of the vessel. Any thoughts I had about seasickness went away when I realized that the water was as calm as glass, and it remained so throughout the night.

By the time the sun was setting on the horizon, we were in open water, a good distance from any of the islands. The sunset was spectacular. Not surprisingly, I guess, being that I was in the Bahamas, it never got cold during the night, so shorts and a t-shirt sufficed. For this I was grateful, as I had not thought to pack a jacket.

The unexpected highlight of the journey took place around 1:00 a.m., when a full moon began to appear on the horizon. The moons reflection off the surface of the water as it inched its way into the night sky looked like a painting. It was one of those times in my life I would describe as a truly sacramental moment.

I eventually got back to Nassau safely, and to school the next day. The trip home wasnt what I had planned. Instead, it was far better than I could ever have imagined.




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John Diez Jr.

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry has hired John Diez Jr. as director of Political Action Committees. Diez replaces Brian Landry, who is now vice president of political affairs for the Louisiana Chemical Association.

Reports LaPolitics' Jeremy Alford: "The data and polling guru who was behind the original Louisiana Committee For A Republican Majority is now at LABI."

The decade-old PAC that was started by then-U.S. Sen. David Vitter to help elect many of the states GOP lawmakers is now run by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.

LABI says Diezs extensive background in candidate recruitment, political strategy and campaign management, coupled with his experience in survey research and political analytics, will be valuable assets in its fight to promote the principles of free enterprise.

Diez comes to LABI with 25 years of experience working in state and national campaigns. In his new role, Diez will lead efforts to advance LABIs long-standing mission of promoting the principles of the free enterprise system by building support for LABIs four independent PACs  NORTHPAC, EASTPAC, SOUTHPAC and WESTPAC.

Diez got his start in 1990 working for Campaign Opinion and Research Analyst and SCBI. In both capacities, he worked with redistricting data, census data, election results and voter files. In 2000 he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for national political organizations on data related projects such as redistricting, voter file development, targeting and survey research.

In 2006 he developed a comprehensive plan to recruit and elect more conservative-minded candidates to the Louisiana Legislature. He went on to serve as executive director of a newly created organization, where he oversaw all aspects of the organizations efforts, from candidate recruitment to message development.

In 2007, Diez started his own survey research and data firm, Magellan Strategies BR. In 2012, his Baton Rouge-based firm fielded surveys in every presidential battleground state as well as polling in all competitive U.S. Senate and numerous congressional races. Diez comes to LABI from his most recent position as the deputy campaign director for David Vitters 2015 gubernatorial campaign.
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"Loving" is a movie I hoped to see in the theaters, but it never came to Carbondale, or I blinked and missed it. After noticing it was available to rent on Amazon, I took a chance, and I'm glad I did.

The movie, which earned actress Ruth Negga a deserved Oscar nomination, is based on the married life of Richard and Mildred Loving, a couple who fought an anti-interracial marriage law in Virginia that ended in 1967 with the Supreme Court prohibiting such laws throughout the country.

What I found interesting is I was expecting much more of a courtroom drama, but that's not what this was. There were no impassioned speeches, no grand celebrations set to a powerful orchestral score. Fittingly, it was just a movie about two people who loved each other very much.

That's what made this movie so powerful. So many movies try to get the audience to care through the heroic lawyers and skillful legal maneuvering, but this one took what I thought was the perfect approach. Just show the people affected. How they're not hurting anyone and just want to spend their lives together and raise a family. How ludicrous it is when their home is raided and they're arrested in the middle of the night and treated like inexcusable sexual miscreants.

But while I liked just about everything about this film, there were three key scenes that make this movie. And, spoiler alert, I'm going to go over them.

The first is the opening scene. A simple shot of Mildred (Negga), a black woman, staring ahead, clearly nervous about something. After a bit of silence, she finally says, "I'm pregnant." The focus then shifts to her white then-boyfriend, Richard (Joel Edgerton). A smile slowly creeps on his face and he expresses his joy of becoming a father. Cut back to Mildred, who eventually matches his smile with relief. This scene sets the tone of the film perfectly. In just her facial expressions, you can see how much Mildred carries the fear of the intolerant world around her and how little Richard cares what others think of them.

The second is after the couple are arrested for  well, arrested for being a couple. Richard leans on his porch, smoking a cigarette and admitting someone must've gone to the police to ensure they were arrested. The way he starts sizing up his black and white neighbors and acquaintances, gives a great sense of the paranoia he would feel after that.

Finally, there's a scene where the ACLU lawyers are meeting with the couple, excited about the case being heard by the Supreme Court and high spirits because they feel good about their chances. One of the lawyers mentions Virginia's defense, when Richard asks what their defense could possibly be for this. The lawyer begins shifting uncomfortably and his excitement visibly gives way to sorrow and disgust as he explains the state is using their children's existence to argue that the marriage is wrong.

All of these scenes were propped up by stellar acting. While Negga got a lot of praise for her performance as Mildred, and rightfully so, a lot of credit is due to Edgerton, who is Australian, for playing a Southern man who adores his wife and doesn't really seem to care what everyone else thinks. Edgerton and Negga have great chemistry and both turn in properly subdued performances, both playing people who take the injustices life throws at them in stride while the stress can clearly be seen in their eyes and body language. Richard is told by both the white and the black people in his life that he made a mistake by marrying Mildred, but it doesn't seem to phase either of them.

They met, they fell in love and they got married. What's wrong with that?
Hunter Adams must have thought hed stumbled into his own movie.

While scouting for filming locations in Trail of Tears State Forest, the writer-director of the supernatural thriller Dig Two Graves came across an old hunting shack  the perfect spot for a moonshiners cabin featured in his screenplay. There was no one around, but he started periodically stopping by in an effort to catch the owner of the property.

Around the fourth attempt, there were like six dudes stringing up a dead deer they had just killed, and they were getting ready to gut it. As I was approaching, one of them shouted out, We know you! in kind of a menacing tone, Adams said.

As it turned out, the men had seen video surveillance footage of Adams sneaking around and peering into the shacks windows.

Once I explained the situation, they were great, and obviously let us film there, he said, laughing.

But the encounter echoes the grim foreboding that pervades Adams tightly paced gothic drama, which debuted on-demand and in limited theaters on March 24.

Set in a small heartland town in the 1970s  with some additional key scenes taking place in the 1940s  the story follows a young girl named Jacqueline Jake Mather, played with a blend of innocence and precocious emotional intricacy by Samantha Isler. After Jakes brother, Sean, is killed in a tragic accident, a mysterious stranger strikes a deal with her: She can bring Sean back if she takes the life of a boy in her class.

Jakes fate is bound up with the past mistakes of her grandfather, Sheriff Waterhouse, played by a gruff but loving Ted Levine, who is perhaps best known for his work as Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs.

Lured to Illinois by film production tax credits, Adams found the rough beauty of the state's southernmost swamps, hills and forests meshed perfectly with the haunting mood of the tale. The majority of filming took place in January 2013 during a brutal winter with record-breaking low temperatures. The weather made it difficult to access some of the films more remote locations, but the payoff was worth it, he said.

(The area) just had this really somber, kind of melancholic tone that we tried to capture, he said.

He found the region had a timeless feel, which came in handy when trying to shoot a period piece on a small budget.

It wasnt that difficult to transform the downtown and some of the homes into the 1970s and 1940s, he said.

Southern Illinoisans will recognize a multitude of historical sites used in the film, such as the railroad tunnel at Tunnel Hill in Johnson County. Adams worked with Southern Illinois historian and author Jon Musgrave to infuse aspects of the regions bloody history into the screenplay.

Local biologist Tony Gerard, a professor at Shawnee Community College, handled Sintullo, a 10-foot timber rattlesnake featured throughout the film.

The films production team also drew on the help of interns from Southern Illinois University Carbondales Cinema Department.

A lot of them have ended up out here in L.A. Theyre out here working and surviving, which is not an easy thing to do, so I think it was hopefully a valuable experience for them, Adams said.

Dig Two Graves will be screened at the Marion Civic and Cultural Center at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 15. The event will feature a Q&A with Adams, along with a live musical performance by The People vs. Hugh DeNeal. Attendees who wear period costumes from the 1940s or 1970s will have a chance to win prizes. Tickets are $8 and are available online at www.digtwogravesfilm.bpt.me.
Former President Bill Clinton will address graduates at the Hobart and William Smith Colleges commencement ceremony next month, the school announced Wednesday.

The commencement ceremony will be held Sunday, May 14 at the Quad on the Hobart and William Smith Colleges campus in Geneva.

"We are honored to welcome President Clinton back to Hobart and William Smith as the 2017 commencement speaker," said Mark Gearan, the colleges' president.

"President Clinton's leadership has transformed millions of lives around the world, from his time as Arkansas attorney general and then governor, to two terms in the White House, and now with the charitable work of his foundation. I look forward to hearing the insight and guidance he has to offer our graduating seniors."

Clinton served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas.

After leaving the White House, he launched the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative.

The Hobart and William Smith commencement ceremony will be the last for Gearan as president, which could be one reason why Clinton is addressing the graduates.

Gearan was a staffer in the Clinton administration and held various posts, including White House deputy chief of staff. He was eventually named director of the Peace Corps.

In 1999, Gearan left the Clinton administration to serve as president at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Gearan announced last summer that 2016-17 would be his final academic year as president. Following his departure, he'll head to Harvard University where he'll serve as "president in residence" at the institution's Graduate School of Education.
The Orangeburg County Legislative Delegation met Monday to discuss developments in the county.

Present at the meeting were delegation chairman Sen. John Matthews, D-Bowman; Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg; and Rep. Lonnie Hosey, D-Barnwell.

Former delegation administrative assistant Ruby Sanders, reported there is approximately $24,000 left in 2015 Parks and Recreation Department funds that need to be allocated, approved and spent by October of this year.

Sanders said only Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg and Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, have used all of their funds.

The money will be sent back to the state if not used by the October deadline.

Matthews said he is giving the rest of his to Orangeburg County, and he told Deputy Administrator Marion Lloyd to let County Administrator Harold Young know.

Whatever Ive got, thats where its going, Matthews said. He knows what to do with it.

Jim Johnson, director of the Small Business Development Center, updated the delegation on SBDCs recent accomplishments. The center held meetings with large companies, such as BMW and Boeing, in an attempt to connect small businesses to private industries, Johnson said.

In the area of agribusiness, he said the SBDC is applying for a capacity building grant that goes to help all South Carolina small farmers and small entrepreneurs.

SBDC plans to use the grant money to create a center for food marketing and agribusiness, Johnson said. The center expects to know by the summer if it will receive the grant.

Johnson said the SBDC also helped small businesses apply for the USDA Rural Energy for America grant, which allows energy efficiency updates. The USDA will pay 25 percent of the project cost.

In marketing technology, Johnson said the organization has been working with Dr. Renu Singh, associate professor of marketing at S.C. State, building websites and digital designs for small businesses.

This fall, SBDC plans to begin a student internship initiative that connects students at South Carolina State, Claflin and other local colleges and universities with small businesses.

At its first annual awards banquet held during S.C. States Business Week, SBDC recognized three local ambassadors: Matt Mardell of Colleton Commercial Kitchen; Rachelle Jamerson-Holmes, owner of The Matriarch Bed and Breakfast, Rachelle's Island Boutique and other enterprises; and Wilbur Cave, Allendale County ALIVE executive director.

Also at the meeting:

Beverly Odom, a concerned citizen in the Nix-Stilton Road Community, said she wants to look at what changes need to be made in the area through applying for a grant from the Ford Foundation.

What might come out of it is a need to amend the zoning law in our district so that we can have single-wide trailers if this is what people can afford to live in, Odom said. Having chaired a zoning commission for five years in a small town, zoning can sometimes be dangerous and work against the beneficiaries that its supposed to help, and that I believe is what has happened in my community.

She said the community would possibly need legislation to deal with heir property (and) what to do to keep it from going to the Forfeited Land Commission.

Odom hopes to study the area to see whats individually owned, heir property, owned by the Forfeited Land Commission and whats occupied by residents. With that information, she wants to see what buildings can be torn down or rehabilitated into affordable housing.

Thats an issue weve been dealing with for quite some time, Cobb-Hunter said. There is legislation that has been passed to address that.

I would suggest once you get your application ready, let us know and well be happy to give you a letter of support, Matthews said.

The delegation reappointed all those currently serving on the countys boards and commissions.

The delegation thanked the retiring Sanders for her service.

I just really wanted to say what a pleasure its been having you work for the delegation, Cobb-Hunter said. You were always on point in spite of us.

Thank you for your time, your service, Matthews said. Youve always been responsible and kind.

Sanders said she was always very happy in the position.

Thank you all for putting up with me and allowing me to do my job, she said.
The Orangeburg County Fire Commission has unanimously approved its 2017-18 fiscal year budget totaling $3.3 million.

The $3.3 million budget is up about $285,000 from last year as a result of reimbursement funds the fire district received from Orangeburg County for the county's placement of Emergency Medical Services additions at both the Rowesville and Neeses fire stations.

"Those monies came into what was called a revenue account," Orangeburg County Fire System Coordinator Gene Ball said. "We ended up with a larger fund balance even though our budget did not change."

The reimbursement monies will be earmarked for the construction of a new Pine Hill Fire station, Ball said.

The district's 2016 fund balance ended up at about $700,000 compared to its typical $450,000 year-end fund balance, he said.

"I tried to spend some of that money last year, but I could not spend enough money toward the end of the year to get the fund balance down," Ball said.

The budget includes about $1.4 million for administrative costs, $825,000 for fire service costs and $1.1 million for capital projects.

In addition to a Pine Hill fire station, new substations will be placed in the Springfield and Edisto areas in 2017 and 2018, Ball said.

The fire district's fiscal year, like the county's, runs from July 1 to June 30.

Okonite fire

Commissioner Steve Murdaugh reported the county fire departments assisted the Orangeburg Department of Public Safety in fighting a fire at the Okonite Corporation plant on Rowesville Road during the early morning hours of April 3.

The fire was contained and confined to the third floor and roof of the plant's compound facility, Murdaugh said.

"We still don't know for certain what started the fire, but it started on the roof and was in the insulation and was burning across the roof," he said.

John Hiers, manager of the Okonite compound facility, said the fire caused less than $1,000 in damage and was confined to the roof. He said the company was in the process of putting a new roof on the compound facility when the fire occurred and it is believed old insulation caught on fire as a result of the heat weld process involved in the roof work.

The plant was shut down during third shift after the fire broke out on April 3 but resumed normal operations by first shift.

Murdaugh, who works as a DPS firefighter, said the Rowesville, Caanan, Jamison, Four Holes and Providence fire departments also responded to the fire to provide mutual aid.

"We do help the city, and a lot of times that help is crucial to the operations," Ball said.

He reported the district's firefighter training building has been well utilized by a number of different organizations other than the Orangeburg County fire departments, including the South Carolina Fire Academy, the U.S. Army Reserve and South Carolina Electric and Gas Co.

Ball said the fire training complex, which includes a nearly $1 million burn building, has been beneficial to the county, but the site still needs another fire hydrant and two more water sources. The county has already put up a significant amount of money toward the building, he said, noting the city has benefited from the facility as well.

"Somewhere they (the city) are going to have to pay for some of this," Ball said.

Greg Gambrell

Also, Ball reported that North Fire Chief Greg Gambrell was recognized for 44 years of service to the North Fire Department and the fire district at the district's annual appreciation dinner last month.

He said Gambrell has been an inspiration to him over the years and is noted for designing a fire tanker truck with the help of Sumter-based G&G Metal Fabrication several years ago. Ball said the truck is known nationally as "The Orangeburg Tanker" in honor of its local design. The truck is ideal for fighting fires in a rural setting, he said.

"He (Gambrell) has been a warrior for the fire service in our county probably more than any other one person," Ball said. "He has gone the extra step, the extra mile."

Gambrell is now battling liver cancer but continues to serve the district, he said.

Service to district

Commissioners also recognized retired fire district maintenance man Henry Sammy Watson for his 10 years of service as well as former Fire District Commissioner Frances Davis for her 20 years of service to the district.

Ball described Watson as a "faithful worker" and Davis as "very influential" and a "guiding light" in the formation of the fire district in July 1997.

Ball said Davis was also instrumental in putting together the framework for district operations in 1995 prior to the district's official formation.
NORWAY -- A Norway Town Council member has been charged with interfering with a traffic stop involving a member of his family, the town's police department announced Wednesday.

The Norway Police Department obtained arrest warrants for Councilman Michael Andrew Singleton. The warrants were issued by Magistrate Peggy Doremus.

The 42-year-old was arrested by the Orangeburg County Sheriffs Office on a charge of one count of hindering/interfering with an officer, according to the statement from Norway police.

The charge is a misdemeanor carrying a penalty fine of not more than $3,000 or imprisonment for no more than three years, or both, at the discretion of the court having jurisdiction.

A second charge for stopping/parking in a roadway is also a misdemeanor. It carries a penalty of a fine of not more than $100 or imprisonment for no more than 30 days.

According to the arrest warrant, at approximately 6:31 p.m. on April 9, while on Harrison Avenue and 3rd Street in the town of Norway, Officer Jamie T. Lucas of the Norway Police Department was conducting a traffic stop when Singleton stopped and parked his vehicle in the roadway.

Singleton exited his vehicle and demanded the officer tell him what was going on, according to the warrant.

The encounter occurred prior to Lucas issuing a traffic ticket to one of Singletons family members.

According to the warrant, Singleton told the officer that he is the police commissioner and that the officer may want to resign. He said he is the officers boss.

Further investigation found that the defendant is not the police commissioner and it is believed that he attempted to illegally use his council position for his familys benefit, according to the warrant.

The case has been turned over to the 1st Circuit solicitor, according to the Norway Police Department. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be requested.

Singleton was booked at the Orangeburg County Detention Center.

Norway Police Chief Scott Ward said Singleton was due in court in Orangeburg Wednesday afternoon for a bond hearing.
In most instances, the warnings about sexually transmitted diseases focus on HIV/AIDs and the cost in lives lost and ongoing health problems for far too many in South Carolina and beyond.

HIV/AIDS testing and knowing your status remain priorities, particularly in areas such as The T&D Region where HIV/AIDs rates are higher than statewide.

But during April, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control is calling attention to a health problem much older than HIV/AIDS  and encouraging screening to prevent its spread.

This year for STD Awareness Month, our goal is to highlight syphilis awareness and testing, according to DHEC.

Syphilis? Yes, the centuries-old disease caused by Treponema Pallidum, a bacterium, is still around.

It has an ugly history.

According to an article posted by the National Center for Biotechnical Information: From the very beginning, syphilis has been a stigmatized, disgraceful disease; each country whose population was affected by the infection blamed the neighboring (and sometimes enemy) countries for the outbreak. So, the inhabitants of todays Italy, Germany and United Kingdom named syphilis the French disease, the French named it the Neapolitan disease, the Russians assigned the name of Polish disease, the Polish called it the German disease, The Danish, the Portuguese and the inhabitants of Northern Africa named it the Spanish/Castilian disease and the Turks coined the term Christian disease. Moreover, in Northern India, the Muslims blamed the Hindu for the outbreak of the affliction. However, the Hindu blamed the Muslims and in the end everyone blamed the Europeans.

Once thought to be totally under control after penicillin was discovered as a cure, syphilis has re-emerged as a common STD.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, syphilis has been spreading among gay and bisexual men in the United States.

In 2013, the number of syphilis infections reported to the CDC rose by more than 10 percent to 17,535 cases -- the most syphilis cases since 1995. Men having sex with men accounted for 75 percent of the infections.

Federal health officials have called for better screening of syphilis, which can lead to blindness, birth defects and stroke if untreated. Half of the men with syphilis are also infected with HIV, according to the CDC.

The CDC recommends at least annual tests for men having sex with men. Men having sex with anonymous partners may require more frequent screenings.

The CDC says a lot of medical providers do not realize that syphilis has returned as a problem. And that is a problem in itself. There is a treatment for syphilis, but the only way syphilis can be detected is by testing.

"In the most recent CDC rankings for state STD rates, among all of the states, South Carolina ranked fourth for gonorrhea, seventh for chlamydia, and 16th for all stages of syphilis combined," said Ali Mansaray, director of DHECs STD/HIV Division.

Studies show people with STDs such as gonorrhea, herpes and syphilis are more likely to get HIV compared to people who are STD-free. The same behaviors that increase the risk for acquiring these STDs also increase the risk of getting HIV.

Certain areas of South Carolina have particularly high STD rates. In the Midlands, there has been a big increase in syphilis. In 2015 Richland County had more than 57 percent of the state's total cases. A similar surge has occurred in other counties in South Carolina, though not to date in the T&D Region counties of Orangeburg, Calhoun and Bamberg, where reported cases dropped from 13 in 2013 to three in 2015.

The goal is to prevent further increases in the numbers of people with the disease. As with HIV/AIDS, testing is essential. The health consequences of going untreated are severe.

DHEC urges those at risk for any STD to talk with their health care professional about getting tested or call your local public health clinic for an appointment. DHEC's public health clinics will be offering free testing on April 27. For more information about STDs and sites that provide screenings, call DHEC's AIDS/STD Hotline at 1-800-322-AIDS (1-800-322-2437), or visit DHEC's website at http://www.scdhec.gov/stdhiv.
SENECA FALLS  Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer isn't a fan of President Donald Trump's first budget proposal, especially cuts to key environmental programs.

Schumer, D-N.Y, appeared in Seneca County Wednesday to throw his support behind the Finger Lakes Institute's effort to secure federal funding for hydrilla containment and treatment. One potential source of the federal aid is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

In Trump's budget blueprint, he calls for the elimination of the program's funding. His spending plan would shift the burden to local and state governments.

Schumer said he's concerned about the Trump administration's environmental priorities.

"Clean water, clean air are one of the great things that's happened in the last third of the 20th century," Schumer said, referring to the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. "We live longer because we have cleaner air and cleaner water. We live better."

There are other benefits of pro-environment policies. Schumer said having clean water has helped the Finger Lakes region become a major tourist attraction. The lakes are vital to the surrounding communities and the regional economy.

"I don't know if our wineries would've come," he said. "I don't know if the tourism would've come."

Along with slashing the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Trump's initial plan outlines a 31 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency's funding in the 2018 fiscal year. The agency also would have 3,200 fewer positions, according to the budget blueprint.

Trump's budget would cut off funding for the Clean Power Plan and climate change research in order to save $100 million. It also would cut more than 50 other programs, including the popular Energy Star initiative.

Schumer called the proposed cuts "a mistake."

"I will fight them very hard," he said. "And again, I think that, frankly, the president's budget is out of touch with where America is at and Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate have said that, including many of our upstate congressmen right up here who are not of my same party."

U.S. Rep. Chris Collins, a western New York Republican and one of Trump's biggest supporters, has spoken out against cuts to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and other EPA programs.

Schumer also briefly addressed the confirmation of EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, who previously served as Oklahoma's attorney general. Pruitt was selected by Trump to lead the EPA.

The Senate confirmed Pruitt by a narrow 52-46 vote. Schumer opposed Pruitt's confirmation.

"Pruitt comes from the coal and oil industry, and that's all he seems to care about," he said.
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SENECA FALLS  A local effort to eradicate a 27-acre patch of hydrilla in Cayuga Lake is being supported by U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Schumer, D-N.Y., held a press conference at Cayuga Lake State Park Wednesday to announce his endorsement of the Finger Lakes Institute's proposals to eliminate the invasive species from the lake.

The Finger Lakes Institute, which is overseeing the cleanup effort, is seeking $598,960 from the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce hydrilla, including $170,000 for chemical treatments to eliminate the weeds.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation is requesting an additional $249,992 through the federal Great Lakes Restoration Initiative for hydrilla control during the 2018 season.

Schumer's push follows the revelation that 27 acres of hydrilla have been found off the shore of Wells College in Aurora. Experts estimate that the hydrilla is four or five years old and it's close to a water intake pipe for the college.

"We haven't found it elsewhere. That's the good news," Schumer said. "But that means we got to work because this is a ticking time bomb."

The invasive weed was first found in Cayuga Lake in 2011.

Hydrilla can pose problems for waterways. It can harm fish populations and limit recreational activities, such as boating and fishing.

The challenge with the latest hydrilla find is that it developed in the northern part of the lake, which is more shallow and "prime habitat" for the weed, Schumer said.

"Once it gets too far, point control is gone," he said. "You can't do that anymore, so we have to act quickly."

Dr. Lisa Cleckner, director of the Finger Lakes Institute, added that the federal funding is crucial because of the need to control the growth of hydrilla.

"We want to prevent it from spreading to the rest of the lake and also to the Finger Lakes," she said.

Schumer cited Florida as an example of what can happen if you don't limit or eliminate hydrilla.

Florida is now spending $30 million a year, Schumer said, to reduce hydrilla because they waited too long to address the invasive species.

For Cayuga Lake, about $175,000 is needed annually to combat the spread of hydrilla and identify any new growth.

There's another reason why Schumer views the hydrilla funding as a top priority  its impact on the local economy.

Tourism related to Cayuga Lake contributes $286 million to the economy, supports 6,000 local jobs and generates more than $18 million in state and local tax revenues, Schumer said.

"If hydrilla just infests the water, we could lose all of that economic shot in the arm," he said. "So this is not just about somebody's convenience. This is about our economy."
By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

Despite a deadly spike in the confrontation over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region and limited progress overall, the OSCE persists in striving towards peaceful and durable settlement to this conflict, says the OSCE Annual Report 2016.

The report noted that conflicts in the OSCE area continued to dominate the organizations agenda in 2016, and the renewed escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in spring 2016 required intensified crisis management.

On April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire of large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers by Armenian army. Azerbaijani counter-attack led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. The military operations were stopped on April 5 with mutual consent of the sides.

The OSCE report stated that the German chairmanship made considerable efforts in addressing the conflicts to strengthen OSCE formats for conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of people affected by conflicts.

With regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the chairmanship reacted swiftly after the escalation of hostilities at the line of contact in April 2016, initiating a special meeting of the Permanent Council and advocating the implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level in Vienna and St. Petersburg, the report said. The agreements concerned the expansion of the office of the personal representative of the chairperson-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and the establishment of an investigative mechanism.

The document also stated that the OSCE chairmanship called for the resumption of a political negotiation process to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 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.
By Azernews





By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who is on a visit to Warsaw, has discussed the development of cooperation between the ports and railways of Azerbaijan and Poland as he met with Marek Grobarczyk, Polish Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation on April 11.

Mammadyarov briefed the Polish side on the economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan, the Baku International Sea Trade Port and its potential, as well as large-scale projects envisaged in the near future in the field of logistics.

Baku International Sea Trade Port is expected to become one of the leading trade and logistics hubs of Eurasia. The completion of the first stage of its construction, projected to the late 2017, will allow the Port to increase its capacity up to 11.5 million tons of cargo and to 50,000 containers per year. Meanwhile, the implementation of the final third stage is projected to increase the capacity up to 25 million tons of freight and 1 million of containers.

Mammadyarov also talked about the transport projects implemented by the initiative and participation of Azerbaijan, in particular the economic advantages and future prospects of the East-West and North-South corridors, as well as the connectivity of the North-South railway to Polands ports.

Grobarczyk, in turn, touched upon such issues as the shipbuilding and the development of fish farming industry and shared Polands experience in these fields.

He invited his Azerbaijani counterparts to Poland to promote the cooperation between the ports.

On the same day, Minister Mammadyarov met with the Andrzej Adamczyk, Minister of Infrastructure and Construction of Poland.

At the meeting, Adamczyk stated that Poland is interested in the East-West and North-South transport corridors and expressed his willingness to cooperate with Azerbaijani counterparts.

The sides noted the cooperation between Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and Polands ORLEN and LOTOS oil companies and the ties between SOCAR and Przyjazn company of Poland within the Sarmatia International Pipeline Company.

The parties underlined the successful activities of Novol and more than 20 companies of Poland in Azerbaijan, especially in trade, industry, transport, service, construction, insurance, banking and other fields.

Minister Mammadyarov also met with the Head of the Polish Sejm Marek Kuchci?ski on April 11.

The Head of Sejm mentioned that he attaches special importance to the relations with Azerbaijan and in this regard noted the significance of development of inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Kuchci?ski noted that Poland supports the development of relations between Azerbaijan and European Union and signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

Mammadyarov, in turn, emphasized the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Poland within international organizations.

In addition, Mammadyarov informed his interlocutor about the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reiterated the demands of relevant four resolutions of the UN Security Council. He stressed it is important to exert international pressure on Armenia to ensure the withdrawal of its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the sides highlighted that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid seven visits to Poland and all Polish Presidents have been in Baku.

Earlier, Mammadyarov met with his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski. The ministers expressed satisfaction with the current state of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Poland and exchanged views on the expansion of cooperation in various fields.




By Azernews





By Amina Nazarli

Negotiations on a new agreement on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union will be held in Baku on April 25.

The talks will be held within the framework of the EU delegations visit to Baku, the EU office in Azerbaijan told Trend.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The first meeting on a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan was held in Brussels on February 7, 2017.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets.

Besides, another delegation of the EU will visit Baku on April 27-28 to discuss issues related to the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, which will be held in Brussels in November.
UAE-based Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower) has entered into an agreement with Dubai Trade, the premier trade facilitation entity, to utilise its Rosoom the secured online payment gateway.



As per the agreement, Empowers customer base of more than 65,000 will now be able to access Dubai Trades e-payment gateway Rosoom, remarked Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower, after signing the deal with Mahmood Al Bastaki, CEO of Dubai Trade.



The unique e-payment gateway will help Empowers customers process the companys payment for services rendered through multiple payment options including major credit and debit cards free of charge.

At Empower we are committed to provide our customers with best-in-class services to streamline their day-to-day life. Our association with Dubai Trade is a testament to our efforts and initiatives to provide smart services to our customers and drive the UAE governments smart vision," stated Bin Shafar.

The e-payment gateway will not only eliminate the need for customers visiting our office to make payments, but also provide easy convenience and security for our valued customers, he added.

Empower had announced earlier exempting its customers from transaction fees while they pay online. This move reflects the companys firm belief in contributing to the smart transformation as well as to increase the efficiency of its services, rationalise costs and enhance reliability in financial transactions.



Welcoming the partnership, Al Bastaki said: "We value Empowers reliance on our services, in particular Rosoom, and confident that it will save their clients time and effort especially with the feature of high level of security."



"Dubai Trade is driven by its vision to enable seamless trade, and our Rosoom platform was initiated to further facilitate the payment transactions of trade and logistics services. Rosoom has recorded till date over 8.3 million transactions with collections of AED 6 billion, which indicates to be the more reliable payment mean to the users of Dubai Trade e-services as well as the clients of our integrated partners," he added.



Accessible at the Empower website, the Rosoom e-payment gateway can be accessed through the registration process. The Rosoom e-payment gateway is part of Dubai Trades platform which allows secure and reliablepayment transactions for all parties involved.



"Rosoom is a state-of-the-art system that is password-protected. The payment gateway permits paperless transactions, ensuring that our customers can use the platform to make payments through their smart phone," stated Bin Shafar.



"It is designed to offer customers utmost convenience just through a click," he added.-TradeArabia News Service


The Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (Getex), a leading student recruitment platform in the Middle East and Asia, will open tomorrow (April 13) in Dubai, UAE, offering new learning initiatives and covering a wider scope of courses.



Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Education and organised by International Conferences and Exhibitions (IC&E), the three-day event will run until April 15, at the Dubai International Convention Centre.



The regions most trusted education, training and professional development show will offer more than 30,000 students with wide-ranging learning opportunities in leading international universities and educational institutions around the world, said a statement from the organisers.



The show will exhibit over 2,000 academic, vocational and training courses offered by nearly 300 participating institutions from Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, Egypt, India, Georgia, Malaysia, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, the UK, the US and Canada, among others, it said.



The highlight of this years event will be fresh courses in areas such as data analytics, digital manufacturing, solar technology, nanotechnology, micro-electronics, criminology, and luxury brand management, which will allow students to build their careers in new and upcoming fields, it added.



Anselm Godinho, managing director, IC&E  organiser of Getex, said: In todays highly competitive job market, students are on the lookout for niche and different professions, which will enable them to stand above the competition yet remain relevant in their career.



More and more students are making a career out of their interests and hobbies. Therefore, this years edition of Getex will feature many contemporary courses alongside standard and popular ones, he said.



As in the past editions, the event will also host engaging seminars on topics such as Culture and Education, IT Trends and Career for the Decade Ahead, Engineering as a Field of Study, Media Trends and Careers for the Decade Ahead, Industry Engagement and Workplace Relevance, Innovative Assessments, and Internationalisation of Higher Education: Indian Perspectives.



A new feature, the Activity Zone, will enable colleges to engage with students outside of the classroom environment with a focus on industry-ready education such as photography, robotics, fashion designing, and dentistry, said a statement.



Furthermore, the show will conduct the Getex Student Counsellor Workshop Forum, delivered by career counselling experts. The session will consist of a series of presentations and discussions that will guide student advisors to progress and excel in their careers.



Godinho added: The event is one of the regions oldest student recruitment exhibitions, which continues to evolve and offer new and exciting features to aspiring students and their parents.



We remain committed to offer new and unique learning opportunities to the UAEs diverse population of Emiratis and expatriates, which can prepare them with skills to enter the job market, he said.



The show will provide detailed information on the various aspects of education such as course fees, cost of living if studying overseas, fees and scholarship options, and the most in-demand qualifications and professions, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) said it had received a total of 1,532 job applications during the recent Careers UAE 2017. Of this, about 100 applicants had been interviewed and 40 shortlisted.



The DHA announced that it is looking to fill more than 400 jobs this year in different healthcare fields such as medical, nursing, paramedical, and administration.



Amna Al Suwaidi, director of human resources at the DHA, said that 62 per cent of those who applied to DHA jobs held diploma or higher certificates.



She also revealed that of the 48 applications DHA had received for medical-related jobs, about 79 per cent were from female candidates.



We are seeking to communicate with all of the candidates in the coming days to complete the rest of the procedures, said Al Suwaidi.



She said DHA offered Emirati graduates with ample educational and training opportunities, within the country and abroad, so that they can pursue higher medical qualifications and serve the medical needs of the emirate.



DHA is taking part in the health and science programme and so is going to offer scholarships for high school graduates in the fields of health, paramedics and nursing. We have received 29 applications for medicine, six for nursing and 13 for paramedicine, said Al Suwaidi.



She pointed out that the DHA offered attractive packages for Emiratis that includes: competitive salaries, health insurance, plane tickets and nature of work compensation for some professions.



Currently 100 per cent of DHAs top leadership are Emiratis and Emiratis hold 80 per cent of supervisory positions, said a statement from the authority.



Furthermore, around 77.4 per cent of DHAs Emirati employees are female and 22.6 per cent are male, DHA strives to provide females with constant career growth.



The authority pays special emphasis on providing employees with a positive work environment and promotes innovation and creativity at work, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
The New York State Police is seeking qualified candidates to join its ranks.

New trooper entrance exams will be held Oct. 7, Oct. 14, Oct. 21 and Oct. 28 and offered at locations across the state. Applications may be completed at nytrooper.com. Information about recruitment can be found at that website or by calling 1-866-NYSP-EXAM.

Online applications are due by Sept. 1. The state police will use the test results to establish its list of new trooper prospects. The list will remain in effect for at least four years.

The application fee is $20. Applicants may use PayPal or a credit card to pay the fee.

The recruiting campaign comes as the state police is celebrating its 100th anniversary. The agency held events across the state Tuesday to mark the occasion.

"We are actively seeking qualified, committed and motivated candidates from all walks of life to take the trooper exam this fall," State Police Superintendent George Beach said. "Candidates will be competing for the chance to join the ranks of the New York State Police and have a rewarding career of public service."

There is an array of positions available within the agency, including canine handlers, crime scene evidence technicians and firearms instructors.

A slew of assignments are open for troopers, such as the aviation unit or dive team.

To be eligible to become a state trooper, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 20 years old by the application deadline. Applicants must be under age 30 by the application deadline date. An exception is in place for those who have been serving active military duty. In that case, the maximum age could be extended up to six years.

There are several educational and physical requirements that must be met in order to be appointed to the state police. For example, you must be able to pass a physical ability test consisting of push-ups, sit-ups and a 1.5-mile run. You must hold a high school diploma or equivalent and should have completed at least 60 college credit hours.

Troopers earn a starting salary of $53,993. Once they graduate from the New York State Police Academy, the salary rises to $71,712 a year.

After five years of service, the salary increases to $90,827 annually.
More than 350 leading industry leaders from across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (Menasa) region are taking part in the 12th edition of the World Takaful Conference (WTC) being held in Dubai, UAE.



The two-day event kicked off yesterday (April 11) at the Dusit Thani Hotel under the theme "Stability, Authenticity & Technological Transformation."



It is being convened by Middle East Global Advisors in strategic partnership with the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Authority.



Renowned industry regulator Ebrahim Obaid Al Zaabi, director general, Insurance Authority (IA) UAE, delivered the opening address and stressed on the need for more collaboration amongst regulators and standard setters to address the prevalent fragmentation of the Takaful industry.



Al Zaabi said: Takaful sector is one of the most prominent evidences of the products and services that comply with Islamic Shariah.



There are a lot of white spots that enlighten the development of this sector during the last stage; most prominent of which are the continued growth of this sector and the increasing demand for various types of Takaful products. However, despite the specific laws that have been issued in many countries, we are still in a bad need of preparing Islamic financial systems that cope with the economic changes and overcome the challenges, he said.



The UAE is considered a leader in the global Takaful industry and the worlds leader in the Islamic financial transaction codification initiatives. Compared with 2008, the total investments have also increased by 579 per cent to reach Dh4.323 billion ($1.17 billion) in 2016. The conference is contributing to the Takaful sector consolidation in the region and the world, he added.



Salmaan Jaffery, chief business development officer, DIFC Authority, said: There is an appetite to do more in Islamic Fintech. Islamic Takaful Insurance is growing and is underpenetrated and being taken up by the younger generation who embrace new technology.



Innovation in products without innovation in business models, AI, dig data, algorithms - is sub-optimal. By partnering with the conference, our company is demonstrating its commitment to encouraging dialogue in these areas, supporting the worldwide Islamic economy and helping it achieve long-term, sustainable growth, he said.



Following the keynote addresses, the Global Takaful Report 2017 by Milliman - one of the worlds largest actuarial and consulting firms, was launched.



The report aims to equip Takaful leaders in the regulatory, economic, demographical and technological landscape by enabling them to take stock of the key industry trends, analyse forecasts and projections, and explore factors that are critical to their organizations long-term growth, said the organisers.



Speaking on the exclusive launch of the report, Safder Jaffer, managing director and consulting actuary - Middle East and Africa (MEA), Milliman, said: The growth in the Takaful industry is double-digit and is here to stay. However, to continue to meet profitability, the industry would need to meet customer needs and embrace modern technology and global best risk management practices.



The day ensued with a power-packed CEO Debate deliberating on the disruption of the Takaful industry and was followed by a host of panel sessions gravitating around the key themes affecting the Takaful industry at large, said the organisers.



Leading industry experts analysed the challenges at hand and focused on coming up with effective suggestions with the ultimate aim of developing a convergence roadmap for regulators, operators and Sharia scholars, they added.



A major highlight of the conference was a dedicated platform called InsurTech Integrated that put focus on the impact of disruptive technologies on the insurance industry.-TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Thuraya Telecommunications Company has signed a MoU with Switzerlands Else, a privately-owned startup, to collaborate and benefit from each others capabilities on multiple fronts.



The Swiss group aims to offer global machine-to-machine (M2M) communication services for global businesses at the lowest cost in the industry.



The agreement will pave the way for strategic alliance between the two organisations in sales and marketing, technical and regulatory aspects, said a statement from Thuraya.



From a commercial perspective, the deal extends their product and service portfolios considerably besides facilitating expedited access to the market, it said.



Jassem Nasser, chief strategy officer, Thuraya, said: "This agreement forms the foundation of an extensive framework and an exciting long term collaboration towards providing a progressive platform for our partners to offer services beyond basic satellite connectivity.



Futura, our future plan encompasses three main pillars, one of which is New Wave services for M2M and IoT applications, he said.



Our alliance with Else serves as a building block for the development of this component of Futura and further reaffirms our commitment in building value through partnerships, he added.



Fabien Jordan, co-founder and CEO of Else, said: As an established company, Thuraya brings experience, skill and reputable legacy to the table.



Our organisation shall benefit greatly from their technology and distribution reach and we are very excited about the possibilities this alliance will create, he added.  TradeArabia News Service
Adnoc Distribution is investing Dh750 million ($204 million) in a fuel depot located at the new Midfield Terminal of Abu Dhabi International Airport, according to Saeed Mubarak Al Rashdi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Adnoc Distribution.



Speaking to Emirates News Agency, WAM, Al Rashdi said, "Adnoc Distribution produces 14 million tonnes of jet fuel in order to meet an expected significant increase in demand from Etihad Airways and its associated airlines.



Adnoc Distribution, part of the Adnoc Group of Companies, was established in 1973 as the first UAE government-owned company specialising in the national and international marketing and distribution of petroleum products.



"Adnoc Distribution achieved an 18% growth in its aviation business in 2014-2015 and is continuing to maintain a steady rate of expansion," he said, adding that the companys Aviation Operation Division, AVOD, recently celebrated 35 years of success in providing high-quality commercial and military fuel distribution services for local and international clients.



"Since 1982, AVOD has been meeting the needs of more than 200 regional and international customers in civil and military sectors, with high standard products and services distributed through state-of-the-art fuelling facilities, with health, safety, and the environment, HSE, remaining at the core of our entire range of operations," he noted.



AVOD can call on a fleet of aircraft refuelling vehicles that range in capacity from 5,000 litres to 65,000 litres. These refuellers and hydrant dispensers, which incorporate the latest electronic metering equipment and safety systems, can pump up to 3,800 cubic metres per hour.



Al Rashdi explained, "In terms of fuel supply, airlines count on reliability and flexibility and are increasingly seeking contractual obligations in order to secure this. We also have a competitive advantage in Abu Dhabi in that we have a reliable source of supply through our connection to Takreer as a production hub, which enables us to produce almost 14m tonnes of jet fuel annually."



The process and systems used by AVOD are designed and operated in line with international guidelines set by the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and other leading international institutions.



"Our objective is to raise and maintain optimum service standards within the UAE. We tirelessly seek to ensure that the UAE remains well-positioned to attract consumers and able to offer high-value products and services," Al Rashdi added.



Adnoc Distributions success has been built on its comprehensive range of services. Its aviation division now has more than 600 professionals working across 25 locations supplying both commercial and military products according to the highest safety standards.



As part of its mission to grow a capable national workforce, the number of UAE Emirati employees in AVOD has reached 67 percent of the divisions total workforce.



As AVOD moves forward, it will be integrating the latest technologies into its core business. Last year also saw the UAEs aviation industry benefiting from significant investment exceeding Dh1.5 billion towards expansion and enhancement of service stations and fuel depots, according to Adnoc Distribution sources.



"Maintaining steady growth based on reliability and innovation has been made possible by enabling our highly professional team to maximise their potential as our business has expanded. We have also gained an eminent reputation for delivering and excellent, client-focused service. These crucial attributes have enabled us to take a leading role in the industry", he concluded.
Blueground, a hospitality company offering high quality accommodation to business executives & expats, has made its entry into Dubai's hospitality industry.



Based in Greece, blueground's business model operates by leasing existing high-end residential properties in the most sought after areas, upgrading and converting them into best-in-class rentals, thus avoiding the lengthy and capital intensive construction process of traditional hotel operators, while at the same time providing its guests with a home experience.



It has already gained the trust of over 400 property owners and thousands of corporate guests and has tripled its revenues in the last 12 months. Blueground, which offers stylish, fully-furnished apartments to business executives, expats and other travelers for mid to long term duration (of one month or longer), has developed a unique business model that differentiates it from traditional serviced apartment operators, shaking up the stagnant of innovation

corporate hospitality market.



Also, the companys scale, its furnishing standardization, and its in-house developed technology, which automates all aspects of the business, including online bookings, 24/7 guest support through an app, etc., differentiates it from the typical small-scale furnished apartment operators, ensuring the highest level of professionalism.



The company is already counting multinationals such as Samsung, Panasonic, H&M, IKEA, Novo Nordisk, Oracle and Siemens in its client list.



The choice of Dubai as the third city blueground enters, reflects the companys strong belief in the regions significant growth potential.

According to Alexandros Chatzieleftheriou, CEO and cofounder of blueground: Dubai is an established hub for both investors and businesses from around the world, making it an ideal market for us.



"We are very pleased with the trust we have received from property owners, investors and multinational companies in Dubai to date, and we will continue to grow our presence in the region, he said.



Blueground recently raised $5.8 million in Series A funding round led by the European fund VentureFriends and the American fund Endeavor Catalyst. The companys disruptive business model and its significant growth - tripling its revenues since last year in each of the markets it operates - constituted the reason that led blueground to this new round of funding. Since its founding in 2013, blueground has raised a total of $7.4 million. - TradeArabia News Service
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!)
AUBURN  Those who visit the main entrance of Cayuga Community College's Auburn campus this month will be greeted by 30 flags of different colors on the nearby trees.

The flags are a display for Harmony Month, an April celebration of all races, nationalities, regions, sexual orientations, intellectual abilities and political preferences at the college.

The month was set up by the campus' student government organization. President Steven Brewer said a teacher pitched the idea to the organization back in October. When the group originally brought it up to the student senate, however, there were questions as to whether the rainbow colors meant that the month focused more on the LBGTQ community.

The group assured the senate that vast amounts of groups' colors were meant to be represented by the flags.

"The reason why we wanted to do all the different colors was because we have a lot of different diversity on the campus, a lot of unique individuals and characteristics on the campus, so we thought that (the colors) would best symbolize diversity," student government secretary Monica Espada said.

Brewer added, "All the different colors of the rainbow."

Espada said members of the student senate, which the CCC student government group runs, also asked if intellectual and political diversities were supposed to be included.

"Of course it does. We're celebrating all diversity," Espada said. "It's not just between races; it's between how you identify, different characteristics, different beliefs on campus. It's everything."

Espada believes the student government board members themselves demonstrate diversity on campus, as she is of Puerto Rican descent, Brewer is Caucasian, Vice President Chumani Ketcham has Caucasian, Native American and Hispanic ancestry, and student trustee Duanna Johnson is African-American.

Espada said the CCC campus currently has students who hail from locations ranging from Haiti to Mexico to England to Kentucky. Student government adviser Margaret Thomas added that they get along well.

"It just goes to show even though (students have) differences and have that diversity, yet there's also a lot that we have in common, that we can celebrate together while appreciating differences everyone has," Thomas said.

Espada said she has learned different phrases from people, such as the term her boyfriend she met at CCC, England native Calvin Negus, uses as a playful way of meaning "ditsy": "melt."

"I had to ask him, 'What do you mean by 'melt'? What do you mean, I'm a melt? And he goes, 'Well, I guess here in America I guess you would say 'ditzy,' Like, "Oh OK, that makes sense," Espada said with a laugh.

Reflecting on Harmony Month and the diversity it celebrates in CCC's student body, Brewer said he ignores cultural stereotypes.

"I don't put a lot of stock into stereotypes, because obviously my board's pretty diverse. I can't really say, 'This person is like this because I've heard that from other people,'" Brewer said. "Just working with all these people, I can can tell you they're incredible workers I'm really happy that I've gotten to work with this semester and last."
Wyomings two Republican U.S. senators have some of the highest approval ratings in the country at a time when an anti-Donald Trump movement has organized in the Cowboy State at a pitch that hasnt been heard in years.

Sixty-nine percent of Wyomingites approve of the job U.S. Sen. John Barrasso is doing in Washington, according to data released Tuesday morning by the Washington media and technology company Morning Consult. And 68 percent approve of Sen. Mike Enzis work.

That gives Barrasso and Enzi the third- and fourth-highest ratings in the country.

The senators approval ratings were bested only by the two senators from Vermont: independent Bernie Sanders and Democratic Patrick Leahy.

The data did not include approval ratings for the U.S. House. Wyoming has one representative: Republican Liz Cheney.

Those ratings come as opponents of the agenda of Trump and Republicans in Congress have become more organized in Wyoming  with womens marches, town hall meetings, social media advocacy and calls, letters and emails to the offices of the states delegation.

The chasm between the senators popularity and the resistance movement underscores how politically divided Americans  including Wyomingites  have become.

Republicans describe the opposition as a vocal minority, while organizers of the resistance movement believe the majority of Wyomingites are only starting to become informed about state and national politics.

The senators high approval ratings are no surprise to Kristin Walker, a GOP political strategist in Jackson.

While people tend to dislike Congress as a whole  with approval ratings for the political body sometimes not even hitting 20 percent  people tend to like their individual members of Congress, she said.

And Barrasso and Enzi are popular in Wyoming because they have fought for coal and are fiscally conservative, said Walker, who worked for retired U.S. Rep. Barbara Cubin.

She attributed most of the resistance movement to a minority energized by its opposition to Trump. But she noted that seven in 10 Wyoming voters  the highest margin in the country  sent Trump to the White House.

Walker also said the senators do a terrific job of staying connected to their constituents  be it through meetings, correspondence or trips back home, she said. They are both in Wyoming nearly every single weekend, and that is not lost on the people of Wyoming.

But members of the resistance movement do not believe the members of the delegation are accessible to ordinary Wyomingites.

A town hall meeting was scheduled Tuesday night in Cheyenne. As with prior events in Casper and Jackson, Wyomings congressmen will not attend, with each of their offices telling the Star-Tribune they had other commitments, while emphasizing that they meet regularly with the people of Wyoming.

Congress is on recess, with the Senate returning April 22 and the House convening a day later.

Heather Webb, an organizer with Indivisible Cheyenne, a Trump resistance group, said the Barrasso, Enzi and Cheney had plenty of notice ahead of the Tuesday event. A group of about 18 constituents from Wheatland, Torrington and Cheyenne invited the politicians to the event during a Feb. 22 visit to each of their Cheyenne offices, she said.

If theyre not able to attend town halls, then what are they doing? she said. We should have access to our delegation.

Webb said there are many issues of concern in Washington that cross political lines.

As an example, she noted that a majority in Congress  including the three members of the Wyoming delegation  approved a measure that will ultimately allow internet service providers to sell web browsing history to third parties.

Supporters of the legislation said that other internet companies, such as Facebook and Google, do not have such prohibitions and the legislation evened the playing field.

Our privacy should be a concern and should be important to our congressional delegation, Webb said. I think some of it is with the new wave of things happening.
Our representatives should be able to meet with us

Editor:

On March 2, I attended a town hall meeting in Powell, to speak to our national legislators and listen to others comments and concerns.

I was disappointed that our senators and congresswoman were not at the meeting. Their representatives were at this town hall, taking comments, but there was no interplay between the legislators representatives and citizens. Their representatives took notes and made forms available for those who could not speak due to time constraints.

I think other citizens also would have liked to speak to our national congresspeople.

Visiting Senator Enzis website to determine the time of the meeting, I saw that there was a meeting in Cowley following the one in Powell. I understand that the senators and the congresswoman were not in Cody to meet with with constituents on that, nor, Im assuming in Cowley.

As Wyoming has the lowest population of the fifty states, I would think that we could meet with our senators and congresswoman face-to-face, as I have observed national legislators from other states doing.

Yours truly,

KARLING ABERNATHY, Cody
EAGLE, Idaho (AP)  The annual arrival of the Idaho Potato Commission's Great Big Idaho Potato Truck has become one of the year's most eagerly anticipated moments for 7-year-old Jacob Walker, who is believed to be the world's smallest boy.

The truck, which hauls a 6-ton replica Russet Burbank, departed from Boise March 20 on its sixth U.S. tour. Though IPC receives more than 300 requests for the truck to make appearances at events throughout the country each tour, the organization has prioritized a stop at Walker's Virginia home for a third consecutive year.

Once again, Walker, who has a rare form of dwarfism, will be riding with the Tater Team during the National Memorial Day Parade at Arlington National Cemetery.

"He and the team have built a wonderful friendship," said his mother, Ashley Walker. "The people of Idaho are represented well by everyone involved with the truck's tour and how they have made a child from so far away feel like he is part of the Idaho potato family."

After learning about the boy, the Tater Team visited Walker dressed as super heroes, and gave him his own cape. IPC also donated $500 toward Walker's Make A Wish trip to Florida. The team returned the following year to pick him up for a road trip to the Memorial Day parade.

"The day was filled with fun, and Jacob enjoyed talking on the CB to other truckers," his mother said.

IPC President and CEO Frank Muir said the truck has logged more than 100,000 miles during its previous tours and is scheduled to drive another 23,000 miles over the next six months. IPC will map the truck's progress on its website, idahopotato.com. Some highlights of sixth trek will include a Houston children's festival, the Kentucky Derby, a NASCAR race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, a Five Guys Burgers and Fries corporate meeting, a potato chip festival in Saratoga Springs, New York, and Spud Days in Shelley, Idaho.

The current tour budget is about $700,000, and covers the tour's charitable program, called A Big Helping, Muir said. The truck makes donations of up to $500 per event, supporting a broad range of local charities. Muir said IPC intends to air one or two new truck-centered commercials this season. He said the truck continues to generate a social media buzz and local news coverage wherever it travels.

"It's getting bigger and bigger," Muir said. "I don't see any reason to stop it."

Laura Martin, who directs the truck tour with Foerstel Designs in Boise, said about 300 people from throughout the world applied to serve as new Tater Team members. IPC ultimately chose two recent Idaho college graduates, Boise State University graduate Kaylee Wells and University of Idaho graduate Jessica Coulthard. The women, who call themselves the Tater Twins, are friends who have traveled abroad together, Martin said. Larry Bathe has returned to drive the truck.

___

Information from: The Capital Press (Ore.), http://www.capitalpress.com/washington
Heres what the next week has in store for theater lovers:

OPENING

Holmes and Watson  Arizona Theatre Company wraps up its 50th season with the world premiere of Jeffrey Hatchers Holmes and Watson.

The play takes place after Sherlock Holmes is assumed dead after a confrontation with his nemesis, Professor Moriarty. But wait  is he dead? Three men, locked up in a remote asylum, all claim to be Holmes. Its up to his sidekick Watson to determine which is telling the truth  or if anyone is. Previews begin Saturday, April 15 at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Performances continue through May 5. Tickets are $25-$64 at 622-2823 or arizonatheatre.org.

See Sundays Home + Life for a story on the play and David Ira Goldstein, who is directing his last production as ATCs artistic director.

Stars of David  Back in 2005, writer Abigail Pogrebin had this fantasy: To interview Jewish celebrities about their Jewish identity.

Her husband liked the idea, but couldnt imagine who would talk to her.

Turns out, plenty of people did. She gathered up more than 60 interviews and had a bestseller on her hands: Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish.

Nearly a decade later, that intimate book about faith, traditions and family took an unlikely turn: It became a musical. Arizona Onstage Productions stages Stars of David April 15 and 16.

While the book centers on Jews, its themes are universal, and the compact vignettes in the book translate well to a music revue.

Playwright Charles Busch asked various songwriters to create musical snapshots of different characters.

Not just any songwriters: He convinced some of the hottest musical theater composers around to participate, among them Marvin Hamlisch, Sheldon Harnick, Tom Kitt, Lisa Lambert and Richard Maltby, Jr.

The songs tell the stories of such people as Fran Drescher, Michael Feinstein, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Tony Kushner, Norman Lear, Leonard Nimoy, Gwyneth Paltrow, Joan Rivers, Ruth Reichl, Aaron Sorkin and Gloria Steinem.

Arizona Onstages founder Kevin Johnson directs this production, and his cast is made up of Liz Cracchiolo, Dennis Tamblyn, Jeremy Vega and Kelli Workman. Johnson has a knack for finding quirky, not-widely-known musicals that are packed with heart and inspiration. And he has a knack for casting some of Tucsons finest musical talent.

Performances run about 90 minutes with no intermission and are 7 p.m. Saturday, April 15, and 2 and 5 p.m. Sunday, April 16 at the Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway. Tickets are $35, with discounts available. Arizonaonstage.org or 882-6574.

Lets Live a Little  Next up for Invisible Theatre is Kathleen Clarks Lets Live a Little.

IT has done several plays by Clark, whose scripts display a quick wit and a soft heart.

The story separate tales about people in search of adventure but who end up at unexpected destinations, said a release from the company.

Susan Claassen directs a cast that the company calls its biggest ever: Bree Boyd, Kathleen Erickson, Pat Fitch, Roxanne Harley, Susan Kovitz, Lucille Petty, Molly McKasson, Sarah MacMillan, Stevan Miller, Jack Neubeck, Ellie Vought, and To-Ree-Nee Wolf-Keiser. Whew.

Lets Live a Little previews at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, and opens at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. Performances continue through April 30 at Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Ave. Tickets are $20 for the preview, and $32 for regular performances, with discounts available. The runtime is 90 minutes, with no intermission. 882-9721 or invisibletheatre.com.

Three Sisters  Pima Community College is going all classic on us with its production of Anton Chekhovs Three Sisters.

The story: Olga, Masha and Irina live near a small Russian town with their brother, Andrey. The sisters use to live in Moscow, and they yearn for the sophisticated company and happenings of that big city. Where they live now is just, well, boring. The play studies their longings, examines class, and explores isolation, love, and the loss of dreams. No one addresses those subjects with such substance and vivid storytelling as Chekhov.

This PCC production is directed by Nikki Martinez and features an all-student cast. It opens at 7:30 p.m. April 20, and subsequent performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through April 30 at the PCC Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre, 2202 W. Anklam Road. Tickets are $18 at 206-6986 or pima.edu/cfa. Runtime is 2 hours 40 minutes, with one intermission.

LAST CHANCE

The Bodyguard The Musical  Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. Broadway in Tucson has brought the road show here, starring Grammy-nominated Deborah Cox in the role that Whitney Houston played in the film. In a nutshell: Superstar is stalked, hires a bodyguard, falls in love while she lives in fear of the stalker. Lots of Houston songs. Performances are 7:30 p.m. April 12-13, 8 p.m. April 14; 2 p.m. April 15; 1 and 6:30 p.m. April 16. $29-$75. 1-800-745-3000. broadwayintucson.com.

CONTINUING

The Curse of the Pirates Gold  The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway. The buccaneers search the Spanish Main for the lost pirates treasure, while trying to avoid the dreaded curse. A plus with Gaslight productions: You get to boo, cheer and indulge in a bit of  ok, lots of  theatrical silliness. Various times through June 4. $21.95. 886-9428 or Thegaslighttheatre.com.

Below the Belt  Live Theatre Workshop, 5317 E. Speedway. My, my, factory life is sure funny, and dark, in this Live Theatre production. Annette Hillman directs a trio of actors who wont let your funny bone rest. They play workers in a faceless factory. They all manipulate to get power  backstabbing is as common as the poisonous gases the factory spews into the air. Prepare to be entertained. 7:30 p.m. April 13-15, 20 and 21. No show April 16. Continues through May 6. $20. 327-4242. livetheatreworkshop.org.

Evita  Tornabene Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road in the University of Arizona fine arts complex. Eva Perons climb from the slums of Argentina to beloved First Lady is given musical life thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The Arizona Repertory Theatre production features the talented University of Arizona students and is directed by Danny Gurwin. 1:30 p.m. April 16; 7:30 p.m. April 13-15, 20 and 21. Continues through April 29. $20-$31. 621-1162. Theatre.arizona.edu. See a review in Sundays Home + Life.

Dov and Ali  Community Playhouse, 1881 N. Oracle Road. Something Something Theatre Company gives an uneven production of this Anna Ziegler play. It pits a high school English teacher who is Jewish against a Muslim student. A reading of The Lord of the Flies launches discussions about faith, free will, fathers. The production, directed by Joan ODwyer, has a plodding pace but earnest performances, especially by Tyler Gastelum, who plays Ali, the student, and Isabelle Tinsley ass Sameh, Alis sister. Post-show discussions. 7:30 p.m. April 14, 15 and 21; 2 p.m. April 16. Through April 22. $18-$22. 468-6111. somethingsomethingtheatre.com.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some April 12 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.
NOGALES, Ariz.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions toured the U.S.-Mexico border Tuesday and unveiled what he described as a new get-tough approach to immigration prosecutions under President Donald Trump.

The nation's top law enforcement official outlined a series of changes that he said mark the start of a new era to rid American cities and the border of what he described as "filth" brought on by drug cartels and criminal organizations.

He credited Trump for a steep drop-off of border apprehensions this year and said the administration will bring more felony prosecutions against immigrants entering the country illegally.

"This is a new era. This is the Trump era," he said. "The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws, and the catch and release practices of old are over."

Sessions has been expanding the Justice Department's role in the anti-immigration agenda of the Trump administration. But his Tuesday speech during his first visit to the border offered the most comprehensive look yet at his plans for federal prosecutions of those in the country illegally. He directed the nation's federal prosecutors in a Tuesday memo to prioritize immigration-related cases, with an eye toward targeting people who cross the border illegally and those who come back after being deported.

Sessions urged federal prosecutors to intensify their focus on immigration crimes such as illegal crossing or smuggling others into the U.S., even though such prosecutions are already happening on a large scale. Half of federal arrests in 2014 were for immigration-related offenses, according to a Pew Research analysis released this week, based on the most recent federal statistics.

Critics blasted the initiatives announced by Sessions as fear-mongering and anti-immigrant rhetoric not rooted in facts.

"Once again, Attorney General Sessions is scaring the public by linking immigrants to criminals despite studies showing that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than the native born. He and President Trump are wasting more federal taxpayer dollars going after illegal border crossers instead of protecting the American public," said Gregory Z. Chen, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Sessions made the announcement in Nogales, where there has been a dramatic drop in immigrant and drug smuggling in recent years as more people enter the country in Texas, many of them Central Americans fleeing violence in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

The Border Patrol's Tucson sector, which comprises most of Arizona, saw about 65,000 arrests of immigrants last fiscal year, roughly half the number agents made in 2012, according to Border Patrol data. Marijuana seizures have also dropped by about 28 percent from 1 million pounds in 2012 to 728,000 last year.

Following the border tour, Sessions is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech at an International Association of Chiefs of Police conference outside Phoenix. He'll also speak with service members at Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix.

Much of what Sessions outlined in his far-ranging speech is also addressed in the Justice Department's proposed budget. Even as it plans to cut the Justice Department's budget by more than $1 billion, the Trump administration wants hundreds of millions of dollars to hire 60 federal prosecutors and 40 deputy U.S. Marshals to focus on border cases.

It also wants to boost immigration courts by $80 million to pay for 75 additional teams of judges. That would speed up removal proceedings for people in the United States illegally and address a backlog of more than 540,000 pending cases. The proposal also calls for adding $1.5 billion to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's budget to find, detain and deport immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, along with more than $300 million to hire 500 new Border Patrol agents and 1,000 immigration agents.

___

Associated Press Writer Sadie Gurman contributed to this report in Washington, D.C.
NOGALES, Ariz.  U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the arrival of the Trump era to the border during a visit here on Tuesday.

That era brings with it new guidelines for federal prosecutors that include harsher punishments for human smugglers and people who repeatedly cross the border illegally, Sessions said at the Mariposa Port of Entry, where billions of dollars in produce and industrial items cross the border every year and authorities sometimes find semi-tractor trailers hauling thousands of pounds of marijuana.

Sessions said drug cartels and gangs turn cities and suburbs into war zones while profiting from smuggling poison and people across the U.S.-Mexico border.

It is here, on this sliver of land, where we first take our stand, said Sessions, who varied from his prepared statement distributed to reporters that had this remark ending with against this filth.

Sessions said he heard the concerns of Customs and Border Protection officers and agents. The Trump administration will bring the full weight of both the immigration courts and federal criminal enforcement to combat this attack on our national security and sovereignty.

Sessions will require federal prosecutors to consider charging illegal border crossers with document fraud and identity theft, where possible. Federal authorities also will detain all adults apprehended at the border, rather then release them while their cases are adjudicated.

Sessions pointed to recent declines in apprehensions at the border since President Trump took office in January as signs of successful border enforcement.

Thats no accident. This is what happens when you have a president who understands the threat, and makes clear to law enforcement officials that he has their back, Sessions said.

To implement the new guidelines, every U.S. Attorneys Office across the country will designate an assistant U.S. attorney as the border security coordinator for their district, he said.

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, said in a written statement that Sessions announcement continues the intentional and systematic effort by this administration to criminalize immigrants, painting entire communities as guilty until proven innocent for actions that arent even crimes. Sessions isnt just asking federal prosecutors to enforce the law  hes asking them to actively seek opportunities to throw the book at immigrants, simply for being immigrants.

He called Sessions actions appalling, but they are also predictable for a man who has seethed intolerance for his entire public career.

To address the backlog of cases in immigration courts, the Trump administration plans to streamline the hiring process for immigration judges. The administration already added 25 new judges to detention centers along the border and plans to add 50 more this year and 75 next year, Sessions said.

Sessions took the oath of office Feb. 9. Prior to becoming attorney general, Sessions was a senator from Alabama from 1997 to 2017 and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama from 1981 to 1993.

As a senator, Sessions pushed for hard-line immigration policies and opposed efforts for comprehensive immigration reform unless the U.S.-Mexico border was secured. He has long been a proponent of building a physical barrier along the border.

He also opposed free-trade agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, that he said hurt the U.S. working class by closing factories.

As attorney general, Sessions is pushing to deny federal funding to local jurisdictions that do not honor requests from federal authorities to hold inmates at jails until they can be picked up and processed for deportation.

The Pima County jail alerts federal authorities when an inmate who is in the country illegally is being released, but does not give them 48 hours notice or hold them for an additional 48 hours, as requested by federal authorities.

After touring the border, Sessions was the keynote speaker at an international conference of police chiefs in Litchfield Park, and spoke to personnel at Luke Air Force Base.
The red mark left by this slap is not fading.

Its been five days since Gov. Doug Ducey signed the bill expanding private-school vouchers to thousands more Arizona students.

Among public-school teachers and families, the pain remains. Frequent repetition of the mantra school choice is not soothing.

The last six Arizona teachers of the year, all those chosen from 2012 through 2017, signed a letter to the governor Monday that says, among other things:

There is a teacher shortage of crisis proportions in this state. There were 2,000 unfilled positions, four weeks into this school year. Funneling public money into private hands with a total lack of oversight will only exacerbate that crisis; we have the third highest class sizes in the nation, and the voucher bill will also exacerbate that; we are funded at 49th in the nation, and the voucher bill will ensure that we remain near the bottom for the foreseeable future because more resources will be drained from public schools.

Then comes the kicker: However, we already rank #1 in school choice. Is there a correlation between the above statistics and this one?

In other words, they argue, the pursuit of multiplying niche choices is degrading the overall school system. As Rep. Randy Friese, the Tucson Democrat, explained it, this program would take either $4,500 (if the student goes to a district school) or $6,300 (if the student goes to a charter school) per student from the students school and put it toward the familys private-education expenses.

What really hurts these teachers is that they supported Duceys Prop. 123 last year, the initiative that allowed the government to tap the state land trust to help settle the lawsuit over school funding. It won by 51 percent to 49 percent. Without the teachers support, Ducey would have suffered a humiliating defeat.

And this is their reward?

It was a tough haul to get that across the finish line, 2016 teacher of the year Christine Marsh told me Tuesday. To turn around this year to propose and then sign voucher bills, its inappropriate. If we need money for schools, which we do as evidenced by Governor Ducey working hard for Prop. 123, then we shouldnt be draining more money out for voucher bills.

Worse: We know this is just the next step of many, until Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, as these vouchers are known, become the monster that eats the states public-school budget.

We could have known that from experience. The Legislature first approved vouchers for children with special needs in 2011. Then children of parents on active military duty, foster children, children in failing schools and children on Indian reservations were added. Finally, this year, Sen. Debbie Lesko, R-Peoria, proposed vouchers for all.

Putting caps on enrollment in the program was the only way to get it through the Legislature and past skeptical Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, a few of those Republicans were also gullible, as the Goldwater Institute quickly made clear upon the passage of the bill last week.

Darcy Olsen, Goldwaters CEO, shocked the handful of legislators who pretended this wasnt the plan all along when she said in an email Thursday, There is a cap at 5,000 new kids per year; we will get it lifted.

Of course this was the plan all along. The bill passed each house of the Legislature by just one vote, so any one legislator voting in favor could have recognized the fallacy of the caps and killed it. But they chose not to.

There are also problems with the accountability of the measure. The Arizona Republic found the data on ESAs in a messy state when it made a records request to the Arizona Department of Education. This is how Rep. Regina Cobb, a Kingman Republican who switched to a yes vote on the measure at the last minute, responded to the state of the data in the Republics story.

We dont know where its (the money) going to. We have nothing. How do we make decisions as lawmakers, as far as funding a program, when we dont even know if its working?

She said that after casting a deciding vote in favor. Thats indefensible.

(It should be noted that Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas disputed the Republics claims about the inadequacy of the data. In a poor imitation of a well-known American politician, she called it fake news from a failing news organization.)

Cobbs was one of several votes that flipped as a result of Duceys last-minute pressure to pass the bill. Why he suddenly made this vouchers bill a priority, after months of ignoring it, remains a mystery, although a spokesman for Ducey, Patrick Ptak, tells me the governor only made the push after last weeks amendment capping enrollment added more transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.

Hes stated he will not entertain any changes to the program until we see how it works, Ptak added.

But perhaps Duceys action is also explained by the reaction he got. Not from Arizona, but from national politicos.

Jeb Bush, Grover Norquist and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos were among the national political figures who tweeted their congratulations to Ducey. The Wall Street Journal editorial board published a piece praising the new law, which Duceys staff sent out.

Undoubtedly, the big-money donors in the Koch and Mercer networks, who want to dismantle the public-education system, took notice and were pleased. That could pay dividends in Duceys future political endeavors.

But back here at home, this swipe at the schools still stings. It hurts like only a betrayal can hurt.
The cost of an education is set to rise again at Pima Community College.

With enrollment still falling and no state funding in sight, the college is proposing to increase in-state tuition by $3 per credit  or 3.8 percent  next school year.

The $3 increase is 50 percent higher than the projected $2 average increase among nine other community colleges in the state, according to a PCC administrative report.

PCCs Governing Board is set to vote Wednesday, April 12, on the recommendation, which would increase basic tuition by $90 a year  from $2,355 to $2,445  for full-time students taking 30 credits a year.

If approved, the increase would make PCC the third-most-costly in the state once student fees are factored in. The Tucson school now is the fifth-most-costly community college.

The college faces higher costs this year for utilities and benefits, and possibly for raises for PCC employees, who have not had a pay increase since 2015, the report said. The tuition increase would add about $1.3 million to the colleges coffers.

It could have been worse: PCC administration considered, but did not recommend, a $7 per-credit increase for in-state students, which would have been the highest tuition hike in college history.

The college has made a concerted effort to keep tuition increases as low as possible after years of state funding cuts, a report from college finance boss David Bea said.

PCC students who met with the administration in February to discuss tuition were not opposed to the $3 increase, the report said. They understood the need for it and supported spending on high-quality student services, the report said.

International students and U.S. students from outside Arizona would see their tuition rates rise by 1 percent if they study on campus and by 5.9 percent for online classes.

But those students will still pay far less than they used to because PCC cut their tuition rates by 14.7 percent last year.

Foreign students would also pay a new $75 international fee each semester, but would no longer have to pay a $65 fee to apply to the college. The international fee would pay for things like case management and workshops to help students integrate.
PHOENIX  State senators voted 16-14 Wednesday to require judges to void citizen-backed initiatives if they are not in strict compliance with every requirement of Arizona election law.

HB 2244, approved by the Republican-controlled Senate with only one GOP lawmaker dissenting, would scrap existing laws and long-standing court rulings that say groups seeking to create statutes at the ballot box need only substantial compliance with the law.

That has been based on findings by judges that the intent of circulators and signers was clear and that voters were not deceived.

Sen. Martin Quezada, D-Glendale, said the changes will make it more difficult for groups to get their questions before voters.

He said it means that technical violations would void otherwise legitimate petition drives. And Quezada sought to narrow the scope of the legislation.

For example, Quezada proposed that a petition could be voided if the text of a ballot measure submitted to the secretary of state is not identical to whats being circulated. But other errors, like stapling a copy of the text to the petition instead of having it on the petition itself, would be judged under the looser substantial compliance law.

That proposal was rejected.

But Republicans were more sensitive to criticism that adopting a strict compliance requirement could lead to invalidating an initiative solely because the printed margins are too narrow or the size of the lettering is too small on the petitions.

They agreed to an amendment by Sen. Steve Montenegro, R-Litchfield Park, requiring the secretary of state to prepare a sample initiative form. It spells out that circulators are presumed to be strictly complying with the law if they use that form.

Montenegro said this should take care of problems that can occur when initiative backers create forms but reproduce them using a printer or copier that might spit out versions that dont meet those margin and typeface mandates.

If any committee goes on that site, downloads that form, uses that form, theyll have safe harbor because they are strictly complying to what that initiative petition should look like, he said.

Those changes, however, were insufficient to satisfy Democrats who said this bill  along with two others being pushed by Republicans  is simply an attack on the right of voters to propose their own laws.

Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said the framers of the Arizona Constitution created the initiative process to ensure voters have the opportunity to act. He argued that quashing ballot efforts because they dont meet certain technical requirements violates that right.

I dont care if this is scrawled on the back of a piece of bark peeled off a cottonwood tree, Farley said. I want these petitions to be accepted if they are genuine electors, he continued, arguing that he believes the measure will be found unconstitutional.

Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, however, said the additional requirements are necessary.

She said the 1998 Voter Protection Act bars lawmakers from repealing or significantly altering anything approved at the ballot. That constitutional measure, approved by voters, followed a decision by lawmakers the prior year to effectively repeal a 1996 law legalizing the medical use of marijuana and other otherwise illegal drugs.

There is no way now to protect the people if there is unseen consequences in initiatives that are passed, Allen said.

It is completely false, Quezada responded.

He said lawmakers, with a three-fourths vote of both the House and Senate, can amend voter-approved measures to fix technical problems. The only requirement is that the change furthers the purpose of what voters approved.

HB 2244, which now needs House approval, is part of a three-bill package being pushed by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other business interests in the wake of the decision by voters last year to increase the state minimum wage immediately to $10 an hour, going to $12 an hour by 2020.

HB 2404, forbidding paying petition circulators on a per-name basis, already was signed by Gov. Doug Ducey.

And SB 1236, awaiting debate, would make the organizers of initiative drives liable for fines for violations of election laws committed by petition circulators.
A conservation group and U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva have filed what they say is the first federal lawsuit against the proposed border wall.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Tucson by Grijalva, D-Arizona, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

Wildlife conservationists say the wall would be detrimental to rare animals such as jaguars and ocelots that are known to traverse the international line.

The lawsuit seeks to require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to put together a report on construction of the wall and the environmental impact of expanded operations on the U.S.-Mexico border.

This includes environmental impact statements on the the wall itself, border road construction, off-road vehicle patrols, installation of high-intensity lighting, construction of base camps and checkpoints and other activities, according to a news release announcing the lawsuit.

President Donald Trump has promised to build the wall and make Mexico pay for it, though Mexico has refused.

"American environmental laws are some of the oldest and strongest in the world and they should apply to the borderlands just as they do everywhere else," said Grijalva, who expansive district includes about 300 miles of the border. "Trump's wall  and his fanatical approach to our southern border  will do little more than perpetuate human suffering while irrevocably damaging our public lands and the wildlife that depend on them."

The lawsuit names as defendants Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Kevin K. McAleenan, acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and the CBP.
Public records

The Civil Service Meeting minutes in this case were produced by the city after repeated requests by the Star over two weeks, during which city officials violated Arizona Public Records law by failing to produce the minutes in a prompt manner.

The Arizona Public Records Law regarding open meetings says that minutes "shall be open to public inspection three working days after the meeting."

The Star made a public records request for the minutes on March 27, to which city spokeswoman Lane Mandle responded that they weren't ready yet and they'd be posted on the website as soon as they were done.

The Star responded, citing the law and statute number and hours later, received a reply that the the minutes had been requested from the city's human resources department.

The minutes were finally released on April 11, after the Star informed Mandle that a story was being prepared detailing the city's refusal to release the minutes.
A man has been charged with attempting sexual contact with a 12-year-old girl in Seneca County.

Jeremiah Tomion, 23, of Penn Yan, was arrested Tuesday in the town of Seneca Falls and charged with first-degree attempted rape and first-degree attempted disseminating indecent material to minors, both felonies.

According to New York State Police, Tomion was attempting to engage a 12-year-old girl in sexual contact. However, he was taken into custody prior to having any contact with the child.

Tomion was arraigned in Seneca Falls and remanded to Seneca County Jail in lieu of $5,000 cash, $10,000 bond.
Astronomers pointed a global array of radio telescopes at the center of our galaxy this week, hoping to image a glowing, swirling rim at the edge of a black hole that has swallowed the equivalent of 4 million suns.

The work of the Event Horizon Telescope team could once again prove Einstein right, or finally prove him wrong if relativity doesnt work as predicted in the vicinity of such an intense gravitational force.

They wont find out right away.

It will take some fancy computing and up to a year to combine the vast amount of data from the global array that forms a virtual telescope as big as the Earth itself.

Data from the southernmost telescope cant even be retrieved until spring allows flights to the South Pole in late October, said astronomer Dan Marrone of Steward Observatory.

Marrone installed the receivers for the experiment last year during the polar summer.

He said the weather this week has been cooperative  the best global weather hes seen in 20 years of linking radio telescopes.

Southern Arizona, which was buffeted by high winds and partially obscured by thin clouds during some of the observing runs, was acceptable even during those times, said Lucy Ziurys, director of the Arizona Radio Observatory, with telescopes on Kitt Peak and Mount Graham.

The Mount Graham Submillimeter Telescope Observatory participated in the observations. Marrone went to Mount Graham to set that up, then supervised it and the South Pole Telescope by phone.

The global weather was so good that astronomers wrapped up their five nights of observations a full four days ahead of schedule, completing the gathering of data on Tuesday morning. Five successful nights and, yes, we could have gone a few more days if needed  but the weather was kind to us, Marrone said in an email Tuesday.

Now the hard drives from the campaign will be flown to MITs Haystack Observatory and to the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, where the millions of gigabytes of data will be combined and then analyzed to produce a picture of what happens at the event horizon of a black hole.

A black hole is a phenomenon so dense that nothing can escape from it, including light. Astronomers only know of their existence because of the gravitational effects they have on nearby objects.

But while you cant see a black hole, the theory of general relativity predicts that the rim of a black hole  its event horizon  will glow with the light of the intense radiation caused by matter being compressed into near-nothingness. Optical telescopes cant see through the massive clouds of dust and gas. The longer wavelengths of radio telescopes should reveal it.

The data that will produce a picture of the event horizon at the center of the Milky Way, known as Sagittarius A Star (Sgr A*), will take six months to a year to process, said Marrone.

The data is carefully date-stamped, using atomic clocks installed at the observatory sites.

Precise overlay of the data is crucial to the process known as very-long-baseline interferometry, which creates a virtual telescope with the resolving power of one the size of the entire globe, by combining observations from North and South America, Europe, Hawaii and the South Pole.

The Event Horizon team, led by Sheperd Doeleman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, has conducted previous observations with fewer telescopes.

The addition of the South Pole Telescope doubled the virtual telescopes resolving power, said Marrone.

Adding ALMA  the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array in Chile  increased the virtual telescopes overall sensitivity by a factor of 10, according to the European Southern Observatorys webpage.

That resolution and sensitivity are needed to image a phenomenon that is 26,000 light years away and described as a pinprick on the night sky, despite its massive size. Astronomers compare it to trying to see a grapefruit on the moon.

This week heralds an exciting and challenging endeavor for astronomy, said France Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation in a news release. The NSF provided funding for the project and partially funded construction of ALMA.

Theoretical astrophysicists Feryal Ozel and Dimitrios Psaltis of the UAs Astronomy Department, were at MIT to help coordinate the experiment. They also led a computer simulation at the UA that predicted the size and shape of the event horizon and the shadow of the black hole, based on Einsteins math.

If the image produced from this weeks campaign differs significantly from that prediction, scientists will have to rethink things.

In my wildest dreams, I hope for seeing a deviation from the predictions of general relativity, Ozel told the Arizona Daily Star in January.
Free tuition for some New York state residents is being greeted with cheers by some and boos by others. And the fact that this major shift in state policy is not being universally accepted as a positive move is evidence that it  like many other aspects of the state budget  was voted into law without proper contemplation and debate of its merits.

The headline-grabbing initiative to offer free state college tuition to students from families making less than $125,000 a year was included in Gov. Andrew Cuomo's budget proposal released in January. Private schools, including Wells College in Aurora, immediately raised the alarm over the potential for devastating financial impacts should students begin to pass over their schools for public universities. Others argued that taxpayers shouldn't have to shoulder the burden of paying for a select group of people to go to college for free. Cuomo predicted that the program would amount to about $163 million a year, but many called that estimate far too low.

But for all the concerns, the proposal remained intact for months as the Legislature got closer to  and then missed the deadline for  passing the state budget. What happened in the final hours before the budget package was voted on was that some significant amendments were agreed to behind closed doors.

One  being criticized as a "bait and switch" tactic  requires students accepting the free tuition to continue living in New York state after graduation for as many years as they took advantage of the funding. Another last-minute addition is a tuition assistance program offering $3,000 grants for students at private colleges, whose graduates would also have to pay the money back if they move out of the state before their agreements expire.

The changes all have merit. But so does the notion that they should have been thoroughly discussed and debated before being voted into law. As it went, the public wasn't aware of the details until it was too late to turn back  an inexcusable way to pass such a sweeping and controversial policy.
I'm one of those folks, probably just one among many, here, who was a great admirer of H.R. McMaster. I've been following his public career since about 2006 and had always been impressed with his intellectual power and his blunt rejection of the Revolution In Military Affairs--concepts "that lead to the idea that you have perfect knowledge and can apply military power perfectly.'' I have been forced, over the past few days, however, to come to the conclusion that McMaster is a big part of the problem in the mad rush to war on Syria that erupted, last week, war that could lead to a direct military confrontation with Russia. His appearance on Fox News Sunday was an indication of that but there were indications of this potential well beforehand, while he was still at US Army Training and Doctrine Command. His pre-occupation for the past two years, before he went to the White House, was, after all, how to reshape the Army for future war against Russia. There were two public discussions he was involved in April-May of 2016, the first in Chicago on April 12, at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library, and the second one at CSIS in Washington, DC on May 4, 2016, in which he laid out his view that Russia is little more than an aggressive power that uses, among other things, criminal gangs to further its offensive intentions against American power. (I'm going to focus, here, on McMaster's public remarks. There's been a great deal of reporting on the machinations and feuds going on inside the National Security Council, but I will leave comment on that to those with better insight into such things).



In the Pritzker discussion, McMaster was asked about deterrence by denial, what would this look like in Eastern Europe. In response, he said that there are three aspects to deterrence by denial. The first is the right kind of capabilities "that could counter Russian aggression, right, and those are our capabilities, I think, like what we're seeing as landbased long-range precision fires capabilities, a tiered air defense capability, an answer to their long-range massed fires, for example, that they've employed in Ukraine. I think it's a significant enough conventional deterrent so that you can also address really what Russia has been advertising as this doctrine of escalation domination where they boast about going to the use of tactical nuclear weapons. So certainly there's a nuclear qualitative deterrent to that capability." the second aspect is quantity. "I mean you have to be--you have to have forces in sufficient scale to demonstrate your ability to deny the enemy those objectives.," he said. Thirdly is "the will of the alliance [NATO]," keeping it strong and united. On this, he was full of praise for ex-NATO commander Gen. Philip Breedlove for doing "a tremendous, tremendous job." It will be recalled that Breedlove, for his anti-Russia war propaganda, was getting much of his "intelligence" from Philip Karber, the head of the Potomac Institute, which McMaster praised as a good open source on the Russia New Generation Warfare Study that McMaster was heading up at TraDoc at the time.



In the CSIS event, McMaster described the "invasion" of Ukraine and the "annexation" of Crimea has having "punctuated" the end of the post-Cold War period, but that thase were not new developments "in terms of Russian aggression." He pointed to the Georgia war in 2008 and the cyber atttacks on the Baltic states as earlier indicators. Despite these earlier signs, Mcmaster lamented that the US response was to continue draw down forces in Europe. "And what we're seeing now is we've awakened to, obviously, this threat from Russia, who is waging limited war for limited objectives  annexing Crimea, invading Ukraine  at zero cost, consolidating gains over that territory, and portraying the reaction by us and allies and partners as escalatory, that what is required to deter a strong nation that is waging limited war for limited objectives on battlegrounds involving weaker states  or what Thomas  Mackinder called at the end of the 18th, early 19th century the shatter zones on the Eurasian landmass  what is required is forward deterrence, to be able to ratchet up the cost at the frontier, and to take an approach to deterrence that is consistent with deterrence by denial, convincing your enemy that your enemy is unable to accomplish his objectives at a reasonable cost rather than sort of an offshore balancing approach and the threat of punitive action at long distance later, which we know obviously from  recent experience confirms that that is inadequate," he said.



"Of course, this is a sophisticated strategy, what Russia is employing  and we're doing a study of this now with a number of partners  that combines, really, conventional forces as cover for unconventional action, but a much more sophisticated campaign involving the use of criminality and organized crime, and really operating effectively on this battleground of perception and information, and in particular part of a broader effort to sow doubt and conspiracy theories across our alliance," McMaster went on. "And this effort, I believe, is aimed really not at defensive objectives, but at offensive objectives  to collapse the post-World War II, certainly the post-Cold War, security, economic, and political order in Europe, and replace that order with something that is more sympathetic to Russian interests."



McMaster presents all of this as if it's happening in a vacuum, as if the actions of the Anglo-American-led West had nothing to do with anything, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. McMaster, the PhD historian, should know much better than that. The collapse of the post-World War II system could be happening for reasons that have nothing to do with Russia. Perhaps, like the Soviet Union in the 1980's, it's collapsing for reasons of its own internal contradictions, but this possibility is not even admitted into the discussion. McMaster knows that the U.S. invaded Iraq on the basis of lies, but dismisses any discussion of that to focus on decisions, both good and bad, that were made afterwards. Yet the events that followed were totally shaped by that decision to invade. So, McMaster appears to have abandoned the intellectual rigor that characterized his book on the Vietnam War and much of his work afterwards. At first glance, it appears that he is instead drawing his outlook from the neo-cons, particularly about the alleged threat to American power, but I have to do much more work to develop this before I can say anything definitively.

http://www.foxnews.com/transcript/2017/04/09/exclusive-general-h-r-mcmaster-on-decision-to-strike-syria.html

https://www.pritzkermilitary.org/whats_on/pritzker-military-presents/lt-general-hr-mcmaster-harbingers-future-war/

https://www.csis.org/events/harbingers-future-war-implications-army-lieutenant-general-hr-mcmaster
Help India!

TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter

Meerut:It seems that radical organisation Hindu Yuva Vahini, founded by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, is hell-bent on running a parallel administration to the official administrative bodies. This seems to be the only possible explanation as to why members of Hindu Yuva Vahini, on Tuesday morning, assaulted a couple in Meerut, dragged them to the police station under the accusations of Love Jihad.

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On Tuesday, a group of members of Hindu Yuva Vahini barged into a room in a building and caught a couple in a comprising situation. Although it is not supposed to be the job of Hindu Yuva Vahini to decide what a couple can do behind a closed door or not, they nevertheless proceeded with the same responsibility.

According to information received, they assaulted the boy whose identity we are not disclosing for security reasons and dragged them both to the police station. The boy was from the Muslim community while the girl belongs to the Hindu community. Both are above the legal adult age and both belong to Muzaffarnagar, not Meerut.

There is a house in Shastri Nagar locality of Meerut, whose owner often lends room to couples on a daily or an hourly basis. According to sources, house owner does this by a keeping a close nexus with police, administration and some vigilante groups, HYV is among them. HYV always keeps eye on the house. When on Monday, the couple arrived at the house to take the room on rent, HYV people were informed about it and things happened as reported above.

SP City Alok Priydarshi has claimed that the couple was not beaten but local sources inform that it did happen. Alok Priydarshi also claimed that girl was also a Muslim but it was not the case. However, the couple was let go to their homes but no case was registered against Hindu Yuva Vahini.

Nagendra Singh Tomar and Sachin Gupta of HYV were the first to be informed about the incident by locals. Tomar has demanded action against the boy while alleging that he was trying to convert the girl to Islam.

While talking to news agency ANI, Tomar said, I have asked the police to take strict action as the Muslim boy was romancing with a Hindu girl in the house. He wanted to convert her religion. I also insist on taking strict action against the landlords who give rooms on rent without proper verification.

Activities of Hindu Yuva Vahini are in question, again, since last week, when the group disrupted prayer in a church in Maharajganj district of Uttar Pradesh. The prayer was also attended by US nationals.
Help India!

New Delhi, (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed regret that despite consensus among all parties, a constitutional amendment bill to accord a constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

The Prime Minister expressed his anguish through a tweet after a delegation of BJP lawmakers from Other Backward Classes met him in Parliament to thank him for the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha.

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According to a statement issued by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Prime Minister said: This bill will ensure justice to backward classes and also help in their social empowerment.

Modi said he was shocked by the attitude of the opposition parties on the bill.

It is surprising that the bill has not been passed in the upper house. This happened after recommendations of a parliamentary committee on OBCs on the issue. Even MPs from all parties met me and urged to make the amendment in the Constitution on the matter, Modi said.

Urging the party MPs to persuade the opposition MPs on the issue, Modi said: To stop backward classes from (getting) their rights, by doing such nagative politics, is regrettable.

BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Prime Minister asked party MPs to spread the message of the bill and make the backward classes aware about it.

The bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes was on Tuesday referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha after the opposition parties blocked its consideration in the house.

A motion for sending the National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill to the Select Committee was moved by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot and it was adopted by the upper house.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and the government tried to push its consideration by the Rajya Sabha but a combined opposition resisted it.

The government on April 5 introduced separate bills to constitute a commission for the socially and educationally backward classes  to be known as the National Commission for Backward Classes  and to repeal the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.

The National Commission for Backward Classes was constituted under the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993, to examine requests of inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the list and hear complaints of over- or under-inclusion of any backward class in such list.
Last December, after years of negotiations to reduce Colorado River water use in Arizona, Nevada and California, federal and state water managers had a disappointing announcement. There would be no agreement before the end of the year. Talks about sharing reductions in water deliveries to keep more water in Lake Mead and avoid an official shortage declaration would have to be carried through to the Trump Administration.

Now, in an effort to highlight the progress that has been made on the multi-state drought contingency plan, and pressure the new president to follow through on its completion, the nonprofit American Rivers has put the Lower Colorado River at the top of its annual Americas Most Endangered Rivers list.

The communities, economy and natural resources of the southwestern U.S. will be threatened if the Trump Administration and Congress dont prioritize and fund innovative water management solutions, American Rivers wrote in a press release announcing the list on Tuesday. The Colorado River also topped the endangered rivers list in 2013 and 2015.

Major steps have been made by lower basin states and the federal government of the previous administration to figure out how to do more with less water, said Matt Rice, Colorado Basin director for American Rivers.

Spotlighting the Lower Colorado is meant to celebrate those accomplishments and encourage the Trump Administration to provide the leadership, support and funding needed to finalize a drought contingency plan, Rice said.

As it stands, Trumps proposed budget includes major cuts to departments that implement several programs key to supporting the proposed Colorado River drought contingency plan. Those include a Colorado River System Conservation program under the Bureau of Reclamation that funds voluntary water conservation projects in the basin and programs through the Department of Agricultures Natural Resources Conservation Service that help reduce water use in agriculture, Rice said.

In order to implement the drought contingency plan all these pots of money need to be put to use, Rice said. There is concern that such programs will go overlooked or could be on the chopping block during budget discussions, he said.

The drought contingency plan is important not only for states that depend on the Colorado River, but is a necessary component of efforts to update a binational Colorado River agreement between the United States and Mexico, Rice said. That agreement involves sharing future drought-related water cuts and includes provisions for the restoration of wetlands in the Colorado River delta that were included in the current bilateral agreement, Minute 319, which expires in 2017.

Above-average snowfall in the Colorado River basin this winter has spurred some to worry that such a flush water year will put drought planning on the back burner.

The Arizona Daily Star in March reported that the unusually snowy winter has helped put the kibosh on a statewide plan to conserve Colorado River water and that future conservation efforts are highly uncertain.

And in February, the Los Angeles Times reported that water managers were concerned that the wet winter could reduce the sense of urgency to complete the drought contingency plan.

Rice said water managers should instead look at the reprieve in drought conditions as an opportunity to complete the contingency plan.

Time is running out to stabilize levels in Lake Mead and avoid an official shortage declaration, he said. That declaration would trigger an 11.4 percent cut to Arizonas water allotment and a 4.3 percent cut to Nevadas allotment.

The further Lake Meads water level falls, the harder it will be to bring the reservoir back up, Rice said.

I'm concerned that we'll reach a certain point where collaboration is not going to be the approach that is taken, he said.

He encouraged people to take action by calling their legislators and asking them to prioritize and support the Lower Colorado and encourage the Trump Administration to do the same through completion of the drought contingency plan and maintaining funding for federal water conservation programs.
Help India!

Hyderabad, (IANS): A special session of Telangana Assembly will be held on April 16 to pass a legislation to increase quota for Muslims and tribals, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Wednesday.

He said the percentage of enhanced quota will be decided by the state cabinet at a meeting on April 15.

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After passing the bill, which will take the overall reservation quota in the state beyond the prescribed limit of 50 percent, it will be sent to the Union government for Presidents assent.

He said if the central government refused to include the legislation in Constitutions 9th Schedule as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu, Telangana would approach the Supreme Court.

Rao was addressing a news conference after the meeting of state cabinet, which accepted report of State Backward Classes Commission on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims and report of another panel to increase quota for tribals.

He said that his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was taking the step to implement its poll promise to increase quota for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes to 12 percent each.

He pointed out that the socially and economically backward sections among Muslims are already enjoying 5 percent reservation in jobs and education.

The Chief Minister said Telanganas legislation would be on the lines of the law passed by Tamil Nadu and included in 9th Schedule.

He contended that with 90 percent of the newly created Telangana states population constituting backward classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities, 50 percent ceiling on reservation will not work for the state.

Citing the examples of states implementing more than 50 percent reservation, he remarked that law has to be equal for all states.

The TRS chief demanded that the Centre transfer the subject of reservation to states as the states will have better understanding of their social composition and will be able to take necessary steps to ensure social justice.
The Scottish Medicine Consortium (SMC) decided on the 10th of April that National Health Service (NHS) will fund the purchase of Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a drug which reduces the chances of an individual contracting HIV by more than 90 percent, at a cost of 450 pounds per month for each person.

Deborah Gold, National Aids Trust (NAT)'s chief executive, declared that this prevention "turn Scotland into a model internationally of how to do HIV prevention well", in contrast with "delays in other three UK nations". But in contrast above all with other countries which still restrict the entry, residence and stay of foreigners who are HIV-positive (such as China and Australia for the long-term period stay, or Singapore and Russia even for the short period stay).

Health as a human right

Ross Clark on "The Spectator" asked: "How can NHS Scotland afford to fund an HIV drug?" However, beyond the money, it must be considered that health is a human right. Also for people who live in close contact with an Hiv Positive person.

Mervyn Susser, the renowned South African doctor and activist, defined health as a positive right, contrary to other negative rights in which society cannot interfere: in the case of health, the society aims to confer a benefit by promoting it.

The key is the equality, that means equal access to appropriate services - Susser said. Of course, equality is an ideal: "Unavoidable impairment bars some individuals" Susser specified. Yet, it must be pursued.

British National Health Service

The question of Susser is how. In a 1993 essay, he pinpointed three broad approaches: 1) centralised state-financed system, such as in Cuba; 2) centrally financed but local administered state system, such as British National Health Service; 3) a national comprehensive insurance system, such as in Costa Rica.

According to him, "the British National Health Service achieved equity between social classes in service but failed to achieve in health states (as measured by mortality). Deficiencies in commitment to public health services contributed largely to this failure."

Something from 1993 has changed. It still remains the problem of how a State can afford equality with health service.

The right to life

The answer would be to consider the right of health as a part of the right to life. A resolution of the Constitutional Court of Ecuador, in 2004, related to the National prevention and treatment of HIV affirmed that "the State must take precaution to safeguard the right to health and that the right to health also forms part of the right to life. (...) By not providing an immediate, diligent and effective solution, the Ministry of Public Health caused serious damage to the quality of life of those suffering from HIV/AIDS".

According to this definition, Paul Hunt, professor and member of the Human Rights Center, doesn't agree with Susser that health is only a positive right. "The right includes freedoms - stated Hunt in 2006 - such as the right to be free from discrimination and involuntary medical treatment".

As a conclusion, a person should be able to decide if take or take not the drugs.

Not in all country

Unfortunately, it is difficult to think about the public financing of this drug against HIV in all countries.

American anthropologist and physician Paul Farmer wrote in 2001 about AIDS: "Efforts to treat AIDS and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in areas such as Africa and Haiti, which lack a health care infrastructure, are dismissed as "unsustainable" or "not the appropriate technology".

"Excellence without equity - concluded Farmer - looms as the chief human rights dilemma of health care in the 21st century".
It was difficult to watch. The video of a helpless passenger on a United Airlines flight being roughed up and dragged off a plane to the horror of other passengers. What was United Airlines thinking? And no, he wasn't a terrorist, or a hijacker, or a non-paying customer. He did not abuse or threaten airline staff or passengers. He simply asserted his right to refuse to give up the seat he paid for to airline staff. Is the passenger always wrong and what does this say about the state of customer service in the airline industry?

Man dragged off plane for refusing to "volunteer"

The airline initially said that passengers on the United Express Flight 3411 in Chicago were asked to voluntary give up their seats and take another flight as they were fully booked. However, it was soon revealed that passengers were removed so that their own staff could be seated. When enough passengers did not volunteer, the staff called law enforcement to randomly select passengers and force them off the plane. According to reports, the man was a doctor who needed to be at the hospital in the morning and did not want to get off the plane. Videos posted on Social media after the incident, captured the passenger being forcefully removed from his seat, bloodied and dragged down the aisle of the plane.

A callous reaction by United Airlines

A screaming passenger being dragged off the plane was what passengers saw and heard and the world did as well. You can hear a female passenger yelling at the officers to stop. Social media was on fire in the aftermath of the actions taken by United Airlines. The company waffled between a half-hearted generalised apology, providing justifications for their actions and blaming the victim.

The CEO, Oscar Munoz apologised for having to "re-accommodate these customers" and another one for "the upsetting event" but there was no direct apology to the injured customer. Instead, he compliment the staff in a separate note by saying "While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right,

Blaming the customer

It was all the passenger's fault, the Airline seemed to suggest.

When you treat your customers like criminals I guess you play the blame game. In United Airlines' account of the incident, they accused the man of being belligerent and disruptive. I guess that is what not "volunteering" is now called. They go on to say that the passenger was told to leave politely but defied the crew and staff.

A question of race?

The passenger being dragged out of the plane appeared to be Asian and many are questioning whether a white passenger would have been treated this way. At least people in one country, China, thinks the action was racially motivated. The news of the man's plight quickly trended on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, attracting 85 million readers and thousands of comments.

There is also a petition to boycott the airline which has gone viral on We Chat. This could be problematic for a company that calls itself the top American carrier to China.

The backlash

It is the second time in a month that United Airlines has been criticised for its poor treatment of customers. The backlash came fast and furious with some calling for a boycott of the carrier. Others weighed in on social media severely criticising the handling of the incident and their response to it. But more serious to their bottom line is that their shares fell 4% following the incident.

Flying at your own risk

It is important that customers flying on United Airlines or any other airline know their rights and read the fine print on their tickets.

Otherwise, passengers are flying at their own risk. It is also critical that passengers understand that they could also be victims and encounter a similar situation. This could happen to anyone and you need to ask yourself if you want to risk it. When asked to give up your seat, you really don't have an option; you either comply are be forcefully removed. Isn't it time that customers remind airlines who pays them and the age old tenant that the customer is always right?
An anti-sugar tax group has launched a fresh appeal for new members as it steps up its campaign against the new tax.

The People Against Sugar Tax (PAST) campaign was established in August 2015 in response to the debate about sugar consumption in the media.

But the group intends to step up its efforts to battle the sugar tax when it is implemented in April 2018.

Former chancellor George Osborne introduced the sugar tax not long after the Conservative Party was re-elected in 2015 as a way of raising money to tackle the growing problem of obesity in the UK.

'An unfair tax'

In an exclusive interview, founder and Chief Executive of PAST, Brook Whelan, says 'this is an unfair tax that places a burden on the poorest households in the UK.'

He added: 'At a time when UK wage growth is stagnating, it is wrong that the Government intends to implement another regressive tax.'

PAST has already managed to attract a significant following on Twitter, with 6692 followers.

They have also issued numerous press releases in different newspapers which include The Daily Telegraph and distributed letters to local newspapers in parts of the country like Newcastle.

PAST has plans for leafleting days in the upcoming summer months. They also intend to hold stalls in town centres during September and October this year.

'Keep the message alive'

Despite this, Mr. Whelan said all efforts so far have failed to translate into sufficient membership numbers to enable the campaign to continue its activities in combating the sugar tax.

He added: 'With Brexit dominating all the headlines at the moment, this issue has been sidetracked, and rightly so as Brexit is a significant issue to deal with, of course.

'But it is important to keep this group's campaign message alive so that the debate does not shift away from the sugar tax completely.'

The PAST CEO said if the group manages to attract a sufficient membership base, they can hold regular social events and start to raise more funds.

'No difference in fighting obesity'

Mr. Whelan intends to make an appearance at the Conservative, UKIP and Labour Party conferences later this year, which he says are the three parties the group is receiving the most cross-party political support.

Mr. Whelan said the group's support is stretching as far as Australia. This is because other countries intend to copy the UK in implementing a sugar tax to defeat childhood obesity.

But the PAST CEO said this tax will make no difference in tackling childhood obesity as cutting fizzy drink consumption is not the same as ending obesity.

Mr. Whelan said PAST is not a campaign that is funded by industry.

He added: 'We are a grassroots campaign that stands on the side of ordinary people in standing up for our food and soft drinks.'

But Mr. Whelan intends to expand the group's operations to the extent that it will be able to afford permanent staff to manage the campaign.

He has said there are many interested donors in the group as well.

You can follow PAST on Twitter at @AgainstSugarTax.

Visit PAST's website at www.peopleagainstsugartax.com to find out how to join the group.
The G7 meeting for ministers was held this week with the subject of Russia and Syria on the table. The summit was deemed important in giving the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson backing ahead of his trip to Moscow.

What was agreed?

As the BBC reported, it was decided that the international community would "engage with Russia" and to try and get Moscow to put pressure on Assad to get him to observe the commitments for a cease fire. However what was not agreed was the proposal to apply sanctions to the Russian regime. Italy's foreign minister said that the group did not want to "back Russia into a corner" and instead preferred dialogue.

Sanctions idea backfired

What this clearly was, was a blow to the UK foreign secretary Boris Johnson. It was his idea and it seemed to backfire. It seemed that, as the Independent newspaper reported, the EU representatives were "cool on the idea". Was Johnson trying to be a major player at the summit? In all honesty I am not sure but what the Rejection of the idea for sanctions did show was that maybe there is a little bit of animosity between the UK and the other EU members.

Whilst it is of course a prelude to next month's G7 leadership summit next month, it was promising that overall agreements were made. Whatever is to happen with Brexit, it is good that unity and cooperation can continue.
It has been a busy few days in the realm of international politics. From the use of chemical attacks in Syria, to the US retaliatory airstrike, the missile testing by North Korea, the G7 ministerial summit and finally the current negotiations between the US and Russia, it has certainly been testing times. But as we address these issues, there are so many questions to ask, but let us try and keep a focus. So here are my questions. First of all, where are we now with the US and Russia? And second of all, where do I see the situation heading in the future?

Where we have come from

If we start from where we are now, the United States Secretary Of State Rex Tillerson is meeting his direct counterpart, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow. But relations are not very good at the moment. This was emphasised by the Russian President Vladimir Putin who, according to Reuters, stated that "the level of trust, on a working level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated". Things are how they are due to the differences in Syria. The Russians are on the side of the Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who is engaged in a bloody civil war with the rebel forces. Up until last week the US had not formally intervened into the conflict, due to the policies of former President Barack Obama and the current commander in chief, Donald Trump.

But things changed last week when it emerged that chemical weapons had been used against the Syrian public by Assad, which killed 87 people. It has since emerged, as the Daily Mirror states, that the deadly sarin gas was used. It was this action that led to the United States becoming involved. The BBC reported that an air strike, conducted by the US, "damaged or destroyed" 20 per cent of Syria's operational aircraft.

It was this retaliation that led to the breakdown of relations between Moscow and Washington. What is certain is that Russia are hurting. It is clear that they have an inferiority complex which has been there since the end of the Cold War. They are not what they were and they know it. They are desperate to be seen as major players on the international scene (especially Putin) and this may be the reason why they continue to align themselves with the likes of Assad and Iran.

It may also be the case that they do not want to seen as just another nation, and just following the ways of the powerful United States. It may be because of this that two things have happened; first of all the strong rhetoric by Russia. As reported in the Guardian newspaper, not only did Putin state that the attack was "in violation of international law", but Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev stated that the attack had left the US "on the verge of a military clash with Russia". The second thing to have happened was the frosty relations between the two when Tillerson met with Lavrov, which was predictable given what has happened.

The current situation

So in answering the first question, where are we with Russia and the US?

It is certainly not good. Whilst many criticisms can be levelled at Moscow, it is important to note that Trump and his administration have not helped. This is because there have been mixed messages sent from Trump and his administration as to where they stand on foreign policy matters. In addition to Trump himself, the Secretary of State (Tillerson) and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley have offered different responses to the administration's foreign policy position. The actions in Syria was also a change from the rhetoric spoken in the campaign, where the "America First" policy was promoted. It just seems that Trump and his team do not know what their policy is abroad, and if they even have a long term strategy in the region.

It is because of this and the other factors mentioned that have led to the current breakdown in relations. The Russians are hurt, the US unsure of what it wants and this confusion is helping no one.

Going forwards

With regards to the future, Donald Trump has to be clear what his agenda is. I also expect the Russians to continue to defy the international community and support Assad further. They are simply not going to listen to the US, especially as there will not be any sanctions (for now) placed on their heads. We do seem to be entering a rocky period globally. We do need to remember who the real enemy is and not get caught up in issues that are unnecessary. The stability of the global order is relying on both countries going forward to get along.
It was just over a week ago that Donald Trump took to Twitter and accused former President Barack Obama of engaging in the alleged Wiretapping of his offices at Trump Tower. Since then, the White House has not released any evidence to back up the claim, and it doesn't appear like they will be doing so at any point in the near future.

Spicer on wiretapping

With the scandal continuing to grow linking members of the Donald Trump administration to Russia, the president was forced to make a bold move and shift the conversation in a different direction.

After taking shots at Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the former host of "The Apprentice" then turned his attention to Barack Obama. Without evidence, Trump went on a multiple-tweet rant last weekend and accused the former commander in chief of bugging his office in Trump Tower. Obama denied the allegations in a statement, and the House Intelligence Committee requested proof from the White House, with a deadline of Monday to release the information. These issues were discussed during the March 13 press briefing.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was grilled on whether or not Donald Trump would finally release proof of the aforementioned wiretapping claims, and if the president would comply with the House Intelligence Committee request.

Spicer was pressed by both ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega and CBS News' Major Garrett. "I want you to clarify your answer to Major's question, Vega said, before asking "so will the DOJ and/or the administration comply with the deadline?" "You can't...no, don't...you can't..because...," Spicer said, as he stumbled to get to his answer out.

"It's interesting in the past, whenever we've had these conversations with another agency the accusations with the press corps is that we are interfering in something."

Spicer on Pres. Trump's wiretapping claims: He doesn't really think Obama "went up and tapped his phones personally" https://t.co/V8vJTmfFvE pic.twitter.com/Mi6L3m1LCn  ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2017

Sean Spicer continued, telling the media they "cant have it both ways," in how they cover the White House.

In response, Celilia Vega didn't hold back, and went back to get original question about Donald Trump. "This is a tweet from the president," Vega pointed out, before asking, "Doesnt the president have an obligation?" Spicer continued to dance around the question, and never gave a straight answer about when, or if, evidence will be produced to validate the wiretapping claim. However, Spicer did admit that the president doesn't really believe that Obama personally "went up and tapped his phones."

CBS Major Garrett: White House Has No Interest in Providing Evidence on Wiretapping https://t.co/gybxp3F9xL (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/NJqMbqR3jZ  Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 13, 2017

Conway struggles

In addition to Sean Spicer's comments and the previous tweets from Donald Trump, Presidential Counsel Kellyanne Conway once again has found herself in controversy.

During an interview with the USA Today on Sunday, Conway suggested that Obama might have used TVs and microwaves to spy on Trump, but has since pushed back at the report, calling it "fake news," and saying that it took her words out of context.
After almost a week of mostly timid posts on social media, President Donald Trump returned to Twitter in a big way. Targeting both the mainstream news media and the Republicans alternative to the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, Trump didn't hold back his thoughts.

Trump on Twitter

It was just over a week ago that Donald Trump unloaded on Twitter, this time setting his sight on former President Barack Obama and the Democrats. Trump has used social media as his number one form of communication, which has only increased as his war of words with the press has continued.The last major Twitter tirade that the former host of "The Apprentice" took part in accused Obama of wiretapping his office at Trump Tower, but has since never given any credible evidence to back up the allegations.

While Trump's Twitter account was relatively quiet over the weekend, the president returned on March 13 and lashed out at the media, while also continuing his attack on Obamacare.

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

"It is amazing how rude much of the media is to my very hard working representatives," Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Monday morning, before adding, "Be nice, you will do much better!" The president didn't stop there, this time bringing the attention back to the Republican plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.

ObamaCare is imploding. It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far! Republicans will come together and save the day.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2017

"ObamaCare is imploding.

It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far!" Donald Trump wrote in a follow-up message on Twitter. Concluding his tweet, the billionaire real estate mogul predicted that "Republicans will come together and save the day."

Moving forward

Despite Donald Trump's attempt at unity behind the Republican health care plan, not everyone is on board, and if they are, it might not be by choice., Sen.

Rand Paul has been vocal in his opposition to the bill in question, while engaging in a public spat over the plan with House Speaker Paul Ryan. In addition, it was reported over the weekend by the Washington Examiner that Trump threatened Republican members of Congress with a potential primary challenge if they came out against the health care replacement.
There is, according to #Rex Tillerson, the secretary of state, a low level of trust between Russian and the Unite States. Tillerson met up with Russia's president #Vladimir Putin on Wednesday after a rocky week. Much had happened in the preceding days before their storied meeting, with the two countries trading in barbs, blame and mutual condemnation for the Syria chemical weapons attack.

Tillerson talks about trust

There is a low level of trust between our countries, Tillerson told the media in company with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

This, after Tillerson's first ever meeting with #Putin. It was the first time that high-level Russian leaders and a top emissary from Team Trump had met in person, and those in the media and political worlds were poised to see what happened in the storied tale of America and Russia.

Tillerson claimed that the world's two largest nuclear powers can't and should not have such a dysfunctional relationship. Along with Lavrov, Tillerson discussed a range of issues focusing on the #Syrian crises, North Korea and the Ukraine issue, something that #Obama created sanctions against Putin for in his tenure as president.

Both sides have agreed to create and work with a group that aims to study the various irritants that muddy the Relations between the #United States and Russia.
Disgraced Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, who was facing impeachment for a sex scandal involving a female aide, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to file a report of a major contribution and using campaign contributions for personal purposes. The charges, to which Bentley meekly answered "Yes" when he was asked if he was guilty, were lodged against Bentley because of allegations that he used $9,000 of campaign money to pay the legal fees of his mistress and former aide Rebekah Mason, and from the money in his campaign account to the tune of over $36,000.

Bentley's political and legal fallout

In actuality, although the political fallout to Bentley mainly stems from his affair with a female aide, the legal fallout mainly stems from his misuse of campaign money to pay to cover up the sex scandal. As with many political scandals throughout history, it is not the original scandal that causes criminal charges to be filed against the politician, but the cover-up that results in criminal charges. In the early days of Donald Trump's presidency, NSA Director Michael Flynn was forced to resign because of his failure to be transparent with Vice-president Mike Pence over his dealings with Turkey during the campaign and transition. Had he been honest with Pence, Flynn most likely would have been allowed to remain in office.

Again, it is the cover-up that gets one in the end.

Plea deal

In exchange for not being charged with multiple felonies, Bentley signed a plea deal upon resigning. Under the terms of the agreement, Bentley is to reimburse campaign contributors $36,000 and to pay the State of Alabama over $9,000 of his remaining campaign funds, totaling over $45,000 that Bentley must pay.

Instead of spending over 20 years in prison for each charge, Bentley only will spend a few months in jail; that is if he spends any time at all in prison.

Additionally, Bentley, 74, must never run for office again in the State of Alabama. When Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office, he also was prohibited from ever running for public office in Illinois again.

Finally, Bentley will lose his pension as Governor Of Alabama. Under Alabama state law, a former Governor of Alabama, upon turning age 60, is to receive 68% of his/her gubernatorial salary at the time of his/her retirement. The current gubernatorial salary in Alabama is $119,950, meaning that Bentley would have received $81,500 in pensions for life had he not pleaded guilty and resigned. Had Bentley served two full terms as Governor, he would have received 100% of his $119,950 salary as a pension.

Another Governor in trouble

Meanwhile, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also is facing a criminal investigation in connection with his possible involvement in the contrived "Bridgegate Scandal" in which officials from the Christie Administration artificially created a traffic jam on the George Washington Bridge that ended up taking the life of an elderly woman.

Christie, who ran for President in spite of the scandal, has denied any and all involvement in the traffic tie-up; but former Administration officials, some of whom have been given immunity for their testimonies, claim that Christie had prior knowledge of the traffic jam.
According to Fox News, the Chinese have turned back a fleet of North Korean freighters filled with coking coal, used to make steel, the one export that the Pyongyang regime has to sustain itself. At the same time, China closed an order for coal from the United States. The decisions represent Beijings joining the world community in punishing North Korea for its drive to build missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads to the American homeland.

The development represents a diplomatic victory for Donald Trump in that he has accomplished two things at once.

He has recruited China in his effort to stop North Korea from developing weapons to attack its neighbors as well as the United States. He has also provided a shot in the arm for coal country which turned out in droves last November to vote for him for president.

With a United States Navy battle group headed for the waters off North Korea and rumors of a Chinese military buildup on the countrys northern border, the pressure is on Kim Jong-un to back down and stop threatening to nuke other countries. So far the North Korean leader has remained defiant.

Trumps strategy has been to persuade the Chinese to put Kim back in his box and stop him from doing something dangerous. China had been content to allow North Korea to be a thorn in the side of the United States.

However, Kims rhetoric and the constant firing of ballistic missiles has persuaded Beijing that North Korea has become a danger to the entire region.

Indeed, a Chinese military analyst recently published an article for a communist party newspaper that suggested that China might launch its own military strike against North Korean nuclear and missile facilities if Kim steps over the line.

A disclaimer was added that stated that the analyst was speaking only for himself, but the message was clear.

Everything depends on how sensible Kim is disposed to be or, absent that, North Koreans military leadership who might be expected to remove him should he endanger the Communist state. It is certain that neither the North Korean state nor Kim himself would survive if a second Korean War were ever to break out.

Because such an event would be both a humanitarian and economic catastrophe that development is something that both Washington and Beijing are keen to avoid. While regime change may be a long term solution for the Korean problem, no one in the region nor the major powers wants to wage war to bring it about.
The first Special Election of the Trump presidency took place in the 4th Congressional District of Kansas that had been vacated by Mike Pompeo to become Director of Central Intelligence. Democrats thought they might score an upset in the contest for the intensely red seat which has been held by Republicans since 1994. But, when the votes were tallied, they were forced to settle for what they called a moral victory of only losing by 6.8 percent, according to the New York Times.

The contest pitted Republican Ron Estes against Democrat James Thompson.

Estes enjoyed an infusion of campaign cash from national Republicans, robocalls from President Trump and Vice President Pence, and a visit by Sen. Ted Cruz for personal campaign appearances. Thompson got a similar amount of cash from the left-leaning Daily Kos and a group associated with Sen. Bernie Sanders.

The election results featured, as is typical for a special off-year election, a serious drop off of voters going to the polls as opposed to the last scheduled election. Fewer Republicans and fewer Democrats turned out. However, because Republicans generally win the seat by double digits, Democrats are proclaiming how they really won the race by making the Republicans work for it and losing by a narrower than usual margin.

However, voter turnout numbers do not suggest a sudden surge on the part of Democrats energized by their opposition to Donald Trump. 30,000 fewer Democrats turned out for an election they believed they might have a chance of winning than last November when they knew they had no chance. Despite a lot of bravado on social media, enthusiasm for the Democratic Party where it counts is listless and uninspiring.

Historically, the results of special elections in the first year of a new presidents term are one way to determine whether the American electorate has buyers remorse. Such is also considered an indication of how well the opposition party might due in the upcoming midterm elections. The special election in Kansas is the first of a number of special elections, but the results suggest that little or no backlash is happening against President Trump, despite polling data that placed him in the low 40s.

The next special election is scheduled to take place in Georgia where a single Democrat is leading against a slate of Republicans by a plurality. Even though that race is headed for a runoff, Democrats have even better hopes of scoring and upset than in the Kansas race. They are anxious to score a victory, any victory, to energize their base against Trump and the Republicans.
After President Donald Trump decided to order a tomahawk cruise missile attack on Syria in retaliation to the chemical attack launched by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backlash quickly followed. As the White House continues to defend their actions, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer appeared to fumble through his words during a recent press briefing and put the administration in a tough spot.

Spicer walk back

Donald Trump's decision to attack a Syrian airbase last week was one of his first high-profiled foreign policy acts as commander in chief.

The reaction was mixed, with many of his loyal supporters even speaking out and and accusing the president of betraying his campaign promises, which included conservative names like Ann Coulter and Milo Yiannopoulos. On Monday, Sean Spicer addressed the press at the White House and as expected, did everything he could to spin the story as a positive for the former host of "The Apprentice." During the press briefing, Spicer said "if you gas a baby, if you put a barrel bomb into innocent people, I think you will see a response from this president, before adding, "make no mistake: he will act." At this point, questions were raised as to whether or not Trump would really go to war with Syria if Assad were to use barrel bombs on his own people, which he has been known to do in the past.

As reported by MSNBC on April 10, the White House was forced to clarify Spicer's comments.

Spicer seeks to clarify "barrel bomb" remarks on Syria https://t.co/aUQMetJDZi pic.twitter.com/v18AYv0m0d  MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 10, 2017

As Sean Spicer's comments created yet another problem for the administration, the press secretary released a statement that walked back his previous remarks.

"Nothing has changed in our posture," the statement read, before adding that "the president retains the option to act in Syria against the Assad regime whenever it is in the national interest." Brian Klass then reported further on Twitter that the administration was specifically referring to "chemical barrel bombs." Over the weekend, conflicting messages have been delivered by members of the Donald Trump team, with Secretary of State speaking out on prioritizing the defeat of the Islamic State (ISIS), while United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley called for possible regime change and the ousting of Bashar al-Assad from his role as leader of Syria.

1. Spicer says barrel bombs are a red line

2. Admin. clarifies--only chemical barrel bombs

3. "Nothing has changed" https://t.co/428hcpetYV  Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) April 10, 2017

Next u

The biggest problem facing the conflict in Syria are the various moving parts on the ground. While Bashar al-Assad is a direct threat, he's also being backed by Russia and Iran, two countries that the United States has attempted to avoid in recent years. While it's unknown what Donald Trump will do moving forward, it appears that there is some confusion behind the scenes.
After nearly three months on the job, President Donald Trump has already created non-stop controversy for himself in the White House. While the president is dealing with domestic policy issues at home, he's also making moves that could have a global impact, which was evident during his latest rant on social media.

Trump on Twitter

During the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump separated himself from the pack of other candidates by making comments that others refused to make. Trump's rhetoric would often find himself in trouble, with many questioning the stability of the former host of "The Apprentice." With the exception of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump would find ways to take shots at various word leaders and foreign nations, sending warnings to those countries about what would take place if he was elected as the 45th President of the United States.

One country that was always on the president's radar was China, who Trump would accuse of currency manipulation, while also threatening the future of trade deals between the two. Another nation that Trump would target is North Korea, which raised red flags with many critics due to the nature of their leader, Kim Jon-un. As seen on his Twitter account on April 11, Trump has a message for the two nations and leaders.

I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

Last week, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a trip to Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida to meet with Donald Trump to discuss a wide-range of issues.

The meeting between the two appeared to go well, until Xi left the resort and the Chinese state-run news outlet published an article that was highly critical of the billionaire real estate mogul. In response, Trump is warning the nation about their future when it comes to trade, and the global issue of North Korea's stability in the region.

North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!" Donald Trump wrote on Twitter early Tuesday morning.

In a follow-up tweet, Trump continued to lash out. "North Korea is looking for trouble," Trump tweeted out. "If China decides to help, that would be great," he added, before noting, "If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A."

Moving forward

As Donald Trump continues to use social media as his number one form of communication, it's unknown how China and North Korea will respond. Both nations were critical of the United States for sending almost 60 tomahawk cruise missiles into a Syria airbase in response to Bashar al-Assad chemical attack, with North Korea using it as an excuse to keep their nuclear weapons program alive.
The demonstrations in Constitution Square and throughout Greece have been sparse and mostly peaceful compared to recent years when the euro-crisis pounded one of the Eurozones poorest partners. However, the absence of violent protests in Athens may be short lived as the 2018 election cycle heats up and the countrys crippled economy cools down.

Incomes decrease, taxes increase

Nine out of 10 Greeks posted incomes of less than $21,000 for 2016 and 31.8% of taxpayers paid no taxes at all, according to a report in the To Vima newspaper published Sunday.

Tax returns filed by 8,645,596 Greeks in 2016 show a total of $78.8 billion in declared income, slightly more than the 78. billion reported in 2015. However, those figures only tell half of the story since average income decreased by 1.1% as taxes increased by 3%. According to the Greek Ministry of Finance, tax revenue for 2016 was $8.7 billion versus just under $8.3 billion the year before.

Greece in violation of 2015 bailout terms

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras recently violated the $92 billion 2015 bailout by pushing through a VAT suspension and a boost in pension pay. The mentioned dollar amount of bailout agreement depends on Europes banking exchange rates and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that funds bankrupt EU members with loans from wealthier nations.

Wealthier nations like Germany wind up paying the brunt of deficits run up by Greece and other bankrupt EU members. Meanwhile, the UK has opted out of the Eurozone altogether over a festering refugee crisis and EU bailout agreements between IMF and member states drowning in red ink.

The To Vima report shows one in seven citizens (1.263 million or 14.6 percent) had no income at all income and 32 percent (2.767 million) of Greek taxpayers declared incomes of less than $5,300.

Worse, the country's farmers reported much lower incomes during 2016 than in 2015. Specifically, 435,908 taxpayers in rural farm regions had average incomes of $2,994 compared to average incomes of $3,393 in 2015.

New Democracy gains, SYRIZA distant second

Meanwhile, a shrinking Greek middle-class is benefiting the conservative New Democracy political party; its popularity over the incumbent SYRIZA Party is rising ever higher, according to a poll conducted by University of Macedonia and sponsored by Shai television.

While the New Democracy party has led for most of the year, its lead has increased to 17.5% in the poll. The UM survey shows New Democracy with 33% while SYRIZA trails with 15.5% of the vote. Golden Dawn got 7.5% and remains third party.

Greeces massive public debt continues to be severely unsustainable despite massive contributions by its European partners, according to IMF reports. The organization that negotiates member-state bailouts says long-term economic growth projections indicate Greece will not be able to pay its debts, which may convince more countries to exit the Eurozone.
North Korea has threatened nuclear war against the United States, stating through their official media, We will retaliate against the reckless acts of the United States. That nation's newspaper Rodong Sinmum said that the country was prepared to respond to any aggression by the U.S. President Donald Trump then upped the ante several hours ago, tweeting North Korea looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA. There are also reports that despite cordial appearances between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Trump in Mar-a-lago, Xi Jinping was actually very critical of the Donald.

Predictions of further nuclear tests

Saturday, April 15th, is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, that country's founding father. Former Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, told Charlie Rose on "CBS This Morning," that on April 15th to commemorate the birth of Kim Il Sung, I suspect they are working on an additional missile shot or nuclear test to show the rest of the world that they can influence what happens in that region. The tension between the two countries has many in the Asian pacific theater worried: protests are going on in Seoul, and the acting president of South Korea, warned of provocations by its neighbor to the North and ordered the military to increase monitoring.

A prominent defector named Thae Yong Ho informed the world a week ago that Kim Jong Un is ready to launch his nuclear weapons against the USA and that the only solution is to kill him.

Has North Korea got a bomb?

In the past, foreign policy experts have disregarded the fiery rhetoric by Kim Jong Un as just that--bluster with nothing to back it up.

However, in light of several tests of nukes this year, the question is being looked at with new eyes. The BBC News asked in January of this year, Has North Korea got the bomb? and answered the question with Technically, yes. The BBC and others have clarified, it would have to be an ICBM armed with a miniature nuclear warhead.

Miniature nuclear warhead? Is there such a thing? Not one of us is anxious for an answer on that one.

The tale of the tweets today were acerbic, confounding, and aghast. @MattTopolski tweeted Things are heating up in the Korean Peninsula. I have a bad feeling about this weekend. @BlueBugaboo tweeted Call Congress and @realDonaldTrump. Let them know you do not want another war for the benefit of these old jerks. @DuneMyThang tweeted Two delusional madmen, in possession of nukes, and bad hair. What could possibly go wrong? The tweets have spoken. The world waits.
Just as Team Trump are changing their whole approach to the #Russia question, Secretary of State #Rex Tillerson on Wednesday approached his first meetings with Moscow and the world was watching with baited breath. Earlier in the week Russia had announced that they would not meet Tillerson, but that changed on Wednesday when later in the events of the day #Putin's spokesman gave indication that there was indeed a possibility of a meeting.

It's a tricky time for both the Trump administration and for the changing relations between the #United States and Russia; on one side, Trump and his team are being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Congress, and a number of his inner core  like Michael Flynn  have been recused from roles or even fired.

Meanwhile, the previously warming alliance between the US and #Russia is becoming so tense so quickly, that in Russia this week nobody actually knew if President Vladimir Putin would actually even make time for Tillerson, who he previously gave a medal of friendship to. It seems there is no script, or an accepted mode of conduct, to fall back on in such heated times.

Time have changed in just a few days

Things have changed swiftly and dramatically in the past week since the #Syrian government used #chemical weapons on Syrian civilians, and many are seeing the new Russia-America chill as something that could have far reaching effects. In the 24 hours before Secretary of State Tillerson landed in Moscow, the White House charged #Russia of covering up some widely condemned proof that Syrian government did in fact use #sarin gas attacks in a northern Syrian town, sent from a base with Russian military operations.

In dramatic timing, #Putin responded swiftly and intently, claiming the US had fabricated the whole story. Putin then promptly accused the United States of themselves fabricating some evidence so as to engineer a fake confrontation to win them potential political and military gain in the Syria region. Putin stated that the whole play of events reminded him of something that happened in 2003 when US representatives in the Security Council had alleged that there had been chemical weapons found in Iraq.

Interestingly, Trump himself has referenced this event himself a few weeks ago. #Obama, like President Trump, had ought to refine and improve relations with Russia when he was in the early days of his presidency, but he had no luck and ended up setting up sanctions for Russia's actions in the Crimea and Ukraine.

Putin talks and quotes absurdists

This reminds me very much of the events of 2003, when U.S. representatives in the #Security Council showed alleged chemical weapons discovered in Iraq, President Putin said. Putin then quoted two Russian satirists from 1928 and said that Its boring, ladies. We have seen this all before.

Boring is not the adjective many are using when watching this new global turn of events. Putin, with his guest #Tillerson in town, was clearly searching for a way to give the US statesman's visit a pro-Russian narrative. And chillingly, the outcome of the whole mission could decide if Trump's hope to soften and reshape American-Russian relations even has legs. And in the wake of the FBI and congress investigations into Russia's possible influence on the US election, the timing of this debacle has far reaching affects.

It has also been customary since the end of the Second World War that Russian leaders meet all new secretaries of state but in times like this it seems that custom is being ignored as the changing axis of power in the Western world continues to spin and sparkle.
A Syrian-based coalition that also includes Russia and Iran has warned President Donald Trump, whose surveillance documents were viewed by House Intelligence Committee Chair Devin Nunes on White House grounds, that it will take retaliatory action against the United States for the Administration's missile attacks on Syria. Trump ordered the missile attacks in retaliation for Bashar al-Assad's chemical and nerve gas attack on his people that killed over 70 people, at least 10 of whom were children. The Coalition, which calls itself "The Joint Command Operation Center of Syrian Allies," according to ABC News, promised that as a result of the retaliatory actions that they will be taking, the United States would no longer be the only superpower in the world.

The 'Redline.'

The Joint Command Coalition stated that when it attacked Syria, the United States "crossed (the) Red line." The statement continued, stating that "America knows very well our ability and capabilities to respond well to them," according to ABC News. Although the declaration did not precisely state what kind of military action is considered to be "crossing" the red line, it did emphatically state that the Coalition would seek to "liberate" Syria from foreign occupation. The statement, which did not hold back, ended by promising that "Russia and Iran will not allow the United States to be the only superpower in (the) world," according to ABC News.

American lawmakers speak out

The Coalition's statement, which included a warning that they are "watching" everything the United States is doing in northern Syria and the southwestern region of Iraq, was made in response to comments from various American members of Congress.

In those statements, the lawmakers alleged that Russia might have played a role in the chemical/nerve gas attack that took place in Syria against Syrian civilians.

California Congressman Adam Schiff, (D), stated that he believes that Russia was "complicit" in the chemical/nerve gas attack. Schiff, talking on ABC News' program "This Week" on Sunday, stated that although Russian intelligence is not as advanced as that of the United States, that "It's good enough to know the Syrians had chemical weapons, (and) were using chemical weapons," according to ABC News.

Russia fails to fulfill promise

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, speaking in an earlier "This Week" interview, stated that he had not seen any "hard evidence" that Russia was involved in Syria's chemical/nerve gas attack upon its own citizens. However, Tillerson did state that Russia had been given the responsibility of "guaranteeing" that Syria gets rid of its chemical weapons under an agreement that was signed in 2013.

Tillerson described the Russians as having been "incompetent" in carrying out the terms of the agreement.

Calls for Trump's impeachment

Meanwhile, Trump has other things to worry about in addition to threats from the Joint Command Coalition. The city of Cambridge, Massachusetts has joined several other cities, including Berkeley, California, in calling for Donald Trump's impeachment. The calls for impeachment are based upon Trump's failure to divest himself of his business interests while President and signing over control of such interests to his adult sons instead. To date, no member of Congress has introduced any articles of impeachment; but the Trump presidency still is less than six months old. Time will tell, and America will be watching.
Following Secretary of State #Rex Tillerson's meeting with #Moscow on Tuesday, there is much talk in the air of false narratives and hidden agendas between the two sides in the Syria issue: Russia and the United States.

Tillerson on Tuesday repeated the United State's belief that #President Bashar al-Assad of #Syria, and one of Russias most important Middle East allies, was accountable for the chemical weapons attack that played out to devastating effect in northern Syria on April 4 that saw 80-plus people dead, landed hundreds in hospital and also outraged the rest of the world, including President Trump.

What Russia claims is the truth

Russia's Foreign Minster #Sergey Lavrov, however, represented the #Russian view that the facts and figures relating to the chemical weapons attack were unclear and needed to be fully determined. Further, Lavrov disparaged and denounced what he called the media hysteria surrounding the attack and said that the #Russians are condemning the false narrative created by the United States of America.

To even further complicate and destabilize the #Syrian issue, Russia on Wednesday vetoed a resolution at the #United Nations Security Council condemning the chemical weapons attack. It was a resolution that was praised and supported by the western powers.
After Syrian President Bashar al-Assad decided to launch a chemical attack on his own people that resulted in the deaths of nearly 100 people, including children, Donald Trump decided to response with an attack of his own. Less than 48 hours after Assad's attack, Trump ordered close to 60 tomahawk missiles to strike an airbase in the country, but it didn't go over well with many in the media.

Trump's Syria trouble

The civil conflict in Syria has been going on for years, as the government of Bashar al-Assad has struggled to keep control of his country against civilians on the ground, rebel groups, and Islamic terrorist organizations like the Islamic State (ISIS).

While Assad has been reported to have use chemical weapons against his own people in the past, the United States and other countries in the West have been reluctant to step in and play a major role due to Syria's strong alliance with Russia and Iran. When Donald Trump decided to fire the missiles at the airbase in Syria, one of the reasons he cited for doing so was because dozens of innocent children were killed in the process. Critics of the former host of "The Apprentice" quickly pounced on the opportunity to call out the hypocrisy of the White House due to their stance on restricting refugees from Syria from entering the United States. As reported by CNN on April 10, the issue was discussed during Monday afternoon's press briefing.

As White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer took questions from reporters on Monday, one asked about the aforementioned attack on Syria, and pressed further about the refugee crisis. "Why is it okay to bomb Syria but not okay to assist the refugees?" the reporter asked. In response, Spicer claimed that the United States was giving more assistance to refugees by bombing parts of their country than they could be opening the borders of the U.S.

"By us taking action and deescalating what is going on in Syria, that is the greatest thing you can do to support those people," Spicer said, before adding that "containing ISIS is the greatest aspect of humanitarian relief." Spicer went on to explain that the Syrian people don't actually want to come to the United States, but that they would rather have a safe place in their own country.

Spicer on Syria if attacks continue: Further action will definitely be considered by the United States. https://t.co/AW9aiIAhvg  CNN (@CNN) April 10, 2017

Current status

As of press time. the government of Syria, as well as ally Russia, have expressed frustration with the Donald Trump administration for acting militarily, and doing so as quickly as they did. Though the White House has hinted at aspects of potential regime change, no action is expected at any point in the near future.
The biggest news story of the last week has been President Donald Trump's decision to attack an airbase in Syria after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched a chemical attack on his own people. While discussing the issue during a recent press briefing at the White House, Sean Spicer was once again forced to walk back his comments.

Spicer's conundrum

It was less than two week ago when Bashar al-Assad reportedly used chemical weapons to kill close to 100 innocent people in Syria, many of which turned out to be women and children. The images of the causalities struck a nerve with millions of people around the world, including Donald Trump and his family.

Less than 48 hours after the attack, Trump gave the order to the United States military to send 59 tomahawk cruise missiles at the airbase in question. The reaction was mixed, as opponents of the president were predictably critical, though many Trump supporters were also quick to speak out. Hard-line fans of the former host of "The Apprentice," like Milo Yiannopoulos and Ann Coulter, took to social media on more than one occasion to express their frustration and betrayal with how the commander in chief decided to respond. Internationally the reception was mostly positive, with the exception of Syrian allies like Russia and Iran opposing, as well as North Korea and China. During the April 11 press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer addressed these issues, but went on to make a curious comparison between Assad and Adolf Hitler.

"We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II ... Hitler didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer claims when discussing Syria pic.twitter.com/MjfNgyN0ew  CBS News (@CBSNews) April 11, 2017

While taking questions at the White House on Tuesday, Sean Spicer commented on the current situation involving Syria and their relationship with Russia.

"Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," Spicer went on to say, before elaborating further on Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons.

"He was not using the gas on his own people in the same way that Assad is doing," Spicer says on his Hitler comment https://t.co/T5uqoA85rO pic.twitter.com/L3xk2m1ZQb  CBS News (@CBSNews) April 11, 2017

"We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II," he said, before adding, "you have someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Sean Spicer then went on to label Russia's inaction and defense of Syria's chemical weapon use as "troubling." As pointed out by The Hill, Hitler did use gas to murder Jews during the Holocaust, which included the use of cyanide gas.

Spicer incorrectly says "Even Hitler didn't use chemical weapons" https://t.co/p6NVXBJSfF pic.twitter.com/smqTInYwsu  The Hill (@thehill) April 11, 2017

Bad comparison

When Sean Spicer was asked to clarify his remarks comparing Assad to Hitler, the press secretary started to fumble with his response. "I think when you come to sarin gas...umm...there was...he was not using the gas on his own people the same was Assad...there is clearly...there was not..he brought them into the Holocaust center," Spicer said as he attempted to clarify his remarks. "The way that Assad used them where went into towns, dropped them down, the use of it, I appreciate the clarification," he said, before adding, "that was not the intent."
After last weeks events Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow to find a solution to the Syrian situation and a U.S. naval strike group moves towards Korea to give a strong message to Dictator Kim Jong-un in North Korea.

G7 and Moscow

Before going to Moscow to meet his counterpart Secretary Rex Tillerson had attended a meeting at Lucca in Italy of G7 foreign ministers to discuss Russia, amongst ther issues. During this meeting the British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson proposed strengthening sanctions on Russia in response to the Syrian gas attack but the other Ministers resisted his call.

During the meeting Secretary Tillerson reportedly asked the other ministers why U.S: tax payers should worry about the conflict between the Ukraine and Russia. According to Reuters the French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault replied that It is in the interest of U.S. taxpayers to have a Europe that is strong politically and economically... The meeting ended with a call to Moscow to respect and enforce the 2015 Minsk Agreement to restore peace in the area.

In Moscow Secretary Tillerson met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to pass on this message from the G7 and to discuss developments in Syria and suggesting that Russia should call for Syrian Dictator Bashar Al-Assad to be removed.

The Obama Administration had made the same appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin but the recent announcement that the Kremlin will provide further anti-aircraft batteries to protect Syrian cities indicates that Putin will not bow to these requests.

The task Secretary of States task may have been made more difficult by a statement from the White House accusing Russia of covering up last weeks gas attack on Khan Sheikhoum by Syrian government aircraft.

As we await results of the negotiations between Tillerson and Lavrov world attention was also focused on the Korean Peninsula.

Pyongyang

While the government owned newspaper The Global Times ran an editorial seeking a diplomatic solution to the tensions caused by North Korean ballistic missile tests the U.S. Naval Strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson was steaming towards the Korean Peninsula where it will be joined by a Japanese navy group for joint exercises as a show of force to Pyongyang.

At the same time Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with United States #President Donald Trump to say that the Korean Peninsula needed peace and stability and echoed the words of the newspaper that a resolution must be found peacefully. According to Associated Press the Chinese President then told President Trump that Beijing would maintain communication and coordination with Washington over the matter.

In Pyongyang Dictator Kim Jong-un called an emergency meeting of the countrys symbolic parliament to debate the presence of the American naval strike group in the Peninsula. In a statement reported by Associated Press a spokesman for the North Korean Foreign Ministry then told the state-run Korean Central News Agency that We will hold the U.S.

wholly responsible for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions.

In Washington White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer then relayed President Donald Trumps statement that it was not tolerable that North Korea have nuclear weapons and Spicer continued by saying that The last thing we want to see is a nuclear North Korea that threatens the coast of the United States, or, for that matter, any other country...

Chess game

The meetings in Lucca and Moscow by Secretary Tillerson, the statements from Washington and Pyongyang are all the moves of an intricate chess game made up of diplomatic moves in an attempt to find solutions that will not require further military actions by the United States or its allies.

It is still too early to tell whether such actions will be required in either Syria or the Korean Peninsula but in the meantime these matters are dominating the world press and are fuelling fears of many of a war in the near future.
A statement in Washington and another in Moscow give us proof that international politics has reached a stage where fake news and hyperbole are becoming an unwelcome part of international politics. While propaganda has existed since politics began, yesterdays statements are tactics for a future that nobody reasonably wants to see happen.

History lesson

In his daily press briefing White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer made what can only be described as an inappropriate comment on the use of gas weapons on civilians in the town of Khan Sheikhoum by Syrian Dictator Bashar Al-Assad.

As reported by many sources Spicer in referring to Al-Assad stated that You know, you had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. This comment surprised the journalists present and when asked to explain his statement Spicer further complicated the case by saying He (Hitler) was not using gas on his own people in the same way as Assad is doing, before saying (Hitler) brought them into the Holocaust Centres.

These comments soon spread via the social media where they were met with derision but also with calls from the Anne Frank Centre and Democrat House Leader Nancy Pelosi for Spicer to be fired for the comments.

Many others called for him to be given a lesson in history as the phrase Holocaust centre was an unusual way of describing the concentration camps where millions were gassed by Hitlers special units.

While the gaffe by Spicer may have only been an aberration it clearly shows that the White House is struggling to give reasons why it has broken its campaign promises not to intervene in foreign conflicts.

At the same time in Moscow, another player on the world stage also made a contribution that showed that using words as weapons is an international pastime.

Putin and the black flag

As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was winging towards Moscow to meet his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella. During the traditional press conference he was asked if the expected further attacks in Syria by the United States.

As reported by Reuters the Russian President replied, We have certain information that a similar provocation is being prepared...in other parts of Syria including in Southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using (chemical weapons).

These comments are not only a reply to the White Houses accusation of a Russian cover-up of the gas attack on Khan Sheikhoum last week but also an accusation of using so-called black flag operations to justify what Russia considers as illegal American attacks on the legal government of a sovereign country.

This statement also gives the Kremlin an explanation for its intention to supply the Al-Assad regime with anti aircraft batteries to protect Syrian cities from aerial attack, presumably from the United States.

Next phase

It would be logical to presume that the next attacks will not come in the immediate future. The White House will want Secretary of State Tillerson to complete the task that began at the G7 foreign ministers meeting in Lucca in Italy where those present stated their preference for a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis.

In any case, Spicers statement and Putins declaration gave us a firm grasp of the mentality of the two protagonists as we proceed to the next round of this dangerous international game of diplomacy in which neither country is willing to be seen to stand down from its stated position on Syria.

We can only hope that the world will not see what von Clausewitz stated was the logical extension of diplomacy as no country wishes to be embroiled in a war that nobody will win.
Who is Donald Trump? and why do we feel that he is like an enigma? He is as changeable as the Spring winds, and seems to be hard to predict. But this is what many say that gives him his tremendous power and influence.

When you don't know how someone is going to respond, then it's natural that you start trying to cater to that person's interests. Trump, as seen on his television show The Apprentice, has worked these tactics for years, engaging in subterfuge and and instinctive bullishness. He likes being the guy who surprises everyone and the rest of the world with his unpredictable and 'charismatic' ways.

The fact that Donald Trump's administration are being examined and investigated for their cover ups in the Russian area, should warn us that a man like this is someone we need to watch.

False news

The very things that the White House are saying about Russia's rewriting of the deadly chemical attack in Syria, with the change of narrative, the deception and the false narratives, this is what Trump and his mastermind Stephen Bannon have been doing for the past two to three months, and many in the US public are aware of it.

Many have taken to calling Trump a narcissist. And now we need to watch and wait for the evaluation to sink in.
To corroborate his catchphrase, Make America great again, President Trump may be willing to intimidate the whole world, and the attack on Syria is proof.

In 2003 President Bush, Jr., insisted beyond a shadow of a doubt that Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Consequently, Hussein deserved a show down like no other, a show down that ultimately had Hussein hanged, prosperous Iraq destroyed, and law-abiding Iraqis obliterated as divisive and unruly sects emerged. And lets not forget DAESH finding in Iraq an easy gaping void.

It was proven afterwards that Saddam Hussein never possessed weapons of mass destruction, but after September 11, some country had to be at the receiving end of the bashing stick, and Iraq was misfortunate enough to be the picked-on country to earn the wrath of the US.

Conveniently, Saddam had invaded Kuwait, irked George Bush Senior, threatened Israel, and wasnt abiding by US rules; besides, Iraq had oil. Iraq fit the bill, so it became the befitting target. End result: one Arab country down.

Fast forward to today. Six years ago Syria faced a civil war. Soon afterwards it became a festering ground for self-serving allegiances, each after its own conquest: Iran, Turkey, the US, Russia, Sunnis, Alawites, Shias, opposition forces, DAESH and other Islamists, and Asaad followers; amidst all this the victims were without doubt the Syrians.

However, lately the world seemed willing to end the Syrian crisis. DAESH was losing ground. The current US administration backed off from insisting that President Assad had to go. Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, also said that despite Russias support for Assad, the US and Russia can cooperate to end the war in Syria.

There was light at the end of the Syrian tunnel.

More significant, Assad was in a better position than he had been in the last six years. And yet, out of the blue a chemical weapons attack struck Khan Sheikhoun, a rebel-held town killing 89 and bringing all the promising efforts to a halt. The US confirmed that chemical weapons were launched from Assads Shayrat Airfield. In retaliation, some 59 US air missiles hit the Shayrat Airfield killing 13 people as it destroyed the airfield.

President Trump swift decision to attack the airfield had far reaching ramifications that resonated around the world with heaps of reaps for the US president.

At face value, President Trumps decision exhibited a humane, empathetic president moved by the sight of dead children. I will tell you, that attack on children yesterday had a big impact on me, a big impact, Trump said, but there is more to the attack than compassion towards Syrian children.

It told friends and foes that US has taken upon itself the role of the almighty watchdog affirming that a new sherif is in the Oval Office. In particular, the attack was meant as a wake up call to North Korea, Russia, Iran, and the world at large. It said, World, you had better watch out; the new president means business.

No doubt the decision to act so speedily in the face of what seemed a hideous act improved Trumps image amongst Americans, too. Obama had once drawn a red line as far as Assad is concerned but went back on his word, and here is Trump setting the red line in stone.

That the attack served President Trump and US is a given; that it helped Syrians is fictitious. Syrian opposition cheered and terrorists celebrated. Weakening the Syrian army will allow DAESH to dominate the area near the airfield, but more important it further pitted Syrians against one other. Like Iraq, Syria was the perfect target.

Like Saddam Hussein, Assad had irked the US, and the Russians were proving themselves in Syria and had to be told off. And did the fact that the Syrian crisis was on the verge of ending irk some even further? End result: a second Arab country remains down.

More of a symbolic but powerful move, the attack cost the US nothing but the missiles. The aim was not to aggravate the Russians to the point of retaliating, merely to tell them who is mightier. In fact, the Russians, who utilized the same airfield were forewarned an hour before the attack. Hence, the act angered the Russians, strained US-Russian relations further, but it didnt kill any Russiansend of story.

From another perspective altogether, Assad and the Russians denied that the Syrian army used chemical weapons. Russia asked the US to provide evidence for its claims and said that an air strike hit a storage facility where rebels were storing chemical weapons. Similar to what happened in Iraq, time will tell where the truth lies.

In an alarming but apt revelation, the BBC says in a story following the attack, The question thus arises: who once again slipped something in to yet another US president as 'evidence' of the existence of 'chemical weapons' in a country Washington objects to, and what exactly was it?

The attack and the superiority ambience that followed will set the tone and approach for all American officials, a tone that is intimidating with words if not actions. Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, even before the attack, said that she wears heels to kick those against Israel or those who talk down the US.

After the attack, and while the US held the rotating leadership of the UN Security Council this month, Haley blasted not only Assad but the Iranian and the Russian governments for supporting Assad. Assad did this [launched a chemical weapon attack] because he thought he could get away with it. He thought he could get away with it because he knew Russia would have his back. That changed last night.

Let hope this attitude abates. The world is not ready for another round of intimidation.
Tyra Banks is the new host of "America's Got Talent" starting with Season 12. On Sunday evening Howie Mandel, one of the judges, tweeted that the NBC show had named a new host, but he did reveal who it was. Soon afterward, the network and Banks confirmed that she is the new host.

The selection of Banks came after several failed attempts to get another comedian. The top three candidates were Marlon Wayans, Brandon Mychal Smith and Tone Bell. Marlon was the network's first choice, but he reportedly asked for more money than producers were willing to pay.

Nick Cannon quits

Nick Cannon quit his hosting job on "America's Got Talent" on February 13. The 36-year-old rapper, actor, comedian, entrepreneur, record producer, radio and television personality had hosted the popular talent show from 2009 to 2016. He announced on Facebook that he was quitting the show after NBC wasn't pleased that he told a racially-charged joke during a Showtime comedy special. He was never fired. In fact, NBC executives wanted him stay with the show.

Tyra Banks is new host

Tyra Banks is no stranger to television, and she is no stranger to hosting a reality show. However, she is a stranger to hosting a show like "America's Got Talent." The 43-year-old former model created and produced the long-running series "America's Next Top Model." The series was cancelled after 22 seasons in 2015.

She also hosted her own daytime talk show, "The Tyra Banks Show," from 2005 to 2010. The television personality, producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and mother of a year-old son says she is excited and ready to host the variety show. Banks joins judges Howie Mandel, Mel B, Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell for the upcoming season.

Reactions to new host

Banks is happy about her new assignment. Cannon congratulated her on Twitter. During an interview, he said he salutes her. However, most people on social media don't share the excitement. They weren't quiet about their disappointment. First of all, most people were not expecting a woman to take over that responsibility.

The series has had all male hosts since its premiere in 2006. Banks follows Regis Philbin, Jerry Springer, and of course Nick Cannon.

Fans said it will take a while for them to get used to Banks because she has big shoes to fill. The one thing they said they will miss is the comedy that Cannon brought to the show. Executives are satisfied and think Banks will be a good fit for the family show.
One of the biggest issues that has divided the American people in recent years is over Islamic terrorism. While many on the left have become protective of even the slightest criticism of Islam, the extreme on the far right have taken a more radical turn, which is often attributed to the rise of Donald Trump into the White House.

Hollywood on King

No political issue has been more polarizing in the United States than how to handle the topic of Islam and the extreme elements within the faith and culture. In American politics, most issues are split down the ideological line of left vs right, though the debate over Islam has even divided many liberals.

There are those who want to protect the rights of Muslims, and at the same time, offer criticism of the faith and the most radical cultural norms that have made its way to the West. However, many on the far-left, known as the "regressive left," label even those criticisms as "Islamophobic" and "racist." Despite the growing debate among liberals, it's the rhetoric coming out of the political right that is causing many to worry. Republican Rep. Steve King received heavy backlash from his most recent tweet on the subject, as even Hollywood stars decided to chime in on March 13.

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

In response to a satirical cartoon of Dutch politician Geert Wilders preventing the spread of radical Islam into the West, Rep.

Steve King added his own comments that did not go over well with many high-profiled names in Hollywood. "Wilders understands that culture and demographics are our destiny," King tweeted, while adding, "We can't restore our civilization with somebody else's babies." At this point, the negative response came quickly.

Trump has encouraged pieces of shit like this guy to say what has always been on his mind. At least now we know. Vote him out. https://t.co/NqVjGaaYLj  Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) March 13, 2017

Hey @GOP! Your move with that @SteveKingIA statement. What an asshole, right? We are just waiting for you to collectively denounce. Anytime.  Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) March 13, 2017

"Trump has encouraged pieces of sh*t like this guy to say what has always been on his mind.

At least now we know," director Judd Appatow wrote on Twitter Sunday night, before adding, "Vote him out." "Hey @GOP! Your move with that @SteveKingIA statement. What an asshole, right?," actress Alyssa Milano tweeted out, while concluding, "We are just waiting for you to collectively denounce. Anytime."

Kim here is running to unseat Steve King ... https://t.co/2LjBO19cWr  John Ross Bowie (@JohnRossBowie) March 12, 2017

Actor John Ross Bowie went on to respond to Steve King by endorsing his potential election challenger Kim Weaver, tweeting, "Kim here is running to unseat Steve King." Actor George Takei also gave his thoughts, sending out two tweets on the issue in question.

Congressman, the only race you should worry about when it comes to babies is the human race. I actually pity you, for you see so, so little. https://t.co/8dk01dVtyl  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 13, 2017

Actually, Congressman, you seem preoccupied with other races, but the one that should really worry you is your own--in 2018. #DeposedKing https://t.co/8dk01dVtyl  George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) March 13, 2017

"Congressman, the only race you should worry about when it comes to babies is the human race," George Takei wrote on Twitter, while noting "I actually pity you, for you see so, so little." In a follow-up tweet, Takie also added, "Actually, Congressman, you seem preoccupied with other races, but the one that should really worry you is your own--in 2018.

#DeposedKing."

Duke's support

While many in Hollywood and on social media hit back at Steve King over his comment, not everyone was upset. Former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke, expressed his support of King on his own Twitter account.

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

"Just in case you were thinking about moving -> sanity reigns supreme in Iowa's 4th congressional district," David Duke wrote, while using the hashtag "#MakeAmericaGreatAgain." As of press time, neither President Donald Trump nor the White House has responded to the controversy.
stassi schroeder's co-star, Ariana Madix, appeared on last night's episode of "Watch What Happens Live" with Lala Kent and after the show, the two "Vanderpump Rules" stars were involved in a messy Twitter feud.

After hearing about the topics of the show, Schroeder tweeted to her fans, encouraging them to wake her up when they figure out what she had done to Madix. In response, Madix told Schroeder that it wasn't about what she had done to her personally, it was about how she treats others. At that point, Katie Maloney got in on the action, telling Madix, "Love you but if your gage is on how people treat other people....

I have an opinion on that."

Is Ariana Madix being fake?

Amid Schroeder and Madix's Twitter feud, Schroeder's friend, Rachael O'Brien weighed in on the situation, claiming Madix acts much different to Schroeder's face than she does when the cameras are rolling. "If viewers could only see how nice [Ariana Madix] is to [Stassi Schroeder] in real life," O'Brien tweeted. "Weird she tries to tear her down [and] act better only on camera."

"It's odd [as f**k]," Schroeder responded.

Stassi Schroeder took a major dig at Ariana Madix's past attempt at a Podcast

After thanking Madix for giving her Podcast series, "Straight Up With Stassi," a shoutout, Schroeder pointed out that Madix had attempted, unsuccessfully, a Podcast of her own.

She then noted that if Madix's series had worked out, she may have also made some not-so-ideal statements on air.

During a recent taping of her Podcast series, Schroeder spoke of her thoughts on racism and the ongoing complaints by certain ethnicities. Not surprisingly, the reality star received tons of backlash for her statements.

That said, several of her close friends and co-stars have come to her defense in the days since her Podcast was shared and made it clear that she is not at all racist and didn't mean to offend anyone.

To see more of Stassi Schroeder and her co-stars, including Ariana Madix, tune in to "Vanderpump Rules" season five on Monday nights on Bravo TV at 9 p.m.
The White House Correspondents' Dinner will definitely have a different tone than in years past, but one thing is certain  there will be no lack of political humor (and probably a few jokes at the President's expense). Long time "The Daily Show" correspondent Hasan Minhaj has been brought in to play host for the evening.

Trump and staff to boycott Dinner

A few short weeks after being sworn in as President, Donald Trump announced via Twitter that he will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner, an event that traditionally roasts the sitting President and other high-profile Washington leaders.

While the news came as a shock at the time, Trump's adversarial position toward much of the media covering his White House, like the major media outlets he has excluded from briefings, has shown quite clearly why he would be uncomfortable attending such an evening. At the end of March, White House spokesperson Sean Spicer announced that Trump's entire team will be boycotting the dinner in "solidarity" with the President.

I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 25, 2017

It is believed that Trump will be the first sitting President since the 1970s to miss the event, and this will mark the first time no one from the White House staff has been in attendance.

In past years, news networks have invited A-list celebrities to attend the dinner, tying the event to sponsored parties elsewhere in Washington, such as huge bash put on by Vanity Fair. E! has even been known to cover the event's red carpet entryway. This year, major networks like CNN will reportedly be taking a more dignified approach by inviting journalism students to enjoy the festivities.

Difficult to find host with Trump Presidency

Even though the President will not to be in attendance, the White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) ran into trouble when trying to book a host for their event. It has been reported that major comedians like "The Late Late Show"'s James Corden turned down the invitation to perform, and the announcement of Minhaj as host comes a quick three weeks before the event itself.

Although Minhaj may not have been the WHCA's first choice, he may be a perfect fit in such a politically-charged year. An American-born Muslim, he has been skewering the issue of race and politics on "The Daily Show" since 2014 where he gained notoriety in viral clips during Trump's Presidential bid. He has brought a much-needed different perspective to a mostly-white late night slate, and it will be interesting to see what he will do in a room filled with mostly-white network journalists.
Washington, D.C.s United States Holocaust Memorial Museums Website expresses deep concern over the Russian governments treatment of Jehovahs Witnesses. Underway since April 5, Russias Ministry Of Justice is asking its Supreme Court to outlaw Jehovahs Witnesses, allowing their arrest and imprisonment and the confiscation of their property used in worship. Holocaust Museum Director Sara Bloomfield does not equate Russias crimes against humanity to Nazi Germanys, but she draws a clear parallel: What ended up as the shamefully heinous murder of at least 1,400 Jehovahs Witnesses in prisons and concentration camps all began when the Nazi Party declared Jehovahs Witnesses a threat to Germanys security and viciously persecuted them.

That is what Russia is doing today.

Heavy-handed history

Dr. Mark Elliott, founding editor of East-West Church and Ministry Report, of Kentuckys Asbury University, says that in 1951-52 the Soviet Union exiled some 7,000 Jehovahs Witnesses to Central Asia and Siberia. Picture the scene: Youre at home, asleep, and suddenly waken with a jolt. Its 2:00 a.m. Someones pounding on your door. Wide awake, your whole family watches armed officials push their way into your home and order you to packyou have two hours. You throw a few possessions and clothing into a suitcase and are escorted to a waiting train, which transports you thousands of miles from home.

State apologizes, then attacks

Decades later you and your family are allowed to return to your hometown.

In the 1990s, you are exonerated as innocent victims of repression and receive a certificate as an apology. Now, 20 years later, armed officials again invade and search your home, scaring you and your children out of your wits. Finding a childrens Bible storybook that you forgot to discard, the officials bark that you are in possession of extremist literature and take you to police headquarters.

Police harshly interrogate you, accuse you of extremism, criminally book you and even lead you to jail. The government had added that storybook in 2009 to a list of prohibited extremist publications. A childrens Bible stories book with extremist content!

Anti-extremist legislation misapplied

You now see just how flimsy those certificates of exoneration are.

You are again maligned as a danger to the nation and its citizens. This time you and your family are extremists, even terrorists. Russias anti-extremist legislationdrafted vaguely and imprecisely several years agois being misapplied to your familys worship of God, which now supposedly is a criminal act.

Church invasions

YouTube has many security-camera videos that catch Russian officials red-handed, in the act of entering Kingdom Halls (Jehovahs Witnesses places of worship) in the deep of the night, holding banned publications like that Bible stories book. They plant them on the premises and leave. The next day armed, masked officials invade your Kingdom Hall, interrupt religious services, mistreat and threaten you and other congregation members, and search the premises.

Lo and behold! They discover illegal publicationsBible-based books or brochures about how to live a clean, respectable lifethat supposedly violate legislation intended to prevent terrorism. They find no bomb-making kits, no explosives, no weapons stockpile, no secret plans of attack  Yet the officials confiscate the building, and the next week your place of worship is now a government-owned parking lot.

Website tells all

Jehovahs Witnesses official Website (jw.org) contains much video proof, video testimonials of abused worshippers, even interviews with non-Witness experts like Dr. Elliott, who decry what Russias government is doing to this religious groupfooling no one. Moscows criminal case against Jehovahs Witnesses resumes April 12.
Visitors look at a business plane exhibited during 2017 Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE) at Hongqiao International Airport in East China's Shanghai, April 11, 2017.

Shanghai is considering building a new business aviation airport to meet the rising demand for business jets in the city, an official from the Shanghai Airport Authority said on Tuesday.

"In addition to the existing business aviation bases, Shanghai is also planning a new business aviation base elsewhere in the city," said Jing Yiming, president of the Shanghai Airport Authority, at the opening of the three-day Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition.

"The market potential of Shanghai's business aviation is huge, where we've seen more than 20 percent year-on-year growth in the sector during the past few years. So far, a total of 67 general aviation enterprises and 371 general aviation aircraft have been registered with the Civil Aviation Administration of China's East China Regional Administration," Jiang Huaiyu, an official from the administration was quoted as saying by the Shanghai Observer.

"So it is necessary for Shanghai to have an independent airport handling business and general aviation," Jiang added.

Currently, the second business aviation base at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport is under construction, and is expected to become operational in 2018.

There were 900 turbine helicopters and 450 business jets in China as of 2016, with compound annualized growth rates of around 6 percent and 9 percent, respectively, over the past decade, said Charles Park, director of marketing analysis and planning of Honeywell Aerospace.

Wang Qi, vice-president of China sales and chief representative of ATR, said the development of general aviation will create opportunities for less populated airports.

"About 92 percent of passengers are concentrated in the top 50 of the nation's 219 airports, while the bottom 100 airports only handle 1.6 percent of the total passenger flow, where general aviation can play their role," said Wang.

The concept of general aviation is not limited to business needs, said Liao Xuefeng, chairman and CEO of China Business Aviation Group. "A variety of non-commercial actives including agricultural aviation and rescue can benefit from it."

According to Bill Schultz, senior vice-president of business development in China for Textron Aviation, China's general aviation market offers diversified jet demand.

The 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) has a similar supportive trend in areas including tourism, air mapping and emergency rescue, he said.

According to the guiding rules of the State Council on promoting the development of the general aviation industry, issued in 2016, China plans to build around 200 new general aviation airports between 2016 and 2020, bringing the nation's total to about 500.
BRATISLAVA  The Slovak cabinet on Tuesday passed a bill detailing the basis to develop economic relations between Slovakia and China for 2017-20.

The document covers the main prospects for cooperation such as investments, business and trade. Slovakia wants to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, find solutions to visa issues, as well as promote Slovakia in China.

According to the document, Slovakia welcomes the Belt and Road Initiative. "Infrastructure in Slovakia could become part of the scheme, and be used for boosting Slovakia's transport in north-south and east-west directions," reads the document.

The Slovak government attaches key importance to the exchange of customs information, as stipulated in an agreement inked by the two countries' customs authorities in November 2016.

Mutual trade turnover between Slovakia and China is more than $6 billion yearly. China is the third biggest import partner of Slovakia after Germany and Czech Republic.
President Xi Jinping meets with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- President Xi Jinping met Tuesday with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing.



Congratulating Lam on her victory in the election as the SAR's fifth-term chief executive and ensuing appointment by the State Council, Xi said Lam's victory is well deserved and she meets all the central authority's standards for the role.



With 36 years of government work experience, especially the multiple important posts she held after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Lam has shown "a firm stance in loving the country and Hong Kong, a diligent, pragmatic and responsible work style, as well as rich administrative experience and ability to handle complicated situations," Xi said.



Lam also enjoys high recognition in Hong Kong society and has the mind, capability and sense of responsibility for the country and Hong Kong, Xi said.

Lam won the chief executive election with 777 of 1,163 valid votes on March 26. She is expected to assume office on July 1, 2017.
Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. [File photo]

I am very pleased to come to Phnom Penh to call on Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and invite him to attend and witness the launching ceremony of the Cambodian version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. On behalf of the Department of Publicity of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China, I would like to pay my highest tributes to respectable Prime Minister Hun Sen and all participating guests and extend my heartfelt thanks to all parties that have made contributions to the translation, publication and launching event of this book.

During his visit to Cambodia in October 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of the traditional China-Cambodia friendship and praised Cambodia's social stability, rapid economic development, improved livelihood and higher international status. In the nearly five years since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in late 2012, China's economy and society have witnessed the fastest and best development, and Chinese people have benefited the most.

All these magnificent achievements have been made under the guidance of President Xi's thoughts on China's governance. Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is a concentrated reflection of the core contents of President Xi's thoughts on the governance of China, a collection of his 79 speeches on 18 topics from November 2012 to June 2014. So far, more than 6.2 million copies of this book have been circulated across the world.

A core concept that runs through Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is the people-centered thinking, which is mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

First, people-supreme value orientation. Serving the people wholeheartedly is the fundamental purpose of the CPC. President Xi Jinping has deep affection for the masses. Since he once spent seven years in the countryside in the northwest of China and served in several grassroots posts, President Xi is quite acquainted with China's basic national conditions. When he appeared before the public for the first time as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi made a solemn commitment that, as is enshrined in this book's first chapter, "people's yearning for a better life is the goal of our struggles", and "we should consistently put people in the highest position of our hearts". Since he was elected as the top leader of China, Xi has insisted on going deep into the grassroots every month to consult national affairs with the masses. Reading between the lines in this book, we can sense President Xi's deep people-oriented feelings everywhere.

Second, fair and just institutional arrangements. Over the past years, China has realized booming economic development, but it has also been plagued by some newly emerging problems, such as the income distribution issue. President Xi once used a very vivid "cake theory" to describe the problems in China, saying that China should make a "bigger cake" to lay a more solid material foundation for guaranteeing social equity and justice, and at the same time should "better divide the cake" to narrow the income gap and the divide between urban and rural areas in public services.

He has also pointed out several times that, we should make our institutional arrangements better reflect the socialist principles of equity and justice and better realize, maintain and develop the fundamental interests of the ... people, we should be in people's position and start from people's interests to plan reform approaches and formulate reform measures so that we can use effective institutional arrangements to gradually realize equity of rights, opportunities and rules and steadily advance in the direction of creating common prosperity for all Chinese people. All of Xi's such thoughts have been enshrined in this book.

Third, a "hardworking" pragmatic style. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized such practical words as "empty talks are harmful to the nation", "working pragmatically will prosper the nation", "we should carry forward the spirit of driving the nail to go right to the end under a well-devised blueprint", "we should roll up our sleeves to work harder", and "we should strive to create actual achievements that can stand the test of practices, people and history".

President Xi has also demanded that leading officials at various levels cultivate the style of "Three Stricts and Three Steadies"be strict in cultivating one's moral character, preventing abuse of power and disciplining oneself, and be steady in planning matters, starting undertakings and conducting oneself. All of Xi's people-first and pragmatic requirements are enshrined in this book. Over the past nearly five years, Chinese people's livelihoods and well-being have considerably improved, a nine-year free compulsory education has been fully realized, and the number of college students has exceeded 37 million, with a gross enrollment ratio of more than 40 percent, higher than the average ratio of middle- and high-income countries.

The number of China's newly created urban jobs has exceeded 64 million, and China has built the world's largest basic healthcare network and largest social security network. Over the past nearly five years, China lifted more than 60 million impoverished people out of poverty, equivalent to a middle-sized country's total population. All of these jobs are a reflection of President Xi's truth-seeking and pragmatic ideological style.

The traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Cambodia goes back to ancient times and will last long. In October last year, President Xi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made a joint announcement in Phnom Penh that the two countries will robustly push forward full strategic cooperation to continuously be good friends and good partners with high mutual trust, and to build a community of shared destiny.

When meeting Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and his mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in Beijing in March, President Xi pointed out that, to deepen China-Cambodia relations, the two countries should maintain their high-level contact momentum, pay frequent mutual visits as two relatives do, and maintain close communication and exchanges. Their bilateral strategic partnership has gathered full speed, with China being Cambodia's largest trading partner and largest source of investment for three consecutive years.

We hope very much to take the opportunity of the publication and circulation of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China to share with Cambodia its experiences on the governance of the nation, deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation and inject endless positive energy into bilateral friendly relations.

The author is the minister of State Council Information Office. The article is an excerpt from the speech he delivered at the launching ceremony of the Cambodian version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on April 11.
SOFIA - A national association "One Belt One Road" was established on Tuesday to boost Bulgaria's involvement in China's Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen the ties between Bulgaria and China.

Several leading figures from society signed the founding documents. Prof Zahari Zahariev, elected chairman of the One Belt One Road association, said that its creation was extremely important for two reasons.

"First, it showed the commitment of Bulgaria to the objective processes of dynamic civilization change in the modern world. At the same time, it indicated that Bulgaria has always considered the relationship with China as a priority in its foreign policy," Zahariev said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Zhang Haizhou, who also attended the event, said the Belt and Road Initiative enjoyed increasingly broad and positive response, and more than 100 countries and international organizations already participated in it.

Central and Eastern Europe was one of China's priorities within the Belt and Road Initiative, Zhang said.

With regard in particular to Bulgaria, Zhang said that Chinese and Bulgarian governments, local authorities and businesses had a strong desire to further develop bilateral cooperation, and against this background, the establishment of the Bulgarian national association came just in time.

Angel Orbetsov, head of Asia, Australia and Oceania Directorate at the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the association certainly had the potential to become a new effective and long-term platform for promoting relations between Bulgaria and China.
Isn't this rather too late? Didn't the US decide the culprit earlier? Via CTV, Associated Press by Josh Lederman

MOSCOW -- Striving to salvage ties amid a fierce dispute over Syria, the United States and Russia on Wednesday agreed to work together on an international investigation of a Syrian chemical weapons attack last week that prompted retaliatory American missile strikes. Washington blames Russia's ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Moscow says Syrian rebels are responsible.

After a day of discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the former Cold War foes agreed a probe of events in northern Syria on April 4 was necessary. More than 80 people were killed in what the U.S. has described as a nerve gas attack that Assad's forces undoubtedly carried out. Russia says rebels dispersed whatever chemical agent was found, which the Trump administration calls a disinformation campaign.

The news conference came after Russian President Vladimir Putin met the top American diplomat for almost two hours to see if they could rescue relations between the world's mightiest military powers. Russia's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election also hovered over the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and a Trump administration Cabinet member.

"There is a low level of trust between our two countries," Tillerson said candidly.

He said working groups would be established to improve U.S.-Russian ties and identify problems. He said the two sides would also discuss disagreements on Syria and how to end the country's six-year civil war.

But such hopes appeared optimistic as the diplomats outlined their sharply diverging views on Syria. Until the chemical attack, the Trump administration had sought to step back from the U.S. position that Assad should leave power. But Tillerson repeated the administration's new belief that "the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end."

Tillerson said Syria's government had committed more than 50 attacks using chlorine or other chemical weapons over the duration of the conflict. And he suggested that possible war crimes charges could be levied against the Syrian leader. Russia has never publicly acknowledged any such attack by Assad's forces and has tried for the past 18 months to help him expand his authority in Syria.

The civil war is separate from the U.S.-led effort against the Islamic State group in the north of the country.

While most immediate, U.S.-Russian dispute concerned culpability for the chemical weapons, broader disagreements over everything from Ukraine to Russia's support for once-fringe candidates in European elections were among other sore points.

Steeped in geopolitical intrigue, the meeting between Putin and Tillerson wasn't formally confirmed until the last minute, following days of speculation about whether the Russian would refuse to grant the former oil executive an audience. Putin's decision to host Tillerson signalled Moscow's intent to maintain communication with the U.S. even as the countries bash each other publicly in louder and louder tones.

The men know each other well from Tillerson's days as Exxon Mobil CEO. Putin had even honoured Tillerson a friendship award.

Still, Tillerson was greeted frostily in the Russian capital as Lavrov began their meeting Wednesday by demanding to know America's "real intentions."

"We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria," Lavrov said, referring to the 59 Tomahawk missiles Trump launched at a Syrian air base to punish Assad for using chemical weapons. "We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future."

Trump and others have indeed threatened similar action. But in a Fox Business Network interview, the U.S. president said he wouldn't intervene militarily against Assad unless the Syrian leader resorts to using weapons of mass destruction again. "Are we going to get involved with Syria? No," Trump said. But, he added, "I see them using gas ... we have to do something."

Only weeks ago, it appeared that Trump, who praised Putin throughout the U.S. election campaign, was poised for a potentially historic rapprochement with Russia. Any expectations of an easy rapport have crashed into reality amid the nasty back-and-forth over Syria and ongoing U.S. investigations into Russia's activity connected to the U.S. presidential election.

Allegations of collusion between Russian officials and Trump campaign associates also have weakened Trump's ability to sweeten any offer for greater co-operation, such as by easing economic sanctions on Moscow related to its 2014 annexation of Ukarine's Crimea region and support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Trump even criticized Putin on Wednesday, something he has largely left to top aides over the last several days.

"Frankly, Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person," Trump said, referring to Assad. "I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind."

Of Assad, Trump added: "This is an animal."

Putin, whom U.S. intelligence agencies say tried to help Trump get elected, insisted that relations with the U.S. had only gone downhill since Trump took office in January.

"The level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better but most likely has degraded," Putin said in an interview broadcast Wednesday by state television channel Mir.
UNITED NATIONS -- A Chinese envoy said Tuesday that China hopes the new Haitian government will embark on a path of development suited to its national conditions.

"We hope the new government in Haiti identify as soon as possible a development path that fits its national situation, accelerate infrastructure, agriculture, tourism and other major sectors of development with a view to eradicating poverty, creating more jobs, improving people's livelihoods," among others, said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN at a Security Council meeting on Haiti.

Sandra Honore, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), briefed the Council on developments in the country from October 2016. Since then, she said, Haiti has made significant progress in consolidating democracy and maintaining security and stability with the inauguration of Jovenel Moise as President on Feb. 7, marking the restoration of constitutional order.

"China hopes all parties in Haiti jointly maintain this positive momentum and contribute to the overall stability and development of the country," said the Chinese envoy.

Liu expressed hope that the international community, including countries in the region, will continue to contribute to improving conditions in Haiti, help build a stronger national police force, and support the government's effort to maintain stability.

"At the same time, we hope that the international community will provide more assistance to help hurricane stricken areas in Haiti to build," he said.

In her briefing, Honore noted that the island's police force continues to show an increased ability to combat crime and maintain public order. Areas for improvement include strengthening internal management and oversight and increasing the police-to-population ratio.

She said a six-month extension of MINUSTAH, set to expire on April 15, would encompass the creation of a new mission, which would unfold against the backdrop of a significantly improved political situation. It would also occur at a time when there was a crucial window of opportunity to address the root causes of the political crisis that had preceded the elections.

The Chinese ambassador commended the move, saying that "this is a recognition of the Haitian government's ability to maintain stability."

"China supports the recommendation by this Security Council and the Secretary General and hopes MINUSTAH withdraws in an orderly manner, while ensuring stability in Haiti," he said.
Two days after an Asian passenger was forcibly dragged off a United Airlines plane at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and video of the incident spread globally across social media, travel industry and marketing analysts said that United's reputation has been damaged and the incident could have an impact on the carrier in China.

Chinese netizens expressed furor over the incident that occurred on Sunday evening. By Tuesday afternoon, the hashtag "United forcibly removes passenger from plane" was the most popular topic on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter. It received more than 480 million views and more than 200,000 comments.

Some Chinese social media users accused United of racism and others called for a boycott of the carrier. United began nonstop service to China in 1986 and operates more nonstop US-China flights, and to more cities in China, than any other airline.

Zishi Zhang, an 18-year-old college student in the UK, launched a petition that calls for a federal investigation of United Airlines' actions. It had more than 55,000 signatures of its 100,000 goal. The petition, which claims that United's actions were racially motivated, is trending on social media with the hashtag #ChineseLivesMatter.

Members of Congress also reacted to the incident, including a call for a hearing on the incident.

Congresswoman Grace Meng of New York City, in a letter to United CEO Oscar Munoz, said "what this passenger endured was a forcible removal, without cause, in violation of an agreed upon contract of carriage".

"I think it reprehensible, and certainly not an example of treating customers "with (the) 'respect and dignity' that you profess," she wrote.

United Continental Holdings' stock felt the impact of the incident on Tuesday - it dropped 1.13 percent, wiping approximately $250 million off its market capitalization. The stock had dropped as much as 6 percent prior to the market's open.

The passenger removed from the flight to Louisville, Kentucky, was identified as Dr David Dao, 69. Dao was overheard by another passenger saying that he was picked on because he is Chinese. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Dao went to medical school in Vietnam before moving to the US. He lives in Elizabethtown, about 40 miles south of Louisville, where his wife, Dr Teresa Dao, has a medical practice.

Matt Rizzetta, CEO at brand agency North 6 Agency, said that Chinese consumers are highly discerning customers and exhibit deeper brand loyalty to US brands, but are also harder to bring on board as customers.

"If you're United and you've built all this goodwill and spent all this time and made all these investments to get Chinese customers on your side, good job, pat on the back. But data shows that especially in the travel space, once you break that trust, it's very difficult to regain," he said.

Jim Corridore, airline equity analyst at CFRA Research, said that prior to United's latest statement on Tuesday afternoon in which Munoz apologized and said that "no one should ever be mistreated this way", that he was not expecting a major financial impact on the company right now, due to generally strong demand and high capacity in the market. But he said "we are not happy

with the way the company is handling the situation, and we know particularly in China, where the company is trying to make inroads, it could have an impact."

Chris Allieri, founder at public relations consultancy Mulberry & Astor, said: "You can't just look at impact through dollars and cents - these companies are trying to be corporate citizens. They're trying to do good work in other areas, and when something like this happens, your profits and your bottom-line aside, you're still hurting."

On Weibo, user who goes by the name Jinyinxingdongzhong said, "I can understand the 'overbooking' thing, but I feel deeply angry about the way they handled the situation. "I definitely will not buy" United's stock, he said, "because even if I invested in it and made money, I would have an uneasy conscience."

Joe Wong, the Chinese-American comedian, said on Weibo that "many Chinese feel they are discriminated against, but won't say anything due to personal dignity, which leads to the Western mainstream media and public disregarding the discrimination against Asians at all."

The United flight had been overbooked and four passengers were asked to voluntarily surrender their seats to accommodate flight attendants who needed to make it to Louisville to staff another flight, according to reports.

Dao refused to leave the plane, saying that he was a doctor and needed to see patients in the morning, and videos taken by passengers showed a security officer from the Chicago Department of Aviation wrestling Dao out of his seat while he screamed. He was dragged down an aisle with blood on his face. The Chicago Police Department later said Dao's head struck an armrest "causing injuries to his face".

Dao later returned to the aircraft, bloodied, saying repeatedly, "I have to go home," according to a passenger who captured the event on video.

United's Munoz also said in his statement on Tuesday that United would conduct a thorough review of the company's policies - including how it incentivizes volunteers and how it handles overbooked flights - and communicate results of the review by the end of the month.

That came after an internal email to United employees that leaked on Monday, which blamed Dao for being "disruptive and belligerent".

Hong Xiao contributed to this report

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com
Two reports may help ease the growing concern among some American politicians toward Chinese foreign direct investment in the United States.

One, to be released on April 25 by the National Committee on US-China Relations and Rhodium Group, will provide the latest picture of Chinese FDI in US congressional districts.

The new report, New Neighbors 2017, shows that annual Chinese FDI in the US has been on a steep growth trajectory for the last five years, hitting $46 billion in 2016, tripling the previous record of $15 billion in 2015, according to a preview of the report posted by Rhodium.

Chinese companies added 1,300 US operations in 2016 through acquisitions and greenfield projects, bringing the total number of Chinese-owned operations in the US to 3,200 by the end of 2016, according to the report.

Nearly all congressional districts now host Chinese-owned companies. By the end of 2016, 425 out of 435 congressional districts, or 98 percent of the total, hosted Chinese-owned firms.

While in previous years coastal California and New York were the largest recipients of Chinese capital in 2016, Chinese investors also expanded to several states that had not received significant Chinese FDI before, such as Kentucky, Georgia and Arizona, according to the report.

It shows that Chinese companies employ 141,000 Americans, a 53 percent increase from 2015 and more than nine times higher than 2009. The figure does not include jobs during construction or at suppliers.

Despite a booming 2016, the report says that 2017 is uncertain. "The commercial rationale for further Chinese expansion in the United States remains strong, but Chinese balance of payments problems and capital controls, the prospect of more restrictive US policy, and an uncertain outlook for broader US-China economic relations are likely headwinds," it said.

The second report, prepared by the Rand Corp for the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission and sent by Rand to the press on Monday, examines Chinese FDI in the US commercial aircraft sector and its implications for US competitiveness and national security.

It shows that China uses a whole-of-government approach. But while strengthening its commercial aviation industry broadly supports Chinese military aviation in general terms, not all commercial aviation technology is transferable to military aviation. This is because some civil technology does not include specific military needs such as stealth, advanced forms of radar and supersonic engines.

The report concludes that US competitiveness is unlikely to be threatened in the near future because China's large commercial aircraft - the C919 - may face further production delays and operate less efficiently than existing aircraft.

But it said that as Chinese aircraft improve efficiency and achieves US or European certification, the competitiveness of US aircraft could be negatively affected first within China, and then abroad.

There have been calls among US lawmakers to tighten the screen of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), especially with regard of FDI from China.

China was the focus of an April 6 talk on CFIUS reform held at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com
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Thursday 13

Sacred Cod (Discovery 7pm) Even though this is Easter week, that is not a typo. This documentary featuring fisherman, scientists, advocates and federal judgeslooks at how the oldest fishery in the United States has been driven to the edge of commercial extinction.

Friday 14

Fortitude (Amazon streaming anytime) The second season of this freaky-deaky, British-made, Iceland-shot, Norway-set series moves over to Amazon. Maybe now well figure out if its a supernatural horror series, a murder mystery or some sort of sci-fi whatsit. Last seasons finale seemed to imply the last one, but its flip-flopped before.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (Netflix streaming anytime) I wasnt doing anything this weekend anyway. Guess Im watching the entire first season of the new MST3K starring Jonah Ray, Felicia Day and Patton Oswalt.

Saturday 15

Doctor Who (BBC America 7pm) The 10th season of Doctor Who (well, the second 10th season for longtime fans) shows up with new companion Bill (Pearl Mackie) in tow.

Class (BBC America 8:10pm) This brand new Doctor Who spin-off is set in the Coal Hill School, the site of the good Doctors first appearance on Earth. Seems that years of time travel energy have thinned the buildings walls, making it more susceptible to extradimensional/ extraterrestrial danger. Now its up to a group of teenage students to fight these monstrous threats.

Sunday 16

Inside Disneynature: Wild Lives (KOAT-7 6pm) Disney takes a behind-the-scenes look at its animal-centric documentaries.

The White Princess (Starz 6pm) This saucy new drama digs into the personal and political intrigue surrounding Elizabeth of Yorks tumultuous marriage to King Henry VII.

The Real Jesus of Nazareth (Smithsonian 6pm) Right about this time of year, science and history channels get real churchy.

The Jesus Strand: A Search for DNA (History 7pm) See what I mean?

Stayin Alive: A Grammy Salute to the Music of the Bee Gees (KRQE-13 7pm) Celine Dion, Ed Sheeran, Keith Urban, John Legend and Stevie Wonder show up to sing some Bee Gees songs.

Iron Chef Gauntlet (Food Network 7pm) Food Networks adaptation of the crazed Japanese cooking competition returns. Now, apparently, with some sort of gauntlet.

Guerilla (Showtime 7pm) This six-part series (starring Idris Elba and Freida Pinto) explores life in a radical underground cell in 1970s London.

Monday 17

Car Saviors (Discovery 8pm) This, like Sacred Cod, has nothing to do with Easter. Its just another reality show about car renovators.

Tuesday 18

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later (A&E 7pm) A&E looks back at the infamous Los Angeles riots of 1992. Good times.

Coopers Treasure (Discovery 8:02pm) Former NASA astronaut Gordon Cooper allegedly left behind a map he believed would lead to billions of dollars in treasure. Here, Discovery attempts to decode the map, which will undoubtedlylike Mystery of Oak Island and Finding Bigfoot before itpay off handsomely by seasons end.

Wednesday 19

Fargo (FX 11pm) The third season of FXs pitch-black crime-comedy anthology finds Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, David Thewlis and Jim Gaffigan stuck in St. Cloud, Minn. for more murder, mobsters and mayhem.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/united-ceo-oscar-munoz-felt-sham-passenger-dragged/story?id=46746594



Oscar Munoz, the CEO of United Airlines, today said he felt "shame" when he saw viral video of airport police dragging a bloodied passenger from one of his airline's flights Sunday night.

"This will never happen again," Munoz told ABC News' "Good Morning America" in an exclusive interview."We are not going to put a law enforcement official onto a plane to take them off  to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger. We can't do that."

The airline later announced that it would compensate everyone on board the flight for the full price of their ticket.

Regarding blowback Munoz received for his initial muted response, which did not include an apology, he said a more forceful reaction was delayed because he was still gathering the facts.

"I think my reaction to most issues is to get the facts and circumstances," he said. "My initial words fell short of truly expressing the shame."

Munoz said the feelings of embarrassment were "palpable" for him and his United colleagues.

The passenger, David Dao of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, a 69-year-old physician specializing in pulmonary disease, is at a Chicago hospital undergoing treatment for his injuries, according to lawyers for his family.

United Flight 3411, operated by Republic Airways, was set to depart Chicago's O'Hare International Airport at 5:40 p.m. local time Sunday, bound for Louisville International Airport, when the incident occurred.

United told ABC News that passengers were offered up to $800 to give up their seats for four members of a crew who needed to board. When no one volunteered, the airline generated a list of four names to be removed from the flight and be reaccommodated, in accordance with the airline's contract of carriage.

Of the four passengers, Dao was the only one who refused to comply, which triggered a call to airport police.

One of the officers involved was placed on leave Monday. The Chicago Department of Aviation said that it did not condone the officer's actions and that they were not in keeping with standard operating procedure.

"The aviation security officer in question is on paid administrative duty, pending an investigation," a department spokesman said Tuesday.

"It was a system failure," Munoz said. "We have not provided our frontline supervisors and managers and individuals with the proper procedures that would allow them to use their common sense.

"They all have an incredible amount of common sense, and this issue could have been solved by that," he added. "This is on me. I have to fix that, and I think that's something we can do."

Many social media users have called for a boycott of the airline.

The Rainbow PUSH Coalition, led by veteran politician and activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, has organized a protest for this afternoon at O'Hare airport in Chicago.

ABC News' Rebecca Jarvis, Whitney Lloyd, and Paul Blake contributed to this report.
Speaker of the NA of Hungary Kover Laszlo receives Chairwoman of the NA of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Budapest__Photo: VNA

, , , , ,

Chairwoman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary Kover Laszlo held talks in Budapest on April 10.They agreed on bilateral cooperation plans, including measures to strengthen trade and economic exchanges via regular organization of trade fairs and exhibitions.Vietnam suggested Hungary increase investment in water resources, environment, medicine and pharmacy, food processing, bio-fertilizer production, and renewable energy.Vietnam also welcomes Hungarys policy to boost bilateral economic ties, including the signing of a framework agreement on credit cooperation worth 440 million EUR.Education-training is a traditional cooperative field between the two countries. Hungary provides 100 scholarships each year for Vietnamese students to pursue studying in majors that are Hungarys strengths such as renewable energy, support industry, environmental protection, water resources treatment, information technology, economics, agriculture, and health.The two top legislators acknowledged the mutual support and coordination at regional and international interparliamentary forums.They agreed to boost high-level delegation exchanges between legislative agencies and parliamentary friendship groups.Speaker Laszlo affirmed to continue supporting and sharing experience in building law, monitoring the operation of the State apparatus and training personnel for Vietnam.Both sides concurred to step up the implementation of cooperation agreements signed by the two countries governments along with their strategic collaboration projects.They supported Vietnamese and Hungarian governments, localities, businesses and peoples to enhance exchanges for better understanding and win-win cooperation.Chairwoman Ngan took this occasion to thank Hungary for supporting Vietnams candidacy for a seat in the Economic and Social Council for the 2016-2018 tenure and the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure.She affirmed Vietnams advocacy for Hungary to run for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council in the 2017-2019 tenure.For his part, Speaker Laszlo said Hungary has considered Vietnam to be its strategic partner in the Southeast Asian region since 2010.He urged the two countries to boost cooperation in economics and trade, noting that the bilateral trade reached around 266 million USD in 2016, a year-on-year rise of 36 percent.-
HA NOI  The 27th Viet Nam Expo, scheduled to take place April 19-22 in the capital city, assumes added significance given the special context in which it is happening, organisers say.

Bui Huy Son, head of the Trade Promotion Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, said the event was being held in the special context of the country actively pushing ahead with international economic integration, hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) 2017 and celebrating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relationship with South Korea.

Appropriately, the Viet Nam International Trade Fair 2017 (as the event is also known) would carry the theme Strengthening Regional and International Economic Links, he noted.

The expo will gather more than 500 exhibitors from over 23 countries and territories, including leading economies from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe.

Some 600 booths will display a diverse range of products including industrial machinery and equipment, construction materials, electronics, information technology, beverages, healthcare products and services.

Viet Nam Expo 2017 has been organised annually for more than two decades. It has become the largest and most significant event for the nations industry and trade sectors, generating more economic benefits and opportunities for local firms to expand export as well as domestic markets.

Son said that the event would contribute to the nations global integration process.

Honoured nation

South Korea, as a honoured nation at Viet Nam Expo 2017, would bring in 130 companies taking up 138 display booths, he added.

Among other things, the Korean companies will present electrical and electronic products, cosmetics, smart toys and processed food. These products belong to the category that will have tariffs cut under the Viet Nam-Korea FTA signed in 2015.

Park Chul Ho, General Director of the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Ha Noi, said Viet Nam Expo 2017 would not only be a platform for Korean businesses to sell and introduce their products, but also an opportunity for promoting investment co-operation and technology transfer between enterprises of both countries.

Several activities on the sidelines of the expo, including the Viet Nam Exports Promotion Forum, fact-finding tours to industrial zones, policy consultancy, capacity-building for enterprises in terms of marketing and promotion strategies, will provide added value to participants, organisers said.

Viet Nam Expo 2017 is a collaborative effort involving the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Viet Nam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company (Vinexad) and other agencies.

It will be held at the Ha Noi International Exhibition Centre, 91 Tran Hung ao, Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi.  VNS
HA NOI  The VN-Index closed at 731.3 points yesterday, up 0.2 per cent over Mondays level and a record high since February 20, 2008. Shares rose on both national exchanges, but a correction is looming as the benchmark index continued to set new peaks. The key index has expanded roughly 10 per cent this year.

On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange, the HNX-Index also inched up 0.2 per cent to end at 90.6 points, the highest since December 17, 2014. The northern market index has climbed 14.3 per cent compared to the end of 2016.

Money flows moved among steel, construction, real estate and securities stocks, and shifted back to large-cap banks and some blue chips.

Vietcombank (VCB), Vietinbank (CTG), Military Bank (MBB), VinGroup (VIC), Vinamilk (VNM) and Vietjet Air (VJC) advanced, but PV Gas (GAS), insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), Sacombank (STB), Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) and brewery Sabeco (SAB) declined and dragged down the market.

Shares of Bao Viet Holdings and Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) were among noticeable losers, while these businesses reported high profits last year.

Profit-taking activities increased in the afternoon trade on the back of rising investor worry over a possible correction.

Liquidity increased over Monday with over 296 million shares worth a combined VN4.6 trillion (US$201.8 million) traded in the two markets, up 34.3 per cent in volume and 4.5 per cent in value compared to the previous session.

Although we keep positive market outlook, this is an unpredictable period when cash flows are volatile and differential among stock groups, analysts at Vietnam Investment Securities Joint Stock Company wrote in a report.

The continuous breakthrough of the VN-Index accompanied by slight increases in recent sessions might indicate a near-term correction, they said and reckoned the VN-Index could retreat to 720 points when it touched 735.

Foreign investors extended their net buys in the local stock markets, picking up shares worth a net value of VN314.3 billion on Tuesday on the two exchanges.

According to the latest report by the National Financial Supervisory Commission, foreign investors have been net buyers on the local securities market since the beginning of this year, for a total of $554 million in the first three months, including bonds worth $418 million and stocks valued at $136 million.  VNS
HA NOI  A survey by Vietnam Report JSC revealed today that leading firms in Viet Nam are more aware of the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for their growth and prosperity.

Five CSR issues which received significant attention from firms were business transparency, local community aid, reducing unemployment, environmental protection and career orientation for the youth, according to the surveys findings.

The major motivation behind businesses CSR strategies is to preserve and enhance the brands reputation, which accounted for 89.47 per cent of the responses.

Businesses were also more aware that to give is to receive, according to Viet Nam Report.

A majority of leading firms agreed that growth and prosperity were vital to their success.

The findings were highlighted at a ceremony held on Wednesday in Ha Noi to announce the top 500 best growth (Fast 500) and top 500 best prosperity (BP500) companies.

2017 is the seventh year in a row that Fast500 has been published and the second year for BP500.

FPT Software topped the Fast500 list, while the Vietnam Military Telecommunications Group topped BP500.

Vietnam Report also announced the top 10 property developers, which included VinGroup, Novaland, Sacomreal, CEO Group and Hoa Binh Group.

For the first time, Vietnam Report officially launched the Top 50 Viet Nam Best Growth and Prosperity at todays event.

Its report on Viet Nams growth and prosperity in 2017 also pointed out that the economy must be transformed in terms of quality and efficiency to improve competitiveness for successful integration and sustainable development.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Viet Nam Logistics Association (VLA) on Wednesday launched a ceremony to implement the Governments first national action plan to improve the countrys competitiveness and its logistics sector by 2025.

Le Duy Hiep, VLA chairman, said that VLA had been assigned to complete several tasks of the plan.

In February, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved the action plan, which aims to have the logistics sector contribute 8 to10 per cent to the countrys GDP, with annual growth of 15-20 per cent by 2025.

The plan also calls for Viet Nam to become one of the worlds 50 leading logistics services providers.

The plan recommends new policies, more investment in infrastructure development, and better co-operation between local and foreign logistics companies.

The aim is to have logistics companies that can be competitive in both domestic and international markets.

Under the plan, Viet Nam will enhance connectivity with neighbouring countries and develop regional and international hubs.

The plan calls for building level-1 logistics hubs (the highest level) in Ha Noi and HCM City, and level-2 logistic centres in Lang Son, Lao Cai, Hai Phong, a Nang, Quy Nhon, and Can Tho.

Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Import-Export Department, said the countrys logistics development has been modest, as there are only 1,300-1,500 firms in the sector.

More than 70 per cent of the businesses are small- and medium-sized with average capital of about VN7 billion (US$320,000).

The countrys logistics effectiveness has been low, while available resources have not been fully exploited, Hai said.

The action plan would provide short- and mid-term solutions to improve the logistics sector in the next seven or eight years, he added.

The initiatives taken by the Government to strengthen the logistics industry and increase efficiency have been supported by industry insiders.

Christoph Matthes, managing director of logistics firm DB Schenker in Viet Nam, said, We strongly support the plan as the logistics has become more important than ever before.

In addition, increasing consumer demand requires a faster and more reliable way of delivery of goods.

For many customers, logistics is no longer a matter of moving boxes from one location to another, but creating a highly efficient and reliable supply chain which enables them to be competitive in a fast-changing world.

International trade is growing rapidly as well, and thus, a need to connect to other markets via air, ocean and road freight.

Some of the largest export markets for Viet Nam include the ASEAN region and Europe, where Viet Nam competes with other countries and where logistics costs play a vital role.

Trade with Europe is expected to increase with the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) coming into force next year.

Experts said more steps were needed for smooth implementation of the agreement and to make sure businesses can fully benefit as soon as the treaty takes effect.

The commitment of the Vietnamese Government to strengthen the logistics sector is an important step towards making this possible.

Nestor Scherbey, general director of logistics firm Customs, Trade and Risk Management Services Ltd Viet Nam, said the national action plan would play a critical role in raising competitiveness.

Logistics costs in Viet Nam are among the worlds highest, at 25 per cent of GDP, which hinders the cost competitiveness of Vietnamese firms, according to Logistics Insight Asia.

Logistics costs in the US, Europe and the rest of the world are around 9, 13, and 15 per cent, respectively.

The efforts necessary to achieve a national action plan for logistics must be undertaken in co-ordination with diligent efforts by Viet Nam to implement the commitments of the World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO TFA), Scherbey said.

Many of the major commitments of the WTO TFA were contained in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and EVFTA.

Full implementation of trade facilitation by Viet Nam would reduce the countrys international trade transaction costs by 20 per cent.

It is the combination of the benefits of trade facilitation, with the benefit of reducing domestic logistics costs, that will allow Vietnamese products to become fully competitive in global markets, he said.  VNS
CAN THO  A Can Tho leader has said the city should co-ordinate with relevant ministries and other agencies to draw up economic plans, using all available resources and improving incomes and the citys economic vitality and quality of life.

Truong Quang Hoai Nam, deputy chairman of the city Peoples Committee, was addressing the 2017 Annual Economic Forum on Wednesday, which was attended by nearly 100 economists and experts.

Through the meeting, the city government seeks advice from experts on planning, the environment, land issues, taxation, and administrative reform.

Huynh Van Tung, deputy director of the Can Tho Institute for Socio-Economic Development Studies, said Can Thos economy has grown by an average of nearly 14 per cent a year in the past decade.

The citys average income is estimated at nearly VN65 million (US$2,850), exports this year are expected to be $1.28 billion and retail sales of goods and services are forecast to be VN16 trillion ($701 million).

Around 60,000 jobs are expected to be created.

But Tung said the economy faces major challenges.

Many of the targets set under a resolution adopted by the city Peoples Council have not been achieved, economic growth is not as high as expected and falls short of the citys potential and status as a centrally run city and the heart of the Mekong River Delta region.

Assoc Prof Dr Vo Thanh Danh of the economics faculty at Can Tho University said the financial and human resources available are inadequate for the citys economic growth.

Moreover, restructuring of the workforce has not been thorough in sectors with high labour productivity, he said.

He also pointed to a failure to take full advantage of the citys tourism potential, especially in utilising the capacity of its airport.

Nam thanked the experts for their inputs and promised that the administration would review and speed up the allocation of funds for projects and for public spending.

It would focus on assisting businesses, especially the industrial sector, based on the Governments Resolution 02/NQ-CP, through a number of measures that would mitigate the difficulties faced by businesses and foster the markets, he said.

The measures would include focusing all possible resources on developing infrastructure and improving vocational training, strengthening communication campaigns to raise awareness of the ASEAN Economic Community among public servants, businesses and the public, bolstering trade promotion at home and abroad, tapping all available opportunities to develop exports, encouraging the agricultural, forestry and fisheries processing sectors and improving the quality and value of agricultural, forest and aquatic produce.

The city is also striving to adopt new production technologies and foster exports of new products with high value-addition, including in the footwear, garment and textile and handicrafts sectors.

It will also focus on administrative reform to attract investments, considered a vital factor in increasing production and exports.

To support the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises, the city will establish a zero-interest credit guarantee fund for small businesses and start-ups, guide investment promotion activities and issue a list of projects requiring investment, including foreign.

Tourism businesses will work closely together to launch trips to various cities and provinces nation-wide.

They will improve facilities and tourism services and help preserve traditional culture to develop tourism into a key economic sector by 2020.  VNS
VINH PHUC  Various rivers in the northern province of Vinh Phuc are getting polluted by waste water used by households for daily chores and from trade villages.

A typical case is the Phan River.

Phan River passes through 24 communes in Tam ao, Tam Duong, Vinh Tuong, Vinh Yen and Binh Xuyen districts. The river plays great importance in regulating water sources and maintaining the environment in the province. The river also supplies water to the Ca Lo and Cau rivers.

Earlier, the Phan River was wide with clean water, so residents could catch different kinds of shrimps and fish, in addition to being an important waterway transport route. During the urbanisation period, locals residing along the river discharged a large quantity of waste into the river and encroached upon the riverbed to build houses and for other purposes, due to which the river became seriously polluted.

Reports by the provincial authorities revealed that every day, nearly 20,000cu.m. of waste water from more than 210,000 households, 4,000cu.m of untreated waste water from industrial zones, more than 21,000cu.m of waste of millions of livestock and poultry and hundreds of tonnes of rubbish are discharged directly into the Phan River.

In Yen Lac District alone, hundreds of households engaged in jobs related to metals, nonmetals, paint, rubber and chemicals. Their waste also affected the waters quality.

Pho ay Rivers pollution recently attracted peoples concerns, who realised the river was becoming more and more polluted because trade activities along the river were increasing.

Bui Nhu Y, deputy director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said until the end of last month, hundreds of bags containing dead pigs were thrown into the Pho ay River.

Local authorities said the dead pigs were from the upper reaches and followed the waters flow to reach Vinh Phuc.

The bodies of the pigs had a foul smell, causing pollution on a large scale and leading to the risk of disease for locals and animals.

To improve the situation, Vinh Phuc Province has invested VN32 billion (US$1.4 million) since 2008 to reduce pollution in 15 communes.

The province will implement a plan for land use in the Phan River area and prepare data to ensure environment management in the area.

The province will also give guidance to increase residents awareness and encourage them to join hands in protecting the Pho ay River.  VNS
Vietnamese architect Vo Trong Nghia was awarded the 2016 Prince Claus Award by the Embassy of the Netherlands to honour his contributions to Viet Nams urban planning with a focus on sustainable architecture. The 40-year-old architect is well-known in Viet Nam and in the world for his environmentally friendly architecture, and ability to balance culture and nature.

He spoke to Bach Lien about his work.

Could you share with me the significance of this award to your career?

The award is very important to my career. However, it is not only for me. I hope it can inspire other people to use green architecture and to grow more green trees in Ha Noi and HCM City. Thats my biggest hope.

Ha Noi and HCM City are mega cities. More than 10 million live in each. They have been heavily affected by air pollution, traffic jams. There are not enough green trees. Inhabitants living in those two cities are stressed. Thats why I believe we have to contribute to making the cities green. People should live closer to nature so they will feel much happier. I do hope that this award will help people be more aware of the importance of living near nature.

Your designs range from large urban structures to durable, inexpensive housing for remote communities. What is your favourite green work until now?

The work entitled Houses for Trees is one of the works I am most satisfied with.

Houses for Trees is a prototypical house within a tight budget of US$155,000. The projects aim is to return green spaces into the city, planting big tropical trees on high-density dwellings. Thick layers of soil will cover the bottom of concrete "pots", which, once planted will also function as storm-water basins for detention and retention, thus reducing the risk of flooding in the city when implemented on top of a large number of houses in the future.

One such dwelling is located in Tan Binh District, one of the most densely populated residential areas in HCM City, where only 0.25 per cent of the area is covered in greenery.

This House for Trees has already welcomed several people who were severely depressed. Since living there, they have felt much better. Even though they are still a little emotional, they have become much healthier. It was a miracle.

Did you face difficulties pursuing your career in green architecture?

Yes, I encountered many difficulties at the beginning.

My green works look a bit strange and different than other works that people often see. So at the beginning, almost no one accepted my project. But after one green building was built, and then another, many people are happy about them. Now my work has become much easier with the support of many people.

How should Viet Nam make its cities greener?

I believe that local authorities should think of policies to encourage more people to build green houses with green roofs. If local authorities can do it, they will not have to grow thousands of trees, the inhabitants will do so. When each family builds a green roof, the city can be turned into a park.

Creating a green house on a rooftop is quite simple. With a suitable layer of waterproof paint, and the smart choice of appropriate soil, you can easily bring vegetables and plants into your house,

The cost for building a green roof is very low. You only have to pay VND500,000 (US$22) to waterproof 1 square metre of the roof. One square metre of green roof will cost, in all, VN8-10 million.

I hope that one day, authorities will decide that all newly built houses or restored houses must have a green terrace or rooftop.

Thanks to the Prince Claus Awards, your favourite green project will be funded. Could you tell about it?

I am thinking about urban agriculture. I will try to create an agricultural system around an office building in a big city of Viet Nam. The staff working in the office building will enjoy the green surroundings and also eat clean vegetables three times a day.

So the staff will enjoy their work and life. Looking at the faces of people living in big cities, I can see that they are very stressed. Stress can cause tension. Therefore people should live near nature to be happier.  VNS
NEW YORK  Members of blues-rock powerhouse Fleetwood Mac on Tuesday announced a new album that will bring together all of the bands classic lineup -- except Stevie Nicks.

Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said the album would be the first by a duo of him and keyboardist Christine McVie, who rejoined Fleetwood Mac for a 2014-15 global tour after staying out of the spotlight for years.

Entitled simply Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie, the 10-track album will come out on June 9 followed by a US tour. The duo will release a first single, "In My World," on Friday.

The duo in a statement said that the two started working on new material when McVie joined rehearsals for the tour and "their natural creative chemistry was reignited".

Recording the album at the Los Angeles studio where Fleetwood Mac made its 1979 album Tusk, the pair was joined by two band mates -- drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.

Notably absent from the recording sessions was Stevie Nicks, who has gone on to become the most identifiable member of Fleetwood Mac with a successful solo career led by her unique sandy voice.

Buckingham, in a 2014 interview with Billboard magazine, had said that Nicks was busy with other commitments when the others headed to the studio.

The part-British, part-US band was notorious for internal tensions which played out in the music. Nicks was romantically involved at times with Buckingham and Fleetwood, while Christine McVie was formerly married to John McVie.

Fleetwood Mac has not released a studio album since 2003s Say You Will, on which Christine McVie was absent, but the reunited lineup with Nicks has become a major draw on the live circuit.

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles will headline a new festival called The Classic in Los Angeles and New York in July.  AFP
Personnel work plays a key role in business success, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told enterprise leaders yesterday at the 10th anniversary of Central Businesses Blocs Party Committee in Ha Noi.  VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat

HA NOI  Personnel work plays a key role in business success, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc told enterprise leaders on Tuesday at the 10th anniversary of Central Businesses Blocs Party Committee in Ha Noi.

The block must improve its management capacity and strategic vision toward development and appoint talented people, not relatives, to manage State-owned firms, Phuc said.

If managers do not act corruptly or share illegal profits, then businesses will reap success. Otherwise, if managers neither practise their morals nor put their enterprises benefits first, failures will obviously come, he said.

Phuc said that over the past ten years, the Central Businesses Bloc [grouping centrally run state businesses] had made major contributions to the countrys development, including 26 to 30 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, one third of State budget, bringing jobs to nearly one million labourers.

During one decade, corporations, groups, banks of the bloc donated almost VN31 trillion (US$1.3 billion) to social welfare works nationwide and invested in infrastructure of remote, disadvantaged districts.

He praised the bloc for preserving and developing State-owned company capital. In particular, the State-owned companies are a States important tool to stabilise the macroeconomy and maintain growth pace.

State-owned enterprises also need to review their shortcomings and obstacles to draw lessons for upcoming steps, he said, noting that firms should learn to avoid overleveraged capital, scattered investment and ineffective management.

Labour productivity in general is low as compared with the world and even other type of enterprises in Viet Nam, raising a question on brand building and enterprise management work.

The Government leader also mentioned a sad fact: in the past ten years, some big brands didnt survive the socialist-oriented market economy due to collapse or mismanagement.

Science technology: key for growth

To overcome these challenges, the PM asked the bloc to continue to organise, renovate and improve efficiency of State-owned firms operation, especially reform growing models to increase labour productivity.

In the context of global industrial revolution 4.0, State-owned enterprises must take a pioneer role to integrate into international trends, he said.

Science technology is the key, not the final element, he said.

He urged chairmen of boards of directors, general directors of corporations and company leaders to research and practise strategic visions in managing enterprises in the industrial revolution 4.0, in the context of deep international integration, to serve a market of nearly 100 million with various options.

I mentioned frightening saline intrusion in Mekong Delta provinces, but the most dangerous intrusion is from the overwhelming presence of imported products with lower quality than Vietnamese products, he said, adding that enterprises must pay due attention to this issue.

Phuc asked State-owned companies to stay vigilant against corruption rings making fake receipts to withdraw State budget while avoid wasting money on ground-breaking ceremonies in order to cut down product prices.

Enterprises must also continue promoting State-owned company etiquisation, which must follow process and avoid State property losses with an aim to mobilise social capital, have more shareholders to supervise activities and change management attitudes, he said.

They were also asked to pay more care and attention to workers physical and spiritual lives.  VNS




Ship Fuyuzuki of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force docked at Cam Ranh International Port in the south central province of Khanh Hoa yesterday, starting a five-day visit to Viet Nam.  VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI  Ship Fuyuzuki of the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force docked at Cam Ranh International Port in the south central province of Khanh Hoa yesterday, starting a five-day visit to Viet Nam.

The crewmember will visit leaders of the provincial Peoples Committee, Commander of Naval Zone 4 and ships of the Vietnam Peoples Navy. They will have sport exchange with officers and soldiers of Naval Zone 4.

The visit takes place in the context that relations between the two countries in general and defence ties in particular are growing.  VNS
BUDAPEST  National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and Speaker of the Hungary National Assembly Kover Laszlo yesterday co-chaired the opening session of a talk on laws relating to international integration.

The talk, titled Perfecting laws during the international integration process," was the first such event between the two parliaments. It was facilitated by a co-operation agreement signed by the two parliaments in 2008.

Ngan said Viet Nam has recorded enormous achievements over the past 30 years of economic renewal and has since embarked on an extensive and intensive international integration process.

She said a legal system that can expedite this was extremely important, adding that Viet Nam will continue refining its law-making process to meet higher requirements of the renovation and integration processes.

Viet Nam wanted to share and learn from other countries experiences in building and perfecting their legal systems, especially those in similar development circumstances, she said.

She hailed Hungarys successful transformation and integration as well as its rich experience in reforming laws to fit the new developmental period.

She said Viet Nam would have new opportunities to renew and boost co-operation with the European Union, especially after the Viet Nam - EU Free Trade Agreement is ratified.

Kover Laszlo noted the relationship between Viet Nam and Hungary was growing strongly with frequent high-level visits made in recent years, regarding Viet Nam a strategic partner in Southeast Asia.

Laszlo affirmed that parliamentary co-operation was important for forging closer ties between the two governments and parliaments. The parliamentary co-operation agreement signed in 2008 has created a foundation for strengthening ties, and facilitated the ongoing talk, he said.

The talk was a great opportunity for legislators, officials, experts and managers to share valuable information and experiences and discuss issues of mutual concern in a frank manner, they agreed.

Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly, Gulyas Gergely, introduced participants to the lawmaking modus operandi in his country.

Gulyas Gergely and Chairman of the National Assemblys Committee for External Relations, Nguyen Van Giau, co-chaired a discussion on a wide range of issues, including Hungarys economic development policies and regulations promoting competitiveness, and Viet Nams tax policies and legal regulations on the budget and budgetary management.  VNS
HCM CITY A 70-year-old patient from HCM City admitted to Thu uc District Hospital on April 6, complaining about breathing difficulties, was found to have a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

After a CAT scan was taken, doctors said that blood clots in the patients pulmonary artery were preventing blood from entering the heart and going to the lung.

The patient, who was given anticoagulant drugs to clear the blood clot, is expected to be discharged from the hospital within several days. He will continue taking the drugs.

Dr Le Duy Lac, deputy head of the hospitals Cardiology and Recovery, said: A pulmonary embolism is dangerous and potentially life-threatening. The fatality rate is 60 per cent of the total number of patients with a pulmonary embolism, if they are not treated.

A pulmonary embolism can be caused by serious infection, different kinds of contraceptive pills, or immobilization due to stroke or broken bones, he said.

Surgeries for joint replacement can have complications such as hypercoagulability, leading to pulmonary embolism. The patient may have chest pains and cough up blood.

Patients with these symptoms should be brought to hospital immediately, doctor said.

Health experts said that 80 per cent of patients with pulmonary embolism do not have symptoms and it can be difficult to detect.

According to the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition is also a complication of deep vein thrombosis, a medical condition occurring when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually developing in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis, but also in the arm.

Health experts said that a pulmonary embolism could develop more easily in people aged 60 or over, with relatives who have had the same problem, or in patients who are obese or overweight.

Smoking can also increase the risk of a pulmonary embolism.

In Viet Nam, there are no official statistics on the prevalence of the condition, doctors have said. VNS
HA NOI  Certain types of vehicles will be exempt from paying tolls at the Ben Thuy I toll station connecting the central provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) said on Tuesday.

Vehicles eligible for the waiver include Type 1 and Type 2 vehicles owned by permanent residents of and organisations or enterprises headquartered in Vinh City, Nghe An Provinces Hung Nguyen District, and Ha Tinh Provinces Nghi Xuan District and Hong Linh Town, as well as public buses running through the station.

Type 1 vehicles include cars with less than 12 seats and trucks weighing less than two tonnes, the MoT said. Type 2 vehicles include cars with 12-30 seats and trucks weighing from two to four tonnes.

The toll charge waiver comes into effect on April 24.

The peoples committees of the two provinces are responsible for directing concerned authorities to collaborate with local enterprises to identify the number of vehicles eligible for the waiver before April 20.

The decision was made following local citizens request to remove both the Ben Thuy I and Ben Thuy II toll stations on the Ben Thuy Bridge on April 9 due to the high toll fee charged by the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) investor Civil Engineering Construction No 4 Joint Stock Company (Cienco 4).

The company was reportedly collecting tolls from vehicles that were not using the BOT sections.

Hundreds of locals from Nghi Xuan District and Vinh City have protested the toll charges by covering their vehicles with banners and driving across the Ben Thuy Bridge. That protest has taken place several times since the end of March.

Despite an MoT decision to halve tolls at the two toll stations on April 3, protesters continued by using banknotes of less than VN1,000 (US$0.04) to pay tolls, causing severe congestion and delays on the bridge.

Hundreds of drivers gathered at the two stations on the morning of April 9 to sign a complaint to be "sent to the Government and National Assembly," requesting the authoritys "intervention" regarding the high tolls, the Dan Tri online newspaper reported.

Toll station removed

The MoT on Monday requested the Viet Nam Express Corporation (VEC) to remove the ai Xuan toll station on the Phap Van-Ninh Binh Highway before April 30.

The request was made based on a report from VEC which shows that some 150 traffic jams have occurred within 3km from the station since 2011.

Traffic congestion got worse in 2015 on both lanes of the highway when the BOT Phap Van-Cau Gie Joint Stock Company joined the VEC in collecting toll fees. Around 70 traffic jams were recorded in 2015 and the first half of 2016, according to the report.

Two toll stations are unnecessary on a highway that is only 100km long, Mai Tuan Anh, general director of VEC, said.

The ai Xuyen toll station was installed at Km212+35 on the Cau Gie-Ninh Binh Highway, connecting the highway with the Phap Van-Cau Gie Highway. It collects toll fees on 15 lanes, six of which lead vehicles into the Phap Van-Cau Gie Highway and the remaining nine lead them out of it.

The station stopped collecting toll fees from January 1 this year as per the MoTs request in November last year.  VNS
HCM CITY  An 18-month-old girl was brought recently to the Paediatrics Hospital 1 in HCM City from Tien Giang Province with vaginal bleeding.

Dr Huynh Thoai Loan, head of the hospitals Nephrology and Endocrinology, said the child had first been taken to a local hospital, where a doctor blamed it on poor hygiene.

But when the bleeding occurred every month, her mother brought her to the Paediatrics Hospital 1, where a doctor diagnosed the condition as precocious puberty.

Ten days ago a four-year-old girl was brought to the hospital because she had started menstruating and developing breasts.

The two girls are among 120 children diagnosed with precocious puberty since last year alone, Loan said.

The department used to get only five or six cases a year before that, she said.

Ha Nois National Hospital of Paediatrics has treated 450 in the last three years.

Children with precocious puberty have the above signs before they turn eight years old in case of girls, and voice deepening, rapid growth and others before nine in case of boys, Loan said.

Precocious puberty signals the pituitary gland to release hormones stimulating ovaries in girls and testicles in boys, according to the doctor.

The puberty age is inherited, but the reason is not known in the case of 90 per cent of girls precociously attaining puberty.

As for boys, 40 per cent of the cases are caused by a tumour in the brain that causes hormone release.

Food injected with hormones and obesity are also thought to be culprits.

Early onset of puberty has an effect on childrens psychology.

"Girls face a high risk of sexual abuse because they look mature and could have breasts," she warned.

Parents should keep a close eye on their children and bring them to hospital for timely treatment if they show signs of precocious puberty, she said.

If caused by a tumour, doctors could remove or monitor it, she said.

If doctors are unable to pin down the cause, they could use hormone therapy to stop production of the sex hormones prematurely causing puberty, she added.

Parents should learn about precocious puberty to avoid fears which might affect their childrens psychology, she added. VNS
Deputies arrested a man on a warrant Tuesday after he went to the jail to visit an inmate.

An investigator from the Gage County Sheriffs Office had previously received several anonymous telephone tips that Jeremy Lynn Vater, 34, moved to Beatrice and failed to provide the sheriffs office with proper information regarding his status as a registered sex offender.

As the case was investigated, an officer with the Oklahoma Department of Probation and Parole contacted the Gage County Sheriffs Office regarding Vater, who a press release stated was recently released from custody there. The Oklahoma officer forwarded information that Vater had warrants from Pottawattamie County, Iowa, for failing to register as a sex offender and a drug related probation violation.

The Gage County Sheriffs investigator checked Vaters Beatrice address, 905 Market St., as part of the investigation. He returned to the Sheriffs Office to find that Vater was in the lobby of the Sheriffs Office to visit an inmate at the Gage County jail.

The press release stated the investigator confirmed the warrant through Southeast Communications and with the assistance of a uniformed deputy took Vater into custody on the warrant from Iowa. Vater was booked into the Gage County Detention Center to await posting bond or extradition to Iowa.

Citizens can check the Nebraska State Patrol Sex Offender Registry at https://sor.nebraska.gov or the Gage County Sheriffs Office website at www.gagecountysheriff.us.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced a National Monitoring Programme for Avian Flu to prevent the spread of the virus. Photo anninhthudo.vn

HA NOI  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has announced a National Monitoring Programme for Avian Flu to prevent the spread of the virus. Two cases were recently discovered in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

The programme is aimed at early detection to enable early warning about the likelihood of the virus entering Viet Nam, and the threats of an epidemic or unsafe food.

It is also expected to help build virus-free zones and facilities to diminish the risk of virus transmission to human beings, foster sustainable growth of poultry husbandry and promote export of poultry products.

Under the programme, regular sample checks will be conducted at all live poultry markets in provinces where poultry farming is a key industry and border provinces.

Monitoring activities and sampling will also be conducted for wild birds and farming of wild bird flocks.

All provinces and companies with poultry production export chains, as well as breeder farms under the management of the central Government or local authorities, are also subject to regular monitoring.

The programme will help improve the professional capacity of monitoring bodies by organising training activities for staff at seven regional veterinary agencies and 63 city or provincial departments of husbandry and veterinary, as well as all veterinary laboratories which conduct avian flu virus tests.

Annual training sessions will be held for veterinary staff at district and ward levels to provide them with knowledge on virus-related diseases, clinical diagnosis and preventive measures against disease outbreak.

First outbreak in Hue

Authorities in Thua Thien-Hue Province discovered the first cases of H5N6 avian flu outbreak at two family-run farms in Phu Loc District.

According to a report by the provinces Department of Husbandry and Veterinary, a total of 5,500 ducklings tested positive for the H5N6 avian infection and other 1,000 dead ducklings were buried at the landfill site on Monday.

The ducklings were raised at farms run by the families of Truong Thanh Truong in the districts Loc An Commune and ang Huong in Loc Hoa Commune. The ducks were 20 days old.

Truong and Huong found the dead ducks on Sunday. There were some 1,000 dead ducks at each farm.

The farm owners said they bought the ducklings from Ha Noi and suspected that the animals were infected with the virus before their arrival at their farms.

Nguyen Viet Hung, the departments director, said all the ducklings were buried in at a designated landfill site and his staff had conducted fumigation spraying at the farms and surrounding areas to prevent the flu from spreading.

Hung also warned the farm owners to conduct a stricter vaccination regime for their poultry and husbandry to avoid loss. In the current cases, Truong and Huong incurred estimated losses of some VN200 million (US$8,800) each from the buried ducks.  VNS
HA NOI  A new surgical technique developed by renowned obstetric surgeon Nguyen Viet Tien, also Deputy Health Minister, could replace the IVF (in-vitro fertilization) method for thousands of infertile women.

The National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology announced successful testing of the new technique last week.

It said the technique was studied and carried out by Tien, known as the golden hands of Viet Nams obstetrics discipline.

The technique involves using a catheter to broaden the internal orifice of the uterus via an endoscopy through the womb and abdomen.

After more than 10 years of study, the technique was successfully deployed on two women diagnosed with secondary infertility.

The first patient, Nguyen Thi Loan from the central province of Nghe An, was diagnosed with secondary infertility 8 years after shed had her first baby.

Doctors found that the she had an occlusion in the internal orifice of the uterus, preventing her from getting pregnant.

Both women were in good health following the surgery.

A month after the operation, the womens internal OS have become normal. They can have babies in the natural way after more than seven years of suffering secondary infertility, Tien said.

According to the doctor, the infertility rate in Viet Nam was 7.7 per cent at present. While either the wife or the husband or both can be the cause of infertility, leading causes for the woman were blocked fallopian tubes, occlusion of the internal orifice of the uterus, polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine malformation and endometriosis.

Recent studies have found that the rate of secondary infertility was about 60-70 per cent of all cases of infertility.

The percentage is very high. Helping these couples have babies became a concern and a responsibility, he said.

After many years of working as doctor specialising in fertitlity treatment, I empathized with couples wanting babies, Tien told Lao ong (Labour) newspaper.

Fertility treatment is usually costly and takes many attempts to succeed, and many couples are left feeling hopeless.

In-vitro fertilization was an option not all couples could afford. In many cases, couples took five to 10 years to save the money. But, unfortunately, the womens ovaries aged during this time, the doctor said.

The patients despair pushed Tien and his colleagues to find an effective, affordable solution.

After years of research, the doctor was able to fashion a a new technique based on endoscopy of the womb and abdomen.

I am really confident about the new method. Based on my experience, I am sure the patients will be able to have babies normally, Tien affirmed.

He said the new technique was very safe and the side effects were minimal. The operation itself just took a hour and a half.

Other methods carry high risks of complications, he said.

Thanks to the new technique, the Center for Reproductive Assistance is able to help dozens of patients every day.

I can confidently say that with this technique, IVF or surrogate pregnancies can become a thing of the past, Tien said.

He said the technique will soon be transferred to city and provincial-level obstetrics hospitals to reduce overloading at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

However, one thing that concerns me now is that infertility treatment is not covered by health insurance, Tien said.

In many developed countries, childless couples are covered for up to four IVF attempts, he said.

But in Viet Nam, even tests are not paid for by health insurance.

In my opinion, the treatment has a humanitarian purpose, and we should consider this, the doctor said.  VNS
HCM CITY  The HCM City Department of Transport plans to build a road parallel with Cong Hoa Street in Tan Binh District in an aim to reduce traffic congestion around Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The six-lane road would be 4.3 kilometres long and run parallel with Cong Hoa Street, extending from Tran Quoc Hoan Street and connecting to Cong Hoa Street at a section near Truong Chinh Street.

The road, to be built mostly on military land, is expected to cost more than VN1.4 trillion (US$61.74 million).

The citys Urban Traffic Management Unit No 1 is working closely with agencies under the Ministry of Defence on the design of the project.

In addition, a new airport terminal with a capacity of 10 million passengers a year will be built on Hoang Hoa Tham Street in Tan Binh District to ease traffic at and around the countrys busiest airport.

The road will act as an extra access road to the airport terminal, helping to ease traffic congestion on Cong Hoa Street and the Lang Cha Ca roundabout.

The citys Department of Transport has been working on five projects with a total investment of VN1.8 trillion ($79.38 million) to reduce traffic jams around the airport area.  VNS
NINH THUAN  Residents of Ninh Phuoc Districts Phuoc Son Commune in the southern province of Ninh Thuan are worried because of the increasing number of landslides along the Dinh River.

The landslides are a threat to peoples lives and have affected agricultural activities and incomes in the area.

Last year, in early October, several metres of land along the riverbank collapsed, though it was not raining. A month later, owing to prolonged heavy showers, the rivers water levels rose and washed away nearly 10,000cu.m of cultivated agricultural land.

Since then, land along the riverbank has been collapsing constantly. The area where there are landslides is around 1.5km long and is 3m to 10m higher than the river water level. The river is now encroaching 20m to 30m into the land.

Le Van Thuy, a resident of Phuoc Thien 3 Village in the commune, said his family owns 5,000sq.m of land, which is regularly cultivated. But last year, in the beginning of November, there were floods that caused landslides across more than half of his property, and swept away 120 apple trees, 20 custard apple trees and 25 coconut trees, which were ready for harvest. The floods also washed away his agricultural equipment and tools, resulting in a loss of hundreds of millions of ong (VN100 million = US$4,400).

Locals blame the landslides on Viet Trung Co Ltd, which does sand exploitation in the river, alleging that the firm has obstructed the water flow as a result of which the flow has changed direction.

However, after inspection, Ninh Thuan Province authorities said the reason for the landslides is a warp in the middle of the river, which has altered its flow. During the floods, the flow was even stronger, which led to landslides.

Though the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment has not said anything about the responsibility of Viet Trung Co Ltds sand exploitation operations, it has ordered the company to clear gravel from upstream waters and spread pebbles along the riverbank to prevent landslides.

Tran Quoc Nam, deputy chairman of Ninh Thuan Peoples Committee, said the province plans to build embankments along the riverbank and clear the warp in the middle of the river so as to widen the river bed. Warning signs have also been put up at risky spots to ensure peoples safety, he added.  VNS
HA TINH  Ha Tinh Province has decided to give land and partially fund the construction of a house for the three orphaned sisters who donated their mothers organs after she died suddenly.

Authorities from Cam Xuyen District, where the three girls live, on Tuesday communicated the wish of the oldest sister, 19-year-old Nguyen Thi Sang, to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA). Sang said she hoped she could continue living in her hometown with her family.

The district has decided to assign a plot to the sisters and help them build a house on it. Meanwhile, the two younger girls, aging 17 and two, will stay at Ha Tinh Orphanage, where Sang will be given a job.

On Monday, MoLISAs Social Protection Department Director Nguyen Van Hoi had communicated condolences, given them gifts from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and offered them support.

The department head said that the two younger children could stay in a childcare centre in Binh Duong Province and that Sang would get help to find a job with stable income. Hoi also said local authorities would do everything they could to support the young girls if they wished to continue living in their hometown.

On March 19, their mother was rushed to HCM Citys Cho Ray Hospital following a serious traffic accident. While waiting at the hospital, Sang saw a video clip that explained how organs from a brain-dead donor could save the lives of seven to eight people.

When she learnt that her mother was brain dead and could not be saved, Sang decided to donate her organs. She later explained to the media that when her mother was alive, she had always helped people in difficulty and had taught her children to do the same. I think my mother would be pleased with my decision, Sang said.

Four patients with kidney, liver and cornea-related medical conditions received her organs and a fresh lease of life, thanks to Sangs decision.

President Tran ai Quang sent Sang a letter of appreciation for her brave decision and gave her VN20 million (US$880). Ha Tinh Provinces People Committee has given her another VN10 million.  VNS
BAC NINH  Police in the northern province of Bac Ninh have commenced criminal proceedings against two men  one for a crime related to terrorism and the other for not reporting the incident.

They were both allegedly involved in sending threatening messages to Nguyen Tu Quynh, chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee.

Colonel Nguyen Cong Nghiep, deputy director of Bac Ninh Police, said on Tuesday that the two suspects  Nguyen Trong Phuong, 37, of Ha Noi, and Tran Anh Thuan, 36, of Bac Ninh  were taken into custody on April 4 for sending messages to provincial leaders after the province proposed that the ministries of transport, environment and agriculture halt a dredging project on the Cau River because it was overexploiting sand and causing landslides in Que Vo District.

The two suspects admitted to police they did not work for the company undertaking the dredging project. Instead, they were employees of an enterprise that illegally dredged sand from the river.

Their actions were aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the rival company and pushing police to investigate the companys activities.

The provinces leaders reported the case to the Prime Minister last month, calling for a police investigation.  VNS
HA TINH  Two people died and some 20 others received serious injuries in a traffic accident that occurred on Wednesday morning in the central province of Ha Tinh.

The passenger bus was travelling on National Highway 1A across the provinces Nghi Xuan District when one of its front wheel tyres suddenly burst, due to which the bus driver lost control and slammed into the lane separator.

The bus overturned, killing two passengers on the spot.

Witnesses said the bus was travelling in the South-North direction from HCM City to the northern province of Thai Binh and had some 20 passengers on board.

Nguyen Hai Nam, chairman of the district, said three among those injured had especially serious wounds and were hospitalised in critical condition.

Nam said local authorities provided the best rescue efforts to the victims, along with VN3 million (US$133) each to the families of those who lost their lives.

At noon, rescue and cleanup tasks were completed so that traffic could resume on this section of the highway. The injured victims are being treated at the Ha Tinh General Hospital.  VNS
HA NOI  Animals Asia on Tuesday said it successfully rescued two moon bears which had caged for a decade in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lais An Khe Town.

Their owner voluntarily handed them over to the Animals Asias Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in the northern province of Vinh Phuc.

Doctor Weng Yang Nash from the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre said although the two bears were in good health, they had been affected by being held captivity so long, such as repeatedly bashing their heads against their cages. The two bears, named Bazan and Wendles by their rescuers, were transferred from their cages to a truck and began their 1,000 kilometre journey. They were expected to arrive at the centre on Friday.

Once arriving at the centre, the bears will be rehabilitated before being shifted to an outdoor enclosure with other rescued bears.

These bears bring the number of bear rescued by Animals Asia in Viet Nam to 177.

Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre is home to 161 bears, most of them rescued from the bear bile industry.  VNS
By Nguyen Hang

For the last two days, an unusual phrase has become a buzzword in the capital city: Filling Thanh Cong Lake.

It has to be said right away that this phrase carries literal meaning, because it stems from an actual proposal made by an investor to the capital city administration.

The investor has asked city authorities for permission to fill up one hectare of the 6ha Thanh Cong Lake to build an apartment complex, ostensibly for resettlement.

In exchange, after constructing the building, the investor would dig up a hectare nearby to make a man-made lake.

The proposal provoked immediate scorn and outrage, with many members of the public and experts expressing their opinions in no uncertain manner.

Bui Khanh Linh, 33, a civil servant, was caustic: This is hilarious. When other countries try to go green by creating more green spaces, we do the opposite, she said.

She cited Germanys Frankfurt as an example of a green city. Of the total city area, 52 per cent comprises open spaces and water. The city-state Singapore is the greenest city in Asia, according to the Green City Index. Almost 30 per cent of its urban areas are covered by greenery, most of them man-made green spaces, Linh said.

But Ha Noi seems to be doing the opposite, she said.

On local media websites, reader and experts gave vent to their anger.

ao Ngoc Nghiem, Vice President of the Viet Nam Urban Planning and Development Association, wrote in an article carried by the Tien Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper: The proposal is inappropriate, it does not belong to the citys master plan.

Pham Sy Liem, Vice Chairman of the Viet Nam Construction General Association, was more critical. The investor knows nothing about the importance of lakes in the city, he fumed.

Lakes help protect the city from floods, recharge groundwater supplies, and reduce air temperatures, he said.

Furthermore, the Thanh Cong Lake was not just valuable for residents living around it, the city cannot allow another water surface area in exchange, and filling up a part of the lake would not be a feasible plan, he added.

Although it is only a proposal by an investor, the city administration has to firmly reject it, said Pham Thanh Tung, deputy chief of the Viet Nam Association of Architects.

Residents in the vicinity of the lake have already been suffering a breathless atmosphere after a lot of high-storey buildings mushroomed there in recent years. And now this proposal, he said.

The city administration should carefully think about what would happen if the proposal was green lighted, the cost we would have to pay, he added.

Been there, done that

Data from the Centre for Environment and Community Research reckons that 17 lakes in the city have been filled since 2010.

The centre also says the water surface area in the city inner districts has gone down to just 1,165ha now compared to 2,100 ha in 1995.

Haphazard urbanization has led to the filling up of lakes to get land for constructing buildings, reducing the water surface area drastically, the centre says.

Last May, Ha Noi suffered the most severe flooding in a decade, triggered by torrential rains of up to 374mm. Rescue forces had to work hard to stabilise the situation.

In fact, floods have been a frequent occurrence in recent years, especially in summer. A downpour of 200mm over an hour is likely to inundate the city, the centre estimates.

Pham Ngoc ang, president of the Viet Nam Civil Engineering Environment Association, said filling lakes to build high-rise buildings, leaving no space for water drainage when it rained, was one of the major reasons for increased flooding in recent years.

Despite a flood-control project worth trillions of dong being implemented, the city administration is still desperately seeking sustainable solutions to the problem, he noted.

Standing firm

In 2015, Hanoians were outraged when hundreds of old and big trees were cut down under a crazy project that was scrapped after residents within and outside the city launched an unprecedented protest.

Now, there is this equally crazy proposal. And the citizens have to take action so that the proposal does not see the light of the day again.

Hanoians are proud of our city of lakes and rivers, we should protect them. We cannot let anything like this happen anymore.  VNS
SANTIAGO  Clashes erupted Tuesday as Chiles raucous student movement held its first protest of the year for free education, with students hurling stones and police firing tear gas.

Tens of thousands of students flooded the streets of central Santiago, protesting an education reform bill they say does not go far enough in overhauling an expensive and unequal education system that dates to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).

Following the protest, the education committee in the lower house of Congress voted against sending the bill to the floor for debate. That will now force President Michelle Bachelet and her team to go back to the drawing board.

"I would love to vote for education reform, but dont ask us to vote for this frustrating and disappointing bill," said independent lawmaker Giorgio Jackson, a former student leader.

The bill would have expanded access to free university education, with the number of beneficiaries based on Chiles economic growth in any given year.

That does not go far enough, say student protesters, who want free tuition with no strings attached.

Clashes erupted as the protest got under way. Rowdy groups of students - many wearing masks and dressed in black - threw stones at the heavy contingent of riot police standing guard.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them. The protest then unfolded peacefully, but new clashes broke out at the end.

Thirty people were arrested and six police officers injured, officials said.

Organisers said 90,000 people had joined the protest. Police put the figure at 35,000.

Bachelet won the election in 2013 vowing to reform the highly privatised education and pension systems.

But both projects have drawn violent protests in recent months.  AFP
The Democrat leadership has made constant, profound and incredible pronouncements that one's supportive vote for Republicans is tantamount to surrendering Democracy forever. Understanding their sincere thinking in their extreme position: How will you still vote on this election day?

Democrat; because the continuance of this Democracy from the existential threat of extreme Republicans is paramount.

Republican; the process of having a choice is the democratic method within what "Democracy" exists.
WASHINGTON  The FBI investigated Trump campaign advisor Carter Page last year over worries he could have been working for Russia, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

In the first confirmation that the government conducted surveillance on President Donald Trumps team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a rare warrant to monitor the Pages communications from the top secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), the Post said.

The so-called FISA warrant was issued after the FBI told the court that there was probable cause to believe the former Moscow-based banker was working for Russia.

FISA warrants are almost never made public, and the Post cited unnamed law enforcement and other officials in its report. The FBI did not respond to requests to comment on the report.

The warrant was granted as the FBI conducted a counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was ultimately designed to help President Donald Trump to victory.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story "fake news" while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.

In March 2016 Trump named Page as one of his small team of foreign policy advisors, and he attended the Republican convention in July, where he and others met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

But months later Page was disavowed by the campaign, apparently in part because of the attention drawn by his trips to Moscow, which he said were private business.

His name surfaced in a dossier or reports on links between the Trump operation and Russia complied by former British spy Christopher Steele.

Page told the Post he had "nothing to hide."

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page said.

In March he told Fox News that he did not help the Russians in their efforts to influence the campaign.

"I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way," he said.

Meanwhile CNN reported Tuesday that recent intelligence reports brought to light by a Republican Congressman Devin Nunes did not show, as Nunes alleged, that the Obama administration combed intelligence intercepts to find information about Trump and his team.

CNN said bother Republican and Democratic sources said the reports showed Obama national security advisor Susan Rice had handled the intelligence in "normal and appropriate" ways.

Nunes was forced to step aside as chair of the House Intelligence Committees investigation of russian election interference due to his own mishandling of those reports.  AFP
CEDAR FALLS  Cedar Falls Community Main Street received the Best Interior Rehabilitation Award at the annual Main Street Iowa awards ceremony last week.

Cedar Falls won for the historic post office project at 217 Washington St. The Cedar Falls Development Group acquired the building in February 2014 in a long-term lease arrangement with the city of Cedar Falls. Restoration work began, effectively putting the building on the tax rolls. In March 2015 the Bike Tech bicycle shop became a tenant.

A special award went to Jim Walsh of JSA Development in Waterloo who received the Spirit of Main Street award for his work in developing downtown Waterloo. The award recognizes the person, organization, community or project that best demonstrates the true meaning and spirit of Main Street at Work.

Walsh and his development company have focused on historic renovations of downtown retail and upper floor residential properties.

Other awards:

Ty Kimball received a leadership award for his support of Cedar Falls Community Main Street.

Christopher Anthony of Charles Citys Community Revitalization received a leadership award.

Kristy Sawyer of Grundy Centers Main Street received a leadership award.

Charlane Janssen of Greater Franklin County Area Chamber of Commerce received a leadership award.

Casey McNeal of Iowa Falls Chamber/Main Street received a leadership award.

Dustin Lewis of New Horizons Chamber in New Hampton received a leadership award.

Nick Hedrick of Main Street Waterloo received a leadership award.

Ryan Frerichs of Waverly Chamber of Commerce received a leadership award.

Jane Blumhagen of Main Street West Union received a leadership award.
ELGIN  An Elgin man is facing charges in connection with a gun accident on his property last summer that took the life of a child.

Agents with the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation filed a criminal complaint seeking to charge Daniel Henriksen, 29, with being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He appeared in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday afternoon and was released on bond.

Authorities allege there is evidence Henriksen used marijuana and was involved in the distribution of the drug.

The accident happened around 2:45 p.m. June 17 at a mobile home on Main Street in Elgin that Henriksen owned. He was gone at the time of the accident, but the childs mother and another adult were sitting on the deck while 4-year-old Jayden Jawan Choate of Fort Atkinson, his 3-year-old brother and 4-month-old sister were sleeping inside.

Jayden apparently awoke and found a loaded .45-caliber Glock 36 handgun near where he was napping. The weapon fired, and the child suffered a gunshot wound to the head. He was later pronounced dead at Palmer Lutheran Hospital in West Union.

Investigators determined Henriksen owned the pistol. They also found pipes and other paraphernalia in the mobile home, and the pipes tested positive for marijuana, court records state.

During interviews with law enforcement, Henriksen allegedly admitted to using marijuana and said he and others had smoked it the night before the shooting, court records state. Officers also searched his phone and found text messages consistent with drug involvement, records state.
WAVERLY  The director of a Waverly day-care center has been arrested on misdemeanor charges after police searched her home and vehicle last week.

Kelly Raney Hampton, 44, of Waverly, was arrested April 6 for possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of a prescription drug. She was released from the Bremer County Jail that same day.

Hampton is the director of the Little Learners Preschool and Daycare on Technology Place in Waverly, according to records with the Iowa Department of Human Services.

According to police, officers were notified about the odor of marijuana an apartment building at 401 24th St. NW at 12:18 p.m. April 6.

Police found the smell coming from Apt. 2, where Hampton lived, and a short time later she arrived at the building.

Authorities were able to obtain a search warrant for the apartment and her vehicle, and they found a plastic bag with suspected meth residue in her dresser, an unlabeled bottle with two hydrocodone pills and pipes in her apartment and marijuana in her apartment and under the drivers seat in her vehicle, according to court records.
CEDAR FALLS  Contracts related to Area Education Agency 267s planned move into the former Park Place Events Center were approved Monday by the Board of Directors.

The approvals cover signage, furniture, ethernet wiring and audio-visual equipment for the new headquarters at 1521 Technology Parkway, which is also known as the Pipac Centre on the Lake. All Cedar Falls-based operations of the agency will move from its facilities on Cedar Heights Drive to the new location as of July 1.

A $585,698 bid by Storey-Kenworthy of Cedar Falls was approved for furniture. The company previously won a bid for providing furniture to Iowa governmental entities. All of the pricing reflects state discounting, said AEA 267 spokeswoman Beth Strike.

The bulk of this bid is for tables and chairs for our conference facility, which will provide capacity for seating for up to 500 participants, she explained. In addition, the bid will cover seating in the former restaurant space which will be a work area for both staff and guests in the building.

A portion of the bid will cover replacement desks and chairs for the Clear Lake office, said Strike. Furniture in the current Cedar Falls conference center will be re-purposed to the Marshalltown office.

A $131,315 bid by Conference Technologies of Cedar Rapids was approved for audio-visual equipment, materials and installation at the Cedar Falls location. The company was the lowest of two bidders, with the other one totaling $136,504.

We are trying to use as much of the existing equipment as we can, but much of it is over a decade old, said Strike. The bid will include items such as projectors, wireless microphones, screens, cameras, etc.

A $112,133 bid by Signs & Designs of Cedar Falls was approved for signage at all three of the agencys offices. The company was lowest of two bids, with the other one totaling $127,896.

Signage changes are needed at all three locations because the agency also is changing its name to Central Rivers AEA as of July 1. The bid includes exterior signage for each of the locations as well as interior and vehicle signage at the Cedar Falls office.

A $34,573 bid by RHT Technologies of Urbandale was approved for ethernet wiring throughout the Cedar Falls building. It was lowest of two bids, with the other one totaling $44,439.

The Pipac Centre was purchased by AEA 267 in December and a contract to remodel the facility was approved by the board last month.

Strike noted that a big part of the vision for moving into a facility with greater capacity for seating was to expand our professional learning opportunities, including a series of leadership speakers planned for the coming school year. We unveiled this last week at the superintendents meetings, she said. The speakers that we have lined up are nationally known in the fields of education and best practices in the classroom.

Teams of educators from individual school districts will be invited to attend the speaker sessions on various topics. AEA staff will then teach classes on the topics as part of ongoing professional development. The superintendents advisory committee has been instrumental in guiding the coordination with all of this, said Strike.
CEDAR FALLS  Iowa Student Loan will host an event Thursday at Country Inn & Suites to help families preparing for college to gain insight into what a four-year degree could cost and learn ways to pay.

The open house, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., will illustrate a unique online tool developed by the private nonprofit organization based in West Des Moines that families now can access. It estimates total cost of a four-year undergraduate degree, based on students freshmen-year award packets.

The College Funding Forecaster bases its estimates on information found in an award packet, which typically only provides financial information for one year, as well as outside scholarships, grants and family contributions.

Participants should bring their award letter information. Iowa Student Loan staff will be on hand to help students and families enter their award packet information into the tool to see their personalized results. The College Funding Forecaster and a suite of other smart borrowing resources is available for free at www.IowaStudentLoan.org.

Country Inn & Suites is located at 2910 S. Main St.
WATERLOO  Hawkeye Community College support staff proposed a 75-cent hourly wage increase but not much more during an initial bargaining session this week with administrators on the 2017-18 contract.

With new restrictions on collective bargaining rights for public employees, what the United Electrical, Radio and Machines Workers of America Local 855 can negotiate on is limited.

Michael Hansen, the unions chief negotiator, held up a color-coded copy of the contract showing which items are now excluded from bargaining and which ones both sides need to agree on to keep in the contract because of a bill passed by the Legislature.

They really put public employees in the state of Iowa at a disadvantage, said Hansen. He also proposed a boost in employees insurance stipend to offset health/dental premium increases and a one-year duration for the contract, which will go into effect July 1.

I think I understand your comments, said Steve Weidner, Hawkeyes chief negotiator. This legislative action puts public employees in a difficult situation. It puts a fiduciary responsibility on public employers to be more flexible, but it doesnt mean we cant be fair to public employees.

The union contract covers 18 full-time and eight part-time employees. Jobs include secretaries, public safety officers, financial aid specialists, account clerks, library technicians and more.

Current employees are paid $9.37 to $20.18 per hour. Starting wages range from $9.10 to $14.17 per hour, depending on the position.

The colleges proposal included a 14-cent per hour wage increase for current employees and a 10-cent boost to the hourly rates for starting pay. But it also reflected the new law, showing some subjects that must be removed from the contract.

Administrators proposed removing some of the permissive subjects that both sides need to agree on and leaving some in the contract. In other cases, the college would agree to leave subjects in the contract if changes officials proposed can be made.
DUBUQUE  U.S. Rep. Rod Blum announced Wednesday he will hold four town halls in Iowas 1st District during the congressional recess May 8-11  including one in the Cedar Valley.

Others will be in Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Marshalltown. Venues, times and details will be announced.

I look forward to these town halls and hearing the ideas and concerns of the citizens all across our amazing district, Blum said in a statement.

Congress is on a two-week recess, and several other members have planned meetings with constituents.

Blum, a Dubuque businessman, currently has two events listed on his public schedule  a veterans fair in Waterloo on April 20 and a seniors fair in Cedar Rapids April 21. No town halls are listed.

Advocates and critics have urged Blum to hold a town hall since nearly the outset of his second term, including a March 9 rally in Cedar Falls over health care. The Black Hawk County Board of Supervisors, all Democrats, voted 3-2 in March to host meetings for the districts congressional delegation.

When asked by The Courier last week asked about the potential for town halls, Blum said hes been kind of busy in Washington, D.C., working six weeks straight on issues before Congress.

This calendar has been unbelievable  dealing with the health care issues and some big issues, so everybody needs to take a deep breath, Blum said last week following a meeting with Republican Women of Black Hawk County.

He said calls for town halls have largely been from left-leaning groups.

That Indivisible, I get that. Theyre a Democrat organization. Of course, theyre pushing for this (town hall), because of course, they want to show up and yell, and get on TV, right? We get that. We got the manual. We understand. Theyre the ones pushing, Blum said last week.

Indivisible of Northeast Iowa has been active on social media calling for Blum to hold a town hall, tweeting pictures of a cut-out image of Blum at potential locations where he could meet constituents. The Iowa Democratic Party also plans a rally tonight in Cedar Rapids to urge the congressman to hold a town hall.

When I talk to real Americans, like Im talking to today, nobody is asking me about, Whens your next town hall so we can show up and yell at you? Its the Democrat Party. They did it to Joni. They did it to Senator Grassley. They did it to David Young. They havent done it to Congressman Blum yet, and darn it, they want to have their opportunity to show up and yell, Blum said.

Iowa Democratic Party spokeswoman Monica Biddix said Blums announcement doesnt change the fact he has failed to answer his constituents for four solid months. She took issue with Blums assessment of those calling for a town hall.

To call town halls an opportunity for constituents to scream and yell shows how little respect he has for the voters in his district and their rights to exercise free speech, Biddix said in a statement. As a member of Congress, it is Blums duty to answer to all his constituents, not just those who agree with him.

Town halls held this year by Republican U.S. Sens. Grassley and Ernst, since Republican President Donald Trump took office, have been described as raucous. Attendees asked pointed questions on topics like the Affordable Care Act and holding the new president more accountable.

Blum stressed when he is back in America, meaning his Northeast Iowa congressional district, he regularly meets with constituents. He said people can always contact his district offices.

Blum has held numerous meetings in the district on specific issues, such as veterans and workforce development. He has not held a town hall-style event in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area since his election.
WATERLOO  Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago, will visit St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 613 W. Fourth St., at 2 p.m. Friday to preside at Good Friday services.

He serves as the chancellor of the Metropolis of Chicago, under the leadership of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. In his position, he travels throughout the Metropolis of Chicago to visit most of the parishes annually.

He has received nationwide recognition for his human rights activities and interfaith outreach, including his leadership in ending the death penalty in Illinois, state resolutions calling for religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, and last year official recognition by the United States of the genocide by ISIS against the Christian minority population of Syria and Iraq.

Easter Orthodox Christians are the second-largest Christian denomination worldwide. The Metropolis of Chicago oversees all Greek Orthodox parishes within Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, as well as large portions of Missouri and Indiana.

A reception will be held immediately following in the Waterloo services. The public is welcome.
Government, we have heard over and over since Donald J. Trump started campaigning for president, should be run like a business. This, the argument goes, will put the nation in proper running order and (what else?) Make America Great Again!

One also can surmise one of the reasons  in fact, a major reason  the president is said to be brooding, threatening to politically demolish wayward Republicans and getting even by waving his power around angrily during these first 100 days is, he thinks he is running the government like a business. But more Americans dont seem to think so.

What has happened? Is his distress caused just by his rather obvious bad manners, his arrogance and his strange inability to get things done despite decades of business acumen, or are we missing something major? How is it possible for a man who has built extraordinary skyscrapers to be making the same juvenile mistakes over and over?

Perhaps were looking for answers in complexity when the problem is really rather simple.

My father was a highly successful small-business man (Geyers Dairy on the South Side of Chicago), and I have the deepest respect for business owners. But we must realize these men and women most often hold the cards in their hands and the control over their projects.

They have the money or know how to get it, and if they are good and lucky they make wise decisions. Often, they make all of the decisions.

But not so in politics, and especially in something as unremittingly complex, open-ended and filled with endless possibility as presidential politics. In this world, you have hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of constituencies, citizens and consumers watching your every move, and youd better know how to please them.

You may appear to be the boss, but being the boss in politics is knowing how to inspire others to support the actions you already have decided on but need their backing.

The only good editorial Ive seen on this phenomenon appeared in late March in the Financial Times. It quoted the late prominent political scientist James Q. Wilson, who pointed out while business can focus on simple tasks  usually making profit  government agencies must satisfy multiple constraints. The constraints are often dismissed as red tape, but they are there because citizens demand them.

In fact, they are there because good citizens demand accountability. And one of the big problems with the Trump presidency is he doesnt act as though he accepts that special responsibility, if only because he so-so-so hates to lose.

Rather, he acts like a multi-billionaire who is used to making all the decisions. In short, he acts just like himself. Moreover, a dangerous number of his closest advisers and cohorts are imbued with the same attitudes.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson could, as chief of ExxonMobil, walk into meetings with world leaders like the Lone Ranger and almost no one would hear about it. But when he made his first trip overseas as the nations top diplomat and refused to take the usual group of journalists with him in a smart-aleck gesture of measured contempt for traditional ways and the press, the trip was a big failure. There was no coverage. Fine for a businessman; disastrous for a secretary of State.

These thoughts do not mean no businessmen or women ever should become president of the United States. But it behooves us to study soberly (for a change?) the qualities we truly need in a leader who so profoundly affects the entire world.

President George H.W. Bush  Father Bush, lets call him  marks to me the end of the Eastern Establishment: the great families like the Roosevelts, the Harrimans and the Bushes who formed the dominant culture of national politics when we were at our best.

But those qualities need not disappear in the mists of our present confusion. Prudence was Father Bushs favorite word, and it characterized his wise four years in office. To prudence, Id add comity, fairness, proportionality, respect for oneself and for others, and just plain common sense.

Can we find these again? Of course we can, if we know where to look for them.

Until then  SO SAD.
By ordering a cruise missile strike on a Syrian air force base Thursday night, President Donald Trump showed his willingness to act quickly and decisively.

Now comes the hard part  formulating a Syrian policy, which Trump avoided in the campaign.

The attack came days after Syrian air strikes killed 86 people in Khan Sheikhoun using what Turkish health authorities identified as sarin gas.

The attack raised questions regarding future operations against Syrias ruthless dictator Bashar al-Assad, whose regime has been propped up by Russia and Iran. The six-year civil war has killed 500,000 and caused millions more to flee.

Under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a president must receive congressional approval for continued military initiatives 60 days after commencing hostilities.

Trump, who doesnt like to show his hand, soon must do so.

The missile strike was a reversal for Trump, who blamed the Obama administration after the sarin attack, stating, These heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past administrations weakness and irresolution.

Yet following the August 2013 Syrian gas attack that killed 1,400 on the outskirts of Damascus, Trump tweeted, President Obama, do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside. Save your powder for another (and more important) day!

Obama ignored his self-imposed red line and cries for military action, opting for diplomacy. He made a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to force Assad to admit he had chemical weapons, then allowed U.N. inspectors to remove and destroy the stockpiles, which were declared eliminated.

Chemical weapon use had not been reported since.

However, his reluctance to act militarily in Syria had consequences. He woefully underestimated ISIS  calling it the JV team. ISIS took major cities and huge chunks of territory in 2014 in Syria and Iraq.

The U.S. retaliated with air strikes against ISIS and backed a coalition of Kurdish fighters (creating issues with neighboring Turkey, which is wary of Kurdish separatists) and Syrian moderates. The U.S. has 500 troops in Syria to support 45,000 Arabs and Kurds.

Yet it was Putin who took charge in September 2015, rescuing Assad from potential defeat by sending in the Russian air force to target ISIS, while Iran and its sponsored, Lebanon-based Hezbollah militia supplied ground forces.

Putin is invested because Syria hosts Russias largest foreign military base on the eastern Mediterranean.

Iran, which is overwhelmingly Shiite, is invested because Assad is a member of the minority Shiite Alewite sect in a majority Sunni nation.

Aleppo, the last major moderate rebel stronghold, fell last fall to Assad with an assist from Russia.

While that battle raged, Trump wanted nothing to do with Syria. When Mike Pence stated during the vice-presidential debate the U.S. should be prepared act in Syria, Trump remarked, He and I havent spoken, and I disagree.

When Hillary Clinton supported U.S. intervention, Trump told the Reuters news agency, Youre going to end up in World War III over Syria if we listen to Hillary Clinton.

But his attitude changed Wednesday when Trump said the sarin attack crossed a lot of lines for me. When you kill innocent children, innocent babies  babies, little babies  with a chemical gas that is so lethal  that crosses many, many lines, beyond a red line.

Yet casualties were far greater in the 2013 sarin attack. This time, though, Assad reneged on the chemical weapons agreement. In announcing the missile strikes, Trump said, It is in the vital national security interest of the United States to prevent and deter the spread and use of deadly chemical weapons.

The symbolic strike on an airfield aside, the immediate fallout is the Russian reaction  after implausibly contending the deadly sarin attack occurred when Syrian forces hit a rebel weapons cache  and the inevitable Law of Unintended Consequences.

Russia immediately canceled a 2015 memorandum to avoid accidental encounters between Russian and U.S.-led coalition pilots carrying out strikes against different targets.

Yet we suspect Putin is seething over the use of sarin after he brokered a ban and helped Assads regime survive. Concerns may exist that tensions could be reignited with Sunnis in the Russian state of Chechnya, a former powder keg, after the actions by a Putin ally.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was to meet Putin in Moscow on Tuesday. The most favorable outcome would be an agreement in the best interests of the U.S. and Russia: Assad must go.

The worst-case scenario would be greater U.S. ground involvement in Syria with no end game in sight.

As Trump said, this is now his responsibility.
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A startup needs to test an idea quickly. For this, an MVP is created. MVP, Minimal Viable Product  a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of functions (up to one or two), which allows you to see the product's value for consumers and the market. MVP is created to test hypotheses and check the viability of the intended product: is it worth developing the project further, what changes should be made? The sooner a startup brings its MVP to market and tests the idea, the better. This article will look at how no-code technology can help founders achieve their business goals.

This article will try to cover everything that a founder needs to know about no-code at the initial stage of creating a startup.

What is no-code?

No-code, zero-code platform is a tool for creating websites, applications, chatbots, and other programs without the need for direct code writing by programmers. No-code is a valuable alternative to traditional development.

No-code is confused with low-code, but there is a difference in these terms. Low-code includes no-code and the ability to "finish code", add parts of code and the functionality.

A user of a no-code platform usually does not need to know layout, programming languages, or hire a team of programmers. The user of the no-code tool creates an application using a visual block constructor, which he fills with the necessary content and functions, and the no-code platform itself does the processing of requests, compiling the application and other "magic." It generates code using AI and/or contains blocks of code pre-written by programmers.

No-code allows the startup founder to create an MVP himself, entrust it to his employee with basic technical literacy and understanding of the project, or hire a no-code developer. Even in the case of hiring a no-code developer, the cost of creating an MVP will be significantly lower than with classical development with programmers. For example, you can read the interview of a startup and no-code developer on our website, who initially worked as a Product Manager and was able to master no-code for his project himself.

Benefits of no-code for a startup founder

There are the following key advantages for a startup founder in using no-code technology:

a large selection of no-code tools, platforms, and their integrations at the moment  already in 2022, there are many tools and platforms for creating an MVP, a larger project, or even a finished product on no-code, but few people still know about them, and others are far from all startups and founders use their potential;

cost  no-code development saves the money by speeding up the development process, not hiring professional programmers or no need to maintain a developer department, monitoring functions and quick bug fixes, avoiding or reducing the growth of technical debt;

speed is the main advantage over classical development  no-code allows you to build a simple application in a weekend, and a more complex one can be built in a month. In this way, you can test an MVP and even several versions of an MVP very quickly;

low entry threshold  to master a no-code platform, you often do not need technical education at all, but only an understanding of a company's business processes or product from the inside. In the case of pro-level no-code platforms, technical education is required, but you can get used to it hundreds of times faster than with any programming language. This makes no-code available to almost everyone who wants to work with technology;

ease of use  no need to write hundreds of code lines  just move the blocks and assign links between them. Work on a project can be entrusted to your employee without communicating with a team of third-party developers. You can speak "in your language" without the need to understand the "inner kitchen" of developers;

flexibility  with the help of no-code, it is easy for a startup founder to add new functionality and new features right during a project or a MVP testing without a significant increase in development costs.

Possible disadvantages of no-code for a startup founder

As often, any property can be, under certain conditions, both a disadvantage and an advantage. In no-code, many of the benefits with the wrong choice of tool can turn into disadvantages:

no-code is not always a budget solution for a project. Sometimes in a no-code development package, you get unnecessary functions and additions (on AppMaster.io you can separately connect the frontend and pay only for the backend or only for those functions that you are using); if you do not understand the needs of your project, then you can make a mistake with the choice of a no-code tool and not be able to implement the necessary functions on it, or it will be too difficult to implement them; often, no-code tools fail to ensure proper data security and contribute to data leakage (but AppMaster.io allows you to host a finished application on any server); no-code tools often do not provide the ability to upload source code or provide uploading in an inconvenient format, which makes it difficult to move to another tool or to your development. You have to choose a no-code tool "once and forever immediately" (AppMaster. io gives you the ability to download the source code. Also, we generate human-readable code and you will not have any difficulties with its transportation); most no-code tools on the market are not suitable for creating a finished product, and there are significant difficulties with scaling the project if the MVP is successful (AppMaster.io is a professional no-code platform and our capabilities allow us to implement and support the finished product and scale it in the future).

Forewarned is forearmed. Choose your no-code tool wisely and take full advantage of your choice.

Types of no-code platforms

Conventionally, all no-code tools can be divided into several types: no-code devices with a low entry threshold (you can create frontend and not very powerful backend on them), integrators that help connect applications and services, and professional no-code platforms (they strive to replace the code completely, provide the ability to create a robust backend and high bandwidth).

The basic principle of operation of your MVP and the choice of a no-code platform depend on such a conditional division into types. For example, if you make a simple application like a diary, you can limit yourself to a no-code tool with a low entry threshold and a beautiful design.

If your application has powerful potential, high bandwidth, multi-user interface, and works with large amounts of data or real-time data, it is better to choose a professional no-code platform like AppMaster.io or Direcual.

If you use several services at once, link them on integrators like Integromat and Zapier.

Adalo

An easy-to-learn designer with a relatively user-friendly interface. The free version is helpful for learning. The free version contains Adalo watermarks and does not allow you to upload your applications to GooglePlayMarket and AppStore. Beginners often choose this no-code platform to create their first applications with simple logic.

Bubble

It will take more time to learn Bubble , but the platform allows you to work with the backend, databases, business processes, and layout. There are many plugins. The free plan allows you to master the tool, and you can start developing at the middle rate. The price increase is due to the rise in the number of users.

Integromat

It is an integrator. Experts talk about it as a simple and affordable platform for linking applications and services. Scenarios can be created personally, or you can use templates. If you need to connect an application with a service not from the Integromat database, fill out the form and connect to its API via HTTP.

Zapier

This is an integrator for linking applications with each other or with other external services. You can transfer data between thousands of applications. There is a script constructor (one event starts a chain of necessary actions).

Directual

The no-code platform positions itself for creating MVP applications (Minimal Viable Product, minimum viable product) and full-fledged applications of finished products. Scenarios are the backbone of the platform. Using scripts, you can automate the backend logic of the application, create and combine workflows. The Directual catalog includes out-of-the-box connectors, HTTP requests, webhooks, database listeners, and integration with popular services.

AppMaster.io

No-code next-generation platform for creating native and web applications on a real backend. Visual drag-and-drop designer, user-friendly business process designer, one-click app publishing to AppMaster Cloud, or integration with any cloud platform. Push notifications, authorization using social networks. Networks, email, and more. Connect applications to hundreds of services or programmatically access them using APIs. The ability to upload source code and documentation in a human-readable format and transfer it to your servers. Documentation auto-generation. Modern and fast language GoLang at the core.

No-code perspectives for startups

No-code development is gradually gaining popularity around the world. There are already more than 500 no-code tools for creating websites and various types of applications.

According to the forecasts of IT world experts, no-code will develop more and more actively and capture parts of the market responsible for medicine, small online business, small business, and all niches where it is possibly necessary to optimize and automate development processes.

The mass shift of businesses and their customers online and to gadgets has increased the demand for the fast and inexpensive creation of mobile applications that would work according to a single quality standard and have a simple, understandable, user-friendly interface.

Conclusion

No-code is visual programming in the form of a constructor without directly writing code. Usually, basic knowledge in development is enough to build applications on no-code.

The logic of no-code constructors is intuitive: the application interface is assembled from blocks, icons, buttons, and text which are connected to the database. Usually, you can choose a suitable template or do everything from scratch. Speed and economy are the main advantages of no-code tools.

No-code is suitable for creating an MVP, testing an idea or new features in a product, saving time for solving standard tasks. PRO level no-code platforms can provide you with a finished product, an application.

If you don't have an account on AppMaster.io yet, join us. After registration, you will be given a free trial period for 14 days, in which all the basic functionality of the platform is available. It will allow you to learn the intricacies of working with a professional-level no-code platform and understand its potential.
Mrs. Leigh Cox Swain, age 49, a resident of Bath, gained her angel wings and became cancer free on April 7, 2017 at her home.Funeral services will be Tuesday, April 11, 2017 at 2:00 pm at St. Clair's Church of Christ and will be conducted by Craig Hagen. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Bill Cox, Matt Cox, Steven Alligood, Kevin Newman, Tim Hines, Larry Wayne Jones, Jr, and Steven Swain will serve as pallbearers.Leigh was born in Beaufort County on December 25, 1967, to Steele and Brenda Mayo Cox. She was a 1986 graduate of Bath High School. Leigh then attended East Carolina University and graduated with a degree in Middle School Education in 1990. On July 14, 1990, she married her high school love, Brian Swain. She taught at Washington County Union and P.S. Jones Middle School. In 1996 she joined the staff at Historic Bath State Historic Site, where she had also worked as a teenager, and finished her career there as site manager. She was honored to receive the Historic Bath Foundation Preservation Award for Exceptional Service.Leigh lived a life full of love and is still an inspiration to all that knew her. Her husband and mother, along with many of her other family and friends, were with her during every step of her cancer journey. Leigh's faith, strength, and courage has served as a ministry to many. One of Leigh's lessons shared was, "Promise to thank the Lord today and hug or call a family member or friend you haven't reached out to in a while. Unexpected things cause joy! The simple slowing down and acknowledgement of God's provision is surprisingly helpful to our attitude and behaviors."Survivors include her husband, Brian Swain, their daughter Brianna Swain, her parents, Steele and Brenda Cox, three sisters, Kami Cox Newman and husband Kevin, Amy Cox Alligood and husband Steven, Reagan Cox Askew, two brothers, Bill Cox and Matt Cox and wife Sarah, father and mother-in-law Elwood and Cecilia Swain, a sister-in-law, Diana Hines and husband Tim, six nephews, Holden Newman, Austin Newman, Mason Newman, Logan Alligood, Dawson Askew, Hayden Cox, three nieces, Kassie Sasnett, Lauren Alligood, and Addie Cox.The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Monday, April 10, 2017 at St. Clair's Church of Christ and other times at the home.In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Beaufort County Relay for Life, Attn: In Memory of Leigh Swain, P.O. Box 2708, Washington, NC 27889.You may address condolences to the family by visiting www.paulfuneralhome.com Paul Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to serve the Swain family.
Republican Ron Estes is the projected winner of the special election in Kansas' 4th congressional district, edging Democratic nominee James Thompson in a much closer than expected race. With 94% of the vote in, Estes leads by just 5.8%.

Former Rep. Mike Pompeo (now CIA Director) won this seat by 32 points last November, while Donald Trump bested Hillary Clinton by 27 points here.
Celebrate Easter, or just the weekend, with caviar scrambles, deviled egg tacos, and more at these 14 Bay Area restaurants rolling out special brunch menus this Sunday.

RN74 is offering a special Easter brunch menu for Easter Sunday.

RN74





Don your Sunday chic and head to RN74 for brunch dishes with a bit of French flairgo for croque-madame gougeres, steak tartare, and beignets. You might need to order a pistachio-crusted French toast, served with whipped mascarpone, strawberries, and rhubarb-maple syrupfor the table. Oh la la. // 301 Mission St. (Mission), michaelmina.net

Epic Steak



Set down those steak knivesEpic's three-course pre-fixe brunch requires a little less heavy lifting. Dine on oysters, halibut, and caviar; close the deal with a toasted marshmallow ice cream sandwich. If all that (and the view) for $55 isn't enough, opt for the extra flight of three springtime sparkling meads. // 369 The Embarcadero (Embarcadero), epicsteak.com

Belcampo Meat Co.



Whether you're looking for something light or ready to feast, you'll find it at this butchershop-restaurant's Russian Hill and Larkspur locations. Meat lover?Just say "bacon French toast"made with bacon steak, creme fraiche, and maple-pork demi-glace, it won't disappoint. // 1998 Polk St. (Russian Hill); 2405 Larkspur Landing Circle, Building 4 (Larkspur), belcampo.com

Finn Town





Already a popping brunch spot, Finn Town is in full-on Easter mode with a themed extravaganza that goes well beyond its ham and homemade biscuits. Order up the yummy smoked salmon benny with spiced avocado, and settle in for classic flicks (Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Easter Parade) and a best bonnet and costume contest. With the mimosas flowing in three flavors, you're sure to see the light. // 2251 Market St. (Upper Market), finntownsf.com

Americano





Chef Josh Perez is serving up tasty specials including crispy pork belly on a buttermilk biscuit and corned beef eggs Benedict. Are you a sucker for a scrumptious buffet? Go all in for just $25 per person. // Hotel Vitale, 8 Mission St., (Embarcadero), jdvhotels.com

Waterbar





Chef Park Ulrich has created a $55 three-course pre-fixe menu that features twice-cooked pork belly with bourbon poached cherries, smoked tri-tip, and a caviar scramble. The real mouth watering happens at dessert, with sweets such as lavender panna cotta and a cardamom phyllo concoction served with pistachio ice cream and orange blossom sorbet. // 399 The Embarcadero (Embarcadero), waterbarsf.com

District Oakland

Buffet and bottomless mimosas for $35? Sold. District Oakland is spicing up its popular Sunday brunch with endless bubbles and the likes of buttermilk pancakes with banana-rum syrup; chocolate chip bread pudding with bourbon caramel; housemade spicy chicken sausage; and so much more. // 827 Washington St. (Oakland), districtoak.com

Harvest Inn





If you're heading to Napa, stop by Harvest Inn for Wine Country delights. While you're enjoying the pineapple-studded ham and roasted leg of lamb from the buffet ($59 per person, $35 for kids under 12), the young'uns can indulge in Easter punch and virgin bloodies. Afterward, hop over to chef Charlie Palmer's egg hunt, right next door. // 1 Main St. (St. Helena), havestinnnapa.com

Duchess





Rockridge's new pub is celebrating the holiday with classic hot cross buns, dyed deviled eggs, curry-honey glazed lamb chops, and more special menu items. Satisfy your sweet tooth with strawberry-rhubarb tarts and pineapple upside-down cake. // 5422 College Ave. (Oakland), duchessoakland.com

The Commissary



For breakfast favorites recreated with flair, drive over to the Presidio where The Commissary's a la carte menu includes eggs in a hole with pork belly; duck confit hash; and cheese fritters with black truffle honey. // 101 Montgomery St. (Presidio), thecommissarysf.com

LB Steak





If celebrating Easter means steak and eggs, then LB Steak is the place to be. The special a la carte menu will include a 12 oz. New York cut, as well as a pork belly Benedict and vanilla bean French toast. // 898 Santa Cruz Ave. (Menlo Park) and 334 Santana Row, Suite 1000 (San Jose), lbsteak.com

Calavera





Calavera chef Gustavo Romero will put a Mexican spin on brunch, serving deviled eggs tacos, glazed ham with ginger and seasonal fruit, and carrot cake with pineapple and coconut ice cream. // 2337 Broadway (Oakland), calaveraoakland.com

Park Chalet Coastal Beer Garden

Hungry for brunch at the beach? Park Chalet is readying the breakfast buffet ($48 a person), stuffed with roasted leg of lamb, strawberry shortcake, white chocolate tartlettes, and other spring favorites. Don't miss the egg hunt (2pm) on the lawn. // 1000 Great Highway (Golden Gate Park), parkchalet.com
My first trip to Italy's Tuscany region was in 1990, when my husband, Sting, recorded an album there. My youngest daughter, Coco, was born there then, and I fell in love with the place. Tuscany is so full of history and beauty  you meet wonders of art and architecture on almost every corner. But I love the region's homier aspects: the special sweetness of the tomatoes, the soft mozzarella, the heady scents of basil and garlic everywhere.

Sting and I eventually bought a former hunting lodge called Il Palagio, to use as a holiday home. At first we wanted to renovate only the ramshackle building. But my dad was a farmer, and I inherited his interest in tending the land without pesticides or other harmful chemicals, so renovating the grounds for organic farming was a natural progression. Now there's a staff who keep the farm running. We planted our first grapevines in 2002, then repaired the olive groves. We also produce five varietals of honey, and we grow vegetables in all four seasons.

I'm always drawn to the monthly antiques market in the nearby town of Arezzo; it's one of the top flea markets in Europe. Browsing in the piazza can take most of the day. I love to buy Italian embroidered linens  the skill and craft are absolutely exquisite.

When we renovated the main house, we discovered a 150-year-old pizza oven. We cleaned it up and have used it ever since. It's made of local stone, and we use wood from local trees, so the pizzas take on wonderful flavors  from the wood and the oven's floor  that taste like nowhere else.

Trudie Styler, 63, directed the 2017 film Freak Show, based on the novel of the same name.
On a blustery Sunday afternoon my cousin, her daughter and I were in need of some Asian food, so we decided to check out Fareast Fuzion Sushi Bar and Lounge on Central and San Mateo. Although the outside of Fareast doesn't offer much, the inside is well-decorated and cozy. Red walls are adorned with paintings, there are dragon kites hanging from the ceiling, and a large fish tank sits behind the sushi bar on the far wall. The small dining room had only one other full table, and we were seated in a booth on the other side of the restaurant. I was surprised that the place wasn't busier for a weekend afternoon, but figured that maybe the A.R.T. construction had something to do with it.

We were all starving and the extensive menus (both regular and sushi) were both welcoming and overwhelming. Our waitress was very friendly, and we put in our orders for drinks: Thai iced coffee ($2.50), jasmine tea and Dr. Pepper (both $1.95), while we mulled over our choices a little more. The jasmine tea came with its own teapot, and the Thai iced coffee came in a milkshake glass. The iced coffee was very sweet and creamy, it almost tasted like melted coffee ice cream.

Before hunger took us over completely, we ordered our food. I chose the sesame chicken ($9.95) that came with a side of white rice and a choice of a cup of miso or egg drop soup. I picked the egg drop soup. My cousin got the red curry with tofu ($9.95), and the little one chose a classic orange chicken ($9.95), that also came with a side of rice and she chose the miso soup. On the sushi menu we ordered a New Mexico roll ($5.95) and a vegetable tempura roll ($4.95). It seemed like seconds after we placed our order that the soups arrived at our table. The bright sunshine yellow of the egg drop soup warmed me up before I even took a sip. When I finally dug in, I was rewarded with the best egg drop soup in town. The broth was not too thick or too runny; it had the perfect texture. The pieces of egg were large and chewy without being slimy. By the time I looked up from my soup, several plates of food were being placed upon our table.

My cousins and I gave each other the same look of determination to finish the smorgasboard. I don't think this is orange chicken. It isn't all congealed, my little cousin exclaimed. We explained to her that this wasn't Panda Express, and the large orange slices lying in the sauce over the chicken indicated that it was, indeed, orange chicken. My dish was overflowing with crispy, crunchy sweet and tangy sesame chicken with a healthy amount of sauce as well. Our sides of rice were served in overflowing bowls, and my cousin's red curry came in an oversized bowl.

Both the sushi rolls were served with our meal, so we had a lot to take in. The N.M. roll comes with a filling of cucumber, avocado and tempura-fried green chile. The vegetable tempura roll has the same filling, just various tempura-fried veggies instead of green chile. Each roll comes with six to eight pieces. The tempura in both rolls added a nice extra crunch and flavor to them, while the green chile was my favorite. Like a true New Mexican, I believe green chile can and should be added to every dish. After several quiet moments only broken by the occasional utensil hitting a plate, I remarked at how proud I felt. The sense of pride that happens when you find a good restaurant with delicious food that everyone enjoys. The kind that surfaces when you know that, even though you didn't make the food, you made the decision to order the food. Nodding in agreement, my cousins also felt the same way. We left with bellies full of tasty food, hands full of leftovers we couldn't finish and hearts full of misplaced pride.

The second time I went to Fareast to get a another helping of pride was a Thursday where I met my friend for lunch, and she brought her one-year-old son. The place was still just as empty as the first time I had been there, and the service was just as quick and friendly. The waitress offered my friend a highchair for her son, and my friend remarked on how family-friendly they were. Hungry and unable to make a decision, my friend and I decided to share the sweet and sour chicken ($9.95) and the drunken noodles with tofu ($9.95). We also ordered the Lady in Red roll ($11.95), which has the same filling as the N.M. roll, but is topped with crab and special sauce.

Our food came, and yet again I was overwhelmed at how much we were given and how high the plates were piled with food. Nevertheless, we persisted. The sweet and sour chicken wasn't overly drenched in sauce, which was nice. It also came with large slices of carrots and onions. The surprise star was the drunken noodles. The tofu was crispy on the outside and full of flavor, which is not always the case with tofu. The basil gave a nice overall flavor to the dish without it being overpowering. It was spicy, it was savory, and there was a crispiness in every bite, thanks to the tofu. Both my friend and I were so pleasantly surprised by this dish. I'm definitely ordering that next time, she said when we were leaving. So next time you're in the neighborhood, stop by this little unassuming Asian restaurant next to a used car lot on Central. Come hungry and leave proud.
BISMARCK, N.D.  Sentencing is set this summer for men from Texas and Montana who pleaded guilty in a North Dakota case of illegal oil field wastewater dumping.

Authorities say 43-year-old Jason Halek, of Southlake, Texas, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Bismarck to three counts of violating the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

His co-defendant, Nathan Garber, of Kalispell, pleaded guilty in September 2014 to multiple charges related to the illegal operation of a saltwater disposal well near Dickinson.

Saltwater is a byproduct of oil production and can harm the environment if not handled properly.

The criminal charges against Halek are connected to a state case against Halek Operating ND LLC, which was fined a state-record $1.5 million in 2013.
Lisa Harmon said Tuesday she will stay as director of the Downtown Billings Alliance for up to 14 more months to help with the search for her replacement.

Harmon had announced in February that she would step down from her position as downtowns leading advocate at the end of June.

Harmon said the downtown group has suspended the search and seeking to further study what they want in a leader. Options could include changing the structure of the alliance to operate under a chief executive officer, with a chief operating officer waiting in the wings as a natural successor.

We really need to make sure that our organization is set up so were positioned for success moving forward, Harmon said.

Harmons salary is about $82,000 annually. She said the DBA may need to raise that number to find a top-notch replacement. Regional salary surveys suggest that executives in comparable positions make more money, Harmon said.

Harmon said shes agreed to an extension through June 30, 2018, but added that she could leave sooner once a successor is found. She added she has not decided her next move after leading the DBA for 12 years.

The DBA is a nonprofit, public-private partnership, comprised of the Downtown Billings Association, the Downtown Billings Partnership and the Business Improvement District. It has about a dozen employees.

The agency manages city tax-increment financing dollars, which are used to promote economic development downtown.

The Downtown Billings Alliance also coordinates marketing, outreach, revitalization and safety programs for the downtown core.

Under Harmons tenure, the DBA successfully pushed to add designated Billings police officers downtown, created the Spare Change for Real Change program and Community Innovations, aimed at addressing the homeless population.
KLAIPEDA, Lithuania  Gone are the days where intricate plans to deploy bombs or hijack planes were the expected scenarios for a terrorist attack. During the past year, there has been a notable shift in terror methodology. As it was demonstrated in the attacks in Nice, France; Westminster, U.K., and, just a few days ago, in Stockholm, Sweden, terrorists are now acting as lone wolfs, flying under the radar by using vehicles, such as cars and trucks, in order to spread panic and death at innocent pedestrians and bystanders. However, as terrorists methods become more simplified so as to avoid detection, one cant help but wonder whether their next attack vessel is not located on land, but rather in the sea.

In a recent blog post, Maritime Electronics highlighted the serious security issues associated with autonomous vessels. Growing in popularity, crewless, fully autonomous ships are expected to soon occupy the majority of cargo ship fleets, while they also make for a low-cost alternative to manned tourist experience vessels operating in cities with canals around the globe. While there has been no recorded incident of using sea vessels in mass terrorist attacks, experts predict that the next chapters of the war on terror will likely play out in international waters.

Hybrid Warfare is the new buzzword associated with the new status quo in global terorrism. The weaponization of non-weapons is a key element of this concept. Hijackable ships, particularly autonomous vessels, are at-risk of weaponization, posing a significant risk not only to those working in the maritime industry, but to the world as a whole, said Mr. Adam Georg, Marine Electronics media representative.

He continued, Cyber warfare is not limited to online leaking of classified documents and private emails. Theoretically, in pursuit of gaining an advantage over counter-terror intelligence, terrorists can digitally manipulate and hijack an unmanned vessel, through simply recruiting a highly skilled hacker. Mr. Georg concluded his statements by saying Unfortunately, there are currently few regulating measures on autonomous vessel security, and most of them are not applicable on a worldwide level. There needs to be complete, global cooperation towards the implementation of both technological and legislative security measures concerning autonomous sea going vessels, in order to avoid both the threat they pose not only to the environment, but to society, too.

To learn more about Marine Electronics, please visit: http://marine-electronics.eu/

About Marine Electronics

With 25 years of experience and deep knowledge of their industry, Marine Electronics is the leading service provider on navigation, communication and automation in the Baltic Sea area, with ten, strategically-placed service stations located in ten ports across its coast line. Marine Electronics engineering experts conduct gyroscope services; perform radio surveys under DNV GL, ABS, BV, LR, RINA and NK; and provide APT for sVDR / VDR for maritime equipment and systems manufactured by industry giants.

Media Contact

Company Name: Marine Electronics

Contact Person: Adam Georg

Email: Info@marine-electronics.eu

Phone: +45 4270 9790

Country: Lithuania

Website: http://marine-electronics.eu/
After rumors of a threat to "do some shooting at Skyview High sparked concern among parents and students earlier this week, Billings police have determined that there was no immediate threat to students or staff.

Police arrested three juveniles on Tuesday for stealing guns and ammunition, but determined that the incident was unrelated to rumors at Skyview, said Police Chief Rich St. John on Wednesday.

A fight between a male and female student outside Skyview last week resulted in suspensions and scheduled youth court hearings for disorderly conduct charges for both students; after the fight, school staff heard a rumor among students that one of the students in the fight was going to come back to Skyview and do some shooting, St. John said.

Skyview's school resource officer investigated and found that the student in question did not have access to weapons and was "where he was supposed to be," St. John said. There was no immediate threat to the school, said School District 2 Superintendent Terry Bouck.

Police stepped up patrols around the school earlier this week as a precautionary measure, but didn't have any additional officers in school.

On Tuesday, police investigated an unrelated incident where three juveniles, none of whom were Skyview students, broke into a secure room at a private residence and stole guns and ammunition, St. John said. There was initial concern that they may have taken the weapons to the student who was rumored to have threatened the school.

The investigation found that they had been near that student's location, but didn't intend to give the student weapons, St. John said. All three have been arrested and all stolen guns and ammunition have been recovered.

The investigation suggests its a coincidence, he said. Secondhand info and rumors got going pretty good.

Both the school district and police fielded calls from concerned parents. SD2 on Wednesday morning issued a newsletter about the rumored threat, saying it was unfounded. Bouck said that the school district didn't send out mass notifications earlier because "a lot of it was based on rumors."
Get key Market Research Reports and Insightful Company Profiles

Wealth in Singapore: Sizing the Market Opportunity 2017 analyzes the Singaporean wealth and retail savings and investments markets, with a focus on the HNW segment.

Singapore is Asias pre-eminent offshore investment center, with 80% of the wealth invested in funds sourced from non-residents in 2015. However, the onshore market is a major source of assets under management (AUM) in its own right, with 1.2 million affluent individuals in 2016 despite the city states small population. An onshore operation is clearly worth the effort for any wealth manager targeting mass affluent investors.

Browse Detail Report With TOC @

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Specifically the report 

 Sizes the affluent market (both by number of individuals and the value of their liquid assets) using our proprietary datasets.

 Analyzes which asset classes are favored by Singaporean investors and how their preferences impact the growth of the total savings and investments market.

 Examines HNW clients attitudes towards non-traditional investments, such as property and commodities.

 Identifies key drivers and booking centers for offshore investments.

 Examines the tax landscape in Singapore and future implications for investors.

Scope

1. HNW individuals totaled 29,660 in 2016  little changed from 2015, a tiny proportion of the overall population, and well below the levels seen in other wealth hubs such as the US and Switzerland.

2. HNW liquid assets growth will slow to 7.0% a year between 2015 and 2020.

3. Bonds will be the fastest-growing asset class, but more due to greater availability than client demand.

4. While Singapore attracts significant offshore investment, HNW residents are also keen to invest abroad, with almost half of AUM invested offshore.

Request A Sample copy of This Report @

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Reasons To Buy

 Benchmark your share of the Singaporean wealth market against the current market size.

 Forecast your future growth prospects using our projections for the market to 2020.

 Identify your most promising client segment by analyzing penetration of affluent individuals in Singapore.

 Evaluate your HNW proposition by understanding how the Singaporean tax system impacts HNW clients.

 Review your offshore strategy by identifying HNW motivations for offshore investments and their preferred booking centers.

Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Sizing And Forecasting the Singaporean Wealth Market

3. Drivers of Growth in the Singaporean Wealth Market

4. HNW Investment Preferences

5. Appendix

Browse More Financial Services Related Market Research Reports:

 Banking as a Marketplace: Opportunities and Threats 

http://www.hexareports.com/report/banking-as-a-marketplace-opportunities-and-threats

 Advisory Asset Management: HNW Demand and Drivers 

http://www.hexareports.com/report/advisory-asset-management-hnw-demand-and-drivers

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Hexa Reports is a market research and consulting organization, offering industry reports, custom research and consulting services to a host of key industries across the globe. We offer comprehensive business intelligence in the form of industry reports which help our clients obtain clarity about their business environment and enable them to undertake strategic growth initiatives.

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Company Update on Citronen Zinc Project

Perth, April 12, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Ironbark Zinc Limited ( ASX:IBG ) ( IRBGY:OTCMKTS ) (Ironbark), subsequent to the recent major development of being granted the 30 year Mining Licence, is pleased to provide an update on the work being conducted on the Citronen zinc project, spearheaded by China Nonferrous (NFC):



- Feasibility Study cost update and preparation for financing

- Owners Engineers appointed

- Shipping/Logistics

- Financing

- Marketing/Promotion



NFC



The Citronen zinc project (Citronen), in joint development with China Nonferrous (NFC) is making excellent progress towards development.



NFC is well advanced with the review, re-costing and preparation of the Feasibility Study report into a Chinese format that is "in compliance with the approval by the Chinese Government and the financing requirements by the Chinese banking sector".



Ironbark is working with NFC under the pre-existing Memorandum of Understanding which will target 70% of the project financing through debt and an option for a further 20% of the project financing through direct project investment. This funding pathway has the potential to provide an exceptionally un-dilutive financing solution to developing the Citronen project.



Owners Engineers Appointed



CPC Project Design (CPC) is an Australian engineering contracting group that has been appointed as Ironbark's engineering team to assist Ironbark working with NFC on the Citronen project. The CPC lead engineer will be Jaqueline London who has particular experience in zinc processing in cold climate locations.



CPC engineering are experienced in the design of mineral processing plants and associated equipment. Capabilities encompass all project disciplines including earthworks, concrete/civil works, structural, mechanical, piping, electrical, instrumentation and control systems. CPC work at the study/FEED stage and can proceed through to project implementation with detail design for construction.



Shipping/Logistics



Ironbark is progressing work with shipping advisors with regard to the optimal shipping leasing options available to the Company. Ironbark recognises that shipping represents a substantial operational cost and is looking at reducing these through a variety of solutions.



Financing



In addition to financing through the NFC assistance, as discussed above, Ironbark is in discussions with major international banking groups and corporate advisors to provided overall banking advice and assistance. In particular the projects location in Europe makes it a candidate for European Export Credit Agency (ECA) financing funding.



Marketing/Promotion



Ironbark has been in discussions with several broking institutions and fund managers seeking further coverage and research to improve the market understanding of the Citronen project. Ironbark considers that Citronen represents a compelling investment exposure to zinc, which has zinc stockpiles at 10 year lows and continuing to fall, driving a strong zinc price.



The Citronen Project is currently being prepared for project funding with the assistance of NFC. In addition Ironbark has secured the Mining Permit that encompasses the key environmental permitting required by the Greenland Government. This makes Citronen exceptionally advanced following the completion of the Feasibility Study at a cost of approximately $50m. The robust Citronen deposit which remains open to further mineralisation in many directions renders Ironbark peerless on the ASX as a zinc developer.



To view tables and figures, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/359E2KO6





About Ironbark Zinc Limited





Ironbark Zinc Limited (ASX:IBG) (OTCMKTS:IRBGY) is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and is seeking to become a base metal mining house. Ironbark has an undrawn US$50M funding facility provided by Glencore to expand its project base through acquisition.

Ironbark seeks to build shareholder value through exploration and development of its projects and also seeks to actively expand the project base controlled by Ironbark through acquisition. The management and board of Ironbark have extensive technical and corporate experience in the minerals sector.

The wholly owned Citronen base metal project currently hosts in excess of 13.1 Billion pounds of zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb). For full details refer to ASX announcement 25 November 2014 Citronen Project Resource Update  JORC 2012 compliant resource.


Government Drilling Underway at Coompana

Adelaide, April 12, 2017 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Mithril Resources Ltd ( ASX:MTH ) ("Mithril") advises that the Geological Survey of South Australia (GSSA) and Geoscience Australia (GA) have commenced a regional diamond drilling program at Coompana which is located in South Australia's far west (see Figure 1 in the link below).



- Mithril and OZ Minerals Limited will assess Coompana for nickel - copper deposits



- Geological Survey of South Australia (GSSA) and Geoscience Australia (GA) have commenced a fully funded regional diamond drilling program at Coompana



The GSSA/GA-funded drilling forms part of a pre-competitive science data acquisition program and follows the acquisition of high quality aeromagnetic data in 2016 and detailed gravity data in early 2017.



The aim of the program is to provide the mineral exploration industry and research community with new pre-competitive scientific data that better defines the geology and prospectivity of the Coompana region.



Subject to successfully negotiating a Part 9B Agreements with the Coompana Native Title Holders, Mithril and OZ Minerals Limited ( ASX:OZL ) will assess Coompana for magmatic nickel - copper deposits, with OZ Minerals having over 6,000km2 of granted tenements in the area and in which, Mithril has a right to earn a 20% interest.



To view the figure, please visit:

http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/4BS23D37





About Mithril Resources Limited





Mithril Resources Limited (ASX:MTH) is an Australian resources company whose objective is the creation of shareholder wealth through the discovery of mineral deposits.

The Company and its exploration partners are actively exploring throughout the Kalgoorlie, West Kimberley and Murchison Districts of Western Australia for economic nickel, copper, zinc, and vanadium deposits.

In the Kalgoorlie District, Mithril is exploring for nickel on the Kurnalpi, Lignum Dam and North Scotia Projects which lie along strike from, or adjacent to previously mined high-grade nickel at the Silver Swan and Scotia Nickel Deposits.

In the West Kimberley, Mithril is exploring for zinc on the Billy Hills Project which lies adjacent to the previously mined Pillara Zinc Deposit.

In the Murchison, Mithril is exploring for copper, nickel and zinc mineralisation on the Nanadie Well Project and for copper, silver, zinc and lead on the Bangemall Base Metal Project. Mithril's exploration partner  Monax Mining Ltd is also exploring for vanadium on the Limestone Well tenements.
The person suspected of robbing the Western Security bank in downtown Billings last Friday is being held in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility on an unrelated charge, according to the Billings Police Department.

BPD Lt. Neil Lawrence said the suspect "has not been charged at this time regarding the bank robbery."

The department has identified the suspect but has yet to release his name because the investigation is "continuing," according to the release.

A press release issued Friday by BPD Detective Capt. Jeremy House described how a man walked into the bank at about 9:13 a.m. and handed a teller a note saying he had a gun and wanted money.

That man, whose image was captured by security cameras, was described in the release as white, about 40 to 50 years old, 5-feet-7 inches to 5-feet-9 inches tall and 160 pounds. He was wearing a gray shirt, green jacket and had a short, flat-top haircut, scruffy beard and scratches on his face.

The teller gave the man an undisclosed amount of money and no one was injured. The bank was closed temporarily following the robbery.

As of Friday, the FBI was assisting in the investigation.
Several NATO Allies and European Union members came together in Helsinki yesterday, formally agreeing to establish a European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in the Finnish capital.

At a ceremony attended by Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini, officials from NATO and the European Union welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Centre, which will open later in 2017.



In total, nine nations signed the Memorandum: Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other NATO and EU nations are expected to join the Centre in the near future. While not signatories themselves, NATO and the EU will participate actively in the Centres activities.



Countering hybrid threats is a priority for NATO, as they blur the line between war and peace - combining military aggression with political, diplomatic, economic, cyber and disinformation measures. NATOs counter-hybrid strategy includes strengthened coordination with the EU and also involves NATO's new Intelligence Division, more training and exercises, and NATO's work to actively counter propaganda with facts.



Other Centres of Excellence already contribute to NATOs efforts to counter hybrid threats, including the Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, Latvia; and the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. Centres of Excellence are international research centres, which are nationally or multi-nationally funded and staffed. They work alongside and contribute knowledge and expertise to the Alliance but they are not NATO bodies.
London Stansted Airport saw its cargo volumes increase by 10.2% over March 2016, with over 24,000 tonnes shipped through the airport during the month.





In the 12 months to March 17, the annual total grew by 4.7% on the previous year to nearly 255,000 tonnes.



The airport saw nearly 1.9 million passengers pass through its doors in March 2017. The monthly figure was broadly flat (-0.8%) compared to March 16, due in part to the later Easter holidays this year and also the previously reported temporary reduction in capacity on some Ryanair routes over the end of the winter season.



In the 12 months ending March 2017, Stansteds passenger numbers grew by 5.0% compared with the previous year with the moving annual total rising to 24.3 million.



The top five international growth markets by passenger numbers in the last 12 months were Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Germany and Poland.



Spain, Italy and Germany were also the most popular countries by total passenger volumes in the last year with 41% of all the passengers traveling through Stansted flying to or from destinations in these countries. The most popular destinations include Rome, Barcelona, Madrid, Bergamo, Berlin and Cologne.





Andrew Cowan said: "Passenger numbers during the month were broadly flat compared to March last year which was in line with expectations due to the later Easter holidays and some capacity reductions across the winter schedule.



"However, we've already had a very positive start to April following the launch of the airlines summer timetables. We've seen Jet2.com successfully launch its inaugural flights from its new base at Stansted, the airline's first in the South East, and our existing carriers Ryanair, easyJet, Eurowings and British Airways have added new routes and frequencies to their schedules for this summer.



Additionally, last week we received new positive news with the granting of planning permission for our new 130 million arrivals building which will help transform our infrastructure and facilities to give our passengers the best possible experience."
-- This look around the Air Force features Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein testifying on Capitol Hill, Little Rock Air Force Base C-130s deliver aid to Peru and more than 1,000 developmental special duty positions are opened. Hosted by Staff Sgt. Traci Keller.For previous episodes, click here
DHL Express has added a new flight between Bahrain and Jeddah as it looks to speed up connection times between the two locations.

The express operator said the flight will fly seven times a week utilising a B757 freighter, which is capable of carrying around 22 tonnes of cargo.

The new flight is the first to provide direct transport and clearance of non-document express shipments between the two locations. It will reduce transport times between Bahrain and Jeddah by as much as 48 hours, allowing for pick up of non-document shipments as late as 5pm for same day dispatch.

The Jeddah gateway will support growing consumer trade between Saudi Arabia, the US and Europe.

"Bahrain forms a key node connecting Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia to other markets like China, the Kingdoms top export and import destination; and the European Union, where airfreight volumes have grown by more than 50% since 2011," said Nour Suliman, chief executive, DHL Express Middle East and North Africa.

Bachi Spiga, head of operations, Middle East and North Africa, DHL Express, added: "Imports and exports to and from Saudi Arabia have been increasing in the past few years and show no signs of cooling off, particularly with the US and within the Middle East and North Africa region.

"As intra-regional trade and demand for consumer goods continues to grow, supported by heavy regional investment in logistics-intense sectors like life sciences and technology, we intend to continue improving the speed, frequency, and quality of service of deliveries throughout the region with market-leading connections like our new Bahrain-Jeddah flight."

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Hell's Kitchen has nothing on Hellgate.

I swear Montana has better food per capita than any borough in the Big Apple. The problem is that eating your way through the state takes considerably more gas (but probably less money) than any Michelin-star-busting city.

Montana is blessed to have a richness of people, scenery, wildlife, history  and food. Take it from a fat guy  it's hard to find a bad meal in Montana's better restaurants. And with so much agriculture, fresh food is something many of us take for granted.

Starting today, the Lee newspapers in Montana, of which The Billings Gazette is part, will feature its Montana Food section  a collection of recipes, groceries and gastronomy written by Montanans, for Montanans.

When I first mentioned this to a fellow editor (not from Montana), he laughed and said, "What's that like? A bunch of recipes for bear and wolf?"

Hardy har har  although I know some cooks swear by bear grease for frying doughnuts.

Montana's natural abundance, coupled with its inspiring views seem to bring out the best in our chefs and our appetites.

Every week, we'll feature recipes and food articles written by chefs and cooks throughout the state. The Gazette's Bernie Mason will still be featured with her recipes. Ari LeVaux who writes a column for the Missoulian will contribute.

Many articles will be supplied by renowned chefs Greg Patent of Montana Public Radio, and Lynn Donaldson-Vermillion of thelastbestplates.com  a clever twist on the state's moniker of "Last Best Place."

We believe this will be the most comprehensive collection of weekly Montana cooking in the state. We also hope that it will appeal to all palate and cooking skills, not just a show-off collection of hard-to-near-impossible foods that cannot be found in Montana.

This project allows us to use the strength of The Gazette and our four other sister papers across the state to create a food section much stronger than any one of us could create on our own.

Bon appetite.

Dear Mr. President:

Nearly 100 days ago, The Gazette copied a great idea borrowed from another Lee paper, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. They began a series of online letters called, "Dear Mr. President."

The idea was to have readers and citizens write short letters expressing their hopes, concerns and priorities for then President-elect Trump.

We duplicated the effort in Billings and had more than 200 readers submit their thoughts, ranging from those who believed Trump was an imposter to those who believed his election was divine intervention. It was a great example demonstrating how different opinions can be, even in a state like Montana known for being somewhat monolithic.

But here's the twist: It's been nearly 100 days since President Trump has taken office. Here's our question: How's he doing? What if you could write a letter to him  now that he's had some time to get used to his new role and new surroundings.

What would you say?

Well, we're going to give you that chance. We're repeating our experiment beginning today  in the lead up to Trump's 100th day in office, which, by my count is April 30.

What would you tell Trump now that he's had time to govern? What are your hopes? What would you like to see changed? What would you tell him?

If you'd like to write a letter (200 words or less) go to http://bgz.tt/ohvbv or submit online at the bottom of this column.

On Sunday, April 30, we'll print a page of some of the selected responses. Here is the website of the previous letters: http://bgz.tt/zorv8.

Part of our role as a community newspaper is to capture the responses and feelings of our readers and community as it reacts to the world. These projects not only provide our current leaders with near-real-time feedback, but they also will allow folks looking back the chance to see what Billings and Montana residents feel. They provide a time capsule of thought.

Instead of writing a letter to the editor, I want you to sharpen that pen, pencil or... er, keyboard for another #dearpresidenttrump project.
Air Transport Services Group (ATSG) subsidiaries have acquired two Boeing 737-400 aircraft for conversion into freighters and onward lease to China-based partner Okay Airways for its e-commerce business.

ATSG West Leasing, based in Ireland and a wholly owned ATSG subsidiary, has acquired and will lease the aircraft to Okay in late 2017 for a seven years term.

PEMCO World Air Services, a second wholly-owned ATSG subsidiary, will convert the 737-400s to freighters this summer at PEMCOs facilities at the Tampa International Airport.

ATSG and Okay Airways, along with online retailer VIP Shop Holdings, are planning to launch a new Chinese express airline, United Star Express. However, there have been delays in obtaining approvals.

To ensure the new airline will be up and running as quickly as possible, ATSG has said it will convert two aircraft and place them with Okay Airways until United Star Express gains approval. At this time the two aircraft will be transferred from Okay over to the joint venture.

The partners were hoping to launch the new airline this year.

Brad Heath, managing director of ATSG West Leasing, said: We are very pleased to acquire, convert and lease these aircraft into the air express market in China. This initiative leverages the core capabilities of PEMCO, ATSG West Leasing and of our strategic partners in China.

Okay Airways will operate the aircraft in support of its express services for e-commerce and other companies in the domestic China market. ATSG, Okay Airways, and Tianjin Dongjiang Investment holdings, a Tianjin government affiliate, are establishing a joint venture company to support the growing e-commerce market there.

Mike Andrews, PEMCOs director of conversion programs, said, Were excited to be working with our affiliate ATSG West Leasing Limited and to be redelivering more PEMCO-converted aircraft into the Chinese market.

PEMCO and its affiliates continue to lead the narrow-body freighter conversion market in China through conversions of 70% of China-based 737-300 and -400 freighters in service.

Through its subsidiaries, including PEMCO and ATSG West Leasing Limited, ATSG provides aircraft leasing, air cargo lift, aircraft maintenance services, cargo conversion and airport ground services.

The 737-400 PEMCO-converted cargo aircraft features 11 pallet positions, up to 48,000 lbs (22 tonnes) of payload, and 4,600 cu ft of total volume under PEMCOs supplemental type certificate.

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April 11, 2017

CAIRO  Terrorism struck Egypt once again on April 9, on Palm Sunday, when two bombings targeted St. Georges Church in Tanta and Saint Marks Church in Alexandria, killing 48 people and injuring dozens. In the aftermath, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took a series of urgent measures. He declared a three-month state of emergency as well as the formation of a supreme council to fight terrorism and extremism in Egypt. In addition, the parliament is in the process of amending four laws related to prosecuting terrorists, amendments that were approved during an April 10 parliament session. The Egypt Support Coalition  Egypts majority parliamentary bloc  is putting new legislation in place to protect public facilities and worship places.

Al-Monitor attended the April 10 general parliamentary session held to amend four laws related to prosecuting terrorists. The members of parliament underlined during the session the need for a comprehensive strategy that includes new ways to combat terrorism in Egypt.

The parliaments committee of legislative and constitutional affairs called on members of parliament earlier in the morning of April 10 to finish drafting a parliamentary bill proposed by the Egypt Support Coalition titled Bill to Amend the Code of Criminal Procedure. The bill aims to introduce amendments to four Egyptian laws related to prosecuting terrorists: the law of criminal procedures, the 1959 Law No. 57 in the part related to appeal cases and measures before the Court of Cassation, the 2015 Law No. 8 regarding the organization of terrorist lists and the 2015 Anti-Terrorism Law No. 94.

Egypt Support Coalition member of parliament Salah Hasballah who prepared the bill told Al-Monitor, The legal amendment bill aims at expediting prosecution procedures, especially in terrorism cases.

He added, One of most important articles of the bill would allow Egypts public prosecutor to examine the calls for adding certain groups to the terrorist lists, after the submission of evidentiary documents.

The formation of a supreme council to fight terrorism was among the decisions that Sisi took in the wake of his meeting with the members of the National Defense Council. Sisi noted that the council would be given sufficient authority in the fields of media, judiciary, law and religious rhetoric to fight radical thought. But the formation of the council requires a law. Meanwhile, the Egyptian parliament is expected to pass a law stating the tasks of the council as per Article 101 of the constitution, which gives the Egyptian parliament its legislative power.

During the April 10 parliamentary session, the members of parliament gave their propositions to put a strategy for new ways to combat terrorism in Egypt, like holding fast-track trials for terrorists, developing Egypts security policies, clearing the educational curricula of any radicalism and re-creating religious rhetoric.

During the parliamentary session, member of parliament Mona Mounir had accused Al-Azhar curricula of being responsible for the rising extremism. Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel Aal responded to Mounirs statements and called for clearing the education curricula in Egypt to make them moderate and more tolerant to others.

Abdel Aal said that social media networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, which some people use to send information to terrorists, are monitored as per the state of emergency law, and he asserted that the media organizations law will organize this monitoring activity.

He added, Rumors that social media websites are outside the laws command are inaccurate. All European countries scrutinize their social media websites.

Member of parliament Tarek el-Khouly asserted during the session that terrorist groups always play the religious strife card in Egypt. This is why they target churches, in order to break the national unity between the Muslims and Copts of Egypt.

Kholy suggested bridging the security gaps related to securing Egyptian churches. He said, The police must guard the doors of the church, while the church-affiliated scouts secure the inside.

Kholy underlined the importance of coordination between churches and the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, and parliamentarian Magdi Malak called for redrawing Egypts security policies, which must be developed to confront terrorism.

Member of parliament Shadia Thabet sent an urgent statement to the parliaments secretariat before the April 10 session kicked off, stating that it is not enough to take internal measures like legislations. The Egyptian parliament should address the Security Council with an official letter to condemn states that fund terrorism, impose sanctions on them, and launch a large-scale inquiry to expose them and their schemes to destroy security and peace in the world. Thabet told Al-Monitor, Terrorism perpetrators in Egypt and the Arab world are funded by states sponsoring terrorism.

In the framework of a new parliamentary strategy to fight terrorism in Egypt, the Egypt Support Coalition submitted another bill to protect public and private facilities a few hours after the terrorist attack on April 9.

As per a statement issued by Mohammad al-Suwaidi, the head of the Egypt Support Coalition, the bill aims at enhancing the security of public and private facilities and protecting them from danger by installing surveillance cameras to monitor the area outside the premises. A legal commitment would be established and would be binding for the public and private facilities that welcome visitors, especially administrative, commercial and religious facilities. The bill would include sanctions to guarantee the implementation of the provisions of the law.

Human rights activists in Egypt had conflicting opinions regarding the urgent Egyptian measures that the president and parliament took to confront terrorism. Some activists fear that the state of emergency would breed oppression of freedoms once again.

Hafez Abu Saada, a member of the National Council for Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, Declaring a state of emergency negatively affects citizens rights because it obstructs laws and constitutional articles related to legal procedures.

He added, The state of emergency gives the Egyptian authorities extensive powers, including imposing curfew, wiretapping and watching people, searching houses and confiscating property.

Abu Saada noted that the state of emergency was a failed experience in Egypt for more than 30 years before the January 25 Revolution, and it did not deter terrorism in the days of former President Hosni Mubarak.

He added that the new ways to face terrorism in Egypt include empowering security institutions by giving them tracking capacities and allowing them to adopt crime prevention policies. He commented on the parliaments amendment of the four laws related to prosecuting terrorists, saying, Terrorists who execute their operations, knowing that they will die in the process, will certainly not care about special and fast-track or even military trials.

Said Abdul Hafiz, the director of the Forum of Independent Egyptian Human Rights, told Al-Monitor, Bringing back the old human rights situation in Egypt by declaring a state of emergency is no longer an option. Article 54 of the current Egyptian Constitution limits the state of emergency to three months that can be renewed only once, rather than leaving it open-ended like before.

In a general parliamentary session that Al-Monitor attended on April 11, Egyptian Prime Minister Sherif Ismail said, Egypt is trying to curb terrorism through its state of emergency declaration, knowing that some parties are paying large sums of money to support terrorism. He added, We must take exclusive measures to offer the needed cover to counter terrorism. The state of emergency law gives the state institutions the flexibility to fight terrorism, which the government is trying to eradicate.

In the aftermath of the church bombings, the president and parliament took a series of measures to confront terrorism in Egypt. Still, many doubt the ability of these measures to halt terrorist operations, which are mainly targeting churches.
April 12, 2017

Istanbul's 18th Heavy Penal Court acquitted all 13 defendants in the controversial Odatv trial on April 12. Odatv is a staunchly secular news website in Turkey that got into trouble in 2010 with the followers of the Pennsylvania-based preacher Fethullah Gulen in the judiciary and national police department  a network that many Turks refer to as the Fethullah Gulen Terror Organization, or FETO.

Originally composed of 14 defendants  Kasif Kozinoglu, a high-ranking official in Turkeys National Intelligence Organization, died in 2011  the Odatv suspects were charged with being a front for the alleged Ergenekon network. Even though Turks of all political stripes had suspected for years that a deep state structure often sowed chaos and disorder in their country  carrying out assassinations and false flag operations in order to undermine and overthrow democratically elected governments  the Ergenekon trials became infamous for evidence tampering, late-night arrests, secret witnesses and denial of defense.

By August 2013, several hundred military officers, police officers, academics and journalists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. At the time, however, it hardly felt like justice was served. Indeed, once the alliance between Gulenist cadres in the Turkish state and the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government ended in late 2013, many of the suspects in Ergenekon-related cases were either acquitted or released from prison.

Thus, the Istanbul courts April 12 decision was no surprise. In fact, in the penultimate hearing on Feb. 15, the prosecutor had advised the judges to release the defendants.

Unfortunately, the decision on the Odatv trial has done little to address the Kafkaesque side of Turkeys judicial system.

One of the suspects in the Odatv case, journalist Ahmet Sik, was first taken into custody in 2011 over his unpublished manuscript, The Imams Army, which investigated Gulens networks in the national police department. Gulen-linked prosecutors accused Sik of being a member of Ergenekon. The charge was clearly bogus because Sik, along with his colleague Nedim Sener (who was also imprisoned), had spent a good portion of their careers exposing not only the clandestine and illegal networks within Turkeys national security apparatus, but what role those networks (primarily FETO, but also others) played in the murder of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in 2007.

Today, Sik remains in jail awaiting trial for conducting propaganda on behalf of FETO. A big part of the problem is that despite his vehement opposition to the Gulenists, Sik is no darling of the ruling AKP. His 2015 book We Walked on These Roads Together was a damning indictment of the AKP for its 10-year partnership with the Gulenists to oust secular cadres in the Turkish state. The title of Siks book comes from one of President Recep Tayyip Erdogans favorite songs, one he has used in electoral campaigns since 2002.

Tellingly, while his co-defendants were awaiting their release, Sik was hauled back to jail. Ever defiant, the veteran journalist reminded people in the courtroom that prosecutors in another case involving journalists from the secular daily newspaper Cumhuriyet (a group that includes Al-Monitors Kadri Gursel) should pay heed to the Odatv decision. In response, Siks supporters in the courtroom yelled the slogan, Ahmet will get out and he will write again.
April 12, 2017

The Israeli state comptroller report issued Feb. 28 harshly criticized the government and military for not being prepared to confront the danger of the tunnels dug by Hamas on the eastern border of Gaza through which the movement's fighters carried out several military operations against army positions during the summer 2014 war. In response, Gen. Gadi Eizenkot, Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, told Knesset members on March 22 that the army had made numerous efforts since the 2014 Gaza war to counter Hamas' tunnels in eastern Gaza and is currently building a barrier to prevent Hamas from using the tunnels in any future military confrontation with Israel.

On April 5, Yedioth Ahronoth published pictures of a cement factory north of the Gaza Strip that will reportedly be involved in constructing the barrier. The structure will cost $1 billion; it will be 65 kilometers long and constructed in segments above ground and underground along the border in northern and eastern Gaza to be able to detect the tunnels location. The paper quoted an anonymous source from the Israeli Defense Ministry as saying that engineering equipment and vehicles will be operating in 40 posts in the upcoming weeks, along with 2,000 workers and large military contingents to protect them.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum told Al-Monitor, Hamas is closely monitoring Israels field efforts to thwart the movements military capabilities, mainly by building a barrier to prevent it from using its tunnels to defend Gaza. However, Hamas is constantly evaluating Israels efforts to prevent it from achieving its objectives, without entering a wide-scale war. [Hamas] evaluates each step it takes in any event. Barhoum did not indicate whether Hamas continues to dig tunnels.

In an April 1 article in Maariv, Israeli military expert Alon Ben-David said that building a barrier could result in a new war with Hamas. According to him, Hamas will likely try to stop construction of the barrier, even at the expense of another round of military conflict. He said there are doubts about Hamas ability to restrain itself, watching in silence as Israel deprives it of its strategic treasures.

Wasef Erekat, a retired Palestinian military officer, told Al-Monitor, Israel is really serious about fighting the tunnels, and as it starts to build the barrier, Hamas must publicly declare its opposition to this project and hold Israel responsible for any complications that may ensue. At the same time, Hamas fighters have begun picking fights with the Israeli forces guarding the engineering equipment, whether by sniper bullets or roadside bombs, in an attempt to keep Israel busy without provoking an open military confrontation.

The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas military wing, first began using tunnels in 2001 when Israeli forces still occupied Gaza, when it blew up an Israeli military outpost near the border between Egypt, killing five soldiers. Then, in 2003 it blew up the Hardon outpost in Rafah in southern Gaza, killing two Israeli soldiers; in 2004 it attacked the Mahfouza outpost near Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, killing seven soldiers.

Hamas also used the tunnels in the capture of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit near the Kerem Shalom crossing in June 2006. In 2013, it carried out an operation near Khan Yunis, killing six Israeli soldiers, followed by an attack in 2014 against the Abu Mutabik outpost in eastern Gaza, killing eight Israeli soldiers.

Hisham Maghari, security expert and dean at al-Awda University College in Gaza, told Al-Monitor, The resistance will not be able to prevent Israel from building the barrier, which might eventually put an end to tunnel activity. The movement might have to figure out some new combat methods. This is why it would not be fruitful to even consider waging a war over the tunnels, because Israel insists on carrying on with its project until the end, regardless of any war that may erupt.

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Al-Monitor, No barrier along the Gazan border can give Israeli settlers and soldiers the sense of security they lost long ago. The resistance has creative and innovative means to overcome any Israeli field effort against its tunnels. There is no need to go into details.

For his part, Imad Awad, a Palestinian expert on Israeli affairs at the Vision Center for Political Development in Istanbul, told Al-Monitor, Hamas may carry out attacks through its tunnels before Israel discovers their location and puts an end to activities by building the barrier. It would be hard for the movement to lose years and years of the effort to build the tunnels, let alone the fighters who died while digging them.

He also remarked, Meanwhile, the economic situation in Gaza has been going downhill, which may accelerate a large-scale confrontation, especially since Hamas is convinced that its military performance was great in the 2014 war. However, Hamas did not use this achievement at the political level to achieve changes on the ground and lift the siege of Gaza.

The huge financial cost of the Israeli barrier and the media coverage the project is receiving give some observers the impression that Israel is embarking on a long-term project that will definitively rid it of the tunnels, locating them one by one, destroying them and preventing Hamas from digging new ones. In the meantime, Israel will keep a close watch on Hamas, not expecting it to stand idly by and watch.
April 12, 2017

Irans former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad surprised everyone April 12 by registering to run in the May 19 presidential election, a move that could be interpreted as directly defying Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who had publicly advised him last autumn not to run in the race.

When it comes to politics, Ahmadinejad is a clever operator. The hard-line politician has confused and misled everyone in recent months by indicating that he didnt intend to run in the election, particularly as he encouraged his former vice president, Hamid Baghaei, to announce his candidacy for the presidency.

Since the first days of Khameneis advice, which initially was not made public, Ahmadinejad had signaled that he was not eager to take the hint. Rather, he continued his electoral trips to various provinces. Upon seeing Ahmadinejad's defiance of the supreme leader, conservatives started disclosing the former presidents meeting with Khamenei. The supreme leader, without naming Ahmadinejad, said he had advised the former president not to run in the election due to the possible polarization of society, as Ahmadinejads candidacy could lead to a repeat of the unrest in the aftermath of his disputed re-election in 2009. Following this disclosure, Ahmadinejad released a statement announcing his loyalty and commitment to the supreme leader. However, a few months later, in a surprising move, Ahmadinejads former vice president declared his candidacy, and Ahmadinejad officially threw his weight behind him, a move seen as as disobeying and opposing the supreme leader.

On the heels of Baghaeis announcement, various video clips were released by Baghaei, Ahmadinejad and the former president's controversial friend and aide Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, some of whose pronouncements have been interpreted as deviant by some religious conservatives. In one of the clips, Baghaei tells Ahmadinejad and Mashaei that one of us must be sacrificed. Based on this, it seems that Ahmadinejad is planning to pressure the conservative-dominated Guardian Council, which is tasked with vetting presidential candidates, to let Baghaei run. On April 12, after registering to run, Ahmadinejad and Baghaei both held a press conference in which Ahmadinejad said that his decision had been made in support of Baghaei, I registered merely to support Baghaei and I will act according to the [supreme] leader's advice.  I'll be serving Mr. Baghaei with all my power." The former president added, Some people say that the [supreme leader's] advice was meant to completely forbid [me from running], but what the leader said was just advice.  I am still committed to my moral promise."

Conservatives and many analysts have been saying in recent months that Baghaei wouldnt get approval from the Guardian Council. Baghaei, who has crossed many of the red lines in Iranian politics, was jailed for unannounced reasons for more than 200 days and he still has cases that are being reviewed by the judiciary. Therefore, Ahmadinejads candidacy might have been registered just to prevent Baghaeis disqualification. However, the former president may try to stay in the race, putting more pressure on the Guardian Council, which would probably disqualify him for defying the supreme leader; such a decision could then provoke Ahmadinejad's vocal political base. The likelihood of such a scenario caused conservative cleric Mohammad-Taghi Rahbar to voice his concern April 12 that Ahmadinejads candidacy could cause chaos in the country.

Ahmadinejads entering the race has angered conservatives who no longer consider him an insider. Elias Naderan, a conservative figure, tweeted April 12, This is the end of Ahmadinejad. This tweet may mean that Ahmadinejad, after disobeying the supreme leader and standing up to him, may have seen his political life in Iran come to an end. Conservative politician Hossein Kanani Moghaddam said April 12, This is a suicidal move, and [Ahmadinejad] has entered the field wearing an explosives belt.

Saeed Laylaz, a prominent Reformist analyst, said April 12, The [target] audience of Ahmadinejads [candidacy] is not the Reformists but rather the high-ranking officials of the country. Ahmadinejad will probably turn into the Boris Yeltsin of Iran.

Meanwhile, conservative Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, who chairs the Guardian Council, has voiced criticism that too many people are registering to run for president. On the first day [of registration, on April 11], 126 people registered to run in the presidential election, while many of them dont have the necessary criteria [to be allowed to run], Jannati said April 12.
April 11, 2017

It was just after sunrise on April 7 when the news of an American missile attack on Syria reached Tehran. At first, information about what precisely transpired was limited, yet the attack was received in the Iranian capital as a message from Washington to all parties fighting along the forces of Syrias defiant President Bashar al-Assad that the grace period given to all involved in the war-torn country by the United States had come to an end. In fact, the Syrian crisis seemed for a few months to have had some rules of engagement when it comes to major incidents like the one that occurred at the Shayrat air base near Palmyra, but this time the whole scene was a shock, given US President Donald Trumps previous statements with regard to Syria and the region in general. As such, those in Tehran who spoke to Al-Monitor see the missile attack as closer to political maneuvering than a complete change in strategy.

The American attack  though a military action  was a political move," a military source in the Syria allies joint command center  which brings together Russia, Iran and Hezbollah  told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. He said, The US military informed the Russians before the strike. This gave them the chance to alert the Syrians, so both sides were able to evacuate the base before the attack. It was clear that there was no intention to kill but to send a message to the Russians.

Moscow was highly intimidated by the strike, mainly given that it was aiming to forge strategic cooperation with Washington to secure a solution to the six-year crisis. Once again, Russia was left with no serious partner in Syria but Iran, since the latest action by the United States was seen as hostile by Moscow, and the swinging strategy adopted by Turkey, which seems to be leaning toward Washington after the strike. On April 9, Russian, Syrian and Iranian officials held high-level consultations over the phone. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called his Syrian counterpart, while Russian President Vladimir Putin called Rouhani. Meanwhile, the Russian and Iranian defense ministers spoke over the phone too, while Iranian national security adviser Ali Shamkhani and his Syrian counterpart, Ali Mamlouk, agreed to coordinate actions during a phone conversation.

In Syria, military commanders met and issued a harsh statement vowing to respond with force to any aggressor or any breach of red lines from whoever  and America knows our ability to respond well. The joint command center stressed that the presence of US troops in northern Syria was illegal, and that Washington had a long-term plan to occupy the area, saying that they will not allow a unipolar world with the United States as the dominant power to continue to impose its will across the globe.

The Iranians are convinced that the United States knew the chemical attack had nothing to do with the Syrian government or the armed forces, Tehran University professor Mohammad Marandi told Al-Monitor. That is why they didn't want an impartial inquiry and so they attacked the Syrian air force base without fear of chemicals leaking. He added, Trump is under enormous pressure at home because of his many setbacks and a hostile media. Therefore, he carried out this attack because this makes both the [US] establishment and the media content and it distracts attention away from his problems.

Marandi explained that Trump would have liked to gain leverage, but that he instead antagonized the Russians, thus strengthening their determination. He said, President Putin cannot afford to be humiliated by the United States after all that his government has done in Syria. So in my opinion, it [the missile attack] was good for Trump and bad for the United States.

In the immediate aftermath of the US attack, Iran condemned it  yet the condemnations were not up to the level of what had happened. An Iranian official who asked not to be identified told Al-Monitor, The message was meant for the Russians, and it was the Russians who had connections and coordinations with Washington. So Tehran will surely condemn [the US attack], but it is not Tehran that is going to respond on behalf of Moscow. When the Russians had their say, we backed them, and we will back them as close allies.

The official added, Our point of view from the beginning was that it is not wise to build on Trumps policies; we believe the US president does not have a clear plan, and this strike is indicative of this. We are quite sure that he was pushed to approve [the strike] by his military and security advisers, as they are the ones working in Washington right now on getting their country involved directly in the Syrian crisis. They have been doing this quietly in the north of Syria, and here the US president is just a facilitator. Does he know that following the attack on the [Shayrat] air base, [Islamic State] terrorists took advantage of the strike and attacked nearby oil fields?

Despite the anger in Tehran over the US attack, the Iranians have emerged as the main winners of the latest turn in the Syrian crisis. Once again, Russia has no trusted partner in Syria but Iran, and Tehran is now able to push Moscow to adopt a stronger stance against the US role in the Syrian crisis, meaning that mainly from the Iranian point of view, if such strikes are left without a strong response  even if verbal  they will become a daily or weekly occurrence.
April 12, 2017

TEHRAN, Iran  In a move that surprised many observers as well as politicians around the world, US President Donald Trump ordered a targeted missile attack against a Syrian air base on April 6. The strike, which the United States said was in retaliation for the April 4 chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, marked a shift from former President Barack Obamas policy of restraint toward the Syrian crisis.

As expected, the strike sparked sharply varied reactions around the world. While the dominant reaction among the Europeans was a welcoming of the strike as punishment for the chemical attack, other US allies, and especially Turkey and Saudi Arabia, went even further, calling for more comprehensive US military strikes to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

However, Iran and Russia, as the main supporters of the Syrian government, did not hesitate to condemn the US strike, calling it a violation of international norms and law and a new manifestation of American aggression.

However, while both Moscow and Tehran are still emphasizing their support for the Syrian government, one important question is that of whether the US strike will fundamentally alter the nature of Iranian-Russian interactions in Syria or have a broader impact on the bilateral relationship between Tehran and Moscow. To answer this question, several important points must be considered.

First and foremost, in an important development shortly after the US strike, Russia declared that it would close the military coordination channel devised to prevent any unwanted confrontation between Russian and US forces in Syria. This is while Trumps election had sparked serious debate about the possibility of coordinated anti-terrorist operations between Russia and the US-led coalition in Syria.

Now, as Russia further distances itself from the United States in the Syrian crisis, chances for Russian cooperation with the West grow dim and Moscow may yet again become inclined toward unilaterally pursuing its goals in Syria.

In this equation, Iran is at present the only country with an active presence in Syria that shares Russias primary goal of supporting the Assad government, which could potentially lead Russia to give more weight to its cooperation with Iran as it reconsiders its Syrian strategy.

However, it is unrealistic to expect such a shift to translate into broader joint Russian-Iranian military operations inside Syria or even Russian reliance on Iranian or Hezbollahs ground forces in its military strategy. The most important reason for this is Israel's fierce objection to any increase in Irans presence or influence in Syria and Moscows longstanding strategy of preserving its good relationship with Tel Aviv. Thus, Iran and Russia will most probably increase their cooperation at the political rather than military level to maintain control of the situation before it gets out of hand.

The second point relates to Iran-Russia cooperation within the recently devised multilateral formula to resolve the Syrian crisis. In recent months, talks between Moscow, Tehran and Ankara on Syria reached a point that caused some observers to even speak of the formation of a trilateral axis consisting of the three countries.

However, in the aftermath of the US strike, as Russia and Iran will likely get closer to each other, a gap may appear between Moscow and Tehran vis-a-vis Ankara as the third official guarantor of the Syrian cease-fire.

This in turn could change the nature of the diplomatic talks currently underway on the Syrian crisis, with Ankara most likely hardening its positions on many critical issues  especially when it comes to the fate of Assad  and also pushing for its long-standing desire to set up safe zones in Syria. Turkey can also be expected to continue and even increase its support for the rebels rather than pressuring them to stay committed to the cease-fire. This could further complicate the nascent political process.

Third, it could be argued that although the overall situation on the ground in Syria may become more complicated as a result of the US strike, Trumps seeming change in approach toward Syria may have helped dissipate an important ambiguity in the Iran-Russia relationship.

Given that Trump had repeatedly spoken of the necessity of improving US-Russia relations during his campaign, there has been serious concern among various Iranian circles in recent months that Moscow might sell out Tehran in pursuit of a rapprochement with Washington.

However, the US strike and the subsequent positions adopted by the Russians against the United States have worked toward effectively closing the window of opportunity for an imminent improvement in US-Russia relations. Thus, Iran now stands reassured that a US-Russian deal at its expense will not be realized  at least in the short term.

Last but not least, any analysis of the impact of the US military strike on Iran-Russia relations would be incomplete without noting the role of public opinion. It is no secret that Iranian public opinion is widely distrustful of Russia, with many Iranians viewing Moscow as an unreliable partner. In this context, what Russia may do in Syria in response to the US strike is very important, because it will show Tehran how far Moscow is ready to go to defend an ally or a close partner.

There has already been some critical discussions on Iranian websites as well as social media alleging that Russias S-300 and S-400 air defense systems were incapable of thwarting the US Tomahawk missiles. This is while the delivery of the S-300 system to Iran was for a long time a topic of hot debate in Iran, with its final  and long-delayed  delivery considered an important development in Iran-Russia relations. In this vein, Russias next moves in response to the US strike in Syria could have an important impact on how the Iranians view Russia as a partner.

All in all, it is highly unlikely that the US military strike on the Shayrat air base will cause a drastic shift in the Iran-Russia partnership in Syria, let alone more broadly elevate the bilateral relationship to a whole new level. Rather, the US escalation will likely consolidate the existing level of Iranian-Russian cooperation and also lead Tehran and Moscow to deepen political rather than military collaboration to devise a more coordinated road map for the future of Syria.
April 11, 2017

NAJAF, Iraq  When the rebellious Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called on the Syrian president to step down from power, many were taken by surprise. The prevailing belief is that Shiites all back the Syrian regime and support its rule, and that what is happening in Syria is a sectarian war between Shiites and Sunnis.

On April 8, Sadr called on Assad to relinquish power, saying, It would be fair for President Bashar al-Assad to resign and step down in love for Syria, to spare it the woes of war and terrorism. The rule would thus be handed over to influential popular parties capable of taking a stand against terrorism and preserving Syrias sovereignty as soon as possible. This would constitute a historic, heroic decision before its too late.

In fact, Sadrs stance on the Syrian regime is not new, as other clerics have criticized the Syrian regime for its atrocities against its own people. They have also criticized Shiite militias for backing Assad in the fight against the Syrian opposition.

After the popular uprising against Assad when it broke out in March 2011, Sadr expressed his support in a November statement. Despite accusations that the Sadrist Movement, which is highly influential among Iraqi Shiites, was taking part in the Syrian conflict, he has denied any involvement by members of his party. He has also voiced his disapproval of other Shiite militias going to Syria to fight for Assad.

Sadr has expelled a number of fighters from his armed factions for having fought in Syria. Most recently, Saad Swar, a former leader in Jaish al-Mahdi, announced his defection and formed Jaish al-Moumal in 2016 to fight in Syria and Iraq. Iran has used the defections as leverage to persuade more members to leave the Sadrist Movement in an attempt to weaken the party, especially after Sadr had voiced opposition to Irans regional policy. Many factions have split from the Sadrist Movement, including Asaib Ahl al-Haq and the former Hezbollah al-Nujaba.

Many prominent Najaf clerics have never supported the Syrian regime, with some even forbidding their followers to fight in Syria. Four prominent Najaf clergymen  Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Sheikh Ishaq al-Fayyad, Seyed Mohammad Said al-Hakim and Sheikh Bashir al-Najafi  were quoted by Asharq Alawsat as adopting a unified stance in 2013: Individuals who go to Syria for jihad are disobeying the commands of religious authorities. In Qom, no prominent clerics have issued fatwas in support of sending Shiite fighters to Syria.

With the Islamic State (IS) nearly defeated in Iraq, there are growing concerns that Shiite militias from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) might head to Syria to fight for the Syrian regime. These militias have not only been strengthened by their experience fighting IS, they now have a legal standing under the PMU law passed in November 2016. Shiite PMU factions have long voiced their readiness to take the fight to Syria as soon as possible. The factions calling for going to Syria are directly affiliated with Iran, as is the case with Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Saraya al-Khorasani, who maintain a military presence in both Iraq and Syria. These factions constantly reiterate their intention to step up their presence in post-IS Syria. On March 8, Harakat al-Nujaba announced its plan to form a special military force in Syria.

In an attempt to curb these factions' defiance, Sistani published a fatwa with his affiliated Non News Agency April 9, stating, We previously issued a fatwa deeming military duty a top priority in order to protect the Iraqi people, their land and holy places. The fatwa shall remain binding as long as its exigency continues, despite some of the advances made by our brave fighters in ousting the terrorists.

The fatwa forbids the PMU from working outside the framework of the Iraqi government and acting outside of Iraq. The restrictions put Iran-affiliated factions in a difficult position, as they were looking forward to stepping up their presence in Syria independently of the Iraqi government. Recalling the backdrop against which the PMU was established  the fall of Mosul into IS' hands  Sistani is now pulling the rug of legitimacy from under the feet of Iran-affiliated factions.

It should be noted that many PMU-affiliated Shiite factions have never operated outside Iraq following Sistanis directives. Among those are Ansar al-Marja'iyya Brigade, Ali al-Akbar Brigade, Imam Ali Division, Al-Qadhimayn Force, Saraya al-Ataba al-Abbasiyya, Saraya al-Ataba al-Alawiyya and Saraya al-Ataba al-Husayniyya.

Sistani has also denied meeting with a Houthi delegation in September 2016, meaning that he did not support Irans regional agenda. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi canceled a conference backed by a number of Shiite parties for supporting the Houthis, originally slated for April 2.

Sistani and Sadrs positions are intended to support Abadi in curbing Iran-affiliated factions and establishing stability in post-IS Iraq and protect it from regional tensions and the US-Iranian conflict.
April 12, 2017

Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) Maj. Gen. Yoav Mordechai is warning that the diesel fuel donated by Qatar to enable the operation of the Gaza Strips only power station will run out on April 14. According to Mordechai, the enclave is facing yet another power supply crisis, as electricity production was halted in January due to a dispute between the Hamas rulers of Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank over which of them should pay for the fuel.

The Gaza power station supplies 30% of the electric consumption in the Strip. Sixty percent is provided by high-voltage power lines from Israel, and Egypt supplies an additional 10% to the southern portion of Gaza. When the power plant ground to a stop in January, residents had power for only three hours a day. The shortage brought thousands of angry demonstrators out into the streets. For the first time since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip they were not afraid to point an accusatory finger at Hamas, but the protest was crushed by the movements security forces. The crisis was temporarily resolved after Qatar pledged mid-January $12 million to the Palestinian Authority to pay for fuel and enable the resumption of power production  a donation that will only suffice until the end of the week.

The warning of a humanitarian crisis issued by the COGAT does not focus only on the power station issue. It also accuses Hamas of stealing electricity from its own people in order to dig attack tunnels and for other purposes that do not serve residents. Mordechai claimed, for example, that Hamas refuses to allow a power hookup at a water desalination plant in the town of Khan Yunis. The plant was recently built with the support of the UNs children fund, UNICEF. In so doing Hamas is actually generating an additional humanitarian crisis in the Strip, which endangers the well-being of its residents, Mordechai said.

More than 96% of the groundwater from the Gaza aquifer is not fit for drinking due to contamination and salinity caused by decades of overpumping and depletion. Beginning in September 2016, Israel doubled its water supplies to Gaza from 10 million cubic meters (2.64 billion gallons) to 20 million cubic meters annually and promised to continue doing so until the construction of the desalination facility was completed. It is now furious that Hamas refuses to hook up the water plant in Khan Yunis.

Mordechais warning exposes the bind in which Israel finds itself regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza. On the one hand, it wants to prove to the world that Hamas is a terror organization, which would rather beef up its armed wing than take care of the 1.8 million residents under its care. On the other hand, Israel will likely also be blamed for such a crisis in light of the blockade it has imposed on the Strip for the past decade in a bid to prevent Hamas from re-arming. A crisis could also result in armed confrontation between Israel and Hamas and the other Palestinian factions in the Strip.

UN Middle East Envoy Nikolay Mladenov expressed grave concern over an impending humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In an April 7 interview with the NRG news website, Mladenov explained that Hamas bears heavy responsibility for the civilians in Gaza and for providing them with electricity, water and security. But he, too, expressed doubts about the movements willingness to make the right decision of directing efforts toward the Gazans well-being or continuing its military buildup. Hamas has to understand that the only way to avoid a humanitarian crisis is to assume responsibility and resolve Gazas problems, the UN envoy said. In Israel, Mladenov is perceived as biased in favor of the Palestinians, and in September 2016 Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman even instructed his office to sever all ties with him.

Barring a dramatic change, a humanitarian crisis is only a matter of time. Despite the argument within Hamas between the military and political wings  a clash that Al-Monitor has covered extensively  Hamas will not give up its military buildup. It will always opt to develop missiles and dig military tunnels bordering Israel over channeling resources to bolster the economy of the Strips besieged residents. The movements leaders estimate that a humanitarian crisis threat will result in a last-minute mobilization by wealthy Arab states, such as Qatar or Saudi Arabia, Western donor states or the European Union and generate donations from the international community.

Indeed, Mordechai knows that his warnings will not generate an international move to topple Hamas from power. He uses his warnings to encourage external support that will prevent a crisis in the Strip. He, as well as Israels top political echelons in Jerusalem, understands full well that such a crisis will not serve Israel. The state cannot shirk responsibility for the civil administration of Gaza despite the withdrawal of its settlers and soldiers from the Strip in 2005  especially not while it maintains a blockade of the territory.

According to Mordechais scenario, this coming Friday, Gaza may once again find itself in an almost total blackout. Residents will get three hours of power a day, and this time, too, stormy demonstrations will erupt, undermining stability there. And this is why the Israeli government must convene its Foreign Affairs and Defense Cabinet and adopt, for a change, a long-term policy that will lead to a comprehensive solution of the situation in Gaza.
The Montana Legislature finally passed a bill that will make voting a bit more convenient for Montanans.

The majority of Montana voters have chosen to vote mail ballots. Present law requires that they repeat that choice every two years.

But with passage of House Bill 287 on Friday, voters wont have to keep repeatedly filing requests for their ballot. Montanas county elections administrators have tried for at least three sessions to convince lawmakers that making the absentee list permanent is in the best interest of voters and taxpayers because:

Many voters think that because they are already on the list, they dont have to return the card, so about 20 percent dont. Then they have to go to the courthouse to get a ballot after they realize they didnt receive the mail ballot they expected.

The old law requires that the county elections officials send renewal cards to every voter on the list, and also requires that the list itself be deleted. So each county has been forced to start over, keying in the voter information as renewal cards are returned.

The cost of sending out renewal cards was about $40,000 for Yellowstone County in 2016.

When Gov. Steve Bullock signs SB287 into law  and we expect he will sign this commonsense bill  he will be saving Yellowstone County $40,000 per biennium. The statewide savings will be several times more.

Bullocks signature will eliminate the headaches and hassle of citizens having to repeatedly fill out forms for a government service that they requested and want to continue.

While eligible voters will stay on the mail ballot list until they request a change, state law already provides safeguards to ensure that ineligible voters dont get ballots. Names of deceased voters are removed and voters who file a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service will get a card from the county election office informing them that they will need to register at their new address. Ballots cannot be forwarded, so theres no risk that mail ballots will go to a person who has moved. Local elections offices also verify the signature on each ballot returned to ensure that it matches the voter signature on file.

Yellowstone County elections administrator Bret Rutherford helped draft the bill that was sponsored by four Democrats and five Republicans, including Geraldine Custer and Kathy Kelker.

Other House members representing part of Yellowstone County voted for HB287, including Virginia Court, Don Jones, Jessica Karjala, Kelly McCarthy, Vince Ricci, Sharon Stewart-Peregoy and Peggy Webb.

Voting for the permanent absentee list in the Senate were: Duane Ankney, Jen Gross, Doug Kary, Margie MacDonald, Mary McNally, Tom Richmond and Roger Webb.

Thanks to these lawmakers, the 67,000 Yellowstone County voters who want mail ballots and thousands more around the state will have one fewer form to fill out, and counties will save printing, postage and staff time. Its a small change for better government.
April 10, 2017

Now that Morocco has a new Cabinet and prime minister, the dust is finally settling after six months of wrangling over the appointments  though one journalist described the outcome as a dangerous democratic setback."

When the leading Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) failed in five months to negotiate a new government, King Mohammed VI dismissed Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane in March, replacing him with the party's second in command, Saadeddine El Othmani.

The new 39-member Cabinet, which was announced April 5, has 13 first-time appointees representing six of the 10 parties that participated in the election.

The PJD, led by Benkirane, had rejected conditions proposed by other parties supported by the king and refused to include the Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) in the governmental coalition. In fact, Benkirane had vowed that, come hell or high water, the socialist party would not be involved in the government as long as he was prime minister. His refusal might have stemmed from the USFP not negotiating with him directly to participate in the government; instead, it joined a bloc of four parties to negotiate.

It seems the PJD had to face reality, as further opposition would have pitted it against the king and violated the partys political principles  to focus on gradual reform and to avoid radically opposing the king. Consequently, Islamists had to accept the palace's demand for coexistence, giving the party only a limited role that doesn't match its public base and electoral weight.

Othmani agreed to involve the USFP in the governmental coalition. The party caved in and made painful concessions that might have tough repercussions in its future. Complaints were leaked from the PJD describing the concessions as treacherous and contradictory to Benkiranes approach.

Benkirane, a moderate Islamist, was willing during the negotiations to form the government with National Rally of Independents leader Aziz Akhannouch, as he gave up his condition to include the Istiqlal Party in the government and agreed to the presence of the Constitutional Union. However, he escalated the tone of his rhetoric against the remaining political parties, which he accused of impeding government formation. He repeatedly said attempts to draw a new political map would turn the PJD into a minority within the government despite the single party winning 125 parliamentary seats out of 395 total.

He was right. The four-party bloc led by Akhannouch and backed by the king was given strategic portfolios in the government like economy, finance, agriculture and commerce. The bloc got a total of 17 ministries, compared with the PJD's 11. Among the new Cabinet are 25 technocrat ministers close to the king.

Abdul Rahim al-Allam, a political science researcher at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech, said the king achieved the goals he sought by preventing formation of a Benkirane-led government. He undermined the Islamists, making them a minority in the government they lead and giving them marginal ministries. The king also managed to get rid of the sometimes unruly but widely popular Benkirane who, despite his loyalty to the king, stirred an internal PJD crisis.

This is undoubtedly the first real internal crisis that the Islamist party has faced since its establishment in 1998," Allam told Al-Monitor. "The party faces several challenges due to the multiple last-minute concessions and the approval of the appointment of a new leader instead of Benkirane. The members agreement to the conditions that Benkirane had previously refused condemn him and verify the story of his adversaries, who blamed him personally for the stalled government formation.

Allam noted that Othmanis government probably lacks the wide Islamist popularity that Benkiranes government enjoyed.

The situation does not look promising for Islamists. It will be hard for them to defend a government in which they play a marginal role. Benkiranes take on these developments is also influential. He has so far tried to distance himself and refrain from giving negative or positive comments on the concessions. If he openly voices his support for Othmani, any signs of a crisis would vanish. But his silence will not be as reassuring because it might be interpreted as lack of consent," Allam said.

Othmani would then lose his partys internal support. Besides, the Islamist public base is closely linked to Benkirane, as he represents demagoguery that goes beyond political conviction.

Bilal al-Talidi, the former editor-in-chief of the Islamist-affiliated Al-Tajdid newspaper, said that although the PJD is going through tough times, he doesn't expect internal divisions and he believes the partys upcoming national conference in September will be decisive in determining political guidelines.

The concessions that Islamists made during the government formation after Othmanis appointment definitely affected the party, and there is a general state of anger that the Oct. 7 results triggered, amid attempts [by other parties] to weaken the party and increase disagreements within it," he told Al-Monitor.

This is a moment of dangerous democratic setback necessitating re-evaluation of the democratic transition," he said, adding that the upcoming conference will determine how best to face current circumstances. "The suggested options include calling for Benkiranes return as leader of the party by changing the partys organizational law. But I think the PJD will remain united because it is a party of institutions. So far, it has only expressed stances that do not attack Othmani as a person, but rather reflect a conviction that overruling Benkiranes approach would cost the party a high price, and the successive concessions serve as proof.

Talidi thinks Benkirane stepped aside and did not announce a firm stance after his dismissal because he did not want to clash with the king or burst Othmanis bubble. This is why he did not participate in Othmanis deliberations with the other parties or in meetings to choose the partys ministers.

The PJDs hopes are hanging on its upcoming conference, which will be decisive. The party is torn between opposing currents. One is led by Benkiranes supporters, who want him to remain at the helm of the party and are calling for distance from the current government. The other current wants to weaken the PJD and claims it is the partys duty to support the government despite modest participation in it.
April 6, 2017

RAMALLAH, West Bank  Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah recently presented a plan to implement a "new electricity market" in Palestine. Hamdallah said the plan will improve electricity services to citizens, cut costs and curb reliance on external aid in the energy sector.

Hamdallah officially introduced the plan for the market at a March 22 news conference in Ramallah. He spoke before representatives of Norway, other donor countries and the Middle East Quartet. The international community's participation is of paramount importance, he noted, stressing the need for donors support. The plan is in line with the 2017-2022 National Policy Agenda, in which the energy sector is a top priority.

Hamdallah had launched that national agenda Feb. 22 in the presence of representatives of several international donors, such as Nickolay Mladenov, the United Nations special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, and Ralph Tarraf, the European Union representative to Palestine.

In September, to pave the way for the new electricity market, Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Hussein al-Sheikh signed an agreement with the Israeli government under which the Palestinian Authority (PA) will be responsible for overseeing the commercial and operational administration of the Palestinian electricity sector in the West Bank. The PA also reached a comprehensive settlement of Palestinian accumulated outstanding debt to Israel Electric Corp., which had reached more than 2 billion shekels ($546.6 million).

The West Bank relies on Israel for electricity through local distribution companies such as Jerusalem District Electricity Co. and Northern Electricity Distribution Co.

Zafer Melhem, chairman of the Palestinian Energy and Natural Resources Authority (PENRA), told Al-Monitor that separating control of the electricity sector from Israel and launching operations at new substations will increase the supply to Palestinians and end the electricity shortage crisis.

He explained that distribution of electricity in Palestine is currently done through 258 connection and disconnection points, which are not connected to each other on one grid.

The new electricity market plan aims to provide a national grid to transmit electricity from various sources such as, perhaps, Israel, Jordan and four new electrical substations in the West Bank. The government began building the substations  which will constitute the backbone of the Palestinian electricity transmission system  in 2011.

The first substation was finished in January 2015 in the town of Jalameh in the governorate of Jenin. Another substation was established in Tarqumiya in Hebron governorate, and a third was built in the town of Sarra in Nablus governorate. Work is underway on the fourth, in Ramallah, which Melhem said should be finished by the end of the year.

The Ministry of Finance allocated $45 million to build the plants after it received a loan from the European Investment Bank.

Melhem noted the transmission grid will be managed by a national company wholly owned by the government, Palestinian Electricity Transmission Ltd., which will be able to manage and transmit energy to distribution companies supplying Palestinian households. This will be done through high-voltage substations  instead of the 258 connection and disconnection points deployed across the West Bank  which will allow the government to purchase more electricity at preferential prices 20% lower than current prices.

On Jan. 31, the government set the electricity tariff for citizens at 0.45 shekels per kilowatt-hour.

Regarding the financing, Melhem told Al-Monitor, The Ministry of Finance secured $22 million for the construction of feeder lines going out from the substations and distribution grids, and $4 million in aid was obtained from the government of Norway and the World Bank to build the capacities of Palestinian Electricity Transmission Ltd., which will run the substations.

PENRA is seeking to secure $36 million in assistance from donor countries to build the capacities of institutions operating in the electricity sector, complete the construction of feeder lines from substations and develop tariff-collection methods. The funding would help PENRA become more self-reliant, to sustain the effort.

PENRA held a workshop March 22 to present its plan to the donors, who in turn formed a committee to hold talks with us, which are still ongoing," Melhem said. "The US, on the other hand, pledged to offer aid to cover the cost of software programs for the Palestinian Electricity Transmission Ltd. and to build its administrative, financial and auditing systems. The substations and the [company] will start operating by the end of 2018.

Regulating the electricity sector in Gaza is not limited to developing transmission grids and building substations and charging points; it also depends on the construction of power-generation plants in the West Bank, such as one being built in Jenin. The foundation stone of the latter was laid Nov. 24. The plants production capacity will be 450 megawatts, and it will supply 40% of the electricity demand. Officials also are considering the construction of a new power plant in Hebron in the southern West Bank.

Citizens are looking forward to reduced costs  and especially greater supply to end the power outages in many Palestinian areas  especially during the peaks of summer heat and winter cold. The government will have to prove its ability to organize, operate and develop this sector. However, even if the government successfully manages the sector, it will not be free of the tight grip of Israel, which is seen as the main source of electricity in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as well.
April 11, 2017

Although Turkey appeared to have pushed its policy of working for the demise of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the back burner, Ankara warmly welcomed the US missile strikes that hit the Shayrat air base April 7.

This development revived Ankaras desire to see Assad toppled and re-energized its push for a safe zone in Syria, with scant consideration about what this would mean for its ties with Russia. Ankara also does not appear to be concerned about the fallout from its position in regard to the Astana process it is co-sponsoring with Moscow and Tehran on Syria. The general picture, however, is more complicated for Ankara than it appears at first glance. Some Turkish analysts believe Washingtons latest move will produce positive results for Turkey, but not everyone agrees.

Some pro-government voices are cautioning against being overly optimistic about a change in US policy, arguing that it could work to Turkeys disadvantage. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  who considers Assad his principal regional nemesis, despite having been forced to temper his feelings about the Syrian leader because of developing ties with Russia  was quick to praise the strike against the Syrian government's air base and pushed for more.

In a speech in the southeastern Turkish city of Adana, Erdogan exhorted, The murderer Assad, who uses sarin and chlorine gas, has incurred his first response from the United States. But is this enough? It isnt. I think this must continue, because this man, who has killed nearly a million people, must pay the price.

Before the US missiles were fired at Syria, Erdogan had welcomed US President Donald Trumps remarks about the need to respond to the chemical attack in Idlib. Trump said this inhuman and disgusting move by the Assad regime cant be overlooked. I thank him, but it must go beyond words, Erdogan said in an April 6 TV interview.

Prime Minister Binali Yildirim was also quick to respond. He called US Vice President Mike Pence to thank him. The premier told Pence that the latest US missile strike on a Syrian regime air base  has articulated the feelings of the world, read a Prime Ministry statement disseminated by the semi-official Anadolu Agency. Yildirim also stressed that establishing a safe zone in northern Syria was necessary.

Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin took the matter further, telling CNNs Christiane Amanpour, A no-fly zone would have prevented the chemical attack by the Assad regime. Clearly aware that Turkeys position on the US strike cast doubts on Ankaras role in the Astana process, Kalin tried to throw the ball back into the Russian court by saying that Ankara remained committed to the process even if the Syrian chemical attack undermined it.

In a phone conversation after the US strike, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, that Moscow had to exert pressure on Assad for a political settlement to the Syrian crisis. In a mild rebuke of Russia, Cavusoglu told the state broadcaster TRT that Russia must not insist on Assad's remaining in place. Cavusoglu also said that he had mentioned to Lavrov that Moscow had failed to take the necessary steps against Syrian breaches of the cease-fire worked out under the Astana process.

Broader opinion in Turkey about the US strike has, however, been divided and conflicting. Retired Ambassador Oguz Demiralp said a strong response to the use of chemical weapons in the Middle East is in line with Turkeys national interests. [The US strike] has turned the picture in Syria to our advantage. It has put us on a higher level morally with regard to our discussions with Russia and Iran, Demiralp argued in an article for the news portal T24. An avid supporter of Turkeys ties with the West, he added, Possibilities for working with the West in general and the United States in particular will increase.

Such a view was seconded by Kurtulus Tayiz in the pro-government daily Aksam. This first military strike by the United States against the Syrian regime has also opened the door on new opportunities for Turkey, Tayiz wrote. He said it will no longer be possible for Russia and Iran to implement their plans for a future Syria led by Assad.

Mehmet Ocaktan, a former deputy of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) who writes for the pro-government but critical daily Karar, felt the need to underline the inconsistency of traditionally anti-American AKP supporters now turning pro-American. He wrote, There is a lesson in the fact that those who only yesterday were putting forward great analyses on how the Turkey-Russia-Iran trio will secure regional peace are now offering analyses about savior America. Ocaktan also maintained that there was no concrete evidence to suggest that Washingtons Syria policy had changed.

Retired Ambassador Unal Cevikoz also supported the one swallow doesnt make a summer perspective. Expecting this [US] move to change priorities or the course of the war in Syria could be misleading, Cevikoz wrote in his column for Hurriyet, adding that the situation in Syria could now get even more complicated.

Trumps priority is still fighting the Islamic State, Cevikoz commented, underlining that it is wrong to expect Washington to shift its focus from the extremist group to Assad.

The strongest warning against moving into Washingtons slipstream came from Ibrahim Karagul, a staunch Erdogan supporter and editor-in-chief of the Islamist and pro-government Yeni Safak. Criticizing those who believe the United States will be the panacea in Syria, Karagul noted that serious differences remain between Ankara and Washington.

He cited Washington's refusal to extradite Fethullah Gulen, the Muslim preacher Ankara accuses of masterminding last years coup attempt against Erdogan, and US support for the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party, which Turkey says is a terrorist organization. Karagul, who is fervently anti-American, said working closely with the United States in Syria could leave Turkish-Russian relations facing an even greater crisis than the one in 2015 after Turkey downed a Russian jet fighter on a bombing mission in northern Syria.

Of course Assad must go, but Turkey has to make broader calculations based on more than just the notion that Assad must go, Karagul wrote. No one can tell us that the US [conducted its strike in Syria] simply to avenge the children who died in the chemical massacre.

Hurriyet columnist Murat Yetkin believes that the chances for a safe zone remain minimal. The safe zone that Turkey wants does not seem possible without agreement with the United States and Russia, Yetkin argued. Such an agreement does not seem possible at the moment.

This mix of enthusiasm, wishful thinking and realism reflected by these views demonstrate the uncertainty in Turkey following the US strike on Shayrat. What the fallout in Turkish-Russian ties will be is yet to manifest itself.
Alabama Power

Alabama Power will soon update its signage on its downtown Birmingham headquarters to reflect its new branding and logo. A rendering is shown here.

(Courtesy Alabama Power)

Alabama Power's downtown campus is going to update its name on the Birmingham skyline.

Alabama Power and the other four other utilities companies under the parent company Southern Company changed their logos last year.

The old logo - the one still on the building - spelled out Alabama Power in block letter with a red triangle A and a lightning bolt striking through it. The new symbol is a three-dimensional triangle.

"We are excited to further enhance the Birmingham skyline with our new branding and logo," Alabama Power spokeswoman Katie Bolton said. "The new logo better reflects our evolving business in a changing industry, as well as our focus on innovation."

Alabama Power got clearance from the Birmingham Design Review Committee Wednesday morning.

Alabama Power will likely make the change midyear or later.
Briarwood Presbyterian Church and Briarwood Christian School have moved a step closer to having their own police department.

A bill proposing the church be allowed to have its own police department passed the state senate on Tuesday by a vote of 24-4.

It previously passed 9-2 in the House Public Safety Committee on Feb. 16, but it still needs approval from the full House.

The same bill passed last year but got to the governor late and never received a signature, said attorney Eric Johnston, who drafted the bill for the church. "It's amazing to me there was such support from Democrats and Republicans on it," Johnston said. "It's just been overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle."

Johnston said he expects the bill to pass in the House also and believes Gov. Kay Ivey will sign it into law.

Some critics of the bill have questioned why the church and school need a police department, but it's essentially a way of hiring a police officer full-time, as opposed to relying on off-duty police officers to assist the church, Johnston said.

Johnston notes that the 4,100-member church has thousands of events at the church and school on weekdays, nights and weekends that require security.

The church currently hires off-duty officers from area police departments, but there aren't always enough officers available, Johnston said. "The trouble is finding people to be there on a continuous basis," Johnston said.

Johnston said he doesn't know of any other churches in Alabama that have their own police departments, but he said it's more similar to a small college having its own police department. The language of the bill echoes the language of the law allowing colleges to have their own police departments, he said.

Briarwood has two large campuses, with the church and Birmingham Theological Seminary off Acton Road at Interstate 459, and at the affiliated Briarwood Christian School on Cahaba Valley Road.

If the church has its own police department, it can hire one of its part-time officers on a full-time basis to patrol the north and south campuses, Johnston said.

"They get short-handed," he said. "We have one guy that we have to have almost full-time supervising security."

One officer currently coordinates security on a part-time basis, he said.

The police department would essentially be that officer in a full-time position working for the church, he said. "They have to be qualified and meet certifications," Johnston said.

Having a full-time police officer on staff makes providing security for church events easier, he said.

"The reality is it's a good thing," he said.

"He would just become an employee of the church instead of a man who moonlights for the church as a security officer."

Churches have been forced to become more security-conscious in recent years, Johnston said.

"Unfortunately, we're living in a more dangerous world with more dangerous things going on," he said.

The Briarwood police department would not involve a jail or other facilities - basically an officer and an official car, he said.

Questions were raised in the House committee about a drug investigation at the Briarwood Christian School in 2015 and whether a private, internal police department would cover up a drug problem.

"Maybe it was bad timing there was a drug investigation at the school," Johnston said. "That was reported to the Shelby County Sheriff's Department and was investigated."

Briarwood's would-be head of police would be obligated to report any crimes committed to the proper authorities, Johnston said.

"If crimes are committed, he has to report those crimes," Johnston said. "He would have to report it. He would have to have the person arrested and turn it over to the local district attorney. If they keep it secret, they're committing a crime."

Alabama Senate Bill 193 says that the church "may appoint and employ one or more persons to act as police officers to protect the safety and integrity of the church and its ministries. Persons employed as police officers pursuant to this section shall be charged with all of the duties and invested with all of the powers of law enforcement officers in this state."

Briarwood Presbyterian Church Administrator Matt Moore released a statement on behalf of the church saying that Code 16-22-1 of Alabama law provides for the employment of one or more persons to act as police officers at colleges and other private educational institutions. "The church seeks to mirror that provision," it says.

After obtaining legislative permission, the personnel employed by the church will meet all requirements and be certified by the Alabama Peace Officer Training Commission, the statement said.

"The sole purpose of this proposed legislation is to provide a safe environment for the church, its members, students and guests."
capitol mug dec 1.jpg

(Mike Cason/mcason@al.com)

A proposal to place the right to life of the unborn in the Alabama Constitution is a step away from going to voters for approval.

The Senate Health Committee approved the proposed constitutional amendment on an 8-2 vote. It moves to the Senate.

If approved by at least 21 of the 35 senators, it would go to voters in a statewide referendum.

The Alabama amendment would come into play if the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which said women have a constitutional right to abortion.

The sponsor is Rep. Matt Fridy, R-Montevallo.

The amendment says:

"The state acknowledges, declares and affirms that it is the public policy of this state to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life.

"The state further acknowledges, declares and affirms that is the public policy of this state to ensure the protection of the rights of the unborn child, including the right to life."

The committee approved the amendment by a vote of 8-2. Voting against it were Sens. Billy Beasley, D-Clayton, and Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham.

The committee approved three other bills:

A bill to say that health care provider could refuse to perform certain activities that violate their conscience without risk of being fired, demoted, sued or having their pay cut. The services covered would be abortion, human cloning, human embryonic stem cell research and sterilization.

A bill to ban assisted suicide.

A bill to prohibit the state from refusing to license child adoption agencies because of policies based on religious beliefs, such as not placing children with same-sex couples.

All three bills have passed the House and move to the Senate.

Anti Abortion Amendment by Mike Cason on Scribd
A Birmingham man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in federal court Tuesday for pistol-whipping a police detective, which seriously injured the officer, the Department of Justice said.

Authorities said Janard Shamar Cunningham, 36, assaulted Birmingham Police Detective Johnny Brooks during the morning of Aug. 7, 2015. According to a guilty plea Cunningham entered in court, Cunningham was driving a maroon GMC sport utility vehicle on Parkway East when he started tailgating Brooks' unmarked police car. Cunningham then pulled around Brooks, blew his horn and sped off at about 60 mph. Brooks flashed his blue lights and called the dispatcher for an marked to come to the scene and make a traffic stop on Cunningham's vehicle.

Before extra units arrived, Brooks followed the SUV into the Roebuck Shopping Center. Witnesses said Cunningham got out of vehicle and started walking towards Brooks, who told Cunningham to get back in his vehicle. The DOJ said Cunningham attacked the detective, took Brooks' service pistol and used the firearm to beat Brooks unconscious.

Birmingham officers on patrol saw the GMC speed away from the scene and tried to stop him, but Cunningham refused to pull over. Other officers spotted the vehicle on Shadywood Drive, where Cunningham surrendered.

Cunningham pleaded guilty to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm charge. He has three previous felony convictions for breaking and entering a vehicle, first-degree robbery and second-degree assault, according to his federal plea agreement.

"Violent attacks on police officers will not be tolerated," Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Gerido said. "This officer suffered grave injuries while doing his job protecting the public."

Acting U.S. Attorney Robert O. Posey said the department will continue to aggressively prosecute cases like these.

"The president and Attorney General Jeff Sessions have made it clear that prosecuting violent crimes committed against police officers is a top priority of the Department of Justice," Posey said. "Our office will use all the tools at our disposal to aggressively pursue these cases."
Birmingham police are asking for help locating a 63-year-old man last seen at UAB Hospital.

Merl Joseph Reed came to Birmingham from Alexander City on Wednesday, April 5 to go to UAB Hospital, Lt. Sean Edwards said.

Reed reportedly stepped outside of the emergency room to smoke but never returned.

Reed has a glass eye and is partially blind. He walks with a limp and is unable to walk long distances without assistance, police said. He is described as a white man. He is 5-foot 11 inches tall and weighs about 175 pounds. He was last seen wearing black jeans, black shoes and a black-striped Polo-style shirt and an Auburn cap.

Anyone with information on Reed's whereabouts is asked to call 911 or police at 205-297-8485.
The case of a man charged with killing his girlfriend and leaving her dead in a stranger's home has been sent to the grand jury.

Anthony Gene McClellan, who is charged with capital murder during a burglary, had a preliminary hearing Friday. After the hearing, Jefferson County Bessemer Cutoff Circuit Judge David Carpenter bound the case over for possible indictment.

McClellan, 40, will remain in the Jefferson County jail without bond.

According to the affidavit, McClellan and Christy Lynn Cook broke into a home in the 2000 block of Rock Mountain Lake Dr. in McCalla on March 8. While burglarizing the home, records showed McClellan fatally shot Cook twice. When he fled, McClellan stole a M4 style BB rifle and a nine-ounce Co2 canister. The two stolen items were recovered in McClellan's vehicle, which was found abandoned in Etowah County.

McClellan said he accidentally shot Cook.

Cook, 39, was last seen about 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, according to family members. She was believed to be on her way to Tennessee, but never arrived there. Her truck was found in a wooded area in the Keener community on March 10.

Her body was discovered just before 2 p.m. March 15, when a Jefferson County man returned from a business trip and called 911 after he found someone he believed was asleep in his bedroom. He told deputies no one was supposed to be at the house, and he didn't know the woman.

Police said she appeared to have been dead for several days.

After police contacted Pickens County authorities to gather more information about Cook, they learned McClellan was in custody there after local police found him wandering disoriented near on Highway 11 N in Attalla on March 8.

Jefferson County sheriff's deputies went to question McClellan, where he told several different stories about Cook's death. First he claimed Cook had been kidnapped and shot by a drug dealer. Then, McClellan said he accidentally shot Cook.

"Now, we have seen a lot of accidental shootings but this is the first one where the victim was accidentally shot twice,'' Cheif Deputy Randy Christian said. "If he has any ounce of decency left he will at some point tell the truth about what happened and why and give closure to this poor girls family. They deserve that."

The homeowner, who has asked not to be identified, said he will set up a security system before he leaves on his next business trip, but his neighborhood is generally peaceful. "This is a case where some people came into the neighborhood, somehow got into the house and something unfortunate happened. They didn't party. There wasn't even any dirty dishes in the sink or trash in the trash can. I don't know what happened."
A former Homewood medical product distributor was charged Tuesday after falsely stating to a U.S. postal inspector that packages of human pregnancy hormone shipped to him last year from China were actually a gift for his wife.

Alfred Lamoureux Jr., 45, of Columbiana, was charged with making a false statement to federal government, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama.

According to court documents, Lamoureux told a postal inspector on May 9, 2016 that two packages he ordered from China contained cosmetics for his wife, though Lamoureaux knew the packages contained vials of injectable human chorionic gonadotropin. Lamoureaux intended to sell the HCG as a weight loss drug, which is not approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Birmingham on Nov. 4, 2015 intercepted a package from China and addressed to Lamoureux in Hoover.

Postal inspectors detained the second package from China on May 4, 2016 that was addressed to Lamoureux's address in Columbiana.

Both packages were declared as cosmetics.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Lamoureux called the Columbiana Post Office on May 9, 2016 to inquire about a lost package. It was at that time that prosecutors say Lamoureux made false statements to a postal inspector.

Lamoureux operated Phoenix Meds Inc. in Homewood from 2012 to 2015 selling medical products, including injectable and oral products, according to his plea agreement.

In January 2015, the Alabama Board of Pharmacy revoked Phoenix Meds'

manufacturer/wholesaler/distributor permit for ordering and receiving drugs from an entity that did not have permits from the pharmacy board. The board also cited claims on the business' website that HCG was "important in weight control" when the FDA had declared it unlawful to sell the drug for that purpose, the plea agreement states.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Lamoureux then formed another company, Perdido Key Health and Wellness Inc. in Perdido Key, Fla. In January 2016, the Florida licensing board issued notice of intent to deny the new business' applications for a prescription drug wholesaler permit and product registration because Lamoureux provided false information about the Alabama pharmacy board's disciplinary action against Phoenix Meds, according to the plea agreement.

The maximum penalty for making a false statement to the government is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Rob Quists campaign for U.S. House has raised $903,975 through March according to federal campaign reports.

Records filed Tuesday by the Democrats campaign show Quist raising the lion's share of his money since officially becoming the Montana Democratic Partys candidate March 5.

Quist, along with Republican Greg Gianforte and Libertarian Mark Wicks are campaigning to replace Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke as Montana's lone congressman. Zinke resigned last month. Absentee ballots will be mailed April 28. The last day to vote is Thursday, May 25.

Quists campaign Tuesday said it has raised an additional $411,000 that wasnt in its report to the Federal Election Commission. The quarterly report doesnt include money collected in April.

Rob Quist is going to be an independent voice for Montanans and not millionaires and corporate special interests, and Montanans are coming out in droves to support his candidacy, said spokeswoman Tina Olechowski, in a press release. From grassroots excitement at events across the state to small donations pouring in, Rob has momentum and Greg Gianforte is nowhere to be seen. Rob wants Montanans to know who is funding his grassroots campaign, and thats why were releasing our FEC report ahead of the deadline.

Candidates Gianforte and Wicks are expected to file by the end of the week. The Gianforte campaign had previously reported its receipts at $1.6 million.

Quist has been paid $4,000 as a candidate so far, with payments on Feb. 23, March 7 and 20. Its not illegal for a candidate to pay himself with campaign funds, but it is unusual.

Quist told Lee Montana in March that he needs to earn a living. The Tuesday report also shows $400 paid to the candidates son, Guthrie Quist, for website production.

Quist spent $211,558 through March, with some expenses coming as early as January as the candidate toured the state drumming up support among the county committee people who voted at the Democratic Partys nominating convention.

Quist had $692,418 on hand at the end of March. Nearly two thirds of his donations came from ActBlue, a political action committee that bundles donations for candidates. FEC records dont show who was behind donations collected by ActBlue. Quists campaign said individual donors numbered 22,333 and were mostly Montanans.

Donors who contributed $50 or more directly to the Quist campaign were identified. There were 626 Montana donations identified in Tuesdays report.
None of the five finalists for Birmingham City Schools superintendent are from within the district.

The Alabama Association of School Boards, which served as the search firm, released the names of the finalists on Tuesday afternoon. The group said 47 people applied for the position.

The finalists are: Garrett L. Brundage, of Conyers, Ga.; Ronnie A. Dotson, of Grayson, Ky.; Timothy Gadson III, of Minneapolis, Minn.; Lisa N, Herring, of Louisville, Ky.; and Regina Thompson, of Blythewood, S.C.

Thompson has ties to Alabama. According to her Facebook page, Thompson is a Birmingham native.

The lack of a finalist from within Birmingham City Schools drew outrage from some members of the audience. School board member Cheri Gardner asked for interim Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Larry Contri to be added to the list of finalists.

Board President Wardine Alexander said Contri couldn't be added, at least not yet, because the finalists' names weren't released during a regular meeting.

Alexander told members of the media following the meeting that the board is pleased with the finalists, but it is the first time that the board is seeing the names. She said she didn't expect other names to be added to the list.

"At this point, we would like to stay with the recommendation of the search committee," Alexander said. "We will move forward with what we have at this point."

Board Vice President Sherman Collins Jr. asked if any of the candidates were from within Birmingham City Schools.

Linda Ingram of the Alabama Association of School Boards said that information is confidential and can't be released.

Following the regular meeting, Gardner said she is "incredibly disappointed" that no finalists were from within the Birmingham City School system. She said she heard that many leaders from the district did apply.

The search for a new superintendent began in December about two months after the Birmingham Board of Education fired superintendent Kelley Castlin-Gacutan. Castlin-Gacutan was fired without cause after a 6-3 vote on Sept. 22, 2016. She had only served 16 months on the job.

The Alabama Association of School Boards started accepting applications in January. The group vetted the candidates and narrowed them down to five finalists.

According to Birmingham City Schools, the candidates will be interviewed via Skype on from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19 in the auditorium of Birmingham City School's Central Office. The interviews are open to the public and will be livestreamed on the school system's website.

Following the interviews, Birmingham residents will be asked to complete a survey about the candidates. The survey can be completed through noon on Friday, April 21.

According to the school system, survey scores and board members' scores on the five candidates will be presented to the school board on Friday, April 21 at 5:30 p.m. Two finalists will be selected during that meeting.

The two finalists will be interviewed at the central office on Tuesday, April 25 and Wednesday, April 26 at 5:30 p.m. A resident survey on the two finalists will be online from April 25 until noon on May 1.

The new superintendent is expected to be in place by July 1.

Contri, the school system's longest-running employee at 49 years, is serving as interim superintendent. He is being paid a salary of $202,000, which is the same amount that Castlin-Gacutan was receiving. Contri also receives a $500 a month car allowance and fuel card.

In a previous interview, Contri said he would consider applying for superintendent. It's unclear at this time if he applied for the permanent post.

Here is some background on the five finalists for Birmingham City Schools superintendent:

- Garrett A. Brundage currently services as chief officer safe schools/student affairs/assistant superintendent of administrative services for the Rockdale County Public Schools in Georgia.

He started his career as a math teacher at Putnam County High School in Georgia in 1995. He has served in numerous posts including assistant principal and in support services.

Brundage received his doctorate and educational specialist degrees from Argosy University. He has a master's degree from Georgia College and State University and a bachelor's degree from Georgia Southern University.

- Ronnie A. Dotson currently serves as superintendent of the Carter County School District in Kentucky. He started his career as a teacher in Pike County, Ky. in 1988. He has also served as a principal and adjunct professor.

He received his master's and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Morehead State University. He received his bachelor's degree from Lee University.

- Timothy Gadson III currently serves as superintendent designee and executive director of curriculum and schools at Robbinsdale Area Schools in Minnesota.

He started his career as a teacher at Palm Beach County School District in Florida 1993. He has also served in numerous posts including assistant principal, principal, adjunct professor and director of secondary education. He also previously served as associate superintendent of Atlanta Public Schools from 2014-16.

Gadson earned his bachelor's degree for Florida A&M University and a master's and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Washington State University.

- Lisa Herring currently serves as chief academic officer for Jefferson County Public Schools in Kentucky. She has served in numerous leadership positions in Georgia, South Carolina and Kentucky.

Herring earned bachelor's degree from Spelman College, a master's and educational specialist degrees from the University of South Carolina and a doctorate from Georgia Southern University.

- Regina Thompson currently serves as chief of teaching and learning at Richland County School District One in South Carolina. She began her career as a teacher at Homewood City Schools in 1995. She also served as an assistant professor at Samford University; a principal at Fairfield City Schools, a principal in Montgomery Public Schools and other leaderships positions.

Thompson earned her bachelor's degree from Birmingham Southern College and a master's, educational specialist and doctorate degrees from Samford University.

Updated on April 12 at 3:12 p.m. with finalist interview schedule.

Birmingham City Schools superintendent finalists on Scribd
A man who allegedly shot and killed an Ohio woman and injured another was captured Wednesday in Birmingham, U.S. Marshals Service Regional Fugitive Task Force said.

Randy Hunter, 28, was wanted by the Columbus Ohio Division of Police for murder and assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities said Hunter fatally shot Lonnie Lambert, 36, and injured 49-year-old Nichelle Lillard in the 900 Block of Lilley Avenue in Columbus on Feb.22, 2017.

The Southern Ohio Fugitive Strike Team received information that Hunter was in the Birmingham area on April 10. Task force members found Hunter sleeping in the backseat of a vehicle and took him into custody without incident.

Hunter was placed into Jefferson County Jail and will be extradited back to Columbus, Ohio, authorities said.
Sidewalk.jpg

(courtesy)

Do you have something to say?

Pretty soon, Birmingham will host volunteers who want to hear it. Sidewalk Talk, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that trains and deploys volunteer listeners will visit the Magic City on April 14 to offer a short course on skilled listening followed by a public event.

Volunteer listeners will set up in Railroad Park from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and invite members of the community to share their thoughts. It's all part of an effort to promote community connection and emotional health.

Traci Ruble, a licensed psychotherapist, co-founded Sidewalk Talk in 2014 with therapist Lily Sloane. At first, they wanted to reduce stigma around therapy, but the goal has evolved since then to include community building and encouraging empathy.

"My motivation began after the Sandy Hook shooting," Ruble said. "I thought, 'I cannot make sense of this.' I did not feel like being a therapist in my office was going to help me understand it.'"

Sidewalk Talk has held several events in California and in large cities such as Chicago and Washington, D.C. Friday's event will mark the first time Sidewalk Talk has visited Alabama, a stop scheduled as part of a road trip to bring the organization to smaller cities within the South and Midwest.

"We live in San Francisco, which has a very narrowly focused political bent," Ruble said. "You kind of meet similar types of people there who believe a lot of the same things. We wanted to do a tour through states we have never been to."

Ruble said listening to and connecting with people can have a positive impact on mental health.

"We have this data that shows human connection makes us feel better," she said.

A training session earlier in the day will equip volunteers with skills to listen actively and without judgment, Ruble said. It's open to the public and scheduled for 12 to 1:30 p.m. at the UAB campus. Some of the skills come from the field of psychotherapy, with an emphasis on hearing what people have to say instead of healing them

"The piece that's most important - I believe that compassion is something that happens between equals," Ruble said. "As a volunteer, you are just showing up as a human who has no answers."

In past events, volunteers have encountered people who needed mental health treatment, Ruble said. Volunteers can distribute information about low and no-cost resources for people who need professional treatment. Ruble recalled an incident involving a woman who appeared at an event in San Francisco days after she traveled cross-country without medication she needed to treat bipolar disorder. A volunteer steered her toward a local mental health center.

But many participants have no need for mental health treatment. Often they don't even share anything negative or sad, Ruble said.

"We're not out there as mental health workers," Ruble said. "We're not out there assuming people are broken. There are not enough therapists in the world to heal all the problems in the world. People need to be dialed into a community."
The ACLU of Montana filed a lawsuit against Cascade County for failing to respond to a request for information on the use of racial profiling and force policies and files on license plate readers which can be used to track a drivers location.

According to a statement, the ACLU sent the first Freedom of Information Act request for the cell site simulators on March 24, 2016. They followed up on April 12, 2016 asking for the Cascade County Sheriff's Office policies on force and racial profiling to make the information available on the ACLU website for public use.

The office didnt respond to either request, the lawsuit alleges.

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said on Wednesday he wasn't aware a lawsuit had been filed and would need to do some research before commenting.

Jim Taylor, legal director for ACLU Montana, said the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday and the sheriff's office hadn't been served yet. Taylor said the ACLU contacted the sheriff's office through mail each time and never received a response.

Commonly called Sting-Ray devices, the cell site simulators mimic cellphone towers and force a phone to allow police to see its location as well as identifying information. Automatic license plate readers gather information from a plates location and send it to a regional sharing system where its stored for an unregulated amount of time.

The ACLU said this information allows police to essentially track a persons movements.

Taylor said the ACLU has tried to work with agencies that have asked for additional time to meet its requests but is unwilling to continue waiting for agencies that choose not to respond. He said the ACLU plans to also sue the other agencies that havent respond to the same request.

There are 13 other jurisdictions that didn't respond to either request and 24 that only responded to one, Taylor said. There were several who gave incomplete or problematic responses. He declined to specify which jurisdictions failed to respond.

When asked why the ACLU started with Cascade County, Taylor said it was the first major jurisdiction on the list alphabetically.

"It's rare that we send a FOIA and we don't get anything back at all. Agencies have an obligation under state law to respond," he said. "It will cost the ones who don't financially."

While the lawsuit doesn't seek damages, it asks for compliance and legal fees.
A former security guard for the Northern Cheyenne Tribe's Charging Horse Casino and Bingo will spend almost one year in federal prison for stealing $23,000 from the business and using the money to buy a pound of methamphetamine and a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters on Wednesday sentenced Wenonah Sue Wagner, 31, of El Reno, Oklahoma, to 10 months in prison and ordered $23,000 restitution for her conviction on theft by an employee of a gaming business on Indian lands.

Watters ran the sentence consecutive to two Oklahoma felony theft sentences Wagner is serving.

Wagner pleaded guilty to the crime in December. There was no plea agreement.

Watters told Wagner that she took advantage of her position of trust and placed other employees under scrutiny during an investigation.

The judge further noted that Wagner went to Texas and used the stolen money to fuel her drug addiction by buying a pound of meth and a firearm.

Wagner has a long history of substance abuse that started when she was pre-teen and ultimately led to intravenous meth use, the judge said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan recommended a high-end guideline sentence of 14 months, consecutive to the state sentences, saying Wagner abused a position of trust and that the theft hamstrung the casino and its employees.

After stealing the money, Wagner ran amok in Texas, Sullivan said, where she used the money to buy methamphetamine and a firearm in addition to paying bills.

Assistant Federal Defender Gillian Gosch asked for a low-end term of about eight months, concurrent with the Oklahoma sentences. Wagner, she said, has a serious substance abuse problem along with mental health issues.

The theft happened in November 2015, a few months after Wagner started work in July as a security guard, Sullivan said earlier.

Rumors in the Lame Deer community in December 2015 about a security guard that had stolen money from the casino led to employees conducting an audit, the prosecutor said.

The audit found $23,000 was missing from a vault and security footage showed that on Nov. 15, 2015, Wagner entered the casino vault while on duty, hid two stacks of cash under her clipbard and then left the casino with the money hidden under her shirt, Sullivan said.

Wagner then failed to show up for her shifts and did not explain her absences or resign, Sullivan said. Authorities eventually arrested Wagner in Oklahoma in January 2016 for passing a bad check.
There are only 30 vaquitas left, but could a plan to use navy-trained dolphins to save them be the solution?

San Felipe, Mexico  Somewhere deep in the blue waters of the Gulf of California, off the coast of northern Mexico, swim the last of the vaquitas.

They are a distinctive small porpoise, with permanently smiling expressions and dark rings around their eyes. And, according to the last count in November 2016, there are only around 30 left. That makes them the most endangered marine mammal species on the planet.

The vaquitas survival has become a bit of an obsession for environmental activists, scientists and politicians around the world. Former US President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto discussed ways to protect them, while celebrities Miley Cyrus and Leonardo DiCaprio have taken to social media on their behalf. And a group of marine biologists, calling themselves the International Vaquita Recovery Comission (CIRVA, to use their Spanish acronym) have hatched an audacious plan to save them using US navy-trained dolphins.

The Vaquita might not entirely welcome its newfound fame. Its so shy and rarely seen that it has been known to science only for the past five decades.

But that time has been enough for humankind to bring it to the brink of extinction.

The vaquita is being wiped out as collateral damage  bycatch in the nets used for another endangered species, the totoaba, a fish that shares its waters.

The totoaba can grow to up to two metres in length, but poachers are interested in only one part: its swim bladder. Across Asia, and particularly in China, it is prized for its supposed medicinal properties.

Fishing and trafficking the totoaba has been illegal since 1975, but the thousands of dollars its bladder can fetch in the market means that many are willing to take the risk.

The smuggling of totoaba from Mexico to Asia has become so widespread and lucrative that it is referred to as aquatic cocaine. In March, the Mexican army found 17kg of totoaba swim bladder hidden in the fuel tank of a car in the northern state of Sonora.

Government response

The impact of the totoaba poachers on the vaquitas habitat has forced a worried Mexican government to act.

In April 2015, Nieto travelled to the Gulf of California to expand a blanket no-fishing zone across the vaquita and totoabas principal habitat  a reserve that covers an area of 11,595 square kilometres.

It isnt only totoaba nets that have been banned. The ban also applies to the nets of legal shrimp fishermen, which scientists believe pose a danger to totoaba and vaquitas. The Mexican navy and the federal police have been brought in to enforce the ban.

But the deaths have continued. Two more vaquita washed up in March. Fishermen in San Felipe, the town nearest to the reserve, say that despite the presence of the authorities, poachers are still going out on to the water.

Its the illegal fishermen who benefit from the ban. They keep going and the legal fishermen cant work, says Jose Luis Romero Gonzalez, a grizzled but energetic 58-year-old shrimp fisherman, as he shows us his boat, parked indefinitely in his front yard.

During the past two years, the government has provided the shrimp fishermen with compensation not to fish. But with the deal due to end in May, that money is now in danger.

The leader of the biggest fishermens union in San Felipe, Sunshine Rodriguez, says that if the deal is not renewed, they will have only one option: Ill go to court and Ill go fishing, and nobodys going to stop me. If this doesnt get resolved were going back into the water.

Rodriguez, a stocky blonde man with weather-beaten skin and near-perfect English, says that wouldnt actually be a problem. Both vaquitas and totoabas can easily punch through the finer, lighter mesh of shrimp nets, he insists.

But the scientists from CIRVA emphatically disagree. They say the shrimp nets can entangle vaquitas just as badly as the illegal totoaba ones  and with the same lethal results.

The issue has divided fishermen in San Felipe. Most side with Sunshine Rodriguez and simply want to be allowed to fish as they always have. But a smaller group, including Jose Luis Romero Gonzalez, are working with the scientists, calling for the development of alternative equipment that will let the vaquita through while still trapping shrimps.

WATCH: Can the oceans sustain our appetite for fish?

Seemingly stuck in the middle are the Mexican fishing authorities, CONAPESCA and INAPESCA. They have made attempts to develop alternative equipment but fishermen and CIRVA say that their efforts have been slow and unsuccessful. They did not reply to Al Jazeeras repeated requests for an interview.

It has all created an atmosphere of confusion and tension between fishermen, the authorities and scientists around the vaquita reserve. That tension rose further in March when dozens of fishermen attacked environmental inspectors, destroying their vehicles and boats in the town of Santa Clara, which is also near the no-fishing-zone.

The vaquita is a symbol

In the midst of an already fraught situation, conservation groups have also joined the fray. In particular Sea Shepherd, the marine wildlife conservation organisation famous for its battles against the Japanese whaling fleet. It has sent one of its nine ships, the Sam Simon, to try to help save the vaquitas.

The Sam Simon resembles a pirate boat, with a flag reminiscent of the Jolly Roger, but the international volunteers aboard spend their days on the lookout for poachers in the vaquita reserve, alerting the Mexican navy to any suspicious boats.

Meanwhile, Sea Shepherd also trawls for illegal nets which are snared on the hooks the ship drags behind it.

On the day Al Jazeera visited, the group found a totoaba tangled in one of the nets. The fish was about a metre long  half the size an adult can eventually grow to.

The ships captain, 33-year-old Frenchman Thomas Le Coz, believes this is the moment to draw a line in the sand.

The vaquita is a symbol. There are many species that disappear all the time, and the vaquita could be next, Le Coz told Al Jazeera. The situation is really critical. If we can save it, maybe we can save others.

From late December to early March, the Sam Simon and its sister ship, the Farley Mowat, had found more than 100 illegal nets. Theyve called their operation Milago (or miracle)  a reflection of the almost hopeless odds against the vaquita.

With the number so low and poachers constantly in the waters, scientists believe something significant is required.

A Hail Mary approach

With that in mind, CIRVA has come up with a rescue plan.

It rests on US navy-trained dolphins using their natural sonar to track some of the remaining vaquitas so that three boats full of specialists can catch them with a net.

Lorenzo Rojas Bracho, the CIRVA chairman and Mexicos foremost vaquita expert, estimates that the operation would cost around $3.8m. He aims to raise that money from the Mexican government, private institutions and via crowdfunding in time to set sail in October.

The hope is that once in their protected sea pens, the vaquitas will breed. Even if they dont, Rojas Bracho and the team plan to take vaquita tissue samples for a Jurassic Park-style future vaquita resurrection.

WATCH: Conserving Rare Species & DIY Environmental Activists

We can do tissue culture and save some cells and you can do a lot with those things in the future, even cloning, Rojas Bracho explained.

Veterinarians and captivity experts would monitor the capture operation and if, at any stage, the animals seem to be faring badly, it would be postponed or called off.

Barbara Taylor, a marine mammal expert at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told Al Jazeera that it may be worth trying as there are few other options.

Its worth a Hail Mary to try and save the species because otherwise things are looking extremely grim, she said.

She points to the success in saving other animals by bringing them into captivity, like the California condor. There were 22 birds when they were placed in a controlled breeding programme. There are now more than 400 worldwide.

Coincidentally, there is now a population of the same California condors flying in the Sierra San Pedro Martir mountain range, just inland from the vaquita reserve. Its a welcome reminder for conservationists that there can be hope even in the most desperate cases.
As more states pass bills targeting the movement to boycott Israel, analysts believe such measures could backfire.

Washington, DC  In the United States, far away from Israel, there is a related storm a-brewing.

In recent months, state legislatures have been passing bills that target supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) that seeks to pressure Israel into ending its occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories, and to grant its own Palestinian citizens full rights.

At least 26 such bills have been introduced nationwide in 2017, according to Palestine Legal, a group that provides legal advice to US-based pro-Palestine civil rights activists.

The bills would financially punish organisations and companies that boycott Israel, for example by limiting their possibilities to get public contracts.

Were seeing an increase in efforts to stifle Palestine advocacy work, said Rahul Saksena, staff lawyer at Palestine Legal. One of the more recent trends is a shift towards state lawmakers to introduce and pass bills that aim to suppress or punish activism.

Over the years, as hopes for a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict diminished, support for BDS rose among artists, companies, even churches. Israel has slammed those who boycott or divest from it as anti-Semites, and said that the real aims of the BDS movement are to undermine its right to exist.

BDS supporters here are pushing back. Using legal means and grassroots activism, they are educating politicians about the movement, and challenging anti-BDS bills by invoking First Amendment rights.

We are focusing on fighting these new bills, to tell the public and lawmakers that BDS is a constitutionally-protected right, Saksena said. Its important for lawmakers to know that, especially in this climate in the Trump era, where our right to dissent is increasingly necessary and valuable.

Anti-protest measures

Since Donald Trump was elected president, a growing number of anti-protest bills have surfaced.

Politicians in states such as Tennessee and Virginia have either voted on or introduced legislation that could curb protesters abilities by, for example, raising the stakes for blocking highways or banning the use of masks during demonstrations.





Its true weve seen a rise in [anti-BDS] bills even before the new administration, said Naomi Dann, media programme manager at Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-occupation activism group. But I think theres another rise again that goes hand in hand with the way state legislators  under the Trump administration  have tried to pass laws that criminalise protesting.

Some social justice groups believe that Trumps administration, which welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House in its first month, and appointed a fervently pro-Israel ambassador to Tel Aviv, has given state legislators added impetus to showcase their support for Israel.

But the groups say that this political climate has only emboldened them.

In some ways [these anti-BDS bills] have had the opposite effect, in the sense that local coalitions have sprung up in many states to try and fight them, Dann said. And its resulted in BDS activists having better relationships with local legislators, and with each other.

Most recently there was a vote on a bill in North Carolina that moved through the House. About quarter of legislators voted against it. Its not as high as we hoped it would be but it shows there are increasingly more lawmakers willing to speak up against these bills, particularly on the grounds of free speech.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about BDS

In early March, the New York Senate fast-tracked and passed three anti-boycott bills. Unlike the heavily Republican-sponsored bills targeting protesters in general, these pieces of legislation were widely supported by Democrats. Each of these bills targeting BDS had been introduced in different versions and rejected in the past, but this time passed without debate or public input.

One of the bills stipulates that the state would cease to invest in or contract with companies and organisations that support boycotts for Palestinian rights  a prohibition already in effect through a highly criticised executive order signed last year by Democratic governor Andrew Cuomo.

Other states have since followed suit. The Minnesota state legislature is currently considering two similar bills that would deny state benefits, including contracts, to those who boycott or divest from Israel. In Maryland, legislators introduced a bill that, like its Minnesota counterpart, would prohibit companies or individuals from contracting with the state should they support BDS.

Free speech debate

These tactics are not new, but part of a decades-long attempt by pro-Israel advocacy groups to stifle pro-Palestinian speech in the US, said Nathan Thrall, a Jerusalem-based senior analyst at the International Crisis Group.

When, in the 1970s, [founding] PLO member Shafiq al-Hout was scheduled to speak at several US universities, pro-Israel groups not only called  ironically  to boycott the events, but to cancel them. They also lobbied the state department to revoke al-Houts visa and deport him, Thrall said.





Supporters believe their push-back against these bills, coupled with the backlash against Trumps proposal to temporarily ban entry into the US of travellers from six Muslim-majority countries, has shifted the discourse on Palestine into the larger debate on free speech and the fundamentals of democracy in the US.

It is actually helping us expand our support because the issues are now part of a broader debate rather than a debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It is now part of the discourse on the values that run American society, said Hatem Bazian, director of the Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project at the University of California, Berkeley.

The political discourse in the US, amidst the rising tide of right-wing policy, has created a greater opening for more assertive engagement on Palestine and the coalescing of Palestinian issues in the general discourse.

Support growing

Since its inception, the BDS movement has grown in support and power, and with it an increase in pressure on artists, writers and academics to end their collaboration with Israel. Initially, Israel and the movements critics trivialised BDS, pointing to its low economic impact.

But in recent years, BDS initiatives have been undertaken by dozens of local councils in Europe and Australia, and by several US churches and Quaker bodies. Artists, notable scientists and public figures have heeded the campaigns call to boycott Israel, while some academic institutions in Europe and North America voiced support for the movement.

OPINION: The BDS struggle in US academia

BDS says its campaigns have led to soft-drink company SodaStream closing its factory in an illegal West Bank settlement, French telecom Orange leaving the Israeli market, and the Bill Gates Foundation cutting ties with G4S, a company that provides security services to Israeli checkpoints and prisons.

Since then, Israeli government officials have become more vocal about their disgruntlement with BDS initiatives, and earmarked millions of dollars to fight them. Last month, authorities arrested Omar Bargouthi, cofounder of the BDS movement, on alleged tax evasion. The BDS National Committee said his detention was an intimidation tactic to silence and intimidate him.

Recently, Israel passed a bill denying entry to foreigners who support boycotting it or its West Bank settlements. Its Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan  who is in charge of government efforts to combat BDS  announced plans for a database of Israelis who support the movement.

With anti-BDS efforts on the rise, analysts believe that these measures have the potential to backfire.

At present BDS is a fairly marginal movement, embraced by only a fraction of even those people who care deeply about Israel-Palestine, Thrall said.

But it has the potential, thanks in significant part to anti-BDS legislation, to become something much larger: a leading cause for advocates of free speech. The risk for pro-Israel groups is that their legislative victories wind up paving the path to a popular defeat.
Paris, France  Fact-checkers, media literacy training and a return to journalisms fundamental principles are some of the solutions to counter the fake news phenomenon, a group of prominent editors and journalists said as they gathered recently in Paris for UNESCOs Colloquium Journalism Under Fire conference.

Citing as an example of one of the most extreme, and potentially lethal, examples of fake news, the panel discussed an event on social media last December.

A fabricated quote attributed to the Israeli defence minister in a false report said that Israel has threatened Pakistan with nuclear weapons, prompting his Pakistani counterpart to warn that Israel forgets Pakistan is a nuclear state too.

In the same month, a man who said he was investigating a conspiracy theory about US politician Hillary Clinton running a child sex ring out of a pizza place fired an assault rifle inside a Washington, DC, restaurant.

The Comet Ping Pong restaurant gained notoriety during the 2016 US presidential campaign after fake news stories stated that Clinton and her campaign chief ran a child sex ring out of the restaurant.

As the story spread online, fanned by right-leaning conspiracy theorists on discussion sites 4chan and Reddit, the restaurant owner received hundreds of threatening messages about the alleged scandal, dubbed pizzagate.

Propaganda for political or economic gains is nothing new, but what constitutes fake news is contested.

For some, it is as simple as false information. For others, the term is dished out to media that broadcasts or publishes negative stories.

As Finnish editor Kari Huhta puts it, the argument often becomes ridiculous.

[It becomes a contest of people saying] Youre fake news! No youre fake news! No your mother is fake news!' he told the panel in Paris.

READ MORE: 2016 and the truth behind fake news

While old, established forms of propaganda are still largely the domain of wealthy institutions or governments working through traditional channels, fake news tends to be more associated with groups or individuals using social media platforms to spread sensational and outlandish stories.

[It could be agreed that] a young man or woman sitting in their bedroom in Macedonia literally inventing stories such as The Pope backs Donald Trump is part of the fake news phenomenon, said Ivor Gaber, professor of journalism at the University of Sussex.

Fake news before Trump

Although the fake news phenomenon sprang to prominence after the election of US President Donald Trump, the Philippines was five or six months ahead of the US [with the May 2016 elections], said Maria Ressa, editor-in-chief of Rappler, a Filipino online media outlet.

President Duterte came to power because of social media. He had the most sophisticated social media campaign ever. she said.

The abundance of fake news has had a direct impact on the quality of democracy in the Philippines.

A number of fake Facebook accounts were cooked up, attracting huge groups of followers, and were able to amplify a flood of false stories targeting Dutertes political opponents and critics, Ressa said.

However in the case of Trump, fake news was not behind his surprising election victory, said Serge Schmemann, a writer and editor with the New York Times.

Fake news is just a symptom of the crisis that traditional journalism is experiencing, such as the lowering of journalistic standards and quality due to financial pressures and time constraints, he said.

To stop the flow of misinformation, journalism ethics and guidelines should be brought to the fore, Schmemann added, recalling a particularly harsh punishment for making a mistake.

At his first job in a small New Jersey newspaper, young journalists who made a mistake that required a correction were made to eat a red hot pepper in the middle of the office to learn that a mistake is physically painful.

Debunking misinformation

Fact-checking tools and organisations are increasingly perceived as effective in disempowering fake news, among them Les decodeurs, a France-based team of journalists and social network specialists analysing and verifying news content.

Misinformation is taking hold because it is communicated in a simple way, through powerful phrases, and your debunking must be equally simple to be efficient by Evangeline de Bourgoing, Global Editors Network

But for fact-checkers to excel, it is necessary to provide readers with credible sources, said Evangeline de Bourgoing, director the Global Editors Network.

It seems fairly obvious but if you want to refute an argument that is widely believed by a Republican supporter, you have to find a Republican to deny this statement. Its obvious but its not something most news outlets do, she said.

Misinformation is taking hold because it is communicated in a simple way, through powerful phrases, and your debunking must be equally simple to be efficient.

In terms of public trust, journalists, along with politicians, are ranked at the very bottom of the ladder.

As Divina Frau-Meigs, professor of media sociology at La Sorbonne, said, large sections of society believe fake news in mainstream media is part of the establishment.

Verashni Pillay, editor-in-chief of Huffington Post, South Africa, said that open disdain by some newsrooms towards their audiences might partially explain this public distrust.

Ginna Lindberg, a correspondent with Swedish Broadcast Radio, also argued that some of the challenges lay within newsrooms.

Reporters should return to the fundamentals of journalism, step outside the comfort of their newsrooms and privileged lives and speak to different audiences.

We need to broaden our perspectives to make sure that we have diversity in our newsrooms, in our narratives. A multitude of voices [should be] heard in our media outlets, she said.
Turmus Aya, Occupied West Bank  At the entrance of the Palestinian village Turmus Aya, a large sign written in Hebrew, Arabic and English warns visitors that this road leads to Palestinian areas [sic]. It is dangerous for Israeli citizens to enter.

Contrary to the signs warning, it is the Palestinian residents of this seemingly tranquil area who are more nervous, specifically about the recent encroachment from the Israeli settlements that surround their village.

Turmus Aya, home to around 4,000 people, lies in the shadow of a string of such settlers communities, which are illegal under international law. On a bump in the land directly to the north sits Shilo, a well-developed example, built in 1979 and home to around 3,000 illegal settlers.

Last week, tensions rose in the area, after the Israeli government confirmed that Shilo and other nearby Israeli communities would be joined by the construction of the first official settlement in the occupied West Bank in nearly 20 years. Geulat Zion will be built on a hilltop east of Shilo, to house around 50 settler families removed from Amona, an unauthorised settlement dismantled after Israels Supreme Court ruled it had been built on private Palestinian land.

We feel like we live in a big prison. We are under pressure from Israel here. There are no opportunities in work or education and there is no help. There will be more killing, problems and arrests. by Mohammed, 21, resident of Al-Lubban Asharqiya

The fertile area is known as Emek Shilo  Shilo Valley  and is home to dozens of Palestinian villages and towns. The settlers and the poor economic situation here are the reason why Turmus Aya is empty, said Rabie, a Chicago-based Palestinian who hails from the village, where many of the elegant villas appear uninhabited. People are scared of the settlers and the army.

Now Rabie, who gave only his first name, only visits his Palestinian home for four to six weeks at a time before returning to the United States. The Israeli army bothers us every day. They come to my house and ask what Im doing there. What am I doing here? Im in my house.

He said villagers already experienced intimidation from settlers in Shilo, and more moving to the area would make things worse. The farmers with fields on the edge [of Turmus Aya] dont want to go to their fields. There is no life here. The occupation tries to take everything away from Palestinians.

According to the Israeli non-profit organisation Peace Now, Israeli authorities originally proposed the Amona settlers move to a sub-neighbourhood of Shilo, Shvut Rachel East, but they refused.

However, authorities continued to grant permission for the construction of 98 housing units at this site, before agreeing to move the Amona community to neighbouring Geulat Zion.

The Shilo Valley has seen some of the most intense expansion of existing settlements and construction of new outposts in the past 20 years, and more is in evidence. On a visit to the area this week, Al Jazeera saw between 50-100 units under construction on the lower slopes of the existing Shilo settlement on a visit to the area this week.

Human rights monitors believe the area is a key part of plans to split the West Bank into segments horizontally, from the Green Line in the west to the Jordan Valley in the east, cementing Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian Territories.

There is a lot of thought behind this location [of the new Geulat Zion settlement], Gilad Grossman from the human rights organisation Yesh Din told Al Jazeera. Its strategic.

There are two settlement policies going on here, Grossman continued. There are land grabs that push Palestinians back into their villages, thereby isolating them and limiting their opportunities. And then there is building in strategic blocks that divide the West Bank, which would make the creation of a viable Palestinian state difficult.





According to Israeli monitoring group Btselem, there are some 125 Israeli-government sanctioned settlements in the West Bank as a whole, as well as 100 outposts, which are built without official approval from Israeli authorities, but are often given retrospective permission.

Under international law, all settlements in the West Bank are illegal. Some 600,000 Israelis live in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

From the point of view of Palestinians interviewed by Al Jazeera in the Shilo Valley this week, Geulat Zion is nothing new or special, but simply one of dozens of settlements and outposts that continue to creep further down the hilltops on which they perch. Whether or not the communities are officially authorised by Israel makes little difference.

Seventeen-year-old Mohannad has lived in Turmus Aya all his life and has witnessed settlement expansion first hand. Of course, the number of settlers has grown in my lifetime here, he said. There are more checkpoints, more martyrs, more violence. Whenever I see a video of that violence on YouTube, I feel like I have been injured myself.

Palestinians have been suffering from outposts and settlements for years, Grossman said. Putting in another one will mean more land they cant reach, as well as surrounding areas they are scared to go to, and more areas they can only reach maybe a couple of times a year with military approval.

READ MORE: How are Palestinians resisting Israels settlement law?

The Shilo Valley is also home to some of the most extreme settlers, according to rights groups. Yesh Din has documented over 200 ideologically motivated crimes committed by settlers against Palestinians in this area.

We have documented many, many cases of crop destruction, and land grabs, and if you go as far as the village of Sinjil, even arson cases, explained Grossman.

The density of Israeli construction is particularly noticeable around the areas small Palestinian villages, including Al-Lubban Asharqiya, Qaryut, Sinjil and Al-Sawiya, which are surrounded on all sides by settler communities.

Matters are complicated for these four villages. Human rights monitors believe they lie on the 1,000 dunams (one million square metres) of land that the Israeli cabinet declared as state land at the same time as approving the new Geulat Zion settlement. Al Jazeera could not independently confirm this, although UN maps show that the villages currently lie just outside Israeli-administered areas in the West Bank.

Declaring land as state-owned under Israeli law allows authorities to legitimise three previously unofficial outposts north of Ramallah in the West Bank. But for Palestinians, it raises fears about access to farmland and security.

The people from these four closest villages really fear the worst, said Ghassan Bani Fadel, who works for the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, a monitoring group. One villager told me that this land was his main income. I dont have any income elsewhere, he said.

Last week, Israeli army set up a temporary checkpoint at the entrance to Al-Lubban Asharqiya. Residents have not been ordered to leave, but the increasing presence of settlers in the area, as well as restrictions on movement and poor job opportunities, may force future generations out.

We feel like we live in a big prison, 21-year-old Mohammed told Al Jazeera, on Al-Lubban Asharqiyas steep main street. We are under pressure from Israel here. There are no opportunities in work or education and there is no help. He added that the situation in the village was increasingly worse. There will be more killing, problems and arrests, he believed. I dont want to decide about the future. There will be no State of Palestine.

The fear reaches beyond the immediate vicinity of the new settlement site in the Shilo Valley.

Khadr Ghaith, 46, who works in a quarry near the Palestinian village of Kafr Malik, feared intimidation and violence from settlers emboldened by official backing. The Shilo Valley is very close to us here and we are afraid that they [settlers] will come down and steal from us or burn us, he said.

We are scared of the same fate as Duma, he added, referring to the arson attack in 2015 that killed a Palestinian baby and his parents. Sometimes, I stay late at the quarry in our office, maybe until 1am. If they attacked us in the middle of the night, there would be no one to hear our screams.
Donald Trump orders missiles to be launched at Syria.

Is it a Wag the Dog moment?

The essence of the novel was that war is a solution to domestic political problems.





The essence of the film based on the book is that even the illusion of war is a solution to domestic political problems.

It doesnt do anything for the actual difficulties: a bad economy, sex scandals, revelations of corruption, ineptitude or screw-ups. It changes the politics by changing the subject, by arousing patriotism and fear, by allowing the leader to demand that everyone unite behind the war effort, which is his  or her  war effort, and thus behind him or her.

Just as such wars are not meant to fix those actual problems, they are not fought to accomplish any particular military goal. They are fought  and must be fought  for how they will appear on TV for the home audience.

Credit has to go to Maggie Thatcher for showing the way.

Actually, re-showing the way. In America, war as a tool for domestic political issues fell out of favour after Vietnam. Far out of favour. War was a quagmire, it was a waste. War without victory made voters very unsatisfied.

It is important to remember that Thatcher was hugely unpopular. Her career appeared to be over. Then she had her war in the Falklands and the country rallied behind her. The British public was totally thrilled that at last they had found someone they could beat on their own. Ms Thatcher was re-elected and became the longest-serving British prime minister in modern history.

OPINION: Trumps strike on Syria  a convenient distraction

Will Mr Trumps war save Mr Trump? And the Republicans?

Obviously and clearly it has succeeded in changing the subject matter of the political dialogue. The bombs were TVs lead item and the newspapers front-page story.

It changed the tone, too. Fareed Zakaria who had called Trump a bullsh*t artist over and over again just a week earlier, now gushed that Donald Trump became President of the United States. USA Today printed Trump hits high mark  and tweeted It was a successful week for the president. Will his #winning ways continue. The New York Times wrote, an emotional President Trump took the greatest risk of his young presidency  it was an emotional act by a man suddenly aware that the worlds problems were now his  and that turning away, to him, was not an option. Matt Lewis, of The Daily Beast, wrote  very different Donald Trump. More serious  and clearly moved emotionally. Frequently invoked the Almighty. An op-ed piece in the Wall Street Journal declared that President Trump faced his first serious foreign policy test this week  to the surprise and perhaps frustration of his critics, he passed with flying colours.

Wow! Even bow-wow!

Is it a real transformation, or a Wag the Dog moment?

The Syrian civil wars, atrocities and horrors remain. Attacking Assad, however wonderful, is still helping the ISIL. The simmering domestic scandals are still burbling away, waiting to erupt. The Republican majority, even with control of everything, will be as unable to govern next week as they were unable last week.

So, yes. Its a Wag the Dog event. Great theatre whose goal has nothing to do with changing the world, only with having the audience applaud.

The novel laid out very clear rules for propaganda.

The enemy commits torture, atrocity, and murder because he is a sadist who enjoys killing.

We use surgical or strategic violence only because we are forced to by the enemy. As a popular passion-producer, experience indicates that there is nothing quite like the atrocity story. In general, you should seem to prove what people already want to believe, and to justify what they already want to do.

Trump is very clearly following these rules. I presume instinctively, not because he read the book, given that Trump does not read books. The world of Wag the Dog is reality TV flipped inside out. In commercial reality TV, the producers manipulate the people being real. In the barking mad world of Wag, reality is directed to manipulate whats on the screens. Trump has lived on one side or the other of those manipulations his whole life. Playing by its rules is as natural for him as embarrassment over being caught in a lie would be unnatural.

It has had a great response. He is good at doing it. Will it bring him success?





No.

Wag the Dog, the novel, was about George HW Bush and Gulf War One. That war was impeccably produced. He had a Hitler guy for the villain. Bush was victorious. He pre-sold the foreign rights  this is true, he got various other countries to put up the money for it before a single shot was fired. And then  and then he failed to win re-election.

Why? The timing was off. The war ended in February 1991, a full 21 months before the next election. All the problems which had not been solved by the great television drama of the war  however slickly produced  were still there. They now become the focus of the media. And of the people.

This attack on Syria is way too soon. Trump has a full three years and nine months  barring impeachment or death by obesity  for all the issues that already exist to have full scale eruptions and for him to make entirely new missteps.

So yes. Its a Wag the Dog moment. Its great theatre. The audience loves it. By the time it comes to vote theyll have forgotten it and be thinking of what hes done for them lately. Which, based on the rest of his reality show to date, will include a lot of things that make people angry.

Larry Beinhart is a novelist, best known for Wag the Dog. Hes also been a journalist, political consultant, a commercial producer and director.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
On a cold Friday evening in February, I met Karima*, an Afghan physiotherapist, in Athens. We sat down in a cafe drinking tea and she told me about herself, her family and their ordeal as refugees in Greece.

She, her husband and their four children had arrived on a boat from Turkey to the Greek island of Samos 10 months earlier. They were accommodated in a small tent where they spent eight months, eating the same food  plain pasta for lunch and dinner, and croissant and juice in the morning for adults, and watery milk for the children. They had nothing to do but wait there.

For months, immigration officials collected evidence to verify that they are indeed in a vulnerable position and qualify for asylum.

They were eventually transferred to the mainland, where they realised that they had only escaped one nightmare to find themselves in another. They now live in a three-room apartment with 13 other people  three families in total.

It is still better than the camp, Karima told me.

They recently started receiving monthly cash cards with which they buy food. It is not enough, she said. She explained that they still rely on donations from volunteers to meet other family needs. Big NGOs do not really help.

She is slowly losing hope that her living conditions will improve or that she will be able to leave Greece one day. I am not that lucky, she said. For now, the only thing Karima and her family can do is to sit and wait.

Listening to my own story





For the past few months, Ive heard many stories like hers. Every time I sit with refugees and I listen to them speak of their misery and hopelessness, I feel like Im listening to my own story.

More than 20 years ago, I too was a refugee, fleeing the war in Bosnia.

I hated, and still hate, every day of my life as a refugee. I lived in the basement of a house in Zagreb for several months. I was living there with three other girls, sisters, that I knew from Bosnia. The oldest one was 19 and the youngest 13 years old.

Just like me, they were sent away from Sarajevo by their parents who believed that they would be safer if they stayed far away from the war. Maybe we were safer, but as refugees in a foreign land, we were also lonely and afraid, so when we found each other, we decided to stay together.

READ MORE: Refugees in Greece  We are living in a prison here

As the days past, we found ways to take care of each other. We found ways to remember Sarajevo and our parents. We kept each other company, so we didnt feel so alone. We found ways to not cry all the time.

But even when we were together, our lives as refugees were not simple. There were days when we were hungry, days we were afraid and most of the time we felt lost and desperate. Like refugees in Greece today, we were waiting.

We knew there was no one that we could rely on, since nobody really understood what it was like to be a refugee. by

Surviving together

Back then the international community employed the same rhetoric on human rights and humane treatment of refugees that they do today. The same international organisations were pleading for funding to alleviate the refugee crisis.

But we, the refugees, saw no sign of human rights or humane treatment. We also did not receive anything from the major international humanitarian players.

We survived by supporting each other.

When we needed food, advice on how to find a doctor, or just a little comfort, we turned to each other  because we didnt have any other options.

Sometimes we were simply too afraid to ask people for help, but most times we did not know how to get help. We knew there was no one that we could rely on, since nobody really understood what it was like to be a refugee. This was the reality for many refugees that I knew back then.

After living as a refugee for a year and a half, I decided to go back to my hometown, Sarajevo, which was still under siege. I felt better living under siege than living in humiliation as a refugee.

Failing to make lives bearable

Today theres a lot of talk from the international community on the Geneva Convention and there are many fund-raising campaigns for refugees by major international organisations. But European governments are not changing the way they mistreat refugees and international organisations are not actually providing any meaningful help on the ground.

Most of the 66,000 refugees and migrants in Greece have been living in inhuman conditions for more than two years. Meanwhile, the number of refugees in the country is increasing every day. According to UNHCR data, from January to mid-March, more than 3,300 new arrivals were registered in the country.

READ MORE: Are refugees in Europe facing a mental health crisis?

Different organisations and government entities spent billions, but the situation has not improved significantly. People are becoming desperate: The rate of suicide attempts and drug addiction among refugees has skyrocketed.

So far, Greece is the single biggest recipient of EU Home Affairs funding, with $1bn made available over two years in financial support. Greece has also received more than $330m from the UNs Inter-Agency Appeal.

Part of the money has gone to big nongovernmental or intergovernmental organisations and part to the government institutions. But none of these organisations  according to volunteers and refugees  managed to do what is expected of them in order to make peoples lives bearable.

NGOs and the Greek government have traded blame over the worsening situation in the camps, but both are doing too little to change it..

The truth is that there is no political will in Europe, not just Greece, to improve the situation. The situation in France or Italy, as well in many other EU member states, is also unbelievably desperate.

As I talk to refugees in Greece and remember my own experiences, it feels like we are part of one big story of the failure of the international community to respond to the crises they create. I do not see any solutions to the current crises.

Just numbers





Currently, the volunteers and activists working with refugees are providing help and services in an effective way, but they cannot continue handling a humanitarian crisis of this scale on their own. They are constantly speaking out on how the current system is not working, that change is needed, and that the world should learn from past mistakes.

But those with the money, big organisations and governmental and intergovernmental bodies, are the ones making decisions and they have the power to shape the crisis. It looks like they do not listen.

I recently met a Syrian refugee, Halima*, and her two children in Athens. Two days before we met, they had been relocated from Chios, another Greek island where refugees have been trapped for months. When we met, they were hungry.

We came with a box of biscuits. This morning I woke up and we had only one left for all of us. I tried to reach out to people who brought me here, but they told me that the person responsible for helping us is on vacation, Halima said.

IN PICTURES: Refugees attempt perilous Greece-Macedonia crossing

They were put up in an apartment, but no food or basic supplies were provided. They didnt have any clothes to change into. It was a cold day in Athens, but none of them had proper winter clothes.

They had to wait for the officer in charge to come back from vacation. Some volunteers from the Khora Community Centre in Athens supplied Halima and her children with food for a couple of days. Volunteers found clothes for them, they spent some time with them and listened to their problems. They cried with them and hugged them before leaving.

But for big organisations and governments, as well as for the EU bureaucrats, Halima and her children are just numbers. For volunteers, they are yet another case that proves that the system we are living in is deeply flawed and we need to change it.

*The names of the refugee women have been changed to protect their privacy.

Nidzara Ahmetasevic is an independent scholar and journalist from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and she was a fellow with the Alliance for Historical Dialogue and Accountability at Columbia University.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Letters Martinezs Rhetoric Dear Alibi, Has anyone else noticed the change in our governors rhetoric lately? I mean shes always been a bit inflexible, but since her visit and dinner with the Don at Mar-a-Lago, her speech has taken on quite a different tone; actually belligerent. Her comments and refusal to compromise in the least with the State Legislature sound more and more Trump-like. She couldnt care less about the people of New Mexico. Now its her way or the highway, and her way sounds more and more like Trumps way. What could cause such a shift in her governing? Perhaps shes simply looking ahead. She will soon be out of a job. Her position as a female governor who sucks up to the Don would, no doubt, appeal to Trump. Im betting shes already been offered a position within the Trump administration. Ill be surprised if she even finishes out her term. Sound far-fetched? Maybe you should take a head count of all the people that were running against Trump for the presidential nomination. The majority of those that dropped out inexplicably had jobs waiting for them when Trump won the election. So, who promised who, what?

On the Governors Vetoes Dear Alibi, Governor Martinezs outdated no new taxes political pledge has resulted in the worst economy in our state in decades. Because of her political ideology, New Mexico has the worst unemployment rate in the country; young New Mexicans are fleeing the state in search of jobs; and schools are dangerously underfunded. The Legislature passed a forward-thinking budget with revenue to fund critical services. We applaud them for their hard work and express extreme disappointment in several of the governors vetoes. SB 175 would have brought additional federal funds into the state to expand an effective child abuse prevention program. HB 202 would have leveled the playing field for our home-grown businesses and raised much needed funds to support critical services like education, health care and public safety. The governor also vetoed bills that would have helped working families such as the minimum wage increase and leave for caregivers. The budget options she refers to in her message include lowering the take-home pay of teachers and other state employees, most of whom have not had a raise in years. The Legislature passed numerous bills that would have moved New Mexicos economy forward, but the governors vetoes indicate that she is content to continue holding the state back.

No Clear Winner Dear Alibi, I look forward to reading the Best of Burque list every yeareven from a million miles awayand it was so disappointing to see multiple categories where no clear winner was selected. Nowhere was this more upsetting for me than in the category of Best Local Comedian. In the copy, it was mentioned that hundreds of votes had trickled in and I wished that the staff at the Alibi couldve done the right thing and given credit to the comic with the most votes. Or acknowledgment to the small batch that tied. Or even to the top five in no particular order. The ability to say you were among the Best of the city can be a credit that goes a long way for the comedians in town. It can make or break a bookers decision to give these comedians road work which often pays and also raises the profile of not only the comic, but of Albuquerque as a whole. The comics in the 505 work so hard to help raise awareness that comedy even exists and they also fight daily to get Burquenos out of their houses to see live events and support local businesses. Refusing to give someone the title and then telling them that they should work harder to get one next year is a super letdown and something that I hope improves next year. In the meantime, I also remain impressed by the quality of jokes in the fair city I love and miss so much.

BoB Comedians Dear Alibi, I personally feel as though the blurb for Best Comedian was absolutely atrocious. Sure, no clear winner is fine; at least send some shout-outs to some comedians or venues that host comedy frequently. Like The Guild, Turtle Mountain, Open Source Comedy, etc., etc. Also the line about a challenge to set ourselves apart is bullshit. I'd like to know exactly what happened to make this result. Was there truly no clear top 3-5? I'd love to see an apology in your next issue.

Letter from the Editor Dear Comedians, The results of Best of Burque are determined by a democratic vote. Its not that we refused to give someone the title or enacted a malicious scheme to "make this result." Simply put, no one earned it. Its unfortunate that no local comedian rose to win top honors, but if you really want to know why there wasnt a fountain of votes for any one person, youll have to look to your fellow Burquenos. Did you vote? Did you ask your fans, coworkers, family, friends, random strangers, Uber driver, garbage man, etc. to vote? We encourage you all to wage a major election campaign next year to ensure that a winner is chosen by the people, of the people, for the people.
A midday gunfight that injured three people at a convenience store in the heart of Lame Deer last year will send one of the shooters to federal prison for more than five years.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters of Billings on Wednesday followed a plea agreement and sentenced Devan Gregory Sanchez, 25, of Lame Deer, to five and one half years in prison.

A plea deal called for the 66-month sentence, with other counts to be dismissed. The term was longer than the guideline range of about three years to four years, but Sanchez faced a possible 15 years in prison if he had been convicted at a trial.

The March 19, 2016, shootout at the Cheyenne Depot Gas and Convenience Store in the middle of Lame Deer prompted tribal officials to declare emergencies. The tribal president called for the banishment of nontribal members involved in drug-related activity on the reservation.

Two shooters involved in the incident, including Sanchez, were hit and injured and a bystander also was injured by a ricocheting bullet.

Sanchez apologized Wednesday, saying he knows what he did was unacceptable. He told the judge he wanted to use his time in custody to change his life for the better for his family and the community.

Sanchez pleaded guilty in December to assault resulting in serious injury.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sullivan said Sanchez shot the victim, identified as C.R., in the chest with a .380-caliber pistol from about 10 feet away during a dispute at the convenience store. The victim suffered a collapsed lung and was discharged from St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings three days later.

Sullivan said the victim had not been cooperative during the investigation.

Sanchez suffered a flesh wound to his abdomen.

The gunfight began after a vehicle, driven by Bradley Baker, stopped for gas at the store. C.R. was a passenger in the vehicle.

While Baker was filling up his car, Sanchez pulled into the gas station and parked his truck adjacent to Bakers vehicle, Sullivan said. Sanchez got out, argued with Baker and demanded to know if there were any Crows or Bloods in the vehicle, he said.

When Baker told Sanchez to look for himself, Sanchez shoved Baker to the ground. C.R. got out of the vehicle and began arguing with Sanchez, Sullivan said.

Sanchez drew his pistol and shot C.R. once in the chest, Sullivan said. C.R. responded by drawing his own gun and returning fire.

At least five witnesses told investigators that Sanchez drew first and shot C.R. before C.R. returned fire, the prosecutor said. A video recording from the Cheyenne Depot corroborated those statements, he said.

While the defense disputed some of the evidence, Sanchez took responsibility for his actions, said Jessica Fehr, who represented Sanchez.

In sentencing Sanchez, Watters noted that the convenience store is a busy gathering place for the community and that Sanchezs actions put others at risk.

Theres just no excuse for it, Watters said.

The judge also noted that while Sanchez had no criminal history, he had a hard upbringing in which his mother, who had drug and alcohol problems, left him and his siblings without care or food, and his father was not a part of his life until later.

Sanchez started using drugs and alcohol at age seven, ended up in foster care and then at the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, Watters said.

The judge described Sanchezs background as one of family violence, neglect and abuse where chaos was the status quo.

In sentencing Sanchez, Watters recommended him for drug and alcohol treatment, mental health treatment and vocational training.
Clash on Bohol leaves several fighters dead, notably Moammar Askali, blamed for the beheading of foreign hostages.

Soldiers battling Abu Sayyaf in central Philippines are reported to have killed a key commander of the armed group who had been blamed for the beheadings of two Canadians and a German hostage.

Military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said troops recovered and identified the remains of Moammar Askali, also known as Abu Rami, at the scene of the battle in a coastal village on Bohol island on Tuesday.

Five other Abu Sayyaf members were killed, along with four soldiers and policemen.

Ano said troops took the picture of Askali after his death and that captured Abu Sayyaf fighters identified the the young commander.

READ MORE: Abu Sayyaf video shows beheading of German hostage

This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf, Ano told AP news agency. If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice.

He said Askali had led several fighters, who travelled by speedboats from their jungle hideouts in the southern Sulu province to Bohol, in an apparent bid to carry out another kidnapping in a region that is popular for its beach resorts and wildlife.

Sporadic gun battles between the remaining Abu Sayyaf fighters and government forces continued on Wednesday, military officials said.

At least 10 people has been killed since Tuesday in the fighting in Bohol, far from the groups southern jungle bases.

Military officials say at least six fighters, three soldiers and a policeman have died in the ongoing gun battle in a village in the coastal town of Inabanga.

Bohol  an island province  lies near Cebu province, a bustling commercial and tourism centre.

Ronald dela Rosa, the national police chief director-general, said troops and policemen attacked the armed men early on Tuesday in Inabanga, where they had arrived aboard three boats.

It is the Abu Sayyafs first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the heartland of the central Philippines, far from its jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

Bohol, which is popular with tourists, lies about 640km southeast of Manila, and about an hour away by boat from Cebu province, across the busy Cebu Strait.

READ MORE: Rodrigo Duterte apologises to Germany over beheading

Abu Sayyaf fighters have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists in past years.

In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they seized 20 people from a resort.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the group in Sulu and in outlying island provinces, and has threatened to declare martial law in the countrys south if the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf and other groups aligned with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) gets out of control.

Abu Sayyaf is still holding at least 29 captives in Sulus jungles, many of them foreign tugboat and cargo ship crewmen seized at the sea border between the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Yemeni journalist has been accused by the Houthis of collaborating with an enemy state.

A Yemeni journalist has been sentenced to death by a Houthi court, which accused him of collaborating with enemy states, activists have said.

Yahya Abduraqeeb al-Jubaihi was kidnapped by Yemens Houthi rebels from his home in September 2016 and was forcibly disappeared.





This is the first time a journalist has been sentenced to death in Yemen.

The court accused Jubaihi of helping rival President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadis government of conducting killings and attacks in Houthi-led areas.

Hooria Mashhour, Yemens former minister for human rights, wrote on Twitter We have to stand against this farce trial.

That is revenge from political and human rights activist.We have to stand against this farce trial @hrw_ar @UNGeneva https://t.co/3yED2ryLO7  Hooria Mashhour (@Hooria_Mashhour) April 12, 2017

Jubaihi is among at least 36 activists currently being tried by a Houthi court in Sanaa.

The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate issued a statement condemning the death sentence of Jubaihi, calling the sentence heinous and unconstitutional.

It demanded the immediate release of Jubaihi and all other activists held by the Houthis.

Baraa Shiban, a caseworker with Reprieve UK, an international human rights organisation, wrote about the trial on Twitter, saying that the mothers of those on trial protested outside the prison but were attacked by the Houthis.

11. Activists' mothers protested next day in front of Yemeni intelligence prison but were attacked and chased by Houthi armed men  Baraa Shiban   (@BShtwtr) April 11, 2017

Among activists who are being prosecuted by the Houthis are journalists, professors, researchers and teachers.

5. A professor during trial said they were tortured, finger nails being pulled out, humiliation judge considered information irrelevant  Baraa Shiban   (@BShtwtr) April 11, 2017

A video being shared online shows the Houthi trial in Sanaa of the activists who have been forcefully disappeared since 2015.

On December 20, 2016, Mohammed al-Abbsi, another Yemeni journalist, died in hospital, reportedly from a heart attack.

Where are journalists under attack?

An autopsy was performed at the direction of his family, and the results, which were released on February 5, 2017, confirmed that he was killed by exposure to a toxic gas.

In 2014, Houthi fighters overran Yemens capital Sanaa and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Hadi to flee into exile.

An Arab coalition was assembled by Saudi Arabia in 2015 to fight the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh .

According to UN figures , the nearly two-year conflict has killed at least 10,000 people and wounded 40,000.
Former leader insists he will not run in the May 19 poll, saying his registration aims to support a political ally.

In a surprise move, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Irans former president, has registered as a candidate for next months presidential election.

Ahmadinejad had previously said he would not stand after being advised not to by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying he would instead support his former deputy, Hamid Baghaei, who also registered on Wednesday.

He said he remained committed to his moral promise to Khamenei of not running for the May 19 election.

Khameneis advice was not a ban, he said at the interior ministry where registration was taking place.

I repeat that I am committed to my moral promise [of not running] and my presence and registration is only to support Mr Baghaei.

Two turbulent terms

Ahmadinejad left office in August 2013 after two turbulent four-year terms, leaving the country divided domestically, isolated internationally and struggling economically.

In 2009, Ahmadinejads re-election was followed by one the largest protests to hit the country since the Islamic Revolution three decades before.

Two candidates backed by reformists Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi  who have been under house arrest since February 2011  contested the results.

Both of Ahmadinejads terms were also marked by anti-Western and anti-Israeli rhetoric, including questioning the Holocaust.

Ahmadinejads populist approach and humble roots mean that he remains a popular figure among poorer sections of society.
The advocate for girls right to education worldwide is only the sixth person to ever receive the symbolic title.

Toronto, Canada  Pakistani education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai has become only the sixth person, and the youngest, to receive honorary Canadian citizenship.

Canada bestowed the title on Yousafzai, 19, during a ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday.

Im humbled to accept honorary citizenship of your country, she said in the House of Commons, where she received several standing ovations from parliamentarians and members of the public that packed the gallery.





While I will always be a proud Pashtun and a proud citizen of Pakistan, Im grateful to be an honorary member of your nation of heroes, Yousafzai said.

Though I still require a visa, but thats another discussion, she added, with a laugh.

Yousafzai became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 aged 17.

Earlier this week she was named a UN Messenger of Peace, the highest honour awarded by the United Nations, for her work on girls right to education worldwide.

Yousafzai first came to international prominence after a Taliban gunman shot her in the head near her school in Pakistans Swat Valley.

READ MORE: Malala and Nabila  worlds apart

The attack was seen as retaliation for her outspoken opposition to the group blocking women and girls from getting an education.

Malala, your story is an inspiration to us all, said Justin Trudeau, Canadas prime minister, during the ceremony, where he presented Yousafzai with a certificate of honorary citizenship and a Canadian flag.

For bravely lending your voice to so many, we thank you. From this day forward, we are all proud to call you Canadian, Trudeau said.

A courageous example

Yousafzai also answered questions from Ottawa high school pupils earlier in the day.

So honoured to be standing with Malala Yousafzai to engage students on education and gender equality, tweeted Maryam Monsef, Canadas minister of status of women.

Michael Chong, an MP and Conservative Party leadership candidate, also welcomed her to Ottawa, describing Yousafzai as a courageous example for women everywhere who face oppression simply because they are women.

Canadas previous Conservative government made the decision to bestow honorary citizenship on Yousafzai in 2014.

But the ceremony was cancelled because it coincided with a man opening fire on Parliament Hill in October 2014.

READ MORE: Malala Yousafzai named youngest UN Messenger of Peace

Yousafzai is only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship.

The first was Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during World War II. He was bestowed the title posthumously in 1985.

The Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of Ismaili Muslims, Nelson Mandela, the 14th Dalai Lama, and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, have also received the title.

Honorary citizenship is entirely symbolic. It does not come with any rights or privileges, such as a Canadian passport or the right to vote in national elections.
Almost one third of embattled President Temers cabinet under investigation for involvement in Cash Wash scheme.

Brazils Supreme Court has announced corruption investigations into at least eight ministers and dozens more top politicians in a sweeping decision that affects almost one third of embattled President Michel Temers government and many of his top allies.

The list of names under investigation released by Justice Edson Fachin on Tuesday read like a Whos Who of Brazilian politics, tarnishing past statesmen and potential presidential candidates alike.

The list, whose contents had been subject to furious speculation and a number of leaks, became public when Fachin lifted the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of construction company Odebrecht, which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes.





In Sao Paulo, residents banged pots and pans in protest against political corruption, while in the capital Brasilia deputies left a session in the lower house earlier in the day as news of the list began to break.

The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the presidents cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temers efforts to pass austerity reforms that he says are needed to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record.

Temers office declined to comment.

READ MORE: Brazil court to decide President Temers fate

More than having eight ministers on the list, the biggest problem for the government is seeing its whole political nucleus there, said Danilo Gennari, partner with Brasilia-based consultancy Distrito Relacoes Governamentais, referring to the implication of key government allies.

Among that core is Temers chief of staff Eliseu Padilha, an experienced politician considered key in negotiations with Congress to pass the administrations crucial pension reform.

Padilha said he will defend himself in court.

Institutional paralysis

Temers ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture also are under investigation, as well as the heads of both houses of Brazils Congress and former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff.





The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question, opposition senator Jorge Viana, who is under investigation himself, said in a statement.

It also throws into doubt the credibility of a number of potential presidential candidates for elections in 2018, with some of the most commonly mentioned names under investigation.

PSDB party leader Aecio Neves and former Foreign Minister Jose Serra are cited on Fachins list, with a possible investigation of Sao Paulo Governor Geraldo Alckmin referred to a lower court.

Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted.

READ MORE: Brazil steps up anti-corruption campaign

Tuesdays decision to make public the names targeted in the investigation goes back to March, when Brazils top public prosecutor asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees testimony.

Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin Americas biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras.
Thousands of demonstrators gather near Union Buildings in Pretoria to demand countrys president to step down.

Thousands of demonstrators have gathered in the South African capital Pretoria for protests urging President Jacob Zuma to step down.

Wednesdays march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government, was organised by a coalition of opposition parties following nationwide rallies against Zuma last week.

The presidents recent dismissal of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan stoked public anger over government corruption scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

The march was led by the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, along with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and smaller opposition parties.





Al Jazeeras Fahmida Miller, reporting from Pretoria, said the opposition parties show unprecedented unity in coming together for the protests.

Last weeks protests were organised by the civil society and religous groups. But now we have at least seven political parties who have come together and want Zuma to go, she said.

The message is clear. They want him to go because they say hes bad for the economy and believe these protests could lead to Zuma stepping down.

Gordhans sacking prompted unprecedented criticism from senior figures in the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including from Cyril Ramaphosa, deputy president.

OPINION: Even if Zuma goes, South Africa will remain divided

The ANC has since tried to close ranks behind Zuma and has pledged to defeat a no-confidence vote in parliament.

The vote is scheduled for next Tuesday but may be delayed due to a legal tussle over whether it should be a secret ballot for lawmakers.

Zuma, who turned 75 on Wednesday, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as president in advance of the 2019 general election.

He is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him.
Russian president says ties with US worsened in recent months as top diplomats lock horns over Syria conflict.

The trust between Washington and Moscow has deteriorated since Donald Trump was elected US president, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday, as the Kremlin dismissed US calls to abandon Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as short-sighted and absurd.

The comments came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called the Trump administration to clarify its policies as he opened a fraught meeting with his American counterpart, Rex Tillerson.

One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated, Putin said in an interview broadcast on Russian television.





Putin doubled down on Russias support for Assad, repeating denials that Syrias government was to blame for a suspected gas attack last week on a rebel-held town, adding that it may have been faked by Assads enemies.

Moments earlier, Lavrov greeted Tillerson with unusually icy remarks, denouncing the missile strike on Syria as illegal and accusing Washington of behaving unpredictably.

I wont hide the fact that we have a lot of questions, taking into account the extremely ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ideas which have been expressed in Washington across the whole spectrum of bilateral and multilateral affairs, Lavrov said.

READ MORE: US  No doubt Syria used chemical weapons

And of course, thats not to mention that apart from the statements, we observed very recently the extremely worrying actions, when an illegal attack against Syria was undertaken.

Lavrov also said that many key US State Department posts remain vacant since the new administration took office  a point of sensitivity in Washington.

One of Lavrovs deputies was even more undiplomatic.

In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. Well hope that this doesnt become the substance of American policy, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russias state-owned RIA news agency.

As a whole, the administrations stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all.

READ MORE: US to Russia  Abandon Syrias President Bashar al-Assad

Tillerson kept to more calibrated remarks, saying his aim was to further clarify areas of sharp difference so that we can better understand why these differences exist and what the prospects for narrowing those differences may be.

I look forward to a very open, candid and frank exchange so that we can better define the US-Russian relationship from this point forward, he told Lavrov.

Moscows comments appeared to reflect a sharp change from last year, when Putin hailed Trump as a strong figure and Russian state television was consistently full of effusive praise for him.

Lots of people were predicting that the perceived honeymoon between Putin and Trump would not last; that it would not withstand the first foreign policy crisis that came along  and it seems that those predictions were fairly correct, Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said.

People point to Russia and the US as having fairly fundamentally misaligned interests around the world  and the Russians would like clarification, he added.

They thought they were getting a president in Trump who would warm relations up, who would maybe pull back NATO troops, lessen the US commitment to Euro-Atlantic security and not interfere so much in the Middle East  I think theyve been disappointed from what theyve seen so far.

Syrias prisoners swap

Meanwhile, Syrias government and rebels have exchanged more than 30 prisoners and nine bodies, part of a larger agreement to evacuate thousands of residents from four besieged areas in different parts of the country, activists and officials said on Wednesday.

The exchange came before the planned evacuation of more than 10,000 residents from two pro-government Shia villages in northern Syria, Foua and Kefraya, and the rebel-held towns of Madaya and Zabadani near Damascus.

READ MORE: Syrian government ready for prisoner swap with rebels

Critics say the transfer amounts to forced displacement. The four areas have been linked through a series of agreements between government forces and rebels that the UN says have hindered aid access.

Hakim Baghdadi, a member of the relief committee for Foua and Kefraya, said the overnight release was overseen by the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. He said gunfire erupted during the exchange, causing a pause in the process.

Syrian TV said 20 people, including four children, were released. Pro-government forces freed 19 gunmen and released one body.

Abdul-Wahab Ahmad, a media activist from the rebel-held town of Madaya, said the first batch of 20 buses arrived and people are preparing to leave.
UNICEF report highlights increase in the number of children, mostly girls, used by armed group in the Lake Chad region.

An alarming number of children in Africa, most of them girls, have been used as suicide bombers by Boko Haram in 2017, according to UNICEF.

In the countries fighting Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region  Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad  27 children have been used in suicide attacks by the armed group in the first three months of the year, UNICEF said in a report and statement.

There were nine cases in the same period last year, and 30 children used for bombings in all of 2016, it said.





The Boko Haram campaign is now in its eighth year with little sign of ending, having claimed more than 20,000 lives.

The group has increasingly been using children to attack crowded markets, mosques and camps for internally displaced people in northeast Nigeria and the broader Lake Chad region.

Its child kidnappings gained global notoriety after the abduction of more than 200 girls from the town of Chibok in Nigerias northeast in 2014, three years ago on Friday.

These children are victims, not perpetrators, said Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEFs regional director for West and Central Africa.

Forcing or deceiving them into committing such horrific acts is reprehensible.

One 16-year-old girl from Chad lost her legs after being drugged and forced by Boko Haram to take part in an attempted suicide attack on a crowded market, according to the report.

Though the girl survived, her family initially rejected her out of fear of stigma.

Children who escape Boko Haram are often held in custody by authorities or ostracised by their communities and families.

In a separate statement, UNICEF said it was concerned that children were being held by the Nigerian military for alleged association with Boko Haram fighters.

They are held in military barracks, separated from their parents, without medical follow-up, without psychological support, without education, under conditions and for durations that are unknown, said Patrick Rose, a UNICEF regional coordinator.

READ MORE: UN  475,000 children at risk in Lake Chad area

On Monday, Nigerias military released 593 people, including children, after clearing them of having ties with Boko Haram. A UNICEF spokesperson told Reuters news agency that about 370 remain in custody.

Societys rejection of these children, and their sense of isolation and desperation, could be making them more vulnerable to promises of martyrdom through acceptance of dangerous and deadly missions, the report said.

Children make up 1.3 million of the 2.3 million people displaced by the conflict.
Relations between the United States and Russia are at a low point and marked by serious distrust, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after meetings in Moscow that highlighted the two countries differences over the Syria conflict.

There is a low level of trust between our two countries, Tillerson said on Wednesday during a news conference with Sergey Lavrov, Russias foreign minister, adding that the degradation of US-Russian ties needs to end.

The worlds two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship, said the top US diplomat, who also met Russian President Vladimir Putin.





US and Russia have traded caustic accusations following a US strike on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town in Syria, blamed by Washington on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia.

Tillersons comments echoed televised remarks by Putin, who earlier on Wednesday said the trust between the two countries had deteriorated since Donald Trump was elected US president.

READ MORE: Trump  Putins best frenemy

One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated, Putin said in an interview broadcast on Russian television.

On Syria, they are miles apart and it doesnt seem that theres been any breakthrough at all, said Al Jazeeras James Bays, reporting from the White House.

Airspace deal

Speaking to reporters, Tillerson reiterated Washingtons position that Assad must eventually relinquish power  a position starkly at odds with Russia, which has been bombing rebel-held areas in Syria in support of Assads forces since September 2015.

For his part, Lavrov warned against an international effort to remove Assad, citing the cases of Iraq and Libya to argue that toppling autocratic rulers by external forces leads to chaos.





He said Moscow was ready to resume a deal with Washington to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace as the two countries lead separate bombing campaigns.

Today the president confirmed our readiness to return to its implementation on the understanding that the original aims of the air forces of the American coalition are reaffirmed, namely the fight with IS [ISIL] and al-Nusra, Lavrov said.

The deal was suspended after US missile strikes against the al-Shayrat airbase following a suspected gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun, in an act Moscow labelled aggression against a sovereign state.

Tillerson said the US was confident in its assessment that Syrian government forces used chemical weapons in the bombing on Khan Sheikhoun and alleged that Syria had used such weapons more than 50 times in the past.

Lavrov said Russia has no intention to shield anyone, adding that a United Nations chemical weapons watchdog must conduct an objective and unbiased probe into the attack that killed dozens of people.

Russian veto

Al Jazeeras Rory Challands, reporting from Moscow, said that the press conference highlighted the two diplomats differences in style, in position and in views of the world.

There were no dramatic proposals made, no big deals discussed, Challands said.

The conversation was basically about how to stop it [the relation] from getting worse, not necessarily about grand steps to make it any better.

REPORTERs NOTEBOOK: Is Trump ready to make a deal on Syria?

The press conference came just moments before Russia again cast a veto at the UN Security Council, blocking a bid from the US, UK and France to condemn the suspected gas attack and push the Syrian government to cooperate with investigators.

China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began six years ago, abstained from Wednesdays vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.

Ten countries voted in favour of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting no.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer triggered an uproar by saying Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for making an inappropriate and insensitive comparison to the Holocaust in earlier comments about Syrian President Bashar al-Assads use of chemical weapons  remarks that drew instant rebuke from Jewish groups and critics.

In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, Spicer said in a statement on Tuesday.

I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centres. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.

During the daily White House briefing, Spicer told reporters that Adolf Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Critics noted the remark ignored Hitlers use of gas chambers to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust.

The White House generated criticism at the start of the year when a statement on international Holocaust Remembrance Day did not make any reference to Jews.

Condemnation

The gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last week left dozens of people dead, and Turkeys health minister said tests show sarin gas was used.

You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, Spicer said when asked about Russias alliance with the Syrian government.

The Nazis murdered six million Jews during World War II. Many Jews as well as others were killed in gas chambers in European concentration camps.

When a reporter asked Spicer if he wanted to clarify his comments, he said Hitler had not used chemical weapons in a battlefield situation the same way the Syrian president did.

I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing.

He said Hitler brought them into the Holocaust centre, while Assad went into towns, dropped them down into innocent  into the middle of towns.

Democrats and Jewish organisations condemned the comments.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in a statement that Spicer was downplaying the horror of the Holocaust and should be fired.

Senator Ben Cardin said on Twitter, Someone get @PressSec a refresher history course on Hitler stat (hashtag)#Icantbelievehereallysaidthat.

The New York-based Anne Frank Centre for Mutual Respect called on Trump to fire Spicer, saying he denied that Hitler gassed Jews during the Holocaust.

Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of liberal pro-Israel advocacy group J Street, called the comments unforgivable.

Quick note to @PressSec: By "holocaust centers," you must mean Concentration Camps  where my relatives died  many of them gassed.  Jeremy Ben-Ami (@JeremyBenAmi) April 11, 2017

Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican from New York, said in a statement that as far as comments being made and comparisons of various tactics and methods between now and World War II, you can make the comparison a little differently and it would be accurate, but its important to clear up that Hitler did in fact use chemical warfare to murder innocent people.

According to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Nazis experimented with poison gas in late 1939 with the killing of mental patients, which was termed euthanasia.

Both mobile and stationary gas chambers were later used, with up to 6,000 Jews gassed each day at Auschwitz alone.

The Holocaust Museum did not mention Spicers comments directly, but sent out a tweet shortly after the briefing that showed graphic footage of bodies US forces found while taking control of the Buchenwald concentration camp.
ISIL claims responsibility for deadly suicide bomb blast near government offices in the centre of the Afghan capital.

At least five people have been killed and 10 wounded in a suicide bomb blast near government offices in the heart of Afghanistans capital, Kabul, according to police.

The incident on Wednesday happened when a suicide bomber on foot detonated his explosives about 100m from the gate of the presidential palace and close to where the Afghan finance ministry is located.





Al Jazeeras Qais Azimy, reporting from Kabul, said both the location and the timing of the attack were very important.

It happened in District N.2  almost at the heart of Kabul and one of its safest parts, Azimy said.

It also happened at the end of the working day, when most of the government employees working in the presidential palace and the finance ministry were rushing to go to their homes.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) armed group claimed responsibility for the attack in an online post.

Azimy said ISILs emergence in Afghanistan and its ability to launch such attacks raised further concerns in a country already struggling to deal with an offensive by the Taliban armed group.

The people of Kabul and Afghanistan are now more worried because the Afghan security forces are really having a hard time to fight the Taliban, and no one is looking forward for a new group to emerge in this country, Azimy said.

READ MORE: ISIL expands in Afghan-Pakistan areas, widening attacks

ISILs offshoot in Afghanistan in Pakistan, known as the so-called Khorasan Province, was created in 2015.

The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the US-backed government in Kabul, is opposed to it and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.

US officials say intelligence suggests ISIL is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. US officials have said they believe its has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.
Airline practice of overbooking flights in focus after video of man dragged off plane goes viral.

The chief executive of United Airlines has apologised for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, and promised a thorough review of the airlines practices.

The apology came after a torrent of criticism of the carriers action on a flight on Sunday and its initial explanation of it.

In images now seen around the world, a passenger was forcefully removed and bloodied in the process  the entire event captured on video by passengers and posted on social media.

The 69-year-old passenger, Dr David Dao, had refused to be bumped from the overbooked flight  an airline practice that has come under increased scrutiny since the incident.

I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard, chief executive Oscar Munoz said.

I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.

The comments were in stark contrast to the companys initial response, in which it seemed to at least partially blame the passenger.

US media published an email Munoz sent earlier to employees, in which he said the passenger defied authorities and compounded the incident.

Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this, he wrote.

Racism allegations

Munoz said on Tuesday that the company will conduct a thorough review of its procedures, including how we handle oversold situations and how the airline partners with airport authorities and law enforcement.

But the public relations damage was done, with calls for boycotts and the US Department of Transportation promising a review of the airlines actions.

The fact that Dr Dao, an American citizen, was of Asian origin has raised questions of racism, not least in China, a major destination for United.

Calls for a boycott of the airline have appeared on Weibo, Chinas version of Twitter.

United Airlines forced passenger off the plane quickly became the most talked about topic with 580 million posts.

A lot of Weibo users said they felt such an incident happened because the victim happened to be an Asian.

In the US, the head of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, an advocacy group, said he may ask members not to fly United to the groups upcoming convention in Chicago.

An attorney for Daos family said he is in a Chicago hospital getting treated for his injuries.

The family of Dr Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received. Currently, they are focused only on Dr Daos medical care and treatment, said Chicago lawyer Stephen Golan.

It was the second time in about two weeks that the airline found itself in the middle of a firestorm.

In late March, two teenagers were prevented from boarding a flight in Denver because they were wearing leggings.

The airline defended its action at the time by saying the girls were flying on passes that required them to abide by a dress code in return for free or discounted travel for family members of staff.

Overbooking of flights

The passenger on the overbooked Sunday plane en route from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, was one of four people involuntarily bumped to make room for a United flight crew.

The incident shone a light on the practice of overbooking and bumping passengers off flights, which airlines increasingly rely upon to avoid losing money on empty seats when some passengers do not show up for scheduled flights.

If they were to stop overbooking, the only way of trying to compensate for that over the long term would be to raise fares on everyone else, industry analyst Robert Mann told the AFP news agency.

Instead, airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on a plane, and are generally able to properly forecast demand to avoid major disruptions in getting passengers to their destinations, Mann said.

But they sometimes miscalculate and inadvertently book more passengers than a flight can handle.

In those instances, airlines offer travel vouchers and cash compensation to entice passengers to voluntarily give up their seats for later flights.

When such enticements do not work, airlines have wide latitude under the law.

If youre still in the terminal waiting to board, you can be told you cant board, even if you have a reservation, Mann said.

And once youre on board, you are subject to being deplaned based on the order of the crew. So you dont really have any rights.

Last year, 434,000 passengers volunteered to be bumped from flights, while another 40,000 were bumped involuntarily and compensated.
Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been charged with treason for allegedly obstructing President Edgar Lungus motorcade on a main road, according to police.

On Saturday, Lungu had passed through Mongu  500km west of the capital, Lusaka  and his motorcade was obstructed because Hichilemas convoy refused to give way, police said.

The opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the presidential motorcade in an attempt to put the life of the republican president in danger, police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka on Wednesday.

Not shocked

The two political leaders are old rivals, with Lungu beating Hichilema narrowly in two presidential elections. Lungu, the Patriotic Front (PF) leader only just won last Augusts vote, which the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says was rigged.

Hichilema, who was arrested during a police raid on his house late on Monday, and five UPND aides were charged with treason breaking the highway code and use of insulting language.





Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of the death penalty.

Hichilemas lawyer Jack Mwiimbu said he was waiting for his client to appear in court.

After that, we are going to take appropriate action in the interest of our client, Mwiimbu told the Reuters news agency.

He is still detained in police cells at Lilayi but he is in high spirits. He has always known that the PF have always wanted to charge him with a non-bailable offence, so he is not shocked, he said

The UPND has dismissed the charges and criticised the raid on Hichilemas home as barbaric after the politicians wife and children were trapped and choked by gas.

The charges were strongly condemned by the Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council, an umbrella body of Zambian action groups

Arresting opposition leaders on trumped-up charges is a recipe to heighten tension in an already volatile economic and political environment, its chairwoman Sara Longwe said.

Zambias Human Rights Commission, established under the constitution to investigate human rights violations, said in a statement, that it hoped Hichilema would be treated fairly and brought before the courts of law without unreasonable delay.

Kanganja, the police chief, said the police were acting independently and not under political pressure.

I wish to reiterate that the actions by the opposition leader were unreasonable, reckless and criminal. Therefore members of the public are being warned that as police we are not going to watch such kind of behaviour by any person, irrespective of their status, he said.

Following last Augusts vote, Hichilema alleged polling irregularities and went to court, but judges rejected a petition to block Lungus inauguration.

Last October Hichilema and UPND vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba were arrested for unlawful assembly and sedition when they tried to visit supporters in jail.

His team called the arrest an attempt by the ruling party to silence dissent.
Police in Ouagadougou fire tear gas at thousands protesting 27-year presidents attempt to hold power for another term.

Police fired teargas at rock-throwing protesters after tens of thousands marched through Burkina Fasos capital calling for President Blaise Compaore, already in power for 27 years, to scrap plans to change term limits to stay in power.

An early morning march on Tuesday through the heart of Ouagadougou was peaceful but clashes erupted later as protesters tried to advance towards the National Assembly.

Tuesday marked the start of a civil disobedience campaign by opposition parties after the government asked the National Assembly to order a referendum on changing the constitution to let Compaore seek re-election next year rather than step down.

Former colonial power France, which uses Burkina Faso as a base for its Special Forces soldiers operating across West Africa, urged Compaore to abide by an African Union charter stipulating that leaders should not change the law to try to stay in power.

The people have decided to start a general popular resistance. The first grievance is to get the withdrawal, pure and simple, of this legal project, Zephirin Diabre, head of the opposition delegation, told the crowd of demonstrators.

Protesters chanted Step aside! and Dont touch Article 37, referring to the clause in the constitution that now bars Compaore, in power for 27 years, from running again next year.

Others carried banners comparing Compaore to Ebola, the virus that has killed nearly 5,000 people in the nearby states of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone.

We must disinfect ourselves, one read.

There was no immediate figure for arrests or casualties, though Red Cross workers and emergency personnel took charge of some protesters injured during the demonstration.

Government sounds warning

In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the government congratulated the opposition leadership for what it said were largely peaceful demonstrations across the country. It said marchers in some towns had deviated from planned routes, however, leading to misbehaviour.

The government calls upon the sense of responsibility and restraint in order to avoid any act that might compromise the peace and stability our country holds so dear, the statement said.

Protesters in Ouagadougou who marched towards the National Assembly, where the law will be debated on Thursday, were blocked by security forces who fired volleys of teargas and used water cannons.

They responded by burning tyres and throwing rocks. A pocket of demonstrators gathered in a downtown square pledging to hold out until Compaore shelved his plan, but were peacefully dispersed by police in the early evening.

Its provocation. They [the authorities] want to set the country on fire, said a young protester. Even if Blaise Compaore burns the country down, he will depart all the same.

Demonstrators in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Fasos second biggest town, 330km to the southwest of the capital, pulled down a statue of Compaore, a witness said.
New Zealands imprisonment rates are among the worst in the developed world. We revisit a Maori family to examine why.

Despite its reputation for social justice and equality, New Zealand has one of the highest rates of imprisonment in the western world.

One in two prisoners are indigenous Maori, even though they account for just 15 percent of the population. Maori are overrepresented in all sectors of the criminal justice system because of soaring rates of child poverty, school dropout, unemployment and family breakdown within indigenous communities.

Affiliation to US-style biker gangs also plays a part because gangs are seen as surrogate families. The first overseas chapters of Hells Angels were established in New Zealand. Over the decades gangs have become involved in violent crime, drug trafficking and brutal gang rapes.

In response, the New Zealand prison system introduced cultural units and innovative programmes that try to connect Maori with their families instead of the gangs. These programmes also encourage prisoners to get back in touch with their cultural ancestry by learning traditions such as the Haka  the Maori warrior dance. But only half of the men in these units speak with their family and re-establishing that bond is not an easy task.

In 2013, 101 East visited New Zealand  getting rare access to both prisons and the criminal underworld  to investigate why this peaceful South Pacific nation has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the Western world.

Four years on, REWIND returns to New Zealand to find out what became of Sirius Anderson, a young boy featured in the film who dreamed of one day becoming president of the Mongrel Mob.
After five years of lobbying, planning and constructing, a new 24/7 study center at UF is scheduled to open next week.

The opening ceremony for Newell Hall will be Monday at 11 a.m., said Blake Murphy, chair of the Newell Hall Student Advisory Board. The study center will be equipped with about 400 indoor seating options, a 24/7 Au Bon Pain cafe-style restaurant and outlets on almost every piece of furniture, Murphy said. About 150 student jobs will be created for the $16.6 million building, according to Alligator archives.

Every detail and every feature of the building was introduced with students in mind, the 23-year-old said.

The building was designed with four themes: focus, rejuvenate, interact and collaborate, Murphy said. Each theme is shown through features like large meeting tables, reclining chairs, individual study pods and outside concrete pingpong tables.

Youre supposed to be able to talk  its not a sh space, he said.

The idea for the renovated study space came from student responses to a Student Experience in the Research University survey in 2012, Murphy said. The No. 1 response was not enough study spaces on campus.

Student Government began lobbying the Florida Legislature in that same year to fund the project.

After facing multiple rejections, Florida Gov. Rick Scott approved $10 million for the project in June 2014, and former UF President Bernie Machen put $5 million more toward it.

Once construction began in late 2015, UF allocated another $1.6 million to the project, Murphy said.

Doors on all sides of the four-story building will be open during the day, and at night, students can use their Gator 1 cards to enter through the main entrance facing Stadium Road.

The center will include two sets of stairs similar to the Reitz Unions social steps, vending machines on the top two floors and a bathroom on the first floor with a chair lift, meant for those with disabilities.

Students will be allowed to eat and drink throughout the building.

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Newell Hall is the third-oldest building on campus and is considered a historical site, Murphy said. Renovations to the outside of the building are true to the original 1910 architecture.

The inside will reflect a more modern design, resembling a Google office, Murphy said. All the seats were chosen by a student committee, and the grass surrounding the building was tested for sitting.

Palm trees were planted with hammock lengths in mind, and the hall will have outdoor seating with nearby outlets and surrounding lights.

Kayla Gaines, a UF English and history sophomore, said while she normally studies at Library West, shes ready for Newell Hall to open before her finals.

I like how the old blends with the new, the 19-year-old said. Im definitely going to go.

Contact Paige Fry at pfry@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @paigexfry

A look at one of the floors inside Newell Hall.
On the second day of Passover, the most practiced Jewish holiday in the U.S., White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer compared the Syrian governments use of a chemical weapon to attack its own people to the Holocaust, arguing that Adolf Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons on his people.

Only he did.

Let the record show that Hitler orchestrated the mass slaughter of millions of Jews, blacks, members of the LGBTQ+ community and Roma, a nomadic ethnic group, by forcing them into concentration camps, or as Spicer referred to them, Holocaust centers. In gas chambers, Nazi officers pumped in poisonous gas to kill those forced inside.

Spicer was essentially stating that as bad as Hitler was, he was never as bad as Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose chemical attack killed about 87 people last month. The statement left one of Spicers aides with his mouth agape, and Spicer quickly released a statement following the press conference trying to clarify.

In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, Spicer said in the statement. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.

This is an administration that has already claimed to give alternative facts in order to cover up some of their blunders in the present. It looks like theyve moved beyond current events and started to gloss over tragic events in history. Spicers reference to concentration camps as Holocaust centers minimizes the actual horror of the mass imprisonment and institutionalized murder of millions of people. This isnt something he could have simply blundered on and we could forgive him for; being a political figure requires an understanding of history, events both great and terrible, concerning your country and the world. At the very least, one needs to recognize that the Holocaust wasnt full of centers and did, in fact, use chemical weapons to commit mass murder.

And why do we always use Hitler as a sliding measure of whats evil? Murder of innocent civilians is wrong, regardless of what period in time it happened, who the civilians were and what the means were. The actions of Assad and Hitler dont need to be compared; they were both horrible, inhumane actions. Minimizing the actions of one should not be done to make the other seem worse. Murder is wrong. Murder of innocents is wrong. Why are we fixated on ranking it?

Following the gaffe, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect called for President Donald Trump to fire Spicer. In a statement posted to the centers Facebook page, Steven Goldstein, the centers executive director, said Spicer engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable, by denying Hitler gassed millions of Jews to death.

The post ends with a hashtag: #NeverAgain.

But the fact that this was said at all is appalling. On Monday and Tuesday night, Jews around the country and world gathered for Passover seders, retelling the story of how the Jews fled slavery by the Egyptians in search of freedom from persecution. Its a story echoed in many Jewish holidays, and its a story that will likely ring truer over the next six days as Jews around the world eat matzo in memory of when they didnt even have the luxury of waiting for bread to rise.

And while we at the Alligator find these comments horrific, the only cure for ignorance is education. We ask you, dear reader, to fight against ignorance by broadening your horizons. Attend a Passover seder. Go to Easter services. Seek to learn what you dont know. As we doubt Spicer will be fired for his remarks, we can only hope he does the same.

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English News Cambodian version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China published in Phnom Penh

Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 12 Avril 2017



China's "Belt and Road" initiative has benefited the world, especially Asian countries in terms of infrastructure construction, the prime minister said, suggesting Cambodian people to read through the book and learn from it, to apply the theories into the development of the country.

By Yu Yichun from Peoples Daily The Cambodian version of "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" was officially released in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Tuesday. The book, which collects speeches, talks, interviews, notes and letters of the Chinese president, was applauded in Cambodia.



Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Jiang Jianguo, who is the chief of China's State Council Information Office, as well as 700 politicians, academicians, entrepreneurs and college students from both sides, attended the release ceremony.



Jiang said that thanks to the guidance of President Xis governance ideas, China has made prominent achievements since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012.



He hoped that the two countries could take the opportunity of the books release to further exchange governance experiences and deepen collaboration, so as to deepen the bilateral friendship.



Hun Sen spoke highly of China, the world's second-largest economy, for its significant contributions to the recovery and development of the world economy under the leadership of President Xi.



He noted that given a global situation filled with uncertainties, China has been advocating for globalization, promoting trade liberalization, accelerating international cooperation and making contribution to regional and world poverty alleviation.



China's "Belt and Road" initiative has benefited the world, especially Asian countries in terms of infrastructure construction, the prime minister said, suggesting Cambodian people to read through the book and learn from it, to apply the theories into the development of the country.



The English version of the book had already been welcomed by Cambodian political circles and scholars before the release of the Cambodian version.



Meas Chhor Poam, principal of Preah Norodom Primary School in Phnom Penh, said the book is a handbook introducing China's reform and opening up movement. He hoped to apply it as a textbook so that the students could learn from the valuable experiences.



The principal said that Chinese leaders have acquired abundant experiences in national governance. "China and Cambodia share a deep friendship," he noted, adding that the Cambodian government and people will benefit if China shares its experiences.



Cambodia and China have a strong diplomatic relationship and share similar cultural background, said Meas Sokunth, an adviser to the Cabinet of Deputy Prime Minister in Cambodia.



He said that China's development mode and experience could be a reference for Cambodia. "Ive paid attention to China's anti-corruption campaign and foreign policy with neighboring countries, so the book is a must for me," Sokunth said.



China is a united, multi-ethnic country, and its tremendous development has reflected the importance of a country's unity, he noted.



Chea Munyrith, director of the Confucius Institute at Royal Academy of Cambodia, told People's Daily that his favorable part of the book is the 13th section about foreign diplomacy with neighboring countries.



As a major country, China is also seeking for common prosperity in addition to its own development," said Chea Munyrith, adding that was the reason for China to propose the "Belt and Road" initiative. He stressed that China has set a good example and played a guiding role for the comprehensive development of Cambodia.



In 2015, President Khlot Thyda of Royal Academy of Cambodia recommended the book to the then Vice Prime Minister of Cambodia Sok An.



In order to present the international society with a better understanding of the modern China under the leadership of President Xi, the Confucius Institute at Royal Academy of Cambodia held a seminar on the book in February 2015 with the consent of Prime Minister Hun.



Sok An commented that the book is not only an introduction of Chinese leaders governing ideas and strategies, but also a reference for Cambodia to make development policies.



Khlot Thyda suggested young people in Cambodia to read the book, since its rich connotation and practical significance would bring huge benefits to the development of both the young generations and the country.



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)
The presidential election in Iran, scheduled for May 19th, witnessed a major development last Thursday when Ebrahim Raisi, of the principalists faction and considered a close confidant of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, announced his candidacy. A few weeks ago, 50 members of the all-clerics Assembly of Experts, the body in charge of appointing the next supreme leader, issued a letter to Khamenei calling for Raisi to become the regimes next president. Raisi himself had informed the regimes various factions he will participate only if he enjoys Khameneis blessing.

The incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, the so-called reformist seeking a second term, had coincidently made it clear to his inner circle of gaining Khameneis approval to take part in the election. Up to now, we can reach an initial conclusion that the charade Tehran is dubbing an election is more a selection, as both the main candidates are first seeking the approval of one individual before they ever begin campaigning among the general public.

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Other candidates currently in the race include Hamid Baqai, a former vice president during the administration of former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has recently opted out.

For the Iranian people, however, they are generally faced with one highly deceptive figure, that being Rouhani, who is known as the Purple Fox, and Raisi, an utterly brutal individual, known for his decades of service to the regimes judiciary in sending thousands of people to the gallows.

Rouhanis report card as a security official, who, in his own words, has been involved in all of the Iranian regimes important decisions, shows an active role in repressive measures against women in the early days after the 1979 revolution, sending children and juveniles onto minefields during the Iran-Iraq War, quelling the 1999 student uprising, advancing Irans clandestine nuclear weapons program and deceiving the international community, and over 3,000 executions during his four years as president. We have also witnessed general poverty skyrocketing, a large swathe of Irans economy coming to a halt, and much of the countrys assets being allocated to foreign meddling in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and beyond.

Raisi has been climbing the regime ladder through the judiciary, proving his loyalty to the establishment as Tehrans deputy public prosecutor, issuing death sentences easily at a strike of a pen, and known for his support of atrocious mass executions. Most horrifying of all is Raisis membership in the notorious Death Commission behind the 1988 massacre of over 30,000 political prisoners, mostly members and supporters of the Iranian opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), to the gallows.

Khamenei rewarded Raisi by appointing him Tehrans prosecutor, head of the countrys Inspector Organization, judiciary deputy, the public prosecutor of the Special Clerics Court, and the regimes leading public prosecutor. Most recently Khamenei trusted Raisi by placing him in charge of the Astan Quds Razavi, a so-called foundation considered to be one of Irans most powerful political and economic entities. A large percentage of this regimes budget used to export terrorism and fundamentalism through the Revolutionary Guards abroad is provided by this very institution.

Reports from inside Iran indicate a sense of escalating public hatred amongst the Iranian people regarding the regimes sham presidential election. People do not trust any of the regimes factions or their candidates. Iranians inside the country and abroad have taken to social media to say My vote is regime change".

The MEK has recently posted a statement on its website, widely viewed inside Iran, calling on people from all walks of life under this regimes repression to boycott the elections. Freedom and free elections based on the peoples right to sovereignty, the statement reads in part, inviting the entire nation to nationwide campaign aimed at shunning the elections through a variety of protests.

The power struggle between the Iranian regimes factions and their representatives, such as Rouhani and Raisi, is merely a dispute over usurping a larger share of plundering the Iranian peoples resources. A further inner struggle in Tehran is a clear indication of this regimes failure in facing escalating domestic and international crises. This includes the recent U.S. airstrikes against an Assad military airfield in Syria, sending a strong message of shifting tides to Iran.

The regime in Tehran is terrified of all this turmoil spilling into a powder keg society with the potential of repeating the 2009 uprisings. Only this time around at a much larger scale.

Shahriar Kia is a political analyst and member of the Iranian opposition, the Peoples Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI, also known as the MEK). He graduated from North Texas University.
As I have noted so many times, I am not the first American to be fascinated by Spain. And this spring is not disappointing. While the sounds of the Virgen de la Macarena may have died down a bit -- Catalonia tried to ban bullfighting -- the trumpet has been replaced the booming drones of Highland war pipes. It seems the Campbells are coming.

"The Tyrants" in Madrid -- at least that is how the Catalonians fell about them -- have overturned Catalonia's banning of bullfighting as unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court of Spain overturned a ban against bullfighting on Thursday that had been approved by lawmakers in Catalonia six years ago, a decision that simultaneously outraged separatists in the region and animal activists. The court voted 8 to 3 against the Catalan ban, finding that lawmakers from the region could not prohibit a practice that the justices said was enshrined in the cultural patrimony of the Spanish state. -- New York Times, Oct 20, 2016

The court it seems just does not get the premise. The Catalonians banned bullfighting precisely because bullfighting is Spanish, and the Catalonians are not. Franco had encouraged bullfighting as a Spanish symbol of unity; and, of course, the Catalonians hate Franco and his memory.

For example, General Franco, dictator from 1939 to 1975, promoted it strongly as the fiesta nacional. Following his death, separatist sentiment, especially in Catalonia (Catalunya), has associated the corrida with centralism and repression. -- Spain Then and Now

But the judicial despots in Madrid have upped the ante. They have banned the former president of Catalonia from holding public office, even in the European Parliament.

Former Catalan President Artur Mas right-hand man, Francesc Homs, was forced to leave his seat as Catalan European Democratic Party (PDeCAT) MP in the Spanish Parliament at the behest of Spains Supreme Court. The magistrates had banned him from public office for 18 months for allowing a symbolic vote on independence in 2014. This Thursday, the court not only rejected Hom's appeal but informed him that he cant stand for the European Parliament either since the ban applies to all areas -- Catalan News Agency

The Catalonians intend to go ahead with the referendum anyway. However, Spain's desire to keep its country in one piece has led to another crisis.

Gibraltar!

The residents of Gibraltar want to remain both in the United Kingdom, and in the European Union. Gibraltar cannot seem to decide which of the two divorcing parents to go with. Both Spain and England can now claim to be defending democracy.

Gibraltarians... voted overwhelmingly -- 96 percent -- to stay in the European Union in last years referendum ... [T]he fear ... once Britain is outside the European Union, which guarantees free movement of people, Spain could demand concessions or make the border with Gibraltar harder to cross, effectively isolating the territory. -- New York Times

So with Britain voting for a Brexit, this situation gets dicey. While Gibraltarans want to remain British, they also want open borders with Spain, which has given Spain some inroads.

Alfonso Dastis has said that Madrid must have a veto over any agreements made over Gibraltar, which sits on Spain's southern tip and is an important strategic enclave. The EU's plans for the Brexit negotiations let the two countries argue about the territory, which Spain has wanted back since it ceded it to the British more than 300 years ago. -- The Independent

Some high-strung British politicos have threatened war to keep Gibraltar.

Britain could cripple Spain if war broke out over Gibraltar and is three times as powerful claims ex-Royal Navy commander -- The Sun Theresa May would go to war to defend Gibraltar in the same way Margaret Thatcher set out to reclaim the Falklands, a former Tory leader has claimed. -- Daily Mail

War?! Who was mentioning war? The Spanish were amazed at the histrionic rhetoric from Britain, comparing the Spanish to the Argentine junta which launched the Falklands War in 1982. Frankly, the Spanish thought the British were muy loco, and told them to take it easy.

Britain needs to calm down over Gibraltar, Spain's foreign minister has said.

"The Spanish government is a little surprised by the tone of comments coming out of Britain, a country known for its composure," [Spain's foreign minister, Alfonso Dastis] said during a conference in Madrid... [C]omparing the dispute to the Falklands is "out of context". -- The Independent, April 3, 2017

It is a sad commentary when the Spanish are telling the British to calm down. Now the fun begins.

The Catalan nationalists support Gibraltar's independence from Spain. as a way to assert their own independence from Spain. This is rather ironic, because Britain betrayed Catalonia to the Spanish during the War of Spanish Succession, in order to keep Gibraltar.

Some British have also called for Britain to support Catalonian nationalism in retaliation. Call the Spanish bluff and up the ante.

Former British MP suggests raising Catalonia pro-independence aspirations at the UN -- Catalan News Agency

Which begs the question: Why didn't the British support Catalan Independence in 1714, when they were supposed to. This would have avoided a lot of problems.

If one thinks Spain is being beset on all sides, those daring Spaniards have a few aces left up their sleeve. The Clans of Caledonia are starting to rise again. The Spanish will call the British bluff of Barcelona and raise them one Glasgow and all of the Highlands.

British and Scottish leaders in bitter clash over independence vote -- USA Today

It seems the EU, which was formerly opposed to secessionist nonsense, may now back Scotland. After all, didn't Britain secede from Europe? What goes around comes around, amigo.

Is Europe softening its stance on Scottish independence? -- BBC

One Spanish politician has stirred up a hornets nest.

...[The senior Spanish member to the European Parliament] told us last month his country wouldn't stop Scotland trying to get back in if it became independent. His comments have since been backed up by the foreign minister. Some Conservatives are furious about this. They think the Spanish are playing an aggressive negotiating game and Scotland has been brought into play. Gibraltar is another example, they think. -- BBC

An aggressive negotiating game?! Ya think?!

Irony of irony, just as Spain's Constitutional Court is trying to squash Catalonia's referendum, Britain's Prime Minister... well...

British Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected demands for a new Scottish independence referendum, saying "now is not the time" for a vote as Britain prepared to begin Brexit talks. -- Daily Mail

It seems the Scots plan to go ahead with the referendum anyway.

Catalonia?! Gibraltar?! Scotland?!

Could it possibly get any more interesting?

Well, yes, it could.! From Brussels

The [European Union] resolution also notes Scotland and Northern Ireland's electorates voted remain (bids to have recognition of the results in London and Gibraltar were rejected). -- BBC

The Europeans are bringing in the Irish, now. The second most common phrase in British history is, "We've have finally solved the Irish problem once and for all." The most common phrase is, "What do you mean, the Irish are in revolt, again?"

But given that the Caledonians and the Irish are both whiskey drinking Gaels, the connection is obvious and everyone should have seen that coming, especially since the Irish have suggested to Ulster that leaving Britain to reunite with the South was a way to remain in the European Union, and avoid the economic pain of a Brexit. Looks like the UK is breaking up.

It would seem that the Spanish are winning this tete-a-tete with England. But there is one last option left for the British. It is going nuclear, though.

THE BASQUE!

You see the second most common phrase in Spanish history over the last two centuries has been, "We have finally solved the Basque problem

Mike Konrad is the pen name of an American who wishes he had availed himself more fully of the opportunity to learn Spanish in high school, lo those many decades ago.
GILLETTE, Wyo.  Wyoming wildlife managers have captured a young male mountain lion in Gillette and relocated it to the Bighorn Mountains.

Dustin Kirsch of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the lion was captured Monday in a subdivision.

Kirsch tells the Gillette News Record (http://bit.ly/2onT17D ) that the lion was about 1 1/2 years old and weighed about 100 pounds.

He says it was first capture of a mountain lion in the Gillette area since the summer of 2015.

___

Information from: The Gillette (Wyo.) News Record, http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com
President Barack Obama, in 2015, made a widely reported statement that "The legacy of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination in almost every institution of our lives, you know, that casts a long shadow, and that's still part of our DNA that's passed on." This was another bit of deconstructionist verbiage where DNA is used to suggest how deeply fixed racism is in the psyches of white persons, but at the same time, although the term is biological, it is intended as a metaphor for an historical process or condition. What can whites do to change this? Almost nothing. Yet at the same time whites remain responsible and perpetually guilty for the difficulties that assail the members of the black community in the USA, individually and as a whole. Thus racism is more than a weakness or tendency. It is a permanent moral stain requiring permanent atonement.

It consigns whites to the status of eternal penitents before a wronged party from whom forgiveness or absolution will never be forthcoming. Nothing whites can do can satisfy the pain of the historical wrongdoings against black Americans, and a penalty must be exacted repeatedly ad infinitum. Whites must continuously strive to expiate their sin, but the expiation process cannot be ended. Racism is permanent. It is part of white DNA (almost literally, whether or not found by genome specialists or ancestors.com).

However, this type of deconstruction of the meaning of a term whereby a biological trait is proclaimed as applying to a formerly sociological concept is reversed when it comes to the left's ideology of sexual identity. Thus the biological identity of sex has become very malleable. In the new world order, "gender" replaces sex as the fundamental identity concept. "Gender" releases the "free individual" from DNA's constraints. The individual instead bases his or her identity on a different concept of identity. Under this model, one "chooses" his or her gender. Thus, I was not born a male, but I have chosen to be a male. I could have chosen to be a female, but, no, I chose to be a male. Real DNA is, so to speak, deleted, diluted, or de-DNA-ized. The scientific certainty of chromosomes is challenged by "free will." I can be anything I want to be even though science defines me one way. The scientific way confirms thousands of years of history, mating, childbearing, and religious teachings that the traditional family is Almighty God's plan for planet Earth. But the new version of the "democratic ideal" trumps all these categories.

So, follow this line of reasoning: racism is so strong in whites they cannot freely step away from it; but the reality of DNA must give way, and will give way, before the transgender agenda.

Putting marriage under the microscope, we see a similar development. For thousands of years, most of humanity has thought that the extended and/or nuclear heterosexual family is the basis for social stability, personal security, emotional and conjugal satisfaction, reproduction and child rearing, social order, and even the true basis for demonstrating and cultivating love. Further, it was believed universally, and sanctified by most of the holy scriptures of the world, and particularly by the Old and New Testaments, that woman was made for man and man was made for woman. Marriage has in addition been seen as a type of contract between two persons. It is a contract solemnly made by public vows. A vow is a promise. Each says they will love, honor, and cherish the other until death causes them to depart. The vow is confirmed by the words "I do" or "I will." It is a promise between persons; but also a promise to the Creator by His creatures. Yet, recently, when this writer attended a wedding, the lady officiating asked the couple if they would love, honor, and cherish each other, and told them that if they agreed, they should answer, "I'll try."

However, with no fault divorce, and promises made before a justice of the peace or some drive-in official in Nevada, the promises are more and more not worth the paper they are written on. Thus, we see that the ages old rationale for marriage has become increasingly diluted over time. This dilution has led the way to the recent rejection of the heterosexual marriage reality as the rock bottom sina qua non of our culture. This dilution paved the way for the present horror of homosexual marriage.

According to many, including the U.S. Supreme Court, the institution of marriage is merely a reflection of historical prejudice against homosexuals. If we read Justice Anthony Kennedy's opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges, he expresses emphatically that while one may be free not to condone homosexual marriage, that disagreement may not stand as public policy. He does not understand that by accepting homosexual marriage he is actually rejecting heterosexual marriage. The sanctity and stability of marriage as an institution depends on its being the only legitimate basis for family. Sight is precious in part because we can only see with our eyes. If a blind person goes to a movie, that in no way changes that it is only the sighted person who can see the movie. This applies even if the blind person says that he or she enjoyed the film immensely and that hearing it was equivalent to both hearing and seeing it. If homosexual persons think they are married, they and all those who agree with them are suffering from a similar delusion.

But for Justice Kennedy and others, the certitude that marriage is only for heterosexuals and the rationale that drives that certitude is merely a cover rationalization for deep-seated prejudice and malice towards homosexuals. In finding the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in 2013, Kennedy wrote "the purpose and effect [of DOMA] was to disparage and injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity [i.e. homosexuals]." Thus, by his twisted reasoning, any laws that defend real marriage are automatically demeaning and hurtful to gays.

In matters of race, sexual identity, and marriage, we see a new set of definitions and a perverse new logic in play. If only these changes could be attributed to identity politics or to confusions of meaning there might be some credible hope that a change back could be effected. However, the debate parameters and the conclusions reached by many, like Kennedy, who are convinced of their rationality suggest to this writer an additional element  a strong delusion that has captured the thoughts of many of our liberal-minded fellow citizens.

As an interesting aside, this writer saw three police conversing and joking around at the entrance to a local highway. Two were male and one was female. She was a slightly overweight woman about five feet two inches tall. She was laughing delightedly and her whole body was literally rocking and shaking with spasms of hilarity. Sexual undertones and overtones were unmistakable as she was so excited and delighted to be with her tall, handsome male police co-workers. But would she be able to subdue any criminal? Would she be able to chase a criminal? She is instead a happy product of our social policy of not demeaning women but instead insisting on their "right" to be included in the constabulary.

In the name of equality, non-discrimination, fairness, due process, and a host of other lofty concepts, society has begun to unravel. Common sense, order, decency, moral values going back before Christianity and extending even to other non-Western societies are being rejected. The chaos and doom that this foretells is beyond the human imagination.
On a cold winter night in late February, in a large lake near the city of Ahwaz, the capital of the oil-rich Khuzistan Province in southwest Iran, an old and wise fish gathered around the 7,500 small and baby fishes of his school. He was preparing to tell them something important.

The frightened fish quickly gathered around him to listen carefully. The old fish, with his deep voice, told them he had heard some news he wished to share with them.

You have to make an important decision, he said. There is a war coming. You have to prepare yourselves.

The scared little fish got closer and closer to one other, making up a large mass. The old fish explained how he had been thinking that maybe tomorrow would have been too late, so he would tell them today, because the fish must begin to prepare. The news, in brief, was that the regimes Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) planned to dry up all the lakes around the area, and then drain the entire Karoon river, in line with a variety of plots to scarf up huge revenues from water sales.

Therefore, the old fish said, we have to decide to stay here and divide into groups in small ponds, and fight for the last bits of water, or hit Karoon river and see it where it takes us.

The fish were very concerned at first, with some saying "we have to stay," and others seeing no choice but to seek a new home. The old fish told them to take their time and think until morning, and then inform him of their decision.

In the morning, with the sun rising on the lake, the old fish once again gathered them all around. They first expressed their hatred of the IRGC and in one voice decided to seek a new home. They said that despite their love for the home they had lived in for years, "we will not succumb or surrender."

The old fish was reassured, telling them they had resolved all his concerns. "I had heard from my ancestors that those who seek a new home because of cruelty will be provided a new and better home by God. And despite my old age, I have decided to come with you."

He then assembled a team of young fish, led by a small and brave white fish who had trekked all the waters, to head out earlier and lead the school.

One day into their journey, they reached the city of Ahwaz, where floods and strong winds were engulfing the city. The harsh conditions had destroyed much of the city infrastructure due to the regimes negligence.

They fought hard to reach the river entrance where they saw Ahwaz's locals launching a new demonstration where people were protesting the regime for plundering their God-given wealth, wasting it on bombs, arms, killings, meddling in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

The small white fish went forward to see and talk to one of the Ahwaz locals who was fishing near the shore. The fish told him their story of relocation and the Ahwazi was very happy to see the fish, saying, "We have the same situation, our revenues, billions of dollars from our rich fields are pouring into Assads pockets for Idlib's chemical bombing and the ruthless killing of civilians, and innocent children. Here, the people face a deteriorated economy and corruption and these days, and the supreme leaders Ayatollah Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, want to launch propaganda for another sham election. We know that Khamenei wants to engineer the election to pull out his candidate from the ballot box, and for that we decided to boycott the election."

The fish answered: "My grandfather always told me: 'I hate victims who vote for their executioners, in our society we never vote for the criminals who kill our brothers and sisters.'"

The Ahwazi replied: "The election in Iran is just replacing dictators. Those who will be selected as candidates are the genuine imposters who crippled and poisoned the human nature of our communities with physical and moral torture. Their methods of rules are economic slavery of women and men, executions and imprisonments, cruelty and injustice."

The small white fish was trying hard to hear because the strong waves kept on pushing them to the south of the river. Two days after enduring hunger and becoming very tired, the fish finally reached the city of Abadan and the juncture where Karoon joined two rivers from Iraq and poured into the Gulf.

Iraqis were seen fishing with their poles. This was when the small white fish began warning his school in tow not to go any further. He himself went forward until one of the Iraqis saw the little white fish, asking him, "what are you doing here, youre not from around here"

The small white fish told him how the IRGC was drying up all the lakes. The Arab man from Iraq told him about how the IRGC had literally destroyed his country, with bombs, destruction, and carnage every day.

"The IRGC-linked Popular Mobilization Forces have occupied our country. The terrorist Qassem Suleimani, the commander of the IRGC Quds Force, has literally ruined our lives, plundering all our countrys assets," he said.

The small white fish bade farewell to the man. The fish continued swimming and then reached bigger waters with stronger currents, and became afraid of being attacked by sharks.

A bit later the small white fish saw the IRGCs fast-attack boats above their heads. He went a bit closer to see if these were the same boats used by the IRGC to stage bogus military drills.

The small white fish informed the rest of the school to not be worried at all about these boats, or any sounds of explosions around them. "Those are ridiculous drills staged by the IRGC as the tides changed, especially with a new American administration in Washington," he said.

The little white fish neared one of the boats, able now to hear the vessel commanders voice gaping with one of his men. "This drill is useless," he said. "Last year, I heard from one of the IRGC commanders who said, 'the West can destroy our entire naval forces in 12 minutes,' like the strike on the airfield in Syria on Thursday evening with fifty-nine Tomahawk cruise missiles which fired from American destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean, so what a stupid thing we are doing with these drills. Why are we digging our own graves?"

The little white fish found a safe place for the rest of the school, and the old fish began preparing an adequate area for his large family to rest and settle in after their long journey.

Hassan Mahmoudi: A human rights advocate and Social Media journalist seeking democracy for Iran and peace for the region.
Last Friday, President Trump unleashed 59 Tomahawks on a Bashar al-Assad military air base. But has he unleashed the dogs of war, too?

The president justified the attack on Assad gassing innocents. Yet the presidents action served more than one purpose. It had strategic intent. It was a reassertion of America power after an eight-year drought under the feeble Barack Obama. U.S. missiles flying made impacts, of a sort, not just in Syria but across the globe. North Koreas Kim Jong-un and Chinas Xi Jinping took notice. Jinping did so over creme brulee at Mar-a-Lago on Friday evening.

Putting Americas enemies -- or potential enemies -- on notice that U.S. military might can be exercised as required has advantages in statecraft. But the presidents course following the attack must be abundantly cautious and well planned.

Vladimir Putin took note. The attack angered him, Russia being heavily invested in the Assad regime. Irans mullahs -- Putins allies -- who have designs on the Middle East, noticed, too. Their stake in Syria is part of an ages-old sectarian dispute between Shi'is and Sunnis for dominance in Islam.

In the aftermath of U.S. action, Putin said, in effect, Never again would a U.S. attack in Syria go without a Russian response. The Iranians joined him in his declaration. If Putin isnt bluffing, another American attack on Assad could invite wider war. Are the American people prepared for the consequences?

Putins Russia, a regional power with ambitions -- or is it pretensions? -- desires to regain global power status. Its heavily invested in Syria as a beachhead for greater influence in the Middle East. Putin wants to control the Eastern Mediterranean. Putin wants access from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and warm water ports for his navy. He desires some control in oil production. He seeks to outflank globalist Western Europe, which frets about Russian advances west. Crimea remains a flashpoint. Tensions over the Baltic States are increasing.

A critical question Americans need to ask is, does Syria have strategic importance to the U.S.? Certainly, the U.S. doesnt want Syria and Libya to be safe havens for ISIS or whatever the American-hating Islamic terrorist outfit is de la journee.

Remember, though, thanks to regime change policy, President Obama destabilized Syria and Libya. Obama unsuccessfully backed regime change in Egypt. The Middle East was upended in no small part through the misbegotten belief that overthrowing bad players, cozying up to fundamentalists, and democratization would be good for U.S. security. George W. Bush laid the groundwork for this policy with the Iraq War. However well intended, the results have been disastrous. The region has roiled. Vacuums have permitted the rise of ISIS.

Can the U.S. achieve its aims of defeating ISIS without direct confrontations with Russia in Syria? Can it succeed through cooperation with regional allies, thats Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and Israel? Can it do so by proxy, providing support to the Kurds and friendlies in Syria? Can the goal of defeating ISIS be achieved, in part, via covert and Special Forces operations? Do U.S. leaders have the discipline and patience to win indirectly and over a longer haul?

Assad is bad hombre, no doubt. Moral revulsion and condemnation of this man is as it should be. But men like Assad have walked the planet since humans went upright. What threat does Assad pose to the U.S. or its vital interests? Is the U.S. ready to clash with Russia to remove him from power, as is now being weighed by the administration? Is moral outrage sufficient grounds for war?

War parties in the U.S. think so. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are foremost, publicly eager to risk war with Russia for regime change in Syria. Graham, on "Meet the Press" last Sunday, said he wants to escalate American involvement in Syria, adding thousands of U.S. ground troops to the 1,000 there already. Increases in troops up the chances of fights with the Russians.

Attacks by Russian warplanes on Syrian friendlies should invite the U.S. to shoot down its fighters, said Graham. In other words, Graham is inviting a major war with Russia. What alternative would Putin have if the U.S. began downing his fighters?

Western European leaders have focused mostly on punishing Assad, though they know doing so strikes at Putin, whom theyve made a pariah.

This from British Prime Minister Theresa May, via a statement issued by her office:

The U.K. government fully supports the U.S. action, which we believe was an appropriate response to the barbaric chemical weapons attack launched by the Syrian regime, and is intended to deter further attacks.

Mays comment leads to the question, If the Tomahawk assault doesnt deter Assad from chemical weapons attacks on innocents, what will be the American and Western European response? Or if Assad continues to butcher innocents conventionally, and those killings are captured on camera, what then?

Putin has laid down a marker -- his own redline. If the U.S. crosses it and Putin counters, a major war with Russia looms. Wars being wars, meaning theyre fraught with many variables, a U.S.-led conflict with Russia likely wouldnt be limited to the Syrian theatre. It may expand to Europe. Given the U.S.s outsized NATO commitment, war there means the U.S. is on the frontlines bearing the burden and brunt. Tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of casualties arent out of the question, military and civilian.

Though Russia is just a regional power its still a nuclear one. No danger exists of a conventional war ratcheting up to a nuclear exchange? Two armed-to-the-teeth nuclear powers have never squared off. Are the president and Washington politicians willing to gamble that a war with Russia can be contained?

Two vast oceans no longer protect the homeland from attack by its enemies. Technology has revolutionized weaponry and delivery systems. Advanced nations have the ability to project the fight at greater distances. The Russians arent incapable in this regard. Is the U.S. prepared for Russia to take the fight to strategic and even civilian targets here?

War is now multidimensional and total. Unconventional or asymmetric warfare is a given. Cyber warfare could seriously disrupt American infrastructure -- thats its power grids, water supplies, finance, and supply chains, among other critical areas. Enemy infiltration of the homeland and sabotage arent off-limits.

Sounds scary and doomsdayish, doesnt it? Well, it is, because modern major war holds out the prospect of death and destruction rapidly on a broad scale. There should never be a rush to war. Sober and sensible minds need to give much pause.

The U.S. has every right to protect itself and its vital interests from its enemies. If wars come in defense of either or both, then wars come. But the nations leaders need to be held to strict account. Casual definitions of what constitute critical U.S. interests arent permissible. Moral outrage at Assad, justified as it is, doesnt provide sufficient reason for war with Russia.

Theres no legitimate U.S. grievance with Russia that compels war. Alleged attempts to interfere in the 2016 U.S. elections arent justification. Russia poses no threat to the homeland. Americas vital interests can be safeguarded and advanced without recourse to armed conflict with Putin.

But if you ask McCain and Graham what good is war with Russia, dont expect them to say, Absolutely nothing.
The USS Carl Vinson Task Force is currently steaming toward the Korean Peninsula. President Xi Jinping of China was recently hosted at Mar-a-Lago by President Trump, and one of the items discussed almost for sure was the recent action by North Korea concerning its development of nuclear capable intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

The national security adviser to President Trump, H.R. McMaster, recently mentioned a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. Let's take that one step farther and postulate a unified Korea, occupying the whole of the Korean Peninsula, proclaiming its neutrality and accepting guarantees of its neutrality from both the USA and China.

There is a precedent for this kind of arrangement. During the Cold War, Finland was neutral, essentially by agreement of the USA and the Soviet Union. However, the Korean neutrality could be more like Switzerland than Finland. South Korea is much more advanced than North Korea, so the government of the unified Korea would remain in Seoul. The South Koreans already have governments in exile for the provinces of North Korea. A unified and neutral Korea would have a robust military and naval capability to help preserve its neutrality plus the great power guarantees of the USA, which is the strongest naval power in north Asia, and China, which is the strongest land power adjacent to the Korean Peninsula. Perhaps the other two powers that have evidenced interest in Korea, Russia and Japan, would also sign on to the guarantee.

The U.S. forces currently in Korea would be withdrawn, and China would provide a retirement in exile for Kim Jong-un and those from the Pyongyang government who could not live in a unified Korea. Kim could then join his grandfather, Kim Il-sung, in the retirement ditty that appeared many years ago in the (now closed) Far Eastern Economic Review:

... The great leader's been put out to grass.

He's wearing no smiles 'cause he contracted piles.

From the sun shining out of his ass!

The North Korean Army and other military services would be absorbed into the South Korean military. All nuclear weapons would be removed. The Korean constitution would guarantee a representative form of government and prohibit the maintenance or use of nuclear weapons.

This would take a hot spot with tripwire status for both nuclear and conventional war and totally defuse it while providing economic and security benefits to the Korean people as well as China, the USA, Japan, and Russia. Moreover, if this can be successfully done, think about similar status for Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Jeff Scribner is a retired Army officer and president of ASI Enterprises, Inc., an investment bank serving small and medium-sized businesses. He can be reached at jscribner@asienterprises.com.
Anti-Trump, anti-American, anti-Israeli, and anti-Semitic propaganda or "fake news" relies on the general publics vague familiarity with details.

Take for example the left's reaction to Jared Kushner's and Ivanka Trump's celebration of the Jewish "Holiday of Freedom," or Passover (Pesach in Hebrew), beginning at the Seder table, to celebrate the Jews' miraculous exodus from Egyptian slavery back to freedom in their homeland, Israel.

Here is what Fusion.net published:

Perhaps during her family's seder, Ivanka (or, better yet, one of the little Trumplets!) could add a fifth question to the proceedings just for her father: Would the exodus-era Israelites  a group seeking refuge from unimaginable hardships in the Middle East  need some sort of "extreme vetting" to enter the U.S., or would they simply be banned altogether?

This is a new addition to the nine-centuries-old "blood libel" against Jews celebrating Pesach. The first known incident happened in the twelfth century in Norwich, England, where Jews were falsely accused of torturing to death a 12-year-old and using his blood as part of the holiday ritual. By 1171, the blood libel of Passover ritual murder resulted in burning to death the whole Jewish community of Blois, France. Since then, similar false accusations have been used against the Jews throughout the world, not only around Passover time, and not only by European Christians. Nazi and Muslim regimes used staged blood libel cases to solidify the masses against the Jewish bogeyman. And the Muslims, including the peace-loving "enlightened" Palestinian leadership, use it to this day.

In March 2013, Hanan Ashrawi, a Christian Palestinian politician and Muslim Brotherhood sympathizer, who was a close confidant of the late Yasser Arafat and is very popular in the West, published an article criticizing President Obama for hosting the Jewish Seder in the White House.

"Does Obama, in fact, know the relationship, for example, between 'Passover' and 'Christian blood'?!" Ashrawi asked. "Or 'Passover' and 'Jewish blood rituals?!'" To add credibility to her rant, Ashrawi noted: "[M]uch of the chatter and gossip about historical Jewish blood rituals in Europe are real and not fake as they claim; the Jews used the blood of Christians in the Jewish Passover."

The article was published on the website of the NGO Ashrawi founded in 1998, Miftah, which, according to its website, is "the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, an initiative which works towards respect for Palestinian human rights, democracy and peace." Miftah is generously funded by United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the British Oxfam, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and others. With much fanfare, Ashrawi received the 2003 Sydney Peace Prize and was endorsed by former former United Nations high commissioner for human rights and former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, as well as Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright, who said, "She [Ashrawi] is a brilliant spokeswoman for her cause."

While Ashrawi was forced to remove the article from the website, she is still serving on the advisory board of the World Bank, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), and the International Human Rights Council. She and other Palestinian leaders who have expressed similar ideas should not be allowed to participate in any negotiations regarding the new Trump initiative for peace between Israel and the Palestinians.

When Jared Kushner and Ivanka and the Jews in America, Israel, and elsewhere observe the Passover Seder, they are also celebrating the extreme vetting that helped enslaved Jews to escape captivity in a foreign land to freedom in their promised land. The Jews were no immigrants or refugees. As told in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, the Almighty used "extreme vetting" to distinguish the Jews from the Egyptians and to save the former from the ten plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, who refused to set the free the Jews.

It is unlikely that the Passover story was on Donald Trump's mind when he first mentioned "extreme vetting." However, his efforts to single out Middle East refugees and immigrants who wish us harm could help keep Americans freedoms and save our lives.

Happy Passover!
A closely watched special congressional election in Kansas to fill the seat of President Trump's CIA director, Mike Pompeo, was closer than Republicans would have liked but still ended in a Republican victory.

Kansas GOP treasury secretary Bob Estes defeated Democratic newcomer James Thompson by more than 8,000 votes and nearly 7 percentage points. Estes's percentage of victory exceeded that of Governor Brownback's margin in 2016 but fell far short of the majority racked up by President Trump.

Politico:

Estes took 53 percent of the vote to Democrat James Thompson's 46 percent in the race for Kansas' southern 4th District. But just five months ago, Trump won the district by 27 percentage points, a sharp turnaround driven by an energized Democratic base looking to strike back against Trump  and Kansas' unpopular Republican governor, Sam Brownback. "We've sent a message that no Republican district is safe," Thompson said after his loss Tuesday night, adding that he will run for the seat again in 2018.

Poppycock. While turnout for the special election has not been announced, election officials believed that it would be around 25%. There is no message to be sent when only a quarter of the electorate bothers to vote.

Estes' victory came after national Republicans scrambled in the final week of the campaign to deny Thompson a shocking upset victory. After private polling showed Estes ahead by only a slim margin for such a reliably Republican district, the NRCC launched a late TV ad bashing Thompson and backing Estes, followed by a flurry of big-name rescue efforts: House Speaker Paul Ryan sent out a fundraising pitch for Estes, Sen. Ted Cruz stumped in Wichita, and Vice President Mike Pence and Trump recorded robocalls sent to district Republicans urging them to vote on Tuesday. A loss  in one of the 100 most Republican-leaning districts in the country, according to the Cook Political Report's Partisan Voting Index scores, which measure presidential-election performance against the national average  would have been devastating for the GOP and particularly for Trump, who already in his young presidency has had trouble wrangling lawmakers to vote for administration priorities like the repeal of Obamacare. Even with Estes' victory, winning majority support for tough votes in Congress could become even more difficult if more Republicans see a chance of danger in the 2018 elections, though Republicans have noted that special elections are unpredictable by nature. Trump himself triggered the special election by naming then-Rep. Mike Pompeo as his CIA director. "I would not say this is any kind of referendum on Donald Trump," Kansas Republican Party chairman Kelly Arnold said pre-election. Yet even before the results were in, Democrats claimed victory in defeat, noting how much Estes was underperforming typical Republicans in the district, how energized Democratic voters are, and that several upcoming special elections, not to mention the 2018 midterms, will happen on more friendly turf.

Both Republicans and Democrats are spinning furiously, but they're both full of it. Yes, it was certainly a referendum on Donald Trump. Both parties treated it as such, and that's how the voters perceived it.

But there were 150,000 more votes cast in the district in 2016 than in this special election. Apparently, many of those who bothered to vote were Democrats mad at Donald Trump. Anger is an excellent goad to get someone to vote, so it's hardly surprising that more Democrats than usual came out to cast a ballot against the sitting president.

But the election also revealed a troubling complacency on the part of the GOP. Estes, by most reports, was a lackluster candidate who ran an uninspiring race. If the GOP is going to hold on to a comfortable majority in the House in 2018, they're going to have to do better. They will be facing an energized  even an enraged  Democratic Party and will be able to take nothing for granted.
Every time Senator Lindsey Graham opens his mouth, crazy things fly out. Is there something wrong with this guy?

It's not for nothing that a MorningConsult poll released Tuesday pegged him at the third most unpopular senator, trailed by only John McCain and Mitch McConnell.

But there are methods to the madness of McCain and McConnell. In Graham's case, the loathing is justified, given his out-of-control statements, signaling an unserious mind, unmoored from reality.

His latest was a call for 5,000 to 6,000 U.S. ground troops in Syria, backseat-driving the Trump administration, which seems to already have a handle on the situation. He told Meet the Press:

We're relying too much on the Kurds. More armed forces, 5,000 or 6,000, would attract more regional fighters to destroy ISIL. You need a safe haven quickly, so people can regroup inside of Syria. Then you train the opposition to go after Assad. That's how he's taken out by his own people with our efforts. And you tell the Russians if you continue to bomb the people we train, we'll shoot you down.

...and...

I want more American troops, 5,000 or 6,000, like we have in Iraq, to help destroy ISIL.

It's as though the Bush years never happened with this guy. All of those things have been tried. They've all been found wanting. The Syrian charmers we trained as freedom-fighters back then took their shiny new weapons and joined ISIS. Now this armchair general wants to risk 6,000 more American lives for this scheme? Why 6,000? Why not 20,000? Why not 1,000? Does he know what he's talking about? And a war with Russia? Like it's some trivial afterthought? How blithely he puts American lives on the line for his been-there-done-that "prescriptions."

UPDATE: Oh, wait, I erred  Graham's latest verbal diarrheaic was his new recommendation that barrel bombs be President Trump's new red line with Assad, not chemical weapons. Keep on micromanaging, fool.

Less than a week earlier, he was calling for 7,000 troops. He was an easy target for Fox News's Tucker Carlson.

[Carlson] brought up Graham's proposal and asked about the cost. Graham didn't have a number ready, and Carlson asked, "Did you not think through what the cost might be?" Graham responded that it's "minimal compared to the threats we face" and that "our national security interest can't be monetized."

Sounds about par for someone who always leaves the costs to the other guy.

He took a gratuitous, pointless dig at House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes last month, apparently attempting to suck up to the leftist mainstream media, who, a couple weeks ago, were piling on. What did he accomplish by that? Nothing, other than undermine his own party. A disgusted former governor Mike Huckabee wondered "what uniform he puts on each morning." The Washington Times said that both Graham and Sen. John McCain were providing political cover for Democrats in their witch hunt on Nunes.

Prior to that, he was threatening President Trump with impeachment if he dared bring back waterboarding for terrorists. Expending American lives on the ground in foreign quagmires doesn't bother him, but making a terrorist uncomfortable does.

Prior to that, he was calling for more warfare against Russia, poking the bear to win headlines for himself, declaring 2017 "the year of kicking Russia in the ass" over the increasingly flimsy claims that it hacked the U.S. election, which he seems to think are fact.

Not only are all these statements unhinged, but they have a pattern of irresponsibility. Let the other guy pay the cost, let the other guy expend the blood and treasure, let the wars begin, and let the home party go downhill. Is this the talk of someone who should be in any position of authority, let alone be given a soapbox? Obviously, he was passed over for the Senate Russian hacking panel for a reason. And he certainly was rejected by the voters during the primary, winning virtually no votes.

It hasn't stopped his motor mouth, however  that constant braying about things he knows nothing about. If anything, it seems to have made it worse. When will this jackass get the hook from the voters?
Rolling Stone magazine has settled one of the defamation lawsuits brought against it after it ran a discredited story about a gang rape on the University of Virginia campus.

The settlement was with former associate dean Nicole Eramo, whom the magazine portrayed as indifferent to sexual violence. Other lawsuits, including one by the fraternity named in the fake rape story, are still going forward.

Washington Post:

The magazine's November 2014 story, "A Rape on Campus," recounted the shocking story of a young woman's gang rape at a U-Va. fraternity house  a story that was discredited after serious flaws were revealed. An investigation by The Washington Post showed that aspects of the account were not true. For example, no one in Phi Kappa Psi, the fraternity in question, matched the name or description that the young woman  known as Jackie  gave for the person who allegedly was the ringleader in her 2012 assault. A person whom Jackie had described to friends at the time as her assailant was complete fiction, according to Eramo's attorneys, and The Post found that a photo she shared of her alleged attacker was actually of someone she knew from high school, who attended a different university out of state. The magazine soon acknowledged that it had lost faith in its main source for the story and  after a police investigation and a report by the Columbia University School of Journalism found that aspects of the account were false  ultimately retracted the article. In a trial that began in October 2016, Eramo's lawyers argued that the article's author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, had arrived on campus determined to write a story about a university's callousness to the problem of sexual assault. She did not let facts get in the way of the story, they argued, and she wrongly turned Eramo into the face of institutional indifference. Eramo testified that she faced threats, lost professional credibility and lost her ability to work as an advocate for sexual-assault prevention. Tom Clare, one of the attorneys representing Eramo, said during his closing statement that his client had become "collateral damage in a quest for sensational journalism." Jackie's tale "had all the elements of a perfect story," Clare said. "And when something appears too perfect, it usually is." Scott Sexton, an attorney for Rolling Stone, told the jurors in his closing statement that the magazine "acknowledges huge errors in not being more dogged. ... It's the worst thing to ever happen to Rolling Stone."

The judge awarded Eramo $3 million in damages. The magazine was moving toward an appeal when it decided to settle.

There were so many red flags thrown up by Jackie's story that a reporter who was working without an agenda would have easily spotted them. But when a reporter shapes the facts to fit a narrative, the inherent bias and political agenda of the journalist is exposed. And the fact that Rolling Stone magazine was complicit in this fakery is the result of its own politically driven effort to promote an agenda that, as we've seen, is injurious to individual liberties and due process.

By all rights, Rolling Stone should have been sued out of existence. That they weren't says a lot about the shortcomings of our justice system.
This week, a group of men who stood face to face with government agents and refused to back down will find out how many more years of their lives that decision will cost them, as a verdict is expected in their federal trial in Las Vegas. It is the case of United States v. Cliven Bundy, et al.

Here's a brief look at how it all began.

"Are you really going to shoot these people if they move forward? Yes or no?"

Dennis Michael Lynch, a documentary filmmaker, yelled this pivotal question to government agents at a ranch outside Bunkerville, Nevada two years ago this month. As Lynch explained to Megyn Kelly later, he ran ahead of a group of ranchers and their supporters as they approached federal officials. The group planned to retrieve cattle the agents had taken from rancher Cliven Bundy, by force if necessary. Federal agents, you may remember, held that the land on which the cattle were grazing belonged to the government. Lynch's purpose was to bring some reason to the rapidly escalating situation. The ranchers were "willing to die," he said  not over some taxes and fees, but over the core belief that the federal government has limits.

Lynch may have ended a potential melee of men with guns ready to use them. It is difficult to view the video of the blunt New Yorker, without a weapon and arms in the air, calling to the heavily armed agents to stop "before there's bloodshed." The simple question, posed by an unarmed man, may have managed to impress upon the federal agents that they were about to fire on their own countrymen en masse.

The federal government did not shoot anyone that day, but the damage had already been done. Video footage of what led up to the tense moments Lynch witnessed made its way to the American public; agents were seen knocking a woman to the ground and tazing Cliven Bundy's son over and over after he kicked a police dog that attacked him. A grisly video of dead cattle, killed in the standoff, stunned viewers. Government snipers trained their rifles on the Bundys' supporters day and night; in response, the citizens did likewise.

Some who were there that day say it was a miracle that the standoff ended without bloodshed. Ultimately, Cliven Bundy got his cattle back  at least what was left of them.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wasted no time in calling the citizens involved in the stand-off "domestic terrorists." But Lynch  an experienced filmmaker who has recorded drug cartels on the southern border  told TheBlaze that "if there was any act of terrorism, it was perpetuated by the government, not the supporters." The citizens defended themselves  and, some say, the greater ideals of individual liberty.

And so we come to today, as the six-week trial of Bundy, et al. is likely to come to an end. But the questions regarding individual liberty and the American justice system seem to be magnified because of just how this case went down. Here are some of the reasons why.

In toto, only two days were spent on the defense. Out of that, the jury was permitted to be in the courtroom for fifteen minutes. The prosecution, on the other hand, consumed over five weeks of courtroom time to make their case. And that is only part of what looks, smells, and feels like a case of injustice  perhaps with prosecutorial and judicial misconduct added in for good measure.

Court spectators such as John Lamb, an unrelated party who traveled from Montana to watch the trial, spoke each day on a live Facebook video, after proceedings had adjourned, with notes in hand. Every afternoon, Lamb's recounting of the trial day became more disturbing as he reported that even the most basic rights were ignored in the federal courtroom in Las Vegas. Judge Gloria Navarro told one defendant he had only three rights in her courtroom: to plead guilty, to testify on his own behalf, and to appeal his conviction, according to Lamb. Meanwhile, witnesses for the prosecution  most of them government agents  could remain in the courtroom before their own testimony. Defense witnesses were told to leave.

Other spectators confirmed Lamb's account and more. Many of those in the courtroom carried pocket-sized Constitutions; Judge Navarro subsequently ruled that the Constitution was not allowed in the courtroom unless it was turned face-down. On April 10, a man named Neil Wampler was escorted out of the courtroom and his things collected by a U.S. marshal because he had a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his pocket that was visible to the judge.

Maureen Peltier, another trial watcher, took to Facebook April 10 after a long day in court to warn others that according to remarks made by prosecutors, "to hit 'like' on comments or posts or give a 'thumbs up' can be considered evidence to criminalize you."

Other abuses reported by Lamb, Peltier, and others who attended the last six weeks of the trial include the following:

The defense was allowed to call only three witnesses; others were denied the opportunity to testify. The prosecution called over thirty and was given carte blanche to discuss any topic it deemed necessary.

Judge Navarro instructed defense witnesses that they were not allowed to show emotion on the stand. They could not discuss their faith, their fear during the standoff, or anything else that "might tug the heartstrings of the jury."

Some federal agents for the prosecution testified under false names and were allowed to obfuscate information regarding informants they were handling at the time.

The defense was not allowed to cross-examine some of the prosecution's witnesses.

Perhaps the most disturbing element of this trial involves perceived intimidation and veiled threats by the judge and the prosecution toward witnesses planned for the defense, according to courtroom observer Kelli Stewart. One brave woman defied the judicial and prosecutorial warnings and testified for the defense.

The case of Ammon Bundy is often viewed in a negative light due to his involvement in the 2015 Malheur Wildlife Takeover  an act disavowed by many even within "patriot" circles who supported the Bunkerville Standoff. Some don't even realize that the two events are separate and unrelated. The truth is that Malheur has nothing to do with Bunkerville, and many of the defendants in this trial were not even present at the events of the former occasion.

Regardless of the nature of the incidents  even if one believes that these men should be charged and tried for their participation at Bunkerville  every one of them is entitled to a fair trial. During these proceedings, they have the right to face their accusers and to question those accusers as well as their credibility. Bundy & Company have the right to present a full and adequate defense, to call witnesses and enter material into evidence. Witnesses for the defense should not feel intimidated. U.S. Constitutions should not be barred from an American courtroom. And the defense should be awarded every consideration that the prosecution is given.

These are the rights assured to every American. They are contained in our founding documents. By ignoring the abuses apparent in this trial, we the people tacitly sanction them to be visited upon us again and again. Such as it is, the guilty verdict these men are likely to hear this week represents a true travesty of American justice.

(Hat tip to Kit Perez, who contributed to this report.)

Leesa K. Donner is editorial director of LibertyNation.com.
United Airlines' big toxic public relations dumpster fire just seems to get worse the longer it burns. What an incredible take of corporate boneheadedness.

To make room for a deadheading flight crew, a passenger was dragged off a flight kicking and screaming as rent-a-cops bloodied his face. First, the airline's executives dug in their heels and said the problem was the passenger, not their policies. Then, as their stock tanked, they finally apologized to the passenger. Then they apologized again.

By that point, the damage was done. The passenger said he was in the hospital recovering from his wounds and lawyering up. The company's market cap had skidded by $1.5 billion. The coveted Asian flight routes market was in for trouble as Chinese, Vietnamese, and other social media sites lit up with charges of racism and vows never to fly that airline. Congress was vowing to investigate. And the speed with which social media was able to transmit the hysterical incident on tape rocketed and rocketed around the world millions of times over as the company stumbled around with different responses.

To what does one attribute such pig-stupid corporate behavior in a consumer industry such as an airline? The inflexibility of the airline was mind-boggling. You'd never see Starbucks or Michaels Arts & Crafts or Amazon treat a customer like that. Except of course, airport contract workers at Starbucks  a different breed.

Airlines are full of such indignities  massive overcharges for baggage, capricious gate closings, paid carby snacks of paltry selection, insufficient overhead bin space with weak enforcement for violators, inadequate accommodation for bumped passengers (once when I was a college student, I was bumped overnight into a hotel and given no voucher for food), lost and delayed luggage (come pick it up yourself if we find it), lousy compensation for lost luggage, no accommodation for bawling babies or spillover customers from adjacent seats  and that's before you run into the tender hands of the TSA or high airport parking costs.

What is behind this? The airlines themselves, for sure, but it looks as though the worker inflexibility may be the work of outdated unions at odds with the modern world  working to letter, not my job, mac, put the customer last may be part of it. The other part is its flip-side  an out-of-touch corporate elite that finds that situation just fine, given the inability to press for better conditions. Working together, they really couldn't empathize as a company with a doctor passenger who said he needed to be at a hospital to see patients and couldn't be bumped? He was just a computer-generated random number to them, and they were determined to throw him off anyway. And it doesn't appear that they are even bothering with the technical details anymore. Whether of honoring their three-year-old pledge of assigned seats or giving passengers their bills of rights as the law requires, they are just sending in the goons.

The corporate culture is bad enough, but regulation adds more layers of horribleness, just as it does to much detested Obamacare. One instance is how overbooking is handled. Overbooking, by regulation, can be compensated only with $1,350 max if a passenger is bumped. This is chicken feed to many passengers, and not worth the cost of a missed flight. If airlines really do run into overbooking issues, offering up $100,000 for a lost seat would have plenty of takers and solve the airline's overbooking problem much better than forcible computer-generated bumping with nightsticks. And it would be far cheaper than the lost market cap value or the lawyer and payout costs that are sure to come of this incident and plenty of others. Investor's Business Daily has an excellent editorial on how this would work and how United's real problem is that it doesn't understand these basic economics of incentives.

Why is this incident so resonant? Because it seems the awfulness of air travel has reached a critical mass. The public is responding because so many passengers have had such lousy experiences and can't make it much better by patronizing another airline. Maybe something good can come of this, as the revolt of passengers might just create a more innovative airline culture and get Congress moving to create more competitive conditions.
One of Cody, Wyomings most popular attractions, Old Trail Town, celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2017.

Made up of historic buildings, a large artifact collection, and the gravesites of several notable western figures, the site occupies what was once the original townsite of Cody and draws visitors looking for a glimpse into the Old West.

The Cody Culture Club visits Old Trail Town (1831 Demaris Drive) on Thursday, April 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The evenings presenter, Clay Gibbons, shares "The West As It Was"  the story of how Old Trail Town came to be, complete with the history of the relocated buildings and the western characters who are now buried there.

The event is open to all and includes the program by Gibbons, along with appetizers and a cash bar. The cost is $20 per person, payable at the door.

For more information, visit centerofthewest.org/codycultureclub, or contact Rachel Lee at rachell@centerofthewest.org or 307-578-4009. Learn more about Old Trail Town at www.oldtrailtown.org.
About 18 km off the coast the Swedish island of Oland, in the Baltic Sea, at a depth of about 75 meters, lies one of the most beautiful shipwrecks. The low level of sediments, slow currents, brackish water, and the absence of a wood-eating worms have kept the wreck of the 16th century warship Mars in a remarkable condition.

Named after the Roman god of war, Mars was one of the largest battleships in the world when it was built, even larger than the famous Swedish ship Vasa. The ship was commissioned by the King of Sweden, Erik XIV, in 1563. With a length of 48 meters, and 107 guns on board, it was the leading ship of Sweden's fleet, until it was sunk during its very first naval engagement.

Photo credit: National Geographic

The same year construction on Mars began, the Kingdom of Sweden became embroiled in a conflict with a coalition of forces consisting of Denmark, Norway, Lubeck and Polandthe Northern Seven Years' War. King Frederick II of Denmark was dissatisfied with the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, while King Eric XIV of Sweden was determined to break Denmark's dominating position.

On 30 May, 1564, Mars became engaged in a naval battle with a Danish-Lubeck fleet off the northern tip of Oland. The first day of the battle, the Swedes emerged victorious over the Danes, but on the second day, German forces retaliated by lobbing fireballs at the Mars setting the ship ablaze. Mars, being a battleship, had carried large quantities of gunpowder which spontaneously exploded causing the ships destruction. Mars sank to the depth carrying with it more than 700 crewmen and several hundred Danes who had successfully boarded the burning ship.

For years, treasure hunters and archaeologists have sought the Mars without success. Then in 2011, a group of divers located the ship. Although the ships bow was destroyed in battle, the rest of ship is remarkably intact after more than 450 years underwater.

Mars belonged to the first generation of Europe's big, three-masted warships that naval historians know very little about like how the crew, officers and senior management of the ship lived on board, and what tools, equipment and personal effects they used. The 1500s were also the time when guns and other weapons were being developed using iron and bronzea very precious metal at that time. The wreck of Mars represents the largest source of knowledge of 16th century weapons technology and that of life onboard and the crew.

"It's a missing link," says Johan Ronnby, a professor of maritime archaeology at Sodertorn University in Sweden, who is studying the wreck.



A drawing of the Swedish warship Mars

Photo credit: National Geographic

Photo credit: X-Ray Mag

Sources: Nat Geo / MMT / X-Ray Mag / Wikipedia
Cayman Finance, in conjunction with the Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment and the UKs HM Revenue & Customs, recently held an informational seminar to over 110 attendees on the UKs Criminal Finance Bill, providing the local financial services industry the opportunity to gain insightful information to this new bill.

The seminar was opened by Her Excellency the Governor, Helen Kilpatrick, and featured speakers Mr Jude Scott, Cayman Finance CEO , Dr Dax Basdeo, Chief Officer the Ministry of Financial Services, Commerce and Environment and Mr Nicholas Warrington, Assistant Director, Economic and Policy Advisor HMRC and Ms Jennifer Haslett, Corporate Crime and International Engagement Lead HMRC.

Her Excellency, Helen Kilpatrick said that while there has been some discussion of the bill in the international media, this seminar provided local industry stakeholders, both in the private and public sectors, an invaluable opportunity to learn about the Bill first hand from the UK HM Revenue & Customs team leading the legislation. This seminar also provides us with a chance for our industry stakeholders to highlight key attributes of our financial services industry to HMRC that they may not be familiar with, Her Excellency said.

Mr Jude Scott, Cayman Finance CEO said he grateful for the opportunity to work with HM Revenue & Customs and the Ministry of Financial Services to host this event. If the proposed UK Criminal Finances Bill is passed, it could have significant implications on the Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction and on businesses within the local financial services industry, Mr Scott said. Cayman Finance therefore saw the importance to provide a platform for information sharing and open discussion between HMRC and our local financial services industry.

Special guests from the UKs HM Revenue & Customs offshore evasion team included Mr Nicholas Warrington, Assistant Director, Economic and Policy Advisor and Ms Jennifer Haslett, Corporate Crime and International Engagement Lead who presented on HMRCs approach to tackling offshore tax evasion.

This was a great opportunity for HMRC to develop our already strong relationship with the Cayman Islands on tax transparency, HMRC representatives said. The event will help raise awareness of how the new legislation will work in the interests of honest taxpayers everywhere.

Caption Collage: (Left): Nicholas Warrington, Assistant Director, Economic and Policy Advisor, HM Revenue & Customs speaking at the Cayman Finance Seminar: Perspectives on Global Tax and Financial Crime

(Right): Jennifer Haslett, Corporate Crime and International Engagement Lead, HM Revenue & Customs speaking at the Cayman Finance Seminar: Perspectives on Global Tax and Financial Crime

(Bottom): Jude Scott, Cayman Finance CEO speaking at the Cayman Finance Seminar: Perspectives on Global Tax and Financial Crime
A great man has departed from our region. He was a Prince among men.

When I was once again Commissioner in the period from 1999 to 2007 I conducted my own foreign affairs. Whenever I was invited to a meeting of the O.E.C.S. Ministers of Tourism I would make sure and attend. The last meeting I was at in Grenada I got a standing ovation from the other Ministers as it turned out that I was the only one who had attended all the meetings whereas some of the real members had not attended all.

In our now status Saba is isolated from our neighbors and the region. We are no longer addressed in our native language English and there seems to be no authority which we can complain to.

With St. Kitts and Nevis after 1999 we established a special relationship and we were invited to a number of events. The same goes from our side. We invited the dignitaries from the Federation to come to Saba. On more than one occasion the authorities there loaned us their defense force band to come to Saba and give luster to the Saba Day celebrations. Many people tell me they miss the ceremonies with the defense force band parading in the village of Windward Side and The Bottom on Saba Day.

Around 2000 the Government of Saba and St. Eustatius formed a delegation to meet with the authorities on St. Kitts to renew the ties which had existed in former times. From St. Eustatius we had Senator Clyde van Putten and Commissioner Brown and from Saba I was there in my capacity of Commissioner with Dave Levenstone as my aide de camp.

During that visit we also had the pleasure to meet formally with Governor General Sir Cuthbert Sebastian at the home of the Governor. As a Senator and formateur of one of the National Governments of the Netherlands Antilles, I had many formal meetings with various Governors of the Dutch islands in the palace on Curacao. I was surprised that the same protocol was observed at the home of the Governor-General on St. Kitts as that on Curacao.

We were also invited to attend a reception hosted by Prime Minister Dr. Denzill Douglas. When I introduced Dave Levenstone to the Governor-General he introduced himself as Levenstone. I told him Dave man give Sir Cuthbert your St. Kitts name. The moment he did so, Sir Cuthbert without hesitation exclaimed; Oh so you are from Monkey Hill. I told the Governor-General Lord why did I not know that before, this man just ran against me in the elections on Saba and I would have had a field day with Monkey Hill. In later years I did have occasion to refer to Daves politics as those of Monkey Hill.

At the dedication of the new terminal building on Saba we had the honour of Sir Cuthbert Sebastian joining us here on Saba and for the Saba Day celebrations as well. He was accompanied by Members of the St. Kitts/Nevis defense force on that occasion.

I had been invited by the Government of Prime Minister Dr. Denzill Douglas to witness the arrival of the first direct flight to St. Kitts from Atlanta. I accompanied Sir Cuthbert and his aide de camp back to St. Kitts. He informed me that I was to accompany him in his limousine. He was accompanied by a Police Escort and he had them take me to the Marriott Hotel. He informed me that he would be back at 2pm to pick me up. I was waiting on him. A number of tourists had seen me all dressed up and must have wondered who I was and where I was going. Imagine their surprise when the Police escort and Sir Cuthbert in his Rolls Royce pulled up. As I went down the steps one of the Policemen was there to open the door and see that I was properly seated alongside His Excellency.

As we were entering the airport premises a large number of young students were greeting us as we passed by. Because he was in his military uniform I believe that the students must have thought that it was I who was the Governor-General by the enthusiastic way they were waving at my side of the limousine. I thought to myself; Isnt this a privilege for a small island politician?

We were on friendly enough terms for Sir Cuthbert to confess to me that he had broken his oath as a doctor once and had lied to a patient. He asked me to find out for him who the man was. He told me that the patient had been brought to Cunningham Hospital with a burst appendix. However coming to St. Kitts with the Blue Peter had taken so long that there was no hope of survival for the man. Dr. Cuthbert told me that the young man pleaded with him and told him that he had a wife and two small children on Saba and to tell him that he was not going to die. Dr. Cuthbert realizing that it made no sense to tell him the truth reassured him that he was not going to die, and within minutes Gerald Hassell smiled and turned over and died. I was able to get the information on Gerald these many years later and Dr. Cuthbert was happy to get the information.

Sir Cuthbert Sebastian assumed the post of Governor-General of the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis on January 1, 1996, and retired 17 years later on January 1st, 2013. He died on March 25, 2017, at the age of 95. He was 91 when he retired as Governor-General and you would never have believed that he was that age.

During World War ll he served as a rear gunner in H.M. Royal Air Force and as a captain in the Scottish Army during the 1960s, as well as in myriad capacities within the Federations healthcare sector. He also served in the St. Kitts-Nevis Defense Force as its longstanding captain surgeon.

Dr. Timothy Harris the Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis noted that Sir Cuthbert had mastered every one of those positions, making a name for himself, in his own right and stepping out of his fathers shadow during the process. Sir Cuthberts father was Joseph Matthew Sebastian, a well-educated, successful trade union leader and politician.

Sir Cuthbert worked as a learner dispenser at Cunningham Hospital; then in 1945 he was appointed senior dispenser and steward (hospital administrator) and remained at Cunningham Hospital for the next five years.

He would go on to study in Canada, earning Bachelor of Science degree from Mount Allison University and an MDCM (doctor of medicine and master of surgery) degree from Dalhousie University. He later pursued training in obstetrics and gynecology at Dundee Royal Infirmary in Scotland, United Kingdom.

Upon his return to the Federation, he worked again at the hospital as Medical Superintendent and obstetrician/gynecologist, and later served as Chief Medical Officer.

Prime Minister Harris said on learning of his death On Saturday night: Sir Cuthbert was a renaissance man, demonstrating many talents and a penchant for excellence, even at a very early age when he was a pupil teacher teaching the younger boys at the school he attended in Basseterre. We have lost a treasure, but how blessed we are to have had him. Tonight, the many mothers and fathers whose babies he delivered are thinking of him. Sir Cuthbert Sebastians body is gone, but his legacy lives on in countless ways.

I can see St. Kitts from my house. It is still there. I would want to hope that the centuries old relationship we have enjoyed with the Federation of St. Kitts-Nevis will not be lost to this generation of Sabans.

People on Saba should never be led to believe that because some of the other islands are Dutch that we have some kind of special relationship with them. Linguistically and historically we have more in common with St. Kitts and St. Maarten than with Bonaire. My hope is that we will not lose those connections because of a colonial policy being imposed on us from The Netherlands.

I want to pay tribute to Sir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian and thank him for also taking Saba into account when he was Governor-General. My wife Lynne said to me, with a common name like Johnson you should have perhaps thought of naming one of the boys Cuthbert Montraville Johnson, it would have sounded more unique. I pass hereby that suggestion on to my youngest son as you can never tell. Those distinguished old names seem to be going out of style nowadays, but a word of caution to those who are giving their children all kinds of names. Take a look at the record of Sir Cuthbert Montraville Sebastian and see how far his name brought him in this world. May he rest softly in his well-deserved peace in the Lord. Amen.
North Dakota teachers will craft new math and English lessons now that the state Department of Public Instruction has approved new standards to guide teaching in grades K-12.

The old math and English standards were based off the controversial Common Core and had been in effect in the state since 2011. Last summer, 71 math and English teachers began rewriting the standards. DPI approved the new ones last week.

Now, educators will meet over the summer to adjust their instruction accordingly. The state will also select a new standardized test to align with the standards by the first week of July.

Debate over Common Core math and English standards hit the state Capitol during the 2015 legislative session, prompting State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler to review them. Common Core aimed to implement a common set of standards in schools throughout the nation. North Dakota was among a majority of states to adopt those standards, which faced backlash from parents and conservative groups who viewed them as federal overreach.

The effort in North Dakota to eliminate Common Core via legislation was largely headed by Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo.

Koppelman's proposed bills last session and this session would have rid North Dakota of the Common Core standards, as well as require the state to withdraw from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium, which developed an exam based on these standards.

Though he said the new standards are not a "wholesale change," he said they are a good first step in truly getting away from Common Core.

I think whats going to happen is were now going to see how these changes affect our state, see if theyre positive compared to our previous standards ... and I believe there will be some improvements," Koppelman said.

Bismarck and Mandan school officials responded to the new standards, saying though not much has changed, the standards add clarity for teachers, students and parents. Both district superintendents applauded the use of teachers to create the new standards.

Baesler said a request for proposals from testing companies for a new assessment will go out within seven to 10 days.

The first opportunity math and English teachers in the state will have to revise their lessons will be this summer during teacher training, Baesler said. Then, the math and English teachers will meet again before the start of the school year.

She said the state also will create a pool of resources and lesson plans for these teachers to share.

Adding clarity

Though nothing changed drastically, one school official sees implementation of the teacher-based standards as positive.

"By and large, there are not going to be radical changes," Bismarck Public Schools Superintendent Tamara Uselman said.

"For us, were looking at them as our teachers are sitting down, highlighting whats different in the old standards and probably discovering just additional clarity in the new standards, additional examples, additional tools to communicate with parents  but not a radical departure from school as they knew it," she said.

The new standards don't completely scrap the old ones, and, in fact, build upon them, Uselman said.

When it comes to completely changing them, for example, if the former standard said that students will be able to count to 120, there really are so many ways to say that, right?" she said.

For more complex standards, in mathematics, for example, Uselman said, the language is clearer so students and teachers understand what the learning goals are, and parents would know when to ask for help on a certain math practices.

"Well see more examples than we used to," she said. "Grammar, for example. All good English teachers believe grammar matters. When its pulled out and highlighted, (teachers will) be able to see, succinctly, what parts of grammar you have to help students achieve at your grade level. That may not have been as clear in the old standards."

Uselman said she doesn't believe teachers will have difficulties implementing the standards next school year. Bismarck schools' math and English standards have always gone beyond the Common Core standards, which she referred to as "the floor" on which teachers can expand. Because there aren't huge changes, teachers will be able to adapt quickly.

My general sense is, overall, theyre going to be pretty comfortable that we were always teaching more than Common Core, and that they now have a better communication tool than they used to have. So, teacher anxiety will probably lessen when they get to sit down and review the new standards," Uselman said.

Losing the ability to compare

Mike Bitz, Mandan Public Schools superintendent, said, overall, the new standards are comparable to the old ones, but designed a bit more for North Dakota.

The Common Core standards were a compromise of a bunch of states, and these are catered a little more specific to North Dakota," Bitz said.

With that comes a disadvantage, though, according to Bitz, who added it will now be hard to make a comparison to other states.

"To me, that's the only downside," he said. "These are North Dakota standards, which means thats what our students are going to be assessed on, which is fine, but we will not be able to compare our students to anybody else."

Bitz said Mandan teachers continually revise their lessons throughout the school year. They will continue to do the same this summer with the new math and English standards. Bitz said he's not concerned teachers won't be able to revise their lessons by the start of the school year.

I think its fine, its pretty ambitious; (the Department of Public Instruction has) to choose a vendor and get a test, Bitz said. Im not specifically involved in that; I trust that theyre going to get it done.
A fire alarm went off at the North Dakota Capitol on Wednesday morning, prompting state employees to file outside and force the North Dakota Senate to recess a morning floor session mid-debate.

North Dakota Facility Management officials said the alarm was triggered by some smoke from food being prepared by a group near Memorial Hall on the first floor in advance of a lunch-hour event to take place in the Legislative Hall.

The alarm went off at about 8:30 a.m. while the Senate was in the middle of discussing a conference committee report for a bill on the floor. They quickly recessed mid-debate until the regularly scheduled 1 p.m. floor session and joined the procession of state employees, lobbyists and visitors out the exits.

People were outside for about 15 minutes before being given the all-clear to go back inside.
North Dakota needs more nurses, thats been known for some time. The shortage exists despite the fact that there are nursing programs at nine of the 11 schools in the state university system.

There are interested students, but so far the state hasnt been able to meet the demand. Three years ago North Dakota State University took over Sanford Healths nursing program in Bismarck. The change was prompted by accreditation standards by the Higher Learning Commission requiring affiliation with a college program for accreditation, and lack of accreditation devalues a diploma.

So the shift of the program from Sanford to NDSU in 2013 made sense, at least on paper. Legislators, however, discovered the cost of the program was going up. While the state was expected to pick up the tab, Sanford was the main beneficiary of the switch. The first three years of a lease agreement between Sanford and NDSU was OK, with NDSU paying $1 per year in rent. Now its gone up to $20 per square foot, or $387,520 per year for the next years.

The Tribune Editorial Board doesnt have a problem with paying rent. However, the first three years of rent was too low and the new rate is too high.

When Sanford was running the nursing school it provided them with a feeder program. It was a logical move for NDSU to assume the program from Sanford and it looked like a win-win for both sides. NDSU was able to make use of the Sanford facilities and get a footprint in Bismarck. Sanford continued to have a source of new nurses.

There was no secret the lease would increase, but no one knew the state would be facing such a large revenue shortfall, making the lease more of a burden for the state.

What bothers some is Sanford not only gets the rent, they expect to hire the graduates. Legislators cried foul and they were right to do so. Theres no reason for taxpayers to subsidize a program that benefits Sanford. A program that the hospital no longer thought feasible to operate.

Last week, NDSU President Dean Bresciani sent an email to interested parties suggesting the Legislature planned to kill the nursing program. That wasnt the case. During a hearing last week legislators told Bresciani and Sanford to negotiate a better deal for the state. Its something that should have been done in the beginning, but Bresciani apparently didnt want to involve the Legislature. That was a mistake.

There doesnt appear to be enough time left in the session to make major changes in the NDSU nursing program. That could happen down the road. At the moment legislators appear willing to settle for a better deal between Sanford and NDSU, which both sides indicated they are willing to do. One possibility being floated is attaching the NDSU program to the nursing program at Dickinson State University.

This is an example of a situation that adds to the states revenue problems. NDSU apparently didnt consider the ramifications of the deal. It looks like NDSU was so eager for a nursing program that they signed off on an agreement favorable to Sanford. It not only hurts the state, but it makes NDSU look bad.

North Dakota needs nurses, but we need to be smart about how we achieve it. One of the problems is the difficulty in finding qualified instructors at the schools. Plus, some positions have been left dark due to budget cuts. Its hard to have viable programs without instructors. We need to find ways to find and pay instructors while running cost-efficient programs.

Sanford and NDSU have promised to come up with a better agreement. It could be structured in a variety of ways. Sanford could pay a finders fee to NDSU for each of the graduates it hires, easing the cost of the lease. Or, Sanford could refund part of the lease based on the number of graduates hired.

It benefits the Bismarck community to have the nursing program here. NDSU and Sanford need to come up with a better agreement, one that the Legislature and public find satisfactory.
(ANSA) - Brussels, April 12 - The European Commission said Wednesday that Italy was on the right path but still needs to do more to put its public finances in order after the government presented a mini-budget on Tuesday to meet demands for a deficit adjustment. "The Italian government's efforts go in the right direction," it said, echoing a passage from an interview EC President Jean-Claude Juncker gave La Repubblica. "Italy is making a big effort to keep its deficit under control, but in the medium-long term it needs to decisively consolidate the public accounts, especially its enormous debt". Premier Paolo Gentiloni on Tuesday presented a new economic and financial blueprint, the DEF, as well as a budget adjustment demanded by the European Union after a cabinet meeting. Gentiloni stressed that the budget would help boost growth as well as bringing the deficit for 2017 down to around 2.1%.

The European Commission had told Italy to cut its structural deficit by an additional 0.2% of GDP by the end of April to avert infringement procedures.


(ANSAmed) - Rome, April 12 - Tunisia's Ambassador to Rome Moez Sinaoui told an ANSA Forum on Wednesday that an agreement between Italy and Tunisia on migration has effectively solved the problem of illegal arrivals from that North African nation.

"Thanks to the agreement with Italy to manage the flows, illegal immigration from Tunisia is no longer a problem," Sinaoui said.

"The agreement has been respected by both sides - the control of the coasts on our side, the supply of motorboats by Italy. "In 2016 there were just 1,204 illegal Tunisians in Italy out of a total of 180,000, practically nothing, and they were all repatriated. "It is necessary to give hope to young Tunisians, to make it possible for them to find work and be inserted into the legal migration systems". Sinaoui added that he was confident the security situation had improved in Tunisia, following several big terrorist attacks in 2015.

"Things on the security front are going better. We have not had attacks in the last two years," he said.

"But the truth is that no city in the world is safe and can say it is out of the terrorists' sights. "We have passed laws to prevent terrorism and to stop the return of fighters from the Middle East.

"Things are going better for tourism too, although not (for holidaymakers) from Italy, after the (March 2015) Bardo Museum attack, in which (four) Italians were among the victims.

"We have to rebuild trust and working together is the best way to do that".


(ANSA) - Brussels, April 12 - Italy's ability to cope with the influx of asylum seekers is under strain following a 30% increase in the number of arrivals so far this year, EU border agency Frontex said Wednesday. "Italy remained under migratory pressure last month," it said. "The number of migrants arriving through the Central Mediterranean route in March rose by more than one-fifth to 10,800. "This brought the total for the first three months of the year to nearly 24,250, almost 30% higher than the figure from the same period of 2016".

The agency said nationals from Bangladesh, Nigeria and Guinea accounted for the largest number of detected migrants. Since the beginning of March, the number of migrants from the Horn of Africa (especially Eritreans and Somalis) has started to increase, probably in large part because of the improving weather conditions on the land route to Libya their home countries, it added.


Minniti migrants decree wins final approval Italy under pressure due to 30% migrant rise - Frontex

(by Paul Virgo) (ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 12 - The Lower House on Wednesday gave final approval to Interior Minister Marco Minniti's decree on migration-related issues. The decree, which passed a confidence vote on Tuesday, got the green light with 240 votes in favour, 176 against and 12 abstentions. The legislation features the creation of new reception centres for repatriation, cuts in the time asylum requests are examined, the elimination of a layer of justice for appeals, the option for asylum-seekers to do socially useful work and an allocation of 19 million euros for the execution of expulsions. The package has been criticised by some non-governmental organizations for allegedly watering down asylum seekers' rights.



Premier Paolo Gentiloni hailed the decree. "Parliament approves new regulations on #immigration. Faster times for right to asylum," the premier said via his @PaoloGentiloni twitter account. "More effective instruments for reception and integration". EU border agency Frontex, meanwhile, said Wednesday that Italy's ability to cope with the influx of asylum seekers is under strain following a 30% increase in the number of arrivals so far this year.



"Italy remained under migratory pressure last month," it said. "The number of migrants arriving through the Central Mediterranean route in March rose by more than one-fifth to 10,800. "This brought the total for the first three months of the year to nearly 24,250, almost 30% higher than the figure from the same period of 2016". The agency said nationals from Bangladesh, Nigeria and Guinea accounted for the largest number of detected migrants. Since the beginning of March, the number of migrants from the Horn of Africa (especially Eritreans and Somalis) has started to increase, probably in large part because of the improving weather conditions on the land route to Libya their home countries, it added.



Frontex also said it was a "a paradox" that a third of migrant rescues in the Mediterranean were made by NGOs. Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri said this was "quite strange" when "there have never been so many public vessels deployed in the sea by the EU and Italy". The quota picked up by Frontex is only 12% and that of Eunavfor Med only around 10%, he said. NGOs have been accused of helping migrant traffickers by going very close to the Libyan coast in response to migrant phone calls. Leggeri said that in several cases Frontex had found that the smugglers had given migrants the phone numbers of NGOs.



(ANSAmed).




ROME - The Italian cultural and scientific expedition ''Progetto Moditerranea'', which set sail two years ago, on May 17, 2014, from San Benedetto del Tronto, arrived in Lebanese waters yesterday morning and is now at the port of Beirut. It left Cyprus on April 10 and sailed over 130 miles in 15 hours.



Lebanon is the seventh country in the Mediterranean area so far visited by the Mediterranea project (www.progettomediterranea.com) . The agenda is tight in Beirut with a round of events scheduled on April 17-23, organized in cooperation with the Italian embassy in the Lebanese capital.



Intellectuals, artists, journalists, musicians and representatives of the country's cultural community will take part.



Participants in cultural events conducted by Italian writer Simone Perotti, who created together with 48 others the expedition, include well-known writer and journalist Joumana Haddad, writer Jabbour Douaihy, author of St George Was Looking Away, leading chef Kamal Mouzawak, founder of agricultural market Souk El Tayeb, which promotes local products, and restaurant Tawlet. He has promoted, among other initiatives, a project for Syrian refugee women enabling them to cook for the families. Music band Mashoru'Leila will also take part in the conversations. The Lebanese indie-pop group is well-known in the Arab world, Europe and North America.



Mediterranean participants will also be received by Italy's ambassador Massimo Marotti and his staff.



Perotti spoke about the ''emotion of arriving here - where our ancestors' warships clashed with embattled defenders. Today a boat that brings peace and dialogue symbolically breaks the wall of hatred and weeping, once again. We are here to understand, listen, become friends, enjoy together our Mediterranean brotherhood. We are a small boat but rich in values''.



The Mediterranea expedition will remain in Lebanon for two weeks.
Must talk to all sides in Libya says Mattarella President says Rome in synch with Moscow on this issue

(ANSAmed) - MOSCOW, APRIL 12 - President Sergio Mattarella has said that it is necessary to speak to all of the parties in Libya. "National conciliation is needed," Mattarella, who met Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, said in an interview with Russian media. "None of the opposing forces in Libya today can consider themselves capable of bringing about the solution alone. "It is necessary for everyone to participate in finding an agreement together. This is the only solution. "There is not a military solution there either. It is necessary to talk to all sides. "This is what Italy does and it is what Russia does too. We have found ourselves to be perfectly in synch on this".



(ANSAmed).




Tight agenda for 'Mediterranea' project in Beirut Culture, music, cooking in cooperation with Italian embassy

(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 12 - The Italian cultural and scientific expedition ''Progetto Moditerranea'', which set sail two years ago, on May 17, 2014, from San Benedetto del Tronto, arrived in Lebanese waters yesterday morning and is now at the port of Beirut. It left Cyprus on April 10 and sailed over 130 miles in 15 hours.



Lebanon is the seventh country in the Mediterranean area so far visited by the Mediterranea project (www.progettomediterranea.com) . The agenda is tight in Beirut with a round of events scheduled on April 17-23, organized in cooperation with the Italian embassy in the Lebanese capital.



Intellectuals, artists, journalists, musicians and representatives of the country's cultural community will take part.



Participants in cultural events conducted by Italian writer Simone Perotti, who created together with 48 others the expedition, include well-known writer and journalist Joumana Haddad, writer Jabbour Douaihy, author of St George Was Looking Away, leading chef Kamal Mouzawak, founder of agricultural market Souk El Tayeb, which promotes local products, and restaurant Tawlet. He has promoted, among other initiatives, a project for Syrian refugee women enabling them to cook for the families. Music band Mashoru'Leila will also perform. The Lebanese indie-pop group is well-known in the Arab world, Europe and North America.



Mediterranean participants will also be received by Italy's ambassador Massimo Marotti and his staff.



Perotti spoke about the ''emotion of arriving here - where our ancestors' warships clashed with embattled defenders. Today a boat that brings peace and dialogue symbolically breaks the wall of hatred and weeping, once again. We are here to understand, listen, become friends, enjoy together our Mediterranean brotherhood. We are a small boat but rich in values''.



The Mediterranea expedition will remain in Lebanon for two weeks.



(ANSAmed).




Migrants: 27,000 reported landings in 2017, up 35% on 2016 Migrants in hosting centers slightly down at 175,000

(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 12 - A reported 27,000 migrants have landed in Italy in 2017, up 35% on the same period last year, when a record 181,000 arrivals were overall recorded, according to data updated Tuesday and released by the interior ministry.



The majority of migrants hailed from Bangladesh (3,521), Nigeria (3,397) and Guinea (3,320).



Unaccompanied minors were 3,557, according to the data. Asylum seekers reallocated to other countries were 4,438, under a relocation program.



Despite a constant flow of arrivals, the number of migrants staying at reception centers was down to 175,480 people from the 176,554 registered on December 31 last year.



Most of the migrants stayed in temporary hosting centers (137,957), while 23,867 people were in centers for asylum seekers.



Lombardy registered the highest number of foreigners with 23,700 people, followed by Campania (15,122) and Lazio (14,854).



(ANSAmed).




(ANSAmed) - Rome, April 12 - Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano told the Senate on Wednesday that Syria cannot have a positive future with President Bashar al-Assad in power. "Whether or not Assad stays in power does not just have an impact on the security and stability of Syria, but also on the prospects of rebuilding the country," he said. "One cannot contemplate a period of reconstruction while Assad kills his own people and while bombs keep falling".


Italy's House gives final OK to Minniti migrants decree 270 votes in favour, 176 against

(ANSAmed) - ROME, APRIL 12 - The Lower House on Wednesday gave final approval to Interior Minister Marco Minniti's decree on migration-related issues. The decree, which passed a confidence vote on Tuesday, got the green light with 240 votes in favour, 176 against and 12 abstentions. The legislation features the creation of new reception centres for repatriation, cuts in the time asylum requests are examined, the elimination of a layer of justice for appeals, the option for asylum-seekers to do socially useful work and an allocation of 19 million euros for the execution of expulsions.




PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Newscity City Loses Over $400K to Scam Robert Maestas State Auditor Tim Keller discovered last Thursday that the city of Albuquerque was the victim of a fraud scheme that diverted at least $420,000 of public funds into the hands of a fake construction contractor. City officials confirmed that a scammer posed as a construction contractor working on a city project and filed a work invoice that appeared almost identical to the real one, except with different vendor payment information. It is unclear what city project the scammer pretended to be working on or which agency or individual complied with the requested change of payment information. Officials are unsure of whether or not the loss can be covered by insurance. Early last week, the Office of the State Auditor (OSA) had warned agencies to be wary of scams after a very similar debacle cost an elementary school in Socorro $200,000.

APS Applying For Native Education Grant Last month, Gov. Susana Martinez vetoed a bill that would have required 23 state school districts to set up programs aimed at addressing the lower-than-average performance of Native American students by studying their learning patterns and finding ways to better serve their needs. She cited state budgetary concerns for the decision, saying the bill would mandate duplicative programming that would cost too much. Following the veto, Albuquerque Public Schools announced last week that they will be applying for a $50,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation, a Chicago nonprofit organization. The grant would be used to fund a team of researchers who would investigate Native American students family environments, cultural practices and family life to help find better ways to engage them in the learning process. Native students have the lowest test scores, graduation rates and attendance of any ethnic group nationwide.
Media registration will soon close for the 2017 APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting on 20-21 May in Ha Noi, to be chaired by Viet Nam Trade and Industry Minister Tran Tuan Anh.

It is also closing for the Second APEC Senior Officials Meeting here on 17-18 May, to be led by Viet Nam Permanent Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister and 2017 Chair of APEC Senior Officials Bui Thanh Son, as well as a cluster of trade and sectoral official meetings from 9-16 May.

This includes the APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age on 14-16 May, among others.

Background:

The APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting will launch new actions by the 21 APEC member economies to establish freer Asia-Pacific trade that secures the advantages of globalization while safeguarding the welfare of people hurt by it.

Trade Ministers will build on progress achieved during key trade and sectoral policy development meetings to take place over the preceding 12 days and culminating with the Second APEC Senior Officials Meeting to flesh out joint measures on the table.

When:

APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting (MRT): 20-21 May

Second APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM2): 17-18 May

SOM2 Related Meetings: 9-16 May

APEC High-Level Policy Dialogue on Human Resources Development in the Digital Age (HLPD HRD): 14-16 May

Where:

National Convention Centre

Thang Long Boulevard, Nam Tu Liem District, Ha Noi

DEADLINE FOR MEDIA REGISTRATION: 29 April

Registration procedures:

All media representatives wishing to cover MRT, SOM2 and/or the related meetings should register online at: https://www.apec2017.vn/ap17-c/form/media-registration-form

Identification badges will be issued to accredited media representatives.

Media events:

Opening remarks during MRT, the family photo of Trade Ministers and a joint post-meeting news conference of Trade Ministers will be open to accredited journalists.

Opening remarks during SOM2 and the family photo of APEC Senior Officials will also be available to accredited journalists as well as media opportunities for select related meetings.

Viet Nam will host a news conference on 18 May detailing outcomes from SOM2 and setting the stage for MRT.

The APEC Secretariat will hold a briefing on 17 May on the launch of the latest APEC Regional Economic Trends report, to guide the work of Trade Ministers and Senior Officials, and related issues.

Note on media access:

All media representatives must be accredited and wear their identification badge to gain access to the meeting venue, facilities and specified events open to media.

Media transportation:

Media representatives with their respective accreditation badge may use a free shuttle service.

Passport and visa requirements:

Media representatives coming from overseas are required to possess passports or other applicable travel documents valid for at least 6 months with press visas upon entry to Viet Nam.

Media representatives from economies which do not have visa exemption agreements with Viet Nam are advised to contact their respective-Viet Nam Embassies/Consulates in the Media Registration Form (visa pick-up place) to apply/pick up entry visas to Viet Nam.

Contacts:

Queries on media registration and coverage arrangements should be directed as follows:

For more:

The entire SOM2 and Related Meetings schedule in Ha Noi from 9-18 May can be viewed here.

# # #

For further details, or to arrange possible media interviews with APEC officials, please contact:

David Hendrickson +65 9137 3886 at [email protected]

Michael Chapnick +65 9647 4847 at [email protected]

More on APEC meetings, events, projects and publications can be found on www.apec.org. You can also follow APEC on Twitter and join us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
If youre considering a subscription to the Disney Plus streaming service, you may be wondering how much it costs. The service is available on both
Women make up 107 of the graduates and 50 are men. Within the group, 96 were trainees with Etihad Airport Services (EAS) and 61 trained under the programme for Guest Services Agents (GSA).



Over the past year, the graduates have been guided through key aspects of airport operations in areas such as cargo, catering, the English language, business communication, computer skills, ground handling and guest services.



The newly qualified staff were presented with graduation certificates today during a special ceremony held at Etihad Airways Training Academy in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) board member, Mohamed Hareb Sultan Al Yousef.



Chris Youlten, managing director, Etihad Airport Services, said: We wholeheartedly welcome our talented graduates into the Etihad Aviation Group family. This foundation programme is a central part of our strategy to recruit and create opportunities for Emirati talent, in line with the long-term vision of Etihad Aviation Group and our home of Abu Dhabi.



Khaled Almehairbi, senior vice president Etihad Airport Services Ground, said: We are so proud of the newly qualified Emirati staff. These are people who might not otherwise have had this type of opportunity - and in return - they have overcome personal challenges and truly shone. They are being immediately deployed to operational roles to support our growing hub in Abu Dhabi.
Following a five night long road convoy from Aernnovas factory in Berantevilla, north eastern Spain, the panels (two laterals, one central) are required to complete the rear section of the BelugaXL.



Together with further work packages built by various other partners, the sections will eventually form the first BelugaXL. The design concept of the aircraft is similar to the current Beluga with the cargo bay structure, the aircrafts rear-end and tail being some of the sections newly developed.



The BelugaXL was launched in November 2014 to address the transport and ramp-up capacity requirements for Airbus beyond 2019. The new oversize air transporters are based on the A330-200 Freighter, with a large re-use of existing components and equipment. The first of five BelugaXLs will fly mid-2018 and enter into service in 2019.
Reviewing the annual report on behalf of the Board of Directors of Oman Air during The Extraordinary General Meeting and the 35th Ordinary General meeting in Muscat, Darwish Bin Ismail Bin Ali Al Balushi, chairman of Oman Air's Board of Directors, highlighted some of the achievements of 2016, which are as follows:

Fleet expanded to 47 aircraft.

Increase in the seat factor up to 20%

Increase in the number of passengers to 7.7 million, or 21%

Launch of Oman Air Flight Training Centre (OAFTC)

Freight operations increased to 159,618 tonnes

One million extra meals produced by Oman Air Catering Services

Further fleet expansion

Al Balushi said, "2016 was a year of both change and consolidation for Oman Air. Oman Air has continued its ambitious programme of expansion in 2016 with the introduction of four brand new Boeing 737-800s joining the Oman Air fleet. The carrier has operated B737s for many years and the aircraft provide the backbone of the airlines long and medium haul fleet. We have continued to upgrade our Airbus fleet. The first Airbus 330 to benefit from a comprehensive retrofit landed at Muscat International Airport from Paris in October 2016. This reflects our commitment to continue to invest in our award winning on board experience.

He added that the previous A330 interiors attracted enormous international acclaim when they were first unveiled in 2009 and the new A330 interiors surpass those high standards and customers are already delighted with the results. With the addition of the new Boeing 737  800, Oman Airs fleet stands at 47. Currently Oman Airs fleet consists of four Boeing 787 Dreamliners, six Airbus 330-300s, four Airbus 330-200s, five Boeing 737-900s, 23 Boeing 737-800, one Boeing 737-700 and four Embraer 175s. Three more Boeing 737  800s are scheduled to join the fleet and this year, Oman Air will be unveiling new B787-9 Dreamliners and revamping the existing Airbus fleet.

Significant operational results

The results speak for themselves. The number of available seat kilometres grew to 24.8 billion, an increase of 20%. Oman Airs capacity has increased significantly over the last year recording an increase in flight movements by more than 4000 flights to nearly 51,952 flights, an increase of 9% compared with 2015. The number of round trips Oman Air offered in 2016 rose to 30,978 trips from the previous years 28,270 trips.

As a result of the increased capacity, Oman Air experienced a huge 21% increase in passenger numbers with over 7.7 million passengers travelling with the airline in 2016, compared to 6.4 million passengers in 2015. While the fluctuating oil prices continue to affect the global economic outlook in general negatively, Oman Airs revenues have increased during 2016 to OMR 472 million, an increase of 1% on 2015, Al Balushi said.

He also said that among the developments in 2016 are: the introduction of a double daily service to London Heathrow; from five times a week, to daily flights to Paris and increased frequencies on other European routes. The other recent additions to our network include, Manila, Jakarta, Singapore, Goa, Dhaka and Mashhad. The introduction of Guangzhou, China and Najaf, Iraq were the other major milestones of 2016. We also announced the start of our second destination in the UK with the new Muscat to Manchester daily service in May 2017.

Priority to man-power development

Oman Air is continuing with its broad human resources strategy of appreciating the skills, abilities, commitment and contributions of all staff, regardless of their backgrounds. The company has worked hard to increase the employment of Omani nationals and now over two thirds of the workforce originates from Oman.

2016 also saw a move to put Oman Air at the forefront of pilot and cabin crew training with the launch of the Oman Air Flight Training Centre (OAFTC) in October. It is a state-of-the-art facility that is the first of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman, Al Balushi said.

Other sectors, sustained growth

Al Balushi said that Oman Air continues to excel in other areas of the business. The amount of cargo that Oman Air handled in 2016 increased from 138,972 tonnes to approaching 159,618 tonnes. Our Catering Services Division has won several new contracts including a three and a half year contract with British Airways. In the past year Oman Air Catering Services produced an extra one million meals than were originally budgeted for, increasing productivity without compromising on quality. Extensive work continues to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of every area of the business. Oman Airs engineering division is preparing to move to a much bigger facility, productivity can only increase.

Contribution to the national economy

As a national carrier, one of our mandates is to contribute to the economic growth of the Sultanate by creating air bridges with brotherly and friendly countries to bring tourists from abroad, which is supporting tourism, and creating business opportunities between national businessmen in Oman and abroad. The infrastructure to do this is now practically fully available; Muscats new airport is nearing completion after the opening of the new passenger terminal in Muscat, meaning that the home base for Oman Air will be state of the art, His Excellency Darwish Bin Ismail Al Balushi said.

He added that the contribution from Oman Air, as national airline, to the economy Oman is estimated at about RO 600 Million.

On behalf of myself, the Board of directors and the executive management, I would like to thank His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and his Government for their invaluable advice, timely encouragement and wise guidance. My colleagues on the Board and within Oman Airs management would once again like to join me in expressing our gratitude to His Majesty for his vision, his kind benevolence and his support, Al Balushi concluded.
Rossen Dimitrov, Qatar Airways senior vice president customer experience, said: Winning two awards in one week for our recently launched Economy class amenity kits is a major achievement and takes us one step closer to our vision of becoming the worlds best airline. We are extremely proud to be recognised for the quality of our new amenity kits, which were developed with the customers comfort, convenience and relaxation in mind.

Qatar Airways won the award for Best Onboard Amenity Kits, Economy at the industry leading OnBoard Hospitality Awards, while Pax International presented the airline with the award for best Economy Class amenity kit in the Middle East.

The design of the Economy Class amenity kit features an image of a popular destination on the Qatar Airways route network. The exterior design is refreshed every four months with a new image from any of the airlines more than 150 destinations. Inside the amenity kits, passengers will discover comfort essentials such as a lip balm and a Miradent branded dental kit alongside their eye mask, socks and ear plugs, adding value to their overall travel experience.

The kit was developed by Qatar Airways in conjunction with onboard product supplier Formia.
Speaking at the annual Airline Engineering & Maintenance Middle East conference on Abu Dhabis Yas Island, Richard Evans, Senior Consultant for the FlightAscend Consultancy, said despite recent challenges felt in the region aviation industry, the sector was still a growth industry.

Evans said the Middle East fleet has been growing at around 8% a year and while it accounted for 14% of the worlds twin-aisle fleet, the regions single aisle fleet has been growing faster, at 9% a year, due to the growth of low-cost airlines. However, he said, the majority of the airlines in the region are still committed to twin-aisle.

Evans said with 66% of Middle East airlines in-service fleets being less than 10 years old, the youthfulness of the in-service fleets, which account for 3,200 installed engines, will impact the regional MRO market here. You are probably not going to see the region here, with its young fleets requiring intensive maintenance.

Other challenges, he said, came from the fact that the region is now facing cost pressures and competition, from Turkey, as a Europe-Asia transit hub.

Nevertheless, said the analyst, aircraft utilisation is now at regional highs with the average aircraft now flying over more than 4000 hours a year  which, says Evans, is an indicator of high demand.

Theres opportunity here, he said. Engines are where the opportunities lie because the airframe market will go to where labour costs are lower.

He added: The current twin-aisle engine choices will be the core of regional MRO for many years. The challenge will be how to address the next generation engines.
Air Arabia plans to fly more passengers, further, with its two recent deals to increase its fleet size, according to Group CEO Adel Ali.

The Sharjah-based low-cost carrier (LCC) has now received all the aircraft from its original order for 44 Airbus A320s.

In the autumn last year it went back into the market to top up its fleet with two new orders.

First was a long-term lease agreement with US lessor, Air Lease Corporation (ALC), for six Airbus A321neos. The aircraft will come from ALCs existing backlog of orders, with deliveries to Air Arabia due between January and October 2019.

That was followed last November with Air Arabias conversion of five options for A320s into firm orders. These will be for the current A320ceo version, with deliveries anticipated to be completed by the end of this year.

We had an option to buy and we thought it was the right time, Ali told Arabian Aerospace on the sidelines of the Arab Air Carriers Organization annual meeting in Casablanca, Morocco.

We need capacity, he added. The A321 gets us 40 to 50 more seats [compared to the A320], which is what we need on certain routes.

It also, he said, gave Air Arabia slightly more range, to help cope with some destinations on the edge of its current capabilities.

The airline, for example, began services to Urumqi, in northwest China, in 2015 and the new aircraft  which will be the long-range variant of the A321neo  will help with flying to China, certain central Asian and eastern European destinations.

However, said Ali, the additional capacity provided by the A321neo was more important to Air Arabia than longer range; services to Bangladesh, Egypt and Russia were at the point where the airline would require greater capacity, either in the form of additional frequencies or larger aircraft.

The newly confirmed A320s will bolster the carriers capacity in the short term, before the A321neos start to arrive in early 2019.

An A321 would take us a little bit further in Africa. Tanzania is the type of place we would like to go, said Ali.

China, with its rapidly expanding middle class, which increasingly seeks overseas holidays, is also a good market for the carrier. Russia and Ukraine, whose harsh winters make sunshine breaks in the Gulf an enticing prospect, have suffered recently from devalued currencies and concerns over security in the Middle East, but both markets are gradually returning.

Air Arabia is unusual among Arab carriers in having a multi-hub organisation. Sharjah remains the headquarters, but the airline is the de facto national carrier for Ras Al Khaimah and also has hubs in Casablanca, Alexandria and Amman. No expansion into new hubs is currently planned, said Ali, but were open-minded about this.

The LCC has continued to make progress, despite concerns of over-capacity in some markets. For the first nine months of the 2016 financial year, the latest period for which figures were available at the time of writing, its net profit climbed 15% to AED542 million ($147m) compared to the same period in 2015.

It succeeded in increasing its profits on revenues of AED2.96 billion, up by just 3% compared to the first nine months of 2015.

By the end of September 2016, the airline had carried more than 6.3 million passengers, a 14% year-on-year increase, while maintaining its load factor at 80%.

The figures were achieved, said Air Arabias chairman, Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed al Thani: Despite challenging trading conditions driven by excess capacity in the market, political instability in some markets and the effect of lower oil price in the regional economies.

We remain confident about the long-term prospects for the low-cost industry in the region and our ability to continue with our growth plans, while delivering our value-for-money promise to our customers every day, he added.


JAMESTOWN  A former Jamestown Police Department detective who was terminated in March 2016 for violating 19 policies recently filed a civil suit in federal district court claiming his termination violated his civil rights.

The suit was filed on April 4 in U.S. District Court, District of North Dakota, against the city of Jamestown and Police Chief Scott Edinger, according to court documents.

Nagel, who now lives in Mandan, accuses the city and Edinger of violating his First and 14th Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution, violated his rights under Article 1, Sections 1, 4, 5 and 9 of the North Dakota Constitution, and violated North Dakota Administrative Code Chapter 4-07-19.

Nagel is seeking $300,000 in damages, court documents say.

Edinger declined to comment about the civil suit Tuesday.

A call to Nagel Tuesday evening was not returned.

Marshall H. Tanick, a Minneapolis attorney who is representing Nagel in this lawsuit with Jamestown attorney Joseph Larson II, said the city and Edingers retaliation against Nagel was due in part to his vigorous pursuit of grievances as president of the North Dakota Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 4, the local union that represents Jamestown police officers.

The main basis of the lawsuit is that Mr. Nagel was the subject of illegal retaliation because he spoke to the media, Tanick said, which was done with the knowledge and request of the chief. We feel that by discharging him, the real reason he was discharged was because he spoke to the media, not because of any alleged falsification or dishonesty on his part.

Tanick said Nagel maintains he was truthful and the city is retaliating against him for speaking to the media and because of his work with the Fraternal Order of Police.

Nagels termination resulted from internal investigations by the Jamestown Police Department and Stutsman County Sheriffs Office into an anonymous tip made to Fargo TV station KVLY Whistleblower Hotline. The tip accused a sheriffs deputy and the son of Stutsman County Sheriff Chad Kaiser of improperly using a Jet Ski owed by Stutsman County. The allegations were proven false because the county didnt own a Jet Ski.

The investigations attempted to determine who made the allegation and if there were any violations of department policy or the North Dakota Peace Officers Code of Conduct.

Nagel said in his federal lawsuit he was not the source of information provided to the Whistleblower Hotline and didnt know who provided the information.

In his federal lawsuit, Nagel said as president of the North Dakota Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 4 he was active in multiple grievances and complaints regarding practices of the Jamestown Police Departments administration. He said he also filed grievances and complaints against the police department and Stutsman County personnel. The suit said Nagel filed a complaint against Casey Bradley, Stutsman County auditor/chief operating officer, which was one of the reasons cited for his termination.

Nagel alleges that Edinger gave him permission to talk to a reporter from KVLY in Nagels capacity as president of the Fraternal Order of Police. The lawsuit states since the action taken by Edinger and the city of Jamestown was taken based in part on him speaking to the television news reporter, Nagels First Amendment rights were violated. This action is also an alleged violation of the Federal Civil Rights Act, according to the lawsuit

Nagel alleges he had a property interest in his employment with the city, and the city and Edinger failed to provide notice and a pretermination hearing before his termination. Nagel alleges the department relied on multiple undocumented complaints against him, many of which were made months before his termination. He alleges that since his termination was based upon factual findings that werent supported by evidence, his right to due process under the 14th Amendment was violated.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. The UN Security Council on April 12 will vote on a draft resolution over a purported chemical attack in Syrias Khan Sheikhoun, TASS reported.

The document has been prepared by the United Kingdom, France and the United States.

According to the Russias permanent mission in the UN, the voting is scheduled at 22:00 Moscow time.

Earlier the delegations of three western countries submitted a revised version of the draft resolution in the UN Security Council which condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria, as well as the attack committed in Khan Sheikhoun.

The document also demands that Damascus hand over all information on flights on the day of the incident to the Joint Investigative Mechanism of the UN and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and provide access to the military bases from which strikes against Khan Sheikhoun could be carried out.

The UN Security Councils draft resolution proposes the UN Secretary-General to assist investigating the purported incidents of chemical weapons in Syria, as well as in Khan Sheikhoun.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Ombudsman of Armenia Arman Tatoyan held a meeting with International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Armenia head of delegation Caroline Douilliez, coordinator of the protection department Zurab Burduli, head of communication projects Zara Amatuni and head of Legal programs Iren Aloyan, the Ombudsmans Office told ARMENPRESS.

The meeting focused on several issues of human rights protection priorities, including the protection of civilian population.

Tatoyan highlighted the ICRCs role in protecting humanitarian rights, and reaffirmed his willingness in expanding cooperation and initiating new joint projects in the field.

The sides reached an agreement on organizing training for the Ombudsmans staff in international humanitarian rights, as well as carry out information exchange.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. US President Trump said he has no plans to enter Syria, despite ordering airstrikes on a Syrian military base last week, Fox Business reported.

Were not going into Syria, Trump told Fox Business during an exclusive interview. But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons and see these beautiful kids that are dead in their father's arms, or you see kids gasping for life  when you see that, I immediately called General Mattis.

Trump said former US President Obama should have taken action during his tenure in the White House.

What I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it, said Trump. I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan on April 12 held a working consultation with members of the Constitutional Reforms Coordination Council, press service of the Artsakh Presidents Office told Armenpress.

Issues related to the process of constitutional reforms were discussed.

President Bako Sahakyan gave concrete instructions on settling the issues discussed within the set timeframe and in a proper manner.

Speaker of Artsakhs Parliament Ashot Ghulyan, Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, other officials were present at the consultation.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are holding talks in Moscow, reports TASS.

The meeting is being held at a closed format. They will summarize the meeting results in a joint press conference.

The duration of the meeting is not defined, but usually the talks of Russian and US officials last for several hours and sometimes end late at night.

In his speech Lavrov said Moscow considers it important that the US missile strike against Syria will not be repeated. He stated that Moscow hopes to clarify the prospects for dialogue with the US, including in the field of fight against corruption.

In his turn, Secretary Tillerson expressed hope to hold a frank dialogue with Lavrov. I hope the meeting will contribute to having an open and frank dialogue so that we can able to do everything to move forward the mutual relations of our countries in a positive path, Tillerson said.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Despite a deadly spike in the confrontation over Nagorno Karabakh and limited progress overall, the OSCE persists in striving towards peaceful and durable settlement to the conflict, according to the OSCE Annual Report 2016, reports Armenpress.

The Report says the conflicts in the OSCE area continued to dominate the Organizations agenda in 2016. In particular, the crisis in and around Ukraine remained a key concern throughout the year. In addition, the renewed escalation of violence in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in spring 2016 necessitated intensified crisis management. The German Chairmanship invested considerable efforts in addressing these and other conflicts with the aim of strengthening OSCE formats for conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of people affected by these conflicts, stated in the Report.

As for the April events, the Report states that the OSCE Chairmanship reacted swiftly after the escalation of hostilities at the line of contact in April 2016, initiating a special meeting of the Permanent Council (PC) and advocating the implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level in Vienna and St. Petersburg concerning the expansion of the Office of the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and the establishment of an investigative mechanism. The Chairmanship called for the resumption of a political negotiation process to settle the conflict.

The Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk called 2016 a difficult year, adding that after the April events he visited the region 8 times. He and his team carried out 22 monitoring missions 5 out of which at Armenia-Azerbaijan border, and 17 at Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. President of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) Vardan Harutyunyan held a meeting with the World Bank delegation led by Migara De Silva, the SRC told Armenpress.

Highlighting the importance of mutual partnership, the sides discussed the current tax and customs policy, as well as the ongoing joint programs with the World Bank.

They both expressed readiness to continue the cooperation by maintaining the constructive and practical approach in future as well.
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Foreign ministers of Russia, Syria and Iran - Sergey Lavrov, Walid Muallem and Javad Zarif - will hold a trilateral meeting in Moscow on Friday, Armenpress reports, citing TASS, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Wednesday.

"On April 14, a trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Russia, Syria and Iran will take place in Moscow," Zakharova said, noting that the military and political situation in Syria would be in focus of the talks.

The ministers "will discuss measures needed to coordinate trilateral steps, so as not to let the situation aggravate and the efforts for a political settlement in Syria be derailed amid the US armed aggression against Damascus," she said.

The Russian, Syrian and Iranian top diplomats held the previous trilateral meeting on October 28, 2016.

Besides, Lavrov and Muallem are expected to hold bilateral talks. On April 13-15, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem is due to pay a visit to Russia on the invitation of Lavrov, she added.

"During the talks, the two ministers will discuss the situation in Syria, which has been attacked and is being attacked by terrorists, along with added armed aggression of the United States," Zakharova said. The top diplomats "will consider possible future steps to minimize repercussions of this rudest violation of international law for peace and security both in the world and region."



Overnight to April 7, following an order from the U.S. President Donald Trump, the U.S. armed forces fired a total of 59 Tomahawk subsonic cruise missiles on a military airfield in Syrias Homs Governorate. The strike came as a response to the suspected chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan-Sheikhoun in Syrias Idlib region on April 4 and targeted what Washington claims was a starting location for the attack.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on that day the Syrian air force bombarded shops, where the militants produced ammunition with poisonous substances, what had been supplied to Iraq and used in Aleppo.
YEREVAN, APRILL 12, ARMENPRESS. Russia continues to keep an eye on the cases of its two citizens jailed in Azerbaijan  blogger Alexander Lapshin and Marat Ueldanov-Galustyan of Armenian origin, Armenpress reports Russian MFA spokesperson Maria Zakharova told the reporters during a regular weekly briefing.

Investigation term for Lapshins case has been prolonged until July 15. There are no complaints over his detention conditions. The leadership of the penitentiary has been kept informed about the aggravation of Lapshins health. Thank to the insistent calls of the embassy Lapshin passed a medical examination. Not delving into the details of the examination I can state that we keep the situation under control. The Embassy keeps constant contact with the lawyer and the relatives of the Russian citizen, Zakharova said.

Referring to the Russian citizen with Armenian origin Marat Ueldanov-Galustyan, Zakharova reminded that on March 22 Russia sent a writ to the Azerbaijani MFA demanding an emergency medical examination. We sent appropriate signals to the staff of the Azerbaijani president and security service about the necessity of an emergency medical examination. The Embassy keeps constant contact with the lawyer and the relatives of the Russian citizen, Russian MFA spokesperson said.
Iraqi troops took the museum back last month from the militants, who left its once-famous collection in a sorry state.  In a basement room under the main exhibition halls, there was a pile of envelopes used to issue orders to pay Islamic tax, one of main sources of funding for the militants. The Islamic State  seeks to levy your duties which were forced by God on the rich peoples money.'
In a world of digital assistants and computer-generated imagery, the expectation is that computers do all kinds of work for humans. The result of which, some have argued, is a dulling of the senses. The miraculous has become the norm. Such a surfeit of wonders may be de-sensitizing, but its also eroding our ability to dream at the movies.
Over the course of six months, she has secretly gathered a 330-page internal police log detailing more than 2,000 cases of state-sanctioned violence against Turkish citizens over the last 11 months; she will be exposing every detail in a performance piece at this years Venice Biennale. Details are deliberately being kept on a need-to-know basis to avoid the very real threat of shutdown before the launch, but Onats headline-grabbing stunt will form part of Objection  the Pavilion of Humanity created by her and the artist Michal Cole that will transform a Venetian villa to give an artistic home to womens rights and freedom of speech.
When season six of the satirical HBO series about a self-defeating female politician was written and shot, pretty much everyone involved assumed that Hillary Clinton would be president when the show aired this spring. This means that everyone involved figured that the new storyline  about the aftermath of former President Selina Meyers defeat in a very close election  would be a counterfactual. No such luck: as Willa Paskin observes here, when Veep actively tries to avoid imitating life, life goes and imitates it.
Rifftides reader Arthur Hill writes from somewhere in Oregon:

Yes, Virginiathere is a jazz club in Salem, Oregon, called Christos, a restaurant and lounge. They recently announced that with the closure of Jimmy Maks in Portland, We have been asked to host, for a continual run of second Saturdays, the Mel Brown Septet.

The next engagement in the run will be on May 13th at 8:30 pm. Unless they have knocked down some walls, it is a small space (maybe about 44 can be shoe-horned in), so reservations are a must (503-371-2892, but dont call until after 5 pm, as they are all in the kitchen.) Musicians listed are Brown, drums; Gordon Lee, piano; Tim Gilson, bass; Renato Caranto, tenor sax; John Nastos, alto sax; Derek Sims, trumpet; and Stan Goetz. On Thursday, May 4th, the club will have trumpeter Dmitri Mathenys group and further into the month a trad jazz group on the 13th; Chris Brown Quartet on the 20th. These all start at 7 pm, two sets that are usually over around 9:30. I have no idea how they have been are able to do this for the past several years. Most shows sell out.
I could say many things about my two days last week at UTEP, the University of Texas at El Paso. About the music department, about the new Center for Arts Entrepreneurship. About Zuill Bailey, the cellist and UTEP faculty member, wholl run the center. And whose entrepreneurial success in running four concert series makes him an ideal choice. Plus giving anyone else giving classical concerts a lesson in how to do it.

And about Trio Jinx, a flute/bass/violin-viola group from Peabody, who were in residence, and whose playing  of much more than classical music  I loved.

Or about how my wife Anne Midgette was invited there also, how this was the first business trip she and I have taken together in quite a while, how we brought Rafa, our five year-old son, and how much fun we all had.

And of course I could write about the talk I gave, for which Im humbled to say I got a standing ovation.

But later for all that.

What I most took away

was what I learned about the university itself. Certainly one of the most inspiring stories in higher education. Impressive enough to get the long-serving UTEP president, Diana Natalicio, named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Though shes so down to earth I doubt shed ever mention that she got such an honor. She seems about as straightforward as anyone Ive ever met.

Whats amazing here is what Natalicio set as the universitys mission. And how successful that mission has been.

Its so very simple. El Paso  which lies right on the border with Mexico  has a large Latino population, mostly working class, not wealthy.

In past generations, these people mostly didnt go to college. The prevailing thought at the university was that they were destined for humbler lives, that they should learn trades, or get civil service jobs. That they werent college material.

The universitys mission was to change all that. To make it known that brains and ability are found everywhere. That a not wealthy Latino kid from El Paso can do just as well as anyone else, given the chance.

So these students were admitted, and given remedial classes if needed. And then got the same high-quality education as everyone else. With spectacular results, as measured by graduation rates and later achievement.

Which is especially impressive, because during this time the university also shot up academically, becoming a top-rank research institution. So the new students from El Paso were getting a really top-rank education.

So inspiring

When I learned all this I was thrilled. And inspired. Purely on human terms. Look what can be done, if you simply decide youll do it! I can only imagine how much work it took, how many minds had to be changed, both in the university and in the community.

Natalicios current goal is to develop El Paso economically. Not that its economically depressed. But the El Paso students who graduate have to go elsewhere for the jobs their education can get them. Why, Natalcio asks, shouldnt there be jobs like that for them in their home town?

Of course this blog is supposed to be about music. But some things are more important.
Singapore  Ghana sign Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement

Singapore and Ghana have signed a Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTA) on March 31, 2017. The agreement aims to reduce double taxation and tax disputes by clarifying the taxation rights on all types of income flows arising from cross-border business between the two countries. The DTA aims to reduce trade and investment barriers and increase trade flows between the two countries.

The agreement stipulates that withholding taxes on dividends, interest, and royalties will not exceed seven percent, while withholding taxes on services will be capped at 10 percent. All rates will come into effect on or after January 1, following the year when the DTA comes into force. The DTA will come into force after its ratifications by the two countries.

RELATED: Pre-Investment and Market Entry Advisory from Dezan Shira & Associates

Philippines to implement tax amnesty program

Following in the footsteps of Indonesia, Philippines is planning to implement a tax amnesty program to increase government revenues and apprehend tax evaders. Indonesias tax amnesty program provided tax incentives and immunity from prosecution for tax evaders and led to over 745,000 taxpayers declaring US$ 330 billion in offshore assets. Unlike Indonesia, where tax evaders had offshore assets, Philippines face the issue of taxpayers not paying taxes as prescribed by the law. The government is planning to implement the scheme through an executive order from the President.

Currently, the Department of Finance (DOF) is aiming to implement the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program to change the taxation system and improve revenues. The program will include amnesty schemes for property tax, estate tax, regular tax, and other taxation cases. The government believes, before they adopt a tax amnesty program, they would need to intensify their efforts against tax evaders to highlight the governments seriousness in enforcing the tax laws. The government has already started targeting large-scale tax evaders in the country, with a recent case filed for US$ 201 million (P10 billion pesos) of tax evasion.

Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippines central banks sign agreement

The three central banks Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM), Bank of Thailand (BoT), and Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), have initiated the process of integration of the banking systems of their three respective countries.

Philippines and Malaysia signed the Declaration of Conclusion of Negotiations (DCN) for the entry of Qualified ASEAN Banks (QABs) between the two economies. This allows QABs or ASEAN-headquartered banks, and banks with major ownership by ASEAN nationals to establish their presence in each others territory and function as domestic banks. The agreement is a step closer in achieving the ASEAN Banking Integration Framework (ABIF), which encourages each ASEAN-5 country to implement at least one bilateral agreement with another ASEAN-5 member by 2018 and other members by 2020. The ASEAN-5 includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Philippines and Thailand signed the Letter of Intent (LOI) to initiate bilateral talks. Trade and investment between both countries have increased in the recent years and banking integration aims to increase trade opportunities. Thailand also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia for increased banking supervision and financial cooperation. Both parties believe that the role of cross-border banking activities has increased in the financial system. The MoU focuses on cross-border and on-site supervision, consumer protection, financial inclusion, financial literacy, and combating financial crime.

About Us Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of China, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road & Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click ASEAN Briefing is published by, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates . We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, includingthe. For editorial matters please contact usand for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here Dezan Shira & Associates provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at provide business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax and advisory services throughout the ASEAN and Asia. We maintain offices in Singapore, as well as Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, and maintain Alliance offices in Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila as well as throughout China, South-East Asia, India and Russia. For assistance with ASEAN investments into any of the featured countries, please contact us at asean@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com

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An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in ASEAN 2017 introduces the fundamentals of investing in the 10-nation ASEAN bloc, concentrating on economics, trade, corporate establishment, and taxation. We also include the latest development news for each country, with the intent to provide an executive assessment of the varying component parts of ASEAN, assessing each member state and providing the most up-to-date economic and demographic data on each.

Human Resources in ASEAN

In this issue of ASEAN Briefing, we discuss the prevailing structure of ASEANs labor markets and outline key considerations regarding wages and compliance at all levels of the value chain. We highlight comparative sentiment on labor markets within the region, showcase differences in cost and compliance between markets, and provide insight on the state of statutory social insurance obligations throughout the bloc.
Ministry apprised the panel that this would require an amendment regarding coverage of establishments under the EPF & MP Act.

The ministry has also explained that the payment of gratuity is governed by the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 which is administered by labour departments of states.

New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel has recommended amendments in social security schemes run by retirement fund body EPFO to include unemployment insurance and gratuity benefits.

At present, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation provides retirement fund (EPF), pension and group insurance under its three schemes. These schemes are Employees Provident Fund Scheme 1952, Employees Pension Scheme 1995 and Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme 1976.

The Public Accounts Committee in its report tabled in Parliament on Tuesday said, The scheme should be reviewed/modified so as to include unemployment insurance and gratuity under the scheme.

However, the labour ministry in its response to the panel said that unemployment insurance is not under the present EDLI Scheme in which insurance is linked to the deposits and thus it is not feasible at this juncture.

The ministry has also explained that the payment of gratuity is governed by the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 which is administered by labour departments of states.

However, the panel said that all benefits related to superannuation/death/sickness/disability of the employees should be covered under one scheme.

Flagging long delays in annual valuation of the Employees' Pension Fund, the committee has recommended exemplary disciplinary action against those responsible for such huge delays and disclosure of annual valuation reports for ensuring transparency.

It also recommended that whenever an establishment (firm) is set up, they should be compulsorily be registered with the EPFO also as they register with sales tax/VAT departments etc.

The panel was of the view that making restoration mandatory at the time of setting up would ensure coverage of all establishments and consequently maximum number of workers would be covered under the scheme.

However, the ministry apprised the panel that this would require an amendment regarding coverage of establishments under the EPF & MP Act.

At present all those firms which employ 20 or more employees come under the purview of the EPFO. However, the ministry has told the panel that a bill to amend the Act to provide for reducing the 20-employee threshold for coverage under the EPFO to 10 has been sent to the Union Cabinet for approval.

This is also expected to bring a large number of workers under the EPFO social security net.
Participants have accepted super-high valuation as norm.

This also shows that the markets are not expecting competition to gather pace for an extended period of time.

Mumbai: While equity markets are trading near their all-time high despite stretched valuations, analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities said the market participants have largely accepted the high valuations of growth stocks as normal valuations without questioning the sustainability of the factors that supported it.

They noted that the overall market valuations look palatable, but hide the super rich valuations of growth stocks and expensive valuations of companies with mediocre business models.

On the mid-cap segment, they warned that a lot of companies are in the bubble phase with the market extrapolating strong growth and high returns in perpetuity.

While some of the companies do have certain strengths, we find valuations at over five-times book for several semi-branded (semi-commodity) businesses absurdly high in the context of their business models and limited competitive advantages, said Sanjeev Prasad, Sunita Baldawa and Anindya Bhowmik of Kotak Institutional Equities in their latest report.

The very high earnings multiples enjoyed by stocks in several semi-commodity sectors like automobiles, cement, consumer products and industrials with moderate-to-high return on equities (RoEs) suggest that the market expects these sectors to deliver high volume growth for a long time and sustain high RoEs in the future. This also shows that the markets are not expecting competition to gather pace for an extended period of time.

However, analysts at Kotak believes that the governments focus on ease of doing business will create favourable conditions for more competition in the Indian economy with easy entry and exit of players in segments that enjoy high financial returns. The greater competition is likely to dent the high financial returns of incumbents in many businesses.

We do not find great sustainable competitive advantages (brand, tech) in the business models of firms producing semi-branded or semi-commodity products. Most of them have a low focus on branding and technology. Several outsource their manufacturing to smaller Indian companies or assemble imported components. They do enjoy distribution strengths given their large distribution reach, but online distribution can easily disrupt this advantage, Kotak Institutional Equities said.
Priyanka will be in India by the end of April or the first week of May.

Priyanka Chopra's still from the trailer of 'Baywatch'.

Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra surely knows how to balance her career between Bollywood and Hollywood.

The actress is undoubtedly making our country proud internationally.

She is currently in the US where she wrapped shooting for the second season of 'Quantico' and will soon kick-start the promotions of her highly awaited Hollywood debut, 'Baywatch'.

The actress' mother Madhu Chopra told a portal, "Priyanka will be paying a 10-day visit to India."

The portal also quoted a source as saying, "Priyanka will be in India by the end of April or the first week of May. She's coming down to complete her work commitments and spend time with her family."

The source further added that during PeeCees brief trip in India, she might sign a Bollywood film.

Well, this comes as a sigh of relief for Priyankas fans who were eagerly waiting to see her in a Bollywood movie, her last outing being 'Jai Gangaajal'.

Previously there was news that the actress might sign filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali's or director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury's film.

Priyankas Hollywood film Baywatch alongside Dwayne Johnson, is slated to release on May 26 in the US.

Let's wait to watch which filmmaker's film Priyanka will sign.
He announced the bounty after a lathicharge at Birbhum district to disperse a rally raising slogans of Jai Sri Ram on Hanuman Jayanti.

Aligarh: A leader of the BJP's youth wing has courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.

The threat was issued by Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?

"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this.If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said while criticising the police action on the rally.

On Tuesday, police in Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district used batons to disperse a rally which shouted slogans in praise of "Shri Ram".

The police had set up an iron barrier which those in procession tried to break, prompting the law-enforcers to make a lathicharge.

At another place on the outskirts of Suri, thousands of people had ignored a police ban to participate in a rally taken out under the aegis of an organisation observing Hanuman Jayanti.

The Suri Police had on Sunday told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the organisers had asked the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms.

However, the police did not budge from its stand.

West Bengal general secretary of BJP Sayantan Basu had yesterday alleged at a press meet at the party office that "The district administration at first had accorded permission, but later withdrew it on order of the TMC bosses.
There were 6 Pakistani commandos in the boat, of which 3 drowned, 1 is missing, and the remaining 2 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.

ICG rescued 2 members of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency(PMSA),recovered bodies of 4 after their boat capsized in Indian waters. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: Even as Indo-Pak relations have slumped over Pakistans death sentence to Kulbhushan Yadav, the Indian Coast Guard rescued two Pakistani marine commandos from drowning, near the Gujarat coast.

According to a report in NDTV, the marines were giving chase to a group of Indian fishermen in boats, but their boat had capsized after hitting an Indian boat.

There were 6 Pakistani commandos in the boat, of which 3 drowned, 1 is missing, and the remaining 2 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. The bodies of drowned commandos have been handed over to Pakistan, said the report.

The Pakistani commandos rounded up the fishermen working near the Gujarat coasts, and were taking them to Pakistani waters, when the accident happened.

The Indian Coast Guard ship Arinjay rushed to the spot and rescued the drowning commandos. Pakistan later released the captured fishermen, said the report.
The high commissioner then sought to make a quick exit, but was chased by reporters on the stairscase and in the IIC lawns.

Pakistan's High Commissioner Abdul Basit talks to media after attending a programme of Centre for Peace and Progress in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Ruckus prevailed briefly at the end of a conference in New Delhi as several members of the media mobbed Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit and former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri, forcing the envoy to make a hasty exit.

Kasuri was in Delhi to attend the conference on Improving Indo-Pak Relations at the India International Centre that was also attended by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

During the event, some reporters asked questions to Kasuri and Basit on the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. But both of them declined to answer.

As soon as the event got over, reporters and camerapersons first mobbed Basit to get his response on the sentence, which has been condemned by India.

The high commissioner then sought to make a quick exit, but was chased by reporters on the stairscase and in the IIC lawns until he sped away in his car.

Kasuri sought to exit through a different route but was pursued by the media men who asked questions for nearly 10-15 minutes, including on issues of consulate access being sought by India.

The former Pakistan foreign minister was then escorted away by the organisers.

Pakistan sentenced Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi, the militarys media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said in a statement.

According to ISPR, Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage actives in Pakistans restive Balochistan province and Karachi city.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

Earlier in the day, a group of people led by Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla protested outside the Pakistan high commission against the death sentence of Jadhav.

The protesters, numbered around 18-20, arrived outside the high commission around 10.30am and were detained and taken to Chankayapuri police station, said a senior police officer.

The protesters were detained for a couple of hours and later released, he said.

Poonawalla was taken inside the commission by police, and he submitted a memorandum seeking the overturning of the death sentence awarded to Jadhav in the alleged espionage case.

Was taken to Pak HC from back gate to give memorandum seeking justice for Kulbhushan Now being taken back to Chanakyapuri police station, read one of Poonawallas tweets.
The Shia scholar said the triple talaq system was unfair to women but it was a personal affair for the community.

Bijnor: The Vice-President of AIMPLB has said that the board will end the practice of triple talaq itself in one-and-a-half years so the government should not interfere in the matter.

Kalbe Sadiq also advised the Muslims against eating beef. Sadiq, who was in Bijnor on Monday to attend a programme, was speaking to reporters at the residence of President of District Civil Bar Association.

The Shia scholar said the triple talaq system was unfair to women but it was a personal affair for the community and they would solve it themselves within one to one-and-a-half years. He said the government should not interfere in it.

On the issue of beef consumption, he said in religious books eating beef is not advised and Muslims should not have it.

Sadiq said if the government enacts laws banning cow slaughter and beef eating in the country, the Muslims would welcome it. He condemned the unlawful activities of cow vigilantes and demanded that it be stopped.

On the Ram temple issue, he said the dispute should end now and the Hindus and the Muslims should yield some ground to each other so that a compromise could be reached.

He said Muslims should not insist on making a mosque at the site where the temple would be built.

Sadiq said Muslim leaders were responsible for the poor state of the community.

He said Kashmiri youths should open their eyes and understand the nefarious designs of Pakistan. He said India should be united for it to become a prosperous country.
She has requested the EAM to deport her husband and also get his passport cancelled.

Chandigarh: A 29-year-old woman who has been deserted by her NRI husband has sought help from External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. She has requested the minister to get him deported from New Zealand.

Though her husband, Ramandeep Singh, has been declared a proclaimed offender by the Punjab Police, Chand Deep Kaur has requested Swaraj for help, saying that she wants to set an example so that no other Non-Resident Indian cheats his wife.

"I have sought (Sushma) Swaraj's help in getting my husband deported. He is in New Zealand," Kaur, who is based in Kapurthala, said.

She also wants her husband's passport to be cancelled. "I want to set an example so that no other NRI husband can ever dare to cheat a woman. I also want stringent laws in place to check such men," she said.

Kaur said she has received a call from the ministry to send relevant documents in connection with her case. "I want him back here for divorce so that I can start my life afresh," she said.

Chand Deep Kaur married Ramandeep Singh, who was working as an accountant in Auckland, in July 2015. "Soon after our wedding he returned to New Zealand, in August 2015," Kaur said. "I stayed with him at his family's house in Jalandhar," she said. "He returned to India briefly in December 2015 and went back to New Zealand in January 2016," she said.

"I spent just 40-45 days with my husband," she said. She alleged that the behaviour of her in-laws changed after marriage. "They told me that they had disowned Ramandeep so I should move back with my parents," Kaur claimed.

"I tried calling my husband repeatedly, but he did not respond. I even tried to contact members of my in-laws' family but they also refused to respond, and blocked my number instead," she said.

She then lodged a complaint against her husband in August 2016. He was booked under charges of criminal breach of trust, among other sections of the Indian Penal Code. A look-out circular was also issued against Ramandeep, she said.

A police official in Jalandhar later said Ramandeep was declared a proclaimed offender in February 2017.
He claimed that no other government had taken so much action against black money as the present regime.

New Delhi: The Income Tax department carried out over 1,100 searches and surveys immediately after demonetisation and detected undisclosed income of over Rs 5,400 crore, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

He added that more follow-up action was taken and 18 lakh people were identified whose tax profiles were not in line with the cash deposits made by them in the demonetisation period and online responses were sought.

Jaitley gave these details during the Question Hour, where he claimed that no other government had taken so much action against black money as the present regime.

He said the Reserve Bank was verifying the exact amount that was deposited during the demonetisation period and the precise figure would be presented before the nation.

He also said that there is no official estimation of black money parked abroad but added that information is received from different channels and action including criminal proceedings where required is taken accordingly.

Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agarwal had raised the matter related to action against black money and said people had been promised that they would get Rs. 15 lakh in their accounts.

In his reply, Mr Jaitley said, "Post-demonetisation, during the period November 9, 2016 to January 10, 2017, more than 1,100 searches and surveys were conducted by the Income Tax Department, apart from issuing more than 5,100 verification notices in the cases of suspicious high value cash deposits or related activities."

These actions led to seizure of valuables of more than Rs. 610 crore which includes cash of Rs. 513 crore, he said.

"Seizure in cash in new currency was about Rs. 110 crore. The undisclosed income detected in these actions was more than Rs. 5400 crore," Mr Jaitley said.

He said that the IT Department had undertaken "Operation Clean Money" to leverage Technology and data analytics for verification of deposits during the demonetisation period.

Under this about 18 lakh persons have been identified whose tax profiles were prima facie not in line with the cash deposits made by them in the demonetisation period.
Head of HYV in western UP demanded action against the boy while alleging that he was trying to convert the girl's religion.

Meerut: In yet another incident of moral policing, the Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) activists on Wednesday barged into a couple's house in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut city and allegedly dragged the duo to a nearby police station on suspicion of ' love jihad'.

The incident took place in Meerut's Shastri Nagar area.

Nagendra Singh Tomar, the head of Hindu Yuva Vahini in western Uttar Pradesh, demanded action against the boy while alleging that he was trying to convert the girl's religion.

Tomar told ANI, "I have asked the police to take strict action as the Muslim boy was romancing with a Hindu girl in the house. He wanted to convert her religion. I also insist to take strict action against the landlords, who give rooms on rent without proper verfication."

Earlier on Friday, the members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini forced the police to halt prayer at a church in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj, alleging forced conversion.
Ceasefire violations along LoC in J&K rose in six months after the surgical strike in the intervening night of September 28-29.

During 2016 and 2015, there were 228 and 152 ceasefire violations, respectively, by Pakistan. (Photo: Representational Image)

New Delhi: The number of ceasefire violations (CFV) by Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir rose by an astounding 392 per cent in six months after the surgical strike by Indias special forces in the intervening night of September 28-29.

From April 2016 to September-end, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire treaty 50 times while in the next six months, from October 2016 to March 2017, the number rose to 196, a whopping rise of 392 per cent.

The figures have been analysed from a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha by minister of state for defence Dr Subhash Bhamre on the number of CFVs in the last 12 months.

During 2016 and 2015, there were 228 and 152 ceasefire violations, respectively, by Pakistan.

On November 25, 2003, the director generals of military operations of India and Pakistan inked a no-firing or ceasefire agreement along Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides the 190-km-long International Border (IB) in Jammu, the pact is applicable along the over 500 km long LoC and the Actual Ground Position Line in J&K.

Mr Bhamre also said that the Army retaliated appropriately to the ceasefire violations. In addition, all violations of ceasefire are taken up with Pakistan authorities at the appropriate level through the established mechanism of hotlines, flag meetings as well as weekly talks between the directorate generals of military operations of the two countries, the minister wrote.

On the intervening night of September 28-29, acting on specific and very definite inputs from across the border that there were several terrorist teams positioned at the launch pads, ready to carry out strike in J&K and other parts of country with an aim of causing destruction and damage to the citizen, Indias elite special forces had carried out several coordinated and incisive strikes on the militant launch pads across the LoC inflicting huge damage.

The surgical strikes, besides being a response to a brazen attack on September 18 by Pakistani militants on an Army base in J&Ks Uri that killed 19 soldiers, also marked a tactical shift by carrying the fight to the enemy camps and also to ostensibly demonstrate a hard state posturing that would not tolerate terror-related anti-India activity.

According to figures compiled by the South Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP), a leading website dedicated to counter terrorism analysis, till April 9, 2017, at least 6,286 security forces personnel have lost their lives in the J&K terrorist-related violence in the last 29 years from 1988 onwards while 23,172 terrorist have been eliminated. With 14,782 civilians being killed during the period, the total fatalities in the violence stands at 44,206 lives. Year 2000 was the peak year for terrorists killed when at least 638 were gunned down.
New shows on cuisine, travelogues and celebrity chat shows will also be introduced to make a regional connect.

In the wake of the demonetisation and its effects, the plan is also to introduce digital literacy shows and business news focusing on the states.

New Delhi: Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modis regional outreach efforts in his policy initiatives, the national broadcaster, Doordarshan, has also decided to reach out to the masses. The regional centres would now focus on showcasing state news and business events, create programmes on regional heroes, folklore, achievers and success stories while also giving platform to local artists.

The attempt is to reconnect with regional audiences. The emphasis will be on regional news, business news focusing on the states and introducing programmes on regional heroes, folklore, achievers and success stories, said Doordarshan director general Supriya Sahu.

New shows on cuisine, travelogues and celebrity chat shows will also be introduced to make a regional connect. Regional DD kendras have also been asked to facilitate new and fresh talent through crowd-sourcing and revamped audition process, the DG added.

In the wake of the demonetisation and its effects, the plan is also to introduce digital literacy shows and business news focusing on the states. While there will also be more regional news inputs from relatively far off districts which were so far not being covered on a regular basis, sources added.

As part of the effort to go regional, the national broadcaster has decided to hold workshops with various regional Doordarshan kendras in a phased manner to help evolve and improve their content, sources added.

While the workshop for northern and western region has concluded, similar exercise for southern kendras will be held on April 15 at Puducherry and for the Northeast kendras in May, sources added.

With Doordarshan claiming to have a reach of more than 90 per cent of the Indian population through a network of more than 1,416 terrestrial transmitters, the attempt to go regional is expected to set it again towards the path of increasing TRPs and revenues, sources added.

In an effort to generate more revenue, the kendras have been asked to simplify the accreditation of agencies and registration. Regional centres have also been asked to simplifying rate cards and make them realistic and contemporary, sources said.
Security sources claimed that at least 15 new recruits from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts have already reached Myanmar for training.

Guwahati: The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) has intensified its extortion drive and recruitment of youth in Upper Assam districts.

Disclosing that elusive Ulfa (I) chief Paresh Baruah has also roped in some of its old cadres who had given up arms, security sources told this newspaper that security agency was keeping a close watch on their activities as they are suspected to have been helping the outfit in recruitment of new cadres and extortion.

Informing that Assam police have also been asked to alert village defence parties (VDP) and citizens committee to keep a watch on youths missing from their respective areas, security sources claimed that at least 15 new recruits from Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts have already reached Myanmar for training.

Indicating that security forces have succeeded in apprehending some of the new recruits who were on their way to Myanmar, security sources said that some linkmen have also been arrested. Security sources said that outfit was targeting the unemployed youths for recruitments and offering handsome stipend too to lure them.
Six roads connecting Chandigarh to other towns which were declared as state highways had now been declared as major roads.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear on Thursday a petition of Arrive Safe Society challenging the decision of the Chandigarh administration to denotify state highways and renaming them as major district roads to circumvent the order banning liquor shops and rastaurants/hotels serving liquor on state highways within 500 metres.

A three-judge bench of Chief Justice J.S. Khehar and Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Sanjay Kishan Kaul agreed for the hearing on the mention from the petitioner who was responsible for bringing the ban of liquor shops on national and state highways.

The petitioner said the notification declaring state highways as major district roads was intended to hoodwink the apex court orders dated December 15, 20016 and March 31 and a colourable exercise of power. It said all the six roads connecting Chandigarh to other towns which were declared as state highways had now been declared as major roads just to dodge the ban. It sought quashing of the notifications and an interim stay of its operation so that the judgment on ban could be implemented without any impediment.

In December, 2016 the SC directed closure of liquor shops within 500 metres of highways.
The Chandigarh Police booked sedition charges following which the complainant, said his complaint had been "misinterpreted".

New Delhi: As the Chandigarh Police booked 66 students of the Punjab University on sedition charges following protests on campus against a fee hike, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took to Twitter to express his anger towards the Centre and questioned its norms of declaring a protest 'sedition'.

"Now protesting against fee hike is also sedition? Do the young have no right to speak in this country?" Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

On Tuesday, the agitators clashed with police, forcing them to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides.

The Chandigarh Police booked sedition charges following which the complainant, a security officer at PU, said his complaint had been "misinterpreted". With the police move triggering an outcry, a senior officer said late in the evening that the charges would be dropped if no "substantial evidence" was found.

The agitated students wanted to hold talks with Punjab University Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the issue of fee hike as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike. When the students were not allowed for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office by jumping the barricades set up by police.

The police started using water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation became violent when students allegedly started pelting stones on the Police, which forced the police to lathi-charge, leading to injuries to several students.

While the students were demanding rollback of fee hike, the Punjab University had justified the average 12.5 percent hike, considering the financial condition of the university as it had anticipated a deficit of Rs. 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18.
The delegation also complained of tampering of EVMs and demanded that ballot papers be used for elections.

Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with leaders of 13 Opposition parties, including the Congress, the TMC, the NCP and Left parties, after meeting President Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi on Wednesday. The parties expressed concern to the President over allegations of EVM tampering, cow vigilantism and moral policing among other issues. (Photo: G N Jha)

New Delhi: Accusing the Centre of undermining the accepted norms of governance and institutional integrity, representatives of 13 Opposition parties on Wednesday approached President Pranab Mukherjee and apprised him of their concerns on various issues, including gagging of Opposition voices, cow vigilantism and moral policing by UPs anti-Romeo squads.

The delegation also complained of tampering of EVMs and demanded that ballot papers be used for elections. After the BJP routed the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the Opposition has been screaming hoarse over alleged tampering of EVMs.

The delegation, which included top leaders such as Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her deputy Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said that an environment of fear and insecurity was prevailing in the country. It alleged that the lumpen elements were masquerading as vigilantes.

Besides the Congress, other parties part of the delegation included, TMC, SP, BSP, Left, JD(U), DMK, NCP, RJD and other smaller outfits. This incidentally was also being viewed as a signal for Opposition unity against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 general elections.

As for EVMs, information and broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu hit out at the Opposition asking, How come there were no complaints about EVMs when AAP won the Delhi polls and JD(U)-Congress alliance won in Bihar. He said: EVMs are to be blamed when NDA wins.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the President accusing the Modi government of triggering false debates, manufacturing post-truths, orchestrating inflammatory narratives on nationalism and exploiting religious sentiments Alleging that an environment of fear and insecurity was prevailing in the country, the memorandum also accused the Centre of muzzling voices of dissent, and threats of violence to the citizens.

It claimed that the government was vitiating the environment and jeopardising the cause of peace and security.

The delegation also hit out at the government for using ED, CBI and IT raids to fix Opposition parties After the meeting, Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad claimed that the government does not want to let any Opposition party exist in the country.

Mr Azad while briefing the media after the meeting said that lumpen elements were indulging in violence, lynching and people were being harassed across the country. He also spoke of lynching incidents in Alwar, Una, Dadri and Udhampur.

The memorandum alleged that critical appointments were made in brazen disregard of established procedures and practices, and appointments in central investigating, intelligence and law enforcement agencies are being done with the sole purpose to further an agenda of vendetta against political rivals. It said that India is witnessing a disturbing centralisation of authority and emergence of an authoritarian model of governance, and accused the government of launching a frontal attack on the autonomy of universities, cultural and historical institutions.
BJPs youth wing expelled Mr Varshney for two years and demanded legal action against him.

New Delhi/Lucknow/ Domkal(Murshidabad): The last day of the Budget session witnessed stormy scenes in both the Houses over a BJP youth wing leaders offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, with leaders from across the political spectrum roundly condemning it as barbaric.

The Trinamul Congress demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney, a leader of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), while the BJP distanced itself from the controversial remark.

In Kolkata, an FIR had been registered against Mr Varshney in Kolkata, and the imam of the citys Tipu Sultan mosque issued a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for Mr Varshneys head.

After the furore in Parliament and outside, the BJPs youth wing expelled Mr Varshney for two years and demanded legal action against him.

In Parliament, the TMC got strong support from Congress leaders Jyodiraditya Scindia, Mallikarjun Kharge and K.C. Venugopal who sought strong action against Mr Varshney, while Union parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar distanced his party from the youth leaders comments. Trying to pacify the agitated Opposition members, Mr Kumar said: The comment is totally wrong and we completely condemn it.

TMC MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy raised the issue in Rajya Sabha and demanded immediate action because a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon.

Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said that at a time when the government is talking about gauraksha (cow protection), what is it doing about protecting women in the country. How dare somebody talk like this? she asked.

The BJYM leader issued the threat and announced the bounty in Aligarh on Tuesday night after a Hanuman Jayanti rally was lathi-charged in West Bengals Birbhum district. The participants in the rally were reportedly shouting slogans in praise of Lord Hanuman when the police used force to disperse them.

Mamta Banerjee organises Iftar parties, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her, are Hindus not human? Anyone who was seen wearing a saffron or red short or pant was beaten up by her police. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh, he said while talking to reporters on Wednesday.

Reports said that permission for the rally had been withdrawn but the BJP supporters insisted on going ahead with the programme.

The BJYM, in its statement expelling Mr Varshney for two years and demanding legal action against him, said, BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him as per law.

Ms Banerjee, unperturbed by the threat, said, Im being abused in various ways. But I am not somebody who can be intimidated in this way. I believe its a blessing. The more they abuse me the more we shall prosper. From Bengal to Jharkhand to Uttar Pradesh  we will spread out towards Delhi.

Ms Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Domkal, Murshidabad, also lashed out at the BJP for trying to incite communal tension in the state.

Let them learn about the culture of the state first and then comment. Sindoor khela (playing with vermilion) not tolowar khela (sword play) started by few Delhi babus is Bengals culture. In Bengal, such act will not be tolerated, she said in an apparent reference to the day of Ram Navami when a number of BJP leaders were seen brandishing swords during rallies.

Bengal believes in sarva dharma samannay. We work for people of all castes, creed, religion. I participate in Durga Puja. I also participate in Eid, and I go to church. Who are you to stop me? This is the land of Maa-Mati-Manush. We cannot be divided on religious lines, she said.

Meanwhile, the imam of Tipu Sultan mosque in Kolkata, Nur-ur Rehman Barkati, issued a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for Mr Varshneys head.

Mamata Banerjee is our respected leader and I consider her as my sister. I will pay Rs 22 lakh to anyone who brings me the head of the BJP leader, he said.

On Wednesday evening, TMCs Sangeeta Majumder lodged a complaint with Kalighat police station in Kolkata demanding action against Mr Varshney for his alleged comments.
Focus on use of tech to seal border by the end of 2018, says Rijiju.

A policeman tries to take away a banner from an ex-serviceman protesting outside the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi on Wednesday for the release of former Indian naval commander Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence by a Pakistan court. (Photo: Biplab Banerjee)

New Delhi: Despite increased hostility with Pakistani, particularly in the wake of death sentence being awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav, the government has ruled out any possibility of constructing a protective boundary wall along the Indo-Pak border.

Even minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju informed Parliament on Wednesday that there was no proposal with the government to construct a wall along the Pakistan border.

However, the Centre has been working on an ambitious plan to completely seal the border with Pakistan by the end of next year. The move was initiated after a committee headed by former home secretary Madhukar Gupta submitted a detailed report to the home ministry last year on how security parameter along the Indo-Pak border should be strengthened further. The committee was constituted after the attack on Pathankot Air Force base.

Home minister Rajnath Singh too has already discussed the issue with border states like Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Gujarat, as both Centre and states would work jointly on the project to make the border completely foolproof. In his report, Mr Gupta had stressed on the need for greater use of technology in sealing the border.

Mr Rijiju too informed Parliament on Wednesday that the government was working on a multi-pronged approach for this purpose. For this purpose, it has been decided to increase deployment of BSF, installing more CCTVs and laser walls as well as other hi-tech surveillance equipment, constructing border fence and roads on areas which have not been covered so far and providing sophisticated equipment and vehicles for patrolling to border guarding forces.

In fact the proposal for constructing a wall along the Indo-Pak border was never there and the focus was on greater use of technology to seal the border. May be there was a passing reference to the issue during one of the meeting but there was no formal proposal as such. Work on sealing the border has already started and we plan to complete it by end of 2018, a senior home ministry official said,
Several Opposition parties, chiefly the BSP, Congress and the AAP, had raised questions on the EVMs.

The BSP had been first off the block by claiming that the BJP had won the Uttar Pradesh polls as the ruling party at the Centre had manipulated the EVMs.

New Delhi: After several Opposition parties raised questions over the electronic voting machines (EVMs) following the rout in the recent Assembly polls, the Election Commission on Wednesday threw an open challenge to people to hack its EVMs in the first week of May. Such a challenge had last been held in 2009, EC sources said.

A senior EC official said that from first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines. They said the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days and will have various levels.

The commission also plans to separately conduct a demo of the machines in front of leaders of all major political parties to show them how the machines cant be compromised to suit a particular party.

Several Opposition parties, chiefly the BSP, Congress and the AAP, had raised questions on the EVMs.

The BSP had been first off the block by claiming that the BJP had won the Uttar Pradesh polls as the ruling party at the Centre had manipulated the EVMs.

The AAP has asked the EC to revert back to the system of paper ballots for the coming municipal polls in the state. A total of 16 Opposition parties had approached the EC and asked it to use paper ballots in future polls.

Many parties which had met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday also complained against the EVMs.

The commission has always strongly defended the structural integrity of the machines, and urged the complainants to not blame the machines for their electoral failures. It had even gone to the extent of telling Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to introspect on his partys loss in Punjab instead of blaming the EVMs.
The actress revealed the details after she broke down on national television

Apu Biswas kept the marriage a secret so that she could protect Shakib Khan's career after she got married to him in 2008. (Photo: Facebook)

Dhaka: One of Bangladesh's biggest film stars caused an internet sensation today when she revealed she had wed her on-screen lover, but kept the marriage secret for nine years to protect his career.

Apu Biswas told a Bangladesh television station she had a seven-month-old child with Shakib Khan, whom she had married in secret in 2008, and was only going public now because of his neglect. She has starred in at least 40 movies alongside her now estranged husband, known as King Khan in Bangladesh for his dominance of the silver screen.

"I kept the marriage secret for his welfare. I've sacrificed a lot," the 33-year-old told News24 in a tearful television interview that has been endlessly replayed and shared on social media in Bangladesh."But I can't take his negligence to me anymore, so I'm sharing everything."

Bangladesh's movie idols have been known to conceal their marriages before to maintain the illusion of availability to their adoring fans. But the decision appeared to backfire as thousands in the conservative Muslim-majority nation took to social media to condemn the 38-year-old superstar. Khan initially denied the marriage had taken place, attacking Biswas as a failure.

He later admitted the pair were married and had a child, but accused Biswas of trying to bring down his career with her revelations."It is a plan to destroy Shakib Khan. If Shakib Khan is destroyed, the Bangladesh film is destroyed," he told the NTV news website.

Biswas disappeared from the silver screen last year. Khan is known as a one-man film industry in Bangladesh, where he has featured in scores of hits, most of them romance or action movies.
With upside down Mickey stencils adoring the walls, Jeff wants to give a poignant message.

For years, people turned up their nose at 16-year-old Mehtaabs house because of the filth surrounding it. Not to mention the sickening stench that its open drains emitted. Today, things are different. Mehtaabs house now bears a festive look with colours such as pink, blue and yellow splashed across its tin walls. All thanks to U.S-based artist Jeffrey Gillette and our very own Tarp Project guy, Samir Parker. The two want to give a makeover to the shanties surrounding the swanky high-rises of Bandra  to houses of people like Mehtaab along with fifteen hundred other residents.

Samir Parker with Jeffrey Gillette (Photo: Shripad Naik)

Jeffrey Gillette  who inspired the hugely popular British anonymous artist Banksys Dismaland  and Samir want to change the way people perceive slums. The notion that the citys development is all about steel and glass facades that cost millions of rupees, outrages us. We are not social workers, but as artists we want notions of beauty to evolve. Here, there are thousands of domestic workers, drivers, small time entrepreneurs who call the slums home. For their homes to be seen as a blight on the city is unfortunate. This is a beautiful part of the city too, as much as it is gaudy and full of sh**, Samir says.

(Photo: Shripad Naik)

For Jeffrey, who is known to paint slums across the globe with his signature Mickey Mouse artwork (Dismayland), Indian slums have been his favourite canvas. Being from California, I see more happy faces here in these slums. When I come to India, especially to the poor areas, I see more happy people. I see a home, unlike the times when Im on the freeway and everyone is angry and hate each other. Here, I feel everyone has a sense of community. In California its so isolating and so distant. There we dont even know our neighbours, unlike here where everyone gets along. Im sure they have some extremely uncomfortable lives but they have their families and their community and that is so important, he shares. I feel that specially in the United States and in the Western world, people are too hung up on things rather than experiences and people. I dont see these slums as unhappy places, I see them as uncomfortable and dirty, but also very robust, he adds.

(Photo: Shripad Naik)

Since the time the artist first came to the location as a part of a slum tour, things have changed, he feels. The urban situation is our canvas. The first time I came here, the slums were in the front, and there were no walls. The irony is that there is a million dollar tower right there and then a stones throw away, there is a temporary settlement. From what I hear, within two years all this will be gone, says Jeff.

With upside down Mickey stencils adoring the walls, Jeff wants to give a poignant message. As a kid I was always fascinated about Disneyland but never got an opportunity to visit the place. I thought it was the happiest place on Earth (as it is advertised) and I was sad that I never got to go there. But when I was a bit older (in my thirties) I went there with my wife and I was like this sucks, I was worrying as a child that Im missing out on this fun and here Im feeling that the magic has disappeared! Mickey for me, denoted distress. The idea of poverty is a betrayal from the promised land of eternal cheer  Disneyland, he says.

(Photo: Shripad Naik)

The duo now plans to collaborate on a monsoon project soon, and this time Jeff will be in the city for a month. The monsoon plan is to create places that respond to the wetness and the floods in the city, something on the lines of an amusement park. We want to use the pandal metaphor, fantasy castles and materials that resonate with our spaces. We want to create installations that respond to the monsoons, at the simplest level  just imagine 100 hydrogen balloons floating amidst mounds of sh**, Samir shares.

The access here is what makes Jeff come back to India repeatedly. The people here are more inviting than what you will find in any part of the world. The other places are a little scary and you just feel out of place but here, they are welcoming. I dont like the idea of being a tourist. So when Im here, I dont do something for the people, but instead, something with them, he signs off.
Issued formal notice from officer asking him to cough up money spent on AAP ads.

New Delhi: In an unprecedented move, a government officer has directed Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who is also the chief minister of Delhi, to deposit about Rs 42.26 crore with the state exchequer and about Rs 54.87 crore to other agencies to whom advertisements had been released in violation of the Supreme Court guidelines. The order issued by the additional secretary has made it clear that Mr Kejriwal should immediately reimburse Rs 42.26 crore to the state exchequer and pay the remaining amount of Rs 54.87 crore spent on advertisements for which payments have not been released to the agencies concerned within 30 days.

A senior AAP functionary, on condition of anonymity, said that the order clearly showed the nervousness of the BJP before the civic elections. They (BJP) are scared of us. Otherwise, you often see advertisements of other chief ministers in Delhi newspapers. By that logic, all those chief ministers should also be directed to refund money they had incurred on advertisements which had been carried in publications outside the territory of their respective states. The Delhi government order has gained political significance as it has come at a time when the AAP is battling hard to win the upcoming civic elections as its outcome would be termed as a referendum on the governments two-year performance. Just recently, the AAP had received another blow after lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal cancelled the allotment of its Rouse Avenue party office. The recent order has serious political overtones as it has been issued by the officer of the rank of the additional secretary, who reports to the secretary of his department. The secretary, in turn, reports to the chief secretary and the minister concerned, who are directly under the command of the chief minister. The order which has been issued in pursuance of the August 10, 2016, Delhi high court ruling directing the Committee on Content Regulation of Government Advertising to decide within six weeks the complaint of state Congress president Ajay Maken related to the advertisements released by the city administration.

A three-member committee on the Content Regulation of the Government Advertising had in its order on September 16, 2016, directed that the main purpose and objective of the guidelines framed by the apex court was to prevent misuse of the state funds for the projection of the image of the politicians or the political parties in power. The order said: Since the same has happened even after the judgement, the only way it could be reminded is to make the political party, the main beneficiary in the process of violation to pay for the expenditure incurred by the government. The committee had also directed the city government to assess the expenditure it had incurred by issuing advertisements outside Delhi, advertorials in which AAP name was mentioned and those advertisements which publicised the CMs views and targetted the opposition parties. The order said: The scrutiny of available records has revealed that tentatively an amount of Rs 97,14,69,137 (approx) has been assessed to be incurred on advertisements which may be classified into the category of violation of Supreme Courts guidelines.
North Dakota House lawmakers rejected a bill Wednesday to lift the states ban on parking meters, but the issue will still be debated in a separate bill.

The House had previously approved a version of Senate Bill 2247 that opened the door for parking meters but required cities to put the issue to a vote of the people before installing meters.

Amendments to the bill adopted by the Senate removed the requirement for voter approval. Instead, the amended bill said city leaders may put the issue on the ballot.

If a city proposes to install parking meters and theres not a pushback from the people, there really is no need to go through the time or expense of putting on a ballot, said Rep. Jim Grueneich, R-Jamestown. If there is pushback, then ultimately it would go on a ballot.

The ban on parking meters was originally put in place with an initiated measure in 1949, but the Legislature repealed it two years later. North Dakota voters rejected that action in 1952, according to a legislative memo.

Several House members voiced concern about removing the requirement for local voter approval.

The people of North Dakota put this statute in place, said Rep. Kim Koppelman, R-West Fargo.

Rep. Jim Kasper, R-Fargo, called parking meters an indirect tax and said he hasnt heard any support for metered parking other than from city officials who want to collect more money.

People of our city dont want parking meters, the taxpayers dont want parking meters, but five city commissioners want parking meters, Kasper said.

Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney supported removing the states ban on parking meters and letting the City Commission make the decision.

Rep. Thomas Beadle, R-Fargo, said he didnt initially like the idea of parking meters, but after researching the issue he found metered parking can provide some benefits, including an increase in customer turnover.

This is actually an issue that can help drive commerce to our downtown areas, said Beadle, adding that it would likely only apply to six blocks in downtown Fargo.

Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Minot, said some cities would like the option of parking meters for certain high-demand areas to allow spots to open up more often. He urged legislators to give local communities the option.

My guess is youre never going to see them in your community or the majority of communities you go into, Ruby said.

The bill failed with a 29-59 vote.

However, the parking meter issue is still alive in an amendment to the Department of Transportation budget. Section 11 of Senate Bill 2012 would allow cities to have metered parking if voters approve. The amendment also requires 20 percent of parking meter revenue to go into the state public transportation fund, excluding parking meters on college campuses.

That bill is being considered by a conference committee.
The bench directed the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court to apprise it on July 5.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said necessary steps are required to be taken to enforce within its premises the rule prohibiting smoking in public places.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said, "Necessary steps are required to be taken to enforce the provisions of Rule 3 of the Prohibition of

Smoking in Public Places Rules 2008 in the (Delhi) High Court premises."

Under Rule 3 of the 2008 Rules, smoking in a public place is prohibited and the owner, proprietor, manager, supervisor or in-charge of the affairs of a public place has to ensure that such activity does not take place.

The bench directed the Registrar General of the Delhi High Court to apprise it on July 5 about the steps taken, if any, to comply with Rule 3.

It also asked the Registrar General to place a copy of the court's order before the Chamber Allotment Committee of Delhi High Court to enable the panel to look into whether the shop selling cigarettes inside the court premises can be allowed to continue there.

The directions came on a PIL filed by an advocate, Vijay Chandra Jha, who has sought removal of the shop inside the high court which sells cigarettes.

The shop was granted a licence in the year 2000 prior to coming into force of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) Act in 2003.

The licence was, thereafter, renewed till December 31, 2018. The lawyer, in his PIL, has also sought a ban on smoking inside the high court complex claiming that it leads to many advocates, litigants, court staff and others becoming passive smokers, apart from the serious ill-effects of the smoke.

The Tobacco Smoking (Prohibition) Regulations prohibits smoking in enclosed places of work, including office blocks, various buildings, public houses/bars, restaurants and company vehicles (cars and vans).
Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad.

New Delhi: The CBI has arrested 4 directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited for allegedly cheating consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2240 crore.

Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal have been arrested on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB), the CBI sources said.

It is alleged that the four accused used more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds, they said.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the CBI sources said.

The PNB alleged that the company had diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium.

Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, they said.

The accused will be produced before the Patiala House Court on Wednesday.
It is said that Dikshit, the three-time CM of Delhi, is also unhappy with the party top brass over distribution of tickets.

New Delhi: Questions are being raised whether three time chief minister Sheila Dikshit will campaign for the upcoming MCD polls as a section within the party feel that her remarks on party vice-present Rahul Gandhi before UP elections, had not gone well with the rank and file of the party leadership. Though Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken says that she will definitely be invited as a star campaigner for the civic polls, some local leaders are wary that any negative reference by her could mar the prospects of the party candidates.

Ms Dikshit is said to have recently termed Mr Maken a Joker, a reference which has not gone well with the Delhi Congress presidents supporters. Ever since Mr Maken has taken charge of the city unit, Ms Dikshit and her son, Sandeep, had been keeping a distance from the day-to-day functioning of the local unit. Some local veteran leaders, A K Walia and Haroon Yusuf, who were part of Ms Dikshits Cabinet, have openly voiced their concerns over the way tickets had been distributed for the civic elections.

It is said that Ms Dikshit, the three-time CM of Delhi, is also unhappy with the party top brass over distribution of tickets.

A close aide of Mr Maken said that the party had adopted the most transparent system in ticket distribution. He said about 40,000 voice samples of party workers feedback on their candidates had been recorded before a final call was taken on the selection of the candidates.

Except for one candidate in both Mr Walia and Mr Yusufs Assembly seat, rest of the candidates were those whose names they had proposed. Two tickets were given to party workers, so whats wrong in that, a local leader told this newspaper.

For its selection process, the Congress had formed a committee headed by Anand Sharma to select candidates for elections to Delhis three municipal corporations. Senior party leader PC Chacko is in-charge of the Congress affairs in Delhi.
The court had allowed Mr Shelar to intervene in the petition.

Mumbai: Pulling up the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) city president, Ashish Shelar, the Bombay high court on Tuesday asked him to use the states Legislative Assembly to solve the issue related to the allotment of land for a graveyard for the Muslim community in Bandra. The HC, while hearing a PIL seeking issuance of directions to concerned authorities for allotting the graveyard, said that it does not require his assistance and asked him to go and work on the same in the Assembly.

The high court also impleaded the Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (Mhada) as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed the court that it was the owner of the land at Bandra Reclamation where the contentious graveyard is to be allotted. A division bench headed by chief justice Dr Manjula Chellur and Justice G.S. Kulkarni was hearing the PIL filed by Furqan Qureshi, seeking a plot of land in H West ward for a graveyard. The court had allowed Mr Shelar to intervene in the petition.

On Tuesday, when the matter came up for hearing, Mr Shelars lawyer informed the court that he had not been able to file the affidavit, which the court directed him to do last week.
Mhada pulls up realtor, residents they say havent got homes since 1998.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) has issued a notice to MB Construction, a developer, for allegedly delaying the redevelopment of a project in Sewri for more than 19 years. The Mhada also called for a hearing after residents alleged that despite them having vacated their homes in 1998, MB Construction has not initiated the redevelopment of their building.

MB Construction had started redeveloping KK Modi chawl in 1992 but it was only in 1998 that the vacating of the structure was done. Around 205 beneficiary tenants, who have been residing in Mhadas transit camps since 1998, have claimed that the developer had not initiated redevelopment in spite of being awarded a fresh no-objection certificate (NOC).

Manoj Sawant, a resident of the transit camp, who is in his thirties, said, I remember that I was 16 years old when we had vacated our dilapidated structure in 1998 after signing a development agreement with the developer, but we have still not seen our dream come true. The developer completed the development agreement with all the tenants in 2000 but it still hasnt initiated the redevelopment process.

Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said, We have raised complaints with Mhada several times but it was after our complaint this year that the authority issued a notice to the developer and called for a hearing. We have demanded that the developing rights of the developer should be cancelled and he should be blacklisted.

A notice dated April 5, 2017, issued by Mumbai Building Repairs and Reconstruction Board, a unit of Mhada, titled, Redevelopment of property KK Modi chawl in Parel-Sewree division, reads, I am directed to inform you that a hearing scheduled on April 18, 2017 on above subject in the chamber of chief officer.

We are contemplating whether or not the development rights of the developer should be cancelled or he should be directed to start the redevelopment process immediately. However, in the hearing the developer would be given a chance to justify his case, said an engineer from Mhada.

Meanwhile, when contacted, Harish Bhattad, the owner of MB Construction, told The Asian Age, My brother would be able to give you the details as he is handling the matter, but he cannot be contacted now as he is at a social function and will not talk now. I request you to contact him later.
Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, 'seems to be politically motivated', say experts

Washington: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI. She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistan's self-interest.

"If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value. he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav. "We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.
'It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there,' White House official said.

Washington: President Donald Trump's administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria's government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to "go into" the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assad's government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria's Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against US allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels. "It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there," one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. "Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," he told reporters.

But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive."

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.

Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. "They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize," she said on CNN.

US intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

"Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syria's chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack," the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shi'ite Muslim Iran.

Tillerson Message

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on America's traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

"It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson told reporters in Italy. "We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad."

He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assad's government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them.

"We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using" chemical weapons, Putin said. Trump denied further plans in Syria.

"We're not going into Syria," he said in an interview with the New York Post. "Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria."

A senior Trump administration official called Putin's remarks part of a Russian "disinformation campaign."

The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syria's government to cooperate with investigators.

Turning Point

The secretary of state's role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing skepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.

Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp, which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russia's "Order of Friendship" in 2013.

Tillerson is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting may take place.

Western countries have been calling for Assad's departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the world's worst refugee crisis.

Assad's position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assad's government directly.

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States' military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focused on defeating Islamic State.
The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should follow religious rituals, history rules and national regulations.

Beijing: China on Tuesday said it will select the next highest monk of Tibetan Buddhism through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn at Dachau Temple in Lhasa, dismissing the Dalai Lama's assertion that Beijing cannot choose his successor.

"The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has lasted for centuries. All reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has followed the religious rituals and history rules, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in written response to queries about the Dalai Lama's recent comments made in Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should follow religious rituals, history rules and national regulations, instead of whatever the 14th Dalai Lama said, it added.

It said the reincarnation of the Dalai Lama should be conducted according to tradition of drawing lots in front of Golden Urn Shakyamuni in Dachau Temple Lhasa (Jokhang monastery), which embodies the Buddhist spirit.

"It needs approval from China Central government too. The rule was established as early as in 1793,? the ministry said. The Dalai Lama had said in Tawang that Chinese government cannot decide who will be his successor.

"It is quite nonsense. There may be some indication at the time of my death of the next Dalai Lama. I am only one soul," the 81-year-old Tibetan spiritual leader had said. The Foreign Ministry said the reincarnation of Living Buddha is a unique way of inheritance of Tibetan Buddhism.

China adopts religious freedom policy which for sure, including respect and protect Tibetan Buddhism tradition, the ministry said, adding that the Chinese government issued Regulation on Religious Affairs and Management Rules of Tibetan Buddhism Reincarnation.

"We have been following national regulations and respect religious ritual since the beginning, it said. The ministry also questioned the religious credentials of the Dalai Lama and reiterated China's claim over the Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing claims as South Tibet.

The Dalai Lama has never been a "purely religious person", but a political exile who has been engaged in anti-China separatist activities out of China, it said.

"He has had a disgraceful performance on Sino-Indian border issue. He is active in disputed area in Sino-Indian border which itself is a major political event, it said.

"No matter what the Indian government has arranged in disputed areas, and no matter what the Dalai Lama's speech in Arunachal Pradesh, it will never change the fact that there is a great controversy in eastern part of the Sino-Indian border, nor it will change China?s position on this issue," it said.

The India-China border dispute covers the 3488-km long Line of Actual Control. While China claims Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts that the dispute covered Aksai Chin area which was occupied by China during the 1962 war.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang added that Beijing will take further action to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

Beijing: Furious over India allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh despite opposition from China, Beijing on Wednesday warned that this action will have a "negative impact" on bilateral relations between the two sides.

Media reports quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, as saying in a press conference, "When the Indian side violated commitments on relevant issues, the Indian side insisted on arranging the visit of the Dalai Lama in the disputed section of the China-Indian boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representations and it will, of course, have a negative impact on bilateral relations."

Kang added that Beijing will take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the "provocative" statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and "some specific Indian official" in an apparent reference to the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu.

"What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has a negative impact on the proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations," the spokesperson said.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama, whom it regard as a dangerous separatist, visiting Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, as it considers the region as Southern Tibet.

Meanwhile, India has repeatedly said that no political colour should be attributed to the Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, which it described as religious and spiritual.
The court sentenced HDP co-leader, Figen Yuksekdag, for crimes related to terrorism. Now she can no longer be elected to a political party. The prosecutor asks for life imprisonment for 30 journalists and employees of the Zaman publishing group, which publishes the main opposition newspaper. At least 28 people have died in jail, from suspected torture.

Istanbul (AsiaNews / Agencies) - A Turkish court sentenced the co-leader of the main parliamentary opposition movement, the pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples' Party (HDP), to one year in prison. Figen Yuksekdag (pictured) has been indicted for crimes related to "terrorism". Judicial sources behind anonymity, report that the political leader is believed to have "sponsored propaganda activities for a terrorist organization".

Yuksekdag also lost her parliamentary seat, after the court authorized the trial on September 22.



Now, as envisaged by the current Turkish Constitution, following the conviction she can no longer be elected within a political party.



Figen Yuksekdag was elected as an MP in November 2015 in the electoral district of the eastern province of Van. The Kurdish leader was arrested in November last year, along with 13 other MPs HDP on terrorism-related charges. Ten of them, including Selahattin Demirtas the co-leader of the Kurdish movement are still in prison awaiting trial. They can no longer enjoy immunity, which was canceled by a vote in March 2016

Since July 2016, Turkish authorities have arrested more than 45,000 people, including teachers, soldiers, intellectuals, opposition politicians, businessmen, journalists, activists and ordinary citizens. More than 135,000 public servants have been either suspended or dismissed.

The crackdown is aimed at Kurds, and sympathisers (real or assumed) of the movement led by Islamic preacher Fethullah Gulen, who lives in exile in Pennsylvania, US.

According to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other government leaders Gulen was behind the coup in Turkey that killed 270 people, wounding thousands. Analysts and experts note that the escalation of arrests is linked to the upcoming referendum on constitutional reform.

President Erdogan has strongly pushed for the proposed changes to enhance his powers and extend his time in office beyond 2019, when his current mandate ends.

On the eve of the referendum the chief Istanbul prosecutor has once again demanded a life sentence for 30 journalists and former employees of the Zaman media group, accused of "participation in a terrorist organization". The group is guilty of publishing the main newspaper linked to the opposition, before the police and the authorities closed it down.

In the indictment the prosecutor accused the group of having used Zaman "as a weapon" exceeding "the limits of freedom of opinion and press," undermining social peace and justifying the coup.

Finally, activists and international human rights organizations denounce at least 28 people have been killed in Turkish prisons since the beginning of the purges in July. These include police officers, judges, teachers who were found dead in their cells. These deaths cast a shadow on the fate of thousands of civilians, in precarious conditions inside the country's prisons. Relatives of the victims reject the hypothesis of death by suicide, the official version given by the authorities to justify the deaths. According to rumors some of these deaths would occur as a result of torture.
Direct talks with Kim Jong-un and a review of the deployment of Thaad anti-missile system. Meanwhile, the US sends Carl Vinson aircraft carrier to Sea of Japan for a showdown. Xi Jinping: Use peaceful means.

Seoul (AsiaNews) - Moon Jae-in, a candidate for the May presidential elections, says South Koreans should not be spectators but protagonists in dialogue with the North and that he would be ready for direct dialogue with the dictator Kim Jong -a.

Moon, a Catholic, with an excellent chance of victory, made his statements in an interview with the "Korea Herald" two days ago, just as the United States sent the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, with about 6 thousand armed soldiers to the Sea of Japan for a show of strength after several threats from Pyongyang. I feel that we should take the lead. At present, we are spectators who hope for the US-China talks to go well.

He expressed regret that talks in Florida between presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping failed to reach agreement on North Korea. In recent weeks, the US administration said it would consider every option, even a military one to force Kim Jong-un to abandon his nuclear and missile program.

Yesterday Trump posted a new threatening tweet: "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!.



In a telephone conversation with Trump, reported today by the Chinese TV, Xi stressed that China wants to denuclearize the Korean peninsula "to safeguard peace and stability, and suggests peaceful means to solve problems."



Moon said that if victorious, he will review the decision to allow the deployment of US Thaad anti-missile system, hated by China and the Church of South Korea. Each Thaad unit costs about 800 thousand US dollars.

The candidate also promised to commit to create at least 500 thousand jobs and to increase public spending for education, welfare and environmental care.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Jesus gave us a hope that is different from that of the world, it is founded on the cross, the most extreme point in the lowering of Christ, who transformed it, by taking upon himself our sin into forgiveness , our death to the resurrection, our fear into confidence. "That's why there on the Cross, our hope was born and is always revived; that's why with Jesus all our darkness can be transformed into light, every defeat into victory, any disappointment into hope. "



In his address to the 30 thousand people present in St Peter's Square for the general audience, the Pope focused his meditation on the theme: Hope of the world and hope from the Cross (cf. John 12:24-25). "Last Sunday  he began - we recalled Jesus entrance in Jerusalem, between the festive acclamations of the disciples and a great crowd. Those people placed many hopes in Jesus: so many expected miracles and great signs from Him, manifestations of power and even of freedom from the occupying enemies. Which one of them would have imagined that from there shortly Jesus would instead be humiliated, condemned and killed on a cross? The earthly hopes of those people collapsed in face of the cross. But we believe that precisely in the Crucified our hope is reborn. Earthly hopes collapse in face of the cross, but new hopes are reborn, those that last forever. It is a different hope from those that collapse, from those of the world. But what kind of hope is this? What hope is born from the cross?What Jesus said, in fact, after entering Jerusalem can help us understand it: Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit (John 12:24). Let us try to think of a grain or a small seed, which falls into the earth. If it remains closed in itself, nothing happens; instead, if it is broken, it opens and then gives life to an ear, a bud, then a plant and the plant will give fruit.

Jesus brought a new hope to the world, and he did so in the way of a seed: He made Himself small  small, like a grain of wheat; He left His heavenly glory to come among us: He fell to the ground. But this was not enough yet. To bear fruit Jesus lived love to the end, letting Himself be broken by death as a seed lets itself be broken under the earth. In fact there, in the extreme point of His abasement  which is also the highest point of love  hope sprouted. If one of you asks: How is hope born? From the cross. Look at the cross, look at Christ Crucified and from there hope will come to you that no longer disappears, which lasts to eternal life. And this hope sprouted precisely by the strength of love: because a love that hopes all, endures all (1 Corinthians 13:7), love that is Gods life, has renewed everything it has reached. Thus at Easter, Jesus, taking our sin upon Himself, transformed it into forgiveness, our death into resurrection, our fear into trust. See why there, on the cross, our hope is born and is always reborn; see how with Jesus every darkness of ours can be transformed into light, every defeat into victory, every disappointment into hope  every, yes, every. Hope surpasses all, because it is born of the love of Jesus who made Himself like a grain of wheat in the earth and who died to give life and from that life full of love hope comes.

When we choose Jesus hope, little by little we discover that the winning way of living is that of the seed, that of humble love. There is no other way to overcome evil and to give hope to the world. But you might say to me: No, its a losing logic! It would seem so, that it is a losing logic, because one who loves loses power. Have you thought of this? One who loves loses power, one who gives, dispossesses himself of something and to love is a gift. In reality the logic of the seed that dies, of humble love, is the way of God, and only this way gives fruit. We see it also in us: to possess always pushes us to want something else: I have obtained something for myself and I immediately want something greater, and so on, and I am never satisfied. That is an awful thirst! The more you have, the more you want. One who is voracious is never sated. And Jesus says it clearly: he who loves his life loses it (John 12:25). You are voracious, you want to have so many things but . . . you will lose everything, also your life, that is: one who loves himself and lives for his interests is puffed up with himself and loses. Instead, one who accepts, is available and serves lives Gods way: then he is victorious, saves himself and others; becomes seed of hope for the world. But it is good to help others, to serve others . . . perhaps we will get tired! But life is like this and the heart is filled with joy and hope. This is love and hope together: to serve and to give.

This true love certainly passes through the cross, sacrifice, as it did for Jesus. The cross is the obligatory passage but it is not the aim, it is a passage: the aim is glory, as Easter shows us. And here another very beautiful image comes to our aid, which Jesus left His disciples during the Last Supper. He says: When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world (John 16:21). See: to give life, not to possess it. And this is what mothers do: they give another life, they suffer, but then they are joyful, happy because they have given birth to another life. It gives joy; love gives birth to life and even gives meaning to sorrow. Love is the engine that makes our hope go on. I repeat: love is the engine that makes our hope go on. And each one of us can ask himself: Do I love? Have I learned to love? Do I learn every day to love more?  because love is the engine that makes our hope go on.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, during these days, days of love, let us allow ourselves to be enveloped by the mystery of Jesus that, dying as grain of wheat, dying gives us life. He is the seed of our hope. Let us contemplate the Crucified, source of hope. Little by little we will understand that to hope with Jesus is to learn to see already the plant in the seed, Easter in the cross, life in death. I would now like to give you a task to do at home. It will do us all good to pause before the Crucifix  all of you have one at home  and look at Him and say to Him: With you nothing is lost. With you I can always hope. You are my hope. Let us now imagine the Crucifix and all together let us say to Jesus Crucified three times: You are my hope. All: You are my hope. Louder! You are my hope.. "
by Emiliana Saptaningsih

"I thank God for the gift of the mission, she said. I am but a small instrument of God to bring hope and joy to the suffering and the needy.

Jakarta (AsiaNews)  Sister Elisabeth Hugoline Deseilers, missionary of the Missionary Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS), arrived in Indonesia in 1967. Since then, she has spent 50 years of mission full of joy, bringing love and hope to those in need and alleviating the suffering of patients, in particular those with terminal illnesses.

"After serving for 50 years of missionary work in Indonesia, I thank God for the gift of the mission and the vocation to work among the Indonesian people, she said. I am but a small instrument of God to bring hope and joy to the suffering and the needy, in the service of the Gospel and in the light of my faith".

Inspired by her brother, a missionary priest of the Divine Word (SVD), Sister Hugoline joined the SSpS at the age of 23 years. "I used to visit my brother priest in Steyl (Austria). It was he who introduced me to the Missionary Servants. Some of their communities were nearby, she said to explain her vocation.

Although Indonesia was not her preferred destination, she accepted the mission out of obedience. After she arrived in Jakarta on 16 March 1967, she became seriously ill. But fidelity to her to promise to God, to whom she entrusted her health, helped her get better and give her life to the mission in the Asian country.

The SSpS arrived in Indonesia in 1917. In the past 100 years, many Indonesian missionaries left for different parts of the world. At present, more than 700 sisters from Indonesia are serving in five provinces, and East Timor.

"I am happy to witness the growth of vocations to the religious life among Indonesian women. This is the result of our missionary work for which we thank God, Sister Hugoline said.

"I would like that our 100 years of missionary work (1917-2017) increase the commitment of all the SSpS sisters to their life in the mission and that the Holy Spirit offer us many other vocations."
Under Asias first law of this kind, people who eat cat or dog meat could be fined up to US$ 8,000. Anyone harming or killing cats and dogs could get two years in jail and more than US$ 60,000 in fines. A dog meat festival in Yulin, mainland China, continues to cause outrage.

Taipei (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Taiwan's parliament has approved a bill banning the sale and slaughter of cats and dogs for human consumption.

The bill, which amends Taiwan's Animal Protection Act, imposes fines of up to TW$ 250,000 (about US$ 8,000) for selling or eating cats or dogs. Anyone convicted of harming, causing pain, or killing them can expect up to two years in jail and a fine of TW$ 2 million.

The first of its kind in Asia, the bill now goes to the president for final signature before it becomes law.

In Hong Kong it is already illegal to sell, kill or cook dogs and cats; however, eating them is not illegal. In mainland China, there is no law banning the sale, slaughter, and consumption of dogs and cats.

Every year, Yulin (Guangxi) hosts a famous dog meat festival, where the pooches are kept in often cruel conditions (pictured).

Animal rights activists have targeted the fair, and many other consider eating dogs and cats as "primitive."

In Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen has adopted three dogs who learnt to get along with her two cats, Cookie and A-Tsai.
by Melani Manel Perera

About a hundred Catholics from Colombo and Negombo went to Mullivaikal where up to 40,000 civilians died in 2009 caught in the crossfire between government forces and Tamil Tigers.

Colombo (AsiaNews)  A group of about a hundred Catholics from Colombo and Negombo carried out their own Way of the Cross on 7 April in the place where the Sri Lankan army carried out a final massacre of Tamils. The goal was to keep alive the memory of their suffering and highlight the current situation of civil war victims.

Catholic women, children and seniors chose Mullivaikal, northern Sri Lanka, for their spiritual exercises of Lent. Here, in 2009, the final phase of the civil war unfolded, killing up to 40,000 civilians.

Fr Jeewantha Pieris led the Way of the Cross. "The suffering of victims of war is not Gods will. It was not misfortune, bad luck, or other reasons, he said.

These people suffered because another group of people wanted to oppress them for money and power. Now their life is suffering. We must pray for them and work together for their freedom."

The procession, accompanied by songs and hymns in Tamil and Sinhalese to mark the Passion of Christ, started at Vadduvakal bridge, near Nandikadal lagoon.

Some 300,000 people tried to find refuge on the latters shores after the warring parties had declared it a safe haven. However, thousands were killed, caught in the crossfire and air force bombing.

Fr Jeewantha still remembers the displaced people "fleeing, some even without clothes. How much did they suffer to save their life! They spent the whole month of April [2009] without food, medicines, tents. Pregnant women were forced to eat tree leaves and sand from the ground just to deliver babies. About 70,000 pieces of clothing are buried under the earth we're treading."

During the meditation, the clergyman noted that "in the days of the siege, in the absence of medicines and treatment, many people had injured limbs amputated to prevent infections, children included. In the absence of alternatives, parents were forced to do this.

Before undertaking the Way of the Cross, Catholics met with civil war survivors and displaced people able to return home after their property was recently returned by the Navy.

Catholics from the capital have decided to return to this area next month, during the Buddhist festival of Wesak Pohoya, to show support to Tamils and, once again, be closer to the Passion of Jesus.
Photo caption: Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch's campaign manager Michael Diamond says the MP did not know Rise Canada, an anti-Islamic protest group, was going to be part of an event she attended in Brampton.Photo Credit: Lorrie Goldstein via Twitter

By Janice Dickson,

Special to The Post

Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitchs campaign says she did not know Ron Banjaree, an anti-Muslim advocate, or the organization Rise Canada would be at the event she attended Monday evening in Brampton.

Kellie did not know this person or this organization would be there. Had she known she would not have attended, Leitchs campaign spokesman Michael Diamond told iPolitics in an email.

Diamond said Leitch attended a meeting organized by an organization called Keep Religion Out of Public Schools in support of secular and pluralistic public schools.

Kellie does not believe that this long standing Canadian practice should be changed to accommodate one group. Other individuals and groups attended this meeting, there was no guest list sent to Kellie prior to the event. This meeting was about the place of religion in public schools, wrote Diamond.

Leitch did address the anti-Muslim group, though, and the money raised at the event was to go toward fighting the construction of a mosque in Brampton.

Banjaree, director of Canadian Hindu Advocacy and an advisor to Rise Canada, spoke to the audience awaiting Leitchs arrival on Monday. In a video of his address posted to YouTube  posted below  Banjaree says Rise Canada is connected to different groups, including the Jewish Defence League of Canada, the United Christian Federation and other groups he describes as fighting the Sharia creep.

He tells the audience that, five years ago, the group didnt exist, but with the help of mostly Christian groups it was able to do a series of large scale demonstrations regarding prayers, Islamic prayers, in Toronto District School Board public schools, specifically it was Valley Park School.

At the time they had taken over the cafeteria for school prayers. Theyre still doing it, by the way, he tells the group. He goes on to claim that those organizing the prayers have made female students sit behind the boys and in some cases have excluded them from prayers altogether.

A Caucasian man in the audience pipes up at this point: Sometimes they do panty checks. Its disgusting.

Diamond wrote that the meeting was attended by a number of people from a number of different groups, including people from Rise Canada. That is clear.

It is also clear that Kellie was not at the event while a representative from Rise Canada was speaking.

Banjaree recently attended a Toronto school board meeting on religious accommodation where someone ripped up a copy of the Quran. At that board meeting, someone else was distributing flyers from Rise Canada which called for the elimination all policies of religious accommodation in schools.

On the recording, Banjaree welcomes Leitch as she slowly makes her way to the podium, stopping along the way to shake hands with Banjarees supporters.

Leitch takes questions from the audience, but it appears only one  from Banjaree  was captured on video.

Banjaree claims that India has the best human rights record in the world and should be considered a safe country for migration, like Canada, the United States and many countries in Europe. He says that there have been problems with people from India claiming refugee status in Canada and people involved in the 1985 Air India bombing were able to claim refugee status in Canada.

Banjaree asks Leitch to look into why India is not considered a safe country; she says she will.

Diamond said that while Leitch responded a question from the floor, she did not know this person or this organization would be there. Had she known she would not have attended.

She wants to be very clear that this guy and his opinions are repugnant and do not reflect her own views.

Diamond said Leitch is supportive of secular and pluralistic public schools. She is committed to building a country that promotes the shared values of hard work, generosity, freedom, tolerance, equality of opportunity and equality of individuals. That includes the freedom to practice your religion and the responsibility to be tolerant of other peoples religion.

A blog called Anti-Racist Canada posted an exhaustive list of links to reports of controversial activity by Banjaree, including the video from the event Leitch attended with him on Monday.

At the end of the video, an attendee says that former Mississauga mayoral candidate Kevin Johnston collected $244 from supporters at the event that will go toward fighting the construction of a mosque that was recently approved by Mississauga City Council.

In early March, city council gave the Meadowvale Islamic Centre Inc. and the City of Mississauga a green light to move forward with the development of the mosque.

Johnston reportedly expressed his concerns about the mosque on his website, Stop the Mosque. According to Mississauga.com, Johnston wrote on his website that the mosque would drive up crime and vandalism, set back womens rights and affect housing prices.

Some Tory leadership contenders came under fire for giving interviews to Johnston on his YouTube channel, FreedomReport.ca.

In one of his video rants, he warns Liberal MP Iqra Khalid, author of motion 103 condemning Islamophobia, that hell be there with a big, fat smile to film the moment when shes shot by a gun nut.

This piece was originally appeared in New Canadian Media.

See http://www.newcanadianmedia.ca/item/40986-leitch-campaign-scrambles-to-distance-itself-from-anti-mosque-group
Best Swiss Army Knives

Looking for a Swiss Army Knife? These Are Some of the Best

The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service.

The Swiss Army knife is the king of everyday carry essentials. Having one in your car or backpack will avert all sorts of frustrations and minor emergencies, from opening a bottle of wine to cutting ropes while camping. While there is a large variety of models on the market, so you can be sure to find one that fits your needs, that variety can make the selection process confusing.

To narrow down your options, we scoured the web to find the top Swiss Army knives for all activities and interests. You may notice a number of the models are from the Victorinox brand. As the inventors of the Swiss Army knife, this brand has become practically synonymous with the tool, and for a good reason. Victorinox makes a high-quality product and it is famously faithful to lifetime warranties.

RELATED: Best Multi-tools

Without further ado, here are the best Swiss Army knives to see you through any adventure.

Best Swiss Army Knife for Balanced Features

Victorinox Tinker

The Tinker is a halfway point between stripped-down classic models and the feature-heavy SwissChamp. The 12 included tools do not disappoint but its still sleek and lightweight. Basically, you wont feel silly if you carry it around every day, but youll still be able to slice or screw something when the occasion arises.

$21.20 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for Diversity

Victorinox SwissChamp

The SwissChamp is the most practical of Victorinoxs deluxe options. It has just about every tool you could need at home or on-the-go, and yet, miraculously, it is still pocket-sized. With this Swiss Army knife in hand, you can saw metal, punch a new hole in your belt, and even read the fine print with the included magnifying glass.

$59.99 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for Value

Victorinox Swiss Army Classic

As the name implies, this model is simple yet efficient. While it lacks the extensive functionality of more upscale knives, the lack of a sewing awl or a fish scaler probably wont affect you in your day-to-day life. What's fun about this budget-friendly option is that it comes in a wide array of prints and colors  National Parks and Camo are just a couple examples.

$20.50 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for Minimalists

Leatherman Crater C33TX

This isnt so much a Swiss Army knife as a folding knife with a couple of screwdrivers and blades. But if you're looking for a good strong knife for outdoor tasks and handiwork around the house, this is the tool for you.

$44.95 at Leatherman.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for Office Workers

Victorinox Executive

Swiss Army knives arent just for the outdoors, as evidenced by this model, which is specifically designed for office life. Instead of screwdrivers or reamers, the Victorinox Executive includes a nail cleaner, tweezers, and an orange peeler. So if you need to remove unsightly hairs and open a letter occasionally, keep this baby at your desk.

$38.99 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for the Man Who Hates Wallets

Victorinox Swiss Army Money Clip

If you dont like wallets, and youd rather keep your money in the handle of a pocket tool, look no further. This minimal gadget combines four essential everyday tools (including a blade, scissors, and nail file) with a very sturdy, attractive money clip, to provide you with the best of both worlds.

$51 at Amazon.com

RELATED: The Best Everyday Carry (EDC) Kits You Can Buy

Best Swiss Army Knife for the Sleuth

Victorinox Signature Lite

The Signature Lite is a slight tweak on the standard Swiss Army knife. Instead of having a toothpick and tweezers built into the handle, it has an LED flashlight and a ballpoint pen. For many, these will be more useful than the default features. Being able to remove unsightly hairs is nice, but the ability to sign a check or fill out a form is perhaps more important.

$32.95 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for the Outdoorsman

Victorinox Huntsman

The Huntsman is another mid-range model, but instead of being geared towards the city-dweller, like the Tinker, this knife is best for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. Complete with 15 tools, including a wood saw and scissors, it is the ideal Swiss Army knife to keep on-hand while hiking, climbing, fishing, camping, or all of the above.

$31.99 at Amazon.com

Best Swiss Army Knife for the EDC-Enthusiast

Boker Plus Tech-Tool City 2

The Boker is the only real competition for the Victorinox models. Its a little bigger, thicker, and heavier, and it doesnt have that iconic design. But it has a lovely grippy handle, and its knife is impressively sharp. As well, it comes with a glass breaker tip, which might come in handy in certain sticky situations. If youve tried Victorinox knives and still arent satisfied, go for a Boker.

$45.69 at Amazon.com

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Albuquerque mayoral candidates have to file their next campaign finance reports by April 15. For most, it will be their first reports filed this election. While many of the candidates speak highly of public financing, only one has qualified for it.

New Mexico Democrats, for example, have pushed for more publicly financed races and campaigns since at least 2008, when the party added language to their state platform that says all political campaigns should be publicly financed. The Albuquerque mayoral race is nonpartisan, so none of the candidates will be identified with any specific political party on the ballot. Mayoral candidates Deanna Archuleta and Brian Colon are both prominent Democrats running for mayor who both opted to use private funds for their campaigns.

Colon told NM Political Report he supports a public campaign financing system that works but lamented that Albuquerques system does not. I have long advocated for the city to create a public finance system that fairly allows candidates access to public funds, Colon said in a prepared statement. However, our current public finance system does not yet provide the vehicle for campaigns to properly communicate with the electorate.

Colon was the chair of the state Democratic Party in 2008 when the party added its public financing stance to its platform. He said he initially thought about using public financing for his mayoral candidacy but ultimately decided not to because the system is completely broken. Colon added that the citys version of political action committees, called measure finance committees, can still have a large influence on a race by using outside money to support publicly financed candidates.

Im not interested in engaging in that system, Colon said. Instead, Ive decided to be completely transparent and raise and report all funds associated in any way with my campaign.

Archuleta did not respond to an emailed question from NM Political Report about her decision to run on private financing.

The Democratic Party of New Mexico doesnt necessarily see the two Democrats choosing not to use public campaign financing for their candidacies as a problem either. Party Director Joe Kabourek said that ultimately candidates will decide whether public financing is appropriate or not. Each candidate is going to make the best choice for their campaign, Kabourek said. Kabourek added that the statewide party platform at best is an aspirational document.

Former City Councilor and current Director of New Mexicos Working Families Party Eric Griego wrote the legislation that ultimately became Albuquerques public financing ordinance. Griego said hes disappointed in both Archuleta and Colon for not attempting to get public financing. This is a bad tactical decision on their part, he said.

New Mexico State Auditor Tim Keller, a registered Democrat, was the only mayoral candidate to qualify for public financing. Keller told NM Political Report he recognizes that public financing reflects the Democratic platform but emphasized that he also opted not to use private money for personal reason. For me, it was the right thing to do, Keller said.

Keller also took a shot at politicians who praise public financing but dont use it.

Everyone talks about public financing, but yet when they have a choice, [they say] Oh, maybe its not for me, he said.

The majority of filed mayoral candidates originally sought public financing but were unable to collect the 3,820 $5 donations necessary from Albuquerque voters to qualify.

Last year, the Albuquerque City Council voted in favor of a ballot measure to nearly double the amount of money available to candidates who use public financing. But the Bernalillo County Commission ultimately voted to not include the measure on the general election ballot last November.

Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry won his first election with public financing, but did not use it in his 2013 reelection campaign. Numerous city councilors have also won races using public financing.
WILLISTON -- Capt. David Peterson will replace James Lokken as chief of the Williston Police Department, effective April 20, when Lokken will leave his post of eight years.

In a unanimous vote Tuesday night, city commissioners accepted outgoing Williston Police Chief Lokkens recommendation for his successor after receiving formal notice of Lokkens plan to retire next week.

In his letter of resignation, Lokken, 65, cited Petersons training and experience as the basis for his recommendation, and said that the decision was based on a lengthy period of consideration.

I have given considerable thought to whom the next Chief of the Williston Police Department should be, and have been planning for the best person to take over this position for the last year, Lokken wrote.

Both City Administrator David Tuan and Commissioner Tate Cymbaluk voiced support for the move, saying that Petersons law enforcement experience and knowledge of city operations make him a good fit.

Weve done a lot of homework, a lot of research, and if Chief Lokken feels he can retire and leave his department in good hands then I support that, Cymbaluk said.

Peterson, 41, will complete a six-month probationary period while working with city officials to adjust to the new position.

Im looking forward to the challenge, he said. Its bittersweet, Im losing a great mentor and a great friend in Chief Lokken. Those are big shoes to fill and a tough act to follow, but we have a lot of hardworking men and women at the law enforcement center and they should make it an easier transition.

Peterson, a Williston native, began his career in law enforcement in 1999 as a deputy for the Pembina County Sheriffs Office before serving as chief of the Cavalier Police Department and assistant chief of the police department in Stanley.

After returning to Williston in 2008, Peterson was hired on as a patrol officer, eventually earning the rank of captain last year.
Those who have ordered one of Atlantic City Weeklys BOGO Appetizer Cards are already reaping the benefits, which, of course, are buy-one-get-one appetizers at participating restaurants throughout Atlantic and Cape May counties. The bright blue cards sit neatly in wallets, ready to save money, and since they can be used unlimited times until Dec. 30, undoubtedly those cards will be pulled out, presented to a server and stuffed back in countless times throughout the year.

A one stop Fat Boy shop at The Exchange in Galloway Like most Fat Boys, we at the Fat Boy Munch Club enjoy a variety of food. Thats why oftentimes intense and heated debates can break out over 

For those who havent yet purchased a BOGO App Card for just $25  what are you waiting for? Fortunately, weve made it easy to get your hands on one, placing them at restaurants all over South Jersey. BOGO Appetizer Cards can be found at the following restaurants:
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Mopar brand to initially focus on improving aftersales service for FCA products; will offer performance parts for Jeep brand later in the year.

In news that will come as music to fans of American metal, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will launch its Mopar brand in India. Currently celebrating its 80th anniversary internationally, Mopar is best known as a supplier of performance parts for American carmakers such as Chrysler and Dodge (now part of FCA) since the 1960s. Apart from providing performance parts internationally, Mopar functions as FCAs aftersales service and customer care division across the globe, and as a provider of genuine accessories and spare parts for all cars sold under the various FCA brands.

In India, Mopar will begin operations in the service sector, providing vehicle service facilities to Jeep and Fiat owners across the country. As part of the brands launch, FCA is set to rebrand all existing Fiat and Jeep service outlets as Mopar. FCA hopes to improve its brand image by offering better aftersales services for its brands in India, and Mopars entry is one of the steps in this direction.

While the brand will initially focus only on aftersales service, towards the end of the year FCA is set to expand the brand by bringing in its vast performance parts division, though the focus will be on Jeep alone. Stay tuned for more updates.

Also read:

India-spec Jeep Compass details revealed
All-new, made-in-India Compass to launch around August; will come with two engine options; expected price Rs 18-25 lakh.

Jeep has revealed additional details of its new SUV, the Compass which is slated to launch in August this year. The carmaker had showcased the SUV back in April.



Equipment and features

The Compass will be offered in India in three variants  Sport, Latitude and Limited. The primary differences between the variants will be in seating surfaces, choice of paint shades and interior trim bits, along with varying alloy wheel design and sizes. Higher variants of the Compass will come with a 7.0-inch Uconnect infotainment system; this system will come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Sources tell us that Jeep will not compromise on the interior quality of the Compass sold in India and the models will have exactly the same levels of fit and finish as the ones that will be exported. All Compass variants in India will feature a 60:40 split rear seats and top variants will offer six airbags. Lower trims will come with two front airbags as standard. Additional safety features will include a reverse camera with sensors, along with the usual safety equipment like ABS, ESP, electronic rollover mitigation and hill-start assist.

Exteriors

The new Compass looks like a mini Grand Cherokee. The profile is more square than sporty, setting it apart from the crowd. There is an air of sophistication in the manner in which the body and the roof integrate towards the rear, and the chrome lining that loops around looks quite upmarket too. Up front, you have the familiar Jeep seven-slot grille and headlight combo; the Jeep's typically squared-off wheel arches stand out too. The Compass also gets LED elements in the headlamps and tail-lamps. Five exterior paint shades will be offered for the India-spec Compass.

Built on the same platform as the Renegade (Small Wide 4x4), the Compass, however, features a longer wheelbase for greater space on the inside and a mildly altered suspension system. It also gets frequency selective damping, which automatically alters the dampers for rough roads and corners, and an electric handbrake as well.

Interior

On the inside, you get the feel of a much larger SUV. The design is pretty conventional  there's a traditional instrument panel, a clearly defined centre console, and the large steering is shared with other Jeep SUVs and hence, is full of buttons and controls. The top part of the centre console features a 7.0-inch touchscreen flanked by two vents on each side. The layer below that has the air conditioning controls, and the four-wheel-drive controls and gear lever are positioned below that.

The Compass for the Indian market will get a two-tone interior in some variants and plenty of metal brightwork or bracketing to give it an upmarket look. Unique features include a Terrain Select dial and a smaller 3.5-inch driver information display. Plastic quality is impressive in places, similar to that in larger Jeeps. It appears to be tough and hard-wearing, which is important for the Compass' positioning, and bits like the central console are built better too. The India-specCompass will come with a soft-touch dashboard and dual-zone climate control. What the Compass has in abundance is excellent seat comfort. Being a global SUV, which will also have to service markets like the US and Europe, the front seats are more than ample with loads of thigh and back support. Higher variants will get leather seats as standard. Rear seat passengers also have it good. Ingress is quite effortless, the seat is placed at the perfect height, and back support is very good. There's even a bit of surplus legroom. Headroom, though, could feel a bit for passengers taller than six feet. The Compass for India, however, won't get a sunroof, but all season tyres will be standard on higher trims.

Engine and gearbox

For India, two engine options will be offered. First up, there is a 2.0-litre MultiJet diesel good for 170hp and 350Nm of torque. This engine will be available in both 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. The sole gearbox on offer with this engine will be a six-speed manual unit. There will be no automatic transmission on offer when launched. However, there is a chance of a nine-speed automatic gearbox at a later stage. The second engine is the 1.4-litre MultiAir petrol. This motor churns out around 160hp, and like the diesel variant will be available with 4x2 and 4x4 option. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

India production details

As reported earlier, the brand's first locally assembled model will be produced at Fiat's Ranjangaon facility in Maharashtra from June. Fiat and Jeep are betting big on this model and have invested around US$280 million for the production of the Compass at this plant. Globally, the SUV replaces the previous-gen Compass and Patriot SUVs and is also manufactured at multiple locations like China and South America. The big news, however, is that India is the Compass' mother plant for all right-hand-drive markets, including the UK, Japan and Australia. The Compass will be available globally in as many as 17 engine-gearbox and drivetrain configurations and some of them will be manufactured in India for the international markets. The five-seater SUV is 4,398mm long, 1,667mm tall and 1,819mm wide (with mirrors folded).



Also read: Jeep Compass complete variant and equipment breakup for India



Off-road credentials

Jeep will stand out from the crowd by retaining the off-road skills that are so central to its brand. Top-of-the-line variants of the Compass will come with a dedicated four-wheel-drive system, and Jeep's Selec-Terrain Traction Management system which optimises the SUV for conditions like snow, sand/mud and rocks will be part of the spec too. More expensive versions will get a differential locking system. For India, a low range wont be available in the regular Compass. This option is likely to be part of the more off-road-focused Trailhawk version which will join the line-up later. Jeep will also offer the Compass with a two-wheel-drive variant in order to achieve a lower entry price.

Pricing and competition check

The Compass is expected to be priced between Rs 18 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. Direct rivals for the SUV will include the Hyundai Tucson, the Ford Endeavour, the Toyota Fortuner and the recently launched Volkswagen Tiguan.

Take a closer look at the India-spec Jeep Compass in our image gallery

Also read:

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to launch Mopar brand in India

Jeep Renegade likely to follow Compass in India
FleetBeat Safety Report, Volume 3

The third edition of Fleetmatics' FleetBeat Report reveals the power of monitoring severe driving incidents through Fleetmatics' management solutions. By leveraging billions of data points collected through its fleet management software, Fleetmatics has demonstrated that businesses utilizing fleet management solutions to manage their vehicles can help improve driver safety within four weeks after implementation. Road safety is of utmost importance to not only fleet managers, employees and the general public, but also makes an impact on the economic level.

Download now for a comprehensive safety analysis of service-based vehicles across the United States.

By Verizon Connect
Photo of 2017 Tiguan courtesy of Volkswagen.

Volkswagen will offer the existing Tiguan compact SUV in 2018 as the Tiguan Limited alongside the new three-row Tiguan with a longer wheelbase, Volkswagen North America CEO Hinrich Woebcken announced at the New York International Auto Show.

Volkswagen and other automakers have been reshaping their vehicle portfolios to meet increased consumer demand for SUVs. The company is also rolling out the Atlas three-row, seven-passenger mid-size SUV for 2018.

Volkswagen will offer the Tiguan Limited "for the foreseeable future," company spokesman Pietro Zollino told USA Today.

The larger Tiguan will arrive as a significantly reworked vehicle that's been extended by 10.7 inches in overall length. It will offer an optional third row of seating and 57% additional cargo space.
Photo by Steve Reed

At the 2017 International Car Rental Show, attendees from across the U.S. and overseas gathered to discuss and analyze the major issues facing the car rental industry today.

This years conference featured an expanded agenda and exhibit hall as well as niche programming for Latin American rental operators and auto dealers looking to strengthen their loaner programs. There was a solid international presence, with approximately 30 countries represented.

Additionally, a list of select speaker PowerPoint presentations is now available on the International Car Rental Show website.

The event took place at Ballys Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from March 27-29.

Click here to view the photo galleries featuring seminars/keynotes, the exhibit hall, and attendees.
Stemme AG, best known for its high-end motor gliders, the S10 and S12, has announced its merger with Remos AG, the German maker of the GX light sport aircraft. Remos has been making structural components for the Stemme motor gliders since 2014. Existing product will continue to be marketed under the current brand names, but Stemme AG will be the name of the combined business going forward. In addition to the line of consumer motor gliders, Stemme manufactures the ECARYS ES15 motor glider as a surveillance aircraft for government and military use.

Paul Masschelein, CEO of Stemme, said, We look forward to rapidly bringing together the outstanding employees and cultures of both companies, as well as the complementary capabilities of our organizations, to position Stemme AG and Remos AG at the forefront of a new generation of solutions for the aviation industry. The companies say they have no plans to combine manufacturing facilities, but expect to focus expansion on Remos Pasewalk site.
Electric-powered aircraft will gather for a fly-in at the Grenchen airport in Switzerland, Sept. 9-10, the first event of its kind in Europe. The organizers of the SmartFlyer Challenge say they expect a range of aircraft to attend, including the Hamilton aEro Twister single-seat aerobatic composite airplane, an Antares electric self-launching glider by Lange Aviation, the Siemens E-Fusion two-seater, a Pipistrel Alpha Electro and Ruppert Composites new Archaeopteryx W/N-3 single-seat motor glider. The aircraft will be on static display and also perform flight demonstrations.

Also expected to attend is the Evolaris, an electric version of the MSW Votec 221 aerobatic airplane, which has quick-dismountable wings and easy-to-change batteries. The airplane is still a work in progress and has not yet flown. The Evo-220 is a single-seat aerobatic aircraft aiming for a range of 15 minutes in aerobatics plus five minutes of reserve. The Smartflyer, a four-place electric demonstrator under development in Switzerland, is also expected to participate. The prototype has not yet flown. More aircraft are expected to join the lineup by September.
12 April 2017 11:26 (UTC+04:00)

By Lloyd Green

The Caucasus Mountains run between the Black and Caspian Seas and are the historical bridge between Europe and Asia. But they could soon turn into a nuclear flashpoint because of dangerous saber-rattling by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Armenia has long and illegally claimed territory in western Azerbaijan, an assertion backed by military offensives against Azerbaijan including a massacre of 600 civilians in 1992. Whenever an opportunity appeared to cool tensions and work toward comprise, Armenia has escalated. Now, Armenia may be taking the region to the brink of nuclear war.

Last fall, Armenia received the Iskander missile system from Russia, a major provocation meant to send a message to Azerbaijan and NATO ally Turkey. This is consistent with Moscow's policy of using missile deployments in Eurasia and the Middle East to threaten western interests.

The Iskander short-range ballistic missile system is designed to destroy small targets at up to 300 miles. This means that Iskander missiles deployed in eastern Armenia could reach targets all over Azerbaijan, including the coastal capital of Baku.

In addition and alarmingly, Iskander missiles are capable of being fitted with nuclear warheads.

As if the presence of the missiles were not a clear enough menace, Armenian President Sargsyan visited the illegally held territories and bragged that his government possessed a state-of-the-art, powerful striking force. He went on to identify potential targets in Azerbaijan  the most important infrastructure  and followed up with a chilling pronouncement about his intentions as head of the Armenian military. If needed, the commander-in-chief of the Armenian forces will without batting an eyelid order volley fire by Iskander, he said.

This new round of war-mongering is troubling in several respects and raises tensions in Baku and throughout the region. In addition to unnerving Armenias neighbors, Sargsyans statements raised concerns in Washington, D.C. Washingtons Jamestown Foundation recently held a panel discussion on Capitol Hill to address the danger posed by Armenias deployment of the Iskander missiles, writing that the new weapons threaten European stability, put U.S. allies at risk and potentially violate the 1988 INF [Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces] Treaty.

Sargsyans inflammatory rhetoric destroys the myth propagated by separatists that the Armenian-seized Azerbaijani territory is an independent republic. Rather, the region occupied Azerbaijan and is now a staging area for missiles pointed at the rest of Azerbaijan.

It is also clear that Sargsyan is using the missiles as a political weapon. Armenias president is seeking to stir his nationalistic supporters against Azerbaijan to increase voter turnout in elections. Sargsyan is rejecting bids from more sober leaders in Armenia, including former president Levon Ter-Petrossian, for a plan that would reduce tensions between the two nations.

And then theres the Russia question. Armenia is the only nation that has received the Iskander system from Russia. Why Armenia? Possibly because the most important infrastructure in Azerbaijan that could be targeted by the missiles includes companies owned and operated by Western entities, including American ones, that ensure Europes energy security.

Natural gas from Azerbaijan flows by pipeline from the Caspian Sea west through Georgia and into Turkey and Europe. Should that flow be disrupted by military conflict, Europe would be at the mercy of Russia for its energy needs.

Another possibility: Russia might be attempting to rebuild its Soviet-era footprint in the Lesser Caucuses as it has done in Crimea and is attempting in Eastern Ukraine. Its no secret that Russia and Armenia recently established a joint air defense pact.

If Sargsyans troubling boasts about his willingness to deploy his new Iskander missile system were the only such noise coming from Armenia, it would be worrisome enough. But in the past six months, top members of Sargsyans administration have made more than a dozen similar statements.

Azerbaijan has more than twice as many people as Armenia yet its Gross Domestic Product is nearly seven times greater. While Armenians have watched their leaders diminish their economy, Azerbaijan has prospered. Much like North Korea, military posturing is all Armenia has left.

This is a dangerous time for Azerbaijan and the entire region because of Armenias reckless pursuit of offensive weapons and incendiary rhetoric. Azerbaijanis at home and in the U.S. have depended on America as a good friend and strong ally. The world can only hope that that will continue under the new Trump administration.

Lloyd Green was staff secretary to the George H.W. Bush campaigns Middle East Policy Group in 1988 and served in the Department of Justice between 1990 and 1992.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 April 2017 11:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

In January-February 2017, banks of Azerbaijan sold foreign currency in cash equivalent to 622.02 million manats, which is almost twice less than in the same period last year, reads the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) report.

As before, US dollars were in greatest demand among Azerbaijani banks clients. In January-February 2017, their sale amounted to equivalent of 255.36 million manats (reduction by almost three times during the year).

Sales of the British pound declined twice during the year, to the equivalent of 3.5 million manats, sales of euro declined by three times, to almost 33 million in manat equivalent. The smallest reduction is observed in the sales of the Russian ruble. The sales of the Russian ruble declined by only 8.15 percent, to 330.26 million in manat equivalent.

Similar situation is observed regarding the purchase of foreign currency by banks. In January-February 2017, banks bought US dollars in the volume equivalent to 185.57 million manats, which is 3.7 times less than in January-February 2016.

Banks of Azerbaijan also significantly reduced interest in buying euros, and for the year this figure fell by three times, to the equivalent of 17.68 million manats.

The opposite situation is observed regarding the purchase of the British pound and the Russian ruble. Banks of Azerbaijan slightly increased (by 0.1 percent) the purchase of the British pounds to 653.7 million in manat equivalent and increased the purchase of the Russian rubles by 23 percent, to 1.6 billion in manat equivalent.

There are 32 banks operating in Azerbaijan, including two banks with the state participation.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
12 April 2017 16:55 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

The 4th International Caspian Energy Forum Baku 2017 kicked off in Baku on April 12 with the support of the government of Azerbaijan and the Caspian European Club (Caspian Business Club).

The event was attended by heads of government institutions, ministries, committees and agencies of Azerbaijan and across the countries of the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic regions, representatives of diplomatic missions and missions of international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan, as well as executives of large international companies.

Telman Aliyev, the First Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Caspian European Club, noted that the main goal of the Forum is to support strengthening of business-state contacts. The previous three forums were also hosted in Baku. Similar forums also be held in 50 countries as well, he stressed.

In their video-addresses to the participants, Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union, Maros Sefcovic and President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic also highlighted the energy projects initiated by Azerbaijan.

Sefcovic, in his video message, said that the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project is the vital element of the European Energy Union.

"The Energy Union is not only about our relations with the EU member states, but also with our partners, Azerbaijan being an important one," he added.



The EU is confident to receive gas from Azerbaijan in 2020, said Sefcovic, adding that Azerbaijani gas is very important in terms of energy diversification of Europe.



He pointed out that all contracts have been signed on the SGC project and concrete construction work is going on all of the projects included in SGC.



This progress is not only the result of efforts and commitments of all parties involved, but also the favorable atmosphere created for this project's implementation, he added.



The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

In turn, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic stressed that European countries need to diversify energy supplies with the help of Azerbaijani gas.

Despite certain achievements, the EU remains vulnerable in this matter, especially when it comes to the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Baltic region, Grabar-Kitarovic said.

She noted that expanding cooperation in the energy sector will allow Europe to feel more secure and competitive.

In order to achieve these goals, Europe has become more cooperative with the countries of the Caspian region, she said. The Southern Gas Corridor project is very important for the EU, its energy security and diversification of energy supplies, and thats why Azerbaijan is an important partner for Europe.

The Croatian president added that her country intends to continue cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sphere, stressing that this is of great importance not only for Croatia, but also for the countrys neighbors.

After the video-addresses, the Forum was continued in sessions.

The first part of the Caspian Energy Forum focused on all aspects of integration of the Caspian-Black Sea and Baltic region countries into the world energy markets. Azerbaijans key role in energy, transport and infrastructure projects, the growing sector of gas upstream, the Southern Corridor projects and the resource potential of the Caspian. The second part of the forum was dedicated to the development of the non-oil sector.

Head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard, speaking on the sidelines of the Forum noted that such events create a good platform for exchange of views in the energy sphere.

"During the last meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan subcommittee on energy, transport and environment, we had a very good opportunity to hold discussions with our colleagues from Azerbaijan, since we are looking at expanding cooperation in energy efficiency," she added.

Regarding the latest developments surrounding the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, Mard pointed out that as Maros Sefcovic said the EU is very supportive of development of all projects included in the Southern Gas Corridor project.

So, the EU has a clear position on this issue, added Mard.

Alternative energy

The use of alternative and renewable energy sources will significantly increase the export potential of Azerbaijan, said Jamil Melikov, Deputy Head of the State Agency for Alternative and Renewable Energy Sources.

Azerbaijan plans to increase the share of alternative and renewable energy sources in total energy balance up to 20 percent by 2020. First, it will positively affect the environment. Today in many countries of the world alternative energy is widely used in agriculture. Implementation of this energy will also increase the efficiency of the use of energy resources, Melikov said at the event.



He noted that increasing of alternative energy share will help increase the export potential of Azerbaijan.

"Today the country produces on an average about 20 billion kW/h of electricity per year. The country consumes about six billion cubic meters of gas for production of this amount, that is, about 0.3 cubic meters per kW/h, which hits the export. Alternative sources will reduce the share of gas spent on electricity production and increase the export potential not only for gas, but also for electricity," Melikov said.

The total capacity of alternative and renewable energy sources in Azerbaijan exceeds 12,000 megawatts. Some 4,500 MW fall on wind energy, biomass - 1,500 MW, geothermal energy - 800 MW, while the remaining 350 MW is a potential for small hydro power plants.

Azerbaijan has a huge potential in the sphere of renewables, said Aida Sitdikova, EBRD director for energy in Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia.

Emphasizing the ongoing activities in the sphere of renewables in Georgia and Turkey, Sitdikova noted that EBRD hopes to see similar dynamics in Azerbaijan. "We would like to come to Azerbaijan and work here," she added.

Non-oil sector

The forum also covered discussion on ICT, which is considered to be one of the crucial spheres for the further development of the economy and an integral part of the economic and political reforms, which are currently implemented in Azerbaijan.

The Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan will create a working group to expand the use of ICT in business, Deputy Minister Elmir Velizadeh said.



Velizade noted that the agency is actively working to increase the country's export potential in the field of information and communication technologies.

"The development of this industry is a priority in Azerbaijan, where modern technologies are widely used in all spheres. Azerbaijan is among the world's leading countries in terms of penetration of mobile communications." About 78 percent of the population is covered by access to the Internet, most of which are users of broadband services," the deputy minister said.

Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation with the Caspian states in the field of ICT, according to Velizade , while the project of building the Trans-Eurasian cable main (TASIM) acts as a platform for such cooperation.

Within the framework of expanding international cooperation, the deputy minister noted that Azerbaijan will soon be represented at international specialized exhibitions and conferences in Belarus TIBO-2017 to be held on April 18-21 and in Moscow "Communication" -2017 scheduled for April 25-28, where the country will participate for the first time as a partner.

Talking about export opportunities of the country, Deputy Minister of Economy Sahil Babayev informed the participants that the export of Azerbaijani non-oil products increased by 32.5 percent in January-March 2017 compared to January-March 2016.

Babayev added that the export of industrial goods from Azerbaijan increased by 25 percent during the reporting period.



The deputy minister said that within the framework of the investment promotion mechanism in the country some 121 projects worth more than 1.2 billion manats ($721.1 million) were provided.

Speaking about Made in Azerbaijan brand, demand on which is increasing recently, Ramiz Hasanov, Head of the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patent, said that today, 92 trade brands of Azerbaijan are protected by copyright under the brand Made in Azerbaijan.

Currently, there are 940 standards in Azerbaijan and 45 percent of them are brought in line with international standards, said the head of the Committee.

In late 2016, with a view to bring the economy to a new level Azerbaijan started promoting the Made in Azerbaijan brand in foreign markets and developed a number of promotional mechanisms, including participation in international exhibitions.

A total of 3 million manats ($1.71 million) was allocated out of the Azerbaijani Presidents Reserve Fund in the 2016 State Budget to finance the export support measures.

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12 April 2017 12:14 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine can create a joint venture to introduce the principle of a "single window" in the processing of cargoes traveling along the Trans-Caspian international transport route (TITR).

This proposal came from the heads of the railways of Azerbaijan Javid Gurbanov, Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze, and Kazakhstan Kanat Alpysbaev at a meeting with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Vladimir Groysman in Kiev on April 11.

Commenting on the possibility of creating such a joint venture, Groysman noted that Ukraine welcomes various forms of interaction.



"Our association will produce a good result for our states," he said.

Ukraine, within the framework of developing its transit potential, is ready to join the creation of new transport corridors and connect to existing routes, including in the direction of South-West from Central Asia via Georgia and Azerbaijan towards Europe.

Groysman stressed that cooperation in the transport sphere with the GUAM member countries and Ukraine's partners in Central Asia is a priority shared by both the government of Ukraine and the governments of the partner countries.

"We have a full understanding at the level of the heads of government," Groysman added. In this context, he recalled that a special Logistics Committee had been set up in Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers to deal with transport issues and improve cooperation.

The head of the Ukrainian government instructed Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Kistion to work out a roadmap for joint work and reach concrete decisions.

At the meeting the heads of the railways of the four countries reached an agreement to continue work over expanding the geography of cooperation within the framework of TITR to enter the EU countries, according to the Azerbaijan Railways.

Following the meeting, the sides signed a protocol.

The trans-Caspian international transport route runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further through Turkey and Ukraine to Europe. The route was launched with the establishment of its Coordinating Committee in October 2013.

In October 2016, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia signed an agreement on the establishment of the International Association of TITR, whose office is located in Astana. Its activities are aimed at attracting transit and foreign trade cargo, as well as on the development of integrated logistics products via TITR.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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12 April 2017 12:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

The European Union is very interested in following the events held in Azerbaijan in energy sphere, head of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan Malena Mard told Trend April 12.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 4th Caspian Energy Forum in Baku, Mard noted that such events create a good platform for exchange of views in the energy sphere.

"During the last meeting of the EU-Azerbaijan subcommittee on energy, transport and environment, we had a very good opportunity to hold discussions with our colleagues from Azerbaijan, since we are looking at expanding cooperation in energy efficiency," she added.

Regarding the latest developments surrounding the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project, Mard pointed out that as the EU Commissioner for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said the EU is very supportive of development of all projects included in the Southern Gas Corridor project.

So, the EU has a clear position on this issue, added Mard.

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12 April 2017 14:32 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who is on a visit to Warsaw, has discussed the development of cooperation between the ports and railways of Azerbaijan and Poland as he met with Marek Grobarczyk, Polish Minister of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation on April 11.

Mammadyarov briefed the Polish side on the economic reforms carried out in Azerbaijan, the Baku International Sea Trade Port and its potential, as well as large-scale projects envisaged in the near future in the field of logistics.

Baku International Sea Trade Port is expected to become one of the leading trade and logistics hubs of Eurasia. The completion of the first stage of its construction, projected to the late 2017, will allow the Port to increase its capacity up to 11.5 million tons of cargo and to 50,000 containers per year. Meanwhile, the implementation of the final third stage is projected to increase the capacity up to 25 million tons of freight and 1 million of containers.

Mammadyarov also talked about the transport projects implemented by the initiative and participation of Azerbaijan, in particular the economic advantages and future prospects of the East-West and North-South corridors, as well as the connectivity of the North-South railway to Polands ports.

Grobarczyk, in turn, touched upon such issues as the shipbuilding and the development of fish farming industry and shared Polands experience in these fields.

He invited his Azerbaijani counterparts to Poland to promote the cooperation between the ports.

On the same day, Minister Mammadyarov met with the Andrzej Adamczyk, Minister of Infrastructure and Construction of Poland.

At the meeting, Adamczyk stated that Poland is interested in the East-West and North-South transport corridors and expressed his willingness to cooperate with Azerbaijani counterparts.

The sides noted the cooperation between Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and Polands ORLEN and LOTOS oil companies and the ties between SOCAR and Przyjazn company of Poland within the Sarmatia International Pipeline Company.

The parties underlined the successful activities of Novol and more than 20 companies of Poland in Azerbaijan, especially in trade, industry, transport, service, construction, insurance, banking and other fields.

Minister Mammadyarov also met with the Head of the Polish Sejm Marek Kuchcinski on April 11.

The Head of Sejm mentioned that he attaches special importance to the relations with Azerbaijan and in this regard noted the significance of development of inter-parliamentary cooperation.

Kuchcinski noted that Poland supports the development of relations between Azerbaijan and European Union and signing of a Strategic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

Mammadyarov, in turn, emphasized the successful cooperation between Azerbaijan and Poland within international organizations.

In addition, Mammadyarov informed his interlocutor about the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and reiterated the demands of relevant four resolutions of the UN Security Council. He stressed it is important to exert international pressure on Armenia to ensure the withdrawal of its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, the sides highlighted that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid seven visits to Poland and all Polish Presidents have been in Baku.

Earlier, Mammadyarov met with his Polish counterpart Witold Waszczykowski. The ministers expressed satisfaction with the current state of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Poland and exchanged views on the expansion of cooperation in various fields.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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12 April 2017 19:00 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Cotton sowing has begun in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan, Chief Executive of the region Ragub Mammadov told Trend on April 12.

He said that cotton is currently sown on an area of 500 hectares.

Overall, we have planned to plant an area of 3,000 hectares. Acreages are prepared in accordance with agrotechnical rules. All machinery and equipment needed for planting are in a state of readiness, and high-quality seeds have been imported," said Mammadov.

Chief Executive added that it is also planned to drill 30 artesian wells in accordance with President Ilham Aliyevs decree On additional measures to accelerate socio-economic development of Agdam region. He added that the documents necessary to start the drilling of wells are ready.

Azerbaijan expects to see a real growth in cotton production, as the government has focused on giving a new life to this industry. At the recent conference on the development of cotton-growing in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev said that the government has been providing large state support to cotton growing since last year.

Mammadov also noted that the cotton sowing in Agdam should be completed before the end of April.

We were planning to finish planting before April 20. However, unstable weather conditions led to some delays. We will try to finish cotton sowing by the end of April," he said.

The industry has already created 64,000 jobs in Azerbaijan during last year, while more 200,000 jobs on cotton-growing are expected to appear in the country this year.

Overall, promoting the non-oil sector of economy is one of the most important parts of the strategy of economic development determined by the Azerbaijan government. This is evidenced by the statistics that show the increase by 10 percent of Azerbaijans non-oil export in the first quarter of this year.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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12 April 2017 14:23 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Tone poem 'Khojaly 613' by French composer Pierre Thilloy will be performed at Theatro Da Paz in Belem, Brazil, on April 13.

The tone poem commemorates the lives of the 613 victims of the Khojaly Massacre, committed by Armenians in February 2526 in 1992, Azertac reported.

The music piece is written for violin, balaban, percussion and string orchestra. The composer used folk Azerbaijani music "Lachin" and "Sari Gelin" (Yellow Bride). This harnessed the power of violin, clarinet and string quartet to evoke the sounds of marching, screams, machine-gun fire and folk music themes to devastating effect.

The world premiere took place in 2013 as part of the event organized by French mission of The European Azerbaijan Society to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Khojaly massacre. The concert was attended by around 350 people, including senators, members of the National Assembly and ambassadors.

The concert featured performances by young Azerbaijani violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva and London-based Orion Symphonic Orchestra.

Late into the night of February 25, 1992, Khojaly came under intensive fire from the towns of Khankendi and Askeran already occupied by Armenian armed forces. The Armenian forces, supported by the ex-Soviet 366th regiment, completed the surrounding of the town already isolated due to ethnic cleansing of the Azerbaijani population of the neighboring regions. The joint forces occupied the town, which was ruined by heavy artillery shelling.

Thousands of fleeing civilians were ambushed by the Armenian forces. Punitive teams of the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh defense army reached the unprotected civilians to slaughter them, mutilating and scalping some of the bodies.

613 people were killed, including 106 women, 70 elderly and 83 children. A total of 1,000 civilians were disabled. Eight families were exterminated, and 25 children lost both parents, while 130 children lost one parent. Moreover, 1,275 innocent people were taken hostage, while the fate of 150 remains unknown.

When Thomas de Waal, a senior associate at Washington DC-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, interviewed Sargsyan back in 2000, the then-Armenian Defense Minister Sargsyan confessed that the Armenian army had indeed carried out some ethnic cleansing in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in order to achieve its goals.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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12 April 2017 12:08 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

Azerbaijani photographer Rashad Mehdiyev has participated in the international contest in Sophia, Bulgaria.

He won the second place in VOUBS International Photography Awards, Azertac reported.

Talented photographers joined the contest to win cash from one of the 6 categories or collect the biggest total score as a sum of their best photographs ranked in the 6 totally different contests, part of the 2016 VOUBS.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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12 April 2017 16:06 (UTC+04:00)

By Laman Ismayilova

An exhibition of talented artist Jalal Aghayev has been opened at Baku Museum Center and Khatai Art Center in Baku.

Entitled "Seven beauties", the exhibition is dedicated to "The Year of Islamic Solidarity" in Azerbaijan.

The event was attended by prominent art and cultural figures, talented youth and admirers of the artist's creativity, Trend Life reported.

In their remarks, Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism Adalat Valiyev, Secretary of Azerbaijan's Union of Artists, Agali Ibrahimov, People's artist Jamil Mufidzadeh, honored art worker, art historian Ziyadkhan Aliyev congratulated the artist and wished him new creative achievements.

They stressed that Jalal Aghayev is one of the most talented young Azerbaijani artists. He is not only a great painter, but also a talented graphic artist.

Jalal Aghayev, in turn, expressed gratitude to all the participants, and invited to see the exposition.

More than 40 paintings and ten graphic works were displayed at the exhibition. The master's canvases have literally absorbed attention of all art lovers by their poetic inspiration, with elegant lines and harmony of colors.

The exhibition will last until April 13.

Jalal Aghayev was born on September13, 1983 in Baku. He graduated from the faculty of "Decorative and fine arts" at Azerbaijan State art school named after Azim Azimzade (1998-2002) and the faculty of "Fine arts" at Azerbaijan Sate Academy of Fine Arts (2006-2010) .

In 2010-2015, Jalal Aghayev led a workshop (speciality "Graphics") at the State Academy of Arts, and since 2015 he is a teacher, director of "Pictorial art and graphics" course.

Since 2009, he is a member of Azerbaijan's Union of Artists. Since 2010, he has participated in several exhibitions held both in Azerbaijan and abroad. His works have been displayed in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.

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Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova

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12 April 2017 10:54 (UTC+04:00)

The 4th edition of DOMOTEX Turkey will run on May 22-25, 2017 in Gaziantep at the center of carpet. The show organized by Hannover Fairs Turkey in cooperation with Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO), Southeastern Anatolia Carpet Exporters' Union (GAIB) and Gaziantep Chamber of Carpet Producers (GHO) attracts intensive attention from the industry which causes a long waiting list for the exhibitor registration.

By the participation of the prominent companies of the carpet and flooring industry, the latest products and diversified designs will be showcased under the DOMOTEX brand. The visitors will find the opportunity to see thousands of modern or traditional carpet designs made of different materials such as wool, silk, cashmere, bamboo fibers, and polyester. Besides machine-made carpets, the other product groups in the flooring industry such as rugs and hand-made carpets, mats and resilient floorings, laminate, wood and parquet will be presented in the show as well.

Alexander Kuhnel, General Manager of Hannover Fairs Turkey expresses that Organized with the participation of leading companies in the industry, DOMOTEX Turkey shows the power of Turkey in machine-made carpet manufacturing. It is the most important trade gathering for Turkey and the Middle East with a large number of business contacts it provides.

Last May, the exhibition hosted 198 companies in 22.164 sqm. Among them, 32 exhibitors came from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Iran, India, Jordan, Netherlands and Uzbekistan. Totally 8.179 trade specialists mainly from Turkey and the Middle East visited Domotex Turkey 2016.

In 2017, it is aimed to organize an important hosted buyer delegation including Middle East countries with the support of Ministry of Economy, Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce (GTO) and Southeastern Anatolia Carpet Exporters' Union (GAIB). Moreover, DOMOTEX Turkey will be even easier to attend: Turkish Airlines is the official airline of DOMOTEX Turkey and offers a special discount up to 20% on Gaziantep arrival international flights for exhibitors and visitors.
12 April 2017 13:52 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Despite a deadly spike in the confrontation over Azerbaijans Nagorno-Karabakh region and limited progress overall, the OSCE persists in striving towards peaceful and durable settlement to this conflict, says the OSCE Annual Report 2016.

The report noted that conflicts in the OSCE area continued to dominate the organizations agenda in 2016, and the renewed escalation of violence in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in spring 2016 required intensified crisis management.

On April 2, 2016, all the frontier positions of Azerbaijan were subjected to heavy fire of large-caliber weapons, mortars and grenade launchers by Armenian army. Azerbaijani counter-attack led to liberation of several strategic heights and settlements. The armed clashes resulted in deaths and injuries among the Azerbaijani population. The military operations were stopped on April 5 with mutual consent of the sides.

The OSCE report stated that the German chairmanship made considerable efforts in addressing the conflicts to strengthen OSCE formats for conflict resolution and improving the living conditions of people affected by conflicts.

With regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the chairmanship reacted swiftly after the escalation of hostilities at the line of contact in April 2016, initiating a special meeting of the Permanent Council and advocating the implementation of agreements reached at the presidential level in Vienna and St. Petersburg, the report said. The agreements concerned the expansion of the office of the personal representative of the chairperson-in-office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, and the establishment of an investigative mechanism.

The document also stated that the OSCE chairmanship called for the resumption of a political negotiation process to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict 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.

However, Armenia still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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12 April 2017 15:19 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Herbert Salber, the EU special representative for the South Caucasus, will visit Baku on April 19-20, the EU Baku Office told reporters on April 12.

He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with the country's officials and discuss ways of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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12 April 2017 17:39 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

The main reason for non-resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the inaction of the OSCE Minsk Group, said Alexey Fenenko, Russian expert, Associate Professor of the Faculty of World Politics at the Moscow State University (MGIMO).

Fenenko made the remark during discussions on ways of resolving the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, organized by the Baku Network expert council.

The OSCE Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, is working to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict about three decades, but its activities have brought no breakthrough result so far.

The expert did not exclude the possibility of creation of a new format for the conflict settlement.

A new format for the conflict settlement should be established not in spite of the OSCE Minsk Group, but in addition to it. The creation of such a format on the example of the Astana format [on the Syria talks] would give a chance to move forward in resolving the conflict, belives Fenenko.

The expert also pointed to weakening of Russias influence on the Armenian leadership in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

There is an opinion that Russia has a strong influence on the leadership of Armenia, but in fact, it is not always so, the expert said.

He said that today Armenia is developing partnerships with NATO states and with the EU in the framework of the Eastern Partnership, and this causes great discontent for Russia.

Russia along with the U.S. and France is a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group established to broker a peace to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Back in June 2016, the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia confirmed in a joint statement after the meeting in St. Petersburg the agreements reached at the summit in Vienna, which were aimed at stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone and the creation of an atmosphere conducive to advancing the peace process.

However, the negotiation process came into stagnation  Armenia, as a party to the negotiation process, shows reluctance, thus tremendously hampering the peace process.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A 31-year-old D'Iberville man has been charged with sexual battery after police say he befriended a woman on social media, then lured her to Ocean Springs Front Beach, where he assaulted her early Saturday morning.

Ocean Springs Police Capt. Chuck Jackson said the female victim notified police at approximately 1:48 a.m. Saturday she had been sexually assaulted on the beach. She told investigators she had "met" the suspect through social media and agreed to meet him in Ocean Springs.

She met the suspect -- later identified as Carlos Manuel Alvelo -- in a parking lot in Ocean Springs and agreed to travel to Front Beach with him in separate vehicles. Once they arrived at the beach, Alvelo reportedly became aggressive with the victim and sexually assaulted her by penetrating her in and around her private area with his hand several times, all without the victim's permission, according to Jackson.

The victim was ultimately able to push Alvelo off of her and get to her vehicle. Prior to leaving the scene, she was able to get the tag number off Alvelo's vehicle and turned it into the police.

After attempts by police to locate Alvelo, he surrendered himself at the Ocean Springs Police Department after learning he was wanted for questioning. Alvelo was questioned by investigators on Tuesday and charged with sexual battery.

Municipal Court Judge Matthew Mestayer set bond at $50,000 and Alvelo has since posted bond and been released. The case will be turned over to a Jackson County Grand Jury.

Jackson was asked if the victim was an Ocean Springs resident, but he declined to release that information.
12 April 2017 18:04 (UTC+04:00)

By Rashid Shirinov

Restoration of the liberated Jojug Marjanli village of the Jabrayil region is a historic event and a serious message to Armenia, Azerbaijani MP Aydin Mirzazade told Trend on April 12.

Mirzazade said that Azerbaijan thus once again openly showed Armenia that it will never back down from the position on the liberation of its occupied lands.

The village was liberated from the Armenian occupation as a result of the Azerbaijani armys Horadiz operation in 1994. As Armenians occupied the strategic height Leletepe before the April battles in 2016, it was impossible to live in the Jojug Marjanli village. It became safe to live in the village only after the Azerbaijani Armed Forces liberated the height from the Armenian occupation in April 2016.

Mirzazade further noted that the presidential decree on measures to restore the village is a historic document.

At the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of the first quarter of 2017 and future tasks, the head of state reiterated that the restoration of the Jojug Marjanli village demonstrates that the Azerbaijani people will never reconcile with the occupation of their lands and they will rebuilt all cities and villages after the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country, Mirzazade said.

The MP added that the construction of new houses, renovation of communication lines and construction of school in the village are creating conditions for resettlement of the population of the village and for their return to normal life.

In late January 2017, President Ilham Aliyev ordered to restore Jojug Marjanli. Under the order, 4 million manats were allocated for the construction of 50 private houses, a school building and relevant infrastructure at the first stage. Moreover, the president signed an order on additional measures to construct the road leading to the liberated Jojug Marjanli village and allocated 4.3 million manats from the state budget for the construction of 9 km long highway in the village.

The MP emphasized that Azerbaijan will continue to focus all efforts on liberation of the country's lands from the Armenian occupation, resettlement of the population in these territories and ensuring of the security of citizens.

The events of last April demonstrated the power of Azerbaijanand the countrys Armed Forces, Mirzazade said. In the example of this village, Azerbaijan has taken a new step to assert its sovereignty.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities 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.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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12 April 2017 12:10 (UTC+04:00)

The political consultations have been held between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Italy.

The meeting was joined by Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov and Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Republic of Italy, Ambassador Elisabetta Belloni, Azertac reported.

Mr. Khalafov praised current state of relations between the two countries and stressed the role of the reciprocal visits in terms of development of political dialogue. The Deputy FM said Italy is the biggest trade partner of Azerbaijan, saying there are wide opportunities for cooperation non-oil field.

Elisabetta Belloni said this year marks 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between Italy and Azerbaijan, highlighted steadily developing bonds. The Secretary General said Italy attaches particular importance to relations with Azerbaijan.

On relations in humanitarian field, Elisabetta Belloni highlighted the particular role of First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva in preserving the cultural heritage in Italy.

Mr. Khalafov provided an insight into the cause and consequences of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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12 April 2017 16:22 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Estonia will support the development of relations between Azerbaijan and the EU within the framework of its presidency at the European Union, Foreign Minister of Estonia Sven Mikser said at a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

The meeting was held in Warsaw on the sidelines of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership member countries and the Visegrad Group, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported on April 12.

The ministers stressed the successful development of bilateral relations in various fields between Azerbaijan and Estonia and exchanged their views on the ways to further expand the cooperation.

The Estonian minister noted that he intends to visit Azerbaijan in the near future.

Mammadyarov, in turn, stated that the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission was successfully held in Baku on April 7 of this year, and the discussions created new opportunities for cooperation in the fields of information technology, tourism, agriculture and other areas. He mentioned that the work on the draft Partnership Agreement is underway.

The minister also informed his interlocutor about the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and emphasized that in order to resolve the conflict and to create an environment for regional cooperation armed forces of Armenia have to withdraw from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

He also added the importance of applying unified approach by EU to the issue of territorial integrity and sovereignty of countries within their internationally recognized borders.

Touching upon East-West and North-South transport corridors, Mammadyarov noted that Estonian companies may also get benefited from the opportunities provided by these routes.

During the latest visit of the Estonian delegation to Baku officials of Estonian and Azerbaijani railway administrations, as well as an Estonian port signed a protocol on cooperation in creation of a new South-North logistics corridor, which will allow transporting cargo between Azerbaijan, Estonia and other Scandinavian countries.

To date, the Azerbaijani investment to Estonia stands at about $300,000-$400,000. In turn, Estonia has invested about $1 million in the economy of Azerbaijan.

Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Estonia was $541,130 in January-February 2017, 2.2 times more compared to the same period last year, according to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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12 April 2017 17:13 (UTC+04:00)

By Amina Nazarli

Negotiations on a new agreement on strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and the European Union will be held in Baku on April 25.

The talks will be held within the framework of the EU delegations visit to Baku, the EU office in Azerbaijan told Trend.

The European Council adopted a mandate for the European Commission and the high representative for foreign affairs and security policy to negotiate, on behalf of the EU and its member states, a comprehensive agreement with Azerbaijan in November 2016.

The first meeting on a new agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan was held in Brussels on February 7, 2017.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today.

The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets.

Besides, another delegation of the EU will visit Baku on April 27-28 to discuss issues related to the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, which will be held in Brussels in November.

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Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli



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12 April 2017 11:31 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Georgia will refuse to purchase natural gas from Russias Gazprom, the Business Georgia portal reported citing Georgian Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze.

He said that no deals will be concluded to purchase Russian gas until late 2017.

Since April 2017, Georgia will completely switch to supplying the population and enterprises with gas from Azerbaijan, the report said. Azerbaijans state oil company SOCAR and the consortium for the development of the Shah Deniz gas condensate field are the suppliers of gas to Georgia. Thus, the share of Russian gas in the total volume of imports will amount to four percent.

In January-March 2017, the volume of Georgias purchases of natural gas from Russia amounted to 100 million cubic meters, according to the Georgian Energy Ministry.

The Ministry also estimated the projected volumes of gas supplies to Georgia.

This year, Georgia will receive 2.457 billion cubic meters of gas, of which deliveries from Azerbaijan will amount to 2.347 billion cubic meters of gas (95.5 percent).

In 2017, the volume of gas produced in Georgia will amount to 10 million cubic meters.

Georgia stopped importing gas from Russia in 2007. Since then, Azerbaijan has become the key supplier of gas to Georgia, thus decreasing Georgias dependence on Russian gas. Azerbaijan supplies Georgia with natural gas from the Shah Deniz field via the Hajigabul-Gardabani pipeline. The second way carrying gas to Georgian consumers is the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (South Caucasus) Pipeline, through which the gas from the first stage of the Shah Deniz field is supplied to Georgia and a large proportion goes through its territory to Turkey.

Georgia receives 10 percent of the Russian gas transited to Armenia as payment for transiting via its territory. In 2016, the extension of the contract was delayed until April, since Gazprom insisted on monetary payment for transit.

Under the agreement reached between the Georgian Energy Minister and Gazprom company at the end of 2016, starting from 2017, Georgia will be paid for gas transit to Armenia in cash. Besides, Georgia will be receiving gas from Russia for $185 per 1,000 cubic meters instead of $215.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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12 April 2017 13:26 (UTC+04:00)

The price of oil changed in the world markets.

On NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange) cost of the US light crude oil increased $0.13 to stand at $53.53. Price of the Brent crude oil at the London ICE (Intercontinental Exchange Futures) rose $0.16 to trade at $56.39.

The price of a barrel of Azeri Light crude oil decreased $0.23 to stand at $55.93 on the world markets.

The countrys oil output in March 2017 amounted to 733,300 barrels, 40,000 barrels of which accounted for condensate.

The Energy Ministry further informed that 596,000 barrels of oil, 40,000 barrels of condensate and 23,000 barrels of petroleum products were exported daily.

Last December, 11 non-OPEC countries, including Azerbaijan, agreed to curtail oil output jointly by 558,000 barrels per day. The agreement was signed for the first half of 2017, with the possibility of extension.

The participation of Azerbaijan in joint oil production cuts is defined at 35,000 barrels per day.

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12 April 2017 11:48 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

The European Union extended for another year the duration of sanctions against Iran related to human rights violations, under which 82 people and one legal entity fall, according to the communique of the EU Council, RIA Novosti reported.

"On April 11, 2017, the Council extended restrictive measures in response to serious human rights violations in Iran until April 13, 2018," the document said.

The EU recalled that sanctions include a ban on travel to the EU and the freezing of assets of 82 people and one legal entity, and also prohibits the export to Iran of equipment that can be used for internal repression and for tracking telecommunications.

These sanctions were introduced in 2011 and are not subject to the agreements related to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPA) on the Iranian nuclear issue.

In 2011, the EU imposed the restrictions over the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders and others. The sanctions also target those involved in torture and inhumane treatment.

After the JCPOA went into effect on January 16, 2016, many senior EU officials, often accompanied by large European business delegations, have been traveled in and out of Iran. Iran and several EU states signed many agreements to improve cooperation, particularly in political and economic sectors.

Last August, Irans Judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani dismissed the human rights allegations against the country and proposed that the Islamic Republic and Europe initiate a dialog on human rights.

He said human rights have long been a point of friction between Iran and the West, adding Europe and the US are making an instrumental use of the issue.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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12 April 2017 13:35 (UTC+04:00)

By Kamila Aliyeva

Ex-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, on April 12, submitted his name for registration as a candidate in Iran's presidential election, ISNA news agency reported.

Ahmadinejad, who arrived in the morning in the building of the Interior Ministry in Tehran to accompany his former vice-president Hamid Baghaei during the registration process, made an unexpected move by registering himself as a participant in the upcoming presidential race.

Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei advised Ahmadinejad to refrain from participating in the presidential elections.

Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he became eligible to run again after four years out of office, but he remains a polarizing figure, even among fellow hard-liners.

Two of his former vice presidents have been jailed for corruption since he left office. Iran's economy suffered under heavy international sanctions during his administration because of Western suspicions that Tehran was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons.

The two main rivals in the race are widely expected to be the incumbent, President Hassan Rouhani, and Ebrahim Raeesi, the chief custodian of Astan Quds Razavi.

President Rouhani has not officially announced his will to run for a second term. But, he is widely expected to do so, and the reformist camp in Iran has already picked him as its chosen candidate.

The registration process began on April 11 and will continue for five days.

The candidates are expected to be political and religious personages, who fulfill the fourfold criteria of being of Iranian origin, being a national of the Islamic Republic, being prudent and capable of taking on leadership duties, and being religious and believing in the Islamic Republics principles and its official religion.

All hopefuls will be vetted by the Guardian Council, a body that oversees elections and legislation, from April 16 to April 20.

The body may extend the vetting period for five days, April 21-25, looking into candidates grievances.

On April 26-27, the Interior Ministry will formally announce a final shortlist of candidates approved by the Guardian Council.

On April 28, candidates start campaigning until 24 hours before May 19, the voting date for the 12th presidential and 5th city and council elections.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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12 April 2017 17:25 (UTC+04:00)

By Trend

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is expected to visit Moscow on April 14 to attend trilateral talks with Russian and Syrian counterparts.



Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi has said that Zarif is scheduled to travel to Russia on Friday, Tasnim news agency reported.



Zarif's talks are likely to be centered around the recent suspected chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun in Syria last week, which left 89 people dead.



In response to the chemical attack on the rebel-held town, dozens of US missiles hit Shayrat airfield in western Syrian province of Homs.



Iran has urged for the establishment of an international fact-finding committee to investigate the chemical attack.

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DSC_1368.JPG

City Manager Joe Huffman speaks during a city of Pascagoula drainage meeting Aug. 15, 2013. Huffman resigned on Monday to accept a position in Horry County, SC. (April Havens/ahavens@al.com)

(bn)

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Pascagoula city manager Joe Huffman resigned on Monday per the city's public relations spokeswoman Ravin Floyd.

Huffman is headed to Conway, SC to take a position as Horry County's newest Assistant County Administrator of Public Safety.

Huffman has held the office of city manager since 2011 and said that he is proud of what the city has accomplished during his tenure.

"The projects are all important; however, nothing happens without strong people," Huffman said. "The teams forged in formal settings like city government, Rotary and the Chamber were phenomenal; however, building relationships with others in the community that led to improvements was also critical. In the end, it is all about the people."

He continued: "We have some very talented and dedicated people in Pascagoula. When you have that asset, service levels increase and projects are completed. The promenade, Point Park, the riverfront, River Park, Lighthouse Park and the bond projects geared toward water, sewer, gas and drainage improvements are noteworthy."

Family ties are just one of a few reasons Huffman decided a change in scenery was necessary.

"There were several factors that compelled me to accept the job," Huffman said. "The thing that made the biggest impression on me was the team atmosphere. The administrator and his leadership team seemed to be interested in making the county better. During the interview, you could hear the sincerity of their interest in the questions they asked of me. That was big. They also seemed like a highly functional team. Quite impressive."

Huffman also said that the job allows him the benefit of moving closer to his two daughters --oldest lives in North Carolina and his youngest in Virginia.

"We welcome Joseph to Horry County as he brings a wealth of knowledge from his previous government experience in Mississippi and North Carolina," said County Administrator Chris Eldridge. "Joseph will be a strong and solid manager for our organization, and we are excited he is joining our team."

When asked what he will miss about Pascagoula most, Huffman said the community and people he works with daily.

"I have enjoyed every minute of my time in Pascagoula and consider it an honor to have served the citizens of this fine city," Huffman said. "I will truly miss the people and the fine teams with which I work."

Under the Public Safety Division, Huffman will oversee police, fire/ems, emergency management and E911 as well as being the liaison with several other elected and appointed officials to include the coroner, sheriff, magistrates, public defender, and the solicitor.

Huffman's resignation is effective May 12 and he is scheduled to begin work in Horry County on May 22.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/11/opinion/fear-of-flying-for-good-reason.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-regionion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0



On April 09, 2017 security officials at Chicago's O'Hare airport violently removed a passenger off a United flight just because the airline needed the seat for its employee. The whole episode was captured on videos that was set the internet ablaze with outrage. It is truly a shame for the United airline. Mr. Munoz, the CEO of the airline apologized on April 10, 2017 for having to make re-arrangement for these customers (there are four passengers who were asked to give their seats) but not for mishandling of the passenger, a doctor who was bleeding from the mouth when he was forced to leave the flight. Even more outrageous, Mr. Munoz called the doctor was "disruptive and belligerent". On April 11, 2017, two days after the fiasco, the stock price of the United dropped. Mr. Munoz saw that warning light and issued a statement saying that "no one should ever be mistreated this way."



For years, flying was kind of inconvenient for customers. The ticket price soared due to high oil price between year 2005 and 2015. Since 2016, the oil price has dropped significantly, however the ticket price didn't follow the trend. In recent years, the airlines tried their best to squeeze the space to accommodate more passengers. They also charge fees for early boarding, legroom and even the right to stash bags in overhead bins. The quslity of customer service has been steadily decreasing over the last 10 years according to a report. The reason behind this is lack of big competition among the four big airlines: United, Delta, American, Southwest. These big four take roughly 70% of the domestic air-travel market. Because of the big four's delicate arrangement, the actual options for passenger are only one or two when booking flight, resulting in virtual oligarchy. The management knows that the disgruntled customer complains only for moment. When they don't fly, they don't care that much. Since the demand for the air travel didn't decline, the airline raked big profits.



The flight bullying happened on Monday and the handling of the matter should alarm government to take steps to protect customers. Tight regulation and more competition within the industry may be a good solution to problems like this ultimately. Luckily, there are many petitions around the country filed to voice their support for the doctor who was bullied. I hope this will never happen again. This is 2017, are we heading back to many years ago in terms of ethics?
Updated

Are there situations in which school choice-friendly policies havent led to more diverse instructional choices for families?

In a petition , a group of parents in Denver argue that the city needs more schools that are diverse in their approaches to education, not a mushrooming of college prep charter schools.

Denver is often touted as having a strong portfolio  of schools. (See this podcast from Tom Vander Ark from last month.) It has a mix of schools run by the district directly, charter schools, and schools with various semi-autonomous operating structures, and it has taken steps to treat those various kinds of schools as similar.

But as the district plans to introduce more charter schools, the parents argue that many of the schools that are slated to open have very similar educational models.

The petition encourages the district to open more schools that take a student-centered and experiential approach to learning, to acknowledge the different contexts in which schools exist, and to adjust its policies for evaluating schools to incorporate outcomes other than test scores that can show different kinds of successes.

In February, the founders of four charter schools in Denverthe Denver School for Science and Technology (DSST), STRIVE Prep, Rocky Mountain Prep, and University Prepwrote a letter to the district earlier this year , which was published on the local education site Chalkbeat. They argued that, based on their current academic results, they should be approved to open more new schools and that the district should follow through on opening schools its already approved. The charter operators write that many students are currently languishing in underperforming district schools.

The problem, according to Ulcca Hansen, a parent and researcher who helped draft the petition, is that all of those proposed new schools have a relatively similar approach to the goals and methods of K-12 education.

Updated 4/12: Since this interview was conducted in March, Hansen reports that this petition was not submitted to the Denver Public Schools board and that there have been ongoing local conversations about how to address some of the issues raised in the diverse schools petition. She gives an update on the situation in a blog post here.

A spectrum of schools

Hansen said she has been working on a research project using findings from cognitive neuroscience and other fields to understand how schools are organized in ways that address the developmental needs of students and meet the needs of different learners.

She said that schools fall along a spectrum: There are those that focus primarily on college preparation and core academic work (though they also work on social-emotional learning), those that focus primarily on social-emotional needs helping students understand who they are as learners (though they also focus on academics), and those in between. All of the charter networks that petitioned Denver Public Schools fall on one end of the spectrum: The petition describes them as focused mainly on academics and preparing students for college, using a largely teacher-directed approach to instruction, employing a compliance-oriented approach to discipline, and relying heavily on standardized assessments to gauge progress and success.

Hansens concern is that while these schools work for some students, they dont work for all. Students who are less verbal or who have learning differences might not thrive in these environments, she says.

Its not a choice if a family has to choose between a failing school and a STRIVE, she said.

Hansen said the petition isnt arguing for Denver to have fewer charter schools or no schools designed like the college prep charters; instead, she said, shed like to see a system where there are more schools that take genuinely diverse approaches to student learning and where it is acknowledged that different schools meet the needs of different kids.

We have been expecting that every school can be everything for every kid. But its not possible to ask STRIVE or DSST to be an Expeditionary Learning school, she said. Kids need schools that fit them as learners.

And, more broadly, Hansen said that districts and parents should be talking about how schools approach learning and pedagogy: When we talk about portfolios in terms of governance models, that doesnt tell you a lot about how the school approaches the work of education and how its trying to address the human and intellectual needs of students, Hansen said.

While the petition is responding to a specific context in Denver, Hansen is not alone in observing that many charter schools are structured very similarly to one another.

Late last year, a group of education researchers wrote a Commentary for Education Week notingand lamentingthe proliferation of No Excuses-style charter schools at the expense of others. The focus on this one model, laudable as it is, has narrowed the broad promise originally envisioned by ... founders of the charter movement, they write.

And in a report earlier this year, two American Enterprise Institute research fellows examined trends in what kinds of charter schools attracted which students.

Related stories:
The National Association of Secondary School Principals has chosen New Jersey Assistant Principal Brad Currie as its 2017 national Assistant Principal of the Year.

Currie, a school administrator for nearly a decade, has spent five years as assistant principal at Black River Middle School in Chester, N.J. Hes also the dean of students/supervisor of instruction.

A panel of education experts and principals, including former award winners, selected Currie from a group of three finalists. The other finalists were Derek Fialkiewicz, from Brian and Teri Cram Middle School in Las Vegas, Nev., and Michael Pflugrath, from South County High School in Lorton, Va.

The announcement was made during National Assistant Principals Week, which runs from April 10 to April 14.

Currie will receive his award in July during the joint national conference of the elementary and secondary schools principals associations in Philadelphia.

The National Association of Secondary School Principals highlighted Currys ability to bring together educators from across the globe for shared learning during his weekly Twitter #Satchat, which he co-founded in 2012 and still co-moderates.

The NAASP described Currie as a pioneer among school leaders in using Twitter for professional development purposes. He also co-authored 140 Twitter Tips for Educators: Get Connected, Grow Your Professional Learning Network, and Reinvigorate Your Career, a how-to book on how educators can leverage social media.

He has also used social media to change the way the school communicates with parents and the community.

Currie has promoted the expansion of STEM opportunities at Black River Middle School, where he shepherded through a 1:1 Chromebook program. Teachers were encouraged to become Google-certified, and he led the effort to redesign learning spaces and introduce makerspaces, according to the NASSP.

Currie has also helped to foster a positive, nurturing school climate for the schools students, the organization said.

JoAnn Bartoletti, NASSPs executive director, lauded Currie as a model of effective and visionary leadership.

Brad Curries commitment to making meaningful connections among faculty, students, and the community are part of what makes him a powerful multiplier of effective practice at his school and to other school leaders across the country, she said in the announcement.

Photo caption: Brad Currie, the assistant principal of Black River Middle School in Chester, N.J., was chosen as the 2017 National Assistant Principal of the Year. -- Photo courtesy the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Imagine that your 7-year-old could multiply 57 X 135 in her head, and tell her elementary school teacher the correct answer was 7,695. And then volunteer that the square root of that sum was 87.7 and change.

Would that be enough to accept an offer to enroll her in a private school for gifted children? And with a scholarship, no less?

Many parents would say yes. But in Gifted , a drama opening nationwide on Wednesday after starting in select cities last week, Frank (Chris Evans), the uncle and guardian of that 7-year-old, Mary (Mckenna Grace), has some good reasons not to go along.

For one thing, Marys mother was a mathematics genius who committed suicide when the girl was a toddler. Thats why Frank has given up his job teaching philosophy at Boston University to move to the Tampa area to become the caregiver for Mary.

Its never really explained why Frank has become a boat mechanic, other than that allows him to work in marinas that provide a nice backdrop for the film. And perhaps college-level teaching positions in philosophy in the Tampa, Fla., area are few and far between. This also ensures that Frank and Mary live in a ramshackle rental development, where Roberta (Octavia Spencer) is the landlady and a caring surrogate aunt for the child.

Frank has been home schooling Mary in the couple of years he has been her guardian. Like her mother, Mary has a knack for mathematics, and she studies calculus and other advance topics. But Frank has decided that Mary needs to go to the local public school. He promised Marys mother (his sister) that if he had to care for Mary he would do what he could to ensure her a normal childhood.

Marys gifts and precociousness get her in trouble in her first few days at the school. But her teachers and principal quickly realize she is gifted. Thats when they propose to Frank that he send her to the Oaks Academy for Gifted Education. The principal suggests a scholarship would be no big problem to secure.

The story soon shifts away from the school, except for Franks romantic involvement with Marys teacher, Bonnie (Jenny Slate). Franks mother and Marys grandmother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), arrives from Boston to ply Mary with a new Apple computer. She soon is trying to wrest custody of the girl from Frank, and the movie, directed by Marc Webb ("(500) Days of Summer), turns into a version of the 1979 divorce drama Kramer vs. Kramer.

Duncan is meant to be the villain, but she does wish to expose Mary to intellectual challenges befitting her gifts. (The grandmother herself was a math scholar who attended Cambridge University in England before settling in the United States with the budding American scholar she married. This grandfather, though, is out of the picture having taken up ranching in the West.)

Mary wants to stay in Florida, where she is perfectly happy with her one-eyed cat and Frank. Several courtroom scenes ensue, underhanded deeds are committed, and several complex mathematical formulas figure into the plot. (Mary, who is convincingly gifted and sharp as played by Grace, even goes equation to equation with an MIT math professor in one scene.)

Without giving away the end, the film seems to agree with Franks instincts that young people with extraordinary academic gifts need to be able to act like normal kids, too.
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Bath has been named the ninth slowest city in the UK for motorists - and the M4 the second slowest motorway.

An analysis of driving speeds has confirmed the painful reality that Baths pretty Georgian streets were designed for the occasional horse and cart, not endless streams of cars and buses.

Taking data from more than 3.3 million vehicles over a year, Satrak Vehicle Tracking compared driving speeds across the nations cities.

Cambridge was found to be the slowest city in Britain with average speeds totalling a mere 13mph.

In Bath, motorists crawl along at average speeds of 16mph, only slightly faster than in the nations capital.

None of the top ten slowest cities exceeded 20mph.

The slowest cities are as follows:

Top ten slowest cities in the Britain Satrak Vehicle Tracking

The fastest average speeds in cities were found to be in Carlisle (44.7 mph), Preston (39.8mph), and Winchester (39 mph).

Satrak also had more bad news for motorists in the Bath area from its analysis of the slowest motorways in Britain.

After analysing data from more than 500,000 vehicles over the same year (2016), the most sluggish motorways were highlighted using average speeds of the vehicles using them.

With average speeds of 30mph, the M4 was the second slowest motorway in Britain.

The M25 was been highlighted as the slowest motorway in Britain with speeds averaging at just 25mph.

This is almost half the average speed of the M602, which found itself in tenth place at 48 mph.

It would take a vehicle nearly five hours to travel just 117 miles, which is the equivalent flight time of a plane travelling from London to Turkey or Greece.

The ten slowest motorways in Britain are as follows:

Ten slowest motorways in Britain Satrak Vehicle Tracking

Dan Walton, MD of Satrak Vehicle Tracking, said: Its little surprise to find that the M25 is in fact the slowest motorway. We undertake work throughout the country and usually find the M25 to be the most cumbersome, and our data provides evidence for that.

Ive heard of tailbacks stretching 12 miles in my time there so its of little surprise to me. Its nice to see that people are taking care in many of our cities however, as these places are often busy and above all are not environments for speeding.
Trump Settles Lawsuits With Celebrity Chefs Over Scrapped Restaurants

Celebrity chef Jose Andres has finally been able to settle the 2015 lawsuit filed against him by President Donald Trump's business organization. Andres was sued for withdrawing his plans to put a restaurant in the Trump International Hotel in Washington D.C. after President Trump made controversial, pejorative statements about Mexicans and other immigrants while on the campaign trail. After being served with the $10 million lawsuit for breach of contract, Andres fired back with an $8 million countersuit. Both Trump's case and Andres' case are now over.

Andres was not alone in pulling out of Trump's hotel over the derogatory statements calling Mexican immigrants "rapists" and "killers," and over anti-immigrant policies the Trump campaign was rallying behind. Another celebrity restaurateur, Geoffrey Zakarian, also abandoned plans for the same reason as Andres, and was also sued by Trump's business organization. The case against Zakarian also settled shortly after Andres' settlement.

Did President Trump Pay for Silence?

While it may be vehemently denied by the losing party in a confidential settlement, it's possible that Trump paid Andres to settle the lawsuit. Although a party may be able to deny that they lost the lawsuit when a settlement occurs, when a settlement is confidential, and no terms regarding monetary damages are released, it begs the question: which party wanted the confidentiality?

Though there are no reports on the terms of the settlement, the joint statement issued by the parties reads as if it were prepared specifically to avoid the sort of reputational damage the $25 million Trump University settlement did to President Trump. The prepared statement mentions that Andres and Trump will move forward "as friends" to collaborate on how to help the community. The statement contains the type of transparent praise for the Trump organization that people might expect from documents released by the Trump organization.

Since Donald Trump became president, the Trump team handling the celebrity chef lawsuits was led by Trump's sons, Donald, Jr. and Eric.

Related Resources:
Texas SB 14 Voter ID Law Struck Down for Discrimination, One More Time

Texas Senate Bill 14, which Governor Rick Perry signed into Texas law in 2011, was struck down by the courts, again. The ruling specifically explained that the voter ID initiative violated the Voting Rights Act due to the discriminatory purpose of the law. While the Fifth Circuit essentially made the same finding last July, it remanded the case to District Court to reconsider in light of some evidentiary rulings.

The court found that "a discriminatory purpose was at least one of the substantial or motivating factors behind the passage of SB 14." The court pointed out that one of the state's alleged stated purposes for the law, to prevent voter fraud, was clearly a pretext as only two convictions of voter fraud were made over the past decade with over 20 million votes cast in Texas. The court found the state's other defenses of non-discriminatory purpose similarly unconvincing.

Voter ID Laws

Voter ID laws vary from state to state, but generally must pass the federal minimum requirements that were set forth to prevent discrimination. While there are some states where no ID is required to vote, in many others, you may be required to show a government issued ID, or some other official proof of identity.

Texas's SB 14 only allowed seven types of ID, and as such, many common forms of ID that are acceptable in other states with voter ID laws, were prohibited, including student IDs. It was reported that over 600,000 Texans, or nearly 5% of registered voters, did not have proper SB 14 identification. If allowed, it would be the harshest voter ID law in the country.

What Comes Next?

The state is likely gearing up for a new appeal, and would likely attempt to take this matter up to the Supreme Court. Highly contentious civil rights cases such as these get divided along political party lines, and special interests will probably keep this matter alive, despite the incredibly damning factual finding of a discriminatory purpose, until the Supreme Court denies hearing the case.

Alternatively, the special interests fighting this case and pushing the state to pass a strict voter ID law could just back down from this legal battle, if the state proposed a new law that comported with federal law, and the court's order.

Related Resources:
Nearly 700 Bevil Oaks residents have signed a petition asking to remove their city from the Beaumont Independent School District, and instead send their students and taxes to Hardin-Jefferson ISD.|



About 1,200 people live in the city north of Texas 105, where residents have tried to switch districts multiple times since at least 1990, citing distance and academic performance.



The detachment and annexation process requires that a majority of the territory's registered voters sign a petition requesting the move, which both school boards can choose to approve or reject.



"It's a really intense process," TEA spokeswoman DeEtta Culbertson said, and one that "is really not that common."



Public hearings will be held by Beaumont ISD's board of managers on April 20 and HJISD's trustees on May 1.



Students in the city who go to BISD schools currently attend Guess Elementary, about 8 miles east, and then Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School, about 15 miles away on Avenue A. In high school, students living in the area can choose between Central and West Brook.



Petitioners argue they should be allowed to leave due to the number of disciplinary infractions at Beaumont ISD schools and the districts' academic ratings, saying HJISD has outperformed BISD.

Read more in today's print edition of The Enterprise.

Click here to have the daily eEdition delivered directly to your inbox.



LTeitz@BeaumontEnterprise.com

Twitter.com/LizTeitz


Coffee Shop's Loyalty Cards Punch Holes Through Prez's Head -- Protected Free Speech?

Small businesses will go to great lengths for good publicity, and even a little bit of backlash can be good for the bottom line. Just take Black Forge Coffee House in Pittsburgh, PA -- the store employs loyalty cards not unlike many food and beverage service stops, with customers getting a hole punched in the card for each purchase and the promise of a free coffee down the line. But while Black Forge's cards may look similar to other businesses' on the front, the back features head shots of politicians and people unpopular with the shop's owners, making every hole punch look like a hole in the head.

Most of the politicians included on the card are Republicans, so it's no surprise that President Donald Trump was included on the latest iteration. But could punching a hole through a miniature printout of the president's be construed as a threat? Or is it all good fun under the First Amendment?

Doubleshot

The newest card, according to Fox News, includes images of Donald Trump, Rick Santorum, Ann Coulter, Mike Pence, Martin Shkreli, Pat Robertson, Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Mike Huckabee, and Ted Cruz. Previous versions included Glenn Beck, Creflo Dollar, Jerry Falwell, and Billy Graham. And while getting political might not always be a good idea for business -- many conservatives have voiced their displeasure with the imagery of the cards -- the shop's staff have said the majority of the response has been positive.

"Most people take a look at it and laugh," co-owner Ashley Corts told the Los Angeles Times, adding the shop has had "hundreds of people come in to show support." And despite some backlash on social media, Black Forge won't be getting rid of the cards any time soon.

Americano President

Corts was also clear about the card's intent: "We're not threatening the president," Corts told Fox. "We don't want to physically hurt him, we do not condone any sort of hate. It's completely against who we are." While it is illegal to threaten to harm the president, courts have generally held that satire, hyperbole, and empty threats not intended to be acted on are protected free speech.

And ten acts of free speech can earn you a free latte.

Related Resources:
More health plans are participating in value-based contracts with physicians, according to Geneia.

Here are seven key points;

1. A 2015 Deloitte survey found 72 percent of health plans had one or more patient-centered medical homes for their commercial population and 62 percent had ACOs with shared savings.

2. Forty-five percent of health plans had ACOs with shared risk and 45 percent used global capitation.

3. In the survey, 41 percent propertied using bundled payments.

4. Throughout the United States, there are more than 935 ACOs with 1,300 or more contracts.

5. As these models gain traction, Geneia said physicians have several considerations before participating in a value-based contract with their health plans such as ensuring reporting tools are user-friendly.

6. Physicians should consider whether a reporting tool will work with all of their ACOs and value-based contracts.

7. Geneia said another consideration is ensuring physicians have access to timely information.
The Green Mountain Care Board is set to hold a public hearing about a proposed ASC in Colchester, Va. this week, prompting Vermont Association of Hospitals and Health Systems CEO and President Jeff Tieman to write a commentary against the proposal in the VT Digger.

Here are five things to know:

1. Nearly two years ago, an independent physician group filed the CON to build Green Mountain Surgery Center in Colchester. A Green Mountain Surgery Center spokesperson said the ASC would offer services at a reduced cost.

2. Mr. Tieman notes the state's "highly regulated hospitals" are dedicated to providing high quality care at low costs and hospitals abide to state and federal regulatory requirements.

3. Mr. Tieman said the state does not regulate surgery centers. If the surgery center comes to fruition, Vermont will not have authority to oversee its financial practices. He said, "The surgical center would operate with little oversight in a state that has chosen the opposite path."

4. In his commentary, Mr. Tieman said the community does not need the ASC and cites a report a healthcare management firm conducted saying there is ample space available in the community to offer surgeries to residents for at least another 20 years.

5. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont, the state's largest insurance company, supported Green Mountain Surgery Center in March.
As of March 14, there have been 312 reported data breaches and more than 1.3 million exposed records in 2017, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. Around 25 percent of all data breaches occurred in the medical/healthcare sector thus far in 2017.

Note: For the purposes of this list, 'biggest' was defined as the healthcare-related data breaches that affected the most number of people. Breaches are listed in descending order.

1. In January, Hyde Park, N.Y.-based CoPilot Provider Support Services, a healthcare administrative services and IT organization, reported a data breach affecting 220,000 individuals. CoPilot's database, which healthcare professionals use to advise patients on whether certain treatments are covered by insurance, was illegally accessed.

2. Texas-based Urology Austin notified 200,000 patients in March that their patient information may have been compromised. A ransomware attack infected Urology Austin on Jan. 22, and while the attack might have compromised information, such as patient names, addresses and Social Security numbers, Urology Austin does not believe patient information was taken in the breach.

3. In February, San Antonio-based ABCD Pediatrics staff discovered a software virus, which may have compromised the names, addresses, Social Security numbers and medical records, among other information, of 55,447 patients. The virus began encrypting servers at the practice. ABCD Pediatrics' IT company identified the virus as ransomware, although the practice has not received any ransom-related demands.

4. Indianapolis-based American Senior Communities fell victim to a W-2 email scam earlier this year, impacting its more than 17,000 employees. A payroll processing employee at the nursing home chain received an email from someone claiming to be a company executive. The payroll employee forwarded the W-2 tax information of company employees.

5. An employee of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services sent 12,731 Medicaid patients' information to healthcare providers via an unencrypted email. The information included patients' first initial, last name, Medicaid identification number as well as the name and address of the home where each patient resides.

6. Redwood City, Calif.-based Verity Health System informed more than 9,000 patients that their information may have been compromised when an unauthorized third party accessed its Verity Medical Foundation-San Jose Medical Group website between October 2015 and January 2017. The information accessed, which is dated between 2010 and 2014, included patients' names, addresses, dates of birth, email addresses, phone numbers, medical record numbers and the last four digits of credit card numbers.

7. A reinsurance broker contracted by health insurance company Louisiana Health Cooperative suffered a breach that may have affected up to 8,000 former policyholders. The reinsurance broker, Summit Reinsurance Services, reported the breach to LAHC. The breach exposed personally identifiable information and in some cases, the information may have been viewed by unauthorized people.

8. A computer stolen from Wichita, Kan.-based Family Medicine East may have comprised the data of approximately 6,800 patients. A burglar who broke into the practice stole a printer and a desktop computer, the latter of which contained typed office notes about patients who visited the clinic between 2002 and 2003.



9. A third-party vendor for Norfolk, Va.-based Sentara Healthcare suffered a breach that may have impacted more than 5,454 patients. Information that may have been compromised included names, birth dates, Social Security numbers, demographic information, medical record numbers, procedure information and medication information of vascular and thoracic patients seen at Sentara hospitals.

10. In January, Children's Hospital Los Angeles began notifying patients that their information may have been on a laptop that was stolen from a physician's car. The theft affected the personal information of 3,600 patients. The laptop was password-protected, but hospital officials are unsure as to whether it was properly encrypted.
Eight major healthcare associations are urging the Trump administration to quickly stabilize the individual insurance market by funding cost-sharing reductions, which currently help 7 million Americans afford coverage on the exchanges.

Cost-sharing reductions help offset the cost people must pay out-of-pocket for deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. They are available to those earning less than 250 percent of the federal poverty level who choose a Silver plan on the exchanges.

The eight organizations, which include the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals and the American Medical Association, penned identical letters to President Donald Trump and Congress, calling for the administration to commit to funding CSRs for 2018.

"A critical priority is to stabilize the individual health insurance market," the letters read. "The window is quickly closing to properly price individual insurance products for 2018."

Without certainty that CSRs will be in place, more payers may drop out of the exchanges, leaving fewer choices for consumers, according to the joint letter. Loss of CSR funding could also increase premiums by 15 percent, drive up uncompensated care costs and cause taxpayers to pay more to offset the costs of higher premiums and tax credits for low-income families, the organizations wrote.

The following organizations signed the letters to President Trump and Congress:

AHA

FAH

AMA

America's Health Insurance Plans

American Academy of Family Physicians

American Benefits Council

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Read their message here.

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Rob Fulbright, CEO of the East Florida region of Orlando-based Florida Hospital, died Tuesday at age 47 after experiencing a sudden cardiac event, according to The Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Mr. Fulbright reportedly suffered a "sudden cardiac event," as described by hospital officials, on Sunday evening. He was taken to Florida Hospital Orlando for treatment, according to the report. He died Tuesday at the hospital, surrounded by his family.

Officials notified health system employees of his death via a company-wide email Tuesday.

Mr. Fulbright was named regional CEO for the health system in October 2015. He previously held a variety of leadership and administrative positions throughout his nearly 20-year career with Florida Hospital, including roles at the health system's locations in DeLand, Kissimmee, Winter Park and Altamonte Springs.

"Rob was such an extraordinary person," wrote Daryl Tol, president and CEO of Florida Hospital and the Central Florida division of Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based Adventist Health System, Florida Hospital's parent company, in a company email obtained by the News-Journal. "His infectious smile and warm personality will be profoundly missed by the countless lives he touched  [He was] known for shaping a culture of excellence and highly engaged teams, [his] passion for whole person health and his support of physician well-being."

Officials held a prayer service for Mr. Fulbright at the Orlando-based Florida Hospital Church Monday evening. Funeral arrangements are still being made, according to the report.

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Methodist Hospital in Henderson, Ky., is restructuring operations, and 61 jobs will be eliminated in the process, according to WFIE.

Benny Nolen, interim president and CEO of Methodist Hospital, told WFIE the hospital is restructuring to focus more on its core services. "We have looked at our entire delivery system to identify what will help us excel as a high-quality, community-based hospital," he said.

Methodist Hospital hopes the changes will improve its financial performance. Mr. Nolen told WFIE there are several factors contributing to the hospital's financial troubles. "Our hospital admissions and outpatient volumes are not meeting expectations, while uncompensated care expenses are up significantly," he said. "This imbalance mirrors what healthcare organizations across our state are experiencing."

The hospital implemented cost containment initiatives last year, but the savings were not enough to avoid the job cuts, which will affect management and staff positions.

As part of the restructuring process, Methodist Hospital will also postpone an emergency room expansion project that was slated to begin this month at its facility in Morganfield, Ky.

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Though he has no formal informatics training, Sam Bagchi, MD, a board-certified internist and health system executive, has always been interested in how technology can be part of the solution to providing highly reliable care without hindering the physician or patient experience.

Dr. Bagchi is currently the CMO and chief quality officer of Chicago-based Presence Health, where he oversees not only clinical and quality standards but also information services, telehealth and clinical analytics, among other responsibilities.

He will take his leadership and health IT expertise into a new role at Christus Health later this month  Dr. Bagchi will join the Irving, Texas-based health system as its CMO and CMIO on April 24.

While he realizes technology is often seen by physicians and other clinicians as more of a hindrance than a help and that health systems often adopt certain programs just to meet regulatory requirements, Dr. Bagchi works tirelessly to ensure technology is a means to an end of achieving highly reliable care and less of an end-game in itself.

Here, he discusses that philosophy and more.

Note: The conversation was edited for length and clarity.

Question: What about your new role makes you most excited?

Dr. Sam Bagchi: Christus is a larger health system than where I am today  it crosses three states: Texas, New Mexico and Louisiana. What's intriguing and challenging is Christus also has international relationships in Mexico, Chile and Colombia. So the challenge is how to drive clinical standardization and evidence-based best practices and drive value across not just state lines but across countries with different regulations and cultures in general.

Q: How will your role at Christus differ from your role at Presence?

SB: There is a larger scale to my new role, because of the international health system components. Although larger, it's very similar in the sense that I'll be focused on quality, physician development and leadership, along with healthcare technology. My span of control will be different in that my informatics role will be focused on clinical applications and technology and less on the basic IT operations and infrastructure I have responsibility for at Presence. I learned about basic blocking and tackling within IT operations and it's been a wonderful experience at Presence, but I'm excited to focus on what I'm passionate about  connecting technology to help physicians, nurses and pharmacists improve patient experience and serve the community.

Q: As a physician, what made you so interested in technology in healthcare to begin with? How did you evolve this interest into your eventual roles of CMO and CMIO?

SB: I was lucky. I grew up with two parents who were systems analysts who were interested in technology when computers and the internet were breaking into mainstream culture. We had two computers in the household before most people had any computers; I've always been around them.

When I went to college I was passionate about going into medicine, but along the way, I kept up with technology and felt it was always part of the solution. I feel lucky to be around organizations and people who use technology in an advanced way. I went to Indiana University for undergrad and medical school, and it had an advanced computing landscape and informatics program along with proprietary versions of an EHR and CPOE  I took it for granted and thought that was how most academic medical centers were working circa 2000.

I went to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for residency and was an intern when it launched its proprietary EMR and CPOE, designed by clinicians. It was intuitive and natural for me that we would use computers to automate care delivery and make it consistent and reliable.

It wasn't until I left the training program that I realized most healthcare delivery was still being done on paper-based systems. I was uncomfortable in less-automated environments, but that distilled my focus on identifying the best ways to make the transition to value without creating obstacles to care.

I'm lucky that I've worked at hospitals with proprietary technology, designed around local workflows of hospitals. [The systems] are intuitive and are a natural experience for users. My experience after that was with out-of-the-box technology, designed from a vendor's point of view. I saw gaps in how the clinical caregiving experience could be disrupted by technology that wasn't really designed with the specific clinical workflows in mind.

[Technology is] a natural part of what I thought healthcare should be and it really hasn't been until the last five years or so that it's starting to become more mainstream in terms of how clinical automation can drive value. The industry is catching up to deliver value after we implemented technology under the meaningful use program.

Q: How do you see technology playing into providing highly reliable care?

SB: Technology represents a means to an end to me  I'm more interested in how technology can drive better efficiencies for doctors and how we can make the right types of care elements easy to do, not just check-box medicine. For me, the informatics work I do is all about delivering evidence-based care to our patients and making their care better instead of turning on a technology product just to meet a regulatory obligation.

I think the concept of high reliability is really important for healthcare. We've been so focused on just slamming in EMRs and catching up with regulation that we've lost sight of why we're doing these projects and how impactful they can be if we do them well.

I want the right thing to do to be the easy thing to do for clinicians, but unfortunately a lot of EMR technology just adds steps. That's not the expectation we have in our personal technology experiences  we expect technology can start to learn about what we're doing without us having to tell it that we did it. That's where clinicians feel a little left out, in that technology has added complexity to their lives instead of making their lives easier.

Q: What types of technology did Presence Health invest in to further improve care delivery under your leadership? Where should other hospitals be looking?

SB: There are two areas we've focused on. One is telehealth. I think Presence, based on being a Catholic health system, is concerned with serving communities with limited access to care. The focus with telehealth has been solving clinical access problems and improving access to care with technology. We have a long-established eICU platform we've been able to invest in and refine clinical pathways. We've also built out capacities for specialties like behavioral health and neurology and started to partner with other organizations to try to help them access scarce specialty resources remotely.

The other big investment over the last couple of years has been around physician credentialing and automating the credentialing process. We focused our efforts there because as we look at where healthcare reform is going and how we get reimbursed, we feel even more pressure to make sure we understand the quality of physicians joining the medical staff. Physicians on staff need to be able to count on the fact that the doctors they work alongside, refer to or consult with are top-quality physicians. It's an important clinical strategy in terms of quality care.

It's also a business strategy, since a robust high-quality network is important to insurers and employers, and the board is passionate about making sure they cover their fiduciary responsibility to vet physicians. Vetting physicians' quality performance and citizenship in terms of how they interact with others in the hospital and how they work on following the rules and regulations we're all held accountable to is an area of strategic import that's been neglected in the past.

Also, as you see hospitals merging into larger health systems, physicians are working at more than one site in the system. It's a waste of time for them to apply to each and every hospital with inches-high stacks of paperwork to fill out and do over and over again. Now that we've automated it, physicians can reapply for membership with one electronic app shared across all hospitals. That's a huge time savings for them and our staff.

Q: As a CMO and CMIO, what are some health IT and general trends you want to learn more about?

SB: The physician-specific quality story is really interesting. How do we collect quality data on physicians, share that with them, get them engaged on improving performance and ultimately impact public perception of physician care? And how does that drive reimbursement? It's an interesting topic to keep up on.

Related to that, regulatory and governmental uncertainty over healthcare reform and how that's going to impact access to care, health insurance and payment in general is an area of interest. It's important to me, and it's hard to be too certain about it right now with all the different political issues going on.

Also, for me as a health system leader as we're watching health systems merge and get bigger, it's interesting to consider when the size of the health system stops adding value and scale and adds complexity and bureaucracy. That dynamic is interesting. Consolidation is creating new challenges for healthcare  new opportunities, but new challenges.
The state of Massachusetts intervened Monday in a landmark false claims case accusing King of Prussia, Pa.-based Universal Health Services of illegally charging Medicaid for outpatient mental health services provided by unqualified staff.

In its complaint-in-intervention, the state accuses UHS of submitting false claims to MassHealth, Massachusetts' Medicaid program, for care provided by Arbour Counseling Services in Lawrence, Mass., which is owned by UHS.

Massachusetts' complaint will be added to the allegations against UHS brought by the parents of a teenage girl who died in 2009 after having an adverse reaction to medication prescribed by an Arbour Counseling employee. A subsequent investigation revealed Arbour Counseling was not in compliance with several Massachusetts regulations related to licensure and supervision in the course of the teenager's treatment.

The case, which focuses on the implied certification theory of False Claims Act liability, made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court in 2016 and was one of the most high profile false claims cases of last year. Under the implied certification theory, a healthcare provider implies it is compliant with all conditions of payment, such as Medicaid rules, when it submits a claim for payment. If the provider was actually in violation of a material statutory, regulatory or contractual requirement at the time of submission, the claim is rendered false or fraudulent.

In a unanimous opinion issued in June, the high court ruled that False Claims Act liability can be based on the implied certification theory. The Supreme Court remanded the case to the lower court to determine if UHS violated the False Claims Act using the approach set out by the high court.

Massachusetts relies on the implied certification theory as a basis for liability in its complaint-in-intervention.

"If the UHS entities had not impliedly misrepresented compliance with applicable state laws and regulations, MassHealth would not have paid for the claims submitted for services and prescriptions," the state wrote in its complaint.

The state is seeking civil penalties and treble damages on the $94.22 million in reimbursement it made to Arbour Counseling centers from 2005 through 2013.

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Victim of Domestic Violence Sues City After Eviction for Calling Police for Help

A law in the Missourian town of Maplewood penalizes people for calling the police, even if there is a legitimate need for police assistance. As a result of this law, a mother of two, who is also the victim of domestic abuse, was evicted from her home. In other words, as crazy as it sounds: a woman was evicted from her home for calling the police about domestic violence incidents.

Rosetta Watson, who's now 58 years old, was facing repeated domestic violence in her Maplewood home. Even though she was the victim, she was still evicted due to being a "nuisance." After being evicted, Ms. Watson faced stretches of homelessness due to being unable to find stable housing. While the damage has been done, the ACLU has taken on her case, and has filed a lawsuit not only to get rid of this nonsensical law, but to also recover damages on Ms. Watson's behalf.

A Squeaky Wheel Gets ... Evicted?

The Maplewood ordinance is characterized as a "nuisance law." The ordinance permits the town to essentially kick people out of their homes and deny them the right to live in the town for a period of time if the individual qualifies as a nuisance, under the ordinance. However, the law has a liberal definition of what constitutes a nuisance, which includes making more than one call to the police for a disturbance-type incident within a six-month time period.

As the ACLU's lawsuit points out, because the law does not carve out an exception for victims of domestic violence, it is essentially a governmental act of victim blaming and shaming. Additionally, the lawsuit points out that the nuisance law violates numerous constitutional and statutory protections, including the Violence Against Women Act. VAWA provides that individuals living in federally subsidized housing, like Ms. Watson, cannot be evicted for seeking assistance with domestic violence.

In addition to the specific provisions of the VAWA that the law appears to clearly violate, the ACLU has alleged violations of Ms. Watson's First and Fourteenth Amendments, claiming a denial of the right to petition the government, a denial of equal protection, a denial of due process, and also a denial of the right to travel freely. Claims have also been alleged under Missouri's own constitutional protections of the same federal constitutional rights.

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Zenefits, a health benefits broker, agreed to pay a $1.2 million fine Tuesday following an investigation that found the company violated New York state insurance law.

The New York State Department of Financial Services' investigation uncovered Zenefits allowed unlicensed brokers to solicit, negotiate or sell insurance plans in 2014 and 2015. DFS investigators said Zenefits did not keep records used to verify New York insurance law compliance and did not implement necessary employee training programs or compliance controls.

Regulators also found Zenefits' former CEO Parker Conrad, who resigned in February 2016 amid legal scrutiny, wrote software in 2013 permitting brokers to bypass licensing requirements. Department officials said the software let users keep the timer of online education courses running even if an employee was not engaging with the course.

Zenefits self-reported the violations in 2015 following an internal investigation about the licensing issues. As of November 2016, Zenefits told DFS all employees selling insurance in New York had a valid license.

As part of the settlement, Zenefits agreed to take necessary actions to confirm its insurance brokers acquire appropriate licensing and undergo a minimum of 52 hours of insurance broker education.

New York Financial Services Superintendent Maria Vullo said, "We believe that the penalty and remedies we have imposed, including retraining employees, will ensure the protection of New York consumers as Zenefits conducts its business."

Jessica Hoffman, a Zenefits spokesperson, said in a statement to Reuters the "tough but fair settlement shows new leadership's continued dedication to building solid relationships with regulators as we put the past behind us."

The settlement is one of several the company agreed to involving licensing violations. The largest was in California, where Zenefits reached a $7 million settlement with the state's insurance regulator.
Brexit poses a serious and imminent threat to the Republic's economic prosperity, its competitiveness watchdog has warned. The National Competitiveness Council said the UK's decision to leave the European Union represented a "structural shift" in UK trading relations with the EU.

And it warned that short, medium and long-term policy responses would be needed to safeguard the Republic's competitiveness.

Council chairman Professor Peter Clinch said the likely shift in the UK's trading relations with EU partners has far-reaching implications for Ireland across a range of policy areas.

"I stated... that Ireland faces a serious and imminent threat to its economic security," he said.

"The view of the National Competitiveness Council is that this threat remains, and the UK's decision to leave the EU is the most significant of the factors underpinning this threat."

In a report "placing a microscope" over Ireland's competitive relationship with the UK, the council warned that the Republic should expect the UK to intensify its investment in infrastructure, enhance and develop its tax and non-tax offering for enterprise, develop its skills and innovation base and expand its reach into new and existing markets.

"Ireland cannot afford to stand still," Professor Clinch said.

"We can also expect other countries to continue to enhance their competitiveness positions.

"The challenges posed by Brexit provide urgent impetus to pursue policies that enhance our national competitiveness performance."

The council restated five key areas for Irish Government action including avoiding any narrowing of the tax base and ensuring the tax system supports and rewards employment, enterprise, investment and innovation.

It also warned Ireland's medium-term competitiveness is being affected by restrictions on State spending on capital investment.

"This will have a negative impact on our competitiveness in the future and damage our potential to secure the benefits of Brexit," it added.

Exporting companies need to evolve into new products, markets and sectors, whilst maintaining competitive advantage in existing ones, the council stated.

Meanwhile, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said he expects the final version of the EU's Brexit negotiating guidelines to expand on his country's concerns and make further specific reference to the Good Friday Agreement.

Mr Kenny told a public meeting of his party Fine Gael on Brexit in Co Kildare that reference to the possibility of Irish reunification, by consent, as set out in the Good Friday Agreement, may be referenced in the negotiating guidelines.
The actor will no doubt add a different take to this new, younger version of the beloved wizard.

Jude Law has been confirmed to be playing a young Professor Dumbledore in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

He will play Dumbledore in a story set years before the wizard became the headmaster of Hogwarts School, in the follow-up film to the Harry Potter prequel, which starred Eddie Redmayne as the protagonist Newt Scamander.

The films director David Yates said in a statement: Jude Law is a phenomenally talented actor whose work I have long admired, and Im looking forward to finally having the opportunity to work with him.

I know he will brilliantly capture all the unexpected facets of Albus Dumbledore as JK Rowling reveals this very different time in his life.

Toby Emmerich, president and chief content officer of the films distributor Warner Bros Pictures, added: As fans ourselves, we are thrilled to have Jude Law joining the Fantastic Beasts cast, playing a character so universally adored.

Jude has been a member of the Warner Bros family for years and were excited to embark on this new adventure with him.

In the original Harry Potter films, the role of Dumbledore was played by Richard Harris and then Michael Gambon, following Harris death.

JK Rowlings Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them is set in the 1920s and acts as a prequel to the original Harry Potter movies, which were based on her books.

Johnny Depp has already been confirmed to be starring in the second Fantastic Beasts film in the role of dark wizard Grindelwald, following a brief appearance in the first.

Filming on the second film in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, of which there are five films planned, will begin this summer.

The film is slated for release in November 2018.

Judes most notable films include The Talented Mr Ripley, Guy Ritchies Sherlock Holmes movies, Enemy At The Gates, and The Holiday.

He recently starred in TV series The Young Pope.
Undated handout image issued by Warburtons of a still from the bakery brand's new Giant Crumpets advert which features The Muppets.

Actor Neil Patrick Harris is backing the campaign to restore original puppets of Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy.

A museum is asking fans of Jim Hensons Muppets to help pay for an exhibition featuring original puppets of beloved characters like Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog.

The Museum of the Moving Image in New York City has launched a Kickstarter campaign seeking 40,000 dollars (32,000) to help preserve the puppets for posterity.

Jim Hensons work has meant so much to so many people, myself included, actor Neil Patrick Harris says in a video on the Kickstarter page.

His humour and inventiveness have inspired people to find their own creative voices.

The Queens museum owns hundreds of Henson puppets and other objects including costumes and props, all donated by Hensons family in 2013. Henson died in 1990.

Museum staff members are working to conserve the items along with Jim Hensons Creature Shop, which was founded by Henson in 1979 and carries on his work, and fine-arts conservators.

Curator Barbara Miller said the museum has never turned to crowdfunding before but it made sense for the Muppet exhibit because the community of fans is so active.

She said: This is one element of an effort to cross the finish line for fundraising.

Donors will get perks including T-shirts, artisanal chocolate and naming rights to a puppet pedestal.

Museum officials are hoping to open the exhibit this summer.

Besides the puppets, the exhibit will feature rarely seen video footage and photographs going back to Hensons early work in television in the 1950s.

A travelling exhibition using objects from the collection will open on May 20 at Seattles Museum of Pop Culture.
A woman who alleged she was subjected to sexual harassment while employed by a Chinese community association has received a 6,000 payout.

Jing-Yueh Huang-Porterfield settled her case against Wah Hep Chinese Community Association in Craigavon without any admission of liability.

Ms Huang-Porterfield was employed as a Chinese community administration worker with the organisation for 20 months, from February 2015 until her resignation in October 2016.

She alleged that, during that time, a manager made sexually offensive and suggestive comments and behaved inappropriately.

Ms Huang-Porterfield explained: I liked my job and enjoyed being able to advise and support Chinese people.

It was very upsetting when my manager began to make inappropriate sexual comments and gestures towards me.

I did not ask for or encourage this behaviour, I wanted it to stop. I wanted to go to work and do my job without worrying about what the next inappropriate sexual innuendo would be.

Ms Huang-Porterfield said she was left with no option but to quit her job.

I did raise a grievance with my employer, but I became ill due to the stress of the situation I found myself in and I had to go on sick leave, she explained. I felt I had no option but to resign from my job.

I wish none of this had happened to me, it was an awful experience. I feel I have lost a job that I enjoyed through no fault of my own. But it would have been impossible to have stayed there.

Ms Huang-Porterfield took her case with the help of the Equality Commission. Anne McKernan, director of legal services at the Equality Commission, said sexual harassment was unacceptable.

Women are entitled to dignity and respect in the workplace  as are all workers  and employers must deal effectively and promptly with any allegations of improper treatment or behaviour, she said. It must be emphasised that there is a legal duty on employers to prevent harassment such as that alleged by JingYueh from happening.

All employers should know that they must have firm policies and procedures in place to deal with situations where a member of their staff feels they are being harassed and how important it is that those policies are consistently implemented.

In settling the case, the Wah Hep Chinese Community Association paid Ms Huang-Porterfield 6,000 without any admission of liability.

It stated that it sincerely regretted any upset felt by her in the course of her employment with the organisation.

It also affirmed its commitment to the principle of equality of opportunity in employment.

In a statement to the Belfast Telegraph, the association said: The decision to agree a settlement of this claim without admission of liability was taken on the basis of legal advice and in the best interests of this organisation.

Wah Hep wishes to make clear that the complaints were subject to an internal investigation, which upheld the managers rebuttal of the allegations which were made.

Wah Hep is fully committed to ensuring that its policies and procedures comply with all requirements of employment law and will work with the Equality Commission as required.
DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy leader Nigel Dodds speak to the media, on the grounds of Stormont Castle, after the UK government warned that failure to form a new powersharing executive in Northern Ireland by early May will force another snap election or a return to direct rule from London. PA

DUP leader Arlene Foster has promised to better understand the Irish language as she announced a series of meetings with supporters of the tongue.

Mrs Foster pledged to engage with those lacking party political baggage or demands.

An Irish language act is a key demand of Sinn Fein in exchange for returning to devolved government at Stormont.

Mrs Foster said: "We do want to respect and indeed better understand the language and culture which we are not a part of and, to that end, over the next short period of time, I do intend to listen and to engage with those from the Gaelic/Irish background, those without party political baggage or indeed demands, people who genuinely love the Irish language and don't want to use it as a political weapon.

"So I very much look forward to that engagement over the next short period of time."

In February, the former Stormont First Minister said more people spoke Polish than Irish in Northern Ireland and declared the party would never agree to an act protecting it.

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has said a deal to restore powersharing is being held up by disagreement over "mainly rights-based issues" such as language.

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On Wednesday, Mrs Foster said: "In terms of the Irish language, we firmly believe that it needs to be seen in the context of the whole cultural respect and affirmation of identity in Northern Ireland.

"We do recognise that there are people who love the language, who want to speak the language and be facilitated in that respect, but we also say that in respect of Ulster Scots and Orange and British identity that there needs to be respect held for those cultures as well.

"So it is about not just one side or the other, it is about mutual respect for everybody and that is the way in which we are approaching these negotiations; to have that affirmation of identity not just for one section of the community, but for everyone who lives in Northern Ireland and we think that is a very positive way forward."

DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the party's MEP Diane Dodds had joined Irish language activist Linda Ervine recently speaking to people in mainly-loyalist east Belfast about the issue.

He said: "It is important that kind of engagement takes place, we have no difficulty with that whatsoever."
James Brokenshire confirmed the talks to restore powersharing will be suspended for Easter

The UK Government has warned Stormont's rowing politicians they will face a snap election or a form of direct rule if they cannot restore powersharing by early May.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire issued the ultimatum as a second talks deadline suffered the same fate as the first and fell by the wayside.

Mr Brokenshire has been forced to scrap his Good Friday deadline for a deal and has stretched the negotiation process by a further few weeks in a bid to achieve a breakthrough.

"I believe that the outstanding issues between the parties are surmountable, but if no executive is formed by early May, I will need to take further steps to ensure Northern Ireland has the political stability it needs," he said.

"This is likely to mean, however undesirable, either a second election or a return to decision making from Westminster."

Northern Ireland has been without a governing executive for six weeks following March's snap Assembly election.

The Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, the two parties whose agreement is essential for a new administration to be formed, are at loggerheads over a range of issues, each blaming the other for the impasse.

Negotiations failed to produce a result before the first deadline - which fell three weeks after the March 2 poll - and now a second deadline will also be missed after round table discussions were adjourned on Wednesday for the Easter break.

The talks also involve the Ulster Unionists, SDLP, Alliance Party and the UK and Irish governments.

Devolution first crashed in January over a row about a botched green energy scheme.

The subsequent election campaign laid bare a series of other disputes dividing the DUP and Sinn Fein, including legal protections for Irish language speakers and the region's ongoing ban on same-sex marriage.

Sinn Fein is also at odds with the UK government on stalled mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.

Party president Gerry Adams reiterated his view that progress could only be made if the DUP signed up to "rights-based" institutions.

"Sinn Fein are quite relaxed about talks continuing for a short while but there has to be progress," said Mr Adams.

"This can't go on indefinitely. If you want a crystallisation about where this impasse is, it is about rights."

He added: "These are modest but important matters. Those in place - the institutions will flourish. Those not in place - the institutions will not be back."

DUP leader Arlene Foster said she wanted to get into government as quickly as possible.

The former first minister, who once vowed that an Irish Language Act would never happen on her watch, also said she intended to meet Gaelic speaking groups to discuss their concerns.

"We do want to respect and indeed better understand the language and culture which we are not a part of and to that end over the next short period of time I do intend to listen and to engage with those from the Gaelic/Irish background, those without party political baggage or indeed demands, people who genuinely love the Irish language and don't want to use it as a political weapon," she said.

With talks destined to break down on Friday without a deal, extending the deadline has avoided any unfavourable comparisons with the Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.

The last election brought an end to Stormont's unionist majority and the DUP's lead over Sinn Fein was cut from 10 seats to one.

Mr Brokenshire confirmed he would commence legislative steps at Westminster to stabilise the finances of the rudderless government, passing a law to enable the circulation of rates bills that pay for local council services.

He said he would also amend legislation to allow an executive to be formed in early May if a deal materialises.

If no consensus is reached, he said the Government would either call another snap election or take control of devolved decision making.

Irish foreign minister Charlie Flanagan said an agreement was not only desirable but achievable.

"All parties have made clear that they want to see the devolved powersharing institutions up and running," he said.

"That is also the firm objective of both governments and it is clearly the outcome that serves the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland."

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he was "furious and frustrated" another deadline had been missed.

"It is up to us as politicians, as the people elected by the public, to get this job done," he said.

"No matter how long it takes we need to get our act together."

He accused other parties of letting their unelected special advisers have too prominent a role in the negotiations.

Ulster Unionist negotiator Tom Elliott said he feared there were people in the talks process "going through the motions".

"Our agenda is to get these institutions up and running. Others don't have the same agenda," said the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP.

Mr Elliott added that if direct rule is implemented "it will be a long time before these institutions are back up and running".

"That's not to the benefit of Northern Ireland," he warned.
'Results of blood tests ordered by Dr Palmer on April 30, 2013 appear not to have been examined or acted on by any medical staff at the prison' (stock photo)

Prison doctors missed repeated chances to detect and treat an inmate's deadly cancer, an inquest has heard.

Samuel Alexander Smyth, known as Alec, died just four weeks after his cancer was finally spotted in November 2013. By then, it had spread to his brain, glands and probably his bones, the inquest was told.

Along with a large tumour in his right lung and a smaller one in his brain, Mr Smyth was found to have been suffering from pneumonia. His weight fell from 16 stone in April 2013 to 12st 3lbs by the time he died.

Mr Smyth (56), who spent his last months isolated in a filthy cell he shared with his pet budgies, had first presented with a long list of symptoms to a prison GP seven months earlier.

The doctor noted a sore throat, hoarse voice and an upper respiratory tract infection, adding that the prisoner, who was jailed for life in the 1970s, was a smoker. Detecting swollen lymph nodes in his neck and clavicle, Dr Ryan prescribed antibiotics.

The prisoner saw a different GP, Dr Palmer, two weeks later, who again noted Mr Smyth's hoarseness.

He did not check the prisoner's medical history, but noticed a cough and laboured breathing and referred him for a chest X-ray and blood tests.

But Mr Smyth, who was described at the inquest as a stubborn, difficult individual with a history of not engaging with prison authorities, failed to turn up for his X-ray on May 8, 2013.

No medical staff followed up on his decision, the inquest heard. Dr Palmer added: "We did not have a procedure for following up if someone didn't attend."

Results of blood tests ordered by Dr Palmer on April 30, 2013 appear not to have been examined or acted on by any medical staff at the prison.

These results were later found to reveal abnormalities that would have prompted further examination.

Dr Palmer explained that once he ordered the blood tests, the results should have come back to the prison's general medical team rather than directly to him.

He said they were either filed before a GP had a chance to examine them or were checked by a doctor who did not act on the abnormal results. He agreed this was "very concerning". Mr Smyth, who was convicted of murder in 1978 and lived in the separate loyalist wing of Maghaberry, was later seen by a third GP, Dr Takkolu, in an emergency appointment on June 20, 2013.

Again, Dr Takkolu did not examine medical records, but referred him as a 'red flag' suspected cancer case to specialists in Ear, Nose and Throat after hearing about his long-term hoarseness and difficulty swallowing.

Again, Mr Smyth failed to attend the appointment, the inquest at Laganside Court heard.

The prisoner was not seen again by a GP until November 1, 2013.

Again, medical records were not reviewed at this appointment, so his failure to attend his chest X-ray and 'red flag' appointment was not picked up.

Government guidelines suggest patients with 'red flag' referrals are seen within two weeks.

During this appointment, Dr Palmer diagnosed a chest infection and gave the prisoner - who served a total of 34 years in prison - antibiotics.

Two weeks later, Mr Smyth was back in front of Dr Takkolu who inquired about his earlier 'red flag' referral. Mr Smyth revealed he had not attended.

He finally received a CT scan later that month after another visit to Dr Palmer and cancer was diagnosed on November 22, 2013.

Doctors noted then his illness was terminal, although a care plan was not immediately put in place and he was not seen by another doctor until December 3. He died in Belfast City Hospital on December 18, 2013.

The inquest continues.
Carla and I took a one-week trip to Tokyo. It was my sixth visit to Japan's capital, and it was my favorite so far. For the next few days, I'll be writing about recommended things to do there. See them all here.

After our refreshing visit to the hot springs, we took a short train ride back to the Kichijoji neighborhood of Tokyo.

Some of the train and subway stations have English on their maps, and some don't. It can be a bit of a challenge to get around, but the conductors speak English and are happy to answer questions. (The two photos below were taken at Yoyogi Station, not Kichijoji.)

It was early evening, and we wanted to have dinner at one of the dozens of little 8-seat bars in Harmonica Yokocho, a grid of alleys next to the train station. It was crowded with pedestrians (the alleys are too narrow for cars) and the stores had red lanterns to entice customers. The coziness and intimacy here was magical. Most of the seats in the bars were fully occupied, but we eventually walked by one that had two open seats. A worker saw us looking through the window and waved us in.





Image credit

We sat down and could smell the delicious food that the guy behind the bar was cooking on an electric grill. He asked us in Japanese what we would like to drink, and we said cold sake. He filled a couple of glasses with crushed ice and poured sake from a large bottle. We asked for toriniku (chicken) and he went to work putting skewers of chicken on the grill. We ended up eating a lot of different kinds of chicken organ meats  gizzard, liver, heart  all new to me, but tasty and spiced to perfection. The bill for the both of us, including a lot of chicken and grilled mushrooms, onions, peppers, and sake, was about $20.

I'm sorry I didn't get the name of this place, but I'm sure you will have a good time sampling the different places at Harmonica Yokocho. If we had more time in Tokyo, we could have returned for the Harmonica Yokocho morning market on the third Sunday of every month.

Next, we walked around the fashionable shopping streets of Kichijoji. I've read that Kichijoji is one of the most desirable places to live in Tokyo. I could see why. It reminded me a bit of Montana Blvd in Santa Monica, or Abbot Kinney St in Venice, CA. The most interesting thing I saw there was this pet store, called P's-first, that was selling tiny dogs for over $5,000. The most expensive dog was $9,000. The store was packed. My favorite was this little white puppy. Does anyone know the breed?

After seeing the pets, we started to go back to the station to ride the train to our Airbnb, but we got waylaid by Flipper's (11:00am to 8:00pm), a place that sells fluffy souffle pancakes (which are a thing in Japan). You can get a bunch of different toppings. We shared a plate of with whipped cream and berries. It was incredibly delicious  warm, light, slightly sweet. Perfect!

Tomorrow, I'll write about our most extreme day  a morning in the serene mountains and an evening in frantic Kabukicho!
Some of the affected graves in Roselawn

Families whose loved ones are buried at Roselawn Cemetery have been left upset after Belfast City Council cordoned off more than 100 graves with blue tape and posted warnings that they were unstable.

The plots affected are to the right of the entrance, where a sea of blue tape and wooden posts with triangular black and yellow warning signs stretches over the horizon.

The warning signs state: This memorial has failed a regulatory test and is deemed unstable. Please do not touch.

Local man Stuart Bailie, who was tending his father James grave, said he was really shocked at the councils actions.

This is horrible, it seems really insensitive and crass, he said.

The grave is registered to me and there has been no attempt to contact the family.

The council could have handled this a bit more sensitively. Whatever health and safety dictates, for grieving relatives to come and see their loved ones graves in this state is terrible. A lot of people will arrive to visit the graves and wont be prepared for this.

Another visitor labelled the councils actions disrespectful.

He said: Its a bit ridiculous but its also disrespectful to the dead and to grieving families. It certainly doesnt look too good.

You couldnt miss the tape and warning signs and it wouldnt make a relative feel too good. Belfast City Council said that the move was part of its memorial management policy, which was adopted on April 1 last year.

It said: We are carrying out safety inspection of memorials in our cemeteries.

Where a memorial is found to be unstable and therefore unsafe, it is staked and banded as a temporary safety repair and a safety notice is affixed informing people that the memorial is unstable.

We are aware that there are sensitivities around graves and cemeteries.

For this reason we gave the public advance notice through various communication channels that this safety inspection process would be carried out.

Whilst avoiding upsetting families is a priority for us, we also need to ensure that our cemeteries are safe for visitors and staff.

So far the council has deemed 158 memorials across Belfast unsafe  nine in Balmoral Cemetery, one in Shankill Graveyard, three in Clifton Street and, as of mid-February, 145 in Roselawn Cemetery.

It added: If the grave has been marked as unsafe the registered grave owner, as the owner of the memorial, will be contacted informing them that they must ensure that the memorial is made permanently safe by an approved monumental sculptor within three months.

We will send a reminder letter after a further three months if no effort has been made to make the memorial permanently safe.

If no action is taken within the next six to 12 months, the council will take steps to make the memorial permanently safe.

A council booklet says that this could involve removing the memorial from its foundation and partially sinking it into the ground at the head of the grave, or, in exceptional circumstances, simply removing it.
Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, alongside Sinn Fein leader for Northern Ireland Michelle O'Neill, speaking to the media in the Great Hall, Stormont. PA

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams reiterated his view that progress could only be made if the DUP signed up to "rights-based" institutions.

As well as an Irish language act and a commitment from the DUP not to block same-sex marriage, his party wants to see a Bill of Rights as outlined in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and the re-establishment of a forum to allow civic society to contribute to the political process.

"Sinn Fein are quite relaxed about talks continuing for a short while but there has to be progress," said Mr Adams.

"This can't go on indefinitely. If you want a crystallisation about where this impasse is it is about rights."

He added: "It could be sorted out between now and Good Friday, it could be sorted out between now and 9pm tonight.

"All the issues are very, very clear for anyone who wants to look at them."

He said: "These are modest but important matters. Those in place - the institutions will flourish. Those not in place - the institutions will not be back."

Mr Adams said far bigger problems had been overcome in the past.

He also rejected suggestions that the crisis would not have escalated if the late Martin McGuinness was still alive.

"We are not negotiating here for Martin McGuinness. Martin is gone - God rest him," he said.

"We are negotiating for the future and Martin was about the future more than anything else."

Ultimatum

Earlier the UK Government warned Stormont's rowing politicians they will face a snap election or a form of direct rule if they cannot restore powersharing by early May.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire issued the ultimatum as a second talks deadline suffered the same fate as the first and fell by the wayside.

Mr Brokenshire has been forced to scrap his Good Friday deadline for a deal and has stretched the negotiation process by a further few weeks in a bid to achieve a breakthrough.

"I believe that the outstanding issues between the parties are surmountable, but if no executive is formed by early May, I will need to take further steps to ensure Northern Ireland has the political stability it needs," he said.

"This is likely to mean, however undesirable, either a second election or a return to decision making from Westminster."

Northern Ireland has been without a governing executive for six weeks following March's snap Assembly election.

The Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein, the two parties whose agreement is essential for a new administration to be formed, are at loggerheads over a range of issues, each blaming the other for the impasse.

Negotiations failed to produce a result before the first deadline - which fell three weeks after the March 2 poll - and now a second deadline will also be missed after round table discussions were adjourned on Wednesday for the Easter break.

The talks also involve the Ulster Unionists, SDLP, Alliance Party and the UK and Irish governments.

Devolution first crashed in January over a row about a botched green energy scheme.

The subsequent election campaign laid bare a series of other disputes dividing the DUP and Sinn Fein, including legal protections for Irish language speakers and the region's ongoing ban on same-sex marriage.

Irish Language Act

DUP leader Arlene Foster said she wanted to get into government as quickly as possible.

The former first minister, who once vowed that an Irish Language Act would never happen on her watch, also said she intended to meet Gaelic speaking groups to discuss their concerns.

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"We do want to respect and indeed better understand the language and culture which we are not a part of and to that end over the next short period of time I do intend to listen and to engage with those from the Gaelic/Irish background, those without party political baggage or indeed demands, people who genuinely love the Irish language and don't want to use it as a political weapon," she said.

With talks destined to break down on Friday without a deal, extending the deadline has avoided any unfavourable comparisons with the Good Friday peace agreement of 1998.

The last election brought an end to Stormont's unionist majority and the DUP's lead over Sinn Fein was cut from 10 seats to one.

Legislation

Mr Brokenshire confirmed he would commence legislative steps at Westminster to stabilise the finances of the rudderless government, passing a law to enable the circulation of rates bills that pay for local council services.

He said he would also amend legislation to allow an executive to be formed in early May if a deal materialises.

If no consensus is reached, he said the Government would either call another snap election or take control of devolved decision making.

Irish foreign minister Charlie Flanagan said an agreement was not only desirable but achievable.

"All parties have made clear that they want to see the devolved powersharing institutions up and running," he said.

"That is also the firm objective of both governments and it is clearly the outcome that serves the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland."

SDLP leader 'furious'

SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said he was "furious and frustrated" another deadline had been missed.

"It is up to us as politicians, as the people elected by the public, to get this job done," he said.

"No matter how long it takes we need to get our act together."

He accused other parties of letting their unelected special advisers have too prominent a role in the negotiations.

'Going through the motions'

Ulster Unionist negotiator Tom Elliott said he feared there were people in the talks process "going through the motions".

"Our agenda is to get these institutions up and running. Others don't have the same agenda," said the Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP.

Mr Elliott added that if direct rule is implemented "it will be a long time before these institutions are back up and running".

"That's not to the benefit of Northern Ireland," he warned.
Northern Ireland's former deputy prosecutor has said she acted appropriately and responsibly after it emerged she was asked to stay at home over a decision not to prosecute Freddie Scappaticci for perjury.

No wrongdoing is alleged against Pamela Atchison.

It has been widely reported that Scappaticci was the British spy in the IRA known as Stakeknife, whose activities are under investigation in connection with many Troubles murders. Scappaticci swore an affidavit to Belfast's High Court to say he was not the mole.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) decided not to prosecute him for perjury because he was in fear of his life, the BBC's Panorama programme said.

It added that a senior DPP lawyer involved in the decision not to prosecute Scappaticci for perjury was Ms Atchison, who went on to become Northern Ireland's Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.

After the current director Barra McGrory QC decided to review the decision, Ms Atchison was asked to stay at home last year. She has since retired.

Lawyers for Ms Atchison said: "Our client, who has had an exemplary and unimpeachable record as a prosecutor, has at all times acted appropriately and responsibly in relation to this matter.

"She would welcome the opportunity to clarify her role but is constrained by current circumstances.

"She is eagerly awaiting the opportunity to explain her involvement in this matter during the Operation Kenova (Stakeknife) inquiry.

"It would be wholly inappropriate to publish anything that might imply wrongdoing by, or specific allegations against, our client."

In 2015 Mr McGrory said he had serious concerns about the decision.

He added: "Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I consider that the original decision did not take into account relevant considerations and also took into account irrelevant factors."
Prominent loyalist Mark Harbinson, due to face a trial on firearms offences, is under a death threat from dissident republicans, Belfast Crown Court was told.

News of the new death threat came during an unsuccessful bail variation hearing by the 50-year-old loyalist and convicted sex offender, who wanted to amend two conditions of his bail.

While refusing the application to remove his electronic tag and scrap his 10pm to 8am curfew, Judge Patricia Smyth said it was the duty of the police to ensure that Harbinson is not at any risk of harm. Judge Smyth said that the bail conditions were both necessary and proportionate.

Harbinson, acquitted in January of possessing a 9mm Makarov pistol, a silencer and 28 rounds of 9mm ammunition with intent to endanger life, is to stand trial in June for having them under suspicious circumstances and without holding the relevant firearms certificates.

They were found in a biscuit tin during a police search of outbuildings at Harbinson's Sheepwalk Road home in Stoneyford, on December 21, 2015.

On Wednesday his defence barrister initially told the court the bail conditions were proving difficult in Harbinson's attempts at rebuilding his relationship with his wife and child. The were also interfering with his helping out on the farm of his elderly parents who need his assiatance.

The lawyer who added that Harbinson was continually looking at his watch to insure he is home by 10pm each evening, then revealed that police had recently informed him he was under a death threat from dissident republicans and that he should review his security.

This too, said counsel, also presented its difficulties because anyone wanting Harbinson would know where he will be each night during the hours of his curfew.

Opposing the bail variations, Crown Counsel said they were proportionate, as Harbinson had not only shown an ability to acquire a large sum of money at short notice and flee to England, where he was initially arrested by police ten days later, they were also necessary to insure he was following the conditions of his bail.

The lawyer said that police had already offered Harbinson a flexibility on the times he has to sign for his bail so no pattern could be formed with respect to that.

The lawyer added that for a number of years Harbinson had been a high profile figure and those wishing him harm know where he is and have done so for years.

Harbinson was originally jailed for sexually abusing a 13-year-old school girl in October 2009. That conviction is currently before the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
James McNamara faces multiple counts of theft, going equipped for theft, attempted theft and criminal damage

An alleged serial thief accused of sophisticated raids on fashion stores across Northern Ireland must remain in custody, a High Court judge ruled on Wednesday.

James McNamara, 56, was refused bail on 20 charges linked to a suspected shoplifting spree where hundreds of pounds worth of designer clothes were stolen.

He was stopped last week in a car fitted with false number plates having been circulated as wanted for arrest for months, prosecutors said.

Pliers, a magnet and a security de-tagging device were recovered from the vehicle.

McNamara, of Hillsborough Road in Carryduff, Co Down, faces multiple counts of theft, going equipped for theft, attempted theft and criminal damage.

The alleged offences were committed between August last year and April 7.

Crown lawyer Conor Maguire said McNamara was identified on CCTV stealing 300 worth of pens from Easons in Belfast city centre in the first raid.

Later that month he allegedly took nine men's jumpers valued at 531 from a Jaeger store at The Outlet retail park in Banbridge.

In February this year he returned to the same shop to take a 99 blazer and 120 jacket without paying, it was claimed.

McNamara is also accused of stealing 240 worth of Ralf Lauren shirts from TK Maxx in Newtownabbey in January.

A further attempted theft of fashion tops valued at 440 was made at a Ballymena branch of the same retailer days before he was arrested, according to Mr Maguire.

Opposing bail, the barrister contended: "It's the prosecution view that this applicant has been a persistent recent offender and has carried out his activities in a relatively sophisticated crime spree.

"It has included the use of false number plates, and a de-tagging device he has used at numerous stores throughout Northern Ireland."

Defence counsel Michael Boyd said McNamara's alleged prolific offending had coincided with the break-up of his marriage.

The barrister argued that his client could be released to live in west Belfast with a daughter who could help reduce any risk of re-offending.

But denying bail, Mrs Justice Keegan said: "I do not consider that she could necessarily control the alleged habitual behaviour of this applicant."
'An increasingly disillusioned and frustrated public are weary of hearing the words 'crisis' and 'talks', and of watching political posturing about issues which seem remote from their fears for the future'

As we sit here in another round of talks to restore devolution, many of us have cast our minds back to Holy Week in 1998 when talks to establish the Good Friday Agreement were entering their final days.

Whilst much has changed on the inside of the process, including the main protagonists and the scale and scope of the differences to be overcome, it's also telling that much has changed outside too.

Northern Ireland today is almost unrecognisable from the Northern Ireland of 1998, with genuine and positive change being delivered over almost 20 years of relative peace and stability. Perhaps that's why, whilst there was serious pressure building from the public and wider civic society around the Parliament Buildings back in 1998, now complaints are relatively muted at the prospect of no deal.

Perhaps that's because an increasingly disillusioned and frustrated public are weary of hearing the words 'crisis' and 'talks', and of watching political posturing about issues which seem remote from their fears for the future.

Or perhaps they have stopped listening or, at the very least, are cynical about the seriousness of the situation in which we find ourselves, worn down by crisis-fatigue.

Indeed, there remains little sense of momentum even on the part of a number of parties in the talks process itself, and there is a detectable air of complacency over the consequences of continued deadlock.

The failure of recent talks processes, whether CSI or Haass, has created a false sense of security, as they happened against a backdrop of continuing devolution, however dysfunctional, and carried little threat of collapse.

It's like the little boy who cried wolf - people stop taking it seriously.

Yet, right now, the stakes are incredibly high. We are at the start of a new financial year, yet there is no Budget. We have just seen the triggering of Article 50, yet we have no Brexit plan. We are already overdue the Assembly vote needed to set next year's regional rate, yet we have no Assembly. We have no Programme for Government and no Government to agree one.

People have already lost their jobs and as budgets continue to be constrained in the absence of strong, local political leadership, many more face an increasingly uncertain future.

We owe it to those both who rely on and also who deliver our vital public services -health, education, infrastructure - whether in the public, private or voluntary and community sector, to restore devolution in a manner which is sustainable and focused on the needs of those who elected us only a few short weeks ago.

In the context of Brexit, we are more vulnerable to its effects than any other region, yet without a devolved government in place, are not well placed to take advantage of the good will of other EU members to facilitate a solution which respects the shared and inter-locking nature of politics, economics and identity.

Meanwhile, the economic, social and financial challenges are piling up due to not only the deadlock of the past few months, but also years of under-performance and missed opportunity from dysfunctional governance.

Arguments over precisely how much an Irish Language Act would cost pale into insignificance set beside the impact of an unreformed, cash-starved health service.

More than all of that, however, failure to reach agreement will call into question the very concept of power-sharing and regional devolution, and many of the assumptions that have driven the political process for more than two decades.

It risks squandering all that we have invested, not just in the Good Friday Agreement, but in the previous failed attempts to bring about power sharing devolution and placing in jeopardy much of the progress we have made. It is therefore vital all parties focus on the bigger picture and act in the common good, putting in place the basis for a restored Executive with a viable plan for Brexit and a set of progressive policies which can fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people who voted to see Northern Ireland pull together rather than fall apart.

While on many of the issues progress has been made and the gaps between parties are seemingly narrow, the divisions between the parties are deep, with mistrust, lack of respect, and inflexibility hindering agreement. A deal can and must be done, but the will appears lacking.

Of course there are those who will doubt things are really that serious. We've heard it all before. There's always a crisis.

The moral of the tale of the little boy who cried wolf was that one day there was a wolf. By t he time people realised it was a real threat, it was already too late. Let's not make that mistake with our future.
MLA Mervyn Storey speaks to Anne Gillen, a neighbour of the couple who were robbed, outside her Donaghbrook Drive home near Ballymoney

An elderly man was beat round the head after a masked gang tied him and his wife to chairs during a terrifying robbery in Co Antrim.

Three masked men broke into the house in Donaghbrook Drive, Ballymoney at around 9.40pm on Monday.

Shots were also heard in the same area at the time.

The man in his 70s was hit around the head by one of the assailants. The gang then restrained him and his wife using cable ties and fled the scene with a large sum of money in a vehicle.

The man was taken to hospital with a head injury but has since been released.

PSNI Detective Constable Brennan said: "The man managed to break free and release the woman who then went to a neighbour's house.

"There were also reports of shots fired coming from the Ballybrakes area at around this time."

DUP MLA Mervyn Storey described the attack as "extremely disturbing".

"Those responsible are creating a sense of fear and I utterly condemn their behaviour," he said. "This incident was undoubtedly a frightening experience for the family involved."

Police have appealed for information of any suspicious activity, vehicles or the sound of gunshots on Monday night to call Coleraine police station on 101, quoting reference number 1298.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The latest attack follows the revelation that more than 12 elderly people are the victims of crime in Northern Ireland every day.

PSNI figures show more than 4,500 people aged 65 and over were targeted between February 2016 and January this year.

These included 1,276 incidents of criminal damage, 1,063 thefts and 1,005 burglaries.

In addition there were 239 cases of violence with injury against pensioners, including homicide, 499 incidents of violence without injury and 62 sexual offences.

In March alone there were at least five burglaries. On March 28, a man from Kilkeel in his 60s was tied up, assaulted and had his head covered with a pillowcase as thieves raided his house in Slieveshan Park.

March 26 saw a woman in her 80s from Forkhill burgled by two men in their 20s.

Another woman in her 80s from north Belfast was held down in her home on March 23 by an intruder as another searched her bedroom.

On March 12, a woman in her 70s from west Belfast received a cut to her head after confronting an intruder armed with a screwdriver.
Claire Sugden said several justice projects have been left to languish because Sinn Fein and the DUP cannot reach an agreement to restart the powersharing executive

Former Stormont justice minister Claire Sugden has hit out at the warring political parties for forcing her to break a number of promises to crime victims.

Ms Sugden said several important justice projects, including plans to tackle the scourge of paramilitarism and domestic abuse, have been left to languish because Sinn Fein and the DUP cannot reach an agreement to restart the powersharing executive.

"Many important plans have stalled while the main parties decide if they want to run the country or not. I have broken promises I made because of something out of my control. It is very frustrating," said the Independent Unionist MLA.

A major inter-agency plan to tackle paramilitarism across Northern Ireland is one of many projects to stall because of the political crisis.

The 50 million paramilitary action plan was published in July 2016. It was the executive's response to the recommendations of an independent panel's report.

The plan included a range of educational and community schemes aimed at deterring young people who are at risk of involvement in paramilitarism.

Ms Sugden said: "The (paramilitary action plan) was only ever going to be effective alongside a programme for government.

"It was about trying to strengthen communities and for people to take back ownership of their communities.

"Everything is just stalling while the main parties decide if they want to run the country or not.

"But the problems that exist in communities around paramilitarism continue, that fear continues. That is the sad thing about this."

She added that she has been forced to break a promise made to victims of domestic abuse.

Ms Sugden had planned to introduce a new domestic abuse offence of coercive and controlling behaviour to bring the north into line with Britain.

The first stage of the new legislation, which was introduced in England and Wales in December 2015, was due to have been on the north's statute books by October 2016.

"I made a promise to bring in a new offence of coercive control. That is a promise I have broken because of something out of my control," said Ms Sugden.

In addition, as hundreds of survivors of historical institutional abuse have been left without promised financial payments, Ms Sugden said the government should be "ashamed" for failing them.

The current Stormont impasse means that the findings and recommendations of a four-year inquiry into state and church abuse have still not been presented to the assembly.

"When the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry report was published in January, that was in the middle of all the political fallout and their voices as victims have been lost," said Ms Sugden.

She added: "To me, the biggest failure of our government is that we are letting people down, victims down.

"I think we should be ashamed we haven't in some way gotten around to acknowledging or addressing their needs.

"That is what the government is there for - they are not there for posturing or playing political games."
After 70,000 people marched in Budapest against a new Hungarian law that targeted the liberal Central European University, the Hungarian government has dangled a possible escape rope: Education Secretary Laszlo Palkovics said that "CEU could issue diplomas if it extended a license agreement with its Hungarian sister school to teach its courses."



The government of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a critic of liberal civil organizations funded by the Hungarian-born Soros, has said the Central European University had violated regulations in awarding diplomas  an allegation rejected by the college.

The aim of the new legislation, the government says, was to address administrative shortcomings of foreign universities in Hungary. Critics counter that the law is part of a wider crackdown on nongovernment organizations linked to Soros.
An inquest is being held in Belfast into the 1973 shooting of Daniel Carson

A suspect in the sectarian loyalist shooting of a young father in Northern Ireland was a Housing Executive plumber who was working on the day of the killing, a witness said.

Daniel Carson, 28, from Dunmurry, was gunned down as he left work at a hardware merchant in the Shankill area of Belfast in November 1973. He was the only Catholic still employed at the company as the Troubles deepened.

A colleague named a man known as S1 as firing several shots from a Webley revolver at a T-junction close to the victim's workplace.

A neighbour of S1, Richard Morrison, told a new inquest into the death: "I remember the wee lad coming out to fix the toilet bowl."

He added: "It was the toilet bowl that I think he broke and he got annoyed, the wee fella, and I told him I would get it fixed."

In a statement Mr Morrison said S1 left his home, returning 20 minutes later. He finally left Mr Morrison's house at about 5pm.

Two soldiers visited S1's house shortly after the death of Mr Carson and he told them he had been asleep at the time of the shooting, records from the time discussed during the inquest showed.

S1 was interviewed by police but released without charge after a woman known as witness A withdrew her evidence, an earlier hearing was told.

Witness A had claimed the suspect vowed to clear all Catholic "taigs" from the area.

A person was seen with arms outstretched and holding a gun as the cheerful and non-political family man was shot in the head through a car window and the vehicle he was driving careered off the road.

Papers before the inquest did not say which loyalist group was responsible for the killing.

A coroner has opened a fresh investigation in Belfast into Mr Carson's death after a direction from Northern Ireland's attorney general following representations from the dead man's family.
Some of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts have gone on display at the Chester Beatty library in Dublin

Some of the oldest surviving biblical manuscripts are on display in Dublin.

The texts, which caused a global sensation in 1931 when they were bought by Sir Alfred Chester Beatty, contain both Old and New Testament books and date from 200 to 400AD.

And as Easter approaches, the library named in the collector's honour is showing St Paul's Letter To The Corinthians, which recounts how Jesus Christ died, was buried and rose again.

Jill Unkel, curator of the Western Collection at the Chester Beatty Library, said: "It's a very, very significant collection.

"It's the earliest collection of Pauline epistles on book. There are surviving fragments dated earlier but it's the earliest known collection.

"They are really important finds for biblical scholars, for Christian scholars and for a lot of Christians who come to the library to see these texts."

The manuscripts were written in Greek on papyri in Egypt and contain no illustrations.

They were said to have been found on the banks of the Nile in the 1920s, although the exact location is unknown.

It took Sir Alfred Chester Beatty the best part of a decade to gather all the manuscripts by contacting dealers in Cairo and elsewhere.

It is believed that they were written by Christian scholars for the elite who had converted to the faith or for the hierarchy to promote the religion. Among them are The Book Of Numbers, which was the oldest surviving book of the Bible until the Dead Sea Scrolls were unearthed.
Delegates passed a resolution raising concerns at the "increasing pressure that comes from national tests" on pupils and teachers

Teachers have raised the prospect of a boycott of primary school testing, just weeks after the Government axed one of the key tests.

Delegates at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers' (ATL) annual conference in Liverpool overwhelmingly passed a resolution raising concerns at the "increasing pressure that comes from national tests", amid calls to "put a nail in the coffin of testing".

They called on the ATL's leadership to explore a possible boycott of primary level testing and to hold discussions with other unions about the action.

It comes after Education Secretary Justine Greening announced plans to scrap national curriculum tests - known as SATs - for seven-year-olds, a move aimed at "reducing the burden" of assessment on teachers and pupils.

But the conference heard that there are still concerns about testing for youngsters, including a proposed new "baseline" assessment for four and five-year-olds, and existing SATs tests for 11-year-olds (at the end of what is known as Key Stage 2).

Proposing the resolution, which was passed with 96% in favour, Jean Roberts, from Brent, north-west London, said: "Where is the mention of KS2 SATs? Those will stay in place, with the curriculum narrowed for so many pupils, as schools work to reach an ever-rising bar. Which means they are not deemed to what is called 'below the floor' and labelled as failing."

She said: "This motion talks about exploring options and a possible boycott and talking to other unions about this, particularly the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).

"A successful boycott, if agreed, needs teachers, head teachers and parents supporting it.

"We have heard passionate speeches about the need to get active and actually do something.

"The time has passed for moaning about the tests. The time has come to put the nail in the coffin of testing. Our children deserve better. So, conference, I urge you to support this motion."

Michael Catty, a delegate from Hertfordshire, said: "Education in this country is in a pit and it is a pit that will get deeper and deeper. It has been dug by the twin evils of testing and league tables. Combine those two together and education doesn't count.

"We can't do anything about league tables. But we can do something about testing. Nobody wants it, the children don't want it, the parents don't want it, the teachers don't want it. Let's get rid of it. We can do it."

SATs tests in reading, writing and maths are held in May and it is understood that no national action by the union will take place this year.

The ATL is due to merge with the National Union of Teachers (NUT) later this year, and the NUT's conference, due to be held in Cardiff this weekend, is likely to be closely watched to see if it takes a similar stance on primary testing.

The NUT has a motion listed for debate which calls for a ballot of members to boycott all primary school testing in the next academic year (2017/18).

Any formal industrial action is likely to need a formal ballot of members.

Under the Government's plans, which are open for consultation, the Key Stage 1 tests which are taken by more than half a million youngsters each year will no longer be statutory.

Instead, there will be a new teacher assessment of four and five-year-olds when they start infant school.

The results will be used as a marker of children's abilities at the start of their schooling and be used to measure the progress youngsters have made by age 11, at the end of primary school.

Primary school testing - and in particular SATs - has long been controversial.

Last year there was a campaign to keep children off school during SATs week, with organisers arguing that there is more focus on testing, results and league tables than children's happiness.

There has previously been an official boycott of SATs tests.

In 2010, the NAHT and NUT led action against the tests, after school leaders voted for a boycott.

Around a quarter of primaries in England were affected, with tens of thousands of youngsters missing the tests.

ATL general secretary Mary Bousted said: "The profession is having to live through the chaos that was wished upon them last year and is continuing to have to live through that. So it's not surprising that teachers have very little trust in the Government and its ability to reform assessment adequately.

"I would say that I think Justine Greening has taken this issue seriously, and has conducted a review of primary assessment. That contains some good proposals - taking away testing at seven, Key Stage 1 and looking at new ways of marking."

It is a serious attempt to engage with the profession, she said.

"The problem is, and the suspicion is among our members, that it doesn't go far enough. We're not going to be agreeing to a quid pro quo that you take away the Key Stage 1 SATs and you reintroduce baseline testing."

She added: "Although there is a serious attempt to engage, the Government is giving out mixed messages about testing and therefore it's not surprising that teachers say, 'we want the option, if we don't get significant, serious progress, we want the option of a boycott'."

The ATL and the NUT will begin their merger to become the National Education Union later this year, and it will be complete by 2019. Both would need the same policy on primary testing to take action, such as a ballot, for a boycott.

A DfE spokeswoman said: "We want a long-term, stable and proportionate system for primary assessment that measures the progress that children make throughout their time at primary school fairly and accurately, one that recognises teachers' professionalism in assessing their pupils, and which does not impose a disproportionate burden.

"We have worked with the teaching profession on how best to establish this and we are currently consulting on a number of proposals."
Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov holds up his hand as he votes against a Draft resolution that condemns the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria at the Security Council on April 12, 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York. AFP/Getty Images

Russia has vetoed a Western-backed Security Council resolution that would have condemned the use of chemical weapons in a town in northern Syria.

Wednesday's vote on the resolution drafted by Britain, France and the United States was 10 in favour, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.

Russia's UN ambassador Vladimir Safronkov told the council before the vote that during talks earlier on Wednesday in Moscow, Russia asked for an independent international investigation to examine the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun that killed nearly 90 people.

He said US secretary of state Rex Tillerson is considering the request.

The final draft resolution included a paragraph that the Russians objected to last week stressing Syria's requirement to provide investigators with flight plans and information about air operations on April 4 when Khan Sheikhoun was attacked, names of helicopter squadron commanders, and immediate access to air bases where they believe an attack may have been launched.

Earlier Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after talks with his US counterpart in Moscow that if there is not an international inquiry then it will mean that the international community is not interested in establishing the truth.

"I would like to stress that we are 100 percent sure that, if our colleagues in the UN or in The Hague will steer away from this investigation, it will basically mean that they do not want to find out the truth, Mr Lavrov said.

Mr Lavrov also said President Vladimir Putin is ready to return to implementing the memorandum of understanding on flight safety in Syria with the United States.
Test results confirm sarin gas was used in an attack on a northern Syrian town earlier this month, Turkey's health minister has said.

The results were announced as the Russian military said the Syrian government is willing to let international experts examine its military base for signs of chemical weapons.

Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, of the Russian General Staff, said Russia will provide security for international inspectors seeking to examine Syrian bases, and that Damascus has agreed to allow the inspections.

His comments came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow will appeal to the United Nations to investigate the attack on Khan Sheikhoun.

The April 4 chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town in Idlib province left nearly 90 people dead. The US blamed President Bashar Assad's government and launched nearly 60 cruise missiles on Friday at the Shayrat air base in the central province of Homs, where it claims the attack originated.

Moscow, which is a strong backer of the Syrian government, has dismissed suggestions that Damascus could be behind the attack. The Syrian government also denied the allegation, saying its air force bombed a rebel arsenal that had chemical weapons stored inside.

Mr Putin told reporters that Russia would appeal to a UN agency in the Hague, urging it to launch an official probe.

The Russian president also said Moscow has received intelligence about planned "provocations" using chemical weapons that would be used to pin the blame on the Syrian government.

The Russian statements came as US secretary of state Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow where he will meet Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.

In Turkey, a main backer of the Syrian opposition, health minister Recep Akdag said test results conducted on victims of the Khan Sheikhoun attack confirm that sarin gas was used.

Later, White House press secretary Sean Spicer suggested even Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons" - a comment at odds with the extermination of Jews during the Holocaust in gas chambers.

Mr Spicer was trying to discuss the horror of last week's chemical weapons attack.

"We didn't use chemical weapons in World War Two," said Mr Spicer, adding that "someone as despicable as Hitler... didn't even sink to using chemical weapons".

Minutes later, Mr Spicer delivered a garbled defence of his remarks, saying Hitler did not use chemical weapons on his own people "in the same way" as Assad.

Mr Spicer later emailed reporters: "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers.

"Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable."
There is probably as much chance that detectives from Operation Kenova will arrest three senior IRA figures connected to the Stakeknife scandal as there is that they will start detaining top military intelligence officers, high up figures in MI5 or RUC Special Branch who either ran or exploited the intelligence provided by Britain's key agent inside the Provisionals.

While no one should underestimate the calibre of the police officer heading up Kenova - former counter-terrorism expert and Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Jon Boutcher - wider political factors and even the passage of time will play a large part in ensuring no one will be held accountable for the Stakeknife controversy. Certainly, no one that is of a senior position in either the British security forces or the IRA leadership.

Let's take the latter group first, the trio in the Provisionals' high command which Panorama's tenacious investigative reporter John Ware says sanctioned the murders Stakeknife carried out or oversaw when his spy-catching unit, the so-called "nutting squad", interrogated suspected informers.

One of these IRA figures, Martin McGuinness, is dead. He met with the spy believed to be Freddie Scappaticci usually on a weekly basis at safe houses in Belfast. McGuinness would be briefed by 'Scap' on the progress of internal investigations into those under suspicion of betraying the cause, failed/compromised 'operations' and the loss of weaponry, as well as the fate of those who had 'confessed' to treachery.

The remaining two IRA leaders are of such senior rank and held in such high regard in the broader movement that it could be politically risky to, as Ware says, "lift them" and start questioning them over the 30 murders Panorama has been told occurred while Stakeknife was in charge of smoking out the spies from the IRA's ranks. Given the sensitivity of the current political process in Northern Ireland, we are hardly likely any time to see these men arrested in relation to the scandal. It could be perceived by Sinn Fein as an open attack on republicans over past Troubles' crimes at a time when the parties and the Governments in London and Dublin still cannot agree on a mechanism to deal with legacy issues.

The risk in starting to arrest retired military intelligence officers, MI5 spooks and police officers is also great in terms of the interests of the British State and its determination to lock down the peace process. Given the secrets many of these old warhorses from the 'secret war' hold on to, those who call the shots on security policy must fear that a whole raft of damaging leaks about agents, informers and others in the 'dirty war' would flow in the wake of arrest operations.

Several veteran RUC officers this writer has known have in the recent past been candid about the outcome of arrests targeted against those on the front line of the intelligence war.

As one senior ex-police officer put it: "If they want to point the finger at us in an open court we can start naming the names."

Which presumably must mean other high grade informants the State ran in terror groups, including those who were carrying out crimes up to and including murder while on HMG's payroll.

And then there is the man at the dead centre of this murky, blood-spattered tale of double-agents, treason and subversion of law - Stakeknife himself.

At the time of the Smithwick Tribunal into the IRA's 1989 murder of detectives Breen and Buchanan in south Armagh as they returned from a joint RUC-Garda conference, Scappaticci made it known that he was prepared to give a full and frank account of what he knew.

Of course, Swithwick never called him to the tribunal, or the British military intelligence operative who exposed the Stakeknife scandal, Ian Hurst (aka Martin Ingram).

It is understood that if there was a trial into which Scappaticci was dragged, the former agent would be prepared to be as open and frank about not only his career, but also those who ran him.

They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

The same goes, one would imagine, for an agent of the State who feels his former masters are about to throw him under the bus.
Normal presidents hold Easter Egg Rolls on the White House lawn  have done for 140 years!  where 35,000 people come to watch headline entertainers and 4,000 local schoolchildren. This is not normal.



First, Trump forgot to order the eggs, which is a thing that happens when you "dismantle the administrative state" and fire everyone who knows what they're doing.





Then he forgot to invite headline entertainers, which is probably OK, because none of them would have come (see also: the inauguration).

Then he forgot to send tickets to the kids and other invited guests, especially organizations like American Military Partner Association, an advocacy organization for families of LGBT service members.



A rush order on the eggs was ultimately placed. But this year's event will lack the star-power of past celebrations, which have drawn up to 35,000 attendees and featured performers including Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. Just as the Trump inauguration had a conspicuous lack of big names, the Times suggests A-Listers will be absent from next Monday's party. The lack of preparedness also means fewer children, families and staff will be involved in what's normally the White House's biggest and most popular public affair. "It's the single most high-profile event that takes place at the White House each year, and the White House and the first lady are judged on how well they put it on," Melinda Bates, former director of the White House Visitors Office under President Clinton, told the Times. "I'm really concerned for the Trump people, because they have failed to fill some really vital posts, and this thing is all hands on deck."

The Trump White House Even Managed to Screw Up the Annual Easter Party

[Kali Holloway/AlterNet]





(Image: Trump's Hair)

(via Naked Capitalism)
Prominent Thai historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul is pictured after turning himself in to police in Bangkok over charges of insulting the monarchy, May 11, 2011.

The Thai government on Wednesday banned citizens from interacting online with three outspoken critics of the monarchy, effectively widening its restrictions on speech in the online domain.

The individuals are Somsak Jeamteerasakul, a former lecturer at Thammasat University now living in France; Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a lecturer at Kyoto University in Japan; and Briton Andrew MacGregor Marshall, a former Reuters reporter, according to the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society.

[It] is announced that general citizens do not follow, contact, share content or spread content or information of the trio stated herein on the internet or social media, directly or indirectly, to avoid violation of the Computer Crimes Act  advertently or inadvertently, a Ministry statement said.

The announcement, dated April 12, was published in several mainstream media outlets but not immediately posted on the ministry website.

Declaring an individual persona non-grata online  barring Thais from contacting them or engaging with their content online  is unprecedented, but the Ministry cited an unrelated criminal court order banning "inappropriate content" under the Computer Crimes Act of 2007.

An official with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society told Thai PBS that the announcement was intended to help people avoid trouble.

It is our good intention to let citizens know that certain information that they are looking for on the internet are banned by a court order and be aware that such surfing may affect them directly or indirectly, Deputy Permanent Secretary Group Captain Somsak Khaosuwan said.

Jailed

Thailand already prosecutes individuals for online activities deemed illegal under the nations strict royal defamation law.

On Dec. 3, 2016, two days after the ascension of King Maha Vajiralongkorn following his fathers death, student activist Jatupat Pai Boonpattararaksa was charged with allegedly sharing a BBC profile of the new king profile on Facebook. He remains in jail after being denied bail repeatedly.

Since taking power in 2014, a junta led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha sharply increased prosecutions over perceived slights against the monarchy. In July 2016, Thai police questioned Marshalls wife after he posted to social media photos of the then-crown prince, even though the photos were taken at a German airport and Marshall does not live in Thailand.

Record-breaking 25- and 30-year sentences have been handed down for people over Facebook posts, while a man found himself arrested for making sarcastic comments about Bhumibols late dog. Many convictions are not made public because Thai journalists censor themselves when reporting cases to avoid falling foul of the law.
It's been a decade since Yahoo got raked over the coals by Congress for helping the Chinese government spy on journalists and dissidents, some of whom were then arrested and tortured.



Yahoo said it would make amends by establishing a $17m fund for the support of dissidents who were jailed their online speech, but only $700K of that was dispersed for that purpose; of the rest, $13m was given over to now-deceased dissident Harry Wu, who spent it on his personal projects.

The new lawsuit argues Yahoo instead used the fund as "window dressing" to help shield the company from further ridicule and resolve other lawsuits. Meanwhile, Yahoo turned a "blind eye" to Wu's reckless spending, even though company executives had been warned about the abuses as far back as 2010, according to the complaint. Among other things, the complaint alleges that Wu paid himself and his wife more than $1 million, spent about $4 million buying real estate in Washington and more than $800,000 on his own legal bills, including a case alleging sexual harassment. Wu, who spent 19 years in Chinese labor camps, died last year.

Yahoo accused of mismanaging fund for dissidents in China

[Michael Liedtke/Physorg]
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BGSU employees, community members and area businesses and professionals have the opportunity to receive free training in many aspects of compliance directly from representatives of government agencies during the fifth annual Compliance Day. Hosted by the Office of Human Resources, the event will take place on campus June 1.

Sessions will be led by representatives from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Veterans Programs; Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs; the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division; Ability Center and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC).

The open sessions will cover a variety of topics regarding new regulations, the Civil Rights Act of 1964; EEOCs strategic enforcement plan for fiscal years 2017-2021; disability awareness and resources; the Fair Labor Standards Act; powers and duties of the OCRC as it relates to employment; types of unlawful discrimination (Ohio Revised Code 4112); advantages of hiring a veteran; overview of the military skills translator, and new 503/VEVRAA regulations and lessons learned since the regulations have been in effect.

Compliance Day is designed to provide additional knowledge from the subject matter experts, who serve as regulators in their respective fields, said Lisa Dubose, director of employee relations, professional development and EEO compliance. It is imperative that organizational leaders continually update their understanding of existing or new laws and regulations pertinent to the workplace. We are pleased to offer this prestigious, no-cost training at Bowling Green State University.

The training is recommended for deans, chairs and directors; federal contract holders; eeo compliance officers; hiring directors; managers and supervisors; professionals in the fields of ability/disability services, veterans services, law, human resources, and others.

Training will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in 228 Bowen-Thompson Student Union (Multipurpose Room). Pre-approval for 4 CLEs is pending for attorneys.

To attend, RSVP to the Office of Human Resources at 419-372-8421, or email ohr@bgsu.edu.
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For Immediate Release, April 12, 2017 Contact: Randy Serraglio, Center for Biological Diversity, (520) 784-1504, rserraglio@biologicaldiversity.org

Adam Sarvana, Communications Director, House Natural Resources Democrats, (202) 225-6065, Adam.Sarvana@mail.house.gov Lawsuit Targets Trump's Border Wall, Enforcement Program Congressman Raul M. Grijalva Joins Center for Biological Diversity in Suit Against DHS TUCSON, Ariz. The Center for Biological Diversity and Congressman Raul M. Grijalva, who serves as ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources, today sued the Trump administration over the proposed border wall and other border security measures, calling on federal agencies to conduct an in-depth investigation of the proposal's environmental impacts. Today's suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, is the first targeting the Trump administration's plan to vastly expand and militarize the U.S.-Mexico border, including construction of a great wall. Trump's border wall will divide and destroy the incredible communities and wild landscapes along the border, said Kieran Suckling, the Center's executive director. Endangered species like jaguars and ocelots don't observe international boundaries and should not be sacrificed for unnecessary border militarization. Their survival and recovery depends on being able to move long distances across the landscape and repopulate places on both sides of the border where they've lived for thousands of years. The lawsuit seeks to require the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection to prepare a supplemental programmatic environmental impact statement for the U.S.-Mexico border enforcement program. The program includes Trump's proposed wall as well as road construction, off-road vehicle patrols, installation of high-intensity lighting, construction of base camps and checkpoints, and other activities. These actions significantly impact the borderlands environment stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, which is home to millions of people, endangered species like jaguars and Mexican gray wolves, and protected federal lands like Big Bend National Park and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. American environmental laws are some of the oldest and strongest in the world, and they should apply to the borderlands just as they do everywhere else, Grijalva said. These laws exist to protect the health and well-being of our people, our wildlife, and the places they live. Trump's wall  and his fanatical approach to our southern border  will do little more than perpetuate human suffering while irrevocably damaging our public lands and the wildlife that depend on them. Congressman Grijalva's district is the largest Congressional district in Arizona and includes approximately 300 miles of the U.S./Mexico border. If successful, today's lawsuit would require the Trump administration to undertake a comprehensive review of the social, economic and environmental costs of the border wall. Background

The National Environmental Policy Act requires that federal agencies conduct environmental review of a major federal action or program that significantly affects the quality of the human environment. The Immigration and Naturalization Service  the precursor to the Department of Homeland Security  last updated the programmatic environmental impact statement for the U.S.-Mexico border enforcement program in 2001. That review identified the potential impacts of border enforcement operations, including limited border wall construction, on wildlife and endangered species in particular as a significant issue. The 2001 analysis was intended to be effective for five years but has never been updated. In the 16 years since, the U.S.-Mexico border enforcement program and associated environmental impacts have expanded well beyond the predictions of that document, with deployment of thousands of new border agents, construction of hundreds of miles of border walls and fences, construction and reconstruction of thousands of miles of roads, installation of base camps and other military and security infrastructure, among numerous other actions. During that same time, scientific understanding of the impacts of border walls and other border enforcement activities on wildlife and endangered species including jaguars, ocelots, Mexican gray wolves and cactus ferruginous pygmy owls has advanced significantly. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has also designated critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act within 50 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border for more than 25 species since the outdated 2001 analysis was prepared. Meanwhile, the number of undocumented migrants moving through the southwestern borderlands is at a historic low, and the border is more secure than it's ever been. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Raul M. Grijalva is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives representing District 3 in Arizona. He serves as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Media Advisory, April 11, 2017 Contacts: Andrea Santarsiere, (303) 854-7748, asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org

Bonnie Rice, (406) 582-8365 x1, bonnie.rice@sierraclub.org

Roger Hayden, (307) 730-2000, roger@wyomingwildlifeadvocates.org

Jonathan Ratner, (877) 746-3628, jonathan@westernwatersheds.org 'Trophy,' 'Keep Grizzlies Protected' to Screen at National Museum of Wildlife Art Films Highlight Need to Keep Federal Protections for Yellowstone Grizzlies JACKSON, Wyo. Two films discussing the potential premature ending of federal protections for grizzly bears in Greater Yellowstone will be screened April 19 at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering removing Greater Yellowstone's grizzly bears from the endangered species list. If protections are removed  which officials say could happen as soon as this summer  the states of Wyoming, Idaho and Montana all plan to let trophy hunters kill grizzly bears. Trophy shows how trophy hunting has damaged grizzly populations in British Columbia and could soon affect those around Yellowstone. The film features the Center for Biological Diversity's Senior Attorney Andrea Santarsiere, local conservationist Meredith Taylor, and other grizzly bear advocates in the United States and Canada. Santarsiere will be at the screening to talk about saving grizzly bears and to answer questions. Trophy was produced and is sponsored by Lush Cosmetics. Keep Grizzlies Protected, produced by Louisa Willcox  a long-time champion for grizzly bear protection  is a short film featuring prominent scientists speaking out against delisting. Several Jackson locals contributed to the film's production. What: Film screening of Trophy and Keep Grizzlies Protected, followed by a Q&A with representatives from the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, Wyoming Wildlife Advocates and Western Watersheds Project. These groups will also have tables set up in the lobby with more information on how to help. When: 7 to 9 p.m., Wed., April 19 (doors open at 6:30.) Where: National Museum of Wildlife Art, 2820 Rungius Rd., Jackson, WY Cost: Free; R.S.V.P. to Andrea Santarsiere at asantarsiere@biologicaldiversity.org The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.2 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
For Immediate Release, April 12, 2017 Contact: Bethany Cotton, WildEarth Guardians, (406) 414-7227, bcotton@wildearthguardians.org

Matthew Bishop, Western Environmental Law Center, (406) 324-8011, bishop@westernlaw.org

Collette Adkins, Center for Biological Diversity, (651) 955-3821, cadkins@biologicaldiversity.org Federal Wildlife-killing Program Sued Over Carnivore Killing in Colorado Lawsuit Targets Controversial Plan to Kill Black Bears, Mountain Lions in Colorado DENVER Conservationists sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services today over its carnivore killing program in Colorado. Included in the larger program are controversial plans to kill as many as 120 mountain lions and black bears in Colorado in a misguided experiment aimed at increasing the state's mule deer population. The suit argues that the federal wildlife-killing program failed to fully analyze the environmental impacts of its destruction of wildlife in Colorado, including other native carnivores like coyotes and foxes. Wildlife Services is once again using taxpayer dollars to kill native wildlife while ignoring science and public opinion, said Bethany Cotton, wildlife program director for WildEarth Guardians. The public is entitled to know the full environmental impacts of publicly funded, scientifically unsound and ethically bankrupt wildlife killing. In December 2016, Colorado Parks and Wildlife approved two highly controversial plans to kill large numbers of black bears and mountain lions to assess the impacts on mule deer populations. The plans charge Wildlife Services, the federal government's wildlife killing arm, with carrying out much of the killing using public funds. Wildlife Services' involvement in the experiment lacks proper review as demanded by federal law. Wildlife Services' decision to expand its killing program is misguided, said Matthew Bishop, an attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center representing the organizations. The best available science reveals loss of habitat from oil and gas development is the driving factor in mule deer decline, not predation from black bears and mountain lions. The lawsuit alleges that Wildlife Services failed to consider the impact its statewide program of killing native carnivores  including black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes and foxes  will have on the environment and Colorado's unique wild places. The groups are challenging the program's finding that no significant impact will occur as the result of the program's planned trapping, poisoning, and shooting of hundreds of native animals in Colorado. The organizations' challenge also targets the program's incorporation of Parks and Wildlife's contentious predator-killing studies in the Piceance and Upper Arkansas basins as part of its work plan without conducting a thorough environmental review. I'm outraged that Colorado plans to kill bears and mountain lions to boost deer populations for hunters, said Collette Adkins, a biologist and attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. The state relies on outdated and unscientific thinking that disregards the importance of predators. The scientific analysis that our lawsuit seeks would show that Colorado's predator-killing program is ecologically harmful, as well as ineffective and cruel. Together, the Piceance Basin Predator Management Plan and Upper Arkansas River Predator Management Plan would kill between 15 and 45 mountain lions and 30 to 75 bears over three years in 500 square miles west of Meeker and Rifle, Colorado, as well as more than half of the mountain lions in 2,370 square miles in the south-central part of the state. The Piceance Basin plan calls for using Wildlife Services to deploy cage traps, culvert traps and foot snares to capture and then shoot mountain lions and bears. Parks and Wildlife ignored a huge amount of public opposition  including the advice of the state's own leading scientists  in deciding to proceed with the killing projects. WildEarth Guardians and the Center for Biological Diversity are asking the court to order Wildlife Services to complete a full environmental impact statement before it participates in the state's scientifically flawed carnivore-killing plans or conducts other wildlife killing activities in Colorado. Today's lawsuit is the second in a series of legal challenges against Parks and Wildlife's disputed killing schemes. In February WildEarth Guardians sued the state agency in state court alleging violation of Colorado's constitutional amendment prohibiting trapping, amongst other claims. A motion for preliminary injunction to prevent the killing pending the outcome of litigation is currently before the court. Absent a ruling soon, the killing is slated to begin May 1. The organizations are represented by attorneys Matthew Bishop and John Mellgren of the Western Environmental Law Center and Stuart Wilcox of WildEarth Guardians.
For Immediate Release, April 11, 2017 Contact: Amaroq Weiss, (707) 779-9613, aweiss@biologicaldiversity.org Oregon Officials Push Wolf Hunts, Weaker Protections Despite Miniscule Population Increase PORTLAND, Ore. Oregon's wolf population has increased by only two confirmed wolves since the end of 2015, according to the latest annual wolf population estimate from a report released today by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Yet despite the modest increase, officials want to relax protections for wolves. The estimated gain  to 112 wolves from 110 one year ago  represents an increase of 1.81 percent, a stark contrast from prior years, when gains were around 30 percent annually. The state wildlife agency confirmed 11 wolf packs and eight breeding pairs, a decline from the prior years' count of 12 packs and 11 breeding pairs. The 2016 numbers are cause for significant concern and show that the job of recovery is far from complete, said Amaroq Weiss, West Coast wolf organizer at the Center for Biological Diversity. With the population still small and mostly restricted to one corner of the state, Oregon's wolves continue to need protection." As part of a mandatory five-year review of its wolf management plan, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife today released a draft version of the plan containing proposed changes in wolf management. The proposals address different policy issues, including how wolf numbers will be counted, radio-collaring of wolves for monitoring purposes, the system for investigating suspected wolf-caused livestock losses, and what conflict-deterrence measures and other requirements must be met before wolves could be killed for chronic livestock depredation. One troubling proposal would retain an existing plan provision allowing private citizens to engage in what the agency terms controlled take of wolves  meaning hunting or trapping wolves  in instances of chronic livestock depredation by wolves or in instances in which wolves have impacted localized herds of deer or elk. This is despite a 2016 public opinion survey showing that 72 percent of Oregonians oppose the hunting of wolves. Science tells us that killing wolves harms their social structure and pack stability and actually increases the risk of livestock conflicts, Weiss said. Nonlethal deterrence measures are more effective and less costly over the long haul. This also coincides with the view of the vast majority of Oregonians  who prefer to coexist with, rather than kill, wolves. The Department of Fish and Wildlife will present its annual wolf report and wolf plan update proposals at the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission's April 21 meeting in Klamath Falls. The public will be able to testify on the proposed wolf plan updates there, as well as at the May 19 commission meeting, which will be held in Portland.
Finalists in the 'design' category have been revealed for One Show 2017 with five SA entries making the grade.

MullenLowe Johannesburg features in the branding  identity system category for its South African National Blood Services CI as well as in the promotional  booklets, brochure and product catalogues category for the Nando's Peri Thread Book.

Hero Strategic Marketing Cape Town features in the branding  annual reports and corporate responsibility reports category for its work on The annual report that feeds the hungry' for client FoodBank SA, now known as FoodForward SA.

OpenCo - The Open Collaboration Johannesburg features in the typography  static category for its work on Jameson Soweto Gold '76 as well as in the packaging  specialty category for the Jamesons Soweto Gold Marked by Bravery work.

Click here for the full list of finalists, which includes all the gold, silver and bronze pencils as well as merit winners. The full award details will be announced during One Show Creative Week from 8 to 12 May.

You can view this and other One Show entries by browsing this years entries. Visit our One Show special section for all the latest updates!
As third-biggest pharmaceutical company, Cipla Medpro SA, had acquired a 100% stake in local drug maker, Anmarat, for R26.3m.

Cipla said the acquisition formed part of its strategy to acquire selected products in the growing therapeutic categories.

Anmarat develops and manufactures medical devices and medication.

Cipla MedPro SA, which is 100%-owned by Cipla India, is one of SA's fastest growing pharmaceutical companies.

CEO, Paul Miller, said the group would be implementing "an intensive approach" to grow its portfolio of "quality" and affordable pharmaceutical solutions in more therapeutic areas.

The acquisition would "contribute greatly to Cipla's top line and growth aspirations".

In March, Cipla India sold its southern African veterinary operations to healthcare group Ascendis for R375m. The deal would permit Ascendis to expand into the attractive veterinary drug market with high margin products.

The deal followed a decision by Cipla India to focus on human healthcare only in SA. In July 2016, Cipla said it planned to invest R1.3bn in a biosimilar factory in Durban for cheaper new-generation cancer drugs.
Calling for fresh blood to join the industry and for the industry to nominate a candidate for the 2017 AMASA bursary

Its official; the AMASA Learnership Programme has been renamed to honour one of the greatest media advertising minds in the industry; the late Gordon Patterson. This announcement was made by Wayne Bischoff, Chairperson of the AMASA Committee in March 2017. This media skills development course is the main reason AMASA exists, and its aim is to uphold the standard of media advertising in South Africa, said Wayne Bischoff. Rebranding the course, The Gordon Patterson AMASA Learnership Programme (GP - ALP) was inspired by the remarkable contribution and impact that Gordon made in South Africas media advertising industry. The AMASA team looks forward to seeing the programme give inspiration to future industry leaders such as Gordon Patterson, and AMASA remains committed to sponsoring this programme to impact the industry positively.

Given the success of nine candidates who received the GP - ALP Media Bursary in 2016, AMASA is proud to have supported the class of 2016. The candidates showcased excellence through their performance and delivered great results. Congratulations to the class of 2016 which includes,

Boitumelo Molusi



Bongiwe Khumalo



Deliwe Msibi



Charmaine Moratho



Jared Deacon



Lucas Makhubela



Mbalenhle Manyoni



Nompumelelo Mkhize



Sthanda Manciya

AMASA is now gearing for the 2017 intake of the GP  ALP Media Bursary, and we are looking for candidates who are driven and eager to be game changers in the industry. These individuals must have completed their matric/higher education or are currently registered at a tertiary institution and are looking for a head start in the media and advertising industry. We are also looking for candidates that have tremendous talent within industry that can be nominated by their industry peers or employers to be part of the Gordon Patterson AMASA Learnership Programme.

A total of 10 candidates will receive a full bursary from AMASA. The bursary will cover the recipients costs to enroll in the highly acclaimed AAA Media Management module endorsed by AMASA. They will have the privilege to attend the renowned AMASA Media Planning Workshop in 2018 and they will also receive a copy of AMASAs Textbook, Nuts and Bolts of Media Planning.

Here are some basic steps to take to apply for the 2017 AMASA bursary:

Industry candidates nomination



Agencies/media owners can nominate an existing employee (preferably junior staff or interns) within their business that they believe will get the most value out of the course.



The nominator will be required to mentor the nominee.



Nominations will be open until 28 April 2017



The nominees will be short listed and interviewed by the AMASA ALP Project Team (made up of AMASA committee members) and announced 16 May 2017.



The four successful candidates will be enrolled for the AAA Media Course which starts 24 July 2017 and runs until 24 October 2017. All candidates must be available for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5.30 - 8.30pm



The four candidates will be awarded free access to the annual AMASA Workshop taking place in 2018.



Please note that the bursary does not cover accommodation and transport costs.

Bursary application for candidates with matric/post matric



Individuals who are interested in the media industry, hold an SA ID, completed matric, have great understanding of English and Mathematics may apply by filling in the application form.



The applicants will be allocated a mentor once selected.



Applications will be open until 28 April 2017.



The applicants will be short listed and interviewed by the AMASA ALP Project Team (made up of AMASA Committee Members) and announced 16 May 2017.



The six successful candidates will be enrolled for the AAA Media Course which starts 24 July and runs until 24 October. All candidates must be available for classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5.30 - 8.30pm



The six candidates will be awarded free access to the annual AMASA Workshop taking place in 2018.



Please note that the bursary does not cover accommodation and transport costs

AMASA also calls on all experienced advertising media industry individuals and experts, former ALP students who are interested in Mentorship, and are willing to mentor a rising star within our industry. See the contact information for more details about the GP-ALP Mentorship Programme and information on the possibility of mentoring a potential media expert.

All bursary and mentorship applications should be sent to Memoria Masilela at az.oc.snoitatsdetinu@airomem




Cape Town-based performance marketing agency Rogerwilco has garnered a major accolade, having been shortlisted for the prestigious international Digiday Content Marketing Awards . The company is one of five nominees up for Best Content Marketing Tech Platform, a category reserved for technology platforms which assist brands in connecting with their audience, be it through the use of data, analytics, mobile or visual storytelling.

Rogerwilco received the nod for its WOLF Performance Marketing Tool, which helps marketers to generate evidence-based decisions when choosing focus areas for content marketing programmes.

The company developed the tool in-house after seeing significant fluctuations in the levels of engagement achieved by individual content pieces they produced, as part of the broader content marketing and SEO campaigns run for clients.

To refine our clients content marketing programmes and improve success rates, we recognised the need to analyse more data. Lots more data. And this is how the story of WOLF got started, explains Charlie Stewart, CEO of Rogerwilco.

Marketers begin by providing WOLF with a few keywords or phrases, where it starts crawling the internet to find similar terms that people are using in social media conversations or in web searches. WOLF then extracts data to see how frequently these terms are employed and establishes if there are seasonal changes in the frequency of their use.

Next, WOLF interrogates Google to see what web pages rank for these terms, and then analyses the actual content on these pages to spot opportunities. The resultant dataset provides ideas for content strategy that are likely to prove popular but are relatively uncontested, helping to build campaigns that are both unique and likely to find the right audience.

The WOLF Performance Marketing Tool was initially reserved for exclusive use by Rogerwilco, but will be made available to brands and agencies as software-as-a-service (Saas) in the coming months.

This is not the first time that WOLF has been honoured, having won an Assegai Award for Database & Analytics Innovation, also taking home two IAB Bookmark Awards last month for Use of Research and Web Applications. Being on the shortlist for such a prestigious award is a privilege and certainly acknowledges all the hard work that the Rogerwilco team put into creating the WOLF Performance Marketing Tool, concludes Stewart.

The annual Digiday Content Marketing Awards is seen as one of the highest accolades for content marketers and has companies across the globe competing for honours. Previous winners include The Coca-Cola Company, Conde Nast, USA Today Network and Oracle Marketing Cloud. The award ceremony is set to take place on 9 May 2017 in New York City.




The International Islamic Trade Financing Corporation (ITFC) has organised its first B2B meeting between African cotton suppliers and Bangladesh cotton importers, as part of its Cotton Development and Partnership Programme.

Photo: International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)

ITFC is recognised as the leading trade financier for cotton in West Africa and it is mandated to facilitate and promote intra-trade among and assist them in developing the competitiveness of their strategic products.

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Minister of Finance of Bangladesh and chairman of the IDB Board of governors and Hani Salem Sonbol, CEO, ITFC inaugurated the event. West African cotton producers, the African Cotton Association, the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, the Bangladesh Cotton Association and Bengali Spinning/Textile Mills attended.

The meeting supports the Bangladeshi textile industry, which is the source of employment and export earnings for the Bangladeshi economy. ITFC was able to bridge between the Asian countries, specifically Bangladesh and Indonesia, to reach out and develop new business partnerships with African cotton suppliers.

Sonbol expressed his thanks to the President of African Cotton Association, Baba Berthe and CEO representatives of West African Cotton Ginning companies for being part of this B2B meeting. ITFC is very thankful to its strategic partners for co-hosting this important business development event for member countries of Organization of Islamic Conferences cotton industry. ITFC, as the trade finance and trade development arm of the IDB Group, brings businessmen together from its member countries and provide them with the platform as such today to develop new business partnership to benefit from direct trade linkages between cotton exporting countries and Bangladeshi textile industry.

Minister Muhith expressed his confidence in the impact of this meeting to the Bangladeshis to the textile and garment industry, which is the backbone of the Bangladeshi economy and stimulator of its economic growth. This meeting opened doors to our cotton importers to build new opportunities with the African suppliers. With the current challenging economic environment and the increasing competition, ITFC had given us the chance to reach new destinations.

Calik Cotton sponsored the meeting as the events strategic partner. It supplies cotton of different origins, grown both in Turkey and abroad, and serves major local and international textile industrialists. The event served as a platform for networking and business partnerships and provided an opportunity for discussing ideas, industry trends and market updates.

Hani held one-to-one meetings with Minister Muhith, the Minister of Finance, Fazle Kabir, governor and chairman of the Board, Bangladesh Bank and Nasrul Hamid, State Minister, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources. The meetings focused on the longstanding and strategic partnership between ITFC and the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh, especially in supporting Bangladeshs energy sector in addition to the opportunities in supporting the agricultural sector.
NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores is eliminating hundreds of corporate jobs in a cost-cutting move, a person familiar with the matter said Tuesday.

Walmart's new cuts will affect employees in the international division, its technology services division and in its Sam's Club business ( AFP Photo/Scott Olson

The cuts will affect employees in Wal-Mart's international division, its technology services division and in its Sam's Club business. The layoffs are centered in administrative functions, said the person, confirming a story in the Wall Street Journal.

Wal-Mart has been targeting e-commerce growth and looking to offset increased spending in that realm with belt-tightening elsewhere.

"To fuel our growth and our investments we have to manage our costs and our capital decisions with discipline," a Wal-Mart spokesman said.

"In order to achieve this, from time to time you'll see the company eliminate positions in an effort to stay lean and fast. In some areas, we'll invest in new positions but in other cases, we'll operate more efficiently and work to change our processes and become more digital to change the work itself."

Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, cut 1,000 administrative and e-commerce jobs at the start of 2017, even as it pledged to create 10,000 jobs in the United States.

In 2016, Wal-Mart cut 18,000 jobs through store closures and automation. Some of the workers affected by those cuts found posts elsewhere at the company.
Bespoke research, in the absence of in-depth industry media and social media behaviour and psychographics, allows Limelight Consulting to form custom segmentations and draw insights on new media and traditional media, thus driving business objectives.

For its Media Usage Report, the agency has surveyed 1,200 consumers for each of its clients briefs, creating a sample of over 33,000 annually. The data is continually analysed and interrogated, allowing for campaign manoeuvring while keeping abreast of trends and metrics.

Our sample is bigger than the new Establishment Survey, currently at 12 500 (6 months of data) and 25,000 when the full years data is released in September, states Ross Sergeant, MD, Limelight Consulting. Our usage report offers us an understanding of consumer psychographics, which industry data is not giving us, allowing us to form custom segmentations for clients and draw insights on new media and traditional media  all in one.

Facebook vs Snapchat

From a South African perspective, stats include that 72% of digitally connected adult South Africans use Facebook daily, while more people have used Facebook in the last week than watched television. Young adults, 18-24 years, are 8% less likely to use Facebook but more likely to engage on all other social media platforms  85% of women surveyed make use of this platform on a daily basis, as opposed to 62% men.

Seventy-two percent of women have never used Snapchat, while only 37% of men claim the same. LinkedIn appears to be a popular professional networking site with one in four men making use of it. Young adults, aged 18-24 are 13% more likely to make use of Snapchat on a daily basis, with Instagram the second most used daily platform. Adults aged 25-24 are 31% more likely to make use of Facebook and 56% less likely to use Snapchat.

Parents, if you want to know what your kids are doing, learn to use Snapchat, the high percentage of daily and weekly users suggest that it is here to stay and increasing in popularity, comments Sergeant.

Understanding media consumption is key to effectively and efficiently communicating with your consumers and social media is now challenging traditional media. Past 7 day usage indicates that more people used Facebook (55%) than watched TV (52%). More people said they had read an article online (33%) in the last 7 days, than a magazine (30%).

New media reach increases

A comparison of new and traditional forms of media provides grounds for a compelling case in favour of new media advertising within the South African media landscape. The reach of new media forms is expected to continue to increase.

Psychographics matter. People who say, Brands define me are 16% more likely to use Instagram and those who want to stand out from the crowd are more likely to use Twitter and Snapchat. Consumers who buy products as they launch are more likely to use Snapchat, LinkedIn and go to the cinema.

These are only a few snippets from the report. Sir Francis Bacon said it best, back in 1597, Knowledge is power and it is with this knowledge of the consumer and media landscape that we are able to guide advertisers through the fragmented world of advertising, concludes Sergeant.

For more information, go to LimelightConsulting.co.za.
Years of human resources experience have equipped Mike Teke with the ability to deal with people, a key attribute he will need in his new position as Seriti Resources CEO.

Seriti, set up by four companies to create a 79% black-owned resources company, has edged out more than 20 other interested parties to be selected as the buyer of Anglo American's thermal coal mines supplying Eskom.

As a CEO in his first public outing, Teke did not hold back on outlining the strategy for Seriti, saying the R2.3bn deal to buy three operating coal mines and four closed mines from Anglo was just the start of Seriti's ambitions to become SA's mining champion.

Teke is no stranger to coal, having served as the founding CEO of Optimum Coal in 2008 when BHP Billiton hived off coal assets and listed them on the JSE as part of an empowerment deal. He has worked at Impala Platinum and Ingwe Collieries as head of human resources, a position in which he would have dealt directly with employees and between the workforce and the management.

Teke, raised by his grandmother in KwaThema on Johannesburg's East Rand, has a string of degrees including a Bachelor of Education from the University of Limpopo, a BA from the University of Johannesburg and an MBA from the University of SA.

"I have always yearned for greatness in everything I associate myself with," he said in a recent speech as president of the Chamber of Mines.

"If we follow the right approach, our advocacy will take us in a direction that is to the benefit not only of the industry alone but, on balance, to the benefit of our society more broadly," he said.

Since his appointment as vice-president of the chamber in 2011 and, as president in 2013, Teke is said to have had a major role in giving the industry lobbying body a more muscular and outspoken role in setting the agenda for the sector. In his new CEO role, he will have to manage the expectations of the four companies that are the anchor shareholders in Seriti and bring employees and communities into the company as shareholders, a difficult balancing act that will draw on his human resources experiences.
FREETOWN - Sierra Leone said that it was extending the bidding for a massive 709-carat diamond found by an evangelical preacher last month, after the government received only six offers for the gem.

Bids will now be accepted until May 10 - in particular to allow more time for potential buyers from Belgium, Israel, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, a government spokesman said - with the auction to be held the following day.

The diamond was unearthed by Emmanuel Momoh, a 39-year-old pastor who is also one of hundreds of so-called artisanal miners in Kono, Sierra Leone's key mining district.

Source: NDTV.com

"I also had an opportunity to escape with the diamond to Belgium through a local dealer, but I was convinced that the government is committed to helping our people, so I handed it over to the government," Momoh said.

"I have been part of all the processes in the weighing, bidding and cleaning of the diamond, and it has been transparent, and I'm very satisfied with the process so far," he added.

But the Sierra Leone authorities lack the necessary equipment for properly cleaning and polishing the uncut stone, which currently appears to be coated by a reddish stain.

The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources said it had tried to clean the diamond "by boiling (it) in hydrofluoric acid and nitric acid for 72 hours," but it was not enough to be able to set an accurate estimate of its value.

"We had to do with what we have to ensure that the diamond is sold with quality to the highest bidder as soon as possible," said Sahr Wonday, director general of the National Minerals Agency.

"We want more individuals or companies to bid for the diamond so that we can get the best price" for what is expected to be between the 10th- and 15th-biggest diamond ever found, Wonday said.

The government has pledged to hold a "transparent" bidding process, mindful of the history of cross-border diamond trafficking that fuelled Sierra Leone's civil war from 1991-2002.

Such "blood diamonds" were often found by enslaved members of the population, who were killed or maimed by rebel groups if they refused to dig.

"The president is keen to use proceeds of the diamond to develop Kono and other parts of the country," said Abdulai Bayratay, the government spokesman.

Momoh is the still the official owner of the diamond, but it is unclear what percentage of the sale price he will have to pay the government in taxes.
Climate change will be one of the pressing matters discussed during this year's meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and the G20 Hamburg Summit in July. Carbon pricing is expected to be addressed, particularly at the G20 Summit.

Professor Harald Winkler, director of the Energy Research Centre

UCT Professor Harald Winkler, director of the Energy Research Centre, has been selected to be one of the 12-member High-Level Commission on Carbon Prices, and will contribute to an in-depth report.

The commission, led by the French government in its capacity as host of COP21 (Conference of Parties) where the Paris Agreement was signed, is chaired by Sir Nicholas Stern and Professor Jospeh Stiglitz.

These are very eminent economists working on climate change, so to work on a relatively small commission with them is an honour and a fantastic opportunity for me to learn from them, says Winkler.

Stern is, among other positions, the chair of the Grantham Research Institute, chair of the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, director of the India Observatory, and president of the British Academy.

Stiglitz is a recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, and in his day-job, a professor at Columbia University, co-chair of the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress at the OECD, and the chief economist of the Roosevelt Institute.

The commissions objectives are to identify a range of carbon prices that would be consistent with the temperature goal of the Paris Agreement. The commission will also look at other climate policies that implicitly price carbon. The approach is to consider the achievement of climate goals together with the Sustainable Development Goals  including to eradicate poverty.

How carbon pricing works

Carbon pricing is about putting a price on carbon pollution. An economic signal is given to those who pollute, giving them the choice to reduce their polluting activities or continue and pay the penalties.

There are numerous benefits of carbon pricing, including speeding up economic transitions, generating revenue, tackling air pollution and related diseases, and easing congestion.

Equally, there are severe consequences to not acting  and to not acting now. This includes threats to economic growth, a reversal of progress in developing countries, and an increase in extreme weather-related events.

There are two main types of carbon pricing: taxation (costing externalities) and emissions trading systems. Governments can use these to begin implementation of carbon pricing and to generate revenue.

Costing externalities puts a price on something that is not priced in the market. For instance, pollution imposes a cost, says Winkler. If there is local air pollution, people pay because they get sick, or the government pays by having to build more hospitals.

Emissions trading can also generate revenue if governments auction emissions allowances or permits. Governments can begin by handing these out free, but they can also make those who omit carbon dioxide buy allowances or permits  a better design.

Countries as case studies

The mitigation measures required by the Paris Agreement could be implemented by enforcement  regulation  or by using economic instruments. The route preferred by economists is the latter: Economic instruments generally rely on the power of the market, so they tend to be voluntary, says Winkler.

Many countries have already indicated a willingness to join a carbon market, while others are already providing insightful case studies.

Europe, for instance, is home to an extensive emissions trading scheme. China has established pilot emissions trading schemes in several large provinces and will implement its national emissions trading system this year. Brazil and Chile are also already undertaking carbon pricing. The levels of carbon prices, in $ per ton, differ significantly across countries. The commission will consider where an average carbon price needs to go, to limit temperature increase. It will not prescribe any specific instrument or tax rate for any country, as each political economy is different.

Scandinavia provides particularly interesting case studies for both experts and governments carbon pricing was introduced as far back as the 1990s, but their governments were, in addition to climate change, looking at tax reform. They reduced income tax while raising a carbon tax, thereby achieving both social developmental and climate, says Winkler. They didnt get everything right in the beginning, but we can and must learn from them.

"It is in every countrys national interest that we have effective action on climate change, and that can only happen globally.

It is concerning, then, that some countries remain unwilling to enforce climate change policies.

We are worried about the United States, says Winkler. The US never joined the Kyoto Protocol, which had an international emissions trading scheme. And now, of course, the Trump regime is very unlikely to pass a domestic carbon tax or an emissions trading scheme. Indeed the Republican administration is cutting support to climate action and science internationally, and moving backwards on domestic climate action. They risk becoming uncompetitive in a low-carbon future.

Carbon pricing at home

Carbon pricing could be very effective at raising revenue for South Africa, says Winkler.

In the first instance, he says, we must make sure that poor households arent worse off due to carbon pricing. So I would certainly argue that poor households energy bills shouldnt go up. We dont want the carbon tax to be paid for by the poor.

Instead, those who omit the most must pay proportionately, such as those in the energy intensive industries.

Winkler suggests that the revenue generated by carbon taxes be used to extend free basic energy  lighting, water heating, power for kettles, irons and access to media  to poor households.

The way forward

The commission will deliver its report in April to the World Bank and IMF. This report, explains Winkler, will map out a suggested carbon prices required to keep global average temperature well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

We still need to determine the carbon price that the world would need to achieve that temperature goal, he says. In other words, If you want to achieve the goal of two degrees using carbon pricing, then $X00 to $Y00 will be the carbon price level that you would need. Watch out for the commissions report to find out what X and Y might be.
110417 OMBUSDMAN AWARENESS

By Aloysius Laukai



Whilst Papua New Guinea is ready to conduct the PNG General Elections, OMBUDSMAN COMMISSION is conducting its own independence awareness to the people of Papua New Guinea.

And yesterday they called in at the New Dawn FM office in Buin to carry out their awareness on the coming elections.

Officers from the Ombudsman Commission office in Port Moresby, SAM KUPUL and TABITHA SUVAE appealed to the people of South Bougainville to vote for clan and honest leaders in the coming elections.

They said that voters have the power to choose good leaders and the time to make the decision is during elections.

They said leaders must be honest, transparent and accountable that can move the country forward.

They said voters complain when they are the ones that mandate their leader fully knowing the person well.



Ends

Caption of Sam, Tabitha and Leslie






The South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) is about to unveil an online platform that will launch its Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, a key transformation driver of the fourth term council's plan that aims to realise economic redress within the profession and the broader built environment.

The architectural profession has been plagued by a lack of representivity albeit some 23 years into democracy. The general focus of public institutions, including universities, has been on recruiting more students from the historically disadvantaged communities  a pipeline approach. Given the historic disparity in schooling, related to socio-economic challenges faced by these students, curricula and resources have not adequately adapted to this reality.

It takes a minimum of six years to graduate as candidate architect while a real consideration of the socio-economic realities of a changed student body has not been forthcoming; this has greatly stifled transformation.

Drop-out rate of black students

Institutions of higher learning are generally ill-equipped as their resources, infrastructural and human alike, cannot support students in need in order to succeed through a long period of study towards an architectural qualification. The drop-out rate of black students is of serious concern  one has to look at a sample study of the demographic representation among first year students in comparison to the final year students, which reveals a bleak picture.

On the other hand, those few students that do manage to progress will only qualify as architects after a minimum period of eight years, including a candidacy period and board exam. This implies that, in any event, the pipeline approach may realise a result after a period of eight years with little impact on transformation statistics, due to the drop-out rate mentioned above.

While SACAP engages with the heads of schools via its education committee to find ways of expediting transformation, it has also acknowledged a critical mass of practitioners, predominantly from historically disadvantaged communities, who have no means of professional articulation other than giving up their employment for full-time studies. These are people who have acquired knowledge and skills informally through work experience.

An alternate and legitimate route

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an alternate and legitimate route to professional qualification for these practitioners without them having to give up their full-time employment. As the RPL programme would typically take between six months and two years to award a professional qualification, transformation will be realised in much quicker time than the pipeline approach of formal studies.

It must be noted that prior to the Architectural Professions Act (Act 44 of 2000) only professional architects were recognised and thereby eligible for professional registration. Subsequently, it changed to include other categories of registration for those persons with ability and / or qualifications at National Qualifications Framework (NQF) levels lower than that of the professional architect.

The greatest beneficiary of this change would be society at large, especially those historically marginalised communities who had historically been served by lower skilled, unregistered practitioners who were not bound by any code of ethics or conduct. RPL will therefore fundamentally impact on the spatial transformation of these communities, in a vital way.

As the architectural professionals regulatory body, SACAPs strategic plan and objectives are aligned with the imperatives of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the roll-out of its cutting edge large scale infrastructure projects.

Matching skills to opportunity

Architectural professionals ignite the planning process of projects such as those undertaken by the Department of Public Works. This has further fuelled the urgency of implementation of RPL in order to allow the historically marginalised professionals an opportunity to contribute to nation building, while developing themselves further. This is the essence of redress  matching skills to opportunity.

The purpose of RPL is to assess previously acquired skills and knowledge, with the view to providing an opportunity for applicants to articulate to the next level of professional registration. It is expected that there will be a large number of applicants and therefore SACAP developed an online system for application and part-evaluation. More recently there has been an intense period of testing newly designed RPL software.

The programme has been designed as a two-phase process. The first phase happens online and allows for self-assessment. The outcome of this assessment determines whether the user can progress to the second phase, which includes the applicant being invited to present their work evidenced in the self-assessment phase, for review by an assessment panel.

Access to virtual library

For those professionals who need to first supplement their knowledge in order to demonstrate readiness to present to the assessment panel, SACAP is ensuring that a virtual library will be available. This library will be made available through SACAPs partnership with the architectural learning sites (ALSs) and voluntary associations (VAs) that are validated by it.

This is envisaged to include access to online journals, dissertations and material from Professional Practice Examinations (PPEs) and previous Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses. SACAP is now pleased to announce that the programme will be available, in a new format, for the benefit of three of its registration categories: Draughtspersons, Architectural Technologists and Senior Architectural Technologists.

Through its research, SACAP estimates that, initially, 500-plus professionals across the country, commonly referred to as 'the Missing Middle', need access to equal opportunity and practical redress for past imbalances and are eager to take their first steps on SACAPs innovative RPL online platform. Each will have to demonstrate project work from the last three to five years, depending on their registration category.

SACAP is proud to launch RPL to advance human potentialities in the interest of redress, transformation and nation building.
Currently, South Africa exports fresh fruit to Greece while Greece only exports processed fruit and vegetables to South Africa, but the European Union's Hello Kiwi' programme is set to change the situation.

pixel2013 via pixabay

The initial contacts were made last year over the Hostex period at a conference at the Gallagher Convention Centre where the buyers from major supermarkets of fresh fruit and vegetables supported the event and made valuable connections meeting the Greek kiwi producers. The conference will be held again this year in order to further develop these connections and make headway to bring kiwifruit into SA.

According to Panagiotis Dermetzoglou from the economic and commercial affairs office at the Greek embassy in Pretoria, The fruit growing seasons in the two countries complement each other and create mutual benefits for them. He emphasised that Greece is implementing a roadmap for stabilising the national economy for sustainable growth, which makes it an ideal trading partner.

In a world where we all face a wide range of challenges, we definitely need to improve the overall conditions for our two countries to engage and increased trade is, of course, an important element of this, he said.

Kiwifruit provides high levels of fibre, anti-oxidants, and phytonutrients. They are extremely high in vitamin C - which is a powerful anti-oxidant, said Clinical Nutritionist Nicci Robertson.
A plethora of job opportunities exists for drone pilots, an untapped sector ready and waiting to train students, address the lack of skills in the industry, and boost the country's employment rate.

Image via PwC

Statistic South Africas Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) in February indicated that employment grew by 235,000 and the number of job seekers declined by approximately 92,000. This means the countrys overall unemployment rate dropped by 0.6% to 26.5%; slightly down from 26.6% last year.

And according to Sean Reitz, CEO of United Drone Holdings (UDH) - an entrepreneurial focused drone-service business, the drone industry can contribute further to job creation. He says an unbelievable amount of employment opportunities exist in the drone industry, provided candidates are the right fit and that suitably structured and compliant companies are authorised to trade by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The drone industry has the potential to create around 1000 commercial job opportunities in a variety of sectors. However, according to Reitz, a limiting factor companies face is the red tape involved in the regulation process, which makes it challenging to get licensed.

Job creation opportunity

A PwC Report titled: PwC global report on commercial applications of drone technology, published in 2016, estimates that the global market opportunity for drone applications sits at $127bn. Applications for drones to reduce cost, improve efficiency and, most of all, increase safety, exist in most industrial sectors and it is here that significant job creation can be achieved.

Reitz says running a drone business in South Africa is not the domain of the sole trader and this is where the challenge lies. One needs to think about drones in a similar light to an airline company where people, capital, and expertise come together to create an organisation that can deliver on the safety mandate of the CAA, he says.

Training drone pilots

One of UDHs core focus areas is on training drone pilots and producing graduates who are committed and who take the job seriously.

Training is important, but so is recruiting the right candidates for this training. It starts with the individual. Much thought needs to go into whether you are suited to becoming a drone pilot. Its not an easy job, its not a 9-5 job and its not always glamorous either, Reitz says.

Image via PwC

The RPAS Training Academy offers the Gold Standard in drone pilot training and guarantees that students will undergo a comprehensive, in-depth and up-to-date programme, fully endorsed by the CAA. In addition to the CAAs RPL pilot course, the company has added industry-specific courses aimed at creating capable and competent operators that can successfully be deployed into a team on site.

Through our training, we ensure our graduates are ready to tackle problems and conditions in this complex field. For our own operations, we aim to enlist the right people with the right level of commitment to this programme. And with a drone license, the right attitude and capability, candidates are likely to manage a team and run a full operation within a year. The opportunities for growth are endless, he says.

No past experience necessary

And the good news is  candidates require no past experience as drone pilots to enlist in the programme, initial training comprises of how to fly an AKY-6 Kopter (6.5kgs) and a Discovery Aircraft with a 1.5-metre wingspan under the guidance of experienced, highly-skilled drone pilots. Once the RPL course has been completed, students proceed to complete task-specific courses which include the use of specialised software and sensors.

Reitz says there is a range of drones and the type of drone a candidate operates is largely dependent on the type of work they do. He added that in addition to mining and agricultural applications, other industries like safety and security which includes the SAPS; forensics and property, are making use of drone technology.

Drones do things humans cant. The training programme covers exactly what candidates need to know to become drone pilots and teaches them how to become confident in flying. If you want to succeed, there are many building blocks to ensure you get there. Start by familiarising yourself with the industry you aim to be a part of, know the industry and understand it. If you are able to relate, you will be committed and commitment is key, Reitz says.
The respondent in the case of Minister of Safety and Security v Booysen, was shot and wounded by her boyfriend, who then shot himself dead. The deceased was a police reservist. The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) had to determine if the Minister of Safety and Security could be held vicariously liable for the actions of the deceased.

In K v Minister of Safety and Security, the Constitutional Court laid down the test to be used to determine the vicarious liability of an employer for the wrongdoing of his employee.

The test requires two questions to be asked:

Were the wrongful acts done solely for purposes of the employee?

If the acts were for the employees own purposes, is there a sufficiently close link between the employees acts and the purposes of the and the business of the employer to give rise to vicarious liability?

The first question is subjective. The second question is objective. Even if the first question is answered in the affirmative, the employer may still be held liable if the second question is answered in the affirmative.

On the night of the incident, the deceased went to Booysens home for supper during a meal break, therefore he was not acting in his capacity as a member of the South African Police Service (SAPS) when he visited her. Accordingly, the deceased was acting solely for his own purposes on the day of the shooting.

In answer to the second question, the SCA held that a sufficient link between the acts of the deceased and the purposes of the SAPS did not exist. The court held that the fact that the firearm the deceased used had been issued to him by the SAPS did not create vicarious liability.

Vicarious liability would be imputed to the minister if the firearm had been issued to the deceased in circumstances where the deceaseds previous behaviour showed that he was not fit to handle a firearm. That was not the case in this matter and the SCA held that the minister of safety and security was not liable for the damages suffered by Booysen.
Listed property investors will be better served picking individual stocks with sound fundamentals over the long term, despite the persistent volatility in capital markets, Catalyst Fund Managers have said.

South African listed property stocks with offshore assets such as Capital & Counties, Intu Properties and Echo Polska Properties, which were considered to be rand-hedge stocks, had rallied following the downgrading of SA's debt by Standard and Poor's (S&P), while South African-focused counters had been sold off, the group said.

"We believe in the long-term, outperformance will be driven by the selection of stocks exhibiting solid property fundamentals. Therefore the decision to select offshore stocks will be driven by a combination of solid property fundamentals, management teams and the need to diversify the portfolios," Catalyst said.

Catalyst's monthly report released on Monday, 10 April, showed that the South African Listed Property index (Sapy) recorded a total rand return of 0.11% for March with the historic yield of the Sapy ending the month at 6.69%, 10 basis points higher than the 6.59% recorded the previous month.

The yield-to-maturity on the long-term government bond (R186) weakened by 16 basis points to end the month at 8.88%. Historically, the performance of listed property has tracked that of bonds, as they are both income-producing instruments. This correlation has started to lessen, partly because South African-listed property counters have amassed offshore exposure over the past few years. The main drivers of the Sapy's weak returns in March were political and currency volatility.

"Following the announcement by President Jacob Zuma of the reshuffling of cabinet ministers including the removal of the highly respected minister of finance and his deputy, Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas respectively, the rand was the major release valve for the volatility," Paul Duncan, a Catalyst investment manager said.

"The rating agency S&P subsequently downgraded the country's foreign-currency sovereign credit rating to subinvestment grade citing numerous concerns, including the cabinet reshuffle. Fitch Ratings followed suit on Friday, by downgrading the local and foreign-currency sovereign credit rating to BB+, subinvestment grade," he said.

The best-performing listed real-estate market was Hong Kong, which recorded a total dollar return of 1.83%, while the US recorded a negative total return of 2.96% for March, the lowest of all the regions measured by the report.

Keillen Ndlovu, Stanlib listed property funds head, said investors had to "stay in listed property for the long haul".

"We encourage investors to ride through the volatility and take a long-term view. Up to the end of last week, the South African listed property sector was down 1% year-to-date. Equities were the best performer with 5.5% returns, followed by cash and bonds at about 2% each," he said.

"At some point [in 2017] the South African listed property sector was up almost 6%."

Source: Business Day
Higher Education and Training minister Blade Nzimande has launched the Umgungundlovu TVET College Recognition of Prior Learning Assessment Centre in KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaking at the launch of the centre and graduation ceremony at Umgungundlovu TVET on Tuesday, 11 April, Nzimande said the launch of the centre is one of the vital components of the Department of Higher and Education and Trainings attempts to build a new community based approach to vocational education and training.

The minister said policies that have been put in place since 1994 have been based on social justice with an emphasis on human rights, social inclusion, access, fairness and equality.

Our country is faced with a challenge of creating opportunities for the many unemployed, who may have little or no formal education or many of whom need to be redirected via a skills intervention process towards areas of the economy where they are most needed.

He said at the same time, there are many people who are employed or self-employed but cannot gain due recognition of their skills due to a lack of formal qualifications.

The establishment of this centre to focus on recognising prior learning is a great attempt at addressing the plight of people performing valuable work, yet without the due reward.

This centre has a primary focus on early childhood development, which is key to developing the foundational skills in our children to afford them the basis for success in the schooling education system, he said.

The minister challenged the college to build on the initiative of the Education Training Development Practitioner Sector Education Training Authority (ETDP SETA) and to extend it to all spheres of the college.

Nzimande noted that many of the recipients of this initiative of the ETDP SETA and Umgungundlovu TVET College entered the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme without having matric. The certificates awarded to them are at NQF level four, which gives them the equivalent of a matric.

With these certificates, [graduates] can now access the National Qualifications Framework, which affords them an opportunity to access the education system and to further their studies at higher levels and in directions of study that they choose, the minister said.

He said the collaboration between a SETA and a TVET college is a prime example of the value of educational programmes that are being delivered in the TVET space, which are needed to encourage more of our people, both school leavers as well as adults, to participate.
Blue Label Telecommunications informed shareholders on Tuesday that plans for the completion of a restructuring involving Cell C and Net1 were on track for completion at end-June.

But one competition lawyer said the deal could be delayed by the competition authorities as public interest issues are extensively interrogated.

A company spokesman said he was not aware of any effect on the deal from the controversy around Net1 relating to the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) contract. The proposed deal, which looks set to create a substantial cellphone-based platform for the sale of consumer and financial products, was announced at the end of February before the Sassa-related controversy hit Net1.

Mystery buyer

In early March, Net1 emerged as the mystery buyer of a 15% stake in Cell C. This followed an announcement in October 2016 that Net1 was acquiring a 15% stake in Blue Label for R2bn. In turn, Blue Label is acquiring a 45% stake in Cell C.

The combined transactions are designed to reduce Cell C's debt and help it compete with the better resourced MTN and Vodacom, which dominate the local cellphone market.

EasyPal brand

The plan, which will see Net1 invest about R4bn, will give it a substantial platform from which to sell financial products, which are marketed under the EasyPay brand.

The deal also gives Blue Label the opportunity to expand its technology products and services through the Cell C customer base. Cell C has about 15 million mobile customers.

On Tuesday, Net1 did not respond to requests for an update on the transaction. The company is currently focused on resolving the issues around the Sassa controversy.

Last week, Net1 said Serge Belamant would relinquish the chairman's position but remain as CEO. The company is also seeking to appoint additional independent directors.

Source: Business Day
PARIS, France - World wine output dropped in 2016, with volumes in France and Argentina seeing the largest declines, an international wine body said on Tuesday.

jill111 via pixabay

Bad weather in many regions was behind the 3.2 percent fall in global production to 267 million hectolitres (mhl) from 276 million in 2015, the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) said at a news conference in Paris.

France, the world's second-biggest wine producer after Italy, lost 3.5 mhl in output volume and Argentina, the world's number nine, 3.9 mhl.

In percentage terms, the biggest losers were Brazil, where production fell 55 percent, and Hungary, where it dropped by 38 percent.

Latin American production was hurt by the El Nino weather phenomenon and excessive humidity, OIV director general Jean-Marie Aurand said.

Meanwhile, drought cut South Africa's production by six percent.

Wine-growing surface remained stable

The word's total wine-growing surface remained stable at 7.5 million hectares, the OIV said. China added to the total size of its vineyards, while wine-growing surfaces declined in Turkey and Portugal.

Italy, France, Spain, China and Turkey together make up more than half of the world's total vineyard size.

The world's wine drinkers guzzled a total of 242 mhl last year, a slight increase from 2015 but still well below levels seen before the financial crisis cut consumption.

Source: AFP
STANFORD-LE-HOPE, England: The first-ever freight train from Britain to China started its mammoth journey on Monday along a modern-day "Silk Road" trade route as Britain eyes new opportunities after it leaves the European Union.

 Gui Yongnian via 123RF

The 32-container train, around 600 metres (656 yards) long, left the vast London Gateway container port laden with whisky, soft drinks and baby products, bound for Yiwu on the east coast of China.

It was seen off on its 18-day, 12,000-kilometre (7,500-mile) journey with a string quartet, British and Chinese flags, and speeches voicing hope that it will cement a new golden age of trade between the two countries as Brexit negotiations loom.

The first train from China to Britain arrived on 18 January 2017, filled with clothes and other retail goods, and Monday's departure was the first journey in the other direction.

Cheaper than air freight

The rail route is cheaper than air freight and faster than sea freight, offering logistics companies a new middle option.

After the last three containers were lifted onto the wagons, the driver gave a thumbs-up and tooted his horn as he got the train rolling at the port in Stanford-le-Hope, east of London.

"Restoring the ancient Silk Road as a means by which China, north Europe and now the UK can exchange goods is an important and exciting initiative," said Xubin Feng, the chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment, which is co-running the service.

"We have great faith in the UK as an export nation and rail provides an excellent alternative for moving large volumes of goods over long distances faster."

The train will go through the Channel Tunnel before travelling across France, Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan before heading into China.

The containers, which also contain vitamins and pharmaceutical products, will be taken off and put on different wagons as they leave Poland, as the former Soviet Union countries use a wider rail gauge.

The containers switch back to standard gauge wagons at the Chinese border, an operation that typically takes around two hours.

Boosting trade with China - top priority

Boosting trade with China is a top priority for Britain as it leaves the EU and becomes free to strike its own trade deals.

London was hailing the first export train as part of its "global Britain" plan, recalibrating its post-EU trading outlook.

Rupert Soames, prime minister Theresa May's business ambassador for infrastructure and transport, told AFP that the new route was "positive and timely".

"I genuinely think that this is quite a historic day," said Soames, a grandson of World War II prime minister Winston Churchill.

"In some quarters now, globalisation is seen as a bad word. But here you see trade in all its glory and possibilities."

Annual growth rate

China was Britain's seventh-biggest export market last year, behind the United States, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland.

Some 13.5 billion of trade headed to China, according to UK government statistics, with an average annual growth rate of 12.9% since 2006.

In terms of imports, China is Britain's third-biggest market after Germany and the United States, with trade worth 35.8 billion last year.

The freight train is part of China's "One Belt, One Road" programme announced in 2013, reviving the ancient Silk Road trading routes to Europe.

Source: AFP
As one of South Africa's most beloved cheese brands, Lancewood is a key ingredient in that most revered of local pastimes: the braai. It was a natural step, therefore, for Lancewood to sponsor the popular reality TV series, Ultimate Braai Master, as it entered its fifth season.

Beyond its support, however, Lancewood wanted to introduce a new and interactive element to the viewing experience for Ultimate Braai Master fans. Their solution came in the form of Emoji Meals  a social media tool powered by a bot that takes the Ultimate Braai Master viewing experience to a different level of delicious. Lancewood partnered with advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel CT to execute what was a first for the brand, and a pioneering use of emerging digital tools.

We needed a mechanism that would allow the brand to not only engage its strong following on social media, but to also provide something entirely new and immediately relevant to this audience  at a specific touchpoint, says Gordon Ray, executive creative director at M&C Saatchi Abel. The combination of great content with a smart social media platform provided the perfect solution.

By simply sending a food emoji to Lancewoods Facebook page via private message, the Lancewood bot instantly responds with an interesting recipe or practical tip related to the emoji.

For example, Clarissa* sent the brand a strawberry emoji and the bot responded with a recipe for fruit cheese salad with strawberry vinaigrette  a completely different and unexpected twist on the traditional braai salad! So by harnessing the power of real-time social media engagement to provide relevant and original content to fans, Lancewood instantly turned the Ultimate Braai Master viewing experience into a far more dynamic and engaging event.

According to Shereen Anderhold, Marketing Manager at Lancewood, the response from the Lancewood Facebook community has been sensational. About 2,002 unique users have already tried out the Lancewood Emoji Meals bot, and approximately 165,715 interactions have taken place. She notes that over a million viewers have already tuned in for the second episode.

Given that people are inundated with marketing messages on social media today, and particularly on Facebook, Lancewood Emoji Meals allowed the brand to cut right through this clutter, adds Ray. For many South Africans, food is a passion  and we found a way for Lancewood to become an integral and very tangible part of an activity that South Africans love and cherish.

For more information on the Lancewood Emoji Meal bot, visit the Lancewood Cheese Facebook page.




110417LERA FILLING VACUUM

By Aloysius Laukai

The Regional member for Bougainville and Minister for Bougainville Affairs, JOE LERA explained that his task is to serve the people of Bougainville and since his election he has been investing on Human resource that will support Bougainville after Referendum.

Speaking at the Opening of a Double Classroom at Turiboiru Primary School yesterday, MR. LERA said that in the past leaders have not invested in education facilities that can skill Bougainvilleans like Colleges, Vocational and Universities.

He said this has made Bougainvilleans become dropouts after Grade Twelve throwing them back into the villages.

MR. LERA said that if Bougainville is to sustain its government after referendum Bougainville must invest in graduating engineers, nurses, teachers and other skilled manpower who can create jobs for themselves.

He said that his Polytechnical school at Hutjena will be opening soon under a New Zealand University.

MR. LERA made these remarks at the Opening of a Two in One Classroom at TURIBOIRU Primary School funded from DSIP funds from the member for South Bougainville, TIMOTHY MASIU and a TV Satalite equipments for the Education program funded by the Regional Member, JOE LERA.

Ends


LAGOS, Nigeria: Corruption watchdogs alleged on Monday that Shell executives knew that money earmarked for a controversial oil deal was being used to bribe senior Nigerian officials, a claim rebuffed by the petroleum giant.

An employee at the Shell Agbada 2 flow station looks at the station from behind a gate in Port Harcourt on September 30, 2015. AFP Photo / Florian Plaucheur

The allegations by Global Witness and Finance Uncovered refer to the 2011 purchase by oil giants Shell and Eni of OPL245, an offshore oil block estimated to hold 9 billion barrels of crude, for $1.3 billion.

The deal saw the Nigerian government act as an intermediary between the oil majors and Malabu Oil and Gas, a Nigerian company allegedly controlled by former petroleum minister Dan Etete.

Allegations of corruption and bribery have mounted in the years since the deal was signed, forcing Shell and Eni to repeatedly maintain that they acquired the rights to the lucrative block in line with Nigerian law.

But email exchanges between Shell management cited in the Global Witness report and seen by AFP suggest that Shell was aware that the OPL245 money was likely going to be funnelled to individuals, including Etete and then president Goodluck Jonathan.

"Shell executives knew the money would go to Malabu and Etete, and was then likely to flow to some of the most powerful people in the country," the Global Witness report said.

"Senior Shell officials were also briefed that funds could flow on to then President Goodluck Jonathan.

No basis to prosecute

"The leaked emails come as Shell and Eni are facing intense scrutiny in connection with the deal.

They are charged with corruption in Nigeria and are being investigated by Italian prosecutors in connection with the deal.

"Etete can smell the money," said one Shell executive in a 2010 email published in the Global Witness report. "I think he knows it's his for the taking."

In another email, a Shell advisor said "the president (Jonathan) is motivated to see 245 closed quickly driven by expectations about the proceeds that Malabu will receive and political contributions that will flow as a consequences".

Nigeria's anti-graft agency filed corruption charges against Shell and Eni in March, accusing 11 defendants, including Etete, of "official corruption" in connection with the oil block deal.

Jonathan has denied receiving kickbacks, saying in January that he has not been "accused, indicted or charged for corruptly collecting monies" linked to the deal.

A Shell spokesperson said the company believes there are no grounds for prosecution but said it was "fully co-operating" with the relevant authorities.

"We are not aware of any evidence to support a case against any former or current Shell employee," the spokesperson said, adding that if any improper payments were made "none of those payments were made with its knowledge, authorisation or on its behalf."

"Shell attaches the greatest importance to business integrity. It's one of our core values," the spokesperson concluded.

Years of legal wrangling

Eni Claudio Descalzi told the Financial Times in February that his company "did not do anything wrong".

"At every stage, we have acted in compliance with all applicable law .... Eni and Shell paid the government of Nigeria, and were not involved with the government decision on how to use such money."

The OPL245 oil block has been a source of contention for almost two decades.

In 1998, the block was awarded by then-petroleum minister Dan Etete to Malabu Oil and Gas.

Years of legal wrangling between Malabu, the Nigerian government and Shell ensued, with Shell ultimately winning rights to the block in a partnership with Eni.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to fight corruption in Nigeria's oil sector.

He campaigned on a platform to target rampant graft and has said "mind-boggling" sums have been stolen from the public purse.

His government has arrested a series of high-ranking officials from Jonathan's administration on corruption charges but few have been convicted.
At MipTV in Cannes, BBC Worldwide announced it has licensed over 400 hours of programming across Africa in the first part of 2017. The sales include a first time deal with a new Southeast Asian SVOD platform Iflix, which has licensed over 150 hours of British content ahead of its imminent launch across Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa). The deal includes classic Top Gear, Citizen Khan and the multi-award winning Luther.

Drama and factual series have been the driving force for wider deals across the continent with over 250 hours of BBC Worldwide content being licensed to mobile operators including Vodacom and MTN. Global hits such as Wolf Hall and Doctor Who contribute to the deal that spans 11 territories in Africa including Nigeria and South Africa.

The importance of Africa is recognised at this years annual MipTV event, with an African Pavilion featuring local production companies, broadcasters and wider media platforms, who will be displaying the best of Africa.

South African panel at Cannes

Johannesburg-based production company Rapid Blue, which partnered with BBC Worldwide in early 2016, will be present at the event with its CEO, Duncan Irvine, taking part in a South African panel. Rapid Blue is an award winning production house that together with BBC Worldwide has introduced some of the most popular global formats to South Africa and Sub- Saharan Africa, including The Great South African Bake Off, Come Dine With Me South Africa and Strictly Come Dancing SA.

Joel Churcher, VP and GM for Africa, BBC Worldwide said, It is an exciting time to be doing business in Africa. The demand for premium British content and formats across the African Continent is vast and is why we have collaborated with local companies such as Rapid Blue. We want to ensure that we not only distribute the best but also create and support the best local content to ensure that Africa stays front of mind globally in broadcasting.

African filming

In support of the wider local African TV industry and local economy, a number of titles in BBC Worldwides catalogue including global hit programmes Planet Earth II, Top Gear series 23 and Call the Midwife series six have been filmed across the continent. Countries where filming has taken place include Ethiopia, South Africa, Madagascar, Namibia, Kenya and Botswana. Call the Midwifes Christmas episode used a local cast of actors based in and around Cape Town to complement the lead actors who travelled across to film at Hope Clinic.

Other productions that have been filmed across Africa include the latest drama from Peter Moffat, The Last Post. BBC Worldwide commissions Tribal Bootcamp and Fishing Impossible have been filmed in countries including Kenya, Zambia and South Africa. Africa offers not impressive landscapes and backdrops for filming but also good value, which is helping both global studios and Indies to film more premium content.
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120417TUMAI EXPLAINS FUNDS FOR EDUCATION INFRASTRUCTURES

By Aloysius Laukai



Newly built Classrooms being opened by the Open member for South Bougainville, TIMOTHY MASIU are from the Members DSIP funds according to building Contractor, GEORGE TUMAI.

MR. TUMAI explained to the people of KONIGURU that these buildings are from Intervention monies from the National Government in which Open members are the custodians.

He said that a total of six Double Classrooms were planned but funding were for four buildings, One for LAGUAI Primary School, TURIBOIRU, KIPAU and KONIGURU.

MR. TUMAI said that he was happy that the new member had released funds to complete these buildings.

Intervention funds under DSIP totalling FIVE MILLION KINA three million for Education and TWO MILLION KINA for Health facilities of which KONIGURU will have its Aid post soon.



Ends


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About Censored News Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell. Since 2006, Censored News has received more than 20 million pageviews. As a collective of writers, photographers and broadcasters, we publish news of Indigenous Peoples and human rights. Contact publisher Brenda Norrell: brendanorrell@gmail.com

From the publisher Censored News is published by Brenda Norrell, a journalist in Indian country for 40 years. Norrell created Censored News after she was censored and terminated as a staff reporter at Indian Country Today in 2006. She began as a reporter at Navajo Times during the 18 years that she lived on the Navajo Nation. She was a stringer for AP and USA Today and later traveled with the Zapatistas through Mexico. She has been blacklisted by all the mainstream media for 14 years. Contact brendanorrell@gmail.com

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Entertainment / Music

by Staff Reporter

Jah Prayzah's record label Military Touch Movement has been accused of 'suppressing' artistes under its wings and and focusing more on Jah Prayzah.Artists such as Andy Muridzo have been said to be merely Jah Prayzah's 'hero worshippers scrounging for cigarette butts dropped' by Jah Prayzah.After much grilling on Star FM's 3to6 Express last week, Muridzo threw in the towel and admitted that Military Touch would be a better place if all artistes were treated equally.Artistes who are signed under the label currently include ExQ, Tahle, Nutty O and producers DJ Tamuka and Daniel Chiweda."I agree that the same way Jah Prayzah is being marketed should be the same way we market ExQ, Tahle and Nutty O. I must say it's my hope that one day it'll get there," admitted a jittery Muridzo.Muridzo's recent album launch in Harare was a perfect display of mediocrity in terms of the Muridzo brand marketing, with even the bottled water available branded Jah Prayzah."Yes, there were several hiccups during that launch and I must admit that about the water, indeed we were wrong there. But people should give Military Touch some time to prove itself."He said he was still his own man despite working under Jah Prayzah  an artiste who at one point was believed to be Muridzo's competitor."People should know that I'm still my own person even though I'm under this brand (Military Touch)," said Muridzo.He justified his contract with Military Touch saying it was based on vision and ambition to break into the African music ranks as was done by Jah Prayzah."Jah Prayzah has already penetrated Africa and I'm under Military Touch trying to do the same. My move to join the label was calculated based on my vision which is to take my music to Africa," explained Baba Keketso.Supporting his artiste, Muridzo's manager Gift Petro admitted that prominence and salience is being given to Jah Prayzah at the expense of other up-and-coming Military Touch Movement artistes. He however, said the team was working on resolving this."People should know that we're doing all we can to try and split the Military Touch Movement brand and the Jeetaz (Muridzo's) Band's brand. I can promise that we are working on it," he said.Interestingly, Keen Mushapaidze, Jah Prayzah's band manager who has also been tasked to manage the stable, has not been posting much on social media about other artistes."The manager, who never misses an opportunity to market Jah Prayzah's works, was laid back when Muridzo launched his album last month, only to briefly post about Emma, a track on the album which featured Jah Prayzah. Days later, his pages were awash with Jah Prayzah's latest single  Sendekera.Jah Prayzah and Mushapaidze were not available for comment as they had travelled to the UK for shows there.When he signed Muridzo just after forming the record label in January this year, Jah Prayzah said all artistes had the same contracts and would be treated equally adding that the label would benefit them more than him."Andy came to my office for a courtesy visit last week and during our discussions, I told him my plans for the project and he did not hesitate to join, saying he belongs here with us. We've signed Andy Muridzo to our stable and his contract is similar to the other artistes we've signed up."These contracts benefit the artistes more than the company because I've a passion to nurture talent and make Zimbabwe a great music country," said Jah Prayzah.
News / National

by Staff reporter

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe will soon embark on countrywide campaign rallies to drum up support for his faction-ridden party ahead of next year's general elections, with youths leading in the organisation of the rallies.Top Zanu-PF sources yesterday said the party's youth commissar, Innocent Hamandishe, had already visited several provinces doing the groundwork for Mugabe's imminent nationwide rallies."Hamandishe has been to Mashonaland West, Manicaland, Bulawayo and Matabeleland North to prepare youth league structures for the President," a source revealed."Instead of organising a million-man march, the league has decided that we will take the President to the provinces."Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial youth league chairperson, Mubuso Chinguno, confirmed the rallies."It's true, we are preparing and have activated our committees, including information and publicity, fundraising and organising, for the Mutare rally," he said."We do not have a specific date yet, but we are looking for finance to print (campaign) T-shirts and caps as well as to transport 100 000 youths for the rally, which will be held at the Aerodrome (Mutare)."Chinguno said the rallies were meant to shore up Mugabe's support base."We want to show those in the party and outside, who claim that the President no longer has support, that they are wrong," he said."This is our way, as the youth league, to show our solidarity with the President and quash any rumours about our allegiance. We will also raise issues affecting youths in the province, including but not limited to jobs, access to land and other resources as well as their general well-being."At 93 and battling ill health, Mugabe has been endorsed as the Zanu-PF presidential candidate for next year's elections.Having the youth lead his campaigns signals that Mugabe has all but dumped war veterans, who were the lifeblood of Zanu-PF campaigns between 2000 and 2013.A fallout between the former freedom fighters' executive and the President has seen them being jettisoned out of Zanu-PF on charges of indiscipline.Zanu-PF sources said the ruling party's youth leader, Kudzanai Chipanga, an alleged G40 proponent, would also address the party's provincial structures ahead of Mugabe's visits."The President's rallies are basically to prepare our youths for the 2018 general elections," a source said."There are just too many divisions and the youth league wants to steer away from these. The current situation in the party, especially the political commissar (Saviour Kasukuwere) problem, could spill into the youth league and we do not want that."Chipanga will make the final preparations for the President's rallies with meetings across the provinces. We would like to make sure they are a success. It's pretty soon, just that we need to make sure this programme is linked to the President's diary."Chipanga was not available for comment yesterday.Kasukuwere has been in the eye of a storm on allegations he has been setting up parallel party structures with the aim of deposing Mugabe at the party's annual conference in December that the G40 faction has actively been agitating it be turned into an extraordinary congress.
Grey Hair Linked To Higher Heart Disease Risk In Men - Finds Study Wellness ians-Lekhaka

Men with more grey hair irrespective of age may be at increased risk of heart disease, warns a new study.

"Our findings suggest that, irrespective of chronological age, hair greying indicates biological age and could be a warning sign of increased cardiovascular risk," said Irini Samuel, a cardiologist at Cairo University, Egypt.

Atherosclerosis, build-up of fatty material inside the arteries, and hair greying share similar mechanisms such as impaired DNA repair, oxidative stress, inflammation, hormonal changes and senescence of functional cells.

"Atherosclerosis and hair greying occur through similar biological pathways and the incidence of both increases with age," Samuel added.

This study presented at EuroPrevent 2017, annual congress of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC), being held at Malaga, Spain from April 6-8 involved 545 adult men.

The researchers assessed the prevalence of grey hair in patients with coronary artery disease - usually caused by atherosclerosis and whether it was an independent risk marker of disease.

The amount of grey hair was graded using the hair whitening score one referring to pure black hair, two to black more than white, three to black equals white, four to white more than black, and five to pure white.

Data was collected on traditional cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension, diabetes, smoking, dyslipidaemia and family history of coronary artery disease.

The researchers found that a high hair whitening score (grade three or more) was associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease independent of chronological age and established cardiovascular risk factors.

Patients with coronary artery disease had a statistically significant higher hair whitening score and higher coronary artery calcification than those without coronary artery disease.

"A larger study including men and women is required to confirm the association between hair greying and cardiovascular disease in patients without other known cardiovascular risk factors," Samuel said.

"Further research is needed, in coordination with dermatologists, to learn more about the causative genetic and possible avoidable environmental factors that determine hair whitening," she added.

With Inputs From IANS

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 12:23 [IST]
PR Newswire

LONDON, April 12, 2017

LONDON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- This new report builds on our 2014 Insight Pharma Report, Cancer Immunotherapy: Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Cancer Vaccines, and Adoptive T-cell Therapies. In that report, we focused on the major classes of cancer immunotherapy drugs that were then emerging from academic and corporate research: immune checkpoint inhibitors, cancer vaccines, and adoptive T-cell therapies.Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4823008/This new report includes an updated discussion of approved and clinical stage agents in immuno-oncology, including recently-approved agents. It also addresses the means by which researchers and companies are attempting to build on prior achievements in immuno-oncology to improve outcomes for more patients. Some researchers and companies refer to this approach as "immuno-oncology 2.0." The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), in its 12th Annual Report on Progress Against Cancer (2017), named "Immunotherapy 2.0" as its "Advance of the Year."Nevertheless, metastatic melanoma remains incurable. Furthermore, in many studies in advanced melanoma and other cancers, only a minority of patients have benefited from immunotherapy treatments. Researchers and companies are therefore looking for ways to build on the initial successes of the immuno-oncology field to improve outcomes for more patients, hence the need for an "immuno-oncology 2.0." Agents that are intended to improve the results of treatment with agents like checkpoint inhibitors may also be referred to as "second-wave" immuno-oncology agents.As discussed in this report, researchers have found that checkpoint inhibitors produce tumor responses by reactivating TILs (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes)especially CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. This key observation is perhaps the most important factor driving development of second-wave immuno-oncology strategies. As a result, researchers have been developing biomarkers that distinguish inflamed (i.e., TIL-containing) tumorswhich are susceptible to checkpoint inhibitor therapyfrom "cold" tumors, which are not. They have also been working to develop means to render "cold" tumors inflamed, via treatment with various conventional therapies and/or development of novel agents. These studies are the major theme of "second-wave" immuno-oncology, or "immuno-oncology 2.0."Highlights of this Report Include:- Approvals of checkpoint inhibitors- Biomarkers for checkpoint inhibitor treatments- Approved and clinical-stage immunotherapy biologics other than checkpoint inhibitors- Immunotherapy with TIL cells- Commercialization of TIL therapy- Adoptive immunotherapy with genetically engineered T cells bearing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs)- Manufacturing issues with CAR T-cell therapies- General conclusions on the progress of cellular immunotherapy- Outlook for cancer immunotherapyExecutive SummaryApprovals of checkpoint inhibitorsAs discussed in Chapter 2, researchers are continuing to conduct clinical trials designed to gain approval for new checkpoint inhibitors and for new indications for already-approved agents. Notable recent developments include the 2016 approval of atezolizumab (Roche/Genentech's Tecentriq), the first PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) inhibitor to be approved. On May 18, 2016 atezolizumab was approved by the FDA for treatment of advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma that has worsened during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy or within 12 months of receiving platinum-containing chemotherapy, either before or after surgical treatment. Later, on October 18, 2016, the FDA approved atezolizumab for use in patients with metastatic NSCLC (regardless of PD-L1 expression) who have progressed during or after treatment with a platinum-based chemotherapy or appropriate targeted therapy.Also in October 2016, the FDA approved the PD-1 (programmed cell death protein 1) inhibitor pembrolizumab as a monotherapy for first-line treatment of patients with advanced NSCLC whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at ?50%. This was after this agent met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival in patients with previously untreated advanced NSCLC whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at ?50%. In contrast, monotherapy with the competing PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo) did not meet its primary endpoint of progression-free survival in patients with previously untreated advanced NSCLC whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at ?5%. This result is affecting the competition between BMS' nivolumab and Merck's pembrolizumab.In Merck's KEYNOTE-024 trial, the patient population that was treated with either pembrolizumab or chemotherapy consisted of individuals with previously untreated advanced NSCLC whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at ?50%. In contrast, BMS' CheckMate 026 trial of nivolumab as a monotherapy evaluated the drug in patients with previously untreated advanced NSCLC whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at only ?5%. This difference in trial design may explain the divergent results of the two trials, rather than a potential superior efficacy of pembrolizumab over nivolumab. Nevertheless, the results of the KEYNOTE-024 trial advance the prospects of Merck's pembrolizumab for first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC with high levels of PD-L1 expression, while BMS must conduct an evaluation of its study and decide what to do next.In addition to the discussions of approved checkpoint inhibitors, Chapter 2 also includes discussions of clinical stage agents in this class. These include Novartis' PD-1 inhibitor PDR001, AstraZeneca's PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab, and Merck-Serono/Pfizer's PD-L1 inhibitor avelumab. Notably, avelumab has been under evaluation in a pivotal Phase 2 trial in Merkel cell carcinoma, with favorable results reported in the 2016 ASCO annual meeting. Merck-Serono and Pfizer plan to submit the drug to regulatory authorities based on these results.Biomarkers for checkpoint inhibitor treatmentsThe later sections of Chapter 2 discuss the role of biomarkers in checkpoint inhibitor treatments, especially in the context of "immuno-oncology 2.0." "Immuno-oncology 2.0" may involve development of novel agents, such as those discussed in this and other chapters of the report. It may also involve combining different immunotherapies, combining immunotherapies with older types of treatments and/or with new experimental treatments, or other novel approaches. The development and use of biomarkers will be key to the progress of "immuno-oncology 2.0." Biomarkers will help researchers and physicians predict responses to immunotherapy treatments. Such tests may not only spare patients the costs and adverse effects of treatments that may not help them, but may also help researchers to design optimal, "personalized" treatments.Several classes of biomarkers are in use and/or development for cancer immunotherapy, and especially for use in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. A target biomarker is a biomarker that reflects the presence of a specific molecular drug target. In the case of PD-1 inhibitors, the direct target is PD-1, and the downstream target (i.e., the ligand of PD-1 that is affected by its binding) is PD-L1. In the case of PD-L1 inhibitors, the direct target is PD-L1. Recent results from studies of first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab as a monotherapy demonstrate the potential value of PD-L1 as a biomarker in treatment of patients with PD-1 inhibitors.PD-L1 as a biomarker has also been important in clinical studies supporting the approval of the PD-L1 blocking agent atezolizumab. Researchers found that increased PD-L1 expression in the tumors of patients with urothelial carcinoma was associated with response to atezolizumab. Although patients with tumors negative for PD-L1 expression might still respond to the drug, the greater efficacy of atezolizumab in those classified as positive for PD-L1 expression suggests that the level of PD-L1 expression in tumor-infiltrating immune cells may help identify patients more likely to respond to treatment with the agent.Target biomarkersespecially PD-L1are being used to define patient subsets that can productively be treated with a checkpoint inhibitor, especially in clinical trials and in approval decisions by regulatory agencies. However, these tests imperfectly discriminate between patients who can benefit from these therapeutics and those who cannot. Moreover, they are of little use in designing improved therapies that build on current checkpoint inhibitor therapies to improve patient outcomes.Genetic biomarkers are also under investigation for use in cancer immunotherapy. In immuno-oncology, genetic biomarkers are generally used to determine the likelihood that a patient's tumors possess a sufficient somatic mutation load to support a large and diverse population of CD8+ TILs, which are specific for mutation-associated neoantigens. Treatment with checkpoint inhibitors can then reactivate these TILs, resulting in effective antitumor immune responses. Examples of genetic biomarkers discussed in this report include mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency and mutation load, as determined by whole-exome sequencing.Immunological biomarkers enable direct testing to determine whether a patient's tumors contain sufficient TILs to enable successful treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor. In particular, researchers have found that CD8+ TILs located at the invasive margin of a tumor (as determined, for example, by quantitative immunohistochemistry) appear to be necessary for successful treatment with checkpoint inhibitors. In one study, researchers found that pre-existing CD8+ T cells located at the invasive margins of tumors from patients with metastatic melanoma may predict response to therapy with the anti-PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab. Patients who responded to therapy showed proliferation of the intratumoral CD8+ T cells that directly correlated with reduction in tumor size. The researchers established a predictive model based on CD8 expression at the invasive margin and validated the model in an independent group of 15 patients.Another type of immunological biomarker is the "Immunoscore"a method of characterizing the nature and function of immune cell infiltrates into tumors based on measuring the densities of CD3+ and CD8+ cells in the tumor core and the invasive margin using immunohistochemistry. The Immunoscore was developed by Jerome Galon, Ph.D. [Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale (INSERM)] and his colleagues for use in studies of colorectal cancer. According to Dr. Galon's findings, use of checkpoint inhibitors is the logical strategy for patients with high Immunoscores. In contrast, for patients with low Immunoscores, effective immuno-oncology treatments will need to focus on getting immune cells into the tumor in the first place (e.g., by treatment with a "second-wave" immunotherapy agent) before checkpoint inhibitors can be used.Genetic and immunological biomarkers may be combined with target biomarkers and other parameters to move toward better discrimination between patients who are likely to benefit from checkpoint inhibitor treatments and those who are not. Specifically, biomarkers can be used to discriminate between "cold" and inflamed tumors. Genetic and immunological biomarkers can also be used to design therapies that can turn "cold" tumors into inflamed tumors, thus improving responses to checkpoint inhibitor therapy and other immunotherapies. For example, these biomarkers might be used to design combinations of treatments that induce immune infiltration of tumors with checkpoint inhibitors that activate or reactivate infiltrating immune cells, such as TILs. Novel agents that might induce immune infiltration of tumors are discussed in several chapters of this report.More immediately, combination therapies involving the use of older treatments or agents, followed by administration of checkpoint inhibitors, are under clinical investigation to determine whether any of these older agents might render "cold" tumors inflamed, making them susceptible to checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Among these older treatments (discussed in Chapter 2) are radiation therapy (especially stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), targeted therapies, and cytotoxic chemotherapies.Approved and clinical-stage immunotherapy biologics other than checkpoint inhibitorsVarious chapters of this report focus on approved and clinical-stage biologics other than the checkpoint inhibitors. Most of these agents may be used as "immuno-oncology 2.0" agents, i.e., agents that promote T-cell infiltration of tumors, thus rendering them susceptible to successful treatment with checkpoint inhibitors.In addition to serving as an introduction to the report as a whole and discussing the early history of cancer immunotherapy, Chapter 1 focuses on cytokines as cancer immunotherapeutics. Interleukin-2, interferon-alpha-2a, and interferon alpha-2b have long been approved for treatment of various cancers. To this day, despite the introduction of newer immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, high-dose recombinant IL-2 (Novartis/Prometheus Laboratories' Proleukin) is the only drug so far that has produced durable, long-term responses in patients with metastatic melanoma or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. According to Patrick Ott, M.D., Ph.D. (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA), "High-dose IL-2 has a track record of patients who have been disease-free for 20 years, and we just don't know that yet with the new drugs [such as checkpoint inhibitors]." In the case of advanced melanoma, high-dose intravenous bolus IL-2 induces objective clinical responses in 1520% of patients and durable complete responses in 57% of these patients. For metastatic RCC (mRCC), high-dose intravenous bolus IL-2 gives an objective clinical response rate of approximately 25% and a 7% durable complete response rate.However, high-dose IL-2 has a significant degree of toxicity. Because of its adverse effects, high-dose IL-2 therapy for cancer requires an expert, experienced team of clinicians and specialized centers. Under such conditions of care, IL-2-related toxicity can usually be easily managed. Despite its logistical disadvantages, several investigators are attempting to revive use of IL-2 in cancer immunotherapy.In the current era, it is possible to use targeted therapies as salvage agents to treat patients who do not do well with IL-2. There may also be opportunities to develop combination therapies of IL-2 with radiation or checkpoint inhibitors, and clinical trials of these combination therapies are underway. IL-2 treatment also requires only a median of one month of therapy and gives a long duration of benefit without the need for additional treatment. This is not true, for example, for treatment with cytotoxic therapies or targeted therapies. In addition to its use as a stand-alone drug, IL-2 is also used as part of certain cellular immunotherapies.Other, newer cytokine-based therapies discussed in Chapter 1 are in early-stage clinical trials. Notably, local intratumoral electroporation of a DNA plasmid that encodes human IL-12 (pIL-12) (OncoSec's ImmunoPulse) can result in systemic responses in metastatic melanoma patients. This procedure appears to induce TILs and anti-tumor immunity in both the injected tumors and in distant tumor sites. A Phase 2 trial indicates that intratumoral pIL12-electroporation therapy may prime systemic responses for checkpoint inhibitor blockade, apparently by generation of CD8+ TILs. ImmunoPulse therapy followed by treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor is therefore a potential immuno-oncology 2.0 therapy for metastatic melanoma. Other early-stage potential immuno-oncology 2.0 therapies discussed in Chapter 1 are based on the cytokines IL-10 and IL-15.In addition to discussing approved and clinical-stage checkpoint inhibitors and their mechanisms of action, Chapter 2 includes discussions of clinical-stage checkpoint inhibitor modulators, such as LAG-3 (lymphocyte-activation gene 3) inhibitors, TIM-3 (T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3) inhibitors, small-molecule IDO (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) pathway inhibitors, and a small-molecule PI3K? (phosphoinositide 3-kinase gamma) inhibitor. These agents are in Phase 1 or Phase 2 development. In general, they work to overcome immunosuppression and/or T-cell exhaustion, and thus may overcome blocks to T-cell activation by checkpoint inhibitors.Chapter 3 focuses on immune agonists. Immune agonist therapeuticsmost of which are mAbstarget specific cell surface proteins on T cells, resulting in stimulation of T cell activity. This mechanism contrasts with that of checkpoint inhibitors, which are designed to overcome blockages to T cell activity mediated by immune checkpoints. Companies are developing immune agonist immunotherapeutics principally for use in combination with checkpoint inhibitors (i.e., as immuno-oncology 2.0 agents). All of the agents discussed in this chapter are in early-stage clinical trials.Chapter 4 discusses bispecific antibody (bsAb) cancer immunotherapeutics. A bispecific Ab (bsAb) is a type of mAb. bsAbs are designed with two different variable domains that enable the Ab to bind simultaneously to two different types of targets. bsAbs used in cancer immunotherapy usually bind one target on a tumor cell and another target on a cytotoxic immune system cell, bringing the two types of cells into close proximity. This allows the immune system to act against the tumor cell.There are currently two approved and marketed bsAb cancer immunotherapeuticscatumaxomab (Neovii Biotech's Removab) and blinatumomab (Amgen's Blincyto). Catumaxomab is a rat-mouse hybrid bsAb that targets the tumor antigen epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and the T-cell surface molecule CD3. It is approved in Europe for treatment of malignant ascites in patients with EpCAM-positive cancer if a standard therapy is not available. Blinatumomab is a murine Ab-derived small bsAb that targets CD3 on T-cells and CD19 on B-cell neoplasms. It is approved under the FDA's accelerated approval program for treatment of adults with Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL. It has also been granted conditional marketing authorization in the European Union for the treatment of adults with Ph- relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor ALL. Blinatumomab is the first anti-CD19 drug to receive FDA approval. As discussed in Chapter 6, the most advanced CAR T-cell (genetically engineered T cells bearing chimeric antigen receptors) therapies in development target CD19 and are intended for treatment of CD19+ B-cell leukemias and lymphomas. However, none of these cellular therapies is yet approved.As with other first-generation bsAbs, blinatumomab is unstable and has a short serum half-life. It must be administered as a continuous intravenous infusion over a minimum of 4 weeks. The infusion can be administered to outpatients via a minipump system. The short half-life of the agent is not due to the formation of antimouse Abs. Researchers and companies are working on technology platforms that can yield more stable bsAbs.Some companies and researchers are attempting to develop bsAb agents as alternatives to CAR T-cell therapies. These companies see bsAbs as potentially safer than CAR T cells. Moreover, bsAbs can be manufactured like other Ab-based biologics and then administered to patients with cancers specifically targeted by the bsAb. There is thus no need to isolate autologous T cells as the basis for a patient's therapy or to develop and carry out individualized manufacturing protocols, as in the case of CAR T cells. Except for catumaxomab and blinatumomab, all bsAb candidates are in Phase 1 trials. No efficacy findings have been published. Thus, it is not known whether any of these agents is likely to be approved, and it is too early to tell whether bsAbs can serve as an alternative to CAR T-cell therapies.Key issues in the bsAb area include moving away from rodent-derived Abs toward human or humanized molecules, and developing agents with improved stability and half-life in the circulation. Developers of bsAbs need to develop improved technologies aimed at producing more stable molecules. Also important are the ability to easily design and manufacture bsAbs and to rapidly redesign improved versions of agents entered into first-in-humans trials. Based on these issues, companies have developed several platform technologies for producing bsAbs, which are discussed in Chapter 4.Chapter 5 focuses on therapeutic anticancer vaccines and oncolytic viruses. Efforts to develop therapeutic cancer vaccines began in the 1990s. However, the cancer vaccine field has been characterized by a long series of clinical failures, beginning in the 1990s and continuing to the present day. Researchers have been working to overcome these difficulties by using improved research methodologies and by employing advances in our understanding of immuno-oncology. In the current era, researchers have used their greater understanding of dendritic cell biology to attempt to improve the design of peptide and protein vaccines. Another important factor that has contributed to the failure of cancer vaccines is immune suppression in the tumor environment. Some researchers hypothesize that one way to overcome this immunosuppression is to administer vaccines in combination with checkpoint inhibitors.More recently, researchers have been investigating the mechanisms by which the immune systemespecially TILsrecognize tumor cells and differentiate them from noncancer cells. These studies have focused on "neoantigens"i.e., antigens that are specific for cancer cells, as opposed to normal, noncancer cells. These neoantigens are associated with somatic mutations that arise in the evolution of tumor cells. TILsespecially CD8+ intratumoral T cellsmay mediate tumor regression, and this antitumor activity may be enhanced by checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Researchers therefore hypothesize that neoantigen-based vaccines may be more effective than earlier types of cancer vaccines. They further hypothesize that determination of neoantigens in tumors may provide technology platforms for the design of effective cancer vaccines.As discussed in Chapter 5, there are currently one approved and marketed therapeutic cancer vaccine and one approved and marketed oncolytic virus therapeutic. Sipuleucel-T (Dendreon/Valeant's Provenge) is a personalized dendritic cell vaccine that targets prostatic acid phosphatase. It was approved by the FDA for treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in 2010 and was approved in Europe for the same indication in 2013. It is the first approved therapeutic cancer vaccine. However, sipuleucel-T has an apparently minimal effect and is very expensive. It also faces significant competition from small-molecule agents. As a result, sipuleucel-T salesand Dendreon the companyhave faltered. Dendreon filed for filed for Chapter 11 protection in 2014, and its assets were sold to Valeant in 2015. As of May 18, 2016, Valeant was looking to sell off the "laggard" Provenge, in order to ameliorate its own debt problems. Therefore, the future of sipuleucel-T remains in doubt.In 2015, the FDA approved talimogene laherparepvec (Amgen's Imlygic, also known as T-Vec), an oncolytic herpes simplex virus that expresses granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). It is approved for the treatment of melanoma lesions in the skin and lymph nodes. This oncolytic virus is injected into a single tumor, where it lyses tumor cells. It was postulated that upon lysis of tumor cells in the treated lesion, systemic immune responses are induced. There was evidence for induction of immune responses in distant tumor sites in a published Phase 1 study, and there was a trend toward improved overall survival in early results of a Phase 3 study presented at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting. However, as determined by completed results of the same Phase 3 study, the agent was not subsequently shown to improve overall survival or have an effect on distant metastases.Strictly speaking, T-Vec is not a cancer vaccine, since it carries no tumor antigen in its molecular structure. It is designated as an oncolytic virus therapy and is the first such agent to receive FDA approval. However, since it had been designed to immunize patients systemically against multiple tumor antigens, it is generally considered a "cancer vaccine" in scientific and market research reports.Amgen and Mercktogether with their academic collaboratorshave been conducting clinical studies of a combination of the oncolytic virus therapy talimogene laherparepvec and the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab. The results of a Phase 1b study presented at the 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting appeared promising. The combination therapy is now under investigation in a Phase 3 clinical trial. Other researchers are conducting clinical trials of combinations of T-Vec with another checkpoint inhibitor, ipilimumab.Chapter 5 includes discussions of several therapeutic cancer vaccines and one oncolytic virus therapeutic that are in clinical development (from Phase 1 to Phase 3). Phase 3 vaccines include Bavarian Nordic's PROSTVAC-VF and Argos Therapeutics' AGS-003. PROSTVAC-VF is being developed for treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, the same indication as sipileucel-T. It targets prostate specific antigen (PSA). PROSTVAC-VF is a recombinant poxvirus agent carrying genes for PSA and three costimulatory molecules. Unlike sipileucel-T, it is an "off-the-shelf" immunotherapeutic that can be manufactured as a biologic product. Phase 2 data suggests that PROSTVAC-VF may have superior efficacy compared to currently approved agents.Argos' AGS-003 is a personalized dendritic cell vaccine that is under investigation in Phase 3 clinical trials in patients with mRCC. To produce the vaccine, autologous dendritic cells are loaded with mRNA from the patient's mRCC tumor. Some of the tumor cell mRNAs encode tumor antigens that are expressed on the surfaces of the dendritic cells (in the context of MHC class II molecules); these cells also express CD40. The tumor mRNA-programmed autologous dendritic cells constitute the vaccine, which is then formulated into an intradermal injection for administration to the patient. The dendritic cells serve as antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that activate T cells specific for the patient's tumor antigens. The interaction of CD40 with its ligand on activated T cells induces secretion of IL-12 by the dendritic cells. IL-12 promotes the differentiation of T cells into T helper 1(Th1) cells. The Phase 3 trial of AGS-003 is a follow-up to favorable Phase 2 data that was presented at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. Notably, several early-stage therapeutic cancer vaccine programs discussed in Chapter 5 are based on research designed to identify naturally processed Class I and Class II peptide epitopes for formulation into vaccines. TapImmune is developing two vaccines based on research at the Mayo Clinic designed to identify such epitopes from specific tumor antigen proteins, in one case HER2/neu (in HER2/neu+ breast cancer) and in the other case TPIV200 folate receptor alpha (in ovarian cancer and triple negative breast cancer). Neon Therapeutics' NEO-PV-01 is based on research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Center and the Broad Institute to identify naturally-processed neoantigen peptide epitopes from patient tumors using exome sequencing and predictive algorithms for MHC binding. Unlike the TapImmune products, this research is designed to identify these epitopes from multiple tumor antigen proteins. Neon is one of several recently formed cancer vaccine companies discussed in Chapter 5 that are focused on neonatigen science and technology.Among companies exploring neoantigen vaccines, the only other one that has reached the clinical stage as of 2016 is the German firm BioNTech AG. BioNTech specializes in mRNA-based neoantigen vaccines, as opposed to peptide vaccines. The company presented an abstract describing the design of the still-ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial of its IVAC (individualized vaccine) Mutanome in advanced melanoma patients at the 2015 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. In September 2016 BioNTech entered into a collaboration with Genentech to develop, manufacture, and commercialize novel mRNA-based, neoantigen/neoepitope cancer vaccines based on the IVAC Mutanome technology platform. Other neoantigen vaccine companies mentioned in Chapter 5 that have not yet reached the clinic are Gritstone Oncology, ISA Pharmaceuticals, Agenus, and Caperna (a Moderna venture company). Imuno-oncology 2.0 strategies now feature prominently in therapeutic cancer vaccine and oncolytic virus therapeutic development. This is particularly true with neoantigen vaccines, which are designed to induce neoantigen-specific TILs within patients' tumors. The strategy is to use the vaccine to induce the TILs, rendering checkpoint inhibitors effective in inducing tumor regression. Based on this strategy, Neon's NEO-PV-01 vaccine is being combined with poly-ICLC adjuvant and Bristol-Myers Squibb's PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab in collaborative clinical studies in advanced melanoma, smoking-associated NSCLC, and bladder cancer.The immuno-oncology 2.0 strategy has become a general theme of cancer vaccine research and development beyond neonantigen vaccinesuse cancer vaccines to render tumors inflamed, and use checkpoint inhibitors to induce regression of the inflamed tumors. Thus, there are several examples of trials of cancer vaccine/checkpoint inhibitor combinations discussed in this chapter. In some cases, cancer vaccines are being tested in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in Phase 1 or Phase 2 clinical trials, rather than the "traditional" approach of first getting a vaccine approved and then conducting trials of the vaccine in combination with other agents. It is possible that testing a vaccine in combination with a checkpoint inhibitor in early stage clinical trials may reduce the number of failed cancer vaccines. However, whether this is true remains to be seen.Chapter 6 focuses on the use of adoptive T-cell immunotherapies for cancer. In this class of therapies, autologous or syngeneic activated T cells (which may or may not be genetically modified) are infused into patients in order to attack their cancers. Adoptive immunotherapy is also known as adoptive cell transfer (ACT).Immunotherapy with TIL cellsACT was pioneered by Dr. Steven A. Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The major focus of the Rosenberg group has been TIL therapy, which involves isolation of TILs (which are really tumor-infiltrating T cells) from a patient's tumor, followed by ex vivo expansion of these cells with IL-2. The TILs and high-dose IL-2 are then infused intravenously into the patient. The infused T cells traffic to tumors and can mediate their destruction. Clinical study of TIL therapy has continued to the present day. Moreover, attempts to overcome some of the limitations of TIL therapy have resulted in the development other newer forms of ACT based on various types of genetically engineered T cells.Most studies with TIL therapy have been in advanced melanoma. The Rosenberg group presented the results of a Phase 2 trial of TIL therapy in stage 4 metastatic melanoma patients who had received preparative lymphodepletion therapy at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). At the time of analysis, 11 of 101 patients had achieved a complete response, and 44 had achieved a partial response, for an overall objective response rate (ORR) of 54%. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4823008/About ReportbuyerReportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishershttp://www.reportbuyer.comFor more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com

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News / National

by Stephen Jakes

THE minister of Finance and Economic Development Patrick Chinamasa has said the current government expenditure far out run the revenue collected which means the that State is operating on a deficit.He said high fiscal deficit that is further exacerbated by the current account deficit have contributed to the current cash shortages and queues for cash at banks."There is a direct association between high fiscal deficits and current queues at banks. Government employment cost at above 93% of tax revenue, combined with Government legacy debt of over 40% of tax revenue means that Government expenditure is above Government revenue. This shows that we are living beyond our means through borrowing from the market by way of Treasury Bills that translate into Government overdraft at the Reserve Bank on maturity," he said."Further, Government funds its employees' salary accounts through electronic transfers over the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) platform. On the contrary, employees would want to obtain physical cash from banks. This misalignment is the greatest cause of queues at banks for cash as both the Reserve Bank and banks would be required to withdraw foreign exchange from their Nostro Accounts to meet cash demand."He said non-banking of cash by traders is also a major cause of cash shortages and queues for cash at banks."This indiscipline is counterproductive and cannot continue to be tolerated. Money is like blood, it needs to circulate for the economy to survive. Money should be circulating in order to deal with queues at the banks. To date, three traders have been hauled before the courts for not banking their sales proceeds in line with the laws of the country from as far back as June 2016. They have all pleaded guilty to the offence and they now await their sentences after the Easter holidays," he said."There is also pressure for Government to monetise the overdraft or Treasury Bills to physical cash. Monetising Treasury Bills means that physical foreign exchange cash is being withdrawn from banks without a corresponding foreign exchange receipt to fund Government's position at banks."He said government, through the Reserve Bank, is advocating for the use of plastic money in order to ameliorate the mismatch or gap between electronic salary transfers and the demand for cash from banks."Embracing plastic money preserves foreign exchange in the Nostro Accounts for use of foreign payments whilst at the same time mitigating against non-banking of cash by traders. Government is also considering removing the 5c tax on plastic money in order to reduce the cost of transacting," he said."The non-banking of cash by traders is currently being attended to by the Reserve Bank and the police under the Bank Use Promotion Act [Chapter 24:24] which compels traders to bank their surplus cash on a daily basis when banks are open for business. Best practice is that traders in the reserved sectors of the economy should be locals as is required in terms of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act."
News / National

by Staff reporter

A planned probe into rights abuses allegedly centred around First Lady Grace Mugabe has reportedly hit turbulent waters, with top government officials allegedly throwing spanners in the works and refusing to co-operate with the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) investigators.The ZHRC wants to probe Grace for forcibly evicting over 200 families, from Manzou Farm in Mazowe, where she plans to set up a wildlife conservancy.This comes amid reports that Grace is embroiled in a nasty mine ownership wrangle with an indigenous miner in the same area.ZHRC chairperson Elasto Mugwadi confirmed yesterday that the statutory human rights body had deployed a team of investigators following reports that the affected families had their homes burnt while they were dumped in the bush in Mvurwi following their eviction last week."We had a visit from a group of affected individuals last week on Friday and on the same day, we despatched a team to the farm to investigate," he said."Our team could, however, not make headway because they failed to meet with the leadership in the province."Our aim is to meet with (Mashonaland Central) Provincial Affairs minister Martin Dinha, the chief lands officer and officer-in-charge Mazowe Police Station for us to understand what is going on."Mugwadi said ZHRC investigators went back to the farm yesterday to continue with the investigations."As we speak, our team is in Mazowe on the same mission and at least by tomorrow (today), we should be able to say with certainty what is going on," the ZHRC chairperson said.Mugwadi confirmed sources' reports that one of the villagers was left with a gouged eye."It is true. I was briefed on the issue of a man who was attacked along with his wife and child," he said."Our team was also not able to meet with the victims. But we have impressed upon them to make every effort to locate the family and interview them. I have been informed that the family was also referred to a private hospital in town, but we still need finer details of the case."The forced removals left hundreds of schoolchildren stranded, including some in examination classes, who had already registered for this year's examinations.The First Family is yet to directly comment on the issue, but reports indicate First Lady Grace is currently out of the country.The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association has also condemned the continued harassment of families in the area despite a standing High Court order stopping the displacements.Sources told NewsDay, the First Lady had also clashed with an indigenous miner, Pius Madzimure, over ownership of a gold claim known as Elliot 90A in Mazowe district."The police have arrested my workers to stop operations at my mine Elliot 90A," he said in a WhatsApp message seen by NewsDay.He claimed that Grace's companies, Bona Idah P/L and Confidence Mining P/L were interested in the mine."The order is from an Inspector Kalosi, a security officer at the First Lady's orphanage. They are saying my workers and relatives should not stay at my registered mine."Provincial mines director Forbes Mugumbate yesterday confirmed Madzimure as the rightful owner of the gold claim."Our only role is to confirm ownership of the mining claim and we have done that. Indeed, Madzimure is the owner. All other things, I do not think I am qualified to comment on," he said.While Madzimure was not available for comment with his mobile phone unreachable, his younger brother, Ronnie, confirmed the conversations, but could not be drawn into a discussion on the fight."Those facts are correct, but I am not at liberty to say much at the moment. I would need to talk to him (Madzimure) first," he said yesterday, adding he had a recording of a meeting with Mugumbate.Kalosi would neither deny nor confirm the allegations when contacted for comment."The people who are giving you that information must tell the truth of what really is going on and the extent to which I am involved. That person must tell you exactly what is happening, I cannot say much," he said.Madzimure reportedly wrote to Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri last year seeking help over the matter, but with no luck.Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba had promised to check on details of the issue, but had not responded at the time of going to print last night.Elliot Mine is situated at Surtic Farm, formerly owned by German miners.Madzimure last week claimed two of his workers, Brian Chikopa and Vengai Nyamupingidza, were detained at Mazowe Police Station."[The] First Family is using Kalosi to torture and harass us with help from the police Support Unit from Harare. Our problems started when there was a gold rush in October 2015, so they came and claimed it was their mine," he claimed."They (Mugabes), however, failed to produce papers, which I did."Later, they produced an SG Number 6045 in Bindura through the ministry under Confidence Mining trading as Gushungo, thinking they would override my papers, but the ministry, through Mugumbate, clearly indicated to them that existing claims are not affected. I registered my claim in March 2012 under registration number 42170."
Finance and Economic Development Minister Kenneth Matambo has said that the success of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Agenda depends largely on our strong commitment and leadership to accelerate implementation and ensure the attainment of all set goals and targets.



Speaking at the Regional-United Nations Development Group meeting this week, Matambo highlighted that the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals set out a very bold global agenda aimed at responding to the highly volatile and unpredictable challenges that confront humanity today.



He urged member states to come up with ground-breaking ideas that consider their specificities such as middle income, least developed and landlocked developing country status. Only then he says can all member states benefit from the value addition of the UN.



This will require us all to come up with innovative tools and instruments to assist us in monitoring and evaluating our progress for effective implementation, he said.

The Joint Regional United Nations Meeting meet comprised United Nations Regional leaders from Central, East, South and West Africa; Under the theme, Taking forward the SDGs through the prism of the 2016 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR).



He said the United Nations Development Group is expected to efficiently coordinate operations to enable users to effectively support each other. Ambassador of the European Delegation to Botswana and SADC, Alexander Baum stated that the existence of the SDGs has now given member states a clear sense of direction, which will benefit future generations.



We should collectively go as a world community if we want to head for a better future for ourselves and the future generations. However, Buam said the responsibility to take countries forward rests with governments concerned and should not be externalised to the international community.



Through debates in Europe, we recognise that middle income countries (MICs) face challenges that demand continuous engagement with the international community. He also said the very same countries then need support to achieve the SDGs in their own ambitions. The question then becomes which support and how can we support them, he asked.



Baum shared that the European Union (EU) has concluded that they must focus on exchange of knowledge, transfer of skills, giving inspiration, ideas and experiences. This still requires money, but less when compared to the approach of mainly transferring resources and parachuting technical assistance, he said.



He urged member states to be open to such debates on what is required to move ahead, accept the need for learning while international community must be open to adapt to new approaches and instruments.
There is high opportunity for innovators in the agriculture sector, says the Africa Innovation report 2017 released last week. This is good news for Botswana, which is trying to improve its agriculture sector.



The only notable innovation related to the agriculture sector from Botswana has been m-Agri by Branstorne Group, a software app developed with the assistance of Orange Botswana, to help farmers share news, events, weather forecasts and tips. The app, launched in 2015, currently has over 10, 000 users.



The report, compiled by Liquid Telecom, outlines the challenges, opportunities and potential for innovations in Africa. It notes that while a lot of start-ups focus on urban solutions, there is more potential and higher return on investment for rural areas. The report notes that while the challenges are steeper for innovations in rural areas, the rewards are higher for the communities, nation and continent at large.



The World Bank estimates that 65 percent of sub Saharan Africas labour force works in the agriculture sector, which accounts for one third of the countrys GDP. Furthermore, rural areas are home to some of the continents poorest communities. The Africa Innovation report states that increasing agricultural productivity is critical to lifting large numbers of rural households out of poverty.



Further, that technology and innovation can play an important role in supporting Africas agriculture sector, empowering farming communities with information that can drive efficiencies and ultimately increase yield and profit. Unlocking the potential is one of the largest challenges facing the regions start ups, as here levels of mobile and internet penetration are at their lowest and the target customer has little disposable income. With the support of governments, academia and NGOs, a growing number of start-ups are developing innovative solutions that navigate these obstacles in order to help support rural communities living close or beneath the poverty line.



The report profiled interesting innovations like drones to be used in farming by Droneclouds (a partnership between IntegriSense and Afrolabs), which will give farmers the benefits of modern remote sensing through affordable and on-demand crop insights via a cloud platform that uses aerial imagery generated through its social global network of drone operators and satellites.



DroneClouds has already started scaling its operations and finding new ways to use earth observation data to support farming operations. Co-founder at DroneClouds David Campey was quoted as saying that, We are able to look at a region of small subsistence farmers and identify gaps in their education based on their farming activities. We are generating lots of data, which will create further insights for the academic world and provide further learning for farmers, he said.



Campey acknowledged that current production offering is often a bit too high tech for African farmers and thats why it is essential for them to create innovations that are clever but simple to use, and are affordable. Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Ivory Coast surged ahead in Innovation and are leaders in technology innovations particularly.



In a recent interview, Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) CEO Allan Boshwaen noted that interest in innovation was still low but expressed hope that the situation would improve. The level of interest in innovation in Botswana is relatively low compared to countries like Kenya where we already see practical examples of individuals making a living out of innovation based entrepreneurship.



However, BIH and its partners continue to conduct road shows and sensitising activities have proved to be relevant in raising awareness and interest. Most notably, the hosting of the Innovation Prize for Africa was one of the key initiatives that stimulated interest from the public, he said.

Boshwaen also noted that BIHs role is to create a conducive environment, which nurtures innovations by offering a wide range of quality services and incentives relevant to accelerating the level of creativity and innovation through robust criteria to reach commercial level.
It is now in the open that the battle for BDP Chairmanship between Vice President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Development Nonofo Molefhi is a fierce one.

Following recent claims and reports that key Molefhi supporters are under surveillance, this publication has learnt that the Masisi camp is now threatening and putting pressure on various party structures to support the Vice President.

Those who have been intimidated and instructed to show respect by supporting Masisi in the coming elective congress in Tonota are councillors and members of the National Youth Executive Council (NYEC). It has emerged that As the race for Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) top post gains momentum claims of underhand tactics by competing camps have emerged.



during a meeting held at a lodge in Mogoditshane with councillors from the Southern Region after the partys National council the councillors were told to show their allegiance for the VP since he would be taking over as state President in April next year.

They were also reminded to embrace the Vice President because he is the one who came up with the initiative to have councillors receive P1 200 as housing allowance each month. This allowance is expected to assist councillors who have been commuting from far away areas to attend council business and had been relying on a P300. 00 subsistence allowance. It has however emerged that councillors are not happy with the allowance saying it is not enough.





This publication also understands that during a meeting with the councillors from the Central District Masisis team indicated that it would be uncalled for, if the councillors were to defy the party chairman and vote for someone else.

The meeting was held after the Vice President addressed the Central District, Full Council meeting. A councillor who attended the Tuesday meeting told this publication that they have been told to show respect for the chairman who will be taking over as party and countrys president next year.

The councillor said what was relayed at the Tuesday, meeting where they were treated for lunch in one of the hotels in Serowe was far from being a plea for a vote but rather an order. The councillors in Serowe were also reminded how the VP had put pressure and convinced cabinet to give them the P1 200.00 housing allowance.

During a Duma FM interview with Molefhi on Tuesday night a councillor told the presenter that Minister of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security Advocate Sadique Kebonang told the Councillors that they must vote for Masisi in July. The caller intimated that the tone and words used seemed to undermine internal party democracy that democrats should enjoy by supporting their candidate of choice.





Molefhi has however stated that he is not intimidated by any of these developments. He said it would be unfortunate to have had a BDP member luring for votes in that manner. The soft-spoken MP for Selibe Phikwe East also revealed that he is not intimidated by claims that he is under surveillance by Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services. Molefhi says the DISS has an office near his residential home. He explained that should any of his supporters have evidence to prove that they are under surveillance they should follow proper procedure and lodge complaints.

NYEC Chairman Simon Mavange Moabi dismissed claims that they have been ordered to support Masisi during their recent meeting with the Vice President at State House 2. That is not true. As the new committee, we went there to present ourselves to him as the party chairman. We have extended the same to the party president, he said. BDP Secretary General Botsalo Ntuane could neither confirm nor deny the claims about councillors intimidation.

He said until someone brings evidence to prove that something is not done right he treats the news as speculation especially regarding the Mogoditshane meeting. BDP members meet from time to time formally and informally, said Ntuane. On the DISS, Ntuane explained that the security agency has no business in BDP inner politics. He said as the BDP they do not condone that and the laws are very clear with regards to the mandate of DISS.





He warned BDP members that they must also be on the look out for imposters who may claim to be DISS agents. Masisis Secretary General candidate, Mpho Balopi would not comment as he said he was out of the country. Advocate Kebonang could not be reached as his mobile phone was off.

The tension between Masisis camp and Molefhi escalated at the National Council when more democrats came out in the open to show their allegiance for Molefhi. The members who donned party regalia emblazoned with pro-Molefhi slogans, caused an uproar on the first day of the council when Molefhi arrived at the venue.

This has also resulted in the BDP banning wearing of party regalia that could be construed to be campaign material. Ntuane stated that going forward the party would see how to deal with this matter to differentiate if the regalia is a campaign material or not.
[April 11, 2017] RiXtrema's Record Study of Retirement Plan Investment Expense Finds Over $17 Billion of Annual Waste

NEW YORK, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- RiXtrema announced the findings of a big data quantitative research effort on defined contribution plans. The largest ever conducted, the study involved 52,529 plans, and included detailed plan menu choices in the calculations. RiXtrema's award winning research team used quantitative algorithms to estimate the potential savings to the defined contribution plans by switching to more efficient menus. The analysis went beyond fees, also focusing on quality measures to ensure that fee savings would not come at the expense of performance for participants. "We have been researching the defined contribution plan market for more than two years and have been surprised to find that even many of the largest plans do not use the available leverage to obtain the best deal for plan participants," said RiXtrema President Daniel Satchkov, CFA. "In today's debate about the future of fiduciary advice, it is critical to consider evidence-based approaches, which is what we have provided in this most extensive study ever undertaken." The research used the same algorithms available in RiXtrema's 401kFiduciaryOptimizer, a quantitative diagnostic software solution for retirement plans. "The 401kFiduciaryOptimizer is the first and only software that uses sophisticated quantitative methodologies to improve menu design for retirement plans," said Satchkov. "We have devoted years of research to ensure that plan advisors can bring science-based savings and improved diversification to retirement plans." OVERVIEW RiXtrema analyzed 52,529 retirement plans from the Department of Labor EFAST database. EFAST is an all-electronic processing system of Forms 5500 and 5500-SF which are filed each year by pension and welfare benefit plans to satisfy annual reporting requirements under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code. While similar to an earlier study release in 2016, the current study included two significant enhancements: a dramatic six-fold increase in the universe of plan forms, fro 7,472 to more than 50,000; and the addition of a strict criterion that allowed the consideration of only high-quality funds as low-fee alternatives to the universe of expensive incumbent funds.



"In the current study, only funds with a better ten-year track record than the incumbent funds were allowed to be used as replacements to obtain the savings," said Satchkov. "We also reran the analysis removing index funds and ETFs. The plan savings remained extremely high, in spite of the additional criteria." Based on a conservative analysis, it is estimated that plan participants could save on average .25% per year (25 basis points) by switching to lower cost investments that are quantitatively very similar to those they already hold, but with a better track record. Similarity is defined as a combination of category filters, together with historical and forward looking predicted-correlation based on a multi-factor model. With total defined contribution plan assets of $6.8 trillion (as of March 2015), the potential savings is at least $17 billion.

Read RiXtrema's working paper on Defined Contribution Retirement Plans REASON FOR RESEARCH It has been widely argued that 401(k) and other retirement plan participants are poorly served by plan menus comprising expensive mutual funds that tend to underperform over time due to higher fees and lack of consistent alpha. Until now, there has been surprisingly little quantitative evidence regarding fee inefficiency and waste in retirement plans. In its analysis, the DOL used an average of 11.3 basis points as an estimate of waste in 401(k) plans. An independent study indicated that menu restrictions in an average plan led to 78 basis points of additional cost relative to a low index fund basket, but that study could be challenged based on the argument that high fee funds held by participants should not be directly compared to low cost funds due to the unique return and correlation profile. RiXtrema's research objective was to find low fee replacements for high fee funds, but only where it could be proven that 1) the replacement does not materially change the risk/return profile offered to participants in their current menu and 2) that the track record of that fund is actually better on a ten- year basis, than the track record of the incumbent fund. ABOUT RIXTREMA Founded in 2010, RiXtrema is a portfolio crash-testing company that helps advisors discuss risk with clients. Long used by fund managers, pensions plans and funds of funds, RiXtrema has introduced its risk management tools to the financial advisory and broker/dealer community to help ensure that clients get the analysis and advice they need. The RiXtrema research team received the 2015 Peter L. Bernstein award, one of the most prestigious awards in finance, for its article Risk Estimation and Hedging: A Reverse Stress Testing Approach, published in The Journal of Derivatives in April 2015. RiXtrema solutions include Portfolio Crash Testing; BioniX, the first robo platform for advisors that includes sophisticated risk modeling; IRAFiduciaryOptimizer, the first quantitative DOL Fiduciary Rule Rollover solution, and the related 401(k) Fiduciary Optimizer geared for plan advisors. For more information, visit www.rixtrema.com. Contact:

Leslie Swid

[email protected]

(913) 649-5009 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com. SOURCE RiXtrema

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Zenoss Awards IT Leaders at GalaxZ17

Zenoss Inc., the leader in hybrid IT monitoring and analytics software, today announced the winners of the Z Awards at the company's annual user conference, GalaxZ, held in Austin, Texas. The prestigious Z Awards honor customers for achieving excellence in hybrid IT monitoring.

"I am fortunate to lead the customer success programs to capture and analyze feedback and effectively apply this to our ongoing strategy," said Brian Wilson (News - Alert), chief customer officer at Zenoss. "The GalaxZ event is three days of invaluable in-person dialogue, which is a key element to success across the ecosystem. Today, we publicly present Z Awards to those who stand out and demonstrate incredible leadership and commitment to innovation, driving IT transformation across a broad range of industry verticals."

Nomination categories showcase organizations that have gone the distance, with incredible talent, excellent leadership skills, a vision of gaining new value from the Zenoss platform, and that have realized exceptional business results and return on investment (ROI) from adopting an effective hybrid IT monitoring strategy. The categories and esteemed winners are as follows:

Innovator of the Year Award: Presidio

Team of the Year: Huntington Bank

Implementation of the Year: Datalink

Channel Partner (News - Alert) of the Year: NTT DATA

Technology Partner of the Year: LayerX Technologies

Services Partner of the Year: SoftServe

MSP of the Year: Cognizant

Rookies of the Year: Grainger and Juniper

Vision and Innovation - Technology: Acxiom (News - Alert)

Vision and Innovaton - Financial: Charles Schwab

Vision and Innovation - Education: University of Maryland University College (UMUC)

Vision and Innovation - Health Care: Surescripts

ZenMaster of the Year: Jason Stanley, PNC (News - Alert)







Additional Resources

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Contact Zenoss

About Zenoss

Zenoss works with the world's largest organizations to ensure their IT services and applications are always on. As the global leader in hybrid IT monitoring and analytics software, Zenoss provides complete visibility for cloud, virtual and physical IT environments. Zenoss customers gain IT performance and risk insights into their unique IT ecosystems through real-time analytics that adapt to the ever-evolving data center and cloud, enabling them to eliminate disruptions and accelerate business. https://www.zenoss.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170411006072/en/
[April 11, 2017] Disruptive Renewable Energy Technology Imitates Nature to Deliver Beauty and Power

LONDON, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- SolarBotanic and Brunel University Develops IoE Renewable Energy Source Which Powers Cell Phone Towers and Doubles As a Microgrid. A recent EU directive has drawn attention to the high electricity generation cost in isolated areas located across Europe, including, but not limited to, alpine areas, islands and small villages. Even though some of these areas have the capacity to support renewable energy systems, their remoteness begets the use of fossil fuel-depended combustion plants, which significantly raise both the logistical and environmental cost of energy production in the aforementioned areas. SolarBotanic, (www.solarbotanic.com) the rapidly-growing, UK-based green-energy technology firm whose "radical innovation provides the opportunity for a never-before-seen degree of energy autonomy, all the while significantly reducing cost, both financially and in terms of environmental impact," has, together with Brunel, http://www.brunel.ac.uk/ the well regarded Research and Engineering University in London, developed a renewable energy source to specifically adress the issue of replacing the current, taxing energy production systems located in remote areas.



The company's hybrid energy system is based on the principle of generating energy through photovoltaic material and a uniquely designed mechanically robust turbine, and then conserving that energy in Regenerative Hydrogen Fuel Cells (RHFC) - a system showing great potential for environmentally-friendly energy conservation. Commenting on the company's system potential, while highlighting the importance of using renewable energy sources to power cell phone towers, the company's media representative stated that "Telecom base stations in remote areas have to operate with an unreliable power grid, or even without a grid at all. Currently, off-grid stations are mostly powered by diesel generators. Most telecom infrastructure companies are looking for alternatives to avoid the high investment, high maintenance and fuel costs. RHFC systems are the answer."

He continued "The energy capacity and power capacity of a RHFC can be configured independently. Storing energy in hydrogen cells provides flexibility, and a dramatically higher energy density than any other energy storage medium, using cell phone towers as a microgrid energy source is the Internet of Energy (IoE)." Insuring against the absence of wind or sun for up to ten days, while doing away with the need for a battery backup, SolarBotanic's system boasts significant cost and energy savings; a long life span of over 15 years; improved energy system security and reliability, compared to diesel systems; as well as a natural design, which seamlessly blends in with natural surroundings. For more information contact:

[email protected]

Phone +44(0)7859298054 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/disruptive-renewable-energy-technology-imitates-nature-to-deliver-beauty-and-power-300438418.html SOURCE SolarBotanic

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While trouble in Egypt has persisted for decades, it doesnt make the news of two bombings targeting the churches of Coptic Christians any easier to endure for worshippers who have since found solace in Brandon.

Girgis Edward, one of a number of Coptic Christian doctors from Egypt practising in Brandon, said the problem is induced by education, since people are raised to treat Copts as second-class citizens in Egypt.

Its sad, we are very sorry for our people, Edward said of the twin bombings, directed at a minority group regularly facing persecution. Nobody deserves to be killed while he is peaceful, praying.

Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun Members of Brandon's Coptic Christian Community, including church Deacon Dr. Girgis Edward (second from left) observe passover at the St. Mina & St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church on Ashgrove Blvd. on Thursday evening.

ISIS claimed responsibility for Sundays attacks at a pair of Coptic Christian churches. The bombings in Alexandria and Tanta killed at least 45 people and injured more than 100.

The act occurred on Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter when Christians say Jesus entered Jerusalem.

The Egyptian government announced a three-month state of emergency on Monday in response to the attacks, a bid to root out the terror network.

In Brandon this week, parishioners are gathering morning and night to pray, in honour of Pascha, or Holy Week, the most sacred week on the Coptic calendar.

Edward said there are around 20 Coptic Christian families in southwestern Manitoba who attend St. Mina & St. Anthony Coptic Orthodox Church, which rent space out of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Brandon.

Doctors are the profession of a majority of the approximately 12 Coptic Christian families in Brandon.

Like many Copt families who left Egypt, Edward longed for security.

Its all the doctors here, you dont take your chances, said the Brandon Clinic physician. You cannot have your own clinic (as a Coptic Christian in Egypt) without some people attacking you, or trying to take your money when you have kids. If you have a pharmacy, some people will attack you at night and you cannot claim anything to the police, they will support them.

Edward shared one instance where he took an oral exam in university. The facilitator knew, by his last name, Edward was a Coptic Christian, and failed him because of it.

Conditions for Copts in Egypt have worsened in recent decades following a series of Middle East wars. Now, the religious minority has become a preferred target of the Islamic State, and millions of Copts are continuing to flee Egypt due to rising religious tensions.

The number of violent attacks has increased in recent years.

The people who lost their lives, including two cousins of the wife of Edwards best friend, died nobly, while practicing their faith, he said.

We are proud to be martyrs, to sacrifice with our blood for our beliefs.

Talaat Hanna, a physician at Wheat City Medical Clinic, does not expect the devastating bombings to deter worshippers.

Will it stop people from praying or loving their Jesus? I dont think so, he said. We will love him until the end.

He is not keen to define continued persecution as unavoidable, though.

You go to pray and you lose one or two members of your families, that is not something that you want to say is normal  its not normal, he said.

News of the bombings trickled in by the time of the Brandon Copts Palm Sunday service, said Nivine Azer, a physician at the same clinic as Hanna.

Im sad but Im not shocked, because its happened a lot before, Azer said, referring to centuries-old persecution.

She and her husband, Maged Ghebrial, brought their family to Canada nearly a decade ago, in search of a better life.

It is not only the threat of death, but subtler forms of discrimination, like being passed up for career opportunities, that become overbearing.

We were living well there, she said of the familys Egyptian home. If the environment around us was safe and secure, we would have continued to live there.

 ifroese@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @ianfroese
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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

While Brandon was not specifically mentioned in Finance Minister Cameron Friesens 2017 budget speech on Tuesday, one major relief for Mayor Rick Chrest was the status quo funding promised to municipalities.

It would have been problematic for us  if the province had decided to scale back support for municipalities, Chrest said Tuesday from Winnipeg. It would have been a difficult circumstance for us, but were quite capable of keeping our taxes in line based on the status quo, so based on that, itll work well for us.

The City of Brandon receives provincial funding through many streams, such as emergency services, sanitation and partnership funding for Renaissance Brandon.

The big, overarching situation for  the City of Brandon, is that the provincial government has basically contained in the budget a similar amount of general funding for municipalities, as was in 2016, Chrest said.

Friesen spoke about reducing red tape for municipalities and moving toward a single-window model for funding support, rather than several different departments and programs. This may give Brandon more flexibility, and follows the lobbying efforts of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, which Chrest was a part of.

Brandon West Progressive Conservative MLA Reg Helwer said the main message coming out of Manitobas 2017 budget is that it is built for and by Manitobans.

There are no new taxes, no tax increases, and tax relief for many Manitobans, he said. Were going to encourage economic growth and job creation, and theres considerable investment in health, families, justice and education.

Infrastructure investment remains a top priority, with Friesen outlining $1.7 billion slated for projects in 2017-18: $747 million for roads, highways, bridges, flood protection; $641 million for health, education, housing; and $370 million for municipal, local and other provincial infrastructure.

Business leaders and a tax watchdog expressed concern at the slow pace of deficit reduction, but Premier Brian Pallister said large spending cuts would have undermined services. And he said he wasnt about to increase taxes.

It wasnt the solution we chose and it wasnt the solution we ran on, he said of higher taxes.

One thing the premier did run on was a promise to reduce the PST by a percentage point during the governments first term in office. When asked about it Tuesday, Pallister repeated his pledge  despite its $300-million cost and the fact that he would likely have to borrow the money to pay for it.

Pallister defended the decision to discontinue the tuition rebate. Starting this year, students will no longer receive it. For graduates, the benefit is being reduced this year and eliminated next year.

The tuition rebate program wasnt working to keep students in Manitoba, the premier said. We cant continue to support programs that have no demonstrable positive effects.

Instead, the money should go to lower the barriers to entering university in the first place, Pallister said.

NDP interim leader Flor Marcelino said elimination of the tuition fee income tax rebate could make graduates think twice about whether they want to remain in the province or move to Manitoba.

We believe the tax credit was needed to keep our graduates here working and living in Manitoba, she said.

Friesen said his second budget takes steady, measured steps toward balancing the budget over eight years.

Our plan avoids drastic measures choosing instead to steadily pursue and achieve improvements year-over-year, he said in his budget address. This will allow us to reach our destination together, safely and securely.

There was no specific mention of planned freezes to civil servant salaries or the budget impact of laying off department managers. Salary and employee benefit estimates for some departments are lower than was budgeted last year. The finance minister explained that at least some of the savings would occur through vacancy management.

For the second straight budget, there was no mention of an increase to the provinces minimum wage. However, Friesen hinted to reporters that the government would be making an announcement soon in that regard.

Manitoba will spend more than $1.7 billion  about the same as last year  on strategic infrastructure, which includes everything from roads, bridges and flood-proofing to houses, schools and public housing.

However, there are reductions forecast for both highway construction ($32 million) and highway maintenance ($4 million), with increases in water-related infrastructure.

Friesen said key tax credits will be maintained, such as those to primary caregivers as well as to the mining and manufacturing industries. However, several others will be eliminated, including those for Neighbourhoods Alive, data processing investment, nutrient management and odour control.

Todd MacKay, Prairie director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said while he appreciated the tiny step the government took in eliminating the deficit, it is not enough.

Look, if the economy sneezes the deficit is going to get bigger. Theyre counting on increased revenues to take care of this deficit. Spending is up half a billion dollars, he lamented.

 Winnipeg Free Press
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This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba Ombudsman has ruled against The Brandon Sun in its bid to get Brandon police to disclose any discipline the force may have given a police officer whose treatment of a domestic violence victim was described as uncalled for by a police watchdog.

The newspaper filed a complaint to the Ombudsman after the City of Brandon and Brandon Police Service refused to release a video of the exchange between the victim and the police officer and declined to provide an account of any discipline the officer may have received.

The Sun argued the release was needed to maintain confidence in the police force and justice system, but the Ombudsman backed the officers privacy under provincial legislation.

Based on the Ombudsmans findings in this matter, the complaint is not supported, the office of the Ombudsman concluded in a report received by the newspaper on Tuesday.

The case was first made public by the Independent Investigation Unit in July 2016. The IIU investigates all serious incidents involving police officers in Manitoba, whether they happen on or off duty.

In its report, the agency described how a woman complained that a BPS officer had yelled at her about her life choices as she made a domestic assault complaint on March 16, 2016. The officer questioned why she kept allowing her partner to return, she reported.

The encounter, outside the door to the womans apartment, was caught on video but wasnt released.

The IIU described the video in its report, noting that the officer had thrown the complainants phone on the floor when she tried to record the conversation. He repeatedly pushed her back when she tried to leave, and held her against the jamb of the door.

The woman wasnt injured and the phone wasnt broken.

The video had no audio, but that woman later told The Sun that the officer, who she had never met, told her she was wasting his time because she would only withdraw her complaint and take her partner back.

She had been assaulted by her partner twice within the prior three days, assaults for which her boyfriend was later sentenced to time served in jail.

IIU civilian director Zane Tessler called the officers actions as uncalled for and unjustified. While he concluded that it wasnt in the publics interest to lay charges against the officer, he suggested the BPS look into whether discipline was needed.

An official with The Womens Resource Centre said the decision not to charge the officer would discourage domestic violence victims from making complaints.

The Brandon Sun then filed a request with the city under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) for extensive police records surrounding the case, including the video of the incident and an account of any discipline.

In response, the newspaper received a number of documents. Those included officer notes that indicate the BPS dealt with the womans complaint quickly and referred it to the IIU the day after it was made. The force had referred the officers actions to the IIU as a possible assault under the Criminal Code.

However, the city declined to release the video, and an account of any discipline or results of any BPS internal review.

The city argued that discipline was part of the officers employment history and, under FIPPA, releasing that information was an unreasonable invasion of a third partys privacy.

Privacy under FIPPA was also cited to decline release of the video. The city stated that releasing it would identify the domestic violence complainant (she later identified herself to The Brandon Sun), the officer and a third party who appears in the video.

Obscuring the identities of the people in the video would make it unwatchable, the city said.

The Brandon Sun lodged its complaint with the Ombudsman in October 2016 and asked for the release of the video and discipline, arguing it was needed to maintain public confidence in Brandon police and the justice system.

It argued that the officer wasnt a third party under FIPPA because he was acting as an employee of the public body to which the newspaper had applied for information.

The newspaper also pointed out that the complainant had identified herself to The Brandon Sun since the citys initial response, and had therefore removed the protection of her privacy from the equation.

In an interview, she had called for the release of the video and an account of any internal discipline.

The Ombudsman disagreed with The Suns arguments.

The office concluded that the wording of FIPPA indicates that the officer is a third party under the legislation that deems the release of employment, occupational, educational history, personal recommendations or evaluations, character references or personnel evaluations as an unreasonable invasion of privacy.

Release of information for the employee of a public body is permitted if it relates to their salary, benefits, employment responsibilities or travel expenses. That doesnt include discipline, the Ombudsman concluded.

That privacy concern would also extend to the officers image in the video. The fact that the domestic assault victim gave her identity to The Sun didnt mean she gave full consent to the city to release information.

Ombudsman staff viewed the footage to see if placing solid-coloured boxes over the identifying features of the people in the video, as the city suggested, would allow partial release of the video.

However, they concluded that only disconnected snippets of information would remain, and they supported the citys decision to completely withhold the video.

The Ombudsman also ruled that the requested information was rightfully withheld because it was gathered as part of an investigation, even though the investigation into criminal matters (the assault complaint against the boyfriend, and possibility of an assault charge against the officer) had concluded.

The Brandon Sun can still appeal the citys refusal to release the information to Court of Queens Bench.

The BPS confirmed on Tuesday that the constable involved in the incident remains on active duty.

 ihitchen@brandonsun.com
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After being dealt a significant blow by the provincial government after it lifted the post-secondary tuition cap, Manitoba students are now reeling from the loss of tuition-targeted tax credits.

The province announced in Tuesdays budget plans to cut the Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate, effective immediately for current students, and resulting in savings of $46.5 million annually. For graduates, the rebate will be reduced this year and phased out completely next year.

The Advance Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate will also be eliminated for an annual savings of $6.4 million.

The former NDP government introduced the 60 per cent Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate in 2007 as an effort to encourage new graduates to stay and work in Manitoba. Students received up to 60 per cent of their tuition back paid out over six years through tax rebates.

The NDP introduced the Advance Tuition Fee Income Tax Rebate in 2010, allowing students in post-secondary school to receive a five per cent tax credit advance on tuition fees.

This is just the provincial government once again showing they are not interested in having students go to school, said Nick Brown, president of Brandon University Students Union. Im quite upset at this budget and Im quite upset with the provincial government.

Being a smaller institution, BU already struggles to entice students to continue after obtaining their first degree, Brown said, whether it be for masters programs, education programs or other secondary degrees.

This tax rebate was part of the reason that students were staying in Manitoba  and theyre no longer incentivized to stay in the province, Brown said. So now theyre just going to go to another province and Manitoba is going to experience a brain drain.

Mark Frison, president of Assiniboine Community College, said he is skeptical on how well the tax credits worked.

I think that all the evidence points out that the tax credit was very ineffective as a mechanism for retaining graduates, thats why other provinces have moved away from those tax credits, Frison said. Survey work with graduates shows that wages are much more influential (for attracting graduates) than tax credits  in my view there are much better ways to spend the money.

The provincial budget hasnt been easy on post-secondary institutions so far, either, as college and university operating grants have been frozen.

For ACC, that means a $112,000 reduction over last year, Frison said.

Obviously well have cost pressures and challenges, but at this point we havent seen the details with what the government might decide to do with the resources that theyll save from any reductions to the tax credit, Frison said. Id certainly like to see that some of it gets reinvested in post-secondary education.

However, freezing operating grants right after thawing the tuition freeze could just continue weighing on students.

Theres a strong possibly that tuition (for ACC students) will go up, Frison said.

 edebooy@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @erindebooy
[April 11, 2017] Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo returns to Seoul, South Korea for its 4th annual event

SEOUL, South Korea, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising Media, Inc., 3DR Holdings, and the Korea International Exhibition Centre (KINTEX) announced that the 4th annual Inside 3D Printing Conference & Expo will be held on June 28-30, 2017 at KINTEX in Seoul, South Korea. The theme for this year's event is 'The New Era of Digital Manufacturing'. Inside 3D Printing is the largest 3D printing event series worldwide, having hosted 38 events globally since its launch in 2013 in New York City. Over 9,000 attendees are expected at this year's event in Seoul. Inside 3D Printing Seoul is a three-day event that encompasses an international conference and an exhibition. The conference runs for 2 full days with 4 racks and features over 35 professional speakers from the additive manufacturing industry. The topics will focus on manufacturing, metal, business, and aerospace/automotive. This year's speaker line-up includes Terry Wohlers, President of Wohlers Associates, Inc., Stefan Ritt, VP-Head of global marketing and communications, SLM Solutions,Augustin Niavas, Business Development Manager for tooling, EOS and Vincent Yang, Product Manager, Materialise.



This year's exhibition is expected to have over 70 exhibitors including global corporations such as MakerBot, EOS, DWS, XYZ printing, as well as many major Korean additive manufacturing players as Carima, Cube Tech, Ateam Ventures and Vision Technology Korea. The connections made at Inside 3D Printing Seoul 2016 resulted in over 120 contracts signed worth USD$80 million within 6 months after the show. Inside 3D Printing Seoul will also include multiple networking events. On June 28th there will be a VIP Dinner with 300+ industry professionals in attendance, including exhibitors, speakers, entrepreneurs, press, governmental officials and overseas/local buyers. We will also hold a startup pitching event for a cash prize called Frontier Tech Showdown with 5 qualified startups and world-class professionals as judges not only in 3D Printing but Drones, Robotics and VR/AR on the same date. On June 29th, a Cocktail Party will be held for exhibitors and buyers to meet and explore business opportunities.

Early-bird conference promotion with discount rate of up to 40% continues until April 21. For more information on exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities or conference registration please contact the Inside 3D Printing Secretariat ([email protected]), +82-31-995-8074/8740 or visit www.inside3dprinting.com/seoul for more details. About Rising Media Rising Media is a global events and media producer excelling in Internet and technology-related events and content. Events include Inside 3D Printing, RoboUniverse, Virtual Reality Summit, Data Driven Business, Building Business Capability, Predictive Analytics World, Text Analytics World, eMetrics Summit, Conversion Conference, AllFacebook Marketing Conference, Search Marketing Expo, Affiliate Management Days, Influencer Marketing Days, Future of Immersive Leisure, Global Online Classifieds Summit, and Web Effectiveness Conference in the USA, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, India, China, Korea, Singapore, Australia, Brazil. For more information, please visit http://www.risingmedia.com. Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170410/8521702382-b

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Assiniboine Community College unveiled a set of priorities for its Parkland Campus in Dauphin on Tuesday, including a permanent on-campus practical nursing program.

ACC is aiming to develop the Parkland campus into a Regional Partnership Centre, building on the partnerships already formed between ACC and the Parkland region, said ACC president Mark Frison.

In addition to what happens in the physical building at our Parkland campus, we do a lot of community-based training around the Parkland region, Frison said. Todays plan is a set of priorities for growth at the Dauphin campus. It gives us a tool to communicate with partners, with government, employers and student populations about what kind of programs wed like to add there.

The addition of a permanent on-campus practical nursing program is piggybacking on an upcoming rural rotating site that Dauphin will be hosting in September. The rural rotating site will still take place, but now with an intake of 25 students every second year.

Theres a nursing program thats scheduled to run in 2017, and essentially from now on there will be an intake (of students) every second year in Dauphin for practical nursing, Frison said, adding that funding for the program was already in place.

Back in 2010, the Province of Manitoba and the Government of Canada invested in the expansion of that campus to include a practical nursing lab and classroom space  so weve been able to secure that one of the practical nursing sites will always be in Dauphin.

 edebooy@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @erindebooy
[April 11, 2017] PHNIX Heat Pump Water Heaters Step up Efforts to Develop High-end Market in Southeast Asia

GUANGZHOU, China, April 12, 2017 /PR Newswire/ - PHNIX, a leading manufacturer of heat pumps in China, will tilt the market resources to develop the Southeast Asian market comprehensively. Peter Wang, Deputy General Manager in charge of PHNIX global overseas business, said in an interview, PHNIX will choose the Southeast Asian market to deliver the newly developed HeatPro Series heat pump water heaters with the best price-quality ratio. It is reported that more than a decade PHNIX has been exporting to the global high-end market with many series of heat pump products. In recent years PHNIX heat pump hot water solutions have a successful application in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand, etc. And especially, the series of R410A systems with max 65C outlet water temp. can be applied in hotels, hospitals and schools with a lot of sample projects replacing coal and fuel boilers in China.



About PHNIX's HeatPro Series Heat Pump Water Heaters

PHNIX's HeatPro Series heat pumps, with Enhanced Vapor Injection (EVI) technology for dedicated heat pump applications, deliver outstanding performance and reliability, both in new buildings and boiler replacements. In addition to the existing heating system, PHNIX has now developed a complete product line for R410A, obtaining significant benefits for the heat pump system using this refrigerant, which enables the design of more efficient and more compact equipment. Thanks to EVI technology, PHNIX's HeatPro Series features a wide operating temperature range; the unit can reach a high water temperature of 55-65C even in cold climates ranging from -20C to 45C. The commercial heat pump water heater adopting green refrigerant, high efficient heat exchangers and circulating heating method, has a higher COP of 4.67 and has acquired the first-class energy label according to GB29541-20139. About PHNIX PHNIX, a leading manufacturer of heat pumps in China, is an international enterprise specializes in the R&D and production of heat pump products and energy-saving solutions. Nearly 50% of PHNIX products are exported to Europe, the United States and other overseas markets. Headquartered in Guangzhou, China, PHNIX has been named a China High-quality Brand and Guangzhou High-tech Enterprise. For more information about PHNIX and its products, please visit www.phnix-e.com. Contact John Zhu

86 20 39067742

[email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170411/1823241-1

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[April 11, 2017] APAC's Most Senior-Level E-Commerce and Digital Event for Travel is in Singapore

350 of Asia's most senior digital travel professionals representing top hotels, airlines, OTAs and metasearch engines to gather on 25th -- 27th April at the Resorts World Sentosa. SINGAPORE, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Over 350 of Asia's most senior digital travel professionals representing top hotels, airlines, OTAs and metasearch engines are expected to attend the 2017 edition Digital Travel APAC at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore, held from 25th -- 27th April. This is the 2nd edition of this conference and this year's Digital Travel APAC will host 70% new speakers with some industry biggies like Alwin Loh Tek Ken, Head of Digital Transformation & Innovation, Malaysia Airlines and David Peller, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Asia Pacific, Booking.com Lightning Talks on China and India and Country Clinics on Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Korea, ANZ and Middle East led by experts from each geo will give attendees a deep dive understanding of the unique consumer behaviors, challenges and opportunities in each of APAC's diverse and fragmented travel markets. The Women in Travel Think Tank Lunch is another great session where attendees can discuss how the digital travel industry can better attract, develop and retain top female talent. A brand new technology benchmarking pre day will give attendees an unbeatable, time-saving opportunity to meet and compare leading technologies in the space with new level of detail and interactivity in just one afternoon of networking. With in-depth tracks for Directors and VPs of eCommerce and Digital Marketing, creative boardrooms, debates and case-studies, Digital Travel APAC ensures there is something for everyone. Only in its 2nd year, Digital Travel APAC has made a name for itself as APAC'S Most Senior-Level E-Commerce and Digital Event For Travel. "APAC is projected to surpass North America to become the largest travel region of the world in 2017! So for those digital travel executives eager to stay ahead of today's new landscape, Digital Travel Summit APAC offers the perfect opportunity to embrace forward-looking strategies and technologies to capitalise on this perfect storm" said Prachi Panda, Conference Director of Dgital Travel APAC.



A conference organized by Worldwide Business Research (WBR), Digital Travel APAC strives to drive the travel industry with meaningful, high-level and forward looking exchange of ideas and discussions at the event and also help travel brands evaluate which new technologies such as AR, VR and AI will work best for them. Also partaking in the conference is Criteo, a global technology company that delivers personalised performance marketing at an extensive scale for more than 14,000 advertisers worldwide, including Booking.com, Expedia, Yatra and KKday. Alban Villani, General Manager, Southeast Asia, Criteo, has been playing a key role in driving regional eCommerce growth for Criteo customers in the retail and travel sectors since 2013. At the conference, Villani will be sharing results and insights from a Criteo-commissioned research on purchase behaviors, trends and challenges of digital travel consumers, and the implications and opportunities for travel businesses in the Asia-Pacific region.

Other technologies include - Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations; Tealium whose industry leading customer data platform, comprised of an enterprise tag management solution, omnichannel customer segmentation and action engine, and suite of rich data services, creates a vendor-neutral data foundation that spans web, mobile, offline and IoT. More than 75 speakers and panelists will focus on key and pressing current issues including delivering seamless multi-channel booking for today's connected travelers, powering conversion, perfecting customer experience, re-defining loyalty, personalizing online experience, maximizing industry partnerships and more. Key speakers will include: Akira Mitsumasu, Vice President, Marketing & Strategy, Japan Airlines

Dilpreet Singh , Head of CRM and Business Analytics, The Oberoi Group

, Head of CRM and Business Analytics, Dyson Yu , Vice President, Digital Marketing and eCommerce, Dream Cruises

, Vice President, Digital Marketing and eCommerce, Zaeem Shaukat Mirza , Global Head of Online Marketing, Qatar Airways

, Global Head of Online Marketing, Honey Mittal , SVP, Product, Wego.com

, SVP, Product, Puneet Mahindroo , Corporate Director, Revenue Management, APAC, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

, Corporate Director, Revenue Management, APAC, Trevor Spinks , Head of Sales & Distribution, Scoot/TigerAir

, Head of Sales & Distribution, Praveen Anupame, ?Group Director - E-Commerce, Swiss-Belhotel International

Tushar Khandelwal , COO, Voyagin

, COO, Kyota Chikazawa , Head of Marketing and Sales, ANA Digital Travel APAC is part of a series of two ecommerce conferences organized by WBR addressing markets in the Asia-Pacific. The next edition of eTail Asia will be hosted in Singapore in March, 2018. For further information: Media Contact:

Aditi Mohile

Tel: +65 67229497

Email: [email protected] Digital Travel APAC Contact:

Prachi Panda

Tel: +65 6722 9495

Email: [email protected] About Digital Travel APAC Digital Travel APAC is APAC'S Most Senior-Level E-Commerce & Digital Event For Travel designed to offer senior travel professionals the unique opportunity to address their most pressing digital challenges and network with key market participants. It is Asia's premier Digital Travel event bringing together 350+ digital travel professionals. 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

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Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Re: The editorial Review Of Pork Industry Wouldnt Be Hogwash (April 7) in The Brandon Sun.

I very much doubt the Pallister government or the MPC (Manitoba Pork Council) would even consider such a review. The last one in 2007 (Clean Environment Commission) was watered down and in lock-step under the guidance of Stan Struthers, then Conservation and Environment minister.

But at least some vulnerable areas were identified and protected in the Environment Act and the NDP government knew more had to be done to help protect our water sources and Lake Winnipeg. Under the guise of red tape reduction, these gains in protections will be removed in bills now introduced into the legislature.

The bigger manure lagoons now being planned for Manitoba could become our disasters to further plague Manitobans and pollute our water sources, like what has already happened in North Carolina. Each year, North Carolinas pig factory farms produce nearly 10 billion gallons of feces and urine. Thats enough to fill 15,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Is this what Manitobans have to look forward to?

This raises more questions. Too few hogs, too many processing plants, or just bad planning?

In 2009, there were too many hogs! Sows were culled and enormous numbers of piglets killed, barns were shut down, and producers were paid by government, with our tax dollars, to go out of business.

The Manitoba Pork Council now claims there is a shortage of hogs to supply both Maple Leaf and the Hylife plants.

The new Pallister Conservative government has sided with the MPC to compromise the environmental protection requirements in the Save Lake Winnipeg Act so production can expand without incurring costs to upgrade existing operations and by lowering standards for new manure storage and treatment facilities. The pork industry says it is not economically feasible to adapt to current requirements and lower standards are sufficient to protect the Lake and Manitobas water.

Where is the personal accountability of this industry, that has been sustained with government handouts and environmental subsidies, and lobby to weaken laws to protect the public and our water sources?

It very much seems that Manitoba is on its way to end up like North Carolina where industry financial considerations trump environmental and water protection.

JOHN FEFCHAK

Virden
Opinion

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 12/04/2017 (2036 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Disaster Assistance not worth the effort

I hear that Brian Pallister is out looking at flood areas. I have lived in a flood area for quite a few years and I have been flooded for quite a few years. And nobody seems to care. In 2014 my entire backyard was taken out plus my basement  and it took me three years trying to get something from Disaster Assistance which I ended up with a whopping $400. I would not have done the time it took to do all the paperwork to jump their hoops if I had known it was only going to get $400. It sure didnt pay for any of my expenses. I guess I wont be going to Costa Rica any time soon. I spent all of my retirement money to clean up from the floods. And it took me three years to find out I was not going to get any more. And I was told if I could get out my front door and down my driveway, what more did I need.

Time for union talks

Mr. Pallister stated that unions are not going to run the government any longer. The armed services are talking about unionizing. I would think that if they are able to protect our country they should be able to negotiate a reasonable agreement with the government without the extra cost of a union. Maybe they and Mr. Trudeau should have a discussion and work things out.

Thanks for the lift

Just wanted to say three seniors wanted to say thanks Provincial Ex for the great show and thanks to volunteer John driving a VIP car. He stopped in the middle of a wet parking lot and asked if we needed a ride. He took us right up the parking ramp right to the door. What a gentleman! Thank you again.

What is the message here?

So our federal Liberal government has drastically slashed the funding at Assiniboine Community College for English language training. Over 500 immigrant students will now be out of luck. These students had been working hard pursuing a better life for themselves, and their families, in their new country of Canada. Without English it is nearly impossible to find good employment, and even less likely to advance within your job, should they be lucky enough to find one. Without English these students will never realize their dream, and never really be able to assimilate into our society. For these immigrant students, the message from the federal government is crystal clear. Justin Trudeau is not here for you. You are here for Justin Trudeau. Period!

No one asked if I approved

I just read in the paper about this group that wants to add another all French school. Dont they think they should ask the taxpayers first for something that is a luxury before they go and start spending the money of the taxpayers.

Have to attract air service somehow

Regarding the Sound Off Dont Waste More Money! in the April 4 paper. Give your head a shake! How do you get more air service if you do not make facilities more attractive? You should be a proud local for our future with a good airport.
[April 12, 2017] PointStar Expands its Cloud Computing Investment in Indonesia with its New Jakarta Office to Serve More Customers

JAKARTA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PointStar, a cloud technology consulting firm that empowers businesses across Asia Pacific to innovate and move beyond productivity has moved to a new office to accommodate its rapid business growth in Indonesia. The new office is designed to promote employees' productivity in a collaborative environment. It comes with fully-equipped conference rooms, a silent room, and a 'Phone Booth' area for employees who wish for a quiet working environment. With these facilities, the team can focus on enhancing their core competencies and assists companies to choose, adopt, implement, customise and manage their cloud solutions. As one of the leading Google Partners in the APAC region, the conference room highlights the use of Google Hangouts in connecting PointStar's team of more than 60 employees working at different geographical locations. The new office allows the team to collaborate and achieve better and faster results for growing client's list of all sizes, which include Gojek, Zalora, Matahari Mall, Indo Tambangraya Megah, and Parkland. On May 7th 2015, PointStar announced the opening of a Cloud Center of Excellence in Indonesia. In less than 18 months, PointStar has outgrown its premises and experienced a multifold expansion in its employees as well as customers' portfolio.



As one of the pioneers in cloud solutions, PointStar adopted Google's advanced online enterprise-ready tool, G Suite, in achieving optimal communication. PointStar also utilises Netsuite's cloud accounting and CRM system, Cisco Meraki's cloud controlled WiFi, routing, and security system in ensuring a secure scalable enterprise network, as well as the Grandstream IP phone for a much stable telecommunication network. "Our Jakarta new office will reinforce the strength and focus to bring our clients world-class services. The expansion reflects our commitment and the continued success on our clients' businesses. We will continue to provide quality, innovative and affordable cloud solutions for companies to embrace digital transformation, and redefine the smarter way of working in the new digital era," said Justin Lee, CEO of PointStar.

To celebrate the opening of the new Jakarta office, PointStar has launched a 1-FOR-1 training package called TransformMyBiz. Its objective is to help the small and medium businesses to train their employees on getting the most out of G Suite (formerly Google Apps) at work. The training package, worth $900 per session will be applicable to companies in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia, valid for the first 100 companies that sign up and on a first-come-first-serve basis. "We live in a world of change, driven by technology and it is changing the way how companies and people used to work. As companies take on digital transformation, it simplifies the way they work and soon see themselves operating at maximum velocity," added Justin Lee. About PointStar PointStar was established in 2008 and has transformed hundreds of organisations and institutions, providing reliable and comprehensive cloud services that empower businesses to innovate and stay ahead of the competition. As a Cloud Technology consulting firm, PointStar has a treasure chest of world class, expertise in consulting for businesses in various industries. Pointstar is one of Asia's leading Google Cloud Partners, the preferred NetSuite Solution Provider, and an authorized partner for Cisco Meraki. PointStar is headquartered in Singapore with a presence in Jakarta and Malaysia. For further information, please visit www.point-star.com Media Contact Nadya Saraswati

[email protected]

Phone: +62 21 2555 8789 Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20170410/8521702387

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Tesco has reported its first annual increase in UK sales for seven years as the supermarket's recovery under boss Dave Lewis continues to gather pace.

The grocery giant saw like-for-like UK sales rise 0.9% in the year to February 25, its first annual growth since 2010. Like-for-like food sales in the UK were up 1.3%.

The grocery giant said operating profits rose 30% to 1.28bn, while group sales increased 3.7% to 55.9bn.

Mr Lewis said: "We are ahead of where we expected to be at this stage, having made good progress on all six of the strategic drivers we shared in October.

"We are confident that we can build on this strong performance in the year ahead, making further progress towards our medium-term ambitions."

However, on a statutory basis, pre-tax profits fell to 145m from 202m after the firm booked an exceptional 235m charge linked to payments to UK authorities over its 2014 accounting scandal.

Shares were down 3.27% in morning trading as investors digested the news.

Mr Lewis also used the results to make the case for Tesco's proposed 3.7bn merger with Booker, reiterating his view that it will add shareholder value.

He said: "Our proposed merger with Booker will bring together two complementary businesses, driving additional value for shareholders by realising substantial synergies and enabling us to access the faster growing 'out of home' food market."

His comments come after a number of investors spoke out against the deal in recent weeks.

Both Schroders and Artisan, which own 9% of Tesco, have publicly said it should be called off, insisting that the price being paid is too high and that a merger will distract from the core business.

The tie-up is also expected to face scrutiny from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which could force Tesco to offload stores if it deems the deal harms competition.

The chief executive also addressed rising inflation, saying that Tesco is working with suppliers to "mitigate" the impact for consumers.

"Our principle is to minimise inflation, but we are not unrealistic, we know there are real pressures. The last place we want to go is to increase price for customers, we would only do that after exhausting every other option."

British businesses have been stung by the Brexit-induced collapse in the pound, which has led to soaring costs, many of which have been passed on to consumers.

Last year Tesco was left grappling with a shortage of store cupboard staples - including Marmite, Pot Noodle and Persil - after refusing to bow to Unilever's demands for a 10% price rise following sterling's fall.

Laith Khalaf, senior analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: "Imported food inflation is also coming back into the system, which presents a challenge for supermarkets as the sector is so competitive that raising prices risks losing customers to cheaper rivals.

"That's particularly the case given the squeeze on household budgets we are likely to see as prices generally rise on the back of weaker sterling and higher commodity prices."
Six people were taken to hospital after a fire in a block of apartments in Dublin overnight.

Gardai say the alarm was raised at about 1.30am in the building near the Tallaght Luas stop.
100-tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies from Irish Aid are to be distributed in Somalia by Concern Worldwide.

The consignment is to help 4,000 families displaced by drought, acute hunger and conflict.

An airlift, worth 600,000, landed in Mogadishu today and from there Concern staff will distribute the first of two loads of supplies, containing blankets, jerry cas, cooking sets, family hygiene kits, tarpaulins and solar lamps.

A second consignment is expected to arrive on Friday.

Regional Director for the Horn of Africa Feargal OConnell welcomed todays consignment to Somalia: We are hugely grateful to Irish Aid for the 100-tonne consignment of non-food items, which will go a long way to supporting families who were forced to leave their homes with next to nothing and are now in need of shelter and other basic household items.

"Somalia is a country on the brink of famine and thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) including women and children are arriving at camps daily, where Concern is working, in the hope of humanitarian assistance.

"The need for assistance is increasing every day. The rains are also coming, so this airlift has arrived at a crucial time when vulnerable families need shelter and safety the most," he said.
A man, who punched a barrister in open court last week, has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend at her home in Dublin.

Vesel Jahiri, who is originally from Kosovo, was surrounded by prison officers in riot gear and had to be removed after the verdict came in.

The jury came back with its verdict having deliberated for six hours and 43 minutes.

Vesel Jahiri was brought into the packed court room in handcuffs.

Two prisoner officers in riot gear sat either side of him in the dock, while two others stood by the door behind him.

Mr. Jahiri was wrestled to the ground last Friday as he tried to escape from the court room after punching the prosecuting barrister in the face.

He started shouting that he had found the 999 call when the jury came in today and had to be removed again when the guilty verdict was delivered.

He was found guilty of murdering Anna Finnegan, the mother of his two children, at her home in Clonsilla in Dublin on Sept 21 2012.

He was also convicted of stabbing her brother Karl.

When the 35-year-old was brought back in to court, he kept asking what he had been convicted of.

His sentence hearing will take place next month.
Military police have been called in after an alleged sexual assault at an army barracks in Dublin.

The Gardai are also investigating after a woman made a complaint relating to Cathal Brugha Barracks in Rathmines.
Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire has warned of a snap election or a return to direct rule if Stormont parties fail to form a government by early May.

Mr Brokenshire issued the ultimatum as he confirmed the current round of talks to restore powersharing would be suspended for Easter.

"I believe that the outstanding issues between the parties are surmountable, but if no executive is formed by early May, I will need to take further steps to ensure Northern Ireland has the political stability it needs.

"This is likely to mean, however undesirable, either a second election or a return to decision making from Westminster."

A deal between the parties at Stormont has yet to be struck, almost six weeks after an Assembly election.

Party leaders say the talks have been constructive but there has been little progress on key points such as an Irish Language Act and legacy issues.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein have blamed each other for the stalemate.

Parties had until Friday to resolve their differences, but that has been extended.

A date has yet to be set for the resumption of talks after the break.

The political deadlock came after a snap election on March 2 brought an end to Stormont's unionist majority and the DUP's lead over Sinn Fein was cut from 10 seats to one.

Sinn Fein and the DUP, whose agreement is a prerequisite of forming a new administration, are at loggerheads over a range of issues, each blaming the other for the impasse.

Mr Brokenshire said round-table talks would be suspended over Easter but bilateral meetings would continue.

"All the parties have been actively engaged and some further progress has been made, including on the formation of an executive and on legacy," he said.

"There is, however, still a lack of agreement between the parties on a small but significant number of issues.

"The restoration of devolved government remains achievable, but more time and a more focused engagement on the critical issues are required.

"The parties will have a final opportunity after Easter to reach agreement, building on the discussions which have taken place over the past six weeks."

He confirmed he would commence legislative steps at Westminster to stabilise the finances of the rudderless administration, by passing a law to enable the circulation of rates bills that pay for local council services.

He said he would also amend legislation to allow an executive to be formed in early May if a deal materialises.

If no consensus is reached, he said the Government would either call another snap election or suspend devolution and reinstate direct rule from London.

"On 2 March the people of Northern Ireland voted clearly for devolved government," he said.

"The parties mandated by that election still have a duty to provide the government for which they campaigned."

Irish foreign minister Charlie Flanagan said an agreement was not only desirable but achievable.

"I can say with confidence that there has been some progress, particularly since the move to the more inclusive and structured process of the last two weeks involving all five political parties," he said.

"However, there are some challenging issues yet to be resolved.

"All parties have made clear that they want to see the devolved powersharing institutions up and running.

"That is also the firm objective of both governments and it is clearly the outcome that serves the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland.

"In particular, at this critical and challenging time for Northern Ireland as we approach negotiations on the UK's withdrawal from the EU, the restoration of a powersharing executive is essential.

"I welcome the Secretary of State's indication that he will include a provision to allow an executive to be formed in early May in legislation which he will bring forward after Easter.

"I believe that an agreement that fulfils the mandates given to the parties in the recent election is not only desirable but achievable in that time-frame.

"As the formal talks pause briefly for Easter, I encourage everyone to maintain informal contacts and to reflect on what can be achieved if, in the weeks ahead, an executive is established that operates effectively and sustainably.

"I am convinced that all parties are willing to play their part in reaching such a sustainable agreement which will provide for stable powersharing government in Northern Ireland underpinned by the principles of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The Irish Government, as a co-guarantor of that agreement and the peace process, will continue to play its part in facilitating these ongoing talks, working with the British Government and encouraging all parties to reach agreement on the formation of a new executive that is demonstrably in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland."
[April 12, 2017] DataGenic Extends its Existing Agreement with S&P Global Platts to Distribute UAE's Fujairah Oil Inventory Data

LONDON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- DataGenic Ltd, the leading global provider of on premise and in-cloud Smart Commodity Data Management solutions and S&P Global Platts, the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, are pleased to announce an extension to their existing partnership agreement for the provision and distribution of UAE's Fujairah Weekly Oil Inventory Data. Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, which hosts the Middle East's largest commercial storage capacity for refined products, recently signed an agreement with S&P Global Platts to advance the Emirate's progression towards becoming one of the world's leading energy trading hubs. DataGenic is now part of that advancement program that allows both existing S&P Global Platts clients and new customers to consume the data via DataGenic. Richard Quigley, CEO of DataGenic commented "As a long-term distribution channel partner of S&P Global Platts, we are delighted to enhance our offering to include the distribution of this valuable data source. Furthermore, it is exciting to be part of the strategic growth of this hub, that will elevate Fujairah as a top tier energy trading hub alongside Singapore, Rotterdam and Houston". Stuart Wood, Head of Global Product Development, S&P Glbal Platts said: "As Fujairah develops into a global trading hub, expanding the availability of the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone inventory data to a global audience is an important component of broadening the understanding of oil products flows in the region."



Note to the Editor: Fujairah sits at the heart of the new energy corridor that stretches from the East of the Suez Canal to Asia and has a vast array of capabilities, including oil transmission pipeline connectivity with Abu Dhabi, vast oil storage facilities, supporting utilities infrastructure, and a deep water port. Since September 2016, the Port is also home to the first very large crude carrier (VLCC) jetty on the Indian Ocean. The number of financial centers in the region has also grown, with the majority of banks, private and national oil companies and commodity trading houses engaging in local activities. Visit S&P Global Platts dedicated website page to access Fujairah's weekly oil inventory data alongside details of methodology. (fujairah.platts.com)

About DataGenic Ltd DataGenic is the leading global provider of on-premise and in-cloud Smart Commodity Data Management software, delivering intelligent analytics, real-time data content and proven business value. The innovative solutions include a data-agnostic multi-commodity data management platform, visual mapping and management of business processes, extensive and extensible data quality management, unlimited forward curves construction and an intelligent decision framework. DataGenic customers include energy, metals, minerals, chemicals, agriculture, shipping and food and beverage. DataGenic operates in Europe, Asia and the Americas. About S&P Global Platts At S&P Global Platts, we provide the insights; you make better informed trading and business decisions with confidence. We're the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets. Customers in over 150 countries look to our expertise in news, pricing and analytics to deliver greater transparency and efficiency to markets. S&P Global Platts coverage includes oil and gas, power, petrochemicals, metals, agriculture and shipping. S&P Global Platts is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for companies, governments and individuals to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit http://www.platts.com. Contact

Andrew Pell

+44(0)203-814-8500



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Supermacs has asked the EU regulator to cancel the use of the Big Mac and other trademarks registered by McDonald's.

It is the first substantial move made by the Irish fast food chain after suffering a blow in the international trademark war with the multinational food giant.
The ANU Bar has reopened its last-curtains gig to offers from performers after controversy over the all-male lineup caused two bands, including Regurgitator, to pull out.

ANU Union chair Tom Lindenmayer said on Wednesday the union had advertised a call out for more performers to be added to the ANU Bar Finale lineup. It was hoping for a more diverse line-up.

Regurgitator have pulled out of a Canberra gig after controversy over the event's all-male line up. Credit:Joe Castro

The decision was made after concerns raised by students and union members about the all-male lineup and the organiser's response to criticism.

The event's organiser, Greenrooms Canberra owner Garry Peadon, caused a stir online on Monday when asked on the event's Facebook page why no "women or non-binary" performers had been considered.
[April 12, 2017] emlyon business school Inaugurates its New Asia Campus

SHANGHAI, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On Saturday 8th April 2017, emlyon business school inaugurated the Asia campus, Asia Europe Business School (AEBS), in the presence of the Consul General of France in Shanghai, representatives of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, of the City of Lyon, of the municipality of Shanghai, of IBM, of the SEB Group and of the New Franco-Chinese Institute. To view the multimedia news release, please click : https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8080051-emlyon-inaugurates-new-asia-campus/ Created in 2015 in partnership with Shanghai's East China Normal University (ECNU), Asia Europe Business School combines the excellence of the ECNU in sciences and that of emlyon business school in entrepreneurial management and innovation. "Asia Europe Business School (AEBS), which came on stage only a few months ago, has already proved itself as a benchmark for training businessmen and businesswomen, executives and tomorrow's entrepreneurs," declared Axel Cruau, Cnsul General of France in Shanghai.



"We are proud to see this new Campus in Shanghai being inaugurated," said Mr Gerard Collomb, Senator, Mayor of Lyon and President of Lyon Metropole. "By creating this joint school, you are training students who will be as much at ease in the European market as in the Chinese market." This campus, with a total area of 5,000 m will host from the September intake 500 international and Chinese students and more than 1000 students by 2020.

Synergies between this establishment and the campuses of emlyon business school in France and in Morocco will develop learning paths on three continents. "The inauguration of the AEBS campus marks an historic step in the history of emlyon business school," declared Bernard Belletante, Dean & CEO of emlyon business school . "With this campus, we have created a school that is unique in the world, which develops local talent to help them to become markers on an international scale." On this occasion, emlyon business school signed a partnership agreement with the New Franco-Chinese Institute, becoming a founder member of this institution, intended to promote relations between Lyon and China. emlyon business school has also signed a partnership [agreement] with Baume & Mercier, a Swiss watchmaking company founded in 1830, sponsor of the inauguration of the Shanghai campus and actions supported by the emlyon business school Foundation. Finally, IBM and emlyon business school have announced their desire to extend their partnership to China. Press contact : Franck Bizet

Tel.: +33-4-78-33-78-15

[email protected] (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/488370/emlyon_business_school_Logo.jpg ) Video:

https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8080051-emlyon-inaugurates-new-asia-campus/

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Credit Suisse Group AG is facing growing opposition to its bonus plans for executives and directors, with a third advisory group recommending shareholders reject this year's pay packages as excessive.

Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. is advising investors at this month's annual meeting to vote against proposals to pay 26 million francs ($A34.4 million) in short-term bonuses and as much as 52 million francs in long-term bonuses to the bank's executive board. It also opposes a plan to increase compensation for the board of directors to 12.5 million francs.

Tidjane Thiam, chief executive of Credit Suisse, observed last week that, as an entire sector, European banks are still "not really investable". Credit:Peter Klaunzer

"Despite a second consecutive net loss, variable remuneration levels for the executive board remained high, including a 4.17 million-franc short-term incentive for the CEO," the group said in an emailed report.

"The level of board compensation at Credit Suisse is among the highest for blue-chip Swiss Market Index companies."
TPG will build its own mobile network in a move set to shake up the Australian telecommunication landscape, having paid the government $1.26 billion for a slice of the nation's 4G mobile spectrum.

The company says it will spend $600 million over three years building a network that will cover 80 per cent of the population.

Telstra's share price plunged on the news, falling 6.5 per cent in early trade. By mid-morning, the country's largest telco's shares had shed 30 and were trading at $4.26  the lowest price since December 2012.

TPG currently buys network access for its mobile products from Vodafone. The move will make it the country's fourth network operator, competing with Telstra, Optus and Vodafone.
In just under two weeks' time, politicians of all hues will be lining up to lay wreaths on Anzac Day, and mouth platitudes about honouring our wartime heroes.

Yet the political feeding frenzy on Anzac Day bears little resemblance to the way most politicians actually treat our veterans.

The government has decided that invalidity payments to injured veterans should be splittable with their former spouses should they get divorced. Credit:Steven Siewert

Nowhere is this clearer than in the disgraceful way in which the government is dealing with injured veterans. The government has decided that invalidity payments to injured veterans should be splittable with their former spouses should they get divorced.

The payments in question are compensation payments for injury and suffering. Several centuries of legal precedent say compensation payments - whether to veterans or civilians - cannot be shared or split. That is so even if the person becomes a bankrupt.
The so-called Apex gang is effectively dead, and was never a predominantly foreign or ethnic group of offenders, according to Victoria Police.

Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton said the gang, which came to prominence at last year's Moomba Festival riot, was now a "non-entity".

"We believe we have, if you like, taken out - for lack of a better word - or charged, the majority of the leaders of that gang, and have imprisoned them," he said.

"It's substantially diminished - so much so, we would really call them pretty much a non-entity in terms of a gang. We certainly think they're in recession."
Cosmopolitan magazine in the US is attracting backlash after tweeting out a weight loss success story with the headline, 'How this woman lost 44 pounds without *ANY* exercise*'.

So what was her secret? Um. It was cancer. Well, kind of.

As one might predict, the story - which featured 31-year-old Melbourne woman Simone Harbinson telling her story of losing nearly 20kg after she was no longer able to exercise in the way she used to, following on from suffering a severe kidney infection, a partial lung collapse and a malignant carcinoid tumour of the appendix - went down like a cup of curdled protein shake on social media.
A profile of Harry Mayr describes him as "an innocent dreamer" whose fictional character Ilsa "helps them make sense of life's many journeys and challenges".

However, Mr Mayr, a psychologist and author of children's books, has been found guilty of professional misconduct for having a sexual relationship with a patient he was treating for past sexual traumas.

Psychologist Harry Mayr's children's book Ilsa, the funny looking hippopotamus. Credit:ilsathefunnylookinghippopotamus.com.au

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal detailed a series of transgressions, which included Mr Mayr licking the patient's face during therapy and engaging in "inappropriate sexual contact" at the end of other sessions.

He subsequently had what the tribunal called an "inappropriate sexual relationship" with the patient for almost two years, including having sex with the patient on his desk at his clinic in Penrith.
After months of mudslinging, the breakdown of the marriage of celebrity couple Kelly Landry and Anthony Bell is set to play out in court over five days, with 10 witnesses, CCTV footage and an eminent Sydney silk.

Police sought an interim apprehended violence order against Bell to protect Landry in January. Just days earlier, the couple publicly celebrated when Bell's supermaxi Perpetual Loyal claimed line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Kelly Landry outside Waverley Local Court in January. Credit:Daniel Munoz

The terms of the interim order included that Bell must not be in the company of Landry for 12 hours after drinking alcohol.

He must also stay away from the couple's palatial Watsons Bay house, and must abide by the usual terms of an AVO and not assault or harass Landry.
Extra buses will be put on to help reduce long queues of University of NSW students and staff caused by construction of the $2.1 billion light rail project but erecting extra stops as a temporary solution remains off the table.

The Easter holidays have temporarily alleviated the pressure on bus services to and from the university's campus in Sydney's east.

Students and staff faced waiting up to an hour for buses after changes were made to stops and routes late last month to allow for the light rail line to be built along High Street in Randwick near the university.

About 26,000 people catch public transport to the university on weekdays, and four of the six busiest bus stops in Sydney are between Central and UNSW.
A man has been stabbed in the arm and leg in a confrontation following a game of Oztag in Sydney's west overnight, police say.

Police and paramedics were called to Ollie Webb Reserve on Pitt Street in Parramatta just before 9.30pm on Wednesday to reports that a man was suffering multiple stab wounds.

A witness said the 26-year-old man was stabbed with a knife during a brawl that broke out at the sporting field, where numerous games of Oztag were being held on Wednesday night.

Paramedics treated the injured man at the scene before taking him to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition.

No one has been arrested over the stabbing. Police are searching for a man who is believed to be known to the injured man. The cause of the confrontation is not yet known.
[April 12, 2017] BioNovelus Reveals New Green Solution For Food Security at International Agricultural Fair

Phoenix, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- / With ever increasing interest internationally in organic agriculture, BioNovelus (PINKSHEETS: ONOV) booth at Agritrade Expo and Conference which took place March 23 and 24 in Guatemala commanded a lot of attention during the two-day fair. BioNovelus CEO and President, Jean Ekobo, who led the companys Central American delegation, was not surprised that interest in the companys new organic sanitizer, CR-10 Disinfectant, was very high. After many months of research and testing, we chose Agritrade as the place to debut our new green disinfectant, said Ekobo. This is an exciting offspring of our organic CR-10 Biofungicide, already known for killing bacteria, fungi and spores rapidly, safely and effectively. This new green product, CR-10 Disinfectant, opens up a brand new market to BioNovelus. Management believes it is the solution to the growing demand for an organic sanitizer for postharvest agriculture. Ekobo reports that CR-10 Disinfectant received a lot of interest from organic food providers at the Agritrade Expo. Potential customers included coffee producers, where CR-10 Biofungicide is still in the testing process, and interest came from other types of food producers  most of them shipping their produce to the US  including bananas, mangoes, baby carrots, baby zucchinis, tomatoes, green beans, and others. In the wake of the recent foodborne diseases affecting companies such as Chipotle, Starbucks and Costco, food security has become a crucial priority both for the producers and food distributors. Research has shown that CR-10 Disinfectant kills bacteria and viruses on contact, including E. coli, Salmonella, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), Campylobacter, Norwalk virus (Norovirus), and others [Source: Dr. M. Oule, Ph.D.  University of Saint Boniface, Canada] Management believes that it is safer, easier, and more effective to kill these sources of foodborne poisoning with BioNovelus food sanitizer than for food producers to use toxic chemicals such as bleach, alcohol, or quaternary ammonium based products. Because CR-10 Disinfectant is organic, non-toxic, 100 percent biodegradable, and has a longer efficacy life span protection effect [Source: Dr. M. Oule, Ph.D.  University of Saint Boniface, Canada], the company believes it is a real gamechanger in the food biosecurity space. Other Corporate News

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Anthony J. Parkinson has been appointed as Chief Information Officer for BioNovelus. Parkinson has a background strong in investment banking, corporate finance, restructures, M&A negotiations, and strategic business management. At present, Parkinson is Excutive in Residence at the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University (ASU) where he has often been a guest lecturer and mentor. He is currently Vice-Chairman of Triage Now; Vice Chairman of Urbix Resources and Senior Strategic Advisor to Vitreox.







Parkinson will be handling the relationship with shareholders and potential investors. He can be reached at [email protected]



About CR-10 Biofungicide

CR-10 Biofungicide is a proven, biodegradable, non-toxic solution that kills bacteria, fungi and spores rapidly, safely and effectively. It is a new generation of biofungicide with a unique mode of action. BioNovelus management believes that CR-10 Biofungicide has a broad range of uses in crop protection before harvest, while CR-10 Disinfectant works for post-harvest disinfection. About BioNovelus Inc.

BioNovelus, Inc. (ONOV) is a bioscience company that honors the environment with an innovative, cost effective and disruptive technology-based solution to food, water and health problems.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release includes forward-looking statements covered by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements deal with future events, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties and actual results for fiscal year 2017 and beyond could differ materially from the Company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are identified by words such as "anticipates," "projects," "expects," "plans," "intends," "believes," "estimates," "targets," and other similar expressions that indicate trends and future events. Factors that could cause the Companys results to differ materially from forward looking statements regarding the efficacy of the food disinfection, crop restoration, post-harvest crop disinfectant results, and results of the CR-10 disinfectant and registration approval include the lack of capital needed to complete testing, the lack of experience with pursuing approval of this product and modifications and receipt of information that may be demanded by the registration of the CR-10 formula and the delays in the various government approval processes unrelated to the product itself. Factors that could cause lower rates of success in CR-10 eradication of fungi, bacteria, viruses, and spores include the method and timing of applications of CR-10, the strength of contamination, and other environmental conditions resulting in re-infection. There is no assurance of when registrations in Guatemala will be obtained for CR-10 and various applications. There is no assurance that the food security, crop protection, and coffee rust applications will prove commercially viable. There is no assurance that any transaction will be done with Guatemalan distributors. Factors that could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed above include, without limitation, variation in demand and acceptance of the Company's products and services, general business and economic conditions beyond the Company's control, the consequences of competitive factors in the marketplace including the ability to attract and retain customers, results of continuous improvement and other cost-containment strategies, taste of coffee when our products are used, compatibility with other chemical products, and the Company's success in attracting and retaining key personnel. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update forward-looking statements because of new information, since these statements may no longer be accurate or timely. Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933, and are subject to Rule 3B-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this press release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and other results and further events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Future events and actual results could differ materially from those set forth in, contemplated by, or underlying the forward-looking statements.  30  For more information, contact http://bionovelus.com

Media contact: Nathalie Ekobo, Marketing & Communications Director BioNovelus, Inc. +1 602-888-3424 [email protected]

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Light sentences for people convicted of historical sexual offences against children could "undermine community confidence in the administration of justice", the chairman of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will tell a conference of leading legal professionals.

In the second part of a presentation about justice for victims, Peter McClellan raised concerns about sentencing historical offenders in accordance with standards at the time of the crime.

Research commissioned by the royal commission found it can take decades for people abused as children to report to authorities. In one case, almost 52 years passed between the offence and the sentencing of the perpetrator.

"In most Australian jurisdictions, an offender is sentenced with reference to the sentencing standards in existence at the time of the offending. There are a number of concerns with this practice," Justice McClellan will say in a keynote address to the Modern Prosecutor Conference in Melbourne on Thursday.
The Berejiklian government has announced it will lease the state's 150-year-old land titles registry to Hastings Funds Management and First State Super, after accepting their bid of $2.6 billion.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian, flanked by Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, said the 35-year concession of Land and Property Information (LPI) would lead to better customer service and a "massive" infrastructure boost.

"This consortia brings to the table more efficient practices and better outcomes for customers ... and not only will the integrity of the title system be maintained but it will be actually enhanced by new provisions," she said.

The government endured months of criticism from peak bodies such as the Law Council of Australia, Law Society of NSW, Real Estate Institute of NSW and Institution of Surveyors, who questioned why it would privatise an efficient and reliable asset that generated $130 million profit a year.
Maverick MP Robbie Katter is threatening to block the Queensland government's budget if it does not agree to support culling crocodiles.

Katter's Australian Party this week revealed it was drafting legislation, expected to be introduced before the end of May, to introduce culling, safari hunting, crocodile removal and egg collection initiatives.

Katter's Australian Party could block the budget unless the Queensland government comes to the table on crocodile culling. Credit:iStock

Member for Dalrymple Shane Knuth said he believed crocodile numbers had at least quadrupled over the past 30 years and culling was needed to bring back the balance.

It is proposed that rich tourists could travel to north Queensland to shoot crocodiles in tours which could be run by Indigenous people. But they would not be held in dense urban areas.
A Queensland man who gave a 28-year-old woman Hepatitis C when he viciously raped her in his father's home has failed in a bid to have his 10-year jail sentence reduced.

In sentencing him in November last year, a judge described Jesse William Heckendorf's attack on the woman he had met hours earlier as "particularly vicious" and declared him a serious violent offender.

Jesse William Heckendorf remains in the Wolston Correctional Centre. Credit:Greg Henderson

The Queensland woman had met the then-22-year-old and a friend in November 2015 at a pub, where they spent the afternoon drinking before heading to Heckendorf's father's house.

The friend left about 8.30pm but Heckendorf asked the woman inside, where he immediately grabbed her by the throat and slammed her head onto the floor.
Two teenage girls have been rescued by the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue helicopter at North Stradbroke Island.

Surf Life Saving Queensland said the two 15-year-old girls were winched to safety after being washed off the rocks.

Two girls were rescued by a Westpac rescue chopper on North Stradbroke.

A Surf Life Saving Queensland spokeswoman said a member of the public called lifeguards at Cylinder Beach about 11.30 and said they had seen two girls in distress.
Five primary school-aged children have been rushed to hospital after a car burst into flames in a crash on a dirt road in Victoria's south-west.

A Holden Commodore station wagon and Suzuki Vitara were travelling in opposite directions on Wait-a-While Road in Wyelangta, near Lavers Hill, about 2.45pm when they rounded a bend on a dirt road and collided. The Holden Commodore burst into flames.

The scene of the fiery crash on Wait-a-While Road in Wyelangta. Credit:Courtesy of Nine News

A woman in her 30s and seven children were travelling in the Commodore station wagon, but police said the car was not overloaded and each child had a seat.

A 10-year-old girl was one of two young girls airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in a stable condition, with non-life threatening injuries.
How did you go with today's brainteaser?

Here's the answer:

If you got today's question then you might be smart enough to apply for a job at Tesla Motors or Space X.

Founder Elon Musk apparently uses this brainteaser in job interviews to weed out applicants without the requisite problem-solving skills.

Twitter user 'Boomers are Evil' was first with the answer.
[April 12, 2017] Green House Data Acquires Cirracore

CHEYENNE, Wyo. and ATLANTA, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Green House Data, a leader in cloud hosting, colocation, hybrid IT, and managed services today announced the acquisition of Cirracore, an Atlanta-based infrastructure provider of enterprise-ready Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and hybrid cloud products. The Cirracore customer list includes a strong presence in the Southeast as well as large national and international brands.

As a high-growth market and innovation hub, Atlanta has been a target expansion market for us, said Shawn Mills, CEO, Green House Data. Integrating Cirracore and its management team into Green House Data will allow us to deliver a larger set of products with greater geographic diversity, ultimately to provide higher value for all of our customers, both existing and future. Cirracore was founded in 2008 by Fred Tanzella, a veteran technology executive with deep experience in information security and infrastructure technology start-ups. Under his leadership, Cirracore has beat revenue projections and boasts an exceptionally low customer churn rate. Mr. Tanzella serves on the Board of Directors for the Technology Association of Georgia, and the Executive Advisory Board for the National Association of Telecom Professionals. He will join the Green House Data executive team.



th largest green power buyer within the technology and telecom space.1 As we entered this next phase, we looked for a strategic acquisition partner, said Tanzella. Weve more than doubled our footprint in the last two years, and it was critical to my team that Cirracores model of enterprise-focused, VMware-based, and hyper-growth IaaS be pulled forward in any merger or acquisition scenario.

Cirracores compute and storage infrastructure includes high-speed carrier-redundant network connectivity together with managed carrier-grade security. From Equinixs AT1 and AT3 facilities in Atlanta, Cirracore can cross-connect customers directly into cloud resources from over 180 network and service providers. Were thrilled to bring yet another location into our portfolio, and have Freds leadership and vision added to our team, said Mills. Its an exciting time for both of our companies, and the industry as a whole. About Green House Data Green House Data is a cloud hosting and colocation services provider with highly energy efficient, green data centers located across the country and supported by a 15 Minute Hear from a HumanSM SLA. The company is a certified VMware provider, SSAE 16 Type II and HIPAA compliant, as well as a B-Corp and EPA Green Power Partner. Visit www.greenhousedata.com to learn more. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ______________________ 1 https://www.epa.gov/greenpower/green-power-partnership-top-30-tech-telecom Wendy Fox VP Marketing (307) 459-2664 [email protected]

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In President Donald Trump's first major interview since ordering a military strike on a Syrian airfield late last week, he provided additional insight into his reasoning - while also making a small gaffe, incorrectly stating he had sent the missiles to Iraq, not Syria.

"What I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it, and you would have had a much better - I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been," Mr Trump said during an interview with Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo that aired Wednesday morning. "He didn't do it. I don't know what happened, but he didn't do it... Even the Obama people admitted he was wrong for not doing it."

Soon after the strike, Mr Trump delivered a statement Thursday night from his private club in Palm Beach, Florida, saying that he was moved to act after reports that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons to kill "helpless men, women and children," including "beautiful babies." After delivering those scripted remarks, the president retreated from public discussion of the attack, while his aides tried to explain how this strike fits with Mr Trump's "America First" doctrine and campaign pledge not to get involved with conflicts in other countries.

In June 2013, in the wake of a deadly chemical weapons attack in the Damascus suburbs, Mr Trump repeatedly praised President Barack Obama for not taking military action. In a tweet on June 15, 2013, Trump wrote: "We should stay the hell out of Syria, the 'rebels' are just as bad as the current regime. WHAT WILL WE GET FOR OUR LIVES AND $ BILLIONS? ZERO." Later that summer, Mr Trump repeatedly said Obama should seek congressional approval before taking action. In September 2013, Mr Trump tweeted: "The only reason President Obama wants to attack Syria is to save face over his very dumb RED LINE statement. Do NOT attack Syria, fix U.S.A." On the campaign trail, Mr Trump continued to oppose any involvement in Syria and accused Democrat Hillary Clinton and some of his Republican opponents of wanting to start World War III.
The Nazis did not use chemical weapons against Western foes. Depending upon the account, though, this is either because their program wasn't sophisticated enough, they were worried about its impact on their horses, or because they feared the Allies had much more deadly chemical weapons. A Syrian doctor treats a child following the chemical attack in Khan Sheikhoun, Syria. Credit:EMC/AP Minimising Hitler's actions - even a little - represents a glaring gaffe by a White House that the press previously has scrutinised for being slow to address bomb threats against Jewish Community Centres and for failing to mention Jews, specifically, in a statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Later on Tuesday, Spicer apologised and said he should not have made that comparison.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer speaking to the media. Credit:AP "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive." "My goal now and then is to stay focused on Assad and I should have, and I'll make sure to stay in my lane when I talk about that." In his CNN interview, Spicer did not directly answer when host Wolf Blitzer asked if viewers "could assume" Trump had told him to publicly apologise. "You can assume that I realised that I had made a mistake and I did not want to be a distraction to the president's agenda," Spicer said. "When you make a mistake, you own it."

Shortly after the White House briefing, Spicer emailed a statement to reporters in response to their queries, but had stopped short of offering an explicit apology. "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centres. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," Spicer said in the statement. The US Holocaust Museum did not mention Spicer's comments directly, but sent out a tweet shortly after the briefing that showed graphic footage of dead bodies US forces found while liberating the Buchenwald concentration camp. The video was retweeted more than a thousand times, with many Twitter users referencing Spicer's comments. US House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called on Republican President Donald Trump to reject Spicer's assertion.

"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements," Pelosi said in a statement. The White House did not immediately respond when asked to comment on Pelosi's statement. Transcript of Spicer's comments Spicer was asked about the US response to Bashar al-Assad using chemical weapons in attacks in Syria last week. This is what he said: Spicer: You look - we didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You know, you had a, you know, someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons.

So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself, is this a country that you, and a regime that you, want to align yourself with? You have previously signed onto international agreements rightfully acknowledging that the use of chemical weapons should be out of bounds by every country. To not stand up to not only [inaudible] but your own word should be troubling. Russia put their name on the line, so it's not a question of how long that alliance has lasted, but at what point do they recognise that they are now getting on the wrong side of history in a really bad way, really quickly. And again, look at the countries that are standing with them: Iran, Syria, North Korea. This is not a team you want to be on. Reporter: I need to clarify something you said that seems to be getting some traction right now. Quote: "Hitler didn't even sink to the level of using chemical weapons". What did you mean by that? Loading Spicer: I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Ashad [sic] is doing. I mean there was clearly - I understand your point, thank you. Thank you, I appreciate that. There was not in the, in the, he brought them into the Holocaust centre, I understand that. But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down into the middle of towns. So the use of it, and I appreciate the clarification there, that was not the intent.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday trust had eroded between the United States and Russia under President Donald Trump, as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria.

Any hope in Russia that the Trump administration would herald less confrontational relations has been dashed in the past week after the new US leader fired missiles at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas.

Mr Tillerson started a meeting with Mr Putin in the Kremlin after talking to his Russian opposite number Sergei Lavrov for around three hours. The Kremlin had previously declined to confirm Mr Putin would meet Mr Tillerson, reflecting tensions over the US strike on Syria.

Just as Mr Tillerson sat down for talks with Mr Lavrov earlier on Wednesday, a senior Russian official assailed the "primitiveness and loutishness" of US rhetoric, part of a volley of statements that appeared timed to maximise the awkwardness during the first visit by a member of Mr Trump's cabinet.
Around two in every five GPs in the South West have said they intend to quit within the next five years, exposing the magnitude of the regions impending healthcare crisis suggesting that the picture for the UK may be particularly challenging, according to a new BMJ Open study co-authored by Professor Chris Salisbury at the University of Bristol.

The study  a large-scale survey of GPs in the region  also found that seven out of 10 GPs intend to change their working patterns in a way that would mean less contact with patients. This included leaving patient care, taking a career break, or reducing their hours.

Professor Salisbury said: This survey highlights the level of the threat to the future of general practice. As more and more GPs retire or leave the profession it increases the pressure on those doctors who are left, making them more likely to leave as well.

General practice acts like a sieve for the NHS, helping most people to manage their problems locally with only a few needing to go to hospital. If patients cannot get to see a GP, this will have a big knock effect on hospitals. The solution is not just for the NHS to try to recruit more GPs, but to really understand why GPs are leaving and to support them better in doing their jobs well. This survey will help the NHS to understand the problem, which is the first step in finding a solution.

Professor John Campbell, of the University of Exeter Medical School, who led the research, has called for a move away from sticking plaster solutions towards robust, joined-up action to avert the crisis nationwide.

He said: We carried out this survey because of a nationally recognised crisis in the shortage of GPs across the country, and our findings show an even bleaker outlook than expected for GP cover, even in an area which is often considered desirable, and which has many rural communities. If GPs have similar intentions to leave or reduce their hours in other regions, as many are reporting, the country needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought.

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research.
The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) has urged for caution around actions by banks and regulators to limit bank lending and dampen growth in investor property.Whilst warnings about interest-only loans and over committed borrowers might be justified in some circumstances it does not mean all interest only loan borrowers should be penalised and outlawed, said REIA president Malcolm Gunning.The cumulative impact of the collective action of APRA, ASIC and individual banks could well be a sledgehammer when only some fine tuning was required.He urged care not to constrain the building and construction sector  an industry which has kept the economy going since the mining sector collapsed.He pointed to anecdotal evidence which suggested that current curbs pose a real risk to the national economy. This evidence stems back to the abolition of negative gearing in the 1980s when Paul Keating was Treasurer.What this did is it stopped the construction market in its tracks. Secondly, rents started to rise within six months as supply dwindled, he told Australian Broker.Rents havent risen significantly by the CPI in the last three to four years. Yes, there have been rent rises in the hot spots of Melbourne and Sydney but were talking trends on a national level.There is also a chance that the daily bombardment of expert opinions could quickly lead to a self-fulfilling doomsday prophecy, he added.The property market didnt wind up in three months. It was a slow wind up from post-GFC. All the current restrictions that weve got in place have started to have an effect to the point where feedback from our auctioneers and from our agents is that there are quite a few properties being no bids and a number of properties being withdrawn from auction by auction day.The actions of regulators and banks to restrain property investment in Sydney and Melbourne have been formed amidst a lag in data, he said, reacting to what was seen in the rear vision mirror.We need to consider what is happening in the market place at the moment and what the combined impact of the measures will have  none of which will be apparent for some time to come.Market information obtained from REIA member agents in Sydney and Melbourne actually suggests that there are signs of a slowdown, he said. These indicators show a very different story to historical data which traditionally lags.We need to be careful that an overreaction to the investor-led Sydney and Melbourne property markets doesnt threaten the health of the national economy.For instance, auction clearance rates only include properties that have gone to auction and ignore those withdrawn. As such, they are not a definitive barometer for the market, Gunning said.What were broadly seeing at the moment across Melbourne and Sydney is buyer resistance to price, less people through open houses. Were not seeing rampant prices broadly. What this means is the market is starting to flatten out.These trends will not be included in the latest figures for three to six months, he said. This includes data from companies such as CoreLogic which rely on settled sale figures that take three months to collate.
Latest News The Promise of Machine Learning Democratisation ML and AI, seamlessly embedded in technology, will make the world greener, safer, healthier and more secure

Why are property buyers taking so long to purchase? Here are five factors at play

The latest building activity figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that the final quarter of 2016 finished the year off in a reasonably strong fashion.While new dwelling starts reached a record high in the March quarter of last year, growth eased back during the middle parts of 2016 only to rebound slightly in the final quarter, said Geordan Murray, economist at the Housing Industry Association (HIA).In aggregate, the total number of commencements increased by 0.3% in the quarter which was 0.8% up on a year earlier, he said.Below the aggregate, detached dwellings commencements fell by 3.4% during the quarter but this was offset by a 4.4% increase in multi-unit commencements.In seasonally adjusted terms, a total of 57,043 new dwellings were commenced during the December quarter last year. This means a total of 231,889 new dwellings were started across Australia in 2016, including 116,857 detached dwellings (28,690 over the quarter) and 115,042 other dwellings (28,353 for the quarter).While the strong level of activity at a national level continues to paints a rosy picture for the state of play in the sector, the disparities between states continue to play out, Murray said.Amongst the larger states, Victoria and South Australia were the only two states to post an increase in dwelling commencements during the December 2016 quarter, by 7.6% and 2.8%, respectively.Commencements in both the ACT and the Northern Territory are back on the way up after some softer results in the third quarter.In the ACT, an increase in multi-unit commencements pushed the territorys total to 2,122  the strongest quarter on record. This contrasted with the NT in which the surge was mostly due to higher numbers of detached dwelling commencements.Elsewhere, commencements declined by 0.2% during the quarter in New South Wales, by 5.3% in Tasmania and by 8.0% in Western Australia, Murray said.The weakest result was recorded in Queensland where a substantial decline in multi-unit commencements contributed to an overall decline in commencements of 19.3% during the quarter.
Latest News The Promise of Machine Learning Democratisation ML and AI, seamlessly embedded in technology, will make the world greener, safer, healthier and more secure

Why are property buyers taking so long to purchase? Here are five factors at play

As property prices in the southeastern capitals continue to skyrocket, an increasing number of foreign and local investors are eyeing opportunities further south.According to the latest CoreLogic Hedonic Home Value Index for March, the annual rate of capital gains moved into double-digit growth in Hobart, increasing by 10.2%. This figure aligns with the findings of Propertyology, which has tipped Hobart to become Australias best-performing capital city property market in 2017.Now it seems that Launceston and nearby towns are beginning to feel the flow-on effects of Hobarts growth. Andy Howell, property agent for NAI Harcourts, said the lease and purchase rates of property in the region were increasing. [Launceston] looks a lot more full that it did two years ago, he said.Prominent properties like the Seaport Medical Centre, Great Lakes Hotel, The Grange at Campbell Town, and Whats New in the mall, are currently listed for sale.According to Howell, a lot of interest in the commercial sector comes from foreign investors, including the Chinese. The amount of foreigners that are buying is certainly increasing, he said.Foreign investors are particularly interested in hospitality, supermarkets, and service stations  which are investments that can be owned and operated, said Howell.At Campbell Town, The Grange, a national heritage-listed property, has been hailed as a unique investment opportunity. Included in the three titles of the land are a conference centre, a historic home, and surplus land. Knight Frank Tasmania agent John Blacklow has the property listed for $1.975m.The property was put on the market last Thursday, and by afternoon, was generating strong interest. It is a quality offering  a magnificent property, Blacklow said. We feel it should create a strong inquiry level because that is what this quality of property deserves.
[April 12, 2017]

Genesys to Hold Webinar with Dimension Data on 2017 Customer Experience Benchmarking Report

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Genesys (www.genesys.com), the global leader in omnichannel customer experience and contact center solutions, is hosting a free webinar on April 19 and 20 that examines the state of digital transformation and customer experience (CX) optimization. The webinar features data from the twentieth edition of the Global Customer Experience Benchmarking Report published by Dimension Data, the global ICT solutions and services provider. Drawing from over 80 countries and 14 vertical industries, the 2017 Global CX Benchmarking Report presents the most current information available to inform an organization's strategic customer experience transformation, at any state of maturity.









What: The Uncomfortable Truth About the State of Customer Experience Transformation

Customer experience has become the single most important boardroom measurement of strategic performance. The Dimension Data report indicates 81 percent of survey respondents recognize customer experience as a competitive differentiator, yet 36 percent do not dedicate resources to it. This webinar will provide insight into trends shaping the industry in 2017 and offer digital transformation strategies for an effective omnichannel CX journey with tangible return on investment.



When: Wednesday, April 19  60 minutes

North America: 11:00 AM PDT / 2:00 PM EDT

Latin America: 1:00 PM CDT / 3:00 PM BRT





Thursday, April 20  60 minutes

Europe, Middle East & Africa: 3:00 PM BST / 4:00 PM CEST

Asia-Pacific: 9:00 AM SGT / 11:00 AM AEST



Who: Robert Allman, group senior vice president, CX & collaboration, Dimension Data

Remy Claret, product marketing director, Genesys



Why: Attend this webinar to:

Learn how to satisfy the expectations of today's customers through digital transformation.

Understand how 20 years of customer experience insights and trends inform today's boardroom decisions about digital strategies.

Identify where customer experience is failing expectations, and how to optimize it for success. How: Register now to attend this live webinar and/or to receive a post-event recording.



About Genesys

Genesys powers more than 25 billion of the world's best customer experiences each year. We put the customer at the center of everything we do and passionately believe that great customer engagement drives great business outcomes. More than 10,000 companies in over 100 countries trust the industry's #1 customer experience platform to orchestrate seamless omnichannel customer journeys and build lasting relationships. With a strong track record of innovation and a never-ending desire to be first, Genesys is the only company recognized by top industry analysts as a leader in both cloud and on-premise customer engagement solutions. Visit www.genesys.com.

Connect with Genesys via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the Genesys blog.

Media Contacts

Rachel Faulkner

Sr. Manager, Public Relations

Genesys

[email protected]

+1 317.715.8109

Lisa Hawes

Sterling Communications for Genesys

[email protected]

+1 408.395.5500

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/genesys-to-hold-webinar-with-dimension-data-on-2017-customer-experience-benchmarking-report-300438315.html

SOURCE Genesys
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78th Precinct

Park Slope

Locked out

Cops busted a man for allegedly beating a woman with a lock on Eighth Avenue on April 1.

The victim told police that she was between 14th and 15th streets at 12:22 pm when the suspect bashed her in the head with the lock.

The victim was later rushed to Methodist Hospital, where she received treatment for her injuries, cops said.

Plaza perp

Officers have given up the chase for the burglar who looted a mans vehicle parked on Grand Army Plaza on March 28.

The victim told police he left his car near Flatbush Avenue at 6 am, and returned later that evening to find one of his windows smashed, and his laptop, tools, and radio stolen.

Drunk bust

A man was arrested for allegedly causing a drunken car collision on 13th Street on March 30.

The arresting officer reported he was responding to a radio call of a dispute between Fifth and Sixth avenues at 1:30 am, when he found the suspect involved in the accident.

Upon questioning the man, the officer discovered the man reeking of booze and his eyes watery, and later found he had a blood-alcohol content over the legal limit, according to police.

Two-wheeled thief

Police are hunting the bike-borne bandit who snatched a bag from a mans car as he fueled up on Fourth Avenue on March 29.

The victim told police that he was gassing up his ride at a depot between Sackett and Union streets at 11:45 pm when, after paying for the juice, he returned to his vehicle to find a bag containing his passport and cellphone was missing.

Investigators later turned over speedway camera footage that showed the bicyclist pedal over to victims car while he wasnt looking, cops said.

Sharp crook

Cops busted a man who they say threatened a guy with a knife on Flatbush Avenue on March 31.

The victim told police that he was near Plaza Street East at 11:14 am when he was engaged in an argument with the suspect, who suddenly pulled a blade on him.

When police busted the man, they found not only the sharp tool, but a BB gun, too, and charged him with criminal possession of a weapon, cops said.

 Colin Mixson
[April 12, 2017] Ziyen Inc. ready to invest in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ziyen Inc., who was qualified by the SEC under Regulation A+, have opened a new investment division in the company to focus on financing unfunded construction projects in Iraq.

Ziyen Inc. will be the worlds first Construction Intelligence company, where we will be utilizing the data, information and intelligence from our software with the capabilities to provide the finance for long-term projects. Alastair Caithness CEO said, "The biggest fear for countries in the West is how to handle mass immigration. The cost of war has created over 250,000 International Iraqi refugees outside the Middle East, 2 million refugees in neighboring countries with a further 4 million displaced in Iraq. Therefore, the problem is only going to get worse rather than better unless we start to address the root cause. The current horrific conditions have meant 70% of Iraqi people lack access to clean water,80% lack proper sanitation leading to cholera epidemics and unemployment is over 50% for those under 30 years old. Power supplies from the national grid often dont exceed five hours per day.



We want to help the Iraqi people to rebuild their country. By building houses, factories and developing infrastructure, there will be an opportunity to create jobs, give people hope and help stop the mass immigration issues. The US, European and International communities have the capabilities to do this, and if Ziyen Inc. can finance projects and bring media attention through our news outlets to focus on positives in the country, then we can help to start to rebuild a country which once had a thriving economy."

For more information about the company and investment opportunities visit http://www.ziyen.com Forward Looking Statements



Certain statements in this press release including, but not limited to, statements related to anticipated commencement of commercial production, targeted pricing and performance goals, and statements that otherwise relate to future periods are forward-looking statements. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, which are described in more detail in the Companys periodic reports filed with the SEC, specifically the most recent reports which identify important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made and based on information available to the Company on the date of this press release. Ziyen Inc. assumes no obligation to update the information in this press release. Alastair Caithness Ziyen Inc. [email protected] ++1 800 801-4703

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[April 12, 2017] David Hatchell Joins ProtectWise As Vice President Of Industrial Security

DENVER, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ProtectWiseTM, the enterprise security company that delivers pervasive visibility, automated threat detection and unlimited forensic exploration, today announced David Hatchell has joined the company as Vice President, Industrial Security. Hatchell will develop and lead a practice for ProtectWise in the sector and support the company's burgeoning business in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). "I am very pleased to join the ProtectWise team at such an exciting time in the company's growth," said Hatchell. "Industrial organizations are faced with the challenge of achieving operational efficiencies while providing security across their plant environments without compromising operations. ProtectWise has developed a security platform that provides unified visibility across IT and OT, allowing organizations to manage increasing industrial threats while realizing the benefits of cloud-based services." Hatchell joins ProtectWise from Belden Inc., where he led the efforts to integrate the Tripwire acquisition into industrial markets of Belden across the Hirschmann and Tofino product lines. Prior to Belden, Hatchell led the critical infratructure practice for McAfee/Intel. He was responsible for significant revenue growth over a five-year period for the industrial control system (ICS) practice, establishing strategic partnerships, and building out products and services to address the needs of industrial customers worldwide.



"The ProtectWise GridTM presents a new way forward for organizations with industrial and critical infrastructure environments, by delivering an unlimited memory for the network using the power of the cloud," said Ramon Peypoch, Chief Product Officer, ProtectWise. "David is a highly regarded and seasoned leader in the global industrial security community. His experience and leadership will be key to building our footprint in the ICS and IIoT sectors." About ProtectWise

ProtectWise harnesses the power of the recorded network to provide a new utility model for enterprise security. The company's platform, The ProtectWise Grid, captures full fidelity network traffic for real-time and retrospective analysis in an advanced visual presentation. Delivered entirely from the cloud, The ProtectWise Grid is an integrated solution that provides frictionless deployment and scalability.

Founded in April 2013, ProtectWise is based in Denver and led by a team of security and SaaS industry veterans from McAfee, Palo Alto Networks, and Symantec. The company launched the Immersive SecuritySM movement in 2017 to build a new path forward for the security industry. ProtectWise has raised more than $67 million in funding. For more information, visit www.protectwise.com. PR Contact

MacLean Guthrie

[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/david-hatchell-joins-protectwise-as-vice-president-of-industrial-security-300438474.html SOURCE ProtectWise

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State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than...
The Construction Products Association (CPA) has named Carl Arntzen as its new chairman.

Mr Arntzen stepped into the role on 11 April, after the CPAs 2017 annual general meeting. He succeeds John Sinfield who has stepped down from the role after three years as chairman.

Mr Arntzen is currently chief executive officer (CEO) for Bosch Thermotechnology, having originally joined in 1984 as a product development engineer. After working in product development for several years, he then moved in to more commercial orientated roles in product management and then marketing management.

Following national and international roles throughout the sales, marketing and service organisation, Mr Arntzen was appointed managing director in October 2011, and CEO in 2015 for the whole of Bosch Thermotechnologys operations in the UK and Ireland. This includes the residential business operating under the Worcester, Bosch Group brand and the Commercial Industrial business operating under the Bosch brand.

Dr Diana Montgomery, chief executive of the CPA, said: The CPA are delighted to welcome Carl on board. His extensive track record together with his understanding of the industry will play a tremendous role as we begin to navigate a post-EU landscape. We wish him every success in his new role with us.

Speaking about his new role, Mr Arntzen added: I am delighted to join the CPA as chairman and look forward to contributing to its growth; and being an advocate for what is such an important UK industry. We will continue to work with government to ensure the construction sector remains competitive and relevant for industry colleagues; it's going to be a challenging but exciting process. I am impressed by the talent here who are making a significant contribution in helping to shape the CPA."
The London Fire Brigade has tackled a huge fire at a builders' merchants in Brent Cross, London.

According to London Fire Brigade, the fire started in a woodworking shop on the builders' merchant site near Brent Park Road, London.

The Fire Brigade were called at 15:45 on 12 April. Twelve fire engines and around 80 firefighters brought the blaze under control, with crews from a number of different fire stations and a number of aerial appliances also on the scene. There were no casualties.

Smoke from the fire caused disruptions on roads and rail services in the area, with sections of the M1 motorway closed in both directions between J1 and J4.

In a statement, London Fire Brigade station manager Claiton Murray said: "This is a large, challenging fire and crews are working extremely hard to bring it under control as quickly as possible. Around half of the workshop is alight. The fire is producing a considerable amount of smoke so we are advising people living and working in the area to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution."

While the London Fire Brigade has not yet officially named the builders' merchant company involved, images released on the @LondonFire twitter account suggested the fire is at the Busy Bee Builders' Merchant site on Brent Park Road, London NW9.
[April 12, 2017] China Overtakes America's Lead in Online EdTech Companies

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In recent years, China and America's start-up companies have been equally competitive to one another. Specially in EdTech industry, China's online education companies have gone beyond those of the same kind in the United States in globalization and commercialization. DaDaABC, a Chinese EdTech company, has become an icon in online education industry. Founded in 2013 with headquarters in Shanghai, China, DaDaABC was the first Internet enterprise in China to offer online English courses for children. Despite DaDaABC having been in operations for less than 5 years, however, the company has shown remarkable results in all aspects. DaDaABC's revenue each month is close to RMB 100 Million, which indicates DaDaABC's leading position in the industry. In comparison, some American online education companies are still exploring the business model rather than making money. DaDaABC's monthly revenue continues growing at 30%. "The growth is not only from China, but we also have overseas students from 22 countries, and the footprint will keep expanding," said Hui Zhi. "We aim to become the best global online English training company in the near future." As an entrepreneur and a mom, Hui Zhi clearly knows her ambition. Previously a Marketing Director at Jiayuan.com International Ltd, operator of the largest online dating platform in China, Hui is now leading DaDaABC, with thousands of employees, along with ten thousand English instructors, beyond its current role as the leading China online education company, and into the international market. Despite DaDaABC being based in China, its student users, children from 5 to 16 years old, are all over the world. Currenly, DaDaABC has more than 1 million students registered, taught by, moreover, thousands of native English speakers from United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand serving as qualified DaDaABC instructors, the majority of whom work remotely from home or all over the world. Hui Zhi said, "The instructors are able to know more about China and Chinese culture through talking to students in class. At the same time, they enjoy the benefits of working remotely with flexible hours."





Each night, 100,000 online one-on-one classes take place through DaDaABC's platform. DaDaABC uses its innovative two-way video classroom and its powerful global network to ensure all courses can be successfully completed. Although other EdTech competitors have emerged, imitating DaDaABC's innovative education format, the company has the first-mover advantage and has generated great reputation among parents, students, and instructors. Richard, a DaDaABC instructor from Chicago, Illinois, has been working at DaDaABC for three years, and he said that DaDaABC not only offers him a job, but also makes him feel amazing about life. Richard said, more and more companies compete in the market now. However, only at DaDaABC are instructors and students paired from the beginning, so they are more likely to develop friendships in the long term. "The company treats instructors with respect and sincerity, and $3,000 per month perfectly meets my expectation for a part time job," said Richard. Emma, another instructor from DaDaABC, expressed her passion to her experience with DaDaABC. "I definitely love children, and I'm a mom myself. I had never thought I could get a job before joining DaDaABC since I have a two little kids at home. DaDaABC offered me free training classes and I became a certificated English instructor. Thanks to DaDaABC, I have a flexible working schedule while taking care of my three-year-olds." About DaDaABC Founded in 2013, DaDaABC is the most innovative English training institution in China, and was established to provide what has become one of China's most successful intelligent English learning platforms for children. Winner of over 15 awards and recognitions in 2016, DaDaABC developed a leading English training system focused on one-on-one online tutoring and encourage youngsters to learn and practice while having fun with instructors, and announced a total capital raising of 500 million RMB in Series B and Series B+, which will be used in market expansion, curriculum development and learning experience improvement. DaDaABC has been helping students from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, and other non-English speaking countries. For more information, please visit http://www.dadaabc.com/teacher/job. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/china-overtakes-americas-lead-in-online-edtech-companies-300438631.html SOURCE DaDaABC

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Everything you need to know for election day in Burlington County
[April 12, 2017] Survey Finds Employee Communication Habits Could Increase Legal and Data Governance Challenges

CHICAGO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of office-based employees say their companies don't have written policies on data retention or personal use of work devices, or if they do, they aren't aware of them, a kCura survey found. In addition, 55 percent of office-based employees say they believe there is no harm to their companies when they use a work device for personal communications. The online survey of 1,013 full or part-time employees who work in an office at least 50% of the time (referred to as "employees" throughout) was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of kCura between December 28th, 2016 and January 18th, 2017 to uncover which employee habits are contributing to the explosion of unstructured data in the enterprise. kCura are the developers of Relativity, a platform used by the U.S. Department of Justice and more than 70 Fortune 100 companies to manage large volumes of data during litigation, investigations, and compliance projects. According to David Horrigan, e-discovery counsel at kCura and former data privacy analyst, the employee communication habits revealed by the study could put organizations at risk for increased data retention and discovery costs in today's increasingly litigious business environment. That's because laws, regulations, and rules, including the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which govern civil proceedings in U.S. district courts, have generally treated all data within the enterprise - even personal conversations - as potentially discoverable. "With so much data to organize, risk and costs canand doget out of control very quickly," said Horrigan. "Complete bans on the personal use of work devices would be difficultif not impossibleto implement, and could be harmful to employee morale. However, companies do need to implement reasonable policies to mitigate risk." A Data Retention Policy Is a Must-Have The survey results reveal that 63 percent of employees don't believe their companies have policies on email retention or checking personal email and other accounts at work, or if they do, they don't know about them. A slightly better 56 percent say the same about written social media policies. An overwhelming majority of employees (70 percent) also admit to using email/folders in their inbox as filing systems on the job  a habit that makes it more difficult for enterprises to implement email retention policies without disrupting business, said Horrigan. "Having a defensible data retention policy is one of the most fundamental necessities for mitigating risk in today's digital business environment," said Horrigan. "If a business faces a lawsuit or regulatory proceeding, it could face substantial sanctions for failure to preserve email." For example, in a 2016 decision, U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Delaware sanctioned an electronics company $3 million in punitive sanctions plus costs for its unlawful deletion of email. In another case, a major airline faced multiple discovery sanctions, including court sanctions of $2.7 million in August 2015 for discovery failures. Employees Care about rivacy  But Compromise It Anyway



Although 98 percent of employees surveyed said privacy was important to them, they engage in communications habits that put their privacy at risk. For example, 60 percent have done at least one of the following on a personal device connected to company WiFi: Sent personal emails (47%)

Used the internet for personal purposes (45%)

Sent personal text messages (40%)

Sent personal messages via messaging apps (23%)

Posted on social media (22%)

Sent personal photos (20%)

Sent personal video (10%) Additionally, employees use work devices for personal conversations. Thirty-eight percent use work email at least sometimes to send or receive personal/non-work related communications, while 28 percent sometimes or often use a work device to chat online with friends using services like Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger.

Employees said they have also used work devices for personal conversations that may contain particularly sensitive information: 32 percent with their physicians

28 percent with financial advisors

18 percent with lawyers Communicating with a lawyer via email, text, or social media on a work device could pose the greatest risk, said Horrigan. By doing so, employees could be disclosing the conversation to a third party  the company  which could waive their attorney-client privilege. If an employer fails to create or enforce policies on privacy, they may find that employees still have a reasonable expectation of privacy. "Laws surrounding employee privacy are still developing," said Horrigan. "To protect themselves, employers must implement clear policies defining employees' expectation of privacy at work. For employees, the best bet is to keep work and personal communications separate. If you're wondering whether a certain communication or activity will remain private, you should assume that it will not." Enterprise Data Volumes Are Skyrocketing A 2016 survey by Osterman Research found that organizations stored a mean of 49.3 gigabytes of email data per user, and that total messaging-related storage during the previous 12 months had increased a mean of 18 percent. If growth continues at that pace, the data per user will reach 133 gigabytes by 2022. Beyond conducting personal business at work, employees can contribute to growing enterprise data volumes by using digital platforms excessively to connect with colleagues in lieu of phone and face-to-face conversations. For example, according to the survey, 54 percent of employees admit that they email large groups of people at work at least sometimes, while 30 percent concede hitting "reply all" when it's not necessary sometimes, often, or all the time. These habits may contribute to employees being copied on an average of 16 unnecessary emails per day. "Workers today are more conscious about problematic habits such as printing unnecessary documents, but they don't think twice about sending an unnecessary email, IM, or Slack chat," said Horrigan. "The truth is, these digital communications leave footprints, too. When corporations don't take the steps to govern their information  or at least have consistent, repeatable processes for handling large volumes of data  they could face an array of legal headaches, IT frustrations, and high costs." The full report, "Big Data from Employees Leads to Big Risk for Employers," is available for download on the Relativity Blog along with an infographic illustrating four steps you can take to protect your business now. Method statement: This survey was conducted online in the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of kCura between December 28th, 2016 and January 18th, 2017. The research was conducted among 1,013 adults age 18+ who are employed full-time or part-time, not a freelancer, and works in a traditional office setting for at least 50% of the time. Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online. About kCura kCura are the developers of Relativity, an e-discovery platform used by more than 12,000 organizations to manage large volumes of data and quickly identify key issues during litigation, internal investigations, and compliance projects. Relativity has over 150,000 active users in 40+ countries from organizations including the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 70 Fortune 100 companies, and more than 195 of the Am Law 200. Corporations, law firms, and government agencies use Relativity on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid platformwith hosted, on-demand solutions available through a global network of partners. As a platform, Relativity also allows developers to design, build, and integrate applications that extend its functionality. kCura has been named one of Chicago's Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune for six consecutive years and received the CityLIGHTS Lighthouse Award from the Illinois Technology Association in 2016. Please contact kCura at [email protected] or visit http://www.kcura.com for more information. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-finds-employee-communication-habits-could-increase-legal-and-data-governance-challenges-300438488.html SOURCE kCura

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Empire in the Hills

Queeny Pradhan

Oxford University Press

427 pages; Rs 995



Back in the mid-19th century, an English journalist called John Lang had written, amongst other things, about hill stations

and how the British lived there. The sahebs were not pleased.
L&T will build and develop the spaces, CLINT will market them; most of the projects are to be started from the second half of 2024
has received a payments wallet license from the Reserve Bank of India, as it looks to boost savings and retain customers within is ecosystem as it takes on rivals Flipkart, and Alibaba's Paytm.
With Rs 5,000 crore worth of BS- III vehicles remaining unsold after the Supreme Court banned them, auto industry body SIAM on Tuesday said an increasingly uncertain business environment will affect investments in the sector.
American drug giant Abbotts India unit is not withdrawing expired drugs from West Bengal, the All India Chemists and Distributors Federation (AICDF) has said in a complaint to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
Delhi high court on Wednesday cancelled government clearances to Limiteds Camelot project, saying that the necessary permissions had been given without proper consideration of environmental and town-planning laws. .
Consumers are staring at a second hike in prices of detergents within a fortnight, with the government slapping an anti-dumping duty on a key input in manufacturing detergents.
Deepak Parekh, chairman of HDFC Ltd, struck a note of caution to Indias e-commerce looking at the valuation than business fundamentals, saying a model of changing ownership between private equity firms could hurt the entire ecosystem.
[April 12, 2017] Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland and D.C. approve CenturyLink - Level 3 merger

MONROE, La., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland and the District of Columbia recently joined the states of Georgia, Ohio, Utah and West Virginia in approving the merger of CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) and Level 3 Communications, Inc. (NYSE: LVLT). The merger also recently received regulatory clearance from Texas, in addition to previous regulatory clearances from the states of Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana and Nevada. "These additional approvals show that regulators understand the CenturyLink - Level 3 merger will bring substantial service benefits to our customers, employees and communities," said CenturyLink Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Government Relations John F. Jones. "The combined company will have a stronger and larger network that will help drive economic growth and connect consumers and businesses to the power of the digital world." The merger, announced Oct. 31, 2016, should allow the combined companies to offer enterprise and wholesale customers a broader and more complementary range of services and solutions, positioning the combined companies to enable the advanced technology and growing bandwidth needs of all customers, including small businesses, large businesses, large multinational enterprises and government entities. In December 2016, CenturyLink began filing applications with the appropriate federal and state regulatory agencies. The transaction is subject to the companies receiving various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The two companies continue to expect to receive the remaining state, federal and international approvals in time to complete the merger by Sept. 30, 2017. About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a global communications, hosting, cloud and IT services company enabling millions of customers to transform their businesses and their lives through innovative technology solutions. CenturyLink offers network and data systems management, big data analytics and IT consulting, and operates more than 55 data centers in North America, Europe and Asia. The company provides broadband, voice, video, data and managed services over a robust 250,000-route-mile U.S. fiber network and a 300,000-route-mile international transport network. Visit CenturyLink for more information. Forward Looking Statements

Except for the historical and factual information contained herein, the matters set forth in this communication, including statements regarding the expected timing and benefits of the proposed transaction, such as efficiencies, cost savings, enhaned revenues, growth potential, market profile and financial strength, and the competitive ability and position of the combined company, and other statements identified by words such as "will," "estimates," "anticipates," "believes," "expects," "projects," "plans," "intends," "may," "should," "could," "seeks" and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond our control. These forward-looking statements, and the assumptions upon which they are based, (i) are not guarantees of future results, (ii) are inherently speculative and (iii) are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those anticipated, estimated, projected or implied in those statements if one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect. Factors that could affect actual results include but are not limited to: the ability of the parties to timely and successfully receive the required approvals for the combination from regulatory agencies free of conditions materially adverse to the parties; the possibility that the anticipated benefits from the proposed transaction cannot be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; the possibility that costs, difficulties or disruptions related to the integration of Level 3's operations with those of CenturyLink will be greater than expected; the ability of the combined company to retain and hire key personnel; the effects of competition from a wide variety of competitive providers, including lower demand for CenturyLink's legacy offerings; the effects of new, emerging or competing technologies, including those that could make the combined company's products less desirable or obsolete; the effects of ongoing changes in the regulation of the communications industry, including the outcome of regulatory or judicial proceedings relating to intercarrier compensation, interconnection obligations, access charges, universal service, broadband deployment, data protection and net neutrality; adverse changes in CenturyLink's or the combined company's access to credit markets on favorable terms, whether caused by changes in its financial position, lower debt credit ratings, unstable markets or otherwise; the combined company's ability to effectively adjust to changes in the communications industry, and changes in the composition of its markets and product mix; possible changes in the demand for, or pricing of, the combined company's products and services, including the combined company's ability to effectively respond to increased demand for high-speed broadband service; changes in the operating plans, capital allocation plans or corporate strategies of the combined company, whether based on changes in market conditions, changes in the cash flows or financial position of the combined company, or otherwise; the combined company's ability to successfully maintain the quality and profitability of its existing product and service offerings and to introduce new offerings on a timely and cost-effective basis; the adverse impact on the combined company's business and network from possible equipment failures, service outages, security breaches or similar events impacting its network; the combined company's ability to maintain favorable relations with key business partners, suppliers, vendors, landlords and financial institutions; the ability of the combined company to utilize net operating losses in amounts projected; changes in the future cash requirements of the combined company; and other risk factors and cautionary statements as detailed from time to time in each of CenturyLink's and Level 3's reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Due to these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the proposed combination or any other transaction described above will in fact be completed in the manner described or at all. You should be aware that new factors may emerge from time to time and it is not possible for us to identify all such factors nor can we predict the impact of each such factor on the proposed combination or the combined company. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this communication. Unless legally required, CenturyLink and Level 3 undertake no obligation and each expressly disclaim any such obligation, to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changed events or otherwise.



Additional Information

In connection with the proposed combination, CenturyLink filed a registration statement on Form S-4 with the SEC (Registration Statement No. 333-215121) which was declared effective by the SEC on February 13, 2017. CenturyLink and Level 3 have filed a joint proxy statement/prospectus and will file other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction with the SEC. CenturyLink and Level 3 began mailing the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus to their respective security holders on or about February 13, 2017. The definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, dated as of February 13, 2017, contains important information about CenturyLink, Level 3, the proposed combination and related matters. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROPOSED COMBINATION OR INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE DEFINITIVE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS CAREFULLY BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and security holders may obtain the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus and the filings that are incorporated by reference in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about CenturyLink and Level 3, free of charge, at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Investors and security holders may also obtain these documents free of charge by directing a request to CenturyLink, 100 CenturyLink Drive, Monroe, Louisiana 71203, Attention: Corporate Secretary, or to Level 3, 1025 Eldorado Boulevard, Broomfield, Colorado 80021, Attention: Investor Relations.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/delaware-hawaii-maryland-and-dc-approve-centurylink---level-3-merger-300438270.html SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.

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In a bid to make a strong comeback into the Indian market, Automobiles (FCA) India unveiled its indigenously-made SUV, Jeep Compass on Wednesday, and said that the vehicle would be officially launched in the country in July. The company, which currently has an insignificant presence in the the domestic market, says it will start production of the vehicle in June.
Indias largest e-commerce player is looking at a staggered approach to becoming profitable after it closed a massive $1.4 billion funding round led by Tencent and participation of eBay and Microsoft.
Shaista Yusuf is a happier person these days. The resident of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), now associated with violence, is seeing prosperity seeping in through a white revolution.
When Motor first drove into India, the companys focus was primarily on brand penetration but today, over two decades later, the company is repositioning the brand within what it calls the modern-premium framework. The company defines this as a space that lets consumers into an upgraded experience without altering the price-value equation, thereby hoping to attract new customers without alienating its old clientele. To that end a new digital campaign with popular stand-up comic artists has been launched and the company, over the past year, has been overhauling its product offerings, sales and service platforms.
MakeMyTrip and Ibibo, the two leading online travel which merged last October, have started exploiting synergies. The two Gurgaon-headquartered are moving to a new common office in the suburb outside the capital in one of their many attempts to enhance efficiencies.
Chetan Maini, the man who gave India its first electric car, the Reva, is now looking to give the country its first real chance of replacing gas guzzling vehicles with zero emissions electric ones by making them more affordable.

Maini's new venture is looking to build modular batteries for electric vehicles that can be swapped out quickly at stations similar to today's petrol bunks. The company's battery as a service model could help reduce the initial cost of buying EVs by as much as 50 per cent.
In a blow to Power and Adani Power, the Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday disallowed any relief to them in the five-year-old contentious issue of compensation to their respective power plants.
Continental Holdings Inc shares fell as much as 4.4 percent on Tuesday after a worldwide backlash erupted over a passenger who was dragged off one of the carrier's overbooked U.S. flights.

Video showing a man who appeared to be Asian being snatched from his seat, his limp body pulled from the passenger cabin of Airlines Flight 3411, sparked an outcry on Monday when the footage went viral.

On Chinese social media, the incident attracted the attention of more than 340 million users on the Weibo platform by Tuesday morning.

Continental got about 14 percent of its 2016 revenue from flying Pacific routes.

In a letter circulated to employees on Monday and seen by Reuters, United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz declined to apologise for the rough manner in which the passenger was handled, instead expressing regret that "this situation arose" and telling staff that "there are lessons we can learn from this experience."

"While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right."

Much of the adverse response centred on whether the man would have faced the same treatment if his ethnic background had been different.

According to Tyler Bridges, a passenger who was on board the flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, the man who was dragged off before takeoff said repeatedly that he was being discriminated against because he was Chinese.

"He said, 'I'm a doctor; I need to see patients," said Bridges, a civil engineer from Louisville who recorded much of the incident on his phone.

Many Weibo users, including comedian Joe Wong and e-commerce company JD.com founder Liu Qiangdong, called for a boycott of United.

"This makes me recall the nightmare experiences I had the three times I flew with United Airlines," Liu told his more than 3 million followers. "United's service is definitely the worst in the world!"

In the United States, social media outrage continued, with the incident trending on Twitter for the second consecutive day. Many users promoted hashtags #NewUnitedAirlinesMotto and #BoycottUnitedAirlines.

Twitter user Ethan @Warbot2003 wrote: "We Put The Hospital In Hospitality #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos."

Another Twitter user, Jim MacD @jim_macd, tweeted: "We can re-accommodate you the easy way... or the hard way #NewUnitedAirlinesMotto."

In heavy trading, shares of United Continental pared losses at mid-afternoon to about 3 percent at $69.42. The decline shaved about $600 million from the company's market value and made the stock among the biggest percentage decliners in the S&P 500 <.SPX>.

Late on Monday, United Airlines had also reported its March operational results, saying it expected first-quarter consolidated passenger unit revenue to be about flat with a year earlier.

UBS analyst Darryl Genovesi said in a research note that the revenue projection "may be seen as a modest beat relative to investor expectations."

United plans to report quarterly results next week.
The acquisition of Cairn India by Vedanta failed to cheer the shareholders of the oil producer. The merger was completed on Tuesday.
How has the Indian market evolved during the two decades that has been present in the country and what are its unique challenges?
[April 12, 2017] Cloud Security Corporation Enters Into a Loi With Five Branches University for the Development and Design of Wellness Bio Spas Incorporating Eastern and Western Medicine

Irvine, CA, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- April 11, 2017 - Irvine, CA. Cloud Security Corporation (OTCQB: CLDS) (the Company), has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with Five Branches University to design, develop and promote a series of medical spas that incorporate eastern medicine and western cosmetic non-invasive treatments to help people look and feel their best (Wellness Bio Spas). The parties will initially consider creating the first facility at the Universitys school in San Jose which occupies 16,000 square feet of a building of approximately 57,000 square feet owned by the University. Additionally, the clinics expect to incorporate early detection and non-invasive testing for a variety of medical supervised tests. The parties jointly agreed to the following Both parties will jointly use their existing relationships and contacts to develop an expandable model for the Wellness Bio Spa. The model should scale from a small model to a large model depending on the investors and location.

Both parties will jointly design, develop, market and staff the Wellness Bio Spa.

Both parties will jointly review the feasibility of creating the first facility at the location of the Universitys campus in San Jose.

The Company may use its public company stock and Chinese contacts to raise financing for the proposed joint venture.

Both parties will work together to find partners, including cosmetic doctors and professionals, to facilitate the development and expansion of the Wellness Bio Spa. Ron Zaidman, President & CEO of Five Branches University stated, Our goal in creating the new healthcare centers is to achieve optimal health and wellness using the best of Western and Eastern healthcare. We are excited for the future and what developments may result by aligning our goals with Cloud Security." About Five Branches University In 1984, Five Branches University became one of the first Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) colleges in the United States. Today, they are recognized a one of the nations top TCM schools providing the highest level of professional education in Traditional Chinese Medicine and integrative medicine in the U.S. and internationally. Five Branches University offers ten programs related to Traditional Chinese and Integrative Medicine at its two California campuses in Santa Cruz and San Jose. Additional information concerning Five Branches University can be found at the Companys website www.fivebranches.edu.



About Cloud Security Corporation Cloud Security Corporation is an innovative cloud computing company whose technology and products allow for secure data connections to the cloud, through networks, traditional computers and mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The Company's flagship product - MyComputerKey(TM) - provides the ability for remote access security to any computer around the world. The Company also develops online application security products and mobile security technology in the Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) market, a growing trend in today's mobile workforce.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.cloudsecuritycorporation.com. Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements This release contains forward-looking statements that include information relating to future events and future financial and operating performance. The words may, would, will, expect, estimate, can, believe, potential and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or managements good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in demand for the Companys products, the introduction of new products, the Company's ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Company's liquidity and financial strength to support its growth, and other information that may be detailed from time-to-time in the Companys filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Examples of such forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future sales, costs and market acceptance of products as well as regulatory actions at the State or Federal level. For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting the Company please refer to the Companys Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Information: Michael Dunn +1 866-250-2999 [email protected]

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With the government approving the Election Commission's suggestions on financial disclosures, candidates contesting elections will soon have to disclose their sources of income along with those of their spouses and dependents at the time of filing nomination papers.
A gang of inter-state cheque duplicators has been busted with the arrest of five persons, including nationalised bank employee, Delhi Police said on Tuesday, adding accounts in 17 banks across the country have been compromised.

Following a complaint of fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 95 lakh from a bank account, police launched a manhunt for the gang and arrested five people, including Gaurav Kumar Goel, said to be the mastermind, from various parts of the national capital region over the week.

"We have recovered a huge number of duplicate cheques of various public as well as private sector banks. Apart from cheques, sophisticated fonts and restricted ink used to re-print MICR and IFSC codes have also been recovered," said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal.

He also said that the gang operated with the connivance of bank employees and over 30 bank accounts belonging to 17 public and private sector banks across the country have been compromised.

"The compromised bank accounts are especially in Delhi, Mumbai, Dibrugarh, Chandigarh, Coimbatore. The members' arrest represents only the tip of the iceberg which has affected a large number of bank accounts. The true magnitude of it is yet to be assessed. It is suspected that insiders, as well as third-party vendors of the compromised banks, are involved in this massive conspiracy," said Biswal.

Using information of high-value bank accounts and their holders obtained from the databases of the banks, the gang used sophisticated machinery to forge cheques and encashed them.

"Investigation regarding the other compromised bank accounts is also being taken up to unearth the larger conspiracy. Further arrests and recoveries are expected," added the officer.
Ramesh Chandra Agrawal, Chairman of the country's leading publication house Dainik Bhaskar Group, died following a heart attack upon his arrival at Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday.

He was 73.

According to employees of Divya Bhaskar, the group's daily newspaper published from Gujarat, Agrawal suffered a heart attack immediately after his arrival at the airport in Ahmedabad.

Though he was rushed to Apollo Hospital near the airport, he could not be saved, they said.

The hospital in a statement said Agrawal "suffered a massive cardiac arrest at the airport after alighting from the flight. He was immediately brought to the emergency department of Apollo Hospital at 11.25 am."



The doctors found no cardiac activity or rhythm when he was admitted, it said.

"In spite of more than half an hour of intensive efforts of the medical team, the heart could not be revived and he (Agrawal) was declared dead at 12.05 pm," the statement said.

According to a senior employee of Bhaskar Group, Agrawal's mortal remains will be flown to Bhopal through an air ambulance this evening and the last rites will be performed there tomorrow.

On learning about the media baron's death, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, deputy CM Nitin Patel as well as senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela rushed to the hospital to pay their tributes to the departed soul.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also expressed his condolences at the passing away of Agrawal.

"The newspaper world is deeply pained because of the untimely death of Agrawal. He was very sensitive and known for his quick decision making," Chouhan said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh said Agrawal was a "close friend".

"The void created by his death cannot be filled easily," he said in a statement.

Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra recalled Agrawal's contribution towards Hindi journalism.

MP Congress president Arun Yadav and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also expressed deep sorrow at the demise of the media personality.

Born on November 30, 1944 at Jhansi, Agrawal came to Bhopal with his father late Dwarkaprasad Agrawal and laid the foundation of the Dainik Bhaskar newspaper in 1958.

According to Dainik Bhaskar's website, under Agrawal's leadership, the group succeeded in publishing 62 editions from 14 states and is the world's fourth largest newspaper in terms of circulation.

Besides the Hindi newspaper, the group also publishes Divya Bhaskar in Gujarati, English newspaper DNA, Marathi newspaper Divya Marathi, along with running FM Radio My FM and DB Digital, the website added.
Higher education in India is going through a critical phase. The country has witnessed tremendous growth in the sector since independence, and now has 750 universities, 35,000 colleges and 30 million of students. But none of its best institutions have managed to secure a place in the list of the worlds top 200 .
A special CBI court in Mumbai convicted four former bank officials in one of the multi-crore cases and sentenced them to three years imprisonment, 25 years after the scam involving 'Big Bull' Harshad Mehta came to the fore.

The rocked the BSE and other stock exchanges in 1992. Mehta, the kingpin of the scam, passed away in 2001.

On Tuesday, Special Judge H S Mahajan convicted M S Srinivasan (former funds manager of State Bank of Saurashtra), Vinayak Deosthali (Former Assistant Manager of UCO bank), R Sitaraman (official from SBI's security wing) and P A Karkhanis (former senior manager, UCO Bank).

The four officials were charged with corruption, criminal breach of trust and falsification of books of accounts and eventually benefiting the deceased stockbroker.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of them. However, after conviction, the court granted bail to enable them approach higher courts.

According to prosecution, in 1991 all banks were required to keep percentage of their deposits with RBI on a fortnightly basis called as Cash Reserve Ratio. Also, each of the banks were required to invest its deposits in securities called as Statutory Liquidity Ratio.

To maintain CRR and SLR the banks could borrow or lend from each other in the call market without the involvement of brokers or third party.

The CBI said that State Bank of Saurashtra, DN Road branch and UCO bank, Hamam Street branch, were authorised for such transactions.

The officials of these two banks under the guise of Call money Lending Transactions (CMLT) debited and credited personal accounts of Mehta in UCO Bank.

The probe agency also alleged that Srinivasan and others in conspiracy with Mehta parted with a sum of aggregating Rs 198 crores of State Bank of Saurashtra (to Mehta) by falsely recording various callmoney lending transactions, showing counterparty as UCO Bank.

The court acquitted one P S Gokhale, while the case against Mehta and M V Shidhaye, also named as accused, was abated as they died during the trial.

Sindhu Bhatt of State Bank of Saurashtra turned approver in this case.

Multiple cases were filed in 1992 following a probe into irregularities in securities transactions and fund management by banks and other financial institutions.
Thousands of commuters suffered inconvenience for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as Haryana Roadways employees continued with their strike as their parleys with the state government failed to break the logjam.

The striking employees are demanding a rollback on a recent Transport Department policy under which private bus owners were allowed more permits to operate services across Haryana.

Their leader threatened to continue with the strike till their demand was accepted unconditionally.

Over 13 lakh people travel daily in nearly 4,200 Haryana Roadways buses, including luxury Volvo buses, on intra- and inter-state routes.

Protesting roadways staff stopped private buses from plying at some places, leading to more difficulties for commuters.

Owners of private taxis, auto-rickshaws and other modes of transport made hay due to the strike.

Haryana Roadways Employees Union President Sarbat Singh Punia said the parleys with the Haryana government failed as the latter was adamant on issuance of permits to private bus operators.

Punia said three rounds of talks with the government, including Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar, on Tuesday failed to break the deadlock.

"They said permits had been issued to 853 private buses on 273 routes and there would be no review. We are demanding that these permits should be revoked," Punia said.

Demanding that the government expand the roadways fleet instead of giving permits to private operators, Punia said the strike will continue till the government accepted their demand unconditionally.

Transport Minister Panwar said the interests of roadways employees, as well as the people of the state, are of paramount importance for the state government, which is always ready to hold talks with employee unions.

Interacting with the media here, Panwar said they striking employees are objecting to the policy dated February 17.

He said 853 private buses are presently operating on 273 routes and all operators have got their permits made afresh.

"Priority was given to those already operating buses. These included 80 per cent old permit holders and routes. Apart from this, 1,669 other applications were received. No new route has been assigned to anyone," said Panwar.

He said 600 new buses were being added to the roadways fleet of 4,200.
Global nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed concern over possible cyber and terrorist threats to nuclear installations worldwide, with the government on Wednesday saying it was prepared to deal with any such eventuality.

Noting that no cyber intrusion has happened so far with respect to nuclear installations, Union Minister Jitendra Singh told the Lok Sabha that nuclear installations in the country are "designed and operated following a defence in-depth philosophy".

To a query on whether IAEA and the US-based non-profit group Initiative (NIT) have alerted the world community of a possible threat of cyber and terrorist attack on nuclear facilities, the Minister replied in the affirmative.

During the Question Hour, the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office said IAEA has expressed concern in general terms about the possibility of cyber and terrorist threats to nuclear installations globally, without indicating any specific details.

"Government takes these concerns seriously and remains alert and is prepared to deal with such threats," he said.

Further, the Minister said the critical infrastructure of Indian nuclear establishment is isolated from the internet and access to such systems was restricted to authorised personnel and closely monitored.

There are also Computer and Information Security Advisory Group (CISAG) and the Task Force for Instrumentation and Control Security (TAFICS) to look after "cyber/information security of the Department of Atomic Energy units including regular cyber security audit", he added.

Responding to questions related to monazite reserves in the country, Singh said in the garb of granite mining, there have been instances of monazite being mined. The government has taken "due cognisance" of the instances, he added.

There is around 12 million tonnes of monazite reserves and about 10 per cent of thorium can be extracted from it while "continuous efforts" are going on for exploration, he said.
In a first, the Supreme court has ordered that a BSNL mobile phone tower in Gwalior shut down on the plea of a 42-year old cancer patient, reported ET Telecom on Wednesday.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed "shock" that the money, meant for the welfare of construction workers across the nation, and which was supposed to go to the poorest people of the country was going "somewhere else".

The top court observed that there was no record as to how Rs 5,000 crore out of a total of around Rs 26,000 crore was spent and asked the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) to file an audit report in the matter within two weeks.

"Out of these Rs 26,000 crore, Rs 5,000 crore have been spent. We do not know where the money has been spent. You have to ensure that it is not spent in tea or lunch," a bench comprising Justices M B Lokur and Deepak Gupta told Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh.

"Lot of money is involved in this. It is supposed to go to the poorest people of the country. It is not going to them. It is going somewhere else. It is a very important matter. The money should reach to the poorest people," the bench said.

Singh told the bench that money was lying with the state governments and "it is not that the money has disappeared".

The apex court, however, observed that what has been told to it was shocking and the Centre must find out a solution to deal with the situation.

"What has been told to us is very shocking. You have to find out a solution. It is a matter of 26,000 crore," the bench asked the ASG.

Senior lawyer Colin Gonsalves, who was appearing for the petitioner, claimed that huge amount of money was transferred and it was being used for "all kind of sundry purposes".

"Roughly, how much will be the amount," the bench asked a CAG official, who was present in the court.

Responding to the court's query, the official said the total amount may be around Rs 28,000 crore.

When the apex court asked the official about the Rs 5,000 crore which has been spent, he said, "We will look into it and give an audit report."



The bench has fixed the matter for hearing on May 5.

The CAG had earlier told the court that they would file an affidavit giving the latest status with regard to the audit of the funds meant for welfare of construction workers across the nation.

The court had earlier in 2015 expressed displeasure over non-utilisation of a whopping Rs 27,000 crore by the Centre and various state governments, saying it cannot get worse than this.

The apex court had also said it was "ridiculous" that the money meant for these workers was spent on the 'babus' and advertisements.

The court was hearing the PIL filed by an NGO, Campaign Committee for Central Legislation on Construction Labour, alleging that the statutory cess levied from real estate firms for the welfare of construction workers was not being utilised properly as there was no mechanism to identify the beneficiaries for extending the benefit.

The court had earlier asked Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi governments to "file their submissions on affidavit with regard to collection and utilisation of the amounts and proposals for utilisation within two weeks."



The court had passed the order after certain facts were pointed out to it, including that Haryana had over the years collected Rs 1314.86 crore under the Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Cess Act, but disbursed only Rs 52 crore, with even the details of which being unavailable.

The amicus curiae had also told the court that Rajasthan had collected Rs 588.36 crore, but disbursed only Rs 59.45 crore, the details of which were also not available.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that America can play a "very critical role" in resolving the Kashmir issue with India as he hoped to see proactive engagement by the Trump administration on the issue.

"With regards to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not done," Sharif was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The prime minister said that the world, including the US, was well aware of the danger the dispute posed to world peace and to the stability in the region.

"We wish to see progress towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of peace and development in the region and the whole world, including the US, is fully aware of this reality," he said.

Referring to the resolutions of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on Kashmir, Sharif said that the UNSC must also ensure the implementation of its resolutions as failure to do so is already raising many questions about its credibility.

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said the US would try and "find its place" in efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions and not wait till "something happens", signalling an apparent change in the US stance of not engaging in Indo-Pak disputes.

"It's absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we de-escalate any sort of conflict going forward," said Haley, a senior Indian-American member of the Trump.

Hours later, India had swiftly rejected any US role in resolving Indo-Pak issues.

However, Pakistan's envoy to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had welcomed the US offer and said any positive role that the US plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well.

On Pakistan-US relations, Sharif said the two countries had a long history of bilateral relations and expressed hope that under President Trump, the bilateral ties would improve.

"We want trade not aid from the United States," the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan wished to have cordial relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect.

Referring to the mega projects being implemented under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), he said that the CPEC has a huge potential to generate economic activities in the entire region and Pakistan would welcome other countries to be part of it and share the benefits the multi-billion dollar project.

CPEC, an ambitious $46 billion project, will link the Pakistani city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.
[April 12, 2017] Avivagen Announces Results From Its Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders

OTTAWA, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avivagen Inc. (TSXV:VIV) (OTC Pink:CHEXF) (Avivagen or the Corporation), a Corporation with a proven and commercially-ready, patent-protected product intended to replace the antibiotics added to livestock feeds as growth promoters, announced at the Corporation's annual and special meeting of shareholders (AGM) held yesterday that the shareholders voted to support the resolutions proposed by the Corporation. The resolutions and the voting results included the following:

A proposed share consolidation, with a ratio range of 1:10 to 1:20: 89% voted in favour

The appointment of PwC as the Companys auditors: 100% voted in favour All of the nominees proposed as directors in the Corporations management information circular dated March 2, 2017 were duly elected as directors of Avivagen as follows: NOMINEE % OF VOTES CAST AT THE

MEETING WHICH WERE CAST FOR

THE ELECTION OF DIRECTORS % OF VOTES CAST AT THE

MEETING WHICH WERE

WITHHELD FROM VOTING Kym Anthony 90% 10% Graham Burton 98% 2% Vanessa Grant 94% 6% David Hankinson 94% 6% Jeffrey Kraws 98% 2% Paul Mesburis 94% 6%



Mr. Kraws is currently chairman of Synthetic Biologics Inc., a NYSE-listed biotechnology company, and a partner and co-founder of TopHat Capital, LLC. He is also the President of Ra Medical, a medical device company commercializing breakthrough laser therapies for a number of dermatology and vascular diseases. He also serves as a director of Saleen Automotive. Through his years of experience, Mr. Kraws has cultivated a wealth of industry knowledge and a level of credible, insightful equity analysis that few share. As a result, he has provided guest commentary for many network news programs, including Bloomberg, FOX Business, and CNBC, among others, and has become a valuable resource for financial journalists from the New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, CBS MarketWatch, and MedAdNews, among other publications. Mr. Kraws holds an MBA from Cornell University and a B.S. from the State University of New York-Buffalo.

At the AGM, the Chair of the Board of Directors and Interim CEO, Mr. Kym Anthony, indicated that the Corporation was continuing to pursue the following key initiatives: Expanding the Corporations global regulatory advisor network in order to efficiently gain market approval of OxC-beta in multiple geographies around the world

Continuing to advance discussions with potential strategic partners

Continuing to augment communications with stakeholders as we increase awareness of our technology platform

Recruiting an executive team that will maximize the value of OxC-beta in all markets About Avivagen

Avivagen Inc. is a public company traded on the TSXV under the symbol VIV and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, based in partnership facilities of the National Research Council of Canada and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. For more information, visit www.avivagen.com. About OxC-beta Technology and OxC-beta Livestock

OxC-beta Technology is derived from Avivagen discoveries about carotenoids, compounds that give certain fruits and vegetables their bright colors and is a non-antibiotic means of maintaining optimal health and growth. OxC-beta Livestock is a proprietary product shown to be effective and economic in replacing the antibiotics commonly added to livestock feeds. OxC-beta Livestock is currently registered and available for sale in the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand. Avivagens product addresses one of the worlds leading risks to human health: the rise of antibiotic resistant bacteria, known as antimicrobial resistance. In order to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics for human health, their use in the food chain as growth promoters for livestock animals must be eliminated. This use of antibiotics represents the single largest and majority use of antibiotics globally. Government agencies, global health organizations, livestock producers and end market food companies and their customers are now reaching consensus on the need to raise livestock without the use of antibiotics. Consequently the search is on for alternative products that will fill the gap to maintain health and productivity under modern production conditions. Avivagens OxC-beta Livestock product is safe, effective and could fulfill the global mandate to remove all in-feed antibiotics as growth promoters. Numerous international livestock trials with poultry and swine using OxC-beta Livestock have proven that the product performs as well as, and, sometimes, in some aspects, better than in-feed antibiotics. Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon the current expectations of management. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties associated with the business of Avivagen Inc. and the environment in which the business operates. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking, including those identified by the expressions aim, anticipate, appear, believe, consider, could, estimate, expect, if, intend, goal, helps, hope, likely, may, plan, possibly, potentially, pursue, seem, should, whether, will, would and similar expressions or opinions of management. Avivagen faces risks and uncertainties in connection with its business, including, but not limited to, the following: Avivagens ability to continue as a going concern; whether the share consolidation will occur, if at all; what ratio the board of directors of Avivagen will choose for the share consolidation ratio; whether the share consolidation, if implemented, will have the expected results as set out in the Corporations management information circular dated March 2, 2017; whether the Corporation can expand its global regulatory advisor network in order to gain market approval of OxC-beta; whether the Corporation can obtain market approval in additional geographies, if at all; whether discussions will advance with potential strategic partners, if at all; whether the Corporation will be successful in augmenting communications with stakeholders; whether the Corporation will be successful in recruiting an executive team that will maximize the value of OxC-beta in any markets, if at all; the results of ongoing or future trials of OxC-beta may not be positive or sufficiently positive; even if the results of trials are positive, there is no guarantee that Avivagens products will be commercially successful or that requisite registrations or regulatory approvals will be obtained or maintained; the timing and results of trials may be delayed or may not be completed at all; whether Avivagen will achieve any of the goals set out in this press release, if at all; whether Avivagen can obtain further commercial and trial alliances in Asia and elsewhere; and intellectual property rights may not be granted, or, if granted, may prove inadequate to protect Avivagens inventions. Readers should also refer to the risk factors in Avivagens annual information form and other securities law filings from time to time. Accordingly, readers should not place undue or even any reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Avivagen assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the 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. Copyright  2017 Avivagen Inc. OxC-beta is a trademark of Avivagen Inc. For more information: Avivagen Inc. Drew Basek Director of Investor Relations 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6 Phone: 416-540-0733 E-mail: [email protected] Kym Anthony Interim Chief Executive Officer 100 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0R6 Head Office Phone: 613-949-8164 Website: www.avivagen.com

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West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are expected to be the next two big states which could become part of the Centres electronic National Agriculture Market (eNaM).
Giving a major relief for oil marketing companies (OMCs) like Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), India may soon enter into a daily revision of fuel pricing. This will be launched in five cities, including Puducherry, Vizag, Udaipur, Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, on an experimental basis, ahead of the national launch.
RATHIN ROY, member of the NK Singh committee on a new Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) law and Director, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy, talks to Arup Roychoudhury on their recommendations. Edited excerpts:
The issue of cell phone tower radiation is again haunting the telecom industry, following the Supreme Courts (SC) direction to shut down a mobile tower in Gwalior based on a complaint by a petitioner.
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government on Wednesday decided to extend the reservations to Muslim population on the basis of their socio-economic backwardness besides raising the existing quota of the scheduled tribes (STs) to 12% from the present 7.5% in line with the local population.
Britain on Wednesday offered technology transfer to India for co-production of military platforms and weapon systems to jointly become "world beaters" in arms exports.

Britain's Defence Secretary Michael Fallon also called for strengthening cooperation between the two countries to effectively deal with terrorism and extremism, calling them a major challenge facing the globe.

The British Defence Secretary is on a four-day visit to India aimed at enhancing security and defence ties.

During an interactive session at a leading think-tank on UK-India strategic ties, he referred to a spate of recent terror attacks including in London, St Petersburg and Egypt and said both India and the UK will have to work harder to deal with the menace.

"No country is immune from terrorism. India and the UK need to work hard to combat it," he said, particularly emphasising on boosting cyber security cooperation to protect youths from radicalism and extremism.

Fallon refused to respond to a question on death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court.

On Indo-UK defence production, he said with innovation and collaboration, Britain and India can prove to be "world beaters".

"We are looking at the government-to-government framework for the transfer of technology," he said, on technology transfer to India in defence manufacturing.

The British Defence Secretary also gave a run down of reform measures taken by his country in the defence sector and said a partnership with India will provide an unprecedented opportunity to match the British experience with Indian brainpower.

As per statistics collated by UK Trade and Investment, the country is the second biggest arms exporter in the world after the US. It said UK has sold more arms than Russia, China and France on average over the last 10 years.

Britain has been a leading supplier of military platforms to India as well.

Fallon will hold talks with Defence Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday on enhancing security ties and deepening cooperation in combating terrorism and extremism.
BJP's Tamil Nadu unit on Wednesday said it was the responsibility of the state government to waive the crop loans given to farmers, a demand being made by a group of ryots on a protest in New Delhi for the past one month.

Citing the decision of BJP government in Uttar Pradesh to waive farmers loans worth over Rs. 36,000 crore, state party President Tamilisai Sounderrajan said it was the responsibility of the AIADMK government in the state to do so.

Her comments come in the backdrop of the protest by farmers from Tamil Nadu in New Delhi seeking the Prime Minister's intervention to waive off the loans in view of the drought.

Last week, the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh decided to waive farm loans totalling Rs 36,359 crore benefitting small and marginal farmers in that state.

"The loans would have been given by many banks to farmers. But, if it wants to, the State government can waive the loans. It is wrong on the Tamil Nadu government's part to not pay attention to the farmers' demand," she alleged.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien had on Tuesday asked the government to talk to drought-hit farmers of Tamil Nadu to end their agitation seeking crop loan waiver.
The responsibility of dealing with law and order problem rests primarily with the respective State Governments. However the efforts of State Government of Manipur were supplemented by the Central Government. As per the information received from Ministry of Home Affairs, the following steps were taken by the Government of India to clear up the blockade imposed by UNC, of National Highways leading into Manipur since 01.11.2016. Ministry of Home Affairs provided additional Central Armed Police Force companies to assist the State Government of Manipur for maintenance of law and order and security coverage for movement of essential supplies, including movement of petroleum products on National Highways, into Manipur. .

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Besides movement of goods/POL products under security convoys, POL products were airlifted to Manipur. .

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There was intervention at the level of Union Home Minister who held a meeting with the Chief Ministers of Nagaland and Manipur to impress upon the urgency of opening of National Highways in Manipur. .

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Ministry of Home Affairs took initiative to hold tripartite meetings with Government of Manipur and UNC to resolve the issue. Meetings were held on 15.11.2016, 03.02.2017, 07.02.2017 and 19.03.2017. The blockade has since been lifted by UNC with effect from 19.03.2017. .

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Government of Manipur has intimated that six (6) cases have been registered in respective police station jurisdictions where incidents of arson/damages were reported and investigated into. .

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This was stated by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh in written reply to a question by Shri Baijayant Jay Panda in the Lok Sabha today. .

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[April 12, 2017] GoodData's Latin America Partner TOTVS Realized 250 Percent Smart Analytics Growth in 2016

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GoodData, whose end-to-end platform provides actionable insights at the point of work to drive better business outcomes, today announced its Latin American partner and investor TOTVS grew their Smart Analytics offering 250 percent in 2016. The platform offering, Fluig, leveraging GoodDatas technology, grew another 175 percent during the same time period. GoodData and TOTVS have been partners since 2013 and have seen significant financial benefits as enterprise adoption of GoodDatas end-to-end platform has increased in Latin America during their partnership.

As described in the Gartner report, 2017 CIO Agenda: A Latin America Perspective, BI/analytics has surpassed infrastructure and data center (which is ranked second) as the most relevant top three IT expenditures for new/discretionary funding in Latin America, indicating analytics might have become indispensable to deliver engaging customer experience. GoodData and TOTVS believe the growth they are seeing is proof of Latin Americas commitment to advanced analytics and digital transformation. With more than 800 customers using the platform to gain actionable insight into company performance, TOTVS customers have reduced operational costs, increased financial and commercial performance and improved strategic planning initiatives. The ability to easily adapt within the GoodData platform to meet the various requirements of their 10 specialized industries has been one of the keys to the partnerships success. TOTVS ability to anticipate and adapt their technology offering through their partnership with GoodDat has led to success in verticals from healthcare and education to agribusiness and manufacturing.



"Data is the new oil," shares Mario Almeida, director of mobility and ecofluig at TOTVS. "This illustrates the dimension of what the future holds for the new Data Era. TOTVS' goal is to connect people, things, and business and in order to do that everything depends on the treatment and analysis of the data generated by systems, people, and sensors. GoodData is the global player we have chosen to bring to the Latin American market." Roman Stanek, CEO and founder at GoodData shares, Since the inception of our partnership in 2013, TOTVS has continued to increase their investment with GoodData. Latin America is an important market for GoodData as we continue to expand our global reach providing an end-to-end platform to enterprises looking to succeed in digitally transforming their company.

GoodData partners with enterprises, software vendors, and systems integrators globally to help enterprises build Smart Business Applications embedded at the point of work for the entire business eco-system, driving better business outcomes. More information on becoming a GoodData partner can be found here. About GoodData

GoodData provides the platform and expertise for enterprises to create Smart Business Applications that harness your existing data to help you automate, recommend and take better business actions faster and with more reliability. We drive competitive value, performance and profit by significantly enhancing the data-driven business processes across the enterprise and its business ecosystem by bringing analytics to the point-of-work. Our clients include enterprises like Penton that need to deliver revenue-generating data products to their clients and software companies like Zendesk that market their own Smart Business Applications using GoodData. GoodData is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst Partners, Intel Capital, TOTVS and others. For more information visit our website and follow GoodData on Twitter and LinkedIn. ABOUT TOTVS

TOTVS, a provider of business solutions for companies of all sizes and which deals with management software, productivity and collaboration platforms, hardware and consulting, is the absolute leader in Latin Americas SMB market. With over 50% market share in Brazil, it was ranked by Interbrand as the 20st most valuable brand in the country. TOTVS is present in 41 countries, with net revenue of more than R$2 billion. In Brazil, it has 15 branches, 52 franchises, 5,000 distribution channels and 10 development centers. Outside Brazil, it has seven branches and five development centers in the United States, Mexico, China and Taiwan. For further information, visit www.totvs.com 2017, GoodData Corporation. All rights reserved. GoodData is a registered trademark of GoodData Corporation in the United States and other jurisdictions. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

GoodData Contact Amy Duryea [email protected]

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The Minister of State, Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, inaugurated a two-day workshop on the review of the National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) here today. The workshop has been organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). .

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Speaking on the occasion, Shri Kiren Rijiju said that it is imperative that we integrate Disaster Risk Reduction into our governance, adding that this review would majorly guide in managing future disasters. .

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The NDMP, India's first-ever national plan for Disaster Management, was launched by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in June last year. The Plan itself provides for periodic reviews to accommodate emerging global practices and national experiences. The Prime Ministers 10-point agenda on DRR, outlined during the Asian Ministerial Conference on DRR in November last year, will serve as the guiding document in the revision of the Plan. .

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Calling the review of the Plan crucial for all stakeholders, Dr. P.K. Mishra, Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, said that it was important to keep socio-economic realities and changes in mind while revisiting the Plan. .

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In its efforts to make the review process participatory and inclusive, NDMA had sought suggestions on the national plan from State Governments and Ministries of the Central Government. .

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Discussions at this workshop will form a part of the deliberations at the upcoming National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), which will be held shortly. .

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Senior officials of NDMA and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), State Governments and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) attended the first day of the workshop. .

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Brazil's top court has reportedly opened corruption investigations into nine government ministers, dozens of lawmakers and three state governors, among .

Daily O Estado de S Paulo reported on Tuesday that testimony from former and current executives of constructor Odebrecht provided enough evidence to investigate at least 108 politicians.

The newspaper said targets include Brazil's chief of staff, the speaker of the Lower House, the president of the Senate and former Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes. Those four have denied any wrongdoing.

A spokeswoman of Brazil's top court did not confirm the opening of the investigations to The Associated Press.

According to the newspaper, Justice Edson Facchin's decision says that President Michel Temer has temporary immunity from prosecution.

Brazil's top court investigates politicians that hold office because of its special jurisdiction.
Pakistani authorities have won another battle against free speech. The latest blow is just another consequence of harsh measures taken by Pakistans government in the last five years against freedom of speech.
When George W. Bush and Dick Cheney launched their forever wars  under the banner of a Global War on Terror  they unleashed an unholy trinity of tactics. Torture, rendition, and indefinite detention became the order of the day. After a partial suspension of these policies in the Obama years, they now appear poised for resurrection.
Donald Trump's administration has released a declassified four-page report that details United States intelligence on the chemical weapons attack in Syria, asserting that the Bashar al-Assad-led regime in the war-torn country and the Russian government have sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and false narratives.
Virtually every week, politicians and journalists and policy experts attempt the impossible: mind reading. Specifically, they want to know whats going on inside one mans mind. They want to know what Kim Jong Un is thinking and, more importantly, what he wants.
advanced for an eighth day in London, the longest gain since 2012, on speculation Saudi Arabia will support an extension to Opec-led output cuts just as stockpiles show signs of shrinking.
A federal court in Texas has again ruled the state's 2011 voter identification law intentionally discriminated against minorities. It's the latest loss in the case for Texas  which has spent years unsuccessfully defending the law. But it also has implications for the .
It is not unusual for airlines to overbook hoping there would be some ticket cancellations before the time of the flight. But when all or most passengers turn up for the flight, they find themselves in a spot and are forced to deny boarding to some passengers.
[April 12, 2017] IDENTV Releases Video Intelligence Tools Designed for National Security Analysts

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To address the challenge presented by the high volumes of high-definition video intelligence data produced by drones and other surveillance sensors, IDENTV expanded integration of its Intelligent Video-fingerprinting Platform with advanced C4ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) capabilities in live operational environments. The core problem in analyzing visual data is a combination of the extremely large amounts that are produced daily and the time it takes to analyze these high-quality files, by either humans or computers. Awareness of a potential threat or problem could simply take too long to detect. If video data is not processed or analyzed at least partially at the same rate it is produced, it accumulates in a queue and rapidly loses its tactical value. "Because the IDENTV platform can automatically process over 50 trillion image comparisons per hour, there is a drastic increase in the amount of media that a single analyst can handle and their ability to extract and exploit actionable intelligence across vast repositories of video," explains Founder and CEO Mohammad Shihadah/span>. "Artificial Intelligence is not only about the future; it is about the now. Today we can displace inefficient, expensive legacy systems and free analysts from repetitive monitoring tasks that lead to boredom and undermine morale."



IDENTV has integrated these advanced computer vision detection, recognition and analytics capabilities with Novetta Solutions C4ISR Ageon platform. Video from multiple sensors is delivered to an operating platform allowing real time geocoded object behavior in live operating environments and immediate exploitation. This type of capability also has applications across a wide range of activities including wildlife preservation, critical infrastructure analysis, and even medical diagnosis through pattern-based recognition. The program is part of IDENTV's strategy of demonstrating broad interoperability by meeting a major emerging technical requirement for the military, intelligence and law enforcement agencies as they attempt to manage massive amounts of video. The geometric expansion of both military and civilian visual sensors has made real-time indexing and search of billions of frames of video a mission critical function.

IDENTV was recently selected as one of the Top 5 Artificial Intelligence companies in the DC area. About IDENTV leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to transform the way the world searches and exploits massive video. With offices in San Francisco and Virginia, a global team of talented scientists and engineers, and clients in the Television, Media, and National Security domains, IDENTV is already recognized as an emerging market leader in the video analytics space. Find out more

www.identv.com

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/identv-releases-video-intelligence-tools-designed-for-national-security-analysts-300438367.html SOURCE IDENTV

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When people say share ownership is highly diversified, they think most large public corporations have lots of shareholders  and often the largest shareholder has less than 15%, sometimes less than 5%, of the total shareholdings.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President had a telephonic conversation in which they discussed a range of issues from the situation in North Korea to the recent missile strike in Syria, China's foreign ministry said.

Trump has been maintaining warm ties with Beijing and has repeatedly called on it to step up its efforts to rein in North Korea, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear program since 2016.

The phone call between the two leaders came in the wake of Trump vent his frustrations over North Korea on Twitter.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he tweeted.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," he wrote in a second tweet.

According to a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Xi reiterated Beijing's demand of a denuclearised Korean peninsula.

"China advocates to resolve the issue through peaceful means, and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the Korean Peninsula issue," the statement quoted Xi as saying.

Earlier, the two leaders met for the first time at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida

"Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable. We should adhere to the direction of resolving the issue through political means. Maintaining unity within the UN Security Council is very important to resolve the Syria issue and I hope the UNSC will speak with one voice," Xi said.
After nearly three years of trading on the BSE at a significant discount to the benchmark Sensex, the asking rate for large-cap stocks is increasing once again. The S&P BSE Sensex currently trades at 17.3 times the estimated calendar year 2017 earnings, while the BSE Mid-cap index is at 18.7 times, by Bloomberg calculations. The premium commanded by mid-caps vis-a-vis the Sensex has thereby reduced to 7.5 per cent.
was trading 3% higher at Rs 240 on BSE in otherwise weak market after the company announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chugoku Marine Paints of Japan for cooperation and collaboration in the field of marine and related industrial paints in India.
Vedanta gained 4% to Rs 263, while Cairn India hit a 52-week high of Rs 313, up 3% on BSE in intra-day trade after both the companies on Tuesday announced that that the merger of Cairn India with Vedanta pursuant to the scheme of arrangement has become effective.
A day after All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) vice-president said that it would end the practice of triple talaq in 18 months, a muslim cleric said the former's statement was his personal view and not of the board.

"It was his personal view and not of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. The Personal Law Board hasn't come to any conclusion yet. If the Law Board takes any decision, then we will discuss as to how to proceed on it. We will soon hold a meeting over it and take decision on it," muslim cleric Imam Umer Ilvasi told ANI.

However, he further said the Islamic practice to dissolve marriage was injustice to women and solution to it should be proposed soon within the purview of law.

"We agree that triple talaq is being misused and women are facing problem because of it, but we also feel that the problem should be solved within the purview of law," he added.

A day before, AIMPLB vice-president Kalbe Sadiq requested the Government to not interfere in the matter of Triple Talaq, adding the Muslim board would eradicate this evil themselves.

"The Muslim Personal Law Board has decided that they will eradicate this problem from the society itself. We request the government to not to interfere in this matter," said Sadiq.

Sadiq said that the Muslim Community provided talaq in such a way that the girl lives respectfully in the society, adding that it just needs some time to take a decision on the issue.

"We will do this in about a year and a half or so," he added.

The Allahabad High Court had in December 2016 held that the practice of triple talaq is 'cruel' and raised an issue that whether the Muslim Personal Law could be amended to provide relief to the Muslim women.

The High Court also stated that the form of 'instant divorce' is 'most demeaning'.

The Supreme Court is to hear multiple pleas challenging the validity of triple talaq, 'nikah halala' and polygamy practices among Muslims community on May 11 by a Constitution bench during the summer vacation.

Earlier on March 27, the AIMPLB told the apex court that the pleas challenging such practices among Muslims were not maintainable as the issues fell outside the realm of judiciary.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Army veterans staged a protest on Wednesday outside the Pakistan High Commission over Islamabad's decision to sentence former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to death

"We have given memorandum to Pakistan against the death sentence given to Jadhav. He has been framed. This kind of inhuman and illegal activity is completely unacceptable," an army official told ANI.

Another veteran said, "I request the Government of India to retaliate and challenge Pakistan by convicting Kashmiri terrorists through military court instead of civil court. This would be the best way to end terrorism and make Pakistan realize that they have been torturing an innocent.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that Australia is looking to cement India as a key economic power as he announced the commissioning of an economic strategy to help New Delhi and Canberra grow together.

Turnbull, while addressing business leaders here on Tuesday, said that the strategy would help in identifying ways to boost economic ties.

Despite conceding chances of an early breakthrough on a stalled bilateral trade deal, Turnbull urged business heads to work closely for the benefit of the two countries.

After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday, the Australian leader said that the two had agreed to make a fresh push on a proposed bilateral Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Turnbull is in the company of other foreign leaders, including Britain's Theresa May, who have found Prime Minister Modi a tough interlocutor on trade.

Turnbull also made it clear that his priority was the broader Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

India and Australia signed six Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in different fields including combating international terrorism, civil aviation, security, sports, health and medicine and satellite navigation.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A delegation of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) will be meet Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao on Wednesday in Mumbai to demanding the removal of Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar whose house was raided by the Income Tax (I-T) Department on last Friday.

The IT officials on Friday morning raided several premises belonging to Vijayabaskar and his relatives in Chennai and other districts in the wake of complaints that he was involved in cash distribution to voters in R.K. Nagar constituency.

The IT department also conducted searches on the premises of actor and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader R. Sarathkumar, former AIADMK legislator Chitlapakkam Rajendran and vice-chancellor of Dr MGR Medical University S. Geethalakshmi.

Following the I-T raids, the Election Commission of India cancelled the by-polls in Chennai's R.K. Nagar constituency, as earlier it was scheduled to be held today.

The Election Commission's decision came after Income Tax raids in Chennai found that money was distributed to the voters.

The by-elections in R.K. Nagar became necessary after the death of former chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, who represented it for two terms.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that his government is commissioning an economic strategy that would look beyond the immediate horizon and help New Delhi and Canberra to grow together.

Turnbull further said that the strategy would help both the countries to grow together with a map that will guide their partnership through 2035.

"It is not about Australia discovering India but cementing India as a priority economic partner. It will explore how to strengthen the existing economic collaborations while identifying new ways to do business together. It will recommend new ways to maximize mutual benefits," Turnbull said while addressing business leaders here.

The Australian Prime Minister further said that he and his Indian counterpart are determined that India and Australia should work more closely together across all elements of their strategic partnership -business, trade, investment, research and innovation, security and defence cooperation.

"The foundations for this enhanced relationship are strong and they are underpinned by shared history and shared values. We have a great deal in common," he said.

Turnbull was also keen on helping India in many sectors such as hydroelectricity, renewable energy, food security, agriculture etc.

Turnbull also had discussion with Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal on the latest from the energy sector in India.

Turnbull also appreciated Prime Minister Modi's charisma by informing how his tweets on trains, buses get likes in hundreds contrary to the one with the Indian Prime Minister in metro crossing the mark of 5,000 retweets.

Meanwhile, India and Australia yesterday signed six MoUs in different fields including combating terrorism, civil aviation security, sports, health and medicine and satellite navigation.

The MoUs were signed after the delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Turnbull.

The visiting dignitary was accorded a ceremonial reception at the forecourts of Rashtrapati Bhavan. He also visited the Rajghat to pay floral tribute to Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi.

The two Prime Ministers also inaugurated the Nano-Techhnology Centre at Gurugram through video conference.

Turnbull arrived in New Delhi on Sunday for a four-day visit. This is his first visit to India.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] TapInfluence Launches First Automated FTC Compliance Tool for Influencer Marketing & Social Media

TapInfluence, the world's leading influencer marketing technology and marketplace of content creators, today announced the launch of The FTC (News - Alert) Auditor, the first automated Federal Trade Commission (FTC) compliance tool for influencer marketing and social media. FTC fines came into focus in 2016 when brands, agencies, and influencers received hefty penalties for non-disclosure. In July of 2016, Warner Brothers settled for an undisclosed amount and earlier in 2015, LifeLock (News - Alert) agreed to settle for $100 million. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005662/en/ Results from a study conducted with Altimeter and TapInfluence. (Graphic: TapInfluence) The launch of The FTC Auditor is in direct response to a general lack of awareness of FTC guidelines by both marketers and influencers. In collaboration with research company Altimeter, TapInfluence surveyed over 100 global brands and 1,800 influencers and uncovered that while 52 percent of marketers always ask that ads follow FTC guidelines, 34.1 percent ask for adherence on occasion and 12.8 percent completely ignore FTC compliance. Amanda Schreyer, a media and marketing attorney in Boston, explains that "an FTC order against a company often consists of more than just a 'slap on the wrist.' Defendants can be required to maintain records of compliance that the FTC can audit, to report compliance to the FTC, to provide a copy of the order to all employees and vendors involved in the company's advertising and promotion, and to pay fines to the FTC in amounts reaching tens of millions of dollars. And these orders can remain in effect for up to 20 years." The new technology powering The FTC Auditor algorithmically checks and verifies influencer-generated content for FTC compliance by using advances in data science, trained against eigh years of historical social network data. Artificial Intelligence (AI) models were created using data science advances in Natural Language Processing to interpret the content of the posts and to score them for compliance with FTC guidelines.



Beyond FTC compliance, the auditor serves as an unofficial reputation tool, helping to maintain a brand's integrity and an influencer's authenticity with their audience. The FTC Auditor will be one of many critical lines of defense, protecting brands and influencers from costly and embarrassing FTC mishaps. This launch is the first of many developed directly upon data science findings and TapInfluence's unique, foundational data set. As more marketing budgets shift to influencer-generated content, TapInfluence is the best partner for marketers to maximize compliant influencer engagements saving brands time and money. "Influencer marketing works because of the authenticity of influencers. Disclosures are necessary to help consumers understand when something is sponsored by a brand. Because each influencer writes in his/her own authentic style, we used Big Data and Data Mining to analyze the language, style, and content of every post, across a training set of millions on our platform, to create a model which works for all brands. The FTC Auditor helps brands ensure they reduce their risk exposure, while still benefiting from the proven gains of influencer marketing." Jason Merkoski, Head of Data, TapInfluence

For more information:

The FTC Auditor: The technology will be immediately available to all TapInfluence customers. Customers may request an audit of a specific program, or an entire quarter's worth of content, to ensure influencers have appropriately tagged posts per FTC regulations. TapInfluence currently provides automated disclosures in blogs and in-platform reminders to influencers who are executing programs on behalf of customers. FTC Success Kit: Resources for both marketers and influencers that includes: a disclosures guide, an in-depth e-book on following FTC guidelines, and blog posts with additional helpful information. FTC Compliance for Influencer Marketing Webinar: Free resource covering how to navigate evolving FTC guidelines for influencer marketing. The session covers the history of influencer marketing and the FTC, example best practices for disclosing partnerships and newsworthy case studies of FTC compliance and non-compliance. To learn more about TapInfluence FTC Auditor please click on this link. About TapInfluence:

TapInfluence is the leading influencer marketing technology and marketplace of content creators coupled with strategic services. The company enables Fortune 1000 brands to tap into the power of influencers and content creators leveraging their authentic, trusted voices. TapInfluence helps customers increase market share through massive reach and optimized engagement to achieve real sales lift. In a recent independent study, TapInfluence proved that influencer marketing drives 11x the ROI versus any other form of digital media. TapInfluence's Fortune 1000 customers include Kraft, Horizon Organic, Silk, Express, Fossil as well as top agencies such as Golin, CurrentPR, RhythmOne, and Ketchum. TapInfluence is privately held, with offices Mountain View, Calif. and Denver, Colo. The company is backed by leading venture capital firms Noro-Moseley Partners, Grotech Ventures, Access Venture Partners and Knollwood Investment Advisory. For more information, visit www.tapinfluence.com or follow @TapInfluence on Twitter (News - Alert). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005662/en/

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Furious over India allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh despite opposition from China, Beijing on Wednesday warned that this action will have a "negative impact" on bilateral relations between the two sides.

Media reports quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, as saying in a press conference, "When the Indian side violated commitments on relevant issues, the Indian side insisted on arranging the visit of the Dalai Lama in the disputed section of the China-Indian boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representations and it will of course have negative impact on bilateral relations."

Kang added that Beijing will take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the "provocative" statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and "some specific Indian official" in an apparent reference to the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu.

"What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations," the spokesperson said.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama, whom it regard as a dangerous separatist, visiting Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, as it considers the region as Southern Tibet.

Meanwhile, India has repeatedly said that no political colour should be attributed to the Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, which it described as religious and spiritual.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurein on Wednesday warned Pakistan of "serious consequences" if the death sentence against alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was not revoked immediately.

"As has been reported, there is no concrete evidence against Kulbhushan Jadhav. The evidences are all concocted and Pakistan should know that such an act will certainly strain the relation between Pakistan and India more and the consequences will be very serious for them," Kurein told ANI.

Kurien added that all the Parliament members were with the government in taking any step to convince Pakistan of the consequences of their action.

Jadhav, who has been accused by Islamabad of espionage, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday, triggering tension between both the nations.

Observers and experts on criminal or espionage-related laws in a majority of countries have suggested that the death sentence against Jadhav is a clear violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention that makes it mandatory for every government to provide consular access to an arrested foreign by officials of his/her government.

Meanwhile, Pakistan has ruled out immediate execution of the former Indian Naval officer stating that Jadhav has the right to move the Army's Court of Appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the president, reports the Dawn.

However, a perusal of the Army Act, 1952 showed that under Section 131 of the act, an appeal could be moved within 40 days, and not 60 days.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After 'nepotism,' the latest buzz word in the B-Town is 'racism,' courtesy Abhay Deol.

In a series of Facebook posts, the 'Raanjhanaa' star ridiculed the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor to Vidya Balan and John Abraham for featuring in ad campaigns, which promote fairness creams, especially the ones that chose campaigns that, subtly or blatantly, tried to sell the idea that being dark was not beautiful.

Looks like, this came as a part of the much heated discussion over the recent incident, where a mob ganged upon young Nigerian men in a Greater Noida mall and physically assaulted them as the perpetrators believed the Nigerians to have played a role in the death of a local.

In no time, social media erupted with protests over the issue, questioning, "Are Indians racist?"

The 'Aisha' star wrote, "There's a lot more of these campaigns that are blatantly, and sometimes subtly, selling you the idea that whiter skin is better than darker skin. No one at the top of their game in any field is going to tell you that it is demeaning, false, and racist.

You have to see that for yourself. You have to stop buying into the idea that a particular shade is better than others.

Unfortunately if you look at matrimonial ads you will see how entrenched in our psyche this belief is. We even use the word 'dusk' to describe the colour of someones skin!

While an individual may not be able to change this attitude in his/her community, he/she can at least start with the family."

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Condemning the death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav by the Pakistani military court, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the government will do every possible thing to save the former and criticised this move by the Pakistan Government.

"He is a retired Indian Navy officer. He was a businessman in Iran's Chabahar and on a regular note he used to commute from Tehran to Chabahar. It is then the Pakistan security forces kidnapped him despite having a valid Indian passport. I believe a 'spy' will not have a valid Indian passport," the Union Minister said.

He further said that the whole scenario was pre-planned by the Pakistani forces.

"We will go to every extent possible to rescue Kulbhushan. Pakistan Army court has sentenced him death which is unfair and Indian Government condemn this," he added.

The Parliament has echoed in solidarity on the issue of Jadhav and condemning Pakistan.

Jadhav, who was arrested in March last year by Pakistan and accused by the country of spying, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on Monday triggering tension between India and Pakistan.

Observers and experts on criminal or espionage-related laws in a majority of countries have suggested that the death sentence against Jadhav is a clear violation of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention that makes it mandatory for every government to provide consular access to an arrested foreign by officials of his/her government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Questioning Pakistan's constantly see-sawing stands on matter pertaining to India, especially in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav's sentencing, senior BJP leader and former union minister Yashwant Sinha called on the Centre to keep the steady pressure on Islamabad, but not stoop to their level in dealing with the law.

"Sartaj Aziz said himself that there is no case against Jadhav. And now he is to be hanged on the basis of his confession and that too by a military court? That's simply wrong. People like Kasab were given a fair trial, whereas Jadhav was given a military trial," Sinha told ANI here.

Stressing on India's need to raise an alarm in the international forum and highlight Pakistan's habit of countering India's questions with baseless facts, the former union minister asserted that India needs to act quick to ensure Jadhav does not suffer the same as Sarabjit Singh.

"But come what may, we should never stoop to the level of Pakistan in our legal systems. Pakistan is always ready with answers in the form of counter question and this trend has been following since 70 years," he said.

Further opining that merely declaring Pakistan a 'terror-state' was not the solution, Sinha stated that one needs to go beyond labels and completely cut off all ties with Islamabad.

Talking about boosting India's defence systems in place to check infiltration from Pakistan, Sinha said the Centre needs to have a system similar to that of the American Homeland Security, which will ensure zero infiltration from Pakistan.

"We put up barbed wires, they dig tunnels. Clearly, we need heightened vigilance. There should be no limit to the amount of money spent on defense especially vigilance as there is nothing bigger than the nation's defence," Sinha said.

Earlier, slamming Pakistan military court on issuing the death sentence to Jadhav, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying Islamabad should be wary of taking such an extreme step as it could result in damaging the bilateral relations.

"There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav. If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism... I would caution Pakistan's government to consider the consequences on our bilateral relations if they proceed on this matter," Swaraj said in a statement in the House.

Meanwhile, stating that Jadhav had the right to move the army's court of appeal against his conviction within 60 days, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has ruled out immediate execution of the Indian convicted on charges of being a spy.

Speaking in the Senate, Asif claimed that Jadhav had the right to move the army's court of appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the president, the Dawn reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With India promising severe consequences in bilateral ties if Pakistan carries out the death sentence on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, former president Pervez Musharraf has called on the government to be wary of sharp backlash from New Delhi on the matter.

Rejecting India's claims that Jadhav's trail was unfair, Musharraf maintained that the trial was carried out according to the procedure prescribed in Pakistan's law and said, "for anyone involved in espionage and sabotage, the case is tried in military court, a lawyer is assigned to defend the accused and the procedure is the same for Pakistanis as well as foreigners. Jadhav was tried according to the same procedure."

"Jadhav opted for a civilian defence lawyer, which was provided to him, it is a misconception that there is no defence in court martial cases. Consul access was denied to him as it was a case of espionage, it is standard practice," he further added in an interview on ARY TV

Talking about Jadhav's options, he added that according to military law, the alleged Indian spy can appeal to a appellate bench or take the matter to the Supreme Court and if that doesn't work out, the last resort is a mercy plea to the President.

Musharraf also noted it would be wise for Pakistan to expect prospective backlash when the Indian government takes the matter up on international forums.

Foreseeing a deeper strain in Pak-India relations, Musharraf said, "There will be a sharp rise in tension between Pakistan and India. Their media has already started using their pet term 'rogue army'. If they think our army is rogue, what is their army doing in Kashmir, have they forgotten what happened to Sikhs in their country?"

"Pakistan has to stand fast against India's accusations of the move being of 'premeditated murder'. I would like to remind everyone of how India dealt with Ajmal Kasab, Kassab was one non state actor involved in one incident, this man was responsible for launching several such incidents in Balochistan and Karachi. Who is a greater criminal if we were to talk numbers?"

Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj issued a stern warning to Pakistan saying that Islamabad should be wary of taking such an extreme step as it could result in damaging the bilateral relations between the already hostile neighbors.

"It is an indefensible verdict against an innocent Indian citizen. We have no option but to deem the sentence a premeditated murder. Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," said Swaraj.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also assured Lok Sabha MPs that the Centre will do everything possible to save Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said, ''The government of India strongly condemns Pakistan's move to send Kulbhushan Jadhav to gallows on false charges of being a spy.''

Jadhav was arrested in March last year, "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Pakistan armed forces.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Lashing out at the Pakistan military court on issuing death sentence to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Defence Experts on Wednesday said this is high time and Pakistan will have to face dire consequences in return.

"India has categorically stated that it is farcical. There has been a kangaroo court and the entire thing has been done in absolute secrecy. It carries no convictions and it is not as per norms. No legal facilities were provided to Kulbhushan Jadhav as in a defence lawyer or defending officer," defence expert P.K. Sehgal told ANI.

He further said this categorically warns Pakistan of serious consequences as per the bilateral relations between the two countries.

"After the fake proceedings, giving death sentence to him would be not acceptable by the nation or by the international community," he added.

Echoing similar views, another Defence Expert S.R. Sinho said Pakistan has never found any evidence against Jadhav, adding that the civil court also said that there is no direct evidence involved for espionage activities in Pakistan.

"The Pakistan security advisor also ruled out any possibility of any spy activity in Pakistan. When Pakistan noticed this, they handed him to the military court and there the order was passed to hang him. This is very treacherous on the part of Pakistan," he said.

Sinho further said that India has always taken a liberal view with Pakistan and Islamabad needs to be taught a lesson at the grass root level.

"India should take very firm action and this matter must get resolved. If we ignore it then Pakistan will continue to repeat such incidents in future also," he added.

Slamming Pakistan military court on issuing the death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying that Islamabad should be wary of taking such an extreme step as it could result in damaging the bilateral relations between the already hostile neighbors.

"It is an indefensible verdict against an innocent Indian citizen. We have no option but to deem the sentence a premeditated murder. Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," said Swaraj in Rajya Sabha.

Swaraj further said, "I would also like to tell the House that I have been in touch with the parents of Jadhav and we are extending our fullest support to them in this difficult situation. A strong sense of solidarity expressed by the House will give them more courage at this time".

The Parliament has been rocked with the sentencing of Jadhav as both Houses witnessed uproar over Pakistan's decision.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year, "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Pakistan armed forces.

The statement said Jadhav confessed that he was tasked by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to "plan, coordinate and organize espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan."

A military court found Jadhav guilty on two counts of espionage and sentenced him to death.

India has strongly objected to the sentencing, saying consular officials were denied access to Jadhav during his trial.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday slammed Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's statement over Kulbhushan Jadhav's death sentence, saying that Islamabad has the tendency to confuse people by speaking in different languages, warning that even India can retaliate in the same manner.

Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande opined that India needs to approach the United Nations and garner support from the entire world community for Jadhav.

"Pakistan should not forget that some of the Pakistani prisoners are here in India and they should testing our patience. Even India can retaliate in the same manner," Kayande told ANI.

Meanwhile, expressing solidarity over the issue, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar said Pakistan has never proved itself to be a friendly neighbour in the past 70 years.

"Due to this behaviour of Pakistan, it split in 1971. Now, the Balochis want freedom from Pakistan. The Sindh people want their own country," Kumar told ANI.

Kumar condemned Pakistan's decision dubbing it as inhuman, violent and anti-constitutional.

"What Pakistan is doing is inhuman, violent and anti-constitutional. It proves that Pakistan is an intolerant country which hates India," he added.

Kumar further said that instead of becoming a country promoting brotherhood and peace, Pakistan has become a shelter for terrorism.

Khawaja Asif while speaking in the upper house of parliament yesterday said Jadhav has the right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days.

However, Asif also defended the Pakistan Government's decision to execute Kulbhushan, saying that all legal processes had been observed in the ex-Naval officer's trial.

"Jadhav's confession was a public document. He came from the approval of the Indian government.there is no doubt that India is fuelling terrorism in Pakistan," Geo News quoted Asif, as saying.

Asif also said the death sentence of Kulbhushan should serve as a warning to those engaged in terrorism in the country.

"Those plotting against Pakistan will not be spared," he said.

Earlier, Jadhav was given the death sentence by the Pakistan Military, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan said in a statement.

Jadhav was arrested on March 3, 2016 through an operation in Balochistan's Mashkel area for his alleged involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan, the ISPR said.

Earlier in March 2016, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the former Indian naval officer was arrested by Pakistan for allegedly engaging in subversive activities was possibly kidnapped from Iran and denied any possibilities of him being involved in subversive activities in Pakistan.

The accused, used to run a business in the Iranian port city of Chabahar.

He was seen in a video confessing that he was an official of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's external intelligence agency.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will be visiting India on a five-day tour from April 17th to 21st , at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.

This is the first State visit of the President of Nepal after assuming office in October 2015.

"The upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections," said an official statement.

During the visit, Bhandari will meet with President Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Apart from official engagements in New Delhi, the President of Nepal will also be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's National Security Advisor Lt.Gen. (Retired) Nasser Khan Janjua has said that Pakistan and India cannot remain enemies forever and need to engage with each other to resolve their disputes.

His remark comes amid soaring tensions between the two neighbors, post Pakistan awarding a death sentence to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of espionage and sabotage.

On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj warned Islamabad that it risked damaging bilateral ties with New Delhi if it went ahead with the execution of Yadav.

Janjua made the remark during a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner Perry John Calderwood. He also discussed the regional dynamics, bilateral relations, counter-terrorism cooperation and implementation of the National Action Plan, reports the Dawn.

He underlined the need for a non-discriminatory approach in considering Pakistan's membership for the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] BeavEx Incorporated Announces Significant Enhancements To Its Customer Portal

ATLANTA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BeavEx Incorporated, the leading national provider of same-day local delivery service solutions, announced today the addition of an Analytics Dashboard to its Customer Visibility Portal. The Analytics Dashboard leverages the latest Big Data and Business Intelligence techniques to create a best-in-class online customer experience. Via the dashboard, business-class customers can view several Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) that show how BeavEx is performing on their account. Adding analytics to their Customer Portal is a key step in the company's move to becoming the technology leader in Final Mile logistics. "Our Customer Portal already had a control tower that allowed business customers to watch in real-time as deliveries were made and eSignatures were collected," said Eric Kierstead, Chief Information Officer at BeavEx. "Adding the Analytics Dashboard significantly enhances the level of information we're providing customers. The Dashboard provides data visualizations for On-Time Delivery %, Receive Scanning %, Dlivery Scanning %, Cost per Stop, and several other KPI's. Businesses increasingly value transparency, and we want to openly share performance metrics with our customers. It's a game changer for Final Mile Logistics."



The Analytics Dashboard is initially providing 10 KPI's with historical reporting back to January 1, 2016. In addition, the Dashboard allows customers to drill down and view the KPI's for a specific market with a single mouse click. BeavEx is staffed to significantly increase the number of KPI's they're providing customers. Their plan is to have customers drive what KPI's get added next to the Dashboard.

"This is a continuation of our focused approach to maximizing customer satisfaction," said Rich Boland, CEO of BeavEx. "We're starting with 10 KPI's that are appealing to all business verticals we support. Then let customers drive the future direction of the product. We believe sharing this level of data will increase customer engagement, and ultimately lead to new business opportunities for us." About BeavEx: BeavEx Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, is a leading national, non-asset based provider of local route-based, same-day delivery and logistics services. Their services include picking up and delivering mission critical packages for financial services, pharmaceutical, retail/distribution, clinical lab and critical parts customers across the United States. For more information, please visit www.beavex.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beavex-incorporated-announces-significant-enhancements-to-its-customer-portal-300438713.html SOURCE BeavEx, Inc.

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Stating that Kulbhushan Jadhav had the right to move the army's court of appeal against his conviction within 60 days, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has ruled out immediate execution of the Indian national convicted on charges of being a spy.

Speaking in the Senate, Asif claimed that Jadhav had the right to move the army's court of appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the president, reports the Dawn.

However, a perusal of the Army Act, 1952 showed that under Section 131 of the act, an appeal could be moved within 40 days, and not 60 days.

Rejecting India's stand that Jadhav's execution would be "pre-meditated murder", the Defence Minister asserted that due process of the law had been followed in the case.

Asif also made it clear that all untoward elements, from within Pakistan or across the border, involved in terrorist activities and those conspiring against the security and integrity of Pakistan would be allowed no concession.

However, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying that Islamabad should be wary of taking such an extreme step as it could result in damaging the bilateral relations between the already hostile neighbors.

"It is an indefensible verdict against an innocent Indian citizen. We have no option but to deem the sentence a premeditated murder. Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," said Swaraj.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also assured Lok Sabha MPs that the Centre will do everything possible to save Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said, ''The government of India strongly condemns Pakistan's move to send Kulbhushan Jadhav to gallows on false charges of being a spy.''

Jadhav was arrested in March last year, "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Pakistan armed forces.

The statement said Jadhav confessed that he was tasked by Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), to "plan, coordinate and organize espionage / sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan."

A military court found Jadhav guilty on two counts of espionage and sentenced him to death.

India has strongly objected to the sentencing, saying consular officials were denied access to Jadhav during his trial.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Both houses of the Parliament have been adjourned sine die amid ruckus over BJP's youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney's comments offering a reward of Rs. 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi disowned Varshney's comments in Parliament.

"I condemn this type of statement. The state government can take proper action," he said.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, which garnered support from other parties as well. Samajwadi Party's Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bachchan expressed anguish on the BJP leader's remark, stating that the saffron party was keen on protecting cows but not women.

TMC's Saugata Roy also strongly condemned the BJP leader's statement urging strong action against people who make such provocations.

Varshney, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, issued the outrageous threat while hitting out at the TMC supremo over police action on a rally held on Sunday to mark Hanuman Jayanti in Birbhum, around 180 km from Kolkata.

Today was the last day of the Budget Session of Parliament. The first half of the session was held from January 31 to February 9 and the second half of the session began after a month-long recess on March 9.

During the session, the Lok Sabha has passed 21 bills and the Rajya Sabha 14 bills. They include the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, the Mental Health Care Bill, the Maternity Benefits (Amendment) Bill, the Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017 and the crucial four supporting bills for the roll out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Scrapping a colonial-era tradition of presenting the Budget at the end of February, the government for the first time in the history of independent India presented the annual accounts on February 1.

The legislative process of getting approvals for demands for grants, general Budget as well as taxation proposals contained in the Finance Bill 2017 were all completed by March 30. For the first-time ever, the annual Budget together with taxation proposals came into effect from the first day of the financial year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday described the Budget Session as a winner for the treasury benches. He said that the government was able to secure passage of many key bills in the Parliament.

The first part of the Budget Session was very productive as Lok Sabha functioned 113 percent while Rajya Sabha 97 percent.

The productivity in the second half of the budget session so far for the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha has been 112 percent and 87 percent respectively.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday told a group of Other Backward Classes (OBC) Members of Parliament (MPs) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to work for empowering the OBC community on the lines of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".

The BJP's 80 OBC MPs felicitated the Prime Minister in a small function in the Parliament premises and thanked him for according constitutional status to the Commission for Backward Classes (NCBCs).

BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Bhupender Yadav told mediapersons that constitutional status to the NCBC will give power to the OBCs, who are educationally and economically backward.

He said that Prime Minister Modi told the OBC MPs to work toward empowering other backward classes on the lines of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas".

Another OBC MP Ganesh Singh, who represents Satna in Lok Sabha, said, "The decision to accord constitutional status to the NCBC is a historic step taken by the Modi government as it was being demanded since 1993."

He said the OBCs have worked a lot, adding the complaints of this section of the society were never addressed.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Janata Dal (United) on Wednesday said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's order of 18-hour power supply in villages and 24 hours in district headquarters are easy to be made but the hardest part is to implement it.

"It is easy to take decisions in the cabinet but very difficult to implement on ground level. Yogi Adityanath will have to see how he is going to make this decision work. If he succeeds he will get praises but if not, then he should be ready for the criticism as well," JD (U) leader Ajay Alok told ANI.

Meanwhile, another JD (U) leader K.C. Tyagi said three months will be given to the Yogi-led government to show the implementation of his orders.

"Earlier also these kind of statements were made by Akhilesh Yadav and so is being repeated by the Yogi government. We will give them three months to show it into practice," he added.

The Uttar Pradesh Government has ordered 18-hour power supply in villages and 24 hours in district headquarters of the state.

This decision was taken in the second Cabinet meeting chaired by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

"It is the dream of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and the Chief Minister that every house, every poor and every village get power by 2018," Uttar Pradesh's Power Minister Shrikant Sharma told the media after the Cabinet meeting.

Sharma said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government had successfully provided uninterrupted 24-hour power supply at all "shaktipeeths" during the Navratri festival that ended last week.

Besides ordering 18-hour power supply in the villages and 24 hours in district headquarters of the state, Adityanath has also directed the officials to ensure there is uninterrupted supply to villages from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to ensure that students preparing for the exams are not disturbed.

Fulfilling its promise of waiving off farmers' loans, Adityanath-led government had in the first Cabinet meeting announced a Rs. 36,000-crore waiver package for small and marginal famers with a land holding of five acre and less.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
As the Chandigarh Police booked 66 students of the Punjab University on sedition charges following protests on campus against a fee hike, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took to Twitter to express his anger towards the Centre and questioned its norms of declaring a protest 'sedition'.

"Now protesting against fee hike is also sedition? Do the young have no right to speak in this country?" Rahul Gandhi tweeted.

Yesterday, the agitators clashed with police, forcing them to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides.

The Chandigarh Police booked sedition charges following which the complainant, a security officer at PU, said his complaint had been "misinterpreted". With the police move triggering an outcry, a senior officer said late in the evening that the charges would be dropped if no "substantial evidence" was found.

The agitated students wanted to hold talks with Punjab University Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the issue of fee hike as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike. When the students were not allowed for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office by jumping the barricades set up by police.

The police started using water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation became violent when students allegedly started pelting stones on the Police, which forced the police to lathi-charge, leading to injuries to several students.

While the students were demanding rollback of fee hike, the Punjab University had justified the average 12.5 percent hike, considering the financial condition of the university as it had anticipated a deficit of Rs. 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With Russia condemning the U.S. missile strike in Syria, President Donald Trump came down heavily on Moscow saying it was supporting an "evil person" by backing Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

"Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person. And I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind. It's very bad for this world," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network, reports the Hill.

Further tearing into the Syrian leader, the President said that use of chemical weapon on civilians made Assad an "animal".

"But when you drop gas or bombs or barrel bombs -- they have these massive barrels with dynamite and they drop them right in the middle of a group of people. And in all fairness, you see the same kids -- no arms no legs, no face. This is an animal," Trump said.

Meanwhile, the White House has expressed confidence that Assad used sarin gas in a chemical attack against civilians and that Russia was trying to cover up what happened.

On April 6, 59 US Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired at a Syrian government airbase and President Donald Trump said that the strikes were carried out in a response to a chemical attack on civilians in Idlib that killed over 80 people including children.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked Gujarat trial court to consider self styled godman and rape accused Asaram Bapu case urgently and finish the trial in a time bound manner.

Earlier in February, the Apex Court had directed Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Government to provide full protection to the witnesses in the Asaram rape-case.

An apex court bench headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan passed the interim order after hearing the plea filed by the lawyer of the four witnesses.

Advocate for petitioners, Utsav Bains appeared and argued before the court and sought full protection of the witnesses in the case.

The apex court on February 6 had refused to hear the self-styled godman's bail plea.

Asaram had knocked the doors of the apex court seeking bail in connection with the same case. The apex court earlier on January 30 also dismissed his bail application.

While refusing to modify its earlier order that denied bail to Asaram, an apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar remained resolute on its decision.

The bail plea was sought on medical grounds.

The Jodhpur Police arrested Asaram on August 3, 2013 and since then he is in prison.

A teenager had accused Asaram of sexually assaulting her during celebration in a village near Jodhpur ashram.

The Gujarat Government had earlier told the top court division bench that the rape case registered against Asaram would very likely to proceed in an expeditious manner, adding that the trial would be completed within six months so the bail should not be granted to him in the case.

The apex court had in October last year sought the Centre's response and five states on a plea seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI) probe into the alleged murder of children through black magic and attacks on ten witnesses in Asaram's rape cases.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After enthralling fans with her action packed performance in 'Naam Shabana,' it looks like Taapsee Pannu may have developed a knack for doing action sequences.

In a video posted on Facebook by the film's lead Varun Dhawan, the actor was in all praises for his co-star Taapsee and revealed some things about her character in the movie.

During the interaction he said, "She has trained hard for the movie (Taapsee interrupts harder than I trained for Naam Shabana) and will be seen performing some stunts."

Now, this is interesting.

The actor also revealed that both the artists first met four years back on the sets of 'Chashme Buddoor'.

This is the first time Varun and Taapsee would be paired against each other.

The first schedule of the movie began in February and now, it seems the second schedule has also started in London.

Helmed by David Dhawan, the flick also stars Jaqueline Fernandez in an important role.

The movie is scheduled to be released on September 29.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nigeria's Secret Police on Wednesday said that it had foiled a plot by Boko Haram terrorists to carry out attacks on embassies of the United Kingdom and the United States as well as other Western targets in the country's capital Abuja.

Nigeria's Secret Police spokesperson Tony Opuiyo said, in a statement, that at least five militants connected to the plot have been arrested in Abuja and central Nigeria's Benue state, reports Anadolu news agency.

"On March 25-26, 2017, the service busted a ring of [Daesh]-linked Boko Haram members based in Benue state and the FCT" or Federal Capital Territory, Opuiyo said.

"The group had perfected plans to attack the U.K. and American embassies and other Western interests in Abuja. During the operation to thwart this plan, five key suspects, namely Isa Jibril, Jibril Jibril, Abu Omale Jibril, Halidu Sule, and Amhodu Salifu, were arrested," he added.

Boko Haram, a faction of which is officially affiliated to Daesh, has long targeted Western interests in Nigeria.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
On one hand Kulbhushan Jadhav and Sarabjit Singh were tormented by Pakistan on a flimsy basis that they were Indian spies, but here the Bhopal Police has been feeding and sheltering a Pakistani spy named Sajeed Muneer for almost a year after his release from jail.

Muneer was jailed for 12 years for espionage but after his release, Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian Government.

By default, he became the Bhopal Police's responsibility and the District Special Branch (DSB) has been taking care of him for 10 months now.

The DSB pays for his food and other necessities.

Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Bhadoria said since the time of his conviction every angle is being discussed related to the issue but Pakistan is delaying the process of deporting.

"On June 4 last year, his conviction was completed and it was a 12 year conviction. In between the deporting process, he was kept in the detention centre, as those who are not from India they are kept in that centre," he said.

He added that police officials are in constant contact with the Pakistan embassy and the process of councilor access, where embassies of both the countries did the verification of Sajeed Muneer has been done.

"The Bhopal Police arrested him in May 2004 when he was collecting some official secret material from the army regiment. That time he was impersonating himself as an Indian . He has been current put in Shahjahanabad police station's detention centre," Bhadoria said.

Investigations revealed that Muneer was lured by the ISI while he was on a hideout after a murder case.

He had murdered a Karachi youth to avenge his brother's killing.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] IAA Launches Comprehensive Fast Search Tool

First in Salvage Vehicle Industry to Offer Buyers Over 30 Search and Filter Options WESTCHESTER, Ill., April 12, 2017 /CNW/ -- Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA) today announced the launch of IAA Fast Search, the salvage vehicle industry's most comprehensive search tool. With over 30 vehicle search and filter options, IAA Fast Search provides vehicle buyers with a smart, mobile-friendly tool that delivers more efficient and more accurate search results. The innovative Fast Search functionality complements the recently announced enhancements to IAA's Vehicle Details feature on IAAI.com. Together, these launches help advance IAA's strategy to deliver increased customer value through technology and innovation. "IAA is committed to continuously improving and simplifying the buyer experience," said John Kett, CEO and president of IAA. "Fast Search reduces the time-intensive task of sourcing specific vehicles by enabling buyers to search with both speed and precision. This ultimately helps them bid and buy with greater knowledge, confidence and convenience." Additional functionality of the Fast Search technology, which is available on desktop and mobile devices, allows buyers to recall previous searches and quickly pick up where they left off. Buyers can also easily add or remove filters, such as odometer reading, vehicle type or loss type, to refine or expand results at any point during a search. "We know time and efficiency are highly valued commodities for our buyers," said Jeanene O'Brien, senior vice president of global marketing. "So we built them a comprehensive and intuitive search tool to help them make better informed decisions more quickly. Fast Search and our growing suite of customer tools, resources and technology help IAA deliver an unmatched buying experience." As an industry leader in technology and innovation, IAA has announced 27 new tools and enhancements since January 2010 that anticipate and address the needs of salvage buyers and sellers. The company was the first to invest beyond the physical auction and provide sellers with technology solutions that decrease cycle time, increase customer satisfaction and help manage costs. In 2010, IAA introduced CSAToday, the salvage industry's first mobile seller vehicle inventory management tool, followed by the 2011 release of the first live bidding app for Apple and Android. In 2013, IAA's Market Value tool became the first salvage vehicle value tool app released for iPhones. In 2015, IAA released the IAA Total Loss Solutions suite of products, which has since been supplemented with seven additional customer tools and enhancements. Last month, the company launched its enhanced IAA Vehicle Details page, which provides buyers instant access to an industry-leading 320 VIN attributes on any vehicle. To become an IAA buyer today, go to: https://www.iaai.com/Registration/Free. To view the new Fast Search tool, go to: https://www.iaai.com/Search.







IAA Contacts KAR Contacts Media Inquiries: Media Inquiries: Jeanene O'Brien Tobin Richer 708-492-7328 317- 249-4521 [email protected] [email protected]

About Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

Founded in 1982, Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), the leading live and live-online salvage vehicle auction company, is headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, and employs over 2,800 team members in more than 170 auction facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada. IAA is a business unit of KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR), a FORTUNE 1000 global auto remarketing and technology services company. IAA is part of an end-to-end remarketing solution providing global buyers opportunities to bid on and purchase total loss, donated, higher mileage, damaged, and clean-title vehicles utilizing cutting-edge technology. IAA's multi-platform model enables insurance companies, fleet and rental companies, banks, finance companies, car dealerships and the general public to simultaneously participate in multiple auctions online and in-person. Additional services include registration, financing, towing and title services. Learn more at www.iaa-auctions.com and follow IAA on Facebook and Twitter. 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. KAR's 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, Indiana, KAR has approximately 17,400 employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. www.karauctionservices.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iaa-launches-comprehensive-fast-search-tool-300438746.html SOURCE Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

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At least three people were injured in a bomb explosion on Gwadar's Airport Road on Wednesday

According to the Daily Pakistan, seven shops in the area were also damaged as the bomb placed on a motorcycle ripped off on Wednesday noon.

Police and local administration cordoned off the area while further investigations are underway.

Gwadar is a strategic port city that forms the southern Pakistan hub of a USD 57 billion CPEC of infrastructure and energy projects.

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British scientists have found sarin gas samples taken from a site of a recent chemical gas attack in Syria.

Britain's UN Ambassador Sir Matthew Rycroft informed the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) that the samples taken from the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun and analysed by British scientists had tested positive for sarin or a sarin-like substance, reports the Independent.

Sarin, or GB, is a colorless and odorless liquid, used as a chemical weapon due to its extreme potency as a nerve agent. It is generally considered a weapon of mass destruction

"The United Kingdom, therefore, shares the U.S. assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun on April 4," said Rycroft.

The majority of the international community has blamed the attack, which killed 87 people, including many children, on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey has also claimed to have found evidence of sarin gas use after testing the bodies of the victims.

The Syrian government has denied involvement in the toxic attack and blamed rebel groups.

The chemical attack also invited deadly U.S. air strike on the Shayrat airfield of the Syrian air forces, believed by Washington to be the base for warplanes that carried out the chemical attack.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced the strike as an "act of aggression" and said it violates international law.

Moscow also denied a chemical weapons attack took place in Syria saying the deaths in Khan Sheikhoun were caused by a Syrian regime airstrike on a rebel-controlled chemical weapons factory on the ground.

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The White House has termed the violent removal of a passenger from a United flight as 'troubling'.

"It was an unfortunate incident. Clearly, when you watch the video, it is troubling to see how that was handled, the CNN quoted White House press secretary Sean Spicer as saying.

Asked whether the government should investigate, Spicer said he didn't think it was necessary yet.

The passenger, bloodied and screaming, was dragged up the aisle and off a plane by authorities at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Sunday when he refused to give up his seat on a flight to Louisville, Kentucky.

The Transportation Department has already said it would review the incident.

Meanwhile, the rival airlines are trolling United after the forcible removal of the passenger from one of its flights.

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Raw jute MSP fixed at Rs 3500 per quintal for 2017-18 season

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for raw Jute for 2017-18 season in order to protect the economic interests of the farmers.

The CCEA has increased the MSP to a level of Rs 3500 per quintal for 2017-18 season which indicates an increase of Rs 300 (9.4%) over the previous year. During last three years (2015-16, 2016-17 & 2017-18), Government has increased the MSP for jute from Rs 2700/- to Rs 3500/- (29.6%) as compared to increase from Rs 2200/- to Rs 2400/- (9.1%) in the preceding three years (2012-13, 2013-14 & 2014-15).

Jute is mainly used as raw material for Packaging Industry. The increase in MSP would benefit the Jute industry which supports the livelihood of around 40 lakh farm families and provides direct employment to 3.7 lakh workers in organised mills and in diversified units including tertiary sector and allied activities. These farm families are mainly concentrated in the States of West Bengal, Bihar and Assam which account for over 95% of the area as well as jute production in the country.

New varieties of jute viz., JRO-204, JBO-2003, JRS-517, JRC-532 and JRO-2407 are being promoted by providing support for seeds production under National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Commercial Crops. National Seeds Corporation Limited has entered into agreement for promotion of new varieties of jute seeds in the jute growing states.

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Cabinet approves Rs 655.46 crore as capital expenditure to set up IIPE

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval for setting up of Indian Institute of Petroleum and Energy (IIPE) at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh as "an Institute of National Importance" through an Act of Parliament. The Institute will have the governance structure as well as legal mandate to grant degrees in a manner similar to that enjoyed by IITs. A separate Act will also impart the required status to the Institute to become a "Centre of Excellence" in petroleum and energy studies.

The Cabinet has also approved Rs 655.46 crore as capital expenditure to set up IIPE and contribution of Rs 200 crore towards its Endowment Fund (in addition to a contribution of Rs 200 crore from Oil Companies towards the Endowment Fund).

As committed under the 13 Schedule of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, it has been decided to set up this Institute. The objective is to meet the quantitative and qualitative gap in the supply of skilled manpower for the petroleum sector and to promote research activities needed for the growth of the sector. The academic and research activities of IIPE will derive strength from the Institute's proximity to sector-related activities such as KG-Basin, Visakhapatnam refinery and the planned Petrochemical complex at Kakinada.

Andhra Pradesh Government has allocated 200 acres of land, free of cost, for setting up of IIPE at Sabbavaram Mandal in Visakhapatnam district. IIPE has been registered as a Society under the AP Society Registration Act, 2001 on 18/04/2016. A temporary campus of IIPE has been set up from academic session 2016-17 from the Andhra University Campus with two undergraduate programmes namely, Petroleum Engineering and Chemical Engineering (with capacity of 50 students each). IIT, Kharagpur has taken up the responsibility of mentoring the Institute.

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Grasim Industries will be watched. The shareholders of Grasim, Aditya Birla Nuvo (ABNL) and Aditya Birla Financial Services (ABFSL) at their meetings held on 6 and 10 April 2017, respectively have approved the scheme of amalgamation of ABNL with Grasim followed by the demerger and listing of the financial services business, in line with the NCLT order and the Sebi requirements. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Tech major Wipro said it has completed the acquisition of Brazilian IT service provider InfoSERVER. The impact of the buyout will reflect in the financials of the company from the Q1 June 2017, it added. In January this year, Wipro signed an agreement to acquire InfoSERVER, an IT service provider focused on the Brazilian market for $8.7 million. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Tata Power Company will be in focus. The company announced after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017, that the Supreme Court on Tuesday, 11 April 2017, conveyed its judgment on the Compensatory Tariff mailer on the Mundra Ultra Mega Power Projects (UMPP). The order verbally conveyed set aside the previous favourable order of Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL) which had allowed compensatory tariff on account of "Forced Majeure" conditions at Indonesia. It did not mention about the use of Regulatory Powers of the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) in adjudicating compensatory tariff as per previous order. The final order has got uploaded in the evening and the company is studying the same. The company will continue to pursue all alternatives options at Coastal Gujarat Power (CGPL), including sourcing of competitive coal from other relevant geographies as also use low grade and blended coal options to contain the onslaught of under recovery at Mundra UMPP.

Reliance Industries (RIL) will be watched. RIL's subsidiary, Reliance Jio Infocomm (Jio) announced that the Jio Summer Surprise has been fully withdrawn, following the advice of Telecom Regulatory authority of India (TRAI). Jio further announced new all unlimited plans with special benefits, exclusively for its Jio Prime members and aimed at encouraging Jio subscribers to live the Digital Life without restrictions - Jio Dhan Dhana Dhan! The plans start with the most affordable Rs. 309 all unlimited plan, which provides unlimited SMS, calling and data (1GB per day at 4G speed) for 3 months on first recharge. The company also announced the Rs 509 all unlimited plan for daily high data users offering unlimited SMS, calling and data (2GB per day at 4G speed) for 3 months on first recharge. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Vedanta and Cairn India announced after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017, that the merger of Cairn India with Vedanta pursuant to the scheme of arrangement has become effective. Thursday, 27 April 2017 has been fixed as the record date for determining the list of the shareholders of Cairn India to whom the equity and preference shares of Vedanta will be allotted as per terms of the scheme. Shareholders of Cairn India will receive, for each equity share held, one equity share in Vedanta of face value Rs 1 each and four 7.5% redeemable preference share (RPS) in Vedanta with a face value of Rs 10 each.

Cairn India shareholders as on said record date, who will become shareholders of Vedanta, would also receive an interim dividend of Rs 17.70 per equity share as approved by the board of Vedanta on 30 March 2017. No shares will be issued to Vedanta or any of its subsidiaries for their shareholding in Cairn India. Vedanta will arrange for a third-party facility enabling a cash exit for RPS holders at par within 30 days from issuance.

This merger consolidates Vedanta's position as one of the world's largest diversified natural resources companies, with world-class, low-cost assets in metals & mining and oil & gas. The merged company will have a larger pro forma market capitalisation of $15.60 billion, and higher free float of 49.9%.

NBCC (India) announced that its subsidiary, Hindustan Steelworks Construction (HSCL), as on 1 April 2017, had an order book of Rs 8000 crore (approximately). For the financial year 2015-2016, the company's total revenue and net profit was Rs 1416 crore (approximately) and Rs 30.19 crore respectively. Presently, HSCL is a debt free company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Jammu & Kashmir Bank said that its board will meet on Saturday, 15 April 2017 to consider preferential issue of equity shares for an amount of Rs 282 crore to the Government of Jammu & Kashmir, the promoter and majority shareholder of the bank. The board will also consider rising funds through allotment of unsecured, redeemable, subordinated, non convertible, Basel III Compliant Tier 2 Bonds in the nature of debentures/bonds aggregating to Rs 1000 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Pincon Spirit announced that its board at a meeting held on 11 April 2017, approved a proposal to raise funds through issue of up to 57.06 lakh equity share warrants on preferential basis to Monoranjan Roy, Aptex Enterprises, K.D. Liquor & Fertilizer, Majestic Bottlers, Priya Purnima Credits, Westwell Iron & Steel, Maa Tarini Natural Resources, Sudarshan Commtrade, Ecospace Infotech and Pincers Commodities. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 11 April 2017.

Fag Bearings India turns ex-dividend today, 12 April 2017, for dividend of Rs 12 per share for the year ended 31 December 2016.

KSB Pumps turns ex-dividend today, 12 April 2017, for dividend of Rs 5.50 per share for the year ended 31 December 2016.

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Shilpa Medicare rose 5.22% to Rs 718.10 at 12:07 IST on BSE after the US drug regulator accepted company's corrective and preventive action plan in response to the form 483 issued at the end of Raichur plant inspection.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 12 April 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 138.09 points, or 0.46% to 29,650.26.

On the BSE, 84,000 shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 7,110 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 748.95 and a low of Rs 688.40 so far during the day.

The stock hit a record high of Rs 786.75 on 21 December 2016. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 434.50 on 12 April 2016.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 11 April 2017, rising 6.41% compared with 2.91% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, underperformed the market in past one quarter, falling 3% as against Sensex's 9.76% rise.

The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 8.01 crore. Face value per share is Re 1.

Shilpa Medicare announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) issued an Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for the company's Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities located at Raichur, Karnataka which was inspected between 12th and 16th December 2016. The inspection has now been closed by the USFDA. The company had submitted a detailed corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan to the regulator within the stipulated timelines in response to the form 483 issued at the end of inspection. The USFDA has reviewed the CAPA and has found them acceptable.

On a consolidated basis, Shilpa Medicare's net profit dropped 37.05% to Rs 17.45 crore on 8.23% growth in net sales to Rs 183.58 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015.

Shilpa Medicare is engaged in the business of bulk drugs manufacturing.

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Board approves proposal for issue of 18,01,211 equity shares on preferential basis

Sterling Tools announced that the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 12 April 2017 approved the following -

The Company has signed a Business Collaboration Agreement with a Japan based Company named Meidoh Co. having its principal office at 4-5 Sangen-cho, Toyota, Aichi, 4710037, Japan.

The Company has signed Share Subscription Agreement with the aforesaid company. Accordingly approved the proposal to issue 18,01,211 equity shares on preferential basis of face value of Rs. 2/- to aforesaid company, at an issue price of Rs 246.60 per share.

To convene an Extraordinary General Meeting of the company to obtain shareholders' approval on Wednesday, 10 May 2017 for the proposed Preferential Allotment.

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Sterling Tools surged 9.5% to Rs 253 at 11:55 IST on BSE, after the company signed a business collaboration agreement with Japan-based Meidoh Co.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 12 April 2017.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 175.22 points, or 0.59% to 29,613.13

On BSE, so far 43,000 shares were traded in the counter as against an average daily volume of 11,012 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 261.85 in intraday trade so far, which is record high for the counter. The stock hit a low of Rs 230.30 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 86.20 on 2 June 2016.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 11 April 2017, rising 12.46% compared with 2.91% rise in the Sensex. The scrip also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 17.49% as against Sensex's 9.76% rise.

The small-cap company's equity capital is Rs 6.84 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Sterling Tools said that the company has signed a business collaboration agreement with a Japan-based Meidoh Co. The company has signed share subscription agreement with Meidoh Co and has accordingly approved the proposal to issue 18.01 lakh shares on preferential basis to it at Rs 246.60 per share.

Sterling Tools' net profit rose 85.69% to Rs 12.59 crore on 1.32% rise in total income to Rs 87.28 crore in Q3 December 2016 over Q3 December 2015.

Sterling Tools is engaged in the manufacturing and marketing of high tensile cold forged fasteners. Over the years, it has become one of the leading OEM suppliers in India with a client base that spans leading automotive companies in India, Europe and USA.

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The Uttar Pradesh government on Wednesday transferred 20 senior IAS officers, including Navneet Sehgal and Rama Raman, who were considered influential in the erstwhile government.

This is the first administrative rejig by the Yogi Adityanath government.

Sehgal has been shifted out as Principal Secretary for Tourism, Information and Religious Affairs departments. He has also been divested of the post of CEO of the Uttar Pradesh State Highway Authority (UPSHA) and the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Authority (UPEIDA).

All his charges have been handed over to Avanish Awasthi, who returned from a deputation in the central government.

Anita Singh, who had a five-year stint in the Akhilesh Yadav government as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, has also been transferred.

Rama Raman, Principal Secretary in Industrial and Infrastructure Development Department and Chairman of Noida Authority, has also been put in the officers waiting for a new posting.

Meerut Divisional Commissioner Alok Sinha has been named the new Principal Secretary of the Industrial and Infrastructure Development Department.

Gurdeep Singh, Principal Secretary of Mining Department, has also been wait-listed. He has been replaced by R.P. Singh.

Dimple Verma, Principal Secretary in Child Development Department, has also been shunted out. Anita Meshram has been named the new Secretary of the department.

Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Bhuvnesh Kumar and UPSIDC Managing Director Amit Kumar Ghosh have also been removed. Ranveer Prasad has been given the charge of UPSIDC as Managing Director.

Mrityunjaya Kumar Narayan has been named Secretary to the new Chief Minister.

The CEO of Greater Noida and Noida authorities, Deepak Agarwal, has also been divested of his position. Amit Mohan Prasad, Investment Commissioner of UP, posted in New Delhi, replaces Agarwal.

Vijay Kumar Yadav, Vice Chairman of the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), has also been shifted out.

Two close aides of former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, Amor Kumar and Pandhari Yadav, have been removed and posted as Members (Judicial) of the Revenue Board in Allahabad.

While earlier governments removed senior bureaucrats immediately after taking power, Yogi Adityanath waited for almost three weeks before making the first major reshuffle in the bureaucracy.

The Bharatiya Janata Party won a thumping majority in assembly elections held in February-March.

--IANS

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[April 12, 2017] Reimagine Food Launches Cognitive Discovery Tool on IBM Cloud

MADRID, Spain, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that Reimagine Food, an international hub devoted to boosting food innovation, has chosen IBM Cloud on which to develop and operate a new discovery tool for the food industry. SmartFoodS (www.smartfoods.eu), is a powerful discovery engine that helps member food producers, retailers, chefs, and food services companies discover information about new trends, industry news, academic investigations, startups, and new products, all related to innovation in food & tech. The Barcelona-based Reimagine Food developed the discovery tool using the Watson Natural Language Understanding API on IBM Bluemix, which provides language detection, keyword extraction and sentiment analysis capabilities. As a result, the ool can process natural language queries that are then combined with the IBM Retrieve and Rank service, the Apache Solr search server, and sophisticated algorithms to provide users with relevant recovery results.



"We have tried to bring innovation closer to the food sector and, to do so, we have monitored over 40,000 information sources" says Francesc Saldana, Corporate Services Manager at Reimagine Food. "By building this discovery tool on the IBM Cloud, we have the ability to easily expand as the tool consumes more and more data, and as more and more people use it." "Reimagine Food is using our cognitive and cloud services to innovate and improve food production, management and understanding and to help its clients reimagine the gastronomic world," said Angel Moreu, Cloud Manager, IBM Spain, Portugal, Israel and Greece.

Founded in 2014, Reimagine Food is committed to the promotion of innovation in the food industry for the constant improvement of the global food system. Through different areas, it collaborates with institutions, startups, investors, food companies, universities and technological centers to anticipate the future of food. The company was started by Marius Robles  defined as one of the 15 most disruptive entrepreneurs in Spain in 2015 by MIT Review  and Joaquin Serra, ambassador of Singularity University in Spain. Reimagine Food collaborates with Stanford University, ESADE, Telefonica, Carrefour, GB Foods, Metro Group, Barilla and Nestle, among others, in the development of international projects. About IBM

For more about IBM Cloud, visit www.ibm.cloud-computing. Contact

Patricia Torralba

IBM Espana

Departamento de Comunicacion

[email protected]

+ 34-91-397-7525 Mike Zimmerman

IBM Media Relations

[email protected]

(585) 698-9974 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reimagine-food-launches-cognitive-discovery-tool-on-ibm-cloud-300438777.html SOURCE IBM

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At least five people were killed and seven injured on Friday when a car bomb targeting a convoy of foreign troops exploded in Kabul, Afghan officials said.

Kabul Police spokesperson Firdaws Faramarz said a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle at 8.40 a.m. when the convoy was passing through the city's Yakatoot area, reports Efe news.

The victims comprised four civilians and the bomber, while the injured included four service members.

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the bombing, the second attack in the city in two days.

Its spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid in a statement claimed that the attack was against the invading forces.

On Thursday, six people were killed and six injured in a suicide attack on the Marshal Fahim National Defence University in Kabul.

--IANS

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The makers of "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" have locked Cinestaan AA Distributors to release the Hindi version of the cinematic spectacle in the US, Britain, Australia and New Zealand markets.

Cinestaan AA Distributors is a joint venture between Cinestaan Film Company and AA Films. Officials are delighted that the movie's makers have reposed confidence in them and given them the opportunity to distribute this landmark film, read a statement.

Directed by S.S. Rajamouli and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni, the much-awaited sequel to "Baahubali: The Beginning", will have a worldwide release on April 28.

Starring Prabhas, Rana Daggubati, Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia, it is said to be the first Indian film to be released in 4K High Definition format, the statement read.

--IANS

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Demanding the immediate arrest of leaders of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress leaders allegedly involved in the Saradha and Narada scams, the BJP's state unit took out a rally here on Wednesday afternoon.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists, led by party's state President Dilip Ghosh and National Secretary Rahul Sinha, rallied from central Kolkata's Esplanade to Rabindra Sadan.

Urging the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take immediate and appropriate action against the "tainted TMC leaders", Sinha said those who were involved in the monetary scams should not be allowed to roam freely.

"The Calcutta High Court's decision has completed one month. Why are the ministers tainted by the Saradha and Narada scams still roaming freely? We demand the immediate arrest of these perpetrators as per the High court's order," he said.

Refuting Trinamool's allegations that the BJP was trying to influence the CBI probe, Sinha said the central agency is conducting the investigation under the order of High Court and his party has no involvement in the issue.

"The CBI is an independent organisation that is investigating the case under the strict order of Calcutta High Court. So BJP has no involvement in this. We demand quick action from the agency," he said.

"The people of Bengal want perpetrators to be punished. We are trying to put forward that demand," added Ghosh, while walking in the rally.

--IANS

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India-born, late British naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, who took a keen interest in conservation of the pygmy hog in Assam, had wanted his famed Jersey Zoo in Britain, to breed the world's smallest and rarest pig, his widow Lee Durrell said here on Wednesday.

Once thought to be extinct, the 100th captive-bred pygmy hog was released into the wild in 2016 thanks to a breeding and release programme in northeast India supported by Durrell's organisation.

"He always wanted for us to have pygmy hogs in Jersey zoo (now Durrell Wildlife Park), he wanted to breed them there but for a variety of reasons that couldn't happen.

"When the pygmy hogs were rediscovered in a tea estate in the 1970s, it just took Gerry's heart. Maybe because it was from India," Lee, the Director of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, told IANS here at the Indian Museum.

"I would love to have them in Jersey because of the history of the project. I would do it, if needed, to tell the story if it aids the programme in some way," she said while touring the museum's natural history exhibit.

Lee, who is on her first trip to India and will be making a stopover at Jamshedpur where he was born in 1925, also paid a visit to the pygmy hog conservation project site in Assam last week.

"To bring in any wild cloven hoofed animal (cleft hoof), like the hog to Jersey, you cannot do that directly, you are not allowed by authorities so you have to have them breed in captivity in another zoo, say another zoo in Europe... but that didn't happen. We worked with the Zurich zoo in the 1970s but they (hogs) didn't survive," she said.

Durrell founded Jersey Zoo in Jersey in the Channel Islands in 1959 as the first-ever conservation-themed zoo. In 1963, it became a charitable trust and was renamed Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in 1999. It works in 18 countries, mainly in tropical regions, with an emphasis on islands.

The pygmy hog conservation project started in 1995, the year Durell died.

"It took some time to start the work because of bureaucratic issues. Gerald believed that every species was important, particularly the small, obscure ones," observed Lee while delivering a lecture on her husband.

She also toured the Alipore Zoo, India's oldest zoo, located in the city, during the day.

She said she will be writing to the director of the zoo to suggest measures for improvement.

"Many of the enclosures were done in very old style and back in the day when people didn't really understand the need of the animals. But there are some new enclosures there, the aviary, for example. I can certainly see the areas where there is room for improvement. I will be writing to the director of the zoo to just give my suggestions. One of them would be to have a volunteer programme," she added.

--IANS

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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modim on Wednesday approved measures such as relaxation of land ceiling limit, revision of norms of assistance in order to increase oil palm area and production in the country, a cabinet communique said.

The government approved relaxation in restrictions for providing assistance to cultivation in more than 25 hectare area "to attract corporate bodies towards oil palm and derive maximum benefit of 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment".

The relaxation is applicable for National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP) as well.

Also, it gave its approval "to revise the norms of assistance", mainly, for planting materials, maintenance cost, inter-cropping cost and bore-well "to make oil palm plantations attractive".

What possibly led to these relaxations is the widening gap between demand and supply of edible oil, which is met through imports. Imports of edible oil amounted to Rs 68,000 crores in 2015-16, according to the government.

Palm oil contributes 70 per cent of vegetable oil import and is one of the cheapest oil due to high productivity per hectare.

According to the communique, waste land, degraded land, cultivable land can be given on lease or rent or bought by private entrepreneurs, cooperative bodies, joint ventures for oil palm plantation.

Since the financial assistance under the NMOOP was available for 25 hectares, there was a need for relaxation of restrictions under mission to attract corporate bodies.

As per the statement, these measures will encourage oil palm plantation on large scale by corporate bodies and to utilise wastelands.

"By relaxing restrictions under NMOOP, private entrepreneurs, cooperative bodies, joint ventures will show their interest in investment in oil palm plantation and availing the NMOOP support," it said.

The government said it will also encourage farmers for oil palm cultivation "in a bigger way".

The revision of cost norm happened due to farmers' reluctance in taking up oil palm plantation "in view of large investment towards the cost of planting material, digging of pits, planting, manuring, irrigation and maintenance of plantation for four years without any income.

"The revision of cost norms will motivate farmers for oil palm plantation," the release said.

Currently, nearly 133 districts in 12 states are under oil palm cultivation and all the potential states are covered under the NMOOP.

At present, the programme is being implemented in 12 states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Mizoram, Odisha, Kerala, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Assam.

As per the release, the Agriculture Ministry will approve Annual Action Plan (AAP) of the state governments on revised cost norms and private entrepreneurs, cooperative bodies, joint ventures will be invited by the respective state governments for oil palm plantation in their states.

The government said that there will be some financial implication in relaxing restrictions of area and up-scaling the norms of subsidies but "the same would be accommodated within NMOOP fund" and hence there will not be need of additional funds.

The NMOOP aims to bring an additional area of 1.25 lakh hectare under oil palm cultivation by the end of 2016-17.

The government has target of bringing 30,061 hectares of area in 2016-17 under oil palm cultivation but actual cultivation was only 9968 hectares till December 2016.

--IANS

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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was on Wednesday informed about the MoU to promote joint scientific and research activities between India and Russia, an official statement said.

The memorandum was signed in October 2016 to facilitate and support joint scientific and research activities between scientific organisations of both countries.

Under this MoU, which is valid for five years, India and Russia will exchange of information, establish direct connections between specialists, scientists and scientific organisations, form projects aimed at joint research and aim at development of inter-disciplinary and multi-institutional projects with the involvement of industry.

For popularisation of science, the MoU also has provision of media coverage of the joint scientific activities.

--IANS

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The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Power Ministry's proposal to sign the MOU for "Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection", a cabinet communique said.

It will be signed among member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) at its upcoming third energy ministers' meeting to be held in Nepal shortly.

Bimstec is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Under the "BIMSTEC Trans-Power Exchange and Development Project", it was decided that a task force led by Thailand, with representatives of member countries, would give a report on draft MoU for grid interconnections.

Subsequently, the draft MoU was finalised by the task force in March 16, 2015.

This MoU will provide a broad framework for the parties to cooperate towards the implementation of grid interconnections for the trade in electricity with a view to promoting rational and optimal power transmission in the region.

--IANS

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Aiming to help create startups and build successful technology careers, will train 2,50,000 students in the country over a period of time, a top executive from the global networking giant said.

"We have done a lot of work in education and there are campuses that use our technology. We will skill 250,000 students in the country around networking, security and IoT areas over a period of time," Dinesh Malkani, President, India & SAARC, said.

and RV College of Engineering (RVCE) earlier this month announced the launch of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Internet of Things (IoT) for digital skills and training in Bengaluru.

"We are extremely focused on India. We have been here for 20 years, we have R&D facilities, global delivery centres and have also invested heavily in the country in regards to Digital India perspective," Malkani said.

Digital India initiatives and schemes by the government like Aadhaar, digital lockers and computerisation of land records, have gained momentum in the country and are playing a major role in the smart cities mission.

By June 2017, some 510 smart city projects with a total investment of Rs 20,669 crore are expected to take off.

"We have been engaged in most of the work that has been going with smart cities and we continue to be engaged whether its a safe city project in Navi Mumbai, or it was work we had done in Lucknow for safe city or Nagpur," Malkani stressed.

"Thus, across the board we have been very focused on the smart cities vertical. We keep refining our solutions and portfolios," the executive added.

The company is currently running 50 projects to be able to help in the areas of cyber security and aims to complete them by the end of this year.

We have the most comprehensive portfolio, we have spent almost $4 billion acquiring globally to be able to create best security portfolio, Malkani said.

The company will also establish security trust office with the Indian government and share with them best global practices, so that the government is well prepared to address cyber security challenges.

"We continue to outspace the market. The journey so far has been fantastic and will be exciting the way ahead and we have invested heavily to have full readiness in India," Malkani added.
Nikki Haley, US envoy to the United Nations, has characterised Russia as "skittish" and "isolated" in the wake of Syria's deadly chemical weapons attack last week that killed scores of civilians.

On Tuesday, US officials charged Russia with trying to cover up the attack, and Haley said in an interview with CNN that she thinks that Moscow "knew" about it beforehand.

"I think that if you look at the fact that when this information came out, they were so quick to defend," Haley said.

"They didn't look shocked, they didn't look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out and we see exactly what it is. And we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise that ..."

"I think that they knew (what was going on), yes," Haley told CNN.

"I think they're nervous... They very much feel as if they've been weakened by Assad's actions and their cover up. They realise the international community didn't buy it and is not buying it," Haley added.

"And they now have to figure out how to save face. We're giving them all the options to save face."

Haley's comments come before critical meetings between Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which were expected to focus on Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people, said the report.

The former South Carolina Governor also weighed in on comments by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who used Adolf HItler in a criticised analogy to describe the heinousness of Assad's actions.

"It's unfortunate," she said. "We should never have comparisons with Hitler, ever. What I hope Sean was trying to say is just how awful Assad is."

Spicer had said "that even Adolf Hitler had not used the kind of chemical weapons that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had".

He made the comparison as he tried to condemn Russia's alliance with Assad in the wake of the chemical attack in Syria last week.

"We didn't even use chemical weapons in World War II," Spicer said during a press briefing.

--IANS

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Haryana's Transport Department suspended 120 employees of the state roadways on Wednesday as the strike by the roadways staff continued for the third day, paralysing public transport in the state.

Over 4,000 buses of the Haryana Roadways remained off the roads for the third day, with common people bearing the brunt of the strike.

Harassed people said that they were inconvenienced and could not reach other places for work and jobs owing to the strike.

"This (strike) happens everytime. The government and the employees know that they will eventually sit down and talk and resolve the issues. But no one is bothered that commuters are being harassed," said Sheela Kumari, a resident of Ambala.

Those suspended included leaders of various roadways employees' unions.

Haryana Roadways buses did not ply from the 24 bus depots across the state on Wednesday.

Haryana Roadways Workers Union President Sarbat Singh Punia said that the striking employees could not be cowed down by intimidatory tactics like suspension.

Meanwhile, state Director General of Police (DGP) K.P. Singh said that in view of the strike by the state roadways employees, officers in all districts have been directed to maintain law and order and ensure that no person causes any harm to public property.

Singh said nobody should be allowed to stop any private bus from operating. "Additional police personnel have been deputed in such sensitive areas as Jind and Rohtak, and SPs in other districts have been directed to depute home guards, if required," he said.

As thousands of commuters suffered inconvenience for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, talks between roadways employees' leaders and the state government failed to break the logjam.

The striking employees are demanding a rollback on a recent Transport Department policy under which private bus owners were allowed more permits to operate services across Haryana.

Their leaders threatened to continue with the strike till their demand was accepted unconditionally.

Over 13 lakh people travel daily in nearly 4,200 Haryana Roadways buses, including luxury Volvo buses, on intra- and inter-state routes.

Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar said the interests of roadways employees as well as the people of the state are of paramount importance for the state government, which is always ready to hold talks with employee unions.He said 853 private buses are presently operating on 273 routes and all operators have got their permits made afresh.

--IANS

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[April 12, 2017] EOS Imaging Reports 34% Revenue Growth for the First Quarter of 2017

EOS imaging (Paris:EOSI) (Euronext, FR0011191766 - EOSI - Eligible for PEA-PME savings schemes in France), the pioneer in 2D/3D orthopaedic medical imaging, today announced its consolidated revenue for the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. Marie Meynadier, Chief Executive Officer of EOS imaging, said, "We delivered a quarter of strong growth, building on our positive momentum in EMEA, including a first sale in Israel and significant sales in the United Kingdom. This also reflects an excellent momentum in the Asia-Pacific region, driven by market approval in China obtained in 2016."







 millions Q1 2017 Q1 2016 Equipment sales 5.47 4.09 As a % of total revenues 77% 77% Sales of maintenance 1.40 0.99 As a % of total revenues 19% 18% Sales of consumables and services 0.26 0.24 As a % of total revenues 4% 5% Total revenues 7.13 5.33 Unaudited data

First-quarter 2017 revenue up 34% to 7.13 million The Company sold 14 EOS platforms in the first quarter of 2017, compared to 10 in the same period last year. Revenues from sales of equipment totalled 5.47 million, an increase of 34%. Sales of maintenance contracts increased by 41% to 1.40 million against 0.99 million in the first quarter of 2015. This reflects the continued increase in the installed base of EOS systems and an associated high contract subscription rate after warranty. Sales of consumables and services were 0.26 million in the first quarter of 2017 versus .024 million in the first quarter of 2016. The strong growth in sales was driven by continued expansion in EMEA and Asia-Pacific  millions Q1 2017 Q1 2016 EMEA 3.21 2.45 North America 2.48 2.85 Asia-Pacific 1.44 0.03 Total revenues 7.13 5.33 Unaudited data EOS reported continued sales momentum in EMEA, generating revenue of 3.21 million, an increase of 31% compared to the same period last year. This included strong sales in the United Kingdom as well as a first sale in Israel. Sales in North America were 2.48 million, a decrease of 13% compared to the first quarter of 2016, which included particularly high sales in this region. Sales in the Asia-Pacific region were 1.44 million. This largely reflects sales in China following regulatory approval in 2016. Chief Financial Officer Transition Anne Renevot, EOS imaging's Chief Financial Officer, will leave the Company at the end of April to pursue other professional interests. The EOS imaging financial team, composed of 5 employees, will be led by an interim-CFO until the recruitment of a permanent CFO is completed. "I would like to thank Anne for her professionalism, commitment and contribution to the development of the Company. I wish her as much success in her new career as she had in our collaboration," said Marie Meynadier. For more information, please visit www.eos-imaging.com. EOS imaging has been chosen to be included in the new EnterNext PEA-PME 150 index, composed of 150 French companies and listed on Euronext and Alternext markets in Paris. EOS imaging is listed on Compartment C of Euronext Paris ISIN: FR0011191766 - Ticker: EOSI About EOS imaging EOS imaging designs, develops, and markets EOS, an innovative medical imaging system dedicated to osteoarticular pathologies and orthopaedics, as well as associated solutions. The Company is authorized to market in 51 countries, including the United States (FDA), Japan and the European Union (EC). The Group posted 2016 revenues of 30.8 million and employs 132 people at December 2016, including an R&D team of 43 engineers. The Group is based in Paris and has five subsidiaries in Besancon (France), Cambridge (Massachusetts), Montreal (Canada), Frankfurt (Germany) and Singapore. Next press release: 2017 First-half sales on July 18, 2017 (after the market close) View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005857/en/

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Pakistan's decision to sentence to death an alleged Indian spy can spark "a new, highly destabilising round of covert actions" by both countries, a Pakistani daily warned on Wednesday.

Another newspaper wondered if the Pakistani military had been hasty in deciding to execute Kulbhushan Jadhav on charges of espionage and waging war against Islamabad.

Spy wars between India and Pakistan erupt occasionally, the Dawn said in an editorial.

"But Jadhav's case is far beyond routine action and could herald a new, highly destabilising round of covert actions by one country against the other's security and intelligence apparatus," it added.

The Dawn hoped that back-channel communications or third-party interventions would help India and Pakistan to quickly de-escalate tensions on Jadhav  and establish new rules on spycraft.

India has warned that if Jadhav was executed, it would amount to premeditated murder.

The sentencing of Jadhav, who Pakistan claims was arrested in Balochistan last year, had sent the "already troubled India-Pakistan relationship into deep uncertainty", the Dawn said.

And despite Jadhav's conviction, "there remain many unanswered questions", it added.

The Daily Times wondered whether Pakistani authorities had procured all information from Jadhav "or whether they have been hasty in deciding to execute him".

Jadhav's arrest and sentencing "is a reminder that the deadly proxy wars these two neighbours like to engage in are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

"It is high time both sides to an end to such manoeuvrings and draw up a new outline to work on the prospect of establishing peaceful relations."

Pakistani routinely accuses India of fomenting trouble in Balochistan and Karachi. New Delhi has for years accused Islamabad of funding and supporting terrorist groups in India, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jet Airways on Wednesday won the 'Best Airline - India' in the TripAdvisor's first annual Travellers' Choice awards for airlines, said a company release.

Emirates was named the top airline in the world, followed by Singapore Airlines and Azul.

The awards honour 50 airlines overall, including top lists for the World, Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa.

Speaking on the occasion Chief Commercial Officer of Jet Airways Jayaraj Shanmugam said: "We are extremely pleased to receive TripAdvisor's 'Traveller's Choice Best Airline - India' award for 2017."

"What makes this recognition extra special is that it is purely based on guests' experience and feedback. We will continue to work harder to set new product and services benchmarks to delight all those who fly with us," Shanmugam added.

IndiGo has won top honours in the 'Low Cost Airlines - Asia Pacific' category.

In his comment,IndiGo President and Whole Time Director Aditya Ghosh said: "Ten years ago, when we flew our first aircraft, we aimed to redefine air travel in India by making low fare flights the first choice of travellers."

"We are happy that our passengers have consistently chosen to fly with us and that inspires us to strive harder every day. This is one of the best and most credible awards as it is the voice of travellers," Ghosh said.

The winners were determined by the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travellers worldwide, over a 12-month period.

--IANS

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Let it be 8 p.m., "my whisky time", noted nonagenarian lawyer Ram Jethmalani vowing to help resolve disputes between India and Pakistan at a meeting with former Foreign Minister from that country, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.

Kasuri, who was in the capital for a peace building initiative between the two countries, shot back: "It is a great honour, sir!"

And the tense atmosphere was filled with sounds of loud laughter at the Tuesday evening panel discussion "Improving Indo-Pak Relations" -- organised by "Centre for Peace and Progress" -- that was otherwise clouded by Pakistan's sentencing of alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to death.

Kasuri, who has written an insider's account of interaction with India on resolving Kashmir in a book "Neither A Hawk, Nor A Dove", admitted that it was not a good time to be here "when the situation isn't particularly good" between the two countries.

"But it is during these times that we must persist and talk about peace," he said at the conference which was also attended by Pakistan High Commissioner here Abdul Basit.

There was a lot of talk about rhetoric, allegations and counter-allegations, cross-border terror, war and isolating Pakistan. But Kasuri, a moderate who boasts of being a Muslim with South Asian roots of Sufism, warned that war was "not good for either side".

He was "quite hopeful" that India and Pakistan would restart working for peace soon, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi "must have a sense of history since he has risen so swiftly".

He said "he (Modi) wishes to be part of the history of India and Pakistan relations".

Kasuri said his hope emanated from his belief that the two countries had the capability of improving ties on their own and cited the 1960s Indus Water Treaty (IWT) that is regarded as one of the few successful implementations of a trans-border water basin conflict in the world.

Possibility of peace through another war -- "after nine wars and near wars" -- between the two countries was ruled out, he said.

"I have a purpose, a purpose of peace. I don't want to generate negative headlines. I know peace is possible. Have you realised that peace process between the two countries started when guns were ready to blaze at the border," he said, referring to the 2002 military buildup across the borders after Pakistani militants attacked the Indian parliament in December 2001.

Jethmalani, also a former BJP minister, said solution to every India-Pakistan dispute, including Kashmir, "is very, very easy".

He claimed: "I have solved many disputes after 8 in the evening. My whisky time. And Kasuri sahib will meet me at 8 p.m. and we shall again meet. Believe me, it will be solved if not today then tomorrow," said the lawyer, a veteran Track-II activist, known to be close to Kashmir separatists.

Kasuri accepted the invitation as "a great honour" and said he has had indeed "an amazing experience" of peace building initiatives between the two countries.

Even as he blamed Pakistan for the Kashmir mess right from 1947, Jethmalani was of the view that Kashmir had its own "independently drafted constitution" and issues could be solved within its framework.

As the discussion dragged on, reporters kept asking Kasuri and Basit about Jadhav's death sentence. Both remained tight lipped about it.

Basit spoke but it was about his birthday on April 10 when the sentencing was announced. "There was no party but", the envoy said in his two- sentence remark.

There was one man with a saffron tilak mark on his forehead standing in a corner of the jam-packed India International Centre hall who repeatedly interrupted speakers, including Congress' Mani Shankar Aiyar, former BJP leader Sudheendra Kulkarni, Justice Rajendra Sachar and Saifuddin Soz, reminding them about how Pakistan was bombing India and why should anyone call for peace between them.

He was largely ignored.

After the meet, dozens of scribes mobbed Basit and Kasuri for their comments as they left the venue. But they kept their cool, smiled and didn't utter a word.

Kasuri was escorted out from a backdoor and Basit moved briskly through the horde of mike- and camera-toting media persons. Questions were shouted at him, but he kept his counsel.

(Sarwar Kashani can be contacted at sarwar.k@ians.in)

--IANS

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The upcoming Kannur International Airport after its inauguration in September will change the face of north Kerala -- whether in tourism or business activities like handloom, textiles and floriculture.

Standing to gain through this new airport are the nearby located popular tourist destinations of Coorg and Mysore in Karnataka.

The Rs 1,892 crore airport located at Mattanur in a 2,000 acre area is billed as the fastest completed in the country.

Former Air India Chairman and Managing Director V. Thulasidas, who is currently the Managing Director (MD) of the Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL), told IANS that work was progressing and commercial operations at the airport would be started in September this year.

"To start with, we expect an annual traffic of around 1.85 million passengers and expect to touch its maximum of around nine million in a few years' time," he said.

"The airport will be able to handle 2,000 passengers at a time," said Thulasidas, a 1972 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Tripura cadre officer.

Elaborating on the boosting of the economy, he said the airport would rev up tourism activities in the hilly districts of Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargode.

There are numerous unexplored destinations in these districts that can be reached from Kozhikode and Mangalore airports. But these are far away and the connectivity is a problem, given the size of these two airports.

The handloom and textiles industry will be another segment to get a major boost as with the new airport, as exports through Kannur will be cheaper.

"Floriculture activity is another industry that's going to enter newer realms of business as the airport will have provisions for preserving and storage. This is also going to boost the local economy," said Thulasidas.

This airport will start off with a runway of 3,050 metres and within 18 months of its opening, the runway length will be increased to 3,400 metres and eventually it will touch 4,000 metres, making it one of the four biggest airports.

The first trial operation took place in February 2016 when an Indian Air Force aircraft landed for the first time at the airport.

The Kerala government has 35 per cent stakes, public sector undertakings have 25 per cent, the Airport Authority of India 10 per cent, and cooperatives, banks and other shareholders have the balance 10 per cent.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Kerala High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Mangalam TV CEO R. Ajithkumar and his senior colleague K. Jayachandran in the sleaze audio case, but accepted the pleas of three other journalists arrested in the case.

The court observed that the two need to be kept in judicial custody as the laptop and pen drive which contained the lewd conversation of Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran with a woman on phone, has, according to the CEO, been stolen and have to be recovered for the case to go ahead.

The five journalists were arrested last week for airing the audio on March 26 -- the day the channel was launched. The issue led to a political furore and within hours, Saseendran announced his resignation.

Following his resignation, the Pinarayi Vijayan government announced judicial and police probes.

Soon after this, Ajithkumar went live on air to confess it was a sting operation and not a real incident as they claimed earlier and tendered an unconditional apology.

The channel said the woman who spoke to Saseendran was one of their staffers and not a housewife, who had come to meet the minister, as claimed by the channel, ever since the news was telecast.

--IANS

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Lenovo India on Wednesday appointed Vivek Sharma as new Director of its Data Centre Group (DCG) in India.

As the new country DCG leader, Sharma will focus on customer-centric solutions as well as manage product portfolio, including server, storage, software, services and networking, the company said in a statement.

"I am excited to lead the DCG business in India at a time when the data centre business is at an inflection point with immense growth potential, both immediate and long term. This space will see a definitive influx of some very disruptive technology," said Sharma.

Sharma joins Lenovo from Dimension Data where, as the IDC and Cloud leader, he played a key role in transforming the ITaaS and data centre business. Sharma has also held several leadership positions at Wipro.

He will report to Sumir Bhatia, Vice President, Data Centre Group, Asia Pacific, Lenovo.

"We have made tremendous progress in our goal to become the number one trusted advisor for the data centre over the past year. We are confident that Vivek's rich experience and proven leadership skills will enable us to rapidly accelerate our scale and progress," added Bhatia.

--IANS

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Indians may know him best playing one of the biggest villains of their recent history. But the cameo as Gen Dyer, the "Butcher of Amritsar", in Richard Attenborough's "Gandhi" was a rare break from the routine for Edward Fox, who in his over 100 onscreen appearances, usually played a more affable and unflappable but quintessential Englishman.

Coming to global prominence depicting a mysterious assassin in the film adaptation of Frederick Forsyth's "The Day of the Jackal" (1973), Fox, whose 80th birthday falls on Thursday, is equally known as a jaunty RAF officer in "Battle of Britain" (1969), a cheery British general in "A Bridge Too Far" (1977) and a courteous but canny police inspector in Agatha Christie's "The Mirror Crack'd" (1980) among many other roles of the sort.

Besides playing Winston Churchill in TV movie "The Audience" (2013), and King Edward VIII in TV series "Edward and Mrs Simpson" (1978), he has been seen playing other icons like Sherlock Holmes' companion in "Dr. Watson and the Darkwater Hall Mystery" (1974), James Bond's boss 'M' in the 'unofficial' "Never Say Never Again" (1983), King Arthur in "Prince Valiant" (1997) and a kindly character in an adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Oliver Twist" (2007).

But despite his pukka background (including studying at Harrow and a stint in the Coldstream Guards), his plummy drawl and close friendship with Prince Charles, Edward Charles Morice Fox was not of the aristocracy, being born in London's Chelsea to theatrical agent Robin Fox and actress Angela Muriel Darita Worthington, with his ancestors on both sides comprising inventors, dramatists and stockbrokers.

After his military service, Fox decided on a career in the performing acts but he only was credited in his fifth film -- a small role in British science fiction-cum-horror film "The Frozen Dead" (1966).

While in the 1960s he worked mostly on stage, including as Hamlet, he made his presence felt in his next few films despite the big names they contained -- in comic caper "The Jokers (1967)" starring Michael Crawford and Oliver Reed, "The Naked Runner" (1967) starring Frank Sinatra and "The Long Duel" (1967) with Yul Brynner (as a tribal chieftain in British India) and Trevor Howard. He was also seen in major British films like "Oh! What a Lovely War" (1969), "Battle of Britain" and "The Go-Between" (1971), where his role as an aristocratic landowner won him a BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor.

It also brought him to the attention of acclaimed director Fred Zinnemann for "The Day of the Jackal".

Zinnemann, known for his 1950s classics like "High Noon", "From Here to Eternity" and "Oklahoma" but not having made a film since "A Man for All Seasons" (1966), was drawn to the project due to the challenge of keeping the interest of viewers, who could guess the ending. He also wanted the Jackal to be played by someone not so famous, rejecting Robert Redford, Michael Caine, Jack Nicholson and Roger Moore for Fox.

And if you see the easy nonchalance with which the Jackal holds his own in the meeting with the conspirators, you would find it hard to believe that this scene -- the first to be shot -- took three days as Fox was nervous. He only did it well after the director assured him that it wouldn't harm his career if he didn't get it right.

While the film wasn't financially successful as thought, it was a critical success and helped Fox's career take off. Another of his memorable roles was as Inspector Craddock in "The Mirror Crack'd", a film adaptation of the Agatha Christie mystery starring Angela Lansbury (as his aunt Miss Marple), Kim Novak, Elizabeth Taylor, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson and Pierce Brosnan (in his debut).

The actor was no stranger to controversy too. He had criticised Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, terming him "opposite of what Fleming intended, and I knew Fleming". Last year, he opined men cheat in relationships "because we're totally different creatures" and women should be more understanding "but it is very difficult for all women to be tolerant and patient and understanding".

Proof that Fox, who is still acting, can still make his presence felt.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In her first foreign tour, Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari is paying a state visit to India from April 17 to 21 at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee, it was announced on Wednesday.

This will be the first foreign visit of Nepal's President after assuming the office in October 2015, the Nepal Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday, adding she will be staying at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi as a state guest.

As per the itinerary, Bhandari will attend a reception and a dinner to be hosted by Nepal Ambassador Deep Kumar Upadhyaya on April 17.

On April 18, she will gave a ceremonial reception and inspect a guard of honour at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. She will also pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and visitYamuna Biodiversity Park. On the same day, she will call on Mukherjee and attend a banquet hosted by him.

Similarly, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some senior cabinet members will call on her.During the visit, Bhandari will also visit Gujarat and Odisha.

In a statement, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said: "The upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections."

"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," it added.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May last year but then Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli cancelled the visit at the last moment.

The then Nepal cabinet cancelled the visit following political upheaval in the Himalayan nation when Oli's government was nearly toppled by its Maoist ally.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will pay an official visit to India at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee from April 17 to 21, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday.

This will the first state visit of Bhandari to India after she assumed office in October 2015.

"The upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

During the visit, Bhandari will meet Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Union ministers will also call on President Bhandari.

Besides official engagements in New Delhi, the Nepal President will be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May last year but then Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli cancelled the visit at the last moment.

The then Nepal cabinet cancelled the visit following political upheaval in the Himalayan nation when Oli's government was nearly toppled by its Maoist ally.

"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," Wednesday's External Affairs Ministry statement said.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
After three days of protests, normalcy returned in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as the separatists called off the two-day shutdown.

The educational institutions, public transport, shops and other businesses began functioning normally after three days of shutdown due to the killing of civilians in the Sunday by-election.

Srinagar city buzzed with life as the movement of traffic and pedestrians began on Wednesday.

Parents hurried their children to schools and they were seen waiting for buses.

Shopkeepers started lifting the shutters of their establishments as tension across the valley came down after the Election Commission postponed the Anantnag parliamentary bypoll to May 25.

The bypoll was otherwise scheduled for Wednesday.

Authorities removed additional deployment of police and paramilitary forces at traffic crossings and busy streets in Srinagar and other places.

The movement was only restricted around sensitive installations in the valley.

The separatists have asked people to resume normal activities and thanked them for staying away from bypoll in which only 7 per cent voter turnout -- the lowest in the valley in the last 27 years -- was recorded.

Eight civilians were killed in the clashes between protesters and security forces.

Most poll related violence occurred in Budgam district where authorities have ordered re-polling at 38 stations on Thursday.

--IANS

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[April 12, 2017] Education Networks of America Chooses 365 Data Centers to Support Expansion

EMERYVILLE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Data Centers, a leading provider of secure and reliable data center solutions with locations across the nation, announced today that Education Networks of America (ENA) has moved into its Indianapolis data center location. ENA is a leading Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider for K12 schools, higher education institutions, and libraries that supports education and library communities in 33 states nationwide. ENA was seeking a carrier-dense data center that could support its rapid expansion and enable its transition to DC power to reduce power costs. "We were impressed with the history of 100 percent uptime since the Indianapolis facility opened over 16 years ago. Our customers depend on us to provide reliable service," said Michael McKerley, CTO and vice president of ENA. "The Indianapolis facility has flexible power options and the robust environmentals and cooling necessary to support our dense IaaS computing services. 365 Data Centers was excellent to work with as we brought in our own darkfiber, and the company also has a carrier-rich ecosystem for connectivity across the country."



"We understand that moving to a new data center is a major undertaking," said John Scanlon, CEO of 365 Data Centers. "We worked hard to make the transition easy and to provide ENA with connectivity to additional carriers to support the needs of their customers. All of 365's customers benefit when we bring additional carriers into our data centers." About 365 Data Centers

365 Data Centers is the leading data center solutions provider for cloud, content, carriers and enterprises in tier 2 markets. We operate 8 U.S. data centers and help hundreds of businesses to improve user experience, reduce cost and speed innovation by leveraging our secure, carrier-neutral and reliable edge colocation services. With 100% uptime and industry compliance, 365 ensures that mission-critical application infrastructure is highly available and conveniently accessible. 365 is a privately held company based in Emeryville, California. For more information, visit http://365datacenters.com. About Education Networks of America: ENA is a leading provider of IaaS solutions to K12 schools, higher education institutions, and libraries. Since 1996, ENA has worked with its customers to ensure they have the high-capacity broadband, Wi-Fi/LAN, communication, and cloud solutions they require to meet the present and emerging technology needs of the communities they serve. Today, ENA manages numerous system-wide and statewide contracts, successfully delivering IaaS solutions to more than eight million users across the nation. For more information, please visit www.ena.com, call 866-615-1101, or email [email protected]. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/education-networks-of-america-chooses-365-data-centers-to-support-expansion-300438800.html SOURCE 365 Data Centers

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Pakistan and India cannot be enemies forever and need to engage with each other to resolve their disputes, Pakistan's National Security Adviser Naseer Khan Janjua has said.

Janjua said this when Canadian High Commissioner Perry John Calderwood met him on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations besides Pakistan-India ties with reference to the US offer for mediation.

The comments came a day after Pakistan sentenced to death an alleged Indian spy, drawing angry reactions in New Delhi.

Janjua underlined the need for non-discriminatory approach in considering Pakistan's membership for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Dawn online reported.

He complained that the international community was overlooking the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for its own strategic interests vis-a-vis India.

He said Pakistan expected the international community to stand with morality and human rights, adding that Islamabad welcomed the US offer to mediate between India and Pakistan.

India regarded Jammu and Kashmir as a bilateral issue but defeated the spirit of bilateralism by defying any dialogue on the divided state, said Janjua.

--IANS

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Despite speculations to the contrary, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. There was speculation this would not happen due to the tension between the two nations.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin is meeting US Secretary of State Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov at the Kremlin," Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov did not elaborate on what the three discussed. Earlier in the day, Tillerson held a meeting with Sergey Lavrov.

The top US diplomat is visiting Moscow amid a conflict over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. The US blamed the incident, which happened almost two weeks ago, on Damascus, and retaliated with a barrage of cruise missiles targeting a Syrian airbase.

Russia called it a possible false flag operation and said the US attack was an act of international aggression. It also said more provocative incidents involving toxic agents may follow in Syria, now that the Trump administration has demonstrated it can be baited into the reaction that the enemies of Damascus want from it.

Moscow believes a proper investigation, including at the scene of the reported attack, is necessary to establish the truth.

--IANS

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Fashion designer Raghavendra Rathore, known for offering a touch of royalty to his customers with his bespoke ensembles, has now taken up the initiative of bringing focus on the issue of design education by setting up his own institute -- The Gurukul School of Design -- in Jaipur.

According to the designer, The Gurukul School of Design teaches the value of culture through its interpretation of the Gurukul way of life, imparts specialised knowledge to students to become entrepreneurs as soon as they graduate.

The institute will also help students gain insights on how to build a valuable brand via modern communication skills, emphasise the business hemisphere so that design students can read 'balance sheets' and more importantly value the immense knowledge of our heritage and the rich resources.

What made him get into this side of business?

He told IANS here: "I had this thought from a very long time. I wanted to bring in the change the way people are being taught. Also, I wanted to give back to the society.

"Also it is the most important time right now as the country is going through a very silent revolution. We are moving from manufacturing concept to design-oriented country and I think we require huge talent going forward whether it is fashion, merchandising and marketing."

He also feels that talent treated in school needs an upgrade as there is a huge change in the way people are buying products.

"Recreate the courses related to our sensibilities, geography, resistance, habits and culture and the curriculum I have designed is very crucial. I have figured out what are the pitfalls. The course has to be real and there won't be just study. Also, we will absorb some of the students in our company and they will be on contract to work on live assignments," he added.

The special curriculum that has been designed by Rathore himself along with international and local experts stresses on deeper maturity of design, the ability to visualise and market a creative idea with modern communication tools, the business acumen behind the idea and most importantly via the Gurukul way of life.

The courses will span four years, taking the students through a journey which will introduce them to a fascinating volley of unique and short courses.

The location of the campus in Jaipur, will give students immediate access to handicrafts, endless textiles and techniques. The institute's aim is also to provide a new way of "thinking design" and provide a sound and a holistic education.

--IANS

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Russia on Wednesday vetoed a UN resolution that would have required Bashar al-Assad's government to co-operate with international inquiries into last week's chemical attack in Syria.

It was the eighth time during Syria's six-year-old civil war that Russia has vetoed a proposed Security Council resolution on Syria, CNN reported.

Among the 15 council members, ten countries voted in favour of the resolution, while Bolivia joined council's veto-wielding power Russia in voting no.

China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began, abstained from the vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.

The document drafted by the United Kingdom, France and the United States demanded the Syrian military to provide UN investigators with unfettered access to details of their operations on the day of the alleged attack, Xinhua news agency reported.

The text also condemned the reported use of chemical weapons and demanded a speedy investigation.

On April 4, a reported toxic gas attack hit the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib, killing over 80 people and wounding scores of others.

Two days after, the United States launched 59 cruise missiles against the Shairat military base in central Syria, where from, according to the US, airplanes carrying chemical weapons took off.

Ahead of the vote, Russia's Deputy Representative to the UN Vladimir Safronkov told the council that putting the draft resolution into a vote did not serve a useful purpose.

Safronkov said Russia has proposed an independent international mission sent by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to visit Khan Sheikhoun and the Shairat airbase for investigations.

He said Russia hopes the US can give constructive response to this suggestion.

Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.

The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defence Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.

--IANS

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hopes to see proactive engagement by the Donald Trump administration in the US to help resolve the long-running dispute between Pakistan and India, which is the biggest impediment to peace in the South Asian region.

With regard to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not so far done, the Prime Minister told the Associated Press of Pakistan, adding that the whole world, including the US, was well aware of the danger the dispute posed to world peace and to stability in the region.

"We wish to see progress towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of peace and development in the region and the whole world, including the US, is fully aware of this reality," Sharif said.

US President Donald Trump during his election campaign had expressed his desire to help address the issue of peace and security in South Asia, aspirations that were later echoed by his Vice President Mike Pence, and more recently by US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, referring to the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Kashmir, said the Security Council must ensure implementation of its resolutions as failure to do so was already raising many questions about its credibility.

--IANS

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A special session of Telangana Assembly will be held on April 16 to pass a legislation to increase quota for Muslims and tribals, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Wednesday.

He said the percentage of enhanced quota will be decided by the state Cabinet at a meeting on April 15.

After passing the bill, which will take the overall reservation quota in the state beyond the prescribed limit of 50 percent, it will be sent to the Union government for President's assent.

He said if the central government refused to include the legislation in Constitution's 9th Schedule as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu, Telangana would approach the Supreme Court.

Defending the proposed move, he said it was the responsibility of his government to increase the overall quantum of reservation in line with the social composition of the newly-created Telangana.

Rao was addressing a news conference after the meeting of state cabinet, which accepted report of State Backward Classes Commission on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims and report of another panel to increase quota for tribals.

He said that his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was taking the step to implement its poll promise to increase quota for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes to 12 percent each.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, pointed out that the socially and economically backward sections among Muslims are already enjoying 5 percent reservation in jobs and education.

The Chief Minister said Telangana's legislation would be on the lines of the law passed by Tamil Nadu and included in 9th Schedule.

He announced that his government will also increase the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) by one percent. The SCs currently enjoy 15 percent reservation while they constitute 16.3 percent of the state's population.

KCR said there was also a need to increase quota for backward classes. The cabinet has asked BC Commission to submit a report in six to seven months after a thorough study of the socio-economic conditions of BCs.

He contended that with 90 percent of Telangana state's population constituting backward classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities, 50 percent ceiling on reservation will not work for the state.

He referred to the Supreme Court judgment in Indira Sawhney case that total reservation can exceed 50 percent provided a case is made out with quantifiable and impeccable data.

Citing the examples of states implementing more than 50 percent reservation, he remarked that law has to be equal for all states.

The total quantum of reservation in Tamil Nadu is 69 percent, Aharkhand 60 percent, Maharashtra 52 percent and as high as 80 percent in Arunchal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, he averred.

KCR reminded the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been opposing the move, that following the protest by Gujjars and Jats, its government in Rajasthan increased total quantum of reservation to 68 percent and sent the legislation to the Centre for President's assent.

In an obvious reference to strong opposition to the move from BJP, KCR reiterated that the reservation was not based on religion but on socio-economic backwardness of Muslims.

He pointed out that states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Manipur were already providing reservation to some backward groups among the minorities.

Stating that his government is extending cooperation to the Centre as and when required, KCR hoped that Narendra Modi government will accept the state's request. "Otherwise, we are ready for a fight as long as it takes," he added.

The TRS chief also demanded that the Centre transfer the subject of reservation to states as the states will have better understanding of their social composition and will be able to take necessary steps to ensure social justice.

--IANS

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Two persons suffocated to death on Wednesday after they fell into a deep dry borewell in Karnataka's Gadag district, said police.

"Basavaraj, 32, and Shankarappa, 30, got into the borewell at Savadi village at 15 feet depth to replace the casing of the pipe before re-boring it for sourcing water. As the mud caved in, they plunged into the pit and were buried alive," Gadag Superintendant of Police K. Santosh Babu told reporters here.

Gadag is about 350km from Bengaluru in the state's north-west region.

Rescue personnel retrieved the bodies of the victims and sent them for autopsy.

"Basavaraj was the land owner's son and Sankarappa their labourer," said Babu.

Police registered a case of negligence under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code against the land owner and a contractor who was engaged to re-bore the well further, as water level plunged due to acute drought in the region.

In a related development, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced Rs 2 lakh compensation to the bereaved families.

--IANS

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Pordenone (Italy), April 12 (IANS/AKI) A US airman is in prison for attempted murder after a savage knife attack against a female colleague at NATO's Aviano air base in northeast Italy, police said on Wednesday.

US authorities were to request custody of the 19-year-old airman after the attack on the 21-year-old woman.

In the attack, which took place at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, the airman allegedly stabbed the woman in the throat, face and arm as she slept in a dormitory, according to police.

The airman only halted the attack when the woman woke up and began screaming. He confessed the attack to police, saying he did not know why he had knifed the woman, who claimed not to know the airman.

The woman was given first aid by other personnel at the base and was taken to the emergency room of a hospital in the nearby city of Pordenone, where doctors said her injuries would take 15 days to heal.

The US Air Force has also opened an investigation into the attack.

--IANS/AKI

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Actress Sayyeshaa, who will be working with actor-filmmaker Prabhudheva in his upcoming Tamil directorial "Karuppu Raja Vella Raja", stunned the popular choreographer with her moves on the sets of "Vanamagan".

A forest-based action-drama, the upcoming "Vanamagan" marks the Tamil film debut of Sayyeshaa. Prabhudheva got to work with the "Shivaay" star on a song he choreographed in "Vanamagan".

"He was brought exclusively to choreograph a solo number on Sayyeshaa. He was told that she is a very good dancer. Hence, Prabhu master decided to give her one of his toughest moves which he performed two decades ago in his film 'Raasaiyya'," a source from the film's unit told IANS.

As part of the song, Sayyeshaa was required to lie on her back and move like a wave.

"It was a very difficult move. Sayyeshaa rehearsed for four days but on the day of the shoot, she pulled it off in a single take. Her moves left everybody on the sets stunned, including Prabhu master. It was her commitment that landed her an opportunity to work under his direction," the source added.

At the launch of "Karuppu Raja Vella Raja" earlier this week, Vishal heaped praise on the 19-year-old's dancing skills.

"Karthi and I watched one of her songs from 'Vanamagan'. Both of us were stunned by what we saw and we told each other we are going to have a tough time matching steps with her. She is easily one of the best dancers in the country today," Vishal said.

Sayyeshaa is paired with Vishal and Karthi in "Karuppu Raja Vella Raja".

--IANS

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Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday discussed the Korean Peninsula and Syria with his US counterpart Donald Trump over telephone, a media report said.

Xi said China sticks to the target of denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and was committed to peace and stability in the region, Xinhua news agency reported.

The issue should be solved through peaceful means, said Xi, adding his country was ready to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the matter.

On Syria, Xi said any use of chemical weapons was unacceptable and that the path of political settlement should be followed.

He expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would speak in one voice as it was important for the world body to remain united on the issue.

He also said China and the US should promote economic cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication and coordination in major global and regional issues, through the newly established four-pronged dialogue mechanism.

In Wednesday's phone conversation, Trump said the meeting with Xi was a success. It was very important for the two Presidents to maintain close communication, he added.

Trump agreed that the two sides should work together to promote pragmatic cooperation in wide-ranging areas. He said he was looking forward to visiting China this year.

--IANS

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[April 12, 2017] EVOQ Medical Launches blynq to Solve EHR Interoperability Issues

ATLANTA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EVOQ Medical, a startup Health Technology firm has announced the nationwide release of blynq, a smartphone app for physicians, that delivers comprehensive patient data at the point of care, aggregating both clinic and inpatient records from multiple EHRs in real time into an easily accessible format. To explore more information on blynq visit www.EVOQmd.com. "The challenges of EHR Interoperability and Data Security were two of the most talked about issues of concern by healthcare executives at the HIMSS Annual Conference a few weeks ago, and blynq is a solution for both," according to EVOQ Medical's Founder and CEO, Reuben Buckareff. "We have designed blynq as a cloud-based technology that is able to consolidate patient information across multiple healthcare communities, and provide comprehensive, secure, accessible and shareable data." Time Saver for Physicians

blynq operates on both iOS and Anroid platforms, creating efficient workflows for physicians because it provides everything needed at the point of care to deliver, manage and refer care. During 2016, blynq was in its test development stage with approximately 200 providers in Florida and Alabama. The clearest evidence of the positive disruption that blynq is having on physicians is that effective users of blynq have shown that they are saving one or more minutes per patient encounter, which is giving back thirty minutes or more in each work day, leading to improved physician productivity and satisfaction.



No Capital Cost and Easy Implementation

The investment in most IT initiatives is extremely expensive and very time consuming. Perhaps the most appealing aspects of blynq are that there is no capital cost involved and implementation only takes one or two weeks. Pricing for use of blynq is on a monthly subscription model, based on the number of users at a client location, and no long term commitment is required. About EVOQ Medical

EVOQ Medical's flagship product, blynq, is a Physician Engagement Platform that consolidates electronic health record data from multiple systems and creates a longitudinal patient record that providers can access in real time at the point-of-care. Led by healthcare and technology industry veterans, EVOQ has created an easy-to-use, provider-friendly platform that drives improved physician productivity, higher provider satisfaction, increased provider and higher health network efficiency in a cloud-based, software-as-a-service platform.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evoq-medical-launches-blynq-to-solve-ehr-interoperability-issues-300438363.html SOURCE EVOQ Medical

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Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will travel to Moscow on Friday for a trilateral meeting with his Russian and Syrian counterparts, an official said.

According to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi, the meeting will take place following the recent use of chemical weapons in Syria and against a backdrop of the subsequent US attack on a Syrian airbase, Tasnim News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Iranian Defence Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu also held talks on the latest developments in Syria.

In a telephone conversation on Tuesday, the two sides underscored the need to continue joint efforts in the campaign against terrorism and other sources of insecurity in the region.

Syria has been gripped by a civil war since March 2011.

According to a report by the Syrian Centre for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed over 470,000 lives, injured 1.9 million people, and displaced nearly half of the country's pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.

--IANS

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The Dalai Lamas visits to the Tawang monastery in Arunachal Pradesh routinely provoke protests from the Chinese and threats of dire consequences, only for Sino-Indian relations to lapse into their customary state of relative cordiality afterwards. This latest visit, after a gap of seven years, has provoked a sharper, almost threatening, reaction from China. Mature diplomacy demanded a restrained response from India. Instead, the Indian government has chosen to unnecessarily imbue a purely religious occasion with a provocative political hue.
The Opposition has frustrated Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkaris attempts to introduce the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha. They said the Bill had complications. This was new for Gadkari  he had received rare praise from Opposition members in the Lok Sabha when the Bill was discussed last week and passed unanimously. Gadkari tried in vain to persuade Congress Rajya Sabha seniors like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Ahmed Patel and Digvijaya Singh, but they remained unmoved. There was a sense in the treasury benches that the party was extracting its revenge on Gadkari for Goa, where he and Singh were sent to put in place a government after the Assembly poll results were declared. Gadkari stole the march on Singh.
Coffee is hot. It can scald you  reading this warning on a Mcdonalds coffee cup always brought a smile to my lips as I remembered that an American court had awarded millions in damages to a lady who suffered from burns after spilling a Mcdonalds coffee.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set its eyes on winning seats in states on the Coromandel coast of India in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, particularly in states like Kerala and Odisha. To compensate for the lack of influential leaders in these regions, the BJP says its doors were open for leaders from rival parties.
The parliament's budget session 2017-18 ended on Wednesday marking a few firsts including passage of key reform bill, advancing union budget to February 1 instead of February 28, merging the railway budget into the main document, merging plan and non-plan allocations and nod to the finance bill by March 31.

The first half the budget session from January 31 to February 9 started with President Pranab Mukherjee's address to parliament and saw a united Opposition taking on the government over the controversial demonetisation decision but by the second half from March 9 to April 12 the Opposition's morale was impacted as BJP showed more aggression riding on the major victories in four of the five assembly polls.
A 13-member delegation of representing both the houses of Parliament met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to apprise him about the prevailing problems in the country including the EVM tampering issue, violence prevailing in different states and misuse of central agency besides other matters of interest.

The delegation of including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi and senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also gave a detailed memorandum to the President seeking his intervention.

"The environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being suppressed. In a democracy, the rule of law must prevail but self-styled lumped elements have indulge in violence, mob lynching and harassment which are being witnessed across the country. In the state of Rajasthan in Alwar, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Pune, Dadri in UP, Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir number of incidents have taken place. The critical appointments have been made obituary bypassing the Parliament and other institution," the memorandum read.

The opposition also alleged that the key bills are being disguised as money bill to bypass and undermine the constitutional position of the Rajya Sabha.

The delegation also raised question over the malfunctioning and alleged tampering of the EVM machines while stating that it has raised question on the electoral process.

"Non-BJP ruled states are being destabilised by misusing the powers of Governors... The recent example being Goa and Manipur," the opposition stated.

Requesting the President's intervention to protect India's constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of the citizens, the opposition also highlighted the incidents of violence in universities and historical institutions.

"There has been attack on autonomy of cultural academic and historical institution and universities- Nalanda university and in particular the Nehru memorial museum. There is continued violence and failure of governance in Jammu and Kashmir," the memorandum read.

In the memorandum, they also apprised the President about the misuse of central agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Income Tax (IT) by the Centre to harass the opposition.
Boosted by a slew of steps to enhance efficiency, the country's 12 major ports surpassed private players by handling a record 673.43 million tonnes of cargo in 2016-17, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

"Major ports under the Centre handled a record 647.43 million tonnes (MT) of cargo in 2016-17 registering an annual growth rate of 6.79 per cent against 4.32 per cent in 2015-16," the Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister told reporters here.

Annual growth rate recorded by private ports was only 4 per cent, he said, adding the performance of major ports was steadily improving on the back of a number of initiatives taken by the government to enhance their efficiency.

"Kandla Port retained its top position among all major ports and handled 105.44 MT followed by Paradip Port which handled 88.95 MT and Mumbai Port that handled 63.05 MT," Gadkari said.

JNPT recorded highest ever handling of 4.5 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent units) during 2016-17 while port-owned terminal JNPCT achieved highest ever handling of 1.53 million TEUs during 2016-17, registering a growth rate of 7.33 per cent.

Among commodities handled, iron ore traffic picked up again, attaining the highest growth rate of 163.67 per cent while other miscellaneous and general cargo grew by 18.53 per cent and petroleum, oil, lubricants (POL) products by 8.16 per cent.

The minister said efficiency indicators in major ports are steadily improving and during the last fiscal, total turnaround time came down to 3.44 days as against 3.64 days during the last year.

Likewise, average output per ship berth day has gone up to 14,583 tonnes as against 13,748 tonnes during the last year.

Major ports have been benchmarked to international standards, he said, adding that 70 initiatives have been implemented and the remaining will be done by 2019.

This has resulted in unlocking 80 million tonne per annum capacity.

India has 12 major ports -- Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, V O Chidambaranar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) which handle approximately 61 per cent of the country's total cargo traffic.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi's prisons, including Tihar, accommodate 14,132 undertrials and convicted prisoners as against their total capacity of 7,818, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Replying to a question in the Upper House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said the prisons were crammed with large number of undertrials.

"As on March 15, Delhi Prisons were accommodating 14,132 prisoners as against the full capacity of 7,818," he said.

Both undertrials and convicted prisoners are lodged in different barracks in Tihar Jail and there is no congestion for the latter, whereas the former are in large numbers, he said.

The minister also said 10 incidents of violence were reported in the prisons during the last three years besides citing reasons behind a clash that broke out in Tihar in March this year.

"Some prisoners in Special Security Ward inflicted self- injuries and damaged government property when they were not allowed to come out of their ward at night," Ahir said.

Delhi Prisons have two prison complexes, one at Tihar with nine central prisons and another at Rohini Prison Complex with one district prison.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
NCERT textbooks have been supplied to 2,000 private schools affiliated with CBSE for the current academic year and more schools will be covered next year, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said today.

He was responding to a query in the Rajya Sabha by CPI-M leader K K Ragesh who demanded that the Centre should ensure that all Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools use National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) study materials compulsorily this year.

"Unfortunately, for these private schools, education has become a tool to loot students. It should be curbed. They have an unholy alliance with publishers and are making profit," Ragesh said while raising the issue during the Zero Hour.

The CPI-M leader said the private schools were finding ways not to implement the government decision and a majority of them were compelling parents and children to buy textbooks at higher rates.

Javadekar said the decision to make NCERT books compulsory for CBSE schools was taken after the government found private schools were charging more. Since it is the first year of implementation, the government took stock of how much NCERT was ready to supply.

"We appealed to all schools to register and give their intent. One good response is that 2000 schools have registered and we have supplied NCERT books in those 2,000 private school. Next year, we will grow further," Javadekar said.

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[April 12, 2017] And Now There Is One.BMW i3 (94 Ah) Wins Inaugural World Urban Car

NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and Autoneum, the BMW i3 (94 Ah) was declared the inaugural winner of the 2017 World Urban Car award. "We are delighted and honored that the BMW i3 has been recognized as the World Urban Car," said Ludwig Willisch, Head of BMW Group Region Americas. "This award highlights BMW Group's commitment to sustainable mobility through BMW's first all-electric vehicle made primarily of carbon fiber. The design brief for the BMW i3 was to create a Mega City Vehicle for the cities of the future. Today, the new 2017 BMW i3 (94 Ah) provides more range paired with a high-level of dynamic performance, making it the perfect urban vehicle for people around the world." 2017 marks the first year for the World Urban Car award. World Car vice-chairman, Mike Rutherford, commented, "It's an award whose time has come. Everyday cars in many - perhaps most - parts of the world will have to become smaller if road and parking space is to be found for them in increasingly packed towns and cities whose populations are swelling annually. This year's winner in our inaugural World Urban Car category proves that these small vehicles don't have to be cheap, undesirable and unpleasant to drive. Quite the opposite. It is among the best value-for-money products on the market." This year's winner was chosen from an initial entry list of 7 cars from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists as announced in Geneva last month: the BMW i3 (94 Ah), the Citroen C3 and the Suzuki Ignis. Vehicles in all award categories are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 75 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors' ballots. The Road to World Car began in Paris on September 29, was followed by test-drives in Los Angeles in November, continued in Geneva with the Top Three in the World announcement, and finally ended today with the declaration of the winners in six categories at the New York International Auto Show. 2017 marks the 11th anniversary of the partnership between World Car and the New York show, and the fourth consecutive year that the World Car Awards hve retained their ranking as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach.



The Global Trends Report, co-presented annually by Prime Research and Autoneum, was also released today.The report is the culmination of research and insights across the past six months. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel said, "The auto industry is in the midst of an upheaval that goes far beyond anything it has experienced in the past 100 years. Emerging industry trends such as autonomous driving, electric mobility and connected cars are changing not only vehicles and their technologies but also their concepts and forms. As the market leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, Autoneum today already offers a large variety of multifunctional and lightweight technologies and components to meet the requirements of modern mobility. With our recently established "Competence Center for New Mobility" in Sunnyvale, California, Autoneum is taking a committed and active role in driving vehicle advancement by developing innovative technologies and components for all forms of mobility." World Car of the Year is more than just an awards program. The World Car community brings together a large cross section of experts and professionals from every segment of the automotive industry. World Car connects the global industry around the very best of today and inspires, with insights, the ideas and trends of tomorrow. Thus defining The Road Ahead platform shared with our presenting partners Bridgestone Corporation, Prime Research, Autoneum and, most recently, Brembo.

"As the world's largest tire and rubber company, we are proud to partner with the World Car program for the 9th consecutive year," said Mike Martini, president, original equipment tire sales, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "This is an important forum for leaders in the automotive industry to celebrate achievements in innovation, performance and sustainability. As new mobility preferences emerge, we must continue to collaborate across our industry to deliver cutting-edge technology and world-class products that meet the needs of a changing global customer base." In a rapidly changing automotive world, Brembo is also focused firmly on the future and the vehicles it will bring to market. Brembo is committing significant resources to perfecting ever more sophisticated virtual simulation methodologies that includes the study of forms, materials, technologies and surface treatments able to meet the needs of the new-generation vehicles, with a particular focus on environmental impact aspects, which drives all of Brembo's development activities. As the global nature of the industry continues to strengthen, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, World Car is proud to be a part of this amazing journey along with the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Autoneum, Brembo, Bridgestone Corporation, KPMG and Newspress  our official media partner. For additional information visit our web site (www.wcoty.com). About World Car Awards Now in their 13th year, the annual World Car Awards are the number one awards program in the world for the fourth consecutive year based on Prime Research's 2016 media report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale. The awards are administered by a not-for-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee: Peter Lyon (chair  Japan), Jens Meiners (vice-chair  Germany), Mike Rutherford (vice-chair  UK), Tamara Warren (director  USA), Siddarth Patankar (director  India) and Gerry Malloy (director  Canada and president, WCOTY Association) About the New York International Auto Show

Owned and operated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York Auto Show is an awesome combination of new ideas, technological innovation, exceptional concept cars and nearly 1,000 of the latest new cars and trucks. Over one million visitors are expected to visit the show this year to see what is truly possible from the automotive industry. Important 2017 Auto Show Dates

Press Preview, April 12 & 13 (credentials required)

Public Sneak Preview, Friday, April 14

Public Show Dates, Friday, April 14  Sunday, April 23, 2017 THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR:

BEGAN IN PARIS SEPT. 29, 2016. ENDED IN NEW YORK APRIL 13, 2017. FOLLOW OUR 70+ INTERNATIONAL JURORS : wcoty.com #wcoty To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/and-now-there-is-onebmw-i3-94-ah-wins-inaugural-world-urban-car-300438834.html SOURCE World Car Awards

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Two persons have been arrested with three kgs of fine quality heroin worth Rs 12 crore in Delhi, police said today.

Police recovered the heroin worth Rs 12 crore in the international market from their possession. It is also being investigated whether the accused had any links with drug suppliers in Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The two accused, Mohd Jafar and Parvej Saifi, both residents of Bareilly, UP, were arrested on April 11 from near Ghata Masjid, Ring Road Daryaganj, said DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

Jafar's bag led to recovery of 2 kgs heroin while Saifi's bag contained 1 kg.

Both the accused disclosed that they are members of an international narcotic drug cartel being run by Manipur-based drug supplier, Manjum, said Yadav.

"The arrested accused had brought the recovered heroin to Delhi from Manipur by air on April 10. They wrapped drugs in thick layers of carbon papers to avoid detection by scanners installed at airports. Jafar had created a secret cavity in his bag to hoodwink the police," said Yadav.

They had come to Daryaganj from where they were arrested to supply heroin to an African national.

The accused have supplied more than 50 consignments of heroin from Manipur during last three years. This heroin is further supplied to various Delhi-based African persons residing in Vikaspuri, Tilak Nagar, Shahpur, and Uttam Nagar.

Drugs received by persons of African-origin are further smuggled to various European and African countries through courier companies, added the officer.

Jafar has revealed that Manjum has links with drug suppliers in Myanmar.

Apart from getting heroin from Manipur, Manjum also procures huge consignments of heroin from Myanmar. Although there is widespread illegal cultivation of opium in bordering areas of Manipur where heroin is prepared, its quality is inferior to heroin brought from Myanmar.

The processed heroin of Myanmar is cheaper than heroin produced by their counterparts in Manipur and is in high demand in international market as well as in India, he said.

Jafar has been procuring heroin from Manjum for last three years. He also revealed that Manjum supplies heroin to other drug dealers in NCR, UP and Punjab.

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Three pilgrims, two of them women, were killed and 48 injured when the tractor-trailer they were travelling in to Sri Anandpur Sahib overturned near Shekhowal, about 50 Kms from here today, police said.

The injured were shifted to nearby hospitals of Garhshankar and Ropar but two of the critically injured were later referred to PGI, Chandigarh, they said.

Police said the pilgrims were going to the holy shrine of Sri Anandpur Sahib from village Sathiala in Beas.

According to SHO, Garhshankar police station, Kewal Singh, the deceased were identified as Sarbjit Kaur (50), wife of Heera Singh of Bansiala; and Mandeep Kaur (26), wife of Gurvinder of Sathiala in Beas.

The third deceased has not been identified yet.

When they reached near Shekhowal village, a semi-hilly area, one of the tyres of the tractor-trailer drove over a big boulder leading to the accident.

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Four persons including a woman have been arrested for allegedly duping a woman of Rs 56 lakh on the pretext of sending money from Iraq here.

The victim, Nitu Sharma, complained to the Superintendent of Police Bikaner that she was duped by a man with whom she had came in contact through a matrimonial site.

The man had introduced himself as an aircraft engineer working in Iraq and told her that he wanted to settle in India after marriage with her.

He told her that he has sent 2.5 million pound through a diplomatic pouch service from Iraq.

After some time, different men called her posing as officials of the Iraq embassy and other agencies and asked her to deposit different amounts in bank accounts in the name of various clearance.

Believing them, she deposited a total of Rs 56 lakh to various bank account.

"After a detailed investigation, the accused was identified as Ajit Kumar Yadav and he was arrested. He is a resident of Jharkhand. Shrawan Singh Sodha of Barmer, Virendranath of Jodhpur and Anita of Gurgaon have been arrested in this case," Inspector General of Police, Bikaner, Bipin Kumar Pandey said.

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The Sudanese army has said that five of its troops have been killed while fighting for the Saudi-led Arab coalition against Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen.

The army did not specify when the troops were killed, but Sudan has deployed hundreds of soldiers as part of the coalition that is fighting the rebels backed by Iran in a war which the United Nations says has already left around 7,700 people dead and 42,500 wounded.

Khartoum joined the Sunni coalition led by Saudi Arabia in 2015 after breaking decades-old ties with Tehran.

The Sudanese military has largely refrained from offering details of its operations within the coalition or of casualties it has suffered in the conflict so far.

But in a rather rare announcement late yesterday the army said it had lost five troops in Yemen, including an officer.

"We have lost five martyrs including an officer, and 22 others have been wounded," army spokesman Brigadier Ahmed Khalifa al-Shami said in a statement.

Without offering details, he said Sudanese forces had completed yesterday their "first stage of duty" in Yemen and were now preparing to launch the second stage.

"Our troops in Yemen have captured all the areas targeted in the first stage, inflicted big losses on the enemy and are holding many prisoners of war," Khalifa said.

In January 2016 the army had said it had lost one soldier in Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition also comprises the Gulf monarchies Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates along with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan.

According to the UN, the fighting has displaced more than three million people, and more than two thirds of Yemen's population of around 18.8 million people need aid.

Some 7.3 million people are estimated to be close to starvation and 462,000 children suffer from serious malnutrition. Without $2.1 billion in international aid, the UN warns that Yemen will suffer a famine in 2017.

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A walk down the crowded Sadar Bazar in the old town or a stroll through the upscale Cyber City is enough to tell a visitor that the place still quintessentially remains Gurgaon.

This thriving city of Haryana, nicknamed the 'BPO capital' of the country, was rechristened as 'Gurugram' exactly a year ago, but people are still comfortable with the old moniker, while referring to railway station and bus stand or schools and markets.

Shiv Shakti Ranjan, a software professional, who has worked for two Gurgaon-based multi-national companies in the last six years, says, "It doesn't even feel that the name has been changed."



"The companies are still using Gurgaon in their address, and in the conversations too, nobody uses Gurugram. It hasn't caught on and I don't think it ever will," he said.

Legend has it that Gurgaon derived its name from Guru Dronacharya, the master of archery in the Mahabharata who tutored the Pandavas.

"Renaming is all about politics but Gurgaon is a brand name. Though people have nearly looked the other way and never adopted the new name, the 'brand Gurgaon' has been affected.

"After all, Mumbai was called so in Marathi, Calcutta as Kolkata in Bengali by people, but this city was never really called Gurugram. It is a completely alien label and, a label that doesn't go with the essence and ethos of this amazing city, as evident in its non-acceptance in one year," said a resident, who did not wish to be named.

Incidentally, a famous shop in Sadar Bazar, 'Calcutta Emporium', still uses 'Gurgaon' in its nameplate and address on its receipt.

The shop was established well before West Bengal's capital was renamed as Kolkata in the 1990s, but its owner still sticking to the two old names, indicates the reluctance of adopting new identities, albeit "without consent" and practicality of carrying on with old ones.

Gunjan, who works in Delhi and lives near old Gurgaon, travels daily from here in a car or via metro, says that even the highway signages still show the place as Gurgaon, barring a few street labels put up by the authorities.

In Jacobpura area, a charitable trust hospital, a sewing machine store, a gift shop and woman's boutique, and every other store and establishments still carry the old nameplates, though the blue Haryana Roadways buses can bee seen plying with 'Gurugram' written on the livery.

'St. Crispin's Senior Secondary School, New Railway Road Gurgaon' reads the full address of the school near Sadar Bazar, where the name 'Gurugram' is nowhere to be seen.

"Even the name of the Gurgaon railway station is still spelt the same way. We all use Gurgaon in our conversations, and I haven't come across anyone using Gurugram," Gunjan says.

Amisha, another resident, who shuttles between Delhi and Gurgaon for work, says, "We were trolled on social media last April when the government decided to rename the city. Even today, my friends playfully tease me that 'You are from Gurugram, then why you call it Gurgaon. We just laugh it off."



"One year is a decent period, but the fact that if people have not accepted the new name by now, I don't think they will ever do. Besides, I have learnt to live with the Gurugram-Instagram sort of jokes.

"Also, on Facebook, all the malls and multiplexes can be checked in as 'at Gurgaon' only. So, if one checks in at Leela Hotel, it doesn't show Gurugram, on Facebook. Everyone is quite comfortable with Gurgaon," she said.

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A demand for action against gangs of fake doctors was made today in the Rajya Sabha, who were taking advantage of the long waiting periods given by famed hospitals like AIIMS and Safdarjung for treatment, to dupe the patients.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, BJP member Prabhat Jha said poor patients were being exploited by "gangs of fake doctors" in these hospitals.

One such gang was recently busted by the Delhi Police. Fake doctors are taking advantage of the waiting period of six months given in these hospitals, he said.

"In this situation, fake doctors and intermediaries are taking advantage and exploiting the poor. I appeal to the government to stop fake doctors and protect the patients coming from faraway places," he said.

About 15,000 patients visit on a daily basis to these hospitals located in the national capital, he added.

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An Afghan national moved the Delhi High Court today seeking deportation of his wife and minor sons, granted temporary refugee status by the UNHCR, back to Afghanistan.

The wife and kids have been granted temporary refugee status till April 18 by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, who was not inclined to pass any order in the matter, gave the man time till April 19 to show any law under which the court can direct the Centre to deport the woman and her sons when they have refugee status.

The court said the man should make a representation to the central government for deporting his wife.

It told the man "you should have kept her happy" in response to his contention that his wife left with the kids without saying anything.

According to the plea of the Afghan national, he married the woman in 2008 in Kabul and two sons were born to them in 2009 and 2014.

All of them had come to India on a tourist visa on February 18, 2017 and were staying in Kalkaji in south Delhi at a close friend's residence, the petition said.

It also said that the wife had gone to a park with the kids on March 8, 2017, but did not return home.

The petitioner had then approached the police, but the agency lodged a complaint only on March 14, the plea alleged.

The police, thereafter, traced the woman and both she and her husband (the petitioner) were called to the Kalkaji police station on March 24.

At the police station, the woman said she does not want to live with him and it was then that he came to know that she and the kids have temporary refugee status, the petition has claimed.

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Allahabad recorded a maximum of 41.8 degrees Celsius and was the hottest place in Uttar Pradesh today followed by Varanasi which had a maximum of 41.2 degrees Celsius.

Rae Bareli recorded 15.4 degrees Celsius and was the coldest place in the state.

Weather remained dry and day temperatures rose in several parts of the state today.

Met officer said that day temperatures rose in Moradabad, Meerut, Faizabad, Allahabad, Lucknow, Jhansi and Agra divisions and did not change much in the remaining divisions of the state.

Lucknow recorded a maximum of 39.2 degrees and a minimum of 17.2 degrees Celsius. According to forecast, weather is likely to remain dry .

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Political allies of Australian Opposition leader Bill Shorten, who has been opposing the 21.7 billion dollar Adani Coal and Mine project, today expressed strong support to the Indian mining giant's venture in Queensland.

According to media reports, unions, including Australian Workers Unions, regional mayors and Queensland Labour government were nowpushing for approval to be granted for a commonwealthloan for Adani's project as well as changes tonative title laws.

The support comes a day after Australian Opposition leader Shorten opposed granting theloan to the project whilequestioning if the project "stacks up", according to Sky .

Shorten said although he was "very keen to see jobs in mining", federal Labour opposed any loan being given to Adani.

"But I also have to sound this note of caution: we need the Adani project to stack up," he was quoted as saying by the local media.

"It needs to stack up environmentally, it needs to stack up commercially. I haven't seen the case made for the taxpayer to underwrite a billion-dollar loan to build a rail line," he said.

Adani has applied for a concessional loan from the 5 billion dollar Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund,with the support of Queensland Labour government,to help build a rail line connecting its proposed coalmine and the Abbot Point port.

The 2.5 billion dollar rail line has won state and federal approval on the condition it could be used by other resource companies that are proposing to build coalmines in the Galilee Basin.

Yesterday, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met Gautam Adani, chairman and founder of Adani Group, during his trip to India and discussed theissues of loan and native title laws.

Turnbullsaid itwould create "tens of thousands" of jobs and boost state and federal budgets for years and that the railproject was only a "relatively small part" of the capital required for the total project.

'The Australian' qouted an indigenous member of Wangan and Jaglingou people,Robert Langton, who have a native-title claim over the mine site, saying"I just want a job, the unemployment around here is really high and here isn't much hope".

Langton said, "This mine is hopefully going to give a lot people a job now and into the future".

Yesterday,Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said "The carmichael coalmine rail port project has undergone a comprehensive and transparent environmental assessment process, according to state and commonwelath legislation and hundreds of condisions apply".

Queensland Australian Workers' Union state secretary Ben Swan backed the project and said securing a loan will open up the region.

"Whatever the application is for Adani, it should be assessed on its merits and the government has set up an independent process for that," Swan said.

"My union is hopeful that this project gets beyond what has seemingly been an endless process of objections and obstacles," he added.

Townsville mayor Jenny Hill said, "it should be considered as investment in building infrastructure for whole industry that is going to build jobs for this region".

Meanwhile,agroup of anti-Adani mine protesters held a demonstration in front of the Indian High Commission in Canberra protestingagainst the project.

The protesters from'Stop Adani Canberra Action Group', raised their objections after Adani-Turnbull meetingand to send a message to the Indian Government that a section oflocal peoplewere against the mine.

The group, in a statement, said that theygave acopy ofAdani Files which containeda report aboutdetails of Adani's alleged "reckless corporate behaviour and destructive environmental and social impacts".

"We're sending a clear message to the Indian Government that the Australian community does not want the Adani mine," said Harita Sridhar, spokesperson for Canberra Stop Adani Action Group.

"Over the past month, over 140 'Stop Adani Action Groups' have sprung up from one end of the country to the other," Sridhar said, adding "We're serious about stopping this damaging mine because of its impacts on the global climate, the Great Barrier Reef, and our groundwater".

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Actress Amy Adams will be honoured with the 2017 American Cinematheque Award.

The five-time Oscar nominee is set to be presented the honour on November 10 at the Cinematheque's annual benefit gala at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, with in-person tributes from Adams' colleagues and friends, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The 42-year-old actress' credits include award-nominated roles in "The Fighter," "American Hustle" and "Doubt," and, more recently, "Arrival" and "Nocturnal Animals".

"Amy Adams is one of the most beloved, admired and respected actresses in movies today.

"In the words of one of her directors, she is smart, tough, funny, warm, ambitious and, of course, beautiful. Combined with her shining talents and unequalled likability in a career that is skyrocketing, Amy Adams is the ideal recipient of the American Cinematheque's 31st annual award," Chairman Rick Nicita said in a statement.

The American Cinematheque, established in 1981, is a non-profit that focuses of moving picture exhibition, including the operation of the historic Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

Adams joins past award-winners Robin Williams, Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg and Robert Downey Jr., among many others. Last year's honoree was director Ridley Scott.

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[April 12, 2017] Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Commences Investigation on Behalf of Celadon Group, Inc. Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Celadon Group, Inc. ("Celadon" or the "Company") (NYSE: CGI) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws. On April 5, 2017, a report was published on SeekingAlpha.com by Prescience Point Research Group entitled, "Celadon Group: A Story That Ends At Chapter 11." Prescience Point claimed in the report it believed Celadon overstated its secod quarter 2017 tangible book value and last twelve month profits by an estimated $219 million through a series of off-balance sheet transactions and other improper accounting. In response to this publication, the price of the Company's shares fell 13.6%, to close at $5.40 per share on April 5, 2017.



If you purchased Celadon securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to [email protected], or visit our website at http://www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412006002/en/

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Restoration of Yamuna floodplains, ravaged due to a cultural extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's (AOL) last year, would cost Rs 42.02 crore besides additional ancillary expenses, an expert committee has told the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The expert panel has suggested that there would be two components of rehabilitation plan  physical and biological  and they would cost Rs 28.73 crore and Rs l3.29 crore respectively.

Elaborating the timeline and the mechanism to be undertaken to ensure revival of the riverbed, the seven-member panel said the physical component should be taken up immediately and completed in two years' time while the biological aspect should be initiated simultaneously which would take 10 years.

Besides the two components, the rehabilitation of the floodplain would also require funds to meet the expenses of a team of experts for next 10 years along with the cost of transportation of material outside the riverbed, the committee said.

These estimates are approximate and need to be strengthened through commissioning of Detailed Project Report. The apportionment of ecological rehabilitation cost may be made between AOL and other agencies by NGT, it said.

Implementation of the Action plan requires extensive monitoring for which the NGT may consider creating an appropriate body/team of experts, the panel headed by Shashi Shekhar, Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, said in its 31-page report.

In it recommendations to the NGT, the expert committee said that major restoration work has to be carried out to compensate for the damage to Yamuna floodplains.

Advocate Kush Sharma, who represents Delhi Development Authority, refused to comment on the findings in the report and said they were going through the contents.

Reacting to the report, the AOL foundation alleged that the findings of the panel are "biased".

"The is a responsible and environment- sensitive NGO. We have never caused any damage to the environment but have in fact worked for preserving and reviving it through various environment-related projects over the years.

Our legal team will study the report and decide on the appropriate future course of action," AOL said in a release.

The green body had last year allowed AOL to hold three-day 'World Culture Festival' on the Yamuna floodplains while expressing its helplessness in banning the event because of "fait accompli".

It, however, had imposed Rs five crore as interim environment compensation on the foundation for the event's impact on the environment after Yamuna activist Manoj Mishra alleged that AOL was violating NGT orders.

Initially, a four-member committee had recommended that AOL Foundation should pay Rs 100-120 crore as restoration cost for "extensive and severe damage" to the floodplains of Yamuna river.

Later, a seven-member expert committee had told NGT that the extravaganza organised on Yamuna has "completely destroyed" the riverbed.

The committee had observed that entire floodplain area used for the main event site between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged.

"The ground is now totally levelled, compacted and hardened and is totally devoid of water bodies or depressions and almost completely devoid of any vegetation.

"The area where the grand stage was erected (and the area immediately behind it) is heavily consolidated - most likely with a different kind of external material used to level the ground and compress it. Huge amount of earth and debris have been dumped to construct the ramps for access from the DND flyover and from the two pontoon bridges across the Barapulla drain," the expert committee had said.

The committee, in its 47-page report, has said that due to the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost all its natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses, aquatic vegetation including water hyacinth which provides habitat to a large number of animals, insects and mud-dwelling organisms.
The government today said the US-based iPhone maker Apple has indicated plans for introduction of selective manufacturing lines in the country this year.

However, no decision has been taken yet on concessions demanded by the US-based company for setting up local manufacturing facility in the country, Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha.

"Apple in their communications, indicated their plan for selective introduction of manufacturing lines in Spring 2017," Sitharaman said in a written reply.

Apple has sought concessions such as duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment for smartphone manufacturing and service/repair for a period of 15 years.

With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs.

It, however, does not manufacture devices on its own and rather does this through contract manufacturers.

The company sells products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others.

It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.

Replying to a separate question, she said that cement demand is expected to increase in the next financial year on account of various flagship programmes of the government such as 'Housing for All' by 2022, Smart Cities Mission, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Freight and Industrial Corridors and National Highways Expansion.

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A group of army veterans today staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission against the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The protesters were led by Delhi Assembly legislator Col (retd) Devinder Sehrawat. They also handed over a memorandum to the authorities at the Pakistan High Commission in Chanakyapuri.

"We urged the Pakistan High Commissioner to communicate the outrage over the unacceptable treatment meted out to Jadhav," Sehrawat said.

"Pakistan is creating problems for itself and will have to payback if it continued with such actions. We request the country to take the case of Jadhav seriously and think over continuing any relationship with Pakistan," he said.

Nearly two dozen ex-servicemen, including Col (retd) Ravi Tokas and Col (retd) KPS Rana, took part in the protest.

India has warned Pakistan to consider the "consequences" on bilateral ties if Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid an outrage throughout the country.

Jadhav was "arrested" on March 3 last year by Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was "a serving officer" in the Indian Navy and deputed to the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

The Pakistan Army had released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest.

India has acknowledged that Jadhav served with the navy but denied he has any connection with the government.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The people of Arunachal Pradesh live "difficult lives" under India's "illegal" rule and they look forward to returning to China, a state-run Chinese daily claimed on Wednesday as it criticised New Delhi for allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the frontier state.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaders' ongoing visit to the region.

"Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China," a provocative article in the China Daily said.

The article, however, skirted the media reports about the periodic protests in Tibet, including more than 120 self- immolations by Tibetans against the Communist Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama's visit shows "he can't wait to give away Tawang district", which happens to be the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama in 1683 and is at the centre of Tibetan Buddhism, "in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group."



"One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker," it said about the 81-year-old spiritual leader and Nobel laureate.

The article said the Dalai Lama's visit is "testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace."



"Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lama's eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his master's favour," it said.

"He has described himself a 'son of India' more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a 'son of India' by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability," it said.

India and China have been negotiating to resolve the border dispute for more than 20 years but an agreement is yet to be reached.

The dispute covers the3,488-kmLine of Actual Control. While China claims parts of Arunachal as Southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute also covers the Aksai Chin area which China occupied during the 1962 Sino-India war.

The article said the Dalai Lama has "betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither."



The Dalai Lama is in Arunachal on a nine-day visit and this is not the first time he has visited the state. In 2009, the Tibetan spiritual leader visited the region, which too was opposed by the Chinese government.

China has lodged a diplomatic protest to India over the visit and a number of articles and editorials in the Chinese state media have attacked the spiritual leader over the visit.

The Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday it will select the next highest monk of Tibetan Buddhism through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn at Dachau Temple in Lhasa, dismissing theDalai Lama's assertion that Beijing cannot choose his successor.

"All reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has followed the religious rituals and history rules," it said in a written response to queries about the Dalai Lama's recent comments.

Today's article also accused the Dalai Lama of changing his stand on Arunachal Pradesh during his 58-year-long exile in India. It said, "even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's 'sovereignty' over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed."



To support China's claim over parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the article cited historical events, saying the state was "separated" from China by the "so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Shimla Accord, a treaty that was never validated".
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale today said Pakistan should revoke the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and sought the intervention of the UN and the US in the case.

Strongly condemning Pakistan for its "inhumane" move, Athawale said the country was indulging in high-handedness and spreading terrorism in the world and thus "should be declared a terror state".

"The UN and countries like the US should intervene in this case which is a blatant example of inhumanity. Just because he had an Indian passport, Pakistan cannot suspect him of espionage and should revoke the death sentence it has awarded him," he said.

The Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment also lauded the coming together of parliamentarians in both Houses on the matter, saying, "When it comes to support an Indian cause, all politicians cutting across party lines come together unitedly and it was proved yesterday."



India has said it will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav and warned Pakistan that his execution will affect the bilateral ties.

The death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court after declaring him a "spy" resonated in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, where all parties came together to condemn the development and pressed the government to take every step to help him.

The government as well as the opposition saw the sentence as an attempt to defame India and to deflect the attention of the international community from Pakistan- sponsored terrorism.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Republican Party of India (Athawale), an ally of BJP, today sought the US intervention to secure the release of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan.

RPI (A) President Ramdas Athawale slammed Pakistan over the death penalty awarded to the former Indian Navy officer and said it amounted to violation of his human rights.

"Charges against Jadhav are baseless. Awarding death sentence to him is a gross violation of his human rights," said Athawale, who is also a Union Minister.

Condemning the military court's verdict, the Rajya Sabha MP said Pakistan has been hostile towards India.

"The Pakistan government has been hostile towards India. We should take up the matter with the US and seek its intervention (to secure the release of Jadhav)," he said.

Jadhav, who hails from Mumbai, was "arrested" on March 3 last year by Pakistan security officials allegedly in Balochistan which, they said, he entered from Iran.

He was sentenced to death by a military court in a secret trial for alleged "espionage and sabotage activities" and Pakistan's army chief has approved his execution.

The Shiv Sena, another ally of the BJP, had earlier called for approaching the United Nations to get the 46-year- old ex-Navy officer released from Pakistan's custody.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh tonight executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 PM, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was quoted as saying by the Bdnews24.Com.

His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.

President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.

The then Bangladeshi-born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 . Anwar sustained minor injuries.

The operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.

A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.

Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.

HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organisation and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.

Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.
on Thursday executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 PM (local time), Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun Ur Rashid said the autopsies of Hannan and Bipul have been completed and their bodies will be sent to their village homes amid tight security.

President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions this week.

Earlier, the authorities beefed up security in and around the Kashimpur jail. The family members of Hannan - his wife, two daughters and elder brother - met him in the jail this morning.

Ripon's family members also met him at the Sylhet jail.

Hannan, 60, who studied in India and Pakistan, had fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, media reports said.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed its earlier verdict, endorsing death penalty to Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.

The then Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.

The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.

A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.

Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.

HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organization and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.

has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today conducted searches on premises of two persons in connection with a money laundering probe in the Bikaner land deal case.

Officials said the ED raided at least three locations in Faridabad near here.

They said the agency is looking at collecting and seizing important documents and other possible incriminating evidence in this case and hence, raids are being conducted on premises of two persons involved in the matter.

The ED had recently attached assets worth Rs 1.18 crore of government officials and others in connection with the case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The case pertains to a land in Kolayat area of Rajasthan's Bikaner district which was meant to be alloted to those displaced due to the army's Mahajan field firing range.

The ED had registered a criminal case under the PMLA in the matter in 2015 taking cognisance of FIRs filed by the state police after the local Tehsildar had complained of alleged forgery.

The agency, in this case, had also issued notices to a firm linked to Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress party president Sonia Gandhi.

However, it did not mention the name of Vadra or any company linked to him in its FIR filed under the PMLA.

In the FIR, it had named some Rajasthan government officials and the "land mafia".

Vadra had denied any wrongdoing even as the Congress had called the action "sheer political vendetta".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP MLA O P Sharma, suspended from Delhi Legislative Assembly for two sessions, today contended in the Delhi High Court that his punishment was over and he should be allowed to attend the sittings.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva also noted there have been several sittings and sessions of the Assembly since his suspension in March last year.

"You (Assembly) are having sitting after sitting, session after session, while he was debarred for two sessions only," the court said.

However, the lawyer appearing for the legislative assembly countered Sharma saying the two sessions were not yet over as only sittings were being held.

He said that the legislative assembly has the power to take such action as was taken against Sharma and cited judgements in support of his contention.

After hearing brief arguments, the court listed the matter for further consideration on April 19.

Sharma was suspended from the Assembly on March 31 last year for two sessions for allegedly making derogatory remarks against AAP legislator Alka Lamba.

His lawyer had earlier claimed that the BJP MLA has apologised and so has his party and therefore he be allowed to sit in the sessions.

The court, however, has not yet issued any interim direction allowing the legislator to sit in the sessions.

The Delhi government had earlier alleged before the court that Sharma in the past too had engaged in "immoral, violent and appalling behaviour".

The government has also opposed the maintainability of Sharma's plea challenging his suspension.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Dynamic Random Access Memory Market - Trends and Forecasts by Technavio

Technavio analysts forecast the global dynamic random access memory (DRAM) market to grow at a CAGR of over 1% during the forecast period, according to their latest report.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005427/en/

Technavio has announced the release of their 'Global Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) Market 2017-2021' report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global DRAM market for 2017-2021. Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. The analysts have presented the various facets of the market with a focus on identifying the key industry influencers.

DRAM is one of the major components in any computing device, and so it has been responsible for the rapid growth in devices such as smartphones and computers. DRAM has increased the memory of computers at a lower price. This allows for a diverse set of more powerful technological products to be created for the market, which is necessary for mainstream technology consumers, who, with the help of DRAMs, can own powerful personal technology on a more affordable budget.

Request a sample report: https://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=57406

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Technavio hardware and semiconductor analysts highlight the following three factors that are contributing to the growth of the global DRAM market:







Shift of DRAM market from PCs to mobile devices

The demand for DRAM is increasing in various devices ranging from servers to mobile devices. In 2006, nearly 65% of DRAM shipments were used in desktops or laptops. However, the shipment of DRAMs in PCs came down by less than 50% in 2016 and will fall to less than 40% by the end of 2017. With the rapid adoption of wireless mobile devices, the market is slowly and steadily entering a phase where computers will become redundant for daily uses and applications.

Exits in DRAM market

From 2010 to 2014, a number of DRAM suppliers either reduced their presence or exited the market completely. Taiwan is no longer the mainstream supplier, while notable DRAM makers like Qimonda (News - Alert) of Germany filed for bankruptcy and Elpida Memory of Japan was acquired by Micron Technology.

Navin Rajendra, an industry expert in embedded systems research from Technavio, says, "By the end of 2017, only three DRAM manufacturers, Samsung and SK HYNIX of South Korea and the US-based Micron Technology (News - Alert), will lead the market. With fewer entities to influence the market, a more conservative approach toward capacity expansion is expected, and more stable growth can follow."

Process deceleration

"There is a slower pace of advances in DRAM manufacturing processes. Each new generation of DRAM manufacturing technology presently takes longer to arrive. The engineering challenges associated with shrinking DRAM size smaller than 30 nm and eventually below 20 nm are considerable. Because of this delay, shipments in end-products get affected, and the customer demands cannot be met on time," says Navin.

Top vendors:

Samsung (News - Alert) Electronics

SK HYNIX

Micron Technology

Browse Related Reports:

Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like displays, lighting, and sensors. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected].

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005427/en/
Cutting across party lines, various political leaders today condemned a BJP youth leader's offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and demanded his immediate arrest.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, the party in- charge in West Bengal said he condemns such statements which propagate violence.

"We do not agree with such remarks. There is anger against Mamataji for her appeasement politics, but (we) cannot support violence. We condemn such statements," Vijayvargiya said.

The bounty was announced by Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.

The party's West Bengal unit president, Dilip Ghosh, said his party was against politics of violence and hatred and demanded action against him.

"Such statements have nothing to do with the healthy politics. This is nothing but a reflection of an unstable mind," Ghosh told reporters.

The Congress and the Left Front also came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Yogesh Varshney for his remarks against Banerjee.

"We are against such cheap statements. Such statements not only propagate violence but also create an atmosphere of polarisation. Immediate action should be taken against him," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

"Strong action should be taken against him. The police should immediately take action. This is completely barbaric and uncivilised," senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

Ghosh, however, questioned the silence of the intellectuals and opposition parties when a Muslim cleric, considered close to the Trinamool Congress, had issued a fatwa against him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"I saw so many intellectuals and opposition parties protesting against the offer of bounty. What were they doing when an Imam issued fatwa against me and Prime Minister? Had there been protest then, it would have sent out a strong message against such elements," Ghosh said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today announced it would stage state-wide protests outside retail liquor outlets in the state on April 18.

"BJP will continue with its protests to ensure that not a single additional retail liquor outlet is opened in the state."



"On April 18, BJP will stage protest across major liquor retail outlets in the state," the party's state President Tamilisai Sounderrajan said in a statement.

She said the protest would be "apolitical" and involve like-minded people who are against liquor, including common citizens.

Protests have erupted in various parts of Tamil Nadu over relocation of liquor shops that were closed following a Supreme Court order banning their presence within 500 metres from a highway.

People, especially women, and anti-liquor activists have been protesting against relocation of such shops.

Liquor sales in Tamil Nadu is nationalised and various brands of alcohol are sold through state-run retail outlets managed by Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).

Liquor sales is a cash cow for the Tamil Nadu government as it rings in nearly Rs 26000 crore annual revenue.

The AIADMK government has, keeping with its May 2016 poll promise, shut down a total of 1000 retail outlets as part of its efforts to implement prohibition in a phased manner.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Accused of working to split the Odisha's ruling BJD, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today said the BJP will welcome "clean and strong" leaders from other parties if they show commitment to the Prime Minister.

"We want to strengthen our party. Whoever is committed to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah are welcome to join us. We will welcome clean and strong leaders," Pradhan, a key BJP leader from Odisha, told reporters.

There have been reports, fuelled by war of words between some BJD leaders including Lok Sabha members, that a section of its leaders is inclined to split the party to join the BJP, which has emerged stronger in the state following the local body polls.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had met the party MPs in Parliament during a visit to the national capital and trashed split talks, blaming the BJP for fuelling such "false" reports.

The BJP has instead blamed internal discord within the regional party and maintained that it has no role in it.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The BJP's youth wing today disowned its leader Yogesh Varshney, who had announced a Rs 11 lakh bounty on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head, and demanded legal action against him.

"BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney, and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him as per law," Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha said in a statement, adding Varshney was expelled two years ago from the party.

Varshney today courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for TMC chief Banerjee's head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.

"BJYM has nothing to do with Yogesh Varshney. BJYM has no alignments to the statements made by him about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee," BJYM said.

However, the party added that it will not be wrong to say that the law and order situation in West Bengal is the worst.

It also alleged that Trinamool Congress goons resort to unlawful activities and violence against the BJP which opposes the "goondaraj" of the Mamata-led regime, it said.

"Recent attacks on party workers during the visit of our BJYM National President Poonam Mahajan show the cowardice and desperation of the Trinamool Congress against the growing base of BJP in West Bengal," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Major political parties including BJP today condemned as "barbaric" a saffron youth wing leader's offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with his remark setting off an uproar in Parliament.

The TMC, which is led by Banerjee, demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), while the BJP distanced itself from the controversial remark.

The Centre also roundly condemned the statement and said the West Bengal government was free to take legal action against Varshney.

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?



"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this.If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said in Aligarh while criticising the police action on a rally in Suri in Birbhum district in West Bengal where slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti yesterday were raised.

In an apparent reference to the remark, Banerjee said one can threaten or call her names, but cannot scare her. Without naming anyone, Banerjee said, "They can abuse me, vilify me and conspire against me. They can abuse me as much as they want. I pray to God to forgive them. They do not know what they are saying. I will not say anything more."



The BJYM on its part disowned Varshney and demanded legal action against him.

"BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney, and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him as per law," it said in a statement, adding Varshney was expelled two years ago from the party.

As the Parliament roundly condemned the statement, the Centre said the West Bengal government was "free to take legal action" against him.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress(TMC) members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the statement, saying "a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon."



He said the Centre was trying to "unleash a reign of terror" in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "I strongly condemn such type of statements. The state government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue".

"On such people action can be taken under the the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course," Kurian said, adding that "you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that".

BSP chief Mayawati termed it as a "serious matter" and said "BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action."



Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.

Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take "aggressive" steps for protection of women. "You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities," she added.

"How dare somebody talk like this", especially against women Chief Minister paticularly when women are feeling insecure. "Is this the way you are going to protect women," Bachchan asked.

BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and "I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a women should answer this."



In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader's bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. "This is completely wrong. All sides must exercise restraint."



Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said "Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it."



Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty."



TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata that the threat has been issued by "rogue element of politics" and asked why Varshney was not arrested immediately.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in-charge of the party in West Bengal, said that he condemned such statement which propagated violence.

"We do not agree with such remarks. There is anger against Mamataji for her appeasement politics, but (we) cannot support violence. We condemn such statements."



BJP's West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh said his party was against politics of violence and hatred and demanded action against him.

"Such kind of statements have nothing to do with healthy politics. This is nothing but a reflection of an unstable mind," Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata.

The Congress and the Left Front also came down heavily on Varshney.

"We are against such cheap statements. Such kind of statements not only propagate violence but also create an atmosphere of polarisation. Immediate action should be taken against him," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

"Strong action should be taken against him. Police should immediately take action. This is completely barbaric and uncivilised," senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
: People from different walks of life, including farmers, students and general public, today launched a blood signature campaign to express solidarity with farmers agitating in the national capital for over a month.

Their thumb impressions with blood was affixed on paper expressing support to the farmers, who are demanding waiver of nationalised bank loans, constitution of Cauvery Management board and drought relief of Rs 40,000 crore.

There was a plan to collect two lakh thumb impressions and send it to the President, seeking his intervention on the issues affecting ryots, police said.

Farmers' belonging to Apolitical Farmers' Association, present at the venue, accused the Centre of neglecting the interest of Tamil Nadu farmers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
If a common man lands up in jail in India, the experience is often traumatising. But does it hold true for a VIP inmate as well?



Through interesting anecdotes about the prison lives of the rich and powerful Indians, a new book takes a look into the facilities these criminals are offered while they serve their sentences behind the bars.

Authored by city-based journalist Sunetra Choudhury, "Behind Bars: Prison Tales of India's most famous" sheds light on the extent the rules have been bent for criminals like Sanjeev Nanda, Vikas and Vishal Yadav, Anca Varma and Manu Sharma, who were given special benefits, including frequent exits on parole and furlough for their "good behaviour".

In 2016, Choudhary got a phone call from an undisclosed number asking for some information about the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"The woman on the other side had a foreign accent," she recalls.

"It took me a couple of seconds to figure out who she was. I was a little confused because the last I heard about Anca Neascu Verma was that she was in jail for various CBI cases along with her husband, Abhishek," says Choudhary.

During the course of the phone call, the author realised that Verma had a personal LCD television in her cell on which she would watch Star World.

"That's what got me involved and the more I got to know, the more I wanted to find out - an obsession which became a book," Choudhary told PTI.

From fascinating accounts of how Peter Mukherjea spends his day in his 4 ft x 4 ft cell in Arthur Road Jail, to inside stories of visitors for Amar Singh during his four fateful days, the book features VVIP inmates like Rajesh and Nupur Talwar (Noida double murder case), Indrani Mukerjea (Sheena Bora murder case) and Saharasri Subrata Roy among others.

"The Talwars traded their skills as doctors in servicing the jail staff and their families in return for a relatively comfortable life inside. But the problem was talking to me about it would only jeopardise their interests," Choudhary writes in the introduction to the book.

According to her, Subrata Roy had been the only person who enjoyed benefits that had "never been seen by anybody in prison before".

"The Supreme Court may have sent him to prison in 2014 for not paying back his depositors Rs 20,000 crore, but they had also given him benefits which had never been seen by anybody before in prison before. Subrata Roy is the first person in the history of Tihar Jail to have comforts of air- conditioning," writes Choudhary.

The court had asked Sahara to return the money to regulator SEBI, though the group claims to have refunded the depositors directly.

She claims even former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi didn't enjoy the same luxury as Roy did in the old court complex of Tihar Jail.

"Whether you are A Raja or Pappu Yadav, the best you could have in luxury was a cooler, tiled floors and a cell to yourself which you could furnish with a bed.

"But, because the court allowed Roy to use the video conference facilities, it had meeting and conference rooms. Even Indira Gandhi didn't have this comfort when she came to stay here," she writes.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Foreign hackers may have attacked the voter registration website for the Brexit referendum in June last year, a group of British MPs said today.

The website had crashed on registration deadline day, June 7, weeks before the referendum on Britain's membership of the 28-nation bloc European Union (EU) on June 23.

At the time, the UK government had attributed the crash to high demand and extended the registration deadline.

However, MPs on the House of Commons Public Administration Committee said in a report today that a foreign cyber-attack could not be ruled out.

The report did not name the countries that may have been responsible for the crash.

"We do not rule out the possibility that there was foreign interference in the EU referendum caused by a DDOS (distributed denial of service attack) using botnets, though we do not believe that any such interference had any material effect on the outcome of the EU referendum," the report said.

"Lessons in respect of the protection and resilience against possible foreign interference in IT systems that are critical for the functioning of the democratic process must extend beyond the technical," it said.

The UK Cabinet Office, which ran the website, stressed that it did not suspect any "malign intervention".

"We have been very clear about the cause of the website outage in June 2016. It was due to a spike in users just before the registration deadline. There is no evidence to suggest malign intervention. We conducted a full review into the outage and have applied the lessons learned. We will ensure these are applied for all future polls and online services," a Cabinet Office statement said.

According to evidence submitted to the committee from the Association of Electoral Administrators, the electoral registration system "could not cope with the demand... And any contingency measures were wholly inadequate".

The committee called on the government to set up a new Cyber Security Centre to monitor and contain potential attacks on UK elections and referendums, particularly foreign attempts to influence public opinion and disrupt the democratic process.

"The US and UK understanding of 'cyber' is predominantly technical and computer-network based," said the report.

"For example, Russia and China use a cognitive approach based on understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals.

"The implications of this different understanding of cyber-attack, as purely technical or as reaching beyond the digital to influence public opinion, for the interference in elections and referendums are clear," the report said.

In its report, the committee has also criticised then prime minister David Cameron's "questionable" motives for calling a referendum in the first place, saying it had been done to "call the bluff" of his critics and shut down "unwelcome" debate.

It urged future governments to think carefully before promising nationwide votes on controversial issues, particularly if they are not prepared to implement an outcome they do not like.

"There was no proper planning for a Leave vote so the EU referendum opened up much new controversy and left the prime minister's credibility destroyed," the report added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was "dismayed" by Russia's veto today of a UN draft resolution on the suspected chemical attack in Syria.

"This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument," Johnson said in a statement issued in London.

Russia blocked a draft United Nations resolution demanding that the Syrian regime cooperated with an investigation into the attack, which the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

"The international community sought to make clear that any use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere is unacceptable and that those responsible will face consequences," Johnson said.

"So I am dismayed that Russia has once again blocked the UN Security Council and in so doing refused to condemn the use of chemical weapons or support a full UN investigation into the attack.

"This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument. But it doesn't have to be this way."



He said the Group of Seven industrial powers were ready to work with Russia to end the six-year civil war in Syria by finding a political solution, and were unanimous that Assad had "no long term future" in the country.

"So Russia faces a choice: it can continue acting as a lifeline for Assad's murderous regime, or it could live up to its responsibilities as a global power, and use its influence over the regime to bring six long years of failed ceasefires and false dawns to an end," said Johnson.

Britain, France and the United States put forward the UN draft resolution in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 87 dead, including 31 children.

British analysis of samples from the site concluded that sarin, or a substance like it, was used. Britain believes it is "highly likely the Assad regime was responsible", Johnson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Devinder Singh Bunty of Delhi, better known as 'Bunty chor' was today convicted of burgling the house of a non-resident Indian businessman here in 2013.

The District and Session Court found 'Bunty' guilty of various penal offences including those under sections 437, 461 and 380 of the Indian Penal Code for burgling the NRI's fort- like house and decamping with some costly gadgets in car parked there.

After convicting Bunty, the court fixed May 22 for sentencing him after the prosecution sought enhanced jail term for the notorious criminal.

The prosecution counsel argued for enhanced sentence, saying there were hundreds of cases pending against him in several courts.

As per the prosecution, Bunty had broken into NRI's house on January 21 2013 after disabling the high-tech security systems like intruder alarm.

After lifting a laptop and some other costly gadgets, he had decamped in a luxury car parked in the house.

Bunty enjoyed the status of a 'skilled conman' and even had brief stint in a a television reality show some time back.

He was arrested by Kerala police from Pune after he gave them the slip.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] Hover Camera Passport Introduces New User Interface -- Now Available Exclusively on Apple.com and in Apple Stores

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Zero Zero Robotics, the forward-thinking robotics company pioneering the future of consumer-friendly, smart robotics, today announced that its flagship flying camera, Hover Camera Passport (Passport), is now available exclusively on Apple.com and in Apple stores in five countries and regions. A category leader among consumer-grade autonomous flying cameras, Passport is breaking ground by offering customers an accessible self-flying camera, that powered by proprietary artificial intelligence, allows anyone to operate it out of the box in both indoor and outdoor environments. Available on Apple.com and in Apple stores across the United States, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom, the Hover Camera Passport Apple-exclusive bundle (USD $499.95) includes a Passport, the flagship travel-friendly size flying camera, along with the essentials: two batteries, one charger, adapter and an easy-carry bag. Starting in select Apple stores today, customers can see a demonstration of Hover Camera Passport in flight and the use of the facial recognition and gesture control features. "We're thrilled to bring autonomous flying photography into the hands of consumers who are excited by truly innovative technology that impact their everyday lives," said MQ Wang, Founder and CEO of Zero Zero Robotics. "We want more customers to capture their memories in a near-effortless way through breathtaking perspectives that can only be achieved through Hover Camera Passport." What's New with Hover Camera Passport New updates to Passport's user interface and editig capabilities are setting a new precedent for self-flying personal photography devices, as well as making this the most user-friendly flying camera drone and content sharing platform on the market to date:



Apple Video Compatibility - Passport is now compatible with Apple video editing software including iMovie and Final Cut Pro X. Now, by simply connecting your Passport to a Mac device, you can seamlessly download your photo and video content for easy sharing and editing.

- Passport is now compatible with Apple video editing software including iMovie and Final Cut Pro X. Now, by simply connecting your Passport to a Mac device, you can seamlessly download your photo and video content for easy sharing and editing. New User Interface - A brand new, even more user-friendly, user interface has been integrated into the Passport and its companion app (including Owner Mode, which was announced at CES). The revolutionary update rethinks the traditional flying camera user experience and is designed to guide and educate consumers, with no prior knowledge or experience with a flying camera, on how to operate Passport out of the box.

- A brand new, even more user-friendly, user interface has been integrated into the Passport and its companion app (including Owner Mode, which was announced at CES). The revolutionary update rethinks the traditional flying camera user experience and is designed to guide and educate consumers, with no prior knowledge or experience with a flying camera, on how to operate Passport out of the box. Automated Media Editing - Available via the Hover Camera App, Passport will use machine learning to instantly create bite-sized, moving clips of your moments by selecting and editing your best photos and videos to share with family and friends. "These critical updates that make Hover Camera Passport even easier to use, will guide users to a truly out-of-the-box flying robot through Hover Camera Passport," said MQ Wang. "Our team has been working hard to continue to give consumers the most user-friendly experience with a flying camera." Hover Camera Passport is available on Apple.com and in Apple stores in the United States, Canada, Mainland China, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom starting today and will be available in additional countries and regions next month. The accompanying Hover Camera App for iPhone and iPad is available on the App Store.

For more information, please visit GetHover.com/Apple.

For images and additional media assets, please visit here.

Watch the brand video introducing the new user interface here. About Zero Zero Robotics: Co-founded in 2014 by former Twitter software engineer and Stanford PhD, MQ Wang, and Stanford PhD Tony Zhang, Zero Zero Robotics is a forward-thinking robotics company pioneering the future of smart flying consumer robotics that empower people to enhance their lives. Zero Zero Robotics' flagship Hover Camera product, Hover Camera Passport, is an artificially intelligent, self-flying personal photographer designed using proprietary Embedded AI technology to capture your wanderlust moments on-the-go. Zero Zero Robotics is headquartered in Beijing, with offices in San Francisco, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou. For more information about Hover Camera Passport, visit https://GetHover.com. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hover-camera-passport-introduces-new-user-interface----now-available-exclusively-on-applecom-and-in-apple-stores-300438683.html SOURCE Zero Zero Robotics Inc.

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Terming Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan a "Khalistani sympathiser", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today said he would not meet him during his expected visit to India later this month.

"Harjit Sajjan is a Khalistani sympathiser and so was his father," the Chief Minister alleged during a programme in a private TV channel.

"There were, in fact, five ministers in the Justin Trudeau government who were Khalistani sympathisers and I will not have any truck with them," he claimed.

On the issue of beef ban, the Punjab Chief Minister said, people has the right to and should be allowed to eat whatever they want.

Amarinder also made it clear he was not in favour of a ban on Pakistani artistes, and said he would be happy to invite them to Punjab and would also love to visit Pakistan again.

Urging New Delhi to be wary of China on the other border, he said it is time to mend fences and make friends with Pakistan.

Recalling England's 'War of Roses', the Chief Minister said the India-Pakistan tension is going the same way and needs to give way to peace.

Asserting that there a deliberate malicious attempt by vested interests to pull down Rahul Gandhi, he urged the people to give the Congress vice president a chance.

Amarinder said he had always found Rahul Gandhi extremely perceptive and willing to listen, besides being open to suggestions and ideas.

He admitted that the AAP had posed a challenge in the recently-concluded assembly polls, and claimed that their failure to project a Punjabi for the Chief Minister's post cost them heavy



AAP had no future unless they change their style of functioning, the Chief Minister said and states have to work with the Centre and it is important to maintain a working relationship.

Amarinder claimed that He had excellent relations with the previous NDA government at the Centre during his last tenure as the Chief Minister of Punjab.

Referring to his government's crackdown on drugs, he said with the STF launching a crackdown, things were moving in the right direction.

Hundreds of youngsters were voluntarily coming to the rehabilitation centres and the anti-drugs helpline had so far received more than 4,000 calls, Amarinder said



He, however, ruled out formation of an Unified Command of the northern Indian states, including Jammu and Kashmir, to fight drugs and terrorism.

Responding to a question, Amarinder said though the NIA had given a clean chit to former Gurdaspur SP Salwinder Singh in the Pathankot terror attack, he had not done the same and would bring the police officer to book.

On the contentious SYL issue, the Chief Minister reiterated his stand that the state had no water to spare and pointed out that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken note of his concern on the issue.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cash incentives are not enough to encourage mothers-to-be to use government maternal healthcare facilities, say scientists who found that less than 50 per cent of eligible women take advantage of the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) due to poor infrastucture at the hospitals.

An international team of researchers also found that the money given under the JSY scheme is less than the total expenses of facility-based childbirth, in terms of both monetary and real costs.

Instead of monetary benefits, the use of maternal healthcare facilities is largely driven by the grass-root level community health workers known as ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists), researchers said.

Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) is a safe motherhood intervention under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) being implemented with the objective of reducing maternal and neo-natal mortality by promoting institutional delivery among the poor pregnant women.

"Even when the government is giving free money and free medical care for pregnant women to use health facility for child birth, many people still do not use health facility for child birth," Dr Sukumar Vellakkal, from the Azim Premji University in Bangalore, told PTI.

"For example, in year 2011-12, in Uttar Pradesh - one of the largest Indian states - only 60 per cent of the pregnant women had used health facility for child birth, and only 39 per cent pregnant women had availed JSY cash incentive," said Vellakkal, the lead author of the study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.

Researchers, including those from the Public Health Foundation of India in New Delhi, the University of Adelaide in Australia and Lancaster University in the UK, conducted in-depth interviews of new mothers in states covered by the JSY scheme, such as UP, Jharkhand and Bihar.

The study identified several real cost components, consisting of discomfort of staying at an institutional delivery care facility without family members, inability to attend the regular needs of other children and elderly family members, interruptions in spouses' employment participation, and neglect of livestock and agriculture.

"When we stay at hospital for 3-4 days, who will take care of our children and parents, who will take care of our agriculture and animals?" a 26-year-old woman respondent from Jharkhand, who did not avail the scheme for her child birth, told researchers.

"We don't know how long we need to stay at hospital. Mine is not a government job, and if I don't go to my daily job, they will find another person to replace me," another respondent said.

The study also found that people trusted in the skills of traditional birth attendants over the need for medical care. They also had the notion that childbirth is a 'natural event' requiring no institutional delivery care.

"In addition, though the JSY offer cash incentive, there is some deficiency in the provision of health services in the public hospitals," said Vellakkal.

"Specifically, most public hospitals are unable to treat birth complications as a barrier, resulting in referrals mostly to private facilities," he added.

"To improve the uptake of the programme, there is a need of improving the support services of the community health workers focused on marginalised populations, along with better public healthcare facilities," said Vellakkal.

"Considering the diverse socioeconomic and cultural characteristics of the Indian population that can variously influence the decision of whether or not to use health facility for child birth, we should not give more importance to the market-based approaches such as conditional cash transfers," he said.

"Equally important is to address critical gaps around quality of care at the public primary healthcare facilities," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Unidentified



miscreants snatched a bag containing Rupees two lakh from a couple near a deserted village road in Kendrapara district today, police said.

The motorcycle-borne miscreants snatched the handbag of Gourahari Nath's wife who was riding pillion on her husband's two-wheeler at Sabalakanta village.

The couple was returning home after withdrawing the money from a nationalized bank in Chandol.

Even before they could raise an alarm, the criminals sped away, police officials said.

The police launched a manhunt to nab the offender.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested four directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited for allegedly cheating consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2240 crore.

Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal have been arrested on the complaint of Punjab Bank (PNB), the sources said.

It is alleged that the four accused used more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds, they said.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the sources said.

The PNB alleged that the company had diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium.

Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, they said.

The accused will be produced before the Patiala House Court on Wednesday.
Four directors of a company which manufactured tobacco fragnance have been arrested by the CBI for allegedly cheating a consortium of public sector and private banks to the tune of Rs 2,240 crore.

Directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited--Chairman Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal-- have been arrested by the CBI on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB).

CBI Spokesperson R K Gaur said they have been sent to 10 days of agency's custody.

The company manufactured fragrance used in various tobacco products commonly called 'zarda'.

The accused named in the CBI FIR registered in 2014 have been arrested as the agency suspected that they were trying to flee the country, the CBI sources said.

They said the directors were not cooperating with the agency and were allegedly reluctant to share details of the purported fund diversion.

The agency has alleged that the directors used more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds, they said.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the CBI sources said.

The company was given a loan of over Rs 2,000 crore by a consortium of 20 banks, including four private banks, the sources said.

They said the account of the company was declared as non- performing asset in July, 2012 when the total outstanding towards company was Rs 2,066 crore which swelled to Rs 2,240 crore when the FIR was registered in 2014.

The CBI alleged that the company had availed working capital by fudging account books, stock statement and accounts of people.

The sources said the probe so far shows that there was no genuine business.

The agency has registered five cases against the company so far out of which charge sheets have been filed in two. Probe is underway in three cases.

The funds given as loan by the banks were used for purposes other than those they were meant for, the CBI alleged.

According to the books of the company, the stock of perfumery items were shown to be Rs 887 crore to the banks but the investigation showed that only Rs five crore worth stock was available with it, the sources said.

"The said firm also allegedly diverted Rs 376 crore out of the working capital limit obtained from consortium of banks to six wholly owned foreign subsidiaries based in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Indonesia, Ghana and China. Further investigation is continuing," Gaur said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre today told the Supreme Court that its verdict in the alleged extra-judicial killings case in Manipur has "negated" the protection available to the armed forces under the AFSPA during anti-militancy operations.

In a curative petition seeking recall of the verdict of July 8 last year as well as the order dismissing the review plea, the government said that the action taken by the army during such operations "cannot be put to judicial scrutiny".

Officers and men in the armed forces, engaged in counter- insurgency operations, are required to be given requisite measures of protection, it said.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, mentioned the issue before a bench headed by Chief Justice J S Khehar and said it was a "very, very important matter" having far-reaching consequences as the armed forces were engaged in such operations regularly in areas in the north-east as well as in Jammu and Kashmir.

The bench, also comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul, agreed to hear the curative plea in which it has been alleged that the army and paramilitary forces are combat forces and there should not be this kind of a fetter on them in anti-militancy operations.

The bench also told Rohatgi, "Either you bring it within the parameters of a curative petition and if you do not bring it within the parameters of a curative petition, we cannot help you."



When the attorney general referred to counter-insurgency operations in the north-east and J-K, the bench said, "Okay. We will see it."



The apex court, in its verdict delivered on July 8 last year, had given the police liberty to probe the role of the armed forces in alleged encounter cases in areas where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is in force.

In its petition, the Centre has said there is "error apparent on the face of record" in the verdicts passed by the apex court and it has "hampered" the ability of the armed forces to respond to "insurgent and terrorist situations".

"If the position maintained by impugned order continues, it may, one day, be well-nigh impossible to maintain peace and security. The Indian Army has to, in given circumstances, take quick decisions which cannot be dissected later on like an appeal against the ordinary murder appeal," it said.

Regarding the issue of alleged human rights violation by the armed forces while operating in "disturbed areas" under the AFSPA, the government has said that as per the data, 18,670 insurgents were arrested by the security forces from 1990 to 2015 in Manipur as compared to 1,881 who died in the encounters.

"The army and Assam Rifles have paid a heavy price for their diligence and sincerity and have lost 928 personnel at the hands of insurgents with 1,463 injured while operating in Manipur from 1990 to 2015," it said.

The plea said that the apex court's directions, including that allegations of use of "excessive and retaliatory force" by the armed forces in Manipur must be probed, have far- reaching ramifications on the security and integrity of the country, especially in areas which are plagued with constant militant and insurgency activities.

"The Indian Army has a record of maintaining the highest level of humanity and is not a rogue army. Human rights and respect for the life of a human being are kept at the highest pedestal," the plea said.

Counter-insurgency operations are combat operations which are inherently dangerous and mostly unpredictable and security personnel cannot be prosecuted for taking part in such operations, it said.

The Centre also said that the apex court had proceeded on an incorrect premise that there "is no war-like situation" in Manipur as the armed forces are confronted with secessionist and terror groups which are waging war against India.

"This court ought to have appreciated that the principles of the right to self defence cannot be strictly applied while dealing with militants and terrorist elements in a hostile and unstable terrain.

"This court ought to have taken into account the complexity and the reality of the conduct of military operations and tactics especially while combating terrorists," the curative plea said.

It said that judicial review of military operations will have damaging consequences for operational effectiveness and may erode the fighting power.

The apex court's verdict last year on investigating the role of the armed forces in encounter cases had come on a petition alleging that the forces were misusing the protection under the AFSPA in Manipur during anti-militancy operation.

It had observed that the situation in Manipur has "never been one of war" and killing of citizens on suspicion that they are the "enemy" gravely endangers democracy.

The court had also held that use of "excessive force" by the armed forces or police was not permissible in 'disturbed areas' under the draconian AFSPA.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Chair's rulings have been violated by the government, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said today protesting that no time was allotted on his substantive montion on the role of the Goa Governor for inviting the BJP to form government there, ignoring his party.

Noting that the motion had been admitted by the Rajya Sabha Chairman for discussion, Singh said "today is the last day of this session. Time has not been allotted on my motion ... This is unfortunate".

Raising this issue during the Zero Hour, the Congress leader said the Chair's ruling has been not followed and his interest was not protected.

"The proceedings in the House are held in accordance with your rulings. Your rulings have been violated. You are not able to protect my interests," Singh said.

The Congress leader has been raising the matter virtually on a daily basis in the House, wanting to know when his substantive motion would be taken up for discussion.

In response, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien had yesterday said the Chair cannot do much as the motion could be listed for discussion only after the government allotted time for it.

Singh had then said the Goa Governor "has acted unconstitutionally" in not inviting the single largest party, Congress, to form the government in the state after the assembly elections, adding that democracy was "murdered" in Goa. He had also said "my right is being denied" by the government by not allotting time to debate the matter.

Raising another issue, Pratap Singh Bajwa (Congress) demanded that airports at Pathankot, Bhatinda and Ludhiana should be operationalised soon.

He said Pathankot was the gateway for Jammu & Kashmir and lower parts of Himachal Pradesh and there should be flights linking this city with Delhi as well as Srinagar, Dharamshala, Kullu and Leh.

Bajwa demanded that there should be direct flights from Amritsar and Mohali to international destinations as the state produces lot of perishable fruits and vegetables.

"There is a certain lobby sitting in Delhi which does not want the Punjab airports to succeed," he said and sought the Civil Aviation Minister's intervention and "not leave this to the bureaucracy."



K V P Ramachandra Rao (Cong) raised the issue of youths getting habituated to narcotics, gaanja, opium and other such products. He asked the government to restrict cultivation of gaanja and poppy for the benefit of youth and future of the nation.

Hussain Dalwai (Cong) raised the issue of lay-offs in the media industry and said there is no security for journalists. He demanded that there should be pension scheme for journalists.

Tazeen Fatima (SP) demanded passing of a resolution condemning a member of the Central Waqf Council for defaming noted freedom fighter and scholar Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar in a TV interview. She demanded his removal from the Council. Several opposition members associated with her demand.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Clashes erupted as Chile's raucous student movement held its first protest of the year for free education, with students hurling stones and police firing tear gas.

Tens of thousands of students flooded the streets of central Santiago yesterday, protesting an education reform bill they say does not go far enough in overhauling an expensive and unequal education system that dates to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).

Following the protest, the education committee in the lower house of Congress voted against sending the bill to the floor for debate. That will now force President Michelle Bachelet and her team to go back to the drawing board.

"I would love to vote for education reform, but don't ask us to vote for this frustrating and disappointing bill," said independent lawmaker Giorgio Jackson, a former student leader.

The bill would have expanded access to free university education, with the number of beneficiaries based on Chile's economic growth in any given year.

That does not go far enough, say student protesters, who want free tuition with no strings attached.

Clashes erupted as the protest got under way. Rowdy groups of students -- many wearing masks and dressed in black -- threw stones at the heavy contingent of riot police standing guard.

Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them. The protest then unfolded peacefully, but new clashes broke out at the end.

Thirty people were arrested and six police officers injured, officials said.

Organizers said 90,000 people had joined the protest. Police put the figure at 35,000.

Bachelet won the election in 2013 vowing to reform the highly privatized education and pension systems.

But both projects have drawn violent protests in recent months.

With the leftist president's popularity dented by a lackluster economy and a series of corruption scandals, it is unclear whether she will manage to pass the reforms before elections in November to choose her successor.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China on Wednesday successfully launched a new communication satellite which will enable passengers of high-speed trains to watch high-definition videos smoothly and help those at the scene of natural disasters.

Shijian-13, China's first high-throughput communications satellite, was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China's southwestern Sichuan Province.

The satellite, with a transfer capacity of 20 Gbps and a designed orbital life of 15 years, was sent into orbit on a Long March-3B carrier rocket, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The satellite, which has a higher message capacity than the combined capacity of all of China's previous communications satellites, is capable of providing better Internet access on planes and high-speed trains, as well as in less-developed regions.

While in orbit, the satellite will undergo tests on its broadband multimedia satellite communications system and the high-speed laser communication technology between the ground and the satellite.

"The launch is a milestone for China's communications satellite technology," said Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence.

Different from previous satellites fuelled by chemicals, Shijian-13 is the first Chinese satellite to be powered by electricity.

Using electricity as propellant could potentially improve efficiency by as much as 10 times compared with those that use chemicals as a propellant, said Zhou Zhicheng, commander in chief of Shijian-13 satellite system.

Zhou added that it can also help extend satellite life and reduce launch weight significantly.

For the first time, a large number of domestic components have been used on the communications satellite. It is also the first time a laser communications system has been installed on a Chinese high orbit satellite with a long lifespan, Xinhua added.
A Chinese official today called on Taiwanese people to fight against "Taiwan independence", calling it as the greatest threat to cross-Strait peace and stability.

"Any cultural de-sinicisation by separatist forces in an attempt to sever the island's links with Chinese culture is doomed to fail and will be opposed by people on both sides," An Fengshan, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the central government here said at a press conference.

"The mainland and Taiwan belong to one China and Chinese culture is the common spiritual home shared by people across the Strait," sate-run Xinhua agency quoted him as saying.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of the mainland, is wary of present Taiwanese PresidentTsaiIng-wen who had scaled down ties with Beijing to maintain Taiwanese independent identity.

China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be brought back into its fold, by force if necessary, even though the island has been self-governing since the two sides split after a civil war in 1949.

Ties have worsened since President Tsai Ing-wen took power last year, ending an eight-year rapprochement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Global e-Passport Market to Grow at a CAGR of 26% through 2021: Technavio

The global e-passport market is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 26% during the forecast period, according to Technavio's latest market research.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005404/en/

Technavio has announced the release of their 'Global e-Passport Market 2017-2021' report. (Photo: Business Wire)

In this market research report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the global e-passport market for 2017-2021. The market is further categorized into three application segments, comprising of hardware, software and services.

"Illegal immigration, trans-border crimes, and increasing thefts are among the several factors that drive the market growth. E-passports ensure faster security checks and verification of individuals at airports and international borders. The need to enhance the safety of citizens, strengthen international border security, and lower the rate of passport and visa fraud contributes to the growth of the global e-passport market," says Amrita Choudhury, a lead enterprise application research expert from Technavio.

Technavio's ICT research analysts segment the global e-passport market into the following regions:

Americas

EMEA

APAC

E-passport market in Amercias

The e-passport market in the Americas is expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 26% during the forecast period. The Americas has the highest adoption rate of e-passport technology compared to other regions.

The rapid advances in technology are expected to induce a shift toward other biometric technologies such as facial recognition. SITA, an air transport solution provider that is based in Geneva, Switzerlnd, has upgraded automated passport control (APC (News - Alert)) kiosks in Orlando International Airport with facial recognition technology. The upgrade was implemented to comply with new regulations from the US Customs and Border Protection agency.







New regulations mandate that American airports should equip their APC kiosks with facial recognition capabilities. In July 2015, Japanese company NEC (News - Alert) received a contract to deploy biometric technology at 14 international airports in Brazil, including Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport in Rio de Janeiro and Governador Andre Franco Montoro International Airport in Sao Paolo.

Request a sample report: https://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=56101

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

E-passport market in APAC

The e-passport market in APAC is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 46% during the forecast period. The governments of countries such as Bangladesh and India, are planning to introduce e-passport services to reduce the hassles associated with document processing at airports. The implementation of border control technology will also boost the country's national security measures at departure terminals.

"The use of biometric technologies enables security personnel to focus their attention on the surveillance of high-risk travelers. The service would spare passengers from the long processing time at immigration desks to get clearance," says Amrita.

E-passport market in EMEA

European nations, including Germany, the UK, and France, were the early adopters of biometric technology for various purposes like border control, airport security, identity security, and law enforcement.

E-passports are equipped with enhanced security features to authenticate the citizenship of travelers. Many countries have introduced a wide range of procedures and computerized methods to eliminate passport frauds and address the concerns that are associated with international business and personal security.

The top vendors in the global e-passport market as highlighted in this market research analysis are:

Gemalto

Giesecke & Devrient

Infineon Technologies (News - Alert)

Safran Identity & Security

Oberthur Technologies

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About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at [email protected].

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005404/en/
China's largest private ophthalmic medical chain Aier Eye Hospital has said it will buy Europe's biggest eye clinic group for over USD 160 million.

Aier Eye Hospital said it will purchase Spain's Clinica Baviera S A, the largest eye clinic group in Europe, by spending USD 161 million to buy 59.3 per cent of shares in Baviera through its subsidiary in Europe.

Chen Bang, chairman of the board of Aier Eye Group, described the purchase as "an important milestone" in the firm's development, state-run Xinhua agency reported.

Aier is China's largest private ophthalmic medical chain institution and went public on the Shenzhen stock market in 2009. By 2016, it had developed more than 160 specialised eye hospitals in China.

It acquired a medical group in Hong Kong in 2015 and a US eye center in January 2017.

Baviera, specialising in the laser eye surgery, has nearly 300 ophthalmologists and 76 eye clinics in Europe.

Its market share in laser eye surgery ranks first in Spain and Germany.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The police today arrested the prime accused in the vandalism at CMRI Hospital in the city following the death of a patient in February.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of police from Alipore Police Station arrested prime accused Mohammed Shakil who had been absconding since the incident happened in February, a senior official of Kolkata Police said.

The police had arrested three persons earlier on the basis of a CCTV footage which showed Shakil playing a big role in the vandalism following death of a 16-year-old girl at the hospital.

A mob of nearly 100 from nearby Babubazar in Kidderpore area had stormed the CMRI's Ekbalpore premises and broke glass panes, computers and other materials at the reception counter and billing office.

The other three arrested in the case are Rakesh Dhanuk (25), Jiauddin Sk (26) and Sk Sony (22).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress in Maharashtra today made it clear that the opposition parties in the state had come together only to jointly take up the demand for a farm loan waiver and not as part of an electoral alliance.

The Opposition parties in the state recently organised a "Sangharsh Yatra" jointly to highlight the plight of farmers and press for a loan waiver.

The Congress reaction came in the backdrop of the NCP advocating a larger alliance of non-BJP parties against the Devendra Fadnavis government.

"The Opposition unity was for struggle to get farmers their due against the backdrop of agrarian crisis. The decision on electoral alliances will be taken when the need arises and as per prevailing political situation," Congress spokesman Ratnakar Mahajan said.

The Congress and the NCP had snapped ties ahead of the local bodies elections including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in February this year.

They are also fighting separately the local polls to Chandrapur, Parbhani and Latur scheduled for April 19.

The national executive of NCP recently passed a resolution calling for a broad alliance of non-BJP parties.

"The NCP's national executive passed a resolution recently to pursue a wider non-BJP alliance. If the Sangharsh Yatra brings all non-BJP parties together in Maharashtra, it would be good," NCP spokesman Nawab Malik said.

Justifying the Opposition boycott of the recently concluded Budget session, Mahajan alleged that Fadnavis had side-stepped the issue of farm loan waiver despite hardships faced by farmers due to natural calamities in the last few years.

"The ruling side was responsible for the obstruction. The Shiv Sena briefly joined the Opposition protest in the legislative Assembly which was why the government suspended 19 MLAs in retaliation," Mahajan said.

He said the Opposition should go to the people to expose the Government.

"Opposition members participated in the proceedings of the Legislative Council. It was only in the Assembly that our members stayed away from the business of the House," Mahajan said.

Malik said the Opposition was united on the demand for farm loan waiver. The second phase of Sangharsh Yatra will cover north Maharashtra.

"Opposition is demanding loan waiver for farmers for last two years. If we don't get justice for farmers in the Legislature, we will go to the people to highlight the demand. In last two years, 9,000 farmers have committed suicide," said Malik.

Mahajan said after getting good response to the Sangharsh Yatra in first phase, the second phase of the Yatra will start from April 15.

Hitting out at the Chief Minister for saying that loan waiver is not the only solution and investment in agriculture was priority, Mahajan said, "the then Congress governments in the State and Centre invested in agriculture. We know farm loan waiver is not the only solution. But, it is neccessary now to provide immediate relief to the farmers."



"Farmers in the state are grappling with natural calamities like drought, unseasonal rains and also lack of good market prices for their produce," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Several contractual employees of various hospitals in the national capital today held a day-long protest at Jantar Mantar, demanding implementation of labour laws including minimum wages.

The protesting workers were from hospitals such as AIIMS Safdarjung hospital, DDU among others.

There are around 5,000 contractual employees engaged by more than 20 outsourcing companies who are working as guards, sanitation staff, house keeping, computer operators, lab technicians in different hospitals in the city.

Later, the protestors also submitted a memorandum to the Union labour minister, and labour secretary demanding implementation of minimum wages, weekly offs, national holidays, payments of wages on time etc.

They also demanded that the Supreme Court's judgement of 'Equal Work, Equal Pay' be implemented for all workers.

"There is gross violation of labour laws. If an employee takes weekly offs, his salary is cut. Also, the monthly payment is delayed till 20th of every month," a protesting worker said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Cool roof technologies like lime wash, mosaic tiles and cool paints can result in bringing down the roof temperature significantly, subsequently easing out impact of severe heat on dwellers, an expert has said.

"If you adopt this (cool roof) technology, when sun's rays hit the roof, it reflects back. But, if it is not white, it absorbs the heat. So the entire roof becomes hot. Sometimes it goes to the level 70 to 80 degree Centigrade," Associate Professor (Energy Area), Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), Rajkiran V Bilolikar told PTI.

"If you apply this cool paint, it reduces the temperature," he said.

He was interacting after giving a presentation on cool roof technologies at a workshop on 'Climate Change', organised by Centre for Media Studies in partnership with Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change and German Agency for International Cooperation here yesterday.

The roof temperature would be reduced by 20-30 degree Centigrade based on the materials used and it leads to reduction in room temperature by two to three degrees (Centigrade), he said.

Studies conducted in International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Hyderabad, and elsewhere in the world have proved that how cool roof technologies would help in reducing the impact of heat, Bilolikar claimed.

The cool roof technologies include lime wash, cool paint, mosaic tiles and shingles, he said.

Underprivileged groups, including residents of slums, can use white flex material instead of black-coloured materials, Bilolikar said.

Cool roof technology is being promoted to support the heat action plan announced by Telangana government, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A senior police official 'slapped' a woman protester during a crackdown on an anti-liquor agitation in neighbouring Tirupur district with the act, caught on camera, coming in for strong condemnation.

The incident occurred last evening in Shamalpuram when a group of people, including women, blocked a road demanding closure of state-owned TASMAC liquor outlet in the locality.

As the protesters refused to disperse, Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan slapped one of the women and pushed two others, asking them to move away from the road.

Protesting this, a section of the agitators allgedly pelted stones at the police, who resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.

Police said three persons were injured in the melee with one of them being hospitalised.

As the video showing the act went viral, various political parties, including DMK, condemned the 'police brutality'.

Shops in the locality remained shut today in protest against the police action.

The assault of the woman was raised in the Madras High Court this morning by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy and PMK's legal wing member K Balu, who sought action against the police official.

Following a special mention on the matter, a bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar agreed to hear their petitions later in the day.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Half of the MLAs in Delhi have criminal cases registered against them, Parliament was informed today.

The Delhi Police has registered criminal cases against 35 Delhi MLAs, Hansraj Ahir, Minister of State in the Home Ministry, said in a written reply in Rajya Sabha.

The AAP, which at present has 65 MLAs in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, has maintained that most of the cases against its legislators are "politically motivated".

To a question over the ongoing 'Office of Profit' row, Ahir said, "The Election Commission has informed that out of four references received against Delhi MLAs under the Government of NCT Delhi Act, 1991, on the grounds of holding 'Office of Profit', opinion of the poll panel has been given to the competent authority in respect of two references till date."



Currently, the Election Commission is hearing a complaint against 21 AAP MLAs, appointed as parliamentary secretaries, for allegedly holding Office of Profit.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China today warned India that the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh will have "negative impact" on the settlement of the border dispute and accused New Delhi of violating its commitment on the Tibet issue.

Chinese foreign ministry also said Beijing will take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the "provocative" statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who had said that the state only shares its border with Tibet, and not with China.

In the strongest comments since April 4, when the Dalai Lama began his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as Southern Tibet, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said their "provocative" statements "exceeded the scope of religious activities" as stated by India.

Lu said despite China's objection, India insisted on arranging the Dalai Lama's visit "in the disputed areas of the eastern section of the China-India boundary". He also said the "some specific Indian official" had indulged in provocative political statement but did not name Pema Khandu.

"It shows that the activity by the 14th Dalai Lama already exceeded so called scope of religious activities claimed by the Indian side," Lu said.

"What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two side through negotiations," it said.

"China has lodged representations with the Indian side (and) we will take further action to safeguard the territorial sovereignty and national security," he said without elaborating what measures Beijing would take.

Lu said the Dalai Lama's "disgraceful performance" will "have negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial dispute between India and China."



China is opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leader's visit to the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
China today warned India that the visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh will negatively impact the settlement of the border dispute and vowed to take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told reporters that provocative political statements by the Dalai Lama and an Indian official during the Tibetan spiritual leader's visit to the "disputed areas" have "already exceeded the scope of religious activities".

Lu said China will take "further action" to safeguard its sovereignty. "China has lodged representations with the Indian side. We will take further action to safeguard the territorial sovereignty and national security."



Lu said the Dalai Lama's "disgraceful performance" will "have negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial dispute between India and China."



China is opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaders's visit to the region.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today expressed his condolences on the demise of Dainik Bhaskar Group Chairman Ramesh Chandra Agrawal.

"Agrawal had contributed immensely in establishing the fourth estate - journalism," Das said.

"His loss is irreparable. May his soul rest in peace and God give strength to the bereaved family at this hour," the Jharkhand Chief Minister said.

Agrawal today died following a heart attack upon his arrival at Ahmedabad airport today. He was 73.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] New Natural Gas Mechanics Join PECO's Field Force

PECO (News - Alert) welcomed 12 new apprentice mechanics to the company's field force yesterday as they celebrated their graduation from a comprehensive natural gas training program. Natural gas school instructors and members of PECO leadership came together to congratulate the company's newest field employees on this significant professional accomplishment. The new apprentices will join the utility's front lines - helping to ensure safe and reliable natural gas service for more than 516,000 area customers. "The training our new apprentice mechanics received from our skilled instructors through this program provides the essential foundation for their careers at PECO," said Ron Bradley, vice president of Gas Operations. "Our field employees play a critical role in our mission to deliver safe and reliable natural gas to our customers and I'm proud to welcome them to the organization." PECO's training program develops the fundamental skills new apprentice mechanics need to work safely on the company's natural gas distribution system. More than 475 people applied for this year's program. The current 12 apprentices were selected after a series of interviews and physical assessments. PECO's Training department develops the curriculum for the natural gas training program and seasoned natural gas mechanicsinstruct and oversee the field work of the trainees. In addition to field maintenance and repair skills, the program focuses on natural gas fundamentals, quality customer interactions, emergency response, safety and first aid.



PECO, founded in 1881, is Pennsylvania's largest electric and natural gas utility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO delivers energy to more than 1.6 million electric customers and more than 516,000 natural gas customers in southeastern, Pennsylvania. The company's 2,500 employees are dedicated to the safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas as well as enhanced energy management conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. PECO is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's only Fortune 100 utility and leading competitive energy provider. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter. If you are a member of the media and would like to receive PECO news releases via email, please send your email address to [email protected].

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412006043/en/

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A delegation of DMK leaders today met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao here and demanded dismissal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and some other ministers after tax officials questioned Health Minister C Vijayabaskar in an alleged tax evasion case.

The party, in a memorandum, urged the Governor to dismiss the Chief Minister and other ministers allegedly involved in corruption, Raj Bhavan sources said.

The delegation comprised DMK leaders R S Bharathi, TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva.

The memorandum also highlighted some other issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu.

The Income Tax Department officials had earlier this week questioned Vijayabaskar and actor-politician Sarath Kumar in an alleged tax evasion case.

It also conducted searches at the official residence and properties owned by Vijayabaskar and at Sarath Kumar's home in Chennai on April seven.

The searches at the premises of an associate of Vijayabaskar had allegedly revealed routing of Rs 89 crore for distribution to voters in R K Nagar Assembly constituency, where a bypoll was originally scheduled for April 12.

The Election Commission has cancelled the bypoll, saying the electoral process has been "seriously vitiated" by parties through the use of money power.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Young Mizo Association (YMA) today urged the Mizoram government not to observe 'Digidhan Mela 2017' on April 14 as the day falls on Good Friday, the day Jesus Christ was crucified.

Majority of the people of Mizoram are Christians.

Central Coordination Committee, the second highest decision making authority of the YMA, also condemned the Centre for selecting that date for Digidhan Mela, a statement by the YMA said.

Selection of Good Friday, a sacred day for the Christians, as the day for observation of the Digidhan Mela was against the spirit of secularism, the YMA said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chandigarh Police today arrested two drug peddlers and recovered 35 grams of heroin from their possession.

The accused were identified as Vikas, a resident of Chandigarh and Sonu Goyal, a resident of Mohali, police said in a release here.

They were arrested from the road dividing Sector-44 and 45 here, it said.

During checking, 25.14 grams of heroin was recovered from Vikas and 10.14 grams from Sonu. A case under relevant sections of NDPS Act has been registered against them, police said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Delhi University has junked a proposal to introduce entrance examination for admission to undergraduate courses replacing the cut-off list system.

The varsity's Standing Committee on Admissions was earlier mulling admitting students through an entrance test rather than the existing criteria of cut-offs based on Class XII results.

The panel had also deliberated on various modalities -- whether the exam should be subjective or objective, entrance should be made the sole criteria for admissions or there should be a weightage ascribed to both.

However, the university has informed the HRD Ministry that it has decided to continue with the old admission process.

"DU has informed that it would continue with the admission process which was followed for various undergraduate courses last year. It is not introducing admission through entrance test in any course this year and there are no fresh guidelines in this regard," a senior HRD Ministry official said.

As previously, the university will conduct entrance examination for eight professional courses only -- BMS, BBE, BBA, BTech, BA Humanities and Social Sciences, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Bachelor in Multimedia and Mass Communication and Bachelor or Science in Physical Education.

The admissions panel had in January said that if the entrance examination is introduced, the admission process which usually begins by May end will begin two months in advance.

A senior DU official, who is member of the admissions committee said, "We had made certain recommendations but the varsity has decided not to go ahead with it as the plan requires more feasibility study before it is placed before the statutory bodies."



The varsity had last year moved online for the undergraduate admission process. After registering themselves on DU's admission portal, the students are required to upload self-attested and scanned copies of their documents after following the instructions and then make the payment online.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Observing that environment cannot be massacred in name of development, the Bombay High Court today asked the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation to prove it did not damage a children park while executing its Line III project.

A bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice G S Kulkarni gave this order while hearing pleas of the Churchgate and Cuffe Parade residents of South Mumbai challenging the proposed felling of over 5,000 trees to execute the Seepz- Colaba Metro Line III project.

The high court had earlier directed the MMRCL not to cut any tree till further orders.

Asdvocates Iqbal Chagla and Janak Dwarkadas, the counsel for the petitioners today told the court that the MMRCL had destroyed a children's park in Cuffe Parade for digging work despite the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) refusing permission to them to carry out any work there since the area falls under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

Advocate Kiran Bagaria, appearing for the MMRCL, told the court that the park has not been damaged and that no work is being carried out in the park as part of the project.

The court said the MMRCL will have to submit all documents, including its proposals and resolution of meetings, to substantiate its claim.

"Submit all relevant documents before us. Just saying you (MMRCL) have not done anything wrong on affidavit is not enough. We want to see all relevant documents. No details are forthcoming in the affidavit regarding meetings held by MMRCL pertaining to CRZ obstacles," the court said.

"We understand that the Metro project is of utmost importance as it will ease the common man's woes but you (MMRCL) cannot massacre environment in the name of development. There should not be callousness and recklessness in damaging something that cannot be restored," Chief Justice Chellur said.

The court has directed MMRDA and MMRCL to submit all the documents on April 24 when it will hear the petition.

The line III Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ project is a part of the Metro system which will connect Cuffe Parade business district in south Mumbai to SEEPZ in the north central suburb.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The European Union warned today it could launch legal action within weeks against member state Hungary's right-wing government to enforce EU democratic norms.

The EU has expressed fears that Hungary is undermining academic freedom, non-government organisations and the rights of asylum seekers.

"The College will review all these issues closely when it takes the next round of infringement decisions at the end of April," European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans said, referring to an EU Commission body.

"Wherever individual cases are legally mature and our legal concerns remain unaddressed, we will move to the next steps," he told a press conference.

The college, which gathers the 28 commissioners of the European Commission, the EU executive, is due to meet April 27 to discuss so-called infringement proceedings.

If launched, such proceedings involve long series of consultations to determine if EU laws have been breached. If needed, the Commission can refer cases to the European Court of Justice, which could impose fines.

But Timmermans said the Commission wants for now to pursue a political dialogue to resolve the points of contention and determine what Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's views are on the rule of law.

Timmermans, the Dutch right-hand man of Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, said not only is Orban open to such a dialogue, but "in the view of the Commission today, there is not a systemic threat to the rule of law in Hungary."



He said the situation contrasts with that in Poland, whose right-wing government was accused last year of violating EU rule of law norms with changes to the Constitutional Court.

It started a long process which could eventually see Warsaw's voting rights suspended in the Council of Ministers, the EU's highest decision-making body.

Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker has criticised Hungarian legislation that could force the closure of the Central European University in Budapest founded by US billionaire investor George Soros.

He has also lashed out at the Orban government for posting questionnaires titled "Let's stop Brussels!" to households nationwide asking them how to deal with EU policies that it says threaten their independence.

The EU is concerned too about legislation due to go to the Hungarian parliament in May forcing NGOs receiving more than 7.2 million forints (around 23,000 euros) annually from abroad to "register" with the authorities.

Failure to comply could result in the closure of the organisations.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A former employee of ScoopWhoop has alleged that she was sexually harassed by a co-founder of the online portal, weeks after TVF's Arunabh Kumar was booked by Mumbai Police on similar charges.

In a complaint filed at Vasant Kunj (South) police station south Delhi last month, the woman has alleged that the portal's co-founder Suparn Pandey touched her inappropriately and even sent her suggestive videos, said a senior police officer.

The officer said that Pandey has been booked for sexual harassment, using word or gesture to outrage the modesty of a woman and criminal intimidation.

The complainant has also alleged that her pleas to the office administration went unheard.

Police are investigating the case and no arrest has been made so far.

In an official statement, ScoopWhoop said, "We are extending full cooperation to the police to conduct a full and fair investigation into the matter."



"ScoopWhoop strongly condemns any kind of harassment at the workplace. We work towards ensuring a safe and secure workplace for all our employees and take any complaints of harassment extremely seriously...We are fully prepared to accept the findings of the investigations and dutifully take the necessary action if found guilty," it said.

The matter is also being inquired by ScoopWhoop's Internal Complaints Committee.

Last month, an anonymous blog post by a woman alleging sexual harassment to her by The Viral Fever CEO Arunabh Kumar when she worked at the firm between 2014 and 2016 had gone viral. It was followed by similar allegations by some other women.

Two cases of sexual harassment were filed against Kumar in separate police stations in Mumbai. One of the cases was lodged based on a complaint filed by a former employee of TVF.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Former JMM MLA Bimal Lochan Das was today awarded a one-year prison term in a fraud case by a special vigilance court here.

Special Vigilance Court judge Taraprasad Rath also imposed a penalty of Rs 10 lakh on Das, who was convicted under section 420, 120 (B) of IPC and 13 (1) (d) 13 (2) of Prevention of Corruption Act.

Das, also a former president of Urban Cooperative Bank, Baripada, was convicted for illegal sanction of loans and submitting a false inquiry report on the bank.

The seven persons who had taken loan illegally have also been convicted in the fraud case and sentenced to one-year jail term besides asked to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh each.

All the convicted persons, including the former MLA, were released on bail.

Das had sanctioned lakhs of rupees to different persons during his tenure as the president of the bank from 2003-2004. The financial irregularities came to fore after he stepped down from his post, sources said.

Earlier, the police had registered a criminal case and filed a charge sheet against him after an audit team detected irregularities during an investigation in 2005. The audit had found that Das sanctioned the loans violating Reserve Bank of India guidelines.

Das was MLA from Baripada constituency from 2004-2009 as a member of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The White House today tried to distance itself from a one-time campaign aide to Donald Trump, Carter Page, after revelations that the FBI investigated him last year for ties to Russian intelligence.

The Washington Post reported that federal investigators obtained a rare warrant from the top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Page's communications -- the first confirmation of government surveillance of Trump's team.

During the 2016 election campaign, then candidate Trump personally referred to Page as one of his foreign policy advisors.

It has now emerged that federal prosecutors and an intelligence court judge at least suspected the former Moscow-based banker was also working for, or with, the Russians.

The White House rushed to play down Page's ties to Trump and the campaign.

One current official told AFP that Page never met Trump, did not have a campaign pass and was only mentioned as an advisor because the billionaire candidate was under pressure to show he had a policy brain trust.

The official admitted that Page could have written policy memos for the campaign, but his name was only on a list of supposed advisors because of a recommendation from Sam Clovis, an Iowa conservative now working in Trump's Department of Agriculture.

The FBI declined to comment on the report. The bureau is currently investigating Russian interference in the US election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was designed to help Trump win the presidency.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story "fake news" while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.

In March 2016, Trump named Page as one of his small team of foreign policy advisors, and Page attended the Republican convention in July, where he and others met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

But months later, Page was disavowed by the campaign, apparently in part because of the attention drawn by his trips to Moscow, which he said were private business.

His name surfaced in a dossier of reports on links between the Trump operation and Russia complied by former British spy Christopher Steele.

Page told the Post he had "nothing to hide."



"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page said.

In March, he told Fox that he did not help the Russians in their efforts to influence the campaign.

"I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way," he said.

Meanwhile CNN reported yesterday that recent intelligence reports brought to light by Republican Congressman Devin Nunes did not show, as Nunes alleged, that the Obama administration combed intelligence intercepts to find information about Trump and his team.

CNN said both Republican and Democratic sources said the reports showed Obama national security advisor Susan Rice had handled the intelligence in "normal and appropriate" ways.

Nunes was forced to step aside as chair of the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian election interference due to his own mishandling of those reports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fear has gripped this town and its outlying areas as they brace for repoll in 38 polling stations tomorrow, after having been caught in a welter of violence during the Sunday's bypoll for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat.

The unprecedented polling-day mayhem had left eight dead and hundreds wounded. Seven of these deaths had occurred in Budgam district.

Repoll will be held at 16 polling booths of Chadoora assembly segment of Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, followed by eight each of Budgam and Chrar-e-Sharif, five of Beerwah and one of Khan Sahib.

To pre-empt a repeat of Sunday's violence during which a polling station was torched and arson was attempted at two others, police and security forces are carrying out raids to round up potential trouble makers.

"As many as 50 people have been rounded up and search is continuing for others," a senior police official said, requesting anonymity.

Budgam, famous for Chrar-e-Sharif shrine, has not witnessed much terror-related violence during the late 1990s and 2000s except for the siege by Pakistan-based terrorist Mast Gul in 1995. Gul had led a large group of terrorists into the shrine, leading to a stand-off with the army for nearly two months. In the end, the shrine was burnt down under mysterious circumstances.

The area has a mix of Shia and Sunni Muslims and Sikh population.

People here are quite vocal about supporting the poll boycott called by separatists, which, coupled with unbridled violence, had led to the lowest ever 7.14 per cent polling in the constituency on Sunday. They are also apprehensive about the threat from terrorist groups that have enhanced their presence in the last one year.

"Everyone of us knows that militants have been staying here and police is not acting. If they (police) are scared, you can imagine our plight," said a political worker at Khan Sahib who did not wish to be named.

The district has had higher voter turnout than others in earlier elections compared to the Sunday bypoll.

Personnel of various security and law enforcement agencies are seen securing polling stations. Polling staff had abandoned several of these booths as stone-pelting protesters descended there to enforce the boycott called by separatists.

Tell-tale signs of Sunday's violence are visible in several areas of Beerwah, the constituency of former chief minister Omar Abdullah, where lanes are still littered with stones.

There is palpable tension in the area as people are observing 'Rasm-e-Churram' in the memory of those killed in firing by the security forces on the election day. Those killed included teenagers.

Pakarpora, an area under Chrar-e-Sharif police station, has emerged as a major route for terrorists from Pakistan infiltrating India. Terrorist activities increased following the emergence of Burhan Wani, a Hizbul Mujahideen commander, as the posterboy of militancy in the valley. His killing last year by the security forces triggered prolonged unrest and large-scale loss of life and property.

The crackdown on militants and trouble makers notwithstanding, miscreants burnt the vehicle of Altaf Ahmed, the district president of the ruling PDP and warned him against participating in tomorrow's repoll.

The state's former chief minister and National Conference nominee for the seat, Farooq Abdullah, apprehends fresh violence during the repoll.

"It is unfortunate that Jammu and Kashmir has plunged into such lawlessness. I don't know what will happen tomorrow. The PDP will have to answer about every death that has taken place on the polling day," he told PTI.

PDP candidate Nazir Khan, a resident of Beerwah, was not available for comments. There is strong police presence outside his house. "Saheb ghar pe nahi hain," they tell the visitors while turning them away.

The army, meanwhile, has been asked to secure the periphery of the entire Budgam district. A special briefing was organised by paramilitary forces after a video showing people kicking some jawans went viral on social networking sites.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Acasta Enterprises Inc. Provides Notice of Release of First Quarter 2017 Results and Conference Call

Acasta Enterprises Inc. (TSX: AEF.B and AEF.WT) ("Acasta" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it will release its first quarter 2017 results on Monday, May 15, 2017, before normal trading hours.

First Quarter 2017 Results Conference Call:

Acasta's senior management will host a conference call on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 8:30 AM (E.D.T.) to discuss the Company's financial and operating results. Please dial 1-416-340-2217 or toll-free (Canada/US) 1-800-806-5484. To ensure your participation, please join approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the conference call.

Replay archive:

The conferece call will be archived on the Company's website at www.acastaenterprises.com and will be available for replay at 1-905-694-9451 or toll-free 1-800-408-3053 with passcode 6422928, expiring on November 15, 2017.







About Acasta Enterprises Inc.:

Acasta Enterprises Inc. is a leading Canadian public company that acquires businesses with exceptional potential for value creation through strategic and transformational initiatives. As a proactive private equity manager, Acasta partners with the senior management teams of its acquired businesses, empowering them to pursue value creating trajectories.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412006095/en/
The finance ministry has rejected iPhone maker Apples demand for tax exemptions for setting up a manufacturing unit in India, saying that the decision will have to be taken up by the goods and services tax Council. .

The US-based firm has indicated plans to put up manufacturing lines in India this year. Apple had sought concessions such as duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment for smartphones for 15 years, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT, P P Chaudhary, said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

These demands were examined in the Department of Revenue and have not been accepted, he said. He said these incentives cannot be accepted, as with the coming into force of the new indirect tax regime "all imports will be liable to IGST (integrated GST) and any exemptions from CGST (centre)/SGST (state)/IGST can be granted based on the recommendations of the GST Council only.

All existing exemptions from excise duty to countervailing duty will also be reviewed by the GST Council, he added.

India is all set to roll out the GST from July 1, which will subsume all the in-direct taxes at the state as well as the central level. It is billed as the biggest tax reform in the country since the Independence that aims at making India a one nation, one tax market. There is no exemption from basic customs duty (BCD), countervailing duty (CVD) and special additional duty (SAD) on imports of parts for repair of mobile phones, he said. Chaudhary said that zero BCD, CVD and SAD is provided for making of mobile phones components and sub parts.
For things to improve in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), outsiders should be barred from entering the campus, the Delhi High Court suggested today.

"We have to shut down the campus for the students of other universities. If JNU campus is closed for outsiders, things will improve," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva observed.

The court said students from other universities were interfering with the functioning of JNU and they force their political agenda inside the campus.

"JNU from last many decades was known for its own culture inside the campus. It never allowed others to interfere into their functioning, but today the outsiders are more active in this campus," the court noted.

Only the bona fide students of JNU should be allowed to decide, how their university will function, it added.

The court's observation came during hearing of a plea by the JNU administration seeking direction to restrain its students from staging any demonstration within 100 metres of the administrative block.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Congress today said forming a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP was the BJP's "biggest mistake" as it "reversed" the situation in the state to the 90s and led to the current violence there.

The Congress' stinging attack on the BJP comes in the backdrop of killings of eight civilians during the April 9 bypolls in the state.

Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad also charged the BJP-led NDA government with not reaching out to stakeholders in the state to ensure peace there, unlike the previous UPA government.

"It (BJP) considers forming government there as its achievement. So that it can tell the world that it formed government there.

"But it is not an achievement, but their biggest mistake. Due to formation of this (PDP-BJP) government there, the state's situation, which had improved, has reversed to where we began in 1990," Azad told reporters.

Recalling that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last year said that the process of holding political dialogue with all stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir will be initiated, the Congress leader noted no effort has been made in that direction.

"The central government has failed in winning confidence of people, taking along political parties and this is the reason why blood has flown in the bypolls," he said.

To a question, Azad said it was not appropriate for the locals to pelt stones at security personnel, particularly when they are combating militants to protect the civilians.

Normalcy returned to Kashmir alley today after three days of separatist-sponsored strike against the death of eight civilians in the poll violence.

The Valley remained shut for three days after the separatists had called for a strike on the polling day on April 9 and later extended it for two days following the death of eight civilians in the election-related violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
McLaren's former two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will miss next month's Formula One Monaco Grand Prix to race for them in the Indianapolis 500, the British-based team said today.

The two showpiece races take place on May 28 and McLaren -- whose fortunes have plummeted in F1 -- "will enter a single car in the 101st Indianapolis 500," said a team statement.

McLaren did not say who will take the Spaniard's place for the Monaco race, one of the highlights of the grand prix calendar.

However, his absence sparked speculation that his position could be filled in Monte Carlo by Britain's Jenson Button, another ex-Formula One world champion, who remains under contract in an ambassadorial role with McLaren.

Alonso will race in a Honda-powered Andretti car branded as a McLaren for the Indy 500, one of US motorsport's most prestigious races.

The 2005 and 2006 F1 champion said he wanted to compete in the Indy 500 to have a chance of fulfilling a career ambition of completing motorsport's "Triple Crown" in winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The only driver to achieve the feat was the late Graham Hill, with the British driver, like Alonso, a double F1 One world champion.

"I realise I'll be on a steep learning curve, but I'll be flying to Indianapolis from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix," said Alonso.

"I've won the Monaco Grand Prix twice, and it's one of my ambitions to win the Triple Crown. It's a tough challenge, but I'm up for it. I don't know when I'm going to race at Le Mans, but one day I intend to. I'm only 35 and I've got plenty of time for that."



Alonso is now in the final year of what has been a largely frustrating three-season deal with McLaren, with his failure to finish last week's Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai the latest disappointing result.

He joined in the hope of winning a third world title, after two triumphs with Renault, but his best results have been three fifth places, with much of the blame attributed to the poor performance of the Honda engine.

However, Alonso insisted Monaco would be the only F1 race he would miss intentionally this season.

"Monaco will be the only 2017 Grand Prix I'll be missing, and I'll be back in the cockpit of the McLaren-Honda for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in early June," he said.

The Andretti team won the race last year, with rookie driver Alexander Rossi the shock champion in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Andretti chief Michael Andretti, a former IndyCar champion who raced in F1 for McLaren, said Alonso was capable of repeating Rossi's achievement.

"Fernando's lack of experience on super-speedways is not of concern to me," said Andretti.

"I do believe that the Indianapolis 500 is one of the best places for a rookie to start because there is the opportunity for so much practice time on the track -- and, as we have demonstrated, it can be won by a rookie," added the son of three-time IndyCar champion and 1978 F1 champion Mario Andretti.

Meanwhile McLaren boss Zak Brown, who will also be in Indianapolis instead of Monaco, said: "Could Fernando win this year's Indy 500? Well, I wouldn't be so silly as to make any such rash prediction, but I expect him to be in the mix."



"Put it this way, the team he'll be racing for won the race last year, using the same Honda engine, and he's the best racing driver in the world. That's quite a compelling combination."



McLaren won the Indianapolis 500 with their own car in 1974 and 1976, but IndyCar is now a 'spec' formula where all teams use the same basic car, although different engine manufacturers are allowed to design their own aerodynamic bodykits.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
France has blasted Russia's vetoing of a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into a suspected chemical attack.

"Russia bears a heavy responsibility through its systematic opposition -- in order to protect its ally Assad -- to a multilateral response to the issue of Syria," the office of French President Francois Hollande said in a statement yesterday.

The resolution "was designed to allow a rapid, thorough inquiry by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to establish responsibility for the chemical attacks on April 4 in Idlib province", the statement said.

Russia's veto was the eighth time it had chosen to oppose a majority of the (UN Security) Council in this way, it added.

"Only the coming together of the international community in favour of a political transition in Syria will allow this martyred country to find peace, stability and sovereignty again.

"France will continue to mobilise in this way.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The government has convened a meeting tomorrow to discuss the details of its regional connectivity scheme - UDAN - before the selected airlines commence operations.

The meeting is likely to be attended by representatives of various state governments, airlines, airport operators and senior civil aviation ministry officials, an airline source said.

"The meeting has been called to address queries of the operators on the implementation of the RCS scheme," the source added.

During the discussion, the ministry and the scheme implementing agency, Airports Authority of India, will explain various aspects related to the execution of UDAN, the source said.

Last month, the government awarded 128 air routes under the regional connectivity scheme to five operators which include Airline Allied Services, SpiceJet, Air Deccan, Air Odisha and Turbo Megha.

The scheme mandates capping of fares at Rs 2,500 for one-hour flights and also seeks to connect 45 unserved and under-served airports.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Cabinet today approved a proposal for signing an agreement to establish electricity grid interconnection among BIMSTEC countries.

"The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Power for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection," an official statement said today.

According to the statement, the MoU will be signed by member states of the Bay of Bengal Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) at the upcoming 3rd BIMSTEC Energy Ministers' Meeting to be held in Nepal shortly.

The agreement will provide a broad framework for the parties to cooperate towards the implementation of grid interconnections for the trade in electricity with a view to promoting rational and optimal power transmission in the BIMSTEC region.

This MoU will facilitate the optimisation of using the energy resources in the region for mutual benefits on non-discriminatory basis subject to laws, rules and regulations of the respective parties.

It will also promote efficient, economic and secure operation of power system needed through the development of regional electricity networks.

It will also facilitate optimisation of capital investment for generation capacity addition across the region and power exchange through cross-border interconnections.

The BIMSTEC is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia viz. Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

The "Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation in BIMSTEC" was formulated in the first BIMSTEC Energy Ministers' Conference held in New Delhi on October 4, 2005.

In this plan, under the "BIMSTEC Trans-Power Exchange and Development Project", it was decided that a task force led by Thailand, with representatives of member countries, will give a report on draft MoU for grid interconnections.

The total five meetings task force for BIMSTEC on trans-power exchange were held and the draft MoU for establishment of BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection was finalised by the task force on March 16, 2015.

In the BIMSTEC Leaders' Retreat 2016, held in Goa on October 16, 2016, the leaders had decided to expedite the signing of the MoU on BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection.

Eventually, during the 4th meeting of BIMSTEC Senior Officials on Energy held on January 11-12, 2017, the MoU was discussed and finalised.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Centre is considering a proposal to construct an elevated parallel highway and a tunnel from Haryana side connecting with the Indira Gandhi International Airport to ease traffic woes, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said today.

If materialised, this will be in addition to Dwarka Express Highway, the work on which will start soon, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari, who had a high-level meeting with Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajpathi Raju in this connection, told PTI.

"We are examining a proposal to build an elevated parallel road to the airport and traffic from Haryana side can be diverted to it. The main obstacle is there are two radars on the sides of the proposed elevated road. I have discussed with the Civil Aviation Minister and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) if there is any possibility for changing the position of the radars," the minister said.

The minister said the government will also construct a tunnel from Haryana side and connect it with the T3 international airport to reduce the frequent traffic jams.

"We have given these two proposals to him (Raju)," Gadkari said.

The minister said both the proposals are in addition to the proposed Dwarka Express way for which he "took a review meeting with Union Civil Aviation Minister Raju and Airport authority to resolve issues".

Gadkari said earlier the Haryana government was constructing the Dwarka Expressway but now the Centre will do it by declaring it a national highway.

"The process of land acquisition between Delhi and Haryana has started. We will start the work soon," he said.

Meanwhile work on the ambitious Rs 800 crore pilot pod taxi project - also known as Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) or Metrino - is also likely to start soon.

The minister had recently said, "We are going to implement the Rs 800-crore pilot project under NHAI."



The pilot project will be for about Rs 800 crore for a 12.3-km stretch from Delhi-Haryana border on NH 8 (near Ambience Mall) to Badshahpur via Rajiv Chowk, IFFCO and Sohna Road.

Four global companies -- one from London which has done work in this regard at the Heathrow airport, second from the UAE, third from the US and the fourth from Poland -- had qualified in initial technical bids.

The Rs 4,000-crore public transport project provides for travel in driver-less pods suspended on a ropeway in NCR.

The first phase will be connecting the 70-km stretch from Dhaula Kuan in Delhi to Manesar in Haryana to decongest NCR and ease traffic.

A few months ago, a presentation on the project was made before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Cabinet.

Gadkari has said the massive work is under way to reform the face of the highway sector and the pilot project will be one such step in that direction.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Media cannot be so free and independent that it spreads communal disharmony, the government today said in the Rajya Sabha while assuring that it would take action against a TV channel in Uttar Pradesh.

During the Zero Hour, Samajwadi Party leader Javed Ali Khan sought to know from the government why it has not banned a TV channel which was involved in creating communal disharmony in the Sambhal district of UP.

"There is one channel in India, which for last 12 days, is targetting peace, unity and communal harmony of Sambhal. They are showing regular programmes with headlines like 'Sambhal, a place of terror', 'Sambhal, a place of Jehadis', 'Muslims rule Sambhal', and 'there is rule of Ravan in Sambhal," he said.

The channel has also announced it will visit the historic Jama Masjid at Sambhal on April 13 and offer 'Jalaabhishek' (a Hindu religious ceremony to purify a place with water). It is instigating Hindus to reach the place claiming there was a Hindu place of worship inside the mosque, he alleged.

Ali said the people get confused with the name of the channel and the language used by the anchor and its CMD was like that used "in the streets." "This channel is trying to disturb communal harmony in Sambhal."



"Why is the government keeping quiet when such channels are running these kinds of programmes? Why cannot the government ban such channels? Why cannot it conduct an enquiry into the issue," Ali asked.

Sambhal, which in the past had a blot due to communal incidents, has seen no communal tension after 1978 because Hindus and Muslims decided not to get involved in such incidents and live in peace, the SP leader added.

As members of the Opposition associated with the issue, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said "It is an important matter. They cannot spread communal disharmony and the government should have a watch on this."



Responding to the members' concern, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said "We cannot allow anyone to disturb peace and communal harmony."



"Media's independence is one thing but it cannot be so free that it spreads communal disharmony in various parts of the country. We have taken note of it and will take action," Naqvi said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Greece said it has finalised the sale of 14 regional airports to Germany's Fraport agreed in 2015 within the framework of a huge international bailout to prevent the country from crashing out of the eurozone.

In what had been the first major privatisation drive for the government under Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a deal was reached at the end of 2015 to sell 14 regional airports -- including Thessaloniki, and those of island tourist hotspots Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu -- to a consortium comprising Fraport and Slentel Ltd for 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion).

That deal has now been finalised, with the signature of Greece's ministers of finance, transport and defence -- Euclides Tsakalotos, Christos Spritzis and Panos Kammenos -- the Greek privatisation agency said in a statement yesterday.

Under the terms of the concession, the Fraport consortium "will use, operate and develop the airports over a period of 40 years."



The investors are obliged to upgrade the airports within the first four years of the concession and "maintain and preserve service levels for the whole duration."



The Greek state will retain ownership of all infrastructure and facilities built by the consortium.

It was a "milestone agreement... With overall multiple benefits expected for the Greek economy," said agency chief Antonis Leousis.

On top of the lump sum of 1.2 billion euros, the consortium will also pay an annual lease of 22.9 million euros, the statement said.

Prime Minister Tsipras is scheduled to meet the head of Fraport Greece, Stephan Schulte, on Wednesday.

The airport privatisation was agreed within the framework of a massive 86-billion-euro EU bailout in July 2015 to prevent Greece from crashing out of the eurozone.

As well as the 14 airports, the programme also included the privatisation of ports and other state assets.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] MCN Build Chooses Pype Enterprise Software to Streamline Project Startup and Closeout Processes Across All Projects

WASHINGTON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pype, Inc., the leading provider of construction collaboration software for the construction industry, announced that MCN Build will be using Pype AutoSpecs and Pype Closeout across all projects for the next two years. A highly-regarded general contractor nestled in the heart of Washington DC, MCN Build is among the best in construction for DC Public Schools. After using Pype on six projects in 2016, including the $31 million restoration on Powell Elementary School in Northwest DC, MCN Build decided to automate the submittal register and closeout management process to help streamline operations and reduce costs. "Pype has streamlined our processes and has brought tremendous efficiency to two critical phases of our construction projects. The ability to get submittal registers developed is key to successful submittal management, and finding resources to use during the project startup phase can be tough. With Pype AutoSpecs, we look strong in front of our A/E team," said Bassem Boustany, Co-Founder and Vice President of Operations at MCN Build. "With Pype Closeout we can closeout faster and get our retention monies earlier than usual," Boustany also stated. The Pype platform helps construction project stakeholders organize general contractors so that they can start projects faster and finish stronger. Pype Autospecs automates the creation of project submittal logs using a patent pending technology. Pype Closeout is a collaborative platform that allows construction managers and owners to identify and track closeout requirements. Sub-contractors can then easily upload closeout submttals.



Sunil Dorairajan, Co-Founder and CEO of Pype, stated, "Working with innovative general contractors like MCN Build is what drives us here at Pype. Throughout 2016, the MCN Build team used the Pype platform on six of their projects. We are excited that the success of these projects has led the team to make Pype a constant in their construction operations." About MCN Build

MCN Build is a purpose driven Construction Company that is dedicated to serving their dynamic and diverse community with sustainable projects that preserve its honored history and empower its citizens. They achieve this goal through providing unparalleled levels of integrity and fairness that result in timely and budget sensitive completion of top quality projects. MCN Build is a financially sound organization that delivers added value for all their clients while continuing to meet the highest standards of corporate social responsibility, promote individual and team productivity, and strive for continuous improvement. www.mcnbuild.com About Pype Pype provides general contractors and owners with a platform that automates and streamlines the submittal log generation and closeout process. Since its founding in 2013, the company has launched two separate products (Autospecs and Closeout) that are being used by more than 30 clients across more than 130 projects. www.pype.io Media Contact: Sunil Dorairajan

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 240-793-2942 Related Images image1.png image2.png image3.png 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/mcn-build-chooses-pype-enterprise-software-to-streamline-project-startup-and-closeout-processes-across-all-projects-300438938.html SOURCE Pype

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The Supreme Court today asked a Gujarat trial court to expedite recording of evidence of prosecution witnesses in a sexual assault case lodged by two Surat-based sisters against self-styled godman Asaram.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul asked the Surat trial court to record the testimonies of 46 remaining prosecution witnesses including the alleged rape victims.

"The trial court is directed to expedite the examination of witnesses as expeditiously as may be practically possible," the bench said.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat, said this is the same case in which two prosecution witnesses have been killed.

He further said that 29 prosecution witnesses have already been examined and the recording of evidence of 46 others is still remaining.

"Don't linger it. This is what we want to say (to) you (Gujarat). Expedite the recording of evidence," the bench said while fixing the plea filed by Asaram for further hearing in the third week of July.

Earlier, the top court had refused to grant bail to Asaram on various grounds including his poor health in two separate sexual assault cases lodged in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
With CBI taking up the probe into Jawahar Bagh park violence in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik today ordered closure of the judicial inquiry into the incident which had claimed 29 lives, including two police officials, last year during an anti-encroachment drive.

"The Governor is of the opinion that continuance of the judicial inquiry is of no use," Principal Secretary (Home) Devashis Panda said in a notification here.

He said the judicial panel headed by Justice (Retd) Mirza Imtiaz Murtaza of the Allahabad High Court will submit in a sealed envelope its findings till April 1 to the government and return all facilities extended to it by April 20.

The Allahabad High Court had last month directed the CBI to probe the incident, following which the investigating agency registered a case.

The erstwhile Samajwadi Party government had remained opposed to a CBI inquiry into the matter, pointing out that it had set up a commission of inquiry comprising a retired judge of the High Court.

Members of the Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi cult, led by Ram Vriksh Yadav, had encroached on the 270-acre Jawahar Bagh, which was government land, for two years and clashed with police when they tried to evict them in June last year.

Ram Vriksh Yadav too was killed in the encounter.

The Uttar Pradesh government had, in January 2014, granted permission to Yadav's organisation to hold a demonstration inside Jawahar Bagh for two days.

However, members of the group went on to occupy the sprawling public park for more than two years.

Following a High Court order, the squatters were evicted from the park amid large-scale violence.

A huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the huts that had been erected inside the park during the period of illegal occupation.

There were reports that the park had been converted into a "quasi republic" with its own currency and penal system and people staying there had been issued ration cards and cooking gas cylinders with Jawahar Bagh as the address.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The indefinite strike of Haryana Roadways employees continued for the third day today with public transport buses remained off road, inconveniencing commuters across the state.

Stranded passengers were forced to travel in private vehicles.

In view of the ongoing strike, a meeting of the Crisis Management Committee has been convened here today, which will be presided over by Chief Secretary D S Dhesi, an official spokesman said.

Notably, talks between the protesting state roadways employees and the Haryana government failed yesterday.

Haryana roadways employees have been protesting over issuance of permits to private operators.

Over 13 lakh passengers travel in the State Roadways buses daily, commuters are facing a tough time after the public transport is not plying on regular routes.

About 4,000 buses, which include the luxury Volvo bus service, have come to a halt in the state since Monday evening.

While the strike caused inconvenience to commuters who depend on the state buses, agitating employees staged dharnas at various depots seeking withdrawal of permits given to private operators.

The employees raised anti-government slogans. The union leaders held the government responsible for their strike.

They also alleged that while Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had in a meeting in March this year assured them that no such policy will be implemented but the senior officers had informed them about the decision to grant permits to private transporters.

The Union leaders said the indefinite strike will continue till the government accepts their demands and withdraw its decision.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The indefinite strike of Haryana Roadways employees entered its third day today with public buses remaining off road causing inconvenience to a large number of people.

Cracking the whip, the state government placed 120 staff of Haryana Roadways under suspension for allegedly "instigating other employees and misleading them".

"Services of 120 employees of the State Roadways have been placed under suspension as they were instigating other employees and misleading them," Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) S S Dhillon said a press conference here this evening.

Dhillon also sought to allay fears that the government intends to make the roadways a private body, saying Haryana Roadways will continue to have exclusive jurisdiction on all inter-state routes included in Stage Carriage Permit scheme.

All private bus operators are providing service to reduce people's inconvenience. In addition, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, PRTC, PUNBUS authorities have been requested to increase the plying of their buses on main routes in the state, Dhillon said.

Notably, talks between the state roadways employees, who have been protesting over issuance of permits to private operators, and the Haryana government had failed yesterday.

Reacting to the suspension, that included several office bearers of the employees union, Haryana Roadways Employees Union president Sarbat Singh Punia said, "There cannot be any talks with the government like this. They are adding fuel to the fire."



"If the government continues to remain adamant and does not accept our demand, then the strike will continue. Also, government employees of other departments will join us and go on strike," Punia said.

Over 13 lakh passengers travel in the State Roadways buses daily. About 4,200 buses, which include luxury Volvo bus service, have come to a halt in the state due to the strike.

In view of the strike, Haryana DGP K P Singh has asked police officials to maintain law and order and ensure that public property is not damaged.

Action will be initiated against anyone found damaging public property. Nobody should be allowed to stop any private bus from operating, the DGP said.

"Additional police personnel have been deputed in sensitive such areas as Jind and Rohtak, and SPs in other districts have been directed to depute home guards, if required," he said.

Dhillon urged the representatives of the Roadways Unions to call off the strike as it was causing inconvenience to daily commuters.

He said the government is working for the welfare of its employees, including the state roadways which requires about 13,500 buses for providing passenger transport services.

The Stage Carriage Permit scheme, which is being opposed by the unions mainly, would help in providing coordinated and efficient road transport services, Dhillon said.

He said 300 buses have already been purchased which are being fabricated in Gurugram and tender for purchase of 300 more buses is in final state. In addition, 300 buses would be added in the roadways fleet in current financial year.

"It is baseless and far from fact to say that government intends to make the roadways a private body. The Stage Carriage Permit scheme is being introduced with the sole objective to provide maximum transport services to the people," Dhillon asserted.

He said there were about 1,300 routes of state roadways, out of which only 273, and that too only short routes, have been allotted to private operators under the scheme.

The remaining routes would be exclusively managed by the Haryana Roadways, including long distance routes and to other states, Dhillon said, adding various demands of the unions have already been fulfilled and doors were still open to hold further discussions.

As many as 869 posts of Helpers have been advertised and requisition of 2,038 drivers and 930 conductors have been sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission, he said.

Dhillon said orders have been issued to all private operators to install GPS systems in 853 private buses within 48 hours. After installation of GPS systems, if any permit holder changes his route then his security deposit of Rs one lakh would be forfeited.

Apart from this, the permit holders would have to abide by all the conditions applicable in State Roadways buses like the facility of free or discounted travel, he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Madras High Court today imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on an advocate from Tirupur for filing a false complaint in a lower court against a couple to whom he had given his daughter up in adoption over a decade ago.

Justice G Chockalingam of the Madurai bench of the high court imposed the fine on the advocate while also quashing his complaint in the magisterial court against the couple from Alangulam of the district.

The bench passed the order while allowing the couple's petition to quash the compliant filed against them at the judicial magistrate's court.

The judge in his order said the advocate had lodged the private complaint with an ulterior motive of extracting money from the childless couple whom he knew.

Without opposing the documents registered in the sub- registrar office for adoption, the lawyer had given the complaint.

"Hence, the proceedings in the judicial magistrate court is quashed and the advocate is directed to pay Rs 20,000 as cost to the petitioner's adopted daughter before April 16, failing which the court will initiate action against the advocate," the judge said.

The lawyer had in 2011 filed a Habeas Corpus petition in the high court, stating that his daughter was in illegal custody of the petitioners, but the same was dismissed.

When the matter came up, the judge observed that the lawyer had participated in the adoption ceremony of the girl Tahaseen Syeda in 2002, as seen in photographs of the ceremony.

The adoption had been done in the presence of the elders and the lawyer had also given his thumb impression along with that of his wife on the registered adoption deed, the judge said.

The petitioners submitted that they had not breached the trust nor threatened the lawyer in any manner and sought to quash the complaint proceedings.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major set back to the investors of Tata Camelot Housing project, Delhi High Court today held that the project cannot be allowed as it was well within the catchment area of Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said that the permission for bringing up the project, which was granted by the gram panchayat of Sukhna catchment area village and endorsed by Punjab government, is set aside.

It also set aside the environmental clearances given by the authorities concerned for the project.

"The court has examined the area in question, as per the survey of India maps, which indeed falls in the catchment area of Sukhna lake and hence the housing project cannot be allowed," the bench said.

The High Court order came on a plea filed by advocate Aalok Jagga against the grant of approval by various authorities to the Tata housing project near Sukhna lake.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
In a major setback to the investors of Tata Camelot Housing Project, the Delhi High Court held today that the project cannot be allowed as it was well within the catchment area of Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh.

A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw said the permission for the project, which was granted by the gram panchayat of Sukhna catchment area village and endorsed by the Punjab government, is set aside.

It also set aside environmental clearances given by the authorities concerned for the project.

"The court has examined the area in question, as per the survey of India maps, which indeed falls in the catchment area of Sukhna lake and hence the housing project cannot be allowed," the bench said.

The high court order came on a plea filed by advocate Aalok Jagga against the grant of approval by various authorities to the Tata housing project near Sukhna Lake.

The high court further directed the Punjab government to reconsider its decision given to the Tata.

It said, "If at all the Tata undertakes a fresh project, it should be a A-category project," the bench said in its over 160-page judgement.

The apex court had earlier stayed the ambitious housing project by reversing the go-ahead granted to it by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Later, the Supreme Court had transferred the plea to the Delhi High Court and asked it to decide the matter.

TATA Camelot is a Rs 1,800-crore building project having 92,100 flats in 19 towers, ranging between 12 and 35 storeys and is slated to be raised on 53.39 acres of land near the Chandigarh Capitol Complex.

The project allegedly falls in the catchment area of Sukhna Lake in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

The PIL was transferred to the Delhi High Court after it has been alleged that the beneficiaries include some of the judges of that high court and top bureaucrats of the state.

Besides seeking summoning of records related to the project, the plea had also sought issuance of a direction to restrain the respondents (Centre and others) from commencing the work "including construction, sale and allotment" of flats.

The PIL had raised issue of permissibility of the project alleging that it was in violation of the Punjab New Capital Periphery Control Act.

It had also alleged the project falls within the catchment area of Sukhna Lake and was in close proximity of wildlife sanctuary, declared a reserved forest area.

The PIL had said if the land and its surrounding areas are allowed to be urbanised, "it will result in the degradation of the habitat and disturb thousands of migratory birds which come every year to the lake".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Heritage Foods today said it has completed acquisition of dairy business of Reliance Retail.

"We have received approval from Competition Commission of India and completed the process of acquisition of dairy business of Reliance Retail," Heritage Foods said in a BSE filing.

"We are taking control of entire dairy business of Reliance Retail with effect from April 12," the filing said.

It further said: "Post the transaction closure Reliance Retail will continue to trade in dairy products including Heritage dairy products through its retail and wholesale channels."



Earlier this week, the Competition Commission of India had approved the proposed acquisition of Reliance Retail's dairy business by Heritage Foods.

Reliance Retail is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd and its dairy business operates a pan-India dairy procurement, processing and distribution platform under two brands -- Dairy Life and Dairy Pure.

Heritage Foods is a private sector enterprise with several business divisions including dairy, retail, agri, bakery and renewable energy.

In November last year, Kishore Biyani-led Future Group signed a definitive agreement to acquire Heritage Foods Ltd, promoted by family members of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in an all stock deal.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Filmmaker Kabir Khan says he often talks to his friends Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan but has no plans to team up with the duo in the near future.

There were reports that Hrithik had given his nod to Kabir's next, an action-romance which would also feature Katrina opposite him.

The director says while he definitely had a conversation with the "Bang Bang" stars "about several things", they did not discuss a project.

"Katrina is one of my closest friends. I keep chatting with her about several things. Hrithik is also somebody with whom I chat a lot. But nothing is concrete till it's finalised. So yes I have spoken to Hrithik and Katrina but there is no project as such which is being reported about. That's completely false," Kabir told PTI.

The director has worked with Katrina in three films of which "New York" and "Ek Tha Tiger" turned out to be huge hits while "Phantom" failed to garner that much attention.

The filmmaker is now gearing up for his web series on Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. Kabir says as of now he isn't sure if it will have major Bollywood presence in the cast.

"We are still discussing that (referring to casting Bollywood actors). It may, it may not, because the project is in the early stages. We will surely think about Bollywood actors but the great thing about this platform is that you're not dependent only on stars.

"Unfortunately in Bollywood, your budget gets decided by stars but in this medium the story decides. Once the budget is locked, stars come in," he adds.

Tentatively titled 'The Forgotten Army', which is also the name of Kabir's documentary, the international mini-series for Amazon Prime Video will be set during World War II.

Kabir is aware that delving into a subject like this would invite scrutiny and insists he has done enough research for the topic and will be historically authentic.

"You have to be authentic and responsible with history and we have done research on this for years. We have spoken to people who were involved in INA. Most of my story comes from their mouth. So you can't go wrong with people telling their story themselves.

"There are certain controversies surrounding Netaji but I must put in perspective that the story isn't about him. It's more about the soldiers who formed the Azad Hind Fauj," he adds.

Based on true events, "The Forgotten Army" is about men and women who fought a heroic war for the independence of India as part of the Indian National Army.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
[April 12, 2017] Smart Transportation Market by Solution Type (Smart Ticketing, Parking Management, Passenger Information, Traffic Management, Integrated Supervision, and Insurance Telematics), Service, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021

NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rising demand of integrated security and safety system for enhancing public safety is expected to drive the growth of the smart transportation market The smart transportation market size is expected to grow from USD 72.05 billion in 2016 to USD 220.76 billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 25.1% during the period 20162021. The major drivers for an upsurge in demand for the smart transportation market include the rising urban population and demand of integrated security & safety system for transportation. Investment in legacy systems precluding the Return of Investment (ROI) is one the restraining factors that affect the growth of the market.



Passenger information solution is estimated to have the largest market share

The passenger information solution is expected to have the largest market share during the forecast period. Passenger information solutions make an important link between commuters and transit service providers. Keeping commuters informed with their current journey information is one of the top most priorities of the transit agencies. Passenger information solutions provide real-time information of the transit services, such as current location, estimated arrival & departure time, and causes for disruption.



Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period

As per the geographic analysis, Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The competition in this region is fragmented and smart transportation solution providers are looking at expanding the base of their operations to most of the countries in the region, as a result of business strategic moves, such as improved infrastructure and implementation of various smart city projects. The government in this region is spending heavily on the transport infrastructure and working on PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP) model to ramp up the smart transportation projects.



In the process f determining and verifying the market size for several segments and subsegments gathered through secondary research, extensive primary interviews were conducted with key industry personnel.







The break-up profile of the primary discussion participants is given below:

 By Company Type: Tier 1 (44%), Tier 2 (37%), and Tier 3 (19%)

 By Designation: C-Level (65%) and Manager Level (35%)

 By Region: Europe (44%), APAC (18%), North America (33%), and Rest of World (RoW) (5%)



The various smart transportation solution and service vendors profiled in the report are as follows:

1. Alstom SA (Levallois-Perret, France )

2. Cisco Systems, Inc. ( California , U.S.)

3. Cubic Corporation ( California , U.S.)

4. General Electric Company ( Massachusetts , U.S)

5. IBM Corporation ( New York , U.S.)

6. Indra Sistemas S.A. ( Madrid, Spain )

7. Kapsch TrafficCom AG ( Vienna, Austria )

8. LG CNS Co. Ltd. ( Seoul, South Korea )

9. Q-Free ASA (Trondheim, Norway )

10. Siemens AG ( Munich, Germany )

11. Thales Group (La Defense, France )

12. TomTom International B.V. ( Amsterdam, Netherlands )

13. WS Atkins (Epsom, U.K.)





Research Coverage

The global smart transportation market has been segmented on the basis of solution types, services, and regions. A detailed analysis of the regions has been done to provide insights into the potential future business opportunities in different regions. In addition, product portfolio analysis and vendor strategy analysis are some of the other MarketsandMarkets analysis included in the report.



Reasons to Buy the Report

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market in the following ways:

1. This report segments the smart transportation market comprehensively and provides the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall market and subsegments, across different regions.

2. The report helps the stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.

3. This report will help the stakeholders to better understand the competitors and gain more insights to better their position in the business. The competitive landscape section includes competitor ecosystem, new product developments, partnerships, and mergers & acquisitions.



Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04823026-summary/view-report.html



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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India has imposed anti dumping duty of up to USD 300.22 per tonne on import of a chemical, used in detergent industry, from China, Iran and Qatar with a view to protecting domestic players from cheap shipments.

Tamil Nadu Petroproducts and Nirma Ltd had jointly filed the application for anti-dumping investigations into import of 'Linear Alkyl Benzene' from these countries.

The duty has been imposed for five years, a revenue department notification said.

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping (DGAD), an arm of the commerce ministry, in its findings dated March 6 had concluded that there is dumping of the chemical from these countries.

The notification said that the government, after considering the findings of the DGAD "imposes" the duty on the chemical.

The anti-dumping duty imposed was in the range of USD 23.78 per tonne to USD 300.22 per tonne on imports.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probes to determine if the domestic industry has been hurt by a surge in below-cost imports. As a counter-measure, they impose duties under the multi-lateral WTO regime.

Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry. They are not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Arunachal Pradesh Governor P B Acharya today said that India and Myanmar can be "purposeful and natural friends" as both the countries share common traditions and religious practices.

During his meeting with Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Vikram Misri at Raj Bhavan here, Acharya said, "With a clear vision, we can have a stronger relationship. People of the region must come above their personal agenda and strengthen social empowerment. Road communication and people to people interaction must be established."



Acharya said that people of the north-east must present the ground realities of the region to the Centre, according to a Raj Bhawan communique.

Misri is on a tour to four north-eastern states - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram - sharing international border with Myanmar.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
India has not signed or ratified over 200 conventions, protocols and agreements adopted by the United Nations (UN), the government said on Wednesday.

This was stated by Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha.

"India has not signed or signed but not ratified more than 200 conventions, protocols and agreements adopted under the auspices of the United Nations," he said.

To a separate query, he said India has conveyed its concerns to China at the highest level about construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) passing through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and asked Beijing to cease its activities there.

Singh said some of the proposed projects under the CPEC are in PoK and it has been pointed out to China that Pakistan has been in illegal occupation of parts of Jammu and Kashmir since 1947.

"Government has conveyed to the Chinese side, including at the highest level, its concerns about their activities in PoK and asked them to cease these activities," he said.

On terrorism, he said China has conveyed to India that it has 'zero tolerance' for terrorism and their desire to cooperate with India to contain it.

"On several occasions, China has reiterated with us their resolute opposition to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations with 'zero tolerance', and has agreed that there is no justification for terrorism.

"Given the convergence in our respective positions, the government has conveyed to China that their stated position on terrorism should be demonstrated in concrete terms through practical steps in bilateral and multilateral fora," said Singh.

To another question on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), he said India's consistent position has been to address all matters relating to it bilaterally in accordance with provisions of the pact.

He said India has conveyed to the World Bank that it is in the interest of all parties to ensure workability of the treaty and its time-tested mechanisms.

To a separate question, he said the validity of the agreement between India and Pakistan on reducing risk of accidents relating to nuclear weapons has been extended for a period of five years on February 20.
South Asian nations including India are "vulnerable" to emerging infectious diseases like Zika and Ebola and their level of preparedness is "inadequate" to protect public health, a new analysis today said.

Inadequate surveillance and uneven health system capacity may accelerate the spread of the emerging infectious diseases in the region, which is already burdened by diseases like tuberculosis, HIV and malaria, an analysis as part of a collection of twelve analyses on health in South Asia published in British Medical Journal (BMJ) said.

The analysis pointed out that although sporadic cases of dengue infection were seen in many South Asian countries in the 1960s, regular epidemics only occurred in the early 1990s in India and Sri Lanka.

"In India and Sri Lanka, by around 40 years of age 90-95 per cent of adults have been infected with the dengue virus, while 41 per cent have been infected with chikungunya," it said.

Noting that Anthrax is endemic in large parts of South Asia, the analysis said that in the border areas of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, poor vaccination and surveillance have been accompanied by "increasing" anthrax cases, which prompted Bangladesh to announce a "red alert" in 2010.

Noting that rabies remains endemic in eight countries in South East Asia, with 1.4 billion people at risk, the authors in the analysis said that the region contributes about 45 per cent of global rabies deaths, while the "rhetoric" on elimination continues to grow.

"Brucellosis, bovine tuberculosis, and a range of food- borne diseases contribute to the morbidity and mortality attributable to zoonotic infections but are struggling to gain the attention of policymakers in the subcontinent, despite it resulting in 150 million illnesses, 175,000 deaths, and 12 million disability-adjusted life years," the analysis said.

The analysis found that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus A/H5N1, which was introduced to the subcontinent in 2005 through wild birds, has since become endemic across large parts of northeast India and Bangladesh, across porous international borders.

"It has resulted in losses of around USD 500 million," the analysis by Centre for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy (CDDEP) Director Ramanan Laxminarayan and colleagues said.

"South Asia stands vulnerable to emerging infectious diseases. Examining the vulnerability to emerging and growing infectious disease threats and the capacity to respond to outbreaks, the analysis finds the level of preparedness is inadequate to protect public health," it said.

South Asia is defined by the World Bank as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and is home to a quarter of the world's population.

It bears a significant proportion of the global burden of infectious disease, with longstanding battles against TB, HIV and malaria.

"Emerging and growing infectious diseases, like Zika, Ebola, MERS-CoV, and avian influenza, are adding to the already significant burden of disease, and their spread may accelerate in the face of factors such as inadequate surveillance and uneven health system capacity.

"The current state of affairs appears to result from a severe policy neglect, including a general lack of commitment to the 'One Health' approach in policy discourse, which would consider the interrelation of animal health, human health, and the environment," the authors noted.

The analysis found that Nipah virus emerged in Malaysia in the late 1990s, initially being misdiagnosed as Japanese encephalitis (JE), and there have since been frequent outbreaks in Bangladesh and to a lesser extent in India.

They said the lack of preventive measures and surveillance has led to some previously sporadic diseases like Nipah virus and Chandipura virus becoming "endemic" in these countries.

There has also been a marked rise in incidence, even as mortality rates have decreased, for some diseases, they said.

"With rapid shifts in urbanisation and increasing population, South Asia has the opportunity and obligation to implement meaningful policy changes to prepare against emerging infectious diseases.

"Millions of lives are at stake and betting against the spread of emerging infectious diseases would be irresponsible," said Laxminarayan.

The analysis noted that the elimination of polio from many countries in the region, most recently in India, is a "landmark" achievement.

"At the global scale, South Asia must become more engaged in the health security agenda. The government of India is a founder contributor to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), an initiative that aims to accelerate the development of new vaccines for high threat pathogens.

"This leadership is commendable, but such research and development pipelines need to be linked to strengthened surveillance, response, and research platforms within South Asia to ensure that it can be evaluated and implemented locally. Finally, global science communities can help enhance regional conversation to encourage local collaboration," it added.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An Indian-origin "career criminal" in the UK was today jailed for six years for robbing his friend at knifepoint to fuel his drug addiction.

Surinder Singh, 42, was found guilty of robbery and possession of a bladed article at Wood Green Court in London.

Scotland Yard described the man as a "career criminal" who resorted to robbery to fuel his drug addiction.

"Singh is a career criminal who uses extreme violence for relatively little reward to fuel his drug addiction. The terrified victim genuinely believed that he would be killed by the knife wielding attacker if he did not hand over cash.

"Singh has shown no remorse at any time during the proceedings. The sentence imposed by the judge reflects the gravity of the offence and that carrying and using knifes in the streets of London will not be tolerated and lead to severe punishment," said Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Paul Ridley.

Judge G Perrins described Singh's attack as a "despicable crime" as the victim trusted Singh and thought he was his friend.

As Singh was clearly motivated by his heroin and alcohol addictions, the judge said he felt there was no alternative but to hand down a substantial sentence based on Singh's offending history and his propensity to commit violence.

The court was told that the victim, a 33-year-old man, had been in the company of Singh last November in north-east London and as they were about to part company, Singh produced a Stanley knife and held the blade to the victim's throat demanding cash.

Petrified and believing Singh would kill him, the victim handed over 80 pounds (USD 99.99) before fleeing the scene.

During Singh's police interview, he denied the allegations put to him, claiming that they were fabricated by the victim.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The rapist and murderer of a 30- year-old Indian-origin woman in the UK was sentenced to life in prison today.

Pardeep Kaur, a hotel housekeeper, was attacked by Vadims Ruskuls as she walked to work in south-west London. Her dead body was found a week later near Heathrow Airport.

Ruskuls, a Latvian national, was told by Judge Richard Marks at the Old Bailey Court today that he will spend at least 30 years in prison before being deported to his country of origin.

"This was a truly shocking and wicked offence of the utmost gravity. Anyone who could do what you did must be regarded as extremely dangerous. What a dreadful way for Pardeep Kaur, a decent, hard-working young woman, to die," he said in his ruling.

"It is apparent from the state of undress in which her body was found that the motive of this attack must have been sexual in that you either in the course or immediately following having sexually assaulted her, you killed her and thereafter did your level best to conceal her body," he said.

Kaur's husband, Rachpal Singh, told the court in his victim impact statement that he thought about what his wife suffered all the time.

Kaur and her husband both worked long hours to save money to send to their six-year-old daughter, who lives with her grandparents in India.

"During this trial, I have seen photos of her clothing in waste land. It has been six months since she was murdered but I have not forgotten her for even six seconds and I always think about what she must have gone through on that dark morning when she was killed.

"We hoped for a good life here with our daughter, but something terrible happened to us and now our dreams are shattered. The circumstances of Pardeep's death will always haunt me because Vadims Ruskuls has not given an explanation," Singh said.

The body of Kaur, who worked as a housekeeper at Sheraton Skyline Hotel in Harlington area of west London, was discovered decomposed and hidden under a sleeping bag and branches in wasteland five days after she was reported missing on October 17 last year.

The court was told her screams would have been drowned out by heavy traffic on the main highway nearby.

Ruskuls, a homeless drifter, was caught on CCTV stalking Kaur and then later dragging what looked like a human body.

Scotland Yard Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson, from the force's Homicide and Major Crime Command said: "This has been a truly shocking and horrendous case and Ruskuls has proved himself to be a violent and dangerous rapist and murderer".

"Pardeep was walking to work, as she did every day, when she suffered a horrific fate at the hands of Ruskuls, who sexually attacked and killed his defenceless victim before leaving her body in woodland. It is everybody's worst nightmare," Stevenson said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Iran today condemned a decision by the European Union to extend sanctions imposed over its human rights record for one year.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran condemns the repetitive and unhealthy process of double standards and political abuse of human rights as a tool by the EU, including the renewal of unilateral sanctions," foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi said in a statement.

"Unfortunately, the EU has shown that it has no true understanding of the human rights situation... In the religious democratic system of Iran."



The sanctions renewed yesterday include an asset freeze against 82 individuals and one entity, plus a ban on exports to Iran of equipment "which might be used for internal repression and of equipment for monitoring telecommunications," an EU statement said.

They were first put in place in 2011 and are unrelated to Iran's nuclear programme.

Major powers struck a deal with Iran in July 2015 under which the EU began lifting nuclear-related sanctions in January last year.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Israel has arrested a Palestinian lawmaker over Hamas "activities," an NGO and officials said today, bringing to 13 the number of Palestinian deputies detained by the Jewish state.

Ahmed Atoun, a Palestinian lawmaker from Jerusalem since 1996 affiliated with Hamas, was arrested at dawn, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club NGO.

Banned from Jerusalem by Israel, he has recently lived in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

His arrest brings to 13 the number of Palestinian parliament members detained by Israel.

The parliament, or Palestinian Legislative Council, includes 132 members, though it has not sat since 2007, when Hamas and the Palestinian Authority clashed in a near-civil war over control of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas won polls in 2006, eventually sparking the conflict that led to the Islamist group's control of the strip.

Beyond Atoun, 14 other Palestinians were also arrested, the NGO said, including Fayez Abu Warda, a Hamas spokesman in the West Bank.

Questioned about Atoun and Warda, Israeli authorities confirmed two people were arrested over "Hamas activities" in the Ramallah area and Hebron, but did not provide further details.

Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza have fought three wars since 2008 and Israeli authorities fear Hamas operatives will seek to mount attacks in the West Bank.

More than 6,500 Palestinians are currently detained by Israel, including 500 under the process known as administrative detention, which allows them to be held without charge or trial.

Prominent jailed Palestinian Marwan Barghouti, who polls show would win Palestinian elections, is calling for a widespread prisoners' hunger strike.

The call is being made in connection with Palestinian prisoners day, which will be marked on April 17.

Barghouti is jailed over his role in the violent second Palestinian intifada.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today greeted people ahead of the Baisakhi festival tomorrow.

In his message, Vohra observed that Baisakhi day which marks the beginning of the New Year in the Indian Calendar has a special significance for the people of northern India, particularly for the Sikh community as the Khalsa Panth was born on this day.

He said that in the northern states, Baisakhi also marks the commencement of the harvesting season when farmers reap the fruit of their hard work.

He observed that the celebration of this festival is a shining example of our glorious pluralistic traditions, as he prayed for peace, harmony, brotherhood and progress.

The chief minister said Baisakhi symbolises harvesting of the hard labour and celebrating it with harmony and brotherhood which adds colour to its festivity.

She said festivals like Baisakhi strengthen the bonds of love among people and nurture amity and harmony.

Mufti prayed for peace and prosperity of the state on this occasion.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray today demanded strict action against Pakistan where a court awarded death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

A Pakistani military court on Monday awarded death sentence to Jadhav after declaring him a "spy".

"Merely expressing feelings or threatening Pakistan of consequences will not work now. Now is the time for direct action to teach them a permanent lesson. Jadhav has to be brought back at the earliest," Thackeray told reporters at his residence 'Matoshree' in suburban Bandra.

He said the Sena was criticised when it protested the welcoming of Pakistani politicians and artistes in India, but after events such as the awarding of death penalty to Jadhav, the nationalism of people suddenly springs up.

Notably, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday made a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".

Asked about the fate of Sena-BJP relations after his party attended the NDA constituents meet in New Delhi earlier this week, Thackeray said, "Relations are going in the right direction at a snail's pace."



The Sena chief today felicitated the actors of Marathi films "Ventilator" and "Kasaav" which recently won the National award.

"I feel proud of Marathi artistes. In future we will hold a Marathi film festival for regional movies. The whole world is felicitating these artistes and it is thus imperative that we felicitate them," he said.

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: Karnataka government todaysaid it would sign a contract worth Rs 615.82 crore withIT major Wipro to connect government offices from the Gram Panchayat level in the State.

It would be implemented under the Karnataka State Wide Area Network (KSWAN) project- I and II.

"KSWAN, that initially began in 2009, has ended in 2014. Now the cabinet has given the go ahead for KSWAN-I and KSWAN-II. For this, we will be signing a five-year contract with Wipro. Rs 615.82 crore bid has been accepted," Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said.

Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting here, he said Rs 185.60 crore would have to be paid to BSNL for bandwidth for five years.

KSWAN was initially set-up in December 2009 underCentre for e-Governance with assistance of the Union Government to provide reliable and most secure network connectivity and bandwidth upgradation on-demand to user departments across Karnataka.

The network envisages establishing most reliable fault-free video, voice and data communication services to allGovernment offices across Karnataka.

Stating that the project is to interconnect all government offices from gram panchayat level,Jayachandra said "We are aiming to connect up to 10,000offices from 4,000."



The cabinet also agreed to convene the next session of the state legislature in June, he said.

"We will have to ratify GST which will come into effect from July 1. By then we will have to do it, so it will be probably in the June first week. Also our vote on account is only for three months," he said.

Among the other decisions taken by the cabinet were giving consent on the civil aviation policythat was sought by Civil Aviation Ministry, from thestate.

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A high-level FRBM panel has recommended keeping budgetary deficit at 3 per cent of GDP in three years to March 2020 and setting up a new council to determine annual targets.

Calling for more focus on debt-to-GDP ratio, its recommendation for the fiscal deficit for the current fiscal is lower than 3.2 per cent that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has set for himself in the Budget for 2017-18.

The Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) committee headed by former revenue secretary N K Singh suggested combined debt-to-GDP of 60 per cent by 2023, 40 per cent for the central government and 20 per cent for state governments.

The report, which was made public today, was submitted to the finance minister before budget this year. Many of the recommendations were incorporated in the Budget for 2017-18.

While recommending 3 per cent fiscal deficit for current fiscal and the next and progressively reducing it to 2.5 per cent by 2022-23, the panel has provided for 'escape clauses', for deviations up to 0.5 per cent of GDP, from the stipulated fiscal deficit target.

Among the triggers for taking recourse to these escape clauses, the panel has included "far-reaching structural reforms in the economy with unanticipated fiscal implications".

The government has this fiscal marginally deviated from earlier fiscal consolidation road map by deferring the 3 per cent target by a year. Fiscal deficit in 2016-17 was 3.5 per cent of GDP.

The panel recommended constituting a three-member Fiscal Council to prepare multi-year fiscal forecasts and a debt and fiscal sustainability analysis that makes projections on key fiscal indicators.

It is to provide an independent assessment of the central government's fiscal performance and compliance with targets as also advise if conditions exist to permit a deviation for invocation in the escape or buoyancy clause.

The committee wanted the existing FRBM Act, 2003 and the FRBM Rules, 2004 repealed and replaced by a new Debt and Fiscal Responsibility Act.

It also suggested lowering revenue deficit to GDP ratio by 0.25 percentage points each year by bringing it down to 0.8 per cent in FY2023 from 2.3 per cent in FY2017.

"If there is a sharp increase in real output growth of at least 3 percentage points above the average for the previous four quarters, fiscal deficit must fall by at least 0.5 percentage points below the target. Similar to the escape clause, this buoyancy clause can be invoked by the Government, after formal consultations and advice of the Fiscal Council," it said.

The panel provided that the central government shall not borrow from the Reserve Bank except to meet temporary excess of cash disbursement over cash receipts in any financial year.

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The Kerala High Court today ordered CBI to take over the probe into the mysterious death of Malayalam film actor Kalabhavan Mani last year, rejecting the agency's stand it cannot investigate the case due to workload.

Justice Sunil Thomas held it was a fit case for the CBI and directed the agency to take over the probe from the state police in a month.

The court passed the order on petitions filed by Mani's wife Nimmy and brother R L V Ramakrishnan seeking a CBI probe into the death of the 45-year old actor.

The Kerala government had on June 11 last year decided to hand over the case to the CBI, which, however, had turned it down saying its hands were full as it was investigating many other cases.

The CBI had taken the same stand in the court also during the earlier hearing.

The court, however, today rejected the CBI's submission and ordered it to probe into the actor's death.

The petitioners told the court that the police continuing the probe was inappropriate after the state government issued a notification entrusting the task to the CBI.

Mani, who had essayed various roles in south Indian films, was found in a serious condition at his farmhouse at Chalakudy and later died at a hospital in March 2016.

While a lab at Kochi had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a toxic pesticide in his viscera sample, a Hyderabad lab had stated that traces of methyl alcohol were found in his blood.

Mani was undergoing treatment for a liver ailment at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences at Kochi, where he breathed his last on March 6.

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India and Sri Lanka will jointly operate the oil storage facility at the strategic eastern port town of Trincomalee, Petroleum Minister Chandima Weerakkody said today.

At least 73 of the 99 storage tanks in Trincomalee is to be managed under a new equity arrangement between the two countries, Weerakkody said.

To operate the 73 tanks "we will have the joint venture running", Weerakkody said.

Sri Lanka will have the ownership of 10 more tanks while another 14 will be handed to India on a long lease, he said.

The petroleum minister had presented a Cabinet paper last year for the joint venture and he today said negotiations were still underway on the matter.

He said the Indian interests in the oil storage tanks date back to 2003 when the entire 99 operational tanks were given to Indian Oil Corporation under an agreement.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena faces criticism from Opposition leaders over the government's alleged plans to sell state assets. The criticisms are mainly directed towards Sri Lanka-China partnership to develop the southern port of Hambantota.

Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa had recently said the government plans to give the Hambantota port to China, and the Trincomalee and the Jaffna ports to India and the US respectively.

During last week's Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed the need to maintain good ties with India while negotiating with China.

Sri Lanka is said to owe China about USD 8 billion for loans obtained by the Rajapaksa regime between 2005 and 2015.

The Sirisena government hopes to recover USD 1.2 billion by leasing the Hambantota port and the adjacent industrial park to be set up by China.

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The Tamil Nadu government today ordered closure of a liquor outlet in Tirupur district following outrage over "assault" on a woman by a police official during a crackdown on a protest against the shop.

As the official's act, caught on camera, drew strong condemnation and protests, the district administration ordered closure of the liquor outlet in Samalapuram, about 20 km from Tirupur, and an inquiry into the incident.

The incident occurred last evening when a group of people, including women, blocked a road demanding closure of state-run TASMAC liquor outlet, relocated to their locality consequent to the ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of highways.

As the protesters refused to disperse, Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan allegedly slapped a woman and pushed two others, asking them to move away from the road.

Protesting this, a section of the agitators allegedly hurled stones at police, who resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.

Police said three persons were injured in the melee with one of them being hospitalised.

As the video showing the official's act went viral, various political parties, including DMK and BJP condemned the 'police brutality'.

The matter was raised in the Madras High Court today by way of two petitions seeking action against the ADSP.

When the petitions came up for hearing after a special mention before a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, state Advocate General R Muthukumaraswamy submitted that action was being initiated against the erring police official and an inquiry had been ordered.

He also said the licence for relocating the shop had been cancelled by the District Collector.

The AG submitted the government had initiated action to relocate the outlet as per the Supreme Court order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of national and state highways.

During the course of relocation, some crowd gathered at the spot and staged protest. Police intervened when they started hurling stones, he said adding some police personnel were also injured in the incident.

The court then directed the government to give medical assistance to the injured at its cost in the hospital chosen by the victims and disposed of the petitions, filed by K Balu of PMK's legal wing and social activist Traffic Ramaswamy.

Samalapuram witnessed protest against police action with traders shutting their shops.

A group of 27 local residents launched a fast late last night, demanding action against the ADSP.

District Superintendent of Police E S Uma rushed to the spot and held talks with them at around 3.30 am in a bid to persuade them to give up their protest.

As they refused to call off the agitation, all the 27 were detained later, police said.

But another batch of around 75 people commenced a fast this morning, demanding the dismissal of the ADSP. They also demanded release of 27 people taken into custody.

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Soundarajan met the protesters and condemned police action.

Earlier, in a tweet, she said the police official "who assaulted women protesting against liquor outlet deserve condemnation and should be sacked (sic)".

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of an elderly man during an anti-drugs police raid in Lambi in district Muktsar yesterday.

The Chief Minister has also announced a grant of Rs 10 lakhs for the next of kin of Gurdev Singh (62) of village Tarmala, an official spokesperson said here today.

Amarinder took "serious note" of media reports about the death of Gurdev Singh, a farmer owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal, during a raid by the police over his alleged involvement in drugs and has ordered a detailed probe to find the cause, circumstances and also to fix responsibility for the incident, the spokesperson said.

Amarinder also expressed his heartfelt condolences for the bereaved family.

The Chief Minister reiterated his promise to free the state from the drugs menace.

He however asked officials of police and other agencies not to cause undue inconvenience or harassment to anyone during the ongoing search operations for drug seizures across the state.

The Chief Minister solicited public support to make the anti-drugs campaign a success in the larger interest of the state's welfare and the future of their children, the spokesperson said.

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Two NGOs have analysed self-sworn affidavits of 1,244 of the 1,284 candidates contesting polls in three civic bodies in Maharashtra and found 9 per cent of them face criminal cases, while 10 per cent are crorepatis.

Municipal corporation of Latur, Parbhani and Chandrapur are going to the polls on April 19.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Maharashtra Election Watch (MEW) have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 1,244 of the 1,284 candidates who are in fray for the 201 seats in these urban civic bodies.

According to the NGOs, 114 of these nominees (9%) have declared that criminal cases are pending against them.

Sixty-four of them (5%) face serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, extortion, dacoity and robbery, among others, they said in a statement today.

Of the 190 candidates fielded by Congress, 24 (13%) face criminal cases. This is followed by BJP 188 candidates - 18 (10%) - Shiv Sena 158 candidates - 15 (10%) and NCP 151 candidates - 14 (9%), it said.

Of the 1,244 candidates analysed, 125 (10%) are crorepatis. A majority of them are from BJP (23%) followed by Congress (16%), NCP (13%) and Shiv Sena (10%), the statement said.

The average asset per candidate for this election was over Rs 50 Lakh.

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A man from Andhra Pradesh,wanted in several cheating cases in South India,was arrested today by Railway Police for allegedly impersonating a CB-CID official and duping a man from Kerala of Rs 10,000.

Police said the man, identified as one Sunil Sahu from Vijayawada,had stopped one Rajan,who had come here from Kerala yesterday morning, identified himself as a CB-CID officer and asked him to "hand over" the money he was carrying with him.

Rajan was asked collect the amount from the police station "after showing proper documents."



He realised he had been cheated when he made enquiries at the police station and found that nobody had given the amount to the personnel for being given to him.

He then lodged a complaint with Railway Police.

This morning, Railway Police noticed a man moving around in a suspicious manner at a platform. On being questioned, he reportedly confessed to having taken the money from Rajan.

Police said the man, who knew several languages, had cheated youths from North India at various railway stations and had cases pending against him in Bengaluru, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala.

Sahu was produced before a local court and remanded to custody, they said.

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:Kerala-based Manappuram Finance Ltd will launch its own co-branded prepaid card on April 15, in tie-up with Yes Bank to promote digital financial transactions.

The Manappuram Yes Bank Money Card can be pre-loaded up to a maximum amount of Rs 50,000 and then be used to withdraw money from all ATM's, a company press release said.

As the card works on the popular MasterCard and RuPay networks, it can also be used for online transactions and at merchant establishments with Point of Sales (PoS) terminals.

Manappuram Finance Ltd. Will issue the prepaid card to its entire base of 20 lakh live customers and link their existing gold loan accounts to the card.

This will enable its customers to withdraw money from ATMs across India.

Customers can also withdraw money from any of the 3,300 branches of Manappuram Finance Ltd, a feature unique to this card.

The card will be launched at the company's head office at Valapad in Thrissur by V P Nandakumar, Managing Director & CEO.

During the function, Manappuram Finance Ltd. Will also launch its branded eWallet under the name "MaKash".

The company had recently received a Pre Paid Payment Instrument License from RBI which authorises the company to operate a semi-closed payment instrument and eWallets, the release said.

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Marked by some historic events, the Budget session of Parliament came to an end today after approval of four landmark GST bills and several other legislations besides the Budget and the demand for grants of various ministries.

The two-part session, which was advanced for the first time in the country's history, commenced on January 31 with the customary Address by the President to a joint sitting.

For the first time, the Budget was presented on February one, almost a month ahead of the usual date, as the government wanted to complete the budgetary exercise before the end of March instead of May, the time by which the process would be completed earlier.

Another historic development witnessed this time was the merger of the Railway Budget with the General Budget, ending a 92-year-old practice of presentation of two separate budgets.

The session also saw all the parties coming together in both the Houses over the death sentence awarded to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court on the charges of spying.

Amid outrage in both the Houses yesterday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made statements, saying the execution would be a "pre-meditated murder" and warned that it will have consequences on the bilateral ties.

The first part of the session was from January 31 to February 9 and the second part from March 9 till today.

Altogether, there were 29 sittings, with the Lok Sabha working for 176 hours and 39 minutes and the Rajya Sabha for over 136 hours.

The Lok Sabha lost eight hours and 12 minutes due to disruptions, including one by the Shiv Sena over the flying ban by domestic airlines on one of its MPs who had allegedly thrashed an Air India employee.

The Upper House lost 13 hours because of furore over different issues.

Both the Houses passed four bills of the GST (Goods and Services Tax), the biggest tax reform which would bring India under a uniform indirect tax regime.

The Lok Sabha also passed The Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017, The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the Enemy Property Bill, the Mental healthcare Bill, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016, HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017 and 123rd Constitution Amendment Bill (to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes).

"Of the 560 starred questions, more than 136 were given oral answers, which comes to around 4.68 questions per day. 494 issues were raised under Rule 377 and 158 Private members Bills were introduced in the House," Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said in her valedictory remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Party's patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and BJP veteran L K Advani were present in the House.

Different ministers gave 51 statements during the course of the session and laid 1864 papers on the table of the House.

During the joint sitting of Parliament which was addressed by President Pranab Mukherjee on January 31, Lok Sabha member and IUML leader E Ahamed collapsed and was rushed to hospital. Later, he passed away due to massive cardiac arrest.

The Rajya Sabha passed or returned 14 bills, including four GST legislations, the Payment of Wastes (Amendment) Bill, the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Aquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Bill, the Employee's Compensation (Amendment) Bill, the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment Bill) and Appropriation (General and Railways) Bills during the session.

However, the bill to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, could not go through the Rajya Sabha as the Opposition resisted it, after which it was sent to a Select Committee.

Among the issues which led to disruptions in the Upper House's 242nd session was the "rain coat" jibe the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had at his predecessor Manmohan Singh which triggered protests by Congress members.

"Only Dr Manmohan Singh knows the art of taking bath wearing a rain coat," Modi had said referring to the various scams that allegedly took place during his predecessor's term.

The other issues which led to disruptions were the demand for swearing-in of V K Sasikala as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, role of Governors regarding formation of governments in Goa and Manipur and the government's proposal for setting up of a National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes in place of National Commission for Backward Classes.

House proceedings were also stalled over allegations of tampering of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), reported remarks of Rajasthan Home Minister on rape and over "selective targeting" of opposition leaders in cases of land allotments.

However, the Rajya Sabha sat late for more than six and a half hours to make up for the lost time.

Ministers made nine statements on different issues on issues like killing of Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy, the killing of a dairy farmer in Rajasthan, hate crimes against Indian citizens in the US etc.

In his valedictory remarks, Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari also lauded the backbenchers in the House for their enthusiastic contribution to the proceedings.

Ansari said the members' zeal to raise important issues was manifested in 205 Zero Hour submissions, 76 special mentions, 435 starred and 4,629 unstarred questions.

He said the performance of the members on the last two rows was "remarkable" as they made 86 Zero Hour submissions which is near 42 percent of the total.

The back benchers also asked 260 supplementaries, around 48 percent of the over 535 such questions.

The Prime Minister, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad were present.

During the session 33 private members' bills were introduced while there was animated debate on short duration discussions on issues like election reforms and Aadhaar, he said.

"While a new Member (Manish Gupta) elected in a bye-election from the state of West Bengal joined the House, we lost one esteemed sitting member Haji Abdul Salam, who passed away on February 28," the Vice President said.

Ansari thanked all leaders and members for their cooperation as the House adjourned 'sine die' after national song 'Vande Mataram' was played.

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US Senator John McCain has congratulated Montenegro for its upcoming NATO membership and blasted Russia for its alleged attempts to interfere in the Balkans.

McCain, who was a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, is one of the strongest supporters of expanding NATO in Europe.

He said in Montenegro today that "the behavior on the part of Russians, throughout the region and the world, is not acceptable."



The Senate backed Montenegro's accession to NATO last month, a message that the US will push back against Russian efforts to increase its influence in Europe.

President Donald Trump signed the ratification yesterday.

McCain says: "the Russian behavior requires our solidarity and our strength."



NATO invited tiny Montenegro to join the military alliance as its 29th member in December 2015.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today demanded withdrawal of allegedly tampered EVMs brought from Rajasthan for MCD polls and said only VVPAT equipped voting machines should be used in the elections.

In his letter to State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava, he also demanded that state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed to examine EVMs to be used in the elections.

The AAP national convener sought to know why the SEC asked for Generation 1 EVMs, which are most the "insecure" with the least security features, to conduct MCD elections.

"We are really surprised that you (Srivastava) did not ask for VVPAT machines...Recent incidents of EVM manipulations from Dholpur show that the BJP has successfully managed to tamper the code/software of EVMs in Rajasthan because the state has BJP government and all machines are in their custody," he alleged in the letter.

Kejriwal said he strongly opposed the use of machines sourced from Rajasthan for the MCD elections.

"Why are you insisting on conducting MCD polls with Rajasthan machines when it is clear that they are tampered. We demand that all these machines should be immediately withdrawn," he added.

Kejriwal said there were around 15,000 EVMs available in the city which were sufficient to conduct the elections.

"All state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed for technical examination of the machines which are being used for the MCD elections. We also demand that the MCD elections should be held only and only with VVPAT machines," Kejriwal said.

Noting the Supreme Court has categorically said that all elections should be held with VVPAT machines, he sought to know why the commission did not make an attempt to procure the machines.

"You (Srivastava) will have to walk an extra mile to restore that faith. Else it would be very dangerous for our democracy. I hope you accept our demands as promptly as you have been accepting BJP's demands so far," he added.

He said that public faith has been seriously "eroded" in the entire electoral process and EVMs.

Earlier this week, Kejriwal had hit out at the Election Commission, claiming that the poll body was acting like "Dhritarashtra" to help son "Duryodhana" (BJP) win the polls.

The AAP leader had also alleged that the Commission's only intention was to bring the BJP to power in poll-bound states and that is why it was not paying heed to his request to investigate defective EVMs.

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Stating that it does not want to shut the door to an amicable solution to Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal case, the Supreme Court today deferred the final hearing in the matter to April 27.

The final hearing was put off after the Centre informed the court that a meeting of Punjab and Haryana has been convened by it on April 20 to resolve the matter. The court, however, made it clear that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.

"A meeting has been called at the highest level on April 20. The government of India is very keen to find a solution," Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar told the bench headed by Justice P C Ghose.

The bench, also comprising Justice Amitava Roy, considered the statement of Solicitor General and deferred the hearing in the case to April 27.

"We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution," the bench said when senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Haryana, reminded it that the matter has been listed for final hearing with regard to execution of the court's judgement favouring construction of SYL canal.

Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who represents Punjab in the case, said that he has always been saying that an out-of-court solution should be found to the impasse.

The bench stated that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.

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Aiming to expedite the Make In India initiative, the Home Ministry has given security clearance to nearly 3,300 fresh investment proposals in last three years after conducting national risk assessment.

The annual report of the Ministry of Home Affairs for 2016-17 said it issued policy guidelines for assessment of proposals for national security clearance on July 1, 2015 with the objective of ensuring a balance between requirements of national security and the imperatives of rapid economic growth.

The Home Ministry granted security clearance to 815 investment proposals in 2014, 1,201 proposals in 2015 and 1,260 proposals in 2016.

In addition, the annual report said that 543 proposals were automatically cleared in 2015 due to implementation of the revised policy guidelines.

The objective of the national security clearance is to evaluate potential threats, visible or embedded, in proposals received by the Ministry of Home Affairs and to provide a national risk assessment, the report, released today, said.

The Home Ministry has defined security rating parameters to evaluate the proposals uniformly.

The national security clearance policy was drawn up by the Home Ministry to fast-track the security clearance process within 4-6 weeks as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ease of business mantra under the Make In India initiative.

As per the policy, the promoters, owners and directors of the company are mandated to give self declarations regarding any criminal history on their part, which reduced the period required to give security clearance from 2-3 months earlier to to just 4-6 weeks now.

Security inputs from Intelligence Bureau, CBI, Enforcement Directorate and other agencies are sought only in serious crimes and not in case of minor offences.

A total of 14-15 parameters have been set out in eight to nine sensitive areas like telecom, ports, civil aviation, uplinking/downlinking of TV channels or FM stations.

The Home Ministry has also spelt out locations where foreign investment is not welcome such as those close to border and vital installations.

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A mob ransacked the government rural hospital at Trimbakeshwar near here last evening to protest the death of an eight-year-old boy.

Avinash Kachare, the boy, was dashed by a car near village Khambale on Nashik-Trimbakeshwar road yesterday evening, police said.

He was taken first to a private hospital and later to the government rural hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

Following which, an angry mob ransacked the hospital.

Police have tightened the security at the hospital. Nobody among the mob has been arrested yet.

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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured him of carrying out the fencing work of Indo-Bangladesh border on "war footing" as it is a top priority for the Centre.

In a statement issued after his meeting with the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister said he has requested Modi to take steps for complete sealing of the international border expeditiously to stop influx.

"In this context, the Prime Minister pointed out that sealing of the international border is one of the top priorities of the central government and that he would instruct the Ministry of Home Affairs to take up the matter on a war footing," Sonowal said.

The Chief Minister was in the capital to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate of the Dhola-Sadiya bridge over Brahmaputra in May and Global Investors' Summit to be held in November in the state this year.

On the two-day global investors summit beginning November 9, Sonowal said, "The first-ever global investors summit, followed by the Pravasi Asomiya Divas on November 11, will help to herald a new era of development and employment generation in Assam and the whole of North East."



He said the state government intends to make Assam a hub of manufacturing activities in the region and Guwahati a business centre for trade with South East Asia as part of the India's 'Act East Policy'.

Later he told reporters that reshuffle of his ministry would be carried out in due course after "broad discussions and taking the people into confidence".
The Moroccan authorities said today they had dismantled a "terrorist cell" that was recruiting volunteers for the Islamic State group.

The IS-affiliated cell, which was active in the northern city of Fez and nearby town of Moulay Yacoub, had seven members, an interior ministry statement said.

They "recruited and sent Moroccan volunteers to Iraq and Syria" where the jihadist group holds territory, it said.

Police seized bladed weapons, military uniforms, money and electronic equipment during the raid.

The authorities have regularly announced the dismantling of IS cells and arrest of suspected jihadist recruiters in recent months.

The kingdom has been spared deadly jihadist attacks since a 2011 bombing in the central city of Marrakesh which killed 17 people, mainly European tourists.

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: The over a century-old United Kingdom headquartered Morris Lubricants has forayed into the Indian market to tap the growing lubricant industry, a top official said here today.

The UK-based family owned firm has been exporting to over 85 countries worldwide.

For its India operations, the company has appointed George Oakes Ltd, part of the Amalgamations Group, as the marketing and distribution partner, Morris Lubricants Director and Member, Board of Directors, Andrew Wilkins said.

"We are delighted to be in India. We have strong historical trading links between India and United Kingdom. India is one of the main countries were we need to have more focus", he told reporters.

On the tie up with George Oakes Ltd., he said the company had held discussions with research firm RoseField DAA for nearly two years before entering the domestic market.

"We discussed with Shailendra (Gokhale MD, RoseField DAA) for over two years before this happened. We are happy to have a local partner here (George Oakes Ltd)" he said.

Paterson Lubricants, the holding company of Morris Lubricants, formally commenced Indian operations last week.The company would initially focus in West and South regions.

The domestic lubricant industry was around 2.50 million kilolitres per annum, valued at Rs 32,000 crore, registering 4-5 per cent growth year-on-year.

"India is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and a very attractive destination for our growth.", he said.

"We realised for the Indian market,unlike other countries, exports from UK may not be ideal solution. Hence we decided to blend some of our lubricants and maximise the sourcing of raw materials in India", he said.

The company has two manufacturing facilities in UK with a total capacity of producing 50 million litres a year.

Morris Lubricants, as part of its strategy to offer country specific products, has identified a "local partner" to set up the facility near Mumbai for blending the lubricants in India, he said.

On the marketing strategy in India, Wilkins said, "we have a lot of products to offer. Currently, India is the third largest lubricant market in the world".

"We will go and meet all our customers. Our products can be used for heavy duty trucks, tractors, aftermarket service, two wheelers.", he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Muslim woman's hijab was allegedly ripped off in the US by a man who she claimed beat her "like an animal" and repeatedly stepped on her head, prompting calls for a hate crime probe.

The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer.

Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.

The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital yesterday.

"I said to myself, 'I am going to die today for sure.' So he gets up from the car and told me to come here," said the woman who was attacked.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said a car pulled up alongside her.

One man came from a car. That man wanted only one thing -- to remove the woman's hijab, or headscarf, she said.

"He said to take my hijab, my scarf. I tried to fight him. 'Don't take my hijab,' you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal," she told the TV station.

The attacker was able to pull the scarf off and blood stains remained on it, the report said.

The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped on her head repeatedly.

She said he also took out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.

"Certainly we're scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe. The initial reaction is shock," said Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Those at the Islamic Center believe this was a hate crime.

"Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf -- is a hate crime," Ahmad was quoted as saying



The victim somehow made it home. That is where she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital.

She said during the beating, the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.

Police said they were investigating and there was no suspect in custody at this time.

The incident comes amid a spike in hate crimes and assaults targeting hijab-wearing women across the US.
The apex consumer commission has directed a realtor to refund Rs 10 lakh to a home buyer, saying



the builder was "highly negligent" in completing the project.

The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) bench asked a north Delhi-based realtor Apex Buildtech Ltd to refund Rs 10 lakh along with Rs 40,000 as cost of litigation to West Delhi resident Madhu Talreja.

The NCDRC, while upholding the state commission's decision to dismiss the builder's appeal against a district forum's order, has noted that the realtor who promised to handover the possession in three years has not been able to do so even after 10 years of booking.

"It is obvious that even till date, the petitioner (builder) is not in a position to deliver the possession of the flat with clear title to the complainant. Hence, the opposite party (builder) was highly negligent in completing the project which obviously is a deficiency in service," the commission bench headed by its presiding member Justice Ajit Bharihoke said.

"The petitioner is a builder who has utilised the money of gullible consumer on the false promise that he would deliver the possession within 3 years which he has not been able to fulfill even after 10 years of booking," the commission said.

According to Talreja's complaint, she booked a residential flat in the group's housing project 'Apex Greens' at Sonipat in Haryana and deposited Rs 10 lakh with the firm.

A builder-buyer agreement between the parties was executed on October 20, 2007.

It further alleged that the agreement assured her the possession of flat within three years but the builder faulted.

The firm, however, denied that it had promised to hand over the flat within 3 years or that the construction of the project was delayed.

It also said that Talreja was at fault as she failed to make further payment of consideration amount.

However, the district forum asked it to refund Rs 10 lakh along with the cost against which the builder approached the state commission from where also he failed to gain relief.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will embark on a five-day India visit from April 17, her first trip to this country after assuming office in 2015.

Announcing the schedule, the external affairs ministry today said the upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections.

"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," it said.

Bhandari, who will be here at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee, will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other leaders.

She will also be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

The Nepalese leader was scheduled to visit India in May last year but it was cancelled with the Nepal government citing internal developments as the reason for the cancellation.

In Kathmandu, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri called on Bhandari and discussed her visit as well as other bilateral issues, according to her office.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The number of security personnel killed in mine blasts in the country have sharply declined from 285 in 2010 to only 32 so far this year, the government told Rajya Sabha today.

Replying to supplementaries, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said "for the last few years, our securitymen who have died in mine attacks have reduced largely. We are also using drones and helicopters and other modern equipment."



He said the number of securitymen who died in mine blasts in 2010 were 285 and the number is gradually coming down.

"In 2011, 142 security personnel died in mine attacks, while in 2012, the number came down to 114. In 2013, 115 security personnel died in mine attacks, 88 in 2014, 59 in 2015, 65 in 2016 and so far in 2017 security personnel who died in such attacks came down to only 32," he said.

Ahir said each batallion of security forces have at least one or two mine-protected vehicles (MPVs) and only 10 MPVs have been sent to Kashmir so far.

The Minister said since the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (Ordinance Factory Board) was the only manufacturer of these vehicles in the country, the availability was not very much.

He said the factory has the capacity to manufacture only 100 MPVs in a year and the armed and paramilitary forces get their supplies from this factory only.

"Due to only one manufacturer, the procurement is not done in one go. But every batallion has one to two MPVs. 20 such MPVs have been received recently by CRPF and 20 more have been ordered. Approvals made have been for long term,"he said.

Replying to another supplementary, he said there was very less research on how deep the IEDs are kept under the ground, but despite that, some MPVs have been lost.

He said the armed forces do not consider the MPVs as "very successful" and thus more research is underway to come out with a more modernised vehicle.

"We have raised a demand to the Ordinance factory for manufacture of Modernised mine protected vehicles (MMPV), which is working on it," he said.

"We are working towards booking of MMPV and other modern equipment," he said.

Ahir said our security forces have been working well with the help of MPVs, but they are not just working with MPVs help but also with other new equipment.

"In the last three years, CRPF has made procurement of 20 vehicles and the number of MPVs for which procurement is underway is 40 for CRPF, 12 for BSP, 12 for ITBP and 7 for SSB," the Minister said in his written reply.

He also informed that CRPF has a total of 126 MPVs, BSF has 24, Assam Rifles 28 and ITBP 20.

"The actual procurement of any equipment, including mine protected vehicles, is guided by operational requirements and priorities, competing requirements and availability of finance," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Opposition parties have launched a disinformation campaign, including questioning the reliability of EVMs, because they are unable to digest defeat in elections, the government said on Wednesday.

Referring to the Opposition petition to the President on Wednesday, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said that after its defeat in polls, the opposition parties have started a disinformation campaign against the government.

He said the obstructionist attitude of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha based on its numerical superiority has led to the disillusionment of the people towards the upper house.

"They will have to explain their attitude in the Rajya Sabha to the people," he told reporters outside the Prime Minister's residence where a cabinet meeting is on.

He slammed the opposition parties for obstructing laws and making "baseless" allegations in the upper house.

Questioning the opposition for doubting the reliability of electronic voting machines (EVMs), Naidu asked how come it was okay when the AAP won the Delhi polls and the JDU-Congress alliance won in Bihar.

"When NDA wins, then blame the EVMs...The EC has already clarified on the issue," he said.

Major opposition parties met President Pranab Mukherjee today and put forth their concerns over recent incidents of violence, including attacks by cow vigilantes, and attempts to "muzzle voices of dissent".

A delegation of leaders of various political parties, led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, called on the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and sought his urgent intervention "to ensure the rule of law" in the country.

They presented a memorandum to him listing their various concerns and urged the President to ensure that constitutional democracy and fundamental rights of citizens are protected.
The Orissa High Court today refused to grant bail to arrested Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal, who had approached it in February, seeking the relief on health grounds.

The high court, however, allowed the jail authorities to provide healthcare facilities to him at any private hospital in Bhubaneswar of his choice, provided the cost of the treatment is borne by the petitioner.

Pal was arrested by the CBI for his alleged involvement in the Rose Valley Group chit fund scam. He was arrested in Kolkata last December.

Later, Pal was produced before a designated CBI court in Bhubaneswar on December 31. Since the lower court rejected his bail, the MP is now lodged behind the bars of a Bhubaneswar jail for over four months now.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
More than 1,400 Sikhs arrived here today from India to participate in the Baisakhi Festival at Gurdwara Hasan Abdal in Rawalpindi district of Pakistan's Punjab province.

The Sikhs, who arrived on three special trains, were greeted by the officials of Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee at the Wagah railway station amidst tight security.

"Some 1,430 Sikh Yatrees arrived here today via Wagah Border on three special trains. After immigration and serving them food they left for Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hasan Abdal," ETPB deputy director (shrines) Fraz Abbas told PTI.

"We were expecting more than 2,000 yatrees to arrive from India for the festival. However, only six yatrees travelled by the third train," he said.

But he was not aware of the reason as to why less number of yatrees reached here for the festival.

Abbas said special measures have been taken to provide security to the visiting Sikh pilgrims.

"The Rangers and Elite Force besides police personnel have been engaged to provide security to the Sikhs," Abbas said.

In the wake of recent terror attacks in Lahore the government has taken "extra-ordinary" security measures for the visiting Sikhs. The main event will be held on April 14.

The Sikhs would also visit Gurdwara Janamesthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Soda in Farooqabad, Gurdwara Kartarpur Narowal and Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.

The Sikh Yatrees will visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on April 18, Kartarpur Narowal on April 19 and return to Lahore on the same day.

A seminar titled 'Besakhi' will be held in Lahore on April 20 where Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest.

The Indian Sikhs will return to India on April 21.

ETPB Chairman Sididqul said that special arrangements have been made for the Indian Sikhs.

"Security of Gurdwaras in Pakistan has been given to the Pakistan Rangers. Pakistani people want good relations with India and prayed for easingtension between the two countries," he said.

Sardar Balvinder Singh, a visiting Sikh leader, expressed his gratitude to the ETPB for arrangements for the Indian Sikhs.

He, however, complained that the immigration process at Wagah was slow.

"The immigration process should be fast so that the yatrees leave for their Gurdwaras," he said, adding the people of both the countries want peace and not war.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Pakistan's army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, two days after a military tribunal sentenced Indian to death on charges of spying.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa and Sharif discussed matters pertaining to professional preparedness of army, the current security and border situation at their meeting held in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

General Bajwa also apprised the prime minister about the progress made in the ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, a terror operation launched by the Pakistan Army to eliminate terrorism.

It was the first direct interaction between the army chief and the prime minister.

The meeting between General Bajwa and Sharif comes two days after the Pakistan's army chief approved the execution of Jadhav after a military court sentenced him to death for "espionage and sabotage activities", evoking a sharp reaction from India which warned Islamabad to consider the consequences on bilateral ties if he is hanged.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday made a statement in both the Houses, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".

Jadhav's execution will be taken by India as a "pre-meditated murder" and Pakistan should consider its consequences on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, Swaraj warned.

She said the charges against Jadhav, who was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan, are "concocted" and the trial against him was "farcical", leading to an "indefensible verdict".
In a gruesome incident, a 15-year- old boy's sexual organ was chopped off and eyes pricked by the family members of a girl who suspected him of having an illicit relationship with her in Pakistan's Punjab province.

The boy, a class nine student, was robbed off his sight for the rest of his life but doctors managed to save his life.

The incident came to light yesterday after the boy's family protested against the girl's family members in Raiwind area of Lahore city and demanded action against them.

The boy was kidnapped by the girl's father and his accomplices on suspicion of having an illicit relationship with his daughter in the last week of February, according to the FIR lodged by the boy's family.

The accused after "kidnapping" the boy from his school took him to a deserted place near Ravi river and chopped off his sexual organ, pricked his eyes in revenge and fled.

The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life.

His father has alleged that a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is backing the accused.

The boy's father has urged Pakistan's Chief Justice for intervene in the matter.

Lahore senior police officer Haider Ashraf said all the five accused have been arrested. "We will submit the challan of the case after completing investigation," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has said Pakistan and India "cannot remain enemies forever" and they need to engage and resolve bilateral disputes.

The NSA was talking to Canadian High Commissioner Perry Calderwood who called him yesterday here.

"We need to engage with each other and resolve disputes," Janjua was quoted as saying by the official Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Janjua reiterated Pakistan and India cannot remain enemies forever.

The two sides discussed regional dynamics and bilateral ties, Pakistan's role in eradicating terrorism, counter- terrorism cooperation, the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP) and Pakistan-India relations with reference to the US' offer for mediation.

Janjua underscored the need for a non-discriminatory approach while considering Pakistan's membership for Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG).

He claimed that the international community is overlooking Kashmir issue due to their own strategic interests related to India.

Although India considers Kashmir a bilateral issue, it has defeated the spirit of bilateralism by defying any dialogue over it, claimed Janjua.

"Extreme thoughts are to be mitigated through a change of perception, by winning hearts and minds and not by use of force alone," he said.

The adviser also highlighted the importance of more high-level visits, trade and cooperation particularly in education and development sectors, as well as, visa facilitation between the two countries for improved people to people contact.

The Canadian High Commissioner, on this occasion, also stressed on strengthening bilateral ties between Pakistan and Canada.

"Pakistan is an important partner of Canada and we enjoy a multi-dimensional relationship with Pakistan," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Romania's border police say they have detained 34 Pakistani and Syrian citizens, including children, who were allegedly trying to illegally enter southwest Romania and head to Western Europe.

Police said today they found three separate groups during border patrols in the area between Serbia and Romania. Police took the migrants, found in separate areas, for questioning.

Those detained, which include three minors aged 2 to 17, told police they wanted to reach Western Europe.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Parliament today strongly condemned a statement by a BJP youth wing leader announcing a Rs 11 lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Centre saying the state government was "free to take legal action" against him.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said a BJP youth activist has publicly described West Bengal Chief Minister as a "demon" and announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for anyone who brings the head of Chief Minister.

Roy asked the House and the government to condemn this incident, saying "a constitutionly elected CM has been described as demon."



He said the Centre was trying to "unleash a reign of terror" in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "I strongly condemn such type of statements. State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue".

"On such people action can be taken under the the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course," the Deputy Chairman said, adding that "you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that".

BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a "serious matter" and said "BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action."



Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.

Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take "aggressive" steps for protection of women. "You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities," she added.

"How dare somebody talk like this", especially against women Chief Minister paticularly when women are feeling insecure. "Is this the way you are going to protect women," Bachchan asked.

BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and "I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a women should answer this."



In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader's bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. "This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint," she said.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said "Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it."



Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty," Kharge said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Philippine troops battling militants in a central province killed a key Abu Sayyaf commander who had been blamed for the beheadings of two Canadians and a German hostage and was apparently attempting another kidnapping mission, the military chief said today.

Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano told The Associated Press that troops have recovered and identified the remains of Moammar Askali, who used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, in the scene of the battle in a far-flung coastal village on Bohol island, where five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in the fighting Tuesday, along with four soldiers and policemen.

Ano said troops took the picture of Askali after his death and that captured Abu Sayyaf militants identified the young militant leader.

"This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf," Ano told The AP. "If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice."



The military chief said Askali had led several of militants who traveled by speedboats from their jungle lairs in southern Sulu province to Bohol province in an apparent bid to carry out another kidnapping in a region that is popular for its beach resorts and wildlife. Sporadic gunbattles between the remaining Abu Sayyaf militants and government forces continued today, military officials said.

At least 10 people has been killed since Tuesday in the fighting in Bohol, far from the extremists' southern jungle bases and in a region where the US government has warned that the gunmen may be plotting kidnappings, officials said.

Military officials said at least six gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman had died in the ongoing gunbattle in a village in the coastal town of Inabanga. The island province lies near Cebu province, a bustling commercial and tourism hub.

National police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said troops and policemen attacked the gunmen early Tuesday in Inabanga, where the gunmen had arrived aboard three boats. The gunmen took cover in three houses as the firefight broke out.

Government forces seized control of two of the houses, and the rest of the gunmen either were in the third house or had fled the area, dela Rosa told reporters.

It's the Abu Sayyaf's first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the heartland of the central Philippines, far from its jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan.

Bohol island, where one of the world's smallest primates, called tarsiers, are found, drawing many tourists, lies about 640 kilometers southeast of Manila. Bohol is about an hour away by boat from Cebu province, across the busy Cebu Strait, which is crisscrossed daily by ferries, cargo ships and fishing vessels.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Leaders across political parties today condemned as "barbaric" a BJP youth wing leader's offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with his remark setting off an uproar in Parliament.

The TMC, which is led by Banerjee, demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), while the BJP distanced itself from the controversial remark.

The Centre also roundly condemned the statement and said the West Bengal government was free to take legal action against Varshney.

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?



"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this.If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said in Aligarh while criticising the police action on a rally in Suri in Birbhum district in West Bengal where slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti yesterday were raised.

As the Parliament roundly condemned the statement, the Centre said the West Bengal government was "free to take legal action" against him.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress(TMC) members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the statement, saying "a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon."



He said the Centre was trying to "unleash a reign of terror" in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "I strongly condemn such type of statements. The state government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue".

"On such people action can be taken under the the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course," Kurian said, adding that "you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that".

BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a "serious matter" and said "BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action."



Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.

Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take "aggressive" steps for protection of women. "You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities," she added.

"How dare somebody talk like this", especially against women Chief Minister paticularly when women are feeling insecure. "Is this the way you are going to protect women," Bachchan asked.

BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and "I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a women should answer this."



In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader's bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. "This is completely wrong. All sides must exercise restraint."



Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said "Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it."



Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty."



TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata that the threat has been issued by "rogue element of politics" and asked why Varshney was not arrested immediately.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in charge of the party in West Bengal, said that he condemned such statement which propagated violence.

"We do not agree with such remarks. There is anger against Mamataji for her appeasement politics, but (we) cannot support violence. We condemn such statements."



BJP's West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh said his party was against politics of violence and hatred and demanded action against him.

"Such kind of statements have nothing to do with healthy politics. This is nothing but a reflection of an unstable mind," Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata.

The Congress and the Left Front also came down heavily on Varshney.

"We are against such cheap statements. Such kind of statements not only propagate violence but also create an atmosphere of polarisation. Immediate action should be taken against him," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

"Strong action should be taken against him. Police should immediately take action. This is completely barbaric and uncivilised," senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

(Reopen DEL33)



Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said in the Rajya Sabha that the BJP should expel the youth wing leader who made the controversial comments against Mamata Banerjee.

He alleged that this has been happening at the behest of the BJP leadership.

Describing it is a serious issue, Singh said, "At least the Prime Minister should say on his official twitter handle that he condemns it".

Tapan Kumar Sen of CPI (M) said, "Has a new enterprise been born, to have the business of heads?... Not only in West Bengal, but in many places, for beheading, a rate is called.
A senior police officer was caught on camera slapping a woman protester during an agitation for closure of a state-owned liquor outlet near Coimbatore, sparking outrage and condemnation.

Following the incident last evening, the Tamil Nadu government today ordered closure of the outlet in Tirupur district and an inquiry.

The incident occurred in Shamalpuram, about 20 km from Tirupur, when a group of people, including women, blocked a road demanding closure of the TASMAC liquor outlet that was relocated to their locality consequent to the Supreme Court ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of the highways.

As the protesters refused to disperse, Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan slapped one of the women and pushed two others, asking them to move away from the road.

Protesting this, a section of the agitators allegedly pelted stones at the police, who then resorted to lathicharge to disperse them.

Police said three persons were injured in the melee with one of them being hospitalised.

As the video showing the act went viral, various politicalparties, including DMK, condemned the 'police brutality'.

Shops in the locality remained shut today in protest against the police action.

The incident came up in the Madras High Court when social activist Traffic Ramaswamy and PMK's legal wing member K Balu, made a special mention and sought action against the police officer.

When the petitions came up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar, state Advocate General R Muthukumaraswamy submitted that action was being initiated against the erring police officer and an inquiry had been ordered.

He also said the licence for relocating the shop had been cancelled by the District Collector.

The AG submitted that the government had initiated action to relocate the outlet as per the Supreme Court order banning liquor shops within 500 metres of national highways.

During the course of relocation, a crowd gathered at the spot and staged a protest. Police intervened when they started hurling stones, he said, adding some police personnel were also injured in the incident.

The court then directed the government to give medical assistance to the injured at its cost in the hospital chosen by the victims and disposed of the petitions



A group of 27 local residents launched a fast late last night, demanding action against the ADSP.

District Superintendent of Police E S Uma rushed to the spot and held talks with them at around 3.30 am in a bid to persuade them to give up their protest.

As they refused to call off the agitation, all the 27 weredetained later, police said.

But another batch of around 75 people commenced a fast this morning, demanding the dismissal of the ADSP. They also demanded release of 27 people taken into custody.

BJP's Tamil Nadu unit President Tamilisai Soundarajan met the protesters and condemned the police action.

Earlier, in a tweet, she said the police officer "who assaulted the women protesting against the liquor outlet deserve condemnation and should be sacked".

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Leaders cutting across party lines today condemned a BJP youth leader's announcement of a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and demanded his immediate arrest.

BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in-charge of the party in West Bengal said, he condemns such statement which propagates violence.

"We do not agree with such remarks. There is anger against Mamataji for her appeasement politics, but (we) cannot support violence. We condemn such statements," Vijayvargiya said.

The Congress and the Left Front also came down heavily on the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Yogesh Varshney for his remarks against Banerjee.

"We are against such cheap statements. Such kind of statements not only propagate violence but also create an atmosphere of polarisation. Immediate action should be taken against him," state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.

"Strong action should be taken against him. Police should immediately take action. This is completely barbaric and uncivilised," senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

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A day after clash between students and police, Vice President M Hamid Ansari who is the Chancellor of Panjab University today sought a report about the incident even as Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover blamed a "handful of people for engineering violence".

Meanwhile the police, who arrested six more students today, said that initially sedition charge was included in the FIR on the basis of the complaint by varsity authorities but later removed.

At the University, where an uneasy calm prevailed, authorities said that the police may have "misinterpreted" their complaint.

"Today we have detained six more students in connection with yesterday's protest," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said here.

Asked whether police had booked students for sedition yesterday, the SP said initially, sedition charge was added in the FIR on the basis of complaint of PU authorities, but later it was dropped.

Police said they had booked the students for various charges including rioting and damage to the public property.

PU Chief Security Officer Ashwani Kaul said that the complaint might have been "misinterpreted" by police.

"We never meant that the students raised slogans against the state. When we came to know that sedition charge was being added, we approached police and clarified that students raised slogans against UGC, MHRD and PU," said Kaul.

So far 53 students have been arrested out of 66 who have been named in the FIR, police said.

PU Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover said that PU Chancellor Ansari had sought a report on this incident which he would submit.

"A handful of people engineered this protest," alleged the VC adding that he never expected students' protest would lead to violence on the PU campus.

He asserted that students pelting stones and indulging in violence was not acceptable.

Grover said that this incident would tarnish the image of PU "globally".

The VC also blamed a student leader who had lost elections to the students' council for having instigated others to indulge in violence.

On steep fee hike issue, Grover said that varsity had raised fee in some courses to bring parity in their tuition fee.

Today, an uneasy calm prevailed at the campus which saw violent clashes yesterday after students clashed with police yesterday protesting against tuition fee hike.

During yesterday's protest several students and policemen were injured with police resorting to water cannon, tear gas and cane charge after protesters pelted stones at them. Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Left parties including CPI and CPI(M) condemned police action on students.

Gurpreet Singh Waraich, Punjab convener of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), demanded probe into the violence by an independent agency while alleging that students were provoked under a deep rooted conspiracy.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar today expressed grief over the demise of Ramesh Chandra Agrawal, Chairman of Dainik Bhaskar Group.

Amarinder said the media magnate's death has left a void in the media industry.

"Agrawal was a courageous professional who had been at the helm of many impactful media initiatives in Punjab," the Chief Minister said in his condolence message.

In a separate condolence message here, Khattar said that under the visionary leadership and guidance of Agrawal, the Bhaskar Group scaled new heights.

"His demise is a big loss to the entire media industry," he said.

Both Amarinder and Khattar conveyed their heartfelt sympathies to the members of the bereaved family.

Agrawal, Chairman of the country's leading publication house Dainik Bhaskar Group, died following a heart attack upon his arrival at Ahmedabad airport today. He was 73.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin today met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after complaining of worsening ties with Donald Trump's administration as the two sides spar over Syria.

Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of Moscow's ally Bashar al-Assad last week.

Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations between Washington and Moscow have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."



Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil.

But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis.

At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference."



During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

Lavrov told Tillerson Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria.

In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later today.

The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack.

As tempers rose ahead of Tillerson's visit, US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

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Ras Al Khaimah is eyeing 30 per cent growth in visitor arrivals from India in 2017 as it undertakes a slew of initiatives to promote itself as a preferred destination.

India is the fourth largest source market for Ras Al Khaimah, which is one of the seven emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates.

"We are targeting 30 per cent growth from India in 2017. In 2016, over 37,000 visitors from India visited us", Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority CEO Haitham Mattar told PTI.

India being an important source market, is expected to be an important contributor to the emirate's vision to attract one million visitors by the end of 2018, he added.

India ranks as the fourth largest source market for the destination after Germany, United Kingdom and Russia and the average stay of Indian visitors is two and half nights, Mattar said.

"The main drivers for growth are great value for money that Ras Al Khaimah provides like adventure activities, natural attractions, being a family destination along with a growing trend of MICE and weddings there", he added.

"Our aim is to promote activities and events with a view to encourage Indian visitors to lengthen their stay, Mattar said.

Established in May 2011, Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority's mandate is to develop the emirate's tourism infrastructure and establish Ras Al Khaimah as a leading destination for leisure and business travel.

The authority has a government mandate to license, regulate and monitor the emirate's tourism and hospitality industry.

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Within days of being booked on charges of hurting religious feelings, BJP MLA T Raja Singh has brazenly repeated the threat, saying he was ready to give or take life for the sake of building Ram temple at Ayodhya.

In a video which purportedly shows Singh addressing a crowd on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti here yesterday, he says, "It is the vow of every Hindu to build a Ram temple even if we have to give our life for it or take life. No force can stop the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. We will see Ram temple built in a year or two and we will go for 'darshan'."



Stating that he "does not intend to hurt the faith of anybody", Singh adds he would, however, not keep quiet if somebody created hurdles in the construction of the temple.

When contacted, Singh, BJP MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad, today confirmed the genuineness of the video and his comments.

"We will definitely build a grand Ram temple in the coming one or two years. Even during Hanuman Jayanti 'Sobha Yatra' yesterday, more number of 'Ram bhakts' and 'Hanuman bhakts' participated compared to last year. There is growing awareness about Ram temple (issue) and more voices are emerging in its support," he told PTI.

Singh had kicked up a row last week with his remarks that the heads of "traitors" opposing construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will be chopped off, drawing criticism from the Congress and getting booked for trying to "outrage religious feelings".

Singh can be heard threatening those who oppose the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya in a video shot on April 5 during Ram Navmi celebrations.

Hyderabad Police have registered a case against Singh on the complaint of Amjed Ullah Khan, the spokesperson for Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), a local organisation.

He has been booked by Dabeerpura police under IPC section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), police inspector D Venkanna Naik had told PTI.

In his complaint, Khan had said, "When the title dispute is pending in the Supreme Court, such type of statements by Raja Singh (MLA) is the violation of the Supreme Court. I request to take appropriate action against the BJP MLA Raja Singh to allow law and order to prevail in the city (sic)."



In the video, the MLA purportedly says, "The day is not far..The dream of every Hindu of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya (will be fulfilled).

"Recently, a video came on WhatsApp from Uttar Pradesh and someone was saying if Ram Mandir is built in Ayodhya they will create 'tehelka' (chaos) in entire country. We welcome this. In fact, we were waiting for this day for the past several years so that when you traitors raise your heads, we will behead you," the MLA said.

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Members of various right-wing organisations led by the Hindu Jan Jagriti Samiti held a demonstration at Dadar in Central Mumbai today demanding the release of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been awarded death sentence by a military court in Pakistan.

Organisations like 'Hindu Govansh Raksha Samiti', 'Swarajya Hindusthan Pratishthan', 'Bajrang Dal', 'Sanatan Sanstha' participated in the protest, wherein they shouted slogans against Pakistan by holding banners in their hands.

Hindu Jan Jagriti Samiti demanded that Pakistan should rather dare hang the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, and Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim who is hiding in that country.

"Pakistan has always resorted to oneupmanship while dealing with Bharat. Jadhav's case is an example of this. His case was purposefully heard in a military court so as to refuse him an opportunity to defend himself, and the decision to hang him was taken," said Samiti spokesperson Uday Dhuri.

He said Jadhav was a patriot who had served as an officer in Indian Navy.

"Pakistan should rather show the courage to apprehend and hang the Lashkar-E-Taiba co-founder Hafiz Saeed or infamous goon Dawood Ibrahim, instead of hanging Jadhav," Dhuri demanded.

He said, "If Pakistan still ignores our concerns, then India should stop Sindhu river water and close embassies in both the countries to teach Pakistan a lesson.

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Separatists today called for shutdown in areas of Budgam district in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency where repolling is scheduled to be held tomorrow.

"Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have called for shutdown in poll-bound areas on April 13," the separatist groups said in a joint statement.

They said the main motive behind re-polling is to increase the voting percentage through "rigging and by using bogus voters".

Re-polling was ordered at 38 polling stations under the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, where bye-polls on April 9 saw large-scale violence, in which eight protestors were killed, and a very low turnout of 7.14 per cent.

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Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today agreed not to come under any pressure on the issue of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death on charges of spying, according to a media report.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa met Sharif and took the prime minister into confidence regarding the issue of Jadhav, Samaa TV reported.

"They agreed not to come under any pressure" on the issue of Jadhav, the channel said, without giving the details.

During the meeting, they discussed matters pertaining to professional preparedness of army, the current security and border situation at their meeting held in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

General Bajwa also apprised the prime minister about the progress made in the ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, a terror operation launched by the Pakistan Army to eliminate terrorism.

It was the first direct interaction between the army chief and the prime minister.

The meeting comes two days after the army chief approved the execution of Jadhav after a military court sentenced him to death for "espionage and sabotage activities", evoking a sharp reaction from India which warned Islamabad to consider the consequences on bilateral ties if he is hanged.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday made a statement in both the Houses, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".

Jadhav's execution will be taken by India as a "pre- meditated murder" and Pakistan should consider its consequences on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, Swaraj warned.

She said the charges against Jadhav, who was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan, are "concocted" and the trial against him was "farcical", leading to an "indefensible verdict".

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A woman and a child died after the boat in which they and 31 other migrants were trying to reach Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, Spain's maritime rescue service said today.

A service spokeswoman said a Spanish Navy unit stationed on Alboran island, halfway between Spain and Morocco, rescued 30 migrants after the boat overturned yesterday.

She said a search for one missing migrant was continuing. The spokeswoman said a 10-year-old girl was found dead and the woman died later. It was not immediately known if the two were related.

She said the service transported 29 of the migrants by boat to the Spanish port city of Almeria while a pregnant woman was flown to an Almeria hospital for treatment. None of the 29 needed to be hospitalised.

She said the service had been tipped off by an NGO in Morocco that the boat had set sail from near the northern Moroccan city of Nador.

There were no details on the migrants' nationalities. Thousands of migrants, most from sub-Saharan African countries, try to reach Spain's shores by boat each year.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with service regulations.

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The All India Radio (AIR) will broadcast special programmes on its domestic and external network to mark the 70th anniversary of Indo-Russia diplomatic relationship.

"A series of programmes highlighting the various facets of the relationship between the two countries shall be touched upon in these specially devised programmes," the AIR said in a release.

As part of this, external services division of AIR in collaboration with Radio Sputnik, Moscow will broadcast a live programme tomorrow.

The programme titled '70 years of India Russia Diplomatic Relationship, a look in retrospect and prospect' tomorrow will see participation from experts in the Indo-Russian affairs through a live satellite phone connection between New Delhi and Moscow.

The broadcast will be available on FM Rainbow network on AIR and also live streamed on airworldservice.Org.

The India-Russia diplomatic treaty was signed on April 13, 1947.

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White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his "insensitive" remarks during a press briefing when he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons against his own people.

Spicer's apology came on national television yesterday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been accused of using nerve agent against Syrians.

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer told CNN hours after he made the remarks.

"I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas," he said in an effort to control the damage done by his remarks, which drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired. "Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him," Pelosi said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spice's remarks were "indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge, perspective, and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington."



Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: "It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson and a staff shake-up."



Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that US President Donald Trump's chief spokesman has "either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both."



Spicer had yesterday during his regular press briefing attempted to shame Russia and Assad by comparing the Syrian leader with Hitler. He had said: "We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons."



"So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with?"



Later, in a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. "Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," he said.

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President Donald Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his "insensitive" remarks in which he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions of Jews during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons, drawing instant rebuke from leaders and the Jewish community.

Gaffe-prone Spicer apologised on national television yesterday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al Assad, accused of using Sarin gas against his own people including children, an attack which had rattled Trump so much that he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base.

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer told CNN hours after he made the remarks.

"I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas," he said in an effort to control the damage done by his remarks, which drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired. "Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him," Pelosi said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spicer's remarks were "indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge, perspective, and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington."



Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: "It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson and a staff shake-up."



Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that Trump's chief spokesman has "either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both."



Rep Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican from New York, said in a statement reported by The New York Times that "as far as comments being made and comparisons of various tactics and methods between now and World War II, you can make the comparison a little differently and it would be accurate, but it's important to clear up that Hitler did in fact use chemical warfare to murder innocent people."



Spicer had yesterday during his regular press briefing attempted to shame Russia and Assad by comparing the Syrian leader with Hitler. He had said: "We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons."



"So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with?"



In a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. "Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.

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The Centre today asked the states to start "aggressive" campaigns to increase awareness on prevention and control of vector-borne disease like dengue and chikungunya.

With a number of dengue and chikungunya cases reported from across the country and Delhi, the Union Health Ministry also directed the officials to conduct regular supervisory visits to various hospitals in the national capital to assess the situation.

Officials said that the central government hospitals were adequately equipped to combat dengue and chikungunya during this season.

Union Health Minister J P Nadda today chaired a high- level meeting to review the preparedness of the Ministry and the central government hospitals for prevention and control of dengue and chikungunya.

"The Health Minister asked the states for mounting aggressive Information Education Communication (IEC) campaigns to enhance awareness on prevention and control of vectors in their surrounding areas and neighbourhoods," an official statement said.

At least 79 cases of chikungunya have been reported in the national capital this year while 24 dengue cases in the last three months.

"The Health Minister also directed the officers to conduct regular supervisory visits to various hospitals in Delhi for assessing the situation, preparedness and to provide on-the-spot technical guidance to the health authorities.

"The Minister also asked Secretary (Health) to review the preparedness of the States through a video conference," the statement said.

According to the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), in 2016, 58,136 cases of Chikungunya was reported in the country while 1,11,880 cases of dengue leading to the death of 227 people had taken place in the same year across India.

During today's meeting, Nadda was informed that advisories have already been sent to all states as early as January for strengthening their preparedness before the dengue season.

The officials informed the Minister that teams of experts from the Ministry have visited many states to review their preparedness and advised them suitably.

"The Central Government hospitals informed that they were adequately equipped to combat dengue and chikungunya during this season," the statement said.

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Even as the Central finances have improved over the years, the average fiscal deficit for the states has widened to over three per cent of the gross state domestic product in fiscal 2017 and is likely to stay wide in 2017-18 as well, says a report.

The Centre's deficit has narrowed from 6.5 per cent of the GDP in 2009-10 to 3.5 per cent in 2016-17. It is projected at 3.2 per cent in 2017-18, DBS said in a report on Wednesday.

But the finances of the states have turned unfavourable in recent years with the aggregate states' fiscal deficit widening from two per cent of GSDP (gross state domestic product) in 2011-12 to over three per cent in 2016 -17, it said.

"These deficits may stay wide in 2017-18 as well, keeping borrowings high and delaying consolidation plans," the Singaporean brokerage said.

Strong nominal growth, better tax collections following the introduction of value-added tax, lower interest payments and shifting some spending to the Centre's books had helped keep deficits of the states under control in the past.

Findings by DBS, however, show that these trends have weakened more recently.

"States' spending commitments have risen while revenues stagnate. The bulk of this is due to higher revenue expenditure (recurring/committed expenses) which makes up 80 per cent of total spending, narrowing the room for capital/ productive expenditure.

Consequently, the revenue-to-capital ratio has also ticked up," it added.

The brokerage estimates the revenue expenditure "to stay sticky" in the current fiscal attributed to, among others, the interest burden from a funding scheme for distressed power distribution companies (UDAY initiative) as well as the recent decision to waive farm loans.

"The new Uttar Pradesh government was the first to outline such a farm waiver last month and could cost the exchequer an estimated Rs 360 billion (2.5 per cent of UP 2017-18 GSDP) this year. If more states jump into the bandwagon, revenue spending is likely to accordingly rise further and widen states deficits," the report said.

The report also noted that revenue generation of the states has been trailing primarily due to moderate growth from sales taxes and excise duties in recent years.
175 people, including women have been booked for damaging wine shops in the district, police said here today.

Anti-liquor protests, spearheaded mainly by women, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling for shifting of liquor shops away from national and state highways and their subsequent relocation continued yesterday.

The protests intensified across Muzaffarnagar, including in neighbouring districts of Meerut, Saharanpur and Bijnore.

While women protesters took to the streets against shifting of liquor shops to residential areas, the administration geared up to take corrective measures and ensure security to vendors.

Yesterday, police registered cases for damaging wine shops in Almaspur village and near Bhopa bridge in the city here.

According to Circle Officer Tejbir Singh, cases were registered against 175 people, including 31 named.

The protesters were demanding shifting of wine shops from the residential areas, he said.

There have been several incidents of violence and arson recently. The irate people were protesting against the setting up of liquor vends in residential localities after being shifted from national and state highways.

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US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria will pay a "very, very stiff price" if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that America's top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State militant group.

"If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.

Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

"Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," he said.

"In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies," he added.

Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

"We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful," Mattis said.

"Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said.

This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.

"We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack," he said.

Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.

"Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.

Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.

"We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded," he said.

"We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission," Votel said.

Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking ISIS and destroying ISIS in Syria.

"This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.

Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.

"Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again," he said.

"I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score," the Defence Secretary said.

Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance.

"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now.

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Thailand's junta chief today said he plans to lift the ban on political party gatherings before next year's elections, although he declined to put a date on polls or state when the restrictions will be lifted.

The military seized power in 2014 ushering in Thailand's most autocratic government in a generation.

Former army chief turned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said the coup was necessary to end a decade of political instability and root out corruption.

He has banned political parties from meeting, cracked down on public dissent and granted himself the ability to pass any law in the name of national security.

The cornerstone of the military's reform agenda has been a new constitution which was given royal assent earlier this month, triggering a countdown towards elections.

"The election process will begin next year," Prayut told reporters, saying first the country must hold a cremation for late King Bhumibol Aduyadej, an event likely to take place in late October.

"In 2018 we will go ahead with holding elections and political parties will be able to hold meetings."



His comments are the first time Prayut has confirmed civilian parties will be able to meet in the run up to elections.

However there are lingering questions over how much power any future civilian government will have under the new constitution -- the country's 20th since 1932.

The new charter provides for a junta-appointed upper house -- including six seats reserved for the military -- and a proportional voting system likely to reduce the influence of major parties.

The constitutional court, a frequent thorn in the side of elected governments, will be strengthened, making it easier to impeach a civilian leader.

The military has also said any future government must adhere to a "legally binding 20-year-plan" for the country that is still in the works.

The junta is also drawing up a series of yet to be published laws that will define who can form a political party.

Over the past 10 years Thais have witnessed repeated rounds of deadly protests, a string of short-lived governments and two military coups that deposed elected leaders.

Critics say the military is far from being a neutral player, deeply hostile to ousted premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, whose parties have won every poll since 2001.

Their billionaire clan is popular among Thailand's rural and urban poor and they have urged a return to elections.

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Tamil Nadu government today sanctioned a dental college at Virudhunagar, aimed at benefiting the southern parts of the state.

Chief Minister K Palaniswami sanctioned Rs 50 crore for setting up the college, which will be only the second such state-run institution, a government release said.

A total of 100 students will be admitted and the move was in line with former Chief Minister, the late Jayalalalithaa's announcement in 2015 that a second dental college would come up in Tamil Nadu, it said.

"The move will enable students from South Tamil Nadu join dental studies," it said.

The only state-run Dental College was located here, the release added.

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US House Speaker Paul Ryan will head a bipartisan delegation next week to Europe to meet with leaders of NATO allies including Estonia, his office said today, amid Russia's rising tensions with the West.

The delegation will travel to Britain, Norway, Poland and Estonia to "meet with government officials and military leaders to review and discuss evolving security threats facing Europe as well as opportunities for greater economic cooperation," Ryan's office said in a statement.

The speaker, the most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives and an ally of President Donald Trump, will be joined by House Armed Services Committee chairman Mac Thornberry and four other Republicans, along with two House Democrats.

As part of the trip, Ryan will deliver remarks at the Policy Exchange, a leading British think tank, on April 19.

The US delegation's mission will be seen as particularly poignant in Poland and Estonia, nations near the front lines of the Kremlin's increasingly sharp tone with the West.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization reinforced its eastern flank in March by deploying British troops and equipment in Estonia, where many citizens remain disturbed by Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin's sabre rattling in the Baltic region.

NATO decided at a July 2016 summit to deploy its troops to the Baltic states and Poland as a tripwire against Russian adventurism in states formerly under Moscow's control.

Tensions have risen following Trump's launch of an airstrike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for an apparent chemical weapons attack on civilians by the Syrian regime, a Russian ally.

Ryan's trip was preceded by a delegation to Italy and Portugal this week led by congressman Steve Scalise, the House's number three Republican.

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US President Donald Trump reversed himself today and said China is not manipulating its currency to gain a trade advantage.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump appeared to lay to rest a simmering issue that threatened to erode relations with Beijing, just days after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida.

"They're not currency manipulators," Trump told the newspaper.

In another apparent reversal, he left open the possibility of renominating Janet Yellen as head of the Federal Reserve.

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US President Donald Trump said today it was time to end Syria's "brutal" civil war, and called on NATO allies to "work together to resolve the disaster" in the war-wracked country.

Trump, standing alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, thanked Washington's allies for condemning the suspected sarin attack on civilians in the rebel-held Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun.

"Vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life," Trump told reporters.

"It is time to end this brutal civil war, defeat terrorists and allow refugees to return home.
Fortis Healthcare today said two of its directors have resigned from the company.

The two officials are Lynette Joy Hepburn Brown and Ravi Umesh Mehrotra. While Brown was the non-executive independent director, Mehrotra was holding the position of non-executive director in the company.

While Brown tendered her resignation effective yesterday, Mehrotra has resigned today, Fortis informed BSE.

However, Mehrotra continues to be associated with the Fortis group as executive chairman of RHT Health Trust Manager Pte, a subsidiary of the company and the trustee manager of RHT Health Trust (A business trust listed on Singapore Stock Exchange).

Shares of Fortis Healthcare closed at Rs 183.05, down 1.29 per cent on BSE.

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Two members of an inter-state gang of dacoits were arrested by the Hyderabad Police from Rajasthan recently, a senior officer said here today.

A special team from Central Crime Station (CCS), a wing of Hyderabad Police, arrested Arshad alias Aarthi and Hassan Mohammad from Alwar district in Rajasthan, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT) Swati Lakra told reporters here.

Police seized a tapancha (country-made pistol) with two live rounds from the duo.

Police are also in possession of the documentary proofs against them, she said.

"Arshad is a proclaimed offender and a notorious gangster who has been absconding for five years. He was involved in 11 cases of attempt to murder, kidnapping, cheating, extortion, Arms Act in Mathura district of Uttar Pradesh," Lakra said.

The special team also went to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan and collected valuable evidence, including CCTV footages, bank account details, cards swiping details and other technical data, against the accused.

Based on these evidences, the police have identified four other members of the gang and subsequently nabbed them in Gujarat. They are being brought to the city on a production warrant, the officer said.

"They have confessed to having committed several offences in Hyderabad, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab," she said, adding that the gang members were cheating the innocent gullible people throughout the country.

The officer said that the special team has identified a total of 25 gangs and around 100 members associated with them, spread over 35 villages in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

"These gangs are famous as 'Tatlu Baaji gangs'," the ACP said, adding that most of the gang members possess country-made fire arms and live rounds.

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Power Minister Piyush Goel will launch Centre's 'Unnat Jeevan by Affordable LEDs and Appliances' (UJALA) scheme for the state on April 14.

Under the scheme, consumers can buy 9 Watt LED bulbs, BEE 5-star rated energy efficient fans and LED tube lights at nearly half the market prices. Bureau of Energy Efficiency under Ministry of Power has designed a system of 5-star rating of the products, a BEE spokesperson said.

"UJALA will go a long way in supplementing the 'Power for All' target in the state," UP Power Minister Shrikant Sharma told PTI today.

He said it was unfortunate that Uttar Pradesh had not endorsed the ambitious plan when it was headed by Samajwadi Party.

"All the other states have long back endorsed the 'Power for All' plan," he pointed out.

'Power for All' pact will be signed by Adityanath and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal here on April 14 to meet the Centre's target of making the state energy efficient by 2018 and help in ensuring power in all UP villages.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi believes in Team India, and 'Power for All' exemplifies this concept," Sharma said here.

He also mentioned that the central power pool will certainly prove its utility, especially during peak hours, when the demand of power is the highest.

Elaborating on the UJALA scheme, he said token distribution of UJALA appliances will take place at 22 zonal offices of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) from April 14, the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the chief architect of Indian Constitution.

The full swing distribution will begin across the state from May 1 at all DISCOM offices and billing counters.

The UJALA scheme is being implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture under the administration of Ministry of Power, Government of India.

The 9W LED bulbs will be available at Rs 60 a bulb, energy efficient LED tube lights will be available at Rs 230 per tube light and energy efficient fans will be available at Rs 1,150 each.

The pre-booking for the energy efficient appliances has already started at e-Suvidha centres and UPPCL billing counters.

In line with UJALA, the state government will also sign agreement to distribute 10,000 Solar Agricultural Pump-sets across the state.

The UJALA scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 5, 2015 with a target of replacing 77 crore inefficient bulbs with energy efficient LED bulbs.

Currently, over 22 crore LED bulbs, 16 lakh LED tube lights and 6 lakh energy efficient fans have already been distributed across 25 states and 7 Union Territories.

This has led to daily energy savings of more than 8 crore KWh, resulting in avoidance of over 5,956 MW of peak demand.

The estimated cumulative cost reduction in bills of consumers per day is Rs 32.45 crore and the scheme has also resulted in daily Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission reduction of 65,800 tonnes.

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Britain today launched a new elite multi-agency intelligence unit to tackle growing human trafficking as it announced radical reforms to boost support for slavery victims.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said more will be done to ensure slavery victims get the help they need as she visited the new 1 million pound (USD 1.24 million) government-funded 'Joint Slavery Trafficking Analysis Centre'.

The dedicated unit -- made up of analysts from the National Crime Agency (NCA), police, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement, (Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs) HMRC and the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority -- mirrors a joint working model successfully used to gather vital intelligence on terrorism.

She will observe its first day of operation as it brings together a multi-agency team of analytical experts who will be embedded in the National Crime Agency (NCA) to help tackle cross-border and domestic slavery.

Rudd revealed the first focus of the centre, that will see expert analysts from each partner join forces to maximise results, will be on adult victims of sexual exploitation.

"It is exactly this kind of cooperation between the police, Border Force, the National Crime Agency and others that will be our way of getting at the people traffickers.

"The Centre will enable us to have a co-ordinated push against the organised crime groups that are at the heart of the trade in human beings and human misery. Our message to the perpetrators is clear; we are coming after you, and there is nowhere to hide," the Home Secretary said.

The launch comes as new NCA figures reveal the growing scale of the global crisis, with victims referred for help in the UK now coming from 108 different countries in just one year. Many have also been exploited from within this country, with the UK the third most common country of origin. More victims of slavery than ever before are now receiving help.

Rudd welcomed the 17 per cent rise as more potential victims are identified and have the confidence to come forward, but acknowledged the need to shake up the current system to ensure they have the support they need.

She said, "In this country alone, there are thousands of poor souls being exploited and abused. Many of them will have come here on the promise of a better life; those hopes will have been crushed".

"New figures this week show that over 3,800 potential victims - from 108 different countries - were referred to support in 2016, through the National Referral Mechanism, which is the system we established for identifying victims.

"As a country, I think we are rightly proud of what we have achieved. That is more potential victims than ever being helped. But being proud of what we have done so far is not the same as being complacent about it. That is why today I am committing us to go further in making sure that we have the right system in place to help those in the trap of modern slavery find a way out of it," Rudd added.

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UN chief Antonio Guterres has named a German with extensive experience at the world organization, Achim Steiner, as the new administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Steiner, who previously served at the UN Environment Programme and headed the UN office in Kenya, was selected to succeed Helen Clark, a former New Zealand prime minister, who has steered the UNDP since 2009, according to a letter by Guterres dated yesterday.

Headquartered in New York City, the UNDP seeks to reduce poverty, improve social development and encourage women's empowerment.

One of the candidates passed over for the post included French Environment Minister Segolene Royal, who said she was surprised because Guterres had promised a woman would take the job.

She intimated that Germany used its weight as a major UNDP donor to have Steiner chosen.

"I regret it, of course. That doesn't gel with what was said, but c'est la vie," Royal told French television.

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The chief executive of embattled has unequivocally apologized for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, and promised a thorough review of the airline's practices.

The apology came yesterday after a torrent of criticism of the carrier's action on a flight Sunday and its initial explanation of it.

In images now seen around the world, a passenger was forcefully removed and bloodied in the process -- the entire event captured on video by passengers and posted on social media.

The 69-year-old passenger, Dr. David Dao, had refused to be "bumped" from the overbooked flight -- an airline practice that has come under increased scrutiny since the incident.

"I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," CEO Oscar Munoz said yesterday.

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right."



The comments were in stark contrast to the company's initial response, in which it seemed to at least partially blame the passenger, inflaming worldwide outrage.

US media published an email Munoz sent earlier to employees, in which he said the passenger "defied" authorities and "compounded" the incident.

"Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this," the CEO wrote.

Andy Holdsworth, a crisis management specialist at the British PR firm Bell Pottinger, said United's initial response focused on the wrong thing.

"Whilst the passenger's behavior was not good, United have shown no compassion or concern for the man," he said.

Munoz said yesterday that the company will conduct a "thorough review" of its procedures, including "how we handle oversold situations" and how the airline partners with airport authorities and law enforcement.

He promised to release the results of the review by April 30.

But the public relations damage was done, with calls for boycotts and the US Department of Transportation promising a review of the airline's actions.

Even the White House weighed in.

"Clearly, when you watch the video, it is troubling to see how that was handled," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

An attorney for Dao's family said he is in a Chicago hospital getting treated for his injuries.

"The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received. Currently, they are focused only on Dr. Dao's medical care and treatment," said Chicago attorney Stephen Golan.

A protest by the advocacy group Asian Americans Advancing Justice was expected later yesterday in Chicago.
Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give death penalty to Indian as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers," Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years," Ayres told PTI.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadav's death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead," he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistan's self-interest.

"If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actuallyexecuting Jadhavmay not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value," he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

"We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.
Top American lawmakers backed President Donald Trump's cruise missile strikes on Syria against the Assad regime for using chemical weapons against innocent civilians and have called for a Syrian strategy that secures the interests of the US and its allies.

"What is needed now is a strategy that secures US and allied interests in Syria - ending the conflict, dealing a sustainable defeat to ISIL and Al-Qaeda, and beginning to repatriate Syrian refugees to their homes," Senators John McCain and Lindsay Graham said in a joint statement.

Trump's decision to strike back against Assad for using chemical weapons against innocent civilians was a strong statement much appreciated by the civilized world, they said, noting that the US strategy cannot presume to separate the fight against ISIL from the Syrian people's fight against the Assad regime.

"They are inextricably connected. Assad is a puppet of Iran, and as long as he continues to slaughter his own people, it will be impossible to destroy the radical terrorist groups that occupy Syria and the region, and the war will never end. Nor will the threat posed by these groups to our nation," McCain and Graham said.

"As part of a broader strategy, we urge the President to take greater military action to achieve our objectives, including grounding the Syrian air force and establishing safe havens inside Syria to protect Syrians," the Senators said.

"There will never be a diplomatic solution as long as Assad dominates the battlefield," they said.

In an interview to a local radio station, Democratic Senator from Delaware Chris Coons also called for a Syrian strategy.

"What I think we need next out of the administration and Congress is for the administration to work with us, to define a strategy for our counter-ISIS campaign in Iraq and Syria, for our confrontation with North Korea, and for our confrontation with Assad, and get approval from Congress," Coons said.

Last week, the US launched a massive military strike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for a "barbaric" chemical attack on civilians, that killed 58 people, as President Donald Trump appealed to all "civilised nations" to join America to end the "bloodshed" in the war-torn country.

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The United Nations peace envoy for Syria today urged the United States and Russia to agree on a way forward to end the war in Syria and pave the way for a "real negotiation."



Special envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he was ready to convene a new round of talks in May but that US-Russian cooperation was needed.

His appeal came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

The two countries have "serious differences" but also a "common interest" in ending the six-year war that has killed 320,000 people, De Mistura said.

"They must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process," he said.

The United Nations is ready to lead a "real negotiation" on a "package for an orderly, mapped-out, credible and irreversible, agreed political transition" to end the war, he added.

The council was meeting ahead of a vote later in the day on a draft resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

Russia is expected to veto the measure -- which would mark the eighth time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action directed at its ally, Syria.

"Let us view this moment of crisis -- and it is a moment of crisis -- as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution," said De Mistura.

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The White House ratcheted up its criticism of Russia today, pointedly saying it had seen credible reports that Moscow backed an election-day attack in Montenegro last year.

A senior administration official -- speaking as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Moscow for difficult talks on Syria -- pointed the finger of blame at Russia for an alleged coup attempt during October's election.

"We are very concerned about Russian interference in the October elections in Montenegro," the official said, "including credible reports of Russian support for an attempted election-day attack on the government."



A special prosecutor in Montenegro has accused Russian state bodies and the pro-Russian Democratic Front (DF) party of trying to overthrow the government, in an effort to prevent Montenegro from entering NATO.

Andrija Mandic, who is one of DF's two leaders and is among 25 people accused by the prosecutor, told AFP in March that the case was "a staged political process" to discredit him and his party. Mandic is a fierce opponent of his country's looming NATO accession.

A dozen of the accused were sentenced to several months' imprisonment after reaching a deal with the prosecutor.

Prominent Montenegrin lawyer Branislav Lutovac, who said the case was "full of contradictions," told AFP last month that these were "light sentences for serious crimes".

Today's US comments came a day after President Donald Trump approved Montenegro's NATO accession and prepared to meet the alliance's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House later in the day.

Under Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin has long seen the Balkans as within its "sphere of influence".

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with Washington under Trump, the US new president has tempered his praise of Putin, most recently condemning his support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad.

Trump's harder line comes amid growing questions about whether his aides and associates colluded with alleged Russian meddling in the US election. That line of inquiry has focused on Trump allies Carter Page, Paul Manafort and Roger Stone.

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Major opposition parties met President Pranab Mukherjee today and put forth their concerns over recent incidents of violence, including attacks by cow vigilantes, and attempts to "muzzle voices of dissent".

A delegation of leaders of various political parties, led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, called on the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and sought his urgent intervention "to ensure the rule of law" in the country.

They presented a memorandum to him listing their various concerns and urged the President to ensure that constitutional democracy and fundamental rights of citizens are protected.

Leaders of prominent opposition parties including the Congress, the Left parties, TMC, SP, BSP, JD-U and the RJD were part of the delegation.

After the delegation met the President, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "An environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled."



"We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect India's constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country," he told reporters.

The delegation also raised issues of alleged EVM tampering during their meeting.

Azad said the delegation drew the attention of the President to the recent political developments which have "seriously undermined the accepted norms of governance and institutional integrity".

He said an environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled.

"In a democracy, the rule of law must prevail, but self- styled lumpen elements have indulged in violence, mob lynching of citizens and harassment is being witnessed across the country," he said.

He cited recent incidents of lynching of a dairy farmer in Alwar in Rajasthan and similar incidents in Una in Gujarat, Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, besides many others across the country.

The delegation also raised the issue that critical appointments have been made "arbitrarily bypassing the Parliament and other institutions".

They also alleged that key legislations are being "disguised" as Money Bills "to bypass and undermine the Constitution position of Rajya Sabha".

Azad said the states ruled by non-BJP parties "are being destabilised by misusing the powers of Governors and artificial majority is cobbled up by unethical means" and recent examples of Goa and Manipur were cited in this regard.

The issue of malfunctioning and alleged tampering of EVM machines were also raised with the President, that have reportedly raised questions on the sanctity of electoral process, particularly in recently-concluded elections.

He said in this regard the opposition parties have already met the Election Commission, which has promised to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.

"There has been an attack on cultural, academic and historical institutions, universities, especially Nalanda University and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library," he said.

"The continuous violence and failure of governance in Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of grave national concern," he said.

Azad also added that all central agencies -- the CBI, Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate -- are being used to harass leaders of political parties, particularly chief ministers.

"There has never been such harassment of chief ministers and leaders of political parties," he said.

Besides Manmohan and Sonia, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Anand Sharma were part of the delegation.

The memorandum was also signed by Tariq Anwar (NCP), Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), Dharmendra Yadav and Neeraj Shekhar (SP), D Raja (CPI), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), Sharad Yadav (JD-U), V Elangovan (DMK) and others.

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White House press secretary Sean Spicer has apologized for "insensitive" remarks during a press briefing in which he asserted that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons on his own people.

"Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive comment about the Holocaust and there is no comparison," Spicer told CNN yesterday. "For that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that.

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The Delhi High Court today asked whether the Delhi Legislative Assembly will collapse without its present Secretary, whose repatriation to All India Radio by the LG is being contested by Speaker Ram Niwas Goel.

"Will the Delhi Legislative Assembly collapse without him? Why should you (Speaker) come and fight for him," Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva said and added "no officer is so important that two senior functionaries are fighting over him".

The court made the observation in response to the contention on behalf of the Speaker that All India Radio (AIR) would not collapse if the Secretary, Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara, is not repatriated there.

The court also did not approve of the application filed by Goel seeking stay of the ex-parte disciplinary proceedings going on against Suryadevara at AIR for not joining back there and for writing an article on 'Neither Office, Nor Profit'.

"From day one I told you (Speaker) I will not permit you to fight his (Suryadevara) battle," the judge said.

The court also said the official can file a separate plea if he is aggrieved by the disciplinary proceedings.

The lawyer appearing for Suryadevara said he has been "sandwiched between two masters" and "it is a battle which has been thrust upon me".

The Lieutenant Governor's office represented by additional standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan, meanwhile, told the court that it has been again decided to repatriate the official back to AIR.

LG Anil Baijal had on March 20 refused to differ with the decision taken by his predecessor Najeeb Jung, the lawyer said.

The court had earlier left it to the incumbent LG to decide whether or not to review the order relieving Suryadevara.

It had decided to await the LG's decision as talks between Speaker Goel and the Director General of AIR to find an amicable solution had failed to break the impasse.

Naushad and the lawyer for AIR also opposed the application by the Speaker saying it was a "surrogate" or "proxy" litigation.

The lawyer appearing for the Speaker later conceded that the application may have overstated the case by seeking stay of the disciplinary proceedings against Suryadevara.

The court, thereafter, listed the matter for hearing on April 27.

Suryadevara, an officer belonging to Newsreader-cum- Translator (Telugu) cadre, was deputed to Delhi Assembly for a year after which the then LG Najeeb Jung had ordered relieving him.

Goel, however, had refused to relieve the official, insisting since the Speaker also holds a constitutional office, the LG cannot repatriate the Assembly secretary without his concurrence.

Suryadevara had earlier served in the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker for five years and that of Rajya Sabha Chairman for over six years.

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United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit. MARCEL PINEDA-ROJAS, Petitioner v. ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Respondent No. 16-3043 Decided: April 11, 2017

Before: CHAGARES, SCIRICA and FISHER, Circuit Judges.

OPINION*

An Immigration Judge (IJ) ordered Marcel Pineda-Rojas, a native and citizen of Guatemala, removed from the country. Pineda-Rojas appealed that order to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), which dismissed his case, and now petitions us for review of the BIA's dismissal order. For the reasons that follow, we will dismiss the petition in part and deny it in part.

I.

Pineda-Rojas illegally entered the United States in 2001 and has remained here continuously since that time. In August 2015, he was convicted of cocaine possession and the Department of Homeland Security charged him as removable from the country.

In October, Pineda-Rojas appeared before an IJ. At his initial appearance, he conceded his removability but moved for a continuance of the removal proceeding. At the next listing of his removal proceedings, Pineda-Rojas requested relief from removal by applying for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT).

The IJ scheduled a merits hearing in February 2016. At the hearing, Pineda-Rojas testified regarding his fear that he would be killed or targeted by a drug cartel if he returned to Guatemala. Personally, Pineda-Rojas testified, he had never dealt drugs. However, his brother and cousin were involved in a large drug cartel, his brother had tried to recruit him to sell drugs, and the police seized a cocaine package addressed to his cousin as it was being delivered to his home in 2015. Because he had not spoken with his brother or cousin since 2009, he did not know who sent the drugs in 2015, but he suspected it was his brother, his cousin, or their cartel. Likewise, he did not know if anyone was looking for him, but he feared that the cartel would be angry about the drug seizure and either kill him for losing the drugs or torture him to find his brother or cousin.

At the conclusion of the merits hearing, the IJ ordered Pineda-Rojas removed to Guatemala. The IJ found Pineda-Rojas's asylum application untimely and then denied his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the CAT on the merits because he failed to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution on account of his membership in a particular social group.

In March, Pineda-Rojas appealed the IJ's decision to the BIA. The BIA, in turn, upheld the IJ's decision and dismissed his appeal. It agreed with Pineda-Rojas that his application for asylum was timely and that his family constituted a particular social group. But it found his CAT claim waived for his failure to appeal the IJ's denial of CAT protection. And it denied his applications for asylum and withholding of removal on the merits because he had not shown that his group was socially distinct in Guatemala; that he would be harmed on account of his familial relationship; or that he had a well-founded fear of future persecution. This timely petition for review followed.

II.

The IJ had jurisdiction over Pineda-Rojas's removal proceeding under 8 U.S.C.  1229a. The BIA had jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C.  1103(g)(2) and 8 C.F.R.  1003.1(b)(3). We have jurisdiction under 8 U.S.C.  1252(a). When the BIA issues a decision on the merits, we review the BIA's legal determinations de novo, subject to the principles of deference articulated in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 467 U.S. 837, 844 (1984). We review the BIA's factual findings, including its determination of whether an alien has a well-founded fear of persecution, for substantial evidence. Under substantial-evidence review, we may reverse only if a reasonable adjudicator would be compelled to conclude to the contrary.

III.

On appeal, Pineda-Rojas raises three issues. First, Pineda-Rojas argues that the BIA and IJ erred in denying his applications for asylum and withholding of removal. Second, he argues that the IJ was biased against him. Third, he argues that the BIA and IJ erred in denying his application for CAT protection. Pineda-Rojas, however, did not raise a procedural due process or CAT claim in his BIA appealinstead, his BIA appeal was limited to three challenges to the denial of his applications for asylum and withholding of removal. Because these two issues were neither presented to, nor addressed by, the BIA, they are unexhausted, and we lack jurisdiction to consider them. Thus we may only review the denial of his applications for asylum and withholding of removal.

A.

To be eligible for asylum under 8 U.S.C.  1158(b)(1)(A), the asylum applicant bears the burden of establishing that he qualifies as a refugee by being unable or unwilling to avail himself  of the protection of [his native country] because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion. To obtain a withholding of removal, the applicant must make a similar showing but bears a heightened burden: the applicant must demonstrate a clear probability of persecution because of his race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.

Although Pineda-Rojas maintains that his testimony established that he has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of his membership in his family, we find no error in the BIA's conclusion that he failed to demonstrate his eligibility for asylum or withholding of removal. Whether or not his familial status constitutes a particular social group within the meaning of the Immigration Naturalization Act (INA), the statute also requires him to demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution and a sufficient nexus' between persecution and one of the listed protected grounds. In its decision below, the BIA found that Pineda-Rojas could not establish a nexus between persecution and his familial status or a well-founded fear of persecution. And we agree with the government that substantial evidence supports those factual findings.

During Pineda-Rojas's testimony, he admitted that the central reason he feared retribution was because the cartel's drugs were lost, not because he was a member of his family. In addition, he identified no past mistreatment in Guatemala and admitted that he did not know who sent the drugs or whether anyone in the cartel was looking for him. Finally, he testified that no one had threatened him for losing the drugs. Under our precedent, to establish a well-founded fear of persecution for asylum, Pineda-Rojas's stated fear of persecution is not enoughhe must both show that he has a subjective fear of persecution and that his subjective fear is supported by objective evidence that persecution is a reasonable possibility. As the BIA properly concluded, his testimony was based solely on speculation and falls well short of satisfying that objective showing.

Because Pineda-Rojas has failed to establish a well-founded fear of persecution, he has failed to meet the higher standard of demonstrating a clear probability of persecution and thus is also not eligible for withholding of removal. Consequently, the BIA properly concluded that he is not entitled to asylum or withholding of removal.

IV.

For the reasons set forth above, we will dismiss Pineda-Rojas's petition for review in part and deny it in part.

FOOTNOTES

. Catwell v. Att'y Gen., 623 F.3d 199, 205 (3d Cir. 2010).

. Id.; see also Caushi v. Att'y Gen., 436 F.3d 220, 225 (3d Cir. 2006).

. Toure v. Att'y Gen., 443 F.3d 310, 316 (3d Cir. 2006) (brackets and internal quotation marks omitted).

. See, e.g., 8 U.S.C.  1252(d) (A court may review a final order of removal only if  the alien has exhausted all administrative remedies available to the alien as of right.); Castro v. Att'y Gen., 671 F.3d 356, 365 (3d Cir. 2012) (A petitioner's failure to exhaust an issue by presenting it to the BIA deprives us of jurisdiction to consider that issue.); Lin v. Att'y Gen., 543 F.3d 114, 126 (3d Cir. 2008) (recognizing the BIA can exhaust an unpresented issue by addressing it sua sponte); Abdulrahman v. Ashcroft, 330 F.3d 587, 595 n.6 (3d Cir. 2003) ([A] claim of IJ bias remains subject to administrative exhaustion requirements.).

. 8 U.S.C.  1101(a)(42)(A); see also Camara v. Att'y Gen., 580 F.3d 196, 201-02 (3d Cir. 2009).

. INS v. Stevic, 467 U.S. 407, 430 (1984).

. 8 U.S.C.  1231(b)(3)(A).

. 8 U.S.C.  1101(a)(42)(A).

. Ndayshimiye v. Att'y Gen., 557 F.3d 124, 129 (3d Cir. 2009); see also 8 U.S.C.  1158(b)(1)(B)(i) (To establish that the applicant is a refugee within the meaning of [section 1101(a)(42)(A) of this title], the applicant must establish that race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion was or will be at least one central reason for persecuting the applicant.).

. Abdille v. Ashcroft, 242 F.3d 477, 495-96 (3d Cir. 2001) (internal quotation marks omitted).

. Kibinda v. Att'y Gen., 477 F.3d 113, 123 (3d Cir. 2007); Ghebrehiwot v. Att'y Gen., 467 F.3d 344, 351 (3d Cir. 2006) (Because [the standard for withholding of removal] is higher than that governing eligibility for asylum, an alien who fails to qualify for asylum is necessarily ineligible for withholding of removal.).

FISHER, Circuit Judge.
Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Armed Forces Preparatory Academy (BBSBAFA) today launched a women wing for preparing girls to join the Armed forces.

Lt Gen Surinder Singh, GOC-in-C Western Command, inaugurated the facility.

BBSBAFA is set up by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee through its trust - BBSB Education Trust.

SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar said the Committee is running many educational institutions in and outside Punjab.

"Acceding to the demands of the parents to have a girls' wing in the Academy, it was decided to start it from the current session with a batch of 40 girls," he said.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese President Xi Jinping today urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve raging tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme after the US President warned that Washington would "solve the problem" on its own if Beijing did not rein in its close ally.

Xi spoke over phone to Trump as a United States aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson churned towards the Korean peninsula, raising regional tensions.

He said that China sticks to the target of the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and that China is committed to peace and stability of the peninsula.

China holds that the issue should be solved through peaceful means, said Xi, adding that Beijing is ready to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the issue, the state media reported, days after the two leaders met for the first time in Florida.

Trump has repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its reclusive neighbour and close ally, which has stepped up its missile development and nuclear programme since 2016.

Xi's phone call came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations over North Korea's provocative behaviour.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. Will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he had tweeted yesterday.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.," Trump had said in a second tweet.

Following the Trump-Xi meeting, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said that China understood how dangerous North Korea's nuclear programme had become and had agreed action must be taken to stop it.

China has not signaled any clear change in policy towards Pyongyang and Xi's language followed China's usual script on North Korea.

However, Wednesday's read-out was the first time China confirmed in detail that the two leaders had directly discussed North Korea, CNN commented.

Two Chinese statements released directly after the Mar-A- Lago meeting did not mention North Korea by name, even though the country had been expected to dominate discussions, it said.

Meanwhile, Trump has also commented on the armada that the US has deployed to the Korean peninsula.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."



A series of provocative North Korean missile tests have stoked fears in Washington that Pyongyang may soon have an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.

North Korea is also reported to be preparing to test a nuclear weapon in the coming days.

The US show of force prompted the North to declare it was "ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US."



"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have reached a serious phase," North Korea's official agency KCNA quoted a spokesman of the country's foreign ministry as saying.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve surging tensions over North Korea's nuclear programme, as the US president touts the power of a naval "armada" sent to counter fresh provocations by Pyongyang.

Trump said yesterday that the US was ready to solve the North Korean "problem" without China if necessary, as he and Pyongyang engage in tit-for-tat saber-rattling that has sent tensions soaring in East Asia.

"North Korea is looking for trouble," Trump wrote on Twitter. "If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA."



In a phone call with Trump, Xi told him China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said today.

Trump made his comments as a US naval strike group headed towards the Korean peninsula.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."



The strike group includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided- missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser



A barrage of recent North Korean missile tests have stoked US fears that Pyongyang may soon have an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.

North Korea is also believed to be preparing to test a nuclear weapon in the coming days.

The US show of force prompted the North to declare it was "ready to react to any mode of war desired by the US."



"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said, according to state agency KCNA.

During their call, Xi told Trump that China remains "willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side on the issue of the peninsula," according to the CCTV report.

Trump, it added, said that it was very important for the two heads of state to maintain close ties, and that he agreed that the US and China should work together to "expand pragmatic cooperation in a wide range of areas".

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
By Francesco Guarascio

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Wednesday Greece was heading in the right direction on reforms, but talks on its bailout review and the IMF's potential role in it were "only halfway through".

Last week, euro zone finance ministers agreed on the key elements of reforms that Greece needs to implement in exchange for a new loan under its 86 billion-euro bailout programme, the third since 2010.

The loan is needed to pay debt due in July, but talks continue and the IMF has not yet decided whether to join the bailout. The fund's participation is seen as a condition for Germany to unblock new funds to Greece.

"What I have seen in the last couple of weeks is heading in the right direction," Lagarde told a conference in Brussels, but "we are only halfway through in the discussions."

She reiterated Greece's debt - now 178 percent of gross domestic product - will need to be restructured to guarantee the stability of the country's finances.

The scope of any restructuring "will be decided at the end of the programme," but "the modalities have to be decided upfront," Lagarde said.

Germany, the largest European Union economy, opposes debt relief, believing that agreed reforms are enough to sustain financial stability. But Berlin still wants the IMF to join the bailout, now provided by euro zone governments alone, to make it more effective and less expensive for euro zone countries.

Talks between Greece and its lenders are continuing and no date is fixed yet for negotiators to return to Athens. The Greek government believes talks may resume in Athens after the IMF spring meetings on April 21-23.

"We are still elaborating under what terms we could possibly give some lending to the country. We are not there yet," Lagarde said, adding any IMF loan to Greece would have to abide by strict conditions and no special treatment can be expected for Athens.

The IMF wants pension costs to be cut and the threshold for tax exemptions to be lowered. Athens has accepted the reforms, worth 2 percent of its gross domestic product, but it wants to link their application to a reduction of its public debt burden.

Lagarde said the additional belt-tightening measures could be implemented "as soon as the conditions of growth are consolidated."

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; @fraguarascio; Editing by Larry King)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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The Editorial/Content team at Business Standard has not contributed to writing or editing these articles.

For further information, please write to assist@bsmail.in
Oil producing major Cairn India has successfully merged with its parent Vedanta Ltd consolidating Vedanta's position as one of the world's largest diversified natural resources company.

"This merger consolidates Vedanta's position as one of the world's largest diversified natural resources companies, with world-class, low-cost assets in metals and mining and oil and gas," said a statement by the two firms.

The debt-ridden Vedanta absorbed its cash-rich subsidiary to form a merged entity with a market capitalisation of $ 15.6 billion and a higher free float of 49.9 per cent.

The two companies announced plans of the merger back in June 2016 that would help the metals and mining company Vedanta cut down its debt.

"We are pleased to have completed the Vedanta Ltd - Cairn India merger and are very excited about the future of the combined company. With world class assets in metals and mining and oil and gas, Vedanta will fuel India's economic growth and generate value for all stakeholders," said Navin Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta Limited.

As per the deal, shareholders of Cairn India will get one equity share of Vedanta and four redeemable preference shares of face value Rs 10 and coupon 7.5 per cent, as against the proposal of one equity share and one preference share earlier.

Cairn India shareholders, who will become shareholders of Vedanta, would also receive an interim dividend of Rs 17.70 per equity share as approved by the Board of Vedanta on March 30, 2017.

The share swap will take place on April 27.

Additionally, no shares will be issued to Vedanta or any of its subsidiaries for their shareholding in Cairn India.

Vedanta will arrange for a third-party facility enabling a cash exit for Redeemable Preference Share (RPS) holders at par within 30 days from issuance.

Sudhir Mathur, Acting CEO of Cairn India, said the merger with Vedanta Ltd will de-risk Cairn India by providing access to a portfolio of diversified tier-I, low cost, long-life assets to deliver significant near term growth, while retaining the substantial upside from oil and gas business.

"Our continued focus to remain a low-cost operator with low leverage will provide us the financial flexibility throughout the cycle and help us create long term value for all stakeholders," said Tom Albanese, CEO of Vedanta Limited.

The merger, he said, will increase the appeal of Vedanta Ltd to global investors as it simplifies the structure and increases the size and free float of the company.
CROOKS are exploiting loopholes in the Unified Payments Interface mobile application to loot bank customers, police sources told Mail Today on Tuesday, underscoring a spike in cyber crimes as India moves towards a digital economy. Cops are worried about rising cases of cheats getting a duplicate SIM on the pretext of upgrading a particular cellphone account to a 4G connection and then transferring money by downloading the UPI app.

Unified Payments Interface was launched last year by National Payments Corporation of India- a not-for-profit organisation owned by a consortium of major banks- and is regulated by the RBI. It allows users to make transactions over their cellphones including cash transfers to other users, and payments to utilities and some merchants. A person with a smartphone, an account at one of the UPI's partner banks and a mobile number linked to that account can download the platform app. Users are enabled after registering on the application, which usually takes less than five minutes.

Cops say withdrawing money fraudulently through UPI is a new trend and all a cyber criminal needs is the basic banking details of the victim. "Our preliminary inquiry shows that these criminals are working in nexus with bank officials who leak the information of their clients by taking a screenshot and pass it on through WhatsApp," said a senior officer of crime branch in Delhi Police. The information leaked by bank officials consists of the customer's name, address, bank account and card, PAN and mobile phone details. Criminals pay them based on the data, which varies according to the profile of the account holder. These crooks, posing as telecom operators, ask the victim to apply for a 4G SIM free of cost for faster internet service. As soon the customer sends an SMS to their operator to change their SIM to a 4G connection, the criminal goes to the store and collects a 4G SIM and then activates it in the victim's name. SIM upgrade does not require any verification of know-your-customer (KYC) documents.

"The problem lies in the fact that there is no verification of documents and an active SIM can be easily procured," said Uttar Pradesh special task force's additional superintendent Triveni Singh. "Mostly, our banking accounts are linked to our mobile number. All the notification, password and pin reset details are received on the phone. So, as soon criminals get access to a new mobile SIM, they download UPI or the BHIM app and fill the banking details which they have already gathered and start transferring money." Singh explained that once a crook is in possession of a SIM card, he only requires the victim's card details for a transaction. Even the private banks too have been receiving complaints about withdrawal of money using UPI, say sources.

They have asked their forensic teams to examine the details of such transactions. Cops are yet to ascertain if an organised syndicate is behind such crimes but claim that techies and seasoned scamsters are exploiting the loopholes in the banking and telecom system. UPI was promoted after the government announced the demonetisation drive last November in a bid to boost cashless transactions. Chinks in the system were exposed when the NPCI admitted this year that `25 crore was moved out of Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) accounts due to a bug in its UPI app. According to sources, corrective steps have been initiated as well as the process of recovering the money from 19 banks where it was transferred to. Officials say a bug resulted in the money moving out of the accounts without the sender having the necessary funds.
India will invest up to $10 billion in Bangladeshi sectors including infrastructure and medicine and will provide $5 billion in loans, including $500 million in military assistance, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Tuesday.

Hasina returned to Bangladesh on Monday after a four-day state visit to India, leading a 280 member business delegation including 40 senior government officials and ministers.

"The offers of investment and loans were given by the Indian government and private entrepreneurs during my visit to New Delhi," she told reporters during a news conference.

"Both investments and credit will be used for the development of several sectors including power and energy, logistics, education, medical, infrastructures and rail, road and waterways."

Hasina said the military assistance included training for military personnel to ensure peace in border areas, and joint patrols and drills in international sea areas.

Hasina said the loan would also be used to purchase military equipment.

The credit for the military sector has been given with 1 percent interest to be repaid over the next 20 years.

Separately the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said on Tuesday that during the visit India signed an agreement to facilitate debt for the construction of facilities producing 1,320 megawatts of electricity in Bangladesh.


United States Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff - Appellee, v. ROGER EMANUEL REID, Defendant - Appellant. No. 16-4472 Decided: April 11, 2017

Before WILKINSON, TRAXLER, and WYNN, Circuit Judges. John Parke Davis, Acting Executive Director, Ann L. Hester, FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDERS OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, INC., Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellant. Jill Westmoreland Rose, United States Attorney, Anthony J. Enright, Assistant United States Attorney, Charlotte, North Carolina, for Appellee.

Roger Emanuel Reid pled guilty to knowingly and unlawfully possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1) (2012). He appeals from his 51-month sentence, alleging that the district court erred by enhancing his sentence by four-levels under U.S. Sentencing Guidelines Manual  2K2.1(b)(6)(B) (2015) because he possessed the firearm at issue in connection with another felony. We affirm.

We review any criminal sentence for reasonableness under a deferential abuse-of-discretion standard. Gall v. United States, 552 US. 38, 41 (2007). In considering whether a district court properly imposed a Sentencing Guidelines enhancement, we review a district court's factual findings for clear error and its legal determinations de novo. United States v. Chandia, 675 F.3d 329, 337 (4th Cir. 2012). Whether a defendant possessed a firearm in connection with another felony is a factual question we review for clear error. United States v. Jenkins, 566 F.3d 160, 163 (4th Cir. 2009). We will find a court's factual findings clearly erroneous only if we are left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed. United States v. Crawford, 734 F.3d 339, 342 (4th Cir. 2013) (internal quotation marks omitted). Where there are two permissible views of the evidence, the factfinder's choice between them cannot be clearly erroneous. Anderson v. City of Bessemer City, 470 U.S. 564, 574 (1985).

Here, police entered Reid's home pursuant to a search warrant. Police found Reid there with the firearm and in possession of various items of drug paraphernalia. Reid admitted that he had been dealing cocaine from the home, which was equipped with a surveillance camera, for months.

Reid argues on appeal that the district court erred in applying the  2K2.1(b)(6)(B) enhancement because no drug trafficking offense was ongoing at the time police entered Reid's home. We hold that the district court's application of the enhancement is not clearly erroneous, and that the underlying evidence fully supports application of the enhancement.

Accordingly, we affirm. We dispense with oral argument because the facts and legal contentions are adequately presented in the materials before this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.

AFFIRMED

PER CURIAM:
Oil marketing companies are planning to put in place a mechanism under which fuel prices (petrol and diesel) will be aligned to international crude oil prices on a daily basis.

The effect: You will have to check petrol and diesel prices daily before refuelling your vehicle.

In fact, according to a Reuters report, state-owned fuel retailers plan to implement daily revision of fuel price in five cities from May 1 ahead of a nationwide rollout of the scheme, industry sources said.

To begin with, daily revision of fuel prices will be implemented in Puducherry and Vizag, Udaipur, Jamshedpur and Chandigarh, they said.

Currently, oil marketing companies decide on change in fuel prices on a fortnightly basis.

Let's examine the impact of the proposed change in fuel prices on a daily basis.



ALSO READ: Why petrol, diesel prices may change everyday



Political interference



The government deregulated petrol price in 2010 and diesel price in 2014. It, henceforth, allowed oil marketing companies to decide on the prices of fuel, considering the change in international oil prices and currency exchange rate.

Since oil marketing firms Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp are state owned, they are often not allowed to raise prices in the election season since it would prove detrimental to the prospects. To compensate oil companies for that, the government allows them to charge higher prices even when international oil rates have fallen.

Assembly elections in five states-Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand- were held during January to March 2017.

Oil marketing firms raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs 1.29 per litre and 97 paise on January 2, 2017. They cut price of petrol by Rs 3.77 per litre and that of diesel by Rs 2.91 a litre on April 1, 2017, the first change in rates in two-and-a-half months even though currency exchange rates and international crude oil prices fluctuated by wide margins during the period.

But the decision to change fuel prices everyday will less likely invite interference from political parties to address their interests. Even if they would interfere with the price change, they will not be able to defer the decision for long due to the urgency to revise prices daily.



No shock to customers

The revision in oil prices will not affect consumers much as international oil prices do not fluctuate widely on a daily basis. So, change in prices of petrol and diesel will not badly affect the commuters in the long run. They may be in for a surprise if some major international event affects the price of crude oil and its effects are felt on diesel and petrol prices in India.

Effect on inflation

The new practice will add one more factor to the change in price of essential commodities such as food items, cereals, fruits and vegetables. The prices of essentials may fluctuate on a daily basis, if the mechanism of daily change in fuel prices comes into effect.

Books of accounts



The price movement will immediately reflect on the book of accounts of oil marketing firms, allowing them to reduce or make provision for losses or profit arising out of sale and purchase of fuel on daily basis. Maintaining sales and cash receipts journals will become a lengthier process after due to daily change in prices of fuels.


While solar installations in India have picked up speed, tenders and auctions have been slowing down over the past couple of quarters, according to a Mercom Capital report. About 1.9 GW of solar power was tendered in Q1 2017 (1 GW of this was a retender) compared to 3.4 GW in Q4 last year. There was 1.3 GW of solar projects auctioned in Q1 2017 compared to 255 MW in Q4 2016. The slowdown in activity has been disconcerting to developers and manufacturers who have been gearing up for more activity based on India's solar installation goal of 100 GW by 2022.

As per the target set by the government, India needs to instal 18 GW of solar power every year till 2022. If the government wants to meet its solar installation goals, the pace of tenders and auctions must pick up quickly. Companies, who have invested hundreds of millions to expand to meet the demand and build projects, are anxiously waiting for the activity to pick up.



According to the report, "Some of the reasons for decline in tender and auction activity include poor financial condition of distribution companies (DISCOMs), transmission issues, weaker power demand and increases in captive generation by commercial and industrial companies. DISCOMs that are continuing to struggle financially are not taking on new generation that is more expensive than coal, which is leading to curtailment of solar and wind projects as well as payment delays to developers."

The World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling against India's domestic content requirement (DCR) has resulted in continuous cancellations and postponements of planned DCR tenders.

"In some states, weak power demand is removing the urgency to speed up the pace of solar tenders and auctions. Increases in captive generation by industrial customers have compounded the situation since they are requiring less power generation from DISCOMs," the report adds.

The recent record low bid of Rs 3.30 (approximately $0.494)/kWh at the REWA solar park auction is playing a big role in the slowdown of auction activity as government agencies and states are stalling to renegotiate PPAs that are more expensive than the bids received at REWA.

For DISCOMs, coal is still the cheapest option available. According to Mercom's December Solar Quarterly Report, DISCOMs have resorted to sporadic curtailment from some solar projects in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu because cheaper power is available on the power exchanges. Even when there is demand, several states have complained that the DISCOMs are resorting to power cuts instead of buying power on the exchanges to save on costs.

Several other developers told Mercom that as of now Bihar, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are the problem states. According to Mercom's Solar Project Tracker, tendering activity has declined in these states with most of the old tenders being continually extended.

"We hope this is a short-term issue which, once resolved, will see tariffs get down to realistic levels and there will be a big spurt in activity. However, if some of these pressing issues are not resolved quickly, growth will stall," said Raj Prabhu, CEO of Mercom Capital Group. "There needs to be a policy mechanism put in place to avoid the stop and start in tender activity every time there is an outlier in terms of a low bid. However, if states revise their tenders to include all of the positive aspects of the REWA tender, it can be a win-win for all," he added.
The Income-Tax Department has asked financial institutions to obtain self-certification for all accounts opened between July 1, 2014, and August 31, 2015. This initiative aims to comply with the Foreign Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), a deal that India has signed with the US for automatic exchange of financial information between the two nations about tax evaders.

Under self-certification, an investor has to provide declaration relating to the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)/Common Reporting Standard (CRS). It does not require one to submit the Aadhaar card in order to comply with FATCA requirements.



Meenakshi J. Goswami, Commissioner of Income Tax (media and technical policy) and Central Board of Direct Taxes' official spokesperson, says, "Customers are not required to submit their Aadhaar cards to comply with FATCA. A bank may want KYC details only if it is found to be a reportable account."



Rajiv Shastri, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Peerless Mutual Fund, says, "The circular issued by the Income-Tax Department has asked investors to comply with the FATCA guidelines, which involve obtaining self-certifications. KYC falls under the financial intelligence unit (FIU) and these are two different subjects."



According to the notification, account holders need to submit the self-certification document by April 30. If they fail to submit the details, the circular issued by the Income-Tax Department states that "The account holders may be informed that, in case self-certifications are not provided till April 30, 2017, the accounts would be blocked, which would mean that the financial institution would prohibit the account holder from effecting any transaction with respect to such accounts."

It, however, clarified that the transactions by the account holder in such blocked accounts may be permitted once the self-certification is obtained and due diligence completed.

The inter-governmental agreement with the US for implementation of FATCA came into force on August 31, 2015. Under the arrangement, the financial institutions need to obtain self-certifications and carry out due diligence in respect of all individual and entity accounts opened from July 1, 2014, to August 31, 2015.



The initial deadline was August 31, 2016, for meeting the FATCA requirements; otherwise they were required to close the accounts. Later, the deadline was extended and the financial institutions were advised to continue to work on completing the required due diligence, including obtaining self-certifications.
LOGAN  Nursing students have been taking Weber State courses on Utah States campus for 46 years, but now that USU is starting its own nursing program, that partnership is coming to an end.

The two universities will celebrate the decades of working together during a reception Thursday night in the Taggart Student Center ballroom on USUs campus.

Were inviting all former faculty and students to come and celebrate the 46 years, said Jon Kelly, the programs campus coordinator. Well have a program at 6:30 that will last about 30 minutes where Weber States president will present a gift to USU. There will be a couple of speeches.

Kelly said it is a difficult move, but he wishes the best for USUs new program.

It comes with heavy heartedness on our side because weve been here 46 years successfully partnering with Utah State and its coming to an end, he said. Weve had a rich successful history on this campus.

According to Kelly, the program will move across town and join the already-existing Weber State program at the Bridgerland Applied Technology College. The program at BATC is currently staffed by adjunct professors, but now those positions will be filled permanently by the staff moving from USUs campus.

The program at BATC will still be the same. Weber State nursing students will still be able to complete the second year of their coursework on BATCs campus, earning associate degrees and being eligible to apply for registered nurse licensure. Students who then want to earn bachelors degrees may continue their education at Weber States main campus.
Employees of Los Primos make tacos in the trailer located at 45 W. 500 North.

LOGAN  Benjamin Orozco got his start in the taco business when he was just 7 years old. Growing up in Michoacan, Mexico, he helped his dad from start to finish each day, doing everything from preparing sauces to the actual cooking. When he was 12, he started his own taco business.

Now, more than 2,000 miles north of his Mexican hometown, Orozco is one of the several vendors in the valley selling the traditional street tacos. Many of them say the food is gaining popularity locally.

Orozco has had his taco truck in Logan for almost nine years now. On a normal day, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., he parks his truck on the intersection of 800 North and Main sells between 400 and 1,000 tacos. Sticking to a simple menu of just beef steak tacos and soup helps him keep the quality high while still focusing on fast service, but on weekends it gets busy enough his wife helps him handle the crowd.

Theres only one recipe, its fresh all the time, he said. I try to make it fresh and 100 percent good. People come back and come back because they can see the difference.

The traditional street taco Orozco and other vendors put out doesnt resemble the Americanized, hard, U-shaped taco. It is typically a small, soft corn tortilla. Instead of ground beef and shredded cheese, they usually contain marinated pork or beef steak topped with cilantro, diced onion and lime.

Orozco isnt the only Logan vendor to see a growing demand for tacos. Javier De La Cruz opened a taco truck in front of his Los Primos Market about five years ago and has watched it snowball since. He said on Wednesdays, during his two-for-a-dollar special, his employees make between 2,000 and 3,000 tacos in a single afternoon. In addition to steak and pork tacos, his truck sells beef head and beef tongue tacos, which are both common choices in Mexico.

For Logan resident Paul Urzagaste, it is clear the growing craze is real. He was first invited to try Los Primos by a friend when he was a university student a few years ago. Now it is a weekly tradition. As a regular at Los Primos, he too has watched the growth.

I came two years ago and it was mostly construction workers getting lunch, he said. The audience has completely changed. Its students now, mostly. I think it is because word of mouth.

On Wednesdays at lunchtime, the markets eating area is often full of students, and the crowd spills into the parking lot. For USU student Mitchell Keck, its a change from the Americanized taco hes used to that keeps him coming back.

Ive never been to Mexico, but these seem like they are authentic, he said. Its not Taco Time.

De La Cruz said he wants to help the students because the students help him.

I give it cheaper, he said. They like it, and they keep coming. People bring their friends.

Alicia Lopez is another taco vendor in town. She did similar work in Guadalajara, Mexico and then California, but is new to the Logan taco scene. She opened El Pollo Azteca about a year ago in downtown Logans La Ranchera Market. Her restaurant sells pollo asado al carbon  which is chicken grilled over coals  and, of course, tacos. She said people are starting to learn about her restaurant, and business is picking up. Its especially busy on Tuesdays, when she has her own two-for-a-dollar taco deal.

The students are starting to come, she said. Last year we had a few students, but now more come each time.

She said her tacos stand out because she makes every tortilla by hand.

I believe there is a difference in a tortilla made by hand instead of one that is premade, she said.

De La Cruzs tacos have been selling so well that when the El Salvador restaurant on the south end of Logan went up for sell a year ago, he saw it as an opportunity to expand. He purchased the restaurant, kept the Salvadoran food on the menu, but added his famous tacos. He even does the two-for-a-dollar deal every Thursday as a way of thanking the customers who have helped him.

De La Cruz said that in order to keep up with the taco sells he needs to expand the size of his kitchen at his new restaurant, but that is far from the case for many vendors. Even with the seemingly increasing street taco hype, not every taqueria has been able to stay open. Orozco said some do better than others, because customers recognize quality.

Survival is hard, he said. A lot of taco trucks come, but many dont survive because there isnt good food. If you have good food youll survive wherever you go, you know? Its simple. If you have good food people will come back.
Although he has enjoyed his time as a member of the Logan Municipal Council, Eugene Needham has decided not to run for a second four-year term.

Needham is sure to find plenty to do with his time because, at the age of 77, he is still heavily involved in his businesses, with the world of art, and with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Upon reflecting on his time as a member of the Logan Municipal Council, was there anything that surprised him?

Well, in a way, yes. But in another way, no, Needham declares. As you go into understanding who does what, things become clearer as to what can be done.

Everybody comes, I think, with certain agendas, things they like to do, reasons why they ran for office. I feel good about a lot of things that have been done while Ive been there.

While on the council, Needham has been known to always vote against alcohol whenever it is brought up. He has also voted against the idea of building a new library in downtown Logan.

He says he sees no need to tear down the existing library because he says it could be renovated for about $6 million, just half of the estimated $12 million that a new library would cost.

There maybe is an argument, Needham explains, with the retail shrinking down like it very likely is going to, to have the library there supporting that space. But I dont think so.

I think the library should have its own entity, its own identity by itself where people come and that is how it has always been. That is how it is in all the cities Ive been in.

Mayor Craig Petersen and the city council have said they envision commercial activity around the downtown library. Needham says you could also have that in the area just north of the existing library.

Needham has a soft spot for restoring old buildings. He has been involved in the purchase and restoration of homes in Logan City and just recently purchased the Franz Bakery outlet across from Logan High School on 100 East. Needham says he is not sure what he plans to do with the space just yet, but is considering converting the space into condos to provide more housing opportunities near downtown.

Needham and his sons are owners of many local businesses and, for him, the first one was a still-flourishing jewelry store. Most recently he opened his own Logan Fine Art gallery where he enjoyed holding his first art show last weekend.

Needham is deeply involved in art himself and although he does not sell his own art, he is proud of his 10 or 11 sculptures and 20-30 paintings.

Reading is also important to Needham. He reads multiple books in several different languages.
United States Court of Appeals, District of Columbia Circuit. CARPENTERS INDUSTRIAL COUNCIL, ET AL., APPELLANTS LEWIS COUNTY, A MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, ET AL., APPELLANTS v. RYAN ZINKE AND JAMES KURTH, APPELLEES No. 15-5304 Decided: April 11, 2017

Before: GRIFFITH, KAVANAUGH, and SRINIVASAN, Circuit Judges. Mark C. Rutzick argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellants Carpenters Industrial Council, et al. Susan Elizabeth Drummond argued the cause for appellants Lewis County, et al. With her on the briefs was Ryan A. Smith. Michael T. Gray, Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, argued the cause for appellees. With him on the brief was John C. Cruden, Assistant Attorney General. Brian C. Toth, Attorney, entered an appearance.

KAVANAUGH, Circuit Judge: When the Government adopts a rule that makes it more difficult to harvest timber from certain forest lands, lumber companies that obtain timber from those forest lands may lose a source of timber supply and suffer economic harm. In recent years, that phenomenon has occurred in the Pacific Northwest. In this case, a lumber industry group has contested one such government action.

In 2012, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a Final Rule designating 9.5 million acres of federal forest lands in California, Oregon, and Washington as critical habitat for the northern spotted owl. To put the agency's action in perspective, the designated critical habitat area is roughly twice the size of the State of New Jersey. For Easterners, imagine driving all the way up and then all the way back down the New Jersey Turnpike, and you will get a rough sense of the scope of the critical habitat designation here. The critical habitat designation means that a huge swath of forest lands in the Pacific Northwest will be substantially off-limits for timber harvesting.

Various lumber companies that obtain timber from those forest lands are members of a trade association known as the American Forest Resource Council. The Council sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to challenge the legality of the critical habitat designation.

The threshold question is whether the Council has standing to challenge the critical habitat designation on behalf of its members. The District Court ruled that the Council lacked standing. We disagree. The Council has demonstrated a substantial probability that the critical habitat designation will cause a decrease in the supply of timber from the designated forest lands, that Council members obtain their timber from those forest lands, and that Council members will suffer economic harm as a result of the decrease in the timber supply from those forest lands. Therefore, in light of our decision in Mountain States Legal Foundation v. Glickman, 92 F.3d 1228 (D.C. Cir. 1996), we conclude that the Council has standing. We reverse the judgment of the District Court and remand the case for further proceedings.

I

In 1973, Congress passed and President Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act. The Act seeks to conserve animal species that are at risk of extinction. See 16 U.S.C.  1531 et seq. The Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to list species that are endangered or threatened, and to protect those species' habitats and ecosystems. See id.  1533. An agency within the Department of the Interior  the Fish and Wildlife Service  helps implement the Act and is responsible for listing species as endangered or threatened.

When the Fish and Wildlife Service lists a species as endangered or threatened, it must also designate any habitat of the species which is then considered to be critical habitat. Id.  1533(a)(3)(A)(i). The Act defines critical habitat to include the specific areas within the geographical area occupied by the species, at the time it is listed or the specific areas outside the geographical area occupied by the species at the time it is listed if such areas are determined to be essential for the conservation of the species. Id.  1532(5)(A)(i)-(ii).

Designation of land as critical habitat triggers certain consulting requirements under Section 7 of the Act. Any federal agency seeking to authorize, fund, or carry out an action on designated land must first consult with the Service to ensure that the action is not likely to  result in the destruction or adverse modification of critical habitat. Id.  1536(a)(2).

The northern spotted owl is listed as a threatened species by the Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2012, the Service issued a Final Rule designating more than 9.5 million acres of federal forest lands in California, Oregon, and Washington as critical habitat for the northern spotted owl. See Designation of Revised Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl, 77 Fed. Reg. 71,876 (Dec. 4, 2012).

Of the lands designated as critical habitat, more than three million acres are matrix lands. Matrix lands are lands that were previously set aside by federal statute and regulation to provide a steady supply of federal timber to the local lumber-based economy. See Oregon and California Railroad and Coos Bay Wagon Road Grant Lands Act of 1937, 43 U.S.C.  1181a et seq.; Record of Decision for Amendments to Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management Planning Documents Within the Range of the Northern Spotted Owl, at 7 (April 13, 1994); see also Designation of Revised Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl, 77 Fed. Reg. at 71,880 (matrix areas are lands where timber harvest would be the goal).

The Bureau of Land Management is a federal agency within the Department of the Interior. The Bureau of Land Management is the federal agency primarily responsible for administering and selling timber from the matrix lands. As a result of the Fish and Wildlife Service's critical habitat designation, the Bureau of Land Management and other agencies responsible for managing federal forest lands must consult with the Service to ensure that any action that they take  including approving the harvest of timber for sale from matrix lands will not result in adverse modification of critical habitat. In practice, because logging affects habitat, the critical habitat designation means that certain lands that were previously available as a source of timber are unlikely to still be available. Indeed, as the Fish and Wildlife Service itself acknowledged in the Final Rule, the critical habitat designation means that timber-harvesting activity on designated lands will be limited, and that traditional clearcutting of timber will be disfavored. Designation of Revised Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl, 77 Fed. Reg. at 71,941.

A forest products manufacturing trade association known as the American Forest Resource Council represents lumber companies that obtain timber from those designated forest lands. On behalf of its member lumber companies, the Council sued in the U.S. District Court to challenge the legality of the critical habitat designation. The Council claimed, among other things, that the Service did not make use of the best scientific data available when finalizing the critical habitat designation, as required by the Endangered Species Act. 16 U.S.C.  1533(b)(2).

To demonstrate its standing to challenge the critical habitat designation, the Council submitted a declaration from its president, Thomas Partin. In the declaration, Partin asserted that many of the Council's lumber companies depend on federal timber sold from the designated lands. Partin alleged that the critical habitat designation will decrease the supply of federal timber from the designated lands, which in turn will cause his member companies to suffer economic harm.

Notably, the Fish and Wildlife Service did not challenge the standing of the Council (or any of the other parties) when the case was filed in the District Court. Both sides later submitted summary judgment briefs, and, again, the Service did not question the Council's standing. The Service's failure to raise a standing argument no doubt was a considered decision. The Service presumably thought it obvious at the time that the Council had standing.

While the summary judgment motions were pending, however, this Court decided Swanson Group Manufacturing LLC v. Jewell, 790 F.3d 235 (D.C. Cir. 2015). Swanson involved a challenge by a group of lumber industry plaintiffs to the Bureau of Land Management's failure to sell statutorily required amounts of timber. The Court in Swanson held that the plaintiffs' declarations did not establish standing because they were conclusory and failed to show that the challenged agency action would cause economic injury to the plaintiffs. Id. at 242-44.

Shortly after Swanson was decided, the District Court understandably wanted to determine whether that case affected the standing analysis in this case. The Court issued an order to the Council and the other plaintiffs to show cause in writing why their case should not also be dismissed for lack of standing based on Swanson. Show Cause Order at 1, Carpenters Industrial Council v. Jewell, 139 F. Supp. 3d 7 (D.D.C. 2015) (No. 13-cv-00361) (J.A. 106). In response, the Council cited Mountain States Legal Foundation v. Glickman, 92 F.3d 1228 (D.C. Cir. 1996), and Swanson, and argued that it had standing based on the asserted economic injuries of its member companies. The Service filed a response to the show cause order in which it argued, for the first time, that the case should be dismissed for lack of standing.

The District Court ruled that the Council lacked standing. The District Court reasoned that the Council's allegations of economic harm were indistinguishable from the conclusory allegations of economic harm that the Swanson Court held were insufficient to support standing. Carpenters Industrial Council, 139 F. Supp. 3d at 12. The District Court granted summary judgment for the Service. The Council appealed. We review the District Court's standing determination de novo.

II

The Constitution confines the jurisdiction of federal courts to Cases and Controversies. U.S. CONST. art. III,  2, cl. 1. The case-or-controversy requirement means, among other things, that a plaintiff must demonstrate standing to sue. To establish Article III standing, a plaintiff must allege (i) a concrete and particularized injury that is actual or imminent; (ii) that the injury is caused by the challenged conduct of the defendant; and (iii) that the requested relief is likely to redress the injury. Lujan v. Defenders of Wildlife, 504 U.S. 555, 560-61 (1992) (internal quotation mark omitted). An organization such as the American Forest Resource Council may establish standing by showing that at least one of its members would have standing to sue in its own right. See Sierra Club v. FERC, 827 F.3d 59, 65 (D.C. Cir. 2016).

To establish that it had standing in this case to challenge the critical habitat designation on behalf of its member companies, the Council submitted the declaration of Council President Thomas Partin. See Declaration of Thomas L. Partin (J.A. 85). Partin's declaration asserts that several lumber companies are members of the Council, and that those lumber companies obtain timber from lands now designated as critical habitat. The declaration states that the critical habitat designation will decrease the availability of the companies' source of timber supply, which in turn will cause them to suffer economic injury. The Council contends that Partin's declaration suffices to establish Article III standing. We agree.

Where, as here, a plaintiff alleges that it will suffer future economic harm as the result of a government action, the complaint and declarations must together demonstrate a substantial probability of injury-in-fact, causation, and redressability. See Sierra Club v. Jewell, 764 F.3d 1, 7 (D.C. Cir. 2014); Chamber of Commerce v. EPA, 642 F.3d 192, 200-01 (D.C. Cir. 2011). Of course, courts do not conduct separate mini-trials on injury-in-fact, causation, and redressability. Rather, courts do their best based on the complaint and declarations to assess whether the plaintiff's assertions suffice to show the elements of standing.

The Council contends that the critical habitat designation will decrease the timber supply from designated lands and thus cause its member lumber companies to suffer economic harm. Economic harm to a business clearly constitutes an injury-in-fact. And the amount is irrelevant. A dollar of economic harm is still an injury-in-fact for standing purposes. See Czyzewski v. Jevic Holding Corp., No. 15-649, slip op. at 11 (U.S. 2017) (For standing purposes, a loss of even a small amount of money is ordinarily an injury. ); Wallace v. ConAgra Foods, Inc., 747 F.3d 1025, 1029 (8th Cir. 2014) (The consumers' alleged economic harm  even if only a few pennies each  is a concrete, non-speculative injury.).

Causation is the more difficult question when considering allegations of future economic harm arising from government action that decreases a business's ability to obtain a necessary raw material. The judicial task of determining causation can be imprecise at times (and imprecise is probably a generous description). Courts must make a predictive judgment about a notoriously difficult issue  causation  based merely on the complaint and declarations. When performing that inherently imprecise task of predicting or speculating about causal effects, common sense can be a useful tool.

This case involves lumber manufacturers that directly obtain their raw material (timber) from certain forest lands. The lumber manufacturers contend that the government action in question decreases the supply of that raw material from those forest lands. Common sense and basic economics tell us that a business will be harmed by a government action when (i) the government action decreases the supply of a raw material from a source that the business relies on and (ii) the business cannot find a replacement without incurring additional cost. Indeed, this Court has already articulated a clear standing rule reflecting that principle. In Mountain States Legal Foundation v. Glickman, 92 F.3d 1228 (D.C. Cir. 1996), we said: Government acts constricting a firm's supply of its main raw material clearly inflict the constitutionally necessary injury. Id. at 1233. Note that inflict is a synonym for cause.

We therefore can break down the standing inquiry in this kind of case into three analytical steps. The standing inquiry boils down to whether the plaintiff has adequately demonstrated: (1) a substantial probability that the challenged government action will cause a decrease in the supply of raw material from a particular source; (2) a substantial probability that the plaintiff manufacturer obtains raw material from that source; and (3) a substantial probability that the plaintiff will suffer some economic harm as a result of the decrease in the supply of raw material from that source. The Council has made those showings in this case.

First, as the complaint and Partin's declaration both assert, the Service's designation will likely cause a decrease in the supply of timber from designated forest lands. The Service's argument to the contrary belies the text, purpose, and operation of the Final Rule designating the critical habitat in this case. Not to mention, it defies basic common sense. In the Rule, the Service states that the primary habitat threat to the northern spotted owl is from commercial timber harvest. Designation of Revised Critical Habitat for the Northern Spotted Owl, 77 Fed. Reg. 71,876, 71,986 (Dec. 4, 2012) (emphasis added). To protect the owl's habitat, the Service first recommends that the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management conserve older forest, high-value habitat, and areas occupied by northern spotted owls. Id. at 71,877 (emphasis added). To that end, the critical habitat designation provides that timber-harvesting activity on designated lands should be limited, and that traditional clearcutting of timber will be disfavored. Id. at 71,941. The decrease in the timber supply is likely to be significant. After all, we are talking about an area roughly twice the size of the state of New Jersey, much of which could previously be harvested for timber but which is now substantially off-limits to logging. The text of the Rule therefore confirms what common sense suggests. A regulation that imposes restrictions on the Government's ability to offer timber from designated forest lands for harvest is substantially probable to cause a decline in the timber supply from those lands.

Second, Partin's declaration shows that several of the lumber companies that are Council members obtain their supply of timber from those designated forest lands. For example, in a discussion of Council member company Rough & Ready Lumber, Partin states that Rough & Ready has always primarily relied on timber from the designated lands to operate its mill. Partin Decl.  10. Partin similarly alleges that Council member Seneca Sawmill Company relies heavily on designated lands for its timber supply. Id.  12. Partin asserts that yet another Council member, Trinity River Lumber Company, purchases logs from designated forest lands to supply its mill. Id.  17.

Third, the Partin declaration also demonstrates that the decrease in the supply of timber from those designated lands is substantially probable to cause those lumber companies economic harm. When a company loses a source of supply of a raw material, it may not be able to find a replacement source, much less one at the same cost. Unless the company can fully replace the source of supply at zero additional cost to the company (and by zero, we mean zero), then the company has suffered an economic harm. That is Economics 101 and Standing 101. And according to Partin, that is the situation that several Council member companies face as a result of the critical habitat designation. Partin alleges that a number of Council member companies have lost sales of their manufacturing products, and are threatened with the future loss of such sales, due to their inability to obtain enough timber from the Forest Service and the BLM to meet the demand of their customers. Id.  18; see also id.  17 (Trinity River is experiencing log shortages leading to economic losses, and expects to continue to do so in the future, due to restrictions imposed by the critical habitat designation.). Further, Partin alleges that Council member Seneca Sawmill Company cannot maintain its current production level without a steady or increasing supply of federal timber. Id.  12. Partin makes similar assertions with respect to member company Rough & Ready, noting that Rough & Ready's ultimate success will continue to depend on a reliable federal timber sale program, which is severely threatened by the critical habitat designation. Id.  10. Indeed, Partin does not merely claim that the companies will have some modestly increased costs associated with finding a new source of supply. Partin asserts that without a reliable and adequate supply of timber from the designated lands, several of the Council's member companies cannot continue to operate. Id.  5.

In short, the available evidence adequately demonstrates: (1) that the critical habitat designation is substantially probable to cause a decrease in the timber supply from designated forest lands; (2) that it is substantially probable that Council member companies  in particular, Seneca Sawmill and Rough & Ready  obtain timber from those forest lands; and (3) that the decrease of the timber supply from those forest lands is substantially probable to cause those Council member companies to suffer economic harm. Therefore, the Council has adequately demonstrated injury-in-fact (namely, the economic harm), causation, and redressability. The Council has standing to challenge the critical habitat designation on behalf of its member lumber companies.

This Court reached a similar conclusion in Mountain States Legal Foundation v. Glickman, 92 F.3d 1228 (D.C. Cir. 1996). In Mountain States, various lumber companies challenged a Forest Service land management plan that would have decreased the supply of timber from Montana's Upper Yaak Area (a much smaller area than is at issue in this case). See id. at 1231. The companies argued that they had standing to challenge the Forest Service plan because, by decreasing the supply of Upper Yaak timber, the plan would deprive them of a source of timber and therefore cause them to suffer economic harm. See id. at 1232-33. As we noted above, in analyzing whether the companies' allegations of economic harm sufficed for standing, the Mountain States Court articulated a clear and commonsensical standing principle: Government acts constricting a firm's supply of its main raw material clearly inflict the constitutionally necessary injury. Id. at 1233.

The Mountain States Court examined the declaration of lumber company owner James Hurst in light of that principle. Hurst's declaration asserted that his lumber company depended on timber from the Upper Yaak Area affected by the challenged government action. Hurst noted that a large part of his company's long term operation plans was timber to be supplied from the Upper Yaak Area. See Declaration of James L. Hurst  4, Mountain States, 92 F.3d 1228. Given that dependence, Hurst alleged that his company would suffer economic harm as a result of the reduction in the supply of Upper Yaak timber. Id. Indeed, Hurst stated that his company had already experienced a temporary closing and a permanent lay off of over 25 workers due to its inability to obtain timber from the Upper Yaak Area. Id.

In other words, the Hurst declaration closely resembles the Partin declaration in this case. Hurst's declaration established: (1) a substantial probability that the Forest Service's action would cause a decrease in the supply of timber from the Upper Yaak Area; (2) a substantial probability that Hurst's company obtained its timber from that source of supply; and (3) a substantial probability that Hurst's company would suffer some economic harm as a result of the decrease in the timber supply from that source.

Based on the Hurst declaration, the Mountain States Court concluded that logging cutbacks in the Upper Yaak cause injury to the economic well-being of Hurst's company, which an order reducing the cutbacks would redress. Mountain States, 92 F.3d at 1233. The Court held that Hurst's company had standing to challenge the Forest Service plan based on injuries to its economic interests from curtailment of logging. Id. at 1232.

The decision in Mountain States therefore fully supports  indeed, compels  our conclusion here that the Council has sufficiently demonstrated its standing to challenge the critical habitat designation in this case.

The Service points, however, to this Court's post-Mountain States decision in Swanson Group Manufacturing LLC v. Jewell, 790 F.3d 235 (D.C. Cir. 2015). In Swanson, various lumber companies, including a few of the plaintiff companies in this case, challenged the Bureau of Land Management's failure to sell statutorily required amounts of timber from federal lands. Id. at 238-39. The companies alleged that the shortages threatened to cause them economic injury. See id. at 240. Analyzing the declarations that the companies offered to show their standing, the Swanson Court concluded that the declarations failed to establish standing because they contained only conclusory and uncertain allegations. Id. at 242. In particular, the Swanson Court concluded that the declarations failed to establish a substantial probability that the lumber companies would suffer some economic harm as a result of the decrease in the supply of timber from federal lands. Id. at 242-44.

In reaching that conclusion, the Swanson Court focused on the particular allegations contained in the declarations before it. Cf. id. at 238 (The question before this court is not whether parties such as these plaintiffs could have standing to bring the claims at issue but whether the evidence the plaintiffs presented in support of their standing is sufficient.). The Court pointed to the fact that the declarations did not indicate the extent of the companies' reliance on timber purchased from the lands at issue in the suit. Id. at 243. By contrast here, however, Partin's declaration in this case asserts that Rough & Ready Lumber has always primarily relied on federal timber from designated lands to operate its business and that another company, Seneca Sawmill, relies heavily for its timber supply from federal lands in Oregon managed by the BLM and Forest Service. Partin Decl.  10, 12.

The Swanson Court also faulted the lumber companies' declarations because unlike the declaration in Mountain States  they contained only conclusory allegations about the effect that the challenged government action would have on their businesses. Swanson, 790 F.3d at 242 (internal quotation marks omitted). The Swanson Court further noted that the declarations did not contain evidence that any of the companies' asserted injuries were attributable to inadequate timber supply as opposed to an independent source, such as the recession. Id. at 243. Here, like the declaration in Mountain States but unlike the declarations in Swanson, the Partin declaration links the member companies' alleged economic harms  harms ranging from lost sales and diminished production to closures and layoffs  with the decrease in the supply of timber from designated lands. See, e.g., Partin Decl.  10 (Rough & Ready's prior closure and layoffs due to its inability to secure enough federal timber from designated lands); id.  17 (Trinity River is experiencing log shortages leading to economic losses  due to restrictions imposed by critical habitat designation.).

In short, under our precedents, the Council has sufficiently demonstrated standing. Because we conclude that the American Forest Resource Council has standing to challenge the critical habitat designation, we need not address whether the other plaintiffs have standing. See Mountain States, 92 F.3d at 1232 (If constitutional standing can be shown for at least one plaintiff, we need not consider the standing of the other plaintiffs to raise that claim.).

* * *

We conclude that the American Forest Resource Council has standing to challenge the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's 2012 designation of critical habitat for the northern spotted owl. We therefore reverse the judgment of the District Court and remand to the District Court for further proceedings.

So ordered.

FOOTNOTES

. Causation and redressability typically overlap as two sides of a causation coin. Dynalantic Corp. v. Department of Defense, 115 F.3d 1012, 1017 (D.C. Cir. 1997). After all, if a government action causes an injury, enjoining the action usually will redress that injury.

Opinion for the Court filed by Circuit Judge KAVANAUGH.
SDF MPs W. Musa

Over 15 Members of Parliament for the Social Democratic Front Party, SDF, have given their unflinching support to escapee SDF comrade Hon. Wirba Joseph of the Jakiri Constituency.

In a Press Conference held in Yaounde Tuesday April 11, 2017, Hon Jospeh Mbah Ndam, Vice President of SDF Parliamentary group urged House Speaker Cavaye Yege to ensure that Parliamentary Immunity of Hon.Wirba is not tampered with. He also read out that the House Speaker should protect the escapee and make sure that he returns home without being arrested.

Hon. Mbah Ndam flanked by other MPs including SDF National Vice President, Hon. Joshua Osih, reiterated their support for Wirba saying that he spoke their mind on the fateful day last November when he spoke on Anglophone marginalization.

The outing of the SDF MPs and their views is contrary to that of the National Chairman of the party, Ni John FRU NDI who said he cannot support Hon. Wirba because he did not act on behalf of the party and did not toe party line.

Joseph Mbah Ndam who led a working visit to the House Speaker said,  During this working visit, we expressed our indignation with respect to the arrest warrant issued on him by the delegate General for National Security in total violation of the laws of Cameroonwhile waiting for the speakers action, we remain in full solidarity with Hon. Wirba.

The MP for Jakiri did not attend the March Parliamentary session brandishing an arrest warrant allegedly issued against him by the Government. He is reported to have gone out of Cameroon and now residing in England.

By Wilson MUSA
Mrs Ayah receiving the PAP gift W. Musa

Supporters of the Popular Action Party, PAP, have donated gifts such as toiletries, food stuff and financial support to members of the Ayah Paul family as a sign of solidarity with after the arrest and incarceration of the Advocate General at the Supreme Court.

The items were handed to madam Ayah in their residence in by the National Organizing Secretary Denis Njang in the presence of over half a dozen party militants. The items are expected to help them during this period when the father of the house is absent.

The members of PAP political party demanded the unconditional release of AYAH Paul Abine saying his arrest was illegal.

Receiving the gifts, Mrs AYAH said it is a sign that Justice AYAH Paul has people around him and who are ready to stand by him, she said, If you have money and do not have people it means you have nothing.

By Wilson MUSA
| BY Ricki Green |

More than 2000 people were recently engaged in a major project conducted by Frost*collective to rebrand Canterbury Bankstown following its recent amalgamation to form the largest Council in NSW.

Experts in Council and Destination branding, Frost* put together a consultant team and methodology that could genuinely engage the community in developing the new brand.

Cat Burgess, strategy director, Frost* says the project is precedent-setting in using a combination of community consultation, market research and brand analysis to develop the destinations new positioning.

Says Burgess: This is a truly evidence-driven piece of work that will not only unify the community from both former council areas but also address barriers that currently prevent people from visiting, working and living there.

Community Consultation experts Elton Consulting worked with Frost* to engage more than 1,600 locals through workshops, discussions and interviews and an online survey. The findings from this work were correlated with insights from focus groups and quantitative research with more than 460 Sydneysiders from outside the area, conducted by market research company Environmetrics.

What emerged was a major gap in how Canterbury Bankstown is perceived  with locals proud of its rich diversity, food culture and thriving arts and cultural scene, but those from outside believing there is nothing of interest or unsure of whats there.

Says Burgess: The brand idea Where interesting happens represents a way for not only Council but also residents, businesses, community and sporting groups and visitors to get the message out there about all of the fascinating experiences it has to offer.

Says Richard Colley, administrator, City of Canterbury Bankstown: This was a place brand not a logo we were looking to develop, one that captured the true identity of our city and its people. For that to occur, it was crucial we involved not only our residents and businesses in the brand journey from the very beginning, but also visitors and people who have not yet experienced our city.

Frost responded with a comprehensive community engagement strategy which resulted in an enthusiastic and genuine response, that then enabled it to create a brand that was very real and a true representation of us.

We are proud of who we are, the values we stand for and are not afraid about being different, and were now in a position to share our interesting places, people and attractions to Sydney, Australia, and the world  thanks to Frost*.

The new brand has been brought to life with an identity system that is itself both diverse and interesting.

Says Anthony Donovan, creative director, Frost*collective: The identify can be seen in many ways, as a geometric shape that shifts perspective as well as the letters CB.

The letterforms can be rearranged to frame interesting images, facts and features, as well as forming patterns that are used to make the ordinary interesting.

To help launch the new brand, local poet from Bankstown Poetry Slam, Miski Omar, was engaged to feature in a video that shares the story of the brand development process and the new positioning.

Frost* has collaborated with Council on developing a roll out strategy that will see the new brand on everything from Council vehicles to uniforms, buildings, signage, social media, its website and promotional advertising.

Frost* specialises in destination branding and marketing and has conducted major projects for Broken Hill, North Sydney, Redfern, the Sydney Opera House and Kakadu National Park amongst many others.

Executive Creative Director: Vince Frost, Frost*collective

Group Creative Director: Anthony Donovan, Frost*collective

Strategy Director: Cat Burgess, Frost*

Strategist: Jeanne Ogilvie, Frost*

Senior Designer: Alex Dalmau, Frost*

Designer: Johnny Boardman, Frost*

Designer: Kieran Mistry, Frost*

Client Services Director: Emma Stone, Frost*

Account Director: Max Delplanque, Frost*

Head of Nest (part of Frost*collective): Martin Hoegh-Guldberg

Digital Producer: Natalie Cano, Nest

Production Manager: Jason Hughes, Frost*

Elton Consulting: Brendan Blakeley, Associate Director; Samantha Weir, Senior Project Manager Environmetrics: Philip Smith, Senior Consultant

Videographer: Luke Eblen
| BY Ricki Green |

Mission Australia has launched a new winter advertising campaign created by King Content and Customedia, to urge the community to support parents and children facing homelessness as a result of domestic violence.

The campaign tells the true story of heavily pregnant Kayla* and her five-year-old daughter Mia* who have no choice but to live in a garage exposed to the elements to escape Kaylas violent partner. The expecting mother and her daughter moved between friends houses every few days but soon ran out of places to stay.

Reaching out to Mission Australia was Kaylas lifeline. She was connected with a Mission Australia case manager, who linked her with family crisis accommodation, organised nutritious food packages and coordinated appointments with counsellors and womens health specialists. The case manager also talked with Mias school, contacted Centrelink to arrange financial support and helped Kayla apply for priority housing. All this brought stability into their lives for the first time in years and helped Kayla work through the trauma she had endured to feel calm and prepared during the final weeks of her pregnancy.

Mission Australia supported the family when they were at their most vulnerable and helped them to escape the cycle of abuse.

The advertisements offer powerful images of young Mia clinging to her pregnant mother and a quote I wish we had a home and a separate feature of the distressed mother and the quote My baby deserves a safe home. The advertisements call for viewers to donate today.

Mission Australias general manager marketing, Elvira Lodewick said the campaign depicts the adversities experienced by parents and children escaping domestic violence and the importance of the charitable donation in supporting families in need this Winter.

Says Lodewick: There are thousands of Australian families and young children who have been stripped of their independence because of domestic violence. As a result of escaping such an unsafe situation, so many are left without a safe place to call home. Our campaign really highlights that domestic violence is a leading reason people fall into homelessness. And, with the vital support of donors, Mission Australia can continue to help families like Kaylas on their journey to independence during winter and beyond.

Launched on 16 April,the campaign includes a direct mail appeal and is set to run on television, outdoor and digital advertisements until 30 June 2017.
| BY Kim Shaw |

Hostplus, one of Australias largest superannuation funds, has chosen Ogilvy Melbourne to become its creative agency of record after a competitive pitch process.

Established in 1988, Hostplus has close to one million members and more than 120,000 employers contributing to its super funds. With over $23 billion in funds under management, it has grown to become one of the largest funds in Australia.

Hostplus is the industry superannuation fund for the hospitality, tourism, recreation and sport industries, however anyone can join no matter which industry they work in.

As an industry superfund, its run to benefit members, so there are no commissions paid to financial planners and no dividends paid to shareholders. Thats why they can keep their fees low and offer a competitive suite of investment options.
"If some degree of victory over the emu is obtained for the long suffering farmers  it will be by no means a  final victory. For the emu carry with them all the hardiness of the cruel, sparse environment of the Australian sand-plains. And the emu, so gangling and comical yet now so much feared by farmers, has been part of the country for unknown eons past."
"That, of course, does not justify your involvement in these offences. But it gives context to the offending, making it clear this was a very unusual series of events you were under that led you to commit these offences."
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.
Ticketholders for the 19th annual Chair-ries Jubilee will not only shop for one-of-a-kind art and furniture pieces on Friday, April 21, they will have opportunity to taste samples from nine local chefs and restaurateurs.



Presented by the Chair-ries Jubilee Committee of the Allied Arts Council of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, the arts-in-education fundraiser is a premier spring event in the Cleveland/Bradley County community.

This years theme is Going Green in 17.



Our caterers are one of the highlights of the evening, Amy Foss, catering committee chairman, said. The social hour and silent auction begin at 6 p.m. on April 21 at the Museum Center at 5ive Points.



Nine local chefs and restaurateurs will offer delectable samples from their respective kitchens for food connoisseurs who attend the Chair-ries Jubilee arts auction.



Some of the best chefs and caterers in the region are returning to Chair-ries Jubilee, Foss said. Guests will have an opportunity to taste a variety of delicious foods as they walk among the auction items and bid on their favorite pieces.



Preparing for their culinary display are regional chefs and restaurateurs Cafe Roma, Cleveland Country Club, Deli Boys, Dos Bros, Gardners Market, Sante Fe, Stadium BBQ, Impressions Catering, and Tasteful Gatherings.



Cafe Roma Chef Shannon Ritzhaupts traditional Italian Antipasto, which includes Castlevetrano olives, caprese salad, balsamic mushrooms, broccoli, and roasted red peppers, is an annual favorite presented by Cafe Roma, 220 N. Ocoee St.



Cleveland Country Club is returning to Chair-ries Jubilee, serving charcuterie with cheese, olives, and spreads. Seasonal menus and several dining facilities accommodate palettes at the clubs 345 Kyle Lane location.



Deli Boys, in keeping with their daily fare, will offer Asian meatball sesame sandwiches, Italian sandwiches, and kombucha. The dine-in/takeout/catering restaurant is located at 2538 Keith St.



The Mexican grill Dos Bros will have at their station cilantro lime white rice, black beans, chicken, mild pico, and shredded cheese. For additional freshly prepared menu items, visit Dos Bros at 4450 Frontage Road in the Cleveland Towne Center.



Gardners Market, an old-world style delicatessen on Broad Street in downtown Cleveland, plans to serve spiral ham, mini sandwiches, salad, and mini muffins.



Santa Fe Cattle Companys fare will include Texas sausage sliders and chicken tacos. For their expanded menu, visit them at 200 Paul Huff Pkwy. in Bradley Square Mall.



Smoked wings and pulled pork BBQ will be served by Stadium BBQ. Stadiums Cleveland location is at 773 Keith St.



Catering committee member Heather Ryerson added that two additional crowd favorites would also share delectable samples from their kitchens.



Impressions Catering and Tasteful Gatherings are teasing ticketholders by withholding a description of their menu items, Ms. Ryerson said, adding that caterers Greg Hicks and Dee Johnston, respectively, both promise surprise food items for the event.



Kelly Smith and Emily Bullins also assisted in inviting caterers to participate in the annual fundraiser that has raised more than $450,000 for arts-in-education programs in local schools.



Tickets, available at the Chamber of Commerce and The Red Ribbon, are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.


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Can you meow for me? said Margaret Sisemore, resident at The Lantern at Morning Pointe of Hixson, her eyes, glowing with endearment and joy, as she looks down at a furry feline friend in her arms. The silver-haired cat with white paws, responded as any pet would, sounding off the gentlest meow as she stretches her body. Oh, meow meow, yourself! Ms. Sisemore said.

Precious, the newest addition to the Morning Pointe of Hixson family, behaves just like any household cat. Her purrs are soothing, and her plush, furry body is comforting to the touch. But this particular pet is different from the usual four-legged companion  not because of her breed, but because shes a robot.

Precious, a Joy For All Companion Cat by Hasbro, responds to touch with lifelike motions, bringing much delight to the memory care residents who enjoy petting and holding her. With soft, synthetic fur, those with cat allergies can get close to Precious. She even rolls over for a belly rub. And the Lantern residents  all in various stages of Alzheimers disease and dementia  enjoy interacting and talking with her as if shes real.

It makes me feel like Im holding a real cat, said Ms. Sisemore, who grew up in a household where she wasnt allowed to have pets. Mom said there would be fur all over the house. She has formed a special bond with the realistic cat, as it has helped her cope with the recent passing of her husband, Carl.

I wonder how many sensors are in this cat? said Virgil Powell, The Lantern at Morning Pointe resident, who was once an engineer. According to Linda Noll, Lantern program director, Mr. Powells curiosity with the cat helps him take his mind off of his obsession with clocks. Its like his interaction with Precious freezes time for him, Ms. Noll said.

The adoption of these robotic therapy animals in the Alzheimers memory care environment has made news headlines. According to a recent article published by The New York Times, the animatronic pets have been around for years, and have soared in popularity in senior communities across the nation. With no vet visits needed, Precious requires much less maintenance than traditional pets, but a lot of benefits  especially for people with memory related conditions.

The Lantern has only had Precious for a little over a month, and yet the cats popularity has grown quickly, spreading to other Morning Pointe communities as the newest addition to the Pet Therapy program.

As a daily routine, Noll brings Precious to The Lantern residents after lunchtime. She says the animatronic cat offers just enough stimulation, while fostering camaraderie between the seniors.

Its amazing the transformation it makes with them, Noll says. Its calming. It gives them something to do with their hands. It gives them something to love. Its precious.
Hamilton County Department of Education Director of Innovation, Keri Randolph, has accepted a position in the prestigious Harvard Graduate School of Education Doctorate of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) program.

Ms. Randolph will join just 24 other selectees from across the country in the program. I am both humbled and excited about the opportunity to work with some of the nation's best minds in education, public policy and business, she said.



The director of Innovation will spend three years with the best and brightest as she attends courses at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Business School, and Kennedy School of Public Policy.



The first and second years of the Ed.L.D. program are full-time on Harvards main campus in Cambridge, Mass. while the third year is a residency selected in collaboration with program faculty.



HCDE Interim Superintendent Dr. Kirk Kelly accepted Ms. Randolphs news with mixed emotions. While I am thrilled for the opportunity presented to Ms. Randolph, I know what an invaluable member of my leadership team she has been during her time as Innovation Director, Dr. Kelly said. My hope is she makes the most of her three years away, but then is ready to come back home to Hamilton County.



Ms. Randolph echoed that sentiment. Though I'm eager to learn and grow as a leader, Hamilton County is home, and it will be hard to leave- even for a short time- especially with the important work ahead, she said.



Ms. Randolph will join students from a dozen states with backgrounds in business, education, non-profits and the public sector.



As the entrepreneurs, nonprofit directors, principals, teachers, and policy researchers progress through the program together, they will become uniquely prepared for system-level leadership positions.



Ms. Randolph will head to the hallowed halls of Harvard in early July.


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.
The education system in India seems messed up as students are made to churn out marks than innovation. There is a blind craze to attend as many entrance exams possible to be in a "comfortable" position to choose from many options. The hard truth is different from this myth. The more exams one gives, the more insane it makes the student. Here's how:

Endless hard work

Right from SSLC, students are asked to prepare and focus on securing the highest rank. But once the goal is reached, they are not rewarded as promised because, in reality, the ultimate journey does not end in one grade and it's mark.

It meanders endless into PUC and then colleges up to masters and doctorate degrees, boiling down to one bitter truth - your marks does not matter but how well you work in your company matters. Thus, the need for hard work never stops.

Too many cooks spoil the broth

In a student's life, there is an entrance exam and another exit exam. But wait! What about the actual semester exams that are cleared?

Oh, well that's probably just another exam. Leave out, the process from start to end of a degree. To get into one degree like MBA itself there are too many exams like the CAT, MAT, XAT.

A candidate is made to attend all these exams through which he can get to study only one college and one degree. But why such a cumbersome process for such a simple thing? Expected to sharpen the skills of students, too many exams, contrarily only makes the candidate more tired.

What do experts think?

"Test preparations has killed education in India," says Nitin Pai, Director of The Takshashila Institution, a body to study and develop public policies. He was seen expressing his view in a tweet yesterday. He took to twitter to express his concern over dying of quality education.

What is the way out?

Education for Parents

Parents must be counselled to maintain a good mental health for their wards and let them go ahead with their choice of career than seeing them as a money churning prospect.

Not every profession is the same, some careers help you fetch money quicker but that does not mean it is the only means to earn. Any field of specialisation which a person has a flair for can lead to innovation and make the candidates earn greater than a mundane profession they are pushed into.

Career Counselling Drives

Career counselling drives must be conducted in schools at the school level for students to build upon their dream career and research ahead for the exact pathway they need to travel to get there.

It is a common thing that people who have no idea of what they want to become get into science group and then into engineering and even after engineering so clueless of their future. To avoid this blunder, students must be counselled to find their way into the right and fixed destiny.

Syllabus Revamp

As much as a basic theoretical knowledge is important, the employability and industry requirement must be kept in mind while designing syllabus for students. Tests after tests might give a better scorecard but it does not create a better employee.

Space for innovation

To be able to apply the knowledge imparted in subjects, students must be given the space to think on their own rather than just reproduce what is taught. Question papers must be framed to apply the theory concepts in student's own idea.

Say for instance, rather than a question to write a program to produce Fibonacci series, a question can be framed to write a program with a creative number play.

It is not a wrong move to write entrance exams but taking up more entrance exams is like scampering in darkness in a lost maze. Students must be guided to fix their career goals and choose the right path for them to reach it. More entrance exams are like more rules but no discipline. Making the process simple and bringing a common procedure would give more clarity and ease for students to proceed to their higher studies.

Career Shift: Change For The Better
11/8/2022

After serving for five years in the US Army, Oregon native Trevor Vickery traveled around the country, searching for the right school to use his GI Bill benefits. Once he discovered the extensive ... more
Well, after one of the most drawn-out premieres in recent memory, the covers have officially been taken off the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon at the New York Auto Show.



Based around the Challenger SRT Hellcat, the Demon has undergone a comprehensive suite of modifications and Dodge claims that it is the worlds quickest accelerating production car and the fastest quarter-mile production car on the market.

Power from the companys 6.2-liter supercharged V8 engine has been bumped from 707 hp in Hellcat-spec to 840 hp for the Demon. This power boost has been achieved with the installation of a larger, 2.7-liter supercharger, boost pressure rising from 14.5 psi to 11.6 psi, new pistons, rods and valve train being installed and the implementation of two dual-stage fuel pumps. Further engine upgrades include lifting the rev limit from 6,200 rpm to 6,500 rpm, strengthening the connecting rods and incorporating three sources of intake air (the hood, driver-side headlamp and an inlet near the wheel liner).

What this amounts to is truly phenomenal straight-line performance. Zero to 60 mph (96 km/h) passes in just 2.3 seconds, the quarter-mile can be achieved in 9.65 seconds at 140 mph (225 km/h) and the Demon holds the Guinness World Record for first-ever front-wheel lift in a production car. Whats more, the Demons 1.8 g of acceleration is the highest of any production car. Things dont stop here.

The Challenger SRT Demon is the first street-legal production car that can run 100+ unleaded high-octane fuel to offer maximum performance. Typically, the Demon leaves the factory tuned for 91-octane fuel but the so-called Demon Crate includes a new powertrain control module that unleashes the full 840 hp. Like the Hellcat, the Demon includes two key fobs, one which limits power to 500 hp and a second, finished in red, that unleashes 808 hp on regular pump gas and then 840 hp when combined with the control module.

Working alongside the beefed-up engine is an updated TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic transmission. It includes an upgraded torque converter that delivers an 18 per cent increase in torque multiplication that works in conjunction with TransBrake. This system locks the transmission output shaft to hold the Demon in place before a standing start, allowing the engine speed to be increased to 2,350 rpm for the perfect launch. Thanks to the street-legal Nitto drag radials as well, launch force is up by 40 per cent over the Hellcat.

As we already knew, the Demon is more than 200 pounds lighter than the Hellcat. These weight savings have been achieved by removing the front passenger seat, rear seat, 16 speakers, the use of hollow sway bars, lightweight aluminium brake calipers and the removal of a host of wiring. For customers that want the passenger seat and rear seats included, both can be optioned back for $1 each.

Speaking about the car, Dodges Tim Kuniskis said With Demon, our goal was to build a car that would tattoo the Dodge logo into the subconscious of the general market, beyond even our loyal enthusiasts. To do so, we had to set records that have never been set before, do more than has ever been done before, go beyond even the legendary Hellcat. The result: an 840-horsepower, 9-second muscle car unlike anything that has ever come before it.

Production of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will commence this summer with just 3,000 units destined for the United States and 300 heading to Canada. Pricing has yet to be announced.

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The rule of three suggests that when things come in threes, they are inherently more satisfying and effective. Apparently, Acura agrees. For the mid-cycle update of the TLX, the Japanese brand focused on refining three elements: styling, trims and tech.



Starting with the design, the 2018 TLX is the latest Acura to say goodbye to the much ridiculed chrome beak and in its place, comes a more conventional diamond pentagon grille. It also gets new headlamps that maintain the Jewel Eye units with LED turn signals, a new bumper, more sculpted hood, fenders, tweaked tail lamps, and different rear bumper fascia and exhaust finishers.

The second reason Acura thinks the refreshed TLX is worth it is the addition of a new sportier A-Spec edition thats available exclusively with the 290hp 3.5-liter V6 in both two-wheel drive and SH-AWD configurations.

Replacing the outgoing models GT package, it gives the TLX a more aggressive appearance with a unique front fascia, round LED fog lights, side sills, rear diffuser, round dual-exhaust finishers and gloss black decklid spoiler. Dark finish 19-inch wheels with wider 245-series tires complement the sports-tuned suspension. If you get the AWD model, Acura adds a stiffer spring rate and rear stabilizer bar for improved body control.

Acuras third and final update to the TLX is the redesigned infotainment system. It still uses a dual-screen layout but Acura says the new software improves the system response time by 30 percent and offers more intuitive menus and command structures, while supporting Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Sirius XM 2.0.

A bunch of active safety come as standard for 2018, ranging from Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with automatic emergency braking to Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Lane Keeping Assist.

Besides the 290hp 3.5-liter V6 that we mentioned earlier and which can be had with AWD, the 2018 TLX will continue to be offered with the same base, direct injection 2.4-liter four cylinder that churns out 204hp and 182 lb-ft of peak torque.

Pricing has not been announced yet, but the 2018 TLX should stay close to the 2017 version when it reaches showrooms in June. Well see the new TLX in the flesh at this weeks New York Auto Show.

Photo Gallery
Volkswagen is performing another trust-building exercise ahead of the launch of two of its most significant vehicles for the American market in years.



VW of America announced Tuesday ahead of the New York Auto Show it will offer the all-new 2018 Atlas midsize SUV and redesigned and enlarged 2018 Tiguan with a 6-year/72,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Thats up from the typical 3-year/36,000-mile warranty offered on other VW models in the U.S., and what most of its mainstream rivals also issue. This also bests previous bumper-to-bumper warranty leaders Hyundai, Kia and Mistubishi with their 5-year/60,000-mile setups.

The six-year VW warranty is also transferable, (Hyundai/Kias lauded 10-year powertrain warranty becomes a 5-year/60,000-mile warranty for the second owner) worth noting for buyers who like to pick up off-lease vehicles after around three years. Major components such as the engine, transmission and all-wheel drive system are covered under the six-year warranty.

This move works both to offer potential customers a bit of confidence over VW quality rumors as they may consider an Atlas or Tiguan over a rival from the likes of Ford, Honda or Toyota, for example. But its also a gesture aimed to restoring confidence in the brand after the emissions-cheating scandal thats tarnished VWs reputation over the last 18 months. But if VW is going to move on from the image of discarded TDIs filling up parking lots and regain a foothold in the U.S., it needs the Atlas and new Tiguan to be hits.

Weve driven the Atlas and found it should be competitive with major midsize SUV rivals when it goes on sale in the next month or so. The Mexico-made Tiguan headed for North America arrives this fall, but weve driven the slightly smaller European Tiguan and also found it to be up there with the best in its class.

Time will tell, however, if all this is enough to send American buyers back to VWs showrooms.



Photos: Zac Estrada/Carscoops and VW

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Hyundai will pull the wraps off the updated US-spec 2018 Sonata at the New York Auto Show, covering the event live on its social media channels.



Hyundais Camry rival has already been revealed in Korea, allowing us to take a look at its revised bodywork which now brings the Sonata in line with the rest of the range.

The front end adopts the brands latest hexagonal grille, a set of vertical daytime-running LEDs and a more sculpted bonnet, while the rear end is now cleaner, with the license plate having migrated on the bumper, plus the new taillights now adding to the new character of the 2018 Sonata.

The changes are less obvious inside, where the updated Hyundai Sonata pretty much retains the general design of the previous models dashboard. There are new trim options, updated switchgear and a sportier three-spoke steering wheel, but the most important addition is that of a more modern 8-inch infotainment system.

We still havent confirmed which engines will equip the 2018 Sonata, but we do know that Korean petrol models are available with a 1.6-liter T-GDI with 180 PS (177 hp), a 2.0-liter with 163 PS (160 hp) and a range-topping 2.0-liter turbo with 245 PS (241 hp).

Hyundai will live broadcast the reveal of the updated 2018 Sonata this Wednesday, April 12 at 1:15PM, EDT at its official YouTube channel, with the link provided below.

Note: Korean-spec models pictured

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PHOTO GALLERY
A marijuana dispensary appears to be moving into a West Kelowna storefront, and residents are concerned about its proximity to local schools.

The empty storefront at 2961 Gorman Rd. has had a new owner working inside for about 10 days.

A business owner in the area said his landlord confirmed the vacant space is being rented as a dispensary.

Just 200 metres away are two schools, Glenrosa Middle School and Glenrosa Elementary.

Castanet wasn't able to speak to anyone at the store, but the City of West Kelowna says as far as it is aware, no one has requested a business licence for that location.

The City of Kelowna made several amendments to its zoning bylaws on Monday, clarifying that storefront retail dispensing and sale of marijuana is not permitted anywhere in the city.

In February, West Kelowna RCMP announced that marijuana dispensaries are illegal and that owners and employees can be charged.

"Owners or employees of a medical marijuana dispensary may be charged with trafficking in a controlled substance should evidence exist to support a charge, sad Staff. Sgt. Lesli Roseberry said in February.

Kelowna city council will not discuss where marijuana could be sold in the city until both federal and provincial governments determine what powers municipalities can have.

"We are setting up our bylaw to say, in the current retail zoning designations we have, it's not permitted," planner Ryan Smith told council on Monday.

According to The Canadian Press, the Liberals plan to introduce legislation Thursday to put legalization in motion.
Photo: Contributed

The Okanagan Science Centre is offering the Marg Sim Memorial Scholarship of $300 to a graduating North Okanagan high school student.

The scholarship is open to students who are members of the Okanagan Science Centre, graduating high school this spring and entering a post-secondary program in the sciences, engineering or education in the fall. Information on how to apply is available on the Okanagan Science Centre website.

In 1985 Marg and Bill Sim founded the Vernon Science and Discovery Society, which started operating the Okanagan Science Centre in 1991.

Marg was the first one to bring dinosaurs to the science centre, re-building a large dinosaur that sat on the roof of the science centre. She regularly drove long-time Okanagan Science Centre employee Kevin Aschenmeier through the Okanagan as he delivered planetarium shows with our portable StarLab at schools and organizations throughout the region.
Photo: Toronto Star

More to gain than lose with C-23

An effective border is one that supports the efficient movement of goods and people.

In 2015, Canada exported over $400 billion worth of goods and $50 billion in services to the United States, while tourism activities accounted directly for $35.5 billion of Canadas GDP and over 600,000 jobs.

Every day, over 400,000 travellers cross the Canada-U.S. border.

With that in mind, in 2015, Canadian and American governments agreed to provide for the preclearance in each country of travelers and goods bound for the other country. In Canada, the agreement will be enacted through Bill C-23, which was introduced in the House of Commons last June and is now being debated in Parliament.

Prior to establishing preclearance crossings, Canadian travellers had only one option: to be processed at ports of entry by U.S. security, in the United States, under U.S. law.

Today, with preclearance, Canadians are cleared by U.S. border security, in Canada, under Canadian law, which includes the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Canadian Bill of Rights and the Canadian Human Rights Act.

Both Liberal and Conservative parties have indicated they will support the legislation while the NDP and the Green Party have indicated they will not, citing concerns that C-23 gives U.S. border security more powers.

C-23 however makes clear the limits on those powers. For instance, U.S. preclearance officers in Canada will not have the power to arrest or charge travellers, nor do they have primary jurisdiction to conduct searches.

In the rare instance where American officers may proceed to conduct a search, they are subject to the same legal, human rights and constitutional safeguards as would apply to Canadian officers.

C-23 also recognizes the right of Canadians to withdraw from preclearance. To avoid illicit "probing" of preclearance sites by those who are trying to detect weak points or deficiencies, American officials will be legally entitled to question travellers to establish identification and the reason for their withdrawal.

Finally, as the agreement is reciprocal, the same provisions are being made to allow Canadian preclearance officers to conduct preclearance in the same manner in the US.

With the advantages of preclearance, Canadian travellers heading to the U.S. have more to gain than lose. In my view, C-23 strikes the appropriate balance between security concerns and individual rights while offering Canadians a way to clear U.S. customs in their own country under the protection of Canadian law.

By moving travellers through customs in a safe and efficient manner, and by maintaining each countrys sovereign authority to regulate access by setting and enforcing our own rules, Canada and the United

States will continue to benefit from sharing the longest, most open and successful international boundary in history.

I invite my constituents to view Bill C-23 at www.parl.gc.ca and to follow the debate in the House of Commons. If you continue to have concerns, I encourage you to write to me. Constituents can reach me by contacting our constituency office at [email protected] or by calling 250 470-5075.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.
Here's A Breakdown Of Who's Investigating The Awful United Airlines Fiasco

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 11, 2017 9:55PM

Update, 8:30 p.m.:

Karen E. Pride, Director of Media Relations for Chicago Department of Aviation, released an updated, slightly more strongly worded statement on Tuesday evening. CDA again said the reaction did not reflect operating procedure and added "nor will we tolerate that kind of action."

CDA said in full:



"Aviation Security Officers (ASOs) are part of the public safety teams at both O'Hare and Midway, and complement and assist the Chicago Police Department (CPD), Chicago Fire Department (CFD) and federal law enforcement. While they do have limited authority to make an arrest, Sundays incident was not within standard operating procedures nor will we tolerate that kind of action. That is why we quickly placed the aviation security officer on leave pending a thorough review of the situation.



The action we have taken thus far reflects what we currently know, and as our review continues we will not hesitate to take additional action as appropriate."

Meanwhile, US Sens. Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin were among the legislators who wrote a letter late Tuesday to United and CEO Munoz demanding an explanation of United's operating procedure for deciding forcible removals, how often over the last year the airline has deplaned a passenger already onboard, and why the full $1,350 incentive wasn't offered to Dao, among numerous other questions.

Consumer trust and confidence are critical to ensure this industry continues to thrive, and we hope United Airlines will work diligently to immediately address this incident and make necessary improvements to ensure it does not occur again, the Senators wrote.

The Senators asked for a reply no later than April 24.

Original:

The violent removal of a United passenger, identified as Kentucky doctor David Dao, this weekend has prompted a wave of condemnation from lawmakers around the country. Officials in Chicago are vowing to get to the bottom, as the City Council announced a hearing for Thursday, and Mayor Rahm Emanuel said on Tuesday that Ginger Evans, the Commissioner of Chicago's Department of Aviation, is "hard at work on a thorough investigation." At the same time, a Congressman said national lawmakers may need to take the reins.

Emanuel released the statement on Tuesday afternoon. He reportedly evaded questions about the United incident when he appeared in Humboldt Park earlier in the day, to dedicate an honorary street sign to Cubs infielder Javier Baez (Rahm was summarily booed at the event, although it seems to have been a more generalized, free-floating display of dissatisfaction.) According to the mayor, the Department of Aviation is working with United Airlines on the review, although he shared no specifics about the focus. After a face-plant of an semi-apology on Monday, United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz said in a second apology that the airline's review will examine "crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement."

Emanuel said in his statement:



"Anyone who saw that video had the same reaction: this was completely unacceptable at every level. I appreciate that Ginger took swift action at the Department of Aviation, and her team is already hard at work on a thorough investigationin partnership with the airlineto ensure nothing like this ever happens again."

Meanwhile, the City Council is digging into the controversy, too. Aldermen said on Tuesday that hearings will begin Thursday to investigate the infamous ejection, in which Dao was dragged down the aisle and bloodied about the face. One aviation officer was suspended after videos of the removal spread in the news and on social media.

The Chicago City Council Commission on Aviation will hold a hearing on Thursday regarding what happened on United flight #3411  Dan Lopez (@4danlopez) April 11, 2017

Ald. Mike Zalewski (23rd Ward), who serves as the City Council Aviation Committee Chairman, said he wants answers from the airline, the aviation commissioner and the aviation-police union, according to the Sun-Times.

How security, police and airlines handle (now-hyper-scrutinized) overbooked flights, and why the passenger was approached on the plane, rather than at the gate, need to be hammered out to avoid potential repeats. (It should be noted that the United flight in question was not technically overbooked; the airline needed to get some passengers to another flight because several "must-fly" employees were slated to ride that flight.)

It's also not clear why United didn't offer the full $1350 compensation that airlines are permitted to incentivize a customer being bumped.

Zalewski said, If flights are overbooked in the future and this situation comes up again where they have to get people from one city to another, are they gonna ask paid passengers to leave the plane? How are they going to handle it differently?

But the outrageand calls for reviewextend well beyond the local level. The US Department of Transportation said on Monday that the agency it is conducting a federal review. Also, Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), who serves on the House Transportation Committee's Aviation subcommittee, said Congressional action may be in order.

"As someone who has advocated for passengers being afforded better consumer protections by airlines, this may be a case where we have to legislate appropriate action and recourse, because what occurred over the weekend can never happen again," Lipinski wrote. As Crain's points out, Lipinski has a successful history of pushing up against airline lobbies.

What occurred over the weekend on @United can never happen again. This may be a case where we have to legislate appropriate action.  Rep. Daniel Lipinski (@RepLipinski) April 11, 2017

The Department of Transportation said in full:



"The Department of Transportation (USDOT) remains committed to protecting the rights of consumers and is reviewing the involuntary denied boarding of passenger(s) from United Express flight 3411 to determine whether the airline complied with the oversales rule. The Department is responsible for ensuring that airlines comply with the Department's consumer protection regulations including its oversales rule. While it is legal for airlines to involuntary bump passengers from an oversold flight when there are not enough volunteers, it is the airline's responsibility to determine its own fair boarding priorities."

Dao meanwhile was still recovering in a Chicago hospital on Tuesday. He reportedly said "everything" is injured and that he is not doing well.
Photo: InLife

As its name implies, antisocial personality disorder is characterized by behaviour that is antisocial.

Socially irresponsible behaviour, failure to conform to the law, manipulation of others and lack of remorse are trademarks of this difficult condition.

Antisocial personality disorder affects roughly one per cent of the population, but it occurs two to four times more often in men than women and is extremely prevalent within correctional settings  affecting 80 per cent of that population.

It is most commonly observed in people between the ages of 24 and 44.

People with antisocial personality disorder are also likely to experience addictive disorders, have a shortened life expectancy, and are more prone to traumatic injuries, accidents, suicide attempts and hepatitis C. They use a disproportionate amount of medical and mental health services.

Unfortunately, antisocial personality disorder is not easy to treat. People with this condition seldom seek help for their antisocial pattern of behaviour and tend to dislike the authority of a mental-health professional.

Although not diagnosed in children, the pattern of behaviour often begins before the age of eight. In childhood it is referred to as conduct disorder. A quarter of girls and 40 per cent of boys with conduct disorder will have antisocial personality disorder as adults and the variety and severity of childhood behaviour problems are the best predictors of adult antisocial behaviour.

If a child makes it to age 15 without exhibiting conduct disorder, he or she will not likely have antisocial personality disorder as an adult.

For parents of children with these maladaptive behaviours, it is a difficult diagnosis to accept and deal with. Typically, parents are advised to maintain close supervision and enforce strict consequences that are firm, but fair for inappropriate behaviours.

It is not a good idea to shield children from the consequences of their behaviour with police or school authorities.

Many such young people become involved in drugs and related criminal activity and end up leaving home at a young age. They are not above taking advantage of their parents, family and friends if given the opportunity. Firm limits are required if those close to them are to avoid becoming victims of their behaviour.

Marriage is said to be a moderating influence on those with antisocial personality disorder. Over half of those with antisocial personality disorder who are married improve while few who are unmarried do.

Job stability is another predictor of improvement. These factors may, however, simply reflect a less severe personality disorder to begin with.

Although the antisocial and criminal behaviour tends to lessen with age this does not mean that older people with this personality disorder are necessarily happy and well adjusted. They may continue to have many behavioural, psychiatric and social problems that continue to be difficult to treat.

Unfortunately, there is no easy solution to this problem and a realistic and long-term view of the likely outcome is important. There is always hope, but the improvement tends to be slow and gradual when it occurs.

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

B.C.'s political parties wasted little time taking potshots at one another on the first official day of the election campaign ahead of the provincial vote on May 9.

Liberal Leader Christy Clark spoke to supporters and candidates in Vancouver last night, saying her party has a plan to keep money in British Columbians' pockets, while the other parties will hike taxes.

Clark has promised to freeze taxes and create jobs and says her opponents will undo the progress her government has made in growing the economy.

But NDP Leader John Horgan said the jobs Clark's government has created are temporary and part-time, and don't work for everyone.

The New Democrats are scheduled to release their platform on Thursday, and Horgan has said the party will create new opportunities by making public investments to attract more private-sector investment.

Green Leader Andrew Weaver says both the Liberals and NDP have had a chance to prove themselves and now it's time for change, and he's promising voters an economic plan that encourages growth in emerging business sectors while protecting the environment.
Photo: The Canadian Press

Shaw Communications Inc. says it earned $147 million in its latest quarter as revenue grew 13 per cent compared with a year ago, boosted by its Freedom Mobile wireless business.

The Calgary-based company says the profit amounted to 30 cents per share for the quarter ended Feb. 28 compared with a profit of $164 million or 32 cents per share in the same quarter last year.

Shaw, which sold its Shaw Media subsidiary in April 2016, said its profit from continuing operations totalled $147 million in what was its second quarter, up from $116 million a year ago. Revenue increased to $1.30 billion, compared with $1.15 billion in the same quarter last year.

Excluding its wireless division, which was acquired in March last year, revenue for the quarter from Shaw's combined consumer, business network services and business infrastructure services divisions was up 1.1 per cent.

The company also announced Alek Krstajic will be stepping down as chief executive of Freedom Mobile. Krstajic had been chief executive of Wind Mobile, the company that Shaw acquired and rebranded as Freedom Mobile.

Shaw said Paul McAleese will join the company as chief operating officer of Freedom Mobile.
Photo: The Canadian Press

BlackBerry Ltd. says it has been awarded US$814.9 million in a binding interim arbitration decision in a dispute with Qualcomm Inc. over royalty overpayments.

The two companies agreed last year to arbitrate a disagreement regarding whether Qualcomm's agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a license agreement.

BlackBerry chief executive John Chen said the two companies have a longstanding relationship and continue to be valued partners.

"We are pleased the arbitration panel ruled in our favour and look forward to collaborating with Qualcomm," Chen said in a statement.

BlackBerry said a final award including interest and reasonable legal fees will be issued after a hearing on May 30.
Photo: The Canadian Press

After people were horrified by video of a passenger getting dragged off a full United Express flight by airport police, the head of United's parent company said the airline was reaching out to the man to "resolve this situation."

Hours later on Monday, his tone turned defensive. He described the man as "disruptive and belligerent."

By Tuesday afternoon, almost two days after the Sunday evening confrontation in Chicago, CEO Oscar Munoz issued his most contrite apology yet as details emerged about the man seen on cellphone videos recorded by other passengers at O'Hare Airport.

"No one should ever be mistreated this way," said Munoz, who also pledged to conduct a wide-ranging review of company policies.

On Wednesday morning, Munoz underlined his remorse in an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," saying he felt "ashamed" when he saw the videos.

"That is not who our family at United (Airlines) is," he said. "This will never happen again on a United flight. That's my promise."

The passenger was identified as physician David Dao, 69, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

An attorney who represents Dao said his client was being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he sustained on the plane and that the family would not comment.
Photo: Google Street View

Some members of the Adams Lake Indian band held a peaceful protest Tuesday.

Chase RCMP Cpl. Scott Linklater said on April 11 at 8 a.m. police received a report of the Pine Street Bridge being blocked with logs and a fire.

Police attended and found a small group of people gathered mid-span of the bridge, said Linklater. An adult male was placed under arrest for charges unrelated to this event. He was taken into custody and removed from the area.

Linklater said the band members continued their peaceful protest, moving to the north end of the bridge.

Castanet News has left a message with the band office seeking comment on the protest.
Photo: Thinkstock.com

An international group of marine scientists wants the Canadian government to take steps to cut underwater noise in the Salish Sea off the southern coast of British Columbia.

The scientists, including five from B.C. and others from as far away as Australia and the United Kingdom, say increased noise from shipping and other industries threatens the critically endangered southern resident killer whale population.

In a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his ministers of fisheries, environment and transport, the scientists urge the adoption of targets to reduce shipping noise by three decibels over the next decade and 10 decibels within 30 years.

Industrial noise has been linked to reduced foraging among southern resident orcas, which the scientists say already have difficulty finding enough salmon, their main food source.

The letter says constant vessel noise also masks or alters the calls of killer whales, affecting communication and inducing chronic stress, while the continuous hum is also associated with harm to fish and invertebrates of the inland waters of the south coast.

As of January, the scientists say there were only 78 southern resident killer whales and, because of noise, toxic contamination and other challenges, their long-term survival is threatened, unless a plan is developed to improve and restore conditions in the Salish Sea.
Photo: The Canadian Press

A single trial will be held for two men from Bountiful who are charged with polygamy.

The lawyer for Winston Blackmore, who is accused of having two dozen wives, asked the court to hold separate trials for the men in arguments earlier this week.

Justice Sheri Ann Donegan dismissed the request Wednesday, ruling she wanted to "balance the interests of the public and the accused," and was not persuaded that the trial needed to be separated.

Donegan told the court in Cranbrook that she'll announce her full reasons on April 18, before the trial for Blackmore and James Oler begins.

Oler is accused of polygamy for allegedly having four wives.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and the case is being heard by judge alone.

Blackmore's lawyer, Blair Suffredine, told the court on Tuesday that the polygamy charges involve separate and different allegations, with no factual overlap.

If tried together, evidence against Oler could be prejudicial against Blackmore and vice versa, he said.

"The sins of one are being alleged against the other," Suffredine told the court on Tuesday.

Peter Wilson, a special prosecutor appointed by the provincial government, argued that expert evidence was going to be called from witnesses in the United States and that it wouldn't make sense to have them come to Canada again for a second trial.

"It's undesirable and contrary to the interests of justice to run the same trial twice," said Wilson.

Blackmore and Oler are connected to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints community of Bountiful in southeastern British Columbia.
Photo: Travelling Islanders

Victoria's Harbour Authority wants people to quit feeding the seals at Fishermans Wharf.

The authority posted signs Wednesday saying feeding of wildlife is prohibited, despite the tradition being one of the main tourist draws to the docks.

The authority hopes to educate the public over the course of the summer and change behaviour at the iconic Victoria attraction.

It says research by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans shows that hand-feeding marine mammals damages ecosystems, habituates wildlife and affects their ability to thrive in natural environments.

The practice of hand-feeding marine wildlife from our docks is dangerous and unsustainable, GVHA spokesperson Al-Nashir Charania told CTV.

 with files from CTV Vancouver Island
Photo: Getty Images

UPDATE: 5:30 a.m. Thursday

The City of Enderby advises that water supply east of the Enderby (Len Bawtree) Bridge has been restored.

However, a boil-water advisory will remain in effect in the area until further notice.

All water should be brought to a rolling boil for three minutes and then cooled before it is consumed. This includes water used for washing produce, making ice, and brushing teeth.

ORIGINAL: 2:30 p.m. Wednesday

A water main break in Enderby has left 50 people high and dry.

The break occurred where the water line crosses the Shuswap River, a critical spot in Enderbys water distribution system.

Tate Bengtson, Enderby CAO, said the break has been isolated and a dive team is en route to perform a condition assessment and determine the viability of repairing the existing line.

At this time, there is no water service east of the Enderby (Len Bawtree) Bridge, meaning that approximately 50 customers are without water, said Bengtson in a release. Water service west of the bridge is unaffected. The city is in the process of implementing an interim solution to restore water to customers on the east side of the bridge. The city hopes to have this solution implemented before the end of the afternoon.

Officials said a temporary source of water is in the works, but it will not be treated so a boil water advisory will be issued for customers east of the bridge.

The city is in the process of distributing notices to all customers east of the bridge.

Until further notice, all City of Enderby water customers east of the Enderby (Len Bawtree) Bridge should bring water to a rolling boil for three minutes and then cool before consuming it, said Bengtson.

If any customers notice discolouration or an unusual odour in their water, they should flush water through their taps until the discolouration or odour has been removed, and then contact city hall at 250-838-7230 to report the issue.

Customers west of the bridge, including customers within the City of Enderby and the Gunter-Ellison Service Extension, are not affected by this boil water advisory which will continue until further notice.

First responders, Emergency Management BC and through them, the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and Interior Health have all been notified.
Alleged Getaway Driver Charged In Slaying Of County Judge (Updated)

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 12, 2017 3:34PM

Update 6:00 p.m.:

Joshua Smith, 37, allegedly drove the getaway car involved in the shooting death of Judge Myles and was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and armed robbery, police announced on Wednesday evening.

BREAKING: Chicago Police have charged 37 year Joshua Smith in connection with the murder of Judge Raymond Myles. Press conf @ 530 at CPD HQ pic.twitter.com/fBzxWa2kQI  Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) April 12, 2017

Original:



Associate Judge Raymond Myles / Cook County Circuit Court murder of Associate Judge Raymond Myles. The criminal court was shot and killed outside his home on Monday morning in West Chesterfield in what may have been a robbery gone wrong.

Chief police spokesman said on Tuesday that evidence and video were being gathered by authorities. The Sun-Times reports that police found a car that was captured on surveillance footage, taken from security cameras that neighbors installed at the late judge's request. Police are questioning "other people connected to vehicle" and don't believe the driver is responsible for the murder, according to the paper.

A 52-year-old woman, identified as Myles' girlfriend, was also shot in the leg during the attack. Her injury is not life-threatening, police said. Myles, 66 and the woman were found outside the judge's home in the 9400 block of S Forest Ave. at around 4:51 a.m. Myles had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the body. He was taken to the same hospital where he was pronounced dead.

"I join all of the judges today in the Circuit Court of Cook County in expressing our sadness regarding the tragic passing of our colleague and friend, Associate Judge Raymond Myles. I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues in the Criminal Division," Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County Timothy Evans said in a statement on Monday. Police said it appeared that no property was taken, but the attack may have started as a robbery attemptalthough no motive has officially been put forward. Neighbors told reporters that Myles and the woman were likely on their way to a nearby gym when the attack happened.

The FBI is partnering with Chicago police in the investigation and offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Photo: The Canadian Press

The University of British Columbia is set to vote on a new sexual misconduct policy in the wake of allegations it mishandled complaints against a history PhD student and former creative writing chairman Steven Galloway.

The board of governors will vote on the policy tomorrow and, if it passes, UBC will become the latest major research university in the province to meet a May deadline set by the provincial government.

UBC's policy would establish centralized sexualized violence prevention and response offices at its Vancouver and Okanagan campuses to receive reports, refer complainants to support services and, if requested, provide information about the investigation process.

The policy would apply to students, staff and faculty and would hire directors of investigations to review reports within 14 days and decide whether to refer them to investigators.

The school announced it would create a policy in November 2015, shortly after complaints that it had fumbled reports about the PhD student and after Galloway was suspended.

Galloway has denied a former student's allegation of sexual assault, saying the university's investigator found that all but one of the allegations against him, including the most serious, was not substantiated.
If you have just started your journey in an online casino or are looking for a new site to play,...
It Looks Like The Gorillaz Demon Dayz Festival Is Coming To Chicago

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 12, 2017 3:39PM



Damon Albarn and Gorillaz in Chicago in 2010, photo by Jim Kopeny / Tankboy

Looks like print got the scoop ahead of digital, this time! In the latest issue of Q Magazine, a few eagle-eyed readers noticed something quite curious: Chicago was casually dropped as a second location for the Gorillaz Demon Dayz festival, a day of music built around the band to celebrate their return to the airways with Humanz, out April 28.

Wait. Gorillaz are doing Demon Dayz Festival in Chicago too? Thanks! From Q: pic.twitter.com/9A7EJusF6h  brent dicrescenzo (@bdicrescenzo) April 9, 2017

The band, led musically by Damon Albarn, and visually by artistand Tank Girl creatorJamie Hewlett has only grown in popularity since it went on indefinite hiatus in 2011. The group began as an Archies for the new millennium, a cartoon band led by Albarn and staffed with quest artists that spanned decades and multiple music genres.

We were hoping to get a tour stop from the band, but the chance that it would be the Demon Dayz festival seemed too good to be true (We have yet to receive confirmation from the band's publicist about the news). However, now Stereogum has dropped the same news in their profile of the band:

[Albarn will] tour Gorillaz most of this year, including bringing the new Demon Dayz festival  which at first seemed to be only occurring in Margate, England  to Chicago. (He has to tour the album heavily: as he notes, these records are not cheap to make, given the expansive and convoluted nature of the process.) After that, hes basically booked through 2019.

This is very exciting news.

I remember breathlessly running to the Virgin Records in downtown Chicago the day the 2001 Gorillaz debut arrived in the import section of the store. I was a massive Blur fan, and since that band was known to most Americans at the time as the woo hoo band, Gorillaz arrived in the states virtually unnoticedat first.

By the time their last full band album, 2010's Plastic Beach, came out, Albarn was arguably more internationally famous for his cartoon band than his original outfit. Gorillaz was a superstar outfit. But after an exultant tour that saw he and his assembled cast of world class bandmates taking the music out in front of the projections of the cartoon characters for the first time, it appeared the band might be done.



GorillazRussel Hobbs, Noodle, 2D, and Murdoc Niccals.

So news of Humanz and the hope for live dates from the group has everyone going bonkers. While we all wait for official word on the Chicago fest date, feel free to download the group's new augmented reality app (in both iOS and Android versions).

UPDATE: Gorillazhas confirmed they will be playing at Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island on July 8.
2 Suburban Chicago Men Accused Of Conspiring To Support ISIS

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 12, 2017 6:38PM



Department of Justice

Two men from the suburbs of Chicago have been charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.

Joseph Jones, 35, and Edward Schimenti, 35, both of Zion, Illinois, were arrested on Wednesday morning and are accused of "conspiring to knowingly provide and attempt to provide material support and resources," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Jones and Schimenti pledged allegiance to the terrorist organization and shared photos with undercover agents that showed them holding the Islamic State flag at the Illinois Beach State Park, in Zion, according to the complaint.

The US Attorney's Office said:



"In the fall of 2015 the pair befriended three individuals whom Jones and Schimenti believed were fellow ISIS devotees. Unbeknownst to Jones and Schimenti, two of the individuals were undercover FBI employees and the third individual was cooperating with law enforcement and was not an ISIS supporter."

The complaint alleges that Schimenti, who was also known as Abdul Wali, trained at a Zion gym with a cooperating source who he thought was heading overseas to join ISIS, saying the training would make you good, you know, in the battlefield.

Both men gave the source cellphones that they thought would be used as explosives detonators; and earlier this month, they drove to O'Hare International Airport believing they were dropping off a person to fly to Syria to join the Islamic State, telling the informant to drench that land with they, they blood, according to the complaint.

Jones (who is also known as Yusuf Abdulhaqq) and Schimenti are scheduled to appear before a federal judge at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
FLSmidth signs cement grinding plant contract in Rwanda

12 April 2017

FLSmidth confirmed it has signed a contract with Prime Cement Ltd for engineering, procurement and supply of equipment for a full-scope cement grinding plant with a capacity of 700,000tpa. The plant will be located in Musanze, Rwanda. The contract will become effective when FLSmidth receives a down-payment from the customer, which is expected to happen later in 2017, the company said in a statement.



"This is a milestone project for FLSmidth, being the first OKTM vertical roller mill to be supplied in East Africa and the first full scope grinding plant in Rwanda," it added.



The contract includes a complete range of equipment from storages to packing and cement loading. FLSmidth will also supply equipment from other FLSmidth brands, such as a planetary mill gear unit from FLSmidth MAAG Gear, filters from FLSmidth Airtech, a control system and plant automation from FLSmidth Automation, a packing plant from FLSmidth Ventomatic and weighing and metering systems from FLSmidth Pfister .





Published under
Bangladesh: Meghna Cement Mills to raise capacity

12 April 2017

Meghna Cement Mills, part of the Bashundhara Group, plans to increase grinding capacity at its Bangladesh-based plant with the installation of a vertical roller mill.



The company, which sells its cement under the King brand, has reportedly signed a contract with FLSmidth for supply of the mill, according to a report by the Daily Star (Bangladesh). The cement producer expects that the investment will help boost its profitability by 70 per cent.

Published under
Irish Cement defends waste fuel plan

12 April 2017

Irish Cement has defended its plans to burn up to 90,000tpa of waste materials following concerns by local residents over the health and safety impact of the development.



Brian Gilmore, head of communications with Irish Cement, said that the companys EUR10m plant to burn waste at its Limerick plant will be no health and safety risks, or concerns."The environmental regulations that are there are there to protect the communities," Mr Gilmore told local press.



Irish Cement, part of the CRH Group, has stated that this investment will reduce carbon emissions by up to 40,000tpa. Limerick is the only factory in Ireland that is fully dependent on imported fossil fuels and we import around 100,000t of fossil fuels into the country every year. Limerick is one of the last plants in Europe to actually replace fossil fuels and what we are doing is very common, and best practice, Mr Gilmore underlined.

The plans had led to protests earlier in the year by residents from the surrounding areas opposed to the move. Close to 1000 people joined the demonstration organised by Limerick Against Pollution.

Last month Limerick City and County Council confirmed it has granted Irish Cement planning permission for the development. (Source: Limerick Leader, Ireland).

Published under
United CEO 'Ashamed' Of Shameful Removal, Says Law Enforcement Will Not Be Used That Way Again

By Stephen Gossett in News on Apr 12, 2017 2:44PM



United CEO Oscar Munoz / ABC

After the public-relations fiasco and subsequent stock nosedive that followed the violent removal of Dr. David Dao from a booked United Airlines plane at O'Hare International Airport, CEO Oscar Munoz landed on Good Morning America to continue what could be an extended mea culpa tour. He apologized again, to Dao and his family, and vowed to not use law enforcement to deplane seated passengers.

"We are not going to put a law enforcement official onto a plane to take them off... to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger; we can't do that," the hyper-embattled CEO said on Wednesday morning in Chicago.

He added:



It was a system failure. We have not provided our front line (employees) with the proper tools policies, procedures that allow them to use their common sense. They all have an incredible amount of common sense and this issue could have been solved by that. Thats on me. I have to fix that and I think thats something that we can do."

"This will never happen again," he also said in the interview.

As for the initial turf-out response, which included the infamous "re-accommodate" language, and the internal communication that called Dao "belligerent and disruptive," Munoz said he didn't issue a full-throated apology because details were still coming in.

"I think my reaction to most issues is to get the facts and circumstances. My initial words fell short of truly expressing the shame," he said.

United CEO says he felt "ashamed" to see passenger dragged off flight: "That is not who our family at United is." https://t.co/CSfQczBZgF pic.twitter.com/1iqZcrfzvq  ABC News (@ABC) April 12, 2017

Dao was dragged down the aisle of United Express flight 3411 before takeoff on Sunday evening. United said that seats were needed for crew members; and passengers were reportedly offered up to $800 to incentivize a flight change. It's not clear why United didn't offer the full $1,350 allowed in overbooking circumstances.

Video quickly spread of the violent removal, including the dragging and Dao's bloodied face. An aviation officer was placed on leave, the Chicago Department of Aviation said on Monday. "The incident... was not in accordance with our standard operating procedure and the actions of the aviation security officer are obviously not condoned by the Department," the CDA said. Dao is recovering from injuries in a Chicago hospital, according to a statement from his attorneys.
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China's Aier Eye Hospital announced the purchase of Spain's Clinica Baviera, S.A., the largest eye clinic group in Europe.

Aier will spend 152 million euros (161 million U.S. dollars) to buy 59.353 percent of shares in Baviera through its subsidiary in Europe, with shares valued at 10.35 euros each.

Chen Bang, chairman of the board of Aier Eye Group, described the purchase as "an important milestone" in the firm's development.

Aier Eye Hospital is China's largest private ophthalmic medical chain institution and went public on the Shenzhen stock market in 2009. By 2016, Aier has developed more than 160 specialized eye hospitals in China.

It acquired a medical group in Hong Kong in 2015 and a U.S. eye center in January 2017.

Baviera, specializing in the laser eye surgery, has nearly 300 ophthalmologists and 76 eye clinics in Europe. Its market share in laser eye surgery ranks first in Spain and Germany.
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Konggar Airport in Tibet, one of the highest-altitude airports in China, was able to accommodate a Tibet Airlines wide-body Airbus 330 aircraft overnight for the first time, the airline announced Wednesday.

The 3,600-meter-high airport in Lhasa was able to accommodate the plane after the airline's technicians solved the problem of re-starting the aircraft's engine in a low air pressure environment after an overnight stay.

A new oxygen diffusion device has been designed to increase air supply during the engine ignition process, the airline said.

High-altitude airports (over 2,438 meters above sea levels) pose safety issues for pilots as low air pressure affects flight performance. All five airports in Tibet are classified as such.
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Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries ended a meeting in Italy on Tuesday without agreeing on further Syrian sanctions, Italy's foreign minister Angelino Alfano said.

"There is no consensus at this moment for new sanctions as an effective instrument to reach our goal," Alfano told a press conference after the meeting.

The G7 gathered in the city of Lucca on Monday for a two-day meeting focused on key topics in foreign policy, and especially on the latest developments concerning the Syrian civil war.

During the meeting, British foreign minister Boris Johnson was said to have proposed fresh sanctions on Syrian and Russian military officials, in response to a suspected chemical weapons attack launched on a rebel-held city in northwestern Syria on April 4.

Western countries blamed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces for the attack, which killed more than 80 people. On April 7, the United States ordered a missile strike against a Syrian air base in retaliation.

Syria's government denied any responsibility for the attack, and Russia, which is its strongest ally along with Iran, stood firmly by it.

The meeting in Lucca was seen as a key moment for the G7 countries to outline a common approach before U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was due to visit Moscow on Tuesday afternoon.

Yet the ministers seemed aware of the risk of "isolating" Russia, and their final statement made no mention of sanctions.

Instead, the final communique read: "We call on Russia and Iran, who have a responsibility, as allies of the Syrian regime, to use their influence to ensure Syria's compliance with all of its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention."

Rather than sanctions, the group called for an investigation into last week's suspected nerve gas attack by the United Nations' Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW-UN), urging all parties involved in the conflict to allow the probe.

The ministers added they believed there was "an opportunity to bring this tragic crisis to an end."

"Russia has the potential to help resolve the conflict and restore a stable and unified Syria," they said.

Alfano said the group could not agree on new restrictive measures against Damascus and Moscow.

"We have expressed different opinions, and it seems to me the prevailing line was that of trying to involve Russia in a constructive cooperation aimed at avoiding the military conflict and boosting the political (peace) process," he told reporters.

Indeed, the G7 ministers in their joint statement said that if Russia was ready to use its influence on the Syrian regime, they were equally prepared "to work with it (Russia) in resolving the conflict... pursuing a political settlement, and ultimately contributing to the costs of stabilization and reconstruction."

Before flying to Moscow, the U.S. secretary of state also declared that "Russia can play an important role" in building a stable and secure future for Syria, according to Ansa news agency.

But it must first decide which side it is going to stand on, Tillerson warned.

Earlier on Tuesday, G7 ministers had held talks with their counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. The enlarged extraordinary session was called to discuss Syria with Arab and Middle Eastern regional powers able to play a role in the complex Syrian situation.

The Group of Seven is an informal bloc of industrialized nations comprised of the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, and Japan.
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Moscow will remain open to frank dialogue and joint work with Washington in spite of bilateral tensions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Tuesday, as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson started his two-day visit to Russia.

"In connection with the beginning of today's working visit of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to Russia, we would like to note that we are counting on fruitful negotiations. This is important not only for the prospects of further bilateral interaction, but also for the general atmosphere in the international arena." The ministry's Information and Press department said in a statement.

Tillerson arrived in Moscow Tuesday on first visit by a Trump Cabinet official to Russia and was scheduled to hold talks Wednesday with his Russian counterpart Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

According to the statement, Lavrov and Tillerson will discuss multiple issues of mutual interests as well as a string of regional issues concerning Libya, Yemen, DPRK, Ukraine and Euro-Atlantic with the aim of reducing international tension.

"We have always been and remain open to the most frank dialogue with the U.S. on any issues of bilateral and international agenda and to joint work in areas where our goals coincide," the ministry said, specifying that such areas include fighting terrorism, preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, settling regional conflicts and economic growth.

Noting that Russian-U.S. relations are going through a rather difficult period, the ministry said that the U.S. attitude towards stabilization and normalization of bilateral relations needs to be confirmed and that Russia will "not surrender its legitimate interests and accept cooperation only on an equal basis".

"We tune in not to confrontation, but to constructive cooperation. We hope that the American side wants the same,"the statement said.

Tensions between Russia and the U.S. have aggravated recenlty.

The U.S. military fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield in the central province of Homs Thursday, which it claims to be in response to the alleged Syrian government's chemical weapons attack last Tuesday in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Before setting off for Moscow, Tillerson said on Tuesday at a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Italy that Russia did not fulfill its obligations under the 2013 agreement on destruction of chemical weapons in Syria which stipulated Russia as the guarantor.

In the statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry reiterated that the attack by the U.S. on Syria is an act of aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law, which leads in fact to the strengthening of terrorists.

It was reported earlier that Tillerson will also be received by Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that no confirmation has been made yet of Putin's meeting with Tillerson.
The personal blog of Peter Lee a.k.a. "China Hand"... Life is a comedy to those who think, a tragedy to those who feel, and an open book to those who read. You are welcome to contact China Matters at the address chinamatters --a-- prlee.org or follow me on twitter @chinahand.
A 29-year-old former Chippewa Falls Middle School teacher on Wednesday pleaded no contest to second degree sexual assault of a child, exposing genitals/intimate parts to a child and causing a child over age 13 to view/listen to sexual activity.

Sentencing for Joel C. Jahnke of Burlington and formerly of Bloomer is set for 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 16 before Judge Steven Cray.

This is an extremely serious case and it has extremely serious consequences, Cray said.

District Attorney Wade Newell said he appreciates Jahnkes pleas mean the victim will not have to testify in court.

Under a plea agreement, a second charge of second degree sexual assault of a child and another charge of child sexual exploitation against Jahnke were dismissed.

Jahnke had once before been offered a plea deal, but backed out after finding one of the charges he would have pleaded to carried a minimum five year prison sentence. That charge was dismissed on Wednesday.

If Cray were to levy the maximum sentence on the three remaining charges, Jahnke could serve up to 44 years in prison. Judges seldom hand out maximum sentences.

Cray ordered a presentence investigation to be conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections that will be completed by Friday, June 2. A presentence investigation recommends sentences to judges.

Cray said the report will allow him to know more about Jahnke and how the defendants actions have impacted the victim.

The charges that Jahnke pled no contest to span from Jan. 1, 2015 to March 2016.

Chippewa County District Attorney Wade Newell argued for Jahnkes $10,000 cash bond to be revoked, citing Jahnkes hesitancy to go through the first plea deal with a five-year minimum sentence. He said considering the presentence investigation might recommend a longer prison sentence than five years, the bond should be revoked.

Mr. Jahnke has appeared at all of his court dates, defense attorney Cole White said. Its about speculation and frankly, I think its punitive, he said of revoking Jahnkes bond.

Cray noted Jahnke has complied with his bond conditions and made every court appearance. He kept the bond in place.

According to the criminal complaint:

A Chippewa Falls Police investigator talked to a student at the middle school, who said Jahnke had sexual activity with her during the spring semester of 2015. The girl said sexual contact took place in a classroom at the middle school.

The girl said the sexual contact ended in June 2015, but she and Jahnke had communicated after that.

Jahnke admitted to investigators having sexual contact with the girl in his classroom at the school.

Chippewa Falls Superintendent Heidi Eliopoulos attended Wednesdays court session, but declined comment.
As Wisconsin celebrates its state Capitol centennial this year, one of the people being honored is Oliver La Mere, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation who served as a Capitol tour guide from 1928 to 1930.

A display in the rotunda recalls how he created a small museum containing traditional Ho-Chunk clothes, jewelry and ceremonial objects, and taught visiting school groups and Boy and Girl Scout troops about American Indian culture.

Unfortunately, the tours died with La Mere. The state packed his artifacts into three large trunks and sent them to the Wisconsin Historical Society. But if La Meres experiment is worthy of recognition today, why not revive it? Bringing back Native American tour guides would be a fitting way to add substance to the Capitols centennial celebration.

It would also be a vast improvement on how the Wisconsin state Capitol currently portrays native people  as defeated and uncivilized.

State Capitol art and stories have long been a subject of interest to me. Minnesota, my home state, had a heated debate about the derogatory images of Native Americans and slanted depiction of history inside the Capitol building during a recent renovation. Not long ago, on a tour of the Wisconsin state Capitol, I saw grounds for similar concern.

The tour included the Assembly chamber and the mural Wisconsin, which highlights the states past, present and future, through a 1917 lens.

The image representing the present includes the arrival of Europeans: lumbermen, farmers and miners and their families. To the left, representing the future, is a young white woman sheltering the Lamp of Progress. To the right, representing the past, are two Indians who shade their eyes from the light, suggesting the order of things entirely passed away, according to the official Wisconsin State Capitol Guide. The natives are half naked, symbolizing a lack of civilization.

Lawmakers face this image as they debate bills that affect Wisconsins native peoples: the Ho-Chunk, the Menominee, the Oneida, the Potawatomi, the Chippewa, the Mohicans, the Lac Courte Oreilles and others.

Meanwhile, a governors conference room painting titled The Closing Scene of the Winnebago War of 1827, depicts Chief Red Birds surrender to Maj. William Whistler. The guide book trivializes the wars cause, calling it an unfortunate misunderstanding. It was provoked by the U.S. governments failure to keep treaty agreements.

Problematic Capitol art is not unique to Wisconsin. The Minnesota Senates allegorical mural The Discoverers and Civilizers Led to the Source of the Mississippi shows a priest converting a half-naked native man and woman while the angels of Discovery and Civilization fly overhead. The Alabama State Capitol painting Wealth and Leisure Produce the Golden Period of Antebellum Life in Alabama, 1840-1860, shows a well-dressed white couple riding their horses while a black mammy tends to young child on the mansion porch.

During the Capitols centennial, Wisconsin has a wonderful opportunity to bring new and diverse voices to the tours, including restarting native-led tours that focus on Native American culture.
The LondonHouse entrance and facade is photographed Feb. 3, 2017. In April 2016, developers Oxford Capital Group and Angelo Gordon & Co. sold the 452-room hotel at the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive to German investment manager Union Investment Real Estate for $315 million. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

One year after selling the LondonHouse for $315 million, the hotel's developers are ready for dessert.

They're wrapping up a deal to bring a big seafood and steak restaurant to space that they still own in the Michigan Avenue building.

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Upscale chain Ocean Prime is planning a 12,000-square-foot restaurant on the second floor of the former London Guarantee & Accident Building, according to sources familiar with the deal.

The Ocean Prime lease, if finalized as expected, would be icing on the cake for developer Oxford Capital Group and its equity partner, Angelo Gordon & Co., which have already cashed in.

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In April 2016, Chicago-based Oxford and New York-based Angelo Gordon sold the 452-room hotel at the southwest corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive to German investment manager Union Investment Real Estate for $315 million. That price set a Chicago record for price per room, at $675,000.

As part of the deal, Oxford and Angelo Gordon maintained ownership of 28,000 square feet of retail space on the first and second floors of the 22-story landmark. They hung on to that space "because we felt that retail was moving farther south on Michigan Avenue and would be jumping the river because of the popularity of Millennium Park," Oxford founder, President and CEO John Rutledge said.

Deals with Ocean Prime and other retail tenants would generate additional revenue for Oxford and Angelo Gordon, which already pocketed a huge return on the conversion of the former vintage office building into a hotel. They bought the building for $53 million in 2013 and later landed $84 million in construction financing to redevelop the existing space and add a new glass structure on the Wacker Drive side of the building.

Rutledge said there are "advanced negotiations with tenants" for the retail space, but he declined to identify them. People familiar with the building said Ocean Prime plans to have a ground-floor entrance leading to a second-level restaurant with views of the river.

The only tenant currently in the retail portion of the building is a Corner Bakery restaurant on the ground floor, which Rutledge said occupies about a quarter of the total retail space.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Visitors to the 22nd floor rooftop terrace of the LondonHouse hotel take in the stunning views of the Chicago River and the skyline on May 24, 2016. (Abel Uribe / Chicago Tribune)

Kristin Hansel, a spokeswoman for Columbus, Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, which owns Ocean Prime and other restaurant brands, declined to comment on the Chicago deal. Ocean Prime's current locations include Beverly Hills, Calif.; New York; Boston; Denver; Dallas; Detroit; Indianapolis; Philadelphia; Phoenix; and Washington. There are also three Ocean Prime restaurants in Florida.

Cameron Mitchell Restaurants sold the Mitchell's Fish Market chain to Ruth's Chris Steak House for $94 million in 2008. That chain struggled during the recession, and Ruth's Chris sold it to Landry's for just $10 million in 2014.

In the unusual LondonHouse sale last year, the Oxford venture also signed a 25-year deal to lease back the hotel and manage it.

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The Alfred Alschuler-designed building, completed in 1923, is at Michigan and Wacker just south of the Chicago River. Just across the river are the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower and an Apple store under construction along the river.

The area just north of the river, also known as the Magnificent Mile, is the city's top shopping destination. Oxford is among a group of developers betting on rising demand for shops, restaurants and hotel rooms south of the river, in part because of Millennium Park's destination as a top tourist draw.

In a more than $75 million project two blocks south of the LondonHouse, another Oxford venture is converting the long-vacant Atlantic Bank building in the 100 block of North Michigan Avenue to a 212-room hotel. Oxford said that hotel will be known as the Hotel Julian and will open in late 2018.

Oxford is restoring the Benjamin Marshall-designed building's terra cotta facade and building five floors atop the existing 12-story structure. That hotel will have a first-floor restaurant, bar, lounge and coffee shop known as About Last Knife, Rutledge said.

Other hotels Oxford has developed in Chicago include the Langham, Godfrey, Felix and Cass.

On South Michigan Avenue, Oxford is redeveloping the Essex Inn and building the 56-story Essex on the Park luxury apartment tower next door.

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rori@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @Ryan_Ori
This video posted on social media shows Dr. David Dao being dragged from a United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Ky., on April 9, 2017. (Jayse D. Anspach) (Jayse D. Anspach)

As if being mercilessly pilloried on social media and by talk show host Jimmy Kimmel wasn't enough, now legislators are lining up against United Airlines.

CEO Oscar Munoz, despite making a belated public apology Tuesday, should buckle up for more turbulence, including possible political, regulatory and business fallout.

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What this tumult ultimately means for Munoz will depend on how well he manages through the rest of this crisis. So far, his response has been slow, wanting and a textbook example of how not to handle a crisis.

As most of us know, United's troubles began Sunday when a passenger was forcefully dragged from his seat on an overbooked United Express plane. A 30-second video, shot by a fellow traveler, showed a beaten and bloodied paying customer being pulled from the airplane. It went viral and is being viewed all over the world.

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As much as United's embattled CEO pines for this growing mess to fade away, that's not happening. In response, angry consumer advocates, lawmakers, and everyday flyers are relentlessly blaming the airline, and Munoz. Even China is ticked off, which makes this an international problem because United has invested heavily in that country.

Keep in mind this is the second recent public relations firestorm to occur on Munoz's watch. A few weeks ago, United was hammered on social media for not allowing two teens to wear leggings on board, a violation of a dress code for employees and guests traveling on the airline.

"This is two strikes against Munoz," says Paul Hudson, president of Flyersrights.org, a Florida-based nonprofit consumer advocacy group of 60,000 members. "I don't know if he could survive a third."

That remains to be seen.

United CEO Oscar Munoz made a public apology April 11, 2017, for how a passenger was treated after he refused to leave his seat on an overbooked United Express flight. (Richard Drew / AP)

For now, however, criticism of United continues unabated and is crossing that Rubicon from the world of business to pop culture.

Take, for example, Kimmel's ABC-TV late night show, which ran a fake, but nicely crafted United Airlines "commercial" that includes this memorable line: "Give us a problem and we'll drag your (expletive) off the plane."

Since the passenger beating/removal video went viral, Twitter and other social media sites have been rife with fired up and relentless jabs at the air carrier.

The tweets are mostly chiding United for its decision to forcefully remove a customer, who adamantly refused to deplane when told by staff to get going. There are various Twitter attempts to ignite boycotts of United along with innumerable vows to never use the airline again.

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This outrage is fueling other types of action.

Tuesday, Flyersrights sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao calling for a summit meeting with airline CEOs, passenger representatives and unions to discuss the impact of the United controversy on regulations for overbooking flights and other related consumer issues.

In its call to arms, the group hopes to enlist the support of President Donald Trump (who viewed the video of the passenger's removal, says a White House spokesman) despite the administration's abhorrence of drafting any new industry regulations.

"No one believes that continuing to give airlines carte blanche to abuse and assault passengers will make air travel great again," states the Flyersrights letter to Chao.

Lawmakers are piling on too.

U.S. Senate Democrats, including Illinois' Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, sent a letter to Munoz on Tuesday asking a series of questions about why the passenger removal happened and demanding recommendations for how trouble can be avoided in the future. In separate statements, U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski, D-Chicago, and Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, criticized United, adding they also want to know how the airline intends to change its ways.

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"This is far from the end of the story," Schakowsky said.

The United controversy could prompt efforts to attach stronger consumer protections as part of Congress' upcoming reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration  something that will aggravate the entire U.S. airline business.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 As security officers ask him to leave the flight, a United passenger who was later dragged from the plane speaks on the phone, while refusing to leave. This is a screenshot of a video posted on Facebook. (Joya Cummings / Facebook)

Then there is China.

It's a country in which United is making a significant investment, and where it operates more nonstop U.S. to China routes than any other domestic carrier.

Video of the violent incident posted on China's Twitter-like microblogging service Weibo had been viewed more than 210 million times by late Tuesday. Many users responded with outrage over perceived bias against an Asian-looking passenger and some called for a boycott of the U.S.-based airline, according to The Associated Press.

With all this going on, it's not surprising that CEO Munoz took another run at making an apology.

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Having flubbed an initial try, where he came across more as blaming the passenger than the staff and O'Hare International Airport police, Munoz's statement begins with: "I'm sorry. We will fix this."

Maybe not the most artful prose to start such an important message, but it gets to the point.

Munoz goes on to "deeply" apologize to the roughed-up customer and everyone else on the plane with him. He vowed a review of United's policies, like how it works with airport cops, and said he'd get back to us by April 30.

Munoz also went on to say: "It's never too late to do the right thing."

That's a statement most of us can agree with.

But in light of this explosive controversy, I'm not so sure his time isn't running out.

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roreed@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @reedtribbiz
With hopes of dispensing the "perfect antidote" to the stock market crash of 1987, Italian-born sculptor Arturo Di Modica spent two years welding a 7,000-pound bronze bull statue designed to capture the resilience of the American people.

Under the cover of night and without a permit, he installed his massive Charging Bull directly before the New York Stock Exchange, a gift New Yorkers loved but New York City initially hated. Authorities removed it, but later reinstalled it under pressure at a small public park in the financial district.

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In the 18 years since, it has become an institution.

Then last month, on International Women's Day, a new statue of a symbolically brave Fearless Girl stole its spotlight  and, Di Modica says, fundamentally corrupted the artistic integrity of his Charging Bull.

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As Fearless Girl was heralded by many as a symbol for female empowerment, Di Modica doled out sharp criticism, casting the statue as not art, but a publicity stunt by the gender-oriented company that commissioned it.

He forcefully advocated against a global campaign to make Fearless Girl a permanent fixture, but fans persevered, persuading New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to extend the statue's permit through April 2018.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 The "Fearless Girl" statue, created by Kristen Visbal, stands across from the "Charging Bull" statue, Monday, March 27, 2017, in New York. Mayor Bill de Blasio says the popular statue of a young girl will be allowed to remain through February 2018. (Bebeto Matthews / AP)

On behalf of his bull, Di Modica won't back down.

The artist held a news conference Wednesday with attorney Norman Siegel, the former director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, to ask the city to move Fearless Girl. He said says New York City is violating his legal rights by forcing his bronze beast to face off against the girl statue.

While Di Modica says the bull's message is supposed to be "freedom in the world, peace, strength, power and love," his lawyers say Fearless Girl exploits the bull for commercial purposes. They want it moved and are hoping for an amicable solution.

"We're all for gender equality," Siegel told The Washington Post Tuesday night. "But the questions are because there are other issues."

The specific issues, Siegel told the Post, will be saved for the news conference, though he said they do not intend to file any lawsuits Wednesday.

Fearless Girl debuted March 7, near the first anniversary of the Gender Diversity Index SHE, which tracks companies that are gender diverse and was created by investment firm State Street Global Advisors.

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State Street commissioned Delaware-based artist Kristen Visbal to cast the 4-foot bronze girl, who wears pigtails and a windblown dress, and, with hands on her hips, stares daringly at the beast before her.

"We were focusing on making a statement about the future of Wall Street," Visbal told CNN Money last month. "We wanted this wonderful contrast."

The project is about "girl power," she said, a message to corporate boards on Wall Street with a dearth of women members "that we are here, that we are heard, that we are permanent."

They also drew inspiration from Di Modica's surprise installment, albeit with a permit, and dropped her off in the middle of the night. The girl quickly became an online sensation, earning praise from Chelsea Clinton and actress Jessica Chastain and drawing its own swarm of women and girls who felt inspired.

The plaque at the feet of Fearless Girl reads: "Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference."

This overt reference to State Street's SHE Index could contribute to Di Modica's insistence that Fearless Girl is nothing more than marketing trickery orchestrated by the firm's New York advertising partner, McCann.

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"That is not a symbol!" the 76-year-old Sicilian immigrant told the New York Post and Market Watch in March.

He said in an interview from his art studio that his protest was not meant to snub the importance of gender equality, but to defend the integrity of his bull.

"I put it there for art," he told the publications. "My bull is a symbol for America. My bull is a symbol of prosperity and for strength."

Contrasted with the soft, altruistic characteristics of the bronze girl, though, Charging Bull now appears menacing and aggressive.

When Fearless Girl first appeared, State Street chief marketing officer Stephen Tisdalle told The New York Times that the Boston-based firm has been vocal in promoting gender diversity in the financial sector. Its own 11-member board of directors has three women.

"What this girl represents is the present, but also the future," Tisdalle told the Times. "She's not angry at the bull  she's confident, she knows what she's capable of, and she's wanting the bull to take note."

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After reading that Di Modica was upset by Fearless Girl, Visbal told the New York Post she was distressed and praised the sculptor's artistic abilities as "exceptional."

"The bull is beautiful, it's a stunning piece of art," Visbal told the New York Post. "But the world changes and we are now running with this bull."

Di Modica approached Siegel for help, the attorney said. They have filed several information requests to city officials and departments involved in the permitting process for Fearless Girl.

"There are some serious questions about how it was done," Siegel said.

The Associated Press contributed.
More than 5,800 former Corinthian College students in Illinois can expect a letter this week from state Attorney General Lisa Madigan with a simple message: Don't forget to apply to the U.S. Department of Education for cancellation of federal student loans.

Madigan's office sent out the mass mailing Wednesday to students who attended the California-based for-profit institution, which sold or closed most of its 107 campuses and liquidated its assets through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015 while under investigation for allegedly deceptive practices.

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Attorneys general from 43 other states and the District of Columbia are expected to follow suit in the coming weeks, reaching out to hundreds of thousands of eligible students who attended Corinthian schools, including the Everest, Heald and WyoTech brands.

"Students across the country were lured into enrolling in Corinthian schools by company representatives who made false and misleading statements about prospective career opportunities," Madigan said in a news release Wednesday. "Every one of the students misled by Corinthian deserves to have their federal loans canceled."

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Students who attended Corinthian schools between 2010 and 2014 may be eligible to have their federal loans forgiven.

Corinthian's failure was the catalyst for the Obama administration to reform borrower defense regulations, which were finalized in November.

The Department of Education under the Trump administration has already signaled it may roll back a number of Obama-era rules aimed at cracking down on for-profit colleges. On Tuesday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos withdrew two memos issued by the department last year aimed at reforming federal student loan servicing.

In her memo to the Federal Student Aid office, DeVos said the Obama efforts were marred by "a myriad of moving deadlines, changing requirements and a lack of consistent objectives."

Madigan criticized the move in a Tuesday news release, saying, "Revoking these critical reforms sends a message to student loan servicers that poor practices are rewarded over the borrower's best interest."

Madigan filed a lawsuit in January in Cook County Circuit Court alleging student loan servicer Navient failed to properly assist borrowers struggling with loans. Navient denies those allegations.

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @RobertChannick
President Donald Trump speaks during a strategic and policy discussion with CEOs in the State Department Library in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on April 11, 2017. (Olivier Douliery / Getty Images)

Nearly 1,500 economists of varied political persuasions signed an open letter to President Donald Trump and congressional leaders asserting the economic benefits of immigration.

The letter, publicized Wednesday and signed by a number of Chicago economists, is meant to demonstrate broad consensus that a smart immigration system can boost growth, jobs and wages in hopes legislators take that into account when crafting policy.

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"Immigration is often not thought of as a piece of economics, but it's actually a very powerful potential tool," said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the center-right think tank American Action Forum.

Holtz-Eakin, former director of the Congressional Budget Office as well as chief economist of the President's Council of Economic Advisers under President George W. Bush, organized the letter along with New American Economy, a centrist political advocacy group focused on immigration.

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While the effort was not a reaction to a specific policy of the Trump administration  which is moving forward with plans to build a wall along the Mexican border and has issued an executive order, currently blocked by a federal judge, to temporarily bar foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries and all refugees from entering the U.S.  it comes as the nation focuses on the fate of the 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally as well as what the president's "America First" agenda means for legal immigration.

"This has become a hot political debate but it's not a policy debate," said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of New American Economy. "If we get to the point where we're having this policy discussion we want to make sure we have clearly articulated what the vision is for immigration."

The letter's 1,470 signatories include six Nobel laureates, among them Lars Peter Hansen and Roger Myerson of the University of Chicago. Thirty other economic and policy experts from the University of Chicago, Northwestern and DePaul universities and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago also signed.

It was addressed to Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

The letter asserts that "immigration is one of America's significant competitive advantages in the global economy" and with proper safeguards is "an opportunity and not a threat to our economy and to American workers."

Among the benefits, according to the letter: Immigrant entrepreneurs start new businesses that hire American workers; immigrants bring young workers to offset baby boomer retirements; they bring diverse skills that help companies grow and increase the productivity of American workers; and they're more likely to work in STEM  science, technology, engineering and math  and other innovative fields that drive economic growth.

"Immigration undoubtedly has economic costs as well, particularly for Americans in certain industries and Americans with lower levels of educational attainment," the letter says. "But the benefits that immigration brings to society far outweigh their costs, and smart immigration policy could better maximize the benefits of immigration while reducing the costs."

The Chicago metro area has 1.7 million immigrant residents, nearly 18 percent of the population, who in 2014 paid $14.5 billion in taxes and then had another $38 billion left over to spend, according to New American Economy. About 110,013 of them are entrepreneurs.

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How positive an economic impact immigrants have on a community depends in part on how welcoming a community it is, according to a new study unrelated to the economists' letter.

In cities with immigrant-friendly environments and policies, increasing diversity drives up wages markedly, according to the study by geographers at the University of Buffalo and Southampton University, published in the journal Economic Geography. In cities with anti-immigrant policies, however, U.S.-born workers get no wage boost with increasing diversity, it found.

Though Trump's tough immigration talk has created unease that immigrants are not welcome, Robbins said that the nation may be in a good position to tackle immigration reform because many people trust that Trump will secure the border.

Smart immigration policy, to Robbins, entails border security, creating a pragmatic path for people who arrived illegally to gain legal status, and modernizing the legal immigration system, whose current framework was set in 1965, to respond to the needs of the economy, Robbins said.

Numerous attempts at such comprehensive reform have failed. Holtz-Eakin said that economics have been undervalued each time.

He was pleased when Trump, during a speech to Congress in February, highlighted a visa system based on economic merit, though the administration has offered no details yet.

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Groups in favor of reducing immigration say American workers' wages and job prospects suffer when they must compete with immigrants.

Holtz-Eakin says that concern is misplaced.

"They are already competing with these people, whether they are across the street or across the ocean," he said. "We might as well take advantage of those skills in the U.S. instead of compete with them elsewhere."

aelejalderuiz@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @alexiaer
MADISON  A few years ago, when Brian Kaas attended some of the nations leading conferences for venture capitalists, the audience was predominantly investors from stand-alone venture funds.

Today, when the managing director of Madison-based CMFG Ventures takes part in such gatherings, the makeup includes many more in-house funds within larger corporations.

The mix is basically reversed from what it what about five years ago, said Kaas, who leads the fund created by CUNA Mutual Group to invest in financial and insurance innovation.

Corporate venture funds arent new, but the growth in such funds has been robust in recent years. A January 2017 report in Financier Worldwide noted there were 181 corporate venture funds worldwide in 2004 and more than 1,500 by 2015. About half of all Fortune 100 companies now have in-house funds. The deal flow has also seen astonishing growth, reported Financier Worldwide, rising from 698 announced deals in 2011 to 1,790 deals in 2015.

Wisconsin has not been bypassed by that trend. American Family Insurance in Madison is a prominent example with its AmFam Ventures fund, which launched in 2013 as a $50 million fund and has grown over time to become one of the nations leading fin-tech and insure-tech funds.

CMFG Ventures has invested $40 million to date, including follow-on rounds, in six portfolio companies with others under review. The funds typical check size falls between $1 million to $5 million, Kaas told a recent meeting of the Tech Council Innovation Network in Madison.

Presenting at the same meeting was Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, which plans to invest about $50 million during the next six years with a typical check ranging from $500,000 to $3 million. Its portfolio will also include fin-tech and insure-tech firms, as well as companies engaged in digital health.

Other companies in Wisconsin with in-house investment arms or related interests in startups include Kimberly-Clark, Logistics Health, ABC Supply and Direct Supply. The list may be growing.

At the fourth annual Wisconsin Tech Summit, the managing director of Michigans Renaissance Venture Capital Fund described Wisconsin as a natural place for creation of a corporate fund-of-funds much like what was built over time in Michigan.

What is a fund of funds? Its a vehicle for pooling capital and investing in emerging firms. Renaissance is an early example of such a fund led by Michigans major corporations, such as Ford, La-Z-Boy, Whirlpool and more.

It was created in 2008 when Michigans unemployment rate had soared into double digits, major companies were cutting employees and internal research, and there was a chronic shortage of risk capital for young companies.

The first two Renaissance funds raised nearly $124 million from corporate and institutional investors. That money was re-invested in 25 venture capital funds across the nation, bringing those experienced funds to Michigan in a physical sense  sometimes opening a local office  to kick tires and invest in promising startups.

Financial returns for Renaissance over nine years have outperformed national benchmarks for rate of return and profit distributions. The fund ranks in the top quartile of the venture capital asset class.

The first Renaissance fund attracted more than $24 into Michigan for every dollar invested. Thats reflected in the $868 million invested so far by the 25 participating funds in young Michigan companies. Sixty percent of those funds were first-time investors in Michigan companies.

Michigans status as a venture capital hub went from middle of the 50-state pack to among the U.S. leaders.

Total capital under management in Michigan stood at $1.4 billion in 2015, good for 12th among the states. Wisconsin ranked 27th in the same year. Michigan reported $281 million in venture capital commitments in 2015, 9th among the 50 states. Wisconsin stood 21st on the list.

Wisconsin has a cadre of major companies. It has experienced investors in angel capital networks and stand-alone funds. Increasingly, it has the right talent and ideas.

Whats needed now is a shared sense of opportunity about reinvesting in Wisconsin and a few corporate champions to take up the challenge. If its home-grown companies wont do so, why should others?
Terminal 1 is seen in the foreground as a United Airlines airplane rolls down the runway after landing at O'Hare Airport on Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)

United Airlines might want to start looking over its shoulder.

In the wake of the airline's public relations debacle over the treatment of a passenger, some rivals are coming for it. Others are trying to keep the skies friendly.

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Dubai-based Emirates unabashedly piled on United on Tuesday with a post on Twitter promoting itself as a "real airline" with the tag, "Fly the Friendly Skies ...THIS TIME FOR REAL." The 35-second twitter video leads with an out-of-context quote from United CEO Oscar Munoz, who last month said "those (Gulf) airlines aren't airlines" at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce aviation event in Washington, D.C.

Munoz, who was expressing concern over government subsidies for Middle East carriers, went on to say, "they're international branding vehicles for their countries," but the Emirates tweet omitted the rest of quote and shifted to promote accolades for its own service from TripAdvisor.

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The Emirates Twitter post garnered 12,000 likes in a day.

Royal Jordanian's Monday tweet was ostensibly a play on its no-smoking policy, and a none-too-subtle jab at United.

"We would like to remind you that drags on our flights are strictly prohibited by passengers and crew," the post read. It, too, had 12,000 likes as of midday Wednesday.

Emirates and Royal Jordanian did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Spirit Airlines also put United in its crosshairs this week with an ad suggesting that they are "gentle with the bags" and offering up to 65 percent off flights for a limited time. "Here at Spirit, we treat your bags as well as we treat you," the ad said.

The airline did not respond to requests for comment.

This video posted on social media shows Dr. David Dao being dragged from a United Airlines flight from Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Ky., on April 9, 2017. (Jayse D. Anspach) (Jayse D. Anspach)

Other airlines are working to keep themselves above the fray.

A case in point: a tweet that appeared to be an advertisement for Southwest Airlines that read, "Southwest: We beat the competition. Not you."

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On Twitter, @GuoBlue wrote, "Well done. @SouthwestAir, Very well done."

Another post, from @BenBocko, read: "Bahaha! I really do love @SouthwestAir great and friendly airlines. #unitedAIRLINES #flight3411."

The thing is, Southwest had nothing to do with it. In an email, a Southwest spokesman said, "Any logo tied to this particular event is not official and was not produced by Southwest Airlines. Thank you."

That may not matter. So far, the meme has 438 likes and 232 retweets. And the Twitterverse is applauding Southwest for its seemingly clever work  jumping into the controversy to promote themselves.

But while United's public relations disaster may be a catalyst for other airlines to lure outraged passengers and promote their own services, leveraging the opportunity can be tricky, according to marketing experts.

"When you see a company have a problem like this, it's a real opportunity for other players to make the most of it," said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. "But companies have to be a little careful when they do this. There's a limit to how far you want to push it."

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Calkins said it makes sense for the Middle East carriers to make the most of United's situation with an aggressive social media campaign. "Emirates has nothing to lose by poking fun at United," he said. "Emirates isn't worried about souring the relationship."

But Erica Swerdlow, CEO of Wye Communciations, a Chicago public relations agency, cautioned against competitors going directly at United in the wake of the incident.

"I don't really think a brand disaster is a time for another brand to go at them," Swerdlow said. "All airlines are going to have these problems. It could be their turn next."

crshropshire@chicagotribune.com

rchannick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @corilyns

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The Challenger SRT Demon will go on the market with 840 horsepower and 770 pound-feet of torque, the ultimate halo car that car buffs across the country have been awaiting for months.

"This is a car unlike anything we've ever done," Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger car brands for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, said as he reveled the car before about 500 fans and members of the media ahead of the New York International Auto Show. "This car, for the people who race it, who build it and develop it will share that pride across more than a track. Demon is another halo that will transcend a core group of enthusiasts."

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The reveal of the Dodge Demon brought the racing world, the movie industry, hip-hop and the auto industry together on one stage for a night that those who attended are unlikely to forget.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 11 Dodge said the Demon is the world's fastest 0-60 production car: It can get there in 2.3 seconds. And from 0-30 m.p.h: 1 second. Quarter mile in 9.65 seconds. (FCA US LLC / FCA US LLC)

Race car driver Leah Pritchett, who worked with Dodge engineers to perfect the car, said the hardest thing about her involvement in the Demon project was keeping quiet about it.

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"It is fast, it is quick...this car is the epitome of power," she said. "Everything has been beefed up. Its sturdy, its stout."

Dodge said the Demon is the world's fastest 0-60 production car: It can get there in 2.3 seconds. And from 0-30 m.p.h: 1 second.

Olivier Francois, Fiat Chrysler's chief marketing officer, talked about Dodge's partnership with its cars that have appeared in the "Fast and Furious" movies and then brought rapper Wiz Khalifa to the stage.

Then, after the Demon screamed across giant stage in a demonstration of its drag-racing prowess, actor Vin Diesel, star of those movies, walked onto the stage.

"As you know, I have been related to the Dodge family for some time now," Diesel said. "Cars like Demon are why I'm proud to be the new ambassador of Dodge."

The car is barely street legal. In fact, it's basically designed to be driven - rather than hauled - to the local drag strip. To save weight, Dodge removed the front passenger seat and the rear seat. Customers can still buy them as options - for $1 each.

It also consumes premium gasoline and won't run so well on regular gas. Fuel-economy figures were not provided.

Among the unique options: "Front-runner" wheels for use at drag strips, a foam case for those wheels and track tools to help the owner change the wheels.

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Production of the limited-edition, single-model-year Challenger SRT Demon is to begin this summer, with 3,000 planned for the U.S. and 300 for Canada. Deliveries to Dodge/SRT dealers will begin this fall.

The Dodge Demon will appeal to only a small number of buyers but will be of interest to car enthusiasts everywhere. It fits squarely into the strategic direction of the Dodge brand, which is to epitomize an "American performance brand."

What's under the hood

Dodge has been promoting the Demon with teaser videos and pieces of information each week. The Demon is expected to make its movie debut Friday in the "Fate of the Furious," the eighth movie in the "Fast and Furious" franchise.

Still, a good bit of the Demon isn't new at all. The Demon - like the Challenger Hellcat before it - is adapted from the existing Challenger. Assembled in Brampton, Ontario, it is built on a platform that is about a decade old.

Still, the stalwart car has given Fiat Chrysler a muscle car that has stood the test of time and has proven itself to be adaptable to a number of trim levels.

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The most important part of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is under the hood. It is powered by a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Demon V8.

It would be easy to assume that the engine in the Demon is just a tweaked version of the Hellcat engine that debuted in 2014. Dodge says that assumption would be wrong. The Demon's V8 does share its architecture with the 707-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 Hemi that powers the Hellcat engine. However, more than 50% of the components in the Demon V8 differ from those of the Hellcat V8.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 17 1957 Chevrolet Corvette with fuel injection (and a hard top) hit 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds, according to Car and Driver, the quickest of several 1950s Vettes that competed with Ferrari for quickest production car of the era. (General Motors)

The engine has a larger supercharger, a higher limit on the revolutions per minute, strengthened connecting rods and pistons, and an improved lubrication system. It also has three sources of intake air that include an "Air-Grabber" hood, a driver-side air catcher and an inlet in the wheel liner.

Who dares to take it on?

Dodge says the Hemi Demon V8 is the highest horsepower V8 production-car engine ever produced. But Fiat Chrysler's Dodge brand isn't the first to push the outer limits of horsepower.

Just last week Hennessey Performance, a custom car builder, announced it had built the Exorcist, "Hennessey's answer to the Demon."

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It is based on the 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. Hennessey said it radically increased Chevy's LT4 V8 engine power to 1,000 horsepower. But Hennessey is taking a car that costs about $61,000 when it comes off of an automaker's assembly line with 640 horsepower and is adding $55,000 in upgrades. So, technically, it's not a "production car."

The Bugatti Veyron pounded out 1,001 horsepower until it was discontinued last year. But the Veyron super-car was equipped with two V8 engines and cost $1.7 million. Bugatti is now working on the Chiron, which is expected to have 1,500 horsepower.

And while Dodge didn't release pricing, it's a good bet that the Demon will sell for a fraction of either Bugatti.

How does it roll?

At 840 horsepoewer, the risk is that drivers are going to shed their tires quickly.

The Challenger SRT Demon is equipped with Nitto NT05R street-legal, drag-race tires. Dodge says that is a first for a factory-production car. The 315/40R18 tires were specifically designed and developed for the SRT Demon, with a new compound and specific tire sidewall construction.

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The drag radials give the SRT Demon a 15% larger tire contact patch and more than twice the grip of the Challenger SRT Hellcat.

How dangerous is it?

For those wondering if this car is safe to be driven on the streets, well, Dodge has been thinking about that, as well.

Just last week, a man was arrested in Indiana for going 158 m.p.h. in his Dodge Challenger Hellcat. The driver told police he knew he was going much more than twice the posted speed limit. But, he said, he had recently bought the car and wanted to show his friends in the car what the powerful engine could do.

For the Dodge Challenger Demon, Dodge said, Hagerty will be the official insurance provider. Hagerty is a company for people who love cars, and it already protects many of the rarest high-performance cars in the world.

Also, all customers who buy the Dodge Demon will get one full-day session at the Bob Bondurant School of High-performance Driving. The school is in Chandler, Ariz., near Phoenix. Dodge will cover the cost of the school, but it will not pay for travel and hotel accommodations.

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Speak of the devil

Anyone who is uneasy about tossing around the word "demon" should know that the company is resurrecting the name from the early 1970s.

Dodge added a Demon model to its Dodge Dart lineup in 1971. The Demon shared a body with the Plymouth Duster, according to Dodgedemon.net. The Demon featured a different grille and rear taillight assembly. It was offered as two models: the Demon two-door coupe and the Demon 340 two-door coupe, both with V8 engines.

The logo was the word "Demon" in yellow with a devil and a fork in the center over the "M," according to the website.

bsnavely@freepress.com

Twitter @BrentSnavely

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Chris Woodyard of USA TODAY and Holly V. Hays of the Indianapolis Star contributed to this report.
The ninth annual Tales of the Cocktail convention ended Sunday in New Orleans, leaving thousands of spirits professionals and enthusiasts to return home with the sweet hangover of a successful weekend -- and a few personal victories.

Among them is Debbi Peek, mixologist at The Bristol, who won the Tales-hosted national Pina Colada Competition (sponsored by Bacardi) last Friday. New Orleans is the final leg of that shake-off before its winner is flown to the international World Cocktail Competition, which has been held in a different country each year for the past six decades.

No stranger to cocktail competitions, Peek has won plenty, including two prior Stateside rounds of the WCC which landed her in Taiwan in 2007 and Singapore in 2010.

Peek's winning interpretation of the classic pineapple-based cocktail is called No Passport Required, but she'll be using hers this November when she flies to Warsaw, Poland, for the 2011 WCC -- her third foray to the elite competition.

"Hopefully third time's a charm," Peek said, adding that in the past she's placed in the middle. "Maybe this one will be it."

Sip it this weekend and see for yourself whether Peek's got the prize pinned down.

No Passport Required

By Debbi Peek

Honey

Toasted coconut

2 ounces smoked anejo rum (such Bacardi), see note

2 ounces coconut milk

1 ounce roasted pineapple puree

1/2 ounce brown sugar syrup (equal parts brown sugar and water)

1/2 ounce ginger puree (equal parts fresh ginger, water and sugar, blended)

Dip a pina colada glass in honey and rim with toasted coconut. Shake remaining ingredients with ice. Strain into ice-filled glass.

Note: To make smoked Bacardi Anejo, cold smoke over cherry wood for 45 minutes.
1) Think spring (cocktails) at Scofflaw

New season, new cocktails. Put some spring in your step at Scofflaw, where bar director and partner Danny Shapiro has shaken up the menu. Bright, floral and herbal flavors are highlighted in cocktails such as the First of Four, with gin, creme de violette, honey and Aveze gentian liqueur, or the Sundial, another gin drink with white vermouth, Fernet Branca and grapefruit bitters. Cocktails $8-$11. Scofflaw, 3201 W. Armitage Ave., 773-252-9700, www.scofflawchicago.com

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2) Savor a coffee tasting

Want to learn more about coffee? Head to local coffee pioneer Intelligentsia's monthly coffee tasting. This month, try an offering from the brewing giant's Single Origin release menu, plus learn about different brewing methods to try at home. Free; RSVP required. 2 p.m. Friday, April 14 at Intelligentsia Broadway Coffeebar, 3123 N. Broadway, 773-348-8058, www.facebook.com/intelligentsiacoffee/events

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3) Brunch with the Bunny

Brookfield Zoo is once again hosting its popular Breakfast with the Bunny event in its Discovery Center. Two seatings are still available, featuring an all-you-can-eat spread of pastries, French toast, eggs and other breakfast favorites. Pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Bunny will be available, along with live music. $30; $22 for kids younger than 12. Seatings at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Saturday, April 15, at Brookfield Zoo, 8400 31st St., Brookfield, 708-688-8355, www.czs.org/brookfield-zoo. For more Easter goodies, check out this list of 50 brunch and bakery specials around town.

4) Be a noodlehead

As part of its continuing "Eataly Amici" series, Eataly's Jeremy Williams teams up with Ramen-san chef Craig Degel to present a "Noodles & Broth Two Different Ways" class. The chefs will demo Japanese tokushima ramen alongside Piedmontese agnolotti in brodo, discussing the similarities and differences in the dishes. Attendees will taste each dish, plus receive recipes to try at home. $30. 6:30-8 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Eataly's La Scoula, 43 E. Ohio St., 312-521-8700, www.eataly.com

5) Go from downward dog to downing beer

After an hour of bending and breathing, reward yourself with a beer or two. Yoga Six studios is partnering with Baderbrau in the South Loop for a mashup of working out and drinking German brews. After the class, Baderbrau's tasting room will host yogis for a tasting of five beers, all included in the ticket price. $25. 2-3 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at Baderbrau, 2515 S. Wabash Ave., 312-583-0161, www.yogasix.com/studio/south-loop

jbhernandez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @joeybear85






Lamb isn't exactly the type of meat to hang back in the shadows. You're eating it because you like its assertive, gamey flavor  but what wine to pair? A tannic red with some acidity will hold up, says sommelier Nate Redner. Try any of his three recommendations below with one of our favorite recipes for lamb chops.

MAKE THIS

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Mint pesto lamb chops

With food processor motor running, drop in 1 clove garlic, buzzing to bits. Add 2 cups fresh mint leaves, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; pulse a few times. With machine running, drizzle in 1/3 cup olive oil, making a thick pesto. Add 1/3 cup sliced almonds and 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese. Pulse a few times. Smooth half the pesto onto 8 single-cut lamb rib chops, about 1 pound, covering both sides. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Cook chops until crisp outside and just done inside, about 3 minutes per side. Serve with remaining pesto. Makes: 2 servings

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Recipe by Leah Eskin

DRINK THIS

Pairings by sommelier Nate Redner of Oyster Bah, as told to Michael Austin:

2009 Domaine Tempier Cabassaou, Bandol, France: This wine is composed of 95 percent mourvedre, 4 percent syrah and 1 percent cinsault, creating a highly structured wine with aromas of mulberry, blackberry, espresso, licorice and black pepper to complement the nutty mint pesto. There is a good bit of fat in both the lamb and pesto, so you'll be happy to have the high tannin of mourvedre with acidity on the back end.

2014 Enfield Pretty Horses, California: Lush fruit and nuttiness characterize this wine. It's made of mainly tempranillo with some graciano, which helps its tannic structure and fruit intensity. Floral notes of lavender and rosemary will complement the mint pesto while juicy cherry on the palate will match the lamb. The wine's abundance of acidity will cut any fat that may linger from the chops. Be sure to give the wine a slight chill.

2013 Tami Frappato, Sicily, Italy: This red wine is light in body, and expresses aromas of wild strawberries, raspberries, sour red cherries and rose petals. Feta and lemon juice/zest provide a good bit of salt and acidity in the pesto, and they'll be backed up by the tart red fruit character and slightly briny finish of the frappato. Also, the nuttiness in the pesto will be complemented by the floral component of the wine.






Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, seen here in 2005, will be honored by Cinema/Chicago. (LIONEL HAHN / KRT)

Hollywood couple Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford will come to Chicago in celebration this year. Both will be awarded career achievement awards -- in acting and directing, respectively -- by Cinema/Chicago, the organization in charge of the Chicago International Film Festival.

The pair met while filming the 1985 film "White Nights," which premiered at the Chicago International Film Festival that year. Each went on to to have successes of their own; Mirren went on to portray Queen Elizabeth II for an Oscar-winning performance in "The Queen," Hackford was nominated for Best Director for his 2004 biopic of Ray Charles, "Ray."

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Mirren and Hackford will receive their awards, dubbed the Gold Hugo Award, at Cinema/Chicago's Spring Gala May 24.

The Cinema/Chicago's Spring Gala will be held at Loews Hotel Chicago, 455 N. Park Drive. Individual tickets are $400; tickets and tables can be purchased by phone at 312-683-0121 x108 or via email at jackie@chicagofilmfestival.com.
Forget shocking the audience. Former Chicago comedian Ian Abramson wore a dog shock collar and gave the remote to an audience member during his set on Conan O'Brien's talk show Monday.

"Only press the button if you don't like a joke because you are electrocuting a man on television," Abramson told a woman in the front row.

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A joke about playwright Tennessee Williams didn't go over so well, but Abramson didn't seem too fazed by the jolt. He has pulled this trick before, though not in front of such a large audience. Monday was his late-night television debut.

Abramson, a California native who studied at Second City and lived in Logan Square before moving back to the West Coast, is set to perform June 3 at Lincoln Hall for the fourth annual 26th Annual Comedy Festival, put on by The Onion.

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"Conan" airs 10 p.m. weeknights on TBS.
Like "Beauty and the Beast," "The Boss Baby" and "The Bad and the Beautiful," "The Fate of the Furious" features a title in which two key words share the same first letter. That's one of the most interesting things about it. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

This is the eighth in the franchise, which began with a relatively modest LA street-racing movie in 2001. The film just prior to the new one, "Furious 7," had a production budget of somewhere between $200 million and $250 million, and it was scaled like a berserk Bond film. Thanks to director James Wan and the cast, a lot of it worked. It was like playing Trackmania Turbo for two hours and 20 minutes, with a few pit stops for reminders of the importance of family.

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It made $1.5 billion, which ensured the next film in the series would take things further into the realm of the huge and the stupid but, with luck and a little wit, good stupid, not stupid stupid.

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"The Fate of the Furious" illustrates the limits and hazards of multigenre blockbuster engineering. For an hour, director F. Gary Gray's pileup of gravity-free drag racing, supercool cyberterrorism, vehicular Ice Capades and World War III prevention program stays on the side of the good (or good enough) stupid. It's ridiculous but fun, as it careens from Havana to Berlin and icy, terrorist-ridden Russia played by Iceland, and a spit-ton of medium-grade digital effects.

But the second hour gets to be a real drag, and not the racing kind. Charlize Theron, glaring the glare of the truly mad and slightly bored, portrays the cyberloon who hijacks a nuclear submarine. If you babies are gonna whine about spoiler alerts, well, the sub's in the trailers. By that point in "The Fate of the Furious," the apocalyptic scale of the action runs out of tricks even before Hobbs, the Dwayne Johnson character, actually says: "Sorry, guys, I've got no more tricks left." The climax feels approximately 50 years long, and it makes the audience long for a simple scene, back in a garage somewhere, where everyone's standing around in tank tops.

Screenwriter Chris Morgan has written the majority of the previous "Furious" installments. In "The Fate of the Furious" Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) are honeymooning in Cuba, where Dom runs afoul of Cipher (Theron), the blackmailing witch who forces Dom to turn against his gang and join her in her quest for world destabilization via nuclear launch codes, the three most hackneyed words in contemporary action filmmaking.

The gang, led by Johnson's biceps, is all here, be they frenemies (Jason Statham's ex-assassin) or softies (Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges and the IT help desk whiz of everyone's dreams, Nathalie Emmanuel). Kurt Russell's back as the man in the black suit with the job assignments and the chipper, I-love-my-job line readings. "Rule No. 1: Know your audience," he says at one point, and I suppose "The Fate of the Furious" knows that much, though I wonder if the massive global fan base wouldn't mind getting this franchise back to basics after this exercise in excess.

At one point Theron's villainess hacks into 1,000 midtown Manhattan vehicles, remotely, leading to cars plummeting out of fifth-story windows onto other cars, and an impromptu road rally where road rallies should not be held. The scene is tonally confusing: Is it supposed to be funny? Scary? Convincing? Or so video-gamey we're meant to enjoy the fraudulence? In many ways it's a scene emblematic of modern action movies. Just because you can design and execute such a sequence, that doesn't make it a good idea, or a satisfying series of images.

These days I find it difficult to relax into a scenario involving erratic adversaries hellbent on showing the world they mean business, come what may. This is the ultimate paradox with "The Fate of the Furious." Maybe a movie needs to be this expensively ridiculous to take your mind off the news. When your own nation's fate is in the hands of some furiously unpredictable characters, even a series devoted to vehicular mayhem, one of my favorite forms of movie mayhem, has a hard time saying it's all a joke. That said: It'll make its billion. That's what it was designed to do.

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

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"The Fate of the Furious"  2 stars

MPAA rating: PG-13 (for prolonged sequences of violence and destruction, suggestive content and language)

Running time: 2:16

Opens: Thursday evening

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 126 Woody introduces the gang to a homemade spork toy with self-esteem issues in "Toy Story 4." Read the review. (Pixar / AP)
In 2003, director Amanda Dehnert (who now teaches at Northwestern University) staged an infamous production of "Annie" at Rhode Island's Trinity Repertory Company that ended with the titular spunky orphan finding herself back in her bed at Miss Hannigan's orphanage: Sandy, Daddy Warbucks and the Fifth Avenue curly perm had been nothing more than a cruel dream.

Martin Charnin, who created "Annie," was apoplectic at Dehnert's unctuously conceived "framing device" and insisted on the restoration of the original happy ending. But every time I have to review "Annie," I always wish I had been able to see that production  which was very much in sync with what an upstart Chicago company calling itself the House Theatre was doing around the same time.

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Take, for example, House's 2005 production of "The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz," a show that has returned to the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park just in time for a dark, family, spring-break experience.

The singularity of the piece, penned by Phillip Klapperich and directed, then and now, by Tommy Rapley, isn't so much in its deviance from the story by the Chicagoan who called himself L. Frank Baum. This was not a self-referential, "Wicked"-style prequel, very much aware of the movie and all it represents in popular culture. And Klapperich (who now has left Chicago) did not have to deal with living authors who tend to like to be consulted on these matters. I wrote at the time Klapperich's stage adaptation was very much in sync with the intensity and darkness of the original story about a young girl from Kansas filled with trauma, who finds herself attacked as a murderer and who has to deal with everything from dangerous primates to soporific poppies. And, of course, who maybe just falls asleep and has a nightmare.

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What Klapperich and his young pals at House were doing wasn't that different from what they'd just tried with a previous show, a riff on J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan," a show I'd greatly admired not least for the way it homed in on the weird and troubling aspects of the Barrie story, mostly ignored in every other version.

The company now known as the House Theatre of Chicago is in the midst of a phase which involves the reprising  they would prefer to call it the reimagining  of some of its prior work. The impulse is understandable  new work is hard to pull off, so it makes sense to exploit again the ones that actually worked, and there is certainly a new audience for "The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz."

The target audience probably is your Wicker Park post-collegiate millennial, someone who appreciates the regressive pleasures of a classic story also gaining some intensifying social, feminist and emotional consciousness. But "The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz" is a very interesting choice for your family theatergoing  assuming your kids are at least 11 years old or so.

If they're younger than that, you might worry about the scene where one of the characters on Dorothy Gale's great quest to go home meets an unpleasant fate. Or where Dorothy talks about how her parents died and she found herself shipped from cool Chicago, where she felt like she very much belonged, to rural Kansas, where she surely did not, and where all the kindness in the world of her Aunt Em could not assuage her essential alienation.

Dorothy  who now is played, and with the right mix of vulnerability and resilience, by Kara Davidson  is very much a recognizable teenager in this version. Instead of all of the characters in her dream operating as farmhands, as they do in the movie  they represent a school board rejecting Dorothy from one of their programs, a program that she thinks might save her, because she does not seem sufficiently sure of what she wants to do. Not everything in the piece is as telling or emotionally resonant, although AnJi White does not mess around as The Witch of the West (the wickedness is in the beholding) and Joey Steakley, who plays Toto (as he did years ago) packs a lot of emotional wallop into manipulating a little, loyal dog.

"Can you go home again?" I wrote in my notes Sunday afternoon, wondering whether this show really reflected the moment, or a company that has aged and changed over the years. Probably not. Certainly, the show felt far more singular and au courant the last time around, and the emotional connections ran further through the large cast.

But I stared at some of the younger theatergoers and saw them watching Davidson and trying to understand what she was going through, and maybe applying it against their own trip to Oz. I'm glad the show is back.

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Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.

CJones5@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ChrisJonesTrib

"The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz"  3 stars

Where: Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St.

When: Through May 7

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Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes

Tickets: $30-$45 at 773-769-3832 or www.thehousetheatre.com

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Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox)
So much of the appeal of truly brilliant creative writing can be explained by the saying, "It's not what you say, but how you say it," and the way that Valeria Luiselli says what she has to say in her latest publication, the book-length essay, "Tell Me How It Ends," is simultaneously dazzling and apt.

Subtitled "An Essay in Forty Questions," the book looks at an all too familiar and troubling topic in an utterly fresh yet appropriate fashion. Powerful and timely, the piece draws on Luiselli's experiences volunteering as an interpreter in New York City's immigration courts just after the 2014 declaration of the unaccompanied-child migrant crisis. Having been born in Mexico City and raised in South Africa, as well as having struggled herself with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for a green card, Luiselli possesses the language skills and the cosmopolitan perspective necessary to make her adept at such a job. Here, she uses the 40 questions that she is tasked with translating and asking of the Latin American children facing deportation to give the book structure, and to deliver an unsparing look at broken families, bureaucratic indifference, lost childhoods, hope and love both within the borders of the United States and beyond.

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As New Yorker staff writer Jon Lee Anderson writes in his introduction, "She offers a fascinating rumination on the complex attraction of the United States for the refugee children and their families  and even for herself  despite its unwelcoming nature, casual racism, and official disinterest in their very existence."

Luiselli notes that even with her own good intentions, the help she can provide these children is inadequate in the face of all that they've been through in their home countries  including mental, physical and sexual abuse; forced labor; coercion by gangs and on and on  as well as the institutional hostility they're seeking to overcome as they aspire to permanent residence in the United States. Of the grimly appropriate fact that the intake interview is known as a "screening," she writes, "the child a reel of footage, the translator-interpreter an obsolete apparatus used to channel that footage, the legal system a screen, itself too worn out, too filthy and tattered to allow any clarity, any attention to detail. Stories often become generalized, distorted, appear out of focus."

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Author Valeria Luiselli served as an interpreter in New York Citys immigration courts just after the 2014 declaration of the unaccompanied-child migrant crisis. (Alfredo Pelcastre photo)

This book, an expansion of an essay she published last year in the literary magazine Freeman's, is a natural extension of Luiselli's project as a writer to date, including 2015's "The Story of My Teeth," a novel written in collaboration with the workers at a Jumex juice factory, and her 2014 essay collection, "Sidewalks."

With anger and lucidity, Luiselli depicts the nightmares these children are forced to flee in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, as well as the destructive ignorance and bigotry that awaits them in America. She does so "because being aware of what is happening in our era and choosing to do nothing about it has become unacceptable. Because we cannot allow ourselves to go on normalizing horror and violence. Because we can all be held accountable if something happens under our noses and we don't even dare look." With a beguiling mixture of compassion and intellectual rigor, she gives her readers the chance to look.

The question of how to humanize a subject toward which many people have hardened their hearts  and with which many others have hit a point of empathy fatigue  is a tough one. But Luiselli shows that the answer lies at least in part in the asking and answering of still more personal and serious questions. The book draws its title from her own 5-year-old daughter's demanding, in response to her mother's tales of these refugee children, "Tell me how it ends, Mamma." Of course, Luiselli does not know, but she invites us to consider what we want our own roles to be in how this transnational humanitarian catastrophe ultimately plays out.

Kathleen Rooney is the author, most recently, of the novel "Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk."

'Tell Me How It Ends'

By Valeria Luiselli, Coffee House, 128 pages, $12.95






"We forget that everything will become no longer ours," Kristen Radtke writes in "Imagine Wanting Only This," one of the most haunting graphic memoirs I've ever read.

Radtke, at this stage in her story, is touring ruins. She has reflected on ruin lust and ruin value and ruin porn. She has visited Corregidor and Siquijor; the empty streets of Myanmar, formerly Burma; the killing fields of Cambodia; Laos; "calcifying" cities. She has forsaken and been forsaken, she is audacious and vulnerable, she takes risks and she is wounded by what the world is and how it bends back upon itself. As we turn the pages on her journey, we are ravaged and ravished.

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There is a proud tradition of graphic memoirists  of those dually equipped to wield word and image  to tell the true and deeply considered story of a life. Alison Bechdel, Roz Chast, Riad Sattouf, David Small, Marjane Satrapi, Art Spiegelman and others have done it searingly well. Add now to that list Radtke, who proves herself an equal among equals with this debut book.

Radtke begins her story with memories of a loved uncle, her "favorite person that I knew in real life," who, in a breathtaking series of wordless panels, introduces the young girl to the possibility of magic and the yellow flight of fireflies. This uncle will die in time, as other members of the family have, of an inherited heart condition. Radtke herself will not escape these genes. She's just 19 when she understands her body has also been implicated.

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Images from "Imagine Wanting Only This," graphic novel by Kristen Radtke (Pantheon Graphic Novels)

Chapter 1, following the prologue, finds Radtke setting out for Gary, Ind., with her college boyfriend, Andrew. Gary was once called the "City of the Century," but it is now broken panes and stuck locks, a home to an abandoned cathedral where, as Radtke writes, "Ivy overtook the corroding walls as it does in storybooks, covering the slated stone with spindles of earthy webs." And: "The tarnished pedals of a shattered organ lay in the corner, its broken keys like piles of pulled teeth."

Within this rubble, Radtke will find "mold-smeared photographs," which she will take as her own, the stuff of an art installation she spontaneously decides that she will (someday) make.

Author Kristen Radtke. (Greg Salvatori)

But, as Radtke will soon discover, the images she has taken were no random bits of trash. They belonged, in fact, to a young ruins-obsessed photographer who had been struck dead days before by a train, and they had been placed among all that glorious rot by his friends. They had been sprinkled with his ashes. What is it that Radtke has stolen? What belongs to anyone, ever and especially when a place seems to have lost its purpose, or had its purpose rearranged by time?

Living in a damaged building with the boy who loves her, mourning the loss of her uncle, counting the ticking of her own fast-beating heart, watching the mold ooze from those stolen photographs, Radtke's restlessness quickens until she leaves for Italy, where she "wandered around Como like there was something specific I was looking for, rubbing my hands against stone I couldn't imagine the life of and leaving sweaty palm prints behind."

Images from "Imagine Wanting Only This," graphic novel by Kristen Radtke (Pantheon Graphic Novels)

Untethered, obsessed with questions about permanence and transference, Radtke chooses to leave again, to travel again, to move though the world, toward ruins, in and out of love  her unease growing ever more seductive with each unsystematic page. With time and its doings as her subject, rot and decay, she does not adhere to strict chronology. She renders mold and splotch and broken things as both terrifying and lovely.

As Radtke's obsession with ruins escalates  the ruins of relationships, of cities, of aspirations, of dreams  her story accelerates, running ahead of itself, ahead of us, until, by the end, it skitters off the pages like a black-and-white film that has jumped its reel. Radtke's imagination can't help itself. Her final pages are unapologetic; they are forecasts. They force the reader to confront the world as the world might soon be.

Images from "Imagine Wanting Only This," graphic novel by Kristen Radtke (Pantheon Graphic Novels)

Did you really just do that, Kristen Radtke? I said the words out loud, the first time I finished reading "Imagine Wanting Only This." Are you allowed? To disarm us, to charm us, to goad us, to frighten us, to end this book the way you do?

But I have just read this book again, and indeed Radtke pulls no punches; her work is as wonderful and heartbreaking the second time through. I'm still scooped out, but I'm still deeply grateful for the towering power of Radtke's vision.

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Beth Kephart is the author of 21 books

'Imagine Wanting Only This'

By Kristen Radtke, Pantheon, 288 pages, $29.95






Elizabeth Starrels sat in the examining chair of a Washington ear, nose and throat specialist in October 2012, weeping in frustration and pain.

For the previous four months, Starrels, then 52, had been battling painful mouth sores that were getting worse. Eating had become a near impossibility, and Starrels, who was largely subsisting on smoothies, had lost 20 pounds.

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Her dentist and an oral surgeon told her she had thrush, a yeast infection caused by an overgrowth of bacteria in the mouth that can result from antibiotics. The rinses and medicines they prescribed worked only briefly or not at all.

The ENT whom she saw next disagreed. He suspected that her problem was an inflammatory disease. When Starrels, a registered nurse who works at MedStar's Georgetown University Hospital, broke down, telling the doctor she didn't think she could live with the pain, his response was brusque.

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"He told me I would have to learn to live with it - I had no choice," she recalls. The doctor offered to prescribe an antidepressant.

Starrels said that the ENT's reaction had a galvanizing effect: She didn't need an antidepressant, but she did need someone who seemed interested and willing to help her. "As a nurse," she said, "I could advocate for other people but not for myself."

Two months and several additional doctors later, Starrels received a new diagnosis as well as effective treatment. She also found encouragement online, through a support group whose help she considers invaluable.

"I was so grateful to have a diagnosis and to know that there was a treatment," she said, adding that her pain is now gone. Her chronic disease is in remission - one she hopes will be long-lasting.

- - -

In January 2012, nine months before she wound up in the ENT's office, Starrels, who lives in Northwest Washington, woke up with frequent nosebleeds. She attributed them to dry air in her home and, because they were minor, did not seek treatment.

In May, she developed a stone in her salivary gland and received two 10-day courses of penicillin. These harmless stones, which form for unknown reasons, contain calcium and can cause pain and swelling if they block a duct, obstructing the flow of saliva.

Soon after she stopped the drug, Starrels developed painful mouth ulcers, similar to canker sores, which triggered the first of several visits to her dentist.

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When the rinses and creams the dentist prescribed didn't help, he referred her to an oral surgeon in his building. The oral surgeon told her he thought she had thrush, although she did not have its characteristic white patches, but rather, raw sores.

Starrels soon noticed that in addition to sores in her mouth that had spread to her gums, her gum tissue seemed to be sloughing off.

Eating had become incredibly painful, although drinking was tolerable. Starrels was living on protein shakes and smoothies as well as yogurt and sweet potatoes - foods that required little or no chewing and were not irritating.

The ENT diagnosed oral lichen planus, a chronic autoimmune disorder that has no known cause. The disorder, which causes mouth sores, is not contagious and is usually treated with topical numbing creams or, in more severe cases, corticosteroids such as prednisone, which reduces inflammation. A second specialist in oral medicine concurred but told her he had little new to offer.

Starrels decided it was time to look elsewhere.

In November, a few weeks after the ENT appointment, she traveled to Philadelphia to see an oral medicine specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. A week earlier, to her dismay, a spray of fluid-filled blisters had erupted on her chest.

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The doctor peered into her mouth and told Starrels he didn't think she had lichen planus. He suspected her problem was pemphigus vulgaris, a rare autoimmune disease, and urged her to see a dermatologist immediately to undergo a biopsy of the blisters, which could help confirm or refute the diagnosis.

- - -

Pemphigus vulgaris (and a related disorder called pemphigoid) is a serious and incurable disease that is usually caused by an overreaction of the immune system, which mistakenly attacks healthy skin cells, especially the mucous membranes. There are several types of pemphigus that cause painful blisters elsewhere on the body. Pemphigus vulgaris, the most common form, generally starts with mouth sores and progresses to eruptions elsewhere. It is not contagious and does not appear to be hereditary, although the disease is linked to genes that are more common in people of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern descent, and among Eastern European Jews.

The disease, most common in middle age and among the elderly, affects an estimated 3 in 100,000 people worldwide and is treated with a variety of medications that quell inflammation. Before the advent of corticosteroids, it was usually fatal.

"Everyone who has pemphigus carries a gene that increases the risk of disease, but only about 1 out of every 10,000 people who has the gene actually gets pemphigus," said Grant J. Anhalt, a professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins who specializes in treating blistering skin diseases. Scientists don't know why only a fraction of those who carry the gene are affected.

Starrels was able to undergo a biopsy the day after her appointment at Penn. The procedure was performed by a dermatopathologist - a doctor trained in both dermatology and pathology - who is a partner of Starrels' dermatologist. The biopsy yielded preliminary confirmation of pemphigus vulgaris, which was confirmed by pathologists at Johns Hopkins.

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A few weeks later, at the recommendation of her dermatologist, Starrels saw Anhalt.

"He basically said, 'There's no cure for this disease, but I have a very good treatment,'" Starrels remembers him telling her, to her great relief.

Starrels' case is typical, Anhalt said. It takes patients an average of six months to a year to receive a diagnosis, largely because the telltale symptom - mouth sores - has numerous causes and because pemphigus is rare. Her frequent nosebleeds, he said, were a harbinger of the disorder.

"Not thinking of pemphigus is the norm," he said. "The real bell goes off when people have oral ulcers that don't improve and then develop skin ulcers."

By the time they see him, patients are understandably anxious. "They go online and see the pictures or read the blogs and think, 'Oh my God, my life is over.' "

Anhalt, who has treated 300 patients between the ages of 4 and 89 for various forms of the disease (one form of which he helped discover in 1990) has increasingly relied on periodic infusions of rituximab, a drug approved to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain cancers. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration granted the drug, which is in a Phase III clinical trial, breakthrough therapy status, a designation that could speed its approval for pemphigus and facilitate insurance coverage. Other drugs, including prednisone and CellCept, an immunosuppressant drug often used to prevent organ rejection, are also prescribed, sometimes in combination.

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Rituximab, which has been successful in severe cases where other drugs did not work, is expensive, costing around $20,000 for a round of treatment. Because it has not been approved to treat pemphigus, "getting it paid for can be a problem," Anhalt said. Early treatment can result in faster and more durable remissions.

Starrels said that the diagnosis was a shock but that she was relieved to learn what was wrong and grateful to find a doctor who displayed both compassion and expertise.

"I had been in agony but was really trying to make the best of it," Starrels said.

She began taking prednisone and CellCept and then underwent the first of three rituximab infusions. Her insurance covered the first round without difficulty. Coverage of the last round was initially denied, but it was covered after Starrels appealed.

Over a period of months, her sores and blisters cleared up and her pain vanished. Her first remission lasted 18 months. The average remission lasts between 1.5 to 2.5 years, Anhalt said, but he knows of one patient whose remission has exceeded a decade.

Starrels said she has found great support online, through the International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation, a California-based group founded by a patient. The group has connected her with other patients and has been hugely helpful in managing the emotional and practical aspects of living with a difficult disease.






"Purple Robe and Anemones" is a 1937 painting by Henri Matisse. It's part of a new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, on loan from the Baltimore Museum of Art. (Baltimore Museum of Art/Museum of Fine)

BOSTON  The first major Henri Matisse exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in 50 years opened to the general public in April.

The show, entitled Matisse in the Studio, is the first major international exhibition to examine the roles that objects from the French artist's personal collection played in his art, demonstrating their influence on his creative choices. Matisse believed these objects served as inspiration and as a material extension of his working process.

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An 18th century pewter jug that belonged to Henri Matisse is part of the new Matisse in the Studio exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The jug is featured in the Matisse painting "Purple Robe and Anemones." (Francois Fernandez / Musee Matisse/Museum of Fine Arts,)

Matisse in the Studio encompasses a selection of his works, including 34 paintings, 26 drawings and 11 bronzes, from various stages of his career. The artwork is showcased alongside nearly 40 objects  a pewter jug, a chocolate maker and an Andalusian vase, to name a few  that Matisse kept in his studios.

Boston is the only U.S. venue for the show, which runs through July 9; www.mfa.org.
U.S. Rep. Danny Davis saysDemocrats cost Hillary Clinton the presidency by failing to spend an extra "$3 or $4 million" on getting out the black vote. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

It's a controversial theory among Democrats nationally, but that didn't stop U.S. Rep. Danny Davis on Tuesday from blaming his party for costing Hillary Clinton the presidency by failing to spend an extra "$3 or $4 million" on getting out the black vote.

"If we'd put a million dollars on the ground in Philadelphia, a million dollars on the ground in Milwaukee, a million dollars on the ground in Detroit, (then) in all likelihood we'd be talking about President Clinton and not President (Donald) Trump," Davis, 75, told the City Club of Chicago.

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Davis later told Chicago Inc. that while he didn't necessarily believe that Democrats took the black vote for granted, they failed to adopt the methods he believed would have worked best. He said he's been telling party operatives that "they made mistakes in terms of not putting enough money into what motivates African-American communities  somebody out knocking on their door, talking to them, telling them, 'You need to go vote.' "

The congressman spent much of his 30-minute speech discussing the progress the U.S. has made toward racial justice over the course of his life, and where it continues to fall short.

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In a gag against his pal, Cook County Clerk David Orr, who has been known to remind people that he spent a week in 1987 serving as the acting mayor of Chicago, Davis noted that the first black governor of Louisiana, Pinckney Pinchback, "didn't serve no longer than David Orr served as mayor."

Davis said the people he rode downtown with Tuesday were in the habit of counting "the number of black people that they see downtown, where there are a lot of jobs, and yet 50 percent of all the young African-American men in this city don't have a job, are not in school ... are not in training, are not doing anything they should be doing and selling drugs."

Still, Davis mocked Mayor Rahm Emanuel's recent proposal to require students to come up with an employment or higher education plan before they can graduate high school.

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"Of course, you know, you've also got to have a school," he said, in a pointed reference to Emanuel's 2013 decision to close nearly 50 schools in African-American neighborhoods. "If people are educated, they will know what they need," he added.

Davis thanked the many well-wishers he said had reached out to him in the wake of two recent bereavements. His 15-year-old grandson, Javon Wilson, was killed as he tried to break up a fight in November and Javon's father  Davis' son  Stacey Wilson, died last month.

Speaking at Javon's funeral last year, Davis said that he felt as much empathy for his grandson's killers as he did for his own family. On Tuesday, he revealed that that had given his son pause.

"Stacey and I were in the car, and he said, 'Dad can I ask you something, man to man, father to son?' " Davis said. His son went on to say, " 'Did you really mean that when you said that you felt bad for the kids that killed Javon?'

"I said, 'Yes, Stacey, I did, and I mean it because we can't just be concerned about ourselves. We have to be concerned about the world.' "

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kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
Less than 24 hours after he was booed by Cubs fans in Humboldt Park, Mayor Rahm Emanuel found himself in more welcoming surroundings Wednesday  back in Washington, D.C., telling the president what to do.

And Emanuel wasn't short on political advice for President Donald Trump , telling him to pitch his national infrastructure plan, which includes building and repairing roads, bridges, airports and public transportation, as a jobs program for minorities and to quell complaints from unions and environmentalists by putting the onus on them to come up with something better.

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"Not to get into politics here ..." the mayor told Trump's special assistant for infrastructure policy, DJ Gribbin, at a panel discussion hosted by The Wall Street Journal. "But I would tie it to opening apprenticeships and journeymen (positions) to minority communities, and then you will have something that Democrats will rally around."

Relying on his experience as President Barack Obama's chief of staff, Emanuel added that to sell the program, Trump should "start with very local projects, and I would segregate the money so that people know it's not just going into some balloon ... so that if people watch, they can see that dollar go to that job, go to that project."

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Such an approach would help keep intransigent Republican congressmen who might oppose a major spending bill in line by putting federal spending in their districts, the mayor suggested, because as "I always say about this town: Their opinions are firm, it's their principles they are flexible on."

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For his part, Gribbin said he was an infrastructure guy, not a politics guy  though he didn't address that directly to Emanuel.

Emanuel has said repeatedly that Trump's infrastructure plan is an area where he may be able to work with the president. Speaking Wednesday, he said he had "more latitude than some people" to do so but joked that he "must have a fever" for having a bipartisan chat with Republicans.

While Emanuel agreed that some environmental rules are simply "regulation for the sake of regulation," he advocated for an increase in gas taxes and cautioned that any attempt to change environmental protections as part of an infrastructure bill would not be well-received if it came from the GOP.

"I would go to the green-blue collar coalition and say, 'Why don't you give us recommendations?'" he said. "And put the onus on them, rather than on you guys, which, let's be honest, people are going to be pretty skeptical, pretty cynical that anyone in the Republican Party is going to do anything to keep environmental quality standards."

In case Gribbin or Trump thought the unsolicited advice was free, Emanuel warned, "You can pay for this advice with a couple of projects in Chicago."

kjanssen@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @kimjnews
For starters, a thank you to all the good employees of United Airlines.

Thank you to the many flight attendants who are friendly, the gate agents who are polite, the customer service reps who stay cool on the phone with cranky customers, to all of you who do a good job inside a troubled corporate culture. This isn't aimed at you.

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But, honest to God, United, what is your problem?

United's customer relations problem didn't start Sunday, though what happened that evening on a plane bound from Chicago to Louisville, Ky., has certainly made it worse.

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The story is familiar by now:

A United Express plane sits at O'Hare, packed and ready to fly. A customer, a 69-year-old doctor, is told to get off because the flight is overbooked. He refuses. A security officer wrestles him from his seat. He is dragged down the aisle on his back, his glasses slipping off his nose and his shirt riding up his belly, while horrified passengers cry, "Oh, my God!" and "C'mon!" and at least one word not fit for print.

The scene, which was, of course, caught on video, has inflamed outrage around the world, and inspired a campaign of mock United mottos, ones like "United Airlines. Putting the hospital in hospitality."

Any airline, even a beloved one, if there is such a thing, would need a first-rate PR team to help explain away such an incident, but the fury directed toward United goes beyond the manhandling of one passenger.

For years, in less physical ways, United has shown contempt for its customers and in the process has exhausted something every company needs  goodwill.

Goodwill is the currency that keeps a company's reputation afloat in the midst of crisis. When its goodwill bank is full  which happens when the company routinely treats its customers well  the customers are far more inclined to interpret a single bad incident as just that, an anomaly, not proof of a trend.

When goodwill is abundant, customers might squawk and tweet about an offensive incident but they won't be so quick to see it as a symptom of everything wrong with the enterprise.

The outrage stirred by the unfortunate case of the manhandled passenger shows how little public goodwill United can claim. In last year's J.D. Power survey of airline customer satisfaction, United once again rated last.

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That's sad news, especially in Chicago, where hating on United feels almost treasonous. United is Chicago's so-called hometown airline, and that was one of the reasons I was once a dedicated customer.

Flying United was buying local. As a citizen of the city, I felt it was the right thing to do, like shopping at the farmers markets or rooting for the Bulls.

But like most relationships that go bad, mine with United unraveled one offense at a time, and I've heard many similar laments. United turned into a hustler, forever trying to sell its customers things they hadn't come for, like expensive upgrades, while denying them what they wanted, like the ability to change a fare for less than a monthly car payment.

Meanwhile, the employees seemed stressed and their stress turned into impatience.

Several years ago, when I was flying back and forth to see a relative who was ill, I switched to an airline that lets customers change their flights for free. I quickly saw that the customers and the employees seemed happier. I never felt I was being tricked by extra fees. Their skies felt friendlier.

I have a hunch that if a passenger were dragged off one of this airline's flights, it wouldn't be as roundly vilified as United has been. Why? Because it has goodwill in its bank.

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Hating on an airline is like hating on politicians. It's awfully easy and not always fair. Sometimes flights are delayed or canceled. So it goes. Not every round-trip ticket can cost $250. Customers can be jerks.

But if United is going to recover from the incident of the manhandled passenger, it needs to address its wider problem: Too many customers feel disrespected.

Treat us better and we'll pay you in goodwill. You'll need it the next time crisis strikes.

mschmich@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @MarySchmich
Lindsay Souvannarath arrives at provincial court in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on March 6, 2015. She pleaded guilty in connection with a plotted Valentine's Day mass shooting. (Andrew Vaughan / AP)

TORONTO  A woman from west suburban Geneva has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in a plot that envisioned her and two online friends pulling out their guns at a Canadian mall and carrying out a murderous Valentine's Day rampage before killing themselves.

Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath was one of three people involved in the plan to shoot shoppers at the Halifax Shopping Centre in Nova Scotia.

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Chris Hansen, a spokeswoman for the public prosecution service, said the plea came during a routine court appearance Tuesday.

Souvannarath, 25, had plotted the attack with Randall Steven Shepherd, who entered a guilty plea in November to conspiracy to commit murder.

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An agreed statement of facts said Shepherd and Souvannarath, along with a 19-year-old man found dead in his home, had planned to attack the mall on Valentine's Day in 2015.

Souvannarath confessed to the plot, a senior police official told The Associated Press in 2015. The senior police official said that Souvannarath confessed after she was arrested at the Halifax airport and that she had prepared a number of pronouncements to be posted on Twitter after her death. Shepherd also was arrested at the airport as he waited for his friend's arrival.

Police acted quickly after receiving information from the Crime Stoppers tip line.

The senior police official also told the AP that the 19-year-old man fatally shot himself after police surrounded his home in the Halifax suburb of Timberlea. At the home of the 19-year-old suspect, police saw two people leave the house who they determined were the suspect's parents and pulled them over on a traffic check. They then called the suspect. The man told police that he didn't have any guns, but he shot himself as he was on his way out of the house, the official told the AP.

The suspects used a chat stream, were apparently obsessed with death and had many photos of mass killings, said the senior police official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

The official said police worked with Canadian border officials to find Souvannarath on her flight to Halifax from Chicago.

Nova Scotia RCMP Commanding Officer Brian Brennan said at the time the suspects planned to go to the Halifax Shopping Centre and kill as many people as they could on Saturday, Valentine's Day, before taking their own lives. He said at a news conference that police found three long-barrel rifles in the home of the 19-year-old.

After her arrest, the Geneva Police Department said it had been contacted by the Halifax Regional Police to assist with an ongoing investigation of a "potential significant weapons-related threat" involving Souvannarath.

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Geneva police Cmdr. Eric Passarelli said that the city's main role was to help Canadian authorities and that it had not had any previous contact with Souvannarath. "Simply said, they had a tip on their end that this (plot) was going to occur, and they made some arrests and were requesting our assistance with the investigation locally," Passarelli said.

Geneva police obtained a warrant to search Souvannarath's residence, Passarelli said. Police took multiple undisclosed items from the residence and worked with Canadian authorities to assess the importance of the items. Federal authorities also assisted with the investigation, he said.

Souvannarath graduated in 2014 from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with bachelor's degrees in English and creative writing, according to the school. She attended Geneva High School.

Passarelli said at the time of the arrest that Souvannarath's family had been cooperative.

A former neighbor who lived across from the family recalled them as "very nice people," but said, "Lindsay was a little strange. I think at one point she went kind of gothic on us for a while. She liked to dress in black, the whole gothic style."

Two art teachers at Geneva High School said at the time of the arrest that Souvannarath was a quiet but talented artist in their classrooms who did nothing to arouse suspicion of any violent behavior.

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"She was a very good artist, and her involvement in this is a complete shock to me," said Al Ochsner at the time. "Honestly, she was just like a normal art student."

Art teacher Danica Fahmy said Souvannarath was in her two-dimensional art class her senior year. She said she could not recall a time when the teen ever spoke a word.

"I would see her walking by herself through the hallway," Fahmy said. "I can't even remember connecting with her or talking with her. She'd just nod or smile. I can't even remember her voice." Ochsner said there was nothing to indicate that the young artist he taught would ever hatch the kind of violent plan that Canadian authorities describe.

"She was a very good artist, but she didn't do anything that would cause me to want to report her," Ochsner said. "I have had other students create disturbing subject matter, and I immediately let counseling know. Definitely not in this case."

Fahmy said there were no clues in Souvannarath's work at school that would have suggested she would someday find herself accused of plotting to shoot people.

"I just knew that she was a quiet kid," Fahmy said. "But there are so many quiet kids in school."

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Tribune reporters Marwa Eltagouri, Gregory Pratt and Matthew Walberg contributed.
A decorated Army veteran with a green card who has been ordered back to his native Mexico will plead with the Illinois Prisoner Review Board on Thursday to ask Gov. Bruce Rauner to pardon his felony drug conviction.

The petition for clemency, a legal request filed with the state for leniency or forgiveness of a past crime, is one of three efforts to keep Miguel Perez Jr. in the U.S. and void his deportation. Advocates say if the crime is erased from this record, there would be no need to deport him.

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Last month, Perez, who served two tours in Afghanistan, appealed a judge's decision to deny him relief under the United Nations Convention Against Torture, a protection that resembles asylum. Perez, 38, believes his life would be in danger if he were sent back to Mexico, where he hasn't lived since he was 8.

Perez's lawyer also has petitioned U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to grant citizenship to Perez retroactively to when he joined the military in 2001.

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Perez is one of many legal permanent residents who have served in the U.S. military, then confronted the possibility of deportation to their native countries after committing a crime. In an interview from a Wisconsin detention center last month, he said he hopes his quest for clemency will enable him to stay with his family.

"I've got more faith in that one than all this because it's the governor of Illinois," he said.

On Thursday, panels of review board members will hear cases, then meet in closed-door sessions to decide what they will recommend to the governor. The board's guidance remains confidential unless the governor chooses to disclose it.

Last year, Rauner cleared a backlog of clemency petitions that dogged at least two previous governors but granted only 3 percent of the requests. Of 2,333 petitions, Rauner issued 79 pardons. He also commuted the sentence of a drug offender.

That rate is far lower than that of Rauner's predecessor, Gov. Pat Quinn, who approved roughly 36 percent of petitions as he tried to clear the backlog he inherited from his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich. Rauner has said he wants to make decisions on future clemency requests within six months.

According to the governor's office, Rauner considers how long it has been since petitioners completed their sentences, why they need clemency and whether it's affecting their ability to get professional businesses licenses or a job. He also takes into account the applicant's military and community service records, the nature of the crime and their acceptance of responsibility.

Perez said he does accept responsibility for commiting the crime.

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After returning to Chicago after his military service, he sought treatment at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Maywood, where doctors diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder. He was supposed to return for more tests to determine whether he also had a traumatic brain injury. But the hours of waiting and slow progress were dispiriting.

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In the meantime, he reconnected with a childhood friend who provided free drugs and alcohol. On the night of Nov. 26, 2008, while with that friend, Perez handed a laptop case containing cocaine to an undercover officer. Perez pleaded guilty to delivering less than 100 grams of cocaine and served half of a 15-year prison sentence.

"We need to make sure Gov. Rauner sees the suffering," said Julie Contreras, president of a local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens, who has been advocating for Perez and other immigrants in jeopardy of deportation. "He has remorse and he learned from the incident."

As is the case with many other green card veterans, Perez, a father of two U.S. citizen children, mistakenly thought he became a U.S. citizen when he took an oath to protect the nation. Military superiors never offered to help him expedite his citizenship, he told the court last month.

He discovered the oversight when he was summoned to immigration court shortly before his release from Hill Correctional Center in downstate Galesburg last year. Instead of heading home to Chicago from prison, Perez was placed in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and transferred to the Wisconsin detention center for immigrants awaiting deportation.

mbrachear@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @TribSeeker
Two men who spent close to 15 years in prison for their alleged roles as lookouts in a double murder on Chicago's North Side had their convictions thrown out on Tuesday, bringing to a close a controversial case that hinged on a series of confessions that turned out to be false.



Lewis Gardner and Paul Phillips were the last of four men to have their murder convictions thrown out in connection with the November 1992 murders of two people in an apartment near Clarendon Park. Though they had served their time, they continued to fight to prove their innocence, an effort that gained steam after Cook County prosecutors dropped the case against one of their co-defendants last summer.



That man, Daniel Taylor, had been in a police lock-up when the crime occurred, but nevertheless confessed to the murders and was convicted at trial. Taylor's release last June paved the way for the release in January of another co-defendant, Deon Patrick, and ultimately for prosecutors to go to court on Tuesday and, during a brief hearing, ask a judge to vacate Gardner and Phillips' convictions as well.



"I can't cry because I'm at work," Gardner, now 36, said from a Pizza Hut restaurant in Lake County where he works as a cook. "But the next step is to enjoy my life. I've been waiting for this day for a long time. It's like a big burden has finally been lifted off my shoulders."



Phillips, 38, was at home when prosecutors asked Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jorge Alonso to vacate the murder convictions.



He said he was in tears when his attorney, Flint Taylor  no relation to Daniel Taylor  told him about the news. He said he has struggled to find a job with a criminal record.



"I've got tears in my eyes. It's been a long, long wait. A long time," said Phillips. "I won't have to put 'felony' on my job applications anymore."



The Tribune investigated the case in 2001 as part of its series "Cops and Confessions" and found additional evidence that Taylor was in the lock-up when the murders occurred. Since then, the newspaper has continued to investigate the case and has shown how what at first appeared to be the case's strength  eight confessions in which each suspect implicated each of the others  in fact undermined it.



In all, Chicago police charged eight young men with the shooting deaths of Jeffrey Lassiter and Sharon Haugabook. They alleged that four of the men, including Taylor and Patrick, went inside the apartment and committed the crime, while the four others, including Gardner and Phillips, were lookouts.



Gardner was 15 when he was arrested; Phillips was 17.



Two of the men had their cases thrown out before trial, and one went to trial and was acquitted. Gardner and Phillips received 30-year sentences and served half that. Taylor and Patrick were sentenced to life in prison and had served two decades before their releases. The eighth, Dennis Mixon, has acknowledged being involved and has said repeatedly that the seven others were innocent. Mixon remains imprisoned with a life sentence.



The case suggests police and prosecutors obtained seven false confessions  apparently the most ever in the U.S. in a single case.



At the center of the case was Taylor. Records showed he had been arrested for causing a disturbance about two hours before the crime and taken to the old Town Hall police station at Halsted and Addison streets and released more than an hour after the crime was committed.



Yet in spite of the evidence that he was locked up  evidence police and prosecutors had before his jury trial  he was convicted.



Two elected Cook County prosecutors, Dick Devine and his successor, Anita Alvarez, had defended the convictions.

Devine ordered a reexamination of the case following the Tribune's investigation. But documents from that inquiry showed prosecutors focused on witnesses who might provide evidence to support the convictions and did little to investigate whether Taylor and his co-defendants were wrongly convicted.



Later, the Illinois attorney general's office, which got involved when Taylor's appeal was in federal court, discovered documents it said prosecutors had failed to make available to Taylor's attorneys. Those documents included information that supported Taylor's claims that he was in custody when the murders occurred.



Ultimately, Alvarez's Conviction Integrity Unit, which she set up to investigate innocence claims, agreed to throw out the convictions.



"Although these men have already been released from prison, the State's Attorney's Office kept its word to review these cases and our Conviction Integrity Unit conducted a re-investigation that involved re-interviews of all witnesses and defendants, a review of all court documents, court proceedings and police reports," said Sally Daly, a spokeswoman for Alvarez. "Based upon the collective results of our investigation and in accordance with State's Attorney Alvarez's commitment to conviction integrity, it was our assessment to vacate these convictions."



The unit has vacated convictions of 9 people, including Gardner and Phillips, since Alvarez created it in February 2012, said Daly.



Taylor, who also represents Gardner, praised the work of the unit and the decision to throw out the conviction. He said he made Gardner and Phillips available to Asst. State's Atty. James Papa, who handled the case, and said prosecutors had interviewed them in the reinvestigation.



Taylor said that the cases were emblematic of many wrongful convictions that stem from false confessions. The defendants were young and, while some had previous contact with the police, they were susceptible to the pressure police can leverage against vulnerable suspects.



"They were very young when this happened and served 15 years for a crime they didn't commit," he said. "They can't get that time back."



Taylor said Gardner and Phillips will go to court to seek a certificate of innocence, which they need to obtain compensation from the state. Taylor and Patrick both have filed civil rights lawsuits against police.




A Texas-based pharmaceutical association filed a federal lawsuit Friday alleging a Chicago State University dean improperly withdrew about $650,000 from its accounts for her personal use.

The Student National Pharmaceutical Association contends Carmita Coleman, Chicago State's interim dean of the College of Pharmacy, siphoned hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization's bank accounts for clothes, food and trips during five of the years she was executive director.

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The association aims to help students of color, in part by advocating for more minority representation in pharmacy and other health fields. It is a subset of the National Pharmaceutical Association, whose members are professional pharmacists.

The lawsuit accuses Coleman of "exploiting her position" and breaching her fiduciary duty.

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"Coleman's actions were willful, malicious and undertaken with a reckless disregard to the rights of (the association) and its members," the lawsuit states.

Coleman said Wednesday she had not seen the lawsuit but called it "disheartening."

"I really enjoyed my time working on behalf of the profession," she said. "I have always tried to serve my profession as best as I can."

According to the lawsuit, the alleged theft was discovered in late 2016 as the organization and Coleman were embroiled in a separate legal battle over the association's leadership.

Coleman was appointed executive director of the student association in 2006 and re-appointed four times, most recently in 2014.

National association leaders moved in late 2015 to appoint a new leader of the student group. Coleman, in response, tried to rewrite the bylaws to sever the two groups and allow the student organization to appoint its own director.

The national association in early 2016 went ahead with the appointment of a new director, Kimberly Lewis, a North Carolina-based pharmacist and professor. Coleman, however, refused to resign her position or turn over control of the association's bank accounts, financial documents and other proprietary information, according to the federal lawsuit.

The national association sued Coleman in Cook County Circuit Court last May to try to oust her, records show. By October, according to the federal lawsuit, Coleman had agreed to step aside and transfer the bank accounts to Lewis in exchange for dismissing the state court litigation.

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When Lewis came to Chicago to transfer two bank accounts to her name, the agent told her three other accounts for the student association recently had been closed, according to the lawsuit.

Lewis asked to see statements for the other accounts and found pending charges for a Carnival cruise and a flight on Southwest Airlines.

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Over the next several weeks, Lewis and other association leaders assumed control of all the accounts and began looking into the finances, according to the lawsuit.

They found Coleman had withdrawn more than $541,032 from the bank accounts "without a legitimate basis" and used an association debit card to make $110,240 in "unauthorized purchases" between 2011 and 2016, according to the lawsuit. She used ATMs near her home in southwest suburban Frankfort to regularly take out money just under the $700 limit, the lawsuit states.

None of the spending was authorized nor related to association business, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit does not allege wrongdoing related to Coleman's job at Chicago State.

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Coleman was hired at Chicago State in 2012 as an associate dean of student affairs and an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy. She was appointed interim dean of the pharmacy college last year.

drhodes@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @rhodes_dawn
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jesse Sharkey speaks during a press conference outside the Chicago Board of Education headquarters on March 22, 2017. He said last month that "people can't afford to retire" in referring to a Chicago Public Schools program intended to incentivize retirement on the part of teachers and other staffers. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

An effort by Chicago Public Schools to save millions in future expenses by offering teachers and other staff members a financial incentive to retire has fallen short because not enough employees volunteered to leave by this summer.

Veteran teachers and paraprofessionals had until March 31 to tell the district they intended to retire or resign at the end of the school year in June. An incentive written into the Chicago Teachers Union's latest contract would've given those workers hefty cash bonuses if enough of them accepted the deal.

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CPS has told teachers that an insufficient number of staff signed up for the program, and have asked the teachers that did say they intend to retire to decide if that is still the case by April 28.

The lack of participation won't affect this year's budget, CPS said. The district would've instead faced upfront costs estimated at about $63 million next year.

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The program would have also allowed CPS to replace higher-salary employees with younger and less expensive workers. The district said it could have made up for the $63 million payout in subsequent years once the staffing changes were implemented.

But it's been clear for several weeks the district and union would fall well short of the necessary threshold.

"I think on some level it means economics right now are hard," CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said last month, when the number of teachers who had signed up for the program was below expectations. "I think what it means is that people can't afford to retire. That's a decision people go into based on looking at their own individual economics, and if the economic picture isn't workable, then you have to stay in the classroom."

Retirement-eligible teachers would have received a one-time bonus by December that paid $1,500 for each year of service. Paraprofessionals would have been paid $750 for each year of work. Those contract provisions would not kick in, however, unless a minimum of 1,500 teachers and 600 paraprofessionals participated.

In a staff email this week, CPS said about 840 teachers had submitted retirement notices. A district spokeswoman said roughly 300 paraprofessionals had planned to resign.

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It's not clear how many of those staff members will still elect to leave. The CTU contract allowed eligible teachers and paraprofessionals the opportunity to rescind their resignations or retirements if not enough workers took part in the incentive program.

The lack of resignations and retirements could add a new wrinkle to the district's balance sheet next year.

CTU members who were already part of the system when the union and district settled a contract and averted a strike in October will continue to have 7 percentage points of their required pension contributions paid for by the district.

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Teachers hired Jan. 1 and after don't receive the lucrative perk, but will get pay boosts that even out the loss of the pension pickup. Union members will also see pay hikes of 2 percent and 2.5 percent in the contract's final two years.

Meanwhile, most tenured teachers who are laid off at the end of a school year would be eligible to fill temporarily vacant positions in 10-month stints. If no such vacancies exist, the teacher would be able to substitute teach for 10 months while earning full pay and benefits.

jjperez@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @PerezJr
Roberto Almodovar, left, and William Negron were convicted in 1995 of a double murder that they say they did not commit. (Illinois Department of Corrections )

The Cook County state's attorney's office said Wednesday it could no longer support a case against two men imprisoned for more than two decades on a double murder they say they did not commit.

Prosecutors as recently as Monday had argued in court that Roberto Almodovar and William Negron should not receive a new trial, after attorneys for the two men called into question key testimony in their 1995 convictions.

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In a statement Wednesday, State's Attorney Kim Foxx's office reversed that position, announcing it would stop opposing the men's bid for a retrial. However, the office said that justice would not be served in pursuing their cases and that the evidence "is insufficient to support a retrial."

"I'm extremely pleased the Cook County state's attorney's office did the right thing, and I'm hopeful they will do so in the future with these cases," said Jennifer Bonjean, Almodovar's attorney. "We're celebrating."

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Almodovar and Negron were convicted in 1995 of a double homicide the year before. The prosecution hinged on witness testimony that was obtained in large part by now-retired Detective Reynaldo Guevara, who has since been accused of abusing and improperly influencing witnesses.

No weapon was recovered after the shooting and no physical evidence links Almodovar to the scene, according to an investigation into the case that was ordered by the city of Chicago. That investigation concluded that "it is more likely than not that (Almodovar) is in fact innocent of the murders for which he was convicted."

A state appellate court found in 2013 that the case deserved closer scrutiny, calling prosecutors' evidence "arguably quite tenuous." That decision brought the case back to the criminal court, where attorneys for the two men had been arguing for a new trial.

After the state's attorney's announcement Wednesday, that battle is over. The case is expected to receive a final formal hearing Friday morning. Almodovar could be released from prison as soon as that day.

Negron will remain imprisoned on a different murder conviction dating to the 1990s. He is eligible for resentencing in that case, since he was a juvenile at the time, said his attorney, Russell Ainsworth.

"We appreciate Ms. Foxx doing the right thing in this case. We just wish that decision had been reached years ago," Ainsworth said. "We hope that every victim of Detective Guevara will get a fresh look, will get a hearing, to determine whether they, too, were wrongfully convicted."

Foxx had said before being elected that her office would review cases connected with Guevara. Her predecessor, Anita Alvarez, dropped charges last year against two men whose convictions were linked to Guevara.

One witness in the case against Almodovar and Negron recanted his testimony, saying he never saw the gunmen but believed Guevara and another witness when they said Almodovar and Negron were guilty. Another witness has stood by her testimony.

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After the 1994 double murder, Guevara obtained photos of recent arrestees and picked out Almodovar's, saying initially that it matched a description given by one witness to the shooting, then attributing it to another witness who denied giving Guevara that description, Ainsworth said.

"Detective Guevara solved the case by just guessing," Ainsworth said Monday. "If we asked Detective Guevara today, he'd say, 'I refuse to answer.' "

Guevara has repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when questioned about the accusations against him.

Prosecutors had argued Monday that no allegations against Guevara had ever been proved, and said the witness who recanted his testimony was under intense pressure from gang leaders.

Mary Rodriguez, Almodovar's aunt, said family members were elated when they heard the news.

"It was an awesome feeling," she said. "I didn't know what to do with myself. I was just pacing back and forth, back and forth."

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The full weight of the good news didn't hit her, she said, until she realized: Her nephew needs new clothes.

"He has nothing," she said. "I don't even remember his size."

The family expects to celebrate with a small gathering Friday and hopes it won't take too long to process him out of the correctional system.

Still, Rodriguez said, they can be patient.

"We waited 23 years," she said. "What's two or three more hours?"

mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com

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Kevin Graham has won election for a three-year term as the president of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, according to results posted to the unions website. (Dan Hinkel / Chicago Tribune)

A challenger unseated the incumbent president of Chicago's largest police union Wednesday, ushering in leadership that staunchly opposes federal oversight and stricter discipline for a police force plagued by allegations of misconduct and excessive force.

Kevin Graham beat Dean Angelo Sr. in a runoff election for a three-year term at the helm of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police, according to results posted to the union's website.

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The FOP  which represents the wide majority of the department's approximately 12,000 officers  is heading into a contract negotiation later this year.

Graham, a 21-year department veteran officer who ran on a slate of candidates for union posts called "The Blue Voice," took about 56 percent to Angelo's 44 percent.

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In a written statement after his victory, Graham said, "The members of FOP, both retired and active, have spoken loud and clear. FOP members want a lodge that will fight for them."

"We look forward to immediately preparing for the upcoming contract negotiations, fighting the anti-police movement in the city, and obtaining fair due process and discipline for our members," he said.

Angelo could not be reached for comment.

Graham takes the helm of the force's most influential police union at a moment of uncertainty and consequence.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced and enacted a series of changes to a police department plagued by misconduct allegations, but FOP contracts have historically helped shield rank-and-file cops from disciplinary investigations, protections reform advocates would like to see scaled back.

Calls to change the contract started early in the controversy ignited in late 2015 by the release of video of a white officer shooting African-American teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times.

A Tribune investigation last year detailed contractual provisions that have protected cops from disciplinary investigations, including one that allows officers to avoid making statements about shootings for at least 24 hours and another that requires internal investigators to notify officers of complainants' names before the officers are questioned. Mayors going back decades have allowed those provisions into the contract while trying to avoid giving hefty pay raises.

The video of McDonald's shooting spurred a U.S. Department of Justice investigation. The DOJ issued a report on that investigation early this year criticizing the collective bargaining agreements, part of its sweeping condemnation of the police force as a broken institution plagued by excessive force, lax oversight and rare discipline.

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Many had expected Chicago to enter a court-enforced consent decree mandating changes in the force, but President Donald Trump's election upended the politics of police reform locally and nationally. He appointed Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has signaled his opposition to court-enforced changes in local departments.

The easing of federal pressure would likely leave Emanuel in control of reform. While Emanuel has said he remains committed to improving the department  and has enacted changes to the disciplinary system, among other areas  advocates for further change have voiced concern that his administration will soft-pedal reform.

Both police reform and Trump have loomed over the FOP election, along with surging gun violence on the West and South sides that reached two-decade highs last year and has remained elevated this year. Many blame the surging violence in part on police officers scaling back their work because of low morale and fear of the consequences of a violent confrontation.

Graham, a patrol officer assigned to the Town Hall police district on the North Side, sought to position himself as an opponent of outside intervention in the department and criticized Angelo for failing to more aggressively resist the Justice investigation.

Graham has slammed the media for allegedly lying about police misconduct claims and applauded Sessions' move to review the federal government's reform agreements with local police agencies. He also said he disagreed with Emanuel and Supt. Eddie Johnson's pledges to continue pursuing reform.

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"The DOJ investigation was politically motivated and was part of a larger movement to put the handcuffs on the police in the Obama administration," Graham said in a press release last week. "Sessions recognizes that the police are generally doing a good job and must be allowed to continue to do so. We think this decision is a step in the right direction to restoring law and order and diminishing violent crime in the city."

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Graham went on in the press release to say, "Chicago police are being hammered with new disciplinary measures constantly. Members are not receiving due process rights, and the media is not telling the truth about many cases in which the police are accused."

During his campaign Graham vowed to fight aggressively to improve member health benefits. He also said he would have a "full-time media specialist" to prevent officers from being "victimized by a biased anti-police media."

As he campaigned for president, Graham sent press releases through Officer Martin Preib, who also ran on the Blue Voice slate and won second vice president in an election that yielded no clear winner for president and led to Wednesday's runoff. Preib, an author and blogger, is a frequent critic of the Chicago media and local attorneys who sue the police, and he often voices skepticism that men exonerated and released from prison are actually innocent.

For his part, Angelo also complained that Chicago police face excessive scrutiny and spoke negatively about outside monitoring of the department's practices. Angelo met with Trump at the end of March with other union officials to discuss policing issues and violence.

dhinkel@chicagotribune

Twitter @dhinkel
Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles was killed and a female companion was wounded after the two were shot April 10, 2017, outside his residence on Chicago's South Side. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago police say the attempted armed robbery of a slain Cook County judge and his injured girlfriend early Monday was not a random act while announcing murder and other charges against the first of several suspects.

Police also revealed that shell casings found outside the judge's Far South Side home matched ballistics evidence from an attempted armed robbery in the early morning hours three months ago. The victim was shot and wounded.

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At a news conference Wednesday evening at police headquarters, Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples answered few questions, emphasizing that the investigation remained "open and ongoing" and that more details would come out in court Thursday. But she did call the attack on Associate Judge Raymond Myles and his girlfriend "a targeted robbery." However, Staples wouldn't say whether it was the judge or his girlfriend who was the target of the robbery.

According to the Cook County state's attorney's office, Joshua T. Smith, 37, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery with a firearm and armed robbery.

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Tandra Simonton, spokeswoman for State's Attorney Kim Foxx, said Smith is expected to appear in bond court at the Leighton Criminal Court Building on Thursday.

Police would not identify Smith's role in the attempted armed robbery, but multiple law enforcement sources told the Chicago Tribune that he acted as the alleged getaway driver.

According to court records, Smith was charged in Cook County Circuit Court in 2002 with armed robbery, aggravated vehicular hijacking and aggravated unlawful restraint. He pleaded guilty the following year to armed robbery and was sentenced to six years in prison, the records show.

Police are still seeking the gunman and a third participant, according to sources.

At the news conference, Staples said video surveillance in the area of the judge's home in the West Chesterfield neighborhood played a crucial role in identifying the getaway car used in the attempted holdup and its license plate. The cameras did not capture the shooting itself, however, she said.

There had been a push recently to get cameras installed throughout the neighborhood  an effort that the judge had joined in.

"I can tell you that the placement and the concentration of cameras in and outside of the judge's neighborhood was instrumental for detectives to get a jump-start on this case," Staples said.

Tactical officers found the suspected getaway car  a red 2005 Pontiac Sunfire  in the Calumet Police District on the city's Far South Side on Tuesday night, even though its license plate had been switched since the shooting in an attempt to "hinder our investigative efforts," Staples said. The officers noticed the car had different plates on the front and rear, she said.

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Records show that Smith shares an address with the woman who owns the Pontiac. But detectives do not believe she was involved in the attempted holdup, Staples said.

Staples told reporters that the shell casings found outside the judge's home matched those retrieved at the scene of an attempted armed robbery and shooting in the Englewood neighborhood in January, but she said the two shootings don't appear to be otherwise linked. Police said guns used in Chicago shootings often change hands and that the victim of the January holdup attempt was not cooperating with investigators. The victim, identified by police sources as an alleged gang member with a long arrest record, was shot in the leg.

The brazen attack on Myles, believed to be the first fatal shooting of a Chicago-area judge in more than three decades, touched off a massive investigation.

An early riser, Myles was up before dawn Monday, getting ready to go to the gym with his girlfriend before reporting to his courtroom. But as the 52-year-old woman left the two-story brick residence shortly before 5 a.m., she was confronted near the garage by a gunman who shot her in the leg, according to police. Hearing the commotion, Myles, 66, ran outside and exchanged words with the assailant before he was shot and killed.

A woman surveys the scene after Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles, 66, was killed in a shooting in the 9400 block of South Forest Avenue on April 10, 2017, in Chicago. A 52-year-old woman also was shot. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

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A neighbor and friend of the judge told the Tribune he was awakened by the shouts of the woman and the crack of about six gunshots. "She was screaming, 'Don't kill him, don't kill him!' " the neighbor said.

An autopsy found Myles had been shot multiple times, the Cook County medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

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The FBI has offered $25,000 for information leading to the apprehension of the killer.

Sheriff Tom Dart's office investigates about 10 death threats against Cook County judges a year but had no record of any threats against Myles in recent years.

News of Myles' death stunned colleagues at the county's main criminal courthouse at 26th Street and California Avenue, where Myles had worked for years. Longtime courthouse employees described Myles as hardworking and friendly. He was assigned to the "youthful offenders" call, where he heard narcotics cases involving defendants about age 27 and younger.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JeremyGorner
Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles was killed and a female companion was wounded after the two were shot April 10, 2017, outside his residence on Chicago's South Side. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune)

Chicago police were questioning a person of interest Tuesday evening in the fatal shooting of a longtime Cook County judge and the wounding of his girlfriend outside his Far South Side home, according to law enforcement sources.

Judge Raymond Myles, 66, was slain shortly before 5 a.m. Monday when he came to the aid of his girlfriend outside his home in the West Chesterfield neighborhood after she was shot in the leg by an assailant.

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The brazen attack, believed to be the first fatal shooting of a Chicago-area judge in more than three decades, touched off a massive investigation.

At a news conference Monday, police said robbery appeared to be the motive, although the assailant didn't get away with any possessions from either victim. The girlfriend is expected to survive.

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A police spokesman said investigators continue to work around the clock and had made considerable progress in the day and a half since the slaying.

"Teams have collected and prioritized the processing of physical evidence and have reviewed surveillance video from the neighborhood," spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in an emailed statement. "We are currently working in collaboration with the Cook Country state's attorney's office to begin to identify potential persons of interest to question."

The sources said police were in fact questioning a person of interest Tuesday evening.

The FBI has offered $25,000 for information leading to the apprehension of the killer.

An autopsy found Myles had been shot multiple times, the Cook County medical examiner's office said Tuesday.

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 6 A woman surveys the scene after Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles, 66, was killed in a shooting in the 9400 block of South Forest Avenue on April 10, 2017, in Chicago. A 52-year-old woman also was shot. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

An early riser, Myles was up before dawn, getting ready to hit the gym with his girlfriend before reporting to his courtroom at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

But as the 52-year-old woman left the two-story brick residence, she was confronted near the garage by a gunman who shot her in the leg, according to Chicago police. Hearing the commotion, Myles ran outside and exchanged words with the assailant before he was shot and killed.

A neighbor and friend of the judge told the Tribune he was awakened by the shouts of the woman and the crack of about six gunshots.

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"She was screaming, 'Don't kill him, don't kill him!' " the neighbor said.

At a news conference Monday at police headquarters, Chief of Detectives Melissa Staples said police were pursuing "multiple and promising leads" and reviewing video footage from public and private surveillance cameras in the neighborhood.

There had a been push recently to get cameras installed throughout the neighborhood.

Sheriff Tom Dart's office investigates about 10 death threats a year against Cook County judges but had no record of any threats against Myles in recent years.

Cook County Associate Judge Raymond Myles (Circuit Court of Cook County)

News of Myles' death stunned colleagues at the county's main criminal courthouse at 26th Street and California Avenue, where Myles had worked for years. Longtime courthouse employees described Myles as hardworking and friendly.

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LeRoy K. Martin Jr., presiding judge of the Criminal Division, said Myles was enthusiastic about his most recent assignment to the "youthful offenders" call, where he heard narcotics cases involving defendants about age 27 and younger. Martin had recently discussed expanding Myles' assignment to include young defendants charged with crimes other than drug offenses, he said.

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"He was very patient with people and gave out a lot of tough love," Martin said.

While there was no indication Myles had ever been targeted because of his judicial duties, records show he'd fallen victim to the city's violence two years ago when a motorist attacked him after a minor traffic collision on the South Side. The two drivers got out of their cars, but when the judge pulled out a cellphone and began taking photos of the damage, the other driver punched him in the face, causing serious injuries, according to court records.

Ten months went by before authorities arrested a 22-year-old man and charged him with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to someone over the age of 60, according to court records. The suspect is free on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial.

Staples, the chief of detectives, said police were aware of the road rage case but had not determined there was any connection to the judge's slaying.

jgorner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @JeremyGorner
A 44-year-old man who was shot dead early Sunday in the Ravenswood neighborhood was identified as Adam Salas, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Salas, of the 2100 block of West Huron Street in West Town, was driving down an alley in the 4800 block of North Rockwell Street about 5:55 a.m. Sunday when the shooter walked from around the corner and began shooting at him, according to officials.

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Salas was shot in the chest. He was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead less than an hour later at 6:39 a.m., according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

An autopsy determined that Salas died from multiple gunshot wounds, and his death was ruled a homicide.

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Police had identified Salas as a 42-year-old man, but the medical examiner's office and court records listed him as being 44 years old.

No one was reported in custody earlier this week.
A woman was seriously injured when the stairs she was using to reach a second-floor porch gave way in the Austin neighborhood Tuesday night.

The collapse happened in the 5500 block of West Quincy Street about 6:15 p.m.

She was about 15 feet off the ground when the stairs failed and she fell to a concrete pad below, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

The woman, whose age wasn't available, was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.
Deon Patrick, right, is congratulated by co-defendant Daniel Taylor as he is released from Menard Correctional Center on Jan. 10, 2014. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

A federal jury Wednesday awarded almost $13.4 million to a Chicago man who alleged police and prosecutors coerced him into confessing to a 1992 double murder that landed him in prison for more than two decades and became a defining case in the city's long history of wrongful convictions.

Deon Patrick, 45, sued the city of Chicago, seven police officers and two assistant state's attorneys involved in his prosecution

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After a nearly six-week trial, the jury deliberated for two days before finding that Patrick's civil rights had been violated, awarding him $13.3 million in compensatory damages and $90,000 in punitive damages that must be paid by six of the police officers. One officer and both prosecutors were cleared of wrongdoing by the jury.

Two of the six officers  Lt. Michael Berti and Sgt. Sean Glinski  are still with the department, records show. If the verdict stands, the city likely would have to pay the $20,000 in that is their share of the punitive damages on their behalf.

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As the verdict was announced, Patrick, dressed in a lime green sweater vest and white dress shirt, started shaking and tears streamed down his cheeks.

Afterward, Patrick told reporters outside U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman's courtroom that he never had a doubt the jury would find in his favor because he's been "standing on the truth." Still, he said it was hard to listen to the officers involved in his case "lie all over again."

"I think for some odd reason they tricked me into believing it was all over in 2014 when they exonerated me and vacated my conviction," Patrick said. "For them to come in and do what they just did now, it's like they made me relive it all over again."

A spokesman for the city's Law Department said in an emailed statement they were "disappointed in the jury's verdict" and considering legal options.

Patrick was one of eight co-defendants convicted in the November 1992 slayings of Sharon Haugabook and Jeffrey Lassiter in an apartment near Clarendon Park.

The case hinged upon the confession of Daniel Taylor, who initially told police he was one of the shooters even though records showed he was in a North Side police lockup when the killings occurred.

After Taylor gave his statement, Patrick and the other six co-defendants all gave confessions of their own that implicated each other  seemingly giving strength to the centerpiece of the prosecution.

A Tribune investigation in 2001, however, uncovered evidence that supported Taylor's innocence claim and raised questions about how police put together their case.

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Taylor told police almost immediately after his statement was taken that he believed he'd been in the lockup at the old Town Hall police station at Addison and Halsted streets at the time of the slayings. Police records, in fact, showed he had been arrested about two hours before the two were killed and released on bail more than an hour after the killings.

In a pending federal lawsuit, Taylor alleged detectives obtained his confession by beating him and promising to release him. Once they learned he had been in custody, they set about manufacturing evidence to undermine Taylor's claim that he was locked up, according to the lawsuit.

As part of the alleged cover-up, officers filed a report saying they saw Taylor on the street around the time of the slayings. They also failed to tell his attorney that they had corroborated his alibi when they interviewed another man in the lockup who remembered Taylor being there, the lawsuit alleged.

In an interview with the Tribune in 2013, Patrick said that during the initial police investigation he was repeatedly pressed to admit his role in the slayings but refused. After some of the teens who would become his co-defendants were brought into his interrogation room and he was told they had implicated him, he said he began to lose hope that his claims of innocence would be believed. After about 30 hours in custody, he signed a confession that he said a prosecutor wrote out for him admitting he had shot Lassiter.

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Two decades later, the lockup records undermined the convictions. Taylor was freed in 2013 after Cook County prosecutors moved to drop the charges. Patrick's release followed, and both later obtained certificates of innocence in Cook County Circuit Court.

The Tribune investigated Taylor's case in 2001 as part of its series "Cops and Confessions," and uncovered evidence that one of the men arrested, Dennis Mixon, said he committed the crime with other people. Mixon, who is serving a sentence of life without parole, has continued to insist that Taylor, Patrick and the five others arrested in the case were not involved in the murders.

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In his comments after the verdict Wednesday, Patrick, who had been sentenced to life without parole, said that if it weren't for the jail record showing Taylor was locked up he would've "died in the penitentiary" for something he didn't do.

Patrick acknowledged he was a gang member as a kid who "made a lot of mistakes," from selling drugs to brawling with rivals. But for police and prosecutors to use his rap sheet to try to imply that he was guilty of murder was unconscionable, he said.

"I think they still feel like it's OK," he said. "In their mind, they didn't do anything wrong."

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @jmetr22b
A revised proposal to place further restrictions on street musicians who ply their trade in downtown Chicago would violate constitutional free-speech protections, the American Civil Liberties Union says.

The group sent a letter to city officials late Tuesday that also contended the long-standing requirement that all street performers obtain city permits is unconstitutional. So too is the outright ban on all street performers in Millennium Park, states the letter written by Rebecca Glenberg, senior staff counsel for The Roger Baldwin Foundation of ACLU of Illinois.

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"Instead of enacting new restrictions on street performers, the city should address the current unconstitutional restrictions," Glenberg wrote.

Two downtown aldermen  Brendan Reilly, 42nd, and Brian Hopkins, 2nd  last month proposed new restrictions on street musicians and drummers on some downtown streets. Under the proposal, they would be allowed to perform only from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays and from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturdays in an area bounded by the Michigan Avenue, Dearborn Street, Oak Street and Van Buren Street.

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That proposal, which Reilly said was worked out with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration, followed an earlier, more restrictive version that stalled amid opposition from street musicians and the ACLU. That version would have virtually silenced performers along Chicago's two prime downtown commercial corridors, but the mayor expressed his appreciation of street musicians and his allies put the brakes on the plan.

Still, the latest attempt at compromise doesn't work for the ACLU.

"The new proposed ordinance is slightly less draconian, but it suffers the same basic constitutional infirmity as the prior version: Instead of regulating the volume of expression on public sidewalks, it regulates the content of that expression, singling out street performance for unique burdens that are not imposed on other expression that may be equally loud," Glenberg wrote.

She suggested that the city could regulate the decibel level of all amplified sound on public sidewalks, "as long as the regulations are neutral and reasonable."

She also referred to an earlier ACLU letter about the previous plan that said imposing a permit requirement on street performers amounted to "a prior restraint on speech" of the type that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional. That earlier letter also stated that Millennium Park is "a traditional public forum" where the city cannot impose an outright ban on street performers, given Supreme Court precedent.

Reilly on Wednesday said he and Hopkins "worked closely with the (city) Law Department and constitutional lawyers to narrowly craft reasonable regulations that allow performers to play during the highest-value hours of the day, while also providing needed relief for office workers and residents."

He also said he's working with Emanuel's office, the CTA and the Park District to find further locations like subway stations and parks where street musicians can perform. Reilly said those spots would be "high-revenue opportunities for street musicians to serve as viable alternatives to high-density, mixed-use blocks." His latest plan hasn't yet been reviewed by a city committee.

"We will spend the next month locking in these new locations and meeting with our colleagues to explain the changes in the compromise ordinance and the new revenue opportunities it will present to street musicians who choose to use amplifiers, bullhorns or percussion," Reilly added. "All in all, we're making excellent progress and are working toward passing the compromise measure in May in tandem with agreements for additional park and CTA locations."

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hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
A plan by Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown, seen here in 2016, to spend $36.5 million to install a new case-management system was advanced by Cook County commissioners on April 11, 2017. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

Cook County commissioners on Tuesday advanced Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown's plan to spend $36.5 million to install a new case-management system, after she agreed to hire an additional company to oversee the project at the request of distrustful commissioners.

Commissioners last month had balked at approving the contract, with Larry Suffredin, D-Evanston, describing Brown's office as one whose "reputation is not at the highest level right now."

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Since then, Brown agreed to seek bids for a second company to help oversee installation of a new case-management system to replace one that's based on outdated mainframe technology. The additional contract is expected to add more than $1 million to the cost.

"That seemed reasonable to me, to protect a $36 million investment," Suffredin said. "For me, it's because I do not trust Dorothy Brown's staff."

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On Tuesday, the County Board Finance Committee voted unanimously to approve a five-year contract with Plano, Texas-based Tyler Technologies to set up the new system. The move clears the way for a final board vote on Wednesday.

Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who last month spoke in favor of the Tyler Technologies contract, supports hiring the oversight company, said spokesman Frank Shuftan. "It is a best practice in large government tech projects," he said.

No matter how well the computer system conversion goes, there is concern about how efficiently it will be used by Brown's staff. She has long faced criticism for the state of court records. Preckwinkle said last month that "we're working to address concerns about user error." The contract with Tyler includes two other companies that will provide training and convert data for the new system.

Brown last year was elected to a fifth term in office, even after the county Democratic Party withdrew its endorsement after details surfaced about a U.S. attorney's investigation into allegations that bribes were being paid for jobs and promotions in her office.

hdardick@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @ReporterHal
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!
WASHINGTON  Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday that the federal gas tax should be raised by up to 10 cents per gallon during a discussion of the $1 trillion infrastructure plan being touted by President Donald Trump.

The mayor was speaking at a Wall Street Journal-sponsored breakfast in Washington when an audience questioner proposed a 5-cent gasoline tax hike.

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"I'm for your nickel and I'll up you a nickel," Emanuel responded. "I'm for a dime, you want to do a nickel, whatever."

The mayor said bolstering infrastructure was about job creation, triggering additional economic development and improving people's quality of life, saying parents would pay an extra nickel if it meant another half-hour with their child rather than being on a highway in a traffic jam.

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"The kids may not want to pay the nickel to see their parents," Emanuel quipped.

The mayor's talk came a day after he met with the head of Amtrak. On Wednesday, Emanuel planned to meet with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and did meet with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Afterward, in a statement released by her office, DeVos said she applauded "the mayor for Chicago's rising high school graduation rates and commitment to providing more students new opportunities through dual enrollment programs."

Emanuel spoke at the infrastructure breakfast with Trump's point person for infrastructure DJ Gribbin, who said the administration did not yet have a position on a gas tax hike. Gribbin said, though, that a number of people have talked about the effectiveness of such a tax, particularly with respect to the ease of collection.

The 18.4-cent federal tax has not been raised since 1993, though some state governments have been raising theirs. Illinois has not raised the state gas tax since 1991. Gribbin said policymakers were thinking broadly and also examining housing, veterans hospitals and air traffic control systems as the Trump administration develops its infrastructure policy.

Emanuel urged the administration to prioritize transportation, aviation, roads, mass transit and school modernization as it puts together its plan.

The White House envisions a mix of public money and private capital to pay for the improvements. Gribbin was vague about details of what's in the works and when a plan will be unveiled, saying there will be additional federal revenue for infrastructure but that the level and source of funding have yet to be determined. Gribbin was chief counsel for the Federal Highway Administration and later general counsel for the U.S. Transportation Department under President George W. Bush.

Emanuel is a former congressman and top aide to Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. At Wednesday's session, the mayor highlighted Chicago's improvements to its transit system, riverfront, schools and water and sewer systems. Emanuel has won approval for city spending plans that have raised property taxes, added a new water and sewer charge and created a 7-cent tax on disposable shopping bags in an effort to balance the budget.

The mayor said he favors a mix of public money, public-private partnerships, federal loans and loan guarantees and tax increment financing districts to pay for improvements. He said tax credits to spur private investments in the nation's infrastructure were not sufficient.

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"It's fairy dust by itself," he said. "We need additional new money to get this done."

kskiba@tribpub.com

Twitter @KatherineSkiba
Republican Presidential hopeful Ben Carson speaks during the annual Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington on March 4, 2016. (Saul Loeb / AFP/Getty Images)

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson was rescued by firefighters from a stuck elevator while touring an affordable housing development in Miami on Wednesday morning.

The secretary was visiting the Courtside Family Apartments as part of a two-day listening tour in the area to learn about the challenges low-income people face finding affordable housing. The Miami Herald estimates Carson was trapped for about 20 minutes.

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The #BreakingNews no one asked for but everyone deserves. Ben Carson and wife freed from Miami housing complex elevator. per @JuliaNBC6 pic.twitter.com/FmEFwqNLg8  Chris Stewart (@CStewartNews) April 12, 2017

Alonzo Mourning, the famed former Miami Heat player, was waiting for Carson when he was released. Mourning partnered with Miami's Housing Trust group to develop the complex in response to the need for more affordable housing in the area; it was funded through a public-private partnership. Michael Liu, the director of Miami-Dade County Public Housing, was also in the elevator.
The Trump administration has temporarily suspended the publication of weekly reports detailing cities and counties that refuse to honor federal immigration detainers over concerns about the accuracy of those lists.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which began making the lists public last month, is reviewing its reporting methodology after several law enforcement agencies complained that they were erroneously included in the report.

"While this analysis is ongoing, the publication of [the report] will be temporarily suspended," said Sarah Rodriguez, a deputy press secretary at ICE. She added that the agency expects to resume publication after the review is completed, but she did not specify a time frame.

"ICE remains committed to publishing the most accurate information available regarding declined detainers across the country," she said in a statement.

ICE began publicizing the list of jurisdictions after President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders in January to ramp up immigration arrests and deportations at the southern U.S. border and inside the country.

To that end, Trump directed federal officials to publish a weekly list of declined detainers and the immigrants who were released by so-called sanctuary cities. He also threatened to block some federal grant funding to those cities that fail to comply with federal detainer notices for immigrants with outstanding removal orders. Administration officials have said immigrants who commit crimes but are released pose a serious threat.

But the weekly lists included in the Declined Detainer Outcome Report contained several errors that rankled local law enforcement officials. For instance, one report incorrectly claimed that Franklin County in Iowa, Franklin County in New York, Franklin County in Pennsylvania and Montgomery County in Iowa had ignored immigration detainers they had never received.

Williamson and Bastrop counties in Texas, Chester County in Pennsylvania and Richmond County in North Carolina were also incorrectly included in the list.

On Tuesday, an official said the errors were a main reason they suspended the report.

"We've identified that there have been some data-processing errors," said David Lapan, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE. "That's why the decision was made: Let's take a pause and make sure that we look at this holistically and make sure that we're getting it as accurate as possible."

A spokesman for Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the report's suspension would not affect the Justice Department's plans to withhold federal grant money from sanctuary cities.

But that timeline is unclear, Lapan said, because the agencies have not agreed on a definition of the term "sanctuary."

Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors restrictions on immigration, said the report could be a valuable tool for Trump.

"I think they got out of the gate quicker and they weren't quite ready yet," he said. "They've got to go back and set up a more systematic way of gathering the information. I don't have any doubt they will. It just will take a while."

But the American Civil Liberties Union, which considers immigration detainers unconstitutional, said it hoped that ICE would not issue the report again.

"The ACLU is pleased the administration has halted these deeply flawed and misleading reports," staff attorney Cody Wofsy said in a statement. "It should reconsider its entire campaign of bullying localities for their lawful and responsible choices."

Some cities have passed laws that restrict the collection of citizenship status by local law enforcement, citing concerns that immigrants who have committed relatively minor infractions, such as traffic violations, could be harassed or deported.

The Trump administration has listed scores of jurisdictions  including in Virginia, Maryland, California and Texas  that have allegedly not cooperated with federal authorities.

But last month, Seattle sued the administration over Trump's executive order on sanctuary cities, calling it unconstitutional.

Rodriguez said the publication of weekly lists "has already sparked important conversations between ICE and law enforcement agencies across the nation, and the revised report will add to this discussion."
The man who opened fire in a San Bernardino school was a deeply religious Navy veteran who accused his newlywed wife of infidelity.

They had separated and when he failed to win her back, he went to her special-education classroom and fatally shot her and one of the children she taught before turning the gun on himself, police said Tuesday.

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In the weeks before Monday's violence, Karen Smith told family members her new husband, Cedric Anderson, had tried to get her to return home and threatened her, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said. She didn't take him seriously and thought he was just seeking attention, he said.

Police do not know what triggered the attack or why Anderson chose to shoot Smith at the school, Burguan said, adding that she never shared any information about her marital problems with colleagues.

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"She effectively kept her private life private," Burguan said.

Hundreds of panicked parents descended on North Park Elementary School on Monday, waiting for hours for information on their children in a city that is still on edge 16 months after a terror attack that killed 14 people and wounded 22 others at a meeting of county employees.

Anderson, 53, walked into the special-education classroom and fired 10 shots with a .357 Magnum, targeting his wife but also hitting two of her students.

Killed was Jonathan Martinez, 8, who had a rare genetic condition known as Williams syndrome and had survived heart surgery. A 9-year-old boy also was shot but was in stable condition and in good spirits, watching cartoons in his hospital bed Tuesday, police said.

Anderson and Smith had married in late January but separated in mid-March after Anderson accused her of infidelity, leading Smith to move out, Burguan said.

Just weeks before the shooting, Anderson had professed his love to Smith in a series of social media posts, including one that called her an "angel."

Smith's mother, Irma Sykes, said her daughter had been friends with Anderson for about four years before they got married.

"She thought she had a wonderful husband, but she found out he was not wonderful at all," Sykes told the Los Angeles Times.

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"She left him and that's where the trouble began," Sykes said. "She broke up with him and he came out with a different personality. She decided she needed to leave him."

Anderson, a self-proclaimed pastor whose Facebook profile is filled with Bible quotes and religious references, had been unemployed but previously held jobs as a maintenance worker, police said.

He had joined the Navy in 1982 and re-enlisted as a reservist from 1987 until 2003, working as a builder, according to military records.

Anderson had been arrested four times since 1982, though none resulted in convictions, Burguan said. Those arrests included one in August 2012 on suspicion of spousal battery and another in May 2013 on suspicion of brandishing a knife, Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris said.

Investigators who searched Anderson's home after the shooting found a note that made reference to the relationship, feeling dishonored and "moving forward with no regrets," Burguan said. But outside the context of the shooting, nothing about the note would have been alarming, he said.

The slain teacher was remembered Tuesday by one school parent as "nothing but good" with the patience and understanding to handle special-needs students.

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"She was an excellent teacher," said Marie Cabreras, who has two young children at North Park and also has an older daughter who was Smith's student for two years at a nearby high school.

"She loved on kids. Her whole life was surrounded around kids and helping them, and helping them build a future," Cabreras said.

Teachers hugged one another and wiped away tears as they returned to the school Tuesday to retrieve their belongings. It was to remain closed for the remainder of the week.

Ruben Gutierrez, whose 7-year-old grandson Jeffrey Imbriani was friends with Martinez, said the shooting was "just beyond words." Gutierrez brought his grandson back to the school to show him how community members were coming together after the shooting and to reinforce that the school is safe.

"You know, it's not a scary place to be, and just kind of help him process more and re-experience what happened to hopefully make this as healthy and experience as can be given the circumstances," Gutierrez said.

Balsamo reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers John Antczak and Christopher Weber in Los Angeles and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.
Trump advisers Stephen Bannon and Jared Kushner make their way to Carrier Corporation in Indianapolis in December. (Jabin Botsford / The Washington Post)

We don't yet know what Stephen Bannon's fate in the Trump White House is. But judging by President Donald Trump's own words, it doesn't sound particularly good.

In a brief exchange with the New York Post's Michael Goodwin on Tuesday, Trump seemed to deliberately place Bannon at arm's length, suggesting his role as an adviser has been oversold and even appearing to threaten Bannon's job.

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Goodwin says he asked Trump if he still has confidence in Bannon, who is reportedly feuding with Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. And Trump didn't exactly disabuse Goodwin of the idea that Bannon is embattled. In fact, he did quite the opposite.

"I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late," Trump said. "I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn't know Steve. I'm my own strategist, and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary."

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Ouch. Bannon joined the campaign in August for the lion's share of the general election, taking on the role of campaign CEO. He and Kellyanne Conway, the campaign manager, were the titular heads of the campaign. Trump then kept Bannon on as his chief political adviser in the White House, serving alongside chief of staff Reince Priebus.

In his comments to Goodwin, Trump also nodded to the tensions that exist in the White House and appeared to place the onus on Bannon to make things right - or else.

"Steve is a good guy, but I told them to straighten it out or I will," Trump said.

Trump is certainly an unorthodox and unpredictable politician, but these comments from basically any other politician would signify the beginning of the end for Bannon. Perhaps it's frustration speaking and we shouldn't read too much into them.

But the Trump White House also has a demonstrated history of distancing itself from and downplaying the roles of aides who turn out to be liabilities. And that sure seems to be the tree Trump was barking up here.

Shortly before National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was asked to resign over having misled the White House about his contact with the Russian ambassador, top Trump adviser Stephen Miller also declined to give him a vote of confidence.

"That's the question that I think you should ask the president, the question you should ask Reince, the chief of staff," Miller said Feb. 12 on "Meet the Press." Flynn resigned the next day.

Since then, the White House has downplayed Flynn as a "volunteer of the campaign" and has suggested the contributions of former campaign head Paul Manafort and informal adviser Roger Stone were also minimal.

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At the very least, the unsolicited marginalization of Bannon's contribution to his campaign really has to sting Bannon personally.
Clara Johnson was just out of college with a degree in chemistry when she took an internship at East Alton Manufacturing Company, where she helped make explosives used during World War II.

She later landed a job as a scientific aide with the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the Illinois Northern Regional Research Lab in Peoria. There she was promoted to chemist, but with the stipulation that she would resign if the man she was replacing, who had gone to war, returned and wanted his job back, her family said.

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"In other words, the job would be hers, until it wasn't," said her former daughter-in-law, Julia Takarada.

Despite some misgivings, Johnson agreed to sign the contract. She learned that all the other female chemists in the lab  many of whom had worked for years in low-level, low-paying jobs  had been required to sign a similar document.

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"She knew it wasn't fair, and yet, that's the way it was back then," said Anne Sheffield, a close friend and former president of the Illinois National Organization for Women. "But it had a huge effect on her.

Johnson, 92, who became active in the feminist movement and in 2004 was included in the National Women's Hall of of Fame's Book of Lives and Legacies, died of natural causes March 24 at Presbyterian Homes, a senior living facility in Evanston, Takarada said.

When the war ended, the man Johnson replaced did not return to the lab, so she kept her job for the next four decades.

"Nothing was said; no one asked me to leave." Johnson recalled in an online biography for NOW. "So I just kept quiet and kept working."

Still, over time, Johnson made her voice heard, becoming involved with groups such as the League of Women Voters, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American Atheists and Freedom From Religion Foundation, Tri-County WomenStrength (a rape crisis center and shelter for battered women in Peoria) and NOW.

"She was a dynamo," Takarada said. "She fought injustice whenever and wherever she encountered it."

Like the time in 1976, when Johnson ran an unsuccessful write-in campaign for mayor of Peoria as a feminist challenge to the all-male candidate slate.

"Clara may have looked like somebody headed to the grocery store or about to cook dinner for her family, but she was anything but," Sheffield said with a laugh. "She was one of the strongest feminists I've ever known. And, boy, was she smart!"

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Born in Macoupin County in southern Illinois, Johnson grew up on a farm, one of seven children.

"She'd get in trouble with her parents because she was always trying to get out of doing the 'girl chores,' like baking cookies and cleaning the house," Sheffield said. "Once she was caught climbing to the top of a grain silo."

In her 30s, she married Eugene McGrew and settled in Peoria. The couple was later divorced.

In 1974, Johnson joined Peoria NOW and worked for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, along with other feminist causes. During the 1980s, after retiring from the lab, she became the group's office manager.

"I thought of her as my second mom, mentor and best friend," said fellow NOW member and Peoria resident Kathleen Reising. "We worked together on the Credit Task Force, doing research, and taking surveys and trying to get women from all walks of life equal access to credit."

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Johnson later moved to Park Ridge to serve as office manager at the Illinois NOW headquarters, a position she held for several years.

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In 1989, she and nine other women founded Prairie Moon, a feminist bookstore in Arlington Heights, which she helped run until its closing in 1999.

She traveled in 1998 to Rochester and Seneca Falls, N.Y., to attend the National NOW annual conference and to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the First Women's Rights Convention.

"She was a phenomenal woman  strong, and determined and so far ahead of her time," Reising said.

Johnson is survived by her son, Gordon McGrew.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. June 3 at the Unitarian Church of Evanston, 1330 Ridge Ave., Evanston.

Joan Giangrasse-Kates is a freelance reporter.
So it now appears that the president has deep feelings about the sufferings of infants, or, as he would say, "very very deep feelings, believe me." This was apparent when he talked about the gas attack on Syrian civilians last week. Scores of persons were killed, but it was the sight of dying babies on TV ("it doesn't get any worse than that") that particularly moved the man to reconsider his hands-off policy toward Syria and send the USS Ross and USS Porter to the eastern Mediterranean to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles against a Syrian air base. Presumably, no infants were housed at the base.

The White House denied, verbally, that his decision was an emotional response to the pictures of dead babies, but the video of an emotional president talking about innocent little babies and cupping his hands to emphasize their tininess is more persuasive to me.

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It's been widely reported that the White House has asked the president's intelligence briefers to make the briefings more visual, less wordy, simple graphics rather than blocks of print. This seems problematic: Much intelligence comes in written form, digests of interviews and reports from multiple sources, which would not be accurately depicted, say, by a cartoonist, but the news surprised approximately nobody. The man is a TV viewer, not known to be interested in books. So be it. A man of 70, having lived with TV on nearby, maybe two or three going simultaneously, is not going to suddenly pick up Robert Caro or Doris Kearns Goodwin and start learning about LBJ and FDR. Nobody expects DJT to do that.

But to single out babies as a separate category of humanity is interesting. King Herod slaughtered babies, hoping to do away with the Christ Child, an atrocity, but it is not fundamental to our Christian faith. Babies died horribly at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but their deaths are not separate from the 200,000 who were exterminated in those cities. When the story of the My Lai Massacre came out in 1969, a year after it occurred, the outrage was that several hundred unarmed Vietnamese civilians had been gunned down by Lt. William Calley's company, not that a certain number of them were babes in arms.

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The My Lai visuals that came to light were pictures taken by U.S. Army photographers  bodies on a roadway, terrified women huddled together, one young woman in a black blouse who had, according to witnesses, been raped by our soldiers and who was holding a little boy. The public outcry did not lead President Richard Nixon to change course in Vietnam, nor even to make an emotional speech about the horror of war. Mr. Nixon was a reader, an ambitious reader, an intellectual. There are photographs of him at his desk, stacks of paper around, and he is poring over them studiously. The photograph of the little boy lying in a ditch, waiting for an American soldier to kill him, was not going to shake Richard Nixon. He set out to minimize the impact of the scandal and he did a good job of it. More than two dozen soldiers were recommended for court martial, only five were tried, one was convicted, and his sentence was set aside. So much for babies.

Many of the president's supporters felt betrayed by his U-turn on Syria. Almost a half-million have died in that horrible war, many of them under the age of 1, and the thought that we would court direct conflict with Russia because a Syrian father was seen on TV carrying his two dead infants was dizzying to the America Firsters. On the other hand, many Democrats approved.

Clearly, the way to influence the man is not to write scholarly books about climate change or health care. If he brings back coal, the smoke will harm babies and the challenge is to get video of newborns gasping under their oxygen masks. If he eventually succeeds in removing Obamacare, some people will perish as a result, including infants. Our country may someday get a national health insurance program for everybody, but only after there is a video of a father carrying two dead babies out of an ER where they arrived too late to be saved, the father unable to pay his doctor bills.

I have a friend who voted for Trump in the belief that, though he was sleazy and dishonest and inexperienced, he (unlike most Republicans) had no fixed principles whatsoever and so, under the pressure of presidency, might abandon his campaign malarkey and become a pragmatist and do the right thing. I've met more people who support Trump on the same grounds. If they're right, it will have a very very big impact on me, believe me, and my attitude on Trump will change very much. Very much.

Washington Post

Garrison Keillor is an author and radio personality.
Volunteers at St. James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights recently collected eight tons of canned goods for Catholic Charities  a large donation that, officials say, is urgently needed due to the ongoing battle in Springfield over the state budget.

As the Illinois budget impasse lingers, the nonprofit social service group Catholic Charities has been faced with a funding delay of $25 million from the state, forcing the group to rely more on private donations, said Kristine Kappel, director of communication for Catholic Charities.

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"These are social services we are contracted to provide, but the state has yet to pay its bills," Kappel said.

The organization runs programs that support local low-income elderly residents by delivering meals to their homes and offering in-home adult day care for those with dementia and Alzheimer's disease, she said.

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"We're still serving the people who need us, but we're now in need of private funding to support our programs," Kappel said.

Catholic Charities' largest regional fundraiser  the 28th annual "Hearts for Hope Dinner and Auction"  is scheduled for 6 p.m. April 29 at the Cotillion Banquets, 360 S. Creekside Drive, Palatine.

The fundraiser will support services in the northwest suburbs, where the regional office in Des Plaines provides nearly 260,000 meals a year through its food pantry and supper program, as well as providing shelters for hundreds of men, women and children who otherwise would be homeless, said Michael Waters, northwest regional director for Catholic Charities.

"We have not seen any decrease in need as the economy has improved, as it does not seem to have trickled down to the people who are coming to us for help," Waters said. "These are the working poor, some of whom used to be making a good living in industrial, blue-collar jobs. Now, they're having to work two to three jobs in retail or food service, and are struggling to make ends meet."

The local families that rely on Catholic Charities were the recent recipients of more than 400 boxes containing non-perishable food items that were collected and delivered by the St. Vincent De Paul Society's food pantry, said Michael McNulty, a volunteer at St. James in Arlington Heights.

The boxes included items like canned goods, pasta, cereal and other non-perishables. Each box will be able to create up to two weeks of meals for a family of four, McNulty said.

"St. James is such a giving parish, that you just ask, and people donate," McNulty said.

kcullotta@tribpub.com

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A group of Arlington Heights residents and fellow moms, including Angie Hamada (left), Laura Mantel (center) and Lauren Rzepka (right) have been promoting love, diversity and inclusion through a new grassroots campaign in the village. (Karen Ann Cullotta / Pioneer Press)

While a number of local campaign signs went up on lawns across Arlington Heights ahead of the April 4 election, a newly formed community group carried out their own grassroots campaign and placed non-election signs promoting kindness, diversity and inclusion.

The message is being spread by younger residents in the village who are determined to make a difference in their hometown, said Arlington Heights resident Lauren Rzepka, who formed the local grassroots group called "V.O.C.A.L., Voices of Community, Acceptance and Love" with two other young moms in Arlington Heights.

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"We started speaking via email and Facebook, and realized we were all very concerned with common issues, like the recent spike in anti-immigrant attitudes and hate crimes, so we decided to put up lawn signs in the village letting people know that whatever your ethnicity, race, gender or sexual identity, you are welcome here," Rzepka, a therapist and mother of one, said.

The group kicked off its first major project in March, resulting in the posting of 200 front-lawn signs in village neighborhoods that reinforced the group's mantra, "Hate Has No Home Here."

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V.O.C.A.L. members also plan to distribute lawn signs to interested residents at the upcoming "Seeds of Love: VOCAL Kindness Campaign and HHNHH Sign Distribution" from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. April 22 at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave.

With nearly 400 members, all of whom communicate and organize primarily through Facebook and other digital platforms, the group is looking ahead to sponsoring everything from "field trips" touring suburban mosques to a potluck picnic that features residents bringing foods reflective of their own culture and heritage, Rzepka said.

Laura Mantel, a freelance producer and mother of two, said V.O.C.A.L. was inspired in part by a community group in Chicago's North Park neighborhood.

A part of a growing group of residents, who recently relocated their families to the village after spending years living in Chicago, Mantel reached out to an Arlington Heights moms' group to see if others shared her enthusiasm for building compassion and understanding in the local community, she said.

"We are reaching out to combat hate and negative behavior in a positive way, instead of with politics," said Mantel, adding how the group is focused on finding common ground among residents rather than promoting particular candidates and political parties.

Members even intentionally printed the lawn signs, declaring "Hate Has No Home Here," in both red and blue ink  two colors commonly associated with Republicans and Democrats  to try and dispel assumptions that the group favors one major political party over the other, said V.O.C.A.L. founding member Angie Hamada, a labor attorney and mother of two.

"Our tour of a mosque is an example of how we're trying to help residents experience different religions and cultures because we all know that a lot of hate crimes can be traced to a lack of understanding," Hamada said.

Above all, group members said they hope their efforts will trickle down to younger members of the community, including local teens and children.

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"Our motivation is to take action in the community that our children are growing up in," Rzepka said. "Instead of venting our dissatisfaction, we would rather help our children embrace and celebrate diversity and tolerance."

kcullotta@tribpub.com

Twitter @kcullotta
An inmate in custody at the Kendall County Jail on charges out of Cook County has been charged with throwing feces on corrections deputies and damaging jail property.

At about 1:25 p.m. Sunday , Latayuss Curry, 23, of the 6100 block of Rockwell Avenue, Chicago, is accused of throwing fecal matter on deputies and damaging a broom that belongs to the jail, according to a news release from the Kendall County Sheriff's Office, which responded to the jail to investigate later that afternoon.

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Curry was subsequently charged with aggravated battery to a corrections employee, a class 2 felony, and criminal damage to government property worth less than $500, a class 4 felony, according to charges filed Monday in Kendall County Circuit Court.

Bail for the new charges is set at $100,000, according to Kendall County court records.

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When Curry was 21, he was charged with single felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault with a weapon, home invasion and kidnapping by force or threat of force in connection with accusations that he broke into a home in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood and sexually assaulted a 19-year-old woman in March 2015, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Cook County jail records indicate he was denied bond in that case and is being housed through an agreement with the Kendall County jail, with a court appearance scheduled for April 19 in the Criminal Courts Building in Chicago.

Curry is also scheduled to appear May 31 in Kendall County on the jail charges.

A sheriff's office spokesman has not returned messages left Tuesday seeking further information, including when Curry was transferred to Kendall County.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
A group of boys in Oswego Township cut American flags off of trees where they were displayed, and threatened a resident with knives because he told them to stop, Kendall County Sheriff's officials said.

At about 4 p.m. Saturday , deputies responded to the 0-99 block of Longbeach Road in Oswego Township, where adults said three male juveniles were seen in the area cutting ribbons and American flags off trees. When a neighbor confronted the boys, telling them to stop and pick up the items, they became argumentative. All three then pulled out knives and threatened to cut the neighbor and his family, according to sheriff's reports.

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The boys made additional threats before leaving the area on foot, according to the sheriff's office.

The Kendall County Sheriff's Office is also investigating another report in Oswego Township that weekend involved three boys. In that case, a 13-year-old boy was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, but no other charges have been reported.

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At about 10:35 p.m. Sunday, deputies responded to the 0-99 block of Circle Drive East, Oswego Township, regarding people entering a vacant residence, according to sheriff's reports.

Oswego police assisted sheriff's deputies in locating three boys in the area. While deputies investigated at the scene, trying to determine if the boys had gone inside the vacant residence, one of them was found to be in possession of alcohol and metal or brass knuckles, according to sheriff's reports, which did not indicate whether any of the three were the same three male juveniles suspected in the incident the day before.

Both investigations are ongoing, according to the sheriff's office. A spokesman did not return messages left Tuesday seeking further information about the two reports.

hleone@tribpub.com

Twitter @hannahmleone
A developer of a large, proposed residential project in Hoffman Estates recently pulled back a request for a tax incentive, a few weeks after officials with Barrington School District 220 and neighboring taxing bodies strongly opposed it.

The project developer, Barrington-based 5a7 LLC, initially sought incentives through a proposed tax-increment-financing district covering a possible housing development at routes 59 and 72.

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The large housing project proposed building 1,035 residential units near the intersection, drawing objections from District 220 officials who said they were concerned that the units would overwhelm district schools near the proposal with too many students.

Along with officials from nearby Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300, District 220 officials also objected to the proposed TIF district, recently arguing the plan doesn't meet all the legal requirements of a TIF district that stipulate "blighted" or "vacant" parcels.

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Last week, District 220 officials announced that the developer of the housing project has pulled back on the idea of a TIF incentive, said Superintendent Brian Harris.

"We're very happy the TIF was withdrawn and still believe the property was not TIF-able," Harris said. "But we're still concerned with the project's density and its impact on schools if all these homes are built."

With the housing proposal still intact, the 185-acre development, if built, could add 285 students to district schools, Harris said. The TIF proposal also would have refunded about $22 million in taxes over the next 23 years to the developer, according to District 220.

After the TIF district was proposed, the area taxing bodies, a part of a local joint review board and affected by the proposal, met March 21 to discuss the possible incentive.

But officials with District 220 and six other nearby taxing bodies, including District 300, the Barrington Area Library, Barrington Township, Barrington Hills Park District, Elgin Community College and Harper College ended up voting against the TIF twice during the meeting.

Hoffman Estates Mayor William McLeod has said village board members in Hoffman Estates still could have canceled out the joint review board's advisory vote with a supermajority of five votes.

"You sell a TIF as a mechanism to increase value over time," McLeod has said of the TIF proposal. "Commercial and retail TIFs are much more valuable than residential, and they require way less services."

A public hearing for possibly annexing and changing zoning for the proposed development tentatively is scheduled for April 17 before the 7 p.m. meeting of the Hoffman Estates Village Board at 1900 Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates, officials said.

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tshields@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @tshields19
Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey Straub (left) shakes hands with U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam after Roskam talked about his recent entering of information about Straub's 50th Capitols trip into the Congressional Record. (Kevin Beese / Pioneer Press)

Burr Ridge Mayor Mickey's Straub's 50 Capitols trip is now a piece of American history.

U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam, a Wheaton Republican, recently entered information about Straub's 2012 patriotic pilgrimage to honor President Abraham Lincoln into the Congressional Record.

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Roskam was at the Village Board meeting April 10 to laud Straub for his efforts and to present him with a laminated copy of what the Wheaton congressman said on the House floor.

Straub drove to 48 state capitols and flew to the other two in 50 days, reciting Lincoln's Gettysburg Address at each capitol. Straub is the only person in history to hit the 50 capitols in 50 days to honor the country's 16th president, Roskam said.

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"There is so much division and anxiety in public life today," Roskam said during his presentation, "but Mayor Straub lets people share their opinions. He is willing to lead and be an example  He is an example for young boys and girls."

He praised Straub for being a man of action.

"Thank you for courageously being willing to lead, not just by saying, but by doing," Roskam said. "Thank you for honoring the greatest American president."

Straub was aware that Roskam was coming to the meeting to recognize him, but was taken aback when Roskam presented what he read into the Congressional Record on Feb. 9.

"I am honored. I am speechless," Straub said. "I am totally shocked. This is a moment I will never forget."

Roskam noted that the historic trip was no easy task for Straub, citing that it cost him more than $20,000 and put numerous miles on the mayor's Lincoln Town Car, used as an added tribute to the 16th president.

Between Sept. 4 and Oct. 17, 2012, Straub logged nearly 15,000 miles on his journey. His trek began in Pennsylvania and included a brief ceremony in Gettysburg outside the house where Lincoln finished writing the historic address. Straub's journey ended in front of Lincoln's tomb in Springfield.

In his tribute to Straub on the House floor, Roskam said: "Mayor Straub has remained steadfast in his belief that the journey was a great success due to God and the American people, saying 'I launched this trip on behalf of God and country, but it was actually God and country that pulled me through. It started more about principals and patriotism, but it was the people who kept me going.'"

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Kevin Beese is a freelance writer for Pioneer Press.
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Authorities say Dinika Lawrence, 28, was charged with robbing the Chase Bank branch on 144th Street in Riverdale in June and September 2016, and with the attempted robbery of another Chase branch, in Palos Heights, on March 24. (FBI)

A Dolton woman who said she was equipped with bombs allegedly robbed the same Riverdale bank twice last year, once claiming she was forced to do so by Islamic State terrorists in order to save her children, according to an FBI complaint.

Authorities say Dinika Lawrence, 28, was charged last week with robbing the Chase Bank branch on 144th Street in Riverdale in June and September 2016, and with the attempted robbery of another Chase branch, in Palos Heights, on March 24.

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In the June 23, 2016, holdup, she is alleged to have presented a teller a note saying that she had a bomb strapped to her, and that ISIS terrorists were holding her family hostage three blocks away. The terrorists, Lawrence allegedly said, would detonate the bomb unless the bank gave her $20,000 in $20 bills.

Lawrence allegedly said she only had 12 minutes to complete the task and she displayed a device hanging from her neck that appeared to be a digital timer, according to the federal affidavit. She is alleged to have left after receiving $20,000.

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She is accused of returning to the bank on Sept. 9, and getting away with more than $65,000 after presenting tellers with a note alleging that she had a bomb, the FBI said.

On March 24, agents say, Lawrence tried to rob the Chase branch on Ridgeland Avenue in Palos Heights but left empty-handed after the teller activated an alarm.

In all three incidents, agents say, Lawrence wore a long robe or dress and a headscarf that covered everything but her eyes.

The FBI said Lawrence was taken into custody on March 29, when police stopped a tan car in which she was a passenger and arrested the driver for allegedly stealing $60 from a pharmacy cash register in Dolton. The vehicle matched surveillance video from the bank robberies, and authorities say they found a scarf in the car similar to one allegedly worn during the March 24 attempted holdup.

Agents also said they noted in surveillance videos that the bank robber appeared to walk with a limp. A tipster who said Lawrence committed the holdups told federal agents that she walked with a limp as a result of a gunshot wound several years ago, the FBI affidavit said.

Clifford Ward is a freelance reporter.
Towboat workers discovered a body Wednesday morning in the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal near Lemont, police said.

Lemont police and fire rescue workers pulled the man from the canal about 8:30 a.m., about a mile west of Lemont Road, officials said.

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Lemont fire officials do not believe the man is from the area because canal currents have been strong and fast after recent storms and they said it's likely the man's body could have floated from the Chicago area.

Illinois State Police is investigating and has not yet released the man's identity or circumstances of death.

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Frank Vaisvilas is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
The candidacy of Dean Barnett, the longtime school board president in Hazel Crest School District 152 1/2, remains in legal limbo due to a past felony conviction. ( Hazel Crest School District 152 1/2 / HANDOUT)

It's been a turbulent two months for Dean Barnett, Hazel Crest School District 152 's board president.

The long-serving official's name was removed from the ballot over a 24-year-old felony conviction in early February, but restored on appeal a few weeks later. He wound up the apparent leading vote-getter of eight candidates on April 4, but still faces a legal challenge over his eligibility to serve from one of his former opponents.

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The Cook County state's attorney's office, which has indicated it would attempt to remove from office another convicted felon if he was elected in a neighboring community, is monitoring Barnett's case.

Barnett's re-election bid drew scrutiny from one of his challengers this year despite his having served unchallenged for the past 16 years, most recently as board president.

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Tesha Gray, who could not be reached for comment, filed an objection to Barnett's candidacy in late December on the grounds that he was not "legally qualified" to serve due to a past felony conviction.

Barnett, who owns a local landscaping business, was convicted of a receipt, possession and sale of a stolen vehicle in 1993, when he was 17, and sentenced to two years probation.

A felony conviction does not automatically disqualify an individual from serving on a school board, like it would someone seeking elected municipal or township office, said Ken Menzel, general counsel for the Illinois State Board of Elections.

But Illinois courts in recent years have held that felons convicted of "infamous crimes" were ineligible to hold school board seats.

The three-member Cook County Electoral Board that heard Barnett's case extended that precedent in early February, unanimously sustaining the objection to his candidacy and ordering that his name be dropped from the ballot.

In their decision, electoral board officers cited the case of Kenneth Williams, the former Thornton Township School District 205 board president who was removed from his seat in 2013 and again in 2014 for a prior felony conviction  in that case, forgery  and then struck from the ballot in 2015 for the same reason.

"The (Williams) cases make it clear that, read together, the School Code and the Election Code bar anyone convicted of an infamous crime from running for a seat on a school board," the board wrote in its decision.

Barnett's lawyer James P. Nally argued that his client had not committed an "infamous crime" because the section of the Code of Criminal Procedure that defines infamous crimes had been repealed, resulting in there being "no definition of an 'infamous crime' to determine whether [Barnett] would be fit to hold office on a school board."

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The electoral board found Nally's argument unpersuasive, and cited multiple cases that broadly defined "infamous crime" as any felony that is "inconsistent with commonly accepted principles of honesty and decency, or involved moral turpitude." It opined that because Barnett's actions were "inconsistent with commonly accepted principles of honesty and decency," he had committed an "infamous crime."

Barnett filed a petition for judicial review of the electoral board's decision on Feb. 7.

Less than three weeks later on Feb. 24, a circuit court judge reversed the electoral board's decision, finding that Barnett had not committed an "infamous crime" after all, and ordered that his name be printed on the ballot.

The decision was made ex parte, however, meaning that only Barnett presented his argument. Gray did not present her case, which had been successful before the electoral board and has been used successfully in similar cases past.

Gray's attorney Max Solomon claims that his client was never served with Barnett's petition for judicial review, and thus did not respond until it was too late.

She did not end up filing an appearance in the case until the day the electoral board ruling was reversed.

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The judge's decision to issue a ruling in the case without confirming that one of the sides had even received notice that the matter was under review is "highly unusual," Solomon said.

"I've never seen this happen, but hey, it happened, and the judge didn't want to hear it when I brought it up," he said, adding that he was not accusing the judge of any wrongdoing or unprofessional behavior.

Gray immediately appealed the circuit court ruling, but because the appellate court declined to hear her appeal on an emergency basis, Barnett's name remained on the ballot on election day, Solomon said.

By unofficial counts, the 517 votes Barnett received on April 4 were 45 more than any other school board candidate in a crowded field where eight candidates were vying for four school board spots. He would have needed only 320 votes to secure one of the four open seats, according to unofficial returns.

Despite his election night success, Barnett's future will hinge on the looming appellate court decision that could come any time after May 4, but is more likely to occur toward the end of next month.

If the court rules as it did in 2015, when it held that Williams was ineligible to run for a school board seat in Thornton Township due to his "infamous" felony conviction, the circuit court's ruling would be reversed and Barnett's board seat would again be in doubt.

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Further complicating matters, the appellate court will be determining only whether Barnett is eligible to run for a seat that he has already won, based on unofficial election results, not whether he is able to hold that seat.

Nonetheless, Solomon said he believes the court will still render an opinion on the case, which he said represents an exception to the mootness doctrine because it is "capable of repetition"  i.e. Barnett could face eligibility challenges in future elections.

Barnett and his lawyer declined comment on the appellate court challenge, but did release a statement acknowledging its existence.

"Mr. Barnett is aware of the pending appeal to the Circuit Court decision, and welcomes final resolution to the matter," the statement reads. "Mr. Barnett understands and respects the fact that the right to serve is a privilege and appreciates the support that he has received from the community at large."

Should the appellate court reverse the circuit court ruling and find Barnett ineligible to run for office, it has the authority to offer any number of remedies, Solomon said.

While it could void every vote Barnett received on April 4 or even order a new election be held, Solomon said he thinks it's more likely the court won't seek to erase Barnett's victory. Rather, its decision would simply set a precedent for future races involving convicted felons, he said.

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If that ends up happening, Solomon said he would pursue a quo warranto action challenging Barnett's right to hold public office. To bolster his case, he could present the appellate court's recent decision.

"We would go to Kimberly Foxx in the state's attorney's office and say we want him out because he's not supposed to be holding that office because he's a convicted felon," Solomon said. "Here's an order from the appellate court saying he shouldn't be there in the first place."

At that point, the state's attorney could take up a quo warranto action against Barnett, or alternatively decide not to pursue the case. A spokesperson for the office said it was monitoring the pending appeal and would wait on the ruling before deciding how to proceed.

Were Foxx's office to pass on pursuing the quo warranto, Solomon said his client would file one herself.

In the interim, Barnett will continue to serve as president of the Hazel Crest school board and appears likely to be sworn in for a fifth term in office in the weeks to come.

zkoeske@tribpub.com

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Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti arrives March 13, 2015, at the Sawing and Shearing Inc. steel company in Blue Island. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)

Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti will be in Homer Glen Thursday morning to cite local officials for their efforts in sharing services and saving taxpayer dollars.

A joint effort of Homer Township and Homer Glen is one of 27 examples cited in the 2016 Journal of Local Government Shared Service Best Practices, published by the lieutenant governor's office.

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The Homer Township Road District also serves as the public works department for the village of Homer Glen, maintaining 120 miles of road, through an intergovernmental agreement, according to Sanguinetti's office.

Sanguinetti will hold a news conference with local officials at 10:30 a.m. at the Homer Glen village hall, 14240 W. 151st St.

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The journal highlights how consolidating services, and partnering with other local governments can reduce duplication, improve services and save money.

Township Road Commissioner Mike DeVivo said his department maintains all roads in the township and village, which does not have its own public works department.

Gov. Bruce Rauner, who is "anti-township government," wants to get rid of overlapping taxing bodies, DeVivo said, noting that township road districts maintain 51 percent of all roads in the state.

"The cost to municipalities would double (without township road districts). We try to get governments to work together for the betterment of the people," he said.

Homer Glen Mayor George Yukich said the village's intergovernmental agreements with the township road district, Will County sheriff for police services, and local fire districts, saves "millions of dollars" and "makes it easier on everyone."

"We all get along so well and it keeps taxes down for all who live here," he said.

Two other south suburban agencies also were cited in Sanguinetti's journal.

The South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, comprised of 38 municipalities in Will and Cook Counties, worked cooperatively to create four enterprise zones to support economic development in the region and jointly market the area.

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The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) 24, developed a mutual aid organization across several suburban fire departments, formed special emergency response teams for hazardous materials, dive and technical rescues, pooled assets and resources to assist one another, especially in the case of fires or emergencies beyond the control of one department.

MABAS 24 also joined forces with MABAS 27, which includes 16 other south suburban fire departments to further develop joint special response teams.

According to Sanguinetti's office, Illinois has the most units of local government  nearly 7,000  more than any state in the country, which is why its residents pay some of the highest local government taxes in the nation, including the 10th highest sales tax and second highest in property taxes.

In February 2015, Rauner created the Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded Mandates Task Force to encourage citizens and government officials to streamline local government through consolidation and eliminating unnecessary state mandates.

Sanguinetti was asked to oversee the Task Force to research and analyze all current laws regarding local government consolidation and unfunded mandates and compile a report with specific policy and legislative recommendations.

She invited the public to submit ideas and share information on how to improve local government.

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"As a result of the task force, we discovered one of the most unheralded achievements in our state over the past few decades has been the countless local government bodies engaging in shared services," Sanguinetti said in explaining her findings on her website.

Shared services are defined as voluntary arrangements between two or more governments to combine efforts in order to provide more efficient and effective services for program recipients and taxpayers.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

The work of the task force was published in the first annual Journal of Local Government Shared Service Best Practices.

The purpose of the journal is to celebrate successful shared service achievements that are happening in schools, municipalities, townships and counties, so that others may replicate this success around the state, according to her website.

The 27 examples in this report were collected through a survey distributed by many local government associations across the state. She received more than 230 responses.

They represent some of the best examples in Illinois of local governments working together to drive more effective and efficient local government for their communities, and should serve as an inspiration to others, according to Sanguinetti's website.

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Sanguinetti has or plans to visit each of the 27 entities to discuss consolidation and shared services programs.

slafferty@tribpub.com

Twitter @SusanLaff
I suppose it's too much to expect that we get an honest debate about the need for more state revenues in the already active gubernatorial race. Candidates will be candidates and voters will be voters, after all.

Gov. Bruce Rauner's campaign blasted out an email last week telling supporters that newly announced billionaire Democratic candidate JB Pritzker wants to raise the state income tax to more than 5 percent, which, the campaign claimed, would be "Higher than it was under Pat Quinn!"

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Never mind that Rauner himself privately supports raising state taxes to historically high levels. He's OK with a 4.99 percent income tax rate and a 7 percent corporate tax rate. But he also backs a new tax on sugary beverages and a new sales tax on several services. If all that was implemented, the state government would be taxing residents billions of dollars more than it ever has before.

So, apparently, you can only be for the massive tax hikes that Rauner wants. Otherwise, you'll be portrayed as being in House Speaker Michael Madigan's hip pocket.

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The Illinois Republican Party obtained audio of Pritzker speaking at a private Democratic event. In one snippet, Pritzker is heard saying: "Let's remind everybody, the tax used to be 5 percent, and [Rauner] let it lapse down to three and three quarters percent. And that's what started a lot of the problems that we've got in the state. So, if you just put it back that's $5 billion dollars. That doesn't get you everything you need, but it's a good way toward, you know, toward getting real revenue in the state."

The comment was eerily similar to one made by Madigan in late 2015. "A good place to begin," Madigan said back then, "would be the level we were at before the income tax expired. Starting there, you can go in whatever direction you want to go." Rauner immediately pounced on that comment to claim that Madigan wanted to raise the income tax above 5 percent, even though he never actually said that.

Pritzker's private comments along with a claim that he's in league with Madigan's "plan" were sent to reporters hours before Pritzker's official campaign kickoff.

"I think that we ought to start with the millionaires and billionaires and make sure that they're paying taxes first," Pritzker responded when asked, in apparent reference to a graduated income tax or a surcharge on the wealthy, "We're not going to talk about raising taxes on middle class families until we take care of that problem," the Sun-Times reported.

But taxation like that would require a constitutional amendment because the state's Constitution mandates a flat income tax. And that means it would require a three-fifths majority in both legislative chambers, and the Republicans (along with some Democrats) have historically resisted a graduated tax. So, forget it.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

After Pritzker's news conference, the Republicans released yet another audio snippet of Pritzker admitting the hard truth about a graduated tax: "So let's just talk about this flat income tax, because we're not going to be able to turn it into a millionaire's tax, a fair tax  it's gonna take us three years."

The Republicans used that second snippet to claim that Pritzker wasn't telling the truth to reporters earlier in the day. And their point has merit.

Rauner insists his plan is better because tax hikes are coupled with his reforms. But even his full package of reforms from back in 2015 would've only slightly moved the economic and budgetary needles, according to his very own analysis that he sent to legislators that year. His reform demands have since been significantly scaled back. And while some of his reforms are undoubtedly needed (particularly workers' comp costs), much of the rest is little more than political window dressing (term limits) and have next to nothing to do with spurring growth.

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We are in this hole because our leaders refused to be honest, starting with the 2011 "temporary" tax hike, right through the 2014 campaign, then allowing the tax hike to partially expire and then fighting over who would blink first on raising taxes and accepting "reforms."

And the public prefers the lies. Polls show Illinoisans are convinced somebody else should solve the problem, either millionaires via taxation (which wouldn't raise enough cash) or the faceless bureaucracy via cuts (except for just about every state program under the sun).

Again, I suppose it's too much to ask that candidates and the governor are honest about this stuff. But that means this contest could not only turn out to be the most expensive in Illinois history, it could also be the most dishonest.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
All of this talk and investigations going on concerning Russia's influence on our election is only one part of the story. Look at what is happening within our own country. First the Republicans refuse to hold a hearing on a Supreme Court nominees stating that it should not be considered in an election year, even though the president has a four year term and has the right to nominate and have a hearing and vote on that nominee. Secondly, the Senate changes the rules to use a simple majority rather than a required 60 votes to confirm a their nominee, when it is apparent that they don't have the required 60 votes. And third, and final, the Supreme Court allows political action committees to use as much money as they want to spend to essentially target, and buy Senate and House seats across the country. This essentially prohibits the average person the chance to run for office, and even more it allows them to buy seats to change the political balance in Washington. It's sad to say but we have just as big of problems within our own democracy even without the help of the Russians.

John, Palos Park

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History will not be kind to President Barack Obama as we will see his 'lead from behind' agenda was not leadership. This is not to say President Donald Trump has the answers only that the world looks to power and strength for leadership. The job calls for strong decisions and sometimes not doing what is popular. The world looks to the U.S. for those types of decisions and waiting to vote on a one time military strike is not what a true leadership country needs to do. Syria is an example and America did the right thing.

Orland Park

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Airlines are making sky high profits with lower fuel costs and fees for everything under the sun, yet they are still overbooking flights. Passengers should continue to refuse voluntarily removing themselves, give deserving airlines the negative publicity, and send a message to offer more for this inconvenience and stop this poor business practice.

Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

Tinley Park

Hey Democrats, here is a news flash for you. Your girl lost. Stop thinking otherwise. Accept it, grow up, move on and respect the office of the presidency . Oh, and by the way, you just lost the Supreme Court too. Could Planned Parenthood be far behind? The possibilities are endless.

BBK

It's hard to believe that someone could get upset about the new Illinois license plates when so many tragic things are going on in the world  bombings, terror threats, gassing and all other tragedies. It just seems so small. And besides, I like them.

Crete

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The "Welcome Mural" unveiled Monday at Advocate Sherman Hospital was commissioned by the hospitalas diversity committee. It includes the word "Welcome" in seven languages. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News)

Hallie Morrison didn't know she'd be moving to Thailand when she applied to create a mural for Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin.

That mural  brought by plane from Thailand  was unveiled this week on the Sherman Hospital Campus, 1425 N. Randall Road. May of Morrison's family, including her grandparents from Florida, were on hand for the first display of the collage she created.

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Morrison, 24, a Jacobs High School graduate from Algonquin, had heard about the call for artists through Elgin's Side Street Studio Arts. Between when she applied for the opportunity and got the call, she had also applied for a job with Art Relief International.

But because of that connection, the final piece  a mural with the words "Welcome" in several languages with several different ages, genders and ethnicities represented  had some special help.

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As an art therapy organization, Morrison said, Art Relief works with young people in juvenile detention in Thailand. Some of the boys who participate in her program and are in that juvenile center helped to create the mural.

She also had help from Burmese students working with her as volunteers.

Morrison also asked Sherman staff to send her their photos, magazine, and other things that they believed represent the hospital and Elgin. Parts of those photos were incorporated into the mural.

The idea for a mural came from the hospital's diversity and inclusion committee, said Paola Velasquez, manager of communication and translation services at Sherman. She facilitates the larger committee.

"We looked at the hospital and there was nothing here that said 'Welcome,'" she said. "We wanted something larger and different for the lobby."

The languages used to say "welcome" in the sign include Gujarati, Polish, Tagalog, Loation and Spanish, as well as in English. Those languages are reflected and found in the community, Velasquez said.

It wasn't all that difficult to keep in contact with the Sherman staff and get the collage ready, Morrison said.

She was inspired to make it into a collage by the work of Diego Rivera, a well-known muralist and husband of Spanish painter Frida Kahlo.

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"I had never done a mural before," and the size of the project was a bit daunting, she said.

Getting the finished piece back was a bit more interesting. The canvass was rolled and shipped as checked baggage.

"It was a month of anxiety," as she worried the piece, which looked like a rolled-up rug  wouldn't make it onto a plane, through customs or would be left on a tarmac to be rained on.

She encourages people who are at Sherman Hospital to stop by the collage and take a closer look at the pieces that make up the larger mural.

"I want people to get to know them. Get to know their faces and look further into this. It is inspiring and really personal for me," Morrison said. "They can slow down and take a look  there is so much here."

Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
Two people have been arrested in connection with a vehicular hijacking in Westchester.

Shane Pearson, 24, of the 1700 block of 17th Avenue, Broadview, and Kenneth Manning, 21, of the 1400 block of Laramie Street, Chicago, have been charged in the April 5 incident.

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Pearson is charged with one felony count of possession of a stolen vehicle. Manning is charged with a felony count of aggravated vehicular hijacking with a firearm.

Pearson was arrested in Riverside on April 7.

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"The vehicle was located in Riverside and he was in it," said Frank Esposito, a spokesperson for Westchester police who made the arrests.

Manning was arrested on April 9 near his home in Chicago, Esposito said.

Esposito said police are continuing to investigate because the two men may be tied to another attempted hijacking that occurred the same day in Elmhurst.

In the Westchester incident, a man was walking to his 2011 silver Infiniti Q56 at 10:21 a.m. in the 2400 block of Wellington Avenue. He was approached by another man who had exited the passenger side of a silver Ford Fusion, displayed a semi automatic handgun and told the man to give him his keys, Westchester police said.

The man immediately complied and the man who displayed the gun drove south on Wellington Avenue, followed by the silver Ford Fusion.

Bond was set April 9 at $100,000 for Pearson and no bond was set April 12 for Manning, said Esposito.

"Both have a history. They are not new to the program," Esposito said.

In the Elmhurst case, a woman escaped an attempted carjacking in the 900 block of South Mitchell Avenue in Elmhurst, police said.

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About 9:30 a.m., the Elmhurst woman told police she noticed the man approaching as she pulled into her garage. She escaped by backing her vehicle out of the garage.

The armed man then took off and drove off in a gray sedan, possibly a Ford Fusion, with tinted windows, police said. The sedan headed north on Mitchell Avenue toward Harrison Street. The driver was never found by police.

Elmhurst Police Chief Michael Ruth said at the time that the woman, who was driving a Cadillac Escalade, believes the robber may have followed her home from the Jewel-Osco at York Street and Butterfield Road.

Ruth credited the woman, who was alone in the vehicle, with awareness of her surroundings and quick thinking in backing out of the garage to get out of the situation.

"She almost hit the guy," he said. "We searched the area but didn't find the car."

amannion@tribpub.com

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Twitter @triblocalam
The Illinois Masonic Children's Home, which has operated for more than 100 years in La Grange , first as an orphanage and later as a group home, is closing its doors.

The home, which houses 19 youth at 441 9th Ave., will close in late June.

Joseph Farrell, junior grand deacon for the Masons of Illinois, said one reason is the declining number of children families housed in the facility.

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"The model we employ of housing children has gone out of vogue," he said. "The model today is to keep families together."

He said the board of the Illinois Masonic Children's Home Corporation voted to close the facility for children from troubled homes, as well as another it operates in Murphysboro in southern Illinois. That facility houses 16 children. Spero Family Services, a social services agency, has opted to buy the Murphysboro home and will continue to provide housing and other services to those children. .

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The Illinois Masonic Children's Home, which was formerly an orphanage, is closing. (Joseph Farrell / HANDOUT)

Farrell said the decision to close the facilities was hard, and was made after much deliberation.

"There was not one happy face at the table," said Farrell, who lives in Chicago.

The youth ages 8 to 18 who live in the La Grange home will be placed with their families or in another appropriate setting, he said. He said a committee of staff and caseworkers is evaluating each case to decide what the best placement will be for each child.

He said his organization will continue to serve the youth who are in the homes.

"We made a promise to take care of them through high school and college up to a bachelor's degree," he said.

Unlike what many may believe, the children in the La Grange and Murphysboro homes have continued to have relationships with their families.

"The parents of all the children have maintained their guardianship," he said. "A lot of times they (the youth) are only there during the week and go home on weekends."

Another reason the Masons are getting out of residential care is liability concerns. A statement from the Masons notes that a Texas home lost a $6.9 million lawsuit and has closed. Another closed in California following legal troubles and a multimillion payout.

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According to an article in 2002 in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, at least $6.9 million was paid to settle lawsuits alleging sex abuse at the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas' Masonic Home.

While there have been no such problems at the La Grange home, Farrell said liability is a major issue.

"We're not even sure we could be insured because insurance companies do not want to be in this business and rates have gone up," he said.

The home in La Grange was originally operated as an orphanage and was founded more than 100 years ago. At its peak in 1931, there were 314 children in the home, Farrell said.

The original orphanage at Ninth Avenue was sold in the late 1950s and was turned into a nursing home. Today, it is operated as Meadowbrook Manor nursing home. The group home, which is next to Meadowbrook Manor, was started around the same time as when the orphanage was sold.

The statement from the Masons estimates that it spends about $2.4 million, or $60,000 per resident a year, to provide residential care to the youth in La Grange and Murphysboro.

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"With a new program, we could do so much more with that money," Farrell said.

Instead of operating the group homes, Farrell said the organization is starting a new effort that will provide scholarships, pay hospitalization, tuition and for other costs of families in need. Initially, at least, the program will serve the families of the 60,000 masons in Illinois. It also will provide targeted aid to school districts, Farrell said.

"It will cover the gamut, from counseling services to college scholarships to grants to school districts," he said.

Herb Lindberg, area deputy grandmaster for the Illinois Masons, said many members of the organization are sad they will no longer be involved with the residential homes.

"It makes most of the Masons sad because what you lose is the physical part of it," he said.

Lindberg, who lives in Romeoville, said members frequently took part in helping the youth by holding pizza parties, taking them to ballgames or fishing.

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"That part is going to be lost. That's always hard," he said.

The 9-acre property will be sold. Farrell said the organization has a letter of intent from a buyer, but said he is not ready to disclose any details of the sale.

"The property will be sold and more than likely it will become homes," Lindberg said.

amannion@tribpub.com

Twitter @triblocalam
Round Lake Beach police officers investigate and gather evidence at 1314 N. Red Oak Circle after a male was shot Tuesday. (News-Sun / Rob Dicker)

Police interviewed several people in connection with an incident in Round Lake Beach Tuesday night in which a 21-year-old was shot in the chest.

Round Lake Beach police received a report of a young man shot just before 6 p.m. Tuesday at 1314 N. Red Oak Circle, according to Deputy Chief Michael Scott.

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Officers found the victim inside of a vehicle outside of the townhouse at that address with a gunshot wound to the chest, reports said.

The victim was transported by ambulance to an area hospital and his condition was not immediately know, but Scott said he was expected to survive.
Round Lake High School senior Julia Rodkey shows how the Garage Band application is used to make music during the 1: Wonder Showcase of technology-based learning on Tuesday, April 11. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / Lake County News-Sun)

The latest technology used to communicate and teach students in Round Lake Area Schools District 116 was on display during the first "1: Wonder Showcase" event at Round Lake High School Tuesday.

The web applications and programs transforming the way classrooms function are part of the district's one-to-one pilot program rolled out this school year, in which iPads, Windows laptops and Chromebooks are used for instruction and learning, including lessons, homework and group projects.

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On Tuesday, families traveled to different classrooms, where 170 students provided a taste of how the technology is used in every subject and after-school activity from kindergarten through high school.

Displaying a project on animals were twin siblings Alex and Max Mason. The sixth-graders at Magee Middle School created a slideshow and explained to guests how Google Classroom works.

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The platform is used daily by teachers to create lessons, post announcements, distribute homework assignments and even communicate and grade papers in real time with their students.

Six-year-old London Cragg shows off her reading skills via different web programs on her laptop during the Round Lake School District 116 showcase of technology-based learning on Tuesday, April 11, at Round Lake High School. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / Lake County News-Sun)

"Everything is so much easier and more organized this way. Teachers love (Google Classroom) because it streamlines the work and students love it because it's easy to use," said Keith Dickert, art teacher at Magee.

Ruben Pacheco, a junior at Round Lake High School, said he's working with nine different Google classrooms, including English and jazz band.

"It makes my life so much easier," Pacheco said.

Once students have done their homework, sending it to their teacher is as easy as pressing a button, Pacheco said. The teacher sees when it was sent, eliminating old classic excuses like "the dog ate my homework."

Being in advanced placement and honors classes, Pacheco said it's a literal load off to not have to carry many heavy books from home to school and vice versa to do homework. Now, the iPad he was assigned at the beginning of the school year is near he only thing he makes sure to have with him at all times, he said.

In a group project where one or more students are absent, the work doesn't have to be interrupted, as students can do their share of work from home and interact with their peers in school thanks to the technology, said Amanda Grabow, fourth grade teacher at Beach Elementary School.

The collaborative work from anywhere keeps a steady student work flow, Grabow said. In her classroorm, reading and math books have been replaced by the laptops.

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Beach Elementary School student Charli Rainey presents a school project slideshow during the 1: Wonder Showcase event at Round Lake High School on Tuesday, April 11. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / Lake County News-Sun)

"It's used every day, and anything they start at school and don't finish, they can continue at home easily," Grabow said. "I don't have to think about when I'm going to go to the copy machine or any other of those old-school ways."

Last year, the school board approved the $300,000 initiative with a three-year lease at $100,000 annually that will purchase the school 170 iPads, 120 Windows laptops and 660 Dell Chromebooks, along with 30 computer carts, said Heather Bennett, public relations officer.

District officials are hopeful that funding to grow the initiative next year will be available, which would provide the one-on-one technology to 90 classrooms across the district.

"This is highly dependent upon school funding from the state of Illinois. While applications have been released and received, we will not be able to make a decision as to if these requests will be funded until we have additional funding details from the state," Bennett said.

At the showcasing event Tuesday, even the youngest of students seemed to be in their element showing off skills to many befuddled parents who looked on in amazement.

Parent Veronica Villareal said nothing is like it used to be when she was a student.

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"Kids in kindergarten are coding, they're making slideshows of books they read, they can talk to their teachers and friends from home about their assignment. It's just amazing what they can do," Villareal said.

Music students showed off medleys crated by web applications on the spot that they played with instruments for the guests. Students displayed on their screens the digital sheet music they use instead of paper.

"This eliminates all paper copies in band. It also eliminates kids losing their music notes because that's usually an issue," said John Lew, a Round Lake High School sophomore.

Superintendent Constance Collins said she hopes everyone who attended the event left with a sense of how the technology is transforming District 116 classrooms.

On Tuesday, guests were able to be entered in a raffle to win an iPad or Chromebook by watching the students' presentations, and they also had the opportunity to donate to the funding of the technology.

A family resources area was the last station families visited during a Round Lake Area Schools District 116 showcase of its one-on-one technology initiative on Tuesday, April 11. (Yadira Sanchez Olson / Lake County News-Sun)

Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
Democrat Brad Schneider's win last November in the 10th Congressional Distrcit is among the evidence cited by Lake County Democrats of a still-rising tide of blue in this corner of the state. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

There was a time in Lake County when spotting an elected Democratic official was akin to spotting a ruby-crowned kinglet. You knew the tiny birds were there, just a bit difficult to spot.

Things, as is inevitable, change. Today, the county is filled with Democratic office-holders in township and county posts; four state representatives and three state senators; and a congressman.

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And they want more. So much so, they're crowing over the results in the April 4 consolidated general election.

In spite of the election of President Trump on the national stage, area Dems say the April 4 election "was another major victory for area Democrats who built on substantial local wins achieved in November 2016."

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The Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats organization notes that Democratic slates in the traditional strongholds of West Deerfield and Moraine townships all swept their races, while in Vernon Township, a group of Dem trustees won their contests. They faltered in Warren Township, where the incumbent, non-partisan United for Warren slate easily crushed the Democratic contingent.

Voters also chose Democrats to be College of Lake County trustees. Yet, the party failed to file slates in some townships and some, like in Avon Township, supervisor candidate Terry Wilke of Round Lake Beach ran and was elected as a non-partisan office seeker. He's been a Democratic member of the Lake County Board since 2008 who decided to double dip April 4 and become a township supervisor.

"The energy seen leading up to November and especially after the presidential election is real," said Lauren Beth Gash of Highland Park, who founded the Tenth Dems, a grassroots political organization that works to elect Democrats to all levels of government within the 10th Congressional District, which straddles Lake and Cook counties.

"People want to make a difference," Gash added. "They're not only marching in Washington and Chicago, they're making phone calls and knocking on doors in their communities, too. And, as the April election shows, they're standing with Democrats and Democratic values in the 10th District."

She believes Democrats running in traditionally Republican areas helped make inroads for future elections despite not winning this time around, keeping their momentum moving forward into next year's statewide and county elections.

Gash, along with state Sen. Terry Link, D-Waukegan, chairman of the Lake County Democratic Party, may be on to something. Link laid a lot of the ground work for Democratic successes back when the party had a minuscule office in the basement of the long-since-razed Plaza Hotel in downtown Waukegan.

Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday >

It was from those humble beginnings and using a base of voters along the county's shoreline that Democrats spread slowly into the rest of the county's political fabric. Some areas continue to resist the tide, but with a Republican in the White House who is disliked, according to polls, Dems in Lake County believe they have that increasing momentum.

Avon Township Democrats echo Gash's optimism. They say Trump's actions since he took office have more than doubled turnouts at their meetings. Organizers across Illinois report similar scenarios. But then, this a solid blue state, now comfortably in Democratic hands.

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"Our best recruitment tool has just been people listening to the news," Patrick Duby of Round Lake said at a recent session of Avon Township Democrats. "People are more interested and engaged."

They also seem to be looking toward the Democratic Party. For the time being.

Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.

sellenews@gmail.com

Twitter: @sellenews
The Walgreens store on Raymond Drive, near Ogden Avenue, in Naperville was robbed Wednesday, a store manager confirmed.

Naperville police did not return calls seeking for more information but sent out an electronic alert Wednesday morning about an armed robbery occurring in the 600 block of Raymond. The manager, who declined to be identified, said he did not believe a weapon was displayed.

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Few details about the crime were included in alert. The time of the holdup was not mentioned or no other information about what occurred was released other than the suspect was in his 20s and wearing a black hoodie.

Walgreens spokesman Philip Caruso declined to discuss the robbery at length. "I can tell you no one was injured and we're fully cooperating with police," Caruso said.

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wbird@tribpub.com
A new report released this week suggests holiding back a child from starting kindergarten for a year might not be as beneficial as once thought. (Jane Donahue / Naperville Sun)

Every spring many parents of children whose birthdays fall just before the kindergarten cut-off date debate whether to send their child to kindergarten or wait a year until the child is more mature.

Known as academic redshirting, delaying kindergarten by a year is seen as a way for a child to fully develop cognitively, socially and emotionally for the rigors of all-day kindergarten.

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However, new evidence-based advice published Tuesday in the journal Education Next suggests redshirting may do more harm than good.

"While children derive a short-term gain from being redshirted, that advantage dissipates quickly over time," authors Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach and Stephanie Howard Larson said in their report.

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Schanzenbach is professor of education and social policy at Northwestern University and a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Larson is the director of Rose Hall Montessori School in Wilmette.

The women contend research and experience suggest "redshirted children can be educationally and socially harmed by being with others who are performing and behaving at lower developmental levels."

Before making any decision, Naperville educators urge parents to talk to preschool teachers and other parents.

Patricia Schacht, associate professor of psychology at North Central College in Naperville, said delaying kindergarten makes sense from a maturity level. It is much more advantageous for a child who can interact socially and academically because he or she will be motivated to learn.

"I don't think it would hurt to have more time," Schacht said.

Boys, in particular, tend to develop slower when it comes to fine motor skills, such as writing and cutting, which likely is why parents tend to hold back boys more often, she said.

While only 6 percent of parents delayed their child's entry into kindergarten, the percentage is much higher if the child is male and the parents were college educated.

As many as one in five summer-born boys with college-educated parents were redshirted in 2010, according to figures calculated by Schanzenbach and Larson from an Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of the kindergarten class of 2010-11 sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics.

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For parents facing the tough decision, Schacht suggests talking with parents of older children in addition to the child's preschool teacher, an approach also encouraged in Indian Prairie School District 204.

Each spring District 204 hosts kindergarten orientation where parents receive a readiness checklist to help parents assess their child, said Laura Devine-Johnston, the district's assistant superintendent for elementary education.

While many parents might think a kindergarten teacher or district administrator should be able to gauge a child's readiness, Devine-Johnston said a preschool teacher who sees and interacts day to day with a child is a much better judge.

And just because a child appears immature in spring when kindergarten registration begins, doesn't mean the child won't be ready by the start of the school year. Because children grow developmentally at different paces, a child who appears ill-prepared at age 4 might suddenly be ready when he or she turns 5 a few months later, Devine-Johnston said.

"Sometimes parents need to see how this summer goes, and that's perfectly fine," she said.

As much as the district would prefer to have a head count to prepare for the start of the school year, "you can register up until school starts," she said.

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Devine-Johnston said the district also has seen parents register a child in the spring only to decide later their child wasn't ready.

In Illinois, children may begin kindergarten when are 5 years old on or before Sept. 1. By law, kids must begin school if they turn age 6 on or before Sept. 1.

Delaying kindergarten for a child whose birthday falls in the summer is tempting for parents.

Redshirting not only bumps a child from one of the youngest in the class to one of the oldest, it also might prevent a child from being the smallest in gym class or the least mature in the classroom.

Schanzenbach and Larson's studies raise concerns that students may become bored waiting for the younger students to catch up.

North Central's Schacht said this also could be an opportunity for students to participate in extended lessons through classroom differentiation or gifted education programs.

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"I do see this dynamic with (Naperville District) 203 and (Indian Prairie District) 204," Schacht said.

The Schanzenbach and Larson report warns criteria for gifted education programs vary.

Older students have an edge if gifted learning is limited to the top students at a grade level. The advantage, however, tips the other way if qualifications are based on age.

All educators agree parents know their children best, and they hold the ultimate decision.

subaker@tribpub.com

Twitter @SBakerSun1
Naperville resident Alyssa Mazurek was selected as a contestant on "The Price is Right" while she was on spring break in California. Mazurek made it to the showcase round, where she won more than $26,000 in prizes. (CBS / Handout)

Spring break turned out to be a big break for 21-year-old Alyssa Mazurek. The Naperville native and senior at St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Ind., was called to "come on down" as a contestant on "The Price Is Right" while vacationing in California.

"I was totally in utter shock," said Mazurek, who expects to graduate next month. "I just really couldn't believe it when they called my name."

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Mazurek was in California with her boyfriend, James Koci, whose family lives there, and friend Aaron Crawfis. Koci and Crawfis are students at the University of Notre Dame and had the same school break as Mazurek.

"We decided it would be a fun to stay with James' parents for spring break and try to see the show," Mazurek said. "Aaron was the big 'The Price Is Right' fan and went online and got us tickets."

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Alyssa Mazurek, of Naperville, won a chance to go onstage as a contestant on "The Price is Right," and ended up winning the grand showcase, which included a new car and a trip to Germany. (CBS / handout)

Mazurek said the trio talked strategy prior to attending the March 15 taping, and even watched a few episodes the day before. No costumes are allowed, so they wore tie-dyed shirts in hopes of standing out in the audience.

They left Koci's house in South Orange County at 4:30 a.m. to ensure they'd have time to line up at the studio gates by 7:30 a.m. Two hours later, they were among nearly 300 audience members hoping to snag a spot in contestant's row and meet show host Drew Carey.

Mazurek's name was called in the first few minutes of the show, and her winning bid of $551 for a pair of digital video cameras earned her a spot on stage. While she didn't win the next contest, she returned to face off against two other contestants by spinning the "wheel."

Her spin of 85 cents proved to be good enough to win, and she advanced to the "showcase" round, which is the final contest of the show.

Alyssa Mazurek, 21, was all smiles after winning more than $26,000 in prizes after winning on "The Price Is Right" last month. (CBS / handout)

"At that point, I was just trying to calm down before the showcase because I was still a little in shock," Mazurek said. "The crew talked to us backstage about what was going to happen and then after a commercial, we were out there again."

Mazurek had the chance to bid on the second showcase, which included a trip to Germany and a 2017 Ford Fiesta. Although she had practiced a similar scenario before the show, she looked to James and Aaron in the audience for direction.

"I really have to give James and Aaron a lot of the credit," she said. "I could see them, and they were signaling to me. One was saying $26,000 and one was saying $27,000, so I split the difference and went with $26,500."

The actual showcase was valued at $26,767, so between her friends' suggestions and her instincts, she came up a big winner.

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"I just expected to go to the show and have a good time," Mazurek said. "To get a brand new car and a trip overseas, those are things I would never be able to have at this time."

Alyssa Mazurek grabs the hand of "The Price Is Right" host Drew Carey after learning she won a new Ford Fiesta and a trip to Germany by coming closest to the actual price of her "showcase." (CBS / handout)

The show was taped March 15, which meant Mazurek had to keep quiet until it aired April 5. The shows' rules are stringent  she signed a contract agreeing to them  and clearly state a contestant will forfeit their prizes if they disclose the details of the show before it airs.

"It was really hard to not say anything, but I was lucky to have James and Aaron to talk about it," she said.

When it aired, she hosted a viewing party at her apartment in Indiana, and her friends and family in Naperville watched as well.

"It was funny to watch my reaction because I really didn't remember it all," Mazurek said. "I didn't know whether to hug Drew Carey or shake his hand. James and Aaron joined me on stage, and we were all hugging, and then we got in the car. It was funny."

Alyssa Mazurek shares a laugh with comedian Drew Carey, host of "The Price Is Right," while taping the game show on March 15. Mazurek, a Naperville resident going to college in South Bend, Ind., made it to the showcase round, where she won more than $26,000 in prizes. (CBS / handout)

Mazurek said she should be able to claim her prizes in July.

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"To have this experience over my senior year spring break is like a final hurrah," Mazurek said. "I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and feel incredibly lucky."

To see the episode, visit www.cbs.com/shows/the_price_is_right/video/MU0B6jok_Cq9RI2ztuX9EsxeGk45kTuk/the-price-is-right-4-5-2017/.

Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
Tamara Palmer, author of "Missing Tyler," provides a brief insight of the journey of her first novel, details of her upcoming speaking engagements to several local area groups in Park Ridge and advice for writers. She is set for a presentation and book signing event from 3-5 p.m. April 22 at the Park Ridge Public Library and is set to speak to the teen writing club on April 24 at the library.

Q: What kind of feedback are you getting from your new book?

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A: Overall, people are loving the book. They find it to be a quick read that offers a very realistic story. They say that they care deeply about the characters and as a writer, that just brings the biggest smile to my face.

Q: Do you have other books planned?

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A: Yes. I'm actually at the very early stages of polishing up my second novel.

Q: Who is your favorite author?

A: My current favorite author is Rainbow Rowell. Lifetime favorite, Judy Blume.

Q: Have you checked out the Park Ridge library to see your book on the shelf?

A: It's really funny that you should ask this. I made a point to go into the library last week to take a picture of the flier for my upcoming event so that I could share it on social media. It never even occurred to me to check the shelf for my book (and take a picture of it)! I'll be doing that shortly.

Q: What can people learn about you if they go to one of the events you'll be attending?

A: When people come to my event, they'll learn why I wrote "Missing Tyler" and will gain an overview of my publishing journey. I love to invite people to ask questions  it's fascinating to me the things that people are curious about.

Q: Do you have any advice for others who are starting a career in writing?

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A: Separate out the writing from the editing process. This is a big one for many of us. Free write, download from the universe, just get the words out. Clean them up and figure out what they mean later. Some of it will get trashed, but some of it will surprise you. And don't write for an audience. Write the story that wants to come through you and tell it as it's meant to be told. Figure out after the fact if and how to market it. Guess those two tips really say the same thing.

Q: Any upcoming vacation plans scheduled for the summer months?

A: My daughter and I have an exciting trip scheduled in June. She'll attend a week of Sea World Camp in Orlando with her cousin who lives in that area. We've just been invited to join a friend at her Alaska cabin for a week in July. I love the polarity of visiting Alaska and Florida in the summer. We'll see what comes to pass.

Karen Medina is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Adventurers of all ages will soon be able to conquer the canopy at the Deep River Aerial Adventure Park, a brand new treetop trail and challenge course scheduled to open in May before Memorial Day. It's located adjacent to Deep River Water Park and it offers a challenge course of ropes, cables, nets, bridges, beams and logs is suspended from the trees and up as high as 50 feet above the ground. Zip lines fly visitors back to the ground and add to the adventure. (Steven Doniger / Edge Adventure)

Spring has sprung some special outdoor opportunities in Northwest Indiana. From nature experiences with your children or grandchildren, an opportunity to help preserve a special place in the dunes and join in a guided wildflower hike through this unique environment, or a challenge in the treetops before zipping back to the ground  it's time to go out and play.

* The Nature Play Zone at the Paul H. Douglas Center for Environmental Education at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a sandy clearing in the woods where kids can climb trees, build forts, dig holes and have creative outdoor play.

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"It's a nice area adjacent to the Douglas Center where kids can go out and explore the outdoors. We'll bring out a wheelbarrow full of things like shovels, buckets and ropes that kids can also use when they play there," said park ranger, Julie Larsen.

On Saturday, from 1 to 3 p.m., families can join others for a Playdate in the Nature Play Zone. The Douglas Center has several activity options for the play date in addition to the Nature Play Zone. Depending on the weather and the interests of the group, these include creating nature-inspired craft project inside the center, or taking a ranger-led hike on the trails behind the center where visitors can learn about the beaver activity, birds and blooms there, and more.

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Playdates in the Nature Play Zone will continue on the first and third Saturdays of each month at the Paul H. Douglas Center, at 100 North Lake Street, about one mile north of U.S. Highway 12 in the Miller neighborhood of Gary. Visitors can also request the wheelbarrow of additional play equipment for use at the Nature Play Zone any time during regular center hours, which are currently Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 1-219-395-1821 or go online to www.nps.gov/indu for additional details.

* It's a special time at the Heron Rookery in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The forest floor of this unique area along the Little Calumet River is covered by a carpet of wildflowers which is currently in bloom with delicate and beautiful white, yellow, purple and red flowers.

Volunteers are needed to help preserve this special environment for the future.

A morning of stewardship is planned at the Heron Rookery from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday. This volunteer effort will contribute to helping save the special biodiversity here by removing invasive species, or in other words, pulling weeds which grow aggressively and would overwhelm the native plants.

No special expertise is needed, and work gloves will be provided.

All are also welcome to a ranger-guided spring wildflower hike at the Heron Rookery from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday. The scenic rookery trail winds through the woods along the Little Calumet River, and is especially lovely right now when the variety of beautiful little spring wildflowers are in season, and the mosquitoes aren't.

Although this place was named for the great blue herons that nested here for decades, the birds have moved and now the spring flowers are the draw. Parking for both the stewardship morning and the afternoon hike is located at 1336 North County Road 600E in Michigan City. Participants are encouraged to pack a lunch and stay for both programs. Call 1-219-395-1882 for more information.

* Adventurers of all ages will soon be able to "conquer the canopy" at the Deep River Aerial Adventure Park, a brand new treetop trail and challenge course scheduled to open before Memorial Day.

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This challenge course of ropes, cables, nets, bridges, beams and logs is suspended from the trees and up as high as 50 feet above the ground. Zip lines fly visitors back to the ground and add to the adventure.

Before starting, participants will be fitted with a helmet and safety harness followed by facility and training orientation. Next, you choose a challenge level and then hook onto the safety cable before climbing up and away into the treetops.

"There are several different levels of challenges and heights. You do a self-guided adventure at your own pace, and then, can have the option to advance within the experience to another level. One thing here at Deep River that will be a little different than our first two properties is that this will have another feature: a kids' course with 7 or 8 elements for kids ages 4 to 7," explained Steve Doniger, the owner/manager of Edge Adventures.

The company's first two properties have been popular additions to parks in Hamilton County, just north of Indianapolis, and in South Bend, although Doniger's experience in recreation goes back further, including formerly serving as the director of Valparaiso Parks.

"One thing we've learned along the way is that we have a lot of little kids who want to play. This park will have a near-ground option for them, along with options for every age who can do this type of activity. One of my favorite stories is about an 80-year old who did the park at Rum Village (in South Bend) with his 13-year old grandson."

The new Deep River Aerial Adventure Park will be located adjacent to Deep River Waterpark. Admission for the aerial park will start at $10 for 1-hour in the kids' park. A 2-hour adventure costs $39 for adults and $29 for age 12 and under, and a 3-hour adventure will cost $49 for adults or $39 for 12 and under. A full day of treetop adventure will cost $79.

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Watch www.edgeadventureparks.com or their Facebook page for discounts, coupons, details on the May opening, or to make a reservation.

Joan Dittmann is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.
Gary could soon gain a motocross track on its east side and a new group home for homeless men in Midtown.

Both ventures will appear on the City Council's April 18 agenda after the Board of Zoning Appeals approved special use permits for the separate requests on Tuesday.

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John Young, of Valparaiso, said he wants to carve out about 13 dirt tracks for motocross and ATV use on 42 acres he owns at 2000 Central Ave., just west of Lake Station. The farm was formerly owned by the Ewing family.

He said there are no homes in the area that's bounded on the north by railroad tracks and wetlands and on the south by Interstate 80-94. It abuts the Interstate 65 ramp on the west. He said he purchased the property from the Ewing family about a year ago.

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"It's difficult to find a place to legally drive a quad runner," Young told the BZA. "I take my kids to these places frequently."

Young said he has designs completed for the tracks and owns a construction company so he can build them. "It's just dirt," he said.

Young said the track would be secured when not in use and admission would be charged at a gate. He said the facility would follow state rules for safety, similar to go-cart tracks.

Young said it would likely be open from dawn to dusk. Some of the tracks would be geared toward kids and others toward adult use, he said.

He said he planned to build a berm around the facility and plant trees on it to reduce the noise.

Also, the BZA approved a special use permit for Planted Seed Ministries, Inc., to operate a group home for homeless men at 2149 Adams St.

CEO Renecia Williams told the BZA about six men would be housed at the home in a collaboration with the Lake County Jail and the courts.

"Unfortunately, the jail has become a dumping ground for individuals who need support," said Williams who said she works as re-entry director at the jail. Many of the men are suffering from mild mental illnesses and need help taking regular medication and adding structure to their lives, she said.

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She said the group home would be licensed by the state and have a physician on staff, along with a clinical therapist and mental health technicians.

Williams said she has a master's degree in social work and doctorate in divinity. She said she has 15 years of experience in the management of supportive housing.

Men with felony convictions won't be allowed, she said. She said the men would be referred from the jail or shelters.

Zoning coordinator Mary Hurt said the home would need security cameras. She said there are just two residents left on the block.

To meet U.S. Housing and Urban Development guidelines, Williams said the home has to be near a bus stop for mobility.

Planted Seed Ministries is a faith-based social service agency. It works with the Continuum of Care Network of Northwest Indiana.

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Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Lake County Sheriff John Buncich issued a statement Wednesday insisting on his innocence after being indicted on a series of federal corruption charges. (Kyle Telechan / Post-Tribune)

Lake County Sheriff John Buncich broke his months-long silence Wednesday following his November indictment on federal corruption charges, calling the claims "absurd" and pledging to fight.

"I have long wanted to issue a statement of my innocence to allay any concerns that you may have and to maintain your confidence in the Lake County Sheriff's Department. But, on the advice of my attorneys, I have remained silent," Buncich wrote in an open letter to Lake County residents.

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Buncich said he had expected the case to be resolved by now, but since it's continued until August, he wanted to speak out and assure residents the work of the Lake County Sheriff's Office will continue without disruption.

Buncich, former Chief of Police Timothy Downs and William Szarmach, of CSA Towing in Lake Station, were named in a multicount indictment in November alleging an illegal towing scheme in which the sheriff accepted bribes in the form of thousands of dollars in cash and donations to his campaign fund, Buncich's Boosters, according to court records.

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A federal judge pushed back the date of the sheriff's trial because of the large volume of material defense attorneys must review to prepare for trial.

"For those who know me and my 45 years in law enforcement, you know that I would never compromise my integrity or professionalism and cannot be guilty of these charges; trust that I would never sell my office  not for any amount. I assure you that I am absolutely innocent," Buncich wrote.

The sheriff, whose department was in charge of deciding which companies were called for towing services, and the chief allegedly steered business toward towing operators in exchange for cash and checks, according to the indictment.

Buncich allegedly took more than $25,000 in cash bribes and $7,000 in checks from Szarmach and another towing operator identified as "Individual A," according to the indictment.

Buncich and Szarmach pleaded not guilty during their initial appearances in November.

Downs struck a plea agreement with the U.S. attorney's office, which a federal judge has not yet accepted, admitting he allegedly cooperated with Buncich to solicit bribes from tow truck operators for favorable treatment.

The sheriff on Wednesday said he decided to speak out at this time with the support of his attorneys since a resolution would be long in coming.

"I've had an overwhelming amount of calls for support from people," Buncich said, and he wanted to be able to publicly address those supporters and assure them work within the sheriff's department has not been affected by the allegations.

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"There have been no allegations that I have not performed exceptionally as sheriff and I will continue to do so. I wish to make certain that all functions of the Sheriff's Department will continue to operate with absolute excellence," Buncich wrote.

"I wish to provide confidence that you are protected and absolute excellence is still demanded of all county employees. My commitment to you remains unwavering."

Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.

clyons@post-trib.com

Twitter @craigalyons
Is Indiana a good place to be a kid? For many of us with memories of a happy Hoosier childhood, the answer to that question is a resounding "yes." Yet when we look beyond our personal experiences and examine the data about child well-being in our state, the answer is more likely "it depends."

The Indiana Youth Institute's annual KIDS COUNT in Indiana Data Book provides objective, reliable information on how Hoosier children and youth are faring. Looking at the whole child, and our whole state, we examine indicators in the categories of economics, education, family and community, health and safety. Through analyzing these factors, and our aim to improve child well-being, we develop a realistic picture of where we stand and the work ahead. What we see is that many of our children are merely surviving  all kids in Indiana should thrive.

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Economically, most Indiana children live in settings where their basic needs are met. Yet, 1 in 5 Hoosier children still live in poverty, and we know that kids growing up in poverty are more likely to have health problems, delayed social-emotional development and lower educational achievement.

Even though Indiana's unemployment rate is down and our cost of living was the nation's second-lowest in 2016, the share of Hoosier kids impacted by poverty has remained relatively steady, and there are significant racial and geographic differences in the share of Hoosiers affected.

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The importance of early childhood education is receiving robust attention, and more Hoosier three- and four-year-olds are now enrolled in pre-K. Yet Indiana remains below national levels of children accessing a quality preschool experience. At the elementary level, test scores have improved slightly, yet too many students still aren't passing the English (33.9 percent) and Math (41.1 percent) ISTEP.

An increasing school focus on college and career planning is contributing to a greater share of Hoosier 12th graders (80.3 percent) planning to pursue education after high school, whether through a college/university, community college, apprenticeship program or career-technical college.

Hoosier children and teens face a variety of health challenges. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Indiana youth ages 15-24, with nearly one in five high school students (19.8 percent) indicating they have seriously considered suicide in the past year  the third highest rate nationally. A rising number of Hoosier high school students are at-risk in their romantic relationships, with a greater percentage of teen girls reported to be victims of physical and sexual dating violence in Indiana than in the nation.

Home life plays a critical part in a child's development, yet a significant share of our children struggle to receive stable support. More than 1 out of every 8 Hoosier children (13.4 percent) have lived with someone who had a drug or alcohol problem, and more than half of kids removed from a home by Indiana's Department of Child Services (DCS) in 2016 were removed due to parental drug and/or alcohol abuse. DCS also substantiated 1,000 more cases in 2015 than they did during the previous year, with nearly half of all abuse/neglect cases involving children younger than five.

Fortunately, there's also good news. Indiana teens report that their parents are largely engaged in their lives. Rates of Indiana children being bullied at school have dropped below the national average. And 93.2 percent of our children have some type of health insurance.

IYI's annual data book uses up-to-date indicators to shape both local and state discussions about how to secure a brighter future for all of Indiana's children. The success of our state is directly connected to the well-being of our children. All of our children, regardless of their circumstances, deserve a safe, productive environment where they can learn, grow and thrive. Indiana can and should be a great place to grow up  and we need to keep working to make this a reality for all Hoosier kids.

Tami Silverman is the president and CEO of the Indiana Youth Institute.
"Be Bold: Let's Move the Needle" was the title of a panel discussion hosted by the Evanston YWCA and held March 8 in honor of International Women's Day. Women entrepreneurs, artists, and law enforcement officers and representatives from women's organizations spoke at the event at Evanston Township High School. Keynote speaker was Evelyn Diaz, president of the Heartland Alliance, an anti-poverty and human rights organization that assists communities across the U.S. and globally. The event discussed issues of gender equality, economics, and ways women can support women. The evening also included a performance by the Chicago poetry performance company, Louder Than a Bomb.
It's Election Day, Pueblo. Make sure your vote is counted

Ballots must be returned to a staffed voter center or a drop box by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8 at the latest to be counted. It's not too late to register.
On April 1, China announced it will establish Xiongan New Area in North China's Hebei province, about 100 kilometers southwest of downtown Beijing, covering the counties of Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin. A fundamental mission of the new area, which is expected to emulate and improve on the success of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone and the Shanghai Pudong New Area, will be absorbing part of the non-capital functions of Beijing.

Three years ago, President Xi Jinping made clear Beijing's role as the national capital: the country's political center, cultural center, and center for international exchanges and science and technological innovation. The city is making efforts to cure itself of the "urban diseases", including growing population, traffic congestion, soaring property prices and an insatiable demand for resources.

While designed to offload part of Beijing's non-capital functions, which have not yet been elaborated by the decision-makers, Xiongan New Area attaches equal importance to "reform" and "opening-up". In other words, the new area has great potential to become an exemplary economic zone driven by reform and innovation.

Xiongan New Area, according to He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, will aspire to be an "innovation high ground" where emerging administrative, investment and financing models will be tried. Policy and financial support will also be given to major projects in transportation, ecology, water conservation, energy and public services.

China has built a number of State-level new areas in various provinces and regions since the establishment of the Shanghai Pudong New Area in the 1990s. But not all of them have had an exemplary record in innovation, and some still have a long way to go to complete full industrial transformation and upgrading of software facilities.

In this context, Xiongan should be more "selective" in taking over non-capital functions of Beijing if it wants to be a subsidiary center of the capital. There is no crystal clear distinction between capital and non-capital functions, so Xiongan's role should be based on the progress of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and resource endowment of cities in the area.

The establishment of Xiongan New Area and the ongoing transformation of Beijing's Tongzhou district into a new "subsidiary administrative center" will be two key elements of the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Parallels can be drawn between Xiongan New Area and its counterparts. Established State-level new areas like Tianjin's Binhai New Area share the pursuit of reform and opening-up, emerging industries, efficient transportation network and new urban areas.

Xiongan New Area is also expected to guide the overhauling of the economic mechanism. The reform in previous new areas has been mostly "opening-up-oriented", which is in line with the country's reform and opening-up practice over the past decades. Xiongan's mode may create a reform-driven model.

On its part, the new area needs to seize the opportunity to improve its not-so-competitive industrial base, in a bid to supplement the efforts to expedite regional integration. Allowing locals to enjoy public services, including household registration, education and medical treatment at Beijing's level, too, is vital to Xiongan's future as a zone marked by freer flow of resources.

The article is an excerpt from a recent report issued by Pangoal Research Institute of Macro-Economics, Pangoal Institute.
The two recently launched free trade zones in Hubei and Henan provinces are expected to bring more momentum to a rising Central China.

The China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone were launched on April 1, together with another five in Chongqing municipality and Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces.

As the two largest provinces in Central China in terms of gross domestic product in 2016, Hubei and Henan provinces are well-positioned to expand opening-up and lead development of the central region, which also includes Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan and Shanxi provinces.

Henan, with a population of more than 100 million, saw GDP of 4.016 trillion yuan ($581 billion) in 2016, and ranked fifth among all provincial-level regions, while Hubei, with almost half of Henan's population, recorded 3.23 trillion yuan of GDP in the same period.

Hubei FTZ covers a combined area of 120 square kilometers in the province's Wuhan, Xiangyang and Yichang, while the Henan FTZ covers a roughly equal land area in Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Luoyang.

"The Hubei FTZ will greatly benefit enterprises in the province, especially those doing international business", said Chen Kai, president of the Wuhan-based Medscience Technology Co Ltd, whose core business is import and export of medical materials and equipment.

The company had to import and export the products from Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou ports, while globally-traded commodities will be shipped to and from Wuhan directly in the future.

According to the plans released by the State Council, the Hubei FTZ will be built into a demonstration zone for the transfer of industries from coastal regions to the central region and a base for high-tech industries, in order to play a leading role in the rise of the central provinces and development of the Yangzte River Economic Belt.

The economic belt, announced by the central government in 2014, covers 11 provinces and cities spanning the country's eastern, central and western regions, with a total area of 2.05 million square kilometers. Its population and GDP account for more than 40 percent of the national total.

As a contrast, "Henan FTZ will become the national transport and logistics hub to serve the country's Belt and Road Initiative," said Zhang Qiong, director of Henan provincial government's department of transport.

As the birthplace of Chinese civilization, Henan lies in the central part of China and is often referred to as zhongyuan, which literally means central plain of the midland.

"Henan's unique geographical location positions it perfectly to take advantage of opportunities opening up along the Belt and Road Initiative economies", said Danny Alexander, secretary-general of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, during the recently held China (Henan) International Investment and Trade Fair.

Last year, the State Council announced a plan to build the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, which includes 30 cities in Henan, Anhui, Shanxi and Shandong provinces, with Henan's Zhengzhou being the core area.

The State Council also launched a program that year to boost development in the central region for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), saying the rise of the region is of great importance to China's medium-high economic growth.

Hubei Vice-Governor Tong Daochi said the new FTZs will help facilitate investment and further liberalize trade in commodities.

Both of the FTZs will promote foreign investment, while maintaining their own focus.

Hubei FTZ should explore how to optimize administration after the investment admission phase, while Henan FTZ will attract more international organizations and institutes, headquarters of financial institutions and regional headquarters of enterprises and organizations, according to the official plans.

As one of the four futures exchanges in China, Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange will aim to develop new products for international transactions.

At present, ZCE is available for transactions of 10 agricultural products, including wheat, rice, cotton and rapeseed and five industrial materials, including glass, coal and methanol.

Foreign companies will be gradually permitted to participate in futures exchange with ZCE, according to the FTZ plan.

Henan FTZ will also be built into Central China's transaction center for intellectual property.

Hubei FTZ should carry out over 200 specific reforms and Henan FTZ will also be responsible for 160 of such tasks, according to the local authorities.

They share some goals to lower the threshold for businesses to set up new companies, cut restrictions on capital flow, and offer more market access to foreign investment.

"To complete the 160 reform tasks, Henan should amend 60 local laws and regulations", said Jiao Jinmiao, director of the Henan provincial government's department of commerce and director of the Henan FTZ administration.
China is expected to unveil pilot mixed-ownership reform schemes for the first group of central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) soon amid efforts to invigorate its torpid SOEs.

The country is also preparing for a second round of pilot programs to begin later this year in more sectors, according to the Xinhua-run China Securities Journal.

State-owned telecom firm China Unicom is expected to incorporate private shareholders including local Internet giants via a secondary public offering.

Trading of the company's Shanghai-listed shares remained halted Wednesday as it "deliberates on major issues," according to a statement from China Unicom, which announced on April 5 that it was preparing for a mixed-ownership revamp.

An annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled for May 10 is likely to announce the reform plan allowing for cross-shareholding between the operator and Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent.

Introducing the Internet trio and other powerful shareholders will offer China Unicom more marketing resources and promote its business operations, according to BOC International.

The first pilot reform scheme also includes China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Power Grid, Harbin Electric Corporation, China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

There are thousands of SOEs in China and they form the backbone of economic growth. But their monopolies in many sectors shut out smaller market entities and lead to low efficiency and poor service.

China has banked on mixed-ownership reform of SOEs to shore up their performance. A special meeting by China's top economic planner has called for fast and substantive progress in the SOE-dominated sectors of electricity, oil, natural gas, railway, civil aviation, telecommunication and military industry.

Reform plans should be submitted before the end of June and be implemented in the latter half of this year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
Baidu succeeded in using artificial intelligence to reconnect a man with his family 27 years after he was abducted, the company announced Wednesday.

Working with baobeihuijia.com, a charity group dedicated to connecting missing children and their families, Baidu used its cross-age facial recognition program to analyze pictures of abducted children uploaded by the victims and their birth families and identified potential matches through the comparison of selected facial features.

Fu Gui, 33, who was born in Chongqing Municipality, western China, was abducted in 1990 and later transferred to Fujian Province, southeastern China. He registered with baobeihuijia.com in 2009, and his natural family did the same in early 2017.

Baidu's facial recognition program was able to draw up a short list of potential identities for the man from pictures uploaded to the site, and a DNA test later verified the correct match.

Baidu has about 200 million sample pictures that it uses to improve the sensitivity and accuracy of its facial recognition program, which can be over 99 percent accurate.

Baidu's founder and CEO Robin Li, who is also a national political advisor, proposed during the annual parliamentary sessions in March that AI systems, like facial recognition, could be used to help find missing children and suggested that there should be a central database with missing children's information.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with his Afghan counterpart Ashraf Ghani in Ufa, Russia, July 10, 2015. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

This April, Russia will host five regional states - Afghanistan, China, India, Iran, and Pakistan - to discuss peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban are also reportedly interested in attending, should they receive an invitation. Absent from the talks will be the United States. Non-participation is to the detriment of Washington when a negotiated settlement is the only way to bring the unwinnable war in Afghanistan to an end.

Though the Afghan government remains in control of the capital, Kabul, elsewhere in the country the situation is quite dire. The Taliban control or contest nearly half of the country's districts, including most of those in the south, and many areas near the Ring Road highway that links Afghanistan's major cities. This year's formal fighting season is set to begin, but even during the winter, the Taliban made significant advances, suggesting that the fighting this summer will be intense and perhaps even decisive in shaping the future of the stalemated war.

The Trump administration is looking for a way to "win" in Afghanistan. But it must know that there will be no victory there. A clear or even cosmetic victory is impossible given the deficiencies of the Afghan state. Creating an Afghan administration, military, and police that is capable of clearing, holding, and building in insurgent-held territory would take a decade or more, and tens of billions of dollars Washington is unwilling to spend. Additionally, it would require rooting out corruption and recruiting more capable personnel. Presently, most Afghan security personnel are illiterate and a high number are drug abusers. Recently, an Afghan National Army commander was arrested for stealing funds intended for feeding his soldiers. The province in which he served, Helmand, is now almost entirely controlled by the Taliban. The Afghans deserve the support of the international community, but no foreign power can convince a people to fight their own country.

The natural inclination of the Trump Administration will be to raise troop levels in Afghanistan and ease the rules of engagement, enabling more liberal use of air power. This may stymie the Taliban's advance for a short period, but also risks increasing civilian casualties, as we have seen recently in Iraq and Syria, and to some extent in Afghanistan last year. In other words, the greater use of force is no panacea-it carries its own risks and may even do more harm than good.

The Quadrilateral Coordination Group involving Beijing, Islamabad, Kabul and Washington was an admirable multilateral effort to bring the Taliban to the negotiation table. It reflected U.S. pragmatism and a willingness to cooperate with China in forging a mutually desired political settlement in Afghanistan. In July 2015, Afghan government officials and representatives of the Taliban insurgency were on the verge of holding a second round of talks in Pakistan when news of Mullah Omar's death was leaked, suspending the peace process. The dialogue was brought to an end the next year with the U.S. killing of the Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in May 2016.

President Barack Obama described Mansour's assassination as an "important milestone" in the efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan. In reality, it set back the peace process by at least a year and gave Mansour's successor little choice but to escalate the Taliban offensive in order to consolidate his control over the group.

As the Trump administration develops its own Afghanistan policy, regional states like Russia have stepped in to fill the void. Washington must avoid the reflexive urge to see Moscow's efforts as motivated by a mere desire to cause trouble for it. Regional states have far more to lose from an anarchic civil war in Afghanistan. Instead, Washington should see the April gathering for what it truly is: a vote of no confidence by regional states in America's war in Afghanistan.

There are a number of multilateral forums through which various power brokers discuss and coordinate Afghanistan policy. But the most important players are the Afghans themselves. No foreign power can impose a solution on Afghanistan. But it is important that foreign powers band together to prevent a re-emergence of a 1990s-style situation, in which two blocs of regional states supported opposing sides in the Afghan civil war.

It remains to be seen whether the Moscow talks can revive the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. But if they do produce a regional consensus, Moscow ought to give Washington another chance and make the sensible choice of revisiting its stance on participation in future rounds.

Arif Rafiq is president of Vizier Consulting, LLC, which provides strategic guidance on Middle East and South Asian political and security issues. He is also a fellow at the Center for Global Policy and a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute.

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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Intense battles raged on Tuesday between the Syrian army and the rebels in the southern province of Daraa, amid information that the rebels received large reinforcement through the Jordanian borders.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian air force carried out 40 airstrikes on Tuesday against the rebels, who are attempting to storm and control the Manshiyeh area, whose capture by the rebels threatens the downfall of the city to the rebels.

The London-based watchdog group said 16 Syrian soldiers and officers were killed a day earlier during the battles in Daraa, adding that among the rebels group is the Front for Liberating the Levant, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Meanwhile, a military source told Xinhua that the battles flared in Daraa after the rebels received a huge logistical support through the Jordanian borders, including heavy weapons and vehicles.

Hundreds of rebel fighters, as well as tanks and vehicles reached the rebels in Daraa, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The rebels have recently upped their offensives in Daraa to capture Manshiyeh neighborhood, which includes three hilltops overlooking most of the neighborhoods in Daraa.

It's feared that if the Manshiyeh fell to the rebels, the entire city of Daraa will fall as well.

Abdul-Aziz Farez, a political expert, said that Jordan supports the rebels in Daraa for two main points: the first is water, as Daraa contain two water sources.

The second, he added, is the geographic size and location near the Jordanian borders, which will enable Jordan, with the help of the rebels, to make Daraa as a buffer zone.
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Actions by the British government during the European Union referendum led to public mistrust, a committee of MPs said Wednesday in a parliamentary report.

The House of Common's Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee report said any future referendum in Britain should take note of the lessons learned from the way Brexit referendum was handled, including damage to the reputation of the civil service and the lack of preparation for either of the possible outcomes.

The report said that while the then prime minister David Cameron's government did not support a Leave vote, they had a constitutional and public obligation to prepare for both outcomes from the referendum.

"Unfortunately, many of the government's actions in the run-up to the referendum, which were easily avoidable, appear to have increased public distrust. The use of the machinery of government during the referendum contributed to a perception that the civil service were, in some way, biased," the report said in its conclusions.

The MPs also said the presentation of government reports, particularly those from the Treasury, and the decision to spend 9.3 million pounds (11.7 million U.S. dollars) on sending a leaflet, advocating a Remain vote, to every home in Britain, were inappropriate and counterproductive for the government.

The committee has recommended that in the event of future referendums, civil servants should be tasked with preparing for both possible outcomes.

"Confusion as to the possible consequences of a referendum result serves only to heighten the potential tensions between referendums and representative democracy and risks increasing the public's disenchantment with politics," added the MPs.

Bernard Jenkin, the Conservative MP who chairs the committee, said: "The use of the machinery of government during referendums has a significant effect on public trust and confidence. Referendums need to be designed in such a way as to provide the utmost clarity for parliamentarians, campaigners and, above all, the electorate."

"It is of the highest importance that the referendum process is seen to be fair, by both sides, and that the result is agreed to, even if not with, by both sides," Jenkin added.

The committee has made recommendations which would improve the legislation and regulatory framework for referendums, as well as for the government, civil service and the country's electoral commission.

In last June's EU referendum, the majority of voters ignored the government recommendation for Britain to remain as a member of the 28-nation bloc. By a margin of 52 to 48, the British people voted in favor of leaving the EU.

Last month, Theresa May, who succeeded Cameron as prime minister after the result was declared, started the Brexit process by triggering the Article 50.

Remain supporters have argued that as the referendum gave people a simple remain or leave choice, many people were not aware of the full consequences of a leave vote.
For those convinced a military solution to the current crisis on the Korean Peninsula is unavoidable, Chinese President Xi Jinping's latest emphasis on "resolving problems through peaceful means" in a phone conversation with his US counterpart on Wednesday should act as a reminder that the worst-case scenario should and can be avoided.

Tensions on the peninsula have spiraled to such a degree that both Pyongyang and Washington appear to be readying themselves for a costly showdown.

After dispatching the US Navy Carl Vinson carrier strike group to the Korean Peninsula, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday again vowed to "solve the North Korean problem", with or without Beijing's help.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, however, has shown little sign of backing off. Instead, it responded with a threat of nuclear attack on US forces in the region and "in the US mainland".

But the bellicose rhetoric aside, Republic of Korea Defense Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun made a crucial point that testifies to the special significance Xi placed on a peaceful resolution when he urged people not to "get blinded by exaggerated assessment of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula".

The truth is that although the prospect of war may seem real, no party really wants a war. Many sources indicate Washington is increasing the pressure in the hope that Pyongyang will change course without a shot being fired. Otherwise, it would not have insisted that Beijing could and should help rein in Pyongyang.

Nor should we neglect what happened on Tuesday in the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang. In sharp contrast to its war rhetoric, Pyongyang reinstated its long-gone foreign affairs committee, appointing two diplomats known for dealing with their US and ROK counterparts in past negotiations. Maybe this is not intended specifically for the current crisis. But it does reveal an interest in diplomacy on Pyongyang's part.

The ROK, on the other hand, knows full well it would be the foremost casualty should war break out, and that a peaceful removal of the nuclear/missile threat from the DPRK would be in its best interests.

Since peace is in the interests of all stakeholders, they should not give up on a non-military solution.

And the first step is to stop adding fuel to fire.

The DPRK, in particular, must refrain from conducting another nuclear missile provocation on Saturday, when celebrating the 105th anniversary of the birth of its founding father.

While the US and the ROK should suspend their large-scale military exercises and cease their belligerent brinkmanship.

A misstep by either side at such a critical juncture could prove disastrous, and the damage irreparable.
Liu Xinwei and his long Hummer. [Photo/Xinhua]

Liu Xinwei's long Hummer is an eye-catcher on the China-Kazakhstan border.

"In two years, tall buildings will rise up here, and opportunities are everywhere," Liu told tourists on board while driving his long Hummer in a China-Kazakhstan free trade zone.

The Horgos International Border Cooperation Center on the China-Kazakhstan border in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has seen an increasing number of tourists since 2012. It attracted a total of 5.43 million tourists in 2016.

Covering 5.28 square kilometers, the center opened in April 2012 as a destination for cross-border shopping. It has more than 40 duty-free shops selling luxury brands such as Omega and Versace.

The facility is the world's first cross-border free-trade zone and the biggest duty-free shopping center in west China. It allows entry of citizens from any country with valid passports or with exit and entry permits.

Since its establishment, more and more fortune-seekers have been enticed here. Liu left his home in central China's Henan Province and arrived here in July 2016. He bought a second-hand Hummer in Kazakhstan and began to work as a tour guide. Every day he drives to show tourists around the FTZ.

"The center is especially busy in May. You can earn hundreds of yuan even if you sell bottled water," Liu said.

It takes about 20 minutes to travel around the FTZ by car. The Chinese guide put on rhythmic music, and introduced places of interest in Kazakhstan to tourists on the American vehicle.

Liu showed them the former gateway, villages, and construction sites on the Kazakhstani side. Scaffoldings shoot up here and there in the FTZ, marking high-rise buildings in the future.

At the westernmost end of the Silk Road in China, Horgos was a transit point on the ancient trade route in the Tang Dynasty (619-907). In ancient times, merchants from Central Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe braved the Gobi Desert and nomadic bandits to arrive at Chang'an, the historical name of Xi'an, then the world's largest metropolis and capital city of Tang.

Today Horgos has become the youngest city on the Silk Road Economic Belt. Put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road trade routes.

The Horgos FTZ has seen rising flow of people and goods. It has recorded a trade volume of 878 million US dollars since opening as of last July.

"It's off season, so I have time to tell my customers more about the place," said Liu, "When in high season, we can stop for only ten minutes in every place. We have to leave after a snapshot, because too many tourists will line up behind us."

"When in July, I can pick up 20 tourists in every trip. Each pay me 50 yuan (7.2 US dollars), and I can do 10 trips a day," Liu did the math. "It's easier to make a fortune here than in the inland."

He plans to build some yurts near the Kazakhstani gateway, providing local cuisine and folk performance. "When tourists come, they will want to stay, just as I did."
XI'AN  Indian businessman Rana Karta opened a restaurant in the historical city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province four years ago. He has never looked back.

His restaurant is on the former site of a bazaar that was once one of the busiest hubs for international trade in China's ancient capital of Chang'an; the start of the silk road.

Shaanxi is currently rolling out policies to reignite cultural and economic relations with countries along the silk road. One of these projects is Shaanxi free trade zone (FTZ), which was launched on April 1.

FTZs are areas that enjoy preferential policies, easier customs clearance, more favorable taxes, and simpler business applications. They are also often experimental zone where measures are tested before being implemented nationwide.

Shaanxi FTZ will cover a total of 119.95 square kilometers.

Another project initiated by the provincial government to revive the city's past trading glory, was Silk Road Commercial Street, the road on the former site of West Market, and the location of Karta's restaurant.

Karta had visited many cities in China before choosing to settle in Xi'an in 2013 -- the same year China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative.

"We thought the street was the perfect choice for our first restaurant," said Karta, 35.

The Indian restaurant employs chefs from New Delhi, and prides itself on its tandoori chicken and Indian yogurt.

Karta said that Xi'an was just the beginning, and he hopes to open more restaurants across China.

Also on the street is the West Market Museum, which profiles the city's role on the ancient silk road and the busy international market, an important bazaar for traders.

Caravans along the Silk Road carried China-made silk, tea and porcelain westward, and brought back while pepper, carrots and horses, said museum guide Zhang Rongli.

Like the ancient road that had brought change, the modern belt and road will play an important role in facilitating opportunities for both Chinese and foreigners.

Sofiya Ushurova, from Kazakhstan, teaches at Xi'an Jiaotong University's law school. She came to Xi'an to undertake research for her doctorate paper in 2004, and stayed.

As a professor, lawyer and counselor, her life is attached to the Belt and Road Initiative, as she works with companies from both China and Kazakhstan.

"I am like a bridge connecting China and Kazakhstan," she said in flawless Chinese.

Ushurova recalled how it used to take days to travel to Xi'an from Kazakhstan. Now, with direct flights and international cargo trains, people and goods can arrive in just hours.

As of November 2016, 41 international air routes link Xi'an to cities in 18 countries and regions.

Cargo train services to Central Asia began in 2013 and now they have been extended to Europe. As of April 1, Xi'an had 317 cargo trains traveling to central Asia and Europe, exporting 474,000 metric tons of goods.

"Win-win development along the Belt and Road is no longer a dream," she said.

Oil entrepreneur Luo Yong said the initiative had opened new doors, granting his company access to resource-rich Belt and Road regions.

"Since 2013 when we secured our first international oil and gas project in Pakistan, we have now expanded to Iran, India and Ethiopia," said Luo.

One logistics company decided to move their Hong Kong- and US-based warehouses to Shaanxi FTZ, as it offered lower costs, higher efficiency and broader market nearby.

"By taking advantage of the FTZ, we expect to offer more services and cooperate with Belt and Road regions," said Guo Mei, general manager of Shaanxi Yinghe Logistics.

West Market Museum curator Wang Bin said the West Market was there at the birth of the city's prosperity. A millennium later, a new silk road is emerging, and with it new opportunities.

"I believe this is just the beginning of the revival of the silk road," said Wang.
By Zhu Lixin and Zhou Lihua in Wuhan and Shi Baoyin in Zhengzhou | China Daily | Updated: 2017-04-12 07:19

A worker operates a machine in Yangluo Port in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo by Xiao Jingsong/For China Daily]

Editor's Note: This is the second full-page report on China Daily covering China's newly launched third group of free trade zones, seven of which are spread from northeastern to central China, and from eastern to western China. This full-page report looks at the advantages and attraction of the new FTZs in Henan and Hubei provinces, which have a combined population of 150 million people. With a well-established manufacturing sector, they are expected to be more open to investment and trade, and will help boost the upgrading of a series of industries in the central region with the establishment of FTZs.

The two recently launched free trade zones in Hubei and Henan provinces are expected to bring more momentum to a rising Central China.

The China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone were launched on April 1, together with another five in Chongqing municipality and Liaoning, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces.

As the two largest provinces in Central China in terms of gross domestic product in 2016, Hubei and Henan provinces are well-positioned to expand opening-up and lead development of the central region, which also includes Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan and Shanxi provinces.

Henan, with a population of more than 100 million, saw GDP of 4.016 trillion yuan ($581 billion) in 2016, and ranked fifth among all provincial-level regions, while Hubei, with almost half of Henan's population, recorded 3.23 trillion yuan of GDP in the same period.

Hubei FTZ covers a combined area of 120 square kilometers in the province's Wuhan, Xiangyang and Yichang, while the Henan FTZ covers a roughly equal land area in Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and Luoyang.

"The Hubei FTZ will greatly benefit enterprises in the province, especially those doing international business", said Chen Kai, president of the Wuhan-based Medscience Technology Co Ltd, whose core business is import and export of medical materials and equipment.

The company had to import and export the products from Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou ports, while globally-traded commodities will be shipped to and from Wuhan directly in the future.

According to the plans released by the State Council, the Hubei FTZ will be built into a demonstration zone for the transfer of industries from coastal regions to the central region and a base for high-tech industries, in order to play a leading role in the rise of the central provinces and development of the Yangzte River Economic Belt.

The economic belt, announced by the central government in 2014, covers 11 provinces and cities spanning the country's eastern, central and western regions, with a total area of 2.05 million square kilometers. Its population and GDP account for more than 40 percent of the national total.

The 200th Zhengzhou-Hamburg cargo train pulls out of Zhengzhou railway station last September. [Photo by Xiao Jingsong/For China Daily]

As a contrast, "Henan FTZ will become the national transport and logistics hub to serve the country's Belt and Road Initiative," said Zhang Qiong, director of Henan provincial government's department of transport.

As the birthplace of Chinese civilization, Henan lies in the central part of China and is often referred to as zhongyuan, which literally means central plain of the midland.

"Henan's unique geographical location positions it perfectly to take advantage of opportunities opening up along the Belt and Road Initiative economies", said Danny Alexander, secretary-general of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, during the recently held China (Henan) International Investment and Trade Fair.

Last year, the State Council announced a plan to build the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration, which includes 30 cities in Henan, Anhui, Shanxi and Shandong provinces, with Henan's Zhengzhou being the core area.

The State Council also launched a program that year to boost development in the central region for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), saying the rise of the region is of great importance to China's medium-high economic growth.

Hubei Vice-Governor Tong Daochi said the new FTZs will help facilitate investment and further liberalize trade in commodities.

Both of the FTZs will promote foreign investment, while maintaining their own focus.

Hubei FTZ should explore how to optimize administration after the investment admission phase, while Henan FTZ will attract more international organizations and institutes, headquarters of financial institutions and regional headquarters of enterprises and organizations, according to the official plans.

As one of the four futures exchanges in China, Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange will aim to develop new products for international transactions.

At present, ZCE is available for transactions of 10 agricultural products, including wheat, rice, cotton and rapeseed and five industrial materials, including glass, coal and methanol.

Foreign companies will be gradually permitted to participate in futures exchange with ZCE, according to the FTZ plan.

Henan FTZ will also be built into Central China's transaction center for intellectual property.

Hubei FTZ should carry out over 200 specific reforms and Henan FTZ will also be responsible for 160 of such tasks, according to the local authorities.

They share some goals to lower the threshold for businesses to set up new companies, cut restrictions on capital flow, and offer more market access to foreign investment.

"To complete the 160 reform tasks, Henan should amend 60 local laws and regulations", said Jiao Jinmiao, director of the Henan provincial government's department of commerce and director of the Henan FTZ administration.

Qi Xin and Liu Kun contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhulixin@chinadaily.com.cn, zhoulihua@chinadaily.com.cn and shibaoyin@chinadaily.com.cn
COLUMBUS  It may have taken only 10 days for a 37-year-old Columbus man to throw away his last chance to avoid a prison cell.

Patrick Kozisek was arrested for possession of methamphetamine following a March 27 traffic stop in Columbus, just 10 days after Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke sentenced the defendant to three years of probation for selling marijuana to an undercover informant.

Kozisek, who is scheduled for a first appearance hearing Wednesday in Platte County Court on the meth charge, remained in custody Tuesday at the county jail.

Steinke gave Kozisek a stern warning at his March sentencing.

Im giving you this opportunity to change your life outside of a correctional setting, the judge told Kozisek before sentencing him for several drug transactions during a two-week period in April 2016.

The pot delivery conviction carried a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment. Kozisek was also ordered to complete outpatient drug and alcohol treatment and pay $700 restitution to the SNARE drug task force.

In exchange for his plea in that case, the county attorneys office dismissed three other counts of delivery of methamphetamine.

If you should fail on probation, you know what the alternative is, right? Steinke asked the defendant at sentencing. Kozisek acknowledged the likelihood he would serve his sentence behind bars if he doesnt complete the specialized substance abuse supervision ordered by the court.

Clearly, you suffer from drug addiction, Steinke said. I want you to make the most of this opportunity. I dont want to see you back here.

Platte County Attorney Carl Hart has filed a motion asking the district court to revoke Koziseks probation for multiple violations stemming from the defendants March 27 arrest near the intersection of 11th Street and 18th Avenue.

Hart cited four probation violations, including the meth possession charge and possession of a dangerous weapons  a baton on his belt and club on the floor of his vehicle  in asking for the revocation.

If the motion to revoke is granted by the district court, Kozisek could be resentenced for the pot delivery conviction, a Class 2A felony punishable by up to 20 years imprisonment.

Nebraska State Trooper Mitchell Blum reported in his probable cause arrest statement that Kozisek was stopped because he was driving a vehicle with a rear license plate completely obscured by mud and arrested after the meth and weapons were found during a search of the vehicle.

A clause in Koziseks probation order included being subject to a search when he was in contact with law enforcement.

Kozisek stated he knew he was on probation and knew that there was a search clause, Blum wrote in his statement.
A wine cellar in Ningxia. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese wines are becoming big sellers in the US, to the tune of about $700 million in 2016, thanks to wines produced on nearly 60,000 acres (242.8 million square meters) of vineyards in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region. A delegation from Ningxia recently traveled to the US aiming to raise the number to a higher level in 2017.

The Ningxia Hui autonomous region, about 1,000 kilometers from Beijing, is a remote place with the country's third-smallest GDP. However, it has developed its emerging wine sector in recent years.

"Ningxia is one of the most suitable places for growing grapes and producing wine. Wines produced here have the best chance of winning awards at wine-tasting competitions," said local Party Secretary-General Li Jianhua.

The French multinational luxury goods company Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy invested $28 million with a Chinese company to create the Chandon state-of-the-art winery in Yongning county.

Edward Korry, former president of the Society of Wine Educators, said that he was impressed with the level of quality that was achieved by wineries in Ningxia in a short period of time.
China is embracing the business aviation market, with a series of new policies which aim to make it quicker and easier for individual buyers to acquire aircraft.

Eyeing the large potential in the market, Jetcraft Corp, an international business aircraft broker, sees China as its most important market in Asia.

"Asia is the second-largest market for us, just behind the United States. And China is the largest market in the region and home to Asia's largest business jet fleet," said David Dixon, president of Jetcraft Asia.

He considers the private aircraft market to be a barometer of the economy. As China's economy continues to grow, there will be more wealth creation opportunities in the area.

"Thanks to Chinese mainland's closer relationship with the Belt and Road economies, there are many commercial operations in China with offices in other remote locations, such as small cities in Africa, and business aviation is an efficient tool for these types of operations to get around."

The 2016 sales value for Jetcraft Asia in the Asia-Pacific region accounted for approximately 20 percent of the overall transactions, proving there is still a strong customer base for business aviation. And about one-third of those transactions came from China.

"The growth came from the sales of preowned aircraft transactions. We are seeing a trend toward more acceptance of preowned aircraft transactions than ever before. It's a natural trend in the maturing of a market," he said.

The Chinese government also supports business aviation. In early March, the Civil Aviation Administration of China abolished the need for government approval of the purchase and registration of new or preowned private jets. With the change in the rules, the procedure for Chinese buyers to acquire aircraft was simplified, helping to boost both new and preowned sales.

Jetcraft predicted the Asia-Pacific market will remain one of its most promising, and will be the third-largest business aviation market behind North America and Europe, accounting for 10 percent of its deliveries from 2016 to 2025, totaling almost 800 aircraft.

However, the industry still faces some challenges.

"Control of China's airspace remains one of the biggest obstacles to the growth of business aviation. The infrastructure lags behind compared with mature markets, leading to tight flight slots and high costs. Thus, the expansion of China's 150 airports, as well as more airfield access is still needed," Dixon said.
Starbucks Executive Chairman Howard Schultz speaks at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders in Seattle, Washington on March 22, 2017. [Photo/VCG]

The global head of Starbucks said on Tuesday that his group is moving to expand its presence in China, its fastest-growing market, by focusing on premium roastery stores as well as accelerating innovations to appeal to vast numbers of social media users.

Howard Schultz, executive chairman of Starbucks Coffee Co, expressed his optimism about the Chinese economy and consumers during a trip to Beijing.

He said Starbucks is playing a "long game" and investing heavily in China to build a big and enduring business in the country.

With more than 2,600 stores, across 127 cities, and nearly 40,000 employees across the Chinese mainland, the Seattle-based coffee chain plans to expand to 5,000 stores by 2021 in China.

"We are ready to open 500 new stores each year," said Belinda Wong, CEO of Starbucks China.

She said the expansion is being driven by the rising Chinese middle class, a strong growth of specialty coffee and an increasing coffee-drinking culture among consumers.

Schultz, who took on a new role as executive chairman on April 3, said his group has focused on design and development of the Starbucks premium brand and the company's social impact initiatives.

Shanghai will be home to Starbucks' first international reserve roastery tasting room, which is expected to open by the end of this year.

The experiential coffee cafe and retail location is twice size of the company's first roastery in Seattle. The company said it will allow customers in China to better understand the craft of roasting and it will brew a range of Starbucks coffees.

Jason Yu, general manger of consumer research agency Kantar Worldpanel China, said that there is fierce competition in the sector and escalating coffee consumption by middle-class Chinese consumers.

Yu said premium stores could meet the demand from high-end consumers and help coffee chains differentiate their offers and maximize their coverage of different customer groups.

Another analyst said Starbucks is expanding to third tier cities. Summer Chen, food service analyst at Mintel Group Ltd, said the growth of per capital consumption is the growth engine for coffee chains in the future.

Rapid expansion of Starbucks has contributed to the country's booming coffee house market.

Mintel estimated that in 2016 sales by China's coffee houses will rise 12 percent on the previous year to 63.6 billion yuan ($9.2 billion).
Aerial photo taken on April 1, 2017 shows Anxin county, North China's Hebei province.[Photo/Xinhua]

China's three telecom operators have all vowed full support for world-class telecommunication development in Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone designed to integrate the capital with its surrounding areas.

China Mobile announced plans to build a 5G network in advance in the area and assure complete optical access as well as other topnotch telecommunication infrastructure.

The largest telecommunications network operator added that it would give full support to turn Xiongan into a smart digital city and a representative of innovative growth that relies on efficient, intelligent governance.

China Unicom promised to build a new-generation telecommunication network by allocating all its resources to guarantee the best quality.

China Telecom also said it would establish gigabit network access in the special economic zone, meaning the downstream bandwidth can achieve 1G. It also plans to provide reliable infrastructure to enable the city take full advantage of information and communication technology earlier than other regions.

The New Area about 100 kilometers southwest of downtown Beijing will span three counties that sit at the center of the triangle formed by Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei's provincial capital Shijiazhuang. The central government is now considering specific support measures and will provide policy and funding support for the new area's major projects in transportation, ecology, water conservation, energy and public services. A number of central State-owned companies have promised to actively support this initiative.
Visitors watch a robotic arm making dough at a tech expo in Wuhan, Hubei province. [Photo/Xinhua]

As the core area of China (Hubei) Pilot Free Trade Zone, Wuhan offers an example of how high-tech industry benefits the local economy.

Shenzhen China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co, Ltd, a subsidiary of TCL Corp, announced on March 31 it will invest 35 billion yuan ($5.08 billion) to build a plant in Wuhan.

Located in Wuhan Donghu High-Tech Development Zone, the project will produce high-resolution, flexible and foldable display panels for smartphones.

The 16-billion-yuan phase-one project went into operation last September.

The local authorities expect that Donghu, or the East Lake, zone will become the country's largest manufacturing base for small and medium-sized display panels by the end of 2018.

As there are many optics-related high-tech companies in the zone, Donghu zone is also known as Optics Valley.

As the newly launched Hubei FTZ consists of three areas in Wuhan, Xiangyang and Yichang, the Wuhan-based 70-sq-km area is the core of the whole FTZ, while the Wuhan area's core lies in the Donghu zone, according to Hu Lishan, Party chief of the Donghu zone.

The zone became the country's second self-dependent innovation demonstration area in 2009, following Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, the most renowned high-tech hub in China.

The zone is now home to a group of 28 State-level industrial bases, including optoelectronic, biological and geospatial information industry bases.

An exhibitor wears protective goggles during a display of laser cutting technology at an optoelectronic fair in Wuhan, Hubei province last November. [Photo/Xinhua]

"By the end of October last year, the number of enterprises based in the zone had amounted to over 45,000, with 59 new firms being founded every day on average", said Ye Qing, deputy director of Hubei provincial bureau of statistics, earlier this year.

"Hubei's FTZ trial application started three years ago, soon after the Shanghai FTZ was launched, while the local authorities undertook 42 specific reforms in the 518-sq-km Donghu zone in 2014", said Tu Shanfeng, director of the Wuhan free trade zone administration.

Official data show that newly added market entities in the Donghu zone surged by 62.33 percent in 2014.

In 2016, the zone further reformed 66 key issues and finished 61. In the year, the gross operating revenue of Donghu-based enterprises exceeded 1 trillion yuan for the first time.

Tu contributed the surges to the reforms. He said many of the reforms have been promoted to the whole province, which brought Xiangyang and Yichang into the latest FTZ planning in 2016.

Hubei also wants to attract more foreign companies to invest in the high-end manufacturing sector and the producer services sector, which include industrial design, engineering consultation and logistics according to a guideline on attracting foreign investment released by the provincial government last month.

Foreign capital is also encouraged to participate in the province's public-private partnership (PPP) projects, to improve local infrastructure.
Visitors look at a drone displayed at a high-tech expo held recently in Zhengzhou, Henan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Among the recently launched seven new free trade zones, Henan FTZ differs from the others in that it will be built into a national transport and logistics hub.

Starting in March, four pairs of cargo trains started running on a weekly service between Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, and the German city of Hamburg.

Since the first Zhengzhou-Europe Train was launched in 2013, the train has finished 556 one-way trips by the middle of March, with total value of delivered cargo amounting to $2.82 billion, according to Zhengzhou's bureau of commerce.

It is expected that over 300 Zhengzhou-Europe trains will complete the 10,214-kilometer trip in 2017 alone.

"The transit time is cut to nearly 12 days, compared with 35 days in the past by ship," said Helmut Vollmers, managing director of EMONS Multitransport Gmbh.

EMONS is a German company which has been working with Zhengzhou International Hub Development and Construction Co Ltd, a State-owned enterprise, since 2016.

Vollmers said the advantage for his delivery company in Germany was that goods such as auto parts and clothescoming to Henan province from other cities across Chinawere sent to Hamburg, where his company dispatched them across Europe.

"Henan FTZ, as the first one featured by transportation and logistics in China, undertakes the mission to build a modern multimodal traffic and logistics network linking up the north and south and connecting the east and west, as well as a modern comprehensive transportation hub serving the Belt and Road Initiative", said Shu Qing, vice-governor of Henan.

The Belt and Road Initiative, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to build a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes.

Annual international trade between Henan and the Belt and Road economies amounted to 80.18 billion yuan ($11.60 billion) in 2016, according to the provincial government's department of commerce.

In addition to railway transportation, "Henan province also has 29 international air freight lines, which delivered 450,000 metric tons of cargo in 2016", said Shu.

The lines will be increased to 40 by 2020, or the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), said Zhang Qiong, director of Henan province's department of transport.

As the capital of China's most populous province, "Zhengzhou has become the most successful city among its peers in developing air freight, cross-border e-commerce and the China-Europe Block Train", said Zhang Dawei, vice-chairman and secretary-general of the China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchange.
TIRANA  In the last two years, there has been increasing interest from Chinese companies to invest in Albania and based on such growing interest, Albania could become a "focal point" in the Western Balkans for Chinese investments, whether public or private, a senior Albanian official told Xinhua in a written interview Tuesday.

Genti Beqiri is the head of the Albanian Investment Development Agency (AIDA), a governmental agency directly oriented by the minister of economy and has a management board chaired by the prime minister.

According to him, Chinese companies have shown interest in strategic sectors of Albania and have also increased the level of international trade.

Over 90 Chinese companies have visited Albania to seek for investment opportunities, trade partners, projects or other opportunities of cooperation with Albania during last year. Projects in the field of energy, infrastructure, industrial areas, ports, mining, production and product processing, has been on their focus, he said.

Meanwhile, Beqiri noted that the number of Chinese enterprises present in Albania was around 150, according to National Registration Center data,

Chinese companies conduct their business activities mainly in the trade sector, wholesale and retail, but there are also companies that operate in the mining sector, telecommunication, he said.

He also mentioned the two big investments made by Chinese companies in Albania -- namely the acquisition of the oil company Bankers and Tirana International Airport.

In March of 2016, the Canadian Banker's Petroleum Company, announced the sale of oil exploration and production rights to the Chinese company Petroleum Geo-Jade.

In April, the Chinese consortium, "Keen Dynamics Limited", an association of companies China Everbright Limited and Friedmann Pacific Asset Management Limited (Friedmann Pacific) announced the acquisition of the concession rights of Tirana International Airport. This group will cover the airport management up to 2025, with an additional two-year possibility, until 2027 after the approval of the government, Beqiri said.

He further said that major Chinese companies had expressed interest in signing long-term contracts with Albanian companies operating in the field of chromium extraction, since they seem to be the biggest buyer of this mineral.

Albania is in a good economic moment and Chinese companies can take advantage of Albania to expand not only within its territory, but in the entire Balkan region and beyond, according to him.

In terms of the sectors that he would suggest for investments to the Chinese companies, the head of AIDA said that Albania offered a range of public-private investment opportunities in stable and growing sectors such as energy and mining, transport, electronic communications infrastructure and urban waste; tourism; agriculture and fisheries and economic zones.

In terms of the opportunities to further improve economic relations between Albania and China, he noted that progress had been made in the context of economic and business cooperation between the two countries.

The trade volume between Albania and China has grown steadily in recent years and China is now the third partner related to trade exchanges, he said.

On the other hand, he stressed that Chinese market was a great opportunity for business, especially for Albanian exporters.

China can play and is playing a major role in many programs of integration and economic development that are no longer national but regional and therefore we should benefit most from cooperation relations to increase trade and economic relations, Beqiri declared.

Concerning the attraction of foreign and Chinese investors in Albania, he stressed that the Albanian government is undertaking steps regarding the improvement of the investment climate.

He described Albania as an attractive country, a growing market with stable economic, political and legal structure, as well as a liberalized economic framework and good conditions for doing business.

Beqiri also said that AIDA is part of the mechanism of contacts for Settlement of Investment Promotion Agencies China-CEEC, established under the initiative for economic cooperation 16+1 between China and central and eastern European countries.
MEXICO CITY  China Southern Airlines on Tuesday inaugurated a flight that connects Guangzhou with Mexico City.

The route is the company's first to Latin America, where Mexican authorities hope the air connection will help boost tourism from China.

"With the inauguration of the flight, we hope to see an increase in the number of Chinese visitors traveling for leisure, but also for business," Mexico's deputy minister of tourism, Salvador Sanchez, said at a ceremony at the international airport of Mexico City.

According to Sanchez, tourists from China will grow 50 percent, thanks to the new air link.

Based in Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province, China Southern Airlines is the world's fourth-largest airlines as measured by passengers carried annually.

Mexico's deputy foreign affairs minister, Carlos Alberto De Icaza, said the flight "is the outcome of the good relationship and ties of friendship between China and Mexico."

Also on hand was China's ambassador to Mexico, Qiu Xiaoqi, who agreed "China-Mexico ties have entered a new stage."

China is now the second-largest trade partner for Mexico, a country that is "strategic in the Latin American region," and one with which China "seeks to strengthen economic and tourism development between the two countries," said Qiu.

The new route, which will operate three times a week, "was mandated by both governments," Qiu added.

China Southern Airlines President Wang Changshun hailed the route as helping to consolidate the carrier's presence in the Latin American market, and said his company plans to invest further to offer its newfound "potential" Mexican and Latin American customers diverse products.

The 228-passenger Boeing 787 landed in Mexico City at 8:30 am local time on Monday, after a brief stopover in Vancouver, Canada, and was welcomed on the tarmac with the customary water-cannon salute, as well as a traditional Mexican mariachi band.

Prior to the opening of the new route, the only other air connection between Mexico and China was a Mexico City-to-Shanghai flight operated by Mexican national airline Aeromexico.

In 2016, 74,300 Chinese travelers visited Mexico, a 33.5 percent increase over the year before, according to Mexico's Tourism Ministry.

The new flight is expected to raise that number to 102,000, the ministry said.
View of China University of Petroleum-Beijing's Karamay campus in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China University of Petroleum-Beijing is planning to recruit the first batch of foreign students in September to its Karamay campus in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a move to promote the Belt and Road Initiative.

The campus in Karamay, which is of geographic importance in the Silk Road Economic Belt, will train high-caliber engineering talents and promote the technological and cultural communication in Central Asia, according to a guideline on the development of the new campus.

"Cultural identity is important for any cooperation. To make things happen, people working together should first identify with each other," Zhang Laibin, president of the university, told China Daily's website on March 31.

View of China University of Petroleum-Beijing's main campus in the capital of China. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The university's Beijing campus started a 15-day seminar on energy strategies of the Belt and Road countries on March 29.

The seminar, organized by the Academy for International Business Officials of the Ministry of Commerce, is being attended by 47 officials from the Belt and Road countries.

Statistics show that more than 20 large and mid-sized oil companies, including the China National Petroleum Corporation, the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, had oil and gas investments in countries along the Belt and Road as of the end of 2014. This presents opportunities for international cooperation in education as well.

Of the overseas students studying at the university, 80 percent are from 17 countries covered by the Belt and Road Initiative. The number of students or graduates from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, for instance, has exceeded 1,000.

The students work at the forefront of the oilfield after graduation. They not only make a huge contribution to the local oil and gas industry, but help disseminate the Chinese culture and feel a sense of identity with the Chinese, said the president.

The university also provides training for Chinese companies' overseas employees, foreign companies' executives and technicians, as well as foreign government officials in the energy sector. It has held about 180 training sessions for nearly 3,000 people in more than a dozen countries along the Belt and Road, covering topics on petroleum technology, management, culture and languages.

It helped train staff from PetroKasakhstan after the Canada-registered company was acquired by CNPC in 2006. Since 2010, it has provided Chinese language training for Turkmenistan employees from CNPC's Amu Darya natural gas project.

Meanwhile, the university has dispatched more than 600 Chinese students including about 400 undergraduates and more than 200 postgraduates to the Belt and Road regions.

At a forum for university presidents in Egypt in March 2016, Zhang vowed to cooperate with higher education institutions in countries along the Belt and Road and promote sharing of premier education resources among universities.

In addition to China University of Petroleum, Beijing Foreign Studies University, a top language university, said recently it will add 11 language courses, mostly African and Oceanic tongues, to boost talent support for the country's extending ties with the regions.
CRRC MA employees pose for a group photo at Bradley International Airport.[Photo/CRRC's official WeChat account]

In August 1872, 30 Chinese children were selected by the government of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) to take part in Chinese Educational Mission, based in the United States. Participants included a pioneering Chinese rail engineer, named Zhan Tianyou, who was known as the "Father of China's Railroad".

Zhan, alongside the other children selected, arrived in Springfield a month after being chosen. Springfield is a city in western New England, based in the US state of Massachusetts.

Since then, 145 years later - on April 7, 2017 - 33 employees from the Springfield-based rail car builder, China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) Massachusetts (MA), prepared to travel to China for three months of technical training and departed the Bradley International Airport.

Their destination was CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co Ltd, based in Changchun city of the northeastern Jilin province.

CRRC MA Vice-President Jia Bo stands next to the Springfield Mayor, Domenic J. Sarno.[Photo/CRRC's official WeChat account]

The group, CRRC, is currently China's largest high-speed rail car maker, which launched an assembly line in Springfield last September.

According to a report from Xinhua, the company is set to assemble 284 subway cars in Springfield, which will replace the aging fleets of red and orange lines, connecting Cambridge to downtown Boston by 2023.

CRRC employees, who have already learned the basics of spoken Chinese, will be assigned to different workshops to practice their learning, after being technically trained and taught the company's corporate culture.

A CRRC MA employee arrives at Bradley International Airport.[Photo/CRRC's official WeChat account]

Since it was formed in 2015 by the merger of China's top two trainmakers, CRRC has been aggressively chasing overseas orders and deals. The company said the total value of orders from abroad surged by 40 percent year-on-year to $8.1 billion in 2016.

Last month, CRRC announced it would build 64 subway cars for the Los Angeles Metro Rail  an order worth up to $647 million.

The order follows another company win, scoring a $567 million Boston contract in 2014, and another bid worth $1.3 billion in 2016, building rail cars for Chicago.
COLUMBUS  Mayor Jim Bulkleys first reaction to Tuesdays bond election had nothing to do with whether the measure passed or failed.

He was disappointed with the number of Columbus residents who didnt even bother to vote on whether to issue up to $8.5 million in bonds to build a new library/cultural arts center.

A total of 3,277 votes were cast in the special election, a turnout rate of only 25 percent.

Thats sad that we could not get a better voter turnout than that, Bulkley said. I really would have thought that people would have come out stronger than they did.

By comparison, a total of 9,038 ballots were cast in the November mayoral race, when Bulkley defeated incumbent Mike Moser by just 44 votes.

Interest in the general election was boosted by the presidential contest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, as well as other local and national positions.

However, the mayor believes a project with the proposed librarys price tag and significance deserved more attention from Columbus residents, who voted 1,763 to 1,514 against the library bond issue.
BEIJING - A mainland spokesperson on Wednesday said that all businesses, regardless of their country, region or city, were welcome to join the Xiongan New Area program, as long as their line of work suited the overall industrial plan of the area.

An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, made the remarks in response to a question about whether enterprises from Taiwan would be able to participate in the development of the new area.

An explained that Xiongan New Area would help advance the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, also known as Jing-Jin-Ji.

At the press conference, another question was posed regarding the number of mainland travellers to the island.

An said that since last May, the number of travellers from the mainland to Taiwan had dramatically decreased over concerns of safety, after a series of accidents involving tourists.

"Taiwan should reflect," said An. "We have said many times that the root of the problem must be found for a solution to emerge," said An.

In response to another question on activities to commemorate the victory of the 14-year Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-1945), An said that the victory was the result of all Chinese including Taiwanese compatriots.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's invasion of the whole of China.
JINAN - A Chinese new material firm has spent 500 million yuan ($72 million) to buy exclusive rights to a new climate-friendly technology to produce foaming agent, which is widely used in refrigeration and building materials.

Such a high price has rarely been seen in sales of research findings in China.

The technology was independently developed by a research team with Shandong University of Technology and has been appraised by the State Intellectual Property Office as a "revolutionary discovery" to produce polyurethane foam agent free of CFCs, which are harmful to the ozone layer and a source of greenhouse gas.

The CFC-free foaming agent has also been certified by the American Chemical Society as a new material.

The Linzi Butian New Material Technology firm based in Linzi city, eastern China's Shandong province, bought exclusive rights to the technology for 20 years.

The new technology has also driven Linzi city government to make polyurethane foam agent production a key industry, eyeing annual output of 100,000 tons.

Han Baole, deputy secretary general of the China Polyurethane Industry Association, said the global industry had been looking for substitutes to CFCs in the making of polyurethane products, as 1 ton of CFC yields 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide during production.

"The global demand for polyurethane foam agent is about 5.7 million tons a year, as it is widely needed in making products ranging from household necessities such as sofas, mattresses, car seats and refrigerators, to building materials such as heating pipelines, external wall insulation and decoration materials," he said.

"The commercialization of the new tech is significant to China's pledge in addressing global climate change," Han said.

China pledged in 2015 to cut its carbon emissions by 60-65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030.
The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been the world's busiest passenger airport for the past 19 years. More than 104 million passengers used its service in 2016, according to the latest preliminary data from the Airports Council International.

The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is one of three of the world's busiest airports based in the United States, along with three on the list which are based in China.

The world ranking was based on data from more than 1200 airports worldwide.

The top 10 of the world's busiest passenger airports are as follows:

No 10 Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport

Location: France

Number of passengers: About 66 million in 2016
Employees sit in ball chairs as they work on laptop computers at the Flipkart Online Services Pvt headquarters in Bengaluru, India. [Photo/Agencies]

Tencent Holdings Ltd said it plans to bring to India its extensive experience linking social networking and e-commerce through a new strategic investment in Flipkart, the country's biggest e-commerce firm.

As a strategic investor, Tencent said it is poised to help Flipkart deliver "compelling" experiences to Indian users in e-commerce and payments, as the Chinese internet giant moves beyond the traditional realm of gaming that has found a strong presence in the region.

The total value of the Flipkart investment, announced on Monday, was $1.4 billion. The biggest investment was made by Tencent, but other backers were such tech giants as eBay Inc and Microsoft Corp.

It marked the biggest round of funding received by the 10-year-old firm, taking its total value to $11.6 billion.

"This strategic partnership enables Tencent to participate in the exciting opportunities in e-commerce and payments in India ... and contribute to the development of the internet ecosystem there," said Tencent President Martin Lau.

Tencent did not disclose any financial details, but according to the Economic Times in India, it led the funding with an investment of $700 million, followed by eBay's $500 million and Microsoft's $200 million to round off the deal.

Under the agreement, eBay is also selling its Indian operations to Flipkart and will receive Flipkart stock worth $200 million in lieu of the local businesses.

Flipkart owns well-known Indian brands such as Myntra, Jabong, PhonePe and Ekartall leaders of online fashion and lifestyle, digital payments and supply chain and logistics segmentsaccording to the company website. It serves more than 100 million users in the country.

Tencent runs China's ubiquitous chat app WeChat with over 846 million users and its affiliate digital wallet is quickly gaining traction. Last year it acquired 21 percent stake in JD.com, a leading Chinese retail site, to become its top shareholder.

The deal came as the prolific investor upped the ante in the battle for market share in the e-commerce and payment sectors and moved to fend off rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd in overseas markets, said Lu Zhenwang, chief executive officer of Shanghai-based Wanqing Consultancy.

"India's e-commerce landscape is still in its infancy. Tencent could tap into India's vast population and gain an edge over Alibaba in combining commerce with social networks, an element that is largely missing in the Alibaba ecosystem," he said.

Flipkart now has more resources to draw on in an expected battle with Alibaba, which has entered India via investments in homegrown digital payments platform and e-commerce service Paytm, said Rahul Chadha, a researcher with consultancy eMarketer.

Alibaba made the largest overseas investment in e-commerce last year with $1 billion deal for control of online retailer Lazada, gaining it access to six nations in Southeast Asia including Indonesia and Malaysia.
Chinese technology conglomerate LeEco Inc is sharply scaling back its US ambitions.

The companywhich oversees a range of businesses in China, from streaming video to smartphones to electric carsmissed its projections for 2016 sales in the US by a wide margin and is planning to cut more than a third of its US workforce, a person familiar with the matter said.

Billionaire Jia Yueting is narrowing his vision for LeEco's global expansion amid lackluster sales and the prospect of a cash crunch. The company entered the North American market in October with a splashy event in San Francisco, where it showed off an array of products, including ultra high-definition televisions, phones, virtual reality goggles and electric bikes. Yet LeEco generated US revenue of less than $15 million last year after that October debut, compared with an original goal of $100 million, according to the person.

The company so far is only selling TVs, smartphones and some accessories in the US. The US unit is also making plans to eliminate about 175 jobs, which would shrink its staff in the country to about 300 people, said the person, who asked not to be named because the financial details aren't public.

LeEco declined to comment on the planned job cuts and revenue miss.

On Monday, the company said it was abandoning its plan to acquire US TV maker Vizio Inc for $2 billion, citing regulatory hurdles. The collapse of the deal, which was meant to give LeEco a beachhead to build its brand with US customers, sets LeEco even further back in the US. The two companies said they instead will collaborate on ways to bring Vizio's products to the China market and integrate LeEco's content into Vizio's platform.

Bloomberg
President Xi Jinping meets with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing on Tuesday.[Photo by Ju Peng/Xinhua]

President says Lam matches Beijing's 'longtime standard' for leader of SAR

Beijing will not waiver in the principle of "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and will fully support the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and her government to govern according to law, President Xi Jinping said on Tuesday.

Xi made the remark when meeting Lam Cheng Yuet-ngorwho will take office as the fifth-term chief executive of the SAR on July 1at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing.

Xi congratulated Lam on her victory in the election and ensuing appointment by the State Council. Lam won the chief executive election with 777 of 1,163 valid votes from members of the Election Committee on March 26.

The president said Lam, who has worked in the Hong Kong government for 36 years, has been devoted to the country and Hong Kong.

He said Lam, who is "diligent, pragmatic, dares to assume responsibilities, is experienced in governing and capable of handling complex situations", has won recognition in Hong Kong society, according to a news release issued after the meeting.

"You match the central government's longtime standard for the chief executive. Your victory in the election is deserved," Xi said.

He said the principle of "one country, two systems" has achieved great success in Hong Kong in the past two decades. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

Xi said people should continue to be creative in exploring and pushing forward the practice of the novel principle of "one country, two systems".

"The central government's determination to insist on the 'one country, two systems', ' Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong' and 'a high degree of autonomy' is firm and will not get changed or waived," Xi said, adding that Beijing will "fully support you and the new SAR government to govern according to law".

Premier Li Keqiang granted Lam a certificate of appointment on Tuesday.

Li expressed his hope that Lam will take the initiative to unite and lead the Hong Kong government and people from all walks of life in the region to fully and accurately implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and the SAR's Basic Law.

Lam pledged to continue upholding the "one country, two systems" principle, according to an interview that Xinhua published on Tuesday.

The notion of 'Hong Kong independence' will lead nowhere in Hong Kong, and it will never be tolerated, she said in the interview.
Official says US waffling on issue has no bearing on what Beijing will do

China's special envoy on climate change reaffirmed on Tuesday the nation's commitment to its 2015 Paris pledge, even if domestic policies in the United States change.

"A retreat from the Paris pact may drag down the pace of the US to fulfill its pledges, but it has no impact on China," Xie Zhenhua, a veteran climate change negotiator who has participated in United Nations climate change conferences, said at a news conference after the BASIC Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change closed in Beijing on Tuesday.

The BASIC countries refer to four emerging economies sharing similar stances on climate change actions - Brazil, South Africa, India and China.

Xie cited remarks made by President Xi Jinping during the Davos Forum in January. Xi said sticking to the Paris agreement is a responsibility we must assume for future generations.

Xie said China is capable of fulfilling its pledges ahead of schedule.

China has pledged to cut its emissions per unit of GDP by 60 percent to 65 percent by 2030 from its 2005 level, according to the Paris pact, which went into effect last year.

Xie's affirmation of China's commitment comes after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that runs counter to former President Barack Obama's plan to reduce global warming.

Obama pledged to reduce US emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent by 2025 from its 2005 levels.

Xie said China and other BASIC countries will keep an eye on US foreign policy to address the climate subject, because the world's second largest green gas emitter would have a large impact on the global efforts combating climate change.

"Although Trump promised to pull out of the Paris agreement during his campaign, his administration is now split on whether to keep the pledge," said Barbara Thomson, South Africa's deputy minister of environmental affairs.

"At this stage, the thing we BASIC members can do is to affirm our position in climate change actions," Thomson said. "Our clear attitude may have an impact on US politics and domestic policy."

If the US retreats from the pact, developed countries would need to cover the US funding shortfall, Xie said.

In the Paris Agreement, developed countries pledged to provide $100 billion in funding by 2020 to help developing countries combat climate change.

Ministers stressed in their joint announcement on Tuesday that developed countries participating in the Paris pact should enhance their financial, technological and other support to developing countries.
Poor efforts to cut coal use and upgrade the industrial structure in Shaanxi province contributed to a worsening in air quality last year in Xi'an and other cities, environmental inspectors from the central government said on Tuesday.

During a monthlong inspection that started on Nov 28, officials identified 1,309 pollution problems in the province, according to Li Jiaxiang, who headed the team of inspectors.

As of the end of February, 222 polluting companies had been shut down and 26 people found responsible for pollution were detained, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said in a statement.

In addition, 492 government officials from the province were summoned to talk with the inspectors and 938 officials were held accountable for poor performance in pollution controls, the ministry said.

It is the first province in the second round of central-level environmental inspections that received the results.

The other six provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, will receive their results in the coming days.

The teams of central inspectors, headed by ministerial-level officials, set out on a pilot monthlong inspection in Hebei province on Jan 4, 2016.

Between then and Dec 30, they have held two rounds of inspections covering another 15 provincial-level regions.

"In these 16 provincial regions, over 6,300 government officials were summoned for talks and another 6,400 were held accountable," Chen Jining, minister of environmental protection, said last month.

The inspectors will visit the remaining 15 provincial-level regions this year, the minister said.

In Shaanxi, inspectors found mass problems like weak government efforts to keep pollutants from being discharged and a deterioration of the environment.

For example, the Shaanxi Development and Reform Commission failed to reduce coal consumption. In 2014, the province lowered the coal consumption in large companies by 2.95 million metric tons, while the reduction goal was 10 million tons, according to the ministry's statement on Tuesday.

In 2015, the reduction goal was missed again. The reform commission was supposed to cut the coal consumption by 3 million tons, but the reduction was only 110,000.

In addition, three coal-fired power plants in Xianyang that were required to reduce coal consumption actually increased it by over 180,000 tons.

The ministry blamed the worsening air quality in Xi'an and Xianyang last year - with both added to the severely polluted list - on weak controls over coal consumption and other poorly implemented pollution control policies.

zhengjinran@chinadaily.com.cn
Construction of the 2.74 kilometer Gongbei tunnel was completed on Monday in the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone, the final link that should enable the 50 km Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge project to open before year's end.

Zhi Yufeng, chairman of Guangdong Nanyue Transportation Investment and Construction Co, said the Gongbei tunnel is a major component of the gigantic bridge, linking the three regions, located at the mouth of the Pearl River.

Once in operation, the bridge will help shorten the current four-hour drive from Hong Kong to Zhuhai to a half-hour.

Construction of the six-lane tunnel started about four years ago. The speed limit will be 80 kilometers per hour.

Located near Zhuhai's busy downtown areas, the Gongbei tunnel links to bordering Macao Special Administrative Region to the bridge.

Zhang Yisheng, vice-mayor of Zhuhai, said completion of the Gongbei tunnel will help boost Zhuhai's transportation industry and the city's government will continue to work toward increased investment to ensure construction of the bridge's finishing touches are completed in the following months.

Experts said the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, with the main work now completed, will play a significant role in boosting economic ties between Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong.

Insiders have forecast the bridge will open to traffic on Dec 20, when Macao celebrates its 18th anniversary of its return to China from Portuguese control.

Chen Guanghan, vice-dean of the Research Institute of the Development of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, said the bridge will help Hong Kong further expand its economy when it works with the vast western part of the Pearl River Delta region in Guangdong after traffic begins to flow.

"The western part of the delta region, which includes the prosperous cities of Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Jiangmen, Yangjiang and Taishan, still has huge room for expansion and cooperation with Hong Kong," Chen said.

"The bridge will help accelerate the development of Hong Kong's international airport and its ports and the development of region's Lantou Island area," Chen said. It also is expected to help the airport and ports attract more businesses from the mainland, he added.

The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge includes a 6.7 km tunnel beneath the water and a 22.9 km bridge that passes over the sea, making it the longest cross-sea bridge in the world.

Construction of the Y-shaped bridge started in 2009 and will cost more than 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). It is part of the country's planned national highway network, linking the western and eastern banks of the Pearl River.

The service life of the bridge is expected to reach more than 120 years.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn
People wait in line to apply for public rental homes in Beijing's Chaoyang district on Tuesday.Wang Zhuangfei / China Daily

As soaring property prices force many to consider leaving Beijing for cheaper cities, a pilot project offering subsidized housing in the capital to nonlocal residents has made some to think again.

Unsurprisingly, competition to land a subsidized apartment is fierce.

On Tuesday, more than 1,000 people braved a chilling spring wind to stand in line for at least four hours to apply for one of the 400 so-called public rental homes.

A total of 120 homes are reserved for people who do not hold Beijing hukou, or household registration, a major change from the policy of previous years.

The registration line in Maquanying - a suburb of Chaoyang district where 300 of the apartments are located (the rest are in Daxing district) - stretched more than 300 meters on Tuesday afternoon.

"The line was this long at 9 am, and it's still this long at 2 pm, even though we're handling 120 applications an hour," said a community worker who declined to give his name.

He said the huge number of applicants was beyond expectations and that 30 extra workers had been added to the 20-strong team that worked on Monday, the first day for applications. The last day is Wednesday.

To qualify for a subsidized apartment, applicants without Beijing hukou must have paid social insurance or income tax in the capital for at least five years, be 18 to 45 years old and own no property. Applicants will then be selected at random.

On Monday, almost 60 percent of the applicants were non-Beijingers, the worker said.

On Tuesday, as the line moved slowly, many complained about the trouble created by on-site application and sighed over their slim chances.

Gao Yang, 30, from Henan province, has been working in Beijing for six years as an IT engineer in Chaoyang district.

"It's a long line and the chances are slim. But if I'm not in line, there is no hope of renting an apartment at half the market price," Gao said.

The price of the public rental housing available this time is about 2,400 yuan ($348) a month for a two-bedroom apartment. A similar property on the regular rental market can cost more than 5,000 yuan a month.

Gao Chao, who works as a designer in Fengtai district, said he has to live with his wife and two other couples in a three-bedroom apartment to save money, but the rent is about the same as at the public rental housing.

"It's like trying your luck buying a lottery ticket. But as long as there is hope, I want to try it," the 30-year-old said.

The offering of the 400 public rental units is the first wave of a pilot project that aims to help people without Beijing household registration. In the pilot, 30 percent of public rental housing and price-fixed housing will be allocated to people without Beijing hukou.

So far, 10,300 tenants, or 13 percent, of these live in public rental housing in Beijing do not hold such registrations.

According to a survey by China Youth Daily published on Tuesday, 23 percent of 2,000 respondents had already left top-tier cities like Beijing, while 47 percent were considering leaving. The main reason given was soaring housing prices.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn
COLUMBUS  I feel like Im writing a breakup letter  if breakup letters were published in the newspaper.

I started writing this column so many times with various beginnings, but theres no easy way to tell someone its over. So Ill start with the cliche: Ive got some good news and some bad news.

The good news is our family of three just purchased a home. The bad news is its not near The Telegram.

The house-hunting website Zillow is my guilty pleasure. Although I love our Osceola country home, I still have to look at this site. Its an addiction; I imagine the way most women probably check for shoe sales.

It became my hobby and my obsession during my three months of maternity leave. Id play this game with myself while Yara napped where I would try to find the cutest house for the best price.

Then it happened.

My eyes beheld this American Dream structure in Scribner. Hearts were flowing from me and stars were in my eyes. It was the perfect home for us.

A long staircase banister begging to be slid down, a park across the street  a dream for any child  and most importantly it would give us room to grow, ya know, in case we ever choose to have more dogs or more babies, whichever.

I had to have it.

Further justifying this need, Leon would really appreciate being closer to his job in Fremont and it would get Yara closer to grandma so she can be properly spoiled.

It all happened so quickly.

I blinked and we owned it. Now here we are packing up this beautiful nursery Yara hasnt even got to sleep in yet (Im still crying myself to sleep over that one).

In my nearly four years at The Telegram, I always joked that Id probably die here because thats how much I love my job.

Well ... having a child apparently throws your whole life for a loop. Next thing you know youre reorganizing every aspect around this 4-month-old baby who cant even crawl yet, let alone say thank you.

Tails, I lose

I dont know why most people go into newswriting, but I went into it because I love people. I love hearing their stories and I love opening a small window into their lives for the world to see.

I attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and for years had been working to further my career in television reporting.

So how did I end up writing for a newspaper?

A coin flip. Yep, you read that right. My whole life was hanging in the balance of "tails."

Girl meets boy, boy flips coin to see who moves where, girl loses, moves from the city to the middle of the country and now needs a job.

Through the years Ive gotten to tell so many meaningful stories of couples married for decades, babies just born, diseases overcome, loved ones lost, politicians running, businesses opening and even the occasional breaking news story.

But there was also a different side of news I got to present to you, a fun side, something not every newspaper lets slide.

Over time, as long as I had a legit reason to back up my insanity, my editor Tyler Ellyson, humored me enough to let me run with my writing ideas.

For four months I got to pretend I was a cadet at the Columbus Police Department during the Citizens Police Academy  shooting guns, driving police cars and petting drug dogs.

Then I got to tell thousands of readers how much I weighed in an attempt to lose major poundage during a 10-week program through Columbus Community Hospital. By the way, spoiler alert: Im still 200 pounds. Maybe the process of moving will jolt the ol' metabolism.

Then last summer I wanted to start writing my own version of the television show "Dirty Jobs," and once again my boss indulged me. The only problem was somewhere along the way I started growing a baby named Yara.

But I didnt let that stop me, I just didnt tell anyone. Although I had to nix my construction site job, trash collector and street crew stories, I was still able to shred top-secret documents with Shred Monster, make coffee at the crack of dawn at Sip Espresso Bar and suck up human waste with Niemanns Port-A-Pot. Then for my last story in the series, I finally announced my hardest dirty job assignment yet, becoming a mother.

Well here I am, Im a mom.

In fact, Ive been momming so hard lately that Ive come to realize no matter how much Ive loved telling you the news, I love being a mom even more.

Its crazy, we went from never wanting children to having our lives revolve around this one little girl, and suddenly were scrambling to give her the whole world.

The city of Columbus, The Telegram, the people, I will miss you all terribly. You have given me a career I couldnt wait to wake up to every day, but now I have a different reason to wake up.

I'll still be freelance writing because I think its important for us mothers not to lose sight of who we once worked so hard to become, but Ive decided to accept Yaras offer, and though she's a demanding boss, I think were going to make one heck of a team.

 Add diaper changing and family management to the resume.
Shanghai police have taken over a case in which at least four foreigners were seen in a subway carriage eating a meal and drinking from goblets while sitting at a folding table on Friday, the subway operator said.

"Although an eating ban was not written into the city's regulations for the Shanghai Metro system, the police will examine whether the behavior disturbed public order and the normal operation of the subway, and then decide if the foreigners will receive any punishment," said Yin Wei, media communications manager of Shanghai Shentong Metro Group.

Regulations came into effect in 2014 listing 11 forbidden behaviors, including interfering with a train and entering forbidden areas such as tunnels without permission - acts that can result in detention - and smoking or selling products on trains or platforms, which can result in fines of between 50 yuan and 500 yuan ($7 and $72). Other behaviors that disturb public safety and order may also be punished.

Police authorities declined to comment on Tuesday.

The incident, which has become an online sensation, was first exposed by a Sina Weibo user in a post on Friday.

The original post was deleted on Tuesday, but it had already been forwarded by individuals and media outlets. Many internet users have said the behavior was ridiculous and should be punished to prevent copycats.

"Foreigners shouldn't be treated in a more friendly way under our laws and regulations. Suppose the offenders were locals: I don't think they would have had the freedom to do such an unbelievable and unbearable thing at will in public," one netizen commented.

In 2014, Shanghai Metro encouraged people to ask others to refrain from eating on trains to avoid annoying fellow travelers.

"When finding someone eating on the subway, passengers can call our service hotline, alert the staff on the platforms or even call the police," Yin said.

In May, two men who drank while eating peanuts and eggs at a folding table they had brought into a subway carriage in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, were placed in detention for five days for disturbing public order.

The local police said their behavior violated municipal regulations.

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn
Customs officers examine the ivory tusks of prehistoric mammoths that were seized in Luobei, Heilongjiang province.Qian Zhuang / For China Daily

Customs officers in Heilongjiang province announced on Monday that they had cracked a significant case involving the smuggling of prehistoric mammoth tusks, woolly rhinoceros horns and jade.

In the largest haul of such items in recent years, more than 1 metric ton of ivory mammoth tusks and 73 kilograms of woolly rhinoceros horns were discovered, along with 1 ton of jade material.

Heilongjiang's Luobei county is separated from Russia by the Heilong River, known as the Amur in Russia. On Feb 16, six trucks carrying soybeans imported from Russia arrived in Luobei for customs clearance.

One of the trucks was found to be much heavier than the other five, despite carrying the same amount of soybeans. A check by Luobei customs officers found concealed compartments in the rear.

Two days later, customs officials from the county and Jiamusi city inspected the trucks, finding one large concealed compartment and 34 smaller ones. The largest was filled with the mammoth ivories and woolly rhinoceros horns, while the 34 small ones, all the same size, were stuffed with jade materials, according to the authorities.

The truck driver, surnamed Gao, went missing, but was arrested in Jixi city, about 250 kilometers south of Luobei on Feb 26, with another man, surnamed Han, who allegedly owned the cargo.

Zhang Yue contributed to this story.
Researchers dressed as pandas conduct a checkup on a cub at the Hetaoping reintroduction base in Sichuan province.Provided To China Daily

A new facility will be established to promote the protection and procreation of the endangered species. Liu Wei, Feng Changyong and Zhou Xiangji report for Xinhua China Features.

China plans to build a Giant Panda National Park spanning three provinces to help the endangered animals mingle and enrich their gene pool.

Pandas isolated on six mountains in the provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan will be able to come together in the proposed park, which will cover 27,134 square kilometers, three times the area of Yellowstone National Park in the United States.

It will have a core area, protecting pandas in 67 existing reserves as well as another 8,000 endangered animals and plants.

Like many endangered species, pandas are suffering loss and fragmentation of their habitat as a result of natural disasters, climate change and expanding human activity.

The problem is exacerbated by the multiple administrations controlling the three provinces, because jurisdiction becomes blurred when pandas cross provincial boundaries.

The park will solve the problem. When it is complete, the pandas will be able to roam freely between their far-flung habitats. It will also lead to the relocation of a lot of people - for example, at least 170,000 people in Sichuan will have to relocate to establish the core protection area.

"Unlike nature reserves, the park will not stand alone. China will formulate an overall plan for the national park system. It will be a haven of biodiversity and will provide protection for the whole ecological system," said Hou Rong, director of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan.

According to the plan, China's national park system will comprise the Giant Panda National Park and eight other facilities devoted to endangered species and the headwaters of major rivers. Last year, the central government endorsed reform plans to "advance ecological progress", which included the plan to establish national parks.

Hou said the park will offer residents new homes and jobs. Many could be employed as tourist guides and as construction workers on infrastructure projects, so people and nature will benefit together.

People have lived in panda reserves for generations, but they cut bamboo shoots and grazed their livestock on hills, eating into the pandas' habitat and disrupting their lives.

Qubie Mazi, a member of the Yi ethnic group, has lived in Sichuan's Hei Hezi village for 40 years, making a living by growing potatoes and collecting herbs. A panda reserve in the village is a key corridor connecting populations on nearby Liangshan Mountain.

Poverty once drove the villagers to poach pandas, but after a penalty-and-bonus system was introduced, they learned to value the national treasures and now cherish them.

"I saw a panda in one of the village houses a month ago. I guess he came to look for food or company. I know that when they need to mate, they go to the other side of the mountain. When I discover something unusual about the pandas, I report it to the reserve," Qubie said.

Asked how he feels about making way for pandas, he said, "I will move, providing I can have a new home and a new job."

According to Heng Yi, a senior member of staff at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, higher living standards would benefit both the local population and the pandas.

"We should lead the locals to protect the environment, not spoil it. The key measure is to help people live sustainable lives and to get them out of poverty. Once they have access to electricity, they will stop cutting down bamboo. If they have decent jobs and steady incomes, they won't risk poaching pandas," he said.




Jiang Lili and her father Jiang Congqing discuss teaching in a classroom of Qingxi Primary School in Yongjiang county, Hunan province.Provided To China Daily

Many who live in the poorest parts of rural China dream of pursuing a college education so they can escape their poverty-stricken hometowns - especially those from mountainous areas with little access to the outside world.

But three generations of the Jiang family, from Yongjiang county, Hunan province, appear to have bucked this trend by bringing education back to their home village of Qingxi, a settlement more than 50 kilometers from the county seat.

Jiang Hao became the first person from his village to secure a place at college when he was accepted by an institution in Hengyang, Hunan in 1955. His family's poverty almost meant that he was unable to attend, however, until his fellow villagers pooled their resources to cover his tuition fees and travel expenses.

According to his granddaughter, Jiang Hao was so moved that he knelt down in front of the whole village and vowed to return with the knowledge he would gain.

The patriarch, who has since died, stayed true to his word and even refused an offer to become a county government official after graduation, choosing instead to teach in local schools for 29 years until his retirement.

"My father often told us that he never expected to be an official or to be rich and, as a teacher in the mountains, he felt respected," recalled his son, Jiang Congqing, who in 1985 also gave up an opportunity to work as an official in the township government and become a teacher instead.

The 52-year-old is now principal of Qingxi Primary School, which has nine teachers and 138 students. He said one-third of the students are left-behind children whose parents are migrant workers.

The granddaughter, Jiang Lili, said she had wanted to be a teacher from an early age.

"Since childhood, senior family members have taught us we should make every effort to get more education and make our dreams reality," said the 28-year-old.

"'Students in the mountains have to learn English in their third year of primary school. If they don't learn English well, they fall behind other students. So, after I graduated from senior high school in 2006, my grandfather suggested I chose an English major at college."

Jiang Lili took her grandfather's advice. In 2011, she came back to Qingxi Primary School and became an English teacher.

The four other teachers who joined with her at the same time have since left. She has also had chances to transfer to other schools in different locations, but chose to stay.

"I don't want to leave the place where I was born and raised. I don't want to abandon the children here," she said.

"This school is remote and isolated, which makes many young teachers reluctant to come. But the older teachers here are not qualified to teach English. If I leave, the students here will fall far behind their urban counterparts."

Jiang Lili now hopes to help as many students as she can learn the skills to succeed in life. "I hope my efforts can help the children here bridge the gap in knowledge and life experience they have with their peers in the city. I hope more of them will get out of the mountains and see the world outside," she said.

Contact the writers at houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn
Xu Shiyou markets his balloons in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.Liu Yang / For China Daily

As the weather warms, 80-year-old Xu Shiyou is finding it easier and easier to sell colored balloons outside a busy shopping mall in Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province.

"In the past 10 days, I have been able to earn more than 100 yuan ($14.50) a day. During the three-day Tomb Sweeping Day holiday, I sold more than 100 balloons every day, which brought me more than 200 yuan," he said.

Xu needs the money to buy medicine for his 72-year-old wife, who has heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney stones. "She needs to take the medicine long term and it costs about 1,000 yuan a month," he said. "However, if her condition becomes serious and she has to got to hospital, the cost would be astronomical for us."

In order to save money, Xu buys the cheapest medicine he can for his own pulmonary emphysema, tracheitis and low blood pressure - only spending about 100 yuan per month.

In 2011, the couple moved to Harbin from a village in Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, because they believed it would be easier to earn money in the metropolis. They now live in the same small house as their daughter, who doesn't have a steady job.

At first, Xu made money by collecting materials to be recycled. "But I became too old to carry those heavy materials, so I began to sell balloons around shopping malls and night markets in 2013," he said.

For a while he would earn no more than 50 yuan a day selling balloons, until a chance encounter that led to his story becoming widely circulated on social media,

"People have told me that they have come from far and wide just to buy my balloons after learning of my story through WeChat - some have even left me more money than the price of the balloon," Xu said.

"I remember talking to a young girl who looked like a college student at the end of March, she must have been the one who told others my story. I want to say thank you to her for her help, but I haven't seen her since."

Despite leaving home at 8 am every day and standing on the street for up to 12 hours, the smile rarely leaves Xu's face. He enjoys paying his own way, and refuses any help from his children.

"We have two sons and two daughters, but they are not well-off," he said. "Since I have the ability to be self-reliant, I don't want to become a burden on them."

Xu said the happiest thing in his life now is eating dinner with his wife each evening. "Every day my wife will wait for me to have dinner together - in the daytime, we worry about each other, but we can chat over dinner. It is the most wonderful time for us," he said. "We have been married for nearly 60 years and my wife has dedicated her most beautiful years to our family. Therefore, I should and will take care of her."

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn
Education ministry signs MoU on Belt and Road Initiative

Xinhua | Updated: 2017-04-12 13:34

BEIJING - The Ministry of Education signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with six local governments Tuesday to promote international education cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative.



They include Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the provinces of Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shaanxi and Qinghai, as well as the city of Qingdao.



Education cooperation for the initiative is part of China's 13th Five Year Plan from 2016 to 2020. The ministry has already signed similar agreements with eight other provinces and autonomous regions.



The plan aims to establish education cooperation platforms for the initiative at provincial level and train urgently-needed professionals in related fields.



Tian Xuejun, vice education minister, said the ministry had inked hundreds of projects on education cooperation with local governments, and would provide support for foreign students exchanges, Sino-foreign cooperative education, regional studies and people-to-people exchanges.
Brian Goldberg, founder of Mr Bing, and Reuben Shorser, co-founder of the Jianbing Company, both discovered jian bing while studying Mandarin in Beijing. After returning to New York, they both started their own jianbing businesses. [Photo/CCTV]

Jian bing, a popular Chinese street snack, has lately taken New York City by storm.

Brian Goldberg, founder of Mr Bing, and Reuben Shorser, co-founder of the Jianbing Company, both discovered jian bing while studying Mandarin in Beijing. After returning to New York, they both started their own jian bing businesses.

"Jian bing is so new to New Yorkers that demand for it has exceeded our expectations," the director of operations at Mr Bing remarked. The company sells several hundred jian bing every day.

To ensure the authenticity of its jian bing, Mr Bing invited Chinese jian bing-makers to train the company's employees in New York. In China, street vendors sell the snack for less than a dollar apiece. In New York, it can go for as much as $15. American consumers have so far given positive feedback about the traditional snack, and have shared pictures of it across social media.

A traditional jian bing starts with batter ladled onto a round cast-iron griddle. After different sauces and ingredients are placed onto the thin crepe, it is folded up to be eaten like a sandwich.
President Xi Jinping meets with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Premier Li Keqiang presented the official certificate of appointment to Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, who will take office as the chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on July 1, at a simple but solemn ceremony held in Zhongnanhai, the seat of the central government on Tuesday. Afterwards, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li both met with her separately, and expressed their confidence in her ability to lead the SAR government in uniting Hong Kong society and improving the well-being of the 7 million local residents. They reiterated the central government's unwavering support for the SAR.

Such confidence is not misplaced. Lam demonstrated her integrity and capabilities as a conscientious civil servant early in her career, and with her outstanding performance in each of her roles, she worked her way up the bureaucratic ladder step by step. When she announced her resignation as chief secretary to run for the chief executive's office earlier this year, many in Hong Kong breathed a collective sigh of relief because they believed she was the best candidate for the top post in the SAR government. That is why her win in the chief executive election on March 26 came as no surprise.

However, she has some tough challenges to face on entering office, not least addressing the rifts in Hong Kong society and giving fresh momentum to its economy.

The pledges of support from the nation's top leaders will have been welcome, as the central government's unreserved support for the SAR has been crucial for it to weather a number of severe crises, such as the Asian financial crisis in 1997 when its financial system was being savagely attacked by international speculators, and in 2003 when the city was rocked by the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic.

Such support is testament to Beijing maintaining China's sovereign rule over Hong Kong under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems" and in accordance with the Basic Law and the nation's Constitution.

It is necessary to emphasize this constitutional reality because Hong Kong has encountered unprecedented political and economic challenges since the handover, and it is imperative that the SAR government never deviate from these constitutional touchstones while working wholeheartedly to resolve the city's deep-seated socio-economic issues.

It's the only way for Hong Kong to achieve lasting prosperity.
Taken on Oct 16, 2013 shows the Potala Palace in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. [Photo / Xinhua]

The Dalai Lama's recent visit to "Arunachal Pradesh", as it is called by its illegal Indian occupiers, has once again put the Southern Tibet region of China in the spotlight. The region was separated from China by the so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Simla Accord, a treaty that was never validated.

Even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's "sovereignty" over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed. He called Southern Tibet "Arunachal Pradesh" in his memorandum to then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986. He said in an interview with local media during his visit to the region in 2003 that "Arunachal Pradesh" is part of Tibet. In 2008, he said in an interview with The Times of India that the McMahon Line is "a legal border", and "Arunachal Pradesh" is India's territory. In 2009, in spite of the Chinese government's opposition, the Dalai Lama visited the region under the name of a trip of reminiscence.

His latest visit to the region, at the invitation of the Indian government, shows that he can't wait to give away Tawang district, the holy land of China's Tibet where the sixth Dalai Lama was born, in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group. His trip is testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace.

Thubten Gyatso, the 13th Dalai Lama and the predecessor of Tenzin Gyatso, or the current 14th Dalai Lama, said clearly in 1930, three years before he passed away: "The British people indeed showed their will to tempt me. But I know sovereignty must not be lost." His principle of "not getting close to the British, and not betraying the central government" is well known. Tenzin Gyatso should finish his predecessor's unfulfilled cause. Instead, he wants to sell the land to a foreign country.

The Dalai Lama is betraying the Tibetan people. Southern Tibet is the holy land in the hearts of Tibetan people, and has inalienable connections in religion, ethnicity, culture and history with the rest of Tibet. The Memba people and others living in the region have a similar culture and traditional customs as Tibetan people, and are blood compatriots with the Chinese people.

Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China.

Last, but not least, the Dalai Lama has betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither. China and India have engaged in border issue negotiations for more than 20 years, which has yet to yield any final conclusion. Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lama's eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his master's favor.

Incomplete statistics show he has described himself a "son of India" more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a "son of India" by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability.

One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker.

The author is a Beijing-based commentator on international studies.
Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office of China, presents the Cambodian edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen during the launch of the book in Phnom Penh on Tuesday. [Photo by Xu Wei/chinadaily.com.cn]

I am very pleased to come to Phnom Penh to call on Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and invite him to attend and witness the launching ceremony of the Cambodian version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China. On behalf of the Department of Publicity of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China, I would like to pay my highest tributes to respectable Prime Minister Hun Sen and all participating guests and extend my heartfelt thanks to all parties that have made contributions to the translation, publication and launching event of this book.

During his visit to Cambodia in October 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke highly of the traditional China-Cambodia friendship and praised Cambodia's social stability, rapid economic development, improved livelihood and higher international status. In the nearly five years since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in late 2012, China's economy and society have witnessed the fastest and best development, and Chinese people have benefited the most.

All these magnificent achievements have been made under the guidance of President Xi's thoughts on China's governance. Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is a concentrated reflection of the core contents of President Xi's thoughts on the governance of China, a collection of his 79 speeches on 18 topics from November 2012 to June 2014. So far, more than 6.2 million copies of this book have been circulated across the world.

A core concept that runs through Xi Jinping: The Governance of China is the people-centered thinking, which is mainly reflected in the following three aspects:

First, people-supreme value orientation. Serving the people wholeheartedly is the fundamental purpose of the CPC. President Xi Jinping has deep affection for the masses. Since he once spent seven years in the countryside in the northwest of China and served in several grassroots posts, President Xi is quite acquainted with China's basic national conditions. When he appeared before the public for the first time as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi made a solemn commitment that, as is enshrined in this book's first chapter, "people's yearning for a better life is the goal of our struggles", and "we should consistently put people in the highest position of our hearts". Since he was elected as the top leader of China, Xi has insisted on going deep into the grassroots every month to consult national affairs with the masses. Reading between the lines in this book, we can sense President Xi's deep people-oriented feelings everywhere.

Second, fair and just institutional arrangements. Over the past years, China has realized booming economic development, but it has also been plagued by some newly emerging problems, such as the income distribution issue. President Xi once used a very vivid "cake theory" to describe the problems in China, saying that China should make a "bigger cake" to lay a more solid material foundation for guaranteeing social equity and justice, and at the same time should "better divide the cake" to narrow the income gap and the divide between urban and rural areas in public services.

He has also pointed out several times that, we should make our institutional arrangements better reflect the socialist principles of equity and justice and better realize, maintain and develop the fundamental interests of the ... people, we should be in people's position and start from people's interests to plan reform approaches and formulate reform measures so that we can use effective institutional arrangements to gradually realize equity of rights, opportunities and rules and steadily advance in the direction of creating common prosperity for all Chinese people. All of Xi's such thoughts have been enshrined in this book.

Third, a "hardworking" pragmatic style. President Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized such practical words as "empty talks are harmful to the nation", "working pragmatically will prosper the nation", "we should carry forward the spirit of driving the nail to go right to the end under a well-devised blueprint", "we should roll up our sleeves to work harder", and "we should strive to create actual achievements that can stand the test of practices, people and history".

President Xi has also demanded that leading officials at various levels cultivate the style of "Three Stricts and Three Steadies"be strict in cultivating one's moral character, preventing abuse of power and disciplining oneself, and be steady in planning matters, starting undertakings and conducting oneself. All of Xi's people-first and pragmatic requirements are enshrined in this book. Over the past nearly five years, Chinese people's livelihoods and well-being have considerably improved, a nine-year free compulsory education has been fully realized, and the number of college students has exceeded 37 million, with a gross enrollment ratio of more than 40 percent, higher than the average ratio of middle- and high-income countries.

The number of China's newly created urban jobs has exceeded 64 million, and China has built the world's largest basic healthcare network and largest social security network. Over the past nearly five years, China lifted more than 60 million impoverished people out of poverty, equivalent to a middle-sized country's total population. All of these jobs are a reflection of President Xi's truth-seeking and pragmatic ideological style.

The traditional friendship between the peoples of China and Cambodia goes back to ancient times and will last long. In October last year, President Xi and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen made a joint announcement in Phnom Penh that the two countries will robustly push forward full strategic cooperation to continuously be good friends and good partners with high mutual trust, and to build a community of shared destiny.

When meeting Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni and his mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk in Beijing in March, President Xi pointed out that, to deepen China-Cambodia relations, the two countries should maintain their high-level contact momentum, pay frequent mutual visits as two relatives do, and maintain close communication and exchanges. Their bilateral strategic partnership has gathered full speed, with China being Cambodia's largest trading partner and largest source of investment for three consecutive years.

We hope very much to take the opportunity of the publication and circulation of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China to share with Cambodia its experiences on the governance of the nation, deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation and inject endless positive energy into bilateral friendly relations.

The author is the minister of State Council Information Office. The article is an excerpt from the speech he delivered at the launching ceremony of the Cambodian version of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on April 11.
COLUMBUS  Columbus Public Library Director Drew Brookhart has a lot to think about over the days, weeks and months ahead.

He started late Tuesday night with a walk around the neighborhood.

It seemed like the logical next step, Brookhart said while processing the results of that days special bond election for the library/cultural arts center.

Columbus residents voted 1,763 to 1,514 against issuing up to $8.5 million in bonds to design, build and furnish the roughly 45,000-square-foot facility planned for the former Gene Steffy Ford property along 14th Street between 23rd and 24th avenues. There are just nine provisional ballots still uncounted.

Brookhart called the results very, very disappointing.

Im certainly disappointed and humbled by the loss, he said.

But hes not ready to give up on the project.

At this point we need to listen to the community and we need to fully understand why the project wasnt supported, Brookhart said. Until we do that work, we wont know how to move forward.

The library board meets Thursday to discuss the next step.

Columbus residents voted nearly 2 to 1 in May 2016 in favor of extending the local half-cent sales tax to pay for the library/cultural arts center and proposed improvements for the police and fire departments.

City officials also worked with the design firm and construction manager at-risk to shave about $1.6 million from the librarys projected price tag before putting the project up for another public vote.

The plan turned down Tuesday by a 54 percent margin called for a $16 million facility that includes a 300-seat auditorium, art gallery, makerspace and enough square footage to accommodate 20 years of library growth.

At least 50 percent of the construction costs were to be covered by private donations, grants and a library foundation contribution, although only $4.3 million has been committed so far.

Brookhart said fundraising for the project will likely come to a halt until a new plan thats backed by the community is in place.

Tuesdays vote, he said, puts a lot of things in jeopardy.

The city council agreed last month to seek grants for the library building from the Peter Kiewit Foundation and Nebraska Department of Economic Development, and the Omaha-based Sherwood Foundation awarded a $1.2 million grant to Columbus for the so-called quality of life projects that must be matched 2 to 1 locally by the end of 2017.

The Raimondo Family Foundation and another anonymous donor matched the $1.2 million contribution.

The East Central District Health Department, Columbus High School STEM Academy and Columbus Family YMCA projects have been completed, leaving the library/cultural arts center as the only project left to meet its fundraising requirement by the year-end deadline. If all four projects reach their fundraising goals, the Sherwood Foundation will add a $500,000 collaboration bonus to the grant amount.

Brookhart said the bond issue defeat negatively impacts the library foundations ability to reach that goal.

As for what happens to the money thats already been committed, Those are conversations that will have to take place between the library foundation and donors, Brookhart said.

Mayor Jim Bulkley heard from both opponents and supporters of the library plan leading up to Tuesdays election, making it a tough one to call before the final numbers rolled in.

I thought it had a good chance of moving forward, he said.

But, as the mayor noted, the voters spoke.

We need to learn from this, said Bulkley, who is recommending the library board take a page from Columbus Public Schools playbook.

After voters overwhelmingly rejected a $28.5 million bond issue for a new middle school in 2011, CPS officials engaged the public in a 2 1/2-year, give-and-take process that eventually led to the 2014 passage of a $49.9 million bond issue to build the recently opened high school.

They learned from a defeat, Bulkley said, adding that city officials must do the same thing by listening to public input before adjusting the plan.

I dont think this all goes away, the mayor said. We need to get refocused and regrouped and reorganized.

However, thats going to take time.

Bulkley said the immediate focus will be on moving forward with the public safety improvements, which could include construction of a joint facility shared by the police and fire departments.

The half-cent sales tax will remain in place until debt issued for the library and public safety projects is repaid, or voters reject both proposals during bond elections.

The city already paid $370,000 for the former auto dealership property, a portion of which is currently occupied by Columbus Animal Control, and $358,381 for design services for the library project.
A Chinese doctor talks with family members of a young patient as he examines him with a Type-b Ultrasonic Diagnostic Instrument at a hospital in Beijing, September 11 2013. [Photo/IC]

Beijing launched its medical reform on Saturday, scrapping the previous markup on drugs, which could be as high as 15 percent in the old pricing system, and replacing the registration fee and treatment fee with a medical service charge.

The implementation of the capital's reform measures marks a substantial step toward long-anticipated reform of the country's long-controversial medical system.

Any reform always necessitates adjustments among the interests of different groups. And, according to media reports, some patients have applauded the considerable decline in medicine prices, believing the separation of medical services from medicine prices will bring tangible benefits to people, while others have complained about the higher medical service charge, claiming it a disguised price increase. The capital's hospitals have also shown mixed reactions to the cancellation of drug price markup.

Given that any substantial reform of the country's medical system affects a variety of groups, it is normal for the reforms to be received differently by different groups. But the established medical system was under fierce public criticism and a basic consensus was reached that the past practice of doctors' incomes being dependent on medicine sales to a certain extent should be abolished and they should be paid according to the quality of service they provide. Beijing's move to lower medicine prices and the cost of tests involving medical equipment will surely motivate doctors to improve the services they provide as they will no longer profit as much from prescribing tests and medicines.

The raised medical service charge will better reflect the value of the skills and experience of medical personnel and also promote much-needed hierarchical diagnosis and treatment, thus easing the insufficiency of medical facilities and personnel in big hospitals and improving the sometimes-strained doctor-patient relations.

Beijing's latest move offers a correct direction for the broader medical reform and it is hoped that more regions will follow suit.
In a speech on clean governance that he delivered on March 21, the full text of which was released on Sunday, Premier Li Keqiang vowed more efforts to promote clean governance, and he stressed reinforced supervision over the use of State assets and a crackdown on financial corruption.

Li said "powerful" measures will be taken to prevent the loss of State assets and curb corruption in the financial sector, and the authorities will further enhance the supervision over State-owned enterprises and address the risks in the financial sector.

He also stressed that those who steal and sell confidential financial information will be strictly punished according to the law to safeguard the normal order in the financial sector.

Premier Li's promise of a harsh crackdown on corruption in the financial sector drew wide public praise. On the same day that the speech was released, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China, the top anti-graft authority, announced that Xiang Junbo, chairman of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, is being investigated for suspected serious Party discipline violations.

Xiang's case not only indicates the anti-corruption work is being deepened in the financial sector, but also shows the authority's determination to relentlessly fight against corruption in the financial sector.

Fighting corruption in the financial sector is necessary to build a clean and efficient financial management system, and efficiently maintain financial order and guarantee financial security. Anti-corruption work in the financial sector has become one of the focuses of the anti-corruption campaign at present.
Workers walk past solar panels and wind turbines (rear) at a newly-built power plant in Hami, Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region, China, September 17, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

China has a track record of making rapid changes. Within just the past decade or two, the worlds most populous country has become its biggest market for cars and e-commerce, as well as its biggest exporter -- and its biggest source of carbon emissions. So it should come as no surprise that China has now also assumed a leadership position in the green-investment arena.

China is contributing billions into clean energy, promoting the use of electric vehicles, investing in low-emission infrastructure for its fast-growing cities and widening the options for green financing.

Efforts to de-carbonize and green Chinas economy permeate the very fabric of its economic endeavors - while they aim to tackle pollution and climate change, they also dovetail Beijings goal of taking the economy up the value chain, boosting home-grown high-tech industries and the high-end jobs that come with them, and paving the way for more sustainable, balanced and ecologically-aware economic expansion.

They are also consistent with Chinas increasingly central role in the world economy, and its growing willingness to speak out about global issues.

Chinas green motivations are easy enough to understand. At the same time, Chinas more and more educated, articulate and confident citizens are increasingly demanding that the benefits of economic growth come without the pain of environmental degradation.

To their credit, Chinese authorities have recognized the need for action.

They have declared a war on pollution, and over the last few years have been charting a clear path to a low-carbon economy, pledging under the current Five-Year Plan to incorporate ecological conservation into every aspect of economic, political, cultural and social development.

The plans wide-ranging environmental targets include a 15 percent reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP, a 23 percent improvement in water efficiency, a new five billion ton cap on total energy consumption and an overall 18 percent reduction in carbon emissions.

In January, just as the United States looked poised to take a very different approach on climate change, China said it would spend RMB 2.5 trillion (about $360 billion) on renewable energy by 2020. The National Energy Administrations 2016-2020 plan aims to lower the share of coal in the nations energy mix from about 64 percent currently to 58 percent, and to raise the share of non-fossil fuel energy to at least 15 percent.

While that percentage is still relatively low, China represents a clear commitment to becoming a world leader in green energy.

The changes are already well underway. China installed almost three times more wind power capacity  23.3 gigawatts - than the United States last year, taking its total wind power capacity to about one-third of the global total. The countrys photovoltaic capacity more than doubled last year, turning China into the world's biggest producer of solar energy by capacity.

Meanwhile, on the low-carbon transport and infrastructure front, China has built more than 20,000 km of high-speed rail lines in the past few years. The plan is to extend the network to 45,000 km by 2030. Likewise, the authorities support for electric vehicles means China is likely to become the worlds largest market for such vehicles within the next few years.

A strong green element also runs through Chinas Belt and Road Initiative, which will see billions of dollars to improve infrastructure links across more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe and beyond.

Last but not least, China has made significant progress in tackling barriers to private-sector investment in a more sustainable economy, including allowing overseas financial institutions to issue green bonds in China. The country has become the main driver of growth in the global market for green bonds. More than $33 billion-worth of Chinese green bonds were issued last year. That is well over one-third of the global total  and it is up from just $1 billion in 2015.

On the regulatory front, the Peoples Bank of China announced Green Bond Guidelines in late 2015 to encourage independent assurance and regularly audited disclosure, which is a good step forward. We can expect further editions of the guidance to provide greater clarity, tighter definitions and even more transparency.

Of course, the changes in Chinas energy mix and electricity pricing regime, its car fleet or its capital markets cannot happen overnight. As the persistent high air pollution in Beijing, Shanghai and other cities shows, it will take years to clean up Chinas environment and truly green its economy.

But Chinas policymakers are committed to the fight for green. They dont just have the motivation, but also the means and the opportunity to capitalize on Chinas current economic transition to deliver substantial green progress in the coming years.

That is good news -- not just for China, but also for the rest of the world.

The author is the Chief Executive, Greater China, of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited.
US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump welcome President Xi Jinping and First Lady Peng Liyuan at Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, US, April 6, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

President Xi Jinping and President Trump have made a clear roadmap for the future development of bilateral relations and how to tackle major challenges facing the world during their first formal meetings last week at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.

The meetings of two leaders open a new chapter in bilateral relations, especially with more uncertainties facing the current globalization.

The face-to-face meeting was called "a summit of the new century", as China and the US have actually formed the world's most important communities of interest, and thus the destiny of the two countries is closely intertwined.

The philosophical talks and face-to-face, in-depth exchanges between the two presidents at Mar-a-Lago again helped set the right tone for future bilateral relations.

To summarize the Mar-a-Lago Summit, the following points are valuable to follow:

1The strategic consensus of "peaceful coexistence, peaceful competition, and win-win cooperation" reconfirmed by China and the US set the guidelines and lay a solid foundation for their healthy and stable relations in the coming 4 or 8 years. As President Xi Jinping has expressed time and time again, the Pacific Ocean is big enough for both China and the US to seek their development.

Reconfirmation of each other's strategic orientation is undoubtedly crucial to keep bilateral relations on an even keel and to expand cooperation on global governance, which will exert a positive impact on the emerging international order to be shaped in the first half of the new century.

As Trump's administration posed "uncertainty and unpredictability" in its foreign policy arena, it is indeed a good thing to break this "curse" by injecting more predictability and certainty into Sino-American relations.

This successful meeting has cast light over Sino-American relations with a large dose of "predictability and certainty". Now the two parties have established a comprehensive dialogue mechanism to maintain stable relations and enhance future cooperation.

2. Consensus reached between China and the US on new trade and investment cooperation will not only mitigate the trade frictions or wars but also benefit the two giant economies and the world.

In 2016, China-US bilateral trade in goods reached $519.6 billion, service trade was over $110 billion, and two-way accumulated investment over $170 billion. Twenty-six percent of exported Boeing airplanes, 56 percent of exported soybeans, 16 percent of exported automobiles, and 15 percent of integrated circuits went to China. So, China and the US have formed highly integrated economic patterns.

The exchanges between the two peoples have been increasingly updated year by year. An average of 14,000 people travel between China and the US every day: every 17 minutes there is a flight taking off or landing among the two countries. Over 300,000 Chinese students are studying in the US, accounting for over one-third of all foreign students in the States.

3, "America First" does not equal "China Last".

"America First" is actually not in conflict with China-US economic and trade cooperation. Objectively speaking, the effective path for "America First" is likely to be achieved through "Beijing".

Similarly, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is also inseparable from a friendly and favorable international environment wherein the US is a key player.

The US should be determined to adopt a win-win cooperation approach with China and get rid of the influence of extreme geopolitics. For whatever reason, trade conflicts or trade wars will only cause losses to both sides, and would crown no winner.

4, With regard to the security in Asia-Pacific, especially in East Asia, consensus and cooperation between the US and China is of great importance, which is obviously in agreement with the common interests of both countries.

If the US continues its so-called "offshore balancing" strategy agitated by neo-conservatism and increases military deterrence on China, the security interests of the two nations will be damaged.

Currently, the US and China should particularly insist on negotiation and cooperation in solving the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue and work together to solve the crisis in a peaceful manner.

Some down-to-earth suggestions proposed by China, such as the "parallel suspension proposal" should be given high attention by interested parties.

China sets itself against nuclearization and any war on the Korean Peninsula, and we believe that this is also in line with the US and other nations' interests in the region.

As an extraterritorial state that has vital interests in East Asia, the US should recognize the trend of this era while re-evaluating its Asia-Pacific strategy and China policy.

The blueprint has been drawn and the path determined. There are many opportunities and huge potential for Sino-American cooperation, which will finally fulfill the consensus of two presidents and move China-US relations onto a new level.

The author is co-chairman of the Center for China and Globalization and former vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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Premier Li Keqiang urged Japan to view China's development as an opportunity and pursue positive policies toward China to improve bilateral relations.

The premier made the statement while meeting with a Japanese economic delegation headed by Yohei Kono, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade, at the Great Hall of the People on Monday.

Li said this year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties. History and reality show that China-Japan relations can maintain healthy and stable development only if both sides adhere to the principles set in the four political documents signed by the two countries between 1972 and 2008 and stick to the direction of peace, friendship and cooperation, said Li.

More than 40 years ago, nongovernmental organizations and friendly people from Japan, including the association, made efforts to normalize bilateral ties, Li said. He called on Kono and the other delegates to continue similarly to contribute to further improvement in relations, promote mutually beneficial cooperation and enhance understanding between the two peoples.

There has been a slowdown in economic and political ties between the two neighbors. China-Japan trade dropped by 10.8 percent year-on-year to $278.6 billion in 2015.

Trade further decreased to $223 billion from January to October last year, a 2.8 percent drop compared with the same period in 2015, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Li and Kono had met on several occasions, most recently in April 2015.

Kono also served in several governmental roles, including Japan's speaker of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2009.

In 1993, Kono, then chief Cabinet secretary, issued a statement acknowledging that Japanese soldiers had coerced comfort women to work in military-run brothels during World War II. Until that year, Tokyo had denied the nation's military was involved.

Kono said the association has been committed to boosting China-Japan relations by expanding economic cooperation over the past 60 years. Japan's economic powers have closely watched China's development and are willing to work hard to boost exchanges and improve relations, he added.
Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a UN investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country. [Photo/Xinhua]

MOSCOW - Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a UN investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country.

"We intend to officially address a relevant UN structure in the Hague and call on the international community to investigate thoroughly this incident, and to take a balanced decision depending on the results of the investigation," Putin said at a joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

A reported April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Province in northwestern Syria killed at least 70 civilians and wounded scores of others.

Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.

The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defense Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.

The United States launched last Thursday 59 cruise missiles against a Syrian air base, from which airplanes allegedly carrying chemical weapons took off.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that nine civilians, including four children, were killed and about 10 others were wounded in the attack.

Putin said Moscow had information from different sources that such "provocations" were being prepared in other regions of Syria including in southern outskirts of the capital Damascus, where "some substances" would be thrown in and the official Syrian authorities would be blamed for their use.

Putin said that the developments reminded him of the events of 2003, when representatives of the United States demonstrated in the UN Security Council toxic substances, allegedly found in Iraq to justify an invasion in that country.

"After this the military campaign began in Iraq, which ended in a destruction of the country, an increase of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the Islamic State (IS) in the international scene," Putin said.

Mattarella said at the press conference that Rome maintained the necessity of finding a solution for the Syrian crisis "on the basis of a dialogue at different levels between the Syrian parties, between regional players and within the international community".

He also expressed hope that Moscow and other powers would be able to use their influence to avoid repetition of gas attacks in Syria.

"Of cause it is necessary to find the guilty and persecute them. We hope that what has happened will make all the participants in the crisis, including the most influential, do everything in their power to overcome the current intolerable situation," Mattarella said speaking through an interpreter.

The press conference took place as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
DAMASCUS - Intense battles raged on Tuesday between the Syrian army and the rebels in the southern province of Daraa, amid information that the rebels received large reinforcement through the Jordanian borders.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Syrian air force carried out 40 airstrikes on Tuesday against the rebels, who are attempting to storm and control the Manshiyeh area, whose capture by the rebels threatens the downfall of the city to the rebels.

The London-based watchdog group said 16 Syrian soldiers and officers were killed a day earlier during the battles in Daraa, adding that among the rebels group is the Front for Liberating the Levant, previously known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front.

Meanwhile, a military source told Xinhua that the battles flared in Daraa after the rebels received a huge logistical support through the Jordanian borders, including heavy weapons and vehicles.

Hundreds of rebel fighters, as well as tanks and vehicles reached the rebels in Daraa, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The rebels have recently upped their offensives in Daraa to capture Manshiyeh neighborhood, which includes three hilltops overlooking most of the neighborhoods in Daraa.

It's feared that if the Manshiyeh fell to the rebels, the entire city of Daraa will fall as well.

Abdul-Aziz Farez, a political expert, said that Jordan supports the rebels in Daraa for two main points: the first is water, as Daraa contain two water sources.

The second, he added, is the geographic size and location near the Jordanian borders, which will enable Jordan, with the help of the rebels, to make Daraa as a buffer zone.
File photo of Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines Oscar Munoz. [Photo/Agencies]

United Airlines Chief Executive Oscar Munoz on Tuesday issued an apology for the treatment of a passenger who was dragged on Sunday from his seat on a United plane, as the company faced a worldwide backlash for its handling of the incident.

"I'm sorry. We will fix this," Munoz said in a statement a day after he had defended the company in a memo that contained no apologies to the passenger. On Tuesday, as the storm of criticism continued, Munoz changed course.

"I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," he said in the statement. "No one should ever be mistreated this way."

Video showing a man who appeared to be Asian being snatched from his seat Sunday evening and dragged from United Airlines Flight 3411 sparked global outrage that escalated as consumers in China, a key United market, called for boycotts of the airline. Regulators in the United States said they are reviewing the incident.

United has not identified the passenger, and Reuters was not able to confirm his identity.

United Continental Holdings Inc shares fell as much as 4.4 percent on Tuesday, but recovered some losses and ended 1.1 percent lower. More than 16 million United shares changed hands, the most for any session in a year.

The stock is down about 3 percent for the year.

United is also suffering from broader worries among investors about U.S. airline performance.

In his apology, Munoz pledged a "a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement." The findings will be released by April 30, he said.

Munoz, a former railroad executive who took over United in 2015, already faced pressure from activist investors to improve the airline's performance, including its customer relations. In April 2016, United agreed with a group of investors to install airline industry veteran Robert Milton as non-executive chairman.

The risks to United from the uproar over the forced removal of the passenger in Chicago intensified on Tuesday. On Chinese social media, the incident attracted the attention of more than 480 million users on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform.

United has about 20 percent of total U.S.-China airline traffic and has a partnership with Air China, the third-largest Chinese airline, according to analysts. It flies to more Chinese cities than other U.S. airlines. Last year, United added nonstop flights from San Francisco to Hangzhou, its fifth destination in mainland China.

According to Tyler Bridges, a passenger who was on board the flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, the man who was dragged off before takeoff said repeatedly that he was being discriminated against because he was Chinese.

"He said, 'I'm a doctor; I need to see patients," said Bridges, a civil engineer from Louisville who recorded much of the incident on his phone.

In the United States, social media outrage continued, with the incident trending on Twitter for the second consecutive day. Many users promoted hashtags #NewUnitedAirlinesMotto and #BoycottUnitedAirlines.

This is the second time in less than a month that United has been caught in a social media storm. In late March, a United gate agent's decision to refuse to board two teenage girls wearing leggings provoked a viral backlash.

Reuters
Community member protests the treatment of Dr. David Dao, who was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight on Sunday by the Chicago Aviation Police, at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, US, April 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

United Airlines and its chief executive faced mounting pressure on Tuesday from a worldwide backlash over its treatment of a passenger who was dragged from his seat on a plane on Sunday to make room for four employees on the overbooked flight.

Lawyers for the passenger, Dr. David Dao, issued a statement late on Tuesday confirming his identity and saying that he and his family were "focused only on Dr. Dao's medical care and treatment" in a Chicago hospital.

The US Department of Transportation launched an inquiry into the incident, and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie called for new rules to curb the airline practice of overbooking flights.

United CEO Oscar Munoz issued a statement on Tuesday apologizing to Dao without naming him. "I'm sorry. We will fix this," Munoz said. "I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way."

On Monday, Munoz issued a memo to employees defending the company but not apologizing to the passenger.

Munoz, a former railroad executive who took over the helm at United in 2015, had already been under pressure from activist investors to improve the airline's performance, including its customer relations.

Video showing Dao being yanked from his seat by airport security Sunday evening and dragged from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport went viral and sparked global outrage.

An online petition calling for Munoz to step down had nearly 22,000 signatures by early Tuesday evening.

On Chinese social media, the incident attracted the attention of more than 480 million users on Weibo, China's Twitter-like platform.
Its official. The Senate has confirmed Judge Neil Gorsuch as the next associate justice on the United States Supreme Court. He will be an excellent justice for the American people.

Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution entrusts members of the Senate with a responsibility vital to our democracy: providing advice and consent on the presidents Supreme Court nominees. The significance of this task cannot be overstated. I take it very seriously.

To determine if Judge Gorsuch possessed the qualities of a Supreme Court justice, I met personally with him in my office. I watched his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Judge Gorsuch answered questions from members for approximately 20 hours. I evaluated his background and legal record. Through it all, he showed us that he will be an extraordinary addition to the Court.

Judge Gorsuch has sterling credentials. He earned his undergraduate degree from Columbia and a law degree from Harvard. He also received a doctor of philosophy from the University of Oxford. Outside of academia, he clerked for two Supreme Court justices, worked in a top law firm, and held a senior post at the Department of Justice.

A Supreme Court justice should have a certain judicial temperament. Without question, Judge Gorsuch has the right one. When introducing Judge Gorsuch at his confirmation hearing, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) stated that (as) a person and as a lawyer, Judge Gorsuch exemplifies some of the finest qualities of Colorado. A state filled with people who are kind to one another, who by and large do not share the conceit that one party or one ideology is all right and the other is all wrong.

Nebraskans can relate to this description of our neighbors in Colorado. We are kind. We value independence, honesty and fair-mindedness. Judge Gorsuch does too.

During his four-day confirmation hearing, Gorsuch repeatedly proved his commitment to the rule of law. Several of my Democrat colleagues agree, and cited it as why they supported his nomination. For example, Sen. Heitkamp indicated that she would vote to confirm Judge Gorsuch because "(he) has a record as a balanced, meticulous, and well respected jurist who understands the rule of law."

Furthermore, while serving on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Judge Gorsuch demonstrated he is well within the mainstream. In total, he has decided 2,700 cases. Ninety-nine percent of the time he sided with the majority. Hes authored opinions in 800 of those cases. Ninety-eight percent of the decisions in these cases were unanimous. Thats a solid record and it has earned him respect from jurists and scholars across the political spectrum.

Finally, Judge Gorsuch has promised to apply the law equally and fairly to all people. As he said during his confirmation hearing: everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. This is a fundamental part of his judicial oath. Its a commitment one must make when their decisions are going to affect the rights and freedoms of millions.

I was proud to support Judge Gorsuch and I think he will do an exceptional job for the American people. I congratulate him on his confirmation and wish him well as he takes his place on the bench of our nations highest court.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, US, April 11, 2017. [Photo/Agencies]

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW - US President Donald Trump's administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria's government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to "go into" the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assad's government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria's Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against US allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

"It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there," one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the US version of events. "Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," he told reporters.

But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive."

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.

Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack inadvance. "They didn't look shocked. They didn't look surprised.

They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize," she said on CNN.

US intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscow's claims about the circumstances of the attack.

It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

"Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syria's chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack," the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shi'ite Muslim Iran.
DAVAO CITY, the Philippines -- A earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale struck parts of southern Philippines on Wednesday, state seismologists said.

The quake which hit around 5:21 a.m. local time was traced 6 kilometers east of Wao town, in Mindanao's Lanao del Sur province at a depth of one kilometer, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

The US Geological Survey pegged the quake's strength at magnitude of 5.6.

There were no immediate reports of damage, but the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the temblor is expected to cause aftershocks.

It said shaking was felt in the cities of Davao, Cagayan de Oro and Cotabato.

Wednesday's quake came after a series of temblors, one measuring 6.0, rocked the main island of Luzon on Saturday, destroying several buildings and other structures.

The Philippines sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates collide, causing frequent quakes and volcanic activities.
Two days after an Asian passenger was forcibly dragged off a United Airlines plane at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and video of the incident spread globally across social media, travel industry and marketing analysts said that United's reputation has been damaged and the incident could have an impact on the carrier in China.

Chinese netizens expressed furor over the incident that occurred on Sunday evening. By Tuesday afternoon the hashtag "United forcibly removes passenger from plane" was the most popular topic on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter. It received more than 480 million views and more than 200,000 comments.

Some Chinese social media users accused United of racism and others called for a boycott of the carrier. United began nonstop service to China in 1986 and operates more nonstop US-China flights, and to more cities in China, than any other airline.

Zishi Zhang, an 18-year-old college student in the UK, launched a petition that calls for a federal investigation of United Airlines' actions. It had more than 55,000 signatures of its 100,000 goal. The petition, which claims that United's actions were racial motivated, is trending on social media with the hashtag #ChineseLivesMatter.

Members of Congress also reacted to the incident, including a call for a hearing on the incident.

United Continental Holdings' stock felt the impact of the incident on Tuesday  it dropped 1.13 percent, wiping approximately $250 million off its market capitalization. The stock had dropped as much as 6 percent prior to the market's open.

The passenger removed from the flight to Louisville, Kentucky, was identified as Dr David Dao, 69. Dao was overheard by another passenger saying that he was picked on because he is Chinese. The Louisville Courier-Journal reported that Dao went to medical school in Vietnam before moving to the US. He lives in Elizabethtown, about 40 miles south of Louisville, where his wife, Dr Teresa Dao, has a medical practice.

Matt Rizzetta, CEO at brand agency North 6 Agency, said that Chinese consumers are highly discerning customers and exhibit deeper brand loyalty to US brands, but are also harder to bring on board as customers.

"If you're United and you've built all this goodwill and spent all this time and made all these investments to get Chinese customers on your side, good job, pat on the back. But data shows that especially in the travel space, once you break that trust it's very difficult to regain," he said.

Jim Corridore, airline equity analyst at CFRA Research, said that prior to United's latest statement on Tuesday afternoon in which CEO Oscar Munoz apologized and said that "no one should ever be mistreated this way", that he was not expecting a major financial impact on the company right now, due to generally strong demand and high capacity in the market. But he said "we are not happy with the way the company is handling the situation, and we know particularly in China, where the company is trying to make inroads, it could have an impact."

Chris Allieri, founder and principal at public relations consultancy Mulberry & Astor, said,

"You can't just look at impact through dollars and cents  these companies are trying to be corporate citizens. They're trying to do good work in other areas, and when something like this happens, your profits and your bottom-line aside, you're still hurting."

He said, "Whether it's dollars lost now or dollars lost later, it will catch up. That's why I say that you need to take responsibility and solve the problem and move forward."

On Weibo, user who goes by the name Jinyinxingdongzhong said, "I can understand the 'overbooking' thing, but I feel deeply angry about the way they handled the situation. "I definitely will not buy" United's stock, he said, "because even if I invested in it and made money, I would have an uneasy conscience."

Joe Wong, the Chinese-American comedian, said on Weibo that "many Chinese feel they are discriminated against, but won't say anything due to personal dignity, which leads to the Western mainstream media and public disregarding the discrimination against Asians at all."

The United flight had been overbooked and four passengers were asked to voluntarily surrender their seats to accommodate flight attendants who needed to make it to Louisville to staff another flight, according to reports.

Dao refused to leave the plane, saying that he was a doctor and needed to see patients in the morning, and videos taken by passengers showed a security officer from the Chicago Department of Aviation wrestling Dao out of his seat while he screamed. He was dragged down an aisle with blood on his face. The Chicago Police Department later said Dao's head struck an armrest "causing injuries to his face".

Dao later returned to the aircraft, bloodied, saying repeatedly, "I have to go home," according to a passenger who captured the event on video.

United's Munoz also said in his statement on Tuesday that United would conduct a thorough review of the company's policies  including how it incentivizes volunteers and how it handles overbooked flights  and communicate results of the review by the end of the month.

That came after an internal email to United employees that leaked on Monday, which blamed Dao for being "disruptive and belligerent".

Munoz had said the initially that the incident was the result of having to re-accommodate a passenger, and both initial responses were viewed as tone-deaf.

"United had an opportunity on Monday to really nip it in the bud and to move forward, and to say, 'We did not do the right thing. We messed up. We are going to change this. I, Oscar Munoz as CEO, will launch an investigation,'" said Allieri.

"Nothing about [Monday's] outrage had to do with people's flights getting rebooked. Nothing. To put out in a statement that it's about re-accommodating passengers is unfathomable, how much that misses the mark," he said.

Congressional delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat in the District of Columbia and a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, called for a hearing on the incident.

"I am asking our committee for a hearing, which will allow us to question airport police, United Airlines personnel, and airport officials, among others, about whether appropriate procedures were in place in Chicago and are in place across the United States when passengers are asked to leave a flight," she said in a statement.

US Senator Chris Van Hollen, Democrat of Maryland, tweeted that the airline "must do more than 'apologize'. Full investigation needed. Airlines must start treating passengers with respect, not like cargo."

Hong Xiao contributed to this report.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) and his US counterpart Donald Trump (L) take a walk to further discuss bilateral cooperation issues in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, the United States, April 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping Wednesday talked with his US counterpart Donald Trump over phone on issues of Korean Peninsula and Syria, saying Peninsula denuclearization shall be achieved through peaceful means and any use of chemical weapons is "unacceptable" on Syria issue.

He added that the UN Security Council shall remain united and deliver "one voice" in this respect.

China and the United States shall work together closely to make sure that the visit of Trump to China later this year could achieve "fruitful" results, the Chinese president said.

He also urged the two sides to promote the newly-established four-pronged dialogue mechanism in such areas as diplomacy and security, economy, law enforcement and cyber security, as well as social and people-to-people exchanges, an important result of his latest meeting with Trump, and to conduct pragmatic cooperation in a trove of areas.
Photo taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant panda Xing Ya in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. Two giant pandas Xing Ya and Wu Wen, left for the Netherlands on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

A pair of Chinese panda cubs will arrive in the Netherlands on Thursday morning Beijing time and stay there for joint scientific research and breeding for 15 years.

Brought up in the base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Wenchuan county, Sichuan province, Xing Ya, Male, and Wu Wen, female, are both 3 years and 8 months old.

They will board a Dutch plane in the Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, Sichuan province at 2:35 pm on Wednesday and arrive at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol at 1:05 am on Thursday.

Xing Ya likes climbing trees while Wu Wen is gentle as a "girl," said Hu Zhengquan, a keeper in the panda center.

"Xing Ya has a big appetite and feasts on 40 kilograms of bamboo, 5 kg of bamboo shoots, 500 grams of carrots and 100 g of apples a day. He can finish his food long before WuWen," Hu said.

Both cubs will live in Ouwehand Zoo in Rhenen, a small city with about 20,000 people in the Netherlands.
It was most serene of all scenes: A choir singing hymns on a Palm Sunday morning. It could have been any church, anywhere in the world.

Then, the unimaginable.

The screen goes blank amid the sounds of explosions, as the beauty of that Sunday service is shattered by the unspeakable violence that tore through St. George's Coptic church in Tanta, Egypt.

At another church, St. Mark's in Alexandria, a suicide bomber, denied entrance, detonates himself outside the main gate. The Coptic pope was celebrating services inside.

When it was done, 44 people between the two sites were dead, and dozens more were injured.

In the wake of those savage and unspeakable attacks at these two Egyptian houses of worship, the gathering places for an ancient sect and the Middle East's largest Christian community, much of the world was asking "Why?"

But for the Copts, who trace their roots to the Apostle Mark, they were the latest in an escalating cycle of violence that began with the fall of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011 -- but, in truth, really goes back centuries.

In a pair of Tweets, President Donald Trump said he was "so sad to hear of the terrorist attack in Egypt," which the "U.S. strongly condemns."

Trump added that he had confidence that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi "will handle (the) situation properly."

The Tweets came just days after an apparent reset in American-Egyptian relations.

During an Oval Office meeting last week, Trump said he and el-Sisi "agreed on so many things."

"I just want to let everybody know, in case there was any doubt, that we are very much behind President el-Sisi," Trump said. "He's done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation. We are very much behind Egypt and the people of Egypt."

El-Sisi on Sunday declared a three-month state of emergency and promised a "long and painful" fight against the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for the bombings, the BBC reported.

El-Sisi's ISIS hard line is encouraging and the apparent reset in American and Egyptian relations is welcome.

But that doesn't mean the United States should give El-Sisi a pat on the head and a cookie and send him on his way.

As a 2016 report by The Brookings Institution makes clear, el-Sisi has pretty much contented himself with leaving the plight of the Copts where it has stood since the reign of Anwar Sadat in the 1970s: With nearly non-existent political representation and with violence a fact of daily life.

Consider:

In 2011, a bomb at a Coptic church in Alexandria claimed the lives of 20 people and wounded nearly 100, CNN reported. Just a few months later 13 people were killed during a fracas between Christians and Muslims in Cairo.

Last December, 25 were killed and 50 more were wounded when a suicide bomber attacked a smaller church near St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo.

But perhaps the most indelible image (and not the direct fault of Egypt) in the eyes of most of the civilized world, was a 2015 video by ISIS that apparently showed the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians on a beach in Libya.

As the Brookings report notes, el-Sisi has based his claim to legitimacy on a pose of tolerance. He's attended Christmas Eve services at Coptic churches, the first Egyptian president to do so.

The president, part of Egypt's Sunni Muslim majority, won plaudits in 2015 for remarking that "It is important that the whole world watch us, the Egyptians ... You noticed that I am not using another word than Egyptians ... we are the Egyptians."

But he has also failed to acknowledge 'de facto' discrimination against Coptic Christians.

As of 2016, Egypt's 596-member parliament had just 36 Christian members, two-thirds of whom were elected under the country's first religious-based quota system.

And while El-Sisi's "one Egypt" claim appears to suggest that he's a president for all the nation's citizens, the Brookings report also posits that "by refusing to acknowledge the differences between Christians and Muslims, he does not see Copts as a minority in need of protection and is therefore not willing to extend the necessary measures to proactively protect against or respond to attacks."

Here, Trump and the United States can lead by moral example - by emphasizing the nation's history of religious pluralism and tolerance.

Trump can also tie future American economic and humanitarian assistance to greater political representation for the Copts and - critically - by rolling out the welcome mat for refugees from all nations, regardless of their faith.

Trump thankfully appeared to pivot from his "America First" policy with last week's cruise missile strike in Syria.

He can continue his education on the world beyond Manhattan Island by putting el-Sisi on notice that American support comes with strings attached.




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.
(Photo : Getty Images) An MQ-9 Reaper flies by on a training mission at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada.

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China is planning to introduce a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the TYW-1, for military purpose to the international market next year.



Dubbed as a strike-capable reconnaissance UAV, the TYW-1 is scheduled to make its maiden flight this September and will be launched by 2018, Wang Jianping, deputy general manager and chief designer from Beihang Unmanned Aircraft System Technology, told IHS Jane.



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Wang said that the company is eyeing the markets in neighboring countries such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Chinese military UAVs, which have been deployed in the Middle East, have seen increasing demands.



The TYW-1 is an unmanned system for surveillance and combat based on the BZK-005, used by China's People's Liberation Army. It could also patrol Chinese "territorial waters," indicating a possible deployment in the East and the South China Sea, according to Daily Caller.



Meanwhile, drone developer China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation is also producing CH-4, another combat drone used in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. On the other hand, the Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute also developed the Wing Loong.



China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the biggest Chinese missile maker, is also producing a stealth military drone that could evade radar and anti-aircraft weapons. It also developed high-speed, cruise missile-like WJ series drone.



"As military reforms are drastically changing armed forces around the world, drones have become an indispensable weapon in modern warfare because they can play an important role in high-resolution reconnaissance, long distance precision strikes, anti-submarine operations and aerial combat," Wei Yiyin, CASIC's deputy general manager, said.



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On Palm Sunday, many members of the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark awoke to the news that people dear to them had died or were wounded simply for being Coptic Christians.

So what did they do? They headed straight to church.

Its not the first time the Coptic Church has been targeted, said Joseph Ghabour, a spokesman for St. Mark. And it wont be the last.

Ghabour said Copts in New Jersey and throughout the United States and the world believe love and prayer will sustain church members whose loved ones died or were injured in one of two Coptic church bombings in Egypt, the first in Tanta and the second in Alexandria. The blasts killed more than 40 people and injured at least 100.

St. Mark is the first Coptic Church in New Jersey, established in 1970 with informal ministry several years prior. There are more than 20 Coptic Christian churches in New Jersey, many set up by people who emigrated from Egypt.

Ghabour said St. Mark is setting up donations for the families of the victims.

As important, he said, people are holding (them) up in prayer, which we think is of the utmost importance at this point.

On Monday (April 10), the church held a Holy Week service and added additional security.

Ghabour noted it wasnt only Christians who were killed in the two Palm Sunday attacks. Three officers stationed at the site of one of the attacks were Muslim.

Asked about Egypts three-month-long declaration of emergency, Ghabour makes the case that Egyptian authorities are in an impossible situation because when you fight an organized enemy, you know who it is. But when you fight an ideology as an enemy you have to fight a fine line.

Dr. Mona Tantawi, a New Jersey Muslim from Egypt and a pediatrician, was profoundly moved by Copts reaction and sees continued attacks on Coptic churches as an attempt to destabilize Egypt.

The Egyptian community, Christian or not, we are the same culture, she said. What happened was devastating, and when I look at their reaction?  They are really living out the teachings of Jesus.

The Rev. Markos Ayoub views living amid the sadness of loved ones lost and the knowledge that blasts may happen at any time as one of the new realities, these unacceptable new realities.

We do not accept injustice. In the same breath, we have no animosity towards anybody, he said. This is our faith. To love our enemies. No vengefulness. We love everybody, including even the terrorists.

The irony isnt lost on both men that the blasts have resulted in Copts going to church in even greater numbers.

The whole intent behind these attacks from terrorists is to prevent people from going to church to pray, Ghabour said. Let us be clear, yesterday in our church we had three services; one was fairly early, started at 6:30 and ended 9:30. And thats when we found out about the (second) attack.

Yet the services were packed beyond normal levels for a Palm Sunday.

So the terrorists are thinking people are not going to church? Ghabour asked. People will go out in even greater numbers and pray for the very same terrorists who want to kill them.

Chris Sagona is a correspondent based in New Jersey

Courtesy: Religion News Service

Photo: Clergy, deacons and the deacon choir participate in a Holy Week service at the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Mark on Monday, April 10, 2017, in Jersey City, N.J. Two Coptic Christian churches were bombed in Egypt on Palm Sunday, the day before.

Photo courtesy: Chris Sagona

Publication date: April 12, 2017
Last Sunday, 67-year-old Hank Hanegraaff and his wife entered into Orthodox Christianity at St. Niktarios Greek Orthodox Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The former Protestant is well known among evangelicals as the Bible Answer Man. Since 1989, Hanegraaff has been answering questions on Christianity, denominations, and the Bible on a nationally syndicated radio broadcast.

A champion of evangelical Christianity, hes best known for arguing against cults, heresies, and non-Christian religions. His 20 books include titles like Christianity in Crisis, Counterfeit Revival, and The Kingdom of Cults [revised with Walter Martin].

Part of being the Bible Answer Man also includes running the Christian Research Institute (CRI), an apologetics ministry that Hanegraaff has been president of since 1989.

This week, Hanegraaff spent some of his airtime answering questions about his decision to leave Protestantism for Orthodoxy.

People are posting this notion that somehow or other Ive ...

1
All seven professors on a Gordon College committee in charge of recommending faculty promotions and tenure resigned last week, believing the evangelical schools administration had started to ignore their suggestions.

The chair of the faculty senate, Ivy George, announced the decision at a monthly faculty meeting last Wednesday, to the surprise of provost Janel M. Curry (who serves as a non-voting member of the senate) and president Michael Lindsay (who sits on CTs board of directors).

We believe the decision was a consequence of frustration with a communication breakdown and difference of opinion on the outcome of recent promotion decisions, said Gordon spokesman Rick Sweeney.

CT reached out to George, a sociology professor at Gordon, but she declined to comment on the situation.

Members of the senate are elected by the schools 97 faculty to advise on personnel issues including hiring, reviews, discipline, promotions, and tenure, according to the schools ...

1
Is God not with us just as much as with a man?

When women in the 1930s and 40s challenged the churchs hesitancy to send female missionaries into remote areas, the early leadership of what would eventually become Wycliffe Bible Translators couldnt argue against them.

So began generations of women learning far-away tongues, recounting Bible stories, and bringing New Testaments into new languages. Over the past several decades, unmarried women in particular have dedicated their lives to Bible translation.

If it hadnt been for single women over the 70-year history of Wycliffe, half of the translations wouldnt have been completed, according to chief operations officer Russ Hersman.

That legacy has positioned female translators to accelerate todays global translation efforts, address the literacy gap, and empower Christian women in oral-dominated cultures.

Retired translator Anne West has a cross-stitch of Philippians 1:6 hanging in her California home: He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Its true no matter what situation, the 82-year-old said. If God has sent you, he comes alongside you.

God sent West to the Philippines in the early 1960s. She spent half her life there, working on projects to translate the Bible into local languages and dialects, like Ifugao, a regional language spoken by 130,000 people. Her parents encouraged her, Christian families welcomed her, and she trusted Gods calling from the beginning.

As a single woman, she served in the Southeast Asian country for 47 years before moving back to the United States. She married last month for the ...

1
Gorsuch Will Have an Immediate Impact

Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit



WASHINGTON, April 12, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, who replaced Justice Antonin Scalia who passed away in February 2016, takes the bench just in time to vote on several high-profile cases.

Gorsuch will begin by hearing the April 19 oral arguments in Trinity Lutheran Church v. Pauley, a case of religious discrimination by the government.

Missouri's Scrap Tire Program offers state funds to nonprofit groups that replace playground surfaces with recycled rubber. Trinity Lutheran Church applied to the program in 2012 to replace the gravel surface of its playground, but the state rejected its application, citing a clause in Missouri's state constitution that bars the use of state funds "directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect, or denomination of religion." At issue is a so-called "Blaine Amendment" that originated with U.S. Senator Blaine, who sought to amend the First Amendment to restrict private Catholic schools. When his efforts failed, some states adopted Blaine Amendments. Strictly applied, such provisions would prevent school vouchers and even restrict religious hospitals from receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds.

Another pending case, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, first reached the Court in December, but the justices have not announced whether they'll hear it. Jack Phillips, a baker, cited his religious beliefs when he refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Multiple state courts sided with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which found that Phillips violated the state's public-accommodations laws by discriminating against same-sex couples.

In Peruta v. California, the justices will also review last year's Ninth Circuit ruling that found there is no constitutional right to carry concealed firearms in public.

Gorsuch adheres to originalism  the idea that the best way to interpret the Constitution or laws is to determine the original words and intent.

"We are hopeful that Justice Gorsuch, as an originalist, will uphold the rule of law in these and future cases regarding religious freedom, marriage, abortion, the Second Amendment and more," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "We must return to the rule of law where judges interpret the original meaning of the Constitution and the laws before them instead of imposing their personal opinions," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.
ask the fool

Does saving hurt the economy?

Q: I know that spending money can spur the economy. Does saving hurt it? - R.D., Saratoga, N.Y.

A: Spending does boost the economy, as the demand for products and services increases, helping businesses grow and prosper. The economy can also benefit from increased national savings, though, because more money in banks means more money is available to be loaned out to buy homes, cars and educations. Companies can borrow, too, to expand their businesses.

So go ahead and save - for retirement and other financial goals. Be sure you have three to 12 months' worth of living expenses saved in an emergency fund, too.

the take

A money mouse at the box office

If you went to the movies last year, you likely contributed to Disney's (NYSE: DIS) record box-office haul. Each of its major studios - Disney Pictures, Marvel, Disney Animation, Lucasfilm and Pixar - helped Disney rake in more than $7.5 billion in total box-office receipts.

That's how Disney overcame weakness in its core media business and posted fiscal 2016 earnings up 12 percent over year-ago levels and revenue up 6 percent.

Still, it faces challenges, such as falling subscriber counts at ESPN, Disney Channel and its other cable properties, and Disney's ABC has been losing viewers to streaming services. Domestic theme park attendance has also declined in recent quarters.

On the other hand, Disney World is getting an "Avatar"-themed expansion, and Star Wars Land will open at both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios in 2019. Millions have been visiting China's new Shanghai Disneyland. Disney offers a growing dividend that recently yielded 1.4 percent. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and has recommended Disney.)

Foolish Trivia

Name that company

I trace my roots to 1916, when my founder, who shares my name, established the Aero Products Co. A year later, during World War I, I was building "flying boats" for the U.S. Navy. That led to more offerings for the military. In the 1920s, I expanded into airmail services and also bought companies such as Sikorsky and Pratt and Whitney. Soon after, antitrust laws made me break up. I'm a commercial and military aerospace giant and have built spacecraft for NASA, too. My order backlog features thousands of airplanes, and my market value tops $100 billion. Who am I?

Last week's trivia answer: Priceline Group

Universal Uclick
Arson officers are continuing to investigate a fire early Monday that heavily damaged a home in southeast Houston.

The fire caused about $50,000 in damages to the home in the 200 block of Stratford, Houston Fire Department officials said.

Houston firefighters spotted flames through an open garage about 5 a.m. Monday when they arrived at the home. The base of the fire seemed to be in the stairwell area, HFD officials said.

The firefighters made a primary search and battled the flames for about 45 minutes until the fire was under control. Thee were no reports of any injuries, HFD officials said.

The cause remains under investigation.
A Houston woman remains in custody after she was accused of leaving her two small children alone in a motel room in northwest Harris County.

Shaniquea Smith, 23, was charged with abandoning or endangering a child, according to court records.
Bunnies are adorable with their soft fluffy fur and wiggly noses, but humans in bunny suits for Easter? Not so much.

For decades the bunny has been the giver of candy and goodies during Easter egg hunts, but no matter how hard we try to make them look cute, bunny replications and costumes turn out horribly wrong and mostly, quite creepy.
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Wearing a work vest, boxers, a hard hat and not much else, a Dallas-area hubby is giving boudoir photo shoots competition with his viral "dudeoir" pictures, which have women volunteering their men to strip down.

Photographer Josh Melton is the owner of Your Life, Our Lens and the brother-in-law of Jonathan LeFleur, the subject of the shoot. The two best friends conspired on ideas for the perfect 4-year anniversary gift to give Melton's sister and the dad bod model's wife, Alexandria LeFleur, who is co-owner of Your Life, Our Lens.

"I told him, 'Your name is Jonny Lumber, you sell lumber for a living," Melton told mySA about how the concept came about. "He just loved the idea."

RELATED: San Antonio husband, disappointed by retouched photos of his wife, touches thousands of hearts

The two took over an empty lumberyard on April 2 and got to snapping. Melton said the pants dropped and "Jonny Lumber, the dudeoir star" was born after he downed a couple of Coronas.

"I think he did this in another lifetime," Melton teased.

"Jonny Lumber" worked the lumberyard as if he was competing to be America's Next Top Model he cat crawled on a pile of wood and attempted to douse his hotness with a bottle of water.

Melton's said his sister's "jaw hit the floor" when she opened her gift.

"I've seen one or two in the past and joked about him doing them because he has the perfect personality for it, but I wasn't expecting him to ever actually commit," Alexandria LeFleur said. "They presented me with a slideshow of pictures and I about died."

RELATED: Couple shoots engagement photos at Whataburger - photos get love on Facebook

The photos have been a hit with more than 2,000 people on Melton's business Facebook page. He said the response has been overwhelmingly positive, mostly consisting of women asking their husbands to follow the LeFluer example.

The photographer said he's mostly shocked by how many women "like a thicker man" or "dad bod."

"Jonny Lumber" is basking in the love.

"The attention has been hilarious to me and now I just want it to keep going," he said.

Melton said he's received a couple of inquiries from women signing up their husbands for a similar shoot. In the meantime, the viral photos are being bound together into a calendar for Alexandria LeFleur to hang in her bedroom.

"I haven't been the best at giving her gifts in the past [...] so I think this has made up for the previous years and all the lack of surprises," Jonathan LeFluer said.

mmendoza @mysa.com

Twitter: @MaddySkye
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Ridge Creek Elementary teacher Shanna Lumpkin was awarded a Lion King Experience grant from the Disney Theatrical Group and Musical Theatre International.

The grant includes a 30-minute adaptation of the Broadway production for elementary school students, multi-media curriculum, step-by-step lesson plans, scripts and choreography demonstration DVDse.

"These deserving students are so dedicated and proud to have this opportunity to perform," Lumpkin said.

Having her own theatrical background and growing up in Humble ISD, she wanted to give her students the same experiences she had when she was younger.

"The students are very dedicated to the show, and I have seen them grow through this experience," Lumpkin said. "I believe it has opened their eyes to what they can accomplish with this opportunity."

Lumpkin applied for the grant not knowing what she would be up against, but she was determined to find a way to get funding for her students' Drama Club.

"As most of them are being introduced to the theater for the first time, I strive to spark their imagination, build their self-confidence, increase literacy and communication skills," Lumpkin said.

After receiving the grant, her students got to work and regularly practiced, but Lumpkin said because their grant did not include a sound system, she knew she still needed to collect more funding.

Starting a Donors Choose project, Lumpkin was able to quickly allocate the funds she needed for the sound system that includes eight wireless microphones, two large cabinet speakers and a power mixer.

"My hope is that this experience will leave a lasting impression in their hearts and a creative spark in their worlds," Lumpkin said.
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Whole Foods Market has known for some time that it is a business in need of course correction.

But its imperative to do so may have gotten more urgent this week, after an activist investor and some affiliates disclosed a nearly 9 percent stake in the company and urged it in a regulatory filing to explore dramatic moves to stage a turnaround, including possibly putting itself up for sale.

Jana Partners, the investor, encouraged the organic grocery chain to do a top-to-bottom reevaluation of its strategies and practices. Jana said it hoped to have discussions with Whole Foods management about everything from its real estate portfolio to customer analytics to inventory management and labor scheduling.

PRICE COMPARISON: Whole Foods versus H-E-B's most popular items

It remains to be seen which of those steps Whole Foods will take, and whether any of them will make a difference.

In a statement,the grocer said: "Whole Foods Market welcomes investment in the Company and is open to the views and opinions of all of our shareholders. We value constructive dialogue toward our shared goals of creating shareholder value, successfully executing on our strategic priorities and taking actions that will position the Company for continued success."

One thing, though, seems hard to ignore: Jana has a point. The retailer saw a 2.5 percent decline in comparable sales last year, a measure of sales at stores open at least a year. Its forecast for 2017 isn't too cheery, either; the company predicts it will deliver comparable sales of "-2.5 percent or better."

WHICH IS BETTER: Central Market versus Whole Foods

That's a concerning pattern for a chain that has every reason to be successful in this moment, in which shoppers are gravitating toward healthy food, and when an increasing share of the grocery industry's sales are coming from the fresh items such as produce and meat that Whole Foods built its reputation on.

Whole Foods' challenges are wide-ranging, but one of its biggest hurdles is attracting more customers. According to data from Kantar Retail's ShopperScape survey, the organic grocer had a 7 percent penetration rate back in 2009 when it had some 273 stores. In other words, 7 percent of respondents in Kantar's customer survey said they shopped at Whole Foods on a monthly basis. Since then, the chain has been on a breakneck march to open more stores, its fleet now numbering more than 430 locations. So what is its market penetration now, with all those added stores? Just 8 percent, according to Kantar. It's practically unchanged.

That means its major capital investments in building those stores - and the ongoing expense of staffing and maintaining them - have not done much to grow its share of devoted shoppers.

UH OH: Embarrassing or bizarre scandals to hit Whole Foods

Diane Sheehan, a grocery industry analyst with Kantar, said this might in part reflect the fact that Whole Foods stores are sometimes clustered close together. For example, she pointed to the suburbs of Chicago, where the chain has three stores in a four-mile range. That means those stores probably are not expanding the base of Whole Foods shoppers; they're just fighting among themselves for the same crowd.

Across the wider retail business, talk abounds of being "overstored," the industry's term for having too many stores. Whole Foods doesn't have that problem, exactly, but it has its own version of it. It is overstored in certain neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, as Whole Foods aggressively courts millennials with in-store wine bars and date-night cooking classes, Kantar's research finds that it has lost some Generation X and baby-boomer shoppers over the past five years.

"They are leaking tons of shoppers in those non-core demographic groups," Sheehan said.

Leaning so hard on millennials may have long-term benefits, but for now, Whole Foods is missing out on sales due to its weakened resonance with older consumers.

Where are those shoppers going? Likely to one of the competitors that has elbowed into the organics business. Simple Truth, the private-label organics line from Kroger, delivered an eye-popping $1.7 billion in sales last year, surely snatching some spending away from Whole Foods. Target, Walmart and others are also ramping up their offerings in the category. And many shoppers prefer that these outlets allow them to get organic and conventional groceries in one place. They can get their grass-fed beef and Coca-Cola in one trip, for example, or they can get their cage-free eggs without having to shell out for natural, unbleached paper towels.

All of these problems suggest it's going to be tough for Whole Foods to find avenues for growth in the immediate future. Indeed, check out Kantar's forecast for its growth rate in edible grocery sales over the next five years, compared with the prospects of its competitors:

Jana Partners has had a couple of recent successes urging change at major companies: In February, it pushed drugmaker Bristol-Myers Squibb and luxury retailer Tiffany & Co. to shake up their boards of directors.

However Jana's pressure on the grocer plays out, this much is clear: The cultural phenomenon that Whole Foods was essential in creating is poised to leave the chain behind. It's up to its leaders to make sure that doesn't happen.
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Skanska will start construction of its 35-story Capitol Tower downtown after securing a lease from Bank of America for more than one-quarter of the office space in the building, the company announced.

Bank of America will move to six-and-a half floors in the building, totaling 210,000 square feet, in the first half of 2019. The deal also gives BofA 5,000 square feet in the building's 26,000-square-foot, two-level atrium.

The tower, at 800 Capitol, has 754,000 square feet of office space and was designed by Gensler. CBRE represented Skanska, which is both the project's owner and the developer, while JLL represented Bank of America in the deal.

BofA currently has more than 400,000 square feet a block away at Bank of America Center, 700 Louisiana.

RELATED: Tree of Life mural unveiled at downtown's Capitol Tower site

"Houston is an important growth market for Bank of America," Hong Ogle, Houston's BofA president, said in an announcement.

"We are pleased to be the anchor tenant at the tower, giving us the opportunity to co-locate our Merrill Lynch, U.S. Trust, Global Banking & Markets, Retail and Home Loans teams so we can have stronger collaboration in better serving our clients while ensuring responsible growth to our company."

"Capitol Tower is a game-changer for downtown office space in Houston, so it is an honor to have such a prestigious, global firm like Bank of America as our lead tenant," said Matt Damborsky, executive vice president for Skanska USA Commercial Development in Houston.

Skanska, the developer and owner of the project, got a head start on construction. The foundation and a five-level parking garage are in place and cranes were moved to the site a few weeks ago. The company waited for an anchor tenant before beginning construction of the office space atop 11 stories of parking.

The building will join another recently completed skyscraper. Hines' 609 Main building, with 1 million square feet, is 50 percent leased. The 48-story building took almost three years to complete.
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Donald Barthelme, who wrote the sex-charged version of "Snow White" playing at Catastrophic Theatre and the CounterCurrent 17 festival, is one of the nation's best-known postmodern writers and one of Houston's favorite sons. The short-story writer and novelist grew up here, moved to New York to build his career, then returned to teach writing, continuing his family's long association with the University of Houston.

His father, the modern architect Donald Barthelme Sr., taught architecture at UH and at Rice University. After Donald Jr. attended UH, he served in the U.S. Army and wrote for the Houston Post. In the early 1960s, he spent a year as director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston. Then he moved to New York and almost immediately started writing for a national audience.
Donald Barthelme once said his first attempts as a writer were in an "ersatz Hemingway fashion," the results of which disappointed him greatly.

When Samuel Beckett exploded in the 1950s, Barthelme felt energized but knew that he must not imitate the writer, since Beckett himself, by defying James Joyce, had set a standard of upending tradition.

And so, like many of the great alchemists of form - Marcel Duchamp, Jean-Luc Godard - Barthelme's experimentation was less the anti-establishment anger of a literary punk and more the aesthetic inquiries of a creative individual. The idea that stories must have heroes, conflicts and climaxes was, to Barthelme, terribly mundane. He could do better.

Which is to say that everything that makes the first-ever stage adaptation of his 1967 postmodern novella "Snow White" exciting involves breaking rules.

Seen in a dim light, this intellectual roller coaster of a play - 20 years in the making by Greg Dean and the Catastrophic Theatre - could be miscast as scattered and opaque. But judged using the right mindset, which is one that believes language can be suspenseful and satisfying even without the foundation of narrative clarity, "Snow White" has every bit the brilliant formal playfulness of the original text, with the added benefits of music, color and raunchiness.

In a remarkable moment for avant-garde art in Houston, Catastrophic Theatre, in partnership with Inprint, the Barthelme Estate and University of Houston's CounterCurrent 17 festival, has made claim to Barthelme, who died in 1989, as not only a New Yorker-approved writer's writer but as Houston's most provocative narrative demolitionist.

After all, the fact that the production brings new life to the Barthelme legacy, not to mention assert Houston's artistically vibrant Midtown, was not lost with all the hype leading up to Friday's premiere. And while audiences might not have unanimously liked or understood Dean's loud, sometimes campy adaptation, which played up the sex, gravitas and comedy of the novella by way of big physical performances, no one was debating that they were witness to a special event.

More Information 'Snow White' When: 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, through May 6 Where: MATCH, 3400 Main Tickets: Pay what you can, $35 suggested donation, catastrophictheatre.com See More Collapse

Coralee Young plays the lithe beauty at the heart of the play, a sighing modern-day princess whose ebony hair, draped over her window, draws gazes from men with the intensity and frequency of a peep show. Rather than the virginal child popularized by Disney, Snow White is the center of a creepy yet somehow touchingly yearning polyamorous relationship with seven men who operate a factory that churns out baby food marketed to Chinese people.

Leading these men is Bill, embodied with gravitas and pathos by the phenomenal Luis Galindo. His unexplained tragic outlook on life becomes a problem for his housemates, who demand a proper reason for his opting out of their scheduled orgiastic activities. No man can match his magnetic gloom but Hogo, played by the devilish Jeff Miller, a nihilist who loves to say vile things at random. If Bill was Camus' hero, then Hogo would be Nietzsche's. And if Bill's the most dramatically compelling character, then Hogo's the most amusingly crass.

Still not entirely sure what "Snow White" is about? The insertion of Paul (Greg Cote), as a prince figure, and Jane (Courtney Lomelo, breathing sparkling, venomous energy into the show), as the supposed witch, do little to ground the story in anything you'd expect from a fairy tale.

"Snow White" is indeed a defiance of the need to understand. Lines unfold with surprise after surprise. Every monologue becomes its own devious little narrative, a vignette about what one character thinks about one thing - like Freud, or poems about loss - whose connection to everything else is metaphysical at best. Dean captures Barthelme's roving style with the deft hand of a longtime fan, retaining the language's vague yet strangely specific nature.

To talk about "Snow White" in terms of category, after all, would be like asking what kind of religion atheism is. It isn't. And to say that Barthelme is postmodern or absurdist does no justice to how different his writing is from Beckett, Thomas Pynchon, Steven Millhauser or David Foster Wallace.

"Snow White" is a tonal, intellectual, emotional and aesthetic hodgepodge that, by staying true to the writer's voice, nevertheless retains a sense of singularity.

The only negative side effect of the page-to-stage translation is rhythm, with moments, like a cringe-inducing Chinese fan dance, that linger too long.

Aside from that misplaced musical interlude, I was surprised at how much of the adaptation was unfiltered and literal, and how much of the humor still worked.

Dean, playing a shadowy narrator with a dry wit, simply reads passages from the novella out loud, to great effect. And, as in the stage adaptation of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time," "Snow White" throws the unconventional formats from the text onto a projection screen, displaying images such as a vertical line of dots representing the titular character's beauty marks, a long quote by Sigmund Freud and thoughtful yet mischievous titles like "THE FAILURE OF SNOW WHITE'S ARSE."

Barthelme's conceptual acrobatics are taken at face value rather than scrutinized for symbolism, which, in my opinion, is always the best way to read him.

Viewed as a whole, Catastrophic's staging - set by Ryan McGettigan, video by Full Media Jacket - is a nod toward abstract expressionism, featuring windows that are too big and that lean too far to the left or right. In a stirring scene, Snow White and her so-called dwarves watch a movie that's stolen straight from "Nosferatu." F. W. Murnau's 1922 film is the perfect reference point for a production filled with sharp angles, wide eyes and campy thrills, and it's when the actors embrace such atmospheric moments that the show rises from its messy, sometimes inconsistent energy and reaches sublimity: Miller chortling with a monocle in his eye. Galindo chased by a pair of headlights in the middle of the night, imagining it's a childhood nightmare manifested as a black horse. Lomelo cackling over a poisonous concoction, her schoolgirl uniform an ironic gesture of innocence in this midlife-crisis world of lust, vengeance and ennui.

As theater, "Snow White" now has more room to both fail and thrill.

But this production has no interest in perfection, and its best scenes show us just how dastardly and entertaining Barthelme was. Favoring chaos over continuity, the Catastrophic Theatre's "Snow White" is less a stream of consciousness than a Jackson Pollock splatter of bold, conflicting ideas. It makes an undeniable case for Barthelme's genius, recalling what New Yorker editor Roger Angell once said, that his stories were "rich and elusive, evanescent and nutritious, profound and hilarious, brief and long-term, trifling and heartbreaking, daunting to some readers and to others a snap, a breeze, a draft of life."
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CounterCurrent 17, the Mitchell Center for the Arts' fourth annual festival of experimental art and performance, promises to lead participants into some provocative territory.

They can step into the world of a Syrian refugee camp. See what happens when an Argentine guy who performs Japanese kabuki crosses paths with a Japanese guy devoted to Spanish flamenco. Hear stories about Chicana art activism and the Chicken Ranch. Step into a dark ballroom that only lights up when they approach sculptures.

University of Houston's Mitchell Center may not have a physical space to brag about like Rice University's Moody Center for the Arts, but it has built something even more important: a track record of stimulating projects that engage communities beyond the campus confines.

CounterCurrent 17 keeps the vibe flowing with five days of experiences at six venues, not counting the roving route Ghana Think Tank will take. In keeping with tradition, they range from intimate interactions to large-scale spectacles across a range of disciplines - dance, spoken word, theater, visual art, film and activist-based performances. Some require standing; others are seated performances. Reservations are required for some events but admission is free.

Cultural identity and tolerance are big themes this year, including three projects related to refugee issues and perceptions of Islam - something CounterCurrent has addressed from the beginning.

"We're really interested in being plugged into what's around us. But we didn't know what the political landscape would be when we started planning this programming," said director Karen Farber.

More Information CounterCurrent 17 When: Tuesday-April 23, times vary Where: MATCH, 3400 Main, and other locations Tickets: Free, reservations required; countercurrentfestival.org See More Collapse

Here's what's on tap:

"Movement V: Ballroom," noon-8 p.m. Tuesday-April 23, Eldorado Ballroom, 2310 Elgin

American artist Kevin Beasley, whose sculpture, installation, sound and video works have been shown at major museums across the country, transforms Project Row Houses' historic Eldorado Ballroom with the latest installation of his "Movement" series. He will perform within the space on Saturday, but the installation is open all five days of the festival for visitors to experience on their own. In the dark, Beasley's 16 sculptural objects will light up as they respond to movement around them.

"Our engagement with darkness is what generates visibility," Beasley has said.

His novel assemblages often combine his personal clothing ephemera, studio debris and sound samples loaded with cultural references. Since 2013, he has been using his body as part of his practice, too - thinking about the politics of his presence as a black body in relationship to the space, objects and other people.

"Simulacrum," 7 p.m. Tuesday-April 20, MATCH, 3400 Main

What part do passion, identity and mortality play in the making of art? This dance-theater work by Alan Lucien Oyen and his Norwegian movement collective winter guests aims to prompt those thoughts. The performance pairs Daniel Proietto, an up-and-coming contemporary choreographer and dancer who also has work in this weekend's Dance Salad Festival, with 77-year old Shoji Kojima. The twist: Proietto, an Argentinean who lives in Europe, will be in full kabuki mode. And Kojima, a native of Japan, devotes his life to flamenco.

"Stories of Refuge," MATCH, 3400 Main; and "Camp Pause," The Brandon at Brasil, 1709 Westheimer; noon-8 p.m. Tuesday-April 23

Dictaphone Group, a research and performance collective led by artist Tania El Khoury and architect Abir Saksouk, presents a pair of video installations built from interviews with Syrian and Palestinian refugees.

For "Stories of Refuge," they gave discreet cameras to three Syrian refugees who filmed a day in their lives at a camp in Munich. Khoury's interviews with them, describing horrific journeys of survival, form the soundscape. The audience watches from bunk beds in a room set up to mimic a refugee camp.

"Camp Pause" plays out across four walls. Viewers wear headphones to listen as four Palestinian residents of the Rashidieh Refugee Camp on the coast of Lebanon lead them to the seashore.

"Snow White," 8 p.m. April 20-April 22, MATCH, 3400 Main

Catastrophic Theatre's world premiere production of Donald Barthelme's postmodern manuscript is ongoing, but the Mitchell Center provided major funding, so three days of free performances are folded into the festival. Farber couldn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate Barthelme, a literary titan who helped bring University of Houston's graduate creative writing program to national prominence in the 1980s. The production also involves students from the school of theater and dance.

"The Miraculous in Houston," all hours Tuesday-April 23, UH central campus, entrance 16 off Cullen

Painter and writer Heather Bause, a Houston native who teaches design at City University of New York, works from a rather large canvas for this innovative conceptual art installation: It unfolds at 50 locations across the UH campus, inspired by Rachel Rubenstein's 2014 book "The Miraculous," whose short stories recount acts from 50 years of avant-garde and contemporary art. Grab a map to see it all, or take your chances and be surprised.

"Farmhouse/Whorehouse," 7 p.m. April 21, 3 and 7 p.m. April 22, MATCH, 3400 Main

Lili Taylor performs as author/artist Suzanne Bocanegra in this lecture-inspired performance that uses text, song, costume, film and projections to tell the story of Bocanegra's grandparents, who lived on a farm in La Grange, across the road from the infamous Chicken Ranch. Part memoir, part social history and part cultural essay, this is the final installment of a trilogy that began during CounterCurrent 14.

"Current Conversations," noon Wednesday-April 22, MATCH, 3400 Main

Houston artist Carrie Schneider moderates daily discussions between festival artists, scholars and creative thinkers. These sessions offer a deeper dive into the festival's compelling topics, and the audience can ask questions and interact.

"Ghana Think Tank," daily, Tuesday-April 23, various locations

Check the CounterCurrent website to see where this activist art project is headed. At last year's festival, participants were asked, "What's your Houston diversity problem?" Those comments went to residents of Mumbai's Sathe Negar slums, artists from Iran and Mexico, medical students in Gaza, hackers from Indonesia and Syrian refugees in Serbia and Germany. Now Ghana Think Tank has realized one of the suggested solutions, a mobile mosque that will roam the city.

"Ten Tiny Dances," 8 p.m. Wednesday, Post HTX, 401 Franklin

The festival opens with the return of a popular challenge for choreographers: create a dance that takes place within a 4-by-4-foot platform. Co-curated by Nancy Wozny, this year's program features dances by artists from across Texas, including Charles O. Anderson, John Beasant III, Roxanne Claire, Erica Gionfriddo/ARCOS, Courtney D. Jones, Alisa Mittin, SpareWorks.dance (Amber Ortega-Perez and Charles Perez), Joshua L. Peugh/Dark Circles Contemporary Dance, Sixto Wagan and Connor Walsh.

"Illusions of Urbanscape," 6:30 p.m. April 20, Quintero Theater, UH Central campus, entrance 16 off Cullen

Subversively funny Chicano performance artist Harry Gamboa Jr., who has examined Los Angeles' "urbanscape" for more than 40 years, normally doesn't announce where he'll show up next. Many of his works are intimate but publicly staged narratives that are documented with photography and video, then shared later. He'll explain during this performance-lecture about the notion of myth in contemporary society, part of a yearlong speaker series hosted by the UH school of art and the Blaffer Art Museum.

"Current Visions," noon April 23, Aurora Picture Show, 2442 Bartlett

The festival finale invites viewers into the heads of the artists who've work they've witnessed. For this screening, each artist has selected a short film that inspires them, opening windows into their creative processes.
Courtesy of theA Kingwood Area Republican WomenAs club

Two Kingwood High School students have been chosen as scholarship recipients to attend the American Legion Auxilary's 2017 Girls State program in Seguin.

From June 11-17, juniors Ingrid Pina and Jessica Bynum will have the opportunity to join other young women from across the state at Texas Lutheran University to learn about the innerworkings of state and local governments while developing skills to help them reach their potential as responsible citizens.
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A martial arts teacher in McKinney, Texas is accused of sexually assaulting two students.

A woman said that Timothy Vidal, who worked at Tiger Rock Martial Arts, had sex with her and made inappropriate remarks toward her when she was 16 years old.

Vidal was already in custody for another assault, the Dallas Morning News reports. Sgt. Jon Felty with the Allen Police Department told that outlet that Vidal turned himself in last week in connection with an assault on a 16-year-old female.

ARRESTED: La Vernia athletics hazing scandal arrests climb to 13

This victim came forward after learning of his arrest. She said in an affidavit obtained by the Dallas Morning News that he raped her when they went to a storage facility during work hours. She said that this happened twice.

A third incident reportedly happened in Galveston, where they traveled for a competition. The victim said she was raped in Vidal's rental unit.

The fourth attack, the victim said, happened at a La Quinta Inn & Suites.
A confirmed member of the Aryan Brotherhood who bolted from a halfway house is now considered a top fugitive in Texas.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is searching for 58-year-old Billy Wayne Gilliland, who was convicted of murder in 1988.
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Pearland is growing, the 288 corridor is growing and Pearland's baby eagles are growing, too. Here's what's going in your neighborhood.

Highway 288 resurfacing has begun

Plan extra time if you're going to drive on Highway 288 at night. TxDOT's resurfacing project has begun in the Pearland area, and various lanes will be closed at different times. It's best to avoid the area at night for the next several months.

New grocery store is a step closer

The Pearland City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve the rezoning of a strip of land on Liberty Drive to commercial, in preparation for the German grocery store Lidl to move in next to City Hall.

The proposal had met with opposition from parents at Shadycrest Elementary, who worried about the store selling alcohol too close to the school. However, representatives for the property owner told the city the store would not violate the 300-foot setback rule for alcohol sales by schools.

Baby eagles are growing near Magnolia Road

Pearland residents Ruth and John Lane have noticed a female bald eagle caring for two eaglets in a residential area near Magnolia Road.

Sharon Schmalz, executive director of the Houston-based Wildlife Center of Texas, said bald eagle sightings are increasing in the Houston area. Schmalz said the birds of prey are attracted to tall, older trees and bodies of water.

City has new police chief

Assistant Police Chief Johnny Spires, a 28-year veteran of Pearland's police force, will take over the department's top position when outgoing Chief J.C. Doyle retires June 1.

Spires, first hired in 1989, has been with Pearland for his entire career. He is also the commander of the Combined Agency Response Team, a multi-agency SWAT team comprised of officers from League City, Alvin and Pearland.

Judge orders house arrest for man accused of sex trafficking

A Pearland man charged with prostituting six underage girls from Manvel High School has been released on $50,000 bond.

A judge ruled Dihlon Lee Davis, 20, must stay with his grandmother and avoid unsupervised contact with any minors who are not relatives.
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Harris County officials are pushing to name a courthouse annex in Baytown for Clint Greenwood, the veteran lawman gunned down last week in the parking lot.

County Commissioner Jack Morman said he would ask the commissioners court to approve the new building at a meeting later this month at the request of Greenwood's boss - Precinct 3 Constable Sherman Eagleton - and Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Don Coffey.

"I'm happy to let you know that Mrs. [Leatha] Greenwood and her family feel proud to have the Baytown Courthouse Annex named after her husband," Morman said in an email. "I am proud to make the recommendation to my fellow court members."

CLOSED CASE: Search for Clint Greenwood's killer ends at morgue

Greenwood was gunned down April 3, moments after arriving at his job at the annex at 701 W. Baker St. in Baytown. Greenwood had started work Jan. 1 as an assistant chief deputy constable for Precinct 3.

Eagleton said Greenwood had been instrumental in helping restructure his department.

"Chief Greenwood laid down the foundation on what we're building on right now," he said. "Clint Greenwood was a blessing to the Precinct 3 Constable's Office and we're going to miss him dearly."

Greenwood, 57, spent decades working as a defense attorney, prosecutor and peace officer in Harris County, earning the respect of a wide swath of the local criminal justice community. Before joining the constable's office, he worked as a major in the Harris County Sheriff's Office overseeing internal affairs and other offices.

He also worked as a prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's Office overseeing the Police Integrity Unit, and as a reserve deputy for 20 years.

Investigators identified Greenwood's killer Sunday as William F. Kenny, 64, of Houston, then learned Kenny had killed himself the day after the shooting.

GREENWOOD REMEMBERED: Lawman brought sense of humor, truth to job

Investigators identified Greenwood's killer Sunday as William F. Kenny, 64, of Houston, then learned Kenny had killed himself the day after the shooting.

Coffey, the justice of the peace, said Wednesday that county officials first asked him three years ago for suggestions of people to name the county courthouse after but he didn't have any to offer.

During Greenwood's funeral, Coffey said he realized the honor should go to Greenwood.

"It hit me," he said, "This is right thing to do... To honor his 30 years of service to the county and citizens of Harris County, and to remind people of where his career ended."

Scroll through the gallery above to see things to know about Clint Greenwood and his career in law enforcement
Border Patrol agents make rescues all the time near the Texas-Mexico line, but few have been like one made recently.

Two agents patrolling South Padre Island National Seashore ran across a Kemp Ridley turtle, the most endangered species of sea turtle, on the beach on Saturday, April 8.
The father of a University of Texas at Arlington student who took his own life filed suit April 4 in U.S. District Court against the university and another student.

Wayne Klocke, as independent administrator of the estate of his son, Thomas Klocke, claimed in the suit that the university mishandled an alleged incident of sexual harassment between his son and another male student. The suit accuses the university of violating Title IX and accuses the other student of defamation.

Title IX is a 1972 law that is usually associated with female participation in collegiate sports. It also covers sexual harassment and requires educational institutions to remedy hostile educational environments or risk losing federal funding.

The Chronicle is not naming the other student because he has not been charged with a crime.

REPORT IT: Texas Senate OKs required reports of sex assaults at public, private colleges

According to the complaint filed by Wayne Klocke, the other student, who is gay, made unwelcome sexual overtures toward Thomas Klocke, who was heterosexual, during a class on May 19, 2016. Thomas Klocke rejected the advances, which led the other student to reach out to Heather Snow, the university's associate vice president and dean of students.

"Snow summarily decided that Thomas committed a violation of UTA's student code of conduct based solely on (the accuser's) bare, unsupported, reported allegations," the complaint stated. She in turn directed Daniel Moore, an administrator, to punish and sanction Thomas Klocke, the complaint stated.

Wayne Klocke claimed the university, under its own policies, should have referred the incident to its Title IX coordinator for investigation.

Through a spokeswoman, the university provided this statement Tuesday by email:

"This is a tragic situation and we express our deepest condolences to the family for their loss. The welfare of our students is our highest priority. Any loss is a heartbreaking one for our entire community," the statement said.

"The university followed its policies and procedures. This is now the subject of a lawsuit in federal court; therefore, we are unable to respond further at this time."

CAMPUS HATE: Most Texas white supremacist materials show up on college campuses

As stated in the complaint, the other student told Snow in an email that after commenting about privilege in today's society, "Thomas opened his laptop and typed into his web browser's search bar "Gays should die."

The other student said he typed into his own web browser, "I'm gay." Thomas Klocke then feigned a yawn and said, "Well then you're a faggot," the other student claimed in his email.

In further exchanges, the other student told Thomas Klocke, "I think you should leave," after which Thomas Klocke allegedly told him, "You should consider killing yourself," according to the complaint.

The suit further states that Thomas Klocke was told not to return to class, which left him "stunned and confused."

NO DEFAMATION: Judge tosses defamation lawsuit over Landry's tigers

Thomas Klocke brought his father to a scheduled meeting with Moore on May 23, 2016. However Wayne Klocke, who is a lawyer, was not allowed to attend the meeting, the suit states.

Moore did not provide Thomas Klocke with a hearing under Title IX or otherwise and sent him a letter May 25, 2016, stating that he was on disciplinary probation through the rest of his career at the university and that he would be restricted from attending the class where the alleged incident occurred.

Thomas Klocke was devastated and distraught to the point of suicide on June 2, 2016, according to the suit.

"And ultimately, the wrongful acts complained of herein produced in Thomas such embarrassment, rage, frenzy, and mental or emotional anguish and pain that he took his own life," the complaint states.
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The wife of the bus driver killed while driving a group of church members home in Uvalde last month was found dead in her home Tuesday, authorities told mySA.com.

New Braunfels emergency personnel were called to a home on Walnut Heights Blvd. Tuesday morning around 9:45 a.m. Upon arrival, they found Dianne Barrett deceased, said police spokesman David Ferguson.

"She was by herself at the time of her death," Ferguson said.

RELATED: Pot found in truck that hit church bus near Leakey, DPS says

Comal County Justice of the Peace Mike Rust ordered an autopsy Tuesday. Detectives at the scene determined there were no signs of foul play.

First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, where Barrett was a ministry assistant, emailed a statement on her passing Wednesday.

"We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Dianne Barrett. We continue to pray for our Lord's mercy and comfort for our church family members who continue to grieve," the church said.

Barrett was not on the First Baptist bus that crashed March 29, killing 13 people on board, including her husband, Murray Barrett, 67, and leaving one injured.

READ ALSO: Video: Erratic driver swerves on Texas highway moments before striking church bus, killing 13

The group was heading home to New Braunfels from a church camp near Garner State Park when a 2004 white Dodge dually rammed into the van.

The driver of the dually truck, Jack D. Young, was hospitalized in the crash and was later released. Young had not been charged as of early April, though the investigation is ongoing.

Court records released Tuesday revealed that Young had taken two pills of Clonazepam and the generic forms of Ambien and Lexapro. Young said Clonazepam made him sleepy and a state trooper said in a sworn statement he had probable cause to believe the 20-year-old was intoxicated at the time of the crash.

READ ALSO: Uvalde County DA: Investigation into fatal bus crash could take months

In Young's pickup truck, authorities found two intact marijuana cigarettes and five partially smoked joints.

Distrcity Attorney Daniel Kindred told mySA.com it could take at least 60 days before the investigation into the crash is complete and any charges are filed.

Directly after the crash, a witness said Young told him: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was texting on my phone."

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com

Staff writer Zeke MacCormack contributed to this report.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
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AUSTIN  It's been nearly two years since Sandra Bland was found dead in her Waller County Jail cell after she failed to signal a lane change and was removed from her car by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper.

Now, lawmakers are considering legislation known as the Sandra Bland Act that would increase officer training for mental health awareness, racial profiling prevention and de-escalation tactics. The bill, which received a hearing in the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee Tuesday, would require a county sheriff's office to notify a magistrate within 24 hours if an inmate is suspected of having a mental illness. It also would require the Texas Commission on Jail Standards to develop rules to require 24-hour mental health professional access for inmates.

At least 35 people signed up to testify on the bill Tuesday, including Bland's mother, Geneva Reed-Veal. She was the final witness to testify on the bill, calling on lawmakers to take a stand for her daughter. Her emotional testimony brought murmurs of agreement in the room.

"This is not about anti-police," Reed-Veal said. "I don't hate police. I hate the fact that we do not understand that this is going on too long by those who have been charged to serve and protect us."

Sandra Bland, 28, ended up in the Waller County jail for resisting arrest and was found asphyxiated in her cell three days later. Her July 2015 death was ruled a suicide.

The story drew national attention and became a rallying cry for activists protesting police brutality.

The bill's author, Houston Democrat Garnet Coleman, said he filed a bill to "fix things across the board" in county jails. Garnet announced he would file the legislation after Bland's mother reached a $1.9 million wrongful death settlement with state and Waller County officials in September 2016.

"This isn't a punitive bill on the police or peace officers," Coleman said. "But do we want to get at things that have been pervasive in law enforcement? Yeah, we do."

He faces opposition from law enforcement officials, such as the Texas Municipal Police Association. Kevin Lawrence, executive director of the association, has met with Coleman to address his concerns, but said he still opposes the bill as written.

"The whole tone of that preamble is somehow law enforcement is run amok, and we take exception to that," Lawrence said.

The group also opposes portions of the bill that would divert inmates with a mental health illness from a jail.

"While we agree there is a need to start diverting people with mental disabilities from our jails, we think the alternatives don't exist," Lawrence said, arguing that smaller counties don't have the resources to divert mental health patients.

The Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas also opposes the bill. Chris Jones, a training coordinator for the group, said he opposes the measure despite changes made after working with Coleman.

If passed, the bill's fiscal note estimates it would cost the state $2.7 million through the biennium.

It also has received support from across the aisle. Texas Public Policy Foundation, one of the state's most powerful conservative lobby groups, showed up to support the legislation in committee.

Sen. Borris Miles, D-Houston, called on the committee to move the bill forward out of respect for Bland's mother.

However, Rep. Poncho Nevarez, D-Eagle Pass, said he did not feel comfortable passing it out of committee without Chairman Phil King present. Coleman told lawmakers that he felt comfortable leaving the bill pending in committee so he could make changes that everyone would agree on.

The committee also considered similar legislation by Rep. Senfronia Thompson that she hopes will give police officers "a better opportunity to understand how to interact with the public." Thompson, D-Houston, said the bill would establish a training program on proper procedure for use of force for licensed law enforcement peace officers. It also would require information on handling traffic stops be included in the curriculum of driver education and driver safety courses.

Chris Jones, a training coordinator for the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, said the group supports the bill because it is an opportunity for police officers "to understand how to interact with the public" and teach drivers about what's expected of them when interacting with a police officer.

Thompson's bill also was left pending.
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.
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...
Quebec Skilled Worker Applicants May Now Update Online Applications CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Pour lire cet article en francais, cliquez ici.

Quebecs Ministere de lImmigration, de la Diversite et de lInclusion (the Ministry of Immigration, Diversity and Inclusion, or MIDI) has announced that individuals who have submitted an online application for immigration to Canada through the Quebec Skilled Worker Program (QSWP) may now update certain information in their application.

The MIDI clarified that applicants may:

update their contact information;

add or remove a person (spouse or dependent child) if their personal situation has changed since they submitted their last application;

add one or several diplomas or attestation of assessment test results of proficiency in French or English recognized by the MIDI; and/or

update information regarding their family members who live in Quebec.

Consequently, if an applicant has taken a new language test since the submission of their profile, he or she may update these language test results for consideration under QSWP, which operates on a points-based system. Language proficiency in French and/or English is one of the selection factors for which points may be awarded under the program.

Prior to this announcement, applicants were unable to modify or update online applications.

The MIDI also stated that is has revised the section for Linguistic proficiency following feedback from users. It is now easier to enter precise results from language tests.

Processing to begin on online applications

The MIDI announced that we plan to start processing online applications during spring 2017, stating that applicants will be contacted when the examination of their application has begun. These applicants will receive a personalized list of the supporting documents, which they are required to submit.

Mon Projet Quebec

Since January 5, 2016, potential applicants to the QSWP are required to create a profile in the online intake management system Mon Projet Quebec. These profiles may be submitted on a first-come, first-served basis during dedicated intake periods. However, individuals who are exempt from the intake limit may submit their profile at any time. Such individuals include candidates who have an employment offer validated by the MIDI, as well as individuals who are temporary residents of Quebec and eligible to submit an application for a Quebec Selection Certificate (Certificat de selection du Quebec, or CSQ). Cap-exempt persons may include eligible temporary workers, international students, and graduates.

Mon Projet Quebec opened for two intake periods during the summer of 2016. During each of these intake periods, 5,000 applications for a CSQ were received for processing. It is important to note that applications received from cap-exempt individuals are in addition to this number.

Successful applicants who apply through Mon Projet Quebec will receive a CSQ, with which they may then apply to the Canadian federal government for permanent resident status.

Further Activity Expected

MIDI has stated that 5,000 further applications will be received in an intake period which will take place at some point in the next twelve months, although the exact dates have not yet been announced.

To find out if youre eligible under any of the currently available Canadian immigration programs, please complete a free online assessment form today.

 2017 CICNews All Rights Reserved
From being a leading Bollywood actress to emerging as most happening Hollywood star, actress Priyanka Chopra has gone a very long way. After beginning her international ride with Quantico, Priyanka is now playing the super hot villain Victoria Leeds in Baywatch.

At 34, Pee Cee is killing with dead-gorgeous looks and certainly, her latest photo shoot will quench your curiosity. As she poses for a revealing and scintillating pictures, Priyanka- yet again- proves she'll never disappoint us with her choice of costumes and her saucy looks are getting better with age. While her generation of actresses are now mommies (Aishwarya, Kareena and others), Priyanka is still ruling the roost- pictures like these prove it.

On the acting front, the actress is currently in talks with the director of Pink, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhary, to step back in Hindi cinema after keeping herself busy for enough time in Hollywood. According to early reports, the Baywatch beauty will be part of sixth installment of Tom Cruise's most successful franchise Mission Impossible.
Hear ye, hear ye: In honor of Mondays Pulitzer Prize ceremony, the twilight of media awards season, CJR is handing out the first (and likely last, lets be honest) Most Exemplary Tweetstorm Awards.

We are of course cognizant that hating on Twitter threads has become its own sub-genre. The diehards of traditional blogging at the sites formerly known as Gawker Media have taken special offense at the new style stepping on their turf, running not one, but two, think pieces trashing it in December. Its like manspreading, but of digital space, explained Gizmodo. Fuck tweetstorms, a Deadspin headline proclaimed.

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Such content stands on the shoulders of BuzzFeed writer and OG tweetstorm critic Charlie Warzel, who nailed the argument from which all other threading takedowns flow way back in 2014:

The fundamental criticism of the tweetstorm goes beyond the simple get a blog mentality. At its root, the tweetstorm feels like an abuse of power/influence or, at the very least, a slightly inconsiderate, oblivious way to engage with people whove chosen to follow you (granted, users can obviously choose to opt-out at any time with an unfollow). In earnestly embarking on a tweetstorm, the tweetstormer is tacitly admitting that he or she has many important things to say and an infinite listener attention span in which to say them.

It is true that the form can be abusedheres looking at you, game theory guyjumping out of smartphone screens and stinging the nostrils. But allow me to propose a counter-take: Tweetstorms can be a good vehicle for journalism.

Thread:

For calming us all down: Rukmini Callimachi, for quickly explaining all the terrifying news alerts we get about the Islamic State or other terror groups.

1. A lot of confusion over letter left at scene of German bus attack claiming it was ISIS. That is *not* how ISIS normally claims attacks  Rukmini Callimachi (@rcallimachi) April 12, 2017

For grabbing hold of the firehose: Sopan Deb, for collecting in one place what seems like every statement by then-candidate and now-President Donald Trump.

Trump told @costareports that he never said he would repeal Obamacare in first 61 days. Not true  see this excerpt on 11/1/16: pic.twitter.com/sgEPyhUWjD Sign up for CJR 's daily email  Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) March 24, 2017

For telling the story behind the story: Ben Taub, for laying out the motivation and reporting process for his New Yorker feature on human trafficking

My latest for @NewYorker, a seven-month project on human trafficking across the Sahara and the Mediterranean: https://t.co/3K7KrKaGOd  Ben Taub (@bentaub91) April 3, 2017

For talking like a human: ProPublica, for pushing back on PR spin, elevating its journalism, and actually treating Twitter like a publishing platformall in a conversational voice.

1/ So @seanspicer just called us a left-wing blog. Since were actually in the biz of facts, we figured wed respond w/ a few  ProPublica (@ProPublica) April 3, 2017

For tapping the brakes: James Fallows, for injecting historical context into a medium that desperately needs it.

1. Your sobering news/politics read of the day

Eons ago in Breaking the News I wrote that political talk shows had become a kind of sit-com: pic.twitter.com/7UAqhwwZdS  James Fallows (@JamesFallows) April 9, 2017

For peeking behind the curtain: Maggie Haberman, for spilling her notebook and adding value to her already excellent newspaper reports on the Trump administration.

A few final thoughts on the weekend/first few days. Trump had less than 4 hours sleep on Saturday, when he woke up and, at about 7 am., 1/  Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 25, 2017

For illuminating, if occasionally odd, think pieces on politics and culture: Jeet Heer, for helping to popularize this form of writing and taking all the flak that came with it.

1. Someone should re-read Jean Baudrillard's "The Gulf War Did Not Take Place" in light of Trump's Syrian adventure.  Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) April 8, 2017

Who did I miss? Tweet your thoughts to me @DavidUberti. I smell a storm coming.

TRENDING: Paper fires back at criticism of article on United passengers past

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

David Uberti is a writer in New York. He was previously a media reporter for Gizmodo Media Group and a staff writer for CJR. Follow him on Twitter @DavidUberti.
AKRON, Ohio -- A 33-year-old Uber driver turned himself in after being accused of sexually assaulting a passenger in Akron.

A sexual battery warrant had been issued for Brandon Franklin, Akron police Capt. Daniel Zampelli said.

The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. March 25, Zampelli said. A location of the incident was not available, he said.

The 22-year-old woman was drinking with friends and was intoxicated, police say.

A friend called Uber to take her to her home in East Akron. The woman said she woke up in her room and found Franklin sexually assaulting her, Zampelli said.

Franklin ran from her home when she pushed him out of her room, police say.

He was booked in Summit County Jail and is expected to be arraigned Wednesday morning.

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Wednesday's crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
HonoraryBlvd3.jpeg

Western Reserve Hospital was named the newest recipient of the Honorary Boulevard Street Naming Award, which recognizes organizations that give back to the community. Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters presented a custom sign made to honor the hospital on April 10.

(Ken Love Photography)

CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio -- Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Walters has announced Western Reserve Hospital as the newest name for an honorary boulevard.

At a public ceremony, Broad Boulevard was renamed in the hospital's honor, and staff members were presented with a custom street sign during a presentation at the Cuyahoga Falls City Council meeting.

The sign is currently displayed at the commemorative site in the median strip at Broad Boulevard and Third Street.

The Honorary Boulevard Street Naming Award is an initiative used to pay homage to the people and organizations that give back to Cuyahoga Falls residents and the city as a whole. This is an honorary gesture only and does not change the official designation of Broad Boulevard for postal purposes.

Western Reserve Hospital, Northeast Ohio's only physician-owned, for-profit, full-service hospital, was recognized for its contributions to the Cuyahoga Falls community. These include its "Not Me -- I'm Drug Free" program, Envelope of Life, support of safety forces and scholarship dollars that are donated to the city.

"Many of our city programs would not be possible without their financial commitment to helping improve wellness and quality of life for our residents," Walters said in a news release. "We are fortunate to have a hospital in our city that is owned and managed by physicians, who have invested in ensuring our residents have easy and convenient access to award-winning, high-quality, high-satisfaction health care."

Western Reserve Hospital is also a teaching facility and sponsors graduate medical education teaching programs in osteopathic medicine. The hospital is a venture of Western Reserve Hospital Partners, which represents a collaboration of more than 200 physicians, including primary care physicians, surgeons and specialists.

"We are deeply honored with this distinction and view it as a very public reminder of our dedicated commitment to the city we call home, Cuyahoga Falls," Dr. Robert Kent, Western Reserve Hospital's president and CEO, said in a news release.
AKRON, Ohio - A Summit County man was found guilty Wednesday in his third jury trial for the 1992 killing of his girlfriend.

Willard McCarley, 53, was found guilty of one count of aggravated murder in connection with the death of 26-year-old Charlene Puffenbarger, the Summit County Prosecutor's Office announced in a news release.

The woman was found beaten, strangled and suffocated inside her apartment in January 1992, the release says. Puffenbarger was killed after she filed a child support claim for the couple's son, according to Plain Dealer archives.

Both of Puffenbarger's sons were home at the time of the murder, and one of the boys testified against McCarley in his first two trials, the release states.

McCarley was arrested in 2004 after DNA technology advances helped investigators find McCarley's DNA on the belt used to strangle Puffenbarger, prosecutors said. He was found guilty during his first murder trial, but he was allowed a second trial after an Ohio appeals court ruled that the judge in the first trial "made prejudicial comments," the Plain Dealer archives state.

McCarley was found guilty for a second time in 2007 and received a sentence of 20 years to life, according to archives. He appealed his conviction shortly after the second trial, and in 2014, a U.S. appeals court granted a third trial, the Twinsburg Bulletin reports.

He is slated to be sentenced 2 p.m. Thursday, the release says.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
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Green High School student Nick McCausland (left) works to identify what's underground at Green's hisortric Klinefelter Cemetery, with University of Akron researchers Jerrad Lancaster and Dr. Tim Matney.

(The University of Akron)

AKRON, Ohio - University of Akron archeologists and Green High School students recently worked together to preserve the final resting place of some of Green's most prominent forefathers.

With 24 headstones in place, the city wanted to know where other bodies might be buried in its most historic cemetery.

"The mayor wanted to honor the space, and put up a wrought iron fence," said Sarah Haring, Green's community development administrator. "There are rumors there are probably bodies buried there that aren't marked and we just need to be sure really what's underground."

The city asked university researchers to scan the site on a volunteer basis. Dr. Timothy Matney, department of anthropology & classical studies, agreed as long as high school students could participate, Haring said.

About 40 Green Advanced Placement students last weekend joined the researchers, working in the field at Klinefelter Cemetery.

Archeologist Dr. Tim Matney guides Green High students Alex Pamboukis, Isaiah Phillips, Trent Montgomery and Jordan Conjerti as they use geophysical technology to identify the location of burial pits.

The graveyard is named for circuit-riding Evangelical Preacher Rev. Adam Klinefelter who is buried there along with Conrad Dillman, a prominent Green farmer who opened his home to the circuit-riding preachers and donated the land for the cemetery.

Led by UA's Matney and senior lecturer Jerrad Lancaster, a Green High graduate, the project used:

a drone for an aerial survey;

magnetic gradiometers to measure tiny fluctuations underground signaling human remains and artifacts like coffin nails; and

electrical resistivity meters to measure changes in the soil's ability to conduct electricity, which could signal something solid buried there.

The idea was to gather data using the different types of equipment and then layer it to more accurately identify what's underground, Matney said. Exactly how many people are buried in the cemetery is still a mystery, for now.

The researchers plan to return to the cemetery to gather final data.

The archeologist had taught a few classes at Green High in the weeks before, to prep the students. In the field, the process became clear.

"They could see all the numbers and see all the pieces fall into place," Matney said. "It was taking an abstract concept and making it so tangible they could understand how it worked."

Putting students in the field was a good idea, said Green High science teacher John Berry.

"The kids getting to see some real science and something outdoors, something hands-on with some teeth in it, was a really good experience," he said. "It was a great experience for everyone involved."

The students, many of whom hadn't known the cemetery existed, also measured and traced headstones, Haring said.

"The kids became the focus," she said. "At the end the city will have the data it needs but the emphasis shifted to engaging with students."

Matney will give a presentation in a public meeting of Green's preservation commission and historical society on Thursday, Oct. 26, at at 6:30 p.m. at Green City Hall City Hall, 1755 Town Park Blvd.

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The Brecksville-Broadview Heights school board, in a special meeting Monday night, approved a new collective-bargaining agreement with the teachers' union.

(Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com)

BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - On Monday night, the Brecksville-Broadview Heights school board approved a new collective-bargaining agreement - which includes a complex web of real and potential wage increases - with the teachers' union.

The two-year contract is retroactive to July 1, 2016 and runs through June 30, 2018. However, if voters approve a property tax increase for the schools before June 30, 2018, the contract would automatically extend to June 30, 2021. Teachers would be eligible for both base- and longevity-pay increases under the extended agreement.

Earlier this year, the school board placed a 5.99-mill tax increase on the May 2 ballot. The levy would generate another $6 million in operating funds, including money for teachers' salaries.

The board voted 4-1 to approve the new contract. Board President Mark Jantzen dissented, saying the agreement could result in reduced school programming and larger class sizes.

"This agreement will require an overall level of spending that will make our future difficult at best," Jantzen said.

As part of the contract, each teacher will receive a one-time "educational stipend" of $1,000, which is a signing bonus.

According to schools Treasurer Richard Berdine, the contract will cost the district an extra $540,000 in the first year and $245,000 in the second year. If the contract is extended, it would cost $350,000 in the third year, $270,000 in the fourth year and $275,000 in the fifth year. Those estimated amounts are not cumulative.

The board and teachers - represented by the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Education Association - did not settle all their disagreements. They agreed to return to the negotiating table after voters decide the May 2 tax issue and resolve differences over teacher evaluations, mentoring programs, layoff policies, calamity days and diagnostic testing.

"We will continue to work on issues that still need addressed," Bonnie Monteleone, union president, said Monday night. She said the teachers' union voted in favor of the new contract April 5.

The agreement ends more than a year of contract talks that have lately turned rancorous. In February, an impasse in negotiations was declared, and teachers approved a resolution of no-confidence in the school board.

A federal mediator was appointed to help negotiate a settlement. Meanwhile, a former school board member accused the union of secretly planning a strike, which teachers denied.

Ifs, ands & buts

Now, teachers are on a 15-step salary schedule that ranges from $39,786 to $90,434. Their exact yearly salary depends on their level of education, experience and ongoing training.

The schedule shows that almost every year teachers receive 5-percent longevity-pay increases. After 15 years, however, they are no long eligible for longevity raises.

The problem for teachers was that a wage freeze was part of their previous contract, which originally ran from 2012-2015 and was eventually extended by one year to July 2016. During that time, teachers received no base-pay or longevity increases. Longevity pay was restored, however, last summer.

Under the new contract, teachers will continue to receive 5-percent longevity pay raises in both the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 school years. Veteran teachers no longer eligible for longevity pay will receive 2-percent raises in both years.

Here's what happens if voters approve a tax increase May 2 or any time before June 30, 2018:

The 2018-2019 school year: Each teacher would have a choice. They could stay on the existing 15-step salary schedule, with its annual 5-percent longevity-pay increases. Again, teachers at the top of the scale who are no longer eligible for longevity raises would receive 2-percent increases.

Or, a teacher could switch to a new 25-step salary schedule proposed by the school board. On the new salary schedule - which would range from $42,221 to $98,089 - teachers would receive 3-percent longevity increases for the first 15 years of employment and 2 percent for the next 10 years.

If teachers jump to the new 25-step salary schedule, they would receive a final 5-percent longevity increase - or a 2-percent increase if they've maxed out their longevity pay - from the old 15-step schedule.

Also, their salary on the new 25-step schedule would equal or exceed what they were earning on the old 15-step schedule. This same scenario would play out for teachers deciding to move to the 25-step schedule in 2019-2020 or 2020-2021.

All new hires, starting in the 2018-2019 school year, would be placed on the new 25-step schedule.

The 2019-2020 school year: Teachers choosing to remain on the old 15-step schedule would receive another 5-percent longevity increase. Again, teachers at the top of the scale would get a 2-percent raise.

Meanwhile, teachers on the new 25-step salary scale, in addition to receiving a 3- or 2-percent longevity raise, would receive a 2-percent base-pay increase. That means each teacher on the new schedule would receive either a 5-percent or 4-percent total increase that year.

Teachers remaining on the old 15-step schedule would not receive a base-pay increase.

The 2020-2021 school year: Teachers choosing to remain on the old 15-step schedule would receive another 5-percent longevity increase. Again, teachers at the top of the scale would get a 2-percent raise.

Meanwhile, teachers on the new 25-step schedule would receive a second 2-percent base-pay increase, along with the longevity increase of either 3 percent or 2 percent.

Teachers remaining on the old 15-step schedule would not receive a base-pay increase.

cleveland.com is a partner of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank. Every dollar buys four meals for the hungry. Click here to donate.
Chinese social media has exploded with outrage after a video went viral showing a passenger who appeared to be of Asian ethnicity being dragged off an overbooked United Airlines flight with a bloodied nose.

The topic, #UnitedAirlinesforcespassengeroffplane, has held strong as a top trending topic over the last two days on Weibo, China's answer to Twitter.

"The boycott starts with me," posted one online user, BJ Shizilu, along with a photo of his shredded Mileage Plus card. Another said, "Whether the passenger is Asian or not, this is abominable," according to a post by Koukou Liang.

Another Weibo user said, "No need to apologize or explain...please sue United Airlines till it collapses. Boycott fully."

In a post on his verified Weibo account that generated some 50,000 likes in over three hours, Chinese American comedian Joe Wong said the passenger who reportedly said he was selected for being Chinese deserves a "thumbs up" as many Chinese who feel discriminated against don't say it out loud so as not to lose face.
The CNBC All-America Survey shows President Donald Trump's economic agenda polling well  until he actually acts on it.

The survey of 804 Americans, conducted April 3-6, before the Syrian airstrikes, shows strong support for his plans to rebuild the nation's infrastructure, cut individual taxes and renegotiate trade deals. But the poll, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, shows majorities disapprove of his agenda in places where he's actually taken action: climate change, the immigration ban, and repealing and replacing Obamacare.

"Things [poll] a lot better before he touches it," said Micah Roberts, the Republican pollster on the survey with Public Opinion Strategies. Jay Campbell from Hart Research served as the Democratic pollster.

The survey shows another important split. Just 39 percent of the public approve of how he's doing his job, 48 percent disapprove and 13 percent say they don't know or are unsure. President Trump enjoys overwhelming approval from Republicans, but Democrats overwhelmingly disapprove of his job so far. Only 34 percent of independents approve of the job Trump is doing, while 46 percent disapprove.

Indeed, despite the president's low approval ratings, the survey is recording some of the highest levels of economic optimism in its decadelong existence: 38 percent of the public say the economy is good or excellent, up 4 points from December and a record for the survey.



Forty percent expect the economy to improve in the next year, close to the record. Of those who believe the economy will improve, 67 percent say it's because of Trump's policies. And the 47 percent of Americans who say now is a good time to invest in stocks represents the most bullish sentiment in the country since 2007. The president's handling of the economy is seen favorably, with 44 percent approving and 41 percent disapproving.

"It's a positive picture for the administration when focused on the economy," said Roberts. "The survey suggests a new era of optimism."

But Campbell believes the survey is more worrisome for the administration. "If you look under the hood things are more precarious," he said. "Nearly all of those superlative numbers are borne aloft by extraordinary Republican optimism. This can give a false sense that everything looks great, when in fact the majority of the public (Democrats and independents) are very leery."

The survey provides a blueprint of how Trump, if he's looking to form a consensus, should prioritize his agenda. Thirty-four percent of those surveyed said "keeping U.S. jobs from going overseas" is one of their top two issues. Individual tax cuts, funding infrastructure and reducing the deficit followed as the next-highest priorities. Cutting business regulations and business taxes were near the bottom of the list  two areas the president has prioritized.

There were vast differences by party, however. The top priority for Republicans is repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. It's near the bottom of the list for Democrats. Meanwhile, the top priority for Democrats, rebuilding infrastructure, is close to the bottom of the list for Republicans.

In an apparent rejection of the tactics of the House Freedom Caucus, whose hard line blocked the House health-care reform bill, Republicans want their party to compromise to enact Trump's agenda. By a 51-to-33 majority, Republicans surveyed said they want their party to "work to pass Trump's agenda" rather than "hold the line on conservative positions." Democrats are divided, 41 to 40, on whether their party should compromise with the president.

Meanwhile, Americans are deeply divided over the benefit of free trade to the U.S., with 34 percent saying it helps the country and 31 percent saying it hurts. That's a sharp drop from the February NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, when 43 percent expressed support for trade.

Divisions on trade cut across nearly every demographic line: North vs. South, old vs. young and poor vs. rich. For example, just 24 percent of those with incomes under $30,000 believe free trade helps the U.S., compared with 39 percent of those with incomes of $100,000 or greater.

But by a 58 percent to 26 percent margin, Americans support Trump's efforts to renegotiate trade deals. That includes greater percentages of those who think trade helps the U.S., suggesting that they may support free trade but are not opposed to efforts by the president to cut a better deal.
The New York Times won three Pulitzer Prizes, and The New York Daily News and ProPublica shared the prize for public service, as journalism presented its highest honors on Monday at a time of steep financial challenges for the industry and unabashed antagonism from a new presidential administration.

The Daily News-ProPublica joint effort won for a series on the New York Police Department's widespread abuse of a decades-old law to force people from their homes and businesses over alleged illegal activity.

The investigation, which involved the examination of more than 1,100 nuisance abatement cases, found that the Police Department almost exclusively targeted households and shops in minority neighborhoods. The reporting drove New York City to re-examine the nuisance law and pass sweeping reforms.

More from The New York Times:

2017 Pulitzer Prize Winners

Read The New York Times Articles That Won a 2017 Pulitzer Prize

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The Times won for breaking news photography, feature writing and international reporting. Daniel Berehulak won for a searing photo essay titled "They Are Slaughtering Us Like Animals" that provided a haunting portrait of a violent drug crackdown in the Philippines.

C. J. Chivers won for a magazine piece on a young veteran of the war in Afghanistan suffering from PTSD. At times dizzyingly detailed, Mr. Chivers's account revealed the lasting effects of combat and violence. Reporters from The Times also won for international reporting for a series on Russia's surreptitious assertion of power. The series, a collaboration among The Times's international, Washington and investigative teams, explored how Russia was expanding its influence at home and abroad.

David A. Fahrenthold of The Washington Post won the prize for national reporting for his work during the presidential campaign on Donald J. Trump's charitable foundation. And Peggy Noonan of The Wall Street Journal won the commentary award for columns that the Pulitzer board said "connected readers to the shared virtues of Americans during one of the nation's most divisive political campaigns."

Colson Whitehead's brutal and surreal novel "The Underground Railroad" won the prize for fiction. The novel, which won the National Book Award last fall, centers on a young woman who escapes her life as a slave in Georgia and flees via a real subterranean network of train cars. Mr. Whitehead, 47, said in a phone interview on Monday that to be given even more recognition by the Pulitzer committee was "startling and wonderful," adding with a laugh, "Obviously, it's all downhill from here."

Lynn Nottage's play "Sweat," about the American working class, was awarded the prize for drama. And the drama critic Hilton Als of The New Yorker won for criticism.

The Pulitzers this year come as financial pressure drains many news organizations of the resources to pursue top-flight journalism. They also come in the face of a combative stance from President Trump, who has called the news media "the enemy of the American people."

But for one day, at least, newsrooms came together in celebration, and the journalism industry's focus was on its accomplishments and purpose, rather than its woes.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, McClatchy and The Miami Herald shared the prize for explanatory reporting for their coverage of millions of leaked documents known as the Panama Papers. (The Herald also won in another category  Jim Morin was awarded the prize for editorial cartooning.)

Eric Eyre of The Charleston Gazette-Mail won the investigative reporting prize for coverage that laid bare the relentless flow of opioids into West Virginia counties with the highest rate of overdose deaths in the country. The East Bay Times of Oakland, Calif., won the breaking news reporting prize for its coverage of the "Ghost Ship" fire in December that killed 36 people at a warehouse party, chronicling the city's failures that led to the tragedy. The prize for editorial writing was awarded to Art Cullen of The Storm Lake Times, a twice-weekly newspaper in Iowa with a circulation of 3,000, for editorials that held corporate agricultural interests accountable. The Times is owned by Mr. Cullen and his older brother.

Alexandra Alter contributed reporting.
In the October to December quarter last year, Toshiba held a 17.4 percent market share by revenue, behind leader Samsung's 36.1 percent, IHS Markit data showed. IHS noted recently that the NAND market will continue to expand due to prices rising in early 2017 and seasonal tailwinds expected in the second half of the year  that trend makes Toshiba's memory business lucrative to potential buyers.

Shareholders gave the go-ahead at the end of March for Toshiba, the world's second biggest producer of NAND flash memory behind Samsung, to spin off that business unit.

"The disposal of the memory business is absolutely key to turn around the (broader) business," Damian Thong, a senior analyst at Macquarie Securities Japan told CNBC's " The Rundown ."

A day earlier, the troubled Japanese conglomerate finally released twice-delayed earnings for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017, without auditor endorsement that could increase the likelihood of Toshiba being de-listed from the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Toshiba might be able to turn its fortunes around if it can successfully sell its prized memory business, analysts told CNBC on Wednesday.

In February, the Nikkei business daily reported that Toshiba asked bidders to peg the memory unit's operations' value at 2 trillion yen (about $18.26 billion) or more.

Kazunori Ito, a senior equity analyst at Ibbotson Associates Japan, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" the base case scenario could see Toshiba bring in at least 1.7 trillion yen from the sale. "I think this is enough to make up for the losses on the balance sheet," Ito said.

Thong agreed: "The future of Toshiba will not have memory. Memory business, regardless of how it will come out, will be sold in some form to some entity, whether it's foreign or Japanese."

He said the sale should solve the hole in Toshiba's balance sheet, pay off its debts, resolve liabilities related to its Westinghouse Electric nuclear business in the U.S.  which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late March  and put the company in the clear.

Toshiba booked a net loss of 532.5 billion yen ($4.86 billion) in the nine months to December and warned about concerns over its survival. "There are material events and conditions that raise the substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern," Toshiba said. Shareholders' equity was negative 225.7 billion yen ($-1.9 billion) by the end of December.

Several suitors are eyeing the NAND memory business, and Ito said it was likely the unit would be sold within a year.

Nikkei reported in late-March that U.S. private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners and chipmaker offered Toshiba about 2 trillion yen for the unit. South Korea's SK Hynix also submitted a bid according to Reuters. The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn offered up to 3 trillion yen for the business.

Meanwhile, Reuters reported that Toshiba's CEO, Satoshi Tsunakawa, said at a press briefing in Tokyo on Tuesday that the company will do everything to avoid being de-listed.
The "Fast Money" traders weighed the airline stocks in the wake of a video in which a man was forcibly removed from his seat on a United Express flight operated by Republic Airways.

On Tuesday, United CEO Oscar Munoz apologized and called the incident a "truly horrific event."

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said in a statement, pledging to share the results of an internal review on April 30.

While the scandal has a "massive" impact from both a cultural and commercial perspective, trader Tim Seymour said this will eventually "bubble over."

"Sentiment in airlines right now is abysmal," Seymour said.

He explained he doesn't condone the behavior shown in the viral video, but as a trader he would buy the weakness in the industry.

Trader Guy Adami said he wouldn't buy the stock right now even if someone told him that the stock would go to $150. The stock ended Tuesday's session around $70.71 a share.

Trader Dan Nathan said he's not sure that airlines will get rid of their involuntary deboarding policies after the scandal. Despite the consumer outrage, Nathan explained that it's a policy that benefits the company and its shareholders.

Disclosures:

Tim Seymour is long ABX, AAPL, APC, AVP, BAC, BBRY, C, CLF, CVX, DO, DVYE, EDC, EWN, EWZ, F, FB, FCX, FXI, GM, GOOGL, GE, INTC, LQD, MOS, MCD, MUR, OIH, PG, RACE, RAI, RH, RL, SINA, SQ,T, TWTR, VALE, VZ, XOM. short: EEM, SPY, XRT. His firm is long ABX, BABA, BIDU, CBD, CLF, EEM, EWZ, F, KO, MCD, MPEL, NKE, PEP, PF, TCEHY, SAVE, SBUX, SINA, VALE, VIAB, WMT, WEN, X, YHOO, short EWG, HYG, IWM.

Karen Finerman is long AAL, BAC, BAC short calls, C, DAL, EEM, EPI, EWW, DVYE, FB, FL, GLMP, GOGO, GOOG, GOOGL, JPM, LYV, KORS, KORS calls, KORS puts, MA, SEDG, SPY puts, TACO, WFM, WIFI long call spreads. Her firm is long ANTM, BAC, C, C calls, FB, GOOG, GOOGL, JPM, JPM calls, KORS, LYV, PLCE, SPY puts, WIFI, XLF. Her firm is short IWM, MDY. Finerman is on the board of GrafTech International.

Dan Nathan is long SPY May put spread, XLV APR-June put spread, XLI June put spread.

Guy Adami is long CELG, EXAS, GDX, INTC. Adami's wife, Linda Snow, works at Merck.
While the target of U.S. missiles may have been a Syrian military airfield, much of the resulting commentary said the most obvious damage was done to the U.S.-Russia relationship.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been the most difficult since the end of the Cold War, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. That came ahead of the meeting between U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"Washington and Moscow right now are looking to decrease tensions  because we're at a new post-Cold War low," Lauren Goodrich, senior Eurasia analyst at Stratfor, told CNBC's "Rundown" on Wednesday.

Tillerson has a history with the Kremlin from his time at Exxon, which had provoked speculation that he would help usher in a detente between the U.S. and Russia. However, Tillerson offered an ultimatum going into Moscow that Russia could either give up its support for the Assad regime or face isolation.

"This is not the year that Russia thought it was going to be having, it thought with the new administration that it would be able to reshape relations with ... the U.S.," Goodrich said.

According to Goodrich, Russia has managed to back itself into a corner over issues such as election meddling and Syria, "so instead, relations have gotten worse," and so Russia needs to find a way to break its isolation and the momentum behind growing tensions.

With Moscow wanting existing sanctions to end, its tone ahead of the meeting has appeared to seek compromise on topics such as arms control, and anti-ISIS campaigns, Goodrich explained.

Amid the tensions, Goodrich said there was a silver lining: "[The U.S.] is talking about personality sanctions, which are not really the big bad destructive ones on the Russian economy." She added that as long as new sanctions are limited, they shouldn't significantly worsen relations between the countries.

According to Goodrich, although the tense tone has already been set, the negotiations have to start somewhere. The outcome of this meeting, she said, depends on how much pressure the U.S. exerts, and if Russia starts playing "harder-ball" as "it is not like Moscow's just going to be giving concessions left and right."
Most of India's mobile phone users are planning to upgrade to a new device in the next 12 months driven by consumers wanting 4G handsets, a trend that is positive for premium electronics giants like Apple and Samsung in the long-term, according to Counterpoint Research. Two in three of the over 1,500 Indian mobile users surveyed by Counterpoint, said they plan to upgrade within the next year. This is a shortening of the average 24 to 30-month upgrade cycle, to just under 20 months, the analyst firm concluded. Indian mobile users' desire for 4G capable phones with more advanced features is driving the trend. One in three respondents were considering phones with a fingerprint sensor and a better front-facing selfie camera.

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The trend is positive in the long-term for the likes of Apple and Samsung, which both offer premium handsets at a high price. But in the near-term neither will see a boost in India, a country seen as a driver of growth in a slowing smartphone market. "All the brands who are successful in sub-$200 segment like Lenovo, Xiaomi and a handful of Indian brands will benefit," Neil Shah, research director of devices and ecosystems at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC by phone. "In the longer term you will have a bigger user base who will want to upgrade to a better phone. Apple will benefit post-2018 with a maturing user base and the 4G network will be available everywhere. People will be using more services. In the next two years it would be a good idea for Apple to roll out their retail footprint and invest in manufacturing."

Tim Cook Adam Jeffery | CNBC
Geopolitical risks may be weighing on the market, but the U.S. will be careful when it comes to Syria  it's North Korea that could be the real issue, expert Quincy Krosby told CNBC on Wednesday.

"That's the wild card  not our actions in North Korea but their actions, because it is a very unstable regime," the market strategist at Prudential Financial said in an interview with "Power Lunch."

Tension on the Korean peninsula has escalated amid concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said over the weekend that it was diverting an aircraft carrier strike group toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Tensions between the two countries have intensified after last week's U.S. airstrike on a Syrian air base.

U.S equities were lower Wednesday as investors assessed the situation and the safe haven trade continued, sending Treasury yields down and gold futures up.

However, Krosby pointed out that the market has been "incredibly resilient" given the backdrop of geopolitical concerns. She also thinks a pullback is "absolutely a buying opportunity."

Kate Warne, investment strategist at Edward Jones Investment, agrees the market has been "extraordinarily resilient."

"While this is a risk, it is certainly in the headlines, it is certainly important, I think it plays out very slowly and it will sort of just be sort of a dull roar of anxiety behind the scenes as investors really focus on much more of the fundamentals and the economy," she told "Power Lunch."

She's anticipating earnings may come in above expectations.

"That may not be a catalyst  for stocks to move higher but it's reassuring and it should continue the trend of stocks moving up but perhaps with a little more volatility," Warne said.

 CNBC's Fred Imbert and Reuters contributed to this report.
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York.

One of the most popular post-election trades just lost all its 2017 gains.

The S&P SPDR Financial Select Sector ETF (XLF) turned negative for the year on Wednesday as investors grew wary about President Donald Trump's domestic and foreign policies.

Trump said earlier on Wednesday he wants to repeal and replace Obamacare before moving on to tax reform, one of the most-anticipated pieces of legislation among market participants and a particularly important one for the banking sector. The Trump administration was dealt a body-blow late last month when the House of Representatives failed to even put an Obamacare replacement bill on the voting floor.

Industrials, another key part of the so-called Trump trade, were lower Wednesday as well, but are still up for the year.

Regional banks such as Fifth Third Bancorp and M&T Bank were among the biggest losers Wednesday in the financial sector.

The XLF ETF is still up 16 percent since the election.

Meanwhile, investors have recently loaded up on safe-haven assets as tensions with Russia and North Korea escalate. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Moscow on Wednesday and received a barrage of criticism from several Russian officials, as they called the U.S. attack in Syria "primitive" and "inconsistent."

--With reporting by CNBC's Gina Francolla.
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is up nearly $100 in the past week, hitting levels not seen since mid-March after Japan legalized the cryptocurrency as a payment method and Russia is seeking to regulate it too. The digital currency was trading at around $1,223.04 at the time of publication, up from highs of $1,124.88 on April 5, and hitting prices not seen since March 16, according to Coindesk data. Bitcoin's market capitalization has risen from $18.34 billion on April 5, to $19.5 billion on Wednesday, according to Coinmarketcap.com data. Bitcoin has suffered a recent dip in price thanks to a debate over the future of its underlying technology, but the recent support appears to have come from Japan.

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Earlier this month, Japan began accepting bitcoin as legal currency with major retailers backing the new law. Consumer electronics retailing giant Bic Camera began accepting bitcoin last week. Bitcoin trading in Japanese yen is the second-most liquid market globally, according to data compiled by cryptocurrency trading platform Gatecoin. "The Japan virtual currency act has likely had a major impact, as there has been a lot of buzz in Japanese media over the ruling over the last few months," Aurelien Menant, founder and CEO of Gatecoin, told CNBC by email.

A bitcoin token stands next to a collection of U.S. one dollar bills in this arranged photograph in London, U.K., on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2017. Chris Ratcliffe | Bloomberg | Getty Images
BlackBerry said Wednesday it has been awarded a preliminary $814.9 million in royalty overpayments made to Qualcomm .

The Canadian company's U.S.-traded shares jumped more than 18 percent on the news. Qualcomm share prices were down more than 2 percent.

Ahead of the announcement, trading in BlackBerry was briefly halted.

A final award, including interest and attorney fees, will be issued after a hearing on May 30, the company said.

BlackBerry argued that it was overpaying Qualcomm in royalty payments. Last April, BlackBerry and Qualcomm entered discussions to settle the dispute and analyze an existing "agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a license agreement between the two parties."

Despite the dispute, BlackBerry CEO John Chen said Wednesday that the companies "continue to be valued technology partners." He said BlackBerry will continue to collaborate with Qualcomm, specifically for security in the auto industry and in application-specific integrated circuits.

Apple filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm in January, when it argued that Qualcomm is "charging royalties for technologies they have nothing to do with." Apple also argued that Qualcomm is "withholding nearly $1 billion in payments from Apple as retaliation for responding truthfully to law enforcement agencies investigating them."
U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 7, 2017.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a peaceful resolution of rising tension on the Korean peninsula in a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, as a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group steamed towards the region.

Trump's call with Xi, just days after they met in the United States, came as an influential state-run Chinese newspaper warned that the Korean peninsula was the closest it has been to a "military clash" since North Korea's first nuclear test in 2006.

Trump on Wednesday said he "had a very good call" with Xi "concerning the menace of North Korea."

Donald Trump tweet

The communication between the leaders underscores the increasing sense of urgency as tension escalates amid concern that reclusive North Korea could soon conduct a sixth nuclear test, or more missile launches, and Trump's threat of unilateral action to solve the problem.

Trump had ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group to head to the Korean peninsula in an attempt to deter North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile ambitions, which it is developing in defiance of U.N. resolutions and sanctions.

Trump pressed Xi to do more to curb North Korea's nuclear program when they held their first face-to-face meeting in Florida last week.

He said on Twitter on Tuesday that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without China's help.

In their telephone call, Xi stressed that China "is committed to the target of denuclearization on the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving problems through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang, who said Trump had initiated the call, urged everyone to lower the tension.

"We hope that the relevant parties do not adopt irresponsible actions. Under the current circumstances, this is very dangerous," Lu told reporters at a regular press briefing.

China's Global Times newspaper said in an editorial North Korea should halt any plan for nuclear and missile activities "for its own security." While widely read in China and run by the ruling Communist Party's official People's Daily, the Global Times does not represent government policy.

The newspaper noted Trump's recent decision to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield in response to a deadly gas attack last week.

"Not only is Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honors his promises," it said.

"The U.S. is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesn't plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang," it said. "Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time."

The Global Times said if North Korea made another provocative move, "Chinese society" might be willing to back unprecedented sanctions, "such as restricting oil imports."
Student debt is one of the most persistent financial hurdles that Americans face and for many, the rising cost of college has made attendance impossible. U.S. citizens now hold a whopping $1.31 trillion in student loan debt. In two of America's most expensive places however, an affordable college education is becoming a reality. In fact, in California and New York you can now go to college for free. Here's how: New York On Sunday, New York became the first and only state in the country to offer free four-year public college through the Excelsior Scholarship program, which was approved by the New York state legislature on Sunday night.

The program covers the cost of a four-year college education for students from 940,000 middle-class families and will be phased in over three years. By 2019, students from families that make up to $125,000 would be eligible to attend all State University of New York and City University of New York colleges free of charge. New Yorkers currently pay $4,370 for one year of community college and $6,470 for one year of college at all CUNY and SUNY schools. In order to help pay for the new initiative, the state and city university systems are likely to raise tuition for paying students by $200.

State University of New York at Cortland John Greim | Getty Images

In order to receive the Excelsior Scholarship, students must be enrolled full time, maintain a passing grade point average and work in the state of New York for the amount of time that they attended college. There is no age limit and roughly 80 percent of New York state's families would be eligible.

The city approved a transfer tax on properties selling for more than $5 million to fund an education program that allows all city residents to attend the City College of San Francisco tuition-free. The tax would provide the college with nearly $5.4 million annually and would offer full-time low-income students $250 per semester. In order to take advantage of these Californian perks, students need to have lived in the city of San Francisco for at least one year. Many have pointed out that San Francisco's soaring cost of living makes it prohibitively expensive for many would-be residents. If you want to live comfortably in San Francisco, you'll have to earn at least six figures. All over It's not just New York and San Francisco providing tuition-free college opportunities. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Tennessee, Oregon and Minnesota already provide free two-year college programs. Expansion of these initiatives could offer education opportunities for thousands of Americans. Free college was central to Sen. Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign platform. He recently introduced the College for All Act with Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal Bill Clark | Getty Images
Delta Airlines Boeing 737 taking off from LAX in Los Angeles, California.

Shares of Delta Air Lines rose Wednesday after reporting first quarter earnings that topped estimates.

The airline reported earnings of 77 cents a share, ex-items, beating the 75 cent consensus estimate from a Thomson Reuters poll.

Delta also said its closely followed metric of passenger unit revenue fell 0.5 percent year on year, but should rise 1 to 3 percent in the current quarter.

Shares rose almost 2 percent in morning trade, trimming year-to-date losses to about 6 percent.

Delta Air Lines year-to-date performance

Year over year, however, Delta's unadjusted net income dropped 36.3 percent.

Quarterly revenue of $9.15 billion missed the estimate of $9.19 billion and also fell 36 percent from the same period last year.

"We expect the entirety of our 2017 margin pressure to have occurred in the March quarter from higher fuel prices," chief financial officer Paul Jacobson said in a release.

"With an improving revenue profile and further improvement as our cost growth moderates in the second half, we are on track to expand margins for the balance of the year."

Airlines are particularly in focus this week given outrage over how United Airlines handled the removal of a passenger due to overbooking. Citing government data, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Delta was the most generous airline in compensating customers for lack of seats last year, despite having the highest rate of overbooked spots.

United and other airline shares gained following Delta's results.
President Donald Trump said in an interview to air Wednesday that "we're not going into Syria" after the United States launched a cruise missile strike against a government airbase in that nation over a chemical attack in the country's six-year civil war. Trump in an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo also tried to blame the administration of former President Barack Obama of past inaction, saying that "what I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it," according to excerpts released by Fox Business on Tuesday.

Donald Trump Getty Images

Asked if the United States is going to get involved in Syria, Trump said: "No. But if I see them using gas and using things that  I mean even some of the worst tyrants in the world didn't use the kind of gases that they used. And some of the gases are unbelievably potent." "So when I saw that, I said we have to do something," Trump said. Trump said he was dismayed by the images of dying children in last Monday's alleged chemical attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun, which U.S. officials believe involved a nerve agent. Obama did consider air strikes in 2013 in response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and at the time Trump on Twitter said the U.S. shouldn't strike Syria at all, and shouldn't do so without Congressional approval. More from NBC News

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer Apologizes After Causing Uproar With Hitler Gaffe

SEC Cracks Down on Fake Stock News

North Korea State Media Warns of Nuclear Strike if Provoked The matter never came up for a vote amid a Russia-brokered agreement for Syria to hand over its chemical weapons. U.S. Special Forces are operating in Syria to assist forces fighting ISIS, and the United States is leading a coalition conducting air strikes against the terror group in Syria. "We're not going into Syria," Trump said in the interview. "But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons, which they agreed not to use under the Obama administration, but they violated it." Meanwhile, Trump's "even the worst tyrants" line echoed statements that put his White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer in the middle of an uproar earlier Tuesday.

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Tech companies may be associated with the fattest salaries, but it's consulting firms that claim the first and second spots on this list of the highest-paying companies in America, released today by job search and salary comparison site Glassdoor. To compile this list, Glassdoor selected companies with the highest median total compensation as reported on the site by U.S.-based employees over the past year.

A.T. Kearney and Strategy& top an otherwise tech-heavy list. They offer their workers median total compensation approaching $200,000 per year.

"High pay continues to be tied to in-demand skills and higher education, which in part, is why we see several companies on this list among the consulting and technology industries," says Dr. Andrew Chamberlain, Glassdoor's chief economist.

"Salaries are sky-high at consulting companies," says Chamberlain. "Employers [want] top consultants to have personal contacts, reputations and specialized skills and knowledge. In technology, we continue to see unprecedented salaries as the war for talent is still very active, largely due to the ongoing shortage of highly-skilled workers needed."
HP shares climbed on Wednesday after the stock was upgraded to "buy" by Citi analyst Jim Suva, who expects the company to continue to gain PC market share.

The stock was the top mover in the S&P 500 on Wednesday morning, with shares closing up more than 2 percent.

HP is moving toward more premium products, including hybrids and gaming, that could drive it to make gains as the PC market is revived, Suva wrote.

Citi's upgrade comes on the heels of new data from IDC, which said that global shipments of PCs increased for the first time on an annualized basis since the first quarter of 2012. HP got the top market share for the first times since the beginning of 2013, with 13.1 million shipments, according to IDC.

Positive trends in the U.S. economy  including strong employment data and high consumer confidence  signal that demand may continue, Suva wrote. The fell to a 10-year low of 4.5 percent in March, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said last week, though job creation fell short of estimates, as did .

UBS analyst Steven Milunovich wrote on Wednesday that he's bullish on the stock, noting the PC revival and a stabilization in the printer market.

"We think investor skepticism provides fuel for further gains," Milunovich wrote.

 CNBC's Todd Haselton contributed to this report.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is starting to see a different side of President Donald Trump, following his decision to strike a Syria-government airfield last week.

"I think he's starting to feel the breath of history," Juncker told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on Wednesday.

When asked if he trusted Trump or feared for the president's actions, Juncker said that he viewed Trump with "growing benevolence."

The head of the European Commission has been one of the most critical voices against Trump fro inside Brussels. Juncker has criticized Trump's support for Brexit and his encouraging words for other countries to follow the U.K.'s decision to leave the EU.

"Do not say that, do not invite others to leave, because if the European Union collapses, you will have a new war in the western Balkans," Juncker told U.S. Vice President Mike Pence when he visited Brussels earlier this year.

More recently, Juncker has said that he would promote Ohio's independence if Trump kept encouraging other countries to leave the EU. The former prime minister of Luxembourg has also criticized Trump's protectionist views on trade, stating that a trade war between Europe and the U.S. would not benefit any of the sides.
A nuclear attack threat from a North Korean submarine is one of the nightmare scenarios facing Japan and South Korea.

The chilling thought of North Korea's fully submersible submarines firing a nuclear ballistic missile isn't as far-fetched as some might think. Pyongyang has made major advances in weapons in recent years and shown a willingness to use its submarines for offensive military actions.

Indeed, last month was the seventh anniversary of the sinking of South Korea's Cheonan navy ship by a North Korean submarine torpedo attack. That aggression killed 46 sailors and wasn't the first time the reclusive North had made incursions into South Korean waters.

The submarine threat adds to growing fears in the region as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear weapons ambitions show no signs of slowing. It also comes as a U.S. carrier strike force led by the USS Carl Vinson sailed toward the Korean Peninsula.

Not surprisingly, North Korea decried the deployment of the American carrier task force to the volatile region. "If the U.S. dares opt for a military action  the DPRK is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the U.S.," the state-run Korean Central News Agency said Monday. DPRK is short for the North's formal name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Experts believe North Korea's navy has around 70 submarines in its fleet, although only a handful today are believed to be capable of firing submarine-launched ballistic missiles or so-called SLBMs. And while North Korea does not yet appear to have a functional, operational submarine-launched nuclear capability they are testing submarine missiles that could some day carry a nuclear warhead.

Last August, North Korean media showed off video of a so-called KN-11 submarine missile being launched from eastern coastal waters. Images of the North Korean dictator pointing to the missile launch were shown on the state television network.

The submarine-launched missile flew about 310 miles toward Japan. The test set a new distance record for Pyongyang's SLBM program, and experts suggest the ballistic missile has the capability to travel more than 600 miles.

"The problem with the SLBM is that it exposes South Korea's flanks to attack," said Bruce Klingner, an Asia and national security specialist at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based conservative think tank.

Klingner, a former CIA deputy division chief for Korea, explained that the THAAD anti-missile system deployed last month by the U.S. in South Korea is focused on identifying missile threats from the North. As a result, a submarine missile from the North Korean navy could be launched behind radar and evade defense systems.

Similarly, missiles fired by North Korean submarines off the east coast of Japan might be able to dodge detection from Japan's Patriot anti-missile system by launching from behind radar.

Joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises this year included drills on destroying the North's submarines.

Klingner said some people have been dismissive of the Pyongyang submarine threat by maintaining that the North's vessels are "old and noisy." The noise comes from the submarine's diesel-powered engines.

Yet in 2015 South Korean defense officials reported a sudden disappearance of around 50 of the North's submarines.

"We didn't know where they were at the time," said Klingner. "One would hope that we would keep very close tabs on those that could launch the SLBM."

Advances in North Korea's land-based weapons development have been helped by its submarine program.

As an example, Pyongyang in February showed off a new medium- to long-range ballistic missile that is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and uses solid-fuel technology. The land-based ballistic missile is believed to use the same technology of the KN-11 solid-fuel submarine missiles.

Solid fuel offers significant advantages over liquid-fuel rockets because it makes the missile easier to hide, requires less support and allows for faster launches.

"All of that is very worrisome because that may very well have a nuclear weapon someday," said Klingner.

He said the North Korea's liquid propellant ballistic missiles, such as the so-called No-Dong medium-range, road-mobile system already is believed to be nuclear capable "so that means Japan and South Korea are under nuclear threat today."

The secretive regime also is working to build an intercontinental ballistic missile that can reach North America. In January, NBC News reported that Pyongyang could test-fire the ICBM "at any time, at any place," quoting a senior regime official in North Korea.

The U.S. has a ground-based interceptor missile and radar system designed to detect and kill ICBM missiles. Thirty-six such interceptors are stationed in Alaska and California, and the military expects to have a total of 44 in place by the end of this year, according to a defense official.

"Their conventional forces maybe not very capable at the moment, but they have a lot of weapons of mass destruction," said Nicholas Eberstadt, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank based in Washington. "Even if they would end up losing a war,  they could kill an awful lot of people on our side."

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks last week and discussed North Korea. Trump tweeted about the meeting Tuesday and also had words for Pyongyang.

@realDonaldTrump posted: "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korea problem!"

@realDonaldTrump posted: "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not we will solve the problem, without them! USA ."

Analysts say China wants to prop up the rogue nation to keep it as a buffer zone between the communist North and U.S.-backed South Korea. China represents the lion's share of North Korea's trade.

Meantime, the sudden rerouting of the Navy's Vinson carrier strike group over the weekend led some to question whether U.S. military action against North Korea could be imminent. Beijing urged "all parties remain calm and observe restraint," according to a story from China's state-owned CCTV.

"I don't want to speculate about North Korea military actions," Defense Secretary James Mattis said Tuesday in response to a question from reporters. "We owe some confidentiality as we discuss with our allies this situation that we face up there."
Leaders from the City of Portland and Multnomah County have committed to 100 percent clean energy by the year 2050. In an announcement earlier this week, authorities said that their goal was to meet the community's electricity needs with renewables by the year 2035 and to move all remaining energy sources to renewable ones by 2050. "Getting our community to 100 percent renewable energy is a big goal,'' Ted Wheeler, City of Portland Mayor, said in a statement. "And while it is absolutely ambitious, it is a goal that we share with Nike, Hewlett Packard , Microsoft, Google, GM, Coca Cola , Johnson & Johnson, and Walmart. We have a responsibility to lead this effort in Oregon.''

Multnomah County is the most populous county in Oregon. Its Chair, Deborah Kafoury, welcomed the news. "This is a pledge to our children's future,'' she said. "100 percent renewables means a future with cleaner air, a stable climate and more jobs and economic opportunity.''

Portland is among a number of U.S. cities looking to embrace renewables. Over the weekend Chicago's Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, announced that city buildings there were to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.



"By committing the energy used to power our public buildings to wind and solar energy, we are sending a clear signal that we remain committed to building a 21st century economy here in Chicago," Emanuel said.
U.S.-Russia relations are at a "low point" and need to be improved, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday in a joint news conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Tillerson said he had a "productive," two-hour meeting earlier in the day with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

"I expressed the view that the current state of U.S.-Russia relations is at a low point and there is a low level of trust between our countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said.

On his first visit to Moscow as Presdient Donald Trump's secretary of State, Tillerson said the two countries are unified on issues like stabilizing Syria and tackling international terrorism. He said, however, that "until full progress is made under the Minsk accords, the situation in Ukraine will remain an obstacle to improvement in relations between the U.S. and Russia."

The 2016 Minsk agreement was an attempt to stop the fighting in Ukraine between pro-Moscow rebels and the Ukrainian government.

Tensions between the United States and Russia have grown in the wake of the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base last week. Trump ordered the strike, accusing the Moscow-backed regime of Syria's President Bashar Assad of the chemical attack that killed dozens, including children.

Senior national security officials briefed reporters Tuesday on declassified intelligence regarding the chemical attack, saying the symptoms of the victims was consistent with exposure to the nerve agent sarin.

The officials rejected Russia's claim that terrorists or rebels carried out the attack. They said that they were confident that terrorists do not have access to sarin.

Tillerson doubled down on these conclusions, saying "this is just the latest of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, and notwithstanding their use on more than 50 occasions of chlorine bombs and cluster bombs and other types of weapons that are intended to maim and kill in the most horrific ways."

The Russian foreign minister cautioned that the two countries should learn from history, criticizing Western countries for being "fixated on eliminating this or that dictator, authoritarian or totalitarian leader."

Lavrov acknowledged that "it's quite evident that this is a topic with regard to which we have differences of opinion." The Russian foreign minister reiterated calls for an investigation and a "fact-finding mission." He said Russia is "not convinced" of accusations leveled against the Syrian regime.

Russia's relationship with the U.S. has deteriorated since Trump assumed the Oval Office, Putin said in an interview aired Wednesday.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated," Putin said, according to translated remarks by the Kremlin.

Putin added that Syria had given up its chemical weapons stocks, Reuters reported.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, has arrived in Moscow following the G7 foreign ministers' meeting.

That meeting included Middle East nations that have opposed the rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad, which has received renewed international criticism after recent chemical attacks allegedly conducted by his regime. Russia, for its part, has also come under fire for its open support of Assad's regime.

Tillerson is to meet Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in a bid to pressure Moscow on its involvement with Syria. However, his chances of doing so are "zero to nada," according to Marc Ginsberg, who formerly served as White House deputy senior advisor for Middle East policy.

"[The Russians] have heard all these arguments before from the Americans. And they don't think that Mr. Tillerson has much behind him to show that he can compel the Russians to do anything," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday.

Ginsberg said he hopes for higher odds of success, and that Russia will start playing a "more constructive role" to transition away from the Assad regime.

"Even though Assad ultimately may be expendable," Ginsberg said, "Russia has an enormous strategic stake in the Assad regime." He explained that Syria is Russia's doorway to the Middle East and holds some of its major military bases.
Russia stepped up its rhetoric against the Trump administration in the wake of its missile attack on Syria, calling it "primitive" and "inconsistent."

This came as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Moscow on Wednesday, with the top U.S. diplomat receiving a barrage of criticism from Russian officials. Ahead of a meeting with Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he wanted to know what the real intentions of the U.S. administration are, following last week's attack on Syria in response to a deadly chemical attack in a rebel-held area.

Lavrov the U.S. must not conduct more military strikes on Russian-backed Syria, according to Reuters. He said last week's action violated the law.

Lavrov also said Russia has lots of questions about the "ambiguous" and "contradictory" ideas coming from the U.S. administration, according to The Associated Press. The news agency also described how Russia's top diplomat subtly mocked Tillerson for the fact that his top State Department roles are currently unfilled.

But some of the harshest comments came from Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov. Going one step further than Lavrov, he said: "In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy," Russia's state-owned RIA news agency reported.
Tillerson drew a distinction between the use of technology to interfere with democratic processes and its use for disrupting weapons programs.

In January, the U.S. intelligence community issued an unclassified report , alleging Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a campaign to undermine faith in the American electoral process and developed a "clear preference" for Donald Trump .

Russian officials have repeatedly tried to knock down allegations that the Kremlin meddled in the U.S. election.

"As for the allegations that the U.S. government has irrefutable proof that we interfered with the electoral campaign, I have to say, once again, that we have not seen any facts, even hints at facts," Lavrov said, adding that the Kremlin has not been shown any evidence despite many requests.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov again pushed back on allegations that Russia interfered in the U.S. election during a Wednesday press conference with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson .

"Clearly, this is an issue that has emerged in our time for which we have yet, as an international community, come to some conclusion on how we want to respond to that," Tillerson said.

The Russian foreign minister said both the U.S. and Russia are interested in "close cooperation on fighting cyber crime."

Lavrov's comments come as tensions between the United States and Russia have grown in the wake of the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base last week. Trump ordered the strike, accusing Syria of the chemical attack that killed dozens, including children.

Senior national security officials briefed reporters Tuesday on declassified intelligence regarding the chemical attack, saying the symptoms of the victims was consistent with exposure to the nerve agent sarin.

The officials rejected Russia's claim that terrorists or rebels carried out the attack. They said that they were confident that terrorists do not have access to sarin.

Tillerson doubled down on these conclusions by U.S. intelligence officials, saying "this is just the latest of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, and notwithstanding their use on more than 50 occasions of chlorine bombs and cluster bombs and other types of weapons that are intended to maim and kill in the most horrific ways."

Tillerson said he had a "productive," two-hour meeting with Putin at the Kremlin. He said, however, that relations between the two countries are strained and could be improved.

"I expressed the view that the current state of U.S.-Russia relations is at a low point and there is a low level of trust between our countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said.

Watch: Lavrov on attempts to 'sabotage' US-Russia cooperation
The new Samsung S8 is on display for the press after a news conference in New York on March 29, 2017.

Samsung's voice-controlled virtual assistant Bixby  marketed as one the highlights in the feature-rich Galaxy S8 handsets  will not be fully ready when the company begins to globally ship the new phones later this month.

In a statement to CNBC, Samsung said the voice portion of the virtual assistant will be available to stateside customers only in spring, likely following a software update.

"Key features of Bixby, including Vision, Home and Reminder, will be available with the global launch of the Samsung Galaxy S8 on April 21," the statement said. "Bixby Voice will be available in the U.S. on the Galaxy S8 later this spring."

The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that internal tests conducted at Samsung revealed Bixby's voice recognition performance in English lagged behind its form in Korean. The Journal said Samsung executives were still discussing on when to make Bixby available in English.

Samsung introduced the world to Bixby last month. At the launch of the Galaxy S8, Samsung showed what the program can do. For instance, users can take a picture and Bixby can recognize it and provide information on it.

It can handle complex requests such as finding all the pictures in a user's photo album taken at a particular geographical location. Bixby will also be able to learn a user's routine and pull the most important information and tasks from different apps onto a single screen.

Competition in the virtual assistant space is intense as Bixby will be up against the likes of Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and the Google Assistant, which is native to the Android operating platform that will run on the Galaxy S8 handsets.

 CNBC's Arjun Kharpal and Todd Haselton contributed to this report.
Mike Judge has spent three years satirizing the technology industry in his hit HBO show "Silicon Valley." For help with the upcoming fourth season, he turned to Snap's Evan Spiegel and took trips to the campuses of Google, Facebook, GitHub and Dropbox.

"It's gotten easier to get in those doors since the show came out," Judge said in an interview with CNBC Tuesday night in San Francisco. "The first season we were sort of -- nobody knew what we were doing."

Venture capitalists and tech executives definitely know what he's up to now.

Silicon Valley won two Emmy Awards in 2015 and was nominated for 11 last year. In the process, the show has created a cult-like following in the region while simultaneously exposing the many absurdities of start-up culture.

Alec Berg, who produces the show alongside Judge, said one of the most candid responses he gets from fans is, "the show makes them nauseous -- they feel like it's so close to home that they're slightly sickened by it."

The new season, which debuts on April 23, forces the main character Richard Hendricks (played by Thomas Middleditch) to confront life after Pied Piper, the video compression start-up at the center of the first three seasons.
"This will never happen again," United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz said in an interview Wednesday. "That's my promise."

United share prices rose 1 percent in premarket trade after the interview on ABC's "Good Morning America." The price also was boosted by a better-than-expected earnings report by Delta Air Lines . Delta also forecast passenger unit revenue will increase 1 to 3 percent in the second quarter, citing healthy demand.

The interview came three days after the violent eviction of a passenger from a United Express flight. Munoz received widespread criticism for his response to a social media storm that followed the posting of video of the confrontation.

Asked if he would resign, Munoz responded: "No. I was hired to make United better, and that's what we'll do."

The CEO added that he didn't issue a more in-depth apology until Tuesday because "the expression of apology is important in a discussion like this."

Explaining why the debacle happened in the first place, Munoz told GMA it was a "system failure," where the company didn't provide the right tools or resources to allow United's "front-line managers" to "use their common sense."
Wells Fargo's recent report regarding its fake account scandal did little to assuage investors nervous over what the long-term ramifications might be.

Shares of the third-largest U.S. bank by assets are down more than 2 percent this week as part of a broader sell-off in financials. However, there are specific issues with Wells that could cause even more obstacles.

That's why Dick Bove thinks investors ought to dump the stock, at least for now.

In a note to clients, the vice president of equity research at Rafferty Capital Markets and closely watched bank analyst reinstituted the sell rating he had on Wells Fargo . Bove had put a sell on the bank when the controversy first erupted in September, but then lifted it to hold as Wells looked to put the scandal behind it.

However, news this week that the bank had clawed back $75 million from former CEO John Stumpf and Carrie Tolstedt, who ran the community bank division, set off another round of questions. The clawback revelations came in a report the bank board commissioned into what happened in a scandal that saw Wells Fargo workers set up some 2 million accounts for customers without their knowledge in an effort to meet aggressive sales goals.

Bove said the move to centralize operations is actually a positive, but one that will take time for a culture "built on ignoring directives and lying."

"Confrontations between the corporate office and the divisional offices are highly likely," he wrote. "Departures by top sales people are quite likely as they move to less restrictive operating environments where they can make more money."
Confirming a reversal on tough China talk, President Donald Trump told The Wall Street Journal Wednesday that he will not label the Asian country a currency manipulator in a report due this week.

"They're not currency manipulators," Trump said in the interview.

The president also said putting the label on China now could jeopardize U.S. talks with Beijing on the North Korean threat, according to the Journal.

What the White House is doing is "they're going back to a very traditional China policy which is a disappointment to many of their hardcore supporters," said Gordon Chang, author of "The Coming Collapse of China." "There's going to be political punishment."

Trump "will be punished by autocrats in Beijing," Chang said. "He's showing weakness."

Slapping the label on China had been one of Trump's key campaign promises. He also appointed China hawks such as Peter Navarro to key positions on trade, and, until recently, favored Steve Bannon and his nationalist stance.

Now, advisors who appear to have a less protectionist viewpoint such as Gary Cohn, director of the U.S. National Economic Council and former president of Goldman Sachs, seem to have more sway over Trump.

Analysts told CNBC that Trump's backtracking on China Wednesday was a recognition of reality.

In the Treasury Department's most recent review in October, China met only one of three criteria set down by the United States before it can label the communist country a currency manipulator. The Treasury is expected to update the report this month.

"The question now is whether getting Chinese cooperation on North Korea has become so important that the administration is willing to accept token gestures from China that reduce the trade deficit but do nothing to address the breadth and depth of Chinese industrial policy," said Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Read the full interview in The Wall Street Journal here.

Watch: Gartman says Trump wrong about China currency
Trucks from Mexico wait to enter the United States at a border crossing point. Joe Raedle | Newsmakers | Getty Images

"NAFTA is the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere, but certainly ever signed in this country," declared candidate Donald Trump during a September debate with Hillary Clinton. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to drastically change the 23-year-old free trade pact to make it a winning deal for the US  and threatened to scrap the deal altogether if he didn't get what he wanted. But a draft proposal from the Trump administration that's been circulating in Congress recently doesn't appear to push for a radical transformation of NAFTA, or portend its destruction. In fact, it actually sounds ... constructive. The draft proposal sounds strikingly sunny about the importance of free trade with the US's NAFTA trading partners, Canada and Mexico, acknowledging their "shared interests" and "common values." It contains plenty of fairly conventional language on market access and reducing trade barriers that accompany typical letters of this kind. And while there are a number of provisions that Canada and Mexico are likely to object to, there's a noticeable absence of the kinds of protectionist proposals that would have guaranteed the accord went down in flames. More from Vox:

Trump wants to cut billions from the NIH. This is what we'll miss out on if he does.

The outrage over Marvel's alleged diversity blaming, explained

Trump's NAFTA proposal looks a lot more like reform than revolution "[These positions] could be the beginning of a negotiation that Canada and Mexico would be willing to participate in," Chris Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Wilson Center, told me. "It definitely signaled the US goal would be to update NAFTA and improve it  not to blow up NAFTA." There are limitations on how much we can read into the proposal. Much of the language is ambiguous and prone to diverging interpretations. And the letter is a draft, so it doesn't reflect the administration's final stance and could potentially change substantially before it is made official and sent to Congress as a letter of intent to renegotiate the pact. Right now the Trump administration is still discussing the proposal with lawmakers focused on trade in the House of Representatives and the Senate to refine negotiation priorities. The White House and Congress need to find common ground before negotiations begin and for changes to have any chance of being approved by Congress. But from what we can tell so far, the document appears to be a compromise rather than the war cry that Trump promised as a candidate. There are some proposals that, depending on how they look when they're expanded on with more detail, could cause some tense negotiations. But there are also plenty of modest measures that all three countries are likely to be able to have fruitful discussions on. And in an ironic twist, some of the most important ones hail from proposals negotiated under a trade treaty in the Obama era that Trump blew up during his first week in office.

The White House looks like it wants to build constructively on NAFTA as it exists

As Wilson notes, the proposal makes the case for the importance of trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico. It acknowledges that Canada and Mexico are indispensable export markets for the US, as well as vital sources of imports. It doesn't threaten withdrawal from their deeply interconnected web of trade routes. Instead, it argues that the agreement needs to be updated in order to better handle the nature of trade in the modern economy. The Trump administration's major concern is the trade deficit the US has with Canada and Mexico  the fact that the US imports more from Canada and Mexico than Mexico and Canada import from the US. The US-Canadian goods trade deficit was only about $15 billion in 2015, but the one between the US and Mexico was a much bigger $50 billion that same year. The main dynamic underlying that trade deficit that Trump is concerned with  and the one that helped him seize the White House  is the migration of hundreds of thousands of US manufacturing jobs to Mexico. A number of the Trump administration's proposals aimed at making the deal more friendly to US workers are likely to be uncontroversial. For instance, there's discussion of the need to update NAFTA in order to develop rules regarding e-commerce, digital sales, and data housing requirements  basically ensuring that there are new regulations specific to the information economy, which has blossomed since the accord was first negotiated decades ago. Canada and Mexico are on board with having those discussions. There are also proposals to make labor and environmental regulations stricter, which would mainly affect on Mexico. The idea is that by demanding more stringent standards and enforcement of standards regarding issues like minimum wages, union organizing rights, workplace safety, and environmental impact, the cost of doing business in Mexico will go up, blunting some of the edge that lower-paid Mexican workers have over more expensive US workers. Mexico and Canada are likely to sign off on proposed labor and environmental standards because they already have in the past  under negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The Obama administration successfully got them on board with these rules while hammering out that accord, which Trump pulled out of during his first full working day in office. As such, they're likely to accept them again. Currently, there are some labor and environmental regulations in NAFTA, but they're part of a side deal and can't be enforced the way they would if they became part of the contract itself.

There are some big contentious issues that could arise
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke at a joint press conference on Wednesday.

Earlier, Tillerson met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

Tensions between the United States and Russia have grown in the wake of the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base last week. President Donald Trump ordered the strike, accusing Syria of the chemical attack that killed dozens of people, including children.

Senior national security officials briefed reporters Tuesday on declassified intelligence regarding the chemical attack, saying the symptoms of the victims was consistent with exposure to the nerve agent sarin.

The officials rejected Russia's claim that terrorists or rebels carried out the attack. They said that they were confident that terrorists do not have access to sarin.

Russia's relationship with the U.S. has deteriorated since Trump assumed the Oval Office, Putin said in an interview that aired Wednesday.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated," Putin said, according to translated remarks by the Kremlin.

Putin added that Syria had given up its chemical weapons stocks, Reuters reported.
President Donald Trump and Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO, are holding a press conference following their meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Trump was expected to reaffirm the U.S.'s commitment to NATO, but he also intends to to stress his desire that allies in the organization beef up their defense budgets. Trump has been critical of NATO countries that he believes aren't paying their "fair share" to support the defense of the North Atlantic territory overseen by the group.

Trump was also expected to bring up the international battle against terrorism as well as efforts to press Russia to live up to commitments and bring peace to eastern Ukraine.
With a population of over 250 million and rapidly growing internet adoption, the Indonesian archipelago could offer a booming market for online shopping  and current projections say it will reach $130 billion by 2020.

"The great thing is that there are a lot of investments There are choices for consumers that love innovative solutions that are coming out from Indonesia itself," William Gondokusumo, the CEO of Campaign.com and director of Tororo.com told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday.

Recently, the Indonesian government altered regulations to allow more foreign investment in the sector. Indonesia's investment service agency only recently allowed 100-percent foreign ownership for investments above 100 billion Indonesian rupiah ($7.53 million) for the establishment of an e-commerce company in the country.

However, even with "big boys" such as Alibaba and JD.com coming in  and Amazon soon following with a reported $600 million investment  Gondokusumo predicted that domestic e-commerce firms won't be pushed out as they are "more community focused."

The slowing Indonesian retail growth numbers of February, and indications that price pressure will continue over the next few months do not affect Gondokusumo's bullish view on the retail and e-commerce in the country.

"The way we see it," he said. "All retail and media companies will eventually become [their] own social network."

On the contrary, Ken Dean Lawadinata, former CEO and chairman of Kaskus Networks, who invested alongside Gondokusumo in Tororo, held a less optimistic attitude.

"At the moment, I have a more bearish attitude towards the IT industry, where I believe most investors and owners are pushing their company to a quick sell or short term mentality. This is not sustainable and bad for the industry itself," he told CNBC in an email.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday evening after causing a firestorm for saying that Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons" against his own people like Syrian strongman Bashar Al-Assad.

Spicer, speaking from the White House podium at the daily press briefing, said that Hitler, whom he called "despicable," did not use "the gas on his own people the same way Assad used them."

More from NBC News:

'Primitive and Loutish': Russia Lashes Out at US Rhetoric

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Congressman's 'You Lie' Line Used Against Him at Town Hall

He sought to clarify his remarks in three separate follow-up statements  which did little to help  and then provided a full-blown apology.

"To draw any kind of comparison to the Holocaust was inappropriate and insensitive," he told NBC News.

He later continued, referring to the Jewish holiday of Passover, "I'm absolutely sorry, especially during a week like this to make a comparison that is inappropriate and inexcusable."

But that was well after the outrage on social media was already in motion, with reporters and public figures blasting Spicer's comments  and saying they were particularly offensive coming during Passover.

Chelsea Clinton tweet

Eli Stokols tweet

Glenn Kessler tweet

Overnight, Israel's Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz called Spicer's comments "grave and outrageous."

"There is a moral obligation that precedes policy. We must demand that he apologize or resign," he said in a statement on Twitter.

On Wednesday, Katz told Israel Army Radio that Spicer's apology had been acceptable, and "it was good that [it] was very clear."

On Tuesday, the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect called on President Donald Trump to can Spicer.

"Sean Spicer now lacks the integrity to serve as White House press secretary, and President Trump must fire him at once," Steven Goldstein, the organization's executive director, said in a statement.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi echoed those sentiments.

"While Jewish families across America celebrate Passover, the chief spokesman of this White House is downplaying the horror of the Holocaust," she wrote in a statement. "Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the President should have known better than to hire him."

When asked by NBC News if his job is safe, Spicer reiterated his apology.

"Well, you know what, I made a mistake. I'm owning up to it," he said. "And you know, this is, obviously I expect, I'd hope, that everyone understands that we all make mistakes and ask for forgiveness."

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum used Spicer's gaffe as a moment to remind of the horrors of the Holocaust.

At the briefing, Spicer pointed out that Assad dropped chemical weapons in the "middle of towns."

U.S. officials said the Assad regime used Sarin in strikes on the Syrian people in a deadly attack last week that prompted U.S. military strikes in retaliation.

Nazis murdered Jews in gas chambers during the Holocaust by the millions with the use of chemical gas agents like Zyklon B.

Spicer acknowledged that Hitler did bring gas "into the Holocaust centers ... I understand that."

Before his apology, Spicer had sought to clarify his remarks in multiple statements and said he was not trying to diminish the Holocaust.

"In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust," Spicer said in his third attempt at clarification. "I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable."
The United Airlines terminal on display at O'hare International Airport on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in Chicago, IL. Patrick Gorski | NurPhoto | Getty Images

After what amounts to a decades-long series of disasters, the American aviation industry is finally in a good place. Overcapacity and fare wars have been eliminated, redundant staff is gone, and with the economy improving, people are buying plane tickets again. Which is exactly how United Airlines found itself dragging an unwilling customer off an overbooked flight to Louisville, Kentucky, incurring a massive PR fiasco and reminding us that the industry is likely to bounce forever between exploitative and unprofitable. This particular case resonated with the public because it was unusual and egregious  a sumptuous blend of a moderately rare edge case doused with a hefty dose of poor judgment. More from Vox:

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Trump's NAFTA proposal looks a lot more like reform than revolution But it also resonated because it felt, in many ways, not so unusual. Anyone who flies regularly has experienced the endless indignities of modern air travel  the security theater, the cramped seats, the delays, the missed flights, and all the rest. Making it particularly egregious is the reality that the crucial ingredient of consumer choice seems to be missing. Most of us have at one time or another sworn to ourselves that we will "never" again fly on one airline or another, only to discover that there are very few airlines one can switch to and that they all seem dismal in their own way. The airline industry, unfortunately, suffers from some serious business model flaws  most notably very high fixed costs in the form of buying and maintaining aircraft, and the problem that a half-empty flight is almost as expensive to operate as a full one. Most of us fondly remember a time in the not-so-distant past when the United States had many more airlines and much more vigorous competition between them. This was a true blessing for consumers, but it was genuinely unworkable economically  the consumer bounty was based on investors, bondholders, and unionized workers losing money. So we're now shifting into an uncomfortable era of consolidation, diminished competition, higher prices, more profits, and fewer choices. And even if choice were revived by future policymakers, experience suggests that travelers will choose lower prices over higher quality, leaving air travel a perennially frustrating experience.

United suffered the downside of efficiency

The practice of "overbooking" flights  selling more tickets than there are seats available  strikes almost everyone as mildly outrageous whenever it results in someone getting bumped. The economic case for it is, however, fairly ironclad. It's simply not that uncommon for a ticketed passenger to not show up for a flight due to illness or some external change of plans. Customers also value the opportunity to reschedule flights for less than the full price of buying a brand new ticket. Meanwhile, the profit-maximizing strategy for first-class seats is generally to price them so high that they don't sell out, and then offer a few lucky passengers free upgrades  immediately freeing up space in apparently overbooked economy cabins  as a privilege of their advanced frequent flier status. An airline could, of course, refuse to overbook as a matter of policy. This would result in flying planes that were substantially less full, on average, without meaningfully reducing operating costs. Ticket prices would need to be higher as a result. No airline has seen this as a winning strategy in the marketplace, and regulators haven't tried to impose it on them. The United flight in question turns out not to have been overbooked, merely full, but United realized it needed to move some crew to Louisville to operate subsequent flights. As aviation blogger Gary Leff writes, "If the employees didn't get to Louisville, a whole plane load of passengers were going to be 'bumped' when that flight was canceled, and likely other passengers on other flights using that aircraft would have their own important travel plans screwed up as well." In principle, of course, the crew could have simply made the four-hour drive, but airline personnel generally have unions and collective bargaining agreements that mandate minimum standards of treatment for crew members who need to be shuffled around. Kicking a few passengers off a full plane to move crew to Louisville is, for better or for worse, what an efficiently run airline looks like. They didn't have tons of spare crew members hanging around in a small airport like Louisville just ready to fill in at a moment's notice. And they didn't have tons of unsold seats on flights the crew members could take. The needs of the many customers who would otherwise have been stranded in Kentucky outweighed the needs of the few who were kicked off the flight to Chicago. The system, in a sense, was working as designed. The shocking video images of a noncompliant customer being forcibly dragged off a plane, his head injured and his face bloodied, reflected some longstanding problems with the Chicago police, but it also represented a collision between the logic of optimal management of airline resources and the needs of actual human beings.

The rise and fall of deregulation

Fifty years ago, air travel was very different. Most European countries featured a dominant, state-owned airline that provided air travel for a fee as a kind of public utility, like a city bus system or the postal service or modern-day Amtrak in the United States. America took a different route, relying on privately owned airlines but heavily regulating interstate travel via an agency known as the Civil Aeronautics Board. The board regulated which airlines were allowed to fly which routes and what fares they could set  in theory, ensuring that private for-profit companies served the public interest. In part, this consisted of forcing airlines to provide cross-subsidies. An airline would get access to a lucrative route, but would also have to agree to serve a less economically viable one on an unprofitable basis. These were the grand old days of air travel, when people dressed for flights and service was lavish. Fares were also very high  about double what you'll pay today on a per-mile basis. For constitutional reasons, the Civil Aeronautics Board's regulatory authority was limited to interstate air travel. Most important air routes cross state lines, but there are some key exceptions, including Los Angeles to San Francisco and many point-to-point routes in Texas. Airlines flying these unregulated skies generally offered much lower fares. Texas, in particular, came to be home to a low-cost airline, Southwest, that exclusively flew nonregulated flights and offered much lower fares than mainstream airlines. It didn't escape the notice of residents of big Northeastern cities that a Boston-Washington flight was much more expensive than an unregulated one from LA to San Francisco. In the late 1970s, the Carter administration  strongly backed by frequent critic Ted Kennedy, with then-staffer Stephen Breyer leading the charge  acted to rescind fare regulation nationwide and open up the spigots of competition. That created a spurt of airline startups and quasi-startups in the 1980s, most of which went bust quickly, as well as the demise of two important legacy carriers, Pan-Am and Eastern, who couldn't make it in the more competitive new environment. By the 1990s, there were seven transcontinental legacy carriers: US Air, Continental, TWA, Northwest, American, United, and Delta. These big seven competed with smaller regional carriers such as Hawaiian, Alaska Air Lines, and Midwest Express, along with low-cost upstarts like AirTran and the ever-growing Southwest. The '90s were the global high-water mark for deregulatory impulses in general, and paired with generally cheap world oil prices and a generally strong US dollar, they were certainly a high point for airline deregulation as a success story. Deregulation had successfully unleashed the forces of competition on the industry, leading to lower fares and more consumer choice. It hadn't been a painless process, as the tumultuous '80s involved some spectacular bankruptcies, and the arrangements were in some ways worse for the airlines' unionized workers. But there were more routes flown and more planes in the sky, and more Americans were able to travel than ever before. The problem that emerged after the turn of the millennium was that this level of air service was only sustainable in the middle of an economic boom.

Airlines were losing tons of money

The 9/11 terrorist attacks, the small recession following the dot-com bust, the high commodity prices of the mid-aughts, and the large economic downturn of 2008 pushed the airline industry into a wave of financial losses. As of 2013 or so, the post-9/11 losses were so bad that they had wiped out more than 100 percent of all profits incurred by all US-based airlines in history. Over the past couple of years, a return to strong profitability has finally reversed the losses, but exploring them is critical to understanding why the present situation is so unsatisfactory. One basic dilemma of the industry is that it's difficult for a big airline to respond in a smooth way to a decline in demand. The cost of flying a plane from Cincinnati to Phoenix is largely driven by the distance between the cities and the fuel and staffing costs associated with a plane of any given size. If demand for travel on one route drops while demand on some other route is increasing, you can optimize by switching a smaller plane to the less popular route and deploying a bigger plane to the more popular one. But if demand is falling across the network, you can't just shrink all your planes by 5 or 10 percent. You need to either go whole hog and cancel entire routes  which will cause your revenue to fall even further  or inefficiently fly a bunch of half-empty planes. If one particular airline faced a downturn, it could at least sell some of its idled planes to raise capital. But if all airlines are facing a downturn, then there's nobody to sell to. So even your idled planes are costing you money, since they need to be stored and maintained somewhere. The only realistic solutions involve taking on debts to cover losses while keeping some semblance of your route network intact, and pressuring unions for givebacks to management. Both tactics tend to encourage airlines to declare bankruptcy, either to get out of old debts or to wriggle out of old obligations to workers, and so the 21st century has been a boom time for airline bankruptcies. The bankruptcies themselves have driven waves of consolidation. A bankrupt airline needs new investors to revive itself, and the investors who are willing to pay the highest price are generally other existing airlines, which talk themselves into the idea that combining route networks will create a new whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Consolidation has worked to increase profits

The consolidation shakeout unfolded over several years but has left the United States, in practice, with radically fewer airlines. TWA was the first to fall in late 2001, having done bankruptcy reorganizations twice already in the '90s and calling it quits shortly after 9/11 to be bought by American. Northwest was absorbed into Delta. US Air was bought by a financially healthy low-cost upstart called America West, which then adopted the US Air name. American Airlines was then bought out of bankruptcy by the new US Air, which promptly rebranded itself American. Midwest went bankrupt and was absorbed by Frontier. Southwest continued its steady growth, including by an acquisition of the then-bankrupt AirTran. The result is a new paradigm in which these big four airlines control more than 80 percent of the American passenger market, with the remaining 20 percent balkanized across a bunch of smaller carriers. Some of this consolidation was undoubtedly necessary and even appropriate. Antitrust authorities can't force private businesses to run unprofitable airlines indefinitely just because that's convenient for consumers. And at times, the merger of two smaller airlines into a single larger one is good for competition because it builds a larger route network that can compete more effectively with the big players. America West's takeover of US Air, for example, decreased the number of independently owned players in the industry but increased the number of companies offering comprehensive nationwide service. The result, for many people looking to reach a wide range of destinations, was in practice more choice rather than less. But as Justin Elliott has detailed for ProPublica, the final merger that brought the number of big carriers down from five to four  between American and US Air in 2015 was intensely controversial among professional regulators, and appears to have gotten through in a storm of lobbying and political pressure. Proponents note that American was bankrupt at the time and had no other bidders  without a merger, it arguably wouldn't exist at all. Skeptics note that T-Mobile and AT&T offered similar arguments to the Obama administration when they wanted to merge. But when that deal was rejected, T-Mobile's owners turned out to have been bluffing, and an independent T-Mobile actually unleashed a wave of competition and innovation around the industry. Either way, the consolidated airline industry is working essentially as planned. Ongoing economic recovery has meant higher fares and more crowded planes, leading to fat margins. The industry will still almost certainly take big losses the next time there's a recession, but it will be operating with a financial cushion rather than a debt overhang, and the current paradigm offers a clear road map for a return to profitability whenever the economy recovers. By the same token, if consumers feel they are paying more to ride on more crowded airplanes with steadily devalued rewards programs, they are not mistaken  that's what an oligopolistic industry with limited competition will get you.

People don't want to pay for quality

The collapse of the dream of the '90s has led rather inevitably to a backlash and, at times, even a nostalgia for the old pre-deregulation days of the Civil Aeronautics Board. @matthewstoller: The beating up of this airline passenger due to @United's mismanagement should be dedicated to Alfred Kahn.

But while the on-board beatdown is a golden rhetorical opportunity for anyone trying to make any point about the airline industry, it truly doesn't fit the facts. Despite "deregulation," the airline industry is, in fact, highly regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration, especially with regard to matters related to bumping of passengers. Authorities could, and probably should, increase the compensation owed to involuntarily bumped passengers and avoid some of the specific dynamics that gave rise to this incident. The conduct of the Chicago Police Department, meanwhile, is both deeply troubling and part of a much larger pattern of excessive force and other issues exhaustively explored in a recent Justice Department inquiry. Meanwhile, as proponents of re-regulation ought to know, the old system was aimed not at encouraging competition but at preventing it. The idea was to discourage damaging price wars on popular routes, ensuring that airlines would earn fat surpluses on them in exchange for operating money-losing routes to other cities. @matthewstoller: Airlines need to be broken up and re-regulated. This piece by @linamkhan and Phil Longman is essential reading. There's a reasonable argument to be had about whether people flying from Houston to Phoenix should pay higher fares in order to subsidize people flying from Cleveland to St. Louis. Doing a complicated series of opaque cross-subsidies that increase costs to some consumers without explicit taxes or direct assistance to the poor would be a very American way of trying to address a social problem. But a subsidy mechanism is not a free lunch  it's simply a way of shifting around who pays. By the same token, the good old days in the 1980s and '90s of high competition and falling fares weren't a free lunch either  passengers were enjoying a collective subsidy from overly optimistic investors and lenders. In the long run, for air travel to be better, passengers would have to pay for it. And decades' worth of evidence suggests we prefer cheap and safe to pleasant. Policy aimed at reviving aviation competition would likely do exactly what past rounds of pro-competition aviation policy have done  lower prices while making the consumer experience worse.

The triumph of no-frills aviation
The global aerospace industry is fast becoming venture capitalists' new frontier, according to Francois Chopard, the CEO of aerospace accelerator Starburst Accelerator.

Speaking to CNBC's "The Rundown" on Wednesday, Chopard said, "We've seen a couple of announcements for start-ups willing to build electric commercial aircraft, so it's not only space that is booming, but more the global aerospace sector that is looking for disruptions."

With Jeff Bezos announcing his plans to sell $1 billion in Amazon stock each year to finance his space venture, Blue Origin, as well as the recent successful launches of Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket, Chopard said he's bullish on the global aerospace sector as a whole.

"We just realized recently that with the success of SpaceX and a couple of others, it was feasible for entrepreneurs with great ideas and great technologies to bring satellites with rockets and send them to space," he said.

April 12 marks the International Day of Human Space Flight, commemorating the first human space flight by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961. So in the spirit of space exploration, Chopard said the aerospace industry is seeing more tech-driven breakthroughs globally.

"We've seen from the last five years dozens and dozens of start-ups, not only from the U.S., but also from Europe and Asia," he said.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson enter a hall during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, April 12, 2017.

Last week's U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack must not be repeated, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday, Russian state media reported.

President Trump ordered the strike, citing a chemical attack that killed at least 86 people that the he blamed on the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is a close Russian ally and has depended on Russian military support in a six-year-old civil war.

Tillerson met with Lavrov in Moscow to urge Russia to end its support for Assad. Tillerson is the first Trump administration official to visit Russia, and the meeting likely was tense.

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On Tuesday, top U.S. officials rebuked Russia for either being complicit in the April 4 chemical attack or incompetence for failing to ensure that Assad destroyed all of his chemical weapons in 2013, as Russia promised it would guarantee.

Defense Secretary James Mattis said military intelligence confirmed that the Syrians dropped a lethal nerve gas on a rebel-held town and rejected Russian claims that the chemical was released when Syrian aircraft bombed a rebel lab.

The White House also said there is overwhelming evidence that Syria used a sarin nerve agent and that Russia is trying to help Assad's government cover up the illegal use of chemical weapons.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Putin could meet with Tillerson "if it is decided" that he needs to be briefed on the outcome of the talks.

Peskov said that calls for Russia to distance itself from Assad are "short-sighted" and "absurd," because they disregard the need to fight terrorism and to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.

Putin said relations with the U.S. have worsened in the first few months of Trump's presidency.

"It can be said that the level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better but most likely has degraded," he told state broadcaster Mir TV.

Putin told Mir TV that the U.S. broke international law by striking the air base without providing evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons.

"Most recently, we saw rather alarming steps, when an unlawful attack against Syria was carried out," Lavrov said at the meeting with Tillerson, according to Russian news agency TASS.

"Russia's leadership has already voiced its principal assessments in this respect. We believe it is of principal importance to prevent risks of a repeat of such steps in the future," he added.

Tillerson said the U.S. and Russia had "sharp differences" that he was seeking to "better understand" so they can be narrowed.

"We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open," he said, according to the Associated Press.

Putin has said that Russia will appeal to the United Nations to investigate the chemical attack.

On Tuesday at a G7 summit in Italy, Tillerson said Russia must choose between aligning itself with the U.S. and other Western nations or Assad, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah.

President Trump told Fox Business Network's Mornings with Maria that Putin is "backing a person that's truly an evil person" in his support for Assad. The interview was scheduled to air Wednesday morning.

Russia's foreign ministry said it hoped for constructive talks with Tillerson on the eve of the meetings.

"In the course of the forthcoming talks we would like to realize first and foremost to what extent the United States is aware of the need for stabilization and normalization of bilateral relations," the ministry said in a statement carried by TASS on Tuesday.

Russia is also hoping Tillerson's trip will help it better understand Washington's plans for North Korea, TASS reported.
CLIFTON PARK >> Nine-year Shenendehowa Board of Education incumbent Mary Blaauboer Tuesday announced she will not seek reelection for another term.

Blaauboer made the announcement at the conclusion of a testy board meeting that revealed numerous positions on how to proceed with the disposition of a surplus 34 acre district parcel near Shatekon Elementary School.

When I came on the board I said I wanted to do what right for kids, she said. Thats been my primary goal. I have discussed this with my family and have decided that this is my last term. I will not seek reelection.

Blaauboer was one of four board members who voted to sell the 34 acres to developer BBL in December. At Gowana Middle School gym last Tuesday as the permissive referendum was underway, she said she had all the forms to run for the seat filled out at her home but had not turned them in to the district office. She had no comment when asked whether she wanted to run again.

In addition to Blaauboers announcement Tuesday, incumbent board member Bill Casey distributed a press release announcing his intention to run for another term.

Casey led the minority side of the boards vote on the land sale issue on Dec. 6 making an emotional request that one member change their vote to squash the sale.

The whole land sale discussion was an eye-opener for me, he said in a statement. I have learned many lessons from this recent experience -first and foremost is the need to listen and respect the will of the residents  and to be as transparent as possible  even when making tough decisions.

Casey is a retired assistant deputy comptroller for the State of New York with 35 years of state employment. He is a 12 year school board member with three years as board vice president and four as the president.

Also announcing her intention to run for a seat on the board was newcomer Alexandra (Alex) Blais. She turned in all the required paper work to district headquarters Tuesday.

Blais is a former Shenendehowa student and director of public policy for the Home Care Association of New York State. She is married to a Shen teacher.

In a statement announcing her candidacy she said she is a mother of two children under three years of age and feels that the school board should include representation from parents of future Shenendehowa students.

Decisions made now take time to implement and have lasting impact, she said in a statement. I have a vested interest in the strategic direction of this school district. While many Board candidates each year are part of the existing district establishment, that is what sets me apart. I represent a large cohort of parents with young children, not yet formally engaged with the district, and also the community at large.

Anyone wishing to run for the two seats on the board must have their nominating petitions in to the district office by 5 p.m. April 18. Forms can be picked up in the office. Each seat carries a three year term. There is no salary.

The school budget vote and board of education election will be held on 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. May 16 in the Gowana Middle School gym.
The reverse depicts Frederick Douglass seated at a writing desk with his home in Washington, D.C., in the background.

The 2017 Frederick Douglass National Historic Site 5-ounce silver bullion quarter dollar is the 37th in the series, released as part of the America the Beautiful quarters program from the U.S. Mint.

The 2017 Frederick Douglass National Historic Site 5-ounce silver bullion quarter dollar was offered for sale by the U.S. Mint to its authorized purchasers for the first time on April 3.

Initial orders were placed for 12,000 coins, for a total of 60,000 ounces of .999 fine silver.

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The authorized purchasers are from the same network of buyers approved to purchase American Eagle and American Buffalo bullion coins.

Another botched release from the United States Mint: Inside Coin World: The release of the Congratulations set adds to the narrative that the U.S. Mint needs to overhaul its approach to limited-edition releases.

The 5-ounce silver bullion quarter dollars are not sold directly to the general public. Instead, they are sold through a network of authorized purchasers who buy the coins from the U.S. Mint based on the closing London PM spot price per troy ounce of silver on a given day, plus a $9.75 per coin premium. The coins may then be sold at a markup to collectors, investors, and other dealers.

For the 2017 Frederick Douglass National Historic Site 5-ounce silver bullion quarter dollar, the issue has a maximum authorization of 150,000 combined in bullion and Uncirculated versions. U.S. Mint officials have not yet disclosed the split, but previous 5-ounce silver bullion releases have had 120,000 coins reserved for the bullion market, with the provision that should bullion coin demand exceed 120,000 pieces, an additional amount could be reallocated to bullion production from the Uncirculated coin allotment.

The bullion and Uncirculated versions are both struck on the same dedicated press for producing the series at the Philadelphia Mint. The Uncirculated version bears the facility's P Mint mark while the bullion version does not. The Uncirculated version, which is sold to the public as a numismatic product, receives a post-strike finish.

The coin's reverse was designed by Thomas Hipschen, an artist with the U.S. Mint's Artistic Infusion Program, and a former engraver for U.S. paper money with the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The design was sculptured by U.S. Mint Sculptor-Engraver Phebe Hemphill.

The reverse depicts Frederick Douglass seated at a writing desk with his home in Washington, D.C., in the background.

The obverse bears then U.S. Mint Sculptor Engraver William Cousins rendering of George Washington, first used for the State quarter dollar series of 1999 to 2008. Cousins work is based on sculptor John Flanagan's original portrait of Washington as executed for the Washington quarter dollar, introduced in 1932. Flanagans portrait of Washington was based on a bust of the nations first president by French sculptor Jean-Antoine Houdon.
The Perth Mints newest limited mintage silver bullion coin, a 2017 Swan 1-ounce coin, sold out its 25,000-coin mintage in less than 48 hours.

Swans can fly as fast as 50 miles per hour, but a silver Swan can fly off the shelves at an equally impressive rate.

The Perth Mints new Swan 1-ounce silver bullion coin went on sale April 2, and all 25,000 coins sold out within less than 48 hours. The Perth Mint announced the coins availability on social media, sending out a tweet at the same time the media was informed of the release.

The $1 coin features a swan on the reverse, the first time the Perth Mint (whose logo also is a stylized swan) has featured this design showcasing one of the worlds most distinct and unique species.

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The Perth Mints operations are situated in the heart of Perth, the capital and largest city of Western Australia. The city is located on the shores of the Swan River, where one of the first colonies in the territory, originally called Swan River Colony, was founded in 1829. The swan became the symbol of Western Australia.

The obverse features the Ian Rank-Broadley likeness of Queen Elizabeth II, the monetary denomination and the 2017 year-date.

The reverse design features a beautiful swan swimming on a watery surface. The water in the design fills the bottom third of the design area, extending to the rim, appearing to run behind and beyond the smooth circular border that contains the inscription THE 1OZ 9999 AUSTRALIAN SILVER SWAN. The Perth Mints P Mint mark is in the field above and behind the swan.

The .9999 fine silver coin design shows the graceful bird in its classic profile, displaying the swans long neck, which enables it to forage for food on the river bed, and its broad wings, which can span up to two meters, tucked together on its back.

The coin is the first in whats expected to be an annual series of 1-ounce limited mintage Swan silver bullion coins with designs varying each year, much like the heralded Koala and Kookaburra coin series from the Perth Mint.

The coins measure 40.6 millimeters in diameter, the same size as the Kookaburra and Koala 1-ounce silver coins.

Another botched release from the United States Mint: Inside Coin World: The release of the Congratulations set adds to the narrative that the U.S. Mint needs to overhaul its approach to limited-edition releases.

The Swan coins are packaged individually in a plastic capsule and were sold in rolls of 20 coins, with five rolls sealed in a 100-ounce box.

Since the sellout, the coins are trading online at prices from $55 to $60 each, about three times their precious metal value.
April 12, 2017

 Over the past 50 years, NASA's Mission Control in Houston has undergone a number of upgrades, improving the technologies that support humans in space. The facility's next renovation though, is notably focused on achieving the opposite  rolling back decades of changes to return its most famous room to how it looked when the first astronauts landed on the moon.



The Mission Operations Control Room, located on the third floor of the Christopher C. Kraft, Jr. Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas, is about to get a $5 million restoration to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and serve as an inspiration for the generations of visitors who come to see it on public tours.



"I believe this is going to be the tribute that the men, and a few women, are provided for the years of dedication," said Eugene Kranz, the famed flight director who led the room when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed at Tranquility Base on July 20, 1969 and when the Apollo 13 astronauts radioed, "Houston, we've had a problem," a year later. "It's a real pleasure to address the era that we worked in, with technologies that we worked with in the 1950s and 60s."







NASA's Mission Control in Houston, Texas, as seen in 1969 during the Apollo 11 first moon landing mission. (NASA)

Designated by the National Park Service as a landmark in 1985, the Apollo-era Mission Operations Control Room-2 (MOCR-2, also known as Flight Control Room-2, or FCR- 2) has been left in more or less the condition it was when it controlled its last flight, space shuttle Discovery's STS-53 mission in December 1992. The restoration will strip away the later-era modifications to present the room in the state for which it is best known.



"The room was actively in use for 30 years. It was used for the shuttle program, so it has been adapted," said William Harris, president and CEO of Space Center Houston. "The room is very barebones at this point. It is kind of shell of what it had been during that era."



Authorized personnel only



"As the official visitor center for Johnson Space Center, we are authorized to take guests behind the scenes. Our most popular stop is the control room," said Harris. "Guests love going into the viewing area and hearing about the missions that took place. It is an important part of American history and space history."







"Authorized Personnel Only." Stanchions now block access to the consoles in the Mission Operations Control Room. (collectSPACE)

For years, the public has been able see the room through two tours operated by Space Center Houston. They could board a tram to see the room from behind the glass of the viewing gallery where dignitaries and the astronauts' family members were seated during the missions, or they could take a premium, more limited tour that provided access to the floor of the MOCR and even the opportunity to sit down at the consoles.



Further, as an active facility  another room in the building is the control center for the International Space Station and is continuously staffed by flight controllers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week  anyone with authorized access to the Mission Control Center could enter the Apollo MOCR, too. Now, with the restoration pending, that has changed.



"We've implemented security protocols, so now the access is very limited to the room," Harris said in an interview with collectSPACE. "We have stanchioned off the consoles, so [public] tours and other VIP tours can enter the room, but they are restricted as to where they can go. Visitors can no longer sit in the seats at the consoles."



Authentic space



On April 19, project leaders from Space Center Houston, NASA and the Texas Historical Commission will meet with the National Park Service to review the proposed plans for the control room's restoration.



"That review will look at everything we might do to restore the room," said Harris. "If it goes well  and we anticipate it will, because there has been a lot of work done already on identifying the components that need to be restored  work will begin as soon as possible after that date."







The view of the Apollo-era Mission Operations Control Room from the same viewing gallery used by dignitaries and astronaut family members during the Apollo missions. (collectSPACE)

Using documentation, footage and photos that were taken during the missions, as well as the direct advice of Apollo- era controllers (including Kranz), a detailed plan has been put forth that includes everything from matching the carpet that was in place during the Apollo missions and repairing the walnut railing that lined the tiered rows of workstations, to restoring the consoles to their 1969 configuration.



"The goal is to illuminate the consoles and add artifacts to the space from the era, so that visitors get a depiction of what it was like [and] what was going on in that space at the time of the landing on the moon," described Harris.



Some of the proposed work will be relatively easy, such as sourcing period ash trays, coffee mugs, pencils and tape dispensers to dress the consoles as they were used nearly 50 years ago. That same period of time though, presents challenges, too, particularly with regards to repowering the consoles.



"Some of that technology no longer exists," Harris stated. "You cannot get all the tubes and other components. The object is to restore it to the best of our ability in a way that it will last for the decades to come. In some areas, we are going to have use to other technology to represent it as it was at the time. It will all be represented as accurately as is possible."







The original Mission Control consoles, which were adapted for use during the space shuttle program, will be restored such that they are configured and can be re-lit as they were during the Apollo 11 moon landing mission in July 1969. (collectSPACE)

The intention is to provide visitors with a view into the past, letting the room reality of the room speak for itself.



"We do want to stay away from is making it too theatrical," said Harris. "It is really about the authentic space. We want to restore it without creating a lot of drama, because that can be a distraction."



The Webster Challenge



"There has been incredible commitment from the Johnson Space Center, from the Apollo alumni and from us to get this done," stated Harris. "Our goal is have the restoration done in time for the anniversary of Apollo 11 in July 2019, so we are working really hard to do that."



"We would like to get it done a little sooner than that, if that is possible. There's been a goal to potentially have it done by the anniversary of Apollo 8 [the first to orbit the moon] in December 2018. But there are so many wild cards," he said.



One of those "cards" might have been how to pay for the restoration, were it not for a substantial gift  $3.5 million  from a longtime partner of Space Center Houston.







Webster City Manager Wayne Sabo (at right) and Finance Director Mike Rodgers (left) pose with Space Center Houston President and CEO William Harris in front of a Mission Control console on exhibit at Space Center Houston. (collectSPACE)

"We had a long-term relationship with the City of Webster," explained Harris. "They have been a sponsor for some 15 years and they have really enjoyed our relationship. Many of our guests stay in Webster hotels and they frequent the businesses in the city of Webster. So they really value the relationship with Space Center Houston and our visitors."



The donation, which is the largest philanthropic gift in the history of Space Center Houston, stems from taxes the city collects on hotel stays.



"The Hotel Occupancy Tax is restricted by state law how you can spend it," said Mike Rodgers, finance director for the city of Webster, who was the first to propose the gift to the city's council. "One of the things you can spend it on is historical restoration. And because we had this relationship with Space Center Houston, it was one of those light bulb moments."



"The gift itself is courtesy of the thousands of people who stay in our hotels when they visit Space Center Houston. We are the primary place where everyone stays when they come here and it is because of that that we can do this," said Rodgers.



Of the $3.5 million pledged, $3.1 million will underwrite the core restoration of the Mission Operations Control Room and its viewing gallery. Space Center Houston is seeking to raise another $1.5 million to cover the future upkeep of the control room and other related improvements, such as upgrading the elevator that even back in the Apollo years, wasn't always reliable ("The men who worked in the Apollo control room told us that during missions they never took the elevator because it would get stuck. It was not a high budgetary priority when it was put in," said Harris.")







Plaque designating the Apollo Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center a National Historic Landmark in 1985. (collectSPACE)

To that end, $400,000 of the city's donation has been set aside for the Webster Challenge, a 1 to 1 matching pledge for an upcoming crowdfunding campaign that will invite the public to help with the restoration.



"It is very exciting for us," said Wayne Sabo, Webster's city manager. "All of us, of our age, remember exactly where we were when they stepped on the moon. I have been in Mission Control and just the feeling of it, standing there, is amazing."



"I think they will come up with the real wonder of what we did, the kinds of tools we had, and individual commitment dedicated needed to do a job that was never done before," said Kranz of the room's restoration. "When [future young visitors] leave Mission Control, I think they [will] remember we accomplished our mission and they must step forward for theirs."



For more details or to donate to the restoration, see Space Center Houston's "On A Mission" website.
Types of obituaries

The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries  family obituaries and life stories.

A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries

A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories.
Boone County voter turnout estimate drops ahead of election

Election turnout is expected to be lower than anticipated compared to estimates in October, Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said.
Apple analysts are ditching stock in the companys third-party component supply chain, warning that the iPhone maker has begun bringing development of many pieces used inside its next-generation devices in-house.

Apple takes over

Apple clearly intends bringing as much of its supply chain in-house as possible.

Just over a week ago, UK company Imagination warned that it would cease using Imaginations GPU designs within 18-24 months.

Apple has asserted that it has been working on a separate, independent graphics design in order to control its products and will be reducing its future reliance on Imaginations technology, the UK firm warned.

Apple has already hired numerous Imagination engineers to work on its own proprietary GPU processors, and is advertising for more.

That would have been that, I guess, but yesterday saw another UK-based Apple parts supplier hit by claims it may be losing Cupertinos business. Dialog Semiconductor shares fell a dramatic 20 percent following a Bankhaus Lampe analyst warning.

Managing power

There is strong evidence that Apple is developing its own power-management integrated circuits and intends to replace the chip made by Dialog at least in part, wrote analyst Karsten Iltgen.

The analyst cited speculation heard by themselves that Apple is building its own power-management chips.

There has been a steady stream of Dialog engineers to Apple in the last few years, a Bloomberg report claimed, noting that the smaller firms 1,500 engineers far outnumber the approximately 80 thought to be working on the project at Apple.

The number of people Apple employs to work on this component may not mean too much, given that it already boasts extensive chip expertise across graphics and processors.

Is it not possible the company is leveraging the combined strength of teams drawn from different disciplines?

Power management

This is a power management matter. Not in terms of electrical power, but in terms of control of the supply chain. Apple drives profitability for key firms in the mobile sector, and those profits are used to develop technologies then made available to competitors in the vertical markets it plays in. Apple management may no longer be interested in financing external R&D departments for its competitors.

This isnt the first time weve seen an Apple supply chain decision impact third party component makers: Wolfson Microelectronics hit the ground fast once Apple ceased using its DACs, that company now sits within the Cirrus Logic family.

(The latter company also owes around 70 percent of its business to the Mac maker).

Current, core, and currency

Follow the current and you see signs of other activity within the Apple supply chain core. Credit Suisse this morning warns that Synaptics may also be at risk as its biggest client moves component design in house.

The company builds interface technologies, driver displays, and biometric tech for Apple. The analysts didnt say there was a definite risk, just that it was more at risk than other companies that remain in the component supply chain.

The assessment isnt unreasonable.

Synaptics left the chain in the iPod days, but its 2014 acquisition of LCD driver manufacturer, Renesas SP Drivers, apparently bought it back into the frame.

What makes that situation interesting is that Apple had itself bid for Renesas SP, and has (according to this report) hired engineers from that firm to develop its own LCD tech.

Et tu, ARM?

This storm of rumor and speculation is hitting stock prices across Apples supply chain.

While its open to question if this is just a case of investor jitters and market speculation, it does beg asking one more thing: Will Apple replace ARM?

There seems little reason for the company to do so, but the recent Softbank acquisition and use of ARM technologies in products from a range of competitors means its a question worth asking.

After all, if Apple wants to control the primary technologies used inside its products, why wouldnt it want to develop a completely unique processor?

We can all recall the bad old PowerPC days when the fortunes of the Mac were damaged by Apples then partners, IBM and Motorola. That lesson must surely inform some of Cupertino managements current decisions.

A New Electronics editorial today speculates the company may even imitate Samsung in a move to RISC-V.

One thing is for sure: this game is in play and its hard to figure out what the next move might be when looking into CEO Tim Cooks poker face.

Perhaps AAPL will grant a little more insight when it reveals its Q2 2017 results on May 2. Im in no doubt this succession of significant moves reflects a company putting together the kind of foundations it needs for a highly significant product play.

Want a prediction? I can't help but imagine significant M&A activity soon -- why would Apple bet a billion on a ride sharing company, and not bet a similar amount on securing its own processor supply?

Google+? If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user, why not join AppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner community and join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple?

Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld.
Ben Roback is a Senior Account Executive at Cicero Group and a member of the US Embassys Young Leaders UK programme.

Leadership week happened upon the White House just when President Trump needed it most. After the major disappointment of the healthcare bill, the President desperately needed an opportunity to look presidential  he got three. In a single week span that was symptomatic of the speed at which the political news cycle moves in the Trump era, Washington saw a new Supreme Court justice confirmed and its Senate process changed forever; a bilateral summit between the two most powerful world leaders; and a return to American military interventionism in the Middle East after years of diplomatic dithering under President Obama. Behind the news headlines and shifting political tectonic plates, factions within the White House still threaten to undermine a rare period of clear leadership.

Its rationalists versus nationalists, but family will always win

With a policy background based that is limited beyond New York real estate, it is a well known fact that this president leans heavily on his advisers to fill in the gaps, whereas more establishment politicians rely on a worldview developed over a career. The ideology of those advisers therefore becomes critical as the battle for the Presidents heart and mind is fought by two competing camps  the rationalists and nationalists.

In an acute exercise in political PR, the rationalist camp, spearheaded by Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, presents itself as the sensible, centrist wing of the administration committed to more sensible policy objectives. Their domestic and international view is more digestible amongst the moderate Republicans whose support for Trump is not guaranteed but absolutely required in the legislative process. An important moderating force, the rationalists are a typically New York set, bejewelled with Goldman Sachs alumni including Gary Cohn and Dina Powell.

The rationalists perspective is the polar opposite to that of the nationalists. Led by the America-Firster-in-Chief, Steve Bannon, they are at the more extreme fringes of Republican policy; not many chief strategists to the President would be found on a public stage willingly outlining their plans to break up the administrative state. Bannon is joined on the front line by Peter Navarro, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Stephen Miller in pursuing the America First agenda, no matter how domestic and diplomatic allegiances are sacrificed in the process.

It was the nationalist wing who scored the early big wins in the administration, best exemplified by the first immigration executive order. Since then, their power has faded; Bannon is now rumoured to be fighting for his job. The removal of Kathleen McFarland from the role of deputy national security adviser showed the growing influence of HR McMaster, the national security adviser who replaced Michael Flynn. McMaster is considered to be among the adult cadre of establishment Republicans, ushering the President towards a more conventional foreign policy agenda.

The key indicator for the rising influence of the rationalists is the ever-growing profile of Kushner, Trumps 36-year-old son-in-law and princeling in the White House. His workload has expanded to superhuman levels and he is charged with: leading the Office of American Innovation; the Middle East peace process; American military involvement in Iraq; and external liaison with Muslim communities. While Kushners stock is continually rising, Bannons is falling. This week he was kicked off the National Security Council, the position to which he was controversially appointed during his highest point of influence. His views appear better suited to the campaign trail, where sweeping statements about Chinese steel dumping and Mexican wage undercutting fired voters up from Alabama to Arkansas. When navigating the intricate waters of policy making in Washington, it is the suit and tie approach of Kushner that appears more able to get business done. That he is the husband of Trumps daughter, Ivanka, only serves to boost Kushners standing in what essentially remains a family business at its core.

In his latest press briefing, Sean Spicer reported the President is very confident that Bannon and Kushner can resolve their differences, after claims that Trump ordered the two men to sit down and iron things out last weekend. In the battle for the heart and mind of the President, the winner will find himself in a position of unparalleled power in this White House. Luckily for Kushner, family always wins.

The standalone Syria reaction doesnt tell us much about Trumpism

The leading source of influence over President Trumps decision to return fire on Bashar al Assads heinous act of barbarism is unknown. The now routine photo of a president and his top team huddled around monitors showed Kushner with a seat at the table while Bannon was pushed to the periphery. Trumps shift to intervention did not represent a changing foreign policy agenda. He is neither interventionist nor protectionist, but at most an opportunist and the chance to look presidential was too good to pass up. Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the UN, and Rex Tillerson, Secretary of State, offered completely contrasting views of intervention in Syria on the Sunday shows, whereas the President himself remains silently on the fence. Trumpism on the international stage remains a great unknown. It is of course possible that seeing images of babies struggling to breathe under the weight of poisonous chemicals motivated Trump to act in with the most immediate impact. Since then, it has been the populist right of Trumps support that has vocally opposed the air strikes. A loss for the Bannon camp is a victory for Kushners.
Sturgeon talks down snap election over indyref standoff

The First Minister of Scotland has dismissed suggestions that she might engineer a snap election to the Scottish Parliament to try to break her deadlock with Theresa May, according to the BBC earlier this week.

Nicola Sturgeon has already ruled out a legal challenge too (on the sound basis that her recent 11-0 defeat at the Supreme Court bodes ill for such chicanery). This leaves an attempt to wriggle round Westminsters control of the referendum  as reported in this column last week  as seemingly the only game-changing gambit not yet ruled out.

Of course, the SNP have good reason to be cautious: by no means is all of their vote separatist, and they cant be sure how an election campaign fought explicitly to gain a mandate for a near-future re-fight of 2014 would affect their coalition.

Only this week, the Scotsman reported a YouGov poll which found a clear majority of Scots believe that a generation must be at least 20 years long, which will confirm the instincts of unionists who are trying to hold the separatists to their claim that the 2014 referendum was a one in a generation event.

With the polls in a bad place it may actually suit Sturgeon for the Prime Minister to hit pause, for it allows the her to keep her activists simmering nicely without being forced into a make-or-break decision.

Yet two more stories from the Scotsman highlight the perils of waiting: the SNPs governmental fixation with independence is being blamed for 6.5 billion in lost growth, whilst Labour claim that spending on Scottish pupils has fallen by over 1 billion in just seven years.

Brokenshire sets deadline for talks as Ulster Unionists elect a new leader

The Northern Irish Secretary has set Good Friday as the deadline for the current negotiations about forming a devolved executive, according to the Belfast Telegraph.

In a bid to increase pressure on the local parties  who already missed his initial deadline  James Brokenshire insisted that talks could not continue indefinitely and only a narrow window remained.

The Guardian reports that Parliament may need to legislate to restore control of some Stormont departments to Westminster by the end of April. The use of emergency British cash to keep certain sectors ticking over in the absence of an Ulster budget has apparently been described as direct rule by stealth.

Such a course may set the Government up for a clash with its Irish counterpart, who appear to believe that the British have undertaken never to restore direct rule. London doesnt seem to share this view, and has already rebuked Enda Kenny, the Irish prime minister, for suggesting it.

Elsewhere the Ulster Unionists have crowned their new leader. Robin Swann was the only candidate to succeed Mike Nesbitt, who stepped aside following the partys disastrous showing in last months snap election.

After the UUP fell from third to fourth place in the Assembly, the North Antrim MLA has said that he wants to build a non-threatening, positive unionism. It will be interesting to see whether he can maintain this approach. The DUP have predictably reacted to their self-inflicted humbling by urging a unionist unity pact on Swann.

Such a move might shore up capital-U Unionist representation in the short term, at the expense of locking the Unionist parties into a fatally narrow offer that not only fails to cut through with Catholics but sheds liberal, less tribal Protestant voters to alternatives like the Alliance.

Reckless defects from UKIP to Conservatives in the Welsh Assembly

UKIP hadnt long broken into the Welsh Assembly before things went awry: Neil Hamilton, the disgraced ex-Conservative MP who somehow ended up on the partys list, stood against and defeated Nathan Gill for the leadership of the Assembly group.

His putsch was confirmed by then-leader Diane James (who is herself considering defecting back to the Tories) but condemned by Nigel Farage, and fitted into the broader pattern of infighting wracking the Peoples Army at the time.

Now Welsh UKIP are following those wider trends once again: Mark Reckless, another former Conservative MP who followed Douglas Carswell over the top, has re-ratted to the Tories. Like Carswell, he claims that UKIPs primary mission was accomplished with the Leave vote in 2016.

He also faces criticism for his failure to stand down from his seat  made worse by the fact that, unlike Carswell, hes a list AM and thus has no personal mandate of his own. However, he points out that the PR system means he couldnt defend himself in a by-election, as his seat would simply be allotted to the next candidate on UKIPs 2016 list.

As for his status, its a little complicated. Reckless is taking the Tory whip at Cardiff Bay, taking the Conservatives back into second place with 12 seats (Plaid having lost former leader Dafyd Elis Thomas last autumn), but hes not rejoined the party.
Rebecca Lowe Coulson is a freelance writer, and was Parliamentary Candidate for the City of Durham at the 2015 General Election.

Ive never been excited about Australia before. Sure, it has Paul Keating, head-kicking Shiraz, and quite attractive people. But now I find my interest growing to the extent that Id better reconsider something Ive always opposed. If compulsory voting has been good enough for the Aussies since 1924, then why not for us?

The challenges that our world faces offer an opportunity to re-examine the fundamentals of politics; the existential criticisms currently directed at our political practices make such examinations essential. Compulsory voting leads us to questions at the heart of this reappraisal. Why do we vote? Why should we? Is it a right, a duty, or both? What does it mean when the composition of those voting in a countrys elections differs substantially and systematically from its full electorate? Do the results of democracy matter in themselves, or is it simply a mechanism to enable justified decision-making?

In his Times column () last week, Philip Collins suggested that mandating the mandate could help politics to start the long haul back to respectability. Centring on the societal benefits of upping the voting rate, he argued that this would end the tradition of expedient politicians focusing on the politicised few (privileged older people, who arent interested in important stuff like increasing the housing stock and the poors access to it).

Turnouts in UK general elections have decreased since World War Two  but this isnt a simple story of decline. Between 1945 and 1997, the rate didnt fall below 70 per cent, and was often pushing on or above 80. It dropped significantly in the run-up to the millennium, yet has increased in each subsequent election. Moreover, the higher turnouts of the EU and Scottish referendums (72 and 85 per cent, respectively) show that political participation isnt dead. As Collins points out, however, sample size isnt everything.

This is typified by the Brexit vote, in which certain segments of society were seriously underrepresented  the young being the classic example (only 64 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds voted, as opposed to 90 per cent of over 65s). Ok, our constituency-based elections are more representative, in some senses, than those using a single electorate. But Collins is undeniably right when he says we have policies designed to appeal to the people who vote. You can prove this in three words: Triple. Lock. Pensions.

So why dont people vote? The traditional explanation relies on opportunity costs: if the costs of you voting are greater than your expected gain, why would you? After all, those costs typically increase for people with less economic and social capital. And the assessment of likely gains is biased by awareness of the ridiculously small chance of your vote being decisive. Sure, there are convincing threshold arguments that explain why we might nonetheless care about being part of a collective win  but its easy to understand disillusionment.

If our overall aim is to refine the representative nature of government, however, we have options aside from coercing people to vote. And although its usually assumed that introducing compulsory voting forces a country to improve its civic education, that doesnt necessarily follow: improving civic education might be better seen as a method for upping voting rates than a happy by-product of having done so by force.

Whilst Collins claims that compulsory voting is not a device to change the result, his argument does rely on what he sees as the instrumental improvements such a policy would bring. Maybe its a rhetorical point, but whos to say that forcing the young to vote would fix the housing problem? The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophys entry on the justice of compulsory voting concludes that the empirical literature so far shows that compulsory voting gets citizens to vote, but its not clear it does much else. Even if it did, wed still face the unintended consequences of having enforced democratic participation.

Enforcement is an important consideration. Many countries with compulsory-voting policies do not penalise the non-compliant. (And in some, like Australia, its not strictly voting thats compulsory  just the submission of a secret ballot, which can be spoiled, thus leaving essential room for protest.) But others use disenfranchisement as a penalty. And if our starting point is that voting is a base right in a fair society, then making that right dependent on the fulfilment of certain obligations is unfair. Yes, the franchise is already removed from prisoners, and, sure, children cant vote. But those examples dont help us here: maybe theyre unjustified themselves, or depend on different reasoning. Rights might justifiably be removed from prisoners as punishment for crimes so severe that they need to be locked up to protect  or send a message to  society. We wouldnt want to apply that treatment to non-voters, would we?

Enfranchising only those who use their vote would also prop up the idea that voting is done for ones own good. And taking away the right to vote from those who dont exercise it doesnt exactly instill a sense of value: if you cant be bothered, dont, then you wont have to! Fines or community service could be used instead, of course, but the implication remains that the right is contingent on voting practice rather than membership of society.

None of this truly addresses why democracy might be valuable in itself  and valuable as something that depends on and upholds the very idea of free choice. Britain has a tradition of democracy, and Britons choosing not to vote are not, typically, making a stance against that. We must consider why they arent voting, and why we want to persuade them to.

Collins says the loss of freedom that would come from making voting a legal obligation rather than a privileged choice would be trivial. Superficially, its hard to disagree with him; as he points out, not all of life is voluntary. And of course there are times when its necessary to use the law to enforce good behaviour. I might think its ok for the state to make you put your rubbish in the bin because I dont really care that youve not chosen to do so for yourself. But I care so much that youve chosen not to vote, that Id try anything to help you want to take that opportunity  rather than resorting to making you. And thats the attitude our society should take: enforcement might be a last resort to consider, but thankfully were not there yet.

Seeing something as a privilege can afford it greater value; choosing to do something can make you take it more seriously; rights that are contingent on fulfilling certain responsibilities are not fundamental. Yes, we need to assess whether our democratic mechanisms are working fairly, and to what extent our voluntary participation is essential. But, primarily, that means deliberation not hasty coercive action.
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"Criminal Minds" has received approval for season 13. So, fans of the series can expect the BAU team to come yet again on television and investigate different criminal cases.

In the meantime, in "Criminal Minds" Season 12, Spencer Reid is behind bars and Shemar Moore is returning yet again as Derek Morgan in the finale. Check out the updates.

'Criminal Minds' Extension And Moore's Return

According to Variety, CBS has renewed "Criminal Minds" for one more season. It will be the 19th series receiving an extension from the network.

Apart from the extension, the series has other good news for fans. One of the celebrated actors of the show, Shemar Moore will be returning to the "Criminal Minds" Season 12 finale to reprise his famous role as Derek Morgan.

The new episodes will resume on Apr. 26, featuring three final episodes of "Criminal Minds" Season 12. Hence, fans will have to wait around a fortnight to see their favorite stars back on the screen.

Although nothing much is known regarding the story line of the upcoming episodes, CarterMatt said that Mr. Scratch will be there until the last episode. Moore will come back as Morgan in the last episode of "Criminal Minds" Season 12.

The sources said that Morgan will bring some news on the Big Bad and will serve as an asset to the investigation. Reports indicated that the production team has decided to get Morgan back to boost the dropping ratings of the show.

Reid And His Story To Continue Until Next Season?

The top BAU agent, Spencer Reid will certainly be one of the major focuses of the upcoming "Criminal Minds" Season 12. After giving so much importance to his plot, the showrunners surely will have a plausible solution in the end that will ensure his freedom.

But it is not clear as of yet whether his story will be completed in the current season or will be carried on to "Criminal Minds" Season 13.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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Last year, scientists were in awe about the birth of a baby boy who was the product of a controversial three-parent baby fertility treatment that Dr. John Zhang and his team had carried out. The baby's health appeared in good condition. To address the ethical and scientific concerns about it, they released a report last week.

Researchers had insisted that Zhang makes available information about the three-parent baby fertility treatment. He complied but the issues surrounding this method were not entirely covered.

The in vitro technique is called mitochondrial replacement therapy because it makes use of a healthy donor's mitochondrial DNA instead of the mother's. These women have a risk of passing mitochondrial diseases such as Leigh's syndrome to their children but this method promises to prevent such occurrence. Recently, the UK approved mitochondrial donation on a case-by-case basis.

Zhang's report contained a description of the participants and the process but even the journal editors of Reproductive BioMedicine Online who published it found the write up not as comprehensive as they hoped it would. It was not able to expound on all possible risks resulting from the method to the child's health. It is not clear whether the parents were aware of the full extent of the procedure and all the consequences.

The experiment was carried out in Mexico without the oversight of regulatory bodies in the US where it is not approved until now. This circumstance surrounding the procedure was a major flaw. The Institute of Medicine suggested that there be more research on the three-parent baby fertility treatment technique via trials on animals. They emphasized exercising caution in this area.

Another weakness noted about the technique is that it did not completely prevent the mother's mitochondrial DNA with mutations from being passed to the boy. Zhang admitted that the boy might be carrying as much as 9 percent of the defective genes but they gave an assurance that they are monitoring the baby's health status, and he seemed to be in good health.

However, Patrick O'Farrell, a biologist from the University of California expressed concern that mutations could increase as the child grows, the NPR reported.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
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The New York Police Department (NYPD) is set to pay Raymond Parker, a man with HIV-positive status as settlement for a medical disqualification case filed against the city police force.

The US Attorney's office and the Justice Department filed the case on behalf of Parker, who previously applied as a 911 operator in the NYPD. Parker is set to receive $50,000 and will be reconsidered for the operator post. The settlement also required the the NYPD to retrain members on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits discrimination in the workplace, Buzzfeed News reported.

Parker was originally offered employment by the NYPD for the emergency dispatcher post in July 2013. After being upfront about his HIV-positive status, the NYPD retracted their offer and he was given a notice of medical disqualification in December 2013, Reuters reported.

The court found that after Parker admitted his HIV-positive status, the NYPD requested to do a CD4 count. The CD4 count is a laboratory test that measures the health of the person living with HIV by counting the number of CD4 T lymphocytes in the person's blood. This is indicates how well the immune system is working and predicts how HIV progresses in the body.

Parker filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission but failed to reach an agreement with the city. The federal US Attorney then sued the city of New York because Parker's medical disqualification was illegal. The ADA states that having HIV constitutes a disability even if there are no outward symptoms of the disease.

The US Attorney is thankful that the city settled the case and acknowledged that HIV status will not be a basis to deny employment to an individual.

The law department city of New York has not released any statement yet with regards to the court decision.

See Now: What Republicans Don't Want You To Know About Obamacare
Reclaim the right to shelter

On March 28, the Senate passed a resolution congratulating organisations and groups across Australia providing essential services to people who are homeless, including the Larrakia Nation, Darwin; 24/7 Street Kitchen and Safe Space, Sydney; Food Not Bombs, Adelaide; After Dark Saints, Brisbane; South West Australian Homeless People; and the Homeless Persons Union, Victoria. The motion, moved by Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon, also called on the federal government to increase federal funding for homelessness services and public housing, and ensure the money is spent effectively.

The following is Senator Rhiannons contribution during the debate on the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2017:

When it comes to the housing crisis it is clear that young people are getting done over. It was not so long ago that houses were recognised as homes for people, but now they are increasingly commodities to make money from.

A generation ago you only needed three or four times your annual income to buy a home; now it is more like 10 times in our big capital cities. Government used to intervene into the market to ensure homes for all, but it is now a cutthroat world with millions in housing-related stress.

There is clearly a generational divide, but we must remember that many older people are also doing it very tough. In particular, owing to the sexist nature of our workplaces and retirement benefit schemes, older women are increasingly being left without a secure, affordable home. Just remember these figures: 105,000 Australians face homelessness every night and over 40 percent of these are women. Fifty-five percent of homeless women are fleeing domestic violence.

Last year, the government threatened to cut the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness (NPAH). Thanks to the tireless work of housing campaigners, including an open letter signed by 209 major charities and frontline services, it was saved for another year. A cut would have impacted some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Unless the NPAH is extended and increased we will see more people living on the streets, more women facing family violence and sexual assault alone, fewer young people going to school, higher unemployment and more admissions to emergency departments. All these things are connected.

Not spending enough on homelessness is particularly harmful for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who disproportionately experience both family violence and homelessness.

Why are so many women finding themselves homeless? The issue is of course complex. However, there are two major reasons why this has become a major crisis. Housing has become a commodity in international financial markets. House prices continue to escalate in major urban centres. Housing has become unaffordable for the average resident.

The Liberal-National government argues that the solution is to increase the stock of housing. Developers and investors, including foreign investors, are being encouraged to build more housing, with tax breaks to encourage this. But in fact, according to a recent UN report, a significant portion of investor-owned homes are simply left empty  for example, one report estimates that 82,000, or about one-fifth, of investor owned units in Melbourne are unoccupied.

In such markets the value of housing is no longer based on its social use. Properties are equally valuable to these people regardless of whether they are vacant or occupied. They are built with the intention of lying empty and accumulating value, realised thanks to the unfair tax breaks on capital gains.

Developers and speculators are likely to replace affordable housing that is needed locally with luxury housing that sits vacant because that is how best to turn a profit quickly. This goes to the heart of why there is the housing crisis that we have today.

United Nations special rapporteur for housing Leilani Farha said it best in her recent report: Housing has  become a financial commodity, robbed of its connection to community, dignity and the idea of home. Women and children are most vulnerable to this disconnection.

There are many reasons for this, all embedded in an unjust patriarchal society that privileges male control over female human rights. For example, women are still more likely to have low-paid, part-time, insecure jobs. As single mothers, women have less opportunity to find suitable employment. When domestic violence occurs, women are often forced to flee and often lose the family home.

Domestic assault in NSW has risen from a rate of 257 per 100,000 people in 1995, reaching a high of 400 incidents per 100,000 people in 2014. Similarly, reports of family violence incidents in Victoria have increased steadily since 2010-11, with an 8.8 percent increase from 2013-14 to the following financial year. The private rental market is also becoming increasingly unaffordable. This also creates gender segregation.

In Australia, average-income single female workers can afford to live in only one suburb of Melbourne and cannot afford to live anywhere in Sydney. Older women are even more vulnerable to extreme poverty and homelessness. They are more likely than men to experience discrimination during their lifetime of employment, are very likely to spend much of their retirement years living alone, have relatively little access to superannuation and are likely to experience severe poverty in their old age.

Indeed, one study found that 51 percent of older women over 85 live in or near poverty. Older women, especially those living alone, become particularly vulnerable to homelessness if they are in the private rental market and dependent on the pension.

The number of older women renting in the private rental market is increasing, from 91,000 in the 2006 census to 135,000 in 2011. The vulnerability increases in the case of a medical crisis or a chronic medical condition, as successive governments have cut Medicare down to the bone.

According to a new report from the Mercy Foundation, women older than 55 are being squeezed out of the private rental market in Melbourne as real estate prices continue to rise. As a result, more, older middle class women are being exposed to homelessness, especially those who have led traditional roles raising a family.

Adequate housing must be seen as a human right. It is not a commodity. Older women  our mums, our grandmothers, our aunties  are increasingly vulnerable to homelessness. We are now in a major social crisis, and it will get worse if we do nothing. Governments must intervene to revitalise public housing and take on the real estate speculators and big banks. We owe it to those women to reclaim housing as a right and a social good.
HANDS OFF SYRIA

CPA statement on US bombing of Syria

The Communist Party of Australia condemns in the strongest possible terms the bombing of Syria by the US military. The attack on a sovereign country is a violation of international law and gives comfort and aid to the other enemies of peace in the region.

The decision to launch the attack was made without reference to the UN or even to US Congress. Trump has shown by this action that the same agenda for the Middle East, i.e. for the dismemberment and destruction of countries pursuing a policy independent of US imperialism, is still in force.

The initial Western news broadcasts reported the bombing of a plant in Idlib, which hit a facility where terrorists produced chemical filled shells for usage in Syria and Iraq. The story quickly evolved to become an alleged chemical weapons attack by the Assad government. The international community is right to question the unsubstantiated claims by the Trump administration of the Assad governments responsibility for the supposed toxic gas attack on the civilian population of an area of Syria controlled by anti-government forces. The US has a history of creating such pretexts for aggression, such as the alleged existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, to cite just one example.

With this action, the US has heightened the risk of a major conflict between nucleararmed powers and sets back efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The US attack on Syrias airbase serves to bolster the morale of terrorists who have suffered serious setbacks at the hands of the Syrian army over recent weeks.

The support given to the Trump administration by the Australian government and Labor Opposition, while predictable is deplorable and irresponsible. It is up to the peace-loving people of the world to show their opposition to this recklessness and to stop US imperialisms drive to war.

The CPA calls on all its members and supporters to join forces on the ground with the anti-war movement for peace and social justice. Hands off Syria and the Middle East!
Editorial

The superpowers dilemma

In December 2016 Donald Trump called Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to discuss the close economic, political, and security ties that exist between Taiwan and the United States, as a statement from the White House put it. Trump also congratulated President Tsai on becoming president of Taiwan earlier this year.

This is a reflection of the history of the US approach to China. After Chinas revolution in 1949 Washington supported the nationalist remnant under Chiang Kai-shek after it fled to the island of Taiwan, claiming to be the entire countrys legitimate government.

While much of the world recognised the mainlands Peoples Republic of China, the US only talked to the Republic of China on Taiwan. In 1979 president Jimmy Carter formally shifted diplomatic recognition to the PRC, which also now filled Chinas Security Council seat at the United Nations. However, US Congress then passed the Taiwan Relations Act, which institutionalised unofficial relations with Taipei, while acknowledging that there is only one China and top US officials avoided contact with Taiwanese leaders.

In 1997 the return of Hong Kong was a further step in the long struggle of the Chinese people in their liberation from imperialist domination. It was a step towards the reunification of all parts of China which had become separated from China in the colonial era.

During WW2 Taiwan was seized by Japan, but its return has been complicated because the remnants of the reactionary Kuomintang armies retreated to Taiwan and set up their headquarters under the protection of the US.

Such is the stuff of unfinished business.

Hong Kong was not willingly handed back by Britain. If British governments had sincerely repudiated colonialism they could have taken that step a long time before. It was the decline of the British empire and the emergent strength of a liberated socialist China which forced British governments to bow to the inevitable.

Nonetheless, Britain and the US continue to play games with One China. They have not for a moment given up the objective of overthrowing socialism in China and reimposing their modern form of colonialism.

During its imperialist occupation, Hong Kong was always controlled by British-appointed governors. There were no elections for this or any other role. For years after the revolution the US waged the Cold War, blocking Chinas application as Most Favoured Nation trade status and blocked its membership not only of bodies such as the World Trade Organisation but also the United Nations.

China has adopted a one nation, two systems relationship: the Chinese mainland with a socialist system while Hong Kong retains a capitalist system, a new experience for any nation.

Part of the US spin on China is the DPRK (North Korea), with the USs empty gesture of recognition of Chinas key role in relation to one of Washingtons perennial rogue states.

From the day of its foundation, the DPRK has not had a moments rest from outside interference. Sabotage, invasion, mass destruction, germ warfare, nuclear threat, encirclement and crippling economic blockade have all been used in the US-led attempt to remove this impediment to its regional domination. All of these efforts have failed. Naturally, the major capitalist powers subject such rogue states to an unrelenting campaign of vilification in order to enlist public opinion.

The DPRK is not just a thorn in the side of a declining superpower seeking to shore up its position in the Asia Pacific. Its territory, which borders the Peoples Republic of China, is eyed off by the US military for the location of its troops and nuclear weapons. China has stressed that resolving human rights differences should be through constructive dialogue and cooperation based on equality and mutual respect. That wont happen unless world opinion insists upon it and demands that the US halts its aggression towards the DPRK and China.
The zombie cuts

52,100 low-income families poorer

Last month, with the support of One Nation, the Xenophon Team and some independent senators, parliament passed the Turnbull governments $1.6 billion revised version of its original childcare omnibus legislation.

The new Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill, (nicknamed Omnibus 2) provides improvements for some families, but restricts access to childcare for certain minimum income families, and includes $2.4 billion in cuts to other welfare areas, brutally penalising people who are already experiencing financial hardship.

A graded means-tested family childcare subsidy, paid to childcare providers not parents, replaces the existing childcare rebate and benefit. Low-income parents receive the maximum subsidy of 85 percent, but under a new activity test they have to prove they have completed four hours of work, training, study or some equivalent activity each week.

Parents who satisfy the test are entitled to a maximum of 50 hours childcare subsidy per week. However, 52,100 families earning less than $65,710 will get a reduced subsidy because of the test.

Minimum-income families failing the test can still get 12 hours subsidy per week, but thats half the number of hours to which they were formerly entitled. At 85 percent theyre only entitled to a subsidy equivalent to a full-rate childcare fee for 10.2 hours per week.

To get the legislation through the Senate the government very grudgingly agreed to place an upper income limit on entitlements. However, the limit is $350,000. Those who earn this amount and pass the four-hour test (which theyre much more likely to pass compared with minimum income earners) still qualify for a 20 percent subsidy for a maximum of 50 hours care per week.

Thats equivalent to 10 hours at the full childcare rate, almost as much as minimum-income parents can claim if they cant meet the four-hour test!

And the legislation doesnt just affect childcare. Welfare payments have been subjected to an indexation freeze and cuts. Cassandra Golding, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Council of Social Services, declared:

Overnight the lives of people in over 1.5 million households have been altered for the worse. Young unemployed people and parents in need will have to wait for income support for seven days.

It will now also be harder for them to show they need an exemption to the one week [rule] because of financial hardship. ... this will harm people escaping domestic violence and throw people who are in financial hardship into destitution.

Families will see their Family Tax Benefit drop by hundreds of dollars over two years because of the indexation freeze. The biggest impact will be felt by low-income families, especially single parents at a time when already 40 percent of children living in one-parent households live in poverty.

The freeze of income-free indexation for working age and student payments will see a student lose around $4.70 per fortnight. This may not seem like a lot of money but for 60,000 young students who will be affected, it is.

The zombie threat

The original Omnibus 1 legislation, which would have stripped funding from an even wider range of welfare programs, was defeated in the Senate. However, certain welfare cuts included in the original bill or the notorious 2014 budget remain as deferred economic policy.

Known as Zombie measures, they include cuts to energy and pensioner education supplements, the elimination of portability for pensions, a four-week delay before young people can receive unemployment benefits, the abolition of Family Tax Benefit end-of-year supplements, and the removal of Family Tax Benefit for sole parents in the year their youngest child turns 17.

The government is simply waiting for the right moment to reintroduce these initiatives, which are specifically aimed at hitting people on low incomes. Golding declared: We want an assurance from government that they will bury the one-sided zombie measures once and for all.

According to Golding, since 2015 $3.6 million has been taken out of the family payments system. Childrens early years are crucial for their development, and childcare should form part of the public education system. But the government cynically treats childcare as a bargaining chip to help it impose welfare cuts.

The Omnibus 2 legislation was only passed by unprincipled horse-trading under which the government offers legislation to improve social welfare, but only on condition that an equivalent or greater amount of funding is slashed from existing programs.

The government seeks to set the interests of parents in general against those of the poorest families. It poses the rights of the present generation against those of their descendants, with the false claim that welfare costs will have to be paid for by borrowing money it doesnt have, while it squanders billions on armaments deals, offshore immigration processing, fossil fuel subsidies, low business tax rates, and other wasteful and reactionary policies.

High rates of unemployment suit the government because it wants people to compete for work, which will drive down wages and blunt campaigns for better working conditions.

Before Omnibus 2 was passed, Senator Lambie suggested fund-raising alternatives to the legislation, including a financial transactions tax, a death tax for estates exceeding $5 million, and a cap on capital gains tax concessions.

She commented: ... when you continue to go after the poor when you could be going after the money of the top 1 percent of Australian earners ... it just makes me feel sick to the guts. But the government has the interests of the top 1 percent at heart and it ignored her.

Few if any coalition MPs are likely to have had the experience of being on welfare. But Senator Lambie has, and in parliament she passionately opposed Omnibus 2 in a speech that was applauded around the country.

She declared:

Saying were not taking money off them, were just going to freeze it  well, are you going to freeze bread and milk, are you going to freeze fuel, are you going to freeze groceries? Are you going to freeze their rent? For you to take money off those people, you have no idea how tough it is. What you are doing is shameful.

And that just about sums it up.
Six reasons to close Pine Gap

Pine Gap, 20 kilometres southwest of Alice Springs, was established in 1968 in conditions of great secrecy. Local people were told it was a space research facility. In fact it is a facility dedicated to spying and warfare. It now consists of around 20 radomes working as satellite receiving and transmitting stations.

Every branch of the US military as well as the National Reconnaissance Office, National Security Agency and the CIA are stationed at Pine Gap. It employs over 1,000 US and Australian personnel.

Pine Gap is one of the largest and most important United States war fighting and intelligence bases in the world.

Pine Gaps original and still most important function is to serve as the ground control station for US satellites which cover a strategically important third of the globe, encompassing China, southern Russia and the Middle East oil fields.

US satellites transmitting through Pine Gap monitor missile launches and military, economic, political and domestic telephone, microwave and VHF radio communications from allies and enemies alike. They provide photographic surveillance of terrain, buildings, troop movements, the results of bombing raids, etc. The satellites can also intercept radar emanations, allowing mapping of air defences, anti-ballistic missile radars and early-warning radars.

Pine Gap was established in the hysteria of the cold war and was part of the United States nuclear war fighting strategy. With the end of the cold war the United States did not downgrade Pine Gap. Instead it intensified its use of the base, adding more and more functions as the years went on.

US bases on Australias soil contribute to the US war fighting strategy. The bases assist the US to prosecute wars against countries in our region and beyond and help swell the list of Australias enemies.

50 years is too long

The treaty to set up Pine Gap was signed by the US and Australian governments on September 12, 1966.

Data processed by Pine Gap provides targets for United States missiles and bombs, intelligence for United States economic and military activities, military command and control functions and early warning of missile launches.

For 50 years the US military facility has contributed to making Australia less secure and incorporated Australia into its war activities. It is time to close Pine Gap, for the following reasons.

1. Aboriginal land

Pine Gap sits on Aboriginal land. The Arrente people were never asked their opinion, let alone their permission, for a huge war making facility to be located on their traditional lands.

It is time this prior Aboriginal ownership was acknowledged.

It is time the traditional owners were given back their right to decide what is done on their land.

2. Drones

Pine Gap contributes crucial tracking and targeting information for US drone strikes across the globe.

Thousands of civilians have been killed by US drone strikes. The claim that drone strikes are surgically precise and that collateral damage is minimal is false.

In one instance, leaked intelligence documents showed that Obama-led drone strikes launched in Afghanistan killed innocents 90 percent of the time.

A Stanford University and New York School of Law investigation into drone strikes in Pakistan found that they killed, maimed and traumatised hundreds of civilians, violated international human rights law and generally terrorised men, women and children.

Far from helping to defend us, drone strikes foster anti-western sentiment and facilitate the recruitment to terrorist organisations.

The Pine Gap drone program makes Australia complicit in war crimes.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his senior ministers welcomed the reported assassinations of two young Australians in Iraq and Syria and declared that Australia was directly involved in targeting them.

These remarks amount to sanctioning extra-judicial killings as a matter of government policy, without the pretence of any legal process. Officially, the death penalty has been banned by Australian law for more than four decades, but these young people were summarily executed, without trial.

Pakistani human rights lawyer Shahzad Akbar has said that Australia must end its complicity in US drone attacks on civilians in Pakistan or face war crime accusations at the International Criminal Court.

3. Surveillance/spying

Australia is a crucial part of the US-led Five-Eyes intelligence club (US, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ) who work together to gather intelligence material across the entire globe. For years Australian governments have argued that the intelligence provided by Pine Gap to Australia is essential for our security.

However, leaked documents provided by CIA whistle-blower Edward Snowden reveal that the US-led global surveillance network  of which Pine Gap is an important part  consists overwhelmingly of indiscriminate, bulk collection of the phone and internet communications of millions of civilians around the globe. The targets are not merely individuals under suspicion for planning crimes, but everyone.

Although Australian governments justify in terms of its so-called defence value, much of the intelligence collected by Pine Gap is used for political, economic and diplomatic purposes.

Pine Gap is supported by satellite interception facilities including those operated by the Australian Signals Directorate at Kojarena, near Geraldton in Western Australia, and Shoal Bay, near Darwin.

4. Star Wars

In 1992, then US Defence Secretary Dick Cheney confirmed that Pine Gap has a role in the US National Missile Defence (NMD, also called Star Wars) program.

NMD involves a system to intercept in flight a limited number of intercontinental-range ballistic missiles armed with nuclear warheads.

NMD is a controversial space battle system which aims to allow the US to attack other countries without fear of retaliation. NMD is concerned mainly with offence  with using space to establish domination over the world below. NMD is about trying to be invulnerable. It is not a benign, defensive nuclear umbrella.

Pine Gap supplies targeting information to air warfare warships in the Asia-Pacific region. These ships carry the Aegis Combat System. This is an advanced command and control and weapon control system that uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.

NMD has the potential to trigger a nuclear arms race and to seriously undermine global disarmament and non-proliferation agreements. Australias security will not be advanced by such developments.

The corporate presence at Pine Gap has expanded substantially since the 1990s. It includes some of the major US aerospace and defence companies, such as Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, as well as major computer companies, such as IBM and Hewlett-Packard.

Raytheon is by far the largest contractor at Pine Gap.

Almost three-quarters of the approximately 1,000 personnel at Pine Gap are employees of private US corporations and their sub-contractors. Less than one in ten are Australian government employees.

The corporations are primarily interested in making profits. They are less committed to Australian security and intelligence priorities or Australias national interests. This again compromises Australias sovereignty and independence.

5. Sovereignty and independence

Pine Gap clearly expresses Australias lack of independence for it involves our country, without permission, agreement or even notification, in US foreign policy disasters and crimes. For example, the key role that Pine Gap plays in targeting both drone strikes and battlefield air strikes ties Australia directly into the enormous human and environmental damage that such warfare has wrought on the Middle East over the past two decades.

Despite this, Australian governments support its existence.

The Australian parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Treaties has in the past complained that MPs are kept in the dark about Pine Gap. Although members of the US Congress have visited Pine Gap and received classified briefings about its functions, the Treaties Committee is entrusted with less information than can be found in a public library.

Pine Gap is a US base and not a joint-facility as successive Australian governments have falsely asserted. Although Australia has some access, Pine Gap was built by the US, its core facilities are paid for and maintained by the US and it would not exist but for American strategic purposes.

Pine Gap is so central to the US military that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for Canberra to disentangle itself from any future US conflict, including a US-China war.

Because of US military installations in Australia, especially Pine Gap, if America goes to war in the Pacific, it will take us to war as well  without an independent decision by Australia. In any major contest in the Pacific, our relationship with the US would make Australia a strategic target for Americas enemies. It is not in Australias interest to be in that position.

Instead of a military alliance, including hosting Pine Gap, Australia needs an independent and non-aligned foreign policy and friendly and mutually beneficial relations with all countries. Militarising Australia and delivering unfaltering support for US aggression and threats against other countries cannot ensure security for Australians.

6. A dangerous Alliance

Pine Gap functions within the larger context of Australias long-standing subservience to US foreign policy interests. In return for US protection insurance (the ANZUS Treaty), Australia must pay a premium in the form of support for American foreign policy objectives, even when they do not directly contribute to Australias interests. In fact, the insurance policy is far from a guarantee of American defence aid. Moreover, the major security threats to Australia in the post-WW2 era have, paradoxically, resulted from Australias alliance with the US.

During the Cold War, Australia was a high priority nuclear target for the Soviet Union because of the existence of Pine Gap. In the event of global nuclear war, Australian and American intelligence officials secretly estimated that Sydney would suffer one million instant deaths and 750,000 radiation deaths, and you would not have wanted to live in Alice Springs, Woomera, Exmouth or Adelaide. Today, Pine Gap remains integral to Americas global nuclear war fighting capacity and therefore a high priority target. This is particularly concerning given rising tensions between the US and China in the Asia-Pacific.

Australia is the only nation to have joined the US in every one of its major military interventions in the past century, including Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. With rare exceptions, Canberra has enthusiastically supported Washingtons efforts to extend its dominance to every corner of the globe, defending and downplaying atrocities committed by notorious American-allied dictators from Marcos in the Philippines, Suharto in Indonesia, and a host of repressive states across the Middle East today.

The costs of American militarism are enormous. The US has intervened in more than 70 nations since WW2, deploying the CIA in clandestine operations to overthrow democratically elected governments, arm repressive military regimes and export torture. The illegal US invasion of Iraq, eagerly supported by Australia, was a catastrophic strategic failure and a human rights disaster, resulting in mass civilian casualties and the destabilisation of the wider region  a major factor contributing to the rise and success of jihadi terrorist groups such as ISIS. The threat of a terrorist attack in Australia has increased greatly because of the US alliance.

Successive Labor and Liberal governments have surrendered to Washington Australias sovereign decision-making power of when to go to war. At present, Pine Gap is central to Americas ability to conduct extra-judicial killings via drone strikes across the Middle East, including in countries that Australia is not officially at war. What would be the consequences if Washington decides to send its strategically-positioned Marines in Darwin to engage in hostilities against a country with which Australia has friendly relations?

A majority of Australians are opposed to supporting the US in any future war in Asia, recognising Australias regional relationships are key to the nations future security and prosperity.

And yet, Pine Gap is so integrated into Americas military and intelligence infrastructure that Australian governments would find it difficult, if not impossible, to refuse to support the US in a war with China.

* Written for the Independent Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN). IPAN is a network of organisations from all regions of Australia, united by support for an independent Australian foreign policy based on the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

For more information: www.ipan.org.au
Culture & Life

Hurrah for the free press!

The capitalist media is at great pains always to portray itself as free, independent and definitely not a tool of the government. This state of affairs is constantly paraded before us as not only desirable but as an essential prerequisite for the smooth functioning of democracy, good and efficient governance and just about anything else that could be regarded as socially desirable.

Its a load of baloney, of course. The capitalist mass media is big business, and whether it supports or opposes a specific government it will always support the interests of the capitalist ruling class. Different sectors of the ruling class have varying priorities, however, and this is reflected in the mass media each sector controls. Priorities aside, however, all the capitalist mass media have a fundamental commitment to sustaining capitalist class rule, so they will not support anything that actually threatens the dominance of capital or which might weaken its hold on government.

The effect of this is that, for all their talk of independence in the media, in reality capitalism tolerates only a narrow variation of viewpoints in the media, basically ranging from mild right-wing to extreme right-wing. They dont usually go so far as to ban left wing publications (unless they feel their class rule is actually threatened). Instead, they tolerate them but ensure that they do not have the funds to compete with the capitalist media.

In this way, they are able to puff their chests out about the freedom of the media under capitalism, safe in the knowledge that the working class cannot hope to acquire the means to effectively inform, agitate and organise the masses with an alternative message.

The result, of course, is that the news is invariably biased: no matter what it is about, it is some form of ruling class presentation. Journalists working for capitalist media soon learn what their editors and owners will accept, and tailor their reporting accordingly. Or they find another job. The result is a uniformity of viewpoint on the news regardless of the particular mass media platform.

This uniformity of viewpoint should be an indication to the mass of the people that this source of information is suspect, at least. Instead, capitalism has cleverly turned it into a propaganda virtue: if every news outlet is saying the same thing, it must be true. Right?

Hardly. On March 22, Russia Today published a piece comparing the approach taken by the capitalist media covering the fighting in and around the city of Mosul with the approach those same media took when reporting on the liberation of Aleppo from Daesh/IS. Russia Today was particularly interested in why the Western mainstream media was downplaying the civilian casualties in Mosul, when similar casualties in Aleppo made strident headlines.

British journalist Michael Raddie, co-Editor of BSNews, made the pertinent comment: In the West, the media have an ideology and it all boils down to worthy victims and unworthy victims. The victims of US bombs and British air-strikes are not worthy, because we dont do that kind of thing. Our killing of civilians is a mistake, collateral damage. The Syrian air forces killing of civilians  if it happens  even if it is alleged to have happened without evidence  or the Russian air strikes: that is atrocities. And that is the ideology that Western media portray all the time.

You only have to look at the coverage of Aleppo. Aleppo was a tale of two cities: for six months, we didnt hear anything of West Aleppo, we heard about the plight of those in East Aleppo. But we didnt hear why they were suffering.

They were suffering not because of Syrian Arab Army or Russian air-strikes. They were suffering because they were held captive by Al-Qaeda effectively  Al-Nusra Front and other armed groups  who were actually firing missiles [and] hell-fire cannon into West Aleppo. West Aleppo civilians were unworthy because the bombs that were being rained down were part of the regime-change program that weve instilled in Syria. It is not surprising to me that we have such distortion in the media in coverage of West Aleppo, East Aleppo and Aleppo in general and Mosul.

Obviously in Mosul, we are not going to hear much about the civilian casualties, we are not going to hear much about their plight. We hear about the fleeing. But we are told that they are fleeing ISIS. But most of them are actually fleeing American air-strikes. They understand what is at stake here Yes, if they stay theyll probably fall under the captivity of ISIS, but if they stay theyll probably be bombed by American B-52s as well, so they understand why they are fleeing.

Max Abrahms, Professor at North Eastern University in the US added a comment on the attitude of Western media: There is a selective outreach  not all civilians are equal. The plight of the civilians in Aleppo drew a huge amount of attention in the West. It forced one of the newscasters on CNN to cry and it was just a major news story. However, the plight of civilians elsewhere  in Mosul and Yemen  their plights dont get nearly as much media attention. And the reason why is because attention is not dictated strictly in terms of the humanitarian basis for concern, but rather there is a politicised component.

The Aleppo carnage was depicted at length in order to cast Assad and Putin in a negative light. The same is not true in Mosul and Yemen, and thats why the Western media doesnt have nearly as much interest.

The carnage in Yemen is the work of the Saudi air-force, using US-supplied planes and bombs. But unlike the crocodile tears shed by on-the-spot Western correspondents about Aleppo, the smashing of Yemen by its very much bigger neighbour is largely ignored by our capitalist mass media.

Hurrah for a free press indeed.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is gearing up for its 13th edition in Formula 1 and could be set to host an all-time classic if China is anything to go by.

In fairness to the Sakhir circuit, it has already hosted some standout races since joining the F1 calendar in 2004 including ones too hot for a certain Australian, an F1 debut to remember for a world champion and one race to forget for both Pastor Maldonado and Esteban Gutierrez.

Check out these memorable moments from over the years at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

2005: Hot! Hot! Hot!

F1's second visit to the Gulf state saw temperature records smashed with a staggering 41oC recorded on race day. Some drivers took to unique methods to keep cool with Mark Webber pouring a bottle of water into his helmet during a pit stop on his way to fifth place for Williams.

That race also saw one of the oldest unbeaten lap records still on the active F1 calendar when Pedro de le Rosa produced a 1m 31.447s which to this day remains unmatched.

2006: From first corner spin to points on debut for Rosberg

A fresh-faced Nico Rosberg made his F1 race debut at the Bahrain International Circuit for Williams and produced a race of two halves.

A smart start from 12th on the grid was ruined by a rookie first corner spin which dropped him to last place and also required a pit stop. Then came an almighty charge to seventh place to score points on his F1 debut. Still, his feat got rather overshadowed by Kimi Raikkonen's 22nd-to-third charge for McLaren after his qualifying woes.

But a little known fact: Rosberg has won the Bahrain Grand Prix (2016) while Raikkonen has secured eight podium finishes without any of them resulting in a victory.

2010: Alonso wins on Ferrari debut

Oh how Fernando Alonso might be wishing for a day similar to this from 2010... no matter how unlikely.

The Spanish driver looked set for a tough battle against Sebastian Vettel for the race win after gaping Felipe Massa but was gifted the win when the German driver suffered a mechanical issue 20 laps from the end, allowing Alonso to stroll to victory and become the seventh driver to win on debut for the Prancing Horse.

2014: Gutierrez flipped by Maldonado in 'race of the decade'

A race that had it all. F1's 900th Grand Prix, Bahrain's first run under floodlights and an thrilling battle for the win between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. After Hamilton got the jump on his Mercedes team-mate into turn one the British driver gradually built a lead, only to see it instantly wiped out by a safety car period.

It was caused by a dramatic collision between Pastor Maldonado and Esteban Gutierrez which resulted in the Mexican's Sauber being speared into the air and rolled over. In the 10-lap sprint to the chequered flag Hamilton held off Rosberg as Sergio Perez claimed third place.

Breathing a huge sigh of relief as both Mercedes made it to the chequered flag intact, technical boss Paddy Lowe hailed it 'the race of the decade' which he feels had a bit of everything.

2016: Hamilton and Bottas clash

One to watch out for in 2017. Heading into the first turn Lewis Hamilton was tagged by the Williams of Valtteri Bottas which spun around the British driver and dropped him down the order. Bottas was slapped with a drive-through penalty for the incident but the damage was done as Rosberg eased to victory ahead of Hamilton.

Now both at Mercedes Hamilton and Bottas will be under orders to avoid one another.
Stefan Wilson has received praised after being identified as the critical factor in ensuring Fernando Alonso could make his Indianapolis 500 debut this year after volunteering to give up his confirmed seat for the two-time F1 champion.



McLaren and Honda stunned the motorsport industry today by announcing Alonso will compete in the 101st running of the iconic Indy 500 with the Honda-backed Andretti Autosport team, the team even going as far as allowing him to miss the Monaco Grand Prix to make the deal happen.

However, it has since emerged that it comes at the expense of Wilson's spot on the grid, just days after the 27 year-old inked a deal in an Andretti Autosport-supported car to compete.

Speaking to American publication Racer, Mark Miles - President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway IndyCar owners Hulman & Company - revealed McLaren CEO Zak Brown approached him about the prospect of finding a spot for Alonso, with the ball rolling quickly.

However, after discovering there were no Honda-powered cars immediately available, Wilson was personally approached.

"I got a call from Zak and he wondered if we could put a Honda deal together so Fernando could run in this year's Indy 500. I said we would move heaven and earth to make that happen

"I contacted four Honda teams and he contacted one, but we couldn't find an engine. And then we got lucky.

"As much as he wanted to run the Speedway this year, he was looking out for the greater good of IndyCar. Quite a gesture.

"The heroes of this story are Alonso, Zak, Michael and Stefan. And I think it's going to be a pretty cool story, and another great month of May."

Wilson made his Indy 500 debut last year, less than a year after the tragic death of his brother Justin Wilson, who died competing in the IndyCar Series at the Pocono Speedway. It is understood, Wilson will receive assurances to compete in 2018 as a result of his actions.

In the meantime, Wilson took to Twitter to show few hard feelings... and he is likely to have made himself a very popular man in the Honda camp right now.

Alonso will race in McLaren-Honda branding, marking McLaren's first Indy 500 appearance since 1979.

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We all know space is vast  but how vast is vast? When it comes to the solar system, everyday units of measurement such as inches, feet, and miles become too small to realistically measure the distance between planets.

For example, the average distance between Earth and the Sun is nearly 93,000,000 miles (150,000,000 kilometers). You likely have a hard time really picturing 93,000,000 miles, but can you picture 2,680? Thats easy  just picture the United States! 2,680 miles is the approximate width of the continental U.S., from the East to West Coast. You can fly it in a few hours or drive it in a couple of days. And, with a little bit of scaling, you can fit the solar system inside it.

Thats exactly what former astronaut Chris Hadfield does in the new CuriosityStream film, Miniverse. During this 50-minute feature, Hadfield embarks on an astronomical road trip that takes him through a United States-sized solar system: the miniverse.

Miniverse will premiere the week of April 17 on CuriosityStream. You can currently check out the official trailer and find additional information, including cast bios and behind-the-scenes images, here.

Your Guides

Hadfield is no stranger to space  hes logged nearly 4,000 hours in Earth orbit and was not only the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station, but also the first Canadian to complete a spacewalk. Now, hes bringing the solar system down to Earth and traveling it by car.

Fortunately, he doesnt have to drive the miniverse alone. Hadfield is joined by several astronomical hitchhikers of great renown: Michio Kaku (a theoretical physicist and New York Times bestselling author), Derrick Pitts (Chief Astronomer and Director at The Franklin Institutes Fels Planetarium), and Laura Danly (Curator at Los Angeles Griffith Observatory).

The Drive

The trek begins in the inner solar system; Hadfield embarks from the Sun, which sits at the eastern edge of Long Island, New York. Together, he and his first passenger, Michio Kaku, travel the planets from the Sun to Mars  all without leaving New York, demonstrating just how jam-packed the inner solar system truly is. After a quick stop in Philadelphia to pick up his second passenger, Derrick Pitts, Hadfield continues west, pushing farther out into the solar system in pursuit of the gas and ice giants. Laura Danly joins Hadfield in Colorado for the final leg of his journey, which ends at the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles, California, as the dwarf planet Pluto hangs in the sky above.

Along the way, Hadfield and his passengers keep the vastness of the solar system in perspective, from scaling down the distance between major asteroids in the main belt to comparing the extreme storms raging on the outer planets to Earths (relatively) paltry hurricanes. Putting the characteristics of the solar system into Earthly (and understandable) terms truly brings into perspective the amazing worlds that share our Sun.

Spirit of Exploration

But Miniverse is about more than simply scaling down the solar system  its about the true spirit of exploring the solar system as well. Hadfield shares his personal thoughts on manned space exploration, recounting his time spent in Earth orbit and dreaming of the day a human first sets foot on Mars. Each of his passengers contributes their astronomical knowledge and love of science to the journey, illustrating our current picture of the solar system and our goals for future planetary exploration. As the four-wheeled rocket ship passes each planet, youll learn what an astronaut could expect to find, feel, and see, were he to visit. If you want to know what standing on Venus would be like, what youd see as you dropped beneath the top of Jupiters atmosphere, or what the view might be from Neptunes moon Triton, you wont be disappointed.

From the solar systems most extreme and inhospitable environments to the places most likely to harbor life or sustain human colonization, Miniverse allows you experience the entire solar system from a truly human vantage point that will leave you easily able to envision yourself standing on Mars or sailing past Saturns rings.
Networking News

CRN Exclusive: A10 Networks Launches Cloud Offensive With New ADC Controller Supporting Google, AWS And Azure Clouds

Mark Haranas

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A major cloud offensive is underway at A10 Networks with the launch today of new analytics capabilities and an ADC controller that provides multi-cloud and multi-service management that supports cloud titans such as Amazon Web Services and Google.

"What we're bringing to market is really control for multiple secure application services across multiple clouds," said Paul Nicholson, A10's product marketing manager, in an interview with CRN. "So whether they're running on-premises. on a private cloud or in an emerging platform such as AWS or Google, we're providing them solutions and visibility across all those deployments to give them agility and greater security when they're trying to deploy these applications."

The San Jose, Calif.-based networking vendor's new A10 Harmony Controller is built on microservices and container technology providing central management, orchestration and analytics across all clouds.

[Related: Cisco Channel Exec On Amazon Competition, VIP Incentives, And Winning Over Avaya Partners]

Partners can sell the new controller as a Software-as-a-Service solution or as a self-managed version that can be deployed within a customer's data center or cloud.

The controller has multi-cloud support for elastic load balancing and web application firewall for VMware-powered private clouds, Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

A10's channel chief Kirsten Young said the company is striving to open up more cloud opportunities for channel partners to drive new revenues.

"With the technology landscape shifting with things like AWS and new technologies coming in  which some partners might not be as familiar with  the SaaS option  allows channel partners to add additional revenue streams which might be shifting from their traditional on-prem business to the cloud," said Young, vice president of worldwide channels.

Luanne Tierney, managing member of Fivesky, a New York City-based A10 Networks partner, said the new solution presents "the next wave in the ADC market."

"Customers are moving quickly to these new cloud technologies because of the flexibility, scalability, and programmability they provide," Tierney said.

Nicholson said at the heart of the solution is advanced, per-applications analytics. The controller integrates analytics for A10's software and hardware portfolio and cloud-native offerings.

Integration with other A10 services including SSL inspection, carrier-grade network address translation (NAT) and converged firewall will become available in the second half of 2017.

The vendor also unveiled new analytics capabilities across its entire application delivery infrastructure including the A10 Lightening and Thunder ADC portfolio. Additionally, A10 is providing analytics for open source load balancer HAProxy.

"We know customers out there are using Open Source options. We're not going to try to fight it, we're going to embrace it," said Nicholson. "HAProxy is used by a lot of organization out there. They don't have any advanced analytics themselves in this open source version. What we're hoping to do is create a win-win for partners."

In July, A10 acquired Appcito which owned a SaaS-based application delivery cloud solution. The vendor has integrated Appcito's technology to enhance A10's application delivery technology and cloud-based A10 Harmony architecture.
Security News

CRN Exclusive: SentinelOne Lands Former Proofpoint Channel Chief To Lead Worldwide Channels

Sarah Kuranda

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SentinelOne has landed a new executive to lead its push through partners, saying Wednesday that it has appointed former Proofpoint channel chief Dee Dee Acquista as its new head of worldwide channels.

Acquista will serve as vice president of worldwide channels at the Palo Alto, Calif.-based next-generation endpoint security startup. She officially started at the company last month.

At Proofpoint Acquista was vice president of global channels and helped grow the company's channel 200 percent after joining in 2013 to build out partner strategy. Prior to Proofpoint, she held channel roles at Websense and McAfee. She left Proofpoint as the company consolidated its North American channel teams.

[Related: Proofpoint's Global Channel Chief Departs As The Company Consolidates Channel Leadership]

In an interview with CRN, Acquista said she had been talking to a number of organizations since leaving Proofpoint in January. She said she chose to move to SentinelOne because she wanted to keep working in security and saw a big opportunity around the next-generation endpoint security market.

"I have just come to love cybersecurity so much that I felt compelled to stay in the cybersecurity side. I was really impressed with the power of next-gen endpoint. I think many customers dont know the problems that need to be solved. It just really spoke to me," Acquista said.

Acquista said she also was attracted to the opportunity to join a smaller company that is just starting out in the development of its partner community. She said she felt she had a "great run and accomplished what I set out to do" at Proofpoint.

"This was a real opportunity for me to come in and put my stamp on how to take SentinelOne's go-to-market strategy and really go out alongside the partner community at a very early stage," Acquista said. "I can't wait to get in there and dig in. It's great being in there from the ground up."

Kevin Pouche, chief operating officer at Brookline, Mass.-based K logix Security, said he is "thrilled" to see the addition of Acquista at SentinelOne, whom he worked with at both Proofpoint and Websense. He said Acquista is a "top-notch" channel chief with a "strong reputation for building repeatable go-to-market channel strategies."

"She is a leader with a vision similar to K logix, which is to align security with business goals to generate a positive impact. Her new space, next-generation endpoint security, is one of the most exciting spaces.  I think the fast-paced growth mode that [SentinelOne] is in will suit her well," Pouche said.

Acquista said she will look to build on the channel foundation in place at SentinelOne. The company already has a handful of partners in North America, she said, and has seen success with partners in Europe. Acquista said she will start by evaluating the program in place, but has already identified areas it can be enhanced by re-evaluating minimum tier thresholds, rolling out a learning management system, adding more sales and technical training, and allowing for proofs of concept via the partner portal.

Acquista said SentinelOne is planning to continue to invest in the channel throughout the rest of the year, including adding headcount. She said the direction coming down from top-level leadership is to drive a 100 percent channel focus, with a practice to look partners into the majority of deals.

SentinelOne has raised nearly $110 million in venture capital funding, with the latest round in January raising $70 million. Acquista said she thinks enhancing the company's partner strategy will be a key factor in SentinelOne continuing to grow in an increasingly competitive market for endpoint security.

"I'd really like for SentinelOne to look back in two years and say they wouldn't have been able to experience the explosive growth they will see without the help of our partners," Acquista said. "I don't think there is a winner in this space yet, and I think we're really poised to be one."
Virtualization News

VMware To Boost vRealize Lineup With Acquisition Of Real-Time Data Analysis Startup Wavefront

Mark Haranas

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VMware has struck a deal to acquire Wavefront, a big data startup that develops a real-time analytics platform that businesses use to monitor and manage the performance of their IT systems.

"VMware set the standard for monitoring virtual environments with VMware vRealize Operations platform, and we will set the standard for cross-cloud and modern application monitoring with Wavefront," said Ajay Singh, senior vice president and general manager of VMware's Cloud Management Business Unit, in a statement. "It delivers a radically new scope and scale of metrics monitoring and analytics to help developers improve the performance, availability and customer experience of their digital services. When combined with the vRealize product portfolio, digital enterprises will gain a complete view from network through infrastructure to applications."

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

[Related: Cisco Channel Exec On Amazon Competition, VIP Incentives, And Winning Over Avaya Partners]

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Wavefront, named in CRN's 10 Coolest Big Data Startups of 2016, was founded in 2012. In April 2016, Wavefront hired former Actuate CEO Pete Cittadini as its new CEO.

Wavefront's technology will become part of VMware's Software-as-a-Service product portfolio. The vendor plans to use the startup to accelerate the development of VMware Cross-Cloud Services to help manage and monitor modern applications and their associated infrastructure across clouds, according to a statement.



Wavefront provides metrics monitoring to optimize clouds and modern applications by delivering operational insights using millions of data points per second in real-time. VMware said Wavefront's metric monitoring for applications will complement its vRealize Operations platform for monitoring, troubleshooting and capacity planning across virtual environments. Wavefront will also complement VMware's vRealize Network Insight and vRealize Log Insight products.

"I'm excited about Wavefront joining VMware upon the close of the deal," said Cittadini, in a statement. "Today, Wavefront delivers the ultimate streaming metrics monitoring to digital enterprises changing the way they deliver and instrument their clouds and modern applications. I look forward to delivering Wavefront's innovations to more customers, more extensively, as part of the vRealize portfolio of industry-leading multi-cloud management products."

The acquisition is expected to close during the second quarter of 2017.
Press Release: #Starmus IV FULL PROGRAMME ANNOUNCMENT: THE IMPRESSIVE LINEUP INCLUDES STEPHEN HAWKING AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER, 10 NOBEL LAUREATES, BUZZ ALDRIN, LARRY KING, OLIVER STONE AND BRIAN COX

Read the full programme @ www.starmus.com/programme2017/

Full Press Release below

The #Starmus board consists of Stephen Hawking, Brian May, Peter Gabriel, Richard Dawkins, Alexei Leonov, Jill Tarter, Robert Williams, David Eicher, Jack Szostak and the festivals founder, Garik Israelian  these great minds have devised an incredible programme, recruiting the most intelligent, creative and artistic beings on the planet.

Under the title Life And The Universe Starmus will once again celebrate a synthesis between science and music. The festivals theme will be broad covering origin and evolution, the human brain, society, technology and global issues.

This years programme will open with a fascinating conversation between three of the last of the surviving lunar astronauts from the historic Apollo programme; Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke and Harrison Schmitt will come together for the first time in front of an audience for a thrilling hour-long debate. The moonwalkers will explore their incredible landings and will share their different views on future missions to Mars.

Stephen Hawking, as the festivals keynote speaker, will captivate audiences with a new lecture on Black Holes and Time Warps. In his 75th year the eminent Professor will make his first ever visit to Norway.

Starmus is an important and very unique interdisciplinary festival of people working in different fields  astronomers, astronauts, cosmologists, physicists, philosophers, musicians, artists, biologists etc., who share an interest in the universe, how it began and is now and how we may explore and use its many facets. Professor Stephen Hawking

Oscar winning filmmaker Oliver Stone will speak on the subject of decoding truth in film, while Larry King will speak frankly about the media industry.

Economist Jeffrey Sachs will explore the very topical How we can survive Trump, climate change and other global crisis.

A highlight this year will be The Nobel Laureate Panel Discussion:

10 Nobel laureates from across the globe will be discussing The Role of Science in the 21st Century. There has never, in the history of festivals, been so many Nobel Prize winners taking part in one panel discussion. The line up is: Edvard Moser, Adam Riess, Chris Pissarides, Finn Kydland, George Smoot, May-Britt Moser, Robert Wilson, Stefan W. Hell, Susumu Tonegawa and Torsten Wiesel.

Carlos Moedas, the EC Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, will open the debate with a keynote address.

The Starmus IV programme will celebrate outstanding contributions from women to the world of science and astronomy. Nobel Laureate May-Britt Mosers performance, Into Whiteness will be a first  a groundbreaking artistic and musical presentation of her scientific discoveries related to the brain. While Lisa Randall will explore Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Jill Tarters discussion title (Sufficiently Advances Technologies: Indistinguishable from Magic, or from Nature?) will intrigue festivalgoers. Emmanuelle Charpentier, who Time Magazine designated as one of the 100 most influential people in the world will grace the Starmus stage. A core aim of Starmus is to encourage and inspire more women to take an interest in science by presenting role models who are changing the world.

Technology will also be a more significant part of the programme this year with innovative ideas shared by leaders who have changed the way we communicate, such as Skype co- founder Jaan Tallinn, who will explore artificial intelligence.

Brian Greene who The Washington Post refer to as the single best explainer of abstruse concepts in the world today, will take the stage to discuss String Theory and the Fabric of Spacetime. He will also participate in the highly anticipated Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony.

A major highlight will be the second Stephen Hawking Medal Ceremony, which will include unique performances from musicians and scientists  more to be announced on this shortly.

Starmus 2017 programme: www.starmus.com/programme2017/

***

STARMUS FESTIVAL IV: Life And The Universe

June 18  23, 2017 | Trondheim, Norway

Book tickets now @ www.starmus.com

#Starmus
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Two extra platforms could be installed at East Croydon station as part of a huge upgrade, after a recent report found improvements at the station are integral if improvements are to be made on the Brighton Main Line as a whole.

The London and South Coast Rail Corridor Study, which was published on March 2, proposes a number of projects which would help increase capacity on the line and reduce congestion.

They are listed in the report as "core works" during Network Rail's next five-year phase, known as a control period, of work (CP6)  which runs from 2019 to 2024.

The report states: "The key CP6 infrastructure options proposed by Network Rail are two extra platforms at East Croydon, to give eight in total, plus a full station reconstruction."

(Image: Grant Melton)

At this early stage, it is understood the two new platforms will go either side of the current island where platforms one and two are.

Other key projects proposed for the borough are additional tracks between East Croydon and the Selhurst Triangle, the track layout at Norwood Junction being altered and minor signalling improvements at South Croydon.

These "core works" have been shortlisted in the report for further consideration.

Network Rail also wants to "uncork the bottleneck" railway junction known as Windmill Bridge which is just north of East Croydon and is the busiest of its kind with around 1,600 train movements every weekday.

A spokesman for Network Rail said East Croydon is central to any improvements, because every train between London and Brighton has to pass through the busy station.

He added: "Eagle-eyed passengers will see there's a big gap under the new footbridge that serves no obvious purpose, but you could put a new platform there  and that's exactly what we hope to do in future.

"In common with the rest of Control Period 6 (2019-2024) the plans are not funded, however we are working with stakeholders in the region to develop the plans so that should funding be received, we can crack straight on."

East Croydon is one of the busiest train stations in the country, and is the second busiest in terms of passengers changing trains  only Clapham Junction ranks higher.

The report adds: "Although the package [for improving the Brighton Main Line] is a coherent and interdependent whole, it is important to note the CP6 element, and particularly Croydon, is the bedrock.

"It not only provides some immediate capacity and performance benefits but also unlocks the subsequent elements.

"The subsequent elements have more flexibility in timing and extent in response to demand growth as it materialises. However, they require the Croydon work in order to allow them to provide additional paths into London.

"There are important reasons to carry out the CP6 elements in that control period rather than later.

"Delay would push back the ability to accommodate demand growth.

"Delay would mean that the BML [Brighton Main Line] signalling system would still be renewed in CP6, but on a like-for-like basis due to asset condition timescales. This would involve significant spend but without a capacity benefit, and major synergies would be lost.

"Since the package is dependent on land acquisition in the Croydon area, where development is proceeding rapidly, a delay would jeopardise the ability to secure that land. Implementation after CP6 would be more disruptive, cost significantly more, and may not be possible at all.

"This means that the CP6 elements of the package are the most critical to progress now and ensure they are delivered."

Several politicians including Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell and Councillor Stuart King have been lobbying Rail Minister Paul Maynard in the last few weeks for funding which will secure "a significant upgrade in terms of capacity", according to Mr Barwell.

He added: "The right way forward is to upgrade the rail infrastructure around Croydon. It is going to be a significant cost, about 1 billion."

Steve O'Connell, who is the Greater London Assembly member for Croydon, added: "We absolutely need more capacity at East Croydon. And we need the funding commitment, not just warm words from Network Rail."

Responding to the study, John Halsall, Network Rail's south east route managing director, said: "Passenger numbers on the Brighton Main Line are already at record levels and continuing to grow each year.

A total of 24,261,942 passengers used East Croydon between April 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016

But without extra capacity through Croydon, we simply cannot run any additional trains to and from London at the busiest times of the day.

"This study confirms that our plan to upgrade the Brighton Main Line by removing the bottleneck in the Croydon area is the best way to provide better, more frequent and more reliable trains between London and the south coast and to support jobs, housing and growth across the region."

A Department for Transport spokesman added: "We are determined to improve journeys for rail passengers which is why we are delivering the biggest investment in rail since the Victorian era.

"We have agreed further work should be undertaken in making the case for the upgrade at East Croydon station.

"So far, 11.85m has been invested in developing Network Rail's proposals and will we continue to support them in further developing and refining their plans."
In June, Netherlands-based web hosting provider Verelox had to completely shut down its services, preventing customers from accessing their data and virtual servers.

Was this another example of ransomware? An outside hacker up to mischief? Nope. The companys headaches were caused by a disgruntled ex-employee who deleted all customer data and wiped most servers, according to Verelox, as quoted in International Business Times.

Fortunately, Verelox bounced back a few days later, without losing any important data. But many similar incidents dont have such a positive outcome. And experts say the insider threat to corporate data is growing. Heres what you need to know about detecting insider threatsand how to minimize the risks.

Setting the stage for insider threat

Fluid workforces, with countless contractors scattered globally, combined with a growing dependency on cloud services as well as BYOD devices, are ushering in a new era of insider threat-related security risks, notes Rich Campagna, SVP of product for cloud access security broker Bitglass.

Remote workers in particular can pose a growing threat, adds Mike McKee, CEO of ObserveIT, an insider threat monitoring and analytics software provider. One executive told me his company has 1,000 developers in India who have the companys source code, not to mention 500 contractors in China, and its hard to accurately know what the risk is, he says. McKee adds that remote workers in home offices could be more tempted to sell or exploit a companys proprietary information, vs. employees surrounded by colleagues in a corporate office.

At the same time, companies are storing more data in the cloud, and the more data thats out there, the higher your risk of data theft. The marginal cost of storage is essentially zero today, so organizations have little incentive to delete data, notes Merritt Maxim, senior analyst, security and risk, for research firm Forrester. So they just store everything. That means there is more potential data available to steal.

Plus, with all the money to be made on the dark web selling user names and passwords, not to mention the growing value of source code and other intellectual property, theres plenty of reason to be concerned about data theft by former or exiting employees. Security firm Flashpoint identified a software company employee who attempted to sell source code for about $15,000, PCWorld reported.

Of course, not all insider threats are malicious. Weve seen new employees come on board that still have access to their previous employers email system on their personal devices, Campagna says, noting the role BYOD can play in inadvertent insider data leaks.

The insider threat is real

Data theft by departing or current employees is a growing (and potentially costly) problem, as research shows.

In a 2017 survey of security professionals from Haystax Technology, 56 percent of respondents said insider threats have grown more frequent in the past year. And 75 percent of respondents believe the costs of insider breach remediation could reach $500,000.

According to a 2016 IBM study, insiders are responsible for 60 percent of all data breaches. Of those breaches, 75 percent were done with malicious intent and 25 percent were accidental. A 2017 Verizon survey puts the number of insider-led data breaches even higher, at 77 percent.

Accentures 2016 State of Cybersecurity and Digital Trust survey found that insider data theft and malware attacks are the top concerns of enterprise security executives. Most respondents, 69 percent, said their company had experienced an attempted or successful theft (or corruption of data) by insiders within the prior 12 months.

More than 1 in 4 respondents to a 2015 Biscom survey admitted taking data when they left a company. Of those, 85 percent said they took materials they created and didnt feel it was wrong. And 95 percent of those who took data said it was possible because their employer didnt have the tools or policies to prevent them, or that if their company did have policies, they ignored them. (Biscom is a secure file sharing service provider.)

3 things you can do to prevent insider threats

Automate the process of wiping devices

Many enterprises use Microsofts Active Directory (AD) service for centralized user account management, says Campagna. When an employee departs, someone in HR typically deactivates that employees AD record, he explains. That deactivation should serve as a trigger to automatically wipe the data off the exiting employees devices, he adds. But too often that process is done manually, for various and often complex reasons.

But Campagna encourages enterprises, whenever possible, to use mobile device management, identity systems, and other security tools that automatically sync to AD to trigger automatic data wipes. This can help prevent departing users from continuing to access company data, especially on cloud services that dont require users to log out periodically. For example, if due diligence isnt performed, an employee might continue using his or her company email account for days, if not weeks, after leaving.

Automation is key to minimizing the insider threat of a former employee, Maxim agrees. This is where identity management solutions come into play because they can automate the de-provisioning process to ensure that users are removed from systems when they leave the company.

Maxim adds that such solutions must still be accompanied by strong internal governance, such as internal audits to verify that the accounts were actually removed and that there is accountability to identify and correct gaps in the system, such as managers who dont follow the off-boarding process in a timely manner. Two-factor authentication can also help by making it harder to crack back into systems.

Get HR, legal, security and business management working together

Ideally, teams across your organization should collaborate to identify insider threats and prevent them from happening, advises Ryan LaSalle, the Global Managing Director of Growth and Strategy at Accenture Security.

The first step is to know your users, LaSalle says. Who are they? What are their roles? What should they be doing? Knowing your users and what access they should have, what normal looks like for them, is one of the biggest steps you can take to protect yourself.

Next, know your data, LaSalle continues. Where is it? Who has access to it? Whats its value? If you know its value, you can better identify risks and put better protections around it.

Finally, collaborate with HR, legal and business management to better connect the dots between your security monitoring tools and whats going on in your business.

Security teams dont usually have the context of what the users should be doing, LaSalle explains. And business managers dont usually understand the risks that security is trying to defend against. Thats why its important to have these teams work together to get the big picture, he says.

Dont forget the human element

So much of IT security is about machines, IP addresses and networksand not people, notes McKee. Dont forget that theres a person involved in every data breach, and understanding what they did before and after that breach is important, so you can be predictive and proactive instead of just being reactive.

Its essential for managers to stay close to their direct reports, Lasalle adds. Managers are more likely to know when employees are disgruntled or under financial duress or are getting ready to leave, and all of those can be insider threat predictors. Your managers should be your first line of warning against those threats.

Related reading:
STAMFORD  Commodities producer and trader Glencore is moving its Stamford offices to midtown Manhattan.

Now operating in the downtown Stamford Plaza complex at 301 Tresser Blvd., Glencore will take 60,000 square feet at 330 Madison Ave., covering the entire seventh floor and part of the sixth floor of the 39-story building. The move was first reported by Crains New York Business.

A Glencore spokesman confirmed the move, but declined to answer questions about the extent and history of the firms operations in Stamford or the reasons for the relocation.

Vornado Realty Trust, the landlord of 330 Madison Ave., was represented in the deal by Andrew Ackerman and Kevin West, who are leasing executives at the company, and by Frank Doyle, Clark Finney and David Kleiner, who are brokers at JLL. Glencore was represented by JLL brokers Martin Horner and Reid Longley.

Glencores business covers more than 90 commodities including metals and minerals, energy and agricultural products and marketing and logistics operations, according to the Glencore website. About 150 mining and metallurgical, oil production and agricultural assets contribute to its operations.

Its industrial and marketing work is supported by a global network of more than 90 offices located in more than 50 countries. Glencore employs around 155,000 people, including contractors.

Glencores 2016 revenues totaled about $177 billion, while its adjusted earnings amounted to about $10 billion.

We trade in and distribute physical commodities sourced from third party producers as well as our own production, reads an excerpt from the companys website. We also provide financing, processing, storage, logistics and other services to commodity producers and consumers.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschott
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Griffin Hospitals Healthy U program and The Valley Senior Services Council will host a talk to help caregivers keep their loved ones safe and independent at 5:30 p.m. on April 20 at the hospital, 130 Division St., Derby.

Dawnmarie Hunter, of Visiting Nurse Association of South Central CT, and Kim Vertrees, Community Liaison with Connecticut In-Home Assistance Homecare, will present Keeping Your Loved One Independent and Safe. The talk will explain the difference between medical and non-medical home care, including when and why you need it, how to search for it, and how to pay for it.
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HARTFORD  Indicating that the re-institution of highway tolls is only a matter of time, speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz on Wednesday said they could go up within a year and a half of approval.

Speaking to reporters before the afternoon session of the House of Representatives, Aresimowicz said that toll legislation might be inserted in whatever budget bill is eventually approved, or it could appear in a transit-related bill. The General Assemblys statutory deadline is June 7, but many lawmakers expect that the annually budget haggling will take longer, especially with a $1.7-billion deficit in the budget scheduled to begin July 1.
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For Mary Frances Wolf, the Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing wasnt just a place to learn how to care for others.

It was its own community  a place where students not only lived and studied, but put on plays and held teas in the on-campus living room.

Wolf, 79, of Shelton, graduated from the school in 1958, and went on to work in many facets of the nursing profession.

Its been my livelihood, she said. I think (attending the school) is the most valuable thing I could have done.

In the decades following her graduation, Wolf has watched the school change in many ways. It went from being a residential program to a commuter school. Students stopped putting on plays. And recent classes of students are more likely to use the living room to study than to host teas.

On Monday, the 133-year-old school will make its biggest transition yet, graduating its last class of nurses and closing its doors.

The University of Bridgeport will take over the nursing program, retaining much of the schools staff and changing it from a two-year diploma program to a four-year baccalaureate degree. For staff and graduates, the change is a bittersweet one, signaling the end of an era. But its also a new beginning said Linda Podolak, Bridgeport School of Nursing Director.

Were just growing, she said. Its not the end. Were moving over (to UB), but were going over together, as an organization.

Long history

The nursing school opened in 1884, when it was one of only 15 nursing schools in the state.

At the time, famed showman P.T. Barnum was president of its Board of Directors. It graduated its first class in 1887 and, since then, more than 5,200 students have completed studies there.

The schools own history is intertwined with the history of nursing in the state, as the first nurse to receive registration in the state was a graduate of the hospitals nursing school  and the only Connecticut nurse to serve in the Spanish-American War.

For years, the school has had another distinction, as the only school in Connecticut to offer a two-year diploma program. Nationwide, there has been a move toward increasing education for nurses and raising the percentage of nurses with a four-year degree.

The Institute of Medicines 2010 Future of Nursing report called for increasing the amount of nurses with four-year degrees to 80 percent. At that time, only 50 percent of the nursing workforce had a baccalaureate degree, also known as a BSN.

Before announcing the partnership with UB in 2014, Bridgeport Hospital had been looking for ways to offer a four-year program.

Collaborating with the university was eventually seen as the best option, said MaryEllen Kosturko, Bridgeport Hospital senior vice president of patient care operations and the School of Nursing.

It was very important for us to maintain nursing education in the Bridgeport community, Kosturko said.

UB had its own nursing school for roughly 40 years, but it closed in 1991. When it was announced that UB would take over Bridgeport Hospitals Nursing School, the move was seen as mutually beneficial.

Not only will many of the hospitals nursing school instructors shift over to UB, but the UB nursing students will do their clinical training at Bridgeport Hospital, Podolak said.

Though Bridgeport Hospitals Nursing School isnt closing until this year, the transition over to UB began a few years ago, said Carol Papp, Dean of the University of Bridgeports School of Nursing. Papp, who led Bridgeport Hospitals School of Nursing for four years, took the UB post in 2015.

She said some nursing programs are already offered at the university, including an RN-to-BSN program, for students who have their two year degree, but want a baccalaureate degree.

Weve been working to make sure the transition is a smooth one, Papp said.

Fond memories

Even though Bridgeport Hospitals Nursing School is surviving in some form, some graduates were wistful about the coming closure  including Podolak, who graduated from the school in 1970.

Initially, I thought This is sort of heart-rending for me,  she said. Though shes proud about the schools next step, that doesnt mean she and other grads will forget the old schools rich history.

For many of its students, the nursing school provided a shot at a career. For Wolf, it provided many fond memories as well.

She was at the hospital on a recent morning, sorting through a stack of crumbling plays. These plays had all been performed by the nursing students at some point. Wolf was looking for the play she had starred in, called Sister Susie Swings It.

I was Sister Susie, she said.

She was overjoyed when she found the play. Though she said she didnt have one single overriding memory of her time at the nursing school, preparing for its final days has summoned waves of nostalgia.

Its really amazing to come across all this stuff, Wolf said.

More recent graduates also had mixed feelings about the schools closing, including Carolyn Pulieri, 43, who graduated in 2002. Today, she is assistant nurse manager in the Bridgeport Hospital surgical ICU.

Prior to going to school, she was a secretary at Housatonic Community College. While working there, Pulieri developed an interest in the health care field, and enrolled in Bridgeport Hospitals nursing school.

It was the scariest decision of my life, because I was married and had a kid, said the Stratford resident. But it was the best decision of my life, because I found a home there.
HARRISBURG  A Lebanon man has been found guilty in federal court of heading a drug trafficking operation that sold about $5 million worth of heroin, cocaine and crack in Lebanon County.

Julio Aviles Sr., 48, of Lebanon, was convicted Tuesday of drug trafficking and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler said.

Two members of Aviless organization, Michael Millan-Miranda, 30, of Lebanon, and Israel Nazario, 61, of Philadelphia, were also convicted after a six-day trial.

Brandler said Aviles owned and operated a heroin mill in a garage at 513 Arnold St. where kilogram amounts of heroin were processed on a weekly basis.

He said Aviles employed a network of sellers, testers who operated as quality assurance inspectors, and others who were paid about $500 a week to package heroin and mix it with fentanyl, morphine and other drugs.

Aviless ring operated for about two years before authorities raided 513 Arnold and 443 N. Sixth St. in May 2015. Police seized 400 grams of bulk heroin worth more than $500,000, about 90 grams of cocaine, 70 grams of crack cocaine, packaging materials and 19 guns during the raid.

Aviles, a previously convicted drug dealer, is subject to a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, Brandler said.

His son, Julio Aviles Jr., 23, and eight others are awaiting sentencing for their roles in the operation. Authorities said the son supervised the drug packaging operations at 513 Arnold St. when his father wasnt there.

Another co-defendant, Kengie Millan-Miranda, remains a fugitive.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 717-270-9800.
Central American countries united in favor of the sovereignty of Venezuela

Submitted by: Juana

Politics and Government

04 / 11 / 2017



The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-ALBA-TCP, meeting today at its XV Political Council, ratified in this capital its unity, commitment and solidarity with Venezuela.

Delcy Rodriguez, the chancellor of the South American nation, reported in a conversation with the press that a statement of support of her country, harassed by serious threats from the Organization of American States (OAS) had come out of the meeting.

According to the Foreign Minister, the "toxic" performance of OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro, to the detriment of Bolivarian independence was categorically rejected as well as the formation of an interventionist plan against Venezuela.

Rodriguez reaffirmed that in this context, the ALBA-TCP peoples accompany Venezuela and advocate for institutionalism within the so-called "colonial ministry".

The Chancellor also confirmed the approval of a declaration to endorse solidarity with Nicaragua, against the interventionist intention of US Congressmen who seek to block that nation economically, with the introduction of the so-called Nica-Act, which opposes the approval of loans to the Nicaraguan government.

During this day, foreign ministers and heads of delegations from the countries that are part of the mechanism, also ratified the final declaration of the XIV ALBA-TCP Extraordinary Summit in Caracas, Venezuela, held in March, and the precepts of the Latin American Proclamation and Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, adopted by the Summit of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in January 2014.

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The Mechanicsburg Area School Board Tuesday unanimously approved a proposed 2017-18 general fund budget that would increase district real estate taxes by 2 percent if finalized in June.

The board also approved a 10-cent increase in fees for school lunches for all grade levels next year with the unanimous approval of the districts 2017-18 food services budget due to an increase in overall costs, said Assistant Superintendent Alan Vandrew. Next years food services spending plan is estimated at $1.8 million for the district.

The proposed $69.1 million district spending plan would increase the districts real estate tax levy from its current rate of 12.8 mills to 13.056 mills. A property owner assessed at $175,000  roughly the districts median value  would pay $2,285 annually in real estate taxes next year.

Administrators also are proposing to use $1.8 million from the districts fund balance to balance next years spending plan, a planned move intended to offset the rising costs of the districts mandated contribution to the State Public School Employee Retirement System, technology and general operations.

Vandrew said the districts fund balance has been growing in recent years. Weve been reserving funds for certain things, he said.

Reserved funds

For instance, the districts mandated PSSERS requirement has increased steadily over the past several years from 5.64 percent in 2010-11 to a projected 32.57 percent for 2017-18. Employee medical insurance costs are expected to increase by $1.14 million for next year  a jump of 16 percent  and a $300,000 increase in contracted costs to cyber/charter schools also is budgeted.

The district also is proposing to add several staff positions for next year due to expanding enrollment. These include an additional assistant principal at the high school, six elementary teachers, a part-time middle school art teacher, an elementary ELL teacher, and a special education teacher and school counselor at Broad Street Elementary School.

Other proposed additions include a part-time administrative assistant at Upper Allen Elementary School, a year-round administrative assistant at the Kindergarten Academy at Filbert Street, and one instructional assistant each at Northside Elementary School and the middle school.

The school board is scheduled to finalize next years proposed general fund budget on June 13.

I appreciate the board understanding that we have to keep servicing our students in the district while also respecting the taxpayer, Superintendent Mark Leidy said.

Study approved

Also on Tuesday, the school board accepted a proposal for $7,970 from DecisionInsite to perform a five-year demographic/enrollment study of the district. Leidy said the study will offer more detail than the districts recent, more general feasibility study. In fact, the feasibility study included a recommendation for a more detailed study focusing on demographics and enrollment.

(DecisionInsite) will reach out to our local municipalities and see what (development) plans are on the books, Leidy said.
A Shippensburg woman faces federal charges that she embezzled from the Womens Consortium of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

The office Wednesday announced that Colleen A. McQueeney, 56, was charged Tuesday with embezzlement.

The criminal information alleges that McQueeney, while serving as the statewide treasurer of the womens consortium, stole about $40,000 through ATM withdrawals and checks between October 2015 and January 2016, according to U.S. Attorney Bruce Brandler. The information also alleges McQueeney took steps to conceal her theft by making false reports to the consortiums board.

The office has filed a plea agreement, which is subject to the approval of the court. In the plea agreement, McQueeney will plead guilty to the charges and make full restitution.

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Department of State Bureau of Charitable Organizations and the FBI.
The Cumberland County Commissioners are again trying to get the political weight of Pennsylvanias county-level governments behind redistricting reform.

The commissioners adopted a resolution Monday endorsing the idea of a nonpartisan citizens commission to redraw the states legislative boundaries, and requesting the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania to adopt the same.

This is reaffirming our support for a constitutional amendment for an independent citizens commission to redraw district lines, Commissioner Jim Hertzler said.

The previous iteration of the proposal came within two votes of being formally adopted by CCAP, Hertzler said.

The idea of an independent redistricting body is an alternative to the current system, which has been widely criticized. Pennsylvanias constitution specifies that redistricting be performed by a legislative commission, consisting of appointees of the states House and Senate majority leaders.

Those four members then select a fifth member, who may be picked by the state Supreme Court in case of a deadlock.

The use of a five-member political commission to determine district lines has led to Pennsylvania being called one of the nations most gerrymandered states by the Brennan Institute for Justice. A Washington Post analysis in 2014 found Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District to be one of the worst ever devised, judging by the length of its contorted boundary lines.

The way redistricting has been done frankly makes no sense, Commissioner Vince DiFilippo said. Democrats and Republicans alike need to support this for their own good.

The process

Every 10 years, the U.S. Census issues new population data that re-apportions the 435 seats of Congress between the states. Pennsylvania uses this data not only to draw the district lines for its national Congressional seats  currently 18 in total  but also to draw the boundaries for state-level senators and representatives.

While Congressional gerrymandering has garnered the most national attention, the primary impact on Cumberland County has been with state-level reapportionment. Over time, the commissioners said, Cumberland has been split up between legislative districts that are centered elsewhere, but have been looped into Cumberland for political purposes.

Political leaders have carved out parts of the county to shore up the majority vote in certain districts, or nullify areas that vote toward the opposition by lumping them in with overwhelming majorities elsewhere.

The redistricting, as we have it now, enables the strong to get stronger and the weak to get weaker, Commissioner Gary Eichelberger said.

Its resulted in the politicians picking their voters rather than voters picking their politicians, Hertzler agreed.

As an example, Hertzler pointed to the 30th Senatorial District, represented by Sen. John Eichelberger from Hollidaysburg in Blair County.

With the redistricting plan passed in 2012, the 30th District was re-drawn, pulling most of Bedford County  which is immediately south of Blair  out of the district. Instead, the western part of Cumberland County was looped into the district via a narrow strip of land running across the border with northern Franklin County and into the southern part of Huntingdon County.

This is not a criticism of Sen. Eichelberger himself, who has made efforts to include Cumberland County in his decision-making, but rather of the Republican and Democratic party bosses who brokered the deal in order to protect incumbents and maintain the status quo, Hertzler said.

The reality is that these folks in western Cumberland County didnt even know they had been moved into a senatorial district represented by someone from Blair County until they went to vote, Hertzler said.

The common rebuttal to redistricting reform is the notion that even a separately elected citizens commission could still have partisan interests, and would have no easier a time making equal districts out of the states unevenly spread population.

The objection is youll never get politics out of it, Gary Eichelberger said. But what we have now is not working. The logical next step should be to try something different.

Court date

The redistricting issue was taken to court after the 2010 census, with redistricting happening only after legislators were required to revise their initial plan following an adverse ruling.

The legal statute in question is the requirement in the Pennsylvania Constitution that unless absolutely necessary no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward shall be divided in forming either a senatorial or representative district.

The court found that the Legislature had, in fact, made divisions of communities based on political interest and not out of necessity, forcing a re-draw. This legal drama will likely occur again in 2020 unless a nonpartisan body is formed, the commissioners said.
MILFORD  A survivalist charged in a fatal ambush at a state police barracks told authorities on the night of his capture, I did this. No one else did, according to a videotaped interview played for jurors at his capital murder trial on Tuesday.

Prosecutors showed the video that police recorded on Oct. 30, 2014, hours after Eric Frein was captured, ending 48 days on the run in the Pocono Mountains.

All I can say is Im sorry, Frein, sobbing at times, told police investigators in an interview room at the Blooming Grove barracks in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Prosecutors say Frein hid in the woods across the street from the barracks and opened fire during a late-night shift change, killing Cpl. Bryon Dickson II and critically wounding Trooper Alex Douglass.

Frein, whos 33, faces charges including murder of a law enforcement officer and terrorism. He could face a death sentence if hes convicted. He has pleaded not guilty.

The video showed two state police interrogators repeatedly pressing Frein for answers on why he targeted two troopers he said he didnt know. He was reluctant to answer, finally agreeing with the investigators statements that he did it to wake people up and that he wanted to make a change in government, according to the video.

Theres nobody to vote for, he said.

Earlier, the college dropout seemed to suggest he had been despondent over his life.

Thirty-one. Still living with my parents. No prospect for any sort of future ... drive a truck or something, he told them.

Frein said he planned the ambush using Google Earth, choosing the Blooming Grove barracks because the heavily forested area provided ample cover.

He said he took two Adderall pills, a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, on the day of the shooting, then got into position in the woods about an hour before.

Authorities say Frein shot Dickson as he was leaving the barracks at the end of his shift, then shot Douglass, who was just arriving and had bent over to tend to his fallen colleague.

Frein said he could hear Douglass yelling in pain after the first shot slammed into his pelvis. Frein agreed with Trooper Michael Mulvey when Mulvey suggested that Frein then shot Douglass a second time to put him out of his misery.

That sounds horrible, Frein said.

Defense attorneys had tried to suppress the nearly 3 hour video, arguing police had violated his right to remain silent, but a judge overruled them and said the jurors could see it. His lawyers are appealing that ruling to a higher court.

The police interviewers quickly struck up a rapport with Frein, who had been at the top of the FBIs most-wanted list, giving him cigarettes and coffee and complimenting him and his parents as he sat in a chair, shackled to the floor, in a corner of the interview room.

You, sir, are the champion of hide and seek, Mulvey told him.

Cpl. Benjamin Clark asked Frein to give closure to Dicksons widow and two sons by providing an explanation for the attack. He and Mulvey asked Frein dozens of times why he did it. But Frein either couldnt or wouldnt answer the question directly.

Outside court, his attorneys said the video showed he was sorry.

I think there is legitimate remorse here, attorney Michael Weinstein said.

Static was laced throughout the videos audio track, often making it impossible to hear what was being said. And Frein primarily spoke in a soft voice that could be difficult to make out. The judge acknowledged the sound problems and told jurors to do the best they could with it.
What to do in Pennsylvania if you made an error on your mail-in ballot

The state Supreme Court recently ruled that undated or incorrectly dated mail ballots cannot be counted. Here's what voters can do about an error.
The first tenants of the newly-renovated Crosstown Concourse moved in on March 25. The vertical urban village will have residential, retail and office space.

In 1927, the Sears Crosstown Building opened as a Sears mail-order processing warehouse and retail store. Now, 90 years later, the art deco high-rise building has been turned into a vertical urban village.

Crosstown Arts, an organization dedicated to cultivating the creative community in Memphis, formed in 2010 to help redevelop the long-since abandoned building. Today, the building has already welcomed its first tenants with more to follow in the coming months.

Church Health Center, an organization that provides health services to those without medical insurance, relocated from 120,000 square feet spread across 13 buildings to 150,000 square feet in one building on March 25.

The organization gained 28 medical exam rooms and 14 dental operatories when it moved to Crosstown.

We are increasing across all of our service lines because the need is great, said Marvin Stockwell, communications director for Church Health. We are serving more folks, and we are serving better. And quite frankly, we will ramp up to serving even more.

The new location has a medical clinic on the first and second floor, a dental clinic, a YMCA, a physical rehabilitation clinic and a behavioral health clinic.

Church Health partnered with the YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South to open the Church Health YMCA in their facilities. Operating like a normal YMCA, members can attend classes and use the exercise equipment along with walking the track on the second floor of Church Healths new location.

Its all about partnership, Stockwell said.

Mama Gaia, a restaurant serving organic and plant-based food, also opened on March 25.

The restaurant aims to offer vegetarian food choices without a long wait. Founder Philipp von Holtzendorff-Fehling started this business for a deeper purpose beyond making money  he wanted to help change the food system in the United States.

Its a completely new concept, von Holtzendorff-Fehling said. We invented it from scratch because we saw the need for more healthy eating that is delicious, fresh and affordable at the same time.

When people ask von Holtzendorff-Fehling why he decided to open the first location of his restaurant in Memphis, a city known for its barbecue, he had a succinct response.

Dont underestimate Memphians, he said.

So Nuts and Confections, a business specializing in roasting, flavoring and seasoning raw nuts, plans to open a store at Crosstown in middle to late May.

Terri Fleming, owner of the business, said she wants to open a place at Crosstown because it represents what Memphis will be like in the future.

It represents a mixture of different types of people, Fleming said.

French Truck Coffee, a coffee shop with a location on Tillman Street in Memphis and a couple of locations in New Orleans, plans to open in eight to 10 weeks, if all goes as planned.

Jimmy Lewis, director of French Truck Coffee, believes the new location at Crosstown will give them a spot to enjoy what they do in a rare environment.

It is an epic repurposing of a Memphis property, the likes of which I dont believe Memphis has ever seen, Lewis said. Its such a remarkable development.

Lewis believes the rebuild holds much promise for Memphis.

I dont think theres any question that it will be a spark plug for development in the surrounding area, he said.

Area 51 Ice Cream, which is based in Hernando, Mississippi, serves homemade ice cream made of in-house ingredients from local farmers.

We make everything pretty much from scratch, said Steve Cubbage, owner of Area 51 Ice Cream.

The opening date for their location at Crosstown is still to be determined, but Cubbage wanted to open a location there because the revitalization and community-centered ideas enticed him.

I see it as something that could be a turning point for the city of Memphis, Cubbage said. I think that a lot of times you see a lot of blight in bigger cities.

Cubbage thinks Crosstowns rebuild will help both the area surrounding the building and Memphis.

You can take things that have been left and neglected for a long time and turn that into something functional and useful and a point of pride for the city, Cubbage said.

The first tenants of the newly-renovated Crosstown Concourse moved in on March 25. The vertical urban village will have residential, retail and office space.
Alyxandria Stafford is a 20-year-old health administration major who said she falls asleep in class all the time during Powerpoint presentations. Her friend, 22-year-old Jamie Butler, said this is because some teachers just read off of the slides.

Next thing you know they go from a high-pitched voice or an interesting tone to a Hell-whyd-I-come-to-class-tone, Butler said.

While these slideshows are a big part of the college curriculum, whether or not they are actually beneficial to students is the focus of a 2012 study called I'm Ambivalent about it: The Dilemmas of PowerPoint. Published by the American Sociological Association, the study surveyed 384 surveyed students  67 percent of these students reported that all or most of their instructors used PowerPoint presentations.

The study also found that PowerPoints alone dont usually measurably influence students performance, and that the slideshows have a minimal effect on grades. However, access to instructor-prepared, thorough class notes, in combination with PowerPoint, was the crucial factor in improving student performance.

Carrie Taylor, 20, a biology junior from Brighton, Tennessee said she does not blame PowerPoints themselves for any boring lectures  she blames certain professors.

I have many professors that are interactive while using PowerPoints in their lectures and I follow along very easily, Taylor said. However, when a professor seems disinterested in the topics being covered and just reads straight from the PowerPoint, I find myself struggling to stay awake.

Taylor said that she has to study the information covered in class at a later time for twice as long.

Julie Johnson, instructor in the department of earth sciences at the U of M, said she uses PowerPoints in over 95 percent of lectures and labs as she said it is a useful tool for presenting multimedia information.

As STEM faculty, students express the desire to be able to visualize the science, Johnson said. Videos, animations and pictures embedded in a PowerPoint presentation can help them do that.

Still, I'm Ambivalent about it: The Dilemmas of PowerPoint, also found that while PowerPoint presentations are used for simplicity, they can lead to over-simplicity where students are discouraged and even derailed from critical thinking.

In some respects, I can see how the lack of PowerPoint presentations would actually encourage students to pay better attention, take their own notes and attend class, Johnson said.

Amaia Iratzoqui is an assistant professor in the department of criminology and criminal justice at the U of M. She said she uploads skeletons of her PowerPoints for students to fill out online. Iratzoqui said that her students are more motivated to come to class when they know they will be receiving information not available in the textbook.

I reward attending students with questions on the test directly from the television, film and case study examples we discuss in class, Iratzoqui said. Students tend to do well on these questions if they have been present and engaged in class discussions.

Krystin Kennedy is a 21-year-old criminology and criminal justice senior from Selmer, Tennessee. She said that she has learned a good deal from professors who use PowerPoints similarly to Iratzoqui, as long as they do not read straight from them the entire class period.

In one class I learned really well from a professor who posted the PowerPoint slides online but left a lot blank, Kennedy said. We had to attend class to fill it out.
The U of M Counseling Center provides several services for sexual assault victims. The Office of Constitutional Equity and the Dean of Students Office also offer support and assist survivors in many ways.

During Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an ongoing investigation has prompted campus experts to encourage the reporting of sexual assaults and to take safety precautions that may in turn prevent these assaults from happening.

A U of M student reported a sexual assault complaint to campus police on April 2, according to a campus police report written by Officer James Greenleaf. The student, a Carpenter resident, told police she communicated with the suspect on social media and invited him to her apartment.

Derek Myers, interim chief of police at U of M, said the school provides several services for sexual assault victims.

On campus, there is the Counseling Center, Office of Constitutional Equity and the Dean of Students Office to offer support and assist survivors in a variety of ways, Myers said.

There is also a Rape Crisis Center in Memphis, which provides free and confidential counseling services, advocacy and forensic nursing to victims who may or may not report their assault to law enforcement.

Many victims do not report these incidents to police for a few different reasons, according to the 2014 National Crime Victimization Survey. These reasons include because victims viewed assaults as personal matters, feared retaliation from the suspect or believed that assaults would not be handled by police.

We strongly encourage reporting all sexual assaults to police, although it is not required of a survivor, Myers said. Time is very important as collection and preservation of evidence is critical to any prosecution.

The 2014 survey also found that only 20 percent of sexually assaulted students reported assaults to police, while 32 percent of non-students aged 18-24 did.

The majority of sexual assault reports usually involve drug and alcohol usage and people who know each other, Myers said. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that 6 in 10 rape or sexual assault victims were assaulted by a relative, friend, acquaintance or an intimate partner.

Justin Lawhead, associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students, said there are not specific ways to prevent sexual assault, but it is important for people to know their surroundings and have an understanding of consent between two people.

If students are going to parties, they should be mindful of the people they are around and the choices he or she makes and make sure they have a friend with them at all times as much as possible, Lawhead said.

Myers believes discussing sexual assault awareness has created a change in the campus community and the rest of the world.

By educating people about risky behaviors, encouraging bystander intervention and encouraging and supporting survivors, we are starting to see a cultural change here and nationally, Myers said.

From March 31 to April 4, the Student Activities Council (SAC) hosted Fifty Shades of Blue, a sexual awareness week that consisted of events that discussed consent, bystander intervention and the stories of sexual assault victims. A karaoke night, panel discussion, informational table, outdoor festival and a sex trivia game night served as weekly activities that allowed students and faculty members to attain information and enjoy themselves at the same time.

The U of M Counseling Center provides several services for sexual assault victims. The Office of Constitutional Equity and the Dean of Students Office also offer support and assist survivors in many ways.
Lauren Angelillo, 18-year-old music education major, buys a snack from the vending machines in Rawls Hall. The machines in that building were repaired on Tuesday but have been notorious for taking students money without giving food in the past.

Imagine sitting in a lecture class for three hours, listening to stomachs rumbling with hunger. Finally, the professor ends class and everyone runs out to the hall, student IDs in hand. They swipe their card and wait. And keep waiting. They try to get a drink. They watch as the machine picks up their drink and drops it to the bottom out of reach, along with the hopes and dreams of a quick hunger fix.

This constant battle with vending machines is what University of Memphis students face on a daily basis. With only 15-minute breaks between classes and numerous vending machines in each building, it should be easy to grab a snack or drink. Even though students lose money to the machines, many do not call Auxiliary Services to complain or get a refund.

Sandy Barksdale, Director of Auxiliary Services, said they have not received any complaints recently regarding vending machines.

Were the group who could actually do something, Barksdale said. Its what we are here for.

The number to call is 901-678-5234, but students like Lindsey Warren, 22, said he never cared enough to call and get a refund.

The new machines in Manning that take cards take a long time, Warren, a computer science senior from Collierville, Tennessee, said. After you swipe, it says approving and stays stuck like that from two to five minutes. Its not the biggest deal, but its frustrating when its in between classes.

Some students that use the vending machines in Clement Hall notice that no matter what they buy, their card is charged two dollars.

Tim Doan, 21, computer science senior from Richmond, Virginia said he has not used a vending machine since last semester.

One time I was getting a drink in Jones and I purchased the drink and as it was coming out, it got stuck against the glass, Doan said. I lost my money, didnt get a drink and didnt get an option to get another one.

Cierra Riley, 19, communications freshman from Memphis said she has issues with the drink machines that bring the drinks to the side.

The ones in Rawls and Smith pick your drink up and then drop it in the bottom of the machine, Riley said. So theres like 15 drinks stuck in the bottom. Ive tried all three of the vending machines in these building and they all do it.

Another student who has issues with the drink machines is Tyia Lee, 18, a freshman teaching major from Dyersburg, Tennessee.

I used one in the Psychology Building and I kept pressing the button for the drink I wanted, but it never came out Lee said. I just left and went to class.

Some vending machines are not all bad though. Ethan Colin, 19, a mechanical engineering sophomore said a vending machine stole his coffee, but then he obtained an extra pack of Skittles soon after.

It was like order had been restored and I was repaid the debt I was owed, Colin, a Manhattan, Kansas native said.

Kenneth Crawford, 19, mechanical engineering sophomore from Bartlett, Tennessee said he knew someone who received quarters from a machine without swiping their card.

Nothing like that has happened to me, but Im hopeful, Crawford said.

Lauren Angelillo, 18-year-old music education major, buys a snack from the vending machines in Rawls Hall. The machines in that building were repaired on Tuesday but have been notorious for taking students money without giving food in the past.
Whingeing by our local authorities about cuts to services has long been one of the depressing soundtracks of daily political life.

Constantly, they indulge in a collective moan about lack of resources and under-funding. In recent months, as post-financial crash austerity policies have begun to take effect, the orchestrated gripes have increased in volume.

Amid dire warnings that basic frontline services are under threat, Town Hall chiefs complain that they have no alternative but to increase the council tax bills of families.

Yet all this bleating could hardly be less justified. The reality is that when it comes to spending, too many councils concentrate on the interests of their senior staff rather than the needs of the public.

The reality is that when it comes to spending, too many councils concentrate on the interests of their senior staff rather than the needs of the public

What exists across much of local government is an out-of-touch culture of entitlement paid for by taxpayers. How else can we explain why the number of council bosses paid more than the Prime Minister has soared?

A shocking audit by the TaxPayers Alliance, an independent lobby group, this week revealed that 539 council staff pocketed at least 150,000 in pay and benefits last year  and 2,314 employees are on at least 100,000 a year, up 89 on the year before.

This obscene pay bonanza exposes the warped priorities that mean key services such as social care, schools, housing and rubbish collection are suffering. This subsidised extravagance makes a mockery of the protests about lack of cash.

In some respects, that has always been the way with local government, as I know from my own experience.

Before I became a writer in 1995, I spent almost a decade as a councillor and an official in a number of local authorities.

I had entered public service with a sense of idealism, but gradually became disillusioned with what I saw as an inward-looking, badly mismanaged system that seemed relentlessly focused on the interests of its staff. In contrast to all the hysterical propaganda about Tory cuts, I saw inefficiency and abuses.

One of the first articles I produced for this paper 22 years ago was on how tax revenues were lavished on absurdly top heavy structures. Councils, I wrote in 1995, seem to have money to waste.

Whingeing by our local authorities about cuts to services has long been one of the depressing soundtracks of daily political life

Of course, local authorities are desperate to convince us theyve changed dramatically over the past two decades. They say they have become lean machines, stripping out management hierarchies and ensuring value for money.

Squandered

But as the TaxPayers Alliance report demonstrates, this is hollow rhetoric. A vast edifice of greed is still being maintained at public expense.

In Sunderland, one of the most disadvantaged parts of the country, the council squandered 1.2 million on payouts for two senior managers who quit after an incriminating Ofsted report on the running of childrens services.

One, former chief executive Dave Smith, received a golden farewell of 625,000, a payout that rewarded failure and showed contempt for the public of Sunderland.

In nearby Hambleton District Council, 757,000 was dished out in redundancy payments to three officers.

In the Potteries, John van de Laarschot was given a 350,000 package on leaving as Stokes chief executive in 2015, only to turn up months later as the head of Nottingham College.

John Sinnott, chief executive of Leicestershire County Council, is on 231,000-a-year, made up of a salary of 187,000, and 44,000 in pension contributions and other benefits.

And this racket is happening all over the country. The London Borough of Southwark, which, like Sunderland, is a deprived area, has 45 staff on packages above 100,000. Essex County Council has 36 employees on six figures.

The gravy train continues to roll, despite all the hand-wringing talks about cuts.

Among jobs being advertised in local government are a director of corporate affairs (press officer) at Barnsley Council on 96,200 a year, an executive director at the London Assembly on 130,000, a head of partnerships and integration at Brent Council on 91,000 and a director of housing at Sandwell in the Midlands on 103,000.

Racket

Last month, Sir David Carter, the national schools commissioner, spoke of a recent visit to a secondary school with 45 people on its leadership team.

At a meeting to discuss the schools deficit, he said he was the only person in the room who realised there must be a link between the financial black hole and over-staffing.

Equally worrying, many of these jobs are not directly involved with the delivery of services. Instead, they are part of empire-building and self-aggrandisement. A survey by Press Gazette in 2015 revealed more than 3,400 communications and media officers were employed in Town Halls  double the number working in central government.

Manchester City Council had 77, while the 47-strong media team at Leeds City Council included 20 communications officers, ten communications managers, nine senior communications officers, two senior communications managers, five communications assistants and one head of communications and marketing.

In London, the Mayor is assisted, among others, by a 133,000-a-year chief of staff, a director of communications (121,000) and a deputy mayor for social integration (126,000)

There is no defence for this jobs-for-the-boys racket. Some council chiefs try to draw an analogy between running a company and a local authority  but there is no comparison.

A commercial enterprise has to fight for business in the marketplace, while a Town Hall has a guaranteed revenue from the Government and council taxes and an effective monopoly on its local services. And customers go to jail if they dont pay what theyre told to.

No great initiative or creativity is required, just basic administration  but even that seems beyond them. Council bosses often speak of the need to attract the best talent, but most well-rewarded bureaucrats are drawn from a narrow pool of experienced officials.

Neil Schneider, the 193,000-a-year chief executive of Stockton Council, worked for 21 years for the same authority before his appointment.

If anything, top pay rates should be falling because of the diminution of municipal responsibilities in recent years. At Sunderland, the council has halved its workforce since 2010 from 8,000 to 4,000.

The number of staff in local government is 2.2 million  its lowest level for 18 years. This should have been the cue for salary cuts at the top. Instead, the opposite has happened.

Similarly, the move towards giving elected councillors more executive responsibilities should have lowered the workload  and the financial rewards  of the bureaucrats.

Decline

But the rise of these professional local politicians has spawned new hierarchies.

In London, the Mayor is assisted, among others, by a 133,000-a-year chief of staff, a director of communications (121,000), a deputy mayor for social integration (126,000) and a director of external and international affairs on 107,000.

Traditionally, local government staff have been respected for their sense of civic pride. Town clerks of the past were far more impressive figures than todays panjandrums. The borough secretary had more stature than any head of transformation.

Fancy titles and lavish pay are no substitute for a sense of public duty and integrity. As this bloated bureaucratariat looks after itself, we witness a decline in the public services they are meant to provide.
Why no royal presence at the Southwark Cathedral funeral of stabbed terrorist victim PC Keith Palmer, whose body, with the Queens permission, lay at rest overnight in the Palace of Westminster?

The same question was asked after the funeral of Merseyside PC Dave Phillips, killed by a hit-and-run teenage criminal in 2015.

The royals keep their distance from the bobbies. When it was once suggested that a prince should be seconded to the police  rather than the Armed Forces  this idea was said to be inappropriate.

Why no royal presence at the Southwark Cathedral funeral of stabbed terrorist victim PC Keith Palmer, whose body, with the Queens permission, lay at rest overnight in the Palace of Westminster?

PC Keith Palmer, 48, a husband and father with 15 years' service killed in the Westminster terror attack

Apropos the Palmer service, when late film maker Michael Winner founded the Police Memorial Trust in 1984, he lobbied in vain for a royal patron. In 2005, he persuaded the Queen to unveil the National Police Memorial in St Jamess Park but still failed to fix a royal patron for the charity. So he declined the OBE offered for his trust efforts, saying: Its what you get if you clean the toilets well at Kings Cross Station.

Will Prince George, three, regret being a pageboy at the forthcoming wedding of Pippa Middleton and James Matthews? His father, William, then aged four, appeared in a Pirates of Penzance-style outfit complete with straw boater, for the 1986 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of York. He fidgeted during vows and stuck out his tongue at the flower girls. HM His Grandmother was not amused.

The Matthews-Middleton match isnt a royal wedding as such, but Kensington Palace officials are involved, liaising with the media, which means it is, sort of. Did Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle have to put their engagement and/or nuptials on hold to avoid overshadowing Pippas big day? For all I know, Princess Eugenie and her posh-barman beau, Jack Brooksbank, who have sported his-and-hers engagement rings for months, have had to do this.

Did Prince Harry and his girlfriend Meghan Markle have to put their engagement and/or nuptials on hold to avoid overshadowing Pippas big day?

The new Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Pete Wilcox, has a mildly obsessive interest in all ball sports, according to his appointment announcement from No 10. How boring. Why not mention that his wife writes raunchy novels, described as cassock rippers, under the name Catherine Fox, which include a Christian spoof entitled Fifty Shades Of Purple. And that Bishop Pete reads her manuscripts prior to publication!?

Crooner Peter Sarstedt, who died in January aged 75, gave an interview to The Beat magazine, now published, saying the late chanteur Sacha Distel, who died aged 71 in 2004, came up to me, picked me up, and swung me around like a child and said, You have made me so happy!  Why so? The lyrics of Sarstedts 1969 song, Where Do You Go To, My Lovely? included the line: You live in a fancy apartment / Off the Boulevard of St Michel / Where you keep your Rolling Stone records / And [youre] a friend of Sacha Distel. Sarstedt admitted: Id only included Sacha Distel because his name rhymed with Boulevard Saint-Michel!
Charcoal has undeniably been the buzz word in beauty for the past year. From masks to cleansers and even as an ingredient in detox juices, beauty has turned black.

The latest charcoal trend is in tooth polish and toothbrushes, and celebrities - always first in line to try the newest tricks to achieving a dazzling white smile - are jumping on board in droves.

Your Instagram feed is filling up with TOWIE, Made In Chelsea and Geordie Shore stars declaring their love of Mr Blanc Teeth Bamboo Charcoal Whitening Polish.

Magic beauty ingredient: Charcoal is the beauty ingredient of 2017 and it can help you to achieve a dazzling smile with Mr Blanc whitening polish

'This stuff is my saviour': Megan McKenna credits her pearly whites to brushing with charcoal whitening polish by Mr Blanc at Boots

Celebrity fans: Reality stars, including Danielle Armstrong, have jumped on the charcoal beauty bandwagon in droves

Already fans of the brands popular teeth whitening strips, Megan McKenna, Charlotte Crosby, Tiffany Watson, and the rest of the TOWIE, Made In Chelsea, Love Island and Georgie Shore crew have revealed they are busy scrubbing their pearly whites with the black polish daily.

'This stuff is my saviour when filming,' Megan McKenna wrote on Instagram just last week. 'Couple of uses of this charcoal polish from @mrblancteeth and I can really see a difference! Cleans stains from veneers too.'

Love Island's Emma-Jane Woodhams said: 'I get asked if I bleach my teeth but honestly I cant as it makes my teeth so sensitive! I have got to my desired whiteness just brushing twice a day with this @mrblancteeth toothpaste... it's amazing'.

'It's amazing': Love Island's Emma-Jane Woodhams says her teeth are too sensitive for teeth whitening treatments, but found Mr Blanc's charcoal polish a great solution

'Seeing fab results already!': Love Island's Kady McDermott showed off her dazzling bright smile after brushing with the polish

'Really been impressed using @mrblancteeth charcoal polish over the last few weeks,' TOWIE star Frankie Essex told fans.

'Just using it twice a day has made such a difference to my teeth - I love a cup of tea and coffee and it really takes the stains away. It's different to other toothpastes as it's a charcoal toothpaste but it really works and I'm 100% going to carry on using it.'

Danielle Armstrong was just as enamoured with the product after trying it too this week. 'I love this polish from @mrblancteeth,' she said. 'I noticed from the first time I used it how smooth and clean my teeth felt. After one week I could notice that my teeth wore getting even whiter.'

Activated charcoal has long been used in hospitals as a form of drug and alcohol overdose and poisoning treatment.

'So sparkly': Made In Chelsea starlet Tiffany Watson loves the results of using her polish

'Just using it twice a day has made such a difference': TOWIE's Frankie Essex can't get enough of the whitening polish, which she says has gotten rid of tea and coffee stains

The substances toxins are absorbed and trapped by the porous charcoal, stopping them from being fully absorbed into the bloodstream, and then excreted naturally by the bowels.

So how does it work in the world of beauty? Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out impurities and toxins from skin and teeth.

Its magnet-like properties can attach to unwanted oils and grime on your skin, unplugging pores, which is why suddenly you're seeing charcoal blackhead removing masks everywhere you look.

'New evening routine': Made In Chelsea star Rosie Fortescue ensures her dark red lipstick is perfectly complemented by new sparkling white teeth

Power product: Activated charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out impurities and toxins from skin and teeth

When applied to teeth, activated charcoal absorbs plaque and surface food stains in the same way, leaving the teeth whiter and feeling smoother, and naturally freshening breath with its natural antibacterial effect.

'Mr Blanc Teeth Bamboo Charcoal Whitening Polish contains activated carbon which removes stains from teeth by absorbing impurities,' Scarlett Weston, Product Development Officer at Mr Blanc Teeth LTD, told Mail Online.

'It is a low abrasive that effectively cleans the teeth without damaging the enamel.'

The product, which is designed to be used before brushing with normal tooth paste, targets stains such as tea and coffee, tobacco and red wine.

How it works: The charcoal in the 8 polish absorbs plaque and surface food stains, leaving the teeth whiter and feeling smoother

Minty fresh: A lot of users, such as Chloe Lewis, have been impressed with the pleasing flavour despite the 'grim-looking' black polish

Given the look of the thick black charcoal polish, which Mr Blanc themselves admit is pretty grim, youd be forgiven for thinking youre subjecting yourself to a disgusting mouthful. In fact, the tooth polish tastes minty fresh, just like regular tooth paste.

Unlike Mr Blancs popular whitening strips, the charcoal polish is fine to use if you have braces.

And while you can shell out hundreds of pounds for whitening treatments at a spa or dentist, Mr Blanc has just been released in Boots for just 8.

It is important to remember that the charcoal polish is to be used in addition to, rather than in place of, regular toothpaste.

So, are you game to brush your teeth with charcoal? With so many celeb fans flashing their pearly whites, it can't be long before fans are queuing up to try out the new tooth trend.
G20 Digital Ministerial Meeting on Digital Economy held in Germany

Published: April 12, 2017

The G20 Digital Ministerial Meeting on Digital Economy was held in Dusseldorf, Germany. Ministers responsible for the digital economy from G20 countries had participated in it.

It concluded with adaptation of declaration on Shaping Digitalisation for an Interconnected World.

Key Features of the declaration

It talks about the need for greater availability of affordable broadband connectivity, broader adoption of digital technologies and services improved digital skills and literacy, greater digital entrepreneurship for the digital economy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

It includes three annex papers on Digital skills in vocational education and training, A Roadmap for Digitalisation: Policies for a Digital Future and G20 Priorities on Digital Trade.

It calls for collaboration between the countries and all stakeholders, including academia and private sector and sharing of best practices forms.

It calls for greater support for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which might be constrained by their scale in adoption of digital technologies.

Background

The ministerial conference was held according to the G20 Task Force on the digital economy established in G20 summit held in Hangzhou, China in 2016. The G20 leaders summit held at Hangzhou had proposed to collectively leverage the opportunities and address challenges of an increasingly digital world, in order to enable a dynamic and thriving digital economy to drive inclusive global growth that benefits all.

About G20

The Group of Twenty (G20) is the premier forum for its members international economic cooperation and decision-making.

It is deliberating forum for the governments and central bank governors from 20 major economies on economic issues and other important development challenges.

It was started in 1999 as a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors in the aftermath of the Southeast Asian (Tiger economies) financial crisis.

It was established for studying, reviewing, and promoting high-level discussion of policy issues pertaining to the promotion of international financial stability.

In 2008, the first G20 Leaders Summit was held in Washington DC, US. The group had played a key role in responding to the global financial crisis.

It comprises total 19 countries plus the European Union (EU), representing 85% of global GDP, 80% of international trade, 65% of worlds population.

representing 85% of global GDP, 80% of international trade, 65% of worlds population. Its members include Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, India, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, UK, US and EU.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2017

Topics: digital economy  Digital Ministerial Meeting  G20  Germany  International

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Separating from your partner is emotionally stressful without having the process dragged through sometimes lengthy court proceedings.

For those of you wanting to move on with your life quickly, there is a service that will help you get divorced in a day and cost less than a court hearing.

Family Mediation Station is a Queensland based service that can finalise divorce settlements in a day so you can 'move on with your life' and claim to have a 90 per cent success rate.

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Divorce is an emotionally stressful time without having the separation dragged through court proceedings

Marie Fedorov, a family law lawyer for the company appeared on the Today show on Wednesday morning, explaining the process.

Australian divorce rates The latest statistics on Australian divorce rates show that between 2014-15, the amount of divorces increased by 4.3 per cent There were 48,517 divorces in 2015 The average time between marriage and divorce was 12.1 years Divorces including children made up 47.5 per cent of all separations Joint applications for divorce are the highest they've been in 20 years Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Advertisement

'Family Mediation Station provides for separated couples to come in the morning for mediation with our nationally accredited mediator and sit down and really nut out an agreement,' the spokeswoman said.

'Once an agreement is reached then we organise the paperwork to formalise that agreement that afternoon.'

The service will cost soon-to-be-divorced couples $1,350 each for up to 4 hours, excluding GST.

Ms Fedorov said most couples walk away from the mediation having paid around $3000.

While some said the service may encourage couples to divorce without having tried to mend their differences, Ms Fedorov said her job is to help people move on with their lives.

'Divorce is a sad fact of life, but I deal with these people on a daily basis so I see the heartache that they're going through,' she said.

Family Mediation Station is a Queensland based service that claims to finalise divorce settlements in a day (stock image)

Mediation allows both parties to voice their concerns and what they wish to achieve from the separation process.

Unsurprisingly, not all couples will be open to the idea or be civil during the process, Ms Fedorov explained.

'There's always going to be those couples that perhaps won't agree but they're the ones that need to go through the family court process,' she said.

'The aim really is for them to walk out with their parenting and property matters resolved in just one day,' she told Today.
With so many products on offer and thousands of make up tutorials flooding our social feeds with new looks, it's often difficult to know what beauty products we should be buying.

And according to research from Priceline Pharmacy's Sister Club, 70 per cent of women are purchasing health and beauty products at least once a week, with millennials buying almost three per week on average.

Now, in a bid to assist savvy shoppers with their purchases, Priceline has revealed the top 10 beauty and health products purchased by women over the past year - and they all cost under $30.

In a bid to assist savvy shoppers with their purchases, Priceline has revealed the top 10 beauty and health products purchased by women over the past year - and they all cost under $30

1. MAYBELLINE Master Precise Liner in Blackest Black

This affordable $15.95 liquid eyeliner has been a hit with Australian women.

Fans of this product have raved about it's precise 0.05mm point and the 'shiny finish' it leaves on the lid.

Other have commented on the product's ability to last through the entire day.

'I've never been great at applying eyeliner but this one has made it so quick and easy to do,' a happy customer wrote online.

This affordable $15.95 liquid eyeliner has been a hit with Australian women

2. NUDE BY NATURE Mineral Cover

Although it is the most expensive product in the top 10 at $29.95, this foundation promises to never 'cake or clog' the pores.

Promising a natural finish minus any chemicals or irritants, this product is popular with those who want a light foundation with maximum coverage.

Women have also used this to cover birth marks, acne and scarring.

'I just tried this since I purchased it a few weeks ago and I am stunned how beautiful this is,' one woman wrote in a review.

Although it is the most expensive product in the top 10 at $29.95, this foundation promises to never 'cake or clog' the pores

3. BIOSOURCE Odourless Fish Oil 1000mg + Omega 3 400 capsules

It's not just make up in the top 10, with fish oil coming in at number three on the list.

At $10.99, these capsules claim to help women maintain a healthy heart, help memory and concentration, reduce joint inflammation, maintain healthy eyes and aid skin tissue.

Celebrities like Victoria Justice, Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow may have contributed to the popularity of fish oil, with the three of them taking it daily.

At $10.99, these capsules claim to help women maintain a healthy heart, help memory and concentration, reduce joint inflammation, maintain healthy eyes and aid skin tissue

4. BLACKMORES Natural Vitamin E Cream

At just $7.49, it's comes as no surprise that more women are switching their luxury products for this moisturising cream.

The cream is also made with avocado oil, apricot kernel oil and vitamin A to assist in smoothing and nourishing the skin.

At just $7.49, it's comes as no surprise that more women are switching their luxury products for this moisturising cream

5. BLOSSOM Lanolin Cream

This $4.99 cream deeply nourishes the skin using collagen, vitamin E and placenta extracts.

While it may sound unusual to some, the sheep placenta extracts are said to be 'a unique source of natural bio-stimulants that are easily absorbed and penetrate deeply to nourish, revitalise and improve skin elasticity.'

When applied to the body the cream can also help to 'slow the ageing of cells and skin tissue'.

This $4.99 cream deeply nourishes the skin using collagen, vitamin E and placenta extracts

6. AUSTRALIS Banana Powder

This $14.95 product has been taking the country by storm at the moment and has won several awards.

The unique yellow toned powder suits most skin tones and is designed to be used as part of your contouring regime or on its own.

Others like to use it as a highlighter or to correct any skin redness.

'I always have red cheeks and red patches on my chin as well as dark eyes and this covers them up so well and it is barely noticeable,' one customer wrote.

'It's a life saver,' another wrote.

This $14.95 product has been taking the country by storm at the moment and has won several awards

7. AUSTRALIS AC On Tour Kit

While some may believe contouring is on its way out, it seems as though most Australian women disagree.

Likely inspired by beauty bloggers and celebrity make up artists, women are going crazy for this $16.95 contouring and highlighting kit.

The kit includes six powders that promise a healthy glow and instructions on how to master application.

'This product is absolutely phenomenal. It is so creamy and buttery and I absolutely love it,' a customer wrote.

Likely inspired by beauty bloggers and celebrity make up artists, women are going crazy for this $16.95 contouring and highlighting kit

8. MAYBELLINE Instant Age Rewind Eraser Concealer

This $18.95 concealer promises to 'instantly erase' dark circles and fine lines on the face.

It comes in six shades and includes a spongey applicator to help the product glide on smoothly.

The concealer is infused with goji berry and Haloxyl which may also help with minimising eye puffiness.

This $18.95 concealer promises to 'instantly erase' dark circles and fine lines on the face

9. CALTRATE Bone & Muscle Health Plus Minerals

Number nine on the list are these $7.99 calcium supplements.

The product combines calcium for bone strength, a unique blend of minerals that promote collagen formation for bone flexibility and Vitamin D to support muscle strength.

They are also thought to help prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Number nine on the list are these $7.99 calcium supplements

10. AUSTRALIS Make up Finishing Spritz

Setting sprays are a popular addition to the beauty cupboard, and this $15.95 spritz is one of the most in-demand on the market.

The light and breathable spray promises to set make up for all day wear and claims to 'provide an invisible shield over the face that sets make up perfectly for that "big" night out'.

The simple product can also help prevent make up smudging due to environmental and temperature changes and is made with rose water and aloe vera for moisture.

'I had put concealer on blemishes, no foundation, powder anything. I sprayed this product 2 - 3 times and, I came back at the end of the day and my makeup was still on! Looked like I'd just put it on!' One customer wrote.

'This stuff keeps my makeup on all day and smells amazing!' Another said.
A dedicated midwife got a call to deliver a baby in the middle of a pampering appointment - and rushed out of the salon to assist the mother-to-be while still wearing hair foils.

Carrie Hall, from Whitesburg, Kentucky, shared a photo of herself holding the newborn with her hair still wrapped in foil with her alma mater, the Frontier Nursing University in Hyden.

The school posted the photo publicly on Facebook last week, explaining that the midwife had sent it with the caption: 'I was at the salon and nature called!'

Dedication: Midwife Carrie Hall (pictured), from Whitesburg, Kentucky, rushed out of a hair appointment to deliver a baby at the hospital while still wearing hair foils

Hall was on call on the day of the delivery and thought she had an opening in her unpredictable schedule to fit in a session to get her hair colored.

'I called prior to going to my appointment and there was a patient in labor but she wasn't progressing rapidly,' the midwife told Cafe Mom.

'My hairdresser, Demaris, had just finished foiling my hair when the nurses called and said the patient was ready to deliver.'

Hall didn't waste any time and rushed to the hospital, which was five minutes away, without stopping to take the foil out of her hair.

Impressed: Facebook users praised the midwife for her sense of duty. Hall explained she was on call on the day of the delivery but thought she had time for the hair session

Relatable: One Facebook user said in a comment she was reluctant to schedule hair appointments while on call for fear that a similar scenario would unfold

By the time she arrived, the mother was in labor and ready to push - and she delivered a healthy baby in just 20 minutes.

Having accomplished her midwife duty, Hall returned to the salon for the end of her appointment.

Some Facebook users expressed concern in the comments section that her hair could have suffered if the products had stayed on for too long, but Hall said she hadn't had any issue.

'I then got back in my car, went back to the shop, and finished my hair,' she said. 'Needless to say, momma, baby, and my hair are great!'
While Barbie and Ken are regularly criticized for giving children unrealistic views of the human form, one mother took matters into her own hands to give her young daughter a toy that she can truly relate to, after the youngster tragically lost her left eye to cancer.

Loving mother Danielle Munger gave daughter Brynn, who was diagnosed witha rare form of cancer known as undifferentiated sarcoma just after her first birthday, was given a one-eyed bunny toy for her third birthday, and says she immediately formed a precious bond with the specially-made toy.

Naming the stuffed toy 'Sparkle', Brynn was overwhelmed with excitement at being gifted the stuffed bunny, which features a glittery golden bow just above the spot where you might expect to find a left eye.

Some-bunny to love: Brynn Munger, who lost her left eye to a rare cancer, was gifted this custom doll for her third birthday in March

All that glitters: The doll, which Brynn named 'Sparkle' was created by Idaho-based toy maker Jessica Sebastian, whose custom creations typically sell out within 'seconds'

And according to Brynn's mother, there could have been no greater birthday gift for her daughter than the extraordinarily close bond with the toy, which Danielle hopes will help the youngster feel more confident about her disability.

Speaking to the Huffington Post, Danielle revealed that a tumor found behind Brynn's left eye necessitated the eye be permanently removed; after multiple surgeries, the tumor and the eye were removed, and the eye socket sealed.

As Brynn grew, Munger began observing the way Brynn felt 'different' from other children.

She began researching about the way dolls can have therapeutic effects on children with physical differences.

In 2016, social psychologist Sian Jones of Goldsmith University of London spoke to NPR about the overwhelming benefits of all children playing with dolls with disabilities.

This kind of exposure and play both promotes a positive self-image and heightens empathy.

Just the facts ma'am: Danielle Munger, (pictured here, holding Brynn), spent time researching the therapeutic effects of dolls before she reached out to Sebastian for her custom creation

In order to commemorate her daughter's third birthday, as well as her being cancer-free for more than 16 months, Munger gave her daughter a one of-a-kind gift: a beautiful doll that also has one eye.

No toy maker was better suited to the task of creating this special doll than Jessica 'Auntie Jessa' Sebastian of Sebastian Design Dolls.

The Idaho-based artisan is known for her beautiful custom cloth dolls, which 'sell out in seconds' according to her Etsy page.

When Munger initially reached out to Sebastian about the custom doll, the toy maker was wading through a wait list of more than 60 orders. Yet, Brynn's story moved Sebastian in such a way that she made a rare exception and took on the order immediately.

Brynn received the doll on her third birthday and was thrilled with her new best friend, whom she immediately dubbed 'Sparkle.'

Heart of gold! Though Sebastian had a 60 person wait list for her custom dolls, she knew she had to take on Munger's request for this completely unique project

Love at first hug! Brynn instantly bonded with her new doll. Studies show that dolls with disabilities can help establish a more positive self-image in children

In a recent Facebook post, Sebastian shared her experience working with Brynn's family, along with images of a smiling Brynn 'hugging her one-eyed bunny who is just as perfect and beautiful as she is.'

'To date, I don't think I've ever been asked to create something so tender and meaningful,' Sebastian says.

She adds that she doesn't consider doll-making a 'heroic profession by any means' and that Brynn is the 'true superhero' (and not just because of her Wonder Woman nightgown).

Munger told Huffington Post that, in addition to being something that Brynn will treasure, the doll marks the end of a long journey for the family.

The Mungers say they remain grateful for the 'absolute humbling love and kindness of others,' and that they 'can do anything after fighting cancer.'
Bristol Palin is a mere month away from her due date, and her husband Dakota Meyer is happily sharing the final moments of her pregnancy on Instagram.

The 28-year-old proud papa was at Bristol's 36-week ultrasound this week, and shared an image of the exciting moment with his social media followers this morning.

Dakota also shared some very loving words for his wife, who is expecting a girl in mid-May.

On the way! Dakota Meyer, 28, shared a photo of his wife Bristol Palin, 26, at her third trimester ultrasound on Wednesday

Growing family: The couple is expecting a girl, their second child together; their first, Sailor Grace, was born during their estrangement after they abruptly called off their wedding

Little girl: On Wednesday, Bristol shared an image of Sailor playing with her make-up

'I couldn't ask for a better person to be the mother of my children. She's the most amazing woman on earth and I'm so glad she chose me. Thank you for being my wife,' he wrote, adding the hashtag #mywifeisamazing.

In the picture, Bristol, 26, is seen laying back at an OB-GYN's office while a technician brings up the sonogram on the screen.

This is the second child for the couple, who also have a one-year-old daughter named Sailor Grace. Bristol has a son of her own, eight-year-old son Tripp, with her teenage boyfriend Levi Johnston.

'Just wanna see her face!' Bristol showed off her growing baby bump in an Instagram video last week, confirming that she is just one month away from her due date

Bristol also shared an image of her own this morning, uploading a picture to Instagram of Sailor playing with mommy's make-up in front of the mirror.

The toddler is sitting on the floor, reaching for what appears to be a can of hair mousse while other products are scattered around her.

Bristol merely captioned the image with a series of emojis, including lipstick, nail polish, a crown, and hearts.

On Friday, Bristol took to Instagram to share a Boomerang video of herself moving her stomach so viewers could see her side profile.

'ONE MONTH LEFT! just wanna see her face!! [sic]' Bristol wrote of the little girl growing inside her.

Daddy's girl: Bristol also shared photos of her family over the weekend, including this snapshot of her one-year-old daughter sitting on Dakota's lap on a boat

Helping hand: 'My boy,' she captioned an image of her son Tripp scooping raw cooking dough onto a baking sheet. The eight-year-old is her only child with her ex-fiance Levi Johnston

On Saturday, she shared photos of her family, including a snapshot of Dakota holding Sailor while they enjoyed a boat ride.

The little girl was wearing a life vest, and Bristol couldn't resist noting: 'spoiled girl, got daddy wrapped around her finger!'

'My boy,' she captioned another image of Tripp scooping raw cooking dough onto a baking sheet.

A few weeks ago, Bristol and her family left their home in Wasilla, Alaska, and they appear to be staying in Austin, Texas for the weeks leading up to her due date.

Both she and Dakota have shared videos from their weekend, and on Sunday she posted a clip of her husband feeding their baby girl at a barbecue restaurant.

Open wide: On Sunday, Bristol posted a video of Dakota feeding Sailor at a restaurant

Yum: Sailor clearly liked what she was given, and she was all smiles after she had a bite of her dad's food

Jumping bean: Dakota filmed Sailor playing at a trampoline park, as he repeatedly urged the little girl to 'jump'

Sailor clearly enjoyed the bite of food she was given, prompting her mother to ask: 'Is that good?'

Meanwhile, Dakota filmed Sailor playing at a trampoline park, as he repeatedly urged the little girl to 'jump'.

Earlier in the day, the Medal of Honor recipient stood in front of the Texas State Capitol while appearing on Fox and Friends.

During the segment, Dakota called former National Security Adviser Susan Rice the Obama White House's 'liar-in-chief', stating that her claim that the Obama administration had successfully removed chemical weapons from Syria proved to be false after last week's gas attack.
It was their first official overseas visit together as a married couple and newlyweds Kate and William charmed the crowds all the way from Calgary to California on their 10-day royal tour of Canada and LA.

But while they may have won new legions of fans, Prince Charles was not best pleased with their efforts, according to Sally Bedell Smith's biography of the future king.

According to the writer, the Prince thought the trip featured too many 'tasteless' photo ops, and he 'wasn't pleased with the camera-friendly couple'.

And he was 'more than a little irked' at the pair treating their overseas trip too much like a personal holiday.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge charmed Canada when they visited just two months after their wedding in 2011, but Prince Charles was 'irked' by their 'tasteless' photo opportunities, according to a new biography

The otherwise successful visit ended in embarrassment for Kate when she experienced a 'Marilyn moment' at Calgary airport

Kevin S. MacLeod, Canadian Secretary to the Queen, organised the visit and allowed the couple to make their itinerary a lot less formal than many previous royal tours.

They travelled with a small entourage and made a visit to Prince Edward Island at Kate's specific request - apparently mindful of the fact that Charles and Diana's 1983 Canada tour was based entirely around the Prince's interests and none of his wife's.

The Canada tour saw the couple pose up a storm in cowboy hats when they were given the honour of pressing the button to launch the legendary Calgary Stampede.

But Kate later made headlines for the wrong reasons as her feather-light Jenny Packham yellow frock was blown up by a gust of wind.

Prince Charles was irked by the couple's snap happy attitude in Canada, according to royal biographer Sally Bedell Smith

Some rather revealing photos of the incident published online led to intense discussion as to whether she was wearing any underwear or not, which was no doubt a source of embarrassment to the new Duchess of Cambridge.

Shortly after the tour, royal author Phil Dampier told The Mirror there was a certain rivalry between father and son following William's marriage to Kate.

'When Charles and Camilla visited Canada two years ago they were greeted by relatively small crowds. They are in their 60s and are not what you would call glamorous,' he said.

By contrast, William and Kate received a rapturous reception from huge crowds, with half a million people turning out to see them on one day alone.

William takes a shot during a hockey game on a visit to Somba K'e Civic Plaza in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories on July 5 2011

The couple pose with personalised hockey jerseys. Prince Charles was apparently unhappy that their visit had turned into one long photo opportunity

'Charles felt overshadowed by Diana and now it seems he feels overshadowed by their son.

'Some people may think he is jealous. I have always felt that as soon as William got married, Charles would feel sidelined.

It was not the last time that rumours of tension between the couple and Prince Charles emerged.

Kate had fun in the kitchen during a cooking workshop at the Institut de tourisme et d'hotellerie du Quebec in Montreal

William and Kate arrive on a horse pulled stagecoach wearing cowboy hats for a Canadian government reception in Calgary

The couple received a rapturous welcome from eager royal fans as they toured Canada two months after their wedding

Last year, it was reported that the future king was upset at not getting to spend enough time with his grandchildren.

A friend said at the time: Charles feels very much that the Middletons get more than their fair share of time with George and Charlotte.

'In comparison, he sees them very little and he bears a bit of a grudge about that.
A high school in San Antonio, Texas is under fire for its treatment of a female student who was punished for reprimanding the dress code while wearing a long-sleeved dress that exposed her knees.

17-year-old Sophia Abuabara, a student at Tom C. Clark High School, was repeatedly reprimanded on Monday for wearing the seemingly-modest item - a dress code violation that was made all the more controversial by the fact that boys at the same school are allegedly permitted to wear shorts with a much higher hemline.

The look - which was documented on Instagram by Sophia's mother, Rosey Abuabara - appears as though it would pass the standard 'fingertip test,' which asks that hemlines fall below the reach of a student's fingertips.

Who wore it best? 17-year-old Sophia (left), was sent home for wearing a 'too short' dress - meanwhile, mother Rosey captured a pair of short shorts on a male student in the parking lot

Yet, when Sophia arrived at her high school, where she is class president, she was reprimanded for her dress.

According to Abuabara, Sophia had multiple tests that day in intensive subjects such as Physics, Latin, and United States History, and she expressed her fury after claiming that the school principal, Dr. Jerry Woods, tried to interrupt Sophia's Latin exam in an attempt to discuss her outfit.

Though the classroom teacher told the principal to wait until after the test, Abuabara writes on Instagram, 'just knowing she needed to talk to him messed with her concentration'.

In a statement released to Yahoo Style, a school spokesperson said of the incident: 'This issue was addressed by campus administrators in a manner consistent with other dress code violations on campus and no disciplinary action was taken.

'The student was not taken out of class during a test, rather she was sent to visit with campus administration after her test was completed.'

Nevertheless, Abuabara herself was called to bring her daughter a change of clothes.

Abuabara arrived at the school, not with pants in tow, but with harsh words for the administration.

Where's the school spirit? The administration of Tom C. Clark High School allegedly interrupted Sophia's test-filled day multiple times in order to reprimand her clothing choice

'I went to the school to tell them I was not going to interrupt her testing schedule because of her skirt length,' she says. As a result, Abuabara says she was escorted away by campus police.

Abuabara's frustration about her daughter's treatment was only furthered when she spotted a male student wearing a pair of shorts far shorter than Sophia's dress.

The male student's outfit was captured by Abuabara and posted on her Instagram, juxtaposed with Sophia's outfit of the day.

'The boys don't have to deal with this,' Abuabara says. 'It's clearly a sexist practice.'

Robert Kinsel, the male student allegedly photographed, commented on Abuabara's post with his perspective on the situation.

'I didn't wear that around school all day,' Kinsel says. 'Those were my workout clothes and I changed before going to the weight room after school.' He later added,

'I think the problem is not so much with the boys who wear [shorts] as it is with the administration and an uneven application of the rules.'

In recent years, the debate about sexist dress codes has raged across the United States, with young women being sent home for the strangest violations in their wardrobe.

Next up for the Abuabaras: Rosey tells Yahoo Style she plans on contacting the ACLU and the school board to make official complaints and hopefully change the 'slut-shaming' mentality of high school dress codes.
Gemma Andrews knew she didn't love her ex-husband when she married him five years ago and their marriage ended three years later

Walking down the aisle towards the man she was about to marry, Gemma Andrews could see her mother up ahead wearing her best hat and, beside her, her grandmother tearfully clutching a handkerchief.

All eyes were on her. A sea of faces smiling, dabbing their eyes and wishing her luck. This was meant to be the happiest moment of Gemmas life. Why, then, was her stomach in a knot and a sense of panic rising? Why did she feel like turning around and running and running until all of this was far away?

The dreadful truth is that even though Gemma was about to make her vows, she knew she didnt love the man standing at the altar.

She knew, just moments from now, she was about to make the biggest mistake of her life.

This will sound like the most awful and shallow admission, says Gemma, who married aged 27 five years ago.

But I walked down that aisle, with the people who love me most in the pews either side of me, knowing that I didnt want to marry the man waiting for me. I just felt too embarrassed to admit that I had cold feet.

Planning the wedding had taken over our lives to such an extent, I had lost sight of what really mattered. But to call the whole thing off would have meant losing face.

With a depressing inevitability, the marriage ended three years later, in 2015, with Gemma  who lives in Chesterfield with her new partner, Michael Andrews, a 30-year-old security guard  starting divorce proceedings on the grounds of irreconcilable differences.

Shes now joined the ranks of almost half of divorcees who knew on their wedding days that their relationship was doomed, according to a poll by a law firm.

With weddings becoming grander and more expensive each year  in the Seventies, a couple typically spent 1,850 on their big day; today, its more like 27,000  it seems that a growing number feel compelled to go ahead with their big day, through guilt or financial obligation, even when they know for certain the union is going to end in divorce.

Tellingly, as wedding costs escalate, so do divorce statistics  research in 2014 found that the more people spend on their wedding and engagement, the more likely they are to end the marriage.

Meanwhile, half of couples accept considerable financial help from their parents to cover the cost. Little wonder a doubting bride might feel she has no choice but to suppress her worries and just say: I do.

For Gemma, pictured, calling off the wedding would have meant throwing away the 10,000 her and her fiance had saved for two years and letting down her family

Certainly for Gemma, calling off the wedding would have meant throwing away the 10,000 her and her fiance had saved for two years and letting down her family. Her grandmother had also made a contribution.

I simply couldnt have lived with the guilt of her losing her money. In the end, it seemed easier to swallow all my doubts and go ahead with it anyway, she says.

In the weeks running up to my wedding, I had endless worries about whether I should be going through with it, yet I didnt confide in anyone. It was embarrassing to admit I was getting cold feet for no other reason than, during the two years of planning and arranging this wedding, I had lost sight of why I was doing it, and had fallen out of love with my fiance.

Now, of course, I realise the wedding wasnt about making a lifelong commitment to someone I wanted to grow old with  it was about making real the picture-perfect day I had imagined for myself since childhood, while keeping up with my friends whod all got married before me

Now, of course, I realise the wedding wasnt about making a lifelong commitment to someone I wanted to grow old with  it was about making real the picture-perfect day I had imagined for myself since childhood, while keeping up with my friends whod all got married before me.

My ex-husband was my first serious boyfriend. We had been together since I was 18. By the time our wedding day came, I just didnt feel able to voice my reservations, as so much time, effort and money had been invested in the day.

Wedding planner Jenny Marks, of Surrey-based firm Complete Bliss, says she can sometimes spot a marriage that is unlikely to last as early as the initial phone call.

It can be as simple as the tone of her voice  launching straight into: I want this, I want that, as though shes determinedly pulling off a huge social event, rather than arranging a really special day.

Weddings have become synonymous with a huge show, with the ceremony itself only a small part of an enormous event.

I routinely plan weddings where the costs run to 50,000 or more. Often, the parents are paying a huge chunk, if not all of it. Imagine being a bride and starting to wobble as the big day approaches.

All this money and effort thats being spent on her, all those people who are emotionally and financially invested in that perfect day. The pressure to go ahead, however uneasy she might be starting to feel, is enormous.

With weddings becoming grander and more expensive each year  in the Seventies, a couple typically spent 1,850 on their big day; today, its more like 27,000  it seems that a growing number feel compelled to go ahead with their big day, through guilt or financial obligation, even when they know for certain the union is going to end in divorce

The guilt she might feel at the idea of saying: Actually, folks, stop everything, Ive changed my mind would be horrendous.

Competitive parents can get as carried away as the bride. The bride will want everything Instagram-perfect, while her parents will be making their own statement to the friends they have invited. The pressure to match what their peers have laid on can be huge.

Jenny has seen brides go into meltdown on their wedding morning, turning seemingly small details into huge issues.

One girl broke down in hysterics when she realised the napkins no longer appeared an exact match to the blue flowers on the tables under the marquee lights.

She was distraught. But, actually, I think the real issue was that shed spent so long planning the perfect day, and now it had arrived she was worrying about whether she wanted the life coming after it.

The wedding shed dreamed of since she was a little girl had turned into a runaway train, and it hit her that it was too late to jump off.

Meanwhile, for every couple whose parents can stump up enormous amounts towards the costs of a modern wedding, there is another who must find every penny themselves. Very often, the debt puts the marriage under pressure as they struggle to pay it off.

Family lawyer Amanda McAlister says she has helped divorcing clients who are still saddled with that debt. She is also not surprised to receive calls from women who are weeks away from their weddings, asking her to draw up prenuptial agreements.

And she hears from parents, too, who may suspect the impending marriage is unlikely to last, yet, like the bride, prefer to forge ahead anyway. Theyre typically wealthy parents who want to protect their legacy, says Amanda.

And, of course, its not only young women who are falling into this trap. Second-time weddings can be just as lavish, with brides so happy to have found another life partner, they turn a deaf ear to any warning bells.

Vivienne Lambert, whod already been married previously, signed the divorce papers to end her second marriage in 2014. But she admits shed had doubts from the moment her ex-husband proposed 12 years earlier.

A naval officer, he told her at the start of their relationship he was being posted to Australia for three years, and Vivienne didnt baulk when he suggested she join him.

I was happy because Id always wanted to go to Australia. It seemed like an adventure.

Tellingly, as wedding costs escalate, so do divorce statistics  research in 2014 found that the more people spend on their wedding and engagement, the more likely they are to end the marriage

But things began to move along at an alarming speed and Vivienne, 65 and a retired business owner, started to worry. Just nine weeks after their first date, he proposed.

We were in South Africa and, at the top of Table Mountain, he pulled out a ring, she says.

As I stared at the solitaire diamond, it didnt feel right, but he looked so happy and I didnt want to hurt his feelings. I asked if I could have six months just to see if I liked living in Australia. He asked if Id wear the ring anyway.

I agreed: we were provisionally engaged. A year later, we purchased a home together in Canberra. It was gorgeous, and when that little nagging voice of doubt spoke up again, I dismissed it, telling myself we got on well  what more did I want? But then he began pushing for the wedding.

Despite feeling uneasy, Vivienne then started planning her big day, set for just 18 months since her first date.

The night before the wedding, a friend took me to one side and told me she was worried about me. She thought Id changed and seemed subdued around my partner.

She gently told me it wasnt too late to call it off. I cried. I knew she was right, but I just couldnt.

Wed spent thousands upon thousands of pounds. Guests had flown in and more than a dozen of them were already staying with us. I was firmly committed. My motto has always been: Youve made your bed, now lie in it. And despite everything, I couldnt help but enjoy moments of this aesthetically perfect day.

The venue, a hotel in Canberra, with its stunning sunsets and incredible food, was straight out of a glossy bridal magazine.

I felt fantastic in my dress  it was long, gold satin with a halter-neck. Who wouldnt enjoy audible gasps when they walk in?

Vivienne knew, however, these things were just sticking plasters.

There were moments that reminded me I shouldnt be marrying this man. In our first dance, I almost fell over. I laughed, but appearances were everything to him  he looked embarrassed.

For our photos, each pose was carefully thought through, but even as he grinned into the camera, I felt that there was no connection between us.

Married life was comfortable, but without any sense of emotional closeness. It abruptly ended eight years later in 2012.

Vivienne says it took her two years to get over the fact she had made such a huge mistake, adding: Today, Im once more cautiously dating. But I will never ignore that inner voice again. It warned me for a reason.

However, relationship psychologist Jo Hemmings says it is human nature to ignore that nagging voice of doubt, because to listen to it in the situation both Gemma and Vivienne faced is so emotionally challenging.

The pressure, the expense, knowing that people who care about them have emotionally invested in their happiness and want to share a day of joy with them can make pulling out impossible to imagine, she says.

It can also seem easier and even cheaper to ignore the doubts, get married anyway and then quietly get divorced afterwards.

Then you have some brides who have niggling doubts, where they dont feel theyre marrying the wrong guy, theyre just not 100 per cent sure hes the right guy.

If they call off the statement wedding, then the relationship will almost certainly end  and thats not necessarily what they want.

Meanwhile, when the wedding itself becomes a huge event, consuming ridiculous amounts of their time, energy and focus, the bride doesnt know whether shes having doubts through sheer stress and anxiety or if she really is making a mistake in going ahead.

Jo runs pre-wedding counselling sessions, where she encourages couples to talk about their hopes and expectations for married life long before they meet at the altar or stand before the registrar.

You need to talk about how you plan to raise your children, whether you even want children, what you expect from each other as far as the sharing of chores and supporting each others careers, she says.

These arent romantic subjects, but theyre conversations couples need to have. Too much effort goes into wedding planning and not enough into marriage planning.

The problem is that weddings have become such commercialised events that the true meaning of committing yourself to another person for the rest of your life has become lost in translation. What couples need to grasp, long before they book the wedding planner or meet the photographer, is that their wedding makes up just a few hours of their life.

Reverend Tim Hanson agrees that engaged couples ought to seriously consider what being married means to each of them.

Soon after a couple approaches him for permission to marry at his Anglican church in Cheshire, Reverend Hanson spends a couple of evenings with them having that very conversation.

I ask two questions  first, why they are marrying, to which the reply is always: Because we love each other. Then: How long do you intend to stay married for?

The shocked response is always forever, and thats when I talk about how everyone feels the same at the start of the journey to their wedding day, yet afterwards, huge numbers end up divorcing.

The problem is that weddings have become such commercialised events that the true meaning of committing yourself to another person for the rest of your life has become lost in translation.

What couples need to grasp, long before they book the wedding planner or meet the photographer, is that their wedding makes up just a few hours of their life.

Its a great day  of course it is. But you need to be clear about the kind of life and values you want to share together afterwards.

Because, 30 years down the line, when youve had children, endured various quarrels and house moves and suffered bereavements, you release that the day itself wasnt actually all that important at all.

Additional reporting: Samantha Brick
Trapped, as we are, in this world of non-stop, image-gorging social media, what do you do to get attention when youre the daughter of one of the most powerful feminists in the world?

All Madonnas daughter Lourdes had to do was raise her arm. Not in some salute to the sisterhood on a protest march, just on a beach in Miami, shielding her eyes from the sun, to reveal  hairy armpits.

Naturally, this did not go unnoticed. Theories were immediately bandied around. Was it a calculated gesture by a feisty young woman to demonstrate her non-conformity to tyrannical, male-dominated expectations of feminine beauty? Or had Lourdes simply forgotten to pack her razor?

Madonna's daughter Lourdes, 20, was pictured with hairy armpits on a Miami beach

Personally, I suspect it was neither of those but a bit of old-fashioned attention-seeking, of one-upmanship (sorry, one-upwomanship) when everything else on social media fails to shock any more.

Cute selfies in bikinis? So yesterday. Topless pictures? Yawn. These days even a video of a girl baring all wont get much attention.

So what does she do to get noticed? She sticks one finger  or one bristly armpit  up to the world, via a handy paparazzi photographer, and announces: My pits are my own, not the property of men. Cue newspaper column inches and social media hashtags everywhere.

But while there is undoubtedly a shave slave rebellion among young women  social media is awash with similar images to those of 20-year-old Lourdes  I cant view her protest (if thats what it was) as fully authentic.

Madonna (pictured) even gave it a whirl herself in 2014, when she posted a picture of her unshaven pit on the internet with the caption: Long hairdont care! before swiftly returning to a more traditional smooth look

With hunky, hairy Cuban Carlos Leon for a father, and having inherited her mothers sultry Italian looks (before she went blonde), Lourdes is what a beautician might delicately describe as on the hairy side.

She has a mane of thick black hair and heavily plucked eyebrows that would be a monobrow without tweezering or lasering.

Yet apart from her underarms, there was not a stray hair anywhere. Her legs were totally smooth, as was the skin around the scrap of fabric striving to protect her modesty. That girl is as waxed as her mums double in Madame Tussauds.

So its OK to pluck your eyebrows but a feminist statement not to shave your armpits? Im not sure I follow.

Lourdess little tufts are fairly demure compared with Julia Robertss (pictured). Whenever she goes native and waves an arm on the red carpet, as she did in 1999 promoting the film Notting Hill, she looks as if shes got a baby orangutan under her arm

Hairy armpits as a propaganda tool are not just a Western phenomenon. In 2015 the Chinese womens rights activist Xiao Meili used a popular blogging site to hold an armpit hair competition. She was protesting against the social pressure on women to shave under their arms. There were more than 1.7 million hits.

When Germaine Greer called on women not to shave their armpits as a gesture of emancipation nearly half a century ago, hardly any women had careers and they wouldnt have dared upset their breadwinner husbands with a hairy armpit or prickly leg sliding over the bedsheets. The social stereotype was for them to get a little job, get married, then pregnant, stay at home with the kids and depilate religiously.

The feminists who followed Greers call didnt stop at the armpit. It was no shaving, waxing or depilating anywhere. A Brazilian wax was a backward step in the emancipation of women. It all feels so dated now.

Since then, women have slowly drifted back to the lure of the razor. After the shock of the hairy armpits wore off, Eighties career woman had to find other ways to get herself noticed, including stilettos, shoulder pads and perfectly waxed legs.

When Germaine Greer (pictured) called on women not to shave their armpits as a gesture of emancipation nearly half a century ago, hardly any women had careers and they wouldnt have dared upset their breadwinner husbands with a hairy armpit or prickly leg sliding over the bedsheets

The sight of any underarm hair would have been considered a sign that a woman was slovenly and didnt take care of herself. Being hairy was more socially frowned upon than being fat.

Today, we spend 4 billion a year on make-up and beauty products. Salons are full of girls getting manicures, pedicures, hair extensions, facials, Brazilians. Young women have never dressed so provocatively or spent as much money and time on fashion.

Of course, there have been sporadic attempts at retro hairy armpit flashing. Madonna even gave it a whirl herself in 2014, when she posted a picture of her unshaven pit on the internet with the caption: Long hairdont care! before swiftly returning to a more traditional smooth look.

But the days when women shaved their armpits to keep their man happy have long gone. We shave them because we want to, because it looks and feels nice  to us.

Lourdess little tufts are fairly demure compared with Julia Robertss. Whenever she goes native and waves an arm on the red carpet, as she did in 1999 promoting the film Notting Hill, she looks as if shes got a baby orangutan under her arm.

At least Lady Gaga had a bit of fun with her protest, when she arrived at a music awards ceremony with little shaggy turquoise wigs under her arms to match her coloured wig, and wore a matching crotch piece over her clothes.

So maybe it was inevitable that hairy armpits would come round again. They are certainly enjoying a moment. Instagram is awash with pictures of girls with their eyes lowered, arms seductively raised, cleavage tumbling out, a hint of nipple and a brazen display of hair.

But as for young women rejecting anything that pleases men, the reality could not be farther from the truth. Its as feminist as a wet T-shirt competition.

Theres even a free dating website for singles interested in hairy armpits.

Dont worry, it will all get boring again soon, and attention-hungry 20-somethings will move on.

I did a straw poll yesterday of men I know aged from 20 to 60, and asked what they thought of hairy armpits. The comments ranged from gross and ugly, to just plain smelly.

Yes its hypocrisy, as we dont often complain about the sweaty beards under their arms. But the days when women shaved their armpits to keep their man happy have long gone. We shave them because we want to, because it looks and feels nice  to us.
Every woman of a certain age knows that no matter how carefully you make up your face, theres still one body part that betrays your age like nothing else: your neck.

As the skin here is so delicate and we often forget to look after it with the same care as our faces, it wrinkles easily. Indeed, when it comes to appearance, after wrinkles and facial firmness, women said the neck was their greatest concern.

But now Boots claims it has the answer. In 2007, the company made the news when a BBC Horizon documentary followed scientists at Manchester University showing its Protect & Perfect serum could repair wrinkles and sun-damaged skin. The result? A years supply sold out in two weeks.

The company has tried to recreate this skincare stampede. Ten years on, it hopes this weeks launch of its 28 Restore & Renew serum is the answer. Boots touts it as its first clinically proven serum targeting the neck.

It contains so-called wonder ingredient Matrixyl 3000, a lab-made protein found in Protect & Perfect. This has been shown to boost levels of collagen and elastin, which keep skin firm and youthful. Boots says calcium amino acids and ceramides in the serum also target skin fragility and crepiness, an issue for post-menopausal women.

The hormone oestrogen helps collagen production (which makes skin firm) and helps skin cells maintain a youthful vitality, explains Dr Mike Bell, Boots skincare scientific adviser.

As oestrogen levels fall in menopause, the decline in collagen exacerbates loss of firmness in neck and face skin. Skin is drier and more fragile. This is most noticeable on the neck.

In 2007, Boots made the news when a BBC Horizon documentary followed scientists at Manchester University showing its Protect & Perfect serum (left) could repair wrinkles and sun-damaged skin. The result? A years supply sold out in two weeks. Now the shop is hoping to repeat that success with its new Restore & Renew serum for face and neck (right)

Boots says by adding calcium amino acids to their existing formula it has been able to boost calcium levels in the upper skin layers, to improve the skins renewal process and get rid of crepiness.

So does it work?

Boots says its clinical trial results were astounding, with most women finding their face and neck felt firmer and their neck looked smoother and less crepey, with visibly reduced wrinkles and a more even skin tone.

This sounds impressive, but only 100 women took part in this trial and Boots has refused to allow the data to be assessed by an independent dermatologist.

However, one woman who is convinced is Roberta Jones, 72, from South Benfleet in Essex, who tested the product for Boots for a few months last year.

Roberta Jones, 72, from South Benfleet in Essex, who tested the Restore & Renew serum for Boots for a few months last year. Roberta said: My neck and decolletage, which were crepey before, were smoother afterwards. People said my skin looked amazing

Ive always been diligent about skincare so dont have any age spots, or many wrinkles. But the few lines I had around my mouth and chin seemed to disappear when I was using the cream.

My neck and decolletage, which were crepey before, were smoother afterwards. People said my skin looked amazing.

But why is the neck such a trouble spot? Part of the issue is that skin on the neck can be half as thin as skin on the cheeks. Although it is subject to the same external assaults  UV light, pollution, wind  we tend not to protect it as much as we should.

While skincare experts advise applying facial skincare from the forehead to decollete, many women dont. And the rise of tech neck  lines and wrinkles caused by bending over phone screens  means we see these signs of ageing at a younger age. As Dr Susan Mayou of Londons Cadogan Clinic points out, no one can afford to take chances with their neck: It can look scraggy; the skin may be loose, crepey and discoloured.

Some people may have a tendency for fat deposits under the chin, which can give a jowly appearance. In extreme cases, you can end up with no definition, where the skin falls in a line from the chin to the collarbone.

And its not just skin that lets us down. The sheet of muscle you see when you clench your jaw is the platysma muscle, says Mr Ash Mosahebi, consultant plastic surgeon at the 25 Harley Street Clinic. With age, this smooth muscle starts to split into rope-like bands, and you can get a sort of hernia where fat and glands that were held in place by it fall forward, creating bulges, or turkey neck.

It may sound like were fighting a losing battle, but from skincare to surgery, there are treatments that will work

FAT UNDER THE CHIN THAT FORMS JOWLS

Here the fat blurs the jawline and creates a jowly effect. You have to consider the chin, jawline and neck together, says aesthetic expert Dr Tracy Mountford. When it comes to concerns about excess fat, research shows this area is the second biggest concern after the abdomen.

The solution: CoolSculpting, the fat freezing treatment used to remove unwanted fat, was improved last year with a CoolMini applicator to treat this area. It chills fat cells under the chin, causing them to die and be later eliminated by the body.

From around 750, coolsculpting.co.uk

NEGLECTED DRY, CREPEY SKIN

Thinner, neglected neck skin can look bad in contrast to thicker skin on the face that has been properly protected, says Dr Mayou.

The solution: Prevention is better than cure, so whatever your age you should use facial skincare on the neck, too.

Famously swan-necked actress Helen Mirren, 71, is part of the campaign for LOreals new Age Perfect Face, Neck & Decollete.

A daily SPF is essential, says Dr Suchitra Badvey of Harley Street Dermatology Clinic. Sun damage destroys lower level collagen.

But if youre trying to repair damage, look for hyaluronic acid-based creams and masks to add hydration, and active ingredients such as niacinamide, vitamin A, glycolic acid and vitamin C. Non-invasive treatments including micro needling, radio frequency and laser can also help.

OBVIOUS MUSCLE OR LACK OF DEFINITION

This can be due to the muscle separating as we age, says Mr Mosahebi, but its something you might also see in younger patients who exercise a lot.

The solution: A Nefertiti lift, named after the elegant-necked Egyptian queen, uses strategically placed amounts of a toxin, such as Botox, to paralyse parts of the platysma muscle.

By relaxing the bands of muscle that pull the lower parts of the jaw down and exaggerate the jowls, you can create a firmer jawline and smoother neck.

From around 500, find a practitioner at bcam.ac.uk

SAGGING SKIN OR TURKEY NECK

The neck is a very hard area to rejuvenate from a surgical perspective, due to the difficulty in hiding scars, says Mr Mosahebi.

The solution: A platysmaplasty, where the surgeon stitches the underlying muscle back together and removes excess skin, gives the most dramatic result, but leaves a scar on the neck.

An alternative is cutting at the back, in the hairline, and tightening the skin over the muscle, but not the muscle itself.

For necks that just need a modest amount of firming and lifting, Dr Mountford recommends Ultherapy, which uses ultrasound to stimulate collagen growth.

LINES AND WRINKLES DUE TO TECH NECK

This is something that can be hereditary, says Dr Mountford. You see it in women in their late 20s and early 30s too, and its possible that looking down at smartphones is exacerbating it.

The solution: Nothing yet, but Juvederm Volite, a new filler designed to boost smoothness, may be the answer.

While I may use small amounts of filler towards the back of the jaw to help lift the neck, I dont use filler in the neck as, even with the best practitioners using the finest fillers, Ive seen bumpiness. Its possible this new filler might be a solution, but we have to wait and see, says Dr Mountford.
      :   15   6     , 2   
The show does little more than turn female sexual pleasure into a freak-show

Some things in life remain all the more seductive, more thrillingly potent, when concealed behind a certain mystique. And after watching Channel 4s latest programme, I can firmly say that the female orgasm is one of them.

Toe-curling doesnt even come close to describing watching The Super Orgasm, which is screened tonight. Of the many scenes which made me cringe, one showed a young woman, lying under her duvet, eyes closed, thrashing about as though in the midst of a horrible nightmare.

Pictured: Francesca and Colin who appeared on Channel 4's latest programme The Super Orgasm which explores the female orgasm

This was 28-year-old web entrepreneur, Jannette, from South London, in the throes of sexual ecstasy.

And while no doubt producers convinced her that being filmed mid-orgasm was all part of Channel 4s mission to explore innovative new arenas, the entire scene was demeaning and exploitative.

While TV bosses try to present this as science, putting five women through experiments to map their brains and bodies as they climax is in fact a barrel-scraping new low, symptomatic of how desperate they are to attract viewers.

Because despite all the pseudo-science, sex is reduced to a series of spasms  and the female orgasm akin to a biological quirk, rather than a phenomenon borne from our emotions as well as our bodies. Love, passion or basic human affection are barely mentioned.

Linda Kelsey writes: 'Of the many scenes which made me cringe, one showed a young woman, lying under her duvet, eyes closed, thrashing about as though in the midst of a horrible nightmare. This was 28-year-old web entrepreneur, Jannette, from South London, in the throes of sexual ecstasy.'

Because for all the apparent liberation of discussing the Big O at length, Channel 4 is hardly doing women any favours by depicting this intimate experience as something to be attained wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask in a laboratory.

The Super Orgasm does little more than turn female sexual pleasure into some sort of freak-show, exploring as it does the ability of a tiny number of women to have hundreds of orgasms in a single experience.

And I believe it sets up damning new sexual norms to aspire to. The message seems to be that one orgasm isnt enough any more  not when some lucky women can have many more.

This might seem a surprising viewpoint from a former editor of Cosmopolitan, the magazine often accused of being obsessed with orgasms.

But Id argue theres no inconsistency here. In 1972, when Cosmo launched, there was a lot of ignorance surrounding sex. And the misinformation about lovemaking was good neither for women nor their partners.

Danika who participated in the programme. While TV bosses try to present this as science, putting five women through experiments to map their brains and bodies as they climax is in fact a barrel-scraping new low, symptomatic of how desperate they are to attract viewers

Of all womens hang-ups, orgasms  or the lack of them  were the biggest. Information about how womens bodies worked, as well as how to manage sexual expectations, was urgently needed, not least so couples could enjoy more fulfilling and loving relationships.

So Im certainly no prude, and I accept we have much to thank the sexologists of the past for, such as Alfred Kinsey, who set up the Institute For Sex Research in late Forties America and was instrumental in insisting that women were sexual beings, too.

But theres a world of difference between carrying out intimate experiments in the laboratory and reporting on the findings, and what The Super Orgasm has done: beaming the most private moments of its participants into millions of living rooms.

Channel 4 attempts to present its new show as a unique experiment on the basis that, up until now, sexologists have only examined women who orgasm once during any sexual encounter.

Its scientists apparently set out to discover what might distinguish women who say they have as many as 100 orgasms in a single sexual bout from those with a paltry count of one.

Three distinct experiments were carried out, looking at the multiple orgasm from the points of view of psychology, neuroscience and endocrinology. Pictured: Dr Nikki

The implication being that if we did know what made these women so special, us poor one-only mortals might benefit and even learn to become multi-orgasmic ourselves.

But the question I ask is would we want to even if we could? And how can this sleazy programme help any woman? Three distinct experiments were carried out, looking at the multiple orgasm from the points of view of psychology, neuroscience and endocrinology.

The first was in the arousal booth of Dr Gerulf Rieger at the University of Essex. Rieger, who has a PhD in Personality Psychology, has a special interest in the building blocks of arousal.

Step forward bisexual Nathalie, 24, an engineering student based in Bournemouth, who believes the most orgasms shes had in a single session is over 60, though if pushed for time shell settle for between seven and ten.

This first test is to measure pupil dilation and flow of blood to the genitals.

Nathalie, 24, an engineering student based in Bournemouth, believes the most orgasms shes had in a single session is over 60, though if pushed for time shell settle for between seven and ten

Participant Francesca

And it requires the volunteers to do something most sensible women would find humiliating to even consider: watching porn videos and masturbating, all while an internal probe with a camera attached gathers data.

It becomes apparent that this is a gratuitous experiment because the results are hardly surprising. As predicted by Dr Rieger, the four super-orgasmic women he tests are more easily aroused. In other words, highly-sexed women are, well, more highly sexed.

The second experiment, carried out by Dr Nicole Prause, a neuroscientist and psycho-physiologist, also involves watching porn, though this time with electrodes attached to the head so alpha wave readings can be taken.

This is our opportunity to meet Danika, 28, a mother of two, who had only ever been super-orgasmic with her husband and had never masturbated until the programme encouraged her to do so (mercifully, off camera).

The results suggest that certain types of alpha waves  the brainwaves present when the body is in deep relaxation  come into play in the run-up to climax, and then remain high in women who achieve further orgasms, while reducing in those who have one.

Dr Barry, one of the doctors conducting the experiments on the programme, pictured with participant Janette

However, because the sample is so small, it makes any worthwhile scientific conclusions very doubtful indeed.

For the final experiment, ever-eager Jannette goes to the States, where she meets neuroscientists Dr Barry Komisaruk and Dr Nan Wise, who clamp her into that Hannibal-Lecter style mask and place her inside an FMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) machine, which registers increases in blood flow to the brain.

What then? Why, yet another request to turn herself on.

Im beginning to tire of seeing an ecstatic Jannette  but not so Dr Wise, who discovers that the brains of women capable of more orgasms continue to light up in more than 30 separate areas, while the brain of your average woman de-activates post-orgasm.

She concludes: I believe women who are easily orgasmic are more capable of tuning into their sensations and focusing on sensations. A sensible assumption, you might have thought  one which perhaps did not require the humiliation of a Hannibal Lecter mask.

All this scientific hoopla is really just part of Channel 4s larger ongoing ploy to chase ratings using nothing more than sexual titillation.

And ironically, The Super Orgasm isnt in the least erotic, just embarrassing. How I longed to rescue Jeannette from her naive belief that by pleasuring herself for the camera, shes helping science unravel a great sexual mystery.

The truth about the female orgasm that this TV spectacle fails to acknowledge is that we are as individual in our sexual responses as in every other aspect of our personalities.

With so much pressure on women today to be sexual goddesses, fostered in part by the ever-fake, multi-orgasmic stars of readily-available porn, the last thing we need to feel is that we are underperforming if we cant ride waves of ecstasy.

Indeed, worrying about this is hardly the way to achieving true intimacy and contentment in the bedroom. Sex isnt meant to be a performance, but a shared, loving experience.

Pursuing multiple orgasms is rather by the by, and investigating them on prime-time TV is nothing short of pointless  for science and for women.

The Super Orgasm, Channel 4, tonight, 10pm
Considering that Kylie Jenner's Instagram feed of plump-lipped selfies has over 91 million followers, it's no surprise that lip augmentation procedures are more popular than ever. Now, doctors are working on further honing their skills to achieve realistic results that meet their clients' demands.

'One of the main challenges for clinicians is to know when to stop treating the lips before the results appear artificial and unnatural,' reads a new study conducted by JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery.

To get a more concrete guideline, the researchers asked 98 participants to look at 30 digitally altered images of a model's lips. After viewing each photo, they were prompted to determine if the lips in each photo appeared cosmetically enhanced and whether they found the lips attractive and natural or artificial and unnatural.

The results show that 'a balanced augmentation between the upper and lower lips' is the key to achieving a natural look with lip fillers.

Lip service: A new study reveals the characteristics that make lip enhancements look attractive or artificial

Dr. Joseph Russo, a Newton, Massachusetts-based plastic surgeon, agrees with the findings and notes that it's also important that the full lips are proportional to the rest of the face.

'When all you see is a person's lips because they are too large for her face, that typically makes them appear artificial,' he told FEMAIL.

Another misstep can come from adding volume at the sides to elongate the shape. 'Youthful lips usually have the volume concentrated in the center, also known as the pout,' Dr. Russo said.

In demand: The study found that those between the ages of 20 and 40 seek full, voluptuous lips like Kylie Jenner's, 19

The perfect pout? One plastic surgeon told FEMAIL that actress Charlize Theron, 41, inspires his older clients (ages 40 and up), who prefer a natural and smooth look

Though the conclusion of the study revealed that a proportional look is ideal, it noted a discrepancy when it came to the overall size of lips.

Participants aged 20 to 40 found bigger lips more attractive and realistic-looking than those over 40.

Dr. Russo has found the same to be true at his practice. 'Younger patients tend to want larger, more volumized Kylie Jenner-type lips these days. Older patients are seeking more natural-looking but hydrated lips with nice shape, like Charlize Theron's,' he said.

For plumping, he recommends the filler Juvederm Ultra XC, which takes on water, and for structure and smoothing, he suggests Juvederm Volbella XC, though there are many options available to talk to your doctor about.

Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank, a New York City-based cosmetic dermatologist, said that he usually asks patients to come back one to two weeks after the treatment to make sure lips look balanced.

'You need to give the lips time to settle and develop to see the true results. About 70 to 80 percent of the time I will make a small tweak.'
A new mother has paid tribute to a friend who offered to nurse her baby after a malformation left her psychically unable to produce enough breast milk herself.

Rebecca Lordermeier, 25, from Amery, Wisconsin, said she struggled to feed her three-and-a-half-week-old baby herself due to a tissue malformation.

Fortunately, her close friend Steph Coen, 23, whose daughter is only eight days younger, offered to wet nurse and donate milk for her friend's baby, she wrote on the Facebook page of mothers' group Breastfeeding Mama Talk.

Selfless act: Steph Coen, 23, pictured tandem nursing her daughter, left, and another mother's baby, right, offered to feed her friend Rebecca Lodermeier's baby

She said: 'My baby and I have struggled with a malformation of tissue and an inability for me to produce enough to feed her on my own.

'Thanks to my amazing friend Steph Coen, who not only donates, but wet nurses for my sweet girl, she is still only fed with human milk.'

Her comments, shared alongside an image of Steph tandem feeding both babies, has been liked by thousands and attracted hundreds of comments.

While many mothers were supportive, others were critical of the woman's decision to allow her friend to wet nurse her child.

Rachel McKay Sherman, who lives in Arlington, Texas, wrote: 'This is just beautiful. I would do it in a heartbeat. My best friend had to go back to work after her son was born, and needed a little help with her milk stock.

'She was super stressed about not producing as much as her son was eating while she was at work. So naturally I offered to help since I stay home.'

Ana Tovar Nelson, from Mexico City, Mexico, said: 'This is just so amazing. I find it sad that this is seen as gross.'

Sarah Fountain, from Salida, California, said: 'Oh how I wish I knew someone who was willing to help feed my baby like this.'

However other mothers were more skeptical of the mothers' actions.

Michelle Mazzola, who lives in Massillon, Ohio, said: 'My baby was on formula and he's perfectly healthy and very smart. He's two now. They ain't gonna be messed up if its not breast milk. Jesus.'

Whitley Parsons, from Ravenswood, West Virginia, said: 'I'm not trying to offend anyone by asking this, I think it's amazing people helping others in need. But with the donors do they get tested for STIs before being able to donate milk?'

Kristy Kemp, founder of Breastfeeding Mama Talk, said a mother nursing her own child is still a 'taboo' in society - let alone feeding another woman's child.

'Breasts are seen as sexual objects, so when someone who only associates breasts with sex and can barely handle seeing breastfeeding happen between a mother and her child, their mind cannot comprehend seeing breastfeeding between a mom and a baby that is not their own,' she said.
They certainly don't hold back when judging plates of food served up by amateur cooks on Masterchef, especially if a dish isn't up to scratch.

But you will never hear judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace comment on how hot or cold the food is on an episode of the long-running BBC One cooking competition.

And there's a very good reason why they won't, a former contestant has revealed.

A former contestant has revealed that when a contestant's finished dish reaches John and Gregg, it's often cold or at room temperature (Pictured: this year's contestant Steve serving the judges his first dish)

Every meal that's served up by a cook on the show has to be shot from several different angles before John and Gregg can tuck in.

That all takes time - and so by the time the famous duo get to taste the finished dish, it's often the case that it's no longer hot.

Rosanna Moseley, former star of Masterchef's sister show MasterChef: The Professionals, told the Birmingham Mail: 'The food stays there for a bit after you've finished so they can get good shots of it.

'So it can be cold by the time the judges get to it  especially if youre last to be judged  but they take that into consideration.'

The current series of Masterchef has introduced a new first task: the 'Market Challenge,' where contestants have to 'shop' in a fake mini market filled with a wealth of luxurious ingredients

Instead, the judges will go around the room tasting food from straight out of the contestants' pots to get a sense of the flavours.

Gregg and John will try and eat as much of the food as they can while it's hot before tasting the finished dish on camera, which is usually at room temperature by the time the judges get to eat it.

That's why you'll never hear judges comment on whether the food is hot or cold: it wouldn't be fair to the contestants, as the filming schedule takes it out of their control.

It's also the case on the Australian version of the show.

MasterChef judge George Calombaris told Daily Mail Australia in 2015: 'It has always been cold and it always will be cold but we taste everything hot off camera.

'So at the end of the cook, you [viewers] don't see that - no one sees that apart from the three of us and the executive producer.

'We will go around the room and the three of us will taste everything hot out of their [contestants] pot.'

The current series of Masterchef airs every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on BBC One.
A Canadian craft brewer has paid homage to the country's southern neighbor with its latest batch of beer.

Dubbed 'Fake News Ale', the new drink was created especially for Americans, Northern Maverick Brewery said, 'in their time of need for beer'.

What's more, the company promises to donate five per cent of sales to 'help reverse a questionable policy' put forward by Donald Trump's administration.

Tiny hands: Northern Maverick Brewery in Toronto has launched Fake News Ale

The Toronto-based brewer light-heartedly pokes fun at Trump in the beer's announcement, explaining that the ale 'pairs well with: small hands, striking comb overs, HUUUGE egos and all things Mexican'.

However, they add, 'Clearly no American president has endorsed this beer.'

In an illustration announcing the drink, a caricature of Trump stands behind a podium that reads, 'Make beer great again.' The same caricature appears on the beer can.

Joke: The brewery jokes that the beer 'pairs well with small hands'

Northern Maverick Brewery added that in a few weeks, it will hold voting to determine which charity or cause will receive the profits.

In an Instagram post, the company joked that it is the 'beer that will never leak', referencing the ongoing information leaks from inside the White House.

It is unlikely that Trump himself will taste this particular brew, and not just because it makes a clear statement against him. He doesn't drink at all, and doesn't even allow alcohol in his home.
It might be easy to blame your boss if you feel stressed at work, but having an unsupportive manager can actually be good for you.

Workers whose bosses held their hands through difficult times were more likely to be unhappy than those who were left to sort out their problems themselves, researchers found.

While having a supportive line manager was generally a positive thing, the study discovered it actually hindered staff who had become emotionally exhausted.

Researchers found workers whose bosses held their hands through difficult times were more likely to be unhappy than those who were left to sort out their problems themselves

Emotional exhaustion  the first stage of burnout where people feel drained of their emotional resources - can be driven by many factors including problems managing work flow or hours.

The research found emotionally exhausted workers were happier and recovered from their problems more quickly if they were forced to come up with their own action plan.

This effect increased if they had to actively search to find support, such as from other colleagues, friends, family or independent advice.

Researchers found workers felt positive when carrying out the activities of looking for support and coming up with a plan to solve problems.

This positivity did not exist when employees did not have to carry out these activities because their supervisors were heavily supportive and solved issues for them.

Co-author Dr Carlos Ferreira Peralta, of the University of East Anglias Norwich Business School, said: A supervisor behaving supportively all the time might not be a good thing.

Once you are emotionally exhausted relying on them might not be the best thing you can do, because it is an internal situation and you need to deal with that yourself.

Having a supportive supervisor when you are emotionally exhausted can actually hinder your ability to form an action plan [to recover].

For the research, Dr Peraltas team carried out three studies on a total of 500 people from Portugal and the USA, working in a range of sectors including management, architecture, computing, finance, administration, sales, education and healthcare.

Participants were asked to answer a series of questions to establish their level of emotional exhaustion, how supportive their line manager was and how happy they were.

They were asked to respond to statements and questions such as I feel used up at the end of the workday and How well does your leader understand your job problems and needs? on a sliding scale.

Researchers controlled for workers gender, age and length of time in the job and organisation, as well as their levels of narcissism and desire for control, which were assessed with a further questionnaire.

They found that workers were more capable of and positive about creating a plan to overcome emotional exhaustion when their boss was unsupportive, but there was a negative relationship between these aspects when they were heavily supported at work.

The study, published in the journal Work & Stress, said: Providing support may prevent the emergence of emotional exhaustion in employees.

However, when an employee is experiencing emotional exhaustion it might be useful to just provide support when and if requested.

Otherwise, the employee may not engage or delay the engagement in coping activities that can enhance his/her happiness.

Commenting on the research, Dr Peralta added: Supervisor support appears to be a double-edge sword, on the one hand preventing the emergence of emotional exhaustion but on the other hand diminishing the likelihood that employees will engage in planning to deal with the emotional exhaustion they are experiencing.

The researchers suggested managers should support staff to prevent them becoming emotional exhausted in the first place, but they should also be trained to recognise how too much support could prevent struggling staff from finding their own ways of coping with their problems.

The study is thought to be the first to investigate how the negative relationship between emotional exhaustion and happiness can be reversed.
Think of a hospital ward and it often conjures up an image of patients propped up in bed in their night clothes.

But according to an NHS campaign, encouraging people to get up and dress in their everyday clothes could help speed recovery  and free up much-needed beds.

Staff at several hospitals are urging patients to change out of their pyjamas and gowns as soon as they feel able to move around.

Encouraging people to get up and dress in their everyday clothes could help speed recovery  and free up much-needed beds

The idea is that by bringing them closer to their regular routine, patients will gain the confidence they need to return home. In addition, keeping them upright and walking is intended to reduce the loss of mobility from a lengthy hospital stay and reduce associated problems such as pressure sores, all of which delay recovery.

For elderly patients, ten days of bed rest in hospital equates to ten years of muscle ageing, according to doctors  which could make the difference in simple activities such as getting out of bed or using the toilet unaided.

At a time when parts of the NHS are under unprecedented pressure to free up bed space, the initiative has caught on rapidly via social media, with staff dressing in pyjamas or hospital gowns to highlight the campaign. Currently around 7,000 NHS patients are stuck in hospital because they are well enough to go home but their social care needs cannot be met.

Bed-blocking helped cause record A&E delays this winter, with almost 300,000 patients waiting for more than four hours in casualty in January across England. The clothing initiative, dubbed endPJparalysis on Twitter, was dreamt up by nurses in Nottingham and quickly won executive support. It began with staff at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, which manages Queens Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital, discussing the benefits of getting patients up and dressed.

Currently around 7,000 NHS patients are stuck in hospital because they are well enough to go home but their social care needs cannot be met

Anne-Marie Riley, deputy chief nurse at the trust, said: PJ Paralysis is a really simple idea, but it has a big benefit for patients.

We know that if patients stay in their pyjamas or gowns for longer than they need to, they have a higher risk of infection, lose mobilityand stay in hospital longer.

But if we can help patients get back to their normal routine as quickly as possible, including getting dressed, we can support a quicker recovery, help patients maintain their independence and help get them home sooner. She said staff were being encouraged to use their professional judgment to identify patients who were ready to get up and about, saying early evidence suggested they were being discharged sooner.

This helps to free up beds more quickly, she added.

Another hospital championing the initiative is the Countess of Chester. Occupational therapist Jennifer Brownley said: You can see the confidence boost they [patients] get.

At Salisbury District Hospital, one physiotherapist said that the number of her patients up and about at lunchtime had more than doubled in a week thanks to the campaign.
An 11-year-old Chinese boy has lost one of his testicles after it twisted 540 degrees and turned black and purple.

Known only as 'Liang Liang', he was admitted to hospital earlier this month after he started walking awkwardly with a limp - the result of pain in his genitals.

Doctors in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province, removed the dead testicle during a straightforward operation.

However, his chances of ever having his own children have 'most certainly been compromised' as a result.

Liang Liang was admitted to hospital with a pain in his scrotum that was making him walk awkwardly. Doctors found his spermatic cord had twisted - known as testicular torsion (left, an illustration of a normal cord, right, an illustration of the boy's condition)

They found it had twisted by its spermatic cord - the tube that suspends the testicles in the scrotum.

This twisting cuts off the blood supply to the organ and is responsible for any pain and swelling, experts say.

His testicle was extremely swollen and had burst open at its base slightly because of the pressure it was subjected to.

Known as testicular torsion, it can happen after an injury to the scrotum or following strenuous exercise.

It can even occur while the person is sleeping, according to the American Urological Association.

Dr Chen Guangjie, at The Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, told his parents that there was 'no value' in retaining the boy's now dead testicle.

In addition, he also discovered that the boy had also been suffering from bilateral cryptorchidism, which is when either one or both - in this case both - testicles do not fully drop into the scrotum after birth.

As a result, it had remained partly inside his body and may have contributed to the testicular torsion he suffered.

If infants with the condition are not treated six months after birth at the latest, the chances of recovery are very low, Dr Chen said.

He added: 'Generally speaking, six hours after testicular torsion, patients lose the ability to produce sperm.

'If the angle of the twist is 90 degrees, the testis will die in a week; at 180 degrees that happens within three to four days, and it's 12 to 24 hours at 360 degrees.

'If the spermatic cord twist exceeds 720 degrees, the testis will die within two hours.'
Americans spent a record-breaking $16 billion on plastic surgery and minimally-invasive procedures in 2016 - up from $13.5 billion in 2015, new figures reveal.

The surge in spending, revealed in the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' annual report, is one of the sharpest increases to date.

The industry's earnings have been steadily increasing since 2009, when Americans spent approximately $10 billion on cosmetic procedures.

But last year's boom was almost unprecedented.

Today, the most popular procedure by far was muscle-relaxing Botox injections, amassing approximately $2.6 billion from 7 million patients last year.

A close second was collagen fillers, which earned surgeons a total of around $1.1 billion from 2 million procedures.

The third most common operation was breast augmentation: 290,467 women went under the knife to enhance their bust size in 2016, paying a collective $1.1 billion.

The surge in spendings is almost entirely attributable to an increase in plastic surgery patients, while prices of the most popular procedures go down.

In fact, the national average cost of breast augmentation surgery decreased 2.7 percent from 2015.

And botulinum toxin type A injections (such as Botox) increased by less than 1 percent from 2015.

Price hikes were seen among clinics performing liposuctions and nose reshaping, which saw increases of 6.1 percent and 5.6 percent respectively.

Fees generally do not include anesthesia, operating room facilities or other related expenses.

The new figures come on the heels of a report released in February, which showed an increase in millennial and male patients.

According to the study, by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS), the majority of America's facial plastic surgeons saw a rise in patients under 30.

Many of them reported a surge in patients as young as 18 - the youngest legal age for nips and tucks.

There are two main reasons that jump out from the report, which surveyed all members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS).

TOP 5 COSMETIC SURGICAL OPS - 2016 1. BREAST AUGMENTATION Number of procedures: 290,467 National average cost: $3,719 TOTAL: $1.1 billion (approx.) 2. LIPOSUCTION Number of procedures: 235,237 National average cost: $3,200 TOTAL: $753,000,000 (approx.) 3. NOSE RESHAPING Number of procedures: 223,018 National average cost: $5,046 TOTAL: $1.1 billion (approx.) 4. TUMMY TUCK Number of procedures: 127,633 National average cost: $5,798 TOTAL: $740,000,000 (approx.) 5. BUTTOCK AUGMENTATION Number of procedures: 18,489 National average cost: $4,356 TOTAL: $80,500,000 (approx.) Advertisement

TOP 5 MINIMALLY-INVASIVE OPS - 2016 1. ANTI-WRINKLE (E.G.: BOTOX) Number of procedures: 7 million National average cost: $385 TOTAL: $2.6 billion (approx.) 2. COLLAGEN FILLERS Number of procedures: 2 million National average cost: $644 TOTAL: $1.1 billion (approx.) 3. CHEMICAL PEEL Number of procedures: 1.3 million National average cost: $673 TOTAL: $875,000,000 (approx.) 4. MICRODERMABRASION Number of procedures: 775,014 National average cost: $138 TOTAL: $107,000,000 (approx.) 5. LASER TREATMENTS Number of procedures: 656,781 National average cost: $433 TOTAL: $285,000,000 (approx.) Advertisement

First, a yearning to look good on social media or look like a celebrity.

Second, a sway towards gradual age-defying tweaks, rather than waiting to do one major operation later.

Experts say this underscores something that has been looming for a long time: plastic surgery is becoming the new normal for teenagers - and it is giving the industry a new boom.

Surgeons insist procedures are safe for all those over 18, if you're in the right hands.

'The most important consideration for patients should be choosing a board-certified, ASPS-member surgeon,' said ASPS President Debra Johnson, MD.

'Before you undergo any procedure, make sure you're putting yourself in the hands of only the most qualified and highly trained plastic surgeons.

'The cost of any procedure is not nearly as important as doing your homework and selecting a surgeon whose primary focus is your safety.'
Three months ago, Stephanie's doctors told her she was going to die in 2018.

After experiencing months of painful headaches, the 27-year-old mother-of-one was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer.

The tumor was based near the top of her brain stem, and multiple surgeons in her home state of Florida told her that surgery was too risky to perform.

But one doctor in Oklahoma heard the news of Stephanie's story and got in touch - insisting he would be able to operate on her.

Today, Stephanie is cancer-free and tells Daily Mail Online she is sharing her story to encourage patients in a similar situation to never give up.

Scroll down for video

Saved: Stephanie, 27, from Florida, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma - an aggressive brain cancer - in January 2017 and was told she had just 15 months to live

Inoperable: The tumor was sitting in the pineal region of her brain, at the top of her brain stem. Because this is such a sensitive area, doctors told Stephanie the tumor was inoperable

In November 2016, Stephanie started having regular headaches. By January, they were excruciating.

'It was seven days a week and very excruciating,' Stephanie told Daily Mail Online.

'It got to a point where I was comparing them to child labor but in my head.'

She went to visit the doctor, who diagnosed her with Glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive brain tumor in the pineal region - and told her she had 15 months to live.

The cancer arises from star-shaped cells in the brain called astrocytes. In adults, this usually starts in the cerebrum, the largest part of the brain.

The tumors are grade IV, the most deadly form, and the five-year survival rate is only five percent.

'They told us it was too risky and it wasn't accessible and that it wouldn't be worth the risk to try and get it out,' Stephanie said.

Praying: Stephanie started a blog to document her journey when Dr Michael Sughrue, a neurosurgeon in Oklahoma City, came across it and asked if he could see her brain scans

Dr Sughrue (right) specializes in the removal of gliomas in critical areas of the brain and told Stephanie (left) that he could help her. She flew to Oklahoma on a Wednesday and had surgery scheduled for Friday

WHAT IS GLIOBLASTOMA? Glioblastomas are tumors that arise from astrocytes, the star-shaped cells that make up the supportive tissue of the brain. These tumors are usually highly malignant. They're grade IV tumors, which means they can grow fast and spread quickly. Almost one in five tumors that start in the brain are glioblastomas. Approximately 14,000 new cases are diagnosed every year. Signs and symptoms: Persistent headaches

Seizures

Vomiting

Changes in mood or personality

Trouble with concentrating

Trouble with speaking

Double or blurred vision Treatment options to slow and control tumor growth: 1) Surgery The goal is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. In high-risk areas of the brain, the surgeon may not be able to remove all of a tumor. 2) Radiation Radiation is used to kill as many leftover tumor cells as possible after surgery and slow growth of inoperable tumors. 3) Chemotherapy Temozolomide is the most common chemotherapy drug used for glioblastoma, although it can cause short-term side effects. Survival rates: One-year rate: 37.2 percent Five-year rate: 5.1 percent Ten-year rate: 2.6 percent Advertisement

In February, Stephanie started a blog to document her journey and her first post got 18,000 views.

Within 24 hours, it made its way to neurosurgeon Dr Michael Sughrue in Oklahoma City - who specializes in the removal of gliomas in critical areas of the brain.

He contacted Stephanie via her blog and asked to see her brain scans.

'If someone has an inoperable brain tumor, show me the films first. We'll see if it's really inoperable,' Dr Sughrue at a press conference.

'I expected something far worse given the description. When I saw this I was like, "Yeah, this is pretty doable".'

Stephanie's prayers were answered when Dr Sughrue said he was willing to help her.

Within days, she was in Oklahoma and at the Stephenson Cancer Center prepping for surgery.

The tumor was on such a delicate area of her brain stem that, with one mistake, she would never wake up. And Stephanie admits she was nervous.

'I was scared to go through the surgery,' she said.

'But I was more scared not to have it.'

Stephanie and her husband Michael met with the neurosurgeon on Thursday and the surgery was scheduled for the next day.

Because of the high-risk nature, Dr Sughrue said it's common practice for surgeons to play it safe.

'Even if something is difficult and hard, what I find is patients all have the same goals, which is to be there with their family and live life,' he said.

'We spent many years taking many of these inoperable tumors.'

In a six-hour procedure that started at 10am, Dr Sughrue and his team were able to remove about 90 percent of the tumor.

Success: In a six-hour procedure, Dr Sughrue and his team removed about 90 percent of the tumor from Stephanie's brain

Cured: Since the surgery, Stephanie has undergone 29 days of radiation and 40 days of chemotherapy and will be allowed to go back home to Florida tomorrow

'I feel like I have so much hope now,' Stephanie said.

'I have a bigger chance of beating this.'

Since the surgery, Stephanie has undergone 29 days of radiation and 40 days of chemotherapy

Today, she finishes radiation treatment and tomorrow, she'll be able to return home to Florida.

She will be monitoring the cancer from home because the occurrence rate of these tumors is almost 100 percent, but she is happy to be moving on to the next chapter.

'We've decided to attend a new center near home for follow-ups,' Stephanie said.

'But it feels great to meet new friends who are going through the same thing and to connect and talk with people who are going through the same thing.

'The way that it happened was so just fast. I mean nobody would operate and some doctor from Oklahoma said he could do what no one else would. The fact that it happened is a miracle itself.'
Goswami takes shots at his former employer of 10 years, Times Now, for allowing Karan Johar to dictate what he was allowed to say

India's loudest news anchor sensationally left his post of 10-years at Times Now last year amid a cloud of rumours suggesting discord among the channel's top bosses.

Arnab Goswami, as he now readies himself for a completely new challenge with his channel, Republic TV, suggests that anyone who tries to keep him in line is fighting a losing battle.

'Nobody can tell me what to do,' the army officer's son told Man's World. 'I have my own form of journalism. No previous employer of mine has ever tried to cross the line. Were attempts made to cross the line? Perhaps. Did I allow them to? No.'

Goswami, an army officer's son born in Assam, was the Editor-in-Chief during his tenure at Times Now, while also presenting the hard-hitting nightly debate show NewsHour and his own Frankly Speaking with Arnab.

However he reportedly resigned at the end of an editorial meeting in November without any suggestion of what he might do next.

Filmmaker Karan Johar (left) cast Pakistani stud Fawad Khan in his 2016 hit romance Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, and this did not sit well with Goswami

'Let me say that I did not want to make things uncomfortable for them anymore, he said, in the Man's World interview. 'I dont believe in journalism in which a film director can call up a media proprietor and then shivers go down the spine of the media proprietor.

'I have taken on a lot of people in this country. I have broken a lot of scams. I have taken on powerful people and terrorist groups.

'And I feel truly sad when some film director calls up a media proprietor and says, "Why is this channel asking questions about me, and about why Pakistani artists are acting in my film?" and the media proprietor gets scared. Thats very unfortunate.'

This seems to be alluding to Goswami's attack on Karan Johar for casting Pakistani dreamboat Fawad Khan in his award-winning romance Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (This Heart is Complicated).

The loud-mouthed and hard-hitting news anchor will be returning to our screens later this month has he launches his own channel, Republic TV

Goswami unleashed his rage at Khan for refusing to acknowledge and condemn the killing of 17 Indian soldiers by militants in the Kashmiri border town of Uri which left many right-wing nationalists calling for a ban on Pakistani artists and threatening to disrupt screenings of Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, which was released last Diwali weekend.

Goswami considers himself to be positioned comfortably in the company of these nationalists.

In fact, he chose to name his channel 'Republic' in order to convey such a spirit of nationalism.

Goswami has never shied away from asking the hardest questions to the biggest names, such as former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton

And it is in Republic TV's battleground that he plans to fight those who he believes operate against India's interests.

His own rise to success happened quickly. He was made a news editor at 27 and editor of Times Now at 30. At 43 he still has time on his side as he launches Republic TV.

Goswami is itching to get back in the news anchor seat. He has been very critical of the media coverage following the Uttar Pradesh civic polls, calling it 'absurd', likening predictions to the media's lack of comprehension at Trump's victory in the US last year.

'A lot of top editors went to UP and said Akhilesh and Rahul are going to do phenomenally well. They are clueless,' he told Man's World.

'All of these people, I strongly suggest, should go into 14 years of vanvas (exile) from journalism, and find out why they have lost their touch.'

But what of Goswami's own politics? He comes from strong political stock as his maternal grandfather, a communist, held the seat of primary opposition in Assam; his paternal grandfather was a member of Congress and an activist; his uncle is Siddhartha Bhattacharya, a BJP MLA from Gauhati East constituency and was the head of the Assam unit of the party until 2015; and his father, Colonel Manoranjan Goswami, and unsuccessfully ran as the BJP candidate for Lok Sabah Assam in 1998.

Goswami himself, he refuses to openly align to any one party, despite often being seen as pandering to Modi's government.

He considers himself socially progressive while being economically conservative. He is liberal in his pro-women and pro-LGBT views, for example, while the right-wing nationalist in him comes soaring out with his adoration of the army and India itself.

Goswami's interviews tackle politics from all over the world so it will be a big steal for him to get the globe's top players on Republic TV

So he doesn't take time to define himself in traditional definitions of politics as they are 'terrible' and 'don't really apply'.

Independence is key to his discussions of Republic TV. He purports his journalistic independence and no one will tell him what to do.

Yet controversy has once again followed Goswami as The Wire pointed out that one of Republic TV's biggest shareholders is the BJP MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar. (The article, 'Arnabs Republic, Modis Ideology is no longer accessible due to an injunction obtained by Chandrasekhar.)

It remains to be seen how independent Goswami really is now that he's left the clutches of Times Now behind, but the fire-breathing anchor is more ready than ever to come back to our screens.
In an exclusive interview to India Today TV's consulting editor Rajdeep Sardesai, Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit said his country has enough evidence against Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian national who has been sentenced to death for spying.

Asked to explain his stand on why he branded Jadhav a terrorist without providing credible evidence, Basit said: 'In response to the Indian demarche, I did say a few things to Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar.

'But my reaction was not for public consumption, and hence it was media speculation on both sides.'

The Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Abdul Basit, said his country had enough evidence to sentence Jadhav to death

When pointed out about inconsistencies in Pakistan's stand, Basit said an earlier statement by Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's foreign adviser Sartaj Aziz was quoted out of context.

In December 2016, Aziz had admitted in front of a full senate house that the dossier prepared by Pakistan against Jadhav was based on insufficient evidence and more proof need to be gathered.

Only three months later, a military court awarded him a death sentence.

Basit said: 'Aziz said that after we submitted a dossier to the UN secretary general in September last year.

Indian national, Kulbhusan Jadhav, has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for spying

'That was an initial dossier and since then, we have been able to gather more evidence.'

On being quizzed about the evidence, he said: 'Jadhav has been visiting Pakistan since 2003 on a genuine Indian passport, but under a fake name of Mubarak Hussein Patel.'

The envoy then put the onus on India to explain as to why Jadhav was travelling under a fake name with an original Indian passport.

He added: 'The charges against Jadhav were such that he couldn't be tried in a civil court.'

Responding to global criticism, including by Amensty International and US diplomats, and the lack of transparency in the trial, Basit said: 'Jadhav has been tried under the law of the land. He was also provided a defence counsel.'

To a question why Pakistan awarded Jadhav death in a matter of months after trial commenced, while due process of law and open trial were followed by India when Ajmal Kasab was caught red-handed, the envoy evaded by saying: 'My advice would be not to mix apples with oranges, lest you draw a convoluted conclusion.'

Adding that Jadhav could still exercise legal options, Basit said: 'Legal courts are available to him. Now that he has been convicted, he would have the right to appeal.

'And if his verdict is upheld by the appellate court, he would ultimately have the right to a mercy petition.'

Press conference: Pakistan says Jadhav was an Indian intelligence official who aided and financed terrorist activities

When asked why Pakistan turned down India's request for consular access to Jadhav 13 times, and in the process violated the 1967 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, he said: 'Consular access is not automatic all the time.

'And especially with relations to security and in sensitive matters, consular access is not provided across the board.

'Since Jadhav's arrest in March, we have arrested hundreds of operatives and foot soldiers on the basis of information provided by him,' he added.

Basit rubbished the claim that Jadhav's arrest was shrouded in mystery.
Victim: Claire Pearson, from Surrey, is a Santander customer who lost 72k in an text messaging banking scam. The cash was taken when she was seven months pregnant

Fraud victims who have lost their life savings are being fobbed off by Santander in as little as 24 hours, Money Mail and This is Money can reveal.

Customers who have lost thousands of pounds in sophisticated scams are being sent carbon-copy letters by the bank rejecting their requests for a refund.

The documents all bear the same signature and use similar sentences to blame the customer for allowing a crook to get at their money. Some are identical apart from a few words.

Nearly all of the letters we've seen fail to explain how customers  many of whom are traumatised  can complain, or point out that they can take their cases to the financial ombudsman, which settles disputes between banks and their customers.

The City watchdog usually forces banks to spell out these rights when they dismiss customers' gripes.

But Santander says that these rules don't apply in these cases because customers are making 'claims' rather than 'complaints'.

Our findings call into question whether Santander is carrying out full investigations into fraud cases before sending rejection letters.

We have alerted the City watchdog and provided evidence from our readers.

Two weeks ago, we raised serious concerns about fraud being committed on Santander accounts and sent a dossier of cases to the Financial Conduct Authority.

Ripped off: Daniel Hughes, 19, and Terry Allen, 75, lost almost 5,000 between them in the scam

Callous: Santander customers who have lost thousands of pounds to sophisticated scams are being sent carbon-copy letters by the bank rejecting requests for a refund

Since then we have been deluged with emails, letters and calls from victims who have wept as they've described how they were duped.

In another set of major developments, we can also reveal:

A loophole in Santander's text message security system for online payments means criminals can steal thousands of pounds without the customer being warned about how much cash is leaving their account.

The bank is embroiled in numerous disputes with customers who say they never saw or received vital codes that fraudsters supposedly used to raid their account.

Victims as old as 88, one of whom cares for a husband with dementia, are being left without refunds even though Santander says it takes vulnerability into account.

The bank has been forced to change the alerts on its online banking payment pages to warn customers about the scams.

Around 2 million a day is being lost to banking fraudsters, latest figures show. While all banks are being targeted, Money Mail and This is Money have seen a surge in complaints about the way Santander treats victims.

How the conmen trick customers

Typically, customers are cold-called by a fraudster or sent a text message warning about fraud on their bank account and told to call a phone number.

On the phone, a confidence trickster then lures the customers into logging into their online banking or divulging information allowing them to do so.

The con artists pretend to work for reputable firms such as BT, Microsoft  and even Santander's anti-fraud department.

The crook hacks into the customer's computer or dupes them into allowing remote access to their PC.

Fraudsters then need just a single text message code to siphon off thousands of pounds in dozens of bank transfers.

To pay someone for the first time, Santander asks customers to generate a so-called One Time Passcode (OTP) text message to their mobile phone. You enter this code into your online banking page to sign off the payment.

The text message gives details of the amount being transferred and the last four digits of the account number it's going to. From then on, you don't need a One Time Passcode to pay that person.

Some customers are being tricked into handing these codes to criminals over the phone.

But a loophole means crooks can get money without customers receiving a warning text saying how much cash they're pinching.

When you log into a Santander account you can also click 'amend payee'. This enables you to change the sort code and account number of someone you have paid before.

If a criminal does this, a One Time Passcode is sent to the mobile phone registered on the account.

Loophole: Money Mail was able to transfer 1 out of a Santander account to someone who had never been paid before without the customer receiving any notification that a payment had been made

It says 'This OTP is to AMEND A PAYEE on a payment. Don't share this code with anyone. Call us immediately if you didn't request this' and gives the eight-digit code.

If the crook obtains this code they can steal money without raising suspicion. The customer may only realise days later that money has left their account  by which time it could have disappeared to accounts in the UK or abroad.

We were able to transfer 1 out of a Santander account to someone who had never been paid before without the customer receiving any notification that a payment had been made.

No other major bank allows you to change the account number and sort code of an existing payee like this.

Richard Emery, a fraud expert at consultancy 4Keys, says Santander's fraud monitoring systems are less likely to pick up this scam.

'This is a fundamental flaw,' he adds. 'Santander is leaving the stable doors open to fraudsters.'

Santander says there is the 'same level of security' in amending a payee as setting up a new payee'.

It says: 'We remain confident in our security systems and processes, which undergo robust testing before being introduced to our customers.'

In February, Santander put a new warning on customers' online accounts.

They must now tick a box when setting up a new payment, confirming they understand you should 'never allow anyone remote access to your computer following a cold call', 'never give out your personal or full security details to anyone (including One Time Passcodes)', 'never transfer money out of your account if asked to do so for security reasons' and 'never pay money to a new account without first independently validating the details'.

No refunds for stealth scams

Mother-to-be Claire Pearson, 38, from Surrey, lost almost all of the 71,700 inheritance she'd received from her late father.

Claire was about to put down a deposit on a house in February when she received a text message saying her debit card had been used for a large payment she didn't recognise.

The message appeared to come from the same number as legitimate Santander texts.

She immediately called the 'fraud prevention' number in the text message and was persuaded to part with security details.

But as Claire set off to buy a pram, doubts started to creep in and she called the number on the back of her bank card.

While waiting on hold, she checked her mobile banking app and saw money draining out of her account.

'I was screaming at my phone as I watched the balance of my account fall and fall,' says Claire.

'It was the longest five minutes of my life  and by the time I got through, most of my savings were gone. God knows what my dad would say if he knew. The money was there to look after us. Now we can't afford to move.

'It's devastating, but there's only so much crying I can do. The stress isn't good for me or the baby.'

Claire's phone records show fraudsters changed the account details of someone she'd previously paid. So she was not warned about huge payments of 20,000 leaving her account.

The fraud took place on the afternoon of February 22, yet a letter from Santander dated February 23 said it had 'fully investigated' the matter and no refund would be made.

The letter made no mention of the financial ombudsman.

Santander stopped 5,800 leaving Claire's account and recovered a further 2,250, leaving her 64,000 out of pocket.

It also says it tried to contact the customer, and added: 'Like all UK banks, we have a legal obligation to make a refund immediately for all claims for unauthorised transactions, unless disputed by the bank by reason of customer fault.

'The regulatory requirements mean decisions will be taken and communicated swiftly even where liability is disputed.'

Rejection letters that are identical

Terry and Cecilia Allen lost their 3,200 holiday fund for a much-needed break to Spain in May after their son and daughter died.

In March, Terry, a 75-year-old retired engineer, received a text message, which appeared to be from Santander, asking him to confirm a transaction on his account for an Uber taxi in London.

The couple, who live in Basingstoke, Hampshire, hadn't visited the capital, so Terry replied with an 'N' for no.

A further text message asked him to reply with the 'One Time Passcode' that he'd receive.

Terry says this is the only code he divulged.

'When I told Santander they blamed me straight away,' says Terry. 'The man I spoke to in the fraud team showed no sympathy.

'I worked hard for 46 years and put money away for little luxuries such as holidays. We'd been trying to get back on our feet, then this happens.'

Lost 3,200 : Terry Allen (pictured) and wife Celia lost their 3,200 holiday fund for a much-needed break to Spain in May after their son and daughter died

The rejection letter sent to Terry, and seen by Money Mail, reads: 'We have fully investigated your fraud claim and the circumstances surrounding the transactions.

'The disputed payments have been authorised via our One Time Passcode service.

'Text messages where [sic] sent to your registered mobile phone number containing a password. These passwords have been entered correctly into online banking to authorise the disputed transfers.

'For this reason, we cannot consider any reimbursement to your account.'

It gives no details of how Terry can complain or his right to approach the ombudsman.

Santander has recovered 800, which was paid into Terry's account without any notification.

Debra Evans, who was featured in Money Mail and This is Money two weeks ago, received the same rejection letter within 24 hours of her case being registered.

The only difference was that there was no spelling mistake and it referred to only one bank transfer.

The letter from Santander bears the same squiggled signature as all the other fraud claim rejections Money Mail has seen.

The 55-year-old from Jarrow, Tyne & Wear, was scammed out of her 1,960 inheritance from her father.

Debra had told Santander that the scammer already knew her account number and details of payment dates, amounts and times.

Regarding its virtually identikit letters, Santander says: 'We will often use approved language and will be consistent where we identify the same root cause for the same underlying issue.'

Elderly blamed for honest errors

Some of the victims who have contacted Money Mail and This is Money were so traumatised, suffering stress and sleepless nights since being conned, that they have had to see a doctor.

An 88-year-old pensioner, who cares for her husband who has dementia, was tricked by a fraudster who said he was calling from BT to wipe 18,000 viruses from her computer.

The scammer gained access to her PC for more than two hours. He took 7,000 from her Santander account and 2,000 from her TSB account.

Her daughter-in-law, who walked in and put the phone down, says: 'She is computer savvy and does online banking, but the scammer kept telling her to type in digits to remove thousands of faults.'

TSB managed to block a 1,600 payment and it is still investigating the case.

By contrast, Santander has already rejected her request for compensation.

In its letter, the bank blamed the elderly customer for authorising the payments by using the text message codes.

The document bears the same signature as all the other Santander fraud rejection letters and makes no mention of the ombudsman  even though her daughter-in-law says she had complained.

The 88-year-old says her mobile had been switched off. When it was turned on, her daughter-in-law found four One Time Passcodes and two fraud alert texts from Santander.

Santander and the victim are in dispute over whether she logged into her online banking.

She also says the criminal gave her codes to enter, while Santander claims it was the other way round.

Victims made to feel exposed

Lost 1,600: Daniel Hughes, 19, was tricked into revealing One Time Passcodes

Daniel Hughes, 19, was tricked on February 13 into revealing One Time Passcodes to a cold caller who pretended to be from Santander's fraud department.

The criminal took 1,600, leaving Daniel without enough money for the books he needs to study at Newcastle University.

He was sent a letter, dated February 16, just 72 hours after the fraud took place, saying Santander had 'fully investigated' and would not refund his money.

Yet when he called the fraud department, it told him that investigations were on-going.

Daniel says: 'I've had to make constant calls to Santander, which has made it hard to study.

'They blamed me from the very beginning and their attitude was just that I should have known better.

'But no one explained One Time Passcodes when I opened the student account.'

His letters went to his family home address, rather than his student flat, and his mother Lyndsay took them to her local Santander branch in Liverpool to be forwarded via the internal postal system to Daniel's Newcastle branch.

One of the letters arrived opened, and another, containing his new login details, went missing.

Santander has given Daniel 100 for poor service

The bank says it invests significant resources each year in fighting scams, including an annual awareness campaign, leaflets in branches and a 24-hour fraud phone line.

A spokesman adds: 'While we are sympathetic to customers who have fallen victim to scams, when they have voluntarily provided personal or security details to third parties or given a stranger remote access to their online banking, we cannot accept any responsibility for the losses.'

money.mail@dailymail.co.uk
It's been hailed as a miracle material that could cure serious illnesses, transform plane travel and make sea water drinkable.

Graphene, the purest form of carbon, is 200 times stronger than steel, harder than diamonds and the world's thinnest material. On top of all that it's also the best electrical conductor known to Man.

For years, scientists have studied its astonishing properties, many of which were revealed last week, but big companies are only just starting to cash in.

Samsung, Airbus and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline are scrambling to harness it to create futuristic new products.

Inside graphene molecular structure. The material, the purest form of carbon, is 200 times stronger than steel, harder than diamonds and the world's thinnest material

From phone screens that bend to graphene-coated vehicles that appear invisible on radar and tiny implants that cure debilitating diseases, a host of innovations could change our lives.

'Graphene is rapidly being developed by companies for all sorts of products and applications  and that could result in significant industries in the future,' says James Baker, of the National Graphene Institute, a research division of the University of Manchester, which is working to develop the material for use in industry.

So, with the graphene revolution around the corner, how can investors turn a profit?

The next generation of phones?

Electronics firm Samsung reckons graphene could solve our biggest frustrations with smartphones.

In 2015, scientists at the Korean giant created a phone battery containing graphene that lasted nearly twice as long as current power units. While not yet used in the mobile phones we carry around today, future models might need charging only once a week, rather than once a day.

Samsung is also using graphene to develop flexible screens that bend without breaking the glass.

Chinese start-up Moxi Group last year launched a smartphone made with graphene that can be worn on the wrist like a bracelet.

JP Morgan Emerging Markets, a fund recommended by broker Hargreaves Lansdown, invests 3.02 in every 100 in Samsung.

The fund, which mostly invests in Asia, has turned 10,000 into 13,300 in five years.

The graphene rollercoaster Applied Graphene Materials shares trebled on listing but have suffered since The last time graphene was big news in the UK investing world was when Applied Graphene Materials shares listed on the stockmarket in 2013. The company was spun out of Durham University in 2010 and tempted investors with its novel way of producing graphene. Excitement surrounding it saw shares treble from the placing price of 155p in just three days on Londons junior market AIM. But while graphene as a material may have a very bright future, experts told This is Money at the time that investing in individual small companies specialising in it may not be the best way to profit. Applied Graphene Materials share price has reflected that since. From its level above 450p in those early days on the stock market, it has then sunk  and a rollercoaster ride later, shares are currently trading at 187.5p. Just after that, watchdog the FCA warned that consumers should be wary of dubious investments in the miracle material, as unscrupulous boiler room brokers aimed to cash in on the excitement generated by it. The Financial Conduct Authority posted a warning spotlighting brokers who appear to be taking advantage of the hype surrounding graphene and are using uncertainty about its future as a way to entice consumers to invest. The FCA said it decided to take action after finding details relating to a graphene investment firm on the computer servers of a suspected UK boiler room operation that it investigated. - Simon Lambert, This is Money

Stronger and lighter planes

The aerospace industry could also benefit from graphene's strength and remarkable ability to conduct electricity.

Airbus, the French aerospace firm, has joined forces with the National Graphene Institute to develop cutting-edge technologies to use in its planes.

Graphene could be used to strengthen plane wings, which come under intense pressure during flight. And it is very light, so an aircraft made with graphene would save fuel.

Experts believe it could be an essential part of passenger planes within a decade.

An unmanned prototype aircraft with graphene-covered wings made its first public flight at Farnborough Air Show last year.

Poll The annual Isa allowance is now 20,000. If you had a 20k windfall, what would you do? Blow it on a holiday or car Give it to charity Put it in your pension Pay off any debts Invest it in an Isa Use it for kids' education The annual Isa allowance is now 20,000. If you had a 20k windfall, what would you do? Blow it on a holiday or car 179 votes

Give it to charity 53 votes

Put it in your pension 153 votes

Pay off any debts 272 votes

Invest it in an Isa 393 votes

Use it for kids' education 57 votes Now share your opinion





For investors looking to cash in, Maike Currie, of fund broker Fidelity International, tips Invesco Perpetual Global Equity Income, which in the past five years has turned 10,000 into 19,680.

Airbus is one of the fund manager Nick Mustoe's main picks, accounting for 2.56 in every 100 of savers' money.

Ben Yearsley, of adviser Shore Financial Planning, says the JO Hambro UK Dynamic fund should also profit from the graphene revolution. The fund has returned 19,900 from 10,000 in the past five years.

The fund invests 3.81 in every 100 in Qinetiq. The science and engineering firm set up a graphene research unit a year ago to investigate how the material can be used to make objects invisible to radar.

It's thought graphene could be used to absorb radar waves, so they don't bounce back to antenna.

It means military vehicles such as tanks and planes, coated in a lightweight graphene layer, would be invisible to enemy radar. Qinetiq is also looking at whether graphene could be incorporated in soldiers' uniforms due to it being so tough and lightweight.

Taking off: Airbus, the French aerospace firm, has joined forces with the National Graphene Institute to develop cutting-edge technologies to use in its planes

Wind turbines and fighting diseases

Another potential use is to coat wind turbines in graphene to stop them interfering with nearby airport radar stations.

One problem with the turbines is that they create a blinking dot on radar screens that can be confused for a plane.

As graphene absorbs microwaves, it's thought it could be sprayed on to the turbines to stop the spinning blades being picked up by air traffic controllers.

Being just one atom thick and an exceptional electrical conductor, biomedical firms believe graphene could be used in tiny implants in the human body to combat chronic illnesses such as arthritis and asthma.

These implants, smaller than a grain of rice, attach themselves to nerves to regulate the electrical signals that travel between the nervous system and the body's vital organs.

GlaxoSmithKline, the British drug giant, is a leader in this field, having set up a research facility with Alphabet, the parent company of Google, to research new technologies.

For investors wanting to share in its future profits, Jason Hollands, of fund broker Tilney, tips Evenlode Income, which has turned 10,000 into 20,200 in the past five years.

It invests 4.70 in every 100 in London-based GSK.

p.thomas@dailymail.co.uk
Investment banks are scrambling to hire more staff in London thanks to a resurgence in the global economy, a headhunting firm has said.

Staff at recruitment group Robert Walters saw demand for workers from banks and other financial firms rise 50 per cent in the first three months of the year.

The hiring spree comes as the world puts the financial crisis behind it  and will be seen as a huge vote of confidence in the City following the Brexit vote.

City jobs boom: Investment banks are scrambling to hire more staff in London

It has been suggested that jobs will be move abroad because of Brexit.

But chief executive Robert Walters said that so far the only discussions hed had on office moves were with three banks which had categorically ruled out relocating to France because of its restrictive labour laws.

SKYSCRAPER COSTS SOAR London is the worlds fifth-most expensive city in which to rent a skyscraper, claims a report by Knight Frank. The agent ranked the costs of office space in towers across the globe, finding the average cost in the capital is 84.08 per square foot. Hong Kong topped the list at 243.36, with Manhattan second at 127.87, Tokyo third at 108.07 and San Francisco fourth at  90.52. The closest European rival was Paris, down in 12th position at 43.28. There were reports that rent growth had cooled in the wake of the Brexit vote, but the figures suggest high rises remain in demand.

He said banks that do move will have to take their staff with them because of a shortage of skilled workers in other European cities.

But he added that many bankers would be totally unwilling to uproot their families and swap the UK for Paris or Frankfurt.

Youve got to look at the reality of it  the people who have to move will be in their mid-30s, living in the Home Counties with a wife who likes horse riding and cant speak German, said Walters.

The problem with Frankfurt and Dublin and other places is there are no schools available, the housing shortage is intense and there are problems with transport.

Some of the most blood-curdling rhetoric before the vote came from JP Morgan boss Jamie Dimon, who threatened to sack 4,000 British workers if Leave won.

But he has since U-turned, writing last week that not many employees would have to shift abroad.
SHOE FITS Timpson said dry weather has meant shoes require fewer repairs.

But fashion cycles and warm weather did not stop Offerhappy, the business behind the High Street cobbler and locksmith, posting a 10million revenue boost to 205million.

Profits were up 5million to 20.1million in the year to October 1.

BOSS EXITS Majestic Wine said John Colley, managing director of Majestic Retail, is leaving. Colley is taking over as boss of arts and crafts retailer Hobbycraft. Shares grew 3.9 per cent or 14.25p to 376p.

WEATHER BOOST Warm weather drove sales at John Lewis Partnership. Sales in Waitrose were up 7.6 per cent to 133.57million, while John Lewis reported a 3.5 per cent boost to 81.9million.

Sales of burgers and coal rose by 33 per cent and 200 per cent respectively, while Pimms jumped 232 per cent.

NEW LEVEL More than 100,000 tickets have been sold on British Airways' low-cost airline. Level, launched by BA owner IAG, has also had more than 700,000 hits on its website since take-off on March 17.

ADVISOR FLOAT Company sales advisor K3 Capital Group has listed on the AIM market. The firm matches sellers of small businesses to possible buyers.

Shares closed at 110.5p on their first day of trading.

PLAN APPEAL Oil and gas explorer Egdon Resources is appealing against Lincolnshire County Council's decision in January to refuse permission for the development of the Wressle oil field.

Shares were up 2.6 per cent or 0.25p to 9.75p.

PEDAL POWER Dutch bicycle firm Pon Holdings has made an offer for rival Accell Group. Pon's bid values Accell at 720million and the deal would see a number of well known brands, such as Raleigh and Gazelle, come under one roof.

OIL PAYMENT Oil and gas company Genel Energy and its partners have received a payment of 21.6million from the Kurdistan Regional Government for oil sales at its Taq Taq field in the region during January 2017.

Shares climbed 5.6 per cent or 4.25p to 80.25p.

MINE TIE-UP Miner Vedanta has merged with Cairn India to form a natural resources giant worth 12.5billion. Shares fell 1.1 per cent or 9p to 818p.

HEALTHY BOOST Shares in Fitbug jumped more than 23 per cent yesterday after the group now trading as Kin Wellness announced a key contract had been renewed.
Dialog Semiconductor supplies computer chips for iPhones

More than 1.2billion was wiped off the value of a British tech firm in less than an hour yesterday over fears it would lose a key contract with Apple.

Investors in Dialog Semiconductor, which supplies computer chips to the iPhone maker, were spooked after reports Apple was building its own in-house design team.

Dialog gets about three quarters of its revenue from Apple  meaning losing this key contract could be catastrophic.

Last week fellow tech firm Imagination said Apple was designing its own computer chips and no longer needed to use them.

Using its team of 1,300 engineers Dialog designs chips that control the iPhones battery life.

But reports yesterday that Apple had built a team of 80 engineers to work on a power management chip of its own sparked fears Dialog would be dropped.

Investors agreed, and shares tumbled more than 36 per cent in early trading, though they recovered to end the day down 14.4 per cent or 6.86p to 40.92p.

One source told Reuters that Apple was recruiting top Dialog engineers in Munich. However, the share slide eased when other analysts, including at Credit Suisse, said they saw no reason why Apple would build the chip in-house.
Ketie Jones was killed on a dark night with a single bullet wound to the chest.

She was 26, had no known enemies, no involvement in drugs, and was walking home 'dancing and singing', having spent time with friends after work when someone came up to her and killed her.

Now police and her mother are speaking out about a crime which has perplexed them - and which appears to be the 'perfect' murder.

Jones, born Katherine memory Jones, and known to friends and family as Ketie, worked at a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina, visited by both President Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Her mother Jevona Livingston told DailyMail.com that her murder had left her without her 'soul mate and best friend'.

Katherine 'Ketie' Memory Jones was killed with a single bullet wound to the chest. She was 26, had no known enemies, no involvement in drugs, and was walking home 'dancing and singing', having spent time with friends after work when someone came up to her and killed her.

Now police and Ketie's mother, Jevona Livingston, are speaking out about a crime which has perplexed them - and which appears to be the 'perfect' murder

Acclaim: The restaurant where Ketie worked has been hailed by the critics. Pride of place in it goes to this memento of Hillary Clinton and President Obama campaigning there. Ketie missed their visit but was said to have been relaxed about not seeing the two Democrats

But six months after the shooting, police appear to be no closer to solving a baffling crime.

It was just after 2am when Jones walked home from Midwood Country Club in Charlotte where she had gone with friends after finishing work at Midwood Smokehouse, in Plaza Midwood, Charlotte, where she was a waitress.

Jones worked at the critically-acclaimed barbecue restaurant, and at home followed her love of acting, singing, drawing and crafting.

She turned down a ride from a co-worker but it was hardly a risky move: it was a mile-long walk along a safe road, covered with security cameras.

In fact, her mother told DailyMail.com: 'She was dancing and singing all the way down the road. Dancing and singing to her death. I hate to say it, but it is true.

'She was even texting pictures to her friends in the minutes before she was shot.

'She had been in a bar with her friends after finishing work in the BBQ restaurant where she was a waitress.

'Police have said that from the moment she left the bar, they had it on camera.

'They could tell from her energy that she was in a good place.'

Video courtesy WSOC

It was just after 2am when Jones walked home from Midwood Country Club in Charlotte where she had gone with friends after finishing work

Jones was a waitress at the critically acclaimed Charlotte restaurant, Midwood Smokehouse

The BBQ restaurant has been visited by both President Obama and Hillary Clinton. Obama's pictures adorn the restaurant's walls

But then, at 2.45am, in the darkness, she was murdered by a single gunshot.

A bullet to the chest ended her life after what police say was a struggle which also left her bruised on her left cheek, left elbow, left hip and left lower back.

Ketie's body was found by a neighbor who believed he had heard a firework being discharged and had gone to investigate.

He found Ketie lying face down and thought she had tripped over on the sidewalk on the Plaza, behind the offices of a realtor.

It was clear immediately that it was not a robbery; she still had her cellphone and purse when her body was found.

And after almost six months, police are no further forward - despite an exhaustive investigation.

They could find nothing in her personal life: she had been single for some time following a split from her boyfriend, and lived for her cats.

Officers have spoken to her co-workers who were with her that evening, friends she had known for years and members of her family, but no solid clues have emerged.

They even investigated whether her murder could have been the result of a gang initiation in which a new member has to prove he - or she - has taken a life in order to be accepted.

But that too has drawn a blank.

Jones was walking down this road, Hamorton Place, when she had an encounter with an unknown assailant

Lt. Alex Watson of Charlotte police told DailyMail.com: 'We are determined to get justice for her family. She was very well thought of and popular.

'But we are not in a position to put this [murder] into any particular category.

'We don't know if she met somebody earlier that evening or was followed from the bar.

'It is a tough one, but we are going to keep charging forward.'

Her mother struggled to hold back her tears as she recalled the daughter who was her 'soul mate and best friend.'

Mrs. Livingston said: 'Ketie was everybody's best friend. She was such a gentle heart who never hurt anybody.

'She was the type of girl who would take in stray cats and look after them. She also had two dogs. She was always taking in animals.

'There was never any hint at all of any trouble from her or to her from anyone. She was a loving young woman.

'I just cannot understand why this would happen to Ketie. She had no enemies that anybody knows of and she hadn't been in any arguments.

Mrs. Livingston's tears fell as she added: 'I am suffering. Ketie was always the one that held me together. My mom passed in 2011 from cancer and I wouldn't have made it through if it wasn't for Ketie.

'I literally laid in my bed for three weeks and I don't normally drink, but I drank half a gallon of tequila because I found a bucket of it there.

Jones was found face down, with a single gunshot wound to the chest, behind this building, the Berry Hill Realty office

'Ketie came over and said 'Mama, I know you're sadI am sad too.

'But I am damned if I am going to go through nanny stuff and now Mama stuff, so get up.'

Her loving daughter nursed and cajoled her mother through one of the most difficult periods of her life, she said.

'She really was, in a strange sense, like my mom. She looked out for all of us, for me and her sister and her friends.

'She was a remarkable woman. Ketie was the smartest person you could meet. She was phenomenal.'

In the days before her murder, Ketie had been trying to travel to Asheville in North Carolina to visit her mother for her birthday. But without a car she was unable to make the two hour journey.

Her work colleagues recall how she missed out on meeting former President Obama and losing presidential candidate Hillary Clinton when they made a campaign visit to their restaurant.

She was on a day off and merely shrugged her shoulders at not shaking hands with Obama. Pictures of his visit adorn the restaurant walls.

But Ketie's friends and family have set up a fund to raise money for a scholarship in her memory.

She studied briefly at New York's Marymount Manhattan College, but was unable to continue her drama course because of a lack of funds.

The 26-year-old lived near Hawthorne Lane and Central Avenue, where she was headed before she was shot and killed at 2:45am

A scholarship is being set up at the University of North Carolina to help a local student with a passion for the arts or drama who may have financial difficulties to attend classes.

The project has a target of $25,000 and has already passed $18,000 with a number of fund-raising events in Charlotte.

One of her best friends Brendan Coffey said: 'Ketie would be beside herself seeing how the love and trust in our community strengthened in the face of losing her, instead of giving into despair, mistrust, and anger.

'It's very difficult to look past the meaninglessness of what happened to Ketie. I struggle to think of why and how this happened every day.

'This project has helped by creating something meaningful to remember her, enrich the community she loved so much, and give deserving students the opportunity to pursue Ketie's passions at UNC Charlotte.'

Her mother, speaking of her anger at Ketie's killer said: 'How could you? Who do you think you are?

'She did everything she could to help everybody she could. She put her heart out there and she doesn't deserve this.

'We deserve to know if it was random or by somebody she knew.

'It's scary to think that with all these memorials is this person around me? I don't know.'

Anyone with information about the shooting or those involved are asked to call 704-432-TIPS or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

To donate to the scholarship fund go to the Ketie Memory Jones Arts Award.
The co-founder of an endometriosis awareness organisation has told how she made the decision to have her eggs frozen at age 23 after undergoing two surgeries in quick succession to treat the disease.

Syl Freedman, from Sydney, spoke to Daily Mail Australia about how her severe endometriosis made her fearful she may never have children of her own.

Ms Freedman also revealed how proud she was of her body's resilience about two years on from having her eggs frozen despite enduring excruciating pain from having daily hormone injections.

The EndoActive co-founder had surgery twice in 20 months to treat her endometriosis and it left her facing a decision she never thought she would have to make.

Scroll down for video

Syl Freedman made the decision to have her eggs frozen at age 23 after having two surgeries in quick succession to treat her endometriosis

Ms Freedman underwent daily hormone injections in preparation for egg retrieval surgery

She said she made the decision to have her eggs frozen because she was concerned about her fertility

Ms Freedman said she was completely unprepared for how painful egg retrieval surgery would be

'Because of how close my surgeries were together I started to get worried I had a really aggressive form of endometriosis,' Ms Freedman said.

'I became really concerned about my fertility.

'When I was first diagnosed with endometriosis, the main issue that was brought up was fertility.

'With endometriosis, it can affect your fertility. You may never be able to have kids.'

Ms Freedman said she was consumed by the thought of never having her own children, prompting her to have the hormone injections in preparation for egg retrieval surgery.

But she said it was a painful process.

'It was absolutely excruciating,' she said.

'I was completely unprepared for how painful it would be.'

She said she was proud of the way her body bounced back after multiple surgeries.

'It's pretty incredible how women's bodies can go through all these severe, very invasive surgeries and still be able to bounce back,' she said.

Ms Freedman is pictured on the first day of having hormone injections in order to have her eggs frozen

Ms Freedman said egg retrieval surgery left her in excruciating pain

'It's amazing everything my body had gone through within a year-and-a-half'.

Ms Freedman, now 26, first found out she had endometriosis at age 21.

'But I had actually been experiencing symptoms of endometriosis since I first got my period at age 11. The symptoms got worse and worse as I got older,' she said.

Her symptoms of endometriosis, which affects women's reproductive systems, included chronic pelvic pain, extreme fatigue and digestive problems.

She went in for surgery to remove the disease, which lasted four hours, longer than the 30 minutes she was initially told.

'I was in huge amounts of pain. I spent four-nights in hospital,' she said.

That was in 2012 and 20 months later she was back for a second surgery.

'The endometriosis had grown back. I was starting to feel the symptoms again,' she said.

Ms Freedman said she was proud of how well her body bounced back after undergoing two surgeries for endometriosis and another surgery for egg retrieval

Ms Freedman, now 26, was first diagnosed with endometriosis when she was 21 and underwent two surgeries in quick succession

'I was shocked to be back for another surgery so shortly after the first time.'

She started EndoActive, along with her mother, Lesley, in 2014.

'We campaigned to have a drug used to treat endometriosis, Visanne, released in Australia,' she said.

That was with an online petition, which attracted about 74,000 signatures and proved a success.

She said she then felt a moral obligation to ensure EndoActive had a permanent online presence.

Ms Freedman said she felt a moral obligation to have the EndoActive website to raise awareness of endometriosis

It aims to raise awareness of endometriosis, while providing evidence-based information.

The organisation also holds a conference on endometriosis, with the next one to be held in Sydney on September 9.

Ms Freedman said endometriosis patients are given very little information about the disease when they are diagnosed and she hopes EndoActive will help rectify that situation.

Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women.
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Mother Theresa mingles with Judas while crowds of people stroll through the sunshine giving sword wielding Roman Guards high fives and a 40ft Jesus, halo intact, rises from a mountain top.

This is not one man's Biblical nightmare, it's Tierra Santa, a religious theme park built in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires.

'It's the greatest show you'll ever see, but we take it very seriously,' says an actor playing Pontius Pilate in between scenes condemning Jesus to his death. 'We don't want to be seen as blaspheming.'

Religious theme park: Tierra Santa, a sprawling religious theme park in Argentina, comes complete with a 40ft statue of Jesus which rises from a recreation of the 'Holy Mount'

Crucifixion: Visitors are taken on an illuminating and at times emptional journey through 37 of the Bible's most important events, including Jesus' crucifixion, above

Biblical: Actors playing Jesus pose for photos with tourists while other thespians dressed as Roman soldiers high five families as they make their way through the 17-acre park

And... action! A skilled performs twice a day during Easter, reenacting the most important events during the week from Palm Sunday, brings Jesus back to life - so to speak

Christ reborn: The park's designers went to painstaking lengths to make sure the streets resemble the pebbled stones of Jerusalem, flanked by plastic castles, temples, donkeys and camels

'People get very emotional when they come here, we want to make it an experience they'll never forget.'

The 17-acre park is a miniature holy city, complete with fake palm trees, centurions, and even a Wailing Wall.

It takes visitors through 37 of the most important events in the bible: From the creation and the birth of Jesus to his crucifixion and resurrection.

Some emotional visitors can be seen crying as they walk through a display of massive crucifixes before coming to a waxwork of Jesus on the cross, surrounded by his kneeling worshipers.

Even the streets are designed to mimic the pebbled stones of Jerusalem, flanked by plastic castles, temples, donkeys and camels.

But the main attraction is the Holy Mount, where thousands gather every hour to watch a giant Jesus Christ statue rising into the sky to the sound of Handel's Messiah.

With a Mosque and Synagogue on site, the park's organisers are keen to show this is not an exclusively Christian attraction.

Reborn: Park director Maria Fierro says it takes visitors on a religious journey back in time, adding: 'It's a park that is open to all beliefs, multi-faith and it is creating really, in a Latin American city, the Jerusalem of that time over two-thousand years before'

Emotional: Some visitors break down into tears as they walk past massive crucifixes before arriving at a waxwork of Jesus on the cross, above, surrounded by his kneeling worshipers

Jerusalem: The 17-acre amusement park, in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires, comes complete with fake palm trees, centurions and even a Wailing Wall

Treats: 'It's the greatest show you'll ever see, but we take it very seriously,' said an actor playing Pontius Pilate in between scenes condemning Jesus to his death. Pictured: A woman prepares waffles for hungry visitors

It reaches a crescendo once the huge 40-foot mechanical plastic figure rises to the top, which is met with cheers and whoops from the adoring masses.

But the park has never intended to be a joke and the number of tearful customers put paid to accusations that it's a naff Christian Disneyland.

It's even had the blessing of the Argentinian Pope Francis, who came to visit in 2008 when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires. It's now had nearly ten million people through its doors.

Maria Fierro, Director of Tierra Santa, says the park takes visitors on a religious journey back in time, adding: 'It's a park that is open to all beliefs, multi-faith and it is creating really, in a Latin American city, the Jerusalem of that time over two-thousand years before.'

Everywhere you turn, you'll see the likes of Mary and Joseph selling tickets, helping to console emotional punters and offering festive food such as the 'Baptism buffet', 'sacramental smorgasbord' and 'gentile goulash', or their specialty - the 'St John Shawarma' kebab.

In character: Actors dressed as Mary and Joseph sell tickets and also help console punters who are overcome with emotion as they wander round the park. Pictured: A display featuring a statue of Mother Teresa

Holding court: It may seem kitsch but the park's owners, managers and actors take the recreation very seriously and resent any comparisons to a naff 'Christian Disneyland'

Special visit: The sprawling park has even been blessed by Argentinian Pope Francis, who came to visit in 2008 when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires

Jesus comes alive with special performances twice a day during Easter time reenacting the most important events during the week from Palm Sunday - where he entered Jerusalem on a donkey - to Easter Sunday where he rose from the dead.

On Good Friday, the show features Jesus getting flogged on a pillar by a Roman guard, bleeding heavily, before a crown of thorns is placed on his head and he gets strung up on a giant cross in front of a stunned audience.

But, after it's all over, Jesus is happily being pictured with kids taking selfies before taking off his robe off, pulling back his hair and walking out of the park in jeans and a t-shirt!
A retired lecturer suffering from terminal motor neurone disease has won the right to challenge a blanket ban on assisted suicide in the UK.

Noel Conway, 67, who has less than six months to live, was refused a judicial review on right to die laws earlier this month but took the fight to the Court of Appeal.

He will now get a second chance to challenge the ban, which forces hundreds of terminally-ill patients to travel to Swiss clinics, where assisted suicide is legal.

Noel Conway, pictured with his stepson Terry McCusker and wife Carol, has won the right to appeal against the blanket ban on assisted suicide

He wants a declaration that the Suicide Act 1961 contravenes European human rights laws relating to the respect for private and family life and against discrimination.

On Tuesday, Lord Justice McFarlane and Lord Justice Beatson were asked for permission to appeal against the High Court's majority ruling that there was no arguable case to bring to a full hearing.

The judges said they hoped to give their decision tomorrow morning.

The proceedings follow an action brought by Tony Nicklinson, who suffered from paralysis after a stroke.

That was ultimately dismissed in 2014 by the Supreme Court, which said it was important that Parliament debated the issues before any decision was made by the courts.

Mr Conway's case is different in that he has a terminal illness and his legal team are setting out a strict criteria and clear potential safeguards to protect vulnerable people from any abuse of the system.

In the High Court, Lord Justice Burnett said it remained 'institutionally inappropriate' for a court to make a declaration of incompatibility.

Had Parliament done nothing after the Nicklinson case, Mr Conway's case for permission would be 'unanswerable', however, it might fare on further investigation.

But both the House of Commons and the House of Lords had debated the issue, and Parliament decided not to provide for legislative exceptions to the 1961 Act.

Noel Conway with wife Carol, stepson Terry McCusker and Sarah Wootton, CEO of Dignity in Dying (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

Mr Conway's counsel, Richard Gordon QC, told the Court of Appeal that the High Court's decision was flawed in law.

The debates in Parliament were 'utterly irrelevant' to the legal exercise before them, he said.

Mr Conway was not in court in London.

Later, Mr Conway said: 'I am delighted that my case will now proceed to the next stage.

'Clearly the Court of Appeal has agreed that this is an issue deserving full and proper consideration and I look forward to a full hearing at the High Court.

NOEL CONWAY'S LEGAL CHALLENGE Noel Conway was seeking a declaration that the Suicide Act 1961 is incompatible with Article 8, which relates to respect for private and family life, and Article 14, which protects from discrimination. His counsel said he wished to die in the country where he was born and lived for his whole adult life. 'The choices facing him therefore are stark: to seek to bring about his own death now whilst he is physically able to do but before he is ready; or await death with no control over when and how it comes.' Mr Conway contended that these choices, forced upon him by the provisions of the criminal law, violated his human rights. At present there is a blanket prohibition on providing a person with assistance to die. An action brought by Tony Nicklinson - who suffered from paralysis after a stroke - was ultimately dismissed in 2014 by the Supreme Court, which stated it was important that Parliament debated the issues before any decision was made by the courts. Mr Conway's case is different in that he has a terminal illness and his legal team set out a strict criteria and clear potential safeguards to protect vulnerable people from any abuse of the system. Advertisement

'Having overcome this initial setback in my fight for choice at the end of life, I am more determined than ever to continue.

'I have the support of my loved ones and many thousands of others behind me; people who have donated over 90,000 towards my legal costs and sent heart-warming messages of encouragement to me and my family.

'I have lived my whole life on my own terms, in control of the choices and decisions I make. Why then, when I am facing my final months, should these rights be stripped away from me, leaving me at the mercy of a cruel illness?

'I know I am going to die anyway, but how and when should be up to me.

'To have the option of an assisted death available in this country would provide me and countless others with great reassurance and comfort.

'It would allow me to decide when I am ready to go, rather than be forced into a premature death by travelling to Dignitas at great emotional and financial cost, or to suffer a traumatic, drawn out death at home.'

Before his illness, Mr Conway, who is married, with a son, daughter, stepson and grandchild, was fit and active, enjoying hiking, cycling and travelling.

He now uses a wheelchair and ventilation equipment and was not in court.

His counsel, Richard Gordon QC, said he wished 'to die in the country in which he was born and has lived for his whole adult life.

'The choices facing him therefore are stark: to seek to bring about his own death now whilst he is physically able to do but before he is ready; or await death with no control over when and how it comes.'

Mr Conway contended that these choices, forced upon him by the provisions of the criminal law, violated his human rights.

The case follows that brought by Tony Nicklinson, who suffered from paralysis after a stroke.

Lynda says Noel Conway deserves to make the decision about his own death #ImWithNoel pic.twitter.com/62qAqbx1Rx  Dignity in Dying (@dignityindying) April 11, 2017

That was ultimately dismissed in 2014 by the Supreme Court, which said it was important that Parliament debated the issues before any decision was made by the courts.

Mr Conway's case is different in that he has a terminal illness and his legal team are setting out strict criteria and clear potential safeguards to protect the vulnerable from any abuse of the system.

His lawyers attacked the High Court's majority decision that it remained 'institutionally inappropriate' for a court to make a declaration of incompatibility.

It said that, after the Nicklinson case, both the House of Commons and the House of Lords had debated the issue, with the result that Parliament had decided, at least for the moment, not to provide for legislative exceptions to the 1961 Act.

Before his illness, Mr Conway, who is married with a son, daughter, stepson and grandchild, enjoyed hiking, cycling and travelling.

He said after the hearing: 'I am very disappointed in the court's decision not to grant my case permission to proceed.

'Though this is a setback in my fight for rights at the end of my life, I will not be deterred and will be appealing this decision.

'I am fighting for choice and control over my death, because the current ban on assisted dying denies me these rights and forces me to face an unacceptable set of options that most people would balk at in disbelief.

'I am going to die, and I have come to terms with this fact.

'But what I do not accept is being denied the ability to decide the timing and manner of my death.

'I am not prepared to suffer right to the end, nor do I want to endure a long, drawn out death in a haze of morphine.

'The only alternative is to spend thousands of pounds, travel hundreds of miles and risk incriminating my loved ones in asking them to accompany me to Dignitas.

'This would also force me to die earlier than I would want.

'The option of an assisted death should be available to me, here in this country, in my final six months of life - this is what I am fighting for.

'It would bring immense peace of mind and allow me to live my life to the fullest, enjoying my final months with my loved ones until I decide the time is right for me to go.'

Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying, said: 'The current law simply does not work for dying people or their families.

'Terminally ill Britons are being forced to suffer against their wishes or take drastic measures at home and abroad in order to wrest back control over their deaths.

'People like Noel deserve choice and control at the end of life but the law denies them these basic rights.

'Noel, supported by Dignity in Dying, wants the courts to examine the evidence in full, taking into account the failure of Parliament to adequately engage with this issue and the progress made overseas in recent years.

'Noel and his family have received overwhelming support so far - the huge sums raised on a Crowdfunder for his legal costs are testament to this.

'Clearly there is great appetite for change; indeed 82% of the public would support a law to allow assisted dying as an option for terminally ill, mentally competent adults.

'We are indebted to Noel and his family for devoting their time and energy to this hugely important case.

'We now call on the courts to proceed as a matter of urgency - not only for Noel's sake but also because this is an issue that simply cannot be ignored any longer.'

Yogi Amin, of law firm Irwin Mitchell, added: 'The world has changed phenomenally in the past few decades with many medical advances, but the law on assisted dying for those who are terminally ill hasn't changed for more than 50 years.

'We are pleased the Court of Appeal has today agreed that there is merit in hearing Noel's case.

'He is an extremely brave and proud man who is supported by his loving family. He would like the choice to be able to die with dignity.'

Ends

A spokesman for the Care Not Killing Alliance said: 'We are naturally disappointed that this case continues to drag on.

'If successful, it will usurp the democratic will of Parliament.

'Only a year-and-a-half ago, MPs looked very carefully at this complex issue and comprehensively rejected changing the law by 330 votes to 118.

'Changing the law is opposed by every major disability rights organisation and doctors' group, including the BMA, Royal College of GPs and the Association for Palliative Medicine, who have looked at this issue in detail and concluded that there is no safe system of assisted suicide and euthanasia anywhere in the world.

'Laws in Holland and Belgium that were only meant to apply to mentally competent terminally ill adults have been extended to include the elderly, disabled, those with mental health problems and even non-mentally competent children.

'While in Oregon, the model often trumpeted by those wanting to change the law, there are examples of cancer patients being denied lifesaving and life-extending drugs, yet offered the lethal cocktail of barbiturates to kill themselves.

'The current laws on assisted suicide and euthanasia are simple and clear.

'They exist to protect those who are sick, elderly, depressed or disabled from feeling obliged to end their lives.

'It protects those who have no voice against exploitation and coercion. It acts as a powerful deterrent to would-be abusers and does not need changing.'
A man in eastern China got a shock when he discovered nine small fish inside some of the fish that he had bought from a market.

Mr Tu purchased 10 Bombay-duck fish on April 10 and noticed five of them had smaller fish inside their bodies.

Surprised, Mr Tu counted a total of 19 fish out of his original purchase of 10.

The small fish were found perfectly intact and stacked up in a neat pile in the big fish's stomach

Tu bought ten fish from the market and found to have 19 in total from the surprise purchase

The prey can be seen attached with some intestinal tissues and slimy fluid of the wild fish

According to Huanqiu.com, an affiliation with the People's Daily Online, Mr Tu went to a wet market in the Shangyu district of Shaoxing city, Zhejiang Province on April 9.

While attempting to gut the fish, he found that five of them had smaller fish inside their bodies.

The fishmonger told him the fish were wild Bombay-duck and had not been frozen.

Incredible pictures show at least three small fish can be clearly seen stacking closely inside a Bombay-duck's body.

The smaller fish are perfectly intact and are attaching with intestinal tissues and slimy fluid of the predatory fish.

Bombay-duck, a lizardfish that is carnivorous and prey on smaller fish with its sharp teeth

Mr Tu bought ten wild Bombay-ducks from a wet market in eastern China's Shaoxing city

At least two to three fish can be found inside one Bombay-duck's body, according to Mr Tu

Bombay-duck, is a marine lizardfish commonly caught in the bay of Bengal and South China sea. The fish preys on small fish, tiny shrimps and organisms living on the seabed, says the Encyclopdia Britannica.

It has large mouth with sharp teeth and can grow to a length of 41 centimetres (16 inches).

Although Tu was a little surprised by the purchase, he stated he was not sure how long the prey had been dead for and so would not be eating them.
Dylann Roof fought so hard to keep evidence of any mental problems out of his trial because he worried it would prevent him from getting a high government position if white nationalists took over the country, according to court documents from his lawyers.

At about the same time before his death penalty trial started last year, Roof called his lawyers liars.

He said they should be disbarred because they were 'the sneakiest group of people I have ever met,' according to once secret court documents made public Tuesday.

A judge unsealed hundreds of pages of documents about Roof's mental state the day after his legal journey ended with him pleading guilty to nine counts of murder in South Carolina court for his racist attack that killed nine black people during a Bible study at a Charleston church in June 2015.

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Dylann Roof (above on Monday) fought so hard to keep evidence of any mental problems out of his trial because he worried it would prevent him from getting a high government position if white nationalists took over the country, according to court documents from his lawyers

At about the same time before his death penalty trial started last year, Roof (above on Monday) called his lawyers liars. He said they should be disbarred because they were 'the sneakiest group of people I have ever met,' court documents state

Roof agreed to a sentence of life without parole in state court and no appeals in return for prosecutors dropping the death penalty.

Roof is heading to federal death row after a jury found him guilty of hate crimes in the killings at Emanuel AME church. He is appealing that decision.

Roof's chief lawyer, David Bruck, did not return a message from The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old was adamant throughout his trial that he didn't want any evidence of mental defects presented in his defense, with his lawyers arguing that meant he was essentially agreeing to be put to death.

Roof acted as his own lawyer for parts of his trial because he wanted to control the evidence provided.

A judge unsealed hundreds of pages of documents about Roof's (above on Monday) mental state the day after his legal journey ended with him pleading guilty to nine counts of murder in South Carolina court for his racist attack that killed nine black people during a Bible study at a Charleston church in June 2015

Just days after Roof wrote his letters to prosecutors saying his lawyers were working against him, attorney Sarah Gannett discussed Roof's anger at possibly being found mentally incompetent in a motion requesting more time to conduct a hearing to determine if Roof was competent to be his own lawyer.

A ruling Roof was incompetent may make white nationalists he considered allies abandon him, Gannett wrote.

'We remind the Court that these are not logical preferences, but appear to be based on the irrational belief that being labeled mentally impaired will affect the defendant's standing with some hypothetical white nationalists whom the defendant has never met or communicated with - and cannot even name - but whom he believes may appoint him to a high government position some day,' Gannett wrote.

Roof (above on Monday) is now going to await execution in a federal prison for the shocking crime

Roof's relationship with his lawyers rapidly fell apart before jury selection in his trial began in November.

He wrote a three-page letter addressed to 'prosecution' complaining his well-respected defense team was using scare tactics, threats and manipulation to further their agenda to fight the death penalty instead of listening to how Roof wanted to defend himself.

'They are extremely moralistic about the death penalty, but unfortunately when it comes to lying they do not have any morals at all,' Roof wrote.

Roof presented no evidence or witnesses during his trial. He said at the time he didn't want them to introduce mental health evidence because it would embarrass himself and his family.
Most child sex offenders can be trusted to work with children, a Sydney forensic psychologist has argued.

Dr Chris Lennings, who has examined hundreds of child sex offenders, told 7News on Tuesday he believes there are varying degrees of child molestation and that most offenders could be rehabilitated 'given the appropriate conditions.'

Although some offenders are an 'ongoing risk,' Dr Lennings argued for Working With Children standards to be re-evaluated to allow low risk sex offenders more job opportunities.

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Dr Chris Lennings (pictured), a forensic psychologist from Sydney, said he most child sex offenders are able to change their behaviour and could be trusted around children again

When asked if a person who viewed child pornography in the 1970s should be allowed and trusted to drive a children's school bus today, the psychologist claimed it was possible.

'Yeah - I think there's situations where such people could do that without them being a risk to children,' he said.

'There are varying grades, if you like, of child molestation, with some being highly dangerous and quite toxic and others being young and stupid, frequently who cease to be a risk as time goes on.'

Senator Derryn Hinch told 7News he strongly disagrees with Dr Lenning.

'This is madness. If you violate a child then you've ruined their lives so some of your civil rights may disappear.'

Senator Derryn Hinch (pictured) said he strongly disagrees with Dr Lenning

In March, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard that screening procedures for people applying to work with children need to be stricter.

Chief executive of Child Wise, Katherine Levi, told the commission many organisations lack the appropriate screening procedures, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

'The lack of resources create conditions that make organisations more vulnerable to accepting perpetrators within their ranks unknowingly,' she said.
Press Secretary Sean Spicer is being trolled on Twitter after a series of astonishing political blunders in which he referred to concentration camps as 'Holocaust centers' and claimed Hitler never used chemical weapons against civilians.

Spicer sparked outrage at Tuesday's press briefing after he compared the Nazi leader favorably with Syrian President Bashar Assad, claiming that Hitler 'didn't even sink to ... using chemical weapons.'

Trump's press secretary quickly apologized, but his garbled defense then drew further ire after he referred to Hitler's death camps as 'Holocaust centers'.

Twitter has since been flooded with people mocking and criticizing Spicer for his stream of disastrous comments.

Brianna Wu wrote on Twitter: 'If you ever feel bad about mistakes you've made, just remember: You've never had the @AnneFrankCenter call for your firing like @seanspicer.'

Press Secretary Sean Spicer is being trolled on Twitter after a series of astonishing political blunders

Press Secretary Sean Spicer is being trolled online after referring to concentration camps as 'Holocaust centers' during an apology for his earlier gaffe where he claimed Hitler never used chemical weapons against his people

'With a heavy sigh, Sean changes his "Days without stepping on a rake" sign from 1 to 0,' another added, while Jonah Goldberg wrote: 'Reason we know time travel won't be invented in our lifetimes is that an older Sean Spicer didn't suddenly appear and scream "Stop Talking!"

Others drew comparisons between Spicer and Pepsi and United Airlines who have each suffered their own PR nightmares this month.

Sukh Sodhi wrote: 'Pepsi: We're going to make the biggest PR mistake of the year.

'United: Hold my be--

'Sean Spicer: HITLER WASN'T THAT BAD.'

'Did United CEO Oscar Munoz and White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer make a bet on who could get themselves fired faster? #Idiocracy,' added Ed Humphries.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer (pictured) went on CNN this afternoon to apologize for comments he made comparing Hitler, more favorably, to Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad

Spicer issued a statement after the Tuesday briefing in which he insisted: 'In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust'

Meanwhile Robin Thede mocked the number of 'public apologies' the three have been forced to make, saying: 'Between Pepsi, United and Sean Spicer, there's been more half-assed begging for forgiveness than a 90s r & b album.'

Spicer was also criticized for referring to concentration camps as 'Holocaust centers' which people claimed was trivializing the horrors that took place there.

'Sean Spicer just referred to concentration camps as Holocaust centers. Y'know, like shopping malls, but for genocide,' one Tweeter wrote.

Humint Abedin added: 'Concentration Camps. Holocaust Centers. The Shops at Holocaust Village.'

Spicer's embarrassing gaffe came as about six million American Jews  and millions more around the world  celebrate Passover.

Spicer noted the holiday in his apology as well.

'There's really is no explaining it at this point,' he said. 'It's just to say that especially this week, it was not something that was appropriate.'

'I apologize,' Spicer added, explaining that he was attempting to 'make a point about the heinous acts Assad had made against his own people last week using chemical weapons' when he made an 'inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust.'

'Which, frankly, there is no comparison,' Spicer said.

During yesterday's disastrous press briefing on Tuesday, Spicer told reporters: 'You look  we didn't use chemical weapons in World War II,' Spicer told reporters on Tuesday.

'You know, you had a  you know, someone as despicable as Hitler, who didn't even sink to ... using chemical weapons.'

'So you have to  if you're Russia, is this a country that you, and a regime that you want to align yourself with?' he asked in progressively more halting, choppy English.

But as the air momentarily left the White House briefing room  and one reporter yelled that the White House was neglecting Hitler's Jewish victims  Spicer reached peak sputter.

'I mean, there was clearly  I understand, I mean  thank you  I appreciate that  there was  not in the,' he stammered.

Hitler had 'brought them into the Holocaust centers,' Spicer acknowledged. 'And I understand that.'

'But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down to innocent, into the middle of towns, it was brought  and so, the use of it, I appreciate the clarification. That was not the intent.'

After the daily press briefing concluded, the White House issued a series of three different statements from Spicer, each meant to replace the last.

'In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust,' he insisted in the final draft.

'I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.'

But within an hour the Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a group linked loosely with the famed girl diarist, demanded Spicer's removal as it claimed he 'engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable.'

Auschwitz concentration camp victims, mostly Jews, were worked and starved tens of thousands at a time, and then gassed in large groups before their bodies were incinerated

Hitler's victims included women, children and the infirm  too many millions for post-war investigators to count

Spicer compared Hitler (left), who killed far more innocent victims than Assad (right)

Hitler primarily used Zyklon B, a powerful cyanide gas, to exterminate Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, priests, political dissidents and other enemies of the state.

During an appearance on CNN, Spicer was asked if he was aware that Jews had been gassed during Hitler's reign, Spicer said yes.

'Yes, clearly I'm aware of that,' Spicer said, adding that he was apologizing to 'anybody who not just suffered in the holocaust or is a descendant of anybody, but frankly anyone who was offended by those comments.'

Online reactions to Spicer's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad briefing ranged from shocking to mocking.

New York Times columnist Max Fisher tried to put himself in the Trump spokesman's head.

'Spicers internal monologue: "Hmm, I need to argue that Assad is bad. Guess its time to downplay Hitler for some reason",' Fisher tweeted.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer (right) made his apology to CNN's Wolf Blitzer (left), whose paternal grandparents perished at Auschwitz and whose parents survived the Holocaust

The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect, a social justice group loosely tied to the late Anne Frank, called on President Donald Trump to fire Spicer shortly after he said Adolf Hitler had never used chemical weapons

Twitter was awash with fury, rage and snark as members of Congress and a former first daughter took the opportunity to pillory Spicer

'My relatives didn't die in Holocaust Centers,' a social media manager at Random House Books wrote on twitter. '[T]hey died in Concentration Camps.'

Reactions in Washington were fast and furious.

'Someone get @PressSec a refresher history course on Hitler stat #Icantbelievehereallysaidthat,' wrote Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, who is Jewish.

'Never thought I would say this,' added California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, 'but Sean Spicer should go back to talking about crowd size at the inauguration.'

And Chelsea Clinton, the former first daughter, sniped at Spicer: 'I hope @PressSec takes time to visit @HolocaustMuseum. It's a few blocks away.'

Sarin was itself a product of Nazi Germany, invented as an experimental pesticide in 1939. Hitler's Reich quickly moved it into military mass-production, although it never deployed it against his Western enemies.

There were reports in 1942, however, that Nazi armies used chemical weapons against Soviet forces during a siege in the Crimea, gassing thousands huddled in subterranean caves carved out of a quarry near the town of Adzhimushkay.
Pauline Hanson says Waleed Aly has proven Muslims don't need to eat halal-certified food by chomping on a Lindt chocolate Easter bunny on The Project.

Aly, a Muslim, mocked the One Nation leader's endorsement of Lindt chocolates as a non-halal product by eating one of its treats on live television.

However, Senator Hanson says this just proves Muslims don't need to eat halal products.

'Last night, Waleed proved that products don't require halal certification to be eaten by Muslims when he ate a non-halal-certified Lindt Easter rabbit,' she said on Facebook.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said Waleed Aly proved Muslims don't need to eat halal

Pauline Hanson held up a Lindt Easter bunny as an example of a non-halal food product

Waleed Aly has taken Senator Pauline Hanson to task over her endorsement of 'non-Halal' Easter eggs.

She had urged her supporters to buy 'non-halal' chocolate and called for a boycott of the certification process in a Facebook video.

The segment on The Project began with comedian Peter Helliar asking Aly about a chocolate treated related to Christianity.

Bite me: Waleed Aly mocked Pauline Hanson's endorsement of 'non-Halal' Easter eggs by eating Lindt's gold bunny live on air

'I eat these all the time. These are awesome,' Aly responded, before inspecting the wrapping.

'In fact, I'll check the ingredients right now. Yeah, that's entirely halal. It's all vegetarian. Do you want me to prove it?'

Aly then peeled back the gold foil and bit into the ear - before explaining the chocolates were not halal-certified but had halal ingredients.

When his co-host Bickmore asked for a bite, Aly joked: 'You're gonna get halal germs.'

He was taking aim at Senator Hanson's video where she held up three chocolate products in a presentation next to a barbed wire fence.

'We see these products out there that are halal-certified, Cadbury chocolate for instance,' Ms Hanson says, before holding up a Lindt bunny and beginning to stroll through a paddock.

Bittersweet: The segment began with The Project panellist Peter Helliar grilling Aly about why he can't enjoy the iconic Easter snack

Aly then peeled back the gold wrapping and bit into the ear  before explaining the chocolate was not halal certified but had halal-friendly ingredients

It comes after Pauline Hanson urged her supporters to buy 'non-halal' Easter eggs in a festive Facebook video

'If you want to get product that's not halal-certified, I'd suggest Lindt, that's not halal-certified, and another great one is Darrell Lea.

'Go and buy some non-halal Easter eggs and chocolate, and have a happy Easter everyone.'

Halal certification means products are permissible for Muslims to eat under Islamic religious rules.

For Easter eggs to be considered halal they must avoid using blood, pork and alcohol.

With Muslims making up about 2.4 per cent of the Australian population, Senator Hanson said 'ordinary Australians shouldn't be paying a tax on food permissible to Muslims'.

Businesses, including Halal Certification Authority, charge food producers including abattoirs, a fee to certify that their goods are halal.

Australian halal-certified goods are more likely to be exported to Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia however critics on the right of politics, such as former Australian Liberty Alliance candidate Kirralee Smith, have been campaigning for clearer labeling.

Proceeds from halal-certified goods goes towards the funding of Islamic schools and mosques and the slaughter of animals involves throat cutting.
Schapelle Corby's Balinese parole officer has revealed what the convicted drug smuggler is really like, just weeks before she is deported back to Australia.

Bali parole officer Ketut Sukiati said Corby, 39, was a different person behind closed doors, and very private.

'She was friendly, fine, she will greet everybody, smile, she will say good morning to every staff member,' Ms Sukiati told the Sydney Morning Herald.

'She's not a very open person we have to talk to her slowly to get her to open up to us, so we can guide her [during her parole].

Bali parole officer Ketut Sukiati said Corby (pictured in 2008) was a different person behind closed doors, and very private

Corby will be deported back to Australia on May 27, more than 12 years after she was found with 4.2kg of cannabis in a body board bag she carried on a flight from Brisbane to Denpasar.

The then 27-year-old was sentenced to 20 years in prison. She won parole in 2014.

Ms Sukiati said Corby was desperate to return home, but was holding herself together.

'She said she wants to go home of course she looked normal when she said it, not too excited or anything,' Ms Sukiati said.

Schapelle Corby, with her face covered, reports for a parole hearing before being released on February 10, 2014

Ms Sukiati (pictured) said Corby was desperate to return home, but was holding herself together

The Balinese parole officer revealed Corby was a relaxed person, but her personality changed when media was nearby.

Ms Sukiati said Corby's 'face changed' and she 'closed off' when she saw a journalist or photographer.

She also claimed Corby was single, despite reports she was in a relationship with Indonesian man Ben Panangian.

Corby was photographed more than once alongside Panangian since her release from prison in 2014.

Ms Sukiati said Corby's 'face changed' and she 'closed off' when she saw a journalist or photographer (Corby pictured in a Denpasar District Court holding cell in 2006)

The former Gold Coast beauty therapist was released on parole in Febuary 2014 after she served nine years in the notorious Kerobokan jail.

She was ordered to remain on the idyllic holiday island until 2017 when her sentence finished.

Ms Sukiati revealed Corby was due to visit the parole office for the last time on May 27, after which she would be taken to the airport to be deported.

Bali immigration office head Ari Budijanto said Corby would be allowed to shield her face from media for the majority of her journey from Bali to Australia.

But Mr Budijanto said she would be forced to reveal her face when she was identified before boarding.

The former Gold Coast beauty therapist was released on parole in Febuary 2014 after she served nine years in the notorious Kerobokan jail (pictured inside Kerobokan prison in 2008)

Ms Sukiati (pictured third from right alongside fellow parole officers) revealed Corby was due to visit the parole office for the last time on May 27, after which she would be taken to the airport to be deported

Corby has remained silent about her plans upon returning home to her family on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

One of her parole conditions specified she must avoid the media.

Corby has maintained her innocence since she was arrested in 2004 and convicted of drug smuggling in 2005.
The Brexit referendum could have been hit by a cyber attack from one of the UKs enemies, MPs warned last night.

The Commons public administration committee declared the crash of the official voter registration website just days before the vote may have been organised by foreign agents.

It said it was deeply concerned about the allegations of overseas interference in last years Brexit vote.

While the MPs did not identify who may have been responsible, it noted that both Russia and China use an approach to cyber attacks based on an understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals. Pictured, Russian president Vladimir Putin

While the MPs did not identify who may have been responsible, it noted that both Russia and China use an approach to cyber attacks based on an understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals.

The warning comes amid repeated claims that Russia has sought to interfere in foreign elections, including last years US presidential election.

The official voter registration website crashed on June 7 last year, just hours before the deadline for people to sign up to vote in the referendum.

Ministers controversially extended the deadline for people to sign up to vote by 48 hours, even though the site had only been down for a much shorter period.

The Government said at the time that it was the result of an unprecedented spike in demand with more than 500,000 people trying to register on the final day.

However, the committee said the crash had indications of being a distributed denial of service attack (DDOS) using so-called botnets controlled by hackers to overwhelm the site.

It said while the incident had no material effect on the outcome of the referendum, it was crucial that lessons were learned for future votes which must extend beyond purely technical issues.

The Brexit referendum could have been hit by a cyber attack from one of the UKs enemies, MPs warned last night

The committee does not rule out the possibility that the crash may have been caused by a DDOS using botnets, the MPs concluded. The US and UK understanding of cyber is predominantly technical and computer-network based.

For example, Russia and China use a cognitive approach based on understanding of mass psychology and of how to exploit individuals.

The implications of this different understanding of cyber attack, as purely technical or as reaching beyond the digital to influence public opinion, for the interference in elections and referendums are clear.

The committee is deeply concerned about these allegations about foreign interference.

The MPs said: Although the committee has no direct evidence, it considers that it is important to be aware of the potential for foreign interference in elections or referendums.

The report on lessons learned from the website crash described it as technical in nature. However, the crash had indications of being a DDOS (distributed denial of service attack) using botnets.

The committee called on the government to do more to protect citizens from cyber security attacks.

We recommend that the Cabinet Office, the Electoral Commission, local government, GCHQ and the new government Cyber Security Centre establish permanent machinery for monitoring cyber activity in respects of elections and referendums, for promoting cyber security and resilience from potential attacks, and to put plans and machinery in place to respond to and to contain such attacks if they occur.

A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: 'We have been very clear about the cause of the website outage in June 2016. It was due to a spike in users just before the registration deadline.

'There is no evidence to suggest malign intervention. We conducted a full review into the outage and have applied the lessons learned. We will ensure these are applied for all future polls and online services.'
What may be about to unfold on the Korean Peninsula could be far, far more serious and destructive than the continuing charnel house that is Syrias brutal conflict.

Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that the world may stand on the very precipice of a Third World War.

The US has deployed an immensely powerful naval strike group to the seas around the Korean Peninsula. China has reportedly rushed 150,000 troops to the North Korean border.

But what makes all this truly terrifying is the unpredictable and compulsive nature of the two main players involved  President Donald Trump and the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pictured above on Tuesday, attending a meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly in Pyongyang

The North Korean leader has already warned it has US bases in its nuclear sights. Meanwhile Trump has poured petrol on the fire by declaring  by Twitter, astonishingly  that North Korea is looking for trouble and that if China does not decide to help, the US will solve the problem without them.

As one of the few Western journalists to have reported from deep inside North Korea on several occasions and to have met senior party officials and military leaders, I can say with certainty that any military action against North Korea would immediately engulf its near neighbours China, Japan and South Korea. But it could also see Britain dragged in.

I have been told that the Trump administration has now all but completed a review led by the National Security Council into all the options for dealing with a nuclear-armed, deeply hostile North Korea.

President Trump has ordered the U.S. Navy strike group Carl Vinson towards the Korean peninsula, in response to the country's continued missile tests

Part of that review involves pulling together a Coalition of the Willing  and as one of the 17 members of the so-called United Nations Command on the Korean Peninsula (which dates back to the Korean War of the 1950s), the UK will be one of the first to be called. Coincidentally, in November last year, British special forces, including a squadron of RAF Typhoon aircraft took part in Operation Vambrace Warrior, the largest military exercise of its type since 2003, alongside their American and Japanese counterparts.

They launched a mock seaborne assault to capture a moribund nuclear power station in North Wales  a dry run some believe for the capture of North Koreas major nuclear facility at Yongbyon. But Britain should beware before rushing to do Trumps bidding.

The Korean War  which saw more bombs dropped on the North of the country than were dropped on the whole of Germany in the Second World War  would look like a tea party in comparison with what could happen today.

The appalling carnage that would arise from either side  the US or North Korea - opting for a pre-emptive strike would see parts of the Peninsula turned into what Kim Jong-uns late father, the diminutive, platform-heeled wearing Kim Jong-il described as a sea of flames.

TENSE STAND-OFF: The U.S. dispatched a naval strike group to the area amid continued missile launches and hot rhetoric from North Korea

Kim Jong-un is fearless and paranoid in equal measure. He reportedly had an uncle  who he saw as a potential rival  blown to pieces on an artillery range. More recently he had another rival  a half-brother  Kim Jong-nam poisoned and killed at Kuala Lumpur airport. Consciously modelling himself on his grandfather, the late Kim Il-sung, who was genuinely popular having commanded the forces that drove the Japanese from Korea in 1945, Kim Jong-un sees himself as a demi-god. Since this is how his people, hermetically-sealed from the rest of the world, also see him, perhaps he cannot be blamed for having such a high opinion of himself.

Meanwhile, his millions of isolated North Koreans  whose adulation for their leaders Westerners find amusing  are deadly serious about fighting to the last ditch for them.

Kim Jong-un effectively presides over a fearless death cult. He commands the fourth largest standing army in the world, whose conscripts with their Soviet-era weaponry cannot disguise their utter fanaticism.

During one trip to the country I saw trainloads of heavy artillery heading for the border with the south and hillsides honeycombed with entrances to tunnels containing swarms of fanatical soldiers.

And never forget that the weird cult that has continued to run North Korea since the end of the Korean War  when Soviet-backed North Korean troops invaded the South and were pushed back with brutal force by the US  has spent every day since preparing for war against the evil Americans. There may have been an armistice signed, but there has never been a final peace agreement. North Korea is not only armed to the teeth, it has the capability to destroy South Koreas capital of Seoul just 40 miles away, in minutes, in cannon fire.

If the US launched any pre-emptive strike, Seouls ten million inhabitants could be obliterated by Kim Jong-un.

The trouble is that the North Korean leader believes that having a nuclear arsenal is an insurance policy against the sort of strike that America has just unleashed against Syria.

And he now has intermediate-range missiles that some experts believe may have been weaponised with a viable design  as well as the nuclear material to arm between 30 and 85 missiles according to various estimates.

Although North Korea may still lack the sophisticated guidance technologies for precision targeting, the US will not allow any possibility of them ever being launched towards the west coast of America.

Nor do Donald Trump and his generals want to be presented with a fait accompli, with the North suddenly announcing a new willingness to talk having just become a de-facto nuclear state.

President Trump wrote on Twitter after revealing he had urged his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to pressure its neighbor and close ally in to stopping its nuclear program

Which means Kim Jong-un may be mistaken in his belief that weaponising his missiles will deter the Americans from a preventive strike.

Perhaps the American President believes that he can persuade the neighbouring Chinese to finally turn the screw completely on Kim Jong-un, and block all the energy exports that keep the deeply impoverished country functioning.

Or perhaps Trump is confident that in extremis Chinas President Xi may yet send his troops across the border to save the Korean revolution and depose the pudgy North Korean dictator for one of their own choice.

The last thing Xi wants is millions of refugees coming over the border as a result of an American attack. But Xi will be in no doubt, however much he denies it, that Kim Jong-uns fanatical army will fight invaders wherever they come from  even China.

Glyn Ford, a former British EU politician who has recently returned from Pyongyang, believes that the only way of averting full blown crisis is for the United Nations Security Council to initiate urgent talks aimed at defusing the rush to war.

This is something with the former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon  who is himself from South Korea and for whom I worked in recent years as a speech writer and advisor  would agree.

The frightening truth is that unless someone brokers a peace in this escalating war of words, that promised sea of flames really could flare up  and engulf the world.
Boris Johnson was humiliated yesterday when G7 foreign ministers rejected his plan to punish Russia for supporting Bashar al-Assad.

The Foreign Secretary had demanded Vladimir Putin face tough sanctions unless he abandons the Syrian regime following last weeks chemical weapons attack.

But his plan was rebuffed by fellow foreign ministers who warned him that Russia must not be pushed into a corner.

The rejection of Mr Johnsons sanctions plan is particularly embarrassing because he had cancelled a planned trip to Moscow at the weekend to concentrate on getting agreement for it.

Cold shoulder: Boris Johnson pictured with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (left) and Rex Tillerson (right) yesterday

It left the US-UK strategy in chaos just as Americas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for direct talks.

Mr Putin last night ratcheted up tensions by comparing reports of the chemical weapons attack with the discredited US claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

He claimed the Assad regimes opponents had planned fake chemical weapon attacks to justify more US missile strikes.

A No10 source last night insisted Mr Johnson had the full support of Theresa May and dismissed claims he had failed his first big test.

Theres now unanimity from the G7 and regional partners that Assad must go, he added. On another dramatic day:

 Turkey said it had found concrete evidence that sarin gas was used in last weeks attack after traces of the chemical were found in samples taken from some of the victims,

 Assad was accused of dropping several barrel bombs on insurgents in the Syrian city of Daraa just a day after the White House suggested use of the crude devices could provoke a US response.

 US defence secretary Jim Mattis said of the Syrian regime: If they use chemical weapons, they will pay a very high price.

Mr Johnson had wanted Mr Putin to face threats of further isolation if he did not break his ties with Assad, depriving the dictator of his key supporter.

The Foreign Secretary had demanded Vladimir Putin face tough sanctions unless he abandons the Syrian regime following last weeks chemical weapons attack

But a joint communique signed yesterday by the G7  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and America  failed to mention sanctions on Russia.

Instead, the adopted conclusions called on the Russian president to play a constructive role in bringing about peace.

Italian foreign minister Angelino Alfano, who hosted the meeting at Lucca, told a closing press conference: We must have a dialogue and we must not push Russia into a corner. There is no consensus on new sanctions.

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said: The question wasnt mentioned by anyone except Boris Johnson but we didnt talk about it any further.

Mr Johnson last night sought to salvage his diplomatic reputation by insisting some Russian figures could still face sanctions if an independent investigation found evidence of involvement in last weeks chemical attack that killed at least 89 people.

That is something that had wide acceptance around the table last night, but you have got to do things in the proper legal way, he said.

Mr Johnson claimed there was now an opportunity for Mr Putin to reset relations with the West. They have a big strategic choice: Do they want to stick with this guy who is poisoning his own people and poisoning the reputation of Russia? he told Sky News.

Mr Tillerson, who last night flew to Moscow to meet with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, said Mr Putin needed to decide whose side he was on.

It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, he said. We want to create a future for Syria that is stable and secure. Russia can be a part of that future.

Theresa May and Mr Trump had agreed in a telephone call on Monday night that there was a window of opportunity to persuade Mr Putin to abandon his Syrian ally.

A Foreign Office source rejected the criticism of Mr Johnson. It was simply the right thing to do to try to push other countries to punish war criminals and murderers.

Rex Tillerson last night flew to Moscow to meet with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. He said Mr Putin needed to decide whose side he was on

TRUMP AIDE: HITLER DIDN'T USE GAS White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer caused uproar yesterday by suggesting that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during the Second World War White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer caused uproar yesterday by suggesting that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during the Second World War. During his daily press conference, Mr Spicer inaccurately claimed the Nazi dictator didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. We didnt use chemical weapons in World War Two, said Mr Spicer, adding that someone as despicable as Hitler... didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Minutes later, he delivered a garbled defence in which he tried to differentiate between Hitlers actions and the gas attack on Syrian civilians last week. He [Hitler] was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing, he said. The Nazis murdered millions of Jews and other victims by gassing them with chemical agents. After the briefing, Mr Spicer emailed reporters and said: In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. The attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and Turkeys health minister said tests show sarin gas was used. Despite last weeks strikes on a Syrian airbase, Assad has continued to wage war against his citizens. Government forces battling insurgents in Daraa have dropped several unguided barrel bombs on the southern city, opposition activists claimed yesterday. The accusations come a day after Mr Spicer said that the use of the bombs might prompt a US response. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Spicer said: If you gas a baby, if you put a barrel bomb into innocent people... You will see a response from this president. That is unacceptable. From Tom Leonard in New York Advertisement

Putin winds up US ahead of Rex's visit

Vladimir Putin ratcheted up tension with the US yesterday by comparing reports of the Syrian governments chemical weapons attack last week with the discredited claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

The Russian premier made the incendiary remarks ahead of the US secretary of states arrival in Moscow last night.

He also claimed the US is planning a fresh wave of airstrikes in Syria which would be falsely blamed on Assad.

As the first official trip to Russia by a member of Donald Trumps cabinet, Rex Tillersons visit was once billed as an attempt to improve relations between the superpowers. Instead, his arrival is entirely overshadowed by Cold War rhetoric and growing differences over the Syrian civil war.

Vladimir Putin ratcheted up tension with the US by comparing reports of the Syrian governments chemical weapons attack with the discredited claims that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction

Mr Putin intensified the diplomatic standoff by once again rejecting the widely held belief that it was Bashar al-Assads regime that killed more than 80 people, a third of whom were children, with sarin gas last week.

He said such claims were comparable with the now-debunked allegation that Saddam Hussein had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Fears of WMDs were used by George W Bush and Tony Blair as a justification for taking the US and the UK to war with Iraq in 2003. Mr Putin spoke up amid widespread criticism over his continued support of Assad.

He claimed there could be fake gas attacks pinned on the Syrian president.

Mr Putin said yesterday: We have information... they are again planning to throw some kind of substance and accuse Syrian official authorities of using it.

It reminds me of the events in 2003 when US envoys to the [UN] Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq.

He added: We have seen it all already. After that a military campaign in Iraq began, which ended with the destruction of the country, the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of Islamic State. Mr Tillerson launched a broadside of his own, claiming Russia had failed in its responsibility to destroy Assads entire stockpile of chemical weapons.

He said: It is unclear whether Russia failed to take this obligation seriously or Russia has been incompetent but this distinction doesnt much matter to the dead.

He said the US believes that Russia could be persuaded to switch sides now that it knows Assad is an unreliable partner.

He added: Is that a long-term alliance that serves Russias interest, or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?
The hawks and neocons on both sides of the Atlantic who supported our involvement in two disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are clearly delighted.

On the election trail, Donald Trump campaigned on an America First ticket which promised a new era of reduced US involvement in overseas adventures. As President, however, with his missile strike on Syria, he has done exactly the opposite.

And those neocons, many of whom are serving in the administration and still unrepentant over Iraq, or in powerful positions in the US Congress where Trump needs their support to push through legislation, are back in business.

The trouble is that Trumps reversal of policy risks a terrifying escalation in global conflict. Of course we are their ally and should show support, but it is the job of an ally sometimes to urge restraint. Yet Britain is slavishly going along with Trumps aggression in exactly the same way as when we were Americas poodle over the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Donald Trumps reversal of policy risks a terrifying escalation in global conflict

There is, of course, no question that the use of chemical weapons on innocent children  or indeed anyone  is an abhorrent war crime.

And, yes, Trump made a powerfully emotive case for teaching the Assad regime a lesson with a one-off and proportionate strike at the airbase from which US intelligence says the chemical attack was launched.

But far from being a one-off, matters have already escalated alarmingly, with talk of regime change horribly reminiscent of the invasion of Iraq as well as the fall of Colonel Gaddafi in 2011 which led to Libyas collapse into complete anarchy.

Tensions with Assads ally President Putin have been ratcheted up as well, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday declaring that he was toxifying the image of Russia and demanding fresh sanctions against the country  a demand humiliatingly rebuffed by the G7 group of nations at a meeting in Italy.

By declaring our unconditional support for the US in this way, we could easily find ourselves dragged into heavy American military intervention in Syria as we hang on to Trumps coat-tails.

A highly influential Chinese commentator this week relished the prospect of the US getting bogged down in yet another Middle Eastern adventure: If the US gets trapped in Syria, how can Trump make America great again?, he asked, before adding, As a result, China will be able to achieve its peaceful rise. Even though we say we oppose the bombing, deep in our hearts we are happy.

The truth is that Trumps policy on Syria has turned on a sixpence. When Syria used chemical weapons in 2013, Obama declared he was ready to authorise a military strike against the country but would refer the matter to Congress, which did not vote for it.

A striking incoherence has also characterised British policy towards Syria, particularly under Boris Johnson

At the time, Trump took to Twitter to warn him: What will we get from Syria but more debt and a possible long term conflict? Obama needs congressional approval.

A striking incoherence has also characterised British policy towards Syria, particularly under Boris Johnson.

Last year, before he became Foreign Secretary, Johnson celebrated the Assad Armys reconquest of ancient Palmyra as a victory for archaeology after IS had destroyed many of its treasured Roman buildings during its occupation of the city.

Even two months ago as Foreign Secretary, Johnson recalled an Iraqi guide who, speaking of the late Saddam Hussein, told him: It is better sometimes to have a tyrant than not to have a ruler at all.

Yet now he is demanding regime change in Syria  even though all the evidence from our misbegotten adventures in Iraq and Libya show that regime change leads to chaos and carnage.

Johnsons determination yesterday to get his G7 colleagues to impose enhanced sanctions on Russian generals involved in Syria was also illiterate  which is why it was rejected out of hand by Germany and Italy.

It would have surely put the Russian presidents back up to such an extent that it would have completely undermined US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons visit to Moscow to persuade Putin to think again about backing Assad.

The fact is that, at the moment, we have seen no concrete evidence that Assad personally ordered this latest chemical attack  couldnt it just as easily have been a rogue local commander?

And while demands for Assad to be deposed continue, there have been no viable suggestions as to who might replace him to ensure peace returns to the country. Unpalatable though it may appear, he seems likely to be the only person able to bring peace to that benighted country  albeit by crushing his enemies.

Tensions with Assads ally President Putin have been ratcheted up as well, with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson yesterday declaring that he was toxifying the image of Russia

From this episode Johnson emerges as a lightweight figure, with little real influence and an erratic grasp of what truly is at stake.

To understand the risks of Britains involvement, we need to consider the cause of the civil war in Syria and why it has lasted a full six years and counting.

Soon after it started in 2011 as a result of the so-called Arab Spring, it degenerated into a deadly proxy war, involving Russia and Iran and Hizbollah Shiites on President Assads side, and Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey helping the Sunni Islamist anti-Assad rebels. Many of these rebel groups are extremists  allies and proxies of Al Qaeda, which will grow stronger as IS weakens.

One perennial Western delusion throughout this conflict has been that there is anyone left resembling a moderate opposition group to step into Assads shoes if he goes.

The slaughter has also been on both sides  we constantly read reports of at least 400,000 dead but that actually includes anywhere between 114,474 and 163,753 combatants on the Assad regimes side.

Despite these losses, Assads forces and their allies in Hizbollah and various Iraqi, Afghan and Pakistani Shia militias, have scored major successes against the rebels, under the cover of brutal Russian air power.

Yesterday, Russian planes dropped thermite and phosphorous bombs whose effects are just as bad as chemical munitions.

The Assad regimes success was best symbolised by the fall of Aleppo, Syrias second largest city to his control.

It was horrible to watch  innocents were killed in vast numbers, and surviving rebels can expect to find themselves at the mercy of Assads industrial-scale torture machine.

I have no illusions about what an Assad victory entails. But then, I would not like to be an Alawite (Assads own Shia sect) or a Christian Syrian if the rebel jihadis win either.

Trump made a powerfully emotive case for teaching the Assad regime a lesson with a one-off and proportionate strike at the airbase from which US intelligence says the chemical attack was launched

The point to remember amid all this horror is that this war will not end if we in the West get sucked into it ever deeper  it will only get worse, as the proxy powers behind it begin shooting at each other.

Britain should not be indulging Trumps incautious policy in Syria, which threatens to derail everything he promised to do for ordinary Americans at home while risking an armed clash with Russia.

Theresa May should also ensure that her gadfly Foreign Secretary does not divert her attention from the vital roles she must play here for the just-about managing people and on Brexit.

Hasnt anyone learned the lesson of Libya  which is still in anarchy, six years after we intervened to fix the country by deposing of its very unsavoury tyrant?
The San Bernardino classroom gunman falsely accused his newlywed wife of infidelity after only being married to the elementary school teacher for three months, it has been revealed.

Cedric Anderson, 53, walked into a classroom at North Park Elementary School and shot dead his estranged wife Karen Smith, 53, on Monday.

After unloading his revolver, killing Smith, eight-year-old Jonathan Martinez and injuring another special needs boys standing behind her, Anderson then turned the gun on himself in the apparent murder-suicide.

Both Anderson and Smith were found dead inside the classroom, while Martinez later died from his injuries at a hospital.

The second student shot is recovering well and 'up and watching cartoons' in the hospital.

Police revealed that Anderson and Smith married in late January but separated around a month ago after Smith learned the man she married 'wasn't wonderful'.

She moved out when he accused her without evidence of being unfaithful to him, The Los Angeles Times reports.

San Bernardo Police Chief Jarrod said that there was no verification that the infidelity accusation was true.

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Karen Smith, 53, (left) killed by her estranged husband Cedric Anderson, 53. Jonathan was standing behind her when he opened fire inside her classroom on Monday in San Bernardino

The couple tied the knot in front of family and friends at Bethesda Temple Church on January 28 in Los Angeles, California (left), and went on their honeymoon shortly after in Sedona, Arizona (right)

After their January 28 wedding, Anderson, a self-described pastor and maintenance technician with a military background, 'turned' on his new wife. He had accused her of infidelity

After their January 28 wedding, Anderson, a self-described pastor and maintenance technician with a military background, 'turned' on his new wife.

'The real Cedric came out. He told her he would throw her out the window. She was shocked, like 'What happened?' He was so kind to her while they were dating. She had no idea,' her mother, Irma Sykes, 80, told The New York Daily News.

Within weeks of their romantic Arizona honeymoon, he began threatening her with violence but she did not believe she was in immediate danger despite going to live with one of her adult children.

He had been trying to win her back but began threatening her when she did not comply.

'Those closest to her [Smith] said she had mentioned she was concerned about [Anderson's] behavior and he had made threats towards her. She did not take them seriously and thought he was trying to get attention.

'She had mentioned that his behavior was odd, and that she was concerned about his behavior, and that he had made some threats toward her [but] he did not make a specific threat to shoot her.

Anderson has several past charges on his record, including domestic violence, weapons and drug-related charges, according to police

On Monday evening, the Riverside, California, home Anderson and Smith shared during their brief marriage was cordoned off with police tape. The home, inside an upmarket gated community, belonged to Smith - who had previously lived in the property with her ex-husband Roderic, 53

Anderson littered his Facebook page with glowing tributes to his wife. He called her 'sexy' and described her as an 'angel'

'It appears that he had been making efforts to contact her and to have her come back home and she was resistant to that. And I don't know if that just reached a boiling point, or what that was,' Burguan said at a press conference on Tuesday.

Police said the mother-of-four did not take the threats 'seriously' and thought he was merely trying to win her attention but that Anderson reached 'boiling point.'

The couple knew each other for years beforehand but did not have any children together. She has four adult children from a previous relationship. He also has three adult sons.

The couple's relationship broke down in mid March but no one at the school knew.

'She effectively kept her private life private. They were both adults and they had adult children, so it's not like there were a lot of people who were truly engaged in their business,' Chief Garguan said.

Jonathan Martinez, eight, died in the hospital on Monday after being shot by his teacher's estranged husband at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino

Police rushed to the scene with SWAT teams and anti-terrorism units as news of the shooting unfolded

Anderson injured two special needs students who were standing behind Smith. One of the boys, Jonathan Martinez, eight, later died from his injuries on Monday. Pictured: The school's 520 other children being evacuated

For months beforehand, Anderson littered social media with glowing tributes to his 'beautiful' bride and considered himself 'blessed' because of her. The abundant public affection hid a more sinister side of his personality.

It stopped abruptly in mid-March, after which the normally active social media user went quiet.

On Monday, Anderson signed in at the school reception where staff recognized him as her new husband before walking to his estranged wife's classroom with a hidden .357 Smith & Wesson handgun to begin shooting. The gun was not in his name.

During the horrific shooting, he fired 10 rounds without uttering a single word, stopping to reload at least once before shooting himself.

Police later found a note at the couple's home in which the self-described pastor and maintenance technician described feeling 'dishonored' and 'disrespected'.

Shocking details of Anderson's alleged past of domestic violence emerged Tuesday after numerous restraining orders against the gunman were revealed.

According to documents, Anderson had several temporary orders put in place against him from 1997 and 2013 after he allegedly put a pillow over a former girlfriend's face and threatened his first wife, KNTV reported.

Authorities say the two children hit in the tragic shooting were not targeted by the man but were struck because they were standing behind his wife when he opened fire.

On Tuesday, Jonathan's bereft relatives shared tributes to him on social media. They described him as an 'angel' who had been taken from them 'too soon'.

Jonathan, who was born with genetic condition Williams Syndrome, had previously survived undergoing heart surgery.

He suffered from heart problems due to the rare disorder that was also characterized by learning delays and mild-to-moderate intellectual disabilities, according to Dale Marsden, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District.

'By all accounts, Jonathan Martinez was a happy child,' Marsden said at a news conference.

A GoFundMe page set up to help the family cope with the tragedy has raised more than $61,400.
Is that right? Mechanical engineers say people learn to tie their laces incorrectly when children

It is a skill mastered by the average six-year-old, but most of us are apparently doing it wrong.

Mechanical engineers have found the way many people learn to tie their shoelaces makes them far more likely to come undone.

The mistake is to tie the first knot left over right, then tie a bow in the same way.

Instead, if the left lace is crossed over the right, the bow should be crossed the opposite way  right over left.

The result will be a bow which sits correctly and horizontally across a brogue or deck shoe, rather than being pulled diagonally towards the ankle.

A study by the University of Berkeley in California found the weak knot came undone in their experiment far more often than the strong one.

The weak knot is known as a granny, or false knot, while the strong one is a square or reef knot.

Amazingly, the US researchers are not the first to examine how shoelaces come undone.

There has been a TED talk from expert speaker Terry Moore on tying shoes properly, making the bow loop the opposite way to normal, and there are countless YouTube videos on how a gentleman should tie his shoes.

Co-author Oliver OReilly, professor of mechanical engineering at Berkeley, said: We are trying to understand knots from a mechanics perspective, such as why you can take two strands and connect them in a certain way that can be very strong, but another way of connecting them is very weak.

We were able to show that the weak knot will always fail and the strong knot will fail at a certain timescale, but we still do not understand why theres a fundamental mechanical difference between those two knots.

The researchers recorded the process of a shoelace knot untying in slow motion after co-author Christine Gregg laced up her running shoes and sprinted on a treadmill.

Whether running or walking, they found a shoelace starts coming undone through the impact of your heel striking the ground. The knot stretches and relaxes, then the whipping motions of the laces as your leg swings to walk cause them to slip until they untangle.

The whole process can take place in just two strides, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

It found both strong and weak knots fail in the same way, but that two lace crossings done the same way, whether that is left to right or right to left, will not last as long before coming apart.

A tied shoe where the initial knot is crossed with the right lace over the left, and the bow crossed in the same direction, for example, twists instead of lying flat when tightened. The bow can end up pointing vertically along a shoe, facing someones ankle.

When a weight was attached to the shoelaces, the weak knot came undone 100 per cent of the time, performing worse than the strong knot.

The mistake is to tie the first knot left over right, then tie a bow in the same way, engineers say

Lead researcher Christopher Daily-Diamond, from the University of California at Berkeley, said: When you talk about knotted structures, if you can start to understand the shoelace, then you can apply it to other things, like DNA or microstructures, that fail under dynamic forces.

This is the first step toward understanding why certain knots are better than others, which no one has really done.

Shoelaces come undone, the study found, through both the impact of the foot striking the ground and leg swing. The same result did not happen when someone simply sat swinging their leg.

However tightly tied laces can withstand more time walking or running before starting to loosen.

In his 2005 TED talk on how to tie shoelaces correctly, Terry Moore, director of the Radius Foundation, told an audience: I would have thought that, by age 50, one of the life skills that I had really nailed was tying my shoes, but not so.

He added: Sometimes a small advantage someplace in life can yield tremendous results someplace else.

The experiment with weights on shoelaces, done to replicate similar forces to walking, found the weak knot untied 100 per cent of the time and the strong knot 53 per cent of the time.
Meghan Markle appears to be attempting some relaxation after a harrowing week as she headed to a yoga class in Toronto.

She looked casual in Under Armour leggings, ballet flats, and a Goyard tote bag as she walked to the exercise class - which her mom, Doria Ragland, teaches at a studio stateside in Los Angeles.

Though she appeared cheerful en route to the mind-body class on Saturday, it's been far from a leisurely week for the girlfriend of Prince Harry.

Meghan Markle appears to be attempting some relaxation after a harrowing week as she headed to a yoga class in Toronto

Markle is back in her home town filming the seventh season of the popular legal drama series Suits.

The actress looked at ease as she strolled through the street and even stopped to pet a dog near her yoga studio.

It was exclusively revealed by DailyMail.com on Monday that Markle's 'abusive' half-sister plans to write an explosive book about the actress, titled 'The Diary of Princess Pushy's Sister'.

Markle's 18-year-old neice Noel Rasmussen said that her mother, Samantha Grant, loathes her half-sister Meaghan and is motivated by jealousy of her popularity and high-profile relationship with the British heir.

The actress looked at ease as she strolled through the street and even stopped to pet a dog near her yoga studio

'She hasn't liked Meghan since essentially she was born. She's told me stories about how she didn't want her around and how she never asked for Meghan,' Rasmussen said of her estranged mother.

'She's just been overall jealous of Meghan as soon as she got famous and began taking jobs like, for example, [Beverly Hills] 90210. And of course, when she got Suits, that set her off.'

She also spoke of her mother's abusive nature throughout her childhood. Grant, 52, and Meghan, 35, are both daughters of Thomas Markle Sr.

Rasmussen said: She [would say] if it's not bleeding and there's nothing broken, there's no abuse. That's her way of justifying it.

Noelle Rasmussen, left, is the niece of Meghan Markle, whose half-sister Samantha Grant, right, is her mother. But she is estranged from her mother, and says that Grant's announcement she is writing a book on being sister to 'princess pushy' is motivated by hatred

'I ended up bleeding and bruised a couple of times. It wasn't too often  just a few.'

She called her mother's attempt at a publication painting Meghan in a negative light as 'a book full of lies'.

Meanwhile, Markle's beau Prince Harry wowed thirsty Twitter users on Monday when he appeared with his brother and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at an event marking the the centenary of a pivotal First World War battle.

The French press dubbed the group 'le trio de sexy,' while one Twitter user declared: 'You can't have that much handsome in one place'.

After the wrap-up of filming for Suits, Meghan and Harry as set to jet off on a trip to South Africa, as a romantic getaway which will also address a number of the Prince's charitable projects.
A children's book author and psychologist had a two-year-long 'inappropriate sexual relationship' with a patient, a tribunal has heard.

Harry Mayr was found guilty of professional misconduct by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal over the relationship with the patient, who he was treating for past sexual traumas.

The tribunal listed multiple misdemeanours by Mr Mayr, including licking the patient's face and having sex on his desk at his Penrith office.

During one session he also kissed the patient's stomach and breasts and 'stated words to the effect of 'I am the type of person who would be in the shower with you and would take a shampoo bottle and put it up you're a***',' The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Children's book author and psychologist found guilty of professional misconduct following a two-year-long 'inappropriate sexual relationship' with a patient, a tribunal has heard

The Austrian-born Mr Mayr met the unnamed patient in 2006, after she brought in her young child who was suffering from anxiety.

She returned to the clinic in 2010 with her oldest child who has Asperger's Syndrome.

The patient then began having regular therapy sessions with Mr Mayr from which the 'inappropriate sexual relationship' developed.

The Australian Psychological Society's code of ethics prohibits sexual relationships between psychologists and their patients, the tribunal pointed out.

Mr Mayr told the patient about extramarital affairs and 'past indiscretions with a female patient', The Sydney Morning Herlad reports.

The tribunal said the author and psychologist would have been aware of his power over the vulnerable patient.

'Nevertheless he proceeded to use that imbalance of power to satisfy his own needs.'

Mr Mayr's registration to practise psychology has been cancelled for five years.

The author of 'Ilsa, the Funny Looking Hippopotamus', told The Sydney Morning Herald that he intends to appeal against the decision.

The author of 'Ilsa, the funny looking hippopotamus', told The Sydney Morning Herald that he intends to appeal against the decision
Diesel owners could be charged for where and when they drive under new pay as you pollute plans.

New technology could see the motorists charged more for driving near sensitive sites like schools, driving in rush hour and using older, more toxic vehicles.

A 1 million grant was awarded yesterday to fund the development of monitoring devices that track vehicles and levels of toxic nitrogen oxide they produce.

Diesel owners could be charged for where and when they drive under new pay as you pollute plans

Diesel owners are facing a nightmare of increased congestion charges, hikes in road tax and poor resale values.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan this month announced plans to charge diesel drivers up to 24 a day to enter the centre of the capital.

Yet the new system  led by vehicle tracking company Tantalum and Imperial College London  could present a fairer alternative than the day-rate levies.

Tantalums chief executive Ozgur Tohumcu said: It is our belief that companies, local authorities and citizens all want to help clean up the air we breathe . . . We are within reach of this goal.

Imagine your vehicle giving you routes that avoid sensitive areas such as schools while rewarding you financially for driving in a manner that saves fuel and reduces emissions.

Your vehicle then automatically pays specific emissions charges based on where, when and how you drive.

The grant  part of a wider 110 million green investment - was awarded by the governments technology agency Innovate UK and will be used to launch a trial of the system, The Times reported.

The Air.Car project  set to start in the autumn - will feature 1,000 vehicles in cities with pollution problems  including London, Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton.

Cars will be fitted with the technology which will log emissions data and track the vehicle location and drivers behaviour  including how often they rev the engine.

The data could then be used to charge drivers on how much pollution they generate and where.

Cars will be fitted with the technology which will log emissions data and track the vehicle location and drivers behaviour  including how often they rev the engine

Dr Marc Stettler, of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Imperial College, said the project would deliver practical and real-world solutions to the environmental problems facing our rapidly growing cities.

It comes as owners of the older and more toxic diesel vehicles face paying London-style pollution taxes to drive into cities across the country.

Local authorities are also facing pressure to cut air pollution and could have to take out speed bumps and traffic lights to help drivers burn less fuel.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is due to announce its latest plan to improve air quality later this month.

The previous plan was thrown out by the High Court last year as it did not meet legal requirements.
The Royal Mail will destroy millions of postal frauds sent to the UK by foreign criminals after the scandal was exposed by a Daily Mail investigation.

Bosses have pledged to block and impound the vile scams, which convince elderly and vulnerable people to send money to conmen.

And when postmen suspect letters sent from the UK are carrying cash for foreign fraudsters, they will intercept them  so the money can be returned to the victims and their families.

Royal Mail will also contact any homes they suspect are being targeted and send warnings by special delivery  so they know the recipients have received them.

The Royal Mail will destroy millions of postal frauds sent to the UK by foreign criminals after the scandal was exposed by a Daily Mail investigation

The crackdown is a major victory for the Daily Mail, which exposed six months ago how Royal Mail was making millions delivering postal scams. These included letters persuading victims to buy unlicensed medicines, or conning them into thinking they had won a big prize that they could claim by sending money in the post.

Some contained messages from fake clairvoyants, stating the recipient had to send them money to ward off evil spirits.

Since the Mail revealed the scandal, the Royal Mail has stopped 730,000 scam items from getting into peoples homes.

Last night, Marilyn Baldwin, founder of anti-scam charity Think Jessica, said: This is a major breakthrough and Im absolutely delighted. This is all down to the Daily Mail and the families of victims who have been brave enough to speak out.

Campaigner and broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, who has investigated postal frauds, said: Im delighted Royal Mail is taking action to stamp out these appalling crimes against the most vulnerable people. Ive been horrified by the number of elderly people whove been victims of these fraudsters. Many of us felt Royal Mail should have been protecting them.

In October, the Mail Investigations Unit revealed how conmen were using the Royal Mails lucrative bulk mail contracts to flood the UK with scam letters.

The letters targeted elderly and vulnerable people, including those with dementia.

Reporters tracked down the scammers to a ski resort in Canada, where they had convened to trade suckers lists of the most vulnerable and boasted of ripping off their suggestible victims.

The fraudsters were able to get Royal Mail branding on their envelopes and take advantage of the companys discounted bulk postage rates when sending the scam letters to the UK from abroad. Some said this made it easy to gain the trust of their British victims.

Bosses have pledged to block and impound the vile scams, which convince elderly and vulnerable people to send money to conmen

Postal workers also told reporters of their anger at having to deliver letters they knew were designed to scam vulnerable people.

After we published the investigation, the Prime Minister warned Royal Mail it must do more to stop fraudsters targeting the elderly.

In the weeks that followed, Royal Mail published a new code of practice that it demanded all its suppliers sign up to. The terms allow it to rip open post believed to be a con. Any postal operators working with Royal Mail now also have to commit to sharing information about suspected scammers, which some had previously resisted doing.

The measures announced today by Royal Mail go even further  pledging to destroy scams at its major distribution centres, send warnings to addresses that are at risk of being scammed and to intercept letters with cash inside sent by victims to known scammers in Europe so they can be returned.

Royal Mail director Stephen Agar said: Scams are a scourge on our society. Royal Mail is doing all it can to protect our customers from these heartless criminals.

Business minister Margot James said: I welcome Royal Mails latest initiative. We will all continue to ensure that action is taken to stop these scams in their tracks.
Jeremy Corbyn said that a Labour government would 'declare war' on corporations like M&S and BP if they fail to pay suppliers on time.

The Labour leader branded it 'a national scandal' that big businesses were withholding more than 26 billion a year from small suppliers by paying their bills late.

Corbyn's attack on large businesses was based on data from Experian credit reports, which showed some big companies paying suppliers weeks, even months late.

'Cash is king for any business, and big companies are managing their cash by borrowing  interest free  from their suppliers,' Corbyn told a Federation for Small Business event

Jeremy Corbyn branded it 'a national scandal' that big businesses were withholding more than 26 billion a year from small suppliers by paying their bills late.

'Some of the biggest names in business are holding cash piles that don't actually belong to them. It's a national scandal. And it's stopping businesses from growing and causing thousands to go bust every year. It kills jobs and holds back economic growth.'

In figures quoted by Corbyn, M&S went 72 days beyond term, Capita went 82 days and the National Grid went 119 days beyond term, according to the Guardian.

Other companies mentioned by the Labour leader were BT, which went 89 days beyond term, and Vodafone, which went 84.

Experian's numbers relate to invoices that are settled late and don't look at payments made on time, the company said.

'The data relates to how late a business can expect any late payments to be, and not the company's overall track record on the payment of suppliers,' a spokesman told the Guardian.

The spokesman continued: 'It is intended for indicative purposes only, to inform specific business decisions, and we would not recommend it is used as an overall barometer of how a company pays suppliers.'

Many of the companies mentioned by Corbyn disputed the numbers.

An M&S spokesperson said: 'We don't recognise these numbers at all. Over 99% of our supplier invoices are paid on time and we are signatories to the prompt payment code.'

BT said the average time it took to pay suppliers after being invoiced was 54 days, 'well below the figures claimed in the report.

Capita said it does not recognise the numbers and said 90 per cent of invoices were paid within 30 days.

National Grid and Vodafone also disputed the numbers.

In figures quoted by Corbyn, M&S went 72 days beyond term. But an M&S spokesperson said: 'We don't recognise these numbers at all'

Corbyn used his speech to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) to pledge to cut quarterly reporting for small firms and to create regional investment banks to make it easier for businesses to access finance.

Labour would require companies bidding for public sector contracts to pay suppliers within 30 days and would consider bringing in fines for persistent offenders in the private sector, Mr Corbyn said.

He also suggested scrapping quarterly reporting for small businesses and a curb on any increase in corporation tax rates for small firms.

Mr Corbyn said: 'In last month's Budget, the Chancellor bowed to pressure by delaying the implementation of quarterly reporting for small businesses by one year.

'That's not good enough. Labour is against small businesses having to report quarterly. It's a burden, a distraction, that will hold entrepreneurs back.'

During the speech, Mr Corbyn appeared to make light of having to pay 100 fine for late filing of his tax returns last year, saying he had made a 'donation' to the HMRC.

'No-one likes paying tax. We don't wake up in the morning thinking 'Oh, I must really pay some more tax today'. Nobody does that. But most of us know that tax is essential to a civilised society.

'So, most of us play by the rules. We do our tax returns; as you know, mine seem to attract the most attention. But that's OK, transparency is important and I want the HMRC to know I gave them another donation.'

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said he was referring to last year's fine and not a new payment to HMRC.

Corbyn has previously promised not the increase the corporation tax rate for small businesses. He said that large corporations were 'privileged' by the government.

He also pledged to increase the minimum hourly wage to 10 by 2020 as Mr Corbyn attempts to woo voters ahead of local elections next month.
This is the flat where Khalid Masood plotted his terror on the streets of London.

Hanging on the wall above a small dining table, in an ordinary front room, is an IKEA print of an iconic red double-decker bus through the streets of the capital.

It is this image that his former flatmate thinks could have inspired the horrific attack which killed five people in March.

Masood, 52, lived in a flat in Birmingham, after leaving his wife and children.

Inside the flat of Khalid Masood, which he shared with a roommate in Birmingham, after leaving his wife and children

In the flat is a picture, which includes a City of Westminster sign and shows streets in London less than a mile from the bridge where Masood took five lives

The striking image, familiar as one linked with Britain, shows streets in the capital less than a mile from the bridge where Masood mounted the pavement in a rental car and mowed down pedestrians.

His former flatmate told the Daily Mirror: 'For three months I was living next to the terrorist who shocked the world. He was sitting here planning the attack and I believe he may have got inspiration from the picture.

'Every time he went from his room to the kitchen he passed in front of it.

'It's scary to think this monster was living a few feet away from where I slept. I can't believe that I came so close to true evil.'

According to his housemate, Masood lived in his 'own tiny world' rarely leaving his bedroom

His housemate said the image of the London bus would have been seen by Masood every time he passed to go to the kitchen, and thinks it might have inspired him, adding that he was scared at how close he came to 'pure evil'

His former flatmate said that Masood very rarely left his own bedroom and lived in his own 'tiny world'.

Meanwhile, on Sunday it emerged that Masood was listed as a person to contact at the website calltoislam.com, which has now been deleted.

The website previously published sermons, which were available last week, slammed Christians and Jews for their 'greed, jealousy and fornication' and urged worshippers to 'make ready... steeds of war to threaten the enemy of Allah,' according to The Sunday Times.

Masood's contact details, including his phone number, were listed on a sticker attached to a leaflet for the Luton Islamic Centre mosque, which had a link to the website.

Khalid Masood was named as the person responsible for the Westminster attacks

Another sermon on the website, issued by Imam Abdul Qadir Baksh, said: 'Brothers and sisters, it is high time you all woke up and understand this government is creating a form of Islam in this country... which not just integrates with the disbelieving society but simulates it.

'At the moment the buzzwords are 'integration', 'the wider community', 'breaking down barriers' and so on. In the end it will be concentration camps, massacres and plunder.'

Farasat Latif, a trustee of Luton Islamic Centre, previously told the Guardian that when he worked with Masood at language school Elas UK in 2010 to 2012, he 'did not fit' as a 'potential extremist in any way, shape or form'.

However, he did say he previously had a 'troubled life' with 'violent crime' but after a stint in prison he wanted to be a 'better person'.

Mr Latif told the paper he was 'distressed, angry and sickened' after hearing that Masood was responsible for the attacks, which killed five people.

US tourist Kurt Cochrane, 54, Spanish teacher Aysha Frade, 44, and Keith Palmer, 48, a Metropolitan policeman who was stabbed by Masood, died at the scene.

Retired window cleaner Les Rhodes, 75, and Romanian tourist Andreea Cristea, 31, both died in hospital.
Stunned anglers reeled in an eight-foot shark after a dramatic struggle just yards from swimmers on a Cornish beach.

Sam Narbett, 39, and friend Ian Tyldesley, 55, spotted the Porbeagle shark, a member of the Great white family, hunting for seal pups off the coast of St Ives.

The anglers spent 90 minutes fighting the 28st razor-toothed predator after it became hooked on one of their lines.

Anglers spent 90 minutes reeling in a 28st Porbeagle shark off the cost of St Ives as it hunted for seal pups

Despite their menacing appearance, Porbeagles have a reputation for being shy and have never fatally attacked a human

Pictured: Professional angler Sam Narbett, 39, while holding a Porbeagle caught on a fishing trip last year

Porbeagles are common in British waters during the summer time as they head to our coast for the warmer conditions.

Mr Narbett, who runs the Bluefin Charters fishing trip company, said that this was one of the biggest Porbeagles he had ever caught.

He told the Sun: 'It was incredibly strong. My arms were aching trying to drag that weight through the water.'

The father-of-three added on his Facebook page: 'At the end of last season I was lucky enough to be part of a team who boated a Thresher shark that was measured and calculated to be 209lb and the only thing I can say is that this fish is twice as big.

Porbeagles are common in British waters during the summer time as they head to our coast for the warmer conditions

'We will never know the true wait as myself and Ian both agreed that we did not want to cause the fish any more stress by bringing her aboard so after a few photos and a Little pat on the head to say thank you for an amazing experience and fight we just pulled the hook and off she swam.'

Despite their menacing appearance, Porbeagles have a reputation for being shy and have never fatally attacked a human.

However, Mr Narbett warned that Porbeagles could cause dangerous injuries and they should be feared.

He said: 'If it did confuse a surfer for a seal it could take a nasty bite out of one. We've seen these sharks come very close into land. They're not afraid of us.'
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Darwin has shivered through its coldest April day in almost 50 years.

Locals swapped their thongs for socks and shoes as temperatures plummeted to 18C on Tuesday, making it the coldest April temperature recorded since 1968. The average daily temperature in Darwin for April is 32.7C.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Craig Earl-Spurr told the ABC the chilly conditions were due to a low pressure system off the Northern Territory coast.

People took to social media to share photos of how they were keeping themselves, and their pets warm in the unusual weather

Locals swapped their thongs for socks and shoes as temperatures plummeted to 18C on Tuesday

Darwin shivered through cold and windy conditions on Tuesday

'It is not something you see very often, so it is pretty remarkable' he said.

Locals took to social media to share photos of how they were keeping themselves, and their pets warm in the unusual weather.

The low pressure system was initially feared to develop into a tropical cyclone.

But the Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday cancelled all NT cyclone warnings, predicting the tropical low to pass close to Darwin on Wednesday morning.

BOM NT's Ben Suter says the Top End will still cop severe storms.

'There's the potential for damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall that could lead to localised flash flooding today, and into tomorrow,' he said.

Darwin has shivered through its coldest April day in almost 60 years

People took to social media to share pictures of how they were keeping warm on Darwin's coldest April day in 50 years

A dog kept warm with a rug in Darwin on Tuesday

'Coastal areas along the southern Tiwi's and Van Diemen Gulf are likely to experience large waves and abnormally high tides during today and into the early hours of Wednesday.'

The deluge has already pushed the Top End's bumper wet season up to the third wettest in history, with above average rainfall from October to April.

But Mr Suter said mostly sunny conditions are tipped for the Easter long weekend across large parts of the region.

The low pressure system was initially feared to develop into a tropical cyclone
A long-running controversy over whether a senior New Zealand diplomat was really a top Soviet spy is set to reopen with the release of his MI5 files.

For years, the Security Service was convinced Desmond Patrick 'Paddy' Costello was passing secrets to Moscow.

He was identified by the intelligence historian Professor Christopher Andrew, based on KGB files, as one of the Soviet Union's most important agents, but supporters have long felt he was the victim of smear campaign.

Dr Richard Dunley, a records specialist at the National Archives in Kew, west London, where his files are now open to view, said that while he was subjected to three decades of surveillance, MI5 never conclusively established whether he engaged in espionage.

Costello first came to the attention of MI5 while studying at Cambridge in 1930s, the era when Kim Philby and the other future Cambridge spies were recruited by the Soviets, for his openly left-wing views.

For years, the Security Service was convinced Desmond Patrick 'Paddy' Costello was passing secrets to Moscow, but supporters have long felt he was the victim of smear campaign

In 1940, his political sympathies cost him a teaching post at Exeter University, but that did not stop him getting a job four years later with New Zealand's Department of External Affairs as second secretary at the Legation in Moscow.

In a blog post on the National Archives website, Dr Dunley said Costello was reputed to have informed the New Zealand prime minister he was 'a little bit left wing' only to be told 'Oh well, it won't hurt us to have one or two communists in Moscow'.

MI5 was horrified Costello had been appointed to such a sensitive post, but when they tried to raise their concerns with the Dominions Office, they had to admit the case against him was 'a thin one'.

Costello remained in Moscow until 1950, but his career began to unravel during a return visit to New Zealand.

'While in Auckland he met up with some old acquaintances; having consumed copious quantities of alcohol Costello was arrested by the police, at which point he became abusive and candidly expressed his political views,' Dr Dunley wrote.

In 1960, Costello's wife Bella (pictured) was linked to a KGB operation to build false identities for Russian spies

'The New Zealand police were shocked to find the man in their cells had a diplomatic passport, and began digging into his background.

'On uncovering his previous communist connections the New Zealand police commissioner took the matter up with the prime minister and MI5.

'British intelligence were not entirely surprised by the revelations and clearly believed them; in the words of (senior MI5 officer) Roger Hollis: "in vino veritas".'

Under pressure from the British and the Americans, Costello was finally forced out of the Department of External Affairs in 1955. He returned to Britain where he resumed his academic career at Manchester University.

MI5 however continued to fret as to whether he was working for the Russians. In 1960, his wife Bella was linked to a KGB operation to build false identities for Russian spies and in 1963 he was reported to have met two Soviet intelligence officers.

He died in 1964 with the case against him still unresolved.

'Throughout much of his lifetime, MI5 went back and forth about whether Paddy Costello was a foreign agent, or simply a politically active intellectual,' Dr Dunley said.

'This story appears to be one with more to run.'
A North Korean missile could hit Australia within two years, a veteran United States official says.

James Carouso, the acting U.S. ambassador to Australia, said the Trump Administration had 'extreme concern' about the rogue, communist state run by dictator Kim Jong-un.

The concern from Mr Carouso comes only weeks after North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into waters off Japan and warned it could attack the U.S..

'It is very clear North Korea is a problem,' he told The Australian.

Kim Jong-un inspects the launch of missiles in 2014. Concerns are growing about North Korea's missile capabilities

The acting U.S. ambassador to Australia says Kim Jong-un is an unstable dictator

The veteran U.S. State Department diplomat said the reclusive nuclear state looked like it was planning to manufacture advanced, long-range missiles.

'They've gone from using these tests to get attention to now really making these tests to do tests,' he said.

'The question has been: what do we want to do about it?'

He added Australia should be worried, as Kim Jong-un ramped up missile development.

'If he's worried about his position and holding on to power and all the cost, no matter what the cost is - the world shouldn't be comfortable,' Mr Carouso said.

North Korea has already warned it has US bases 'in its nuclear sights' and the White House believes the dictatorship could have a missile capable of reaching across the Pacific to the U.S. within four years.

The acting U.S. ambassador to Australia James Carouso said the world should be worried

That calculation could see a North Korea missile be capable of reaching Australia within two years.

Pyongyang had earlier threatened 'catastrophic consequences' after U.S. President Donald Trump sent an armada of warships to the Korean Peninsula and tweeted a warning to North Korea.

'North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them. U.S.A.,' he said.

China has meanwhile moved 150,000 troops to its border to deal with a possible influx of North Korean refugees amid fears Trump may attack the hermit state following a surprise attack on Syria last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump (centre) has warned North Korea is 'looking for trouble'

U.S. President Donald Trump said North Korea was shaping up for a nuclear confrontation

There are concerns North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test, after the United States sent an aircraft carrier loaded with fighter jets towards the peninsula.

The North Koreans have responded by warning they're ready for war.

'Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements, with our nuclear sight focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the US mainland,' the nation's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie, a former-intelligence analyst and whistleblower, said Australia had to be mindful of its US alliance.

Veteran diplomat James Carouso said a North Korean missile could hit Australia in two years

Australia has asked China to exercise its 'undoubted influence' over North Korea

'I just hope there are cool heads in Washington that approach this in a sensible way,' he told Sky News on Wednesday.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has again urged China to exercise its 'undoubted influence' over the North Korean regime, to urge it to pull back as tensions in the area heat up.

'The reckless and dangerous conduct of the North Korean regime is threatening peace and stability not just in the region but the whole world,' Mr Turnbull told reporters in New Delhi on Tuesday.

'We continue to call on China to exercise the undoubted influence it has over the North Korean regime to pull it back from further reckless conduct.'
Google has scrapped plans to move its Sydney headquarters to an abandoned power station in Sydney's inner west because of the city's poor public transport.

The tech giant had hoped that upgraded transport links to the White Bay area of Rozelle would be in place quickly so it could shift its offices from Pyrmont.

But a proposed metro line around that area is still a decade off being ready - and it seems Google's patience has run out.

Google has scrapped plans to move its Sydney headquarters to an abandoned power station in Sydney's inner west because of the city's poor public transport. Pictured, an artist's impression of the now-scrapped HQ

The power plant, which was decommissioned in 1983, has poor transport links to the city

'Ultimately, the complexity of the project and the timing of associated transport infrastructure could not meet Google's requirements at this time,' the New South Wales government said.

It added that it still planned to develop the former power plant into a 'technology and innovation hub' - although it turned down 13 $1 million tenders for the 105-year-old building last year.

Google said it had 'mutually agreed' with the government to end plans to move to the site, which was decommissioned as a power station back in 1983.

A spokesman for the search engine added that it was still looking to move to a new 'long-term home' in Sydney.

Google said it and the government had 'mutually agreed' to end plans to move to the site. Pictured, an artist's impression of the now-scrapped HQ

The NSW government still plans to develop the former power station (pictured) into a 'technology and innovation hub'

The tech giant had had hoped that upgraded transport links to the White Bay area of Rozelle would be in place quickly so it could shift its offices from Pyrmont (pictured)

David Pitchford, the former chief executive of the NSW government's city infrastructure arm UrbanGrowth, previously said development in the area would be a 'disaster' without new transport links.

'In the Bays, there is nowhere near the transport infrastructure that needs to be there,' he said in 2015. Mr Pitchford left the agency late last year.

A Google spokesman said: 'We are grateful to the NSW Government and UrbanGrowth NSW for their efforts to deliver on their impressive vision for White Bay Power Station.

'Through the genuine and productive negotiations in the last few months we've come to realise that achieving that vision isn't possible within our timeframe. So we've mutually agreed with UrbanGrowth NSW to discontinue negotiations over the site.

'We remain committed to Australia, to supporting innovation in Sydney and across the country and will continue to liaise with the government to identify an alternative long-term home here in Sydney.'
One Nation is threatening to block government savings measures unless ABC funding is slashed by at least $600 million in the upcoming Federal Budget.

Pauline Hanson and her senators have unleashed sustained attacks on the ABC after a journalist reported details of a planned trip to Afghanistan.

A delegation of six MPs - including Senator Hanson, One Nation's Brian Burston, and Labor and Coalition MPs - were planning to visit Australian troops for Anzac Day.

But the travel plans were canned following the ABC report, which One Nation claims posed a security risk to Senator Hanson.

One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts exclusively told Daily Mail Australia the ABC report was 'just like an ISIS attack'.

'The cowards make their hit and then scuttle away into the sand. Like snakes.'

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One Nation Senators Brian Burston, Malcolm Roberts and Pauline Hanson are pictured in the Senate chamber in February this year

Pauline Hanson is pictured with the One Nation plane, which featured in the ABC Four Corners expose over questions of how it was purchased

Senator Roberts accused the public broadcaster of having a 'fatwa' on Senator Hanson, and of colluding with terrorists.

'The ABC put our digger's lives at risk so as to execute a political hit on Senator Hanson. The ABC have declared jihad on Aussie diggers. They have a fatwa on Pauline Hanson,' Senator Roberts told Daily Mail Australia.

'The ABC's actions in revealing the ANZAC Day visit to diggers shows their willingness to collude with ISIS and other terrorists in identifying Australian targets, including troops. The ABC has for a long time been harbingers of terror apologists. This proves their jihad sympathy.

'I expect this budget to produce deep and significant cuts to their ABC. It is the end of the road for the Greens propaganda arm. My vote in the Senate is for decency and democracy, not terror and violence,' Senator Roberts said.

He wants ABC to be completely defunded.

His NSW colleague Senator Burston has called on the government to slash at least $600 million from the May Federal Budget.

Senator Malcolm Roberts accused the ABC of colluding with terrorists

One Nation senators are pictured at Parliament House in Canberra in March

The ABC was given $3.1 billion in funding, over three years, in the 2016 Federal Budget - equating to about $1 billion a year. The proposed $600 million slash in funding would reduce the ABC's budget by about $200 million annually.

Senator Burston threatened to block budget savings measures if the $600 million is not cut.

'I can confirm that I have requested that the ABC funding be reduced by $600m over the forward estimates and have conveyed this to the Finance Minister and asked him to forward it to the Treasurer for inclusion in the May Budget,' Senator Burston told Daily Mail Australia.

'If the government are not forthcoming to that request we will consider what One Nation might do to exert pressure to achieve that outcome. I will not rule out any strategy in order to succeed.

'The ABC put our digger's lives at risk so as to executive a political hit on Senator Hanson. The ABC have declared jihad on Aussie diggers. They have a fatwa on Pauline Hanson,' Senator Roberts said (Ms Hanson pictured in March)

Senator Burston has threatened to block government savings measures unless $600 million is slashed from ABC funding. The ABC was given $3.1 billion in funding, over three years, in the 2016 Federal Budget

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF ONE NATION BLOCKS ALL GOVERNMENT MEASURES? The threat from One Nation puts Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison in a vice. The government has already been struggling to pass reforms through the Upper House with renegade senators on the cross bench wielding significant power. The Coalition needs a majority of votes from a total of 76 senate spots - there are currently only 75 senators because of a vacancy left by One Nation's Bob Day, after the High Court found he was not eligible to sit. The Coalition has 29 senators in the Upper House, and can count on the support of Cory Bernardi as Australian Conservatives - with one spot. The Coalition would generally draw support from Liberal Democrats and Derryn Hinch, who both have one vote each. That only makes 32 votes without the support of four One Nation senators. The government will struggle to pass savings measures, even if the Turnbull government can garner more support from the three Nick Xenophon Team senators and Jacqui Lambie. Labor Party (26 votes) and Greens (nine votes) senators are unlikely to throw support behind the Coalition. Advertisement

Senator Burston also called on ABC journalist Andrew Probyn to be sacked for reporting details of their Middle East trip on the Insiders program.

Mr Probyn had canvassed the trip and questioned how Senator Hanson would go in Afghanistan considering she said Australia needed to 'vaccinate' itself against Islam.

One of the MPs reportedly 'accidentally' told Mr Probyn about the planned trip, and he then reported on it on an episode of Insiders.

'The Middle East trip was cancelled because of release of details by the out of control ABC and the journalist [Andrew] Probyn should be sacked,' Senator Burston told Daily Mail Australia.

Senator Burston said he was 'coming after' the ABC and the 'disgraceful journalist' in a Facebook post, but denied to Daily Mail Australia he was making a threat.

Senator Burston said he was 'coming after' the ABC and the 'disgraceful journalist' in a Facebook post, but denied to Daily Mail Australia he was making a threat (ABC head office in Ultimo, Sydney is pictured in March, 2017)

ABC journalist Andrew Probyn is pictured. He revealed details of the planned trip on the Insiders program

Senator Roberts accused the ABC of putting the lives of Australian troops at risk.

'Our diggers who were to protect Pauline are the ones who would have shielded the Senators when the bullets and bombs started to fly. It was their lives the ABC recklessly put on the line. The ABC are warped and dangerous. Terrible. Horrible. Sad,' Senator Roberts said.

'The ABC now go to ground and refuse to make comment on this gross security breach.'

On Monday, Senator Hanson said she'd had a 'gutful of the media' following the canned trip.

She accused the Four Corners expose on the party of being a 'stitch up'.

Journalist Caro Meldrum-Hanna has said they reached out to One Nation and party secretary James Ashby for five weeks before the episode aired last Monday.

Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Mr Probyn and Treasurer Scott Morrison.

The ABC declined to comment when approached by Daily Mail Australia.

Senator Roberts unleashed an attack on the ABC on Facebook on Tuesday
A lawyer representing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray in a sexual abuse lawsuit says the case should be dropped because a medical exam refutes the alleged victim's claims that he has a mole on his genitalia.

Attorney Robert Sulkin said at a news conference that a doctor who examined Murray on Tuesday reports Murray has no mole or bump on his genitals as described and there are no signs of a mole being removed.

According to the lawsuit, Murray was said to have had 'a unique mole on his scrotum' observed by his alleged teenage victim.

'It is a small bump,' the suit alleges.

But his lawyer now says that a medical examination by his personal physician proves that there is no mole - nor are there any signs that he had any surgical procedures to conceal a mole.

A lawyer representing Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (above) in a sexual abuse lawsuit says the case should be dropped because a medical exam refutes the alleged victim's claims that he has a mole on his genitalia

'No testicular masses or lumps,' Dr. Craig J. Pepin, the physician, wrote in a medical report.

'No dermatologic lesions such as a mole, freckle or keratosis present on the penis or scrotum. No scars or evidence of prior surgery or dermatologic procedures.'

Sulkin says that the doctor's findings disprove the victim's allegations.

Sulkin said: 'This is the heart of the allegations and they are false.'

In interviews with The Seattle Times, two other men claimed he abused them and paid them for sex when they were teenagers in the 1980s. Above, Murray attends a dinner reception for Chinese President Xi Jinping in Seattle on September 22, 2015

Murray's home in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle is seen in the above file photo

A lawsuit filed Thursday by a man identified by the initials DH accuses Murray of sex abuse of the then-teenage boy over a period of several years in the 1980s.

An attorney for DH responded Tuesday evening saying they will continue with the case and that DH plans to win the lawsuit.

The mayor has been accused of repeatedly raping teenage boys who were addicted to crack cocaine and paying them $10 a time.

Murray, 61, reportedly 'raped and molested' a 15-year-old boy for up to five years after they met on a city bus in 1986, according to the lawsuit filed last week.

In interviews with The Seattle Times, two other men claimed he abused them and paid them for sex when they were teenagers in the 1980s.

The mayor branded the claims 'categorically false', adding that it was no coincidence that the allegations came 'within weeks of the campaign filing deadline'.

Murray was elected mayor in 2013 after a long career in the Legislature, where he led efforts to legalize gay marriage in the state.

A 46-year-old man, identified by the initials D.H, said Murray 'raped and molested him' over several years, according to the lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court (pictured). Two other men, Jeff Simpson and Lloyd Anderson accused Murray of abusing them in the 1980s

As mayor he pushed to increase the city's minimum wage to $15 an hour and address the homelessness crisis in Seattle.

DH claimed the abuse began when he was 15 and addicted to crack cocaine, and Murray was in his early 30s.

'I have been dealing with this for over 30 years,' the man, now sober for a year, told The Seattle Times.

He said he was coming forward as part of a 'healing process' after years of 'the shame, the embarrassment, the guilt, the humiliation that I put myself through and that he put me through.'

The man also said his father's recent death freed him of a desire to keep the abuse secret.

His attorneys wrote in the complaint that their client's actions were not politically motivated.

They said that DH 'believes that the public has a right to full information when a trusted official exploits a child'.

Murray, left, is embraced by his husband, Michael Shiosaki, after reading a statement to media members on Friday

The newspaper also reported that two other men said they knew Murray when they lived in a Portland, Oregon, center for troubled children.

Jeff Simpson and Lloyd Anderson accused Murray of abusing them in the 1980s and paying them for sex and said they'd be willing to testify about it, the Times said.

Simpson, 49, said Murray - who he had thought of as a father - raped him over several years, starting at age 13, and in later years, paid him.

'I would really like for him to admit it and to take responsibility,' Simpson told two Times reporters who visited him in Portland.

'I don't necessarily think that he destroyed my life but I believe a lot of the problems I have stemmed from this.'

Simpson tried to bring a lawsuit against Murray in 2007, with Anderson's support, but his lawyer withdrew from the case.

In 2008, Simpson started calling media organizations and lawmakers in Olympia, saying Murray, then a state senator, was a pedophile who had sexually abused him.

When the alleged abuse began, one of them reportedly talked with a social worker and detective.

Simpson and Anderson raised the allegations a decade ago in calls to reporters and Washington state lawmakers, and they repeated them in recent interviews with the Times.

No charges were filed and an entry in an old Multnomah County district attorney's database indicates the office considered but rejected a felony third-degree sodomy case in May 1984.

Any other police and child welfare records would have been destroyed by now, officials said.
Cognitively impaired Aboriginal man Gene Gibson will finally walk free from prison after the Court of Appeal overturned his conviction.

Mr Gibson, from the remote desert community of Kiwirrkurra, has been serving seven-and-a-half years' jail for allegedly fatally striking Josh Warneke from behind as he walked home from a night out in Broome in 2010.

A series of flawed police interviews more than two years later were deemed inadmissible, forcing prosecutors to drop a murder charge and accept Mr Gibson's guilty plea to manslaughter.

But his conviction was appealed on the basis he suffered a miscarriage of justice because he did not have the cognitive ability or language skills to understand what was happening during the legal process.

Cognitively impaired Aboriginal man Gene Gibson, 25, who was jailed for killing a 21-year-old man in Western Australia's north has won an appeal against his conviction

Mr Gibson was serving a seven-and-a-half year sentence for fatally striking Josh Warneke (pictured) from behind as he walked home from a night out in Broome in 2010

Lawyers for the 25-year-old argued that Gibson's confession should be deemed unsafe, the WA's Court of Appeal heard last week.

They said his plea was made by 'false or materially unreliable evidence', and he was to unable to fully understand what was happening when he was arrested and charged due to his 'cognitive defects' and language difficulties, Perth Now reports.

A panel of three led by Appeal Court president Justice Michael Buss quashed Gibson's manslaughter confession.

Mr Gibson, who appeared in court via video link with an interpreter, is expected to walk free from Casuarina Prison on Wednesday.

The ruling follows a long-running and bungled investigation into Mr Warneke's death, which saw 11 police officers face disciplinary or managerial action over their conduct.

Outside court, lawyer Michael Lundberg said the team was very grateful to the court for accommodating the appeal hearing 'in a speedy fashion' and for quickly deciding to acquit Mr Gibson, who he described as being very happy.

Mr Gibson, who appeared in court via video link with an interpreter, is expected to walk free from Casuarina Prison on Wednesday

Outside court, lawyer Michael Lundberg said the team was very grateful to the court for quickly deciding to acquit Mr Gibson, who he described as being very happy

Josh Warneke, 21, was found by a passing taxi driver on the side of Old Broome Road

Mr Lundberg also noted the detailed reviews undertaken by the Corruption and Crime Commission and the Internal Affairs Unit of WA Police.

'Both of those reviews helped focus the spotlight on Gene's case and his incarceration and they both provided the catalyst for the bringing of this appeal,' he said.

But Mr Lundberg said there were no winners in the case.

'He was 21 when he was arrested. He's now almost 26. He has been away from his country for a long time and is keen to return and be with his family,' he said.

'There is also the reality that the life of another young man, Josh Warneke, came to an end in Broome seven years ago.

'Josh and Gene have never met but their lives are now intertwined.'

'There is also the reality that the life of another young man, Josh Warneke, came to an end in Broome seven years ago,' Mr Lundberg said there were no winners in the case

Mr Warneke's mother, Ingrid Bishop pictured with her other son, Matt at the site where he died

Mr Lundberg also acknowledged Mr Warneke's mother, Ingrid Bishop (pictured), who has publicly supported Mr Gibson

Mr Lundberg also acknowledged Mr Warneke's mother, Ingrid Bishop, who has publicly supported Mr Gibson.

'(We) hope that in the future she obtains the justice she and her family deserve,' he said.

He said it was too early to talk about whether Mr Gibson would seek compensation.

The reasons for the judges' decision will be published at a later date.
An unemployed woman has taken to a crowdfunding website in a bid to raise funds to purchase fast-food and alcohol.

Tyler Jane Laurie, from Toowoomba, Queensland, launched the GoFundMe campaign 'Need some Maccas and vodka' in March.

She was after $100 to fulfill her wish but do date no donations have been forthcoming, although some people have speculated Ms Laurie is simply 'taking the mickey'.

Tyler Jane Laurie (pictured) has launched a crowdfunding campaign so she can purchase McDonald's and vodka

'My dream has always [sic] to have a mad a** feed from Maccas then get smashed off some vodka,' Ms Laurie wrote.

'I'm really desperate. I'm jobless and know that this is a selfless act as I really am in need of a mad feed and then getting drunk.

'Please be a kind-hearted person and support me as I am in great need.'

Reaction on social media to the crowdfunding effort has been varied with a number of commentators slamming her for the initiative and flat-out saying 'no' and some saying Ms Laurie was 'taking the mickey'.

Ms Laurie has yet to attract any donations for her GoFundMe campaign which was launched in March

'No... we all work for our money,' one person said.

Another wrote: 'She is taking the mickey out of all those spongers who use "GoFundMe" and crowd sourcing to pay for their bills. Good on her. I agree totally with the point she is making'.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Ms Laurie for comment.

Ms Laurie is hoping to raise $100 from her GoFundMe petition, part of which will go towards the purchase of McDonald's (stock image)
United Airlines has drawn a wave of backlash after a video went viral of the airline forcibly removing a passenger from the plane due to overbooking the flight.

The outrage brought attention to United's history of booting passengers from full flights, but now a report reveals the disgraced airline isn't the most likely to make a customer deplane involuntary.

It turns out United ranks far lower than other major airlines when it comes to asking people to get off the plane due to overbooking, according to a federal report released last month.

United Airlines is the sixth most likely major airline to kick involuntary passengers off planes, a March report shows

Southwest tops is the worst, with one in 10,000 passengers denied boarding involuntarily in 2016

The Air Travel Consumer Report monthly names and shames the carriers that kick off passengers the most frequently and topping out that list is Southwest Airlines.

MAJOR AIRLINES THAT WILL MOST LIKELY KICK YOU OFF FLIGHT 1. Southwest 2. JetBlue 3. American 4. Frontier 5. Spirit 6. United 7. Alaska 8. Virgin 9. Delta 10. Hawaiian Advertisement

One out of every 10,000 Southwest passengers were denied boarding involuntary in 2016, according to the government funded report.

The Dallas, Texas, based operation says it dedicates itself to the highest quality of customer service, which is delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, according to its company mission statement.

However, the airline had 88,628 passengers voluntary turn down hopping on a flight because it was overbooked and made 14,979 customers sit out a flight against their will last year.

Following Southwest was JetBlue then American, followed by Frontier. United took the number six spot on the list.

The ranking was based on the passenger boarding habits each airline made per 10,000 customers.

The report could help United's image recover after it was harshly criticized for their shocking treatment of a passenger who didn't want to give up his seat on a flight on Sunday.

Soon after, furious United passengers began swearing off the company and many social media users posted photos cutting up their frequent flyer cards and United sponsored credit cards.

David Dao, the doctor dragged off the plane, said through lawyers Tuesday that he is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries.

The Air Travel Consumer Report monthly names and shames the carriers that kick off passengers the most frequently and second on that list was JetBlue (left). American was third

Frontier came in fourth place for the monthly report released in March
A man who raped his own son for more than six years has blamed his behaviour on the religious cult he grew up in.

The Townsville man, 55, had a sexual relationship with his young son for six and a half years, starting from when the boy was 10-years-old, the Townsville Bulletin reports.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty last month of sodomy and the indecent treatment of a child.

The boy was just 10-years-old when the sexual relationship began, lasting more than six years (stock)

When he appeared in Townsville District Court on Tuesday for sentencing, his defense barrister blamed his client's involvement in a religious sect for his offending.

'It was a very closed group, they lived in a very controlled world,' defense barrister Harvey Walters said.

Mr Walters said his client was ultimately excommunicated from the cult.

When he was forced out of the group he felt isolated and was left without regular life skills, Mr Walters said.

The court heard the man had little concept of a normal relationship due to his unusual upbringing.

'He instructs me that, the way they were brought up, there was little knowledge of sex or how to go about having a normal relationship with another person,' he said.

When he appeared in Townsville District Court (pictured) on Tuesday for sentencing, his defense barrister blamed his client's involvement in a religious sect for his offending

'It's this void in his life, in my submission, that has probably been the catalyst for the commencement of the behaviour which I have referred to.'

The court heard it was not the first time the man faced charges relating to sexual offending.

Crown prosecutor Nathan Crane said complaints were also made against the man by his nine-year-old niece.

Mr Crane said there were a total of three separate complaints brought against him when he lived in another Australian state.

The man's sexual relationship with his son lasted for more than six years, after which he felt 'no remorse' the court heard (stock)

He escaped serving any jail time, receiving wholly suspended sentences for each offence.

Mr Crane told the court the man was 23-years-old when he was first convicted, and 19 when he committed his first offence.

He said the man showed 'no remorse' for his offending.

The sentencing was adjourned to April 27.
A Current Affair senior reporter Ben McCormack has been admitted to an 'institution' for mental health treatment since his shock arrest over a child pornography charge, a court has heard.

The Nine Network journalist's lawyer, Sam Macedone, told a Sydney court on Wednesday he did not know how long it would be before McCormack would be discharged.

Mr Macedone showed the Downing Centre Local Court a mental health services certificate on Wednesday morning in a bid to change his bail conditions.

A Current Affair senior reporter Ben McCormack (pictured) has been admitted to an 'institution' for mental health treatment, a Sydney court has heard

The Nine Network journalist was arrested last week over a child pornography charge (pictured)

He was successful, with the court excusing McCormack from having to report to Redfern Police Station on Mondays and Thursdays while he remains a patient.

The court also granted a suppression order on the name of the medical institution where McCormack is recovering because his lawyer said there would be a media frenzy.

'For his own wellbeing I'm asking the location of where he is be suppressed,' Mr Macedone told the court.

'Otherwise there will be a media circus outside that institution which will not assist Mr McCormack with his present problems'.

McCormack's (pictured) lawyer, Sam Macedone, showed the Downing Centre Local Court a mental health services certificate on Wednesday morning in a bid to change his bail conditions

The court excused McCormack (pictured) from having to report to Redfern Police Station on Mondays and Thursdays while he remains a patient

Police did not oppose the application and the order was approved by Magistrate Stewart.

On Monday, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed McCormack had been hospitalised for a mental health assessment following his shock arrest last Thursday morning.

'It's a bit tragic,' Mr Macedone said at the time.

McCormack is due to face court again in early May.

For readers seeking support, please contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14 or by clicking here.
A baker sent a text message to a woman to tell her he loved her after he raped her in his bakery when she answered his job advertisement, a court has heard.

On Tuesday, Habibullah Afghan-Baig , 40, pleaded guilty to seven charges and was jailed for at least three years after luring two women to his Afghan and Arab Bakery, in Sydney's west, under the pretense of a job interview in 2015.

The court heard the father-of-two sent one of his victims a text message after he was arrested, telling her he was in love with her, Nine News reported.

Scroll down for video

On Tuesday, Habibullah Afghan-Baig , 40, pleaded guilty to seven charges and was jailed for at least three years after luring two women to his Afghan and Arab Bakery

Police found the messages on his phone after seizing it following his arrest.

Afghan-Baig advertised for the bakery workers on Gumtree classifieds.

When two women showed up for their interviews Afghan-Bain sexually assaulted one woman and indecently assaulted the other in July and August 2015.

The court was told one of the attacks was caught on CCTV footage by the bakery's security camera and lasted for about 30 minutes.

When he was arrested at his bakery in August 2015, 7 News reported he initially claimed he was innocent and the sex was consensual.

Afghan-Baig was charged with four counts of indecent assault and three counts of sexual intercourse without consent and will spend at least three years and seven months behind bars.

The court heard Afghan-Baig sexually assaulted one woman and indecently assaulted another woman at his bakery The Afghan & Arab Bakery in Fairfield (pictured) in July and August 2015

The women were at the bakery on separate occasions after answering a job advertisement on Gumtree (pictured) offering work with good pay and conditions at his Lakemba store
A female entrepreneur has described the shocking moment a multi-millionaire businessman propositioned her while she pitched her business idea.

Gemma Lloyd, 28, co-founder of Diverse City Careers, had been meeting with the man to discuss her business, a women focused job board, when he made the lewd suggestion.

'He pretty much just came out and said 'Hey, do you want to get a hotel room?,' Ms Lloyd told Daily Mail Australia.

Gemma Lloyd, 28, co-founder of Diverse City Careers, had been meeting with the man to discuss her business, a women focused job board, when he made the lewd suggestion

'If my co-founder or someone else was there we could have ended up with him as an investor, which is scary to think of now,' she said

The remark from the businessman, who Ms Lloyd says is married with children, left her shaken and she quickly ended the meeting.

'He was someone who is so successful and intelligent, I saw him in this superior position which he completely abused.

'If my co-founder or someone else was there we could have ended up with him as an investor, which is scary to think of now.'

Unfortunately the 'sickening' experience was not isolated, the Ms Lloyd and her business partner Valeria Ignatieva, 34, often struggled with companies and investors not taking them seriously.

'We had a discussions whether to bring a 40-year-old man to our meetings to be taken seriously,' Ms Lloyd said.

'Our idea just didn't resonate with male investors.

'Whereas when I tell women about the idea, they would say, "this is amazing", it really spoke of the importance of female investors.'

Diverse City Careers advertises jobs from companies based on their commitment to support women's careers.

The remark from the businessman, who Ms Lloyd says is married with children, left her shaken and she quickly ended the meeting

Ms Lloyd said one of the main driving factors behind Diverse City Careers was the sexual harassment she faced in roles before deciding to set up her business.

'I met with a client at a former job who looked me up and down and said "does your company only hire pretty young blondes",' she said.

'I went through the meeting and afterwards asked my manager what we should do.

'My manager said we'd do nothing as they didn't want to ruin the relationship with the client.'

The business partners eventually decided to charge ahead with Diverse City Careers, and have never looked back.

Now after two years, the company has eight employees and companies like Apple, NAB and the Commonwealth Bank advertising roles.

The business is set to double its revenue in the next financial year.

'It is satisfying  so often my co-founder and myself faced this unconscious bias because we're young and blonde.

'But I think our success proves don't judge a book by its cover.'
The Wisconsin man at the heart of a nationwide manhunt after stealing an arsenal of weapons and threatening an anti-government revolution in a 161 page manifesto mailed to Trump wrote a letter of apology to the owner of the gun store he robbed before going on the run thanking him for protecting the 2nd Amendment right of citizens.

A newly filed police complaint seen by DailyMail.com documents the extraordinary act and lays bare the full horror of Jakubowskis arsenal noting that, among other weaponry, he is now armed with a fully automatic M-16 assault rifle.

The detailed complaint states that his letter of apology and support to Armageddons gun store owner was discovered by his sister with whom he lived when she was cleaning out his bedroom.

Police have now released an edited photograph of Joseph Jakubowski, 32, and doubled the reward for his arrest to $20,000

It reads, She came across several items of paperwork, including what appeared to be the draft of an apology letter to a gun shop owner.

In the letter the defendant explained that he wanted to purchase the guns to protect himself and his family, but as a felon, he was not allowed to do so.

The defendant apologized to the gun shop owner for the theft of the weapons and thanked the gun shop owner for protecting the 2nd Amendment right of the citizens.

The complaint filed by Rock County Sheriff Department details how Jakubowski stole items including 18 firearms, magazines, accessories, two gun silencers, a fully automatic 5.56/.233 caliber M-16 rifle and at least on other long gun.

He carried his haul from the store in a duffel bag having entered the store by kicking in the front door after his attempt to unlock it from inside after smashing out its glass with a hammer failed.

Police have now released an edited photograph of Joseph Jakubowski, 32, and doubled the reward for his arrest to $20,000.

The FBI, ATF, Rock County Sheriff and Janesville Police unveiled the enhanced reward and the new image of Jakubowksi, who has now been on the run with 18 firearms since April 4, as DailyMail.com reveals his history of domestic violence, mental instability and substance abuse.

Authorities have been searching for Jakubowski since he is believed to have stolen 18 firearms - including two semi-automatic rifles - from Armageddon gun store in his home town of Janesville, about 70 miles southwest of Milwaukee.

Now Rock County court records obtained by DailyMail.com lay bare the violent break-up that Jakubowski blames for his downward spiral.

Jakuobowski remains at large over a week after mailing a 161-page manifesto to President Trump and robbing a gun store

Speaking to DailyMail.com Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden and Janesville Chief of Police David Moore admitted that though law enforcement is following up more than 550 leads the last credible sighting of Jakubowski remains the gun store robbery on April 4.

Sheriff Spoden said: 'When somebody wants to go off the grid it's difficult to find them if they're not really actively out there.

'You can hunker down in a farmhouse, in an abandoned building in Janesville - there's a lot of different things you can do.

'You can leave the community. He could be in a totally different state, in a totally different community.

'So are we closer to catching him? We are in a better position to understand how to catch him, we're in a better position to understand what motivates him, but to say we're any closer to catching him than first day? It would be very difficult to say yes or no on that.'

More than 170 officers have been tasked with tracking down Jakubowski. The Sheriff and Janesville police are working with state police, FBI, ATF, DCI, Secret Service and others. Chief Moore said: 'Our folks are working 12 and 16 hour days on this. Our citizens will see the marked patrol vehicles and occasionally they'll see SWAT people out there but there's a lot larger footprint than what they see.'

They revealed that the 161-page manifesto posted by Jakubowski to Trump was handwritten. According to Chief Moore, 'Mr Jakubowski certainly spent his share of time developing this document and it was meaningful to him, but it's certainly concerning to us.'

He said that despite initial concerns that schools might be the focus of some sort of attack the manifesto itself singled out religion and the government as the targets of any outrage though Jakubowski made no specific threats.

Sheriff Spoden said that they have not ruled out the person who filmed Jakubowski mailing the manifesto as a person of interest. He said: 'He has been co-operating and the fact is we simply don't know if he knew what was in that document.

'As we get more information that might change but right now it's no crime to film someone mailing a letter to the president.'

The one-time roofer and construction worker was convicted of battery and domestic abuse in December 2008 following an attack that took place the previous January.

According to his former girlfriend, Jakubowski, who has been in and out of jail over the past 15 years, became 'outraged' on the morning of January 11 when she returned to the apartment they had until recently shared to collect some belongings and clothes.

She testified that Jakubowski had 'shoved her down' as she tried to gather clothes from a bedroom closet.

He 'grabbed her hair and told her she could not take anything in the closet that belonged to himshe was pushed, kicked, slapped, struck with a closed fist, shoved, had her head banged, and..her hair pulled.'

She estimated that she had been injured fifteen times. Jakubowski was on a signature bond at the time for driving a vehicle on a revoked license.

Just three months later, on March 2 and while he was awaiting trial on the domestic abuse charges, Jakubowski was once again in the hands of law enforcement charged with resisting arrest and attempting to disarm an officer after he attempted to jump bail.

In May 2008, Jakubowski wrote a letter to Judge Michael Byron pleading to be spared jail for both this offence and his earlier acts of domestic violence. In the note written in pencil, Jakubowksi claimed to be 'truly sorry' for his wrongdoings

In another letter written to Judge Fitzpatrick, Jakubowski insisted that he 'could not afford' to complete the Domestic Violence Intervention Program - a condition of his rel because to do so would cost him his career. He stated that he worked six or seven days a week in construction

The arresting officer reported that Jakubowski had tried to outrun him in his truck when he attempted to apprehend him after noticing his license was suspended due to unpaid tickets.

In a bizarre series of events the cop noted that Jakubowski was 'holding both of his hands near his waist line in an unnatural position that led [him] to believe that the defendant may be reaching for something concealed under his coat.'

On further investigation it became clear that Jakubowski was holding not a gun but a cigar which he then refused to drop when requested to do so. His eyes were 'darting around' leading the officer to believe he was 'attempting to look for an escape route.' He also 'fixed his gaze upon the officer's duty belt.'

When Jakubowski tried to run, the officer brought him to the ground and in the tussle that followed Jakubowski 'grabbed upon the officer's gun and holster with both hands.'

A violent altercation ensued with Jakubowski being struck several times in the face to no effect. The officer tried to used his taser but missed and both fell to the ground with Jakubowski still attempting to take the gun.

When a backup officer arrived having responded to the officer's radioing for help, she removed her gun, pointed it at Jakubowski and threatened to shoot. He looked at her and said, 'Just f***ing do it.'

Jakubowski was convicted of battery and domestic abuse in December 2008 following an attack on his ex-girlfriend at the they once shared

She testified that Jakubowski had 'shoved her down' as she tried to gather clothes from a bedroom closet

He 'grabbed her hair and told her she could not take anything in the closet that belonged to himshe was pushed, kicked, slapped, struck with a closed fist, shoved, had her head banged, and..her hair pulled'

Just three months later, on March 2 and while he was awaiting trial on the domestic abuse charges, Jakubowski was once again in the hands of law enforcement charged with resisting arrest and attempting to disarm an officer after he attempted to jump bail

Two months later, in May 2008, Jakubowski wrote a letter to Judge Michael Byron pleading to be spared jail for both this offence and his earlier acts of domestic violence.

In the note written in pencil, Jakubowksi claimed to be 'truly sorry' for his wrongdoings.

He begged for 'a chance to prove to you, myself and society that I can be a peaceful, trouble free citizen.' And dismissed his acts as 'a major slip in my life because I lost my beloved family and it hurt and still hurts deeply'.

Having been jailed following the March incident, he claimed to be 'glad' to have been incarcerated as it took him away from 'the alcohol and the painful memories of my family.'

He stated that he had got his 'strength and sense back' and said that he had lost everything 'half my fault, half cause the woman I love took it.'

In a bizarrely dramatic plea he wrote: 'If in your mercy could you please give me my freedom with a rope to hang myself and I will prove to you and the D.A. I will use the same rope to save myself. All I'm truly asking for is help and the treatment I need so this never happens again.'

As part of his sentencing on the domestic abuse charges he was compelled to take 'all Prescribed Medication.'

But despite his pleas and promises to comply, three years later Jakubowski was reported by his probation officer for failing to complete the Domestic Violence Intervention Program (DVIP) which was a condition of his release following the 60-day jail sentence he received.

Police on Monday released pictures of Joseph Jakubowski's tattoos as they ramped up the search for the Janesville, Wisconsin man. The tattoo on the left reads 'Jigga' and the one on the right is the letters BOS

In another letter written to Judge Fitzpatrick, Jakubowski insisted that he 'could not afford' to complete the DVIP because to do so would cost him his career. He stated that he worked six or seven days a week in construction. He claimed that he had changed his life around.

Earlier today Jakubowski's stepfather Don McLean desperately pleaded for his stepson to give himself up.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Mr, McLean expressed his fear that Jakubowski might try to commit 'suicide by cop' and said that both he and his mother, 'would rather have him alive.'

On Monday, police in Rock County released pictures of Jakubowski's tattoos, nearly a week after he sent the anti-government manifesto to Trump, robbed a gun store and then disappeared.

Authorities hope the pictures of his tattoos will help someone identify him and turn him in.

The tattoos include the word 'true' on his right hand and the letters 'BOS' on his upper arm. He also has the word Jigga, a racial slur, on an inner forearm.

He also has the word true on his right hand. He's pictured on the right in an older mug shot

On the same night that he robbed the gun store, his truck was found nearby engulfed in flames, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. Police believe Jakubowski torched the truck.

Before robbing the store, he had a friend film him mailing the 161-page anti-government and anti-religion manifesto to President Trump.

'Ya'll have no idea what's about to happen,' the friend warns in the clip.

As Jakubowski stamps the envelope his friend says: 'You'll never forget this face, ever.'

As they walk out of the post office, Jakubowski tells the camera: 'Anyone who got this letter, you might want to read it. There you see it's good s***. Revolutionary. It's time for change.'

His friend says: 'It's D-day. Remember this face,' to which Jakubowski responds: 'F*** the system,' before smiling at the camera.

A friend recorded Jakubowski mailing the letter to to the President. 'You'll never forget this face, ever,' the friend said

Jakubowski marks the time he mailed the letter as April 4, 2017 at 5.43pm, hours before he is accused of robbing the gun store.

Authorities have since located the man who filmed the video, and say he is cooperating with police.

Investigators who analyzed the manifesto said it was filled with barbs directed at officials from all levels of government.

They were also concerned about 'anti-religious views' in the document.

'When you look at the document that he wrote, it's really a long laundry list of injustices he believes that the government and society and the upper class have put forth onto the rest of the citizens,' Spoden said, declining to offer details.

As a precaution, law enforcement officers increased their patrols at local churches and other places of worship on Sunday but no disturbances were reported, the Rock County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

A force of 150 law enforcement personnel, including Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, continued their manhunt for Jakubowski last Sunday.

Security footage at a Mobil gas station shows Jakubowski almost six hours before he mailed the manifesto to President Trump

The car registered to Jakubowski was found burning on a rural road not far from the gun shop he robbed after sending the letter

FBI agents provide tactical support to sheriff's detectives during a search for Joseph Jakubowski, in Janesville, Wisconsin last Thursday

Jakubowski is believed to be the man seen in this surveillance video of a gun shop burglary in Janesville, Wisconsin last Tuesday night

Investigators say the suspect seen in this surveillance video stole 'a large quantity of high-end handguns and rifles' from the gun store

The interior of Armageddon Gun Shop is shown. Police fear that Jakubowski robbed the store and may act on recent unspecified threats against schools and public officials

Jakubowski's car was found burning not far from the gun shop after the robbery

Jakubowski became the prime suspect in the burglary of Armageddon Gun Shop after a car registered to his name was found burning on a rural road about three miles from the store within a half hour of the break-in.

Spoden said an associate of Jakubowski told authorities he had been 'agitated' by national politics and 'recently verbalized a plan to steal guns and use them in an unspecified attack.'

The associate also said Jakubowski had made non-specific threats toward schools and public officials, according to the sheriff.

Jakubowski, who served time in prison for trying to wrestle a gun away from a police officer, is believed to have become agitated about politics recently, authorities said.

A person who knows Jakubowski said he had spoken of his plans to steal guns and stage some kind of attack, possibly at a school, Spoden said.

It was unclear if Jakubowski, who according to local media was unemployed, remains in Wisconsin or if he had left the state. Federal agents were pursuing leads in other parts of the country.

The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

Authorities have warned people not to approach Jakubowski, calling him 'armed and dangerous.'

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
Molly Matheson, 22, was strangled in the bathroom of her upscale apartment just blocks from Texas Christian University's campus

A 22-year-old woman was strangled to death in her apartment just two blocks away Texas Christian University campus.

Molly Matheson was discovered unconscious by her mother Tracy in her upscale home on the 2600 block of Waits Avenue in Fort Worth.

Police were called to the scene around 4:30pm on Monday and her death was later declared a homicide by strangulation.

Authorities were said to have been on the scene through the night and were still at the home on Tuesday afternoon investigating.

It is not yet known if her death was a random attack or if it was committed by someone she knew.

Molly was not a student at TCU but was renting a garage apartment in a home nearby, and was discovered in the bathroom.

Molly attended the University of Arkansas until she withdrew in 2015, according to NBC FDW.

Tributes have begun to pour in for the former sorority member of Alpha Delta Pi, who has been described as 'funny, kind, and wise beyond her years.'

She was discovered unconscious by her mother Tracy in her upscale home on the 2600 block of Waits Avenue in Fort Worth

Before going to college in Arkansas, she graduated from Keller Timber Creek High School, and spent time in Winter Park, Florida.

An avid churchgoer, her former reverend has spoken out about her death, and a vigil was held at the First United Methodist Church Winter Park in her honor.

'It's just a big tragedy. We don't know what to do. We don't know what to say,' Reverend Gary Rideout told Fox 4 News.

'So we just want to get together. We just want to embrace each other and embrace the Matheson family.'

Molly was not a student at TCU but was renting a garage apartment in a home nearby, and was discovered in the bathroom

The incident has shaken the quiet community, which is just steps away from a number of chapels, and the Texas Christian University Art Gallery.

Elise Vidaurri, who lives nearby, said Molly's death sparks concerns for her own safety as well.

'Last night, I was just praying that it was a mistake or an accident,' Vidaurri said. 'And then to find out it was a crime, a violent crime, is unsettling.'

'Until we find whoever did this, I think a lot of people will be on edge,' Vadaurri continued.

'There's a lot of young females and families who live over here.'
Brave beyond her years and with the admiration of hundreds of mourners gathered inside the church, Chloe-May Kabealo arrived at the funeral service of her mother Stephanie King, and siblings Ella-Jane and Jacob.

The young girl, eight, was greeted by friends who cuddled her before Chloe-May and her dad Matthew made their way into Elevations Church in Tweed Heads.

Chloe-May incredibly managed to free herself from her family's sinking car, when it slid off a muddy road at Tumbulgum last week and plunged into Tweed River. She ran to a nearby house to raise the alarm that her family was trapped inside their Hyundai van.

Tragically, her mum and siblings could not free themselves in time and drowned in northern New South Wales.

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Chloe is comforted as she holds a flower to farewell her mother, brother and sister

A scene no girl should ever have to experience: Chloe farewells her loved ones

The pain is a lot to bear for Chloe who has experienced so much pain at just eight years of age

The funeral for Stephanie King, 43, her son Jacob, seven, and daughter Ella Jane, 11, is pictured. The surviving child, Chloe, is pictured at the funeral

The three family members died after their car careered into the Tweed River, according to the police

The coffins of the family members - coloured purple, pink and blue - were propped on a stage

Coloured flowers, framed photographs and special items were placed on top of each coffin

Matthew Kabealo (left), the father of Chloe-May and partner of Stephanie King, carries a pink coffin from Elevation Church

Chloe is pictured at the funeral on Wednesday at Elevations Church in Tweed Heads

The family's car is pictured being pulled from the river on Tuesday last week

Among the mourners at the funeral service are the Governor-General of Australia Peter Cosgrove, who is there to pay his respects to the family.

Ms King 'would be alive today' if she had not tried to free her young children from the murky depths of the river, NSW Police Superintendent Wayne Starling said last week.

'I can tell you the mother was trying to get one of her children out of the car when she passed away. She was with the child, holding the child,' he said.

She was found cradling her son Jacob when their car was pulled from the river.

Mourners laid flowers on the stage as a slideshow displayed photographs of Jacob, Ella-Jane and Stephanie

Family members Matthew Kabealo, John King and Chloe May King pay their respects at the funeral service

Matthew Kabealo (left) is pictured with partner Stephanie King, who died trying to save her children from a sinking car

From left to right: Jacob, seven, Ella-Jane, 11, and Chloe-May, eight. Jacob and Ella-Jane tragically died in the accident

The open funeral was attended by the surviving child and other loved ones

Chloe somehow managed to escape the doomed car and run to safety

Loved ones are pictured at the funeral for Ms King, her son Jacob, and daughter Ella-Jane

Chloe after the funeral service for her mother Stephanie King and sister Ella-Jane and brother Jacob

Supt Starling said the mother was a 'hero'.

'She died trying to save a child. I've got no doubt whatsoever that that woman is a hero. She'd be alive today if she wasn't trying to save her children,' he said.

'We can't imagine what the family are going through. We can't imagine what their school friends are going through. It's just horrific.'

He added that there were 'terrible conditions' on the flood-affected road on Monday afternoon, when the car veered into the water.

'The roadway is very very slippery,' Supt Starling said. 'Even now it's not safe to put the crane in to get the car out.'

Sending his condolences, he added: 'We can't imagine what the family are going through. We can't imagine what their school friends are going through. It's just horrific.'

Matthew Kabealo (left, purple shirt) carries the coffin of his partner Stephanie King

Governor-General of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove is pictured at the funeral

Police divers are pictured at the scene at Tweed River as crews worked to recover the bodies of the mother and two children

Superintendent Starling added that Chloe-May was a 'very brave little girl'.

'She had injuries to her feet, trying to get out. Her main focus was trying to save her mum, her brother and sister.

'I wouldn't be surprised if the mother helped her out,' he added.

Former policeman Matthew Grinham was driving by the flood-swollen river in Tumbulgum when Chloe-May came running up the road, screaming hysterically.

Witness Sophie Grinham told 7 News that she saw the the eight-year-old girl's father dive into the water in an attempt to save his family.

'The husband came down, and dad and two other boys just jumped into the water and couldn't dive deep enough,' she said.

The white Hyundai was pulled from Tweed River on Tuesday, a day after it plunged into the water after skidding off the muddy road in the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie

Police divers and investigators are pictured at the scene while the search effort was underway

Rescue teams are pictured at the Tweed River after the white Hyundai careered off the road and plunged into the water last Monday

The girl reportedly told police that her mother, younger sister and older brother were in the car.

Peter Taylor, another witness, told 9News: 'A little girl's run down the road and she's said her family's gone into the river.

'Her feet were bleeding apparently. Then they called the ambulance and called the police.'

Chloe was taken to Tweed Heads Hospital for bruises and cuts and was being cared for by family members.

Tumbulgum, which lies just south of the Queensland border, was badly hit by floods following Cyclone Debbie, with record rainfall.

Ms King, who lived in Belongil but was originally from Auckland, New Zealand, used to work at Tweed Heads Bowls Club but had more recently been working as a care home nurse.

A GoFundMe page has raised more than $132,000 to help the devastated family.

The funeral hearses side-by-side after the service for Stephanie King and her two children
Victoria Police said they have 'taken out' majority of the leaders of the Apex gang and believe the notorious group are now 'in recession'.

On Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton told a parliamentary inquiry the Apex gang were predominantly Australian-born and said those born overseas were less likely to offend.

Mr Patton said the group was made up of about 130 people who 'loosely claimed to be members'.

'We believe we have, if you like, taken out - for lack of a better word - or charged, the majority of the leaders of that gang, and have imprisoned them,' he told the inquiry, The Age reported.

Victoria Police said they have 'taken out' majority of the leaders of the Apex gang and believe the group are now 'in recession'. Members of the notorious gang are pictured

On Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton (pictured) told a parliamentary inquiry the Apex gang were predominantly Australian-born and said those from overseas were less likely to offend

'It's substantially diminished - so much so, we would really call them pretty much a non-entity in terms of a gang'.

Mr Patton told the inquiry Victoria's Crime Statistics showed an increase in Australian-born offenders.

In July 2016, a founding member of the Apex gang told Daily Mail Australia the aim of the group was to 'get rich or get robbed'.

'We go out together for thrills - it's our chance not to give a f***,' the founder, who chose to remain anonymous, said.

'We don't go out with the intention of hurting people but it can happen.'

In July 2016, a founding member of the Apex gang told Daily Mail Australia the aim of the group was to 'get rich or get robbed'

In November, an Apex teenager and two accomplices were arrested on the West Gate Bridge for their alleged involvement in two armed robberies (pictured) after a high-speed car chase

The group grew to prominence after the Moomba riots in March 2016 where 24 people were charged with offences.

Mr Patton said police had worked hard to get to the 'root' of the problem with youth crime, by looking into unemployment and disadvantage.

In November, Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said it is 'impossible' for a person to rehabilitate behind bars unless they serve at least two-years.

'A lot of them want to go to jail and it becomes part of their "CV",' he said.

In 2016, an Apex teenager and two accomplices were arrested on the West Gate Bridge for their alleged involvement in two armed robberies after a high-speed car chase
After nearly two decades of planning, a museum that tells the dramatic story of the founding of the United States will open in Philadelphia on April 19.

That's the anniversary of the first shots fired at the battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775 that ignited the war.

The 118,000-square-foot Museum of the American Revolution tells the story using interactive exhibits, theater presentations and large-scale replicas, in addition to original artifacts -and the occasional whiff of gunpowder.

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The Museum of the American Revolution (above) will open on April 19 in Philadelphia

George Washington's headquarters tent, which served as his office and sleeping quarters throughout much of the American Revolution, is on display at the museum

It also reveals how a diverse population - including women, Native Americans and enslaved and free blacks - helped push the revolution and shape the conversation about liberty.

Visitors can listen to a recreation of the Oneida Indian Nation debating whether or not to support the Revolutionary cause.

The three-story red brick building will house exhibit galleries that feature Revolutionary-era artifacts, such as George Washington's 10-foot-tall headquarters tent that served as his office and sleeping quarters.

Following the deaths of George and Martha Washington, the tent was preserved by their adopted son, George Washington Parke Custis, then generations of his daughter's family, until being sold in 1909 to the Reverend W Herbert Burk.

Burk envisioned building a museum dedicated to the American Revolution.

Here a section of the North Bridge, the site of a fateful confrontation between colonists and British regulars during the American Revolution, is on display at the museum

This photo shows an actual piece of the Annapolis, Maryland, Liberty Tree, embedded into an 18-foot-tall tree replica as a touchable element, at the museum

The museum will have a display of weapons used during the Revolutionary War, including a fife

'If there was a place where he shed a tear, bowed his head or laughed or smiled, it was probably under that canvas,' Scott Stephenson, the museum's vice president of collections, told the Chicago Tribune.

The museum will also have theaters and recreated historical environments that take visitors along a chronological journey through the creation of the American Republic.

Above is a child's toy stoneware lamb excavated from a British Revolutionary War campsite near New York City. Approximately 10 per cent of British soldiers who arrived in New York in 1776 had their wives and children with them

Also on display are newborn's shoes made from a British red coat brought back at the end of the war and preserved through generations of descendants of a Massachusetts soldier

'You walk in as a subject of an empire and a monarchy, and you leave as a citizen of the republic,' said R Scott Stephenson, the museums vice president of collections, exhibitions and programming. 'And you come right back to the present day and reflect upon the relevance in your life today of these events that took place so long ago.'

The museum raised $152 million in what John Jumper, its board chair, said speaks to the 'overwhelming importance of a great national museum to tell the story of our founding'.

'Philadelphia was the headquarters of the American Revolution, but it is a story that belongs to all of us,' Jumper told the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Delta paid a family $11,000 not to fly during a meltdown that caused thousands of canceled flights and travel chaos.

The airline company shelled out more than ten thousand dollars to Laura Begley Bloom and her family of three after they opted out of their flights from New York City to Florida, over the weekend.

Delta cancelled nearly 3,000 flights amid bad weather, causing outrage among stranded passengers who sometimes had to wait days before boarding a plane.

As some described the event as 'the worst travel experience ever', the Blooms felt different as they traded in their tickets for $11,000.

Begley Bloom, from New York City, said she 'profited from Delta's travel woes' when she, her husband Jonathan and their four-year-old daughter Lucy voluntarily gave up their seats on an overbooked flight to Fort Lauderdale.

Delta paid Laura Begley Blooms family (pictured with husband Jonathan and daughter Lucy) $11,000 not to fly from New York City to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, during a travel meltdown that caused thousands of canceled flights over the weekend

Laura Begley Bloom (pictured left and with her daughter Lucy right), a content strategist from New York City, said she 'profited from Delta's travel woes' and pocketed $11,000 in just three days

The content strategist penned a piece for Forbes, explaining how she scored the money.

She wrote in her post: 'Ive always quietly scoffed at travelers who would give up a seat on a flight in exchange for a voucher. Not my thing.'

However, her mind was changed after waiting hours for her delayed flight, which had 60 standby fliers, and gate agents started offering gift vouchers worth $900 in exchange for tickets on Friday.

Her husband negotiated for the vouchers to be priced at $1,350 for each of their three tickets and the family went home with plans to return on Saturday for their flight.

Delta still had massive delays and the family cashed in again, this time for $1,300 per ticket and the airline paid $45 for their lunch and a $50 cab ride home.

Several passengers were stranded at airports over the weekend after Delta cancelled and delayed thousands of flights (pictured people in Atlanta)

Begley Bloom said her mind was changed about giving up seats for money when a gate agent offered $900 per ticket. Her husband Jonathan (left) negoitated the deal to $1,350 per ticket on Friday

On Sunday the Blooms decided to not go on their vacation to see family at all and gave up their tickets completely on Sunday.

Delta forked over $3,000 in compensation and also refunded the cost of the original tickets, totaling $11,000 the airline handed out to the family.

Begley Bloom wrote: 'I felt a bit guilty making so much money off the situation, but other passengers pointed out that we were freeing up seats for people who really needed to get somewhere. Many passengers actually thanked us for doing this.'

Airlines are required by law to compensate passengers who give up seats, whether involuntary or voluntary, but only if the delay doesn't surpass an hour and the company puts the customer on another flight.

CNN Money reported it is highly unlikely for airlines to pay more than $1,350 for someone giving up a seat, but there was a time for everything.

Begley Bloom wrote: 'I felt a bit guilty making so much money off the situation, but other passengers pointed out that we were freeing up seats for people who really needed to get somewhere'
A Greens senator has tweeted about giving 'halal-certified holiday eggs' to his staff but he left out the word Easter to promote products suitable for Muslims.

Nick McKim took to Twitter to push a politically-correct message about the upcoming Easter holidays, leaving out Christian phrases including 'cross'.

He also took aim at One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's call for Australians to boycott halal-certified Cadbury eggs.

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Greens senator Nick McKim pictured here with 'holiday eggs' and 'seasonal fruit buns'

The left-wing senator told his Twitter followers he had served his staff halal-friendly treats

'Treating staff to halal-certified holiday eggs and warmed non-denominational cinnamon, flavoured, geometrically decorated seasonal fruit buns,' Senator McKim told his followers.

The Tasmanian senator's spokesman confirmed it was a joke about political correctness but he declined to say which brand the chocolates were.

Senator McKim did, however, accuse Senator Hanson of jeopardising jobs in Tasmania by calling for a Cadbury boycott.

'On a serious note, Senator Hanson's campaign against Cadbury is a direct attack on Tasmanian jobs,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

'Companies should be free to get halal certification without fear of a bullying campaign from Senator Hanson or her cronies.'

On Tuesday, Senator Hanson made a video urging Australians to buy non-halal Easter eggs instead of offerings from Cadbury, which are halal-certified.

Greens senator Nick McKim has accused Pauline Hanson of jeopardising jobs in Tasmania

'We see these products out there that are halal-certified, Cadbury chocolate for instance,' Ms Hanson says, before holding up a Lindt bunny and strolling next to a barbed-wire fence.

'If you want to get product that's not halal-certified, I'd suggest Lindt, that's not halal-certified, and another great one is Darrell Lea.

'Go and buy some non-halal Easter eggs and chocolate, and have a happy Easter everyone.'

The Project's Muslim co-host Waleed Aly ate a Lindt rabbit on live TV that night.

However, Senator Hanson said this just proved Muslims don't need to eat halal products.

'Last night, Waleed proved that products don't require halal certification to be eaten by Muslims when he ate a non-halal-certified Lindt Easter rabbit,' she said on Facebook.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said Waleed Aly proved Muslims don't need to eat halal

Pauline Hanson held up a Lindt Easter bunny as an example of a non-halal food product

Bite me: Waleed Aly mocked Pauline Hanson's endorsement of 'non-Halal' Easter eggs by eating Lindt's gold bunny live on air

Waleed Aly had challenged Senator Pauline Hanson over her endorsement of 'non-Halal' Easter eggs.

The segment on The Project began with comedian Peter Helliar asking Aly about a chocolate treated related to Christianity.

'I eat these all the time. These are awesome,' Aly responded, before inspecting the wrapping.

'In fact, I'll check the ingredients right now. Yeah, that's entirely halal. It's all vegetarian. Do you want me to prove it?'

Aly then peeled back the gold foil and bit into the ear - before explaining the chocolates were not halal-certified but had halal ingredients.

When his co-host Bickmore asked for a bite, Aly joked: 'You're gonna get halal germs.'

Bittersweet: The segment began with The Project panellist Peter Helliar grilling Aly about why he can't enjoy the iconic Easter snack

Aly then peeled back the gold wrapping and bit into the ear  before explaining the chocolate was not halal certified but had halal-friendly ingredients

It comes after Pauline Hanson urged her supporters to buy 'non-halal' Easter eggs in a festive Facebook video

Halal certification means products are permissible for Muslims to eat under Islamic religious rules.

For Easter eggs to be considered halal they must avoid using blood, pork and alcohol.

With Muslims making up about 2.4 per cent of the Australian population, Senator Hanson said 'ordinary Australians shouldn't be paying a tax on food permissible to Muslims'.

Businesses, including Halal Certification Authority, charge food producers, including abattoirs and restaurants, a fee to certify that their goods are halal.

Australian halal-certified goods are more likely to be exported to Muslim-majority nations like Indonesia however critics on the right of politics, such as former Australian Liberty Alliance candidate Kirralee Smith, have been campaigning for clearer labeling.

Money from halal-certified goods funds Islamic schools and mosques and critics have argued consumers should know where their money is going.

Animals are also required to be slaughtered by having their throats cut.
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Family members, friends and classmates said their final goodbyes to an 11-year-old boy who took his own life after a social media prank went too far.

Dozens of mourners were photographed making their way inside the Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home on Third Street in Marquette, Michigan on Tuesday afternoon to attend the funeral service of Tysen Benz.

The sixth-grader died April 11th after being taken off of life support roughly three weeks after he hung himself on March 14.

'Tysen was beloved by everyone who ever met him. He possessed a contagious smile and a personality which you couldn't help but absolutely love.' his obituary reads.

'You could tell by his nature that everything he did was done with heart and passion, showing great strength, determination, and courage.

'He was extremely kind, fun, hilarious, sweet, smart, strong, adventurous, and charismatic...and, he never ever gave up!

'Being in his presence was a joy and you never forgot how kind and engaging this phenomenal young person was.'

His mother, Katrina Goss, has said that his 13-year-old girlfriend was 'solely responsible' for his suicide.

Tragic: Family members, friends and classmates said their final goodbyes to, Tysen Benz (above), an 11-year-old boy who took his own life after a social media prank went too far

Dozens of mourners were photographed making their way inside the Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home on Third Street in Marquette, Michigan on Tuesday afternoon (above) to attend his funeral service

Classmates of the 11-year-old boy were photographed attending the emotional funeral service on Tuesday

Many of the mourners, including young children, left the funeral home in Marquette visibly shaken up after his service

Many in the community who knew Benz loved him, as his mother had described her son as an athlete, comedian, friend, brother and all-around amazing child

Marquette City Police have charged a juvenile with malicious use of telecommunication services and using a computer to commit a crime.

The first charge is a misdemeanor which carries a six-month sentence in the state of Michigan. Using a computer to commit a crime is punishable by a year in prison. The name of the juvenile has not been released.

Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Wiese said he 'didn't disagree' with Goss's allegations, and confirmed that the girl texted Benz, faking her own suicide, hours before he took his own life.

'She was mean to him, controlled him, and took advantage of him, even after I repeatedly told her to leave him alone,' Goss said.

'He was the happiest, most joyous child until he met her,' Goss told BuzzFeed News.

Pictured above is the front cover of the funeral program for Benz on Tuesday afternoon

The inside of the funeral program had a photo of the 11-year-old boy along with a poem

Many of the children who attended the service on Tuesday were comforted by their parents at the Swanson-Lundquist Funeral Home

As people arrived for the funeral service, mourners were photographed consoling each other before hand

His obituary reads: 'Tysen was beloved by everyone who ever met him. He possessed a contagious smile and a personality which you couldn't help but absolutely love'. Pictured above is the funeral home showing mourners before the service

His heartbroken mother said that she found her son hanging by the neck on March 14 in his room after seeing social media posts and texts that his 13-year-old girlfriend had killed herself.

Goss said the girl and some of her friends orchestrated the prank.

'I don't know what possessed her to do such a weird prank. It's a twisted, sick joke,' she said.

A friend of the two children, Avery Mitchell, said that the unnamed girl plotted the hoax to see if Benz 'really loved her and he took it the wrong way.'

'She didn't mean to hurt him [because] they loved each other,' Mitchell said.

Goss said that after seeing posts about his girlfriend, Tysen replied over social media that he was going to kill himself. Even then, she said, those involved in the prank didn't tell an adult.

'She did a prank that made it look like she killed herself and used other friends and their [social media] accounts to make it look like she killed herself,' Goss told the New York Post. 'So, he believed her and said, 'I'm going to kill myself.''

The sixth-grader (above) died April 11th after being taken off of life support roughly three weeks after he hung himself on March 14

His heartbroken mother said that she found her son hanging by the neck on March 14 in his room after seeing social media posts and texts that his 13-year-old girlfriend had killed herself. Goss said the girl and her friends orchestrated the prank

Goss described her son as an athlete, comedian, friend, brother and all-around amazing child.

Things started to go wrong when he bought a cellphone from a friend behind her back and started 'secretly dating' the older girl against his mother's wishes.

Goss said that she was '100 per cent' against the relationship between the two, because of their age difference.

She never met the girl, who other students called his girlfriend, but said she saw her several times while picking up and dropping off her son at Bothwell Middle School.

She called the prank 'controlling, harassing and manipulative.'

'I'm quite angry,' Goss said. 'I feel like, yeah, they're young and all that, but I feel like when you're 13, you're completely knowledgeable of your choices and you know right from wrong. You can make your own choices. I do feel like she took advantage of a younger boy to control and manipulate him.

'I don't feel like it should be taken lightly. She should be held legally responsible for this horrific prank,' she said.

'The whole thing happened in about 40 minutes,' Goss said. 'He was fine and then I found him. I don't know what she said she did to herself.'

Tysen was rushed to an area hospital and later transferred to the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor, near Detroit.

'Social media harassment, bullying and pranking is a huge issue,' Goss added. 'The way it's used nowadays, kids are desensitized to social media and it really does hurt people.'

Weise added that the tragic incident serves as a lesson for parents to be more vigilante of their children's communications online, and hopes that the charges against the juvenile will put others 'on notice' for their activity online.

'What happens in the digital and social media world also impacts the actual world we live in. Reckless comments that rise to the level of criminal behavior need to be put out there so there's accountability.'

A GoFundMe campaign created on March 20 has raised more than $42,000 of the $100,000 goal towards his medical and funeral costs.

For readers seeking support, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or by clicking here.
Donald Trump is still refusing to back Steve Bannon who is at the center of the rampant White House in-fighting - as he warned his beleaguered chief strategist to 'straighten it out or I will.'

The president warned Bannon that he was not irreplaceable amid reports that the top aide will be forced out of the White House unless he adopts a more conciliatory approach and plays nice with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The ultimatum comes after a hellish week for the top aide who has become increasingly isolated in the White House following his rise to power as a key architect of Trump's 'America First' policy, a senior official told Axios.

Trump told the New York Post that Bannon was a 'good guy' but warned that if he could not work it out with his fellow White House staffers that Trump would be forced to step in.

'I told them to straighten it out or I will,' he added.

Donald Trump is still refusing to back Steve Bannon who is at the center of the rampant White House in-fighting - as he warned his beleaguered chief strategist to 'straighten it' and play nice with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner (L-R: Trump, Kushner and Bannon in January)

The president added that he had been doing just fine on his own before Bannon joined the campaign.

'I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late,' Trump said. 'I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn't know Steve. I'm my own strategist and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary.'

Bannon's power bubble burst this week when Trump booted him from the National Security Council, his feuds with Kushner and wife Ivanka Trump were made public and it emerged he was against the Syrian airstrikes.

Arguably the two most influential voices in the West Wing, Bannon and Kushner were forced to sit down on Thursday at the Mar-a-Lago estate with chief of staff Reince Priebus.

Trump, increasingly frustrated by the leaks and stories of infighting that keep flowing out of the West Wing, ordered the pair to set aside their growing feud and 'work this out'.

Chief strategist Steve Bannon (right) who powered Trump's (left) populist campaign message, has been told to become a team player or risk being forced out of the White House

'Either Steve becomes a team player and gets along with people, or he'll be gone,' a top Trump source told Axios.

There have been numerous reports of late indicating Bannon - who seemingly sees himself as the keeper of campaign promises - is in constant opposition to Kushner and Trump's daughter Ivanka.

Sources say Bannon and Kushner have locked heads over strategies to pass health care legislation, the fallout of the immigration bans and whether the US should bomb Syria.

Bannon has also taken to deriding Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner by calling him a 'Democrat.'

'Here's the reason there's no middle ground,' Bannon told Kushner in one clash, the New York Times reported, citing someone with knowledge of the situation. 'You're a Democrat.'

Kushner is allied with a group of aides who view themselves as more moderate forces, including economic adviser Gary Cohn, the former president of the Goldman Sachs investment bank.

As Kushner rises to power in the White House by taking on a wide range of portfolios including his recent envoy trip to Iraq, many believe Bannon's position seems to be slipping.

The president warned Bannon that he was not irreplaceable amid reports that the top aide will be forced out of the White House unless he adopts a more conciliatory approach and plays nice with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner (with Bannon during the swearing-in of senior staff on January 22)

Bannon has repeatedly locked heads with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and wife Ivanka in recent weeks as they push for a more results-driven White House

Bannon's week from hell was centered around Wednesday's revelation that he had been forced to give up his spot on the National Security Council's principals committee

Bannon believes Kushner and his allies are trying to move away from some of the president's populist campaign promises.

As Trump was weighing up whether or not to go ahead with missile strikes on Syria on Thursday night, it was Kushner and his allies who won the president over, according to CNN.

Bannon, the former head of the conservative news outlet Breitbart, was against the Syria strikes. He was a driving force behind Trump's 'America First' policy during the election and has been against US involvement in foreign affairs.

His week from hell was centered around Wednesday's revelation that he had been forced to give up his spot on the National Security Council's principals committee, which reversed Trump's decision to give Bannon access to their high-level meetings.

The announcement came a day before Trump declared: 'I think we've had one of the most successful 13 weeks in the history of the presidency'.

Bannon's loss of the powerful perch comes after he bore the brunt of the blame for the healthcare fallout, in which he delivered a failed ultimatum to House conservatives that if they didn't vote for the health bill, Trump was prepared to walk away.

He is also linked to the drafting of Trump's controversial immigration order, now on hold due to federal court rulings.

While Trump initially went along with the way the immigration ban was rolled out, he has since grown angry that Bannon did not craft the executive order so it could stand up in court, according to a Trump source.

Bannon (pictured above returning to the White House on Sunday) was booted from the National Security Council on Wednesday

Speculation has been rampant about chief of staff Reince Priebus's job with reports suggesting Trump is looking to move him elsewhere

While reports emerged that Bannon was ready to walk away from politics after he was dropped from the NSC, the chief strategist this week rubbished the claims as '100 per cent nonsense'.

Speculation has been rampant about chief of staff Reince Priebus, who has faced questions about his staying power since he started the job. That scrutiny intensified with the collapse of the House GOP health care overhaul, a major embarrassment for Trump.

Several possible Priebus replacements were aired this week, including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, top lobbyist Wayne Berman of Blackstone Group, and David Urban, who oversaw Trump's Pennsylvania effort.

But Trump's administration has pushed back against the swirling rumors of an overhaul of his aides.

Spokeswoman Lindsay Walters said the narrative of a dysfunctional administration on the verge of a makeover 'is a completely false story driven by people who want to distract from the success taking place in this administration.

As evidence of that success, Walters noted the Senate's confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch, Trump's recent meetings with foreign leaders and the U.S. missile strikes in Syria.

'The only thing we are shaking up is the way Washington operates as we push the president's aggressive agenda forward,' she said.
A man who was wrongfully convicted of kidnapping and murdering a seven-year-old girl in 1957 was declared innocent on Wednesday.

Jack McCullough was granted a certificate of innocence in Dekalb County, Illinois, clearing the way for the 77-year-old to sue the state of Illinois for damages.

McCullough was wrongfully convicted in 2012, more than half a century after his neighbor Maria Ridulph disappeared. Her body was later found decomposing in a forest, and the murder remains unsolved.

A prosecutor concluded the evidence backed McCullough's alibi that he had been 40 miles away when Maria disappeared, and he was released in April 2016 after serving four years of a life sentence.

Jack McCullough (pictured at a hearing last week) was wrongfully convicted in 2012 of kidnapping and murdering Maria Ridulph

He was released in April 2016 after serving four years of a life sentence. McCullough finally received a certificate of innocence on Wednesday, clearing the way for him to sue Illinois

During a hearing last week, McCullough said he wanted justice for being portrayed as a monster, adding that people still think of him as one.

'I'm innocent and I didn't want there to be any doubt. What was done to me was criminal. They knew I was innocent and they put me in prison anyway,' McCullough said.

McCullough, who was a retired policeman and security guard when he landed in prison, faced the wrath of his fellow inmates who vowed to kill him to avenge the child's death.

His cellmate tried to make good on the threats by plunging a shank into his face, eventually dislodging his eye.

And Maria's siblings, now in their 60s, believe McCullough is guilty and being allowed to walk free.

Maria's surviving family (pictured left, Bill Quinn, with wife Pat Quinn and family friend Nancy Miller on Wednesday) believe McCullough is guilty and being allowed to walk free

Maria and a friend were playing in the snow outside of her home on December 3, 1957, when a young man who introduced himself as 'Johnny' approached and offered them piggyback rides.

The friend dashed home to grab mittens and returned to find both Maria and the man gone. Maria's decomposed body was found months later in a forest.

The 1957 FBI investigation concluded, based on interviews with 20 witnesses, that Maria disappeared between 6.35pm and 6.45pm.

And phone records show that McCullough had made a collect call from a pay phone at the Air Force recruiting station in Rockford - 35 miles away - at 6.57pm.

The FBI pursued an exhaustive investigation in 1957, even providing daily updates to agency director J Edgar Hoover.

They produced thousands of pages of documents, including statements from Air Force recruiters supporting McCullough's Rockford alibi and the witness interviews establishing the time of Maria's disappearance.

Maria and a friend were playing in the snow outside of her home on December 3, 1957. A man approached, and she disappeared

McCullough was initially cleared as a suspect, only to become the target of investigations after his own mother said on her deathbed that she believed her son may have killed Maria, his half sister told authorities in 2008.

In a 2012 pre-trial hearing, Kane County Associate Judge James Hallock barred the documents collected in 1957 from being presented as evidence.

Assistant state's attorney Julie Trevarthen argued that those reports amounted to hearsay because they contained no firsthand observations by law enforcement.

In a letter to the editor published in a local newspaper after his trial, McCullough said those documents proved his innocence.

'People of Sycamore: These documents are in the courthouse at 133 State St,' he wrote. 'They are public records. Go there, demand to see them and set me free.'

Spectators in the courtroom cheered when McCullough was found guilty in 2012, believing justice had finally been served in the cold case.

But DeKalb County State's Attorney Richard Schmack found a parade of alleged missteps by investigators, former prosecutors, judges and witnesses trying to pull details out of the fog of years.

Maria's decomposed body was found months later in a forest. With McCullough now declared innocent, her murder case remains unsolved

Schmack uncovered evidence supporting McCullough's long-held alibi, and his guilty verdict was reversed before he was set free in April 2016.

But the judge didn't go so far as to declare him innocent, and McCullough waited until Wednesday to receive the official certificate.

A prosecutor is investigating whether evidence was deliberately withheld from McCullough's defense, and an investigation into Maria's murder remains open.
Taiwan has become the first Asian country to completely ban the eating of dog and cat meat.

New laws passed on Tuesday outlaw 'the consumption, purchase or possession of dog and cat meat' with a maximum fine of 250,000 New Taiwan dollars ($8,000).

Legislator Wang Yu-min hailed the landmark bill, saying it is a first in Asia and 'shows that Taiwan is a society with advanced animal welfare.'

Rein in cats and dogs: Taiwanese lawmakers have banned eating cats and dogs with offenders facing a maximum fine of 250,000 Taiwan dollars ($8,000)

Restaurants have also been banned from selling dog or cat meat, and penalties for those caught abusing or killing animals has also been increased

She noted that several local authorities had already taken steps to ban the meat, but added that national legislation was needed.

Hong Kong and China have banned the killing of dogs and cats for sale as meat, but have not specifically outlawed consumption.

The bill also hiked the punishment for those caught killing or abusing animals to a maximum of two years in jail and a fine of 2million Taiwan dollars ($65,000).

Repeated offenders will face a maximum of five years in jail and a fine of 5million ($163,000) Taiwan dollars, lawmakers said.

The bill also bans the practice of 'walking' animals by tying their leash to a vehicle and forcing them to run alongside.

Offenders can also be named and shamed under the new powers.

Campaigners had been calling for tougher sentences amid several high-profile abuse cases, including one in which three soldiers beat and strangled a stray dog to death (file image)

The move comes after a series of animal abuse cases shocked the public, including a video of three soldiers beating and strangling a stray dog to death.

The military was forced to apologise after graphic footage of the incident circulated on YouTube and prompted street protests.

In 2014, a male hippo famous for performing at a private zoo in central Taiwan died after breaking a leg and sustaining other injuries during transportation.

The death sparked more protests from animal rights campaigners.

Like some other Asian nations, dog consumption was common in Taiwan decades ago and although it is much rarer now, there have been reports of shops being caught selling dog meat in recent years.

The new laws mean Taiwan now has some of the most robust animal protection legislation anywhere in Asia.

President Tsai Ing-wen had presented herself as an animal-lover during her election campaign. She owns two cats and adopted three dogs.
Ebola survivor Pauline Cafferkey is planning to return to Sierra Leone and no longer feels guilty about the events which led up to her contracting the deadly virus.

The Scottish nurse said she hopes the fundraising trip to the West African country next month will help to bring 'closure' after a 'terrible couple of years'.

Ms Cafferkey contracted Ebola in 2014 and has suffered a series of further health scares due to complications linked to the disease, at one stage falling critically ill.

The Scottish nurse said she hopes the fundraising trip in May will help to bring 'closure' after a 'terrible couple of years' (She is pictured on today's Victoria Derbyshire show)

The 41-year-old even faced disciplinary proceedings over events surrounding her return to the UK for which she was later cleared.

Today, speaking to the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme, Ms Cafferkey was asked how she felt about being investigated during that period.

She said: 'I dont hold anything against the Nursing and Midwifery Council, they were just doing their job. But it came at a really bad time, it was very difficult for me with my physical health  it was a massive stress on me.

'I have been angry about it, I did leave the screening area - although I did return - I guess if anything I just feel disappointed in Public Health England and how they looked after me when I was in Heathrow.

'But no, I dont feel guilty about that now. Because I was clearly unwell at the time and there were other mitigating circumstances, like Id been traveling for 24 hours, I had just finished a night shift. Various things.'

Nurse Pauline Cafferkey is transported to an RAF Hercules aircraft at Glasgow Airport before she is flown to London for treatment in 2016

Ms Cafferkey said going back to Sierra Leone will be 'psychologically important'.

She said: 'It's where things kind of started for me and I've had a terrible couple of years since then. So it will be good to go back just for things to come full circle for me and a little bit of closure.

'Most people have been supportive if they know that I'm going back. I've had a few people, like family friends, who say 'just be careful when you get back there'.'

She became the first victim to be diagnosed on British soil and spent almost a month in an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in north-west London.

Ms Cafferkey said going back to Sierra Leone will be 'psychologically important' for her

She was discharged the following month after making a recovery and was deemed not to be infectious.

But she fell ill again in October 2015 - at one stage falling critically ill - after suffering meningitis caused by Ebola lying hidden in her spinal fluid.

Again, the disease was beaten back and she left the Royal Free that November. But, three months later in February 2016, she was sent back to hospital again, treated for complications associated with the condition.

Today she revealed that her health is still not what it once was after fighting the deadly disease.

Ms Cafferkey said: Its mostly neurological things I suffer with now, as a result of the meningitis. Bits of my body are numb or painful as result of nerve damage but Im still improving.

The children's nurse is pictured during her volunteering at Sierra Leone in December 2014

I was used to being fit and fitness activities were a bit part of my life  the first time I had ebola I managed to get back to normal health, but then I had the relapse with meningitis which badly affected me.

When asked about being so ill she had wanted to die, she replied: I dont remember too much about it, but the first time I was really struggling. There were people all around me and I was in pain, I was suffering and that was it. I dont remember anything after that.

Despite her experience Ms Cafferkey, who lives in Glasgow, said she was 'excited' to go back and is 'not going there with any trepidation'.

In November a nurse was suspended from the profession for two months after she risked an Ebola outbreak by hiding fellow volunteer Cafferkey's high temperature on the flight home from Africa.

Ms Cafferkey was diganosed with Ebola when she returned from Sierra Leone to Glasgow. She is pictured being transported to an RAF Hercules aircraft in December 2014 before being flown to London for treatment

Donna Wood backed up Ms Cafferkey's claim that she felt warm on the journey because she had been 'sleeping in a hoodie on the plane.'

Wood risked exposing others to the deadly disease by hiding Ms Cafferkey's elevated temperature on their return to the UK, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.

Ms Cafferkey will take part in a 10km run during the fundraising trip for Street Child, a UK charity which helped youngsters affected by the epidemic.

It estimates around 12,000 children were left orphaned, with 1,400 still critically at-risk and struggling to survive.

Ms Cafferkey became the first victim to be diagnosed on British soil and spent almost a month in an isolation unit at the Royal Free Hospital in north-west London (pictured)

WHAT IS EBOLA? Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever that can be contracted by humans and other primates. Symptoms start between two to three days after the sufferer comes into contact with the virus. Initial symptoms include fever, sore throat and headaches. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa started in March 2014. The epidemic killed 11,315 people across Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, the US and Mali. Liberia declared it was free of Ebola in June 2016, which meant there were no known cases in any of the affected West African countries. Advertisement

Ms Cafferkey said she has the ordeal of contracting the virus in common with its African victims, although their experiences were 'very different'.

'The Ebola patients in Sierra Leone didn't know what they were going home to, or who was left alive in their family. They might be going back to sheer hell,' she said.

Ms Cafferkey is one of three Britons to have been infected with Ebola which working in Sierra Leone.

Aid worker William Pooley, 30, from Suffolk, and Army reserve nurse Anna Cross, 26, from Cambridge, also contracted Ebola, but have since recovered.

During the Ebola outbreak which swept Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, more than 28,000 cases were reported, resulting in over 11,000 deaths.

The World Health Organisation declared Sierra Leone Ebola-free in March last year.
Children as young as seven have been investigated by police for sending sexual images on their phones or online.

Police have taken action against thousands of under-18s as they tackle a sexting epidemic amongst British youth, new data reveals.

In the past four years almost 3,500 investigations into sexting by children have been opened by 25 police forces, according to figures provided to The Times under the Freedom of Information Act.

Children as young as seven have been investigated by police for sending sexual images on their phones or online (file photo)

In eight of the cases, prosecution was prevented because the offender was under ten, the age of criminal responsibility.

Children used a variety of social media platforms to share the images, with Facebook and Snapchat the most common.

Norfolk police have investigated 1,097 cases of sexting since 2013-14.

Essex has dealt with 431 cases, while Suffolk has dealt with 300 and South Yorkshire with 394.

In most cases, no action was taken, and of the cases for which an outcome was recorded, 49 led to cautions, 51 to charges and 179 to community resolutions in which the offender apologised or paid compensation.

The police forces involved said the increasing number of sexting cases reflect improved recording and reporting, and that more victims now feel able to make a complaint.

Several police forces are heavily engaged in raising awareness about the dangers of sexting, explaining to children that it could have life-changing impacts and that once images are sent you lose control of what happens next.

The new police data was uncovered by John Pugh, the Liberal Democrat education spokesman.

Police have taken action against thousands of under-18s as they tackle a sexting epidemic amongst British youth, new data reveals (file photo)

He said: These shocking figures show the vital importance of sex and relationships education. The dangers of sexting need to be told to young people.

While sex education is compulsory in English schools, there are calls to update the curriculum so pupils learn about the dangers of pornography and sexting.

Campaigners say the lessons are now necessary due to the large number of children sending sexual images and accessing porn via their phones and tablets.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: We need to ensure that all children and young people have access to high quality, age-appropriate relationships and sex education that relates to the modern world.

That is why we plan to update statutory guidance for relationships and sex education, which was introduced nearly 20 years ago. We will now begin engagement and gather expert opinions to ensure these subjects really have a positive impact.
A 65-year-old grandfather was twice assaulted overnight in north-west Sydney as he walked home from the Royal Easter Show.

Norman Lewis says he was first assaulted by the train station by a man and a woman, reported 7 News.

He headed to the police station to file a report, but just minutes after he left, at about 9pm, a group of six set upon him on Garfield Road East in Riverstone.

Scroll down for video

Norman Lewis, 65, was assaulted twice as he walked home on Tuesday night and spent the night in hospital

Mr Lewis says he was first assaulted near the train station, and again just minutes after he left the police station after filing a report

Police say Mr Lewis was punched and kicked repeatedly and video shows him being hit with a walking stick or crutch, carried by one of his attackers.

During the assault, he received a large gash to his forehead, as well as a cut lip and swelling.

Mr Lewis says he was beaten over the head with the metal crutch, and he has also suffered broken ribs.

'Scumbags I suppose,' he said about his attackers.

'But they're only young. I don't know if they were on ice or just drunk... I don't know.'

Footage shows a group holding the man as he is hit repeatedly. He was taken to Westmead Hospital with a large gash to his forehead and broken ribs, as well as a cut lip and swelling

Mr Lewis says his attackers were young, and suggested they may have been drunk or on ice

CCTV footage appears to show Mr Lewis being held still by members of the group at various points during the ordeal as he is beaten repeatedly.

'I thought I was in a bit of trouble - especially when that fella hit me over the head with a crutch or walking stick,' he said.

He was taken to Riverstone Police Station and helped by officers until an ambulance came to pick him up.

The grandfather was released from Westmead mid-morning on Wednesday after spending the night in hospital for observation

Mr Lewis was then taken to Westmead Hospital for further tests.

A spokesperson for the hospital told Daily Mail Australia he arrived in a stable condition, was held overnight for observation and was discharged mid-morning on Wednesday.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the assault, and urge anyone with information to contact Riverstone Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Easter can be an expensive time for families, but one Australian supermarket claims shopping with it could save you more than 50 per cent this season.

ALDI is promoting itself as the place to shop this Easter, with the discount supermarket claiming its range is far cheaper than competitors Coles and Woolworths.

The German-based retailer claims that by buying everything from chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, to fish and even champagne from its stores, you could save up to $50.

In fact a range of Easter essentials picked by the store and compared to similar items at each other supermarkets comes to a total of $99.58 at Woolworths, $105.30 at Coles - but only $46.83 at ALDI.

ALDI is promoting itself as the place to shop this Easter, with the discount supermarket claiming its range is more than 50 per cent cheaper than its major competitors Coles and Woolworths

The ALDI team said they purchased seven items from its own store, as well as Coles and Woolworths, before totalling the prices and putting them up against each other in a 'basket comparison'.

However the discount supermarket's claims have outraged both Coles and Woolworths, who are adamant that the products chosen by ALDI are in no way comparative.

'We've had a good look at the Aldi basket and it's completely wrong  not only the wrong prices, but the comparisons are completely ridiculous,' a Coles spokesperson said.

Particularly upsetting to both Coles and Woolworths was the comparison between champagne brands, with the supermarket giant's both claiming ALDI alcohol was not on the same level as their Mumm brand.

A range of Easter essentials picked by the store (pictured) and compared to what they call similar items at other supermarkets comes to a total of $99.58 at Woolworths and $105.30 at Coles - but only $46.83 at ALDI

The discount supermarket's claims have outraged both Coles and Woolworths, who are adamant the products chosen by ALDI are in no way comparitive

A Coles spokesperson said a fairer comparison between champagnes would be for customers to purchase their Moutard Brut Cuvee, which retails at $25 per bottle, instead of the pricier Mumm.

They also said after going through and substituting equivalent items, the Coles basket was 3.8 per cent more expensive.

Included in the comparison are not only a range of Easter eggs for the whole family, but also seafood meal ideas for Good Friday - a day where many Christians don't eat meat.

Spruiking the savings potential of their supermarkets, a spokesperson for ALDI said they 'never compromised on quality'.

'We are thrilled to be able to offer shoppers the best value for their Easter shop,' an ALDI spokesperson said.

Among the items included in the comparison are Easter eggs and chocolates, one of the most popular festive season items

Particularly upsetting to both Coles and Woolworths was the comparison between champagne brands, with the supermarket giant's both claiming ALDI alcohol (pictured left) was not on the same level as their Mumm brand

'Our extensive Easter range of dedicated festive products - which include hot cross buns, premium chocolates, crafts and activity sets - will cater to every type of customer and their needs.'

'We are consistently being recognised for our brand level quality, with more than 400 award-winning products currently available in-store every day.'

Woolworths were also contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia.
Jack D Young (pictured) has reportedly admitted taking prescription drugs and texting before the crash

The driver of a pickup truck who collided with a church bus killing 13 choir members had taken pills and had marijuana on him before the crash.

Jack D Young, 20, was spotted driving erratically and swerving in between lanes shortly before the crash in Uvalde County, Texas, on March 29.

The accident resulted in the death of the bus driver, 67-year-old Murray Barrett, and 11 of his passengers who were killed at the scene. Another died after being taken to the hospital.

Young and bus passenger Rose Marry Harris, 64, were the only people to survive the accident.

The bus driver and 11 passengers died at the scene while two were rushed to the hospital. One of the passengers later died. Young was also hospitalized

VICTIMS IN TEXAS BUS CRASH KILLED: Murray Barrett, 67 Howard Allen, 81 Rhonda Allen, 61 Harold Barber, 87 Margaret Barber, 82 Cristie Moore, 68 Donna Hawkins, 69 Avis Banks, 83 Mildred Rosamond, 87 Addie Schmeltekopf, 84 Sue Tysdal, 76 Martha Walker, 84 Dorothy Fern Vulliet, 84 INJURED: Rose Mary Harris, 64 Jack Dillon Young, 20 Advertisement

MySanAntonio.com reported that court documents show Young admitted after the crash he had taken two Clonazepam pills as well as prescription drugs Ambien and Lexapro.

Trooper Scott Hewitt signed an affidavit which said investigators also found two unsmoked marijuana cigarettes in Young's truck and five partially smoked joints.

Young, who was also hospitalized, has not yet been charged and District Attorney Daniel Kindred has said the investigation is expected to take several weeks.

The bus was bringing members of the First Baptist Church of New Braunfels back from a three-day retreat.

After the accident eyewitness Jody Kuchler, 55, said Young apologized and admitted he was texting at the wheel.

Kuchler said: 'He said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was texting." I said, "Son, do you know what you just did?" He said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."'

Kuchler said he had called the sheriff's offices for both Uvalde and Real counties before the accident and told them 'they needed to get him off the road before he hit somebody.'

The self-employed welder said he followed the truck for at least 15 minutes and added: 'He kept going off the road and into oncoming traffic and he just kept doing that.'

Murray Barrett, 67 (left), was driving a bus full of churchgoers (including Addie Schmeltekopf, right) back from a retreat when Young hit them head on

Barrett and 12 of his passengers were killed, including 61-year-old Rhonda Allen (left) and 81-year-old Howard Allen (right)

Mildred Rosamond, 87 (left), and Sue Tysdal, 76 (right), also died in the car crash

Those who died on the bus were Howard Allen, 81; Rhonda Allen, 61; Harold Barber, 87; Margaret Barber, 82; Cristie Moore, 68; Donna Hawkins, 69; Avis Banks, 83; Mildred Rosamond, 87; Addie Schmeltekopf, 84; Sue Tysdal, 76; Martha Walker, 84; and Dorothy Fern Vulliet, 84.

Barrett was a semi-retired middle school math teacher and a married father-of-four.

One of his daughters, Jenn, remembered him in an emotional blog post.

'I cant think about a wedding day without my dad to walk me down the aisle. I cant think about grandkids that will never know their grandfather. I cant think about Christmas or holidays that will be so much harder without my dad,' she wrote.

Kuchler's girlfriend Thania Sanchez took a cell phone video that allegedly shows Young periodically driving both over the double yellow as well as the white line on the right just moments before crashing into the church bus from New Braunfels

Donna Hawkins, 69 (pictured), was another passenger in the church bus which was hit

Barrett and 11 passengers died at the scene while two were rushed to the hospital. One of the passengers later died. The driver of the pickup truck was also hospitalized. The two survivors are reportedly in stable condition

Video courtesy of WOAI

The 67-year-old father-of-four was driving 13 parishioners back from a three-day choir retreat. The semi-retired math teacher is pictured above with his wife Dianne and their children

The crash happened on U.S. 83 outside Garner State Park, around 75 miles west of San Antonio, Texas at 2pm

Debris from the bus littered the highway and grassy banks which surrounded it afterwards

Emergency workers rushed to the crash site to try to save the victims

Other members of the First Baptist New Braunfels church gathered to absorb the tragedy

The group was returning from a three-day retreat at the Alto Frio Baptist Camp in Leakey
The incredible moment stunned military buffs discovered five gold bars worth 2million hidden inside an Iraqi tank has been captured on camera.

Nick Mead and Todd Chamberlain expected to find rusty guns when they investigated the diesel container of a tank they had just bought for 30,000 on ebay.

Mr Mead, who runs Tanks-a-Lot in Helmdon, Northamptonshire, filmed their search and was left gobsmacked when instead of artillery his mechanic pulled out a stash of glistening bullion.

Todd Chamberlain proudly displays one of the glistening bars he had discovered in the old Iraqi tank at the Tanks-a-Lot site in Northamptonshire

As Mr Chamberlain pulled out bar after bar Nick Mead exclaimed 'It's better than having puppies.' But he later admitted on camera that the pair were unlikely to be able to keep the gold (pictured)

Seconds before the discovery Mr Mead is heard telling his colleagues what they should do with the weapons in the tank, only for Mr Chamberlain to pull out the gold and exclaim: 'Well, it's not guns that's for sure.'

He then proceeds to recover the rest of the bars, believed to have been looted by Iraqi soldiers during the invasion of Kuwait in 1990, while an excited Mr Mead celebrates from behind the camera.

The tank had been restored by previous owner Joe Hewes, 23, who replaced its tracks and fixed its engine without ever discovering the valuable booty inside.

Despite missing out on the life-changing find, Mr Hewes said he wasn't bitter and simply expects a small token gesture from Mr Mead.

He said: 'It's crazy and a great find so I hope they get to keep it.

'Everyone is thinking I should be devastated to have missed out on what could be a fortune but I'm not too upset because I made a fair bit of money on the tank anyway.

'I haven't been in touch with Nick but if he does get to keep some of the some of the money, I expect a pint!'

'It's incredible to think for months I had quite literally been sitting on a gold mine.'

From watching Mr Mead's footage of the find, it is safe to say that his attitude towards the gold is very different.

The Chinese-made T54 tank was sold on eBay for around 30,000 by Joe Hewes, pictured, who bought it 'ruined' and restored it

Despite missing out on the 'goldmine' sitting in the tank, Mr Hewes said he was not bitter but did expect a pint from Mr Mead

Mr Mead phoned the police after finding the gold and it is now being kept in a safety deposit box in London

As the bullion is revealed from inside the diesel tank, he exclaims:'Is that what I think it is? How heavy is it? Seriously?! Is that gold? Oh god, that's about five or six kilos. Wow, good here init [sic].

'See how many there are, find the rest! Yeehaah! What are we going to do with them?

'Oh my God. I don't believe it, what do you reckon they're worth? Where did they come from? It could be Kuwaiti or Iraqi.

'How many more are there? This is better than having puppies! Incredible.'

After pulling the bullion from inside the Chinese-made T54 tank, the pair then ring the police to register their find.

Talking to the camera, Mr Mead says: 'It's not something I'd thought I'd be doing, finding b***** great bars of gold hidden in a tank. Absolutely incredible.

'But, we've got to ring the police. I don't know whether this is millions or hundred of thousands worth. But one thing is for certain, I don't want it lying around my office.

Pictured: Mr Chamberlain weighs the gold, which was later estimated to be worth around 2million

Nick Mead (pictured left) and mechanic Todd Chamberlain with the tank. They found the gold inside the diesel tank, which they had just removed

We'll get a receipt and hopefully, just hopefully, we'll get to keep it. What's the chance of us keeping it?

Off camera, some one replies: 'Absolutely zero.'

The film then ends with the crew weighing their loot in order to find out how much it is worth.

Mr Mead, who has a collection of 150 military vehicles, had traded an Army lorry and an Abbot self-propelled gun for the tank.

Mr Chamberlain said: 'We didn't know what to do. You can't exactly take five gold bullion bars down to Cash Converters without questions being asked, so we called the police.'

He added that a quick calculation estimated the worth of the gold at 2million.

Mr Mead said: 'We know it is definitely an Iraqi tank and our theory is the gold is from Kuwait but we don't know.

An Iraqi T-72 tank rumbles down a road near Baghdad in 2003, prior to the invasion by a US-led coalition. Many of Saddam Hussein's tanks were left behind in Kuwait after British and American forces liberated the country in 1991 (file picture)

Nick Mead (pictured) bought the tank after spotting it on eBay. He found the gold hidden inside the diesel tank

'When we found it, we were all laughing and joking and deciding what we were going to spend the money on.

'My sister wanted a Land Rover and I would buy a Rolls Royce Phantom and chop the back off to make a pick-up truck.'

The exact history of the tank is unknown but an inspection revealed it is a Chinese copy of the Russian T-54 design and manufactured under the designation Type 69.

It was built in the early 1980s and has just 1507 miles on the clock.

Mr Mead said: 'I saw it advertised and I had this idea of doing a 'From Russia With Love' experience where people would come and drive three Russian tanks.

'I always keep an eye on military vehicles on EBay, I check it once every three days. I often sell tanks on EBay and I buy from there too.

'It is unusual to get one of these now, they range from around 10k to 60k. I did well buying it for 30k.'

Mr Mead bought the tank after trading it for an Army lorry and an Abbot self-propelled gun (pictured)

Meanwhile two officers from Northamptonshire Police took the bars away for investigation and handed him a receipt which is now being kept in a safety deposit box in London.

It is thought inquiries will be made in Kuwait to see if the gold can be matched to any bullion which was stolen during Iraq's invasion in August 1990.

'It's all very much up in the air at the moment,' Mr Mead said. 'It's very early days and I'm not sure what will happen yet.'

He added that he was unsure if he would receive a 'finders' percentage.

But Mr Mead does not seem bothered that 2million might have just slipped through his fingers.

He said: 'The chances of us keeping it are very slim.

'I've had quite a few strange phone calls.

'I got a call from one person claiming to be a colonel in the British Army saying it was his.

'It's really good fun to have found it. It certainly is interesting.'

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said they could not comment 'for operational reasons'.
Kerrville, TX (78028)

Today

Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 80F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 64F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
A 30-year neighbourhood parking war in a tiny cul-de-sac has become so bad that it can be seen on Google Earth - but infuriated residents claim they are trapped in an impossible situation.

Residents in Stockport, Greater Manchester, battle for prime spots because they know failure to secure one may mean they will be blocked in and unable to get to work the next day.

But fed-up neighbours claim nothing is being done about the issue, despite them 'mithering' on to the council for decades.

Westmorland Close in Brinnington, which has nine houses, is so narrow that there is barely enough space for four cars. In a bid to squeeze in, residents double park - meaning vehicles unable to get in and out - or use the communal grass verges.

But the council has now threatened residents with prosecution if they continue to park on the grass - despite refusing to give them extra space.

Westmorland Close in Stockport, Greater Manchester, is sufficiently narrow that any double parking leaves other vehicles unable to get in and out. Above, circled, a parked car on the road takes up the full space of the small road, pictured in this view from Google Earth

Residents on the close in Stockport battle for prime spots because they know failure to secure one may mean they cannot get to work the next day. Pictured is another Google Earth view showing how there are nine houses, but only space for four cars before someone is blocked in

Yet officials have not offered any other solutions, creating a 'two-faced tit-for-tat' atmosphere among frustrated residents.

This problem occurs so frequently that it has been captured on Google Earth pictures as well as Google Street View on two separate occasions.

Valerie Scott, 49, has lived on the close for 30 years and says the problem has gone on the entire time she has lived there.

She said: 'The parkers can't win because they know that they have got nowhere to park, but they have to park on the grass because there isn't anywhere else.

'But then the council give out tickets. They have given two tickets out or potential tickets [warning] if you park on there again.'

She also fears it could be a danger to homeowners because an ambulance would struggle to get in.

She said: 'It can be pretty dangerous as they're coming over the grass and if someone was coming out of the gate - it's a hazard waiting to happen.

'If you ever needed an ambulance, then you've actually got no chance of getting in, so it is a bit of a [safety] risk.'

She said neighbours were constantly having to knock on each others' doors to ask them to move cars.

'You don't want to do that first thing in the morning or last thing at night, or if you needed to go out in an emergency,' she added.

Part of the problem is large grass verges on either side of the road in Stockport make it narrow. In the picture above, the red car has been blocked into in by the white and silver vehicles

This problem is so frequent it has been captured on Google Earth pictures as well as Google Street View (above) on two separate occasions. Above, one car is parked on the verge (left)

'A lady came by in a wheelchair just the other week and couldn't get through so I had to go and knock on.

'They just need to push it all back and make a bit more parking space. '

Two other neighbours who are regularly affected are Robert Pickering and Hayley Foster, both 27.

Mr Pickering is often late for work or absent from his handyman job and Miss Foster recently had to rush their two-year-old daughter to A&E in a taxi as a result.

Miss Foster, a carer, told MailOnline: 'Because it's a tiny close, there's no through road and you can basically only get two cars parked on our road. What happens is people come and park behind those cars and then you're stuck in.

Retired coach driver Ray Hope lives on the close and said there were 'too many cars' there

Another Google view of the close taken 18 months later. Residents have parked on the verges (left) but the council has threatened them with prosecution and a repair bill if this continues

'The problem is, people are reporting each other's parking and then you have to live with each other.

'Everyone's constantly thinking about who's two-faced, who is reporting who. There's always a fight for a space and nobody knows what's going on behind closed doors.

'To your face, everyone gets on, but you just never know what's being said about you. I've had a note left on my car and I know other people have as well.'

She added that some people who don't even live in the close park there.

'Then people go and park in front of their house, almost in retaliation,' she added.

'There's a real tit-for-tat element. The council must have a log of this going back years but people are falling out now.

One possible solution is to remove one of the verges and put residents only parking bays in its place. In this picture, some of the cars in the foreground have been blocked in by the silver 4x4

'My boyfriend's family have lived here for 12 years and his mum has been complaining to Stockport Council about the parking for at least a decade.'

She said there was the option of parking on the grass but there was the risk of vehicles getting stuck.

'It probably holds eight cars in total but if there's cars in front of yours, there's no way of getting out. I don't know what the solution is.

'There has been some talk of developing the area but it's come to nothing. There simply aren't enough spaces for the system to work.

'The council have sent letter threatening prosecution for people who park on the grass verge, but they need to step up and offer a solution.'

One possible solution is to remove one of the verges and put residents only parking bays in its place. This is something the council is being asked to provide.

Stockport Council told MailOnline that the average cost to construct parking bays on one side of the road  which it adopted in 1957 - would be 60,000.

A car and a van can be seen parked at the end of Westmorland Close in Stockport today

One neighbour said he was 'surprised' locals had not fallen out 'because it's outrageous really'

Neighbour Ann-Marie Greenwood, 46, said they were going around in circles.

'They put on your car a warning saying you cannot park on this thing but where do you expect them to park?' she said.

'There's nowhere to park. Everybody round here has got a car apart from one house. Everybody else has. We need some sort of parking pass.

'Some people have two cars so when they move them and people see them go out, people watch for it and park it there themselves. That's rude to me.

'Somebody goes and then somebody else gets in their car and goes and pinches that space, it's wrong.

'We're always complaining to the council but nothing gets done. I hope something will get done. I think something will get done now. They need a kick up the bum.'

Kirsty Greenwood, 26, added that the parking problems had caused her to be late when dropping her four-year-old son Damien Hoyle to school.

One neighbour told of her concerns over 'worrying what people are saying behind your back'

Ms Greenwood, who works in customer services, said: 'I've driven for a couple of years and I struggle to get to work on time. There's been times that I can't even get out to drop Damien to school in time.

'It's literally every morning people are at each other's throats. I have to park on the grass along with a load of others. I have to squeeze through a tiny gap and it's not fair.

'Everybody wants to live in peace but right now it's not a happy place.'

Meanwhile Ray Hope, 66, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and has lived in Westmorland Close with his partner Lynn Logue, also 66, for almost 20 years.

The retired coach driver said there issue has rumbled on for that whole time, without any resolution.

'We've been mithering Stockport Council and Stockport Homes for years,' he said.

'It's especially bad for me as not only do I have a specially-adapted car because of my disability, I have a mobility scooter to get in and out of the car as well.

Mr Hope said the 'grass verges are a mire and everyone's carpets are filthy because they bring in the mud from parking there'

'It all boils to there being too many cars in the close. The council are leaving us letters saying we'll get fined if we park on the grass verge - what do they expect?

'The further away I have to park from the house, the more difficult it is for me. I've lost my balance and I can't walk far, but the scooter is heavy to move.

'The grass verges are a mire and everyone's carpets are filthy because they bring in the mud from parking there.'

He added that officials had 'fobbed them out'.

'The point is: this row has been going on for ten years. At one time there was a plan in place for the council and the housing association to go 50:50 on the costs of improving it,' he said.

'But they kept coming up with excuses not to sort it and said it was up to ministers. We've all complained about it. They've fobbed us off for long enough now.'

Caroline Simpson from Stockport Council said: 'We will look into the parking issue at Westmorland Close. Residents can report a vehicle blocking a drive on our website.'
ISIS is now cutting the ears off fighters who try and flee from battle, it is reported.

The terror group removed one ear from 33 soldiers caught fleeing the battle in Mosul, their last stronghold in Iraq, a source told Alsumaria News.

The men had been imprisoned before the punishment was carried out, and were told the other ear would be removed if they tried to flee a second time.

ISIS cut an ear off 33 fighters the group caught fleeing fighting in Mosul, a source has said, and threatened to cut a second ear off if they were caught again (file image)

Typically the jihadi group executes deserters, but a source said they have stopped using that punishment because they are short of fighters (pictured, Iraqi troops in Mosul)

Typically deserters from the extremist group are executed, but the source said the terrorists are having to opt for less extreme punishments because they are running out of fighters.

ISIS once controlled around 40 per cent of Iraq, but that has now been whittled down to just 7 per cent, according to joint operations commander Brigadier General Yahya Rasool.

While Mosul is the centre of operations for ISIS in Iraq, the group also controls Qaim, Tal Afar and Hawija.

Fighting in Iraq's second city has been ongoing since October last year, with Iraqi forces backed by Shia militias and coalition air support now fully in control of the eastern part of the city.

Their troops are now trying to advance west, but have been bogged down by bloody close-quarters fighting through the maze-like streets of the old city.

Iraqi forces now control the east of Mosul and are steadily pushing west, though are being slowed down by close-quarters fighting in the old city

ISIS is prepared to defend Mosul to the last man, using suicide bombers, drones packed with explosives and snipers positioned in civilian areas to slow Iraqi forces down

The federal police said in a statement on Tuesday they have been reinforcing their positions in Western Mosul in preparation for a push on the al-Nuri Mosque where Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate in 2014.

ISIS captured Mosul in 2014, establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with on the world stage, after Iraqi troops guarding the city laid down their arms and fled in fear.

The recapture of the city would be a huge psychological blow to the group, and spell the end for their so-called Caliphate straddling two countries.

As a result they are prepared to fight to the last man, using suicide bombers, vehicles packed with explosives, and even human shields to stall the Iraqi advance.

They have also been using drones to drop explosives on coalition forces, a new tactic mirroring American drone strikes which have been used against them.
Two young girls have been injured in car accident in Victoria, after two cars collided on a bend and one caught fire.

The collision took place on Wait-a-While Road in Wyelangta north of Lavers Hill on Wednesday afternoon about 2.45pm.

Police believe a Holden Commodore station wagon and Suzuki Vitara were travelling in opposite directions on Wait-a-While Road, when they both entered a bend in the dirt road and collided.

Two young girls have been injured in car accident in Victoria, after two cars collided on a bend and one caught fire (pictured)

Police said the collision took place on Wait-a-While Road in Wyelangta north of Lavers Hill on Wednesday afternoon about 2.45pm

The collision caused the Commodore to catch fire.

A 10-year-old girl, who was passenger in the Commodore, was treated for serious injuries and was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital, reported Nine News.

A six year-old girl, who was also in the Commodore, was treated for non-life threatening injuries and also airlifted to hospital.

The other people who were in the Commodore station wagon, a woman in her 30s and five children, were assessed by paramedics at the scene.

According to a report from The Age, Ambulance Victoria said a man and a woman and three children were taken to Colac Hospital in a stable condition.

The car was not overloaded.

Three people inside the Suzuki, a 19-year-old man, woman in her 20s and a teenage girl, were uninjured.

Police believe a Holden Commodore and Suzuki Vitara were travelling in opposite directions on Wait-a-While Road when they both entered a bend in the dirt road and collided. Pictured are paramedics at the scene
Danielle Randolph squinted through rain-splattered windows as the sea freighter lunged upward sharply, then fell into the trough of a 30-foot-tall wave.

The skies were black. The second mate stood on the navigation bridge high above the El Faro's main deck, which spread out before her like an aircraft carrier stacked high with red, white and blue cargo containers.

News blurted through the bridge's radio speaker: Forecasters had named the storm Hurricane Joaquin as it built into a Category 3, with winds of 130 mph.

'Oh my God,' she said to the helmsman standing nearby, bracing when the ship she called "the rust bucket" shuddered over another wave.

'Can't pound your way through them waves. Break the ship in half,' the helmsman said.

The National Transportation Safety Board in 2016 released a 510-page audio transcript from the voyage data recorder of the cargo ship El Faro, which sank in 2015 with all 33 onboard

It was 1:15am on October 1, 2015, and the Atlantic was boiling over. The El Faro, sailing near San Salvador Island in the Bahamas, was being knocked about by the strongest October storm to hit these waters since 1866.

In the coming hours, the El Faro and its crew would fight desperately for survival.

Another wave slammed into them.

'Oh (expletive),' said Randolph. 'That was a bad one.' The alarm sounded. The ship was now pushed in another direction, off the captain's chosen course.

After a few tense seconds, the El Faro righted herself.

'She's doin' good. I'm impressed. Knock on wood,' said Randolph.

The El Faro was one of two ships owned by TOTE Maritime Inc that navigated in constant rotation between Jacksonville, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

It brought everything from milk to Mercedes Benzes to the island. If the El Faro missed its run store shelves sat empty, an economy suffered and TOTE lost money.

This run was to be the El Faro's last before a major retrofit. Inspectors had found parts of the vessel's boilers that were 'deteriorated severely' and service was scheduled in the next month.

This came as no surprise: One Coast Guard inspector had identified a 'disturbing' uptick in safety discrepancies during the El Faro's inspections from 2013 to 2014.

This undated photo shows Danielle Randolph, a second mate on the freighter El Faro

The Guard was in the process of adding the 40-year-old ship to its 'target list' of US cargo vessels that needed a higher level of scrutiny.

To add to the danger, the El Faro was equipped with open-top lifeboats similar to those used on the Titanic or Lusitania. Modern ships carry the round, tent-like lifeboats with electronic beacons that dramatically increase survival chances in a shipwreck.

Once, Randolph texted pictures of the El Faro's lifeboats to her mom.

'Is that your lifeboat? It's open,' her mom replied, aghast.

A coastal Mainer, Laurie Bobillot knew open life boats to be a thing of the past.

'Let's hope you never get into some rough seas,' she wrote, 'because you know kid, you're screwed.'

'Yes, I know,' Randolph replied. 'Mom, if I ever die at sea, that's where I want to be.'

___

Randolph had a cordial relationship with the captain of the El Faro. She respected him, but told her mother and friends she didn't like his dismissive attitude.

The storm had been growing, so Randolph suggested they consider taking a longer, slower route south through the Old Bahama Channel. But the captain had the final word on voyage planning, and he refused to deviate.

She'd noticed the captain was sound asleep when she'd called. It rang a few times before he answered.

The ship was taking a beating, she'd said, but was holding course. The captain asked about the latest weather reports. He would return to the bridge in a few hours. She hung up the phone as the ship took on another huge wave.

The story of the El Faro's (seen here in 2010) final hours was reconstructed using thousands of pages of public documents, hours of testimony before the US Coast Guard's investigative board and interviews with crew family members and maritime experts

'He said to run it. Hooold on to your ass!' Randolph shouted.

'Figured the captain would be up here,' the helmsman said. Microphones on the bridge picked up their conversations, which were sent to a voyage data recorder, the ship's 'black box'.

'I thought so too. I'm surprised,' Randolph replied.

'Damn,' the helmsman said with disappointment. 'He'll play hero tomorrow,' he said laughing. The captain would be praised for the ship making it through Hurricane Joaquin to San Juan on time.

Even after a decade at sea, Randolph, 34, maintained a youthful air. Her round, freckled face was slightly weathered from the sun, and her dumb jokes endeared her to the 32 crewmates who relied on her skillful navigation.

She stood only 5-foot-3, but her mariner toughness was displayed in the large anchor tattoo on her chest, which peeked over the neckline of the vintage '50s dresses she liked to wear on shore.

Randolph was one of only two women on this cargo run. Raised in a military family whose motto was 'suck it up', she worked hard and asked few questions.

But now, she was helpless against the crushing waves, wind and rain.

In this image made from a video released by the National Transportation Safety Board on April 26, 2016, shows the top of El Faro navigation bridge structure with missing voyage data recorder, mast and support structures at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean in the Bahamas

'It would help if I knew which direction the swell was coming from,' Randolph said to the helmsman. 'I could alter course a little more. I can't see.'

They heard a massive thump from below, in the bowels of the ship. The El Faro carried heavy cargo in its interior holds: If that was a car or something else coming loose, it was a sailor-crushing danger.

'Whoooo!' Randolph exclaimed.

'Yeah, it's startin' to get a little bit more active around here,' the helmsman replied.

The swelling seas shoved the El Faro around like a cork.

Randolph could not know exactly how hard the wind was blowing. The El Faro's anemometer, or wind gauge, had been broken for years.

To adapt, the sailors usually stepped out on deck to gauge wind speed the old-fashioned way, by checking the flap of the boat's flags. That was impossible in the dark.

Randolph scanned the radar for a fellow vessel in the area, but every other ship had diverted to avoid the storm. The El Faro was alone.

'Hello, Joaquin,' Randolph said to the storm. 'It's just getting bigger - our path is going right through it.'

At 3:34am the captain emerged from his stateroom. Randolph greeted him, grateful for the chance to go down to her room for a quick rest. She'd found time to fire off a quick email to her mother.

'We are heading straight into it, Category 3, last we checked. Winds are super bad. Love to everyone.'

Later that day, reading the email in Denmark, Wisconsin, Randolph's mother knew something was wrong. Randolph never signed her emails, 'Love to everyone'. Her mother understood that her daughter was sending a coded message: I may never see you again.

Danielle had a mariner toughness that was displayed in the large anchor tattoo on her chest, which peeked over the neckline of the vintage '50s dresses she liked to wear on shore

___

With his square chin, salt-and-pepper hair and thick Mainer's brogue, the El Faro's captain was a meticulous master who struck a commanding presence.

Yet Michael Davidson's detached, hands-off style led Randolph and some others to describe the 53-year-old master as a 'stateroom captain'.

Stateroom captains didn't get their hands dirty and weren't seen a lot on deck. They didn't share smokes and chit chat with the crew.

On the bridge, he greeted Randolph's replacement, chief mate Steve Shultz, and a new helmsman, Frank Hamm.

He set out to calm their nerves.

'There's nothing bad about this ride,' the captain announced, despite the hurricane raging outside. 'I was sleepin' like a baby. This is every day in Alaska,' the captain continued.

No one could see out of the windows, except for when brief sparks of lightning illuminated the rain. 'A typical winter day in Alaska.'

Earlier in his career Davidson had navigated freighters in the Alaska trade, known in the industry as one of the most bruising theaters of sailing. But his leadership had been questioned by TOTE's upper management, and after initially leaning toward offering Davidson the job heading one of its new ships the company decided to go in a different direction. Now favored were younger captains who could drive the new high-tech freighters.

Family members of El Faro crew members stand with photographs of their loved ones during a break in a US Coast Guard investigative hearing in Jacksonville, Florida, on February 10

Before leaving port in Jacksonville, Davidson expressed disappointment to colleagues that he hadn't been chosen to command the modern, liquefied natural gas-fueled ship that was to replace the El Faro.

The captain had been disappointed by the news, but he was a professional. Perhaps he thought he could show them that they'd made a mistake by making the El Faro's cargo run on time, even with a major storm system in his way.

Davidson knew what could happen to masters who raised safety concerns that weren't considered serious enough by the company. He had been fired by a prior employer after an incident with another ship. The steering was bad on that one, and he'd refused an order to take it to port, requiring the company to hire tugboats to drag it there instead.

The course alarm, which blared every time the ship deviated from its programmed route, was now ringing every few seconds as the seas flung the vessel around.

The captain ordered it turned off, along with the auto-piloting system, nicknamed the 'Iron Mike'. They would have to steer the ship manually, to use their human senses to feel the swell and winds, as they piloted blindly into the waves.

Containers the size of Mack trucks were breaking free from their chain lashings. They'd left port not expecting the heavy weather and didn't ask the longshoremen for extra storm lashes, the ship's third mate had said ruefully earlier in the day, as the storm worsened.

Now, thrown off balance, the El Faro tilted precariously to the right, or starboard, as it plunged into the pounding waves.

Unsure why his boat was listing, the captain searched for a solution. The steep angling of the ship was making it hard to stand up straight. If he knew the hurricane-force wind's direction - difficult to detect at night in a hurricane with a broken wind gauge - the helmsman could position the freighter so that the wind hit its left, port side, correcting the vessel's pitch.

Rochelle Hamm holds the hard hat of her husband, Frank, at her home in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 14. Frank Hamm was a new helmsman on the doomed freighter El Faro

Frank Hamm's helmet was found on Ormond Beach, Florida, in December 2015. The helmet, found by a couple cleaning trash off a Florida beach, washed ashore two months after he disappeared

Flooding in the cavern-like interior holds could be battled with pumps to redirect the water into other areas for balance. If the ship lost some of its 20-ton containers, he could use the pumps to help compensate for that, too.

None of that mattered without power, though. The captain called down to the engine room to check that the ship's boilers, its only source of power, were still operational. Without propulsion in a Category 3 storm, the El Faro would be lost.

'How you guys doing down there?' he asked. The engineer replied that they were 'blowin' tubes,' or trying to remove obstructions from the engine as it chugged.

There was another problem: the intake tube that sucked oil like a straw from a large tank into the engines was starting to lose contact with the oil due to the ship's tilt. Without oil, the engines would stop running altogether.

Standing with the captain on the bridge, chief mate Shultz noted the barometer readings were headed downward, which could indicate they were closer to Joaquin's eye. That ran counter to the storm track models Davidson had used - those showed the storm farther away. He still planned to outrun it.

'We won't be goin' through the eye,' the captain said: If they could skirt a bit further south, away from the eye toward Crooked Island, they would reach its backside more quickly.

With the ship tilting and oil pressure decreasing, the captain decided to use the wind to force the ship more upright. If he could do that, he could get oil pressure back, and increase the ship's power.

'Just steer that heading right there the best you can. That'll work for us,' the captain instructed Hamm and Shultz.

The ship dropped down a three-story-tall swell. 'Feel the pressure droppin' in your ears just then? Feel that?' Davidson said, trying to make light of the situation.

This graphic, released by the NTSB on December 13, depicts the locations of the El Faro Oct. 1, 2015, relative to the locations of Hurricane Joaquin

Hamm's large frame was bent over in fear at his console. Two days earlier, the 49-year-old father of five had called Rochelle, his wife, just before he sailed out of range.

He said everything was OK - Hamm liked and trusted the captain, with whom he'd often worked. But in the chaos of the storm, he had been unable to send his customary daily email home.

'Take your time and relax,' Davidson said. Hamm managed to find his breath, then took the helm back. 'I am relaxed, Captain.'

Davidson turned quickly to the ship's computer. He needed to check the Bon Voyage System, or BVS, an online subscription weather forecasting tool, to get the latest hard data on Joaquin.

'Hanging in there (Frank)?' Shultz said, trying to keep the jittery helmsman engaged as the captain scanned his email for the weather updates. 'Still got us on course. You're doin' great.'

The captain grew confused. Though the forecasting tool told him the storm was still farther north, clearly they were right in it. 'We're gettin' conflicting reports as to where the center of the storm is,' he said.

Davidson didn't know that there was a problem with the BVS system emails he was receiving: One update he'd received had storm tracking information that was 21 hours old. While he had access to other forecasts on the internet, Davidson relied on BVS. The storm they now faced was far more advanced than his weather models showed.

'Our biggest enemy here right now is we can't see,' he said. He believed they were nearing the back side of the storm, but had no way of knowing for sure. By overruling his crew's suggested alternate routes, he had made a horrible mistake.

An engineer from below deck appeared on the bridge. Something wasn't right. 'I've never seen it list like this,' the engineer reported. The El Faro's steep list was not just from sliding shipping containers, the engineer reasoned - something else was to blame.

The phone rang with a call from the engine room. The ship was losing oil pressure, and needed to be righted now.

'I'm tryin' to get her steadied up,' the captain replied.

Water surged over the ship's stern, and the sound of the ocean pounding the old ship was deafening. Another electric ring of the telephone. Davidson answered, 'Bridge, captain.'

A moment passed and he turned to his chief mate: 'We got a prrroooblem.'

Water had started flooding one of the ship's warehouse-sized holds used to store cars and other large containers. He ordered Shultz, a 54-year-old former Navy captain and seasoned mariner, below deck immediately to start pumping out the hold. It was a perilous assignment.

Any piece of heavy cargo afloat in the hold could easily pulverize Shultz. The chief mate grabbed a walkie-talkie and climbed down from the bridge.

The captain took the ship's helm from Hamm. With water flooding into the El Faro's insides, he knew why he'd been unable to right the ship.

He turned the steering wheel hard, trying to use the wind again - anything to decrease the ship's angle. Shultz radioed from down below, in the flooded cargo chamber.

'About knee deep in here,' he said.

Since her husband died after the freighter El Faro sank in a hurricane, Rochelle Hamm has been on a mission to make ships safer. Hamm said in March she was motivated in part by her terrified husband's last words, which were recorded and stored on the ship's date recorder as the vessel sank

___

At 6am, Randolph came back to the bridge from her stateroom. She'd changed out of her work clothes, and hadn't changed back before coming up.

She moved over to the dead radar screen - it'd gone dark, maybe from water coming through a gap in one of the bridge's windows - to try and get the ship's current position. After a few minutes, the radar fluttered and suddenly blinked back to life.

'All right, good,' the captain said. He ordered Randolph to sync the latest BVS weather models with their current position, still not realizing the data was hours old, and useless.

The ship groaned over yet another tall wave. 'Nooooo,' Randolph said, bracing. 'There goes the lawn furniture.'

'Let's hope that's all,' said the captain.

Randolph wasn't supposed to be on the bridge, but Davidson didn't question her. 'You want me to stay with you?' Randolph asked. 'Please,' the captain said. 'It's just the ...' He couldn't finish his sentence.

Shultz called from the flooded hold again. He wanted the bridge to move the ship so the water below would shift to the other side.

All at once, a terrifying silence gripped them. The rumble and vibration of ship's engines ceased. The El Faro was adrift.

'I think we just lost the plant,' Davidson said.

Somehow, he needed to balance the ship - an almost impossible feat without propulsion.

Down below, the whirring pumps continued to push thousands of gallons a minute from the flooded holds. Up top, everyone had to use their leg muscles to stay standing on the angling ship. 'Feeling those thighs burn?' Randolph asked Hamm, as he dug in to turn the rudder.

As the cargo freighter went down in a hurricane in 2015, the ship's data recorder captured Frank Hamm's final words. 'My feet are slipping! I'm goin' down!' he cries after the crew is ordered to abandon ship

Rochelle Hamm, the widow of El Faro crew member Frank Hamm, wipes her eyes during an interview at her home in Jacksonville, Florida, in March

Just after 7am, Davidson picked up the ship's emergency satellite phone. He dialed the cellphone number of TOTE's designated person ashore, the only human in charge of knowing what was going on with the fleet.

The call went to voicemail.

Davidson rattled out a brief message, then called the company's answering service. A woman picked up with a pleasant hello.

'We had a hull breach; a scuttle blew open during a storm,' Davidson explained tersely. 'We have water down in three hold, with a heavy list. We've lost the main propulsion unit, the engineers cannot get it going.' He asked for her to patch him through to a TOTE official immediately.

'Can you please give me your satellite phone number and spell the name of the vessel?' she asked slowly. 'Spell your name, please?'

TOTE safety officials had identified the answering service as a problem previously, but it had not been fixed.

'The clock is ticking' the captain said, his voice calm despite the chaos. He tried again. 'This is a marine emergency, and I am tryin' to also notify management!' He gave the operator his name and number and hung up.

Electronic alarms echoed throughout the steel freighter. Randolph read out their current position. The captain called down to the flooding hold.

'Can you tell if it's decreasing or increasing?' he asked. 'I can't tell captain. Seems as if it's goin' down,' the chief mate replied. He turned to Randolph. 'Say second mate. How 'bout our range and bearing from like San Miguel Island? Or San Salvador? Whatever that island is there,' he said, looking for any sign of land they might be able to reach. He grabbed the El Faro's emergency beacon that would aid rescuers in finding their position.

The satellite phone rang, it was his boss. 'Yeah, I'm real good,' Davidson said matter-of-factly. 'Three hold's got considerable amount of water in it. Uh, we have a very, very healthy port list. The engineers cannot get lube oil pressure on the plant, therefore we've got no main engine. And let me give you, um, a latitude and longitude. I just wanted to give you a heads up before I push that, push that button,' he said, referring to the Ship Security Alert System, or SSAS, an emergency beacon. It was 7:07am

'The crew is safe,' he said into the phone. 'Right now we're tryin' to save the ship. But it's not gettin' any better. No one's panicking. Our safest bet is to stay with the ship during this particular time. The weather is ferocious out here.'

Coast Guard Captain Jason Neubauer, left, the chairman of the El Faro hearing board and Tom Roth-Roffy, the NTSB Investigator-In-Charge listen as Charles Baird, the former second mate of the El Faro answers questions from Neubauer during a hearing investigating the ship's sinking, in Jacksonville, Florida, on February 18, 2016

Retired Rear Admiral Philip H Greene, Jr, President and CEO of TOTE Services, Inc (left) answer questions from the board at a hearing investigating the sinking of the El Faro ship in Jacksonville, Florida, on February 17, 2016

Davidson told his boss it was time to alert the Coast Guard. 'I wanna wake everybody up,' he said. 'I just wanted to give you that courtesy, so you wouldn't be blindsided by it. Everybody's safe right now, we're in survival mode.'

Randolph stood at the ready. 'All right now, push the SSAS button,' he commanded.

'Roger,' she said.

'Wake everybody up. WAKE 'EM UP!' Davidson shouted. 'We're gonna be good. We're gonna make it right here.'

Chief Mate Shultz radioed from the flooded hold again. 'I think the water level's rising captain,' he said. He could think of nothing more to do.

'All right, chief,' the captain replied.

Davidson's tinny voice sounded over the ship's intercom ordering the crew to muster. He wanted everyone accounted for. The high-frequency bell of the abandon ship alarm rang out.

'Can I get my vest?' Randolph asked.

'Yup, bring mine up too and bring one for (Frank)' the captain replied. The helmsman, a large man and diabetic, yelled out as Randolph left the bridge: 'I need two!'

'OK buddy, relax,' the captain said. The ship heaved, the tip of its bow sinking beneath the black water.

'Bow is down. Bow is down,' Davidson said over the ship intercom.

'Get into your rafts. Throw all your rafts in the water,' he yelled. 'Everybody. EVERYBODY GET OFF THE SHIP! STAY TOGETHER!' he screamed.

This undated photo provided by TOTE Maritime shows the cargo ship, El Faro. On October 31, 2015, the US National Transportation Safety Board said a search team using sophisticated scanning sonar has found the wreckage of a vessel believed to be the ship which went missing

Brian Young, seen here on April 11, is the chief investigator for the NTSB into the sinking of El Faro. The 790- foot ship sank after losing propulsion in Hurricane Joaquin. The bodies of the 33 crew members were never found

Hamm was unable to move. 'Cap, Cap,' he said.

'You gotta get up,' Davidson ordered. 'You gotta snap out of it and we gotta get out!' he said, his voice firm, urgent.

'Help me!' Hamm pleaded.

'Ya gotta get to safety!' the captain yelped. Hamm couldn't move.

The shrill beat of alarms continued as the ship's tilt worsened.

The captain reached for Hamm. 'Don't panic. Don't panic,' he said. 'Work your way up here. Don't freeze up! Follow me,' he pleaded with Hamm.

'I can't! My feet are slipping! I'm goin' down!'

Davidson looked at his terrified helmsman. 'You're not goin' down. COME ON!' he yelled.

'You gonna leave me,' Hamm cried.

'I'm not leavin' you. Let's go,' the captain responded.

'I'M A GONER!' Hamm screamed.

'NO, YOU'RE NOT!' the captain replied.

The El Faro's bridge reared up as the ship sank deeper.

'IT'S TIME TO COME THIS WAY!' Davidson shouted, as the El Faro slipped beneath the sea.

This photo shows the memory module that stores data from the voyage data recorder of El Faro. The capsule was recovered from a depth of more than 15,000 feet on August 9, 2016

___

It would be months before search crews found the wreckage. The El Faro had come to rest 15,000 feet down, on the seafloor near the Bahamas. The bridge where Hamm and Davidson struggled for survival had separated from the vessel's hull, and lay a quarter mile away.

No bodies were ever recovered. It was the worst maritime disaster for a US-flagged vessel since 1983.

The US Coast Guard has held six weeks of investigative hearings over the past year, and the National Transportation Safety Board is conducting its own probe. Both agencies are expected to issue findings later this year.

TOTE defended its safety record, and emphasized that the El Faro was permitted to operate by the Coast Guard despite the issues flagged by inspectors. The company also said it had been working on fixing the problems with its emergency answering service, but had not gotten to it before El Faro's voyage. It now is paying for a more expensive storm forecasting tool for its entire fleet.

In December 2015, about two months after the El Faro sank, a couple picking up trash on Ormond Beach in Florida found a green hard hat among the plastic bottles and other garbage. The name 'FRANK' was scrawled in Hamm's writing across the front.

Rochelle Hamm recognized it immediately as her husband's. It's encrusted with sand and bits of dried seaweed.

She keeps it in a bag by the side of her bed.
Nicola Sturgeon has been derided for living in 'dreamland' after claiming that a second Scottish independence referendum would not be divisive.

The row reignited as the SNP leader stepped up her demand for Theresa May to grant a fresh vote before the Brexit process is complete.

Despite her party's intensely tribal attitude, Miss Sturgeon said it need not split the country at an already turbulent time.

'There is nothing inevitable about this campaign or any campaign being divisive,' she said at an event in Glasgow.

The Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats accused the First Minister (pictured in the US last week) of failing to tackle her 'extreme cybernat supporters'

But the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats accused the First Minister of failing to tackle her 'extreme cybernat supporters' and refusing to accept that a majority of Scots 'simply do not want' another independence vote.

Miss Sturgeon is engaged in a bitter stand-off with the Prime Minister on the crucial issue.

Mrs May has made clear she will ignore a Holyrood vote in favour of holding a referendum, saying 'now is not the time' for a fresh ballot.

Miss Sturgeon has suffered a series of setbacks in her latest bid to tear the UK apart, with polls showing little desire for a referendum and that she would be defeated if one was to happen.

Grim figures last week also revealed that the economy north of the border has gone into reverse as the oil industry struggles, undermining the case for splitting from the rest of the union.

Addressing an audience in Glasgow last night, Miss Sturgeon stubbornly stuck to her timetable of holding a referendum between Autumn next year and spring 2019.

She contrasted the 2014 independence referendum campaign with last year's vote for the UK to leave the European Union - a position not supported in Scotland where 62% of voters opted to remain part of the bloc.

But in that ballot she said 'people were asked to vote for a change, without ever really being told what that change involved'.

Ms Sturgeon said: 'I don't pretend for one moment that the 2014 referendum was perfect. But I do think it was a far better process for debate and decision than the 2016 vote on the EU.

'And so we want to ensure that the next referendum on independence again gives people the information they need to come to an informed and considered judgment.

'That is why nobody wants the referendum to take place immediately. Instead, I believe it should happen once the details of the final Brexit agreement with the EU are known. Based on what the Prime Minister says currently that is likely to be in late 2018 or early 2019.'

The First Minister, who was addressing the Political Studies Association annual conference, insisted EU membership had been a 'significant issue' in the 2014 independence referendum.

She said: 'In my view, that is democratically unacceptable.'

Miss Sturgeon argued that a second referendum would not necessarily split the country.

Ms Sturgeon said: 'There is a lot of talk in Scotland right now about how an independence referendum would be divisive. There is nothing inevitable about this campaign or any campaign being divisive.

The First Minister is engaged in a bitter stand-off with Theresa May over her demands for a fresh Scottish referendum

The Prime Minister has insisted 'now is not the time' for a referendum and made clear she will simply ignore demands for one

'Campaigns and politics are only divisive if we make them so, and we should be determined, all of us, not to make it so.'

She stated: 'Fundamentally, all voters simply want the best for their own families, for their communities and for their countries. They just come to different conclusions about how best to achieve that.

'So the campaign around Scottish independence needs always to respect that fact. We need to recognise the honesty and validity of people's anxieties, doubts and differences of opinion.

'As First Minister, I have a responsibility to lead by example. After all, the Scottish Government has a special responsibility to build consensus where we can.

'So I will do my best to ensure that at all times we make our case not just with passion and conviction, but with courtesy, empathy and respect. I hope very much that all politicians will do the same.'

But Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said the First Minister 'seems to be unable to accept that a majority of Scots simply do not want another referendum'.

He hit out: 'The last thing Scotland needs right now is a divisive and unwarranted referendum.

'Instead it needs a Scottish Government that gets on with the job it was elected to do, such as addressing the many problems facing our schools, hospitals and the economy.'

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale also said Ms Sturgeon should focus on the business on government.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said Ms Sturgeon should focus on the business on government

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the First Minister was living in 'dreamland' and had failed to curb extreme 'cybernat' supporters

She stated: 'Instead of constantly seeking to divide the country, the SNP should focus on the job of governing - tackling the crisis in our schools, fixing our broken NHS, and investing in local services.

'The clearly expressed will of the Scottish people is to remain in the UK. That's the mandate that Nicola Sturgeon must respect.'

Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said: 'Families and communities across Scotland are still damaged by the division of the last independence referendum. The First Minister is living in dreamland if she thinks another one would be positive for Scotland.

'The First Minister has not done enough to tackle her extreme cybernat supporters. Even today the SNP leader in Edinburgh has said that no party other than the SNP is properly Scottish.

'That is an insult to the majority of people in Scotland. This abuse has to stop. And the First Minister needs to get it sorted.'
A British woman has been killed in a horror crash in Thailand, after a burst tyre made a van collide with a passenger vehicle.

The 44-year-old was travelling in the van in the Krabiis Koh Klang subdistrict when it collided with a songtaew - an adapted truck used as a taxi or bus.

The van driver, 40-year-old Srawut Supap, also died in the collision, which happened at midday on Wednesday local time.

It is thought a burst tyre caused the van to plough into the path of a songtaew. A 44-year-old British woman and a Thai driver were killed in the collision

Four people travelling in the songtaew were seriously injured and taken to hospital

The woman and the van driver died at the scene of the crash in the Krabiis Koh Klang substrict in Karbiprovince

The woman was being taken from Krabi International Airport to Hua Hin Pier, from where she planned to continue to the island district of Koh Lanta in the south west of the country.

It is thought Mr Supap lost control of the van when a front tyre burst, colliding with the songtaew which was travelling in the opposite direction.

Both vehicles were thrown off the road, and four people, the songtaew driver and three passengers were seriously injured.

The British woman and Mr Srawut died before rescuers arrived at the scene.

Both vehicles ploughed off the road in the horrific collision, which happened on Wednesday
An extra is suing the makers of Brooklyn Nine Nine for $500,000, claiming that he was refused an omelet on set because he was Asian.

A complaint filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court by Kwon Kang says he was dressed as a police officer when he went up to a food truck in January 2016 and tried to order some breakfast.

Mr Kang claimed an employee of Limelight Catering told him he 'refuses to serve food to police officers because his brother was killed by a police officer'.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine stars (left to right) Melissa Fumero as Amy Santiago, Andy Samberg as Jake Peralta and Joe Lo Truglio as Charles Boyle

Considering the show is set in a New York police station and most of the actors and extras were playing cops, Mr Kang assumed he was joking.

But he said the staff in the catering truck began laughing at him.

The Movie Reactor reported that his attorney Jamie Jiyoon Kim said: 'Soon thereafter the crew members stopped laughing and Limelight's employee told the plaintiff he will serve him food now. Despite the oppressive and discriminative behavior by Limelight's employee, Plaintiff was thankful and he expressed his gratitude.'

But Mr Kim said Mr Kang never received the omelet he had requested and was left humiliated, believing he had been picked on because he was the only Asian on set.

Brooklyn Nine Nine is a hit comedy show which has black, Jewish and gay characters

Mr Kang is suing Limelight for assault, racial discrimination and negligent infliction of emotional distress, and NBC for failure to maintain a harassment-free environment.

He is seeking $500,000 in punitive damages plus lost earnings.

NBC reportedly investigated the incident after Mr Kang brought it to the attention of the SAG-AFTRA union.

They said they were unable to substantiate his allegations of verbal harassment or inappropriate conduct.
The 'rise of the robots' could trigger a fresh wave of migration as jobs in developing countries are automated, the head of the World Bank has warned.

More widespread access to the internet could also fuel flows as people will be able to see how wealthy other parts of the globe are, according to Jim Yong Kim.

The economist made the grim prediction as he urged progress on stamping out poverty around the world.

In a speech at the London School of Economics last night, Dr Kim said low-skilled jobs  such as making clothes  had traditionally provided millions of jobs in developing countries

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim said wealthier countries were also starting to 're-shore' jobs as automation slashed costs

However, a new generation of machines including robots and 3D printers meant far fewer staff would be needed in future.

Dr Kim, president of the Washington-based organisation, said wealthier countries were also starting to 're-shore' jobs as automation slashed costs.

Low-skilled jobs are going to go, and the traditional path to economic development  where you go from agriculture, to light manufacturing, to all-out industrialisation  that path is probably not going to be open to huge numbers of low-income countries, he said.

Were already seeing what people are calling re-shoring of light manufacturing because automation makes things cheaper.

Dr Kim said broadband would give impoverished families a window into the developed world and make them long to copy it.

That could mean millions coming to Europe in search of a better future  and the frustration at not being able to achieve their aims might even spark new wars.

He claimed that it was essential to help poorer nations improve before technology created a fresh crisis.

Keeping up with the Joneses used to be about keeping up with your neighbours, he said in his speech.

But its no longer only about the Joneses living around you  because of connectivity, the Joneses could be anywhere in the world.

A new generation of machines - including robots like these at a car plant in Hertfordshire - will mean far fewer low-skilled jobs will be available in future and could also spark 're-shoring' in wealthier countries as costs fall

Europe has been struggling to cope with a wave of migrants from North Africa after millions of people were displaced by conflict in the region. Pictured, migrants are rescued from a wooden barge in the Mediterranean in 2015

Africa's population of around 1.2billion people had 226million smartphones at the end of 2015, but the World Bank expects the figure to have tripled by 2020.

The world's poorest nations will get a view of how different their lives could be in countries such as Britain, and they are likely to want to improve their own situation.

If migrating is proved impossible it could result in conflict and volatility.

I worry that if theres no opportunity to achieve those aspirations, frustration may very well lead to fragility, conflict, violence, extremism, and eventually migration, Dr Kim said.

Were already seeing worrying trends  two billion people live in countries affected by fragility, conflict, and violence.

Because of rising aspirations, the task is much more urgent than we ever thought, and we have to move at a greater scale than we ever have before.

Dr Kim said the toxic cocktail of problems made the World Banks mission to stamp out poverty even more important.

He urged government agencies to work with the private sector to pump trillions of pounds into countries that need help.
Louise Harris, 24, is a Cambridge-educated wannabe popstar from Harpenden who has compared the Just Stop Oil campaign to that of the Irish rebels' fight for independence from the British and once said she was like a prisoner of war. This morning she cried on the gantry over Britain's busiest motorway as she declared: 'You might hate me for doing this. I'm here because I don't have a future.' But despite her warnings about the future of the planet, her Facebook page shows her posing next to a 2009 Fiat Punto, which runs on unleaded. Just Stop Oil opposes petrol cars so much its members smash petrol stations to prevent people refueling and blockade refineries. She also appears to be at the wheel - or a passenger - in the same car in a number of other social media posts, including this year when she has been taking part in Just Stop Oil protests, despite it running on petrol. Miss Harris compared her yellow Punto to the vehicle made famous by The Inbetweeners, because it has a red door. In one post where she stands next to her Fiat she says: 'I am officially Number 1 fan of this show f**k you other wannabes. Unfortunately it DOESN'T have a tape deck'. Today Miss Harris was among 23 people arrested by the Met Police and colleagues at Surrey, Essex and Hertfordshire, after shutting down the M25. The demonstrator - who posts songs on YouTube including a slickly edited music video called 'Dating me is like a Cambridge term'. The lyrics include: Dating me is like a Cambridge term. By the fifth week you are completely burnt out emotionally destroyed and suicidal'.
Avoided jail: Chanice Bowen, 25, pictured outside Cardiff Crown Court today, was caught in a 22,000 benefits fiddle

A bride was caught in a 22,000 benefits fiddle because she put her wedding pictures on Facebook for her friends to see.

Chanice Bowen, 25, of Barry, South Wales, lied to benefits officials that she was a hard-up single mother - and hid her secret marriage to her fiance.

But she was caught when officers found a wedding slideshow she posted online, captioned: 'Best years of my life, love my husband.'

Her favourite images included Bowen posing in her white wedding dress, smiling with bridesmaids and the happy couple kissing at the wedding venue.

A court heard Department of Work and Pensions officials asked her what she was doing on the date of her dream wedding - but Bowen replied: 'I can't remember.'

Bowen admitted three counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information but avoided prison after being sentenced to ten months in jail, suspended for two years

She was paid thousands in income support, council tax and housing benefit after claiming she was a single parent after splitting from boyfriend Lee Mapstone.

But Mr Mapstone, 26, was working as a mechanic - and the pair were man and wife for three years before her fiddle was discovered.

Chanice Bowen (left), 25, of Barry, South Wales, lied to benefits officials that she was a hard-up single mother - and hid her secret marriage to her fiance Lee Mapstone (right)

Bowen was caught when officers found a wedding slideshow she posted online captioned: 'Best years of my life, love my husband'

Bowen, pictured outside court today, admitted dishonestly failing to disclose information

Prosecutor Andrew Davies said: 'This is a case that was fraudulent from the outset.

'In January 2013 Bowen wrote a letter saying Lee Mapstone had left the family home. As a result she received an increase in benefits as a single parent and someone not in work. But they married at the civil register office on October 10, 2013.

'In December 2015 she was interviewed under caution. She said she couldn't remember what she was doing on October 10 - the day of her marriage to Lee Mapstone.'

Cardiff Crown Court heard how DWP officials had discovered her Facebook page detailing her loving romance with Mr Mapstone

The photos showed 'highlights' of Bowen's life including the birth of her daughter, a holiday to Spain and her secret wedding to her husband.

She pleaded guilty to three counts of dishonestly failing to disclose information after being overpaid a total of 21,696.76 between January 2013 and November 2015.

Adam Sharpe, defending, said: 'She accepts she embarked on this enterprise out of greed, albeit to support her daughter.

Her favourite images included Bowen posing in her white wedding dress, smiling with bridesmaids and the happy couple kissing at the wedding venue

A court heard Department of Work and Pensions officials asked her what she was doing on the date of her dream wedding - but Bowen replied: 'I can't remember'

Bowen was paid thousands in income support, council tax and housing benefit after claiming she was a single parent after splitting from boyfriend Mr Mapstone

'She is in a stable relationship and actively seeking employment and is fit for work.

'The effects of sending her into custody would have a particularly devastating impact on her family.'

Judge Stephen Hopkins QC told Bowen that she had acted out of 'greed' rather than 'need'.

He said: 'Offences such as these are easy to commit but often difficult to detect. People like you consider the DWP a soft touch.

'It impacts public funds, and puts a strain on the public purse in paying those who are entitled. This was a case of greed not need.'

But she avoided jail today as the judge told her: 'You have escaped immediate custody by a cat's whisker.'

Judge Hopkins suspended her ten-month prison sentence after deciding jailing Bowen would have an 'enormous' effect on her daughter.

Mr Mapstone, 26, was working as a mechanic - and the pair were man and wife for three years before her fiddle was discovered

Cardiff Crown Court heard how DWP officials had discovered Bowen's Facebook page detailing her loving romance with Mr Mapston

The judge said: 'You've experienced, albeit for one night, what it's like to be kept in Her Majesty's prison. I'm sure it was a shock for you.

'You are clearly a devoted and good mother. The effects on your child would be enormous.'

He ordered her to pay back every penny - and was told she had already paid back 2,000 over the last year.

He said: 'It's unusual, though not unique, that someone as young as yourself could have paid back as much money in the last 12 months or so.

'It would be beneficial for the public that you continue to doing what you are doing.'

Bowen was sentenced to ten months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within a year.

She was also ordered to pay both 500 towards prosecution costs and a 20 surcharge within three months.

Bowen avoided jail today as a judge told her: 'You have escaped immediate custody by a cat's whisker'

Bowen was sentenced to ten months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work within a year

A DWP spokesman said: 'Most people claiming benefits are honest, but there are the unscrupulous minority who cheat taxpayers' money out of our welfare system and divert it away from those who really need it.

'People pretending to live alone to get benefits is one of the most common types of benefit fraud, and this case shows our investigators are bringing criminals to justice.

'Failure to report a change in circumstances that may affect your benefit claim, such as a partner moving in, is a crime.

'Small amounts of weekly overpayments build up and you could end up having to pay back tens of thousands of pounds. '

'People must tell us if their situation changes before it's too late. If you suspect someone of fraudulently claiming benefits, then call our National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440.'
A blog about life under, and resisting, a dictatorship
A son was shocked when he visited his parents grave only to discover a row of houses being built just 12 inches away from the headstone.

Bill Higgins, 64, regularly visits the rural cemetery where his parents Morris and Irene are buried in the same plot.

The grandfather even bought a bench so he could sit at the picturesque spot in the village of Waters Upton and look out over the rolling Shropshire hills.

But he was furious to find the new development right next to the cemetery at St Michael's church.

Bill Higgins, 64, was horrified to find a housing development being built just 12 inches away from his parents' grave, pictured

The boundary of the estate is within touching distance of the grave in the Shropshire cemetery, pictured

The properties are now almost finished with the boundary wall from one of the homes situated just a foot away from his parents' joint headstone.

Mr Higgins, who lives with his wife Christine, 60, in nearby Wellington, Shropshire, said the building site had ruined the peaceful countryside graveyard.

The retired mechanical engineer added: 'My mum and dad lived in Bristol but my dad was born in Shropshire and said he wanted to come back to retire.

'When they came back in the 70s it was a quiet village and was lovely.

'They chose to be buried there because of the lovely views from the cemetery over the Shropshire hills.

'I tend to come down here on special occasions like their birthdays and Mother's Day and Father's Day and Christmas and things like that.

'I enjoy the peace and quiet and even bought a bench for people to sit on when they visit their relative's graves.

Mr Higgins, pictured, said the building site was 'absolutely disgusting' and that his parents 'wanted to rest in peace, not next to a building site'

'But as all the old people in the village have died, the youngsters have come in and it has turned into a building site.

'I think it started just before Christmas and now there are seven houses altogether.

'When I came to lay flowers on the grave I couldn't believe it, there was a housing estate basically on top of where my mum and dad are buried.

'One of the houses is just a foot from my parents' plot, if the builders have come any closer with their diggers they might have excavated the grave.

'The houses are not finished yet but I think people will be moving in pretty son as they are getting on with getting them ready quickly.

'When I come to see the grave in the future all I'm going to see is people having their dinner in the house.

'There were lovely views of the countryside but now there's just houses. It's ruined the cemetery, it is an eyesore.

'It's absolutely disgusting, I can't think of the words to describe it. My parents would be very upset if they were alive now.

'My parents wanted to rest in peace, not next to a building site.'

Morris was buried at the cemetery after he died aged 77 in 1977 and his wife Irene was laid to rest in the same plot when she passed away at the same age in 1997.

Father-of-one Mr Higgins, who also has one granddaughter, has asked the authorities to plant bushes to screen the graveyard from the seven new homes.

The retired mechanical engineer even bought a bench so he could sit at the picturesque spot at the graveyard in the village of Waters Upton

But his pleas have fallen on deaf ears with Waters Upton Parish Council saying a fence has been planned instead.

Mr Higgins added: 'People knew there were going to be the houses built but I don't think they realised how close some of them were going to be to the cemetery.

'Originally I asked for the house to be torn down then I asked for a bush to be planted to hide the house, not that it could completely hide it.

'I do try to help the community in every way I can. It feels like it's me against the council.

'I haven't had any contact with the vicar of St Michael's church as I don't live in the village.

'But I am going to write to the Diocese of Lichfield to see why they allowed this to happen.

'I do feel very sad and upset about it, I don't like coming to the cemetery any more.'

Mr Higgins, pictured, said the building site has 'ruined the peaceful countryside graveyard'

Developers Days New Homes Ltd said their plans were backed by Telford and Wrekin Council and added that they have made contributions to improve the cemetery.

Spokesman Alan Day said: 'The scheme is being constructed strictly in accordance with the planning permission granted by Telford and Wrekin Council.

'Included within it is an extension to the cemetery itself along with appropriate landscaping provided in consultation with the local parish council.

'There will also be the provision of designated safe parking adjacent to the new extension for the sole use of visitors to the cemetery.'

Katrina Baker, clerk to Waters Upton Parish Council, added: 'We've got as part of this development an extension on the cemetery and car parking which has been gratefully accepted by the council and the houses came as part of the deal.

'We do understand Bill is concerned. A fence will go up which is being provided by the developer.

'The reason they haven't been able to go with a hedge is because of the closeness to the graves.'
Accused 'burglar killer' Ben Batterham could face a committal hearing to determine how his alleged victim Ricky Slater died, a court has heard.

Slater, 34, allegedly broke into Batterham's Newcastle home - which he shared with his partner and young daughter - at about 3.15am on Easter Saturday last year.

Police allege a struggle ensued inside the house, spilling out onto the street, that left Slater in critical condition in hospital. His life support was turned off the next day.

Batterham was initially charged with assault causing grievous bodily harm, but that was upgraded to murder when Slater died. He was released on strict conditional bail on a $200,000 surety bond after spending six weeks in custody.

Ricky Slater, 34, (pictured) allegedly broke into Batterham's Newcastle home - which he shared with his partner and young daughter - at about 3.15am on Easter Saturday

Accused 'burglar killer' Ben Batterham (pictured) could face a committal hearing to determine how his alleged victim Ricky Slater died

The 34-year-old chef and father was excused from attending Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday as details of a potential committal hearing were discussed, the Newcastle Herald reported.

A committal hearing allows a Magistrate to determine whether the prosecution has enough evidence for a case to go forward to trial, usually in the District or Supreme court.

Magistrate Ian Cheetham was told that police had finished compiling a brief of evidence, and there was a 'common position between the parties that the matter would proceed by way of a committal hearing for the issue of causation.'

Batterham's arrest last year sparked outrage among supporters who argued he was merely protecting his family and home.
Maker Mayoum, 18, was one of three balaclava-clad burglars who raided two Melbourne jewellery stores last July

An Apex-affiliated teen robbed two jewellery stores to fund hotel rooms for spending his 18th birthday with girls, a court has heard.

Maker Mayoum, 18, was one of three balaclava-clad burglars who raided a Melbourne CBD watch store before striking a Coburg jewellery store on July 7 last year.

The court heard Mayoum was high on the drug ice when he helped steal $200,000 worth of jewellery. He claimed to be using half a gram daily at the time.

The Sudanese-born refugee faced sentencing for the robberies in the County Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty in February, reports Herald Sun.

Mayoum, his co-offender Akon Mawie, 18, and a 17-year-old boy were groomed to carry out the raids by a gang leader, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The gang leader, 19, promised to gift Mayoum and Mawie cash, hotel rooms and girls in exchange for the $200,000 in stolen jewellery, reports ABC.

'You may have ceased using ice in jail but you have demonstrated no insight into your serious offending behaviour, nor taken the many opportunities offered to you for reform under the youth justice system,' Judge Liz Gaynor noted.

The teenagers smashed display cabinets with hammers and stuffed a stockpile of watches in bags before fleeing the first store in a getaway car.

After launching the smash-and-grab raid on the jewellery store, on Coburg's Sydney Road, the thieves were detained by brave citizens when they tried to flee the scene.

Judge Gaynor said Mayoum had had told youth justice workers he was 'friendly with a few' members of the notorious Apex gang but was not a member himself, Herald Sun reported.

One of three balaclava-clad burglars who raided two Melbourne jewellery stores on July 7 last year

The trio of young men are believed to have been groomed to carry out the raids of the Coburg jewellery store by a gang leader

After launching the smash-and-grab raid on the jewellery store on Coburg's Sydney Road, the thieves were detained by brave citizens when they tried to flee the scene

Judge Gaynor sentenced Mayoum to four years behind bars, with a non-parole period of two years.

Judge Gaynor deferred sentencing of Mawien for 12 months, offering him a spot on the Community Corrections Order if he stayed out of trouble.

The court heard he had smoked the drug for the second time ever on the day of the raids and had strong references from respected members of the community.

The 17-year-old co-offender walked free last month and was placed on a 12-month Youth Attendance Order.

The court heard Mayoum had had told youth justice workers he was 'friendly with a few' members of the notorious Apex gang but was not a member himself (stock image of Apex members)
For years the streets of Fukushima have lain empty after residents fled in fear during a nuclear disaster caused by an earthquake.

The nuclear nightmare saw thousands flee their homes in panic on March 11, 2011, when whole towns and villages were evacuated.

A 30 mile exclusion zone was set up around the site of the disaster, and very few have ventured inside the most restricted red zone since the mass exodus.

But now British photographer Rebecca Bathory has had a rare chance to reveal what the site looks like now, with a book of eerie images revealing the aftermath of the evacuation.

Homes and buildings have remained untouched since the fateful day when a tsumani disabled the power power supply which cooled the three Fukishima Daiichi reactors.

All three cores melted in the first three days, and the government instructed 100,000 people to leave amid fears of isotopic radiation - an invisible fiend which can alter human DNA.

Animals starved in the streets and buildings have rotted and collapsed in the intervening years. Although residents in the town of Tomioka were given permission to return, many remain nervous about moving back into the disaster zone.

Although no one was killed by the effects of the nuclear accident, the Japanese government estimates that around 1,000 people died indirectly as a result of the evacuation.

These incredible photographs feature in the book Return to Fukishuma.
Russia's Foreign Minister has accused the US of launching an 'unlawful attack' on Syria, as talks with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got off to a frosty start.

Sergey Lavrov said Russia was trying to understand the 'real intentions' of the Trump administration following the attack on Bashar al-Assad's forces, in retaliation to the Syrian President's use of chemical weapons on civilians.

He said Moscow has lots of questions about the Trump administration's 'very ambiguous' and 'contradictory' ideas.

'We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria,' he said.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomes US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before their meeting in Moscow

Mr Lavrov told his US counterpart (pictured shaking hands) today that Moscow was hoping to understand the 'real intentions' of the United States as the two met amid tensions over Syria

Lavrov ushers Tillerson away to begin the talks following their handshakes for the cameras

The two men take a walk down a corridor prior to their talks in Moscow over the crisis in Syria

A huge presence of media cameras hovers over the pair as they speak face-to-face, alongside other diplomats

'We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future.'

It was an ominous opening to Tillerson's visit - the first in Moscow by a Trump Cabinet official.

Tillerson conceded the U.S. and Russia had 'sharp differences' that have obstructed cooperation but voiced optimism that their talks could narrow those differences

'We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open,' he said.

WHO IS SERGEY LAVROV? Lavrov has served as Russia's Foreign Minister since 2004

His thirteen years of experience entirely contrast with Tillerson's three months in the Secretary of State role

Prior to that, Lavrov was Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations for 10 years

He began his diplomatic career in Sri Lanka

Lavrov previously clashed with George W. Bushs secretary of state, Colin Powell, over foreign influence in Ukraine

He speaks five different languages

Lavrov is a well-known lover of scotch and cigarettes

David Wade, Chief of Staff for another ex-Secretary of State, John Kerry, said: 'Hes charismatic, very funny, worldly, and deviously brilliant' Advertisement

The Secretary of State Rex Tillerson initially declared that he wanted a 'frank exchange' on the countries' relations as he met Lavrov for talks

'I look forward to a very open, candid and frank exchange so we can better define the US-Russian relationship from this point forward,' Tillerson said.

Lavrov told his US counterpart today that Moscow was hoping to understand the 'real intentions' of the United States as the two met amid tensions over Syria.

'It is important for us to understand your position and that of the US and the real intentions of the administration,' Lavrov said at the start of the talks.

Lavrov also subtly mocked Mr Tillerson over the fact that top US State Department positions are unfilled, adding that this makes it hard to have clarity about US positions.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin says Putin may still meet visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday that 'if it is decided' the Russian president needs to be briefed on the outcome of the Tillerson-Lavrov talks, he will meet them.

Putin's officials had said on Monday that the foreign leader did not plan to see Tillerson.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday that if an invitation comes, Tillerson will 'of course' accept, but it up to the Kremlin to make that offer.

Mr Lavrov listens to his US counterpart (pictured with his back to the camera) as the talks commence

The same conversation is seen from the other side of the table. Tillerson is seeking an 'open, candid and frank exchange'

President Trump had earlier said Russian President Vladimir Putin is backing an 'evil person' in Syria

Earlier, President Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is backing an 'evil person' in Syria.

Mr Trump said Syrian President Bashar Assad is 'an animal'. He told Fox Business Network that Mr Putin's support for Mr Assad is 'very bad for Russia'.

President Trump said it is also 'very bad for mankind'.

Vladimir Putin also warned today that Russia-US relations have deteriorated since Donald Trump took office in the wake of the America's missile strike in Syria.

The Russian President addressed the 'level of trust' between Moscow and Washington in an interview transcript released by Kremlin officials.

Tillerson hammered Russia on Tuesday, saying in a statement that Russia had 'failed in its responsibility' to locate and destroy Bashar al-Assad's entire stockpile of chemical weapons.

'It is unclear whether Russia failed to take this obligation seriously or Russia has been incompetent, but this distinction doesn't much matter to the dead. We can't let this happen again,' Tillerson said.

He told a reporter afterward during a media availability that the US believes that Russia could be persuaded to switch sides now that it knows Assad is an 'unreliable partner.'

'Russia has really aligned itself with the Assad regime, the Iranians, and Hizballah. Is that a...long-term alliance that serves Russia's interest, or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?' Tillerson said.

The US and its allies may already be chipping away at Russia's resolve.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) will meet with Donald Trump's chief diplomat after all during his stay in Moscow, a Russian television station has reported

The victims of the sarin gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, northern Idlib province, Syria, which was the trigger for increased involvement from the US

The US military retaliated by firing more than 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Homs airfield, where Syrian dictator Assad launched the chemical weapons

Putin has reportedly changed his mind about seeing Tillerson - a man he once gave a friendship award to - during his visit to Moscow.

RBC, a Russian business broadcasting station, said Tuesday that a Putin-Tillerson face-to-face would happen. It cited two sources connected to Russian's foreign ministry, according to the Moscow Times.

The White House declined to comment on the matter.

Mark Toner, the State Department's top spokesman, said Tuesday in response to a question about the possibility of a meeting, that no offer had been made.

'If there is an invitation for him to meet with Putin, of course, he'll do so. I think that's a decision for the Kremlin to make and to announce, and up till now we've not seen such an offer extended,' Toner said. 'Now, it could come. So as I said...he's certainly willing to meet with President Putin to discuss all of these issues.'

Tillerson is expected to discuss the White House's goals of 'defeating ISIS, and...creating the political environment necessary for the Syrian people to have new leadership' with Russian officials during his visit.

To meet those ends, the US will need the help of Moscow.

The White House's top spokesman said Monday that Tillerson will make sure that Russia 'fully understands' the situation on the ground in Syria.

He'll further remind the Kremlin during his visit of the agreement it made with the international community to oversee the elimination of Assad's chemical stockpile.

Russia offered to destroy Syria's chemical weapons in 2013, attesting afterward that it did. It obviously failed to live up to that commitment, the US says.

The Assad ally claims that airstrikes on terrorists led to an inadvertent hit on a warehouse storing the toxins that poisoned and killed more than 80 people.

Experts say the explanation is unlikely. The US, UK and other nations have said it was Assad.

'Getting them back on the same page, first and foremost, would seem the logical step,' White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. 'But secondly, and I guess equally important is to make sure that the areas we can find a commitment to defeat ISIS is something that we share.'

Tillerson flew to Russia from Europe on Tuesday, where he attended meetings with the United States' allies in the fight against ISIS.

The Kremlin did not say why Putin was avoiding Tillerson - who arrived in Moscow late Tuesday evening - after meeting repeatedly with his predecessor, John Kerry, only that he was not on the president's schedule

Putin's plans appeared to change on Tuesday despite Tillerson hammering him on Syria, with a pro-Kremlin station saying the two would meet. He touched down in Moscow after the G-7 meeting in Lucca, Italy

Tillerson (L) and US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft shake hands at a welcome ceremony at Moscow's airport yesterday. There was no official Russian presence

At his press availability earlier in the day in Lucca, Italy, Tillerson said said the US wants to 'relieve the suffering of the Syrian people' and 'create a future for Syria that is stable and secure.'

'Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role, or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia's interest longer-term,' he said. 'But only Russia can answer that question.

The White House later accused Putin of spreading false information about the chemical weapons attack.

Putin claimed the Assad regime is being framed for the gas attacks and he has intelligence that 'some kind of substance' will be used in Damascus again.

'We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using it,' Putin said after he was asked about further American missile strikes.

Senior White House officials said Tuesday they are 'very confident' that the attack was not committed by non-state actors, however.

'I think it's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened,' one said.

Another White House official at the briefing suggested that Russia was complicit in the sarin gas assault because its troops are embedded with Syria's.

Tillerson poses for a photo with members of the Italian Air Force before departing Italy en route to Moscow, Russia, at Pisa Military Airport in Italy

Semper fi: A handout photo made available by the US Department of State shows US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson posing for a photo with members of the Marine Security Guard Detachment at the US Embassy in Moscow, Russia

The official would not charge Russia with active involvement in the attack yet noted that the two countries' militaries have been operating 'closely' together for the better part of two years and have a relationship that goes back more than a decade.

'We do think that it is a question worth asking the Russians about how is it possible that their forces were co-locate with the Syrian forces that planned, prepared and carried out the chemical weapons attack at the same installation and did not have fore knowledge,' the official said.

The White House held the briefing on Russia's claims about what happened in Syria ahead of Tillerson's meetings tomorrow with the Kremlin.

'This is an opportunity for the Russians to choose to stop the disinformation campaign,' an official said of Tillerson's trip.

Putin has continued to deny that Assad's regime was behind last week's attack in Idlib which killed 87 and says it will be calling on the United Nations to investigate.

At a news conference on Tuesday he likened last week's use of chemical weapons to the supposed existence of weapons of mass destruction that led to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

'This ended with the country's destruction, with the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the Islamic State on the international stage, no more, no less.'

Putin confirmed that Russia will urgently ask the global chemical weapons watchdog - the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - to investigate Idlib.

White House officials said Tuesday afternoon that they'd welcome an OPCW review.

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis said he had personally reviewed the intelligence 'and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and the attack itself'

US officials expressed a 'very high degree of confidence' that Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack that Russia had previously claimed was an accident.

The chemicals spread after Syrian forces struck a terrorist warehouse filled with toxins, Putin's government had previously said.

'We think that the information is inconsistent with that narrative,' an official said. 'We don't see a building, again, with that chemical residue that we would expect if that Russian narrative was true.'

Spicer said Assad's actions are worse than Adolf Hitler's. Even the 1940s Nazi dictator 'didn't even sink to ... using chemical weapons,' he said.

One shocked reporter reminded Spicer that Hitler used poison gas to exterminate millions of Jews. Another gamely gave him a chance to sputter through a clarification.

The embarrassing gaffe came as about six million American Jews  and millions more around the world  celebrate Passover.

Hitler primarily used Zyklon B, a powerful cyanide gas, to exterminate Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, priests, political dissidents and other enemies of the state.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that Assad's actions are worse than Adolf Hitler's. Even the 1940s Nazi dictator 'didn't even sink to ... using chemical weapons,' he said. One shocked reporter reminded Spicer that Hitler used poison gas to exterminate millions of Jews

Describing that historical horror, Spicer declared that Hitler 'was not using the gas on his own people.'

At the Pentagon, Defense Secretary James Mattis said he had personally reviewed the intelligence 'and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and the attack itself.'

Asked about Russian complicity in the deadly chemical attack, Mattis said the intelligence only supports the current conclusion that the Syrian government is to blame.

'And beyond that we cannot say right now,' the general noted. 'We don't know anything beyond that.'

Mattis also pledged that the U.S. would not go to war with Russia over Syria.

'It will not spiral out of control,' Mattis said. 'As you know, Secretary Tillerson is in Moscow. We maintain communications with the Russian military and with the diplomatic channels. It will not spiral out of control.'

Mattis explained that keeping peace with the U.S. is in the Kremlin's interest.

'I'm confident the Russians will act in their own best interest and there's nothing in their own best interest to say they want this situation to go out of control,' he asserted.
Former House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes did not have evidence to support allegations that Barack Obama's administration had combed through intelligence files searching for damaging information on Donald Trump and his background team.

A bi-partisan group of politicians reviewed the documents Nunes claimed supported his allegations of impropriety and decided Obama's national security advisor Susan Rice had handled the intelligence in a 'normal and appropriate' manner.

Nunes alleged Susan Rice combed through intelligence reports seeking out damaging information on Trump and his team.

A bi-partisan intelligence review determined President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice 'pictured' handled information in a 'normal and appropriate' manner concerning Donald Trump and his transition team according to a review conducted at the NSA

The review looked at intelligence which Devin Nunes, right, claimed supported Donald Trump's claim that his backroom team had been subjected to illegal government surveillance

Donald Trump repeated the allegations during an interview last week with the New York Times where he described them as 'truly one of the biggest stories of our time'

However, Nunes was forced to stand aside as chair of the House Intelligence Committee during the investigation into alleged Russian interference into the presidential election campaign after he briefed the White House about the ongoing probe.

According to CNN, multiple sources from both sides of the house contradict Trump's allegation that Rice broke the law by 'unmasking' members of his team who had contact with foreign nationals who were subject to surveillance.

Members of the House and Senate intelligence committees reviewed data held by the NSA, claiming there was no 'smoking gun'.

Trump had earlier told the New York Times that Rice had acted illegally.

He said: 'I think it's going to be the biggest story. It's such an important story for our country and the world... truly one of the big stories of our time.'

However, the Washington Post reported that the FBI has begun an investigation into Trump's former campaign advisor Carter Page over fears he could have been working on behalf of Russia.

The FBI succeeded in securing a warrant to monitor Trump's former campaign advisor Carter Page, pictured, who strongly denies that he ever assisted the Russians in influencing the recent Presidential campaign, describing the FBI's actions as 'politically motivated'

In the first confirmation that the government conducted surveillance on President Donald Trump's team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained a rare warrant to monitor Page's communications from the top secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the Post said.

The so-called FISA warrant was issued after the FBI told the court that there was probable cause to believe the former Moscow-based banker was working for Russia.

FISA warrants are almost never made public, and the Post cited unnamed law enforcement and other officials in its report. The FBI did not respond to requests to comment on the report.

The warrant was granted as the FBI conducted a counterintelligence investigation into Russian interference in the election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was ultimately designed to help President Donald Trump to victory.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story 'fake news' while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.

In March 2016 Trump named Page as one of his small team of foreign policy advisors, and he attended the Republican convention in July, where he and others met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

But months later Page was disavowed by the campaign, apparently in part because of the attention drawn by his trips to Moscow, which he said were private business.

His name surfaced in a dossier or reports on links between the Trump operation and Russia complied by former British spy Christopher Steele.

Page told the Post he had 'nothing to hide'.

He said: 'This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance.'

In March he told Fox News that he did not help the Russians in their efforts to influence the campaign.

He said: 'I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way.'
A devastated brother took revenge on four schoolgirls he blamed for bullying his sister to death by sending them messages threatening to 'slice up' their parents.

Jordan Clements, 20, sent a series of violent threats on Facebook and Snapchat after his 14-year-old sister Nyah James was found dead at her home in Blaenymaes, Swansea.

He told one girl she would be 'strung up with the dead cows in the butchers' after accusing her of being involved in the alleged bullying.

Jordan Clements (left), 20, sent abusive messages to four schoolgirls he claimed had bullied his sister Nyah James (right), 14, to death

Nyah died in February this year after claims she was being bullied. The coroner is investigating.

Swansea magistrates heard Clements blamed the girls over the death of his sister and told one of them: 'I know what you did. You are going to regret this for the rest of your life.'

He told another girl: 'Go and play with broken glass in your mouth.'

The court heard Clements' messages left his victims - who cannot be named for legal reasons - feeling frightened and anxious.

Clements, also from Blaenymaes in Swansea, admitted two counts of harassment and two counts of sending communications of an indecent or offensive nature.

He told police he sent the messages 'when angry and upset' because he wanted to make the girls feel the way his sister had felt when she was being bullied.

Nyah was found dead at her home in Blaenymaes in Swansea, in February, amid claims that she had been bullied

But prosecutor Sharon Anderson said the girls told police they had done nothing wrong - and felt scared and fearful following Clements' messages.

District judge Neale Thomas adjourned the case for reports.

Clements was bailed on the condition he does not use social media or contact the girls.

Speaking after her daughter's death, Nyah's mum Dominique Williams, 46, said: 'I only found out she was being bullied after her death.

'I'm aware messages were being sent on Snapchat and Facebook.

'Since then a few people have come forward to say she had been targeted at school.

'Her phone has been seized by police who are investigating. Whoever is at the end of it need to realise what they've done - we need justice.'

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
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They are the pride of their dictatorial ruler, and the men and women Kim Jong-un will rely upon to lay down their lives if Donald Trump chooses to strike.

But the threat of war doesn't stop the soldiers of North Korea's army from letting their hair down once in a while, as these pictures from the reclusive state show.

Uniformed troops can be seen laughing, going on fairground rides, and even attending a dolphin show at Pyongyang's 'dolphinarium', a Sea World-esque amusement park.

Life is obviously not all fun and games within the reclusive state, as other pictures show troops undergoing rigorous military drills or taking on gruelling manual labour by hauling bundles of wood.

The troops practice for hours each day, according to photographer Eric Lafforgue, in preparation for war.

That battle may come sooner than many thought as Donald Trump positioned a carrier group off the coast of the Korean peninsula this week, threatening to go it alone if China does not put pressure on Kim's regime.

Photographer Eric Lafforgue captured both sides of life in the North Korean military - relaxing with fairground rides one day (left), before undergoing rigorous military drills the next (right)

Lafforgue, who has visited North Korea six times, said tour guides will tell you not to photograph soldiers, but this is impossible because they are everywhere (pictured, a man in uniform smiles for the camera in Pyongyang)

One treat for the best-performing soldiers is a trip to the dolphinarium, an amusement park in Pyongyang similar to Sea World, where they can watch the animals perform

The amusement park in Pyongyang is also a favourite haunt of soldiers while off duty, though they are required to wear their uniforms everywhere they go

Soldiers queue for rides in Pyongyang's amusement park. Pictures such as this are used in propaganda material delivered to schoolchildren to idealise the life of a soldier

Even while on parade there is time for a light-hearted moment, as this female soldier pets a dog. Men are required to serve in the military for 10 years, while women serve seven

The military permeates every aspect of life in North Korea, including in the countryside, where they are sometimes used as tour guides, and other times used for cheap labour

A large part of life in the North Korea military involves hauling wood around, either to be used in construction, or as fuel for cooking fires because most of the country lacks electricity

Lafforgue said that on every trip to the reclusive state he has seen soldiers carrying wood, standing in for the communist state's poor infrastructure and failing economy

Every morning in Pyongyang the soldiers are taken to the city's square to practice drills for hours on end. Each soldier is given a number so instructors know who is performing well, and who is slacking

While Lafforgue said authorities typically do not like the drills being photographed, because the formations are not yet perfect, it is difficult to stop because the squares are so open

North Korean military uniforms are based on soviet designs from the 1950s when the army was created while part of Russia's zone of control on the Korean peninsula

The Demilitarized Zone is the place to see North Korea's military at its most polished, with high-ranking officers on hand complete with medals pinned to their chests (pictured, a soldier inspects the front line through a periscope)

North Koreans join the military straight from school, and children is where much of the propaganda around life in the army is focused. Soldiers often send letters to their old schools describing their 'idyllic' lives in the army

Under Kim Jong-il, wives and girlfriend were prohibited to soldiers during their first years of training so they could focus on their mission. The policy is relaxing under Kim Jong-un

While serving in the North Korean military is tough, with long hours and often scarce rations, duty is a huge point of pride for many families within the secretive nation

Military drills are important for all recruits, and are practiced endlessly, not just to impress people living inside the country, but for television camera from around the world

Soldiers are used on most of the North's propaganda posters, extolling the power and supremacy of the regime, while they also star on a lot of the country's television programs

Children are commonly seen walking around in military uniforms, an important part of indoctrinating them into life in the army, where they will be required to serve when they're older

Soldiers in civilian areas are typically friendly, Lafforgue says, and are more than happy to stop for a conversation - provided you only focus on the country's good points
The husband of a woman who was raped and murdered by a homeless Latvian convict has revealed how their six-year-old daughter still asks for her mother.

Homeless Vadims Ruskuls, 25, followed mother-of-one Pardeep Kaur, 30, as she made her way to the Sheraton Skyline Hotel near London's Heathrow Airport.

He then sexually assaulted her before dragging her half-naked body to waste land between the M4 motorway and a pedestrian walkway in Hayes, west London, where it was found a week later.

Ruskuls, who has previous convictions in Latvia for burglary and criminal damage, denied murder, but was convicted and jailed for life at the Old Bailey today.

In an emotional victim impact statement, Mrs Kaur's husband Rachpal Singh said that Ruskius has 'destroyed' our family', adding: 'Our daughter, who is only six years old can't comprehend what's happened. Despite being told that Pardeep has passed away, our daughter still says "my mum is missing, has she been found yet?"'

Vadims Ruskuls, 25, (left) was captured on CCTV following 30 year-old Indian-born Pardeep Kaur (right) as she made her way to the Sheraton Skyline Hotel near Heathrow Airport

Sentencing Ruskuls to life in jail today, Judge Richard Marks QC told him: 'It is apparent from the state of undress in which her body was found that the motive of this attack must have been sexual in that you either in the course or immediately following having sexually assaulted her, you killed her and thereafter did your level best to conceal her body.

'This was a truly shocking and wicked offence of the utmost gravity.'

The judge went on: 'Anyone who could do what you did must be regarded as extremely dangerous.

'What a dreadful way for Pardeep Kaur, a decent, hard-working young woman, to die.

'As her husband put it graphically in his victim impact statement, 'during this trial I have seen photos of her clothing in waste land. It has been six months since she was murdered but I have not forgotten her for even six seconds and I always think about what she must have gone through on that dark morning when she was killed''.

Pardeep's disappearance at first caused suspicion to fall on her husband, Rachpal Singh, who initially lied to police because he was working illegally at Fresh Foods.

Judge Marks told Ruskuls he had not shown 'one iota of remorse' for what he had done and ordered he be deported once he has served his sentence.

The week-long trial had heard how Ruskuls was thought to be sleeping rough with his mother beneath the bridge crossing the M4 when he pounced on Mrs Kaur.

On the morning of Monday October 17 last year, Ruskuls was caught on chilling CCTV footage as he stalked the 30-year old mother as she approached Harlington Bridge in Hayes, west London.

They disappeared from view for 25 minutes before his shadowy figure emerged dragging Mrs Kaur's partly naked body on to waste ground, where she was hidden beneath branches and an old sleeping bag.

Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC had told jurors that Mrs Kaur had scratched Ruskuls' face in a desperate attempt to get away but her screams were drowned out by the traffic.

The ground where her body was dumped was a 'bleak spot' used by rough sleepers, drunks and drug addicts, he said.

Mrs Kaur (pictured in CCTV) was reported missing by her husband when she failed to return home from the Sheraton Skyline Hotel in Harlington, Middlesex

Her badly decomposed body was discovered almost a week later by a visiting Norwegian Detective Chief Inspector Kenneth Berg who spotted a human foot sticking out.

Ruskuls was caught after local PC Richard Lewis recognised the stooped figure in the CCTV footage as the man he had spoken to the day after Mrs Kaur's disappearance.

In the early hours, the constable had been called to a house in Hayes to a report of a 'stoned' man trying to open the front door looking like he had been 'dragged through a hedge'.

The officer found the suspect walking barefoot with scratches to his left cheek and neck, the court heard.

Following his arrest for the murder of Mrs Kaur, Ruskuls' DNA was found on the victim's ankle, sock and the left cup of her bra with a probability of 'one in a billion', jurors were told.

A post-mortem examination failed to establish how she died but Mr Aylett said it was obvious from the way she had been found that it was murder.

The defendant, who denied murder, refused to make any comment in police interviews and declined to give evidence in court.

Mrs Kaur's husband Rachpal Singh sat in court as the jury delivered its verdict after just over a day of deliberations.

He said: 'We hoped for a good life here with our daughter, but something terrible happened to us and now our dreams are shattered.

CCTV shows the mother-of-one being followed by a stooped man who appeared to stagger

'The circumstances of Pardeep's death will always haunt me because Vadims Ruskuls has not given an explanation.'

Detective Sergeant Nick Miller, of Scotland Yard, said Ruskuls sexually assaulted Mrs Kaur and 'effectively stubbed her life out'.

Ruskuls, thought to have come to the UK three years ago, had been sleeping rough under the nearby Harlington Bridge with his mother after splitting up with his wife

He said it was a 'terrifying' case but added: 'Thankfully, stranger killings are incredibly rare in this country.'

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson added: 'This has been a truly shocking and horrendous case and Ruskuls has proved himself to be a violent and dangerous rapist and murderer.

'Pardeep was walking to work, as she did every day, when she suffered a horrific fate at the hands of Ruskuls, who sexually attacked and killed his defenceless victim before leaving her body in woodland. It is everybody's worst nightmare.'

Judge Marks commended the police investigation and said the court was indebted to PC Lewis.

The Old Bailey heard Mrs Kaur worked long hours, six days a week, at the Sheraton while her husband worked night shifts.

She used to walk the 40-minute journey to work each day to avoid spending money on her bus fare. Mrs Kaur and her husband were saving money to send to their six-year-old daughter, who lived with her grandparents in India.

Detective Inspector Jamie Stevenson, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'This has been a truly shocking and horrendous case and Ruskuls has proved himself to be a violent and dangerous rapist and murderer.

'Pardeep was walking to work, as she did every day, when she suffered a horrific fate at the hands of Ruskuls, who sexually attacked and killed his defenceless victim before leaving her body in woodland. It is everybody's worst nightmare.

'Inquiries quickly led police to Ruskuls, and one of my officers was able to identify him from blurry CCTV footage of the attack taken from a distance.'
Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia-US relations have deteriorated since Donald Trump took office in the wake of the America's missile strike in Syria.

The Russian President addressed the 'level of trust' between Moscow and Washington in an interview transcript released by Kremlin officials.

His statement came as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria, accusing Washington of using 'primitive and loutish rhetoric'.

Any hope in Russia that the Trump administration would herald less confrontational relations has been dashed in the past week after the new U.S. leader fired missiles at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas.

Vladimir Putin (pictured today) has warned that Russia-US relations have deteriorated since Donald Trump took office in the wake of the America's missile strike in Syria

Rex Tillerson (left) is in Moscow for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (right)

Just as Tillerson sat down for talks in Moscow, a senior Russian official attacked the 'primitiveness and loutishness' of U.S. rhetoric, part of a volley of statements that appeared timed to maximise the awkwardness during the first visit by a member of Trump's cabinet.

'One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated,' Putin said in an interview broadcast on Russian television moments after Tillerson sat down with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an ornate hall.

Putin doubled down on Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, repeating denials that Assad's government was to blame for the gas attack last week and adding a new theory that the attack may have been faked by Assad's enemies.

Moments earlier, Lavrov greeted Tillerson with unusually icy remarks, denouncing the missile strike on Syria as illegal and accusing Washington of behaving unpredictably.

'I won't hide the fact that we have a lot of questions, taking into account the extremely ambiguous and sometimes contradictory ideas which have been expressed in Washington across the whole spectrum of bilateral and multilateral affairs,' Lavrov said.

'And of course, that's not to mention that apart from the statements, we observed very recently the extremely worrying actions, when an illegal attack against Syria was undertaken.'

The Russian President addressed the 'level of trust' between Moscow and Washington in an interview transcript released by Kremlin officials

Any hope in Russia that the Trump administration would herald less confrontational relations has been dashed in the past week after the new U.S. leader fired missiles (pictured) at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas

Lavrov also noted that many key State Department posts remain vacant since the new administration took office - a point of sensitivity in Washington.

One of Lavrov's deputies was even more undiplomatic.

'In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy,' Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told Russia's state-owned RIA news agency.

'As a whole, the administration's stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all.'

Tillerson kept to more calibrated remarks, saying his aim was 'to further clarify areas of sharp difference so that we can better understand why these differences exist and what the prospects for narrowing those differences may be.'

'I look forward to a very open, candid, frank exchange so that we can better define the U.S.-Russian relationship from this point forward,' he told Lavrov.

After journalists were ushered out of the room, Lavrov's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, wrote on her Facebook page that U.S. journalists travelling with Tillerson had behaved as if they were in a 'bazaar' by shouting questions to Lavrov.

Trump responded to the gas attack by firing 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base on Friday. Washington warned Moscow, and Russian troops at the base were not hit

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tillerson might meet Putin later on Wednesday if the two top diplomats decided it would be useful to brief the Russian president on their talks.

But Peskov too did not hold back his criticism, saying calls from Western powers for Russia to cut support for Assad amounted to giving terrorists a free hand.

Moscow's hostility to Trump administration figures is a sharp change from last year, when Putin hailed Trump as a strong figure and Russian state television was consistently full of effusive praise for him.

The White House has accused Moscow of trying to cover up Assad's use of chemical weapons after the attack on a town killed 87 people last week.

Trump responded to the gas attack by firing 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian air base on Friday. Washington warned Moscow, and Russian troops at the base were not hit.

Moscow has stood by Assad, saying the poison gas belonged to rebels, an explanation Washington dismisses as beyond credible. Putin said that either gas belonging to the rebels was released when it was hit by a Syrian strike on a rebel arms dump, or the rebels faked the incident to discredit Assad.

Trump came to the presidency promising to seek closer ties with Russia and greater cooperation fighting against their common enemy in Syria, Islamic State. Tillerson is a former oil executive who was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship by Putin.

The White House has accused Moscow of trying to cover up Assad's use of chemical weapons after the attack on a town killed 87 people last week. The Syrian dictator is pictured above

Last week's poison gas attack and the U.S. retaliation upended what many in Moscow hoped would be a transformation in relations between the two countries, which reached a post-Cold War low under Trump's predecessor Barack Obama.

The United States and its European allies imposed financial sanctions on Russia in 2014 after Putin seized territory from neighbouring Ukraine.

Washington is leading a campaign of air strikes in Syria against Islamic State fighters and has backed rebels fighting against Assad during a six-year civil war, but until last week the United States had avoided directly targeting the Syrian government.

Russia, meanwhile, intervened in the civil war on Assad's side in 2015 and has troops on the ground, which it says are advising government forces. Both Washington and Moscow say their main enemy is Islamic State, although they back opposing sides in the wider civil war which has killed more than 400,000 people and spawned the world's worst refugee crisis.

In an interview with the Fox Business Network, Trump said he was not planning to order U.S. forces into Syria, but that he had to respond to the images of dead children poisoned in the gas attack.

'Weare not going into Syria,' he said in excerpts of the interview on the station's website. 'But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons ... and see these beautiful kids that are dead in their father's arms, or you see kids gasping for life ... when you see that, I immediately called (Defense Secretary) General Mattis.'

Tillerson travelled to Moscow with a joint message from Western powers that Russia should withdraw its support for Assad after a meeting of the Group of Seven industrialised economies also attended by Middle East allies.

Some of Washington's allies had been wary of Trump, who spoke during his election campaign of seeking closer ties with Moscow and questioned the value of U.S. support for its traditional friends. Tillerson's mission sees the Trump administration taking on the traditional U.S. role as spokesman for a unified Western position.

Trump's relations with Russia are also a domestic issue, as U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Moscow of using computer hacking to intervene in the election to help Trump win. The FBI is investigating whether any Trump campaign figures colluded with Moscow, which the White House denies.
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Six Russian aircraft seen close to Japanese airspace forced fighter jets to be scrambled today, according to reports in Tokyo.

Japanese defence forces first reacted after two Tu-95 Bear strategic bombers were seen close to the Pacific Ocean.

Soon afterwards two Russian Ilyushin Il-38 fighter jets were sent out to Hokkaido, which is Japan's most northern island, NHK reported today.

Scroll down for video

Japanese defence forces reacted after the Russian aircraft were seen close to Tokyo-ontrolled territory

A Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft, similar to the one shown, was deployed to the Sea of Japan by Russia

The same day two anti-submarine aircraft, the Tupolev Tu-142 were deployed by Russia to the Sea of Japan, while two aircraft, believed to be the fighter jets, made a u-turn close to Tokyo after crossing the Pacific Ocean.

They then returned to Russian territory, it has been reported, and the Japanese military said the aircraft did not trespass into its territory.

The alert comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region, after Japanese Prime Minister described a North Korean missile test as a grave threat to the region.

Two Russian Ilyushin Il-38 fighter jets were sent out to Hokkaido, which is Japan's most northern island

Yesterday US President Donald Trump accused North Korea of 'looking for trouble' following missile tests

And Pyongyang has reacted angrily over a joint Japanese and American military exercise with US aircraft carrier Carl Vinson.

A drill will be carried out in the East China Sea, according to reports, but North Korea has warned of 'catastrophic consequences', UPI reports.

Yesterday US President Donald Trump said North Korea was 'looking for trouble' and the United States would 'solve the problem' with or without China's help.
A Perth woman has had her eternity ring miraculously returned after losing it while swimming on Rottnest Island.

Mother-of-two Jacqui Caldwell was swimming at Parker Point last Sunday about 3pm when she lost the ring, reported WA Today.

In a bid to get her precious piece of jewellery back, she posted a message online.

Perth woman Jacquie Caldwell (left) has had her eternity ring miraculously returned to her by Perth man Sean Boddie (right) after losing it while swimming on Rottnest Island

'In the shores of beautiful Parker Point yesterday I was devastated to lose my eternity ring,' Ms Caldwell wrote.

'It flew off my finger in the seaweed to the right of the bottom of the stairs. If you are a metal detector owner and are interested in helping me find my sentimental ring, I would happily reward you with $1,000.'

Her plea for help was answered by Sean Boddie, who users a metal detector to regularly find missing items for people in Perth.

As part of his preparation, Mr Boddie told WA Today that he researched the location, the weather, tides and formed a plan of action.

He said he searched along the sharp limestone reef for the ring for a few hours before he had a breakthrough and got a signal from a crack in the reef.

Ms Caldwell lost the ring in the limestone reef at Parker Point on Rottnest Island (pictured) last Sunday. She posted a message online offering a $1,000 reward for its safe return

Mr Boddie, who regularly finds missing items for Perth residents, found it after a few hours of combing the island's reef later last week. Ms Caldwell (pictured) said in a Facebook post she was 'so grateful' and described Mr Boddie as 'a miracle man'

'After half a dozen scoops of sand and shells, up came Jacqui's ring- appearing in my hand as the sand washed away from it,' he said.

In a post on the Rottnest Island Facebook page last Thursday she announced: 'Today was an extraordinary day on Rottnest Island.

'This miracle man Sean Boddie 'The Ring Finder' found my eternity ring in the rocky seaweedy shores of Parker Point where I lost it last Sunday.

'This is the third precious ring he's found in Rotto waters this year. I'm so grateful, take note of this guy and please share his details should you ever need a miracle worker.'
As United Airlines remains mired in one of the most damaging public relations disasters in aviation history it has emerged that CEO Oscar Munoz actually won a prestigious PR award last month.

Munoz was eventually forced to make a groveling apology after a 69-year-old doctor was dragged off a United flight in Chicago after refusing to voluntarily give up his seat on an overbooked plane.

Many social media users have posted photographs of them cutting up their frequent flyer cards and United-sponsored credit cards, and promised to cancel accounts with the airline.

Last month Oscar Munoz was awarded PR Week's Communicator of the Year award (left) but his communications skills have let him down this week and he was forced to apologize (right)

Pagesix reported Munoz was ironically awarded PR Week's Communicator of the Year last month.

On Sunday a passenger, Dr David Dao from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was knocked out and dragged off of a United plane at Chicago's O'Hare International airport after he refused to give up his seat to Louisville.

Munoz's response to the incident was to send an internal e-mail to United employees commending them for 'going above and beyond' and saying he 'emphatically' backed them.

United lost $800 million of its value as share plunged on Wall Street in the wake of the PR disaster.

Munoz also released a statement on Monday night in which he apologized only 'for having to re-accommodate these customers' and made no mention of the brutal eviction of a customer who had not committed any crime but was simply picked at random because the airline had deliberately overbooked the flight.

PRWeek, the trade journal for the public relations industry, called Munoz a 'leader who understands the value of communications' when they gave him the award.

But this week they said the company's response to the incident had been 'tone deaf'.

The editor-in-chief of PRWeek, Steve Barrett, wrote this week: 'The term 're-accommodate' smacked of legalese aimed at avoiding future litigation, rather than responding to what was a horrific video of a disturbing incident.'

Mr Barrett went on to say: 'The incident has shed much light on our choice of the United CEO as Communicator of the Year at the PRWeek Awards last month. It's fair to say that if PRWeek was choosing its Communicator of the Year now, we would not be awarding it to Oscar Munoz.'

He added: 'United and Munozs response to the most recent incident is surprising and upsetting because it is so much at odds with their respective behavior previously, including the time span of the PRWeek Awards, which relate to work conducted in the period between October 3, 2015, and October 3, 2016.'

Dr David Dao was forcibly removed from the flight because it was overbooked. He was selected to give up his seat to make room for flight staff who needed to board the aircraft headed from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky

'Communications is not just part of the game, it is the game,' said Munoz when he accepted the award last month

Many social media users posted photos cutting up their frequent flyer cards and United sponsored credit cards, and promised to cancel accounts with the airline

Dr Dao, who was born in Vietnam, is being treated at a Chicago hospital for his injuries.

He is expected to sue United and his lawyer Stephen L Golan said the family 'wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received'.

There has also been a furious reaction in Vietnam.

'Watching this makes my blood boil, I'll never fly United Airlines,' commented Anh Trang Khuya on Facebook.

Nguyen Khac Huy wrote: 'Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Let's be loving and united, Vietnamese people!'

United does not have any direct flights to Vietnam.

Aninda Sadhukhan, a 35-year-old IT auditor, shredded his United MileagePlus Explorer card with Chase bank after cancelling his account.

He told CNN he had mounting issues with the airline, but seeing the bloodied photos of the brutalized elderly doctor 'crossed a red line' for him.

'Getting rid of the card is the first step in making myself feel accountable in not being able to fly United,' he said.

Phyllis Brown, a nurse practitioner from Denver, CO, posted to Facebook saying that she was also destroying her United credit card 'in protest of their recent brutal treatment of a legal paying passenger'.
Philip Hammond defended Boris Johnson today amid a backlash over his botched demands for the G7 to impose sanctions on Russia.

The Foreign Secretary went into a key summit with counterparts from the powerful nations yesterday insisting that Vladimir Putin should be hit with punitive measures unless he abandons the Syrian regime.

But he was branded a 'total let down' after fellow G7 ministers rebuffed the appeal in the wake of last week's chemical weapons attack on Idlib province.

Chancellor Philip Hammond moved to shore up his Cabinet colleague today, insisting the UK would not stop 'making the case' for a tough line over Syria.

A No10 source insisted Mr Johnson had the full support of Theresa May and dismissed claims he had failed his first big test.

The episode was particularly embarrassing because Mr Johnson had cancelled a planned trip to Moscow at the weekend to concentrate on getting an agreement.

Cold shoulder: Boris Johnson pictured with French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (left) and Rex Tillerson (right) yesterday

Speaking at a conference in London today, Chancellor Philip Hammond said Mr Johnson had been 'making the case' for the G7 to take the 'right approach'

It left the US-UK strategy in chaos just as Americas Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for direct talks.

Mr Johnson sought to salvage his diplomatic reputation by insisting some Russian figures could still face sanctions if an independent investigation found evidence of involvement in last weeks chemical attack that killed at least 89 people.

But the senior Tories and diplomats questioned his handling of the situation.

Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind said he had been 'suspicious' about whether sanctions were a good idea, and the drive had only undermined Mr Tillerson's position because the Russians could point out the G7 was not united.

'What we have now got is a worse situation than we started off with because Tillerson will now be told by the Russians, when he sees (Russian foreign minister Sergey) Lavrov "well, you don't even have the G7 supporting you".' Sir Malcolm told BBC Two's Newsnight.

Referring to Mr Johnson's reputation, he added: 'In the short term it has obviously damaged him.'

One government source told the Telegraph the affair had been a 'total let down'.

Tory former minister Alistair Burt, an ally of Mr Johnson, said he was 'disappointed' by the focus on Mr Johnson who had been 'trying to do an extremely difficult job'.

But he conceded that in the 'best of all possible worlds' the Foreign Secretary would have sought the agreement of other G7 foreign ministers for fresh sanctions before publicly calling for them.

'It wasnt possible, events have moved very quickly,' he added.

Mr Hammond, speaking at a conference in London today, said Mr Johnson had been 'making the case' for the G7 to take the 'right approach'.

'The British government position has been and will remain to lead the way on arguing for a robust approach towards Russian aggression in Syria. We have been doing it for years and will continue doing it. We have to make that case and we will continue making that case,' he said.

'Sometime some of our partners are less forward leaning than we are, but that wont stop us making the case for what we believe is the right approach to dealing with Russia.'

Mr Johnson had wanted Mr Putin to face threats of further isolation if he did not break his ties with Assad, depriving the dictator of his key supporter.

But a joint communique signed yesterday by the G7  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and America  failed to mention sanctions on Russia.

Instead, the adopted conclusions called on the Russian president to play a constructive role in bringing about peace.

Italian foreign minister Angelino Alfano, who hosted the meeting at Lucca, told a closing press conference: We must have a dialogue and we must not push Russia into a corner. There is no consensus on new sanctions.

The Foreign Secretary had demanded Vladimir Putin face tough sanctions unless he abandons the Syrian regime following last weeks chemical weapons attack

French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said: The question wasnt mentioned by anyone except Boris Johnson but we didnt talk about it any further.

Mr Johnson claimed there was now an opportunity for Mr Putin to reset relations with the West. They have a big strategic choice: Do they want to stick with this guy who is poisoning his own people and poisoning the reputation of Russia? he told Sky News.

Theresa May and Mr Trump had agreed in a telephone call on Monday night that there was a window of opportunity to persuade Mr Putin to abandon his Syrian ally.

A Foreign Office source rejected the criticism of Mr Johnson. It was simply the right thing to do to try to push other countries to punish war criminals and murderers.
A secret skateboarders' haven has been discovered under the rubble of the Interstate 85 - but nobody seemed to know about the elaborate set of ramps except its users.

Found just yards from the collapse in Atlanta, Georgia - which was triggered by a huge fire - the skate park has been built with tonnes of cement, but local authorities never granted permission for it to be constructed.

It is not known how long the park had been there for, but that particular section of the bridge had not been inspected since 2015, according to 11Alive.

The skate park was found just yards from the scene of the collapse, underneath Interstate 85 in Atlanta, Georgia

Firefighters said the fire burned for more than an hour under I-85 northbound near Piedmont Road. The interstate - a major artery for the US South that runs through the heart of Atlanta - is closed indefinitely

ABC News reporter Steve Osunsami described the future for commuters in the area to be a 'traffic migraine,' and said that he expects his commute to double, as he lives just a mile from the site of the incident

The Georgia Department of Transport (GDOT) said in a statement: 'There was no permit of any kind given for this unauthorized facility on state property.

'We are aware of its existence and will begin removal shortly.

'Our team is currently working to review this site as part of our commitment to address illegal trespassing on state property and the resulting implications.'

Yet it seems not even all of the local skaters new about the park, as one, Andrew Rodriguez, told the station he had only discovered it after the collapse.

He added: 'It definitely looks like it's done by people who know what they're doing.'

Earlier this month, three people were arrested in connection with the fire that caused a section of the bridge to collapse.

Crews (pictured) were seen working to restore the bridge after the blaze collapsed a portion of I-85. Atlanta residents will likely face travel chaos as construction crews repair the fragmented section of the exceptionally busy motorway

Looking to the future, Atlanta residents may be facing a travel disaster as construction crews repair the fragmented section of the exceptionally busy motorway

Deputy Insurance Commissioner Jay Florence would not discuss how the fire was started or why, saying those details would be released as the investigation progresses.

However, he said the suspects used 'available materials' at the site - the GDOT has since been criticised for keeping such substances at the site.

All three may have been homeless, Florence added, although it is not clear whether they had lived at the site beneath the highway.
A woman who started dealing drugs at the age of 13 has revealed how the industry lured her in with wads of cash but left her battling addictions to ice and methadone.

Britney* started working 12-hour shifts dealing marijuana in the streets of Sydney, selling drugs to 60 customers a day and getting paid up to $8,000 a day.

Speaking to Liverpool Leader, she said that because she was 'innocent looking', police were less likely to get suspicious and she was rewarded with more shifts.

Moving out of home as a young girl, she started dabbling with methamphetamine as a means to cope with a violent relationship with her then-boyfriend, also a dealer.

Britney* (not pictured, stock image), was just 13 years old when she started dealing drugs and taking ice. She worked 12-hour days and earned as much as $8,000 in a single day

The young girl started dealing marijuana and would deliver to 60 customers a day. After moving out of home to live with her violent then-boyfriend, she became an ice addict

She said occasionally buyers would try to bully her into handing over drugs for a cheaper price because she was 'small and female'.

'You mess with me and you've got the boss to answer to,' she told the Liverpool Leader.

As her drug habit intensified and her addiction to ice started getting worse, she turned to methadone - a drug used to help heroin addicts control withdrawals.

Despite not being a heroin user herself, she said the opioid would numb her feelings and help her get to sleep - and it didn't cost her a cent.

After a number of close calls with the law, she decided to get out of the drug game.

Britney has since kicked her addictions to ice, methadone and marijuana and is training to to enter the workforce as a sober 25-year-old.

*Not her real name.
A British OAP has been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide after his ex-wife was attacked by an intruder armed with a crowbar.

The 69-year-old Scot was held after allegedly breaking into his victim's home in Spain and hitting her repeatedly round the head with the weapon.

The suspect has been remanded in prison pending the results of an ongoing investigation after appearing before a judge in a private court hearing.

A 69-year-old Scottish man is being held on suspicion of attempted murder by police in Spain after officers said he broke into his ex-wife's home (pictured) and beat her with a crowbar

His alleged victim is in hospital in El Palmar near Murcia in south east Spain where she is recovering from multiple injuries including skull and cheekbone fractures.

The incident occurred at a property in the popular holiday resort of Aguilas on the Costa Calida, at the southern end of Murcia's Mediterranean coastline.

The injured woman, also British, was asleep and woke up to find an intruder armed with the crowbar standing over her bed.

She told police she was hit several times around the face and head with the weapon before managing to get her attacker to stop his assault and talk with him in a bid to calm him down.

He allegedly kept her prisoner in her own home for around two hours before leaving the property on the understanding she wouldn't call the police when he left.

Police say she rang for help the minute he was out of the door and the suspect was arrested as he returned to the house after realising he had left behind the crowbar.

Spanish Civil Guard officers on Wednesday released pictures of the crime scene and the crowbar used in the vicious assault.

It is understood a restraining order previously in place against the suspect had expired.

A spokesman for the Civil Guard confirmed: 'A British man aged 69 has been arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide in Aguilas.

'He entered the home of his ex-wife in the early hours and allegedly attacked her with an iron bar.

'The woman managed to get him to leave her house and alerted the authorities.

'The detainee has been remanded in jail. The victim remains in hospital.'

Police say the victim managed to convince her attacker to leave before calling police. He was then arrested after returning to retrieve the crowbar, which he left behind

The spokesman added: 'Two Civil Guard patrols found a man and a woman covered in blood when they arrived at the property.

'The woman told the officers she had been attacked hours earlier by the man who was her ex-partner.

'The officers discovered that there had been a restraining order in place against the man but it had expired.

'The victim said she had been in bed when the light was switched on and without having time to get up, her ex-partner who was wearing gloves, began to brutally assault her with an iron bar.

'She said she tried to defend herself while she was hit on the head and in the face and body and began a dialogue with the suspect to try to calm him down.

'This was what supposedly led to him stopping although he remained in the property for around two more hours while he controlled the woman's movements.

'After this he left convinced she wouldn't alert the authorities. She phoned 999. Minutes after leaving the property he returned with the intention of taking away the iron bar and at that point the Civil Guard officers and paramedics arrived.'

The British woman, who is also 69, was taken to a hospital in nearby Lorca before being transferred to the Virgen de La Arrixaca University Hospital where she is currently being looked after.

Her injuries are not thought to be life-threatening although police have said she has multiple skull and cheekbone fractures along with other injuries.
A train struck and killed a man who was pushing his bicycle onto the railroad tracks, according to officials in Florida.

A Norfolk Southern train was heading south late Tuesday when the crash happened, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The train was going 20 - 30mph when the incident took place, according to reports.

A train struck and killed a man who was pushing his bicycle onto the railroad tracks, according to officials in Florida

The man was in his mid-50s. The man's name hasn't been released, pending notification of his family.

Officials say the train's engineers sounded the horn, and the lights were flashing and the crossing arms were down as it approached.

Officials told News 4 Jax that the victim apparently attempted to beat the train but wasn't running.

JSO Sgt. David Smith told the website: 'He either did not see or hear it until it was too late. It struck him and the train called it in.'

No further details were immediately available.
A mother has slammed McDonald's over their 'dangerous' bins after her four-year-old son got his finger trapped in one and needed surgery after 'chunks of skin were ripped off'.

Terie Easton visited the Brentford McDonald's in West London last month with her family when son Taylor got his finger stuck in the indoor metal swing-lid bin while throwing rubbish away.

The 23-year-old had to rush the youngster to hospital and alleged that staff 'did nothing to help her'.

The four-year-old was in hospital for two days and is now so distressed by the incident he wets himself whenever asked about his ordeal, according to his mother.

Terie Easton was furious after her son Taylor had to spend two days in hospital, pictured, after 'tearing chunks of skin off his finger' when his hand was trapped in a McDonald's bin

The child needed surgery to repair the damage to his finger, pictured, but will retain the use of it

Ms Easton, pictured with Taylor, said her son was traumatised by the incident and 'wets himself' every time it is brought up

Ms Easton, from Brentford, who was also at the restaurant with partner Kieran Reilly, 22, and daughter Lydia, said: 'McDonald's is all about kids. It's supposed to be safe for kids. It was a horrendous experience.

'It's ridiculous. You just wouldn't think that it would happen. We were just going out for a meal. It's disgusting.

'He put the rubbish in the bin and pushed the bin lid open. The heavy metal lid came back on him and trapped his little finger between the side of the bin and the lid. He couldn't get it out.

'I was screaming at his dad saying "I don't know what to do". It was really horrible. My daughter was there, she's only two. She was crying and screaming.

'His finger was wedged in the side and we couldn't get it out. My son was crying and screaming his head off.'

The wound, pictured left, was caused after his hand after the heavy metal 'swing-lid' trapped Taylor's hand against the side of the bin

Ms Easton, right, had been at the restaurant with partner Kevin Reilly, 22, left, Taylor, second left and daughter Lydia, two, second right

She added: 'The bin lid had torn his finger open as well as chunks of skin ripped off, we could see his bone.

'The staff members were incompetent. They just stood there staring at us not knowing what to do.

'They shouldn't have let us go without an ambulance. It's shocking that they didn't help us.

'I think the bins need to be changed to plastic. The metal is so heavy and and the gap needs to be made smaller.

'Things can go wrong so quickly. I would warn other parents not to let their children use the bins. They're too dangerous.'

After being taken to hospital Taylor was put to sleep for surgery so that his finger could be checked for tendon and bone damage, cleaned and stitched up.

Ms Easton said: 'As soon as he saw the nurse they said he needed the surgery. They could see his bone. They told me they needed to put him to sleep, which was very scary.

Taylor, pictured left and right with sister Lydia, was screaming during the incident but Ms Easton claims staff 'did nothing to help'

'He wets himself when people ask about it. It's heart-breaking. Thanks to the design of their bins my son is now left traumatised because of all of the pain he's been through.

'Seeing his face trying to cry when he was coming round from the surgery but he couldn't because he was so out of it just broke my heart.'

The four-year-old had to take two weeks off from school after the surgery but will regain full use of his finger, despite some scarring.

Since the incident, Ms Easton has returned to the McDonald's store to register the incident with the branch and has also been in touch with head office, who have offered her a 20 McDonald's voucher as well as a 30 supermarket voucher.

Ms Easton said: 'When it happened they just wanted me to fill in an accident book but I told them that can wait and I said I would come back in my own time.

'I was told by head office that they will be sending an investigation team down there but I have recently been told that there was no fault and it was a one off incident.

'However, I have been back since and it looks like they have tightened the screws on the bin to make the gap smaller.'

McDonald's said it was sorry to hear about Taylor's (pictured) incident and has launched an internal investigation

A McDonald's spokesperson said: 'We are sorry to hear that Ms Easton's son sustained an injury following his visit to our Brentford restaurant.

'The safety and well-being of our customers and employees is our first priority and as soon as our restaurant team were made aware of this incident, the team acted swiftly to offer medical assistance and to call an ambulance.

'All equipment and fixtures in our restaurants, including our bins, undergo regular safety checks to ensure they are safe for our customers to use.

'Since this was brought to our attention several weeks ago, an internal investigation was launched.

'We wish Ms Easton's son a speedy recovery and would encourage Ms Easton to get back in touch with our customer services team.'
A man from southern China was in agony after breaking his penis during sex with his wife.

The 42-year-old was rushed to hospital with symptoms of 'eggplant deformity' with swellin, pain and dark purple bruising.

Doctors performed an operation on him and successfully repaired his penis, reports the People's Daily Online.

Doctors warned a fracture in penis can lead in erectile dysfunction if not treated immediately (file photo)

Mr Dai, from Guangxi's Nanming city, had his penis snapped after hearing a cracking sound while having sex with his partner on the night of April 8.

He was rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment before being transferred to Guangxi Minzu Hospital at 4am.

Doctors found that Dai's penis was at an odd angle and was in a swollen shape that made it look like an eggplant.

Dai was diagnosed with a penile fracture after tearing a sponge-like erectile tissue called corpora cavernosa.

Blood flows into corpora cavernosa that runs along the penis and making it hard during an erection.

However, any vigorous intercourse may tear the tissue, meaning blood bursting inside the penis and causing painful swelling, according to NHS.

Dai is now recovering in hospital.

Doctors from Guangxi Minzu Hospital said incidents such as these are common occurrences in men aged 20 to 40 years old, under vigorous or violent sexual intercourse.

They also warned that a fractured penis can lead to erectile dysfunction and a higher risk of complications if not treated immediately.
A man who gatecrashed an 18th birthday party in North Sydney in 2013 is suing the state of NSW for malicious prosecution and wrongful imprisonment.

Jimmy Angelo Tupou, who was accused of throwing metal rods into the party after he was denied entry with a then 17-year-old known only as DS, began his case in civil court on Wednesday, reported the Daily Telegraph.

A 2.5metre rod pierced party-goer Liam Knight's head on the night, putting him into a coma and leaving him with permanent brain damage.

Jimmy Tupou (pictured outside court in 2014) is suing the state of NSW for wrongful imprisonment and malicious prosecution after he was cleared of all charges relating to a violent gatecrashing

Mr Knight's brother later spotted Mr Tupou sleeping at a bus stop in the area and called police, who arrested him.

Mr Tupou spent two months in prison before being released on bail, acquitted of all charges and cleared of any involvement. DS was sentenced to 12 years behind bars.

Mr Knight, who received only $5000 compensation for his life-changing injuries, has been left dumbfounded by the man's choice to sue.

'I couldn't believe it when I heard about the court action,' Mr Knight said.

'I've been told there is no one I can sue for what happened to me and only got $5000 compensation yet will have to suffer for the rest of my life.'

The party turned bad when a rejected gatecrasher began to throw building materials over the fence and impaled guest Liam Knight (pictured) in the head with a 2.5m pole, leaving him with permanent brain damage

Shane Knight, Mr Knight's brother, told 7 News he felt anguish about reliving the night for Mr Tupou's benefit.

'I'm pretty upset about it, that we have to live it again,' he said.

'The way I see it, he's effectively benefiting off someone's misfortune.'

Mr Knight was one of about 70 guests celebrating Harry Staples' 18th birthday in Forestville in Sydney's north on January 11, 2013.

The then-18-year-old underwent five hours of life-saving surgery after DS began to throw building materials into the party and struck the teen in the head.

Alongside his permanent brain damage, he also suffers from epilepsy and cognitive impairment. He will be in rehabilitation for the rest of his life.

The damage from the pole, similar to those pictured, also left Mr Knight with epilepsy and cognitive impairment

Mr Knight, who was just 18 at the time, said he 'couldn't believe it' when he heard about Mr Tupou's decision to sue

In a victim-impact statement read by his brother Shane at his attacker's sentence hearing, Liam told Sydney's District Court that the night has 'left his life in tatters'.

'I had to re-learn how to speak ... it's distressing not to be physically strong and able,' his brother read.

Liam, who now uses a walking aid, said at the time he now feels self-conscious.

'I feel that people are looking down on me.

'People no longer see me as Liam but as a person who needs help.'

'DS has changed my whole life for the simple fact that he couldn't get into a party'.
Father-of-two Stuart Gallear, 51, stabbed his wife Mandy three times after she told him she was leaving him for handyman Mark Prescott and said: 'I love him more than you'

A man who stabbed his accountant wife to death a day after he discovered she was having an affair with their joiner has been jailed for life.

Father-of-two Stuart Gallear, 51, knifed his wife Mandy three times after she told him she was leaving him for handyman Mark Prescott and said: 'I love him more than you.'

As she fought for her life with fatal wounds, Mrs Gallear, 41, pleaded with her husband: 'What are you doing? I still love you' before collapsing on their kitchen floor. He rang for an ambulance but Mrs Gallear was pronounced dead in hospital.

Gallear, who worked as a manager at a warehouse in Wigan, Greater Manchester, later admitted stabbing his wife - but he denied murder claiming diminished responsibility.

In a joint victim impact statement, her sister, Adele Ingham, and brother Andrew Ingham said they have lost their 'beloved' sibling and that her death has had a 'devastating' impact uponthe family.

In the statement, they said their world has been 'turned upside down' and that the family 'misses her every day'.

It reads: 'The death of our sister Mandy has had a devastating affect upon both of us. We have lost our beloved sister.

'The devastation has impacted greatly upon my two nieces.

'Our world has been turned upside down. It's hard to put into words what we feel. We miss her every day

'The actions of Stuart have ripped our family apart.

'He feels he is the one who had been affected but has never taken into consideration the effect, misery and upset his actions have brought to our family and the girls.

'He will never know how much devastation he has caused. Every birthday, Christmas and special event will never be the same again.'

During the court case, Gallear said that he could not remember what went through his mind, but 'he lost it'.

Mandy Gallear (pictured), 42, was killed in the kitchen of her home in Hindley, Wigan after she told her husband that she was leaving him for joiner Mark Prescott (right), a family friend

He told the court: 'I cannot remember what was going through my mind but I just lost it. I must have stabbed her. There was blood on the knife. I can only remember my arm moving. I know I've made a mistake.

He added: 'I loved her to bits. It does not matter how many times you ask me, I would never want to hurt or kill anyone, let alone my wife. But I accept the consequences.'

STATEMENT FROM ADELE AND ANDREW INGHAM The death of our sister Mandy has had a devastating affect upon both of us. We have lost our beloved sister. The devastation has impacted greatly upon my two nieces. Mandy and Stuart's daughters have not only lost their mother, but also their father, their home and their future with their family. Our world has been turned upside down. It's hard to put into words what we feel. Mandy was an independent lady, having taken a job after many years at home looking after the girls. She was a happy lady, always looking on the bright side and she always believed in doing the best to make a happy home environment. We miss her every day. The actions of Stuart have ripped our family apart. He feels he is the one who had been affected but has never taken into consideration the effect, misery and upset his actions have brought to our family and the girls. He will never know how much devastation he has caused. Every birthday, Christmas and special event will never be the same again. Advertisement

Today at Manchester Crown Court Gallear was convicted of murder and jailed for life and was told he must serve a minimum term of 17 years. He will not be considered for parole until 2034.

Mr Prescott, 51, a father-of-two who had worked on the Gallear's house in the Hindley area of Wigan, had initially rekindled his marriage with his own wife Ann-Marie, 44, after she temporarily split up with him following news of his 18 month affair with Mrs Gallear.

But she later threw him out again when she discovered during the trial that her cheating husband was due to view a bungalow with the victim on the day she died.

In court Gallear showed no emotion as Judge Mr Justice Peter Openshaw said: 'The pressure of the defendant's resentment was building up and he was in a highly excitable state. He believed he had been deceived by his wife, he foresaw how wife would leave him taking the children and he would be left with nothing.

'He believed she had ruined his life. These matters were obviously playing on his mind. It required only a small matter of detonation with his pent up emotions.

'He went back home and he said he just lost it and just reacted and lost his temper, reached into the open utensil drawer, picked up a heavy duty kitchen knife and stabbed her three times in the chest.

'As is made very clear by the victim personal statements that I have read with care he has deprived his daughters of their mother and indeed of their father as well. That may weigh heavily on him, but not as hard as it is on them. They must carry on as best they can throughout their lives.

Gallear (pictured with his wife) worked as a manager at a warehouse in Wigan - he later admitted stabbing his wife but denied murder claiming diminished responsibility

'She decided to leave her unhappy marriage as she was entitled to do. She believed she would find greater happiness with another as she was entitled to do. He may have lost his temper and possibly even his self control.

'I accept he bears a good character but that counts for little considering the gravity of his offending. He did what he could and made attempts to help her but it was all too late and indeed hopeless.'

The couple met when she was in her early 20s and according to friends was 'swept off her feet'.

They married in 1998, and had a daughter two years later, followed by another in 2002. But after attempting unsuccessfully to start a new life in Canada, the Gallears returned to the UK where he began drinking heavily.

He became depressed and he told the jury he neglected the family.

At Manchester Crown Court Gallear was convicted of murder and jailed for life with a warning he must serve a minimum 17 years and will not be considered for parole until 2034

In 2012 Gallear made a pass at his wife's sister Adele, when he tried to kiss her.

Mr Justice Openshaw said it was 'surely right' that Gallear was 'not an easy man to live with'.

In 2015 Mrs Gallear embarked on an affair with joiner Mr Prescott, a family friend who had worked on the couple's house.

Mrs Gallear later confided in a work colleague that she wanted to leave her husband but felt unable to because of her teenage children.

Then in April last year she confessed to her husband she was having an affair only to then lie and say it was with 'someone from college' and that she had ended it.

The tragedy occurred last October 5 when Gallear learned the true identity of his wife's secret lover after a visit from Prescott's stepson saying the affair was still going on.

Mrs Gallear told work colleagues at Chorley-based property developers Heaton Estates she was getting divorced and was planning to view a house for rent with Prescott on the day she was murdered.

Meanwhile her husband sent text messages to Prescott which said: 'Big mistake - just found out you f****** my wife'' before ringing him to say: 'I am not coming for you now but I will find you and I will kill you.'

Gallear also told his next door neighbour that his wife had 'ruined my life' and told a customer at his local pub: 'I've just found out my wife has been having an affair with my mate' before storming off to another bar - his face bright red with rage - in attempt to seek out Prescott and told regulars: 'Just tell him, I'm f****** looking for him.'

Mrs Gallear was stabbed to death at her home in this quiet, suburban street in Hindley

Later after drinking five pints, Gallear came home where he and his wife discussed their crumbling 18-year marriage while she was emptying a dishwasher.

When she said: 'Anyway, it's sorted now. We are separating. I love him more than you' he grabbed the knife from an open cutlery drawer and stabbed her.

In the 999 call played to the jury Gallear told the operator: 'I have just stabbed my wife. We have had a break-up and I have just lost it... I just lost it.'

A post-mortem examination revealed that one of the stab wounds was 7.4in deep and cut through the breast bone - delivered by a knife with a 7.6in blade.

During the hearing Prescott's wife Ann-Marie said she had seen sexually suggestive messages and pictures of Mrs Gallear on her husband's phone and told Gallear visited her at home on the morning of the murder to discuss the affair.

She said: 'He was just devastated and I was. We were like zombies. I said to him 'are you going to get him?'. I wanted him to have a smack. He replied 'yeah I'll get him and if I don't I will get someone else to'.

She said that Gallear had also told her: 'I have to be careful, Ann-Marie, because she will have the children and end up with the house and I will have nothing.'

She said Prescott later denied the affair lasted 18 months, and claimed it was 'six months, if that.'

Stuart Gallear, 51, had admitted the manslaughter of Mandy Gallear (both pictured) but claimed he did not intend to kill her and lost his self-control - he was found guilty of murder

Ann-Marie added: 'He told me that it was nothing and he had tried to finish it three times.'

In mitigation for Gallear, defence lawyer Simon Csoka QC said: 'This was a long standing marriage, one which for much of it was a happy marriage. It was frankly acknowledged on both sides that the marriage had its difficulties.

'But this is a man who fully understands the consequences of what he has done. He fully understands he has caused his daughters to lose their mother, which in addition to the remorse he feels for taking his wife's life away, that's a continuing thought he has to deal with every day.

'He fully understands that it's extremely unlikely that his daughters will ever feel sufficient reconciliation to have any contact with him. He doesn't expect them to do so - he would be very fortunate if they were able to find forgiveness to do so. He fully understands the damage caused to his daughters.

'The facts are particularly tragic but this is a defendant who fully understands the enormity of what he has done. It's the self blame that's the greatest punishment.'

Following sentencing, Detective Inspector Lewis Hughes, from Greater Manchester Police, said: 'We will never understand why Gallear decided to grab that knife and stab the mother of his children and the woman he was married to for some 20 years.

'He will now have to live with that guilt every day of his life and will face 17 years behind bars.

'This family have suffered what can only be described as unbearable heartbreak and I cannot begin to comprehend how painful the trial would have been for them.

'These are truly tragic circumstances and my thoughts remain with them and all those affected by this harrowing case.'
Meet the adorable spiny critter whose winning smile and belly laughs make him Britain's smiliest hedgehog.

Adorable African Pygmy Waldo is prone to cracking a large smile for the camera and the sociable hedgehog loves nothing better than hanging out at his local pub on a Friday night.

Owner Niki Brown, 32, is besotted with her prickly pet, and said he is now a completely different hog to the one she adopted 11 months ago from a rescue centre.

So happy: Adorable African Pygmy Waldo is prone to cracking a large smile for the camera

Forever friends: Waldo, pictured above with Miss Brown's mother's dogs Ria and Alfie, gets along with almost everyone - Miss Brown said the hedgehog doesn't see them that often, but they get along

The couple adopted Waldo from National Exotic Hedgehog Rescue - and say they've never looked back

Pictured: Owners Niki Brown (right) and Jack Dicken (left) love spending time with three-year-old Waldo

Miss Brown, from Farnborough, Hampshire, said: 'He's so happy and friendly.

'He'll start to smile particularly when he's being given food - I've never seen anyone seen anyone so happy to see food in all my life.

'We even take him to the pub with us quite regularly on a Friday night. He's really sociable.'

They take him to their local pub in a specially-assigned carry case along with a blanket so he can snuggle and enjoy some of his favourite snack which is sweetcorn.

And he doesn't just get along with humans - but dogs too.

Unusually Miss Brown said Waldo is tolerated by her mother's dogs and if they lived closer she would consider putting them together more.

Care supervisor Miss Brown and partner of three years Jack Dicken, 26, spied their dream pet Waldo on social media, and said they was charmed by pictures of the little hog hiding away.

The couple adopted him from National Exotic Hedgehog Rescue - and say they've never looked back.

Right side of the bar: On Friday nights, the sociable hedgehog loves nothing better than hanging out at his local pub

Owner Niki Brown, 32, is besotted with her prickly pet, and said he is now a completely different hog to the one she adopted 11 months ago from a rescue centre

Snuggled up: Care supervisor Miss Brown and partner of three years Jack Dicken, 26, found their dream pet Waldo on social media, and said they was charmed by pictures of the little hog

After a lengthy adoption process the spikey sport arrived at his new home with Miss Brown and Mr Dicken in May 2016, and was initially very shy.

But slowly but surely the little hedgehog, now around three years old, opened up to his loving owner and started to crack out the smiles.

Now, she claims, the grins just keep on coming - and she's there with the camera ready to snap his cheery face.

Peek-a-boo: Waldo arrived at his new home with Miss Brown and Mr Dicken in May 2016, but initially shied away from human contact

Miss Brown said: 'I used to cry, I used to think, 'This hog hates me'.

'It can take a while for them to get used to you, but he would bite and run away.

'Now the change is unbelievable. He will come out now when I call his name and he follows me around. He'll run around my bedroom which has been hog-proofed so that he can't eat things.

'I think he must have been a dog in a past life.'

She said her pet's behaviour is unusual for hedgehogs, which are typically known as quiet creatures.

Miss Brown said: 'They are normally really grumpy and huffy it's lovely to see that the time and care I put in with him has paid off and he's so happy.

'He's handled for one to four hours a day. We will have a cuddle with him in the evening.

She said: 'He'll even come along to the pub with us on Friday nights where we both used to work and hang out.

'He's very popular, people even send him presents.'

Slowly but surely, the little hedgehog, now around three years old, became more comfortable around humans and now loves spending time at the local pub

Happy family: Owner Niki Brown, 32, pictured with Waldo in the centre, and partner Jack

Miss Brown said Waldo's fosterer would always put pictures and videos of him which made her want to adopt him

Most bizarrely, his full name is 'Where's Waldo Thorn Dicken The Hedgehog'.

Miss Brown said: 'His fosterer would always put pictures and videos up of him hiding, saying 'Where's Waldo?'

'I just fell in love with him and said to Jack, 'I have to have this hedgehog in my life.'

'We kept the 'Where's Waldo?' name, with 'Waldo' for short.

But the pet takes Mr Dicken's second name, meaning his full moniker is Waldo Dicken.

'We had been looking for a small pet and had got to look at all the normal things, but none of them really took my fancy.

'Then Jack told me that someone he knew at uni had a pet hedgehog, and that was it.'
An island made famous by the queen of crime Agatha Christie is now the centre of controversy as a futuristic new development has been given the green light.

An unusual structure straddling rocks is set to be built at the iconic Burgh Island, just off Bigbury in Devon.

Building work will start by the end of the year on The Pool House on the South East side of Burgh Island after it was approved by South Hams District Council's development management committee after a narrow vote, despite objections.

The extension to the hotel will straddle the rock across Burgh Island, off Bigbury in Devon, which was the inspiration for Agatha Christie's chilling thriller And Then There Were None

Tony Porter, former owner who sold the hotel in 2001 said the new suite was a 'step too far'

The application for the strange extension was recommended for refusal by the council, but the councillors approved the plans despite 10 objections

The Pool House will provide extra accommodation for the Grade II listed Art Deco hotel, called the Burgh Island hotel, which has played host to Agatha Christie, Winston Churchill and the Beatles since it was opened in 1929.

It inspired the setting for her thriller And Then There Were None.

The design for the building was the culmination of an architectural competition and it will sit above the Mermaid Pool, straddling the headland and a rock stack.

The site for the new single-storey building with a flat green roof was recommended for refusal by the council's planning officer who said it would be 'intrusive in the landscape introducing an inappropriate, artificial, man-made structure into this rugged, natural coastline'.

The building is to be called The Pool House and will provide extra accommodation for more guests staying at the Art Deco hotel on Burgh Island

The hotel has been on the island since 1929 and has played host to the Beatles as well as the famous crime writer

Andy Groarke, director of London-based architectural practice Carmody Groarke, said: 'We are delighted to have achieved planning for this very special project, which will now be realised as an important part of the client's vision for the environmental, cultural and economic livelihood of this unique place.'

The chilling book is set on an island where guests believe they are either meeting old friends or about to be offered a job

There was one letter of support and 10 letters of objection.

The former owner of the Burgh Island Hotel, Tony Porter, who together with his wife bought the island in 1986 and restored the then-closed hotel to its former glory described the new suite as a 'concrete carbuncle'.

Mr Porter, who sold the hotel in 2001 said the new suite was a 'step too far' for the island opposite Bigbury-on-Sea, which also witnessed controversy with the introduction of 200 solar panels in 2015.

Applicant Anthony Orchard, owner of the Burgh Island Hotel said it was going to be a 'world class' building that would improve the long-term viability of the hotel and the team were dedicated to quality and detail.

The hotel attracts around 12,000 guests each year.

The Christie thriller became a BBC drama at the end of 2015, featuring Aidan Turner and Charles Dance in its star cast

The South Hams District councillors on the development management committee were divided in their opinions, with some concerned about the impact on the 'iconic view' and others saying it would improve the local tourism.

There were four votes for the application, three against and three abstentions.

Construction is expected to start towards the end of this year.
This is the shocking moment a 'reckless' motorist drove in the wrong direction and made a U-turn on the M6 - after appearing to 'change his mind' about joining the motorway.

Graeme Kinghorn, 37, had been forced to stop on the hard shoulder near Rugby, Warwickshire, when he spotted the Chevrolet Spark driver's 'scary' actions last week.

The lorry driver watched the motorist drive down to the slip road before reaching the motorway and stopping on the edge of the inside lane for almost a minute as three lanes of traffic whizzed by at 70mph.

The motorist drove down to the slip road (left) before making a U-turn and coming back (right) while going in the wrong direction

The footage shows the Chevrolet driving the wrong way back up the slip road

It comes after the vehicle made a U-turn while on the very edge of the motorway

The footage then shows the Chevrolet make a U-turn and drive the wrong way back up the slip road away from the motorway, which Graeme suspects was the driver's way of trying to get back onto a roundabout after taking the wrong exit.

Graeme, from Dumfries and Galloway, in Scotland, said: 'If it hadn't been for the gap in traffic there could have been a big accident. He was risking his own life as well as others.

'On a day to day basis I see drivers making mistakes but I've never seen this before. It was reckless. I was baffled.

'He might have come off the roundabout at a wrong exit. He probably didn't want to go on the motorway or even changed his mind.

'He only would have had to travel five miles to get back on to the roundabout.

One witness suspects it was the driver's way of trying to get back onto a roundabout after taking the wrong exit

Lorry driver Graeme Kinghorn, 37, pictured, witnessed the driving and recorded it on his dashcam

Witness Graeme Kinghorn said: 'It's not even a mistake that this driver made. It's just reckless'

'It's lazy to not do the detour. It's possible the driver doesn't know the Highway Code but I would like to think that's not the case if they have a full driving licence.

'It's not worth risking lives. It's never worth pulling a stupid move like that. It's really dangerous.'

Graeme had pulled onto the hard shoulder to check his own vehicle after fearing there was an issue but avoided moving off when he noticed the dangerous actions of the Chevrolet driver ahead of him.

Graeme said: 'I want to raise awareness of this type of driving. It can be a bit of a worry. It seems to be getting a bit worse. There seems to be less awareness about what's going on.

'People just aren't paying full attention. But you've got to be aware of your surroundings.

'There was no collision that I could see. He pulled onto the roundabout. I had my hazard lights on to warn other drivers. There were a couple of other vehicles.

'It's not even a mistake that this driver made. It's just reckless. None of us are perfect but it can be quite scary if people are doing this sort of thing.'
Diners who went for a birthday curry that ended in a restaurant brawl have now been served with a 52,000 bill.

Dubbed in court as the Battle of Vindaloo, the meal descended into violence when a 'rowdy' party of 22 men were said to have clashed with staff at the Shozna Indian restaurant in Rochester, Kent.

Punches and kicks were allegedly dished out by the diners while waiters, the chef and kitchen workers armed themselves with pots, pans and a broom to chase the group out.

Father David Pettett, 56, his sons Tom Pettett, centre and Jamie Pettett, left, pictured outside Maidstone Crown Court, were cleared of affray on Tuesday

CCTV shows the group of middle-aged male customers coming to blows with staff at the restaurant in shocking scenes at the Shozna in Rochester, Kent

The fight was captured on CCTV and owner Jamal Ahmed described the footage as resembling a wild west movie, with startled customers leaping from their seats to avoid the trouble.

Jamie Pettett, who was celebrating his 31st Birthday, his father, David, and younger brother Tom, were all charged with affray but were cleared in court on Tuesday, claiming self-defence.

However, it emerged in court that owner Mr Ahmed plans to serve them with a claim for 52,100 whether they are convicted or not, and civil cases have a lower burden of proof.

Trouble allegedly flared as Jamie Pettett was celebrating his 31st birthday with his father, David, younger brother Tom, and friends on July 31 2015.

However during their trial at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent it was revealed that Shozna owner Mr Ahmed plans to serve them with a civil claim for compensation for an eye-watering 52,100 whether convicted or not.

The restaurant in Maidstone Road was forced to close for the evening after the brawl, resulting in a loss of takings between 2,500 and 3,000.

However, 44-year-old Mr Ahmed told the court damage was caused to chairs, tables, glasses, hot plates, picture frames, a window and carpet.

Trouble allegedly flared as Jamie Pettett was celebrating his 31st birthday with his father, David, younger brother Tom, and friends on July 31 2015 at the Shozna (pictured)

The curry house boss also said walls needed repainting and he had to fork out 18,000 for an advertising package to 'restore the reputation' of his family-friendly eatery, which went on to win a top curry award three months later.

But he denied during cross-examination by David Pettett's legal team that he had 'over-egged the pudding' and was simply after money.

The trial heard the men had only been served their first drinks and poppadoms when they decided to leave, having accused staff of being rude and abrupt and 'throwing' bowls of curry onto their table.

As the party was being ushered out of the packed restaurant, where diners included five off-duty police officers and several children, it was alleged Mr Ahmed was punched, kicked and thrown to the floor.

His brother Jalal and chef Mohammed Hossain were also caught up in the melee.

Self-employed roofer David Pettett, 56, Jamie Pettett, now 32, and Tom Pettett, 26, all from Chatham, Kent, denied affray and claimed they were either acting in self-defence or defence of their father.

Mr Ahmed told the court he operated a no stag party or large groups of men policy but allowed the mixed-age party into his restaurant as it was early evening and they were smartly dressed.

Owner Jamal Ahmed left with a black eye after he claims to have been repeatedly punched by four men during the row

However, he said the group became boisterous and were twice spoken to before Jamie Pettett allegedly branded him 'arsey' and declared they were leaving.

Mr Ahmed said he told them they did not have to pay their bill and was showing them to the door when a scrum developed and David Pettett tried to punch him several times.

The restaurant owner also claimed he was kicked before being grabbed around his neck and thrown to the floor. His brother and his chef also ended up on the floor, with heavy steel hot plates being sent flying from a shelf.

He said he suffered a black eye and bruising to his shoulder and back, as well as 'mental torture' from the incident.

Mr Ahmed denied arming himself with any utensil during the scuffle.

Prosecutor James Ross said at the start of the trial that what began as a verbal argument with 'finger pointing and dissatisfied gestures' at staff soon became a physical tussle.

'It was a moving scrum, a melee of people pushing, shoving and jostling. It involved more than the three people in the dock, it involved lots of people.

'A full grown, fully developed bit of argy-bargy developed and the three defendants joined in for no good reason.'

Several of the birthday party also sustained injuries, including David Pettett who told the court he was struck to his right eye with a poppadom platter and hit with a hot plate. Another needed stitches to his head.

Giving evidence, the father of three sons said his group were not 'over-boisterous' but the atmosphere in the Shozna changed as food was being served and curry was splattered over people's clothing.

The owner claimed he asked the party of 22 rowdy men to leave and said he wouldn't charge them but things quickly escalated into 'a moving ruck'

His group decided to leave but Pettett said an aggressive Mr Ahmed blocked his path and threatened to slit his throat.

'I leant forward and said 'Pardon?' and he said it again. As I moved forward an arm came up - I don't know whose arm it was - with a silver platter and smacked me in the right eye. I think it was a poppadom tray.

'My reaction was one more of shock than anything. I went to grab hold of him and my son had my other arm and pulled me back. It was like a melee and with the big surge everyone just got pushed in.

'Diners were being attacked with all sorts - hot plates, pots, pans, everything. They (the staff) just wanted to start hitting.'

Pettett denied attacking anyone in the fracas and told the court he declined a solicitor following his arrest as he had 'done nothing wrong'.

The Shozna was named the South East's Best South Asian Restaurant of the Year at the Asian Curry Awards, which were presented at the Hilton hotel in Park Lane, London, in November 2015.
Alabama has appointed its first female governor after its incumbent Robert Bentley was forced to resign amid the 'luv guv' sex and finance scandal.

Bentley, 74, was facing criminal investigation when he quit to be replaced by the state's former Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey.

The shamed Republican politician was forced to resign when allegations emerged he had an affair with his former political advisor Rebekah Caldwell Mason, 45.

Newly installed Alabama governor Kay Ivey, left, promised her administration would be 'open, honest and transparent' after her predecessor was forced to resign amid a sordid scandal

Robert Bentley quit on Monday after accepting a plea deal from prosecutors accepting convictions on two misdemeanor campaign violations and a lifetime ban on public office

Bentley, who was also a church deacon, was divorced by his wife of 50 years, Dianne, amid claims of infidelity.

Announcing his resignation, Bentley also pleaded guilty in a plea bargain with prosecutors to two misdemeanor campaign violations and is barred from seeking public office again.

He said: 'I have spent the last year in deep and earnest prayer over our state and our people. I pray every morning for wisdom and guidance and forgiveness for the sins I have committed.'

Bentley acknowledged wrongly using campaign money to pay almost $9,000 of his Caldwell Mason's legal bills and failing to properly report a $50,000 loan he made to his campaign.

Ivey is the first female governor of Alabama since Lurleen Wallace, right, who replaced her husband George, left, in 1967 after he was banned from running again due to term limits

Bentley, left, was accused of having an affair with his political advisor Rebekah Caldwell Mason, right, as well as paying $9,000 towards her legal fees

As part of his plea deal, Bentley must surrender $37,000 in campaign funds and perform 100 hours of community service.

Moments after taking office, Ivey fired Caldwell Mason's husband, Jon Mason, who ran Bentley's volunteerism office.

One of the new governor's first acts was to fire Mason's husband, Jon Mason, who ran Bentley's volunteerism office.

Addressing the Old Senate Chamber following her swearing in, Ivey, 72, said: 'Today is both a dark day for Alabama, yet also one of opportunity.'

She promised voters her 'administration will be open, it will be transparent and it will be honest'.

Ivey is from Wilcox County, the same rural area where Attorney General Jeff Sessions grew up.

Ivey, pictured with Donald Trump's advisor Kellyanne Conway, was twice elected to the mainly ceremonial role of Lieutenant Governor of Alabama in 2010 and 2014

She was elected Lieutenant Governor in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. The role of Lieutenant Governor is largely ceremonial, but next in line to the governor's office.

She is the second female governor following Lurleen Wallace, wife of four-term Governor George C. Wallace.

She ran as a surrogate for her still-powerful husband in 1966 when he couldn't seek re-election because of term limits. She won, but died in office in 1968. Her husband regained the governor's seat in 1970.

The 72-year-old Ivey is from Wilcox County, the same rural area where U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions grew up. First elected lieutenant governor in 2010, she was re-elected in 2014.

Ivey, who immediately assumed the role of the governor after Bentley's resignation, will hold that position until the next general election in 2018.

Dianne Bentley, pictured, divorced her husband in 2015 amid allegations of his infidelity

Bentley was arrested by Montgomery County Sheriff's office as part of the investigation

Bentley's political demise started after he fired Alabama's Law Enforcement Secretary Spencer Collier last year.

In response to his sacking, Collier held a press conference accusing Bentley of having an affair with Caldwell Mason.

Collier also provided Al.com with details of the illicit affair, including a secret phone conversation captured by Bentley's then.

According to the transcript, Bentley said: 'When I stand behind you, and I put my arms around you, and I put my hands on your breasts, and I put my hands (unintelligible) and just pull you real close. I love that, too.'

Later he said: 'Baby, let me know what I am going to do when I start locking the door," he said during another part of the tape.

'If we are going to do what we did the other day, we are going to have to start locking the door.'

The Alabama House Judiciary Committee, which began investigating Bentley said the former governor tried to cover up the affair 'in a process characterized by increasing obsession and paranoia'.

It added: 'To ensure the silence of his staff, Governor Bentley encouraged an atmosphere of intimidation. Concern over the recordings appears to have become an obsession.'

During one trip to Washington, Bentley texted Caldwell Mason 'I can't take my eyes off you'.

Unfortunately for the then governor, he did not realize his iPhone and state supplied iPad, which he gave to his wife were linked and showed up on her tablet.
A 10-year-old Chinese boy has committed suicide after being banned from watching television by his father.

The child, from south-west China's Chongqing city, jumped from his apartment on the 19th floor and landed on a car parked on the street on April 10.

The boy was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 10-year-old boy, surnamed Lv, was found dead after jumping off from the 19th floor in China

Police said the boy decided to commit suicide after his father forbade him from watching TV

According to People's Daily Online, the boy, surnamed Lv, lived on the 19th floor of a building in Chongqing's Dazu District.

He jumped off the building from his bedroom window and hit the bonnet of a white car parked on the street before falling to the ground.

Dazu Police Bureau received reports from onlookers and rushed to the scene.

Dazu police set up barriers to stop onlookers from entering the scene of the incident

Lv's family said they would arrange the young boy's funeral after police complete investigation

The police confirmed that the incident took place at 6:44pm local time. They released an official statement on the Chinese social media platform.

After initial investigation and post-mortem examination, the police said the boy was angry because he had been banned from watching TV, which led to the jump.

Pictures show the incident drew a large number of onlookers. Shattered glass can be seen on the white car's windscreen and blood stain on the bonnet of the car.

Lv's family members cried as they held the body of the 10-year-old. They said they would arrange his funeral once the police investigation is finished.

For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116 123, or visit a local Samaritans branch - see www.samaritans.org for details.
Doctors from China are set to help a disfigured woman get a new face by having it grown on her chest.

Surgeons are expected to cultivate the woman's nose and mouth using her own tissue before having them transplanted to her face in about a year, according to media.

The operation, which will cost about 500,000 yuan (58,000), is due to give the woman a 'life-changing' face-lift.

Surgeon Li Qingfeng and his team discussed the medical plan with the patient, who calls herself Ye Lv Zi, before the first operation was carried out on Monday in Shanghai

A doctor tried a 3-D print model on Ye Lv Zi's face to see the potential result of the surgery

The 27-year-old patient lost her nose, lips and cheeks aged two due to complications caused by a high fever, reported Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People's Daily.

She has had trouble eating and talking since then. She also lost the fingers on her right hand, said the report.

The innovative surgery is led by Li Qingfeng (pictured), a renowned orthopaedic surgeon

The woman shared her heart-breaking experience growing up with disfigurement in an online post last year. In the post, she used the screen name 'Ye Lv Zi'.

The post gathered much attention from the public and many people sympathised with the woman, who comes from a remote village in Hubei Province.

Various medical professionals hoped to help the woman reconstruct her face.

Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital said the woman's disfigurement had been caused by a rare case of sepsis.

A team form the hospital, lead by renowned Chinese orthopaedic surgeon Li Qingfeng, came up with a pioneering medical plan in a bid to help Ye Lv Zi gain a new face.

The team include doctors from oral surgery, oral-cranio-maxillofacial surgery and other disciplines from the hospital.

According to the plan, doctors will take a fascial flap from the blood vessels on the woman's thigh and grow it on the woman's chest using the tissue-expansion technique.

Doctors are set to grow Ye Lv Zi's new face on her chest. Pictured is a visual demonstration of the surgery released by Shanghai's Dragon TV

The team have made life-size models of the patient's current and potential facial features using 3-D printing technology

Dr Li Qingfeng told Shanghai's Dragon TV: 'The woman's facial features have not fully developed and this makes her different from other people.'

He continued: 'The re-construction of the internal structure of her nose and mouth is harder than that of normal burnt and injured patients.'

With the help of 3-D printing technology, the team have made life-size models of the patient's current and potential facial features, which 'greatly facilitated the medical plan', said Dr Li.

The face will then be transplanted to the woman's head once it's fully grown.

The woman will undergo four stages of surgery, which are expected to last around a year, said Dragon TV.

Ye Lv Zi underwent the first stage of the surgery on Monday. The operation, which lasted more than 12 hours, dealt with initial facial reshaping.

The hospital in Shanghai demonstrated the steps of the operation during a press conference

In a post Ye Lv Zi shared on Weibo in February, she said she is grateful for the opportunity of a new life. As she understood, it would take two to three years for her to fully recover.

The woman also said the hospital had told her not to worry about the cost prior to the surgery.

Having lived through hardship because of her appearance, Ye Lv Zi seems to be excited to see the outcome of the surgery.

The woman wrote: 'I cherish every opportunity for a change in life. I want to experience more - good things or bad. Maybe that's the best present life gives me.'

The new tissue-growth method was developed by Dr Li Qingfeng and his team.

It won the second prize in China's National Scientific Technology Progress Award in 2016 and has been billed as 'the Chinese style face-changing' by media.

According to Huanqiu, a total of 42 cases have been handled by Shanghai No. 9 People's Hospital using the technique.
A prostitution ring has been discovered at a Texas massage parlor after a pipe clogged with hundred of condoms led to a bust, police said.

Jade Massage Therapy, located at 9112 Anderson Mill Road in Austin, Texas, was part of a weeks-long investigation after Austin police received a tip from a project management company in February about a possible prostitution ring at the business.

Two days before police received the tip, one of massage parlor's owners, Juan Wang, was stopped by TSA agents at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for carrying $30,000 in duct-taped bundles in her luggage, CBS Austin reports.

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A prostitution ring has been discovered at Jade Massage Therapy (above) in Austin, Texas

Police received a tip in February after a pipe was clogged with hundreds of condoms

Video courtesy of CBS Austin:

Wang nervously told police she was traveling to China, her home country, for a medical procedure and that the money came from Jade Massage Therapy, where her reported income was just $20,000 a year, according to the arrest affidavit.

Police allowed her to board the plane after she gave them a contact phone number.

Throughout the course of the investigation, police found a series of ads for Jade Massage posted on Backpage, a website authorities contend is a hub for the illegal sex trade, featuring photos of women and Wang's phone number.

The store's co-owner, Juan Wang, was stopped by TSA agents at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (above) for carrying $30,000 in duct-taped bundles in her luggage

Officers conducted surveillance on Jade Massage Therapy on March 7, and interviewed a man they had seen walk in-and-out of the store. The unidentified man told them that he had received a massage and paid an additional $40 for it to end in a sexual act, according to the arrest affidavit.

Wang told police that she hired the women through a friend and that she paid them in cash or check.

She also said that the women lived with her and her husband, Jade Massage Therapy co-owner Joseph Emery.

Wang and Emery have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and money laundering but have not yet been arrested.
Christopher Dearlove, pictured, 61, has previously been caught faking a variety of illnesses to get hospital treatment, including Ebola and AIDS

Britain's worst hypochondriac who has previously been banned from every hospital in the country after faking various illnesses including Ebola has been caught out again.

Christopher Dearlove, 61, assumed 98 aliases, gave 47 dates of birth and faked symptoms to get treatment and a bed at health centres nationwide.

He was slapped with an ASBO in 2010 banning him from using the NHS unless genuinely in need of medical attention but has since breached it dozens of times.

Most recently he turned up at Yeovil District Hospital in Somerset in February and said he was ill and 'had been receiving treatment at another hospital'.

But staff saw through the ruse and he admitted breaching his ASBO at Taunton Crown Court today.

The ban came after the courts heard he cost the health service tens of thousands by faking illnesses, which each admission costing NHS trusts up to 1,000.

His offences are spread over more than 20 years, with many involving him feigning chest pain, night sweats and weight loss.

On one occasion, the fraudster, originally of Harrow, London, claimed to have AIDS and coughed up fake blood to get a room at a medical centre in Hull.

Another time, at Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital in Grimsby, he coughed over two receptionists and said he had Ebola.

He said he had just returned from West Africa where his wife died from Ebola and claimed he had tested positive at the airport.

Medics donned protective clothing and masks and A&E came to a standstill, until a member of staff saw through his act and recognised him as a 'hospital hopper'.

Dearlove admitted lying to staff at Yeovil District Hospital, pictured, to get treatment and breaching an ASBO banning him from NHS hospitals

Staff in Glasgow, Cambridge, south London, Rochdale and Grimsby were among others he tricked to get accommodation and food.

He was jailed for 14 months for the Grimsby Ebola incident in March 2015.

Judge Martin Meeke remanded Dearlove in custody and adjourned the hearing for sentence until May 26 awaiting the details of a psychological assessment.
Nigeria says it has foiled a plot by ISIS-linked Boko Haram militants to attack British and United States embassies.

Five suspected members of the Islamist militant group based in Benue state, in the country's middle belt, have been arrested over plans to strike the two consulates in the capital Abuja.

Police say the terror cell had 'perfected plans' to attack the two headquarters and 'other western interests'.

Nigeria says it has foiled a plot by ISIS-linked Boko Haram militants to attack British and United States embassies. The US consulate in Abuja is pictured above

Five suspected members of the Islamist militant group based in Benue state, in the country's middle belt, have been arrested over plans to strike the two consulates in the capital Abuja (file picture)

The arrests were made on March 25 and 26, police said

The security service added that another suspected Boko Haram member, arrested on March 22, in northeastern Yobe state, confessed details of the plot.

The British High Commission and U.S. embassy in Abuja did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The State Department on April 5 issued an updated travel warning for Nigeria, warning that Boko Haram has targeted government installations and other venues in the past in the Federal Capital Territory and elsewhere.

One faction of Boko Haram is allied with the ISIS. It has increasingly used children, especially girls, as suicide bombers.

News of the arrests comes on the third anniversary of the mass abduction of Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram.

The mass abduction of 276 girls from a boarding school in Nigeria in 2014 mobilised an international campaign to find and free the girls, many of whom were forced into marriages with fighters and became pregnant.

News of the arrests comes on the third anniversary of the mass abduction of Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram

Dozens quickly escaped, and 21 were freed in October through negotiations with Boko Haram mediated by the Swiss government and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The government denied a ransom was paid and that it freed some detained Boko Haram fighters in exchange for the girls.

At that time, officials said they were pressing on with negotiations and expected the release of a second group, but no more have been freed.

Nigeria's president late last year declared the Boko Haram insurgency 'crushed,' but its fighters continue to threaten the vast region around Lake Chad in defiance of a multinational force.

Boko Haram has killed more than 20,000 people and forced more than two million to flee their homes since 2009 in an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state in the northeast of Africa's most populous nation. Attacks have also crossed into neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
Teacher rebuked: A student at the University of Central Florida has filed an anonymous complaint accusing Dr Walter Gaudnek (pictured) of using foul language to discuss her art project last year, earning him an admonishment

The University of Central Florida has admonished a veteran art professor and renowned painter after a student accused him of using offensive language when he critiqued her art project.

The student anonymously filed an ethics complaint in October 2016 after Dr Walter Gaudnek's advanced painting class, labeling his alleged use of foul language in class as 'extremely unprofessional.'

According to the student's complaint, obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, the 85-year-old modern artist and award-winning educator said of her work: 'You should just paint a vagina on it, it would be so much better.'

The student also quoted Gaudnek as telling her: 'You cant paint the f***ing Virgin Mary like this, she would be so f***ing p*****.'

When confronted by school officials about the allegations, Gaudnek denied making the strongly-worded remarks and noted that he has the academic freedom to say what he wants in class.

Veteran educator: Dr Gaudnek, 85, has taught at UCF's School of Visual Arts and Design since 1970, earning several teaching awards

Gaudnek's canvasses, one of them pictured above, have been exhibited in museums around the US, in South America in Europe

Administrators insisted that doesn't extend to 'using offensive language' to evaluate a student's work.

School officials sent a letter rebuking Gaudnek's language and reminding him to be respectful toward students or face disciplinary actions and firing.

Gaudnek, who has taught at UCF's School of Visual Arts and Design since 1970, agreed to write a warning on the class syllabus about the language he uses when teaching pop art, Dadaism and Italian Futurism.

According to his biography, Gaudnek, a self-proclaimed 'rebel artist,' was born in the former Republic of Czechoslovakia in 1931 and went on to earn a PhD from New York University in 1968.

Before coming to UCF, Gaudnek had taught at universities in Los Angeles, New York City, Long Island, and Ohio and was named a Fulbright Scholar in 1951.

Gaudnek, a self-proclaimed 'rebel artist,' was born in Czechoslovakia in 1931 and went on to earn a PhD from New York University

During his tenure at UCF, Gaudnek has earned three major teaching awards, including the University of Central Florida Presidents Award in 1999.

His canvasses have been exhibited in museums around the US, in South America and Europe, and several of his works are featured in permanent collections in Germany and Florida.

The Daily Mail on Wednesday attempted to reach out to Dr Gaudnek for comment but he did not respond.
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A US Navy unit which killed Osama Bin Laden will be taking part in drills simulating removing North Korean despot Kim Jong-un from power.

The Special Warfare Development Group, best known as SEAL Team 6, will carry out drills in South Korea, the country's Ministry of National Defense has revealed.

It is the team which carried out Operation Neptune Spear, the killing of the Al-Qaeda leader in Pakistan back in May 2011.

The Navy SEAL team is responsible for the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011

It will be taking part in exercises aimed at removing North Korean despot Kim Jong-un from power

An aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, will arrive in South Korea today, The Japan Times reports, along with US Army unit Delta Force, which specialises in counterterrorism operations.

It comes a day after US President Donald Trump said North Korea was 'looking for trouble' following missile tests, and vowed the United States would 'solve the problem' with or without China's help.

Pyongyang has reacted angrily to the impending arrival of the aircraft carrier, warning of 'catastrophic consequences'.

It comes after US President Donald Trump said North Korea was 'looking for trouble', and vowed the United States would 'solve the problem' with or without China's help

The move is part of a growing US presence off the Korean Peninsula, and is reportedly part of a plan aimed at 'incapacitating' Kim Jong-Un's regime should conflict break out.

A nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea last month for joint military exercises in the latest show of force against the North.

More than 80 aircraft, including the fighter aircraft F/A-18F Super Hornet, the E-2C Hawkeye and the carrier-based EA-18G Growler were on board the supercarrier.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency claims the heightened military presence is part of a plan to decapitate North Korean leadership.

It claims a military official, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'A bigger number of and more diverse U.S. 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.'

More than 80 aircraft, including the fighter aircraft F/A-18F Super Hornet (at the front of the carrier), the E-2C Hawkeye and the carrier-based EA-18G Growler (in the middle) are on board the super carrier

The USS Carl Vinson approaches Busan port in South Korea to join the annual joint military exercise called Foal Eagle

The aircraft carrier and a US destroyer carried out naval drills including an anti-submarine manoeuvre with South Koreans in waters off the Korean peninsula as part of the annual Foal Eagle exercise.

Washington insisted they are purely defensive in nature.

Rear Admiral James Kilby, commander of USS Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group 1, said: 'The importance of the exercise is to continue to build our alliance and our relationship and strengthen that working relationship between our ships.'

The US has also started to deploy 'Gray Eagle' attack drones to South Korea, a military spokesman revealed last month.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is taking part in South Korea-U.S. joint military maneuvers carried out in the largest scale yet, with North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats in focus

South Korean and US troops began the large-scale joint drills on March 1.

The spike in tensions concerned Beijing, with China's Foreign Ministry calling on all sides to end 'a vicious cycle that could spiral out of control.'

North Korea, which has alarmed its neighbours with two nuclear tests and a string of missile launches since last year, said the arrival of the US strike group was part of a 'reckless scheme' to attack it.

The North Korea's state KCNA news agency said: 'If they infringe on the DPRK's sovereignty and dignity even a bit, its army will launch merciless ultra-precision strikes from ground, air, sea and underwater.

'On March 11 alone, many enemy carrier-based aircraft flew along a course near territorial air and waters of the DPRK to stage drills of dropping bombs and making surprise attacks on the ground targets of its army,' KCNA said.

Last month, North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan in response to annual US-South Korea military drills, which the North sees as preparation for war.

The murder in Malaysia last month of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother has added to the sense of urgency to efforts to get a grip on North Korea.

Visiting the headquarters of an army unit early this month, Kim praised his troops for their 'vigilance against the US and South Korean enemy forces that are making frantic efforts for invasion', according to the North's official KCNA news agency.

Kim also ordered the troops to 'set up thorough countermeasures of a merciless strike against the enemy's sudden air assault', it said.

The threat represented by North Korea's growing nuclear and missile arsenal is the main reason for his trip to the region.

An F/A Super Hornet fighter jet takes off from the nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier

F/A Super Hornets and other fighter jets await takeoff aboard the nuclear-powered USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier

A U.S. F18 fighter jet lands on the deck of U.S. aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson during the annual joint military exercise

A U.S. Navy crew member works on a U.S. F18 fighter jet on the deck of USS Carl Vinson

A F18 fighter jet prepares for take off as part of the annual military drills in South Korea that the North regards as rehearsal for invasion

South Korean and U.S. troops began the large-scale joint drills, which are billed as defensive in nature, on March 1

US Navy crew members look at an F/A-18 fighter from the deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson

US Navy crew members run next to an E-2C Hawkeye as it lands on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson

The all-weather E-2 Hawkeye airborne early warning and battle management aircraft has served as the 'eyes' of the U.S. Navy fleet for more than 30 years

PLANES ON THE USS CARL VINSON The aircraft carrier, commissioned in 1982, is the centerpiece of the 7,500-sailor strike group. The 100,000-ton ship measures 333 meters in length and 77 meters in width. The Carl Vinson has been involved in a number of notable events including Operation Iraqi Freedom. The ship also received huge attention in 2011 when the body of Osama bin Laden was buried at sea from its deck. More than 80 aircraft, including the fighter aircraft F/A-18F Super Hornet, the E-2C Hawkeye and the carrier-based EA-18G Growler are on board the supercarrier. The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is the U.S. Navy's primary strike and air superiority aircraft. The E-2C Hawkeye is the U.S. Navy's primary carrier-based airborne early warning and command and control aircraft. The EA-18G Growler is the U.S. Navy's newest electronic attack aircraft intended to replace ageing EA-6B Prowlers in the service's fleet. As part of his plans to bolster the military, President Trump has vowed to expand the number of carriers the US fields from 10 to 12. And he promised to bring down the cost of building three 'super-carriers,' which has ballooned by a third over the last decade from $27 to $36 billion. Advertisement

US Navy crew members stand by an EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft on the deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson

The Carl Vinson Strike Group is participating in the annual joint Foal Eagle exercise between South Korea and the US

The joint exercises involve tens of thousands of troops, as well as strategic US naval vessels and air force assets
President Donald Trump says he'll pick a design for a U.S.-Mexico border wall 'very shortly' and has already viewed ten different designs.

'I'm going to build the wall, 100 percent,' Trump told Fox Business in an interview released in full on Wednesday.

Trump indicated in the interview that he is taking great personal involvement in the project that was a signature campaign issue, while the bureau of Customs and Border Protection sorts through the options.

'We have many, many designs. I've seen 10 of the top but I want to see more,' the real estate mogul said.

'In the wall we're looking at designs and we're going to be make a decision very shortly,' Trump added.

Touting the process that resulted in all manner of submissions, he said, 'In fact We had hundreds of bidders.'

'We have many, many designs. I've seen ten of the top but I want to see more,' Trump said of the proposed border wall on the Mexico border

Trump spoke as his campaign promise  he said repeatedly during the campaign that he would build a wall  is about to run into its first legislative test.

Congress must pass a new funding measure by the end of April, and Democratic lawmakers are vowing to oppose a measure to fund the government if it pays for Trump's border wall.

'Democratic members would not support a wall across the southern border,' New York Rep. Joe Crowley, the Democratic caucus chair, has warned. 'If they want to involve members of the Democratic Caucus in that process, we're more than happy to work with them. But it cannot include the wall.'

Trump touted a drop in apprehensions at the southwest border, hailing his Homeland Security Secretary, Gen. John Kelly.

'And what I'm doing is I said to our very great secretary  he's really doing a great job, General Kelly,' Trump said.

INCREDIBLE: Interviewer Maria Bartiromo responded that 'It's incredible' when the president rattled off a statistic about a drop in border crossings

POWERFUL WALL: This undated rendering provided by Gleason Partners LLC shows shows sections South Side (Mexico) connected like a snake along the border. Solar panels would cover sections of the wall proposed by Las Vegas-based Gleason Partners LLC so it could generate power

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, center, tours the U.S.-Mexico border with border officials, Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in Nogales, Ariz. Sessions toured the U.S.-Mexico border and unveiled what he described as a new get-tough approach to immigration prosecutions under President Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

This undated rendering provided by DarkPulse Technologies Inc. shows a proposed border wall between Mexico and the U.S. The wall proposed by Arizona-based DarkPulse Technologies would be constructed with ballistic concrete that can withstand tampering or attacks of any kind, according to founder Dennis O'Leary.

'Because, you see, the numbers where they're down 68 percent. And nobody's ever seen numbers it's like a record.'

'In fact, people aren't even trying to get through because they know they can't,' Trump continued.

'It's incredible,' interjected interviewer Maria Bartiromo.

'It's incredible what's happened,' Trump said.

Trump has previously cited two different figures, a drop of 64 per cent and a drop of 61 per cent. The 64 per cent figure represents the drop in southwest border apprehensions from March of 2017 compared to March of last year. The 61 per cent figure represents the drop in apprehensions from January through march.

.@POTUS to @MariaBartiromo on border wall: "We're looking at designs, and we're going to be making a decision very shortly." pic.twitter.com/beCd1mTdZp  FOX Business (@FoxBusiness) April 12, 2017

The futuristic plans for Otra Nation would span more than 1,200 miles and feature the likes of solar farms and a Hyperloop transportation system (artist's impression pictured)

Once built, the ecotopia would produce enough energy from its 90,000 square kilometres of solar panels to power itself and neighbouring areas

The Associated Press reported on several designs. One, by Gleason Partners LLC of Las Vegas, would cover wall sections with solar panels that would generate power for lighting and sensors.

"I like the wall to be able to pay for itself," said Thomas Gleason of the firm.

DarkPulse Technologies of Scottsdale, Arizona, is proposing a concrete that is blast-resistant and wold be covered in a coating that makes it hard to climb.

'You could fire a tank round at it and it will take the impact,' said company founder Dennis O'Leary.

In one off the wall proposal, the Otra Nation put forward a futuristic proposal that would include a territory open to both US and Mexican citizens. It would span more than 1,200 miles and feature the likes of solar farms and a hyperloop transportation system.

Once built, the ecotopia would produce enough energy from its 90,000 square kilometres of solar panels to power itself and neighboring areas.

The proposals were released by MADE Collective - a group of 14 members (seven from north of the border and seven from south), including architects, engineers, policy experts, lawyers and ecologists.
United's under-fire chief executive has promised police officers will never again board one of his airline's planes to remove a passenger from an overbooked flight.

CEO Oscar Munoz, 57, spoke to Good Morning America on Wednesday in his first public appearance since Dr. David Dao was seen on video being dragged from a flight at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Sunday night.

Footage of the incident has been shared around the world, leading to United being blasted for the forceful removal.

The interview started when the 57-year-old - who earned about $6.7million last year - was asked what his first reaction was to seeing the videos of a bloodied Dr Dao being pulled from the plane.

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United's under-fire CEO Oscar Munoz has spoke to Good Morning America in his first appearance since the airline's Dr Dao scandal on Sunday night

'It's not so much what I thought it's what I felt - probably the word shame comes to mind,' he told ABC's Rebecca Jarvis.

'As I think about our business and our people the first thing I think is important it to apologize to Dr David Dao and his family, to the passengers on that flight, to our customers, and our employees.

'That is not who United is... you saw us at a bad moment.

Munoz was then asked about his initial responses to the controversy, which led to him being labeled 'tone deaf'.

His initial statement read: 'This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.'

He then drew further criticism by claiming Dr Dao was 'disruptive and belligerent,' and accusing him of trying to punch the police officers.

'It's not so much what I thought it's what I felt - probably the word shame comes to mind,' Munoz told ABC's Rebecca Jarvis

'We are not going to appoint a law enforcement official to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger, we cannot do that,' Munoz said on Wednesday morning

'The initial words fell short of truly expressing what we were feeling,' Munoz told GMA on Wednesday.

'And that's something I've learned from. The expression of apology, and specifically to the folks I mentioned before, is an important part of a conversation like this because that shame and embarrassment was pretty palpable.'

He then continued on in the interview to promise a similar incident will 'never happen again' on a United plane, before flagging changing to the airline's policy regarding removing passengers from overbooked flights.

'Specifically, the use of law enforcement aboard aircraft has to be looked at,' he said.

'They are clearly there for safety but for other reasons that is a policy that clearly has to be looked at.'

When asked if police would do the same thing they did to Dr Dao again in future, at the airline's request, Munoz said: 'We are not going to appoint a law enforcement official to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger, we cannot do that.'

He also touched on potentially tweaking the airline's policy in regards to offering rewards to passengers so they surrender their seats on overbooked flights.

'I think, back to the broader system, there are many points we need to look at,' Munoz told GMA.

Dr David Dao is pictured bleeding from the mouth after he was body slammed by cops and dragged off the overbooked United flight at Chicago O'Hare

United CEO Oscar Munoz had earlier doubled down on his airline crew's decision to remove an elderly passenger, claiming he was 'disruptive and belligerent'. He has since walked back most of these statements in subsequent interviews

'There is an incentive program that works pretty well outside the gate, but clearly when you get aboard the plane your incentive model needs to change.

'We do empower our front-line folks to a degree, but we need to expand that to allow a little more common sense.'

Munoz wrapped up the interview by saying he does not plan to resign, despite the controversy surrounding him and his airline.

'I was hired to make United better, we have been doing that and that's what I will continue to do,' he said.

Shortly before the interview took place, a new video emerged showing part of the conversation Dr Dao had with police aboard the United flight.

The video, which was shot by a female passenger seated directly behind the doctor, starts by showing a police officer standing in the aisle.

'I won't go, I'm a physician. I have to be at work tomorrow, eight o'clock,' Dr Dao is heard saying.

He is then seen speaking to someone on the phone, and is heard saying: 'I I tell you make a lawsuit against United Airlines.'

The officer is then heard in the video again asking Dr Dao to leave.

'No I am not going,' he replies, shaking his head angrily.

The cop then says: 'Well I have to drag you... You know how this is going to end up happening, right?'

Dao then replies: 'You can drag me, I'm not going. I'm staying right here. You'll have to drag me.'

The cop then says, 'I'm just telling you, it's going to be a lot harder for you...', before Dao interrupts with: 'Yes I know that, I'd rather go to jail.'

'You'd rather go to jail than just getting off,' the cop replies, while sounding confused at the comment.

A new video from the flight shows Dr Dao sitting in his seat (left) before a police officer arrived and asked him to leave (right)

This graph shows how United's stock price took a severe hit on Tuesday morning, before recovering throughout the day and into Wednesday. It has since fallen again

'Yes,' Dao is heard saying.

The two then continue speaking for a few more seconds, with Dr Dao mentioning he had flown to Chicago from Los Angeles and was desperate to get home, before the video cuts off.

The new video emerged after United's boss sent a third memo to staff on Tuesday afternoon about the incident.

'I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right,' Munoz wrote in the letter.

'It's never too late to do the right thing.

'I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what's broken so this never happens again.

'This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement.

'We'll communicate the results of our review by April 30th.

'I promise you we will do better.'

Earlier in the day, Dr Dao told Kentucky network WLKY 'everything' was injured after the ordeal.

Dr David Dao has been revealed as the man who was dragged from a United flight in Chicago on Sunday. He is pictured with his wife, Teresa, and their grandchildren

Dr Dao had refused to to give up his seat on the overbooked United flight from Chicago to Louisville on Sunday night was dragged off the plane by three cops

The doctor was bleeding from the face in videos of the incident, and his head could clearly be seen being slammed into an armrest.

A Chicago Aviation Department officer has been placed on leave over the incident.

On Monday, the United CEO described how flight crews had offered up to $1,000 in compensation for anyone willing to catch the next flight before approaching the passenger to 'explain apologetically' that he was being denied boarding.

He also said at the time that while he was 'upset' to hear about the man being violently dragged off the flight, that airline crew had simply been following 'established procedures.'

His latest statements on Wednesday morning and Tuesday afternoon appeared to fly contradictory to those initial statements.

Munoz made $6,736,112 in his role with the airline last year, according to Salary.com.

United's stock price took a serious hit on Tuesday, falling almost three per cent in morning trading, before it rebounded in the afternoon and closed 1.1 per cent lower than it started the day.

The drop wiped $255million off the airline's market cap.

It is due to open trading at 9am on Wednesday morning at $71.52 - a 1.15 per cent increase from close of trading on Tuesday evening.

United Continental Holding's price peaked this week at $72.04 at 2:45pm on Monday.
Five people have been hospitalised and 92 buildings are being disinfected after a nasty outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the heart of Melbourne's city.

Three men and two women, aged between 51 and 71, all reported they had been working or visiting the CBD just days before catching the rare form of pneumonia.

Victoria's Department of Health confirmed all five had been treated and released from hospital, with a further three possible cases under investigation.

It's believed the outbreak of the disease, which kills 1 in 10 people, is linked to cooling towers on buildings in Spring and Elizabeth streets in the city's east.

Five people have been hospitalised after an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. Authorities believe the outbreak is linked to cooling towers (stock image pictured) in Melbourne's east

Department of Health is disinfecting 92 buildings to find the source of the outbreak (targeting buildings within a 500 m radius of intersection of Little Bourke and Russell Streets, pictured)

Three workplaces and 89 cooling towers are being disinfected and sampled by authorities while they try to narrow down the source of the outbreak.

People can catch the infection by breathing in fine droplets of water containing the bacteria.

One of the five people who fell ill was put on life support in intensive care before recovering and being released from hospital.

Deputy Chief Health Officer Dr Finn Romane said the five people who caught the disease started feeling sick during the end of March and start of April.

People can catch the infection by breathing in fine droplets of water containing the bacteria

Authorities have declared Melbourne's central business district safe to visit

'Five cases of Legionnaires' disease is an unusual number of cases of Legionnaires' disease in Victoria in a short space of time and it's very concerning,' Dr Romanes said, reported the ABC.

'As a precautionary measure the department is sampling and disinfecting three workplaces in the Melbourne CBD and has ordered the disinfection of a further 89 water systems.'

Authorities have declared Melbourne's central business district safe to visit, adding that the testing was being done as a 'precaution to minimise any risk'.

Legionnaire's disease causes symptoms like headaches, chills, muscle aches and pains followed by respiratory problems and pneumonia over three to four days.

Anyone concerned about symptoms are advised to contact their local GP or hospital.
Northern Ireland's squabbling politicians have been told to strike a deal by early May or face the prospect of direct rule from Westminster for the first time in a decade.

James Brokenshire, the Northern Ireland Secretary, upped the stakes as he confirmed the current round of talks to restore powersharing would be suspended for Easter.

Sinn Fein and the DUP must agree to form a new administration, but they are at loggerheads over a range of issues including gay marriage and protection for the Irish language.

Mr Brokenshire said: 'I believe that the outstanding issues between the parties are surmountable, but if no executive is formed by early May, I will need to take further steps to ensure Northern Ireland has the political stability it needs.

James Brokenshire has warned politicians in Northern Ireland they must strike a powersharing deal by early May or face a snap election or direct rule from Westminster

'This is likely to mean, however undesirable, either a second election or a return to decision making from Westminster.'

Mr Brokenshire, who has already ordered one snap election that failed to break the deadlock, said round-table talks would be suspended over Easter but bilateral meetings would continue.

He said: 'All the parties have been actively engaged and some further progress has been made, including on the formation of an executive and on legacy.

'There is, however, still a lack of agreement between the parties on a small but significant number of issues.

'The restoration of devolved government remains achievable, but more time and a more focused engagement on the critical issues are required.

'The parties will have a final opportunity after Easter to reach agreement, building on the discussions which have taken place over the past six weeks.'

Legislative steps will be taken at Westminster to stabilise the finances of the rudderless administration, by passing a law to enable the circulation of rates bills that pay for local council services, Mr Brokenshire said.

And he said he would also amend legislation to allow an executive to be formed in early May if a deal materialises.

If no consensus is reached, he said the Government would either call another snap election or suspend devolution and reinstate direct rule from London.

Republicans have refused to form a government with DUP leader Arlene Foster, whose role in the 'cash for ash' scandal helped plunge Stormont into political crisis. The botched renewable energy scheme left the administration with a 490 million bill

Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams and the party's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill are in talks to restore powersharing. Mr Adams has said they will only strike a deal to form a new administration if the DUP gave ground on a series of 'rights-based' issues

He said: 'On 2 March the people of Northern Ireland voted clearly for devolved government.

'The parties mandated by that election still have a duty to provide the government for which they campaigned.'

Mr Brokenshire instigated the two-week talks process after last month's negotiations to form a new powersharing administration ended in failure.

Parties missed a deadline to get a government up and running within three weeks of March's Assembly election.

A voting surge by Sinn Fein in the last Assembly election saw the party come within one seat of becoming the biggest party at Stormont

The two parties are involved in set piece talks at Stormont Castle, Belfast, with the three other main parties - the Ulster Unionists, SDLP and Alliance - and the two governments.

But given the DUP and Sinn Fein's position as the two leading parties, devolution can only be restored if they can agree.

Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams on Tuesday warned the Democratic Unionists it was 'decision time' on whether they want to restore powersharing.

He made it clear that republicans would only strike a deal to form a new administration at Stormont if the DUP gave ground on a series of 'rights-based' issues.

Republicans, who have refused to form an administration with DUP leader Arlene Foster, want a commitment from the DUP not to block same-sex marriage.

They have also been seeking movement on issues like an Irish language act, which would give the tongue official status in Northern Ireland, a hugely symbolic measure but deeply problematic for some unionists.

A voting surge by Sinn Fein in the last Assembly election earlier this month saw the party come within one seat of becoming the biggest party at Stormont behind the DUP.
Nicola Urquhart has released a new picture of her RAF serviceman son Corrie McKeague, top, enjoying what she said was the 'best job in the world'

The mother of missing RAF serviceman Corrie McKeague has released a new picture of her son enjoying 'the best job in the world'.

Nicola Urquhart, 48, posted a picture of him on exercise in France in June 2016 along with the touching message.

It comes as the six-week search of a landfill in Milton, Cambridgeshire, for Corrie has cost police services more than 750,000 - making it one of the most expensive missing person investigations of all time.

But police say they have a 'great deal of confidence' that he will be found in the rubbish tip.

Ms Urquhart's message to her son alongside the photograph said: 'He called after spending a night in sand dunes freezing saying he was physically exhausted, the next night he called saying "This was the best job in the world" he'd completed the exercise along with his colleagues and I could hear the pride in his voice.

'Only 2 days left of searching this week. We've been pushed close to our limits, waiting for the phone to ring over the last 9 days, we will get through this tho, the kindness and support in every private or public message is still overwhelming, but honestly it's never been appreciated more.'

Mr McKeague went missing after a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on September 23.

Police were led to the waste tip site after records showed that a rubbish lorry collecting refuse bins in the area had picked up a heavier load than expected.

Meanwhile refuse collectors are said to be living in fear of 'accidentally killing a rough sleeper' following his disappearance.

The cost of a six-week search of a landfill in Cambridgeshire for Mr McKeague has now topped 750,000, making it one of the most expensive missing person searches ever

Ms Urquhart, pictured, said the 'kindness and support' she has received from the public during the search for her son has been 'overwhelming'

A rise in the number of homeless people sleeping in waste bins has sparked concerns that someone could accidentally be killed, claims the UK's waste disposal industry.

The warning was made as Corrie's mother paid a further tribute to her son as a police search of a waste tip for his body entered its sixth week.

Speaking on behalf of the refuse collection industry, Mark Hall of BusinessWaste.co.uk, Britain's national waste organisation, said it is 'terrifying' for staff to think they may not notice someone sleeping in bin when it is being collected.

Mr McKeague, pictured, went missing after a night out in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on September 23

He said: 'It's terrifying for our staff to find somebody lurking inside on their early morning rounds, and they constantly worry if they've ever accidentally killed somebody.'

Currently there are not exact figures of how many people are sleeping in commercial bins each night but Mr Hall said 'it is certain that the problem runs into hundreds, if not thousands of cases'.

Mr Hall added: 'A bin behind a bank, shop or office filled with paper waste provides a relatively comfortable 'bed' for the right with a roof over your head.

'But there is a genuine danger that the person inside might be too soundly asleep when the refuse truck comes.'

Describing their experience of this issues, one waste worker said: 'We have a rough sleeper jump out of a bin on us at least a couple of times a week.

'It's got to the point that you know which bins to expect them to leap out from. It's really sad and a bit unsettling, but what can you do?'

He added businesses could help prevent cases such as this by securing their bins at night.

Mr Hall added: 'They should either corral their bins so that they're behind closed doors, or lock their bins to ensure only approved people can access them.

'But it's the poor refuse lorry operators who are the last line of defence here, and it's a responsibility which weighs heavy on them.

He was last spotted walking through the town on CCTV footage and officers have been unable to trace him

His mother, left, and partner April Oliver, right, 21, have issued appeals for information on his whereabouts, with Miss Oliver expecting his child

'It seems Corrie's disappearance may have been a tragic accident.

'And we cannot begin to think how the innocent waste workers are feeling right now.'

'This is one tragedy that is being played out in public. How many other incidents involving homeless people who have fallen off the radar are going unrecorded?'he asks.
One in seven working-age EU citizens living in Britain is unemployed or 'inactive' - some 390,000 people.

Some 4 per cent of 2.7million nationals from the Brussels bloc are unemployed, while 11 per cent were classed as economically 'inactive' and not studying - meaning they are either retired or not working.

That is lower than the level for UK citizens, 4 per cent of whom are unemployed and 17 per cent inactive.

But it is still nearly equivalent to the size of Bristol, which has a population of 420,000.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures for 2016 do not state how many claim benefits, but many could be eligible.

The figures have emerged in a report shedding light on the key role of migrants in the UK labour market.

It shows that overall foreign nationals make up more than 10 per cent of the workforce. In crucial sectors such as food, retail and manufacturing they hold more than one in six jobs.

Migrants from the EU account for 7 per cent of workers, or around 2.2million people.

In crucial sectors such as food, retail and manufacturing foreign workers hold more than one in six jobs

Brexit supporters will see the data as crucial evidence of the need to control migration to ensure jobs are available for British workers, and impose tougher rules on EU nationals.

But on the day unemployment data revealed unemployment is steady at 40-year lows, critics will insist Britain is dependent upon migrant labour.

The classification of 'inactive' in the ONS report does not include students, but covers reasons such as retirement, illness, disability and caring for family.

Chancellor Philip Hammond today warned Britain's borders must remain open to the 'brightest and best' foreign workers after Brexit.

Mr Hammond - who has clashed repeatedly with hard line Brexiteers in the Cabinet - said the UK needed skilled workers to come in from abroad.

Speaking at a FinTech conference in London, he said 'We need to continue to attract the brightest and the best from around the world to these shores - and we will,' but he added the UK must also 'do better at nurturing and developing' home-grown talent.

Migrants workers make up more than 10 per cent of the UK work force and hold more than one in six jobs in crucial sectors such as food, retail and manufacturing. The blue bars show the share of UK workers, red shows the original EU nations including France and Germany, green and yellow show newer EU states like Poland and purple workers from the rest of the world

Chancellor Philip Hammond today warned Britain's borders must remain open to the 'brightest and best' foreign workers after Brexit

The report said the highest number of migrant workers are employed in elementary occupations, such as selling goods or cleaning, with 669,000, including 510,000 EU nationals.

MIGRANTS MAKE UP 11% OF THE WORK FORCE One in seven workers (14 per cent) in the wholesale and retail trade, hotels and restaurants sector are international migrants, including more than half a million from the EU;

Eight percent of workers in manufacturing are from the eight central and eastern European countries (EU8) which joined the EU in 2004 - the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia;

Workers from the EU as a whole made up 11 per cent of the manufacturing sector;

One in eight (12 per cent) in the UK's financial and business services sector are foreign nationals, including 382,000 from the EU;

EU8 migrants made up 7 per cent of the workforce in agriculture, forestry and fishing, although this proportion may not fully reflect the involvement of short-term workers in this sector Advertisement

This is followed by professional occupations, with an estimated 658,000 non-UK nationals, including 352,000 from the EU.

Statistics also indicate that Romanians and Bulgarians, as well as citizens from the EU8 nations, work more hours than UK nationals. Romania and Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007.

Half of working EU8 nationals (50 per cent) and nearly two-thirds of Romanians and Bulgarians (61 per cent) work more than 40 hours per week, compared to a third of UK employees (32 per cent).

Compared to the national average earnings of 11.30 per hour, workers from a group of 14 EU countries including Germany, Italy and France, earned more (12.59), whereas EU8 nationals and Romanians and Bulgarians had the lowest pay at 8.33.

The ONS said this partly reflected the numbers in lower-skilled jobs, adding that many EU migrants were 'over-educated for the jobs they are in'.

Unveiling today's report, Anna Bodey, of the ONS, said: 'Today's analysis shows the significant impact international migration has on the UK labour market.

'It is particularly important to the wholesale and retail, hospitality, and public administration and health sectors, which employ around 1.5 million non-UK nationals.'

The report emerged on the day unemployment data revealed unemployment is steady at 40-year lows, critics will insist Britain is dependant upon migrant labour

In major university cities such as Portsmouth, Swansea and Cardiff the employment rate among non-UK nationals is just below 50 per cent.

In total, there 19 local authority areas where the employment rate is below 59.9 per cent and another 24 where it is below 69.9 per cent.

Around 4 per cent of migrants to the UK - a population of 3.3million - are registered as unemployed.

Inactive people are students, pensioners, or other groups such as the disabled or full time carers.
Megyn Kelly's first interview in her new role as an NBC News host may be a coveted one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The network's chairman Andy Lack flew to Russia this week to try to secure the interview, according insiders.

He will appeal to Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov to take part in the sit-down which would make Kelly's hotly anticipated debut on the network even more memorable.

The 46-year-old was released early from her contract with rival Fox News in March after she signed a $15million, two-show deal with NBC.

She is yet to take to the airwaves for her new employer, with the start date of her daily morning show set for the fall.

Her Sunday night news magazine show is however due to start as soon as the summer. The Putin interview would be shown on this slot if it is given to her, an insider said.

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Megyn Kelly's first NBC News interview could be with Russian president Vladimir Putin (right in Moscow on Tuesday) if the network's chairman's attempts to land a one-on-one with him are successful

She faces competition from Matt Lauer and Lester Holt who are equally as likely to be landed the interview.

'Andy Lack has been in Russia having meetings to land an interview with Putin. It is not clear who would do the Putin interview.

'News chiefs decide based on who would be best for the job. This isnt Megyns interview  yet,' a source told Page Six.

The interview would be a major win for the network and could open Kelly up to a global audience.

It would come amid growing acrimony between the Russian president and President Donald Trump whose relationship, or lack thereof, has been a focal point of the past year's world news and politics.

On Tuesday, Putin blasted his US counterpart and his administration as 'primitive and loutish'. His fury stems from Trump's unilateral decision to launch airstrikes at a Syrian airbase last week as retaliation for a chemical weapon attack on a community which killed 89 people.

The White House has blamed the Syrian government for the attack and accused Putin of colluding with President Bashar al Assad to cover it up.

NBC News chairman Andy Lack (left) flew to Russia this week to meet with Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (right)

As US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson touched down in Moscow on Monday, the Russian president spoke on local state television to say relations between the two countries had deteriorated.

'One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated,' he said.

An interview with the US network would further probe the fraught relationship.

Kelly has been enjoying some downtime since being released from Fox last month.

She was pictured in Hawaii with her husband Douglas Brunt at the end of March, snorkeling in a black bikini and blue yoga pants.

While Fox insists it released her from her commitments without incident, Kelly's spokesman said she was still grappling with the terms of her departure and that the stalled delay was pushing back an official start date at NBC.

'The terms of Megyns termination are still being negotiated. No one has a start date for her at NBC because that does not exist.

Kelly was released from her Fox News contract on March 9 after 12 years. She is seen above in Hawaii weeks later during a trip with her husband

The Putin interview, if won, could just as likely go to Today's Matt Lauer (left) or Lester Holt (right), sources say

'Those discussions will begin after she leaves Fox,' Leslee Dart, the journalist's spokeswoman, told DailyMail.com on March 30.

Fox took a different tone, issuing a statement which claimed she was free of her commitment to them from March 9.

Her departure came after a months-long spat with Trump which penetrated coverage of his presidential campaign last year.

It began last August when the then candidate launched an attack on Kelly on Twitter after her questioning of him during a debate in the primaries.

It took an unseemly turn when Trump said in a later interview that she had 'blood coming out of her wherever'.

Kelly attempted to quash the growing animosity. 'It was bizarre because I became the story. He was so very focused on me that I became the story, and you know, you never want to be the story when youre a newsperson,' she went on to say.

Online, she did not hold back in challenging his attacks on her, once directing him to a poll she had published on her Kelly File show after he accused her of selectively using polling data to suggest he was unpopular.

Kelly was also involved in allegations against Roger Ailes, a veteran network executive accused of widespread sexual harassment.
A 25-year-old American woman who plotted to carry out a massacre at a Canadian mall on Valentine's Day has pleaded guilty.

Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath of Geneva, Illinois, was one of three people involved in the 2015 plan to use rifles and gas bombs at the Halifax Shopping Centre's food court.

Chris Hansen, a spokeswoman for the public prosecution service, said Souvannarath caught prosecutors off guard when she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder Tuesday during a routine appearance before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court.

'This removes the burden of conducting a lengthy trial... I can say it was unexpected,' said Hansen, adding sentencing was scheduled for October 5 and 6.

Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath, 25, of Geneva, Illinois, was one of three people involved in the 2015 plan to use rifles and gas bombs at a Halifax Shopping Centre

One of the trio of plotters, Randall Steven Shepherd, 22, pleaded guilty last year to the same charge and was sentenced to a decade in jail.

An agreed statement of facts said Shepherd and Souvannarath, along with 19-year-old James Gamble - who killed himself at his home as police moved to arrest him - had planned to attack the mall on Valentine's Day in 2015.

Two days before her arrest, Souvannarath posted about her admiration of Hitler, the Columbine killers and other murderers on her Facebook page, Tumblr site and forums, and even hinted at the deadly plan, writing: 'Valentine's Day. It's going down.'

Souvannarath posted this message showing 'Saturday the 14th' - the day of the alleged massacre - in bloody, dripping letters with the message: 'HA HAHA' posted beneath

She also shared this image with the words 'Valentine's Day. It's going down' with the names 'C***swastika' and 'Shallow-Existences', which refer to her and James Gamble

Randall Shepherd, who was 20 at the time, of Nova Scotia, was arrested on the same charges.

Online profiles showed that the co-conspirators had been exchanging unnerving messages for years.

The dark messages were in stark contrast to Souvannarath's high school yearbook photo shared by the Kane County Chronicle, which shows a pretty teen. She went on to study at Coe College, where she majored in English and creative writing.

Randall Shepherd, 22 (left), and James Gamble, 19 (right), plotted the mass shooting with Souvannarath. Shepherd has now been charged and sentenced to a decade in jail but Gamble killed himself before his arrest

Gamble, 19, killed himself at this Timberlea house after police surrounded the property

But online, Souvannarath, whose father is from Laos, painted herself as a neo-Nazi and regularly shared photos of Hitler while lauding white separatists, such as former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

'Free speech is dead,' she apparently wrote in one forum in 2007, when she would have been just 15. 'That's why we need people like David Duke to bring it to life again.'

She also shared quotes from murderers and photos of weapons, and another post on her blog read: 'Saturday the 14th' with the comment, 'HA HAHA' written beneath.

In 2013, Souvannarath uploaded this sketch she made, including Nazi emblems and the phrase: 'White Power'

According to the Toronto Star, Souvannarath started an online relationship with Gamble in December 2014, and they exchanged explicit images.

The agreed statement of facts reads: 'Ms. Souvannarath had a pre-existing interest in school shootings and Nazism. The two [Gamble and Souvannarath] quickly bonded over their shared interest in Columbine and other mass shootings,' it said, adding that Gamble revealed his desire to commit a mass shooting to Souvannarath.

He said Shepherd, his only friend, wasn't overly interested in a mass murder and asked her if she'd take his place.

'Souvannarath was interested in being his partner and was eager to participate. They planned their attack in great detail throughout January and early February of 2015,' noting they planned details such as the time, place, weapons to be used and 'whether they would taunt the victims.'

Lindsay Souvannarath is escorted by sheriffs as she arrives at provincial court for a preliminary hearing in Halifax, Nova Scotia in July 2015

The group, labeled by police as 'murderous misfits', had conspired to carry out a mall massacre on Valentine's Day and then take their own lives.

Investigators said at the time that the group planned to open fire inside Halifax Shopping Centre.

The statement of facts explains that the location was selected because they believed it would cause the maximum amount of panic.

Gamble had obtained his father's firearms - a lever-action hunting rifle and a single-action, 16 gauge shotgun - which he and Souvannarath planned to use.

Randall Steven Shepherd, then 20, raises his hands after having handcuffs removed as he arrives at Halifax Provincial Court in Halifax

The plot was foiled by law enforcement at the last minute after they received a tip-off from a member of the public.

'Based on what we know so far, it would have been devastating - mass casualties would have been a real possibility,' Justice Minister Peter MacKay told reporters a few days later.

The Columbine massacre happened on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School in Jefferson County, Colorado. Twelve students and one teacher were killed by students Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18.

The pair made home videos prior to the attack making references to what they were going to do and apologizing to their parents for it.

Harris and Klebold then killed themselves with gunshot wounds to the head in the school's library on the day of the shootings.

Souvannarath was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit murder after police received a 'tip'.
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania has beaten out traffic capitals like Los Angeles and Seattle as the town with the longest commute in America.

Residents in the town of 20,000 spend on average 37 minutes driving one way to work, Census data shows. That time more than doubles if they are taking public transit, with an average 88 minute one-way commute.

Local officials say commuting has become an issue as New Yorkers have started moving to the area in search of more affordable housing.

East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania has the longest average commute in America, according to the most recent Census. Above, a picture of the town's municipal building

The average rent in New York is $3,073. For that price, many New Yorkers are more likely able to afford a mortgage in East Stroudsburg as according to Zillow the median value of homes in the town is $122,800 - in New York it's $637,900.

'They have been moving here in dribs and drabs for probably 30, 35 years,' John Moyer, chairman of the board of commissioners for Monroe County, told CBS News. 'After 9/11, people felt [concerned] about their safety and decided that they wanted to move their families to a safer area, which theoretically we are.'

Some residents still make the 80 mile commute east on I-80 into the New York area, but the sudden influx in population has made the commute nearly impossible.

AMERICA'S LONGEST COMMUTES Metro Area Average one-way commute Driving Public transit East Stroudsburg, PA 37 88 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-CA-MD-WV 32.2 48.8 San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR 31 50.5 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 30.6 52.2 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 30.5 61 San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 29.9 49.6 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 29.7 48.4 Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 29.7 48.3 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 29.6 50.3 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 29.5 52.4 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 29.4 56.1 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 29 50.8 Stockton-Lodi, CA 28.7 81.2 Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 28.6 72.7 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 28.2 52.2 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 28.1 47.8 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 28.1 48.5 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV 27.9 115.9 Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk-CT 25.6 71.9 Bremerton-Silverdale, WA 23.8 71.2

'Its getting to the point where you really cant commute on 80,' Lawrence Malski, the head of the Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority, said. 'The people who are on 80, whether they are New Jersey or Pennsylvania residents, are just stopped in traffic during rush hour.'

Malski says that the number of New York commuters has jumped 10 per cent in the past decade.

Local officials are trying to alleviate some of the traffic issues by building a railroad from Scranton to New York City. Construction has started on the first seven miles of the line, but they are still trying to get funding for the rest of the estimated $500million project.
A Hawaii man was arrested after human remains were discovered in a freezer in his apartment.

The remains were found in 26-year-old Yu Wei Gong's sixth floor apartment in Honolulu's beachfront neighborhood of Waikiki, according to Hawaii News Now.

Authorities said Wong called dispatchers saying he was suicidal and that he had killed his mother.

Hawaii man, Yu Wei Gong, 26, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder of his mother after police found human remains in his apartment. Gong's mother has reportedly been dead for a year. Pictured is the apartment complex where Gong lives on the sixth floor

Early indications were that the body was that of the suspect's mother, who has been dead a year, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Upon arrival to the home at Aloha Waikiki, 414 Launiu St, police said they found the human remains. Police confirmed the body was that of a woman.

Wong then told officers at the scene that he was responsible for the victim's death.

He was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and taken to the Queen's Medical Center for a mental health evaluation. As of Wednesday morning, he hadn't been charged.

Sources told News Now that officers found the dismembered body in a freezer.

Witnesses who live next door to the building or inside the apartment complex saw officers bringing out a stretcher.

'They said somebody got chopped up... it's kind of scary,' said Ignatius Kenmanglay, who lives on the floor below the suspect and the victim.

Residents of the building said they were shocked this happened because there had been no signs of anything violent happening in the building.
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Simon Birch filmed the destruction of his $50,000 Ferrari 308 after the LA-based artist survived a battle with brain cancer.

Doctors gave Birch, 42, six months to live which forced him to re-evaluate his life.

Having defeated the disease, he decided to destroy his most valuable possession as part of an ongoing artwork.

Simon Birch paid a stuntman to crash his $50,000 Ferrari 308 at 100 miles per hour as part of an ambitious art project

Birch decided to wreck his pride and joy, pictured, after he reviewed his life having been told he had six months to live

Simon Birch, pictured, contracted brain cancer and was told by medics he only probably had six months left to live

Birch spent $100,000 filming the destruction of his car, hiring a stuntman to roll the vehicle at 100 miles per hour.

In total he has put $1million into the project  a film and art space called The 14th Factory - and borrowed another $1million from investors.

And he has now been left with no home, and no money in his bid to pursue his passion project.

Discussing his car, Birch said: 'There was one time when it was important to me and I thought it was very cool.

'But after having cancer and going through all that s*** it puts things in perspective.'

His project, The 14th Factory, has just opened in LA.

But things are so tight he is getting up to mop the floors for three hours before the doors open, and sleeping at the three acre site in Lincoln Heights.

Visitors often ask him where the toilets are and think he is the janitor.

Birch said he sold all his possessions to help fund this artwork which is being hosted in a Los Angeles building

A stuntman rolled the car at 100 miles per hour causing extensive damage, pictured before it was disassembled

Parts of the car were cut up as part of the display in the gallery. According to Birch 'I think it is much nicer now'

He said he now has no home, and no worldly possessions: 'I knew to do this project I would have to liquidate my life to some extent. Sell everything and use all my savings. So I knew I had to be all in.

'The last thing I had was that car. It made sense to just destroy it.

'I thought the beauty of it was you take this object that you think is valuable and you destroy it, you make it a film, sculptures and a photograph.

'And it suddenly becomes more valuable because it is shared. It's no longer just my car. Now everyone has access to it and can enjoy the beauty in the destruction.'

He added: 'I don't feel sentimental about the car at all  it's just a piece of metal. I think it is much nicer now.

'Gone are the days when I think things like that are cool, I think they are tacky now.'

In total it took just seven seconds for the $50,000 car to be destroyed after the stuntman flipped the Ferrari over

Footage of the car crashing is one of the installations on display at the Los Angeles gallery

Birch said he invested $1 million so far in his scheme and has received a further $1 million from his investors

In total, it took seven seconds for the stuntman to destroy his car.

The car was rigged to flip, which had a series of air compressors inside it and steel rods.

He said: 'You have to force the car to flip because it is so low and wide it won't do it by itself.'

It was driven at 100 miles an hour at a certain point where all the lighting was set up, and the stunt man pushed the button which forced the rods into the ground and the whole thing just catapulted.'

The car footage is just one of a number of spectacular installations.

They include 40 airplane tails from the Mojave Desert and a video of 300 Chinese factory workers brawling in an orchestrated fight scene filmed in Bejing in the dead of winter.

Birch grew up in Leicester, England, but left home at 16 and moved to Hong Kong to be a laborer on a building site when he was 20.

Birch said they had to rig the car to flip as it was far too low to the ground and wide to do it itself

Discussing his car, Birch said: 'Gone are the days when I think things like that are cool, I think they are tacky now'

He said: 'I grew up in a horrible neighbourhood. I left school when I was 16 and got into a lot of trouble and grew up with the wrong crowd.'

The only place I knew to go was Hong Kong because it was a British colony back then and you could get work there.'

He painted in his spare time, and after 10 years he finally found success as an artist: 'Painting prices went up and I got a lot of recognition.

'I bought a Ferrari  I was doing very well at that point and I was going to fancy parties and was sponsored by Louis Vuitton.

'But then I had a near death experience and was diagnosed with cancer and was given six months to live.

'That put a bit of a twist on how I saw the world.'

Birch's battle with cancer is also documented  with a series of 64 crowns which represent the mask he had to wear while undergoing radiotherapy treatment: 'I had tumours in my head they had to make a mask for me to hold me to the bench.

Birch said the exhibit also features his battle against brain cancer which needed 64 blasts of radiation to cure

'Every day I would have to go in and have blasts of radiation in the mask. I was bolted down to a surgical table.'

His illness made him reevaluate what was important: 'In the last seven years since it happened I have concentrated on non-profit and charity and stuff that isn't really about money and fame.'

Birch first tried to show his project in Hong Kong, but ran into a lot of red tape.

So he decided to try America to put on the show.

After trying and failing initially to find a site in LA, he discovered the perfect place on Wall Street in New York.

He says after a year of planning he ran into a 'brick wall of drama.'

However it was then he found the location in Lincoln Heights, a place which reminded him of where he grew up.

He managed to get investors on board after sinking all his money and savings into the project. But he says it is very much a week to week existence that they manage to stay open or they will go bankrupt and have to shut down: 'Fortunately the money came from people who bought my work who are quite wealthy.

'They are not going to chop my legs off I suppose!'

Visitors to The 14th Factory sign a waiver when they arrive as the exhibition is being filmed for a documentary  cameramen with go pros can be seen walking around the gallery capturing footage.

Birch added they are hoping to rent the space and also have community projects coming in to use it: 'It's a non profit  we aren't trying to make money just do something cool.

The 14th factory is a collaboration  he is the writer and director, and there are 20 other artists, directors and film makers involved.

'The project is a story. In its simplest sense it is 14 chapters of a book. A book of your life or my life.'

Guests pay $15 to go into The 14th Factory, where they 'leave Los Angeles' and enter into a journey through the exhibition space.

They then have to make decisions whether to fight battles and make allies or enemies.

Birch said: 'This is our factory, an actual production facility for artwork and we are filming a documentary about making the art.

'We are all in. If people keep coming, then we can keep paying rent and we can keep the project going. So it really up to people as to whether we can stay open or not.'
President Donald Trump said Wednesday on Twitter that he had 'a very good call' with Chinese leader Xi Jinping Tuesday night dealing with 'the menace of North Korea.'

State-run media in China reported that Xi said he 'insists on realizing the denuclearization of the [Korean] peninsula ... and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side over the issue on the peninsula.'

Trump said Tuesday during an interview broadcast Wednesday on the Fox Business Network that he told Xi that 'you've got to help us with North Korea, because we can't allow it. And it's not good for you. And you have a tremendous power because of trade.'

'I think China can help us. I hope China can help us,' the president said.

'We understand each other,' he added. 'I think he's, you know, a person that I got along with really well. We had a good chemistry.'

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President Donald Trump spoke to the Fox Business Network, saying 'China can help us' deal with the North Korean nuclear threat

Trump revealed Wednesday morning that he had spoken with Xi on Tuesday night about the Pyongyang 'menace'

TENSE STAND-OFF: The U.S. dispatched a naval strike group to the area amid continued missile launches and hot rhetoric from North Korea

Trump recalled that last week when 59 American missiles flew toward a Syrian air base, he was eating with Xi at his Mar-a-Lago resort club in Florida.

'He was okay with it,' he said of his Chinese counterpart.

Trump promised Xi on Tuesday that they would get 'far better' trade terms with the U.S. if they managed to de-fang the hostile North Korean regime.

But in the same digital breath  on Twitter  he pledged to handle Pyongyang with or without Beijing's help.

'I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!' Trump tweeted Tuesday.

The president is increasingly concerned with the threat of a nuclear program being developed by North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

'North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.' Trump continued Tuesday.

Trump warned Tuesday that 'North Korea is looking for trouble', insisting that if China 'does not decide to help,' the US 'will solve the problem without them'

The US President wrote Tuesday on Twitter that Xi Jinping should pressure his neighbor and close ally into stopping its nuclear program

War games: Pyongyang condemned Washington's order to dispatch the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to the region for US-South Korea military exercises. A row of F18 fighter jets are pictured on the deck of the USS Carl Vinson

Pyongyang rattled a saber in Washington's direction on Monday, saying it would mount a defense against 'reckless acts of aggression' after the Trump administration sent an aircraft carrier strike group toward the Korean peninsula.

The strike group consists of the USS Carl Vinson, a missile carrier and two destroyers.

The state-run Korean Central News Agency said the North Korean foreign ministry criticized Trump's 'reckless acts of aggression' and said American aggression has 'reached a serious phase.'

Pyongyang 'is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the U.S.,' the ministry insisted.

Trump's public linking of U.S.-China trade and North Korea's nuclear ambitions came just days after he hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago resort club in Palm Beach, Florida.

The two leaders established a new framework for trade negotiations during 'very frank, very candid' talks, according to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

They also came to an agreement on the 'urgency of the threat of North Korea's nuclear weapons program,' Tillerson added.

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, the guided-missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer and the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain are pictured in March this year. North Korea has warned it is 'ready to react to any mode of war desired by the U.S.'

The bilateral meeting, which seemed to all the world an afterthought in the wake of a U.S. airstrike in Syria, yielded hope for a 'more balanced economic relationship, specifically on trade,' Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said afterward.

Trump's warnings on Tuesday came as Russia admitted it is 'extremely worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario.'

Pyongyang had earlier threatened 'catastrophic consequences' after Trump sent warships in its direction.

At the same time, China has moved 150,000 troops to its border to deal with a possible influx of North Korean refugees amid fears Trump may follow his Syria military action with a first strike against Kim Jong-un.

North Korea in response is warning of a nuclear attack on the U.S. at any sign of pre-emptive action.

'Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland,' said the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, Kim's state newspaper.

US Marine Corps are pictured during a joint defense exercise against a possible attack from North Korea, in Pohang, South Korea, on Tuesday

South Korean marine soldiers stand guard during the US-South Korea joint Exercise Operation Pacific Reach in Pohang, South Korea, on Tuesday

The joint defence excercises between US and South Korean Marine teams began on Tuesday, in Pohang, 360 km southeast of Seoul

'We will hold the U.S. wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions,' a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a lengthy statement, adding that Pyongyang would 'take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms.'

Tensions on the divided peninsula are high because of U.S.-South Korea war games now underway and recent ballistic missile tests by the North.

Pyongyang sees the annual maneuvers as a dress rehearsal for invasion, but its long-range missile launches are a violation of U.N. resolutions.

The Carl Vinson and its wing of fighter jets were scheduled to make port visits in Australia but were diverted to waters off North Korea after the country conducted more missile testing, the Pentagon revealed on Saturday night.

A US marine is pictured in South Korea on Tuesday. South Korean and US military Combined Forces Command is holding the Combined Joint Logisics Over-the-Shore

US Marine Corps participate during a joint defence exercise against a possible attack from North Korea, in Pohang, on Tuesday

China, left shocked by the Tomahawk missile launches against Syria's Bashar al-Assad, has deployed medical and backup units from the People's Liberation Army forces to the Yalu River, Korea's Chosun.com reported.

The troops have been dispatched to handle North Korean refugees and 'unforeseen circumstances', such as the prospect of a preemptive U.S. attack.

South Korean acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn warned of 'greater provocations' by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring and to ensure close communication with the United States.

'It is possible the North may wage greater provocations such as a nuclear test timed with various anniversaries including the Supreme People's Assembly,' said Hwang, acting leader since former president Park Geun-hye was removed amid a graft scandal.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un is pictured earlier this month. A spokesperson for the regime's foreign ministry says they are ready for war

Mr Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit at which he pressed Pyongyang's key ally to do more to curb the North's nuclear ambitions

China's top nuclear envoy arrived in Seoul on Monday for talks on the North Korean threat, as the United States sent the naval strike group to the region and signalled it may act to shut down Pyongyang's weapons program.

Speculation of an imminent nuclear test is brewing as the North marks major anniversaries including the 105th birthday of its founding leader on Saturday - sometimes celebrated with a demonstration of military might.

Wu Dawei, China's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs, met with his South Korean counterpart on Monday to discuss the nuclear issue.

The talks come shortly after Mr Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a summit at which he pressed Pyongyang's key ally to do more to curb the North's nuclear ambitions.

'[We] are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to coordinate with us,' U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the summit.

He added however that Beijing had indicated a willingness to act on the issue.

'We need to allow them time to take actions,' Tillerson said, adding that Washington had no intention of attempting to remove the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

'(We) are prepared to chart our own course if this is something China is just unable to coordinate with us,' US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after the summit (Mr Trump pictured with Xi Jinping)

Mr Trump is pictured with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida on Friday

Satellite imagery analysis suggests it could be preparing for a sixth, with US intelligence officials warning that Pyongyang could be less than two years away from its goal of striking the continental United States.

China, the US, South Korea and Japan all have dedicated envoys who meet at regular intervals to discuss the North Korean issue: a legacy of the long-stalled six-party process that also involved Pyongyang and Moscow. The North quit the negotiations in 2009.

The isolated North is barred under UN resolutions from any use of ballistic missile technology, but repeated rounds of sanctions have failed to arrest its nuclear ambitions.

Trump's national security adviser General HR McMaster on Sunday said North Korea was engaging in 'provocative behavior.'

'This is a rogue regime that is now a nuclear-capable regime. The president has asked to be prepared to give him a full range of options to remove that threat to the American people and to our allies and partners in the region,' he told FOX News Sunday.

China has deployed medical and backup units from the People's Liberation Army (pictured above) forces to the Yalu River following President Donald Trump's missile strikes on Syria last week

Trump has previously threatened unilateral action against the reclusive state, a threat that appeared more palpable after Thursday's strike on a Syrian airfield following an apparent chemical attack.

Meanwhile, the United States has concluded Russia knew in advance of Syria's chemical weapons attack last week, a senior U.S. official said Monday.

The official said a drone operated by Russians was flying over a hospital as victims of the attack were rushing to get treatment.

Hours after the drone left, a Russian-made fighter jet bombed the hospital in what American officials believe was an attempt to cover up the usage of chemical weapons.

The official said the presence of the surveillance drone over the hospital couldn't have been a coincidence, and that Russia must have known the chemical weapons attack was coming and that victims were seeking treatment.
A California man has been convicted of murder in the killing of his then-girlfriends 13-month-old son in 2015.

A jury on Tuesday found 27-year-old Lamar Ahmad Tatum guilty of second-degree murder and assault resulting in the death of a child for throwing Majesty Gotti Lyles against the wall in February 2015.

The toddler's father, Alvin Lyles, and his wife were present in the courtroom to hear the guilty verdict, which the jurors returned after a day of deliberations.

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Justice for Majesty: Majesty Gotti Lyles was killed by his mother's then-boyfriend in February 2015 in California. The child passed away from blunt force trauma to the head after he was hurled against the wall

Baby Majesty's grandmother shared on Facebook this photo that purports to show the now-convicted killer, Lamar Ahmad Tatum

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Mr Lyles said the defendant did not seem to him the least bit remorseful over the death of his young son, as Los Angeles Times reported.

'I am just so relieved that justice was served and this is all over,' the grieving father added.

Tatum will get 25 years to life, the maximum, when he is officially sentenced on April 26.

According to a now-defunct petition started by Alvin Lyles on Change.org asking the Huntingdon Park Police Department to arrest Lamar Tatum, the incident that resulted in Majesty's death took place on February 17, 2015, while he was looking after the child and his two-year-old brother.

The boys mother, Altamisha Hamilton, had an appointment with the housing authority in another city that morning and left her boyfriend in charge.

In her testimony during Tatum's two-day trial last week, Hamilton told the court she did not trust her boyfriend with her children because he would hit them and berate Majesty for crying.

Tatum was baby sitting Majesty and his teo-year-old brother when he got frustrated because the toddler would not stop crying. The man later lied that the boy had fallen out of his stroller

In December 2014, Hamilton came home one day to find a welt on Majesty's body while the boy was in Tatum's care, which prompted the mother to find a night job so she could look after her children during the day.

But on the morning of the incident, Hamilton said she had no one else to watch the kids and she could not reschedule the meeting without risking losing her apartment.

When Hamilton returned home that afternoon, she found her boyfriend and her two-year-old son standing outside amidst a scrum of police officers and paramedics.

Tatum told his girlfriend that Majesty had fallen out of his stroller during a walk and hit his head.

The toddler was rushed to University of Southern California Hospital, where he passed away from injuries to his brain 10 days later.

A coroner later determined the cause of death to have been blunt force trauma to the head.

Majesty passed away from injuries to his brain 10 days after the assault

During a police investigation, Lamar Tatum confessed that he hurled the little boy against the wall out of frustration because he would not stop crying.

We are here because Majesty cried, and the defendant stopped the crying forever, prosecutor Pallavi Dhawan said in her opening statement on Friday.

She also showed the jurors photos of the toddler that were taken in the hospital, showing his swollen and bleeding head.

According to Alvin Lyles' petition, his older son witnessed his younger brother's killing, which has left him traumatized.
It was supposed to be their very own Ocean's Eleven but it ended up becoming a scene out of Scooby Doo.

Three teenagers were left red-faced when their cunning scheme to steal candy from an amusement park was thwarted by police - who used dogs and a helicopter to track them down.

The crime caper started on Saturday when security guards at Canada's Wonderland in suburban Toronto called police to say they'd spotted three masked intruders.

The York Regional Police helicopter arrived and used its thermal imaging camera to scan the park.

Footage shows the three teens trying to hide from officers - but their white heat signatures mean they all stand out like a sore thumb against the black backdrop.

The helicopter then directs four officers on the ground, one of whom has a dog, to arrest the hapless trio.

The helicopter's infrared camera makes heat sources glow white against the black backdrop

The pilot says: 'I've got two, maybe three people huddled down near a tree. I've got one laying down, one crouched down. There's another heat source but I don't know if it's the third person or not.'

The teenagers, two 16 and one 15, were arrest for stealing an undisclosed amount of candy.

They were given a stern warning and ordered to take part in a community service programme.

The aerial cops quickly zoom in on three bodies huddled in a bush at the south end of the park

In a statement police said: 'The youths were cooperative with police and were remorseful for their actions.'

Constable Andy Pattenden told CBC News Toronto that the kids 'definitely learned a lesson on that night'.

He added: 'They were probably scared out of their minds when they heard the helicopter and dogs hot on the trail.'

The helicopter guides the four officers and a police dog to the teen's hiding spot

The hapless would-be-thieves are quickly arrested. York Regional Police say that they weren't charged but were given a 'stern warning' and ordered to fulfil a community service order

The video has sparked plenty of debate about whether the show of force was appropriate for arresting three trespassing teens.

Ryan Gillespie posted on the video: 'I still don't see how arresting 3 teens took the combined efforts of park security staff, three police officers, a helicopter, a tracking dog, a pilot and a co-pilot.

'It's a fenced in area with CCTV everywhere. This was an overreaction by the police and results don't justify the costs.'

Police however defended their actions, saying the helicopter was already in the area and that 'while it was only a theft of candy, it came into us a little differently'.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer continued his apology tour Wednesday morning onstage at the Newseum, taking questions at a 'President and the Press' event in Washington, D.C.

'I screwed up,' Spicer said multiple times, explaining that he felt badly about yesterday's Holocaust gaffe on both a personal and professional level. 'From a professional level, I think it's disappointing because I think I let the president down,' he noted.

Yesterday, Spicer shocked the briefing room by suggesting that Adolf Hitler was a lesser evil than Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad when it came to using chemical weapons against his people.

'It was not a very good day in my history,' he noted today.

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Press Secretary Sean Spicer again apologized for his Holocaust gaffe, saying he felt he let people down personally and professionally

'I screwed up' Spicer said three times during his Wednesday a.m. appearance at the Newseum, where his Holocaust remarks were front and center

During the Holocaust, Hitler's Nazis used toxic gas to systematically exterminate millions of Jews.

Last week Assad used sarin gas to again attack his own people, which provoked a missile strike ordered by President Trump.

Hitler 'didn't even sink to ... using chemical weapons,' Spicer proclaimed from the podium during Tuesday's press briefing, comments that immediately erupted into a controversy.

Today, the press secretary sat across from MSNBC's Greta Van Susteren for an event about President Trump and the press

She said 'So Sean, let's start with yesterday,' probing him immediately about the Holocaust gaffe and causing the audience to laugh.

Sean Spicer (left) sat down with MSNBC's Greta Van Susteren at a 'President and the Press' forum Wednesday morning at the Newseum

Greta Van Susteren (right) asked Sean Spicer (left) how he liked the job and he told the longtime broadcast journalist that he loved it - despite yesterday's media mess

'I made a mistake. There's no other way to say it. I got into a topic that I shouldn't have and I screwed up,' he said. 'I hope people understand that we all make mistakes. I hope I showed that I understand that I did that. And I sought people's forgiveness because I screwed up,' Spicer added, uttering the phrase again.

The longtime GOP spokesman said he had two takeaways from the experience.

'One is it's a very holy week for both the Jewish people and the Christian people and to make a gaffe and a mistake like this is inexcusable and reprehensible,' he stated.

'There's no comparing atrocities,' he added.

Secondly, Spicer said, he was disappointed in himself from a professional standpoint, labeling the whole things a distraction.

'I think the president's had an unbelievable couple weeks, he took very decisive action in Syria, he made tremendous progress with President Xi and China and your job as the spokesperson is to help amplify the president's actions and accomplishments,' the press secretary noted.

He wouldn't talk about conversations he may have had with the president or any other White House staff on the matter.

'This is mine mine to own, mine to apologize for, mine to ask forgiveness,' he said.

Despite Tuesday being a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, with a number of people calling on the press secretary to quit, Spicer told the Newseum audience that he loves what he does.

'I love it,' he gushed. 'I truly do believe it's an honor to have this job. It's a privilege. And if you don't believe so, you shouldn't be here.'
A married Baptist pastor who said homosexuals got 'what they deserve' after Omar Mateen massacred 49 people at a Florida gay club has been found guilty of eight charges of abuse against a teenage boy and girl.

In a unanimous decision by a Georgia jury, Bishop Kenneth Adkins, 57, of Brunswick was found guilty of molesting two members of his church congregation in 2010.

Since Adkins has a previous criminal history due to drug convictions, and because of Georgia's strict sentencing, he may never be a free man, Savannah Now reported.

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Convicted: Kenneth Adkins was found guilty of 8 counts of abuse on Monday by unanimous verdict in a Georgia court. He'd watched a pair of teens have sex then joined in, the jury heard

Controversy: Adkins became nationally infamous last year when he made a series of tweets mocking gay people after 49 people were killed in the Orlando gay club Pulse

Adkins, a drug addict-turned-PR boss-turned-preacher, was arrested in August last year, two months after he made national headlines for tweeting about the shootings at the Orlando gay club Pulse.

'Dear Gays, Go sit down somewhere,' he tweeted on June 13, the day after 49 people were killed and many more injured.

'I know y'all want some special attention. Yall are sinners who need Jesus. This was an attack on America.'

He later tweeted: 'been through so much with these Jacksonville homosexuals that I don't see none of them as victims. I see them as getting what they deserve!!'

On Monday, a jury felt he got what he deserved.

Over a week of testimony, they had heard how the victim had been groomed by the firebrand preacher.

The victim, who is not being named, said that Adkins had become a 'father figure' to him after his grandfather died, but that the relationship turned sexual in 2010.

He explained how Adkins had bought him gifts and began calling him and texting him, News4Jax reported. The preacher had sent him pictures of his penis, the victim said.

Eventually Adkins told the teen that he wanted to watch him have sex with his girlfriend, to make sure he was doing it properly, the court heard.

The preacher then joined the pair in the sex acts, he said. The victim told the court he'd 'lost count' of the times the three had been involved in sexual situations in the church office, in Adkins' car, and at the beach.

Preacher: Adkins is a drug addict-turned-PR-man-turned-preacher. His prior convictions mean he may never be a free man. None of his ten children were in court for the trial

The girl in question - who was named in five of the charges Adkins was found guilty of - testified that the events had never happened.

But the prosecution claimed that the girl was under his influence.

'She's in his clutches,' said assistant district attorney Katie Gropper. 'What he has done to that girl is not only criminal, it is deplorable.'

Most of Adkins' defense was based not on denying the claims made by the victim, but on questioning whether he and the girl were actually 15 at the time, or 16.

Had the pair been 16, they would have been legally capable of consenting to sex with Adkins under Georgia law.

In his closing statements - which took an hour and 20 minutes - defense attorney Kevin Gough told the jury eight times that even if they disliked Adkins, he should not be found guilty of 'hypocrisy'.

'Where is the evidence that any criminal act took place?' he asked. 'It may be awkward at public events, church, if you return an innocent verdict, but [be] assured, you should not take that into consideration.'

None of Adkins' family - including his ten children - were present for any stage of the trial.

Retraction: Adkins had tried to retract his tweets about the Pulse shooting (aftermath pictured), saying that he was talking about a Jacksonville group he'd argued with over anti-gay-discrimination ordinance

Adkins was convicted of two counts of aggravated child molestation, five counts of child molestation, and one count of enticing a child.

He will be sentenced on April 25.

In the wake of the fallout from his Orlando tweets last year, Adkins had attempted a retraction.

Adkins, who had run a PR company in Florida prior to his time as a firebrand Georgia preacher, claimed that he was speaking only about a Jacksonville group and not gay people in general.

He had come under fire previously for gathering African-American community leaders to change human rights ordinance (HRO) that banned gay discrimination in the city, Jacksonville.com reported at the time.

'My tweet was strictly meant for the Jacksonville group that has made my life a living hell since I served on the panel and opposed the HRO,' he said.
Aidan Wiltshire with his cat Taylor, who sat on the pensioner's lap during the sentencing

A transgender pensioner who took his cat to court for comfort has been spared jail after stalking two women.

Aidan Wiltshire, 74, arrived at Chelmsford Crown Court for his sentencing with his black cat Taylor perched on his shoulder.

He brought it out with him in a small carry trolley after Judge David Turner QC told him he would not be going to prison.

He was previously convicted of two stalking offences and the breach of a restraining order, committed while he was living as a woman called Anne and was given an 18-month supervision order today.

Wiltshire had been given special permission to have his cat with him and to sit down during the sentencing, and the pensioner's cat sat on his lap throughout.

The defendant also tried to sit in police benches in the courtroom before he was redirected.

The schizophrenia sufferer was living as a woman and calling himself Anne in 2014 and 2015, when he stalked solicitor Alison Gowman and church minister Carol Irwin.

Wiltshire was given an 18-month supervision order after a judge refused to grant an absolute discharge for the offences

Wiltshire stalked Alison Gowman, right, and Carol Irwin, left, after he met them in a Methodist Church in London

After meeting at a Methodist church in London, he bombarded them with letters and phone calls, violating a restraining order made in October 2014.

Gavin Burrell, mitigating, unsuccessfully called for an absolute discharge, adding that Wiltshire has 'no wish to be treated for mental health issues'.

Handing down the supervision order, Judge Turner said: 'An absolute discharge seems to me insufficient to mark the gravity of what has occurred.

'Your behaviour was intrusive, disruptive and intimidating. You deluged them with unwanted communications.

He entered the court for his sentencing with his black cat on his shoulder and left with the animal in a small carry trolley, having been spared jail

The court had previously heard that Wiltshire relied on the cat for emotional support and he was granted permission to bring it with him

'Their lives were harmed and disrupted by what you did.

At previous hearings, for the benefit of the court, the judge described Wiltshire as having been 'transgendered', as Ms Gowman and Ms Irwin referred to him as 'she' and 'Anne' during the court proceedings.

At a previous hearing, Mr Burrell had told the court that his client used the cat as an 'emotional crutch'.

He added: 'Mr Wiltshire is someone who suffers with health issues and is emotionally supported by his cat.

'It is a crutch which he relies on. It's in a basket and not roaming free.

'I appreciate it sounds somewhat odd, but there's documentary evidence that the cat does provide emotional support for the defendant to cope.'
Savannah Guthrie tried to shut down the rumors of friction at NBC over new hire Megyn Kelly, saying she feels 'lucky' for the chance to work with the longtime Fox News anchor.

The Today Show co-host was asked about Kelly in an anchor roundtable hosted by The Hollywood Reporter.

'She and I have a lot in common, actually. We both went to law school and then ran screaming for our lives away from the law,' Guthrie said. 'We both came up in D.C. But yeah, we're excited to have her. I think she's going to be great. We feel lucky. We feel like it was a great get.'

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In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Savannah Guthrie said she feels 'lucky' at the chance to work with Megyn Kelly, who left Fox News to join NBC in January

CBS This Morning's Gayle King chimed in to say she's read contrary stories in the papers.

'Well I appreciate that, Gayle! You need to read a better paper,' Guthrie shot back.

'There's fake news out there, Gayle,' Fox News' Bret Baier replied.

'Yes, there is,' Guthrie said.

Kelly left Fox News in January to join the NBC, but hasn't started working yet.

Kelly and Guthrie are pictured above in April 2016

Kelly will be taking on multiple jobs at the network, hosting the third hour of the Today show, anchoring a Sunday night news magazine and contributing to political coverage. But rumors have also been circulating that Kelly is being groomed to replace Guthrie.

The anchor roundtable also comes amid a new report that NBC is working to secure an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The network's chairman Andy Lack flew to Russia this week to negotiate the possible deal, it has been reported.

It's possible that the interview could serve as the debut for Kelly's Sunday news magazine.
A Romanian tourist who was knocked into the River Thames by terrorist Khalid Masood's car died 15 days later from organ failure.

Andreea Cristea, 31, was visiting London with her boyfriend, Andrei Burnaz, when she was thrown from Westminster Bridge as Muslim convert Masood mowed down pedestrians on March 22.

She was pulled out of the water and taken to the Royal London Hospital and then St Bartholomew's but died on April 6, 15 days after the killer's rampage to the Houses of Parliament, an inquest into her death was told.

Andreea Cristea (pictured) was knocked into the River Thames by terrorist Khalid Masood's car and died 15 days later from organ failure

Ms Cristea was visiting London with her boyfriend Andrei Burnaz, when she was thrown from Westminster Bridge (both pictured)

She became the fifth victim of Masood, who was later shot dead by armed police after murdering Pc Keith Palmer inside the grounds of the Palace of Westminster.

Detective Superintendent John Crossley, from Scotland Yard's counter-terrorism command, told Wednesday's short opening hearing at Westminster Coroner's Court that Ms Cristea had suffered 'extensive brain injuries'.

He added: 'During the attack she was knocked into the River Thames and was taken to the Royal London Hospital by ambulance.

'She was then taken to St Bartholomew's Hospital.

'Her time of death was recorded as 3.11pm on April 6.'

Coroner's officer Eric Sword told the inquest a post-mortem examination had given her main cause of death as 'multiple organ failure' with a secondary cause given as 'head injury ... and immersion'.

Mr Burnaz, who suffered a broken foot in the attack, did not attend Wednesday's hearing.

Once rescued from the water Ms Cristea (left) was taken to Royal London Hospital and then St Bartholomew's and died 15 days after the horrific attack. Her boyfriend, Mr Burnaz (right) suffered a broken foot during the rampage

Mr Burnaz (pictured, after Masood's attack) and Ms Cristea's family said she would 'always be remembered as our shining ray of light'

In a statement released after she died, Mr Burnaz and Ms Cristea's family said she would 'always be remembered as our shining ray of light that will forever keep on shining in our heart'.

They said: 'After fighting for her life for over two weeks, our beloved and irreplaceable Andreea - wonderful daughter, sister, partner, dedicated friend and the most unique and life-loving person you can imagine - was cruelly and brutally ripped away from our lives in the most heartless and spiritless way.'

As well as Ms Cristea and Pc Palmer, 48, Masood's rampage also claimed the lives of American tourist Kurt Cochran, 54, retired window cleaner Leslie Rhodes, 75, and Aysha Frade, 44.

Ms Cristea's inquest was adjourned to a preliminary hearing on May 19 at the Royal Courts of Justice.
A German backpacker is taking legal action against a Sydney hostel after claiming that a bed bug infestation left him in hospital.

Patrick Rose, 24, had just returned from a trip along the east coast of Australia when he checked into Sydney Backpackers on February 5 so he could save for a trip to the west coast.

After his first night, he claims he awoke to find he was covered in bites, which over the next few days increased and blistered to the point where he could no longer walk.

He also claims the hostel refused to refund his money - rendering him unable to leave, claims that the manager of Sydney Backpackers denies.

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Patrick Rose (pictured) had just returned to Sydney after travelling along the east coast when he checked in at Sydney Backpackers

'I moved in to the hostel and the first night when I woke up I realised I had a couple of bites on my skin and I had no idea what it was,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'The next day when I went to bed, I woke up and I saw this bug walking on my pillow and I found out it was a bed bug.

'I freaked out - I was just lying there looking at my iPad, and there was something moving next to me, and I was thinking 'what the f*** is this' and it was a bed bug, right next to me!'

He says after his first night in the hostel, he awoke to find himself covered in bites, but didn't know what from

The 24-year-old claims that there was an infestation of bed bugs in the hostel, but he says his attempts to raise the issue with reception staff fell on deaf ears

Speaking to the other people in his 16-bed dorm, he claims he soon found out it was a persistent problem which had been raised with employees at reception multiple times.

When Patrick approached them, he says they refused to refund his money or wash his clothes for free, and instead moved him to another room.

Documents from Shine Lawyers seen by Daily Mail Australia state that in the new room, bed bugs were present in the bedding, bed frames and carpet.

Days later Patrick claims his bites had worsened and he awoke to find welts and a blister on his left leg.

Over the next week, Patrick developed welts on his left leg and a blister and said the pain got so bad he struggled to walk

He headed to the emergency department straight after work one day and spent the next two-and-a-half days in hospital

One week into his stay, Patrick left his job packing roses ahead of Valentine's Day at a warehouse and went to hospital. He says by this time the pain in his leg was so bad it was affecting his ability to move.

'I had so much pain sometimes that I couldn't even walk,' he said.

'I was jumping around on my right foot because my left leg didn't work, and when I got out of hospital I was walking around on crutches for four weeks.'

When he got to the emergency doctors discovered his bites were infected, and he spent the next two-and-a-half days in hospital on an IV.

'The doctor looked at my leg, took my blood and did some tests, and she said "well it was really lucky you came today",' Patrick said.

'She said a bit later and the infection would have gone into my bone.'

Dan Jeon, the manager of Sydney Backpackers says the Department of Health inspected the venue on February 14 and 'did not find a sign of infestation in the room that Patrick had stayed'

After he was discharged from hospital, Patrick says he spent the next four weeks on crutches

When he was discharged, Patrick returned to the hostel and requested they pay his hospital bill, but claims they refused.

'I said someone has to pay this, and it's not me,' he said.

'They said they weren't able to pay it and that's when I decided to go to a lawyer.

'I tried to talk to them so many times, but because of the bed bugs I lost my job, I lost money, I couldn't see the west coast because I couldn't walk for four weeks.'

Patrick is now being represented by Thomas Janson, the national manager at Shine Lawyers for Transport Law, as he attempts to recover the cost of his hostel and damage costs for his injuries and time in hospital.

The German backpacker is taking legal action against the hostel in an attempt to recover his room payment and hospital bill

Mr Jeon claims he offered Patrick a refund and help moving hostels after seeing his bites (pictured)

Dan Jeon, the manager of Sydney Backpackers told News Corp the hostel had offered Patrick a refund and assistance in moving after seeing his bites.

'I asked him if he has any skin allergies towards bug bites then he said no,' Mr Jeon said.

'I suggested [to] him to leave the hostel that day [and offered] help in searching for other accommodation and promised that we will fix his medical bills and refund the nights he was not staying.

'He told me that he just wanted us to move him to another room and see what happens, hoping that it won't get worse.'

Patrick says the debacle left him broke and unable to work. 'Because of the bed bugs I lost my job, I lost money, I couldn't see the west coast because I couldn't walk for four weeks'

Shine Lawyers have contested this and claim Patrick would have happily accepted a full refund being a backpacker.

Mr Jeon also claimed the Department of Health had come to inspect the hostel on February 14 and 'did not find a sign of infestation in the room that Patrick had stayed'.

Shine Lawyers claim to have witnesses 'who say the inspection was superficial and insufficient for the purposes of this investigation'.

Patrick and Shine Lawyers have lodged a Statement of Claim in the Local Court of New South Wales and are hoping to settle his case, but say they will take the matter to court if they failed to reach an agreement.

Daily Mail Australia have contacted Sydney Backpackers for comment.
Russia is set to veto a draft UN resolution calling on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to allow inspectors 'unfettered access' to investigate last week's deadly toxic gas attack.

Nearly 90 people died last Tuesday, and today the UN Security Council was told that samples from the attack site had tested positive for sarin, or a sarin-like substance.

The resolution is being pushed by the United States, Britain and France, and aims to bolster support for international inquiries.

Assad's forces have been blamed for the attack, but Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of the Syrian leader, has again angrily rejected the accusation today.

If Russia uses its veto, it will be the eighth time it has done so in favour of the Syrian regime.

Britain's ambassador to the UN, Matthew Rycroft, said samples from the attack substance had tested positive for sarin, or a sarin-like substance

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces calls to allow inspectors access to investigate last week's attack

The UN Security Council could vote on the draft resolution later today. It is similar to a text circulated to the 15-member council last week that condemns the April 4 attack and pushes Syria's government to cooperate with investigators.

Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov told Interfax news agency: 'In its current form this project is unacceptable for us. We, of course, will not vote for it.'

The UN Security Council was today told by Britain's UN ambassador, Matthew Rycroft, that samples analysed by British sciences from the site of the attack had tested positive for sarin, or a sarin-like substance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today angrily defended Assad against allegations his regime used sarin in a chemical attack last week

Analysis of blood and urine samples from the attack in the northwestern Idlib province proved the use of the gas, experts stated

A Syrian child is treated in the aftermath of last week's attack in the Idlib province in northern Syria

He said: 'The United Kingdom therefore shares the U.S. assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April.'

Analysis of blood and urine samples from the attack in the northwestern Idlib province proved the use of the nerve agent, experts stated yesterday.

Turkish health minister Recep Akdag said Assad should be tried as a war criminal after he announced that blood and urine tests on victims confirmed the presence of the lethal gas.

Akdag, in comments reported by the state-run Anadolu agency, said that international organizations and United Nations, 'should declare Assad as a war criminal and put him on trial'.

He said: 'It has been identified that sarin gas was used.'

The Syrian government has denied carrying out the attack, and Russia has defended its ally, denying that President al-Assad's regime had used chemical weapons.

The international chemical weapons watchdog has scheduled a meeting of its executive council to discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria

Putin today accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

The Kremlin leader again slammed the US missile strike and angrily rejected the allegation that Assad's forces were behind the suspected chemical attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun that left 87 civilians dead including children.

'Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact,' Putin told Mir television, in a statement released by the Kremlin.

The United Nations peace envoy for Syria today urged the US and Russia to agree on a way forward to end the war in Syria and pave the way for a 'real negotiation'.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (left) shake hands for the media during their meeting in the Russian Foreign Ministry guest house in Moscow today

Special envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he was ready to convene a new round of talks in May but that US-Russian cooperation was needed.

His appeal came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

The two countries have 'serious differences' but also a 'common interest' in ending the six-year war that has killed 320,000 people, De Mistura said.

'They must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process,' he said.

He said the UN is ready to lead a 'real negotiation' on a 'package for an orderly, mapped-out, credible and irreversible, agreed political transition' to end the war.

Russia is expected to veto the measure - which would mark the eighth time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action directed at its ally, Syria.

'Let us view this moment of crisis - and it is a moment of crisis - as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution,' said De Mistura.
A tow truck worker fell to his death early Wednesday morning while trying to help an overturned tractor-trailer along Interstate 95.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the worker fell from an overpass on I-95 shortly after the tractor-trailer crashed.

Authorities said the crash near Boca Raton left the truck dangling over the interstate's overpass, causing a traffic snarl along the busy South Florida corridor.

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A tow truck worker fell to his death early Wednesday morning while trying to help an overturned tractor-trailer(pictured) along Interstate 95

The Florida Highway Patrol said the worker fell from an overpass on I-95 shortly after the tractor-trailer crashed. Authorities said the crash near Boca Raton left the truck dangling over the interstate's overpass, causing a traffic snarl along the busy South Florida corridor

Courtesy of Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel

State troopers said the crash happened shortly before 6am when the truck driver was trying to make a U-turn on the ramp, according to CBS 12.

The driver told troopers that he lost control, causing the truck to flip over. The truck is not in danger of falling off the bridge, but photos show it leaning against the wall.

Three southbound lanes of I-95 remain closed as an investigation continues and crews try to upright the truck.

Officials say the truck's driver wasn't injured in the rollover crash. Authorities haven't released the identity of the person who fell.

FHP Sgt Mark Wysocky told the Sun Sentinel that the tow truck worker was not struck by any vehicles on I-95 as the lanes were already closed.

It's still unclear what made the worker fall from the overpass.

Video courtesy of WPTV

State troopers said the crash happened shortly before 6am when the truck driver was trying to make a U-turn on the ramp. The driver told troopers that he lost control, causing the truck to flip over
A British couple have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire killed one man and destroyed three yachts at a Turkish marina.

Billy Clark, 34, and his girlfriend Rosie Glover, 24, were held on suspicion of starting a blaze in the popular resort of Marmaris in south-western Turkey's Mugla Province.

Dramatic pictures show how flames engulfed the marina at 4.30am on Monday and ripped through several vessels.

A British couple have been arrested on suspicion of arson after a fire (pictured) killed one man and destroyed three yachts at a Turkish marina

Billy Clark, 34, and his girlfriend Rosie Glover (right), 24, were held on suspicion of starting a blaze in the popular resort of Marmaris in south-western Turkey's Mugla Province

Mr Clark (centre) has since been charged with reckless homicide while Ms Glover has been released on probation while the investigation continues

One man, Ekrem Gokce, 63, who was aboard one of the fire-ravaged yachts, the Cartano, was killed and another man, Turker Demir, was injured at the marina, run by the Marmaris Municipality.

Mr Clark has since been charged with reckless homicide while Ms Glover has been released on probation while the investigation continues.

In his police interview, Mr Clark is alleged to have said that he had been drinking before he boarded a yacht to 'rest' with Ms Glover - but that they had then argued.

Dramatic pictures show how flames engulfed the marina on Monday and destroyed a number of vessels

One man, Ekrem Gokce, 63, who was aboard one of the fire-ravaged yachts, the Cartano, was killed and another man, Turker Demir, was injured at the marina, run by the Marmaris Municipality

Two other yachts, White Lady and Passion, were completely destroyed after flames engulfed the marina. Another yacht was severely damaged. The fire also damaged a nearby motor yacht and a sailing boat

He reportedly told officers that he could not remember how the fire started.

Two other yachts, White Lady and Passion, were completely destroyed after flames engulfed the marina.

Another yacht was severely damaged. The fire also damaged a nearby motor yacht and a sailing boat.

It took fire crews three hours to extinguish the blaze.
A moderator told Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway that 'you are the darkness,' pointing to the Washington Post's new slogan.

Michael Wolff, a media writer for the Hollywood Reporter, brought up the motto during a 'President and the Press' event at the D.C.-based Newseum, wanting to get the top Trump aide's opinion on how the administration is being branded by the press.

'This is what I tell my children, just because somebody says something doesn't mean it's true and it's a great lesson for everyone,' said Conway, who mentioned on several occasions her four kids. 'And just because they say "the darkness" doesn't mean it's true. And we start with that.'

Counselor to the President appeared onstage at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., today and talked about media coverage of President Trump's White House

During the discussion of the Washington Post's new motto "Democracy Dies in Darkness' moderator Michael Wolff pointed out 'you are the darkness'

Kellyanne Conway tsk-tsked the media for a number of things, but also talked about how she believed some print reporters were getting things right

Wolff wanted to know if Conway took some of the coverage personally, as she's become one of the personalities to rise with the prominence of Donald Trump.

'I'm not elected to anything,' Conway demurred.

She then answered the question, though pinpointing the coverage of President Trump.

'If you are talking about the way the president is covered, I think that there is something that I call presumptive negativity,' Conway answered.

'And for this president it's often seen through a negative lens, which is not just unfair, it's actually inaccurate and it denies, it robs the larger viewership or readership of the American people of the opportunity to hear what's really happening,' she continued.

At another moment, she said she didn't think media bias was the problem  because Americans could potentially sniff that out  but rather 'incomplete coverage.'

One example she used was Attorney General Jeff Sessions trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, which she charged was covered by too few press.

This 'selectivity' will also be displayed, Conway suggested, as media outlets decline to cover a new Politico/Morning Consult poll that shows Trump's approval ratings are up.

On the flip side of the coin, Trump's groundbreaking campaign manager  the first woman to win  complimented some members of the media.

'I think that there are some print journalists that have really taken the time to really try and get to know the president,' Conway said.

When Wolff suggested that Trump wasn't personally a fan of the New York Times' Maggie Haberman, Conway defended the political scribe.

'You mentioned somebody by name who I regard as a very hard working, honest journalist,' Conway said of Haberman. 'She's a very hard working, honest journalist who happens to be a very good person, a mom of three who works hard,' the top Trump aide went on.

Conway pushed back at the idea that Trump didn't like the New York Times reporter, one of the first people he talked to after the health care bill fell through.

'He obviously respects her because he gave her an interview last week,' Conway said.

Conway also pointed out that it goes against the narrative that Trump isn't speaking to his critics.

'It certainly undercuts the ongoing premise that he's not giving access to the press, he's not fair to the press,' Conway said. 'He does.'




As warships move off the coast of North Korea and cruise missile stay pointed at Syria, you might be forgiven for the odd macabre thought over the past week.

And it seems you are not alone, as Google data reveals people have been obsessed with the idea of worldwide conflict in recent days.

Searches for 'World War 3' hit their highest level since records started in 2004 this month, according to data brought to light by Infowars.

Searches for 'World War 3' have hit their highest point since Google records began in 2004 after Trump bombed the Assad regime and moved an 'armada' toward North Korea

Unsurprisingly, searches for 'Trump war' have also hit a record high this month amid the Presidents aggressive military moves

'Syria war' searches are also at an all-time high, while searches for 'nuclear war' are at the highest point this year

Searches for 'war' and 'nuclear war' are also at their highest level since the start of the year.

Google users have also been looking for information on 'Trump war' and 'Syria war' in record-breaking numbers.

The spikes came following Trump's shock decision to launch cruise missiles against a Syrian regime airbase last week where Russian troops were stationed.

Russia and Iran have since responded by saying the strike crossed a 'red line' adding that if there are any further attacks 'we will respond with force'.

Concerns that the world was heading for all-out war began mounting after Trump launched cruise missile strikes at an Assad airbase in Syria, prompting fears Russia would respond

Since then Trump has moved warships off the coast of North Korea and warned the nation is 'looking for trouble', as Kim Jong-un described the move as 'reckless'

While the dust settled over Syria, Trump redirected Carrier Strike Group One, led by the USS Carl Vinson, to the Korean peninsula from a scheduled stop in Australia.

That sparked several days of escalating tensions and a war of words between the President and despotic ruler Kim Jong-un, who denounced the move as 'reckless.'

In response Trump tweeted that the communist nation was 'looking for trouble', again asking China to step in otherwise he would set about solving the issue himself.

Xi Jinping, the Chinese premier, then moved 150,000 troops to the North Korean border in anticipation of a flood of refugees should Trump choose to strike.

The last time people were this interested in the subject of war seems to be July 2006, when North Korea carried out a set of long-range missile tests.

That was the same month 206 people lost their lives in the hotel attack in Mumbai, India, carried out by a group of terrorists, and when the second Hezbollah-Israel war took place.
The parents charged with murdering their adopted 16-year-old special needs child watched Manchester By The Sea just hours before the diabolical crime and were inspired by Casey Affleck's character, who accidentally killed his family in a house fire, according to prosecutors.

The shocking new allegations in the prosecution of parents Heather Franklin, 33, and Ernest Franklin II, 35, emerged in a bond hearing on Friday in Mount Upton, New York, where cash bonds of $250,000 for Ernest and $125,000 for Heather were set.

The couple, who are charged with second-degree murder, arson and tampering with physical evidence, were desperate to kill their son Jeffrey 'JR' Franklin out of frustration with the boy's bowel and bladder control issues, the prosecution said.

'Judge, this is a very interesting case,' Chenango County District Attorney Joseph McBride said, according to a transcript obtained by WBNG.

Couple charged: Heather Franklin, 33, and Ernest Franklin, 35, of upstate New York, have been charged with murdering their adopted special-needs son, 16-year-old Jeffrey Franklin (shown)

Prosecutors say Jeffrey was already dead when the couple set their trailer home on fire, just hours after watching the award-winning film Manchester By The Sea on February 28

Best Actor: Just two days before the alleged murder, Casey Affleck won an Oscar for his role in Manchester By The Sea. His character accidentally killed his children in a house fire

'There was a very big strain in the family relationship because of Jeffrey's special needs,' McBride continued, noting that Heather, now pregnant with another child, 'was complaining on Facebook about the strain that that was putting on her.'

The upstate New York couple adopted their foster child Jeffrey around 2012, the prosecutor said. The boy is known to have had autism and was deaf.

'The evidence in this matter shows that Jeffrey was a handful, that he had bowel issues and he had urine control issues,' said McBride.

The parents were at home with Jeffrey on the evening of February 28, when they decided to watch the movie Manchester By The Sea, Heather told investigators.

It was two days after the film's star, Casey Affleck, had won Best Actor at the Oscars, for his role portraying disaffected loner Lee Chandler, who is told he can't be prosecuted for accidentally killing his children after they die in a house fire he started while drunk and on cocaine.

Haunted by memories of the fire, Chandler struggles with the responsibilities of assuming guardianship of his nephew after his brother dies.

'Within two hours of that movie playing to this defendant and her husband, Jeffrey's deceased,' McBride said of Heather Franklin.

'She inexplicably left the house, driving around Chenango County and Delaware County, and doesn't return until the fire totally engulfs the house.'

'Inspiration': Haunted by memories of the accidental fire that killed his kids, Affleck's character (left) struggles with the responsibilities of caring for his nephew after a brother dies

Inferno: The fire was reported around 1.15am on March 1 at the family's home near the town of Mount Upton. Investigators later found that the blaze was caused by a wood heating stove

The fire was reported around 1.15am on March 1 at the family's home near the town of Mount Upton, 55 miles southeast of Syracuse.

Investigators later found that the blaze was caused by a wood stove, which the Franklin family used to heat their home.

Heather told police that she left the house to search for a particular medication at a Price Chopper and then a Wal-Mart, but the prosecutor said he had evidence that she was never in either store that night.

Her husband Ernest told police he started the fire accidentally while his wife was out and he'd let their dogs out of the trailer.

McBride noted the suspicious circumstances of the fire, in which nobody was injured except for young Jeffrey.

'There were no animals found in the house. No one else was left in the house, and the defendant, with all due respect, was not injured in any way trying to save the alleged - the victim in this particular case,' the prosecutor said.

After first responders rushed to the scene of the fire, Ernest 'was very calm, cool, collected and pointed to the room where Jeffrey was lying,' McBride said.

Prosecutors believe the boy was dead before the fire began, noting that an autopsy found no smoke or soot in his airways, as is typical of someone who dies in a fire. A cause of death has not been released.

Expecting: A week before the fire, Heather shared her ultrasound pictures, revealing she was 20 weeks pregnant with a baby boy

A week before the fire, Heather shared her ultrasound pictures, revealing she was 20 weeks pregnant with a baby boy.

Heather's attorney argued that the woman's pregnancy was cause for leniency on setting bail.

'She's a high-risk pregnancy. She already lost one child to a miscarriage a year and a half ago. She deserves to be let free and work toward defending herself,' the attorney said.

'We will post reasonable amount of bail and she will stay in this county and she will be able to care for her child in her womb,' the attorney said.

Ernest is being held on $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. Heather is being held on $125,000 cash or $250,000 bond.

If convicted, both of the parents face up to 25 years to life in prison. A trial date has not yet been set.

Jeffrey, known as 'JR', was deaf and had autism. The couple adopted him around 2012

News of Jeffrey's death and the destruction of the family's residence at first prompted an outpouring of support from their friends.

Neighbor Dominick Gildersleeve told the station WBNG in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy that the Franklins were known in the community for their kindness and willingness to help those in need.

Those who knew the couple said Ernest was an Iraq War veteran and his wife of six years, Heather, was a stay-at-home mom expecting their second child.

Jeffrey's obituary described the 16-year-old as a 'joyful spirit' who loved trains and enjoyed books.

'He liked to sort items by color, build things with Lego and enjoyed family games days, the March 3 tribute read.

Ernest, said to be an Iraq War veteran, married Heather, a stay-at-home mom, in 2011

In the wake of the fire, Dominick Gildersleeve launched a GoFundMe page to help the bereaved parents. The fundraiser had drawn more than $11,000 in donations before news of the charges against Heather and Ernest began spreading and the page was taken down.

Gildersleeve told The Daily Star in March that many donors have been demanding their money back but he was unable return the donations because he said the Franklins have already withdrawn the cash from the account.

The neighbor and his wife, who live across the street from where the Franklins home had stood, have been caring for the displaced family's menagerie of animals, including cows, chickens and dogs.

'My family has been taken advantage of in every way possible, the man lamented.

On her Facebook page, Heather described herself as a 'stay at home, home schooling mom.'

In her final status update before the arrest, which she posted on March 19, Heather wrote she was 'still feeling lost without JR to take care of.'

She then went on to say: 'However through all this we have not had to worry about any physical needs as it seems God has used the people around us to show us so much love and support.'
President Donald Trump decided to inform Chinese President Xi Jinping about a then-secret U.S. missile attack on a Syrian airfield while the two men were just digging into a 'beautiful piece of chocolate cake.'

China has long inveighed against what it considers U.S. military aggression and interference in other nations' affairs, making a new Middle East attack a delicate diplomatic situation.

Trump didn't say he specifically chose dessert in order to sweeten the bitter news, although he referenced the cake multiple times.

'I was sitting at the table. We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it,' Trump told Fox Business interviewer Maria Bartiromo.

SWEETENER: President Trump says he broke the news to Chinese President Xi Jinping about an imminent U.S. attack on Syria over dessert during their meeting last Friday at Mar-a-Lago

'And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do?' Trump explained. 'And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way. And I said, 'Mr. President, let me explain something to you.'

'This was during dessert,' he reemphasized.

'So what happens is I said we've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq and I wanted you to know this. And he was eating his cake. And he was silent.'

Bartiromo then corrected that the president meant to say Syria, where the U.S. launched strikes following a chemical weapons attack that the U.S. says President Bashar al-Assad conducted on his own people.

Trump said he decided to inform Xi to avoid an even more awkward situation.

I WILL TELL YOU: Trump recounted the delicate discussion during a conversation with Fox Business interviewer Maria Bartiromo

WHAT'S FOR DESSERT? Trump passed on the news to Chinese President Xi Jinping to avoid an even more awkward situation when Xi returned home

'And I want you to know that, because I didn't want him to go home. We were almost finished. It was a full day in Palm Beach. We're almost finished and I  what does he do, finish his dessert and go home and then they say, you know, the guy you just had dinner with just attacked a country?' Trump said.

Asked how the often stone-faced Chinese leader responded, Trump said: 'So he paused for 10 seconds and then he asked the interpreter to please say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign.'

'And he said to me, anybody that uses gases  you could almost say or anything else  but anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that young children and babies, it's okay.'

'We had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it,' Trump said, describing the moment he broke the news

Asked directly whether Xi agreed with the strike, Trump said: 'He was okay with it. He was okay.'

China's foreign ministry took a much harsher view of the attack, according to a statement picked up in the Russian state media.

Trump says he told President Xi about US missile strikes in Syria over the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake pic.twitter.com/CTKtXBl9nI  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 12, 2017

'China has always called against using military force in international relations and for preserving territorial sovereignty,' said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying. 'It is up to the Syrian people to decide on Syria's future,' Tass reported.

Trump teased the story when asked how it came about, and didn't bat down the suggestion that 'right there, you're saying a reminder, here's who the superpower in the world is, right?'

'You have no idea how many people want to hear the answer to this. I have watched speculation for three days now on what that was like,' he said, prompting Bartiromo to ask if it happened 'before dessert or what?'

'I will tell you, only because you've treated me so good for so long,' Trump told her.

During the telling he also hailed U.S. technology as he hailed the Tomahawk cruise missiles that were fired from sea.

'It's so incredible. It's brilliant. It's genius. Our technology, our equipment, is better than anybody by a factor of five. I mean look, we have, in terms of technology, nobody can even come close to competing,' Trump said.
Close protection worker Anthony Webb (pictured) posted pictures of Denise Bolt on Fab Swingers months after she left him

A jilted bodyguard stalked his gym worker ex by posting intimate images of her on a swingers' site and taking 123 secret photos of her in just three days.

Anthony Webb, 44, who works primarily as a bodyguard in Switzerland, posted pictures of Denise Bolt on Fab Swingers months after she left him.

The close protection worker had denied stalking Miss Bolt and her new partner Timothy Morffew - but today a jury found him guilty at Ipswich Crown Court.

Earlier in the trial the court heard Webb's actions came to light when a stranger turned up at the gym where Miss Bolt worked, expecting a sexual encounter.

She found pictures of her had been posted on Fab Swingers where she and Webb had created a profile during their relationship, but rarely used.

Giving evidence from behind screens, Miss Bolt described the events which unfolded at the Bannatyne's Health Club in Colchester, Essex, where she worked.

Mother-of-two Miss Bolt, of Colchester, said: 'I turned up at work and my receptionist said: "You have got somebody who would like to look around the gym." I sat down and spoke him and started to show him around.

'We got to the changing room and he was on his phone, which I thought was a bit rude, and when I asked him if everything was OK, he showed me pictures of me.

'They were sexual. I asked him: "How did you get these?" and he said: "Didn't you send them to me?" I said: "It wasn't me, I don't know who you are."

Webb (right) was convicted of possessing a firearm and perverting the course of justice - a charge on which his friend Wayne Humphrey (left), 46, of Colchester, was also found guilty

Miss Bolt said she recognised the pictures, which had been taken by Webb while on a break in London in 2010.

She added: 'It broke me. I was at work and for someone to come in and show me the pictures, especially a male - I felt ashamed.'

After Miss Bolt made complaints, police officers found a tracking device fitted in the engine bay, which had been wired to the car's battery.

Webb was also accused of carrying out surveillance on Miss Bolt and her new partner, Timothy Morffew, and taking pictures of the pair leaving a Premier Inn hotel.

Webb's actions came to light when a stranger turned up at the Bannatyne's Health Club (pictured) in Colchester, Essex, where Miss Bolt worked, expecting a sexual encounter

Mr Kerr said Webb's stalking began after the home the couple lived in, even after breaking up, was burgled.

As result of the raid, Mr Kerr said Webb installed CCTV cameras downstairs, which he used to monitor Miss Bolt's conduct rather than to keep the house secure.

Miss Bolt also claims that after the couple's relationship had ended, Webb has tried to win her back by sending romantic poems.

Webb was also convicted of possessing a firearm and perverting the course of justice - a charge on which his friend Wayne Humphrey, 46, of Colchester, was also found guilty. The pair will be sentenced at a later date.
The daughter of the doctor accused of drugging his beauty queen wife and leaving her to die in the bathtub so he could start a new life with his mistress has opened up about her 'nightmare' experiences a decade after her mother's death.

Alexis Somers, now 34 and a mother of three, was in her first year of medical school when her father, Martin Joseph MacNeill, killed her mother Michele, on April 11, 2007, a day that Somers said 'changed [her] whole world'.

'Everything that we knew as a family [was] destroyed', Somers told ABC News. 'Our family has been shattered by a man who we thought we knew and loved but he lived a life of lies and destroyed so many people.'

Alexis Somers, the daughter of Martin Joseph MacNeill, who was found guilty of murdering his wife Michele MacNeill in 2007, recalled her 'nightmare' experiences since her mother's death

Somers (right) talks to a family member on October 31, 2013, outside the courtroom in Provo, Utah, to start her second day of testimony in the trial of her father

Somers (center) and her siblings (some pictured left and right) took MacNeill back to court in 2013 to seek justice for the death of their mother, Michele MacNeill

Family members of Michele MacNeill faced her former husband and killer with her pictures during his trial in 2012

On Sunday, two days before the 10-year anniversary of Michele MacNeill's death, 61-year-old Martin MacNeill was found unresponsive near the greenhouse of the Olympus Facility at the Utah State Prison.

Authorities said in a statement Tuesday that they didn't find 'any signs of foul play' in their preliminary investigation, so they're investigating his death as a suicide.

Somers said she found out about her father's death from a Utah State Prison official.

'They wanted to let me know before it broke in the media,' she said. 'I appreciated that so I could let my family know.'

Corrections officers tried to revive her father, but he was declared dead at the facility.

MacNeill had been in prison since September 2014 after his conviction for first-degree murder in the death of Michele.

He would not have been eligible for parole until 2052 when he would have been 96.

MacNeill was sentenced up to life in prison for drugging his wife Michele MacNeill (pictured together) and leaving her to die in a bathtub after she had cosmetic surgery

He did this to be with his mistress, Gypsy Willis, seen here testifying during his trial in 2013

Michele MacNeill (left) initially was ruled to have died of natural causes but her family hounded authorities until charges were filed five years after her death. MacNeill's secret lover, Gypsy Willis (right), was hired shortly after her death, as MacNeill introduced her as the new nanny

Somers said her father's death brings her 'sadness'.

'It's just been such a sad 10 years,' she said.

In November 2013, Martin MacNeill, a wealthy lawyer, was found guilty of leaving his wife, Michele, in the bathtub in their Pleasant Grove, Utah, home to drown after giving her a fatal cocktail of prescription drugs following her cosmetic surgery.

Michele MacNeill's body was found by her then-six-year-old daughter.

The couple were parents to four biological children and four adopted children.

Prosecutors said Martin MacNeill left his wife to drown in the bathtub so he could begin a new life with his mistress, Gypsy Willis, who he hired on the pretext of being the new nanny, just weeks after Michele died.

MacNeill, seen here with his family, shocked his community when he gave wife Michele a lethal cocktail of drugs before drowning her in the bath

Michele MacNeill's murder occurred in their home in Pleasant Grove, Utah (pictured)

However, his older daughters said they quickly recognized the woman as his secret lover and the subject of arguments between their parents.

'I knew that my father had killed my mom but no one was listening to us ... so we had to fight,' Somers said.

MacNeill had insisted that his 50-year-old wife get a face-lift and faked a medical condition of his own to throw off suspicion in the weeks before his wife's death, prosecutors said.

They pointed to erratic behavior and what they called phony grief the day she died.

MacNeill and Willis were convicted in 2009 of fraud for using one of the doctor's adopted daughter's social security number so his mistress could open bank accounts under a false name to erase her debt.

When MacNeill was released from prison in 2012, Somers and her family took him back to court, where he was charged with with first-degree murder and obstruction of justice in the death of Michele.

'I felt it was my duty that I had to protect other people from my father. I knew that if he was not in jail that he would be out and hurting other people,' Somers said.

A year later MacNeill went on trial for his wife's murder.

Somers, pictured here at her father's trial in 2013, said the day her mother died 'changed [her] whole world'. She was in her first year of medical school when her mother was murdered

Martin MacNeill (pictured left and right) was found dead at Utah State Prison in Draper on Sunday. The 61-year-old was serving time for murdering his wife in 2007

MacNeill's attorney and friend, Randy Spencer, told ABC News that he maintain's his client's innocence.

'There is a lot more to Martin MacNeill than the monster that the media has made him out to be,' said Spencer. 'Prior to these allegations, he was a man who was looked up to by his family and friends, for his professional accomplishments and for many good things that he did, the people that he helped.'

Spencer last saw MacNeill on March 30 when he visited him in prison and believes he took his own life.

Somers remembered the 'horrific' trial, which began the day she gave birth to twins. The following week she testified.

Separately, MacNeill was found guilty in May 2007 of sexually abusing Somers.

Somers said she is keeping Michele's (pictured) memory alive by sharing stories about her mother with her three children. 'I just wish she was able to be here with us,' Somers said

'This was someone that I loved and admired for 23 years,' she said of her father. 'His whole life was a facade, and his life with us was a facade.'

Her mother, on the other hand, was the 'exact opposite of him', she said, 'a wonderful example of just love and compassion.'

In the wake of her father's death, Somers said she is working on picking up the pieces of her life.

She said she is balancing the logistics of her father's remains and keeping Michel's memory alive by taking her children to some of her mother's favorite places.

'I tell them a lot of stories about grandma Michele ... they definitely know her,' said Somers. 'I just wish she was able to be here with us.'
Alligators may be more at home in the tropical climates of Brazil rather than Bristol, but a scaly little friend caused a stir today during a routine police patrol.

Officers were out on Gloucester Road in the city this morning when they saw what they thought was an injured man crouched over on a busy city street.

The policemen rushed over to help the gentleman but quickly discovered he was bending down to assist his pet - a 4ft long alligator.

Unusual: PC Mike Dyne said it was 'not the sort of thing you see everyday'

The reptile, which was on a lead. had been taken out for a stroll on Gloucester Road by the owner of a nearby reptile shop, according to police.

PC Mike Dyne posed for a photo of the alligator in his arms outside the shop.

Avon and Somerset police tweeted: 'While on patrol in Gloucester Road, we came across what we thought to be a collapsed male.

'When we stopped to offer assistance and first aid, we discovered it was actually a nearby reptile store owner walking his 4ft alligator, not the sort of thing you see every day.'

PC Dyne took to Facebook to write about the incident. He said it was 'not the sort of thing you see everyday'.

A man who answered the phone at The Reptile Zone, a specialist pet store, on the road where the incident happened, said it was nothing to do with them.
The daughter of Florida foster parents who were charged last month with nearly 700 counts related to sex crimes and child abuse has detailed shocking allegations of torture involving a drill, melted candle wax and duct tape.

Daniel Spurgeon, 47, and his 52-year-old wife, Jenise Spurgeon, were arrested in Cape Coral, Florida, in early March on outstanding warrants stemming from an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual abuse in Florence, Alabama, where the couple had lived years earlier.

The pair are accused of beating and molesting 10 of their 11 children, among them a daughter who is now 19 years old and no longer living with the family.

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Shocking details: A foster daughter of Jenise Spurgeon, 52, (left), and her husband Daniel Spurgeon, 47 (right), told police how the father would allegedly torture her with hot wax and sexually abuse her in the basement of their old home in Alabama

In July 2016, the teenager went to the police, claiming that she had been sexually abused by Jenise from age 12 to 16, while the family still lived in Alabama.

That daughter recounted for Florence police Sgt Brad Holmes how she was allegedly molested and tortured by her foster father in the basement for two to three hours every day while the rest of the family were at swim practice, according to a report that is now part of the case against the Spurgeons.

I would stand in the middle of the basement blindfolded. Naked. He would hit me with all kinds of stuff, the report, first cited by AL.com, reads. He poured candle wax. I have scars across my chest. I have a scar on my toe where he dug a drill into it, a burn mark on my leg.

The young woman said she was taken out of swimming classes and forced to stay home with Daniel after getting into an argument with his wife, Jenise.

The daughter also detailed for police how one day in August 2016, she came home to find two of her siblings sitting in Daniel's closet with their hands and feet bound and with duct tape on their mouths and eyes as punishment for leaving their room.

The couple, pictured with two of their children years earlier, were first arrested in Florida in July 2016 on suspicion of sexual abuse

He told me if I said anything he would kill me, the daughter told police, referring to her foster father. He's hit me before and it's just, when he gets a hold of a belt, he doesn't stop.

One of those children later told investigators that they had spent an hour or two in the closet, until their foster mother came and took the duct tape off their faces.

When asked if the foster mom knew of the sexual abuse allegations, the child said she did not, adding that when the kids tried to tell her about it on one occasion, the woman said Daniel was taking anti-depressants and could be driven to suicide by their claims.

The daughter who first reported the alleged abuse to police in Alabama explained that she did not come to them sooner because as a young girl, she was terrified and felt powerless against her foster father.

'It's like being in prison,' she added.

According to the Florence Police Department, in July 2016, detectives in Alabama were contacted by their counterparts in Florida about an abuse allegation involving the Spurgeons and 10 of their children, which sparked an investigation into their past conduct.

Jenise Spurgeon is seen above in court following her extradition to Alabama on April 3

The couple had lived in north Florence until 2015, when they relocated to Cape Coral.

After conducting multiple interviews and gathering evidence in the case, police in Alabama issued warrants for the foster parents arrest in early March.

Daniel was already in the Lee County Jail in Florida with holds placed on him for the warrants in Alabama.

Jenise was taken into custody on March 8 during a court hearing on related charges in Florida.

Mom: Mrs Spurgeon is facing 100 counts each of child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and enticing a child for immoral purposes

The wife was extradited to Lauderdale County, Alabama, last week and is scheduled to have a bond hearing on Thursday, reported the station WAAY.

Her husband remains jailed in Florida, where he is facing 15 criminal counts, including sexual assault and lewd and lascivious behavior on a child between ages 12 and 18.

Daniel is facing more than 100 counts each of first-degree sexual abuse, child abuse and enticing a child for immoral purposes. Others charges against him include sodomy; sexual torture; rape; domestic violence by strangulation; incest and human trafficking.

The charges against Jenise include 100 counts each of child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child and enticing a child for immoral purposes, as well as a single count of domestic violence by strangulation and 11 counts of human trafficking.

Florence police Sgt. Brad Holmes said the victims' ages range from toddlers to teenagers, reported Al.com.
A woman whose former partner created fake pornographic profiles of her online suffered a miscarriage due to stress after dozens of men turned up at her door looking for violent sex.

Robyn Night, 37, had more than 50 men come to her house after Ryan Kotynski, 42, impersonated her on websites claiming to have rape fantasies. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years in February.

This week the Brisbane mother told the Mirror of the toll the four-year ordeal had on her, which began when people began knocking on her door in 2011 and caused her to miscarry in 2014 due to the stress.

Robyn Night, from Brisbane, pictured with husband River, said at least 50 strange men showed up at her family home over four years

The mother was so scared for her safety she installed security cameras and put up signs, pictured

Her former boyfriend Ryan Kotynski, 42, pictured, created pornographic dating profiles for her online and directed the men to her home

The mother revealed how she had to install security cameras to detour strange men from knocking on her door and even changed her appearance to hide from them.

'I became so terrified, I stopped leaving the house and even dyed my hair to disguise my identity.

'If I tried to fight them off, they might think it was a part of my sick fantasy,' she told the publication.

The mother was receiving messages from men every day, and had 50 turn up to her house looking for the woman advertised as a 'extreme no limits slave pig'.

Photographs of Ms Night were doctored to appear pornographic in nature and uploaded to her fake profiles.

Men continued to show up at her Brisbane home with the impression she was prepared to be abused or tortured.

Ms Night learned the person who had created her account was engaging with other users and telling them to come to her house and 'rape' her.

The mother, pictured here when she was in a relationship with him

Robyn Night (right) and husband River leave the District Court after her ex-boyfriend's sentencing

'He was logging on pretending to be me and role playing to these men,' she told A Current Affair.

When police told Ms Night Mr Kotynski was responsible for the reign of terror she was shocked.

The mother revealed she had been in contact with her ex-partner during time he was pretending to be her and inviting men to her family home.

'It made me fearful whenever anybody knocked on the door I didn't know what they were going to do or what they were going to ask of me,' she said.

Ms Night said she contacted four different police stations to report the 'insidious' behaviour but was turned away as she had not been 'technically' assaulted.

Photographs of Ms Night were doctored to appear pornographic in nature and were uploaded to her fake profiles

In February, Kotynski was jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Kotynski admitted to setting up the online profiles and giving out the passwords to others, however he denied uploading the images and making some of the more offending comments.

The online profiles included Ms Night's address and phone number and directed men to rape, gang rape, or torture her.

'He was logging on pretending to be me and role playing to these men,' she told A Current Affair
Nude photographs that were shared on the now shut-down Marines United Facebook group are being sold on the dark web.

Despite an ongoing investigation and the shaming of some of the 30,000 involved in spreading the explicit content without subjects' consent, the images are still circulating online and can now be bought.

They are listed on the 'deep web' site AlphaBay, according to a Daily Beast investigation. One set titled 'Marines United Nudes/ Naughty America: Marine United Babes/ Reality Kings: Marine United Black B******' is being sold for 30 ($37.50).

They are advertised on the hidden Facebook group Marines United (214) which investigators say was created by civilians posing as the infamous Marines who set up the first group to squeeze money out of the international scandal.

The photographs include revealing photographs of Marines' former girlfriends and some images taken on bases without the subject's knowledge.

Nude photographs that were shared on the Marines United Facebook page are now being sold on the dark web on AlphaBay, an illegal marketplace. They are being advertised on Facebook in a copycat group called Marines United (214) by trolls using fake names

Another group still exists on Facebook under the title Marines Unchained. There, members refer tauntingly to 'wooks', a derogatory name male members of the trend prescribe to female Marines.

AlphaBay is a hub for online black markets. Users buy and sell murder, babies, drugs and child pornography.

The original Marines United Facebook group was thrust in to the spotlight and globally admonished in January after an anonymous military internet contractor blew the whistle on it.

The group's 30,000 members had been posting photographs of female Marines and other servicewomen alongside equally exposing images of civilians without their knowledge or consent.

The images were accompanied often with explicit comments and sexual taunts.

The page was exposed by the military website War Horse. Several investigations since have cast light on the depravity of its contents. The Naval Criminal Investigation Service launched an investigation into the group's activity and the first perpetrators have been punished.

The original Facebook group gave users access to a drive which stored explicit images of victims. Some were the former girlfriends of servicemen and others had their photographs taken on military property without their knowledge

Unscrupulous trolls determined to keep it going have created a handful of identical pages since the first was shut down. One's creator was unmasked but he said he merely set it up to catch the true culprits who authorities are struggling to find given the clandestine nature of their internet activity.

They were a non-commissioned officer and a junior enlisted service member who both belonged to the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, at Camp Pendleton in California.

They were punished for posting explicit comments about one of their seniors. They had their pay downgraded and had their duties restricted.

Dozens more involved in the group have been identified and are being investigated. They were closed in on after brave female victims whose images were among those posted spoke out.

Victims: Kelsi Stone (left) and Elle Audra (right) both came forward after having their photographs shared

Kelsie Stone is among women who had photographs she share with an ex-boyfriend posted on the group.

After having her photographs shared, she said she was contacted by other Marines calling her a whore or telling her they liked what they saw.

'Some days I don't want to leave my house,' she said of the ordeal.

General Robert Neller, Commandant of the US Marine Corps, testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the issue last month

Elle Audra, left the Marine Corps as a corporal in 2010 and is now a model, and believes that nude photos of her were also posted on the Facebook page.

Audra told Marine Corps Times that she receives messages that generally say something like 'Where were you when I was in? I would've f***** you too?'

She said that the scariest message she received was from a man who said he knew when and where she had deployed, and who asked if she would have sex with him.

The issue was brought before the Senate Armed Services Committee last month where officials implored the Marines to enforce harsh punishments on those found to have been involved.

'It's time to get serious about this,' Representative Jackie Speier after hearing from military officials how they planned to respond to the scandal by beefing up their social media policies.

'This is about service members deliberately trying to degrade, humiliate, and threaten fellow service members.

'They encouraged stalking, distributed stolen intimate photos, and have reduced their comrades to a collection of parts,' she said.
A Perth mother who killed her drunk husband after he assaulted her has been found not guilty of murder after she was found to have acted in self-defence.

Vainerii Taungaroa Emile-Bruning has been on trial in the District Court of WA for the past week, charged with the murder of Allan Bruning at their Manning home on April 10 last year.

The court heard Mr Bruning, a 41-year-old fish filleter from New Zealand's North Island, had brought some work colleagues back to the house to continue drinking after they'd been to a tavern and their BBQ plans at a park were rained out.

Perth mother Vainerii Taungaroa Emile-Bruning who killed her husband Allan Bruning (pictured) after he assaulted her has been found not guilty of murder after she was found to have acted in self-defence

The men had been playing a slapping game in the garage in a bid to see who could endure the most punishment while the drinking progressed to sipping spirits straight from the bottle.

The play became more rambunctious, with the deceased knocking one of the men unconscious during a tackle.

Afterwards, the couple became embroiled in an argument about cleaning up that escalated to Mr Bruning physically assaulting his wife.

It ended when the accused woman's 13-year-old son intervened.

Defence lawyer Anthony Eyers said his client then ran into the adjoining kitchen and grabbed the first weapon she could find - a filleting knife - because she feared her husband would keep hurting her and could kill her.

The court heard she had long been frustrated by his excessive drinking, but was terrified as she had never seen him that enraged with a 'look of hatred' in his eyes, nor had he previously assaulted her that seriously.

Vainerii Taungaroa Emile-Bruning has been on trial in the District Court of WA charged with murdering Allan Bruning (pictured) at their Manning home on April 10 in 2016

'He scares me. He can't see me when he's drinking,' she said during her testimony.

'I asked him to stop, to not come near me.'

Mr Eyers said his client did not thrust the knife at Mr Bruning, but rather he ran at her and impaled himself on it, arguing his client acted in self-defence.

Prosecutor David Thiering said Ms Emile-Bruning deliberately stabbed her husband, having decided to 'hurt him as he had hurt her'.

A jury took just two hours to acquit her on Wednesday.

Mr Eyers said Ms Emile-Bruning's reaction to the verdict was one of quiet dignity.

She went immediately home to take care of her eldest son, now aged 15, another son aged 14, and a six-year-old girl whose father was Mr Bruning.

'The history of the relationship had been a generally failing marriage and although he had been physical with her to a degree ... he was highly intoxicated at the time in question and reacted in a way that she'd never experienced before,' Mr Eyers told AAP.

'The jury found she did what she did entirely to defend herself.

'It wasn't an accumulation of domestic violence, it was sudden and uncharacteristic territory for her.'

Mr Eyers said he was pleased with the verdict.

'It's not often you get an all-out acquittal on a murder charge in Western Australia.'

National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
Hillary Clinton was 'so mad she couldn't think straight' after being humiliated in the Michigan Democratic primary.

The failed Presidential candidate attacked her aides with a 'potent mix of exhaustion and exasperation' after the embarrassing loss to her rival Bernie Sanders in March last year.

Clinton's top staff said she was 'visibly, unflinchingly p***ed off at us' and blamed them for making her look 'vulnerable'.

During another tirade Bill Clinton took over and gave aides an 'a** chewing' on the phone and told them to 'do their d**n jobs'.

The details of the rows show the tensions at the top of Clinton's presidential campaign, tensions that she did her best to keep quiet during the election.

They are revealed in 'Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign', which is out next week and delivers the scathing verdict that her campaign was 'living in denial'.

Feel the burn: Bill and Hillary Clinton were both in denial about her campaign's flaws and turned on aides time and again

Feel the Bern: Bernie Sanders inflicted a shock defeat on Hillary Clinton in Michigan just days after this CNN defeat. Clinton blamed her aides, not herself, for losing, Shattered's authors reveal

Shock: When Bernie Sanders won in Michigan he was hundreds of miles away in Florida and had an impromptu press conference to hail his victory

The book says that neither Clinton nor her husband 'could accept the simple fact that Hillary had hamstrung her own campaign and dealt the most serious blow to her own presidential aspirations'.

An extract of the book was published by The Hill which said it showed that Clinton's campaign was 'plagued by bickering'.

'Shattered', which is by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes and is published by Crown, tells how Clinton had one of her most severe meltdowns on March 9 last year.

The night before she had narrowly lost to Sanders in the Michigan primary 49 per cent to 48 per cent.

Sanders' victory was a shock as not one single poll had him ahead of her going into the vote and some - among them blogger 538 - predicted he would lose with a 99 per cent certainty

But Sanders' anti free trade message struck a chord in the state that relies on auto manufacturing.

The victory showed that Clinton was not going to dispatch him quickly as she had hoped and showed she would have to spend months and tens of millions of dollars fighting him off for the Democratic Presidential nomination.

According to 'Shattered', the loss in Michigan upended Clinton's preparations for her fourth debate with Sanders - so she turned on her staff instead.

The book says that losing Michigan 'robbed her of a prime opportunity to put Sanders down for good but also exposed several of her weaknesses'.

In a morning conference call her staff had set up to let her vent her frustration, Clinton fumed: 'We haven't made our case. We haven't framed the choice. We haven't done the politics'.

On aide who was in the room for the 'humiliating' scene said: 'She was visibly, unflinchingly p***ed off at us as a group. And she let us know she felt that way'.

The staffers tried to make their own points - some of which Clinton agreed with.

They said that she had used the wrong message for Michigan and refused to speak out against free trade as Sanders had done.

They did not have enough organizers on the ground, their polling was too positive and they did not even know Sanders was ahead.

The staffers said that they had focused too much on minority voters instead of whites, even though whites voted heavily for Clinton in 2008 during her previous failed run for the Presidency against Barack Obama.

Clinton had hardly slept the night before, turning over in her mind how her campaign had made 'poor choices' about where they had traveled too.

She emailed Robby Mook, her communications director, to say they had spent too much time in Detroit and Flint and not enough in the white working class suburbs around them.

The morning conference was Mook's attempt to settle Clinton down but it left her 'more perplexed and angry'.

Blamed: Clinton laid into Robbie Mook (left), the book reveals. And longtime aide Jake Sullivan (right) was involved in an ugly clash as he played Clinton in a mock debate

Blamed: Huma Abedin was one of the aides at a conference call dressing-down.

'Shattered' says: 'The underlying truth - the one that many didn't want to admit to themselves - was the person ultimately responsible for these decisions, the one whose name was on the ticket, hadn't corrected these problems, all of which had been brought to her attention before primary day. She'd stuck with the plan, and it had cost her'.

As Jake Sullivan, Clinton's chief strategist, tried to turn her to preparation for the Miami debate, Clinton finally lost it.

After one of her answers he said: 'That's not very good'.

According to 'Shattered' Clinton snapped back: 'Really?' - and the room fell silent.

Sarcastically she said: 'Why don't you do it?'

So they did: for the next 30 minutes they swapped roles with Clinton attacking Sullivan as he did his best impersonation of her.

Sullivan, a Yale Law School graduate and a high school debating champion, could hardly talk without Clinton cutting him off and saying: 'That isn't very good. You can do better.'

Then she would 'hammer him with a Bernie line'.

The entire episode recalled an earlier incident in which Bill Clinton took the lead in lambasting her staff.

It's a shoe thing: Hillary Clinton, now modeling shoes named after her and designed by Katy Perry instead of governing, did not see where she was going wrong

The attack took place months earlier during the height of the row about her use of a private email server.

The story would dog Clinton her entire campaign and a week before the election FBI director James Comey revealed he was reopening the bureau's investigation into the scandal, a move which caused her polls to dip.

Clinton would later blame Comey for losing her the election.

According to 'Shattered' Clinton felt that her staff were not doing enough to get the media to focus on her message instead of the server.

She let rip in a conference call to her staff who were huddled into the office of her top adviser Huma Abedin in the campaign HQ in Brooklyn.

Also there were Joel Benenson, one of her chief strategists, Mandy Grunwald, her top advisor, Jim Margolis, a media advisor, John Anzalone, one of her best consultants, John Podesta, her campaign chair, Mook and Dan Schwerin, her speechwriter.

'Shattered' says that Bill Clinton was 'spurring (his wife) on to cast blame on others and never admit to anything'.

The book says that Clinton's voice sounded 'severe' and 'controlled' like a 'disappointed teacher or mother delivering a lecture before a whipping'.

The book says: 'That back end was left to Bill, who lashed out with abandon. Eyes cast downward, stomachs turning - both from the scare tactics and from their own revulsion at being chastised for Hillary's failures - Hillary's talented and accomplished team of professionals and loyalists simply took it. There was no arguing with Bill Clinton'.

Bill attacked them for not having 'buried this thing' and for not figuring out how to 'get Hillary's core message to the voters'.

He told them that 'this has been dragging on for months, he thundered, and nothing you've done has made a damn bit of difference'.

Bill told them to tell voters about his wife's plans for the economy and to 'do your damn jobs'.

When Clinton came back on the line her staff felt it was 'hard to tell what was worse - getting hollered at by Bill or getting scolded by the stern and self-righteous Hillary'.

According to aides they thought that 'neither was pleasant' as Clinton told them: 'Get it straight'.

Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign is available for pre-order on Amazon.
One of Sydney's most popular venues the Marlborough Hotel has been scooped up for an eye-watering $34 million.

The Newtown pub was sold by business partners Geoff Dixon and John Singleton to celebrity chef Matt Moran and his partner Bruce Solomon.

The John Singleton's Australian Pub Fund is believed to have made a tidy $20 million from the deal after paying just $12.7 million in 2012, according to Daily Telegraph.

One of Sydney's most popular venues the Marlborough Hotel has been scooped up for $34 million

Revellers spill out onto the street outside the venue, which is exempt from the NSW government's lockout laws

The sale adds to Solotel's substantial portfolio, including Opera Bar, The Paddington Inn, Double Bay's The Sheaf and Woollahra's Chiswick.

The group is tipped to operate more than 30 hospitality businesses across Sydney and Brisbane by the end of the year.

The venue, which is outside the NSW government's lockout zone, is on the doorstep of the Solotel owned Courthouse Hotel, The Bank, and The Australia Hotel in Chippendale.

'It's a great piece of real estate and it's a great addition for us because we have a few other great properties in the area,' Moran said.

The Newtown pub was sold by business partners Geoff Dixon and John Singleton (left) to celebrity chef Matt Moran (right) and his partner Bruce Solomon

The sale adds to Solotel's substantial portfolio, including Opera Bar, The Paddington Inn, Double Bay's The Sheaf

The John Singleton's Australian Pub Fund is believed to have made a tidy $20 million from the deal after paying just $12.7 million in 2012

The lockout laws have sent the value of pubs across Sydney's inner west skyrocketing as revelers venture out from CBD nightlife hot spots.

Singleton and Dixon are in the midst of selling about $60 million worth of their hotel interests, having already sold off five hotels.

The pair are believed to have forked out several million dollars on renovations, including the construction of a first-level restaurant Peaches.
A New York City police detective who moonlighted as a brutal hitman for the mob in the 1980s has died in prison while serving a life sentence.

Convicted killer Stephen Caracappa died on Saturday while in detention at a federal medical facility in Butner, North Carolina, federal records show. He was 75.

The cause of death has not been made public, but Caracappa was know to have struggled with cancer in the past.

His death caps a sordid saga of crime and corruption on the dangerous streets of 1980s New York, where Caracappa and his partner abused their police powers to gun down enemies of the Lucchese crime family.

Former New York City police detective Stephen Caracappa (center) is seen at a Brooklyn court in 2005. Caracappa died on Saturday while serving a life sentence in federal prison

Crooked Cops: Caracappa (right) and fellow NYPD cop Louis Eppolito (left) were convicted of carrying out contract killings for Lucchese family underboss Anthony Casso

Shown is FMC Butner, the federal prison hospital in North Carolina where Caracappa died

Caracappa and fellow NYPD cop Louis Eppolito were convicted of murder and other charges in 2006, and both men were sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors said the pair were involved in at least eight contract killings for Lucchese family underboss Anthony Casso between 1986 and 1990.

The detectives were accused of carrying out two of those killings themselves.

In others, they made traffic stops that ended with the driver killed, and another time, they kidnapped a victim and turned him over to Casso, prosecutors said.

Evidence was shown that Caracappa and Eppolito, who played a bit part in the classic mob movie GoodFellas, kidnapped an FBI informant, stopping his car and taking him to a parking garage, where he was shot in the head and buried. The informant's body wasn't found until 2005.

The mob cops' crime spree cost the city heavily in civil suits filed by the families of their victims.

Mafia Underboss: Lucchese crime family underboss Anthony Casso (pictured) paid Caracappa and Eppolito $65,000 for carrying out one of the contract killings, prosecutors said

Gunned Down: Nicholas Guido was brutally gunned down outside of his mother's home on Christmas Day after he was mistaken for a mobster with the same name

In 2010, the city paid $9.9million to a man who spent 19 years behind bars after new evidence surfaced that Eppolito and Caracappa had framed him in the slaying of a prostitute.

Innocent Victim: Guido's killers had him confused with an enemy of the mob

In 2015, New York paid out $5million to the family of Nicholas Guido, who was brutally gunned down outside of his mother's home on Christmas Day after he was mistaken for a mobster with the same name.

She ran outside to the car and found her 26-year-old son sitting at the wheel, she testified at Eppolito and Caracappa's 2006 racketeering trial.

'I went to touch his hand, and he must have just died,' she said.

'His fingertips were cold.'

Guido's killers had him confused with an enemy of Casso, the mob underboss, who paid the two detectives $4,000 a month for inside police information.

In one instance, the two cops were paid $65,000 for carrying out a contract killing, prosecutors said.

At sentencing, Caracappa and his partner insisted that they were innocent and had been railroaded in the case.
Anthony Collins, 49, sent 'distressing' letters to DJ Sara Cox (pictured) calling her 'sexy'

A 'psychologically disturbed' stalker who sent 'distressing' letters to BBC Radio 2 DJ Sara Cox calling her 'sexy and fantastic' kept a haul of sick child abuse images in a bedside drawer of girls as young as four, it has been revealed.

Anthony Collins, 49, sent a string of 'distinctive' notes hand-written in felt-tip pen to the 42-year-old - also known as Sara Cyzer - at her family home in London, having bought her address details online for 17.

When he was arrested, police found a stash of child abuse images, including pictures of naked girls as young as four in sexual poses or performing sex acts.

Other material discovered by police after his arrest included photographs of young contestants in American beauty pageants.

Among the other images were one of an eight-month-old sleeping baby and a DVD documentary of a child abuse victim.

The court heard Collins - who told police he wanted to 'be in the news' - has previous convictions for harassment of young girls. He described himself in one letter to Cox as being 'seriously psychologically disturbed'.

He also claimed to have written to several other high profile media celebrities although never revealed any names.

Collins admitted harassment at a previous hearing and was due to be sentenced today for harassing the BBC broadcaster and TV presenter.

The court heard Cox will apply for a restraining order preventing Collins from going to Ms Cox's home, her workplace, her husband's workplace and her sister's home.

But sentencing at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent was adjourned for a psychiatric report to see if he poses a danger to the public.

Collins, 49, sent letters to Sara Cox and her husband Ben Cyzer (with whom she is pictured)

Judge Martin Joy said: 'It is plain that one is required and there must be a full risk assessment.'

Balding Collins appeared at court via a TV link to HMP Elmley in Sheppey. He will appear at the court for the next hearing in the fortnight beginning July 11.

The court heard how the radio star first received a hand-written envelope on January 24 this year containing photographs and notes.

She recognised the 'oddly-addressed' writing because it was the same as that on a letter she had been sent a year earlier but did not report to police.

Mary Jacobson, prosecuting, said: 'It understandably caused her concern. She had never met the defendant or ever given him her address.

'The offending was in relation to sending very distressing letters to both her and her husband.'

Collins referred to how Cox is an ambassador for the homeless organisation Centrepoint

Cox informed the BBC of the envelope and its contents. Reading extracts from it, the prosecutor said Collins stated he was lonely, had an 'extensive' history of criminal convictions and was 'not loved by anyone'.

The letter also claimed Collins suffered from depression, bi-polar disorder and schizophrenia.

It then listed her personal details adding: 'I have done my research online.'

The prosecutor said Collins mentioned Ms Cox's dog by name and her love of horses.

He wrote: 'They are psychic. They know our feelings.'

Ms Jacobsen said: 'He said he didn't want her to be distressed but knew he was harassing her.

'He considered attending her home address. He wrote to her sister at her place of work. He sent a text message to her brother. He had knowledge of her father's address.

'He wrote to several high profile media personalities. He believed court action and injunction may be the solution to his behaviour. He said he is mentally unwell.

Ms Jacobsen added: 'He said: 'What would you do if you lost your health? I am lonely. I live in a bedsit for poor people. I am unhappy.'

Reading aloud, Miss Jacobson said: 'Sara I am Tony Collins I'm 49 years old and tall with green eyes. I know you are married to Ben Cyzer and he is a successful man. I am unsuccessful in my life.

'You are an ambassador for Centrepoint, the homeless organisation in London, and you do care a lot about people. Don't feel sad for me, Sara.'

The letter also gave Cox's date of birth, talked about Cox's terrier dog, Beano, and her love of horses, and included his mobile phone number and address, and asked her to invite him to the BBC studios.

Collins apologised for writing to her at her home in Brent, London, but revealed he had bought details of her address for 17 on the internet.

Collins, from Chatham in Kent, added that Cox was a 'wonderful, kind, sexy, attractive and all-round fantastic woman'.

Her husband Ben Cyzer received a letter in the same distinctive style at his work address on February 7 containing a picture of the mother-of-three carrying a baby, which asked him to call Collins' phone number. It was signed 'from Tony Collins, 49'.

The envelope also contained a scientific diagram of a molecule printed from the internet which was labelled 'cancer analysis'.

The following day the DJ, who also presents BBC Two programme The Great Pottery Thrown Down, contacted police.

Cox, who lives in London, presents BBC Two programme The Great Pottery Thrown Down

'When Ben Cyzer told his wife, she was understandably "much more scared" was how she phrases it,' said Miss Jacobson.

A raid of Collins's home on February 10 revealed numerous unsent letters addressed to Cox, pictures and cuttings downloaded from the internet, a forged BBC visitor's pass, and a Google map print-out and address of her sister's home address as well as evidence he planned to contact her father at his farm in the north of England.

A total of 11 indecent images of children were discovered. Collins was arrested on suspicion of harassment and told police 'I am guilty'.

When interviewed he made full admissions to all the offences, telling officers he was attracted to Cox and wanted to be 'in the news'.

'He fully agreed his course of conduct was harassment but didn't want Cox to be distressed,' said the prosecutor.

'He said he had considered attending her home address and had also written to her sister at her place of work and sent a text message to her brother, neither of which had been reported to police.

'He said he believed court action and an injunction may be a solution to his behaviour.'

Collins also told police he had a 'strong interest' in young girls and fantasised about having sex with them.

He admitted harassment without violence, two counts of possessing indecent images of a child and two counts of making indecent images of a child at a previous magistrates' court hearing. The case was sent to the crown court for sentencing.

Collins has eight convictions for 13 offences dating back to 1991, which include harassment and breaches of restraining orders.

Collins was last jailed for 39 months in July 2011 for a restraining order breach.

At the previous court hearing Collins had no legal representation. A probation officer told magistrates his history of stalking was 'extremely concerning' and that Collins represented an extremely high risk of reoffending.
Britain's UN ambassador today lashed Russian support for the 'murderous, barbaric criminal' Assad and warned the Kremlin it was on the 'wrong side of history'.

Mark Rycroft said Russia had been 'humiliated' by its steadfast support of the Syrian dictator's regime during six years of hellish civil war and last week's chemical strike.

In a special session of the UN Security Council in New York, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov accused Britain of 'arrogance' and defended its role.

Britain's UN ambassador Mark Rycroft has lashed Russian support for the 'murderous, barbaric criminal' Assad and warned the Kremlin it was on the 'wrong side of history'

Mr Rycroft, right, made an impassioned case against Russian involvement in the Syrian war at a special session of the security council today, pictured

The security council will vote later on a resolution tabled by Britain, France and America in response to the sarin gas attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun.

Russia is expected to veto the resolution, which follows Britain's humiliation at the G7 earlier this week.

In his impassioned speech against Russian involvement, Mr Rycroft said: 'Time and time again, Russia has abused its veto protect the regime and to defend its use of chemical weapons.

'What has Russia got in return for its seven vetos in six years? Russia's initiative in 2013 to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons has been exposed as a shambles.

'Russian pride in the Astana process has been turned to humiliation and Russia';s credibility and reputation across the world have been poisoned by its toxic association with Assad.

'They have chosen to side with a murderous, barbaric criminal rather than with their international peers. They have chosen the wrong side of history.

'However, it is not to late for Russia to change course, not to late for Russia to use its influence over the regime to bring conflict to an end.'

The text of tonight's motion reads calls on the Syrian government to provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to all air bases to UN investigators.

Russia's ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov accused Britain of 'arrogance' and defended its role

Amid heated scenes, Mr Rycroft added: 'Use of the weapons Assad agreed in 2013 to destroy is just the latest in a long list of abhorrent attacks. With that attack, he has made clear he is not committed to a ceasefire or to the Astana process, ruining Russia's credibility.

'And as we mourn the victims of the chemical attack, we must not forget the 13.5million people who thanks to Assad are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and in urgent need of a long overdue peace.

'It is clear today as it has been for some time there can be no place for Assad in Syria's future.'

Philip Hammond defended Mr Johnson today amid a backlash over his botched demands for the G7 to impose sanctions on Russia

Philip Hammond defended Mr Johnson today amid a backlash over his botched demands for the G7 to impose sanctions on Russia.

The Foreign Secretary went into a key summit with counterparts from the powerful nations yesterday insisting that Vladimir Putin should be hit with punitive measures unless he abandons the Syrian regime.

But he was branded a 'total let down' after fellow G7 ministers rebuffed the appeal in the wake of last week's chemical weapons attack on Idlib province.

Chancellor Philip Hammond moved to shore up his Cabinet colleague today, insisting the UK would not stop 'making the case' for a tough line over Syria.

A No10 source insisted Mr Johnson had the full support of Theresa May and dismissed claims he had failed his first big test.

The episode was particularly embarrassing because Mr Johnson had cancelled a planned trip to Moscow at the weekend to concentrate on getting an agreement.
Kane Bogner-Holmes, 25, was fatally stabbed by his old friend David Keith Corlett during a drunken fight at an Adelaide house party in 2014

An Adelaide man who murdered an old friend in a drunken fight at a party is seeking to have his sentence reduced, arguing the 18-year jail term is excessive.

David Keith Corlett, 32, fatally stabbed 25-year-old Kane Bogner-Holmes in the chest with a knife after several altercations with him at a 21st birthday party in Port Noarlunga in April 2014.

He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life with a non-parole period of 18 years, but he is appealing, claiming it is excessive given the circumstances of the crime.

Defence lawyer Greg Mead SC said that while Corlett initiated the fighting by headbutting Mr Bogner-Holmes, they were engaged in several violent altercations that night.

'The death occurred after mutual fighting in the context of a party at which they were both intoxicated,' Mr Mead said.

'It was the deceased who picked up the first weapon. That was a bottle.'

Corlett, 32, is seeking to have his sentence reduced, arguing the 18-year jail term is excessive

He said Mr Bogner-Holmes also struck Corlett with a pool cue that night, and after Corlett stabbed him with the knife he felt remorseful.

But prosecutor Ian Press SC said the fighting was not mutual and Corlett continued to attack Mr Bogner-Holmes after he asked him to stop.

He said Mr Bogner-Holmes was attacked with an allen key in the bathroom and was pleading with Corlett to back down but he did not.

'He had to leave the bathroom, go to the kitchen and then return with a knife,' the prosecutor said.

'It was an unprovoked and cowardly attack on an unarmed man.'

Prosecutor Ian Press SC said it 'was an unprovoked and cowardly attack on an unarmed man'

He said immediately after the stabbing Corlett said to Mr Bogner-Holmes: 'I hope you like the knife in your ribs'.

The prosecutor claimed the 18-year non-parole period was actually lenient rather than excessive, especially given Corlett had some history of violent offending.

Corlett and Mr Bogner-Holmes were childhood friends but they had clashed that night over comments made about a woman, the SA Supreme Court previously heard.

The Court of Criminal Appeal will rule on the appeal application at a later date.
A furry convention is not exactly what it sounds like, which is what one woman learned when she brought her therapy dog to one in Michigan.

Cheryl Wassus had no idea what she was getting herself into who she arrived at the Motor City Furry Convention with her one-year-old Bernese mountain dog, Link.

But she did assume that she and Link would be spending the day at an event for animals.

In an interview with New York Magazine, Wassus explained that she is actively involved with Pets for Vets, a charity that pairs dogs with soldiers.

A furry convention is not exactly what it sounds like, which is what Cheryl Wassus learned when she brought her therapy dog, Link (pictured), to the Motor City Furry Convention in Detroit, Michigan

Cheryl Wassus said she had no idea what she was getting herself into who she arrived at the the convention with her one-year-old Bernese mountain dog, Link. But she did assume that she and Link would be spending the day at an event for animals, real animals that is

She assumed the event was for pets when she found out that Motor City Furry Con selected Pets for Vets as its charity this year.

But she was quite surprised when the pair arrived at the convention and saw actual furries, which are anthropomorphic animal characters with have human qualities or characteristics, that can be any member of the animal kingdom.

'I learned so much about this whole new culture of people who get together and dress up in furry costumes,' she told NY Mag.

I had no idea I was walking into Furry Con. It was a little embarrassing at first because Link was just a little curious why people were wearing tails, so he was doing some serious tail-sniffing and checking out people.

In an interview with New York Magazine, Wassus explained that she is actively involved with Pets for Vets, a charity that pairs dogs with soldiers. She assumed the event was for pets when she found out that Motor City Furry Con selected Pets for Vets as its charity this year

Wassus' son Kenny Wassus, who is a senior producer at NY Mag shared the adorable snaps on Twitter as he poked fun at his mother

Wassus said she had never even heard of furry conventions before attending the one in Detroit.

And Link definitely had a great time. Photos shared of the convention shows the adorable dog posing with several characters, including a 'Hollywood-level' wolf. Wassus said it was her favorite costume, but Link looked like he was panicking.

Those in the furry fandom often create their own character, a fursona they'll adopt in furry online communities, and fursuiters will create a costume specifically for that identity.

It's at the conventions, such as the Motor City one attended by Wassus, where furries can don their costumes and bring these personalities to life.

For some, the costumes are a way for them to feel more comfortable in their own skin, to be more outgoing and confident around others.

Furries were featured in pop culture as early as 2003, in a CSI: Las Vegas episode titled 'Fur and Loathing' that took place at a convention and featured a costumed orgy.

They were also seen in Miley Cyrus' controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, as well as her music video for We Can't Stop and the Bangerz tour.

'I think most humans grow up interested in animals,' anthrozoologist Kathy Gerbais, who studies human-animal interactions as well as furries, told the BBC in 2009.

But Wassus said she was quite surprised when she and Link (pictured) arrived at the convention and saw actual furries, which are anthropomorphic animal characters with have human qualities or characteristics, that can be any member of the animal kingdom

Link definitely had a great time. Photos shared of the convention showed the adorable dog posing with several characters, including a 'Hollywood-level' wolf (pictured). Wassus said it was her favorite costume, but Link looked like he was panicking

'We grow up with teddy bears, pets, Mickey Mouse. Animals surround us in advertisements, nature, stories, and fables.'

'Humans tend to anthropomorphize as a way of understanding and interpreting the world around us. Furries just take that interest a bit further than most people.'

Not every furry is a fursuiter, and many are actually taken in to the furry fandom because of their interest in anthropomorphic art.

Furry conventions have popped up all over the globe, including in Australia, Germany, Canada and Sweden.
A heavily-armed Wisconsin man who is at the heart of a nationwide manhunt after robbing an arsenal from a local gun shop is believed to have switched vehicles and stocked up on cash in preparation for a lengthy period on the run, the FBI said.

Joseph Jakubowski, 32, has been wanted by the FBI since April 4 when he robbed Armageddon gun store in his hometown of Janesville, making off with 18 weapons including a fully automatic M-16, two gun silencers and tactical clothing. His burnt out truck was found nearby.

Days earlier the construction worker and career criminal had mailed a 161-page handwritten manifesto to Trump threatening attacks to start a revolution and espousing his anti-government anti-religion ideology.

Now DailyMail.com has learned that the FBI have interviewed a witness who claims to have had dealings with Jakubowski in the days before he began phase one of what he described as a revolution.

Wanted: The FBI has stepped up their manhunt for Joseph Jakubowski after a witness told authorities that the fugitive may have prepared for a long period of time on the run. Pictured: The FBI released a modified mug shot as it is believed he may have altered his appearance

Jakubowski's car was found burning not far from the gun shop after the robbery

The last known address for fugitive Joseph Jakubowski in Janesville, Wisconsin

A source said: He had business dealings with Jakubowski. The guy was selling off all his belongings; he was clearly trying to get as much cash together as possible.

He sold a brand new lawnmower worth $200 for $78 and didnt care; he just wanted it sold and seemed agitated.

Hed bought a second vehicle, a red Jeep Cherokee so he had a car other than the one licensed to him. The FBI didnt know about that one at first, they only knew about the one hed burned out but it looks like he did that to throw investigators off the scent.

Just yesterday the reward for information leading to Jakubowskis whereabouts was doubled to $20,000 despite more the efforts of more than 170 officers and the joint resources of the FBI, ATF, the Secret Service, State and Janesville city police and Rock County Sheriff law enforcement seems no closer to tracking down the fugitive.

Speaking to DailMail.com Sheriff Robert Spoden, 54, said: When somebody wants to basically go off the grid its difficult to find them if theyre not really actively out there.

You can hunker down in a farmhouse, in an abandoned building in Janesville - theres a lot of different things you can do.

'You can leave the community. He could be in a totally different State in a totally different community.

So are we closer to catching him? We are in a better position to understand how to catch him, were in a better position to understand what motivates him, but to say were any closer to catching him than first day? It would be very difficult to say yes or no on that.

Janesville Chief of Police David Moore, 60, said: Mr Jakubowski had a plan and we know he started that plan. What we dont know is what his endgame is.

Authorities are also taking precaution and providing extra security for House Speaker Paul Ryan and his family who are from Janesville.

'Our concerns are with the speaker and his family,' Moore told ABC's Good Morning America on Tuesday.

A filed police complaint seen by DailyMail.com documents the extraordinary act and lays bare the full horror of Jakubowskis arsenal noting that, among other weaponry, he is now armed with a fully automatic M-16 assault rifle.

The detailed complaint states that his letter of apology and support to Armageddons gun store owner was discovered by his sister with whom he lived when she was cleaning out his bedroom.

It reads, She came across several items of paperwork, including what appeared to be the draft of an apology letter to a gun shop owner.

Police on Monday released pictures of Joseph Jakubowski's tattoos as they ramped up the search for the Janesville, Wisconsin man. The tattoo on the left reads 'Jigga' and the one on the right is the letters BOS

The car registered to Jakubowski was found burning on a rural road not far from the gun shop he robbed after sending the letter

Jakubowski is believed to be the man seen in this surveillance video of a gun shop burglary in Janesville, Wisconsin last Tuesday night

In the letter the defendant explained that he wanted to purchase the guns to protect himself and his family, but as a felon, he was not allowed to do so.

The defendant apologized to the gun shop owner for the theft of the weapons and thanked the gun shop owner for protecting the 2nd Amendment right of the citizens.

The complaint filed by Rock County Sheriff Department details how Jakubowski stole items including 18 firearms, magazines, accessories, two gun silencers, a fully automatic 5.56/.233 caliber M-16 rifle and at least on other long gun.

He carried his haul from the store in a duffel bag having entered the store by kicking in the front door after his attempt to unlock it from inside after smashing out its glass with a hammer failed.

Police released an edited photograph of Joseph Jakubowski, 32, without hair as it is believed he may have changed his appearance.

Now Rock County court records obtained by DailyMail.com lay bare the violent break-up that Jakubowski blames for his downward spiral.

Speaking to DailyMail.com Rock County Sheriff Robert Spoden and Janesville Chief of Police David Moore admitted that though law enforcement is following up more than 550 leads the last credible sighting of Jakubowski remains the gun store robbery on April 4.

Chief Moore said: 'Our folks are working 12 and 16 hour days on this. Our citizens will see the marked patrol vehicles and occasionally they'll see SWAT people out there but there's a lot larger footprint than what they see.'

They revealed that the 161-page manifesto posted by Jakubowski to Trump was handwritten. According to Chief Moore, 'Mr Jakubowski certainly spent his share of time developing this document and it was meaningful to him, but it's certainly concerning to us.'

He said that despite initial concerns that schools might be the focus of some sort of attack the manifesto itself singled out religion and the government as the targets of any outrage though Jakubowski made no specific threats.

The one-time roofer and construction worker was convicted of battery and domestic abuse in December 2008 following an attack that took place the previous January.

According to his former girlfriend, Jakubowski, who has been in and out of jail over the past 15 years, became 'outraged' on the morning of January 11 when she returned to the apartment they had until recently shared to collect some belongings and clothes.

Rock County Sheirff Robert Spoden and Janesville Chief of Police David Moore told Dailymail.com that they have interviewed a witness who claims to have had business deals with the suspect

In May 2008, Jakubowski wrote a letter to Judge Michael Byron pleading to be spared jail for both this offence and his earlier acts of domestic violence. In the note written in pencil, Jakubowksi claimed to be 'truly sorry' for his wrongdoings

She testified that Jakubowski had 'shoved her down' as she tried to gather clothes from a bedroom closet.

She estimated that she had been injured fifteen times. Jakubowski was on a signature bond at the time for driving a vehicle on a revoked license.

Just three months later, on March 2 and while he was awaiting trial on the domestic abuse charges, Jakubowski was once again in the hands of law enforcement charged with resisting arrest and attempting to disarm an officer after he attempted to jump bail.

In May 2008, Jakubowski wrote a letter to Judge Michael Byron pleading to be spared jail for both this offence and his earlier acts of domestic violence.

In the note written in pencil, Jakubowksi claimed to be 'truly sorry' for his wrongdoings.

He begged for 'a chance to prove to you, myself and society that I can be a peaceful, trouble free citizen.' And dismissed his acts as 'a major slip in my life because I lost my beloved family and it hurt and still hurts deeply'.

Jakubowski's stepfather has Don McLean desperately pleaded for his stepson to give himself up.

In an interview with the Associated Press, McLean expressed his fear that Jakubowski might try to commit 'suicide by cop' and said that both he and his mother, 'would rather have him alive.'

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
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A Canadian petrol head is selling his five-acre farm which has 340 vintage American muscle cars in the yard after spending the the past 40 years building up his collection.

Michael Hall said at one stage he was buying up to three cars a day, in a collection which features a fleet of classics from Plymouth, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford and even a DeLorean.

The two-bedroom farm house in Tappen, British Columbia has been completely renovated, while there is a restoration shop for any grease monkeys looking to return the cars to the road.

Michael Hall from Tappen, British Columbia is selling is unremarkable-looking farm house for an estimated $1.45 million

The five-acre property is also home to more than 340 classic American cars from the 1950s, 60s and 70s, pictured

According to Hall, at one stage in his life he was buying some three cars a day including the Chevrolet El Camino, front right

According to Century 21 Desert Hills Realty, who are handling the sale, the entire collection including the property is for sale for $1.45 million.

Hall started collecting cars 40 years ago while he was living in Kamloops but eventually the collection got so big he had to move to the Tappen farm for more room.

And after years of nagging from his wife, Hall, who admits he used to buy up to three cars a day, has decided to sell the everything.

Not all of the cars are in very poor condition such as this 1967 Dodge Dart - although it also requires additional work

Realtor Hudson Purba said the farm is the most unusual property he has tried to sell in his 11 years in the business

Cars and trucks from the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s are parked in lines outside the house awaiting their restoration

Hudson Purba, owner of Century 21 Desert Hills Realty, said in his 11 years as an estate agent he had never seen anything like it.

He added: 'It's not just purchasing the cars, land and buildings. It is about a lifetime opportunity to spend time doing what people like - restoring vintage cars and living in one of the most beautiful parts of British Columbia.

'That value is more than the asking price.'

Inside the restoration area there is a place for jacking up the car undergoing restoration and an engine stand, pictured

As well as the compete cars there are also thousands of spare parts to assist in getting some of the cars back on the road

Here a line of Plymouths and Dodges wait their turn to be brought into the repair shop for their chance at restoration

Some of the cars are in worse condition and are unlikely to be returned to the road and are only as use for spares

Hall has spent the past 40 years building up his collection which spans the glory years of Detroit's muscle cars

Despite the rust, many collectors will pay decent money for old trucks and cars especially for their aged patina

Hall admitted he has decided to sell up everything following a discussion with his wife who complained about the collection

As well as the collection of cars, there is a fine selection of pickup trucks awaiting restoration

As well as the house and workshop, there are also several outbuildings which have been used to store car parts

Buyers will be able to purchase the entire property - including the massive car collection for $1.45 million

Hall was forced to move into the farm after his collection grew so large that he required five acres to store it
Nobel Peace prize winner and education activist Malala Yousafzai delivered a strong message to President Donald Trump today after being named the youngest U.N. Messenger of Peace.

Speaking on CBS This Morning in an interview with Norah O'Donnell, the 19-year-old commented on Trump's stance on Syrian refugees - she thinks Trump should visit a refugee camp to gain some 'perspective'.

While last week, the president appeared to be mindful of the Syrian children who were killed in the sarin gas attack, Malala pointed out that his refugee policy would have kept those same children from coming into the United States.

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In an interview with Norah O'Donnell, Malala Yousafzai, 19, comment on Trump's stance on Syrian refugees, urging the president to visit a camp and spend time with refugee children

'It's important that he understand that these people are in need,' she explained.

'I have seen them, I have went to refugee camps, and I think he needs to go to these refugee camps.... He needs to know what the real life is like in a refugee camp.'

Malala's plea comes just days after President Trump ordered a military strike against a Syrian airbase.

The administration claims the decision to launch the 59 Tomahawk missiles was in response to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's latest chemical attack that killed at least 100 civilians in the war-torn country.

'Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered at this very barbaric attack,' Trump said after launching the strike Thursday night. 'No child of God should ever suffer such horror.'

Malala's plea comes just days after President Trump ordered a military strike against a Syrian airbase in response to President Bashar al-Assad's chemical attack that killed 100 civilians

Malala rose to international prominence after she was nearly killed in 2012 when the Pakistani Taliban shot her in the head and neck on her way from school.

Her bravery not only earned her the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, but on Tuesday, the United Nations' secretary-general bestowed his highest honor, making her the youngest ever United Nations Messenger of Peace.

Her foundation, The Malala Fund, finances programs in Syrian refugee camps in Jordan and opened a school for Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon.

'Once you educate girls, you change the whole community, you change the whole society,' Yousafzai said Tuesday during her acceptance speech. 'If you do not stand up, change will not come ... It starts with us and it should start now.'
The Chicago PD has released footage of a woman apparently attacking a CVS worker with a knife just before she was shot dead by police.

Cops shot Michelle Robey, 55, in North Center on the night of February 10, while she was acting erratically and dangerously inside and outside the drug store.

But Robey's sister says that there was no need for police to shoot the woman down, and is now suing them for using excessive force.

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Attack: Newly released video shows Michelle Robey (left), 55, attacking a CVS worker with a knife on February 10. She had been diagnosed with 'bipolar with schizoaffective disorder'

The footage released by the police is taken from multiple cameras and only shows the events before and after her shooting - not the death itself.

Camera in CVS show Robey throwing something at a cashier and shouting, before walking around shelves and knocking products onto the floor.

A worker attempts to block the exit with shopping carts, but Robey then approaches with what appears to be a knife and swings it at the woman's head.

The worker is able to fend her off and does not appear to be harmed. Robey then exits the store.

The two other videos, each taken from a passing bus, show two officers stood over Robey's body, a little down the street from the CVS.

Kind: Robey (left) was a kind-hearted woman who helped out in homeless shelters, friends said. She was shot by police (right) after lunging at one of them with the knife, CPD said

Tragic: Police said they tried to tase Robey twice before they shot her, but it proved ineffective. Her sister is now suing them for excessive use of force

Police say that Robey had been ranting in the bus stop outside the CVS when they were called at 5.45pm, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Officers say that she brandished the knife at them when they approached her, and that they attempted to stop her with a Taser twice, but it had no effect.

She was shot by both police after she lunged at one of them with a knife, they said.

Robey, who had a master's degree in psychology had raised her now-20-year-old son in Elgin, around 40 miles from Chicago, until around 2011, the Daily Herald reported.

While living there she worked in homeless shelters and hospitals, and was given the Elgin Image Award in 2008 for her services to the city.

'She was very generous and always had big ideas,' said Gail Cohen, who - as Elgin's human resources director - nominated Robey for the award.

'She wanted to solve world hunger.'

Erratic: Robey had thrown an object (circled) at a cashier and pushed items off shelves before she attacked the worker, who was blocking her exit from the store, with a knife

But in 2009 Robey began to show signs of mental illness, something that plagued her up until her death.

She had three encounters with Chicago police in January and was hospitalized and released each time. Her most recent diagnosis was 'bipolar with schizoaffective disorder.'

On March 28, Robey's sister, Anastasia, filed a suit in the US district court saying that the two officers, who were not named, violated her civil rights when they killed her.

Their actions were 'objectively unreasonable under the circumstances,' the suit contends.

It demands unspecified damages from the officers for excessive force, battery and wrongful death.
British scientists have analysed samples from the site of a suspected chemical attack in Syria and concluded that sarin or a sarin-like substance was used, the British ambassador to the United Nations said today.

'The United Kingdom therefore shares the US assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhun on the 4th of April,' Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the UN Security Council.

Turkish health officials on Tuesday said post-mortem tests on victims of the suspected attack had also concluded that the deadly sarin nerve agent had been used.

The results came from analysis of blood and urine samples of the casualties from the attack in Idlib province who were brought to Turkey for treatment. Three of them died in hospital.

At least 87 people including 31 children died in the suspected attack that the West blames on Syria President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

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British scientists have analysed samples from the site of a suspected chemical attack in Syria and concluded that sarin or a sarin-like substance was used, the British ambassador to the United Nations said today

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad faces calls to allow inspectors access to investigate last week's attack

Rycroft said 'samples obtained from Khan Sheikhun' have 'tested positive for the nerve agent sarin or a sarin-like substance'.

Russia's Deputy Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov however cast doubt on the British findings, saying he was 'amazed at this conclusion.'

'No one has yet visited the site,' he asserted. 'How do you know that?'

Russia has called for a thorough investigation by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) of the allegations of chemical weapons use in Khan Sheikhun.

Russian President Vladimir Putin today angrily defended Assad against allegations his regime used sarin in a chemical attack last week

Analysis of blood and urine samples from the attack in the northwestern Idlib province proved the use of the gas, experts stated

The council is voting today on a draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with the investigation, but Russia has said the measure is 'unacceptable' and was expected to veto the text.

The resolution is being pushed by the United States, Britain and France, and aims to bolster support for international inquiries.

Assad's forces have been blamed for the attack, but Russian President Vladimir Putin, a key ally of the Syrian leader, has again angrily rejected the accusation today.

If Russia uses its veto, it will be the eighth time it has done so in favour of the Syrian regime.

The draft resolution is similar to a text circulated to the 15-member council last week that condemns the April 4 attack and pushes Syria's government to cooperate with investigators.

Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov told Interfax news agency: 'In its current form this project is unacceptable for us. We, of course, will not vote for it.'

A Syrian child is treated in the aftermath of last week's attack in the Idlib province in northern Syria

Turkish health minister Recep Akdag said Assad should be tried as a war criminal after he announced that blood and urine tests on victims confirmed the presence of the lethal gas.

Akdag, in comments reported by the state-run Anadolu agency, said that international organizations and United Nations, 'should declare Assad as a war criminal and put him on trial'.

He said: 'It has been identified that sarin gas was used.'

The Syrian government has denied carrying out the attack, and Russia has defended its ally, denying that President al-Assad's regime had used chemical weapons.

The international chemical weapons watchdog has scheduled a meeting of its executive council to discuss the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria

Putin today accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

The Kremlin leader again slammed the US missile strike and angrily rejected the allegation that Assad's forces were behind the suspected chemical attack on the town of Khan Sheikhun that left 87 civilians dead including children.

'Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact,' Putin told Mir television, in a statement released by the Kremlin.

The United Nations peace envoy for Syria today urged the US and Russia to agree on a way forward to end the war in Syria and pave the way for a 'real negotiation'.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (right) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (left) shake hands for the media during their meeting in the Russian Foreign Ministry guest house in Moscow today

Special envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he was ready to convene a new round of talks in May but that US-Russian cooperation was needed.

His appeal came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

The two countries have 'serious differences' but also a 'common interest' in ending the six-year war that has killed 320,000 people, De Mistura said.

'They must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process,' he said.

He said the UN is ready to lead a 'real negotiation' on a 'package for an orderly, mapped-out, credible and irreversible, agreed political transition' to end the war.

Russia is expected to veto the measure - which would mark the eighth time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action directed at its ally, Syria.

'Let us view this moment of crisis - and it is a moment of crisis - as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution,' said De Mistura.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is leaving Moscow empty-handed following two hours of frosty talks with Vladimir Putin - without even a snapshot with the Russian president to show for it.

Instead he got a public lecture on America's past actions in the Middle East from Putin's foreign minister, and reminded of Sean Spicer's Hitler gaffe by a Russian reporter.

And he could not even get agreement that Bashar al-Assad's used chemical weapons, with the Kremlin insisting that the Syrian dictator did not gas his own people and the Trump official asserting that he did.

At a joint news conference after the meeting Putin's foreign minister demanded evidence of the assault - and of Russian's meddling in the American election - as he reminded the world of the United States' rocky record with regime changes, using Iraq and Libya as examples.

The deepening split between the Trump administration and the government the Republican politician had been accused of colluding with to win his election was on full display Wednesday as the diplomats made a host of conflicting claims about current affairs.

Tillerson frankly told reporters that US-Russia relations were at a 'low point' while he issued a Cold War-style warning that the nuclear powers could not have have a bitter relationship.

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The deepening split between the Trump administration and the government the Republican politician had been accused of colluding with to win his election was on fully display Wednesday as the countries' diplomats made a host of conflicting claims about current affairs

FROSTY START: Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov welcomes US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before their meeting in Moscow

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is leaving Moscow empty-handed following two hours of frosty talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin

'There is a low level of trust between our two countries,' Tillerson said, repeating an observation that Putin made earlier in the day.

Putin had met with Tillerson just before his departure from Moscow after yo-yoing the American diplomat around for days.

But it was behind closed doors and the Kremlin did not release a photograph of the two meeting.

The talk came hours after Sergey Lavrov, Putin's foreign minister, accused the US of launching an 'unlawful attack' on Syria that was 'extremely worrying.'

Putin separately said that trust between the two countries had eroded since last week's air assault, casting a cloud over Washington's ambitions to coordinate militarily with Russia in Iraq to defeat ISIS.

Putin used a meeting with Tillerson on Wednesday to give his views on why US Russian relations had reached such a low point, a Kremlin spokesman said.

The spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, told a conference call with reporters on Thursday that the tone of the meeting had been 'fairly constructive.' He said the Russian hope was that Putin's message would be passed on to U.S. President Donald Trump.

He said general agreement was reached at the meeting of the need to keep open lines of communication between Moscow and Washington.

The talk came hours after Sergey Lavrov, Putin's foreign minister, accused the US of launching an 'unlawful attack' on Syria that was 'extremely worrying'

The press conference did little to redeem the trip. It started with a Russian reporter mentioning Sean Spicer's gaffe that Hitler did not gas his own people, and descended into a lengthy airing of past and present grievances by Lavrov, with virtually zero agreement on anything.

Tillerson had also hoped to entice Russia into dropping out of its alliance with Syria.

It was clear at the end of the meetings that the Kremlin had no intention of changing its position on the chemical attack that it continued to claim was the work of extremists.

'We insist on an objective investigation into what happened,' Lavrov said.

On that, he and Tillerson agreed. They confirmed that they are both in favor of a political resolution to the leadership crisis in Syria, as well. They could not come to similar conclusions on other issues that dominated the afternoon discussion such as the election meddling.

'That is fairly well-established - in the United States,' Tillerson stated. 'It is a serious issue. It's one that we know is serious enough to attract additional sanctions.'

Continuing, he said, 'We are mindful of the seriousness of that particular interference in our election. And I am sure that Russia is mindful of it as well.'

Lavrov disputed the claim, telling the reporter who asked about it, 'nobody has shown us anything.'

'I have to say once again that not a single fact has been confirmed. Who saw those facts? We don't know.'

In his biggest blow to Tillerson in their war of words Lavrov said his American counterpart did not threaten him with sanctions.

'He didn't threaten me with anything, actually,' he said.

A huge presence of media cameras hovers over the pair as they speak face-to-face, alongside other diplomats

A reporter had asked if sanctions had come up in the meeting, to which Tillerson said there would be 'no change' in the ones levied on Russia over its incursion into Ukraine.

Lavrov indicated in his response that no new ones were threatened in response to the chemical weapons attack that the US has so far been unable to conclude Russia participated in or had knowledge of.

Russia played coy all week about a face-to-face between Tillerson, a former oil executive who Putin once gave friendship award, and the country's president.

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said Monday that the foreign leader did not plan to see Tillerson at all.

Peskov said Wednesday that it was a 'possibility' that Putin could join the talks between Tillerson and his foreign minister if the diplomats determined he should.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner told Tillerson would 'of course' meet with Putin if he was invited - but left the decision up to his hosts.

A meeting was hastily arranged Wednesday as tensions escalated between Washington and the Kremlin over the gas attack last week in Syria.

The United States and Russia have offered differing accounts of the facts on the ground.

Putin claimed Tuesday that his ally, the Syrian president, had been set up.

US officials said they were confident the country's dictator had gassed his own people. President Donald Trump bombed Syrian forces in retaliation for Bashar al-Assad's use of chemical weapons on civilians, they asserted.

Putin's foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, said Wednesday that Russia was trying to understand the 'real intentions' of the Trump administration following the air assault.

Lavrov said Moscow has lots of questions about the Trump administration's 'very ambiguous' and 'contradictory' ideas.

'We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria,' he said. 'We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future.'

His deputy derided the 'primitiveness and loutishness' of the Trump administration's rhetoric.

'We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy,' Sergei Ryabkov told Russia's state-owned RIA news agency. 'As a whole, the administration's stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all.'

Putin hit Trump over the head, too, in an interview that was broadcast on Russian television moments after Tillerson and Lavrov sat down.

WHO IS SERGEY LAVROV? Lavrov has served as Russia's Foreign Minister since 2004

His thirteen years of experience entirely contrast with Tillerson's three months in the Secretary of State role

Prior to that, Lavrov was Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations for 10 years

He began his diplomatic career in Sri Lanka

Lavrov previously clashed with George W. Bush's secretary of state, Colin Powell, over foreign influence in Ukraine

He speaks five different languages

Lavrov is a well-known lover of scotch and cigarettes

David Wade, Chief of Staff for another ex-Secretary of State, John Kerry, said: 'He's charismatic, very funny, worldly, and deviously brilliant' Advertisement

'One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated,' he said.

It was an ominous opening to Tillerson's visit - the first in Moscow by a Trump Cabinet official.

Tillerson conceded the U.S. and Russia had 'sharp differences' that have obstructed cooperation but voiced optimism that their talks could narrow those differences

'We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open,' he said.

The American diplomat had previously declared that he wanted a 'frank exchange' on the countries' relations after forcefully branding Russia as 'complicit' in Assad's attack or 'incompetent.'

Russia was supposed to make sure that Assad's chemical weapon stockpile had been depleted. It either ignored its responsibilities or was duped by Assad.

'It is unclear whether Russia failed to take this obligation seriously or Russia has been incompetent, but this distinction doesn't much matter to the dead. We can't let this happen again,' Tillerson said.

Tillerson said Tuesday as he left Europe for Russia that he hoped to persuade Putin's government that Assad was an 'unreliable partner' following the sarin attack that the US has verified was carried out by the Syrian government.

The victims of the sarin gas attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun, northern Idlib province, Syria, which was the trigger for increased involvement from the US

The US military retaliated by firing more than 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Homs airfield, where Syrian dictator Assad launched the chemical weapons

'Russia has really aligned itself with the Assad regime, the Iranians, and Hizballah. Is that a...long-term alliance that serves Russia's interest, or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries who are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?' Tillerson said.

Trump said later that Putin is backing an 'evil person' in Syria.

Assad is 'an animal,' he told Fox Business, and Putin's support for him is 'very bad for Russia'.

It is also 'very bad for mankind,' he said.
The team targeted by a bomb attack has taken to the field in an act of defiance against terror, as fans serenaded them with a rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone.

Borussia Dortmund and Monaco meet tonight at the Signal Iduna Park stadium to finally face off after yesterday's Champions League tie was cancelled.

Players took to the field wearing shirts that paid tribute to Dortmund defender Marc Bartra, who was hospitalised in an attack on the team's bus as it left a hotel.

Outside the ground, extreme measures were taken to ensure things ran smoothly in Germany.

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The Borussia Dortmund players make their way on to the field of play wearing T-shirts paying tribute to their squadmate Marc Bartra

Dortmund fans hold a banner during the game which reads 'get well Marc', in tribute to injured defender Marc Bartra

The dressing room at the Signal Iduna Park stadium bears the players shirts ahead of the postponed Champions League game

Fans of Borussia Dortmund hold up a banner saying You'll Never Walk Alone ahead of tonight's football match

The Dortmund players get together for a pre-match huddle ahead of their crunch match

The Borussia Dortmund team bus was last night hit by three explosions while carrying the squad to their Champions League quarter-final against Monaco, with defender Marc Bartra taken to hospital with a broken bone in his wrist

Shinji Kagawa wears a T-shirt showing Marc Bartra and the words 'Mucha Fuerza' which translates to 'A lot of strength'

Dortmund turned up to the stadium following a number of police vehicles while there was also an armoured tank parked outside the venue.

Armed police officers also lined up outside Signal Iduna Park in a bid to keep things under control ahead of the crunch European fixture.

An 'Islamist' suspect has been arrested in connection with the attack as authorities say they are treating it as a 'terrorist attack'.

German police searched properties belonging to 'two suspects from the Islamist spectrum' on Wednesday and arrested a 25-year-old Iraqi man from Wuppertal - not far from Dortmund - meaning another man is still on the loose.

The explosive devices used in the attack contained metal pins, one of which was found buried in a headrest on the vehicle, according to Frauke Koehler, a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors.

Ms Koehler said it was lucky 'that nothing worse happened', adding that investigators are still working to determine how the devices were detonated and what substance was used.

The team targeted by a bomb attack has taken to the field in an act of defiance against terror, as fans serenaded them with a rendition of You'll Never Walk Alone

A Dortmund fan holds up a scarf with the words 'You'll Never Walk Alone' emblazoned on it

Marc Bartra was injured in the explosion and was taken to hospital. He is pictured today with his arm strapped after surgery

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wears the same shirt as Dortmund stars showed their support

Borussia Dortmund's Roman Burki wears the shirt of Marc Bartra before the match, where they will face off against Monaco

Police in Germany have arrested an 'Islamist' suspect over last night's pipe bomb attack on the Bourissa Dortmund team bus, and say they are investigating another suspect 'from the Islamist spectrum'

The second suspect is a German, aged 28, from Froenderburg, near Unna, also in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

They have both reportedly been on the police and intelligence services radar for affiliation to ISIS while it has been claimed that one of them was seen in the vicinity of the crime scene shortly before the pipe shrapnel bombs were detonated.

Elsewhere police said three letters claiming responsibility for the attack have been found, all of them saying that it was carried out in the name of Islam.

Another letter claiming to be from the far-left group Antifa had been discounted as a fraud.

At least one of the notes made reference to the Berlin Christmas market attack, in which an ISIS fanatic drove a stolen truck into shoppers, killing 12.

Three armed officers look on during the build-up to Wednesday's game in Dortmund

A large number of police vehicles drive ahead of team bus following Tuesday's bomb scare

Prosecutors say the bombs were filled with metal pins, one of which was found embedded in a headrest on the bus, saying it was lucky 'that nothing worse happened'

According to Der Spiegel, that letter was written in German starts with the phrase 'In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful' and ends with two demands.

First, 'tornadoes', a reference to German reconnaissance planes, must be withdrawn from Syria, and second the US base in Ramstein should be closed.

Controversial drone operations against terror targets in the Middle East are controlled from the base.

The letter also claims that German combat aircraft are involved in killing Muslims in the 'Islamic State', adding that athletes and other celebrities 'in Germany and other Kreuzfahrer (crusader) nations' are now on a 'death list'.

Terrified stars dived for cover as three blasts sent shards of glass flying through their coach while defender Marc Bartra broke a bone in his right wrist and later needed surgery to remove 'foreign objects' from his body.

The coach had just left the club hotel ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash with Monaco when the bombs were detonated in what is believed to have been a targeted attack.

A sniffing dog and its handler search the stadium in Dortmund, western Germany, prior to the postponed Champions League quarterfinal

Police remained on the scene today as an investigation gathered pace. The explosive devices used in the attack contained metal pins, one of which was found buried in a headrest
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie denounced United Airlines as 'awful' on Wednesday and demanded the Trump administration step in and prevent the aviation industry from overbooking flights following the forced removal of a bloodied passenger on Sunday.

Christie was reacting to the national backlash that erupted against United after one of its passengers was filmed being violently dragged off a plane just before takeoff to make room for the airline's crew members even though he paid for a ticket.

After the social media uproar ignited widespread calls for a boycott, United CEO Oscar Munoz issued an apology and promised to investigate the incident.

The New Jersey governor told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that the incident was the result of a problematic culture at United.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (above) denounced United Airlines as 'awful' on Wednesday and demanded the Trump administration step in and prevent the aviation industry from overbooking flights following the forced removal of a bloodied passenger on Sunday

Watch the latest video at <a href="//video.foxnews.com">video.foxnews.com</a>

'Everybody who flies commercial knows United is awful,' he said. 'They know it's awful.

'I don't think they've ever really recovered from the merger between United and Continental, and I don't think they've integrated employees. I don't think they've set a culture there, and you've got a CEO who takes off after the guy was dragged down the aisle.'

In 2010, United Airlines' parent company UAL Corp bought Continental Airlines Inc for $3.17billion in an all-stock deal that at the time formed the world's largest carrier.

Today, American Airlines Group is the largest aviation company after its 2013 merger with US Airways.

Christie was reacting to the national backlash that erupted against United after one of its passengers (right) was filmed being violently dragged off a plane just before takeoff (left) to make room for the airline's crew members even though he paid for a ticket

After the social media uproar ignited widespread calls for a boycott, United CEO Oscar Munoz issued an apology and promised to investigate the incident. The bloodied passenger, Dr. David Dao (above), 69, is seen above moments after he was forced out of his seat

Christie says he sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao informing her that he has instructed New Jersey authorities to look into action that would curb 'the abusive practice' of overbooking flights.

'We would ask, in the context of the president's efforts at regulatory reform to improve the lives of our citizens, that you consider the immediate suspension of this overbooking authority until a thorough review can be done by your department,' Christie wrote to Chao.

The governor told Fox & Friends that his constituents often have no choice but to fly United since the airline accounts for some 70 per cent of flights that take off and land at Newark International Airport.

Given the relative lack of alternatives, airlines feel they have the freedom to overbook flights with impunity, Christie said.

The New Jersey governor told Fox & Friends on Wednesday that the incident was the result of a problematic culture at United

In 2010, United Airlines' parent company UAL Corp bought Continental Airlines Inc for $3.17billion in an all-stock deal that at the time formed the world's largest carrier. A Continental Airlines jet is seen at Bush Airport in Houston in the above 2010 file photo

'They kicked those people off to make money and they're doing it with the permission of the federal government,' he said.

'So what I'm saying to the administration is, stop them from doing it.'

The Department of Transportation and other agencies are said to be looking into the matter.

So far, it doesn't look like any major regulatory initiatives are in the offing.

'Let's not get ahead of where that review goes,' White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday.

Christie says he sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao (seen left with President Donald Trump) informing her that he has instructed New Jersey authorities to look into action that would curb 'the abusive practice' of overbooking flights

Shares of United were trading slightly higher on Wednesday  this just one day after the company lost $255million in value as it was still grappling with the aftermath of the incident

'It was an unfortunate incident, clearly, when you watch the video. It is troubling to see how that was handled... Law enforcement is reviewing it. And I think for us to start to get in front of what should be a local matter, not necessarily needing a federal response.'

Shares of United were trading slightly higher on Wednesday  this just one day after the company lost $255million in value as it was still grappling with the aftermath of the incident.
Former suburban Chicago police officer and convicted wife killer Drew Peterson was reportedly jumped by another inmate at an Indiana prison, just months after he was moved to the new facility for tighter security.

The inmate, who was not identified, attacked Peterson, 63, with a food tray on March 29 in the dining area of the maximum-security federal facility in Terre Haute, according to Fox News.

Peterson was not seriously injured and was separated from the prison's general population afterwards.

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Former suburban Chicago police officer and convicted wife killer Drew Peterson was reportedly attacked by another inmate with a food tray at a federal Indiana prison

His lawyer, Steven Greenberg, said he was 'looking into the matter'.

Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in 2013.

The investigation into her 2004 death was reopened when Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, went missing in 2007. Her body has never been recovered.

The Bolingbrook ex-cop was sentenced to another 40 years in prison last year for plotting to hire someone to kill State's Attorney James Glasgow, the prosecutor who won the conviction in the Savio case.

Peterson was sentenced to 38 years in prison for the death of his third wife, Kathleen Savio (left), in 2013. The investigation into her 2004 death was reopened when Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson (right), went missing in 2007. Her body has never been recovered

Savio was found in a dry bathtub with a bloody gash in her head.

It was 23-year-old Stacy's disappearance in 2007 that prompted investigators to exhume Kathleen Savio's body and reclassify her death, which previously had been ruled as an accidental drowning, as a homicide, eventually leading to her husband's arrest and conviction.

Peterson has been named a suspect in Stacey's disappearance but was never formally charged in that case, and the investigation remains open.

He had been due for parole in 2047 at age 93, but the additional years added after his hit on Glasgow all-but guarantee he will die behind bars.

Peterson was moved to the Terre Haute, Indiana facility on February 20. He's eligible for parole in 2081.

MURDER AND NOT AN ACCIDENT: THE CASE OF KATHLEEN'S DEATH The biggest challenge facing prosecution attorneys was that because Peterson's third wife's death was originally deemed an accident, very scant evidence was ever collected let alone stored until they decided to reopen the case after his fourth wife Stacy disappeared. As a result, much of the testimony in the case was hearsay. A neighbor found Kathleen Savio's body on March 1, 2004, face down in a dry bathtub of her suburban home outside Chicago. Her thick black hair was blood-soaked and she had a 2-inch gash on the back of her head. The drowning death of the 40-year-old aspiring nurse was initially deemed an accident - a freak slip in the tub. Some of the testimony from Savio's friends painted a grim portrait of her relationship with he husband. Kristen Anderson testified that Savio told her Peterson once warned her at knife point, 'I could kill you and make it look like an accident.' Savio so feared for her life that she kept a knife under her mattress. A former co-worker of Peterson's, Jeff Pachter, testified that Peterson offered him $25,000 to hire a hit man to kill Savio, though he never followed through. Advertisement
The sculptor of Wall Street's 'Charging Bull' statue has demanded New York City remove the 'Fearless Girl' that's faced off against the bull since last month, saying it violates his legal rights.

Arturo Di Modica said his 11-foot-tall bull is supposed to represent 'freedom in the world, peace, strength, power and love,' but 'Fearless Girl' has turned his work's message into something negative.

'The girl is right in front doing this, "Now I'm here, what are you going to do?"' said Di Modica, who gifted the bull to the city in 1989.

But NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio was unimpressed by the complaints, tweeting Wednesday morning: 'Men who dont like women taking up space are exactly why we need the Fearless Girl.'

The 'Fearless Girl' statue has faced Wall Street's charging bull statue in New York since Women's Day. The creator of the bull says it has made his 'symbol of love' into a villain

Arturo Di Modica (right) complained that the girl statue, which was originally to be removed on April 2, will be up until February 2018. His lawyer says it's a violation of his trademark

The city says that artist Kristen Visbal's statue of the little girl, which has proven popular with tourists, can stay until February 2018 - despite Di Modica's protestations.

It was placed on a traffic island facing the bull on March 7, ostensibly in celebration of International Women's Day.

But an attorney for Di Modica, Norman Siegel, said the four-foot-tall bronze girl was created as part of an advertising campaign for Boston-based investment firm State Street Global Advisors.

He says its placement opposite the bull exploits the earlier sculpture for commercial gain and negates its positive message.

'The placement of the statue of the young girl in opposition to "Charging Bull" has undermined the integrity and modified the "Charging Bull,"' Siegel said.

'The "Charging Bull" no longer carries a positive, optimistic message. Rather it has been transformed into a negative force and a threat.'

He added that Di Modica 'should have been asked, never was,' and that 'There are copyright and trademark infringement issues.'

NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio hit back after the artist's announcement, saying that the girl statue was meant to stand up to 'men who don't like women taking up space'

Some critics questioned the motives of State Street, which said the statue was intended 'to celebrate the power of women in leadership and to urge greater gender diversity on corporate boards.'

Critics noted that only five members of State Street's 28-person leadership team are women.

'Fearless Girl' was supposed to be a temporary installation to be taken down on April 2, but given its popularity, city officials said it could stay through February 2018.

State Street Global Advisors, a subsidiary of State Street Corp, said it financed the installation by artist Kristen Visbal to highlight the need for more women on corporate boards.

Twenty-five per cent of the largest 3,000 US companies have no female directors, State Street noted at the time.

Siegel said the intent was less high-minded, adding, 'They did it for commercial purposes.'

A plaque originally placed at the girl's feet read: 'Know the power of women in leadership. SHE makes a difference.' It refers to an exchange-traded fund dubbed 'SHE,' which invests in companies with women in top executive posts.

'They have since taken the plaque away,' Siegel said. 'Which acknowledges perhaps it never should have been there in the first place.

Siegel, who joined Di Modica and other lawyers at a news conference, said the attorneys sent letters requesting the girl's removal to Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio and the CEOs of State Street and its advertising firm, McCann Worldgroup.

Siegel said they want the girl sculpture moved and for Di Modica to be awarded damages for the violation of his legal, statutory rights.

De Blasio responded on Twitter that men who don't like women taking up space 'are exactly why we need 'Fearless Girl.''

State Street spokeswoman Anne McNally said the firm is reviewing the letter.

Siegel said he hopes the dispute can be resolved amicably but noted, 'We never dismiss the possibility of litigation.'
Congressional Democrats are meeting to devise an economic strategy for the off-year elections with an emerging populist flair that won't just run inveigh against President Trump.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, who in his writings has urged his party for years to focus on kitchen table issues, has called for a 'a strong, sharp-edged, bold economic message.'

He has been meeting with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who is trying to replicate her 2006 strategy that helped Democrats recapture the Republican House, Politico reported, after resisting calls for new House leadership.

Schumer said at a press conference Tuesday the party was focused on building a trade package partly intended to counter Trump. He said trade  an issue that was at the top of Bernie Sanders' 2016 playbook  was among the top five reasons Trump won.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) speaks at a campaign rally on February 6, 2016 in Rindge, New Hampshire. Democratic leaders are hashing out a populist new economic message for 2018

Schumer rapped Trump for failing to achieve trade concessions during his meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago.

'When it comes to China, President Trump has been all talk and no action,' Schumer said.

Schumer, who has pressed China on currency manipulation issues for years, said Trump came home 'empty handed,' the Hill reported.

The message that emerges will be populist and is meant to unite both wings of both caucuses, a Democratic aide told Politico.

The machinations come amid multiple signs that the driving forces among Democrats are coming from the fired up Sanders faction and base voters angry about Trump.

A Morning Consult poll this week showed Sanders with the highest approval rating of any senator in his or her state, with a 75 per cent approval rating.

Senate minority leader Charles Schumer called for 'a strong, sharp-edged, bold economic message' for 2018

House Minority Leader Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., helped craft her party's strategy to take back the House in 2016

Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders speaks during a rally at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center October 3, 2015 in Boston, Massachusetts. Thousands of people attended the rally, one of the biggest in recent state history for a politician

In the latest fundraising figures, liberal firebrand Elizabeth Warren raised $5.2 million in the first quarter.

Although Republicans prevailed in Tuesday's special election, GOP candidate Ron Estes defeated Democrat James Thompson by 8.3 percentage points in a Wichita-based district President Trump carried by 27 points.

Democrats are also hearing calls to not lurch too far from the center. 'It's less important what our national message is right now, given that Donald Trump is sucking all of the oxygen out of the room,' moderate Democratic Rep. Ron Kind told Politico. 'Quite frankly, the less we have to say about it, the better.'
Two sisters injured in a horrifying Kansas waterslide accident that beheaded a state lawmaker's 10-year-old son have reached a settlement with the water park's owner.

Attorney Lynn Johnson on Wednesday confirmed the out-of-court deal with the Schlitterbahn park over the 'Verruckt' slide accident last summer.

Johnson wouldn't reveal details of the settlement. The sisters were publicly identified in earlier reports concerning the fatal incident as Hannah Barnes, 32, and Matraca Baetz, 25.

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Hannah Barnes (left), 32, and Matraca Baetz (right), 25, the two sisters who were injured in a Kansas waterslide accident that beheaded a 10-year-old boy, have reached a settlement with the water park's owner

Caleb Schwab was riding the Verruckt, which, at 168 feet in height, was billed as the world's tallest waterslide, when he flew off the ride and plummeted 50 feet to his death

Authorities said Caleb Schwab was killed and the sisters sustained serious facial injuries on August 7, 2016, while riding the Verruckt, meaning 'insane' in German, which, at 168 feet in height, was billed as the world's tallest waterslide.

That ride has since been permanently shut down, and a Schlitterbahn spokeswoman says it will be demolished as soon as a court rules it is no longer needed for evidentiary purposes.

'They feel good that its behind them and they feel good that theres been an agreement to remove the Verruckt, to tear down the tower and remove all of the slide,' said Johnson on behalf of the sisters in an interview with The Wichita Eagle.

In the days after Caleb's death, Baetz and Barnes released a statement through their lawyer addressing the tragedy.

'Being mothers ourselves, we can only hope that Caleb's family can find some comfort in knowing we are doing everything we know how to do to stop something so tragic from occurring again to any other family,' the women's statement read.

Politician's son: Caleb was at the water park with his three brothers and their dad, Scott Schwab (right), a state representative from Olathe, Kansas

The family of Scott Schwab, a state representative from Olathe, Kansas, reached their own undisclosed settlement in January with Schlitterbahn and the raft's manufacturer, Zebec.

The details of the agreement have not been made public, but court transcripts show that Caleb's three brothers will be receiving lifetime payments.

All three were at the park that day, but only Nathan Schwab witnessed Caleb's fatal 50-foot fall.

Last Friday, the Kansas State Senate voted on a bill to strengthen the state's lax oversight of amusement park rides.

Rep Schwab and his family reached their own settlement in Caleb's death in January

The bill passed in the Senate 35-2, just days after the House also overwhelmingly approved changing the law.

Rep Schwab didn't comment on the legislation until he gave an emotional speech last week in support of the bill.

Under the legislation, amusement park rides would have to be inspected every year by qualified inspector.

The bill stipulates such a professional be an inspector certified by one of several national boards; an engineer with two years of experience in the amusement park field, including one year in inspections; or someone with five years of experience in the field, with two of those in inspections.

The bill also requires parks to report injuries.

Current law requires inspections but allows amusement park owners do the checks themselves.

The Verruckt slide had passed a private inspection just a couple of months before Caleb's death.
Killer fatbergs from the Caribbean are washing up on Britain's beaches just as families plan their Easter getaway.

Vets are warning that dogs will die if they eat the sinister-looking white blobs - some as big as boulders. And parents have been warned to steer sandcastle-building and rock-pooling children away from them.

The lumps of congealed palm oil have bobbed thousands of miles across the Atlantic from the likes of like Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad.

Blobs have appeared on beaches at Newquay, Cornwall, and more are feared to be heading for resorts along the south coast as traders gear up for the Easter holiday season.

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Killer fatbergs from the Caribbean are washing up on Britain's beaches just as families plan their Easter getaway. Vets are warning that dogs will die if they eat the sinister-looking white blobs - some as big as boulders. Above, a blob found on a Hampshire beach

The lumps of congealed palm oil have bobbed thousands of miles across the Atlantic from the likes of like Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad

They can be fatal for pets. Dogs have died after eating the white or yellow waxy lumps which they love because of the distinctive smell.

TV vet Marc Abraham said owners should not let their dogs tuck in because the blobs - covered in deadly germs - will kill them.

'Dogs will pick up anything on the beach, from pebbles, to food to palm oil,' he said.

'These things can cause two-fold problems: the first is gastro, the second is foreign body obstructions.

'As the palm oil is so gelatinous, it can get lodged in the oesophagus and require emergency surgery. If you think your dog has swallowed something it shouldn't, contact your vet immediately.'

Penmellyn Vets, of Newquay, have gone on Facebook to warn about the discovery of the substance on Porth Beach.

The blobs are congealed vegetable oil derived from the pulp of the fruit of African, American and Maripa palms. Dogs have died after eating the white or yellow waxy lumps which they love because of the distinctive smell

The same surgery issued a warning last year after staff had to give life-saving treatment to five dogs which collapsed in agony after scoffing the white, waxy blobs scattered on beaches at Constantine Bay and Treyarnon.

'Palm oil has been found in small pieces on Porth beach, just to make you all aware,' they warned.

'Please share to keep owners informed. If you believe your dog to have digested some, please call the practice.'

The blobs are congealed vegetable oil derived from the pulp of the fruit of African, American and Maripa palms.

In February, blobs washed up along the Sussex coast, including Rottingdean, Lancing and Shoreham. More bobbed ashore recently at Folkestone, Kent, and others have been found on beaches in Devon, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and Hampshire

Claire Wallerstein, of Rame Peninsula Beach Care in Cornwall, said 'It's incredibly dangerous. Dozens of dogs have died and people need to know that it's around.

'We want to warn people about it, we want people to be aware and careful with their dogs at the beach.

'They need to get their dogs to the vets as soon as possible if they think they might have eaten any of this stuff, or they could die.

'It's perfectly legal for ships to dump it into the sea - hopefully at some point the law will be changed because obviously this stuff is dangerous and it shouldn't be legal.'

In February, blobs washed up along the Sussex coast, including Rottingdean, Lancing and Shoreham.

Brighton and Hove City Council warned 'Anyone who spots any suspected palm oil on the beach should contact the seafront team on 01273 292716.'

More bobbed ashore recently at Folkestone, Kent, and others have been found on beaches in Devon, Dorset, the Isle of Wight and Hampshire.

A Cornwall Council spokesman said they have put up warning signs on many beaches.

'People should keep away from the substance - if you do come into contact, wash it off using normal soap or shower gel and water and wash your clothes.'

Jon James, natural environment manager for Cornwall Council, said their contractors Cory have orders to remove the substance from council-owned beaches and 'we will be providing advice to the owners of private beaches'.

In June 2014, Freddie, a three-year-old labradoodle, was rushed to a canine hospital for a series of life-saving operations after he gulped down lumps of the tropical palm oil on a walk along Kingsand beach near Saltash, Cornwall.

His owner Karen de Fraine, 52, said at the time 'My husband was walking him along the rocks in Kingsand when Freddie ran off and started to eat this large lump of palm oil.

'It was the size of a boulder. When John realised what was happening he shouted at Freddie, who ran away.

'We were absolutely panic-stricken when we realised what it was that he had eaten. We looked online and were worried that we could lose him after seeing what had happened to other dogs, so my husband rushed him to the vets straight away.'

Freddie underwent 88 worth of vomit-inducing medicine, injections and a large dose of antibiotics before being sent home to rest, and is now in a stable condition.

Ms de Fraine said 'We were lucky. We are keeping him away from the beach for now and I would warn other people to be very, very careful if they do go to the beach.

'A dog died at Portwrinkle recently from the same thing, so it's not uncommon.'

A blob weighing nearly quarter of a ton and measuring several feet around was found on an Isle of Wight holiday beach in 2014.

It needed three people with a trolley to cart it off the sands at Hamstead beach, near Newtown.

In October 2013 in Cornwall, Zanzi, a miniature schnauzer dog, died after eating some of the palm oil, forcing the council to post signs warning of pollution.

And in February 2014, Jess Squires told how she was strolling along the beach at Brighton with her Labrador cross called Luna, which fell ill after eating a lump of the oil. She had to be rushed to the vet and given life-saving injections.

A spokesman for South Hams district council near Dartmouth, Devon, said blobs had been found on three beaches in the Salcombe estuary.
Despite the fact that President Trump wants to completely cut the public television budget, at least one PBS star will be appearing at this Monday's White House Easter Egg Roll.

As the White House was announcing budget cuts, Egg Roll planners were reaching out to PBS, and in turn, Sesame Street, to provide children's characters for the annual affair, as Elmo, Cookie Monster and many others have appeared at the event in the past.

The New York Times first reported PBS and Sesame Street's involvement and wrote about it in the broader context of what America could expect at this year's seemingly pared down Easter Egg Roll.

The Obama administration used a cadre of public television characters throughout the eight years of White House Easter Egg Rolls they put on, including Elmo (right)

The popular Sesame Street character Cookie Monster attended the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2015

The Times uncovered that Wells Wood Turning & Finishing, the company that produces the wooden commemorative eggs marking the event, hadn't heard a peep from the White House.

The staff even tweeted at the White House to get the administration's attention.

'FYI manufacturing deadlines for the Easter eggs are near. Please reach out!' @WellsTurning tweeted at the handles for the president, first lady Melania Trump and even first daughter Ivanka Trump, who in many ways has stepped into the absent first lady's shoes.

Eventually, the White House did put in an order for eggs, asking that 40,000 be made for this year's event, according to the White House Historical Association, less than half of the 85,000 or so created for the Obamas' final Roll.

Some familiar faces from Easter Egg Rolls past will not be returning to the White House South Lawn this year.

Former first lady Barbara Bush (left), playing first grandlady in 2008, accompanied PBS character Arthur (right) to the Easter Egg Roll that year

Tommy McFly, a D.C.-based radio personality, made history in 2011 when he was named the Easter Egg Roll's first ever official emcee.

'I'm not doing it this year,' he told DailyMail.com over email. 'It's funny no one seems to know much. I've had several past partners reach out and say they hadn't heard anything from them either.'

McFly said he was happy to hear the Trump White House still planned to put the popular event on, as he had many great memories from Rolls' past.

'I began in 2011, and in those years it included appearances from Beyonce, Ariana Grande, Idina Menzel and Janelle Monae,' McFly commented. 'There were multiple stages where notables like Shonda Rhimes and Elmo read stories to children, celebrity chefs hosted demos and pro-athletes from every league and team joined in on an obstacle course.'

With the Easter Egg Roll just five days away, no performers or special guests have been announced by the White House.

'We just got word about this year's Egg Roll and are working on planning,' senior director of media relations for PBS Jennifer Rankin Byrne told the Times on March 20, four days after team Trump announced the budget cuts.

Tommy McFly (center), a D.C.-based radio personality, said after six years of being the Easter Egg Roll's official emcee, he was not invited back this year

Byrne did not respond to a follow-up request for comment from DailyMail.com, asking which PBS Kids characters, if any, would attend.

PBS shows a number of children's programs including Arthur, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, the follow-up to the classic Mr. Rogers' show, and, of course, Sesame Street.

When the Times asked Sesame Workshop's vice president for strategic communication Elizabeth Weinreb Fishman which Sesame Street character would be a making an appearance, she declined to say.

'PBS asked us to participate with them, and we agreed to provide a Sesame Street character,' was the only thing Fishman told the newspaper.

She didn't reply to follow-up questions from DailyMail.com, including whether Sesame Street's scaled back presence has anything to do with President Trump taking a whack at the public TV budget.

While Sesame Street has practically nothing to fear from the budget cuts, thanks to a deal the show inked with HBO, the head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which oversees PBS, sounded the alarm when the budget proposal was floated last month.

'The elimination of federal funding to CPB would initially devastate and ultimately destroy public media's role in early childhood education, public safety, connecting citizens to our history, and promoting civil discussions  all for Americans in both rural and urban communities,' said Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the CPB last month.

Trump's Office of Management and Budget Director explained the cuts this way: 'When you start looking at the place that will reduce spending, one of the questions that we asked was, can we really continue to ask a coal miner in West Virginia or a single mom in Detroit to pay for these programs?'

'And the answer was no,' he said last month on Morning Joe. 'We can ask them to pay for defense, and we will. But we can't ask them to continue to pay for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.'
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This is the shocking moment a man slumps in the street just yards away from a young child after smoking Spice at a city centre bus stop.

The man, who was wearing a hooded jacket, appeared to be passed out on a bench as a family waited for a bus in Manchester.

It is believed he had just smoked Spice - synthetic cannabis which has been sweeping the nation, leaving users resembling 'zombies'.

The young girl, who was wearing a white coat, seemed to be staring straight at the man who had his arm in between his legs.

The man was wearing a brown jacket when he appeared to be slumped while sat down next to a family at a bus stop in Manchester

A little girl, wearing a white coat, was standing next to her family as they waited for a bus in Manchester - just yards from the man

The man, who was wearing a black baseball cap, had a drink in his right hand and looked like he was passed out on the bench

Photographs of users - many of whom are homeless - have been emerging as police forces are being stretched having to deal with the new 'drug'.

Police forces across the country are said to be so concerned that they are calling for more funding.

And in a new set of photographs, a man was seen staring at the ground and looked dazed in broad daylight.

It comes after pictures emerged of people lying in the street and 'turning blue' while others have been seen vomiting on themselves outside shops and businesses.

Many residents and traders in Manchester have been calling for more action to be taken by authorities, claiming people have been left 'writhing in agony' and 'slumped against walls' during rush hour.

Meanwhile men and women in Blackpool have been seen 'frozen to the spot' due to the effects of the drugs with passers-by 'walking straight past them without looking'.

The man was standing up but was staring at the ground as he stood next to bin in Manchester city centre during the day

The man was spoken to by police as another person was photographed sat outside a shop - as a paramedic attended the scene

The youngster was staring at the man who was sat down as her family waited for a bus during in the middle of the day in Manchester

Drug experts are warning of a Spice epidemic that is spreading from the North West, driving a wave of crime and casualties that the police and emergency services are struggling to cope with.

Chief Superintendent Wasim Chaudhry, from Greater Manchester Police's city centre team, said earlier this week that officers were doing all they could to tackle the issue but it was 'a problem that we cannot afford to get any worse'.

He said: 'Those who take Spice are often left incapacitated or seriously ill and need the help of our partners in the NHS and ambulance service.

'They can also become aggressive and become a danger to themselves and others.

'The truth is, tackling the issues caused by Spice is putting pressure on public services and is taking up a lot of our resources. Particularly in Manchester city centre.

'A multi-agency approach is the only way we can fight this battle.

'As a result we have been working with Manchester City Council's adults and children's services, rough sleeper team, outreach teams and local charities as well as North West Ambulance Service and the NHS.'
An Oregon father kidnapped his two young daughters, aged 8 and 11, and killed them in his car before he was shot dead during a police shootout, officials say.

The man set his Land Rover on fire with the two girls in the back seat in Portland when he was spotted by cops in a gas station parking lot on Wednesday.

He died in a shoot out with cops and officers raced to try and save the girls form the burning car - but tragically they were already dead.

Portland police had first been alerted in the early hours of Wednesday after the girls' mother reported that her husband, who was armed, dangerous and suicidal, had disappeared with their daughters.

The 42-year-old father reportedly threatened to kill himself and the girls

Cops tracked down the father's Land Rover to a Portland parking lot and opened fire, before racing to the car to rescue the girls.

Officers smashed the car window to try to pull the children out of the back seat, but both were already dead. The shooter was also killed although it is not clear whether he was shot dead by police or took his own life.

A father and his two young daughters were found dead after a shooting involving police in Oregon in the early hours of Wednesday morning

Police Sgt. John Rasmussen said Wednesday that 'initial indications' show the girls were dead before the officers showed up.

Rasmussen says at least one officer shot at the man in the moments after he set fire to the interior of his vehicle.

The Oregon State Medical Examiner will determine the exact cause and manner of the deaths, including whether the man was shot dead by police or committed suicide.

'They (the officers) put their own lives at risk to try and rescue those girls,' an official said.

Both the two young girls, aged eight and 11, and their father, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Based on initial information, police said the father was 'suicidal', armed and dangerous. It is currently unclear as to how exactly both the father and the two girls died and their names have not yet been released

No officers were shot but multiple suffered minor injuries while breaking into the burning SUV, including strains, burns and smoke inhalation. All officers involved have now been placed on administrative leave according to protocol.

'It's a horrible and horrific situation for all involved,' Gresham police Sgt. John Rasmussen said.

'It's one of those situations that we don't know exactly what we're walking into,' he added.

'So when we pull up to a situation, we're trying to assess what's going to happen, and then things unfold very rapidly, and maybe that initial thought of how this might go changes very quickly.'
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Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinsky were spotted taking their children out in a black car in New York City on Tuesday.

The former first daughter, 37, was seen walking a few steps behind her jeans-clad husband, who was carrying both children, Charlotte and Aidan.

Mezvinsky was holding Charlotte, 2, in one arm while carrying baby Aidan in his car seat.

Charlotte was dressed in flowery pink outfit as she held a children's book on Passover and her toy. Once the couple walked up to the car, Chelsea lent her husband a hand and fastened Aidan in the back seat.

Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinsky were spotted on Wednesday taking their children out in a black car in New York City. The former first daughter, 37, was seen walking a few steps behind her jeans-clad husband, who was carrying both children, Charlotte and Aidan (pictured)

Mezvinsky was holding Charlotte, 2, in one arm while carrying baby Aidan in his car seat. Charlotte was dressed in flowery pink and she was holding a children's book on Passover, along with a toy

Chelsea was careful to snap in son Aiden's carseat to the back of the car

The family was walking out of their home at 6pm on the second night of Passover, perhaps on their way to a seder.

Mezvinsky is Jewish, while Chelsea is Methodist. The couple's wedding was co-officiated by a Jewish rabbi and a Methodist minister and they have not said how they are raising their children.

Charlotte was clutching her copy of Sammy Spider's First Passover, a children's book by Sylvia A. Rouss.

Last month, Chelsea was seen hailing a cab outside her Manhattan apartment in an attempt to get her daughter to her nursery program on time - while wearing the same Burberry trench and designer boots she had on Tuesday.

Chelsea and Charlotte then piled into the cab, as Chelsea opted to skip lugging around a car seat for the quick trip.

Charlotte stayed at school for two hours and then headed home with her mom, with the pair choosing to walk back to the apartment.

Last month, Chelsea was seen hailing a cab outside her apartment in an attempt to get her daughter to her nursery program on time

In February, it was revealed that Chelsea's husband Marc had quietly shut down his hedge fund Eaglevale Partners back in December.

He and his partners are now reportedly working to return money to investors, including Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein.

The decision to shutter the fund came just a few weeks after Hillary Clinton lost the election to president Donald Trump. Marc and his Chelsea are now both without full-time jobs.

But most recently, Chelsea visited The Book Stall at Chestnut Court April 6 to sign copies of her new book: It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired and Get Going!'

More than 500 people stood in line to chat and get their copies of the book signed on Monday.

Earlier this month, Clinton ruled out her run for president against Donald Trump in 2020.

'I clearly don't agree with our president, but I'm definitely not the right person to run to defeat him in 2020,' she told CBS's Norah O'Donnell during an interview.

'Right now, the answer is no, but I think we all need to be asking ourselves that question periodically,' Clinton said about seeking elected office.

Chelsea was seen carrying a black tote with her into the school with Charlotte

Marc and Chelsea currently live in a $15million apartment with their children in New York City opposite Madison Square Park. They bought it for $10million four years ago before the building was finished.

The four-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot apartment is one of only four residences in the building, which despite the low occupancy rate still has a full-time doorman.

The apartment, whose hallways stretch a full city block, also has two dishwashers, two washer and dryers, dressing rooms with double-sided vanity mirrors, and two massive walk-in closets.

The bedrooms meanwhile face right into Vera Wang's bridal design studio, who designed Chelsea's dress for her wedding day.

Famous neighbors in the building now include NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon and Jennifer Lopez, who paid $22 million for the two-floor penthouse.

Charlotte stayed at school for two hours and then headed home with her mom, with the pair choosing to walk back to the apartment. Chelsea was dressed like many other Manhattan mommies, outfitted herself in an $1,800 Burberry trench, jeans and her favorite pair of Isabel Marant boots
A white University of Minnesota student is speaking out about a 'white privilege checklist' posted in his dorm.

The student, Evan Christenson, says he is a social progressive but was appalled after spotting the checklist in recent weeks, which he feels discourages dialogue by singling out people of one race.

'I still consider myself a social progressive, and I believe more work needs to be done but this is not the way to achieve any amount of progress,' Christenson told DailyMail.com.

'Targeting an individual race, or even an individual person like the poster does is contradictory to the whole goal of bringing people together and understanding cultural differences,' the entrepreneurship student said.

The items on the list come from a longer list of 46 privileges developed in the 1980s by Peggy McIntosh, author of White Privilege: Unpacking The Invisible Knapsack.

A white University of Minnesota student is speaking out about this 'white privilege checklist' posted in his dorm

The privilege checklist was spotted in Mark G. Yudof Hall, an undergraduate dormitory

'I asked myself, On a daily basis, what do I have that I didnt earn? It was like a prayer,' McIntosh, now 82, has said in an interview explaining the origin of the list. 'The first one I thought of was: I can, if I wish, arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.'

Christenson, though, said he did not believe in white privilege.

'I am not inherently racist because I don't believe in white privilege,' he said.

'I do believe it crosses the line. When it attacks the individual and not the idea, there is a problem,' Christenson told Campus Reform.

'I believe there needs to be dialogue on the subject but it needs to more of a give and take and not a one-sided affair.'

'WHITE PRIVILEGE CHECKLIST' This is the list posted in the University of Minnesota's Yudof Hall: 1. I can arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time. 2. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed. 3. I can turn on the television or open up the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented. 4. When I am told about our national heritage or about 'civilization', I am shown that people of my color made it what it is. 5. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race. 6. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the food I grew up with, into a hairdressers shop and find someone who can deal with my hair. 7. Whether I use checks, credit cards, or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial responsibility. 8. I am not made acutely aware that my shape, bearing, or body odor will be taken as a reflection on my race. 9. I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking. 10. I can take a job or enroll in a college with an affirmative action policy without having my co-workers or peers assume I got in because of my race. 11. I can be late to a meeting without having the lateness reflect on my race. Advertisement

The photo of the checklist has drawn scorn from some commentators on Twitter

The checklist has appeared on other college campuses, including Appalachian State last year. In February, white students at Elizabethtown College in Wisconsin wore pins to remind themselves of white privilege.

Christenson said he felt such campus trends singled out whites in a way that would be considered inappropriate if directed at other races.

'I still consider myself a social progressive but I am quite frankly appalled by the double standard applied to free speech as of late,' he said.

Some point out that the privileges it lists are primarily a function of the US having a majority white population. The US population is roughly 63 per cent non-Hispanic white

The photo of the checklist has drawn scorn from some commentators.

Some point out that the privileges it lists are primarily a function of the US having a majority white population. The US population is roughly 63 per cent non-Hispanic white.

The University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus is about 67 per cent white, according to the school.

The privilege checklist was spotted in Mark G. Yudof Hall, an undergraduate dormitory.

A University of Minnesota residence director did not return requests for comment from DailyMail.com.
Russia last night vetoed a UN resolution condemning the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and urging a speedy investigation.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was 'dismayed' by the Russian veto  and urged Vladimir Putin to use his influence with Assad to bring the war to an end.

'Last week in Syria, a barbaric attack was committed,' he said.

'British scientists have completed an analysis of samples obtained from the site of the attack and concluded that sarin, or a sarin-like substance, was used.

'Our assessment, like that of the US, is that it is highly likely the Assad regime was responsible.

Russia has vetoed a UN resolution condemning the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and urging a speedy investigation

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was 'dismayed' by the Russian veto  and urged Vladimir Putin to use his influence with Assad to bring the war to an end

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano welcomes Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson, before a meeting of foreign ministers of the G7 in Lucca

'I am dismayed that Russia has once again blocked the UN Security Council and in so doing refused to condemn the use of chemical weapons or support a full UN investigation into the attack.

'This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument. But it doesn't have to be this way.'

He said Russia now faced a choice between 'acting as a lifeline for Assad's murderous regime, or it could live up to its responsibilities as a global power, and use its influence over the regime to bring six long years of failed ceasefires and false dawns to an end'.

Mr Johnson said it was 'highly likely' the Syrian regime was responsible for the toxic gas attack and called on Russia to stop acting 'as a lifeline for Assad's murderous regime'.

He said: 'This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument. But it doesn't have to be this way.'

It comes after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow to discuss the escalating tensions in Syria, where he admitted there were 'low levels of trust' between the two nations.

Britain's UN ambassador Mark Rycroft has lashed Russian support for the 'murderous, barbaric criminal' Assad and warned the Kremlin it was on the 'wrong side of history'

Mr Johnson backed US calls to find a political solution and said the G7 leaders were ready to work with Russia to end the violence in Syria.

France on Wednesday blasted Russia's vetoing of a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into a suspected chemical attack.

'Russia bears a heavy responsibility through its systematic opposition - in order to protect its ally Assad - to a multilateral response to the issue of Syria,' the office of French President Francois Hollande said in a statement.

The resolution 'was designed to allow a rapid, thorough inquiry by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to establish responsibility for the chemical attacks on April 4 in Idlib province', the statement said.

Russia's veto was the eighth time it had chosen to oppose a majority of the (UN Security) Council in this way, it added.

'Only the coming together of the international community in favour of a political transition in Syria will allow this martyred country to find peace, stability and sovereignty again.

'France will continue to mobilise in this way.'

Earlier, Britain's UN ambassador had lashed Russian support for the 'murderous, barbaric criminal' Assad and warned the Kremlin it was on the 'wrong side of history'.

Mark Rycroft said Russia had been 'humiliated' by its steadfast support of the Syrian dictator's regime during six years of hellish civil war and last week's chemical strike.

In a special session of the UN Security Council in New York, Russia's ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov accused Britain of 'arrogance' and defended its role.

Mr Rycroft, right, made an impassioned case against Russian involvement in the Syrian war at a special session of the security council today, pictured

In his impassioned speech against Russian involvement, Mr Rycroft said: 'Time and time again, Russia has abused its veto protect the regime and to defend its use of chemical weapons.

'What has Russia got in return for its seven vetos in six years? Russia's initiative in 2013 to dismantle Syria's chemical weapons has been exposed as a shambles.

'Russian pride in the Astana process has been turned to humiliation and Russia';s credibility and reputation across the world have been poisoned by its toxic association with Assad.

'They have chosen to side with a murderous, barbaric criminal rather than with their international peers. They have chosen the wrong side of history.

'However, it is not to late for Russia to change course, not to late for Russia to use its influence over the regime to bring conflict to an end.'

Russia's ambassador to the UN Vladimir Safronkov accused Britain of 'arrogance' and defended its role

The text of last night's motion reads called on the Syrian government to provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to all air bases to UN investigators.

Amid heated scenes, Mr Rycroft added: 'Use of the weapons Assad agreed in 2013 to destroy is just the latest in a long list of abhorrent attacks. With that attack, he has made clear he is not committed to a ceasefire or to the Astana process, ruining Russia's credibility.

'And as we mourn the victims of the chemical attack, we must not forget the 13.5million people who thanks to Assad are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and in urgent need of a long overdue peace.

'It is clear today as it has been for some time there can be no place for Assad in Syria's future.'

Philip Hammond defended Mr Johnson today amid a backlash over his botched demands for the G7 to impose sanctions on Russia

Philip Hammond defended Mr Johnson amid a backlash over his botched demands for the G7 to impose sanctions on Russia.

The Foreign Secretary went into a key summit with counterparts from the powerful nations earlier this week insisting that Vladimir Putin should be hit with punitive measures unless he abandons the Syrian regime.

But he was branded a 'total let down' after fellow G7 ministers rebuffed the appeal in the wake of last week's chemical weapons attack on Idlib province.

Chancellor Philip Hammond moved to shore up his Cabinet colleague yesterday, insisting the UK would not stop 'making the case' for a tough line over Syria.

A No10 source insisted Mr Johnson had the full support of Theresa May and dismissed claims he had failed his first big test.

The episode was particularly embarrassing because Mr Johnson had cancelled a planned trip to Moscow at the weekend to concentrate on getting an agreement.
President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman is registering as a foreign agent.

Paul Manafort's spokesman says he was in talks with the government about registering before the 2016 election and is now 'taking appropriate steps' in response to 'formal guidance' from the government.

The spokesman says Manafort's lobbying work was not conducted on behalf of the Russian government and began before Manafort started working with the Trump campaign.

It's unclear whether Trump was aware that Manafort was in talks with the government about registering before he hired him.

A firm headed by former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort received more than $1.2 million in payments that correspond to entries in a handwritten ledger tied to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine

Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being deposed, paid Manafort money that came from his government's budget and was 'stolen from Ukrainian citizens,' according to a Ukrainian lawmaker

AND THERE'S A CLINTON LINK TOO The lobbyist brother of Hillary Clinton's campaign chair is also registering as a foreign agent. Tony Podesta - whose brother John had his emails hacked - runs The Podesta Group which worked on a covert influence campaign in the U.S. under the direction of Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates. It has registered after the fact with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. It acknowledged its work could have principally benefited Ukraine's government, led at the time by a pro-Russian political party. The Podesta Group Inc. disclosed details of lobbying it did from 2012 through 2014 on behalf of a Brussels-based nonprofit, the European Center for a Modern Ukraine. The disclosure follows reporting by The Associated Press in August, citing emails obtained by the AP, that the firm of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates, who served in a senior role in the Trump campaign, had overseen the lobbying effort, which sought to promote a Ukrainian political party's interests in Washington. In a statement to the AP, Kimberley Fritts, CEO of the Podesta Group, said that the Justice Department's Foreign Agent Registration unit worked with the firm to make sure it was complying with federal law. 'The Podesta Group has routinely filed FARA registrations for our various clients. We have, and will continue to have, no hesitation doing so to underscore our commitment to transparency,' Fritts said. Advertisement

Michael Flynn, who was fired as White House national security adviser in February, has also had to register as a foreign agent for lobbying work he did with ties to Turkey.

The move comes after a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine last AUgust with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Manafort, who was then Trump's campaign chairman.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the country's former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledger's authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by The Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manafort's name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States.

They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manafort's firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trump's campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manafort's work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia's government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trump's unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said 'any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.'

Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his 'clients' preferred financial institutions and instructions.'

Previously, Manafort and his spokesman, Jason Maloni, have maintained the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The payments between 2007 and 2009 are the first evidence that the consulting firm founded by Manafort (center) received funds listed in the so-called Black Ledger, which Ukrainian investigators have been investigating as evidence of off-the-books payments from the Ukrainian Party of Regions

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manafort's financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manafort's financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manafort's work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which The New York Times revealed that Manafort's name appeared in the Ukraine ledger - although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money - and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraine's pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovych, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manafort's work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manafort's namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard 7-year retention period. He said Tuesday the 'computer sales contract is a fraud.'

'The signature is not mine, and I didn't sell computers,' he said in a statement. 'What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.'

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manafort's former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice - $750,000- and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manafort's account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Virginia.

Serhiy Leshchenko, a former investigative journalist turned lawmaker shows a copy one of the once-secret accounting documents of Ukraine's pro-Kremlin party that were released and purport to show payments earmarked for Manafort

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manafort's receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

Leshchenko contended to AP that Yanukovych, as Ukraine's leader, paid Manafort money that came from his government's budget and was 'stolen from Ukrainian citizens.' He said: 'Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.'

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovych. 'It's about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account,' he said.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

The AP reported last month that federal prosecutors are looking into Manafort's financial transactions in Cyprus, an island nation once known as a favored locale for money laundering.

Among those transactions was a $1 million payment in October 2009 routed through the Bank of Cyprus. The money was deposited into an account controlled by a Manafort-linked company, then left the account on the same day, broken into two disbursements of $500,000, according to documents obtained by the AP.

The records of Manafort's Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraine's main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.
He was having it his way!

An eight-year-old craving a cheeseburger drove his father's van to a McDonald's in Ohio over the weekend.

The youngster had his four-year-old sister in tow when he made the trip from his house to the fast food joint in East Palestine on Sunday evening.

The children's parents were sleeping at the time, the Weirton Daily Times reported.

An eight-year-old craving a cheeseburger drove his father's van to an East Palestine, Ohio, McDonald's (pictured) over the weekend

Employees at the restaurant believed it was a joke as the boy got to the drive-through window after he ordered a cheeseburger and planned to use his piggy bank money for the purchase, according to the newspaper.

East Palestine Patrolman Jacob Koehler was the one to respond to the McDonald's, the paper said.

Koehler told the outlet: 'The workers thought that the parents were in the back, but obviously they weren't.'

He said: 'I think there is a good teaching point here. With the way technology is anymore kids will learn how to do anything and everything.

'This kid learned how to drive on YouTube. He probably looked it up for five minutes and then said it was time to go.'

The youngster had his four-year-old sister in tow when he made the trip from his house to the fast food joint in East Palestine on Sunday evening

Koehler told the paper that witnesses said the boy adhered to traffic rules.

The patrolman explained: 'He didn't hit a single thing on the way there. It was unreal.'

The underage driver was crying when he became aware that he'd done something wrong, the newspaper said.

The children were able to chow down when they were waiting for their grandparents to show up and bring them to a police station, where their parents got them, the report said.

No charges have been filed in the case.
Two retired teachers were jailed for a total of 17 years for sexually assaulting the same pupil several times while they both taught at his college.

Andrew Boxer and Graham Jones were both convicted of several counts of indecently assaulting the same boy between 1988 and 1993, following a week-long trial.

Former history teacher Boxer, 67, was sentenced to 15 years behind bars for seven counts of indecent assault - six at the same address in Eastbourne, East Sussex and another in Cambridge.

Andrew Boxer (left) and Graham Jones (right) were both convicted of several counts of indecently assaulting the same boy between 1988 and 1993, following a week-long trial at Hove Crown Court. Former history teacher Boxer, 67, was sentenced to 15 years in jail; former music teacher Jones, 63, was jailed for two years

Former music teacher Jones, 63, was jailed for two years after he was convicted of two counts of indecent assault - one on several occasions at an address in East Sussex and one at an address in Eastbourne between 1991 and 1993.

Both men taught at Eastbourne College at the time of the abuse, while the victim was a pupil there.

Boxer, of Eynsham, Oxfordshire, was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life and served with an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), severely restricting his access to boys.

Jones, of Eastbourne, was made a registered sex offender for 10 years and served with a similar SHPO for the same length of time. Both were sentenced at Hove Crown Court following a seven-day trial.

Sussex Police emphasised that there was no current safeguarding issues for the college in relation to this matter.

Detective Constable Gary Baker of the East Sussex Safeguarding Investigation Unit said: 'Our investigation started in August 2015 when the victim came forward for the first time, having not told anyone of these traumatic experiences for many years.

Both men taught at Eastbourne College (pictured) at the time of the abuse, while the victim was a pupil there. Sussex Police emphasised that there was no current safeguarding issues for the college in relation to this matter

'He had been befriended separately by Boxer and Jones when he entered the College and it is quite clear they both gained his trust before involving him in acts he then felt he could not report.

'Boxer in particular systematically "groomed" him, using the victim's acceptance of, for example, seemingly casual remarks and apparently accidental access to video porn and his own sexual acts, to bring about a situation in which the boy felt trapped.

'There is no evidence whatsoever that either man knew what the other was doing with the boy. We very much admire the victim's courage in coming forward now and supporting the prosecution through court, including giving evidence and facing cross-examination.

'It again shows that people who come forward to make such reports, however many years ago the events may have been, will be taken seriously and treated with respect, and we will always try to help achieve justice for them whenever possible.'
A woman who was traveling to Phoenix with her young daughter on a United Airlines flight says she was sexually assaulted by a drunken male passenger.

Jennifer Rafieyan, 47, was waiting aboard a plane on the tarmac at Newark Airport last month with her 12-year-old daughter, when she claims a 64-year-old man was directed to an aisle seat next to her.

The mother claims the man was noticeably drunk, and a flight attendant had to 'guide him by his hips', the Huffington Post reports.

Rafieyan told the website two attendants warned her to be careful of the man, and then one said, 'Let me know if you need anything - I mean it,' before looking across at the intoxicated sexagenarian.

A woman who was traveling to Phoenix with her young daughter on a United Airlines flight says she was sexually assaulted by a drunken male passenger. Pictured is a United flight landing at Newark

The mother then described the alleged ordeal she endured throughout the nearly six-hour flight.

She said the man, according to the Huffington Post: 'rubbed her legs, grabbed her knee, kissed her hands, put his head on her shoulder'.

The man also allegedly grabbed a pen out of the 47-year-old's hand and wrote on a piece of paper she was working on, 'PASIONAT NITE XX.'

'That really grossed me out... my daughter was right there,' Rafieyan told the website.

'I dont react well. I freeze. When a man is inappropriate with me, I usually just run from it and maybe tell somebody.

'But I felt trapped. I couldnt leave the seat because I didnt trust him near my daughter.'

Rafieyan said she was eventually able to report the alleged abuse to a female flight attendant, after her 12-year-old daughter got up for a bathroom break.

But the distraught mother said her plea for help fell on deaf ears.

Jennifer Rafieyan, 47, says the drunken man groped her, kissed her, and rubbed her legs on the flight to Phoenix. Pictured is a United plane taking off from Phoenix International Airport

'She said, "I'm so sorry. We felt really bad putting him next to you, but there was nothing we could do. He was doing the same kind of stuff to the other flight attendant",' the 47-year-old told the website.

Defeated, she then returned to her seat - just inches away from her alleged abuser.

To make the alleged incident even worse, Rafieyan said a flight attendant continued to ply the boozy passenger with more alcohol.

She claimed he was given three more whiskeys and a small bottle of wine over the course of the flight.

On March 29, Rafieyan detailed the disastrous journey in an official complaint she sent to United, according to the Huffington Post.

'I would like to know what policies are in place that allow this to happen,' she wrote in the complaint.

'FAA regulations prevent the boarding of an intoxicated person and selling alcohol to him.

'The [flight attendants] knowingly put a drunk person who had sexually harassed the [flight attendant] next to me and my daughter.'

Rafieyan said she was eventually able to report the alleged abuse to a female flight attendant, but claims she was not helped. Pictured is a United plane at Phoenix International Airport

According to Rafieyan, United responded to her complaint in what she deemed to be a less than satisfactory fashion.

She was sent four $100 travel vouchers, along with a generic-sounding note that read: 'I am sorry for your familys disappointing and uncomfortable flight to Phoenix. As a gesture of goodwill, a separate email with four electronic travel certificates will arrive soon to make amends.'

But that was not enough for Rafieyan, who fired an email back to the airline., in which she blasted its response as 'unacceptable'.

The distraught mother reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration - and she was told it has been added to its national sexual assault database

'If you review the complaint, you will note that I did not ask for any monetary reimbursement but instead answers ... I feel devalued as a human being.'

The 47-year-old told the Huffington Post she has since reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Authority, as well as the FBI. She was able to do so because she saw the man's name on his boarding pass.

The FAA told Rafieyan the incident was added to its 'national sexual assault database', according to the website.

The shocking allegation comes amid another scandal in which United finds itself, over the treatment of a passenger on an overbooked flight in Chicago.

Video emerged on Sunday of Dr David Dao, who was booked to fly to Louisville, being bloodied and hauled from a United flight by a police officer because his seat was needed for another staff member.

The airline's CEO Oscar Munoz has been forced to apologize, and has since promised police officers will never be called onto United planes again to handle such situations.

DailyMail.com contacted United for comment.

United's under-fire CEO Oscar Munoz has spoke to Good Morning America in his first appearance since the airline's Dr Dao scandal on Sunday night
A senior judge has thrown out a woman's claim that she was the 'heir to the throne of England' in what he claimed could be the briefest judgement ever.

Malika Benmusa said the late Princess Margaret had been her mother and asked Sir James Munby for permission to unseal the princess's will.

Sir James, president of the Family Division of the High Court, dismissed her application in a four-paragraph ruling and described it as a 'farrago of delusional nonsense'.

He said, when announcing his decision at a hearing in London on Wednesday: 'I think I am right in saying it is the shortest judgment I have ever delivered.'

A senior judge has thrown out a woman's claim that she was the 'heir to the throne of England' in what he claimed could be the briefest judgement ever

The judge had dismissed a similar claim by the woman earlier this year.

Ten years ago Sir Mark Potter, the then president of the Family Division of the High Court, explained how wills made by members of the royal family were normally sealed on the order of the president of the Family Division of the High Court and could only be unsealed by order of the president of the Family Division of the High Court.

He explained the procedure after a man claimed to be Princess Margaret's illegitimate son and asked for her will to be unsealed. Sir Mark dismissed the application.
Theresa May is set to announce a cap on rip-off energy bills within weeks

Theresa May is set to announce a cap on rip-off energy bills within weeks  as EDFs tariffs soar for the second time in only a few months.

The French firm raised electricity costs by 8.4 per cent last month  but it sparked fury again yesterday with the news it will push through a second increase of 9 per cent in June.

The combined rises will add close to 100 to annual bills, affecting millions of households.

Critics said consumers were being taken for granted and the latest increase would hit those already struggling.

But the Daily Mail understands the Government is working on a scheme to protect families which will include a cap, after pressure from MPs and campaigners to step in.

The Prime Ministers spokesman said: We are concerned by the planned increases.

We are committed to getting the best possible deal for households and expect energy companies to treat their customers fairly.

Wherever markets are not working for consumers, this Government is prepared to act.

The energy department, BEIS, went further, saying measures to tackle unacceptable increases will be announced shortly.

EDF Energy, which is majority-owned by the French government, blamed the price increase on rises in wholesale costs.

But it also blamed the UK government for imposing levies on the industry to fund a move to green energy and help poorer households with discounts.

EDF Energy, which is majority-owned by the French government, blamed the price increase on rises in wholesale costs

This was rejected by the energy regulator. Ofgems Dermot Nolan said: EDFs second price rise in four months, when there has not been a dramatic rise in wholesale energy prices since it last put up prices, is difficult to justify and is further evidence that the energy market is not working in all consumers interests.

Energy consumers on standard tariffs risk being taken for granted.

He added: Ofgem and the Government are working on a raft of reforms to ensure fairer treatment for consumers and to make the market smarter and more competitive.

A spokesman for Energy Secretary Greg Clark said: This price rise will hit around half of EDFs customers. Its another sign the market isnt working, and we will shortly set out proposals to help energy consumers as part of the Governments Plan for Britain.

EDF put up electricity tariffs by 8.4 per cent in March and cut its gas tariff by 5.2 per cent. The net effect increased the annual cost of a dual fuel Standard Variable Tariff (SVT) by 13 to 1,082.

From June, electricity will go up by 9 per cent and gas by 5.5 per cent. This will add 78 to the dual fuel SVT, taking it up to 1,160.

EDF's rises will add close to 100 to annual bills and will bring real hardship to millions of households

The combined effect of the changes is to hit some 2.2million households with a rise of 91 in annual bills. More than two thirds of consumers are on an SVT with their supplier. These are at least 300 a year more expensive than the cheapest deals available.

Gillian Guy, of Citizens Advice, said: People on EDFs SVT are already feeling the effects of an electricity price rise that came into force last month  a fresh price hike of 78 a year will hit those already struggling. The organisation is calling for a price cap on some tariffs to protect the poorest households.

The idea won backing from MPs of all parties when it was proposed by former Tory Cabinet Office minister John Penrose last month.

Yesterday, he said: The energy market is manifestly not working and the Government needs to step in to protect the vast majority of consumers who find themselves on these standard tariffs.

A relative price cap will protect the 20million or more of us who are being systematically ripped off. In France, where EDF is 83 per cent state-owned, energy prices are already capped by the government. Analysis by Eurostat showed that in 2015 the average customer in Britain paid 15.52 per kw, compared with 12.18 per kw in France.

Last month, energy minister Jesse Norman denounced price rises by the major power firms as unacceptable.

Alex Neill of consumer group Which? said: This latest price hike is disappointing  If energy companies fail to properly engage with their customers to help them find better deals, the Government and the regulator must step in.

The energy giant said: EDF Energy, in common with all suppliers, has faced a range of rising costs for some time, in both wholesale energy and non-wholesale energy costs and obligations.

Chief executive Vincent de Rivaz said the industry faced significant cost increases, adding: We have cut all the costs under our control without compromising our customer service.
Muslim men are allowed to hit their wives if they disobey them and domestic violence is a 'beautiful blessing', according to the women's branch of a radical Islamic group.

Sydney primary school teacher Reem Allouche told the women's arm of hardline political group Hizb ut-Tahrir that men are permitted to hit women with sticks.

During the 30-minute discussion at a meeting in Sydney's west, Ms Allouche and fellow panellist Atika Latifi - who are both wearing headscarves - describe how beating women is a 'symbolic act'.

At one point they even demonstrated how to use a small stick called a 'sivaak' to hit 'disobedient' women.

Muslim men are allowed to hit their wives if they disobey them and domestic violence is a 'beautiful blessing', according to the women's branch of a radical Islamic group

In a video of the debate, which has been posted on Facebook, Ms Allouche says men should use the sivaak to punish their wives.

She then uses one of the sticks to hit Ms Latifi while the pair laugh.

Other permissible methods to punish women involve using a twisted scarf or piece of fabric, the women say.

Ms Allouche says the act is 'symbolic', while Ms Latifi claims it's 'a beautiful blessing'.

The women agree that they should only be beaten if they are caught 'committing sin' - pointing out that this means seriously disrespecting Allah or their husbands.

'Disobedience to the husband. Immoral acts or cheating. Admitting anyone to the home that the husband doesn't like,' Ms Latifi explains.

Ms Allouche smiles as she adds that does not mean a man can beat his wife simply for not cooking dinner, with the women agreeing that violence should only be used to 'promote tranquility'.

The pair agree that men have the right to beat their wives because husbands take a 'leadership' position within the family.

Sydney primary school teacher Reem Allouche (left) told the women's arm of hardline Islamist political group Hizb ut-Tahrir that men are permitted to hit women with sticks

During the 30-minute discussion at a meeting Sydney's west, Ms Allouche and fellow panellist Atika Latifi (right) describe how beating women is a 'symbolic act'.

'It goes hand in hand that he would have the right to undertake disciplinary measures,' Ms Allouche says.

Ms Latifi adds: 'He is permitted - not obliged, not encouraged - but permitted, to hit her. That is what everyone is talking about. It should not cause pain. Not harsh.'

Islamic leader Keysar Trad apologised at the weekend for saying hitting women was a 'last resort'

During the debate, Ms Allouche says wives who disobey Muslim teachings could face a beating from their husband, but only because 'he loves his wife, he fears for his wife'.

'It's almost a natural consequence,' she adds.

'He's not responding through anger or frustration or rage. He's responding in obedience to Allah's commands, in a measured and staged way, because we know when people talk about violence against women, often it happens in the heat of the moment, in anger, in frustration and what-not, whereas here, it's managed.'

Ms Latifi claims violence should be a last resort for husbands, saying they should admonish them first.

If that does not work, he should 'refuse to share the bed with her, not being intimate with her'.

Finally, if that does not work, he 'is permitted to hit her'.

'And what a beautiful blessing, that he said not to take the steps at the one time, but one after the other,' she continues.

'And what is the third option all about? What kind of hitting? It should not cause pain.'

The all-women meeting was held in Lakemba in Sydney's inner west, The Australian reported.

The government considered banning Hizb ut-Tahrir in 2007 but eventually deemed it to be a political group.

Islamic leader Keysar Trad apologised at the weekend for saying hitting women was a 'last resort', admitting to Sky News presenter Andrew Bolt that he had made a 'slip up'.
With just one day to go, Australians are doing their last minute supermarket and alcohol shop before the Good Friday shutdown.

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are restricted trading days with Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, bottle shops and even some McDonald's stores closed for business.

But those desperate to not cook on Friday need only turn to food delivery services Foodora, UberEats, Menulog, Dominoes and Deliveroo.

So just what is actually open over the long weekend and where can you get a meal?

Good Friday and Easter Sunday are restricted trading days with Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, bottle shops and even some McDonald's stores closed for business

Those Australians not keen to pre-plan and cook at home over the Easter weekend are in luck, with four major food delivery services revealing they will run as normal with hundreds of restaurant options

Good Friday

Good Friday and Christmas Day are the most restricted trading days across the country, which means most shops are closed.

The majority of Coles, Woolworths and Aldi stores will shut their doors on Good Friday.

Smaller corner stores, petrol stations and chemists are exempt and are allowed to trade on Friday but it is up to their discretion.

The best bet for a last minute meal is through food delivery services Foodora, UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog.

Foodora will be operating as normal and has 75 per cent of its restaurants trading for the entire long weekend.

In Sydney, Bar Luca and Goodtime burgers will be available for pick-up or delivery through Foodora.

Through Menulog's website, Sydneysiders will also be able to order from the popular Burger Joint in Potts Point or even get a meal until 1am on Good Friday from McDonald's in Waterloo.

The 'vast majority' of McDonald's stores will be trading on Good Friday, with the exception to those in food courts, which will close for the day.

Sydney Deliveroo riders will be open for delivery from Bondi Tony's, Mary's, Fishmongers, Hurricane's Grill, Char Rotisserie and Inferno Grill.

Although Good Friday has an alcohol restriction across the country, alcohol will still be served at restaurants, bars, hotels and pubs

Kebab lovers are also in luck and George Columbaris' famous Fitzroy restaurant, Jimmy Grants, will be operating through UberEats in Melbourne

The best bet for a last minute meal is through food delivery services Foodora, UberEats, Deliveroo and Menulog

Melbourne residents will also be in luck and those in proximity to On It Burgers, Miss Katie's Crab Shack and Jimmy Grants can order through UberEats.

UberEats will also provide delivery services from Burgastonomy, all four Nordburger stores and Schnithouse in Adelaide and Perth's Jus Burgers and Chimek Northbridge.

Those who haven't had enough sweets over the Easter long weekend will also able to get their fix through the four food delivery services.

UberEats is offering a number of Easter-themed treats across Sydney including a 'Not Cross Bun' from Max Brenner, a special decorated snack from Doughnut Time and a caramel lava egg from Pana Chocolate.

Gelato Messina stores in both Surry Hills and Bondi will be open on Good Friday and Deliveroo riders will be able to bring ice cream to residents' doors.

Deliveroo will be partnering with Cadbury over the weekend to deliver Easter chocolate within 30 minutes of ordering for Richmond residents in Melbourne.

In Sydney, Doughboy Pizza, Arthur's Pizza, Mad Pizza E Bar, Made in Italy, Crust (pictured), Rocketboy and Supreme Pizza are just some of the options available through Menulog

Foodora will be operating as normal and has 75 per cent of its restaurants trading for the entire long weekend

Cold Rock will be open in both Brisbane and the Gold Coast through UberEats as will San Churro in Perth.

Dominoes will be trading on Good Friday, but has urged customers to check their local stores for varying hours.

But for those desperate to cook at home, Sydneysiders might find themselves in luck with the smaller grocers.

Harris Farm chains in Edgecliff, Leichhardt, Baulkham Hills, Erina and Glendale will remain closed on Friday.

But those close to the Harris Farm in Broadway, Bondi Junction, Manly, Mosman, Potts Point, Randwick, Drummoyne, Pennant Hills and St Ives will be able to enjoy normal hours, with most of the grocers opening at 7am.

All 7-Eleven's 650 stores will also be running at normal hours over the long weekend for all coffee, petrol, ice and food needs.

Good Friday and Easter Saturday, Sunday and Monday are all public holidays in most states, which means restrictions on retail trading apply

The majority of Coles and Woolworths stores will be closed on Good Friday, but locals can try their luck at a smaller grocer with many staying open on the public holiday

Australians looking to buy alcohol at their local bottle shop might find it more difficult than usual with shops including BWS and Dan Murphys closed for trading on Good Friday

Australians looking to buy alcohol at their local bottle shop might find it more difficult than usual with shops including BWS and Dan Murphys closed for trading on Good Friday.

But alcohol will still be served at restaurants, bars, hotels and pubs.

Licensed premises in NSW are only allowed to serve alcohol from noon until 10pm.

You can also still drink alcohol at licensed restaurants in most states, as long as you order food at the same time.

Select bars in Sydney will open its doors and stay open late including The Cliff Dive in Surry Hills, The Bucket List in Bondi, Small Bar in the CBD and The Newtown Hotel.

In Melbourne's CBD, popular bars including The Imperial, Madam Brussels and Bomba will stay open late on Friday.

Westfield shopping centres across the country will close its doors on Good Friday, meaning stores including Myer and David Jones will be inaccessible.

UberEats, Deliveroo, Foodora and Menulog (pictured) will all be operating as normal over the Easter weekend

Deliveroo riders will be open for burger delivery from Bondi Tony's (pictured) in the city's east and Mary's in the CBD

Major shopping centre Westfield will reopen on Saturday as will Coles and Woolworths

Major shopping centre Westfield will also be open on Easter Saturday as will Coles and Woolworths

Easter Saturday

Supermarkets and bottle shops generally trade as normal on Easter Saturday despite it being a public holiday in all states and territories apart from Western Australia and Tasmania.

Bottle shops Dan Murphy's and BWS will reopen their doors on Saturday across the country from about 9am.

Major shopping centre Westfield will also be open on Saturday as will Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.

But those living in inner city suburbs should make note that most Coles and Woolworths express stores will be closed for the entire four-day Easter weekend.

Those living in inner city suburbs should make note that most Coles and Woolworths express stores will be closed for the entire four-day Easter weekend

While most of the major supermarkets will be shut on Good Friday, Sydneysiders might find themselves in luck with the smaller grocers, including Harris Farm

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is only a public holiday in NSW, Victoria and the ACT.

As Sunday is a restricted trading day in NSW most supermarkets, including Coles and Woolworths, are closed.

But a few major inner city Woolworths stores will be open, including Town Hall and Central Park in Sydney and South Melbourne, Southbank, Flinders Street, Swanston Street, Fitzroy and Elizabeth Street in Melbourne.

While it is not considered a public holiday in Queensland, not all shopping centres will be open - mostly ones outside of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Most bottles shops will be closed in NSW, including BWS.

But select Liquorland and Dan Murphy's stores will be open, including in Burwood, Manly Vale and North Ryde in Sydney.

Those living in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia will be in luck on Sunday, with most Dan Murphy's stores open across the states.

Delivery food services UberEats, Deliveroo, Menulog and Foodora will also run as normal on Easter Sunday, with the same restaurants delivering as Good Friday.

Licensed premises in NSW are only allowed to serve alcohol from noon until 10pm on Good Friday

Easter Monday

Easter Monday is a public holiday for the entire country but most major shopping centres and supermarkets will be open and trading as normal.

Coles and Woolworths will be open again in most states, except South Australia where only select supermarkets say they will open.

There are no restrictions on alcohol sales on Monday and bottle shops including BWS and Dan Murphy's will open as usual.
President Donald Trump tried his hand at some diplomatic triangulation Wednesday, withholding praise from Russian President Vladimir Putin even as he hailed China's President Xi Jinping as his new 'gentleman' pal.

'I don't know Putin but I do know this gentleman,' Trump told reporters at a press conference along with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Trump's at least momentary pullback from Putin came as his administration has held Moscow accountable for the 'vicious' chemical weapons attack in Syria, and came on a day Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got a chilly reception on a trip to Moscow. Trump said it was possible Russia knew about the attack in advance.

The president throughout the campaign hailed Putin's strength as a leader, the FBI is investigating the ties of Trump associates and Russia.

President Donald Trump hailed China's President Xi Jinping as a 'gentleman' while withholding praise from Russian President Vladimir Putin at a press conference

Equally remarkable was Trump's uninhibited praise for the leader of China, a country he railed against during the campaign for ripping off the U.S.

Trump gushed about Xi days after the two had meetings and dinner at Mar-a-Lago, but reached no known accommodations on trade or Chinese military expansion in the South China Sea.

'I've spent a lot of time with him over the last two days and he is the president of China. You were there, most of you were there and it was quite an interesting period of time,' Trump said.

'President Xi wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding, I think we had very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help us with North Korea, we talked trade, we talked a lot of things, and I said the way you're going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea,' Trump said.

'Otherwise we're just going to go it alone. That will be alright too. But going it alone means going it with lots of other nations,' Trump said, without providing further explanation.

GESUNDHEIT: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson got a cold reception in Moscow, where he held a press conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) and President Donald Trump hold a news conference in the East Room of the White House

GENTLEMEN: President Donald Trump (L) pumps his fist as he and Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) walk together at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida

'But I was very impressed with President Xi and I think he means well and I think he wants to help, we'll see whether or not he does.'

Earlier, Trump told Fox Business that when he told Xi that the U.S. had launched an attack against Syria, Xi told him he was 'okay' with it.

Trump also hailed the diplomatic accomplishment of China's abstention at the UN Security Council of a vote to condemn Syria. Russia vetoed it anyway.

'We did talk last night, I think it's wonderful that they abstained, as you know very few people expected that and no I was not surprised that China did abstain,' Trump said, having spoken with Xi by telephone late Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin

'Very few people thought that that was going to happen, so we are honored by the vote, that is the vote that should have taken place.'

Turning to Russia, Trump said Tillerson had a 'very successful meeting' in Russia, where he met with Putin for two hours, then held a frosty press conference with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov.

'We'll see the end result, which will be in a long period of time perhaps. But the end result is what's most important, not just talk,' Trump said.

He said it would be 'wonderful' if we could get along with Russia.

'Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all. We may be at an all time low in terms of relationship with Russia, this was built for a long period of time. But we're going to see what happens. Putin is the leader of Russia, Russia is a strong country, we've a very, very strong country. We'll see how that all works out,' Trump said.

'I'm also going to see about Putin over a period of time. It would be a fantastic thing if we got along with Putin and we got along with Russia. And that could happen and it may not happen, it may be just the opposite,' Trump said.

'I would love to get along with everybody. Right now the world is a mess, but by the time we finish I think it's going to be a lot better place to live. .... by the time I'm finished it's going to be a lot better place to live in because right now it's nasty.'

TRIANGULAR DIPLOMACY: Trump's praise of China and distancing from Russia, a power he has frequently called for improved relations with, recalls the U.S. turn toward China to counter the Soviet Union in the 1970s

The same images of babies who got gassed in Syria that prompted Trump to order a military strike appears to have clouded his view of Moscow, who is providing military support to Assad in Syria.

''I would like to think that [Russia] didn't know, but certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out' if Russia knew about the gas attack in advance,' Trump said.

'It was very disappointing to see. It was disappointing no matter who does it. But when you get into the gases, especially that form, it was vicious and violent and everybody in this room saw it all too many times over the last three or four days, young children dying, babies dying, fathers holding children in their arms that were dead, dead children.'

'There can't be a worse sight and it shouldn't be allowed,' Trump continued. 'That's a butcher. That's a butcher. So I thought we ought to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing and it was very, very successfully done, as you well know.'
There are fears the murder investigation into Karen Ristevski's death could go cold as a former head of homicide detective fears her killer will never be charged.

The Melbourne mother, 46, was last seen alive by her husband Borce Ristevski on June 29 last year when she left the family home in Avondale Heights to 'clear her head' after they argued over money.

Former head of homicide, Charlie Bezzina, said it is 'very much' possible no one would ever be charged, The Australian reported.

Karen Ristevski is pictured with her husband Borce Ristevski, whose lawyer in February acknowledged he was the chief suspect

The desperate search for Mrs Ristevski ended in February when a bushwalker unearthed her body wedged beneath logs at Mount Macedon

Ms Ristevski, 46, is pictured with her daughter, 21-year-old Sarah

Mr Bezzina speculated that detectives must not have enough evidence to charge a suspect and put someone in front of a jury.

Mr Ristevski has always maintained his innocence, though his lawyer Rob Stary acknowledged the widowed husband was the chief suspect in the Victoria Police investigation.

The desperate search for Mrs Ristevski ended in February when a bushwalker unearthed her body wedged beneath logs at Mount Macedon.

Mr Bezzina said it was concerning police had not publicly identified a cause of death, which would be made more difficult by a badly decomposed body.

'Obviously they have some circumstantial evidence which arouses suspicion but they are falling short of being able to charge anyone,' Mr Bezzina told The Australian.

Ms Ristevski's daughter and husband are pictured leaving a press conference in tears in July last year after a reporter asked Mr Ristevski if he killed his wife

Forensic teams are pictured at Mount Macedon where Ms Ristevski's body was found

Ms Ristevski is pictured left. Her daughter is pictured right

Detectives are pictured leaving the family's Avondale Heights home in February after Ms Ristevski's body was found
A Florida cop who shot and wounded an unarmed black therapist who was trying to help his autistic patient has charged with attempted manslaughter.

Officer Jonathon Aledda shot 47-year-old therapist Charles Kinsey as he lay on the ground, with his arms raised, pleading with officers to hold fire.

Aledda surrendered Wednesday and now faces charges of attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence, the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office said.

Officer Jonathon Aledda shot 47-year-old therapist Charles Kinsey (left) as he lay on the ground, with his arms raised, pleading with officers to hold fire, as he tried to soothe his autistic patient, Arnaldo Soto (right), who was playing with a toy truck

Aledda (left) surrendered Wednesday and now faces charges of attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence over the shooting of Kinsey (left, in hospital)

Kinsey had been trying to help the autistic patient who had wandered away from the group home in Miami last July when police arrived at the scene, allegedly responding to reports of a man with a gun.

Cellphone footage captured Kinsey lying flat on his back with his arms in the air as he tried to coax his patient Arnaldo Soto to lie down and stop playing with his toy truck.

'All he has is a toy truck  a toy truck,' Kinsey could be heard pleading with cops. 'Don't shoot me,' he begged, at least three times.

But moments later, that is just what Aledda did, hitting the therapist in his leg.

Kinsey was rushed to hospital with serious injuries but survived. Shortly after being released from hospital, he told NBC that while his body was on the mend, the mental scars would take longer to heal.

Kinsey (pictured left, after being released from hospital) had been trying to help the autistic patient who had wandered away from the group home in Miami last July when police arrived at the scene

Kinsey (showing reporters how he kept his arms raised as instructed) was taken to a local hospital with bullet wounds to his legs

'Mentally, I'm distraught,' Kinsey said, 'I can't sleep at night.'

Aledda later claimed that he had been aiming for Soto when he hit his therapist.

He thought Soto, who was also unarmed, was about to shoot Kinsey and fired three shots at Soto - one of which struck Kinsey just above the knee, went through his thigh and exited.

'Once Mr. Kinsey saw two officers park and arm themselves with assault rifles, he placed his empty hands in the air and began to plead with Mr. Soto to cooperate. Mr. Soto was not responsive to Mr. Kinsey's pleas,' Special Agent Daniel Mosquera, who led the investigation into the shooting, said in an affidavit.

'No other officer on the scene observed Mr. Soto exhibit any behavior that compelled them to shoot,' Mosquera added.

After the shooting, Kinsey told a local TV station he had pleaded with police not to shoot him.

Kinsey added: 'It was like a mosquito bite, and when it hit me, I'm like, 'I still got my hands in the air, and I said, 'No I just got shot!

'And I'm saying, 'Sir, why did you shoot me? and his words to me, he said, 'I don't know.''

After the shooting, Kinsey and his patient were patted down. Kinsey was cuffed

After the shooting, Kinsey and his patient were patted down. Kinsey was cuffed.

'I was really more worried about him than myself,' he said of his patient.

'I was thinking as long as I have my hands up, they're not going to shoot me.This is what I'm thinking, they're not going to shoot me. Wow, was I wrong.'

Footage of the shooting was posted online and quickly went viral - triggering Black Lives Matter protests in Miami and beyond.

It showed Soto sitting up playing with his toy as Kinsey tried to get him to comply with the police.

In the video, Kinsey can be heard shouting to police: 'All he has is a toy truck. A toy truck. I am a behavioral therapist at a group home.'

Kinsey tried to get his patient to comply, using soothing words so he remains calm.

'Arnaldo, please be still, Arnaldo,' he is heard saying in video released byWSVN. 'Sit down, Arnaldo. Lay on your stomach.'

Soto, 23, sits next to him and yells 'shut up' while playing with his toy truck.
The Tennessee teacher who disappeared with a 15-year-old female student a month ago is believed to be running out of his blood pressure medication.

Authorities are asking pharmacy staff to be on the look out for Tad Cummins, 50, and Elizabeth Thomas after the teacher allegedly abducted the girl back on March 13.

Surveillance footage from a Walmart in Oklahoma two days after they vanished is the last confirmed sighting of the pair and authorities have not yet been able to located them despite a nationwide manhunt.

Authorities are asking pharmacy staff to be on the look out for Tad Cummins, 50, and Elizabeth Thomas after the teacher allegedly abducted the girl from Tennessee on March 13

Given Cummins has been on the run for 30 days now, authorities say he should be due for a refill on medication to control his blood pressure.

This image of Elizabeth was taken on March 13, the day she vanished. She appears to be holding a bundle of clothes

Brent Cooper, the district attorney for Maury County, Tennessee, told ABC News that pharmacists should be mindful of customers who look like Cummins or Thomas and alert authorities.

It emerged this week that Cummins had left a note for his wife Jill Cummins before he vanished with the teenager.

While it isn't clear what the note said, investigators have revealed they think it was a diversion to throw them off the trail.

Mrs Cummins has since filed for divorce.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued an Amber Alert for Elizabeth when she first disappeared.

Cummins is wanted by authorities on charges of aggravated kidnapping and sexual contact with a minor.

Surveillance footage from a Walmart in Oklahoma two days after they vanished is the last confirmed sighting of the pair

Cummins was spotted buying women's dark brown hair dye at a Tennessee Walmart the day before they vanished. He also appeared to have bought men's toiletries

On March 12, the day before they vanished, Cummins was spotted buying women's dark brown hair dye at a Tennessee Walmart. He also appeared to have bought men's toiletries.

Days earlier, he took out a $4,500 loan and was also seen filling up his silver Nissan Rogue with gas on the day of their disappearance.

Police believe Cummins, who Elizabeth has known for more than two years, brainwashed her into abandoning her family. They have not confirmed whether she went willingly with him on March 13.

Cummins was suspended from his teaching job at the time they disappeared. Another student claimed to have seen the pair kissing in Cummins' classroom back on January 23.

He was not officially fired by the school district until he disappeared with the girl on March 13.

Cummins had left a note for his wife Jill Cummins before he vanished with the teenager. Investigators have revealed they think the note was a diversion to throw them off the trail
The doctor who was dragged off a United airplane covered in blood has launched his first legal salvo against the airline, demanding that the embattled company keep all evidence of the incident.

David Dao's lawyers have asked the Cook County Circuit Court for an order requiring United and the city of Chicago to keep all video, cockpit recordings, passenger, employee and crew lists relating to the horrifying incident.

They also want them to keep hold of reports from the flight, along with the personnel files of the Aviation Department officers who pulled Dao from the flight, reported the Chicago Tribune.

His legal team also announced that Dao, who has been in the hospital and not spoken publicly, will hold a press conference on Thursday morning.

Dr David Dao has been revealed as the man who was dragged from a United flight in Chicago on Sunday. He is pictured with his wife, Teresa, and their grandchildren. It was his wife who alerted authorities to his inappropriate relationship with a patient

The legal team has also asked for United to reveal its exact protocol for removing passengers from a plane.

The latest move from his attorneys came as another two members of the Chicago Aviation Security Officers were put on leave for their role in the incident that shocked the world.

Experts have said that law enforcement officers were put in the difficult situation of trying to enforce a private company's internal rules.

However they believe that there should have been another solution to resolve the issue.

Donald Trump weighed in Wednesday, agreeing that more could have been done to avert the incident, which he called 'horrible' in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.

He said there shouldn't be a cap on the amount airlines are allowed to offer passengers to deboard. Reportedly, United says it went as high as $1,000 (other reports say $800) but that didn't entice anyone, especially when the next flight wasn't leaving until the next afternoon.

'You know, there's a point at which I'm getting off the plane - seriously,' Trump said. 'They should have gone up higher. But to just randomly say, 'You're getting off the plane,' that was terrible.'

Reportedly, one passenger offered to leave for $1600 but was laughed off by staff, according to various reports.

The Department of Transportation caps the amount at $1,350, according to Business Insider. It's unclear why United didn't sweeten the pot to the max an airline can give a passenger involuntarily bumped.

However, an aviation expert tells the outlet that there is no federal cap on what an airline can offer a passenger for voluntarily deboarding.

'There's no limit to what an airline can pay,' aviation analyst Henry Harteveldt Harteveldt said. 'It's generally cheaper for an airline to proactively ask people to give up their seats because the compensation is usually less.'

Passengers aboard the now infamous flight United Express UA3411 from Chicago to Louisville have all been offered complete refunds, either in cash or miles.

A spokesperson told the outlet that the stunned passengers, many of whom were filming the altercation, 'are receiving compensation for the cost of their tickets.'

Meet the team: Dr. David Dao has hired Stephen Golan (left) a corporate law specialist, and Thomas Demetrio (right), a personal injury specialist, in a sign of United facing a major lawsuit

Joya Griffin Cummings, who sat behind the doctor and filmed the incident, wrote on Facebook that the man was no less irritated than anyone else would have been, and wrote about her fears for her own safety and that of her child and pregnancy.

'I was not concerned for my safety, nor that of my toddlers or for my pregnancy until the police were called aboard our plane to remove him,' she wrote. 'I was worried about what a physical altercation would entail with us sitting directly behind him and if the officers were armed in a tiny, confined space.'

New video emerged Wednesday of Dao refusing to budge as officers confronted him and him being warned he would be physically dragged from the plane.

On Tuesday, Dao's lawyers said that he is still in hospital.

Dr David Dao has been revealed as the man who was dragged from a United flight in Chicago on Sunday. He is pictured with his wife, Teresa, and one of their grandchildren. It was his wife who alerted authorities to his inappropriate relationship with a patient

In the statement, his newly hired attorney Stephen Golan, said: 'The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received.

'Currently, they are focused only on Dr. Daos medical care and treatment.'

The statement said he was still 'undergoing treatment in a Chicago hospital for his injuries' - a suggestion that the severity of his injuries is even more severe than had been realized when he was seen, bloodied, in video footage of the incident.

The doctor himself spoke briefly to WLKY and told them 'everything' was injured.

Beaten and bloodied: Dr Dao is pictured bleeding from the mouth after he was body slammed by cops and dragged off the overbooked United flight at Chicago O'Hare

Screaming: The man who had refused to to give up his seat on the overbooked United flight from Chicago to Louisville on Sunday night was dragged off the plane by three cops

Golan is a specialist attorney in company law, including corporate law and governance.

The other attorney hired, Thomas Demetrio, is a partner at Corby & Demetrio, which tells potential clients that it has achieved total compensation payments of more than $1 billion for those it represents. His specialist area is the aviation industry.

United's chief executive Oscar Munoz made three attempts at an apology in the face of mounting public anger at how the 69-year-old grandfather was treated.

Munoz has finally said that the company will no longer use law enforcement officers to drag passengers off an overbooked flight.

On Wednesday, US Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat, announced plans for the Customers Not Cargo Act, which would prohibit the forcible removal of passengers already aboard an aircraft 'due to overbooking or airline staff seeking to fly as passengers,' reported CBS News.

Dao's troubled past has been revealed in official documents - including his felony drugs conviction and need for 'anger management' and that is likely to form a major part of United Airlines' legal defense if there were to be a trial, although using it would open a fresh P.R. nightmare for the carrier.

Even the White House voiced disquiet at the 'disturbing' video and said the president is 'sure' to have seen it.

What United claimed: The document attached to his passenger file which claimed Dr David Dao, 69, a grandfather, had tried to strike police officers

New video has emerged showing Dr David Dao arguing with police and a flight attendant just moments before he was dragged off an overbooked United flight in Chicago on Sunday night

The new video showing Dr Dao talking on a phone, before he gets agitated and waves his hand at the cop and the flight attendant

WHAT THE PSYCHIATRIST FOUND An official report detailed the findings of medical exams performed on Dr Dao and spelled out concerns over his mental state. A court case brought by him would inevitably have to consider whether the documents could be used by United. Among the findings were: Dr. Mary Gannon 'noted that Dr. Dao "lacked the foundation to navigate difficult situations, both interpersonally and in a complex profession". Dr.Gannon noted a need to control, avoidance, withholding information and magical thinking as problematic.' The report went on: 'Dr. Montgomery noted that Dr. Dao appeared to have difficulties with information processing. Neuropsychological screening did not suggest gross difficulties. 'However, in reviewing records, it was noted that Dr. Dao tends to have poor decision-making despite his overall level of ability. 'His choices have resulted in significant consequences over the years yet he continuesto function in this manner. 'He is generally not forthright regarding details of events unless challenged and at times he will tell different versions of a story to different interviewers. ' Later in the report it found: 'As far back as April, 2002, Dr. Brady notes " ... he would unilaterally chose to do his own thing'. 'This remains a concern to this day and without a high degree of structure and accountability he is at risk for further boundary related practice issues. Advertisement

The two lawyers' hiring suggests that Dr Dao will pursue United not just for its treatment of him but the procedures which lay behind him being told he could not fly, to make way for United's own crew - one of the factors which has fueled the outrage over his case.

But he is likely to face a torrid time in court if United deploy evidence from his own past - a felony conviction which led from him of illicit gay sex with a patient in return for giving him drugs. The doctor also tested positive for drugs himself, official documents reveal.

A psychiatric report prepared for Kentucky's medical regulator revealed a series of issues, including that he 'is generaly not forthright', 'tends to have poor decision-making' and needed 'anger management'.

The father of five, who has won sympathy globally over the incident, was given a suspended jail sentence for illegally obtaining and trafficking controlled substances by fraud and deceit.

He was also found to have in engaged in sex with a male patient- Brian Case, who he knew from the church they both attended - and then supplied him with drugs, including Oxycontin, in exchange for sexual favors.

The sexual liaisons, which happened motel rooms, were recorded by undercover agents. He paid $200 in cash each time he met Case.

Case said he believed that Dr. Dao wanted to hook him on drugs so he would keep meeting him for gay sex.

Dr. Dao was arrested when Case agreed to go undercover. Even when he was caught with his shirt off and pants unbuckled, he denied he was there for gay sex with Case.

The secret sex and drugs life of the doctor first came to light in in July 2003 when police alerted the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure of the allegations against him.

In October 2003 he was indicted by a Jefferson County Grand Jury for 'criminal acts of trafficking in a controlled substance, obtaining drugs by fraud and deceit, and unauthorized prescribing, dispensing or administering of controlled substances'.

His medical license was suspended later that month.

Dr Dao underwent intense scrutiny and re-training for several years after his convictions. He also appealed unsuccessfully against conviction, including claiming the undercover video of him semi-naked broke his expectation of privacy.

His wife Dr. Theresa Dao, who was with him on the ill-fated flight, has stood by him.

She first alerted the medical authorities about her suspicions of her husbands involvement with a patient.

In 2015, his medical license was partially re-instated with restrictions placed on his access to patients.

The findings were revealed by the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure in June last year and stipulated that monitoring had to be continued of the doctors behavior.

It was found that Dr. Dao had become sexually involved with a patient who had been referred to his practice, who was known as 'Patient A'. He was named in criminal court as Case, who was 26 at the time, less than half the doctor's age.

This graph shows how United's stock price took a severe hit on Tuesday morning, before recovering throughout the day and into Wednesday. It has since fallen again to $70.05 at 11am

The board stated: 'During the initial evaluation, the licensee performed a complete physical examination, including a genital examination, for Patient A who had been referred for collapsed lungs and chest pain.'

The board's finding went on: 'Shortly after his first appointment, the licensee made Patient A his office manager; according to Patient A, he quit that job because of inappropriate remarks made by the licensee.

'After he quit, the licensee pursued him aggressively, finally arranging to provide controlled substance prescriptions to him in exchange for sexual acts.

'This continued for some time, with Patient A and the licensee meeting at hotel rooms and some of these meetings were recorded.

'At some point, the licensee began splitting some of the prescriptions with Patient A and gave Patient A money to fill the prescriptions.

Back practicing: How Dr Dao was able to return to medicine after his felony conviction

Winning big: While he was suspended from practicing, he became a semi-professional poker player, and is said to have won a total of $234,664 since 2006, according to PokerNews.

United Airlines' CEO Oscar Munoz (pictured in June 2016) has come under fire for his response to the scandal

Home: Despite the gay sex revelations, Dr. David Dao continues to share the family home in Elizabethtown, KY, with his wife Teresa, who alerted authorities to her concerns

THIRD TIME LUCKY: TONE DEAF COMPANY APOLIOGIZES AT LAST Dear team The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicted many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right. Its never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix whats broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. Well communicate the results of our review by April 30th. I promise you we will do better. Advertisement

'The licensee also assisted Patient A to fill the controlled substances prescriptions in a variety of names of other persons.

'Police were able to identify approximately 33 fraudulent prescriptions as part of their investigation with Patient A's assistance.

'The police were able to put together a sufficient case to arrest the licensee and bring charges against him in two counties.'

GAY SEX, DRUGS AND FELONY SHAME OF THE UNITED DOCTOR What the Kentucky Board of Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure found: 'During the Board's investigation into the criminal charges against the licensee, the Board learned that the licensee had become sexually interested in a patient who had been referred to his practice, Patient A During the initial evaluation, the licensee perfonned a complete physical examination, including a genital examination, for Patient A who had been referred for collapsed lungs and chest pain; shortly after his first appointment, the licensee made Patient A his office manager; according to Patient A, he quit that job Because of inappropriate remarks made by the licensee; after he quit, the licensee pursued him aggressively, finally arranging to provide controlled substance prescriptions to him in exchange for sexual acts

This continued for some time, with Patient A and the licensee meeting at hotel rooms and some of these meetings were recorded; at some point, the licensee began splitting some of the prescriptions with Patient A and gave Patient A money to fill the prescriptions

the licensee also assisted Patient A to fill the controlled substances prescriptions in a variety of names of other persons

Police were able to identify approximately 33 fraudulent prescriptions as part of their investigation

With Patient A's assistance, the police were able to put together a sufficient case to arrest the licensee and bring charges against him in two counties

Around the same time, the licensee was placed on a corrective action plan by Hardin Memorial Hospital due to disruptive conduct and referred to the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation ("the Foundation'') for evaluation and anger management

After his arrest, the licensee was tested by the hospital and tested positive for Ultramfframadol

As a result of the drug test results and the criminal charges, the licensee's hospital privileges became suspended on September 13, 2003. Advertisement

The Hardin Memorial Hospital, where he worked, placed him on ' a corrective action plan by due to disruptive conduct'.

He was also referred to the Kentucky Physicians Health Foundation for 'evaluation and anger management'.

He was also tested positive for Ultram/framadol and had his doctor's license suspended.

In November 2004 a jury convicted him on felony counts of Obtaining drugs by fraud and deceit. The jury recommended a sentence of two years and eight months on each felony count.

In January, 2005, Dao was sentenced in Jefferson Circuit Court to two years and eight months on each felony conviction. He was allowed a five year supervised probation.

While he was suspended from practicing, he became a semi-professional poker player, and is said to have won a total of $234,664 since 2006, according to Poker News.

But in May 2007 he was assessed as to his medical and clinical ability.

He was found to be possessing medical knowledge 'that was outdated and also contained gaps that would not likely be fully explained by his time away from practice.'

The board added: 'His areas of relative strength included occupational lung disease and pulmonary embolism.

'Dr. Dao's knowledge of current pharmacology was deficient He demonstrated some deficits that were surprising based on the common nature of the disorders.'

The doctor underwent an ' Educational Intervention Plan' where he was re-trained and his progress monitored.

During his assessments the report said Dr. Dao denied paying for sex. Yet he indicated that he deducted monies owed to him... for sexual favors.

He denied trading drugs for sex while admitting to prescribing narcotics to the man while they engaged in a sexual relationship.

'Dr. Dao continues to maintain a pattern of deception that is inconsistent with the level of accountability necessary for a practicing physician.'

His bid to renew his medical work was rejected because of the sex and lies he had been found guilty of as well as his outdated practices.

'It is the opinion of the assessment team that Dr. Dao is not safe to practice medicine at this time. This opinion is offered within reasonable certainty and based upon available information.'

Two years later he returned to the same evaluator where a doctor Mary Gannon noted that Dr. Dao 'lacked the foundation to navigate difficult situations, both interpersonally and in a complex profession'.

Dr. Gannon noted a need to control, avoidance, withholding information and 'magical thinking' as problematic. She also opined re-instatement of Dr. Dao's medical license as the primary motivation for therapy.

During this evaluation Dr. Dao stated that regaining his medical license was a matter of 'family honor.'

Four of his five children are doctors. His wife Teresa, 69, is a pediatrician who trained at Ho Chi Minh University in Saigon and also practices in Elizabethtown, Kentucky - about 40 miles south of Louisville.

Their eldest son Tim, 34, practices medicine in Texas; their second son Ben, 31, is a medical graduate; their daughter Christine, 33, is a doctor in Durham, NC; and their youngster daughter Angela, 27, is a medical graduate of the University of Kentucky.

Their other daughter, Crystal  Christine's twin  is a married mother in Barrington, Illinois.

Dr Dao has previously worked at Hardin Memorial Hospital and owned a medical practice.

His identity has been revealed after United CEO Oscar Munoz doubled down on his airline crew's decision to remove an elderly passenger, claiming he was 'disruptive and belligerent'.

The airline is facing a furious backlash after footage emerged of the 69-year-old, bleeding heavily as he was pulled from the jet.

Amidst the anger, Munoz issued a public apology saying he 'apologized for having to re-accommodate these customers.'

But in a private email to employees, the CEO defended the crew's actions, calling the passenger 'disruptive and belligerent' and praising his staff for going 'above and beyond'.

Backlash likely: The reaction to revelations of the criminal past of the doctor suggests that United would risk further opprobrium if they used it in a potential court case

United CEO Oscar Munoz has doubled down on his airline crew's decision to remove an elderly passenger, claiming he was 'disruptive and belligerent'

Social media erupted immediately, labeling Munoz and United 'tone deaf' and 'condescending'.

Munoz said that while he was 'upset' to hear about the man being violently dragged off the flight, that airline crew had simply been following 'established procedures.'

The CEO described how flight crews had offered up to $1,000 in compensation for anyone willing to catch the next flight before approaching the passenger to 'explain apologetically' that he was being denied boarding.

He had then 'raised his voice and refused to comply' with the crew's requests to leave the aircraft, and became increasingly 'disruptive and belligerent,' he said.

'Our agents were left with no choice, but to call Chicago Aviation Security Officers to assist in removing the customer from the flight, he repeatedly decline to leave.'

Munoz added that the passenger refused to comply with the officers who then 'physically removed him from the flight as he continued to resist  running back onto the aircraft in defiance of both out crew and security officials.'

The comments have sparked outrage online with people claiming that the CEO was attempting to shift blame to the police

'While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right,' he said.

The CEO did, however, concede that there were 'lessons we can learn' from the experience and that United will continue to look into the incident.

He also had a final reminder that treating customers with 'respect and dignity' should be matter of course, 'no matter how challenging the situation.'

The comments have sparked outrage online with people claiming that the CEO was attempting to shift blame to the police.

Others said that 'lousy protocol' was never an excuse for a 69-year-old man beating left bloodied by security.

'Beating and bloodying a 69 year-old doctor is 'protocol' @United ?' one Twitter user asked.

Distressing: Children were crying in distress as the three officers manhandled the man out of his seat. Passengers had been offered $800 to take a flight the next day but none volunteered

HOW DOES UNITED DECIDE WHO GETS BUMPED FROM OVERBOOKED FLIGHTS? United's contract of carriage states that passengers to be forcibly taken off a flight in the event of overbooking will be 'determined based on a passenger's fare class, itinerary, status of frequent flyer program membership, and the time in which the passenger presents him/herself for check-in without advanced seat assignment.' That means that if you have a certain type of fare class, checked in early, have a flier status such as gold, or even just own a barely used frequent flier card, you are less likely to be bumped. But passengers taking advantage of budget seats appear to be of less value to the airline. Advertisement

Another said that Munoz was 'trying to shift blame to police/aviation security (not United employees). The public doesn't make a distinction.'

Nicholas Kristof added: 'In any big company, staff will sometimes do stupid things. At United, the CEO then endorses the stupidity and claims it as company policy!'

Others pointed out that the customer had also appeared to have followed 'protocol' right up until he was dragged off the plane.

'#United Pay for your ticket, sit down, get attacked, bloodied and humiliated. And the CEO is now saying the person deserved it. #SHAME,' one Twitter user wrote.

'No accountability for lousy protocol,' another added. 'It will be a cold day in Hades before I allow these lackwits to fly me anywhere.#BoycottUnitedAirlines.'

An airport cop who allegedly body-slammed the passenger was put on leave today - as his bosses condemned his actions amid mounting outrage over video of the incident.

The Chicago Department of Aviation said it 'obviously' did not condone the behavior of the security officer who was filmed slamming the man into an arm rest, knocking him unconscious and dragging him away by his arms as he bled from the mouth at O'Hare.

Another clip shows the dazed man chants 'just kill me, just kill me' as blood pours from his mouth.

In his public apology, Munoz said today: 'This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.

'Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened. We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation.'

Unhinged: The man claimed to be a doctor and screamed wildly and he was manhandled by the cops

The aviation department released a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times, which read: 'The incident on United flight 3411 was not in accordance with our standard operating procedure and the actions of the aviation security officer are obviously not condoned by the Department.

'That officer has been placed on leave effective today pending a thorough review of the situation.'

One passenger also told the Washington Post the man claimed as he was being dragged off the plane he was chosen because of his ethnicity.

'He said, more or less, 'I'm being selected because I'm Chinese',' the passenger told the Post.

The same passenger went on to tell the newspaper a United official walked onto the plane during the incident and said the plane would not be taking off until four passengers disembarked so the employees could fit on.

He said the official announced: 'We have United employees that need to fly to Louisville tonight.  This flight's not leaving until four people get off.'

'That rubbed some people the wrong way,' Tyler Bridges said, recounting the comment.
President Donald Trump fired a warning shot at Russia on Wednesday - saying at a news conference that the U.S. is just as strong as it is - as a battle of wills between Moscow and Washington threatened to erupt into a Cold War-style conflict.

The relationship between the two countries is at 'an all-time low,' Trump proclaimed at a White House press conference tied to the visit of the NATO secretary general.

'Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all,' Trump observed. 'Putin is the leader of Russia. Russia is a strong country. Were a very, very strong country. Were going to see how that all works out.'

President Donald Trump fired a warning shot at Russia's leader on Wednesday - saying at a news conference that the U.S. is just as strong as it is - as a battle between Moscow and Washington over the situation in Syria threatened to erupt into a Cold War-style conflict

Trump's presser with the NATO secretary general came hours after Putin agreed to see his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, on the fly amid mounting tensions between the two countries

The strained relations with Russia over the gas attack in Syria had Trump reversing his stance on NATO, which he said had begun to fight terrorism after he complained they it didn't

Trump's presser with the NATO secretary general came hours after Putin agreed to see his secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, on the fly amid mounting tensions between the two countries.

Tillerson said earlier in the day, at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart that took place just before Trump's, that the US was at a 'low point' in its relations with Putin's government. Putin made a similar point in an interview that aired just as Tillerson was sitting down to a meeting with the Russian foreign minister.

The chest-beating had Tillerson cautioning from Moscow that the two countries with nuclear weapons must have warmer relations.

Russia has aggressively pushed back on the Trump administration's assertions that Syria's dictator gassed his country's civilians last week in horrific attack that claimed 87 lives.

Tillerson said Wednesday that the US is 'quite confident' Bashar al-Assad was behind the massacre. 'The facts that we have are conclusive,' he said.

Speaking to the press with Tillerson, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian diplomat, demanded an independent investigation into the attack his country says was the work of extremists.

'We do not wish to speculate,' he said. 'We want to establish the truth, the full truth.'

Despite the bickering in the Kremlin press conference, Trump said of Tillerson's Moscow meetings, 'I'm hearing things went pretty well, maybe better than anticipated.

'It would be wonderful, as we were discussing just a little while ago, if NATO and our country could get along with Russia. Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all. We may be at an all-time low in terms of relationship with Russia.'

He could not say if Russia had knowledge of Assad's attack before it happened - but admitted that it was a possibility.

'I would like to think that they didn't know,' he said. 'But certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out.'

Tillerson said earlier in the day, at a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart that took place just before Trump's, that the US was at a 'low point' in its relations with Putin's government. Putin made a similar point in an interview that aired just as Tillerson was sitting down to a meeting with the Russian foreign minister

Defense Secretary James Mattis and a Pentagon group are looking into it, Trump said.

'When you get into the gases, especially that form, it was vicious and violent and everybody in this room saw it all too many times over the last three or four days, young children dying, babies dying, fathers holding children in their arms that were dead, dead children, there can't be a worse sight and it shouldn't be allowed,' Trump stated.

The US president said the ghastly sight was a 'butcher' and it compelled him to act.

'I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing, and it was very, very successfully done, as you well know,' he said.

The strained relations with Russia over the gas attack in Syria had Trump reversing his stance on NATO, which he said had begun to fight terrorism after he complained they it didn't.

'I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete. It's my hope that NATO will take on an increased role supporting our Iraqi partners in our fight against ISIS,' Trump said.

Trump said from the White House's East Room that he and UN Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg had a 'productive' discussion this afternoon about the alliance and the aid in can provide in the global fight against terrorism.

'We are grateful for the support of NATO members and partners in their condemnation of Assads murderous attack, using the most horrible weapons,' Trump said.

'The vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons, including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies, must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life,' he added. 'It is time to end this brutal civil war, defeat terrorists, and allow refugees to return home.'

Trump argued in his remarks that the world is a 'mess' - 'but I think by the time we finish, I think its going to be a lot better place to live.'

'And I can tell you that, speaking for myself, by the time Im finished, its going to be a lot better place to live in -- because right now its nasty,' he said.

As a candidate, Trump put the United States' allies on edge as he whacked NATO countries for failing to pay their fair share of defense costs and warned there would be consequences if they continued to miss payments.

The White House stressed Wednesday that Trump is '100 percent' committed to the mutual defense organization.

Distancing itself from his campaign-time comments, the White House said Trump had made over a dozen calls to leaders of NATO countries and emphasized his firm commitment to all of them.

Stoltenberg further reminded Trump in the afternoon presser that NATO serves as a check on Russian aggression.

'I strongly believe that the only way to deter Russia is to be strong,' Stoltenberg said.

He said it was strategically important keep the lines of communication open between Russia and member nations, too, in order to prevent additional conflicts.

'The only way to avoid a new Cold War, avoid a new arms race and avoid increasing tensions is to continue to engage Russia is a political dialogue and to make sure that what we do is defensive and proportionate in response to a more assertive Russia,' he assessed.
Fossils which lay unexamined at the Natural History Museum for 60 years may provide the missing link in the evolution of dinosaurs.

Bones from the Teleocrater rhadinus, one of the earliest dinosaur relatives, were discovered in the 1950s.

But experts at the Natural History Museum in London had no way of knowing its link to the dinosaurs because vital parts including the ankles were missing.

Teleocrater rhadinus (pictured), from the Middle Triassic epoch of Tanzania was a lightly built, four-legged carnivore. It looked more like a crocodile than the small animals who used two legs to walk, which we often associate with dinosaurs at this point in evolution

THE TELOCRATER Experts believe the Telocrater was two to three metres long (six feet to ten feet), with a long tail and was around about 0.50.75 metres (1.6 to 2.4 feet) tall at the hip. Teleocrater is more closely related to dinosaurs and birds than to crocodiles, belonging to the bird-line of archosaur evolution. It predates the first true dinosaurs by around ten million years. They are from the Middle Triassic epoch of Tanzania around 245 million years ago. The fossils were excavated from the Manda Beds of southern Tanzania. Teleocrater likely stood on all four legs with its limbs positioned directly underneath its body. It had a relatively long neck like other dinosaur relatives and sharp, serrated teeth, suggesting it was a carnivore. The Triassic Period lasted from 252201 million years ago, and the following animals arose during this time: dinosaurs, crocodile relatives, mammals, pterosaurs, turtles, frogs, and lizards. Advertisement

It took a new fossil discovery in Tanzania two years ago to fill in the missing piece of the fossil record.

Now, after decades of discussion in which scientists assumed early dinosaur relatives looked like chicken-sized mini-dinosaurs on two legs, they finally have the truth.

In fact, the Teleocrater rhadinus was much more fearsome, at seven to 10 feet long, with a long neck and tail. It walked on four legs rather like modern lizards.

It had features present in the last common ancestor of birds and crocodylians with classic dinosaur characteristics.

'There is a depression of the top of the head that is in Teleocrater and in dinosaurs', Dr Sterling Nesbitt from Virginia Tech Institute told MailOnline.

'Also, Teleocrater has a muscle scar (where muscles attach to bones) on the upper thigh bone - a feature found in dinosaurs and their close relatives', he said.

Members of this new lineage also had a crocodylian-like ankle joint, or 'crankles', with some classic dinosaur characters, such as depressions for enlarged dinosaur-like jaw.

'Teleocrater is represented by at least four partial individual skeletons from nearly the same location in southern Tanzania', said Dr Nesbitt.

Scientists can trace the Teleocrater, which lived more than 245 million years ago, back to the time just after a large group of reptiles known as the archosaurs split into a bird branch, which would also become the dinosaurs, and a crocodile branch, also creating modern alligators.

The research, led by Birmingham University and Virginia Tech, is published in the journal Nature.

Dr Richard Butler, from the University of Birmingham, said: Its astonishing to think that its taken more than 80 years for the true scientific importance of these fossils to be understood and published.

Co-author Professor Paul Barrett, from the Natural History Museum, added: Our discovery shows the value of maintaining and re-assessing historical collections - many new discoveries, like this one, can be made by looking through museum collections with fresh eyes.

The fossils examined include samples collected from rocks in the Manda beds of southern Tanzania in 1933 and studied by palaeontologist Alan Charig, a former curator of fossil reptiles, amphibians and birds at the Natural History Museum, in the 1950s.

The study, led by Virginia Tech Institute, discovered a new species of dinosaur, Teleocrater rhadinus, (pictured) predates the first true dinosaurs by around ten million years

But he died before he could make a breakthrough, lacking the complete bones he needed.

After additional fossils were found in Tanzania in 2015, the complete record was re-examined, casting new light on the Teloecrater.

The creature lived in the Triassic period, 10 million years before the dinosaurs dominated the earth.

Teleocrater is assigned to an entirely new group of reptiles, called Aphanosauria, which is one of the last archosaurs before they split and become pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and dinosaurs

Ken Angielczyk, associate curator of fossil mammals at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, who is also a study author, said: Teleocrater has unexpectedly crocodile-like features that are causing us to completely reassess what we thought about the earliest stages of dinosaur evolution.

Surprisingly, early dinosaur relatives were pretty profoundly not dinosaur-like.

Scientists generally don't love the term missing link, but that's kind of what Teleocrater is - a missing link between dinosaurs and the common ancestor they share with crocodiles.

TELOCRATER FOSSILS The first fossils of Telocrater were collected in 1933 by F. Rex Parrington - a famous palaeontologist based at the University of Cambridge. Other remains of Teleocrater were collected by an international team including many of the authors of this paper in 2015. All specimens of Teleocrater are from a rock unit called the Manda Beds, in the Ruhuhu Basin of southern Tanzania, Africa. Teleocrater was found with other reptiles and early relatives of mammals in the Manda Beds, which represent Triassic-aged river deposits. Advertisement

The carnivorous creature is the earliest member of the bird branch discovered, but has ankles more like crocodiles than dinosaurs and birds, meaning it would have had a lower, more reptilian gait.

Its name means slender complete basin, in reference to its lean build and closed hip socket.

Professor Barrett added: My colleague Alan Charig would have been thrilled to see one of his animals finally being named and occupying such an interesting position in the Tree of Life.
Elephants have long been regarded as extremely intelligent creatures, but new research has shown just how far this is the case.

A study by the University of Cambridge has demonstrated that the gentle giants recognise their own bodies as obstacles to problem solving.

And this is an ability that doesn't develop in human children until at least the age of two.

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Research from the University of Cambridge required Asian elephants to walk on to a mat (pictured), pick up a stick which was tied to it and pass it to an experimenter in exchange for a food reward. The study sought to prove the creature's awareness of their own body

Self-awareness in animals and young children is usually tested using the mirror self-recognition test - to see if they understand that the reflection is their own.

Only a few species other than humans have shown they can do this - great apes, dolphins, magpies and elephants.

Critics have argued that the mirror test is limited in its ability to demonstrate complex thoughts and understanding, and that it may be less useful in testing animals that rely less on vision than other species.

Researchers from Cambridge developed a stick and mat test, adapted from one in which children were asked to push a shopping trolley attached to a mat on which they were standing.

Test subjects demonstrated that their own bodies were stopping their progress, and that they had to step off the mat before the trolley would move.

'This is a deceptively simple test, but its implications are quite profound,' said Dr Josh Plotnik, a visiting researcher at Cambridge and founder of conservation charity Think Elephants International.

'The elephants understood that their bodies were getting in the way, so they stepped aside to enable themselves to complete the task.

'In a similar test, this is something that young children are unable to understand until they are about two years old.

ELEPHANT INTELLIGENCE It has long been said an elephant never forgets, and this adage seems to have more than a ring of truth to it. The intelligent creatures have been observed in heartbreaking mourning rituals, similar to those of humans. Herds of elephants stand vigil over the bodies of their dead friends, shedding tears and 'burying' their bodies. They have even been shown to stroke their deceased comrades with their trunks. And the damaging effects of grief from death - especially of a parent - stay with them for decades, according to research at the University of Sussex. The 2005 study found that African elephants who were orphaned by a cull in Kruger National Park in the 1970s and 1980s are still suffering post-traumatic stress. Advertisement

'This implies that elephants may be capable of recognising themselves as separate from objects or their environment.

'This means that they may have a level of self-understanding, coupled with their passing of the mirror test, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom.'

Researchers required Asian elephants to walk on to a mat, pick up a stick and pass it to an experimenter in exchange for a food reward.

In control conditions the sticks were loose, but for the experiment the sticks were tied to the mat.

By realising they would need to step off the mat (pictured) in order to pass it to the experimenters, the elephants showed that they recognised their own bodies were obstacles to progress

This meant the elephant's body weight prevented them passing the stick to the researcher unless they walked off the mat.

The University of Cambridge study found that elephants stepped off the mat on average 42 out of 48 times during the experiment, compared with three out of 48 during the control.

Researchers said this shows elephants are able to recognise their bodies as obstacles to success in problem-solving.

The sample size was 12 elephants at the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation in Thailand, and sets of 10 trials were run until the elephants passed the stick to the experimenter in five consecutive trials.

The stick and mat test (pictured) was adapted from one in which children were asked to push a shopping trolley attached to a mat on which they were standing. The researchers found that elephants stepped off the mat on average 42 out of 48 times

The test was devised by Dr Plotnik and his colleague Rachel Dale.

'Elephants are well regarded as one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, but we still need more empirical, scientific evidence to support this belief,' said Ms Dale.

'We know, for example, that they are capable of thoughtful co-operation and empathy, and are able to recognise themselves in a mirror.

'These abilities are highly unusual in animals and very rare indeed in non-primates.

'We wanted to see if they also show 'body-awareness'.'

The study, largely funded by a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society awarded to Dr Plotnik, is published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Harvard researchers are set to test aerosol sprays that could be used to combat climate change.

The controversial technique could one day be used to block incoming solar radiation and cool down Earth to combat the effects of global warming.

The first-of-its-kind experiment could begin as early as next year and will pump small amounts of material into the stratosphere to reflect the sun's rays.

But scientists have previously warned that the results of changing our own climate could be 'catastrophic'.

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Pictured are some of the geoengineering strategies put forward by climate researchers in the past. Harvard scientists will test pumping aerosols into the stratosphere (top left of image) as early as next year in an attempt to fight global warming

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? In 2014, researchers warned of what might happen if climate engineering stopped after a few decades for technical or political reasons. For several methods we saw a rapid change in the simulated climate when climate engineering ended, said Dr David Keller from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany. For example, if after 50 years the sun's rays were no longer partially blocked, Earth warmed by several degrees within a few decades. Dr Keller said: This change would be much faster than the current rate of climate change, with potentially even more catastrophic consequences. Advertisement

It will test the feasibility of what scientists are calling 'solar geoengineering' - though the Harvard team say that they will only use water vapour at first.

During testing, the team will analyse a variety of aerosol materials that could be used at scale in future.

But the researchers claim that they will not fire more than 1kg (2.2lbs) of any substance into the stratosphere during testing.

The idea has stirred controversy in the scientific community, even among those who believe it could effectively tackle global warming.

'The idea that you could even think about adjusting the temperature of the planet is terrifying,' Frank Keutsch, one of the Harvard scientists leading the study, told Seeker.

'But the consequences of climate change are also quite terrifying. This is a very serious subject.'

In 2014, researchers warned of what might happen if climate engineering stopped after a few decades for technical or political reasons.

For several methods we saw a rapid change in the simulated climate when climate engineering ended, said Dr David Keller from the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany.

SIDE EFFECTS OF OTHER GEOENGINEERING STRATEGIES Afforestation: This technique would irrigate deserts, such as those in Australia and North Africa, to plant millions of trees that could absorb carbon dioxide. Drawback: This vegetation would also draw in sunlight that the deserts currently reflect back into space, and so contribute to global warming. Artificial ocean upwelling: Engineers would use long pipes to pump cold, nutrient-rich water upward to cool ocean-surface waters. Drawback: If this process ever stopped it could cause oceans to rebalance their heat levels and rapidly change the climate. Ocean alkalinisation: This involves heaping lime into the ocean to chemically increase the absorption of carbon dioxide. Drawback: Study suggests it will have of little use in reducing global temperatures. Ocean iron fertilisation: The method involves dumping iron into the oceans to improve the growth of photosynthetic organisms that can absorb carbon dioxide. Drawback: Study suggests it will have of little use in reducing global temperatures. Solar radiation management: This would reduce the amount of sunlight Earth receives, by shooting reflective sulphate-based aerosols into the atmosphere. Drawback: Carbon dioxide would still build up in the atmosphere. Advertisement

The controversial aerosol technique could one day be used to block incoming solar radiation and cool down Earth. Some researchers are worried about the implications of directly controlling our planet's atmospheric temperature (stock image)

For example, if after 50 years the sun's rays were no longer partially blocked, Earth warmed by several degrees within a few decades.

Dr Keller said: This change would be much faster than the current rate of climate change, with potentially even more catastrophic consequences.

Research last year suggested that pumping the equivalent of 'antacid' tablets into the air could be the answer to climate change.

Experts believe that releasing an aerosol of calcium carbonate into the atmosphere would cool the air, without damaging the ozone layer.

The Paris climate agreement in 2015 set the goal of keeping global temperatures no higher than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the 'pre-industrial levels'.

Emission reductions will be key to achieving these, but researchers believe that extra efforts can further reduce the risks.

Previous research had focused on ways of limiting the ozone damage by using non-reactive aerosols.

However, the research from last year looked at highly reactive aerosols.

One idea suggested in the past was to 'geoengineer' the Earth to mimic the cooling effect seen in the air following a large volcanic eruption, which shoots up large amounts of sulphur dioxide. A study last year suggested using 'antacid' calcite to avoid ozone damage

WHAT IS CALCITE? After examining stratospheric chemistry and ruling out most of the periodic table, the researchers landed on calcite - a constituent of limestone. It is the most stable form of calcium carbonate. They found that this could neutralise emission-based acids in the atmosphere while also reflecting light and cooling the planet. Calcite is one of the most common compounds in the Earth's crust, and only a small amount would be needed for the solar geoengineering. Advertisement

'Instead of trying to minimise the reactivity of the aerosol, we wanted a material that is highly reactive but in a way that would avoid ozone destruction,' said co-author Frank Keutsch.

After examining stratospheric chemistry and ruling out most of the periodic table, the researchers landed on calcite - a constituent of limestone.

They found that this could neutralise emission-based acids in the atmosphere while also reflecting light and cooling the planet.

'Essentially, we ended up with an antacid for the stratosphere,' said Keutsch.

Calcite is one of the most common compounds in the Earth's crust, and only a small amount would be needed for the solar geoengineering.

The researchers are currently testing calcite in the lab conditions designed to mimic the atmosphere.

While it may help to alleviate the problem, the researchers note that this method of solar engineering is not a solution to climate change.

'Geoengineering is like taking painkillers,' said Keutsch.

'When things are really bad, painkillers can help but they don't address the cause of a disease and they may cause more harm than good. We really don't know the effects of geoengineering but that is why we're doing this research.'
At the centre of most galaxies is a supermassive black hole, an incredibly dense area that sucks in any star or planet foolish enough to go near it.

Black holes would appear invisible to the human eye as their gravitational forces are so strong that not even light can escape their grasp.

But now scientists believe they have taken the world's first photo of the 'point of no return' that surrounds a black hole called the 'event horizon'.

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An artist's impression of the black hole named Cygnus X-1 which is about 6,070 light years from Earth. The 'Event Horizon Telescope' is a virtual telescope that may have taken the first ever pictures of a black hole

WHAT ARE SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES? Supermassive black holes are incredibly dense areas in the centre of galaxies with masses that can be billions of times that of the sun. They act as intense sources of gravity which hoover up dust and gas around them. Their intense gravitational pull is thought to be what stars in galaxies orbit around. How they are formed is still poorly understood. Astronomers believe they may form when a large cloud of gas up to 100,000 times bigger than the sun, collapses into a black hole. Many of these black hole seeds then merge to form much larger supermassive black holes. Alternatively, a supermassive black hole seed could come from a giant star, about 100 times the sun's mass, that ultimately forms into a black hole after it runs out of fuel and collapses. Advertisement

The event horizon is the region where the black hole's gravity overcomes the momentum created by space debris spinning around inside it.

Once an object crosses the event horizon, it will pulled into the black hole and lost forever.

Scientists built a 'virtual telescope' to observe the black hole Sagittarius A in the hopes of capturing an image of its event horizon.

Sagittarius A has never been seen directly but scientists know it exists because of the effect it has on nearby stars.

After five days of observations using the telescope, the researchers believe they may have taken the world's first photo at the brink of a black hole.

'I'm very happy and very relieved, and I'm looking forward to getting a good night's sleep,' Dr Vincent Fish, one of the scientists behind the project at the MIT Haystack Observatory told National Geographic.

But the sought-after image may take months to come to light as researchers still have to sift through data taken by their telescope.

Pictured are images of Sagittarius Am the centre of our Milky Way, captured by Nasa. Scientists are hoping the Earth-sized 'virtual telescope' which relies on linking lots of radio receivers, have captured its event horizon for the first time

HOW DOES THE TELESCOPE WORK? The telescope relies on a network of widely spaced radio antennas. These are all over the world - in the South Pole, Hawaii, Europe and America. These radios mimics the aperture of a telescope that can produce the resolution needed to capture Sagittarius A. They will kick into action between 5 -14 April. At each of the radio stations there are large hard drives which will store the data. These hard drives will be processed at the MIT Haystack Observatory just outside Boston, Massachusetts. It won't be until the end of the year or perhaps the start of 2018 that the public will be able to see the results Advertisement

'Even if the first images are still crappy and washed out, we can already test for the first time some basic predictions of Einstein's theory of gravity in the extreme environment of a black hole,' radio astronomer Heino Falcke from Radboud University in Nijmegen, in The Netherlands, told National Geographic.

The image will be a key test for Einstein's theory of gravity and could cause us to rewrite our understanding of basic physics.

Sagittarius A is 26,000 light-years from Earth and is probably around 20 million kilometres across.

Their telescope relies on a network of radio antennas all over the world, from the South Pole, to Hawaii, to the Americas and Europe.

This mimics the aperture of of a telescope that can produce the resolution needed to capture Sagittarius A.

According to Einstein's equations, light would be caused by gas and dust accelerating at high speed and being torn apart.

This means the black hole might look like a series of gold rings.

Evidence of a black hole at the centre of our galaxy was first presented by physicist Karl Jansky in 1931, when he discovered radio waves coming from the centre of our galaxy.

The telescope relies on a network of widely spaced radio antennas. These are all over the world - in the South Pole, Hawaii, Europe and America. These radios mimics the aperture of a telescope that can produce the resolution needed to capture Sagittarius A

'As I've said before, it's never a good idea to bet against Einstein, but if we did see something that was very different from what we expect we would have to reassess the theory of gravity', said project leader Dr Sheperd Doeleman.

'I don't expect that is going to happen, but anything could happen and that's the beauty of it.'

However, it won't all happen at once.

At each of the radio stations there are large hard drives which will store the data.

These hard drives will be processed at the MIT Haystack Observatory just outside Boston, Massachusetts.

Algorithms will then make sense of the observations, but this is a long process and it won't be until the end of the year or perhaps the start of 2018 that we will be able to see the results.

Not only would it be a triumph to get a picture of Sagittarius A but if there are flaws in Einstein's theory then this image of a black hole is likely to expose them.
Nasa may have found a 'potential alien habitat' on one of Saturn's moons, according to rumours.

The US space agency will hold a press briefing tomorrow to reveal a discovery that will 'help inform future ocean world exploration'.

But a former Nasa employee has suggested that the the space agency will announce that they have found evidence of chemical activity in an alien ocean on Enceladus, a moon of Saturn.

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Its thought that Enceladus may hold the right conditions for life, with rumoured watery jets, hydrothermal activity, and a global ocean buried beneath its icy crust

ENCELADUS Enceladus is Saturns sixth largest moon, at 313 miles wide (504 kilometers). Cassini observations have revealed hydrothermal activity, with vents spewing water vapour and ice particles out from a global ocean buried beneath the icy crust. According to NASA, the plume includes organic compounds, volatile gases, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, salts, and silica. While it may look inhospitable like Saturns other moons, the observations suggest it may have the ingredients to support life. Advertisement

'These new discoveries will help inform future ocean world exploration - including Nasa's upcoming Europa Clipper mission planned for launch in the 2020s - and the broader search for life beyond Earth,' NASA said.

But Keith Cowing, an analyst for Astrobiology and and former Nasa employee, claims Nasa scientists have discovered chemical activity inside hydrothermal vents on the icy moon of Enceladus.

'On Thursday Nasa will announce evidence that hydrothermal activity on the floor of an ice-covered ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus is most likely creating methane from carbon dioxide,' Mr Cowing wrote in Astrobiology.

'The process is indicative of possible habitable zones within the ocean of Enceladus.'

'Before we go any further, 'habitable' does not mean 'inhabited'.'

Enceladus is Saturns sixth largest moon, at 313 miles wide (504 kilometers). According to Nasa, vents spewing water vapour and ice particles are under its icy crust

WHO WILL SPEAK AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington Jim Green, director, Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters Mary Voytek, astrobiology senior scientist at NASA Headquarters Linda Spilker, Cassini project scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California Hunter Waite, Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer team lead at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio Chris Glein, Cassini INMS team associate at SwRI William Sparks, astronomer with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore Advertisement

Enceladus is Saturns sixth largest moon, at 313 miles wide (504 kilometers).

Its thought that Enceladus may hold the right conditions for life, with rumoured watery jets, hydrothermal activity, and a global ocean buried beneath its icy crust.

The possible discovery of chemical activity inside hydrothermal vents is tantalizing to scientists as life on Earth started in such deep-sea crevasses.

'Hydrothermal vents have been found in many locations on Earth where superheated water from deep within the planet reaches the ocean,' Mr Cowling said.

'Due to the temperatures and pressure of these vents, some very interesting chemistry occurs.

'Many astrobiologists have suggested that such hydrothermal vents may be where life first originated on our planet.'

On Earth, these vents are home to microorganisms that have adapted to glean energy from chemicals rather than the sun.

Nasas Cassini spacecraft has captured some of the closest views yet of Saturns icy rings as it moves through its penultimate mission

SATURN'S MOONS MAY BE YOUNGER THAN THE DINOSAURS While Saturn's rings and moons were first spotted in 1600s, there is an ongoing debate about how old they are. Many assume that they are primordial - as old as the planet itself - making them around four billion years old. However, evidence published last month suggests the majority of its moons are significantly younger than this and may have even formed at the same time dinosaurs roamed the Earth. In 2012, French astronomers discovered that tidal effects, caused by gravity of the inner moons with fluids in Saturn's interior, are causing the moons to spiral outward relatively quickly. This suggests the moons, and presumably the rings, are younger than the planet itself. A team of researchers, led by Matija Cuk, principal investigator at the SETI Institute in California, used computer modeling to infer the past behaviour of Saturn's icy inner moons. His team also used results from Nasa's Cassini mission to study ice geysers on Saturn's moon Enceladus. The orbits of Tethys, Dione and Rhea are less altered than previously thought and their relatively small orbital tilts suggest they haven't crossed many orbital resonances. This means they formed not far from where they are now. Assuming the energy powering the geysers on Enceladus comes directly from tidal interactions, and that moon's level of geothermal activity is more or less constant, then tides within Saturn are strong. According to the team's analysis, these would move the satellite by the small amount indicated by the simulations in only about 100 million years. This would date the formation of the major moons of Saturn, with the exception of more distant Titan and Iapetus, to the Cretaceous Period, the era of the dinosaurs. Advertisement

'In turn, larger life forms feed upon these microorganisms and entire communities can arise,' he said.

'Unlike the ecological interactions we are used to seeing on Earth's surface where life either depends directly on sunlight or eats life forms that depend on sunlight, these deep hydrothermal communities are able to operate without any energy input from the sun.'

Scientists hope that organisms that are able to thrive in harsh conditions may also live in other parts of space.

Tomorrow's announcement may even indicate these organisms exist inside our own solar system, according to Mr Cowing.

'Nasa bases this determination on the amount of hydrogen in plumes emanating from the moon's south pole,' he added.

'The large amount of hydrogen is strongly suggestive of a constant hydrothermal process wherein the ocean under the surface of Enceladus is interacting with rock and organic compounds.'

All will be revealed at tomorrow's event, which are to be held at the James Webb Auditorium at Nasa's Headquarters in Washington.

The event will include remote participation from experts across the country.
Intriguing new details have emerged about a medieval mummy known for her 'Adidas' boots - which she wore more than a millennia ago.

The body of the woman was discovered a year ago this week in the Altai mountains region of Mongolia.

And her body and possessions remained so remarkably preserved that experts are still uncovering some of the secrets they keep.

Now, scientists have discovered that the mummy suffered a significant blow to the head before her death.

Scientists believe the body of a woman (pictured) found in April last year, died up to 1,100 years ago from a blow to the head

When the images were first released one picture in particular (left) caused a stir online after comparisons were drawn with Adidas boots (snowboarding boots pictured right)

THE FINDINGS Experts from the Centre of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia believe the body of a woman found in April last year, died up to 1,100 years ago. The cause of her death is believed to have been a serious head wound. Despite the seemingly lavish possessions she was buried with, archaeologists believe she was an 'ordinary' woman, rather than an aristocrat or royal. The Mongolian team have suggested she may have been a seamstress, due to a sewing kit and fine embroidery found on her clothing and belongings. Advertisement

The Mongolian woman - aged between 30 and 40 - hit headlines in April 2016, thanks to her modern-looking footwear, which some likened to a pair of trainers.

In the intervening 12 months, scientists have been working to find out more about the mysterious Mongolian mummy.

And her trademark felt boots - boasting red and black stripes - have been carefully cleaned, with new pictures revealed today by The Siberian Times.

Experts from the Centre of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia now believe the woman died up to 1,100 years ago after suffering a serious head wound.

Initial examinations found that 'it was quite possible that the traces of a blow to the mummy's facial bones were the cause of her death'.

They are still seeking to verify the exact age of the burial, but they estimate it took place in the tenth century - more recently than originally thought.

Her trademark felt boots - which were compared to Adidas trainers (pictured) - have been carefully cleaned and restored

New pictures of the leather boots - which feature red and black stripes and metal buckle work (pictured) - have been released

About the boots Galbadrakh Enkhbat, director of the Centre, said: 'With these stripes, when the find was made public, they were dubbed similar to Adidas shoes.

'In this sense, they are an interesting object of study for ethnographers, especially so when the style is very modern.'

And one local fashion expert. quoted by Siberian Times, said: 'Overall they look quite kinky but stylish - I wouldn't mind wearing them now in a cold climate.

'Those high-quality stitches, the bright red and black stripes, the length - I would buy them now in no time.'

The high altitude and cold climate helped to preserve both the woman's body and her belongings.

And a coating of Shilajit - a thick, sticky tar-like substance with a colour ranging from white to dark brown - that covered her body aided this process.

Some skin and hair can be seen on her remains, which were wrapped in felt.

Experts from the Centre of Cultural Heritage of Mongolia (pictured) have worked for the past 12 months to restore the times they found buried

This included a handbag, four changes of clothes, the 'Adidas' boots, and numerous practical and everyday objects (pictured)

The items of clothing found, like this jacket (pictured), were decorated with fine embroidery patterns

The woman was buried alongside a number of her possessions - including a handbag and four changes of clothes.

A comb and a mirror from her beauty kit were also found, along with a knife.

Her horse and a saddle with metal stirrups in such good condition that it could be used today were buried as well.

The Mongolian woman (pictured) is believed to have been aged between 30 and 40 when she died. Some skin and hair can be seen on her remains, which were wrapped in felt.

Despite her seemingly lavish possessions (pictued) archaeologists believe she was an 'ordinary' women of her time, rather than an aristocrat or royal

Experts believe she may have been a seamstress, due to a variety of sewing equipment which was found inside her bag (pictured), as well as the embroidery on her clothing

But despite her seemingly lavish possessions archaeologists believe she was an 'ordinary' women of her time, rather than an aristocrat or royal.

'Judging by what was found inside the burial, we guess that she was from an ordinary social strata,' added Mr Enkhbat.

'Various sewing utensils were found with her.

The preserved remains of a horse (pictured) were uncovered at the burial site

A saddle with metal stirrups (pictured) in such good condition that it could be used today were found alongside it

'This is only our guess, but we think she could have been a seamstress.'

'Inside (her bag) was the sewing kit and since the embroidery was on both the bag and the shoes, we can be certain that the embroidery was done by locals.'

The grave was unearthed at an altitude of 9,200ft (2,803 metres) and the woman is believed to be of Turkik origin.

It appears to be the first complete Turkic burial in Central Asia.

TURKIK BURIALS The first Turkic people occupied a region from Central Asia to Siberia from the 6th century BC. The first mention of Turks was in a Chinese text that made reference to Turk tribes and Sogdians along the Silk Road. The Turkic people developed their own alphabets, had their own language and are known for a number of symbols including wolves and the colour blue. In fact, some reports claim the word Turquoise originates from the word Turkish. Today, modern Turks live across Asia and eastern Europe. In 2003, DNA analysis revealed skeletons found in a 2,000-year-old tomb contained genes found in modern Turks. Two years ago, archaeologists found what they believed to be the grave of a Turkic warrior also in the Altai Mountains. Turks were buried with treasured possessions, known as 'grave goods' that they could take to the next world. In this 2014 discovery, what appeared to be a Turkic warrior was buried with a musical instrument, alongside his horse. Advertisement

At the time of the discovery, commenters on Twitter and Facebook made a number of tongue-in-cheek claims that woman must be a time traveller.

One Twitter user jokingly quipped: 'Must be a time traveler. I knew we would dig one up sooner or later', another added: 'Huh? Time-travelling Mummy? Corpse interfered with?.'

Meanwhile, Facebook users said: 'Loooooool he's wearing a pair of gazelles', and 'Well I must admit, I've got a few pair but I ain't had them that long.'

A host of possessions were found in the grave, offering a unique insight into life in medievMongolia.

A host of possessions were found in the grave including included a bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle (all pictured left), the remains of a horse, and ancient clothing. There were also pillows, a sheep's head and felt travel bag (right) in which were placed the whole back of a sheep and goat bones

The discovery also appears to be the first complete Turkic burial in Central Asia and the remains were found at an altitude of 9,200 feet. An elaborately embroidered bag is pictured

These included a saddle, bridle, clay vase, wooden bowl, trough, iron kettle, the remains of an entire horse, and ancient clothing.

There were also pillows, a sheep's head and felt travel bag in which were placed the whole back of a sheep, goat bones and small leather bag designed to carry a cup.

Archaeologists from the city museum in Khovd were alerted to the burial site by local herdsmen.

The Altai Mountains - where the burial was discovered - unite Siberia, in Russia, and Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan.
People who struggled as children are smarter in many ways than people with privileged upbringings, according to a new study.

A difficult upbringing means people develop unique strengths and abilities in order to cope with living in high-stress environments.

This evolutionary adaptation allows individuals to respond to hardship in their lives and develop new skills to make sure they can cope better next time.

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A team of researchers reviewed studies about trauma and found a difficult upbringing means people develop unique strengths and abilities as a result (stock image)

WHAT DID THEY FIND? The study found people who had suffered trauma were good at remembering - which could be an adaptation to avoid it happening again in the future. For example children who had verbally aggressive parents were better at recognising emotions. This evolutionary adaptation allows individuals to respond from stresses in their lives and develop new skills to make sure they don't happen again. Advertisement

A team of researchers led by the University of Utah reviewed studies about people who suffer trauma and analysed how it enhances specific types of thinking.

The forthcoming study, which will be published in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science, found people who had suffered trauma were good at remembering - which could be an adaptation to avoid it happening again in the future.

'We have been documenting deficits in children from high-stress backgrounds forever,' Bruce Ellis, a psychology professor at the University of Utah told The Atlantic.

'We fill libraries with all the things that are wrong with them. But this paper was the first systematic attempt to understand what was right with them.'

In one example explored in the paper, children who had negative interactions with people could remember them much more clearly than those with whom they had felt positively.

In another study they found children who had verbally aggressive parents were better at recognising emotions.

'When you grow up in low-socioeconomic conditions there are other people around you who are more powerful than you and have more power than you, in ways that people from middle-class backgrounds don't experience', said Dr Ellis.

Researchers suggest that being able to predict how people could evolve as a result of these stresses could be important in better understanding their talents.

This evolutionary adaptation allows individuals to respond from stresses in their lives and develop new skills to make sure they don't happen again (stock image)

'We're not arguing that stress is good, or that it's good for kids to grow up in poverty or under harsh conditions', said Dr Ellis.

'What we're arguing is that [the detrimental effects of stress] are real, and that's half the story', he said.

Researchers believe that understanding this cognitive survival mechanism could be useful in future research and could help school tweak their curriculum for low-ability students.

Normally schools focus on making children who are stressed feel less stressed like their privileged peers.

However, researchers suggest that if schools let children move around more in class and talk they could create a more chaotic environment like the one they are used to.

This might help them show their hidden strengths more easily, researchers said.
Virgin Media has suffered a technical fault which has left thousands of customers unable to access Facebook or Instagram.

The broadband provider has confirmed in response to customer complaints that it is experiencing 'DNS issues'.

The company originally pinned the blame on 'issues with Facebook's servers' but now says it is a fault with a router.

Virgin Media has suffered a technical fault which has left many customers unable to access Facebook or Instagram (stock photo)

DNS ISSUES Domain Name Servers (DNS) are the Internet's equivalent of a phone book, according to Network Solutions. They maintain a directory of domain names and translate them to Internet Protocol (IP) addresses used by machines. When you type a web address into your browser your Internet Service Provider - in this case Virgin - views the DNS linked to it. It then translates this into a machine friendly IP address, which directs you to the correct site. DNS issues arise when the 'phone book' cannot be accessed or the translation process fails. Advertisement

DNS refers to the Domain Name Server, the technology that links website addresses to corresponding servers, connecting users to the site.

As a result, thousands of users have been unable to access the social networks.

Virgin Media has 5.2 million users in the UK.

The fault has only affected broadband customers and not people using the Virgin mobile network.

'We have now investigated an issue which meant some Virgin Media customers were intermittently not able to access Facebook and Instagram,' said Virgin.

'This was due to an interconnect router going down on Virgin Media's network meaning that some of our DNS requests were not able to contact Facebook servers. Our fault has now been fixed and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.'

According to web monitoring website downdetector.co.uk, users in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Bristol have been among those unable to access Facebook as a result of the issue.

But users in Edinburgh have also reported problems getting onto Facebook.

The glitch began on Tuesday evening.

User David was particularly hard hit by the news, overstating its impact for comedic effect. He said: 'Facebook down for Virgin media users in Edinburgh. Oh lawd i cannot live without Facebook. This is what pushed me over the edge'

Emergency FM added: 'Just had to change DNS settings to open Facebook up? ooooo Virgin Media screwed up somewhere'

Emiko commented: 'It's funny how we can't get on Facebook to even do anything. Who needs Russia to take down Facebook. Virgin did it.'

Virgin Media originally blamed Facebook for the unusual error and said the issue has been resolved.

'We're aware of an intermittent issue that's affected some of our broadband customers accessing Facebook and Instagram,' a spokesman for Virgin Media told the BBC.

'We believe this was an issue with Facebook's servers, which we understand to be resolved.

'We're contacting Facebook to confirm our customers can now access these sites.'

Mark Wapples was slightly less overwhelmed by the news, adding: 'Just heard Facebook is blocked on Virgin network.'

Sharon asked: 'What's going on with virgin media? Can't get on Facebook but everything else ok !!!'
Scientists have captured the worlds first image of the elusive dark matter bridge that connects galaxies across the universe.

While its been thought that such a cosmic web exists, it has remained unobservable  until now.

The composite image combines observations of more than 23,000 galaxy pairs, revealing a bridge of dark matter filament in the spaces between.

The composite image combines observations of more than 23,000 galaxy pairs, revealing a bridge of dark matter filament in the spaces between. In the false color map, bright galaxies are indicated by the white regions, while the presence of the dark matter bridge is show in red

GRAVITATIONAL LENSING, EXPLAINED Gravitational lensing occurs when a massive galaxy or cluster of galaxies bends the light emitted from a more distant galaxy. This forms a highly magnified, though much distorted image. This is because massive objects bend the spacetime around them, making light travel in a different path. It was first proposed by Einstein in his theory of General Relativity. Advertisement

Using images from a multi-year sky survey at the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, researchers from the University of Waterloo were able to measure an effect known as weak gravitational lensing.

This causes of distant galaxies to appear distorted as a result of an unseen mass, such as a planet, black hole, or dark matter.

While dark matter is thought to make up about 27 percent of the universe, it does not absorb or reflect light, essentially making it invisible.

But, based on its interactions with visible matter, scientists can infer its existence.

The researchers used lensing images from thousands of galaxy pairs situated 4.5 billion light-years away to reveal the presence of dark matter in between.

According to the team, the achievement is a major step forward in the detection of this mysterious form of matter.

For decades, researchers have been predicting the existence of dark-matter filaments between galaxies that act like a web-like superstructure connecting galaxies together, said Mike Hudson, a professor of astronomy.

This image moves us beyond predictions to something we can see and measure.

The composite image shows this web for the first time.

While dark matter is thought to make up about 27 percent of the universe, it does not absorb or reflect light, essentially making it invisible. But, based on its interactions with visible matter, scientists can infer its existence

WHAT IS DARK MATTER? Dark matter makes up roughly 27 percent of the Universe, and is invisible because it does not reflect light. It cannot be seen directly with telescopes, but astronomers know it to be out there because of the gravitational effects it has on the matter we can see. The European Space Agency says: 'Shine a torch in a completely dark room, and you will see only what the torch illuminates. 'That does not mean that the room around you does not exist. 'Similarly we know dark matter exists but have never observed it directly.' Scientists are fairly sure it exists and is crucial to the universe, but they do not know what it looks like or where to find it. Dark matter is thought to be the gravitational 'glue' that holds the galaxies together, while just 5% the Universe consists of known material such as atoms and subatomic particles. Advertisement

In the false color map, bright galaxies are indicated by the white regions, while the presence of the dark matter bridge is show in red.

Not only were the scientists able to create a map of the phenomenon, but they also found that its strongest between systems that sit less than 40 million light-years apart.

By using this technique, were not only able to see that these dark matter filaments in the universe exist, co-author Seth Epps said, were able to see the extent to which these filaments connect galaxies together.
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Dont worry about setting an alarm clock to wake you at Sausage Tree Camp. At one of Zambias most exclusive safari camps, the hippos will take care of that.

As they comically dip their heads in and out of the mighty Zambezi river, their Eddie Murphy-style laughs fill your bedroom like an amplified bassoon. You dont know whether to laugh yourself awake or make a panicked bee-line for the emergency foghorn.

As you stretch on your private timber deck and peer out to the sun, peeking above the Zambezi River, your Muchinda (private butler) taps on your door right on cue, bringing you a tray of tea ahead of your morning game drive.

Sausage Tree Camp is one of Zambias most luxurious and bespoke safari camps - a real one-of-a-kind

Guests have their own personal butler, safari guide and private plunge pool - and wake to the sound of hippos

The appeal of the camp starts with its location - it picked up Best Location Africa in the 2016 Safari Awards

Welcome to Sausage Tree, one of Zambias most lavish safari camps, aka the stuff of dreams.

The appeal of Sausage Tree starts with its location - its no surprise they picked up Best Location Africa in the 2016 Safari Awards. And when your 12-seater Proflight plane flies over a section of the staggeringly vast Zambezi River, its remoteness will hit you. You touch down on the Jeki airstrips copper-red earth and an impalas skull marks the spot for your safari transfer pick up.

As the searing 38-degree breeze hits your face, you notice the dry, cracked landscape. Its peppered with dried-out termite mounds and when we visit  in October - the trees look like they havent seen water for centuries. Zambias rainy season couldnt come soon enough.

But even in the hottest season, I discover that The Lower Zambezi offers an unforgettable safari experience. And when we reach the mighty Zambezi River - the lifeblood of this region  the water levels might be low, but it still looks seriously impressive. The fourth longest river in Africa, this mind-blowing force of nature straddles the Zambia-Zimbabwe border and in some parts, reaches a whopping 8km wide.

Grape stuff: Lucy enjoyed tasty South African wine on her trip and sublime dishes of steak and salmon cooked by Sausage Trees culinary team

Thirsty neigbours: Elephants have been known to dip their trunks in guests' plunge pools

The camp has been used as a base by BBC wildlife documentary teams in the past

We hop on our boat, ice cold bottles of Mosi beer are pressed into our hands and a cinematic wildlife show unfolds. Enormous African elephants frolic in the water beside us and hippos present their huge yawning mouths of the biggest canines youve ever seen. Were told that 20ft long crocodiles lurk beneath the surface too. And if a hippo dies here, up to 40 of them can be seen feasting on the carcass in one go.

This skin-tingling proximity to Africas beasts, combined with the luxurious setting lures both discerning and adventurous travellers to Sausage Tree Camp. The team here remain tight-lipped about who their most prestigious guests have been. But stay here and youll be rubbing shoulders with some big-buck earners and serious nature lovers. BBC wildlife documentaries have filmed here and the region will feature on Great Parks of Africa: The Lower Zambezi, airing on Smithsonian Earth and Love Nature in early 2017.

Our plush Kigelia Suite, perched on the river banks, is twice the size of our London apartment and within steps of those hungry hippos. Built in the style of a Bedouin tent, its an inside-outside haven decked out in stylish African furniture and boasts a large living area, private bar and dining room. Theres a spacious decking with our own infinity pool where the local elephants have been known to dip their trunks for a drink. In the mornings, you wake up to those hippos, and at night, you fall asleep to bewitching sounds of the wild.

Lucy stayed in the plush Kigelia Suite, pictured, which she described as being 'twice the size of our London apartment and within steps of those hungry hippos'

Lucy said that she was presented with cold towels and had her mini-bar restocked at 'every opportunity'

At sunrise, we breakfast on the communal timber deck and watch dozens of elephants feeding on a nearby island. When the river is low, guests can have lunch on a nearby sandbank with their feet dipped into the water. During our stay, were taken for lunch on a nearby island.

At every opportunity, we are presented with cold towels, have our minibar restocked and asked what our sundowner of choice is that day. Our Muchinda, Arnold, attends to our every whim  I could get used to this.

One night, he draws me a bath in our luxurious egg-shaped tub and sprinkles the bathroom floor with candles. Another night, he lays out a romantic dinner for me and my husband on our decking. We are also treated to a three-course meal beside the camps swimming pool which melts into the Zambezi.

Were plied with copious amounts of South African wine and sublime dishes of steak and salmon cooked by Sausage Trees culinary team.

The Kigelia suite is built in the style of a Bedouin tent - an 'inside-outside haven decked out in stylish African furniture', with a well-appointed en-suite, pictured

Sausage Tree Camp's honeymoon suite notches up the luxury levels even more

Aside from the top-notch service and luxurious creature comforts, Sausage Tree Camp and the Lower Zambezi National Park are renowned for having some of the best guiding on the planet. Wildlife guides must pass strict exams to secure jobs here. So, they have encyclopaedic knowledge and eyes sharper than an African hawks.

Sausage Tree Camp only accommodates a maximum of 16 guests at any one time and so game drives are ultra-bespoke. The sheer concentration of elephants here is extraordinary. We watch mothers with their infants, lone bulls stretching their trunks to feed from the winter thorn trees and bachelor herds bathing in the swamps. The scenery in the wetlands has me transfixed.

We spot waterbuck, impalas, porcupines, buffalos, mongoose and a kaleidoscope of colourful birdlife. The leopards sadly remain elusive. But the variety  and unpredictability - of the wildlife makes these game drives seriously addictive. Especially when you factor in those sunset G&Ts.

The excitement steps up a notch when we hit the water. Honeymooners can get their fill of romance with a sunset cruise down the Zambezi and youll also get some brag-worthy instagram shots of elephants grazing in the African sun.

Lucy took this stunning snap of elephants during a boat trip on the Zambezi - the fourth-longest river in Africa

Guests at Sausage Tree navigate the Zambezi in fibre-glass canoes with a guide making sure sandbanks - and hippos - are avoided

If youre up for some adrenaline, look no further. Dodging hippos in a paddle boat is enough to get my heart rate up. So is a chat with our guide about the time two tourists capsized in the hippo-infested river (its ok, no one was hurt and incidents like this are extremely rare).

Thankfully, theyve ditched the traditional wooden mokoros for fibre glass canoes and my guide sits behind me, navigating the sandbanks and depths of the Zambezi with the precision of a London cabbie.

Still, its hard not to feel vulnerable when there are two of Africas deadliest animals  hippos and crocs  lurking in the waters beside you. We pass buffalo who stare and stamp their feet at us from the waters edge. And the haunting echo of a lions roar on the riverbanks sends a shiver down my spine. When we stop for a coffee break on a nearby island, Alex tells me elephants have just visited.

But this is the magic of the Lower Zambezi National Park  the wildlife is everywhere you look. When I return to camp, longing for a dip in my plunge pool, I casually stroll past the monkeys that play outside my tent. I realise Ive become completely at ease with nature.

Sausage Tree Camp will do that to you.
Its currently costs around 5,000 to fly from London to the US and back in business class.

But a bizarre new hack will bag you the same journey for just 400 - less than you'd even pay in economy. The steps, however, are somewhat tedious.

It involves booking the flights through Scandinavian operator SAS using air miles, which you can earn by renting a car from Hertz for a day. The catch? You have to do it 20 times.

A curious new hack will bag you return flights from Europe to the US or Asia in business class with SAS airlines (pictured) for just 400 - cheaper than in economy

For anyone with enough time on their hands, or who lives conveniently close to a Hertz centre, this must just be viable.

The hack, uncovered by travel expert Gilbert Ott, the man behind God Save The Points, works as follows.

Hertz is currently offering 5,000 air miles for every one-day car rental worldwide.

SAS offers business class flights between Europe and the US or Asia (in either direction) for 100,000 miles.

The trick involves booking the flights using air miles, which you can earn by renting a car from Hertz for the day. The catch? You have to do it 20 times over (stock image)

At a rate of 5,000 SAS miles for each one-day Hertz rental, you'd need 20 days. And it's not hard to find daily rental rates starting at around 20.

Annoyingly, you can't just rent a car for 20 days straight. That would border on convenient.

You'll literally need to rent a car for a full day, return it, and then repeat the process 20 times over - a move sure to elicit some funny looks at the depot.

Still, it's bound to be an option for the most committed bargain-lovers among us.

Driving licences at the ready.
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Finland has been named the safest country in the world for holidaymakers to visit in a prestigious new report.

The UAE and Iceland scored second and third place respectively in the ranking, which looks at the extent to which a country exposes tourists and business to security risks including violence and terrorism.

Shockingly, the United Kingdom languishes in 78th place below Zimbabwe in 60th. Despite its popularity as a top tourism destination, the United States limps in at 84th.

Finland has been named the safest country in the world for holidaymakers to visit in an influential new report

Oman took fourth place, followed closely by Hong Kong, Singapore and Norway in fifth, sixth and seventh place respectively.

Switzerland scored eighth, Rwanda soared to ninth and Qatar rounded out the top ten.

The safety and security rating was one section of a biennial report from the Geneva-based World Economic Forum. The risk of becoming a victim to petty crime was not included in the category.

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report ranked 136 countries on factors and policies that influence the travel and tourism sector and contribute to a countrys development and competitiveness.

The least safe destination in the world was revealed to be Colombia, followed by war-torn Yemen and El Salvador. Popular vacation spot Egypt ranked 130th, followed by politically tumultuous Venezuela in 131st, then Nigeria in 132nd and Pakistan 133th.

The safety category of The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2017 from the World Economic Forum rated 136 countries

While the UK maintained its fifth position overall, it only scored 78th in the safety and security section of the report

Spain, meanwhile, has been crowned the worlds most tourist-friendly country in the report thanks to its cultural and natural offerings, along with its top tourism infrastructure.

Despite the terrorist atrocities that have blighted France in recent years, it defeated its European rivals to take second place, buoyed by its cultural strengths.

Germany took third place, Japan soared into fourth, from ninth in 2015, while the UK retained its fifth place position.

Spain has been crowned the worlds most tourist-friendly country thanks to its cultural and natural offerings, along with its top tourism infrastructure and airline connectivity

TOP 10 COUNTRIES OVERALL 1. Spain 2. France 3. Germany 4. Japan 5. United Kingdom 6. United States 7. Australia 8. Italy 9. Canada 10. Switzerland Source: World Economic Forum Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report Advertisement

The United States claimed the sixth spot, followed by Australia at seventh then Italy, Canada and Switzerland in eighth, ninth and tenth place respectively.

Each country receives a score in categories, from hygiene and information technology to safety and security, with the final rankings being determined by an average.

War-torn Yemen ranked bottom of the report, followed by Chad, Burundi and the Congo.

Europe had the strongest travel and tourism competitiveness in the world welcoming 1.2billion international visitors in 2016. Its advantage is attributed to strong health and hygiene standards, cultural richness and safety.

Japan topped the list of the most improved countries followed by Azerbaijan and Tajikistan. Japan was rated highly due to its unique cultural appeal and it was noted that its excellent for business travel.

The report found that outbound travel from Africa, the Middle East and Asia Pacific is expected to boom in the coming decade.
This footage of a pilot skilfully landing an aeroplane in high winds has really taken off on the internet.

The cool-as-a-cucumber pilot was filmed performing his difficult descent and landing as he came in to an airport in the city of Novosibirsk in south central Russia's Novosibirsk Oblast region.

The video was posted on social media and has over 203,000 views at the time of writing.

Footage of a pilot skilfully landing an aeroplane in high winds has really taken off on the internet

The cool-as-a-cucumber pilot was filmed performing his difficult descent and landing as he came in to an airport in the city of Novosibirsk in south central Russia's Novosibirsk Oblast region

The footage shows the plane rattling and shaking as it arrives in Novosibirsk from Hong Kong.

An automated voice counts down the altitude in tens of feet until it reaches ten, then the unnamed pilot touches his wheels to the tarmac with a thump.

The high winds had forced the pilots to disengage the autopilot at 500 metres (1,640ft) altitude.

The unnamed cockpit crew member who shot the video said: 'The plane was not too light, and because of the wind we had to maintain a high speed.'

An automated voice counts down the altitude in tens of feet until it reaches ten, then the unnamed pilot touches his wheels to the tarmac with a thump

Currently the pilot works for the AirBridgeCargo Company.

Meteorologists explained that the strong wind was felt during the landing because of an upcoming cyclone, which was headed for the nearby Tomsk Oblast.

The wind was so strong that it demolished bus stops, ripped the roof off at least one building, felled trees and shattered fences.
They welcomed him into the world on Saturday, and brought him into the family home on Monday.

Now Joanna and George Burgess are getting on with the business of bonding with their bundle of joy, Boston.

Joanna shared an adorable photo to Instagram on Monday showing a shirtless George on the couch, with baby Boston wrapped lovingly in a blanket sitting in his dad's lap.

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And baby makes three: After welcoming him home on Monday, George and Joanna Burgess are getting on with bonding with their new bundle of joy, Boston

The UK born South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league star looks on lovingly at his newborn, while the family dog naps next to dad and son. With his hand placed lovingly on his son's chest, George looks every bit the doting dad.

Joanna captioned the the photo with a simple 'home', with fans quick to offer messages of congratulations and support.

'My goodness SO cute and such a mini George,' Monique Carroll, wife of former Manly Sea Eagles star Mark 'Spud' Carroll, commented, while another fan echoed the sentiment with 'He looks so much like George right now. Super cute. Congratulations and God bless xxx.'

Previously, Joanna shared a video to her Instagram Story of her son nestled in her arms as her footy player hubby did sit ups on the floor of what appeared to be their bedroom.

'Stretch for dad, feed for mum and Bossy' the 24-year-old captioned the video, in which Boston is nestled in her arms as she reclines on a armchair.

Warm welcome: He came into the world on Saturday and on Monday, Joanna and George Burgess welcomed their son Boston Mark Burgess home

Joanna shared a second image of her son, nicknamed 'Bossy,' laying in his pram.

'Quick spin around the block with mini George,' she captioned the cute picture in which Boston is soundly sleeping.

George took to Instagram on Sunday to announce that Boston Mark Burgess was born at 10.51pm on Saturday night, and shared the first images of the bub.

One image showed Boston sleeping on his mother's chest, with the 24-year-old praising his stunning wife for being 'an absolute machine' throughout the process.

So cute! Joanna shared a video to her Instagram Story of her son nestled in her arms as her footy player hubby did sit ups on the floor of what appeared to be their bedroom

Home time: Joanna shared a video to her Instagram Story of her son nestled in her arms as her footy player hubby did sit ups on the floor of what appeared to be their bedroom

Baby bliss! Joanna and George welcomed adorable baby Boston Mark Burgess into the world at 10.51pm Saturday night, with George breaking the news on Sunday

'Boston Mark Burgess April 8, 2017 @ 10:51pm 56cm / 4.08kg,' George wrote in the caption.

In a touching moment, he lavished praise on Joanna, 28, adding: '@joanna.m.burgess is an absolute machine, Our little boy, well he is just perfect isn't he!'

And their perfect child was afforded a stunning image to match, the snap revealing Boston was already sporting some impressive blonde locks like his superstar dad.

Nap time! Taking to his Instagram story minutes after the announcement, the hunk shared a heartwarming snap giving fans an even better look at the adorable bub

Family time: George's sister-in-law Phoebe and her husband Sam met baby Boston for the first time at the hospital

Wrapped in a soft grey blanket, he curled his tiny hand onto his mother's chest, which she partially covered in a grey jacket.

Taking to his Instagram story minutes after the announcement, the hunk shared a heartwarming snap giving fans an even better look at the adorable bub.

Precious: Another aunty Tessa Boehm was pictured cradling the bub

In the image, the proud parents sat together as Joanna placed her hand atop her hubby's.

'What a little champion our boy is!!' he wrote in the caption.
Charlize Theron used her 4in patent leather spiked pumps in an epic car fight scene in the new Atomic Blonde trailer Focus Features unveiled on Tuesday.

As undercover MI6 Agent Lorraine Broughton, the 41-year-old Oscar winner and her cherry-red heel easily out-muscled two henchmen holding her hostage in a speeding car.

It's no wonder David Leitch, the director of John Wick, helmed the action-packed spy thriller, which hits US/UK theaters on July 28.

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Deadly: Charlize Theron used her 4in patent leather spiked pumps in an epic car fight scene in the new Atomic Blonde trailer Focus Features unveiled on Tuesday

Badass: As undercover MI6 Agent Lorraine Broughton, the 41-year-old Oscar winner and her cherry-red heel easily out-muscled two henchmen holding her hostage in a speeding car

However, the vehicular hand-to-hand combat was suspiciously similar to a memorable sequence in Gareth Evans' Indonesian martial arts crime sequel The Raid 2 from 2014.

And even the murder-by-footwear was a tactic last used to great effect by Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female back in 1992.

After Charlize's Lorraine managed to kick one henchman out of the moving car, she then strangled the driver with his own seatbelt.

The resulting car crash served as a humorous introduction to James McAvoy as Broughton's seemingly sweet contact David Percival, who gallantly retrieved her shoe.

Hitting US/UK theaters on July 28! It's no wonder David Leitch, the director of John Wick, helmed the action-packed spy thriller

Copycat? The vehicular hand-to-hand combat was suspiciously similar to a memorable sequence in Gareth Evans' Indonesian martial arts crime sequel The Raid 2 from 2014

Horror classic: And even the murder-by-footwear was a tactic last used to great effect by Jennifer Jason Leigh in Single White Female back in 1992

Theron's impressive savagery will surely rival Gal Gadot's idealistic Wonder Woman as the long-awaited superhero flick will already be in theaters by Atomic Blonde's release.

The South African stunner - who was also a producer - transformed into a full-blown action star with help from her team of eight trainers and months of gym time.

'It was so hard. Are you kidding me?' Charlize confessed at the SXSW premiere on March 12 - according to Variety.

Daring escape: After Charlize's Lorraine managed to kick one henchman out of the moving car, she then strangled the driver with his own seatbelt

'Welcome to Berlin': The resulting car crash served as an introduction to James McAvoy as Broughton's seemingly sweet contact David Percival, who gallantly retrieved her shoe

Blonde vs. brunette: Theron's impressive savagery will surely rival Gal Gadot's idealistic Wonder Woman as the superhero flick will already be in theaters by Atomic Blonde's release

'I was like, "We're going to pretend [all those stunts] right?" David [Leitch] was like, "No you're actually going to throw big dudes." Alright! Let's throw some big dudes.'

The Women's Marcher just underwent her fourth root canal thanks to cracking two molars 'clenching while fighting' on the set of Atomic Blonde.

'My teeth are in bad shape,' Theron sighed. 'And I'm still f***ing dealing with it.'

'It was so hard!' The South African stunner - who was also a producer - transformed into a full-blown action star with help from her team of eight trainers and months of gym time

Charlize confessed at the SXSW premiere on March 12: 'I was like, "We're going to pretend [all those stunts] right?" David [Leitch] was like, "No you're actually going to throw big dudes." Alright! Let's throw some big dudes'

'And I'm still f***ing dealing with it': The Women's Marcher just underwent her fourth root canal thanks to cracking two molars 'clenching while fighting' on the set of Atomic Blonde

Luckily for her, early reviews have been mostly positive for the Communist espionage movie - set in Berlin circa 1989 - with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 76 percent.

Atomic Blonde - formerly known as The Coldest City - was adapted from the 2012 graphic novel written by Antony Johnston and illustrated by Sam Hart.

The film's ensemble also includes John Goodman, Toby Jones, Sofia Boutella, and Charlize's frequent castmate, Eddie Marsan.

Lesbian sex scene: Early reviews have been mostly positive for the Communist espionage movie - set in Berlin circa 1989 - with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 76 percent

Formerly known as The Coldest City: Atomic Blonde was adapted from the 2012 graphic novel written by Antony Johnston and illustrated by Sam Hart
She's more known for drunkenly wetting herself on Geordie Shore.

But Charlotte Crosby has tried her hand in acting, as the latest episode of Drunk History reveals.

The 26-year-old reality star looked a far cry from her usual self as she went for minimal make-up and period costume.

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New direction? Charlotte Crosby has tried her hand in acting, as the latest episode of Drunk History reveals

Pulling her hair off her face with a traditional white bonnet, she revealed a face of minimal make-up.

And getting fully into character, she wore a traditional Victorian multi-layered dress, making a convincing Hannah Ayscough.

She's tasked with telling Isaac Newton to ditch his dreams of university, and focus on a career in farming.

Meanwhile comedian Phil Wang will be downing shots and trying to recall the life of one of the most influential scientists of all time.

Unrecognisable: The 26-year-old reality star looked a far cry from her usual self as she went for minimal make-up and period costume

Bare faced: Pulling her hair off her face with a traditional white bonnet, she revealed a face of minimal make-up

Drunk History features a variety of comedians tasked with getting extremely inebriated and attempting to tell a true historical story they are passionate about.

A host of well-known -but sober- actors and celebrities then join in to act out the new, rather blurry versions of history.

Chris ODowd, Matthew Lewis, Charlotte Crosby, Stephanie Pratt, Michelle Keegan, Emma Bunton, Jamie Laing, Stephen Mangan, John Thomson, Jessica Hynes and Joel Fry are just some of the stars in the new series.

Getting fully into character: She wore a traditional Victorian multi-layered dress, making a convincing Hannah Ayscough

And the blind-drunk comedians include Joel Dommett, James Murr Murray, Sal Vulcano, Brian Q Quinn, Joe Lycett, Luisa Omielan, Russell Kane, Kerry Howard and Judi Love, with Jimmy Carr returning to provide the voice over.

This series will see the intoxicated comedians regaling the historical stories of The Great Train Robbery, Shakespeare, Dambusters and William Wallace, to name a few, as an all-star cast attempts to re-enact their slightly embellished versions of these well known tales .

Drunk History airs on Wednesdays at 10pm on Comedy Central UK.
She looks like she's been having the time of her life on holidays with boyfriend Taylor Lautner.

But according to Billie Lourd's uncle, she is just putting on a brave face.

The late Carrie Fisher's brother Todd told Us Weekly his niece is 'struggling'.

Missed: The late Carrie Fisher's brother Todd has revealed his niece Billie Lourd id 'struggling' since the death of her mother Carrie Fisher

'You know, shes 24 years old and just took a huge shot,' he said.

'You can see her on Instagram sucking it up and acting like everythings fine, but its very tough.'

The actress was dealt a cruel double blow in December when her mother unexpectedly passed away one day followed by her grandmother Debbie Reynolds the very next.

'We took this huge loss,' Todd said. 'They were no small girls. They were no small change.

Time off: Billie has been enjoying a PDA-filled Caribbean getaway with her Twilight star beau of four months

'When they left the planet, they left a lot of people kind of shaken. And were no exception to that.'

He said the surviving family's faith has helped them come to terms with the loss.

'Were people of faith  my mother raised us that way, and we believe we will all meet again,' he said. 'And without those thoughts, it would all be pretty depressing. It would be wholly unacceptable to think wed never meet again.'

Strength: He said the surviving family's faith has helped them come to terms with the loss

Painful: The actress was dealt a cruel double blow in December when her mother unexpectedly passed away one day followed by her grandmother Debbie Reynolds the very next (pictured Jan 2015)

According to Todd, the Scream Queens star will pull through because she is strong like the two late actresses.

'Shes going to pull through. Shes just going to limp along a little bit. And shes an excellent actress,' he said.

Billie has been enjoying a PDA-filled Caribbean getaway with her Twilight star beau of four months.
He's the self-proclaimed 'Australian Paris Hilton'.

But despite comparing himself to the controversial American socialite, Kurt Coleman says he doesn't need 'drama to have a fun life'.

The 20-year-old launched into an impassioned Instagram post on Wednesday, beside a thoughtful-looking shot of him standing on a rooftop wearing only a towel.

No dramas: Despite comparing himself to the controversial American socialite Paris Hilton, Kurt Coleman says he doesn't need 'drama to have a fun life'

He wrote: 'I'm above the bulls*** in life. You don't need drama to have a fun life or heaps of friends in your life. All you need is a few real people around you and your own self.'

The Queenslander, who has often declared himself to be 'perfect' since he found fame in 2014, added that sometimes prefers his own company.

'Actually, you don't even need anyone around you sometimes... I love being by myself cause I love my own company...' he said.

'I'm above the bulls*** in life': The 20-year-old launched into an impassioned Instagram post on Wednesday

The main man: The Queenslander, who has often declared himself to be 'perfect' since he found fame in 2014, added that sometimes prefers his own company

Meanwhile, Kurt has been keeping fans entertained by sharing hilarious videos of his driving lessons as part of a collaboration with driving school L Trent.

The selfie star posted episode two of his driving journey to Facebook, last week, with roundabouts and blind spots on the agenda.

There was cause for concern from the get-go, with Kurt offering: 'Yeah, I get it, but I just don't think I need to give way to anyone because, you know, they should just give way to me,' at the start of the clip.

Give way: Kurt posted episode two of his driving journey to Facebook, last week, with roundabouts and blind spots on the agenda

Upon successfully navigating his first roundabout, and getting a 'good work' from long-suffering instructor Scott, Kurt's confidence was obvious.

'Cause I'm, like so smart and everything, like I literally can do it,' he exclaimed.

While Scott suggested it was due to the teacher, Kurt had other ideas.

'Yeah, but, I think it just comes natural to me, you know,' he said.

Licence to drive: Upon successfully navigating his first roundabout, and getting a 'good work' from long-suffering instructor Scott, Kurt's confidence was obvious

Road hog: It wasn't all plain sailing though, with an impatient driver giving Kurt a hurry-up beep while waiting at an intersection. 'Shut up,' he returned. 'Obviously I have to wait.'

It wasn't all plain sailing though, with an impatient driver giving Kurt a hurry-up beep while waiting at an intersection.

'Shut up,' he returned. 'Obviously I have to wait.'

Moments later, the offending vehicle passes Kurt's and the gloves come off.

'Is this that people [sic]? I wanna put the finger up at them.'

And the cheeky social media star did just that as they passed, with the 20-year-old offering 'What a b**ch! Like, obviously, get off my road.'
She told a magazine that she's never been in this kind of love before.

And Khloe Kardashian upped things another level with boyfriend Tristan Thompson, as she made it a family affair to pay a visit to his home-town.

The 32-year-old reality television star brought sisters Kim and Kourtney to see the sights of Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday, as it looked like her romantic relationship was getting even more serious.

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Making like kids! Khloe Kardashian was joined by sisters Kim and Kourtney for a trip to her boyfriend Tristan Thompson's home town of Cleveland, Ohio

The sisters acted like total kids at heart, as Khloe exlaimed: 'This is so f***ing cool,' when they had an amusement arcade all to themselves.

They were seen - and heard - screeching as they slid down a multi-coloured humped slide in the arcade.

They also hit up the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, sharing images of memorabilia from some of the biggest legends in the music industry.

Family outing: Kim joined in the fun as they went on rides as an arcade

Kim, Kourtney and Khloe all Snapchatted images of the Michael Jackson exhibit, as well as sharing snaps of James Brown's outfits.

They appeared to be filming for their E! show, as television cameras could be seen in some of their social media posts.

Khloe showcased her maternal side as she coo-ed over a pregnant goat, which was in a pen.

Swinging in: Kourtney was also on hand for the fun times they shared with Snapchat followers

Petal power: Kim used her filters to add a floral garland

Smiling: She looked to be having a good time

Argh! Kim pulled a face to indicate she is scared of the ride

In love: Khloe showed her maternal side as she admired the goats

'I am in love with this little thing,' she captioned.

Kim, 36, upon meeting the same goats, gave a surprising diss about her husband.

'There are so many Kanyes in here,' she quipped whilst showing the goats on her Snapchat.

Kim also wasted no time adding a floral filter as she filmed herself going round on a swing ride.

Long live rock: The 32-year-old reality television star brought sisters Kim and Kourtney to see the sights of Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday

Khloe was getting ready to support her 6ft 9in tall Canadian beau, alongside her family, at Wednesday's game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers player will be up against Toronto Raptors. Tristan was born in Toronto.

They only came out officially as a couple six weeks ago, after dating since September.

Cheers! Kourtney had a large drink lined up which was conspicuously close to the bottle of Grey Goose

On the slide: The sisters experienced a few bumps and a sinking feeling

High pitched: There was some eardrum splitting screaming from the girls as they went down this children's ride

High flyer: Kim said she was scared on the pirate ship, as they had the place to themselves with their pals

Sealed with a kiss: Khloe was focussed on love, even of these sea lions, who were, for some reason, walking around

And Khloe candidly revealing in an interview with this weeks ES Magazine that she would love to start a family with boyfriend Tristan.

The Keeping Up With The Kardashians star said: I would love to have a family. Weve talked about it. [Tristan already] is a father, and I know for a fact that he would be an impeccable father.

'I definitely want to be a mom. But I dont put the pressure on it. Its not like, the clock is ticking. I feel in my soul it will happen.

Furry days: Khloe shared a snap with her squad in fur in Cleveland - half-sisters Kylie and Kourtney were missing

Revealing that there are no immediate plans to walk down the aisle, Khloe - whose divorce from Lamar Odom was finalised last year - confessed to the publication that she has never been in this type of love, and coyly admitted she would accept a proposal from him.

Tristan's ex, Jordan Craig, gave birth to their son Prince Thompson on Dec. 12th in Los Angeles.

Khloe reportedly chartered a private jet to ensure Tristan was able to get there from Cleveland, Ohio, in time for the birth.

Close: Khloe recently shared this picture of the couple gazing into each other's eyes

Hugs: The 6ft 9in basketball player enveloped Khloe in this picture, which she also posted

Hot bods: They came out on social media recently, she shared a snap of them on vacation
It's not been the best of weeks for Kendall Jenner.

The reality star, 21 arrived back home to Los Angeles Friday amid a storm of controversy over her Pepsi ad which has been pulled by the soda giant because of the backlash.

Then on Tuesday, according to TMZ, she came close to having an unwanted snooper at her Hollywood Hills home.

Scare: There was more drama for Kendall Jenner Tuesday after her security team called cops over a man with a drone near her home, TMZ reported. She's pictured in LA in March

Luxury pad: The reality star, 21, purchased the Hollywood property last June. Since then she's had an issue with a stalker and been a victim of an alleged burglary

The gossip site reported that LAPD officers were called to the residence after Kendall's security team spotted a young man with a drone parking up on the street nearby.

Citing law enforcement sources, TMZ said officers checked the guy out and searched the trunk of his car and then let him go since he hadn't done anything illegal.

It's not known if the Keeping Up With The Kardashians castmember was home at the time.

Controversial role: It's not been a good week for Kendall whose Pepsi ad was pulled by the soda giant after a huge backlash

The daughter of Kris and Caitlyn Jenner bought the property from Hollywood stars Emily Blunt and John Krasinski in June last year.

In October, a homeless man was convicted of stalking Kendall at her new home in August.

She testified in court that she had been frightened after she drove around him and discovered he'd followed her car into her gated driveway as she entered.

And last month, she claimed she'd been the victim of a robbery after discovering $200,000-worth of jewelry missing from her home.
He was spotted heading to Harley Street on Monday to get more botox and fillers.

And Human Ken Doll Rodrigo Alves appeared happy with the results as he enjoyed dinner in London on Tuesday night.

The 33-year-old looked stylish in a snake-print blazer as he dined with a gal pal at the Novikov Restaurant.

Bold look: Human Ken Doll Rodrigo Alves looked stylish in a snake-print blazer as he enjoyed dinner in London on Tuesday night

Off-setting the bold statement piece, the plastic surgery fanatic opted for a tight-fitting black polo neck underneath, teamed with tailored black trousers.

He finished off the look with a pair of patent loafers on his feet and an eye-catching leather belt.

His friend Leanne McDonnell meanwhile opted for a feminine look, teaming a nude top with a pair of white palazzo trousers, before adding a pair of snake-skin heels to complement Rodrigo's jacket.

Night out: His appearance came after he headed to Harley Street on Monday to get more botox and fillers

Fashion-forward: Off-setting the snake-print jacket, the plastic surgery fanatic opted for a tight-fitting black polo neck underneath, teamed with tailored black trousers

Rodrigo is known for his love of extreme makeovers and has spent a whopping 398,000 on 57 surgeries in order to alter his look.

His visit to Harley Street on Monday came after Rodrigo revealed he'd had liposuction in his back, waist and legs.

His decision to undergo the treatment came after he gained two stone in weight and found himself subjected to taunts online as a result.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Rodrigo explained that he'd had the fat injected into his bottom instead to give his posterior a lift.

Gal pal: Rodrigo stepped out for dinner with friend Leanne McDonnell, who opted for a feminine look

Stylish: She teamed a nude top with a pair of white palazzo trousers, accessorising with a large cream tote bag

He said: 'I tried working out but it hurt my body too much so I went to an Istanbul beauty spa for 10 days and had three litres of fat removed and injected into my butt.

'It's the second butt lift I've had in a fortnight and it looks so good now. I love dancing around my room and shaking it, although it's been hard to squeeze into my skinny jeans.'

Reflecting on the cosmetic work he has undergone over the years, he added: 'I've now had 55 plastic surgeries and 107 procedures so I think I am transforming from the Human Ken Doll into Peter Pan.

Matching: Leanne followed Rodrigo's lead by going for a pair of snake print heels

'I don't want to age and I think that I'm doing a great job of it.'

Rodrigo insisted that more work is still on the cards for him and spoke of his plans to have his tenth nose job, along with an 'eye colour change' surgery.

'People say I'm a freak and addicted to surgery,' he claimed. 'But I don't want to look like anyone else. I want to stand out.'

Stepping out: The pair were seen arriving at the Novikov restaurant in London earlier in the day
She never has been one to hold back.

And sharing everything from her childhood to her relationships that have played out in the public eye, Marnie Simpson has promised fans her debut autobiography will be 'SUCH a good read'.

The reality star confirmed the release on social media on Tuesday and promised to tell-all in no doubt an explosive account of her journey to stardom so far.

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Stripped bare: Marnie Simpson has confirmed she will release her debut tell-all autobiography in June

Sharing the front cover of her book - aptly titled Stripped Bare - to her Instagram page, Marnie revealed her excitement over her latest project and promised an honest account of her life behind-the-scenes.

She penned: 'So guys I have some really exciting news! I can reveal I'm releasing my autobiography, STRIPPED BARE, on June 1st.

'From Geordie girl to Geordie Shore, I reveal all. It's going to be SUCH a good read. As everyone is aware I'm not a normal girl and I'm certainly not perfect, this book is my say on everything from my life, problems, secrets and [of] course my relationships.

'I'm so excited to share it with all of you just so [you] can truly meet the real me and not just the face on the screen.

'I can't explain how scary it's been to be so open': The Geordie Shore star teased that she has been extremely forthcoming in her debut autobiography

She continued: 'From secrets to confessions and everything else, it's been an epic experience writing my story and I hope you all love it.

'And I really can't explain how scary it's been to be so open in this book - I just hope everyone will now understand that my life isn't a fairy-tale and most of you can actually relate to many of my struggles.'

It's believed Marnie will address her time on Geordie Shore and reveal her version of events when it comes to her on/off relationship with Aaron Chalmers.

She will also cover her time in the Celebrity Big Brother house where she met her ex-boyfriend Lewis Bloor.

Juicy read: She is set to tell all on her stint in Celebrity Big Brother where she met ex-beau Lewis Bloor and their relationship, as well as her on/off romance with Aaron Chalmers

Prior to appearing on the show, Marnie had appeared to rekindle her romance with Aaron during filming for Geordie Shore's 13th series.

However, viewers later saw her fall in love with Lewis onscreen and the pair continued their romance on the outside, before dramatically splitting in February this year when it was revealed Lewis had been unfaithful.

A video emerged of Lewis kissing another girl on Valentine's Day and he later confessed to cheating on Marnie during a romantic break they had taken to Barcelona following their time in the CBB house.

Marnie isn't the first of her co-stars to release her autobiography and follows in the footsteps of Charlotte Crosby, Holly Hagan, Vicky Pattison and Scotty T.

Her exciting announcement comes after she recently caused a stir after jetting off on holiday with her former beau Lewis.

Back to work: The starlet's exciting announcement comes after she recently jetted off to Dubai with former flame Lewis

'We still have a bond like no other': She claimed the couple had 'salvaged a friendship' on their trip which was purposely booked so they could resolve their issues following their messy split

The couple had ventured to Dubai together in a bid to 'salvage their friendship' following their messy split.

Marnie insisted that the pair hadn't got back together on the trip, but claimed Dubai had been the 'cure' to the pair resolving their issues.

Addressing her situation with her ex, Marnie told her 2.5million followers on the photo-sharing site: 'This was a holiday for me and Lewis to get away from all the stress and salvage some sort of a friendship.

'To talk and get to to a good place again as we both have big places for each other in our hearts... we still have a bond like no other.'

However, their getaway appeared to turn sour as video footage - filmed by an onlooker at the hotel the ex-couple were staying at - showed Marnie in a heated row with Lewis accusing him of 'stealing her bank card'.

He later denied the claims and branded them 'absolutely ridiculous'.
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.
Kelsey Grammer and his fourth wife Kayte Walsh took their baby boy Auden James Ellis to lunch at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills on Wednesday.

At 62, the five-time Emmy winner is 25 years older than the British blonde, who was already back in her skinny jeans four months after welcoming their third child.

The Bunyan and Babe actor and the former flight attendant - who met on a plane to England in 2009 - are also parents to son Kelsey Jr., 2; and daughter Faith, 4.

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Family time: Kelsey Grammer and his fourth wife Kayte Walsh took their baby boy Auden James Ellis to lunch at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills on Wednesday

Met in 2009: At 62, the five-time Emmy winner is 25 years older than the British blonde, who was already back in her skinny jeans four months after welcoming their third child

Whoa daddy! The Bunyan and Babe actor - who was born in the Virgin Islands and raised in Florida - has fathered seven children with four different women

Virgin Islands-born, Florida-raised Grammer has fathered seven children with four different women.

Kelsey (born Allen) has two children - son Jude, 12; and daughter Mason, 15 - with ex-wife #3 Camille Donatacci, whom he reportedly dumped via text a year after meeting Katye.

'I always thought that once I got married it was forever,' the 48-year-old RHOBH alum said at the FECs Annual Impact Awards on March 11 - according to Us Weekly.

Jilted: Kelsey (born Allen) has two children - son Jude, 12; and daughter Mason, 15 - with ex-wife #3 Camille Donatacci, whom he reportedly dumped via text a year after meeting Katye

The 48-year- old RHOBH alum said at the FECs Annual Impact Awards on March 11: 'Kelsey changes marriages like he changes characters, you know, for movies or shows'

'#nationalsiblingday': The registered Republican is also father to a 33-year-old daughter Spencer (with ex-wife #1 Doreen Alderman) and 25-year-old daughter Greer (with ex-girlfriend Barrie Buckner)

'My ex didn't think that. You never know with Kelsey. He changes marriages like he changes characters, you know, for movies or shows. But yes, I'm open to love, absolutely. And marriage, yes.'

The registered Republican is also father to a 33-year-old daughter Spencer (with ex-wife #1 Doreen Alderman) and 25-year-old daughter Greer (with ex-girlfriend Barrie Buckner).

The Color Purple producer will next play studio head Pat Brady alongside Trevor Einhorn in The Last Tycoon, which airs this June on Amazon Video following last year's pilot.

Airing this June on Amazon Video! The Color Purple producer will next play studio head Pat Brady alongside Trevor Einhorn (R) in The Last Tycoon following last year's pilot

Friday on set: The 1936-set Hollywood series also features Whitney Rice (L), Lily Collins (M), Jennifer Marsala (R), Matt Bomer, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Jennifer Beals

The 1936-set Hollywood series also features Whitney Rice, Lily Collins, Jennifer Marsala, Matt Bomer, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Jennifer Beals.

Grammer will also continue voicing a scholarly six-eyed, four-armed troll called Blinky in the 13-episode second season of Trollhunters, which streams on Netflix later this year.

Guillermo del Toro's CG-animated series also features voice talent from Ron Perlman, Steven Yeun, Clancy Brown, Tom Hiddleston, and the late Anton Yelchin.

Streaming on Netflix later this year! Grammer will also continue voicing a scholarly six-eyed, four-armed troll called Blinky in the 13-episode second season of Trollhunters
She's the up-and-coming Australian actress who, at just 19 years of age, has already picked up a coveted AACTA award before shifting her career to a Hollywood focus.

But Sydney-born Odessa Young has returned home to shoot a new series, High Life, starring in a new, darkly comic six-part series tackling the topic of bipolar disorder that airs from this week.

For High Life the rising star played Genevieve, an overachieving 17-year-old, who experiences the effects of bipolar disorder for the first time.

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Hitting the High Life: Odessa Young has returned home to shoot a new series, starring in a new, darkly comic six-part series tackling the topic of bipolar disorder that airs from this week

The series is a follow-up to director Luke Eve's acclaimed web series Low Life, which focused on dealing with depression.

Produced by UK comedy icon Stephen Fry (QI, Blackadder) High Life also stars fellow Aussie up-and-comers Benson jack Anthony (800 Words), Luke Pegler (Hacksaw Ridge) and Madeline Madden (Redfern Now).

Speaking to TheFIX, Odessa said that she hoped the six-part series would go some way to changing people's perceptions about the disorder.

Raising awareness: Speaking to TheFIX, Odessa said that she hoped the six-part series would go some way to changing people's perceptions about the disorder

'A lot of media about bipolar disorder treats this illness like it's the end of the world,' she said.

'It's about time that we're able to say that this illness is not the end of someone's life.

With a resume that already includes TV credits including Tricky Business, The Moodys and Wonderland, along with big screen credits like The Daughter and Looking for Grace, it seems that Odessa's star is rising.

Rising star: With a resume that already includes such Australian TV credits as Tricky Business, The Moodys and Wonderland

Big screen talent: Odessa has also appeared in feature movies including The Daughter and Looking for Grace

She took won the award for best lead actress at the 2016 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA), for her role in The Daughter, which also starred Sam Neil and Geoffrey Rush.

The young thespian pipped Maeve Dermody, Maggie Naouri and Teresa Palmer for the gong.

Odessa is currently in the US, filming the cyber-hacking thriller Assassination Nation with Bill Skarsgard, Bella Thorne and Joel McHale.

The six-part HIGH Life will air on 9GO on Thursday from 10.15pm
Simon McQuillen and Alene Khatcherian fell in love on Married At First Sight.

And the blushing bride has revealed the struggles the couple endured to keep their relationship under wraps, in order not to spoil the ending for avid viewers.

Alene admitted to The Daily Telegraph the pair rarely saw each other when the show was on TV and that they were bombarded with fans probing whether they were an item.

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The exception to the rule! Simon McQuillen and Alene Khatcherian fell in love on Married At First Sight

'We especially didn't want to spoil it for the viewers,' she said. 'The most common question we got was "are you still together?".'

The couple spoke over the phone on a daily basis as the series captivated viewers, and they even managed a secret rendezvous to watch their wedding episode together.

And Simon said watching their journey on television had a profound effect on him.

Their little secret: And the blushing bride has revealed the struggles the couple endured to keep their relationship under wraps, in order not to spoil the ending for avid viewers

Keeping it quiet: Alene admitted to The Daily Telegraph the pair rarely saw each other when the show was on TV and that they were bombarded with fans probing whether they were an item

'[Watching it] was very humbling. It was interesting to see how we started off as complete and utter strangers and continued to grow into a relationship,' Simon said.

And as the happy couple prepare to start their future together, it appears that distance is certainly making their hearts grow fonder.

The duo, who live in separate cities, revealed last week that they have no immediate plans to live together.

Not moving anytime soon: Simon and Alene revealed this week that while they hope to eventually live together, they are happy living in different cities for now

'We are enjoying the distance relationship,' Sydney-based Alene told The Daily Telegraph of Queenslander Simon.

'The show just finished so we are just trying to learn the ropes. I have a lot to organise in my life and so does Simon so we aren't planning too far ahead.'

She added: 'We have daily contact and are going to try and see each other once a month.'

'It helped that she was a nurse as well!' Simon and Alene gush about their romance on Today

The smitten couple gushed about how their romance had managed to succeed despite cultural differences.

Simon and Alene revealed that it had been hard for them to overcome ethnic differences - with the Sydney nurse from a Lebanese family while Simon is a self-described 'ocker' Aussie.

'Look, I came to this experiment and I thought it's an opportunity, I want to give it all I've got. I got to know Simon and I knew he had so much potential,' Alene explained.

Hurdles: Simon and Alene revealed that it had been hard for them to overcome ethnic differences

Success: The couple have found love with each other despite differences in profession and ethnic background

'This is why I was like 'I'm not going to give up, I'm going to keep on trying', and look at the end it worked.'

Simon joked that his previous issues with severe epilepsy meant that Alene's chosen profession made the couple a perfect fit.

'I had a couple of issues along the way, health and stuff that knocked me flying. It helped that she was a nurse as well!' he said.
She's a successful actress who is about to star in the Dirty Dancing remake on ABC.

But Abigail Breslin, 20, decided to take on a big role in Sexual Assault Awareness Month when she bravely opened up about her own experience with sexual assault.

The actress made a statement with her simple Instagram post about consent.

'You are not obligated to have sex with someone that you're in a relationship with. Dating is not consent. Marriage is not consent,' the post read.

Breaks her silence: Abigail Breslin, 20, decided to take on a big role in Sexual Assault Awareness Month when she bravely opened up about her own experience with sexual assault

Simple, but powerful: The actress captioned the post with a simple 'I knew my assailant' and the hashtags #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth and #breakthesilence

She captioned it: 'I knew my assailant.'

The actress also included #SexualAssaultAwarenessMonth and #breakthesilence.

Abigail, who has spoken out about sexual assault in the past, is sharing that is happened to her personally for the first time in the simple, but powerful post.

Many of the comments on her Instagram post come from others who shared their own experiences.

She's sharing her story: Abigail, who has spoken out about sexual assault in the past, is sharing that is happened to her personally for the first time in the simple, but powerful post

Grateful: The actress took to Twitter to thanks fans for their support and for sharing their own experiences

One commenter wrote: 'My boyfriend in high school sexually abused me for a year. I was 17. I'm now 24 and I'm just now realizing what he did to me was abuse. I wanted to wait for marriage, but he used his love for me as an argument to get me to have sex with him. He would guilt me into it. This still haunts me to this day. Thank you for sharing this. It's so important.'

It's common: The actress is one of up to 25 percent of women who have experienced sexual assault by an intimate partner

Another admitted their experience for the first time: 'ik how you feel. An old friend tried to do the same to me and i haven't told anyone about it cause i was young at the time.'

'Mine was an ex boyfriend. I have been very happily married for 15 yrs, but those scars are still there,' another commented.

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence estimates 14 to 25 percent of women will be sexually assaulted by a partner they are intimate with.

The coalition reveals that sexual assault within a relationship is still a bit of a taboo subject as many Americans 'do not believe marital rape is actually rape' and women never report such incidents.

But they assert that just because you are in a relationship with someone, even a marriage, that person has no right to have sex with you whenever they want.

Women who are sexually assaulted by a partner 'suffer severe and long-lasting physical and mental health problems, similar to those of other rape victims.'

Sexual Assault Awareness Month runs through April.

Hard at work: The actress is hard at work filming the ABC TV remake of Dirty Dancing

Meanwhile, Abigail is currently filming the ABC TV movie remake of Dirty Dancing.

She stars in the iconic role of Frances 'Baby' Houseman, while Colt Prattes will play Johnny Castle.

In the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, Johnny Castle, played by Patrick Swayze, lifts Baby, played by Jennifer Grey, over his head during a romantic dance sequence.

It will be a three hour special that will premiere Wednesday May 24 at 8pm EDT on The ABC Television Network.

Redoing a classic: She stars in the iconic role of Frances 'Baby' Houseman, while Colt Prattes will play Johnny Castle
They are the trim taut and terrific beach babes who have parlayed a passion for bikinis into global swimwear success.

Now Australian beauty Natasha Oakley and Hawaiian-bred stunner Devin Brugman have opened up to Arcadia magazine about just what makes their A Bikini A Day partnership so successful.

The duo also pose for a racy seaside shoot, with Natasha forgoing underwear in a racy red lace dress slit to the thigh.

Busty babe! Natasha Oakley sizzles in a red lace dress in a photo shoot for Arcadia magazine

In other images, Tash also sizzles in an equally low-cut white halterneck summer dress, alongside Devon who flaunts her pins in an off-the-shoulder play suit.

The pair then pose in a near matching long sleeve maxi dresses, Tash sparkling in gold and Devon pretty in pink.

Natasha, 25, told the publication that she first met Devin, 27, on Facebook and knew right away that she had found a kindred swimwear spirit.

A great pair: The duo then pose in a near matching long sleeve maxi dresses, Tash sparkling in gold and Devon pretty in pink

'The minute I met Devin, I knew we were going to be the best of friends. We have the same sense of humour and passion for life," Natasha said.

The pairing did not end at friendship, however, with the duo founding online swimwear portal A Bikini A Day, which gives girls from around the world a place to feed their passion for swimwear.

Aside from Bikini A Day, the pair have also launched two clothing lines - Monday Active and Monday Swimwear.

White hot: In other images, Tash also sizzles in an equally low-cut white halterneck summer dress, alongside Devon who flaunts her pins in an off-the-shoulder play suit

While traversing the globe and being photographed in some of its most idyllic locations would not seem like hard work for most, Natasha was quick to dispel the myth.

'A lot of people would get a pretty rude shock to see what a day in the life of A Bikini A Day is really like,' she told the magazine.

'We don't have an agent to take care of us and do all of the not so fancy behind-the-scenes work - we do it all.'

Kindred spirit: Natasha, 25, told the publication that she first met Devin, 27, on Facebook and knew right away that she had found a kindred swimwear spirit

With more than three million Instagram fans between them, Devin recognised that the pair were looked upon as role models by their legions of followers.

'We know how important it is to have strong female role models in your life, especially in this day and age,' the tanned bombshell said.

Friend for life: 'The minute I met Devin, I knew we were going to be the best of friends. We have the same sense of humour and passion for life," Natasha said in the interview
She's the high-profile actress who stars on long-running soap Home And Away.

And Pia Miller celebrated her equally attractive sister Paz and brother Jesus on Tuesday for National Siblings Day.

The 33-year-old posted a photo to her Instagram of the trio, which she hash-tagged 'Loyolas' in tribute to her maiden name.

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Strong genes! Pia Miller celebrated her equally attractive sister Paz and brother Jesus on Tuesday for National Siblings Day

The gorgeous threesome were all smiles as they posed for the snap at a beachside location, with the mother of two standing in the middle of her family members.

In the snap, Pia's locks are coiffed in gentle waves and she is wearing a low-cut black blouse, while her sister wears a striped top and her brother dons a casual grey t-shirt.

Pia dedicated the post to the bond they all share, writing that she 'loved' and 'missed' both of them.

Three's a charm! The gorgeous trio are also pictured in this Instagram snap

'Pretty sure it's still sibling day somewhere in the world?!,' she captioned the image.

'Couldn't be more grateful to share this life journey with these two beautiful humans,' she continued.

Her followers took to the comments section of the capture to show their appreciation, including Natalie Imbruglia who left a series of heart emojis under it.

'Pretty sure it's still sibling day somewhere in the world?!,' she captioned the image. Pictured with her brother Jesus and a friend

'Such a beautiful family inside and out!' wrote one supporter.

'What a very blessed family you are indeed!' added another fan.

Pia, her mother and her siblings moved from the Chilean coastal town of Vina del Mar to Australia when she was four years old.
She welcomed her first child into the world last month.

And on Tuesday a delighted looking Amanda Seyfried was spotted for the first time since giving birth.

The 31-year-old and husband Thomas Sadoski stopped by Starbucks for a mid-afternoon pick me up before heading for a check-up in Los Angeles.

Mom: A delighted looking Amanda Seyfried was spotted for the first time since giving birth on Tuesday

The actress looked jubilant as she stepped out in denim flats and jeans, and a black sweater.

She appeared intent on getting well hydrated, nabbing a hot and cold coffee, as well as a bottle of juice, although she did hand one over to her 40-year-old beau.

He meanwhile looked super casual in trainers, shorts, a graphic tee and a zip-up hoodie.

E! confirmed last month that the Mean Girls star that the actress, 31, and her actor husband were now the proud parents of a little girl.

Out and about: The 31-year-old and husband Thomas Sadoski stopped by Starbucks for a mid-afternoon pick me up before heading for a check-up in Los Angeles

Happy: The actress looked jubilant as she stepped out in denim flats and jeans, and a black sweater

Thirsty: She appeared intent on getting well hydrated, nabbing a hot and cold coffee, as well as a bottle of juice, although she did hand one over to her 40-year-old beau

The couple, who announced their pregnancy in November, have yet to reveal the tot's name.

They met as co-stars on the set of The Last Word last year.

In September, they announced their engagement before sharing two months later that they were expecting a child together.

Their film The Last Word premiered on March 3 and co-stars Shirley MacLaine, Anne Heche and Tom Everett Scott.

Chill: He meanwhile looked super casual in trainers, shorts, a graphic tee and a zip-up hoodie

First baby: E! confirmed last month that the Mean Girls star that the actress, 31, and her actor husband were now the proud parents of a little girl

Secret: The couple, who announced their pregnancy in November, have yet to reveal the tot's name

The comedy follows Shirley as a controlling, retired businesswoman who writes her own obituary, and Amanda portrays a journalist who aims to find out the truth.

Thomas recently revealed he and Amanda had eloped.

Speaking on The Late Late Show With James Corden , the Life In Pieces star said: 'We eloped. We just took off into the country with an officiant and just the two of us, and we did our thing.'

Amanda had been excited about having a baby as far back as 2015, when in an interview with Marie Claire UK where she joked she needed 'to get on it.'

Work thing: They met as co-stars on the set of The Last Word last year

Whirlwind: In September, they announced their engagement before sharing two months later that they were expecting a child together

'I keep feeling like my eggs are dying off. I need to get on it I want a child. Badly,' said the Mean Girls star.

'I want to be a mother, badly. That's what I feel. I've been feeling it for like, two years. I'm not ready but nobody's ready. It changes everything so how you can ever be ready for that?'

The Newsroom star was previously married to Kimberly Hope for eight years before splitting in 2015 while Amanda was previously linked to Justin Long before breaking it off in September 2015.
They are married to two of Hollywood's most iconic heartthrobs.

And Luciana Borroso and her pal Elsa Pataky enjoyed a five-star arrival as they touched down in Brisbane en route to Bryon Bay this Tuesday.

The pair, who are married to Matt Damon and Chris Hemsworth respectively, were spotted as they touched down via private helicopter at Brisbane Airport ahead of the second leg of their journey.

Hollywood wives club! Luciana Borroso and her pal Elsa Pataky enjoyed a five-star arrival as they touched down in Brisbane en route to Bryon Bay this Tuesday

The red carpet regulars were dressed casually for the journey, with fashion blogger Elsa donning a grey sweater, skinny jeans and leopard-print scarf.

Her look was accessorised with a large satchel handbag and a pair of sporty runners.

Elsa's blonde locks fell loosely around her shoulders as she descended upon the tarmac.

Five-star arrival! The pair, who are married to Matt Damon and Chris Hemsworth respectively, were spotted as they touched down via private helicopter at Brisbane Airport ahead of the second leg of their journey

Meanwhile, Luciana Borroso looked effortlessly stylish in a khaki jacket, grey top and black skinny jeans.

She obscured her eyes behind aviator-style sunglasses while tying her hair up into a bun.

The pair were flanked by an entourage, some of whom were seen assisting the glamorous women with their luggage.

Effortlessly stylish: The red carpet regulars were dressed casually for the journey, with fashion blogger Elsa donning a grey sweater, skinny jeans and leopard-print scarf

Laid-back style: Her look was accessorised with a large satchel handbag and a pair of sporty runners

Style queen: Elsa's blonde locks fell loosely around her shoulders as she descended upon the tarmac

Matt and Luciana have been spending time Down Under with Chris and Elsa over the Easter holiday season.

According to the Daily Telegraph, Matt and Chris 'have been flying in aircraft from Avmin Air Charter Specialists and driving luxury cars' during their time together.

The pair appeared to have some of their children with them during one outing, making it a family affair.

Trendy: Meanwhile, Luciana Borroso looked effortlessly stylish in a khaki jacket, grey top and black skinny jeans

Shady: She obscured her eyes behind aviator-style sunglasses while tying her hair up into a bun

Only the best for these ladies! The pair were flanked by an entourage, some of whom were seen assisting the glamorous women with their luggage

Last year, Matt opened up about his friendship with the Thor star in an interview with Nova's Fitzy and Wippa.

'Hemsworth is a great friend of mine,' the Hollywood actor shared, before continuing: 'I'm really tight with him and his wife and the kids.'

When the radio hosts quizzed the 46-year-old on his friendship with the Thor star, Matt did not hold back, especially when it came to the comparison in their surfing abilities.

Kicking back in Australia: Matt and Luciana have been spending time Down Under with Chris and Elsa over the Easter holiday season

A family affair! According to the Daily Telegraph , Matt and Chris 'have been flying in aircraft from Avmin Air Charter Specialists and driving luxury cars' during their time together

Getting everyone involved: The pair appeared to have some of their children with them during one outing, making it a family affair

Best buddies! 'Hemsworth is a great friend of mine,' the Hollywood actor told Fitzy And Wippa last year

'No, no, no,' Matt joked when asked whether he would be seen surfing alongside Chris.

'I don't want to surf with them [Chris' family], just because I'm a horrible surfer,' he shared while laughing.

'Luke can surf too,' the star added while referencing Chris and Liam's older brother, who also acts.

Chris has also been open about lavishing his BFF with praise.

Speaking to GQ in 2014, he said: 'We became friends around the time I started to work, and I've really benefited from watching how he handles himself.

'Matt's just a normal guy who has the movie-star thing figured out.'

No surfing session this year, Matt? When the radio hosts quizzed the 46-year-old on his friendship with the Thor star, Matt did not hold back, especially when it came to the comparison in their surfing abilities

Nope! 'No, no, no,' Matt joked when asked whether he would be seen surfing alongside Chris

No wave-catching for Matt! 'I don't want to surf with them [Chris' family], just because I'm a horrible surfer,' he shared while laughing

Laid back: Speaking to GQ in 2014, he said: 'We became friends around the time I started to work, and I've really benefited from watching how he handles himself
She played the Invisible Woman in the Fantastic Four.

But Jessica Alba was impossible to ignore after she donned a pair of oversized spectacles before heading to the airport in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The actress looked in typically fine form as she made her way to the transport hub, dragging her own suitcase as she went.

Specs appeal: Jessica Alba looked fantastic at an airport in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The 35-year-old Latina lovely was looking great for her age in a woollen jacket, striped pullover, white trousers and casual shoes.

One person conspicuous by his absence was the beauty's husband Cash Warren.

The couple met on the set of Fantastic Four in 2004 and married in 2008. They have two daughters, Honor, eight, and five-year-old Haven.

In addition to her acting career Jessica co-founded The Honest Company in 2011, which specialises in supposedly organic and all natural products.

Glass act: She was wearing a pair of trendy oversized spectacles

Such a drag: The megarich actress was pulling along her own suitcase

Natural beauty: The self-styled businesswoman opted to go virtually make-up free

However the business has been rocked by scandals, with multiple customers complaining of skin burns when using its sunblock. It was later reformulated with reduced zinc oxide levels in 2015.

And last year it was reported its liquid laundry detergent product contained a 'significant amount' of SLS, a synthetic surfactant the company claimed it would never use.

A company spokesman insisted it did not contain SLS, but instead used sodium coco sulfate which insisted is 'gentler alternative.' However sodium coco sulfate is a mixture of synthetic chemicals composed primarily of SLS.

It also emerged last year the business is being sued for claiming its Premium Infant Formula is 'organic' even though it allegedly contains 11 synthetic substances prohibited under federal law in organic products.
Amber Dowding had been discharged from hospital after battling a mystery illness.

The TOWIE star took to Twitter on Tuesday to reveal she has returned home after undergoing surgery although she remained silent on the details of her ailments.

After announcing the news of her hospitalisation earlier in the week, the 23-year-old revealed she was delighted to announce she was enjoying 'home comforts'.

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Worry: Amber Dowding had been discharged from hospital after battling a mystery illness

Amber concerned her loyal social media followers over the weekend as she revealed she had been admitted to hospital in a candid Instagram selfie, which saw her wearing a full-face of makeup.

Despite her ill health, the TOWIE star still managed to work a dramatic beauty look as she thanked her glam squad and worried fans for their messages.

Her return to Twitter saw her write to her fans: 'Finally home. After a long 6 days in hospital and a little operation it's good to be out of there! Thank you all for your lovely messages... Nothing like home comforts'.

Once again on Tuesday she took to the photosharing site to share a further message - although once again she opted for a full face of make-up.

Home again: The TOWIE star took to Twitter on Tuesday to reveal she has returned home after undergoing surgery although she remained silent on the details of her ailments

She penned alongside a stunning selfie: 'I'm finally home. So lovely to receive so many messages and kind words. won't be long until I'm back to myself again.. thank you to my girls & boys that came to see me and made me feel better. I love you all'.

In her original announcement, Amber was looking flawless in her candid snap, the Essex beauty sported a smokey eye, false lashes and a nude lip.

She captioned the snap: 'Thanks to my glam team. Cant believe I turned up to hospital like this however I don't look like this now. Thanks for all your lovely messages.'

Moments after she uploaded the photo, her dedicated fans quickly commented under the photo wishing her a speedy recovery as she is yet to reveal what her ailment is.

Well wishes: While she had the full support of her social media followers, pal and fellow TOWIE star Frankie Essex took to her own personal feed to share a throwback snap of her and wish the blonde beauty well

'Get well soon girl,' one concerned fan wrote. 'Hope your getting better babes'.

While another shared: 'Hope your feeling better darling xxx big hugs xxx'... 'Get well soon gorgeous xxx,' one commented. 'Feel better soon princess xxxx'.

While she had the full support of her social media followers, pal and fellow TOWIE star Frankie Essex took to her own personal feed to share a throwback snap of her and wish the blonde beauty well.

She captioned the saucy pic: 'Get well soon my Doll @amberdowdingx. Hate that your in hospital still. hope your horse wins #dropoutjoeforthewin'.

Feeling social: Amber - who joined the ITVBe cast in 2016 - also took to Twitter to thank her pals Lydia Bright and Georgia Kousoulou for visiting her

Amber - who joined the ITVBe cast in 2016 - also took to Twitter to thank her pals Lydia Bright and Georgia Kousoulou for visiting her.

She shared: 'Thank you for coming to see me my loves @LydiaRoseBright @MissGeorgiakx fancy coming back and bringing me Chinese'. MailOnline have contacted Amber Dowding for comment.

Following in the footsteps of Katie Price and Ferne McCann, the reality star had undergone a non-surgical bottom lift back in January.

Gym bunny: Amber often documents her gruelling workouts on social media (above) - but did treat herself to a non-surgical bottom lift in January

Documenting the procedure on her Instagram, the blonde wore nothing but a lacy blue thong and a black vest top, as she sprawled herself across a table ahead of the process.

The reality star gushed about the treatment, captioning the 20 second video: 'Most of you have seen me post this treatment before...

'I've been in & out of training but now I'm back and this is a key part of it. Not only does it help the muscles after a workout but it really helps to break down the cellulite and toxins & smooths the skin.

'You'll hear in the video that it can be done on any part of the body! For more info contact Elissa Beecher at @beechers_beauty (sic),' she continued.
When Marine Le Pen appeared in the Kremlin on 24 March, it was Vladimir Putin himself who gave voice to the thought that was surely on many people's minds:



"I know that the presidential campaign is developing actively in France," the Russian president said, adding: "Of course, we do not want to influence events in any way."



The Russian president appeared to be suppressing a grin as he spoke those words. Marine Le Pen appeared unperturbed.



She repeated her support for Moscow's annexation of Crimea, and her opposition to the sanctions subsequently imposed by the EU. If elected to the Elysee Palace, she pledged: "I would envisage lifting the sanctions quite quickly."



So the meeting was a win for both. Madame Le Pen looked like a world-leader-in-waiting; Mr Putin received assurances from a woman who might become president of France, and who, like him, opposes the EU and Nato.



But there is more to the relationship between Mr Putin and Ms Le Pen than ideological convergence. Because of the National Front's racist and anti-Semitic past, French banks have declined to lend the party money.



So Marine Le Pen has been forced to look elsewhere for financing.



In 2014, the National Front took Russian loans worth 11m (9.4m). One of the loans, for 9m, came from a small bank, First Czech Russian Bank, with links to the Kremlin.



The loan was brokered by Jean-Luc Schaffhauser, an energy consultant turned MEP, who has called himself "Mr Mission Impossible".



-~-



But Russia did want to use Ms Le Pen to legitimise its actions in Crimea. We know this because a group of Russian hackers, known as Shaltai Boltai, or Humpty Dumpty, published a series of text messages said to be between a Kremlin official and a Russian MP.



The exchanges, which took place in mid-March 2014, shows the pair discussing the possibility of Marine Le Pen travelling to Crimea as an observer in the referendum which would lead to Crimea's annexation.



"We really need this, I told my boss you were in contact with her," the Kremlin official says.



Marine Le Pen didn't go to Crimea. Instead she publicly backed the results of the referendum, a fact that delighted the Kremlin official and the MP.



"She didn't let us down," says one text, followed by a smiley-face.

"We must find some way of demonstrating our respect to the French," comes the reply.



Some believe the 9m loan, which was made later that year, was indeed a reward for Ms Le Pen's support over Crimea.



"For me, there is no doubt that [the loan] was authorised by Kremlin," said Mikhail Kasyanov, who was prime minister under Vladimir Putin before he joined the opposition.
Pia Miller and James Stewart have been pictured having a tense conversation on set of Home And Away in Sydney's Palm Beach.

While filming a scene for Channel Seven's soap on Tuesday, Pia confronted James while in character as Katarina 'Kat' Chapman.

James, who plays bad boy Justin Morgan, seemed to be trying to explain himself to Pia, who was wearing a police officer's uniform.

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He fought the law... but who won? Pia Miller and James Stewart have been pictured having a tense conversation on set of Home And Away in Sydney's Palm Beach

Home And Away is filmed several months before being broadcast in Australia and the United Kingdom.

And while Pia and James were simply acting out a scene, the Chilean-born model has previously faced allegations of real-life 'tensions' on set.

Last year, Woman's Day reported 'Princess Pia' was causing difficulties among the cast, adding that the other actors 'can't stand her'.

Tensions running high? While filming a scene for Channel Seven's soap, Pia appeared to confront James while in character as police officer Katarina 'Kat' Chapman

Wait and see! Home And Away is filmed several months before it is broadcast in Australia and the United Kingdom

It was also alleged her 'diva antics' included flaunting her own paparazzi photos to castmates and 'carrying on like a five-time Oscar winner'.

However, a Channel Seven spokesperson later claimed the rumours were 'untrue'.

'Since beginning on Home And Away 18 months ago, Pia has undertaken a massive career change, had to relocate from Melbourne to Sydney and had to work through a relationship breakdown,' they said.

Bad rumours: While Pia and James were simply acting out a scene, the Chilean-born model has previously faced allegations of real-life 'tensions' on set

'Her recent Logie nomination underlines her popularity with the audience and her character Kat is resonating with viewers.'

Months later, Pia revealed she and her co-stars 'had a really good giggle about' the magazine's report.

Ada Nicodemou, who plays Leah Patterson-Baker on Home And Away, also jumped to her friend Pia's defence at the time.

Unconfirmed report: A magazine previously claimed Pia's 'diva antics' included flaunting her own paparazzi photos to castmates and 'carrying on like a five-time Oscar winner'

Nothing to see here! A Channel Seven spokesperson later claimed the rumours were 'untrue'

'There are no on-set tensions': Ada Nicodemou, who plays Leah Patterson-Baker on Home And Away, also jumped to her friend Pia's defence after the Woman's Day story

She told Fairfax: 'We were laughing at how comical the story was. There are no on-set tensions. I don't even know what they are talking about.

'It's a shame isn't it? That we are still doing that and there is negative press out there when there is no reason for it.'

Meanwhile, Pia was also photographed running on the beach in gym clothes while filming another scene on Tuesday afternoon.

On the go! Meanwhile, Pia was also photographed running on the beach in gym clothes while filming another scene on Tuesday afternoon

Talking it over? She was later spotted talking with co-star Emily Symons, who plays Marilyn Chambers, and newcomer Tania Nolan

Coming soon! Tania, an actress from New Zealand, has not yet appeared on Home And Away and is expected to debut next month

She was later spotted talking with co-star Emily Symons, who plays Marilyn Chambers, and newcomer Tania Nolan.

Tania, an actress from New Zealand, has not yet appeared on Home And Away and is expected to debut next month.

Shane Withington was also spotted on set with two more new faces - Kestie Morassi and Rohan Nichol, who play a married couple.

Keeping casual: Shane Withington, who plays surf live guard John Palmer, was also seen on set

More new faces! Kestie Morassi and Rohan Nichol, who play a married couple and will debut later this year, were spotted on set
Janet Jackson reportedly asked for the locks to be changed on her apartment weeks before her split from Wissam Al Mana.

The 50-year-old star separated from her husband of five years earlier this month and a source close to the That's the Way Love Goes hitmaker has revealed she had the locks changed on her apartment at the Trump International tower in New York City.

The insider told the New York Post newspaper's Page Six column: 'She wanted the locks changed a few weeks ago, and no keys for him.'

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Locked out: Janet Jackson reportedly asked for the locks to be changed on her apartment weeks before her split from Wissam Al Mana

The report comes shortly after it was claimed Janet is 'focused on' her child in the wake of her split from the Qatari businessman.

Despite their separation, Janet is doing well and is spending all her time focused on her three-month-old son, Eissa.

A source added: 'Janet is ecstatic. She's so happy with her baby and that's all she is focused on.'

The claims come as Wissam has been seen visiting the London home they shared twice in one week.

Making plans? The 50-year-old star separated from her husband of five years earlier this month it's been reported that she had the locks changed on her apartment at the Trump International tower in New York City

Visit: The claims come as Wissam has been seen visiting the London home they shared twice in one week

He was seen arriving alongside his entourage over the weekend as the news of the separation broke, with his assistants carrying in huge bags of toys.

He was spotted visiting his son again on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Janet looked in good spirits when she was seen shopping for furnishings.

Reports suggest that Janet could be in line to receive a huge portion of the tycoon's 800m fortune as they have been married for five years. Neither party have filed papers to officially end the marriage as of yet.

Janet welcomed her first child in January and her representative subsequently revealed she was thrilled to have become a mother for the first time.

The rep shared: 'Janet and her baby are doing well. She has hired help at home and her husband been with her through it all. It was a difficult pregnancy but she is very blessed and has a healthy baby. She has great doctors. A select few have seen her baby. She is so excited to be a mom ...

'She is totally in love. She is taking time to just be with her baby at this time and that's all she really wants. Working out will come, but she is taking it easy at this time.'
They're the Real Housewives Of Sydney known for their 'out there' personalities.

And when it came to road testing a terrifying Sydney Easter Show ride, Lisa Oldfield and Athena X Levendi didn't hold back, cussing and screaming their way through KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O's Haunted House this week.

While Athena seemed to drawn on her spiritual side to stay calm and collected, Lisa was less diplomatic, at one point bluntly screaming 'f**k off f**k off!'

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'This is worse than a Victoria Rees product launch!' RHOS' Lisa Oldfield and Athena X Levendi scream in terror during haunted mansion excursion

Their journey through the haunted house started off calmly, with Lisa even cracking a joke about the pair's nemesis on RHOS.

'Now remember don't be scared, you've seen Victoria Rees without makeup,' Lisa sniped.

But Lisa soon lost her cool after ghoul jumped out of the shadows, causing the terrified woman to claw at Athena in terror.

This will be fun? Their journey through the haunted house started off calmly, with Lisa even cracking a joke about the pair's nemesis on RHOS

'F**k you! I swear to god when I see Kyle and Jackie O you are in so much trouble!' Lisa screamed.

'Do the cross,' Athena offered as encouragement, the self-proclaimed spiritual guru and Lisa making the religious symbol several times.

But any of Lisa's Christian feelings were soon out the window when the wife of David Oldfield encountered a horde of clowns.

'F**k you! I swear to god when I see Kyle and Jackie O you are in so much trouble!' Lisa flipped the bird at one nasty ghoul

'F**k off f**k off f**k off I hate clowns, I f**king hate clowns!' She said. 'There's more f**king clowns - can we get out?'

'No just keep going, use your brain power think about our holiday in Fiji -it's not that bad,' Athena offered in encouragement.

Always ready to offer her musings on spirituality, later Athena pondered to her terrified companion: 'Is this what hell is like?'

Seeking spiritual salvation? 'Do the cross,' Athena offered as encouragement, the self-proclaimed spiritual guru and Lisa making the religious symbol several time

'No hell is Real Housewives of Sydney - this is worse than a Victoria Rees product launch,' Lisa replied.

Finally outside, Lisa offered her verdict on the Easter Show attraction: 'I'm going to vomit.'

Athena and Lisa's haunted house visit comes after another drama-filled RHOS episode on Sunday, which saw the two women left fuming after being barred from Victoria's product launch party.
They recently welcomed their first child, Boston, on Saturday.

And on Wednesday, NRL star George Burgess shared an adorable snap of his baby boy and his wife and new mother, Joanna.

The 24-year-old took to Instagram to share the black and white image with his more than 162,000 followers, showing his family flanked by their two pet pooches.

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Proud father: George Burgess shared an adorable snap of wife Joanna and newborn son Boston on Wednesday, flanked by their two pet pugs

George captioned the image: 'Boston has two bodyguards already!'

Joanna can be seen cradling Boston, who is wrapped in a blanket, and has her hair up and tied off her face, makeup free.

It comes after the pair enjoyed taking their son out to a local cafe for lunch, sharing a shot of Boston sleeping in a carrier to Instagram.

New parents: They've just welcomed their firstborn, son Boston, on Saturday and have just bought him home from hospital

Adorable: It comes after the pair enjoyed taking their son out to a local cafe for lunch, sharing a shot of Boston sleeping in a carrier to Instagram

'Late lunch with my boys. Little Boss snoozing the whole way through,' Joanna wrote in the caption.

George announced the birth of their tiny tot on Sunday, a day after he was born.

Sharing a shot of Boston sleeping while being held by his doting mother, the caption read: 'Boston Mark Burgess. April 8, 2017 @ 10:51pm 56cm / 4.08kg. @joanna.m.burgess is an absolute machine, Our little boy, well he is just perfect isn't he!'

'He's just perfect isn't he': George announced the birth of their tiny tot on Sunday, a day after he was born

George and Joanna tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Noosa, Queensland, in December.

George, 24, and Joanna, 28, began dating publicly in 2014.

The British rugby league star proposed in January last year, and they confirmed in September that they were expecting their first child.
Shes enjoying the first romantic flourishes of what has proved to be a rapidly developing relationship with Stephen Bear.

And Charlotte Crosby admits she sees no sign of their surprise romance unraveling as she looks ahead to the prospect of serious commitment with the divisive TV personality.

Speaking to MailOnline as she promotes her first cruelty-free make-up range with Flique Cosmetics, the 26-year old praised Bear, 27, for making her feel special.

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True love: Charlotte Crosby admits she sees no sign of her romance with Stephen Bear unraveling as she looks ahead to the prospect of serious commitment with the divisive TV personality

'He is definitely The One - and I am his One too!' she raved. 'He does loads of romantic things, too many to list. Hes always buying me little teddies and making me cups of tea.

'He bought me a very special friendship ring when we were on holiday and the waitress by the pool saw him giving it to me disguised in a bag of food and thought it was an engagement ring and started congratulating us!'

She added: 'It's really great, we are so happy, weve just had our first holiday as a couple, ten days in the Dominican Republic.'

Close: Charlotte spoke to MailOnline about her feelings for Bear shortly after returning from a romantic ten day break in the Dominican Republic

The former Geordie Shore star developed strong feelings for Bear while filming new show Just Tattoo Of Us, but admits they took their time due to his scheduled appearance on Celebs Go Dating.

'We fancied each other straight away and then things just developed slowly,' she explained. 'I knew we couldnt rush into anything because he was going on a dating show so we took it really slow at first.

'Stephen really cares, he even got sacked from Celebs Go Dating because of me. Ive met all of Stephens family and they are amazing, it just works and feels so right.

So happy: 'He is definitely The One - and I am his One too!' she raved. 'He does loads of romantic things, too many to list. Hes always buying me little teddies and making me cups of tea'

Where it all started: The couple met while filming new reality TV show Just Tattoo Of Us

The relationship has developed so rapidly that both have already contemplated the prospect of having children - something Bear wants sooner than later.

But while she is open to the idea of starting a family, Charlotte admits he might have to wait a little longer before it actually happens.

'We want to start in the next couple of years, he wants ten but Im not putting my vagina through that, although I definitely want children before 30,' she said.

Big plans: While she is open to the idea of starting a family, Charlotte admits Bear might have to wait a little longer before it actually happens

While work commitments are dominated by an ongoing promotional campaign for Just Tattoo Of Us, Charlotte has also been busy with her debut beauty range for Flique, in collaboration with Easilocks.

Reflecting on the new cruelty free and vegan friendly cosmetics collection, Charlotte admits it has allowed her to tick one more goal off the bucket list, adding: 'It was an absolute dream of mine to have my own beauty range I am so proud of the collection as it looks so stunning and is both affordable and of the highest quality.

'We just shot our Flique campaign and it was so much fun shooting all the various looks as it is such a diverse collection which takes you from day to night.'

She added: 'Flique cosmetics includes 10 liquid lipstick shades, two eyeshadow palettes, a highlighter and contour palette, 6 stunning lash styles, two luxury brush sets, the Flique selfie light and Flique make-up application blenders.'

New role: While work commitments are dominated by an ongoing promotional campaign for Just Tattoo Of Us, Charlotte has also been busy with her debut beauty range for Flique, in collaboration with Easilocks

A dream come true: Reflecting on the new cruelty free and vegan friendly cosmetics collection, Charlotte admits it has allowed her to tick one more goal off the bucket list
Lisa Oldfield has claimed 'desperate' Victoria Rees is 'wasting police resources' by making a complaint about her teenage son being 'trolled'.

The Real Housewives Of Sydney star, 41, is reportedly being investigated by police for 'bullying' the 13-year old in a social media post Foxtel later forced her to delete.

'Bullying a child on social media is harmful. It's reprehensible. As a parent Lisa Oldfield should know better,' Victoria previously told The Daily Telegraph.

Real Housewives Of Sydney's Lisa Oldfield (pictured) has claimed 'desperate' Victoria Rees is 'wasting police resources' by making a complaint about her teenage son being 'trolled'

But taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the wife of former One Nation politician David Oldfield strongly defended her actions.

She wrote: 'If telling a young man that education is important and to stay in school... in reply to an elitist comment is trolling then the whole world's gone mad.

'A vexatious complaint from a desperate housewife is a pathetic plea for publicity and a waste of police resources,' Lisa added. '(I'm) hoping this young man receives the attention and love he deserves.'

Lisa's Instagram post was deleted an hour later. She told Daily Mail Australia she did so under instructions from Foxtel and her husband David.

Controversy: Lisa, 41, is reportedly being investigated by police for 'bullying' Victoria Rees' (pictured) 13-year old in a social media post Foxtel producers later forced her to delete

It has been claimed Victoria's son commented on Lisa's social media page, demanding she stop insulting his mother on Real Housewives Of Sydney.

Lisa responded, in part: 'Is your mother monitoring your social media activity? Probably not. She's probably on her 30th Skinny B****.'

Following the incident, Lisa told The Daily Telegraph: 'He called me jealous and a loser, I think it is appalling that he would speak to an adult in that way.'

'I don't go around picking on children, I actually thought my response was quite measured and I signed off with a kiss,' she added.

'A pathetic plea for publicity and a waste of police resources': On Wednesday, the wife of former One Nation politician David Oldfield strongly defended her actions

According to the publication, a NSW Police spokeswoman said the matter was reported on the morning of April 3 and no charges have been laid.

Foxtel said in a statement: 'Foxtel and Matchbox have spoken to all of the Real Housewives about being responsible and respectful on social media.'

Daily Mail Australia contacted Foxtel for comment.
The first series of Versailles caused controversy with its racy sex scenes.

And season two of the raunchy BBC series looks set to be even more explicit as graphic pictures from the upcoming episodes have been released.

In the shots, King Louis XIV (George Blagden) is seen indulging in a dalliance with pregnant Madame de Montespan (Anna Brewster) with both actors baring all for the clips.

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Oo la la: Season two of the raunchy BBC series Versailles looks set to be even more explicit as graphic pictures from the upcoming episodes have been released

Louis XIV is first seen watching his mistress as she bathes before taking her to the bedroom for explicit scenes.

Not content with just one dalliance, he is also seen indulging in a three-way kiss with more mistresses before his brother hops into bed with a male suitor.

The French-Canadian production has a 21 million budget and will be shown on BBC2 in coming weeks.

Baring all: The first series of Versailles caused controversy with its racy sex scenes and it appears viewers can prepare to see more of the same

Set in 1667 Frances King Louis XIV is 28 years old with a voracious sexual appetite and a string of young mistresses.

In order to bring his plotting courtiers to heel  and provide a lavish setting for his romantic liaisons  Louis transforms his fathers hunting lodge in Versailles on the outskirts of Paris into the most magnificent chateau in Europe, a place where hell feel protected and can indulge his prodigious urge for sex.

But now, as the show returns, its being slammed as pornography for scenes more explicit than ever before  including a five-in- a-bed sex scene.

Raunchy: In the shots, King Louis XIV (George Blagden) is seen indulging in a dalliance with pregnant Madame de Montespan (Anna Brewster) with both actors baring all

With child: Madame de Montespan bares all in the saucy scenes

Things that go bump in the night! Louis XIV is first seen watching his mistress as she bathes before taking her to the bedroom for explicit scenes

Even the trailer for the show doesnt pull any punches, featuring male and female nudity, and the Sun King inviting viewers to a court dominated by corruption, darkness, temptation and murder.

Critics have accused the BBC of pandering to the lowest common denominator and being irresponsible in showing the French series at prime time, starting on BBC2 at 9.30pm on Friday, April 21.

Norman Wells, of the Family Education Trust, said: The BBC may choose to refer to Versailles as a period drama, but a programme featuring such sexually explicit scenes is quite simply pornography dressed up under another name.

Water sight: She is seen baring her bust as she reclines in the water

Admiring the view: The King could be seen glancing over at his mistress as she stripped off

Explicit: The X-rated scenes will no doubt cause a stir among viewers on the night

Chris McGovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: Its TV junk food that is playing to the lowest common denominator and it has little to say in terms of history.

But historian Lucy Worsley approved of the show  which is made in English.

She said: They can take their clothes off and swing from the lampshades if it will get viewers interested in the baroque era, which is quite a hard sell.

The BBCs decision to screen a second series, from French broadcaster Canal Plus, will raise eyebrows given that series one was so controversial.

Three's company: Not content with just one dalliance, King Louis' brother is also seen indulging in a three-way kiss with more mistresses before hopping back into bed with a male suitor

Spoilt for choice: King Louis's brother isn't short of mistresses to smooch in the show

Change of pace: The King's brother is seen back in bed with a male suitor

Cosy: The explicit scenes will air when the series returns to BBC2 in coming weeks

Pucker up: The King is seen sharing a smooch with his companion

The first series of Versailles reportedly contained 36 X-rated scenes.

The shows historical adviser, Mathieu Da Vinha, said: A producer told me nowadays a TV series has to have a sex scene or violence every 15 minutes, although this was not a specific rule.

The BBC said: 'Versailles is an established series shown after 9pm on BBC2 and its content is nothing beyond the expectations of a post-watershed UK television audience.'
He was axed from Capital FM just days ago, so it's little wonder that George Shelley has jetted away on holiday to take his mind off things.

The former Union J hunk is currently enjoying a blissful break with his handsome model boyfriend Matthew Holehouse in Costa Rica, where the pair went public with their romance.

Matthew shared a snap of them both standing with their backs to the camera, wearing nothing but boxer shorts.

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'Cheeky!' Bisexual George Shelley went public with his model boyfriend Matthew Holehouse as they posed shirtless for cheeky Instagram snap... just days after he was axed by Capital FM

Axed: Former Union J singer George will no longer host Capital FM's Breakfast Show but he has high hopes for his radio career

George has his hand on Matthew's derriere, with him captioning the image as 'Cheeky!'

George also posted a picture of Matthew walking along the beach and looking out to sea, captioning it with 'Sexiiii.'

A source told The Sun: 'George and Matthew have been together for several months now. They have been enjoying each others company and having fun together.

A source told The Sun: 'George and Matthew (pictured) have been together for several months now. They have been enjoying each others company and having fun together'

Loving life: George and his beau are holidaying in Costa Rica and have been keeping fans abreast of their travels

'It is still early days but George feels a lot for Matthew. He is really happy to have found someone like Matt to spend time with.'

No doubt he is cheering him up as George was been axed from Capital FM's breakfast show, after joining the team last February.

The former X Factor star, 23, has been co-hosting the show with Dave Berry and Lilah Parsons for the past year.

Cute: George also posted a picture of Matthew walking along the beach and looking out to sea, captioning it with 'Sexiiii'

But a Capital FM spokesperson confirmed the trio have now presented their last show together, after main host Dave announced he was leaving the station in February.

A source told The Sun: 'George has done a great job but bosses werent prepared to put him in charge of the stations flagship show.

'It doesnt mean his radio career is over though.

'He and Lilah are in talks to work elsewhere at the network, although nothing has been confirmed.'

Last show: George and co-hosts Dave Berry and Lilah Parsons will no longer present the flagship programme, after Dave announced he was leaving the station

A Capital FM spokesperson said: '[Friday was] Dave, George & Lilahs last day hosting the Capital London breakfast show. We wish Dave lots of luck in the future.

'Were pleased to say George & Lilah wont be going far  more news on that, and the new Capital breakfast show very soon.'

Despite the news, George has begun carving out his acting career, most recently appearing in an episode of Benidorm last month.

Boyband days: The former X Factor star, 23, quit Union J to focus on his broadcasting and acting career last year

Acting: George appeared in an episode of ITV sitcom Benidorm last month, checking into The Solana in Costa Blanca on a lads' holiday

In the fourth episode of the most recent series, he checked into The Solana in Costa Blanca on a lads' holiday.

George played Giles, a university friend of Rob Dawson - A.K.A Josh Bolt - whose nan owns the swanky 5* hotel.

Since leaving Union J, the star has also appeared on I'm A Celebrity in 2015, where he came runner up to Vicky Pattinson.

George, who enjoyed a fleeting romance with fellow contestant and former TOWIE star Ferne McCann, is now said to be dating university student Matthew Holehouse, 13 months after coming out as bisexual.
She is typically seen stripping down to the bare minimum.

And Jemma Lucy made no exception as she lapped up the sun during a Spanish break on Wednesday, where she wore a bikini of tiny proportions to best tan her incredible curves to perfection.

The 30-year-old Ex On The Beach star left very little to the imagination in her barely-there two-piece which struggled to contain her heaving cleavage.

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Sizzling: Jemma Lucy made no exception as she lapped up the sun during a Spanish break on Wednesday, where she wore a bikini of tiny proportions to best tan her incredible curves to perfection

Jemma soared to fame on the third season of the MTV dating show last year and has since become a regular fixture on the party scene before returning to EOTB in the fifth season last year.

She looked sensational as she slipped into the ensemble which boasted a tiny black top while the bottoms were a monochrome print.

Her tattooed skin helped add variety to her beach babe look while the subtle detail was added in from the shells extending along the halterneck

She scraped her raven tresses into a staggering bun while keeping the hair off her face with a blue bandana adorned with a white pattern.

Best behaviour: The 30-year-old Ex On The Beach star left very little to the imagination in her barely-there two-piece which struggled to contain her heaving cleavage

Hot stuff: Jemma soared to fame on the third season of the MTV dating show last year and has since become a regular fixture on the party scene before returning to EOTB in the fifth season last year

Twisting this way and that, she helped show off her stunning figure as she nailed all her best beach babe display.

Last week, Jemma confused fans when she showed off a new inking that bore a striking resemblance to her former mentor, Katie Price.

And Jemma has now revealed that her tattoo is not a homage to the busty glamour model, but in fact her ex 'girlfriend' Chantelle Connelly.

Inked up: Last week, Jemma confused fans when she showed off a new inking that bore a striking resemblance to her former mentor, Katie Price

Speaking to OK! Online the Ex On The Beach star, 28, revealed: 'No that tattoo is not Katie Price it's based on Chantelle.'

The reality star already has an etching of the model on her arm which shows Katie clad in a bikini with her legs spread and her hands behind her head.

The new image is on Jemma's leg and shows a nude large-breasted woman with her hand folded in front of her tummy.

Her long hair flies around her face, apparently whipped by a wind and her cheekbones are razor sharp. The depiction certainly looks very like Katie Price.

Sizzling: Speaking to OK! Online the Ex On The Beach star, 28, revealed: 'No that tattoo is not Katie Price it's based on Chantelle'

But the choice is astonishing considering that just a couple of months ago Jemma was accusing the CBB star of ruining her romance with Stephen Bear.

The Ex On The Beach star launched a foul-mouthed Twitter tirade at Katie Price in January.

In a series of explosive tweets Jemma called Katie a 's**g' and a 'c***'. She wrote: 'Apart from the fact youre a s**g STILL trying to turn people against me!
Home alone: Shia LaBeouf is spending a month isolated in a cabin in Finland's remote Lapland region with his only communication with the outside world coming via text message to visitors to a Helsinki museum

Shia LaBeouf's latest stunt is to spend a month isolated in a cabin in Finland's remote Lapland region with his only communication with the outside world coming via text message to visitors to a Helsinki museum.

The project is called #ALONETOGETHER and involves the other two members of the actor's art collective, Nastja Ronkko and Luke Turner. Ronkko and Turner are also spending time isolated in separate cabins in Lapland beginning Wednesday.

Visitors to the Kiasama museum in Helsinki can visit a cabin and send a text to LaBeouf, Ronkko and Turner, who can respond to visitors but can't talk to one another.

The public can view a livestream of museumgoers and the trio's texts on the museum's website.

The move comes just a week after he was was kicked out of a bowling alley in Los Angeles after he suffered a meltdown when the bartender refused to sell him French fries.

He was thrown out of Pinz in Studio City, California, after he became embroiled in a heated exchange with a member of staff, during which time he accused him of being "f***ing racist" because he wouldn't give him the greasy carbohydrate to munch on, following three hours of boozing.

The altercation was captured on camera but it's not yet known whether the war of words broke out over the fries or if something else pushed him.

The American Honey star, who is married to Mia Goth, was ushered out of the complex by security before he returned a while later after he realised he still had his bowling shoes on.

He then picked up his trainers and made a run for it.

Solo mission: The actor will not be joined by his wife Mia Goth, pictured here with him on December 30

The incident also comes just a month after assault and harassment charges against the actor were dropped following an alleged scuffle with a man at his 'He Will Not Divide Us' livestream anti-Donald Trump protest in New York in January.

It's thought the charges were dropped because there was not enough evidence to prove that a crime occurred when Shia faced off with another protester.

Police previously claimed that Shia had ripped the scarf off a 25-year-old man who interfered with the ongoing demonstration at the Museum of Moving Image, scratched his face and pushed him to the ground.

He was due to appear in court over the incident on April 7 but that has now been called off.

Shia's erratic behaviour has been the talking topic since 2009 when he was charged with a misdemeanour for criminal trespassing shortly after his 21st birthday.
The Australian Government has approved the development of a new Short Range Ground Based Air Defense system to improve protection for deployed personnel. Raytheon Australia has been selected as the single supplier for the A$2 Billion program, delivering the NASAMS to the Australian Defense Force. The Government will invest up to A$2 billion (US$1.6 Billion) in the new ground-based air defense (GBAD) solution that will provide the inner-most layer of Australias future, enhanced integrated air and missile capability. The capability will be operated by the Armys 16th Air Land Regiment.

Minister for Defense Senator the Hon. Marise Payne said the project is the first step in the development of the Australian Armys contribution to the Australian Defense Forces Integrated Air and Missile Defense Program announced in the 2016 Defense White Paper. The acquisition, under the LAND 19 Phase 7B project, is designed to protect our deployed forces from increasingly sophisticated air threats, both globally and within our region, said Minister Payne.The 16th Regiment currently operates the RBS-70 short-range air defense missile, due to be retired early in the next decade. The Australian Defence expects to get final government approval for the project by 2019.

The 16th Regiment currently employs two battalions, equipped with RBS-70 short range missile system, and two types of threat location radars  the Giraffe Agile Multi Beam (GAMB) radar and Light-weight Counter Mortar Radar (LCMR).

Based on a combined US-Norwegian air-defense system The NASAMS utilizes a Norwegian command and control system and Raytheons AIM-9X and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, both operational with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-18E/F Super Hornet. NASAMS is currently operational with seven military forces, including Norway, Finland, Spain, Lithuania, Chile, Oman and the USA.

A complete NASAMS 2 battery consists of 12 missile launchers, each carrying four or six missiles in sealed launchers or rails. The batterys fire control centre (CTOC) is supported by target acquisition radar (most system use the AN/MPQ-64 F1 Improved Sentinel) and electro-optical system, both mounted on vehicles or trailers.

The system can also utilize different launchers and radar technologies. For the Australian solution Raytheon plans to explore the possibility to integrate the MEDUSA mobile AESA radar system, locally developed by CEA Technologies. Their phased array radar system has already been incorporated into Australias ANZAC class frigates and the GBAD project will trial the technology in a land-based role. Raytheon will also investigate the use the Hawkei armor protected mobility vehicles produced by Thales Australia as the prime movers and platforms for the deployable system.

Our solution combines proven US and Norwegian technology and Australian innovation backed by local integration and sustainment capability. said Michael Ward, Managing Director of Raytheon Australia. In addition to utilizing Australian protected vehicles and AESA sensor technology, the system provides opportunities for Australian Industry across systems integration, component manufacture, assembly, vehicle integration and in-country sustainment. Raytheon Australia intends to conduct a series of Industry Showcases across the country later in 2017 to engage with local small to medium enterprises and develop the industry partnerships needed to deliver the air and missile defense solution.

Following early industry engagement on this project, the process has been expedited to ensure that a timely procurement can occur. This will save both time and costs for industry and government whilst maximizing local industry involvement. Ward concluded.
Their recent friendship-building trip to Dubai was seen going awry, when footage emerged of the exes furiously locking horns in a blazing row.

And on Wednesday, it appeared that things were still sour between Marnie Simpson and Lewis Bloor as the two got into a war of words on Twitter, with the Geordie Shore star accusing her ex of 's***ging every Tom, Dick and Harry' during their romance.

The toxicity bubbled to the surface when Lewis took to the micro-blogging site to deem himself a 'mug' after seeing pictures that appeared to show brunette beauty Marnie getting close to her ex Aaron Chalmers as she shot season 14 of her show.

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Locking horns: Marnie Simpson and her ex Lewis Bloor were locked in a furious Twitter spat on Wednesday - days after returning from their friendship-building trip to Dubai

Lewis dredged up an old loved-up tweet he'd written about Marnie as she filmed her show, which read: 'Spoke to my lovely gf today really cheered me up. Shes ok.. i can imagine its tough living with exes.. cant wait to get my arms round her.' (sic)

Sharing the old tweet with his 409,000 followers, he wrote: 'How jokes when i tweeted this and she was doing that... what a mug. #PotKettle.' (sic)

His words soon met the wrath of his fiery ex, who struck back: 'U we're tweeting me when u were s***ging every Tom dick and harry! R u crazy.' (sic)

War of words: The war of words was ignited when Lewis tweeted about snapshots apparently showing Marnie getting close to her ex Aaron Chalmers while they were together

While Lewis, who admitted to cheating on Marnie during their relationship when he kissed another girl, later deleted the tweet, his ex wasn't finishing ranting.

But rather than directly reveal further details surrounding their ill-fated coupling, she opted for a more cryptic route as she added: 'If people knew the truth. That is all.'

Their social media falling out comes after footage was unveiled of the onetime couple at loggerheads, as Marnie accused Lewis of stealing her bank card.

Accusation: Footage recently emerged of the pair locked in a furious row during their trip to Dubai, as Marnie accused Lewis of stealing her bank card

Marnie and Lewis had taken a trip to Dubai to rebuild their friendship with one another following their messy split earlier this year, but found themselves embroiled in an explosive row on Sunday night.

The video - filmed by an onlooker at Dubai's Waldorf Astoria - shows a 'drunk' Marnie yelling at Lewis in a busy bar and accusing her former beau of stealing her bank card in front of their friends.

Those with the ex couple are seen trying to calm Marnie down in the clip as she yells at Lewis: 'No, no, no. You stole my bank card.'

Still friends? In footage filmed by an onlooker at Dubai's Waldorf Astoria, where the former couple had stayed, Marnie is seen yelling at Lewis in the bar as she makes the accusation

After someone from her party chimes in, she can be heard saying: 'Yes you have... yes you do, you do have it.

'You've just left us upstairs on my own, I f**king hate you... You're toxic.'

The footage had been filmed on Sunday evening and a source had told The Sun: 'Lewis was sat with his shirt off in just his shorts which obviously, in a country like this, isn't what you're meant to be doing.

'Marnie came out screaming at him, accusing him of stealing her card and proceeded to slap him.'

Defence: Once back in his room, Lewis promptly uploaded three Instagram videos, which has since been deleted, to explain his side of the story

The source claimed plain clothed police officers took Lewis to one side and separated the ex couple, before Lewis apologised to fellow guests for the scene.

The former TOWIE star has since shared his version of events in three Instagram videos that he shared online with his 439,000 followers.

He has since deleted the videos, but had said: 'Right so Marnie Simpson has accused me while she was drunk out of her head, while we've decided to be friends on our trip to Dubai that I've stolen her bank card.'

Lewis played a voice note from his phone, recorded earlier in the evening when he was heading back to his room with the hotel's Sheik to search for the bank card, which Lewis insists was in the room with Marnie the whole time.

His side: Speaking to camera, the reality star says: 'Right so Marnie Simpson has accused me while she was drunk out of her head, while we've decided to be friends that I've stolen her card'

'You saw that we went to the room and the bank card where was it?' Lewis was heard asking the hotel employee. 'It was on the table,' he replied, adding that Marnie was sleeping.

'What happened was me and Marnie had an argument earlier on and I left the room and I had a drink with our friends who've we've just met, these guys, and I was with them all night,' Lewis continued.

'She came downstairs and threw a glass of red wine all over me and claimed that I had stolen her bank card.

'I live in a world where the person who has the most followers has the most say, for nine months because Marnie has 2.5 million followers and I have a lot less, I have to deal with her truth.

Mix up: Lewis then plays a voice note from his phone, recorded earlier in the evening when he was heading back to his room with the hotel's Sheik to search for the bank card, which Lewis insists was in the room with Marnie the whole time

'It's been tough for me. Me and Marnie decided to be friends, we had an argument tonight and she accused me of stealing her bank card.

'I believe Marnie can be a very nice girl, but I believe she can also be immature and I just wanted my truth to be heard. I just want everybody to understand that I have not stolen her card, it's absolutely ridiculous and I'm sure she'll feel very sorry when she sees these videos.

'I apologise for being so dramatic it's not my style, goodnight, god bless,' Lewis ended the final video.

The furious row comes just hours after Marnie posted a shot of the former lovers on her Instagram page, insisting the two have restored their friendship in Dubai.

Mixed messages: The furious row comes just hours after Marnie posted a shot of the former lovers on her Instagram page, insisting the two have restored their friendship in Dubai

The reality star shared a snap, in which many fans believed them to be naked, as she revealed the trip was designed to 'salvage a friendship' although she insisted they have not got back together.

Marnie added a caption alongside the photo that read: 'What a lovely holiday I've had. Dubai has been amazing and exactly what I needed a long break after everything this year...

'Just to set the record straight this was a holiday for me and lewis to get away from all the stress and salvage some sort of A Friendship. A friendship we lost along the way. We're not back together and that's not what this holiday was about...

'It was to talk and get to a good place again as we both have big places for each other in our hearts and despite the hard times and damage we still have a bond like no other and always have a great time in each other's company...

Better days: The pair met on Celebrity Big Brother last year and quickly became inseperable

'Even if it's just as Mates, and that wont change regardless of our situation, Just because we're not a couple doesn't mean we don't love other as I think we always will deep down, I'Thank you Dubai you've been the cure PS. We both have A BATHING SUIT ON'.

Marnie and Lewis embarked on a romance after their appearance on Celebrity Big Brother in August last year, and enjoyed a number of dates and holidays together since leaving the Borehamwood mansion.

However their relationship was rocked when footage emerged of the Essex hunk kissing another girl in bed, after a wild night out on Valentine's Day.

Marnie took to Twitter to confirm their split hours after the clip emerged, writing: 'Didn't really want the whole country to know but looks like that didn't last long . Happy Valentine's Day to me. U f***ing scumbag.'

The way they were: The 26-year-old Geordie Shore star shared a snap, in which many fans believed them to be naked, as she revealed the trip was designed to 'salvage a friendship' although she insisted they have not got back together

Last month, Lewis confirmed to The Sun that he cheated on the star during their romantic trip to Barcelona in September, yet in a statement to MailOnline, the stunner denied claims she 'deserved' the treatment.

The former TOWIE star previously batted off her claims that he sneaked out of bed on their first ever couple holiday to hook up with another woman - yet his latest revelation illustrates the reports are true.

In the wake on the split, Marnie took to Snapchat to reveal she was contacted on Instagram by Lewis' secret holiday flame who revealed she did 'everything but', in the hours after he waited for Marnie to fall asleep to sneak out.

With the claims seemed so bold they appeared to stun fans, it seems the couple's cheerleaders will be further bewildered to discover the story was true - although Lewis denies there was anything but kissing.

Oh dear...: Last month, Lewis confirmed to The Sun that he cheated on the star during their romantic trip to Barcelona in September, yet in a statement to MailOnline, the stunner denied claims she 'deserved' the treatment

Speaking to The Sun, Lewis explained: 'We'd been out in Barcelona and I couldn't sleep, Marnie was asleep in the hotel, and I'm thinking: 'F*** this, I don't wanna be in this relationship'.

'So I went down to the beach and at 5am as the sun was coming up there were a couple of girls down there who I got talking to and I ended up kissing one of them.

'We went back to their room to have a little party, we ended up kissing in bed but that was it, anything about us 'almost having sex' is rubbish.'

After lashing out at her ex, Marnie later admitted they had formed a friendship ahead of their trip to Dubai.
Vicky Pattison proudly showed off her impressive three stone weight loss in a 'before and after' shot posted on Instagram on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old flaunted her slim frame in a very sexy barely-there lingerie from Ann Summers, alongside a snap of a fuller-figured version of herself wearing a vest top and leggings.

She captioned the image with the words: 'No caption needed', as she delighted her followers, following her recent trip to Dubai with boyfriend John Noble.

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'No caption needed': Vicky Pattison celebrated her three stone weight loss on Tuesday with a before and after Instagram shot - which saw her posing in Ann Summers lingerie

With the help of her fitness DVD she released in 2014, the TV personality dropped four dress sizes and she's doing all she can to prove that anyone could do the same.

While Vicky looks great, she has been open and honest about struggling to maintain her weight loss at times, just like anyone else.

Ahead of her sunny getaway to the United Arab Emirates, she checked herself into No 1 Bootcamp in Marrakech for a week of intense workouts and early wake-up calls.

Hard work pays off: The TV presenter has yo-yoed between a size 16 and a size 8 during her six years in the spotlight

The reality star lost 7lbs making sure she was in top form for her holiday.

Under the Moroccan sun, the fitness guru carried out 45 minutes of fasted cardio, hiking, stretching, yoga and circuit sessions throughout the day.

Now she is back, the starlet used the photo opportunity to plug her supplement range minivnutrition.

Her legion of 3.6million fans flooded the post with compliments about her impressive weight loss.

One fan said: 'What a transformation. Good work.'

Another follower complimented: 'Looking smoking hot.'

One admirer added: 'You can do it, believe in yourself you wonderful person.'

Wow: Vicky's 3.6million fans flooded the star with compliments about her impressive weight loss

Vicky has yo-yoed between a size 16 and size 8 during her six years in the spotlight.

But she blames her past role on Geordie Shore for making her gain weight and feel unhealthy.

She revealed while she had 'no real regrets', the starlet had to change her lifestyle.

'Jagerbombs, vodka Red Bulls, kebabs at the end of the night,' she recalled.

'Egg McMuffins the next day to soak up the alcohol...It was relentless and really unhealthy.'
Hailey Baldwin was practically in her birthday suit as she wore nothing more than a pair of Calvin Klein underwear in her latest Instagram snap.

The model, 20 posted a photo of herself strategically covering up her cleavage in a photo shoot done for ELLE Magazine.

'Fresh faced from inside my @elleusa cover... shot by @terrytsiolis and styled by @samiranasr,' she captioned the snap, which was posted on Tuesday.

A post shared by Hailey Baldwin (@haileybaldwin) on Apr 11, 2017 at 6:30pm PDT

In the photo, Hailey gazed towards the camera while scraping up her hair into a little up 'do with one hand.

The photo, which was shot by fashion photographer Terry Tsiolis, highlighted Hailey's taut torso and toned legs to full effect.

Hailey was just one of several models to get their own cover for the May issue of ELLE Magazine.

The model shared the spotlight as she and Bella Hadid, Maria Borges, Elsa Hosk, Jasmine Tookes and Candice Huffine, received their own separate covers.

Stepping out: Baldwin was spotted jetting out of New York on Wednesday in high waist trousers and beige ankle boots

Sharing the spotlight: Bella Hadid, 20, dons sequins for the cover of Elle for its May issue alongside several other models

Bella, 20, who looks slender in a sequin two-piece outfit by Chanel, dishes to the publication on which iconic models have inspired her most over the years.

The younger sister of Gigi Hadid explains: 'I was watching an Alaia show from the '90s, and it's Naomi [Campbell], Cindy [Crawford], Linda [Evangelista]the way they were radiating was beautiful. They were so confident. Those are the people I look up to.'

While Hailey, 20, reflected on the misconceptions of the fashion industry: 'People think its all fun and glamorous, but it's a lot of work, a lack of sleep, and a lot of being by yourself, away from family.

'Traveling the world alone when youre 18 or 19 is a lot.' she adds.

'It's a lack of sleep, and a lot of being by yourself': Hailey Baldwin looks windswept on her cover as she talks about the non glamorous side to the model life

Shimmering: Jasmine Tookes looks stunning in soft pastels and a smokey eye

On her cover the daughter of actor Stephen Baldwin looks windswept with her tousled blonde tresses covering her face.

California native Jasmine, 26, glows in a lace dress and smokey eye-makeup as she divulges her passion project to ELLE.

'My goal has always been to create my own beauty line. I have such a unique skin tone when I go on set, makeup artists have to use all different mixes of makeup to match my skin. Id love to do a line that has tones for everybody.' she reveals.

Victoria's Secret beauty Elsa reveals how difficult it was for her when she first moved to New York City from her native Sweden.

Sizzling: Victoria's Secret beauty Elsa Hosk looks unrecognizable as she pulls up her brows while sporting orange lips

Brunette beauty: Candice Huffine flaunts her curves in a plunging pink gown for her cover

'When I came to New York [at] 20, I didn't know the level of professionalism required. You can't half-ass it, because people will take your place. I screwed up many times and had to prove myself over seven years.'

Meanwhile, Candice, 32, stuns in a plunging soft pink gown open at the sides to flash plenty of flesh.

She tells ELLE 'Women have to come together in a way we haven't before. We're united and not standing for less than we deserve. It's about celebrating who we are and not backing down. It's not a time to be quiet.'

Angolan model Maria radiates natural beauty in a simple Calvin Klein tank top as she talks representation in the business.

'The fashion industry is here for everyone, [regardless] of color or race. When I was growing up, I never saw someone like me, and now the other girls can see someone like them. It's all about inspiration.'
It was one of the most highly-anticipated weddings in UK showbusiness history.

So it was no wonder that Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan are keen to walk down memory lane and relive their big day.

The couple are set to celebrate their second anniversary next month and decided to amp up the romance factor by revisiting the church in which they were made man and wife.

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Ring any bells? Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan are keen to walk down memory lane and relive their big day by visiting the church they married in in 2015 (above)

The couple headed back to Suffolk to St Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds to have a stroll around the grounds in the spring sunshine.

Sharing a Snapchat story, he added a love heart emoji.

The couple kicked off the celebrations early by jetting to Paris for a romantic break in the French capital.

Since touching down, the couple have been keeping fans updated with their trip on social media and on Wednesday night, Michelle set pulses racing as she posed in the bath for a racy snap.

Aisle be back! The couple headed back to Suffolk to St Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds to have a stroll around the grounds in the spring sunshine

Bubbles! The pair kicked off their celebrations early by heading to Paris for a romantic weekend

Making the most of the dreamy view from her hotel room, the former Coronation Street star stripped off and indulged in a huge bubble bath while taking in Paris' most iconic site - the Eiffel Tower all lit up.

She managed to cover her modesty with a mountain of suds and scraped her chocolate hued tresses up into a messy bun.

The actress captioned her photo: 'Just five more minutes,' and added the hashtags: '#bathgoals #parisnights.'

Her latest Instagram post caused a stir among fans, with many commenting on how envious they were of Michelle's bathroom setup, thanks to her room at the Shangri-La Hotel.

'Not jealous...': Fans were quick to compliment Michelle on her envy-inducing photo from her Parisian break

One follower wrote: 'Wow what a view what I would give to swap places with you for 5 mins - lucky lady.'

Another said: 'That view is amazing! I would never get out the bath,' while another said: 'Not jealous, not jealous, not jealous.'

One more joked: 'Looks like a right dive that Mich tell Wrighty put his hand in his pocket next time!'

Michelle's post comes after her husband Mark posted a very similar snap to his own Instagram page.

He posed shirtless with his back to the camera while holding onto the railings of his balcony as he looked out onto a glistening Eiffel Tower.

Anything he can do! Michelle's post came after Mark shared his own shirtless snap of himself indulging in the glistening view of the French capital's most iconic sight to Instagram

Mark gushed: 'Just one last look before bed #roomwithaview #wheninparis.'

He and Michelle have taken some time out of their busy schedules to enjoy a whirlwind break in the City of Love together.

Their quality time together comes as Michelle is preparing to jet off to South Africa to film for the third series of Our Girl and reprise her role as Lance Corporal Georgie Lane.

She is thought to be filming overseas for eight months, with Mark undoubtedly flying out on occasion to see her.

Cocktails all round! The former TOWIE star has been documenting his Paris trip on social media and flaunting the many cocktails he has quenched his thirst with while overseas

While she was filming for the last series of the show, Michelle's marriage to Mark came under scrutiny, with rumours swirling there was trouble between the pair.

She, however, hit back at such claims and has insisted she and Mark are still very happy together two years down the line.

Speaking to Daily Star Sunday's TV Life magazine last month, Michelle remarked: 'Are the rumours rubbish? Yeah.

'We are all very good and everything is fine. Our marriage is going really well.

Happy couple: Mark and Michelle will mark their second wedding anniversary in May next month - they wed in 2015 in Bury St Edmonds

'Were happy. I dont want to constantly say "were happy, were fine", because why validate it? If were happy, were happy.'

The Tina and Bobby star and TOWIE veteran Mark tied the knot in May 2015 at St Mary's Church in Bury St Edmonds, before hosting a lavish ceremony for their family and friends at Hengrave Hall.

Mark had proposed to Michelle in September 2013, nine months after they initially met while holidaying in Dubai.
She put on a show-stopping performance at the Eurovision Song Contest last year, coming in at second place overall.

And former The X Factor Australia contestant Dami Im, 28, has dished out some advice to this year's Australian Eurovision hopeful, Isaiah Firebrace, 17.

Dami told The Daily Telegraph this week that she recently caught up with the fellow X Factor star, and told him the competition will be both physically and mentally draining.

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She knows best! Dami Im has dished advice to Isaiah Firebrace ahead of Eurovision and says the contest is one of the 'craziest but one of the best experiences'

'It will be exhausting though so keep focused and look after yourself,' Dami told the publication about her conversation with the teen.

The Australian star - who was born in South Korea - added: 'Isaiah asked me for some advice and I just said Eurovision is going to be huge and that he should brace himself for one of the craziest but one of the best experiences he'll ever have.'

Dami performed in Eurovision in Sweden last year performing her song, Sound of Silence.

Leading lady: Dami performed in Eurovision in Sweden last year performing her song, Sound of Silence

Upon announcing that he was heading to Eurovision, Isaiah said how excited he was to represent Australia.

'I'm so proud to be representing Australia as our entrant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. Even though it has been a dream of mine, never did I think for one minute it would be a possibility!,' he wrote on Instagram.

Isaiah won The X Factor Australia last year.

'I'm so proud': Upon announcing that he was heading to Eurovision, Isaiah said how excited he was to represent Australia

Last month, he told Who Magazine that he had some nerves about the gig and described his initial reaction to hearing that he'd represent his country.

'I was absolutely in knots and kind of just sat there,' he said.

He added: 'I was like "Argh, what have I gotten myself into?"

In January, he accepted the invite to perform 'I still call Australia home' at an event in Hollywood to an A-list crowd, including Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban, Baz Luhrmann and Vance Joy.

More recently, he was announced as Jessica Mauboy's opening act on her All The Hits tour.
Their marriage was on the rocks throughout the last series of Doc Martin.

But things seemed to be well and truly back on track for Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz's characters as they got to work on the set of the ITV drama in Port Isaac, Cornwall, on Wednesday.

The actor, 55, got into character as his alter-ego Dr Martin Ellingham, sharing a smooch with his school headmistress wife Louise as they shot forthcoming scenes.

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It's love! Doc Martin (Martin Clunes) got a smooch from his beautiful wife Louise (Caroline Catz) as they filmed the eighth series of the ITV drama in Port Isaac, Cornwall, on Wednesday

The doctor looked very dapper in his blue suit, teamed with a glossy navy tie and a crisp white shirt.

But the TV hero - who is usually grumpy - couldn't stop smiling as his relationship with his on-screen wife is seemingly going from strength to strength.

Caroline's character was dressed in a bright canary yellow raincoat with striped cuffs.

The actress tied her brunette tresses in a high ponytail, showing off her natural beauty as she went make-up free for the scenes.

No wonder he's smiling! The screen couple's marriage was on the rocks last season as the pair had to have therapy, but it appears they have managed to rekindle their romance

Upcoming troubles: Now the lovers face the challenge of living happily together with their baby James Henry

They filmed the passionate kiss outside the on-screen lovers' home Fern Cottage.

In the seventh season, Dr Martin and Louise went for marriage counseling to rekindle their romance.

Now the couple face the challenge of living happily together with their baby James Henry.

Martin told Cornwall Live: 'I'm thrilled to be back on the beautiful north Cornish coast to shoot series eight of Doc Martin.

Steamy: The pair filmed the passionate kiss outside the on-screen lovers' home Fern Cottage

Dapper: Martin looked very handsome in his blue suit, teamed with a glossy navy tie and a crisp white shirt as he slipped into the role of the the doctor

'The Doc is as obstinate as ever, but he is trying his best to be a better husband and father.'

It was announced the show would end in 2018 with a ninth series, dismissing rumours this was the final season.

The stars returned to the picturesque Cornish fishing village in Port Isaac to film the fictional world of Doc Martin's Portwenn.

The eighth series will broadcast on ITV later this year.

On trend: Caroline stood out from the crowd in a bright canary yellow raincoat

Reveal: The stars returned to the picturesque Cornwall town Port Isaac to film the eighth series which will broadcast later this year




He's in Australia with his kids enjoying a bromantic holiday with Chris Hemsworth.

But Matt Damon, 46, slipped into Jason Bourne mode on Tuesday after his youngest daughter Stella, six, was stung by a jelly fish at a beach.

The Courier-Mail reports that the action star rushed into a local cafe to get some ice before paramedics were called to the scene to treat the injury.

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That's gotta hurt! Paramedics called after Matt Damon's daughter Stella, 6, is stung by jellyfish during Byron Bay family holiday with Chris Hemsworth

The publication reports that Matt's youngest daughter Stella screamed as she dashed from the water to the sand after the sting.

Paramedics tended to the girl's injury as she was comforted by dad Matt and mother Luciana Barroso.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Matt Damon's representatives for comment.

Got a fright: The publication reports that Matt's youngest daughter Stella (pictured standing in front of Matt) screamed as she ran onto the sand from the water after the sting

Matt and his family were also joined on the beach by Byron Bay locals Chris Hemsworth, Elsa Pataky and their three children.

The Great Wall star and his family have been holidaying with the Hemsworth since arriving in Byron Bay on Saturday.

The Damon family have been staying at the Hemsworth's home, spending their time horse riding along the beach, and enjoying helicopter flights, The Daily Telegraph previously reported.

Holiday time: The Damon family have been staying at the Hemsworth's home, spending their time horse riding along the beach, and enjoying helicopter flights

The action hunks have been friends for years, previously praising one another in interviews.

'Hemsworth is a great friend of mine,' Matt told Nova's Fitzy and Wippa last year, continuing: 'I'm really tight with him and his wife and the kids.'

Chris also spoke highly of Matt in an interview withGQ in 2014, revealing the Hollywood heavyweight had been a shining example.

'We became friends around the time I started to work, and I've really benefited from watching how he handles himself,' The Avengers star said.

'Matt's just a normal guy who has the movie-star thing figured out.'
Victoria Rees was photographed making a formal complaint against Lisa Oldfield at Rose Bay Police Station on Tuesday - her THIRD visit to the station over an alleged 'cyber bullying' incident involving her teenage son.

The Real Housewives Of Sydney star, 52, told The Daily Telegraph she 'sought legal advice and on the recommendation of (her) lawyers made a statement with police' after Lisa made 'disgusting' and 'inappropriate' remarks on Instagram.

The twice-divorced Bondi socialite added: 'I have made the official complaint and the matter is in the hands of the police. The fact is, you cannot use a carriage service to cyber bully a child.'

Controversy: Victoria Rees (pictured) was photographed making a formal complaint against Lisa Oldfield at Rose Bay Police Station on Tuesday - her THIRD visit to the station over an alleged 'cyber bullying' incident involving her teenage son

NSW Police confirmed to Sydney Confidential they had received the complaint. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Foxtel for comment.

Meanwhile, Lisa has accused 'desperate' Victoria of 'wasting police resources' by making a complaint about her 13-year-old son being 'trolled'.

The 41-year-old reality TV star reportedly made 'bullying' comments in a social media post Foxtel producers later forced her to delete.

'Bullying a child on social media is harmful. It's reprehensible. As a parent Lisa Oldfield should know better,' Victoria previously told News Corp.

Rivals: Victoria told The Daily Telegraph she 'sought legal advice and on the recommendation of (her) lawyers made a statement with police' after Lisa Oldfield (pictured) made 'disgusting' and 'inappropriate' remarks on Instagram

But taking to Instagram on Wednesday night, the wife of former One Nation politician David Oldfield strongly defended her actions.

She wrote: 'If telling a young man that education is important and to stay in school... in reply to an elitist comment is trolling then the whole world's gone mad.

'A vexatious complaint from a desperate housewife is a pathetic plea for publicity and a waste of police resources,' Lisa added. '(I'm) hoping this young man receives the attention and love he deserves.'

Lisa's Instagram post was deleted an hour later. She told Daily Mail Australia she did so under instructions from Foxtel and her husband David.

'A pathetic plea for publicity and a waste of police resources': On Wednesday, the wife of former One Nation politician David Oldfield strongly defended her comments directed at Victoria's 13-year-old son on social media

It has been claimed Victoria's son commented on Lisa's social media page, demanding she stop insulting his mother on Real Housewives Of Sydney.

Lisa responded, in part: 'Is your mother monitoring your social media activity? Probably not. She's probably on her 30th Skinny B****.'

Following the incident, Lisa told The Daily Telegraph: 'He called me jealous and a loser, I think it is appalling that he would speak to an adult in that way.'

'I don't go around picking on children, I actually thought my response was quite measured and I signed off with a kiss,' she added.
They went public with their romance in March this year after they cosied up on the ski slopes of Channel 4's The Jump.

And Spencer Matthews, 27, is already head-over-heels in love with his new squeeze Vogue Williams, 31, as he compared her to the international supermodel Cindy Crawford, 51, on Wednesday.

The Made In Chelsea star posted a sexy snap of his busty beau flaunting her eye-popping cleavage in a low cut top, dressed up with a smart blazer.

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Smitten: Spencer Matthews, 27, gushed about his new catch Vogue Williams, 31, claiming she was more beautiful than model Cindy Crawford, 51 on Wednesday

The Irish beauty looked irresistible with her long choppy bob styled in a tousled look.

Pulling out all the stops on her glamour, the 31-year-old wore dramatic smoky eye makeup to draw attention to her pretty facial features.

Spencer - who is preparing to step into the role as best man for the wedding of his brother James, 41, and Pippa Middleton, 33 - gushed about his new catch claiming she was more beautiful than model Cindy.

Head-over-heels: The 27-year-old said he was dating a 'younger, better looking, Cindy' (pictured right)

He wrote on Instagram: 'I'm dating a younger, better looking, Cindy.'

Vogue is also very taken with Spencer as she sang his praises for supporting her after she injured her knee on the ski slopes.

Earlier this month, she wrote on Instagram: 'Big thank you to this boy @spencermatthews for looking after me for the last two months.

Smitten: Spencer - who is preparing to step into the role as best man for the wedding of his brother James, 41, and Pippa Middleton, 33 - gushed about his new catch

'He's had to put up with a lot of whinging and he hasn't complained once.' (sic)

In the weeks leading up to confessing to their romance, the couple were spotted out and about together.

They even posted cosy snaps of them together when they went to Disneyland Paris which appeared to confirm the rumours.

Moving quickly: The couple have been posted loved up pics in recent weeks

Their Jump co-star Mark Dolan revealed there was a chemistry between the pair in February before they went public with their relationship.

The comedian told The Independent: 'I don't think it's a secret that Spencer and Vogue have established a rapport.

'They were very sweet together and I know they're very fond of each other.'

Their new romance comes after Vogue got engaged to former flame Brian McFadden in January 2012.

The lovers got hitched in September 2012 in Tuscany, Italy but they parted ways three years later.
Stranger Things actress Shannon Purser has shared with fans some of the pain she experienced while coming to terms with her sexuality.

'I know what it's like to have anxiety about it,' the 19-year-old star wrote amid several tweets on Tuesday. 'Especially trying to come to terms with it and my faith. It can be really scary.'

Shannon also urged people who are finding themselves in the same situation to take to their time with the process.

Opening up: Stranger Things actress Shannon Purser has shared with fans some of the pain she experienced while coming to terms with her sexuality (pictured in January 2017)

'Getting comfortable with your sexuality is a process. It's going to be ok. I wish I'd known that sooner,' she first tweeted.

'Another thing I wish I'd known about sexuality is to take it slow. It can define you as much as you want it to,' she added.

She ended things with, 'But it's gonna be ok. You're going to be ok. No, you're going to be great.'

Last year Shannon bravely confessed she used to self-harm.

'You're going to be great': Shannon provided words of encouragement for fans who are in the process of coming to terms with their own sexuality as well

Personal: Last year Shannon bravely confessed she used to self-harm (pictured January 2017)

Shannon posted a photo of a razor blade on Twitter and admitted, '*TRIGGER WARNING* I haven't self-harmed in years, but I kept this around, "just in case." I forgot it was there & now it's in the trash.'

She also tweeted: 'Recovery is possible. Please don't give up on yourself.'

Shannon is perhaps best known to audiences for her role of fan favorite Barb Holland in the Netflix series Stranger Things.

Confession: Shannon posted a photo of a razor blade on Twitter and admitted, '*TRIGGER WARNING* I haven't self-harmed in years, but I kept this around, "just in case." I forgot it was there & now it's in the trash'

'Recovery is possible': The star urged fans not to 'give up on yourself'

She has roles in the upcoming films Wish Upon and Sierra Burgess Is A Loser.

Shannon is also starring opposite Melissa McCarthy in the upcoming film Life Of The Party, which is directed by the comedienne's husband, Ben Falcone.

The comedy is set to be released on May 11, 2018.
Northrop Grumman and United Technologies Corp. have recently completed the first flight test of the MS-177 long-range, multi-spectral imaging (MSI) sensor on the RQ-4B Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The MS-177 sensor is designed to provide capabilities to not only find targets using broad area search and different sensing technologies, but to also fix, track, and assess targets through its agility and multiple sensing modalities.

The test was held on February 8 at Northrop Grummans Palmdale, California, facility. The flight tests marked the first time the sensor has been flown on a high altitude long-range autonomous aircraft and extend the mission capabilities of the system. It was the first step forward in the MS-177 Family of Systems (FoS) roadmap that includes multi-spectral imaging, hyperspectral imaging and customer unique mission capable variants. Following that flight the MS-177 has entered a six-month integration, testing and qualification phase before official fielding in late 2017. Sensors of this type are already operational with other US Air Force platforms. The MS-177 testing is expected to continue through the first half of 2017.

The MS-177 is a game-changer in airborne surveillance, said Kevin Raftery, vice president of ISR and Space Systems at UTC Aerospace Systems. During its first flight on Global Hawk, MS-177 demonstrated its ability to take the aircrafts imaging capabilities to a new level in terms of coverage area, quality and accuracy.

The MS-177 FoS sensor will provide better image resolution over a longer range and greater coverage area per hour than any other Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensor in the U.S. military inventory. It will also be able to operate from multiple ISR platforms, satisfying military requirements for both land and maritime missions.

UTC Aerospace Systems was contracted by the U.S. Air Force in 2016 to support the integration, testing and fielding of the baseline MS-177 sensor variant on Global Hawk to sustain and eventually replace mission capabilities currently supported by the Lockheed Martin U-2S. MS-177 has already completed successful flight demonstrations on the E-8C JSTARS aircraft in 2010 and from a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) UAS in 2016. The next variant, the MS-177A sensor system, will be fielded on Global Hawk in late 2019.

The successful flight test at Northrop Grummans Palmdale, California facility follows the demonstrations of two sensors previously unavailable on the Global Hawk. Northrop Grumman successfully flew a SYERS-2 intelligence gathering sensor in February 2016 and has recently completed flight tests of the Optical Bar Camera.

The MS-177 is the next evolution of UTC Aerospace Systems Senior Year Electro-optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS) sensor, currently flown on U-2S aircraft. The SYERS-2 sensor pivots from side to side, while the MS-177 also squints forward and backward, enabling new imaging capabilities. The MS-177 sensor will ultimately be converted into the MS-177A and will offer further expanded spectral performance, enhancing data identification capabilities and assisting in the collation of improved and actionable intelligence.
She may have once held the title of Sexiest Woman Alive.

But Charlize Theron is still having trouble finding a date.

On Wednesday's episode of Ellen, the 41-year-old The Fate Of The Furious star told the talk show host that her friend, comedian Chelsea Handler, tried to help set her up back in January.

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'This is why I'm still single': Charlize Theron tells Ellen Degeneres that despite Chelsea Handler trying to put her on dating app Raya, she wants to be set up the old fashioned way

Charlize and the 42-year-old comedienne were both in Park City, Utah participating in the Women's March, when Chelsea showed her the celebrity dating app Raya.

'I took real interest,' Charlize - whose last public relationship with Sean Penn ended in 2015 - says of the app where users can choose to talk to or block other users based on their photo.

'She's swiping all of these faces of guys in all sorts of different variations of no clothes,' she explained.

'Awkward': It was during this January trip to Park City, Utah that Chelsea (center right) showed Charlize (center left) the celebrity dating app Raya

'And then you have to text them and then the flirting starts and it's kind of awkward.'

'They say weird things like 'What's up, sexy?,'' she said of the experience.

'This is why I'm still single, I just like a good old friend hooking you up,' adding, 'I'm so old school. It's problematic.'

Furious kiss: The actress joked about her character 'forcing' Vin Diesel's The Fate Of The Furious character to kiss her in the movie

Charlize does get some action in her latest film The Fate Of The Furious, sharing a much talked-about kiss with co-star Vin Diesel.

Ellen shows a photo of the scene on the big screen behind them as Theron laughs about how Vin's character Dom is not at all into her character Cipher.

'I mean, you can see it. My hand is forcing his face, which is what the movie's about. He's in love with Letty, Michelle Rodriguez's character. I'm the crazy chick that's doing this horrible thing to him and, as he should've, his character is just standing there frozen, like a dead fish.'

Leggy: The tall blonde put her legs on display in this paisley printed dress by Louis Vuitton for the show

During the movie's press tour, Vin told USA Today 'I was definitely not complaining. Charlize Theron is not a bad kissing partner to have.'

He added, 'Do I know she enjoyed it? Oh, my God, yeah. A kiss cannot lie, lips dont lie. No, they didnt. She owned it.'

Charlize laughed at Vin's revelation, joking with the audience, 'I like a little bit more movement in my men.'

Mommy duty: The mother-of-two brought her children along for her guest spot on the talk show

Her two children Jackson and August were along with their mom for her guest spot on the popular talk show.

At one point, she looked into camera and said, 'You guys are really good and I appreciate it,' as the children, who were not shown in the audience, presumably watched from a greenroom.

When asked if she would be adding any more children to her family, Charlize laughed and responded with a 'no.'
Comedian Charlie Murphy - the older brother of actor Eddie Murphy - has died at the age of 57 following a battle with leukemia.

Charlie's death on Wednesday was confirmed by his representative, Domenick Nati.

The New York City born comic and actor starred on Chappelle's Show, Are We There Yet? and lent his voice to the animated series The Boondocks.

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Family matters: Charlie Murphy, who is one year older than his brother Eddie, died on Wednesday

Tragic: Charlie Murphy - who has passed away at the age of 57 following a battle with leukemia - was a successful comic himself (pictured on stage in 2009 in Las Vegas)

More recently he starred as Marshal Williams in the TV series Power.

He also has writing credits for Paper Soldiers, Vampire in Brooklyn, and the screenplay Norbit.

He is most celebrated for his work on Chappelle's show in the early 2000s and inspired the comedian's now infamous Prince impression.

Murphy used his own stories of meeting the rich and famous, through the height of brother Eddie's career, to inspire sketches on the show.

He told how Prince played basketball with Murphy and was incredible - the music superstar then went on to make everyone pancakes after the game - a scene Chappelle famously reenacts, pretending to be the Purple Rain singer.

The Murphy brothers were both born in Brooklyn and raised in Long Island. Their mother was a telephone operator and their father a police officer.

The elder Murphy was a 'street kid' - and robbed a driver at gunpoint as a teen. After a string of other minor crimes he was sentenced to ten months in prison before joining the Navy for six years from 1978.

'My mother basically took me to the Navy. After I did a stint in jail, she took me to the recruiting offices  we went to the Army, the Marines, Air Force, and they all turned me down because of my record. Finally, my mother said you gotta take my son or hes going to be killed out here,' he told the Commercial Appeal.

He described the stint as 'life-altering' and returned to America to find his brother en route to becoming comedy's biggest star.

Stardom: The New York City born comic and actor starred on Chappelle's Show, pictured

Mourning: Charlie leaves three children including two from his marriage to Tisha Taylor who also died in 2009 from cancer

He joined him in showbusiness - first behind the scenes as a bodyguard. However, he soon had to give that up for being 'overzealous' and too protective of his younger sibling.

'It was to the point that, if I went to a show and you were the hater in the audience that was like, 'That sh** wasn't funny' POW! I'm jamming you, man,' Murphy said.

'Because the sh** was funny. There was 10,000 people laughing, and you that one joker that wanna try and squeeze a lemon. F--- you. I don't even want you to be there. And I took it as a personal crusade, and they were like, 'You know what, you're a little overzealous with your job.' So, that is how I ended up not doing that anymore.'

He then turned to screenwriting, acting and even a turn at songwriting - proving that the entertainer gene ran through the entire Murphy family.

Comedians and fans took to Twitter to pay tribute to the star.

Chris Rock wrote alongside a photo of the the star: 'We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time . Charlie Murphy RIP.'

The actors both appeared in the 1993 comedy CB4.

'He took a chance on a young director in The Player's Club,' Ice Cube said about the 1988 comedy he wrote and directed which starred Murphy.

'Always made me laugh.'

'One to Sleep On': Just hours before Charlie's death emerged, the actor's own Twitter account sent a message, dated on April 11

'Charlie Murphy RIP': Chris Rock paid tribute to his CB4 co-star

Family man: D.L. Hughley remembered the star on Twitter

D.L. Hughley tweeted, 'After every gig, he rushed home to be with his kids. He died with gigs on the books. #RIP #mybrotha #charliemurphy #CGD.'

Just hours before Charlie's death emerged, the actor's own Twitter account sent a message, dated on April 11.

'One to Sleep On: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible,' the tweet read.

Charlie had been undergoing chemotherapy for his illness.

His family were allegedly stunned by the news as they thought he was recovering, according to the New York Daily News.

He had three children, including two with wife Tisha Taylor, who passed away following a battle with cancer in 2009.

They married in 1997.

'Thanks for the laughs': Wendy Williams honored the star

'I'm lucky to have known you': Kevin Hart wrote about how Charlie helped him with a screenplay

'RIP to my man': Mike Epps remembered the comedian with a photo and sweet message

'You'll be missed': Comedy Central paid tribute to their star

Heartbreaking: David Alan Grier honored Murphy
It's a problem many women have when they get a pedicure - how not to spoil the beautiful polish on their toe nails before it sets hard.

And Kate Hudson is no exception.

The 37-year-old was spotted walking back to her car flashing her shiny orange toe-job in disposable flip-flops in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Hoofing it: Kate Hudson protected the polish on her bright orange toenails after her pedicure by wearing disposable flip-flops as she walked back to her car in Los Angeles on Tuesday

The beautiful blonde actress didn't seem nearly so worried about her orange finger nails, which had probably dried, as she clutched her black leather high heels and her phone.

Kate was right on trend in this season's must have denim overalls, ripped of course, which she wore with the bib down.

She teamed them with a black v-neck sweater that she wore over a white T-shirt.

The Rock The Kasbah star styled her hair into an updo and accessorized with gold-rimmed sunglasses and a gold necklace.

She's got it nailed: The 37-year-old didn't seem nearly so worried about her orange finger nails, which had probably dried, as she clutched her black leather high heels and her phone

Ultra casual: Kate was right on trend in this season's must-have denim overalls, ripped of course, which she wore with the bib down, plus a black v-neck sweater

Kate, who is the daughter of actress Goldie Hawn, recently returned from a break in Hawaii with her two boys.

She shares Ryder, 13, with Black Crows frontman Chris Robinson. The couple married on New Yeqr's Eve in 2000, and divorced in 2007.

His brother, five-year-old Bingham, is the son of her former fiance, Muse frontman Matt Bellamy.

Flaunting her bikini body: Kate, who is actress Goldie Hawn's daughter, recently returned from a break in Hawaii with her two boys, Ryder, 13, and five-year-old Bingham,

Meanwhile, Kate has been concentrating on her fitness apparel brand Fabletics of late but she hasn't given up her screen career.

She will next be seen in Marshall co-starring Chadwick Boseman as a young Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court Justice, as he battles through one of his career-defining cases.

Kate has also been cast as the late comedian's wife in biopic Richard Pryor: Is It Something I Said, starring Eddie Murphy, which has yet to set a release date.
She has been flaunting her sartorial excellence while on the promo trail for her latest movie Their Finest.

And Gemma Arterton wowed once again with her wardrobe choices as she stepped out for a premiere of the film held at the BFI Soutbank in London on Wednesday evening.

The actress, 31, ditched her usual red carpet frocks in favour of a tailored crimson suit and a pair of metallic heels.

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Sensational: Gemma Arterton, 31, wowed in a tailored crimson suit as she stepped out for a premiere of Their Finest in London on Wednesday evening

Gemma's stylish two-piece teamed together a peplum jacket and a pair of flared trousers.

Her top half cinched in at the waist to highlight the movie star's desirable frame and featured satin detailing across the sleeves and down the bodice, along with gold studded buttons.

Gemma added a pair of barely-there sandals to elongate her pins in her chic trousers and made sure to flaunt her natural beauty with a subtle beauty look.

Her edgy elfin crop was swept over to one side and styled in a sleek and sophisticated 'do, while her make-up was minimalist.

Suited and booted: The actress ditched her usual red carpet frocks for her stylish two-piece that teamed together a peplum jacket and flared trousers

Natural beauty: Gemma sported minimal make-up and styled her elfin crop into a sleek and sophisticated 'do

High spirits: Gemma was joined by her Their Finest co-star Bill Nighy at the premiere held at the BFI Southbank

Leading duo: The pair star alongside Me Before You actor Sam Claflin in their latest release which tells the tale of a female scriptwriter who is recruited by the military

Gemma and Bill stuck up a pose with members of the cast and crew: Pictured L-R Gaby Chiappe, Helen McCrory, Gemma Arterton, Bill Nighy, Stephen Woolley, Amanda Posey and Lissa Evans

The brunette beauty outlined her eyes with a feminine flick on either side and indulged in a slick of nude pink lipstick to offset her outfit.

On arrival to the premiere, Gemma was joined by her co-star Bill Nighy.

The duo appeared in high spirits as they cuddled up together on the red carpet, before taking their seats inside to watch their latest film offering.

Their Finest tells the tale of a female scriptwriter Catrina Cole (played by Arterton) who is recruited by the military to write films with a 'woman's touch' in 1940s Britain.

Strike a pose: Gemma and her dapper co-star made a strong impression on the red carpet

Looking good: The brunette beauty was hard to miss in her velvet ensemble

Fancy seeing you here! Bill made a fuss of Gemma as he joined her on the red carpet

Shall we? The pair joined forces for the photo opportunity, flashing big smiles

Her natural flair is recognised by Sam Claflin's character in the movie, Buckley, and the duo team up to create a film based on the Dunkirk rescue starring Ambrose Hilliard (Nighy) as its lead.

Gemma's addition to the film comes after she recently admitted that she now takes signing up for movie roles into much careful consideration than her earlier days as an actress.

The Made In Dagenham star told ES magazine: 'For the first seven or eight years of my career, I was doing stuff because I thought I should, or I thought I was lucky to get that part.

'It sits really badly with me when I make something I'm not proud of, or doesn't say what I want to say.'

In action: Gemma plays the role of Catrina Cole who is recruited by the military to write films with a 'woman's touch' in 1940s Britain and gets noticed for her natural flair

Arm-in-arm: Helen McCrory was also in attendance, looking lovely in a floral frock

Peplum chic: The military inspired jacket boasted a peplum frill to define her waist

All together now: The trio were on fine form as they united at the premiere

Gemma has also spoken openly about Hollywood sexism during a recent interview for the BUILD series.

According to the Standard, she revealed how film bosses rank high-profile actresses and referred to herself as a 'C'.

Gemma said: 'Oh no, it really exists, Im like a C. I know, because I am sitting in the meetings trying to get financing for films that Im in and theyre like: "We love you, but could you also get [insert category A actress]?"

Beaming: Gemma flashed her pearly whites as Bill laced an arm around her neck
Ashton Kutcher was on daddy duty on Wednesday as he was spotted walking with his two-year-old daughter Wyatt.

The 39-year-old actor carried his little girl's pink lunchbox as he enjoyed a sunny stroll in Studio City, California.

Ashton kept it casual in a white t-shirt and beige pants along with chambray shirt for the outing.

Doting dad: Ashton Kutcher carried his daughter Wyatt's lunch box as he took her to pre-school on Wednesday

Wyatt looked adorable in a pink dress and cream cardigan with trendy tan ankle boots.

It seems Ashton's wife Mila Kunis, 33, and son youngest child, son Dimitri stayed home.

Meanwhile, Ashton recently praised his wife for 'kicking his ass' every day.

The former That '70s Show actor paid tribute to his spouse and their children, Wyatt, two, and Dimitri, four months, as he picked up the Robert D. Ray Pillar of Character Award at the Ron Pearson Center in West Des Moines, in his home state of Iowa, on Saturday and spoke of his positive outlook on life.

Laid back style: The 39-year-old actor kept it casual in a chambray shirt and beige pants

He said: 'It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you learn from the mistakes that you make and how you perceive the world that's coming at you.

'Because life doesn't happen to you, it happens for you. Every single time. And as long as you have love and kindness and optimism and a pursuit of something greater in your heart, you're the lucky one. So this award is for you. It is for my family, it's for all four of my parents, it's for my wife, who kicks my ass on character every day.

'I'm telling you, this morning, I woke up and she kicked my ass on character.

Family of four: Ashton and wife Mila also have a son, Dimitri, who was born in November 2016

'I thought I was awesome because I got up early and helped with the kids before she woke up and I let her sleep a little bit and then she's like, "Well, now you're gonna act tired? I do it every day." But it was a character moment, right? Because she's right!'

The 39-year-old actor admitted being a parent has been the 'greatest lesson in character' of his life and thinks having children is an 'amazing honour'.

He said: 'When I had these kids, my wife and I had these kids and we got to share that amazing, amazing, amazing honour, my first response was, I wanted to call my parents and say, "I'm sorry, because I never knew how much you loved me."

Ashton and Mila started dating in 2012 after being friends for years and starring in That '70s show together.

They married in July 2015 after welcoming Wyatt the year prior. Their son Dimitri was born in November 2016.
He's been on the receiving end of heartbreak recently, thanks to a short-lived relationship with TOWIE co-star Chloe Sims.

But The Only Way is Essex's Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell is said to currently be dating a Swedish model - Isabella Cirinski.

The reality personality's heartbreak doesn't seem too permanent, as he seems to have moved swiftly on to beauty queen Isabella, who in fact lives in America.

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'She's the perfect woman': TOWIE'S Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell is dating stunning Swedish model Isabella Cirinski

Love lorn? The reality personality's heartbreak doesn't seem too permanent, as he seems to have moved swiftly on to beauty queen Isabella, who in fact lives in America

A source told The Sun Online: 'It's very early days between Liam and Isabella but they get on really well and are seeing how it pans out.

'It's about time Liam had some happiness and Isabella is the perfect woman. It's not hard to see why Liam's keen on her - she's gorgeous.'

Gatsby uploaded a photograph of him and Isabella - who lives in Los Angeles, California - at a celebrity event in London last week.

This set tongues wagging - despite the fact that the pair didn't seem too cosy in the shot.

Together? Gatsby uploaded a photograph of him and Isabella - who lives in Los Angeles, California - at a celebrity event in London last week

Sizzling: Both Gatsby and Isabella's Instagrams are littered with pictures of themselves with pals, but there's very few of them together

Both Gatsby and Isabella's Instagrams are littered with pictures of themselves with pals, but there's very few of them together.

The model relocated to the States to further her modelling career, and has shot with photographer Neave Bozorgi who is very much in demand.

Although neither has gone public with the romance, the news will unlikely sit well with Chloe as just two weeks ago Liam was saying how 'no girl compares' to her and expressing how determined he was to get her back.

Hot: The model relocated to the States to further her modelling career, and has shot with photographer Neave Bozorgi who is very much in demand

Moving on: Although neither has gone public with the romance, the news will unlikely sit well with Chloe as just two weeks ago Gatsby was saying how 'no girl compares' to her and expressing how determined he was to get her back

The ex: Chloe recently told her friends Bobby Norris and Gemma Collins that she thought their romance had now ruined their friendship because their split was somewhat awkward

However, Chloe recently told her friends Bobby Norris and Gemma Collins that she thought their romance had now ruined their friendship because their split was somewhat awkward.

She said: 'Am I not allowed to continue with my life and my friends? I'm single, I can do what I want.

'It's gone on too long now. It's destroyed any friendship between me and Liam. We don't even talk now.'
She has been enjoying the benefits of reality television fame since appearing on Married At First Sight this year.

And Cheryl Maitland, 25, embraced her new Instagram model status this week by stripping down to cleavage-baring activewear in a bid to peddle protein powder on the popular image-sharing app.

Posing in an image uploaded to her page on Thursday, the curvaceous hairdresser made sure to reveal her bare midsection and an ample glimpse of cleavage in her white crop-top and grey leggings.

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'I'm really picky with what protein I use but this one': MAFS' Cheryl Maitland, 25, embraced her new Instagram model status this week by stripping down to cleavage-baring activewear in a bid to peddle protein powder on the popular image-sharing app

'Rise and shine it's protein time @luxefitness I'm really picky with what protein i use but this one,' she wrote in the caption.

Getting her heart broken on national television seems to have paid off for Cheryl who recently scored herself a holiday at an upmarket rain forest retreat thanks to her newfound fame.

According to The Daily Telegraph, the former topless waitress and her felon boyfriend Dean Gibbs having been holidaying in accommodation costing up to $715 per night, with a spokesperson for the hotel describing Cheryl's handout as 'mutually beneficial'.

Cheryl the social influencer? Cheryl recently scored a 'mutually beneficial' luxury holiday alongside felon beau Dean Gibbs

Nice gig! Cheryl and boyfriend Dean have been staying at the Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat

Cheryl and boyfriend Dean have been staying at the Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat, located in lush forest between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast, where the hairdressing salon manager resides.

The hotel complex features 13 rainforest-secluded bungalows costing up to $715 a night.

A spokesperson for the accommodation told News Corp Australia a deal had been made for Cheryl to promote the site on social media, however, wouldn't go into any specifics of the arrangement.

Normal: The representative said the deal made with Cheryl and her boyfriend Dean (pictured) wasn't unusual

Working for her trip: A spokesperson for the accommodation told News Corp Australia a deal had been made for Cheryl to promote the site on social media

'It's mutually beneficial, I think it's good for her to document her stay here on social media,' he said.

The representative said the deal made with Cheryl and her boyfriend wasn't at all unusual.

'We are approached by an number of notable identities, we work things out on a case-by-case basis,' he said.

Paying her way: Photos and videos from Cheryl's Instagram account, on which she boasts 147,000 followers, show the Gold Coast girl posting diligently from the luxury hotel

Photos and videos from Cheryl's Instagram account, on which she boasts 147,000 followers, show the Gold Coast girl posting diligently from the luxury hotel.

'This morning with him @crystalcreekrainforestretreat you have honestly outdone yourself!' Cheryl captioned a photo of the pair lying together on a bed while having breakfast on Tuesday.

Cheryl's relationship with Dean, who in 2014 was convicted of trafficking cocaine while a police officer, comes after her 'marriage' to Andrew Jones collapsed on national television.
There was certainly awkward sexual tension when they first met in the South African jungle.

But it appears Ash Pollard and her 'crush' Kris Smith are the best of mates following their stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

The 30-year-old blonde snuggled up to the 38-year-old model as they posed for a snapped shared on Kris's Instagram, both seen enjoying a glass of red wine during dinner on Wednesday.

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Friends for life! Kris Smith and his I'm A Celebrity camp mate Ash Pollard beamed as they posed for a photo during their boozy dinner on Wednesday night

'Jungle catch ups, difference is, these stories would never make it to air! Not even at midnight,' Kris captioned his post.

The Myer ambassador added the cheeky hash tags 'she cray cray,' 'funny,' and 'good times'.

The father-of-one showed off his muscular physique in a black, long-sleeved top and a pair of matching trousers.

One of the boys! Last week, the former MKR star was spotted catching up with her other co-stars, including Dane Swan, Nazeem Hussain, and Steve Price at a lunch in Melbourne

Ash meanwhile, wore her wild curls out and showed off a hint of cleavage in a white shirt.

Last week, the former My Kitchen Rules star enjoyed another reunion with her jungle pals.

The reality star took to Instagram to share a snap of herself during a lunch with former AFL star Dane Swan, comedian Nazeem Hussain and shock jock Steve Price.

Jungle weight loss: Meanwhile, Kris has been proudly showing off his recent weight loss after shedding nearly seven kilograms on the reality show

It appears she was missing Kris at the event, captioning her post in part: 'Good to have our little clique back together. Wasn't the same without @krissmith13 though!'

Meanwhile, Kris has been proudly showing off his jungle weight loss since shedding nearly seven kilograms during the show.

Sharing a stylish selfie before heading out on Wednesday night, the British star wrote: 'Melbourne fashion memo, all black everything.'

Prior to entering the jungle, Kris opened up about his past struggles with his weight, labelling himself a 'little fatty boomba' child during an interview with The Daily Telegraph.
His hit radio show is currently on a short break.

And Kyle Sandilands appeared to make the most of his holiday as he jetted off to Los Angeles to party with girlfriend Imogen Anthony.

The 45-year-old shock jock looked bleary-eyed as he enjoyed a night out at Hollywood's renowned nightclub Bootsy Bellows on Wednesday night.

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Wild for the night! Kyle Sandilands appeared bleary-eyed as he enjoyed a night out clubbing with girlfriend Imogen Anthony

In footage shared on Imogen's Instagram stories, the KIISFM presenter appeared bleary-eyed as he swayed to the club's hip-hop beats.

Meanwhile, Imogen, 26, showed off her unique style as she grinded up close with her beau.

The Maxim cover girl swapped her blonde locks for a straight black wig, and sported a beige dress with an extravagant fur coat as she danced the night away.

Wigging out: Imogen, 26, showed off her unique style in a fur coat and strappy top as well as a long black wig as she soaked up the atmosphere at Bootsy Bellows with her man

The Sydney socialite added a pair of snake-print thigh-high boots to her ensemble, while also accessorising with a stacked gold choker.

As the video begins, Imogen is seen dancing with her back towards the camera, while facing her beau Kyle.

Kyle looks to be in party bliss as he was being filmed, with Imogen turning around to show off her sculpted cheek bones and plump pout.

Party people: Shock jock Kyle looked worse for wear as he was seen swaying to the club's background beats, with his younger girlfriend dancing in front of him

It appears the pair were out with several of their friends, with Imogen's snaps showing a table overflowing with drinks and shot glasses.

Earlier, Imogen took to Instagram to share a loved-up selfie with Kyle before heading out to Hollywood hot spot Boa Steakhouse for dinner.

'BOA & Bootsy Bellows tonight w/ #bae [sic],' the slender beauty captioned the snap.

Date night! Prior to hitting the club, Imogen took to Instagram to share a loved-up snap with her beau as they dined at Hollywood hot spot Boa Steakhouse

The model also didn't waste her opportunity to pose for several racy photos ahead of the night out.

The scantily-clad star showed off her pins in a short dress and thigh-high boots as she posed up a storm at a Beverly Hills mansion.

'Shady,' the controversial fashion designer captioned one snap, while writing 'b**chy' underneath the second.

Posing up a storm: The fashion designer didn't waste any photo ops during her LA getaway, sharing snaps of her outfit while posing inside a Beverly Hills mansion

The couple have been rumoured to be on the verge of engagement in recent months.

They first began dating over five years ago, after meeting at Kyle's lavish 40th birthday party.

And the shock jock isn't shy about sharing the most intimate details of their love life on the air waves.

In February, Kyle revealed he had 'become a selfish lover,' telling listeners 'I just lay back there' during sex with Imogen.

Flaunt it: The Maxim cover girl showed off her trim pins in the tiny dress, captioning it 'b**chy'

'I don't care, I don't even mind that Im selfish. I used to put a big effort in, but now, no effort. Nothing,' Kyle added.

Despite his candid confession, the pair's romance has gone from strength to strength over the years.

Imogen, who is 19 years younger than Kyle, has previously stated that her man can't wait to have children.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, she said: 'He's clucky, trust me he's clucky', adding that Kyle had become increasingly adamant about having children over the past couple of years.
Michelle Williams arrived in Los Angeles on Wednesday after flying in from Paris.

The actress had traveled to the French capital for a Louis Vuitton party Tuesday night where she joined other stars including Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Connelly and Jennifer Aniston.

The 36-year-old arrived back in the States in a chic black and white striped woolen coat.

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Back in the USA: Michelle Williams arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday wearing a chic black and white striped woolen coat after flying in from Paris

Under her stylish coat Michelle wore a black turtleneck and faded blue jeans.

She was also still wearing the pink ballet shoes she'd been seen wearing around town in Paris.

She covered up her eyes after her long-haul flight with a pair of large tortoiseshell-frame sunglasses and had a white hold-all slung over one shoulder.

Classy: The always stylish actress, 36, donned a black turtleneck and blue jeans and wore the pink ballet shoes she'd been seen wearing around town during her trip to the French capital

Long-haul flight: Her platinum blonde pixie cut had been trimmed a little shorter for her Paris trip and she hid her eyes behind large tortoiseshell-framed sunglasses

The former Dawson's Creek star has been busy filming The Greatest Showman in New York with Hugh Jackman.

The film tells the story of P.T. Barnum, played by Jackman, who created the spectacle of the circus.

Michelle stars as his wife Charity Barnum.

The actress juggles her successful career with raising her daughter Matilda as a single mom.

Matilda, 11, is her child with the late Heath Ledger, who died aged 28 in January 2008 from a suspected accidental overdose of prescription drugs.

The actress juggles her successful career with raising her daughter Matilda, 11, as a single mom. Matilda's father is the late Heath Ledger (pictured with Michelle at the Oscars in 2006)

Lots of memories of her time with the Australian star will no doubt be brought to the surface again this month as a new documentary about Heath's last days is set to premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival before opening in the U.S. in May.

The first trailer for I Am Heath Ledger debuted on Tuesday, which would have been his 38th birthday and shows The Dark Knight actor in never-seen-before footage, often taken by his own camera.

Members of his family and those who worked with him including Naomi Watts and Brokeback Mountain director Ang Lee also share their stories and memories.
She came face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend Pete Wicks on Wednesday night's drama-filled installment of TOWIE, resulting in an almighty argument.

And as the clash scenes aired, Megan McKenna risked running into her former flame once again at a charity event in London, while the source of their argument, Chloe Sims, also attended.

The reality star, 24, did her best to avoid tattooed hunk Pete as she arrived at the Jog On To Cancer event, putting in a glamorous appearance in a white bodycon dress.

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Awkward: TOWIE's Megan McKenna risked running into her former flame Pete Wicks once again at the Jog On To Cancer event in London on Wednesday night

Separate arrivals: Pete arrived fashionably late, luckily managing to escape from fiery-tempered Megan's view

Megan ensured she was the centre of attention in her eye-catching look, pulling her outfit together with a distressed denim jacket.

She wore the cover up hanging off her shoulders, managing to look glamorous as she successfully navigated the roadwoks on her way into the venue.

Megan completed her attire with a pair of lace-up metallic heels, and wore her chocolate coloured tresses down in tumbling curls.

Glamorous: The reality star, 24, put in a glamorous appearance in a white bodycon dress

Taking it in her stride: The brunette beauty appeared on fine form as she arrived at the bash

Awkward: Chloe Sims, the source of their argument, was also in attendance

Pete arrived fashionably late in the company of his TOWIE pals, flashing a thumbs up as he made his way into the venue.

The long-haired star was clad in his usual sombre uniform of a leather jacket and skinny jeans.

After Megan and Pete were pictured in the street last week in their screaming match, a source told The Sun: 'They immediately started a heated discussion after Megan saw pictures of Pete with Chloe Sims recently.'

Turning heads: Megan ensured she was the centre of attention in her eye-catching look, pulling her outfit together with a distressed denim jacket

Full on glamour: Megan completed her attire with a pair of lace-up metallic heels, and wore her chocolate coloured tresses down in tumbling curls

Thumbs up! The TOWIE hunk flashed a thumbs up as he made his way into the venue

Bro squad: Pete arrived fashionably late in the company of his TOWIE pals Dan Edgar and Mario Falcone

Despite this, sources elaborated that Chloe was nothing to do with the split, with the blonde elaborating in her Star magazine column: 'Megans annoyed with me...

'She reckoned I shouldve called her over those pics of me and Pete looking close. I dont feel like I need to call anyone. Pete and Megan ended up in a huge argument.'

Megan was accused of being intimate with her ex-boyfriend Harry Eden, a former child star, who starred as The Artful Dogder in Roman Polanski's Oliver remake.

Almighty clash: Wednesday's episode, the drama was unveiled in full as the pair screamed at each other on the streets of Essex

Megan screamed at her ex: 'You were miserable. This is f**king bulls**t giving me this f**king act. I can't be a***d!'

He dated the brunette beauty for two years until 2014, and now runs Maisons Bar in Chelmsford, Essex - a favoured haunt of the TOWIE cast.

She insisted to Pete in last Wednesday's episode that she was never unfaithful, while rumours circulated that the ex-boyfriend was her Ex On The Beach star former fiance Jordan Davies. Reports also suggested Pete has played away.

And on Wednesday's episode, the drama was unveiled in full as the pair screamed at each other on the streets of Essex.

'I don't believe it, it's fake, you're fake!': The brunette unleashed the full force of her wrath on Pete

Tough times: Pete was close to tears, lips trembling throughout the altercation

'I was upset that she said I was an attention seeker,' Megan said to Pete about Chloe, who had indeed called her that behind her back. 'I think I dealt with it well.

Megan's fury was most aimed at her and Pete's mutual friends, who have involved themselves in the drama.

'I am telling everyone to not talk about it, or you, and not to slag you off. I'm the one who said [you hadn't done anything wrong],' Pete explained.

'Yeah, you were an angel!' Megan spat back, sarcastically before adding: 'I didn't cheat on you!'

Upset: Pete tried to defend his pals, saying, 'I'm telling everyone to not talk about it, or you, and not to slag you off. I'm the one who said [you hadn't done anything wrong]'

Kimono chic: Chloe put the drama behind her, putting in a glamorous appearance at the event

Floral fancy: Chloe looked lovely in her flower print, Japanese inspired attire

At this point, Pete began sucking on his upper lips, before exclaiming: 'This is f**king b******s!'

Taking umbrage with the expression on Pete's face, Megan then said: 'Why are you giving me that look? I took you back. Every night I used to cook you dinner!'

'Yeah, but you never forgave me!' Pete fought back, referring to his previous indiscretions, namely a sexting scandal.

'I f**king did!' Megan screeched. 'But then you were miserable. This is f**king bulls**t giving me this f**king act. I can't be a***d!'

Pete was close to tears, lips trembling. Megan stormed off, he followed her but she objected to this by yelling: 'I don't believe it, it's fake, you're fake!'

Funny faces: The star got into the swing of things as she posed on the red carpet
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologises about a comparison he made between Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Hitler during an earlier press briefing on April 11, 2017

White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday for "insensitive" remarks in which he seemed to favorably compare Adolf Hitler's actions during the Holocaust to atrocities carried out now by strongman Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

During a White House briefing Spicer sought to intensify criticism of Assad, painting the Syrian leader's suspected use of sarin nerve agent against civilians last week as historically evil.

"You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," the spokesman said during a White House press briefing, momentarily forgetting the Holocaust and prompting outraged calls for his resignation.

A few hours later, a contrite Spicer appeared on US television expressing regret for the comments, which in the hours after he made them were greeting with growing outrage and demands for his resignation.

"Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive comment about the Holocaust and there is no comparison," he told CNN.

"For that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that."

Spicer's comments, which came during the Jewish festival of Passover, sparked calls from anti-defamation groups and opposition Democrats for his ouster.

"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements," said top congressional Democrat Nancy Pelosi.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer walks back to the West Wing after apologising about a comparison he made between Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and Hitler

"Either he is speaking for the president, or the president should have known better than to hire him."

Spicer -- the most public face of the Donald Trump's administration after the president himself -- has been a frequent target of ire and satirists for his angry denunciations of press coverage and sometimes loose grasp of the facts.

He was pilloried for his first appearance in the press briefing room in January, when he browbeat journalists and falsely insisted Trump had the biggest inaugural audience ever.

He later caused an international incident by claiming British signals intelligence agency GCHQ helped former president Barack Obama spy on Trump.

Furious British spies described the claim as "nonsense" and "utterly ridiculous," forcing Spicer to explain his comments to the British ambassador.

But his latest claim brought anger from across the political spectrum and looks of astonishment from the assembled White House press corps, who offered Spicer a chance to clarify.

"I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no -- he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," Spicer said, returning to the subject.

As journalists shouted "what about the Holocaust?" Spicer continued, "I think there is clearly... I understand the point, thank you, thank you I appreciate that."

Hitler "brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down, to innocent -- into the middle of towns, it was brought... so the use of it, I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent."

Steven Goldstein, head of the Anne Frank Center, described Spicer's comments as an "evil slur" and said he now "lacks the integrity to serve."

In an earlier written clarification, Spicer said he was "in no way... trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust."

"I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," he explained.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis later offered a hint at what Spicer may have meant, saying that "even in World War II, chemical weapons were not used on battlefields."

"Since World War I, there has been an international convention on this."

Richard Price, professor of political science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and author of The Chemical Weapons Taboo told AFP Hitler in fact came very close to using chemical weapons on civilian areas.

"Hitler used gas widely in the concentration camps, but they never used them against soldiers nor against cities," he said.

"Albert Speer, munitions minister, said that during the trials of Nuremberg that Hitler gave the order to use them in the last months of the war, but his generals refused, because they knew the war was over, there was no point."

- Syria briefing -

Tuesday's incident was not the first time this week that Spicer has found himself in rhetorical difficulty over Syria.

On Monday, he suggested that Trump could take military action if Assad were to drop more barrel bombs -- a regular occurrence in Syria's brutal war and a red line that would almost immediately be breeched, making US military action all but certain.

The White House privately walked back his comments.

Trump's pared-back approach to staffing has resulted in many of the apparatus around Spicer from being removed.

There are around half the number of National Security Council's communications staff, whose job is -- in part -- to brief the press secretary on international developments.

The State Department does not have a spokesperson and has stopped holding daily briefings, which often serve as an early warning system for the White House about questions and issues headed their way.
Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac announces a new album entitled "Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie," to be released in June

Members of blues-rock powerhouse Fleetwood Mac on Tuesday announced a new album that will bring together all of the band's classic lineup -- except Stevie Nicks.

Guitarist Lindsey Buckingham said the album would be the first by a duo of him and keyboardist Christine McVie, who rejoined Fleetwood Mac for a 2014-15 global tour after staying out of the spotlight for years.

Entitled simply "Lindsey Buckingham/Christine McVie," the 10-track album will come out on June 9 followed by a US tour. The duo will release a first single, "In My World," on Friday.

The duo in a statement said that the two started working on new material when McVie joined rehearsals for the tour and "their natural creative chemistry was reignited."

Recording the album at the Los Angeles studio where Fleetwood Mac made its 1979 album "Tusk," the pair was joined by two band mates -- drummer Mick Fleetwood and bassist John McVie.

Notably absent from the recording sessions was Stevie Nicks, who has gone on to become the most identifiable member of Fleetwood Mac with a successful solo career led by her unique sandy voice.

Buckingham, in a 2014 interview with Billboard magazine, had said that Nicks was busy with other commitments when the others headed to the studio.

The part-British, part-US band was notorious for internal tensions which played out in the music. Nicks was romantically involved at times with Buckingham and Fleetwood, while Christine McVie was formerly married to John McVie.

Fleetwood Mac has not released a studio album since 2003's "Say You Will," on which Christine McVie was absent, but the reunited lineup with Nicks has become a major draw on the live circuit.

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles will headline a new festival called The Classic in Los Angeles and New York in July.
In the first confirmation that the government conducted surveillance on President Donald Trump's team, the FBI obtained a rare warrant from the top secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Carter Page's communications

The White House on Wednesday tried to distance itself from a one-time campaign aide to Donald Trump, Carter Page, after revelations that the FBI investigated him last year for ties to Russian intelligence.

The Washington Post reported that federal investigators obtained a rare warrant from the top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to monitor Page's communications -- the first confirmation of government surveillance of Trump's team.

During the 2016 election campaign, then candidate Trump personally referred to Page as one of his foreign policy advisors.

It has now emerged that federal prosecutors and an intelligence court judge at least suspected the former Moscow-based banker was also working for, or with, the Russians.

The White House rushed to play down Page's ties to Trump and the campaign.

One current official told AFP that Page never met Trump, did not have a campaign pass and was only mentioned as an advisor because the billionaire candidate was under pressure to show he had a policy brain trust.

The FBI began investigating Russian meddling in the US election and the possible collusion between now-President Donald Trump's campaign and Moscow in July

The official admitted that Page could have written policy memos for the campaign, but his name was only on a list of supposed advisors because of a recommendation from Sam Clovis, an Iowa conservative now working in Trump's Department of Agriculture.

The FBI declined to comment on the report.

The bureau is currently investigating Russian interference in the US election, an operation US intelligence later concluded was designed to help Trump win the presidency.

The FBI began its probe, which also is examining whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and Moscow, in July.

Trump has repeatedly called the Russian interference story "fake news" while alleging, without offering evidence, that the previous administration of president Barack Obama spied on him and his campaign.

In March 2016, Trump named Page as one of his small team of foreign policy advisors, and Page attended the Republican convention in July, where he and others met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

But months later, Page was disavowed by the campaign, apparently in part because of the attention drawn by his trips to Moscow, which he said were private business.

S Representative from California Devin Nunes was forced to step aside as chair of the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian election interference due to the mishandling of intelligence reports

His name surfaced in a dossier of reports on links between the Trump operation and Russia complied by former British spy Christopher Steele.

Page told the Post he had "nothing to hide."

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page said.

In March, he told Fox News that he did not help the Russians in their efforts to influence the campaign.

"I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way," he said.

Meanwhile CNN reported Tuesday that recent intelligence reports brought to light by Republican Congressman Devin Nunes did not show, as Nunes alleged, that the Obama administration combed intelligence intercepts to find information about Trump and his team.

CNN said both Republican and Democratic sources said the reports showed Obama national security advisor Susan Rice had handled the intelligence in "normal and appropriate" ways.

Nunes was forced to step aside as chair of the House Intelligence Committee's investigation of Russian election interference due to his own mishandling of those reports.
Muhammad Ashraf's eyes fill with tears, overwhelmed by grief and joy all at once, as he recounts being reunited with his family 26 years after they were torn apart by insurgency in disputed Kashmir.

'My son was 12 years old when we separated. Now my grandson is 16,' he told us of his odyssey to see his loved ones again, bittersweet for its brevity and because it lay bare how much he missed out on.

In 1990 Ashraf was serving with Indian security forces far from his family's village, in Indian-held Kashmir near Pakistani territory, as a violent insurgency against New Delhi gathered pace.

Indian Kashmiri Muhammad Ashraf sees his family for the first time in 26 years, after they were divided by insurgency in disputed Kashmir

By October that year, amid reports of mass detentions and widespread torture as authorities tried to crack down on militants, Ashraf's family fled in fear.

Along with 20,000 other Indian Kashmiris, they crossed the de facto border and sought refuge in Pakistan's territory.

Ashraf was left behind. It was a week before word even reached him that they were gone, and little did his family realise it would be more than a quarter of a century before they embraced him again.

'The golden time of my life, which I should have spent with my family, is gone,' he told says.

Ashraf's tale highlights the plight of thousands of refugee families divided by a conflict that stretches back as far as the bloody partition of India in 1947, when British rule finally ended.

Kashmir is one of the world's most dangerous flashpoints after the bitter split of its territory between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan who both claim it in full.

They have already fought two wars over the mountainous region, with no end to the dispute in sight.

Trapped

Ashraf found himself trapped by his career as a soldier. 'I thought if I quit my post I would be considered a traitor,' he said, adding he also feared repercussions for the one daughter who also remained in Indian Kashmir.

Indian Kashmiri soldier Muhammad Ashraf reunited with his family 26 years after conflict tore them apart -- but was too late to see his parents, he could only visit their graves

He was not allowed to visit Pakistani territory, while on active duty. But when he retired in 2006 he redoubled efforts to see his family again.

First Ashraf applied to use the Kashmir Bus Service, which was launched a year earlier to facilitate meetings between divided families. He tried five times in total - all in vain.

Access to the service remains largely at the whim of authorities and is routinely disrupted during periods of high tensions.

He then decided to apply for a passport to allow him to cross the formal border further south in Punjab province, but the document took 10 years to procure.

The reasons for the delay are unclear, but it is possible that as a former Indian soldier, authorities were not keen for him to travel to Pakistan.

The passport finally arrived in 2016 - but it was too late for him to see his parents again, they both died in Pakistani-held Kashmir.

His children's weddings, the births of his grandchildren all took place there too - over the long years they were without him.

He also missed a lifetime with his wife, Badar Un Nisa, who is now 62.

'I wept during the weddings of all my children because I missed my husband,' she says.

'My mother worked very hard,' Ashraf's son Muhammad Asghar added. 'It is very difficult for a woman to bring up her children without her husband's support.'

Near but far

When a ceasefire agreement was signed in 2003, authorities designated two spots on the Neelum River, which cuts through Indian- and Pakistani-held Kashmir, where relatives on either side can wave to one another across the rushing waters.

Indian mother Ashraf Jan holds her son for the first time in more than a quarter of a century, their families were among thousands torn apart by conflict in disputed Kashmir

Ashraf's family describe catching a glimpse of him there once, at Eid, in 2006 - 16 years in to their separation.

The river is just around 80 feet (25 metres) wide there, but with armed soldiers watching closely on either side, all the families can do is look.

For many, it only heightens the pain.

Ashraf Jan, 60, who is from the same village as Muhammad Ashraf - Karen in Indian-held Kashmir - has also been separated from her family since 1990.

She describes her heartbreak at seeing her son, Ashiq Hussain, across the Neelum River.

'I wanted to jump in and reach him,' she says.

'I was weeping on the one side of the river while my son was weeping on the other side. We were helpless,' she added.

Seeing them again this February was like being 're-born', she explained.

But for her and Ashraf both the reunions are tinged with grief: their visas only lasted a month.

They have sought extensions, and remain in Pakistani Kashmir for now awaiting the Interior Ministry's reply, but - eventually - they will have to return.

Some 20,000 Indian Kashmiris crossed the de facto border and sought refuge in Pakistan's territory in 1990, amid reports of a violent New Delhi crackdown

If they surrender their Indian passports they could seek refugee status to remain in the camps in Pakistani-held Kashmir - but, for Ashraf, that would mean leaving his other daughter behind, as well as his home and pension.

If he keeps his passport, he can visit again. But with tensions once again high between India and Pakistan, no permanent solution is yet in sight.

Ashraf's desolate wife Nisa is distraught: 'We have been very happy since my husband was with us, but these moments of happiness are brief. He has to go back.'
The winner of Ghana's presidential election, Nana Akufo-Addo, takes the oath of office during the swearing-in ceremony at Independence Square in Accra, on January 7, 2017

Ghanaians were horrified when members of a vigilante group loosely affiliated with the ruling party stormed a court to free 13 members standing trial for assault late last week.

The Delta Force is just one of a handful of groups responsible for commandeering public facilities since New Patriotic Party (NPP) leader Nana Akufo-Addo won December's presidential polls.

In March, more than 200 Delta Force vigilantes attacked a regional government building, in a bid to force a senior official out.

Described as "macho men" in Ghana, vigilante groups like the Delta Force campaign on behalf of political parties. In return, they expect jobs.

With names like "Aluta Boys (wrestling boys)", "Pentagon", "Al Qaeda" or "Al Jazeera", members of the over 20 vigilante groups in Ghana tend to come mostly from poor backgrounds.

These groups have been helping mobilise voters -- sometimes by force -- since the 1970s, said Kwesi Aning, a security expert from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, a research organisation based in Accra.

The influence of the groups has risen since 2000, with the violence becoming "dramatically worse", Aning told AFP.

"They do the filthy work in the hope that you will gain political power," Aning told AFP.

"If you don't provide the jobs, then, of course, they feel let down and want to fight back."

For a country that takes its peaceful reputation seriously in a region scarred by conflict and despots, the Delta Force violence has been a rising cause for concern.

"The president will have to fight back and the only tools he has to fight back are the police and the armed forces," Aning said, warning that the "potential clash is nasty."

Speaking to local media on Monday, Akufo-Addo said the government was working to end the vigilante unrest.

"The events in Kumasi are being brought systematically under control," the president said.

"We are not wavering from the commitment that we made that we were going to serve Ghana under the conditions of the rule of law."

- 'Tarnishing Ghana's image' -

The UN on Monday condemned the post-election violence, describing the court invasion in Kumasi, the capital city of the Ashanti region, as "reprehensible".

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, head of the United Nations office for West Africa and the Sahel, said the Delta Force group was acting with "impunity" following the 2016 election.

"These acts are likely to tarnish the image of Ghana as a model of democracy and the rule of law," the UN statement said.

Ashanti Regional Police commander Ken Yeboah said he suspects the groups are lashing out because "they feel they have been neglected".

Yeboah said that in the Ashanti region alone the Delta Force may have over a thousand members.

Police have "declared war against all vigilante groups in the country," Yeboah said, adding that security has been ramped up in Kumasi.

The violence clouds Akufo-Addo's mostly peaceful victory and smooth transition of power, hailed as a validation of Ghana's deepening democracy.

"There is a big push and a lot of pressure on the NPP government to clamp down on the violence happening," said Kwesi Koomson, an analyst at risk advisory firm Africa Practice.

"The public outroar is huge and the condemnation has come at a very loud level."

Akufo-Addo came to power after beating New Democratic Congress (NDC) incumbent John Dramani Mahama in December's election.

He dominated at the polls riding on a wave of economic discontent after Ghana suffered a currency crisis, electricity shortages and was forced to take out a loan from the International Monetary Fund.

Election observers praised Ghana's free and fair polls, despite reports of macho men intimidating voters.

In past elections, vigilantes were accused of stealing ballot boxes and attacking political opponents.
US President Donald Trump (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk in Florida on April 7, 2017

Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme, as the US president touted the power of a naval "armada" steaming towards the Korean peninsula.

China's foreign ministry said Wednesday the two leaders had spoken by phone, days after Trump sent the aircraft carrier-led strike group to the region in a show of force ahead of a possible nuclear test.

The deployment was followed by a renewed warning that Washington was ready to take on North Korea alone if Beijing declined to help rein in its maverick neighbour's nuclear ambitions.

Pyongyang has issued a defiant response, saying it was ready to fight "any mode of war" chosen by the United States and even threatening a nuclear strike against US targets.

North Korea missile and nuclear sites

The sabre-rattling has unnerved China, which has made clear its frustration with Pyongyangs stubbornness but whose priority remains preventing any military flare-up that could bring chaos and instability to its doorstep.

In the call, Xi stressed that China "advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means," the foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday, the US president tweeted that "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A."

A barrage of recent North Korean missile tests has stoked US fears that Pyongyang may soon develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to the US mainland.

The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier takes part in an exercise in the Philippine Sea on March 28, 2017

There is speculation that the country could be preparing a missile launch, or even another nuclear test, to mark the 105th birthday anniversary of its founder Kim Il-Sung on Saturday.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Trump warned: "We are sending an armada. Very powerful."

"We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier."

The flotilla includes the Nimitz-class aircraft supercarrier USS Carl Vinson, a carrier air wing, two guided-missile destroyers and a guided-missile cruiser.

"This goes to prove that the US reckless moves for invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase," a spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said in response.

A TV shows file footage of a North Korean missile launch, in Seoul on April 5, 2017

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday it was "irresponsible and even dangerous to take any actions that may escalate the tension".

"All relevant parties should exercise restraint and keep calm, easing tensions instead of provoking each other and adding fuel to the fire," he said at a regular press briefing.

Pyongyang has so far staged five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and analysis of satellite imagery suggests it could be preparing for a sixth.

China's Global Times newspaper, which sometimes reflects the thinking of the country's leadership, said a new test would be a "slap in the face of the US government" and that Beijing would not "remain indifferent".

"Presumably Beijing will react strongly to Pyongyang's new nuclear actions," it said, adding there was increasing popular support for "severe restrictive measures that have never been seen before".

The language suggested China -- the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline -- could restrict oil imports to the country, after already announcing a suspension of all coal imports until the end of the year.

- 'Outstanding' relationship -

The call between the leaders of the world's largest economies followed their first face-to-face meeting late last week.

During the call, Xi told Trump that China remains "willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side on the issue of the peninsula," according to the foreign ministry.

Trump, it added, said it was vital for the two heads of state to maintain close ties.

The high-profile summit in Florida was overshadowed by a US missile strike on Syria that was also interpreted as a warning to North Korea.

Xi told Trump on the call that the Syria issue "must continue to move towards a political solution", and that "any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable".

He said their summit produced "significant results", and that both sides would work together to ensure Trump visited China later this year.

Trump's election campaign was marked with acerbic denouncements of the Asian giant's "rape" of the US economy and his vow to punish Beijing with punitive tariffs.

But he dropped his anti-China bombast in Florida, afterwards hailing an "outstanding" relationship with his Chinese counterpart.
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha has for the first time confirmed that civilian parties will be able to meet in the run up to the 2018 elections

Thailand's junta chief on Wednesday said he plans to lift the ban on political party gatherings before next year's elections, although he declined to put a date on polls or state when the restrictions will be lifted.

The military seized power in 2014 ushering in Thailand's most autocratic government in a generation.

Former army chief turned Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha said the coup was necessary to end a decade of political instability and root out corruption.

He has banned political parties from meeting, cracked down on public dissent and granted himself the ability to pass any law in the name of national security.

Over the past 10 years Thais have witnessed repeated rounds of deadly protests, a string of short-lived governments and two military coups that deposed elected leaders

The cornerstone of the military's reform agenda has been a new constitution which was given royal assent earlier this month, triggering a countdown towards elections.

"The election process will begin next year," Prayut told reporters, saying first the country must hold a cremation for late King Bhumibol Aduyadej, an event likely to take place in late October.

"In 2018 we will go ahead with holding elections and political parties will be able to hold meetings."

His comments are the first time Prayut has confirmed civilian parties will be able to meet in the run up to elections.

However there are lingering questions over how much power any future civilian government will have under the new constitution -- the country's 20th since 1932.

The new charter provides for a junta-appointed upper house -- including six seats reserved for the military -- and a proportional voting system likely to reduce the influence of major parties.

The constitutional court, a frequent thorn in the side of elected governments, will be strengthened, making it easier to impeach a civilian leader.

The military has also said any future government must adhere to a "legally binding 20-year-plan" for the country that is still in the works.

The junta is also drawing up a series of yet to be published laws that will define who can form a political party.

Over the past 10 years Thais have witnessed repeated rounds of deadly protests, a string of short-lived governments and two military coups that deposed elected leaders.

Critics say the military is far from being a neutral player, deeply hostile to ousted premiers Thaksin and Yingluck Shinawatra, whose parties have won every poll since 2001.

Their billionaire clan is popular among Thailand's rural and urban poor and they have urged a return to elections.

But the Shinawatras are hated by Bangkok's military-backed elite, who accuse the family of corruption and nepotism.

Since their coup the military retroactively impeached Yingluck and she is currently facing a negligence trial that could see her jailed for up to a decade.
Russian President Vladimir Putin leads a meeting with members of the government on April 12, 2017 in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after complaining of worsening ties with Donald Trump's administration as the two sides spar over Syria.

Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of the Kremlin's ally Bashar al-Assad last week.

Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

- 'Clarify differences' -

Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil.

Dealing with the Syria chemical attack

But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis.

At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference."

During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) welcomes US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before a meeting in Moscow on April 12, 2017

Lavrov told Tillerson Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria.

In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later Wednesday.

The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack.

Syrian children receive treatment in the town of Maaret al-Noman, following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhun, a nearby rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, on April 4, 2017

"We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the Security Council as it met.

Ahead of Tillerson's visit tempers rose sharply as US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

The White House compared Assad's tactics to those of World War II Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, sparking widespread criticism for apparently ignoring the Holocaust.

Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

- Evacuations in Syria -

In a sign that the Kremlin is not set to drop its firm support for Assad, Syria's foreign minister is set to jet in to Moscow for talks with Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting involving Iran's top diplomat on Friday.

As the powerbrokers wrangled over the six-year war in Syria that has cost some 320,000 lives, a deal on the ground to evacuate four besieged towns began Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people, both civilians and fighters, are expected to begin leaving government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani later Wednesday.

The evacuations of the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.
In February 2017, activists from a Bangladesh Islamist group took part in a protest calling for a statue at the Supreme Court, referred to as a 'Greek goddess', to be destroyed or removed

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been accused of "kowtowing" to hardline Islamists after expressing dislike for a controversial statue that religious radicals want removed from the Supreme Court.

The statue of "lady justice" has ruffled feathers in the Muslim-majority nation, with hardliners staging massive protests in recent weeks against what they say is a Greek god unbefitting Bangladesh.

Protesters want the statue of the blindfolded woman holding scales, said to represent justice, destroyed and replaced with a Koran, despite Bangladesh's secular constitution.

Hasina, who had kept the furore at arms length, broke her silence late Tuesday after inviting top Islamist leaders to her residence where she described the statue as "ridiculous".

"I dont like it myself. Its being called a Greek statue, but how did a Greek statue get here?" she said in comments published in online news portal bdnews24.com.

Court officials have defended the statue as a symbol of justice while secular groups expressed dismay that Hasina and the secular ruling party, the Awami League, was seemingly siding with hardliners on the issue.

"The government and Awami League's kowtowing to this type of demand will be suicidal for Bangladesh," Shahriar Kabir, secretary of Bangladesh's leading secular rights group, told AFP.

In a further major concession to Islamists, Hasina also said Tuesday her government would recognise degrees from hardline madrassas, paving the way for millions of religious scholars to qualify for jobs in public and private sectors.

The prime minister made the announcement after meeting Islamist leaders including the head of Hefazat-e-Islam, a fundamentalist group that has called for gender-segregated workplaces and tough blasphemy laws.

Conservative Bangladesh has experienced increasing tensions between hardliners and secularists in recent years, suffering a spate of killings of atheist bloggers, religious minorities and foreigners.

Her policy shift on madrassas has shocked secular groups, who consider it further evidence of creeping Islamisation as hardline elements push for Bangladeshi society to more closely reflect its Muslim traditions.

It comes as Hasina prepares for an early general election later this year, more than 12 months ahead of schedule, with analysts speculating the prime minister could be trying to corner the Islamist-allied centre-right opposition.
Somali pirates began staging attacks on ships in 2005, disrupting major international shipping routes and costing the global economy billions of dollars

Somalia security forces on Wednesday freed eight sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off a hijacked Indian ship earlier this week, a coast guard official said.

"The eight hostages were freed without fighting. The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured," Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Somalia's Galmudug state said.

Pirates stormed the "Al Kausar" ship off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31, holding the 10-man crew hostage and making ransom demands.

Somali security forces liberated the vessel on Monday, rescuing two Indian crew members, but the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages during an exchange of gunfire.

Ahmed said the newly freed crew members were "safe and healthy."

The Al Kausar, which was transporting cargo including wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia's Bossaso port, was the third vessel hijacked in the space of less than a month off the coast of the East African nation.

Experts have warned that shipping companies have let down their guard after the piracy crisis reached its height five years ago.

Somali pirates began attacking ships in 2005, disrupting a major shipping route in the Red Sea and costing the global economy billions of dollars.

At the peak of the piracy crisis in January 2011, 32 boats and 736 hostages were held.

Though anti-piracy measures ended attacks on commercial vessels, fishing boats have continued to face attacks sporadically.

However on March 13, pirates seized the Aris 13 oil tanker and eight Sri Lankan hostages in the first attack on a large merchant vessel by Somali pirates since 2012.

The pirates say they are reacting to illegal fishing off their coast, which has long been seen as the major driver of piracy in the country.

Though the pirates have held some hostages for as long as five years, they released the Aris 13 and its crew just four days after its seizure.
Opposition activists gather in Pretoria, on April 12, 2017 ahead of a march calling for the ousting of South Africa's embattled President Jacob Zuma

Rival South African opposition parties joined forces on Wednesday when tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through the capital Pretoria calling for President Jacob Zuma to resign.

The march to Union Buildings, the official seat of government, was organised on Zuma's 75th birthday and came after nationwide rallies against the president last week.

Zuma's recent sacking of respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan has fanned years of public anger over government corruption scandals, record unemployment and slowing economic growth.

Supporters of the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), and smaller parties mingled at Wednesday's demonstration in a display of unity.

Police said the event had been peaceful.

"You came out in large numbers and sent a strong message," EFF leader Julius Malema told the crowd.

"We are here to defend the future of our children whether you are black (or) white. We are united on the purpose of winning back our beautiful country."

Gordhan's sacking triggered unprecedented criticism from senior figures within the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including from Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Parliament announced late Wednesday that it had postponed a planned vote of no confidence in Zuma at the request of the DA.

The party had requested the delay pending the outcome of a Constitutional Court case to seek a secret vote by lawmakers.

The ANC lawmakers had in the past voted overwhelmingly against previous motions of no confidence launched by the opposition.

The date for the new vote has not yet been set.

- 'Moment of crisis'? -

"At this moment of crisis, we, as political parties, put our differences aside for one common cause -- to save South Africa from Jacob Zuma," said John Moodey, DA leader in Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg.

"(Zuma's supporters) will do everything to stay in power, even intimidating MPs. With a secret ballot, we could put Zuma out by a huge majority.

Members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) party march towards the Union Buildings during a demonstration of several opposition parties demanding the departure of South Africa's president, on April 12, 2017 in Pretoria

"Even if it doesn't succeed, I can guarantee you that we will have a coalition government in 2019."

Zuma, who came to office in 2009, is due to step down as head of the ANC in December, and as national president ahead of the 2019 general election.

"In December the ANC will elect a new leader, I don't know who that would be. The ANC will decide," Zuma told supporters at his birthday party in Soweto.

"In 2019 I will step down as president of the country," he said, adding that he was willing to step down from both his positions if asked to do so.

Zuma is seen as favouring his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to succeed him.

Protesters on Wednesday held placards reading "Zuma must fall", "Hamba tsotsi" ("Go away thief"), and "Zuma liar".

"I came because Zuma has to step down. He sold the country. I don't want him anymore," Mavis Madisha, a 37-year-old EFF supporter, told AFP.

Zuma has been accused of being in the sway of the wealthy Gupta business family, allegedly granting them influence over government appointments, contracts and state-owned businesses.

The Constitutional Court last year found Zuma guilty of violating the constitution after he refused to repay taxpayers' money used to refurbish his private rural house.

He is also fighting a court order that could reinstate almost 800 corruption charges against him over a multi-billion dollar arms deal in the 1990s.

The dismissal of Gordhan saw the Fitch and Standard & Poor's agencies cut South Africa's sovereign credit rating to junk status due to fears of political instability and growing corruption.

The ANC has lost popularity in recent years and slipped to 55 percent of the vote in last year's local elections -- its worst ever result.

Zuma has easily survived previous parliamentary votes against him due to the ANC's majority.

The president branded last week's protests, which attracted tens of thousands of marchers, as racist.
Tents being prepared for evacuees from the opposition-controlled town of Zabadani, northwest of the capital Damascus, on April 12, 2017

A deal to evacuate four besieged Syrian towns began on Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people had been expected to leave government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani on Wednesday, but sources told AFP that evacuations were likely to start at dawn the following day.

The exit of civilians and fighters from the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.

An AFP photographer in government-held Aleppo city saw 12 prisoners released by the opposition, nine of whom appeared to be suffering injuries, arriving along with eight bodies.

Syrian state news agency SANA said the four children and eight women had been transferred with the bodies of "eight martyrs" from "terrorist groups in Idlib province".

It said the exchange of prisoners marked the start of the "implementation of the first phase of the agreement".

SANA said that "19 militants" were transferred from Fuaa and Kafraya at the same time.

A source in the jihadist Tahrir al-Sham alliance confirmed the exchange.

Fuaa and Kafraya are government-held Shiite-majority villages in the otherwise rebel-controlled province of Idlib.

Madaya and Zabadani are opposition enclaves surrounded by regime forces in Damascus province.

The exchange marks the beginning of the implementation of the deal to evacuate the four towns, as well as part of the Yarmuk Palestinian camp in southern Damascus.

Negotiators and residents said buses had entered Madaya and Zabadani on Wednesday morning, but that people were heading back home after hearing of the delay.

"The implementation of the four towns agreement has been delayed until Thursday morning," government negotiator Hassan Sharaf told AFP, without specifying a reason.

- 'Back home' after delay -

Another government coordinator for the negotiations, Mohammad Taqiddin, earlier said vehicles had yet to arrive at Fuaa and Kafraya, and blamed rebel groups for delaying the agreement.

"The entry of buses into Zabadani and Madaya was a goodwill gesture from the government but they will not leave without a simultaneous exit of the Fuaa and Kafraya convoy," Taqiddin said.

Madaya resident Amjad al-Maleh said he had not eaten since Tuesday "because the trip (to Idlib) takes about 20 hours and the buses don't stop" for restroom breaks.

"I'm back home now and I'll try to sleep. The deal has been delayed until tomorrow morning but I don't think it will happen before Sunday," Maleh told AFP.

More than 30,000 people are expected to be evacuated under the deal, which was postponed after objections from both sides and tensions following a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held town in Idlib province.

All 16,000 residents of Fuaa and Kafraya are expected to leave, heading to government-held Aleppo, the coastal province of Latakia or Damascus.

Civilian residents of Madaya and Zabadani will reportedly be allowed to remain if they choose. Those who leave, along with rebels, will head to opposition territory in Idlib.

The four towns are part of an existing agreement reached in 2015 that requires aid deliveries and evacuations to be carried out to all areas simultaneously.

But access has been limited, with food and medical shortages causing malnutrition, illness and even death among besieged residents.

The UN says 4.72 million Syrians are in so-called hard-to-reach areas, including 600,000 people under siege, mostly by the Syrian army, but also by rebels or the Islamic State group.

More than 320,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Main Zambian opposition party United Party for National Development presidential candidate Hakainde Hichilema delivers a speech during a last presidential campaign rally on August 10, 2016 in Lusaka

Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been charged with treason after allegedly refusing to give way to President Edgar Lungu's motorcade on a main road, police said Wednesday.

Hichilema, who says he does not recognise Lungu as president, was accused of deliberately endangering his life in the high-speed incident at the weekend.

"The opposition leader disobeyed police orders to give way to the presidential motorcade in an attempt to put the life of the republican president in danger," police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters in Lusaka.

"The actions... were unreasonable, reckless and criminal."

Hichilema and five aides from the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) have been charged with treason, breaking the highway code and use of insulting language.

Treason is a non-bailable offence in Zambia, with a minimum jail term of 15 years and a maximum sentence of the death penalty.

The charges were strongly condemned by the Non-Governmental Organisation Coordinating Council (NGOCC), an umbrella body of Zambian action groups

"Arresting opposition leaders on trumped-up charges is a recipe to heighten tension in an already volatile economic and political environment," its chairwoman Sara Longwe said.

The state-owned Zambia Daily Mail reported that Hichilema's motorcade ignored police attempts to clear the road between Limulunga and Mongu, 500 kilometres (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka, on Saturday.

"The behaviour of Mr Hichilema and his cohorts was not only a senseless act of disrespect to the presidency but also endangered the life of the head of state and many other people," it said in an editorial.

- Police raid -

More than 100 armed police surrounded Hichilema's house outside Lusaka early on Tuesday and tear gas was fired before a raid when he was taken into custody and later arrested.

The UPND has dismissed the charges and criticised the raid as "barbaric" after Hichilema's wife and children were trapped and choked by gas.

Zambian police chief Kakoma Kanganja says that Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been charged with treason after allegedly refusing to give way to President Edgar Lungu's motorcade on a main road

Hichilema has launched several legal attempts to challenge the August election result, which he lost narrowly.

He says that the vote was rigged and accuses Lungu of an unprecedented bout of political repression in Zambia, which has been known for its relative stability.

The election campaign was marked by clashes between supporters of Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) party and the UPND.

International observers said the election was marred by restrictions on opposition campaigning, voter intimidation and biased state media.

Hichilema, a wealthy self-made businessman known as "HH", has run unsuccessfully for president five times.

Last October, he and party vice-president Geoffrey Mwamba were arrested for unlawful assembly and sedition when they tried to visit supporters in jail.

"HH could be detained for some time, so this will suit the ruling party who want to silence the dialogue about the election result not being recognised," independent political analyst Neo Simutanyi told AFP.

Zambia, Africa's second biggest copper producer, recorded GDP growth of three percent last year -- its slowest rate since 1998.
Newly arrived refugees from South Sudan queue in line waiting to be registered at Uganda's Ngomoromo border post

In the no man's land between South Sudan and Uganda wind lashes though scrubland, whipping hot dust into the eyes of David Otong Oroma and his sister as they struggle to push their heavily laden motorbike over the border.

The pair fled from the South Sudanese town of Pajok, an ethnic Acholi agricultural and trading community which pro-government forces attacked on Monday 3 April, killing at least 85 people, according to witnesses.

Refugees told AFP how soldiers from the government's Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), along with allied militiamen, entered the town with armoured vehicles and unleashed violence against civilians in the latest bloody episode of a three-year civil war.

"Anybody they found there they would just shoot," said Otong, 36, a counsellor who works with deaf people.

"Those SPLA they term us all as rebels and they kill us. That is why I ran to the bush."

After days of increasing tension as SPLA soldiers surrounded Pajok, shortly before 8am on that Monday -- just as people were getting ready for work and school -- a gun mounted armoured vehicle burst onto the main street.

Men wearing SPLA uniforms followed behind and immediately opened fire - apparently targeting male civilians.

- 'Not a normal operation' -

Newly arrived refugee children from South Sudan are given food food and drinks at the Ngomoromo border post, on the Ugandan side, where 830,000 South Sudanese have fled

Robert, 31, a maths teacher and community leader who preferred not to give his last name, knew immediately that this attack was different from previous skirmishes.

"Three civilians had already been killed in those first minutes and the place was covered in soldiers. Seeing the government breaking down doors and looting the properties - that was not a normal operation. We had to make a quick decision to evacuate the civilian population," he said.

From the lion's face insignia on their badges, witnesses recognised soldiers from the notorious Lion Brigade unit commanded by SPLA general Santino Deng Wol, mixed with the khaki uniforms of the National Security Service -- a feared intelligence organ.

In this region, Pajok is seen as sympathetic to a fractured and diverse rebel force linked to former vice president Riek Machar, fighting government troops loyal to his foe President Salva Kiir.

A power struggle between the two men led to an outbreak of civil war just two years after South Sudan won independence.

The conflict initially pitted Kiir's Dinka supporters against Machar's Nuer community, but fighting has metastasised with other ethnic groups taking sides or turning against each other.

Refugees described how Acholi militiamen from neighbouring Magwi -- which is pro-government -- attacked alongside regular soldiers.

"The crisis in South Sudan is basically ethnic. Here Acholi people were used against their fellow Acholi," said Robert.

Kiir is regularly accused of unleashing private militias in the fight against the rebels.

South Sudan government spokesman Michael Makuei last week confirmed to AFP that troops had gone to take Pajok from the rebels.

"In any fighting there must be casualties," he said.

- 'We counted 85 dead' -

A newly arrived refugee child from South Sudan sleeps on a dirty floor at the Ngomoromo border post, Uganda

Okumu Philip Paulino, 29, escaped being shot by rolling on the ground as bullets flew overhead.

He was arrested, beaten and taken to the Atebi River Hotel in the centre of town where Deng had set up a command post.

Later that day, Deng identified the warehouse manager as being particularly well-educated among the prisoners, and he was sent out to tally the number of dead in the streets.

"We counted 85 people including three ladies," said Philip.

"I organised the youth among the prisoners and asked to be allowed to bury the bodies. I carried the first person to be shot - Charles Ogeno. He died and I carried him. All my body was covered in blood.

"Then we buried together a man called Onen, then Jacob, then Paul, then Amos - they shot him with his hands up. I tried to carry him while he was still alive but the blood was coming from his body and I couldn't lift him until his life had completed."

Exhausted and overcome by the stench of bodies decomposing in the heat, Philip is haunted by those he could not bury.

"I pulled a 17-year-old girl and her mother who had been shot from the river because people were using the water ... I was very tired - I didn't have the energy to bury them. I put a big stone by another man and covered him in a tarpaulin."

Inside an army barracks, Philip found the bodies of 18 men and a woman.

- Soldiers take turns raping -

Refugees from South Sudan receive a portion of sorghum at the Ngomoromo border post, Uganda

A day after the attack, a woman approached Philip and said that she had been raped.

"She said one soldier was keeping people away by shooting a bullet while another" raped her, said Philip. The two men then traded places.

"I gave her painkillers and took her to the commander who punished the soldiers. He gave them 100 lashes and released them."

The feared SPLA general Deng has been on a UN sanctions list since mid-2015 facing allegations of war crimes.

Along with a few other men, Philip eventually escaped after convincing Deng that he was going to collect his family and return.

He made it to a makeshift refugee camp where some 5,000 Pajok residents are living in squalor inside the Ugandan border. The UN refugee agency plans to move them to a more formal settlement.

Uganda already hosts over 830,000 South Sudanese refugees -- some in what is now the world's largest refugee camp -- who are given a plot of agricultural land and are free to move around the country.

However, with no end in sight to the war, questions are being raised about how sustainable the response is.

Glancing over his shoulder in the direction of Pajok, David Oroma, like many refugees, says he will never return.

"It's better to die somewhere in hell rather than South Sudan."
Saudi Arabia is the second-largest employer of Philippine overseas workers

Saudi Arabia will still need even more Filipino workers despite its "Saudization" policy, Manila's labour secretary said Wednesday following a meeting between Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Saudi King Salman.

To show Filipinos that they are still welcome, the Saudis are even willing to allow more than 100 "runaway" Filipino workers to return home, Secretary Silvestre Bello told reporters in Riyadh.

He said Saudi officials told him they still need Filipinos who work in the Gulf kingdom in fields ranging from construction, domestic work, healthcare, retail, engineering, telecommunications, transportation and the oil industry.

"They explained the kind of growth they are having in Saudi Arabia. They would need more workers in the coming years," Bello said.

"It came from their side that Filipino workers are good workers. They recognise that they were instrumental in the growth of Saudi Arabia in the past years," he said.

Asked how this would affect the policy of "Saudization," or giving jobs to Saudis, Bello said: "Saudization is sort of just a concept now."

"The most prefered overseas worker is the Filipino," he quoted Saudi officials as saying.

Under a wide-ranging economic reform plan released last year in the face of collapsed oil revenues, Saudi Arabia wants unemployment among its citizens to fall to nine percent by 2020, against 11.6 percent last year.

Latest official figures showed almost nine million foreigners employed in the kingdom but that was before the worst of the economic pain struck, sending many expats homes.

Thousands of Filipinos and other Asian labourers, particularly in the construction sector, have left Saudi Arabia with wages still unpaid.

Saudi Arabia is the second-largest employer of Philippine overseas workers with 760,000 Filipinos in that Middle Eastern nation, Manila has said.

It was widely expected that demand for such workers would fall due to the Saudization policy and dropping global oil prices since 2014.

Stories of Filipino workers fleeing from abusive employers in Saudi Arabia have also raised concern at home.

Bello said he raised the issue of about 160 Filipino "runaways" who have fled their employers, adding that he asked the Saudi labour minister to let Duterte's delegation take them home.

"To my surprise, he positively responded to my request," Bello said, adding that they would finalise an agreement on this later.

Bello also recently recalled hearing of a Filipina maid facing execution in the Middle East, prompting him to suggest that Filipino domestic helpers be banned from travelling there.

The ambassadors of these countries then met with him to assure him there would be no executions.

"In a manner of speaking, they had a committment of no more executions," Bello said without giving details.

Manila had previously said there were 31 Filipinos on death row in Saudi Arabia.

Duterte, elected by a landslide last year, has often vocally expressed concern for the estimated 10 million Filipinos working overseas for salaries they cannot get at home.

The money they remit back home has become a major pillar of the Philippine economy.

Philippine officials said that Duterte and the Saudi officials also discussed closer cooperation in areas like investment, counter-terrorism, media, agriculture, tourism and logistics.
The United Nations says more than 7,700 people have been killed over the past two years in Yemen, which faces a serious risk of famine this year

Intensified confrontations between government forces and Huthi rebels on Yemen's southwestern coast have killed 18 fighters in the past 24 hours, military officials and medical sources said on Wednesday.

Clashes have raged as government forces, backed by warplanes from a Saudi-led coalition, push to seize rebel positions east of the government-held Red Sea town of Mokha, military sources said.

Fifteen insurgents have been killed in clashes and coalition air strikes in the past 24 hours, a medical source in the rebel-controlled port city of Hodeida said.

Three soldiers died in the battles, according to military and medical sources in Aden, the temporary base of the government as the capital Sanaa remains under rebel control.

Forces loyal to President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi captured Mokha in February as part of a major ongoing offensive that aims to drive rebels from the lengthy Red Sea coastline.

Coalition spokesman General Ahmed Assiri on Wednesday said current operations aim to clear the route east of Mokha towards the flashpoint city of Taez, where loyalists are surrounded by rebels.

"The route between Mokha and Taez should be cleared. On the way, there is Khalid bin al-Waleed military base that has a strong presence" of Huthis and allied renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, he told AFP.

"It is a difficult area," Assiri said, adding that five Sudanese soldiers announced dead by Khartoum on Tuesday were special forces members killed in the same zone, known as Jabal al-Nar.

Sudan has contributed forces to the Saudi-led coalition that launched a military campaign against the rebels in March 2015.

Assiri said, however, that government forces advancing northwards towards the key port of Hodeida was not a priority for the moment.

"Hodeida is far. Not now," he said.

"We should cover our back. The priority is east of Mokha, then comes the north. It is not feasible to launch an offensive towards Hodeida now," he added.

The United Nations says more than 7,700 people have been killed over the past two years in Yemen, which faces a serious risk of famine this year.
Sharks fins are considered a delicacy in Asia

Guinea has seized a haul of shark fins and carcasses from Chinese ships fishing illegally off the coast of the west African country and fined the owners.

The seizure was part of a push launched in February to crack down on illegal fishing in West African waters, aided by the environmental campaign group Greenpeace.

"Three ships were boarded and searched, two for having shark fins on board," Demba Guisse, the director of Guinea's national fishing monitoring body, told AFP late Tuesday.

With its vessel "Esperanza", Greenpeace is working with local officials from six African countries to monitor the waters off their coasts.

Guinean inspectors discovered 30 bags of shark carcasses including a huge hammerhead -- an endangered species -- on one of the ships.

The two vessels with shark fins aboard -- some discovered on the roof or stashed between crates -- were each fined around $265,000, Greenpeace said.

Both are owned by Dalian Lian Run Pelagic Fishery Company Ltd, which Greenpeace said is one of China's largest distant water fishing outfits.

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing, with around 100 million killed each year, Greenpeace said.

Global conservation efforts are complicated by the high prices fetched by shark fins, considered a delicacy in Asia where they are served for special occasions like weddings and banquets.

Greenpeace and authorities from neighbouring Guinea Bissau last month stopped four ships for various infractions including the use of unauthorised equipment.

"What we're seeing here is an utter lack of respect for West African fishing laws," said Greenpeace campaigner Ahmed Diame.

Illegal fishing in Guinea has risen sharply in recent years, with the hauls rising from 40,000 tonnes in 2010 to more than 150,000 in 2015.

Most of the over 40 vessels currently licensed to operate in Guinean waters are Chinese-owned.
United Continental chief executive Oscar Munoz

United Continental chief executive Oscar Munoz said Wednesday he would not resign, and he again apologized for forcibly removing a customer from an overbooked flight.

Munoz was asked about calls for his resignation as leader of the embattled airline on the ABC show "Good Morning America" following widespread outrage at the company's actions in the incident Sunday.

"I was hired to make United better and we've been doing that and that's what I'll continue to do," Munoz said.

Munoz reiterated his regret at the incident, which mushroomed into a global public relations disaster after video showing passenger David Dao, 69, his face bloodied, being dragged off the plane went viral.

"The first thing I think is important is to apologize to Dr. Dao, his family, the passengers on the flight, the customers, our employees," Munoz said.

"That is not who our family at United is," Munoz said. "And you saw us at a bad moment and this could never -- will never happen again on a United Airlines flight. That's my premise and that's my promise."

Munoz expressed regret for his widely-criticized initial response to the debacle in which he appeared to put partial blame for the incident on the 69-year-old passenger, saying he "defied" authorities and "compounded" the incident.

Munoz -- who last month was named "US Communicator of the Year" by PR Week -- pledged a "thorough review" of the airline's procedures and said the carrier would not send law enforcement officials onto planes remove passengers.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) waves to the press as he walks with US President Donald Trump at the Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, April 7, 2017

US President Donald Trump gave the order to strike Syria with dozens of cruise missiles "during dessert" with visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said in an interview aired Wednesday.

"We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it," Trump told the Fox Business television network.

"And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do?" Trump said. "And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way."

"And I said, 'Mr. President, let me explain something to you' -- this was during dessert -- 'we've just fired 59 missiles.'"

Trump said Xi "paused for 10 seconds and then asked the interpreter to say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign."

But then, Trump said, Xi responded that "anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, it's OK.... He was OK with it. He was OK."

Trump had been hosting Xi at his private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago on April 6. The US missiles struck a Syrian air base in retaliation for Syria's alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town, killing 87 civilians, many of them children.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Tuesday there was "no doubt" the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack. But Russia, Syria's ally, disputes that, saying no evidence has been produced.

Trump, in his interview, said all 59 missiles fired hit their targets and called the display of military prowess "unbelievable," "amazing," "incredible," "brilliant" and "genius."

Trump regularly spends his weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which his staff has nicknamed the "Southern White House."

Members of the club pay a $200,000 fee, which gives access to its amenities and its eateries.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau showed Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai where to sign in a guest book on Parliament Hill before she received an honorary Canadian citizenship

Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai became only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship Wednesday, as she called on the country to be bold in advocating for girls' education.

Wearing a bright orange scarf to cover her head in accordance with Muslim tradition, the Pakistani activist was welcomed to the seat of Canada's democracy by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

At age 19, Yousafzai is the youngest person to speak to Canadian members of parliament and senators in a joint session.

She is also the youngest to receive honorary Canadian citizenship -- a privilege previously granted to five others including Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi.

"Dear Canada, I'm asking you to lead once again," she said, to a standing ovation.

She urged Canada to use its turn as president of the Group of Seven (G7) industrialized nations in 2018 to press for the education of girls and refugees.

"We should not ask children who flee their homes to also give up their dreams," she said.

Yousafzai said Trudeau also must ask other world leaders to do more for education.

"If Canada leads, I know the world will follow, she said.

Yousafzai had fought for years for the right of girls to education in her strictly Muslim home region in Pakistan.

She leapt to global fame after a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on a school bus in October 2012 for defending her right to attend school.

Since a successful operation following the attack, she has lived in the British city of Birmingham, where she continues to advocate for women's rights.

During a brief ceremony, Yousafzai was given the Canadian flag from atop the Peace Tower at the entrance of parliament, and a copy of her 2013 book "I Am Malala" was added to the parliamentary library.

- Praise for Trudeau -

She thanked her hosts and expressed excitement in particular about meeting Trudeau, whom she praised for speaking out on behalf of women's rights, gender equality, and refugees "during a time where the world is hopeless."

"I wanted to say that Trudeau is an amazing person and an inspiration," she said, later noting in her speech that "he does yoga, he has tattoos... Everyone was telling me (to) shake the prime minister's hand and, like, let us know how he looks in reality."

In introducing Yousafzai to lawmakers, Trudeau praised her for her advocacy.

"Yours is a story of an ordinary girl doing extraordinary things, an everyday hero... a fearless advocate for girls who wants nothing more than to see more kids in classrooms," he said.

"And on top of that, you're impossibly humble. We Canadians are all about that."

Trudeau said his past experience as a teacher taught him "that going to school is more than just learning about how to read and write.

"Education has the power to change the world," he said. "It can end poverty, fight climate change, prevent wars. But in order to achieve progress, we all have to make sure that all children, girls as well as boys, get to go to school."

- Postponed honor -

Yousafzai had been invited to Canada by the previous Conservative government in 2014 -- when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -- to receive Canadian citizenship in Toronto.

But the ceremony was postponed due to the shooting of a ceremonial guard and an attack on parliament the same day.

Yousafzai decried the violence, saying: "The man who attacked Parliament Hill called himself a Muslim. But he did not share my faith. He did not share the faith of 1.5 billion Muslims living in peace around the world."

In her speech, she challenged Canadian youth to step up and make a difference.

"I wanted to tell the children of Canada that when I was little, I used to wait to be an adult to lead. But I have learned that even a child's voice can be heard across the world," she said.

She added she was humbled and honored to be given honorary citizenship, "though I still require a visa" to enter the country, she quipped.

The honor is mostly symbolic, coming with no obligations or benefits.

Earlier Wednesday, Yousafzai joined the prime minister's wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau for a talk with students at a local high school.

"The message I am spreading around the world to our leaders, to our politicians, (is) that they must prioritize education for each and every child around the world," she said.
Forensics collecting evidence at the site of a bomb blast which struck worshippers gathering to celebrate Palm Sunday at the Mar Girgis Coptic Church in the Nile Delta City of Tanta, 120 kilometres north of Cairo, on April 9, 2017

Egypt's interior ministry said on Wednesday it had identified the suicide bomber behind a deadly attack at the weekend outside a church in the coastal city of Alexandria.

The ministry said Mahmud Hassan Mubarak Abdullah had carried out the attack outside Saint Mark's church in Alexandria on Palm Sunday that killed 17 people and was claimed by the Islamic State group.

It said he was born in 1986 in the southern province of Qena and had lived in the province of Suez on the Red Sea.

The ministry said it had determined his identity by comparing the DNA of remains found at the site of the bombing with the DNA of "runaway suspects".

Abdullah, who had worked for an oil company, was linked to a "terrorist" network, a cell from which carried out a previous bombing of a Cairo church in December that killed 29 people, the ministry said in a statement.

It said security forces were "pursuing efforts" to identify a second attacker who targeted another church in the Nile Delta city of Tanta hours earlier on Palm Sunday, killing 28 worshippers.

IS also claimed that attack.

Egypt's Coptic Church announced on Wednesday that it would cut back Easter celebrations to a simple mass after the bombings.

Parliament on Tuesday unanimously approved a three-month state of emergency declared by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in the aftermath of the attacks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (R) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after a press conference in Moscow on April 12, 2017

The United States wants to improve ties with Russia from their current "all-time low" over Syria, President Donald Trump said Wednesday, as Moscow dug in to defend its ally in Damascus.

Standing side-by-side with NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House, Trump said: "It would be wonderful... if NATO and our country could get along with Russia."

But that prospect appeared remote, with Trump's secretary of state Rex Tillerson getting a frosty reception in Moscow, and Russia using its UN Security Council veto to swat down a US-backed resolution demanding Syrian cooperation in probing last week's suspected chemical attack.

"Right now, we're not getting along with Russia at all -- we may be at an all-time low in terms of our relationship with Russia," Trump admitted.

Moscow has accused the United States of breaking international law by striking Syria with 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles in what Trump said was retaliation for the chemical attack on a rebel-held town attributed to the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump has given such criticism short shrift, decrying the "vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons" and calling Assad a "butcher" and an "animal."

US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (L) hold a joint press conference in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 12, 2017

"I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing," he said.

He added it was "certainly possible" that Moscow knew about the alleged chemical attack, indicating Russian officials were present at the source airbase that Trump later bombed.

Earlier, Trump boasted in an interview with Fox Business television that the order to launch the missiles was given as he and visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping were digging into chocolate cake at his Florida resort.

He called the US military action "genius," and stated that Xi, too, "was OK with it."

- Rapprochement dashed -

Russian President Vladimir Putin made his displeasure felt as he hosted Tillerson at the Kremlin.

"There is a low level of trust between our two countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson -- who once received a medal of friendship from Putin -- told a Moscow news conference.

Syrian children receive treatment in the town of Maaret al-Noman, following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Khan Sheikhun, a nearby rebel-held town in Syria's northwestern Idlib province, on April 4, 2017

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov agreed there were many problems, but stressed that Moscow was "open to dialogue with the US in all different areas." He noted a shared vision of an "uncompromising" war on terrorism.

But neither side cited concrete avenues of cooperation, beyond establishing a working group to address what Tillerson called "smaller issues."

Trump had spoken warmly of Russia on the campaign trail, raising Moscow's hopes of some sort of rapprochement.

But since Trump came to office in January, relations have chilled, and the fallout from the alleged chemical weapons attack in Syria has thrown them into crisis.

Putin accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

The polarized positions were evident at the UN Security Council on Wednesday, when Russia vetoed a Western-drafted resolution that would have required Syrian cooperation in an investigation into the suspected chemical attack.

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power to block action directed at Damascus. China opted to abstain, a move Trump praised.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said the veto "puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument," while French President Francois Hollande warned Russia it "bears a heavy responsibility" for continuing to protect Assad.

"After today's vote to hold Syria accountable it's: A strong day for the US, a weak day for Russia, a new day for China & doomsday for Assad," the US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said on Twitter.

- Litany of issues -

Undaunted by Russia's veto, Trump called on US allies to "work together to resolve the disaster" in Syria and thanked them for condemning Assad's suspected sarin attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun, which killed 87 civilians.

Even if the US and Russia were able to quell the festering antagonism over Syria, other issues are fraying relations.

Russian Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov holds up his hand as he votes against a Draft resolution that condemns the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria at the Security Council on April 12, 2017

They include -- as Tillerson mentioned in Moscow -- a US belief that Russian hackers and propagandists interfered in the US presidential election.

A senior US administration official speaking on condition of anonymity also said the White House has seen credible reports that Moscow backed an election-day attack in Montenegro last year.

There are also lingering differences over Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea and Russian involvement with pro-Russian rebels fighting Ukrainian troops in the east of the country.

Russia, in turn, is concerned about NATO's presence in eastern Europe along its border. That preoccupation sharpened on Tuesday when Trump signed off on Montenegro's long-expected accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

The US leader has backed away from campaign rhetoric that NATO was obsolete, saying Wednesday that he now viewed it as the "bulwark" for international security.

But he renewed his demand that NATO's members boost military spending to at least two percent of gross domestic product.

Lavrov, sitting next to Tillerson in Moscow, said many of the divisions between Russia and the US were the result of "time bombs" left behind by former president Barack Obama.

Putin, in a television interview ahead of the talks, was more blunt about the new chill in ties, and firmly rejected Washington's view of the Syrian attack.

In a sign the Kremlin is not ready to drop Assad, Syria's foreign minister will fly to Moscow to meet Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting with Iran on Friday.
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte first made the threat on April 6 when he told reporters: "I have ordered the armed forces to occupy all -- these so many islands, I think nine or 10 -- put up structures and the Philippine flag"

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday pulled back from a vow to place his country's flag on an island in the Spratlys chain claimed by China and other regional states.

"Because of our friendship with China and because we value your friendship I will not go there to raise the Philippine flag," he told about 2,000 Filipinos during an official visit to Saudi Arabia.

"I will not go to any of the islands. Maybe I will send my son, just to show that our claim is clearly good for all generations of Filipinos," he said to applause.

Duterte first made the threat on April 6 when he told reporters: "I have ordered the armed forces to occupy all -- these so many islands, I think nine or 10 -- put up structures and the Philippine flag."

"And in the coming Independence Day of ours (June 12), I might, I may go to Pag-asa island to raise the flag there. Even those that are vacant, let us habitate there."

Pag-asa (Hope) is the Philippine name for "Thitu island" in the Spratlys, the largest of the islands occupied by the Philippines in that disputed archipelago.

Duterte's initial declaration confused many.

His spokesmen and the military later insisted that he meant they should upgrade the facilities on about nine of the islands and outcroppings the Philippines already occupies.

Duterte's declaration also apparently surprised China which he has been wooing since he took office in June.

Critics had attacked Duterte for supposedly failing to stand up for the country's claims.

But he said his setting aside of the territorial dispute opened the door to improved trade, investment and assistance with China.

In Riyadh, Duterte again cited the export of Philippine bananas and pineapples to China which resumed after he took a conciliatory stance toward Beijing.

Saudi Arabia is the second-largest employer of Philippine overseas workers, hosting 760,000 Filipinos who send home remittances vital to the Philippine economy.

From Riyadh, which Duterte called "a very important ally", Duterte travelled to neighbouring Bahrain and will finish his Gulf tour in Qatar.

Those two countries are home to more than 300,000 other Filipino workers, whose welfare Duterte has made a focus of his trip.
Black Lives Matter activists and supporters protest in Los Angeles on July 12, 2016

A US policeman who shot and wounded an unarmed black therapist who was trying to help an autism patient has been arrested and charged with attempted manslaughter, officials said Wednesday.

The shooting happened last July in Miami outside a group home where the man with autism lived and behavioral therapist Charles Kinsey worked. It triggered protests in Miami among the Black Lives Matter movement.

The officer who shot Kinsey, Jonathon Aledda, surrendered Wednesday in response to a warrant for his arrest on charges of attempted manslaughter and culpable negligence, the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office said.

At the time, police said they were responding to an emergency call about a man with a gun walking around and threatening suicide.

Kinsey was shot in the leg as he lay on the ground with his arms raised and pleaded with officers to hold fire. He had been trying to help an autistic man who had wandered away from the group home.

The incident was captured on cell phone footage that went viral. It included shots of the heavy-set young autistic man, Arnoldo Soto, sitting on the ground playing with a small white toy.

In the video, Kinsey can be heard shouting to police: "All he has is a toy truck. A toy truck. I am a behavioral therapist at a group home."

"Once Mr. Kinsey saw two officers park and arm themselves with assault rifles, he placed his empty hands in the air and began to plead with Mr. Soto to cooperate. Mr. Soto was not responsive to Mr. Kinsey's pleas," Special Agent Daniel Mosquera, who led the investigation into the shooting, said in an affidavit.

"No other officer on the scene observed Mr. Soto exhibit any behavior that compelled them to shoot," Mosquera added.

After the shooting, Kinsey told a local TV station he had pleaded with police not to shoot him.

Kinsey added: "It was like a mosquito bite, and when it hit me, I'm like, 'I still got my hands in the air, and I said, 'No I just got shot! And I'm saying, 'Sir, why did you shoot me? and his words to me, he said, 'I don't know.'"
US President Donald Trump speaks during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the East Room at the White House in Washington, DC, on April 12, 2017

US President Donald Trump told allies it was time to end Syria's "brutal" civil war Wednesday, as he branded the country's leader Bashar al-Assad a "butcher" and questioned Russia's role in a suspected chemical attack.

Trump, standing alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, called on allies to "work together to resolve the disaster" in Syria and thanked them for condemning Assad's suspected sarin attack in Khan Sheikhun.

"Vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life," Trump told reporters.

"That's a butcher. That's a butcher. So I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing, and it was very, very successfully done," he added.

"It is time to end this brutal civil war, defeat terrorists and allow refugees to return home."

Trump's comments came shortly after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have compelled Damascus to cooperate with an investigation of the attack.

Trump said it was "certainly possible" that Russia President Vladimir Putin knew about the attack, blamed on Assad, indicating Russian officials were present at the source airbase, which Trump later bombed.

"I would like to think that they didn't know, but certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out," he said.

Trump also praised China for abstaining during the UN vote. He met President Xi Jinping last week in Florida and spoke again to the Chinese leader on Tuesday.

"I think it's wonderful that they abstained," he said. "We're honored by the vote. That's the vote that should have taken place."
SAO PAULO (AP) - Five inmates have died in a prison riot Tuesday in the central-western Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, authorities said.

Another 17 inmates were wounded in the violence at the Dr. Osvaldo Florentino Leite Ferreira prison, according to a statement from the state's Security Department.

Of the dead, four were shot by fire from other prisoners and one had a heart attack, according to the statement. Two guns were found inside the lockup.

The unrest apparently began as a fight between rival gangs. After the riot was brought under control, authorities began negotiating with prisoners to retake the area of the prison where the violence had occurred. Those talks were suspended late Tuesday, out of security concerns as night fell, but the Security Department said they would resume on Wednesday.

Brazil has seen a spate of prison riots this year that has left dozens of prisoners dead. The violence has raised serious questions about Brazil's prisons, which are often overcrowded, understaffed and virtually controlled by gangs.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - The mother of a black woman who died in a jail near Houston following a confrontational traffic stop in 2015 returned to Texas on Tuesday to back a sweeping police reform bill named after her daughter that influential law enforcement groups are fighting.

It was the first time the family of Sandra Bland, whose death became a flashpoint in the national Black Lives Matter movement, has testified before Texas lawmakers who meet only once every two years. The "Sandra Bland Act" as drafted would revamp racial profiling laws, officer training and other police accountability measures.

Bland was found dead in a jail outside Houston three days after being pulled over by a white state trooper for not signaling a lane change. Her death was ruled a suicide and the trooper, who pulled Bland out of her car while threatening her with a stun gun, was fired.

"I need this bill to move forward so that it will prove to people who say that Texas is the most awful state to live in. And to me that's true, because Texas is a place of pain for me," said Geneva Reed-Veal, Bland's mother, who lives in the Chicago area. "So I need you to think about what you have the power and ability to do today."

She went on to tell the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee that the legislation wasn't anti-police.

"I don't hate police. I hate the fact that we do not understand that this has been going on for too long by those who have been charged to serve and protect us," she said.

But the bill faces obstacles to reaching the desk of Republican Gov. Greg Abbott with less than two months before the Texas Legislature adjourns until 2019. Police associations oppose key provisions, including one that would prohibit drivers being arrested for low-level misdemeanors that are punishable only by fines.

Enhanced police protections - and not police accountability - is also the priority of Republican leaders in the Texas this year after a sniper killed five Dallas police officers last summer. The Texas Senate has already passed bills that would provide $25 million to purchase bullet-resistant vests for police and create an alert system that would notify the public when an officer is wounded or killed.

Houston Democrat Garnet Coleman, who is carrying the bill, acknowledged he wrote the original, lengthy legislation filed in March with a "bias against police" but said he is now committed to working with law enforcement groups and negotiating changes.

"This is the best way to make progress that is not punitive to those who protect us," Coleman said.

___

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber
HONOLULU (AP) - Attorneys representing Hawaii in the state's challenge to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban are asking that the full panel of a federal appeals court hear the case.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is scheduled to hear the case May 15.

Hawaii's request filed Tuesday notes that the full 15-judge panel of another federal appeals court will hear a similar case challenging the travel ban.

Appeals are typically heard first by a three-judge panel before they are possibly examined by the full panel.

Hawaii argues the case involves a "question of exceptional importance."

The Trump administration is appealing a Hawaii federal judge's ruling blocking the government from suspending new visas for people from six Muslim-majority countries and halting the U.S. refugee program.
BEIJING (AP) - Taiwan's legislature has explicitly banned the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat and increased the penalty for animal cruelty, underscoring growing awareness of animal welfare in one of Asia's most prosperous societies.

The legislature amended Taiwan's animal protection law to double the maximum penalty for deliberate harm to animals to two years in prison and a fine of 2 million Taiwan dollars ($65,000).

People who sell or eat dog or cat meat face a fine of up to 250,000 Taiwan dollars ($8,000) and their names and photos may be publicized. Drivers and motorcyclists who pull animals along on a leash also face a fine of up to 15,000 Taiwan dollars ($500), according to the amendments passed Tuesday.

FILE - In this Sept. 17, 2011 file photo, a Taiwanese man holds his dog during a gathering to demand establishment of a government department to protect dogs and cats from their owners who abused or dumped the animals in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwan on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 has banned the sale and consumption of dog and cat meat and increased the penalty for animal cruelty. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying, file)

While consumption of dogs and cats was never widespread in Taiwan, the amendments point to increasing concern for the treatment of animals on the island, where many residents lavish money and attention on their pets amid a plunging birthrate. Two decades after Taiwan began grappling with the abandonment of pets and other problems, the island has some of the most comprehensive protections on the books anywhere in Asia.

President Tsai Ing-wen's team portrayed her as an animal lover during her election campaign, focusing on her two cats. She later adopted three dogs.
BOSTON (AP) - U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is revving up her already formidable fundraising juggernaut, raking in more than $5.2 million in the first quarter of the year to bring her campaign account to more than $9.2 million.

The spike in donations represents about a five-fold increase from the last quarter of last year, when she pulled in about $1 million.

Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat and a frequent critic of Republican President Donald Trump, is facing re-election next year. The push to bulk up her campaign account comes amid recent polls suggesting support for her may be softening among some Bay State voters.

FILE- In this March 27, 2017, file photo, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., addresses business leaders during a New England Council luncheon in Boston. Warren is revving up her already formidable fundraising juggernaut, raking in more than $5.2 million in the first quarter of the year to bring her campaign account to more than $9.2 million according to fundraising totals released Wednesday, April 12, by her campaign. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

The fundraising totals released Wednesday by her campaign continue to reflect strong backing for her from her core supporters.

Campaign officials say about three-quarters of the latest haul came from Warren supporters outside Massachusetts.

In a statement Tuesday before releasing the final totals, Warren said that in the first three months of this year nearly 16,000 people from across Massachusetts chipped in to support her campaign. She also posted a map of Massachusetts online showing donations came from nearly every corner of the state.

"To me, this map shows something powerfully important: that a strong grassroots movement is ready to fight back and make real change for our commonwealth and our country," Warren wrote. "I'm deeply grateful that you're a part of this fight - and we're just getting started."

The most recent numbers build on Warren's already strong fundraising figures.

Warren started the year with about $4.8 million in her campaign account, the biggest piggybank of any Senate Democrat facing voters next year, according to an Associated Press review of campaign finance records.

While Warren remains popular among the Democratic Party's liberal wing, Republicans are hoping her attacks on Trump may have begun to backfire on her even in Massachusetts, which leaned heavily against Trump in last year's election and handed Democrat Hillary Clinton a 27 percentage-point margin of victory.

"Massachusetts voters have spent the last few months watching Senator Warren vote against home-state interests like more funding for the opioid crisis; and engage in the partisan grandstanding that's typical of DC insiders," MassGOP Chairman Kirsten Hughes said in a statement.

Warren's only declared challenger is Republican state Rep. Geoff Diehl, who announced last week that he's forming an exploratory committee to test the political waters and begin seeking campaign donations.

Warren is adept at seizing fundraising opportunities - intended or not.

After Senate Republicans rebuked Warren for reading from a letter by Coretta Scott King during February's debate on the nomination of former Alabama U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions for U.S. attorney general, Warren sent an email to outraged backers.

The liberal group MoveOn.org said at the time it quickly raised more than $250,000 for her.

Warren also started selling T-shirts saying "Nevertheless, She Persisted," echoing Republican Kentucky U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, who said, "She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted," before silencing Warren.

Warren also raked in donations from virtually every state in 2015 and 2016. Nearly all of her contributions came from individual supporters, with just $34,000 from political action committees and other groups.
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) - Ruben Gutierrez did not hesitate. A day after his 7-year-old grandson's good friend was gunned down in a classroom at their school, he took the boy right back to the small San Bernardino campus of North Park Elementary, even though the school was closed.

He wanted the boy to see the flowers, the candles, the balloons, the love shown to his friend, 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez, and the teacher who was also killed. And he wanted him to have good associations with the place before it reopens next week.

"I thought it was important to get him down here today to see what's going on, to see the community support," Gutierrez said Tuesday. "To see that his school is safe. You know, it's not a scary place to be, and just kind of help him process more and re-experience what happened to hopefully make this as healthy an experience as can be given the circumstances."

Lena Hammerling and her daughters Melissa, left, and Maci, right, and an unidentified child look at a sidewalk memorial dedicated to the teacher and student who were shot to death Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Gutierrez's grandson, Jeffrey Imbriani, had become friends with Jonathan, who was killed Monday morning when Cedric Anderson, a Navy veteran, walked into the special-education classroom of his wife Karen Smith, opening fire on her and striking Martinez and another student in the process.

Anderson, 53, fired 10 shots from a .357 Magnum. Just a month into their marriage, Anderson had accused his wife of infidelity - though police say there is no evidence of that - and when reconciliation efforts failed, he shot and killed her, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said.

Smith told family members that Anderson had also threatened her after she moved out, but she didn't take him seriously and thought he was just seeking attention, the police chief said.

The 8-year-old who died had Williams syndrome, a rare genetic disorder characterized by learning delays, mild-to-moderate intellectual disabilities and heart problems. Jonathan had survived a previous heart surgery. School officials said Jonathan was a happy child who loved music and playing with friends.

Family members posted photos of Jonathan on social media of him on amusement rides, sitting on Santa's lap and riding a horse - all of them show him flashing a smile.

Another boy was also struck by gunfire but is expected to recover. The 9-year-old was stable and in good spirits as he watched cartoons in his hospital bed Tuesday, the school district's superintendent said.

As a memorial continued to grow on the sidewalk outside of the elementary school, parents and colleagues remembered Smith as a dedicated educator who cared deeply for her students and was devoted to education.

"She was an excellent teacher," said Marie Cabreras, who has two young children at North Park and also has an older daughter who was Smith's student for two years at a nearby high school. "Her whole life was surrounded around kids and helping them, and helping them build a future."

Rachel Valles, whose 8-year-old son Ethan was a student in Smith's class, said the boy had struggled with reading and math until he started in Smith's class in August.

"She had a huge impact on his life. He started reading and doing long math," Valles said. "I told her you have turned his life around. You've done for him what I couldn't do."

The young boy was not in school Monday and when Valles heard the shooting was in Smith's classroom, she said she almost passed out.

"I spent all night hugging him and telling him, 'Please don't ever leave my side,'" she said.

Valles is still struggling with how to explain the deaths of her son's teacher and classmate.

"I just keep telling him, 'Baby, Miss Smith is on vacation. She's visiting God. So is Jonathan. He's visiting God and they're happy there."

___

Balsamo reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers John Antczak, Christopher Weber and Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

This undated photo released by the San Bernardino Police Department shows Karen Elaine Smith, 53. Smith has been identified by authorities as one of the people shot by Cedric Anderson, identified as her estranged husband, as she taught a special education class at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Monday, April 10, 2017. (San Bernardino Police Department via AP)

This undated photo released by the San Bernardino Police Department shows Cedric Anderson, 53. Anderson has been identified by authorities as the person who shot to death Karen Elaine Smith, 53, identified as his wife, as she taught a special education class at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Monday, April 10, 2017. (San Bernardino Police Department via AP)

This undated photo provided by the San Bernardino City Unified School District shows Jonathan Martinez, who was killed in a San Bernardino special-education classroom on Monday, April 10, 2017. Martinez died at a hospital after being shot Monday in his classroom by the estranged husband of his teacher, Karen Smith, who also was killed. The gunman, Cedric Anderson, then fatally shot himself. (Courtesy of San Bernardino City Unified School District via AP)

After leading a prayer group, Marie Cabrera, right, embraces one of the group members near a sidewalk memorial dedicated to the teacher and student who were shot to death Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Jeffrey Imbriani and his grandfather Ruben Gutierrez describe their experiences Tuesday, April 11, 2017, after a teacher and student were shot to death Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif. Imbriani said he was friends with Jonathan Martinez who was killed along with his teacher, Karen Smith. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

After placing flowers, people turn away from a sidewalk memorial to the teacher and student who were shot to death Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

People pray before placing flowers at a sidewalk memorial to the teacher and student who were shot to death Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, Calif., Tuesday, April 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Rochelle Hamm's eyes fill with tears when she reads her terrified husband's last words - uttered as the cargo freighter El Faro went down in hurricane, taking the lives of Frank Hamm and 32 others.

"My feet are slipping! I'm goin' down!" he cries after the crew is ordered to abandon ship.

"I'M A GONER!" he shouts.

Rochelle Hamm holds the hard hat of her husband, Frank, at her home in Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday, March 14, 2017. Frank Hamm was a new helmsman on the freighter El Faro, that sank in the Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin on Oct. 1, 2015. All 33 crew members were killed. Hamm's helmet was found on Ormond Beach, Fla., on December 2015. The helmet, found by a couple cleaning trash off a Florida beach, washed ashore two months after he disappeared. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)

A few lines later, the transcript ends, along with the lives of Hamm and the captain who desperately sought to save him.

"It's difficult to read," Rochelle Hamm acknowledges. "But it helps me continue to build my list."

That list includes visits to Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson, among many others - people in power who might join her campaign to make the maritime industry safer. "When this happened, my journey changed, and I knew that it couldn't happen again," the mother of five said, in her suburban Jacksonville, Florida, home. "I had to be focused."

She is pressing for what she calls Hamm Alert, a new safety system that would keep ships in port during major storms. An online petition has collected more than 11,000 signatures in support.

"This tragedy could have been prevented with more oversight of shipping companies, similar to air traffic controllers for planes, to stop companies from sending ships into dangerous weather," she said.

The El Faro went down on Oct. 1, 2015, as it sailed near San Salvador Island in the Bahamas. It was toting cargo from Jacksonville, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Its captain, Michael Davidson, piloted his 40-year-old ship into Hurricane Joaquin, the most powerful October storm since the 1800s to hit those waters.

Two days before the sinking Frank called Rochelle before he was out of phone range as the El Faro left Jacksonville on its way to Puerto Rico, as he always did. He usually followed up with an email each day until they reached the island. No email ever arrived, and Rochelle instead got a call from her husband's employer, TOTE Maritime, Inc., saying the ship had disappeared.

Months passed until search crews found the wreckage nearly three miles down on the seafloor near the Bahamas. Still, the ship's voyage data recorder, or "black box," remained missing. After another try, searchers returned to the site last summer and miraculously recovered the recorder. The National Transportation Safety Board issued a 500-page transcript with the ship's final hours of bridge conversations recorded by six microphones embedded in the room.

In the transcript, jittery crewmembers openly question the captain's decision to try to outrun the storm, and work hard to save the ship and themselves even as their fate becomes clear.

At the end of the document, a helmsman identified as AB-1 by NTSB pleads for help from the ship's captain as the El Faro goes down; Rochelle Hamm recognized her husband immediately.

Each day, she is reminded of him by a green hard hat that washed ashore two months after he disappeared. The helmet, found by a couple cleaning trash off a Florida beach, has the word "FRANK" scrawled in black marker across the front and back in her husband's handwriting. The couple later connected with Rochelle, and gave her the hat.

She keeps the hat, still encrusted with sand and dried seaweed, in a bag near her bed.

The El Faro's captain chose to sail about 60 miles from Hurricane Joaquin's path. He based his decision at least partly on inaccurate weather forecasting data he'd received, but also refused to authorize requests from his crew to sail farther away, or turn around altogether.

Representatives of the National Transportation Safety Board and U.S. Coast Guard have met with Rochelle Hamm, and she says they have told her they will include her proposal for the Hamm ALERT in their recommendations when the agencies' investigative reports are released.

"One person should not decide the fate of others," she said. She said she's talked two of her children out of becoming merchant mariners, at least until the Hamm Alert system is in place.

"Stuff goes on out there on the water all the time and is never reported. It cannot happen again."

____

Follow Jason Dearen on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JHDearen

Frank Hamm, a new helmsman on the freighter El Faro, is shown in a framed photograph at the home of his widow, Rochelle Hamm, in Jacksonville, Fla., on March 14, 2017. As the cargo freighter went down in a hurricane on Oct. 1, 2015, the ship's data recorder captured his final words. "My feet are slipping! I'm goin' down!" he cries after the crew is ordered to abandon ship. "I'M A GONER!" he shouts. (Courtesy Rochelle Hamm via AP)

Rochelle Hamm speaks during an interview at her home in Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday, March 14, 2017. Since her husband died after the freighter El Faro sank in a hurricane, Rochelle has been on a mission to make ships safer. Hamm says she was motivated in part by her terrified husband's last words, which were recorded and stored on the ship's date recorder as the vessel sank. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that after six years of disappointing growth, the world economy is finally gaining momentum. But she warned of potential threats, from political uncertainty in Europe to protectionism that could hinder trade.

Christine Lagarde, the IMF's managing director, said there is a critical need for more international cooperation. Restricting trade flows would be a "self-inflicted wound" that would harm workers and consumers, she said in a speech previewing next week's meetings in Washington of the 189-nation IMF and its sister lending organization, the World Bank.

In the speech in Brussels, Lagarde did not single out any country for criticism on the issue of protectionism. In his campaign, President Donald Trump had vowed to impose punitive tariffs on goods from countries that he thinks harm American workers by flouting trade rules.

Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IWF) chats with a member of the staff as she waits for the arrival of German Chancellor Angela Merkel for a meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 10, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, pool)

Trump has threatened to slap tariffs as high as 45 percent on goods from China and Mexico unless those nations stop practices that he says violate trade laws.

Resorting to protectionism, Lagarde said, would disrupt supply chains for domestic companies and inflate prices that companies and consumers must pay. A better approach would be for countries - both those with trade surpluses and those with deficits - to cooperate in pursuing policies to address the imbalances.

"Cooperation means working together to ensure that countries observe a level playing field," Lagarde said.

The Geneva-based World Trade Organization released a report Wednesday predicting that global trade will rebound this year and in 2018 after a lackluster 2016. The WTO estimated that trade flows would increase 2.4 percent this year, up from 1.3 percent in 2016, which was the weakest figure since the height of the financial crisis in 2008.

Next week's finance meetings will likely be dominated by debate over how the global financial system should respond to trade and other economic proposals being pushed by the new Trump administration. The United States will be represented at the discussions by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.

In an interview with Bloomberg television, Lagarde cautioned against any move by the United States to target China as a currency manipulator in a report scheduled to be released in coming days by the Trump administration. She spoke in response to a question about the possibility that the administration could label China a manipulator, something Trump had pledged to do during the campaign but which most analysts say he is unlikely to do now.

Lagarde said a better approach would be to conduct currency assessments in a "cohesive manner." She noted that the IMF plans to issue a report on exchange rates in July.

In her speech, Lagarde said next week's meetings will occur at a time when prospects for the global economy are improving after struggling for six years to emerge from the severe downturn triggered by the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

"After six years of disappointing growth, the world economy is gaining momentum as a cyclical recovery holds out the promise of more jobs, higher incomes and greater prosperity going forward," Lagarde said in her appearance at Bruegel, an economic research institute in Brussels.

She pointed to stronger manufacturing activity in advanced economies and robust gains in emerging economies, which she said will provide more than three-fourths of expected global growth in 2017.

One of the reasons for optimism is a rebound in the price of commodities which have brought relief to many low-income countries.

"Putting all this together, we see a global economy that has a spring in its step," Lagarde said, while cautioning that downside risks remain.

She said that in addition to the threat to trade from rising protectionism and political uncertainty in Europe, persistently sluggish growth in productivity - the amount of output per hour of work - remains a problem for the global economy.

Lagarde said that if productivity had grown since 2008 as it had been before the financial crisis, economic output in advanced economies would be 5 percent higher today - the equivalent of adding a country with output larger than Germany to the global economy.

Lagarde said that nations must find ways to reinvigorate productivity, such as investing more in education and infrastructure and providing tax incentives to foster research and development.
Last August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then Donald Trump's campaign chairman.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the country's former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledger's authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by The Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manafort's name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manafort's firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

A firm headed by former Donald Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort received more than $1.2 million in payments that correspond to entries in a handwritten ledger tied to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine

Ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia after being deposed, paid Manafort money that came from his government's budget and was 'stolen from Ukrainian citizens,' according to a Ukrainian lawmaker

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trump's campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manafort's work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia's government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trump's unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said 'any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.'

Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his 'clients' preferred financial institutions and instructions.'

Previously, Manafort and his spokesman, Jason Maloni, have maintained the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The payments between 2007 and 2009 are the first evidence that the consulting firm founded by Manafort (center) received funds listed in the so-called Black Ledger, which Ukrainian investigators have been investigating as evidence of off-the-books payments from the Ukrainian Party of Regions

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manafort's financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manafort's financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manafort's work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which The New York Times revealed that Manafort's name appeared in the Ukraine ledger - although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money - and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraine's pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovych, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manafort's work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manafort's namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard 7-year retention period. He said Tuesday the 'computer sales contract is a fraud.'

'The signature is not mine, and I didn't sell computers,' he said in a statement. 'What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.'

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manafort's former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice - $750,000- and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manafort's account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Virginia.

Serhiy Leshchenko, a former investigative journalist turned lawmaker shows a copy one of the once-secret accounting documents of Ukraine's pro-Kremlin party that were released and purport to show payments earmarked for Manafort

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manafort's receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

Leshchenko contended to AP that Yanukovych, as Ukraine's leader, paid Manafort money that came from his government's budget and was 'stolen from Ukrainian citizens.' He said: 'Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.'

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovych. 'It's about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account,' he said.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

The AP reported last month that federal prosecutors are looking into Manafort's financial transactions in Cyprus, an island nation once known as a favored locale for money laundering.

Among those transactions was a $1 million payment in October 2009 routed through the Bank of Cyprus. The money was deposited into an account controlled by a Manafort-linked company, then left the account on the same day, broken into two disbursements of $500,000, according to documents obtained by the AP.

The records of Manafort's Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraine's main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - Somalia's military has rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said Wednesday.

The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the town's mayor, told The Associated Press.

Four pirates were arrested during the operation, he said.

All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two had been freed in the ship on Sunday, the mayor said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.

Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.

"They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal," the mayor said.

In recent weeks there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalia's coast after five years of inactivity. The piracy was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry but lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near Somalia, whose weak central government has been trying to stabilize the country after 25 years of conflict.

But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign ships illegally fishing in local waters.

In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.

Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy. On Saturday, pirates boarded the Lebanese-registered OS 35 cargo ship but abandoned it the next day before naval forces recovered the ship.
LONDON (AP) - A British nurse who contracted Ebola while working in Sierra Leone hopes to return to the West African country next month.

Pauline Cafferkey told BBC she plans a fundraising trip Sierra Leone, and says she hopes the trip will bring her "closure" after an extremely difficult experience.

The trip is being organized to raise money for Street Child, a British charity helping young people affected by the epidemic.

The 41-year-old Cafferkey was hospitalized in a specialty unit shortly after she returned to Britain from West Africa at the end of 2014. She has been hospitalized several times since then with complications linked to Ebola.
MILAN (AP) - The delayed sale of AC Milan moved a step closer to completion after the leader of the group buying the club arrived in the Italian city.

Yonghong Li flew in on Wednesday to complete the purchase of Milan by Rossoneri Sport Investment Luxembourg.

The transfer of the final 190 million euros ($202 million) - in addition to the 250 million euro ($266 million) deposit already paid and the 180 million euros ($191 million) loaned by American fund Elliott Management - is expected to arrive during the day, and the sale to be completed Thursday.

AC Milan's Suso celebrates after scoring the opening goal during a Serie A soccer match between AC Milan and Palermo, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, April 9, 2017. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

The sale has been postponed twice - in December and March.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has owned Milan for 31 years. The new owners' first match will be Saturday's derby against Inter Milan.
STOCKHOLM (AP) - A Swedish couple have told local media that their 11-year-old daughter was one of the four people killed when a truck rammed into a crowd in Stockholm.

Sweden's TV4 said Tuesday evening that the parents released a statement saying they wanted to thank "the Swedish people for all the warmth and love you have given us at a time of despair and pain." They requested "peace and quiet" to grieve the death of their daughter, Ebba Akerlund.

Other victims of Friday's attack included a 31-year-old Belgian woman, a 69-year-old Swedish woman, and a 41-year-old Briton whom the British government identified as Chris Bevington, an executive at Swedish music-streaming service Spotify. Fifteen others were injured in the attack with eight still hospitalized.

Police vans block the street outside Stockholm District Court as 39-year-old Uzbekistan national Rakhmat Akilov, prime suspect in Friday's truck attack, appears at a remand hearing in the court, Tuesday April 11, 2017. The four people killed in the attack included two Swedes, a British man and a Belgian woman. (Fredrik Sandberg/TT via AP)

Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man, has pleaded guilty to a terrorist crime after ramming the truck into the crowd, according to his lawyer, Johan Eriksson.

On Tuesday, the Stockholm District Court ruled that police may detain the suspect for one month, but Eriksson said his client could remain jailed as long as it takes to resolve the case.

Akilov was caught Friday evening in a northern suburb of Stockholm, hours after he drove the stolen beer truck into the crowd of afternoon shoppers outside the upmarket Ahlens store. He was formally arrested early Saturday.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the attack and no extremist group has claimed responsibility, but police chief Dan Eliasson said that after questioning him they have become increasingly "convinced that we have the right suspect."

Akilov was known to have been sympathetic to extremist organizations but police said that there was nothing to indicate he might plan an attack. His Swedish residency application was rejected last year.

Friday's attack shocked Sweden, known for its welcoming policy toward migrants and refugees.

In 2015, a record 163,000 asylum-seekers arrived in the country - the highest per capita rate in Europe. The government responded by tightening border controls and curtailing some immigrant rights.
ATLANTA (AP) - Five attorneys have notified the court that they'll be representing the homeless man charged with setting a fire that led to the collapse of a portion of Interstate 85 in Atlanta.

News outlets reports 39-year-old Basil Eleby is being represented by: Lawrence Zimmerman, Gerald Griggs, Mawuli Davis, Gary Spencer and Tiffany Roberts. All of the attorneys have experience with high profile case, and are representing Eleby for no charge. Eleby was indicted Friday on arson and criminal damage to property in the first degree charges.

Authorities say Eleby had talked about smoking crack prior to the fire that broke out on March 30 under the I-85 bridge in an area where the state of Georgia stores noncombustible construction materials.

Eleby is scheduled to be in court next Tuesday.
WARSAW, Poland (AP) - Foreign ministers from Central and Eastern Europe are meeting in Warsaw to discuss the future of the European Union's ties with its eastern neighbors and prospects for the bloc's enlargement.

Wednesday's meeting brings together ministers from the EU's so-called Visegrad Group - Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic and Slovakia - and six other nations aspiring to join the club. The EU commissioner for neighborhood policy and enlargement, Johannes Hahn, and foreign ministers from EU members Croatia, Sweden, Estonia and Romania also attended.

Poland, which currently leads the Visegrad Group, is a strong advocate of expanding the EU's membership as a step toward greater European stability.

The EU has put its expansion on the backburner since the financial crisis and recent problems like the impending departure of Britain.
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) - Authorities say a Pennsylvania man moved and concealed a woman's body in a highway median after she had died in a New Jersey motel.

Prosecutors in Somerset County have charged 32-year-old David DeSantos of Henryville, Pennsylvania, with disturbing human remains. Authorities also are looking for 26-year-old Nicole Barbour of Ringwood as an accomplice.

On March 29, authorities say the pair hid the body of 29-year-old Ashley Castro, of Hopatcong, in a wooded median off Route 22 in Branchburg.

Her remains were found on April 5. The cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy.

DeSantos' attorney, Matthew Katzenbach, tells the Courier News of Bridgewater his client voluntarily called police out of guilt to let them know where he moved the body.
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is appearing to rule out deeper American military intervention in Syria beyond retaliatory strikes if Syrian President Bashar Assad continues his assault on civilians with chemical weapons.

"Are we going to get involved with Syria? No," Trump told Fox Business News in an interview that aired Wednesday.

Trumps comments come less than a week after he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian airfield after U.S. evidence indicated that Assad killed civilians using the nerve agent sarin.

CORRECTS DATE - US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov shake hands prior to their talks in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Tillerson's Moscow talks hinge on new US leverage over Syria. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)

White House spokesman Sean Spicer on Wednesday said that the president was not ruling out another attack on Syrian government installations if Assad continued to use chemical weapons against civilians.

But Spicer said "going in and occupying Syria for the express purpose of regime change is something the president has been very clear on."

Trump also warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that in backing Assad, Putin was supporting someone who is "truly an evil person."

"I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind. It's very bad for this world," Trump told Fox Business News.

Later Wednesday, Trump planned to hold talks at the White House with Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary-general, while Trump's secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, was scheduled to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

Since Trump took office in January, he has been confronted by European allies who have fear his administration will go easy on Russia. During his 2016 campaign, Trump said he would decide whether to honor the commitment to protect the Baltic republics against Russian aggression, based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us."

He has since made his support of NATO allies clear, but has reiterated his stance that European members need to meet their end of the bargain if they are to continue benefiting from the military alliance.

The Trump administration says it is spending a disproportionate share on defense compared with its 27 partners, and that it expects action by the time Trump meets with other alliance leaders on May 25.

NATO leaders pledged in 2014 to halt defense spending cuts and move toward a guideline target of 2 percent of gross domestic product within a decade. Only four other nations currently meet the target: Britain, Estonia, Greece and Poland.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance of European and North American democracies created after World War II to strengthen international cooperation as a counter the rise of the Soviet Union.

The United States, NATO's most powerful member, spends more on defense than all the others combined - 3.61 percent of GDP in 2016, according to NATO estimates. U.S. spending, too, has tapered off in recent years.

Trump on Tuesday signed off on Montenegro's upcoming accession into NATO, helping pave the way for the alliance's expansion in the Balkans. Russia strongly opposes the move in a region it considers part of its strategic sphere of interest.

White House officials said Wednesday that there is credible evidence pointing to Russian interference in Montenegro's election last October.

Putin told state-run Mir television that relations between Moscow and Washington have deteriorated in the early months of Trump's presidency. "It can be said that the level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better but most likely has degraded," Putin said in an interview broadcast Wednesday.

Putin's spokesman said Putin may meet with Tillerson "if it is decided" that Putin needs to be briefed on the Tillerson-Lavrov talks.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) - Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has defied the advice of the Islamic Republic's supreme leader and registered to run again for the nation's presidency.

While the hard-line showman's candidacy still would need to be approved by authorities, his entering the race could upend politics in the country of 80 million people and affect global affairs.

Here's why it matters:

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad flashes the victory sign as he arrives at the Interior Ministry to register his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections, in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Ahmadinejad on Wednesday unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

INTERNAL POLITICS

Ahmadinejad's decision runs directly counter to advice offered in September by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say over all state matters. While Ahmadinejad described that directive as "only advice," his decision challenges Khamenei's authority. Ahmadinejad's 2009 re-election sparked massive internal unrest. Coming back to the political stage now could reopen those wounds.

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WORRIED NEIGHBORS

Sunni Arab states in the Gulf remain highly suspicious of Iran, especially after it secured its landmark nuclear deal with world powers. They see Iranian influence in the campaign of Shiite rebels in Yemen who hold that nation's capital despite a Saudi-led military campaign against them. They also stand opposed to Iran's backing of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad. Israel is staunchly opposed to Ahmadinejad, who questioned the scale of the Holocaust and called for Israel's destruction as he presided over a massive expansion of Iran's nuclear activities.

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THE NUCLEAR DEAL

Ahmadinejad's return to Iran's presidency could see the West, particularly the U.S., reevaluate the nuclear deal struck under the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who is expected to seek re-election. Iran agreed to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of some economic sanctions. Since the deal, Iranian oil has started flowing more freely in the world market. Airplane manufacturers Airbus and Boeing Co. have struck billion-dollar deals. U.S. President Donald Trump, a staunch critic of the nuclear deal, could move to dismantle it, particularly if a hard-liner like Ahmadinejad is elected.

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HIS CHANCES OF WINNING

Ahmadinejad's candidacy must be approved by the Guardian Council, a clerical body, before he can stand in the May 19 election. Half the 12-member council's members are selected by Iran's supreme leader and half by the country's judicial chief with parliament's approval. Even if his candidacy is given the green light, it's unclear whether he has enough popular support to win. Ahmadinejad remains a deeply polarizing figure, even among hard-liners, and his decision to register for the election could be a political stunt to try to remain relevant.

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THE BOTTOM LINE

Iran remains a major force in the Middle East and supports Shiite militias fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq. It routinely has tense encounters with the U.S. Navy in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. An Ahmadinejad presidency could inflame those tensions while increasing the likelihood of an Israeli military strike on the country's nuclear facilities. His name appearing on the ballot could cause unrest and spark other challenges to Iran's clerically overseen government.

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Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellap. His work can be found at http://apne.ws/2galNpz.

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad shows his identification during registering his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Ahmadinejad on Wednesday unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Hamid Baghaei, right, close ally of former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad kisses his head after registering their candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections at the Interior Ministry in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Ahmadinejad on Wednesday unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. Other close ally of Ahmadinejad, Esfandiar Rahim Mashie accompanies them. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, and his close ally Hamid Baghaei, right, show their identifications after registering their candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections at the Interior Ministry to , in Tehran, Iran, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Ahmadinejad on Wednesday unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election, contradicting a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race. Other close ally of Ahmadinejad, Esfandiar Rahim Mashie accompanies them. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

8:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is expected to sign legislation Thursday erasing an Obama-era rule that barred states from withholding federal family planning funds from Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.

President Donald Trump speaks during a news conference with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The rule was finalized shortly before Obama left office in January.

The legislation squeezed narrowly through the Senate last month after Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote.

It was passed using an obscure measure called the Congressional Review Act, which lets lawmakers undo regulations enacted in the last months of the Obama administration with just a majority vote.

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6:10 p.m.

The nation's largest business group is joining doctors, hospitals and insurers in asking President Donald Trump to preserve a key part of "Obamacare," as his predecessor's health care law is known.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has been critical of many parts of the Obama-era law, signed on to a letter Wednesday that asks Trump to keep cost-sharing subsidies provided by the Affordable Care Act. Those subsidies, totaling an estimated $7 billion this year, help lower deductibles and copayments for people with modest incomes.

The letter - also signed by the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, America's Health Insurance Plans and other groups - says the cost-sharing subsidies are critical for the stability of health insurance markets.

The subsidies are in legal limbo.

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6 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he had a "great meeting" with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

Trump tweeted shortly after his joint news conference with Stoltenberg: "Great meeting w/ NATO Sec. Gen. We agreed on the importance of getting countries to pay their fair share & focus on the threat of terrorism."

Trump said during the news conference that NATO members must meet their financial obligations and pay what they owe if they are to continue benefiting from the military alliance.

The two also reiterated their commitment to collaborating on missions in Afghanistan and Iraq to help the war-torn countries.

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5:05 p.m.

A former foreign policy adviser to then-candidate Donald Trump won't say who brought him on to the Republican's presidential campaign.

Carter Page is under scrutiny for his ties to Russia. The Washington Post has reported that the Justice Department obtained a secret warrant to monitor Page's communications last summer because it had reason to believe he was a Russian agent.

Page has refused to say how he got connected with the Trump campaign, saying the question is irrelevant.

In an interview with CNN, Page says he was not brought in by Paul Manafort, the former campaign chairman whose possible Russia ties are also being scrutinized. Page says he has never met or spoken with Manafort.

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4:40 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he told Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) that "the way you're going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea."

Trump, who spoke with Xi Tuesday night, discussed the call at a joint press conference Wednesday with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg) of NATO.

Trump wants China's help to crack down on North Korea's nuclear program. He says if China does not help "we're just going to go it alone."

He adds that "going it alone means going it with lots of other nations."

According to a description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry, Xi told Trump that Beijing is willing to work on denuclearization but wants a peaceful solution.

Trump and Xi recently held talks in Florida.

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4:35 p.m.

President Donald Trump is praising China for abstaining from a Western-backed United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria.

Trump says at a news conference with the secretary-general of NATO that it was "wonderful" that China abstained and the U.S. was "honored by that vote."

Russia vetoed the resolution calling for a speedy investigation into the attack.

China usually sides with Russia in the Security Council, so the move to abstain represented a significant shift for Beijing.

It came after Trump met last week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) and the two spoke by phone Tuesday night.

Trump says he's "very impressed" with Xi, adding he thought he means well and wants to help.

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4:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump says it's "certainly possible" though "probably unlikely" that Syria could have launched a recent chemical attack without Russia knowing about it.

Trump says he'd like to think the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin didn't know, but says "certainly they could have."

He notes the Russians were operating on the Syrian air base from which the attack was launched last week. Russia is a key backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the U.S. blames Assad for the chemical attack that killed scores of civilians. Trump launched a volley of missile strikes at the Syrian air base in response.

Trump says Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is looking into whether Russia knew about the attack ahead of time.

Trump commented at a White House news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg).

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4:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is "not getting along with Russia at all" and relations between the two global powers are at an "all-time low."

Trump says in a White House news conference that he's hopeful that he can improve relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin but "we're going to see what happens."

The president spoke alongside the secretary-general of NATO shortly after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Putin in Moscow. Tillerson told reporters the two countries have reached a "low point" in relations in the aftermath of a chemical attack in Syria.

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4:20 p.m.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says that, thanks to NATO, "America has the best friends and best allies in the word."

Stoltenberg is touting NATO's benefits at a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at the White House. Trump had previously questioned NATO's relevance.

Stoltenberg says NATO provides crucial support to the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, as well as help training soldiers and intelligence sharing.

He says NATO has committed to do more in the global fight against terrorism and is committed to ensuring that defense costs are split more fairly.

He says both he and Trump agree that NATO is "a bedrock" of security for both Europe and the United States.

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4:15 p.m.

President Donald Trump has done an about-face on NATO, the military alliance he once dismissed as ineffective.

Trump says at a White House news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg (yehnz STOHL'-tehn-burg) that the organization is "no longer obsolete."

As a candidate Trump said the 28-member organization had outlived its usefulness. Since taking office, he has expressed support for NATO but has reinforced his view that European members must meet a 2014 agreement for member countries to boost defense spending to 2 percent of GDP within a decade. Just the U.S. and a handful of other countries are meeting the target.

Trump says NATO countries will be more secure and the partnership strengthened if other countries pay their fair share and stop relying on the United States.

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1:20 p.m.

President Donald Trump is saying he may reshuffle some of his major domestic priorities.

After Republican leaders pulled their health care bill back from a House vote last month, Trump signaled that he was ready to move on to tax overhaul and other issues.

But on Wednesday, Trump said on Fox Business Network that he'd rather move health care first. That's despite an ongoing impasse between GOP hardliners and moderates.

"I have to do health care first," said Trump. "I want to do it first to really do it right."

Without spending cuts in the health care bill, it's much harder for Republicans to cut taxes without adding to federal deficits.

"The tax reform and the tax cuts are better if I can do health care first," Trump said.

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9:45 a.m.

President Donald Trump will welcome Argentina's president, Mauricio Macri, to the White House at the end of April.

The White House says the April 27 visit will give the leaders a chance to discuss ways to deepen the close partnership between the United States and Argentina.

Trade, security and the deteriorating situation in Venezuela are among the likely topics for discussion.

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8:50 a.m.

President Donald Trump says he's had "a very good call" with Chinese leader Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) dealing with what Trump calls "the menace of North Korea."

Trump tweets that he spoke with Xi on Tuesday night.

And Trump says in an interview with Fox Business News that solving the standoff with North Korea isn't "as simple as people would think."

Trump says China's long history with North Korea complicates China's ability to crack down on the North's nuclear program.

Trump and Xi recently held talks at Trump's estate in Florida. Trump says he made a deal with Xi that China will get a much better trade ties with the United States if Beijing helps to disarm North Korea.

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8:20 a.m.

President Donald Trump says his chief strategist Steve Bannon joined his campaign "very late," downplaying the notion that Bannon is an influential member of his team.

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump was asked about infighting among top members of his administration in which Bannon is said to be a center figure.

Trump said, "I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late."

Trump said he had already jumped major hurdles in the campaign by that time, beating "all the senators and all the governors" before he met Bannon.

The president added, "I'm my own strategist and it wasn't like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary," referring to general election opponent Hillary Clinton.

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7:42 a.m.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. is not going to get involved in Syria but that he had to act because of chemical attacks there.

His comments, aired Wednesday on Fox Business News, come less than a week after Trump ordered a retaliatory strike on Syria based on U.S. evidence that Syrian President Bashar Assad attacked civilians with chemical weapons.

Trump said, "when I saw that, I said we have to do something."

But he also appeared to rule out deeper involvement, saying: "Are we going to get involved with Syria? No."

Trump also warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin, in backing Assad, is supporting someone who is "truly an evil person." That, Trump said, is "very bad for Russia" and "very bad for mankind" and the world.

President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One as he arrives Sunday, April 9, 2017, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. Trump was in Florida meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - Senegalese police say authorities have arrested a suspected recruiter for the Nigeria-based Boko Haram Islamic extremist group.

Police said Wednesday they arrested the Nigerian on April 1 in a Dakar suburb. Police said the suspect was known to Nigerian intelligence services and had been in Mauritania for some months before coming to Senegal to recruit on behalf of Boko Haram.

Senegal police also said they arrested two Moroccans at the international airport who had been linked to the Islamic State group. The two men, who police said came from a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, denied association with the extremist group. Police said they came to Senegal for its proximity to Morocco.

Senegal has increased security following major attacks by al-Qaida-linked militants in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali.
PARKVILLE, Md. (AP) - Authorities in Maryland say a police officer checking a report of someone breaking into cars shot a man who reached for a gun.

Baltimore County police said in a statement that an officer responding to the report early Wednesday in Parkville noticed a man trying to hide.

The officer called out and as the officer approached, police say the man reached for a gun in his waistband. Police say the man didn't heed the officer's call to stop and the officer fired, striking him. Police say they found a handgun at the scene.

Police spokesman Cpl. Shawn Vinson says the 27-year-old man was conscious when he taken to a hospital, but his condition isn't known. He says both the man and the officer are black and there's body camera footage of the encounter.
MADRID (AP) - Air traffic in Spain's popular Balearic islands is catching up after a navigation company fixed a technical glitch that caused a three-hour delay on the eve of a busy Easter holiday.

Air navigation company Enaire said Palma de Mallorca airport was operating at 75 percent of its capacity by Wednesday afternoon for incoming flights after a major disruption earlier in the day.

It said air traffic had resumed totally for departures, most of which had been halted since around 2 p.m. local time.

The Menorca and Ibiza airports had also been affected but were slowly recovering the frequency of departures and arrivals, Enaire said.

Technical hitches also caused delays Wednesday on high-speed train connections between Madrid and the southern region of Andalusia.

The week leading up to Easter Sunday is one of Spain's busiest holiday periods and the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea are one of Europe's top tourist destinations.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Almost 1,500 economists have addressed a letter to President Donald Trump and top congressional leaders stressing the importance of immigrants for economic growth.

The letter sent Wednesday notes that immigrants start businesses, are clustered in math, science and engineering and can offset any economic drag from baby boomer retirements.

It notes that "the benefits that immigration brings to society far outweigh their costs, and smart immigration policy could better maximize the benefits of immigration while reducing the costs."

Six Nobel laureates were among the 1,470 economists who signed the letter.

The signees come from across the political spectrum, including Austan Goolsbee, an economic adviser to former President Barack Obama, and Glenn Hubbard, who worked for former President George W. Bush.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Officials say a Kentucky police officer shot and wounded a suspect while investigating a suspicious vehicle at a motel.

Police said in a statement the Lexington officer was patrolling late Tuesday when he noticed the vehicle behind a La Quinta Inn and decided to investigate. The statement said the officer fired at the suspect, who is described as a 26-year-old white man. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

The statement says the officer has been with the department three years but did not release his name. He was not injured.

Police say the officer was wearing a body camera and the video will be reviewed as part of the investigation.

Lexington Police Chief Mark Barnard told news outlets officers have been patrolling the area due to complaints about illegal activity.
CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (AP) - The manager of a small Virginia town who shot himself in the head after a younger woman accused him of harassment died on Wednesday, a town official said.

Christiansburg Town Manager Steve Biggs died a day after police found him in an apartment with self-inflicted gunshot wound, town spokeswoman Melissa Powell said.

Mayor Mike Barber said he and the town council are "heartbroken."

"Steve leaves behind a progressive and proactive legacy, and we will work hard to honor and build upon all that he started," Barber said in a statement.

The shooting came weeks after a 23-year-old woman obtained a three-day emergency protective order against Biggs, accusing him of being "obsessive" toward her.

Biggs, 53, denied the woman's claims in interviews with The Roanoke Times last week and on Monday. He accused her in court documents of seeking to "discredit and undermine" his standing "professionally and in the community."

A judge denied the woman's subsequent request for a 15-day preliminary protective order. State police also investigated, but Montgomery County prosecutors found no probable cause to charge Biggs with stalking or any other crime.

The husband and father of three children served as town manager for Clayton, North Carolina before coming to Christiansburg in July.

Nancy Medlin, deputy town manager for Clayton, said Biggs' wife remained in Clayton so their youngest daughter could finish high school there.
ST. LOUIS (AP) - The Latest on Sen. Claire McCaskill's town hall series in Missouri (all times local):

10 a.m.

Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill has been greeted by a standing ovation at a town hall meeting, a far cry from the hostile crowds many of her Republican colleagues in Congress have experienced since the November election.

An overwhelmingly supportive crowd of about 150 people turned out Wednesday for the Missouri senator's event in Hillsboro, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis. She plans seven other town hall meetings this week, all of them in counties Donald Trump carried easily in the presidential election.

There was no open microphone at the Hillsboro event. McCaskill read questions that were submitted in writing.

She drew applause for expressing support for Planned Parenthood. She called for a thorough investigation of potential Russian meddling in the election, but said it's too soon to talk about impeachment. And she urged colleagues on both sides of the aisle to "fix the problems of Obamacare."

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12:30 a.m.

In a year when congressional town hall meetings have often turned angry, Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill is wading into predominantly Republican areas of Missouri to host a series of them this week.

McCaskill's first town hall will be Wednesday at Jefferson College in the eastern Missouri town of Hillsboro. She also plans to meet with constituents Wednesday in Sikeston and Fulton; on Thursday in Hannibal, St. Joseph and Parkville; and on Friday in Springfield and Rolla.

Some of McCaskill's Republican counterparts have heard from angry crowds of opponents of President Donald Trump's early agenda at town hall meetings. McCaskill says it is important for her to be accountable and allow constituents to share their criticisms and concerns.

McCaskill is in her second term and is up for re-election in 2018.
BIG PINE KEY, Fla. (AP) - Endangered deer in the Florida Keys are no longer receiving anti-parasite medication to protect against flesh-eating screwworms.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Key deer no longer need oral medications because it's been over three months since the last confirmed screwworm infection in the National Key Deer Refuge.

A screwworm infestation that began last summer killed 135 Key deer. Officials said the infestation was a potential extinction event for the unique herd, which includes fewer than 1,000 deer in the Lower Florida Keys.

Wildlife officials said in their statement Wednesday that female deer with radio tracking collars will be monitored daily for screwworms through summer.

Millions of male screwworm flies sterilized with radiation have been released to suppress the fly's wild population. Those releases will end April 25.
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Nancy Kerrigan is opening up about her personal struggles after having six miscarriages in an eight-year span.

The Olympic figure skating star emotionally revealed the miscarriages to her dance partner during Monday's episode of "Dancing with the Stars." In an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America" that aired Wednesday, Kerrigan called the miscarriages "devastating" and said they were hard on her marriage to husband Jerry Solomon.

She says the miscarriages happened after the birth of her first child, Matthew, in 1996. She says one of the most painful moments came after one miscarriage, when she had to tell an excited Matthew that he wasn't going to be a big brother.

In this April 10, 2017 photo released by ABC, former Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan appears with her dance partner Artem Chigvintsev as photos of Kerrigan with her children appear on a screen during the competition series, "Dancing with the Stars." Kerrigan opened up about her personal struggles after having six miscarriages in an eight-year span. (Eric McCandless/ABC via AP)

Kerrigan says she turned to in vitro fertilization for the births of son Brian and daughter Nicole.

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This story has been corrected to show Kerrigan revealed the miscarriages during Monday's episode, not Tuesday's.
BANGKOK (AP) - Media reports in Thailand say authorities have declared it illegal to exchange information on the internet with three prominent government critics who often write about the country's monarchy.

A letter from the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society reported online Wednesday by the newspaper Thai Rath and other media advised all citizens not to follow, contact, share or engage in any other activity that would result in sharing information from historian Somsak Jeamteerasakul, academic Pavin Chachavalpongpun and online journalist Andrew MacGregor Marshall. All three live outside Thailand.

The letter says people who spread such information, directly or indirectly, could be violating the country's Computer Crime Act, even unintentionally.

Somsak has written extensively and in great detail about the Thai monarchy, and his detailed Facebook postings are often consulted even by royalists who disagree with his views. Pavin is an outspoken former Thai diplomat, and Marshall is the author of "A Kingdom in Crisis," a 2014 book.

Thailand enforces a law that punishes with three to 15 years imprisonment the dissemination of information considered insulting to the monarchy. Prosecutions have surged in the past decade as political turmoil coincided with the decline in health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died last October.

Most cases of insulting the monarchy - lese majeste - are apparently based on information posted on the internet, and often are accompanied by charges under the Computer Crime Act, which was originally enacted in 2007. It is not clear what if any aspect of the Computer Crime Act applies in the case of Wednesday's order.

Thai authorities try to take pre-emptive actions against material it considers illegal, having local internet service providers block access and reaching agreement with some online services such as YouTube to bar access in Thailand to material.

In February, a student pro-democracy activist who shared a story about Thailand's new king that had been posted online by the Thai-language service of the BBC was indicted on a lese majeste charge. Jatupat "Pai" Boonpattararaksa pleaded innocent.

The BBC story included mentions about the personal life of King Vajairalongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun - who succeeded his late father last year -and other material considered too sensitive to be publicly discussed in Thailand.

Thai authorities had previously warned that even Facebook "shares" - links to a posting, rather than the content itself - could be considered a violation of the lese majeste law. Jatupat had also posted several passages from the BBC Thai story.

Many human rights organizations inside and outside Thailand have urged its government to halt the use of laws that make it illegal to criticize the monarchy, calling them a political tool to stifle critical speech.
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Two brothers wrongfully imprisoned for three decades in the killing of an 11-year-old girl say they've reached a legal settlement with law enforcement officials.

A legal filing Tuesday by their lawyer seeks approval for a settlement with defendants including a local sheriff, police department and state agents. They asked that settlement details be sealed by the court.

Henry McCollum and Leon Brown said their civil rights were violated and sought unspecified monetary damages in their lawsuit.

Attorneys on both sides didn't immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

McCollum and Brown were freed from prison in 2014 after DNA evidence indicated that another man raped and killed the girl. They were later pardoned and awarded $750,000 each from the state through a separate process for wrongful convictions.
NEW YORK (AP) - Sikhs in the United States are launching a million-dollar awareness campaign that seeks to stop hate-fueled attacks by explaining more about who they are and what they believe.

The "We are Sikhs" campaign was years in the making, funded by Sikh leaders and their families across a dozen cities, who have been swept up in anti-Muslim sentiment since the Sept. 11 attacks. Their beards and turbans - symbols of equality in a religion that opposes India's caste system - make American Sikhs easy targets for the angry and uninformed.

"Our hope was that as the memory of 9/11 goes down, things would get better. But they have not," said Rajwant Singh, a dentist from suburban Washington and one of the campaign's volunteer organizers.

The ads, which will air on CNN, Fox News and on TV stations in Fresno, California, home to a large Sikh community, make no mention of the more than 300 hate crimes reported by Sikhs in the U.S. since the 2001 terrorist attacks. Rather, they feature Sikh families explaining how the world's fifth-largest religion, founded in India, aligns with American values.

Internet advertising will begin immediately as well, and subsequent TV ads are planned for at least three more cities with large Sikh populations.

"We teach our kids the American values go hand in hand with the Sikh values: tolerance, religious freedom, gender equality," a bearded man in a red turban says in one of the ads shared with The Associated Press.

Another ad highlights Sikhs embracing U.S. pop culture: "We like 'Game of Thrones,'" one person says. "I'm obsessed with 'Star Wars,'" says another.

The ads, developed in consultation with Republican and Democratic consulting firms, do not mention Republican President Donald Trump, whose candidacy hammered on illegal immigration and Islamic extremism. While fundraising events in Sikh communities across the nation coincided with Trump's rise, organizers insist the $1.3 million effort has no connection to the tough-talking president.

"It's a coincidence," says Gurwin Ahuja, a 27-year-old political operative who also helped organize the new campaign. "Administrations have changed, and we still experience violence regardless of who's president."

This type of religious outreach has some precedent. Muslim advocacy groups launched a billboard campaign in recent years, while others developed public service announcements soon after Sept. 11.

Corey Saylor, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, praised the new effort, noting that Sikh leaders have "not allowed bias to divide religious minorities."

"Years ago, they could have said, 'Hey, we're not Muslims.' But they've always taken what to me was a very honorable stand that nobody should be targeted, period," he said.

Surveys commissioned by Sikh leaders found that nearly 9 in 10 American Sikhs have experienced negative reactions or hate language, Singh said. Subsequent polling by a Democratic firm revealed that 60 percent of Americans know nothing at all about Sikhs.

"When people see us, they think we're either religious extremists or terrorists," said Ahuja, a Cleveland native who worked in the Obama White House. He recalled schoolchildren once asking during a White House tour if he was a member of the Taliban.

Many Sikhs are still haunted by the 2012 shooting inside a Wisconsin temple that left six dead. More recently, the FBI is investigating an early March shooting of a Seattle-area Sikh man as a hate crime. Three weeks later, a man was arrested after attacking a woman inside a Sikh temple in Oregon.

Hundreds of Sikhs gathered this past Sunday at a temple in Hicksville, on New York's Long Island, that makes meals for the homeless. A woman led prayers from the Sikh holy book for much of the morning.

The Long Island Sikh community has escaped much of the violence that has plagued Sikhs elsewhere. But just four months ago, temple leaders said, a group of young men shouted in the parking lot outside: "Get out of here, you Muslims!"

Rana Singh Sodhi's brother was shot to death outside a Phoenix-area gas station four days after 9/11 by a man who said he wanted to kill Muslims.

Sodhi says he recently spoke by phone with the killer, who is serving a life prison sentence. They agreed to work together to help educate the public about Sikhs if and when he gets out.

"It's a long process," Sodhi said. "We all are Americans."
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) - Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai has received honorary citizenship in Canada and become the youngest person to address the country's Parliament.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau presented her with a framed certificate of citizenship on Wednesday. She's only the sixth person to receive the honor and the youngest ever.

The 19-year-old Pakistani activist was 15 when she shot in the head by Taliban militants while returning from school. She was targeted for advocating women's education.

Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, left, is presented with an honorary Canadian citizenship by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

She won world acclaim for her campaign and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.

Yousafzai was originally scheduled to receive her honorary citizenship in 2014 but the Canadian Parliament was stormed by an armed terrorist that day.

Yousafzai says that man called himself a Muslim but did not share her faith.

Malala Yousafzai stands with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and her parents after arriving on Parliament Hill for her Honorary Canadian Citizenship ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Malala Yousafzai signs the guest book as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Speaker of the House of Commons Geoff Regan look on, after arriving on Parliament Hill for her Honorary Canadian Citizenship ceremony in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. Trudeau presented Yousafzai with a certificate documenting her as an honorary Canadian, only the sixth person to receive the honor and the youngest ever. He also presented her with the flag from atop the tower. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) - Auburn University officials are disavowing hate fliers found around campus and say they're unfamiliar with a group claiming responsibility.

A university statement says a group calling itself the Auburn White Student Union isn't affiliated with the school. It calls the fliers "reprehensible."

Social media shows anti-Semitic leaflets that have been found around the east Alabama campus in recent days. A group calling itself the White Student Union recently established a website with similar racist and anti-Semitic statements.

Meanwhile, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer has released a video saying he plans to speak on the Auburn campus next week.

Spencer is a neo-Nazi who made news by using a Hitler salute to praise President Donald Trump. A university statement released Wednesday says the school deplores Spencer's views.
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - A federal judge is allowing the developer of the Dakota Access oil pipeline to keep secret some but not all pipeline information that the company believes could be useful to vandals and terrorists.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said in a ruling dated Friday that information such as spill risks at various points along the pipeline should be shielded from public view but that certain details relating to how a spill might be handled don't warrant such protection.

Two American Indian tribes who oppose the pipeline had argued that the spill risk data could bolster their case that more environmental study is needed. Attorneys for the Standing Rock and Cheyenne River Sioux didn't immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday.

Vicki Granado, a spokeswoman for pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, declined to comment, citing the tribes' ongoing federal lawsuit over the $3.8 billion project to move North Dakota oil to a distribution point 1,200 miles away in Illinois.

The Texas-based developer in February asked Boasberg to shield information that it contends could be used by anyone "with the malicious intent to damage the pipeline." At the time, there had been about 750 arrests of anti-pipeline activists in North Dakota since August, and also vandalism to company equipment in Iowa and North Dakota during construction. In March, there were confirmed instances in which someone apparently had used a torch to burn holes through empty sections of the pipeline at aboveground shut-off valve sites, though no one was arrested.

Attorneys for the tribes, which are suing because they believe the pipeline threatens water, sacred sites and their religion, objected to the company's request to keep documents secret. They called the company's reasoning "a ruse" to conceal documents that undermine its assertion that no further environmental review of the pipeline is needed because it's safe.

The Army Corps of Engineers, which also is a defendant in the lawsuit because it permitted pipeline water crossings, maintained that only a limited amount of the information should be kept from public view based on analyses by the Transportation Security Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Boasberg reviewed those agencies' determinations before reaching his decision. The judge is allowing the shielding of documents that include such details as pipeline maps at certain crossings, information on detecting and shutting down spills, graphs of spill risk scores at various points along the pipeline, maps of spill scenarios, oil spill volume predictions and details related to monitoring systems.

Boasberg said "the asserted interest in limiting intentionally inflicted harm outweighs the tribes' generalized interests in public disclosure and scrutiny," noting that tribal attorneys would be privy to the information anyway as their lawsuit proceeds. Standing Rock attorney Jan Hasselman has argued previously that public scrutiny of the documents could help the tribe.

Among the information that the judge won't allow to be kept from the public are the phone numbers of government agencies, the names of waterways that could be affected by spills, and maps and descriptions of oil spill handling methods.

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Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ NicholsonBlake
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his firm's work (all times local):

3:05 p.m.

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman is registering as a foreign agent.

Paul Manafort's spokesman says he was in talks with the government about registering before the 2016 election and is now "taking appropriate steps" in response to "formal guidance" from the government.

The spokesman says Manafort's lobbying work was not conducted on behalf of the Russian government and began before Manafort started working with the Trump campaign.

It's unclear whether Trump was aware that Manafort was in talks with the government about registering before he hired him.

Michael Flynn, who was fired as White House national security adviser in February, has also had to register as a foreign agent for lobbying work he did with ties to Turkey.

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12:49 p.m.

A Washington lobbying firm that worked under the direction of two former Trump campaign advisers has registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. The firm said its work could have benefited the Ukrainian government.

The Podesta Group's cited details of lobbying it performed from 2012 through 2014 on behalf of the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine. The firm reported being paid more than $1.2 million for the effort.

The disclosure follows reporting by the AP in August that the firm of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy, Rick Gates, who served in a senior role in the Trump campaign, had overseen the lobbying effort. The effort sought to promote a pro-Russian Ukrainian political party's interests in Washington.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - One of Puerto Rico's largest unions sued on Wednesday to block a federal control board's austerity plan that would slash pensions and other spending by the U.S. territory.

The suit filed by the United Public Servants union said the plan violates a law protecting the pension system as well as constitutional guarantees involving contracts between the government and retirees. The union represents more than 10,000 government workers and 2,300 retired ones.

"(Puerto Rico's) current and future retirees are not rich and will not become rich because of their pensions," the lawsuit states. "To the contrary, many of them will suffer grievous harm from the cuts promised by the final fiscal plan."

The union accused the board of creating what it called "an unauthorized, dangerous and uncertain path" for Puerto Rico's future as the island struggles to emerge from a decade-long economic crisis.

A spokesman for the board overseeing Puerto Rico's finances declined to comment.

The board recently approved an austerity plan that would cut benefits for retirees who receive more than $2,000 a month. If Puerto Rico's government doesn't meet several financial goals imposed by the board in upcoming months, the island's public pension system could be cut by 10 percent. Economists have warned that thousands of retirees would be pushed below the federal poverty level if that measure is implemented.

The system is underfunded by more than $40 billion and is expected to run out of money this year.

"Clearly a 10 percent cut would be very painful," Brenda Vargas, the union's communication director, said in a phone interview. "The majority are still paying mortgages. They also pay a lot for their medications. And not all of them have Social Security."

Teachers and police officers in Puerto Rico do not collect Social Security and depend solely on the island's pension system.

Vargas said 75 percent of unionized retirees collect only $500 to $700 a month in pension, and that many collect even less than because they are still paying off loans.

The lawsuit comes just weeks before a May 1 deadline to restructure a portion of Puerto Rico's $70 billion public debt load. Officials are scheduled to start private negotiations with creditors this week, but if they fail to reach any deals, the restructuring could go to court for a bankruptcy-like process.
SAO PAULO (AP) - Brazil Supreme Court Judge Edson Fachin has dramatically expanded the scope of a nationwide corruption probe by ordering investigations of 108 people - including eight members of President Michel Temer's Cabinet.

- Chief of Staff Eliseu Padilha, suspected of charging companies bribes to finance campaigns of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party in exchange for airport concessions.

- Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira, suspected of accepting $159,000 in illegal campaign contributions from the Odebrecht construction company.

- Secretary General of the Presidency Wellington Moreira Franco, suspected of charging companies bribes to finance campaigns of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party in exchange for airport concessions.

- Science and Technology Minister Gilberto Kassab, suspected of receiving $6.6 million between 2008 and 2014 while mayor of Sao Paulo and later as minister of cities for road construction contracts.

- Minister of Cities Bruno Araujo, suspected of receiving $190,500 in illegal campaign financing to benefit Odebrecht projects.

- Industry and Trade Minister Marcos Antonio Pereira, suspected of receiving $2.2 million in exchange for his party's support of former President Dilma Rousseff's campaign.

- Agriculture Minister Blairo Maggi, suspected of receiving $3.8 million from Odebrecht for his campaign for governor of Mato Grosso state.

- National Integration Minister Helder Barbalho, suspected of receiving $500,000 in illegal financing for his campaign for governor of Para state.

Fachin also asked lower courts to decide on whether to continue 201 other investigations of figures including four former Brazilian presidents: Dilma Rousseff, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Jose Sarney. The allegations against them have not been released.

Temer was also mentioned in some of the judge's decisions, but as president, he has temporary immunity for any crimes committed before he took office.
RENO, Nev. (AP) - A 19-year-old Nevada gang member has been convicted of second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a teenager during a party at a residence north of Reno in October 2015.

A Washoe District Court jury returned a guilty verdict Tuesday after a weeklong trial of Jonathan "Sleepy" Jaramillo of Sun Valley in the killing of 16-year-old Gerardo Reyes.

Jaramillo claimed the shooting in the backyard of a home in Sun Valley was accidental. But prosecutors say the evidence showed he shot Reyes in the back from point-blank range, puncturing his lung.

Police say Jaramillo was a documented gang member. They say a series of text messages indicated he intended to flee to Mexico after the shooting.

He's scheduled to be sentenced June 2.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The six known surviving siblings of Prince have urged a Minnesota judge not to delay naming them the rightful heirs to the late music superstar's estate.

Prince left no known will when he died April 21, 2016, of an accidental drug overdose.

While Carver County District Judge Kevin Eide has said he's "reasonably certain" he'll declare the six siblings to be the heirs, he has also said he plans to wait for the final resolution of appeals by some purported heirs whose claims were rejected.

The six siblings served notice late last month that they want the judge to act sooner. In a memo filed Wednesday, their attorneys argue that no credible surviving spouse or child has come forward, so further delays benefit nobody.

A hearing is set for May 10.
MUNICH (AP) - Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for Real Madrid to beat Bayern Munich 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday, ending the German side's tournament record of 16 straight wins at home.

Ronaldo's second-half goals saw him become the first player to score 100 goals in European club competition. The Portuguese star ensured Madrid came from behind - after Arturo Vidal's 25th-minute header for Bayern - to put the defending champions on course to reach the semifinals for a seventh successive year. The second leg takes place in Madrid on Tuesday.

"We are still alive," said Bayern coach Carlo Ancelotti after losing to his former side.

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, front, celebrates after scoring his side's 2nd goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)

Also Wednesday, Antoine Griezmann converted a first-half penalty for Atletico Madrid to beat Leicester 1-0 at home, and Borussia Dortmund lost 3-2 at home to Monaco in the quarterfinal that was rescheduled from Tuesday, when three explosions targeted the German team's bus.

Bayern was without club top-scorer Robert Lewandowski after he failed to recover from a knock to his right shoulder. But it had not been beaten at home in the competition since April 2014, when it lost 4-0 to Ancelotti's Madrid in the semifinals. Madrid went on to win the title.

Ancelotti's successor at Madrid, Zinedine Zidane, is bidding to become the first coach to lead a side to back-to-back titles in the Champions League era.

"We suffered here but all-in-all it's not easy to play here. They have a great team and great players," Zidane said. "We needed patience to decide the match. I think it's a good result for us. The key was patience."

Bayern forced several corners early on and the sixth finally paid off when Vidal headed home through Keylor Navas' fingers.

Madrid displayed none of the initiative shown by Bayern in the first half. While Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, David Alaba and Thiago Alcantara were running and forcing the game, the visitors appeared static, waiting for chances to present themselves. They weren't forthcoming.

Bayern should have been 2-0 up at the break, but Vidal sent his penalty well over the bar after Dani Carvajal was adjudged to have handled the ball. The Madrid defender was booked though TV replays showed Ribery's shot had hit his upper body.

"It happens in football. It's not the first time and it won't be the last," Ancelotti said of the missed penalty, calling it one of the "small details" which decided the game.

Ronaldo scored two minutes after the break with one touch to Carvajal's cross.

It ensured Madrid extended its Spanish record of scoring in 53 consecutive games.

Zidane had evidently made good use of the interval as Madrid appeared a different side in the second half. Bayern was dealt a blow with a half-hour to play when Javi Martinez was sent off with two yellow cards within three minutes for fouls on Ronaldo.

"The sending off was the turning point," Bayern captain Philipp Lahm said.

But Madrid had already forced the home side back. Navas had little to do and Manuel Neuer was by far the busier 'keeper.

"Their goalkeeper saved lots of chances. A lot," Zidane said of Germany's top 'keeper.

Marco Asensio's introduction for Gareth Bale also invigorated the visitors.

Neuer denied Karim Benzema, then Ronaldo from point blank, but he couldn't stop the ball from squirming between his legs from Ronaldo's shot after Asensio crossed in the 77th to give Madrid the clear advantage.

It could have been worse for Bayern - Sergio Ramos had a goal ruled out late for offside.

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More AP Champions League coverage: http://apne.ws/2lgcPZm

Bayern's Philipp Lahm looks at Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo celebrating with teammates scoring his side's 2nd goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos, right, jumps on his teammate and scorer Cristiano Ronaldo to celebrate their side's 2nd goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, in Munich, Germany, Wednesday, April 12, 2017. (Andreas Gebert/dpa via AP)
WASHINGTON (AP) - A number of President Donald Trump's top and former aides have received unwanted attention in recent days as they struggle with internal divisions, blundered comments and investigation revelations. Here's a rundown of who's who for those trying to keep track:

STEPHEN BANNON

Trump's chief strategist and senior counselor has been the target of the left since he formally joined Trump's campaign, thanks to the far-right views of the website he used to run, Breitbart News.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer prepares to go on cable news on the North Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in Washington. Spicer is apologizing for making an "insensitive" reference to the Holocaust in earlier comments about Syrian President Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

In an interview with the New York Post this week, Trump appeared to distance himself from Bannon, the chief architect of several major administration policies, including Trump's stalled travel bans.

In the interview, Trump downplayed Bannon's role in his campaign, claiming that his chief strategist was not involved "until very late." That's despite the fact that Bannon took over as the campaign's CEO in August of last year.

Trump's early months in office have been filled with infighting between his aides. "Steve is a good guy," Trump told the Post, but cautioned that if the infighting doesn't stop, he'll intervene. It was a rare public warning shot heard across Washington.

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SEAN SPICER

The White House press secretary is one of the most visible faces of Trump's administration. His daily on-camera briefings have become must-see-TV for large swaths of the nation, and he has been repeatedly parodied on shows like "Saturday Night Live."

But Spicer has spent the last 24 hours on an apology tour, after he claimed that Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Critics noted the remark ignored Hitler's use of gas chambers to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust. The comment marked the second time in as many days that Spicer appeared to struggle to articulate the president's foreign policy at a critical time. The day before, he suggested that the use of barrel bombs by Syrian President Bashar Assad's government might lead to further military action. A White House spokesman later walked back the comment, saying the U.S. position hadn't changed.

Spicer has called his comments about the Holocaust "inappropriate and insensitive."

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PAUL MANAFORT

Trump's former campaign chairman's foreign consulting work has become a headache for the White House. A Manafort spokesman said Wednesday Manafort would be registering as a foreign lobbyist.

The spokesman says Manafort's lobbying work was not conducted on behalf of the Russian government and began before Manafort started working with the Trump campaign.

It's unclear whether Trump was aware that Manafort was in talks with the government about registering before he hired him.

Before taking over Trump's campaign last May, Manafort worked for a slew of foreign clients, including a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine and Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska. In 2005, he proposed an ambitious plan to promote the interests of "the Putin government" and undermine anti-Russian opposition across former Soviet republics, the Associated Press has reported.

The AP also reported Wednesday that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in a handwritten ledger in Ukraine as paid to Manafort were received by his U.S. consulting firm.

Manafort has denied any wrongdoing and the White House has tried to downplay Trump's connections to Manafort, wrongly stating that he played only a "limited role" in Trump's campaign.

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CARTER PAGE

Page was a little-known critic of the U.S policy toward Russia when he was tapped by Trump to serve as one of a handful of foreign policy advisers.

It remains unclear how exactly the two met and what Page's role actually entailed. But Page is now known to be the focus of a federal investigation Trump's campaign ties to Russia.

The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor Page's communications because the government had reason to believe Page was acting as a Russian agent, The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

Page also met with a Russian intelligence operative in 2013 and provided him documents about the energy industry, according to court documents from a 2015 prosecution alleging a Cold War-style spy ring in New York. Page was not accused of wrongdoing relayed to the case and said in a statement that he shared "basic immaterial information" and publicly available research documents.

A former Merrill Lynch investment banker, Page worked out of the company's Moscow office for three years. He now runs Global Energy Capital, a firm describes as focused on energy sectors in emerging markets.

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MICHAEL FLYNN

Trump's former national security adviser, Flynn was ousted in February for misleading Vice President Mike Pence about the nature his communications with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the White House said.

Flynn was interviewed by the FBI in the early days of the Trump administration about the conversations and his ties to Russia are currently under investigation.

He and his firm also recently registered with the Justice Department as foreign agents for lobbying work conducted on behalf of a company owned by a Turkish businessman.

A staunch and early Trump supporter, Flynn is a retired United States Army lieutenant general and was the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas woman is accused of decapitating her ex-boyfriend's mother when the victim went to collect her son's belongings.

Thirty-five-year-old Rachael Hilyard of Wichita was charged Wednesday with one count of first-degree murder in the death Sunday of 63-year-old Micki Davis. During a brief court appearance, a Sedgwick County judge assigned Hilyard to be represented by a public defender. She's jailed on $200,000 bond.

Police say Davis was killed after taking her 9-year-old grandson with her to Hilyard's home. The boy ran away when the assault started and called police on his grandmother's phone. Police say the child wasn't present when his grandmother died.

Police found Davis' body in the garage and Hilyard hiding in the home.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - A rule designed to protect the legal rights of farmers who grow chickens and hogs for the nation's largest meat processors has been delayed by at least six months, halting an initiative rolled out in the final days of Barack Obama's administration.

The rule was first proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2010 but was finally rolled out in December and was set to take effect on April 22.

President Donald Trump's administration announced the delay Wednesday to allow for more input.

The rule would make it easier for farmers to sue companies they contract with over unfair or deceptive practices. Farmers who have waited years for the rule expressed disappointment.

Poultry and pork industry trade groups say the rule will reduce competition and drive up meat prices.
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) - A craving for a McDonald's cheeseburger apparently prompted an 8-year-old Ohio boy to take his 4-year-old sister for a ride in his dad's van, which he learned to drive on the internet.

East Palestine police Officer Jacob Koehler tells WJW-TV (http://bit.ly/2nFFHMY ) in Cleveland the father went to bed Sunday and the mother fell asleep on the couch with the kids.

Koehler says witnesses saw the boy driving and called police in the city, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southeast of Cleveland. He says the boy drove about a mile to the restaurant, through intersections and over railroad tracks, without mishap.

Witnesses say the boy appeared to obey traffic laws.

Koehler says the boy told him he learned to drive by watching YouTube videos.

No charges have been filed.

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Information from: WJW-TV, http://www.fox8.com
Bill O'Reilly has been replaced by guest host Dana Perino on The O'Reilly Factor on Wednesday night as the embattled Fox News host begins his 'vacation' - his longest time off in a decade.

Fox would not discuss whether network executives influenced the duration or timing of O'Reilly's break, as the host faces an internal investigation into sexual harassment claims against him.

But his vacation announcement immediately set off speculation about whether cable television's most popular host will return at all.

Bill O'Reilly (right) has been replaced by guest host Dana Perino (left) on The O'Reilly Factor as the embattled Fox News host begins his 'vacation' - his longest time off in a decade

The Fox host left on Wednesday for the two-week trip to Italy - including a visit to the Vatican, theNew York Times reports.

O'Reilly claimed that he booked the time off months ago and often likes to go on vacation at the time of year, but this is the first time he's taken such a long break at this time of year in a decade.

Perino, a Fox News contributor and co-host of The Five, stepped in to replace O'Reilly on Wednesday. She was also the first Republican woman to serve as the White House press secretary.

'Hi, I'm Dana Perino, in for Bill O'Reilly who is on vacation,' she introduced herself on Wednesday.

During the show, she interviewed White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, touching on his blunder yesterday when he claimed that Hitler never used chemical weapons against civilians.

Bret Baier is due to host Thursday's show and Greg Gutfeld will fill in Friday this week and next, while Perino will return to take O'Reilly's chair from Monday through Thursday next week.

'Other than the vacation guest hosts, The Factor broadcast will remain unchanged,' Mark Fabiani, an attorney representing the host, said by e-mail to Bloomberg.

Eric Bolling hosted in O'Reilly's absence last year. Laura Ingraham, Juan Williams, Michelle Malkin and John Kasich have all subbed on 'The O'Reilly Factor.'

O'Reilly said he likes to take vacation around this time and that he booked this year's break in October to coincide with his children's spring break, Fabiani said.

That would appear to stave off stories that the cable host had been pressured to make himself scarce for a while. His show has seen an advertiser exodus since reports emerged of settlements reached with five women to keep quiet about harassment accusations.

Perino, a Fox News contributor and co-host of The Five, stepped in to replace O'Reilly on Wednesday

During the show, she interviewed White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, touching on his blunder yesterday when he claimed that Hitler never used chemical weapons against civilians

'I grab some vacation, because it's spring and Easter time,' O'Reilly said Tuesday. 'Last fall, I booked a trip that should be terrific.'

Transcripts over the last decade show O'Reilly has taken at least some time off in March or April every year, although usually they amount to long weekends. He took a week off at the end of March last year. He appeared to be away for six consecutive days in April 2010, although not every night's transcript was available for that time. O'Reilly usually takes vacation time in August, too.

Dozens of advertisers announced they would not run commercials on 'The O'Reilly Factor' following a New York Times story on April 2 that the five women have been paid a total of $13 million in settlements. O'Reilly has denied any wrongdoing.

The amount of ad time by paying customers on his show has since been cut by more than half, an analysis by Kantar Media revealed.

The stories haven't cut into his audience, though. 'The O'Reilly Factor' averaged more viewers the week after the report than it did the week before, the Nielsen company said. O'Reilly this year has seen the biggest ratings of his career.

Joe Muto, a former Fox producer who used to work with O'Reilly, said he wouldn't be surprised if the vacation was O'Reilly's idea. The pugnacious O'Reilly is used to political attacks, but is bothered when criticism reaches the broader culture, noting last weekend's 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Alec Baldwin impersonating O'Reilly and John Oliver suggesting on HBO that he wanted to buy ad time on O'Reilly's show.

'He has to lay low, and as long as another shoe doesn't drop, it could blow over for him,' said Muto, who wrote 'An Atheist in the Fox Hole' in 2013 about his experiences as an anonymous 'mole' writing his experiences working at Fox.

Dozens of advertisers announced they would not run commercials on 'The O'Reilly Factor' following a New York Times story on April 2 that the five women have been paid a total of $13 million in settlements

Joe Muto said O'Reilly is used to political attacks, but is bothered when criticism reaches the broader culture, noting last weekend's 'Saturday Night Live' skit with Alec Baldwin impersonating O'Reilly (pictured)

Since last weekend, Fox's parent 21st Century Fox said it has asked the same law firm that investigated harassment charges against former Fox News chief Roger Ailes last year to look into another woman's claim that spurning O'Reilly's sexual advances slowed her career.

The vacation plans set off a round of palace intrigue. New York magazine reported anonymous sources suggesting some division among the Murdoch family that runs 21st Century Fox. The magazine said that while family patriarch Rupert Murdoch and his son, Lachlan, wanted to keep O'Reilly, son James would like to see him taken off the air. The company declined to comment Wednesday.

The Fox issues have spilled over into Britain, where Murdoch is attempting to gain full control of broadcaster Sky PLC. British media regulator Ofcom is reviewing public interest issues surrounding 21st Century Fox's plan to buy the shares it doesn't already own in Sky. It and the U.K. competition regulator are due to report next month to Culture Secretary Karen Bradley, who will decide whether to approve the takeover.

Fox already owns 39 percent of Sky, a broadcasting and broadband company with operations throughout Europe. An earlier attempt to buy the remaining shares was scuttled by the 2011 phone-hacking scandal that rocked Murdoch's British newspapers.

On Wednesday U.S. online civil liberties group Color of Change wrote to U.K. media regulator Ofcom, urging it to investigate racial discrimination and sexual harassment at Fox News and 21st Century Fox before allowing the bid for Sky to move forward.
WASHINGTON (AP) - A man pleaded guilty Wednesday to helping smuggle dozens of people from Pakistan and Afghanistan into the United States by way of dangerous treks through Brazil and Latin America.

Sharafat Ali Khan, 32, described by prosecutors as a Pakistani national and fromer resident of Brazil, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States for profit. Prosecutors say he schemed with others to bring people from Pakistan and elsewhere through Brazil and Central America into the United States by planes, buses and on foot. At least 81 people identified Khan as the person who helped facilitate their travel from Brazil to the United States between May 2014 and June 2016, according to court records.

Prosecutors say Khan managed safe houses for the travelers and arranged for people in other countries to serve as their escorts on different legs of the route. He told prosecutors the voyage included long hikes with little food and water through the remote tropical forest of Darien Gap, on the border of Colombia and Panama.

Court records show the travelers paid between $5,000 and $12,000 each before their journeys, which sometimes included long days of walking through the jungle.

Khan is set to be sentenced in July.
Boris Johnson has urged Russia to stop acting as a lifeline for Assads murderous regime in Syria and instead to live up to its responsibilities as a global power.

Russias veto of a UN resolution condemning a deadly chemical attack in Syria and pushing Bashar Assads regime to co-operate with an international inquiry put the country on the wrong side of the argument, the Foreign Secretary said.

Russia's backing for #Assad main focus of talks just now w/ US Sec of State Rex #Tillerson ahead of mtg w/ #G7 counterparts in Lucca, Italy pic.twitter.com/Fhh0D0YpkC  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 10, 2017

World leaders had called for a probe into the barbaric attack in Khan Sheikhoun last week, which caused an international outcry and prompted a retaliatory US missile strike.

But Russia, an ally of Syria, blocked a draft UN Security Council resolution which would require President Assad to provide information about air operations and grant inspectors immediate access to air bases.

Mr Johnson said: The international community sought to make clear that any use of chemical weapons by anyone anywhere is unacceptable and that those responsible will face consequences.

Dismayed that #Russia has again frustrated the international community in its condemnation of the use of chemical weapons  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 12, 2017

So I am dismayed that Russia has once again blocked the UN Security Council and in so doing refused to condemn the use of chemical weapons or support a full UN investigation into the attack.

This puts Russia on the wrong side of the argument.

Mr Johnson backed US calls to find a political solution and said the G7 leaders were ready to work with Russia to end the violence in Syria.

He said: So Russia faces a choice: it can continue acting as a lifeline for Assads murderous regime, or it could live up to its responsibilities as a global power, and use its influence over the regime to bring six long years of failed ceasefires and false dawns to an end.

His comments came moments before President Donald Trump said relations with Russia had reached a all-time low.

He added: Putin is the leader of Russia. Russia is a strong country. Were a very, very strong country. Were going to see how that all works out.

Mr Trump also backtracked on his criticism of Nato at a joint press conference with its secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, saying: I said it was obsolete; its no longer obsolete.

UK ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft said it was indefensible for Russia to support the Syrian regime, as UK scientists in Porton Down confirmed that samples from the scene tested positive for a toxic chemical known as sarin.

Russia isolated today in its veto against action on #Syria CW. China abstained and split away. Russia on the wrong side of the argument.  Matthew Rycroft (@MatthewRycroft1) April 12, 2017

.@MatthewRycroft1 - This should have been the beginning of accountability for victims of #Syria attack. Instead we encounter a Russian veto. pic.twitter.com/7Y3KOBEypE  UK at the UN  (@UKUN_NewYork) April 12, 2017

The vote came after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow to discuss the escalating tensions in Syria.

The talks got off to a frosty start, with the Russian politician branding the American cruise missile strike illegal and criticising confusing and sometimes openly contradictory ideas from the Trump administration on the US-Russia relationship and international issues.

Mr Lavrov called for a UN investigation into the attacks in Syria beforehand but no agreement was reached with Washington during the two-hour talks.

Mr Tillerson said there was a low level of trust between both countries and such a relationship could not be allowed to continue between the worlds foremost nuclear powers.
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has urged his players to show their club does not bend to terror and hatred in an emotional changing-room address.

Watzke admitted the bomb attack on the team bus which led to the postponement of their Champions League meeting with Monaco, and left defender Marc Bartra with a broken wrist, had left the team needing to come to terms with the incomprehensible very quickly.

Borussia Dortmund will face Monaco later today after yesterday's explosions #ChampionsLeague pic.twitter.com/3ZlaJnOnEh  PA Dugout (@PAdugout) April 12, 2017

And he said that when the team took to the Westfalenstadion pitch for the rearranged quarter-final first leg on Wednesday evening they would be playing for everyone  no matter whether Borussia (Monchengladbach), Bayer (Leverkusen) or Schalke supporters.

Watzke said in a statement on the club website: The BVB family was always especially strong when it had to cope with difficult situations. This is perhaps the most difficult situation that we have faced in the past decades. I am sure that we will show ourselves as a strong and united BVB like never before.

Borussia Dortmund's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke (John Walton/Empics)

We do not just play for us today. We play for everyone  no matter whether Borussia, Bayer or Schalke supporters. We want to show that terror and hatred can never dictate our actions. And of course we play for Marc Bartra, who wants to see his team win.

We ask all BVB fans to support our team today with total energy for 90 minutes. This team had to process the incomprehensible in a short space of time. We should all help you to come to terms with it.

I just appealed to the team in the changing room to show society that we do not bend before terror.

Bartra underwent an operation on Tuesday night after breaking the radial bone in his arm and debris lodged in his hand as a result of the attack.

Dortmund captain Marcel Schmelzer said on the club website: Were all in shock and our thoughts are with Marc.

We hope that he will make a speedy recovery.

Dortmunds police chief said everything humanly possible would be done to ensure the rearranged fixture takes place safely in the wake of the attack, in which three explosions occurred near the Dortmund team hotel as the squad were travelling to the stadium for the original fixture.

Gregor Lange described the attack as targeted.

The police said that the explosives may have been hidden in a hedge near a parking lot.

Dortmund police also revealed a letter had been found, claiming responsibility for the attack.

They are investigating whether the attack could be linked to Islamist terror, German media has reported.

(John Walton/Empics)

According to Suddeutsche Zeitung and German press agency Dpa, a letter found near the scene referred to 2016s attack on a Berlin market which was carried out by a Daesh-inspired terrorist and the fact that German surveillance aircraft are being used in Syria.

The letter reportedly written in German began: In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

The newspaper quoted security sources stressing that the letter and any Islamist link had not yet been verified.
A Swedish couple have told local media that their 11-year-old daughter was one of the four people killed when a truck rammed into a crowd in Stockholm.

Swedens TV4 reported that the parents released a statement saying they wanted to thank the Swedish people for all the warmth and love you have given us at a time of despair and pain.

They requested peace and quiet to grieve the death of their daughter, Ebba Akerlund.

Other victims of Fridays attack included a 31-year-old Belgian woman, a 69-year-old Swedish woman, and a 41-year-old Briton whom the UK government identified as Chris Bevington, an executive at Swedish music-streaming service Spotify.

A woman places down a candles in front of the department store Ahlens in Stockholm (Markus Schreiber/AP)

Fifteen others were injured in the attack with eight still in hospital.

Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man, has pleaded guilty to a terrorist crime after ramming the truck into the crowd, according to his lawyer, Johan Eriksson.

On Tuesday, the Stockholm District Court ruled that police may detain the suspect for one month, but Eriksson said his client could remain jailed as long as it takes to resolve the case.

Akilov was caught on Friday evening in a northern suburb of Stockholm, hours after he drove the stolen beer truck into the crowd of afternoon shoppers outside the upmarket Ahlens store.

He was formally arrested early on Saturday.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the attack and no extremist group has claimed responsibility, but police chief Dan Eliasson said that after questioning him they have become increasingly convinced that we have the right suspect. Akilov was known to have been sympathetic to extremist organisations, but police said that there was nothing to indicate he might plan an attack.
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has pledged to return better than before after undergoing knee surgery.

The clubs current leading scorer with 13 goals has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after an operation on Tuesday to repair damaged cartilage.

Mane will now set his sights on being ready for pre-season in the summer.

Sadio Mane (Peter Byrne/PA)

I will give my very best after yesterdays successful surgery to be back on the pitch as soon as possible and be even better than before, the Senegal international told liverpoolfc.com.

Its great that I have received so many encouraging messages from fans around the world, particularly on social media.

It makes me proud and gives me so much power that so many supporters of Liverpool and Senegal give me such great support. Id like to say thank you to everyone.
Wayne Rooney returned to training ahead of Manchester Uniteds Europa League clash with Anderlecht on Thursday.

The striker missed the last two Premier League games against Everton and Sunderland with an ankle problem but joined his team-mates at Carrington on Wednesday.

David De Gea, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young also trained, with Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Juan Mata the only absentees.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho walks past players in training (Martin Rickett/PA)

De Gea, who sat out Sundays 3-0 win over Sunderland because of a hip problem, is likely to return against Chelsea at the weekend, with Jose Mourinho set to give Sergio Romero another run-out in Belgium.

David De Gea, centre, returned to training (Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Young and Valencia also missed the Sunderland match with slight niggles but come into contention for the first leg of the quarter-final.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho during the training session at the Aon Training Complex, Carrington (Martin Rickett/PA)

United were due to fly to Belgium after training on Wednesday and go into the tie as favourites to reach the last four of the only major European competition they are yet to win.

Wayne Rooney, David De Gea and Jose Mourinho in training (Martin Rickett/PA)

The Red Devils have won the three previous ties between the sides, most recently in the Champions League in 2000/01, while their record win was a 10-0 victory against Anderlecht in 1956.
A suspected Islamic extremist has been arrested over the bomb attack on the Borussia Dortmund team bus, according to German prosecutors.

The German Federal Prosecutors Office said three similar letters claiming responsibility found near the site of the attack before Dortmunds Champions League match at home to Monaco on Tuesday night made an Islamic extremist motive possible.

It said that investigators had been focusing so far on two suspects from the Islamic spectrum, both of whose apartments have been searched. One has been arrested.

Police investigators search for evidence at the hedge near the team hotel of Dortmund (Martin Meissner/AP)

Three explosions occurred near the Dortmund team hotel as the squad were travelling to the Westfalenstadion for their quarter-final first leg, which has now been postponed until Wednesday night.

The explosives were hidden behind a hedge and were equipped with metal pins, one of which was found embedded in one of the headrests on the team bus. The blast area, prosecutors said, was more than 100 metres.

A sniffing dog and its handler search the stadium in Dortmund (Guido Kirchner/AP)

A statement from the Prosecutors Office said: The terrorist background of the attack is based on the facts of the crime. The federal prosecutor has therefore taken the investigation. The exact motive of the attack is still unclear.

At the site of the attack, three written claims of responsibility were found. After this an Islamic extremist background seems possible.

Among other things the letters call for the withdrawal of Tornados from Syria and the closure of the Ramstein Air Base.

Police investigators search for evidence at the hedge near the team hotel (Martin Meissner/AP)

Prosecutors pointed out it was still too early to make a final decision on the motive behind the attack, but did say there were considerable doubts about the authenticity of another claim of responsibility, from left-wing extremists.

Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has urged his players to show their club does not bend to terror and hatred in an emotional changing-room address.

Watzke admitted the attack, which left defender Marc Bartra with a broken wrist, had left the team needing to come to terms with the incomprehensible very quickly.

Hans-Joachim Watzke waves to the fans after the game is postponed (John Walton/Empics)

And he said that when the team took to the pitch for the rearranged game they would be playing for everyone  no matter whether Borussia (Monchengladbach), Bayer (Leverkusen) or Schalke supporters.

Watzke said in a statement on the club website: The BVB family was always especially strong when it had to cope with difficult situations. This is perhaps the most difficult situation that we have faced in the past decades. I am sure that we will show ourselves as a strong and united BVB like never before.

We do not just play for us today. We play for everyone  no matter whether Borussia, Bayer or Schalke supporters. We want to show that terror and hatred can never dictate our actions. And of course we play for Marc Bartra, who wants to see his team win.

We ask all BVB fans to support our team today with total energy for 90 minutes. This team had to process the incomprehensible in a short space of time. We should all help you to come to terms with it.

I just appealed to the team in the changing room to show society that we do not bend before terror.

Watzke took a phone call from German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday morning.

Merkel, the club said, sees it as a very positive sign that the team does not buckle before terror, but plays on in the face of this difficult situation.

Bartra underwent an operation on Tuesday night after breaking the radial bone in his arm and debris lodged in his hand as a result of the attack. The club said on Wednesday that he was doing well in the circumstances.

The Spain international posted a picture of himself giving a thumbs-up sign on Instagram, with his right arm in plaster and another bandage on his left wrist.
The reported torture and murder of gay men in Chechnya was answered with hundreds of protesters outside the Russian Embassy in London.

Hundreds protesting against the imprisonment and torture of gays in Chechnya outside Russian Embassy in London pic.twitter.com/8yBUWBVbVI  Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) April 12, 2017

Up to 100 men are said to be held in concentration-style camps in the southern Russian republic. At least three have died.

Michael Salter-Church, co-chair of Pride in London, said: "It sends a shudder down the spine to hear about concentration camps in 2017."

People hold a protest outside the Russian Embassy in London

Chants of "queer rights, human rights" resounding as cars beep their support at the protest outside the Russian Embassy over Chechnya pic.twitter.com/rlUbClyx0O  Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) April 12, 2017

He added: "Russias abuses cannot be ignored."

Demonstrators draped in rainbows screamed "close the camps" and laid pink flowers as passing traffic beeped their horns in support.

"Close the camps" now echoing around the Russian Embassy in London in response to treatment of tortured and imprisoned Chechnyan gays pic.twitter.com/kKVACWRGwA  Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) April 12, 2017

Peter Scott-Presland, 68, told the Press Association: "I wanted to show solidarity so they know theyre not alone.

"They are being supported and we send them all of our love."

Steve Peck, 59, added: "This is happening internationally...it is unacceptable and has to stop."

Pink flowers are laid on a pink triangle in front of the Russian embassy #Chechnya pic.twitter.com/TUCLQL2XgU  Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) April 12, 2017

The story broke on April 1 in an explosive report by respected campaigning newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

It claimed Chechen authorities were attempting a "complete cleansing" of homosexuals.

The Chechen Interior Ministry branded it an "April Fools joke", with Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov saying there were no homosexuals in the republic for them to persecute.

The Russian Embassy has a new flag #Chechnya pic.twitter.com/m8dGtorDIy  Thomas Hornall (@Thomashornall) April 12, 2017

His spokesman Alvi Karimov told Interfax news agency "you cannot arrest or repress people who just dont exist in the republic".

But Human Rights Watch said it was in "no doubt" about whether the "devastating developments" were happening.

.@AmnestyUK_LGBTI outside Russian embassy calling for safety measures for LGBTI people in #Chechnya Pls add yr voice https://t.co/QMe9TUymEZ pic.twitter.com/LWFzyJT46N  Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) April 12, 2017

Meanwhile, the Russian LGBT Network said they had been contacted by around 40 men affected by the round-up after setting up a confidential hotline.

Some men have reportedly been released severely injured, while others remain detained but exact details and numbers remain unclear.

Pride in London will NOT stand by while the LGBT+ community is actively detained for no reason. LGBT+ rights are human rights #Chechnya pic.twitter.com/utSbJ21JqZ  Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) April 12, 2017

Conservative peer Baroness Anelay said: "The detention and ill-treatment of over 100 gay men in Chechnya is extremely concerning.

"We expect the Russian government to fulfill its obligations to this end, and to uphold the rule of law."

Our Co-Chair @IanDylanThomas speaks outside the Russian Embassy calling on @theresa_may to speak out & act now on the horrors in #Chechnya pic.twitter.com/JPX7HK3a6s  LGBT+ Labour (@LGBTLabour) April 12, 2017

Cross-party British MEPs have sent Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson a letter urging them to meet with the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the UK. So far the Russian government has not publicly commented on the episode.

Chechnya is a Muslim-majority autonomous southern Russian republic.
By John Revill

BAAR, Switzerland, April 11 (Reuters) - Sika shareholders attacked the Swiss chemical company's founding family for pushing through a proposal for a smaller dividend increase -- the latest twist in a bitter takeover battle with France's Saint-Gobain.

The Burkard family's call for a dividend of 96 Swiss francs per bearer share, rather than the board's proposed 102 franc per share payout, won approval at the company's annual meeting on Tuesday thanks to the family's voting majority.

Sika Chairman Paul Haelg said the family's proposal was "highly unusual" and was in the interest only of the heirs, who want to sell their controlling stake to Saint-Gobain for 2.75 billion Swiss francs ($2.73 bln). Sika's management opposes Saint-Gobain's takeover bid.

"The fact is that under the contract between the parties Saint-Gobain is entitled to the dividend which will be deducted from the family's sale price," Haelg said, referring to the agreement the family has signed with Saint-Gobain over the stake sale.

"We regret that (the family) is proposing a lower dividend, all the more so because the difference between its proposal and ours is a mere 15 million francs, which is insignificant in comparison with our net cash of over 400 million francs."

The family says the dividend will only be deducted from the sale price if the money is removed from their investment vehicle which Saint-Gobain wants to buy to get control of Sika.

Other shareholders also criticised the family's stance.

"The dividend payout ratio suggested by the board is 46 percent, which is a sustainable figure," said Dominique Biedermann, chairman of shareholder advisory firm Ethos, which represents shareholders holding 8 percent of the stock.

"This counterproposal is stupid and I don't understand why the family are doing this. It will only anger the other shareholders more."

Urs Burkard, a family member and Sika director, said increasing the dividend from last year's 78 francs was "too much."

"The dividend should be increased in proportion to income, the increase in recent years has been out of proportion," Burkard said. "It is better to keep the money in the business."

The Burkards have battled Sika's board over their plans to sell their investment vehicle Schenker-Winkler Holding (SWH) to Saint-Gobain, which emerged in December 2014.

SWH controls Sika because its 16 percent equity stake comes with nearly 53 percent of the voting rights.

Sika's board has responded by limiting SWH's voting rights to 5 percent on matters relating to the hostile takeover, but not on issues like the dividend.

Sika's board maintained the limit on SWH's voting on board members, keeping off the family's nomination of Jacques Bischoff as a director. Haelg was also re-elected chairman.

Earlier on Tuesday, Sika forecast sales would exceed 6 billion Swiss francs this year after they rose by 9 percent in the first three months of the year.

"It is clear beyond doubt that Sika does not need Saint-Gobain in order to achieve its strategic targets for 2020," Haelg said at the AGM. ($1 = 1.0071 Swiss francs) (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Susan Fenton)
DAKAR, April 11 (Reuters) - Senegalese police said on Tuesday that they had arrested three suspected foreign jihadists in the capital Dakar, the second such series of arrests this year.

Two Moroccans were taken into custody on March 29 for alleged ties to Islamic State, the police said in a statement, while a Nigerian was arrested on April 1 as he left the Nigerian embassy, on suspicion of recruiting for Boko Haram.

The Nigerian had recently arrived in Senegal after two months in neighbouring Mauritania, the statement said. It added that the men, whose names were not provided, were being detained while a prosecutor examines the evidence against them.

Authorities arrested two suspected jihadists from Mali and Mauritania in February. Police said the Malian had been in contact with the mastermind of an attack on an Ivory Coast hotel last year that killed 18 people.

The attack was one of several in the region viewed as targeting France and its allies, including Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, after Paris intervened militarily in Mali in 2013 to drive out al Qaeda-linked militants who had seized the desert north a year earlier.

Senegal has thus far been spared jihadi attacks like those that frequently plague its eastern neighbour Mali, but authorities are on high alert.

(Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Alison Williams)
By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu

BRASILIA, April 11 (Reuters) - A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Tuesday opened investigations into eight ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet and dozens of sitting lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest-ever corruption scandal.

The office of Justice Edson Fachin released the names of the politicians targeted after lifting the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of builder Odebrecht, which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes.

The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the president's cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temer's efforts to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record.

Temer's office declined to comment.

The ministers targeted include Eliseu Padilha, Temer's chief of staff and an experienced politician who is considered key in negotiations with Congress to approve the administration's landmark pension reform.

Padilha declined to comment on the investigation order, saying he will defend himself in court.

Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture will also be investigated as part of the case that has shaken Brazil's political establishment and jolted financial markets.

The heads of both houses of Brazil's Congress are being targeted as well as senior politicians from both Temer's ruling coalition and the opposition, including former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff.

"The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question," opposition senator Jorge Viana, who is also under investigation, said in a statement.

Brazil's top public prosecutor in March asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees' testimony.

Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin America's biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras.

Rodrigo Maia, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said his innocence will be proved during the investigation. Other politicians also insisted they were innocent and discredited the testimonies.

Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted.

Aides close to Temer have told Reuters that it could take months for the ministers to be charged, meaning Padilha and other key cabinet members will likely stay in their posts long enough to secure the pension reform's passage.

Former presidential candidate and likely contender for the 2018 elections, Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) also will be investigated, the daily reported. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Alonso Soto; editing by Daniel Flynn, G Crosse and Bill Trott)
By Jessica Resnick-Ault and Julia Simon

NEW YORK, April 12 (Reuters) - Oil futures fell on Wednesday, pulling back after eight straight sessions of gains after U.S. crude inventory data suggested the market was still heavily supplied.

Traders focused on preliminary U.S. production estimates in the weekly EIA report that suggested domestic output is still climbing. The report also showed stockpiles at the U.S. crude hub at Cushing, Oklahoma, rose 276,000 barrels in the week.

Brent crude futures settled down 37 cents to $55.86 a barrel after hitting a one-month high of $56.65.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 29 cents and settled at $53.11 a barrel after touching the highest since March 7 at $53.76.

Both contracts had jumped to the highest in more than a month after Saudi Arabia was reported to be pushing fellow OPEC members and some rivals to prolong supply cuts beyond June.

Analysts and traders said long-term fundamentals remained strong and more stockpile draw-downs are likely as refiners exit maintenance season.

"Crude inventories at Cushing rose 0.28 million barrels (mb) to 69.42 mb; however, this leaves just over 10mb of available storage before operational efficiency starts to be compromised," Standard Chartered said in a note.

"We do not expect inventories to reach this point, particularly with the added downward pressure on Midwest inventories from the reduction in Canadian flows."

The data showed an unexpected drop in overall U.S. crude inventories, which fell in the week by 2.2 million barrels as imports declined by 717,000 barrels a day.

The U.S. data followed bullish reports from OPEC nations, which said they had cut March output beyond measures they had promised, according to figures the group published in a monthly report, as it sticks to an effort to clear a glut that has weighed on prices.

However, OPEC also raised its forecast for supplies from non-member countries in 2017 as higher prices encourage U.S. shale drillers to pump more, reducing demand for OPEC's oil this year.

OPEC and other producers, including Russia, agreed late in November to cut output by around 1.8 million barrels per day in the first half of 2017 to rein in oversupply.

Fearing a loss of market share, Saudi Arabia is shielding its most important customers in Asia from the cuts, continuing to supply them with all contractual volumes. (Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore and Amanda Cooper in London; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and James Dalgleish)
By Hamid Ould Ahmed

ALGIERS, April 12 (Reuters) - When experts in Islamic banking gathered earlier this year at a state-run hotel in Algiers to share their experiences on sharia-compliant finance, no one from the government showed up.

But despite this hesitancy - government officials are reluctant even to refer to Islamic finance by that name - Algeria is edging slowly towards offering banking services to suit more religiously conservative investors.

The object is to attract funds from a huge pool of cash held outside the formal banking system as Algeria looks for more ways to offset the sharp fall in oil prices and its energy revenues.

Finance Minister Hadji Baba Ammi has already announced plans for the country's first local bond that is interest-free, complying with sharia law which forbids interest payments - although he called the scheme "participative" rather than Islamic.

Now six state-run banks plan to start Islamic financial services by the end of the year or in early 2018, and a national sharia board that would oversee Islamic banking is also planned by the end of 2017, banking and government sources told Reuters.

Algeria's Islamic finance plan still faces huge barriers. It lacks a legal framework and technical expertise, and officials must navigate sensitivities over any perceived revival of political Islam after a 1990s war with armed Islamist militants in which 200,000 people died.

On top of such concerns, any kind of reform is often delayed in Algeria by heavy bureaucracy and inertia, but bankers are keen to push ahead with the idea.

"Financial institutions must be more dynamic and aggressive in the market by allowing Islamic products to grow," said Nasser Haider, head of Bahrain-owned Al Salam Bank Algeria. "Regulation has not been a hurdle for Islamic finance in Algeria, but a legal framework would help its development."

With the economy emerging from decades of centralised control, Algeria badly needs alternatives to the energy revenues that have traditionally financed 60 percent of the budget.

The plunge in global crude prices from mid-2014 halved earnings from exports of oil and gas. In 2015 the budget deficit shot up to 16 percent of Algeria's annual gross domestic product (GDP) and the government is estimated to have narrowed the gap only to 15 percent last year.

A state fund intended to cover such deficits plunged 59.5 percent over the course of last year while foreign exchange reserves are estimated to have dropped to $114 billion by the end of 2016 from $178 billion in 2014.

The government has approved a 14 percent cut in spending for 2017 and higher taxes.

Algeria issued a conventional, interest-bearing bond on the domestic market last year. But the amount raised, $5.86 billion, fell short of expectations after religious leaders - and even the government's own ministry of religious affairs - gave the operation a chilly reception. One well-known preacher told the finance minister: "You will suffer inside your tomb."

LOCAL DISTRUST

Algeria is far behind North African neighbours Morocco and Tunisia, which have started to develop legislation for Islamic finance and sukuk bonds, overseen by a central religious board.

That may change if the planned Algerian national sharia board comes to fruition later this year, a government source familiar with Islamic financing plans told Reuters.

Algeria is targetting domestic savers rather than foreign investors. Many local people distrust the state-owned banks and keep large sums at home, untaxed, in Algerian and foreign currency.

Experts put informal economy savings at about $90 billion. That would be roughly equal to half Algeria's annual GDP, and the government launched a study last month in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme to assess the real size of the parallel market.

Last year it failed to draw money from the informal market when it offered a fiscal amnesty under which Algerians could deposit undeclared income and pay a 7 percent fee.

Instead, the government needs to cater for religious conservatives. "Current funding methods are still very weak," said Mohamed Mouloudi, an Islam analyst and editor of religious books. "Giving the green light to Islamic finance through the participative option would help attract much money from reluctant people."

The six state banks have now almost finished preparations for sharia-based financial services, said Boualem Djebbar, who heads the Banks and Financial Institutions Association as well as the Banque de l'Agriculture et du Developpement Rural. "They will offer participative financing soon," he said.

A government source told Reuters three of the banks would launch Islamic products in the summer and a fourth may join them at the end of the year. For the other two, that may happen in 2018.

A source at one of the banks, the Banque de Developpement Local, said it would be ready within three months. "BDL will launch at least two new products with one focusing on financing based on the murabaha principle at the start of the second half of 2017," the source said, referring to a cost-plus-profit arrangement widely used to structure Islamic loans.

Al Salam Bank Algeria and Al Baraka Bank Algeria, local units of Bahrain-listed Islamic banks Al Salam Bank and Al Baraka Banking Group, are also already operating in Algeria. But their market share is estimated by experts at less than 4 percent. They offer retail and commercial banking services.

Al Salam Bank has submitted a proposal to the finance ministry to use some form of Islamic finance for partial funding of a $3.2 billion port west of Algiers. Chinese banks will also provide around $1.5 billion for the project.

SUBJECT TO SLIPPAGE

Algeria's cautious approach to Islamic finance matches its wrestling with the kind of reforms it needs to deal with the sharp fall in oil prices. "The government preferred a gradual approach," said Abelhak Lamiri, who serves as an economic consultant for the government.

Timetables are subject to slippage. In February the state news agency APS, quoting the finance minister, said the interest-free bond would be launched by the end of April. However, this was subject to government approval and so far no details have been announced.

Still, state media remain keen on the idea. "The option for Islamic banking products in this time of crisis can only strengthen the financial sector through the diversification of bank offerings," wrote state-run newspaper El Moudjahid, which usually reflects government opinion. "Islamic products will also help attract informal savings." (Additional reporting by Bernardo Vizcaino in New York; Editing by Patrick Markey and David Stamp)
By Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Reuters) - The European Union's executive stepped up pressure on Poland and Hungary on Wednesday to take in asylum seekers under the bloc's migration plan or risk legal action if their reluctant governments refuse.

Warsaw and Budapest have stonewalled the scheme to move 160,000 people from Italy and Greece - the main ports of arrival - to elsewhere in the EU. Other member states have also dragged their feet, leaving the divisive plan stalled.

The eurosceptic governments in Poland and Hungary have also put their media and judiciary under tighter state control, raising concerns in Brussels and other EU capitals that they are infringing on the bloc's democratic checks and balances.

The influx of some 1.6 million refugees and migrants into the EU in 2014-2016 has led to rows on how to share the burden among member states. Only about 16,340 people have been moved so far under the emergency scheme that ends in September.

"If Member States do not increase their relocations soon, the Commission will not hesitate to make use of its powers ... for those which have not complied," the bloc's executive arm said in a statement.

The Commission had proposed to fine member states for failing to take in migrants, but there has been little political backing for such a step. A court case would not resolve the issue quickly, but could add to mounting pressure for action from other EU states.

Italy has been in the forefront of calling for cuts to EU subsidies to Poland and Hungary over migration. Germany, Sweden, Austria and France - the most frequent final destinations - have also been stepping up pressure on the hold-outs.

Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have taken in only a few asylum seekers and the European Commission also underlined their weak response to the plan.

The Commission statement recalled the relocation plan was decided by EU leaders in September 2015 despite Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania voting against it. Although generally opposed to it, Poland eventually voted with majority.

RARE GOOD NEWS

In rare good news, Brussels noted that Austria has now decided to join the relocation programme. Vienna was previously exempted since it had taken in some 90,000 asylum seekers in 2015 as it sits on one of the key migratory routes into Europe.

Austria's interior minister said he would make preparations for the country to receive people, with the first group expected to be around 50 unaccompanied children from Italy.

Some 14,000 people are currently eligible for relocation from Greece, the Commission said. It recommended that Italy speed up the necessary legal and security proceedings as it currently only has some 3,500 people waiting to be moved.

EU officials are split over whether to open legal proceedings over relocation, with some noting Poland and Hungary should be punished for undermining the bloc's solidarity.

Others say that such so-called "infringements" would have to be launched against just about every EU state since so many cut corners on various agreements.

Hungary has filed its own lawsuit against the relocation scheme, which assigns each EU state a specific number of asylum seekers to receive. A hearing at the EU's top European Court of Justice is due on May 10.

Poland's and Hungary's disputes over migration with the bloc are just one area on which the two post-communist countries, now governed by eurosceptics, clash with Brussels and the wealthier western European states.

The bloc has voiced concern over the weakening of the rule of law and undermining of democratic standards by both Budapest under Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Warsaw under the right-wing government of the Law and Justice (PiS) party.

The Commission on Wednesday separately warned Hungary it risked being sued in court over a number of Orban's policies. (Additional reporting by Francois Murphy in Vienna; Editing by Tom Heneghan)
ISTANBUL, April 12 (Reuters) - Kurdish militants on Wednesday claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a police compound in southeast Turkey that killed three people, saying more than 2 tonnes of explosives were planted in a tunnel under the complex.

The blast on Tuesday tore through the compound in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the mainly Kurdish southeast.

Authorities initially said the explosion, days before a referendum on expanding President Tayyip Erdogan's powers, appeared to have occurred during repairs to an armoured vehicle but later said it was a terrorist attack.

The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said in a statement its militants had planted more than 2.5 tonnes of explosives under the complex. The PKK, which has waged an armed struggle against the state for more than three decades, is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and Europe.

"It turned out that the explosion was the result of a terrorist attack," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told broadcaster Haberturk on Wednesday. "They dug a tunnel and placed the explosives in the ground."

The Diyarbakir governor's office said the attackers dug a 30-metre tunnel from the basement of an adjacent building. Forensic investigations showed that about 1 tonne of explosives and diesel were detonated by timer, it said.

One officer and two civilians were killed in the blast. Four wounded people remain in hospital.

The governor's office said five people suspected of direct links to the incident had been arrested. Another 172 people "thought to be in relation with terrorists" were also detained, it said without giving details.

The attack came ahead of Sunday's referendum on changing the constitution and creating an executive presidency long sought by Erdogan. It also marks the first militant attack since the campaigning for the April 16 referendum officially started.

Turkey faces multiple security threats, including from Islamic State and Kurdish militants. More than 40,000 people, most of them Kurds, have died since the autonomy-seeking PKK launched its insurgency in 1984. (Reporting by Orhan Coskun, Gulsen Solaker, Ece Toksabay and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Daren Butler and David Dolan; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Richard Lough)
By Chris Mfula

LUSAKA, April 12 (Reuters) - Zambian opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema has been arrested and will be charged with treason for allegedly obstructing President Edgar Lungu's motorcade, the national police chief said on Wednesday.

On Saturday, Lungu had passed through Mongu, 500 km (300 miles) west of the capital Lusaka and his motorcade was obstructed because Hichilema's refused to give way, police said.

They raided Hichilema's house early on Tuesday took him in for questioning.

The two men are old rivals, with Lungu beating Hichilema narrowly in two presidential elections. The Patriotic Front (PF) leader only just won last August's vote, which the opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) says was rigged.

"It has been established that the opposition leader disobeyed police orders to clear the way, thereby putting the life of the head of state in danger," police chief Kakoma Kanganja told reporters.

"We have today jointly charged and arrested Mr Hichilema and five others with treason."

Hichilema's lawyer Jack Mwiimbu said he was waiting for Hichilema to appear in court.

"After that, we are going to take appropriate action in the interest of our client," Mwiimbu told Reuters.

"He is still detained in police cells at Lilayi but he is in high spirits. He has always known that the PF have always wanted to charge him with a non-bailable offence, so he is not shocked," he said.

Zambia's Human Rights Commission (HRC), established under the constitution to investigate human rights violations, said in a statement, that it hoped Hichilema would be treated fairly and brought before the courts of law without unreasonable delay.

Kanganja said the police were acting independently and not under political pressure.

"I wish to reiterate that the actions by the opposition leader were unreasonable, reckless and criminal. Therefore members of the public are being warned that as police we are not going to watch such kind of behaviour by any person, irrespective of their status," he said.

Kanganja said some unnamed people had issued death threats to him and this was under investigation.

Hichilema was granted bail in October after being charged with sedition, a move his team said was an attempt by the ruling party to silence dissent.

Zambia's economy has been depressed for years by low commodity prices, mine closures, rising unemployment, power shortages and soaring food prices that Hichilema blames on mismanagement by Lungu. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Louise Ireland)
By Alissa de Carbonnel and Gabriela Baczynska

BRUSSELS, April 12 (Reuters) - The European Union threatened Hungary with legal action on Wednesday over moves by Prime Minister Viktor Orban that it fears run counter the bloc's values on rights and democracy.

Long exasperated by what it sees as Orban's authoritarian tendencies, Brussels is concerned at new Hungarian laws that it fears curtail freedoms and contradict asylum rules - culminating in criticism of an education bill that could shut down a Budapest university founded by U.S. financier George Soros.

The EU executive's deputy head said Orban's government needed to assuage the bloc's worries by engaging in a political dialogue with the European Commission, which is also trying to persuade Orban's right-wing allies in the Polish government to amend plans for constitutional changes there.

"Taken cumulatively, the overall situation in Hungary is a cause of concern," First Vice President Frans Timmermans told a news conference after the commissioners discussed Hungary at their weekly meeting.

Domestic opponents of the new law, which on Sunday triggered some of the largest demonstrations against Orban's seven-year rule, consider it part of a wider crackdown on dissent and a political drift towards Russia.

Timmermans said the Soros-funded Central European University (CEU) was a "pearl" that must be protected, and the bloc was evaluating the new education law to decide whether to launch an infringement case - a measure that could eventually but only after lengthy negotiations land Hungary in Europe's top court.

The EU executive has "resolved to use all the instruments at our disposal under the Treaties to uphold the values on which our Union is grounded," Timmermans told reporters. "The vision of an open society, of a diverse society is under threat.

Grievances between Brussels, some EU capitals and Budapest go beyond the higher education law, however. Orban's "illiberal" brand of democracy has already earned him a tongue-in-cheek greeting of "Hello Dictator!" from the head of the executive, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

However, the Commission has a struggle to impose stronger sanctions on Hungary, such as a supervision procedure that could lead to the suspension of Budapest's voting rights in the bloc.

While some in the EU and its political capital want to be harsher on Budapest, others are more restrained. Orban's warm ties with the government in Poland, a post-communist EU peer that joins him in opposing Brussels on issues from migration to energy policy, means he may be shielded from any harsh moves that would need backing from all other EU states. (Reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Alastair Macdonald)
BEIJING, April 12 (Reuters) - China on Wednesday denounced in the strongest terms yet a visit by the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to a disputed stretch on the China-India border, saying he had provoked China by supporting India's claim to the region.

The Dalai Lama's week-long trip to Arunachal Pradesh state, an eastern Himalayan region administered by India but claimed by China as "southern Tibet", has infuriated China, where the Nobel Peace laureate is considered a dangerous separatist.

Indian officials have dismissed China's criticism of the Dalai Lama's second visit to Arunachal Pradesh in eight years, saying he is a spiritual leader who has a devoted following in the region.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said India had "indulged the 14th Dalai Lama and certain India officials to express political theories that provoke China".

"The 14th Dalai Lama has long ago gone past the scope of a religious visit as claimed by India," Lu said, speaking during a regular briefing in Beijing.

Chinese troops marched into Tibet and took control in 1950 in what Beijing calls a "peaceful liberation". Troops crushed an uprising against Chinese rule in 1959, when the Dalai Lama fled into exile in India.

In remarks bound to anger China, the Indian chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, told Reuters on April 5 that he regarded the land on the other side of the border as Tibet, not China.

"As far as the boundary issue is concerned, I have also maintained that we don't share our boundary with China, but we share our boundary with Tibet," Khandu said.

Lu said the Dalai Lama supported that stand.

"The Dalai clique already fully stands with the position of foreigners. His display cannot in the slightest impact Chinas position on the border and Tibet," Lu said.

"China has already made stern representations to India, and will take further measures to protect Chinas territorial sovereignty and national security," he added, without elaborating.

The Dalai Lama denies espousing violence and says he only wants genuine autonomy for Tibet.

The monk said on Saturday the institution of the Dalai Lama, the top reincarnated leader of the Tibetan Buddhist faith, should continue after his death. He was speak during his stay in the remote hill town of Tawang, near the border.

(Reporting by Christian Shepherd)
By Daniel Wesangula

NAIROBI, April 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Children whose mothers were raped by rebels in Uganda say war was better than peace because they felt a greater sense of family cohesion and status during the conflict compared to the violence, stigma and rejection they face in peacetime, a study showed.

Researchers from Canada's McGill University interviewed 60 children born to women abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebel group, which waged a brutal insurgency in Uganda for two decades until 2005, when it was forced over the border.

"The fact that children and youth identify the state of war and captivity - when violence, upheaval, starvation, deprivation and ongoing terror were at its height - as better than life during peacetime is highly disconcerting," Myriam Denov, the study's lead author and professor at McGill's School of Social Work, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The children, some of whom were fathered by LRA's messianic leader, Joseph Kony, often drew themselves and their siblings with sad faces after the war.

"In my family, they hate the three of us who were born in captivity," the researchers quoted one child as saying.

"My uncle beats us and said he would kill us."

The children said their families and communities perceived them as dangerous, rebel children who had brought bad spirits with them from the bush.

The LRA is notorious for mutilating civilians and kidnapping children for use as fighters. Many children were forced to kill their friends and family.

Dominic Ongwen, a former LRA commander who was captured and recruited as a young boy, is on trial for war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

Children born through rape and forced marriage were cared for by their rebel fathers who provided vital material needs, which they lack in peacetime, the research found.

"Life was not all that bad because my father was still there," the researchers quoted one child as saying.

"He would even wake me up to eat what he brought for me because he used to love me so much."

The LRA, who are thought to number just a few hundred, roam remote jungle straddling the borders of Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Central African Republic since being ejected from Uganda by its military.

Many of the children, aged between 12 and 19, interviewed for the study spent their formative years in captivity from the age of a few months to up to seven years. (Reporting by Daniel Wesangula; Editing by Katy Migiro and Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories.)
MADRID, April 12 (Reuters) - Three migrants from sub-Saharan Africa were killed when their boat capsized in the Mediterranean but the Spanish navy managed to rescue another 30 people in the group, a coast guard spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The navy went to rescue the migrants after their dinghy sank on Tuesday near the island of Alboran, halfway between Spain's southern coast and its North African enclave of Melilla.

A 10 year-old girl and an older woman died on Tuesday, and police divers found the body of a man, whose age is unknown, near the scene of the sinking on Wednesday morning.

"They are from sub-Saharan Africa, but we do not know which country," the spokeswoman said.

Another woman was airlifted to hospital in the southern coastal town of Almeria, where the survivors arrived late on Tuesday.

The coast guard saved another nine migrants, all sub-Saharan African men apparently in good health, from a small boat about 10.5 miles (17 km) from the town of Tarifa on Spain's southernmost tip on Wednesday.

One thousand migrants arrived in Spain from North Africa between Jan. 1 and April 9, and 47 died in the attempt during that time, the International Organization for Migration says.

(Reporting by Isla Binnie and Maria Vega Paul; Editing by Keith Weir)
By Katy Migiro

NAIROBI, April 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kenya needs to build two million affordable city homes to meet its housing deficit and stem the growth of its sprawling slums, already home to six out of 10 urban households, the World Bank said on Wednesday.

Investment in housing would also create jobs, improve economic growth and strengthen the east African country's financial sector, it said.

"Many Kenyans are unnecessarily living in slum dwellings, because of limited supply and lack of affordability," the World Bank said in a report.

"The problem will only become more acute over the next decades without a serious focus on housing and the finance of housing for the average Kenyan."

Africa has the fastest growing cities in the world, with 40 percent of its one billion people in towns and cities, but most new homes target the middle and upper classes as it's easier to make a profit from high-end sales.

Although only one in three of Kenya's 44 million people live in cities, its population growth is largely urban. Most Kenyans will live in cities by 2033, the World Bank predicts.

Kenya needs to produce 244,000 homes a year to meet demand but less than a quarter of this number are being built, it said.

With rapid urbanisation, the situation is worsening as Kenya's cities are growing by 500,000 people a year, it said.

Nairobi is one of Africa's most expensive cities for housing, with 2013 prices almost triple those of 2000, it said.

The cheapest home formally built by a developer in 2012 cost more than $15,000, it said, more than 10 times the average annual income of $1,340.

One of the main problems is a shortage of finance.

There are fewer than 25,000 mortgages in Kenya as banks have limited access to long-term funding, it said.

Less than 10 percent of Kenya's housing credit is in the form of bank mortgages, with most people borrowing from savings and loan cooperatives, funded by members' deposits, it said.

More Kenyans could own their own homes if the private sector set up a mortgage refinance company to provide cheap, long-term funding to mortgage lenders from the capital markets and other investors, it said.

This could increase the number of outstanding mortgages in Kenya to 140,000 by 2022, with one-third of borrowers having low or informal incomes, it said.

The World Bank also called on the government to improve access to land, provide basic infrastructure and speed up mortgage registration and title transfers. ($1 = 103.3000 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Katy Migiro @katymigiro; Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories.)
By TJ Strydom and Wendell Roelf

CAPE TOWN, April 12 (Reuters) - Africa's biggest grocery retailer Shoprite is considering a push into South America and Eastern Europe, where it will leverage off its former suitor Steinhoff International which already has operations in the region, its new CEO told Reuters.

The move signals a change in strategy for Shoprite under Chief Executive Pieter Engelbrecht, 47, as sovereign rating downgrades and a weak economy cloud prospects at home. It also leads it down a fiercely competitive path crowded with established retail giants such as Tesco, Carrefour , Lidl and Aldi.

Engelbrecht, who took over from 37-year veteran Whitey Basson in January, said the company wants to enter markets in Eastern Europe that either "have low competition or high economic growth."

"We will look at other developing countries. That is also something that came out with our Steinhoff discussions and they've got good presence there, so we would like to leverage off that knowledge and definitely have a look at the East Bloc countries," he said in an interview at the company's head office in Brackenfell about 20 kilometres from Cape Town.

Steinhoff in February called of a plan to merge its African clothing and furniture assets with Shoprite's stores, a deal bankers had said could create a giant valued at more than 180 billion rand ($13 billion). ($1 = 13.6146 rand) (Editing by Louise Heavens)
By Matthias Blamont and Lucien Libert

HENIN-BEAUMONT, France, April 12 (Reuters) - In Henin-Beaumont, where French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's National Front won power three years ago, her backers are sure she will win a thumping victory later this month - locally, at least.

This former coalmining community in northern France, a town where unemployment approaches 20 percent, is one of only about a dozen municipalities - out of 36,000 nationwide - that are controlled by her far-right party and its affiliates.

The anti-immigrant, anti-European Union Le Pen, who grew up near Paris, has since made a home here and will cast her own ballot in the first voting round at its town hall on April 23.

"I believe Marine Le Pen will easily score 60 to 65 percent here," Jean-Robert Havet, a technician for carmaker Renault , said of the first round.

Opinion polls say she is tied for first place nationally in that round with centrist Emmanuel Macron, both around 24 per cent. But Macron is widely seen winning the runoff on May 7.

Residents of Henin-Beaumont told Reuters they were mostly satisfied with the way the party runs the town under Mayor Steeve Briois, 44, and forecast a strong turnout to back his boss at the first round of voting.

The FN's 2014 municipal election victory in this community of 27,000 brought an end to seven decades of left-wing rule.

Its rise to power epitomises the way voters have dumped the left for its failure to address joblessness, and backed the far-right's anti-immigrant and anti-globalisation stand.

On top of that, voters were fed up with the former Socialist mayor after he was convicted of misusing public funds.

Unusually, Briois did not even need to campaign until the normal runoff vote since he won an absolute majority - precisely 50.25 percent - in the first round.

"Steeve renovates schools, roads, buildings ... You couldn't see any of this before. It was a corrupted, dead town here," said Havet, 59.

Although Le Pen's programme resonates strongly in Henin-Beaumont and towns like it, she does less well nationally because many voters see her position on immigration as extreme.

Her anti-globalisation line also faces competition from the unexpectedly strong Jean-Luc Melenchon, a veteran far-left candidate who is just as spirited a debater as she is.

In this town, though, there was little hesitation and even less uncertainty. "She is close to the people. She has compassion for blue collar workers unlike those 'champagne socialists' you see on television," Havet said.

Many others at the town's busy weekly market echoed that. "I will vote 'FN' in the next election. We have a good mayor," said Celine Brulin, 46, who is unemployed.

Even critics of the Front like Alain Alpern, 70, who once sat on the town council himself, predict a high Le Pen score.

"She will easily get to 50 percent and I even fear she will secure much higher figures. Le Pen has an address here so local residents are proud," he said. "The mayor is everywhere and the National Front has a very good communication strategy."

Not all residents were pleased with the local administration and Le Pen's ideas.

"If Marine Le Pen won, I wonder if I should leave France for good despite the fact I grew up here and I'm French," said Fatima Amara, a social worker of Algerian descent. "I won't be arrested for what I'm telling you, will I?"

(Additional reporting by Noemie Olive; Editing by Andrew Callus and Tom Heneghan)
By Umit Bektas

ANKARA, April 12 (Reuters) - There are only two options on the ballot - "yes" or "no" - but tens of millions of Turks will cast their votes in a referendum on Sunday with a myriad of motives.

The referendum could bring about the biggest change to Turkey's system of governance since the founding of the modern republic almost a century ago, replacing its parliamentary system with an executive presidency.

The question on the ballot paper may be about the constitution, but looming large is the figure of President Tayyip Erdogan, who could win sweeping powers and stay in office until 2029 if the changes are approved.

Polls show a close race, with a slight lead for "yes". But the vote may yield surprises.

"I'm a patriot," said Cengiz Topcu, 57, a fisherman in Rize on the Black Sea coast, Erdogan's ancestral home town where his supporters are among the most fervent. Topcu is voting "no".

"In the past, Erdogan was a good man but then he changed for the worse. I want a democracy: not the rule of one man," he told Reuters in his boat.

The proposed changes, Erdogan and his supporters say, will make Turkey stronger at a time when the country faces security threats from both Islamist and Kurdish militants.

Violence has flared in the largely Kurdish southeast since the collapse of a ceasefire between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in 2015, and parts of the region have long been strongholds of opposition to Erdogan.

But Hikmet Gunduz, 52, a street vendor in the main regional city of Diyarbakir, hopes his "yes" vote will help bring peace.

"I like President Erdogans character. He is a bit angry and a bit authoritarian but his heart is full of love."

FREEDOMS

Erdogan, arguably modern Turkey's most popular but divisive politician, has long cast himself as the champion of ordinary, pious Turks exploited by a secular elite.

Although a majority Muslim country, Turkey is officially secular and the headscarf was long banned in the civil service and in universities until Erdogan's Islamist-rooted AK Party overturned that restriction.

Aynur Sullu, a 49-year-old hotel owner in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, a bastion of the secularist opposition, said she planned to vote "yes", dismissing suggestions that Erdogan's Islamist ideals were encroaching on people's private lives.

"Anyone can drink raki or swim with a bikini freely," she said, referring to the alcoholic drink favoured by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern secular republic. "Also, now women with headscarves have freedom."

Businesswoman Dilsat Gulsevim Arinc, however, said Erdogan was acting like a sultan and hoped her "no" vote would help teach him a "useful lesson".

"He is too authoritarian," said the 68-year-old cafe owner in Cesme, an Aegean resort town. "If things go on like this, I think Turkey will be finished in the next 10 years."

(Writing by Isabel Coles; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Louise Ireland)
By Richard Balmforth

PARIS, April 12 (Reuters) - French would-be president Emmanuel Macron defied orders from his parents to end a schoolboy romance with a teacher who was 24 years his senior - the woman he married and who will become first lady if he is elected next month, a new book says.

When Macron was a young teenager, his father told Brigitte Trogneux, a married mother of three, to stay away from his son until he reached 18 years of age, according to the book.

"I cannot promise you anything," a tearful Trogneux replied. The relationship continued and the couple married in 2007 after Trogneux divorced her husband.

Macron's relationship with Trogneux has inspired intensive coverage by glossy magazines. The publication of "Emmanuel Macron: a perfect young man" adds to the picture in the last weeks of a tight presidential race in which he is a favourite.

The latest publication seemed unlikely to have much, if any, impact on the 39-year-old's election chances.

But the detail of Macron's romance, which began at a Jesuit college in the provinces where he was a teenage schoolboy and Trogneux a teacher, is sure to capture the public imagination in the final days before an election where one vote takes place on April 23, with the run-off on May 7.

He was about 16 at the time and she was in her late 30s. The romance blossomed when he studied drama with Trogneux, the book said.

Journalist Anne Fulda, who interviewed Macron, his wife and both of his parents for the book, said they had been shocked to discover their teenage son, rather than pursuing her daughter, was pursuing Trogneux herself.

"We couldn't believe it. What is clear is that when Emmanuel met Brigitte we couldn't just say: 'That's great!'," Macron's mother was quoted as saying.

She later confronted Trogneux saying: "Don't you see. You've had your life. But he won't have children with you."

"OUR SECRET"

A spokesman for Macron, asked to comment, said it was regrettable that Fulda had not sought Macron and his wife's opinion on his parents' opposition to the romance.

The book left unclear when exactly the romance turned into a full-blown love affair. Fulda wrote: "Emmanuel's parents were keen on emphasising that they did not lodge a complaint against Brigitte Auziere (Trogneux's married name) for corruption of a minor."

And Trogneux, who will become France's first lady if Macron wins the election, remained discreet about the origins of the affair. "Nobody will ever know at what moment our story became a love story. That belongs to us. That is our secret," she was quoted as saying.

The affair continued between the two after Macron left the town of Amiens to continue higher studies in Paris and his subsequent move into banking where he made a fortune before entering politics.

The book quoted him as decrying the "misogyny" generated by his marriage to Trogneux. "Nobody would call it unusual if the age difference was reversed," he said. "People find it difficult to accept something that is sincere and unique.

Fulda said Macron's parents rapidly came round to accepting the relationship despite the early opposition to the romance, quoting Maron's mother as describing Trogneux as "adorable".

The book also recounted how Macron's mother reacted when she heard rumours that her son might be gay, speculation that he himself dismissed at a rally last February.

"You're going to deny this, aren't you!" she said to him. To which he replied: "Of course not, Mum. To reply would only mean feeding unfounded and uninteresting rumours."

(Writing by Richard Balmforth; Editing by Brian Love and Alison Williams)
POSTOJNA, Slovenia, April 12 (Reuters) - Four surveillance rooms believed to date back to communist-era Yugoslavia and filled with dust-covered listening equipment have been discovered behind a Slovenian hotel situated next to one of the world's largest limestone caves.

The wiretapping rooms were found behind a solid steel door during renovation work at the back of the Hotel Jama and lead directly to the Postojna Cave's interior.

The spy rooms were likely built around 1969 when the hotel was under construction, according to Marjan Batagelj who heads the company managing the hotel and cave, a major tourist attraction in the former Balkan state.

The absence of humidity in the rooms made them ideal locations to store sensitive equipment, Batagelj said, while the thick layers of dust suggest the rooms have laid undisturbed for years.

"Those centres were part of a wider wiretapping system operated by UDBA, the secret political police," said researcher Igor Omerza, who has published books on Slovenian history.

"They used this for surveillance of people they believed were their political opponents."

Omerza said Yugoslavia's former communist leader Josip Broz Tito used to stay at the hotel, as did foreign and local dignitaries. Cables running from the surveillance rooms to the hotel indicate some hotel rooms had also been tapped, he said.

"I don't think Tito himself was wiretapped, they probably wouldn't dare to do that, but anything is possible. I think they primarily wiretapped guests who met with him there, foreigners," he said.

Batagelj said he might open up the rooms to tourists.

Slovenia, an Alpine state of two million people, was part of communist Yugoslavia until 1991 when it declared independence, an event followed by a brief 10-day war.

Slovenia joined the European Union in 2004 and three years later became the first former communist state to adopt the euro. (Reporting by Gasper Lubej; writing by Marja Novak; editing by Richard Lough)
By Luciano Costa

SAO PAULO, April 12 (Reuters) - When Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez inaugurated a high-voltage cable providing power to neighboring Brazil in 2001, the leftist leader hailed it as a step toward regional integration that would spur development in South America.

Flanked by his Brazilian and Cuban counterparts, Chavez used the ceremony in the border town of Santa Elena de Uairen to stake Venezuela's claim for membership of the Mercosur trade bloc grouping Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

Sixteen years later, Chavez's successor Nicolas Maduro is beset by opposition protests, the country has been suspended from Mercosur for violating its democratic charter, and its Socialist-run economy is on the brink of collapse.

The deepening crisis threatens to plunge Brazil's remote northern-most region, now reliant on Venezuela for much of its electricity, into darkness.

Roraima - known for the thick Amazonian rainforest that carpets the state and the table-top mountain that inspired Arthur Conan Doyle's story "The Lost World" - gets much of its power from the cable stretching 680 km (420 miles) from Venezuela's Guri hydroelectric dam.

Residents say power cuts are becoming increasingly frequent and prolonged, causing damage to machinery and discomfort to the 500,000 inhabitants of the tropical region where temperatures average 26 degrees Celsius (78.8Farenheit).

Power supplies have been disrupted in the past due to lack of rainfall at the Guri dam but this time the problem is different.

"They just don't have the resources," said a Brazilian official with knowledge of the situation, who asked not to be identified because of its sensitivity. "They are not doing any maintenance on the power line, so the connection keeps falling."

Years of turmoil in Venezuela have shrunk its oil industry, the bedrock of the economy, leaving companies struggling to pay for essential imports like food and medicine.

Having promoted South-South trade for years, the country now owes billions of dollars to commercial partners, including in Brazil.

The power cable - which stirred controversy by running through an indigenous reserve and nearly doubling its initial $200 million budget - provides valuable hard currency for Venezuela, an OPEC nation that is also struggling with low global oil prices.

But, with supply continually interrupted, Brazilian authorities are starting to look for alternatives.

"If we just sit here with our arms folded, the state of Roraima will slip into darkness," local congressman Izaias Maia warned the state assembly last month, saying the cable was operating at just 2 percent of its capacity.

Venezuelas government did not respond to emails seeking comment.

INVESTMENTS SUFFERING

The cable brings power to Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima - the only one of Brazil's 26 state capitals not connected to the national grid.

Karen Telles, technical coordinator of the Industrial Federation of Roraima (FIER), said the worsening power cuts were harming economic activity and discouraging businessmen from investing.

"One day this week we had three power cuts in 10 minutes," Telles said. "Imagine the impact on an industrial plant. There is a reluctance to invest in machinery - things which could improve production - because you could lose the equipment."

Brazil's Energy and Mines Ministry has established a working group to analyze ways to improve the reliability and efficiency of power supplies to the region.

Data from the National Agency of Electrical Electricity (Aneel) showed the power supply in Roraima - already amongst the worst in Brazil - was already deteriorating sharply last year.

The duration and frequency of power cuts rose by 66 percent and 57 percent respectively in 2016, versus the previous year. Figures for 2017 are not yet available.

Brazilian power companies Alupar and Eletronorte, a unit of state power holding Eletrobras , won a tender in 2011 to build a power line to connect Roraima to the national grid but construction has not started because of problems with the environmental license.

The federal government wants Roraima to be able to use the hydroelectric power that makes up two-thirds of Brazil's production - rather than relying on the supply from Venezuela or local thermal plants, which are expensive and polluting.

Eletrobras President Wilson Ferreira Jr said that if it receives environmental approval, the state company may have to go it alone as Alupar no longer considers the project financially viable.

"This line is extremely important and our partner has pulled out of the project ... Probably it will done by us at Eletrobras alone," he said.

(Additional reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Frances Kerry)
ABUJA, April 12 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Nigeria must do more to rescue the 195 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped three years ago in the jihadist group Boko Haram's most infamous attack, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

Around 220 girls were taken from their school in Chibok in the remote northeastern Borno state, where Boko Haram has waged an insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic state, killing thousands and displacing more than 2 million people.

Twenty-one Chibok girls were released in October in a deal brokered by Switzerland and the International Red Cross, while a handful of others have escaped or been rescued.

"It is deeply shocking that three years after this deplorable and devastating act of violence, the majority of the girls remain missing," several U.N. human rights experts said in a statement.

"As more and more time passes there is a risk that the fate of the remaining girls will be forgotten. There must be more that the Government of Nigeria, with the support of the international community, can do to locate and rescue them."

Nigerian government officials were not immediately available for comment.

For more than two years there was no sign of the Chibok schoolgirls, whose kidnapping by Boko Haram sparked global outrage and a celebrity-backed campaign #bringbackourgirls.

But the discovery of one of the girls with a baby last May fuelled hopes for their safety, with a further two girls found in later months and a group of 21 released in the October deal.

"We must also remember that the Chibok girls are not the only ones who have been suffering such violence at the hands of Boko Haram," the U.N. special rapporteurs said.

"Thousands of women and children are thought to have been abducted since 2012."

At least 2,000 boys and girls have been kidnapped by Boko Haram since 2014, with many used as cooks, sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to Amnesty International.

The use of children as suicide bombers by Boko Haram is on the rise in the Lake Chad region, with 27 such attacks recorded in the first three months of the year compared to nine for the same period in 2016, the U.N. children's agency (UNICEF) says.

Despite having lost most of the territory it held in 2015, Boko Haram continues to wage its insurgency, which is now in its eighth year. (Writing by Kieran Guilbert, Editing by Katie Nguyen. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights, climate change and resilience. Visit http://news.trust.org)
ABIDJAN, April 12 (Reuters) - Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world's top cocoa producers, said on Wednesday they would deepen collaboration and coordinate their production strategies in order to tackle price volatility.

The two countries, which together account for over 60 percent of the world's cocoa supply, have been hit hard this season by a sharp drop in world prices that have seen cocoa futures plummet by around a third since last summer.

That has aggravated the countries' respective budget deficits and forced Ivory Coast to lower the price it guarantees for farmers.

"It's become imperative that our countries take decisions on points concerning production and sustainability and on points concerning the prickly question of the volatility of prices," the head of Ivory Coast's Coffee and Cocoa Council, Massandje Toure-Litse, told reporters.

She was speaking after a meeting with her counterpart Joseph Boahen Aidoo, CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), in Ivory Coast's commercial capital, Abidjan.

"We have very, very strong involvement at the highest summit of the state. The two heads of state have given very firm instructions," Toure-Litse said.

"Henceforth the world cocoa leaders speak with one voice everywhere and at all times."

The two countries plan to hold regular meetings. They are also establishing a joint technical committee to discuss how best to coordinate their production strategies and ensure that prices are high enough for farmers to keep producing cocoa. (Reporting by Ange Aboa; Writing by Joe Bavier; Editing by Susan Fenton)
By Peter Apps

April 12 (Reuters) - If there was ever any doubt that President Donald Trumps strike against Syria was also intended to send a message to Pyongyang, the deployment this weekend of a U.S. carrier strike group towards the Korean Peninsula should have cleared it up.

There is now a strange symmetry to the two principal foreign policy crises the Trump administration is confronting: the civil war in Syria and North Koreas growing nuclear weapons program. Each bisects Washingtons relations with its two primary geopolitical rivals, Russia and China. And neither offers an easy solution.

Washington would like North Koreas Kim Jong Un and Syrias Bashar al-Assad gone. It believes North Koreas nuclear ambitions risk a regional conflict, while Syrias ongoing civil war is destabilizing the Middle East and providing havens for militant groups such as Islamic State.

None of the military options for North Korea are good, and most risk sparking the conflict everyone wants to avoid - possibly while leaving the countrys nuclear program intact. The Obama administration tried to topple Assad through limited support to local forces, without success. No one in the Trump White House has publicly pushed for a large ground intervention, even if Trump could get such an operation past Congress.

At best, the Trump administration hopes it could do a grand bargain with Moscow and Beijing, persuading them to help bring things under control.

At the same time, greater U.S. military action could feed the growing risk of confrontation between nuclear superpowers. Those at the top of the administration - particularly National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Defense Secretary James Mattis, the key voices behind Thursdays strike - know this. In Thursdays strike the U.S. military prioritized avoiding Russian casualties, giving Moscow advanced warning and minimizing the threat to Russian advisers believed to be on the targeted Shayrat airbase.

The strike doesnt appear to be the start of a wider U.S. effort to topple Assad militarily. In a weekend interview with Fox News, McMaster said its goal was largely limited to deterring further use of chemical weapons.

Persuading Russian President Vladimir Putin to switch positions on Assad will be a main focus for U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillersons Moscow visit. The strike, however, has hurt Trumps chances of having improved relations with Putin, who will reportedly not meet the top U.S. diplomat.

At the very least, Moscow now seems likely to step up military support for both Syria and Iran, including possibly the supply of air defense weaponry that will make further U.S. action more difficult.

In the aftermath of the missile launches from U.S. warships in the Mediterranean, Russia sent one of its own vessels to patrol the same area. Chinas sole aircraft carrier has also been exercising off the Korean Peninsula, a reminder of its likely opposition to any U.S. military action there.

Russia also reportedly pulled out from its deal to coordinate aerial activities over Syria after the strike, raising the risk of inadvertent incidents. Reports differ on whether the "deconfliction line" has since been reinstated - the U.S. military says it wont comment on the status of the agreement or exact methods used, but that it continues to communicate with Russian officials.

These disputes could also poison wider relations. Moscow could retaliate for the Syria strike with further violence in Ukraine or by destabilizing Eastern Europe. If relations with China were to collapse over a strike on North Korea, Beijing could become even more assertive in the South China Sea. Alternatively, either power might try to retaliate in cyberspace, sparking a new kind of warfare no one knows how to control.

This weekends meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was always partly intended to be about clearing up some of those differences, or at least making sure all sides knew where they stood. The U.S. administration hopes the strikes on Syria helped show Beijing that Washington is not to be trifled with, but it also wants to hold open the option of partnership.

It may have worked, at least for now. An article in Chinas state-run Global Times quoted a Chinese analyst as saying North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons was approaching Chinas "bottom line", implying Beijing might take a tougher stance against Pyongyang. But it repeated Chinas opposition to U.S. military action, which the analyst and other experts said could bring about "unbearable consequences".

Washington wants to keep up the psychological pressure on both the North Korean and Syrian leadership. U.S. officials said one option considered but rejected at this stage was a direct "decapitation strike" against Assad . U.S. forces have also reportedly trained for direct attacks on North Koreas Kim.

For now, the restraining hand of Moscow and Beijing probably keeps that within the realm of diplomatic posturing. As the United States learned in Iraq, regime change can only usher in more problems - but its a reminder how the shifting global landscape has changed for Washington since 2003.

In his interview with Fox, McMaster said the Trump administration has managed a remarkable degree of "concurrent activity" this week over Russia, Syria and its summit with China and nobody "even broke a sweat over it". But neither of these stories is over, and there could be some very sweaty days to come. (By Peter Apps)
UNITED NATIONS, April 12 (Reuters) - Russia again cast a veto at the United Nations Security Council to shield Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, blocking a Western bid on Wednesday to condemn a deadly gas attack in Syria and push the Syrian government to cooperate with investigators.

China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began six years ago, abstained from Wednesday's vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. Ten countries voted in favor of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting no. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alistair Bell)
BUCHAREST, April 13 (Reuters) - Romania's ruling Social Democrats plan to introduce a new taxation system from 2018 that will lower taxes and curb a burgeoning underground economy, Finance Minister Viorel Stefan said on Wednesday.

Preliminary discussions indicate the new system would replace the current flat wage tax of 16 percent with differentiated levies on global household income, which could include copyrights, rents and other sources of revenue in addition to salaries, Stefan said.

Household income of less than 2,000 lei ($472.38) per month will not be taxed, while the tax on higher levels of income will be 10 percent.

But critics of the plan have said it is unsustainable and that the government would end up taxing higher earners more, which Stefan denied.

"We are talking of only two levels of taxation, zero and 10 percent," Stefan told television station Antena 3 late on Wednesday. He did not elaborate on the budgetary impact of the planned changes.

Romania replaced a progressive system with a flat tax on income and profit in 2005, which boosted budget revenue. The Eastern European country joined the European Union a decade ago, but remains its second-poorest member.

In 2016, Romania collected budget revenue worth roughly 30 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), compared with the European Union average of about 45 percent of GDP.

Stefan said the new system will also introduce a slew of tax deductions, including private pension contributions and medical insurance, while low income families will pay less tax depending on the number of children they have.

Income statements will be centralised by fiscal consultants which will be paid by the finance ministry, Stefan said.

The new system will help combat tax evasion, bring various types of grey market income to the surface and encourage taxpayers to demand receipts to benefit from deductions, Stefan said.

If enforced, the changes could throw tax collection into disarray in Romania, whose public administration is among the weakest in the EU, plagued by vague legislation, bureaucracy and corruption.

The government also aims to approve a unified public sector wage bill that will enforce hefty state wage hikes over four years, which risks a widening of the budget deficit.

The European Union estimates tax cuts and wage hikes already enforced will push the deficit to 3.6 percent of GDP this year, well above its 3-percent limit. ($1 = 4.2339 Romanian lei) (Reporting by Luiza Ilie, editing by G Crosse)
The South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM) said yesterday it was willing to cooperate with the Government in formalising a just and expeditious solution for its MBBS students subject to court proceedings.

SAITM Chairman Dr. Neville Fernando said they would abide by the laws of the country and extend their fullest support to the Sri Lankan Government.

He said SAITM had decided to complement the higher education sector of Sri Lanka by providing opportunities to qualified students line with the regulations of the University Grants Commission and the Ministry of Higher Education and that SAITM would also extend its fullest support to the Government's efforts in maintaining quality standards in medical education in Sri Lanka.

The statement said Dr. Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (NFTH) is well equipped with state of the art technology and consisted of all relevant units needed for undergraduate medical training.

It said the SAITM medical graduates were trained by a highly qualified panel of academics consisting of 19 professors and more than 70 senior lecturers who have served in the State medical universities and hospitals.

Health Ministry on Friday decided to bring the NFTH under the purview of the Health Ministry and to conduct a mandatory examination under the joint supervision of the SLMC and the University Grants Commission (UGC) prior to providing SAITMs medical graduates provisional registration. The Health Ministry will also gazette the minimum standards required for medical education in Sri Lanka.

The Higher Education Ministry announced that SAITM graduates would be given a further period of clinical training in Surgery, Medicine, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Psychiatry, Paediatrics for one month each in Homagama and Avissawella Hospitals.
At his final trial Jesus faced two criminal charges, one of which was forbidding Jews to pay taxes to Caesar and the other claiming to be King. These charges if proved called for the death penalty. These two charges, which are interconnected allude to a profound truth about Gods sovereignty manifested in Christ; his accusers might have failed to apprehend it but his followers cannot afford to ignore it.

The first incrimination was based on Jesus enigmatic answer to the question: Is it lawfulto pay taxes to Caesar? Before answering that loaded question, Jesus called the questioners hypocrites, because their motive was to drag him into a politically compromising situation between a believing Jews total allegiance to God YHWH and a colonized Jews humiliating submission to a deified emperor. Scholars still debate as to what Jesus really intended when he responded: Give Caesar what is Caesars, to God what is Gods.

This utterance has often been misconstrued as an evasive answer of a diplomat; or a scandalous concession that the Caesars domain is off limits to God; or that an unbridgeable chasm separates politics and religion. Some have suggested that his answer was crafted to exclude any chance of his being classed as an anti-Roman Zealot. Others reformulate it to read Give only the tax to Caesar, and all else to God adding that as a friend of tax-collectors he would not condemn taxation -- an argument that limps, for just as Jesus sought the company of sinners solely to save them and not to encourage them to sin, so too his friendship with the socially and religiously ostracized tax-collectors did not necessarily imply that he endorsed their actions.



Biblical Context

Our suggestion is that this Gospel passage makes sense only in the light of two biblical teachings neither of which could be reconciled with the specifically Roman practice of taxation (not any and every form of it). The first is the biblical belief that the land or the earth belongs solely to God and that all people, as Gods community, are its stewards and that no single person can make exclusive claims over it, nor could any civil ruler sell (i.e. make money out of) even a part of it. To attach a price on persons or on the land seemed a violation of Gods sovereignty. This is a corollary drawn from the theonomythat the Bible (particularly the Book of Leviticus) promoted to ensure good governance in ancient Israel.

Hence it was on theological grounds that Jesus, the Jewish Prophet, felt obliged to challenge Caesars claim to own the Promised Land and its Chosen People, not for narrow nationalist motives as did the insurrectionists such as the Zealots or the Sicarii. After all this Nation was chosen and this Land was promised precisely to become a witness before other nations in other lands to the justice and love which reigns wherever YHWH alone rules as the King, a mission that Israel regrettably failed to fulfil, as many prophets had complained.

"It was on theological grounds that Jesus, the Jewish Prophet, felt obliged to challenge Caesars claim to own the Promised Land and its Chosen People, not for narrow nationalist motives as did the insurrectionists such as the Zealots or the Sicarii. After all this Nation was chosen and this Land was promised precisely to become a witness before other nations in other lands to the justice and love which reigns wherever YHWH alone rules as the King, a mission that Israel regrettably failed to fulfil, as many prophets had complained"



The other biblical teaching that throws light on Jesus instruction on taxation concerns the role which monetary units played in countries conquered by Caesar. As is true of all colonized countries, Israels national currency was reduced to dust before that of the Roman colonizers. The Jewish shekels collected from the general public had to be converted into Roman currency such as the denarii before the taxes were paid to Caesar, and the resultant financial burden weighed heavily on the Jewish masses. Some have suggested that this foreign-exchange racket, so to say, would have been taking place in the Jerusalem Temple, which was not merely the Legislature, the Judiciary and the Executive all in one, but also the Central Bank that controlled the countrys finances. Jesus called it a den of thieves. This is why, despite the belief that carrying any image was a flagrant violation of the second of Gods ten commandments in Israel, its religious leadership perhaps had no scruples in dealing with the Roman coins (denarii) which bore the image of Caesar as well as the blasphemous inscription that Caesar Tiberius (the reigning emperor) was filius divi Augusti, the Son of God Augustus. Note, too, that the Poll Tax, a personal tax alluded to in the question put to Jesus, was always paid with a denarius which carried that image and inscription. Would fervent monotheists offer such metal idols to a self-divinized Emperor in forced payment for what the Creator alone owns?



Christs Response Decoded

Let us note first that Jesus did not carry such coins. He first invited the man who raised the issue to show him one. Thus Jesus exposed the duplicity of that Jewish questioner, who produced the prohibited coin from his own purse! Then Jesus made him admit that this metal object bore not only an image of the Emperor but also an inscription that trumpeted his divine filiation! The Jewish audience would have immediately contrasted the Emperors claim with Israels firm belief that we humans are all created to the image of God our Maker and that we carry in our hearts the seal or the inscription that we are Gods sons and daughters. Hence the listeners would have easily caught the politically dangerous implication of Christs loaded statement, Give to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is Gods. Let me spell it out in my own words:

That piece of metal has the value, which Caesar as its human maker has given to it by imprinting his own human image and inscription on it. He is, therefore, entitled to have it. But you Jews and Gentiles, you who bear your Divine Makers image and carry in your hearts the inscription that you are Gods sons/daughters (the true filii/ filiae divi), belong to God alone and should not allow yourselves to be owned by a mere man, no matter what pompous title he arrogates to himself. Even if the proper place for that piece of metal could be the dustbin of the imperial treasury, you who bear your Makers image and inscription are Gods, not Caesars possession; and therefore neither the land (which God, its true ownerhas given you to be shared in common) nor any person, should ever be allowed to be desecrated by being valued according to the Money Demon (mammon) which bears a human megalomaniacs image and inscription.



Christ the King vs. Caesar the Emperor

Let us come now to the second accusation that Jesus challenged Caesar by claiming to be a king. Though the phrase Kingdom of God is specifically a New Testament coinage, there are frequent references to God as Israels King in the First Testament in critical contrast with the empires of the biblical times (Chaldea, Egypt, Babylon, Syria, Greece, Rome), all of which thrived on slave labour. For YHWH, God of Israel had promised that if Israel obeyed Her commandments (i.e., if YHWH alone was their King), there would never be a destitute class among them (Dt. 15:4).

Jesus personified that promise by his commitment to spread the Reign of YHWH wherein the Law of Love requires that, in imitation of Jesus, leaders be servants of the people (Lk. 22:24-27) and shepherds die for their flock (Jn 10:11) in stark contrast with the Sadducees (local priests) and Herodians, (local politicians) who consolidated their political power over the masses by treacherously collaborating with Romes imperious regime. Jesus encountered hostility from these two classes of leaders. For the Kingdom of God which Jesus inaugurated in his own person and preached as Good News to the non-persons of his day, was a critical alternative not only to Romes imperial domination and the Zealots violent demagogy but most particularly to the despotism of the Sadducees and Herodians.

Hence Jesus decided to offer the nation a glimpse of his own unique brand of kingship on the day when the Jewish masses welcomed him into Jerusalem as their royal messiah. The city was in turmoil, says the evangelist. They threw their clothes on his path (reminiscent of the coronation festival of Jewish kings) and waved branches (as did the Maccabean insurgents, celebrating their victory over the colonizers). The climax was the purging of the Temple, which sent shock waves to the whole nation. The message was clear: I am here by divine mandate. And yet the crowd recognized in him a meek messiah and modest monarch who pooh-poohed the pomp and pageantry of princes by riding on a donkeyas prophesized in Zacharia 9:9, yes on a donkey, the much ridiculed and yet harmless beast of burden and the cheapest means of transport available to the poor. Thus Jesus intimated that His Reign dawns among the powerless and is marked by simplicity; that his stern will blended with a gentle heart, that in him justice merged with mercy. No wonder the crowd burst spontaneously into a chorus of prayer, ho-sanna which means Save, we beseech. For in this King they recognized their long awaited Saviour.

"Among the most irritated spectators of that event were those same priestly hierarchy and political leaders, who were subservient to Caesar to subdue the masses. It was they who were most threatened by this Charismatic Kings sudden (albeit temporary) popularity. Thus on Friday of that same week they reneged Israels implicit profession of faith [We have no King but YHWH] and instigated the crowd to declare in one voice before Pilate the Roman Judge: We have no King but Caesar (Jn. 1 9:15c)"



Among the most irritated spectators of that event were those same priestly hierarchy and political leaders, who were subservient to Caesar to subdue the masses. It was they who were most threatened by this Charismatic Kings sudden (albeit temporary) popularity. Thus on Friday of that same week they reneged Israels implicit profession of faith [We have no King but YHWH] and instigated the crowd to declare in one voice before Pilate the Roman Judge: We have no King but Caesar (Jn. 1 9:15c). There was no room for any other royal claimant. Jesus was, therefore, martyred for being a King who came to save rather than enslave his people.

Thus the judicial process that eventually criminalised Jesus seems to reveal a clash between two Kingswho wereseeking the peoples allegiance, Caesar, the autocratic emperor and Christ, the Servant-King, each claiming to be the Son of God but using diametrically opposed means to sustain their respective claims: Death-threatening POWER by the one; and death-embracing LOVE by the other. The final outcome of this battle between Imperial Power and Divine Love is registered in the subsequent events and can be summed as follows:

On that fatal Friday (Sabbath Eve), Caesars Imperial Law, invoked by priests and politicians, nailed Christ to a cross as a fake king, destined to die like a criminal and disappear from history. But on that same Friday, the Cosmic Calendar registered a New Era for humanity as Christ converted that ignominious instrument of torture into his Royal Thronefrom where he would not only promulgate his Law of Love to all nations but continue to live and reignin bold defiance of the Caesars of all times. That was when his Fatal Friday became our Good Friday.
By Jill Lawless and Colleen Barry

The Washington Post, 11.04.2017 - LUCCA, Italy  The Group of Seven industrialized nations on Tuesday urged Russia to pressurise the Syrian government to end the six-year civil war, but rejected a British call to impose new sanctions on Moscow over its support of President Bashara al Assad.

Foreign ministers from the seven countries said Moscow must change its attitude to Assad if there is to be hope of ending the brutal conflict that has destabilized the Middle East, driven millions to escape Syria and further frayed relations between the West and Russia.

The G-7 blames Assads military for a deadly chemical attack last week that killed more than 80 people. Ministers meeting in the walled Tuscan city of Lucca strongly supported U.S. missile strikes that targeted a Syrian air base believed to have been used to launch the attack. But they were divided about how to deal with Syria, and Moscow.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, who hosted the G-7 gathering, said there is no consensus for further new sanctions. Instead of sanctions, the meetings final communique called for an investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to determine who was responsible for the war crime.
SLPP member and National Local Government Federation (NLGF) Chairman Udeni Athukorala said today that the Unity Government might delay the General Election, that is to be held in 2020.

He said as the Unity Government seems it does not honour the public opinion and keep delaying the local government elections.

UPFA General Secretary, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera recently said the election would be held before the end of the year and repeatedly says it for the last two years, but nothing seemed to have materialised. Against this backdrop, the 2020 General Election will also be delayed similar to the LG polls, he said.

The NLGF Chairman condemned Minister Amaraweeras statement and said he (the minister) was brought to the fore by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa but he hurls insults at him.

He said the Ministers in the Unity Government scared to face the elections and intended to fulfil the needs of certain foreign countries by selling Sri Lanka's assets and gaining unlawful profits.

Mr. Athukorala further said that SLPP May Day rally would be held at the Galle Face Green, and for the first time in the history, they will fill the area and expressed doubts whether the ground would be sufficient enough to accommodate their supporters.

3,500 buses will come to Colombo from each electorate. Though the Government does not hold elections, by this May Day we will topple the government with the energy and support from our SLPP supporters, he said. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
Japan is to appoint a special representative to coordinate development activities in Sri Lanka, an official from the Japanese government has informed Prime Minister on Tuesday.

Japanese Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told Prime Minister Wickremesinghe in Tokyo on Tuesday evening that Japan will appoint Advisor to Japanese Prime Minister Dr Hirato Izumi as the special representative.

The discussion between the premier and Mr Suga was centred on the maritime routes in the Indian Ocean and the security in the Indian Ocean region.

The Prime Minister had informed Mr Suga that Sri Lanka is committed to ensure maritime security in the region. He had said that Sri Lanka is planning to host an Indian Ocean Summit. he had has suggested a common programme to ensure security in the Indian Ocean.

The parties have also focused on digitalization of television in Sri Lanka as well.

Minister of Special Projects Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickram, MP Ashu Marasinghe and Secretary to Prime Minister Saman Ekanayake participated in the discussion.
Guess who the DCCC has another free pass for this year



looking operation. They're continually losing because they continually prepare to fight last cycle's war. Last cycle Hillary won-- or, more descriptive of what actually happened, Trump lost-- every district in Orange County, many for the first time in anyone's memory. But because the DCCC was busy fighting some other cycle's battle, they weren't prepared-- like didn't have any candidates-- and couldn't take advantage of the Trump debacle. In 2012 Romney had beaten Obama countywide 541,592 (53%) to 457,077 (45%). Last year Trump flipped the numbers and turned the county blue. Hillary beat him 556,544 (51.0%) to 472,669 (43.3%).These are the districts either entirely or significantly in Orange County, along with Hillary's winning percentage over Trump: The DCCC which is positively loathed by the California Democratic Parry county committees is bringing their circus to town -- or at least to Orange County, where the DCCC had been dormant for so long no one knows much about how horrible they are. The DCCC is a completely backward and backward-operation. They're continually losing because they continually prepare to fight last cycle's war. Last cycle Hillary won-- or, more descriptive of what actually happened, Trump lost-- every district in Orange County, many for the first time in anyone's memory. But because the DCCC was busy fighting some other cycle's battle, they weren't prepared-- like didn't have any candidates-- and couldn't take advantage of the Trump debacle. In 2012 Romney had beaten Obama countywide 541,592 (53%) to 457,077 (45%). Last year Trump flipped the numbers and turned the county blue. Hillary beat him 556,544 (51.0%) to 472,669 (43.3%).These are the districts either entirely or significantly in Orange County, along with Hillary's winning percentage over Trump:

 CA-39 (Republican Ed Royce)- 51.5- 42.9%

 CA-45 (Republican Mimi Walters)- 49.8- 44.4%

 CA-46 (Democrat Lou Correa)- 66.3- 27.9%

 CA-47 (Democrat Alan Lowenthal)- 62.6- 31.05

 CA-48- (Republican Dana Rohrabacher)- 47.9- 46.2%

 CA-49- (Republican Darrell Issa)- 50.7- 43.2%

All the Republican congressional districts sent a Republican back to Congress and all the Democratic districts sent Democrats back to Congress. The only close call-- Issa's seat, which is mostly in San Diego County-- would have been won by Doug Applegate had the DCCC jumped in in a timely fashion instead of waiting for Applegate to practically tie it up-- and then start spending large sums in the ineffective ways they always spend-- commissionable TV ads that do nothing but make DCCC cronies rich





Issa spent $6,275,754 for 155,888 votes (50.3%) and Applegate spent $2,041,091 for 154,267 votes (49.7%). The DCCC came in late with 2,501,786 misspent dollars which was added to by Pelosi's House Leadership PAC to the tune of another $991,187, money that would have put Applegate over the finishing line if it was competently spent, especially early on in the cycle when Applegate was struggling financially and the DCCC was laughing at his efforts instead of helping.





OC Register and told him they already have a "surprise" super-star candidate waiting in the wings, stem cell scientist Hans Keirstead. The DCCC didn't field or back candidates against Royce, Walters or Rohrabacher each of whom, along with Issa, is supposedly a top target in 2018. Royce has no opponent yet although pressure is mounting on Jay Chen who still remembers how the DCCC screwed him when he ran against Royce in 2012. Walters has already drawn 4 opponents, Katie Porter Kia Hamadanchy , Ron Varasteh, the guy who ran last time, and Dave Min, some crony of Schumer's always the sign of guaranteed disaster in House races. eager beaver conservaDem staffer, Kyle Layman, recruited a typical DCCC "ex"-Republican to run against Rohrabacher, Harley Rouda . A slight looney district-shopper named Boyd Roberts is also running. Layman has had to back away from his "ex"-Republican when his bosses slapped him across the snout with a rolled upand told him they already have a "surprise" super-star candidate waiting in the wings, stem cell scientist Hans Keirstead.





And then Applegate vs Issa, right? Well, normal people would think so. And Applegate is all fired up and ready to go-- Blue America has endorsed him again and you can contribute to his grassroots campaign here -- but then up pops, tired old Ira Lechner. one of Pelosi's sleazy multimillionaire donor buddies asking her to stab Applegate in the back to make room for one of his friends, Mike Levin, a Hillary Clinton bundler. Pelosi said leave it to her. Apparently saner minds at the DCCC have prevailed on her to back off, at least for now. Even Layman is claiming he had nothing to do with Levin (which isn't true).





So the DCCC will hobble into the 4 Orange County races, try again in 2 Central Valley races in blue districts (Denham and Valadao) that they always manage to get completely wrong and again in the blue CA-25 district they also are becoming expert in screwing up, with terrible recruitment and stumbling ineffectual follow-up. That's what the L.A. Times was celebrating? A forward-looking DCCC wouldn't just be trying to turn back the clock to 2016 in Hillary districts; they'd also be cultivating candidates to run against Tom McClintock, Paul Cook, Kevin McCarthy, Ken Calvert, Duncan Hunter and the best target of all-- Devin Nunes-- who the DCCC may not be aware represents a California district that could be won with a 2-cycle concerted effort. But they're not-- because Hillary didn't beat Trump in those districts in 2016. They are so fucking lame. The DCCC, wrote Javier Panzar, "will send staffers in charge of overseeing House races in California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington to work out of an Irvine office in an effort to make inroads in Republican strongholds that have traditionally been sure bets for the GOP." The incoherent fool chairing the committee, Ben Ray Lujan told the Times the move was made to "be as close to the voters and the campaigns as possible." I wonder if that means they'll lose even worse than usual.





So why isn't it completely hopeless? Congressmembers from the West Coast recently elected a non-corpse, Ted Lieu, as DCCC regional vice-chair. If anyone can turn this clown care around, it's Ted.
Eight Sri Lankans, who were aboard the oil tanker captured by the Somali pirates recently, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport a short while ago.

They were welcomed by family members after disembarking the Qatar Airways QR 654 flight from Doha.

The oil tanker they were working on was hijacked by Somali pirates while it was in the Indian Ocean on March 13, the first such successful hijack of a commercial ship by Somali pirates since 2012.

They were released without a ransom be made. (T K G Kapila)
Two civilians and five policemen were admitted to the Maha Oya Hospital after a clash that broke out at Samagipura in Maha Oya on Tuesday night.

Police said the two civilians, a man and a woman, were admitted with gunshot injuries while the five policemen were admitted with other injuries.

It is learnt that a group of policemen had arrived at the scene upon information that an individual was being held hostage over a dispute.

Police said the crowd had attempted to attack the policemen while one individual tried to snatch the gun from a policeman and then a fellow policeman opened fire at the mob injuring two individuals.

Five policemen who were also injured in the incident were admitted to the Hospital. (Darshana Sanjeewa and Wasantha Chandrapala)
YANGON AFP April9, 2017- The UN childrens agency UNICEF has called on Myanmars government to release Rohingya children detained as part of a sweeping military campaign in Rakhine state.

More than 600 people were arrested in an army crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in the north of the restive state. The operation was launched after deadly attacks by militants on police posts in October.

Rohingya escapees in neighbouring Bangladesh, where more than 70,000 have fled, gave UN investigators accounts of beatings, torture and food deprivation inside the jails.

Minors are among those detained.

UNICEFs deputy executive director Justin Forsyth said he had given the countrys de facto civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi details of around a dozen youngsters being held in Buthidaung prison.
The removal of the walking path of the Vihara Maha Devi Park situated in the heart of Colombo was only a periodical renovation, the Municipality said yesterday rejecting reports that attempts were being made to remove the path altogether.

Municipalitys Commissioner V.K. Anura said there was nothing strange in renovating the walking path which is worn out.

We repair buildings which need improvements. Other properties including roads are also being renovated on a regular basis. The renovation of the walking path at the Vihara Maha Devi Park is also such a renovation, the Commissioner told Daily Mirror.

He said the renovation of the path, which was constructed three years ago, is being carried out from the funds belonging to the Municipality and assured no special contract had been granted to carry out the project.

The park was given a face lift with jogging tracks and walking paths installed for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Colombo in 2013. (Lahiru Pothmulla)
The Kulbhushan Jadhav saga will remain on the Indian strategic radar screens for a long time, not just because of its inevitable fall-out on India-Pakistan bilateral relations, but also because of marked deterioration in India's ties with its giant neighbour in the east - China.

Suddenly, India is faced with a situation where it is up against two nuclear-armed neighbours, in the east as well as the west, both waiting for an opportunity to heap "consequences" on India for their own reasons - China over the Dalai Lama issue and Pakistan over India's surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir last year.

India's relations with Pakistan reaching a flashpoint over death penalty to Jadhav by a kangaroo court of Pakistan military over espionage charges coincide with the nosediving of India's relations with China. Beijing has fretted and fumed over the Dalai Lama's just-concluded visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

Voices emanating from Beijing have warned India of "consequences", and India will be ignoring these warnings at its own peril. India cannot lower its guard, militarily or diplomatically, vis a vis China.

It's not for nothing that China has been maintaining a "sweeter than honey, deeper than oceans and higher than mountains" kind of relationship with Pakistan for a long time. The timing of the sudden India-Pak flare-up over the Jadhav episode has to be seen in context of the recent chill in India-China relations.

What if China has choreographed the current state of play in India-Pakistan relations?

What if China has choreographed the current state of play in India-Pakistan relations, with or without Pakistan's connivance, or with or without Pakistan even being aware of it? Can this be completely ruled out?

Is there a possibility that China has coaxed to poke India in the eye by playing the Jadhav card and stir up the India-Pakistan cauldron to divert attention so that it can mount its own reprisal against India in some ways?

Or even worse, is there a possibility that China and Pakistan are working in tandem to give India its biggest strategic nightmare?

There are no easy answers to these questions. Well, these are only a few probable scenarios and though howsoever outlandish these may seem India will have to remain on guard in every possible way.

One must not forget that China is the native land of master military strategist Sun Tzu whose 2,500-years-old military lessons are still followed in various war theaters of the world today.

Sample a few The Art of War teachings of Sun Tzu which ring out to be alarmingly fitting in today's context as far as India is concerned:

- We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbours.

- Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.

- Great results, can be achieved with small forces.

- The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.

However, one may add here another age-old traditional tactic of putting enemy's enemy against one another.

These are testing times for India's diplomacy. No knee-jerk reactions will work.

Only cool-headed pragmatic diplomacy will.
For all the importance we place on words, whether spoken or written, much of the communicating we do on a regular basis comes through body language.

According to pioneering research by Dr. Albert Mehrabian, only seven percent of human communication is derived from the actual spoken words used. On the other hand, an additional 38 percent comes from tone of voice while a whopping 55 percent occurs through body language alone. Though these findings remain controversial, there is no disputing that facial expressions, physical gestures, how we posture our bodies, and even patterns of breathing can provide an amazing array of information for other people to interpret.

Researchers have long identified that certain kinds of body movements and facial expressions can convey information about the emotions we happen to be experiencing at the time. Even when physical movements are broken down into point-light displays that convey minimal information about how we move, research subjects are still able to interpret emotional states based solely on body language. But are these emotional signals shaped by different cultures or are they universal to all humans? A new research article published in the journal Emotion attempts to answer this question through an ambitious cross-cultural study. A team of researchers led by Thalia Wheatley of Dartmouth College traveled to Ratanakiri, Cambodia to study members of a remote Kreung hill tribe. The Kreung are one of the indigenous groups living in Cambodia's highlands and are still largely isolated from Khmer society.

To read more, check out my new Psychology Today blog post
Prime Minister Narendra Modi loves wordplay with acronyms.

One of his favorite acronyms is 3Ds  democracy, demography and demand. He regularly keeps boasting that no one can stop India from scaling greater heights in near future as it is blessed with a vibrant democracy, with 65 per cent of its people under the age of 35, and a market of 1.25 billion people.

No doubt, India, in pen and paper, enjoys a demographic dividend, with a labour force outnumbering the population dependent on it.

With 356 million 10 to 24 year-olds, according to the United Nations Population Fund, India has the worlds highest number of young people despite having a smaller population than China, which has only 269 million young people.

'It seems Indias majority youth not only support a Hindu majoritarian leader and his highly divisive politics, they are also following similar social-cultural values.'

However, unless the country meets the needs and aspirations of these young people, the expected economic dividend can turn into a political disaster as well.

The National Intelligence Council of the United State, before a new administration takes over, usually provides a major assessment of the forces and choices shaping the world. In its assessment of South Asias security scenario, prior to President Donald Trump's inauguration, it finds the massive increase in youth population in India a major risk for the country and region.

The failure of the government to create yearly as many as 10 million jobs to accommodate this increasingly young labour force in a society riven with social discrimination can radicalise a large section of countrys youth.

Indias youth unemployment crisis is fast becoming seriously acute. As per the World Bank Data, Indias youth employment rate was only 32 per cent in 2015, compared to a healthy 45 per cent in 1991.

In that time period, not only the percentage of youth unemployment has increased, the youth population of the country too has increased to 45.3 per cent. So, job creation has miserably failed to keep pace with the increasing youth population.

Thus, the big question is whether the burgeoning unemployed youth labour force is a blessing as Prime Minister Modi asks people to believe or it can potentially be the curse as "youth bulge" for the country as well.

This frequently used term "youth bulge" was coined by professor Gunnar Heinsohn of University of Bremen, Germany, and it claims that the excess in especially young adult male population predictably leads to social unrest.

The argument supporting this theory is that societies with rapidly growing labour force often creates large pools of disaffected youths due to unemployment and that makes these societies susceptible to youth-bulge-related violence and social unrest.

This "youth bulge" was arguably the reason for the unrest in 18th century France, had caused World Wars I and II, Japans occupation of China in 1930s and Marxist insurgencies in Latin America in 1970s and 1980s.

As India has failed to escape youth unemployment crisis, it is one of the countries that are highly susceptible to this youth-bulge-related civil strife.

Its large portion of idle, but aspiring youths are getting attracted to spiteful strands of Hinduism propagated by Hindutva forces as an alternative path of social and economic mobility.

They have become the major support bases for Modi and his Hindutva brand of politics. In 2013, the India Today Group-C Voter Youth Survey of more than 5,000 youths, had concluded Modi as their most-popular figure for the country's highest political post.

The principal appeal of Modi and the Hindutva forces lay in their ability to exploit the sense of insecurity of these unemployed youths and creating a myth of reviving the golden age  achhe din.

A recent survey-based study by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) provides an invaluable insight to the attitudes, anxieties and aspirations of Indias young population.

Employment is the most important concern for Indias youth and an overwhelming majority of them, two out of three, are aspiring to get government jobs while only one in five plans to set up own business. The rising demand for education also shows that young people are looking to move away from menial jobs and informal sectors to skilled jobs in government sectors.

The BJPs support base among Indias youth is at present twice as compared to the Congress. This increased support for the BJP is not only due to the hopes pinned on Modi making an economic miracle and creating new jobs, but also because Indias aspiring youth is becoming more and more socially and culturally conservative, which is much more worrisome for the country's future as a liberal and inclusive country.

A majority of Indias youth are of the opinion that wives should always listen to their husbands. Even two-fifths of the youth oppose women to do a job after marriage. Three in every five respondents considered a love affair between same sex as wrong and close to half of the respondents are completely opposed to inter-religious marriages. Moreover, only one-third approve inter-caste marriages, though among married respondents only 4 per cent had inter-caste marriage.

It seems that Indias majority youth not only support a Hindu majoritarian leader and his highly divisive politics, they are also following similar social-cultural values  being highly conservative and having misogynistic and homophobic mindset.

The risk posed by this demographic reality of a young Indian population is a very worrying issue. Instead of it being a demographic dividend, the pattern points towards Indian democracy soon facing its "youth bulge".

In spite of bravado on economic growth front, the Modi government has been forced to admit the rising overall unemployment in the country. Indias unemployment has gone up from 3.8 per cent in 2011 to 5 per cent now. The 7.6 per cent GDP growth, if at all taking place, has not been able to create jobs and means little to Indias job-seeking youths.

While Modis promised "achhe din" has turned out be a dud, India has reached a critical point.
People protest a passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago on April 11. Photo by Reuters/Kamil Krzaczynski

'Watching this makes my blood boil, I'll never fly United Airlines.'

Fury in Vietnam over United passenger dragged from plane United shares fall after backlash over dragged Asian passenger

Outrage spread to Vietnam on Wednesday over United Airlines' handling of a passenger dragged from his seat after it emerged that the 69-year-old U.S. doctor was Vietnamese by birth.

Although United Airlines has no direct flights to Vietnam, there were widespread calls on social media for a boycott after video showed a bloodied David Dao being yanked out of the plane by airport security on Sunday to make way for United employees.

The ire in Vietnam grew quickly after it was reported that Dao's origins were not in China, as many had at first assumed.

Vietnamese also fumed at allegations over Dao's past reported in the United States as irrelevant and possibly racist.

"Watching this makes my blood boil, I'll never fly United Airlines," commented Anh Trang Khuya on Facebook, the most widely used social media platform in Vietnam.

Nguyen Khac Huy wrote: "Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Let's be loving and united, Vietnamese people!"

There was no immediate comment from the government or in state media.

Video showing Dao being pulled from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Sunday went viral and the worldwide backlash hit the airline's share price and prompted an apology from the company chief executive.

Kentucky's medical board website shows that a doctor David Dao graduated in 1974 in Ho Chi Minh City - then known as Saigon and the capital of U.S.-backed South Vietnam.

Around that time, Dao left for the U.S., according to U.S. media and Vietnamese websites.

Vietnamese media said that Dao was also a songwriter and crooner of soulful ballads - including one about the memory of rain falling in Saigon.

Reports in U.S. media of an offense that had led to Dao losing his medical licence in 2003 were dismissed in Vietnam as a probable smear campaign.

"Dr. Dao didn't do anything wrong on that flight and that's the main thing," wrote Clarence Dung Taylor in a post that had more than 4,000 likes.

The attitude to the case shifted dramatically in Vietnam once it was reported that Dao was not from China - an ancient enemy with which Vietnam continues to have a maritime dispute over the East Sea, the Vietnamese reference for the flashpoint South China Sea.

When initial reports had suggested the man being dragged from the plane was Chinese, some Vietnamese had posted strongly unsympathetic comments about him.

"So funny," wrote Bui Nguyen Trong Nghia. "Now they know he's Vietnamese, most people stand up to advocate. Whether it's Vietnamese or Chinese, there'll be discrimination as we're Asian."
Female large-antlered muntjac camera-trapped in the Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve. Photo by the Southern Institute of Ecology and the Saola Working Group.

The endangered deer has been spotted in only three places across Vietnam over the past decade.

Conservationists have captured images of the critically endangered giant muntjac, or large-antlered muntjac, in the Lang Biang Biosphere Reserve in Vietnam's Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

This is only the third site in Vietnam where this barking deer has been photographed in the last decade, environmental site Mongabay reported.

There have been tens of thousands of camera-trap days of effort in the Annamite Range in Vietnam, and weve only seen a few photos of the large-antlered muntjac in the last 15 years, R. J. Timmins, a member of Saola Working Group (SWG) that was involved in the survey, said in a statement quoted by Mongabay.

Its really exciting to get photos of this very rare species with only 14 cameras and little over a month of effort. It suggests the site maybe the best chance for conserving the species in Vietnam, Timmins said.

From December last year to February this year, the Southern Institute of Ecology (SIE), a research institute based in Ho Chi Minh City, conducted a camera trap survey in Lang Biang with technical support from Global Wildlife Conservation, SWG and Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, according to Global Wildlife Conservation.

The giant muntjac is the largest species of barking deer. It lives in the remote rainforests of the Annamite Mountain range, a chain of mountains running along the border of Vietnam and Laos. The range is home to some of the worlds most recent mammal discoveries, including the giant muntjac that was first recorded there in 1994.

Hunting and habitat loss has wiped out the muntjac from across most of its previous range. While there is insufficient data to estimate a current population, the species probably lives in small groups of very low densities, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Last year, the IUCN up-graded the species from endangered to critically endangered, said Mongabay. Also in 2016, camera traps set in Pu Hu Nature Reserve in the central province of Thanh Hoa captured pictures of two giant muntjacs, a male and a female.

In 2013, a snapshot of one giant muntjac was taken in Saola Nature Reserve in Thua Thien Hue Province, also in the central region.

Mongabay.com supplies rainforest information and is a well-known source of environmental news and analysis as well as learning materials.
At the start of the holiest week in the Christian calendar, terrorists struck two Coptic Christian churches in Egypt.

A bomb exploded inside St. Georges Church in the northern city of Tanta during Palm Sunday religious services, and, in a separate incident, a suicide bomber detonated a device outside St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Alexandria. Scores of people were killed and over a hundred injured in the attacks.

ISIS has claimed responsibility for both attacks.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who recently met with President Donald Trump in Washington, announced three days of mourning for the victims of the attacks, and declared a three-month state of emergency. Parliament has approved the measure.

President Trump spoke by phone with President al-Sisi on the day of the attacks, conveying his deepest condolences to Egypt and the families who lost loved ones in the heinous terrorist attacks. The White House said in a statement that the President also expressed his confidence in President al-Sisis commitment to protect Christians and all Egyptians.

Acting U.S. State Department Spokesperson Mark Toner also condemned the attacks and reiterated that The United States will continue to support Egypts security and stability in its efforts to defeat terrorism.

The UN Security Council called the attacks heinous and cowardly. In a statement, the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and securityThe members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever [they are] committed.

The Security Council emphasized the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible act of terrorism to justice and urged all Statesto cooperate actively with the Government of Egypt and all other relevant authorities in this regard.


Admiral Harry B. Harris, Jr., Commander of the United States Pacific Command, recently visited Kathmandu, Nepal to meet with Nepali leaders and to participate in the opening ceremony of a U.S.-sponsored multinational U.N. Peacekeeping exercise called Shanti Prayas III. Admiral Harris was joined by U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Alaina Toeplitz, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat.

The United States is committed to U.N. peacekeeping missions, mandates and tasks that support the rules-based international ordera system that benefits all nations, said Admiral Harris. Thats why we continue to work together with partners from the countries you all represent. Here in a center where the motto is Peace with Honor and involved in an exercise whose name translates as Efforts for Peace, you will enhance our interoperability and engage in vital, realistic training.

Shanti Prayas first took place as a bilateral exercise in 2000 and then expanded so that by 2013 Shanti Prayas, co-hosted by Nepal and [U.S. Pacific Command], became the Pacific regions premier multi-national peacekeeping exercise. Shanti Prayas III provides an opportunity for participating nations militaries to train together, building interoperability and establishing good working relationships. Military personnel from Nepal, the United States, Australia, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Canada, Fiji, Germany Ghana, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan and Kazakhstan participated. Kyrgyzstan, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Uruguay, Vietnam and Zambia were also represented.

In total, some 68 U.S. service members and 540 Nepalese army personnel joined the exercise, along with 460 personnel from the other participating nations.

Ambassador Teplitz said the United States is a proud partner in the production of the Shanti Prayas III exercise.

Support to peacekeeping falls in line with the United States goals in the Asia-Pacific region, she said. Peacekeeping affects the stability of regions and thereby can set the conditions where democracy and prosperity can flourish.
In a letter sent to President Donald Trump and top leaders in Congress on Wednesday, close to 1,500 economists outlined the benefits brought into the U.S. economy by immigrants and urged the U.S. Congress to modernize the immigration system in the country.

The letter stated that immigration was one of the significant competitive advantages the U.S. had in todays global economy. With the necessary and proper safeguards set up immigration represents a huge opportunity instead of a threat to the economy and to workers in the U.S.

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Amongst the benefits for the economy that immigration brings are many entrepreneurs who open businesses, young workers that replace the retiring Baby Boomers and people that have sets of diverse skills that keep companies in the U.S. competitive as well as innovative in fields of high-growth such as STEM, stated the letter.

Tuesdays letter had been signed by economists from across the entire economic spectrum, and included Douglas Holtz-Eakin, who served under former President George Bush, as well as Austan Goolsbee, a former chair of the Council of Economic Advisors for President Obama. The group included six economists who were Nobel laureates.

Eakin said that immigration was not only a good thing, but a necessity.

Last month, 285 economists from major corporations in the U.S. were surveyed by the National Association of Business Economics. The survey found that a distinct majority thought that the restrictive stance of President Trump related to immigration was a mistake.

The economists favored immigration policies that are more relaxed that they believe will help increase the economy and noted that a fix of the H-1B visa program is more important than the deporting of undocumented immigrants.

Earlier in 2017, Trump said he preferred moving away from an immigration system that was family based toward one that was merit based, like that of Australia or Canada, which gives a preference to immigrants with skills and education.

However, systems that are merit-based also allow typically for some family reunification.

Eakin added that immigration reform needs to include reunification of families along with visas for both low-skilled and high-skilled workers.

They all do not have to be workers in the area of STEM, markets reward skills with value and today, running machine tools is considered a skilled trade.

Eakin said there should be a visa system which recognizes the market shortages and allows for those with skills to fill that shortage into the U.S.
Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and retail distribution of electricity in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities. The Utility segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas. The Entergy Wholesale Commodities segment engages in the ownership, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power plants; and ownership of interests in non-nuclear power plants that sell electric power to wholesale customers, as well as provides services to other nuclear power plant owners. It generates electricity through gas, nuclear, coal, hydro, and solar power sources. The company sells energy to retail power providers, utilities, electric power co-operatives, power trading organizations, and other power generation companies. The company's power plants have approximately 24,000 megawatts (MW) of electric generating capacity, which include 5,000 MW of nuclear power. It delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.
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.
The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. manufactures, markets, and sells skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products worldwide. It offers a range of skin care products, including moisturizers, serums, cleansers, toners, body care, exfoliators, acne care and oil correctors, facial masks, cleansing devices, and sun care products; and makeup products, such as lipsticks, lip glosses, mascaras, foundations, eyeshadows, nail polishes, and powders, as well as compacts, brushes, and other makeup tools. The company also provides fragrance products in various forms comprising eau de parfum sprays and colognes, as well as lotions, powders, creams, candles, and soaps; and hair care products that include shampoos, conditioners, styling products, treatment, finishing sprays, and hair color products, as well as sells ancillary products and services. It offers its products under the Estee Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, MAC, Bobbi Brown, La Mer, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin, Smashbox, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle, GLAMGLOW, Kilian Paris, Too Faced, Dr. Jart+, DECIEM, and The Ordinary brands. The company sells its products through department stores, specialty-multi retailers, upscale perfumeries and pharmacies, and salons and spas; freestanding stores; its own and authorized retailer websites; third-party online malls; stores in airports; and duty-free shops. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Rep. Tom Garrett is not terribly concerned about who has health insurance. Whats more important is who has health care, Garrett said during an interview at the Danville Register & Bee on Tuesday morning.

When premiums are doubling and tripling and deductibles are going up, you have a piece of paper that says you have coverage, but you have no health care, he said.

We tout a number of people who have coverage without regard to who actually has care, Garrett, R-5th District, said when asked about President Donald Trumps failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

If your deductible is $6,000 and you dont have $2,000 (in your savings account for an emergency), do you really have health care? Garrett asked. Two-thirds of Americans do not have enough money to cover a $1,000 emergency, according to an Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll last year.

Coverage feels good; care saves your life, Garrett said.

Trump made repealing the Affordable Care Act a key promise of his administration. He gave his support to the GOPs American Health Care Act, which was pulled from the floor by Republican leaders in the House of Representatives last month because they did not think it had enough votes for passage. Garrett was among several Republicans who said they would not support it.

According to analysis by the Congressional Budget Office, 24 million Americans would have lost coverage under the GOP plan by 2026. Local impact would have been significant. Those 24 million people are on the fringes and cant pay the deductibles now, Garrett said.

Garrett opposed the AHCA, debuted by House Speaker Paul Ryan, because premiums would have continued to rise, he said.

What we need to do is drive down premiums and drive down deductibles, Garrett said.

He said he wouldnt vote for repealing the ACA unless there is a better option.

Garrett supports health savings accounts, but hospitals oppose them because people tend to shop around for the best care when they have HSAs, he said. They encourage people to seek the lowest bidder, similar to when searching for tires for their car, Garrett said.

You check prices for different places, he said.

In the interview with the Danville Register & Bee, Garrett talked about other issues, including drug policy, Trumps budget blueprint that would eliminate Community Development Block Grants, foreign policy in Syria, and his bill that would call for release of presidents tax refunds.

He introduced legislation in February to federally decriminalize marijuana and leave regulation up to the states.

Its unfair that one group in one state gets treated differently than the other when it comes to marijuana, Garrett said. One group in one state goes to federal prison, while in Colorado theyre a dispensary, he said. The federal government has refused to enforce its laws uniformly, he said.

All were trying to do is make federal law jibe with federal enforcement, Garrett said, adding that laws are enforced unevenly by the federal government.

Doctors have recognized medical uses of marijuana, he said. Deregulation would also provide farmers with another option, he said.

This step allows states to determine appropriate medicinal use and allows for industrial hemp growth, something that will provide a major economic boost to agricultural development in Southside Virginia, Garrett said in a news release in February.

As for Community Development Block Grants, if we left the money in the communities, wed have more bang for the buck, Garrett said.

President Donald Trumps proposal to eliminate a federal grant program that funds anti-poverty programs and community development could have a big effect on Danville.

Trump hopes to cut or eliminate federal funding for a variety of programs and agencies, including a $6 billion reduction for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Included in the reduction would be elimination of the Community Development Block Grant program, which received $3 billion in funding and provided about $872,000 for Danvilles Department of Community Development in 2017.

CDBGs also provide money for organizations including the Boys & Girls Club of the Danville Area, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Danville Area, Head Start and others.

Garrett said local government should be bigger and federal government smaller because local tax money yields a bigger return to the community than money taken by the federal government and distributed back to the locality.

We need to leave more money for local government to use locally, Garrett said.

Also, local officials know more about their communities needs than those in Washington, he said.

Garrett has also introduced a bill that would require the release of presidents tax returns. They would have the option of releasing their tax returns after theyre elected, but if they dont, the IRS would release them, Garrett said.

If it passes, it would not require Trump to release his returns retroactively, he said.

Regarding Trumps recent bombing of Syria, Garrett said, The U.S. should never engage in regime change until we can define what it is that would happen after the regime would be deposed.

There is no entity in Syria that would be less malevolent than Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, Garrett said.

Libya is worse off than when Muammar Gaddafi was in power, he said. Christians have been beheaded in orange jumpsuits after no one thought of what would happen after getting rid of Gaddafi, Garrett said.

Garrett also wants to establish April 23 as Barbara Johns Day, in honor of the African-American teen who led a walkout in Prince Edward County in 1951 to protest the inequality of segregated schools. Johns started a lawsuit that became part of the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education case that led to the end of school segregation, according to biography.com.
History shows that all governments, regardless of form, have attempted to suppress press freedom.

The first item of business for a dictator is to close down the newspapers, or at least to inform the editors that they will publish only what the government allows. In a democracy, instead of a deliberate restraint of the press, the government simply handles the news as well as possible for its own benefit. In order for the president and Cabinet officers to maintain a proper image, they feel they must manage the news in order to look as efficient as possible.

So the question is not: Why does the government try to manipulate the news? The question is: Why do editors, reporters, and readers allow politicians to get away with it?

All levels of government try to keep the public from information it has a right to know. And it seems that the degree of suppression depends on the individual whims of elected officials.

The test of whether the press is meeting its responsibilities, whether it is in fact free, is the test suggested in 1907 by Joseph Pulitzer in retirement as publisher of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

[The press should] always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties,  always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers,  always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory plutocracy or predatory poverty.

The best newspapers get this, but the ones that lack this Pulitzer backbone are not free, and the government will continue to bend them with every little wisp of Potomac wind.

Democracy means open government, run by and for, not in spite of the people. It means that newspapers are a constant check on government. But perhaps most important, it means that readers will not tolerate either governmental half-truths and planned confusion, or spineless editors and reporters.

Charles M. Oliver, Albemarle County
LONDON - England - People from both sides of the Atlantic are taking their employment into their own hands by travelling thousands of miles to China and India to get a job.

I have travelled thousands of miles from Manchester, England to Rajasthan, India, just to get a job. Our British companies have outsourced all manufacturing and IT jobs here, so this is the only way I could actually get a job, David Arnette, an IT worker, who will take a 70% pay cut to work in India told the Evening Standard.

With the politicians in the US and UK both railing on about the lack of jobs created by industry, who is to blame for this fiasco?

If you buy a computer in the US, you can rest assured that pretty much every component of that machine was manufactured and assembled in China, where the Communist regime uses slave labour. If, however, that same computer was manufactured in the US or UK, be prepared to add on 120% to the price, because it would mean the company who designs these machines would have to pay people proper living wages in the West. This is unsustainable, because the cost of living in the West is not sustainable with the rest of the world. Therefore, the only solution to this is that jobs in the West reduce the salaries of workers to that of China or India. One must understand that we doubt very much that that could ever happen, because as I mentioned earlier, people need more to live in the West. Either you go to India and live there for a pittance or stay in the West without a job, its your choice, CEO of IBM computer, Brad Malnick, told the Economist magazine.

The British and American welfare system is another major problem for economic growth because there is no impetus to work if you are being paid to not do anything. Until the welfare system of the US and UK are cut and manufacturing is re-introduced to these countries, there will not be growth, but instead a serious decline in social, economic and moral conditions.

Key workers in the West, where jobs are now very scarce, are now dreaming of a move East so that they can get a poorly paid job in overcrowded cities with high levels of pollution.

Its either that or starve over here. Ive got a family to feed. Thats why Im leaving to go to Shanghai tomorrow to work for a pittance, Bruce Anderson, an engineer from Reading, England told the BBC.

The Chinese, sensing the exodus of workers from the West, now want every foreigner to pay 18,000 per annum just to work in China, they therefore do not want foreign workers coming and taking their jobs.



Until the West stops outsourcing its manufacturing and IT to the East and brings those jobs back, there will be high unemployment and poor growth in the West. That is the bare bones of the problem, and if the politicians cannot see that, they must be blind or in serious denial.


LOS ANGELES - CA - Britney Spears has escaped from the UCLA psychiatric ward where she had been forcibly incarcerated and committed.

BREAKING NEWS

The LAPD, Texas Rangers, SWAT, Navy Seals and Canadian Mounties have all joined the search for Britney Spears after she escaped through a tiny window in the maximum security mental wing of the UCLA hospital where she was being held.

After being committed to the UCLA mental asylum on Thursday, Ms Spears was deemed Gravely Disabled by the doctors.

Fernando Rodriguez, one of the hospital attendants, told the Daily Squib, We dont know what time she escaped, but it was between her meds  between 4 and 5 in the morning. Oh lord! If she dont take her meds it aint gonna be pretty yall.

The UCLA area has been besieged by thousands of photographers and news crews. The air is so thick with news helicopters that a midair collision is inevitable.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has called for a code Red

Alert situation and is under mounting pressure to call in more state

troopers from neighbouring states to calm the situation.

Britney, the ailing celebrity mime artist, apparently blew a gasket when she heard that her whole estate is now under the care of her divorced parents.

Britneys father has already moved his trailer into the grounds of her mansion and her mother seeks to follow next week. The chickens and farm animals will also be shipped in with the extended family of 450 cousins, aunts, uncles and assorted offspring.

Britneys dad outside his Alabama trailer earlier in the week

The Los Angeles area has been warned not to confront the crazed celebrity walking around talking gibberish with a fake cockney accent.

She will probably run for the nearest Starbucks or drug store to buy laxatives and Red Bull. If anyone has any petite dogs, which are popular with celebrities, please keep them locked inside your homes. Do not confront Britney or offer assistance because you may be in severe danger  just dial 911 or run as fast as you can, Officer Timpson from UCLA Police Dept. announced on the K-ROQ radio station last night.

Osama Lutfink, her manager, was fighting back tears at the thought of the pain and suffering poor Britney must be going through.

I am a compassionate man and my heartfelt condolences go out to everybody who cares for her. We will restore her finances and accounts to their rightful place very soon  in my full control.

If you see Britney CALL Emergency Helpdesk TOLL FREE : 1-899 INS-ANE
What do Daily Squib, the Daily Squib, and DailySquib.co.uk have in common? They are currently the top 3 hottest searched keywords on Google.

Google Zeitgeist has

been around for over six years now; which, is a service used to list

the top 10 gaining search queries for the previous week. A couple

months back, Google introduced us with Google Trends,

an invaluable service used to show trends between selected keywords. *

 If you want to try something fun, type in the months of the year or

days of the week in Google Trends.(yes, people actually search for

Monday on Mondays)

But now, both of these services have been slewed together in a real

time view of whats hot. Google Hot Trends shows the top 100 hottest

current searches in real time. A click of the mouse, on any keyword,

will take you to that keywords page.

The first thing youll notice is a meter that shows you the hotness

level. The keywords Daily Squib is on FIRE, but others include

mild, medium, and spicy. Youll also get a list of related searches

(Daily Squib News, www.dailysquib.co.uk), the time that the search peaked

(17:00 PM, PDT), and the location where the term was searched for the

most (London, UK). The search term Google Hot Trends is currently

in 26th.

But Hot Trends performs 3 other Google functions, all located on the

same page. It performs a Google Web search, Blog search, and News

search so you can find out exactly why a search term is hot. Through

this, we find out that the Daily Squib is the hottest thing on the internet since sliced bread.

Googles new service also allows you to get a glimpse of the past,

as you can change the date to see what was hot on a particular

day. Hot Trends is currently available only in English, but Ironically,

there are some foreign language sites reporting this very same news.




WASHINGTON DC - USA - Hillary Clinton talks about the harrowing experience of being under fire at the great battle of Iwo Jima.

Hillary Clinton describes the moment when she landed at Iwo Jimas only air strip with a platoon of Marines and made a dash to the summit of Mt. Obama, the 550-foot volcanic cone

at the island of Iwo Jimas southern tip.

I remember landing under sniper fire, Clinton recounted. There was

supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but

instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get

to our base at the bottom of Mt. Obama.

She then goes on to recall: Japanese gunners zeroed in on every inch of the landing strip. Blockhouses

and pillboxes flanked the landing areas. Within seconds, more heavy weapons stood

ready to blast us and the attacking Marines. Machine guns criss-crossed the jungle

with deadly interlocking fire. Rockets, anti-tank guns were

also trained on us. It was hell out there!

Hillary Clinton then goes on to describe the hard battle to reach the summit of Mt. Obama, It took us four days of solid fighting, there were bodies everywhere and the mountain itself was slippery with the blood and guts of good men who died fighting. On the fourth day only a few of us survived and we were exhausted. This is when we raised the flag and a photographer took the famous flag picture.

Next week Hillary Clinton will speak of her experiences during the Tit Offensive in Vietnam.
LONDON - England - Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Jeremy Clarkson is to be Sainted, Knighted and given the Nobel Peace Prize all at the same time.

The triple ceremony will be held at Buckingham palace and will be televised on the Dave channel as well as Men & Motors.

Dignitaries from Stockholm who will present the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr Clarkson, are to fly into Heathrow this afternoon weather permitting.

The Archbishop of Canterbury will also be on hand to give Mr Clarkson a sainthood.

There is even talk of receiving an O.B.E and M.B.E as well as a complimentary peerage at the House of Lords but this issue is still being discussed.

A spokesman from Top Gear told the Daily Squib how the team have been dealing with the honour: Jeremy himself is actually very calm about receiving three major awards at the same time. Hes taking it all in his stride. He says its like the same feeling he gets when he is test driving a Ferrari 599 and is stopped dead in his tracks by a young blonde with huge airbags who needs an oil change in the back of the motor. Not much room back there but you get the gist of it. Its like a triple whammy for him.



Mr Clarkson will be honoured with the triple whammy prize after a comment he made about ailing PM Gordon Brown was reported on an Australian Motor program.

By calling Gordon Brown a one-eyed Scottish idiot Jeremy Clarkson has definitely gone up in ones estimation. One used to think of Jeremy as a loudmouthed twat throwback with no redeeming qualities whatsover. Now one thinks of him as just a loudmouth twat. It will be an honour to Knight Mr Clarkson. One shall strive to watch more Top Gear from now on, The Queen said from Sandringham.
TEXAS - USA - In a bid to get the former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to talk about his war crimes in Iraq, a group of Texan businessmen are paying him hundreds of thousands of pounds to describe his crimes in an exclusive lecture.

The only way you can get Tony Blair to do anything is to pay him thousands of dollars, remarked an eager Texan businessman who is desperate to hear Tony Blair speak about the atrocities committed in Iraq under his name.

It is quite fitting that the ex-PM is now coming to the heart of Texas to give the speech, as this is the home state of George W Bush, an acquaintance of Mr Blair.

The lecture hall in Houston,Texas, was hired by a group of 35 businessmen who were eager to see Mr Blair speak.

The British Ex-PM said that his rate is $150,000 per three hour speech. So we had a whip round and he accepted to speak about the illegal war in Iraq and how he was complicit in the murder of over six million people, Geoffrey Sharpton, one of the organisers told the Texas Times.

Tony Blair, who is immune to any form of prosecution, is above all law so will never be prosecuted for his war crimes.
LONDON - England - Gordon Brown, has announced a new Labour initiative to solve the problem in Afghanistan once and for all.

Gordon Brown pledged to defeat the Taliban on the battlefield and in

peoples hearts and minds in his opening remarks to the London

Afghanistan conference by introducing a key Labour tactic that has been utilised in Britain successfully already.

Today our message to the Taliban must be clear, Mr Brown said.

We will not tolerate your aggression to our invading force. We will give you all Anti Social Behavioural Orders (ASBOs).

On hearing the news, Taliban commanders all across Afghanistan were said to be quaking in their sandals.

I dont care much for the Brits and Yanks coming here and trying to shoot at us but by heck, when Gordo said he would give me an ASBO, my turban nearly fell off. Whats next is he going to cut off my disability allowance? Hes got to be stopped by Allah! Muammar Sheik Caliphate, a Taliban commander from North East Helmand province told the Kabul Daily.


VATICAN CITY - Italy - The Pope has communicated his wish for the Catholic church's priests to say 'sorry' for raping children.

In the name of Jesus, the Father and the Holy Ghost, after raping a choirboy, it is good to say sorry to your victims and everything will be OK. Just keep repeating these steps and there will be no problem, the Pope said after blessing more priests for the weekly Eucharist at St Peters Basilica today.

Catholic priests all over the world were said to be absolved of their actions after they collectively said sorry, a Vatican spokesman said on Saturday.

Some Vatican commentators are however not so sure about losing the Catholic churchs traditions so easily and have vowed to boycott the PR offensive by the Holy See.

It is a Catholic priests right to fiddle with young boys. Weve been doing it for bloody centuries, so if they want us to say sorry for our traditions, so be it, Father Seamus McMolestor of the North Belfast dioicus told the BBC on Saturday.
WESTMINSTER - England - Their apparently pitiful existence and pleas for money attract the generosity of many taxpayers. But some politicians are making the equivalent of a 200,000-a-year salary, police have revealed.

Police estimate many members of the Houses of Parliament, who pretend to attend to affairs of the state, make more money fleecing the taxpayer than hard-working professionals.

Some are routinely taking home as much as 400 a day, rising to 1000 at weekends and purchasing ornate duck houses, home extensions, as well as expensive holidays from their ill-gotten gains.

Working a six-day week, they can earn as much as 2,400 untaxed income a week, giving them a salary of 124,800.

After tax and National Insurance deductions workers on a salary of 20,000, which is roughly what newly-qualified teachers earn, take home 15,391.85 a year.

Following the survey of politicians in Westminster, police in the city have launched an operation to get them off the gravy train and prosecute persistent offenders.

The Metropolitan Police says one man regularly makes more than 5000 an hour, calling it tantamount to theft. Speaking from one of his mansions in Belgravia, Tony Blair, explicitly denied the accusations before flying off in a private jet to another lucrative lecture in America.

Inspector Richard Goatse said: While we do have politicians in Westminster who actually try to do the job and serve the people, there are some who are simply using this as a way of making money and sometimes they are threatening and intimidating.
LONDON - England - The steady march of the EU boots can be heard as they goose step their way towards our shores and threaten the white cliffs of Dover.

We used to have Churchill but now weve got Cameron. Prepare for an invasion and a welcome reception to the invading marauders by Number10.

You vill surrender at all costs or ve vill start to send ovah zee doodlebugs again, Franz Goering, head of the EUs airforce, the EUwaffe, told totalitarian news service, The European.

Stukas at Three OClock



As the threat of the European Union rises, Brits are being told to be vigilant and guard themselves from the daily deluge of EU directives.

Today we had two more EU directives. They want us to wipe our arses with one sheet of paper only so as to adhere to the EU carbon shit emissions directive B2343 section 2D. Well, I used the piece of paper with the directive on it to wipe my arse, then put it in an envelope and sent it back to Brussels. Hopefully, Sarko opens that particular envelope, the slimy surrender monkey, Jed Warde, 45, from Ginster, Surrey told the Daily Mailograph.

Head of the EU Reich, Frau Merkel warned the British about any disobedience with regards to the new European age of conquest.

Not one single shot was fired to take France and all the other EU countries now under our totalitarian state. We would advise the Britishers to comply with assimilation or there will be actual shots fired this time. 1942 was a trial run for what is going to come. You have been warned.

Another quotation from the father off the EU himself, Jean Monnet, who said this on 30 April 1952, puts everything into context:

Europes nations should be guided towards the super-state without their people understanding what is happening. This can be accomplished by successive steps each disguised as having an economic purpose, but which will eventually and irreversibly lead to federation.


PARIS - France - Carla Bruni is said to be distraught after being kept up all night by the incessant crying from a little baby.

Speaking from the Elysee palace, Carla Bruni said: He wont let me sleep, hes constantly tramping up and down the corridors crying and bawling like a baby. Nicolas is driving me and our newborn absolutely nuts.

According to French finance ministers, Mr Sarkozy is absolutely at his wits end over the French economy, especially after it is constantly being threatened with downgrades from the credit rating agencies.

Nicolas comes to his office in the morning. He looks like merde, like hes been crying all night. We are used to his tantrums and strutting, but its just plain weird to see him all weepy like a little girl, Jean Claude Trebuchet, a senior finance ministry official told Le Figaro.


Just as you thought it was all over for Murdoch and his tawdry newspapers with the demise of the News of the World, he comes out with another gem of an idea.

I was sitting in my jacuzzi while Wendi was under the water cleaning my ahem, when I got an amazing idea. Ding! How about calling my newspaper on Sunday, the Sun on Sunday? Im such a genius, Mr Murdoch said from his private jet en route from Tel Aviv to London yesterday.

The new Sun on Sunday will replace the defunct News of the World in more ways than one with completely new staff, offices and even policy.

Chief superintendent editor of the new Sun on Sunday, Ronson Beats, said: Hello, hello, hello. I have been summarily authorised by said proprietor chief suspect, Sir Rupert Murdoch to assemble a mob of paid off blues and twos to assist in the running of said offices in Wapping for the procurement of news stories about celebrities. Instead of being paid with brown envelopes stuffed full of cash, the new chief has said that our Sun on Sunday officers should thus be authorised to the full extent of journalism to be paid in a legitimate legal manner befitting our positions in society as members of the press service.

DC Plodder, sub editor of the Sun on Sunday, added: You may have wondered why there has not been much news as of late from all the Murdoch newspapers since they were rumbled for hacking celebrity phones and paying off policemen. Well, naturally they could not write stories anymore because all the hackers had been taken down, but this will all change from now on as the paid off police force will actually be the ones writing all the juicy goss and dishing the dirt because weve got all the listening devices known to man in our police station, ahem, I mean Sun on Sunday.


Rupert Denton, 45, an architect from Highgate had lost his remote control and lifted his sofa up to find the Bulgarian man staring at him.

It was an extraordinary impasse. I told the startled man washing his feet with my designer napkin to get out from under my sofa and he spoke in some weird lingo. I am at a loss at how he got into my 2.6 million bijou moderno apartment but I bet its the bloody EU and their free roaming edict that did it. I immediately grabbed a broom and turfed him out of my place in no time. Turns out he mistook the underside of my sofa for Sofia the capital of Bulgaria, Mr Denton told the BBC.

Mr Denton was set to have house hunters around that evening and really needs to sell his tiny half a bedroom 2.6 million cupboard sharpish, it certainly would have put a damper on things if a Bulgarian beggar suddenly appeared from under the sofa.
WASHINGTON D.C - USA - The Republicans and Democrats are celebrating another debt deal.

Republicans and Democrats were hailing the latest U.S. budget deal which will actually increase debt levels by a whopping $3 trillion.

Were helping ordinary Americans by increasing the debt to never before seen levels. We could have increased the debt by $6 trillion but thanks to our bipartisan brinkmanship weve only increased taxpayer debt by a measly $3 trillion.

Add that new debt onto the surviving declared debt and Americans now have $21 trillion debt.

President Obama thanked Republican shill Paul Ryan for his help in increasing debt.

This is chump change. I went through $6.8 trillion in my first term. Next budget I want an increase of $10 trillion. Give me something to work with on my pet projects, the president said from his luxury $45,000 per night South African hotel room.

More champagne for the president.
LONDON - England - With all the great philosophers, artists, scientists, creators, throughout history, why is the human race still bogged down by Christianity or any other form of divisive religion?

A group of theologians reveal excerpts from a paper elucidating the wonders of organised religion.

Naturally in every religion there are good and bad people, for example there are those in the Christian priesthood who utilise the belief in god to commit sodomy on young children, and lest we forget the Christian missionaries in South America who first baptised babies then bashed their brains out on the rocks to save them.

The basic shell of being a Christian is meant to be of goodness, of love, but its history and future is peppered with murder, deceit and horror. Christianity has been a dividing force in the world ever since its unholy conception. I am right, you are wrong, oh yeah? Lets fight over who is right. All religions create conflict, disharmony and ultimately war, maybe this division of humanity was the main purpose of organised mass religion.

As in all forms of religion, Christianity is simply a control mechanism and a tool to rationalise death, but it goes way deeper than that facile concept. It is generational, and children are formed into its control system from birth, without choice. This is the ultimate sin for any human to endure, wherein they are forcibly indoctrinated as children into a generational tradition of demonic mass mind control.

The Christian clique is ultimately one of being white skinned, and pure, with glistening spires, cherubic choirs where communities are looked after, where family values are adhered to and where people can find support in times of need, which is not a bad thing at all, if it werent for the false belief system it is entrenched in. These simple concepts of family, caring and goodness, existed before Christianity and are not exclusive to religion, although they have been hijacked by the Christians and are mentioned every time a Christian feels threatened of being unmasked as a charlatan. This is the exclusive club of Christianity, and it is a group think endeavour which encompasses 1,500 years of indoctrination. You cannot exist as a human without being part of a club they shout but this is the insidious nature of religion, its inter-generational form of control is something that cannot be dissipated easily, simply because of age, it is what these people believe in, and their fathers and mothers, grandfathers, and so on. However, that is not to say that simply age should be the ultimate seal of approval. It just means that millions of people were deceived for 1,500 years and continue to be deceived even today, in an era of science and fact.

Due to the forced Missionary indoctrinations, other races were eventually assimilated and forcibly indoctrinated into Christianity. They were also ordered to pray to a blond haired, blue eyed Jesus, and they complied. Now those of a different race are even more evangelical than the original Goyim, who branched off from the Hebrew side hundreds of years ago.

Trying to argue with a Christian creationist evangelist or someone who takes every word from the Bible literally is absolutely pointless. They have already been lost, there is nothing you can say or do to help them in their plight, therefore the only solution in dealing with this form of mental illness is to simply walk away from it. The level of control these people are under is immense, because their brains truly believe in the man written words of their god, they believe wholeheartedly that Jesus walked on water, and turned water into wine, they also believe that they are right whatever you may say or show to them.

It is totally irrational that a human being would believe one single word from the Bible, simply because it is a piece of fiction amalgamating previous pagan myths and stories then compiled by multiple writers hundreds of years ago to produce a powerful allegorical control system for the illiterate masses. The use of linguistics would not be utilised by an entity, especially in the antiquated literary technique of the Bible. Why would a God utilise human linguistics for communication limited to one tiny period in human history anyway?

As politicians like Tony Blair, George W Bush and David Cameron use the veil of Christianity for their own actions, for a moment one might think this is an isolated incident, however looking through the history books would prove otherwise. Politicians and royalty of the past have all masked the kindness of Christianity to commit despicable acts of violence and introduce draconian laws inhibiting human freedom. By masking their true intentions, they can merely claim they were doing good because its their Christian belief.

Have we moved on as a human race? No, is the simple answer. The human race continues to be forever stuck with this Bible pulling us back to the medieval era, with this horrific book under the arm of soldiers battering other humans to death, justifying the deaths of millions of people in Iraq and Afghanistan. Its okay to kill millions of people because we did it for our religion, its okay to command a drone over an Afghan village killing hundreds of women and children because it was for Jesus.

The Nazis, mostly Lutheran protestants and Catholics were positive Christians and utilised Christianity to murder millions of Jews, because after all the Son of God was himself killed by the Jew, and this justified the terrible act.

If God created everything, he also created the Christian Devil. With this in mind, God is the Devil, as he is a part of him, and without that part God would not exist. One and the same, God and the Devil are the manifestation of Christianity and pretty much every destructive Abrahamic religion. To accept one, you must accept the other, therefore, Saturn rules the Christians and they worship blood, dripping from the embers of a paradoxical lie designed to deceive you, to hypnotise you, to seduce you. Be a good Christian, you must accept Saturn into your heart for he is God, and he feeds off your hypocrisy every single moment in this distressing universe you have created for yourselves.

The hypocrisy and satanic nature of the Catholic church is particularly interesting, as the amount of wealth they have accumulated over the centuries from their plundering deceit is enormous. The paedophile priests and popes within this organisation are the embodiment of evil, because they profess to do good, but in reality are debauched criminals and con men, revelling in riches sacked from the brainwashed herds of cult followers all the while preaching goodness.

All organised religions are a form of mass control insidious in nature, and demonic. To have masses of people do things in unison is hypnotism at work, because these people have had their consciousness formed by the deceivers. This is the ultimate deception in religion, taking away human natural consciousness and replacing it with something that they constructed. See you in hell, ah, we are there already, we all know hell is earth controlled by religious maniacs, making their own hell for you to stand in.

Christianity has been the cause of more murder and hatred in the world than any religion, especially when used by people like me. Hitler himself was Christian and he murdered over 6 million Jews in World War II.

Deaths Caused by Christianity

Ancient Pagans

As soon as Christianity was legal (315), more and more pagan temples were destroyed by Christian mobs. Pagan priests were killed in their thousands.

Between 315 and 6th century thousands of pagan believers were slain.

Examples of destroyed Temples: the Sanctuary of Aesculap in Aegaea, the Temple of Aphrodite in Golgatha, Aphaka in Lebanon, the Heliopolis.

Christian priests such as Mark of Arethusa or Cyrill of Heliopolis were famous as temple destroyers. [DA468]

Pagan services became punishable by death in 356. [DA468]

Christian Emperor Theodosius (408-450) even had children executed, because they had been playing with remains of pagan statues. [DA469]

According to Christian chroniclers he followed meticulously all Christian teachings

In 6th century pagans were declared void of all rights.

In the early fourth century the philosopher Sopatros was executed on demand of Christian authorities. [DA466]

The world famous female philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria was torn to pieces with glass fragments by a hysterical Christian mob led by a Christian minister named Peter, in a church, in 415.

[DO19-25]

Mission

Emperor Karl (Charlemagne) in 782 had 4500 Saxons, unwilling to convert to Christianity, beheaded. [DO30]

Peasants of Steding (Germany) unwilling to pay suffocating church taxes: between 5,000 and 11,000 men, women and children slain 5/27/1234 near Altenesch/Germany. [WW223]

Battle of Belgrad 1456: 80,000 Turks slaughtered. [DO235]

15th century Poland: 1019 churches and 17987 villages plundered by Knights of the Order. Victims unknown. [DO30]

16th and 17th century Ireland. English troops pacified and civilized Ireland, where only Gaelic wild Irish, unreasonable beasts lived without any knowledge of God or good manners, in common of their goods, cattle, women, children and every other thing. One of the more successful soldiers, a certain Humphrey Gilbert, half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh, ordered that the heddes of all those (of what sort soever thei were) which were killed in the daie, should be cutte off from their bodies and should bee laied on the ground by eche side of the waie, which effort to civilize the Irish indeed caused greate terrour to the people when thei sawe the heddes of their dedde fathers, brothers, children, kinsfolke, and freinds on the grounde.

Tens of thousands of Gaelic Irish fell victim to the carnage. [SH99, 225]

Crusades (1095-1291)

First Crusade: 1095 on command of pope Urban II. [WW11-41]

Semlin/Hungary 6/24/96 thousands slain. Wieselburg/Hungary 6/12/96 thousands. [WW23]

9/9/96-9/26/96 Nikaia, Xerigordon (then Turkish), thousands respectively. [WW25-27]

Until Jan 1098 a total of 40 capital cities and 200 castles conquered (number of slain unknown) [WW30]

after 6/3/98 Antiochia (then Turkish) conquered, between 10,000 and 60,000 slain. 6/28/98 100,000 Turks (incl. women & children) killed. [WW32-35]

Here the Christians did no other harm to the women found in [the enemys] tentssave that they ran their lances through their bellies, according to Christian chronicler Fulcher of Chartres. [EC60]

Marra (Maraat an-numan) 12/11/98 thousands killed. Because of the subsequent famine the already stinking corpses of the enemies were eaten by the Christians said chronicler Albert Aquensis. [WW36]

Jerusalem conquered 7/15/1099 more than 60,000 victims (Jewish, Muslim, men, women, children). [WW37-40]

(In the words of one witness: there [in front of Solomons temple] was such a carnage that our people were wading ankle-deep in the blood of our foes, and after that happily and crying for joy our people marched to our Saviours tomb, to honour it and to pay off our debt of gratitude)

The Archbishop of Tyre, eye-witness, wrote: It was impossible to look upon the vast numbers of the slain without horror; everywhere lay fragments of human bodies, and the very ground was covered with the blood of the slain. It was not alone the spectacle of headless bodies and mutilated limbs strewn in all directions that roused the horror of all who looked upon them. Still more dreadful was it to gaze upon the victors themselves, dripping with blood from head to foot, an ominous sight which brought terror to all who met them. It is reported that within the Temple enclosure alone about ten thousand infidels perished. [TG79]

Christian chronicler Eckehard of Aura noted that even the following summer in all of Palestine the air was polluted by the stench of decomposition. One million victims of the first crusade alone. [WW41]

Battle of Askalon, 8/12/1099. 200,000 heathens slaughtered in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. [WW45]

Fourth crusade: 4/12/1204 Constantinople sacked, number of victims unknown, numerous thousands, many of them Christian. [WW141-148]

Rest of Crusades in less detail: until the fall of Akkon 1291 probably 20 million victims (in the Holy land and Arab/Turkish areas alone). [WW224] Note: All figures according to contemporary (Christian) chroniclers.

Heretics

Already in 385 C.E. the first Christians, the Spanish Priscillianus and six followers, were beheaded for heresy in Trier/Germany [DO26]

Manichaean heresy: a crypto-Christian sect decent enough to practice birth control (and thus not as irresponsible as faithful Catholics) was exterminated in huge campaigns all over the Roman empire between 372 C.E. and 444 C.E. Numerous thousands of victims. [NC]

Albigensians: the first Crusade intended to slay other Christians. [DO29]

The Albigensiansviewed themselves as good Christians, but would not accept Roman Catholic rule, and taxes, and prohibition of birth control. [NC]

Begin of violence: on command of pope Innocent III (greatest single pre-Nazi mass murderer) in 1209. Bezirs (today France) 7/22/1209 destroyed, all the inhabitants were slaughtered. Victims (including Catholics refusing to turn over their heretic neighbours and friends) 20,000-70,000. [WW179-181]

Carcassonne 8/15/1209, thousands slain. Other cities followed. [WW181]

Subsequent 20 years of war until nearly all Cathars (probably half the population of the Languedoc, today southern France) were exterminated. [WW183]

After the war ended (1229) the Inquisition was founded 1232 to search and destroy surviving/hiding heretics. Last Cathars burned at the stake 1324. [WW183]

Estimated one million victims (Cathar heresy alone), [WW183]

Other heresies: Waldensians, Paulikians, Runcarians, Josephites, and many others. Most of these sects exterminated, (Some Waldensians live today, yet they had to endure 600 years of persecution) Estimated at hundred thousand victims (including the Spanish inquisition but excluding victims in the New World).

Spanish Inquisitor Torquemada alone allegedly responsible for 10,220 burnings. [DO28]

John Huss, a critic of papal infallibility and indulgences, was burned at the stake in 1415. [LI475-522]

University professor B. Hubmaier burned at the stake 1538 in Vienna. [DO59]

Giordano Bruno, Dominican monk, after having been incarcerated for seven years, was burned at the stake for heresy on the Campo dei Fiori (Rome) on 2/17/1600.

Witches From the beginning of Christianity to 1484 probably more than several thousand.

In the era of witch hunting (1484-1750) according to modern scholars several hundred thousand (about 80% female) burned at the stake or hanged. [WV]



The Burning of Witches  A Chronicle of the Burning Times Incomplete list of documented cases: Religious Wars 15th century: Crusades against Hussites, thousands slain. [DO30]

1538 pope Paul III declared Crusade against apostate England and all English as slaves of Church (fortunately had not power to go into action). [DO31]

1568 Spanish Inquisition Tribunal ordered extermination of 3 million rebels in (then Spanish) Netherlands. Thousands were actually slain. [DO31]

1572 In France about 20,000 Huguenots were killed on command of pope Pius V. Until 17th century 200,000 flee. [DO31]

17th century: Catholics slay Gaspard de Coligny, a Protestant leader. After murdering him, the Catholic mob mutilated his body, cutting off his head, his hands, and his genitals and then dumped him into the river [but] then, deciding that it was not worthy of being food for the fish, they hauled it out again [ and] dragged what was left  to the gallows of Montfaulcon, to be meat and carrion for maggots and crows. [SH191]

17th century: Catholics sack the city of Magdeburg/Germany: roughly 30,000 Protestants were slain. In a single church fifty women were found beheaded, reported poet Friedrich Schiller, and infants still sucking the breasts of their lifeless mothers. [SH191]

17th century 30 years war (Catholic vs. Protestant): at least 40% of population decimated, mostly in Germany. [DO31-32] Jews Already in the 4th and 5th centuries synagogues were burned by Christians. Number of Jews slain unknown.

In the middle of the fourth century the first synagogue was destroyed on command of bishop Innocentius of Dertona in Northern Italy. The first synagogue known to have been burned down was near the river Euphrat, on command of the bishop of Kallinikon in the year 388. [DA450]

17. Council of Toledo 694: Jews were enslaved, their property confiscated, and their children forcibly baptised. [DA454]

The Bishop of Limoges (France) in 1010 had the cities Jews, who would not convert to Christianity, expelled or killed. [DA453]

First Crusade: Thousands of Jews slaughtered 1096, maybe 12.000 total. Places: Worms 5/18/1096, Mainz 5/27/1096 (1100 persons), Cologne, Neuss, Altenahr, Wevelinghoven, Xanten, Moers, Dortmund, Kerpen, Trier, Metz, Regensburg, Prag and others (All locations Germany except Metz/France, Prag/Czech) [EJ]

Second Crusade: 1147. Several hundred Jews were slain in Ham, Sully, Carentan, and Rameru (all locations in France). [WW57]

Third Crusade: English Jewish communities sacked 1189/90. [DO40]

Fulda/Germany 1235: 34 Jewish men and women slain. [DO41]

1257, 1267: Jewish communities of London, Canterbury, Northampton, Lincoln, Cambridge, and others exterminated. [DO41]

1290 in Bohemian (Poland) allegedly 10,000 Jews killed. [DO41]

1337 Starting in Deggendorf/Germany a Jew-killing craze reaches 51 towns in Bavaria, Austria, Poland. [DO41]

1348 All Jews of Basel/Switzerland and Strasbourg/France (two thousand) burned. [DO41]

1349 In more than 350 towns in Germany all Jews murdered, mostly burned alive (in this one year more Jews were killed than Christians in 200 years of ancient Roman persecution of Christians). [DO42]

1389 In Prag 3,000 Jews were slaughtered. [DO42]

1391 Sevilles Jews killed (Archbishop Martinez leading). 4,000 were slain, 25,000 sold as slaves. [DA454] Their identification was made easy by the brightly colored badges of shame that all jews above the age of ten had been forced to wear.

1492: In the year Columbus set sail to conquer a New World, more than 150,000 Jews were expelled from Spain, many died on their way: 6/30/1492. [MM470-476]

1648 Chmielnitzki massacres: In Poland about 200,000 Jews were slain. [DO43]

1941  1943: Six million Jews killed by Hitler in concentration camps in the name of Christian Aryan purity. Native Peoples Beginning with Columbus (a former slave trader and would-be Holy Crusader) the conquest of the New World began, as usual understood as a means to propagate Christianity.

Within hours of landfall on the first inhabited island he encountered in the Caribbean, Columbus seized and carried off six native people who, he said, ought to be good servants  [and] would easily be made Christians, because it seemed to me that they belonged to no religion. [SH200]

While Columbus described the Indians as idolators and slaves, as many as [the Crown] shall order, his pal Michele de Cuneo, Italian nobleman, referred to the natives as beasts because they eat when they are hungry, and made love openly whenever they feel like it. [SH204-205]

On every island he set foot on, Columbus planted a cross, making the declarations that are required  the requerimiento  to claim the ownership for his Catholic patrons in Spain. And nobody objected. If the Indians refused or delayed their acceptance (or understanding), the requerimiento continued: I certify to you that, with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter in your country and shall make war against you  and shall subject you to the yoke and obedience of the Church  and shall do you all mischief that we can, as to vassals who do not obey and refuse to receive their lord and resist and contradict him. [SH66] Likewise in the words of John Winthrop, first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony: justifieinge the undertakeres of the intended Plantation in New England  to carry the Gospell into those parts of the world,  and to raise a Bulworke against the kingdome of the Ante-Christ. [SH235]

In average two thirds of the native population were killed by colonist-imported smallpox before violence began. This was a great sign of the marvelous goodness and providence of God to the Christians of course, e.g. the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony wrote in 1634, as for the natives, they are near all dead of the smallpox, so as the Lord hath cleared our title to what we possess. [SH109,238]

On Hispaniola alone, on Columbus visits, the native population (Arawak), a rather harmless and happy people living on an island of abundant natural resources, a literal paradise, soon mourned 50,000 dead. [SH204]

The surviving Indians fell victim to rape, murder, enslavement and Spanish raids.

As one of the culprits wrote: So many Indians died that they could not be counted, all through the land the Indians lay dead everywhere. The stench was very great and pestiferous. [SH69]

The Indian chief Hatuey fled with his people but was captured and burned alive. As they were tying him to the stake a Franciscan friar urged him to take Jesus to his heart so that his soul might go to heaven, rather than descend into hell. Hatuey replied that if heaven was where the Christians went, he would rather go to hell. [SH70]

What happened to his people was described by an eyewitness:

The Spaniards found pleasure in inventing all kinds of odd cruelties  They built a long gibbet, long enough for the toes to touch the ground to prevent strangling, and hanged thirteen [natives] at a time in honour of Christ Our Saviour and the twelve Apostles then, straw was wrapped around their torn bodies and they were burned alive. [SH72]

Or, on another occasion:

The Spaniards cut off the arm of one, the leg or hip of another, and from some their heads at one stroke, like butchers cutting up beef and mutton for market. Six hundred, including the Cacique, were thus slain like brute beastsVasco [de Balboa] ordered forty of them to be torn to pieces by dogs. [SH83]

The islands population of about eight million people at the time of Columbuss arrival in 1492 already had declined by a third to a half before the year 1496 was out. Eventually all the islands natives were exterminated, so the Spaniards were forced to import slaves from other Caribbean islands, who soon suffered the same fate. Thus the Caribbeans millions of native people [were] thereby effectively liquidated in barely a quarter of a century. [SH72-73] In less than the normal lifetime of a single human being, an entire culture of millions of people, thousands of years resident in their homeland, had been exterminated. [SH75]

And then the Spanish turned their attention to the mainland of Mexico and Central America. The slaughter had barely begun. The exquisite city of Tenochtitln [Mexico city] was next. [SH75]

Cortez, Pizarro, De Soto and hundreds of other Spanish conquistadors likewise sacked southern and Mesoamerican civilizations in the name of Christ (De Soto also sacked Florida).

When the 16th century ended, some 200,000 Spaniards had moved to the Americas. By that time probably more than 60,000,000 natives were dead. [SH95] Of course no different were the founders of what today is the US of A. Although none of the settlers would have survived winter without native help, they soon set out to expel and exterminate the Indians. Warfare among (north American) Indians was rather harmless, in comparison to European standards, and was meant to avenge insults rather than conquer land. In the words of some of the pilgrim fathers: Their Warres are farre less bloudy, so that there usually was no great slawter of nether side. Indeed, they might fight seven yeares and not kill seven men. What is more, the Indians usually spared women and children. [SH111]

In the spring of 1612 some English colonists found life among the (generally friendly and generous) natives attractive enough to leave Jamestown  being idell  did runne away unto the Indyans,  to live among them.

Governor Thomas Dale had them hunted down and executed: Some he apointed (sic) to be hanged Some burned Some to be broken upon wheles, others to be staked and some shott to deathe. [SH105] Of course these elegant measures were restricted for fellow Englishmen: This was the treatment for those who wished to act like Indians. For those who had no choice in the matter, because they were the native people of Virginia methods were different: when an Indian was accused by an Englishman of stealing a cup and failing to return it, the English response was to attack the natives in force, burning the entire community down. [SH105]



On the territory that is now Massachusetts the founding fathers of the colonies were committing genocide, in what has become known as the Peqout War. The killers were New England Puritan Christians, refugees from persecution in their own home country England.

When however, a dead colonist was found, apparently killed by Narragansett Indians, the Puritan colonists wanted revenge. Despite the Indian chiefs pledge they attacked.

Somehow they seem to have lost the idea of what they were after, because when they were greeted by Pequot Indians (long-time foes of the Narragansetts) the troops nevertheless made war on the Pequots and burned their villages.

The puritan commander-in-charge John Mason after one massacre wrote: And indeed such a dreadful Terror did the Almighty let fall upon their Spirits, that they would fly from us and run into the very Flames, where many of them perished  God was above them, who laughed his Enemies and the Enemies of his People to Scorn, making them as a fiery Oven  Thus did the Lord judge among the Heathen, filling the Place with dead Bodies: men, women, children. [SH113-114]

So the Lord was pleased to smite our Enemies in the hinder Parts, and to give us their land for an inheritance. [SH111].

Because of his readers assumed knowledge of Deuteronomy, there was no need for Mason to quote the words that immediately follow:

Thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth. But thou shalt utterly destroy them (Deut 20)

Masons comrade Underhill recalled how great and doleful was the bloody sight to the view of the young soldiers yet reassured his readers that sometimes the Scripture declareth women and children must perish with their parents. [SH114]

Other Indians were killed in successful plots of poisoning. The colonists even had dogs especially trained to kill Indians and to devour children from their mothers breasts, in the colonists own words: blood Hounds to draw after them, and Mastives to seaze them. (This was inspired by Spanish methods of the time)

In this way they continued until the extermination of the Pequots was near. [SH107-119]

The surviving handful of Indians were parceled out to live in servitude. John Endicott and his pastor wrote to the governor asking for a share of the captives, specifically a young woman or girle and a boy if you thinke good. [SH115]

Other tribes were to follow the same path.

Comment the Christian exterminators: Gods Will, which will at last give us cause to say: How Great is His Goodness! and How Great is his Beauty!

Thus doth the Lord Jesus make them to bow before him, and to lick the Dust! [TA]

Like today, lying was OK to Christians then. Peace treaties were signed with every intention to violate them: when the Indians grow secure uppon (sic) the treatie, advised the Council of State in Virginia, we shall have the better Advantage both to surprise them, & cutt downe theire Corne. [SH106]

In 1624 sixty heavily armed Englishmen cut down 800 defenceless Indian men, women and children. [SH107]

In a single massacre in King Philips War of 1675 and 1676 some 600 Indians were destroyed. A delighted Cotton Mather, revered pastor of the Second Church in Boston, later referred to the slaughter as a barbeque. [SH115]

To summarize: Before the arrival of the English, the western Abenaki people in New Hampshire and Vermont had numbered 12,000. Less than half a century later about 250 remained alive  a destruction rate of 98%. The Pocumtuck people had numbered more than 18,000, fifty years later they were down to 920  95% destroyed. The Quiripi-Unquachog people had numbered about 30,000, fifty years later they were down to 1500  95% destroyed. The Massachusetts people had numbered at least 44,000, fifty years later barely 6000 were alive  81% destroyed. [SH118] These are only a few examples of the multitude of tribes living before Christian colonists set their foot on the New World. All this was before the smallpox epidemics of 1677 and 1678 had occurred. And the carnage was not over then.

All the above was only the beginning of the European colonization, it was before the frontier age actually had begun.

A total of maybe more than 150 million Indians (of both Americas) were destroyed in the period of 1500 to 1900, as an average two thirds by smallpox and other epidemics, that leaves some 50 million killed directly by violence, bad treatment and slavery.

In many countries, such as Brazil, and Guatemala, this continues even today. More Glorious events in US history Reverend Solomon Stoddard, one of New Englands most esteemed religious leaders, in 1703 formally proposed to the Massachusetts Governor that the colonists be given the financial wherewithal to purchase and train large packs of dogs to hunt Indians as they do bears. [SH241]



From an eye-witness account: There were some thirty or forty squaws collected in a hole for protection; they sent out a little girl about six years old with a white flag on a stick; she had not proceeded but a few steps when she was shot and killed. All the squaws in that hole were afterwards killed  [SH131] Massacre of Sand Creek , Colorado 11/29/1864. Colonel John Chivington, a former Methodist minister and still elder in the church (I long to be wading in gore) had a Cheyenne village of about 600, mostly women and children, gunned down despite the chiefs waving with a white flag: 400-500 killed.From an eye-witness account: There were some thirty or forty squaws collected in a hole for protection; they sent out a little girl about six years old with a white flag on a stick; she had not proceeded but a few steps when she was shot and killed. All the squaws in that hole were afterwards killed  [SH131]

By the 1860s, in Hawaii the Reverend Rufus Anderson surveyed the carnage that by then had reduced those islands native population by 90 percent or more, and he declined to see it as tragedy; the expected total die-off of the Hawaiian population was only natural, this missionary said, somewhat equivalent to the amputation of diseased members of the body. [SH244] 20th Century Church Atrocities Catholic extermination camps

Surprisingly few know that Nazi extermination camps in World War II were by no means the only ones in Europe at the time. In the years 1942-1943 also in Croatia existed numerous extermination camps, run by Catholic Ustasha under their dictator Ante Paveli, a practising Catholic and regular visitor to the then pope. There were even concentration camps exclusively for children!In these camps  the most notorious was Jasenovac, headed by a Franciscan friar  orthodox-Christian Serbians (and a substantial number of Jews) were murdered. Like the Nazis the Catholic Ustasha burned their victims in kilns, alive (the Nazis were decent enough to have their victims gassed first). But most of the victims were simply stabbed, slain or shot to death, the number of them being estimated between 300,000 and 600,000, in a rather tiny country. Many of the killers were Franciscan friars. The atrocities were appalling enough to induce bystanders of the Nazi Sicherheitsdient der SS, watching, to complain about them to Hitler (who did not listen). The pope knew about these events and did nothing to prevent them. [MV]

Catholic terror in Vietnam

In 1954 Vietnamese freedom fighters  the Viet Minh  had finally defeated the French colonial government in North Vietnam, which by then had been supported by U.S. funds amounting to more than $2 billion. Although the victorious assured religious freedom to all (most non-Buddhist Vietnamese were Catholics), due to huge anticommunist propaganda campaigns many Catholics fled to the South. With the help of Catholic lobbies in Washington and Cardinal Spellman, the Vaticans spokesman in U.S. politics, who later on would call the U.S. forces in Vietnam Soldiers of Christ, a scheme was concocted to prevent democratic elections which could have brought the communist Viet Minh to power in the South as well, and the fanatic Catholic Ngo Dinh Diem was made president of South Vietnam. [MW16ff]Diem saw to it that U.S. aid, food, technical and general assistance was given to Catholics alone, Buddhist individuals and villages were ignored or had to pay for the food aids which were given to Catholics for free. The only religious denomination to be supported was Roman Catholicism.The Vietnamese McCarthyism turned even more vicious than its American counterpart. By 1956 Diem promulgated a presidential order which read:

Individuals considered dangerous to the national defence and common security may be confined by executive order, to a concentration camp. 

Supposedly to fight communism, thousands of Buddhist protesters and monks were imprisoned in detention camps. Out of protest dozens of Buddhist teachers  male and female  and monks poured gasoline over themselves and burned themselves. (Note that Buddhists burned themselves: in comparison Christians tend to burn others). Meanwhile some of the prison camps, which in the meantime were filled with Protestant and even Catholic protesters as well, had turned into no-nonsense death camps. It is estimated that during this period of terror (1955-1960) at least 24,000 were wounded  mostly in street riots  80,000 people were executed, 275,000 had been detained or tortured, and about 500,000 were sent to concentration or detention camps. [MW76-89]. To support this kind of government in the next decade thousands of American GIs lost their life. Rwanda Massacres

In 1994 in the small African country of Rwanda in just a few months several hundred thousand civilians were butchered, apparently a conflict of the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups. For quite some time there were only rumours about Catholic clergy actively involved in the 1994 Rwanda massacres. Odd denials of involvement were printed in Catholic church journals, before even anybody had openly accused members of the church. Then, 10/10/96, in the newscast of S2 Aktuell, Germany  a station not at all critical to Christianity  the following was stated: Anglican as well as Catholic priests and nuns are suspect of having actively participated in murders. Especially the conduct of a certain Catholic priest has been occupying the public mind in Rwandas capital Kigali for months. He was minister of the church of the Holy Family and allegedly murdered Tutsis in the most brutal manner. He is reported to have accompanied marauding Hutu militia with a gun in his cowl. In fact there has been a bloody slaughter of Tutsis seeking shelter in his parish. Even two years after the massacres many Catholics refuse to set foot on the threshold of their church, because to them the participation of a certain part of the clergy in the slaughter is well established. There is almost no church in Rwanda that has not seen refugees  women, children, old  being brutally butchered facing the crucifix. According to eyewitnesses clergymen gave away hiding Tutsis and turned them over to the machetes of the Hutu militia. In connection with these events again and again two Benedictine nuns are mentioned, both of whom have fled into a Belgian monastery in the meantime to avoid prosecution. According to survivors one of them called the Hutu killers and led them to several thousand people who had sought shelter in her monastery. By force the doomed were driven out of the churchyard and were murdered in the presence of the nun right in front of the gate. The other one is also reported to have directly cooperated with the murderers of the Hutu militia. In her case again witnesses report that she watched the slaughtering of people in cold blood and without showing response. She is even accused of having procured some petrol used by the killers to set on fire and burn their victims alive [S2] Iraq/Afghanistan War Over 2 million Muslims lost their lives after George W. Bush and Britains Tony Blair invaded Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003. The resultant vacuum created by the toppling of Saddam Hussein was filled by ISIS who now occupy half of Syria and Iraq, an area as large as the country of Belgium. References: [DA] K.Deschner, Abermals krhte der Hahn, Stuttgart 1962. [DO] K.Deschner, Opus Diaboli, Reinbek 1987. [EC] P.W.Edbury, Crusade and Settlement, Cardiff Univ. Press 1985. [EJ] S.Eidelberg, The Jews and the Crusaders, Madison 1977. [LI] H.C.Lea, The Inquisition of the Middle Ages, New York 1961. [MM] M.Margolis, A.Marx, A History of the Jewish People. [MV] A.Manhattan, The Vaticans Holocaust, Springfield 1986.

See also V.Dedijer, The Yugoslav Auschwitz and the Vatican, Buffalo NY, 1992. [NC] J.T.Noonan, Contraception: A History of its Treatment by the Catholic Theologians and Canonists, Cambridge/Mass., 1992. [S2] Newscast of S2 Aktuell, Germany, 10/10/96, 12:00. [SH] D.Stannard, American Holocaust, Oxford University Press 1992. [SP] German news magazine Der Spiegel, no.49, 12/2/1996. [TA] A True Account of the Most Considerable Occurrences that have Hapned in the Warre Between the English and the Indians in New England, London 1676. [TG] F.Turner, Beyond Geography, New York 1980. [WW] H.Wollschlger: Die bewaffneten Wallfahrten gen Jerusalem, Zrich 1973.

(This is in german and what is worse, it is out of print. But it is the best I ever read about crusades and includes a full list of original medieval Christian chroniclers writings). [WV] Estimates on the number of executed witches: N.Cohn, Europes Inner Demons: An Enquiry Inspired by the Great Witch Hunt , Frogmore 1976, 253.

R.H.Robbins, The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Demonology , New York 1959, 180.

J.B.Russell, Witchcraft in the Middle Ages , Ithaca/NY 1972, 39.

H.Zwetsloot, Friedrich Spee und die Hexenprozesse, Trier 1954, 56.
Vodafone is second largest telecom operator in India.

Mumbai: A day after Reliance Jio unveiled Dhan Dhana Dhan, Vodafone uncovered a free 4GB data plan, according to NDTV. Existing Vodafone customers can avail the offer by simply switching over to a new Vodafone Supernet 4G SIM card.

"Vodafone 4G SIMs are available at all Vodafone Stores, Vodafone Mini Stores or multi brand outlets located across Mumbai," NDTV quoted Vodafone as saying.

Vodafone says the company was offering 4GB data free to its 210 million loyal customers to experience the benefits of a Data Strong Network and enjoy "unparalleled mobile internet services".

Vodafone prepaid users who switch to Supernet 4G SIM can use the 4GB free data through a validity period of 10 days. Whereas, Vodafone post-paid users can use the 4GB free data till next billing date.

"The free data shall be added to the customer's data balance on upgrading to a 4G SIM," Vodafone said in a statement added.

Vodafone India Mumbai business head Pushpinder Singh Gujral said the telco was proud to be a preferred telecom services provider in Mumbai with over 9 million customers in the metropolis alone.

Reliance Jio, telecom arm of energy bellwether Reliance Industries, has disrupted India's telecom market. Jio started its free unlimted data and free unlimited voice calls services on September 5 last year.

Since then, incumbent telecom operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular have adopted a number of surviving tactics, offering data and voice calls on cheaper rates.

Reliance Jio's advent in telecom market has proved 'survival of the fittest' a wrong expression. It is rather, it is clear now, a survival of the cheapest in the Indian telecom market.
New Delhi: The board of retirement fund body EPFO is likely to approve the proposal to increase its investment in stocks to 15 per cent of investible deposits in 2017-18, from the current 10 per cent.

"The investment in the Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) can be raised to 15 per cent of the investible deposits in a CBT meeting scheduled tomorrow," a source said.

The Central Board of Trustees, the apex decision making body at EPFO, had deferred a decision on the proposal to increase exposure in ETFs in its last meeting on March 30. The retirement fund body invests part of its investible deposits in stocks through ETFs.

The source said that the revised agenda for the meeting includes the status report on the ETF investment by the EPFO. "While presenting the status report to trustees, the proposal to enhance the investments in the ETF would be mooted and is likely to be approved tomorrow," the source added.

The board may also decide on enhance the wage ceiling for coverage under the EPFO schemes to Rs 25,000 per month from existing Rs 15,000. The EPFO trustees can also discuss the proposal to amend the EPF & MP Act for making provident fund contributions optional for employees in apparel and made-ups sector, the source said.

The EPFO had entered the stock market by investing 5 per cent in August 2015, which was raised to 10 per cent last year. However, trade unions are expected to lodge their protest against putting funds in stock markets in view of volatility

in equity investments.

An EPFO trustee and All India Trade Union Congress Secretary D L Sachdev said, "We have been opposing the investments in stock market. But the government has been investing EPFO money in equity linked scheme despite dissent note by the central trade unions on the issue."

Earlier in 2015, the finance ministry had allowed private provident funds to invest 5-15 per cent of its investible deposits in equity or equity-linked schemes. In view of the volatile nature of stock markets, the EPFO had then decided to start with investing just 5 per cent of its over Rs 1 lakh crore investible amount in ETFs.

The EPFO has invested Rs 18,069 crore in ETFs till February 18, 2017 and yielded a return of 18.13 per cent on these investments. Earlier, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya had indicated that the EPFO will increase its investment in the ETF in the backdrop of good returns.

Besides, the source said that the EPFO trustees can also discuss the proposal to amend the EPF & MP Act for making provident fund contributions optional for employees in apparel and made-ups sector.

The issue was discussed and deferred in the last CBT meeting where the unions had opposed the move saying that it would set a wrong precedent of giving exemption from PF contributions to workers.

The Centre in June last brought a package for the textile and apparel sector which was later extended to made-ups also in December 2016. Among other sops in the package, it was announced that EPF shall be made optional for employees earning less than Rs 15,000 per month in these segments.

However, it was a Cabinet decision but it could not be implemented without amending the EPF & MP Act 1952. The source said that the board can also take the proposal to enhance the wage ceiling for coverage under the EPFO schemes to Rs 25,000 per month from existing Rs 15,000.

It is estimated that this could bring in one crore more workers under the social security schemes run by the EPFO. Meanwhile, the EPFO has extended the last date for submission of life certificate for its over 50 lakh pensioners to April 30, 2017.
With LPG prices shooting up, over 1 lakh people who had given up their LPG subsidy under Modi governments Give it up campaign are once again opting to take up subsidy.

New Delhi: With LPG prices shooting up, over 1 lakh people who had given up their LPG subsidy under Modi governments Give it up campaign are once again opting to take up subsidy. Earlier this week, petroleum minister in a written reply informed the Parliament that people who had given up their LPG subsidy have an option to switch back to avail the subsidised cylinders after one year of giving up their subsidy.

As per the reply, 1.12 lakh people have opted in for LPG subsidy after one year as on April 1, 2017. Over 1 crore people had given up their LPG subsidy under Give it Up campaign. However, recently there has been a spurt in non-subsidised LPG cylinder prices due to increase in international crude oil prices. A non-subsidised LPG cylinder was around Rs 470 in Delhi in September 2016. This was just approximately Rs 50 more than a subsidised cylinder which then priced around Rs 420.

However, in April 2017 a non-subsidised LPG cylinder costs around `725 in Delhi against a subsidised LPG cylinder which is at around `440. An individual with an annual income of less than Rs 10 lakh can avail 12 subsidised LPG cylinders in a year. According to experts, if prices of non-subsidised LPG cylinders moved up further, more people may once again take up subsidy. The government had claimed there was a subsidy saving of Rs 1,731 crore in 2015-16 due to its Give up campaign.

Around 17 crore consumers are registered to avail subsidy through direct benefit transfer scheme. Between April-December 2016, Centre had paid a subsidy of Rs 7,252 crore for domestic LPG cylinders. The government has said that for every LPG subsidy given by an individual, it will give a free LPG connection to a BPL family. According to petroleum ministrys reply, in Maharashtra 23,000 consumers have again started taking up LPG subsidy after giving it up a year ago. In UP the number is 13,500, Karnataka 9,000, Tamil Nadu 7,600, West Bengal 4,600, Andhra 4,302, Kerala 3,928 and Telangana 3,950.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the Give It Up campaign in March 2015. He had urged well-off to surrender their LPG subsidy so that it can be targeted for the needy. Gas cylinders surrendered by them would be transferred to the poor who use wood for cooking. If one crore people give up their LPG subsidy, one crore poor people will benefit as they will be given new LPG cylinders instead, he had said.
The Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to see a slight fall in the export value in FY17 due to price erosion and lack of any blockbuster drug, a top official said here on Wednesday.

Hyderabad: The Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to see a slight fall in the export value in FY17 due to price erosion and lack of any blockbuster drug, a top official said here on Wednesday. Pharmexcil director general Ravi Uday Bhaskar cited the lack of any blockbuster drugs in the fiscal year and price erosion in Africa and Latin American markets saw a dip in the export value.

He said, In FY 2015-16, two blockbuster drugs had their patent period expired. It helped the pharma sector greatly as it notched up $16.89 billion in exports. With no major drugs in the 2017 fiscal, the pharma sector has seen a near-flat year. Till February 2017, the pharma sector has exported drugs worth $15.21 billion and this is expected to touch $16.14 billion.

When asked about the reason behind the dip in exports, he added: Price erosion in African and Latin American market has played a role in the dip.

On USFDA regularly sending observations against Indian pharma firms, Mr Bhaskar said, India is exporting 35 per cent of drugs manufactured here to the United States. Therefore its only logical that USFDA inspect the Indian firms more regularly and throughly to protect its citizens. Mr Bhaskar also took a jibe at the media for hyping about USFDA observations. Observations are similar to a showcause notice and only 10% of the complaints are really serious while the rest only need 2-3 days to comply with standards. He also announced that Hyderabad would host the IPHEX 2017 from April 27-29.
Abhay Deol did not mince his words one bit.

Mumbai: Abhay Deol has often been hailed as the pioneer of independent cinema among the younger lot of actors, and rightfully so, for his wacky choice of roles.

The actor has also been quite outspoken and vociferous while opining about socially relevant issues.

Abhay, who was last seen in 'Happy Bhaag Jayegi,' has now taken on the creme de la creme of Bollywood, risking outting his own career in jeopardy.

Abhay took to his Facebook feed to call out the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Vidya Balan and others, for endorsing fairness creams and propagating racial and skin tone based discrimination.

The actor used sarcasm to put across his point and has been largely effective and startlingly blunt.

Abhay, has to be lauded for the very relevant issue that he brought up and not overzealously going overboard, losing the plot.

For now, all one can do is to wait for the stars and the manufacturers to make sense of Abhay's ramblings.
Mumbai: Deepika Padukone is now a household name globally; courtesy, her Hollywood debut 'xXx: The Return of Xander Cage' with Vin Diesel.

The lovely girl, who delivered three blockbusters with King Khan of Bollywood, Shah Rukh Khan, apparently turned down an offer to work with him.

The film is an Aanand L Rai film, which is yet to be titled.

Superstar Shah Rukh will be seen essaying the role of a dwarf in the untitled.

According to a report in Mumbai Mirror, the actress rejected the project owing date problems.

A source quoted the daily saying, "While Deepika was quite keen on doing the film, unfortunately her dates were clashing with those allotted to Sanjay Leela Bhansalis 'Padmavati'. Since she has already committed her dates to SLBs historical, she had to say no to Aanand L Rai."

Reportedly, Aanand L Rais project is expected to kick-start soon and will be shot for six months.

Shah Rukh and Deepika are considered to be a hit pair.
Mumbai: Actors garner more headlines for their personal relationships rather than their professional whereabouts and speculations just keep continuing.

One such actor who has always left his fan girls curious is Varun Dhawan.

Speaking about always being in the news for his alleged relationship with Natasha Dalal, Varun says, I have not been making any news. People are finding it to be news, but I dont know why they think like that.

Also on the duo being called lovebirds, he cheekily says to the daily, This is all very childish. But its fine; it doesnt bother me. I have been a little disconnected of late, because my focus is on whats important (work). Once I am free, I will enjoy then.

Hes often been spotted with Natasha, who is also his childhood friend, at social gatherings and outings.

Making appearances with their partners and posing together, without making their relationship official, is the new in trend in Bollywood.

After the success of his last previous film Badrinath Ki Dulhania, Varun is off to London, busy shooting for his next crucial project Judwaa 2.
Kochi: The Kerala High Court today ordered CBI to take over the probe into the mysterious death of Malayalam film actor Kalabhavan Mani last year, rejecting the agency's stand it cannot investigate the case due to workload.

Justice Sunil Thomas held it was a fit case for the CBI and directed the agency to take over the probe from the state police in a month.

The court passed the order on petitions filed by Mani's wife Nimmy and brother R L V Ramakrishnan seeking a CBI probe into the death of the 45-year old actor.

The Kerala government had on June 11 last year decided to hand over the case to the CBI, which, however, had turned it down saying its hands were full as it was investigating many other cases.

The CBI had taken the same stand in the court also during the earlier hearing.

The court, however, today rejected the CBI's submission and ordered it to probe into the actor's death.

The petitioners told the court that the police continuing the probe was inappropriate after the state government issued a notification entrusting the task to the CBI.

Mani, who had essayed various roles in south Indian films, was found in a serious condition at his farmhouse at Chalakudy and later died at a hospital in March 2016.

While a lab at Kochi had found traces of chlorpyrifos, a toxic pesticide in his viscera sample, a Hyderabad lab had stated that traces of methyl alcohol were found in his blood.

Mani was undergoing treatment for a liver ailment at the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences at Kochi, where he breathed his last on March 6.
So have the two let bygones be bygones?

Mumbai: Preity Zinta might be happily married with Gene Goodenough, but the paparazzi still refuses to let her be. Preity, who co-owns the IPL team Kings XI Punjab, always has been in the news, despite of being away from films.

The former actress, who co-owns the team with her ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia, has always led her team from the front.

Preity, however, had also made headlines by filing an official complain against Ness of assault and molestation.

Which is why people were in for a surprise when the two were seen bonding like friends of yore.

The Punjab based team had a thumping victory against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Reportedly, the two came face-to-face during the course of the match and were extremely cordial with each other.

So have the two let bygones be bygones? Watch this space for more.
Salman Khan is the latest actor to have broken a long-standing association with his talent management company, Matrix, run by Reshma Shetty. The Sultan actor has now roped in a new person to handle all his business arrangements. However, the actor and the company denied reports of their relationship turning sour and maintained that it was a mutual decision.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh recently put out a tweet saying, Salman Khan and his management company mutually part ways (sic), The statement read, Salman Khan is returning to an in-house model to manage his business arrangements. To kick off, Salman is doing a concert tour of Asia Pacific spearheaded by his brother Sohail Khan. It is well-known that the family used to manage his business arrangements before he signed up with Matrix nine years ago.
The actress revealed that she even had a seven-month-old child with the actor who is known as King Khan in Bangladesh. (Photo: Facebook)

Dhaka: One of Bangladesh's biggest film stars caused an internet sensation today when she revealed she had wed her on-screen lover, but kept the marriage secret for nine years to protect his career.

Apu Biswas told a Bangladesh television station she had a seven-month-old child with Shakib Khan, whom she had married in secret in 2008, and was only going public now because of his neglect. She has starred in at least 40 movies alongside her now estranged husband, known as King Khan in Bangladesh for his dominance of the silver screen.

"I kept the marriage secret for his welfare. I've sacrificed a lot," the 33-year-old told News24 in a tearful television interview that has been endlessly replayed and shared on social media in Bangladesh."But I can't take his negligence to me anymore, so I'm sharing everything."

Bangladesh's movie idols have been known to conceal their marriages before to maintain the illusion of availability to their adoring fans. But the decision appeared to backfire as thousands in the conservative Muslim-majority nation took to social media to condemn the 38-year-old superstar. Khan initially denied the marriage had taken place, attacking Biswas as a failure.

He later admitted the pair were married and had a child, but accused Biswas of trying to bring down his career with her revelations."It is a plan to destroy Shakib Khan. If Shakib Khan is destroyed, the Bangladesh film is destroyed," he told the NTV news website.

Biswas disappeared from the silver screen last year. Khan is known as a one-man film industry in Bangladesh, where he has featured in scores of hits, most of them romance or action movies.
Neighbours however, felt something was amiss as there was no sound from the child. Finding her unconscious, they took her to the government hospital where doctors said it was a case of poisoning.(Representational image)

Hyderabad: A three-year-old physically-challenged girl was poisoned by her mother in Mahbubabad district late on Tuesday.Lakavath Jyothi allegedly gave her child poisoned food, which made her unconscious. But alert neighbours rushed the child to hospital. Doctors said the girls condition was stable.

Child Welfare Committee chairperson Anitha Reddy said the child always sat outside the house and on Tuesday, the mother fed the child and went away. Neighbours however, felt something was amiss as there was no sound from the child. Finding her unconscious, they took her to the government hospital where doctors said it was a case of poisoning.

The cops have booked a case against Jyothi and have taken her into custody.Police officials claim Jyothi didnt know how to handle the child. She has an older daughter who is normal and goes to school, but the birth of the second child brought many challenges. With no help and no knowledge about how to manage a physically-challenged child, she took this extreme step, officials say.

The child welfare committee members are talking to the family members and counselling them.
New Delhi: The Centre on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court seeking hearing on its curative plea against the verdict which negates the protection given to armed forces during anti-militancy operations in areas where AFSPA is in force.

The apex court in its verdict delivered on July 8 last year had given the state police liberty to probe the role of armed forces in alleged encounter cases in areas where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is in force.

A bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justices D Y Chandrachud and S K Kaul agreed to hear the curative plea in which it has been alleged that the army and paramilitary forces are combat forces and they should not have such restraints in anti-militancy operations.

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the Centre, assailed the apex court verdict which gave the powers to the state police to probe the role of armed forces in anti-militancy operation.

"This court ought to have appreciated that the principles of right to self-defence cannot be strictly applied while dealing with militants and terrorist elements in a hostile and unstable terrain.

"This court ought to have taken into account the complexity and the reality of the conduct of military operations and tactics especially while combating terrorists," the curative plea said.

The apex court verdict on investigating the role of armed forces in encounter cases had come on a plea alleging that armed forces were misusing the protection under AFSPA in Manipur during anti-militancy operation.
New Delhi: A group of army veterans on Wednesday staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission against the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The protesters were led by Delhi Assembly legislator Col (retd) Devinder Sehrawat. They also handed over a memorandum to the authorities at the Pakistan High Commission in Chanakyapuri.

"We urged the Pakistan High Commissioner to communicate the outrage over the unacceptable treatment meted out to Jadhav," Sehrawat said.

"Pakistan is creating problems for itself and will have to payback if it continued with such actions. We request the country to take the case of Jadhav seriously and think over continuing any relationship with Pakistan," he said.

Nearly two dozen ex-servicemen, including Col (retd) Ravi Tokas and Col (retd) KPS Rana, took part in the protest.

India has warned Pakistan to consider the "consequences" on bilateral ties if Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid an outrage throughout the country.

Jadhav was "arrested" on March 3 last year by Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was "a serving officer" in the Indian Navy and deputed to the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW).

The Pakistan Army had released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest.

India has acknowledged that Jadhav served with the navy but denied he has any connection with the government.
Aligarh: A leader of the BJP's youth wing has courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.

The threat was issued by Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM).

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?

#WATCH Aligarh:BJP Youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney offers Rs 11 lakhs for WB CM's head after a lathicharge in Birbhum on Hanuman Jayanti pic.twitter.com/JR77MgzptV  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 12, 2017

"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said while criticising the police action on the rally.

On Tuesday, police in Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district used batons to disperse a rally which shouted slogans in praise of "Shri Ram".

The police had set up an iron barrier which those in procession tried to break, prompting the law-enforcers to make a lathicharge.

At another place on the outskirts of Suri, thousands of people had ignored a police ban to participate in a rally taken out under the aegis of an organisation observing Hanuman Jayanti.

The Suri Police had on Sunday told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting on Tuesday.

Yesterday, the organisers had asked the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms.

However, the police did not budge from its stand. West Bengal general secretary of BJP Sayantan Basu had yesterday alleged at a press meet at the party office that

"The district administration at first had accorded permission, but later withdrew it on order of the TMC bosses."
New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday disowned its youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney, who courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head.

Trinamool Congress MPs raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, which led to ruckus in the House. Act against BJP leader who threatened Mamata, a Trinamool MP said.

Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi disowned the comment in the Parliament, saying I condemn this type of statement. The state government can take proper action.

Batting for Mamata, MP Jaya Bachchan said, Government can protect cows but not women.

The threat was issued by Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?

"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said while criticising the police action on the rally.

On Tuesday, police in Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district used batons to disperse a rally which shouted slogans in praise of "Shri Ram".

The police had set up an iron barrier which those in procession tried to break, prompting the law-enforcers to make a lathicharge.

At another place on the outskirts of Suri, thousands of people had ignored a police ban to participate in a rally taken out under the aegis of an organisation observing Hanuman Jayanti.

The Suri Police had on Sunday told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting on Tuesday.

Yesterday, the organisers had asked the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms.

However, the police did not budge from its stand. West Bengal general secretary of BJP Sayantan Basu had yesterday alleged at a press meet at the party office that

"The district administration at first had accorded permission, but later withdrew it on order of the TMC bosses."
There were 6 Pakistani commandos in the boat, of which 4 drowned and 2 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: Just a day before Pakistan sentenced former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to death, the Indian Coast Guard rescued two Pakistani marine commandos from drowning, near the Gujarat coast.

According to reports, sailors of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) were giving chase to a group of Indian fishermen in boats, but their boat had capsized after hitting an Indian boat.

There were 6 Pakistani commandos in the boat, of which 4 drowned and 2 were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. The bodies of drowned commandos have been handed over to Pakistan, said the report.

The Pakistani commandos rounded up the fishermen working near the Gujarat coasts, and were taking them to Pakistani waters, when the accident happened.

The Indian Coast Guard ship Arinjay rushed to the spot and rescued the drowning commandos. Pakistan later released the captured fishermen, said the report.
After the strikes, the Indian armed forces had received inputs that some terrorists had moved back into the launch pads, but these reports continued during the winter. (Photo: AFP/ Representational Image)

New Delhi: The terror launch pads that the Indian Army destroyed during the surgical strikes of September 29 are active again, an NDTV report has said.

Major General RP Kalita, who heads the army's 19 Division in Baramulla, told NDTV that terror launchpads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) have now been reoccupied.

These launchpads are 'directly opposite' Uri, where Pakistani terrorists killed 19 Indian security forces, leading to the surgical strike, the report said quoting the Major General.

Kalita was quoted as saying that following the strikes, the Indian armed forces had received inputs that some terrorists had moved back into the launch pads, but these reports continued during the winter.

Kalita, who heads the division that defends almost 100 kilometres of the Line of Control, added that almost all the areas hit, which fall under his responsibility, were now active again.

"Across our area, there are nine or ten launch pads that we are aware of," NDTV quoted Kalita as saying.

After the surgical strikes, Pakistani terrorists caught during infiltration attempts have been equipped with incendiary items like highly inflammable liquids, which can be sprayed on a target, which is then set alight using a grenade.

Terrorists are also no longer attempting to infiltrate only during the summer. Last winter, infiltrators have come equipped with professional mountaineering boots and clothing designed for snow, said the report.

Terrorists entering Kashmir have also communicated with their Pakistani handlers by pairing a mobile phone with radio through Bluetooth. Kalita was quoted as saying that Wi-SMS is being frequently used by the terrorists for communication, and it is difficult to intercept because it involves quick bursts of transmission via radio.
Mumbai: A delegation of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders on Wednesday met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao here and demanded dismissal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and some other ministers after tax officials questioned Health Minister C Vijayabaskar in an alleged tax evasion case.

The party, in a memorandum, urged the Governor to dismiss the Chief Minister and other ministers allegedly involved in corruption, Raj Bhavan sources said.

The delegation comprised DMK leaders R S Bharathi, TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva. The memorandum also highlighted some other issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu.

The Income Tax Department officials had earlier this week questioned Vijayabaskar and actor-politician Sarath Kumar in an alleged tax evasion case.

It also conducted searches at the official residence and properties owned by Vijayabaskar and at Sarath Kumar's home in Chennai on April seven.

The searches at the premises of an associate of Vijayabaskar had allegedly revealed routing of Rs 89 crore for distribution to voters in R K Nagar Assembly constituency, where a bypoll was originally scheduled for April 12.

The Election Commission has cancelled the bypoll, saying the electoral process has been "seriously vitiated" by parties through the use of money power.
Bijnor: The Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has said that the board will end the practice of triple talaq itself in one-and-a-half years so the government should not interfere in the matter.

Kalbe Sadiq also advised the Muslims against eating beef. Sadiq, who was here yesterday to attend a programme, was speaking to reporters at the residence of President of District Civil Bar Association.

The Shia scholar said the triple talaq system was unfair to women but it was a personal affair for the community and they would solve it themselves within one to one-and-a-half years. He said the government should not interfere in it.

On the issue of beef consumption, he said in religious books eating beef is not advised and Muslims should not have it.

Sadiq said if the government enacts laws banning cow slaughter and beef eating in the country, the Muslims would welcome it. He condemned the unlawful activities of cow vigilantes and demanded that it be stopped.

On the Ram temple issue, he said the dispute should end now and the Hindus and the Muslims should yield some ground to each other so that a compromise could be reached.

He said Muslims should not insist on making a mosque at the site where the temple would be built.

Sadiq said Muslim leaders were responsible for the poor state of the community.

He said Kashmiri youths should open their eyes and understand the nefarious designs of Pakistan. He said India should be united for it to become a prosperous country.
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday condemned a BJP youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney's offer for a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said a BJP youth wing leader had made the "announcement" of giving the reward for beheading Banerjee, after police resorted to lathicharge in Birbhum district to disperse a rally during Hanuman Jayanti.

"Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it," he said.

Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. "This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint," she said.
An image of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was arrested in March 2016. (Photo: AP)

New Delhi: Former Indian Navy officer who has been given a death sentence in Pakistan had three ways he can appeal the sentence said Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif on Tuesday.

According to an NDTV report, Asif said that Jadhav can appeal his sentence within 60 days and also has the options of asking the army chief and the president for mercy pleas. He also ruled out immediate execution of Jadhav

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military field general court martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Speaking in the Senate, the upper house of parliament, the Pakistani defence minister said that Jadhav has the right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days.

The sentence had sparked an angry reaction from India which said Jadhavs execution would be treated as premeditated murder.

Asif dismissed Indian concerns that proper legal process was not observed in the trial. There was nothing in the [legal] proceedings that was against the law, he said.

He also rejected the charges of premeditated murder. Its not premeditated murder, whats happening in Kashmir is (premeditated murder), he alleged.

The minister further said that the trial of Jadhav went on for three months, rejecting rumours that he was hastily convicted. The minister said those working against the security of Pakistan would be treated with iron hands.

Whether the enemies come from across the border or within Pakistan, they will receive punishment, he said.

He said that Jadhav had confessed his crime in the confessional statement, which is available on record.

Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav from the restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. It also claimed that he was a serving officer in the Indian Navy.

The Pakistan Army had also released a confessional video of Jadhav after his arrest.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

The incident is expected to further deteriorate already strained Indo-Pak ties which were hit after deadly attacks in Pathankot and Uri by Pakistan-based terrorists last year.
Samajwadi Party members Jaya Bachchan speaks in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday strongly condemned a statement by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader announcing a Rs 11 lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Centre saying the state government was "free to take legal action" against him.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress (TMC) members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.

Jaya Bachchan of the Samajwadi Party (SP) said in the Rajya Sabha that there was a need to take "aggressive" steps for protection of women. "You protect cows and women are facing atrocities," she added, in a jibe at BJP.

"How dare somebody talk like this, especially against women Chief Ministers particularly when women are feeling insecure? Is this the way you are going to protect women?" Bachchan asked.

But BJP MP Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and "I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a woman should answer this."

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said a BJP youth activist has publicly described West Bengal Chief Minister as a "demon" and announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for anyone who brings the head of Chief Minister.

Roy asked the House and the government to condemn this incident, saying "a constitutionly elected CM has been described as demon."

He said the Centre was trying to "unleash a reign of terror" in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.

Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

"On such people action can be taken under the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course," the Deputy Chairman said, telling the Opposition "you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that".

BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a "serious matter" and said "BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action."

Other Opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.

Responding to Opposition outrage, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: "I strongly condemn such statements. State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue".

In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leader's bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. "This is completely wrong. All sides must exercise restraint," she said.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said "Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroots leader and government must take action on it."

Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty," Kharge said.
Mumbai: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that one will see a "transformed" Kashmir in a year "no matter how the change takes place".

"You will see a transformed Kashmir in a year. No matter how the change occurs, one thing is certain, that there will be a change in Kashmir in a year's time," he asserted.

Jammu & Kashmir is ruled by the BJP-PDP alliance government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Singh attended the 'Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards' function here tonight.

Speaking during an interactive session at the event, he said former Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah should not have supported the stone pelters.

The National Conference (NC) president had recently defended the stone-pelting youth in the Valley, saying they are fighting for the nation and for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of its people.

Singh said he "fully agrees" with Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks about dealing sternly with those trying to hinder security forces from performing their duties in Kashmir.

"Those doing such things will have to face the consequences," he said.

On Uttar Pradesh, Singh said that he credits Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, workers of the BJP and the NDA for the victory in the Assembly elections in the northern state.

"I thought we would get around 250 seats. We didn't expect we will get 325 seats in UP," he said.

On the issue of triple talaq, he said the government's stance in this regard is clear. "Such a provision isn't there even in Quran," he added.

On construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Home minister said that the issue is sub judice. "If both the sides reach a solution, it will be alright but if not, then all will have to abide by court verdict," he added.

Singh observed that there is a need for a consensus on anti-cow slaughter legislation.

On fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the senior BJP leader said, "there is no doubt that he is still in Karachi. In the last 10 years, India has sent a lot of dossiers on him (Dawood) to Pakistan. He is an accused in 31 cases, including the Mumbai serial blasts."
President Pranab Mukherjee meeting with an opposition parties delegation, led by the Congress, at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Accusing the Centre of undermining the accepted norms of governance and institutional integrity, representatives of 13 Opposition parties on Wednesday approached President Pranab Mukherjee and apprised him of their concerns on various issues, including gagging of Opposition voices, cow vigilantism and moral policing by UPs anti-Romeo squads.

The delegation also complained of tampering of EVMs and demanded that ballot papers be used for elections. After the BJP routed the Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh elections, the Opposition has been screaming hoarse over alleged tampering of EVMs.

The delegation, which included top leaders such as Congress president Sonia Gandhi, her deputy Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said that an environment of fear and insecurity was prevailing in the country. It alleged that the lumpen elements were masquerading as vigilantes.

Besides the Congress, other parties of the delegation included TMC, SP, BSP, Left, JD(U), DMK, NCP, RJD and other smaller outfits. This incidentally was also being viewed as a signal for Opposition unity against Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the 2019 general elections.

As for EVMs, information and broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu hit out at the Opposition asking, How come there were no complaints about EVMs when AAP won the Delhi polls and JD(U)-Congress alliance won in Bihar.

He said: EVMs are to be blamed only when NDA wins.

The delegation submitted a memorandum to the President accusing the Modi government of triggering false debates, manufacturing post-truths, orchestrating inflammatory narratives on nationalism and exploiting religious sentiments. Alleging that an environment of fear and insecurity was prevailing in the country, the memorandum also accused the Centre of muzzling voices of dissent. It claimed that the government was vitiating the environment and jeopardising the cause of peace and security.

The delegation also hit out at the government for using ED, CBI and IT raids to fix Opposition parties.
New Delhi/Beijing: China on Wednesday warned India that the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh will have a negative impact on the settlement of the border dispute and accused New Delhi of violating its commitment on the Tibet issue.

Experts say that while China has itself damaged Indian strategic interests on the NSG and Azhar Masood issues, it is getting a taste of its own medicine on the Dalai Lama issue. The Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing will take further action to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the provocative statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, who has said that the state shares its border only with Tibet, not with China.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said despite Chinas objection, India insisted on arranging the Dalai Lamas visit in the disputed areas of the eastern section of the China-India boundary. He also said that some specific Indian official had indulged in provocative political statement but did not name Pema Khandu.

China has lodged representations with the Indian side and has said they we will take further action to safeguard the territorial sovereignty and national security, Lu said, without elaborating.

What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations, the spokesperson was quoted by news reports from Beijing as saying.
Bengaluru: Kulbhushan Jadhav, the former Indian naval officer who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for espionage, was led into a trap laid by a notorious Pakistani drug smuggler, after Jadhav alerted the Indian navy and coast guard about his boat that was heading into Porbandar with a cache of drugs and arms.

On New Year's eve in 2014, a Pakistani fishing vessel that quietly eased out of Keti Bunder in Karachi and made its way towards the Indian coast was spotted early the next day in rough seas, some 200 nautical miles off the coast of Gujarat, by the Indian Coast Guard. The nearest port was Porbandar. Intercepted by two Indian gunboats, it failed to stop even after warning shots were fired. After a 16 hour gunbattle, the crew set the trawler on fire and while several men on board were seen speeding away, four of the crew are reported to have died when the boat exploded on January 1, 2015. Coast Guard officials said they were mystified as to why the boat was set on fire. A year later, Jadhav was in Pakistani custody, accused of espionage.

Sources close to the development told Deccan Chronicle that contrary to reports that the Coast Guard may have thwarted a repeat of 26/11 when Pakistani terrorists entered Mumbai through the sea route and unleashed a 72 hour reign of terror, this fishing boat may have been part of a drug and gun smuggling operation that Kulbhushan Jadhav blew the lid off, leading to his capture and eventual handover to Pakistan by the man who owned the boat - the notorious Baloch drug smuggler Haji Wali Mehmood Baloch who operates along the coast and has close links with the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.

Meanwhile, a senior R&AW official who headed the Pakistan-Afghanistan desk confirmed reports that Jadhav had repeatedly offered his services to them between 2010 and 2012 with the first meeting taking place in New Delhi as early as 2001 when Jadhav had just retired and was planning to set up a business in Chabahar port in Iran. Anand Arni, the R&AW chief of the Pakistan desk said, "We met Jadhav in New Delhi, but we did not see him as a reliable asset and therefore, did not hire him."

Reports indicate that when Jadhav's dhow transport business Kaminda ran into financial trouble, he went back to R&AW, but Mr. Arni says that contrary to Mr Jadhav's confessional statement to the Pakistan Army that he had been on the rolls from 2010, ten years after he moved to Iran, the Indian spy agency had not hired him.

Pakistani media on Wednesday took his purported direct contact with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, to another level by claiming that Jadhav was even related to Doval.
Lucknow: The Hindu Yuva Vahinis latest instance of high-handedness has been reported from Meerut district.

The activists harassed, interrogated and humiliated a young couple that had an inter-faith marriage, in a rented room. In a video that has gone viral on the social media, the activists are seen asking the couple, Baap ka naam kya hai? Bhai ka naam kya hai?

When the young man answered these questions, the activists demand to know, Why is your name different from your familys name? Have you converted? The couple was reportedly then taken to the police station. The young woman was seen covering her face while being led away by policewomen. We opened a lock and saw the two in a compromising state. These rooms are rented out for suspicious activities. Those who rent the rooms and those who own them should be verified, said a member of the group.
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has refused to entertain a plea by licenced stall owners to declare as illegal the decision of the TS Road Transport Corporation to compel them to sell water bottles only of the Bisleri brand at bus stations.

Justice A.V. Sesha Sai was dismissing a batch of petitions by the licenced stall owners in bus stations of the state challenging a circular issued by the TSRTC on December 12, 2016 directing them to sell only Bisleri brand of water in the stations by purchasing the water from a local distributor nominated by it.

The petitioners told the court that they were selling branded water bottles of various recognised and reputed companies at MRP since the commencement of the licence period of their respective stalls. They said that the TSRTC was compelling them to purchase bottles at rates higher than in the market.

The TSRTC told the court that in view of several complaints received from passengers regarding the quality of water and as regards charging of higher rates, it has decided to enter into business partnership with a reputed firm and invited open tenders. Bisleri emerged as successful bidder.

The judge after perusing the conditions of the licence, pointed out that the stall owners had agreed to sell only the items indicated in the deeds of licence, as such, they cannot maintain the writ petitions to seek relief for avoiding the same.

The judge said that in view of the express clauses in the tender notifications and the deeds of licences, specifying the respective businesses to be carried on by the licencees, the contention that the tender notification did not mention that the Corporation would not permit every stall owner to sell the water bottles, as such, there cannot be any restriction, does not have any merit.

The judge granted one month to the licencees, other than the licensees authorized to sell the water bottles, to clear their stock of the water.
Hyderabad: The Telangana state government continues to keep up the suspense over the quantum of the quota hike it proposes for Muslims and STs. The state Cabinet approved the increase in quota on Wednesday and decided to convene a special session of the State Legislature on April 16 to pass the quota bills.

Addressing a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the quantum of hike will be decided in the next cabinet meeting on April 15.

Mr Rao said that the TRS had promised to increase the quota to 12 per cent for Muslims and STs in its 2014 election manifesto and it was the responsibility of the TRS government to implement the same now.

The state Cabinet approved the increase in quota on Wednesday and decided to convene a special session of the State Legislature on April 16 to pass the quota bills.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said the Sudheer Commission and Chelleppa Commission had submitted reports to the government recommending an increase in the quota, which was subsequently referred to the BC Commission, which too endorsed the quota hike. But he refused to disclose how much of an increase these commissions had recommended.

He expressed confidence that the Supreme Court would allow the enhanced quota in TS against the backdrop of the Chief Justices recent remark that election manifestos should not become waste paper and parties should be held accountable for their poll promises.

He said that the existing reservations for BCs too will be increased after the BC Commission submits its report within seven months.

He said Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and North Eastern States, besides the BJP-ruled states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan, were already implementing or seeking reservations above the Supreme Court's prescribed limit of 50 per cent overall.

Mr Rao threatened to take the agitation further, including moving the Supreme Court, if the Centre rejects TS quotas, since there cannot be different benchmarks for different states.

He said AP and TS were implementing four per cent quota for Muslims and the TRS government was only increasing that and not creating a new quota.

Mr Rao denied giving religion-based reservations and said quotas are being given based on social, economic and educational backwardness of Muslims.

These reservations should not be viewed as giving to Muslims, but as being given to sections covered under BC-E category. About 90 per cent of TS population comprises BCs, SCs, STs and Minorities. The 50 per cent overall quota limit cannot be implemented in all the states uniformly as each state has its own social composition. For this reason, I demand the Centre give flexibility to states to decide their own quota, Mr Rao said.

Prior to the Mandal Commission in 1992, several states implemented quotas above 50 per cent. But after 1992, following cases over Mandal Commission developments, the Supreme Court prescribed 50 per cent limit, but it also noted then that if any state can establish justifiable, impeccable backwardness data of various communities, they can implement above 50 per cent quota. Since all the commissions appointed by us have established all these factors, we can claim above 50 per cent quota, Mr Rao said.
Compulsory determination of the sex of the foetus is an encroachment on the reproductive rights of an individual and also puts the woman under tremendous pressure  not only from the family but also from the state.

Hyderabad: The life of a girl child isnt easy in India. Census 2011 figures reveal that the child sex ratio (until age six) has declined from 927 females per thousand males in 2001 to 919 females per thousand males in 2011. But its even tougher for the unborn girl child  many dont even stand a chance. Now, as part of a radical rethink on the fate of the girl child in India, a Maharashtra Assembly committee has recommended making prenatal sex determination mandatory to prevent female foeticide.

But can this really work in a country where the birth of a girl child continues to bring more anger than cheer?

Maharashtra Congress MLA Gopaldas Agrawal, who heads the Public Accounts Committee of Maharashtra, has been influenced by a suggestion made by Union Woman and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi, last year. Ms. Gandhi had said that registration during pregnancy must be made mandatory and every pregnant woman must be tracked until the birth of the child.

The recommendation also states that if a girl child dies in the womb, then parents must be held accountable. But activists believe this will make it even easier for parents and families to go in for female foeticide and later blame it on medical complications or genetic defects.

Dr. Mamatha Raghuveer, a women and child rights activist, explains: This recommendation is merely a license to kill the girl child, rather than a measure aimed to prevent female foeticide. We are seeing cases in which pregnant woman have inserted abortion tablets, inducing bleeding to kill the child even when the sex is not known. We can only imagine the anarchy unleashed when the sex is known. Also, the expecting mother will be under tremendous pressure from the family and for the remaining months of pregnancy, will be taunted, or worse, for bearing a girl child. Is that what the government wants? Why are they policing a pregnant woman and making her life miserable? Where will the pregnant woman go with this kind of harassment?

Activists are also not sure how many mothers will come forward to lodge complaints or how many will simply oblige rather than fight the system. Many believe the government, instead of helping the cause of girl child, will further facilitate the killing of the girl child if the tracking plan is implemented. There are others who add that the scheme is a ploy to shift blame from doctors to parents.

P. Shyammala Devi, chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee, said: There are more than 2,000 cases pending in various courts in the country. How can one expect action against parents? What if they come up with a huge list of medical complications and say those were the reasons for killing the child? The sex of the child is a private affair. Many young parents dont want to know it; why is government pushing for it?

Others want existing rules to be made stronger. Its after all the development of a human being. The government must not look at sex determination as a means to control female foeticide but look at strengthening the implementation of the programme where there are major lacunae, activists suggested.

A senior government officer in the Women and Child Welfare Department explained. It is impossible to follow or track a pregnant woman till the delivery. Half of the time, they are with their husbands and the other half is spent with their parents. There is no real-world co-ordination and a follow-up till the end is impossible. Instead, the government must act strongly against those doctors, quacks and anti-social elements who advocate or help in the killing of a girl child.
New Delhi: A parliamentary committee has found irregularities in award of contracts of advertisements in the Mumbai division of the railways and recommended a CBI inquiry into it.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in its latest report has noted the irregularities in award of contract of advertisements on a first come, first served basis which was prevailing in the Mumbai division for the last 25-30 years.

All contracts which were allotted on the basis of the first come, first served basis for commercial publicity should be terminated with immediate effect, the PAC headed by KV Thomas said in its report.

The committee has found that there was no transparency in award of contracts in Central Railway and Western Railway. The Mumbai division is part of Central Railway and Western Railway.

Taking note of the alleged fraud in allotment of advertisements and involvement of railway officials which were inquired into by the Central Vigilance Commission and action taken against a few officials, the committee recommended a CBI

inquiry to probe.

The CBI inquiry should probe the first come, first served policy in Mumbai division, it said. The committee is for strict action against erring contractors and officials involved in the alleged fraud.

Unless and until exemplary punishment is awarded to the corrupt officials from the top to the bottom, irregularities in commercial publicity in railways cannot be rooted out, the report said.

It has also highlighted the "lackadaisical attitude" of the railways in utilising its vast resources for generating additional revenue through advertising.

Taking note of the delay in tender finalisation for advertisement at stations, the PAC report said railways have taken longer than the stipulated period of 45 to 90 days and it resulted in losses to the public transporter.

Recommending a review of the process of contract formulation and execution, it has said that railways should "shed the nonchalant approach of condoning delays" in finalisation of contracts owing to precautionary approach. The committee has also observed the lack of coordination between various zones.

It has suggested railways encourage the zones which earn maximum revenue through commercial publicity by giving them incentives to motivate others.

The PAC has also observed that the menace of unauthorised displays at the stations was a constant source of leakage of revenues of railways.

It has recommended exploring the feasibility of hallmarking of authorised symbols for contracted advertisements to avoid unauthorised hoardings and penalty for unauthorised publicity.
Meerut: In yet another incident of moral policing, the Hindu Yuva Vahini activists on Wednesday barged into a couple's house in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut city and allegedly dragged the duo to a nearby police station on suspicion of ' love jihad'.

The incident took place in Meerut's Shastri Nagar area.

Nagendra Singh Tomar, the head of Hindu Yuva Vahini in western Uttar Pradesh, demanded action against the boy, while alleging that he was trying to convert the girl's religion.

Tomar said, I have asked the police to take strict action as the Muslim boy was romancing with a Hindu girl in the house. He wanted to convert her religion. I also insist to take strict action against the landlords who give rooms on rent without proper verification.

Earlier on Friday, the members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini forced the police to halt prayer at a church in Uttar Pradesh's Maharajganj, alleging forced conversion.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: When Thrissur Pooram is kicked off on May 5, it will see fireworks sans potassium chlorate. This decision was taken at the high-level meeting chaired by industries minister A. C. Moideen here on Wednesday. Agriculture and farmers welfare department minister V. S. Sunil Kumar who also attended the meeting told reporters that there would not be any safety lapse. He said there was no ban on any of the fireworks, but potassium chlorate, a highly explosive chemical. Fireworks that have got the certification from the Sivakasi-based Central government institute, Fire Works Research Development Centre can be used in Thrissur Pooram. Also, for the first time in the country, we'll use high volume long range monitor with automatic fire extinguish system," said Mr Kumar, adding it would be set up using his MLA fund.

The meeting also decided to provide those who handle fireworks with special luminous jackets. Quick match fuse system will also be put into use which is mainly used to douse the fire. Both the ministers have asked the Thrissur Pooram festival committees to ensure that all forms of safety measures are in place. Hyderabad-based deputy chief comptroller of explosion rank officials R. Venugopal, S. M. Kulkarni and Kandaswami, chief secretary Nalini Netto, Thrissur DCP N. Vijayakumar and T. Narayanan, ACP Gopalakrishnan and Thrissur district collector Dr A. Kowsigan, also attended the meeting.
New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wondered if protests by students against fee hike are sedition and if the youth have no right to speak up.

His remarks came amid reports that 66 Punjab University students were booked by the Chandigarh Police on sedition charges after protesting against fee hike by the varsity.

"Now protesting against fee hike is also sedition? Do the young have no right to speak in this country?" Gandhi posted on Twitter.

The Congress leader has often raised issues concerning the youth and has expressed solidarity with student protests in various campuses across the country.

These include the protests in JNU after some students were booked for sedition and also protests in Hyderabad University following the alleged suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula.
For, the results, likely to be announced by noon on Thursday, could tilt the scales in favour of either the Congress or the BJP, and provide a crucial head start in the run-up to polls in 2018.

Bengaluru: The outcome of the clash of Titans in Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly constituencies could well change the dynamics of politics in Karnataka ahead of next year's elections to the Legislative Assembly.

For, the results, likely to be announced by noon on Thursday, could tilt the scales in favour of either the Congress or the BJP, and provide a crucial head start in the run-up to polls in 2018. With independent observers and leaders of Congress and BJP alike ruling out the possibility of a split verdict-one seat each for these two parties-the victory will be leveraged to strengthen its position across the state by the victorious team.

In case the ruling Congress, accused of misusing official machinery and spending astronomical sums to woo voters in both constituencies, manages a 2-0 result, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's position will be fortified besides proving a morale booster for his party colleagues and party workers. Though both Mr Siddaramaiah and KPCC president Dr G Parameshwar have reiterated that these results ought not to be read as a referendum on the performance of the four-year-old government, the outcome will reflect the mood of the people, according to observers.

On the other hand, if Dalits and Lingayats jointly back the BJP along with voters of numerically insignificant communities, owing to the clout of former Union minister and BJP candidate V Srinivas Prasad and state BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa, the principal Opposition will be able to romp home in both constituencies which were so far the stronghold of Congress. A victory in both Nanjangud and Gundlupet will encourage BJP leaders to launch a no-holds-barred assault on the state government and galvanize the cadre to shore up the party's fortunes across the state. Besides, some Congress leaders are likely to jump ship in order to be a part of the winning team in 2018. And Mr Siddaramaiah and his ministers will certainly be embarrassed in case their efforts to retain these seats are proved to nought.
Hyderabad: TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao should implement his promise of providing 12 per cent reservations each to backward Muslims and STs without exception.

Former PCC chief V. Hanumantha Rao, while welcoming the governments decision to increase reservations for Muslims and tribals, demanded the government simultaneously take steps to enhance BC reservations, in proportion to their population in the state. Reminding the Chief Minister of his promise to consider increasing the BC reservation quota, Mr Hanumantha Rao said that it would be proper to include enhanced quota for BCs along with Muslim and tribals in the ensuing Assembly session.

Speaking to newsmen at the Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded the state government to issue a white paper giving full details of crop loan waiver scheme.

Welcoming the decision to release the last instalment of crop loan waiver scheme of Rs 4,000 crore, he said government must ensure the amount reaches the farmers immediately.

He found fault with the government for diverting over Rs 1,000 crore meant for SC and STs in the state to clear crop loan dues.

Mr Reddy said that the Chief Minister should not have diverted funds meant for development of SCs and STs.
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday refused to comment on handing over the reins of the TRS to his son K.T. Rama Rao before the 2019 elections.

When asked during the press conference about speculations on this issue, Mr Rao replied, You yourselves are saying that they are speculations. Let them remain so. I dont want to comment on that.

Mr Rao clarified that the government had not abolished Dharna Chowk near Indira Park yet, and maintained that the shifting of the Chowk was being done based on the High Courts observations.

Morning walkers at Indira Park and residents filed PILs in the High Court seeking shifting of Dharna Chowk on the ground that it was causing severe inconvenience to them. Let the final orders come from the court. We will act accordingly, Mr Rao said.

The CM also refuted allegations that the government was scuttling the voice of Opposition and civil organisations by abolishing Dharna Chowk.

We have given them four options to hold dharnas on four sides of the city. Expressing dissent is the beauty of democracy. I too participated in several dharnas and I strongly value this. In these days of live coverage by media, it doesnt make any difference whether a dharna is held in the heart of the city or on the outskirts. But some vested interests want to create law and order issues in the name of insisting on dharnas only in the midst of the city near Indira Park, which we will not allow to happen, the CM said.
Mysuru: Will former revenue minister and Dalit veteran, V Srinivasprasad be able to hold on to Nanjangud and win back his "self respect" as he has been dying to or will he be beaten by Mr Kalale Keshavamurth of the Congress ? And will Ms Geetha Mahadevprasad of the Congress be elected from Gundlupet in place of her husband, the late minister H C Mahadevprasad? A win by her will make her only the second woman MLA from the region after Ms Nagarathnamma , who won seven times from the constituency.

The suspense could soon be over with counting for the Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls scheduled for Thursday. While both the Mysuru and Chamarajnagar district administrations have made all the necessary arrangements to make sure the counting proceeds smoothly, security has been beefed up at the counting centres with a 1000 policemen being deployed around them in each constituency.

Also celebrations of any kind, including bursting of crackers and provocative speeches have been banned near the counting centres and prohibitory orders imposed under section 144 of the Cr.PC from 6am Thursday to 6am Friday and sale of liquor has been banned from 12am on Thursday to 12am on Friday.

The counting will begin at 8 am in both constituencies and the results may be announced three to four hours later. In Nanjangud the votes polled in 230 booths will be counted in the auditorium of the JSS degree college on Ooty road in 16 to 17 rounds. No postal ballots have been received in the constituency, according to Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, D Randeep.

In Gundlupet constituency, the counting of votes will be done at the St John's school in 16 rounds. Here 60 postal ballots have been received, according to Chamarajnagar Deputy Commissioner, Ramu.

Gundlupet bypoll: Wary DKS playing it safe?

Hours before counting of votes polled in by-elections to Gundlupet and Nanjangud Assembly constituencies, energy minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday declined to own up responsibility for the ruling party's efforts to retain Gundlupet seat, but expressed confidence that his party candidates would win in both places.

He told the media in Bengaluru that no individual leader was put in-charge of the constituency, but party workers were told to muster support for Mrs Geetha Mahadev Prasad.

"Voters in both constituencies are intelligent, and they have trust in us (Congress). I did not have any intelligence. My hard work was my intelligence. The BJP promised to take up developmental work, if voted to power. However, we are in power, and are implementing developmental projects. People have recognized our contribution and trust us. We will win in both constituencies," he added.

In the run up to elections held on April 9, Mr Shivakumar focused his campaign on Gundlupet and was in-charge of the constituency though seven ministers were assigned the task of ensuring victory of the party candidate in each of these seats.
The obituary for liberalism was perhaps prematurely written and published. A few months ago, when Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States and announced his policy of America First, many mourned. The premises which hold that States are moral creatures and that the purpose of the US is to spread the values of liberal democracy across the world seemed weaker than ever. They floundered further still in the months following as America under Donald Trump, seemed uncommitted to liberalism itself, seeming to prefer a sort of direct democracy that would enable a strongman ruler who ruled largely via executive orders that did not require legislative approval. If not dead, liberalism seemed precipitously in decline, America looking increasingly inward, the world left to its own authoritarian futures. Mr Trump wasnt interested in the world, let alone policing it; within weeks he had spurned the handshakes of Americas liberal allies and promised his supporters to uphold nationalism over liberalism. He thumbed his nose at Nato allies, promised he would drastically cut US diplomatic and aid programmes and hack off enormous portions of the UN budget provided by the US.

Then came last week. Following yet another chemical attack in Syria, this time in Idlib province, the conscience of the US, or rather its President, seemed suddenly moved. Horrific chemical attacks have happened before, taking scores of lives. Many of these have also deployed nerve agents. This new attack was not different in technique than those that have come before. This one was different, however, in timing. It came at an hour when the new American President found himself increasingly beleaguered, several of his promises left to flounder. Mr Trumps failure to get Congress to pass the healthcare reform bill was damning, given that both the Senate and the House of Representatives are controlled by his party. If all that were not enough, there was the matter of the Trump administration officials who were the focus of congressional investigations into Russias alleged meddling in the US elections. Mr Trump likes to win, and he was losing; midweek he removed his favoured adviser, Stephen Bannon, from the National Security Council. Just a bit later, he decided to bomb Syria. The very Syrian children whom he had tried to ban from entering the US, now deserved avenging, and America, the same America that had sworn off putting other countries first, would be the one to do it.

Liberal hawks who had been languishing in their funeral caskets during the dismal, less-than-100-day-old Trump presidency, rose from the dead. The policeman of the world was not dead after all. The day after the air strikes, a resounding barrage of editorials in American newspapers celebrated the action. The noted CNN commentator, Fareed Zakaria, declared it as being the moment that Mr Trump had truly become President of the United States. It is clear from the continuing hubbub, which has commenced apace even as little else is known about Mr Trumps plans for Syria, or even if he has any further plans for Syria at all, that for many pro-intervention liberals, being the President of the US means being the President of the world. Mr Trump has at least for now embraced this, perhaps because he has also just realised the political efficacy of the insistence that all American actions are morally right actions. Long-term solutions must be sustainable; exogenous influences can never produce sustainable stability. None of this is truer than in situations in which extremist groups are a component. As was seen in Afghanistan and Pakistan, local extremists only gain strength when anti-imperialist propaganda is whetted by US intervention. So too, will be the case in Syria.

By arrangement with the Dawn
Hazrat Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), is recalled today for his spiritual intellect, scholarly pursuits and humanitarian wisdom. He was honoured by the Prophet, who is believed to be the Madina-tul-ilm (city of knowledge), with an epithet of Bab-ul-ilm (gate of knowledge). He was also elected as the Muslim caliph or Amir al-Muminin (chief of the believers) in an Islamic period called the rightly-guided era. Hazrat Alis birthday, which falls on the 13th day of the Islamic month of Rajab, is an occasion of paramount importance in both Sunni-Sufi and Shia Islamic traditions. It is celebrated as Yaum-e-Ali by worlds mainstream Muslims with great gusto. In India, it is also marked as Jashn Maulud-e-Kaba (commemoration of the one who was born in Kaba).

Muslims, celebrate this annual occasion as an event to recall the peaceful, pluralistic and rationalist messages and other notable memories of Hazrat Ali. As for the Sunni-Sufi Muslims, they show great veneration to this day believing Hazrat Ali as the fourth righteous chief of the believers ameer al-muminin and the founder of Islamic spirituality or Tasawwuf (Sufism). However, for Shia followers of Islam, Hazrat Ali was actually the first righteous caliph and the first imam in the long sacred chain of Shia imams, beginning with Imam Ali to Imam Mahdi who is believed to appear at the end of the world. Apart from these doctrinal disagreements, both Shia and Sunni-Sufi Muslims, also known in India as Ahl-e-Sunnat, unanimously honour and celebrate the occasion of Hazrat Alis birthday anniversary.
The European Space Agency recently released a video, warning of the dangers that cosmic debris pose especially to human-made objects in the space such as the satellite or even the astronauts themselves. International scientists will reportedly be meeting in Germany next week in order to discuss the issue of how millions of objects floating in the orbit around the world may lead to a disastrous collision in the space.

Over 4,900 space launches have taken place since 1957  leaving millions of objects behind in space. Out of these, almost 94 per cent objects no longer serve any useful purpose. ESA fears that these objects could one day lead to a catastrophic harm to human-made technology.

Speaking in the ESA video Holger Krag, head of space debris at the agency, said of an impact: It is not comparable to a gunshot. The energy contained in a one centimetre (0.4 inch) particle hitting a satellite at that velocity, roughly corresponds to an exploding grenade.

These collisions generate more fragments, and these fragments are candidates for new collisions to come, he added.

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The new manufacturing process will rake up $2 million to $3 million in savings for each Dreamliner aircraft.

Boeing Co hired Norsk Titanium AS to print the first structural titanium parts for its 787 Dreamliner, a shift that the Norwegian 3D printing company said would eventually shave $2 million to $3 million off the cost of each plane.

The contract announced on Monday is a major step in Boeing's effort to boost the profitability of the 787 and a sign of growing industrial acceptance of the durability of 3D printed metal parts, allowing them to replace pieces made with more expensive traditional manufacturing in demanding aerospace applications.

Strong, lightweight titanium alloy is seven times more costly than aluminum, and accounts for about $17 million of the cost of a $265 million Dreamliner, industry sources say.

Boeing has been trying to reduce titanium costs on the 787, which requires more of the metal than other models because of its carbon-fiber fuselage and wings. Titanium also is used extensively on Airbus Group SE's rival A350 jet. "This means $2 million to $3 million in savings for each Dreamliner, at least," starting in 2018 when many more parts are being printed, Chip Yates, Norsk Titanium's Vice President of marketing, said in a telephone interview.

Boeing builds 144 Dreamliners in a typical year. The company declined to comment on the estimate but said Norsk's technology would help reduce costs. The Dreamliner turned profitable last year after racking up nearly $29 billion in production-related losses.

Norsk worked with Boeing for more than a year to design four 787 parts and obtain Federal Aviation Administration certification for them, Yates said. Norsk expects the US regulatory agency will approve the material properties and production process for printed parts later this year. That will "open up the floodgates," Yates said, by allowing Norsk to print thousands of other parts for each Dreamliner, without each part requiring separate FAA approval, resulting in the millions in expecting savings per plane.

"You're talking about tons, literally," on the 787 that would be printed instead of made with traditional, expensive forging and machining, he said. General Electric Co is already printing metal fuel nozzles for aircraft engines. But Norsk and Boeing said the titanium parts are the first printed structural components designed to bear the stress of an airframe in flight.

Norsk said it will print initially in Norway, but aims to have nine printers running by year-end at a 67,000-square-foot (6,220-square-meter) facility in Plattsburgh, New York.

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Google said that beyond gender pay equity, the company recently expanded the analysis to cover race in the US as well.

Google says it has "taken a back" by the government's claim that it doesn't compensate women fairly.

The company says it conducts "rigorous analyses" that its pay practices are gender-blind. It says analysts who calculate suggested pay don't have access to employees' gender data.

Google says it analysed 52 major job categories last year and found "no gender pay gap".

The US Department of Labor had accused Google of shortchanging women doing similar work to men, saying it found "systemic compensation disparities" across the company's workforce.

In a blog post today, Google said that beyond gender pay equity, the company recently expanded the analysis to cover race in the US as well.

The department had no comment, saying the case is ongoing.

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Huawei has set a target to be among the top 5 smartphone companies in India by the end of this year.

Smartphone maker Huawei has plans to increase focus on devices in the price range of Rs 10,000-20,000 in the Indian market.

"We have seen maximum growth in India taking place in Rs 10,000-20,000 range. Huawei will increase focus in this segment in India. Having said that, we will not compromise on quality and get into specification game. Huawei will continue to focus on users' experience," Huawei India Consumer Business Group President Peter Zhai told PTI.

In 2016, Huawei shipped 139 million smartphones globally and reported 44 per cent annual revenue growth in its Consumer Business Group at USD 25.9 billion.

According to Sino-Market research, Huawei Consumer Business Group had led the Chinese market with 18.85 per cent market share in February 2017.

"Our exponential growth trajectory in the global market is the testament to our well-crafted strategy and we are looking at replicating it in the Indian market. We have all the right ingredients to be successful in India as Huawei is a company that goes across an ecosystem of devices," Zhai said.

Huawei has set a target to be among the top 5 smartphone companies in India by the end of this year.

As per industry experts, Huawei is estimated to have doubled its sales in India but numbers are still less compared to it competitors in the smarphone segment.

"Huawei sales are estimated to have doubled between first quarter of 2016 and 2017 but the numbers are very small compared to its rivals Oppo and Vivo. However, we believe Huawei is the only brand that can challenge big players in India," Counterpoint Research Associate Director Tarun Pathak said.

As per Counterpoint Research, Huawei had 0.6 per cent share in the Indian smartphone segment in January-March quarter of 2016. It is estimated to have registered 0.9 per cent share the first three months of 2017.

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The letter, seen by Reuters, also said the US firm would not sit idly by while Toshiba "runs roughshod" over its rights, although it did not threaten legal action.

Western Digital Corp has warned Toshiba Corp that the Japanese firm is violating a joint venture contract in plans to sell to its chip unit and urged that it be given exclusive negotiating rights.

In a strongly worded letter dated April 9, Western Digital, which operates a semiconductor plant with Toshiba in Japan, said the transfer of the venture's rights to a new chip unit which was split off recently without the US firm's consent was a "very serious breach".

The letter, seen by Reuters, also said the US firm would not sit idly by while Toshiba "runs roughshod" over its rights, although it did not threaten legal action.

The move, seen as a play by the California-based company to strengthen its hand in talks, is set to complicate the auction of the prized unit - a sale essential to Toshiba's plans to cover writedowns at US nuclear unit Westinghouse that have plunged it into crisis.

"The only thing holding Toshiba up at the moment is the sale of the memory chip business. This definitely increases the uncertainty around everything that is happening," said an executive at one of Toshiba's main banks.

Sources at Toshiba's banks said they had been told by the Japanese conglomerate that there were no legal problems with its decision to split off the chip business.

The auction has drawn strong interest, and Toshiba has narrowed down the field to just four suitors to move on to a second round of bidding, people briefed on matter said.

US chipmaker Broadcom Ltd has put in the highest first-round offer of 2.5 trillion yen ($23 billion) while Taiwan's Foxconn, the world's largest electronics contract manufacturer, offered 2 trillion yen, one of the people said.

Western Digital' s bid was far below both those offers, the person added.

Broadcom has partnered with US private equity firm Silver Lake Partners LP, the sources added. The size of the offer made by South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix, the fourth suitor, was not immediately known.

The sources declined to be identified as they were not authorised to speak on the matter publicly.

Toshiba declined to comment on the content of the contract with Western Digital and the auction process. Representatives for Broadcom, Silver Lake, Western Digital, Foxconn could not be reached immediately for comment outside of regular business hours.

ATTACK ON BROADCOM

In the letter sent by CEO Stephen Milligan and addressed to Toshiba's board of directors, Western Digital said rumoured bids of between 2 trillion yen to 3 trillion yen were well above the fair value of the business and cited analysts' estimates of around 1.5 trillion yen.

It added that it had invested more than $13 billion in their joint venture over the last 17 years and had repeatedly tried address its concerns with Toshiba but had not received "constructive engagement."

It said it was urging Toshiba "to cease acting as if Western Digital were simply a disfavoured bidder in an open auction and instead enter into substantive, exclusive negotiations."

Western Digital also said that other rumoured bidders are highly problematic for both Japan and the joint venture and specifically named Broadcom, saying that it had grave concerns based on recent commercial dealings with the firm.

The US chipmakers are seen as more favoured bidders as the Japanese government has vowed to vet bidders and block a sale to investors it deems a risk to national security.

In particular Foxconn, formally known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, is considered such a risk because of its deep ties with China, sources have previously said.

The news of the letter comes one day after Toshiba filed twice-delayed business results without an endorsement from its auditor and warned its very survival was in doubt.

Toshiba has said it expects to book an annual net loss of 1 trillion yen ($9 billion) for this business year on a writedowns at Westinghouse.

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Yahoo said it has been cooperating with the commissioner's office on the investigation

Yahoo's European regulator said it is preparing to give the US Internet company the results of an investigation into the 2014 theft of data from 500 million users, including any remedial action to avoid a repeat of the breach.

Yahoo said in September last year that hackers had stolen the data in 2014, prompting criticism from US politicians into the delay in notifying customers.

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner, the lead European regulator on privacy issues for Yahoo because the company's European headquarters are in Dublin, told Reuters she would issue the report "in the next couple of weeks".

"We are preparing to serve the final report on Yahoo EMEA Ltd and require of them any remedial actions we have identified," Helen Dixon said in an interview. It will be up to Yahoo whether to make the report public, she said.

A new EU-wide data protection law coming into force in May 2018 allows fines of up to 4 per cent of global turnover. Until then, however, the office of the Data Protection Commissioner said it has no administrative capability to fine a company.

A spokesman for Yahoo said it has been cooperating with the commissioner's office on the investigation and will review the findings carefully when they are available.

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Chicago: The chief executive of embattled United Airlines unequivocally apologized Tuesday for an incident in which a passenger was dragged off a plane, and promised a thorough review of the airline's practices.

The apology came after a torrent of criticism of the carrier's action on a flight Sunday and its initial explanation of it. In images now seen around the world, a passenger was forcefully removed and bloodied in the process -- the entire event captured on video by passengers and posted on social media.

The 69-year-old passenger had refused to be "bumped" off the overbooked flight -- an airline practice that has come under increased scrutiny since the incident.

"I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," CEO Oscar Munoz said.

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right." The comments were in stark contrast to the company's initial response, in which it seemed to at least partially blame the passenger, inflaming worldwide outrage.

US media published an email Munoz sent earlier to employees, in which he said the passenger "defied" authorities and "compounded" the incident. "Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this," the CEO wrote.

'No compassion or concern'

Andy Holdsworth, a crisis management specialist at the British PR firm Bell Pottinger, said United's initial response focused on the wrong thing. "Whilst the passenger's behavior was not good, United have shown no compassion or concern for the man," he said.

Munoz said Tuesday that the company will conduct a "thorough review" of its procedures, including "how we handle oversold situations" and how the airline partners with airport authorities and law enforcement.

He promised to release the results of the review by April 30. But the public relations damage was done, with calls for boycotts, the US Department of Transportation promising a review of the airline's actions, and even the White House weighing in.

"Clearly, when you watch the video, it is troubling to see how that was handled," White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. The furor battered United's stock Tuesday, sending it down 2.9 percent in afternoon trading and closing down 1.1 percent. It was the second time in about two weeks the airline found itself in the middle of a firestorm.

In late March, two teenage girls were prevented from boarding a flight in Denver because they wore leggings. The airline defended its action at the time by saying the girls were flying on passes that required them to abide by a dress code in return for free or discounted travel.

"They will need to be careful that these small incidents all start to add up and only remind us of the last incident as well as the current one," Holdsworth said.

'You don't really have any rights'

The passenger on the overbooked Sunday flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky was one of four involuntarily bumped off in order to make room for United crew that needed to be repositioned.

The incident shined a new light on the practice of overbooking and bumping passengers off flights, which airlines increasingly rely upon to avoid losing money on empty seats when some passengers do not show up for scheduled flights.

If they were to stop overbooking, "the only way of trying to compensate for that over the long term would be to raise fares on everyone else," said industry analyst Robert Mann.

Instead, airlines sell more tickets than there are seats on a plane, and are generally able to properly forecast demand to avoid major disruptions in getting passengers to their destinations, Mann said.

But, sometimes, they miscalculate and there are more passengers than a flight can handle. In those instances, airlines offer travel vouchers and cash compensation to entice passengers to voluntarily give up their seats for later flights.

When enticing does not work, airlines have wide latitude under the law. "If you're still in the terminal waiting to board, you can be told you can't board, even if you have a reservation," Mann said.

"And once you're on board, you are subject to being deplaned based on the order of the crew. So you don't really have any rights." Last year, 434,000 passengers volunteered to be bumped off flights, while another 40,000 were bumped involuntarily and compensated.
Washington: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI. She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistan's self-interest.

"If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value. he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav. "We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.
The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer. Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital on Tuesday. (Photo: Representational Image)

A Muslim womans hijab was allegedly ripped off in the US by a man who she claimed beat her like an animal and repeatedly stepped on her head, prompting calls for a hate crime probe. The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer. Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

I said to myself, I am going to die today for sure. So he gets up from the car and told me to come here, said the woman who was attacked.The woman, who did not wish to be named, said a car pulled up alongside her. One man came from a car. That man wanted only one thing  to remove the womans hijab, she said.

He said to take my hijab, my scarf. I tried to fight him. Dont take my hijab, you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal, she said. The attacker was able to pull the scarf off and blood stains remained on it, the report said. The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped on her head repeatedly. She said he also took out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.
Video showing Dao being pulled from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago OHare International Airport on Sunday went viral. (Photo: Videograb)

Hanoi: Outrage spread to Vietnam on Wednesday over United Airlines handling of a passenger dragged from his seat after it emerged that the 69-year-old US doctor was Vietnamese by birth.

Although United Airlines has no direct flights to Vietnam, there were widespread calls on social media for a boycott after a video showed a bloodied David Dao being yanked out of the plane by airport security on Sunday to make way for United employees.

The ire in Vietnam grew quickly after it was reported that Daos origins were not in the Southeast Asian countrys old enemy, China, as many had at first assumed.

Vietnamese also fumed at allegations over Daos past reported in the United States as irrelevant and possibly racist.

Watching this makes my blood boil, Ill never fly United Airlines, commented Anh Trang Khuya on Facebook, the most widely used social media platform in Vietnam.

Nguyen Khac Huy wrote: Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Lets be loving and united, Vietnamese people!

There was no immediate comment from the government or in state media.

Video showing Dao being pulled from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago OHare International Airport on Sunday went viral and the worldwide backlash hit the airlines share price and prompted an apology from the company chief executive.

Kentuckys medical board website shows that a doctor David Dao graduated in 1974 in Ho Chi Minh City - then known as Saigon and the capital of US-backed South Vietnam before its defeat and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule a year later.

Around that time, Dao left for the US, according to US media and Vietnamese websites.

Vietnamese media said that Dao was also a songwriter and crooner of soulful ballads - including one about the memory of rain falling in Saigon.

Reports in US media of an offence that had led to Dao losing his medical licence in 2003 were dismissed in Vietnam as a probable smear campaign.

Dr Dao didnt do anything wrong on that flight and thats the main thing, wrote Clarence Dung Taylor in a post that had more than 4,000 likes.

The attitude to the case shifted dramatically in Vietnam once it was reported that Dao was not from China - an ancient enemy with which Vietnam continues to have a maritime dispute over the South China Sea.

When initial reports had suggested the man being dragged from the plane was Chinese, some Vietnamese had posted strongly unsympathetic comments about him.

So funny, wrote Bui Nguyen Trong Nghia. Now they know hes Vietnamese, most people stand up to advocate. Whether its Vietnamese or Chinese, therell be discrimination as were Asian.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the deployment was not tied to a specific event but a matter of prudence. (Photo: AFP)

Pyongyang: North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a US Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific - a force US President Donald Trump described as an "armada".

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbor, said in a tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help.

Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson toward the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

"We are sending an armada. Very powerful," Trump told Fox Business Network. "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.

Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Trump said: He is doing the wrong thing. Asked if he thought Kim was mentally fit, Trump replied: I dont know. I dont know him. North Korea said earlier it was prepared to respond to any US aggression.

"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater but also in the U.S. mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

In spite of the military rhetoric, U.S. officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program. At the same time, Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.

The strike group heading toward Korea includes the nuclear-powered flagship aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, two destroyers and a cruiser. Such a strike group is generally accompanied by submarines, although the Pentagon does not normally publicize this.

Prudent Move

US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said the deployment was not tied to a specific event but a matter of prudence. "She is just on her way up there because that is where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time," he said at a Pentagon news conference.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" that he would not tolerate certain actions but dismissed Pyongyang's nuclear attack threat.

"I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don't have the capability of isn't really a threat."

North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.

However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache.

South Korea's acting president, Hwang Kyo-ahn, warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country's Supreme People's Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries. He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.

North Korea convened a Supreme People's Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong-un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.

The agency made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons program or being under threat from the United States.

Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.

A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.

Men and women in colorful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practicing for the parade.

Trump Presses China

Trump said a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem".

"If China decides to help, that would be great," he tweeted. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!" Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week.

China's UN ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China's call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.

We believe that it is highly important to move toward denuclearization, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.

Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on.

South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation".

North Korea's foreign ministry said the approach of the US Navy strike group showed Washington's "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase".

"We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said.

US officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.

A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented.

Russia's Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of US foreign policy, particularly North Korea.

"We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement.

China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said.

On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said.

China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country's most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented.
She claimed that Batten has treated her like slave by tying her to bed and giving shocks to her breasts and vagina. (Photo: Pixabay)

London: Being 'obsessed with sadomasochistic sexual practices', a 43-year-old man sexually assaulted his girlfriend by sending shock waves through her vagina while having a bondage sex.

According to a report in Daily Mail, Keiren Batten tortured his 27-year-old girlfriend with a home-made shocker' as he sent 240 volts through her vagina while she was strapped to a restraint board, the court heard.

During a trial in Cambridge Crown Court, the judge heard that alleged victim gave in her consent for bondage after her partner Keiren Batten called her boring in bed.

The woman, during her video interview to the police, said that she never had kinky sex with anyone before. She claimed that Batten has treated her like slave by tying her to bed and giving shocks to her breasts and vagina.

She mentioned that this started with dressing gown cords and my arms tied to the end of the bed, like Fifty Shades of Grey but then it got further and further and I felt really uncomfortable but I just took it because he said I was boring.

The prosecutor in his argument pointed out that the accused is bondage lover and would go to any extent to see his victim in pain. He used her to satisfy his physical, dangerous sexual desires bondage, sadism and restraint, he added.

The woman, in her statement to court, said that Batten first hurt her by attaching the crocodile clips of the shocker to her breasts and then sent shocks that were utterly painful.

He doesnt stop there and this time he clipped it to vagina by promising her that he won't turn on the electricity, however, he did send the shock and was in severe pain, she added.

Describing Batten as cheater, the woman complained to police about the harassment she went through as she had never given consent to send shock waves through her vagina.

Refusing charges of sexual assault, Batten in his defence claimed that the woman never went on the bondage board and that the sex was consensual.

The incident took place in 2014 but the trial in the case still underway.
Last summer, the newspaper had made 'false and defamatory claims' about Trumps work as a professional model, according to the report. (Photo: AP)

London: British tabloid the Daily Mail has apologised to US First Lady Melania Trump and agreed to pay damages to settle a libel claim she brought.

According to a report in The Guardian, the apology, which will be published in the Daily Mail and on its website reads: The Daily Mail newspaper and the Mail Online/DailyMail.com website published an article on 20th August 2016 about Melania Trump which questioned the nature of her work as a professional model, and republished allegations that she provided services beyond simply modelling.

Last summer, the newspaper had made false and defamatory claims about Trumps work as a professional model, according to the report.

An agreed statement, on behalf of the daily and the First Lady, was produced in front of Justice Nicole in court 14 of the royal courts.

In the statement, The Daily Mail admits that the all the allegations against Melania Trump were false and has withdrawn them. They also apologised for the 'distress' caused to the First Lady and would pay the damages and costs.

However, there has been no mention of the amount the newspaper would pay for damages.

The article in question was published on August 20, 2016, under the headline, Racy photos and troubling questions about his wifes past that could derail (Donald) Trump.

It also included statements that she, along with the head of the modelling agency Paulo Zampolli, had denied the allegations published by the paper.

In addition to this, the article had claimed that Mr and Mrs Trump could have met three years before they actually met and staged the next meeting as their first one.
Mogadishu (Somalia): Somalia's military has rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said on Wednesday.

The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the town's mayor, told The Associated Press.

Four pirates were arrested during the operation, he said.

All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two had been freed in the ship on Sunday, the mayor said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.

Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.

"They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal," the mayor said.

In recent weeks there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalia's coast after five years of inactivity. The piracy was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry but lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near Somalia, whose weak central government has been trying to stabilize the country after 25 years of conflict.

But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign ships illegally fishing in local waters.

In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.

Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy. On Saturday, pirates boarded the Lebanese-registered OS 35 cargo ship but abandoned it the next day before naval forces recovered the ship.
An armoured police vehicle was being repaired at the facility before the blast occurred on Tuesday, killing three people. (Photo: AP)

Ankara: Turkey's Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu says an explosion that hit a police station in the mainly-Kurdish city of Diyarbakir was the result of a "terror attack."

An armoured police vehicle was being repaired at the facility before the blast occurred on Tuesday, killing three people.

Soylu had initially said the explosion appeared to be accidental. On Wednesday, however, he said investigators had concluded that it was an attack by assailants who had dug tunnels and placed explosives beneath the vehicle repair facility.

Soylu told Haber Turk news channel: "Last night, it became clear that it was a terror attack."

He did not say who was suspected of being behind the attack. Kurdish rebels, engaged in a renewed battle against the government forces, have previously targeted police in the region.
Beijing: The people of Arunachal Pradesh live "difficult lives" under India's "illegal" rule and they look forward to returning to China, a state-run Chinese daily claimed on Wednesday as it criticised New Delhi for allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the frontier state.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaders ongoing visit to the region.

"Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China," a provocative article in the China Daily said.

The article, however, skirted the media reports about the periodic protests in Tibet, including more than 120 self-immolations by Tibetans against the Communist Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lama's visit shows "he can't wait to give away Tawang district", which happens to be the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama in 1683 and is at the centre of Tibetan Buddhism, "in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group."

"One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker," it said about the 81-year-old spiritual leader and Nobel laureate.

The article said the Dalai Lama's visit is "testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace."

"Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lama's eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his master's favour," it said.

"He has described himself a 'son of India' more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a 'son of India' by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability," it said.

India and China have been negotiating to resolve the border dispute for more than 20 years but an agreement is yet to be reached.

The dispute covers the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control. While China claims parts of Arunachal as Southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute also covers the Aksai Chin area which China occupied during the 1962 Sino-India war.

The article said the Dalai Lama has "betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither."

The Dalai Lama is in Arunachal on a nine-day visit and this is not the first time he has visited the state. In 2009, the Tibetan spiritual leader visited the region, which too was opposed by the Chinese government.

China has lodged a diplomatic protest to India over the visit and a number of articles and editorials in the Chinese state media have attacked the spiritual leader over the visit.

The Chinese foreign ministry said yesterday it will select the next highest monk of Tibetan Buddhism through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn at Dachau Temple in Lhasa, dismissing the Dalai Lama's assertion that Beijing cannot choose his successor.

"All reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has followed the religious rituals and history rules," it said in a written response to queries about the Dalai Lama's recent comments.

Today's article also accused the Dalai Lama of changing his stand on Arunachal Pradesh during his 58-year-long exile in India. It said, "even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's 'sovereignty' over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed."

To support China's claim over parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the article cited historical events, saying the state was "separated" from China by the "so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Shimla Accord, a treaty that was never validated".
Kashimpur, Bangladesh: Bangladesh hanged three Islamist extremists including the leader of a banned militant outfit on Wednesday, after they were sentenced to death over a 2004 grenade attack on the British ambassador.

The authorities hanged Mufti Abdul Hannan, the leader of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI), and one of his associates at Kashimpur prison just outside Dhaka and another associate in a jail in the northeastern city of Sylhet, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

"They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT)," he told AFP.

The three were sentenced to death in 2008 for the grenade attack four years earlier at a 14th-century Sufi shrine in Sylhet, which killed three people and injured the British high commissioner at the time.

Bangladesh's highest court last month upheld the death sentence, rejecting the final appeals by Hannan and the two associates, Delwar Hossain and Sharif Shahedul Islam.

They had sought clemency from the Bangladesh President in a last-ditch attempt to commute the execution orders to life sentences, but he rejected their pleas.

A madrassa teacher who studied in India and Pakistan, Hannan, 60, fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, a group founded for jihadists who fought in that war.

Prosecutors said Hannan had headed HuJI since the late 1990s, masterminding deadly attacks on a church, secular gatherings, and mosques used by Islam's minority sects.

In August 2004, in one of the country's deadliest extremist attacks, he masterminded the blasts at a political rally of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outside her party office in central Dhaka.

Hasina, then leader of the opposition, narrowly survived what she said was an assassination attempt. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

By the time Hannan was arrested in late 2005, more than 100 people had been killed in attacks he orchestrated across the Muslim-majority nation.

HuJI was the first Islamist militant outfit to emerge in Bangladesh, and rose to prominence as Hannan escalated its deadly operations under his leadership.

Security has been tight at the Kashimpur prison and Sylhet prisons with hundreds of policemen and an elite security force patrolling outside the facilities.

Last month suspected Islamist extremists hurled bombs at a prison van in a daring attempt to free Hannan near the Kashimpur jail. Police arrested a 24-year-old former Madrassa student from the scene.
Beijing: Furious over India allowing the Dalai Lama to visit Arunachal Pradesh despite opposition from China, Beijing on Wednesday warned that this action will have a "negative impact" on bilateral relations between the two sides.

Media reports quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, as saying in a press conference, "When the Indian side violated commitments on relevant issues, the Indian side insisted on arranging the visit of the Dalai Lama in the disputed section of the China-Indian boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representations and it will, of course, have a negative impact on bilateral relations."

Kang added that Beijing will take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the "provocative" statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and "some specific Indian official" in an apparent reference to the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu.

"What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has a negative impact on the proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations," the spokesperson said.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lama, whom it regard as a dangerous separatist, visiting Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, as it considers the region as Southern Tibet.

Meanwhile, India has repeatedly said that no political colour should be attributed to the Dalai Lama's Arunachal visit, which it described as religious and spiritual.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday met army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, even as India mulls options to respond to its neighbour over the death sentence to former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.

According to reports, it was decided at the meeting that 'no compromises would be made on Pakistans national security and integrity'. Nawaz Sharif and Qamar Javed Bajwa decided that no pressure could influence Pakistans decision about Jadhav.

New Delhi has said that Jadhavs execution will be considered "premeditated murder" and that India would take necessary action to save him. Jadhavs death sentence, given by a Pakistani military court has been condemned by all parties in Parliament. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj warned Islamabad of the consequences on the two countries bilateral ties if they carried out the execution.

However, Sharif's office said there was no mention of Jadhav during the talks. The statement said, Matters pertaining to the professional preparedness of Pak Army, current security and border situation of the country came under discussion, during the meeting.
The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life. (Representational Image) (File Photo)

Lahore: In a gruesome incident, a 15-year-old boy's sexual organ was chopped off and eyes pricked by the family members of a girl who suspected him of having an illicit relationship with her in Pakistan's Punjab province.

The boy, a class nine student, was robbed off his sight for the rest of his life but doctors managed to save his life. The incident came to light on Tuesday after the boy's family protested against the girl's family members in Raiwind area of Lahore city and demanded action against them.

The boy was kidnapped by the girl's father and his accomplices on suspicion of having an illicit relationship with his daughter in the last week of February, according to the FIR lodged by the boy's family.

The accused after "kidnapping" the boy from his school took him to a deserted place near Ravi river and chopped off his sexual organ, pricked his eyes in revenge and fled.

The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life. His father has alleged that a lawmaker from the ruling

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is backing the accused.

The boy's father has urged Pakistan's Chief Justice for intervene in the matter. Lahore senior police officer Haider Ashraf said all the five accused have been arrested. "We will submit the challan of the case after completing investigation," he said.
Lahore: With India promising severe consequences in bilateral ties if Pakistan carries out the death sentence on alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, former president Pervez Musharraf has called on the government to be wary of sharp backlash from New Delhi on the matter.

Rejecting India's claims that Jadhav's trail was unfair, Musharraf maintained that the trial was carried out according to the procedure prescribed in Pakistan's law and said, "for anyone involved in espionage and sabotage, the case is tried in military court, a lawyer is assigned to defend the accused and the procedure is the same for Pakistanis as well as foreigners. Jadhav was tried according to the same procedure."

"Jadhav opted for a civilian defence lawyer, which was provided to him, it is a misconception that there is no defence in court martial cases. Consul access was denied to him as it was a case of espionage, it is standard practice," he further added in an interview on ARY TV

Talking about Jadhav's options, he added that according to military law, the alleged Indian spy can appeal to a appellate bench or take the matter to the Supreme Court and if that doesn't work out, the last resort is a mercy plea to the President.

Musharraf also noted it would be wise for Pakistan to expect prospective backlash when the Indian government takes the matter up on international forums.

Foreseeing a deeper strain in Pak-India relations, Musharraf said, "There will be a sharp rise in tension between Pakistan and India. Their media has already started using their pet term 'rogue army'. If they think our army is rogue, what is their army doing in Kashmir, have they forgotten what happened to Sikhs in their country?"

"Pakistan has to stand fast against India's accusations of the move being of 'premeditated murder'. I would like to remind everyone of how India dealt with Ajmal Kasab, Kassab was one non state actor involved in one incident, this man was responsible for launching several such incidents in Balochistan and Karachi. Who is a greater criminal if we were to talk numbers?"

Indian External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj issued a stern warning to Pakistan saying that Islamabad should be wary of taking such an extreme step as it could result in damaging the bilateral relations between the already hostile neighbors.

"It is an indefensible verdict against an innocent Indian citizen. We have no option but to deem the sentence a premeditated murder. Our position is very clear, there is no evidence of wrongdoing by Kulbhushan Jadhav. I would caution Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," said Swaraj.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had also assured Lok Sabha MPs that the Centre will do everything possible to save Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Speaking in Lok Sabha, Rajnath Singh said, ''The government of India strongly condemns Pakistan's move to send Kulbhushan Jadhav to gallows on false charges of being a spy.''

Jadhav was arrested in March last year, "for his involvement in espionage and sabotage activities against Pakistan," according to a statement released by the Pakistan armed forces.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping has urged Donald Trump to peacefully resolve tensions over North Koreas nuclear programme, as the US President touted the power of a naval armada steaming towards the Korean peninsula.

Chinas foreign ministry said on Wednesday the two leaders had spoken by phone, days after Mr Trump sent the aircraft carrier-led strike group to the region in a show of force ahead of a possible nuclear test.

The deployment was followed by a renewed warning that Washington was ready to take on North Korea alone if Beijing declined to help rein in its neighbours nuclear ambitions. Pyongyang has issued a defiant response, saying it was ready to fight any mode of war chosen by the US and even threatening a nuclear strike against US targets.

The sabre-rattling has unnerved China, which has made clear its frustration with Pyongyangs stubbornness but whose priority remains preventing any military flare-up that could bring chaos and instability to its doorstep. In the call, Xi stressed that China advocates resolving the issue through peaceful means, the foreign ministry said. China has reportedly deployed 1,50,000 troops to the North Korean border to prepare for pre-emptive attacks against North korea.
Marine experts and faculty of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to grant environmental clearance to the proposed port at Tadadi in the Aghanshini estuary of Uttara Kannada district.



In a letter to the prime minister in March, Prof T V Ramachandra, Co-ordinator, Energy and Wetlands Research Group, Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc stressed that the port is ecologically important and is also too small to be developed as a major port.



The Centre has proposed to upgrade Tadadi port to international standards with a facility to anchor at least 200 ships. As part of the Sagar Mala Programme, the government has proposed three ports in Uttara Kananda  in Haldipur (Honnavar), Sharavathi (Honnavar) and Tadadi.



Environmentalists are questioning the need to develop Tadadi port when extraction and shipping of iron ore in banned. Tadadi in Kumta taluk, falls under the Coastal Zonal Regulation zone- 1 (CZR-1) and removal of mangroves will amount to violation of norms of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF), point out experts.



In the letter to the prime minister and Anil Dave, Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the IISc professor said: Considering the looming threat of climate change (rise in sea level), the livelihood of 4,500 families and since the region is in the Coastal Zonal Regulation (CZR)- 1 and is biologically rich, it is appropriate to shelve the proposed project.



Moreover, the Karnataka Biodiversity Board had declared the Aghanashini estuary as a Biodiversity Heritage Site in 2002. The Aghanashini River is ancient and the estuary is endowed with rich fishery and mangroves. Around 6,000 fishermens families are dependent on the estuary for fish, bivalves, sand and salt. The value of the ecosystem is said to be worth over Rs 11 lakh per hectare, Ramachandra added.



V N Nayak, chairman, Department of Marine Biology, Karwar, who has prepared a detailed report on the port said that they have also requested MP Ananth Kumar Hegde to press the Centre not to commercialise the port. Earlier, the plan was to make Tadadi a port when iron ore export was rampant. But since that has stopped, there was no threat. The government was also keen to privatise it, he said.



According to an office memorandum issued on November 2009 by the MoEF on the new policy of expansion of existing ports and initiation of new projects along the coastline, Tadadi had been declared a critical erosion zone. According to CZR, areas which are prone to soil erosion shall not be considered for location ports and harbours.

DH News Service
A father of two was so smitten by his neighbour that he fatally stabbed her when she rejected his advances. Another woman who rushed to the victims rescue was also injured. The incident occurred on Siddharth Road in Deepanjali Nagar, western Bengaluru.



Girish (35), a painter by profession, was making advances at his neighbour, Shobha (25), an MBA graduate on job-hunting. Her parents were no more and she was living with her brother.



Girish, who is married and has two children, proposed to Shobha many times but she didnt reciprocate. Things came to a head when Shobha asked him to stay away from her.



Girish held a grudge against her and publicly teased her. Around 12.30 pm on Tuesday, he saw her talking to two women in the locality. He waited until the women left. He then approached her and proposed to her again. She got upset and asked him to go away. In a moment of rage, Girish took out a knife and stabbed her in the abdomen.



A neighbour named Vijayamma (50) witnessed the assault and rushed to Shobhas rescue but Girish stabbed her too and ran away. I was in the house when Shobha started screaming for help. Two of us ran out and saw her bleeding profusely. We took both Shobha and Vijayamma to Victoria Hospital but doctors declared Shobha brought dead, Shobhas relative Lakshmamma told DH.



Vijayammas condition is stable. The jurisdictional Byatarayanapura police picked up Girish hours later. His wife, however, told them she didnt knew about his love for Shobha.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said Indira Canteens will start in two months in all 198 wards of the city and based on their success, the scheme will be implemented across the state.



Speaking during the Kempegowda Jayanthi at the BBMP head office, Siddaramaiah hailed the BBMP for its tradition of paying homage to the founder of Bengaluru city. He said the state government will start observing Kempegowda Day across Karnataka on April 17. He said he will take a decision after consulting the head of the Adi Chunchanagiri Mutt, Swami Nirmalanandanatha.



Siddaramaiah emphasised that the BBMP should strive to achieve the Smart City tag. He advised the Palike administration to make the city clean by having a strong solid waste management system in place.



The chief minister said the state government has released a grant of Rs 7,300 crore for the improvement of the citys infrastructure, which should be utilised completely by December-end.



The works should not be limited only to groundbreaking ceremonies. There should be progress in the work, which should finish by December-end, the chief minister said.



As many as 220 people got the Kempegowda Award on Tuesday as against 158 names announced on Monday under various categories.
Hundreds of devotees and members of Tigala community took part in the 'Hoovina Karaga' on Tuesday night as part of the annual Karaga festival.



A Jnanendra, the Karaga carrier offered puja at Dharmaraya Swamy temple and symbolically flagged off the Karaga procession. Dressed as a woman, Jnanendra, one of the priests from the temple was the cynosure of everyone's eyes. As he stepped outside the temple after offering prayers with sword in one hand and Karaga on his head, devotees chanted 'Govinda Govinda' amid drum rolls and sounds from musical instruments.



The Karaga procession passed Gollarapet, Tigalarapet, Kumbarpet, Akkipet, Aralepet and around KR Market. People showered flowers on Hoovina Karaga as the procession passed.



Before the procession, Jnanendra offered prayers to Draupadi at Cubbon Park Shakti Peetha. The community members later honoured him by offering a sari, bangles and fruits after which he was taken to the temple. At around 10 pm, he was adorned with necklaces and a turmeric coloured sari to make him look like a bride. The Karaga, organised by the temple management every year, began on April 3 this year.



6 lakh Tigalas in Bengaluru



Karaga festival committee member K Lakshmana said there are six lakh Tigalas in the city and 80% of them are engaged in horticulture. The rest own mandis and run small businesses. He added that Karaga is being organised at a cost of around Rs 50 lakh and is borne by the temple management and the BBMP.



Long history



One of the oldest festivals celebrated in the heart of Bengaluru, Karaga has a long history and is believed to have been practised during the Mahabharata era.



Tigalas believe that in the last part of the Mahabharata, when the Pandavas were shown a glimpse of hell, one last demon Tripurasura was still alive. During this time, Draupadi, the Pandava's wife took the form of Shakthi Devi and created a huge army of soldiers called the Veerakumaras. After the defeat of the demon, the soldiers appealed to Shakthi Devi to stay back with them. She promised them that she would come back to earth once every year.
The people of Arunachal Pradesh live "difficult lives" under India's "illegal" rule and they look forward to returning to China, a state-run Chinese daily claimed today as it criticised New Delhi for allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the frontier state. China is opposed to the Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaders's ongoing visit to the region.



"Under India's illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China," a provocative article in the China Daily said. The article, however, skirted the media reports about the periodic protests in Tibet, including more than 120 self- immolations by Tibetans against the Communist Chinese rule.



The Dalai Lama's visit shows "he can't wait to give away Tawang district", which happens to be the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama in 1683 and is at the centre of Tibetan Buddhism, "in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group." "One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker," it said about the 81-year-old spiritual leader and Nobel laureate.



The article said the Dalai Lama's visit is "testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace." "Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lama's eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his master's favour," it said.



"He has described himself a 'son of India' more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a 'son of India' by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability," it said.



India and China have been negotiating to resolve the border dispute for more than 20 years but an agreement is yet to be reached. The dispute covers the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control. While China claims parts of Arunachal as Southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute also covers the Aksai Chin area which China occupied during the 1962 Sino-India war.



The article said the Dalai Lama has "betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lama's visit to the sensitive region benefits neither."



The Dalai Lama is in Arunachal on a nine-day visit and this is not the first time he has visited the state. In 2009, the Tibetan spiritual leader visited the region, which too was opposed by the Chinese government.



China has lodged a diplomatic protest to India over the visit and a number of articles and editorials in the Chinese state media have attacked the spiritual leader over the visit. The Chinese foreign ministry said yesterday it will select the next highest monk of Tibetan Buddhism through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn at Dachau Temple in Lhasa, dismissing the Dalai Lama's assertion that Beijing cannot choose his successor.



"All reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has followed the religious rituals and history rules," it said in a written response to queries about the Dalai Lama's recent comments. Today's article also accused the Dalai Lama of changing his stand on Arunachal Pradesh during his 58-year-long exile in India. It said, "even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's 'sovereignty' over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed."



To support China's claim over parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the article cited historical events, saying the state was "separated" from China by the "so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Shimla Accord, a treaty that was never validated".


In a shocking incident, a police officer in Tamil Nadu brutely attacked a woman during the anti-liquor agitation in Tirupur district, triggering an outcry across the State even as National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday issued notice to the government over cop excess against protesters.



Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police (ADSP) Pandiarajan, attached to Tirupur police station, forcefully slapped a 35-year old Easwari in a public view when she protested along with others against the opening of a liquor shop in Samalapuram area.



Pandiarajan not only beaten the woman but also ordered lathi charge against the protesters in which more than 20 persons sustained injuries with couple of them received severe head injuries.



The incident, which was picked up in the CCTV cameras, went viral on the various social media, resulting in a public outcry, with various women organisations and political parties including the Opposition DMK, BJP and Congress condemned the police behaviour and demanded stringent action against him.



Even Madras High Court, which took up the matter, directed that the injured in police action should be given treatment in the hospitals of their choice at the expense of the Government.



In addition, the NHRC also issued notices to the Chief Secretary and State DGP calling for reports within two weeks on the reported incident of police excess while dispersing about 300 people, who were protesting against the opening of a liquor shop in the residential area.



Observing that the police had taken law into their hands by exceeding their power in resorting to indiscriminate beating of the protestors and in fact a senior officer himself had gone to the extent of beating women who were standing helpless and defenseless, the Commission said the act of the police is nothing but serious violation of human rights and that too rights guaranteed to women for their self-respect.




Leaders of 13 opposition parties, led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday knocked on President Pranab Mukherjee's door accusing the Modi government of trying to muzzle voices of dissent.



In a five-page memorandum submitted to Mukherjee, the opposition leaders cited a number of incidents including increasing cow vigilantism, reports of tampering of EVMs, orchestrating inflammatory narrative on nationalism and misusing brute majority in the Lok Sabha to scuttle Parliamentary debate and scrutiny of Bills.



We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect India's constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters.



The delegation led by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh comprised Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, M Veerappa Moily, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Sharad Yadav (JD-U), Satish Mishra (BSP), Neeraj Shekhar (SP), Tariq Anwar (NCP) D Raja (CPI) and leaders from Trinamool, DMK and RJD.



Many key bills masked as Money Bills expose the intention of the government to deny the Council of States its constitutional position in the enactment of laws. Changing 11 Acts through the omnibus Finance Bill, 2017 is unprecedented, improper and shocking, they said.



The delegation also raised issues of alleged tampering and malfunctioning of EVMs that tha raised bonafide concerns on the possibility of manipulating electoral outcomes.



I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu dismissed the opposition claims as a disinformation campaign. Today they (opposition) had gone to the President & made all sorts of baseless, absurd allegations. They are just inventing issues now, Naidu said.



The Opposition leaders cited recent incidents of lynching of a dairy farmer in Alwar in Rajasthan and similar incidents in Una in Gujarat, Dadri in Uttar Pradesh and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.



In a democracy, the rule of law must prevail, but self- styled lumpen elements have indulged in violence, mob lynching of citizens and harassment is being witnessed across the country, the opposition said.


A former employee of ScoopWhoop has alleged that she was sexually harassed by a co-founder of the online news portal, weeks after TVF's Arunabh Kumar was booked by Mumbai Police on similar charges.



In a complaint filed at Vasant Kunj (South) police station south Delhi last month, the woman has alleged that the news portal's co-founder Suparn Pandey touched her inappropriately and even sent her suggestive videos, said a senior police officer.



The officer said that Pandey has been booked for sexual harassment, using word or gesture to outrage the modesty of a woman and criminal intimidation.



The complainant has also alleged that her pleas to the office administration went unheard.



Police are investigating the case and no arrest has been made so far.



In an official statement, ScoopWhoop said, "We are extending full cooperation to the police to conduct a full and fair investigation into the matter."



"ScoopWhoop strongly condemns any kind of harassment at the workplace. We work towards ensuring a safe and secure workplace for all our employees and take any complaints of harassment extremely seriously...We are fully prepared to accept the findings of the investigations and dutifully take the necessary action if found guilty," it said.



The matter is also being inquired by ScoopWhoop's Internal Complaints Committee.



Last month, an anonymous blog post by a woman alleging sexual harassment to her by The Viral Fever CEO Arunabh Kumar when she worked at the firm between 2014 and 2016 had gone viral. It was followed by similar allegations by some other women.



Two cases of sexual harassment were filed against Kumar in separate police stations in Mumbai. One of the cases was lodged based on a complaint filed by a former employee of TVF.




Somalia security forces today freed eight sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off a hijacked Indian ship earlier this week, a coast guard official said.



"The eight hostages were freed without fighting. The security forces overwhelmingly besieged them and the pirates tried to flee, but three of them were captured," Abdirashid Mohamed Ahmed, deputy commander of the maritime force in Somalia's Galmudug state said.



Pirates stormed the "Al Kausar" ship off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31, holding the 10-man crew hostage and making ransom demands.



Somali security forces liberated the vessel on Monday, rescuing two Indian crew members, but the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages during an exchange of gunfire.



Ahmed said the newly freed crew members were "safe and healthy."



The Al Kausar, which was transporting cargo including wheat and sugar from Dubai via Yemen to Somalia's Bossaso port, was the third vessel hijacked in the space of less than a month off the coast of the East African nation.



Experts have warned that shipping companies have let down their guard after the piracy crisis reached its height five years ago.



Somali pirates began attacking ships in 2005, disrupting a major shipping route in the Red Sea and costing the global economy billions of dollars.



At the peak of the piracy crisis in January 2011, 32 boats and 736 hostages were held.



Though anti-piracy measures ended attacks on commercial vessels, fishing boats have continued to face attacks sporadically.



However on March 13, pirates seized the Aris 13 oil tanker and eight Sri Lankan hostages in the first attack on a large merchant vessel by Somali pirates since 2012.



The pirates say they are reacting to illegal fishing off their coast, which has long been seen as the major driver of piracy in the country.



Though the pirates have held some hostages for as long as five years, they released the Aris 13 and its crew just four days after its seizure.




A delegation of DMK airdashed to Mumbai and met Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao to seek the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami and five other ministers in the wake of the by-elections to the prestigious RK Nagar constituency that was cancelled by Election Commission for charges of massive corruption and bribery.



The three-member DMK team led by R S Bharathi and comprising TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva - all of them MPs - carried a letter of M K Stalin, the working President of DMK and Leader of Opposition of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, which also demanded a CBI probe into the charges.



Rao, who is the Governor of Maharashtra also holds the additional charge of Tamil Nadu, that is witnessing a chain of political developments following the death of J Jayalalithaa - the power struggle, swearing in of O Panneerselvam as the CM, emergence of Sasikala as the party general secretary, sacking of the Chief Minister, her being sent to jail and Edappadi Palaniswami made head of the government. The power strugle between the AIADMK (Amma) headed by TTV Dinakaran and AIADMA (Puratchi Thalaivi Amma) headed by Panneerselvam has become the talking point of TN politics.



The RK Nagar bypoll, earlier scheduled for Wednesday, has been cancelled by the EC following reports of bribery and corruption and Income Tax raids on Health Minister C Vijayabaskar as well as some important members of the AIADMK (Amma), the Sasikala-led faction, in which cash was seized. It came to be noticed that the money was being paid to votors.



In the memorandum submitted to Governor, Stalin said: "The Chief Minister and his puppet Cabinet ministers particularly Vijaya Bhaskar appears to have entered a criminal conspiracy to spend nearly Rs 100 crore of ill-gotten wealth to bribe each voter in the constituency....they have instructed party workers to go house by house, lane by lane and pay up to Rs 10,000 per voter and to distribute gifts like lamps, sarees, veshtis, milk tokens and phone recharges....these persons in fact misused the state's administrative machinery including police vans, official cars of ministers fitted with red lights to carry the cash meant for distribution for voters." Quoting media reports, it pointed out that documents seized showed that bribes were given to 2.24 lakh voters of the 2.63 lakh voters.



While seeking dismissal of the Chief Minister and others, Stalin went on to write: "...I can say with surety that no other state in India has had the ignominy of having its sitting Chief Minister and council-of-ministers act as bribing agents, shamelessly tarnishing not only the office they hold but also the edifice of democracy which is manifest in the electoral process. Such flagrant and unrepentant acts of these persons should not go unpunished lest it sends a message to one and all that there are no consequences for such corrupt and nefarious schemes."






The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Union government to hold a meeting of all stake-holders with regard to construction of Satluj-Yamuna link canal on April 20.



We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution...it (the matter) is question of an execution of the decree passed by this court. It is in the interest of everyone, a bench of Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said.



The court posted the plea made by the Haryana for execution of the decree of the apex court on construction of the canal for consideration on April 27.



Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that a meeting has been organised on April 20 at the highest level. The Union government is trying to find out the solution, he said.



If it is not settled (between the parties), we will continue to hold the hearing, the bench said on a plea by Haryana, represented by senior advocate Shyam Divan, that the matter should be heard by the court.



The meeting has been called on April 20 after Punjab chief minister Capt Amrinder Singh has raised certain issues on Ravi Beas waters with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a memorandum. It would discuss the issues for equitable and optimal utilisation of precious resources and to facilitate amicable resolution of the issue.



The Punjab government, represented by senior advocates Ram Jethmalani and R S Suri had earlier insisted for the Union government to play the role of an arbitrator to resolve its dispute with Haryana on constructing 214-km long canal to link Satluj and Yamuna rivers.



Haryana had pressed for direction to digging of the canal as there have been directions in its favour by the apex court in 2002 and 2004. In response to Presidential reference, a Constitution Bench had on November 10 held that Punjab could not have taken a unilateral decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh on sharing of the Ravi-Beas river waters.



The apex court had subsequently directed for maintaining status quo on properties of the Satluj-Yamuna link canal. It had also ordered both Punjab and Haryana to maintain law and order.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday questioned the opposition for stalling a bill in Rajya Sabha that seeks to grant constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Castes.



The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday reffered the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-third Amendment) Bill, 2017, to a 25-member select committee of parliament headed by BJP MP Bhupender Yadav owing to strong reservation from opposition which outnumber treasurey benches in the House. The panel will have to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the next monsoon session.



Earlier, the Lok Sabha had passed the constitutional amendment legislation with two-third majority amidst concern by opposition parties and some NDA allies on infringment of state's rights in the proposed National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC) which would replace the existing panel for OBCs. Once the bills are passed, states would lose the right to prepeare its own backward castes list. The centre will have to merely "consult" states for preparing the list -- which is also a contentious point for the opposition.



BJP general secretary Bhupendra Yadav told reporters that "PM said it's matter of surprise that it (the OBC Bill) wasn't passed by the RS despite consensus among all parties". Yadav who was present in the meeting also qouted Modi as having said that the bill will ensure justice and social empowerment of the backward sections of the society and that it would have been better if the bill was passed in this session of the budget which concluded on Wednesday.



Modi expressed his displeasure during his address to the OBC MPs of the BJP who had assembled at a parliament conference room in the morning to felicitate the PM for giving Constitutional backing to the commission - a long pending demand of the deprived communities which had found echo even in earlier parliament reports on the issue.



Now NCSEBC will be at par with National Commission for Schedule Castes and National Commission for Schedule Tribes, with both deriving their powers from the constitution for their uplifthment and greivance redressal.



Modi told the lawmakers to publicise the new OBC empowering legislation among the people as the BJP believes its a payback from the government for most deprived classes like Rajbhars, Mauryas and Passis, for their mass support to the party during the just held Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.




Tension prevailed in Jamalpur area here after activists of a Hindu outfit tried to intervene on behalf of a Muslim woman who was squatting outside her in- laws' house with her four-year-old daughter after the family refused to let them in.



The woman Rihana (30) said she wanted justice for her daughter and herself but if it was denied she could resort to any extreme measure including embracing Hinduism. According to police, Rihana hailed from neighbouring Bulandshahr district and was married to Mohammad Shareef in 2012. Due to marital discord she and her child moved to her parents' house.



When all efforts to reach an amicable settlement failed, Rihana, her daughter and her entire family went to her husband's house yesterday in a predominantly Muslim locality here, but were not allowed inside.



The woman's family squatted at the door and soon a crowd gathered. Some prominent local Hindu Mahasabha leaders arrived and assured her they will take up her cause so she gets justice.



The presence of Hindu activists led to tension in the area. Police officials rushed to the spot and defused the situation. In the evening, the Hindu activists took her to meet Puja Shakun, National General Secretary of the Mahasabha.



Rihana told journalists her case had nothing to do with the issue of triple talaq. Superintendent of Police, City, Atul Srivastava, told PTI that they were trying to help in working out a settlement.



The woman and her family later returned to Bulandshahr and have decided to come back to Aligarh again to resume their protest if things were not sorted out.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa today agreed not to come under any pressure on the issue of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death on charges of spying, according to a media report.



Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bajwa met Sharif and took the prime minister into confidence regarding the issue of Jadhav, Samaa TV reported. "They agreed not to come under any pressure" on the issue of Jadhav, the channel said, without giving the details.



During the meeting, they discussed matters pertaining to professional preparedness of army, the current security and border situation at their meeting held in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.



General Bajwa also apprised the prime minister about the progress made in the ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, a terror operation launched by the Pakistan Army to eliminate terrorism.



It was the first direct interaction between the army chief and the prime minister. The meeting comes two days after the army chief approved the execution of Jadhav after a military court sentenced him to death for "espionage and sabotage activities", evoking a sharp reaction from India which warned Islamabad to consider the consequences on bilateral ties if he is hanged.



External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj yesterday made a statement in both the Houses, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".



Jadhav's execution will be taken by India as a "pre- meditated murder" and Pakistan should consider its consequences on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, Swaraj warned.



She said the charges against Jadhav, who was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan, are "concocted" and the trial against him was "farcical", leading to an "indefensible verdict".
Chetan Maini, the man who revolutionised the Indian car industry by launching Reva Electric Car Company (now Mahindra Electric) in 1995, is back with new venture SUN Mobility.



Maini aims to address the challenges faced by electric vehicle companies like high cost, long charging time and lack of infrastructure.



With the government aiming for Indias car, scooter and motorbike fleet to be 100% electric by 2030, SUN Mobilitys solution will offer smart batteries, quick interchange battery station based on a unique open architecture, SUN Mobility Vice Chairman Chetan Maini told reporters.



For the last 24 months, the company is working on creating core intellectual property (IP), key technologies, creating partnerships with multiple stakeholders including initial conversations with OEMs (original equipment manufacturers).



Over the next 18 months, we are going to be piloting our Smart Network across different products including two-wheeler, three-wheeler, passenger cars and electric buses in different cities. We believe that in the next two years post the pilot we will ready to scale up. A lot has to come together as it is a complex project, Maini added.



When asked on how a consumer benefits, Maini said, They can go electric with faster refuelling, lower cost and more convenience than a traditional diesel/petrol vehicle.
Bangladesh tonight executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.



Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 PM, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was quoted as saying by the Bdnews24.com. His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added. President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.



The then Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.



The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.



A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.



Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.



HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan. The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organization and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.



Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.
The police are all set to take stringent action against ganja sale and trafficking in the district.



Briefing the house at the general body meeting held in zilla panchayat, Additional SP Vishnuvardhan said that three teams have been formed under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act, 1985). Each team would comprise DySP, PSI and DCIB personnel with 10 to 12 members. These personnel will work in civilian attire.



He said that recently, 1.4 kg ganja was seized in Manipal. He said two highway patrolling vehicles are constantly on vigil at highways.



Percolation ponds



Zilla panchayat president Dinaker Babu said that the zilla panchayat would take up water conservation by introducing percolation ponds during monsoon. The zilla panchayat president added that the zilla panchayat will be role model for the state as all zilla panchayat members will implement rain water harvesting in their houses. Prathap Hegde Marali said that the underground water table has reached 500 meter deep, which is alarming.



Delay in release of fund



The delay in the release of the funds for the beneficiaries of various housing schemes was also discussed. Member Janardhan Thonse said that under Basava Vasati Yojane, the beneficiaries are waiting for funds. The amount is not released even after the GPS uploading of the photos of the houses are done and the bills are sent, he said.



Expressing concern, Thonse said that the house cannot be built after one month as the rains will lash the district. He also demanded the details over the technical snag. He said that the poor people have to repeatedly approach banks and return empty handed, he said.



The official concerned said that for the year 2016-17, the audit process on GPS is being carried out. The procedure is done all over the state, hence the delay in the fund release. The funds would be released shortly. Deputy Commissioner and Zilla Panchayat Chief Executive Officer Priyanka Mary Francis said that she would try her best for the immediate release of funds.



Replying to a query, the Public Works Department executive engineer said that a notice is served for 40 contractors citing the failure in the responsibility after taking the task through tender. The member said that these contractors will be blacklisted.



Vented dams



The other issue that rocked the house is the low-quality construction at vented dam. Wooden planks put across the vented dam in Kokkrane are damaged and have started leaking, barely two years after they were constructed. Member Marali said that water is not released and by November, the water gets exhausted. The vented dams are contructed, where there is no requirement, he said, citing the example of vented dam in Yelajith area.



The deputy commissioner directed the official concerned to work on cost benefit ratio and submit the report at the earliest. The members also said that the compensation package for the farmerswhose farm lands were destroyed due to leakage at 24th km at left bank canal in Varahi irrigation project in June 2015has not been released.



The officer assured that the water shortage problems will be sorted out by supplying water through tanker to the areas where there is shortage. The officer also informed that tender for projects worth Rs 20 crore under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) are underway.
There are many reasons for the sorry state of commercial aviation in America. When it comes to your routinely terrible flight  not to mention the sort of exceptional horror that took place aboard United Airlines Flight 3411 this past weekend  regulatory failures as well as consolidation, which the authorities have allowed to occur unabated for decades, can be blamed.



People in Silicon Valley pride themselves on their capacity to upend entrenched industries. Uber defeated taxi cartels. Airbnb made getting a room cheaper and more accessible. Streaming services are undoing the cable business. Yet the airline industry has not just stubbornly resisted innovation to improve customer service  in many ways, technology has only fueled the industrys race to the bottom.



Everything about United Flight 3411  overselling, underpaying for seats when they are oversold, a cultish refusal to offer immediate contrition, an overall attitude that brutish capitalism is the best that non-elite customers can expect from this fallen world  is baked into the airline industrys business model. And that business model has been accelerated by technology.



Travel search engines rank airlines based on price rather than friendliness or quality of service. Online checking, airport kiosks and apps allow airlines to serve customers with fewer and fewer workers. What we are witnessing is the basest, ugliest form of tech-abetted, bottom-seeking capitalism  one concerned with prices and profits above all else, with little regard for quality of service, or even for the dignity of customers. The airline industry has been on a steady nose dive when it comes to customer service for nearly 40 years, said Henry Harteveldt, the president of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel industry research firm. He noted that US carriers were improving on some metrics  on-time service is up, baggage loss is down and prices keep getting better.



What keeps deteriorating are comfort and quality of service for low-end passengers  most people. Legroom keeps shrinking. Airlines keep tacking on separate fees for amenities we used to consider part of the flight. And customers keep going along with it.

Consumers have shown that theyre willing to put up with an awful lot, including lack of legroom, lack of amenities, mediocre or worse customer service, dirty airplanes and more to save money, Harteveldt said. And the airline industry has evolved to meet that desire for cheap fares.



Part of the problem is how we buy tickets today. The whole system is mercilessly transactional. When you search online, you look for price and travel times, and perhaps you consider some airline loyalty scheme. How the airline treats you  isnt often part of the transaction. As a result, airlines have little incentive to reform themselves. Airline executives will tell you they dont view themselves as being service companies, Harteveldt said. They want Wall Street to view them as industrial companies, and they want consumers to view them as transportation providers. Customer service is just not what the airlines are about.



You can see this in Uniteds initial response to what happened on Flight 3411: I apologise for having to re-accommodate these customers, Oscar Munoz, Uniteds chief executive, said in a statement dripping with all the warmth of a ransom note.



In a letter to employees, he repeatedly suggested that the customer, not the airline, was at fault. After all, the passenger was offered a bountiful $1,000 in United vouchers for his trouble. It was an offer he couldnt refuse; as a United spokesman said, the passenger was asked several times, politely, for his seat before anyone beat him up.



It took two days  and a plunge in Uniteds stock price  for the airline to offer a real apology. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right, Munoz said in a statement on Tuesday.



Can technology improve how airlines work? Some people have ideas for how that may happen. One of them is obvious and sensible: customer reviews. Last year, TripAdvisor, the travel reviews site that has become indispensable for hotel bookings, began rating airlines. Its new rankings, released this week, show that over all, airlines get an average rating of 3.7 out of 5 from customers.



Emirates and Singapore Airlines are rated the best in the world, JetBlue and Alaska, made TripAdvisors top 10 list. But Delta was the only major US airline to receive TripAdvisors seal of approval. United and American Airlines did not meet the sites minimum threshold, though Bryan Saltzburg, senior vice president for TripAdvisors global flight business, said that the two have been improving.



One can imagine how such reviews could prompt improvements in airlines. If instead of just price, travel search engines included prominent warnings from reviewers  This airline might give you a bloody lip while kicking you from your seat, 1-star!  that could alter travellers calculations in booking.



Harassment in air

That would be a good idea  a filter on travel search that says, Click this filter and it might cost you a few dollars more, but well bias you towards airlines that treat their customers well, said Paul English, the co-founder of the travel search company Kayak, who now runs another travel start-up, Lola. A bigger disruption would come from altering how we pay for airfares. Some consultants argue that a membership fee could radically improve flying.



Weve prototyped a subscription airline in the past, and it gets the airline out of the business of reducing service for offering the lowest fares, said Devin Liddell, the principal brand strategist for Teague, a design firm that works with Boeing. Some start-ups have tried a monthly subscription model, and none have taken off. But airline start-ups face high capital costs. A new business model might work, Liddell said, if an established airline tries it. You might wonder why an airline would dare try such a thing. After all, airlines are doing well, profits are up despite your annoyance about flying.



But Liddell warned of long-term competition from other kinds of transportation. If self-driving cars make driving easier and more comfortable, midrange flights would face competition. Counting the time it takes to clear airport security and get to and from the airport, it takes just as long to drive between some places as to fly. If self-driving technology makes driving much more comfortable people might abandon planes for cars, Liddell said. An even longer-term idea is the Hyperloop, Elon Musks vision for superfast tunnel travel. Its a pretty speculative idea, but if it works, airlines would need to radically alter how they work.



For now, though, none of that hurts the commercial air business. Airlines are safe from self-driving cars and the Hyperloop. Theyre content to feed you ever-worse service for lower prices, because thats what the web wants.



Your only technological hope for better service is your smartphone camera and the viral push of social networks. If you are violently kicked off your flight, at least your fellow passengers will post a video to Facebook.

International New York Times
Accusing the government of muzzling dissenting voices, a group of 13 parties led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asked President Pranab Mukherjee for urgent intervention.



In a five-page memorandum handed to the President, the leaders cited increasing cow vigilantism, reports of EVM tampering, inflammatory narrative of nationalism and using brute majority in the Lok Sabha to scuttle Parliamentary debate and scrutiny of debates.



We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect Indias constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters.



Congress Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and M Veerappa Moily; CPI(M)s Sitaram Yechury; JD(U)s Sharad Yadav; BSPs Satish Mishra; SPs Neeraj Shekhar; NCPs Tariq Anwar; CPIs D Raja were also part of the delegation, which also comprised representatives from the Trinamool Congress, the DMK and the RJD.



Many key bills masked as money bills expose the intention of the government to deny the Council of States its constitutional position in the enactment of laws. Changing 11 Acts through the omnibus Finance Bill, 2017 is unprecedented, improper and shocking, the parties said.



The delegation also highlighted the alleged tampering and malfunctioning of the EVMs that raised bonafide concerns on the possibility of manipulating electoral outcomes.



I&B Minister M Venkaiah Naidu dismissed the oppositions claims as a disinformation campaign. Today they (opposition) had gone to the President & made all sorts of baseless, absurd allegations. They are just inventing issues now, Naidu said.



The Opposition leaders cited the recent lynching of a dairy farmer in Rajasthans Alwar district and similar incidents in Una (Gujarat), Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) and Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir).



In a democracy, the rule of law must prevail, but self- styled lumpen elements have indulged in violence, mob lynching of citizens and harassment is being witnessed across the country, the Opposition said.
Is it a crime to fall in love? CPM member Jharna Das Baidya asked in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, in reference to the rise in the incidents of honour killing in the country.



Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, Jharna referred to a series of honour killings in the recent times and demanded strict action from the government. She said the government must come out with a law to deal with the issue.



Her remarks prompted an Opposition MP to quip it is not honour killing, but dishonourable killing, while Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the entire House is concerned about the shocking increase in such incidents.



The 54-year-old MP from Tripura said she started hearing about honour killings only after coming to Delhi. Wont the government do anything? Will it continue? Love doesnt have any caste or religion. Is it a crime to fall in love? she said.



According to the latest figures, the number of honour killings has seen a whopping seven-fold increase from 28 in 2014 to 251 in 2015. Uttar Pradesh accounted for the majority of honour killings (168), followed by Gujarat (25) and Madhya Pradesh (14).
MPs across the political spectrum have condemned a BJP youth wing leaders announcement of a Rs 11-lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.



Supporting the Trinamool Congress MPs who raised the issue in Parliament, the ruling and Opposition leaders castigated BJP leader Yogesh Varshney, while Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar and his deputy Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi recorded the governments condemnations in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.



Trinamool MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy told the Rajya Sabha that Varshney called Mamata a demon, while announcing the reward for her beheading. Demanding action, Roy said the Centre is trying to unleash a reign of terror in West Bengal in the name of religion.



The state government is free to take appropriate legal action (against the BJP activist), Naqvi said.



For such people, action can be taken under the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said. Terming it a serious matter, BSP leader Mayawati said the BJP should take action, and not just stop with condemnation.



SP leader Jaya Bachchan said, You (the government) can protect cows, but women face atrocities. She said aggressive steps should be taken to protect women, especially when a woman chief minister is being targeted.



BJP MP Roopa Ganguly said, I was beaten up by 17 TMC goons in front of policemen. The chief minister, who is a woman, should answer this. In the Lok Sabha, Kumar said the statement (against the chief minister) was completely wrong. She is an elected chief minister and due respect must be given to her, he said.



Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said everyone must work together to better the political discourse, which has been getting unpleasant in recent times.
The Union government has informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that its efforts to secure the release of Indian prisoner Nanak Singh, who is languishing in a Pakistan jail for the past 33 years, is making no headway in the wake of Pakistans indifferent attitude in the case.



Taking the response filed by the Centre on record, the court deferred the case for the next hearing on May 8. The government stated that despite taking up the case several times, Pakistan hasnt shown interest, which was impeding the Indian prisoners release even after several decades.



The death verdict handed out to a former Indian Navy officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court also has created serious doubts about Nanak Singhs release.



Singhs destiny came a cropper one an ill-fated day in 1984. Singh was seven years old when he accidentally strayed into Pakistan with cattle through the fields. He was caught by the Pakistan rangers. Now in his 40s, Singh is still behind the bars in the hostile nation.



Fear in family



The escalating strain in the relations between the two countries following the death verdict given by the Pakistan military court to Jadhav has brought back fears in Nanaks family in Punjab.



His father Rattan Singh fears that Singhs release may be inordinately delayed in the present circumstances. The father is even scared that his son might meet the same fate as Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who was brutally murdered in Pakistan when there was growing hope for his return to motherland.



In 1999, Singhs family was informed that he was lodged in the Pakistan jail, but under a different name as Kakar Singh. That is what has been causing, perhaps, a deliberate confusion from Pakistans side all these years.
Islamabad on Wednesday stated that former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav could seek clemency from the president of Pakistan, after exhausting legal options to challenge the death-sentence awarded to him.



Abdul Basit, Islamabads envoy to New Delhi, said the Pakistan government had enough evidence against Jadhav that he was working for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Indias external intelligence agency.



Basit was talking to a TV channel on Wednesday, two days after a military court in his country convicted Jadhav of being involved in espionage and sabotage to de-stabilise Pakistan and sentenced him to death.



Basit said the Pakistan army had provided Jadhav a defence counsel during his trial by a field general court marshal. Jadhav have all legal options available to challenge the death sentence in a higher court of Pakistan. He also has the option of moving a mercy petition to the president of Pakistan and seek clemency, said Islamabads envoy to New Delhi.



Basits remark indicated that Pakistan would not move fast on carrying out the death sentence awarded to Jadhav. Sources in New Delhi were of the view that Pakistan would rather want to use him for years in negotiations with India, just as it had done with Sarabjit Singh.



The death sentence, however, would cast a shadow on the recent efforts to de-escalate tension between India and Pakistan. Though relations between New Delhi and Islamabad hit a new low in 2016 after terrorists from Pakistan carried out attacks in India, both sides had been quietly moving towards creating a situation conducive for restarting the stalled dialogue.
The mysterious disappearance of a retired Pakistan Army officer from India-Nepal border has added a new dimension to the Pakistani military courts death sentence to former Indian Navay officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.



Many speculate, especially the Pakistani media, that both the incidents are linked and it could be a retaliatory act by Pakistan following the disappearance of retired Lt Colonel Muhammad Habib from Lumbini, close to Indo-Nepal border, where he had gone for a job interview.



New Delhi has not reacted to the possibility of the link between both the incidents and is keeping mum over the issue. India has been maintaining that Jadhav is not an intelligence operative, but a businessman operating in Iran, a claim rejected by Pakistan.



The issue was first highlighed by Pakistani media, including influential papers like Dawn, which carried detailed reports about the disappearance of Habib, a former ISI officer, who handled terror networks operating from Indo-Nepal border. The Pakistani media is pointing fingers at the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).



The timing of the court order, which some say was rushed through in hours, and the date of disappearance of Habib is the reason for many to speculate on the possible reason for Pakistan to act.



According to Pakistan media, Habib is untraceable since April 6 from Lumbini soon after his arrival there. His phones are not reachable since his call from Lumbini on April 6 afternoon. Habib is employed with a private firm after his retirement in 2014.



Dawn reported that one Mark Thompson had contacted him through email and telephone for a job interview in Nepal. After he reached Kathmandu, he left for Lumbini by air.



Referring to family and friends probe, the report said that Habib received a call from an UK number for the interview. However, the report said, it later turned out to be a computer-generated one while the email domain and associated website were registered in India.
Ramesh Agrawal, chairman of Dainik Bhaskar group of newspapers, died on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest.



The 73-year-old media czar took ill when he was at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International airport here. He was to take a flight to Rajkot.



Agrawal was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. His last rites would be conducted in Bhopal on Thursday.
The intelligence apparatus in states appears to be the worst in generating inputs on terrorism. Official figures show that police contribute the lowest among other agencies despite having wider footprint on the ground.



The shocking revelation was made by the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) that gathers, collates, stores, shares and disseminates about 150 inputs on a daily basis. MAC is run by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).



This has prompted the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs to talk about certain weakness in the gathering capacity of the states.



The Intelligence Bureau (IB) under the MHA faces flak from the political leadership as well as public whenever there is a terror strike, but officials point to weak intelligence gathering mechanism, which many a times fail in connecting the dots.



The MHA has made details available to the multi-party committee headed by former home minister P Chidambaram in which it has said special alerts are issued as and when required on Jammu and Kashmir, north-east insurgents, Maoists and rest of the country.



The major contributors of inputs in 2016 till September were Defence Intelligence Agency (24.05%), Research & Analysis Wing (20.75%), Central Reserve Police Force (14.46%), Intelligence Bureau (14.22%), Border Security Force (5.98%), Directorate General of Military Intelligence (3.06%) and National Technical Research Organisation (3.66%).



Contribution from state special branches has been 11.05%, the committee report said quoting the MHA. However, the MHA appears to suggest that it still does not have an accurate assessment on why states are lagging behind in providing intelligence inputs to the MAC, established in 2002 and re-operationalised in 2009 after the Mumbai attacks during Chidambarams tenure as home Minister.



Subsidiary Multi Agency Centres (SMACs) operate at state level and at headquarters of intelligence wings of other agencies.



It is a fact that contribution from state special branches is low and they were advised vide D.O. letter (March 2016) to enhance their contribution and emerge as a force multiplier for all agencies. However, the reasons for their low contribution are being further ascertained in consultation with the states/Union territories concerned, the MHA told the committee.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Centre to hold a meeting of all stakeholders with regard to the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal on April 20.



We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution... It (the matter) is a question of the execution of a decree passed by this court. It is in the interest of everyone, a bench of Justices P C Ghose and Amitava Roy said.



The court posted the plea by Haryana for execution of the decree on construction of the canal for consideration on April 27. Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar, appearing for the Centre, informed the court that a meeting at the highest level has been organised on April 20. The Union government is trying to find a solution, he said. If it is not settled, we will continue to hold the hearing, the bench said.



The April 20 meeting has been called as Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, in a memorandum, raised certain issues on the Ravi and Beas waters with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.



Issues such as equitable and optimal utilisation of precious resources and measures to facilitate amicable resolution will be discussed.



The Punjab government, represented by senior advocates Ram Jethmalani and R S Suri, had earlier insisted the Centre to play the role of an arbitrator to resolve its dispute with Haryana on constructing the 214-km long canal.



Haryana had pressed for direction to digging of the canal as there have been directions in its favour by the apex court in 2002 and 2004.



In response to Presidential reference, a Constitution Bench had on November 10 held that Punjab could not have taken a unilateral decision to terminate the agreement with Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh on sharing of the Ravi-Beas waters. The apex court had subsequently directed for maintaining status quo on properties of the SYL canal.
Political parties doubting the credibility of electronic voting machines will have an opportunity next month to prove their point.



The Election Commission has decided to throw up an open challenge for political parties, scientists and technologists to walk into its headquarters in Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi in the first week of May and prove that EVMs could be tampered with.



The poll panel took this decision to clear doubts over the credibility of EVMs. This comes on a day leaders of the Congress and 12 Opposition parties called on President Pranab Mukherjee and drew his attention to the allegations about tampering of EVMs by the BJP in the just-concluded Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.



A poll panel spokesperson said the commissions technical experts on EVMs would soon work out the details for the challenge and make it public.



State to host hackathon



Karnataka Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge volunteered to host an ethical hackathon in Bengaluru to check if EVMs could really be tampered with as claimed by certain political parties after the BJPs landslide victory in the polls.



Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal had also challenged the election watchdog to provide IT experts of his party access to some EVMs so that they could prove that the machines could indeed be tampered with.



The EC had thrown up a similar challenge in 2009 to disprove the credibility of EVMs, but none had been able to demonstrate that the devices could be manipulated. On Monday, 16 parties had urged the EC to use ballot papers instead of EVMs in future elections.



The Mayawati-led BSP was the first to raise doubts over the credibility of EVMs after its debacle in the recent elections. Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat echoed Mayawatis views to suggest that EVM tampering might have helped the BJP defeat his party, Congress.
The Third Additional District and Sessions Court on Wednesday awarded rigorous life imprisonment to Sayyed Mohammed Naushad, Ahamed Bava Aboobaker and Fakeer Ahamed, over terror links.



They were arrested on October 3, 2008 and were found guilty for their involvement in making explosives and link with Indian Mujahideen leader Riyaz Bhatkal, a prime accused in the Surat and Ahmedabad bomb blasts of 2008.



The judge S H Pushpanjali Devi pronounced the judgement. The court awarded life imprisonment to the trio under section 16(1)(b) of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, section 5(b) of Explosive Substances Act, 1908, and section 25(1AA) of Arms Act, 1959. The court slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 each on them.

Under Section 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention

) Act, all three have been awarded five years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000 each has been imposed on them. Under Section 9(b) of Indian Explosives Substances Act, they were awarded two years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 3,000 each has been imposed on them.



The judge awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment to and imposed a Rs-5,000 fine on the other accused, Naushad, for cheating by creating fake documents. The 332-page judgement said, The sentence of imprisonment for life and the remaining terms of sentences shall run concurrently.



In a joint operation by the Mumbai police and the Dakshina Kannada police, a team led by then DySP Jayanth Shetty had arrested seven persons over terror links. The police had seized 15 kg of explosives from Naushad.



The court, on April 10, had acquitted Javed Ali, Mohammed Ali, Moulana Shabbir Bhatkal and Mohammed Rafeeq. The case against Riyaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal is pending for hearing. Narayan Sherigar was the public prosector.

DH News Service
The state Cabinet has decided to take stringent action against five government employees, including a chief executive officer of a taluk panchayat, who are facing charges of corruption.



While four of them have been asked to take compulsory retirement, another employee has been dismissed from the service.



Chief executive officer of Turuvekere taluk panchayat H K Prakash is forced to take compulsory retirement as he was involved in a Lokayukta trap case, according to Law Minister T B Jayachandra.



Similarly, assistant executive engineer Tungabhadra project H M Shivaprakash, who was involved in Lokayukta trap case; Drug Controller in Chamarajnagar Krishna Reddy, who was facing charges of misappropriation; head master of the government higher primary school in Chittapur taluk in Kalaburagi district Basavaraj Bosage have been asked to take compulsory retirement.



Assistant executive engineer at Karanja canal project K Lakshman, who was facing criminal charges, has been dismissed from the service, the minister said.

DH News Service
Nonprofit groups may submit announcements of upcoming events to events@elkodaily.com.

Jam On! at Folklife Center

ELKO A musical jam session will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Western Folklife Centers Pioneer Saloon.

The Pioneer Bar will be open serving no-host Ruby Mountain beers and other refreshing beverages. Southwind will be playing and singing a wide variety of tunes.

Bring your instruments, friends, or just your ears for this free community event.

Literacy Fair at Flag View

ELKO - Flag View sixth grade will have their first literacy fair from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday in the main gym. The students will display and present the book that they read for their third quarter book report in a science fair fashion.

The public can come and recognize the students for their success.

Elko County RPEN meeting

ELKO  The Elko County Retired Public Employees of Nevada will meet at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Terrace Senior Center at 1795 Ruby View Drive. The guest speaker will be Dennis Price from the Elko Police Department.

All active and retired employees who are in the PERS retirement system are encouraged to attend.

For more information call Janice Barton at 738-8739.

Bachelor of Social Work Orientation

ELKO  The public is invited to attend an orientation about the GBCUNR 3 +1 Bachelor of Social Work program at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The orientation will be held at Dorothy Gallagher Health Sciences Building room 108, as well as via interactive video at the GBC Center locations in Ely, Pahrump and Winnemucca.

For information contact Rachel at 753-2244.

GBC talk: Fake News, Real Consequences

ELKO  The GBC Arts and Cultural Enrichment committee will present a live TED Talks style event titled Fake News, Real Consequences at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

The event will be in the Greenhaw Technical Arts building, room 130.

GBC English Instructor Kevin Hodur will lead the live TED Talk which will discuss todays media environment as well as our responsibility as citizens in the face of the fake news crisis. Hodur teaches composition and digital literacy, among other areas.

For information contact Angie deBraga at 753-2231.

Halleck Bar Party at museum

ELKO  For the Halleck Bar Party on Friday, come dressed as a figure from Elko history or a celebrity who performed here. Win a prize for best costume, walk the red carpet and be ready to enjoy live music, delicious food and drink, plus a silent auction.

At the top cocktail party in Elko, raise a glass of Beefeater gin and toast the historic bar from the wild and woolly town of Halleck. The event takes place from 6-9 p.m.

This will also serve as the grand opening of the new Elko city centennial special exhibit. Admission is free but a $20 donation is appreciated.

For information call 738-3418, email director@museumelko.org or visit www.museumelko.org.

Learn interview skills at Resource Center

ELKO  A free interview skills class will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Family Resource Center, 331 Seventh St. Everyone is welcome and all participants will receive a free bag of healthy food.

Call to 753-7352 to reserve a spot.

Willy Wonka joint theater production

ELKO  Elko and Spring Creek High Schools will present the musical Willy Wonka at the Elko Convention Center, with performances at 7 p.m. April 13-14 and 2 p.m. April 15. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $7 for students.

Roald Dahls Willy Wonka is a scrumdidilyumptious musical guaranteed to delight everyones sweet tooth, said Spring Creek High School drama teacher Marie Binger.

Library to host Adult Spelling Bee

ELKO  The Elko County Library is hosting the third annual Adult Spelling Bee at 1 p.m. April 15. This is open to anyone 16 or older. There is a $10 registration fee with the winner receiving $100.

Show off your spelling skills while supporting your local library. If spelling isnt your strength come and support the contestants.

For information call 397-4776, 738-3066 or visit www.elkocountylibrary.org.

Lets Dance! in the G Three Bar

ELKO The Western Folklife Center will host Lets Dance! in the G Three Bar at 6 p.m. April 27. Admission is $5.

Adults and teens are welcome and no partner or experience is necessary. For questions on lesson specifics contact ElkoLetsDance@gmail.com.

Spring Creek water meeting

SPRING CREEK  Spring Creek residents are invited to attend a water consumer session with the Public Utilities Commission at 6 p.m. April 19 at Spring Creek High School gym.

The meeting is for all Spring Creek Association residents who are concerned about water and would like to express their concerns to the state Public Utilities Commission, according to Association President Jessie Bahr.

Attending the meeting will be Great Basin Water Company representatives, PUC staff and commissioners, Bureau of Consumer Protection and local government officials.

This is the time to have them hear the whole communitys voice, Bahr said. This is your one chance, do not miss your opportunity.

Nevada Legal Services for seniors

ELKO  ABA Young Lawyers Division and Nevada Legal Services will be hosting a service to seniors event from 9-11 a.m. April 28 at 285 10th St.

Senior citizens who could benefit from free legal advice, estate planning, or assistance in filling out forms are encouraged to attend. Call 753-5880 to reserve an appointment.

Horsemen plan all-breed shows

NENHA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a fun, family friendly environment in which to show horses. Members and non-members alike are encouraged to participate in clinics, presentations and shows.

The 2017 show season has been scheduled:

June 10Spring Creek Horse Palace

July 8Elko County Fairgrounds

Aug. 5Elko County Fairgrounds

Sept. 9Elko County Fairgrounds

NENHAs monthly meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. April 5 in the Clubs Room at the Stockmens Hotel and Casino. Visit www.NENHA.org, Northeastern Nevada Horsemans Association on Facebook, or email Secretary@nenha.org.
A PIL has questioned the favouritism being followed by the Karnataka High Court collegium in appointing judges from a certain community to the high court.



The PIL filed by advocate N P Amruthesh has challenged names that have been recommended by the collegium for appointment of judges contending that majority of the recommended names are from one particular community.



The petitioner has said that of the 10 advocates who have been finalised for elevation, six belong to a particular caste. According to the details filed before the court, Krishna Dixit, K N Phanindra, Aravind Kamath, G S Kannur, S G Pandit and Chaithanya, are all Brahmins. The others whose names figure in the list are: R Devdas (SC), B M Sham Prasad (Vokkaliga), Nagaprasanna (Lingayat) and Sunil Yadav (Yadavas).



The petitioner has contended that the collegium has no machinery to assess the integrity, honesty or other basic requirement of the person to hold the post of high court judge.



He has said that two judges from the collegium had no information about the legal competence of the persons whom they were recommending.



The petitioner has said that the collegium has failed to follow the law laid down by the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) and their ground for recommendation lacked transparency. The petitioner has sought directions to High Court of Karnataka to follow the law laid in NJAC case in recommending the name to the post of high court judges.



When a division bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar questioned if they were serious about pursuing the PIL, senior counsel S Prabhakar from Chennai appearing for the petitioner submitted to the court to pass an order on merit. A memo was also filed before the division bench asking the Chief Justice to recuse from hearing the matter as he was part of the collegium. The bench passed an order to not list this PIL before him.



RTE order reserved

The high court on Monday reserved its order with regard to a petition filed by two private schools challenging the two entry levels for admission under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.



First entry is at the LKG level and the second round of admission is at first standard. Two schools, New Age Education Trust and Soujanya Patel Trust have challenged the government order dated March 6, 2017 introducing two entry levels for admission under the RTE quota.



Petitioners have contended that the two entry levels is against the provisions of the RTE Act. The government introduced the changes after they found huge difference in the number of students studying under the RTE quota after admissions. Justice S Sujatha has reserved her orders in the matter.

DH News Service
ELKO  Get ready for a scrumdidilyumptious treat in Roald Dahls Willy Wonka, presented by Elko and Spring Creek theater arts department at the Elko Convention Center.

The story of Charlie Buckets journey through Willy Wonkas candy factory is the latest collaboration between Elko and Spring Creek High Schools, bringing drama and band students together for two evening performances at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee.

The musical is based on an adaptation for the theater written in 2004, according to SCHS drama teacher Marie Binger. It includes a new character and adds details to bring it into the 21st century, such as texting and cellphone use, said Binger.

Im excited for the whole play, said SCHS junior Ruben Candelaria, who portrays Willy Wonka, noting that his favorite version was the original with Gene Wilder.

My character isnt in the movies, its brand new, said Marley Herrera, an SCHS senior who plays reporter Phineous Trout and sings in one of the songs in Act I, I Eat More.

For EHS senior Kameron Marin, playing Charlie Bucket has been a lot of work, getting ready for the play and having to learn all of the songs.

Teaming up with cross-town rivals has been the best part of the experience according to Candelaria, Herrera and Marin, who have enjoyed getting to know other people outside of their schools.

I never would have met Kameron if it hadnt been for the musical, said Herrera.

EHS and SCHS band members also join forces in the orchestra pit, conducted by EHS band director Kaiti Gentry.

SCHS senior Shaylin Morris, who plays the drums, has enjoyed the rehearsal time with the cast and seeing the musical come to life.

Practicing on our own, we really couldnt tell how it was going to tie in, so practicing with the cast  sounds really awesome in hearing everything come together, said Morris.

EHS senior Joscelin Daines, who plays clarinet, agreed with Morris and described the challenges of having their back to the actors as they play the music.

We dont quite know what is going on behind us, but we can imagine whats happening, then we can watch it, Daines said.

Morris explained that the production, with the exception of drama teachers Kelly Moon, Binger, conductor Gentry, accompanist Ann Louise Alger, and choreographer Laura CdeBaca is high school ran, with students running the props and backstage.

I love that we can all come together, said Binger about working on musicals with EHS over the past 10 years, especially with Moon and Gentry, however it comes back to the teens.

To see what these kids can do, from beginning to end, Im very proud of them, she said.

Everyone should come, said Candelaria. We have candy; lots of it is fake, lots of it is real.

Tickets cost $10 for adults and $7 for students and can be purchased at the door.
April 11

Travis R. Espie, 21, of Hemet, California, was arrested at 753 Douglas St. for domestic battery. Bail: $3,140



Dawn A. Gardner, 39, of Elko was arrested on the Errecart Bridge for use or possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a drivers license. Bail: $835



Ryan T. Haltom, 33, of Elko was arrested on Lamoille Highway for criminal contempt. Bail: $580



Tyrell M. Holley, 33, of Elko was arrested at 1660 Mountain City Highway for coercion and domestic battery. Bail: $8,140



Michelle L. Nevarez, 42, of Battle Mountain was arrested in the Elko County Courthouse for contempt of municipal court. No bail listed.



Romeo R. Trevino, 34, of Twin Falls was arrested at 1702 U.S. Highway 93 in Jackpot for possession of a controlled substance, and fugitive felon from other state. Bail: $20,000

The charges listed above do not imply guilt. Under the law, everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
A revised funding formula offered by the Nevada System of Higher Education should go a long way toward restoring Great Basin Colleges budget and the university systems credibility in the wake of a scandal that led to the sudden departure of its chancellor last year.

New chancellor John White and Board of Regents Chairman Rick Trachok recently spoke with the Elko Daily Free Press and described the changes, which include advisory councils that will address issues specific to community colleges.

There are many ways to organize funding distribution in a college system, based on factors such as credit hours of enrollment. Regents shocked rural Nevada in 2012 when they came up with a new formula that put more funding into schools that have higher graduation rates and offer expensive programs such as those needed for master and doctoral degrees.

The formula cut more than 32 percent from GBCs budget, and smaller amounts from other rural colleges, while greatly benefitting the College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. Lawmakers have been approving bridge funding to help GBC survive the blow, but that expired last year.

The latest system takes into account the higher cost of career and technical educational courses that help with workforce development  a key focus of colleges such as Great Basin.

Its much more expensive to do advanced welding than it is English, but the compensation from the state was identical, Trachok said. We wanted to make sure that we were able to adjust for that, which doubled the type of funding for those types of courses.

The CTE increase will slightly exceed what the bridge funding provided, White said.

We are pleased that a higher level of funding is in the works. The 2012 cuts were strongly opposed by GBC President Mark Curtis, who considered a reduction of nearly one-third to be an unprecedented assault on GBC.

It wasnt until four years later that a Las Vegas Review-Journal investigation revealed the deception that went into developing the funding formula: Nevada System of Higher Education officials actively worked to undermine the Legislatures effort to overhaul college and university funding models in recent years, going so far as to present a false document to lawmakers and joking about it afterward, the paper reported after obtaining emails between NSHE and a supposedly independent consultant.

Then-Chancellor Dan Klaich retired less than a month after the report came out.

Resentment spilled into the current legislative session, in which a bill was introduced to set up a separate community college system. That idea is opposed by Regents, including rural Nevadas new representative Cathy McAdoo of Elko, as well as by Curtis.

The new direction in funding is welcome news at GBC, which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in May. The college is also beginning a new chapter as Curtis retires and the search is underway for a president.

As White told the Free Press, universities are under increasing scrutiny as lawmakers demand accountability. We see that as a good thing. No system can operate efficiently without oversight. There will never be a totally fair way to distribute funding or measure performance, but for the futures sake we need to keep striving for a balance that enables young adults from a variety of backgrounds to get the education they need in order to contribute to society.
16 Bollywood Star Kids Who Were Not Launched By Their Parents
Supporters outweighed the opposition at a Nevada legislative hearing Tuesday on an amended bill to regulate exploration of lithium, and a working group will continue efforts to hammer out differences.

Were committed to continue to work on this. I urge you to take favorable action on this, Pam Robinson, Gov. Brian Sandovals policy director, told the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining.

Assemblyman John Ellison, R-Elko, who is on the committee said in a text that it has to be voted on by Friday, but Im sure it will pass.

Robinson said that with the growing need for lithium nationally and internationally, it is time to address the regulation and permitting of lithium exploration in Nevada, which AB52 is designed to do.

Richard Perry, administrator of the Nevada Division of Mineral Resources, testified that the goal of the amended bill is to provide a clear permitting path for exploration while protecting resources.

He outlined the amended bill that focuses on lithium brine exploration, with the Nevada Division of Minerals permitting exploration wells and any subsequent production requiring permits from the state engineers office and the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection.

State Engineer Jason King testified his office supports AB52 as amended.

Nevadas regulatory agencies are very familiar with exploration for hard-rock mining, but dissolved minerals is new. I believe the regulation of dissolved minerals will be better managed by the Division of Mineral Resources, King said.

The Nevada Division of Water Resources and minerals division will jointly develop the regulations, Perry said.

Nevada Mining Association Vice President Dylan Shaver was neutral on the bill but raised a question about the minerals division heading regulation of lithium exploration because the divisions goal is to encourage mineral production in Nevada.

He said Nevada is a shining star in mining regulations, and the association wants to make sure that status is maintained.

Albemarle, the only company currently producing lithium in Nevada, still has concerns about AB52 and proposed its own amendment to the bill to protect the companys production in Esmeralda Countys Clayton Valley.

Representing Albemarle, Leo Drozdoff, who retired last year as director of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, said the company opposes parts of the amended AB52 but supports the goal of lithium exploration.

One of Albemarles concerns is that currently any bore holes drilled in Clayton Valley arent subject to advance public notice, he said.

Our version proposes advance notice provisions, Drozdoff said.

The companys versions states that all applications to drill a dissolved mineral resource exploration borehole or operate an exploration well be posted on the Division of Minerals website within five days.

Albemarle has been operating in Esmeralda County since 1966.

Assemblyman Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas, asked about the current water situation in Clayton Valley, and King said the perennial yield is 20,000 acre-feet, while roughly 22,000 acre-feet are permitted.

Yeager also asked if the proposed $500 fee for exploration would cover administrative tasks, to which Perry testified the division estimates roughly 25 wells drilled each year for $12,500. This would be enough for travel and inspections, he said. The fees also would cover enforcement.

Each brine exploration project is limited to five acre-feet under AB52, and this limit is regardless of how big a claim block or piece of private land might be, Perry said.

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection Administrator Greg Lovato testified NDEP supports the amended AB52, stating that the bill doesnt affect existing state statues regulating land disturbances.

Ellison asked whether any chemicals are used in dissolved mineral exploration, and Perry answered there are no chemicals involved. Water is simply brought up to the surface for sampling.

The bill applies only to dissolved mineral exploration and doesnt cover geothermal exploration nor exploration of lithium in clay.

Lithium is used in batteries, including for electric cars.

Dennis Bryan, vice chairman of the Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources, said the commission determined the need for regulation of lithium exploration as it became aware of the rising interest in lithium and the unique issues of exploration for the mineral.

He said the commission believes AB52 will streamline the exploration process, and if a company proceeds to production it will then apply for water rights.

Bryant said the commission wants to see all lithium production for Tesla electric car batteries come from Nevada.

The Sierra Clubs Toiyabe Chapter was among others supporting AB52 because the club supports electric vehicles. Enel Green Power North America, based in Reno, sent a letter of support for AB52 for the hearing, while Dajin Resources Corp. of Vancouver wrote it is supportive of the attempt to streamline permitting but was neutral on the bill.

Dajin questioned the five acre-feet limit, stating that a lithium resource may not be proven with only five acre-feet, and the limit could discourage investment.

Ormat Technologies of Reno, a geothermal company, also wrote in support of the bill as it would minimize any potential impacts on existing and new geothermal projects.

The Nevada Division of Minerals presentation filed for the hearing states that there have been 13,258 claims staked with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management in playas for lithium exploration in 18 hydrographic basins. The presentation also states there are 25 exploration companies looking at lithium, as well as the one producer in the state.
Smartphones nowadays include a wide number of sensors  accelerometers, gyroscopes, proximity sensors and more. While all of these work in tandem to make a smartphone more versatile and entertaining, a team of researchers have seemingly found a way to exploit the information collated by smartphone sensors and crack security PINs. While many would overlook this as a possible one-off or a lengthy, tedious process that may not affect mainstream user security any time soon, what's alarming to note is that the researchers achieved all of this in a very easily exploitable process, and achieved striking accuracy of 74 percent in first-time PIN guesses.

Researchers from Newcastle University, UK used a javascript exploit delivered to the target smartphone via browser windows. Clicking on this link enabled a malicious code to run in the background and read the user's sensor data. This allowed them to detect repetitive PIN inputs, which further led to the researchers successfully guessing the security PINs accurately for 74 percent at the first attempt itself. The success ratio rose to a staggering 94 percent by the third attempt. This not only exposes sensitive data that you may have stored on your phone, but such sensor vulnerabilities may also be used by organisations to collect personal data. Maryam Mehrnezhad, a research fellow associated with the project, told Popular Science how monitoring smartphone sensor data could be secretly implemented by insurance companies to track your daily activities, which could then be used against an individual.

This is, however, not the first time that smartphone sensors are said to show a potential path for hackers to extract sensitive data from a smartphone. Last month, researchers at University of Michigan and University of South Carolina spoke of taking control of a phone's accelerometer by playing a malicious audio file, and even add fake steps to an activity tracker by taking over the device's accelerometer. While the addition of extra steps may not seem to be of grave consequences, it may actually lead to further significantly serious breaches (the role of insurance companies seem even more ominous here). Such hacking essentially allowed the researchers to use the hacked devices' software as a remote interface for controlling the devices.

When it comes to operating systems and browsers, the present research states that most browsers and operating systems showed exposure to this security risk. Apple's Safari browser would even allow the malicious code to remain active even after the smartphone was locked, and Apple has reportedly repealed the risk in its iOS 9.3 upgrade. Firefox has also seemingly updated its browser to rectify the flaw, while Google is apparently still working on ways to cover the risk.

As the researchers state, the risk will not be limited to smartphone, and extend to all objects smart, which are on a steady rise with the advent of IoT and smart cities. While we are reasonably safe right now, it certainly seems better to switch to safer biometric verification methods, as early as we can.
Dulux owner AkzoNobel has received a request from shareholders led by activist investor Elliott Advisors to hold an extraordinary general meeting to dismiss chairman Antony Burgmans.

The company said on Wednesday that its Supervisory Board strongly supports Burgmans in his role as chairman.

"His unique experience of international business and global transactions is crucial to the company. He has played an important role in overseeing and supporting management in the transformation of the company in recent years, contributing to its significantly improved performance.

"The view of the Supervisory Board is that the removal of Mr. Burgmans would be irresponsible, disproportionate, damaging and not in the best interest of the Company, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Therefore the proposed agenda item to remove Mr. Burgmans will be rejected."

Elliott had been threatening to take this action for several weeks.

The private investment firm and Akzo have been at odds since Akzo - in which Elliott owns a 3% stake - rejected two takeover bids from US chemicals manufacturer PPG Industries, saying they undervalued the company.

Elliott said it had not found the reasons proffered by Akzo's board for failing to engage in discussions with PPG compelling.

"It is only through engagement that Akzo Nobel can determine if PPG is prepared to bid at a level that provides adequate consideration to shareholders."

Elliott added that Akzo had not adequately consulted with shareholders before rejecting both bids, saying that had it done so, it would most likely have found that most shareholders want the boards to engage with PPG.

AkzoNobel said on Wednesday that it has reported Elliott to the Dutch financial regulators after it became aware that it intended to privately share potentially price sensitive information with PPG about its decision to request an EGM.

"AkzoNobel has shared this information with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and calls on Elliott Advisors and PPG to clarify their relationship and the history of the communications between the two companies."
Oil field service names were at the front of gains on Wednesday following supportive comments from management at Hunting and on the back of the latest monthly report out of OPEC.

London-listed Hunting posted stronger-than-expected first quarter revenues, reporting that US shale drilling activity was "strong" during the period.

The outfit's insight into drilling activity in the States chimed perfectly with OPEC's market report for April, in which the cartel bumped up its forecast for US oil supply growth in 2017 by 200,000 barrels a day to a 540,000 b/d increase when compared to 2016's level.

Early gains for crude futures after the American Petroleum Institute revealed an unexpected 1.3m barrel drop in US oil inventories during the latest week likely also bolstered sentiment, although by the end of the day the advance had largely petered out.

Acting as a backdrop, analysts continued to weigh in with positive short-term forecasts for the price of oil.

Wednesday was HSBC's turn, with the investment bank's analysts telling clients to expect an average price for Brent oil this year of $60 a barrel (rising to $65 by the end of the year) and $75 dollars in 2018.

HSBC added, "USD60/b looks achievable to us in the near term if there are the falls in global stocks that we expect."



Boosting the aerospace sector higher, engineer Meggitt got an upgrade from Bank of America-Merrill Lynch to 'Buy' from 'Neutral', who at the same time lifted the price target to 530p from 490p.

The bank said it sees an attractive cash improvement story through to 2020, driven by gradual margin increases and stabilisation in fixed/tangible investment.

Merrill said it sees around 304m of free cash flow to equity in 2020, which would correspond to an 8.7% free cash flow yield, which it reckons is attractive versus the civil aerospace peer group average of 7% in 2020.



IMI led Industrial Engineers higher as Credit Suisse reiterated an 'Outperform' recommendation on the shares of the FTSE 250-listed tinkerer.

Citing the results from its proprietary survey of industrial distributors and a 30% rebound is US truck orders in the first quarter, the Swiss broker said: "We continue to view IMI as an attractive way to play a short-cycle recovery and believe the market underestimates the scope for margin expansion as volumes recover.

"We see Precision Engineering as the most likely near-term source of earnings upgrades as the division benefits from end markets tracking better than expected (eg US Truck orders), a low starting point in terms of factory utilisation (55%), and also a positive margin mix from Industrial Automation."



Selling pressure meanwhile was concentrated on Mining as industrial metals prices fell across the board, with losses for iron futures particularly steep - hurting the likes of Vedanta and Ferrexpo.

Traders referenced high levels of stocks in China even as local miners ramped up their own production.

In the case of the 'red metal', copper, analysts at SP Angel called attention to news that Tongling Nonferrous Metals, the biggest refined copper producer in China, is planning to reduce its output from 1.30mt in 2016 to 1.21mt this year.

Somewhat unusually, shares in the main precious metals miners were also lower despite a tick higher for gold futures.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP)  Repair work is underway for a pipeline that has spewed hundreds of thousands of cubic feet of processed natural gas into Alaska's Cook Inlet, home to endangered beluga whales and other marine mammals.

The 8-inch-diameter pipeline supplies gas for power to four Hilcorp Alaska LLC production platforms. A spokeswoman said Monday that divers over the weekend discovered a 2-inch hole at the bottom of the pipeline where it rests on a boulder in the sea floor.





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MEXICO CITY (AP)  Part of a building under construction collapsed in Mexico City on Monday, trapping workers underneath concrete slabs and leaving at least six people dead and nine injured, an official said.

Mexico City's Civil Protection chief Fausto Lugo said rescuers were using dogs and specialized equipment to look for workers still trapped beneath the rubble but they needed to proceed with a lot of care to not put at risk their colleagues and any survivors.





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Gag order stops talk of pollutant

PORTLAND (AP)  An Oregon judge has issued a gag order to prevent officials from discussing the high levels of a cancer-causing chemical they found in the air near a Lebanon battery parts maker.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports Linn County Circuit Court Judge Thomas McHill issued the order on Friday after Entek International's request. McHill says the preliminary findings by the state environmental and health regulators could cause the battery company irreparable harm.

Court records show that the regulators found high levels of a cancer-causing chemical called trichloroethylene near Entek. Officials say it's more than 70 times higher than what is considered safe.

In the lawsuit filed against Department of Environmental Quality on Thursday, Entek argued the emission is within its permitted limits.




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SEATTLE  A church-owned property at 4521 19th Ave N.E. has sold for $3.25 million, according to King County records. The seller was the Lutheran Campus Council of Seattle, which has owned the property for many years.

The buyer was Richland Investment & Development Corp., whose governor is Mercer Island investor Tsung Chu. Last month Richland sold a warehouse site in the International District for $9 million to the Inland Group, which is building 348 units of housing there.





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India has offered to invest up to $10 billion in Bangladesh, in sectors including infrastructure and healthcare, and provide another $5 billion in loans, including $500 million in military assistance.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who returned from a four-day visit to India, said the investments would come from both government and the private sector.

Hasina, who led a 280-member business delegation, including 40 senior government officials and ministers was addressing the media in Dhaka on Tuesday.

"The offers of investment and loans were given by the Indian government and private entrepreneurs during my visit to New Delhi," she told reporters.

"Both investments and credit will be used for the development of several sectors including power and energy, logistics, education, medical, infrastructures and rail, road and waterways."

Hasina said the military assistance would cover everything from training for military personnel, ensuring peace in border areas, joint patrols and drills in international sea areas and purchase of military equipment.

The military sector assistance bears a nominal interest of 1 per cent and has to be repaid over the next 20 years.

"I am satisfied at this visit and it has been fruitful. On the context of respect we are equal, it is a matter of satisfaction. Nothing is here for dissatisfaction. This tour totally is successful," said the prime minister.

"I did not go India for any demand, I went there for friendship, I got that," Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh PM honoured the Indian martyred soldiers during the 1971 liberation war while her Indian counterpart inaugurated a road named after Bangabandhu, the father of the nation and released a cover of a book on the unfinished life sketch of Bangabandhu.

The Bangladesh prime minister thinks that a new dimension of bilateral relationship has been opened intended for this tour.

The connectivity of the both countries have been built stronger and a new innovative challenge has been set up between Bangladesh and India.

India and Bangladesh signed 36 documents, including agreements and MoUs.

Sheikh Hasina said, she will not commit anything wrong for the country, as was done during the BNP rule, when an agreement was signed with China on defence.

Separately, the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said the two countries have also signed an agreement to facilitate debt for the construction of facilities producing 1,320 megawatts of electricity in Bangladesh.


The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs

- Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford

- David McClean, Manorcunningham

- Joe Harley, Trentagh, Donegal

- Pat Conaghan, Dunkineely and Mayo

- Maurice Gallagher, late of Meenaleck, Crolly

- Thomas Lecky, Demense, Convoy

Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs

The death has taken place of Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs.

Removal at 4pm today, Wednesday, from Gibsons Funeral Home, Convoy, to his late residence, to arrive at 5.30pm. Removal from his home at 11.30am on Thursday to St. Marys Church, Killybegs, for 12 noon funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the local cemetery.

Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Galway cancer bus c/o any family member.

Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford

The death has taken place at at Vergemount Hospital, Clonskeagh, of Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford.

Reposing from 5pm until 7pm today, Wednesday, at the Mortuary Chapel, Vergemount Hospital. Funeral service on Thursday at 2.30 pm. in Rathfarnham Church of Ireland Parish Church, followed by cremation at Mount Jerome Crematorium. Family flowers only.

David McClean, Tullybogley, Errity, Manorcunningham

The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of David McClean, Tullybogley, Errity, Manorcunningham.

Remains are reposing at his residence from Tuesday, 11th April. Funeral from there at 2pm on Thursday, 13th April, for Service at 2.30pm at Ray Presbyterian Church and burial afterwards in the family plot.

House private. Family and friends welcome. Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the New Hall Fund care of Mr Alan Wallace, treasurer.

Joe Harley, Trentagh

The death has taken place of Joe Harley, late of Trentagh.

Reposing at his late residence from 7pm, Monday, April 10th. Funeral Mass in St. Colmcilles Church, Glendowan at 11am on Wednesday, April 12th, followed by burial afterwards in Gartan cemetery. Family from 11pm to 11am and family flowers only please. Donations to Donegal Hospice.

Pat Conaghan, Dunkineely and Mayo

The death has taken place of Pat Conaghan formerly of Dunkineely and Mayo.

Reposing at Mc Gowan's funeral home, Ballina on Tuesday evening from 6.30pm until 8pm. Funeral will arrive at St. Muredach`s Cathedral, Ballina on Wednesday morning for 11am funeral Mass followed by burial in Leigue Cemetery, Ballina.

Family flowers only please donations if desired to Western Alzheimer`s Association.

Maurice Gallagher, late of Meenaleck, Crolly

The death has taken place in Glasgow of Maurice Gallagher, formally Meenaleck, Crolly.

Requiem Mass at 10am on Wednesday, April 12th, in St. Bartholomews Church Glasgow, with burial afterwards in Linn Cemetery.

Thomas Lecky, Demense, Convoy

The death has taken place at his residence of Thomas Lecky, late of Demense, Convoy.

His remains will repose at his residence. Funeral from there on Wednesday April 12th, at 2pm for service in Convoy Presbyterian Church at 2.30pm with burial afterwards in the family plot. Family flowers only, donations if desired to Oncology Ward, Letterkenny University Hospital c/o William Lecky or Terence McClintock, Funeral director, Town Parks, Convoy.

Death notices can be sent to editorial@donegaldemocrat.com; please include a contact number for verification.
The Donegal Democrat has been informed of the following deaths:

- Paul Kirwan, Glasnevin, Dublin/Muff

- Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs

- Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford

- David McClean, Manorcunningham

Paul Kirwan, Glasnevin, Dublin/Muff

The death has taken place of Paul Kirwan, Glasnevin, Dublin/Muff.

Reposing at his residence between 4pm and 8pm on Friday. Removal on Saturday to the Church of Our Mother of Divine Grace, Ballygall Road East for 11am Service followed by funeral to Dardistown Crematorium. Family flowers please, donations, if desired, to the Irish Kidney Association.

Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs

The death has taken place of Denis Kinsella, Church Road, Killybegs.

Removal at 4pm today, Wednesday, from Gibsons Funeral Home, Convoy, to his late residence, to arrive at 5.30pm. Removal from his home at 11.30am on Thursday to St. Marys Church, Killybegs, for 12 noon funeral Mass. Burial afterwards in the local cemetery.

Family flowers only please. Donations in lieu, if desired, to the Galway cancer bus c/o any family member.

Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford

The death has taken place at at Vergemount Hospital, Clonskeagh, of Denis Lawler, Dartry, Dublin/Milford/Wexford.

Reposing from 5pm until 7pm today, Wednesday, at the Mortuary Chapel, Vergemount Hospital. Funeral service on Thursday at 2.30 pm. in Rathfarnham Church of Ireland Parish Church, followed by cremation at Mount Jerome Crematorium. Family flowers only.

David McClean, Tullybogley, Errity, Manorcunningham

The death has taken place at Letterkenny University Hospital of David McClean, Tullybogley, Errity, Manorcunningham.

Remains are reposing at his residence from Tuesday, 11th April. Funeral from there at 2pm on Thursday, 13th April, for Service at 2.30pm at Ray Presbyterian Church and burial afterwards in the family plot.

House private. Family and friends welcome. Family flowers only. Donations if desired to the New Hall Fund care of Mr Alan Wallace, treasurer.

Death notices can be sent to editorial@donegaldemocrat.com; please include a contact number for verification.
Farmers are being urged to be vigilant when dealing with bulls and cattle after an inquest heard a 65-year-old farmer was trampled to death and his twin brother was also attacked by a bull on the same day.

Patrick Dowds from Toulett, Burt died from extensive chest injuries consistent with being trampled by a bull on September 16, 2015.

George Dowds told the inquest that he and his twin brother Patrick lived and farmed together and he was in good form the last time he saw him before he went to bed the night before he died.

His routine was he would work from 8am and return to the house for tea around 10am but he failed to return on that day.

He went looking for him but did not locate him in the yard. He later went with family members to check the field where a bull and up to three cows were. They were putting the animals into a yard for safety as there were people in the field and while he could not recall what happened he was suddenly knocked to the ground, but he knew it must have been the bull that attacked him. He was taken to hospital.

He said they had the Charolais bull for three months and it had not acted aggressively before.

He said they had most of their cattle removed from the field and just kept two or three in the field on the day to stop the bull from attempting to break out.

Edward Dowds, Patricks cousin, told the inquest he arrived in the afternoon to work with Patrick and was unaware he was missing at the time. He checked the yard and saw Patricks jeep.

A short time later he located his cousin lying dead on a bank in the field with his shirt off.

He said then all hell broke loose. He later identified his body to a doctor.

John McDaid gave evidence that he knew the Dowds for a number of years and had a farm that backed onto theirs and as a neighbourly gesture loaned them the three and a half year old bull free of charge. He said he had not had any problem with it previously and it was a breed known to be less aggressive than other breeds such as Friesians.

Aggression

When asked by solicitor Seamus Gunne, who was representing Mr Dowds family, on how a bull display signs of aggression he said he could not answer as he never had problems with bulls in the past. He said farmers needed to be be always watching and you have to be cautious.

Detective Garda Robin Doyle outlined that he observed Mr Dowds body on the ground with a blanket around him. There was also evidence he was dragged along the ground. Dr Justice Brewster pronounced him dead at 3.15pm.

Dr Gerry ODowd said an autopsy revealed the deceased had multiple lacerations, his right lung was partially collapsed and he had suffered numerous broken ribs and a broken sternum consistent with being trampled by a bull.

Mr Gunne said this was a horrific death for Patrick to meet and his twin brother George almost met the same fate. He said farmers were people who liked to help each other out but needed to remember that bulls and cattle were dangerous animals and they need to take a professional approach to handling, herding and transporting them and some farmers tend to play down the dangers. He called on the IFA and the Department of Agriculture to highlight this safety issue.

Coroner Dr Denis McCauley ruled Mr Dowds death was as a result of a farm accident causing respiratory failure due to being trampled by a bull.

He said he hope the safety message would get out that great care should be taken by farmers but added that bulls were a fact of life on farms.

He offered his condolences to Gorge Dowds and all the Dowds family.

Sergeant Pauline OConnor, offered her condolence on behalf of the gardai.
Combine 220 loaves of rye bread, 550 pounds of kosher corned beef, more than 4,000 packets of Grey Poupon mustard, and mix with 2,200 kosher pickles, bags of chips and chocolate chip cookies. Add a few thousand picnic packs and call it a recipe for success.

Or, at least a tasty lunch.

Temple Emanu-Els annual Deli Day will be held May 4, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Order deadline is April 21.

For $12, lunch includes a quarter-pound corned beef sandwich, a bag of potato chips, a pickle and a chocolate chip cookie. Temple Emanu-El revived the fundraiser in 2009 after a five-year hiatus.

Its been nine years and 16,000 lunches, said Rob Goldsmith, who has overseen the event.

In 2009, the temple served 1,105 lunches. Last year, volunteers sold 2,263 lunches.

We sold out, and well do it again, Goldsmith said.

Corned beef is prepared in a salt brine with spices. Its the coarse grains of salt that give the meat its name. Corned beef isnt necessarily Jewish, although it has been associated with Jewish and Irish immigrants in America.

Deli Day has evolved into a larger community event with volunteers from Temple Emanu-Els congregation as well as outside the congregation. It takes about 50 volunteers to put the lunches together.

The ingredients are procured from community sources. The bread is from Atlanta Bread Company, the cookies come from Sweet and Sassy, the picnic packs will be prepared this year by the Wiregrass Rehabilitation Center, and the corned beef is secured through Dothans Clarion Inn from a purveyor in New Jersey.

And for those who dont like corned beef, Temple Emanu-El came up with a solution a few years ago. Businesses and individuals simply buy lunches to be donated to eight local non-profits that feed needy residents.

This year, Temple Emanu-El plans to donate about 450 of the 2,200 lunches it will prepare for the May 4 event.
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Over 200 primary school children were in Dublin Castle this week for the Road Safety Authoritys (RSA) annual Seatbelt Sheriff and Hi-Glo Silver Awards.

First class students from Castletown Girls National School in Dundalk, took the top prize in the Seatbelt Sheriff competition for their poster, Secure Our Future.

Students from Second Class in Scoil Mhuire na nGael from Dundalk, took first prize in the Hi-Glo Silver competition for their poster, Ready, Steady, Glow.

Now in its thirteenth year, the RSA hosted children from schools in Dublin, Limerick, Carlow, Louth, Galway, Clare, Cork and Mayo to celebrate their efforts in making the roads safer.

One of the most vibrant and lively road safety events of the year, the children received special awards for their exceptional dedication to keeping themselves, friends and families safe on our roads.

Hundreds of entries were received for the Seatbelt Sheriff and Hi-Glo Silver poster competitions.

This year we opened up the competition to a public vote on the RSA Facebook page and Askeaton National School in Co. Limerick won the award from the public vote for the Seatbelt Sheriff competition and Scoil Mhuire na nGael, Dundalk, Co. Louth won the public vote for the Hi Glo Silver competition.

The awards were presented by Ms Moyagh Murdock, CEO, RSA and Superintendent Con ODonohue, An Garda Siochana.

Speaking about the importance of the awards for developing road safety skills at a young age, Moyagh Murdock, said: Our Seatbelt Sheriff and Hi-Glo Silver Awards give school children the opportunity to learn valuable road safety skills in a fun and imaginative way. I want to congratulate all of the award winners, runners-up and their teachers for their admirable and creative projects, which truly demonstrate their dedication to road safety. It is my desire that the lessons learned will stay with these children throughout their lifetime, keeping themselves, peers and their loved ones safe on our roads.

uperintendent Con ODonohue, An Garda Siochana said: On behalf of An Garda Siochana, I want to congratulate all the students here today on their fantastic work. The Seatbelt Sheriff and Hi-Glo Silver Awards help our youngest and most vulnerable road-users to learn vital road safety skills.
When I was a young reporter one of my duties was to attend the regular monthly meetings of the Board of the Dundalk Harbour Commissioners at their offices in Quay Street.

These meetings were mostly very boring affairs that seemed to endlessly discuss the same problems regarding the running of Harbour. There was seldom any news that was of great interest to Democrat readers and, for that reason, it was a fairly easy assignment so I did not make any complaints about having to cover those meetings.

The main business of the Port sixty years ago was the importation of coal but the one thing which stuck in my mind was that older members of the Board were constantly repeating the suggestion that they should be doing something to 'revive the timber trade'. It did not mean much to me at the time, and probably not to the ordinary people of Dundalk, but it seems that, at one time, the importation of timber was very important to the trade and industries of Dundalk.

For one thing the importation of railway sleepers was essential to the railway system which was the 'life blood' of Dundalk employment for over 100 years. During that period the G.N.R. (I) company had a timber boat calling once a week at the Quays with a cargo of untreated sleepers from Russia and the Baltic states. The wooden sleeper carrying vessels were larger than colliers and were unloaded directly onto railway wagons on the quays.

The train then ran to the timber yard at Barrack Street Goods Yard where the wood was treated with creosote in large, streaming, tanks. Concrete railway sleepers did not come into use on the rail system until the 1960s and, even then, they were not in common use for decades.

What the railway company did for supplies of wooden sleepers during the two World Wars, I am not sure, but an old railway worker tells me that, when he was a young fitter apprentice, the company bought a lot of timber in logs from Cork and cut them into sleeper lengths themselves at the timber yard.

Another aspect of the railway sleeper trade was that sleepers that were replaced regularly by 'line gangs'. The used sleepers were sold to farmers, and as a result, old creosote wood can still be seen in fencing and sheds on farms all over the North-west. The old sleepers were also used in the building trade, as they took a long time to rot, they were particularly useful in supporting oil tanks for central heating systems. When the reinforced concrete sleepers took over, the supply ceased and the result was that you probably could not now get an old railway sleeper 'for love nor money'.

The railway sleepers, however, were not the only aspect of the timber trade at Dundalk Port, as wood was being imported at Dundalk Harbour for centuries. Young people today can scarce understand how important wood was in all sorts of human activities up until the middle of the last century when synthetic materials began to be developed. There used even be an old jetty at Dundalk Quays which was known as 'The Timber Wharf'.

I presume it was a place where timber was unloaded and may even have been a place where locally made furniture was exported.

Interestingly Don Johnston, President of the County Louth Archaeological and Historical Society, makes that point that wood coming into Dundalk, from the New World of both Americas, may have been loaded merely as ballast of ships coming back across the Atlantic after depositing emigrants on foreign shores and even vessels carrying exported goods manufactured in Dundalk.

He says Sir John MacNeill, the great railway engineer who lived at Mountpleasent, used a lot of wood in his various enterprises around the Ballymascanlon area. He had a number of mills in the area and imported a lot of coal at his private quay on the north side of the Harbour, on the Ballymascanlon River Creek at Ballyboys. One of his more unusual mills was his spade factory at Deer Park. Digging implements must have been in great demand for the building of the railway embankments, bridges and other works, like the Navvy Bank which he designed. These implements must have required a lot of timber for their shafts which was readily available from ships coming into the Port.

How this timber trade worked was that that ships coming into the Bay would unload their cargoes in that Castletown Estuary at low tide. Workers would then go out with horses to collect the logs with specially designed rigs to drag the logs to the saw mills along the Quays. The ships would rise again on the incoming tide and either sail off or berth at one of the wharfs to collect cargo for export.

Charlie McCarthy tells me that this was difficult and dangerous work, as the wood was in 40 feet lengths of 12 X 12 foot (sometimes 24 X 24 ft.) dimensions that would have been hard to handle. The logs were loaded at the bow of the ship and tossed over the side when they reached the ports. The voyages also very dangerous for the sailors as there are many reports of cargoes shifting in storms and causing the vessels to capsize and even causing injuries to sailors trying to secure the cargoes.

All things considered, the 'Timber Trade' was part of the social history of Dundalk Port and Town which has gone forever! It is no wonder, therefore that the older folk used to speak of it with a degree of reverence.
Bolstered by a $1 million seed injection, Melbourne start-up Weploy has launched an on-demand recruitment platform that connects pre-screened, talented employees to employers who need short term staff to manage peak periods or cover employee absences.

Co-founded by serial entrepreneurs Nick La and Vince Luong, Weploy was conceived in response to the frustration they had experienced in dealing with recruitment agencies and the churn of unreliable staff in previous businesses. The platform is now live in Melbourne with a pilot underway in Sydney but they have plans to roll it out nationally in the coming months, before taking it internationally.

The venture received its seed capital from Van Luong, founder of Viet-Uc Seafood Company, a leading shrimp farming company in Vietnam. The AgTech mogul also serves on Weploys advisory board alongside Redbubble CTO Paul Coia, Rotten Tomatoes co-founder Patrick Lee and Australian financial expert, Robert Krigsman (Krigsman Partners).

La spoke to Dynamic Business about chasing success in an industry in need of disruption and, when looking for investors, considering what they can bring to the table aside from just money.

DB: How does the Weploy platform work?

La: Weve built smart tech to ensure we offer the most simple, cost-effective and reliable recruitment platform available to market. For Weployers (employers), replacing a shift or sourcing a reliable employee takes around 60 seconds. They access the platform via their mobile or desktop, submit a job post, and within 30 seconds they are matched to a Weployee (employee) with the suitable skill-set for that job.

For Weployees, the application is centered on an online onboarding process, which involves completing a psychometric and skill test. If they pass that, the candidate is then interviewed and safety checks (such as police and ID checks) are conducted. Once approved to use the platform, Weployees get job offers via our app, matching their skills, rating and geographic location directly to their phone, allowing them to choose when and where they want to work.

DB: What sort of users do you target?

La: Weployees can be anyone qualified to work, including uni students, mums returning to work, professionals looking for a side gig and even travellers with working visas. Our community of Weployees is made up of talented individuals who want to work in a flexible capacity, particularly in the admin, retail, hospitality and labour sectors. Part of Weploys mission is removing the bias and discrimination that is common within traditional recruitment processes. We want to make it easy for talented people to find work, regardless of gender, culture or age.

From a Weployer perspective, our main users are medium to large sized businesses who need temporary staff fast, however we also work with smaller businesses who use Weployees to support their business growth. By keeping our margins low without compromising on staff quality, were able to provide a unique service to businesses who are often exploited by the recruitment industry.

DB: Is recruitment in need of disruption?

La: Definitely. At Weploy, were competing against the traditional recruitment agencies, which are rife with flaws that mean clients and candidates are exploited. Van and I saw first-hand what these agencies were doing wrong and weve made it our mission to do it better. Doing our industry research, we identified a lot of inefficiencies, a huge lack of transparency and many situations where employers were paying inflated margins for under-qualified employees who would see only a fraction of that rate. A lot of the current competitors are too driven by profit margins, meaning the employee and client are inevitably neglected.

We wanted to create a service that produces a win-win scenario, so we set our rates at 10% above average to attract the best talent and set our margins lower so employers are better able to access these skills. We dont charge any upfront fees and only take an 18% service fee of the subtotal. For context, recruitment agencies charge up to 50% per hire. We take full responsibility for Weployees as actual employees (not contractors like other on demand platforms) meaning Weployees receive entitlements including including Super, payroll tax, and WorkCover insurance, on top of the hourly rate.

Weve had very positive feedback from our clients, who agree the sector is due for disruption. We believe what were doing is moving the industry into a positive direction and helping us to achieve our vision to change the way the world sees employment.

DB: What success has the platform enjoyed to date?

La: Weploy has been lucky enough to have some significant Australian companies participate in our pilot phase, including VICE Australia, RMIT, Arthur J Gallagher, HotDoc, General Assembly. To date we have 8,500 Weployees and 500 employees in the Weploy community (which is rapidly growing).

DB: What makes Van Luong an ideal investor?

La: When we were looking for investors, it was of utmost importance that there was a strong alignment. We turned down two VCs, not because they werent great but because we didnt have complete alignment. When approached by an investor, we need to consider what the investor can bring to the table (e.g. how can they help us grow and approach problems). Were not looking for someone to just throw money at us. For us, an investor needs to be a strategic partner where we can retain control and stay true to our mission.

Van understood, first-hand, the problem we are looking to solve and shares our passion to change the way the world sees employment. When we pitched Weploy, he immediately related to this problem as something he also experienced building his own business and instantly saw the value in what we were trying to achieve. He initially invested AUD$400,000 into the platform but was so impressed by our rapid growth and ability to hit our milestones during our beta phase that he contributed an additional late seed of $600,000 AUD (bringing our total investment to AUD$1 million).

DB: What attracted your other advisors?

La: Our advisors were attracted to Weploy for one core reason- they were impressed with our passion and commitment to our cause. Our advisors have worked across a number of startups and told us that a key differentiating point was our maturity and solid structure. From the outset weve set ourselves up as a commercially minded business solving a global problem, whilst having a positive social impact- and this was obviously recognised. At Weploy, were not in this to make bank, were in this because its our passion and it has been a common tread between our advisors motivation to join.

DB: What do they bring to the table?

La: As non-technical founders, we knew we needed to get an expert to oversee the platforms development  thats where Paul Coia steps in. He is our CTO and oversees all technical aspects of Weploy. Meanwhile, Patrick Lee is an all-round advisor and someone we as founders aspire to model our own growth on. As someone with extensive experience across various aspects of business, Patrick is able to provide counsel on the overall strategic direction of the company. Finally, Robert Krigsman is a trusted financial advisor who specialises in startups. He advises us on managing growth through number, burn rate and measuring how financially healthy we are.
Not everybody knows Manolo Prieto but few are unfamiliar with his most famous design: the Osborne bull, whose silhouette can be seen standing proudly against the skyline of many of Spains major highways.

Born in sherry country in Puerto de Santa Maria in 1912, Prieto was a pioneer of graphic design in Spain. Not only was he contracted by the Osborne sherry company in 1956 to come up with an image to advertise the companys Veterano brandy, he also applied his skills in campaigns for clients including state railway company Renfe, Spanish national airline Iberia and Nestle.

The Osborne bulls are roughly 14 meters tall. FRANCISCO ONTANON

The Osborne bull, however, remains his most famous creation and the design was chosen by the Promotion of Decorative Arts (FAD) in 2003 as the icon of Spains 20th century. In 1997, the countrys Supreme Court even raised the roadside bulls, which are roughly 14 meters in height, to "national symbol" status, excluding them from a law that prohibits billboards outside city limits.

But besides advertising, Prieto designed 618 book covers, a sample of which is now on show at the national Museum of Decorative Art at number 12, Montalban street in Madrid, in an exhibition that runs until October 22, curated by Juan Aguilar y Emilio Gil. Designed for a series called Novelas y Cuentos over a period of 17 years from 19401957, the covers are complemented by sketches, trial prints and personal objects.

The pocket-sized Novelas y Cuentos literature series was sold in kiosks in the middle of last century. But though he was working within an ultra-conservative social framework, Prieto  a Communist Party militant  shunned the traditional advertising graphics of the period and adopted techniques closer to the artistic vanguard that gave scope to his immense imagination and highlighted his talent for abstraction and for working with limited means, all of which make him relevant today.

Now, the Osborne bull is frequently emblazoned on national flags as well as on a range of Osborne-approved souvenirs, something journalist Manuel Vicent has, in this newspaper, noted as ironic. For in what other country is an animal continually brought to its knees seen as a national icon?

English version by Heather Galloway.
The consumption of wine in Spain inched up in 2016 by somewhere between 2.5% and 4% to hit 9.8 million hectoliters, halting decades of declining demand according to new figures from the Spanish Wine Market Observatory (OeMv).

A wine tasting event. MARIO RUIZ (EFE)

This rise in consumption  based on sales  can be put down to Spains improving economic situation and a more mature and competitive industry, said OeMv director Rafael del Rey.

Spain is the world leader in wine experts, shipping 22.7 million hectoliters overseas in 2016

The director highlighted the increasing variety of wine on offer and a change in the image of the beverage in the country as well as improved branding and marketing by wine producers and regional wine organizations.

The small increase last year marks a turning point after a long period of decline. In the 1970s, average annual wine consumption in Spain was above 40 liters per head but this has since dropped off dramatically, hitting just 21 liters per head in 2014, according to Californian industry group the Wine Institute.

That means Spain is at the bottom of the rankings for wine consumption among producer counties put together by the Californian group, with experts saying Spanish wine consumption is far below what would be expected.

Which countries drink the most wine? The Vatican, with an aging male population, has the highest wine consumption in the world according to the Wine Institute at 53.83 liters per head per year. Croatia and Slovenia are in second place (44 liters), followed by France (42.5), Portugal (41.7) and Italy (33). In the UK, the figure is 22 liters.

The 9.8 million hectoliters sold in Spain last year is far below the countrys average production of around 42 million hectoliters.

In response, the Spanish wine industry is now planning to launch a strategy aimed at boosting wine consumption in the country, with a special focus on attracting younger generations of drinkers.

The industry has also called on the government to back their product.

Spain is the world leader in wine exports, shipping 22.7 million hectoliters overseas in 2016 for total earnings of 2.64 billion. But the average price of the wine that is exported is only 1.18 per liter as more than 50% of all exports are of low-grade wine valued at less than 0.40 per liter.

English version by George Mills.
Thousands of Argentineans gathered in central Buenos Aires on Tuesday evening to renew their demands for the government to take action on femicides, an issue that is the focus of the Ni Una Menos (Not One Less) movement following the recent murder of a young woman .

Women gather at the Plaza de Mayo on Tuesday evening. EFE

Twenty-one-year-old Micaela Garcias naked body was found on April 9, a week after she went missing in Gualeguay, some 230 kilometers north of the capital. The case has once again prompted calls for the government to take action to combat the killings of women, with official figures suggesting there is one such death on average in this South American country every 30 hours.

The main suspect in the murder of Garcia, named as Sebastian Wagner, is now in custody, and had been convicted in 2012 for two rapes, but was released on parole less than a year ago.

We are going to take revenge for Micaela by getting organized

Veteran feminist Nina Brugo

Ni Una Menos has been leading the campaign to raise awareness about femicide and for the authorities to act to combat the countrys high female murder rate: a total of 2,384 women have been murdered by their spouses, partners, or unknown men in the last nine years.

The more they try to silence us the more well shout; Touch one, touch us all; and: Mica, you will drive our fight. Some are missing, but there are many more of us, were among the messages on placards held aloft by demonstrators at the Plaza de Mayo and its surrounding streets on Tuesday. Other protesters carried photographs of Araceli Fulles, a 22-year-old who has been missing since April 2.

It is a day of mourning, but we know how to turn pain into power. Our mothers and grandmothers taught us how to do that in this same square, said journalist Marta Dillon of Ni Una Menos, referring to the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, an organization set up in 1977 to locate children kidnapped by the military regime that seized power in 1976 and that lasted until 1983.

President Macri has called for the judge who released the killer to resign

We are going to take revenge for Micaela by getting organized, said veteran feminist Nina Brugo.

Much of the widespread anger in response to the murder of Micaela Garcia has been directed at the judge who released Wagner. Magistrate Carlos Rossi ignored two reports advising against conditionally releasing the rapist. Even President Mauricio Macri has criticized the decision, calling for Rossi to step down.

But for Ni Una Menos, simply locking up rapists and men who murder women is not enough. We mustnt get carried away by tougher punishments. More prison sentences is not the solution because that is simply acting after the event. We need more prevention and sexual education to instill the principles of equality in our children, said one activist at the demonstration, who gave her name as Violeta.

Micaela Garcias funeral was held in the city of Concepcion del Uruguay on Tuesday and was attended by thousands of well-wishers.

English version by Nick Lyne.
Earlier this year, the City Council of Jackson, Michigan passed a non-discrimination ordinance (NDO) that prohibits discrimination against anyone for housing, employment, or public accommodation based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The vote was 5-2. Shortly thereafter, a local group of Jackson residents, supported by clergy in local Catholic churches, started to circulate petitions to rescind the NDO and put the civil rights of members of the LGBTQ community up for a vote. Anti-LGBTQ bigot Jeffrey Feahr turned in the petitions to the City Clerk and brought the media with him. However, due to multiple deficiencies in the petitions, the group Jackson Together asked the City Clerk Randy Wrozek to invalidate the petitions. He refused to do so Jackson Together went to court and, today, they won.

Jacksons NDO is now law.

Before todays court hearing, Wrozek attempted to hire an outside attorney to represent him. He brought on the notorious anti-LGBTQ attorney, David Kallman. Kallman is part of the Orwellian-named law firm Great Lakes Justice Firm that has a long history of fighting against the civil rights of people in the LGBTQ community. Kallman and his colleagues spend an enormous amount of time spreading their intolerant views and fighting any attempt to enforce civil rights protections for LGBTQ people. A PrideSource piece by Todd Heywood in 2013 shows just how horrible this group is. Heres a snippet about one of Kallmans colleagues at the Great Lakes Justice Center, William Wagner:

In 2009, Wagner was involved in opposing LGBT equality in Europe, where he used substantially similar language related to Deltas proposed law and the E.U. proposal. That argument was made on video and in print. Wagner also co-authored a 2007 paper on pro-life issues with former assistant attorney general for Michigan Andrew Shirvell. The brief was published by Americans United for Life. Shirvell came under fire, and was ultimately fired by then Attorney General Mike Cox for his stalking and blogging of openly gay University of Michigan student body president Chris Armstrong. Armstrong filed suit against Shirvell, and won a $4.5 million ruling. This spring, Wagner was a featured speaker at a conference in Trinidad which also featured Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, a Southern Poverty Law Center identified anti-gay group. But Wagners animosity towards minorities does not stop with LGBT people. Wagner was a featured speaker in May of 2012 at a conference event sponsored by anti-gay former state lawmaker and current Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema on Sharia law. (In this video, Wagner argues recognizing Muslim religious beliefs and creating exceptions for their values violates the U.S Constitution  something his own ministry is arguing should be allowed for Christians in relation to homosexuality. He has also published similar arguments on the Family Research Councils website  another group recognized by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an anti-gay hate group.

The City Council filed a restraining order to prevent Wrozek from having Kallman represent him (he works for the City and has a City attorney for that) and, in his decision today, the judge upheld that order. He also shot down a motion Kallman presented to intervene in the case on behalf of two anonymous, unnamed petition circulators. Heres the judges order regarding the petitions and the NDO:

These are the relevant parts:

4. The Petitions violated state and local election law and therefore were invalid. 5. Despite the invalidity of the Petitions, the Clerk issued a statement purporting to certify the Petitions. The Clerks certification of the Petitions was invalid. Accordingly, the Clerks finding that the NDO was suspended lacked legal basis. [] [T]he Petitions submitted on or about March 2, 2017 are invalid;  [T]he Clerks certification of the Petitions was invalid and contrary to law; [T]he NDO shall not be suspended and shall take effect immediately. It is further ordered that this case is dismissed with predjudice.

That last bit means Wrozek and his pals cant come back at this and try again. They may be able to appeal the decision regarding the mysterious, unnamed petition circulators but their chances of success wane with each step they take and they have now been exposed for the creeps they are. The true test for the residents of Jackson will come next November when three of the five Council members who supported the NDO will be up for reelection. My guess is that Jackson will be fine and not show itself to support bigotry and hatred toward their LGBTQ friends and neighbors.

But, for today, this is a huge victory for reasonable and compassionate people and we should celebrate.
I received the note below from a former student who is now a teacher. For obvious reasons, I wont identify her or where she teaches, butshockinglyher story is becoming all too common

We had a union meeting yesterday where they warned us that the governor is going after the certificates of teachers that opted out their kids (of the state tests). The governor says it breaks our contract agreeing to protect and follow educational laws. Is this legal? Teachers are being targeted and warned to be extremely careful, especially on public media. I was just curious on your thoughts.

This theme of administrators and elected officials threatening teachers if they speak out publicly against tests, the Common Core State Standards, or other education policies seems to be growing stronger and louder recently, with reports of similar stories popping up in New Mexico, Louisiana, New York, Arizona, Missouri, and Michigan.

In Rochester, NY, an email from an administrator to the citys principals asked them to keep a list of teachers who might have shared information on testing for possible disciplinary action:

An email sent from a high-level Rochester City School District official to principals is causing concern among teachers. Chief of Schools Beverly Burrell-Moore sent the email Monday afternoon to principals she supervises. The email asks them to share names of teachers who have encouraged parents to refuse to allow their children to take state exams. Per your building, please identify teachers who have sent letters or made phone calls to parents encouraging them to opt out their children from the NYS Assessments. Also, identify teachers who you have evidence as utilizing their classrooms as political soap boxes. I need this updated information no later than Tuesday morning for follow-up, the email states.

Audrey Amrein Beardsley, a professor of education at Arizona State University, and the author of one of my favorite education blogs on the web, VAMBOOZLED, reports:

New Mexico now requires teachers to sign a contractual document that they are not to diminish the significance or importance of the tests or they could lose their jobs. Teachers are not to speak negatively about the tests or say anything negatively about these tests in their classrooms or in public; if they do they could be found in violation of their contracts. Beardsley wonders about the legality, and even the constitutionality of this sort of action: As per a related announcement released by the ASBA, this could have a chilling effect on the free speech rights of school and district officials throughout the state but also (likely) beyond if this continues to catch on. School officials may be held liable for a $5,000 civil fine just for sharing information on the positive or negative impacts of proposed legislation to parents or reporters.

More recently, Ohio Governor John Kasich made headlines with his bizarre suggestion that in order for teachers to renew their licenses they must complete an unpaid internship with a local business. Kasichs harebrained idea was met with a snarky legislative proposal from Democratic officials in the state that would require the governor to complete an annual 40-hour externship in a public elementary or secondary school ranked A-F. Theres been no word yet from Mr. Kasich on how he plans to respond to this suggestion.

While there is no doubt that these moves are indeed a disturbing development in the education reform movement, I believe that they also reveal a quickly growing sense of fear and confusion among those in the reform community regarding the viability of their agenda. Indeed, the surprising strength of the Opt Out movement in New York, where as many as 200,000 students have reportedly refused to sit for the states tests, has led to calls demanding the resignation of Merryl Tisch, Chancellor of the NYS Board of Regents.

If there is a silver lining to these threats it may be the impending crumbling of the reform agenda under the increased scrutiny from the public, the media, and teachers. For far too long, policy leaders like Chancellor Tisch, Governors Cuomo, Kasich and Snyder, and former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and current Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, have responded to criticism of their agendas with either deafening silence or dismissive pandering, such as accusations that painted parents as confused patsies of a labor action. Now, these feeble rejoinders are being exposed for what they have been all along: weak and arrogant responses to the legitimate demands for accountability from those so negatively impacted by these destructive policies.

These leaders are clearly scared, and they have every right to be. Now is the time to step up the pressure, and not let our voices be silenced. We are fighting for our students, our colleagues and our profession.

Let students learn, let teachers teach, and get the politicians out of education.
It may not be apparent to all observers, but information security practices are undergoing a transformation. For at least a decade, environments have been becoming less perimeter-centric: Gone are the good old days when in-line controls protected the trusted, safe interior from the wild west of the outside.

As environments become more complex and externalized, the traditional perimeter loses meaning. Moreover, as attackers themselves become more sophisticated, security teams increasingly need to expect that the internal environment is compromised already.

As a consequence, the emphasis is on detection (locating attackers already in the environment) and response (minimizing the amount of time they can dwell unchecked), rather than on putting all the eggs in the prevention basket and hoping attackers cant get in.

Extending Situational Awareness

This is why intelligence-driven security approaches that are aware of attacker motivations, tradecraft and methods have been gaining traction. Take, for example, the strategy Lockheed Martins kill chain paper outlines for understanding attacker activity as part of a systematic campaign, thereby rendering it more difficult to mount.

The companys own chain of events, when disrupted, renders such campaigns ineffective. That is a useful strategy, and one that lends itself well to a highly mutable, complex, and interdependent environment such as those most organizations have in place today.

Alignment of such an approach to internal defenses and control placement is useful, because it allows orbital deployment of defenses. That is, instead of a chain of layered defenses, it presupposes a 360-degree attack surface where attackers potentially can circumvent many of the controls in place, and each individual countermeasure can fill a dual detective and protective role.

While readily applicable to internal controls, this type of approach is adapted less easily to other types of security  notably, the supply chain. The supply chain can be an area of risk or potential attack for any organization  and, just as a companys internal environments are becoming more complex, so too are those of its partners, vendors and suppliers.

However, intelligence-driven methods can offer the same advantages to a companys external support network as they provide in its own environment.

Its important for a company to understand the threat environment for elements in the supply chain in the same way that it understands its own internal environments. Just as it evaluates its posture from a threat perspective, so also should it extend that analysis to others that could potentially impact it.

In practice, this means making the following determinations: 1) the impact that a compromise of a supplier or partner would have; 2) the motivations and techniques of those that are likely to attack them; and 3) their relative resilience to those attacks.

This assessment must begin with understanding who is in the supply chain and what they do. For an organization of any size, this can take quite a bit of legwork. Therefore, it is advantageous to approach it in a systematic and workmanlike way  for example, by keeping an inventory of who they are, correlated with data youve already collected (assessments, business due-diligence, technical tests, and so forth).

This information can extend the situational awareness capabilities that a company uses  or are building  for the internal environment to cover critical areas of the supply chain or other areas where a compromise could have cascading impact.

For example, if a company subscribes to an intelligence feed that provides information about indicators of compromise or threat actor information, it can extend its detection capability to the supply chain by linking that information with what it knows of its suppliers and partners.

Depending on the relationship, this process could yield a heads up notification, or it could result in an extension of internal countermeasures to cover the points of interaction with that external party.

Information Sharing

As a company gains maturity, the opportunity arises to enlist suppliers as an information source, as well as to leverage investments in intelligence-gathering to assist them. There are two primary challenges with the data collection aspects of intelligence-driven security approaches: first, finding or collecting relevant information; and second, contextualizing that information for specific environments. Surprisingly, folks in a companys supply chain can help with both.

Suppliers can serve as an early warning mechanism to collect information about the threat environment. Larger organizations in the supply chain, for example, might have access to information that the company does not have. They may subscribe to different information sources, gather data points from other customers in the same industry, or otherwise gain access to valuable insights that can be of direct assistance.

This can help with contextualization. If a number of similar organizations  for example, in the same industry or of similar size  see a similar thing or are being attacked in a similar way, it is directly relevant. Having an open line of communication to learn about patterns from those in a position to observe them can be extremely valuable. In many cases, all it takes is a conversation to make it happen.

Smaller vendors and partners, or those that are less technically sophisticated, might have less to offer in terms of specific information for a company to consume, but they absolutely will benefit from information the company might be able to share with them.

Of course, a company cant compel its suppliers to make use of the information it provides, but it absolutely can give them the ammunition to do so. It also can look for evidence of responsiveness in the vetting or periodic reassessment it does, and use that information to decide how much to rely on them in the future.

The point is, an intelligence-driven approach not only makes sense for a companys internal environments, but also can provide value when systematically applied to the supply chain.

It wont pay off in every case, but a company that extends its efforts to cover the supply chain, in addition to other methods it employs, may realize substantial benefits. Establishing a communication channel to allow information sharing can be time well spent and result in tangible security value.
Medina Azahara, a veteran Spanish rock band, has become the latest addition to a growing list of foreign artists and musicians who have been denied access to the United States  or even deported after being allowed in. The Cordoba band, which released its first album in 1979 and developed a trademark sound based on a subgenre known as Andalusian rock, had been planning a US tour due to begin this Wednesday in New York City.

Medina Azahara in a promotional picture.

More information EE UU dificulta la entrada de varios artistas espanoles y latinoamericanos

But via a press release, the band said that their keyboard player, Manuel Ibanez, erroneously answered yes to one of the questions on the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) form that Europeans need to complete to enter the US.

According to the local daily Diario Cordoba, Ibanez accidentally answered yes to the question: Have you ever committed fraud or misrepresented yourself or others to obtain, or assist others to obtain, a visa or entry into the United States?

The musician went to the consulate to try to redress the mistake, but following a two-hour interrogation, he failed to secure entry.

The band said it will return the money for tickets to their shows in New York, Maryland, Dallas, Anaheim and Chicago. Next week, their Americas tour will resume with a concert in Ecuador. Medina Azahara members said they are unsure whether they will be granted US entry anytime soon, and whether tour dates may be rescheduled.

An Argentinean art curator with residency papers underwent a 36-hour nightmare

Theirs is not the only recent negative experience with US immigration officials. In March, several artists had problems when they tried to play at the SXSW Festival in Austin (Texas). One of them was another Spaniard from the southern region of Andalusia, a trap artist who goes by the artistic name of Yung Beef, and who was informed that his ESTA was denied as he was boarding a flight in Barcelona.

Something along those lines happened to the Chilean band Trementina, three of whose five members saw their visas canceled by US immigration officials without any explanation. The Italian band Soviet Soviet and the Egyptian-Canadian group Massive Scar Era suffered a similar fate.

Deportation

For others, the experience was even more traumatic. Juan Garcia Mosqueda, an Argentinean art curator who owns the Chamber gallery in New York and who has been a legal US resident for the last 10 years, was held at the border as he flew to the US on a flight from Buenos Aires on February 24. It was the beginning of a 36-hour nightmare, as he called it on his Instagram account. Immigration officials denied him the right to a lawyer, prevented him from using any communication device, went through his belongings, withheld food from him and kept him under watch when he went to the bathroom. He was finally placed on a flight back to Argentina.

Four Mexican comedians recently underwent a similar experience. Immigration officials apparently believed that Carlos Bonavides, Nora Velazquez, Maribel Fernandez and Yered Licona were going to work without the corresponding permit, according to Mexican media reports. Their tourist visas were cancelled and they were expelled and barred from returning to US territory within the next five years.

And the Mexican ska bands Panteon Rococo and Antidoping cancelled their gigs at the Skating Reggae Festival, held on March 11 in Los Angeles, because they were not issued work visas. In a video, the band members said that they have been applying for, and receiving, this permit with some frequency since 2000, but that the rules got tougher this year, and their papers had not arrived in time.

English version by Susana Urra.
The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced charges against four individuals, including two officers of Russias Federal Security Service, or FSB, for carrying out the massive cyberbreach that affected about 500 million Yahoo account holders in 2014.

The FBI carried out the investigation with the assistance of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMB Sergeant Harold Pfleiderer told the E-Commerce Times.

A federal grand jury in Northern California charged the defendants  the FSB officials and two Russian cybercriminals  with using stolen data to gain illegal access to the accounts of Russian journalists, Russian and U.S. government officials, and private sector employees of financial, transportation and other companies.

The indictment alleges that Dmitry Aleksandrovich Dokuchaev, 33, a Russian officer in the FSB, and Igor Anatolyevich Sushchin, 43, Dokuchaevs superior, directed, facilitated, paid and provided protection for criminal hackers to collect information using cyberintrusions in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Yahoo and Beyond

At the direction of the FSB agents, Alexsey Alexseyevich Belan, aka Magg, 29, a Latvian-born Russian national, in late 2014 allegedly stole a copy of at least part of Yahoos secret User Database, which contained usernames, emails, recovery emails, phone numbers, and information to create mint Web browser cookies for about 500 million Yahoo members.

He also allegedly gained access to Yahoos Account Management Tool, proprietary software that allowed users to log changes to their accounts.

The co-conspirators also used spear phishing tactics to trick users into giving up access to their accounts, according to court filings.

After the suspects learned they had information to customer accounts outside of Yahoo, the fourth suspect, Karim Baratov, aka Kay, a 22-year old Canadian and Kazakh national, allegedly gained access to 80 accounts in exchange for commission payments.

Kay was arrested in Canada on Tuesday, following the DoJs issuance of a provisional warrant to Canadian officials last week.

The Justice Department has charged all four defendants with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, carrying up to 10 years in prison.

The DoJ also charged Dokuchaev, Sushchin and Belan with conspiracy to commit economic espionage, carrying 15 years in prison; theft of trade secrets, 10 years; conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 20 years; and counterfeit access device fraud, among other charges.

Baratov and both FSB officers were charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, carrying 7 1/2 years in prison; and wire fraud, carrying 20 years in prison. Dokuchaev and Baratov also were charged with aggravated identity theft, carrying two years.

With these charges, the United States Department of Justice is continuing to send the powerful message that we will not allow individuals, groups, nation states, or a combination of them to compromise the privacy of our citizens, the economic interests of our companies or the security of our country, said Mary McCord, acting assistant AG for national security.

Belan has been indicted twice before in the U.S. for three cyberattacks into e-commerce companies that impacted millions of customers, McCord noted, and has been one of the FBIs most wanted cybercriminals for three years.

Despite his history and an Interpol red notice, the FSB failed to detain Belan but continued to use him for illegal hacking, McCord said.

Election Connection?

The charges announced Wednesday are consistent with Yahoos prior disclosures about the hack, said Chris Madsen, assistant general counsel and head of global law enforcement, security and safety at Yahoo.

Yahoo last fall disclosed that it believed a state-sponsored attack had resulted in the theft of a copy of certain information for about 500 million user accounts as of late 2014.

Yahoo later disclosed further details on the forging of cookies to gain access to user accounts without a password and linked some of that activity to the same state-sponsored actor, according to Madsen.

Were committed to keeping our users and our platforms secure and will continue to engage with law enforcement to combat cybercrime, he said.

Due to the lack of a U.S. extradition treaty with Russia, its unlikely there will be more evidence concerning Russian involvement unless there are further proceedings involving Baratov, who was arrested in Canada, suggested Mark Nunnikhoven, vice president for cloud research at Trend Micro.

In any case, the Yahoo and Verizon names will continue to be linked to this case while the companies focus on recovery and strengthening defenses going forward, Nunnikhoven told the E-Commerce Times.

The charges come amid congressional investigations into the Russian interference in the U.S. presidential election. No direct link has been established between the Yahoo hack and the election, but the case at best reflects the United States wide vulnerability to attacks by foreign state actors.

State-sponsored activity such as this is being carried out by all well-resourced nations, which include Russia, China  and of course, the U.S., noted Troy Hunt, a Microsoft regional director and MVP  developer security.

What it shows us is how valuable digital capabilities are becoming, he told the E-Commerce Times.

The reach, effectiveness and cost efficiency of cyberactivities like these make enormously attractive weapons. As we digitize and connect more and more critical infrastructure, their effectiveness only increases  and consequently, so does the threat, Hunt explained.

Obviously, the U.S. needs to strengthen cybersecurity, said Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, but EPIC also believes there should be greater focus on specific threats to personal information.

The U.S. needs a data protection agency similar to agencies in other democratic governments, he told the E-Commerce Times.

EPIC sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Russian interference in the election, Rotenberg noted, and has submitted two Freedom of Information Act requests seeking additional details.
Kingsoft on Tuesday announced that it has expanded its WPS Office suite to include WPS Cloud. The upgrade enables users to work in a cross-platform office suite environment with added storage, file roaming and sharing capabilities.

The cloud-enhanced version is available for PCs and mobile as a fully functional free release and with premium subscriptions. It runs on Linux, Windows, Mac and Android devices.

The free version is ad-supported.

Todays mobile users are accustomed to ad-supported apps and other software, according to Cole Armstrong, senior director for global marketing at Kingsoft.

WPS Cloud is designed to work as a companion to WPS Office, offering users the benefits of cloud computing, such as flexibility and collaboration.

Cloud adoption continues to soar, according to a report by Allied Research. The personal cloud market, in particular, is expected to reach US$89.9 billion globally by 2020.

Providing cloud support with WPS Office will provide a good alternative to the likes of Microsofts OneDrive offering and Googles Drive, which is part of its G Suite ecosystem, noted Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT.

It will allow Kingsoft to position WPS Office as a fully capable alternative to solutions and services from larger competitors, he told LinuxInsider.

Kingsoft first launched WPS in China almost 30 years ago. It now boasts more than 1.2 billion installs worldwide.

Viable Proprietary Option

WPS Cloud is a complete document storage and management service that lets users view and edit files anywhere at anytime. Automatic backup and link-sharing tools promote real-time collaboration across multiple devices and platforms.

The new cloud storage service should enable Kingsoft to compete on a more equal footing with traditional office productivity vendors, and is also likely to be welcomed by the companys target SMB customers, observed King.

The cloud service complements the WPS Offices File Roaming feature announced earlier this year, he added, which allows users to download and work with files seamlessly on multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets and traditional PCs.

Files are protected from loss with enterprise-level data security and multiple backups. WPS Office offers user options beyond those available in products such as Microsoft Office and Libre Office, according to WPS.

For example, users can create, view, edit, store and share documents to improve their productivity. Users can access files either from within WPS Office, or through the WPS Cloud Web portal.

The enhanced usability offers Linux users an ideal free office software alternative to Microsoft Office. It also gives users on other platforms another office suite option besides LibreOffice.

Feature Set

WPS Writer, Presentation, Spreadsheets and PDF Reader/Converter are fully compatible with other office software solutions. Users of both the free and premium versions of WPS Office + Cloud receive 1 GB of free storage space on WPS Cloud.

However, the free version limits the number of connected devices to three, said Kingsofts Armstrong.

Users so far can not purchase additional cloud storage space, he told LinuxInsider, but Kingsoft plans to add that capability later this year.

Users must register the product  both the free and premium versions  to access the WPS Clouds 1 GB of free cloud storage. Registration is available through linking existing email, Facebook, Google, Dropbox or Twitter accounts.

Both free and premium users also get file roaming and cross device support. File roaming allows users to open or create documents in WPS Office.

The documents automatically save to WPS Cloud. Users see a list of recent files that they can access across all connected devices, including Windows PCs, Android or iOS mobile devices, and those running the Linux OS.

As with file-sharing on other cloud storage platforms, a document creator can share a direct link that allows intended recipients to view and download WPS documents even if they do not have the WPS Office with Cloud suite, noted Armstrong.

A feature that lets users view files through a Web browser currently is available only in the China version, but Kingsoft hopes to add that feature globally soon, Armstrong said.

Meeting Users Needs

Cross-platform support is essential. So is cloud security. Kingsoft addresses both concerns in its latest offering.

Users are increasingly adopting and using apps and documents in the cloud and growing accustomed to accessing content across devices regardless of their environment, said Armstrong. More and more, they want equal access to office software, whether on a mobile device or traditional PC.

Files are protected from loss with enterprise-level data security and multiple backups. All data is stored in the users country of residence.

Cost and Product Specs

Users can subscribe to the premium version of WPS Office + Cloud for US$3.99 per month or $29.99 per year. A one-time $79.99 payment provides a lifetime subscription. The WPS Office suite supports DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PDF, TXT, HTM, RTF, DOT and DOTX file formats.

The 1 GB cloud storage limit is paltry compared to the space provided by competing cloud products associated with office suite platforms, but the product cost for WPS Office is considerably lower.

For instance, Microsoft Office provides 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year. Googles G Suite provides 30 GB on Google Drive for $5 per month.

Premium upgrades come with additional features and tools. However, the free versions  dubbed sponsored access because they display ads  are fully functional and not otherwise limited in performance.

The premium features include a PDF to Word Converter and a PDF Split and Merge tool. Additional fonts and templates also are included. No ads are displayed in the premium versions.

Leading-Edge Product

Its worth mentioning that rather than using the new service, Kingsoft customers can utilize Microsoft or Google cloud storage for their WPS Office documents instead, noted Pund-ITs King.

In fact, many if not most of them likely already use OneDrive or Google Drive services., he said, so it will be critical for Kingsoft to proactively reach out to its SMB clients and provide services designed to their core needs.

The company already has begun doing just that.

However, I expect that drumbeat to intensify, said King, after the WPS Cloud announcement is official.
Qualcomm on Monday fired back with a response and counterclaim to Apples US$1 billion federal patent suit filed earlier this year.

Apple breached agreements and encouraged regulatory attacks in a scheme to coerce unfair licensing terms, Qualcomm claimed.

Apples suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Southern California, argues that Qualcomm used its dominant position in semiconductors to force it to pay billions in additional royalty payments for technologies like Touch ID or Apple Pay, or even added memory, all of which have nothing to do with the Qualcomm baseband processor chipsets used in mobile phones.

The value of Qualcomms technology has been proven over almost 30 years through hundreds of licensing deals negotiated with virtually every major handset maker in the history of the industry, including Asian firms that make iPhones and iPads, argued Don Rosenberg, general counsel at Qualcomm.

Apple Balked

Over the past 10 years, Apple has played a significant role in bringing the benefits of mobile technology to its customers with its popular products and services, Rosenberg acknowledged, but Apple could not have built the incredible iPhone franchise that has made it the most profitable company in the world, capturing over 90 percent of smartphone profits, without relying upon Qualcomms fundamental cellular technologies.

Qualcomm has spent more than $40 billion in research and development over 30 years, according to its court filings.

Apple has launched legal cases against Qualcomm in multiple jurisdictions in the UK, China and Japan, Qualcomm noted. Apple previously filed monopoly claims against other suppliers, including Nokia and Samsung.

The financial details in support of the companies claims have not been made public. Both Apples original suit and Qualcomms answer and counterclaims were heavily redacted prior to release.

My understanding is that Qualcomms fees were passed along to Apple through a third-party company that Apple does business with, said telecom analyst Jeff Kagan.

Then, I hear, Apple refused to pay those fees, he told the E-Commerce Times, and that started the whole ball of yarn unraveling.

Regulatory Review

Days before Apple filed its suit, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission brought a lawsuit against Qualcomm, alleging that it used its dominant position in baseband processors, a form of semiconductor used in mobile phones, to enforce anticompetitive supply and licensing terms onto phone manufacturers.

The terms, according to the suit, involved a no license, no chips policy that forced mobile phone companies to agree to Qualcomms preferred license terms or the company would not ship the processors.

Apple was banned from receiving competitive processors from 2011 to 2016 in exchange for reduced royalty payments, the FTC alleged.

An FTC spokesperson declined to comment on the case.

The Korea Fair Trade Commission late last year imposed a record $865 million fine against Qualcomm for abusing its dominant position to impose unfair licensing terms on handset makers.

Qualcomm limited the ability of competing chip makers to work with phone manufacturers, the commission ruled.

Raising the Stakes

There is no question that Qualcomm technology is central to the evolution of the iPhone, and that Qualcomm has done more than any other company to bring mobile phone technology to the market, said Les Santiago, research director for wireless and IoT semiconductors at IDC.

However, Apples claim is based on the argument that it added features to the iPhone that had nothing to do with Qualcomms technology, and it therefore should not have to pay Qualcomm additional royalties, even though the payments were linked to the cost of the iPhone, he told the E-Commerce Times.

From that point of view, there is merit to Apples claims, Santiago said.

Qualcomms counterclaim raises the stakes in the case to an entirely new level, he added.

I had previously thought that Qualcomm would settle its case with Apple, its largest customer, at the earliest possible [date], Santiago said. Now it looks like the battle may drag on for a while.

Apple and Qualcomm officials did not respond to our requests to comment for this story.
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The city of Portland and Multnomah County in Oregon are joining the growing list of communities transitioning entirely to renewable energy.

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Deborah Kafoury made the announcement Monday at the June Key Delta Community Center in North Portlandthe site of a former gas station-turned green building.

Portland is likely the largest city in the U.S. to take this ambitious step, the Sierra Club told the Portland Business Journal. The two areas join 25 other communities that have made similar announcements.

According to Oregon Live, the plan involves meeting all electricity needs from renewable sources by 2035. To up the ante, fossil fuels for heating and transportation will also be phased out by 2050.

Wheeler acknowledged that this commitment would not be easy.

They will be difficult to achieve, the newly elected mayor said.

Were actually going to have to make deliberate steps, and deliberate investments, and deliberate policy changes in order for this to become a reality, Wheeler said, adding and Im committed to that.

Oregon Live noted that the city and county can lead the way in some respects, but much of the heavy lifting will depend on utilities and the market for electric vehicles accelerating. For instance, utilities like Portland General Electric will have to quickly phase out coal and other fossil fuels.

As EcoWatch mentioned previously, committing to 100 percent renewables is not as far-fetched as it seems. The Solutions Project, which is aiming to make clean energy accessible and affordable for all, is advocating for towns, cities, states and even the whole country to convert its energy infrastructure to renewables.

The Solutions Project team published a study and roadmap illustrating how each U.S. state can replace fossil fuels by tapping into the renewable resources they have available, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, as well as small amounts of tidal and wave power.

The authors found that converting the nations energy infrastructure into renewables is ideal because it helps fight climate change, saves lives by eliminating air pollution, creates jobs in the rapidly booming renewable energy sector and also stabilizes energy prices.
American Oversight and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) today launched a joint investigation into the March 29 decision by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) not to ban the pesticide chlorpyrifos.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt rejected the findings of the agencys own experts as well as the broader scientific community, which had concluded that chlorpyrifos poses a risk of nervous system damage and birth defects in children.

[facebook https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/10158514147270301/ expand=1]

As Oklahoma Attorney General, Scott Pruitt routinely coordinated with industry to roll back environmental safeguards, now hes doing the same thing at the EPA, said Austin Evers, executive director of American Oversight. This time, its at the expense of our children. Americans have a right to know who influenced the EPA to suddenly reverse course and put pesticide industry profits ahead of childrens health.

American Oversight filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests Tuesday with the EPA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), seeking copies of communications between agency officials, pesticide manufacturers and outside groups that have advocated for the continued use of chlorpyrifos. Specifically, the FOIA requests ask for communications with Croplife, Dow Chemical, DowAgrosciences and think tanks including the Heritage Foundation.

The EPA and USDA have 20 business days to respond to the requests. Absent that, American Oversight will sue to obtain the records.

Last year, EPA scientists concluded that chlorpyrifos poses serious health risks, including problems with learning and memory for children. According to the New York Times, chlorpyrifos was banned from most household uses nearly two decades ago, but it is still used today at about 40,000 farms on about 50 different types of crops, ranging from almonds to apples.

EWG has spent more than two decades focused on the impacts of pesticides on childrens health and was instrumental in the passage of the landmark 1996 Food Quality Protection Act that required the EPA to implement health-based standards for all pesticides used in food, with special safeguards for infants and babies.

Public health experts, pediatricians and EPA scientists all agree that chlorpyrifos is unsafe for children at any level, said EWG Senior VP for Government Affairs Scott Faber.

That overwhelming and uniform agreement among experts should have been all the information Administrator Pruitt needed to protect kids from this notorious neurotoxin. Yet, he decided instead to side with Croplife, Dow and the rest of chemical agriculture and allow chlorpyrifos to remain in use, Faber continued.

Mr. Pruitt must provide taxpayers with all of the documents, details and communications between EPA, USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] and the pesticide industry in order to shed light on how and why the decision was made to continue exposing kids to a pesticide that, even at very low levels, can cause brain damage.

Ahead of Pruitts action on chlorpyrifos, EWG, along with Just Label It and Food Revolution Network, received more than 80,000 signatures to a petition calling on Pruitt to ban the neurotoxic crop chemical and continue the EPAs longstanding efforts to protect people from exposure to dangerous organophosphate pesticides.
What Is Climate Change? Is It Different From Global Warming?



Climate change is actually not a new phenomenon. Scientists have been studying the connection between human activity and the effect on the climate since the 1800s, although it took until the 1950s to find evidence suggesting a link.

Since then, the amount of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases) in the atmosphere have steadily increased, taking a sharp jump in the late 1980s when the summer of 1988 became the warmest on record. (There have been many records broken since then.) But climate change is not a synonym for global warming.

The term global warming entered the lexicon in the 1950s, but didnt become a common buzzword until a few decades later when more people started taking notice of a warming climate. Except climate change encompasses a greater realm than just rising temperatures. Trapped gases also affect sea-level rise, animal habitats, biodiversity and weather patterns. For example, Texas severe winter storms in February 2021 demonstrate how the climate isnt merely warming.

Related: What Are The Top States For Solar Incentives?

Why Is Climate Change Important? Why Does It Matter?





Marc Guitard / Moment / Getty Images

Despite efforts from forward thinkers such as SpaceX Founder Elon Musk to colonize Mars, Earth remains our home for the foreseeable future, and the more human activity negatively impacts the climate, the less habitable it will become. Its estimated that Earth has already warmed about one degree Celsius, or two degrees Fahrenheit, since the start of the Industrial Revolution around the 1750s, although climate change tracking didnt start until the late 1800s. That warming number may not sound like much, but this increase has already resulted in more frequent and severe wildfires, hurricanes, floods, droughts and winter storms, to name some examples.

Environmental Impacts

Then theres biodiversity loss, another fallout of climate change thats threatening rainforests and coral reefs and accelerating species extinction. Take rainforests, which act as natural carbon sinks by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. But as rampant deforestation is occurring everywhere from Brazils Amazon to Borneo, fewer trees mean that rainforests are becoming carbon sources, emitting more carbon than theyre absorbing. Meanwhile, coral reefs are dying as warming ocean temperatures trigger bleaching events, which cause corals to reject algae, their main food and life source. Fewer trees, coral reefs and other habitats also equate to fewer species. Known as the sixth mass extinction, a 2019 UN report revealed that up to a million plant and animal species could become extinct within decades.

Human Impact

It can be easy to overlook climate change in day-to-day life, or even realize that climate change is behind it. Notice theres yet another romaine lettuce recall due to E. Coli? Research suggests that E. Coli bacteria are becoming more common in our food sources as it adapts to climate change. Cant find your favorite brand of coffee beans anymore? Or that the price has doubled? Climate change is affecting that too. Climate change is also worsening air quality and seasonal allergies, along with polluting tap water. Not least, many preliminary studies have also drawn a line between climate change and the deadly COVID-19 pandemic that is still gripping much of the world. Future pandemics are likely to happen more frequently until the root causes, such as deforestation, are addressed.

Speaking of larger-scale issues, global water scarcity is already happening more frequently. The Caribbean is facing water shortages due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall; Australias dams may run dry by 2022 as severe wildfires increase and Cape Town, South Africa has already faced running out of water.

As touched upon earlier, its one thing to be inconvenienced by a lack of romaine lettuce for a couple of weeks or higher coffee bean prices, but reports warn how climate change will continue to threaten global food security, to the point of triggering a worldwide food crisis if temperatures surpass two degrees Celsius.

Many of these factors are already contributing to climate migration, forcing large numbers of people to relocate to other parts of the world in search of better living conditions.

Unless more immediate, drastic action is taken to combat climate change, future generations will have to contend with worst-case scenario projections by the end of the 21st century, not limited to coastal cities going underwater, including Miami; lethal heat levels from South Asia to Central Africa; and more frequent extreme weather events involving hurricanes, wildfires, tsunamis, droughts, floods, blizzards and more.

Related: What Are The Best Solar Companies?

Whats Happening and Why?

Fiddlers Ferry power station in Warrington, UK. Chris Conway / Moment / Getty Images

The Earths temperature has largely remained stable until industrial times and the introduction of greenhouse gases. These gases have forced the atmosphere to retain heat, as evidenced by rising global temperatures. As the planet grows warmer, glaciers melt faster, sea levels rise, severe flooding increases and droughts and extreme weather events become more deadly.

The Greenhouse Effect

In the late 1800s, Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius studied the connection between the amount of atmospheric carbon and its ability to warm and cool the Earth, and while his initial calculations suggested extreme warming as carbon increased, researchers didnt start to take human-induced climate change seriously until the late 20th century.

But proof of human-led climate change can be traced to the 1850s, and satellites are among the ways that scientists have been tracking increased greenhouse gases and their climate impact in more recent years. Climate researchers have also documented warmer oceans, ocean acidification, shrinking ice sheets, decreased snow amounts and extreme weather as among the events resulting from greenhouse gases heating the planet.

Numerous factors contribute to the production of greenhouse gases, known as the greenhouse effect. One of the biggest causes involve burning fossil fuels, including coal, oil and natural gas, to power everything from cars to daily energy needs (electricity, heat). From 1970-2011, fossil fuels have comprised 78 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions.

Big Ag is another greenhouse contributor, particularly beef production, with the industry adding 10 percent in 2019. This is attributed to clearing land for crops and grazing and growing feed, along with methane produced by cows themselves. In the U.S. alone, Americans consumed 27.3 billion pounds of beef in 2019.

Then theres rampant deforestation occurring everywhere from the Amazon to Borneo. A 2021 study from Rainforest Foundation Norway found that two-thirds of the worlds rainforests have already been destroyed or degraded. In Brazil, deforestation reached a 12-year-high in 2020 under right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. As it stands, reports predict that the Amazon rainforest will collapse by 2064. Rainforests are important carbon sinks, meaning the trees capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere. As rainforests collapse, the remaining trees will begin emitting more greenhouse gases than theyre absorbing.

Meanwhile, a recent study revealed that abandoned oil and gas wells are leaking more methane than previously believed, with U.S. wells contributing up to 20 percent of annual methane emissions.

Not least is the cement industry. Cement is heavily used throughout the global construction industry, and accounts for around eight percent of carbon dioxide emissions.

Natural Climate Change

Granted, natural climate change exists as well, and can be traced throughout history, from solar radiation triggering the Ice Ages to the asteroid strike that rapidly raised global temperatures and eliminated dinosaurs and many other species in the process. Other sources of natural climate change impacts include volcano eruptions, ocean currents and orbital changes, but these sources generally have smaller and shorter-term environmental impacts.

How We Can Combat Climate Change

Participant holding a sign at the climate march on Sept. 20, 2020, in Manhattan. A coalition of climate, Indigenous and racial justice groups gathered at Columbus Circle to kick off Climate Week with the Climate Justice Through Racial Justice march. Erik McGregor / LightRocket / Getty Images

While the latest studies and numbers can often feel discouraging about societys ability to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening, theres still time to take action.

As a Society

In 2015 at COP 21 in Paris, 197 countries came together to sign the Paris Agreement, an international climate change treaty agreeing to limit global warming in this century to two degrees Celsius, and ideally 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels; its believed that the planet has warmed one degree Celsius since 1750. Studies show that staying within the two-degree range will prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. Achieving this goal requires participating parties to drastically slash greenhouse gas emissions sooner rather than later. However, there have already been numerous setbacks since then, from former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrawing from the Paris Agreement in 2020 to world leaders, such as China, the worlds biggest polluter, failing to enact aggressive climate action plans. Yet many of the treaty participants have been slow to implement changes, putting the world on track to hit 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the 21st century even if the initial goals are met. However, its worth noting that U.S. President Joe Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement in 2021, and pledged to cut greenhouse gases in half by 2030.

Then theres the Montreal Protocol, a 1987 global agreement to phase out ozone-depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons, chemicals that were commonly used in air-conditioning, refrigeration and aerosols. Recent studies show that parts of the ozone are recovering, proving that a unified commitment to combatting climate change issues does make a difference.

On a smaller scale, carbon offset initiatives allow companies and individuals to invest in environmental programs that offset the amount of carbon thats produced through work or lifestyle. For example, major companies (and carbon emitters) such as United Airlines and Shell have pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in part by participating in carbon offset programs that remove carbon from the atmosphere. The problem is that these companies are still producing high levels of fossil fuel emissions.

While individuals can make a small impact through carbon offsets, the greater responsibility lies with carbon-emitting corporations to find and implement greener energy alternatives. This translates to car companies producing electric instead of gas vehicles or airlines exploring alternative fuel sources. It also requires major companies to rely more on solar and wind energy for their energy needs.

In Our Own Lives

While its up to corporations to do the heavy lifting of carbon reduction, that doesnt mean individuals cant make a difference. Adopting a vegan lifestyle, using public transportation, switching to an electric car and becoming a more conscious consumer are all ways to help combat climate change.

Veganism

Consuming meat relies on clearing land for crops and animals, while raising and killing livestock contributes to about 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the UNs Food and Agricultural Organization. By comparison, choosing a plant-based diet could reduce greenhouse gas footprints by as much as 70 percent, especially when choosing local produce and products.

Public Transportation

Riding public trains, subways, buses, trams, ferries and other types of public transportation is another easy way to lower your carbon footprint, considering that gas-powered vehicles contribute 95 percent of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Electric Vehicles

Electric cars and trucks have come down in price as more manufacturers enter the field, and these produce far lower emissions than their gas counterparts. Hybrid vehicles are another good alternative for lowering individual emission contributions.

Conscious Consumption

Buying locally produced food and items is another way to maintain a lower carbon footprint, as the products arent shipped or driven long distances. Supporting small companies that are committed to sustainability is another option, especially when it comes to clothes. Fast fashion has become a popular option thanks to its price point, but often comes at the expense of the environment and can involve unethical overseas labor practices. Not least, plastic saturates every corner of the consumer market, but its possible to find non-plastic alternatives with a little research, from reusable produce bags to baby bottles.

Climate Activism

Those interested in becoming even more involved can join local climate action organizations. Popular groups include the Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future, Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, to name a few. Voting, volunteering, calling local representatives and participating in climate marches are additional ways to raise your voice.

Takeaway

Its taken centuries to reach a climate tipping point, with just a matter of decades left to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening. But theres still hope of controlling a warming climate as long as individuals, companies and nations make an immediate concerted effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions. As the world already experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a rapid unified response can make all the difference.

Meredith Rosenberg is a senior editor at EcoWatch. She holds a Masters from the Newmark Graduate School of Journalism in NYC and a B.A. from Temple University in Philadelphia.
Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

Todays Shushi, Occupied and Cleared of Armenians, is a Real Example of Turkish-Azerbaijani Policy of Ethnic Cleansing of Artsakh

Ookla, the the global leader in internet testing and analysis has awarded Ucom

Sweden will hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union

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Ameriabank: At the Vanguard of Armenia's Banking Sector

STATEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

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Armenia-Azerbaijan: EU sets up monitoring capacity along the international borders

PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia concerned by reports of alleged war crimes or inhuman treatment perpetrated by Azerbaijans armed forces

There is still 35% gender pay gap: Sona Ghazaryan

Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia

Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

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This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

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Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
As social-emotional learning gains traction in schools , many teachers are coming into their jobs unprepared to develop students skills in areas like self-awareness and navigating relationships, advocates say.

Thats because many teacher-preparation programs dont provide enough training on how to identify the skills students need to be successful, and how to teach those skills, they say. Some states have also been slow to adapt teacher-licensing requirements to the reality that a growing numbers of schools and districts are exploring or implementing social-emotional learning.

Developing students abilities in understanding their emotions and making responsible decisions is accomplished through a combination of direct instruction, incorporating those skills into academic work, and changes to whole-school factors like discipline policies and family engagement.

Its important for teachers to learn how to specifically identify social and emotional competencies that are important for their students to have and to learn how to systematically develop them, said Roger Weissberg, the chief knowledge officer of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning, or CASEL. This does not necessarily come naturally to people.

While a majority of states include at least some social-emotional-learning competencies and whole-school factors in teacher-certification requirements, very few teacher-prep programs address such issues in mandatory coursework, according to a report by researchers at the University of British Columbia that was prepared for the collaborative.

Advocates for social-emotional learning point to research showing that the approach can help boost students academic performance and that employers are increasingly seeking recruits with strong relational and emotional skills.

Lack of Familiarity

Leaders of school districts using comprehensive social-emotional-learning programs say teachers lack of knowledge can make implementation difficult. Thats particularly true in schools with high rates of teacher turnover, where training teaching staff in a consistent, long-lasting strategy can be difficult as classrooms turn over between school years, they say.

Thats why proponents of social-emotional learning have set their sights on the teacher pipeline as they scale up the work at the state and district levels.

The University of British Columbia report assesses all states teacher-certification requirements in three areas. The first is whether those requirements address working with students on five social-emotional learning competencies identified by CASEL: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decisionmaking. Researchers looked for mentions of those concepts and associated terms as they relate to students. The second is whether there were mentions of those concepts as they relate to teachers own social and emotional development.

In the third area, researchers explored whether would-be teachers are required to learn about issues related to students learning contexts: coordination across school departments and between classrooms to meet the needs of students, school-community partnerships, school-family partnerships, and social-emotional learning in the classroom context.

Researchers found that 27 states have teacher-licensure requirements that address four or five of the competencies. All 50 states and the District of Columbia addressed at least one area of teachers SEL in their certification; just 10 states addressed four or five of the competencies. Researchers found that 42 states addressed all four areas of the learning context.

State-by-State Look

But those state requirements werent always reflected in mandatory coursework in teacher-prep programs, the researchers found. They explored a sample of 30 percent of programs in every state, weighted for each states ratio of public-to-private programs.

In 14 states, a majority of the programs reviewed addressed three of the five social-emotional learning dimensions for teachers. In the rest of the states, a majority of the programs addressed fewer of the competencies. Researchers did not identify any state where the majority of teacher-prep programs they reviewed covered more than one of the student social-emotional-learning skills.

The majority of teacher education programs in 18 states addressed between one and three of the four learning context dimensions. Only in Ohio did a majority of programs reviewed by researchers address all four areas of the learning context. (The research was supported by the NoVo Foundation, which also helps to support coverage of social-emotional learning in Education Week.)

After seeking input from deans of schools of education, the report recommends more social-emotional-learning research that relates specifically to teacher preparation.

It takes thoughtful work to shift the offerings of a teacher-prep program, said Nancy Markowitz, the director of the Center for Reaching and Teaching the Whole Child at San Jose State University in California. Eight years ago, Markowitz worked with the universitys teacher education faculty to infuse a social-emotional-learning approach into coursework.

Professors explored how to teach teacher-candidates to nurture their own personal and relational skills while also developing them in students. They devised strategies, such as how to teach children the self talk they need to get through the sometimes defeated feelings of solving a difficult math problem, and how to greet every student at the doorway in the morning as a means of quickly assessing their readiness to engage in class.

My belief has been that youve got to start upstream at the beginning, said Markowitz, who added that shes seen many programs come and go in schools. Unless its built into the way people think and approach their work, its not going to be institutionalized.

Now the whole-child center is piloting a program to help spread its social-emotional-learning strategies to other colleges of education, a process that requires time, flexibility, and a commitment to collaboration among faculty, she said.

As more states adopt standards for social-emotional learning and add related concepts into such areas as accountability and teacher evaluations, Markowitz expects teacher-preparation programs will have greater incentive to incorporate the concept into a greater number of courses.

When it comes to social-emotional learning, she said, the university has been left out of the equation in terms of implementation of change.
Robert Pacquement and the Djermaya Solar development team do not shy away from a challenge. His Djermaya Solar development team has worked with Chads government for the past three years to support an ambitious solar project. It is vital work. Electricity is scarce, expensive and unreliable in Chad with the current energy system reliant on biomass fuels such as wood and animal dung. The one thing in which Chad is rich is the sun. This freely available, sustainable resource has a huge potential to transform the countrys energy sector. It can reduce the generation costs and also connect more people to power, says Pacquement.

The solar photovoltaic plant at Djermaya, 30km north of NDjamena, the capital, will be the first utility-scale renewable energy project and will be the first privately owned, financed and managed power plant in Chad. It will generate significant savings for the country, Pacquement explains. Once the solar plant is operational, the cost of the electricity generated by the solar plant will be less than half the present cost of power in Chad.

The Djermaya solar project draws on risk capital and expertise from InfraCo Africa, Aldwych Africa Developments Limited, JCM Power and Smart Energies. InfraCo Africa, a privately managed company backed by public funds from the UK, Switzerland and the Netherlands thats part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group, will invest up to US$3 million into Djermaya Solar and, through its developer Aldwych Africa, provide the resource and expertise needed to develop this pioneering project.

The project is backed by a EUR 6.35 million contribution from the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund (EU-AITF).

Partnerships to boost resources

Public finances are constrained all over the world, but its particularly true in Chad. The most effective use of funding from public donors is then to attract additional public or private finance through multilateral development banks. This blending of grants from donors and multilateral development bank financing has helped to leverage investment around the world, including in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the EU-AITF operates.

Created in 2007, the EU-AITF is a EUR 813 million fund founded by the European Commission and several EU Member States. The European Investment Bank manages the fund and hosts its secretariat.

What is special about the EU-AITF compared to most other trust funds is that each of the 14 donors nominates a project financier. The Private Infrastructure Development Group is one of them. The EIB is another, nominated by the founding donor, the European Commission. Financiers at the EU-AITF can be development finance institutions, banks, Member State agencies or public bodies with international development project expertise. The EU-AITF secretariat provides support to the donors and to the project financiers, says Katrin Riedel, who works at the Trust Funds secretariat in the EIB.

The EU-AITF is a great example of cooperation, Riedel says, because it partners with different donors and with multiple financing institutions. There really is a spirit of mutual exchange between the different stakeholders.

Collaboration is an opportunity to achieve more than each partner might accomplish on its own. Blending facilities and trust funds are increasingly used by the European Commission and the EIB as tools to channel finance and partner with local governments and donors to deliver aid to the worlds poorest and most vulnerable. Donor contributions can be the key to making a project viable, and to ensure it is sustainable or that its impact is maximised.

Projects that changed lives

At Djermaya, the contribution of EUR 6.35 million from the EU-AITF, in the form of a 0% interest loan, will finance the building of the transmission line, substation and other electrical work required for system integration and to connect the solar project to the grid.

Without the EU-AITF support, Djermaya Solar would not have been possible, says Pacquement.

More than half of the volume of all EU-AITF grants has already leveraged concrete investments in projects worth EUR 7.8 billion. Thats 18.5 times the volume of the grant support.

Some examples are:

the Seychelles East Africa Submarine Cable project, quadrupling the number of internet subscribers in the Seychelles in only four years

the Port de Pointe Noire project in Congo-Brazzaville, increasing cargo traffic by 45% and more than doubling container traffic by expanding handling and storage capacity

the Green Energy Finance for Indian Ocean Region facility, supporting through concessional finance to local companies and entrepreneurs around 40 small-scale private sector projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency and clean production, which are expected to avoid 58,500 tonnes of CO2, 72,000 tonnes of waste, and 57,000 tonnes of chemical fertilizers.

These projects make a real difference to peoples lives. They provide them with access to sustainable energy services, with high-speed internet, or improve the connection to the transport routes that enable them to do business.

More light to come

Djermaya Solar, with its EU-AITF support approved in September 2016, will be developed in two phases:

the first will construct 30MW of installed capacity, with power first becoming available to Chads national grid in 2018-19

the second will construct another 30MW, taking total installed capacity to 60MW, which may be implemented as soon as 2020.

This pioneering project will help liberalise the energy sector, spurring independent power producers. It will mobilise private investment and promote renewable energy in Chad. Its also a model that can be replicated in other African countries.

The EU-AITF has already supported many innovative projects like the Djermaya Solar, says Riedel. Its a great example of successful collaboration. In its 10 years of operation, the EU-AITF has backed over 100 grant operations with donor funds, in support of more than 80 projects implemented by 7 different project financiers. Thats one sure sign of a successful business model. But the lights coming on in Chad are the brightest signal.
Trumps Attack on Syria: Wrong for so Many Reasons

By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com Many Americans and people around the world followed with great concern the off-the-cuff and zany ideas Donald Trump voiced during the presidential campaign and more ominously after becoming President. It is one thing to disagree with him on a domestic policy issue like banning Muslim tourists or healthcare or building a wall, it is quite another when he issues threats to foreign countries such as Iran and North Korea, and even worse when he orders a missile attack on Syria! What is wrong with such a disastrous decision? Pres. Trump does not have the requisite background knowledge about the Syrian conflict, except for what he has read in some fringe publications and seen on his favorite TV Channel, FOX News. Pres. Trump stated that he was deeply touched by the images of babies he had seen on TV who had been hurt by a chemical attack. Who would not be? Certainly, he had an emotional and impulsive reaction to heart-wrenching pictures, which cannot be a substitute for a well-thought out foreign policy without a thorough examination of the facts of this tragic incident and careful consideration of the consequences of an extreme action like launching 59 tomahawk missiles on a Syrian air base. Fortunately, Pres. Trump's aides alerted Russia shortly before the attack, to avoid any Russian casualties which could have had catastrophic consequences for the entire world! Furthermore, Pres. Trump's actions violated the U.S. Constitution, as he neither sought nor received the legally required authorization from the U.S. Congress to launch a war on another sovereign state. Pres. Trump had neither the wisdom nor the patience to wait for the outcome of the investigation of the circumstances of the chemical attack -- to verify who is truly responsible for this terrible attack. The Trump Administration accused the Syrian Air Force of carrying out a chemical attack near Idlib. The Syrian and Russian governments have a different version of these events. They affirm that Syria does not possess any chemical weapons after its 2003 agreement to dispose of all such hazardous materials. Furthermore, Syria claims that the chemical explosion was caused by its Air Force bombing a warehouse belonging to Syrian terrorists who had stored these dangerous materials. It makes no sense for Pres. Assad to use chemical weapons while he is winning, risk antagonizing the West, and precipitating a military backlash. We recall that back in 2013, there was another chemical attack on a Damascus suburb that killed many more people than the one near Idlib. Back then, Pres. Obama was close to going to war with Syria wrongly believing that the Syrian government had crossed his announced "red line." However, when he learned that the chemical attack near Damascus was a "false flag," meaning that it was orchestrated by Turkey and its terrorist allies to force the United States to intervene militarily in Syria, Pres. Obama did not go through with his plans to launch missiles on Syria. No one should forget that U.S. officials in 2003 presented fake "intelligence" evidence to the world claiming that Pres. Saddam Hussein possessed WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction), to justify the invasion of Iraq. Ironically, many Republican members of Congress who are now applauding Pres. Trump for his decision to attack Syria, back then were the most vocal critics of Pres. Obama for planning a similar attack. Furthermore, even though the 2013 chemical attack killed many more people and babies, Donald Trump issued 40 tweets urging Pres. Obama not to attack Syria. Trump did not seem to care about "beautiful little Syrian babies" back then, as he is claiming now! Both the White House and many self-declared pundits in the American media, who have made up the most outrageous lies about Syria in the last six years, are now claiming that eliminating the use of chemical weapons in Syria is in the U.S. national interest. They also affirm that the chemical weapons are banned by international treaty and their use is a violation of international law. While acknowledging the truth of these statements, one has to ask: 1) Why no investigation was carried out of the chemical attack, prior to the U.S. Missile launch? 2) Under what right Pres. Trump has appointed himself the arbiter of international law and policeman of the world? International law, by definition, is an issue touching all countries, not just the United States. The proper venue to investigate, condemn and punish such violations of international law is the United Nations Security Council, not the White House. Furthermore, attacking a sovereign nation is itself a violation of international law! 3) By attacking Syria and destroying its military planes, Pres. Trump has in fact emboldened and strengthened the ISIS terrorists to continue and expand their criminal acts in Syria and around the world, particularly when they see that each time they use chemical weapons, the West accuses Pres. Assad for it and attacks Syria. Furthermore, by weakening and replacing Pres. Assad, Pres. Trump risks causing chaos and terrorism similar to Iraq and Libya, leading to many more deaths! Who will replace Pres. Assad and what guarantees are there that his replacement will not be ISIS, resulting in not just 80 deaths as in the recent chemical attack, but additional million casualties on the top of the half a million deaths in the Syrian conflict in recent years? The last thing the Syrian people need is more attacks and more bloodshed. What they need is painstaking diplomatic effort to find a peaceful resolution of the conflict. All those in the U.S. and around the world who were concerned that Pres. Trump would make reckless decisions and endanger international peace, have regrettably witnessed the first such incident within the first 100 days of his Presidency. Everyone now fears that more such saber-rattling and unwarranted destabilizing attacks will take place in the coming weeks and months in other parts of the world. One hopes that Pres. Trump did not initiate the attack on Syria simply to distract attention away from many of his domestic problems, as he has done repeatedly on other issues in recent weeks! Finally, what happened to Pres. Trump's repeated brash statements about "America First," and "I am the President of the United States, not the President of the world"?
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US Congressmen call on Trump to recognize Armenian Genocide

A bipartisan letter signed by 84 Members of Congress was sent to President Donald Trump urging him to affirm the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly). Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) spearheaded the letter asking the White House to honor the United States' historic leadership in defending human rights and to properly characterize the events of 1915 as a genocide in this year's presidential statement on April 24th. The letter to President Trump states: "In leading an honest and accurate American remembrance of this known case of genocide, you will stand with President Reagan, who recognized the Armenian Genocide in 1981, and the Eisenhower Administration, which did the same in a 1951 submission to the International Court of Justice." The situation is unique because the letter was signed by a number of key figures, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-CA), Representative Eliot L. Engel, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and Adam Schiff, a Democrat representative from the 28th congressional district of California, as well as a number of senators, including Edward Markey from Massachusetts. I shall address a letter to President Trump urging him to follow the example of the Republican Party leaders and recognize the Armenian Genocide, said the senator. He reminded that the Armenian Genocide was recognized in the past by a number of Republican leaders. During his time in office, President Ronald Reagan squarely acknowledged the Armenian Genocide stating that "Like the genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it - and like too many other such persecutions of too many other peoples - the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten."
Education Minister accuses teaching union of asking loaded questions



Minister for Education and Children Graham Cregeen MHK

The Education Minister believes a recent survey of Manx teacher about the behaviour of pupils used loaded questions to create their findings

A NASUWT survey found over 80% of teachers at the Island's schools had been on the receiving end of verbal abuse or threats of violence from their students.

However, Graham Cregeen told this week's sitting of the House of Keys that the questions were limited and designed to elicit a particular response, which he insists doesn't give a true reflection of the Island's young people.

The Minister also confirmed there have been a few cases where teachers have felt threatened, but that policies are in place to deal with such cases.

Arbory, Malew and Castletown MHK Jason Moorhouse - who has more than 20 years teaching experience on the Island - added that he was surprised to hear the survey's claims.
human rights activists: Republican Party is trying to save its face through school principals (video)

The Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) has not committed any offence or crime by recording the conversations of directors of public schools and kindergartens who drew up lists of childrens parents, teachers and kindergarten staff who pledged support for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) in the April 2 parliamentary election, says human right activist Avetik Ishkhanyan. This is a well-known journalistic trick used in all counties, he said. The directors of public schools and kindergartens have sued the UIC for the revelation of the fact which overtly speaks to the abuse of administrative resources. Had this occurred in a civilized country, it would have created a scandal. Directors of schools and kindergartens would be punished there, the human rights activist said. The human rights activists participating in a discussion organized at the Media Centre NGO agree that scandalous revelations compromised the dignity of the directors, but they are unanimous that the UIC should not have appeared before court. They were to sue the mayor, employees of election headquarters and regional councils who put them in that awkward situation and dishonored them, says Mr Ishkhanyan. Everyone knew that the Republicans misused their administrative resources before each election but this was the first time that people were provided with facts. The recordings infuriated by the Republican Party which is trying to save its face through principals, says Artur Sakunts. The entire system is working to conceal the crime. This is the result of corruption. Most school principals in Armenia are involved in political corruption, saysChairman of the Gyumri-based Journalists Club Asbarez, Levon Barseghyan. We need to get out of this situation because we cannot expect political changes in the country. We need to have honest and conscientious people working in those posts. The entire system must be changed, he added. The Union of Informed Citizens revealed last month that its activists posing as HHK representatives telephoned 136 schools and kindergarten chiefs across Armenia. It said 114 of them admitted drawing up lists of voters, including childrens parents, teachers and kindergarten staff, who pledged support for the HHK in the April 2 elections. The UIC also publicized audio of those phone conversations. On April 2, directors of 30 schools and kindergartens file a lawsuit against the NGO for defamation.
The United States government has made the removal of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, as one of its priorities. US Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, announced that a regime change in Syria is inevitable.

Haley, on her talk with CNN, made it clear that removing Assad as Syria's President is one of US government's priorities. "Getting Assad out is not the only priority," the US ambassador told news anchor Jake Tapper. "So what we're trying to do is obviously defeat ISIS. Secondly, we don't see a peaceful Syria with Assad in there. Thirdly, get the Iranian influence out."

The news came two days after the US called for a launched military strike on a Syrian airbase as a response to a chemical attack that happened on Tuesday, April 4, at the town of Khan Sheikhoun. It was reported that 89 people were killed during the chemical attack which is widely blamed on the Assad regime.

US President Donald Trump ordered to launch 59 Tomahawk missiles from two US Navy Destroyer ships, USS Porter and USS Ross, in the East Mediterranean Sea on Friday, April 7, according to the Pentagon press release. The attack targeted aircraft, shelters, air defense systems, ammunition supply bunkers and storage areas that are located in the Syrian government-controlled facility.

The attack carried by the US government will deter the Assad regime from using chemical weapons again on its land, the press release continued to note. The government took measures to minimize the risk of the attack for both Russian and Syrian personnel who were at the airfield at the time of the missile launch.

Syrian's Armed Forces General Command said on a televised statement that six people were killed by the US missile attack, CNN reported. Assad's office, on Friday, called the US government's action as "a disgraceful act" that "can only be described as short-sighted."
An application that will allow phone calls in an airplane is now trashed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

According to ARS Technica, the FCC has forbidden in-flight phone calls way back in 1991 because of apprehensions about intervention with wireless networks on the ground. But then, with the developments in technology, these concerns have been addressed. This hasn't changed the fact that in-flight phone calls could be annoying to fellow passengers, though.

It was in 2013 when a proposal to lift the in-flight phone call has been made. Unluckily, FCC chairman Ajit Pai has proposed that this motion should be trashed.

"I stand with airline pilots, flight attendants, and America's flying public against the FCC's ill-conceived 2013 plan to allow people to make cell phone calls on planes," Pai said.

The FCC chairman further added that "I do not believe that moving forward with this plan is in the public interest. Taking it off the table permanently will be a victory for Americans across the country who, like me, value a moment of quiet at 30,000 feet." Nonetheless, using of phones for texting and Internet use will still be permitted.

Furthermore, Engadget has noted that distinct from many of Pai's moves, this suggestion will likely won't face much public disagreement since there are travelers who really don't want to pay attention to others' conversations. Also, this proposal isn't such a bold decision since the concept of in-flight calls isn't expected to obtain huge support. Moreover, airlines like Delta already swore to ban in-flight calls even if the FCC permitted them.

For reference, it was FCC chairman Tom Wheeler; who distributed a proposal to lift the in-flight calling ban way back November 2013. He stated that "modern technologies can deliver mobile services in the air safely and reliably, and the time is right to review our outdated and restrictive rules." But now this application has been dismissed and it is somewhat not a huge decision that Pai has made.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with Prince Harry, joined the memorial service outside the Westminster Abbey held for the victims of the London terror attack.

Together with the victim's family and loved ones, the members of the British royalty paid respect to the four innocent victims of the attack on March 22. The event was held on a gloomy Wednesday afternoon.

The British royal family laid a wreath on the Innocent Victims' Memorial with a message attributed to the four victims, 54-year-old Kurt Cochran, 44-year-old college worker Aysha Frade, 75-year-old retired worker, Leslie Rhodes and PC Keith Palmer, who was fatally stabbed. The suspect, Khalid Masood, was shot dead after stabbing police officer Palmer multiple times, entering the Parliament Square. A close protection officer, reported to be Defence Secretary Michael Fallon's bodyguard, was the one who shot Masood three times to his death.

According to Mirror UK, many of the victims who survived from the attack also joined the event and each paid tribute to their fellow victims who passed away. Some of the survivors went with wheelchairs and crutches and each got emotional after recalling the happenings on the frightful day. Melissa Cochran, wife of one of the victims, Kurt Cochran, attended the service with a wheelchair to pay tribute to her late husband.

A congregational mass was also held inside the Westminster Abbey, which was attended by 1,800 people in total. The congregation was presided by the Dean of Westminster, Very Reverend John Hall, who led the lighting of candles, reciting the Lord's prayer and song. UK Home Secretary, Amber Rudd and Prince William took part of the Bible reading. It ended with Our Father prayer and singing of the National Anthem. After the mass, the royal family went to meet the victims' families and loved ones privately.
Over the past few weeks, hackers have leveraged passwords exposed in high-profile breaches to compromise Amazon third-party sellers accounts, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The attackers have stolen tens of thousands of dollars from sellers accounts, and have also used the accounts to post nonexistent items for sale in order to steal more funds.

More than two million seller accounts on Amazon.com account for more than half of its sales, Fox Business reports, and over 100,000 of those sellers earn more than $100,000 a year.

Amazon seller Margina Dennis told NBC News that tens of thousands of dollars were stolen from her seller account, and that shes received over 100 emails from customers complaining that they never received a Nintendo Switch they purchased from her, which hackers had placed for sale from her account.

While Amazon notified Dennis on March 29 that her account may have been hacked, she told NBC she was unable to access it for several days, since the hackers had changed the account password.

In a statement, an Amazon spokesman told SC Magazine, There have always been bad actors in the world; however, as fraudsters get smarter so do we. Amazon is constantly innovating on behalf of customers and sellers to ensure their information is secure and that they can buy and sell with confidence on Amazon.com.

Managing Third-Party Cyber Risk

CyberGRX CEO Fred Kneip told eSecurity Planet by email that it shouldnt be a surprise to see hackers exploiting Amazons third-party ecosystem for financial gain. Amazon is a high-profile example of how increasingly connected businesses have become, but organizations across the world in every industry are undergoing a similar transformation as outsourcing, globalization and the digitization of business expand their digital ecosystems exponentially, he said.

Whether its one of the worlds largest retailers or a small business, companies need to approach third-party cyber risk as a real threat to their business that needs to be continuously managed, Kneip added.

AlienVault security advocate Javvad Malik said by email that while partnering with large providers can bring many benefits to smaller third parties, those smaller providers are still ultimately responsible for their own security. It is therefore important that all companies of all sizes have at least a basic level of threat detection controls in place that can alert when unexpected changes occur, or when systems start behaving in an unusual manner, he said.

And Centrify senior director of products and marketing Corey Williams said its crucial to apply proper security procedures and due dilligence throughout the supply chain. Compromised credentials are the leading attack vectors in cyber breaches, as hackers target networks through trusted third-party suppliers and contractors who likely have less rigorous security than the ultimate target, he said.

This certainly wont be the last time we see third parties being hacked  organizations need to up the security stakes with multi-factor authentication, which requires more than one method of authentication to verify the users identity for a login or other transaction, in order to stop the use of stolen credentials, Williams added.

Improving Password Security

In a recent analysis of the LinkedIn breach, Preempt researchers found that fully 35 percent of accounts used previously known passwords that could easily be cracked. To improve password security, company director of product management Eran Cohen suggests taking the following five steps:
Armenia: EU and Armenia Hold annual Dialogue on Human Rights

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Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans provided 136 million AMD support for the overhaul of the Myasnikyan statue, which was in unsafe state of disrepair

Believe me, as a representative of a country which uses the Schengen system very often, it is quite important. Vardanyan

I really look forward to having answers from the Azerbaijani side for these alleged gross human rights violations: Secretary General

I call on Armenian and Azerbaijani parliamentarians to use this Assembly as an agora of opportunities President Tiny Kox

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There is no place for the death penalty in a State that respects human rights: PACE General Rapporteur

EU and CoE call on two Member States that have not yet acceded to this Protocol  Armenia and Azerbaijan  to do so without delay

An urgent debate requested on "The military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan".

UCOM AND PES-PES CONTINUE COOPERATION WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF EDUCATIONAL PROJECT

The statement of the meeting between Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Aliyev, President Macron and President Michel of October 6, 2022

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This criminal act is another proof that the Armenophobia policy. Tatoyan

Nikol Pashinyan, Nancy Pelosi discuss a number of issues related to the Armenian-American agenda and regional developments

Delegation by Nancy Pelosi Accompanied by Alen Simonyan Visits Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex

Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi Arrives in Yerevan
His pitch to voters is simple. The Czech banking system is impressively profitable and almost entirely foreign-owned. This means a large chunk of those profits leave the country  nearly Kc500 billion ($19.9 billion) in total over the past 16 years, according to Sobotka.

He wants to stem this outflow through an incremental tax on bank assets, starting at 0.05% for the smallest banks and rising to 0.3% for lenders with balance sheets of more than Kc300 billion. Proceeds, which Sobotka says could total up to Kc11 billion a year, would be used to finance schools and infrastructure.

This is clearly designed to hit the big foreign-owned banks hardest. The levy could slice as much as 25% off the net income from UniCredits combined Czech and Slovak operations, according to Moodys, while subsidiaries of KBC, Erste and Societe Generale could all see their bottom line eroded by close to 20%.

The good news for these groups  several of which have relied on Czech profits to make up for lacklustre returns elsewhere in central and eastern Europe over the last seven years  is that the betting is currently heavily against the proposed tax making it onto the statute books.

For one thing, it is not a new idea. Tim Umberger, a portfolio adviser at regional fund management firm East Capital, notes that a bank tax was mooted during the last Czech election cycle in 2013 but quietly dropped from the SDPs agenda after the party went into coalition with the more business-friendly ANO.

The chances of it being implemented this time around should be even lower, given that Sobotkas party was trailing ANO by eight percentage points in the polls in mid-March. The latters leader, billionaire businessman and finance minister Andrej Babis, has said he opposes a bank tax on the grounds that it could add to costs for consumers.

With the exception of the communists, other Czech parties have been similarly unenthusiastic. Locals also report limited popular support for the proposal. Banks in the Czech Republic are fairly well-regarded by the countrys voters, having come through the global financial crisis relatively unscathed and avoided the problems with legacy Swiss franc mortgages that have plagued lenders elsewhere in the region.

Good rhetoric

Nevertheless, some in the industry fret that the SDPs bank-bashing could yet strike a chord with the Czech public. The substantive arguments they use are questionable, but the rhetoric is such that it may damage the good reputation of the banking industry in this country, says Pavel Stepanek, executive director of the Czech Banking Association.

Others see it as ominous that the issue of bank profits has been raised so early in the election campaign. Given that this is already part of the discourse, its not out of the question that something will come of it, says one regional banker. Other parties may yet have to jump on the topic.

Worried Czech financiers have only to look across the border to see how quickly anti-bank sentiment can gain momentum. In early 2015, following the Swiss central banks removal of the cap on its currency, Polands opposition Law and Justice Party (PiS) decided to make Swiss franc mortgages a central plank of its election campaign.

The fact that in Poland such loans had been mainly sold to more affluent borrowers failed to prevent the issue becoming an effective rallying cry for PiS politicians, who promised to make banks foot the bill  estimated at up to $6 billion  for a Hungarian-style forced currency conversion at pre-crisis rates.

Two years on, with PiS firmly entrenched in power, those proposals are now quietly being dropped. Final agreement on the issue has yet to be reached, but it seems likely that Polands banks will be encouraged to work out their FX portfolios on their own terms  as the industry had urged all along.

For many bankers, however, relief at the news has been tempered by frustration at the damage done to their sector by 18 months of uncertainty.

Bank share prices, lending growth and M&A activity have all suffered. More importantly, the Swiss franc mortgage furore stoked sufficient ill-will against Polands largely foreign-owned banks to allow policymakers to claim a mandate for both a hefty bank tax and a grand campaign to nationalize large parts of the sector.

At present, the populism of PiS has few echoes in the Czech Republic, the most prosperous and developed of the former communist-bloc states. Yet, as one banker notes, as long as the substantial profits from the countrys banks continue to find their way into the hands of foreign groups, the sector will remain a potential target for advantage-seeking politicians.

The fact that Czech lenders have so far escaped a levy is no reason to assume that they will be able to do so in future, he adds. Fourteen of the European Unions 28 members have imposed bank taxes of one sort or another over the last decade, including  as Sobotka has pointed out  all of the Czech Republics nearest neighbours.

What is more, there are already signs that the SDPs determination to bring bank profits into the Czech election campaign is having an effect. Even Babis, an opponent of bank taxes, recently indicated an interest in limiting the repatriation of dividends by foreign owners of Czech banks. They could be forced instead to spend the cash on salaries and support for local public programmes, he added.

Czechs pride themselves on their pragmatic and pro-business attitude. Whether it will be proof against the lure of easy money from the EUs most profitable banking sector, however, remains to be seen.

Local bankers may not be seriously worried yet, but they are well aware that there is no cause for complacency. There is plenty of time between now and October  and plenty of precedent on all sides for a less forbearing approach to the industry.
The possible Russian suspension of the US-Russia deconfliction agreement, pertaining to uncoordinated aerial activity in Syrian airspace, in response to US cruise missile strikes against the Syrian regime in April 2017 marks the latest episode in the negative spiral in Russia-west relations.

In a period encompassing challenges to key pillars of European stability, such as the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) and OSCEs Vienna Document on Confidence and Security Building Measures, the suspension of the only document regulating encounters between the US, its allies, and Russia over an active war zone is of dire concern to all with a stake in Euro-Atlantic security.

A Practical Necessity

The deconfliction agreement, negotiated and signed in October 2015, put in place a series of protocols designed to reduce the risk of an incidental or accidental clash between US and Russian aircraft whilst they conduct their parallel air campaigns in Syrian airspace. The agreement was rapidly extended to the rest of the 64 state US-led coalition engaging the Islamic State in Syria.

Key aspects of the protocol included rules on the physical separation of aircraft, specifically the provision that Russian and coalition aircraft should maintain a distance of three nautical miles (5.6km) horizontally or 3,000 feet (914m) vertically. Should this prove impractical, pilots should reestablish this distance within three minutes.

This was backed by a regular communication channel between a Russian-speaking US Colonel based in Qatar and their Russian equivalent in Syria. The Colonels had three scheduled calls a week, but in practice spoke daily, often multiple times. Reports suggest that this practice is still operational but it is unclear how long this will remain the case.

The final aspect of the agreement instituted a video conference between senior Pentagon officials and their Russian counterparts, held every six to eight weeks.

The deconfliction agreement is not flawless, the narrowness of the communication channel played a not inconsiderable role in the mistaken bombing of Syrian army troops by American aircraft in September 2016, but it has thus far served to prevent an incident in which Russian and coalition aircraft have mistakenly collided, or more seriously, engaged each other. As was highlighted by the shooting down of a Russian aircraft by the Turkish Air Force on the Turkey-Syria border in November 2015 this is not an idle concern.

The possible suspension of the agreement has come at a critical time. Aerial activity over Syria has continued to intensify and become ever more concentrated. Islamic State has been gradually driven back to Raqqa whilst the Syrian regime, backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, has consolidated its position and isolated remaining rebel forces in Idlib province. It is inevitable that Russian and coalition aircraft will be forced to operate in ever closer proximity, often backing opposing forces on the ground. It is thus deeply concerning that the Russian government has chosen such a moment to potentially suspend the deconfliction agreement.

There is no effective fall-back option. Agreements between Russia and leading members of the coalition on the management of air and sea incidents [1] only apply to international airspace and waters, they have no validity in the fast moving and legally opaque situation in the skies above Syria.

The Russian deployment to Syria has already put these agreements under strain. Russian naval activity in the eastern Mediterranean has led to confrontation with US formations, whilst increased Russian military activity along the maritime supply routes through which the Syrian deployment is maintained has raised concern among neighbouring states and highlighted the incomplete nature of risk-reduction mechanisms in Europe. Other structural problems persist, also apparent in Syria, such as the lack of transponders on several models of Russian military aircraft, further increasing the risk of miscalculation.

Disproportionate Response



Recently, Russia has shown itself to be pragmatic in the matter of managing incidents over Syria. Indeed, the initial negotiation of the deconfliction agreement itself at such a fraught period in US-Russia relations is an excellent example of what can be achieved on an ad-hoc basis should there be political will. Further examples abound; In January 2017 Russia and Turkey signed a bi-lateral memorandum of understanding on managing encounters, both manned and unmanned, in Syrian airspace, whilst Russia and Israel have operated a tacit deconfliction agreement since the Russian deployment to Syria began in 2015. In such circumstances recent Russian actions seem particularly poorly conceived.

Any Russian suspension of the deconfliction agreement, allegedly a symbolic response to the symbolic US cruise missile strikes, would be misguided and self-defeating. The negotiation and signing of this agreement with the US was not a concession granted to Washington by Moscow to be withdrawn at will, but a practice necessity to add a semblance of coherence and predictability to an incredibly complex situation in which Russian and American lives, and by extension a great deal more, were and continue to be at risk. In such circumstances posturing and misguided strategic communication is to be expected, but practical agreements aimed at preventing miscalculation and escalation must be allowed to continue. The Russian leadership must ensure the deconfliction agreement remains active.

Russia retains some room for manoeuvre in this regard, in which the leadership need not lose face. Importantly the announcement that the agreement was to be suspended was made by an MFA spokesman, whilst President Putin later indicated to reporters that certain communicative aspects of the agreement may remain active. Practically speaking this leaves open the possibility that the suspension of the agreement may not be enforced, or that it will be restored as a magnanimous gesture by the Kremlin. Foreign Minister Lavrov, in the press conference following his meeting with Secretary of State Tillerson, hinted that this may be the case. Lavrov noted that Putin had confirmed a readiness to return to the agreement should certain conditions be met, incuding no further strikes by the US on the Syrian armed forces.

Risk reduction mechanisms between Russia and its western neighbours are increasingly few and far between, we must hope we do not lose another.

[1] These agreements, in particular the Agreements on the Prevention of Incidents at Sea (INCSEAs) and the Agreements on the Prevention of Dangerous Military Activities (DMAs), and their operational effectiveness are discussed further in Managing Hazardous Incidents in the Euro-Atlantic Area: A New Plan of Action.

***

The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELNs aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europes capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security challenges of our time.
Hi,



I was out of country for around 22 days. So in the express entry profile, should i put that in my address history or the travel history is sufficient?
Congress-HZhK: HHK has started 'an attack on civil society

The alliance set up by the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) and its ally Peoples Party of Armenia (HZhK) has made a statement commenting on the move of directors of schools and kindergartens who have sued the Union of Informed Citizens NGO for defamation. In its March 25 statement, the alliance referred to the scandalous revelations made by the Union of Informed Citizens NGO which showed school principals in Armenia campaigning for the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) ahead of the April 2 parliamentary elections. In particular, the alliance said that the authorities were abusing their administrative resources and restricting freedom of expression of voters by making directors of more than one hundred schools and kindergartens draw up lists of parents, teachers and staff members who would vote for the HHK in the April 2 polls. The Congress-HZhK alliance also said that the recordings provided by the UIC and the material published in the press should be viewed as a report about a crime and the Central Electoral Commission was to be the first to respond to it. Of course, this did not happen. In an effort to ensure its reproduction through election fraud and voting irregularities, the HHK has now started an attack on civil society. By the order of the authorities, the directors of some 30 schools and kindergartens have filed a lawsuit against the Union of Informed Citizens and its President Daniel Ioannisyan. The Congress-HZhK alliance expresses its support for the NGO and Daniel Ioannisyan. At the same time, the alliance views this undignified and cowardly move of the authorities as an attempt to hinder the revelation of a real crime, the alliance said today.
Hello.



I wanted to introduce myself first, but I couldn't find where to do that. Sorry.



I am a US citizen, but I am in the process of getting my UK passport (through my mum). I grew up in England, went to the US after my A levels, got my PhD in English, and taught at a US university. For the last 10 years, I have been living in Ukraine. I am married (8 years) and have a 5-year-old daughter. I am 49.



To cut to the chase, we want to move to France.



I have rather a lot of questions, but I'm not expecting concrete answers: I'm just hoping to be pointed in the right direction. Thank you in advance.



The first questions are about money, naturally.



My wife and I have significant deposit-interest income. This income is after a 20% mandatory Ukrainian tax deduction. I also have an English school that is registered as two separate entities (France isn't the only country that encourages tax creativity): one is a physical school, not registered in my name. It will continue to operate, regardless of where I live; the other entity involves upper-level classes that I teach. 50% is online, and most of the in-class students want to keep me as their teacher, even online.



If we move to France,



a) how do I deal with the deposit interest? I understand that I will have to pay 15.5% social charges on it, but how do I account for the 20% tax I pay in Ukraine (Ukraine and France do have a tax treaty) against French income tax?



b) Can I continue to teach online on a one-year visa? It would not be too difficult to adjust my student load so that i stay within the micro-entrepreneur regime?



c) How easy would it be for me to secure a mortgage? We are looking at residences that are about 300,000 Euro. It's not a problem providing a down payment, and, according to the mortgage calculators I have looked at, the mortgage payment would be less than 33% of our monthly interest income.



d) We have several properties that my wife inherited several years ago. Would it be better to sell them before we go or would there be some tax liability were they to be sold during the time we are living in France?



That's enough for now. Sorry if I have bored you. And thank you again for nay input.
My wife and I, US citizens, have been living part-time in France under 1-year cartes de sejour for several years. They must be renewed annually and do not allow us to work, which is fine. But I am trying to understand if we are eligible for a multi-year residency permit. Based on my research on service-public.fr it appears the only type of residency permit that might apply is the 10-year retraite card. However, I am having trouble understanding the applicable conditions.



Based on my reading of the law it requires that one have resided in France under a residency card; have established one's habitual residence outside France; and (here's where I'm unclear) be the beneficiary d'une pension contributive de vieillesse, de droit propre ou de droit derive, liquidee au titre d'un regime de base francais de securite sociale. Neither of us receives a pension, although we have sufficient funds in tax-advantaged retirement accounts in the U.S. to (we hope) last our lifetimes.



Anyone have any thoughts or experience on whether we might qualify for the 10-year residency card?



Thanks in advance.
I've googled and googled and haven't been able to find a story like mine. I sincerely hope anyone here can help.



I've moved to France from the UK. My nationality is Dutch but I've lived for over 16 years in the UK since my teens.



My situation:

- I don't work. My French husband works and earns a great salary that covers both our living expenses while I study French and retrain myself in another field.

- I haven't worked in the UK for about a year before I moved to France. (but worked pretty much non-stop since my teens before that and paying tax/NI contributions).

- I have a EHIC card, but so far I've just paid for all my doctor visits in France and haven't bothered to claim back

- My husband has a great Mutuelle which should cover me almost 100% for private treatment, except they need me to register with social security first



The Problem:



I've discovered I'm pregnant (quite late). It was very unplanned and now I'm not sure where I can give birth.



I went several times to the social security office and was told I wasn't eligible for a carte vitale, each time for different reasons. First, it was because I didn't have a French bank account (I do now). Then because I don't work. Then I found out that anyone is eligible after being in France for 3 months, but then they said it was because I was originally born in a different (non-EU) country than Netherlands and my family applied for Dutch citizenship when I was a toddler. (They advised that I get a certificate from the Dutch embassy confirming I'm actually a Dutch citizen. Apparently my passport isn't enough??! -- and they said it would take at least six months to confirm whether I'm eligible after that. (I will do all this, but I'm almost three months pregnant and not sure I can be guaranteed cover before I'm due)).



I can afford all the scans and blood tests privately in France, but I think the cost of giving birth and any complications that may arise from that will be beyond our means.



To be honest, I've been feeling homesick for the UK and am seriously considering moving back home, with my husband (re-)relocating to the UK office. Except I'm not sure if I'm eligible to give birth in the UK either now I've been away more than 3 months.



I feel like the clock is ticking and I don't know what to do.



What can I do before I'm too far along? Am I missing something? I appreciate any advice anyone can give me.



Many thanks for reading all this
If it's for yourself, you're likely to run into problems. In order to "exchange" a license you will have to be able to prove that you have been resident in the country that issued the license immediately before you moved to France (and for a good year or two).



We've had a few folks through here reporting more "challenges" when presenting a driver's license from a country other than the one of their passport - even if they were living in the country of the license for many years immediately prior to moving to France. It may be somewhat easier if you present a license from an EU country - however, I think UK licenses expire when one reaches retirement age (65 or maybe 70) and have to be renewed at that time, along with eye tests.



Anyhow, someone will chime in here with the details.

Cheers,

Bev
Thank you all so much for your suggestions and comments, which I really appreciate. Interesting re the toeic tests and developing my skills in that area; I wonder if that would enable more employment opportunities? I realised from the start how difficult it would be to find permanent,steady teaching work in France. I have explored many avenues but seem to hit a brick wall each time - either the work is seasaonal or very short term or poorly paid ... or er you need to be able to speak French! Perhaps if I explain my situation, I could ask people what they would do in my shoes?? ... My partner is the main bread winner so there isn't a huge financial need for me to work (I have a 14 month old baby and work as a supply teacher and esol teacher in the holidays) However work is very important to me; I don't fancy the prospect of liiving In France long term, scratching round for bits of work and not feeling fulfilled or like I'm contributing. My heart lies with teaching children but I realise it would be pretty impossible to get a job unless in an international school, and I know they are inundated with applications. Id be happy to offer English emersion courses at home but I realise this is seasonal work plus we are going to be quite rural - in the countryside or near the beach, possibly near Royan. I know that English teachers for toddlers are in demand and I'd love to run a language music group, or to combine Eanglish and crafts/cooking etc with primary children but obviously the hours would be very limited and I know it's very hard to set up your own business in France. The other option is online teaching but this is only lucrative if you can reach students directly, and theres a huge amount of competition. Anyway sorry for the long post, I'm just feeling anxious about what the future holds. My other half is very casual and says 'don't worry, something will come to you when we're out there and we get involved in the community' but me being a worrier, I need more of a plan! So if anyone would be so bold as to say which avenue they would take in my position, I'd be so grateful. If I need to train in something (other than French obviously!) I'd like to do it now, before making the move next year. Sorry if I sound a bit negative, it's just quite frustrating having been living in England, where it's quite easy to get a job! thank you to anyone who's actually read to the bottom of this post!!!! Charlotte :0)
Fotolia

A U.S. Steel subsidiary in Houston agreed to pay $150,000 to a job candidate who was not hired after he refused to give up a strand of hair from his scalp for drug testing because it violated his religion.

Stephen Fasuyi applied for a utility technician position at U.S. Steel Tubular Products, a subsidiary of U.S. Steel Corp., in 2011 and was offered a job, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which represented Fasuyi. The job offer was contingent upon passing a drug test.
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After two days of conflicting corporate statements, falling stocks and swelling outrage, United Airlines entered full-scale mea culpa mode Tuesday afternoon, as its chief executive announced an internal investigation into a Sunday evening flight in which a man was dragged violently from his seat so a crew member could have it.

I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight, United CEO Oscar Munoz wrote in a statement. I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

We are going to fix whats broken so this never happens again, Munoz wrote  promising a report on the beleaguered airlines policies on calling police, transferring crew and how we handle oversold situations.

Tuesday, an attorney who represents the man who was forcibly removed from the flight says his client is being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he sustained in the incident. Chicago attorney Stephen L. Golan says David Daos family is focused only on Dr. Daos medical care and treatment and they want the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received.

The 69-year-old from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, refused to leave the flight, saying he needed to get home to treat patients. Dao was convicted in 2004 of several counts of obtaining drugs by fraud or deceit and was placed on five years of supervised probation and surrendered his medical license, which he got back in 2015.

More Information United CEO's 3 statements Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines' parent company, has released three written statements in response to the backlash against the company since a customer was dragged from an oversold flight Sunday evening at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Here is the text of those statements: First statement Released by the airline midday Monday: This is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers. Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened. We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation. Oscar Munoz, CEO, United Airlines Second statement Sent to employees Monday evening: Dear Team, Like you, I was upset to see and hear about what happened last night aboard United Express Flight 3411 headed from Chicago to Louisville. While the facts and circumstances are still evolving, especially with respect to why this customer defied Chicago Aviation Security Officers the way he did, to give you a clearer picture of what transpired, I've included below a recap from the preliminary reports filed by our employees. As you will read, this situation was unfortunately compounded when one of the passengers we politely asked to deplane refused and it became necessary to contact Chicago Aviation Security Officers to help. Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this. While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right. I do, however, believe there are lessons we can learn from this experience, and we are taking a close look at the circumstances surrounding this incident. Treating our customers and each other with respect and dignity is at the core of who we are, and we must always remember this no matter how challenging the situation. Oscar Summary of Flight 3411 On Sunday, April 9, after United Express Flight 3411 was fully boarded, United's gate agents were approached by crewmembers that were told they needed to board the flight. We sought volunteers and then followed our involuntary denial of boarding process (including offering up to $1,000 in compensation) and when we approached one of these passengers to explain apologetically that he was being denied boarding, he raised his voice and refused to comply with crew member instructions. He was approached a few more times after that in order to gain his compliance to come off the aircraft, and each time he refused and became more and more disruptive and belligerent. Our agents were left with no choice but to call Chicago Aviation Security Officers to assist in removing the customer from the flight. He repeatedly declined to leave. Chicago Aviation Security Officers were unable to gain his cooperation and physically removed him from the flight as he continued to resist - running back onto the aircraft in defiance of both our crew and security officials. Third statement Sent to employees Tuesday afternoon: Dear Team, The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, and one above all: my deepest apologies for what happened. Like you, I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right. It's never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what's broken so this never happens again. This will include a thorough review of crew movement, our policies for incentivizing volunteers in these situations, how we handle oversold situations and an examination of how we partner with airport authorities and local law enforcement. We'll communicate the results of our review by April 30th. I promise you we will do better. Sincerely, Oscar See More Collapse

The statement Tuesday from Munoz was the latest in a flurry of attempts from the airline to defuse a public relations crisis.

Hours earlier, according to USA Today, a United spokesperson backed off the companies initial claims that the flight was overbooked rather than disrupted to transport off-duty crew.

And before that, late Monday, Munoz had defended his employees, saying the passenger who refused to give up his seat was belligerent. The battered and bloodied man was dragged back to the terminal at Chicagos OHare International Airport.

One of the officers involved in the incident was placed on leave pending an investigation. But international outrage continued Tuesday, with memes exploding and disturbing videos of the incident shared across the world. On Wall Street, the airline briefly lost nearly $1 billion in market value before its stock regained much of the loss.

The White House also weighed in. Press secretary Sean Spicer called the videos troubling but dismissed calls for a federal investigation into what he said should be a very simple local matter. The U.S. Department of Transportation said it was looking into the matter.

That is the craziest act Ive ever seen. Who drags a ticketed passenger off an airplane? said Bruce Rubin, a longtime practitioner of crisis public relations in Miami. Because its so visual and its so unnecessary, its the kind of thing that can hurt United long term.

In China, where United bills itself as a top carrier, tens of millions of people have read or shared a report that the passenger claimed he was targeted for being Chinese. Many there are now echoing calls in the United States for a boycott.

Like you, I was upset to see and hear about what happened last night, Munoz wrote in a memo to the company, while defending the crews conduct on the Louisville-bound plane as established procedures.

I deeply regret this situation arose, Munoz wrote, according to the Associated Press. But: I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right.

Jim Corridore, an airline analyst for CFRA Research, said after poorly handling a PR disaster, Uniteds CEO is finally saying the right things.

United is within their rights to take someone off the plane, but this problem is totally the creation of United, said Charles Leocha, a passenger-rights advocate in Washington. For them to wait after the (passengers) boarded before they say, Sorry, you have to get off is inexcusable.

Crisis-management experts wondered why United didnt simply sweeten the offer until four passengers agreed to get off.

A few dollars could have solved this problem, said Allen Adamson, founder of Brand Simple Consulting in New York. Instead, the damage of the brand will be millions of dollars.

How to make a PR crisis a total disaster, was the headline on a CNN story about Uniteds response to the incident.

It doesnt matter if United Airlines followed their rules, said Richard Levick, a crisis-PR consultant in Washington. They are really beginning to become the brand that people think we should not fly.

Uniteds brief initial response to the incident  that Flight 3411 was overbooked and police were called after a man refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily  has now given way to a more detailed story told by witnesses, police, the Chicago Department of Aviation and Munoz himself.

Flight 3411 had finished boarding Sunday evening, according to a summary attached to Munozs letter, when gate agents were approached by crew members who needed seats.

Passengers were initially offered money to give up their seats, but no one volunteered.

If the off-duty crew had not been able to get to Louisville that night, a United spokesman told the Louisville Courier Journal, another flight might have been canceled. So the airline invoked what it describes as its involuntary denial of boarding process.

Which is where the trouble started.

When passengers expecting to take off for Louisville learned that some of them would be forced to leave, the mood on the jet quickly soured, Tyler Bridges told the Washington Post.

Bridges and his wife were on the last leg of a journey home from Japan, he said. Before takeoff, an airline supervisor brusquely announced: This flights not leaving until four people get off.

And since no passenger was willing, United chose for them.

A young couple begrudgingly got up and left, Bridges recalled.

The third evictee complied, too. But when the crew approached the fourth passenger, he refused.

He says, Nope. Im not getting off the flight, Bridges said. Im a doctor and have to see patients tomorrow morning.

United said crew members apologetically told the man to leave, several times, and each time he refused and became more and more disruptive and belligerent.

He wasnt cussing, but he was yelling and he was upset, Bridges said. He said, more or less, Im being selected because Im Chinese.

So the airline called the Chicago Department of Aviation, which handles security at OHare.

An officer boarded. Then a second and a third.

By then, Bridges and another passenger were taking video on their cellphones  footage that would soon be seen by millions.

As officers leaned over the lone holdout in a window seat, passengers across the aisle sympathized with him.

Cant they rent a car for the pilots? a woman asks in the videos.

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.

Out of frame, the man suddenly screams.

One of the officers quickly reaches across two empty seats, yanks him up and pulls him into the aisle.

My God! someone yells  not for the first time.

The mans face smacked an arm rest as the officer pulled him, according to witnesses and police.

It looked like it knocked him out, Bridges said. His nose was bloody.

In the video, the man goes limp after hitting the floor. Blood trickling from his mouth, his glasses nearly knocked off his face, he clutches his cellphone an officer drags him by both arms down the aisle.

Like a rag doll, as one witness wrote on Twitter.

What are you doing? someone asks in the video, as the man slides past. No! This is wrong.

When the man was gone and all four seats were free, Bridges said, the four stranded crew members boarded and took them. They were jeered, he recalled: People were saying you should be ashamed to work for this company.

Had the plane left then, that might have been enough to spark the fury that would come when Bridges video went public. But a few minutes later, the man ran back onto the plane.

He continued to resist, United wrote in its summary, running back onto the aircraft in defiance of both our crew and security officials.

In Bridges second video, the man appears frantic. His clothes are still mussed from the dragging, his mouth bloody.

I have to go home, he keeps saying. I have to go home.

A group of high school students stood up and left the plane at that point, Bridges said. They dont need to see this anymore, their escort explained to other passengers.

The airline eventually cleared everyone from the plane and did not let them back on until the man was removed a second time  in a stretcher.

Bridges and his wife got home to Louisville a few hours later that night.

The next day, videos from the plane would be seen by millions of people. News of the incident dominated news shows and social media  with people live-Tweeting alleged overbooking incidents Tuesday.

The chief executive at the center of the storm, Munoz, issued a public apology Monday for having to re-accommodate these customers  phrasing that was widely derided in a meme-storm.

United pointed to unspecified law enforcement for everything seen in the video, which led Chicago police to issue a statement claiming the injured man fell.

But late Monday afternoon, the Chicago Department of Aviation  a different agency  said it had suspended one of the officers in the video.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Not all mummies are fit for a sarcophagus.

Four arrived inside an old cigar box when arts patron Gilbert M. Denman Jr. donated his collection of Egyptian antiquities to the San Antonio Museum of Art in 1991.

It was believed the small, brown bundles contained the preserved remains of baby Nile crocodiles, perhaps once left as an offering to the god Sobek. But thats the trouble with mummies  short of unraveling them, theres no telling exactly whats under the crumbling strips of linen, at least not without the help of modern technology.

Recently, museum staff got a chance to peek behind the wrappings with the help of staff at the UT Health San Antonio Medical Arts & Research Center. Ten animal mummies from the museums collection were transported from museum storage to the facility on a cloudy Sunday morning to undergo X-rays and CT scans.

Of the group, only one  an ibis  has been exhibited at the museum before.

I never put any of them out after I came precisely because we hadnt done this research, said Jessica Powers, who joined the museum staff as curator of art of the ancient Mediterranean world in 2006. So I was really kind of waiting for the opportunity and the right specialist on staff to be able to do this.

That opportunity arose last year when the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the museum a grant that allowed the institution to hire Sarah Schellinger as a post-doctoral curatorial fellow. Schellinger, who has focused her work on the architectural development in the ancient Mediterranean and Red Sea areas, is developing exhibitions and programs built around the museums Egyptian and Near Eastern art collection. A small show of the animal mummies is planned for next year.

Everybody knows the Egyptians mummified humans, but not everyone knows there was this enormous practice of mummifying animals as well, Powers said. So I think its something that has the potential to have huge interest for our visitors.

Ancient Egyptians mummified animals for various reasons. A beloved pet might be mummified so it could accompany its owner to the afterlife. Victual mummies  frequently birds  were buried as food for the dead.

The animal mummies in the museums collection are classified as votive mummies. The animals were raised by temple priests who then made them into mummies using techniques similar to those used to prepare bodies for burial.

The the museums mummies have not been dated, but the popularity of votive mummies reached its height between 712 BC and AD 364, Schellinger said.

Pilgrims bought the votive mummies and used them as offerings so their prayers would be addressed by a specific god or goddess. Divinities were associated with a certain animal or animals. Among them, Sobek, the god of fertility and rebirth, was represented by a crocodile; Bastet, the goddess of warfare, was represented by a cat; Thoth, the god of knowledge, was represented by an ibis or baboon; and Horus, the god of protection, was represented by a falcon.

The practice was so popular that some of the animals became scarce, Schellinger said. That lead to the proliferation of fakes or dummy mummies. Some wrappings might be empty. Others might contain odds and ends from one or more animals.

Instead of wrapping one ibis completely, (the priests) would take maybe the beak and wrap that and then put in clumps of straw or feathers or something like that, and wrap it in a more intricate fashion to show that it was an ibis that was supposed to be inside, she said. What youll find is that a lot of times the simpler wrapped animals generally do contain the complete mummies whereas, when you see more elaborate wrapping, the chance is there will not be a complete animal inside.

When priests sold incomplete mummies, they were not necessarily pulling a fast one, Schellinger explained. As long there were some bits in there, it was enough to represent that animal and therefore, it still served its function as a votive offering, she said.

An avid collector, Denmans first passion was Greek and Roman art, said Gary Scott, director of the American Research Center in Egypt, but he was also interested in ancient Egyptian art. Scott was recruited for a curating position at SAMA by Denman, a museum trustee, and worked there from 1990 to 2003.

Before donating his collections to the museum, Denman kept them in an apartment on the River Walk where he sometimes crashed after working late and where he entertained friends.

He was always very careful of them, but they were on display. People could see them, Scott said. To him, I think, the animal mummies were a minor aspect of his collection. He really was an art collector, so it was his Egyptian sculpture that he valued the most.

After donating the Egyptian material to the museum, Denman missed having a collection, Scott said. With the then-curators help, he put together a smaller collection.

Among the pieces Denman acquired were a pair of ibis mummies that previously had been in the collection of the Toledo Museum of Art. He placed them on loan to SAMA and one of them was displayed in the Egyptian galleries for several years. They were part of Denmans bequest to the museum when he died in 2004.

In addition to the animal mummies from Denman, the museum was given three falcon mummies by Houston collector Beryl McCleary in 2003. Museum staff was pretty certain those were complete because some of the wrapping has torn away, and so you can see some of the talons or the beak or things like that, Schellinger said.

The others, however, were something of a mystery. In addition to four crocodile mummies, Denmans gift to the museum in 1991 included what was believed to be a cat mummy. Roughly the size of a loaf of bread, it was bent in a U shape as if it had been broken.

The museum invited Rob Coke, senior staff veterinarian at the San Antonio Zoo, to be there when the X-rays and CT scans were done. He jumped at the chance.

They know mummies. They know art. They know natural sciences, Coke said. As a veterinarian, I know animals, and specifically being a zoo veterinarian, I know birds and reptiles  all the extra animal weird things of the world. So they thought my expertise in the animal side of things would help them figure out whats actually inside these wrappings.

Wrapped in crepeline  a sheer fabric  and nestled in multiple layers of foam inside a specially made case, the mummies were transported to the UT center inside boxes covered with clear plastic bags to protect them from the threat of rain. At the center, a handful of UT Health and museum staff clustered around the medical equipment, eager to see what technology could reveal.

X-rays were done first to get a quick overall picture of what was inside each mummy and to determine if any foreign bodies  for example pieces of metal  were present. To the untrained eye, the first image to appear on the lead radiology technologist Yvette Garzas computer screen looked like, well, a ghostly gray blob. But Coke could see something else: the centuries-old remains of a hatchling Nile crocodile.

Knowing the species helps, he said. If you were not giving me any species, that would probably be a little challenging.

An extension of X-ray technology, CT scans provide a better view and can be used to create a 3-D image. A CT scan of what had been thought to be a cat mummy revealed the biggest surprise of the morning: an elongated lower jaw more likely to belong to a member of the canid, or dog, family such as a jackal.

The most significant preliminary findings from the X-rays and (CT) scans are that all of the mummies did contain animals, Schellinger said, via email.

In other words, the museums animal mummies are no dummies.
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President Donald Trumps border wall may not stretch from coast to coast, but there will be plenty of opportunity for the private sector as the U.S. strengthens its immigration enforcement and border security.

That was the message Tuesday at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as the annual Border Security Expo kicked off. Top-ranking Department of Homeland Security officials gave keynotes and sat on panels, reciting the highlights of the Trump administrations border security plans: building a wall; hiring 5,000 new Border Patrol agents and 10,000 deportation officers; enhancing punishment for businesses that hire undocumented immigrants and tracking people who overstay their visas.

RELATED: Border Patrol apprehensions drop again

The days first speaker, acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Randolph Tex Alles, repeated what Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly has said: that Trumps big, beautiful wall wont extend from Brownsville to San Diego.

A contiguous barrier across the entire Southwest border is not what the secretary is talking about, Alles said.

But he had words of encouragement for the packed room of government contractors, assuring them any physical barrier is going to have to be augmented by technology.

To that end, the convention center floor was a showcase of technology to augment the proposed border wall. Contractors hawked among other things new models of drones, mobile surveillance towers, night-vision goggles and gun sights, communications systems, social media analyzing software, electronic gates for security fences and even lens cleaner for pole-mounted surveillance cameras.

In every direction, every guidance, every executive order that comes out, there is opportunity for the private sector, said David Aguilar, a former acting CBP commissioner whos now a principal with the consulting firm Global Security and Innovative Strategies who moderated a paneland introduced the luncheon speaker, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Deputy Director Daniel Ragsdale.

RELATED: Texas companies see 'chance to make some money' on border wall

Ragsdale for his part called Trumps proposed spending a down payment on what it would take to address the 11 million people living in the country illegally.

DHS grew from an idea 14 years ago to one of the largest departments in the government, and we certainly will grow again, he said.

For San Antonios DroneTechUAV, the expo was an opportunity to show off its vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft. The company will showcase its products in a demonstration for the Navy in May, and business development manager Jose Alfonsin was encouraging other potential clients to attend.

They would be good eyes in the sky along the border and along the coast, Alfonsin said.

DHSs budget last year was more than $60 billion, and the U.S. currently has what Todd Miller, the author of Border Patrol Nation, called the largest border enforce apparatus we have at any time in history of United States.

RELATED: Trump official implies border wall might go on Mexico side of river

Miller has attended the expo in the past. This year, he said, there is kind of a common thought that theres going to be an upsurge in spending at the border. Everyone I talked to felt like they had a chance of landing something because theres increased spending on the border.

Scott Nicol, co-chair of the Borderlands Team for the Sierra Club, said he was disappointed in a lack of substantive discussion about border security and immigration policies.

Theres not a discussion about what is the real issue and how should that issue be addressed, Nicol said. Its like weve got a bunch of products and were trying to create a market for them. And for those of us who live where those products are going to be rolled out, thats a real problem.

jbuch@express-news.net

Twitter: @jlbuch

This story has been updated to correct acting U.S. Customs and Border Protection Deputy Commissioner Randolph Tex Alless title.
District 2 City Council candidates Keith Toney and Dori Brown missed the deadline to file a required campaign finance report with the city by several days, and incumbent Alan Warrick filed his report a day late.

Toney filed his report on Monday, four days after it was originally due to the city. Brown has not yet filed her report.

A complaint against Warrick was also sent to the Texas Ethics Commission Tuesday over a loan the incumbent made from his campaign account to his nonprofit business in 2015.

Toney, who briefly served as District 2 councilman in 2014 after he was appointed to fill the seat, said on Monday he didnt submit his campaign finance report, due April 6, because he got behind and wasn't feeling well for a couple of days.

Im back on track now, said Toney, 65. The report, which covers January to late March, showed Toney has received $5,604 in contributions.

Brown, 48, said her treasurer incorrectly told her the report was due at the end of April. A report is due eight days before the May 6 election but candidates must also file a 30-day report. Brown called the mistake a sincere rookie error and said shed work to remedy the problem quickly.

Warrick, 36, turned in his document April 7. The councilman, who pulled in $9,350 in contributions during the reporting period, said he didnt realize the finance document was due April 6 and said he also wanted to make sure the report was accurate.

William Cruz Shaw, an attorney who previously chaired the citys zoning commission and received $11,085 in contributions during the January-March reporting period, immediately emailed his supporters on Friday about the campaign finance errors, saying he was the only candidate in the race who had filed his reports on time.

Then, on Tuesday, a complaint was sent to the Texas Ethics Commission, alleging Warrick had violated the states election code two years ago. East Side activist Taj Matthews filed the report.

In 2015, Warricks campaign lent $15,000 to his nonprofit, World Technical Services Inc., which employs people with disabilities. Warrick has publicly defended that action, saying he properly reported the loan and consulted with an attorney about the transfer of funds.

He has since paid the money back to the campaign.

The complaint, a copy of which was obtained by the Express-News, alleges that Warrick violated Title 15 of the election code, which says a person who accepts a political contribution as a candidate or officeholder may not convert the contribution to personal use. Among the alleged infractions, the complaint notes that the Texas Ethics Commission has issued an opinion allowing a candidate to donate leftover political funds to a nonprofit serving physically, mentally and developmentally challenged individuals. But, the complaint states, the commission also emphasized that the candidate could not have direct oversight of those funds.

Warrick is CEO of World Technical Services.

Last year, Warrick called for Shaws resignation from the commission once he learned Shaw might challenge him for office. Shaw eventually stepped down, saying he didnt want to bring negative attention to the commission.

Toney served as District 2 councilman from August to December 2014, after Ivy Taylor was appointed mayor. But he has never been elected to the seat, losing to Warrick in a special election that year and then again in the regular election in May 2015.
A committee overseeing a plan meant to streamline development in Bexar County while protecting endangered species held its first meeting Tuesday with plans to begin accepting projects for enrollment.

Right now, the Southern Edwards Plateau Habitat Conservation Plan exists mostly on paper. The plan is essentially a complex land-swapping mechanism. City and county proponents say it will help preserve habitat for nine endangered species  two small songbirds and seven cave-dwelling insects and bugs.

Officials also say it will cut the time it takes for developers to get permits to comply with the federal Endangered Species Act from as long as two years to as little as two weeks.

The plan grew out of efforts starting in 2009 to protect the Armys Camp Bullis from having endangered birds pushed onto the base by encroaching construction. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved Bexar Countys proposal in 2015, and the city joined the plan in January.

Over 30 years, the plan is supposed to preserve a net 14,059 acres of habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler and 3,960 acres for the black-capped vireo across seven Hill Country counties. It would also preserve 1,000 acres for seven rare cave insects and spiders but allow development on 21,086 acres underlain by cave-pocked terrain.

Committee members selected Melissa Ramirez, the citys Development Services assistant director as chair. San Antonio Parks and Recreation director Xavier Urrutia and planning administrator Rudy Nino, Jr., will also serve on the committee.

Members also approved Bexar County environmental engineer Andrew Winter as vice chair. Bexar County staff members Robert Brach, development services engineer, and parks director Ken McGlamery were also chosen to serve.

Jenny Blair, a senior biologist with Bowman Consulting, told the committee that she, along with city and county staff, have been in talks with private developers interested in the program. Bowman was the lead consultant that helped the county develop the plan. Ramirez said they had spoken with seven to 15 developers so far.

Blair arrived at the meeting wearing well-worn boots, saying she had just come from surveying Government Canyon State Natural Areas limestone cave habitats. The committee voted to approve a memorandum of understanding with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to study and manage cave habitats at Government Canyon, one of the conditions imposed by the USFWS.

The committee also approved another memorandum of understanding with Bandera Conservation Corridor LLC, which administers a conservation bank for golden-cheeked warblers in western Bandera County. The agreement would pave the way for preserves in Bandera County to offset the destruction of golden-cheeked warbler habitat in Bexar County.

The committee will meet twice a month to discuss projects for enrollment in the plan. A new city web page explains how to enroll at https://www.sanantonio.gov/DSD/Constructing/SEP-HCP.

bgibbons@express-news.net, Twitter: @bgibbs
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HONDO  Its tough to say who wore the biggest smiles, community leaders celebrating the opening of the citys new library or patrons such as Uriel Nolasco as they explored its interactive exhibits, historical displays and customized reading areas.

I like it. It has more stuff to do, said Nolasco, 10, dwarfed by a large dinosaur model in the $2.5 million city facility on Avenue K that opened March 31 with appropriate fanfare.

A crowd of roughly 300, including representatives of state and federal elected officials, turned out to celebrate the results of of 20 years of planning and fundraising, which were not without controversy.

You walk in there and its like, Wow, a beautiful work of art, said Rose Mary Mares, chairman of the library board and an assistant superintendent in Hondo Independent School District. Its so great to see it finally come to life.

Besides replacing the old library on U.S. 90, which opened in the early 1980s, the new faclity also includes a senior activity center with meeting rooms, a cold kitchen and more.

Its something that the city of Hondo should be proud of for many years to come, Medina County Judge Chris Schuchart told the opening day audience before the high school jazz band began to play.

He singled out his predecessor, Jim Barden, also a former Hondo mayor, for helping steady a crisis that erupted early last year when up to $304,907 in funds donated for the library came up missing.

An investigation by the Texas Rangers resulted in indictments in December against two former officers of the Friends of the Hondo Public Library, Vicki OKeef, the volunteer groups former president, and Frances Bendele, its former treasurer.

Each was charged with misapplication of property by a fiduciary, and Bendele faces a second charge of theft between $150,000 and $300,000. They have pleaded not guilty.

Barden and Mares helped the group get its records audited and resume fundraising to fulfill its pledge to provide $500,000 to the city. It has given $100,000 so far, and the city issued $2 million in debt to cover the balance of the library cost. Fundraising efforts are continuing.

The 12,000-square-foot facility got high marks from AARP members who met there Thursday, said Mayor Jim Danner.

They were very pleased and they did decide, from here on out, to have their monthly meetings there, Danner said. Theyd been meeting in the old community center on 18th street, which is now under renovation.

The only negative hes heard concern modifications made to Avenue K by the city and use of parking spaces around Memorial Square Park, directly across the street, for library patrons.

Barden jokingly told the crowd that after a very long gestation period  and a somewhat difficult delivery, weve got a beautiful library here.

More than one speaker praised the can-do attitude of Rachael Greve, library director, who came on board one month after the fundraising scandal broke.

Facing a shortfall, the city eliminated some furniture and approved cost-saving modifications to the building designed by Debra J. Dockery and built by Sabinal Group.

The squeeze was eased by a $125,000 grant from the John L. Santikos Charitable Foundation, through the San Antonio Area Foundation, and a second grant of $49,923 from the Tocker Foundation.

Rachael and her staff have worked very hard to pursue grants, City Manager Kim Davis said this week. The city continues to pursue grants to enhance the programmatic aspects of our library.

The Santikos grant funded a dynamic mini-discovery museum exhibit, as described in a press release, called The John L. Santikos Imagination Station. The Tocker grant bought furnishings and fixtures.

The new library also features banks of computers, a Texana/genealogy room, an education resource suite and, for outdoor use only, a drone that can be flown in Memorial Square Park.

Its awesome, said Santiago Nolasco, 36, as Uriel and his three other kids happily checked out the attractions. Its big. Theres a lot more learning activities and materials.

Greve has enjoyed watching locals get their first glimpse inside.

You can just see their eyes get big and mouths open. Thats the reaction we were hoping for, she said, noting the library signed up more than 100 new members since opening.

The ribbon-cutting was skipped by Paul Guinn, who on March 27 gave City Council petitions signed by 70 people opposed to the use of parking on Memorial Square Park for library patrons and the reconfiguration of Avenue K to add three handicapped parking spots in front of the library.

They made the street too narrow for cars passing in both directions, he said Friday.

Guinn, whose funeral home is among several properties he owns on the square, complains the city has stolen parking spots on the square rather than providing sufficient off-street parking at the library for its patrons.

The square was dedicated in 1950 to the veterans, not the library, he said.

Davis, the city manager, said the city is entitled to use parking around the square since it owns it. She also disputes Guinns claim that travel lanes on Avenue K were narrowed by the addition of the handicapped parking.

zeke@express-news.net
The idealized image of Native Americans living in peace and harmony until the arrival of the warlike Europeans has, in recent years, been pretty much discredited. Seems there were battles fought on this continent just as there had been on every continent on the planet (save, perhaps, Antarctica).

Without written history, however, its impossible to know who fought whom and over what, said Kay Hindes, city archaeologist of San Antonio.

One indication that clans did fight is the existence of cemetery sites dating back about 10,000 years. The theory, Hindes explained, is that, as populations grew, bands of Indians became less migratory, settling in areas where they needed to bury the dead.

Territoriality implies to some degree conflict among the Native Americans in that all ecosystems may not have been shared, she said.

That there was competition for resources even in the sparsely populated frontier is illustrated in a story from the pre-mission days that appears in Maria F. Wades The Native Americans of the Texas Edwards Plateau 1582-1799. She writes that, during the Bosque-Larios Expedition of 1675 to survey the land north of the Rio Grande, count the native people and perhaps convert them to Christianity, the campaign came upon a group of beleaguered Indians about 5 miles east of the river in what is today Maverick County.

According to the translation of the expeditions daily log that Wade used, Fernando del Bosque wrote that on May 13, his men met 54 warriors of the Yorica and Jeapa groups. In addition to saying they wished to be Christians and live in a pueblo, the natives complained that they had not tried to reach the Spaniards for fear of their enemies (other native groups) and that was also the reason they had wandered so far (to look for food).

In Wades comments, she notes that the previous year, Fr. Penasco had tried to persuade the Yorica to move to Monclova, the one-time capital of the Spanish-controlled area of what is now northern Mexico. The natives refused, saying they were doing well and had plenty to eat. One year later, however, apparently because of deprivations by neighboring groups, the Yorica were complaining to the Spaniards about problems they were having with other groups that made travel and finding food increasingly difficult.

Thomas R. Hester, professor of anthropology emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin, tells a similar story of a group of Spanish missionaries who were being guided through the Nueces Valley by natives. After crossing a river, they came upon another group who allowed them to pass but warned them to continue moving through and to avoid straying into their territory in the future.

Still, the Indian concept of warfare was as varied as the tribes themselves and tended to be very different from that of the Europeans. Some wars were very formalized, according to Hester.

If someone in one group insulted someone from another, or maybe they stole a woman from the other group, the bands would set up a time and place where they were going to do battle, he explained. When the time came, theyd show up and shoot arrows and throw lances at one another. Once someone got hurt, theyd go home.

For others, the concept of counting coup was also important. A way of winning prestige, this involved getting close enough to your enemy to hit them with a hand, a coup stick or another object.

They werent trying to really hurt or kill their opponent, Hester said. But if you were able to hit them and escape unharmed, it really put you right up there in the hierarchy of the tribe.

But not all interactions between tribes were contentious. We know, for example, that groups would come together to harvest tunas, or prickly pear, that ripened in late summer and early fall. They fermented it to make a lightly alcoholic drink and took the opportunity to engage in trade with groups from other areas.

Although many of the goods Indians probably traded, such as feathers and baskets, have not survived, we know that marine shells from the coast were brought here to make beads, necklaces and other body ornamentation. These were likely exchanged for items the coastal clans could not obtain on their own, such as flint or bison hides.

Beginning in the early decades of the 18th century, the native Indians whod lived in this region for millennia and are now generally known as Coahuiltecans began to be challenged by other tribes moving into the area: the Tonkawa who crossed the Red River from what is now Oklahoma, the Lipan Apaches arriving from the Southwest, and the Comanche, perhaps the most aggressively warlike, from the southern Plains.

In addition, other tribes such as the Taovaya and the Tawakoni filtered into San Antonio from East Texas on occasion.

They didnt have a big impact on the city, Hester said. But they did have an impact on some of the wars fought in the region.

According to Hester, alliances between Indian tribes and the European arrivals tended to be fluid and based on needs of individual circumstances.

A lot of it is territorial, a lot of it is just ingrained hostility, he said.

In early 1762, the Spanish set up Mission San Lorenzo De La Santa Cruz for the Lipan Apaches near Camp Wood in Real County. Within a week, the mission had attracted 400 Indians, according to The Handbook of Texas, although the priests soon perceived that the Apaches had no real interest in conversion. Rather, the natives viewed the site as a haven from their enemies, for the Spaniards would serve as their defenders.

With only 20 soldiers garrisoned at the mission, however, the Spanish could offer little in the way of protection.

They were lucky to control the walls of the mission, Hester said.

At the same time, the Indians would occasionally turn their attention to the Anglo settlers.

There are stories of the Comanche raiding a town, and then theyd ride up and down the streets eating bowls of chili, Hester said. Depending on the band and who was the head of the band, and who was the alcalde or mayor of San Antonio at the time, and what his attitude was, they could sometimes work things out without any more bloodshed.

Eventually, as settlements increased and Texas became first an independent nation and later a state, hostilities between settlers and the Indians eased.

The Tonkawa population dwindled to such an extent that when they were moved into Indian Territory in 1859, they numbered only a few hundred. Within 100 years theyd intermarried with other tribes. They were no longer distinguishable as a separate nation, according to The Handbook of Texas.

The Lipan Apache retreated to camps south of the Rio Grande from which they occasionally launched raids into Texas. Eventually, they settled mostly into the Nueces Valley area, according to Hester.

As for the Comanche, they held out until 1874, when, at the Battle of Palo Duro Canyon, U.S. Army soldiers under the command of Col. Ranald Slidell Mackenzie defeated the Indians, led by the legendary Quanah Parker, forcing them into the Fort Sill reservation in the Oklahoma territory.
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AUSTIN  Legislation that would allow county clerks in Texas to decline to issue same-sex marriage licenses if it conflicts with their religious beliefs was tentatively approved Tuesday by the Texas Senate.

The vote was 21-10, mostly along party lines. A final vote is expected within a few days.

State Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Granbury Republican who authored the measure, said Senate Bill 522 would allow clerks to recuse themselves from issuing a same-sex license and assign their duties to other clerks, a judge or even a special clerk.

This provides a way for clerks to exercise their profoundly held religious beliefs under the First Amendment and at the same time protect the rights of couples who are coming in for a marriage license, Birdwell said. Right now, there is not an alternate mechanism for a clerk who is not willing to issue a license because of their sincerely held beliefs.

Several Democrats questioned whether the law was necessary  or could perhaps trigger new discrimination. They questioned whether the change could make it more difficult for same-sex couples to get licenses in some counties.

Im afraid were opening up a box of unintended consequences, said Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio.

If we dont do this we are discriminating against those people of faith, Birdwell replied. This bill protects the constitutional issues for both sides.

Sen. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, questioned who the bill was supposed to protect.

My main concern here is that all the clerks and judges know about the law and are following the law, Garcia said.

Birdwell responded: Without this, were saying that if you have strongly held religious beliefs, you are not welcome in public office.

The issuance of same-sex marriage licenses became a hot-button issue two years ago for the conservative Republicans who control the Texas Legislature after a Kentucky clerk was jailed for refusing to issue a license because it was against her religious beliefs.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, many county clerks in Texas have adopted procedures in which clerks who object to same-sex licenses can hand off that duty to other employees.

While courts since have made clear that Texas clerks cannot refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Republican primary voters who oppose gay marriage have supported changes in state law to protect the religious beliefs of local officials  and to keep pastors and businesses from being penalized if they disagree with same-sex marriages.
AUSTIN  Ken Paxtons lawyers on Tuesday asked the Fort Worth state district judge presiding over the attorney generals criminal securities case replaced by a Harris County jurist.

The request for a new judge, contained in a motion filed by Paxtons defense team, came hours after Tarrant County state District Judge George Gallagher announced he was moving the trial to Harris County.

By this motion, Paxton respectfully advises the Court that he will not be giving the statutorily-required written consent ... to allow the Honorable George Gallagher or his court staff to continue to preside over the matter in Harris County, reads the motion filed late Tuesday. The motion asks that a new judge from Harris County be assigned to the case.

The move is not a surprise, said Melissa Hamilton, a visiting criminal law scholar at the University of Houston.

The judge has not ruled in their direction on many issues, so, of course, they would want to gamble with a different judge, Hamilton said. Its a calculated gamble, meaning that the rulings cant go that much worse for them with somebody else.

According to Texas Criminal Code, the judge would need written consent from the prosecuting attorney, defense attorney and the defendant to continue presiding over the case.

Earlier in the day, a spokesman for Gallagher said the judge planned to stay on the case.

Paxton faces two counts of felony securities fraud and one count of failing to register with the state as an investment advisor. If convicted, he could face up to 99 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Gallagher opted to relocate the high-profile criminal trial out of Collin County, Paxtons home, after citing concern about the attorney generals political influence there.

Harris County was selected because the lead counsel for the state and the defense are located there, Gallagher said in a rare written statement. Harris County also has the facilities to accommodate the trial.

Shifting the case to Harris County plucks Paxtons trial out of heavily-Republican North Texas which he began representing in the state Legislature in 2003.

Gallagher had yet to set a date for the trial, which was originally scheduled for May 1, before he opted for a change in venue.

The new location puts the proceedings in the home of all three of the special prosecutors, Nicole DeBorde, Kent Schaffer and Brian Wice, and two of Paxtons defense attorneys, Dan Cogdell and Philip Hilder.

The location also widens the potential jury pool for the high-profile trial featuring an embattled Republican politician who contends he is the victim of a political witch hunt.

In Collin County, where it was, Ken Paxton is king, said famed Houston criminal defense lawyer Dick Deguerin. And Houston has the most diverse jury panel than anywhere in Texas. If you cant get a fair trial in Houston, you cant get a fair trial anywhere.

Moving the trial to Harris County presumes a greater degree of fairness, said Brandon Rottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston and author of The Institutional Effects of Executive Scandals. Not only is the county population much higher in Harris County, but fewer people are likely to have had a personal relationship with Paxton, which will make for a fairer jury pool, he said.

The average Harris County potential juror wont have much of a sense of who Ken Paxton is and, therefore, wont be able to take out their frustrations on him politically, and thats really what the system is supposed to do, Rottinghaus said.

While Harris County went 54-42 in favor of Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, the county still is home to large pockets of Republicans and is unlikely to make for an easy jury for the prosecutors, he said.

Paxtons legal team declined comment on the change of venue, citing a gag order imposed by the judge.

The special prosecutors did not return calls seeking comment.

The prosecutors, who were assigned to the case by a previous judge, pushed for the change of venue earlier this year, arguing Paxtons allies have tried to vilify, malign, and defame them and their witnesses in various media, including in radio ads and on TV. They also pointed to lawsuits filed by friends of Paxton that have halted Collin Countys payments to the special prosecutors, who say they are owed back pay on more than a years worth of work. The prosecutors last submitted an invoice in January for more than $200,000, which has gone unpaid.

Paxtons lawyers opposed the change of venue and say a poll they commissioned in Collin County found Paxton enjoyed no home field advantage heading into the trial.

They asked the judge to reconsider his decision to move the trial, which Gallagher rejected in his ruling Tuesday.

Although the trial will be held in Harris County, Collin County still will be responsible for costs related to the case, Gallagher said through spokeswoman Melody McDonald Lanier.

andrea.zelinski@chron.com

twittter.com/andreazelinski
Courtesy photo

The U.S. and Mexico are working on an agreement to prosecute Mexican politician Tomas Yarrington Ruvalcaba, who's accused of laundering bribe money in South Texas, on charges filed in both countries, the Justice Department said Wednesday.

Where Yarrington, a former governor from the Mexican border state Tamaulipas, will face trial has been a source of speculation since his arrest Sunday in Italy. Mexico, which charged him with money laundering and organized crime, initially took credit for Yarrington's arrest and said it would seek his extradition.
City elections are right around the corner, and ExpressNews.com sat down with each of San Antonio's mayoral candidates  some known, some unknown  for exclusive video interviews in an effort to make you, the voter, knowledgeable about your options for Election Day on May 6. Get to know the contenders as we roll out the video interviews each weekday in reverse ballot order.

Today, we focus on Julie Iris "Mama Bexar" Oldham. She did not respond to multiple requests from ExpressNews.com to set up a video interview.
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Mayoral candidate Manuel Medina faced an insurrection on Tuesday at a meeting of the Bexar County Democratic Party when a precinct chair called for his immediate resignation as chairman of the party.

The two-page resolution brought by Ralph Galvan did not pass, but it slapped Medina with an array of detailed complaints and allegations and caused the meeting of the partys County Executive Committee to devolve into a shouting match that at one point involved a District 1 candidate.

Pretty much all hell broke loose, said Vanessa Sanchez, who attended the meeting. What I saw from District 1 candidate Adrian Flores, he was getting up into elderly womens faces and yelling at them because they were in disagreement with him.

Sanchez is a supporter of District 1 candidate Robert Feria, who also was at the meeting.

Overwhelmingly, I would say that those who were trying to pass the resolution were in the minority, Feria said. Most people were very supportive (of Medina) and overtly vocal, perhaps in some cases to a fault. To his credit, Mr. Medina tried on both sides to quiet people down from speaking out of turn and said were going to do this democratically.

Feria added, The democratic process is always messy, right? But  it really didnt seem to benefit anyone to be loud and yell at the minority. It seemed intimidating and it really didnt need to be that way.

The resolution failed because Medina has packed the committee with loyalists, Galvan told me.

I think they were well aware that the resolution was going to be presented because he had a lot of people in there, said Galvan, 75. His goon Adrian Flores tried to intimidate us.

Flores, 53, defended his actions at the meeting, including his tense exchange with the elderly women.

These old ladies are not sweet elderly ladies, he told me. These are political sharks.

A residency issue first raised in this column last month was among the charges lodged against Medina in the resolution.

The document also leveled accusations of financial malfeasance.

A series of financial transactions have been discovered which, among many other violations, forms the basis of a complaint being filed with the Texas Ethics Commission, requesting the immediate intervention of the appropriate legal authorities to investigate what appears to be an excessive amount of questionable financial transactions that inures to (Medinas) and his orbit of friends and employees benefit, it stated.

The resolution accused Medina of exploiting the partys resources to run for office and to benefit his personal business as a political consultant. And it vented about Medinas embrace of far-right conservatives in his quest for the nonpartisan mayors seat.

WHEREAS, Medina has usurped the BCDP headquarters, the document stated, including the entire inventory of furniture, fixtures, equipment, and all corresponding assets and property of the Party for his mayoral campaign (without Party approval) and has entered into contractual agreements with high-level and well-known Republican and Tea Party activists, such as Carlton Soules, George Rodriguez and Jeff Judson, in furtherance of his primary goal of becoming the City of San Antonios Mayor 

Medina has leased the partys headquarters for use as his mayoral campaign office. At the same time, he has donated a few rooms in the building to the party.

Galvan said the failed resolution was just the first salvo in his fight against the partys ambitious chairman.

Medina responded to a request for comment on Wednesday with a text message that celebrated the support of Republican Party conservatives, Tea Party leaders and Democratic Party liberals and borrowed an infamous slogan of President Donald Trumps campaign.

Last night, I was formally endorsed by the Bexar County Democratic Party, Medina said. DRAIN THE LOCAL SWAMP!
Ross Trevino doesnt seem to be trying too hard to win the District 1 City Council seat.

He has no website, no campaign signs, hasnt filed a campaign-finance report and doesnt show up for candidate forums (including a March 17 visit by District 1 contenders with the San Antonio Express-News editorial board).

In other words, Trevino, 37, has all the earmarks of a political neophyte who decided to run for office as a lark, just because he liked the idea of seeing his name on the ballot. We see some of those candidates pop up in every municipal election cycle.

But heres whats odd about Trevinos non-campaign of a campaign: Hes not a political neophyte. Hes a City Hall veteran who has worked as a staffer for three council members over the past decade. He actually knows about the issues and has the ability to express cogent opinions about them. Yet hes making no effort to do so.

When Trevino handled constituent services for Joe Krier, Elisa Chan and Reed Williams, he always went by the name of Adam Trevino. (Adam is his middle name and Ross is his first name.) Thats how he was listed on council-staff directories and thats how he introduced himself to constituents. But when Trevino filed earlier this year for the District 1 seat, he did so as Ross A. Trevino.

Given that the incumbent council member in District 1 is Roberto C. Trevino, Rosss presence on the ballot  and his choice of names  cant help but create confusion among voters who see two R. Trevinos among the six candidates, and might not be sure which is which.

So if Ross isnt making a concerted effort to win, what is he up to?

Ross offered one clue last month after he received a newsletter from the councilmans District 1 office that veered close to the category of political advertisement. Ross responded by sharing the mail piece with the campaign manager of one of his competitors in the race: tech-industry attorney Michael Montano.

Ross Trevino did not respond to an interview request for this column, but theres a sense in the community (mentioned in a March 26 Rivard Report piece on low voter turnout) that his candidacy might be a sham designed to siphon votes away from the similarly named incumbent, either out of some animus against Roberto Trevino, or because he wants to help Montano.

Montano said Tuesday that Ross Trevinos motivations are a mystery to him.

I dont know. I mean, Ive never met the guy, Montano said. Ive never talked to him. I have no idea what his story is.

Montano said he received the controversial District 1 newsletter (which touted the councilmans achievements and used a logo similar to the one employed by his campaign) from other sources before Ross Trevino emailed a copy of it to his campaign.

Ive never had any direct contacts with him, Montano said.

In a way, Ross Trevinos campaign recalls the 2006 congressional candidacy of Albert Uresti, who is now the tax assessor-collector for Bexar County. Uresti, who had never before held elective office, threw himself into a special-election campaign for U.S. District 23, but didnt make a particularly serious attempt to win the race.

His candidacy made no sense on its own terms, and looked like an attempt to pull Democratic votes away from Ciro Rodriguez, to leave a future opening in District 23 for Urestis younger brother, Carlos. (It was telling that Urestis campaign signs were closely modeled on those used by his brother.)

If Ross Trevino wants to win in District 1, hes got a funny way of showing it. But if he merely wants to prevent Roberto Trevino from winning, hes letting his name do all the work for him.

Medina loses an endorsement

In February, the North East Bexar County Democrats endorsed Manuel Medina in this years mayors race. Last Saturday, NEBCD rescinded their endorsement of Medina, the Democratic Partys county chairman.

Bob Miller, the chairman of NEBCD, said the rescindment decision was made after a long discussion, and was prompted by concerns about a faith-based platform that Medina had signed in 2015 (but which some local Democrats only recently found out about). That platform included socially conservative language easily interpreted as anti-choice on abortion and hostile to LGBTQ rights.

Miller said NEBCD has decided to not endorse anyone in the mayors race.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
Our Republic and its press will rise or fall together.

 Joseph Pulitzer, 1904

By Susan Crowell

editor@farmanddairy.com

In a journalists world, April 10 is a big deal. Its the birthday of Joseph Pulitzer, a Hungarian immigrant who became a newspaper publisher in 1872 at the age of 25. Six years later, he capped a series of business deals and became the owner of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

As publisher, he immersed himself in every detail of the newspaper, and pushed investigative articles and editorials lambasting public and private corruption. In the early 1880s, he purchased The New York World, and continued his journalistic crusades in NYC, and built The World into the largest circulating newspaper in the country. Among other accomplishments, he pushed and raised public support for passage of antitrust legislation and regulation of the insurance industry.

You all recognize the name for the awards that bear his name  and its on his birthday that the modern awards are announced. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first Pulitzer Prizes.

When the Pulitzer Prize announcements started filtering through my social media streams on Monday, my interest escalated. The prizes usually go to the big newsrooms, the LA Times, New York Times, the Wall Street Journals of the world. This year, the biggie (in my mind) for investigative reporting went to a relatively small newsroom reporter, Eric Eyre of the Charleston Gazette-Mail, for his coverage of the opioid crisis in West Virginia.

The Pulitzer judges said Eyres reporting was courageous, performed in the face of powerful opposition, to expose the flood of opioids flowing into depressed West Virginia counties with the highest overdose death rates in the country.

He was getting ready to leave the newspapers building and head back to the state capitol to, well, do his job, according to The Poynter Institute, when a former co-worker called to tell him he won. The award announcements are livestreamed, but Eyre didnt think he had a chance at winning.

In true working-class form, Eyre and his co-workers were too busy to think about the possibility of the win. They had to send someone out to the local Krogers to buy two bottles of cheap champagne for the celebration.

But the other prize that caught my attention was the Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing, presented to Art Cullen of The Storm Lake Times, Storm Lake, Iowa, circulation 3,000. The award lauded Cullens editorials that were, as the judges put it, fueled by tenacious reporting, impressive expertise and engaging writing that successfully challenged powerful corporate agricultural interests in Iowa.

Wait a minute: He rails against the farm organizations in Iowa? Whoa! Thats one gutsy editor.

The prize recognized Cullens editorials in the wake of a lawsuit by the Des Moines Water Works against 10 drainage districts in the northwestern Iowa counties of Sac, Buena Vista (where Storm Lake is located), and Calhoun over alleged violations of the Clean Water Act, specifically the discharge of nitrate pollutants into the Raccoon River, the utilitys chief source of water.

The counties fought the lawsuit, but Cullen wanted to know who was paying for the defense.

According to the Des Moines Registers account of the award, The editorials covered a fund organized by the Agribusiness Association of Iowa, which was being used for the three counties legal defense. Donors names were being kept secret. The Storm Lake Times insisted on knowing who they were The fund was later disbanded, and the lawsuit was dismissed in March.

Of course, Cullens editorials angered many readers, advertisers and even his friends. But, as Cullen told the Register, I felt that the public deserved to know where the money is coming from. When you know where the money is coming from, you know who is pulling the strings.

My hat is off to both Eric Eyre and Art Cullen, both passionate about their communities and their profession, reaching higher in the search for truth. But particularly to Art, whose work was not, and probably is still not, wholly embraced.

We are reluctant to admit that we owe our liberties to men of a type that today we hate and fear  unruly men, disturbers of the peace  in a word, free men.  Freedom is always purchased at a great price, and even those who are willing to pay it have to admit that the price is great.

 Gerald W. Johnson

U.S. journalist (1890-1980)
WALNUT CREEK, Ohio  Beginning farmers usually need as much advice as they can get, and one group got a wide variety of such advice during a National Farmers Organization meeting April 4 at the Carlisle Inn.

As part of its FarmStarts program, the NFO organized an experienced group of farmers and marketers for a day-long discussion on some of the issues facing beginning farmers.

Howard Spray, an organic grain producer from Mount Vernon, talked about his familys history in organic farming, and the Angus beef cattle that he raises.

Sprays family started the farm in the late 1940s, and operated it as a conventional farm up until about 1970, when they started going organic. Spray said the organic market, and working with cooperatives and organizations like NFO, have helped him secure a premium for his products.

But he still has to think ahead about marketing, how much hell have and where it all will go. Howard and his family farm about 600 acres, in rotations that include soybeans and corn, clover and wheat.

Organic marketing

John Bobbe, executive director for the Organization for Relationship Marketing (OFARM), talked about the importance of marketing organic products. Growing a certified organic crop is one thing, but if you want to get a good return, you need to do your homework, he said.

A big mistake, he said, is believing that marketing costs nothing or someone will do it for you for nothing.

Bobbe said organic producers can expect to pay 5.5-6.5 percent of gross sales toward marketing.

Another mistake is failing to negotiate prices. He reminded the farmers that the buyers of their products are usually out for the lowest price possible. He said its part of a buyers job to negotiate low, but the farmers need to consider their own needs when negotiating.

Working together

He said farmers can do their own marketing if they choose, but it usually serves them better if they work cooperatively or join a farmers co-op.

Over time, the track record shows that farmers who cooperate with each other and go to the marketplace together with an agent thats experienced in grain marketing, tend to come out better than going it alone into the marketing place, Bobbe said.

A third mistake, according to Bobbe, is failing to GMO test your crops. If youre selling into the food grade market, you should expect your crop will be tested.

Betty Kananen, the founder of Global Organic Alliance, talked about the process of working with an organic certifier, and the importance of good record keeping.

Organic farms need production records, like conventional farms, but they also have to follow the production and documentation plan specified by their organic certifier. That includes records of things like harvest date, when bins or equipment were cleaned out, and that conventional chemicals and treatments were not used.

About the meeting

The meeting was funded by a grant through the USDAs National Institute of Food and Agricultures Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

Beginning farmers who attended the meeting and farmed for 10 years or less were eligible for a $200 travel reimbursement.

The event was one of more than 30 that NFO plans to conduct. A similar meeting was held the following day, April 5, in St. Henry, Ohio.
Former agriculture and food minister Mark Lewis in December with WAFarmers president Tony York while touring Mr York's Tammin farm. Mr York has said he will invite new minister Alannah MacTiernan to tour the farm if he gets a meeting with her.
Mr Gregson also argued that if the ESL was to remain largely unchanged then DFES was the appropriate organisation to distribute it, but made no comment on a rural fire service and whether the ESL should fund one.
It has been purely Angus, but I am convinced that will change as they wont be able to get the numbers of Angus into China and they will have to open up the breed.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) charged the head of a commercial aircraft company with conspiring to bribe military officials in Thailand. The alleged conspiracy is connected to a deal involving aircraft from the Thailand national airline.

Larry Kushniruk, president of Canadian General Aircraft was charged in November under the Canadian Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act (CFPOA). The law makes it illegal for an individual or legal person to bribe a foreign public servant in order to obtain a business advantage.

The CFPOA was originally adopted to ensure the countrys compliance with the OECD Anti-corruption Convention but remained dormant for the decade following its adoption, stirring strong criticism from the OECD. Yet in the last years, Canada has seemingly intensified its effort to combat foreign bribery. So far, four cases have been successfully concluded and 20 are pending.

The latest annual report on Canadas implementation of the OECD Convention showed that eleven individuals are currently being investigated in connection to four cases. The first  and so far only  individual found guilty under the CFPOA was Nazir Karigar. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice convicted him of agreeing with others to offer bribes to foreign public officials contrary to paragraph 3(1)(b) of the CFPOA.

Karigar received a three-year imprisonment sentence in 2013. That same year, amendments to the act increased the maximum imprisonment sentence from 5 to fourteen years.

Charges in this new matter against Larry Kushniruk are consistent with the interpretation of the CFPOA in the Karigar case, which held that conspiracy to bribe without actual transfer of monies or other value is sufficient to support a foreign bribery offense.

The Kushniruk prosecution also demonstrates increased cooperation between national law enforcement agencies. The investigation started after the RCMP was tipped off by the FBI. International cooperation in anti-bribery enforcement is increasing. Thats partly due to the International Foreign Bribery Taskforce. It was created in 2013 by the FBI, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Australian Federal Police, and the City of London Police Overseas Anti-Corruption Unit to facilitate real time information sharing in the context of cross-border bribery investigations and prosecutions.

Cooperation between multilateral development banks and national authorities is also likely to intensify in the future. In May 2016, in the context of a bribery investigation where the RCMP had been tipped off by the World Bank, the Supreme Court of Canada in World Bank v. Wallace overturned a court order compelling the organization to produce certain internal documents and require its investigators to testify. By upholding the immunity status of international organizations, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the critical role that they play in the fight against corruption and opened the door to increased information sharing with national law enforcement agencies.

This new prosecution is the latest signal that Canada is taking enforcement of the CFPOA seriously. Canadian businesses should be equally serious about their anti-bribery compliance efforts.

___

Elisabeth Danon is a Senior Adviser at the Montreal office of KPMG. She previously worked at the Anti-corruption Division of the OECD, and more recently at the World Bank as a legal analyst. She can be contacted here.
This month is the one year anniversary of the Panama Papers, a leak of 11 million documents from the Mossack Fonseca law firm that showed how easy it is for corrupt public officials, money launderers, drug traffickers and other criminals to hide behind anonymous companies and access the global financial system.

Lets look at progress toward transparency thats been made in the past year and at some gaps still remaining.

The United Kingdom published the worlds first fully open register of beneficial ownership. The UK has also committed to introducing by April 2018 a register of overseas companies that own UK property.

The European Union member states are moving towards central registers listing information on the ultimate beneficial owners of corporate and other legal entities, as well as trusts.

Several governments  including Norway, Netherlands, France, Afghanistan, Ghana, and several others  have committed to set up public registers of the real, beneficial owners of companies.

The Prime Minister of Iceland resigned and several more political figures around the world are under investigation. In fact, according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, investigations or inquiries have been launched into the activities of 6,520 companies and individuals in 79 countries.

The ICIJ launched a searchable database that used the Panama Papers, the Offshore Leaks, and the Bahama Leaks to index almost 500,000 offshore companies, foundations, and trusts and the people behind them.

Leading transparency NGOs, including Transparency International, launched the worlds first public, open data, global database of company ownership information which provides information about who owns 1.9 million companies in 24 countries, across all sectors (including construction, legal, real estate, and extractives).

Panama arrested the two principle partners of the Mossack Fonseca law firm for their alleged connection to Brazils Car Wash investigation.

Despite the arrests, progress in Panama remains elusive. The government appointed two international experts, Mark Pieth and Joseph Stiglitz, to investigate the use of anonymous offshore companies. But Pieth and Stiglitzt quit because of government interference and published their own report.

In the United States, the Department of Treasury finalized the Customer Due Diligence rules which aim to enhance transparency by requiring financial institutions to identify those who own the companies that use their services.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued and renewed Geographic Targeting Orders (GTOs) that temporarily require U.S. title insurance companies to identify the natural persons behind shell companies that pay all cash for high-end residential real estate in six major metropolitan areas. FinCEN found that about 30 percent of the transactions covered by the GTOs involve a beneficial owner or purchaser representative that is also the subject of a previous suspicious activity report.

Still, much remains to be done in the U.S. In December 2016, the global anti-money laundering body known as the Financial Action Task Force or FATF issued a report on the United States. While the report had a number of positive findings, it also highlighted significant weaknesses, with the most important one related to gaps in access to information on the ultimate owners of companies (beneficial owners).

FATF was also critical of the weak supervision and limited anti-money laundering program requirements for gatekeepers such as company service providers and the real estate sector.

* * *

The Panama Papers leak exposed the harm caused by anonymous companies and spurred global reform efforts. For their work ICIJ, McClatchy, and the Miami Herald were recently awarded a prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

But reform shouldnt be driven by scandals and leaks. The lesson from the Panama Papers is that the gaps and loopholes that allow anonymous actors to abuse the system need to be closed.

In the U.S. that means:

Requiring states to collect information about the beneficial owners of companies upon incorporation and at a minimum, making that ownership information available to law enforcement.

Requiring gatekeepers such as the real estate industry to carry out adequate background checks to determine where the money used to purchase luxury property comes from and to identify the individual(s) with the ultimate beneficial interest in the property.

Collecting and disclosing beneficial ownership information of corporate bidders and subcontractors for U.S. federal procurements, grants and awards.

______

Shruti J. Shah is a contributing editor of the FCPA Blog. Shes the Vice President of Programs and Operations at Coalition for Integrity (formerly Transparency International-USA). She can be contacted here.


Mark Gatiss has "no idea" whether he will continue to write for 'Doctor Who' when the programme's showrunner Steven Moffatt leaves later this year.

Mark Gatiss

The 50-year-old screenwriter hopes he'll be able to carry on creating content for the sci-fi series when Chris Chibnall takes over as executive producer at the end of 2017 but has admitted it'll be weird because he's worked with Moffatt for such a long time.

Speaking to the Radio Times magazine, he said: "I hope so, I've no idea. It's a funny thing, an end of an era. Obviously working very closely with Steven I feel it more than when Russell [T Davies, previous showrunner on 'Doctor Who'] left. I suppose there was more of a sense of continuity there, but I've no idea."

Chibnall is remaining tight-lipped on how he plans to shake up the show when he takes control in 2017 but it's not just fans who are being kept in the dark.

Gatiss explained to the publication: "I think Chris has got an entirely new writing team. I don't think anyone knows any details, which is kind of exciting!"

The question on everyone's lips at the moment is who will be taking over as the Doctor when Peter Capaldi - who joined the show in 2013 - steps down this year.

But it doesn't look like Chibnall has even decided who he wants to take the lead.

He said previously: "We'll cast the role in the traditional way: write the script, then go and find the best person for that part in that script. You couldn't go out and cast an abstract idea."

Some viewers have called for a woman to be cast and, although he's not giving it much thought at the moment, Chibnall has "a very clear sense" of what he wants.

He said: "The creative possibilities are endless, but I have a very clear sense of what we're going to do, without even knowing who's going to play the part."

by Charlotte Hough for www.femalefirst.co.uk


Queen Elizabeth has opened a new Elephant Care Centre at Whipsnade Zoo.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip feed an elephant

The 90-year-old royal was accompanied by her husband Prince Philip to the zoo in Bedfordshire on Tuesday (12.04.17) where they opened the new care centre for the endangered Asian elephants.

The royal couple started the day by meeting the zookeepers and architects responsible for the new facility, which stretches out to 30 acres of rolling paddocks.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip then got the chance to feed a banana to one of the nine elephants owned by the zoo, in a moment showcased in a video posted by the Royal Family Twitter account.

The video was captioned: "Her Majesty and The Duke get the chance to hand feed one of the elephants a delicious banana."

Another tweet from the account showed a picture of the two royals looking at the elephants - which have become an endangered species in the wild due to habitat loss, human conflict, and poaching - in the indoor part of the enclosure.

The tweet read: "The Centre is home to a herd of nine Asian elephants and is set in 30 acres of land, including baby Elizabeth - named after Her Majesty."

Queen Elizabeth's visit to the centre comes as it was recently reported she would be opening a controversial ivory exhibition at her Sandringham estate.

Most of the items in the collection were gifted to the royal family by Indian nobility in the 19th and early 20th century, before the use and trade of ivory - which is traditionally made from the tusks of elephants - became controversial due to its contribution to the severely declining elephant population.

However, the exhibition is likely to cause upset amongst the royal family, as the monarch's grandson Prince William has long since been a campaigner for the ban of ivory trade.

The 34-year-old Prince previously spoke out about the vicious slaughter of elephants for their tusks after visiting a sanctuary for the animals in China in 2015.

He said at the time: "Ending demand for ivory is down to citizens across the world.

"No tradition or fashion is worth the extinction of an entire species, and no criminal gang should be allowed to destroy any part of nature.

"I am sure there are millions of people who share this conviction.

"It is appalling that elephants - and many others - may be extinct in the wild in our lifetimes, and that we seem to be hurtling towards that tragic outcome.

"The extinction of animals such as elephants, rhinos and pangolins would be an immeasurable loss to the whole of humanity."
Abercrombie & Fitch has entered into a wholesale agreement with online fashion destination, Zalora. As part of the deal, Zalora will offer Hollister merchandise through its online stores, which will be followed by Abercrombie & Fitch product launching. The partnership provides Abercrombie & Fitch access to over 600 million Zalora's online customers.

Abercrombie & Fitch has entered into a wholesale agreement with online fashion destination, Zalora. As part of the deal, Zalora will offer Hollister merchandise through its online stores, which will be followed by Abercrombie & Fitch product launching. The partnership provides Abercrombie & Fitch access to over 600 million Zalora's online customers.#

Founded in 2012, Zalora is Asia's leading online fashion destination with presence in 11 countries, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Zalora's shopping experience provides the customer quick deliveries, as fast as three hours in some markets, and up to 100-day free returns.

Abercrombie & Fitch has entered into a wholesale agreement with online fashion destination, Zalora. As part of the deal, Zalora will offer Hollister merchandise through its online stores, which will be followed by Abercrombie & Fitch product launching. The partnership provides Abercrombie & Fitch access to over 600 million Zalora's online customers.#

Abercrombie & Fitch is a leading global specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for men, women and kids through three renowned brands.

Abercrombie & Fitch has entered into a wholesale agreement with online fashion destination, Zalora. As part of the deal, Zalora will offer Hollister merchandise through its online stores, which will be followed by Abercrombie & Fitch product launching. The partnership provides Abercrombie & Fitch access to over 600 million Zalora's online customers.#

"We are looking forward to partnering with Zalora to build on our strong base of loyal customers across Southeast Asia. We work hard to connect with customers wherever, whenever, and however they prefer to shop and we continue to invest in relationships and innovation to support that," said Fran Horowitz, chief executive officer of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (SV)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
The 14th China International Polyester & Intermediates Forum will focus on topics pertaining to the polyamide industry. The event to be held in Shanghai from July 12-14, 2017, will cover themes like paraxylene, PTA/MEG, polyester filament/staple fiber, polyester chips of fiber/bottle grade, etc, as well as futures market among other things.

The organisers China Chemical & Fiber Economic Information Network (CCFEI) and Tecnon OrbiChem have invited relevant government institutions, industry associations, major feedstock suppliers and polyester producers, as well as traders and financial experts, upstream and downstream, home and abroad, to share their ideas and valuable information about the polyester chain.

Discussions will be held on topics such as dramatic shifts between price rises and fall, changes that will take place with profit distribution through the polyester chain as more and more players are building refinery capacities for captive use, with idled PTA capacities coming back, protecting margin from over-supply, preparing for MEG futures and more.

The highlights of the three-day forum also include analysis on economic environment in 2017, main reason behind drastic MEG price changes, review and perspective of polyester industry performance in 2017, futures of differentiated polyester products and how to utilize futures to hedge spots risks.

Polyester Committee of China Chemical Fibers Association and China National Chemical Fiber Corp are supporting the event. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours. The first product based on this technology is Embroline.

A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours.#

"Embroline is a ground-breaking standalone thread colouring attachment for embroidery machines that can easily be used with any type of embroidery machine without modifications. By instantly dyeing only one single thread (Embroline thread) instead of several standard pre-coloured threads during the embroidery production, it allows complete freedom to create unique embroidery designs as well as colouring possibilities never seen before and vastly improves overall production efficiency," Joakim Staberg, founder and innovator, Coloreel told Fibre2Fashion.

A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours.#

Speaking about the advantages of Embroline, Staberg said, " The Embroline attachment offers a solution to some of the greatest challenges in the embroidery industry. Requiring only one reel of thread per embroidery head and ink cartridge, Embroline will take the industry to a new level. The challenging handling of a large stock of thread reels and the tedious rethreading of the embroidery machines may soon be nothing but a memory. Embroline vastly improves overall production efficiency."

A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours.#

With Embroline, embroidery manufacturers will always have exactly the right colour available when they need it. According to Staberg, the only materials required are the Embroline base thread and ink cartridges. The technology eliminates the need for spool replacement and thread cuts, resulting in a minimum of lockstitches on the back of the textile. It also improves the embroidery quality and increases production speed.

A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours.#

"By utilising this technology, machines can be built for colouring threads made of any type of fibre. Embroline uses a unique white Embroline thread based on polyester. Once the thread has been dyed by Embroline and the embroidery is finished, it can instantly be used and washed without further post-treatment," added Staberg. Coloreel has currently only introduced a solution for embroidery machinesIt plans to expand to other areas such as sewing, knitting and weaving in the future. (KD)

A unique technology that enables high-quality instant colouring of textile thread while the thread is being used in textile production is now making waves. This technology from Swedish company Coloreel allows embroiders to dye each and every part of the thread into any chosen solid colour or make smooth transitions between various colours.#

Click here to read the complete interview

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Prabhas In Talks For A Bollywood Film?

As per a Mid-day report, the 'Baahubali' actor is in talks with a Mumbai based filmmaker. Now, that's amazing as we just can't wait to see him weave his magic in Bollywood too.

Rumours Of Prabhas Doing Dhoom 4

Last year there were reports of YRF approaching Prabhas for Dhoom 4. However he had denied them as mere rumours and was quoted as saying, "There were some good offers but I have two of my home production films that are bilingual. They were good offers but I had these two films. I am not saying I will not do (act in Hindi films)."

Prabhas In Mumbai To Promote Baahubali: The Conclusion

The actor is currently in Mumbai to promote the magnum opus 'Baahubali: The Conclusion' which is slated to hit the theatrical screens on 28th April.

Game Of Thrones Makers Impressed With 'Baahubali' Prabhas

Meanwhile, buzz is Prabhas aka Baahubali is a topic of discussion in the international circuit too. Reportedly the makers of the popular show from the west, Game Of Thrones are highly impressed with his dedication and are fascinated by him and his character Baahubali.

'I Would Have Dedicated Seven Years To Baahubali'

Recently while talking to the media, Prabhas had said, "For Rajamouli, I would have even spent more than four years on 'Baahubali'. I would have been ready to dedicate even seven years for him on the project."
Deepika Gets Sanjay Worried

A source told the daily, ''Sanjay Leela Bhansali is really concerned about Deepika Padukone's latest copper-brown hair shade.''

Deepika Is Required To Have Black Hair

''She plays a Rajput queen in SLB's magnum opus Padmavati for which she is required to have plain black hair.''

The Shooting Will Not Resume Until...

The source added, ''The director will not to be able to shoot with her until she goes back to being brunette. But it seems that will take some time.''

Deepika Will Experiment With New Shades

"Deepika is now the ambassador of a hair colour brand, she will experiment with their new shades.''

Deepika Preparing For Cannes

''She is currently experimenting for the right shade for her red carpet look at Cannes next month. In Bhansali's period film, she can't be seen with brown and gold hair.''

SLB Can't Show A Rajput Princess With Blonde Streaks

''He can't show a Rajput queen from the 14th century with blonde streaks. Shooting of the film is commencing with her soon so the actress will need to go back on her original black colour before she starts the film."
Nepotism Is Not An Objection

Kangana was quoted as saying, "If you're talking about nepotism, it's not an objection, it's an observation. I, as an individual... it is my prerogative to leave my footsteps behind for the ones who will follow me."

It Is Important For Me To Talk About My Experiences

"It is important they know where I fell, where I walked, stayed and ran. It's important for me to talk about my own experiences not to say that people shouldn't do what they like to do but what is relevant should be relevant."

Don't Reject People If They Can't Speak English

The actress further said that people should not be rejected on the basis of their limitations with a language, and they should not be considered uncool.'

"...Not because someone doesn't speak English, or has sweat patches because they have come in a rickshaw for an audition or someone is sharing an apartment with 10 people in an uncool' location. They shouldn't be shamed for that. The doors shouldn't be shut on their faces because of that," quipped Kangana.

Did She Take A Jibe At Anushka Sharma?

Recently Anushka Sharma had said that that if you are good at your work, people will want to work with you, and added that she didn't face any discrimination when she worked with big production houses. Kangana's latest remarks look like a dig at Anushka Sharma.

I Don't Consider Myself Outsider

Kangana further said, ""What is an outsider? We are all working to make cinema. Anyone working for some other intention is an outsider. So, (in that sense) I don't consider myself an outsider.

"Whoever comes from an unconventional background, they should work towards it and not call themselves oh we have been lucky enough that we didn't face any discrimination or we are the chosen one, the industry has accepted us with open arms'. No, because people like us have been working on it. If today people are working with actresses who come from indie background, or so called niche art background,' it's because we have made it mainstream today. We can say a film like Queen is mainstream because people worked at it."

We Have Made Hindi Appear Cool

Kangana stressed, "The fact that today in the industry we have a lot more democratic environment is also because of people like us who have been working at it. I see newcomers easily say I can't talk in English I will only talk in Hindi.' It's because we have made it appear cool. We are going to make outsiders feel and appear cool. That is my prerogative as an individual. If I don't do that then what is the purpose of my journey? This is a healthy talk."

Don't Make Nepotism Sound Like A Fight

She finally concluded, "We should all work it out and not point fingers and make it sound like a fight but to make the society more democratic for everyone."
Celebrate Hollywood actor Orlando Bloom has opened up for the first time since his break-up with Katy Perry and said that they are still very good friends and have a good bonding between them.

"We're friends. It's good. We're all grown up," the actor told Elle UK. "She happens to be someone who is very visible, but I don't think anybody cares about what I'm up to. Nor should they. It's between us. It's better to set an example for kids and show that breakups don't have to be about hate."

Prior to that Katy Perry had also shared a similar statement on her twitter page after her split with Orlando Bloom, "U can still b friends & love ur former partners! No one's a victim or a villain, get a life y'all!"

Bloom also talked about the controversial images when he was photographed with Katy Perry during his summer holidays. Said he was extremely surprised by that event.

"It was extremely surprising, I wouldn't have put myself in that position if I'd thought it would happen.... I've been photographed a million times in a million ways. I have a good radar. We'd been completely alone for five days." Orlando Bloom explained.

"Nothing around us. There was no way anyone could get anything. So I had a moment of feeling free. What can I tell you? Note to self: You're never free. Ha!" Bloom added.
Patrick Kwan, Barclays former co-head of investment banking in Asia-Pacific, has joined the Hong Kong subsidiary of high-flying Chinese tourism-to-property conglomerate HNA Group, according to a company statement.

HNA Group (International), the conglomerates Hong Kong-headquartered investment holding subsidiary, has appointed the veteran investment banker as chief investment officer effective April 10, according to the statement. His main responsibility will be managing the companys investment projects and the related financing activities.

He becomes the latest well-known name to leave the banking industry in Asia-Pacific. He left Barclays last year, at a time of change as the bank closed its Asia cash equities business and placed its focus back on its core European and US businesses.

Kwan has over 15 years of experience in the investment banking industry, having last worked at Barclays between 2001 and 2016. Besides co-head of APAC IB, a post he took up in 2014, he was also Hong Kong country manager at the British bank.

He has also had stints at Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and TD Securities during his banking career.

HNA said Kwans insights will be invaluable to the internationalisation of HNAs business at the group level, as the conglomerate looks beyond China for business opportunities under China's 'Belt and Road' initiative.

The conglomerate, which is best-known for its flagship Hainan Airlines, has been one of the most active Chinese buyers of overseas assets over the past two years.

Some of HNAs most high-profile acquisitions include a $6 billion bid for US electronics distributor Ingram Micro, a $2.5 billion offer for Irish aircraft lessor Avolon and a $660 million purchase of New Zealands UDC Finance.

Earlier this week the group has made an open offer for Singaporean logistics firm CWT for $981 million.
CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/11/17 -- Jura Energy Corporation ("Jura") (TSX VENTURE: JEC) today announced the filing on SEDAR of its consolidated annual audited financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, and its annual information form ("AIF").

Increase in Reserves

Jura's reserves were independently evaluated by DeGolyer and MacNaughton Canada Limited ("DMCL") as at December 31, 2016 in accordance with National Instrument 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities. In its Appraisal Report as of December 31, 2016, DMCL estimated Jura's proved gross reserves at approximately 28.45 billion cubic feet ("Bcf"), and proved plus probable gross reserves at approximately 59.61 Bcf. This represents a 19% increase in proved reserves, and a 38% increase in proved plus probable reserves, in each case from Jura's reserves as evaluated by DMCL as at December 31, 2015.

DMCL estimated post-tax net present value of the proved and proved plus probable reserves at approximately US$51.51 million and US$96.37 million respectively, using a discount rate of 10%. This represents a 166% increase in the estimated value of proved reserves, and a 99% increase in the value of proved plus probable reserves, in each case from Jura's reserves values as evaluated by DMCL as at December 31, 2015.

The significant increase in reserves and post-tax net present value of proved and proved plus probable reserves is due to one gas and two gas and condensate discoveries in the Guddu and Badin IV South exploration licenses respectively and an upward revision in the recoverable reserves of the Zarghun South lease after drilling of third development well Zarghun South-3. Further details of the reserves estimates are set out in Jura's Form 51-101F1 Statement of Reserves Data and Other Oil and Gas Information included in its AIF.

Independent Director Compensation

Jura announces that its board of directors (the "Board") has determined to set independent directors' compensation at USD$60,000 for the Chairman of the Board and CAD$50,000 for each other independent director, effective for 2017. This compensation will be paid one half in cash and one half in restricted share units ("RSUs") granted quarterly pursuant to an RSU plan to be implemented by Jura. Implementation of the RSU plan is subject to approval by the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V").

Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders

Jura has scheduled its annual and special meeting of shareholders for Thursday, May 25, 2017 at the office of Jura located at Suite 5100, 150 - 6 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta at 8 a.m. (Calgary time) with a record date of April 20, 2017. Jura will mail a management information circular in respect of the meeting by the end of April.

About Jura Energy Corporation

Jura is an international energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of petroleum and natural gas properties in Pakistan. Jura is based in Calgary, Alberta, and listed on the TSX-V trading under the symbol JEC. Jura conducts its business in Pakistan through its subsidiaries, Frontier Holdings Limited and Spud Energy Pty Limited.

Forward Looking Advisory

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. The words "will", "approximately", and similar expressions are used to identify forward looking information. In particular, statements relating to "reserves" are deemed to be forward-looking statements as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions, that the reserves described exist in the quantities predicted or estimated and can be profitably produced in the future. Further, the estimated future net revenue of reserves set forth in this press release does not represent the fair market value of reserves associated with Jura's assets and properties.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements and are made in light of management's experience, current conditions and expected future development in the areas in which Jura is currently active and other factors management believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Jura undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predicted outcome will not occur, including some of which are beyond Jura's control. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to: the risks associated with the oil and gas industry in general such as operational risks in exploration, development and production, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures, the imprecision of resource and reserve estimates, assumptions regarding the timing and costs relating to production and development as well as the availability and price of labour and equipment, weather, volatility of and assumptions regarding commodity prices and exchange rates, marketing and transportation risks, environmental risks, competition, the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources and changes in applicable law. Additionally, there are economic, political, social and other risks inherent in carrying on business in Pakistan. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could vary or differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. See Jura's Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2016, available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, for further description of the risks and uncertainties associated with Jura's business.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Mr. Shahid Hameed

Interim CEO

+92 51 2270702-5

+92 51 227 0701 (FAX)

info@juraenergy.com

www.juraenergy.com




VANCOUVER, British Columbia, 2017-06-28 11:00 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd.("Standard Lithium" or the "Company") (TSX-V:SLL) (FRA:S5L) (OTCQX:STLHF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Andy Robinson to the Company's Board of Directors.



Dr. Robinson, who joined Standard Lithium in April, 2017 as President and COO, previously served as Chief Operating Officer and board member for Pure Energy Minerals, where he was responsible for leading the first Inferred Resource assessment for a lithium brine deposit in North America, in accordance with 43-101 guidelines. During his tenure at that company, he was instrumental in developing innovative exploration, sampling and assessment techniques for lithium brine resources, and was responsible for developing a world-class lithium brine process engineering team. This team successfully developed and tested efficient and effective modern brine processing techniques that will help shape the way in which lithium products are extracted from brine in the future.



Standard Lithium CEO, Robert Mintak commented, "I had the pleasure of working with Andy for the past four years, and know that his excellent management and strategic planning capabilities will strengthen our Board as we continue to rapidly grow the Company."



Prior to joining Pure Energy in 2014, Andy held a series of senior technical and executive management roles with publicly listed companies in the energy, power and engineering sectors, and has been responsible for successfully taking projects from inception to production while developing sustained corporate growth. Andy is an experienced geoscientist with 20+ years of experience, a PhD in Geochemistry from the University of Bristol, UK, and has worked on a wide range of projects in the resource, power and energy sectors in Europe, Africa, and North and South America.



About Standard Lithium



Standard's value creation strategy encompasses acquiring a diverse and highly prospective portfolio of large-scale domestic brine resources, led by an innovation & results oriented management team with a strong focus on technical skills. The Company is currently focused on the exploration of its 16,000+ acre Bristol Lake, Brine Project located in the Mojave region of San Bernardino County, California. The location has significant infrastructure in-place, with easy road and rail access, abundant electricity and water sources, and is already permitted for extensive brine extraction and processing activities. Standard also recently announced the acquisition of the 40,000+ acre Paradox Basin Project located in Grand County, Utah.



On behalf of the Board,



Standard Lithium Ltd.



Robert Mintak, Director & CEO



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target", "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.



Contact: 604 409 8154

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Figure 1: Improving calculation accuracy in the computational core

Figure 2: Optimizing calculation settings using statistical information



Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. Computer Systems Laboratory E-mail: ngcs_ai_press_arc@ml.labs.fujitsu.com Fujitsu Limited Public and Investor Relations Tel: +81-3-3215-5259 URL: www.fujitsu.com/global/news/contacts/

KAWASAKI, Japan, Apr 24, 2017 - (JCN Newswire) - Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. today announced the development of circuit technology to improve the energy efficiency of hardware used for deep learning, without changing network structures or training algorithms, by reducing the bit width of the data used in deep learning processing.In the deep learning process, it is necessary to do massive calculations based on training data, but the upper limit to processing performance is determined by the volume of electricity that can be used by the servers and other hardware that carry out the learning processing, so increasing performance per watt has become an issue in accelerating deep learning processing.Now, Fujitsu Laboratories has developed a computational algorithm-driven circuit technology that has a unique numerical representation that reduces data bit width used in computations, and based on the characteristics of deep learning's training computations, automatically controls the location of the decimal point position according to the statistical information of the distribution in order to preserve the computational accuracy sufficiently necessary for deep learning.In this way, in the learning process, the compute unit's bit width and the bit width of the memory that records learning results can be reduced, and energy efficiency can be enhanced.In a simulation of deep learning hardware incorporating this technology, Fujitsu Laboratories confirmed that it significantly improved energy efficiency, by about four times that of a 32-bit compute unit, in an example of deep learning using LeNet(1). With this technology, it has now become possible to expand the range of applicability for advanced AI using deep learning processing to a variety of locations, including servers in the cloud and edge servers. Fujitsu Laboratories intends to commercialize this technology as part of Human Centric AI Zinrai, Fujitsu Limited's AI technology.Details of this technology are scheduled to be announced at xSIG 2017 (The 1st. cross-disciplinary Workshop on Computing Systems, Infrastructures, and Programming), being held at the Toranomon Hills Forum (Minato-ku, Tokyo) April 24-26.Development BackgroundA topic of discussion in recent years has been that with the spread of IoT, the number of devices connected to the network is increasing dramatically, and that by 2020, tens of billions of devices will be connected. The result will be the generation of staggering amounts of data, although in many cases it will have no meaning as is. The value of this data will have to be extracted using machine learning methods, such as deep learning, which is expected to create new insights.With the increase in training data from IoT and the expanding scale of deep neural networks, the performance requirements for servers used for deep learning have only been increasing. In addition, in order to reduce the communications volume necessary for transmitting data and the storage volume necessary for recording it, there is a growing need to handle deep learning not only in the cloud, but also at the edge, close to the places where the data is generated.Because servers used for deep learning, both in the cloud and at the edge, have power limits, forecasters expect that it will become difficult to increase performance simply by increasing scale, making technologies that raise energy efficiency necessary.IssuesThe hardware used in ordinary deep learning uses a data format called 32-bit floating-point representation for processing calculations. By reducing the bit width of data used in calculations to 16 bits or less, or using hardware that uses integer operations for calculations, the volume of calculations can be reduced, increasing energy efficiency. At the same time, however, this can lead to a lack of the accuracy necessary for these calculations, making deep learning impossible or degrading the recognition capability of the neural network.About the Newly Developed TechnologyFujitsu Laboratories has now developed circuit technology, based on integer operations, that improves energy efficiency by reducing the data bit width of the compute units and the memory that records training results of deep learning, using a unique numerical representation to reduce bit width. The computational algorithm controls the location of the decimal point in order to preserve computational accuracy while analyzing the distribution of the data for each layer of a deep neural network. Both are specialized for the deep learning process.In the computational cores of the hardware used for deep learning using this technology, there is a block devoted to analyzing the data being calculated (1), a database that stores the distribution of the analyzed data (2), and a block that preserves the calculation settings (3) (Figure 1). In the data analysis block, the data output of the compute unit is analyzed in real time during the training of neural networks, and that analysis is stored in the database as statistical information showing the distribution of the data. That distribution is used to configure compute unit settings, so that it can preserve sufficient computational accuracy in order to improve training accuracy (Figure 2).http://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_FujitsuCircuitTechFig1.jpgFigure 1: Improving calculation accuracy in the computational corehttp://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_FujitsuCircuitTechFig2.jpgFigure 2: Optimizing calculation settings using statistical informationEffectsFujitsu Laboratories has confirmed that, applying this newly developed technology, a system using LeNet and the MNIST(2) dataset as a learning target was able to achieve a recognition rate of 98.31% with 8 bits and a recognition rate of 98.89% with 16 bits, almost identical compared with a recognition rate of 98.90% using 32-bit floating-point operations.This newly developed circuit technology improves energy efficiency in two ways. One is that power can be reduced by executing operations that were done in floating point as integer calculations, instead(3). The second way is by reducing data bit width from 32 bit to 16 bit to cut the volume of data being handled in half, meaning that the power consumption of the compute unit and memory can be reduced by about 50%. Moreover, by reducing it to 8 bit, the power consumption of the compute unit and memory can be reduced by about 75%. In this way, by improving the energy efficiency of the hardware used for deep learning, Fujitsu Laboratories has made it possible to shift deep learning processing, which requires large volumes of training data, from cloud servers to edge servers close to where the data is generated.Future PlansFujitsu Laboratories plans to work with customers on AI applications, with the goal of commercializing this technology as part of Human Centric AI Zinrai, Fujitsu Limited's AI technology, in fiscal 2018. It will also continue to develop circuit technology in order to further reduce the data volumes used in deep learning.(1) LeNetA convolutional neural network used for recognizing handwritten numbers.(2) MNISTA training data set of 28x28-pixel handwritten numbers for recognition.(3) There is data that the total power used for multipliers and adders for 32-bit integer data is about 3.2 pico joules (pJ), while that used for 32-bit floating-point data is about 4.6 pJM. Horowitz, "1.1 Computing's energy problem (and what we can do about it)," 2014 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Digest of Technical Papers (ISSCC), San Francisco, CA, 2014, pp. 10-14.About Fujitsu LaboratoriesFounded in 1968 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Limited, Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. is one of the premier research centers in the world. With a global network of laboratories in Japan, China, the United States and Europe, the organization conducts a wide range of basic and applied research in the areas of Next-generation Services, Computer Servers, Networks, Electronic Devices and Advanced Materials. For more information, please see: http://www.fujitsu.com/jp/group/labs/en/.About Fujitsu LtdFujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company, offering a full range of technology products, solutions, and services. Approximately 159,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702; ADR:FJTSY) reported consolidated revenues of 4.7 trillion yen (US$41 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016. For more information, please see http://www.fujitsu.com.* Please see this press release, with images, at:http://www.fujitsu.com/global/about/resources/news/press-releases/Source: Fujitsu LtdContact:Copyright 2017 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - An influential group of investors is pressing Tesla Inc. (TSLA) to add two board directors who don't have ties to Elon Musk, Bloomberg reported. Five of Musk's six fellow board members have personal or professional connections to the Tesla chief executive officer, which could jeopardize their independence, the California State Teachers' Retirement System and four other investors reportedly wrote in a letter Monday to Tesla's lead independent director. The managers of a combined $721 billion in assets also are pushing for yearly director elections, rather than votes staggered every three years. The report said that the investors' push reflects longstanding concerns with Tesla's boardroom. Investors took issue with directors' ties to the CEO during the lead-up to last year's merger with SolarCity Corp. Musk's cousins ran the money-losing solar-panel installer, and he owned more than 20 percent of both businesses. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Millennial Lithium Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ML)(FRANKFURT: A3N2)(OTCQB: MLNLF) ("Millennial" or the "Company") is pleased to report favorable results from a geophysical survey at their Cauchari East Project in the Cauchari-Olaroz basin of Jujuy Province, Argentina. Results of the survey show continuity of known lithium-bearing brine aquifers into and likely throughout Millennial's property. The 100% owned Cauchari East Project covers an area of 2,990 hectares on the eastern side of the Cauchari-Olaroz Salar, adjacent to the Orocobre/Advantage Cauchari Project and the Lithium Americas/SQM advanced-stage Cauchari-Olaroz Project.

In March, Millennial engaged Tecnologia y Recursos (TyR), a Salta-based geophysics consulting group, to conduct a 10 station Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) survey over Cauchari East. The survey identified a sharp contrast between high resistivity upper zones and low resistivity (conductive) lower zones. Low electrical resistivity in this type of survey can be indicative of brine-bearing sediments. Technical reports from adjacent properties controlled by Lithium America's Corp., confirm that the brine-bearing aquifer is related to a low resistivity horizon. These horizons under Cauchari East are likely the continuation of the known brine-bearing aquifers of the Olaroz and Cauchari basins.

Measurements taken from most survey stations demonstrate good potential for continuous lithium brine mineralization. A north-south profile over the northern property block identifies a continuous 72 to 105 metre thick conductive layer extending from productive aquifers of the present-day Olaroz salar. As that layer extends into the southern block of Cauchari East, it thickens beyond the capacity of the VES survey to detect the lower resistive zone. An east-west profile in the southern block further supports continuity with the Cauchari basin aquifers. In addition, the profile identifies what appears to be a structurally confined sub-basin containing the deep conductive zone continuous with the north-south profile. The complete report can be found on the company's website.

"The results of the Cauchari East geophysics affirm that lithium brine-bearing aquifers beneath the present day Cauchari-Olaroz salars are related to an older, larger salar footprint. From the data we conclude that the aquifers extend beneath more recent alluvial cover. These results clearly justify an investment in a drill program at Cauchari East," stated Iain Scarr, Chief Operations Officer.

Permitting for a drill program is underway and the required public consultations and Jujuy Government approvals are anticipated to be completed in the second quarter of 2017.

Millennial also reports it has made the 2nd payment, totaling $500,000 USD and 500,000 common shares, to acquire its 100-per-cent interest in the Pastos Grandes project. This property, which is part of Millennial's larger land holdings, consists of 1,200 hectares of prospective lithium brine exploitation concessions in the Pastos Grandes Salar in Salta, Argentina.

This news release has been reviewed by Iain Scarr, AIPG CPG., COO of the Company and a qualified person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101.

MILLENNIAL LITHIUM CORP.

Graham Harris, Chairman

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 an applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, currency risks including the exchange rate of USD$ for Cdn$, fluctuations in the market for lithium, changes in exploration costs and government royalties or taxes in Argentina and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affections such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.

Contacts:

Millennial Lithium Corp.

Investor Relations

(604) 662-8184

info@millenniallithium.com

www.millenniallithium.com




JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

New connection is the first to provide direct transport and clearance of non-document express shipments between Bahrain and Jeddah

Jeddah gateway to support growing consumer trade between Saudi Arabia and US, European markets

DHL Express, the world's leading international express services provider, has launched a new daily flight connecting Bahrain Hub with Jeddah, one of its gateways in Saudi Arabia's western region.

The new route will see DHL Express fly seven times a week between Bahrain International Airport and Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport, with each Boeing 757 flight carrying up to 22 tons of cargo. Doing so makes DHL the first international express provider to offer direct movement and clearance of non-document goods through its DHL Express Worldwide service between Bahrain and Jeddah, reducing transit times by anywhere from 24 to 48 hours for customers shipping to Saudi Arabia's Western Provinces.

"Bahrain forms a key node connecting Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia to other markets like China, the Kingdom's top export and import destination[1]; and the European Union, where air freight volumes have grown by more than 50% since 2011,[2]" said Nour Suliman, CEO, DHL Express Middle East and North Africa. "This new route has allowed us to reintroduce Worldwide Parcel Express services after 8 years, at a time when e-commerce and growing regional affluence are causing demand for cross-border consumer shipments to literally soar."

This brings the total number of flights into Saudi Arabia to up to 21 per week, with the Bahrain-Jeddah connection further enhancing the transit time at Saudi Arabia's main express gateway in Riyadh. The new connection allows DHL customers to order pickup of non-document shipments as late as 5pm for same day dispatch, with DHL handling all package movement and clearance from the point of pickup. The route also supports growing volumes of repaired and returned goods between Saudi Arabia and producers in United Arab Emirates, USA and the European Union, primarily in the energy, technology, and life science sectors.

Jeddah is one of Saudi Arabia's fastest growing cities, due largely to a steady flow of investment to build its infrastructure and economy[3], while Bahrain's strategic location and streamlined logistics infrastructure[4] make it a critical entry point for shipments to and between countries in the Arabian Gulf.

"Imports and exports to and from Saudi Arabia have been increasing in the past few years and show no signs of cooling off, particularly with the US and within the Middle East and North Africa region," said Bachi Spiga, Head of Operations, Middle East and North Africa, DHL Express. "This new route will provide much-needed delivery capacity and agility not only to Jeddah and the Western Provinces, but also indirectly to the many other Gulf states for which Saudi Arabia acts as a trade hub.

"As intra-regional trade and demand for consumer goods continues to grow, supported by heavy regional investment in logistics-intense sectors like life sciences[5] and technology,[6] we intend to continue improving the speed, frequency, and quality of service of deliveries throughout the region with market-leading connections like our new Bahrain-Jeddah flight."

"This investment is timely and supports Saudi Arabia's transformational blueprint known as Vision 2030, of which one of its pillars is to transform the strategic location of the Kingdom into a global hub connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa; and turning the Kingdom into an epicenter of trade and logistics, and a gateway to the world," said Faysal El Hajjami, Country General Manager, Saudi Arabia, DHL Express.

-End -

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] http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/sau/

[2] http://www.agility.com/EN/About-Us/Documents/Agility%20Emerging%20Markets%20Logistics%20Index%202016.pdf

[3] https://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/centre-sea-logistical-demands-growing-metropolitan-area-are-bringing-fresh-opportunity

[4] http://www.bahrain.com/en/bi/key-investment-sectors/Pages/logistics.aspx#.WJwuIm996Uk

[5] http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY-investment-big-bets-healthcare-tl-report/$FILE/EY-investment-big-bets-healthcare-tl-report.pdf

[6] https://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/analysis/long-term-evolution-investments-new-technology-are-driving-sector-expansion

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/488945/DHL.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/473977/DHL_Logo.jpg
WINDSOR, England, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Clearwater Seafoods announced today the launch of its 100% natural and wild-caught Arctic Surfclams in pre-cut and portioned sushi-ready slices to the European marketplace. Clearwater will showcase this new and convenient, ready-to-use clam format at Seafood Expo Global (SEG) taking place April 25-27 in Brussels, Belgium.

"We're introducing Clearwater Frozen Arctic Surfclam Sushi-Ready Slices to meet the growing demand from today's sushi restaurant operators across Europe," said Michael Hollis, Vice President Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa. "This new and innovative product format offers convenience, simple preparation and easy storage, in addition to adding visual appeal to any sushi or sashimi dish with its vibrant red colouring."

Images for download: http://www.clearwater.ca/en/home/investor-relations/hokkigaiimages

Sustainably harvested from the cold waters of the North Atlantic off of Canada's East Coast, Arctic Surfclams (Mactromeris polynyma) are blanched and individually quick frozen (IQF) onboard Clearwater's state-of-the-art factory vessels within an hour of harvesting. After arriving at Clearwater's processing facility, clams are sorted, size graded and rigorously quality control tested before being sliced in half and packed. The Arctic Surfclam fishery is Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified, the world's gold standard in third-party independent certifications for sustainable fisheries. Clearwater is the main global provider of Arctic Surfclams.

Arctic Surfclams are widely popular in Asian cuisines within Japan and China, where they are known as hokkigai and bei gei bei respectively. They're prized globally for their sweet taste, unique texture and vibrant red tongues. Clearwater's Arctic Surfclams are pre-blanched, making them ready-to-consume once thawed. Simply place a sushi-ready slice on rice or serve on its own sashimi style for the ultimate in convenience. This new Surfclam format, in addition to Clearwater's existing one kilogram IQF offering, provides two Arctic Surfclam product options for today's foodservice operators.

To sample Clearwater's Frozen Arctic Surfclam Sushi-Ready Slices, please visit Patio stand #4419 at SEG 2017.

About Clearwater

Clearwater is one of the world's largest vertically integrated seafood companies and the largest holder of shellfish licenses and quotas in Canada. It is recognized globally for its superior quality, food safety, diversity of species and reliable worldwide delivery of premium wild, eco-certified seafood, including scallops, lobster, clams, coldwater shrimp, langoustines, crab, whelk and groundfish.

Since its founding in 1976, Clearwater has invested in science, people and technological innovation, as well as resource ownership and management to sustain and grow its seafood resource. This commitment has allowed it to remain a leader in the global seafood market and in sustainable seafood excellence.

For further information: John Ashmore, Clearwater Seafoods, jashmore@clearwater.ca
Affecto Plc - Stock Exchange Release, 12 April 2017 at 9:00, Helsinki



Affecto's Leadership Team Update



Affecto is taking the next steps in implementing its PowerGrid, a modern network-based operating model. Consequently, Affecto is also updating both its leadership model and team.



During 2017, Affecto will build a stronger operational leadership model, which includes representatives closer to its day-to-day businesses and technologies.



This change will enable the Affecto Leadership Team (ALT) to emphasize strategy, brand, growth and enterprise development with increased focus.



Effective today, 12 April 2017, the ALT is updated as follows:



-- After a significant 40 years at Affecto, Stig Sandberg will retire from Affecto during 2017. He will depart the ALT and continue to focus on his responsibilities within Eastern Europe and South Africa until his retirement. The Company has commenced a search for a new Baltic leader, and the appointment will be made later during the year. -- Havard Ellefsen, Managing Director, Norway, Denmark & Partners, will leave the Company to pursue a career outside of Affecto. Norway and Denmark will continue to be led by the current segment leaders who will report to the CEO. -- Before summer 2017, Mikko Eerola will also leave the Company to pursue a career outside Affecto. He will depart the ALT today and will assist in the transition of his duties prior to his departure from Affecto.



With these changes, the Affecto Leadership Team is presently:



-- Juko Hakala, CEO -- Iikka Lindroos, People Operations, Growth and Transformation, Deputy CEO -- Martti Nurminen, CFO -- Charlotte Darth, Managing Director, Sweden -- Henri Engstrom, Managing Director, Affecto Industrial and Interim Managing Director, Finland



AFFECTO PLC



For additional information, please contact:



Juko Hakala CEO juko.hakala@affecto.com



Sakari Knuutti Director, Legal & IR +358 50 562 4077 sakari.knuutti@affecto.com



www.affecto.com

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PALERMO, Italy, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Thanks to a new partnership between Weekend in Italy (WeekendinItaly.com), the leading source of online travel services focused solely on Italy, and Addiopizzo Travel, tourists can empower businesses that are bravely resisting mafia payoffs.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/480321/Weekend_in_Italy_Logo.jpg )



"It is said that over 80% of businesses in Sicily make payments to the Mafia," says Weekend in Italy Founder and CEO, Alessandro Naldi. "Visitors curious about the Mafia now have a way to find out what it means today. We are proud to offer Sicily travelers from all over the world the opportunity to enjoy unforgettable experiences while supporting those who are making difficult and courageous decisions."

"Simply speaking," says Francesca Vannini Parenti, co-founder of Addiopizzo Travel, "we want visitors to experience Sicily beyond the 'Godfather' movie cliches, and tell about the diligent and creative people, the virtue and solidarity in our communities. Our travel offerings allow visitors to immerse themselves in this vibrant world - and be inspired by the beauty and resourcefulness alive here."

Addiopizzo Travel is the brainchild of Addiopizzo, founded in 2004 by a group of young people wanting to change the Mafia dominated Sicilian business culture. Addiopizzo - the name means "goodbye protection money" - is a non-profit whose purpose it is to protect the free exercise of business while assuring consumers that their money is not going to the Mafia.

Naldi says, "True, the tours have a social purpose - but they are all fun. They cover the best of Sicily from Palermo's history to making chocolate in Modica according to an Aztec recipe to meeting the enthusiastic young people who work on land confiscated from Mafia bosses. All of them take you deeper into the culture of this island rather than seeing just what's typical."

You can find the many Addipizzo Travel tours and packages at these WeekendinItaly.com links: https://www.weekendinitaly.com/en/sicilia/tour/163-walking-tours.html and https://www.weekendinitaly.com/en/sicilia/tour/9-hotel-and-excursions-packages.html

Background: Weekend in Italy has served travelers since 1995 and offers more than 600 tourist services for adventurous types, including tours, excursions and online ticket reservations for major Italian museums. Weekend in Italy was the first Italian company to offer these services online, with new ones constantly being added. The company collaborates with Expedia, Viator, GTA, Veltra and many others, and serves hundreds of thousands of customers each year.


MELBOURNE (dpa-AFX) - BHP Billiton (BHP.AX, BLT.L, BBL, BHP) said Wednesday that its board and management have concluded that costs and associated disadvantages of each element of Elliott's proposal would significantly outweigh the potential benefits. The company believed that Elliott materially overstates the potential value that could be created by its proposals.



In a response to the letter dated 10 April 2017 from Elliott Associates, L.P. and Elliott International, L.P. describing its proposals for changes to the BHP Billiton Group's Dual Listed Company or DLC structure, portfolio and capital management, BHP Billiton said today that Elliott's proposals are not new to BHP Billiton.



Andrew Mackenzie, Chief Executive Officer, said: 'BHP Billiton is now a stronger, simpler company, well-positioned for future economic conditions. We are confident we have everything in place to increase returns and significantly grow shareholder value.'



BHP Billiton noted that unifying the DLC structure in the manner proposed by Elliott could destroy at least US$1.3 billion in value to save less than US$2.5 million a year - for no identifiable material or strategic benefit. Elliott had proposes that the Group replace the DLC with a single United Kingdom incorporated company with a primary listing in the United Kingdom on the LSE and with a secondary listing of Chess Depository Interests in Australia on the ASX.



BHP said it has not identified any material or broader strategic benefits from unification in the manner proposed by Elliott.



According to BHP, the unification proposed by Elliott would result in a transfer of value from BHP Billiton Limited shareholders to BHP Billiton Plc shareholders. BHP Billiton Limited shares currently trade at a 14 per cent premium to BHP Billiton Plc shares. BHP Billiton Limited shareholders would face additional downside risk if the new London listed shares created by Elliott's proposal were to trade at a blended price of the existing BHP Billiton Plc and BHP Billiton Limited shares.



The company noted that South African shareholders, who comprise 17 per cent of the BHP Billiton Plc register, would face particular risk as they would not obtain capital gains tax roll-over relief and might need to pay tax under Elliott's proposal.



BHP Billiton expects that shareholders will benefit from the realization of high returning growth options in BHP Billiton's US Petroleum business given the current market outlook as well as successful efforts to commercialise its onshore US investments, reduce costs and invest in high quality brownfield and exploration opportunities.



The value case for a US Petroleum demerger is unclear. BHP Billiton has disclosed the information the market needs to fully value the Petroleum business.



Elliott proposes that BHP Billiton demerge its US petroleum assets into a separate New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) listed entity. A NYSE listing would not suit all current BHP Billiton shareholders.



BHP stated that share buybacks are a core element of capital allocation framework. It has returned to shareholders approximately US$23 billion in buybacks, and approximately US$56 billion in dividends since the formation of the DLC. Decisions on buybacks need to consider the cyclical nature of the resources industry and returns available from other uses of cash.



Elliott proposes that BHP Billiton should mechanistically target a net debt ratio of 1.3x EBITDA (or other similar metric) and then conduct regular off-market buybacks, at a 14 per cent discount, with all excess cash. The approach does not recognise the cyclical nature of the resources industry. If this approach had been adopted in 2012, BHP Billiton's net debt would now be more than double its current level - placing the Company's balance sheet at risk, particularly in a time of volatile markets.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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On March 31, 2017, Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd ("Seoul") filed a patent infringement lawsuit in Germany in the District Court of Dusseldorf against Mouser Electronics Inc. ("Mouser"), a global electronic components distributor, asserting infringement of an LED patent.

According to the complaint, the accused products include LEDs for high-power light emission. Further investigation suggests that the accused products from Mouser are manufactured by multiple LED companies, including Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd., a global top-10 LED maker. In the lawsuit, Seoul has sought a permanent injunction, damages, and recall and destruction of the allegedly infringing products.

The asserted patented technology serves to efficiently extract light emitted from the internal LED structure by treating LED chip surfaces, thereby significantly improving light intensity and brightness. This patented technology has been widely used for various high-power LED applications, such as automobile lighting, cell phone flashlights, outdoor lighting, UV LED appliances, and others.

($M) Segment Sub-segment 2016 market size High-power LED market size 2020 market size Application for high power LEDs Lighting Indoor 7,782 10,174 Spot light Outdoor 2,927 Outdoor lighting (street, tunnel etc.) IT Mobile 2093 834 3,272 Mobile phone flashes TV&Monitor 2,215 1,525 TV BLU Auto Interior 2,083 3,176 Exterior 1,306 Headlamp, DRL Others 1,287 1,818 UV LED 152 130 800 UV LED applications Total 15,612 6,722 19,240

*Source: Strategies Unlimited report (2016)

According to market research firm IHS, the LED penetration rate in automobile headlamps is expected to increase sharply to 32.3 by 2021 from the current penetration rate of 16.4%. This high-power LED technology is already being used for exterior automobile lighting including headlights and daytime running lights. Furthermore, it is expected to become a significant technology for electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles, which require high-power LED lighting with high heat dissipation for energy efficiency.

In addition, this high-power LED technology also applies to LEDs for mobile phone flashlights, which require higher light intensity. Because margins for flashlight LEDs are higher than those for backlights, the flashlights LED market has still grown steadily despite the overall decline in the IT sector LED market.

Further, this high-power LED technology is widely applicable to general lighting products for outdooring illumination and commercial or industrial uses because such technology substantially enhances light efficiency and improves the brightness per unit area obtained from the LED. The technology is also widely used in manufacturing UV LEDs for sterilization, purification and curing processes. The UV LED application market is expected to grow rapidly, reaching $800 million by 2020.

Beginning with this lawsuit, Seoul plans to actively defend its patent assets against infringing high-power LED technologies. Seoul has already identified infringements of other patents it possesses that relate to high-power LEDs and will be considering additional infringement lawsuits.

According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), among the companies which manufacture LED components exclusively, Seoul Semiconductor was the only one to be selected in the 2013 Semiconductor Manufacturing Patent Power Ranking. Seoul Semiconductor was also selected for the same category in 2012. IEEE's patent power scorecards for each industry segment are based on the evaluation of the patent portfolios of more than 5000 leading commercial enterprises, academic institutions, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies worldwide. They take into account not only the size of the organizations' patent portfolios, but also the quality of their patents with regard to growth index, impact of the patents, originality, and general applicability of the patents.

Ki-bum Nam, Vice President of the Lighting Business Department at Seoul Semiconductor, said, "The asserted patent is considered an essential technology for manufacturing high-power LEDs and has been widely used in various LED applications." Nam added, "However, there are many LED products currently on the market that infringe this patented technology, so we have decided to begin enforcing our patent rights in such cases. To create a fair market competition and promote technological innovation, we continuously take any and all actions necessary to deter such infringement and protect our intellectual property."

About Seoul Semiconductor:

Seoul Semiconductor develops and commercializes light emitting diodes (LEDs) for automotive, general illumination, specialty lighting, and backlighting markets. As the fifth-largest LED manufacturer globally, Seoul Semiconductor holds more than 12,000 patents, offers a wide range of technologies, and mass produces innovative LED products such as the Wicop Simpler Structured Package-Free LED; Acrich, the world's leading direct AC LED; Acrich MJT multi-junction technology; a proprietary family of high-voltage LEDs; and nPola, a new LED product based on GaN-substrate technology that achieves over ten times the output of conventional LEDs.

Trademarks

Wicop and Acrich are trademarks of Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005132/en/

Contacts:

Seoul Semiconductor Europe GmbH

Ariane Heim

Tel: +49 (0)89 450 3690-0

Email: press.eu@seoulsemicon.com
Regulatory News:

Hanwha Total Petrochemical, a 50/50 joint venture between Hanwha and Total (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT), will invest to expand its Daesan refining petrochemicals integrated platform. The planned $450 million investment will increase the site's ethylene capacity by 30% to 1.4 million tons per year.

Daesan is one of Total's six world-class integrated platforms and a strategic asset for Hanwha. This site which is comprised of a highly flexible condensate splitter, a competitive steam cracker and polymers, styrene and aromatics units, generated a net result of nearly $1 billion in 2016.

The extension will significantly increase the site's flexibility, enabling it to process competitively priced propane feedstock which is abundantly available, notably due to the shale gas revolution in the United States. The expansion project is set to be completed by mid-2019.

The additional ethylene production will meet local demand and also supply the nearby fast-growing Chinese market which imports a significant part of its ethylene requirements.

"This project is part of our strategy to invest in world-class integrated platforms to develop petrochemicals based on competitive feedstock and targeting high-growth markets," said Bernard Pinatel, President Refining Chemicals of Total. "The investment reflects the strong partnership with Hanwha and will contribute to the growth of our Refining Petrochemicals cash flows."

About Total

Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider, a leading international oil and gas company, and a major player in solar energy with SunPower and Total Solar. Our 98,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. As a responsible corporate citizen, we focus on ensuring that our operations in more than 130 countries worldwide consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. total.com

About Hanwha

Hanwha Group, founded in 1952, is a global leader in a broad range of business spanning the spectrum of manufacturing, construction, finance, services and leisure industries. Hanwha Group consists of 56 domestic affiliates and 226 global networks, as of June 2016.

Cautionary note

This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total" and "Total Group" are sometimes used for convenience where general references are made to TOTAL S.A. and/or its subsidiaries. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them.

This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL S.A. nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005409/en/

Contacts:

Total

Mike SANGSTER

Nicolas FUMEX

Kim HOUSEGO

Romain RICHEMONT

Tel.: 44 (0)207 719 7962

Fax: 44 (0)207 719 7959

or

Robert HAMMOND (U.S.)

Tel.: +1 713-483-5070

Fax +1 713-483-5629
FRANKFURT, Germany, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Frankfurt Airport achieves positive performance in first quarter 2017 despite special effects - Fraport's Group airports report largely postive traffic figures - Strong increase also recorded in March

FRA/gk - During the first quarter of 2017, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has continued its growth path: for the first time in the airport's history, more than 13 million passengers passed through Germany's largest aviation hub in the January-to-March period. This corresponds to a 1.5 percent increase year-on-year. Without the leap-year effect, a number of strikes and the late timing of the Easter holidays in 2017, the growth rate would have reached 3.1 percent. Cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) also posted positive growth in the first three months of 2017, rising by 5.8 percent to 535,764 metric tons. Aircraft movements decreased by 1.2 percent to a total of 104,530 takeoffs and landings, while accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) were down 2.6 percent to about 6.7 million metric tons. Adjusted for the special effects, aircraft movements would have increased by 0.3 percent.

In March 2017, Frankfurt Airport served some 4.9 million passengers, up 1.8 percent year-on-year. Thus, the previous March record achieved in 2016 was exceeded by around 85,000 passengers. Without a number of flight cancellations, mainly due to strikes at airports in Berlin, passenger traffic would have increased by 2.3 percent. Cargo volumes soared by 9.8 percent to 205,443 metric tons - the highest monthly growth rate recorded over the previous six years. This was helped by a more favorable timing of weekdays compared to the previous year and the fact that Easter falls in April this year. The number of aircraft movements rose by 1.1 percent to 37,924 takeoffs and landings in March 2017. With approximately 2.4 million metric tons, maximum takeoff weights shrank by 1.0 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

Across the Group, airports in Fraport's international portfolio showed largely positive performance in the first quarter of 2017. Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in the capital of Slovenia welcomed 288,355 passengers in the first three months of the year, an increase of 17.5 percent. Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru recorded a 7.4 percent increase to about 4.8 million passengers. The two Twin Star airports of Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, combined, served 126,033 passengers, thus posting growth of 7.6 percent. By contrast, the airports of Antalya (AYT) in Turkey and Hanover (HAJ) in northern Germany registered declines of 10.1 percent to some 2.1 million passengers and 2.8 percent to 979,658 passengers, respectively. Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia, saw traffic improve by 25.3 percent to almost 2.9 million passengers in the first quarter of 2017, while Xi'an Airport (XIY) in China welcomed more than 9.8 million passengers, an increase of 14.4 percent.

For further information about Fraport AG please click here: http://www.fraport.com/en/the-fraport-group/about-us/fraport-at-a-glance.html

Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via the photo library located in our Press Center on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading.

Fraport Traffic Figures

March 2017

Fraport Group Airports[1] March 2017 Fraport Passengers Cargo* Movements Fully-consolidated airports share (%) Month DELTA % Month DELTA % Month DELTA % FRA Frankfurt Germany 100,00 4,872,599 1.8 202,562 10.5 37,924 1.1 LJU Ljubljana Slovenia 100,00 108,964 16.0 1,026 16.1 2,840 13.6 LIM Lima Peru[2] 70,01 1,580,929 5.5 18,466 -0.9 15,550 6.9 Fraport Twin Star 60,00 49,093 19.6 900 0.7 646 3.4 BOJ Burgas Bulgaria 60,00 13,573 15.3 887 0.0 224 0.4 VAR Varna Bulgaria 60,00 35,520 21.3 13 83.2 422 5.0 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya Turkey 51,00 838,145 -16.1 n.a. n.a. 6,075 -13.3 HAJ Hanover Germany 30,00 393,030 -3.2 1,822 23.9 6,197 2.2 LED St. Petersburg Russia 25,00 1,018,974 23.1 n.a. n.a. 10,887 21.3 XIY Xi'an China 24,50 3,315,898 13.9 20,654 4.3 25,639 10.9 (table continues) Year to Date (YTD) 2017 Passengers Cargo Movements Fully-consolidated airports YTD DELTA % YTD DELTA % YTD DELTA % FRA Frankfurt Germany 13,124,451 1.5 527,951 6.3 104,530 -1.2 LJU Ljubljana Slovenia 288,355 17.5 2,723 12.7 7,199 12.0 LIM Lima Peru[2] 4,809,175 7.4 60,845 -0.5 44,367 4.3 Fraport Twin Star 126,033 7.6 3,503 11.2 1,800 -0.8 BOJ Burgas Bulgaria 32,421 -6.1 3,386 8.2 597 -15.4 VAR Varna Bulgaria 93,612 13.4 117 > 100.0 1,203 8.6 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya Turkey 2,115,338 -10.1 n.a. n.a. 15,759 -6.2 HAJ Hanover Germany 979,658 -2.8 5,322 13.5 15,644 -2.0 LED St. Petersburg Russia 2,899,040 25.3 n.a. n.a. 30,861 18.0 XIY Xi'an China 9,835,898 14.4 57,598 5.2 75,500 9.6

Frankfurt Airport[3] March 2017 Month DELTA % YTD 2017 DELTA % Passengers 4,872,894 1.8 13,125,242 1.5 Cargo (freight & mail) 205,443 9.8 535,764 5.8 Aircraft movements 37,924 1.1 104,530 -1.2 MTOW (in metric tons)[4] 2,422,884 -1.0 6,685,272 -2.6 PAX/PAX-flight[5] 138.9 1.0 135.4 3.1 Seat load factor (%) 76.8 74.9 Punctuality rate (%) 84.4 80.5

Frankfurt Airport PAX share DELTA %[6] PAX share DELTA %[6] Regional Split Month Month Continental 60.8 2.4 59.9 2.0 Germany 12.4 7.8 12.0 3.4 Europe (excl. Germany) 48.4 1.0 47.9 1.7 Western Europe 40.6 0.5 40.0 1.7 Eastern Europe 7.8 3.9 7.8 2.0 Intercontinental 39.2 0.9 40.1 0.8 Africa 4.4 0.4 4.6 4.3 Middle East 6.5 0.7 6.6 3.5 North America 12.1 -1.1 11.8 -2.0 Central & South America 4.4 1.4 4.8 1.2 Far East 11.9 3.2 12.3 0.7 Australia 0.0 n.a. 0.0 n.a.

If you wish to meet a member of our press team when at Frankfurt Airport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here.

Fraport AG

Mike Peter Schweitzer

Head of Press Office & Digital Media

Chief Spokesperson

60547 Frankfurt, Germany

Telephone: +49-69-690-70555

E-mail: m.schweitzer@fraport.de



Internet: http://www.fraport.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport


10 August 2017



St Peter Port Capital Limited (the 'Company')



Cost Reductions and Amendment to Investment Management Agreement



The Company announces that, as part of its cost reduction exercise, it has amended the terms of its investment management agreement with St Peter Port Investment Management Limited.



In the circular to Shareholders published on 24 May 2017 the Board stated that it was committed to undertaking an exercise of seeking to reduce expenditure. This was with the aim of achieving significant savings in the extra expenditure involved in the delayed winding up of the Company which was approved by Shareholders on 21 June 2017.



The Board is pleased to report that, on 9 August 2017, it agreed a fee reduction by St Peter Port Investment Management Limited, the Company's investment manager, from 2 per cent to 1.5 per cent of net assets per annum. The reduction will take effect from 21 June 2017 being the date of the Company's AGM and subsequent EGM when shareholders voted in favour of the resolution to continue the life of the Company for at least one more year. In addition, the Board has achieved other savings and continues to pursue further reductions where possible.



The Investment Manager is deemed to be a related party to the Company for the purposes of the AIM Rules and therefore the transaction described above is a related party transaction. The director independent of the investment manager, Russel Michel considers, having consulted with the Company's nominated adviser, Grant Thornton UK LLP, that the terms of the new investment management agreement are fair and reasonable insofar as the Company's shareholders are concerned.



For further information:



St Peter Port Capital Limited Lynn Bruce, Director +44 (0) 1481 724 222



Grant Thornton UK LLP (Nominated Adviser) Philip Secrett Jamie Barklem Carolyn Sansom +44 (0) 20 7383 5100



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: St Peter Port Capital Limited via GlobeNewswire



A0MNH0B1V4NS6R5



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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LONDON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

DataGenic Ltd, the leading global provider of on premise and in-cloud Smart Commodity Data Management solutions and S&P Global Platts, the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets, are pleased to announce an extension to their existing partnership agreement for the provision and distribution of UAE's Fujairah Weekly Oil Inventory Data.

Fujairah Oil Industry Zone, which hosts the Middle East's largest commercial storage capacity for refined products, recently signed an agreement with S&P Global Platts to advance the Emirate's progression towards becoming one of the world's leading energy trading hubs. DataGenic is now part of that advancement program that allows both existing S&P Global Platts clients and new customers to consume the data via DataGenic.

Richard Quigley, CEO of DataGenic commented "As a long-term distribution channel partner of S&P Global Platts, we are delighted to enhance our offering to include the distribution of this valuable data source. Furthermore, it is exciting to be part of the strategic growth of this hub, that will elevate Fujairah as a top tier energy trading hub alongside Singapore, Rotterdam and Houston".

Stuart Wood, Head of Global Product Development, S&P Global Platts said: "As Fujairah develops into a global trading hub, expanding the availability of the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone inventory data to a global audience is an important component of broadening the understanding of oil products flows in the region."

Note to the Editor: Fujairah sits at the heart of the new energy corridor that stretches from the East of the Suez Canal to Asia and has a vast array of capabilities, including oil transmission pipeline connectivity with Abu Dhabi, vast oil storage facilities, supporting utilities infrastructure, and a deep water port. Since September 2016, the Port is also home to the first very large crude carrier (VLCC) jetty on the Indian Ocean. The number of financial centers in the region has also grown, with the majority of banks, private and national oil companies and commodity trading houses engaging in local activities.

Visit S&P Global Platts dedicated website page to access Fujairah's weekly oil inventory data alongside details of methodology. (fujairah.platts.com)

About DataGenic Ltd

DataGenic is the leading global provider of on-premise and in-cloud Smart Commodity Data Management software, delivering intelligent analytics, real-time data content and proven business value. The innovative solutions include a data-agnostic multi-commodity data management platform, visual mapping and management of business processes, extensive and extensible data quality management, unlimited forward curves construction and an intelligent decision framework. DataGenic customers include energy, metals, minerals, chemicals, agriculture, shipping and food and beverage. DataGenic operates in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

About S&P Global Platts

At S&P Global Platts, we provide the insights; you make better informed trading and business decisions with confidence. We're the leading independent provider of information and benchmark prices for the commodities and energy markets. Customers in over 150 countries look to our expertise in news, pricing and analytics to deliver greater transparency and efficiency to markets. S&P Global Platts coverage includes oil and gas, power, petrochemicals, metals, agriculture and shipping.

S&P Global Platts is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI), which provides essential intelligence for companies, governments and individuals to make decisions with confidence. For more information, visit http://www.platts.com.

Contact

Andrew Pell

+44(0)203-814-8500


BOULDER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- ManagedMethods, a leading provider in the Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) space, today announced that it has become an AWS Partner Network (APN) Standard Technology Partner. With ManagedMethods' CASB solution, Cloud Access Monitor, Amazon Web Services customers can easily gain visibility into how their data is stored, accessed and shared in the cloud.

"When data leaves the corporate network to the cloud, organizations still need to track where it goes and who has access," said Charlie Sander, CEO of ManagedMethods. "With Cloud Access Monitor, customers can take advantage of the AWS cloud for compute power, database storage, content delivery and other applications with an additional layer of visibility and security."

Traditional perimeter security solutions such as firewalls, secure web gateways and web filters don't secure today's cloud applications. CASBs are solutions designed to meet the specific security risks created by the proliferation of cloud applications -- both approved and unsanctioned (Shadow IT) -- used in business environments.

ManagedMethods' Cloud Access Monitor continuously captures and analyzes traffic from the existing network security infrastructure using a passive monitoring architecture. With API integrations to popular cloud applications, including Microsoft Office 365, Google G Suite, OneDrive, Dropbox and Box, it offers visibility into how data is stored, accessed and shared. Risky user behavior can be blocked, and IT managers can take a proactive approach to security risks and compliance violations. Cloud Access Monitor allows AWS customers to be confident in the security and compliance of their data as it leaves their corporate network.

About ManagedMethods

ManagedMethods offers the most efficient way to gain visibility into how data is stored, accessed and shared in cloud applications such as Microsoft Office 365, Google G Suite, Dropbox and Box, as well as to control unsanctioned Shadow IT applications. ManagedMethods' Cloud Access Monitor is the only Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that can be deployed in 30 minutes, with no special training, and with no impact on users or networks. Learn more at managedmethods.com.

Media Contacts:

Dan Chmielewski

Madison Alexander PR

P:+1-714-832-8716

C:+1-949-231-2965

Email Contact




TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. ("Kirkland Lake Gold" or the "Company") (TSX: KL)(OTCQX: KLGDF) is pleased to announce operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2017. All dollar amounts in this news release are expressed in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.

2017 First Quarter Highlights

-- Consolidated production of 130,425 ounces of gold, on track to meet 2017 production guidance of 500,000 - 525,000 ounces of gold. -- Strong gold production of 48,723 ounces at the Macassa Mine, based on mill grade of 17.1 g/t Au and recovery of 97.1%. -- Record gold production of 46,083 ounces at the Fosterville Mine, based on mill grade of 11.1 g/t Au and recovery of 93.7%. -- Increased cash balance at March 31, 2017 by $45 million to $280 million.

Tony Makuch, President and Chief Executive Officer of Kirkland Lake Gold stated: "Consolidated first quarter production of 130,425 ounces of gold reflects a solid start to the year and supports our 2017 production target of 500,000 - 525,000 ounces. During the quarter, we substantially increased our cash position by $45 million to $280 million, underpinned by solid operational results from our Fosterville & Macassa Mines. These operations accounted for approximately 73% of total production for the quarter. The Company's strong cash position and confidence in the outlook for 2017 support the Board's decision to initiate a dividend policy to our shareholders."

"The Fosterville Mine delivered exceptional first quarter operating results, marking a number of records including production of 46,083 ounces of gold, mill grade of 11.1 g/t Au and recovery of 93.7%. The Macassa Mine also continued to deliver solid operating results during the quarter with gold production totaling 48,723 ounces driven by record mill grade of 17.1 g/t Au and recovery of 97.1%."

"We will continue to focus on operational efficiencies and productivity to utilize milling capacity at all four mills. As our aggressive exploration budget implies, we have significant potential within our district scale land packages to discover new zones and expand our resources. Additionally, at the end of March, we announced a considerable increase in Mineral Reserves at Fosterville by 66% and Macassa by 37%."

2017 First Quarter Operational Results

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q1 2017 Q1 20161 Q4 20161 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadian Operations: ---------------------------------- Macassa Ore Milled (tonnes) 91,460 85,845 102,289 Grade (g/t Au) 17.1 15.3 16.3 Recovery (%) 97.1 97.3 97.6 Gold Production (oz) 48,723 41,054 52,318 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holt Ore Milled (tonnes) 105,629 103,529 113,499 Grade (g/t Au) 4.8 4.3 4.6 Recovery (%) 94.9 94.5 94.5 Gold Production (oz) 15,318 13,514 15,761 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Taylor Ore Milled (tonnes) 63,289 41,950 48,254 Grade (g/t Au) 5.6 7.2 6.7 Recovery (%) 96.7 95.7 96.1 Gold Production (oz) 10,942 9,240 10,048 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Holloway2 Ore Milled (tonnes) 2,676 43,840 65,215 Grade (g/t Au) 3.5 4.4 5.4 Recovery (%) 89.9 90.1 87.3 Gold Production (oz) 267 5,656 9,825 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Canadian Gold Production (oz)1 75,250 69,464 87,952 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Australian Operations: ---------------------------------- Fosterville Ore Milled (tonnes) 137,788 161,868 176,242 Grade (g/t Au) 11.1 7.3 8.5 Recovery (%) 93.7 86.8 92.4 Gold Production (oz) 46,083 33,138 44,406 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cosmo Ore Milled (tonnes) 120,047 181,025 157,770 Grade (g/t Au) 2.5 3.1 2.8 Recovery (%) 95.2 90.7 94.5 Gold Production (oz) 9,092 16,340 13,307 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stawell3 Ore Milled (tonnes) n/a 229,558 172,049 Grade (g/t Au) n/a 1.4 1.5 Recovery (%) n/a 80.0 84.5 Gold Production (oz) n/a 8,579 6,971 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total Australian Gold Production (oz)1 55,175 58,057 64,684 Consolidated Kirkland Lake Gold Production (oz) 130,425 127,521 152,636 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Canadian Operations

Macassa

The Macassa Mine continued to deliver solid operating results during Q1 2017 with gold production of 48,723 ounces, representing a 19% increase from Q1 2016 of 41,054 ounces. The increased production reflects a 6% increase in mill throughput and a 12% increase in grade as compared to Q1 2016. During Q1 2017, the mill processed 91,460 tonnes at an average grade of 17.1 g/t Au with a mill recovery of 97.1%. Mill throughput during Q1 2017 was 11% lower than the 102,289 tonnes processed in Q4 2016 due to the additional processing of 27,500 tonnes of low grade material in Q4.

Mine production during Q1 2017 totaled 89,177 tonnes at an average run of mine grade of 17.4 g/t Au compared to 95,168 tonnes at a grade of 15.0 g/t Au for Q1 2016 and 84,229 tonnes at a grade of 21.6 g/t Au for Q4 2016.

Development of the 5600' Level and 5700' Level in the lower South Mine Complex ("SMC") continue to be advanced. The main decline development is ongoing, although the focus in Q1 was development of the 5700' Level east and west from the main ramp. The 5712 Decline towards the Lower D North (LDN) zone is now below the 5700' Level and infrastructure is currently being developed in order to commence production in 2017.

Holt

During Q1 2017, the Holt Mine delivered 105,629 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 4.8 g/t Au to the Holt Mill. After mill recoveries of 94.9%, gold production totaled 15,318 ounces, a 13% increase over Q1 2016 production. Q1 2017 mined tonnes were 7% lower than Q4 2016 due to planned access development to the new U-100 and C-104 zones.

Development of Upper Zone 4 East and U-100 commenced in Q1 2017, on schedule to commence production during Q2 2017.

Taylor

The Taylor Mine produced 10,942 ounces of gold, representing a 18% increase over Q1 2016. The increased production reflects an increase in throughput of approximately 21,000 tonnes, as compared to Q1 2016.

The Taylor Mine delivered 63,289 tonnes of ore, averaging 5.6 g/t Au as compared to 41,950 tonnes averaging 7.2 g/t Au in Q1 2016. Mining is currently underway in the WPZ deposit on the 1004 Zone. Q1 2017 grades are lower due to stope sequencing. An increase in daily mine throughput is planned for the second half of the year by adding additional stopes to the schedule. Diamond drilling is on-going on the 100 level, defining the 1008 Zone and on the 430 level, targeting near-term definition drilling and exploration of the 1003 Zone.

Holloway

The Holloway Mine was placed into temporary suspension at the end of Q4 2016. During Q1 2017, 2,676 tonnes of stockpiled ore grading 3.5 g/t Au were processed in the Holt Mill. After mill recoveries of approximately 90%, gold production for Q1 2017 totaled 267 ounces.

A diamond drill program focusing on Lightning east both up dip and down dip is scheduled to commence in Q2 2017.

Australian Operations

Fosterville

The Fosterville Mine delivered exceptional first quarter operating results, producing a record 46,083 ounces of gold. This result marks a 39% increase over Q1 2016 production of 33,138 ounces and a 4% increase over Q4 2016 production of 44,406 ounces.

Mine production for Q1 2017 totaled 146,928 tonnes at a record run of mine grade of 12.3 g/t Au compared to 168,812 tonnes at 9.4 g/t Au in Q4 2016. Mined tonnes decreased by 13% compared to the previous quarter as the operation continued to focus on detailed extraction methods of high-grade lenses on multiple levels in the Lower Phoenix area to support increased gold production in the mill.

During Q1 2017, the mill processed 137,788 tonnes at an average grade of 11.1 g/t Au compared to 161,868 tonnes at 7.3 g/t Au in Q1 2016. In addition to the record quarterly mill grade, recovery for the quarter also set a new record of 93.7% due to a combination of higher mill feed grade and an absence of black shale-associated ore. The proportion of gold recovered in the gravity circuit increased significantly to 30% in the quarter, as a result of a greater proportion of gravity recoverable gold in the ore mined combined with ongoing optimization of the circuit.

Significant investment in diamond drilling continues with seven rigs in operation at quarter end. The focus of activities was predominantly on the Harrier South and Lower Phoenix systems.

Cosmo

The Cosmo Mine produced 9,092 ounces of gold, a decrease from Q4 2016 and Q1 2016. The shortfall was primarily due to a temporary halt to production during late February and early March to redevelop access to an escape way, which failed in February. During the quarter, there were three diamond drill rigs in operation, following up on potential extensions to the Sliver, Taipan and Lantern zones. Process improvements in the mill continued to focus on quality performance with overall mill recovery averaging 95.2% during the quarter.

Cash Balance

Kirkland Lake Gold ended the first quarter at March 31, 2017 with a cash balance of approximately $280 million, an increase of $45 million from the December 31, 2016 cash balance of $234.9 million. The increase largely reflects positive cash flow from operations generated during the quarter.

2017 First Quarter Financial Results and Conference Call Details

Full financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2017, will be released before market open on May 4, 2017.

A conference call to discuss the results will be held by senior management on Thursday May 4, 2017, at 10:00AM ET. The call will be webcast and accessible on the Company website, in the Investor - Events section.

2017 FIRST QUARTER CONFERENCE CALL DETAILS DATE: May 4, 2017 CONFERENCE ID: 6117051 TIME: 10:00AM ET TOLL-FREE NUMBER: 1 (877) 201-0168 INTERNATIONAL CALLERS: 1 (647) 788-4901 WEBCAST URL: http://event.on24.com/wcc/r/1344608/290551D341D85570E 30308A30866C182

Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders Details

Kirkland Lake Gold will hold its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on Thursday May 4, 2017 at the offices of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP located at 40 King Street West, Suite 2100, Toronto ON, M5H 3C2 at 4:30PM ET (the "AGM").

Following the AGM, an audio webcast of the AGM including the corporate update slide presentation will be accessible through the Company's website. Full event details will be posted in the Investor - Events section on www.klgold.com.

Qualified Persons

Pierre Rocque, P.Eng., Vice President, Technical Services is a "qualified person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved disclosure of the technical information and data in this News Release.

About Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. is a mid-tier gold producer targeting 500,000 to 525,000 ounces in Tier 1 mining jurisdictions of Canada and Australia. The production profile of the company is anchored from two high-grade, low-cost operations, including the Macassa Mine located in Northeastern Ontario and the Fosterville Mine located in the state of Victoria, Australia. Kirkland Lake Gold's solid base of quality assets is complemented by district scale exploration potential, supported by a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise.

Footnotes

(1) Comparative information for Q1 2016 and Q4 2016 set out in this press release includes operating results from the Fosterville, Cosmo and Stawell mines prior to the completion of the merger between Newmarket Gold Inc. and Kirkland Lake Gold Inc. which was completed on November 30, 2016 (See News Release dated November 30, 2016). Comparative information for Q1 2016 set out in this press release includes operating results from the Holt/Holloway and Taylor operations prior to the completion of the acquisition of St Andrew Goldfields Ltd. on January 26, 2016 (See News Release dated January 26, 2016). Accordingly, the information provided assumes the Company acquired these assets as of January 1, 2016, for comparative purpose only.

(2) In December 2016, Kirkland Lake Gold announced the transitioning of the Holloway Gold Mine to a temporary suspension of operations. The Holloway Mine will be maintained in a production ready state with the intent of restarting the operation in the future with meaningful and enhanced economics and pending successful exploration programs being completed (See News Release dated December 12, 2016).

(3) Includes operating results from January 1, 2016 to December 13, 2016 when the Company officially transitioned the Stawell Gold Mines into care and maintenance and in a state of operational readiness to possibly recommence operations with activities focused on exploration programs within the Aurora B discovery (See News Release dated December 12, 2016).

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Kirkland Lake Gold with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) the amount of future production over any period; (ii) assumptions relating to revenues, operating cash flow and other revenue metrics set out in the Company's disclosure materials; and (iii) future exploration plans.

Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Kirkland Lake Gold's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Kirkland Lake Gold believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the ability of Kirkland Lake Gold to successfully integrate the operations and employees of its Canadian and Australian operations, and realize synergies and cost savings, and to the extent, anticipated; the potential impact on exploration activities; the potential impact on relationships, including with regulatory bodies, employees, suppliers, customers and competitors; the re-rating potential following the consummation of the merger; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; and compliance with extensive government regulation. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Kirkland Lake Gold and market conditions. This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by Kirkland Lake Gold, including it's annual information form, financial statements and related MD&A for the financial year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Kirkland Lake Gold has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Kirkland Lake Gold does not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

For further information on Kirkland Lake Gold and to receive news releases by email, visit the website www.klgold.com.

Contacts:

Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.

Anthony Makuch

President, Chief Executive Officer & Director

+1 416-840-7884

tmakuch@klgold.com



Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd.

Ryan King

Vice President, Investor Relations

+1 778-372-5611

rking@klgold.com

www.klgold.com




11Subjects Rank in Top 50 and52 in Top 100 as Malaysia Continues to Redesign its Higher Education System to Deliver Holistic Graduates and Strengthen its Position as A Global Education Hub

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia, which is ranked the 12th most preferred education destination in the world (UNESCO 2014), continues to improve its global rankings and strengthens its position as an international education hub of quality.

"Specialisation is key for sustainable growth, especially for younger institutions. Our universities are focusing on niche areas and building on their strengths. In this year's QS World University Rankings by Subject 2017, 11 subjects across 4 universities are ranked within the world's top 50, an improvement from just 3 subjects in the top 50 last year and 2 subjects in 2015. University of Malaya (UM) leads the way with 5 subjects in the world's top 50, achieving a remarkable 23rd in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, 26th in Developmental Studies, 33rd in mechanical engineering and 38th in chemical engineering. Both Taylor's University and the National Science University (Universiti Sains Malaysia) rank 29th and 32nd respectively for hospitality and leisure management. The International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) is 46th in the world for theology, divinity, and religious studies. Also, from 26 subjects in the world's top 100, we have doubled that figure to 52 subjects in the world's top 100," said Idris Jusoh, the Honourable Minister of Higher Education, Malaysia, who is in Riyadh for the 7th International Exhibition and Conference of Higher Education (IECHE 2017). The Honourable Minister will be presenting the Keynote Address at the Conference on Thursday.

"As a country, Malaysia demonstrates strength and leadership in Islamic Banking and Finance. Both INCEIF and the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) contribute about 11% of all the world's research and publications on Islamic Banking- placing them at no.1 according to various academic research databases (SCOPUS and ISI)," Idris added.

Malaysia has a network of 480 institutions offering over 6,000 programmes at pre-university, undergraduate and postgraduate levels. There are nine international branch campuses of leading British, Australian and Chinese universities in Malaysia with three ranking in world's top 100- Monash, Southampton and Nottingham. Studying at these universities in Malaysia translates into a 30% savings on tuition fee when compared to its main campus.

Many colleges in Malaysia offer twinning programmes and some leading universities offer joint degree programmes with reputable foreign partner universities. Such programmes allow students to study in two campuses across two countries and graduate with dual certification from both institutions or a certification from the foreign partner university.

"Our efforts in redesigning higher education in Malaysia focuses on creating holistic graduates- graduates with knowledge, practical, entrepreneurial, information management, problem-solving, communication and social skills, social responsibility, and strong ethics and values. Instead of being just 'recipients of knowledge', we want our graduates to be 'co-curators of knowledge'; instead of producing mere job seekers, we want our graduates to be job creators.

"One of the critical challenges in the global higher education landscape is the cost of education which places a student in debt just upon graduation. Whilst an education is an investment, it should not be over bearing. This is another area that places Malaysia at an advantage- we provide quality education yet with lower tuition fees, lower cost of living and this adds to a greater student experience. Kuala Lumpur has, for the third time, been voted as the Most Affordable City in the World for Students in the QS Best Student Cities Survey 2016," Idris said.

There are over 16,000 students from MENA region studying in Malaysia. Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is participating in the IECHE 2017 Exhibition along with 20 universities from Malaysia. Students and parents are encouraged to visit the exhibition to explore higher education opportunities with Education Malaysia. The exhibition runs from 12th to 14th April at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre.

For information on studying in Malaysia, refer to www.educationmalaysia.gov.my or email to enquiry@emgs.com.my
SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Global Payout, Inc. (OTC PINK: GOHE) (the "Company") announced today that it has signed a licensing agreement with MoneyTrac Technology Inc. to provide the software and technology for MoneyTrac Technology, Inc.

The license agreement comes as MoneyTrac Technology Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, begins to strategically position itself as a major stakeholder within the alternative banking sector where it will now utilize the Company's Banking and Payment platform to maximize their ability to service a multitude of businesses and companies within various high-risk credit industries.

The license agreement, we believe, has created a new revenue stream for the Company as they forge ahead with their objective to effectively leverage their International Banking and Payment Platform across a variety of global markets and industries with the intent of strengthening the value of the Company for its shareholders.

"This licensing agreement solidifies the relationship between Global Payout and MoneyTrac Technology and will mutually benefit both companies in their aim to provide the most comprehensive financial technology services in the industry," said James Hancock, CEO, Global Payout, Inc. "We anticipate MoneyTrac will be the first of several companies that will be able to benefit from the innovative technology available through our Platform," Mr. Hancock further remarked.

When asked about the licensing agreement, MoneyTrac Technology Inc. COO, Vanessa Luna, remarked, "We are excited to have executed this licensing agreement with Global Payout as we believe their customizable Platform will play a critical role in our progression towards establishing a significant foothold in the alternative banking sector."

About Global Payout:

Since the Company's inception in 2009, Global Payout, Inc., www.globalpayout.com, has been a leading provider of comprehensive and customized prepaid payment solutions for domestic and international organizations distributing money worldwide. In 2014, Global Payout introduced its first online payment platform called the Consolidated Payment Gateway (CPG), which allowed its enterprise clients to transfer money to international bank accounts, mobile accounts, and prepaid card accounts. The development of the CPG became the foundation for the introduction of its new state of the art FINTECH payment system in 2017, for both online and mobile applications to allow account holders to maximize an expanded suite of financial services and minimize operational costs. Global Payout will continue to offer their FINTECH payment system to many vertical markets for support of foreign currency exchange and digital currency, including ongoing support of the banking industry and international governments.

Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure:

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. In this context, forward looking statements may address the Company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "will" and other terms with similar meaning. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Although the Company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward looking statements are based are reasonable, it can provide no assurances that these assumptions will prove to be correct. . Also, forward-looking statements represent our management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date hereof Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the reasons actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements, even if new information becomes available in the future. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements, risk, and uncertainties, and by reference to the underlying assumptions.

CONTACT:

For Public and Media Relations:

LCG

702.333.4886 Headquarter Office

www.lcginfo.com



Global Payout

1835 Sunset Cliffs Blvd

Suite 202

San Diego, CA 92107

T: 619-564-7811

F: 215-294-4626

www.globalpayout.com




VALLETTA, Malta, Apr. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Kindred Group plc will publish itsInterim report for the first quarter 2017 on Wednesday 26 April 2017 at 07.30 (CEST).

In connection with this, Kindred Group's CEO Henrik Tjarnstrom will host a presentation in English at FinancialHearings, Tandstickspalatset, Vastra Tradgardsgatan 15 in Stockholm at 09.00 (CEST).

Please go to www.financialhearings.com to sign in, in advance.

The presentation is also web casted live on www.kindredgroup.com.

For those who would like to participate in the telephone conference in connection with the presentation,the telephone number is UK: +44-20-3008-9813, US: +1-855-831-5947

Please call in, well in advance and register.

After the presentation there will be the opportunity to ask questions.When the operator asks if there are any questions from the telephone conference,please press the zero one on your phone.

The presentation will also be available on demand on www.kindredgroup.com.

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/invitation-to-kindred-group-s-financial-presentation,c2237418

The following files are available for download:
DUBLIN, July 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Ostomy Drainage Bags Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global ostomy drainage bags market to grow at a CAGR of 4.83% during the period 2017-2021.

The report, Global Ostomy Drainage Bags Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

One trend in the market is growth of healthcare facilities. The increased number of diseases, demand for increased healthcare services, and the availability of many healthcare providers are driving the growth of healthcare facilities. Due to the increased healthcare spending, patients are opting for sophisticated treatment, including ostomy surgeries.

According to the report, one driver in the market is availability of multiple products. Ostomy drainage bags are used by patients who have undergone surgery in the colon, ileum, or gall bladder for the treatment of various diseases. Depending on the type of surgery, the ostomy drainage bag will differ. For instance, a patient who has undergone a colostomy would be required to use a colostomy drainage bag. The availability of multiple types of ostomy drainage bags provides patients a wide array of products to choose from. Drainage bags are available as single-use or multiple-use pouches for different ostomy surgeries.

Further, the report states that one challenge in the market is inefficient ostomy care centers in developing markets. The ostomy care centers function as in-house facilities of the multispecialty or superspecialty hospitals or as independent patient care centers. During the post-ostomy stage, ostomy care centers provide patients the required training, such as wound management, cleaning of the stoma, safe disposal of waste from the drainage bag, and infection prevention. These services are provided to inpatients and in some cases, to homecare patients during their hospital visits.

Key vendors



B. Braun Melsungen

Coloplast

ConvaTec

Hollister



Other prominent vendors



ALCARE

C.R. Bard

Cymed Ostomy

Dynarex

Flexicare Medical

Medline Industries

Peak Medical

Pelican Healthcare

Teleflex

Welland Medical



Key Topics Covered:



PART 01: Executive summary



PART 02: Scope of the report



PART 03: Introduction



PART 04: Market landscape



PART 05: Market segmentation by end-user



PART 06: Market segmentation by application



PART 07: Geographical segmentation



PART 08: Decision framework



PART 09: Drivers and challenges



PART 10: Market trends



PART 11: Vendor landscape



PART 12: Key vendor analysis



PART 13: Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/x854jv/global_ostomy

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- BeWhere Holdings Inc. (TSX VENTURE: BEW)(OTCQB: BEWFF) ("BeWhere" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an agreement with Firetech Manufacturing Ltd. to bring Bluetooth enabled medical bags to the Emergency Medical Services ("EMS") market. This product offering is the first and only Bluetooth enabled medical bag on the market. Using BeWhere's patent pending Bluetooth technology the product will provide its users asset management tools regarding employees, patients and the content of the bag, as well as monitoring critical environmental and logistical parameters.

-- Location: Know the location of all your medical bags on a moment's notice. Preventing it and its contents from being left behind at an incident. -- Temperature: Protect the bags contents from heat damage by setting a safe temperature range that notifies immediately if the ambient temperature of the bag exceeds the set temperature parameters. -- Light: Alert when a bag has been opened, notifying of potential unauthorized access and limiting the exposure of photosensitive drugs to light.

Firetech is a trusted name in EMS providing the highest quality, most durable and technologically advanced products for first-responders since 1988. Dan London, president and owner of Firetech Manufacturing Ltd, expressed his excitement about the Beacon Bag concept. "We looked at a wide variety of technology providers to add this capability to our bags. BeWhere stood head and shoulders above everybody else. The technical superiority of their service, ease of use, and the simple scalability of their beacons made it the perfect solution for our EMS customers."

Owen Moore Co-Founder and CEO commented "The Firetech Beacon bag is just another example of our technology providing real time operational advantages by monitoring key parameters in this case, location, temperature and light in real time as well as providing historical information for audit. We are proud to have been chosen by Firetech and I look forward to further rollouts of our technology in EMS market"

About BeWhere

BeWhere (TSX VENTURE: BEW)(OTCQB: BEWFF) is an Industrial Internet of Things ("IIOT") solutions company that designs and manufacturers hardware with sensors and software applications to track real-time information on movable assets. The company develops mobile applications, middle-ware and cloud based solutions that stand-alone or that can readily integrated with existing software. Its solutions enable end-users a level of operational visibility that is more easily accessible and significantly easier to implement than in the past.

Contacts:

BeWhere Inc.

Owen Moore

CEO

1 (844) 229-4373

info@bewhere.com




MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Bowmore Exploration Ltd. (the "Company" or "Bowmore") (TSX VENTURE: BOW)(FRANKFURT: 0B5) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Letter Of Intent (the "LOI") to acquire, from two private owners (The "Vendors"), 100% undivided interest in the Moose Brook Project (The "Project"), a zinc project located within the Tobique Chaleur area of New Brunswick, Canada.

The Project is composed of a total of 46 claim Units covering approximately 1,005 hectares and is located in Northumberland County, roughly 80 km west of City of Bathurst, accessible from Highway 180 and then approximately 16 kilometers on secondary logging roads.

THE TRANSACTION

Pursuant to the Letter of Intent between the private Vendors and Bowmore Exploration Ltd., the Company may acquire 100% interest in the Project and will have the exclusive rights to explore and develop the Project over the next four (4) years in consideration of:

i. Total cash payments of $50,000 to the Vendors as follow: a. $5,000 payable upon the signature of the Letter of Intent; $5,000 payable upon the signature of the formal Option Agreement b. (The "Agreement"); c. $10,000 payable on the First anniversary date of the Agreement; d. $10,000 payable on the Second anniversary date of the Agreement; e. $10,000 payable on the Third anniversary date of the Agreement and; f. $10,000 payable on the Fourth anniversary date of the Agreement. Total issuance of 500,000 common shares of the Company on or before the ii. following dates: a. 100,000 common shares upon signature of formal Option agreement; b. 50,000 common shares on the First anniversary date of the Agreement; 50,000 common shares on the Second anniversary date of the c. Agreement; 100,000 common shares on the Third anniversary date of the d. Agreement, and: 200,000 common shares on the Fourth anniversary date of the e. Agreement

At the end of this period, Bowmore will have acquired 100% interest in the Property. The vendors will retain a 1% Net Smelter Royalty (NSR) from the proceeds of any commercial production. Bowmore will have the right to purchase up to 1/2% of the remaining NSR for the sum of $500,000 at any time by providing the Vendors written notice to that effect. The Vendors will have no area of interest. The Transaction is subject to the TSX Venture exchange approval.

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

The Moose Brook project area is located west of the Bathurst Mining Camp and it is hosted within the Tobique Zone of the Matapedia Cover Sequence. The project has had geochemical, geological, and geophysical fieldwork including an Induced Polarization survey performed to follow up on dozens of large boulders found over a strike length of 1600m that are anomalous in up to 4.2% zinc, 0.69% lead, and 0.83% copper. These are the highest values per commodity that were derived from fourteen individual boulders. This project deserves further follow up work to explain their source.

The Moose Brook Project geological setting is similar to the Sewell Brook zinc, lead, copper deposit (NB Mineral Occurrence File URN 986) located 55 km to the southwest. Sewell Brook has two noteworthy intersections. Drill hole 90-08-10 contained 29.02 % zinc, 11.95% lead and 0.5% copper over a core length of 5.7 metres and a second intersection of 17.44% Cu over a 1.5 metre drill core length. It is also noteworthy to mention the presence of Barite.

Sewell Brook is interpreted to be an Early Devonian sub-seafloor replacement type volcanogenic massive sulphide deposit that has many characteristics typical of Kuroko-type deposits.

Mr. Paul Dumas, President of Bowmore, stated "We are pleased with the acquisition of the Moose Brook Project. We continue our efforts in acquiring additional ground in New Brunswick, which is one of Canada's best mining jurisdictions. This acquisition allows us to continue to diversify our portfolio by giving Bowmore exposure to base metal markets and keeping a focus on zinc."

Jeff Hussey P. Geo., is the Qualified Person who has reviewed this news release and is responsible for the technical information reported herein.

About BOWMORE

BOWMORE is a Canadian exploration mining company focused on precious and base metal exploration within Canada. The Company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "BOW".

For further information on BOWMORE, visit www.bowmorexploration.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements: Except for statements of historical facts, all statements in this news release regarding, without limitation, new project acquisitions, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Contacts:

Paul Dumas

President & CEO

BOWMORE Exploration Ltd.

(514) 861-4441

info@bowmorexploration.com

www.bowmorexploration.com




OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Tens of thousands of Canadians, whose lives have been devastated by Lyme disease, are having their voices heard on Parliament Hill.

Two Canadian moms, Jennifer Kravis and Sue Faber, who have both been diagnosed with Lyme disease, are delivering more than 10,000 petition comments and personal letters written by men, women and children. These Canadians are literally pleading to be heard, as they endure profound suffering because of the lack of treatment for Lyme disease in Canada.

Kravis and Faber are two of the founders of LymeHope, an organization dedicated to giving a voice to those affected by Lyme disease in Canada.

"As mothers, we cannot turn our backs on a collective cry for help. There are no effective diagnostic and treatment options in Canada. People are left on their own, and this has to change," says Faber, a nurse from Burlington, Ont. who had to give up her career and continues to feel the effects of Lyme disease.

Jennifer Kravis is a lawyer and former bank executive from Toronto who also had her career cut short by Lyme.

"This disease takes a terrible toll on families and children. People are unable to work or go to school and they're often caught in a cycle of medical tests and false diagnoses. Some can scrape together the resources for treatment in the U.S. The rest just suffer."

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness, which is becoming much more prevalent in Canada due to climate change. Just a decade ago, Lyme infected ticks were present only in few isolated pockets of the country.

Today, Lyme bacteria are found in virtually every province. It takes just one bite from one tick to transfer the infection to humans.

Canada's veterinary community is well aware of the increase of Lyme infected ticks and has developed a diagnosis and treatment protocol for pets and livestock.

The federal government passed Bill 442 requiring an action plan be created based on the best available information from medical and scientific experts and from patients themselves. LymeHope echoes the calls of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, the Canadian Lyme Science Alliance and others at the forefront of research and treatment who have rejected the proposed Draft Federal Framework on Lyme Disease. LymeHope, the voice of thousands of Canadian patients, calls for a robust and properly funded plan to effectively treat those suffering from Lyme disease now, and those who might become infected in the future.

Kravis and Faber are in Ottawa on Wednesday April 12, and Thursday April 13, 2017. They will speak with MPs from all parties and are seeking a meeting with Health Minister Jane Philpott to ask whether the government will listen to the outcry of more than 38,000 Canadians who signed the Ticking Lyme Bomb petition.

Contacts:

For more information, or to arrange an interview, contact:

Jennifer Kravis

(905) 510-4807

jennifer.kravis@icloud.com



Sue Faber

(289) 230-0862

sue@faber.to




LMT Stock: Forever StockLast week, the United States retaliated against the Syrian regime by bombarding them with rockets after their government reportedly used chemical weapons on a rebel-occupied part of the country. Geopolitical tensions are now on the rise, and the word "war" is being floated around by media outlets. For companies like Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) that arm the United States military, this presents an investment opportunity.Despite what many people may think, the onset of war and geopolitical tensions can cause.

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.
WATERLOO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 05/26/17 -- BlackBerry Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY)(TSX: BB) announced today that it has reached an agreement with Qualcomm Incorporated resolving all amounts payable in connection with the interim arbitration decision announced on April 12, 2017. Following a joint stipulation by the parties, the arbitration panel has issued a final award providing for the payment by Qualcomm to BlackBerry of a total amount of U.S.$940,000,000 including interest and attorneys' fees, net of certain royalties due from BlackBerry for calendar 2016 and the first quarter of calendar 2017. Qualcomm will pay the full amount of the final award on or before May 31, 2017.

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry is a mobile-native security software and services company dedicated to securing people, devices, processes and systems for today's enterprise. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company was founded in 1984 and operates in North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. The Company trades under the ticker symbols "BB" on the Toronto Stock Exchange and "BBRY" on the NASDAQ. For more information, visit www.BlackBerry.com.

Contacts:

BlackBerry Media Contact:

BlackBerry Media Relations

(519) 597-7273

mediarelations@BlackBerry.com



BlackBerry Investor Contact:

BlackBerry Investor Relations

(519) 888-7465

investor_relations@BlackBerry.com




Funding to create new jobs, accelerate enterprise AI adoption, and create the world's most powerful AI platform

Element AI, an artificial intelligence company that delivers groundbreaking AI solutions, announced today it has raised $102M USD, representing the largest Series A funding round for an artificial intelligence company in history. With this funding, Element AI will accelerate its capabilities and invest in large-scale AI projects internationally, solidifying its position as the largest global AI company in Canada and creating 250 jobs in the high tech sector by January 2018.

Element AI solves impossible problems for global organizations that urgently need to use AI in combination with their proprietary and valuable data to leap ahead of their competitors. Serial entrepreneurs Jean-Francois Gagne and Nicolas Chapados, Real Ventures, and Yoshua Bengio, a co-father of deep learning technology, co-founded Element AI in October 2016 to empower industry with the massive scale of academic AI innovation Bengio was driving at the world-leading Montreal Institute of Learning Algorithms (MILA).

Together with MILA, one of the three leading centers of AI research in the world, Element AI pioneered a unique, non-exploitative model of academic cooperation they have now replicated to many other institutes. This model provides Element AI with insight, talent, and cutting-edge research that matches or exceeds even the largest tech corporations' reach and budgets.

Data Collective (DCVC) led the funding round with participation from Real Ventures, Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Fidelity Investments Canada, Hanwha Investment, Intel Capital, Microsoft Ventures, National Bank of Canada, NVIDIA, Tencent, and several of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds. In addition to laying the groundwork to hire hundreds of top researchers, this new funding will enable Element AI to aggressively expand on a global scale focusing on AI-powered solutions for their customers in cybersecurity, fintech, manufacturing, logistics and transportation, and robotics.

"Artificial Intelligence is a 'must have' capability for global companies," said Element AI CEO Jean-Francois Gagne. "Without it, they are competitively impaired if not at grave risk of being obsoleted in place. Seasoned AI investors at DCVC understood this, and supported us to democratize the AI firepower reserved today for only the largest of tech corporations. Intel, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, as pioneers and champions of AI hardware and software, likewise understand that their businesses flourish as every company is empowered with world-class AI. This is why these leaders have backed us with the world's largest Series A round ever for an artificial intelligence company. This historic round will help Element AI deliver profoundly powerful AI platforms for all, not just the few."

"The most serious problems facing global industry and government today involve too much complex and rapidly changing data for the cognitive capacity of even large numbers of human experts working together," said DCVC Managing Partner Matt Ocko. "These groups and the customers and citizens they serve need intelligent systems that can work in concert with them to field that scale and complexity. We're proud to back Element AI and their team of world-class researchers and engineers, who are already solving multiple global-class problems."

"Intel is all-in on AI," said Naveen Rao, Vice President of Intel Corp. and General Manager of its Artificial Intelligence Products Group (AIPG). "In addition to hardware, we're committed to developing the software ingredients necessary to accelerate complex, data-intensive processes. Such an endeavor means investing in the best minds in the world and Element AI has the intellectual horsepower to help us all advance artificial intelligence like never before."

"Element AI is doing amazing work enabling AI for a wide variety of industries, leveraging NVIDIA's deep learning platform," said Jeff Herbst, Vice President of Business Development at NVIDIA. "Element AI will benefit by continuing to leverage NVIDIA's high performance GPUs and software at large scale to solve some of the world's most challenging issues."

About Data Collective

Data Collective (DCVC) is a venture capital fund that backs entrepreneurs applying deep tech to transform giant industries. DCVC and its principals have supported brilliant people changing global-scale businesses for over twenty years, helping create tens of billions of dollars of wealth while also making the world a markedly better place. DCVC brings to bear a unique model that unites a team of experienced venture capitalists with more than 50 technology executives and experts (CTOs, CIOs, Chief Scientists, Principal Engineers, Professors at Stanford, Berkeley, and major technical universities) with significant tenures at top 100 technology companies and research institutions worldwide. DCVC focuses on Seed and Series A companies, and growth stage opportunities within its own portfolio. For more information on DCVC, visit www.dcvc.com or follow @dcvc

About Real Ventures

Real Ventures is an early-stage venture capital fund manager and ecosystem builder, most often recognized as being the first institutional investor in many of Canada's leading startups. The firm works with ambitious founders building the software, connectivity and artificial intelligence stack or leveraging it to disrupt industries and incumbents. The Real Ventures team's operating and venture experience, combined with the firm's community building approach, helps establish, build and grow globally successful companies. www.realventures.com

About BDC Capital

With more than $2 billion CAD under management, BDC Capital is the investment arm of BDC, serving as a strategic partner to Canada's most innovative and high potential firms. It offers a range of equity, venture capital and flexible growth and transition capital solutions to help Canadian entrepreneurs scale their businesses into global champions. To find out more, visit bdc.ca/capital

About Hanwha Investment

Hanwha Investment is Hanwha Group's investment organization. Hanwha Group, founded in 1952, is one of the Top-Ten business enterprises in South Korea and a "FORTUNE Global 500" company. Hanwha Group has 56 domestic affiliates and 226 global networks in three major sectors: manufacturing and construction, finance, and services and leisure. With more than 60 years track record of industrial leadership, Hanwha's manufacturing and construction businesses encompass a broad range of fields from chemicals materials, aerospace mechatronics, total solar energy solutions, and global construction. The finance network, covering insurance, asset management and securities, is the second largest non-bank financial group in South Korea. The services and leisure sector offers premium lifestyle services with retail and resort businesses. For more information, visit: www.hanwha.com

About Intel Capital

Intel Capital, Intel's strategic investment organization, funds innovative startups targeting computing and smart devices, 5G connectivity, cloud, datacenter, artificial intelligence, merged reality, autonomous driving, the Internet of Things, robotic technologies, immersive entertainment and semiconductor manufacturing. Since 1991, Intel Capital has invested US$11.8 billion in 1,476 companies worldwide, and 620 portfolio companies have gone public or been acquired. Through its business development programs, Intel Capital curates thousands of introductions each year between its portfolio executives and Intel's customers and partners in the Global 2000. For more information on what makes Intel Capital one of the world's most powerful venture capital firms, visit www.intelcapital.com or follow @Intelcapital

About Microsoft Ventures

Microsoft Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Microsoft, (Nasdaq "MSFT" @microsoft) the leading platform and productivity company for the mobile-first, cloud-first world. Microsoft Ventures partners with visionary entrepreneurs looking to drive digital transformation. As part of its promise to portfolio companies, Microsoft Ventures offers unrivaled access to go-to-market resources and strategic relationships globally. Microsoft Ventures currently operates in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Tel Aviv and London. Learn more at https://microsoftventures.com/

About National Bank of Canada

With $239 billion CAD in assets as at April 30, 2017, National Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups. The Bank has more than 21,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank's activities at nbc.ca

About NVIDIA GPU Ventures

NVIDIA's (NASDAQ: NVDA) invention of the GPU in 1999 sparked the growth of the PC gaming market, redefined modern computer graphics and revolutionized parallel computing. More recently, GPU deep learning ignited modern AI -- the next era of computing -- with the GPU acting as the brain of computers, robots and self-driving cars that can perceive and understand the world. More information at http://nvidianews.nvidia.com/

About Tencent

Tencent uses technology to enrich the lives of Internet users. Every day, hundreds of millions of people communicate, share experiences, consume information and seek entertainment through our integrated platforms. Tencent's diversified services include QQ, Weixin/ WeChat for communications; Qzone for social networking; QQ Game Platform for online games; QQ.com and Tencent News for information and Tencent Video for video content. Tencent was founded in Shenzhen in 1998 and went public on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2004. Tencent seeks to evolve with the Internet by investing in innovation, providing a mutually beneficial environment for partners, and staying close to users. https://www.tencent.com/en-us/index.html

About Element AI

Element AI delivers groundbreaking artificial intelligence solutions to enterprise companies, bringing together the best AI experts and top entrepreneurs to produce next generation AI capabilities for any organization. Element AI is headquartered in Montreal, Quebec and is funded by leading investors including BDC Capital, Data Collective, Fidelity Investments Canada, Hanwha Investment, Intel Capital, Microsoft Ventures, National Bank, NVIDIA GPU Ventures, Real Ventures, and Tencent. http://www.elementai.com

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170614005429/en/

Contacts:

Media Contact for Element AI in the United States:

Gregg Delman, 415-935-1804

gregg@gthreemedia.com

or

Media Contact for Element AI in Canada, Europe, and APAC

Caroline Bourbonniere, 514-504-9220

media@elementai.com
VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - May 10, 2017) - Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust (the "Trust") (TSX: AAR.UN) is pleased to announce the release of its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2017.

Q1-2017 Financial Results

The Q1-2017 financial results, consisting of the Trust's unaudited condensed consolidated interim financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2017, and management's discussion and analysis of results of operations and financial condition ("MD&A") dated May 9, 2017, are available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and the Trust's website (www.piret.ca). Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are in thousands of Canadian dollars.

Q1-2017 Highlights

(All metrics have been normalized for IFRIC 21 and assumes all property taxes have been pro-rated and accrued based on the number of days of ownership within the reporting year.)

As at March 31, 2017, the Trust's portfolio under management consists of 162 income producing properties representing gross leasable area ("GLA") of 20.2 million square feet ("sf"), an increase from 19.6 million sf as at December 31, 2016. In addition, the Trust's portfolio consists of 42.4 acres of land held for future development and one property under development, which will add 330,000 sf of GLA to the Trust's portfolio, upon completion.

Investment properties fair value including properties classified as assets held for sale as at March 31, 2017 is $2,475,513, a $43,836 increase from December 31, 2016. The increase in investment properties is due primarily to the acquisition of an 800,000 sf property in the U.S. of $51,536 and fair value gains of $63,332 of which 79% of the fair value gains were recognized in the Province of Ontario and GTA specifically, offset by the disposition of two properties in Alberta and Ontario with a combined fair value of $28,200, the disposition of a 75% interest in five properties to an existing joint venture partner with a fair value of $47,300, and the impact of a lower U.S. exchange rate at March 31, 2017 compared to December 31, 2016.

Net asset value per unit increased to $5.74 per unit as at March 31, 2017 from $5.51 as at December 31, 2016, driven by fair value gains in the Trust's portfolio and the net positive effect of the Trust's portfolio upgrading initiatives.

Debt to Gross Book Value, as defined in the MD&A, as at March 31, 2017 was 41.8%, a 50 basis point decrease from 42.3% as at December 31, 2016. The improvement in the leverage metric was predominantly attributable to the fair value increase to investment properties.

Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased 23.0% to $53,574 from $43,546 in the same period of 2016, primarily related to acquisition activity in 2016, increasing GLA from 17.4 million sf as at March 31, 2016 to 20.2 million sf as at March 31, 2017, and same property revenue growth.

Adjusted Net Operating Income ("NOI"), as defined in the MD&A, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased 26.8% to $38,317 from $30,219 for the same period in 2016, primarily due to the acquisition of eight industrial properties in Alberta (the "Alberta Acquisition") and the acquisition of six industrial properties in the Southeastern U.S. (the "U.S. Acquisition") in Q4-2016, the closing of the Atlanta Acquisition (defined herein) in Q1-2017, and the NOI contribution generated by the completion of the Vaughan distribution facility and the Barrington, New Jersey expansion, both in Q2-2016.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Trust's same property NOI ("SPNOI"), as defined in the MD&A, increased by $837 or 3.0% compared to the same period in prior year, from 16.9 million sf representing 80.0% of the Trust's overall portfolio. The increase in SPNOI is primarily due to an average occupancy increase of 257,000 sf in Ontario and 135,000 sf in Alberta, offset by 160,000 sf of average vacancy in the USA due to an expected move out of a tenant in North Carolina. Excluding the expansion activities completed during 2016 in Ontario, New Jersey and Texas, SPNOI increased by 1.4% in aggregate and for the USA segment specifically, SPNOI decreased 10.6% (7.1% decrease in US$)

Funds from Operations ("FFO") 1 , as defined in the MD&A, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased 32.9% over the same period in the prior year and also increased 3.2% when compared to Q4-2016. FFO in the first quarter of 2017 relative to the first quarter of 2016 was positively impacted by SPNOI increases and FFO from net new acquisitions.

FFO per Unit ("FFOPU"), as defined in the MD&A, of $0.10 remained consistent for the three months ended March 31, 2017 over the same period in the prior year and increased 2.0% when compared to Q4-2016.

Adjusted Funds from Operations ("AFFO") 1 , as defined in the MD&A, for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased 34.2% over the same period in the prior year and increased 13.4% when compared to Q4-2016. The increase in AFFO, compared to the prior year, is primarily due to an increase in SPNOI, and a result of development and acquisition activities during fiscal 2016, partially offset by lost NOI from disposition activities in 2016 and the first quarter of 2017, and higher capital expenditures related to leasing activity.

Adjusted Funds from Operations per Unit ("AFFOPU"), as defined in the MD&A, of $0.09 for the three months ended March 31, 2017 remained relatively flat to the prior year comparative and increased 12.2% from Q4-2016.

G&A expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2017 increased to $2,315 from $1,640 compared to the same period in the prior year, representing 4.3% and 3.8% of rental revenues, respectively. Included in G&A expense is the non-cash fair value adjustment relating to the re-measurement of the Trust's unit-based compensation liabilities, totaling $635, an increase of $140 relative to the three months ending March 31, 2016. G&A expenses, excluding the fair value re-measurement, represents 3.1% and 2.6% of rental revenues, respectively.

The occupancy of the Trust's portfolio was 96.3% as at March 31, 2017, excluding properties classified as assets held for sale, a decrease of 140 basis points from December 31, 2016. Including committed leasing, the occupancy is 97.3% as at March 31, 2017, compared to 98.4% as at December 31, 2016. The weighted average remaining lease term decreased from 6.4 years to 6.1 years between Q4-2016 and Q1-2017.

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, 1.1 million sf of space expired. The Trust completed 658,000 sf of lease renewals, comprising 59.5% of the 1.1 million sf of expiring space, at rents with an average increase of 2.2% relative to the expiring rents, and approximately 149,000 sf of new leases were signed.

1 Definitions for FFO and AFFO have been revised to conform to industry standards prescribed by REALpac as further described in Section II "Funds from Operations and Adjusted Funds from Operations" in the MD&A.

Acquisitions and Dispositions

On February 1, 2017, the Trust completed the acquisition of one investment property in Atlanta, Georgia (the "Atlanta Acquisition") for a total purchase price of $51,536 (US$39,500) plus standard closing costs and adjustments of $300 (US$226). The acquisition was funded with existing cash on hand and the Trust's operating line. On February 6, 2017, the Trust entered into a new mortgage secured by the asset in the amount of $25,062 (US$19,150) with an approximate 8-year term and a fixed interest rate of 3.82% per annum.

On March 8, 2017, the Trust completed the acquisition of land adjacent to an existing property in San Antonio, Texas for a total purchase price of $3,718 (US$2,754) plus standard closing costs and adjustments of $181 (US$134). The acquisition was funded with cash on hand.

During the three months ended March 31, 2017, the Trust completed the disposition of two investment properties located in North York, Ontario (included in assets held for sale as at December 31, 2016) and Calgary, Alberta for gross proceeds of $28,200. The Trust repaid related mortgages of $9,153 resulting in net proceeds of $19,047, before closing costs.

In March, 2017 the Trust also completed the disposition of a 75% interest in five investment properties, four located in Alberta and one in Ontario, to an existing joint-venture partner, for gross proceeds of $47,300. The joint venture partner assumed their proportionate interest in the related mortgages totalling $17,772, for net proceeds to the Trust of $29,528, before closing costs.

Subsequent Events

On April 1, 2017, the Trust completed the disposition of a 101,039 sf asset in Mississauga, Ontario for gross proceeds of $7,750. The asset has been classified as an asset held for sale since December 31, 2016 and was unencumbered at the time of sale.

On April 4, 2017, the Trust completed the acquisition of the Cedar Port Distribution Centre, consisting of two newly-constructed buildings comprising a total of 996,482 sf in Houston, Texas (the "Houston Acquisition") for $83,500 (US$63,500). The Houston Acquisition was funded with existing cash on hand and the Trust's operating line. Subsequently, on April 7, 2017, the Trust entered into a new mortgage secured by the assets in the amount of $42,200 (US$31,500) with a 10-year term and a fixed interest rate of 3.88% per annum. Amounts drawn on the Trust's operating line were subsequently repaid in full.

On April 5, 2017, the Trust completed an equity offering and issued 23,977,500 Class A units, inclusive of 3,127,500 units issued pursuant to the exercise in full of the over-allotment option, on a bought deal basis, at a price of $6.00 per unit for total gross proceeds of $143,865.

On April 7, 2017, the Trust completed the disposition of three assets totaling 112,783 sf in British Columbia for gross proceeds of $21,000. The three assets have been classified as assets held for sale since December 31, 2016 and were unencumbered at the time of sale.

On April 12, 2017, the Trust entered into an unsecured $150,000 revolving operating loan facility (the "Unsecured Credit Facility"). The Unsecured Credit Facility has a three-year term and matures on April 12, 2020, bears interest currently at the lender's prime rate plus 70 basis points or at the lender's banker's acceptance rate plus 170 basis points. The Unsecured Credit Facility provides that should the Trust achieve an investment grade rating, the applicable interest rates decline with improved credit ratings. The Trust has the option to increase the Unsecured Credit Facility up to an additional $100,000 for a total facility limit of $250,000. Concurrent with the closing of the Unsecured Credit Facility, the Trust terminated its $110,000 secured revolving operating loan facility on the same day. As of today's date $nil are drawn on the Unsecured Credit Facility.

On April 25, 2017, the Trust completed the disposition of a 30,082 sf asset in Calgary, Alberta for gross proceeds of $3,475. The asset has been classified as an asset held for sale since December 31, 2016 and was unencumbered at the time of sale.

On May 1, 2017, the Trust completed the disposition of a 32,351 sf asset in Winnipeg, Manitoba for gross proceeds of $3,510. The asset has been classified as an asset held for sale since December 31, 2016 and was unencumbered at the time of sale.

Pro-forma the impact of disposition activity in the first quarter of 2017 and subsequent to the quarter, as of today's date, the Trust's assets held for sale consists of 9 properties with a carrying value of $69,204 and related mortgage liabilities of $18,448.

In April and May, the Trust repaid $22,821 of maturing mortgages. As a result of these mortgage repayments, the Trust's unencumbered asset pool as of today's date, has increased to $379,089.

Selected Financial Information

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 31, December 31, 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Investment properties ($000s) $2,370,574 $2,320,845 Mortgages payable and other loans ($000s) $1,068,703 $1,043,491 Weighted average debt term to maturity on mortgages (years) 5.0 5.0 Debt to gross book value(1) 41.8% 42.3% Debt to EBITDA(1) 7.6 8.3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Occupancy, end of period including committed(2) 97.3% 98.4% Occupancy, end of period(2) 96.3% 97.7% Occupancy, average for the three months ended 97.1% 97.2% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Three months ended March 31 ------------------------- ($000s, except per unit basis) 2017 2016 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revenue $53,574 $43,546 Net operating income(3) $38,317 $30,219 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Distributions declared per unit $0.08 $0.08 FFO(4)per unit (fully diluted) $0.10 $0.10 Payout Ratio(5) 75.3% 77.2% AFFO(4)per unit (fully diluted) $0.09 $0.09 Payout Ratio(5) 84.7% 87.7% G&A as a Percent of Revenue 4.3% 3.8% ----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) Non-IFRS measure and further defined in Section IV "Additional IFRS and Non-IFRS Measures" in the Trust's MD&A. (2) Excludes properties classified as assets held for sale. (3) Net operating income has been normalized for IFRIC 21 ("Adjusted NOI") and assumes all property taxes have been pro-rated and accrued based on number of days of ownership within the reporting year. (4) FFO and AFFO are widely accepted supplemental measures of financial performance for real estate entities. These measures are not defined under the International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS"). Definitions for FFO and AFFO have been revised to conform to industry standards. For a description of these measures and an IFRS to non-IFRS reconciliation, see the Trust's MD&A under "Funds from Operations and Adjusted Funds from Operations" and "Operational and Financial Highlights" and "Non-IFRS Measures". The Trust's MD&A is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. (5) FFO and AFFO payout ratios are calculated based on the ratio of distribution rate to fully diluted FFO and AFFO per unit.

Conference Call

As previously announced on April 12, 2017, management will host the conference call at 11:00 am (EDT) on Thursday, May 11, 2017, to review the financial results and operational developments for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

To participate in this conference call, please dial one of the following numbers approximately 10 minutes prior to the commencement of the call, and ask to join the Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust Conference Call.

Dial in numbers: Toll free dial in number (from Canada and USA) 1-888-390-0546 International or Local Toronto 1-416-764-8688

Conference Call Replay

If you cannot participate on May 11, 2017, a replay of the conference call will be available by dialing one of the following replay numbers. You will be able to dial in and listen to the conference 120 minutes after the meeting end time, and the replay will be available until Thursday, May 18, 2017.

Please enter the Replay ID# 140795, followed by the # key. Replay toll free dial in number (from Canada and 1-888-390-0541 USA) Replay international or local Toronto 1-416-764-8677

About Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust

Pure Industrial Real Estate Trust is an unincorporated, open-ended investment trust that owns and operates a diversified portfolio of income-producing industrial properties in leading markets across Canada and key distribution and logistics markets in the United States. The Trust is an internally managed REIT and is one of the largest publicly-traded REITs in Canada that offers investors exposure to industrial real estate assets in Canada and the United States. Additional information about the Trust is available at www.piret.ca and www.sedar.com.

Non-GAAP Measures:

The Trust prepares and releases condensed consolidated interim financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS (GAAP). In this release, the Trust discloses and discusses certain non-GAAP financial measures, including FFO, FFO per Unit, AFFO, AFFO per Unit, adjusted net operating income (Adjusted NOI), Net Asset Value per Unit, occupancy, Loan to Gross Book Value, and capitalization rate. The non-GAAP measures are further defined and discussed in the MD&A dated May 9, 2017 and filed on SEDAR, which should be read in conjunction with this release. Since FFO, FFO per Unit, AFFO, AFFO per Unit, adjusted net operating income (Adjusted NOI), Net Asset Value per Unit, occupancy, Loan to Gross Book Value, and capitalization rate are not determined by IFRS, such measures may not be comparable to similar measures reported by other issuers. The Trust has presented such non-GAAP measures as management believes the measures are a relevant measure of the ability of the Trust to earn and distribute cash returns to Unitholders and to evaluate the Trust's performance. These non-GAAP measures should not be construed as alternatives to net income (loss) or cash flow from operating activities determined in accordance with GAAP as an indicator of the Trust's performance. Please refer to "Additional IFRS Measures and Non-IFRS Measures" in the Trust's MD&A.

Forward-Looking Information:

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as such as "outlook", "believe", "expect", "may", "anticipate", "should", "intend", "estimates" and similar expressions. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the Trust, including: (i)the accretive acquisition of properties and the anticipated extent of the accretion of any acquisitions, which could be impacted by demand for properties and the effect that demand has on acquisition capitalization rates and changes in the cost of capital; (ii) the maintaining of occupancy levels and rental revenue, which could be impacted by changes in demand for the Trust's properties, tenant bankruptcies, the effects of general economic conditions and supply of competitive locations in proximity to the Trust's locations; (iii) the overall indebtedness levels and the Trust's ability to refinance expiring debt, which could be impacted by the level of acquisition activity and the state of debt markets in general; (iv) The Trust's REIT status, which can be impacted by regulatory changes enacted by governmental authorities; (v) The Trust's cost estimates and expected yields pertaining to development activity which could be impacted by construction cost overruns or delays; (vi) the anticipated distributions and payout ratios, which could be impacted by capital expenditures, results of operations and capital resource allocation decisions; and (vii) the anticipated replacement of expiring tenancies, which could be impacted by the effects of general economic conditions and the supply of competitive locations.

Although the Trust believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Trust can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. These include, but are not limited to, the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or satisfy the conditions to closing the property acquisitions, competitive factors in the industries in which the Trust operates, prevailing economic conditions, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Trust.

The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Trust's expectations as of the date hereof, and are subject to change after such date. The Trust 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 regulations.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor approved the contents of this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

For more information please contact:

Sylvia Slaughter,

Director of Investor Relations

(416) 479-8590 Ext 267

E-mail: sslaughter@piret.ca



TSX - AAR.UN
NEWBURY (dpa-AFX) - British telecom major Vodafone Group plc (VOD, VOD.L) said that in response to feedback from its customers it is abolishing roaming charges in 40 destinations, making it the first UK mobile operator to do so. The company is abolishing European roaming charges now for all new and upgrading pay monthly consumer and small business customers. The 40 'Roam-free' destinations, represent 80 percent of Vodafone's consumer customers' overseas trips. Customers traveling further afield will be able to use their phone as they would at home in 60 other 'Roam-further' destinations for an additional 5 pounds per day. In addition, Vodafone will provide flexible upgrades, so that customers can upgrade to a new phone after only six months, rather than having to wait. Vodafone will start new monthly plans that offer customers more data, and will introduce a new artificial intelligence or AI chatbot, TOBi, to help speed up online queries. Customers looking to upgrade to or purchase a new pay monthly plan can pre-order for the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Samsung Galaxy S8+ today. Further, Vodafone said it is already hiring thousands more UK call centre staff. 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.
DENVER, CO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- American Cannabis Company, Inc. (OTCQB: AMMJ) (the "Company"), a full-service business-to-business consulting solutions provider, and seller of ancillary products to the cannabis industry, today announced the addition of Dr. Av Singh to its SoHum Advisory Board. Dr. Singh is one of Canada's leading authorities on organic agriculture. Prior to serving as the Organic & Small-Scale Farming Specialist in Nova Scotia, Dr. Singh worked at the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada and currently holds a position as Chair at the Just Us! Centre for Small Farms. Dr. Singh is also a faculty member at Earth University (Navdanya) in India where he delivers courses on agroecology and organic farming. Canada is the world leader in hemp grain production and Dr. Singh has been a consultant to many of the larger organic hemp producers, placing a great emphasis on soil health and fertility as the prerequisite for quality hemp seed or oil. In his role with American Cannabis Company, Inc., Dr. Singh aided in the formulation of the Company's nutrient-dense soil for cannabis, SoHum Living Soils. This formulation ensures that microbial life in the soil can best express the cannabinoid profile that the consumer desires.

For Dr. Singh, the decision to join the SoHum Advisory Board was based on the increased value and emphasis of organic processes worldwide as "...millions of North Americans trust in organic farmers to provide them with the highest quality food that is both healthy for them and their environment, and many of these same consumers will be trusting in organic principles to deliver them their medicines." Singh added, "The exponential growth in the cannabis sector must be tempered with assurance of the highest quality and the Company is placing a tremendous amount of energy on fostering the right relationships to ensure that the whole value chain from 'soil to oil' is based on this philosophy."

The SoHum Advisory Board provides strategic management and scientific advice for the Company's proprietary all-natural potting mix, SoHum Living Soils. This group is comprised of individuals with varying and unique backgrounds who meet regularly to plan and discuss the soil brand as it relates to environmental ethics, soil testing, brand management, research and development, marketing and sales.

Terry Buffalo, CEO of American Cannabis Company, commented: "We are very happy to add Dr. Av Singh to the SoHum Advisory Board. This group of individuals works hard to ensure that the quality of the SoHum brand is maintained, and to have a soil scientist on board will be a tremendous additional asset. We, as a company, look forward to seeing SoHum Living Soils continue to expand its reach in the marketplace, and we could not have a better team as the driving force behind our product."

About American Cannabis Company, Inc.

American Cannabis Company, Inc. offers end-to-end solutions to existing and aspiring participants in the cannabis industry. We utilize our industry expertise to provide business planning and market assessment services, assist state licensing procurement, create business infrastructure and operational best practices. American Cannabis Company also developed and owns a portfolio of branded products including: The Satchel, SoHum Living Soils, The Cultivation Cube and The High Density Cultivation System. We also design and provide other industry specific custom product solutions. The building and development of our brands and product suite is based on our Geoponics Philosophy, "the art and science of agriculture in soil."

For more information, please visit:

www.americancannabisconsulting.com

www.americancannabiscompanyinc.com

www.sohumsoils.com

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as "anticipate", "seek", intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "project", "plan", or similar phrases may be deemed "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company's reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based drugs. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

Contact:

Steven Lico

Marketing Manager

IR@americancannabisconsulting.com

303-974-4770




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- EnviroLeach Technologies Inc. (the "Company" or "Enviroleach") (CSE: ETI)(CSE: ETI.CN) announced today that it has appointed Mr. Ish Grewal as Vice President, effective May 1st, 2017.

Ish Grewal is an accomplished extractive metallurgist with over 25 years of experience in the metallurgical and mineral processing industry. His experience lies in research and development, mineral processing and hydrometallurgical separation, extraction and metal recovery systems.

Mr. Grewal is the founder and past President of Met-Solve Laboratories which is now one of Canada's most respected metallurgical laboratories and research centers.

Mr. Grewal obtained his bachelor's degree in Metals and Materials Engineering from the University of British Columbia (UBC). He went on to complete his master's degree, also at UBC, specializing in hydrometallurgy with a focus on high pressure and temperature leaching systems.

After completing his graduate studies, he spent 4 years conducting hydrometallurgical research at UBC, in areas such as gold-cyanide and base metal leaching systems, high temperature/pressure leaching processes and various ion-exchange and solvent extraction methods. He then joined Placer Dome as a Research Metallurgist at their research and testing laboratory in Vancouver. His responsibilities included metallurgical testing for feasibility and pre-feasibility studies, operating complete grind-gravity-flotation and leaching pilot plants and testing cyanide destruction and recovery technologies.

In 1998, he joined Knelson Concentrators, now a division of FLSmidth, where he built and managed the Knelson Research & Technology Centre. He coordinated research and development projects within Knelson as well as at various universities and research organizations around the world.

Duane Nelson, President and CEO of Enviroleach states; "I am very pleased and feel privileged to have Mr. Grewal join our team. He is an accomplished metallurgist with many published papers and is well respected by his peers. His extensive experience in extractive metallurgy, chemistry, lab and pilot plant development will add tremendous value to our company and to our clients."

About EnviroLeach Technologies Inc.

EnviroLeach Technologies Inc. has developed a unique, cyanide free, cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to the toxic methods currently used in the hydrometallurgical extraction of precious metals for the mining and Electronic Waste (E-Waste) sectors. The patent-pending EnviroLeach Process is safe, eco-friendly, and provides comparable leach kinetics to that of cyanide or acid based lixiviants on most ores, concentrates, tailings and E-Waste. The company is actively pursuing strategic relationships in both sectors.

(SEDAR filings: EnviroLeach Technologies, Inc.)

Forward-Looking Statements

This News Release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation. Statements contained herein that are not based on historical or current fact, including without limitation statements containing the words "anticipates," "believes," "may," "continues," "estimates," "expects," and "will" and words of similar import, constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking information may include, but is not limited to, information with respect to our Research and development activities, the accuracy of our capital and operating cost estimates; production and processing estimates; the results, the adequacy of EnviroLeach's financial resources and timing of development of ongoing research and development projects, costs and timing of future revenues or profits and adequacy of financial resources. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "targets" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking statements and information. Statements concerning future revenue or earnings estimates may also be deemed to constitute forward-looking information.

Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is based on the expectations and opinions of EnviroLeach's management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. For the reasons set forth above, prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The CSE has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein.

Contacts:

EnviroLeach Technologies Inc.

Duane Nelson

President & CEO

info@enviroleach.com




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Savant Explorations Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: SVT) (the "Company") announces the appointment of Lutz Klingmann and Patrick McGrath to the board effective immediately. With the appointment of Mr. Klingmann and his mine-building experience, the Company is committed to focusing on advancing the wholly-owned Blue Moon zinc project. A NI 43-101 report detailing the Blue Moon resources is available on SEDAR (February 21, 2008). The Blue Moon zinc project is at the development stage with advanced work already performed by the previous owners, including Westmin Mines Limited (now Boliden). The Company will release its detailed plans for the Blue Moon zinc project in due course.

Board Appointees

Mr. Klingmann is a Professional Engineer and was a Director and/or President of Golden Queen Mining Co. Ltd. ("Golden Queen") (TSX: GQM) from 2001 to 2015. During Mr. Klingmann's tenure at Golden Queen, he developed the gold and silver heap leach project known as the Soledad Mountain Project in southern California. Mr. Klingmann secured all major approvals and permits for the Soledad Mountain Project and construction of the mine started in January 2013. In 2014, Mr. Klingmann was involved in securing project financing of US$100 million for the project and Golden Queen declared commercial production on the property in December 2016.

Mr. Klingmann also founded Minto Explorations Ltd. ("Minto") in April 1993 specifically for the acquisition of the Minto property interests held by ASARCO Inc., Teck Resources Limited and Falconbridge Ltd. Minto concluded a US$25million financing agreement with ASARCO Inc. to bring the Minto project to production. Minto was acquired by Sherwood Copper Corporation in 2005. Construction was completed and the mine started production in September 2007 and continues in production today under Capstone Mining Corp. (Sherwood Copper Corporation and Capstone Mining Corp. combined in 2008).

Mr. McGrath is a CPA, CGA and has been the Chief Financial Officer of Cub Energy Inc. since 2013. Cub Energy is an international oil and gas producer with last reported production of approximately 1,150 barrels of oil equivalence a day. Mr. McGrath previously acted as the Chief Financial Officer of Anatolia Energy Corp. from 2011 to 2013. Anatolia Energy was focused on shale oil development in Turkey and was acquired by Cub Energy in 2013. Mr. McGrath is also a founder and was previously Vice President of Finance of Adriana Resources Inc. (now Sprott Resource Holdings Inc.), a development company focused on iron ore.

In conjunction with the appointments of Mr. Klingmann and Mr. McGrath, Reginald Advocaat and Rob Geisthardt resigned from the board to pursue other opportunities. The board wishes to thank Mr. Advocaat and Mr. Geisthardt for their past services.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Savant Explorations Ltd.

Patrick McGrath

Director

1-832-499-6009




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Otis Gold Corp. ("Otis" or "the Company") (TSX VENTURE: OOO)(OTC PINK: OGLDF) is pleased to present an update and interpretation of extensive exploration activities conducted on the Kilgore Deposit and the emerging "Gold Ridge" exploration target at the Kilgore Gold Project, Clark County, Idaho. Specifically, a 34-line-kilometer ground magnetometer survey (see Ground Traverse map) was completed along with a program consisting of 213 surface and subsurface soil samples. The Company's ground magnetometer survey delineated many previously mapped faults in addition to numerous newly-identified structural features. The accompanying soil geochemistry displayed corresponding anomalies along defined structures and structural intersections demonstrating that mineralizing hydrothermal fluids traveled upward along these zones of structural weakness similar to what controls gold mineralization at the Kilgore Deposit, located approximately 1.0 km to the southeast of Gold Ridge.

Highlights of the 2016 Magnetic and Soil Survey

-- Magnetic data confirm and extend known mineralized structures including the previously mapped Northwest, Mine Ridge, and Cabin faults (see Magnetic Data and Structure map). -- At least five (5) new concentric caldera-related ring faults have been identified that roughly parallel the Northwest fault, believed to be the primary controlling mineralizing feeder structures for the Kilgore Deposit. -- Five (5) new cross-cutting NE-SW radial faults have been identified paralleling the Mine Ridge and Cabin faults (which are the primary radial faults at the Kilgore Deposit). -- A broad magnetic shelf located north and northeast of the Kilgore Deposit is interpreted as the geophysical expression of the flat-lying sill occurring above and within the Aspen Formation. This previously unrecognized feature appears to potentially be the extension of the "Aspen Corridor" mineralization (see Otis News Release February 9, 2017). -- A gold-in-soil map has been prepared (see Gold in Soil map) revealing that a large (1.3 km x 0.9 km @ 26+ ppb) anomaly encompasses the current deposit and extends northeast along the Mine Ridge and Cabin faults toward the newly discovered magnetic shelf feature described above. -- A large and intense magnetic feature interpreted to be a buried intrusion has been identified northwest of the Kilgore Deposit in the Gold Ridge area. -- A new interpretation of the survey data has generated many high-priority drill targets focusing on mineralized structural intersections, dilation zones, mafic dike swarms and the Tertiary sill-Aspen contact.

Ground Magnetometer Survey

During the Fall of 2016, the Company completed a 34-line-km ground-based geophysical magnetometer survey in and around the Kilgore Deposit and extending over 1.0 km to the northwest to an area known as Gold Ridge. Line spacing for this study was at 100 meter spacing along lines with a 50 degrees and 230 degrees azimuth. The goal of this survey was to supplement the historic helicopter magnetometer survey completed in the mid-1990s (see Kilgore Historic Airborne Magnetic map), by providing a greater resolution of the magnetic signatures of the local geology surrounding the Kilgore deposit.

An advanced Euler 3D deconvolution reduction was performed on the data to help delineate geologic structures (see Euler Structure map). The ground magnetic survey revealed that the Kilgore Deposit and region was preferentially structurally prepared prior to the magmatic epithermal gold mineralizing event. The hydrothermal fluids and other intrusions utilized zones of weakness and dilation due to the pre-existing conjugate fault system (azimuth 300 degrees and 10 degrees ) and extensional and relaxation faulting (azimuth 335 degrees and 60 degrees ). These structural features are interpreted in the magnetic data and include the right-lateral and dip-slip Northwest 300 degrees fault, and several new subordinate 300 degrees faults like the Snotel, Vortex, and Sage. The magnetic data also delineate the known left-lateral (10 degrees -60 degrees ) Bear Cat, Cabin, and Mine Ridge faults and identified several new subordinate (10 degrees -60 degrees ) faults like the Antler and Dog Bone faults. Also, revealed by the magnetic data are mafic dike swarms following multiple 300 degrees -striking structures, a rhyolite flow-dome, and the Tertiary mafic sill (covering an area approximately 1km x 1km).

The structural features and boundaries create a network of structural compartments, some of which could be favorable hosts for hydrothermal gold mineralization, similar to the newly discovered Aspen Corridor (see February 9, 2017 News Release). The existing Kilgore Deposit is interpreted to be located in and around one such mineralized compartment, roughly bound by the Northwest fault and the intersections of the Mine Ridge and Cabin Faults.

Soil Geochemistry Survey

During the 2016 field season, 213 soil samples were collected and added to the historical database that now totals a master dataset of 3,517 samples. These data show anomalous soil geochemistry along defined structures and demonstrate that they were conduits for mineralizing fluid flow. The gold (Au) in soil map (see Gold in Soil map) illustrates a sizeable anomaly that encompasses the current Kilgore Deposit and extends to the northeast where it is still open along the Cabin and Mine Ridge fault extension areas. The soil anomaly appears to increase in intensity as it approaches the Snotel 300 degrees fault. The Snotel fault also has anomalous gold in soils where it intersects the Bear Cat fault structure. Another new soil anomaly is located at the intersection of the Vortex and Antler faults, both of which have limited soil geochemistry coverage.

The geochemical soil data have also revealed several pathfinder element anomalies. Selenium (Se), arsenic (As), and antimony (Sb) anomalies are also located along the defined structures and are more prominent to the northwest, indicating that area is higher up in the epithermal mineralizing system. Where trace elements occur at structural intersections, the juxtaposition denotes a target for future exploration drilling.

2017 Exploration Plans

Otis is currently permitting 27 drill stations at the Kilgore Deposit and 7 drill stations at Gold Ridge. Otis is working with the U.S. Forest Service to obtain approval for these sites to coincide with the planned commencement of drilling at Kilgore in late July. Approximately 8,000 meters of drilling is currently envisioned, which will be focused on expansion of the Kilgore Deposit in the emerging Aspen Corridor target. The program will also include two metallurgic test holes to enable metallurgical studies on the Aspen Corridor host rock. Additionally, based on the success of the ground magnetometer survey discussed herein, an important element of 2017 field operations will be a robust geophysics survey over the remainder of the Kilgore Gold Project, including Prospect Ridge and Dog Bone Ridge, and a comprehensive soil survey over all targets to assist with drill planning and targeting.

Qualified Person

The Qualified Person under National Instrument (NI 43-101) Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for this News Release is Paul Gray, P. Geo, who has reviewed and approved its technical content.

About the Company

Otis is a resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal deposits in Idaho, USA. The Company is currently developing its flagship property, the Kilgore Gold Project, located in Clark County, Idaho.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD"Craig T. Lindsay"President & CEO

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "US Securities Act") or any State securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to US Persons unless registered under the US Securities Act and applicable State securities laws, or an exemption from such registration is available.

Contacts:

Craig Lindsay

(604) 683-2507

craig@otisgold.com




BRASILIA (dpa-AFX) - Brazil's retail sales declined unexpectedly in February, defying expectations for an increase, figures from the statistical office IBGE showed Wednesday. Retail sales dropped 0.2 percent in February, slower than the 0.7 fall in the previous month. Economists had expected a 0.4 percent increase. Year-on-year, retail sales tumbled 3.2 percent after 7.0 percent drop in the previous month. Economists had forecast a 7 percent decrease. Broad retail sales, which includes those of construction material and automobile spare parts, increased 1.4 percent on month, compared to a 2 gain expected by economists. It fell 0.2 percent in the previous month. On a year-on-year basis, broad retail sales decreased 4.2 percent following 4.8 percent drop in the previous month. Economists had expected a 7.1 percent decline. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Alset Energy Corp. (TSX VENTURE: ION) ("Alset" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that, subject to regulatory approval, it will accelerate the exercise of its earn in option to acquire the Mexican salar project. Alset and MKG Mining have agreed to amend the original agreement that would have taken a further 5 years for Alset to earn a 100% interest through staged cash payments totaling USD $190,000. It has now been agreed by the parties that MKG Mining will accept shares of the Company instead of cash.

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO of Alset Minerals said: "I'm very pleased to have come to an agreement with the MKG Mining team to expedite the 100% earn in, on our Mexican salars for a number of reasons. Instead of making cash payments we will conclude the earn-in option with a stock payment, which frees up cash for exploration work. Key members of the MKG Mining team are crucial to our success as they help with permitting, local business efforts, and geological input. This agreement gives them a meaningful shareholding in Alset and makes them a financially vested part of our team. Finally, we will no longer have a long-term cash obligation on our exceptional projects and will have a 100% interest."

Terms of the Deal

In the original option agreement, Alset Energy had the right to earn a 100% interest in MKG's interest in the project, subject to an aggregate 2.50% NSR, by paying USD $210,000 over a five-year period plus value added tax (VAT) of 16%.

Under the amended agreement, Alset Energy will instead pay the remaining USD $190,000 and VAT owed by issuing 2,101,514 shares at a deemed price of $0.14 per share (the "Shares"). The Shares will have a standard 4-month regulatory hold period.

Upon issuance of the Shares, Alset will have fulfilled its earn in option and, subject to an aggregate 2.50% NSR, will own a 100% interest in these exciting group of high-grade lithium-potassium salars in the Central Mexican Plateau. This area has been identified in past work by the Servicio Geologico Mexicano as the most prospective region in Mexico for lithium and potassium in salars.

About Alset Energy (ION.V)

Alset Energy is a TSX-V listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and development of a group of high-grade lithium and potassium projects in the Central Mexican Plateau. The Company is actively exploring in Mexico and Canada.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Alset Energy Corp.,

Allan Barry Laboucan, President and CEO

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections.

Contacts:

Alset Energy Corp.

Allan Barry Laboucan

(604) 505-4753

www.alsetenergy.ca




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Gold futures continued to rise Wednesday morning amid diminishing expectations for three more rate hikes from the Federal Reserve. Stocks are languishing, geopolitical tensions are heating up, and the U.S. jobs picture is not as sunny as once hoped. Last Friday, the Labor Department said the US created only 98,000 jobs in March, well below estimates. January and February's numbers were revised lower. Gold jumped to its highest in five months, extending a 2-week hot streak. Gold was up $4 at $1277 an ounce. The Labor Department's Import and Export Prices for March will be published at 8.30 am ET. The economists are looking for consensus of a decline of 0.2 percent, while it grew 0.2 percent last month. Dallas Federal Reserve Bank President Robert Kaplan speak in Fort Worth, Texas, with audience and media Q&A at 10.00 am ET. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - U.S. President Donald Trump has claimed that economic confidence is sweeping the nation, which saw the creation of 600,000 jobs since his administration came to power.



Addressing a meeting of CEOs at the White House Tuesday, Trump said the creation of great high-paying jobs for American workers is at the top of his administration's agenda.



'Toyota just announced that it will invest more than $1.3 billion - it's probably going to be $1.9 billion - into its Georgetown, Kentucky plant, an investment that would not have been made if we didn't win the election,' he said at the Strategic and Policy CEO Discussion.



'Our nation has lost a third of its manufacturing jobs in the last two decades,' ruled by the Democrats, according to Trump. 'The US business tax is one of the highest in the world, and it is the single highest tax anywhere in the world of developed countries,' he added.



Trump said his administration is working to modernize U.S. economy and harness the full potential of women in the workforce.



The President noted that the new survey shows that economic optimism is the highest it has ever been. 93 percent of manufacturers are optimistic about the future. It was a 27 percent increase over two months ago.



The top executives divided into five groups, meeting with the Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, and Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney. The discussions were focused on trade, education and workforce development, energy and the environment, regulatory reform, and infrastructure.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
TSG Consumer Partners LLC ("TSG"), a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the branded consumer sector, today announced that it has acquired a minority stake in BrewDog plc ("BrewDog").

Headquartered in Ellon, Scotland, BrewDog is a leading global independent craft brewer, which has grown tremendously since inception and built a loyal following of passionate fans, many of whom have a stake in the Company due to its successful crowdfunding efforts. Over the past ten years, BrewDog has cultivated an innovative and continually expanding portfolio of craft brews, including flagship beer Punk IPA, alongside Dead Pony Club, Elvis Juice, 5AM Saint, Nanny State, and many more.

"We love to partner with innovative entrepreneurs building best-in-class brands with loyal followings," said Blythe Jack, Managing Director at TSG. "BrewDog's founders, James and Martin, exude an energy that is equal parts rebellion and business savvy, and we're eager to partner with the team to build on their enormous success. We've identified key growth drivers and look forward to supporting the BrewDog team as they continue to execute their strategy."

A significant portion of TSG's investment will be used to fund BrewDog's continued global expansion. The balance of the TSG investment will provide liquidity for early BrewDog shareholders, including its 'Equity for Punks' crowdfunding investors. Founders James Watt and Martin Dickie will continue to own a controlling stake in the Company following the transaction.

"We are thrilled to welcome TSG as a partner as we keep growing and look towards the US and international markets for further expansion," said Watt. "We chose TSG because of their expertise and their passion for our vision, which made it easy to turn down several other higher offers. We just want to continue making amazing beer, and invest in the two things we care about most; our beer and our people."

"BrewDog represents an extremely exciting opportunity for TSG as we continue to add to our growing portfolio of European brands, all of which have enormous potential to grow in the US and internationally," said TSG President Jamie O'Hara. "BrewDog is now the fourth leading alcoholic beverage brand we're invested in, and we are looking forward to bringing our expertise in the sector to help BrewDog drive global success."

Partnering with TSG, BrewDog will be able to continue bringing excellent craft beers to fans all over the world through expanding its operations as an independent brewer, and entering new markets, taking its craft beer revolution to even more international territories.

About TSG Consumer Partners

TSG Consumer Partners, LLC is a leading investment firm with approximately $5 billion of assets under management, focused exclusively on the branded consumer sector. Since its founding in 1987, TSG has been an active investor in the food, beverage, restaurant, beauty, personal care, household and apparel accessories, and e-commerce sectors. Representative past and present partner companies include Duckhorn Wine Company, vitaminwater, thinkThin, popchips, Muscle Milk, Yard House, Stumptown, Pabst, Planet Fitness, REVOLVE, PAIGE, Smashbox Cosmetics, Pureology, Sexy Hair, e.l.f. Cosmetics and IT Cosmetics. For more information, please visit www.tsgconsumer.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005549/en/

Contacts:

Sard Verbinnen Co

Dan Goldstein, 310-201-2040

or

Julie Rudnick, 212-687-8080
LONDON and ROCKVILLE, Maryland, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Expert System has signed an agreement with Zurich Insurance Company Ltd. As a strategic vendor, Expert System will deliver cognitive computing solutions to Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) across business units worldwide.

Nicky Singh, VP UK & Ireland, Expert System, said:

"Artificial intelligence is a reality, delivering value for customers and other stakeholders through the ability to automate complex processes by combining a high degree of accuracy with lower, more predictable implementation costs. We are delighted that Zurich selected Expert System as a strategic vendor for cognitive computing worldwide. This is a true success story that demonstrates the potential of cognitive solutions for the global insurance markets. Expert System supports the processes of automation and strategic innovation. With Cogito, it offers the advantage of artificial intelligence with speed and maximum efficiency."

Expert System cognitive technology Cogito offers:

Rapid implementation and immediate production.

Maximum accuracy in the analysis of data, thanks to the ability to accurately and fully understand the meaning of words and phrases. It offers the additional advantage of automating text analytics processes for granular text analysis, bringing a higher level of efficiency to the entire process with superior results.

Drastically reduces errors, which positively impacts the relationship with customers, as well as the overall image and reputation of the brand.

Giovanni Giuliani, Group Chief Strategy, Innovation and Business Development Officer, Zurich, commented: "At Zurich, our focus is on the modernization, simplification and digitalization of our business and ways of working. Investing in state-of-the-art technology and automation, and making better use of our data are important steps towards a digital mindset. The Cognitive computing solutions of Expert System enhance our efficiency and effectiveness and thus help us to improve customer services and propositions."

About Zurich

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 54,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurich's customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

Stay up to date with Zurich on Twitter at @Zurich

About Expert System

Expert System created Cogito, a cognitive computing technology that transforms the way organizations find, comprehend and use information. Cogito leverages proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms to deliver business value and ROI by extracting actionable knowledge from internal and external information and automating business processes. Cogito has been deployed to serve enterprises and government organizations in some of the world's largest industries (Banking and Insurance, Pharmaceuticals, Oil and Gas, Publishing and Government) including companies such as Shell, Chevron, Eli Lilly, Nalco Champion, Bloomberg BNA, Sanofi, Thomson Reuters, Wiley, Wolters Kluwer, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Justice.

For more information visit www.expertsystem.com, follow us on Twitter at @Expert_System

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/288932/expert_system_Logo.jpg
The leading IoT conference series is descending on Berlin in a matter of weeks; returning with a larger event and expanded agenda, the IoT Tech Expo Europe will also host co-located events, Blockchain Expo and AI Expo, on the 1-2nd June in the Estrel, Berlin.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005589/en/

Explore IoT, Blockchain and AI in Berlin on the 1-2 June, with 3 events in 1. (Photo: Business Wire)

Over the two days there will be 10 conference tracks, with 300+ industry leading speakers sharing their use-cases and experiences. Topics include smart cities, IIoT, data analytics, security privacy, monetization, utilities, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, insurance, retail, machine learning and more. In addition to the expert discussions, the event will host an exhibition of 200+ companies and dedicated start-up zone showcasing the latest technology and innovations.

Hear from industry leading speakers including:

Thomas Brenner, VP, Digital Life Research, BMW Group

Ralf Hagen, Engineering Manager MES/E&A, Nestle

Aurelius Wosylus, Director Sales Partners Germany, Sigfox

Richard Browning, Oil Trader Innovator, BP

Serdar Gurbuz, Digital Innovation Manager, Turkish Airlines

Niko Hossain, Senior PM Deputy Head of Automation Digitization, Lufthansa Cargo

Kai Gait, Senior Global Digital Director, GlaxoSmithKline

Christine Billaud, Director Business Tech Connected Solutions, Volvo CE

Derek Myers, Group Director, Channel Strategy Development, Coca-Cola

Luca Sacchi, Head of Strategic Innovation, SVP, Piaggio Group

Juergen Hase, CEO, Unlimit by Reliance

Andreas Mrozek, Global Head, Marine Terminal Operations (OPS), Hamburg Sud

Christian Tordo, Deputy Mayor, Economic Development &Digital Innovation, City of Nice

Jesus Ruiz, Director of Innovation, Banco Santander

Achim Jedelsky, Head of Processes/IT, Daimler Real Estate

Leon Zucchini, Data Science Strategy, Airbus

Jacob Bejoy, Head of Group Treasury Operations, Deutsche Post DHL

Dr. Andreas Braun, Global Data Analytics, Allianz SE

3 co-located events. 6,000 attendees. 10 conference tracks. 300+ speakers. 200+ exhibitors. Start-up zone. Networking.

Register for an Ultimate Pass for access to all the above, including the messenger tool and networking party. Find out more register here: http://bit.ly/IoTEurope17

To learn more about the IoT Tech Expo World Series, visit the corresponding sites:

IoT Tech Expo Europe 1-2nd June, Estrel, Berlin

IoT Tech Expo North America 29-30th November, Santa Clara, Silicon Valley

IoT Tech Expo Global 2018, London

For speaking, sponsorship and exhibitor enquiries please contact the team at enquiries@iottechexpo.com or call on +44 (0) 117 980 9023.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

About IoT Tech Expo

The IoT Tech Expo World Series will host top level content and discussion, introducing and exploring the latest innovations in the Internet of Things arena. It bringstogether key industries including Manufacturing, Transport, Health, Logistics, Government, Energy and Automotive.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005589/en/

Contacts:

IoT Tech Expo World Series

Sarah Wheeler

Marketing Manager

sarah@iottechexpo.com

+44 (0) 117 980 9023
VAL-D'OR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Metanor Resources Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: MTO) announces the retirement of the Company's' founders Mr. Serge Roy, Executive Chairman and Mr. Ghislain Morin, President, CEO and director, effective immediately.

Mr. Greg Gibson, Chairman of the Board, has been appointed to the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Pascal Hamelin, Vice-president of Operations with the Company for the past 4 years, will take on the role of President and Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Hamelin is a member of the Ordre des ingenieurs du Quebec and of the Professional Engineers of Ontario. He cumulates over twenty-five years of experience in mining engineering, operations, and project management in both surface and underground mining operations. Prior to joining the Company in 2010, he spent 16 years in the Sudbury mining camp for Inco Ltd. and the last 10 years in the Abitibi mining camp.

Mr. Gibson states: "We appreciate and are grateful to the company founders Serge and Ghislain for their perseverance over the years in building the foundation of a Company that is now ready to move into its next phase. They leave the Company in a strong financial position and with an upcoming new strategic investor/partner Kirkland Lake Gold. We wish them happiness in their retirement and continued success in any future endeavors they decide to pursue. We look forward to advancing Metanor as a high grade, low cost operating company with untapped exploration potential in the heart of one of the most active regions in Canada."

About the Company

Metanor Resources Inc. is a Quebec based emerging gold producer having its main assets, the Bachelor mine and the Barry project, in addition to over 15,000 ha of exploration property, located in the mining-friendly jurisdiction of Quebec, in the heart of the Urban-Barry Camp. With the support of strategic investors, a strong management team experienced at all levels of project development and project financing, Metanor is seeking to develop additional projects in a responsible manner.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this discussion, other than those of historical fact, that address future exploration drilling, exploration activities and projected financings, including the investment by Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. which remains subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions, are based on events or developments that the company believes, based on reasonable assumptions, but such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Ronald Perry, Vice-president

514-262-8286

rperry@metanor.ca




SEATTLE, WA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- CFN Media Group, the leading creative agency and digital media network dedicated to legal cannabis, announces publication of an article discussing Platinex Inc.'s (CSE: PTX) goal of creating shareholder value through opportunistic acquisitions in both cannabis and mining.

Platinex is developing the world's first online cannabis shopping mall -- Cannabismall.shop -- in an effort to capitalize on the Canada's burgeoning cannabis industry. The company is working with top-tier information technology firms and consultants to build out the e-commerce project that is expected to launch over the coming months. While many companies are focused on obtaining cultivation licenses, the company's management team believes that there's a much larger opportunity in becoming a leading online destination for consumers to purchase legal equipment -- such as vaporizers, grinders or soil enhancers and security systems.

Canada's cannabis industry is expected to reach $12.7 to $22.6 billion in size over the coming years, according to Deloitte analysts. The base retail market could be worth as much as $8.7 billion per year, while cultivators, infused product makers, testing labs, and security firms could realize the balance of the market size. These estimates don't include ancillary markets -- such as consumer products or paraphernalia -- that could make the market even larger.

Additional Opportunity in Mining

Platinex also offers investors an opportunity in the mining sector through its Shining Tree and other gold and platinum assets located throughout Canada. With an experienced management team at the helm, the company is well-positioned to continue executing on these projects and build long-term value for shareholders.

Platinex President & CEO James R. Trusler has over 50 years of experience in Canada's mining and exploration industry. In the 1980s, Mr. Trusler was instrumental in Teck Resources Ltd.'s acquisition of a gold prospect in the Hemlo area of Ontario. The area eventually included two of Canada's largest gold mines that contributed up to 60% of Teck's operating profits from 1985 until it sold the interest in 2009 and facilitated its growth into a major.

In 1998, Mr. Trusler founded Platinex, assembled an operating team, and raised $4.2 million to take the company public on the TSX Venture exchange. The company faced several challenges since then, including First Nation blockades and litigation, but raised a further $6.8 million and reached a settlement with Ontario that involved $5.3 million and a 2.5% Net Smelter Royalty on its former Big Trout Lake property -- an unprecedented win for shareholders.

The company has since focused on executing an aggressive acquisition and exploration program on its Shining Tree property. After a four-year hiatus, the company commenced a resource valuation of the Herrick gold deposit to establish a NI 43-101 compliant resource including consideration of an open pit. The company has drilled over 50 holes that have returned good gold values and over a 400m strike length and 300m depth.

Please follow the link to read the full article: http://www.cannabisfn.com/platinex-developing-cannabis-destination/

Learn how to become a CFN Media featured company, brand or entrepreneur: http://www.cannabisfn.com/become-featured-company/

Download the CFN Media iOS mobile app to access the world of cannabis from your smart phone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cannabisfn/id988009247?ls=1&mt=8

Or visit our homepage and enter your mobile number under the Apple App Store logo to receive a download link text on your iPhone: http://www.cannabisfn.com

About CFN Media

CFN Media (CannabisFN) is the leading creative agency and media network dedicated to legal cannabis. We help marijuana businesses attract investors, customers (B2B, B2C), capital, and media visibility. Private and public marijuana companies and brands in the U.S. and Canada rely on CFN Media to grow and succeed.

Disclaimer:

Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Emerging Growth LLC, which owns CFN Media and CannabisFN.com, is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority, and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. Emerging Growth LLC may from time to time have a position in the securities mentioned herein and may increase or decrease such positions without notice. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. Emerging Growth LLC may be compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation or equity securities in the companies it writes about, or a combination of the two. For full disclosure please visit: http://www.cannabisfn.com/legal-disclaimer/.

Contact

Frank Lane

President

CFN Media Group

206.369.7050

flane@cannabisfn.com




NORTH VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / May 9, 2017 / Lion One Metals Limited (TSXV: LIO) (ASX: LLO) (OTCQX: LOMLF) (FSE: LY1) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the following drilling and development update for its 100% owned and fully permitted high grade underground Tuvatu Gold Project located near Nadi on the island of Viti Levu in the Republic of Fiji.

About Tuvatu

The Tuvatu Gold Project is located 17 km from the Nadi International Airport on the main island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Discovered in 1987, Tuvatu is a high grade, low sulphidation, epithermal gold deposit hosted inside a South Pacific style volcanic caldera. The deposit occurs along the Viti Levu lineament, Fiji's own corridor of high grade gold deposits. Tuvatu is situated upon a 5 hectare footprint inside a larger 384 hectare mining lease. The project contains numerous high grade prospects proximal to Tuvatu, at depth, and up to 1.50 km along strike from the resource area, giving near-term production potential and further discovery upside inside of one of Fiji's underexplored volcanic goldfields.

Tuvatu was advanced by previous owners through underground exploration and development from 1997 through to the completion of a feasibility study in 2000. Acquired by Lion One in 2011, the project has over 100,000 meters of drilling completed to date in addition to 1,600 meters of underground development.

In January 2016 the Hon. Prime Minister of Fiji, Mr. V. Bainimarama, formally presented the previously granted Tuvatu Mining Lease to Lion One. This concluded the permitting process for the development of an underground gold mine and processing plant at Tuvatu, demonstrating strong government support for Fiji's 85 year-old gold mining industry.

As per its independent June 1, 2015 NI 43-101 PEA Technical Report on the Tuvatu Gold Project, the Company envisages a low cost underground gold mining operation producing 352,931 ounces of gold at head grades of 11.30 g/t Au over an initial 7 year mine life. This includes production of 262,000 ounces at 15.30 g/t through to the end of year three. Estimated cash cost is US$567 per ounce with all-in sustaining cost of US$779 per ounce. Total capex of US$48.6 million includes a contingency of US$6.1 million with an 18 month preproduction schedule and 18 month payback on capital. At a US$1,200 gold price, the project generates net cash flow of US$112.66 million and an IRR of 52% (after tax). The Company is not basing its production decision on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability; as a result there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks associated with its production decision.

Drilling and Development

Mine engineering and underground development is progressing alongside final detailed engineering for the Tuvatu processing plant and site infrastructure. The 2016-2017 drilling program continues with one diamond drill rig operating at surface, and one underground. Drilling has successfully intersected high grade zones of mineralization proximal to, and outside the current resource. Consequently the Company has appointed an independent third party engineering firm to model the incoming results. The Company believes the drilling currently underway has the potential to materially increase the tonnage and grade of the mineralized zones targeted for extraction in the initial years of the Tuvatu mine plan.

Drilling Results

The Company commenced drilling at Tuvatu in October 2016 with one surface rig, followed by the addition of an underground rig in March 2017. A total of 6,493 meters of diamond drilling has been completed to date consisting of 5,744m from 28 surface drill holes, and 739m from 7 underground drill holes. An additional 520m of drilling has been completed for geotechnical purposes in the area of the proposed processing plant, and to confirm stability of the monzonite host rock underground. High grade highlights include the following drilling results (see Table 1 below for a summary of 2016-2017 results):

TUDDH 406 ( 8.41m @ 71.41 g/t Au from 96.10m, inc. 4.56m @ 126.67 g/t Au );

from 96.10m, inc. ); TUDDH 407 ( 4.05m @ 12.32 g/t Au from 53.57m);

from 53.57m); TUDDH 409 ( 3.92m @ 12.54 g/t Au from 80.78m),

from 80.78m), TUDDH 410 ( 2.42m @ 24.07 g/t Au from 86.94m),

from 86.94m), TUDDH 419 (9.07m @ 14.89 g/t Au from 32.83m, inc. 5.57m @ 21.04 g/t Au from 36.33m).

Current drilling is following up on several very high grade intercepts and potential extensions of zones identified in previous campaigns:

TUDDH 160 (4.22m @ 252.64 g/t Au from 332m; 4.12m @ 19.61g/t Au from 403.20m) TUDDH 207 (8.85m @ 14.09g/t Au from 418.90m; 1.45m @ 19.78g/t Au from 418.90m) Drilling targeting the northern, shallow extensions on the Tuvatu, SKL 3-8, and UR2 lodes. Minimal diamond drilling has been undertaken on these lodes in the northern part of the deposit and as such, there remains a high probability of extending mineralized lodes into these areas. This area includes three reverse circulation drill holes which had previously not been followed up including TURC 142 (5m @ 22.5g/t Au), TURC 156,(2m @ 11g/t Au) and TURC 171, (6m @ 6.3 g/t Au) Follow up of extensions of the east-west oriented Snake and Murau lodes to the west of the exploration decline.

Plan and section views of the reported drilling areas are located on the Company website https://liononemetals.com/news-media/image-gallery/ .

The underground diamond drill rig has targeted the area north of the Core Shed Fault, where very little previous drilling has been undertaken. Surface mapping and sampling has highlighted continuation of those mineralized lodes to the north, in addition to a number of other zones of mineralization previously untested. The main known lodes being tested include the UR2, Tuvatu and H lodes.

The current drilling program has identified a number of very high grade intercepts from outside the proposed ore stopes planned in the 2015 Preliminary Economic Assessment. In particular, the intercepts in TUDDH 408, 419 and 425 fall well outside existing stopes, whilst TUDDH407, 409, 410 and others, returned intersection on the margins of existing planned stopes. Other diamond drill holes have confirmed the existing mineralization in many of the other proposed stopes.

The most significant results received from all drilling to date have previously been reported (see news releases dated November 28, 2016, December 21, 2016, February 14 2017, and in the Management Discussion and Analysis for Period Ending March 31st 2017. Below is a summary of select results from the drilling undertaken in the 2016-2017 drill programs (Table 1):

Table 1: Select Tuvatu Drilling Results, May 2017

Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Zone TUDDH 406 48.42 51.30 2.88 5.30 GRF/ SKL 2 70.93 71.23 0.30 23.30 SKL 4 72.30 73.55 1.25 10.16 SKL 4 96.10 104.51 8.41 71.41 UR 2 including 96.10 100.66 4.56 126.67 UR 2 and 102.71 104.51 1.80 12.58 UR 2 116.55 117.27 0.72 36.20 SKL 8? TUDDH 407 53.57 61.60 8.03 4.68 SKL 3/4 including 55.76 61.60 5.84 6.26 SKL 3/4 71.43 75.48 4.05 12.32 SKL 6 TUDDH 408 41.60 41.90 0.30 76.60 SKL 4/ Snake 63.49 63.80 0.31 6.69 Nasivi 88.04 91.07 3.03 3.35 Murau 2 TUDDH 409 78.93 85.70 6.77 7.83 Murau 1 including 80.78 84.70 3.92 12.54 Murau 1 91.40 94.80 3.40 4.59 Murau 1 split TUDDH410 86.94 89.36 2.42 24.07 Murau 1 HW 124.20 125.70 1.50 9.16 Murau 1 FW2 TUDDH 412 48.46 49.85 1.39 8.46 Tuvatu 2 TUDDH 418 201.30 202.60 1.30 13.02 Murau 3 171.20 171.49 0.29 16.60 URW 3 TUDDH 419 32.83 41.90 9.07 14.89 UR 2 including 36.33 41.90 5.57 21.04 UR 2 71.36 72.80 1.44 19.65 SKL 3 83.66 85.78 2.12 14.28 SKL 5 103.18 103.64 0.46 14.00 SKL 7 TUDDH 420 75.19 76.50 1.31 11.57 SKL 3 TUDDH 421 115.23 117.15 1.92 16.89 UR 4 TUDDH 425 46.35 49.20 2.85 19.78 UR 2 TUDDH 427 64.67 65.11 0.44 48.00 SKL 4 TUDDH 428 191.96 195.64 3.68 5.86 UR 2

* True widths of the drill hole intersection have not been determined from the information available.

Quality Control (QAQC)

All samples for this drilling program is marked, logged, and cut with a diamond saw onsite, placed in sealed bags and sent to the Company's Nadi office. Following inspection by the regulators in Fiji and receipt of an export license, samples are then shipped to Brisbane, Queensland for customs clearance, and then couriered to the facilities of ALS Chemex in Townsville, also in Queensland, for sample preparation and gold analysis by fire assay and multi-element ICP analysis. A Quality Control/Quality Assurance program, including the insertion of standards, blanks and duplicates is ongoing.

Development Update

The Company continues to work alongside its EPC partner Ansteel to complete the design and financing of the Tuvatu Gold Project (see "Ansteel MOU" news release dated August 24, 2016). Under mutual agreement with Ansteel, The Company has contracted Yantai Jinpeng Mining Machinery Co Ltd, based in Shandong Province, PRC, to complete the final detailed engineering design plans for the Tuvatu processing plant, tailings dam, and surface infrastructure. The detailed design plans include the laboratory, office complex, dry area, workshop for light vehicles and heavy underground machinery, warehouse, conference facilities and mine site offices. The detailed engineering design is nearing completion with site plans scheduled for delivery to Lion One in June 2017.

The Company has also contracted Canenco Consulting Corp., a Vancouver based process engineering company, to manage Front End Engineering Design (FEED), including equipment specifications, engineering plans, and design documentation for the processing plant to be constructed in the PRC to North American standards. The procurement process of mining equipment and processing plant components is progressing with all equipment and long term lead items having been identified and priced.

The Company has now dewatered the existing Tuvatu exploration decline past the 375m mark from the portal down the decline. The decline was completed in the year 2000 by Emperor Gold Mines, comprising 1,430 meters of underground development including drives, cross cuts and raises. In conjunction with the dewatering, ventilation fans and lighting have been installed and are running 24 hours per day. Minor slippage inside the Core Shed Fault area 140m inside the decline has now been cleared and reinforced to ensure permanent and safe access past that area to areas further down the decline for future drilling programs. The rehabilitation of this area has been approved by Mine Inspectors from Fiji's Mineral Resource Department.

Ian Chang, M.A.Sc., P.Eng., Chief Development Officer, is the Qualified Person ("QP") responsible for Tuvatu Mine development. Stephen Mann, Managing Director, member of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, is the Qualified Person ("QP") responsible for the Tuvatu Mine exploration program.

For more information on Lion One including technical reports please visit the Company's website at www.liononemetals.com or the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com.

On behalf of Lion One Metals Limited

"Walter H. Berukoff"

Chief Executive Officer

For further information please contact

Stephen Mann, Managing Director (Perth, Australia) Tel: 604-973-3007

Hamish Greig, Vice President (North Vancouver, BC) Tel: 604-973-3008

Joe Gray, Investor Relations (North Vancouver, BC) Tel: 604-973-3004

Toll Free IR Line (North America) Tel: 1-855-805-1250

Email: info@liononemetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward looking information. Generally, forward-looking information may be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "proposed", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases, or by the use of words or phrases which state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, or might occur or be achieved. This forward-looking information reflects Lion One Metals Limited's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Lion One Metals Limited and on assumptions Lion One Metals Limited believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the actual results of exploration projects being equivalent to or better than estimated results in technical reports, assessment reports, and other geological reports or prior exploration results. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Lion One Metals Limited or its subsidiaries to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: the early stage development of Lion One Metals Limited, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current research and development or operational activities; competition; uncertainty as to patent applications and intellectual property rights; product liability and lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting mining, timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; not realizing on the potential benefits of technology; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals. Although Lion One Metals Limited has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Lion One Metals Limited does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE: Lion One Metals Limited
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Valener Inc. ("Valener") (TSX: VNR)(TSX: VNR.PR.A) and Gaz Metro Limited Partnership ("Gaz Metro") plan to announce their second quarter 2017 results on Thursday, May 11, 2017, at approximately 6:00 a.m. (ET).

A conference call to discuss the firm's results will be held at 11:00 a.m. (ET) and will be open to the public.

Dial-in: 647-788-4922 or toll-free 877-223-4471 Webcast: accessible under "Events and presentations" in the "Investors" section of Valener's web site Replay: A replay of the call will be available for 30 days at 416-621- 4642 or toll-free at 800-585-8367 (access code: 5485664). The webcast will be available for 365 days on Valener's web site.

Overview of Valener

Valener is a widely held public company that serves as the investment vehicle in Gaz Metro. Through its investment in Gaz Metro, Valener offers its shareholders a solid investment in a diversified and largely regulated energy portfolio in Quebec and Vermont. As a strategic partner, Valener, on the one hand, contributes to Gaz Metro's growth, and on the other, invests in wind power production in Quebec alongside Gaz Metro. Valener favours energy sources and uses that are innovative, clean, competitive and profitable. Valener's common and preferred shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the "VNR" symbol for common shares and under the "VNR.PR.A" symbol for Series A preferred shares. www.valener.com

Overview of Gaz Metro

With more than $7 billion in assets, Gaz Metro is a leading energy provider. It is the largest natural gas distribution company in Quebec, where its network of over 10,000 km of underground pipelines serves more than 300 municipalities and more than 205,000 customers. Gaz Metro is also present in Vermont, where it has more than 315,000 customers. There, it operates through its subsidiaries in the electricity production market and the electricity and natural gas distribution market. Gaz Metro is actively involved in developing and operating innovative, promising energy projects, including natural gas as fuel, liquefied natural gas as a replacement for higher emission-producing energies, the production of wind and solar power, and the development of biomethane. Gaz Metro is a major energy sector player that takes the lead in responding to the needs of its customers, regions and municipalities, local organizations, and communities while also satisfying the expectations of its Partners (GMi and Valener) and employees. www.gazmetro.com

Photos, videos (b-roll) and logos are available in Gaz Metro's Multimedia library.

Contacts:

Investors and analysts:

Mariem Elsayed

514-598-3253

investors@valener.com

www.valener.com



Media:

Marie-Christine Demers

514-598-3449

www.twitter.com/gazmetro

www.gazmetro.com/pressroom




Larger enterprise customer opportunities result in best quarterly bookings and revenue in company history

WESTBOROUGH, Massachusetts, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --ExaGrid, a leading provider of next generation disk-based backup storage with data deduplication solutions, today announced record bookings and revenue for Q1 2017. ExaGrid grew double digits over the same quarter of the prior year, continuing its trend of progressive growth at a faster rate than that of the overall market and consistent growth of its market share position. ExaGrid continues to demonstrate success in the enterprise market as evidenced by its posting of a record number of new customer six-figure deals in the current quarter.

"ExaGrid again posted a record quarter as the number of higher-value enterprise deals continues to rise, resulting in a higher ASP," said Bill Andrews, CEO and President of ExaGrid. "We are seeing the larger enterprise customers looking for better performance at a lower cost than the first generation of backup storage solutions can provide, and that's what ExaGrid is uniquely positioned to deliver."

First generation deduplication solutions were either built into a backup application media server or into a scale-up storage appliance. Customers did not truly understand the negative impact of data deduplication on backup until they deployed the first generation of products. The evolving market has resulted in more sophisticated customers who are now ready to understand the impact of ExaGrid's unique approach on the data center.

"Over 70% of ExaGrid's newly acquired customers are replacing first generation deduplication approaches from Dell EMC Data Domain, HP StoreOnce, Commvault Deduplication, and the Veritas 5200/5300 series of appliances. These solutions can be cost prohibitive for backup storage and are also slow for backups, restores, and VM boots," said Andrews.

ExaGrid is the only second generation backup storage vendor that has eliminated the three compute challenges inherent to backup storage with data deduplication. All backup storage vendors reduce storage and bandwidth to varying degrees but provide slow ingest rates because they perform data deduplication 'inline.' In addition, because they only store deduplicated data, restore speeds and VM boots are also very slow. ExaGrid's ingest rate is three times faster - and restores/VM boots are up to ten times faster - than its closest competitor. Unlike the first generation vendors that only add capacity as data grows, ExaGrid appliances add compute with capacity, ensuring that the backup window remains fixed in length. Only ExaGrid uses a scale-out architecture with a unique loading zone, which holistically addresses all of the scalability and performance challenges of backup storage.

In the first quarter of 2017, ExaGrid achieved:

record bookings and revenue

a record number of six-figure new customer opportunities

designation as a Nutanix Elevate partner and inclusion in its Technology Alliance Partner Program

Nutanix Ready certification after having completed all testing and validation

ExaGrid's published customer success stories and enterprise stories number over 300, more than all other vendors in the space combined. These include a two-page narrative and customer quote, demonstrating how satisfied customers are with ExaGrid's unique architectural approach, differentiated product, and unrivalled customer support. Customers consistently state that not only is the product best-in-class, but 'it just works.'

About ExaGrid

Organizations come to us because we are the only company that implemented deduplication in a way that fixed all the challenges of backup storage. ExaGrid's second generation product offers a unique landing zone and scale-out architecture, providing the fastest backup - resulting in the shortest fixed backup window, fastest local restores, fastest offsite tape copies, and instant VM recoveries while permanently fixing the backup window length, all with reduced cost up front and over time. Learn how to take the stress out of backup at www.exagrid.com or connect with us on LinkedIn. See what ExaGrid customers have to say about their own ExaGrid experiences and why they now spend significantly less time on backup.

ExaGrid is a registered trademark of ExaGrid Systems, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective holders.

Media Contact:

Christine Murphy

ExaGrid

cmurphy@exagrid.com

508-898-2872 x248

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/288171/exagrid_logo.jpg
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Appia Energy Corp. (the "Company" or "Appia") (CSE: API)(CSE: API.CN)(OTC PINK: APAAF)(FRANKFURT: A0I.F)(MUNICH: A0I.MU)(BERLIN: A0I.BE) today announced the completion of the first seven holes of its diamond drilling program (the "Program") on its Loranger property (the "Property"), located 28 km southeast of Cameco's Rabbit Lake mill, Athabasca Basin, northern Saskatchewan. A total of 1,461 metres of the planned 2,000 metre Program was completed before the ice-road access to the property was declared unsafe.

Four drill holes (LOR-17-004 to LOR-17-007) were targeted to extend radioactivity and low-grade uranium mineralization encountered at surface and to 100 m vertical depth in historical drill holes completed on Royal Canadian Ventures Grid No.2 area. The drill holes confirmed the presence of multiple lenses of anomalous radioactive pegmatites from near surface (19 m) down to 260 m vertical depth, and extended the limit of known anomalous radioactivity 750 m southwest along strike of historic diamond drilling.

The first three drill holes of the Program (LOR-17-001 to LOR-17-003) targeted a gravity low coincident with an EM-defined very weak conductor. The first two drill holes were completed to their planned depths with the third abandoned due to drilling complications within intense structural disruption. The gravity low area is interpreted to result from intense brittle faulting represented by strong to intense fracturing, brecciation, and local fault gouge development with associated alteration including local zones of complete clay alteration, remobilized hematite, massive chloritization, silicification, desilicification, and pervasive limonite staining. No anomalous radioactivity was intersected in this area. See Figure 1 for drill hole trace locations. Drill hole scintillometer results will be posted on the Company's website.

A handheld RS-125 Gamma-Ray Spectrometer/Scintillometer was used to measure all natural gamma radiation in counts-per-second ("cps") in drill core. The reader is cautioned that Appia uses scintillometer readings only as a preliminary indication of the presence of radioactive materials (uranium, thorium and/or potassium), and that scintillometer results may not be used directly to quantify or qualify uranium concentrations of the rock samples measured. The Company considers all RS-125 readings greater than 300 cps to be anomalous radioactivity.

James Sykes, VP Exploration and Development for Appia commented; "The winter drill program successfully delineated a number of parameters important for continued exploration on the Property; 1) the gravity surveys successfully highlighted intense structural zones with a variety of favourable alteration styles, 2) the airborne VTEM survey defined continuous graphite-rich lithological domains with localized structural disruptions, and 3) drilling confirmed the presence of multiple zones of radioactivity. All of these parameters are important for forming high-grade Athabasca-style uranium deposits".

The Program covered only two of 22 previously identified gravity low targets, over 1.2 km of the 94.0 total km of conductive strike length. The Company remains well-funded and intends to continue diamond drilling gravity targets along EM conductors identified on the Property. The drill remains onsite and will be ready for a quick re-start as soon as the ice break-up permits access to the Property.

All rock samples have been sent to the Saskatchewan Research Council's Geoanalytical Laboratory in Saskatoon for further multi-element analysis, and determination of source(s) and concentrations of radioactive materials. Lab analysis results will be announced when completed and reviewed by the Company.

About Appia

Appia is a Canadian publicly-traded company in the uranium and rare earth sectors. The Company is currently focused on discovering high-grade uranium deposits in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger and Otherside properties, as well as high-grade REO and uranium surface showings on its Alces Lake joint venture. The company currently holds the surface rights to exploration on 63,607 hectares (157,177 acres) in Saskatchewan.

The Company also has NI 43-101 compliant resources of 8.0 M lbs U3O8 and 47.7 M lbs TREE Indicated and 20.1 M lbs U3O8 and 133.2 M lbs TREE Inferred in the Teasdale Zone plus 27.6 M lbs U3O8 Inferred in the Banana Lake Zone in the historic mining camp of Elliot Lake in Ontario (previously reported in the Company's news release dated August 14, 2013). The resources are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip.

Appia currently has 52.3 million common shares outstanding, 65.3 million shares fully diluted.

The technical content concerning the Property in this news release was reviewed and approved by Darcy Hirsekorn, P.Geo, Independent Consultant, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

To view Figure 1, please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/API-Figure1.pdf.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contacts:

Tom Drivas

President, CEO and Director

416-546-2707

416-218-9772 (FAX)

appia@appiaenergy.ca



James Sykes

VP Exploration & Development

306-221-8717

jsykes@uraniumgeologist.com



Darcy Hirsekorn

P.Geo, Independent Consultant

306-384-8084

dhirsek@sasktel.net




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Canada Carbon Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: CCB)(FRANKFURT: U7N1) is pleased to report that the Company has been designated as a development stage mining project by Quebec's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources ("MERN"). The Miller Project is one of 27 development stage projects alongside producing mines shown on the following map: https://tinyurl.com/n55spbe

Canada Carbon Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mr. R. Bruce Duncan remarked, "Canada Carbon is pleased to obtain recognition from MERN for all the work it has put into the Miller Project. The Ministry has determined that we are now a development stage resource project, based on the various engineering and assessment reports demonstrating the potential future viability of the Miller Graphite and Marble Project."

Canada Carbon has established a dedicated page on its website to host final environmental and other assessment reports, which will be updated as new information becomes available. The Miller Project Reports page can be accessed from the website home page, or by opening this link: https://www.canadacarbon.com/miller-project-reports. The Company will provide periodic updates via newspaper ads and flyers delivered to GSLR residents, and will hold further public meetings from time to time as the results of the Project feasibility study are made public and the quarry and mine permit applications are considered.

CANADA CARBON INC.

R. Bruce Duncan, CEO and Director

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).

Contacts:

Canada Carbon Inc.

(604) 685-6375

(604) 909-1163 (FAX)

info@canadacarbon.com

www.canadacarbon.com




TORONTO, July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

First Quantum Minerals Ltd. ('First Quantum' or the 'Company', TSX Symbol 'FM') will publish its second quarter 2017 financial and operating results on Thursday July 27, 2017, following the close of the TSX. The Company's President, Clive Newall, will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the results on Friday July 28, 2017.

Conference call and webcast details are as follows:

Date: July 28, 2017 Time: 9:00 am (EDT); 2:00 pm (BST); 6:00 am (PDT) Webcast: http://www.first-quantum.com Dial in: North America: (toll free) +1-877-291-4570 North America and international: +1-647-788-4919 United Kingdom: (toll free) 0-800-051-7107 Replay: Available from noon (EDT) on July 28 until 11:59 pm (EDT) on August 3, 2017 North America: (toll free) +1-800-585-8367 North America and international: +1-416-621-4642 Passcode: 51930862

Visit our website at http://www.first-quantum.com .

Media Contacts:

North American contact:

Sharon Loung

Director, Investor Relations

Tel: (647) 346-3934

Fax: (604) 688-3818

Toll Free: +1-(888)-688-6577

E-Mail: sharon.loung@fqml.com

United Kingdom contact:

Clive Newall

President

Tel: +44-140-327-3484

Fax: +44-140-327-3494

E-Mail: clive.newall@fqml.com




NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OF SUCH JURISDICTION



THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONTAINS INSIDE INFORMATION



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE



16 June 2017



Recommended Combination



of



Mariana Resources Limited ('Mariana')



and



Sandstorm Gold Ltd ('Sandstorm')



Results of Court Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting, and Annual General Meeting



The Board of Directors of Mariana is pleased to announce that, at the Guernsey Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting held earlier today in connection with the recommended combination of Mariana (AIM/TSXV: MARL) with Sandstorm (TSX: SSL and NYSE MKT: SAND) (the 'Combination'), (which is to be implemented by way of a court-sanctioned scheme of arrangement under Part VIII of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008) (the 'Scheme'), Mariana Shareholders voted to:



 Approve the Scheme by the requisite majorities at the Guernsey Court Meeting;



 Pass the Special Resolution in connection with the approval of the Scheme and the amendment of the Mariana Articles at the Extraordinary General Meeting; and



 Pass the Ordinary Resolution in connection with the implementation of the Retention Arrangements at the Extraordinary General Meeting.



Voting results of the Annual General Meeting



All resolutions proposed at the Annual General Meeting were passed by shareholders.



Details of the resolutions passed at the Guernsey Court Meeting, Extraordinary General Meeting and Annual General Meeting are set out in the notices contained in the scheme document dated 15 May 2017 that was sent to Mariana Shareholders (the 'Scheme Document'), which is available on Mariana's website at www.marianaresources.com and available on SEDAR under Mariana's profile at www.sedar.com.



Voting results of the Guernsey Court Meeting



The resolution proposed at the Guernsey Court Meeting, was decided on a poll. A majority in number of those Scheme Shareholders present and voting, either in person or by proxy, representing approximately 96.3 per cent. in value of all Scheme Shares in respect of which votes were cast, voted in favour of the Scheme. Accordingly, the resolution proposed at the Guernsey Court Meeting was duly passed on a poll vote The voting of those Scheme Shareholders who cast votes either in person or by proxy at the Guernsey Court Meeting was as follows:



+-------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+------------+ | |Number of |Percentage of|Number of |Percentage of |Number of | | |Scheme Shares|Scheme Shares|Scheme |Scheme |Scheme | | |voted |voted |Shareholders |Shareholders |Shares voted| | | | |who voted |who voted |as a | | | | | | |percentage | | | | | | |of issued | | | | | | |ordinary | | | | | | |share | | | | | | |capital | | | | | | |entitled to | | | | | | |vote on the | | | | | | |Scheme | +-------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+------------+ |FOR | 40,984,067| 96.3%| 57| 90.5%| 33.0%| +-------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+------------+ |AGAINST| 1,583,551| 3.7%| 6| 9.5%| 1.3%| +-------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+------------+ |TOTAL | 42,567,618| 100.0%| 63| 100.0%| 34.3%| +-------+-------------+-------------+--------------+--------------+------------+



Voting results of the Extraordinary General Meeting



At the Extraordinary General Meeting, the Special Resolution and the Ordinary Resolution were decided on a poll vote and duly passed. The voting of those Mariana Shareholders who cast votes either in person or by proxy at the Extraordinary General Meeting was as follows:



Special Resolution



+------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | | Number of votes | Percentage of votes | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | FOR | 32,680,763 | 94.9% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | AGAINST | 1,767,969 | 5.1% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | TOTAL | 34,448,732 | 100.0% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | WITHHELD * | 17,094 | | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+



Ordinary Resolution



+------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | | Number of votes | Percentage of votes | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | FOR | 30,431,704 | 94.5% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | AGAINST | 1,767,969 | 5.5% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | TOTAL | 32,199,673 | 100.0% | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+ | WITHHELD * | 2,266,153 | | +------------+-----------------+---------------------+



* A vote withheld is not a vote in law and counts neither 'For' nor 'Against' the Special Resolution or the Ordinary Resolution.



Each of the Scheme and the Special Resolution were approved by a simple majority of the votes cast thereon by the shareholders present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at each of the Guernsey Court Meeting and the Extraordinary General Meeting, respectively, after excluding Mariana shares beneficially owned or over which control or direction is exercised by such persons whose votes were not included in determining minority approval pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ('MI 61-101').



Guernsey Court Hearing



In order to become effective, the Guernsey Court will need to sanction the Scheme at the Guernsey Court Hearing. It is anticipated that the Guernsey Court Hearing will be held on or around 26 June 2017 and that the Scheme will become effective on or around 29 June 2017.



Expected Timetable of Events and Next Steps



Completion of the Combination remains subject to the satisfaction or (if capable of waiver) waiver of the remaining Conditions, including the aforementioned sanction of the Scheme.



The Government of the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire has confirmed that no regulatory consents are required as a result of the Combination.



A full list of the Conditions to the implementation of the Combination is included in the Scheme Document.



Mariana Optionholders and Mariana Warrantholders are reminded that they should also review the letters dated 18 May 2017 sent to them by Mariana regarding the effects of the proposed combination of Mariana and Sandstorm on their options (in the case of Mariana Optionsholders) and Mariana Warrants (in the case of Mariana Warrantholders) and the proposals made to them in relation to such options and Mariana Warrants. Mariana Optionholders and Mariana Warrantholders must, if they wish to take advantage of those proposals, give notice to Mariana by, at the very latest, the Scheme Record Time (being 5.00 p.m. (UK time) on 28 June 2017). Copies of the letters to Mariana Optionholders and Mariana Warrantholders are available at Mariana's website at www.marianaresources.com



It is intended that dealings in Mariana Shares on AIM will be suspended at 7.30 a.m. on 26 June 2017 and that trading on TSXV will halt prior to markets opening in Canada on 26 June 2017. The last day for dealings in, and for registration of transfers in Mariana Shares will therefore be 23 June 2017. If the Guernsey Court sanctions the Scheme it is intended that Sandstorm will procure that Mariana makes an application to cancel the admission to trading of Mariana Shares on AIM, to take effect on or around 30 June 2017, and it is anticipated that the Mariana Shares will be delisted from TSXV as soon as practicable on or after 29 June 2017. The record date for determining the holders of Mariana Shares entitled to receive consideration pursuant to the Scheme, and the record date for calculation of consideration payable, is expected to be 28 June 2017. The Scheme will become effective on or around 29 June 2017. The above dates are indicative only and will depend, among other things, on the dates upon which the Guernsey Court sanctions the Scheme. Mariana will announce any changes to these dates through a Regulatory Information Service.



The expected timetable of remaining principal events is attached as an appendix to this announcement.



Following the results of the passing of the resolutions at the Extraordinary General Meeting, the retention letters between Sandstorm and Glen Parsons and Eric Roth have been completed, details of which were included in the Scheme Document.



Each of the directors of Mariana have also entered into termination agreements with respect to their employment, which terminations are to take effect on the Effective Date of the proposed Combination, on terms that they will each receive accrual fees, payment for notice periods and expenses due under their respective appointment agreements, in each case in compensation for termination of employment and/or loss of office.



It is further anticipated that each of Glen Parsons, John Horsburgh, and Ron Ho may remain Mariana Directors after the Effective Date during the transitional period in order to assist with the continued operation of Mariana on terms to be agreed (in the case of Glen Parsons and, if relevant, in addition to his Retention Arrangement).



All references to time in this announcement are to London time unless otherwise stated. Capitalised terms in this announcement, unless otherwise defined, have the meaning given to them in the Scheme Document.



For more information please contact:



Mariana +61 2 8437 4588 John Horsburgh, Independent Chairman and Non-Executive Director Glen Parsons, CEO Karen Davies, Head of Investor Relations



RFC Ambrian Limited (Financial Adviser to Mariana) +44 (0) 20 3440 6800 Stephen Allen Bhavesh Patel



Raymond James Ltd. (Canadian Financial Adviser to Mariana) +1 416 777 7000 John Willet Craig McDougal



Blytheweigh (PR Adviser to Mariana) +44 (0) 207 138 3224 Tim Blythe Camilla Horsfall Megan Ray



Sandstorm Nolan Watson, President & CEO +1 604 689 0234 Adam Spencer, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development +1 416 238 1152 Denver Harris, Investor Relations +1 604 628 1178



KPMG LLP (Financial Adviser to Sandstorm) +44 (0) 207 311 1000 Helen Roxburgh Michael Nicholson



IMPORTANT NOTICE



RFC Ambrian Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA, is acting exclusively for Mariana and noone else in connection with the Combination and will not be responsible to anyone other than Mariana for providing the protections afforded to clients of RFC Ambrian Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Combination or any other matters referred to in this announcement.



Raymond James Ltd. is acting exclusively as Canadian financial adviser to Mariana and to the Mariana Independent Directors, and noone else in connection with the Combination and will not be responsible to anyone other than Mariana for providing the protections afforded to clients of Raymond James Ltd. nor for providing advice in relation to the Combination or any other matters referred to in this announcement.



KPMG LLP, which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the FCA, is acting exclusively as financial adviser to Sandstorm in relation to the Combination, and is not acting for any other person in relation to such Combination. KPMG LLP will not be responsible to anyone other than Sandstorm for providing the protections afforded to its clients nor for providing advice in relation to the Combination or any other matters referred to in this announcement or otherwise.



Further information



This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer, invitation or the solicitation of an offer to purchase, otherwise acquire, subscribe for, sell or otherwise dispose of any securities, or the solicitation of any vote or approval in any jurisdiction, pursuant to the Combination or otherwise, nor shall there be any sale, issuance or transfer of securities of Mariana in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law. The Combination is being made solely by means of the Scheme Document, which contains the full terms and conditions of the Combination including details of how to vote in respect of the Scheme



Overseas jurisdictions



The availability of the Combination to Mariana Shareholders who are not resident in and citizens of the UK or Guernsey may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located or of which they are citizens. Persons who are not resident in the UK or Guernsey should inform themselves of, and observe, any applicable tax, legal or regulatory requirements of their jurisdictions. Relevant clearances have not been, and will not be, obtained from the securities commission or similar regulatory authority of any province or territory of Canada. Further details in relation to overseas shareholders will be contained in the Scheme Document.



The release, publication or distribution of this announcement in or into jurisdictions other than the UK or Guernsey may be restricted by law and therefore any persons who are subject to the law of any jurisdiction other than the UK or Guernsey should inform themselves about, and observe, any applicable requirements. Any failure to comply with the applicable restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the companies and persons involved in the Combination disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of such restrictions by any person. This announcement has been prepared for the purposes of complying with English law, Guernsey law, certain applicable Canadian securities laws, the AIM Rules, the policies of the TSXV, the rules of the London Stock Exchange and the Code and the information disclosed may not be the same as that which would have been disclosed if this announcement had been prepared in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions outside of England or Guernsey.



Copies of this announcement and the formal documentation relating to the Scheme and the Combination will not be, and must not be, mailed or otherwise forwarded, distributed or sent in, into or from any Restricted Jurisdiction or any jurisdiction where to do so would violate the laws of that jurisdiction.



Notice to US Holders, US Optionholders and US Warrantholders



The Combination and the securities to be issued in connection with the Combination have not been approved or disapproved by the SEC or the securities regulatory authority of any state of the United States, nor has the SEC or any such state securities regulatory authority passed upon the fairness or merits of the Combination or upon the accuracy or adequacy of this announcement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offence. This announcement does not constitute, or form part of, any offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any purchase or transfer of the securities referred to in this document in any jurisdiction in contravention of applicable law or regulation.



The New Sandstorm Shares to be received by Mariana Shareholders in exchange for their Mariana Shares pursuant to the Combination have not been, and will not be, registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any state, district or other jurisdiction of the United States, and such securities are intended to be issued in reliance upon the exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act set forth in Section 3(a)(10) thereof on the basis of the approval of the Guernsey Court, which will be informed of the intention to rely upon such exemption, and similar exemptions under applicable state securities laws.



Following the Combination, Mariana Options and Mariana Warrants will remain outstanding under their terms and any securities issuable upon exercise thereof have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or applicable state securities laws. As a result, Mariana Options and Mariana Warrants may not be exercised in the United States or by or on behalf of a US Optionholder or US Warrantholder, as applicable, nor may any New Sandstorm Shares issued upon such exercise be offered or resold in the United States or to or for the account of such a US holder, except pursuant to the terms of such security and pursuant to a registration statement under the U.S. Securities Act or an exemption from applicable registration requirements or in a transaction not subject to the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.



Information in this announcement or in the documents incorporated by reference herein concerning the properties and operations of Sandstorm and of Mariana has been prepared in accordance with requirements and standards under securities laws, which differ from the requirements of US securities laws. As such, certain information contained in the Announcement, the Scheme Document or in the documents incorporated by reference herein or therein concerning descriptions of mineralization and mineral resources under these standards may not be comparable to similar information made public by US companies subject to reporting and disclosure requirements of the SEC. In addition, the financial information of Mariana and Sandstorm has been prepared in accordance with reporting standards which differs from US GAAP in certain material respects, and thus are not directly comparable to financial statements prepared in accordance with US GAAP.



US Holders should be aware that the Combination described in this announcement may have tax consequences in the United States and should consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular United States tax consequences to them of the Combination in light of their particular situation, as well as any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any other relevant foreign, state, local, or other taxing jurisdiction.



The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the United States federal and state securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that Sandstorm and Mariana are incorporated or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than the United States, that some or all of their officers and directors are and will be residents of countries other than the United States and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of Sandstorm and Mariana are and will be located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for US Holders (including US Optionholders and US Warrantholders) to effect service of process within the United States upon Sandstorm or Mariana, as applicable, or their respective officers or directors or to realize, against them, upon judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon civil liabilities under the federal securities laws of the United States or applicable securities laws of any state within the United States. In addition, US Holders (including US Optionholders and US Warrantholders) should not assume that the courts of Guernsey: (a) would enforce judgments of United States courts obtained in actions against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under the federal securities laws of the United States or applicable securities laws of any state within the United States; or (b) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under the federal securities laws of the United States or applicable securities laws of any state within the United States.



Notice to Canadian Holders



The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the Canadian securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that Mariana is incorporated or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than Canada, that some or all of Sandstorm's and Mariana's officers and directors are and will be residents of countries other than Canada and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of Sandstorm and Mariana are and will be located outside Canada. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for Canadian Holders to effect service of process within Canada upon Mariana or Sandstorm, as applicable, or their respective officers or directors or to realize, against them, upon judgments of courts of Canada predicated upon liabilities under Canadian securities laws. In addition, Canadian Holders should not assume that the courts of Guernsey: (a) would enforce judgments of Canadian courts obtained in actions against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under Canadian securities laws; or (b) would enforce, in original actions, liabilities against such persons predicated upon civil liabilities under the Canadian securities laws.



The New Sandstorm Shares to be issued pursuant to the Combination will be issued in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus requirements of securities legislation in each province of Canada. Subject to certain disclosure and regulatory requirements and to customary restrictions applicable to distributions of shares that constitute 'control distributions', New Sandstorm Shares may be resold in each province and territory in Canada, subject in certain circumstances, to the usual conditions that no unusual effort has been made to prepare the market or to create demand, no extraordinary commission or consideration is paid and, if the selling shareholder is an insider or officer of Sandstorm, such shareholder has no reasonable grounds to believe that Sandstorm is in default of securities legislation.



Canadian Holders should be aware that the Combination described in this announcement may have tax consequences in Canada and should consult their own tax advisors to determine the particular Canadian tax consequences to them of the Combination in light of their particular circumstances, as well as any tax consequences that may arise under the laws of any other relevant foreign, state, local, or other taxing jurisdiction.



Publication on website and SEDAR



In accordance with Rule 26.1 of the Code, a copy of this announcement will be made available, subject to certain restrictions relating to persons resident in Restricted Jurisdictions, on Sandstorm's website at http://www.sandstormgold.com and Mariana's website at http://www.marianaresources.com by no later than 12 noon (London time) on the Business Day following this announcement. For the avoidance of doubt, the contents of these websites are not incorporated by reference and do not form part of this announcement.



This announcement will also be available on SEDAR under Mariana's profile at www.sedar.com.



Requesting hard copy documents



In accordance with Rule 30.3 of the Code, a person so entitled may request a hard copy of this announcement by contacting RFC Ambrian Limited during business hours on +44 (0)203 440 6800 or by submitting a request in writing to RFC Ambrian Limited at Level 5, Condor House, 10 St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AL. For persons who receive a copy of this announcement in electronic form or via a website notification, a hard copy of this announcement will not be sent unless so requested. You may also request that all future documents, announcements and information to be sent to you in relation to the Combination should be in hard copy form.



Advisory



Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.



The issuance of the New Sandstorm Shares, including those issuable on exercise of any Mariana Warrants and the Mariana Options on a post-closing basis, is subject to approval by the TSX and the NYSE MKT.



APPENDIX



EXPECTED TIMETABLE OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS



The following dates are indicative only and are subject to change:((1))



Guernsey Court Hearing 10.00 a.m. on 26 June 2017



Last day of dealings in Mariana 23 June 2017



Shares Dealings in Mariana Shares 7.30 a.m. on 26 June 2017 suspended on AIM



Halt of trading of Mariana Shares on TSXV 26 June 2017



Scheme Record Time 5.00 p.m. on 28 June 2017



Effective Date((2)) on or around 29 June 2017



Delisting of Mariana Shares from TSXV on or around 29 June 2017



Cancellation of admission of Mariana 7.00 a.m. on 30 June 2017 Shares to trading on AIM



Listing of New Sandstorm Shares on TSX Within 14 days of the Effective Date and NYSE



Crediting of the New Sandstorm Shares in Within 14 days of the Effective Date uncertificated form to CDS accounts



Crediting of Sandstorm CDIs in Within 14 days of the Effective Date uncertificated form in CREST



Despatch of definitive share certificates Within 14 days of the Effective Date for New Sandstorm Shares in certificated form



Latest date for despatch of cheques and Within 14 days of the Effective Date crediting of CREST and CDS accounts for cash consideration due under the Scheme



Long Stop Date((3)) 31 August 2017



(1) These dates are indicative only and will depend, among other things, on the date upon which the Guernsey Court sanctions the Scheme. Mariana will announce any changes to these dates through a Regulatory Information Service.



(2) A copy of the order of the Guernsey Court which sanctions the Scheme must be filed with the Guernsey Registry within seven (7) days of the Guernsey Court Hearing. The Scheme will become Effective at the time that the court order of the Guernsey Court is filed with the Guernsey Registry which is expected to be on or around 29 June 2017.



(3) This is the latest date by which the Scheme may become Effective unless Mariana and Sandstorm agree, and the Panel and, if required, the Guernsey Court, permits, a later date.



(4) All references in this document to times are to London time unless otherwise stated.



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: Mariana Resources Ltd via GlobeNewswire



BD3GC32R29



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de


WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A globally competitive U.S. corporate income tax rate of 20 percent would have kept 4,700 companies in the United States from 2004 to 2016, a study conducted by a Washington lobby group, which represents large US companies, has found.



An economic outlook survey carried out by the Business Roundtable on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) also found that a 20 percent rate would have led to U.S. companies acquiring $1,205 billion in cross-border assets during 2004-2016.



Instead, the outdated tax code contributed to the United States losing $510 billion in business assets to foreign companies.



The analysis, conducted by the accounting firm EY, further reported that the rate of foreign acquisitions of U.S. companies has accelerated over the past three years.



From 2004 through 2013, 18 percent of cross-border M&A transactions were carried out by U.S. companies. From 2014 through 2016, the U.S. acquisition rate decreased to 16 percent



The study, 'Buying and Selling: Cross-border mergers and acquisitions and the U.S. corporate income tax,' expanded on a 2015 EY analysis of how the U.S. tax code affects M&A. It examines the M&A market, considering the effects of different statutory corporate tax rates on more than 97,000 global M&A transactions across 68 countries.



Another key finding is that the high corporate income tax hinders foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States. With a 20 percent U.S. corporate income tax rate, inward FDI would have been an estimated $195 billion more in 2004-2016.



'The U.S. tax system continues to represent a serious disadvantage to U.S.-based companies and this country's economy,' said Mark A. Weinberger, Global Chairman and CEO of EY.



The United States is losing business headquarters along with good-paying jobs, assets and innovation because of its outdated, anti-competitive tax code, according to him.



The report suggests that large US companies remain upbeat on hiring and capital spending, due in part to continued confidence that Washington will enact tax reform.



President Donald Trump last month had unveiled a big tax package that aims to simplify the complex U.S. tax code and cut taxes for the middle class and businesses.



Trump called for bipartisan support from members of Congress when they come back from recess to pass a comprehensive measure to overhaul the tax code, the details of which are expected to be released later this month.



Trump has pushed to reduce the corporate rate to 15 per cent from 35 per cent.



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Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Anthony Levandowski, the head of Uber's self-driving division, is stepping away from his role as Uber continues a legal battle with Waymo, Levandowski's former employer. Levandowski, who founded startup Otto, became head of Uber's Advanced Technologies Group or ATG after Otto was acquired by Uber in August 2016. Waymo, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, has accused Levandowski of stealing more than 14,000 confidential documents related to its lidar systems during his tenure at Waymo, and for using the technology in Otto's and later Uber's own autonomous vehicle programs. Waymo filed a lawsuit against Uber and Levandowski in February. In an internal email to Uber staff, Levandowski said that Eric Meyhofer will now be head of ATG, reporting to CEO Travis Kalanick. Levandowski will report to Meyhofer, who joined Uber from Carnegie Robotics prior to Uber's acquisition of Otto. Levandowski added that he and Kalanick decided he will be recused from all LiDAR-related work and management at Uber, through the remainder of the Waymo litigation. 'But making this organizational change means I will have absolutely no oversight over or input into our LiDAR work. Going forward, please make sure not to include me in meetings or email threads related to LiDAR, or ask me for advice on the topic,' Levandowski said in the email. The move comes just as the court is set to decide whether to issue a preliminary injunction that could prevent Levandowski from working on Uber's self-driving unit during the lawsuit or even make Uber cease its LiDAR development efforts. 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.
SAN DIEGO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 05/02/17 -- Bixby Land Company has signed a new lease at The Oberlin, a redesigned three-building office campus geared toward technology companies and progressive-minded firms in San Diego's Sorrento Mesa submarket. Verimatrix, a specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for digital TV services, will occupy approximately 21,000 square feet in a two-story building at 5897 Oberlin Drive. Lease terms were not disclosed.

Bixby Land Company was represented in the transaction by Mike Hoeck and Ryan Egli of CBRE, while the tenant was represented by David Marino of Hughes Marino.

The lease follows an imaginative renovation by Bixby that added significant improvements to the project, including major upgrades to the building elevations, sleek aluminum louvres, new window glazing, and a bright signage plan that heightens building identity. Tenant interiors were completely redone, some featuring the creative use of mezzanine space that adds a high-volume atrium element to work areas.

Bixby designed the project with a series of rollup doors, providing free flow circulation to the temperate San Diego climate and two Bixby Retreat outdoor living rooms and amenities areas. Eco-friendly landscaping, upgraded lobbies and elevators, new roofs and mechanical equipment, and an out building for bicycle storage complete the renovation.

"Our strategy was to deliver a dynamic, inviting office campus setting with the flexibility to accommodate multi-tenant users in a single building or a single user for one or more buildings," said Aaron Hill, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Bixby Land Company.

Focusing on the lifestyle needs of today's work force defines Bixby's office redevelopment philosophy. The firm has redesigned over thirty buildings since 2010 in major markets throughout California and in downtown Portland, Ore., where Bixby is in design on a two-building project set to be completed later this year.

About Bixby Land Company

Bixby Land Company is a leading commercial real estate operator and investment manager with a portfolio of office, industrial and R&D properties of approximately $1 billion. The company is active in the development of office and R&D properties in select Western U.S. markets, and invests in core industrial properties. Bixby Land Company, a privately-held REIT with an integrated operating platform backed by a veteran management team. For more than 120 years, Bixby Land Company has been committed to adding value for its investors and shareholders. www.bixbyland.com.

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Nicole Inal

714-263-8731

nicole@ideahall.com



Randy Hall

714-263-8723

randy@ideahall.com




WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Department of State has warned U.S. citizens against all non-essential travel to Pakistan. Consular services provided by the American Embassy in Islamabad, the Consulate General in Karachi, and the Consulate General in Lahore are often limited due to the security environment. At this time, the Consulate General in Peshawar is not providing consular services, the State Department said in a s Travel Warning update Wednesday. It warned that throughout Pakistan, foreign and indigenous terrorist groups continue to pose a danger to U.S. citizens. 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.
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014. With the publication of this announcement via a Regulatory Information Service ("RIS"), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

12 April 2017

Karelian Diamond Resources plc (the "Company")

CAPITAL RAISING

TOTAL VOTING RIGHTS

Placing to raise 775,000 (914,500)

 Placing of 172,222,220 new ordinary shares at 0.45 pence per share together with 57,407,408 warrants to raise 775,000 (914,500) before expenses and issue of 22,222,223 Broker Warrants

 Proceeds of the placing to be applied to fund the advancement of the Company's principal diamond opportunities and in particular the Lahtojoki Diamond Project, its exploration at Riihivaara and for working capital

Karelian Diamond Resources plc (AIM: KDR, ESM: KDRI), the diamond exploration company focused on Finland, is pleased to announce that it has conditionally raised 775,000 (ca.915,000), prior to expenses, through a placing (the "Placing") of 172,222,220 ordinary shares of 0.00001 in the capital of the Company (the "Placing Shares") and 57,407,408 warrants all at an exercise price of 0.80 pence per warrant (the "Warrants"), together the "Placing Units", at a price of 0.45 pence per Placing Unit (the "Placing Price").

The Placing is conditional, inter alia, on admission of the Placing Shares to trading on AIM and the Enterprise Securities Market operated by the Irish Stock Exchange Limited ("ESM"). The Placing Shares will rank pari passu with the existing issued ordinary shares of 0.00001 in the capital of the Company ("Ordinary Shares").

The Warrants can be exercised at any time from admission of the Placing Shares to the second anniversary of the anticipated admission of the Placing Shares, being 28 April 2019.

Following the recent discovery of a diamond in a till sample, the Company intends to use the proceeds of the Placing to fund the further advancement of the Company's principal diamond opportunities and in particular the recently acquired Lahtojoki Diamond Project, its exploration at Riihivaara where the Company has discovered a potential new diamond source and for working capital generally.

As part of the Placing, certain of the Directors have subscribed for an aggregate of 38,888,880 Placing Units, consisting of 38,888,880 Placing Shares and 12,962,960 Warrants. The Directors' participation in the Placing and their resultant shareholding following admission of the Placing Shares to trading ("Admission") is as follows:







Director



Placing participation Placing Shares subscribed for



Resultant Shareholding Percentage interest in the enlarged issued share capital



Warrants received  No. No. No. Professor Richard Conroy*

125,000

27,777,770

119,583,938

20.46

9,259,257 Maureen Jones 27,500 6,111,110 13,221,985 2.26 2,037,037 James P. Jones 22,500 5,000,000 9,481,539 1.62 1,666,666 175,000 38,888,880 142,287,462 24.34 12,962,960

* Of the 119,583,938 Ordinary Shares beneficially held by Professor Richard Conroy, 30,815,030 are held by Conroy Plc a company in which Professor Conroy has a controlling interest.

The participation of Professor Richard Conroy, Maureen Jones and James P Jones in the Placing is a related party transaction pursuant to Rule 13 of the AIM Rules for Companies. The independent directors of the Company (being Seamus FitzPatrick, Louis Maguire, and Sor?a Conroy), having consulted with the Company's Nominated Adviser and ESM adviser, consider the terms of the Placing to be fair and reasonable insofar as the Shareholders are concerned.

Application has been made to AIM and ESM for the Placing Shares to be admitted to trading. It is expected that admission will become effective on 28 April 2017.

Following the issue of the Placing Shares, and for the purposes of the Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Company's total issued share capital on Admission will consist of 584,451,698 Ordinary Shares.

The above figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company, under the Disclosure and Transparency Rules.

In conjunction with the Placing the Company is issuing 22,222,223 Broker Warrants, also exercisable at 0.80 pence per warrant until 28 April 2019, to Beaufort Securities.

Professor Richard Conroy, Chairman, Karelian Diamond Resources plc commented:

"This placing, with the promise of more to come via the warrants, will allow us to do follow-up work on our diamond discovery in Kuhmo, an extremely rare and positive event. It will also allow us to do further work at the Lahtojoki diamond deposit where we have a Mining Permit, as well as on the Riihivaara Kimberlite Body, which we discovered. With the funds raised we now look to build on these successes."

Further Information :

Professor Richard Conroy, Chairman, Karelian Diamond Resources plc Tel: +353-1-661-8958 Virginia Bull/James Thomas/Nick Harriss, Allenby Capital Limited (Nomad) Tel: +44-20-3328-5656 Ger Heffernan/Jan Fitzell, IBI Corporate Finance Limited (ESM Adviser) Tel: +353-7662-34800 Jon Belliss/Elliot Hance, Beaufort Securities Limited (Broker) Tel: +44-20-7382-8300 Michael Padley, Lothbury Financial Services Limited Tel: +44-20-3290-0707 Don Hall, Hall Communications Tel: +353-1-660-9377

http://www.kareliandiamondresources.com

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No 596/2014. The information set out below is provided in accordance with the requirements of Article 19(3) of that Regulation.

1 Detailsofthepersondischargingmanagerialresponsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Professor Richard Thomas Walter Lawrence Conroy 2 Reasonforthenotification a) Position/status Director of the Company b) Initialnotification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Karelian Diamond Resources plc b) LEI N/A 4 Detailsofthetransaction(s): section toberepeatedfor (i) eachtypeof instrument;(ii)eachtypeoftransaction; (iii) eachdate; and (iv)eachplace where transactions havebeenconducted a) Descriptionof the financial instrument,typeof instrument



Ordinary Shares of 0.00001 each ("Ordinary Shares") Identificationcode ISIN for Karelian Diamond Resources plc Ordinary Shares:

IE00B01ZSK94 b) Natureofthetransaction Purchase of shares via a placing c) Price(s)andvolume(s) Price - 0.45 pence per ordinary share

Volume - 27,777,770 Ordinary Shares d) Aggregated information

- Aggregated volume

- Price N/A e) Date of the transaction 28 April 2017 f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue

1 Detailsofthepersondischargingmanagerialresponsibilities/person closely associated a) Name Maureen Theresa Anne Jones 2 Reasonforthenotification a) Position/status Director of the Company b) Initialnotification/Amendment Initial notification 3 Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor a) Name Karelian Diamond Resources plc b) LEI N/A 4 Detailsofthetransaction(s): section toberepeatedfor (i) eachtypeof instrument;(ii)eachtypeoftransaction; (iii) eachdate; and (iv)eachplace where transactions havebeenconducted a) Descriptionof the financial instrument,typeof instrument



Ordinary Shares of 0.00001 each ("Ordinary Shares") Identificationcode ISIN for Karelian Diamond Resources plc Ordinary Shares:

IE00B01ZSK94 b) Natureofthetransaction Purchase of shares via a placing c) Price(s)andvolume(s) Price - 0.45 pence per ordinary share

Volume - 6,111,110 Ordinary Shares d) Aggregated information

- Aggregated volume

- Price N/A e) Date of the transaction 28 April 2017 f) Place of the transaction Outside a trading venue
Full Suite of Technology Solutions Showcased in Montreux, Switzerland April 25-27

PRINCETON, New Jersey, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Systech International, a global technology leader in brand protection solutions, is proud to feature the company's full array of technology solutions at LogiPharma, the largest global event for supply chain leaders from top pharmaceutical companies. Systech will feature its serialization, traceability, and authentication solutions at Booth #1 from April 25-27, 2017 at the Montreux Music and Convention Center in Switzerland.

In the areas of serialization and traceability, Systech's solutions are founded on a 30-year history of vision and inspection, with widespread use by the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The company's serialization solutions provide full regulatory compliance on any packaging line, anywhere in the world. Systech's UniSeries' solutions are deployed on nearly 1,600 packaging lines globally, meet all regulatory standards, and provide better visibility to supply chain integrity. Systech's traceability solution UniTrace' provides the most secure supply chain available, and works with all major serialization solutions. The technology enables end-to-end tracking from point of manufacture to point of dispensation via an intuitive, web-based interface-enabling complete visibility to maintain patient safety.

Systech's UniSecure' is an innovative authentication solution that helps companies protect patients, reduce losses incurred from counterfeiting and gray market diversion, and maintain their brand image. Using existing barcodes or QR codes, UniSecure captures the printed image to create a unique fingerprint, stored in the cloud for verification anytime, anywhere. Authentication is performed via a smartphone app and the item is quickly verified as authentic or suspect. More cost-effective and easier to implement than additive methods like RFID, holograms or foil, UniSecure provides manufacturers and patients with immediate verification of product safety.

At the event, attendees can conduct live authentication tests of the UniSecure product, discuss how to serialize to meet FMD deadlines and how to deploy a cloud-based track & trace solution to secure their supply chain. Systech representatives are available for scheduled meetings via: sales@systechone.com.

About Systech International

Systech, a global leader in product verification and brand protection, is re-defining the future of authentication. As the innovator of serialization, Systech is trusted by top pharmaceutical companies worldwide to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk, ensure supply chain integrity, and drive efficiency. Beyond compliance, the company is leading the charge to protect global brands-for consumer packaged goods, food & beverage, health & beauty, pharmaceutical, and contract manufacturing companies. Its best practices and award-winning technologies are guiding Product and Brand Protection Officers in their quest to improve patient/consumer safety, increase engagement, decrease counterfeiting, avoid diversion, and reduce harm to coveted brands. For more information visit www.systechone.com.

SYSTECH CONTACT

Erin Dunkel

Vice President, Marketing

+1 (610) 761-8960

Erin.Dunkel@systechone.com

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Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Belarus Country Report Issue 4, 2017" country profile to their offering.

This is going to be a tough year for Belarus. The economy is still in recession and should be growing modestly, but pressure from Russia due to a row over energy subsidies means it is not.

The immediate crisis with Russia maybe receding after president Alexander Lukashenko met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg on April 6. Following the meeting the Kremlin said the substantive parts of the disagreement had been solved, although it remains to be seen if Belarus will pay more for its gas. However, as Putin's goal was to bring Minsk back into its sphere of influence and given Lukashenko probably burned up all the good will he had accumulated with the EU following an authoritarian crackdown on country-wide protests a week earlier, it seems that Putin will gain his immediate goal.

With some $3bn of debt to repay this year and only $4.2bn in the bank Belarus is in a financial corner. The IMF have offered a $3bn standby program, but Minsk is reluctant to make the required reforms. The Eurasian Economic Union crisis fund has a $2bn program in place but has only paid out $800mn so far.

Key Topics Covered:

1.0 Executive summary

2.0 Politics

3.0 Macro Economy

4.0 Real Economy

5.0 External Sector Trade

6.0 Public Sector

7.0 FX

8.0 Financial capital markets

9.0 Industry Sectors

For more information about this country profile visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lswsgq/belarus_country

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005825/en/

Contacts:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

Related Topics: Country Reports
According to the latest market study released by Technavio, the global commercial ice cream freezers marketis expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 9% during the forecast period.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005281/en/

Technavio announces the release of their 'Commercial Ice Cream Freezers Market 2017-2021' report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

This research report titled 'Global Commercial Ice Cream Freezers Market 2017-2021' provides an in-depth analysis of the market in terms of revenue and emerging market trends. This report also includes an up to date analysis and forecasts for various market segments and all geographical regions.

According to Manu Gupta, a lead analyst at Technavio for foodresearch, "Consumers in the global market look for commercial ice cream freezers with multiple features that provide benefits such as portability, enhanced durability, and energy efficiency. The manufacturers of commercial ice cream freezers have analyzed the requirements of the end-users for different categories and have launched product lines with add-on features."

Request a sample report: https://www.technavio.com/request-a-sample?report=57281

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report including the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

The market research analysis categorizes the global commercial ice cream freezers market into three major product segments:

Display

Storage

Hardening

Display

The display units are segmented into ice cream dipping cabinets, gelato dipping cabinets, and glass top display freezers. The manufacturers in the market are providing ice cream dipping cabinets that help the end-users in showcasing the frozen items. The ice cream dipping cabinets that are provided by the manufacturers like Beverage-Air, Excellence, Master-Bilt, Nor-Lake, True Refrigeration, and Turbo Air Refrigeration have the capacity to hold hand-dipped novelties or ice creams. The glass top provided in the ice cream dipping cabinets allows the customers to view the different food offerings given by the end-users.

Storage

Storage units are further segmented into commercial chest freezers and drop-in freezers. Most of the end-users like convenience stores, ice cream parlors, restaurants, and supermarkets prefer commercial chest freezers for storing bulk food items like ice creams. Many manufacturers are providing commercial chest freezers that have a compact, single door design and thick wall insulation that helps in keeping the product frozen and at food-safe temperatures.

"Vendors are employing advanced material and processing technologies to offer high-performance and comfort-enhancing designs," adds Manu.

Hardening

The hardening unit, also known as ice cream hardening cabinets, help in freezing the frozen desserts. Ice cream hardening cabinets help in storing ice cream from the time the ice cream has been prepared, which keeps the ice cream fresh. Manufacturers of ice cream hardening cabinets are also providing different features such as top-mounted compressors that help in sucking up the dirt and debris from the floor of the kitchen or creamery. These advancements and innovations in the products will lead to an increase in demand for ice cream hardening cabinets during the forecast period.

The top vendors highlighted by Technavio's food and beveragemarket research analysts in this report are:

Beverage-Air

Middleby Celfrost

Master-Bilt

True Manufacturing

Browse Related Reports:

Global Commercial Blast Chillers Market 2016-2020

Global Plasma Freezer Market 2017-2021

Global Refrigerated Cabinet Market 2016-2020

Become a Technavio Insights member and access all three of these reports for a fraction of their original cost. As a Technavio Insights member, you will have immediate access to new reports as they're published in addition to all 6,000+ existing reports covering segments like food servicenon-alcoholic beverages, and alcoholic beverages. This subscription nets you thousands in savings, while staying connected to Technavio's constant transforming research library, helping you make informed business decisions more efficiently.

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. The company develops over 2000 pieces of research every year, covering more than 500 technologies across 80 countries. Technavio has about 300 analysts globally who specialize in customized consulting and business research assignments across the latest leading edge technologies.

Technavio analysts employ primary as well as secondary research techniques to ascertain the size and vendor landscape in a range of markets. Analysts obtain information using a combination of bottom-up and top-down approaches, besides using in-house market modeling tools and proprietary databases. They corroborate this data with the data obtained from various market participants and stakeholders across the value chain, including vendors, service providers, distributors, re-sellers, and end-users.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412005281/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.technavio.com
BRIDGEWATER, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Silver Spruce Resources Inc. (The "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SSE)(FRANKFURT: S6Q) has engaged the FronTier Merchant Capital Group to provide investor relations and marketing services through their media partners in order to increase market exposure.

FronTier is a highly experienced and recognized investor relations group headquartered in Toronto with additional offices and IR representatives across Canada and the United States, and provides comprehensive IR and media marketing solutions to small and mid-cap companies seeking to create market awareness. FronTier will assist the company by utilizing a number of financial market communications initiatives, including facilitating in-person introductions for the company with institutional and retail brokers in Toronto and other financial capitals, and through Media distribution on National TV, radio, and multiple online channels.

The investor relations agreement has a 12-month term and a monthly fee of $6,250 (plus HST) for the term. The Company has also issued 300,000 stock options to FronTier at an exercise price of 8 cents, vesting in equal quarterly installments over 12 months and expiring two years from the date of grant. FronTier and its related companies currently own a total of 1,430,000 common shares of Silver Spruce Resources Inc and 875,000 common share warrants.

About Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

Silver Spruce Resources Inc. is a well-positioned Canadian junior exploration company pursuing development of the Kay Mine volcanogenic massive sulfide project in Arizona, USA, and the Pino De Plata and the Encino De Oro epithermal silver/ base metal/ gold projects, located in the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental region of western Chihuahua State in Mexico. Silver Spruce also retains a portfolio of uranium and rare earth element properties in Labrador.

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. The company seeks Safe Harbour.

Contacts:

Silver Spruce Resources Inc.

Karl Boltz

President & CEO, Director

(866) 641-3397

info@silverspruceresources.com

www.silverspruceresources.com






WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Legendary director and producer Roger Corman will be honored with the Master of Horror award at the inaugural Overlook Film Festival.



The Master of Horror Award was established to honor a living legend who has contributed lasting innovations to the genre of horror films throughout a long career, inspiring new filmmakers for years to come. The veteran filmmaker has made more than 300 feature films, earning him the nickname the 'Godfather of Independent Film.'



37 films (20 features and 17 short films) from 16 countries will be screened at the inaugural edition of the Overlook Film Festival, to be held from April 24 to April 30 in Mount Hood, Oregon.



The organizers offer to treat audience members with 'an unmissable secret screening' on closing night of the festival.



The centerpiece presentation of the Film Festival is William Oldroyd's Lady Macbeth, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was a Sundance Film Festival Official Selection. The festival's Opening Night film and additional surprises will be announced later this week.



In addition to films and special guests, the Overlook Film Festival is packed with genre-themed parties, interactive events, and live presentations. The festival's signature live event is a weekend long immersive horror game. Other live experiences include sessions of extreme haunt sensation Blackout to Glass Eye Pix's Tales from Beyond the Pale, a live-audio drama featuring all new work written and directed by horror impresarios Glenn McQuaid and Larry Fessenden.



'It's an incredibly exciting time and we're really proud of the lineup!,' said Festival Co-Director Michael Lerman.



Another Festival co-director Landon Zakheim termed it as a community for horror film fans to celebrate horror in all of its forms.



Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de
DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - April 12, 2017) - O.penVAPE, the world's largest cannabis consumer brand, will now be known as Organa Brands. After developing O.penVAPE, Bakked, and Organa Labs into world-class brands with nationwide distribution, the company acquired The Magic Buzz, and entered into a joint venture to form District Edibles. Organa Brands now offers the largest cannabis distribution network in North America, serving over 1,200 dispensaries in 10 states.

The Denver-based company currently owns, operates or licenses its products in 10 states, producing a dizzying array of 63 THC-infused products. The house of brands features products in the highest performing verticals of the legal cannabis industry, including personal vaporizer pens, prefilled cannabis oil cartridges, distillate concentrates, drinks, and edibles.

Chris Driessen, Organa Brands President, said "the formation of Organa Brands formalizes a shift in our corporate strategy to become a house of brands." Driessen went on to say that "Early on, O.penVAPE paved the way for our success and allowed us to build a formidable distribution network, while capturing vast market share in multiple verticals. We have now shifted our focus internally on process improvement and product formulation as we continue to expand at a staggering rate. We now have five brands under the Organa Brands umbrella, featuring a balance of recreational and medical offerings- selling one of these products every ten seconds in the United States."

Organa Brands is the parent company to five distinct brands:

Organa Labs' was the first company created and is the extraction and refinement technology inside all Organa Brands products. Organa Labs is a true connoisseur of the harvest, establishing relationships with the best growers and geneticists. Organa Labs uses a proprietary, supercritical CO2 extraction process to manufacture cannabis oil in regulated cannabis markets. Organa Labs certified oil is packaged, marketed, and sold under the Organa Brands name.

O.penVAPE' has gained an international reputation as the best-in-class cannabis vaporizer brand. Known for the quality of its cartridges, cutting edge consumption technology, huge distribution network, and philanthropic outreach, O.penVAPE has won multiple awards for its products, branding, and marketing campaigns.

The Magic Buzz' manufactures functionally-enhanced cannabis drinks that come in indica, sativa and hybrid dominances, providing the user with energy, relaxation, or simply a good night's sleep.

Bakked' focuses on innovating scientific processes in order to produce cannabis oil reaching levels of up to 98% potency. These products are packaged and marketed to the experienced cannabis user. Bakked is noted for its flagship product, The Dabaratus, which offers a clean, one-click solution for dabbing.

District Edibles' offers cannabis infused gummy edibles in a wide range of flavors. The consistency in dosing allows for safe and accurate consumption while giving consumers a perfectly flavored gummy candy for medical or recreational applications.



About Organa Brands:



Organa Brands brings its scientific research, operating protocols, and core value practices to its licensees so the company can operate as a collective whole, committed to the ideology of the cannabis plant. Organa Brands invests in science, research, and technology so consumers can enthusiastically embrace the freedom to enjoy cannabis. With products in more than 1,200 dispensaries nationwide and ancillary products distributed in eleven countries, Organa Brands has established itself as the global leader within the cannabis industry. Organa Brands enjoys a mutually beneficial relationship with its network of affiliates who are licensed to manufacture and sell O.penVAPE, Magic Buzz, Organa Labs, District Edibles, and Bakked branded infused cannabis products and accessories. Licensees in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont employ Organa Labs technology and processes to manufacture cannabis oil through supercritical CO2 extraction. Now, medical marijuana patients and cannabis enthusiasts have broader access to pure, balanced, and consistent products.

Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2017/4/12/11G135744/Images/orga0412-353eeaab95018208a2cbcbcd290df4e2.jpg

MEDIA CONTACT

Jackson D. Tilley

Email contact



970-518-6452
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Data Comm, the NextGen technology that enhances safety and reduces delays by improving the way air traffic controllers and pilots talk to each other, is now live at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The new technology supplements radio voice communication, enabling controllers and pilots to transmit important information such as clearances, revised flight plans and advisories with the touch of a button. Tuesday, members of the media toured the Minneapolis-St. Paul air traffic control towerand a Delta Airlines jet to see Data Comm in action. Representatives from the FAA, Delta Airlines, the Metropolitan Airports Commission, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists were on hand. Inside the tower, controllers enter flight departure clearance instructions into a computer and push a button to electronically send the information to an aircraft's flight deck. Flight crews read the information, press a button to confirm receipt, and press another button to enter the instructions into the aircraft's flight management system. This process saves valuable time, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. ("Naturally Splendid") or ("NSE") (FRANKFURT: 50N) (TSX VENTURE: NSP) (OTCQB: NSPDF) is pleased to announce it is featured in the inaugural issue of the Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine that was launched today, April 12th, 2017.

The Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine and Naturally Splendid invite all cannabis and industrial hemp investors, analysts, entrepreneurs, as well as the financial media to subscribe at www.cannainvestormag.ca. The April 2017 magazine issue will be the first issue of a monthly series and will be available in digital and print forms. The digital version of the magazine will be complimentary and can be viewed by visiting www.cannainvestormag.ca.

Managing Editor of the Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine, Louis Kyron states, "Greetings and a warm welcome to our inaugural issue of the Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine. We couldn't be more excited to bring our magazine to cannabis investors, analysts, entrepreneurs and the financial media. The main purpose of our magazine is to highlight publicly-traded and privately-held industry companies. CANNAINVESTOR Magazine is a source for data, information and research that is essential for investors to make informed investment decisions. We are most pleased to be featuring Naturally Splendid in our inaugural issue. Our objective is to keep our followers informed and assist in the research and analysis of this emerging market."

Naturally Splendid CEO Dave Eto states, "We are delighted to be part of the inaugural launch of the Canadian CANNAINVESTOR Magazine as creating awareness and educating investors is an important part of any growing Industry. The CANNAINVESTOR Magazine benefits companies such as Naturally Splendid by heightening our profile, especially at this time with Canada's evolving cannabis and hemp regulations. We look forward to working with the CANNAINVESTOR team as we work towards being an industry leader."

About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd.

Naturally Splendid is a multifaceted biotechnology company that is developing, producing, commercializing, and licensing an entirely new generation of plant-derived, bioactive ingredients, nutrient dense foods, and related products. Naturally Splendid is building an expanding portfolio of patents (issued and pending) and proprietary intellectual property focused on the commercial uses of industrial hemp and non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds in a broad spectrum of applications.

Naturally Splendid currently has six innovative divisions: (1) Natera brand of retail hemp superfood products currently distributed throughout North America and Asia; (2) Chi Hemp Industries Incorporated (Chii) is selling natural and organic hemp products through e-commerce (3) PawsitiveFX brand of pet care products; (4) NateraIngredients Division of plant-derived bulk ingredients including patent-pending HempOmega; (5) The 12,000-square-foot POS / BPC Facility - which is managed for Naturally Splendid by POS Bio-Sciences - is positioned to offer commercial-scale custom processing solutions for biological materials, such as functional foods and natural health ingredients to a wide range of clients (6) Naturally Splendid USA offers NateraCBD brand of retail hemp based cannabinoid nutraceutical and cosmeceutical products and NateraSkincare brand of retail hemp based cosmeceutical products. Naturally Splendid's advanced technologies, industry expertise, and strategic partners allow for the creation of customized solutions with a consistent focus on quality and sustainability.

For more information e-mail info@naturallysplendid.com or call Investor Relations at 604-673-9573.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Mr. Dave Eto, CEO, Director

Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Naturally Splendid cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Naturally Splendid's control including, the Naturally Splendid's ability to compete with large food and beverage companies; Canature will be successful in development a pet food product line incorporating HempOmega; sales of any potential products developed will be profitable; sales of shelled hemp seed will continue at existing rates or increase; the ability to complete the sales of all bulk hemp seed purchase orders; and the risk that any of the potential applications may not receive all required regulatory or legal approval. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Naturally Splendid undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Contacts:

Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd.

Office: (604) 465-0548

Fax: (604) 465-1128

E-mail: info@naturallysplendid.com

Website: www.naturallysplendid.com




LAVAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Urbanimmersive Inc. ("Urbanimmersive", "UI" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: UI)(OTC PINK: UBMRF), a real estate content marketing platform, is pleased to announce the signing of a 5 year affiliate program agreement with GraphicID, a real estate photography agency in Quebec for the use of Urbanimmersive's visual content marketplace ("Centris Marketplace")("Marketplace" ) for 100% of their real estate customer business transactions. All customer business transactions taking place on the platform will grow Urbanimmersive's top-line revenue and the Marketplace will then take a transaction fee in line with its current pricing model on each transaction generated through its platform. The real estate division of GraphicID generated an average of $250,000 annually for the last three fiscal years.

GraphicID, formerly known has OBEO QUEBEC, is serving home builders, residential and commercial real estate agents in Quebec. GraphicID has performed an estimated 100,000 photo shoots since its inception in 2003 and has extensive knowledge of the residential and commercial real estate visual content industry. GraphicID becomes the first photography agency to join Urbanimmersive Marketplace's Affiliate Program.

"Our Affiliate Program is a key strategy to accelerate our near and long term growth. Having such a renowned photography agency is a clear indication that we have the right vision for growth. As the Marketplace is now gaining traction since its recent official launch, we believe our Affiliated Program has the potential to interest other photographers and visual content agencies to actively participate," stated Ghislain Lemire, CEO Urbanimmersive.

The Affiliate Program is offered to visual content providers ready to use Urbanimmersive's Marketplace for 100% of their business transactions. The program provides real estate photography agencies and photographers an increased marketing visibility in the Centris Marketplace while enabling to effectively manage their internal operations and account receivables.

The Affiliate Program offers a white label ordering interface, presenting only services offered by the agency or by other Marketplace's content providers selected by the agency. It also provides a dashboard to manage bookings and payments from incoming customers phone calls, emails and SMS. As part of the Affiliate Program, visual content providers become Urbanimmersive resellers of the Company's internal products and services.

" We believe Centris Marketplace with Urbanimmersive's Affiliate Program offer a ton of advantages for helping our visual content agencies to be more productive and increase our revenues while better serving our customers," said Isabelle Tremblay, President of GraphicID. "The amazing and the special part of the Marketplace is the broad range of services and tools available. With our team of professionals and committed photographers - There will be no need to go any place else." added Isabelle Tremblay.

About Urbanimmersive

Urbanimmersive is a content marketing platform for the real estate industry. The Company connects real estate professionals, photographers and writers in order to simplify and optimize original content production workflow. Urbanimmersive enables its customers to leverage their marketing investment while increasing productivity, competitiveness, their web visibility, consumer engagement with their brand and ultimately, their revenue.

The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties. Such statements relating to, among other things, the prospects for the company to enhance operating results, are necessarily subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant in scope and nature. These uncertainties may cause actual results to differ from information contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of the management on the dates they are made and expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management estimates or opinions change. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other assumptions and risk factors, please refer to the last Corporation's MD&A filed with the Canadian securities commissions. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent our expectations as of the date hereof. We disclaim any intention and assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Urbanimmersive Inc.

Ghislain Lemire

President & CEO

514-394-7820 X 202

ghislainlemire@urbanimmersive.com

www.urbanimmersive.com



For investor relations, please contact:

Contact Financial Corp.

Frederick Chabot

438-863-7071

frederick@contactfinancial.com




E-commerce is a booming industry, with USD 1.61 trillion in sales globally in 2016 according to Infiniti Research. With consumers increasingly shopping online through desktops and mobile devices, having a solid e-commerce software solution is an essential part of running a competitive business. E-commerce software is therefore one of the fastest-growing verticals in the overall enterprise applications software market, offering end-to-end solutions to e-commerce companies.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412006072/en/

Infiniti Research helps companies identify new market opportunities. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Infiniti Research recently completed an assessment of the global e-commerce market with a focus on Asia-Pacific. The firm evaluated the market shares of key competitors, and offered an in-depth analysis of the current market scenario, market segmentation, and key accounts in order to assist the client in developing an effective growth strategy.

View the studyfor more information

Market Trends

With the rising volume of data collected during every customer interaction, as well as high expectations for quick and convenient shopping experiences, online retailers are turning to artificial intelligence to improve their e-commerce solutions. AI can improve aspects such as image searches and recommendations, making it easier for consumers to find what they are looking for and more likely to complete a purchase. It can also provide chatbots to provide immediate customer service, and on the retailer's end, help analyze and make use of all the data collected from site visitors.

Request a brochure to see how Infiniti's market insights can help you

Market Opportunities

Technology advances and changes at a rapid pace, bringing advantages and efficiencies that were previously unavailable. It is important to keep up with these changes, both as potential market opportunities and as ways to improve your business processes. Market Intelligence can keep you informed on the latest developments, identifying new markets and monitoring the activities of the competition. It enables you to make business decisions with confidence.

In its recent evaluation of the e-commerce software market, Infiniti Research's experienced market landscape assessment team worked with a leading software technology company to identify the key revenue-generating segments in the e-commerce software market and offered actionable insights specific to the current market trends, product offerings, and awareness towards new and upcoming technologies. Infiniti Research provided the client with a better understanding of the market, helping them develop an effective strategy for future growth.

Have questions about this study? Request more information on this report

About Infiniti Research

Established in 2003, Infiniti Research is a leading market intelligence company providing smart solutions to address your business challenges. Infiniti Research studies markets in more than 100 countries to help analyze competitive activity, see beyond market disruptions, and develop intelligent business strategies.

With 13 years of experience and offices across three continents, Infiniti Research has been instrumental in providing a complete range of competitive intelligence, strategy, and research services for over 550 companies across the globe.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170412006072/en/

Contacts:

Infiniti Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 630 333 9501

UK: +44 208 123 1770

www.infinitiresearch.com

Contact Us
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Worldwide Marijuana Inc. (CSE: WWM)(CSE: WWM.CN) the "Company" or "Worldwide") is pleased to announce the appointment of a new management team to spearhead the recapitalization and reorganization of the Company.

Incoming directors and officer appointments effective April 10, 2017 are as follows:

-- President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) - Mr. Robert van Santen, CPA, CA, CMT -- Chief Financial Officer (CFO) - Ms. Annie Storey, CPA, CA

Mr. Robert Marsh, former President and CEO of the Company, has resigned his executive appointments but will remain as a director to provide guidance and continuity to the new management team. The directors of the Company are therefore Rob van Santen, Annie Storey, and Bob Marsh.

The immediate objective is to bring the Company's required filings up to date under National Instrument 51-102 of the Canadian Securities Administrators, which includes the audited annual financial statements with accompanying MD&A and Officer Certificates as at and for the years ended October 31, 2015 and 2016. After completion of these filings, the Company will re-apply to meet all the initial listing requirements of the Canadian Securities Exchange by way of a new Listing Application as a Life Sciences Issuer.

Mr. van Santen has over 30 years of investment industry and financing experience, providing financial and intellectual capital to both private business and the public markets. He began his career in 1986 as an Investment Advisor with Burns Fry (now BMO Nesbitt Burns), was recognized as "Broker of the Year" in 1994, and left the industry as a Senior VP to establish family-controlled venture capital, merchant, and investment banking operations. Mr. van Santen is currently Managing Director of Agilis Capital Corp., CIO at Westland Capital Advisors S.A., and Chairman and CEO of Valens GroWorks Corp., a publicly-traded cannabis-focused company integrating an end-to-end global "plants to premium products" bioscience platform. Rob holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in organizational behavior from Concordia University, Chartered Accountant, Chartered Professional Accountant, and Chartered Market Technician's designations, as well as certifications that include the Canadian Securities Institute's CSC (Honours), CPC (Honours), PDO and the OLC.

Ms. Storey brings over 25 years of diverse financial reporting and management experience, including seventeen years in public practice in the areas of audit, accounting, and quality control with national (MNP) and international (KPMG) financial consulting and advisory firms. As a public company audit partner, she navigated complex regulatory environments to meet cross-border reporting requirements. Ms. Storey holds Chartered Accountant and Chartered Professional Accountant designations, has held teaching positions with the BCIT and the CA School of Business, and CFO and director positions with several publicly traded companies. Ms. Storey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Simon Fraser University with majors in finance and international business, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of B.C.'s Practice Review & Licensing Committee, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants' Practitioners' Technical Advisory Committee, and regularly participates on boards of non-profit organizations.

"I welcome this opportunity to join Bob and Annie on the Board, and to apply corporate reorganization experience and connections to assist in the resurrection of Worldwide Marijuana. The rapidly growing medical-marijuana industry offers considerable opportunities for consolidation, with specific knowhow and solid operational experience in short supply." said Rob van Santen, incoming CEO. "With the talent and operational experience available within my growing network, our objective is to bring together a team that can capitalize on the myriad of timely opportunities the end of prohibition offers."

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

WORLDWIDE MARIJUANA INC.

(signed) "Robert van Santen"

Chief Executive Officer

Cautionary statements

This press release contains forward-looking information based on current expectations. Statements about the Company's expectations are all forward-looking information. These statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by such statements. Worldwide Marijuana assumes no responsibility to update or revise forward-looking information to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor.

Contacts:

Greg Patchell

Telephone: +1.250.860.8634




VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- On April 7, 2017, the B.C. Securities Commission applied to the Supreme Court of British Columbia for an order appointing Grant Thornton Limited as a Receiver, to distribute to investors, certain funds of Bossteam E-Commerce Inc., Yan Zhu (a.k.a. Rachel Zhu), and Guan Qiang Zhang. The Court granted the order and Grant Thornton Limited will now administer a claims process to return funds to investors.

The Commission issued freeze orders against certain bank accounts that collectively held USD $9,725,899 and CAD $293,233. That money remains frozen. The BCSC also registered a charge on land Zhu owned and has collected approximately $122,810 from the sale of that land.

In August 2014, a Commission panel found that Bossteam, Zhu, and Zhang committed fraud, illegally distributed securities, and withheld information from BCSC investigators. In June 2015, the Panel issued sanctions against the respondents, including monetary orders and prohibitions against participating in the capital markets.

As the Receiver, Grant Thornton Limited will take possession of the frozen funds, receive and decide investors' claims, and return money to investors.

The Commission encourages investors who lost money to Bossteam, Zhu, and Zhang to submit their Proof of Claim to Grant Thornton Limited. Information on how to submit a Proof of Claim, as well as a copy of the Court order and other relevant documents, are available on the website: www.bossteamclaims.com.

About the British Columbia Securities Commission (www.bcsc.bc.ca)

The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering:

-- A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence -- A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital

Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org.

Chinese version available: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/BCSC412c.pdf

Contacts:

Media Contact:

Alison Walker

604-899-6713



Public inquiries:

604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free)

inquiries@bcsc.bc.ca




TOULOUSE, France, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

New technologies and business models to shape the future of aviation

Five teams compete for the crown of most innovative and a 30,000 prize

Airbus has shortlisted the five finalist student teams competing in the fifth edition of the Fly Your Ideas challenge. The radical concepts selected cover a wide range of innovations going from an alternative to satellite imagery, to improved aircraft taxiing, clever ways of boarding, new areas for luggage storage or offering a new business model using existing Airbus aircraft.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/489648/Airbus.jpg )



Representing nine different nationalities and eight universities across Africa, Europe and Asia-Pacific, the five finalist teams embody true diversity, which is a key driver of innovation and performance. The students, competing for a 30,000 prize, also demonstrate a wide variety of disciplines from Natural Sciences to Engineering and Business.

Their inventive ideas were selected from over 350 entries in Airbus' biennial global student competition, run in partnership with UNESCO. Students' ideas had to answer one of five challenges identified by Airbus to provide sustainable future solutions. The innovations proposed by the five finalist teams look at alternative business models, passengers' experience and flight operations.

The five finalist teams - from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Nigeria and the UK - will soon travel to Toulouse, France, where they will spend a week at the Airbus ProtoSpace facility to prototype, test and visualise their ideas using state-of-the-art equipment with personal guidance from Airbus. At the end of their week at Airbus, the students will present their innovative projects and the newly developed prototype in front of Airbus experts and personalities from the aerospace and academic world.

The ideas competing for the final prize are:

Airborne Earth Observation -Team SkyVision, University of Surrey, UK

A radical concept that turns a commercial airliner into an 'Earth Observation Device' by installing equipment into the belly of the aircraft to monitor ground activity during flight. An alternative to satellite imagery, it opens up new opportunities such as ecology analysis and urban planning.

Improving Airport Taxi Flow and Efficiency - Team Nevada, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

An airport taxiing system that uses sensors and algorithms for automated Ground Traffic Control, both in the tower and on the aircraft, to significantly improve aircraft traffic at airports and thus reduce emissions.

Compact Luggage Strategy Mobile App - Team PassEx, Institut d'Administration des Entreprises - IAE Toulouse, France

A revolutionary boarding system that uses a real-time mobile app to assign boarding status to passengers according to their luggage size. The Compact Luggage Strategy (CLS) addresses current storage issues in over-head compartments by distributing passengers across the aircraft according to the size of their baggage.

Private Stowage Compartment - Team DAELead, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

A clever aircraft cabin design that locates a Private Stowage Compartment (PSC) underneath passengers' feet, utilizing the space between the cabin floor and the cargo ceiling.

A400M Aerial Firefighting Platform - Team Aquarius, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia

A fire-fighting solution that incorporates modular systems using pressurized fire retardant containers fixed to fast-loadable pallets for a network of Airbus A400M aircraft, to create a system of aerial firefighting platforms that can be used for rapid wildfire suppression.

The winning team will receive a 30,000 prize with the runner-up team receiving 15,000 at a live event taking place on 17th May in Toulouse.

Airbus launched Fly Your Ideas in 2008 with the aim of engaging with universities and students worldwide and from all backgrounds to: stimulate innovative ideas for a sustainable aviation industry and identify opportunities for R&T development and/or interaction with academic research teams. The challenge received UNESCO patronage in 2012 with a renewed partnership in 2014 and 2016.

For more details and information on the finalists, please visit http://www.airbus-fyi.com.

Dominic Sproston / Tel: +40-726-924-227
AMSTERDAM, LONDON and NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Elliott notes with concern that Akzo Nobel stated the following in its press release of this morning:

"The view of the Supervisory Board is that the removal of Mr. Burgmans would be irresponsible, disproportionate, damaging and not in the best interest of the Company, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Thereforethe proposed agenda item to remove Mr. Burgmans will be rejected."

Elliott views Akzo Nobel's position rejecting the agenda item as inexplicable. Shareholders have a legal right under Dutch law to put a proposal to dismiss Mr. Burgmans onto the EGM agenda. To the extent that Akzo Nobel refuses to put this item onto the EGM agenda, Elliott intends to use its recourse to the Dutch Courts, including the Enterprise Chamber.

About Elliott

Elliott Management Corporation was founded in 1977 and has one of the longest track records of any private investment fund manager operating today. Employing a multi-strategy trading approach, the firm manages approximately USD 32 billion in two funds for a range of investors, including pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, funds-of-funds, high net worth individuals and families, and employees of the firm. Elliott Management, which is headquartered in New York, has approximately 400 employees worldwide, with offices in the U.S., London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The firm's principal objective is to generate a return which is as high as is consistent with a goal of minimizing losses during adverse financial market periods.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 04/12/17 -- Osisko Mining Inc. (TSX: OSK) ("Osisko" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has identified a site (the "Site") covering approximately four square kilometres for the potential construction of a mill complex that would process mineralized material from the Windfall Lake deposit. The Site is located near an existing industrial property (the former Domtar Corporation pulp and paper mill) in Lebel-sur-Quevillon, Quebec. A location map of the Site is provided at www.osiskomining.com.

Osisko intends to evaluate the Site location through the environmental assessment process and in the preparation of a feasibility study for the Windfall Lake gold project. The Site is located 11 kilometres from Lebel-sur-Quevillon and 103 kilometres via existing all-weather gravel road networks from the Windfall Lake deposit, and is adjacent to a Hydro-Quebec electric substation and a water pumping station. The Site is located on Crown land immediately southeast of the municipal limit of Lebel-sur-Quevillon. Osisko holds the mineral exploration titles under the Site.

As part of the ongoing evaluation of the Windfall Lake deposit, Osisko plans to file the Project Description with the federal government (Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) and the Project Notice with the Quebec government (Ministere du Developpement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques) in the coming week.

Subject to the results of the full environmental assessment and feasibility study to be completed, the Corporation believes advantages of this Site over construction at Windfall Lake include:

-- limiting Windfall Lake infrastructure to mining activity, greatly reducing the environmental footprint; -- access to existing grid power and the Hydro-Quebec electrical substation at the Site, eliminating the construction cost of a 103 kilometre power line to Windfall Lake and the corresponding environmental permitting along the power corridor; -- access to the existing water pumping station near the adjacent dormant pulp and paper mill, which has ample capacity for the needs of a potential gold milling complex; -- access to the regional work force centered at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, reducing the need for a large construction and operations camp at Windfall Lake, as well as a reduced rotational work force; -- cost savings on transportation and construction/operations logistics from existing rail and road access to Lebel-sur-Quevillon, which is expected to offset the cost of transportation of mineralized material from the mine over the existing 103 kilometres of road networks; and -- the location of the Site positively affecting the economics of gold deposits within trucking distance of Lebel-sur-Quevillon.

John Burzynski, President and CEO of Osisko commented: "Identifying this site near Lebel-sur-Quevillon dynamically changes the way we are evaluating the potential infrastructure for Windfall, including the mill complex, personnel accommodations, administration buildings and tailings management facility. Lebel-sur-Quevillon appears to have many strong advantages over Windfall and we believe the potential savings to both capex and opex would be significant."

The Corporation is currently evaluating the Windfall Lake gold project as a potential underground mining operation. Osisko is well-funded with approximately $190 million in cash and equity investments, and is carrying out an intensive definition drilling and large-scale exploration campaign on Windfall and the surrounding area. An updated NI 43-101 resource estimate on the Windfall Lake project is planned for release in the second half of 2017. Osisko has commenced collection of environmental baseline data in the vicinity of Windfall and intends to collect additional data along the potential haul road and around the proposed Site.

The Quevillon exploration property acquisitions and agreement recently announced (see Osisko press releases dated March 6, 2017 and March 15, 2017) include approximately thirty known gold showings as well as the Osborne-Bell gold deposit, which is located 32 kilometres northwest of the proposed Site. The Osborne-Bell deposit has been the object of significant historical drilling over the past fifteen years, and will be the focus of new drilling and resource re-evaluation by Osisko in 2017.

Mr. Burzynski continued: "Over the past 14 years, the Osisko team has always been innovative. The world-class Canadian Malartic mine was discovered, defined, financed, built and put in production, from first drill hole to first gold pour, in a little over six years, a remarkable achievement for our team. We are highly encouraged by the potential at Windfall and the potential of the region. With the possibility of centralizing a new milling complex at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, we believe we may be opening up the region to a new generation of Quebec mines, and at the same time securing Osisko's position as a new Canadian intermediate mining house."

About Osisko Mining Inc.

Osisko is a mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious metal resource properties in Canada. Osisko holds a 100% in the high-grade Windfall Lake gold deposit located between Val-d'Or and Chibougamau in Quebec and holds a 100% undivided interest in a large area of claims in the surrounding Urban Barry and Lebel-sur-Quevillon areas, a 100% interest in the Marban project located in the heart of Quebec's prolific Abitibi gold mining district, and properties in Ontario, including the Jonpol and Garrcon deposits on the Garrison property. Osisko continues to be well financed with approximately $190 million in cash and investments. Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (OR:TSX / NYSE) is a significant shareholder of the Corporation with approximately 14% ownership.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as "expects", or "does not expect", "is expected", "interpreted", "management's view", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "budget", "scheduled", "forecasts", "estimates", "believes" or "intends" or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results "may" or "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. This forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions and estimates of management of the Corporation, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Osisko to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks relating to the feasibility of the Site as a potential mill complex to process mineralized material (if any) from the Windfall Lake gold deposit; the timing and ability to evaluate, if at all, the Site location through the

environmental assessment process and to prepare, if at all, feasibility studies for the Windfall Lake gold project; the Site being located on Crown land; the timing and ability, if at all, to file the Project Description with the federal government (Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency) and the Project Notice with the provincial government (Ministere du Developpement durable, de l'Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques); the advantages, if any, of the Site over construction at Windfall Lake (including, limiting infrastructure at Windfall Lake to mining activities, greatly reducing the environmental footprint; access to existing grid power and the Hydro-Quebec electrical substation at the Site, eliminating the construction cost of a 103 kilometre power line to Windfall Lake and the corresponding environmental disturbance along the power corridor; access to the existing water pumping station near the adjacent dormant pulp and paper mill; the existing water pumping station having capacity for the needs of a potential gold milling complex; access to the regional work force centered at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, reducing the need for a large construction and operations camp at Windfall Lake, as well as a reduced rotational work force; cost savings on transportation and construction/operations logistics from existing rail and road access to Lebel-sur-Quevillon, which would offset the cost of transportation of mineralized material from the mine over the existing 103 kilometres of road networks; and the location of the Site

positively affecting the economics of gold deposits within trucking distance of Lebel-sur-Quevillon); advantages of Lebel-sur-Quevillon including potential significant savings to capex and opex; the feasibility of underground mining operations at the Windfall Lake gold project; the intensive definition drilling and large-scale exploration campaign at the Windfall Lake gold project and surrounding area; the timing and ability if at all, to prepare a technical report in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects in respect of a resource estimate on the Windfall Lake gold project; the use of environmental baseline data; the potential of the Site to be a future mill complex, administration center and tailings management facility for the Windfall Lake project; the feasibility of ore to be trucked from the deposit to the mill complex, including the use of the existing road network with minimal upgrading; the ability of this initiative to positively affect the economics of gold deposits within trucking distance of the proposed Site; the Osborne-Bell gold deposit being the focus of new drilling and resource re-evaluation by Osisko in 2017; the ability of the Corporation to complete the exploration property acquisitions announced on March 6, 2017 and March 15, 2017; the timing and ability, if at all, of Osisko to acquire ownership over the additional package in the Lebel-sur-Quevillon area of Quebec; potential of the new milling complex at Lebel-sur-Quevillon, to open up the region to a generation of new Quebec mines; the ability of the Osisko team to repeat prior successes with the Windfall Lake gold project; Osisko's position as a new Canadian intermediate mining house; the regional land package of Osisko comprising the Quevillon Project; the Quevillon Project being a high-potential gold target in the immediate area of the historical Osborne-Bell deposit; the ability of Osisko to complete further exploration activities; the ability of the Corporation to obtain required approvals and complete transactions on terms announced; the results of exploration activities; risks relating to mining activities; the global economic climate; metal prices; dilution; environmental risks; and community and non-governmental actions.

Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, Osisko cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Corporation that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither Osisko nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. Osisko does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. This news release has been translated into French. Any discrepancies between the English and French versions of this news release, including in this "Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information", shall be resolved in favour of the English version.

Contacts:

John Burzynski

President & Chief Executive Officer

(416) 363-8653




Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - April 12, 2017) - ChroMedX Corp. (CSE: CHX) (OTC: MNLIF) (FSE: EIY2) (the "Company"), developer of the HemoPalm Handheld Blood Analyzer System, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Brian William Cameron and John P. Ormston to the Company's advisory board.

"We are very pleased to strengthen our advisory board with the appointment of John Ormston and Dr. Cameron. Dr. Cameron's practical experience and John's legal expertise adds diversity to our knowledge base that will be very important as the Company moves into the next development phase," said Ash Kaushal, President & CEO, ChroMedX Corp.

John P. Ormston earned his Bachelor of Law degree from University of Western Ontario in 1993 and Bachelor of Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in 1989. Mr. Ormston has extensive trial experience in a wide variety of commercial matters, including shareholder disputes, breach of contract, economic torts as well as extensive employment law experience acting for both employers and employees. He is a member of the Advocates' Society and is a past Chair of the Board of Governors of Wilfrid Laurier University. John is a former litigation partner from Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP and current partner at Ormston List Frawley LLP that specializes in corporate, securities, and commercial litigation/employment law in the technology, Junior resource and finance sectors.

"I am excited to join ChroMedX and play a part in providing a practical user perspective. I think the analysis the HemoPalm offers now is only scratching the surface and I look forward to advising the Company in expanding its use and application," said Dr. Brian Cameron.

Dr. Brian W. Cameron BSc. MD. CCFP has over 30 of years experience in family practice, hospitalist and long term care medicine. Dr. Cameron earned his Doctorate of Medicine from University of Calgary in 1982 and Bachelor of Science with Honors in Biology and Neurophysiology in 1978. Brian currently provides family medicine in Burlington, Ontario and is active in teaching medical students through McMaster University Medical School.

About ChroMedX Corp.



ChroMedX Corp. is a medical technology company focused on the development of novel medical devices for in vitro diagnostics and point-of-care testing. The devices are protected by the Company's issued and pending patents, dealing with blood collection, analysis and plasma/serum processing.

The HemoPalm Handheld Blood Analyzer System is the only handheld blood analysis technology which combines Blood Gases & Electrolytes with full CO-oximetry. Currently this combination is not available on any of the handheld analyzers on the market. Existing technologies require users to purchase a second device to carry out the CO-oximetry. The Company's technology has the advantage of being able to offer a single handheld blood analyzer that provides all the required tests for Blood Gases & Electrolytes, with full CO-oximetry and bilirubin. Another competitive advantage of the HemoPalm system will be its ability to draw capillary blood directly from a pin-prick site into the cartridge, providing an alternative to arterial blood. Drawing arterial blood is painful and can cause nerve damage. CO-oximetry is the measurement of five different hemoglobin species in blood.

The global market for Blood Gases & Electrolytes was estimated to be 1.5 Billion $US in 2015 and is projected to reach over 1.8 Billion by 2020.

Website: www.chromedx.com

Contact:

Investor Relations

Office. 647-872-9982 ext. 2

TF. 1-844-247-6633 ext. 2

investor.relations@chromedx.com

NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATIONS SERVICES PROVIDER HAVE REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement

Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com
LONDON, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Blockchain pioneer nChain announces the appointment of Bitcoin Foundation Executive Director Jon Matonis as its new Vice President of Corporate Strategy. In this position, Matonis will support nChain's business growth by developing commercial relationships, and evaluating opportunities for strategic investments and acquisitions.

Jon Matonis is widely recognised as a leading Bitcoin researcher and is a non-executive board director for several notable companies in the space. Since 2012, his technology and security writings have appeared in publications such as Forbes, CoinDesk, Bitcoin Magazine, American Banker, and PaymentsSource.

Jon is also a founding director for the Bitcoin Foundation which served as the industry's first nonprofit trade association originally chartered to provide financial compensation for voluntary protocol code developers and to promote the vision of Bitcoin worldwide. His career has also included senior roles with Sumitomo Bank, VISA International, VeriSign, and Hushmail.

Additionally, Matonis created the first and leading general price index for Bitcoin known as the Bitcoin Price Index (BPI), hosted the largest ever Bitcoin/blockchain conference to date in Amsterdam during 2014, and enlisted seven regional chapter offices to the Bitcoin Foundation from countries such as France, Germany, and Bangladesh.

Arthur Davis, Director of nChain Holdings Limited, comments:

"Jon was immediately attractive to nChain. During his notable career, he has consistently led the integration of financial services and cryptography. His work has included foreign currency trading for Visa International, financial platform sales for RSA's VeriSign - securing its first $5 million in revenue - and end-to-end encrypted messaging for Hush Communications where as CEO he recruited PGP's Phil Zimmermann as Hushmail's Chief Cryptographer.

"Jon's philosophy for the Bitcoin protocol and network is fully in line with nChain's vision of on-chain scalability with decentralisation, advanced native scripting for the construction of smart contracts, and a dedicated move away from monolithic software.

"We are excited to have Jon's deep industry experience on our team, and look forward to working with him to achieve our vision for the Bitcoin blockchain."

Bitcoin is the dominant value transfer protocol. The collective computing power directed to its network is now 3.7 exahashes-per-second and growing, making the Bitcoin blockchain best suited to directly enable and facilitate nChain's transformative vision.

In accepting the new management team position, Matonis comments:

"The resources and funding in place at nChain provide a unique opportunity to reshape the existing landscape of Bitcoin protocol influencers. It is imperative that we move towards a status quo where the actual protocol standard is separated from its primary reference implementation, similar to the existing architecture of the Linux kernel and its low-level abstraction layer."

In line with this view, nChain advocates for the formation of a neutral standards organisation to coordinate and manage the Bitcoin protocol and technical standards which in the long-term will result in a more robust software design and a flourishing of compatible implementations.

Matonis adds:

"The gradual elimination of trusted third parties from our economic and legal infrastructures belies a serious and unprecedented reorganisation of many legacy social structures. The winners will be those select individuals and entities that finally liberate themselves from the current centralising, rent-seeking chokepoints. I am excited to work with nChain to support growth of the blockchain ecosystem for everyone's benefit."

The quality and breadth of relationships that Matonis brings to nChain allow the company to quickly ascertain and exploit available market opportunities, and to assist its business partners to get up to speed rapidly on the design and implementation of disruptive solutions that challenge the traditional gatekeepers.

In his role with nChain, Matonis will also continue providing thought leadership on blockchain technology. In 2011, Matonis was named Person of the Year by Digital Gold Currency Magazine and in 2015 he was appointed to the Editorial Board for cryptocurrency and blockchain technology journal Ledger. Currently, he is noted on the lists for both the Top 100 Fintech Influencers and the Top 100 Blockchain Insiders in the Crypto Sphere. For more information on Matonis, listen to his recent Virgin Podcast.

ABOUT NCHAIN:

nChain is the global leader in research and development of blockchain technologies - a distributed, decentralised ledger that chronologically records transactionsin an immutable way. The nChain group of companies has grown to a team of in excess of 60 world-class scientific research, engineering and other professionals primarily based in London, United Kingdom and Vancouver, Canada.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/506541/nChain_Jon_Matonis.jpg

Logo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/489689/nChain_Logo.jpg

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jon-matonis-joins-blockchain-pioneer-nchain-as-vice-president-of-corporate-strategy-300449170.html
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / May 10, 2017 / Monarca Minerals Inc. (TSXV: MMN) ("Monarca" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the first tranche of its previous announced non-brokered private placement financing (the "Financing"). Under the Financing, Monarca issued 13,232,182 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.13 per Unit for gross proceeds of $1,720,183. Each Unit was comprised of one Common Share and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one Common Share at a price of $0.18 per share for a period of 36 months from the date of issuance. The Company may raise additional proceeds under the Financing and complete one or more closings.

The Units are subject to a four-month hold period expiring on September 10, 2017. The Company paid cash finder's fees of $89,903 and issued 691,563 finder warrants in connection with the Financing. Each finder warrant is exercisable for one Common Share at a price of $0.13 per share for a period of 36 months.

Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation which is beneficially owned by him, acquired 3,077,000 Units pursuant to the Financing for total consideration of $400,010. As a result of the Financing, Mr. Sprott is the beneficial owner of 3,077,000 Common Shares and 3,077,000 Warrants representing approximately 7.2% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a non-diluted basis and 13.5% on a partially-diluted basis. The above percentages are calculated based on 42,527,321 Common Shares issued and outstanding after giving effect to the Financing. Prior to the Financing, Mr. Sprott did not own any securities of the Company.

The Units were acquired by Mr. Sprott through 2176423 Ontario Ltd. for investment purposes. Mr. Sprott has a long-term view of the investment and may acquire additional securities of the Company either on the open market or through private acquisitions or sell securities of the Company either on the open market or through private dispositions in the future depending on market conditions, reformulation of plans and/or other relevant factors. A copy of 2176423 Ontario Ltd.'s early warning report will appear on the Company's profile on SEDAR and may also be obtained by calling (416) 362-7172 (200 Bay Street, Suite 2600, Royal Bank Plaza, South Tower, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2J2).

The information in the preceding two paragraphs was provided to Monarca on behalf of Mr. Sprott.

Consolidation Completed

Effective on May 5, 2017, the Company completed the previously announced consolidation of its Common Shares on a one-for-five basis and the Common Share commenced trading on the TSXV on a consolidated basis.

A letter of transmittal will be sent by mail to shareholders instructing shareholders to surrender the certificates evidencing their Common Shares for replacement certificates representing the number of Common Shares to which they are entitled as a result of the consolidation. Until surrendered, each certificate will be deemed for all purposes to represent the number of Common Shares to which the holder thereof is entitled as a result of the consolidation.

About Monarca Minerals Inc.

Monarca is a Canadian company focusing on the exploration and development of silver projects along a highly productive mineralized belt in Mexico. The Company has a portfolio of silver projects including a mineral resource of 27.8 million ounces of silver (19.8 million tonnes at 45.0 g/t Ag) at its Tejamen deposit.

For further information, please contact:

Allan Folk

Interim Chief Executive Officer

Monarca Minerals Inc.

E: Afolk.bb@gmail.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Forward-Looking Statements:

The above contains forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include: changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, costs and supply of materials relevant to the mining industry, change in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release include statements regarding future exploration programs, operation plans, geological interpretations, mineral tenure issues and mineral recovery processes. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward looking statements are reasonable, results may vary, and we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

SOURCE: Monarca Minerals Inc.
ST. PETER PORT, GUERNSEY -- (Marketwired) -- 08/31/17 -- Avnel Gold Mining Limited (TSX: AVK) ("Avnel") is pleased to announce that it has received the requisite shareholder approvals in respect of the previously announced proposed acquisition of Avnel by Endeavour Mining Corporation ("Endeavour") to be implemented by way of a scheme of arrangement pursuant to Part VIII of the Companies (Guernsey) Law, 2008 (as amended) (the "Scheme"). The shareholder approvals were obtained at the following meetings, held today: (i) a meeting of holders of ordinary shares of Avnel subject to the Scheme ("Scheme Shares") convened by order of the Royal Court of Guernsey (the "Court Meeting") and (ii) an extraordinary general meeting of holders of ordinary shares of Avnel (the "Extraordinary General Meeting", and together with the Court Meeting, the "Meetings"). Pursuant to the Scheme, holders of Scheme Shares will receive, for each Scheme Share held, 0.0187 ordinary shares in the capital of Endeavour.

At the Court Meeting, a resolution approving the Scheme was passed by the majority in number of holders of record of Scheme Shares who were entitled to vote and who were present and voted, whether in person or by proxy, and who represented more than 75% in value of the Scheme Shares voted by those holders of Scheme Shares. The results of the ballot were 99.37% of Scheme Shares voted at the meeting and 88.89% of holders of record of Scheme Shares voted at the meeting being cast in favour of the Scheme.

At the Extraordinary General Meeting, a special resolution approving and implementing the Scheme and certain amendments to the memorandum and articles of incorporation of Avnel (the "General Meeting Resolution") was passed by the holders of record of ordinary shares of Avnel, present in person or by proxy, representing more than 75% of the votes cast. The results of the ballot were 100% of ordinary shares voted at the meeting being cast in favour of the General Meeting Resolution.

Completion of the Scheme remains subject to certain conditions, including sanction by the Royal Court of Guernsey. The sanction court hearing is currently scheduled to be held at 10:00 a.m. (Guernsey time) on September 14, 2017. If the sanction order is granted and all other conditions precedent to the Scheme are satisfied or waived, Avnel expects that the Scheme will be completed on September 18, 2017.

If the Royal Court of Guernsey sanctions the Scheme, it is intended that trading in Avnel shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") will be halted at the close of trading on September 15, 2017. The record time for the calculation of the consideration to be received by holders of Avnel shares is expected to be 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on September 15, 2017. It is anticipated that Avnel will be delisted from the TSX at the close of trading on September 18, 2017. The above dates are indicative only and will depend on, among other things, the date upon which the Royal Court of Guernsey sanctions the Scheme.

The results of the matters considered at the Meetings are reported in the Report of Voting Results filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) on August 31, 2017.

ABOUT AVNEL

Avnel Gold is a TSX-listed gold mining, exploration and development company with operations in southwestern Mali in West Africa. Avnel's focus is to develop its 80%-owned Kalana Main Project from a small underground mine into a low-cost, high-grade, open pit mining operation. Avnel is also advancing exploration on several nearby satellite deposits on the 387 km2 30-year Kalana Exploitation Permit.

FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the expected timing of the Scheme, the ability of Endeavour and Avnel to satisfy the other conditions to, and to complete, the Scheme and the expected halting of trading and delisting of the ordinary shares of Avnel. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including the future plans and objectives of Endeavour and Avnel, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties.

There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Avnel's expectations include, among others, risks regarding the gold mining industry, economic factors, risks related to completion of the Scheme, the possibility that the proposed Scheme will not be consummated within the anticipated time period or at all, including as a result of regulatory, market or other factors, the risk that the necessary court approval will not be obtained in connection with the Scheme, and many other factors beyond the control of Avnel, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Avnel's management proxy circular dated July 24, 2017, which is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Although Avnel has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Contacts:

Howard B. Miller

Chairman and CEO

+44 207 589 9082

howard@hbmiller.co.uk



Ian McDonald

Vice-President, Corporate Development

+1 647 407 2515

imcdonald@avnelgold.com




Actility, a Paris, France-based provider of Low Power Wide Area Networks (LPWAN) for the internet of Things (IoT), completed its Series D funding round raising $75M.

In the first closing, Creadev, Bosch and Inmarsat are among the new investors, alongside existing investors such as Idinvest, Bpifrance, Ginko Ventures, KPN, Orange Digital Ventures, Swisscom and Foxconn. A second closing later this month will see additional strategic investors joining the company in support of this raise.

The company intends to use the funds to enhance its portfolio of IoT solutions in such verticals as logistics and supply chain; smart buildings; and energy & utilities.

Led by CEO Mike Mulica, Actility provides global IoT solutions based on LoRaWAN, a dedicated radio network protocol for the IoT. Today, the companys ThingPark IoT service orchestration platform is powering most national and large-scale LPWA rollouts worldwide. In addition, its software stack comprising the ThingPark OS service and business support manager, ThingPark X application integration enabler, and the ThingPark Market ecosystem-wide e-commerce platform, Actility offers an IoT ecosystem enablement platform supporting sensor to cloud application solution through the entire life cycle of automated connected object management and monetization.

FinSMEs

12/04/2017
Lyft, a San Francisco, California-based ride hailing company, raised $600M in funding.

Backers included existing partners Rakuten and Janus Capital and new investors AllianceBernstein, Baillie Gifford, KKR, and Canadas Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP).

The post-money valuation of the company is $7.5 billion.

The company will use the funds to continue investing in new technology and hospitality in order to create experiences for passengers and drivers.

Launched in June 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer, Lyft provides an iPhone or Android app that allows passengers who need a ride to get picked up by a Lyft driver. When the ride ends, the app automatically charges the credit card with no need to carry cash.

The company currently operates in over 300 U.S. cities.

FinSMEs

12/04/2017
In December, the satire website Faking News had carried a spoof about Aadhaar becoming compulsory for buying vegetables in Delhi. Everybody had a good laugh.

Four months on, it doesnt seem so implausible. A government obsessed with Aadhaar is ensuring that it gets linked with more and more transactions. The latest is that quoting Aadhaar will become compulsory for buying air tickets and for downloading maps from the Survey of India site as well. Between the time of writing this article and it getting uploaded, it is quite possible that Aadhaar could be made mandatory in a few more areas.

This march of Aadhaar is deeply problematic for two reasons. One, it goes against the stated goals of the statute that gives it legal sanctity. The preamble to the Aadhaar (Targetted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016 says it is an Act to provide for, as a good governance, efficient, transparent, and targeted delivery of subsidies, benefits and services, the expenditure for which is incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India, to individuals residing in India through assigning of unique identity numbers to such individuals and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto (emphasis added).

What is the expenditure incurred from the Consolidated Fund of India on airline tickets, railway tickets, sim cards for mobile phone connections and bank accounts?

The government and those defending this Aadhaar over-reach will point to Section 57 of the Act which says that the Aadhaar number can be used for establishing the identity of an individual for any purpose, whether by the State or any body corporate or person.

This is a provision that the present government not only introduced (it was not there in the National Identification Authority of India Bill, 2010 that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had tabled) but also retained, overriding the amendment proposed by the Rajya Sabha to delete it. (This was among the five amendments moved by Congress MP Jairam Ramesh).

The Supreme Court, too, unfortunately is going along with this over-reach. First, in February, it directed the linking of all mobile numbers to Aadhaar within a year. Then, in March, it said Aadhaar cannot be made mandatory for welfare schemes but could be used for non-benefit transactions like opening a bank account or filing income tax returns. Now this is really standing the original idea of Aadhaar on its head.

Remember the genesis of a unique identity number during the UPA tenure was for better targeting of subsidies. The task force headed by Nandan Nilekani, which suggested this, related to direct transfer of subsidies. This was supposed to be the fool-proof way of ensuring that a benefit meant for A does not go to B. To say that Aadhaar will not be compulsory for accessing welfare benefits is to revert to the earlier leaky, corrupt welfare regime.

Unfortunately, this distortion of the idea of Aadhaar did not figure in the Rajya Sabha debate on the issue on April 10. Ramesh and several other MPs, on the other hand, slammed the government for making Aadhaar mandatory for welfare benefits. Ramesh went so far as to say that Aadhaar is becoming an instrument of exclusion rather than identity.

Both he and Derek OBrien of the Trinamool Congress cited several instances where people had been denied welfare because of lack of Aadhaar. What they did not specify was how many of those who had ostensibly been denied benefits were genuine beneficiaries and how many of those weeded out were either duplicate or ghost beneficiaries. For politicians who know the ground reality far better than anyone else to overlook the enormous corruption/leakage in delivering welfare and to rail against what is now the only fool-proof way of improving targeting is inexcusable. Ghost students enrolled in schools for mid-day meals is an undeniable reality.

As BJP MP L. Ganeshan pointed out, they should then answer the question  what is the remedy? If Aadhaar is not to be used to curb leakage, what is the alternative? Surely, they cannot be arguing for reverting to the old system? In any case, the Aadhaar Act itself has a provision that no one will be denied a benefit for want of an Aadhaar number and that an alternative identity proof would be considered valid. Politicians, well, play politics, but surely the Supreme Court should take a more informed and nuanced position on this?

That said, there are issues with the implementation of Aadhaar as a targeting tool and MPs were right to point this out  people havent got numbers, verification of biometrics is a problem because of internet/mobile connectivity, finger-print and iris scan are a problem in the case of manual workers and senior citizens. These need to be addressed and information technology minister Ravi Shankar Prasad promised to look into these issues when replying to the debate. This should not be an empty assurance.

The second reason that the over-reach of Aadhaar is problematic is concerns relating to privacy. The government has been quick to pooh-pooh these concerns, as did Prasad in Parliament, pointing to how secure the biometrics database is and the stiff penalties for any violation of processes relating to collection, storage and use of biometric data. Nandan Nilekani has also put up a strong defence of the privacy and security protocols around Aadhaar.

But even if we accept that the biometric data stored with the Unique Identification Authority of India is secure in a fool-proof way, that still does not eliminate the danger of identity theft when Aadhaar is becoming ubiquitous and even being sought as identity proof by private parties.

The governments defence on this count has bordered on the non-serious at times. Finance minister Arun Jaitley, when replying to his predecessor P. Chidambaram during the debate on the Finance Bill, had said that even the Pentagon was hacked without Aadhaar. Nilekani has often said that the UIDAI does not collect anything more than basic information about name, address, gender and date of birth, a point Prasad reiterated.

The point is not what information UIDAI has collected. The point is that if Aadhaar is used for practically every activity of an individual  from bank accounts to air tickets to mobile phone connections  the Aadhaar number is available to that many agencies. UIDAI may have strict protocols about use of biometrics and data, but do the host of agencies using Aadhaar have any protocols at all about security of application forms that may have an Aadhaar number? It will be quite possible for Aadhaar numbers of individuals to be sold as a database (as phone numbers, bank account numbers and credit card numbers are) and then be used by unscrupulous elements to get financial and other information about an individual, without hacking into or getting unauthorised access to the UIDAI database. Are databases of banks as secure as that of the UIDAI? As MP K.T.S. Tulsi pithily said during the debate, the safety of information is in jeopardy if the use is extended.

Unfortunately, apart from Tulsi and Rajeev Chandrashekhar, who initiated the debate, other MPs were more focussed on ending mandatory Aadhaar for welfare. It is time to restore the original purpose of Aadhaar (improved targeting of welfare) and junk the add-on purpose of becoming mandatory for everything else, which brings other problems in its wake.
Mumbai: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) on Tuesday described farm loan waivers as a "moral hazard" and said such facilities should be targeted only to the needy.

"Debt waivers create a moral hazard from a credit repayment perspective and we cannot have omnibus waivers," chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala told reporters here, a week after UP government announced a INR 36,000-crore farm loan waiver package.

With demands for similar measures on in other states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Bhanwala said there is a need to look at the moral hazards which such schemes create and targeting such schemes only to the needy farmers.

He said every time a debt waiver is announced, it is taxpayers' money which is used to help bail out the farmers.

The comments come days after Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel also expressed strong displeasure over such measures.

Nabard on Tuesday reported a 4.24 percent increase in its post tax net for 2016-17 at Rs 2,631 crore, and a 16.27 percent expansion in its outstanding loans at Rs 3.08 trillion.

Bhanwala said the development finance institution, which primarily refinances banks' agri loans, feels that the financial sector is set to surpass the Rs 9 trillion agri loans target for fiscal 2017 set by government and will repeat the performance in fiscal 2018 by exceeding the Rs 10 trillion target.

Nabard is laying extra focus on long-term irrigation fund and expects to deploy up to Rs 25,000 crore for this purposes through identified projects (up from Rs 9,000 crore in fiscal 2017) and also to mitigate climate change impact, Bhanwala said, adding the company will also be focusing on micro-irrigation sector this year, and plans to deploy up to Rs 2,000 crore in it.

He said share of long-term loans has risen to 24 percent of its total loanbook now from 19 percent two years ago, and Nabard will continue to focus on increasing this number.

Its outstanding borrowing increased to Rs 80,000 crore from Rs 60,000 crore in the year-ago period and Bhanwala said there would be an increase of Rs 15,000 crore in the outstanding borrowing in fiscal 2018.

Nabard was able to recover a few of its bad loans in the just concluded financial year and consecutively the non- performing assets ratio has come down to 0.07 percent.

With the Centre having announced a target to double farmers' incomes in the next five years, Nabard is working with the states to develop action plans to ensure that the targets are met, he said, adding a pilot project of working closely with the communities towards this purpose is being implemented in seven states.

As part of the pilot project, it will be working in 10 villages of a district having over 1,000 farmers each in every state and the job will start with identifying the base income structures in each states.

On demonetisation, Bhanwala said there was a jump in repayments in the initial days but credit demanded was impacted later. He, however, added despite this, the Rs 9 trillion target has been met.

In a first, Nabard has also started operating a financial inclusion fund and sanctioned installation of 2.07 lakh point of sale machines for different banks since February, he said, adding they will be deployed soon.

For villages which lack mobile connectivity and also power shortages, it has allocated Rs 308 crore towards this purpose.
A ban culture has suddenly popped up, surprisingly, even in some areas that are fundamentally an individuals personal choice. And this threatens to distract the precious work time of state governments from addressing much bigger issues. In this context, C K Jaanu, the chief of the Janadhipathya Ooru Vikasana Munnani in Kerala, which is an ally of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), has made a pertinent point at a meeting of the NDA allies on Monday (read a report here).

Jaanu, a tribal leader from the southern state, said the central government should not meddle with issues like beef controversy. Instead, it should dedicate time on development work, particularly concerning the poor and marginalised sections of the society. Lets assume that Jaanus remarks were largely in the context of Kerala where the local BJP leaders have faced criticism from rival parties for the partys stance on issues like beef ban. Nevertheless, Jaanus comments have significance in the national context too, especially in the cases of BJP-ruled states advocating slaughter ban and ban on non-vegetarian food.

It was not long ago when Vijay Rupani, chief minister of BJP-ruled Gujarat said (read here) that he wants to make Gujarat a "vegetarian" state. This was after the Gujarat Assembly on Friday passed an amendment bill prescribing life imprisonment for those found guilty of slaughtering cows in the state. In the same meeting of the NDA allies, Vijai Sardesai of the Goa Forward Party , another ally of the BJP, raised concerns about the consequences of ban on music after 10 pm and the Supreme Courts recent order restricting operations of bars near highways, on the livelihood of people and local culture.

I raised a point strongly that Goans wanted to maintain their identity, cultural heritage and their traditions. These were things that made Goa a premier wedding destination and party destination. If we cannot use music after 10 pm, how is it going to work? Sardesai told The Indian Express in the above cited report. Similarly, on the SC ban on bars near highways, Sardesai said Supreme Court curb on bars near highways. Roads came after people. People were there already when the roads started being built.

Not just SC, even some of the state governments have proposed to curb liquor consumption in states. Recently, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said all liquor shops in the state will be shut down in phases. This followed examples from states like Kerala, where considerable time was spent by current and previous governments debating liquor prohibition and subsequent controversies.

It is not just about non-vegetarian food and liquor, according to reports, the government is now planning to issue directions on how much food can be served in hotels (read here) with an objective to control food wastage. In order to arrive at the quantum of food that can be served, the government will send questionnaires to hotels and restaurants, the report said. If a person can eat only two prawns, why should he or she be served six? If a person eats two idlis, why serve four, the report quoted Ram Vilas Paswan, minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution, as saying. This came after Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann Ki Baat in 26 March where he raised concerns about food wastage in the country.

To be sure, some of these dictates are well intentioned. For instance, the idea behind limiting the food that can be served to a person is born out of the concern of large-scale food wastage in the country where one third population is still below poverty line. A government study had found (read here) that the country wastes Rs 92,651 crore worth or 67 million tonnes of food in a year, enough to feed a state like Bihar for a full year. But, at the same time, a 2015 study by ICAR and Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET) had found that the food wastage is more on account of poor infrastructure to stock the farm produce rather than wastage of cooked food. Also, the question arises. How can any government dictate how much food a person should consume in hotels and wont such a diktat impact the businesses of hotels?

Similarly, the SC ruling of banning bars in 500 meter vicinity of highways aims to curb the problem of drunk driving and resultant cases of vehicle accidents. Again, a well-intentioned move. But this is hardly a solution to the problem. Bar owners are smart enough to find a way out, so will be the consumers. As far as the ban on non-vegetarian food and slaughter ban in certain states, these are outright infringements into the right of an individual to choose what he should and should not eat. Besides, such restrictions can have severe ramifications on several commercial segments such as meat production, exports, hospitality sector, leather manufacturing among others.

The impact on businesses had almost instantly become visible when the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh embarked on a clampdown on illegal slaughter houses that eventually impacted production in even the legal abattoirs as well. Such regulations will be a turn off for investors, tourists and, needless to say, a jolt for employment generation, where already the country does not have a good record. The Narendra Modi government came to power in May, 2014 with the promise of large-scale job generation and a business/ investor friendly environment in the country, but even after three years of its term, job creation remains a major challenge and large scale private investments continue to be a luxury for several industries.

The point here is this. By devoting too much of their time on issues like slaughter ban and peoples choice of food, the governments are wasting their precious time for development work and much more critical issues such as poverty eradication, employment generation, addressing the issue of social inequality, access to education, and tackling continuing oppression of backward societies across the country. These are much bigger issues that warrant immediate attention and more time. What people eat and drink should be the last concern of any state government. In this backdrop, Jaanus comments make immense sense.
New Delhi: With Rs 5,000 crore worth of BS- III vehicles remaining unsold after the Supreme Court banned them, auto industry body SIAM said on Tuesday that an increasingly uncertain business environment will affect investments in the sector.

The apex court had banned sale and registration of BS-III vehicles from 1 April, affecting a total of over 8 lakh vehicles worth up to Rs 20,000 crore.

"Currently, there are around 1.2 lakh units of BS-III vehicle inventory worth around Rs 5,000 crore. Most of them are lying with the dealers," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Director General Vishnu Mathur told reporters here.

He said automobile companies, mostly the two-wheeler manufacturers, had managed to liquidate a large chunk of the BS-III inventory by offering huge discounts. "The revenue loss of the industry due to discounts, mostly by the two-wheeler makers, are to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore," Mathur said.

SIAM had maintained that as per government notification, sales of BS-III vehicles were allowed after 1 April and only manufacturing was not allowed. The apex court, however, ruled otherwise and ordered a blanket ban citing public health concerns.

Highlighting uncertain business environment surrounding the automobile industry, Mathur said: "This is the second time it has happened, that too in quick succession."

The first was the eight-month ban on big diesel cars and SUVs with engines of 2,000cc and above in Delhi-NCR by the Supreme Court that was lifted in August last year. The apex court imposed 1 per cent of the ex-showroom price of such vehicles as green cess.

"This was something which the industry never expected, something that doesnt happen anywhere else in the world," he said.

Commenting on the implications of such developments, SIAM Deputy Director General Sugato Sen said: "The increasing uncertainty due to uncertain business environment will affect investments in auto industry."

The abrupt policy changes continue to affect long term sustainable growth of industry, he added.

One of the key concerns for the auto industry is that the ad-hoc changes in policy environment would affect profitability of OEMs, Sen said.

When asked what would happen to the BS-III vehicles, Mathur said: "It will be up to the individual companies now to decide what they would like to do, although some of them have said an option would be to export."
Ram Gopal Varma loves to court controversy as much as he loves to produce horror films. Ram Gopal Varma is back at his controversial best on Twitter: he challenged Commando actor Vidyut Jammwal to a street fight with Tiger Shroff, reports ANI.

RGV posted some tweets, yesterday, posing an open challenge to Jammwal to engage in a street fight with Tiger Shroff, whose father Jackie is in the director's upcoming Sarkar 3.

His series of tweets read:

"As a martial arts fan am really curious about who's better fighter btwn @iTIGERSHROFF and @VidyutJammwal ..I wish they will fight and prove"

As a martial arts fan am really curious about who's better fighter btwn @iTIGERSHROFF and @VidyutJammwal ..I wish they will fight and prove  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"I personally think @iTIGERSHROFF is far better and he should challenge @VidyutJammwal for a real fight and prove to everyone that he's best."

I personally think @iTIGERSHROFF is far better and he should challenge @VidyutJammwal for a real fight and prove to everyone that he's best  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"I am super sure @VidyutJammwal will run away if @iTIGERSHROFF challenges him for a hand to hand kick to kick fight in real."

I am super sure @VidyutJammwal will run away if @iTIGERSHROFF challenges him for a hand to hand kick to kick fight in real  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"My bet is on @iTIGERSHROFF and am sure he will prove he's Bruce Lee ka baap by destroying @VidyutJammwal in an open challenge real fight"

My bet is on @iTIGERSHROFF and am sure he will prove he's Bruce Lee ka baap by destroying @VidyutJammwal in an open challenge real fight  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"Correction of my earlier tweet is I heard @VidyutJammwal said ..I dint hear directly"

Correction of my earlier tweet is I heard @VidyutJammwal said ..I dint hear directly  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"If @iTIGERSHROFF openly challenges @VidyutJammwal for a direct real fight @VidyutJammwal will runaway to the Shaolin Temple"

If @iTIGERSHROFF openly challenges @VidyutJammwal for a direct real fight @VidyutJammwal will runaway to the Shaolin Temple  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

As a @iTIGERSHROFF fan am so waiting for him to throw an open challenge for a real fight to that b s t d e f x s n y @VidyutJammwal"

As a @iTIGERSHROFF fan am so waiting for him to throw an open challenge for a real fight to that b s t d e f x s n y @VidyutJammwal  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"In a real street fight I will bet everything on @iTIGERSHROFF becos I believe he will finish off @VidyutJammwal with just one single punch"

In a real street fight I will bet everything on @iTIGERSHROFF becos I believe he will finish off @VidyutJammwal with just one single punch  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

"Am super sure that @VidyutJammwal will never have the guts to take on @iTIGERSHROFF 's challenge"

Am super sure that @VidyutJammwal will never have the guts to take on @iTIGERSHROFF 's challenge  Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) April 10, 2017

As a reply to these tweets, Vidyut shared an audio clip of a conversation RGV today, in which he is heard using some really harsh words against Tiger. "Forget the Shaolin Monk style, check out @RGVZoomin's #drunkenmasterstyle," he captioned the audio. In the audio, RGV is heard saying, "Tiger Shroff is the greatest woman I saw in my life."

The Bhoot helmer, however, apologised to both the actors for his harsh tweets and said, "Though it was done in my usual fun way, I apologise to both Vidyut and Tiger for the irritation caused".

This is not the first time RGV has passed unsavoury remarks against Tiger Shroff. He previously said the actor was not macho enough, as compared to his father Jackie, and even said the younger Shroff looked like a "bikini babe" in a photo shoot.
Will Sunil Grover get his own show on Sony TV? Will his former castmates from The Kapil Sharma Show be part of this new as well? Will he be seen in his popular Dr Mashoor Gulati avatar?

Recent news reports suggest that some or all of the above mentioned possibilities may just become reality over the coming weeks.

One news article suggests that Grover had a 'closed door meeting' with Sony executives to finalise the plans for this new show. Another has Grover stating that nothing has been decided, and he is keeping options open at the moment.

That his reason for opting out of The Kapil Sharma show was not so he could get his own show.

The conjecture may seem excessive, but isn't really.

Going as far back as 2013-14, Sunil Grover and his equation with Kapil Sharma have grabbed headlines.

The reason isn't difficult to understand. Kapil Sharma's rise to the top has been well-documented: From a participant on season three of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2007 to December 2016, when he zoomed to the 11th spot on Forbes' richest celebrities list for India  it's been quite a journey.

His appearances on Sony's Comedy Circus were so successful that Colors approached him to create his own show. Loosely based on the format of Kumars at Number 42, his Comedy Nights With Kapil proved to be a ratings behemoth for the channel, and much press was devoted to figuring out Sharma's success formula.

And while his genuine gift for humour was definitely a major factor (he was widely hailed as the funniest man on TV) in his show being a hit, there was also his able supporting cast, among whom was another gifted comedian  Sunil Grover, or as his onscreen character of a demure belle was called  Gutthi.

On screen, Sharma and Grover were like ying to yang, playing off each other's strengths and creating hit, accessible comedy.

'Gutthi'  a character Grover said he created as an amalgamation of the girls he knew in college  was among the five most popular characters on Hindi television in 2013.

But off screen, it seems things weren't hunky dory.

Grover quit Comedy Nights With Kapil in late 2013, apparently because the channel refused to renegotiate his fee. Grover might have felt his contribution to Comedy Nights deserved to be acknowledged  he admitted in an interview at the time that he "wanted to earn more money"  or he may have wanted to test if his stardom could survive without Sharma's support.

Whatever the reason may be, the experiment ended badly for Grover. He got a new show on Star Plus called Mad In India, along with actor-comedian Manish Paul (Baba Ramdev was among the first guests), got a legal notice from his previous channel Colors (over the rights to the character Gutthi; Grover finally created a similar one called Chutki for Mad In India), suffered low TRPs and had his show pulled off air  all in the span of a few months in the first half of 2014.

Speculation immediately began afresh  would Sharma 'take back' Grover?

The longed-for reconciliation did happen, and Grover was once again part of Comedy Nights With Kapil, joking about the failure of his own show. It seemed the Comedy Nights family was a big, happy one one again.

But for Sharma himself, the going wasn't smooth.

Ratings for Comedy Nights, while still very high, were not close to the peak it had enjoyed in its first run. To balance the need to keep the content fresh and on point, along with Sharma's forays at establishing a career as a Bollywood leading man (Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon in 2015; and a YRF film called Bank Chor that later fell through due to scheduling conflicts), the frequency of Comedy Nights was brought down from twice to once per week. Meanwhile, the Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh-headed Comedy Nights Bachao (initiated by Colors to fill in the slot that had been left vacant due to the reduced frequency of Sharma's show) was rising up the ratings charts, posing the first serious competition to Sharma and his show.

By December 2015, Sharma announced his next innings, and moved from Colors to Sony TV.

His new show was branded simply, The Kapil Sharma Show.

While his team  including Grover  stood by Sharma's decision to shift channels, the word in the TV industry was the parting with Colors was acrimonious.

Colors CEO Raj Nayak also stated in an interview that the parting was a long time coming. "The success of the show meant that we had a person who suddenly became a star and found it difficult to manage his success. He started renegotiating and asking for more money which we gave, but the more important and worrying thing was that he violated his contract by hosting shows on competitive channels in spite of having an exclusive contract with Colors for TV, which we felt was not ethical," Nayak was quoted as saying.

Colors had reportedly hiked Sharma's fee from Rs 70 lakh per episode when Comedy Nights with Kapil started, to Rs 1.25 crore in 2015, at the time that he shifted to Sony.

Whatever the circumstances, The Kapil Sharma Show was now on Sony, and pulling in the ratings for the channel. Sure, there were rumblings that the content was no longer as catchy as before, but with every Bollywood celebrity worth his/her salt flocking to the sets for film promotions and special visits, who was complaining?

Sharma's 'brand value' took the first major beating in September 2016, when the comedian angrily dashed off a tweet tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he alleged that he had been asked to pay a Rs 5 lakh bribe to civic officials in Mumbai for regularising his office space. "I am paying Rs 15 crore in income tax for the past five years and still have to pay a Rs 5 lakh bribe. Kya yeh hai aapke achhe din?" Sharma wrote.

In the veritable tweet-storm that ensued, Sharma was hailed as an anti-corruption crusader and was promised by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis that his plaint would be looked into.

Then, things started to go south.

It emerged that Sharma's office space was an illegal construction. Further, he had also made unauthorised additions to his residential properties in Mumbai. He was accused of flouting Coastal Regulatory Zone building norms and destroying protected mangroves near his Versova home. Political parties protested against Sharma for refusing to name the civic officials who had allegedly asked for the bribe, and said they would boycott his show.

Read on Firstpost  Kapil Sharma case: One tweet could cost the comedian a whole lot of trouble

Sharma weathered the storm.

Forbes India in its December 2016 report pointed out that he had moved from the 27th position on its 2016 richest celebrities list the previous year to his current 11th rank. (In 2012, Sharma had debuted on the Forbes list in the 97th position.) He was the only TV personality on the list for miles.

But the March 2017 incident seems to have sullied the goodwill he enjoys further.

Here's recap of what transpired:

Sharma and the cast of The Kapil Sharma Show, including Ali Asgar and Sunil Grover, were in the business class section of a flight to India, from Melbourne. As per reports, Sharma was inebriated and was enraged when he found out that his colleagues were served their dinner and had started to eat, without waiting for him. He abused verbally and then physically attacked Grover. Slaps and a shoe were reportedly aimed at Grover by Sharma.

The fall-out of that incident was a foregone conclusion: Grover withdrew from The Kapil Sharma Show. So did Asgar.

Sharma and Grover exchanged messages on social media  Sharma insisted that the fight was 'a family matter' and would be resolved by the team; Grover said he had been hurt deeply by the incident, and while he respected Kapil, Kapil needed to learn to respect other people too.

In the weeks since, there have been several attempts to mediate between Sharma and Grover: channel executives reportedly tried to get Grover back by working in a'no-interaction' clause between him and Sharma (a tad difficult since Sharma is the producer of the show); fellow comedians like Sunil Pal have also urged the duo to work out their differences.

At the same time, ratings for The Kapil Sharma Show have declined  at the end of March 2017, it dropped off the top-10 rankings released by BARC, although it has since made a re-entry in the ninth spot as of the first week of April 2017.

Reports stated that Sharma has been given an ultimatum by Sony  pull up his socks in one month and get the show ratings back on track, or else (face the ax?)...

And now, with the buzz around Grover's possible solo show gaining traction  one wonders whether the changed circumstances would help him avoid a Mad In India-like fiasco.

For one, Grover is riding a sympathy wave. Two, unlike the Mad In India situation, continuing with Sony would ensure that he would have access to the characters he enacted on The Kapil Sharma Show  which means Dr Mashoor Gulati would merely need to pick up the threads from where he left off. Three, he has the support of his other cast members like Asgar as well this time. And with Sharma's current troubles, Grover is in a far stronger position than he was in 2013, when he attempted to first strike out on his own.

Whether or not Grover will manage to pull off solo stardom on the small screen remains to be seen.

But for now, it's advantage Sunil Grover.
The Malayalam actress, who was reportedly abducted and molested by her driver in February 2017, recently opened up about the harrowing experience she underwent. Many people from the Malayalam film industry, as well as the country in general, stood up and took notice when the news of the shocking incident came to light. She filed an official FIR to ensure that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Of the five people accused in this case, the main accused Pulsar Suni and the actress' driver Martin have been arrested.

Speaking to Malayalam magazine Vanitha, the actress asserted that she believes the motive behind the crime was not money but rather a conspiracy against her. "I will not say that my enemies in the film industry were behind this. But if they say all this was done just for money, then there are links that dont connect," Deccan Chronicle reports her saying.

She said that it is surprising that the driver  acting without support  would have the courage to do something like this. She said that she does not have answers to questions such as who was behind the crime, why they chose to do this and how they had gone about it, and that she will fight until she finds out.

Speaking about her stance on the Malayalam film industry and her standing in it, she said that there are no permanent friends or enemies in the world of cinema, just as there aren't in politics. On the contrary, she said that she has friends and enemies who are permanent. She added that she is not the kind to apologise for mistakes that she has not committed, and that she would prefer to be known as an arrogant person rather than someone who apologised and compromised repeatedly to land roles.

The actress received a lot of unwarranted attention during and after the incident, and she was also praised for showing immense courage during that time. She has urged other women who are victims to come forward and not hide such incidents.

She reiterated that it not women but rather the men who commit such crimes who should feel shameful. She said that she would have felt ashamed if she did not report the incident and that it would have given her sleepless nights. To avoid feeling regretful and prevent her perpetrators from escaping, she decided to take action.
Aligarh: The President of the AMU Students' Union has demanded a complete ban on cow slaughter across the country. Addressing protesters at a rally organised by the AMUSU at the District Collectorate on Tuesday, its president Faizul Hasan said, "We would support any move made by the Central government to impose such a ban keeping in view the sentiments of Hindu brethren."

Hasan said he would also support a "complete ban" on the closure of all export-based slaughterhouses and a total ban on all import and export of bovine meat, including buffalo meat, because it was leading to an unnecessary internal tension between different communities in the country.

Transport of buffaloes to slaughterhouses has become a cause of communal friction since so-called cow vigilantes are continuously taking law in their own hand at highways in different parts of the country, he said.

The AMUSU later presented a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee to the Additional City Magistrate demanding fast-track court trials of the cases of violence involving cow vigilantes. The memorandum stated that country needs to "take urgent notice of non-state actors spreading terror" and threatening the peace of the land in the guise of cow protection. It also demanded framing of a new law to prevent acts of cruelty against minorities and other weaker sections.

Earlier, the students' union took out a procession to press their demands.
Ahmedabad: Ramesh Chandra Agrawal, chairman of the country's leading publication house Dainik Bhaskar Group, died following a heart attack upon his arrival at Ahmedabad airport on Wednesday. He was 73. According to employees of 'Divya Bhaskar', the group's daily newspaper published from Gujarat, Agrawal suffered a heart attack immediately after his arrival at the airport here. Though he was rushed to Apollo Hospital near the airport, he could not be saved, they said.

The hospital in a statement said Agrawal "suffered a massive cardiac arrest at the airport after alighting from the flight. He was immediately brought to the emergency department of Apollo Hospital at 11.25 AM." The doctors found no cardiac activity or rhythm when he was admitted, it said.

"In spite of more than half an hour of intensive efforts of the medical team, the heart could not be revived and he (Agrawal) was declared dead at 12.05 PM," the statement said. According to a senior employee of Bhaskar Group, Agrawal's mortal remains will be flown to Bhopal by an air ambulance this evening and the last rites will be performed there on Thursday.

On learning about the media baron's death, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, deputy CM Nitin Patel as well as senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela rushed to the hospital to pay their tributes to the departed soul. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also expressed his condolences at the passing away of Agrawal. "The newspaper world is deeply pained because of the untimely death of Agrawal. He was very sensitive and known for his quick decision making," Chouhan said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh said Agrawal was a "close friend". "The void created by his death cannot be filled easily," he said in a statement. Madhya Pradesh Public Relations Minister Narottam Mishra recalled Agrawal's contribution towards Hindi journalism. MP Congress president Arun Yadav and senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also expressed deep sorrow at the demise of the media personality.

Born on 30 November, 1944 at Jhansi, Agrawal came to Bhopal with his father late Dwarkaprasad Agrawal and laid the foundation of the Dainik Bhaskar newspaper in 1958. According to Dainik Bhaskar's website, under Agrawal's leadership, the group succeeded in publishing 62 editions from 14 states and is the world's fourth largest newspaper in terms of circulation. Besides the Hindi newspaper, the group also publishes Divya Bhaskar in Gujarati, English newspaper DNA, Marathi newspaper Divya Marathi, along with running FM Radio My FM and DB Digital, the website added.
Just days after the Gujarat government amended the state anti-cow slaughter law to make cow slaughter punishable with life imprisonment, Hindustan Times reported that the state's largest Muslim ghetto of Juhapura has proposed to set-up a modern bovine shelter.

In the run up to the 2017 Assembly elections, Juhapura, which lies in the western part of Ahmedabad, has seen mohalla meetings against cow slaughter as part of birth anniversary celebrations of Hazrat Ali, a historic figure in Islamic history, the report noted.

We have written to the animal husbandry department about setting up a gaushala (cow shelter). Soon, our delegation will meet chief minister Vijay Rupani. Hopefully, we will be able to set up a shelter by the end of this year, Anwar Shiekh of the Muhibban-E-Ahlul Bait Foundation was quoted by the publication as saying.

Community leaders in the ghetto also distanced Islam from cow slaughter, suggesting that the community believes in preserving the animal holy to crores of Hindus.

The latest development comes at the time when cow vigilantism is visibly on the rise across the country.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat had condemned violence by cow protection groups, saying it "defames" the cause.

Nevertheless, he made it clear on Sunday that the Hindutva organisation wants a law banning cow slaughter across India.

However, Bhagwat's call for a nationwide ban on cow slaughter coupled with the rise in violent attacks over this senstive issue can have grave economic implications, especially on the dairy market.

According to an op-ed in The Times of India, a likely ban on cow slaughter can erase the cow population over the years.

The report further added that the government's focus on protecting cows from being slaughtered will discourage farmers from owning cows, which are generally known to have short span of productivity, ranging three to ten years. However, cows tend to live for at least 20-25 years. The remaining unproductive period in the lives of cows will encourage farmers to largely shift to buffalo-rearing in the future. This, the op-ed argued, might spell doom for the cow population.

Noting that a ban will affect the economics of the dairy industry, the op-ed said, "If the milk producer cannot get rid of an unproductive cow, she will have to feed it for the rest of her life. Since the unproductive cows will be as many as productive ones, the amount and cost of feed will double."

The rise in the number of unproductive cows will invariably lead to rise in the cost of milk and a marked fall in competition in the dairy market, the op-ed said.

While the law only bans slaughter of cows, there are no such curbs on buffaloes. According to The Indian Express report, this loophole in the law helps farmers prefer rearing buffaloes over cows as the latter's meat can be sold and exported too.

The fact that Buffalo milk fetches higher price than cow milk has also encouraged farmers to shun cow rearing, the report added.

The higher milk yield from buffaloes is also encouraging farmers to move to buffalo-rearing, a report in Mint said.

A Mint report quoted a farmer Uday Ram as saying that indigenous variety of cows yield only three to six litres of milk every day milk while buffaloes yield over 10 litres a day.

Ram too added that the advantage of selling unproductive buffaloes to slaughterhouses encouraged him to stay with buffaloes.

With inputs from PTI
The little seven-year-old looks cute, but he sounds pretty determined when he responds to a question about what he wants to be. 'Mujahid (soldier),' he says firmly. When asked about what he will do in jihad, he asserts that he will fight the Indian Army.

When one of those present asks if he can recite a poem or song, he bashfully cocks his head to one side, rubs an eye with the back of one hand and runs the fingers of the other hand through his tousled hair. Then, prodded by his neighbours who are my hosts, he readily gives the performance he is evidently known for in the village. He stands up and raises each pheran-clad hand in turn, index finger outstretched, while reciting a litany of slogans about Burhan, azaadi, Geelani, Islam, bullets, blood, and fearlessness.

Adolescents sitting against the wall look indulgently on. They have pelted stones, and will again. An eleven-year old talks of pellets, shells, bullets, fearlessness and freedom. India oppresses us, he says. His friend talks about his father being beaten and his grandfather being tortured when security forces questioned them about the hideouts of militants  before he was born.

An intense, handsome neighbour in his late teens comes in to talk to us. He is a zealous stone-pelter, often going to Srinagars Jamia mosque to pelt after the Friday prayers. He is also strongly motivated to resist  though less willing to die than the seven-year-old. He would have taken up arms, he says, if he had not been the only son of his parents. The views of older residents, including a preacher and two teachers, are all far more moderate.

Younger resisters

Over the course of more than 24 hours in this village, Bogam in the heart of Kulgam district, it becomes obvious that the will to resist has traveled down age categories to even younger Kashmiris than the teenagers who were on the streets in 2016.

Bogam, to be sure, is one of the most radical villages in all of Kashmir. It claimed and buried the body of Abu Qasim, the Pakistani Laskhar-e-Taiba militant who was killed in November 2015. The Pakistan flag is painted all over the village walls.

As elsewhere in the Valley, the common perception in Bogam is that Kashmiris are being attacked and killed out of malicious intent against Muslims, rather than in response to insurgency.

Militancy, stone-pelting and other demonstrations are seen as responses rather than causes. Actions of the state are viewed as illegitimate; the responses of the youth are valourised as heroic.

When we first arrive in the village, a large knot of residents gathers at the main chowk to tell us of oppression and torture. One man says he was stripped, beaten, and made to urinate on an electric heater. Chillies were applied to cuts near his genitals, and behind, he adds. Some people shy away from meeting us.

Changed radicalism

The next afternoon, we trudge through hailstones in snow, and slush deep enough to enter shoes and socks, to meet a Hurriyat-affiliated preacher in a nearby village. He speaks in hackneyed slogan-like phrases, unable to explain or argue beyond 'have you read any books on Kashmir?' But he is frequently invited to preach at mosques across south Kashmir. He evidently gives rousing sermons about jihad, oppression of Muslims, and resistance.

This is, at one level, a commentary on shifts in the intellectual discourse in a place that has been a hotbed of various kinds of radicalism. Half a century ago, there were ultra-Leftists in Bogam. And one evidently very well read academic still talks of his 'progressive' ideas and values.

Indeed, the states lone CPM legislator is from the next village, Tarigam. But now, he can only visit the village by day, with a security detail.

Students at the school run by the Jamaat-e-Islami at Tarigam are full of the will to fight a war against oppression. They talk of being inspired by Burhan Wani, Abu Qasim, and the recent pan-Islamist call of Burhans successor Zakir 'Musa.'

The future, it seems clear, will be bleakly violent.
"On one side, there are those who are pelting stones," Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, while inaugurating the Nashri-Chenani tunnel in Kashmir, "and on the other, there are youth of Jammu and Kashmir, who are carving a future of development for their state by cutting through rocks."

This paradox, that represents the Kashmir of today, is further epitomised by the fact that while flash mobs in the state engage in disrupting army operations, against terrorists by stone throwing, around 19,000 Kashmiri youth have registered for an army recruitment drive in Patan.

The pattern, of large number of Kashmiris turning up for army recruitment, has repeated whenever the opportunity has arisen. In an otherwise bleak scenario, where visuals of youth in Islamic State (IS) inspired gear and banners confronting security forces has reached the drawing rooms across India, courtesy nonstop coverage by television channels, the news of thousands of youth showing their inclination towards joining the army represents a happy paradox. It is a manifestation of the fact that despite the doomsday predictions of TV pundits, all is not lost in the Valley.

Ever since the neutralisation of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani by the army in July 2016, and the subsequent street violence that broke across Kashmir, the question whether India is gradually losing its grip in the Valley has been discussed ad nauseam in the media. Experts have predicted that the summer of 2017 holds portents to be even more violent than the preceding one.

If the latest incident in Chadoora on 28 March is an indicator, they could be correct. The death of three civilians as security forces open fired at a mob to disperse it  which had collected to help a couple of terrorists escape  is just the trigger the ISI propaganda machinery and its provocateurs in the valley required to welcome the onset of summer.

The call for "peoples curfew" is the next step in the escalation process, wherein people will be forced to stay indoors followed by occasional Friday calls from mosques and WhatsApp groups to march to the mosques. Attempts by security forces to intervene would then be met by violence from the marchers.

With the intended target of counter-violence by the security forces achieved, the provocateurs would move on to another site of encounter to enlarge the ambit of the conflict zone. This summer, the ISI has the added incentive of cocking a snook at Army chief General Bipin Rawats statement, about treating people who pick up IS and Pakistan flags as "anti-nationals" and promising "tough action" against them.

The idea of the Pakistani deep state and its proxies is to inculcate extreme emotions amongst the Kashmiri populace against the Indian state and to provoke the army to respond to acts of violence with violence of its own. This cycle of violence, the ISI expects, will not only discredit the army in the eyes of the common people but also portray them as an 'occupying force'.

Notwithstanding the laymans perception that terror attacks are the manifestation of an unthinking mind, which cares for no one, the fact remains that the violence which Kashmir has witnessed is carefully nurtured by sinister minds and is definitely a 'war of ideas'.

The penultimate frontier for these thinking minds is to throw the last standing instrument of the Indian state in J&K, the Indian army, out of gear by opening multiple fronts and then moving in for the kill. The final frontier of the clarion call for the apocalyptic 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' is benumbing to even contemplate.

The only beacon of hope in this grotesque scenario is the army. Despite desperate attempts to provoke the army into taking extreme measures, thereby maligning their fair and just image, they have remained steadfast in their duty. It is to the eternal credit that the army has punished the occasional stray renegades from their fraternity. It has only served to enhance their credentials in the populace.

It is, therefore, incumbent on the army to stop restricting itself to its primary duties of anti-terror drives in the interiors of the state and defending the external borders. It is high time that they join the mind games being played from across the border. Modern warfare is won more in the mind, by influencing the adversary, than on the battle fields. It is this war the army now needs to venture into.

The paradox of Kashmir also lies in the fact that in a democracy, the army is supposed to defend the borders externally and step in for internal duties only in case of exigency. Going by the established norms, it is the political establishment which should have been at the forefront of winning hearts and minds of the people.

The political narrative in the Valley is, however, driven by two parties, the National Conference(NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which have lost all credibility through their own chicanery. Both the alternatives pretend to be holier than thou when in power with a mainstream political party like the BJP or the Congress, and spew venom when in Opposition. So, a Farooq Abdullah will sing paeans for Indian democracy while enjoying power, but will question Indias claim over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) when in opposition, conveniently ignoring the parliaments 1994 resolution on the issue.

The Hurriyat is basically a conglomeration of individuals with diverging vested interest pulling along in different directions. Syed Ali Shah Geelanis pro-Pakistan stance gives him no credibility in the eyes of Indian political and security establishment, Asiya Andrabis vituperative Talibani mind-set harks back to the Stone Age, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the most suave of the lot, appears to be flip flopping like a professional politician.

Perhaps his fathers elimination by terrorists acts as a warning signal to desist from talking reason. It is this political vacuum which has been utilised brilliantly by the ISI. They have surreptitiously played up youth like Wani to pull the rug from the beneath the politicians feet. The youth, fed on a heavy dose of Wahabism, combined with the utopia of 'azadi' (freedom) is now being used to hit the streets with venom.

It is exactly because of this altered dynamics that the Indian Army needs to step in. The fact that the institution has remained completely apolitical gives it the advantage in an atmosphere as volatile as Kashmir. The J&K police could also have reached out to the youngsters but the volatility and their local backgrounds ensure that they are seen more as quislings than the supporting hand required at this stage.

Decades of terror and counter-terror violence combined with complete abdication of authority by the politicians has resulted in a situation where mob runs amok and the infrastructure, both moral and physical, is under threat. The army, which has done brilliantly in the counter insurgency grid, is now urgently required to step into the intellectual domain. The time to move out of the barracks to ensure only law and order is now gone. The army now needs to move into the intellectual space and implement Sadhbhavna 2.0.

Operation Sadhbhavna, which was launched in 1997, was a resounding success as the army had stepped into the domain of infrastructure rebuilding and ensured quality service to the people in terms of schools, roads and health sectors. It is the goodwill of Sadbhavna, later increased by yeoman efforts during earthquake and floods, which is standing the army in good stead despite efforts by the adversary to demonise them. One can call it the comeuppance of good karma.

For execution of Sadbhavna 2.0, the armys subordinate commanders need to fill the intellectual vacuum in institutions like the Kashmir University, which has become a hot bed for indoctrination and subsequent radicalisation of the youth. It is such places which breed the youngsters who flings stones at the army, or if emboldened further, could become the next Wani.

The fact that the youngsters are still queuing up to joining the army gives reasons for optimism. It is indicative of the fact that the youth still believes in reason and yearns for a comforting hand. It is a war of ideas and any further apathy could gradually tilt scales in favour of the "stone thrower" against the "person cutting stone to build a tunnel."

The outreach to Kashmiri youth has become imperative to avoid a calamitous final settlement through guns, which the ISI and its proxies would be hoping for. It is incumbent upon the army to nurture the youngsters and convince them of the merits of peace and democracy. The army is also best placed to make the youth understand the futility of war and martyrdom, which serves no one except the ISI and its agents.

In an environment of threats and counter threats, it is the army which has the capacity to protect and educate. Its motives will be targeted by many, including from across the border and political leaders within. Yet, this type of conflict flak should worry no one and senior officers must learn how to condition themselves and their subordinates, for a new approach which will hold them in much better stead.

Time is ripe for Sadbhavna 2.0. The generals, ironically, are the ones who now need to be forthright in convincing the politicians. Time for some out-of-the-box thinking and some boldness.

The author is a freelance writer, who has written the novel 'Wolfs Lair', which deals with terror and its effects
New Delhi: A group of army veterans on Tuesday staged a protest near the Pakistan High Commission against the death sentence awarded to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav.The protesters were led by Delhi Assembly legislator Col (retd) Devinder Sehrawat.

They also handed over a memorandum to the authorities at the Pakistan High Commission in Chanakyapuri. "We urged the Pakistan High Commissioner to communicate the outrage over the unacceptable treatment meted out to Jadhav," Sehrawat said.

"Pakistan is creating problems for itself and will have to payback if it continued with such actions. We request the country to take the case of Jadhav seriously and think over continuing any relationship with Pakistan," he said. Nearly two dozen ex-servicemen, including Col (retd) Ravi Tokas and Col (retd) KPS Rana, took part in the protest.

India has warned Pakistan to consider the "consequences" on bilateral ties if Jadhav is hanged in the alleged espionage case and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid an outrage throughout the country.

Jadhav was "arrested" on 3 March last year by Pakistani security forces in the restive Balochistan province after he reportedly entered from Iran. Pakistan has alleged that Jadhav was "a serving officer" in the Indian Navy and deputed to the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW). The Pakistan Army had released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest. India has acknowledged that Jadhav served with the navy but denied he has any connection with the government.
With the death sentence awarded to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav by a Pakistani military court, India has now made it clear that its focus, for now, lies on bringing Jadhav back, irrespective of the repercussions it has on its ties with Pakistan.

Both External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Home Minister Rajnath Singh called the death sentence "pre-meditated murder". Immediately after the news came in, India's foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, summoned Pakistan's high commissioner, Abdul Basit, and issued a demarche.

"If basic norms of law and justice are not observed, the government and the people of India will regard it as premeditated murder," the Ministry of External Affairs had said in the demarche. "It is significant that our High Commission was not even informed that Kulbhushan Jadhav was being brought to trial," it had added.

Undoubtedly, the Indian government is naturally very angry. But despite the outrage, the government will have to calmly and objectively look at the options available to bring Jadhav back.

The first and probably most important thing India needs to realise is that the issue will not simmer down anytime soon. This issue will take time to be resolved. After all, Pakistani authorities did not say when the sentence would be carried out. Diplomatic manoeuvring, lengthy legal proceedings and the possibility of appeal could mean the case will be contested for years, an analyst told Reuters.

"Very often, they keep these guys on death row for years, if not decades, as bargaining chips," said Ajai Sahni, executive director at the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi.

Sahni said there was "going to be a lot of posturing by both sides" but he doubted it would lead to any direct military action.

Former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal believes that New Delhi would raise Jadhav's issue in all diplomatic forums and talk about the 'farcical' trial, according to this Firstpost article. The fact that India was not granted consular access to the prisoner will also be brought up in subsequent exchanges.

Back channel talks are another option which India and Pakistan have used many times earlier too. But in March 2016, after Jadhav's arrest by Pakistan, the back channel diplomacy between the two countries had been threatened, PTI had reported. News18 also reported that Indian agencies told the government to not use back channel talks immediately.

Sibal had also speculated that apart from India making loud noise over this issue, there could also be kidnapping of Pakistani soldiers from across the Line of Control.

Besides these measures, Jadhav himself has a right to appeal against his death sentence within 60 days. According to India Today, Jadhav can appeal in the Military Appellate Tribunal under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952. But the chances of getting a different verdict are low.

Another option for Jadhav is to appeal in a civilian court for 'review' of the Field General Court Martial verdict. The report said that according to Section 7.2.3. of the Pakistan Army Act, military court convicts have the right to get the judgment reviewed by civilian courts. The Indian government could also find a lawyer to defend Jadhav if Pakistan gives him consular access.

News18 further reported that even after the first 60 days in which Jadhav has a right to appeal, he has another 60 days to file a mercy petition before Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain.

Top US experts have warned that even though the evidence against Jadhav is flimsy, Pakistan wants to send a strong message to India.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers," Alyssa Ayres, senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations (a top American think-tank), told PTI.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Jadhav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center, said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Jadhav's death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead," he added.

With inputs from PTI
India and Pakistan on Tuesday traded barbs over the death sentence handed out by Islamabad to alleged Indian spy, Kulbhushan Jadhav, after New Delhi took strong objection to the trial process. Meanwhile Pakistan has ruled out immediate execution of Jadhav, adding that he has the right to move the army's court of appeal against his conviction within 40 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the president, according to ANI .

Jadhav, who India accepts is an Indian national but claims has no links to its research wing, was accused by Pakistan of spying in its restive province of Balochistan. Jadhav was a former Indian Navy commander and was reportedly carrying out a business from Iran.

The trial was completed within three months by a Pakistan military court which found Jadhav guilty of "espionage and sabotage activities", prompting New Delhi to warn Islamabad that it is a case of "premeditated murder". The trial proceedings that led to the capital punishment for Jadhav were also described by India as "farcical". Jadhav was arrested on 3 March 2016 from Balochistan, according to Pakistan, whereas New Delhi claims he was abducted and is now being harassed as part of a larger conspiracy by Pakistan to malign India.

The court martial was closed to the public and consular access was not provided to Jadhav.

Here is a round up on all that has happened so far in the case.

Claims made by Pakistan

Pakistani side has repeatedly alleged that Jadhav is a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) "spy" in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province. Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav

from the restive Balochistan province on 3 March last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. It also claimed that he was "a serving officer in the Indian Navy." The Pakistan Army had also released a "confessional video" of Jadhav after his arrest.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations statement, Jadhav, a commander in the Indian Navy, "confessed" before a Magistrate and the court that he was "tasked by RAW to plan, coordinate and organise espionage/sabotage activities aiming to destabilise and wage war against Pakistan by impeding the efforts of Law Enforcement Agencies for restoring peace in Balochistan and Karachi."

It also claimed that Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was "provided with defending officer as per legal provisions".

India's reaction

India has issued a strong worded condemnation and warned Pakistan of consequences on bilateral relations, if it chooses to see through the execution. India said that the death sentence would be akin to "premeditated murder" if Pakistan carries out the death sentence "without observing basic norms of law and justice".

India had repeatedly sought consular access to Jadhav, as provided for by international law and 13 such requests were formally made between 25 March, 2016 and 31 March, 2017, the demarche said. Pakistan, however, turned these requests down each time.

The proceedings that have led to the sentence against Jadhav are "farcical in the absence of any credible evidence" against him, it said, adding it is significant that Indian High Commission was not even informed that Jadhav was being brought to trial.

"Senior Pakistani figures have themselves cast doubt about the adequacy of evidence. The claim in the ISPR release that Jadhav was provided with a defending officer during the so-called trial is clearly absurd in the circumstances. "If this sentence against an Indian citizen, awarded without observing basic norms of law and justice, is carried out, the government and people of India will regard it as a case of premeditated murder," Foreign secretary S Jaishankar said in the demarche.

Reacting to the issue, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh also took a tough stance in the Parliament as he told the House that the government will do whatever it takes to ensure his release.

"We will do whatever it takes to ensure Jadhav's release. If needed we will take the issue to international fora," the Home Minister asserted.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also talked tough on Pakistan.

"Let me state clearly that the government and the people of India would view very seriously the possibility that an innocent Indian citizen is facing death sentence in Pakistan without due process and in violation of basic norms of law, justice and international relations," she said.

The Parliament too stood in solidarity on the issue and condemned Islamabad for openly flouting international norms on trying a foreign national.

Indian claims on Pakistani allegations

India has maintained that it believes that Jadhav fell prey to a larger conspiracy and went out of India only to carry out a business. India also points out the dubious ways in which Pakistan kept the lid over the entire trial process.

Denying a foreign national consular access, and hence a defendant of his choice, is a blatant departure from established international practice. Moreover, Pakistan has so far not produced any other proof except an alleged confessional video, which India states is tutored or recorded under immense mental and physical pressure. Then there are several inconsistencies in the video which further cast a shadow of doubt on the circumstances in which it was recorded.

Firslty, the video has multiple quick edits and the audio appears to go out of sync from time to time, which indicates it was likely to have been shot under duress. Then, Jadhav's facial expressions, at many instances, do not match to what is being said. The audio too is poorly spliced.

Interestingly, Pakistani Prime Minister's advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz had reportedly told the Pakistan senate on December 7 that the "dossier" on Jadhav were "mere statements" and that it did not have any "conclusive evidence". He even had said that the material was "insufficient", adding "now it is up to the concerned authorities how long they take to give us more matter on the agent."

In such circumstances, the sudden expediency in the trial and the extreme punishment handed out raises doubt.

Jadhav's background and family

Jadhav's family hails from Sangli, Maharashtra and his father is Sudhir Jadhav, who retired as a Assistant Commissioner in Mumbai Police officer. His uncle Subhash Jadhav, is also a Police officer and was part of the investigation team probing the hit-and-run case against Bollywood actor Salman Khan.

Jadhav lived at his Powai residence, with his father, mother Avanti Jadhav, wife and two children. However, since the news of his death sentence has come out, his family has relocated to an unknown location in view of their safety. As a precaution, the police deployed around half a dozen constables outside the premises while some policemen visited the family living on the fifth floor.

Jadhav joined joined the Navy in 1987, and according to his passport was born in 1968. He later quit the Navy in 2002 to start his own business.

Some questions unanswered

How likely is it for a trained RAW agent to be travelling with an Indian passport. Rajnath raised the same question. That apart, in the so called "confessional" video, Jadhav claims to have had direct links with senior RAW officials, which is again highly unlikely that an intelligence appointee been given direct access to senior officials.

The Pakistani inclination to keep the trial under wraps also throws up some suspicion. While trying a foreign national accused of spying is not unusual, sentencing someone to death within a scope of three months without even granting him consular access is highly unusual. After all, notwithstanding the frosty relationship the two nations share, India and Pakistan are not at war. Add to this the fact that even Pakistani politicians have their reservations about the military courts.

Sample this, Pakistan People's Party Senator Farhatullah Babar had argued that the practice of military courts pronouncing death penalty against unnamed accused by unnamed judges sitting at an undisclosed location and without any mention of charges, the case of the prosecution, the defence plea and disallowing independent observers violated the requirements of adequate procedural safeguards."

Moreover, Former German ambassador to Pakistan, Dr Gunter Mulack, has also contradicted Pakistan's version of the story stating Jadhav was arrested in a counter intelligence operation. According to a report in Dawn published at the time of Jadhav's arrest, Mulack has said that "the Indian spy recently arrested in Balochistan was actually caught by Taliban and sold to Pakistani intelligence".

An Afghanistani journalist also backed the Indian government's story that Jadhav is more likely to have been abducted.

The story of Indian #RAW spy is as fake as others; he's sold by the smugglers mafia on Iranian territory a source from the area told  Malik Achakzai (@MalikAchkJourno) April 2, 2016

Top US experts have also expressed concern over the way Pakistan handled this case. "Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI.

On the flip side, there are some facts that need an answer. A report in The Indian Express quotes some "highly placed intelligence offcials" who say that Jadhav had approached the RAW "several times between 2010 and 2012 offering his services as a freelance intelligence operative." The report however states that Jadhav was turned down each time as RAW officials saw him as "too much of a risk." Jadhav was financially on an edge, when he approached RAW, as his business was not paying off well. The same report also claims that Jadhav indeed had multiple fake identities as Pakistan claims. "Jadhav conducted his business in Iran using an illegally obtained Indian passport, E6934766, identifying him by the pseudonym Hussein Mubarak Patel... Later, in 2014, Jadhav obtained a second passport, this time giving the address of a flat in Thane owned by his mother, Avanti Jadhav," the report states.

Firstpost correspondent also independently confirmed that Jadhav owns three properties in Mumbai, and is known under the alias Mubarak Patel. Nobody in the area where he lived, knew him as Kulbhushan Jadhav.

Another report in The Scroll argues that Jadhav's job, in all likelihood, was to collect naval intelligence relating to Karachi and Gwadar which he successfully managed from Chabahar. It uses the fact that Pakistan has only made general allegations that Jadhav was involved in some activities in Balochistan, without detailing on any exact instances. Now it is no secret that India has strategic interests in the Chabhar, Gwadar port area and it has been involved in back channel diplomacy to secure its interests in the region. Perhaps Jadhav was merely tasked to collect naval intelligence inputs.

Whatever was the case, India maintains that the justice system was flawed, arbitrary and farcical and the fact that Pakistan didn't risk the scrutiny of a civil court in itself proves that the entire narrative is ridden with loopholes and cooked up to malign India.
Remember the old riddle, on how to shorten a long line without erasing any part of it? By drawing a longer line beside it! Such artfulness has returned to India with a rage, following the recent Supreme Court ruling that banned liquor shops and bars along highways. Quick executive action in certain states have already seen highways being denotified into streets.

This comes just days after the Supreme Court recognised that a large proportion of road accidents in India took place because the driver involved had consumed alcohol. The court banned all liquor stores and bars within 500 meters of all highways.

And now, because Gujarat, a dry state since its formation, hasn't been able to enforce prohibition effectively, a judge has said in an order that Daman be merged with Gujarat. It appears that the source of the illicit liquor is the Union Territory, and large numbers of Gujarat residents frequently visit Daman for their everyday tipple and go back reeking of the booze, and even carrying back a bottle or two.

Apart from Daman and Dadra Nagar Haveli on its southern tip, and Diu to the southwest of Saurashtra province, the other borders of the state are also porous and let booze seep through. There are even anecdotal suggestions that booze meant for Diu from Daman may be getting offloaded anywhere along the route through Gujarat for bootleggers to do business.

The petitioners may be regretting going to court because if the court's recommendation leads to divesting Daman of its Union Territory status, where liquor is available at cheap rates, they stand to lose their entire business. The court did not ask the Daman and Diu administration to ensure no one left that place drunk, or carried liquor stock away while exiting.

State governments couldn't persuade the court to see their point of view, and soon after the order, they began acting in a flurry. In Maharashtra, denotification could need approvals from the respective civic bodies for stretches of highways passing through the cities, and become time consuming. The move is therefore to hand them over straightaway to a development authority which would call them "roads".

When it comes to expeditious conduct by state governments in this regard, Maharashtra is not alone. If Punjab, believed to be a drinkers' paradise, given its culture of Patiala pegs, shrunk its highways by 30 km in one go, rechristening them "urban roads"; Maharashtra took as many kilometers from a single small city, Yavatmal, while Punjab took its cue from Rajasthan.

One argument is that these truly were city roads and only connected to the highways and since bypass roads had come up, they ceased being highways, even if they weren't maintained by the civic bodies anymore. In Punjab, an official is quoted as denying it was a move to skirt the Supreme Court ban. "It was in line with the Centre's policy. Just that we should have done it earlier. But it's better late than never." he was quoted as saying in the Indian Express report.

The liquor outlets, either as vendors, just bars, or bars and restaurants within hotels, are all worried about loss of business. They had bought licences at a huge price, in some places by auctions plus bribes, as is the wont in India. The lightning speed with which governments acted on denotification of highways is patently because they stand to lose a lot of revenue. One media estimate had said that all states put together, we'd be bidding goodbye to something like Rs two lakh crore.

It's revealing that none of the states which have decided to bypass the apex court order by changing the nomenclature have yet spoken a word about how the issue of drunk driving will be tackled. They haven't spoken of stepping up promotion of responsible drinking, nor improved policing, or asking liquor providers to ensure that drivers don't get a chance to tipple. It hardly seems to be a consideration at all.
Many tales of harassment and sexual exploitation of nuns in monasteries have come to light recently, but very little was known to the outside world about the true living conditions of the nuns, especially the aged ones.

A plea made by a group of 10 nuns in Kerala for the pension introduced by the state government for unmarried women has filled this gap. The application submitted to the Thiruvananthapuram city corporation by the nuns from St Annes convent in the state capital reveals shocking state of affairs in nunneries.

The nuns, all aged above 60, have said in their application that the convent was not paying them enough money to meet their personal needs, including medical expenses. A report in the The Times of India on Tuesday said that the nuns were not being given money even to buy medicines for various ailments they are suffering from.

The national daily quoted Sister Agnes, 63, one of the applicants, as saying that they had moved the application for the government pension, which is Rs 1100 per month now, as they felt it would help them make both ends meet. The nun refused to talk when Firstpost contacted her. She handed over the phone to the convent provincial, who said that the report in the daily was not true. She said that the newspaper had published the news item without taking the version of the convent authorities.

The nuns have submitted the application for pension not because they are not taken care by the convent. We are meeting all the requirements of the sisters. We sought the pension as we felt that the nuns, who remain unmarried throughout their lives, have a right for it, the provincial told the Firstpost.

However, a source close to the convent said that the claim was not true. The nuns, who approached the government for pension, are a neglected lot. Hailing from poor families, they were mostly employed for cooking food, Washing clothes and running errands. As they convent does not pay any money for these jobs, the nuns have no personal saving to meet their needs, the source said.

The source said that the convent authorities were hiding the facts due to pressure from the Church, which is already hit by several scandals. The Trivandrum diocese of the Latin Catholic Church, under which the convent comes, has directed the nuns not to pursue the matter as it will dent its image in the public.

It cannot afford bad publicity at a time when girls are not coming forward to join nunneries. The Church has observed a 30 to 40 percent fall in the number of girls opting for religious vocation. The main reason attributed to this is the shrinking family size and growing career opportunities for women. The Church has been looking towards less developed eastern states to meet the shortfall.

A study on the condition of nuns by Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) priest Joy Kalliath also adds growing disillusionment with the life in convents among nuns as another key reason. The study found that a large number of nuns in the state was disillusioned with the religious life they opted for when they were very young.

The report of the study published in Sathyadeepam, a Catholic weekly published from Ernakulam, said that the practice of grading nuns on the basis of educational, social and economic backgrounds being followed by nuns has been turning a large number of nuns isolated and disillusioned. This grading allows nuns from financially well-off families with higher educational qualification get greater influence and better treatment in the convents. Those from the poor backgrounds feel like they are being treated as servants. This has been making them feel sidelined and isolated, the report said.

The study found nearly 20 percent of about 40,000 nuns in the state were feeling mentally insecure and unaccepted in convents. Five percent of them appeared unsettled in the religious life and felt disillusioned.

The study, conducted in the wake of spike in suicides by the nuns, said that these nuns have been increasingly finding solace in suicides.

Reji Njallani, chairman of Catholic Priests, Ex-priests and Nuns Association, said this was the condition of aged nuns in most convents in the state. They convents use them as long they are healthy. Once they become old and lose their health, they are discarded, Reji said.

He told the Firstpost that the condition of professionally qualified nuns, who work in various church institutions and government departments, was also no different. The convents take a major share of the salaries they get. They also takes the pension when they retire leaving very little for their personal needs. The plight of the priests is also same. They are pushed into priests homes or forced to go to their homes when they become old. The families of most nuns do not welcome them as they give the share of the family property to the congregation that recruits the nuns. As they are not trained to lead the lay life, they continue in convents at the mercy of the Church, he said.

Reji said that majority of such nuns and priests were taking the sufferings in their stride since they have nowhere to go if they quit the vocation. Those who raise their voice against injustice are harassed and tortured. Many of them are branded mentally unstable and lodged in mental asylums.

Reji said that the association of ex-priests and nuns was formed to find a solution to these problems. The association has established an open church in order to help them earn a livelihood. He said that the association was ready to take care of the aged priests and nuns if the Church admits their inability to look after them.

He said it was not fair on the part of the Church to seek the government assistance since it is already given several concessions, including grants for various institutions run by the Church and tax exemption. Government assistance is meant for the poor and the downtrodden. The Church in Kerala has huge wealth. They build churches costing millions of rupees, but they are not ready to spend even a fraction if it on the priests and nuns who have served it for long. The bishops and priests who control these funds are leading luxurious lives Reji said.

He has urged the government to order an inquiry into the ill-treatment of aged priests and nuns as it was a clear case of a human rights violation. Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation has referred the nuns application for pension to the government as the rules does not provide for pension to those who have chosen unmarried life on religious grounds.

The government orders on welfare pension is mum on nuns and sadhvis who lead a celibate life. We have sought the government clarification as we have no powers to include any new category in the pension scheme, said Geetha Gopal, corporation welfare committee chairperson.

Officials in the finance ministry acknowledged receipt of the application. However, they said that the ministry was yet to take a decision on the plea. The government needs time as the issue will have wider implications, a senior official said. A spokesman of the Trivandum diocese of the Latin Church, under which the St Annes convent comes, said that the Church will not support the plea for pension as the nuns had opted for a life of service. He said that the nuns had approached the government without consulting them.

The spokesman said that the nuns might have been misled by some external forces with the ulterior motive of maligning the image of the Church. He affirmed that the Church will not shirk its responsibility in supporting the nuns and priests when they become old.
Chandigarh: Fifty two students were arrested after a protest against fee hike turned violent at the Panjab University campus in Chandigarh on Tuesday as the agitators clashed with police, forcing the latter to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides.

Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest. After registering a case of rioting and damage to public property against the protesting students, police have arrested 52 students out of the 66 identified by the university authorities, police said.

The agitating students wanted to hold talks with Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the fee hike issue as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike. When the students were not called for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office in the varsity campus by jumping the barricades set up by police.

Police resorted to water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation turned violent when students allegedly started pelting stones and flower pots at cops, forcing the police to lathi charge and lob teargas shells, leading to injuries to several students including girls.

Several student bodies including Students for Society (SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Punjab University Students Union (PUSU) had given a joint call for 'Panjab University Bandh' in protest against the fee hike. "We resorted to use force after students turned violent," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said, adding that some police vehicles were also damaged.

"On our side 22 cops sustained injuries," SP said. "We have arrested 52 students so far for rioting and damaging public property," he said. After police used force, some protesting students took shelter in a Gurdwara situated on the campus.

Earlier, the protesting students boycotted classes. Some students could also be seen forcing the shops to close. Some photo journalists and reporters who were covering the protest have also sustained injuries allegedly caused by police cane charge.

Chandigarh Press Club strongly condemned the alleged lathicharge by the police on photographers and journalists. In a release issued here, the Press Club's president Jaswant Rana and Secretary General Barinder Singh Rawat alongwith the governing council members demanded inquiry into the incident and registration of FIR against those police personal who were involved in lathicharge.

A delegation of the Chandigarh Press Club will meet the UT Administrator, UT Adviser and UT IGP in this regard to take strict action against those involved in this incident, the release said.

The students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by the PU senate last month for the 2017-18 academic year. In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In the B Pharma course, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in MA (journalism) course, the fee was hiked from Rs 5290 to Rs 30,000. For PU's dental course, the fees was increased from Rs 86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

With the students demanding rollback of the fee hike, the PU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike while considering the financial condition of the university as the it has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18.
As I landed in New Delhi on Wednesday morning, with the sun bleeding into the capital, my red eyes noticed several road signs pointing to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on my way from the airport.

It struck me then and there that the 'great' advocates of freedom of speech and their clones in the rest of the country have not reacted to Pakistan sentencing Kulbhushan Yadav, an Indian national, to death. He does not seem worthy of their liberal leftist attention.

Where are all those shrill flag wavers, who made such a fetish of commemorating Afzal Guru's hanging and set the nation on fire with their rhetoric and misplaced ferocity? Another such event was organised by the Committee for Release of Political Prisoners at the Press Club. Is Jadhav, a former naval officer, not a political scapegoat?

Where are the Kanhaiya Kumars of India now? Where are all the breast-beating liberals, that we so graciously host in our midst? Do they not see this judicial atrocity being committed, largely to place a burr under the Indian saddle?

And where are those professors, who so readily addressed gatherings of students and sought the sanctuary of academe to assault their own country? Why are all these people silent?

But there was no answer from the signboards as the cab whizzed past, except the slime of hypocrisy that has become our clarion call. It is an open secret that Jadhav is all but a pawn on the tattered 70-year-old chessboard of the Indo-Pak game, which never seems to reach its end.

Unless the people of this country rise as one and compel the central government to turn push to shove and let Pakistan know that their action will not be without serious consequence, all our actions are pointless.

Pakistan will not take his life yet. There is far too much political capital to be made to snuff this businessman out. They will play it out as long as they can.

But we must not, should not wait. The nation must see this death sentence as an extreme provocation, not because it is one life but because that one life embodies the national interest. If we let them walk over us and proceed with the incarceration and the subsequent execution, or its promise (which is as debilitating), we will be sending out a message of weakness.

By this token, mere condemnation and shock and horror by the political frontline is fluff and of no effect on Pakistan.

What should be done is to show intent. Hold a special session of Parliament; make it a front burner issue and demand a time-bound release. Start holding back on all bilateral trades and raise the ante dramatically. Hurt them in the pocket. They are enjoying our discomfiture hugely and it is only because they firmly believe we will not do anything.

If we do not do this and we simply make mewling sounds, we will have lost an initiative and our silence will indict us.

The fear is that as time passes, this crass miscarriage will become rusty and the nation will move on to other fresher events, without understanding that the way we find a path to the subsequent release of Jadhav will mark the price of an Indian life.
A former female employee of ScoopWhoop has levelled charges of sexual assault against the company's co-founder Suparn Pandey and an FIR has been registered in the case.

FIR registered against co-founder of ScoopWhoop under charges of sexual harassment, insulting the modesty of a woman & criminal intimidation pic.twitter.com/4BlS4kde89  News18 (@CNNnews18) April 12, 2017

According to a report in Catch News, the complainant has also named co-founders Sattvik Mishra and Sriparna Tikekar for aiding and abetting the harassment while trying to hush up the whole matter.

The complainant, according to the news report, alleges that throughout her course of employment with the company  between 2015 and 2017  Pandey passed lewed remarks and publicly humiliated her on her sexuality. Mr Suparn Pandey in public commented on my sexuality and this comment included calling me a names (sic.) which reflected on my sexual orientation and my sexual preferenes (sic.) as well as characterized me in a certain way, the Catch News article quotes the FIR.

Meanwhile, ScoopWhoop has issued a formal statement after the issue made headlines. The news website has said that it will take due action against Pandey if he is found guilty.

"We are fully prepared to accept the findings of the investigations and dutifully take the necessary action if found guilty," the statement said.

Another report in India Today states that the complainant was harassed physically as well. The complainant all this while, repeatedly tried to raise the matter with other co-founders, including Sriparna Tikekar but the management not only failed to take action against Pandey but even "reprimanded and humiliated the complainant."

She alleged that she was even forced to work in close proximity of Pandey, especially after she brought the issue to the management's notice. The complainant said that when she tried to escalate the matter and report the matter to the Police, ScoopWhoop's management threatened to destroy her career and discouraged her from talking about it.

The issue is oddly reminiscent of the controversy courted by The Viral Fever CEO, Arunabh Kumar. Former employees of the company had alleged sexual harassment in workplace in social media posts and later an FIR was lodged against Kumar. He had later said in his defence that he was a "single heterosexual man and when I find a woman sexy, I tell her she's sexy. I compliment women. Is that wrong?" The statement created a lot of furor and Kumar drew much flak for not only trivialising the issue of sexual harassment at workplace but for stereotyping men.
Before Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the 21st chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, he was seen as a promoter of what is called the Hindutva ideology. But the question exponentially arises: is his image changing with the time? This question is gaining significance and popularity particularly now in the wake of two surprisingly remarkable incidents. In the first instance, Adityanath focused on the religious commonality between Hindus and Muslims in India, citing an example of the resemblance between namaaz and certain asanas of the Surya namaskar. Tellingly, Muslim leaders and ulema, barring a few hardliners, supported the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's statement on Surya namaskar's asanas being akin to namaaz, welcoming it as an effort to advance the cause of religious inclusiveness in India, as this Firstpost article mentioned in detail.

Of late, a fresh instance of similar tenor was seen in a recent tweet by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister in which he wished Muslims on the birth anniversary of Hazrat Ali, an Islamic figure of utmost importance, especially for Indian Muslims. In a very brief, yet meaningful tweet which has shot into a controversy now, the Uttar Pradesh chief ministers Twitter account handle wrote in Hindi:

          Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) April 11, 2017

It is a common knowledge that such an endeavour by Adityanath is first of its kind. He is not known to have gone on wishing Muslims in India on Islamic festivals.

His tweet on the occasion of Hazrat Alis birthday wishing the Muslims, in particular, and the Indian people, in general, was quite unlikely. This is a great surprise by Yoginath who, before his win in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election 2017, had expressed his wish to change the names of several localities having Islamic touch. One wonders how someone who planned to convert the name of Ali Nagar to Arya Nagar is now wishing Muslims on the very Hazrat Alis birthday!

It is a clear signal that Adityanath, after becoming the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, is inclined towards religious pluralism, showing equal respect to different religions in India, something which is the hallmark of India's unity in multiplicity and cultural composites.

But a cursory glance at the comments on this concise tweet reveals that the path to achieving this gigantic task is long and challenging. Surprisingly, Adityanaths congratulation to the countrys Muslims on Hazrat Alis birthday is not seen by a section of his die-hard fans as a gesture for communal harmony. It is rather lambasted as a "letdown" on the strong expectations and emotions that these religionist Uttar Pradesh voters harboured. After the congratulatory message on Hazrat Alis birthday was extended to Muslims by Adityanath, a surge of pernicious "trolls" on the social media embarked on their mission.

Scores of commentators who used to be "Adityanath bhakts" accused the Uttar Pradesh chief minister of acting like a "secular" politician, castigating his tweet on Hazrat Alis birthday as an "unacceptable political gimmick". For instance, an "ex-fan" of Adityanath commented on his tweet: After witnessing your secular character, I believe even staunch Hindutva turns secular after winning the chair.

Clearly, Adityanath's tweet has turned some of his fans and followers extremely angry. They have posed tough and provocative questions to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. For instance, Rashmi Mehta, a Twitter user and former fan of Adityanath, commented: "The lure of the chair is speaking". Another fan, Aditya Kumar regrets: "Sir, we did not expect this". Another Twitter user laments: today it has to be believed that as soon as the power is attained, even the biggest promoter of Hindutva becomes secular. In castigation of Adityanath's tweet, an angry Twitter user has gone to the extent of flogging this fiction: "    ,     " (You were not like this, you are becoming a Maulvi).

However, there are also Hindu and Muslim Twitter followers of Adityanath who have warmly welcomed his tweet on Hazrat Alis birthday celebration. For instance, Nitin Nishant wrote:

A translation of the tweet reads: This is how the changing face of India should be... Lets get united and integrated. Congratulations to all on Hazrat Ali's birthday and Hanuman Jayanti! In the same thread, this tweet was endorsed by many Muslim twitter users like Tariq Khan who expressed best wishes on Hazrat Ali's birthday and Hanuman Jayanti.

Remarkably, this year, Hanuman Jayanti and the birth anniversary of Hazrat Ali fell on the same day (11 April). Thus, Tuesdays tweet marks not only the first time when the Uttar Pradesh chief minister wished Muslims on a religious occasion but also the changing image of a "Hindutva nationalist" who is willing to celebrate the religious commonalities and respect the differences between the two largest religious communities in India.

All you need to know about Hazrat Ali

Let us also recall that Hazrat Ali whose birthday occurred on Tuesday, was Prophet Muhammads son-in-law. He was killed by the first extremist outfit in Islam  the Khawarij or Kharijites  for his moderate views on the religious issues. He is revered as "Hazrat Ali" by Sunni-Sufi Muslims in India and as "Imam Ali" by the Shia Muslims. Particularly known for his spiritual intellect, intellectual pursuit and humanitarian works, Hazrat Ali was honoured by the Prophet with an epithet of Bab-ul-ilm (gate of knowledge) wherein the Prophet reportedly referred to himself as the Madina-tul-ilm (city of the knowledge). Imam Ali was also elected as the Muslim caliph or Amir al-Muminin (chief of the believers) from 656 to 661, in an Islamic period called the rightly-guided era.

The corpus of the classical Islamic texts like hadith (Prophets sayings and traditions) and Sirah (biography of the Prophet) are replete with historical accounts highlighting the special place that Hazrat Ali holds in Islam. Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said: Verily, Ali is from me and I am from him (inna Ali minni wa ana minhu), and he is the wali (spiritual master) of every believer after me." The Prophet went to the extent of expressing his spiritual kinship with Hazrat Ali in these words: "Ali is as my own sou' (ka-nafsi), as reported in several historical Arabic compilations such Al-bidaya Wal-nihaya, Tabqat Ibn Saad and Al-isabah fi tamyeez al-Sahaba.

Hazrat Ali's birthday, which occurs on the 13th day of the Islamic month of Rajab, is an occasion of paramount importance in both Sunni-Sufi and Shiite Islamic traditions. Barring a few Muslim sects adhering to the Salafis-Wahhabis, Hazrat Alis birthday is celebrated as Yaum-e-Ali by the worlds mainstream Muslims with great gusto. In India, it is also marked as "Jashn Maulud-e-Kaba (commemoration of the one who was born in Kaba). Muslims, particularly in the Uttar Pradesh localities, celebrate this annual occasion as an event to recall the peaceful, pluralistic and rationalistic messages and other notable memories of Hazrat Ali.

As for the Sunni-Sufi Muslims, they show great veneration to this day believing Hazrat Ali as the fourth righteous chief of the believers ameer al-muminin and the founder of Islamic spirituality or Tasawwuf (Sufism). However, for the Shia followers of Islam, Hazrat Ali was actually the first righteous caliph and the first imam in the long sacred chain of the Shi'ite Imams, beginning with Hazrat Ali to Imam Mahdi who is believed to appear at the end of the world. Apart from these doctrinal disagreements, both Shia and Sunni-Sufi Muslims, also known in India as Ahl-e-Sunnat, unanimously honour and celebrate the occasion of Hazrat (or Imam) Alis birth anniversary. Thus, both Sunnis and Shias  the two largest Islamic sects in India  are brought together on this occasion to engage collectively in the prayers while, at the same time, singing naat and manqabat (hymns in the praise of Imam Ali). Although Hazrat Ali's birth anniversary is not yet an official holiday declared by the Indian government, Muslims in large number take off from their jobs to avidly celebrate it.

For over a century, the birthday of Hazrat Ali is widely observed in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in Lucknow, Azamgarh, Aligarh, Maunath Bhanjan and all localities with a sizeable population of the Shia Muslims. While the Ahl-e-Sunnat pay tribute to Hazrat Ali by holding spiritually-inclined gatherings and recalling his profound significance in the Sufi orders and traditions, the Shias celebrate his birthday anniversary in similar congregations in mosques and imambaras (shrines) across the country. They decorate their houses, mosques and imambaras with lights, colourful and scented flowers and share great joy and enthusiasm with their friends and family. This happens in India in full spiritual synergy with the age-old tradition of the two Shia-majority Muslim nations  Iraq and Iran. This writer bears witness to the remarkable events commemorating "Yaum-e-Ali" (Imam Alis birthday). Initiated and promoted by Irans ministry of culture and religious affairs, the anniversary was declared as an official holiday in the era of the famous 19th-century Iranian ruler, Nasiru al-Din Shah.

It is worth mentioning that Hazrat Alis shrine is situated in Najaf, the Iraqi city which is highly venerated by the Shia Muslims who perform pilgrimages to this city from across the world throughout the year.
Hindu Yuva Vahini  founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath  is at it again.

The fringe group's members allegedly barged into a home in Meerut and thrashed a young couple on suspicion of 'love jihad', the term used for the baseless allegation that Muslim men were seducing Hindu women to convert them to Islam.

The boy has accused the group's members of moral policing, reported Zee News.

"I have asked the police to take strict action as the Muslim boy was romancing with a Hindu girl in the house. He wanted to convert her religion. I also insist on taking strict action against the landlords, who give rooms on rent without proper verification," ANI quoted Nagendra Singh Tomar, the head of Hindu Yuva Vahini, as saying.

Hindu Yuva Vahini workers barge into a house in Meerut, rough up a couple on suspicion of 'love jihad'. pic.twitter.com/FaZMsdASd6  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 12, 2017

However, according to the police, the couple was not beaten up and both the boy and the girl were Muslims and were released later, Hindustan Times reported.

On Friday, police in Maharajganj district had stopped a prayer at a church attended by over 100 people, including American tourists, after Hindu Yuva Vahini had alleged that forced conversions were being done there.

HYV had alleged that the prayer meeting was a 'cover' for forced conversions.

After the 'probe', however, the police found that the allegations were baseless and allowed the Americans to leave. This was also the first time such an allegation was being made against the British-era church in Maharajganj, which also happens to be a tourist hotspot.
From a few hundred feet as the aeroplane nears touch-down, the view is spectacular. Long bars of white sand trace the outline of the island. Waters of teal blend with turquoise, turquoise mixes with azure which turns deep cobalt in the vast ocean. From above, a carpet of emerald green covers the island. Whiffs of salty ocean air fill the plane cabin. You may be a resident of a bustling sea-side metropolis familiar with such aromas but there is something inviting in the sights, sounds and smells of Zanzibar that promises to be a memorable adventure taking you back in time to its torrid past, letting you dive in its colourful waters and lulling you to slothful indulgence.

Zanzibar is an archipelago about 40 km off the coast of Tanzania in East Africa. It consists of two main ear-shaped islands that look like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle: Zanzibar, the main island housing the capital city with its historic center of Stone Town and Pemba, known as the green island due to its hilly terrain and lush greenery.

A good vacation can start with a hassle-free visa process, where winding queues for in-person interviews are not mandatory. But if your idea of a great vacation is simply booking a flight and showing up at the destination, Zanzibar should be on top of your list. The visa is on arrival and the one terminal airport is small enough for you to get through immigration before Usain Bolt crosses the 1oo meters tape. Driving out, the view of the beautifully clear ocean water is never too out of sight. Close to the airport, the roads could be bumpy with sand from the beaches filled in them but they get better as you navigate the short distance of 5 km to the center of Zanzibar City or to any of the hotels dotted along the many beaches around the island.

There is a mix of hotels to choose from  Zanzibar being one of the older cities in Africa, there are historic hotels that have been renovated recently, new posh ones but also plenty of budget accommodations. Many of these will have a room with a view of the vast blue expanse of the ocean or the shoreline of the Tanzanian coast. We checked into a gorgeous airy accommodation right on top of the ocean. From the comforts of a spacious balcony that had a swing to take in the balmy currents, we watched beautifully crafted dhows with crisp masts gently sail with the winds.

Dhows are a ubiquitous part of the seascape here. They transport most of the essentials and people from one part of the island to the other. Some scholars suggest that dhows are an import from India many centuries ago when traders began to settle in Zanzibar. But with Zanzibar having been shaped by many hands, it is difficult to assert such appropriations. Try getting on a dhow, nonetheless, to get a feel of life in slow motion.

The most obvious thing to do for lunch while on an island is to have some fresh seafood like lobster, clams and oyster. Zanzibar has many excellent restaurants that serve fresh seafood from the catch in the morning and it goes well with light couscous washed down with coconut water.

The other certain thing to do while on an island is to sleep off the lovely seafood. It is muggy to be walking around so siesta doesnt do any harm. As the sun begins to lose its intensity, it is a good time to check out the many curio shops in the old part of town that stock all kinds of Africa inspired souvenirs, from masks to beautifully painted portraits of Masai tribesmen.

By the time evening winds down over Zanzibar, youd feel the need for quick refueling stopover. The best seat in town to watch the African sunset is from the historic Africa House hotel. It offers bang-on view of the sun drowning in the ocean. With a sprawling desk and a fully loaded bar made out of ageless teak, it is a place where every traveller worth his salt gathers to soak their parched throats with a cold beer or a cocktail and behold the everyday spectacle of sunset. Sometimes if there is a sporting crowd, there is so much revelry the evening could be mistaken as New Years Eve  until the dark of the twilight takes over. Yes, it is a touristy spot where none of the locals hang out but is filled with sun-tanned foreigners out to calm their nerves but it is a beautiful experience to have a cold sundowner with a bunch of strangers taking in a natural phenomenon.

Zanzibar was put on the map by the tradelines between the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Africa and the Middle-East. Thus it came to be a melting pot of Persians first who were joined by Indians, and later by Malays, Chinese, Arabs, etc. This mix of people continue to Zanzibar their home. They came together as traders and merchants dealing mostly in many coveted spices like the cloves, pepper, cash crops and ivory. Later in the 1600s onwards when Zanzibar fell in the hands of the Omani sultanate, slave trade was rampant with slaves being caught in large numbers and transported for the Arab rulers and Europeans.

Much of this history can be experienced today on foot by walking around Stone Town. From the Sultanates residence of the Palace of Wonders, the Old Fort built to guard the city in 1700s from European invasions, Old Dispensary that a wealthy Indian trader built to the Slavery memorial, large part of the old town is preserved for tourists to get an understanding of what it must have been like in the past. The lanes in Stone Town are narrow and full of colourful houses with large wooden door that have nails on them. They now house spice shops of merchants from India selling everything from rugs to artefacts to spices and nuts. It is great to strike up conversations with several of them about their ancestry, how was it growing up on an island, do they have family back in India. If an Indian could go on a vacation abroad and still travel back in time before Independence, it would be possible only in Zanzibar.

But apart from travelling back in time, you could also travel down in space. Space that is fluid and blue. Zanzibar offers some fantastic dive sites in the world. And it is easy to book a scuba package or snorkelling one from many dive centers that operate along the islands. The boat ride to Pemba offers some good diving too  schools of dolphins, octopuses, parrot fish, groupers, corals of incredible shapes, sizes and colours, it is a great sport that the whole travelling party can try.

Zanzibar has a bit of everything for everyone  for the history buff, the adventurer or a leisure seeking traveller. It has seen explorers like David Livingston set sail and come back to its shores to proclaim it is the most beautiful place on the earth.

So take a cue from Billy Joel who sang:

Ive got the old mans car,

Ive got a jazz guitar,

Ive got a tab at Zanzibar,

Tonight, thats where Ill be
A leader of the BJP's youth wing has courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.

The threat was issued by Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). "Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?

"If they had any humanity, they wouldn't have beaten up like this. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said while criticising the police action on the rally.

The matter echoed on in the Parliament on Wednesday as TMC leaders raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, which garnered support from other parties as well. Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Jaya Bacchan expressed anguish on the BJP leader's remark, stating that the BJP was keen on protecting cows but not women.

TMC's Saugata Roy also strongly condemned the BJP leader's statement urging strong action against people who make such provocations.

Meanwhile, BJP has distanced itslef from Varshney's comments, stating that the West Bengal state government is free to take action against him.

Don't agree with such remarks,there is anger against Mamataji for her appeasment politics but cant support violence:Kailash Vijayvargiya,BJP pic.twitter.com/O3NyuPPUcN  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 12, 2017

The fracas started on Tuesday, when police in Suri, in West Bengal's Birbhum district used batons to disperse a rally which shouted slogans in praise of "Shri Ram". The police had set up an iron barrier which those in procession tried to break, prompting the law-enforcers to make a lathicharge.

At another place on the outskirts of Suri, thousands of people had ignored a police ban to participate in a rally taken out under the aegis of an organisation observing Hanuman Jayanti.

The Suri Police had on Sunday told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting on Tuesday. The organisers had requested the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms. However, the police did not budge from its stand.

In a separate incident, four people were injured after a bomb was hurled at a Hanuman Jayanti rally, around 40 km from Kolkata, according to a report in NDTV.

West Bengal general secretary of BJP Sayantan Basu had on Saturday alleged at a press meet at the party office that "The district administration at first had accorded permission, but later withdrew it on order of the TMC bosses."

In the past too, various instances of clashes between West Bengal administration and BJP/ RSS have emerged over celebration of festivals. Mamata had lashed out at BJP and RSS for brandishing swords at a celebration on Ram Navmi just weeks ago. Reacting to this, another RSS sympathiser outfit, Vishwa Hindu Parishad had accused Mamata of being anti-Hindu and practicing divisive politics.

"In Muharram processions, weapons are brandished. So how can you single out Ram Navami? You should see the pictures where children carry weapons during Muharram, how children slaughter goats during Eid. Is it not a violation of child rights? Do you not see that? Why are you silent then?" a VHP leader had asked.
A Congress-led delegation has submitted a memorandum on the alleged irregularities in electronic voting machines (EVMs) and the rise of communal forces under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday.

The delegation included several popular leaders like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Satyavrat Chaturvedi, and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad among others.

Talking to the press after the meeting, Azad said that the alleged tampering of EVMs, and the backdoor entry by the BJP to form the governments in Goa and Manipur, have raised questions on the electoral process in the country.

Recent allegations of EVM tampering have raised questions on electoral process: GN Azad after opposition party delegation met president pic.twitter.com/ZCmAaxMjUP  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

Azad also said that the mob lynching of a Muslim trader transporting cow in Alwar (Rajasthan) earlier this month and that of a Mulsim man in Dadri (Uttar Pradesh) in 2015 were also raised before the president. The delegation of Opposition parties also discussed other issues like passing of key bills as money bills in order to bypass Rajya Sabha.

Azad said that the united Opposition sought the president's intervention to maintain the constitutional safeguards in India. "In a democracy, rule of law should prevail but mob lynching and harassment is seen in the country," the Congress leader remarked.

Key bills are being disguised as money bill to bypass and undermine the constitutional position of Rajya Sabha: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress pic.twitter.com/BlRu44D8N3  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

The delegation also highlighted the issue of BJP's lack of a majority in the Rajya Sabha. Azad claimed that the BJP is manipulating parliamentary rules to pass key bills by passing the lower House.

Both the upper and lower Houses were adjourned sine die on the conclusion of the Budget Session on Wednesday.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) was caught in a tight spot over its decision to carry out repoll on 38 polling stations at Srinagar's parliamentary seat on Thursday, even when complete boycott was witnessed at 100 other polling booths.

The Commission also deferred the bypoll to Anantnag parliamentary constituency to 25 May, stating that the situation is "not conducive to the holding of free and fair pole in the constituency on 12 April, as scheduled".

Opposition parties National Conference (NC) and Congress are taking a swipe at ECI, charging the Commission of helping out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate on the Srinagar seat, where the margin of victory could be very thin. ECI also said that any decision to order repoll for the third time, in case of another disruption of polling, could be taken only on Thursday.

Jammu and Kashmirs chief electoral officer (CEO), Shant Manu, said that the decision to go for repoll was based on a report received from the returning officer (RO) that the elections couldnt be held at the polling stations. Another boycott and disruptions at polling stations would ECI's role in holding elections under the scanner.

A senior government official said that in the wake of the abysmal voter turnout seen in Srinagar, with the possibility of the winning margin being thin, the decision to hold the repoll would only fuel the controversy. The Commission postponed the elections on the Anantnag seat to avert violence, but surprisingly decided to go ahead with repoll on areas which saw polling staff being locked up and civilians taking to the streets, in favour of boycotting the polls.

"At 32 polling stations, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were either damaged or missing; while at five other polling stations, the Presiding Officers reported that voting was disrupted. At 100 other polling booths, we recorded zero percentage of votes... but the people had boycotted the elections there and we couldnt have done anything," the official said. Manu said that it was not conventional to order a repoll for the third time, but added that any decision could be taken only on Thursday.

NC and Congress have levelled accusations against the Commission, saying that it stands discredited as it was going by the opinion of the ruling PDP-BJP government over holding the elections. Former chief minister and NC working president, Omar Abdullah, questioned the need for conducting the repoll. Omar said that at a time when the conditions were not conducive for polls on the Anantnag parliamentary seat, it made no sense to go for repoll in areas which were affected by violence during the bypolls held on 9 April.

Both NC and Congress had sought that the Anantnag polls shouldnt be postponed. Congress state president and the party's candidate for the Anantnag seat, GA Mir, threatened to pull out from the contest, saying that in the wake of a breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the state, governor's rule should be imposed.

"The ECI went by the opinion of the PDP alone. We had sought that the polls be deferred earlier, but our requests were not heeded by the Commission. Now, when we asked for holding the elections on time, our opinion was rejected. This is only to help the ruling alliance," said Mir.

He added that if the ECI was fearing the loss of lives, it must guarantee that there would be no violence during the elections in May. "Can ECI assure us that there will no violence or voting percentage will be high when elections are held in May," added Mir.

Earlier, both the PDP and Congress had withdrawn from the Anantnag campaign on Friday in protest against the Srinagar violence, in which eight people lost their lives. Tassaduq Mufti, brother of state chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who was the party candidate for the polls on the Anantnag seat, called upon ECI to defer the polls.

PDP chief spokesman Mehboob Beg, however, justified the deferring of elections. "Those who were killed are our own people and we couldnt have gone to polls under these conditions. We asked ECI to defer the polls earlier but the Commission is an independent body and cant be questioned about its decisions."

He said that the PDP, during its meeting with the ECI earlier, had asked the Commission to consider the unrest in the Valley, as the conditions were not conducive to hold the polls in the wake of civilian killings after the unrest last year  which was triggered by the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

"Budgam had been the most peaceful area and there was violence even there. Charar-i-Sharief, where the people usually vote in good numbers was also boycotted. Anantnag remained the epicentre of the protests in 2016, and when the polling percentage remained as low as 7 percent in Srinagar, it was prudent to defer the elections," Beg said.

In South Kashmir, where Tassaduq was pitted against Mir, a subdued political campaign was witnessed in the run up to the elections. A PDP rally was attacked earlier at Kulgam, whee three people sustained injuries.

It was only in the areas which had not seen strong protests in 2016 where campaigning was carried out by the political parties. Government forces engaged in encounters with militants, while the campaigning was still on. The Anantnag bypoll is now due for over nine months, since Mehbooba resigned from the seat and got elected as an MLA from the Anantnag Assembly segment.
As India toils over the fate of its citizen, former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, here is a peek into the mind of the man  Pakistan's Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa  through the eyes of former Indian Army Chief, General Bikram Singh (retired). It is plausible that the Indian government may ask General Singh to reach out to Bajwa. Bajwa served under him on a United Nations mission. But, General Singh suspects that the institution of the Pakistan Army, nurtured over decades of India-phobia, may have hijacked the mind of an otherwise professional soldier. Here are the excerpts from Sujan Dutta's interview with General Singh.

Firstpost: You know General Qamar Javed Bajwa personally since you were his commander on a United Nations mission in Congo and Africa. What kind of a man is he?

General Bikram Singh: General Qamar Javed Bajwa, as a Brigadier, was one of my brigade commanders in the multinational Eastern Division that I commanded in the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC). The Eastern Division then comprised two brigades  one each from India and Pakistan  and in addition, it had a number of battalions and independent companies from 16 other countries. In the international milieu, I found then Brigadier Bajwa totally committed to MONUC's mandate and the ideals of the United Nations. He consistently exhibited a positive attitude with great respect for diversity. During my official visits to his brigade, he would scrupulously abide by the military decorum and protocols. Well, that was the Pakistani Army's Chief almost a decade ago. In his journey from a tactical commander in MONUC to now a strategic leader, he surely would have acquired and shaped his conceptual skills and frames of reference, which will now govern his conduct. In my earlier columns on him in India Today and The Week magazines, I had mentioned that notwithstanding his moderate leanings, apolitical with strong democratic credentials, he will not be able to change Pakistan Army's stance towards India.

FP: Why?

GBS: Keeping the Kashmir pot boiling along with a calibrated hostile posturing against India helps the Pakistan army retain its centrality and exclusive domestic stature. That's why. No Pakistan Army chief would ever like to lose that coveted position. Moreover, any such initiative will invite tremendous resistance not just from the military serving and retired fraternity but also the India-centric terrorist groups  Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

FP: Bajwa was seen as a sensible choice by Nawaz Sharif.

GBS: Given his credentials, it was a sensible choice. However, as I brought out earlier, Pakistani Army Chiefs have no option but to follow the well-trodden path of their predecessors.

FP: How do you think he has handled the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav?

GBS: I think the entire trial, by what I would call a Kangaroo court, is a farce. An innocent Indian has been implicated without any proof. The statements of the German and Iranian diplomats alluding to Jadhav being caught in Iran and then brought to Balochistan have been blatantly ignored. Moreover, he has been denied counsellor access. I am glad the government has been quite emphatic about the shape of things to come, should Pakistan continue with its deceitful behaviour. Pakistan appears to be testing our threshold of tolerance.

FP: Since you knew him personally  and Pakistani lawyers are saying Bajwa can determine Jadhav's fate  do you think you can intervene to secure Jadhav's release?

GBS: That is up to the government to decide. However, it needs to be remembered that UN affiliations only go up to a point. National interests have their pre-eminence. Therefore, whether such equations will be useful in changing the mind of the Pakistani Army Chief is anybody's guess. However, I am of the view that the nation must exercise all possible options to secure the release of our former naval officer.
The second and the last half of the Budget Session of Parliament, which concludes on Wednesday, has turned out to be a largely productive one, working in favour of the NDA government. The first part of the session, 31 January to 9 February, was washed out after the Opposition cried foul over Prime Minister Narendra Modis demonetisation drive.

Since the Budget Session resumed on 9 March, following a month long recess, many key Bills were introduced and passed  the Finance Bill, 2017, The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013, four bills related to implementation of the goods and services tax (GST), The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017, The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

With a total of 12 bills passed during the second half, productivity for Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, as of Monday, was 112 percent and 87 percent respectively (according to data by PRS Legislative Research).

Both the Houses functioned efficiently despite many tussles between the Opposition and the government over issues like the Ramjas College row, racial attacks on Indians in US and Australia, linking of Aadhar to welfare benefits and I-T returns, allegations of electronic voting machines (EVMs) tampering, among others.

Here are some of the key bills passed during the Budget session:

Four GST bills

Parliament passed four legislations to pave the way for the roll out of the historic GST, set for the target date of 1 July.

The Central GST Bill, 2017; The Integrated GST Bill, 2017; The GST (Compensation to States) Bill, 2017; and The Union Territory GST Bill, 2017 were returned by the Rajya Sabha after negation of a host of amendments moved by the Opposition parties. The Lok Sabha had passed these bills on 29 March.

All the states will now have to pass the States GST Bill after which the new indirect tax regime can be rolled out. The rates are to be discussed by the GST Council on 18-19 May.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that once the new regime is implemented, the harassment of businesses by different authorities will end and India will be have one rate for one commodity throughout the country.

Finance Bill of 2017

The controversial bill was introduced as a money bill in the Lok Sabha (where BJP hold majority) which meant that it could be passed without a nod from the Rajya Sabha  Upper House can only suggest changes to a money bill and cannot meddle with the final decision of Lok Sabha.

The bill was fiercely opposed by the opposition and contains some controversial elements:

- The Centre included amendments to the Income Tax Act, giving more power to tax officials. This gives the I-T department the right to conduct a raid without disclosing the reasons behind it.

- Another controversial element of the bill allows for unlimited and anonymous corporate funding for political parties. The move was seen in stark contrast to the demonetisation drive, which was packaged as an attack on black money, as it allowed for undisclosed contributions. Donations from foreign entities too will not be disclosed.

- Another amendment saw a merger of various tribunals which examine appeals of regulatory decisions. This gives the government arbitrary control over the tribunal as it can now oversee appointment, removal of its members.

- The bill also made Aadhar mandatory for applying for a PAN card or for filing I-T returns.

The Mental Health Care Bill, 2013

Parliament passed a bill that seeks to decriminalise suicide attempts by mentally ill people and provides for the right to better healthcare for people suffering from mental illness.

The bill says that any person who attempts to commit suicide shall be presumed, unless proved otherwise, to be suffering from mental illness at the time of attempting suicide and shall not be liable to punishment under section 309 of Indian Penal Code (IPC).

As of now, a person who attempts to commit suicide is charged under section 309 of IPC as it is considered to be an offence.

The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016

Rajya Sabha passed a Bill to amend a 49-year-old law to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by people who migrated to Pakistan and China, amid a walkout by the entire Opposition.

This bill states that successors of those who migrated to Pakistan and China during partition will have no claim over the properties left behind in India.

The Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, 2017

A bill, under which specified industrial units will have to pay salaries and wages to workers only either through cheques or by electronic transfer to their bank accounts, was passed by the Lok Sabha.

The bill enables the Centre and states to specify the industries which will come under the ambit of the new provision.

The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

Women working in the organised sector will now be entitled to paid maternity leave of 26 weeks, up from 12 weeks, as Parliament passed a bill in this regard that will benefit about 1.8 million women.

The new law will apply to all establishments employing 10 or more people and the entitlement will be for only up to first two children. For third child, the entitlement will be for only 12 weeks.

Here are some key moments from the session:

P Chidambaram vs Arun Jaitley on Aadhar

The issue of privacy and data security around Aadhar was brought to the fore when former finance minister Chidambaram engaged in a healthy debate with his current counterpart in Jaitley. Chidambaram questioned the efficacy of linking Aadhar to welfare benefits and I-T returns by questioning the safety of the move. He quoted examples of data hacks and leaks in the Pentagon, putting the move under scrutiny. Jaitley defended the move, saying that the fact that technology can be broken into can never be used as an argument against advancing technology.

Warm welcome for Sushma Swarajs 'powerful voice'

When External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made her first public appearance in over three months, after she underwent a kidney transplant in early December, she was welcomed by House speaker Sumitra Mahajan, who greeted her by saying that it was good to hear her 'powerful voice' again.



Budget session a winner for Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the Budget Session was a winner for his government as it could secure the passage of many bills, including the key GST legislations.

The Prime Minister said a positive public mood in favour of the Centres ruling dispensation pervaded the country as its completes three years in office next month and pitched for a harder push to the reforms and development agenda.

This is a golden opportunity for us to lift the lives of the poor, the deprived... This is the time for doing more development and reforms, he said.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Wednesday condemned a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha leader Yogesh Varshney's offer for a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the day's business, TMC member Saugata Roy said a BJP youth wing leader had made the "announcement" of giving the reward for beheading Banerjee, after police resorted to lathicharge in Birbhum district to disperse a rally during Hanuman Jayanti.

"Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected chief minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it," he said.

Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.

"A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty," he said.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

"She is an elected chief minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it," Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it.

"This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint," she said.
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of allegedly tampered EVMs brought from Rajasthan for MCD polls and said only VVPAT equipped voting machines should be used in the elections. In his letter to State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava, he also demanded that state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed to examine EVMs to be used in the elections.

The AAP national convener sought to know why the SEC asked for Generation 1 EVMs, which are most the "insecure" with the least security features, to conduct MCD elections. "We are really surprised that you (Srivastava) did not ask for VVPAT machines...Recent incidents of EVM manipulations from Dholpur show that the BJP has successfully managed to tamper the code/software of EVMs in Rajasthan because the state has BJP government and all machines are in their custody," he alleged in the letter.

Kejriwal said he strongly opposed the use of machines sourced from Rajasthan for the MCD elections. "Why are you insisting on conducting MCD polls with Rajasthan machines when it is clear that they are tampered. We demand that all these machines should be immediately withdrawn," he added. Kejriwal said there were around 15,000 EVMs available in the city which were sufficient to conduct the elections. "All state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed for technical examination of the machines which are being used for the MCD elections. We also demand that the MCD elections should be held only and only with VVPAT machines," Kejriwal said.

Noting the Supreme Court has categorically said that all elections should be held with VVPAT machines, he sought to know why the commission did not make an attempt to procure the machines. "You (Srivastava) will have to walk an extra mile to restore that faith. Else it would be very dangerous for our democracy. I hope you accept our demands as promptly as you have been accepting BJP's demands so far," he added.

He said that public faith has been seriously "eroded" in the entire electoral process and EVMs. Earlier this week, Kejriwal had hit out at the Election Commission, claiming that the poll body was acting like "Dhritarashtra" to help son "Duryodhana" (BJP) win the polls. The AAP leader had also alleged that the Commission's only intention was to bring the BJP to power in poll-bound

states and that is why it was not paying heed to his request to investigate defective EVMs.
New Delhi: Come try hack our EVMs and show they can be tampered with, the Election Commission said on Wednesday, inviting political parties and experts to the "open challenge". While the Commission is yet to decide on the exact date, it said the challenge would be held in the first week of May and could continue for ten days. The last time such an event had taken place was in 2009 when 100 machines from different parts of the country were kept at Vigyan Bhawan. No one, EC claimed, could hack the electronic voting machines.

When Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal had met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi with a complaint on EVMs last week, he was told that the poll panel is planning such an event. This time, the venue could be Nirvachan Sadan, the EC headquarters. The specifics would be decided by the Commission's technical expert committee on EVMs and the details would be

made public in the next couple of days.

There is a strong possibility that EVMs used in the Uttar Pradesh polls could also be brought in for the challenge. BSP had alleged that tampered machines helped BJP win the polls. As per rules, the machines cannot be taken out of the strong room for 40 days -- a period within which an aggrieved person can file an election petition before the high court concerned. That period will end later this month.

"From first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines," an official source said. They said the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days.

The AAP on Wednesday sought an official communication from the Election Commission after it threw an "open challenge" to people to try hack its EVMs. "Has the Election Commission issued a press release or an official statement? Is an attempt being made to plant such news before the MCD polls? We demand an official statement from the Election Commission on this," AAP leader Ashish Khetan said.
As Delhi heads for the crucial civic polls, the name Arvind Kejriwal evokes no special anticipation, no excitement. That could be a measure of the great fall of the man. It was certainly not the case a few years ago.

Man of the masses, anti-corruption crusader, the middle classs beacon light of hope, revolutionary  there was a time when such epithets sat easy on him. That was around four years ago. No one minded if he claimed to be an anarchist and at times actually behaved like one. People indulged him when he took on politicians with language that cleared belonged to the street  impolite, raw and meant to hurt. The protective public sentiment went like this: they deserved it and heres finally a man who says it as it should be.

He was the new; the personification of the change everyone secretly wished. A dry cough and a muffler both enhanced and completed his persona. They all needed a leader who not only was one of them but also behaved like them. As many as 67 out of 70 Assembly seats in Delhi for his party was an affirmation of the appreciation for him among the public. He was the first to halt the Narendra Modi wave post the 2014 general election, no easy job. In a half-state where the government does not control much, he indeed was special.

Now, he is merely one of those boring and loud politicians of Delhi who are always around but hardly register on your mind or evoke any passion. Street corners are no more agog with discussion on him or his Aam Aadmi Party as people prepare to vote in 272 wards. Autorickshaw-drivers, the biggest support group of Kejriwal, carry no picture of broom on their vehicles. The talk is of whether the Congress would fare better this time or the BJP would repeat the Modi magic of Uttar Pradesh instead.

Yes, we get water free and power comes cheap, but its not like the Assembly election anymore, says the regular autowallah. Kuchh farak nahi dikhta (nothing is different). Kejriwal hone na hone ka kuchh pata nahi chalta (We dont feel whether Kejriwal is there or not), he adds. The indifference in his attitude to Kejriwal is reflected in the voices of his friends at the stand. It is obvious that the chief minister has not done enough to retain the goodwill he enjoyed once. Disconnect is perhaps the word that best describes the new equation. It is the same disconnect Kejriwal spoke eloquently about during the anti-corruption movement and won adulation for.

The other parties forget people who vote for them once they come to power, he never stopped reminding everyone then. He stands accused of the same now. It hasnt helped that he has so far been largely a non-resident chief minister.

It is possible he misread the massive mandate. He construed his victory as a popular vote against Narendra Modi and assumed he was the natural opposite pole to the latter. He concluded that his political success would depend on maintaining that position. This explains his persistent acidic attack on the prime minister and his policies over the last two years. But then that is not what the people of Delhi wanted. They sought a break from the cynical politics of the Congress and the BJP and a new brand of politics that is sensitive to the common man. But more of cynical politics is what they have got from the AAP.

The fall for Kejriwal has been big and the result in the MCD polls may confirm that. The citizens of the capital-state may need to begin the long search for a new face for epithets.
Mumbai: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that one will see a "transformed" Kashmir in a year "no matter how the change takes place".

"You will see a transformed Kashmir in a year. No matter how the change occurs, one thing is certain, that there will be a change in Kashmir in a year's time," he asserted.

Jammu & Kashmir is ruled by the BJP-PDP alliance government headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Singh attended the 'Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards' function in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Speaking during an interactive session at the event, he said former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah should not have supported the stone-pelters.

The National Conference (NC) president had recently defended the stone-pelting youth in the Valley, saying they are fighting for the nation and for the resolution of the Kashmir issue as per the wishes of its people.

Singh said he "fully agrees" with Army chief General Bipin Rawat's remarks about dealing sternly with those trying to hinder security forces from performing their duties in Kashmir.

"Those doing such things will have to face the consequences," he said.

On Uttar Pradesh, Singh said that he credits Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, workers of the BJP and the NDA for the victory in the Assembly elections in the northern state.

"I thought we would get around 250 seats. We didn't expect we will get 325 seats in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

On the issue of triple talaq, he said the government's stance in this regard is clear. "Such a provision isn't there even in Quran," he added.

On construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Home minister said that the issue is sub judice.

"If both the sides reach a solution, it will be alright but if not, then all will have to abide by court verdict," he added.

Singh observed that there is a need for a consensus on anti-cow slaughter legislation.

On fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, the senior BJP leader said, "there is no doubt that he is still in Karachi. In the last 10 years, India has sent a lot of dossiers on him (Dawood) to Pakistan. He is an accused in 31 cases, including the Mumbai serial blasts."
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Wednesday night executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for the 2004 Dhaka grenade attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10.01 pm, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was quoted as saying by the Bdnews24.com.

His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added. President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.

The then Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.

The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.

A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.

Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.

HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organisation and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.

Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.
By Michelle Nichols

| UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS The United States told Russia at the United Nations on Wednesday that is it isolating itself by continuing to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Britain said its scientists found sarin was used in a deadly toxic gas attack on Syrian civilians last week.Russia is set to block a push by Western powers at the United Nations later on Wednesday to bolster support for international inquiries into the April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria. It will be Moscow's eighth veto in support of the Assad government since the Syrian war began six years ago. "To my colleagues from Russia - you are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, told the U.N. Security Council.During a heated Security Council meeting, Russia's deputy U.N. envoy Vladimir Safronkov told the 15-member body that Western countries were wrong to blame Assad for the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun."I'm amazed that this was the conclusion. No one has yet visited the site of the crime. How do you know that?" he said.

The attack prompted the United States to strike a Syrian air base with cruise missiles and worsened relations between the United States and Russia. President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday trust had eroded between the two countries under President Donald Trump, as Moscow delivered an unusually hostile reception to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in a face-off over Syria.Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the Security Council that samples taken from the site of the gas attack, in a rebel-held area of northern Syria, have tested positive for the nerve gas sarin.

He accused Russia of siding with "a murderous, barbaric criminal, rather than with their international peers."Safronkov, who demanded Rycroft look at him while he was speaking, responded: "I cannot accept that you insult Russia." Haley also accused Iran of being "Assad's chief accomplice in the regime's horrific acts," adding: "Iran is dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so it can expand its own reach."

Western powers blame the gas attack, which killed scores of civilians - many of them children - on Assad's forces. Syria's government has denied responsibility for the attack, which prompted a U.S. strike on a Syrian air base.Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said Syria had sent dozens of letters to the Security Council, some detailing "the smuggling of sarin from Libya through Turkey on a civilian air plane by using a Syrian citizen.""Two litres of sarin were transported from Libya through Turkey to terrorist groups in Syria," he said, adding that the government does "not have these weapons." U.N. Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura warned the Security Council on Wednesday that fragile progress in peace talks was now "in grave danger." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
DHAKA Bangladesh executed an Islamist militant leader and two aides on Wednesday for a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, days after the president turned down their clemency pleas.a senior prison official said.

The Supreme Court last month upheld death sentences for the three militants, who included Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, for the attack on a Muslim shrine that killed three people and wounded the then British high commissioner.

The trio were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the attack, which took place on May 21, 2004, after Friday prayers in the northeastern district of Sylhet.

The Bangladesh-born British envoy, Anwar Choudhury, was wounded in the leg. About 50 others were also injured.Hannan and another convict, Sharif Shahedul, were executed in the Kashimpur jail while the other militant, Delwar Hossain, was hanged in Sylhet central jail, Mizanur Rahman, senior superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail, told Reuters. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

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CAIRO Egypt on Wednesday named the suicide bomber who attacked a cathedral in Alexandria as 31-year-old Mahmoud Hassan Mubarak Abdullah, describing him as a fugitive with links to militant cells that carried out previous strikes in the country.Abdullah detonated his explosives at the entrance to Saint Mark's Cathedral, the historic seat of the Coptic Pope, killing 17 people as mass was being conducted. Hours earlier, another bomb tore through a church in Tanta, a city in the Nile Delta.Egypt's government imposed a three-month state of emergency in the wake of the attacks. The interior ministry said in a statement that Abdullah had been a resident of Suez province and used to work for a petroleum company.

It posted a photograph on its Facebook page of a man it said was Abdullah, placing the image alongside a picture taken by a surveillance camera outside the church. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the Palm Sunday attacks, which killed 44 people in total and wounded scores more a week before the Coptic Easter.

The interior ministry said Abdullah had links with the Islamist militant cell behind the December suicide bombing on Cairo's main Coptic cathedral, an attack also claimed by Islamic State. Authorities are still trying to identify the Tanta attacker, the ministry said. It added that security forces killed seven suspected militants in a shootout on Monday as they met to plan attacks on minority Christians.

The statement named 19 other suspected militants believed to belong to the same cells and offered a 100 thousand Egyptian pound ($5,515.72) reward for any information on them. Sunday's attacks were the latest against a religious minority increasingly targeted by Islamist militants, and a challenge to President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who has pledged to protect them as part of his campaign against extremism.Islamic State has waged a low-level war against soldiers and police in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula for years but it is increasingly targeting Christians and broadening its reach into Egypt's mainland. (Reporting by Haitham Ahmed; Witing by Amina Ismail; Editing by Angus MacSwan and Richard Lough)

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Depending on which way you look at it, being Donald Trump's spokesperson can be either the best job in the world or the worst. After all, the President of the United States is an incredibly outspoken man who says the most ridiculous and impulsive things. All his press secretary needs to do is keep a low profile and issue periodic clarifications. And no matter what you say or do, you can count on your boss doing worse. Fairly easy, right? On the other hand, however, not many people get thrown in the line of fire as frequently and in as stormy circumstances as the White House press secretary.

On Tuesday, for instance, the White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked to elaborate on the US administration's decision to bomb Syria, and the possibility of a regime change in Damascus. What should have been a straightforward message criticising Bashar al-Assad quickly turned out horribly wrong for Spicer, as he unfavourably compared the Syrian president with Adolf Hitler.

"We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," he said.

Except Hitler did use chemicals during WWII, gassing millions of Jews.

And Spicer knew this. So in an attempt to explain his analogy, he dug himself into an even deeper hole. As reported by Vox, Spicer further added, "I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no he was not using the gas on his own people in the same way that Assad is doing. There was not he brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But what Im saying is the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them, the use of it  I appreciate the clarification, (denying that Hitler used gas) was not the intent."

The comments came on the key Jewish holiday of Passover, and was roundly criticised, with Congressmen and Democratic party leaders calling for Spicer to be fired.

He did later issue an apology, appearing on CNN hours after the remarks were aired. "I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer said. "I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas."

Except this wasn't the first time Spicer has found himself with his foot firmly in the mouth. He has been a frequent target of ire and satirists for his angry denunciations of press coverage and sometimes loose grasp of facts. In January, he had claimed President Donald Trump's inauguration witnessed one of the largest audience numbers in all of history, even saying photographs that suggested otherwise were doctored. "Photographs of the inaugural proceedings were intentionally framed in a way, in one particular tweet, to minimise the enormous support that had gathered on the National Mall. That was the largest audience to witness an inauguration, period. Both in person and around the globe," Spicer had said. It was so far off the mark that Politifact gave it a 'Pants on Fire' rating  the rating reserved only for the most outrageous of statements.

He then started a diplomatic row with Britain in just the second month of Trump's presidency, by claiming British government agency GCHQ was used to wiretap Trump's phones on behalf of his predecessor Barack Obama. As reported by The Telegraph, the comments prompted a furious response from GCHQ, which issued a public statement denying the allegations and calling them "utterly ridiculous". The report also said the White House had to step in and assure the British government that such allegations would not be repeated.

At a press conference in May, when Spicer was asked some tough questions about Russia by journalist April Ryan, he accused the latter of having an agenda against Trump. As reported by Vox, he said, "If the president puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that's a Russian connection. The facts are that every single person who has been briefed on this subject has come away with the same conclusion I'm sorry that that disgusts you. You're shaking your head, I appreciate it. It seems like you're hell-bent on trying to make sure that whatever image you want to tell about this White House stays, because at the end of the day  youre asking me a question, I'm going to answer it. I'm sorry. Please stop shaking your head again."

Ryan later said she was "roadkill" for Spicer, while Hillary Clinton defended her, saying, "Now too many women, especially women of colour, have had a lifetime of practice taking precisely these kinds of indignities in stride. But why should we have to? And any woman who thinks this couldn't be directed at her is living in a dream world."

With inputs from agencies
By Sue-Lin Wong

| PYONGYANG

PYONGYANG North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed towards the western Pacific.U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said in a Tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help.Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson towards the Korean peninsula in a show of force.U.S. officials have stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme, but Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table. It said a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.North Korea said it was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression."Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focussed on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" he would not tolerate certain actions, but dismissed Pyongyang's nuclear attack threat."I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don't have the capability of isn't really a threat."North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache.South Korea's acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country's Supreme People's Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries.He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.

North Korea convened a Supreme People's Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong Un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.The agency made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme or being under threat from the United States.Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.Men and women in colourful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practising for the parade.TRUMP PRESSES CHINA

Trump said in a Tweet that a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem".

"If China decides to help, that would be great," he said. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!"Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week.China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China's call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.We believe that it is highly important to move towards denuclearisation, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on. South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation".

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent congratulations to North Korea ahead of Kim Il Sung's birthday and said the two countries were "conducting a war against big powers' wild ambition to subject all countries to their expansionist and dominationist policy," North Korea's KCNA news agency said.North Korea's foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washington's "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase"."We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said.U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented.Russia's Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of U.S. foreign policy, particularly North Korea."We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement."It's important to understand how that would tally with collective obligations on denuclearising the Korean peninsula, something that is underpinned in U.N. Security Council resolutions."China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said. On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said.China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country's most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom and Ayesha Rascoe in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
By Sue-Lin Wong

| PYONGYANG

PYONGYANG North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed towards the western Pacific - a force U.S. President Donald Trump described as an "armada".Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said in a Tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without Beijing's help.Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting the aircraft carrier strike group Carl Vinson towards the Korean peninsula in a show of force."We are sending an Armada. Very powerful," Trump told Fox Business Network, adding: "We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you.Referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump said: He is doing the wrong thing. Asked if he thought Kim was mentally fit, Trump replied: I dont know. I dont know him.North Korea said earlier it was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression."Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focussed on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland," its official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.In spite of the military rhetoric, U.S. officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme. At the same time, Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.The strike group heading towards Korea includes the nuclear-powered flagship aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson, two destroyers and a cruiser. Such a strike group is generally accompanied by submarines, although the Pentagon does not normally publicise this.White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Trump had put North Korea "clearly on notice" that he would not tolerate certain actions, but dismissed Pyongyang's nuclear attack threat."I think there is no evidence that North Korea has that capability at this time," he said. "Threatening something that you don't have the capability of isn't really a threat."North Korea remains technically at war with the United States and its ally South Korea after the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. It regularly threatens to destroy both countries.However, North Korea has conducted five nuclear tests, two of them last year, and is working to develop nuclear-tipped missiles that can reach the United States, presenting Trump with perhaps his most pressing security headache.

South Korea's acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn warned of "greater provocations" by North Korea, including a possible nuclear test, given a meeting of the country's Supreme People's Assembly and upcoming national anniversaries.He ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.North Korea convened a Supreme People's Assembly session on Tuesday, one of twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong Un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.The agency made no mention of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme or being under threat from the United States.Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Korea's founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day and North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.Men and women in colourful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practising for the parade.

TRUMP PRESSES CHINA

Trump said in a Tweet that a trade deal between China and the United States would be "far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem"."If China decides to help, that would be great," he said. "If not, we will solve the problem without them!"Trump pressed his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to do more on North Korea at a meeting in Florida last week.China's U.N. ambassador, Liu Jieyi, called the Korean situation "tense" and repeated China's call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.We believe that it is highly important to move towards denuclearisation, to maintain peace and stability, and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.

Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on. South Korean officials sought to quell social media talk of an impending crisis, and Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun urged people "not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation".Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent congratulations to North Korea ahead of Kim Il Sung's birthday and said the two countries were "conducting a war against big powers' wild ambition to subject all countries to their expansionist and dominationist policy," North Korea's KCNA news agency said.North Korea's foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washington's "reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase"."We will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified ministry spokesman said.U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected this month because of the "security situation on the Korean Peninsula." The statement said the step was not unprecedented.Russia's Foreign Ministry, ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, said it was concerned about many aspects of U.S. foreign policy, particularly North Korea."We are really worried about what Washington has in mind for North Korea after it hinted at the possibility of a unilateral military scenario," the ministry said in a statement.China and South Korea agreed on Monday to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea if it carried out nuclear or long-range missile tests, a senior official in Seoul said. On Tuesday, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home, mostly fully laden, after China ordered its trading companies to return coal, sources with direct knowledge of the trade said.China banned all imports of North Korean coal, the country's most important export, on Feb. 26, but Washington has questioned how well the sanction was being implemented. (Additional reporting by Ju-min Park and Jack Kim in Seoul, Idrees Ali, David Brunnstrom, Ayesha Rascoe and Eric Beech in Washington, Michelle Nichols at the United Nations and Andrew Osborn in Moscow; Editing by Tom Heneghan and James Dalgleish)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
One person was killed and three were injured and taken to a local hospital on Tuesday following an explosion at a U.S. Army ammunition plant in Independence, Missouri, a spokeswoman for the Joint Munitions Command said.

The Army said no further information was immediately available at a building at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, which has a government staff of 29 civilians and one soldier.

According to the Joint Munitions Command, the facility, which opened in 1940, makes small-caliber munitions and operates as a North Atlantic Treaty Organization test centre.

Independence, Missouri, is about 10 miles east of Kansas City. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Leslie Adler)

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The unilateral blocking of the Durand Line by Pakistan choked off trade and caused damages of up to $90 million, Kabul complained to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) last week.

The measures taken by the government of Pakistan at the entry points at the Durand line, border with Afghanistan, were tantamount to a total ban of trade between the two countries, Dr Suraya Dalil, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the UN office at Geneva told the WTO Council for Trade in Goods on 6 April.

Afghan exporters were prevented from shipping any goods to Pakistan destined to be released for consumption in that country.

Similarly, they (Afghan exporters) could not export any goods to other countries which, in order to reach their destination, have to transit the territory of Pakistan, Dalil said.

Imports to Afghanistan from Pakistan and other countries were also blocked.

Pakistan closed the border between the two countries from 17 February this year after a surge of terrorist attacks on its soil claiming that terrorists use Afghani soil against Pakistan. Though they had initially announced that the decision to close the entry points to the Durand Line was indefinite, the border re-opened on 21 March.

The Afghan diplomat described the consequences of closing the Durand Line as huge.

The total value of exports from Afghanistan banned due to blockage of the entry points at the Durand Line was estimated at $ 6 million.

Based on the report of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI), Afghan traders have surfed a total loss of $ 80-90 million, paying demerge fees as well as damage of perishable goods, she said.

In 2015-2016 the total import value from Pakistan to Afghanistan was $876 million and total export value from Afghanistan to Pakistan was $235 million. In the same year, about 3,400 trucks have taken transit goods from Afghanistan through Pakistan to other countries.

According to Kabul, in about a weeks time of the closing of the borders about 2,434 trucks were stopped on both sides of the entry points at the Durand Line. Additionally, about 308 trucks that would transit through Pakistan to a third country were stopped as well.

It took around 11 days to go back to a normal clearance of goods, but there are still many unjustifiable measures that exist for Afghanistans trucks to transit through Pakistan, the Afghan envoy complained.

Currently, there is no land route for trade between Afghanistan and India through Pakistan though there is a signed AfghanistanPakistan Transit Trade Agreement (also known as APTTA) that permits Afghanistan trucks access to Wagah border with India where Afghan goods will be offloaded onto Indian trucks but does not permit Indian goods to be loaded onto trucks for transit back to Afghanistan.

However, in practice, this agreement is not always followed.

Last year, President Ashraf Ghani had threatened to close Pakistans transit route to Central Asian countries if it does not allow Afghan traders to trade with India via the Wagah border.

Moreover, closing the entry points at the Durand line had adverse effects on the entire economy and population of Afghanistan. After a few days, shortages occurred of basic goods, pushing their prices to levels where many Afghans cannot afford them, Dalil told the trade council.

Kabul told the WTO that Afghanistan is a Least Developed Country, and also a landlocked country, and needs to participate in international trade for its developmentaccess to markets of other countries and freedom of transit through the territory of neighbouring countries, in particular, those having access to the sea, are crucial conditions for being able to engage in international trade. Currently, it is being prevented by Pakistan from doing so.

Pakistan has violated at least three provisions under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 by closing the Durand Line.

Securing the right of Kabul to participate in international trade has been one of the main concerns that motivated Afghanistans decision to join WTO and it hopes that Pakistan henceforth honours its obligations as a WTO member state.

The relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan has come under significant strain amidst increasing tensions on its western border. Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai in a tweet had said that Pakistan has "no legal authority to dictate terms on the Durand Line".

"While we wish freedom for the people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) from Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) and other repressive measures, we remind the Government of Pakistan that Afghanistan hasn't and will not recognise the Durand line," Karzai added in his tweet after Islamabad closed the Durand Line.

Omar Zakhilwalal, former Afghan finance minister and current ambassador to Pakistan, said in a Facebook post that the argument that the border closure is intended to stop terrorists from crossing over does not hold water because these points such as Torkham and Spin Boldak have been manned by hundreds of military and other security personnel.

Continuous unreasonable closure of legal Pak-Afghan trade and transit routes cannot have any other explanation except to be aimed at hurting the common Afghan people," he added.

The Durand Line is the 2640-kilometre-long international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan established in 1893, which has been the subject of much historical dispute between the two neighbours.
By Michelle Nichols

| UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS Russia blocked a Western effort at the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday to condemn last week's deadly gas attack in Syria and push Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad to cooperate with international inquiries into the incident.It was the eighth time during Syria's six-year-old civil war that Moscow has used its veto power on the Security Council to shield Assad's government. In the latest veto, Russia blocked a draft resolution backed by the United States, France and Britain to denounce the attack in the town of Khan Sheikhoun and tell Assad's government to provide access for investigators and information such as flight plans.The toxic gas attack on April 4 prompted the United States to launch missile strikes on a Syrian air base and widened a rift between the United States and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that trust had eroded between the two countries under U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson echoed that comment after meetings with Russian leaders in Moscow, saying that relations are at a low point with a low level of trust. Tillerson called for Assad to eventually relinquish power.China, which has vetoed six resolutions on Syria since the civil war began, abstained from Wednesday's U.N. vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. Ten countries voted in favour of the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in voting no.

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, warned Moscow against protecting Assad, who relies on support from Russia and Iran in his conflict with mostly Sunni Muslim rebels."To my colleagues from Russia - you are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," Haley said during a Security Council meeting earlier on Wednesday.Haley added: "Iran is dumping fuel on the flames of this war in Syria so it can expand its own reach."ATTACK INVESTIGATION

A fact-finding mission from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is investigating last week's attack in a rebel-held area of northern Syria. If it determines that chemical weapons were used, then a joint U.N./OPCW investigation will look at the incident to determine who is to blame. This team has already found Syrian government forces were responsible for three chlorine gas attacks in 2014 and 2015 and that Islamic State militants used mustard gas.Britain's U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the Security Council that samples taken from the site of the April 4 attack had been analysed by British scientists and tested positive for the nerve gas sarin. He said Assad's government was responsible.During a heated Security Council exchange before Wednesday's vote, Russia's deputy U.N. envoy Vladimir Safronkov told the 15-member body that Western countries were wrong to blame Assad for the gas attack.

"I'm amazed that this was the conclusion. No one has yet visited the site of the crime. How do you know that?" he said. Syria's government has denied responsibility for the attack. Diplomats said that Russia has put forward a rival draft resolution that expresses concern at last week's gas attack and condemns the U.S. strike on Syria. It was unclear if Moscow planned to put the text to a vote.Syrian U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said Syria had sent dozens of letters to the Security Council, some detailing "the smuggling of sarin from Libya through Turkey on a civilian air plane by using a Syrian citizen.""Two litres of sarin were transported from Libya through Turkey to terrorist groups in Syria," he said, adding that the government does "not have these weapons." Western powers say the April 4 gas attack was carried out from the air and that Syrian rebels do not have any aircraft. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alistair Bell)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Washington: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria will pay a "very, very stiff price" if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that America's top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State militant group.

"If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.

Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

"Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," he said.

"In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies," he added.

Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

"We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful," Mattis said.

"Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said.

This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.

"We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack," he said.

Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.

"Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.

Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.

"We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded," he said.

"We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission, Votel said.

Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking Islamic State and destroying it in Syria.

"This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.

Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.

"Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again, he said.

"I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score," the Defence Secretary said.

Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance.

"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We don't know anything beyond that," he said.
WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States is prepared to tackle the crisis surrounding North Korea without China if necessary.

The president made the comments at a joint news conference with visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Trump met Chinese President Xi Jinping last week and spoke to him by phone on Wednesday night.

"President Xi wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding, I think we had a very good chemistry together, I think he wants to help us with North Korea," Trump said.

"We talked trade, we talked a lot of things, and I said the way youre going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea, otherwise were just going to go it alone, thatll be all right too, but going it alone means going with lots of other nations." (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
ZURICH Turkey's ambassador to Switzerland has denied that his embassy spied on expatriate Turks, distancing his staff from a criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors into suspected espionage.The probe has drawn Switzerland into a dispute between Ankara and several European nations as Turkey seeks to drum up support in its diaspora in the run-up to a referendum on Sunday on expanding the powers of President Tayyip Erdogan."It is certain that no such activities were conducted within the realm of our embassy," Ambassador Ilhan Saygili was quoted as telling broadcaster SRF's Rundschau programme in an interview to be aired on Wednesday night.Saygili said that his deputy in Bern had been removed from office but did not confirm media reports that the diplomat and his family had sought asylum in neutral Switzerland.

"If he is absolutely not guilty then he could have gone to Turkey and proven his innocence," the ambassador was quoted as saying, without specifying any accusation against his number two.Embassy officials in Bern could not be reached immediately.

The Swiss foreign minister told his Turkish counterpart last month that Switzerland would "rigorously investigate" any illegal spying by Ankara on expatriate Turks before the referendum.The Swiss investigation follows alleged intelligence gathering in which participants at events at the University of Zurich in late 2016 and early 2017 were filmed or photographed, according to Swiss media.

One of the reported instances was in December, where opposition Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet's chief editor was honoured. The other was in January during an academic forum on mass killings of Armenians in Turkey 100 years ago that Armenians consider genocide, a term Ankara rejects.Allegations of intelligence gathering by Erdogan supporters have arisen elsewhere in Europe. German police in February raided the flats of four imams suspected of spying for Turkey's government on followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, accused by Ankara of organising a failed coup last July.The head of Turkey's Diyanet religious authority, Mehmet Gormez, has denied its imams engaged in illegal activities and called such allegations defamatory.Swiss government statistics show 68,000 Turkish citizens live in Switzerland, while the Turkish embassy's website puts the figure at 130,000. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said ties between Russia and the United States appear to have deteriorated under Donald Trump in an interview released on Wednesday, as the countries' top diplomats met in Moscow.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in a transcript from an interview with Mir television, posted by the Kremlin.

The comments came out as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held tense talks following an alleged Syrian chemical attack and subsequent missile strike by Washington.

Moscow and Washington are trying to figure each other out during the first visit by a senior member of Donald Trump's administration to Russia.

The US has blamed Moscow's ally and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for last week's deadly attack that killed scores of civilians, and has launched missile strikes against one of the regime's airbases in retribution.

Putin has angrily rejected the accusations against Damascus and slammed the US bombing as "a violation of international law".

Despite hopes of an improvement in Russia-US ties under Trump, the Tillerson-Lavrov talks look set to be dominated by the split over Syria  where more than 320,000 people have died in six years of war.

Washington has said it is hoping to pry Russia away from its support for Assad, but the Kremlin on Wednesday decried any calls to drop the Syrian leader as "pretty absurd".

Prior to Tillerson's arrival, hopes in Moscow had already dimmed that Trump would make good on his pledge to improve ties with Russia, as relations with Kremlin have become politically toxic on the back of claims that Putin conspired to get Trump elected.
By Steve Holland and Andrew Osborn

| WASHINGTON/MOSCOW

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW President Donald Trump's administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syria's government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to "go into" the war-torn country.Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assad's government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syria's Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels."It's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there," one White House official said.White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. "Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened," he told reporters.But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, "You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons." Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.Spicer later apologised and said he should not have made the comparison. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it and I won't do it again," Spicer told CNN in an interview. "It was inappropriate and insensitive."The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. "They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise," she said on CNN.U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward."Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syria's chemical weapons programme were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack," the report said.Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shi'ite Muslim Iran.TILLERSON MESSAGE

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on America's traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

"It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson told reporters in Italy. "We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad."He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assad's government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them. "We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using" chemical weapons, Putin said.Trump denied further plans in Syria.

"We're not going into Syria," he said in an interview with the New York Post. "Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria."A senior Trump administration official called Putin's remarks part of a Russian "disinformation campaign."The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syria's government to cooperate with investigators. TURNING POINT

The secretary of state's role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing scepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N), which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russia's "Order of Friendship" in 2013.Tillerson is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting may take place. Western countries have been calling for Assad's departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the world's worst refugee crisis.Assad's position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assad's government directly.U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States' military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focussed on defeating Islamic State. (Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Moscow, Ayesha Rascoe, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Eric Beech in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff, Alistair Bell and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.
Google launched Google Cloud Search that uses machine intelligence to provide a combined search experience across G Suite including Drive, Gmail, Sites, Calendar, Docs, Contacts and much more on the web and Android. Today it has launched it for iOS devices. This tool was previously named as Springboard.

It provides both comprehensive search and proactive recommendations to help you throughout your day. In addition to searching for information, you can also search for people listed in your companys directory.

With Google Cloud Search you can: Find your work  Find the information that you need throughout your workday.

Find your colleagues  Quickly find and easily connect with a co-worker.

Get what you need, before you ask  Get timely and relevant assist cards that help keep you organized throughout the day.

Google said that Google Cloud Search will only work if your organization has enabled this G Suite service.

Download Google Cloud Search  Android | iOS

Source
Delta Air Lines CEO Edward Bastian (NYSE:DAL) on Wednesday defended the air travel industrys method of overbooking flights, hours after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called on the federal government to ban the practice that led United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) to forcibly remove a paid customer from one of its planes.

Overbooking is a valid business process. There [are] operational considerations behind that, Bastian said during a conference call with analysts and reporters. The key is managing [overbookings] before you get to the boarding process.

Bastian explained that overbookings have a relatively small impact on Deltas day-to-day operations, adding that ticket oversells are just one of several factors, including weather, that can lead to an overbooked flight.

Christie called Uniteds service awful during an appearance on FOX & Friends and cited the airlines heavy presence at Newark International Airport in his home state. United has issued multiple apologies this week after the company enlisted airport security to forcibly remove Dr. David Dao from an overbooked plane at Chicago OHare Airport. The incident generated global outrage after video footage of the violent altercation  and a bloodied Dao  went public.

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz apologized to Dao and addressed the incident during an appearance on ABC News on Wednesday.

"This can never happen, will never again on a United Airlines flight. That's my premise and thats my promise, Munoz said, adding that the airline is reviewing its internal procedures. "We're not going to put a law enforcement official to take them off to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger.

Earlier this week, Christie petitioned the federally-operated Department of Transportation to block airlines from overbooking flights in the future.

We would ask, in the context of the presidents efforts at regulatory reform to improve the lives of our citizens, that you consider the immediate suspension of this overbooking authority until a thorough review can be done by your department, Christie wrote Tuesday in a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, according to FOX News.

Bastian said Delta takes all involuntary removals from overbooked flights seriously and added that further federal oversight was unnecessary. The airline barred about 1,200 passengers from boarding overbooked planes in 2016, or about one out of every 100,000 customers.

I dont think we need to have additional legislation to try to control how the airlines run their business in this space, Bastian said.
Hedge fund Elliott Advisors is close to securing support from enough Akzo Nobel NV investors to call for an extraordinary general meeting of the Dutch paint maker's shareholders, according to people familiar with the matter.

Elliott is hoping the move will add to pressure on Akzo to negotiate a potential sale to U.S. coatings manufacturer PPG Industries Inc . Akzo rejected a sweetened 22.4 billion euro ($24 billion) cash-and-stock offer from PPG last month, and has resisted engaging in deal talks.

While Akzo is due to hold its regular annual general meeting on April 25, an extraordinary general meeting would allow shareholders to remove Akzo supervisory board and management board members.

Akzo shareholders must hold in total at least 10 percent of the company's issued stock to be able to convene an extraordinary general meeting, which would then take a few weeks to organize.

Elliott, which owns a little more than 3 percent of Akzo, is close to mustering support from enough investors to reach the 10 percent threshold and may trigger an extraordinary general meeting within days, the sources said this week.

The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Elliott, Akzo Nobel and PPG did not respond to requests for comment.

Akzo has scheduled an investor day for April 19, which it will use to provide updated financial guidance and argue that its standalone operational plan, which calls for shedding its specialty chemicals business, will deliver more value with less risk than a merger with PPG.

Akzo is considering spinning off its specialty chemical unit, but it is also mulling a sale after fielding acquisition interest in that business, which could fetch between $9 billion and $10 billion in a sale, according to the sources.

Private equity firms and smaller companies seeking to team up with buyout firms to make offers will participate in a sale process for the specialty chemicals unit, the sources said.

PPG's Akzo bid is a major test for PPG Chief Executive Michael McGarry. PPG shares are up 16 percent since he became CEO in September 2015. In comparison, the S&P 500 specialty chemicals index is up 21 percent.

In private meetings with shareholders, Akzo has cited McGarry's track record, as well as the antitrust risks of a potential merger, as a reason why a deal with PPG would be risky, according to the sources.

PPG is waiting for Akzo to come under more shareholder pressure before making a new acquisition offer, one of the sources said.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by Toby Sterling in Amsterdam; Editing by Leslie Adler)
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What happened

Shares of mining story stock Northern Dynasty Minerals (NYSEMKT: NAK) rocketed over 34% today after announcing that the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued a notice of approval of Miscellaneous Land Use Permit (MLUP) for the company to operate on state-owned land, better known to investors as the Pebble Project. It's a small but necessary step for moving forward in the overall permitting process that will require additional approvals at the state and federal level. As of market close Wednesday, the stock had settled to a 31.88% gain.

So what

In the grand scheme of things, today's announcement is still relatively insignificant -- and the company's press release was missing a few key details that investors should know.

The Alaska DNR grants thousands of MLUPs each year, but this one had some special covenants. The DNR promised to increase the amount of site inspections it will conduct and added a $2 million bonding requirement that will help cover some of the cleanup costs from exploratory drilling sites should the company not survive. That was influenced by the public comment period for this very MLUP, which documented complaints from locals that past drill holes were left in an unacceptable state. The company has already provided the bonds.

Image source: Getty Images.

Concerns over sloppy execution also explain why the MLUP covers the minimum amount of time possible, or just one year (the maximum is five years). That means Northern Dynasty Minerals will be required to seek another when this one expires.

Also of note: The new permit does not authorize any new exploration at the Pebble Project, which the company did not request.In other words, the recent MLUP will simply allow Northern Dynasty Minerals to "prepare the project" for permitting at the federal level. That is, gaining approval for Pebble's development under the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act.

Now what

Unfortunately for investors hoping for a breakout, today's news is not all that material to the stock. Obtaining an MLUP is a relatively ho-hum event that doesn't usually warrant a press release. Then again, the approval process isn't usually opened to public comment periods, either, so management was likely just updating investors on what has been a volatile sequence of events. It's important to remember that the overall permitting process alone will cost up to $150 million and take up to four years to complete. In other words, there's a long road ahead.

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Smithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, has established a separate bioscience unit to expand its role in supplying pig parts for medical uses, with the ultimate goal of selling pig organs for transplantation into humans.

Routine pig-human organ transplants are years away, but recent scientific advances are breaking down barriers that frustrated prior attempts to use pigs as a ready supply of replacement parts for sick or injured people, making it an attractive new market.

"Our bread and butter has always been the bacon, sausage, fresh pork - very much a food-focused operation," Courtney Stanton, vice president of Smithfield's new bioscience unit, told Reuters in an exclusive interview.

We want to signal to the medical device and science communities that this is an area we're focused on - that we're not strictly packers," she said.

Smithfield, the $14 billion subsidiary of Chinas WH Group, in its first move has joined a public-private tissue engineering consortium funded by an $80 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense. Smithfield is the only pork producer, joining health-care companies including Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic and United Therapeutics Corp.

Transplants are used for people diagnosed with organ failure and who have no other treatment options. Transplants from animals could help close a critical gap to help those in need. The United Network for Organ Sharing estimates that, on average, 22 people die each day while waiting for a transplant.

Smithfield already harvests materials for medical use from the 16 million hogs it slaughters each year. The company owns more than 51 percent of its farms and hopes to sell directly to researchers and health-care companies, which now typically buy from third parties.

Stanton said the U.S. market for pork byproducts used for medical, pet food and non-food purposes stands at more than $100 billion, and that excludes any potential market for animal-to-human transplants, known as xenotransplants.

Smithfield has deals in the works to supply pig organs to two entities, though Stanton would not disclose the names.

"It's just a huge potential space, and to be at the leading edge and focused on building those relationships is critical, she said.

HOG HEARTS

Pigs have long been a tantalizing source of transplants because their organs are so similar to humans. A hog heart at the time of slaughter, for example, is about the size of an adult human heart.

Other organs from pigs being researched for transplantation into humans include kidney, liver and lungs.

Prior efforts at pig-to-human transplants have failed because of genetic differences that caused organ rejection or viruses that posed an infection risk. Swiss drugmaker Novartis AG folded its $1 billion xenotransplantation effort in 2001 because of safety concerns about pig viruses that could be passed to humans.

George Church, a Harvard Medical School genetics professor and researcher, tackled that problem two years ago, using a new gene-editing tool known as CRISPR to trim away potentially harmful virus genes that have impeded the use of pig organs for transplants in humans.

Church has since formed a company named eGenesis Bio to develop humanized pigs that do not provoke a rejection response or transfer viruses to people. The company last month raised $38 million in venture funding.

Eventually, Church said, the process could enable researchers to harvest a dozen different organs and tissues from a single pig.

Church estimates the first transplants involving humanized pig organs could occur in a clinical trial later this year, but these would only be used on people too sick to receive human organs.

Genome pioneer Craig J. Venters Synthetic Genomics Inc has been working for two years with United Therapeutics on editing the pig genome and mixing in human cells to overcome the complex issues involved in immune rejection. "It's not like changing a couple genes and you've got it solved," Venter said.

Stanton would not rule out breeding genetically modified animals, but said Smithfield's first ventures will likely involve whole pig organs that go through decellularization - a process in which existing cells are washed away and replaced with human cells.

Miromatrix Medical Inc, of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, for example, is using whole pig livers to make a surgical mesh used in hernia repair and breast reconstruction, and it is working toward developing replacement livers, hearts and kidneys.

Church welcomes the involvement of a big pork producer. "Even though we've got companies like eGenesis that would make the first pigs, you still need someone who will breed them and do it to scale," he said.

(Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen and Michael Hirtzer; Editing by Leslie Adler)
The Permian Basin in western Texas and southeast New Mexico continues to be the gift that keeps on giving for the oil industry. While this legacy oil field has been pumping out crude since 1921 -- coughing up nearly 29 billion barrels over the past several decades -- shale drilling has recently breathed new life into the play, enabling drillers to unleash some real gushers. In fact, leading shale drillerEOG Resources (NYSE: EOG) recently completed one of the best wells ever in the Delaware Basin sub-play. That well has analysts from SunTrust Robinson Humphriesprojecting good things for its peers in the region, including Concho Resources (NYSE: CXO), Energen (NYSE: EGN), Matador Resources (NYSE: MTDR), and WPX Energy (NYSE: WPX). Because all four control acreage positions in the region, each could also deliver robust drilling results in the future according to SunTrust.

Location, location, location

The well that has SunTrust so excited is in Loving County, Texas, which is near the border with New Mexico. It's in an area where EOG Resources has had notable successes in the past. In fact, in its fourth-quarter report, the company pointed out that it drilled several significant wells across three zones in neighboring Lea County, New Mexico, which helped it deliver expectation-beating production. EOGspecifically noted that these wells were several miles north of existing wells, which helped further confirm the company's extensive resource potential in the area.

Image source: Getty Images.

SunTrust believes that EOG's robust well results suggest that rival producers in the area could deliver similarly strong well results. That would mean big things for Energen, which estimates that it has 324 future drilling locations in Loving County, along with another 40 in Lea. Meanwhile, it could make WPX Energy's decision to spent $775 million on acreage in the region earlier this year -- including land in Loving County -- all that more compelling. Likewise, the results imply that Matador Resources, which also has a decent size acreage position in Loving County, could be sitting on more value than initially expected. It's also worth noting that while Concho Resources doesn't currently control land in Loving County, it does hold an extensive acreage position in the northern Delaware Basin, including in Lea County, which clearly holds prime drilling locations.

Expectations and upside potential

All four drillers expect to use their positions in the northern Delaware Basinas a springboard for production growth. Concho Resources, for example, expects companywide production to rise 20% to 24% this year -- including 25% oil growth -- and by a 20% compound annual rate through 2019 while living within cash flow at current oil prices. Meanwhile, Matador Resources sees its oil production increasing 38% this year, led by an expected 55% surge in oil output from the Delaware Basin. We see similarly robust growth rates from Energen and WPX Energy, which expect to deliver companywide production increases of 20% and 25%, respectively, this year.

Image source: Getty Images.

That said, since recently drilled wells in the Delaware Basinare coming in well ahead of expectations, it suggests that there's upside to those growth projections. That's clear from the results these companies have experienced on their own land by making some slight improvements to their process. For example, Energenrecently completed a well in the Delaware Basin using its new Generation 3 frac design. That well delivered a 15% production uplift versus a typical well, which bodes well for future wells using that design. Likewise, Matador Resources noticed a significant production improvement in its latest Loving County wells as a result of improved well targeting and a new completion design.

This data, when combined with EOG's results, suggests that as oil producers in the region hone their craft and implement best practices, future well results could continue to outpace expectations. That could enable these drillers to grow faster than guidance, which would improve profitability and returns.

Investor takeaway

Despite nearly a century of production, the Permian Basin remains loaded with oil, especially in the northern Delaware. That's evident by recently drilled gushers like EOG's well in Loving County. That well has analysts excited because it suggests that other drillers in the region could unleash some monster wells of their own, which could drive production past expectations, providing a catalyst for their stock prices.

10 stocks we like better than EOG ResourcesWhen 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.*

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 3, 2017

Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of EOG Resources. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
What happened

Shares ofPalo Alto Networks Inc.(NYSE: PANW)declined 25.8% in the month of March,according to data provided byS&P Global Market Intelligence, after the next-gen security specialist delivered weaker-than-expected fiscal second-quarter 2017 results.

So what

Palo Alto plummeted more than 22% on March 1, 2017, alone -- the day after it confirmed that quarterly revenue climbed 26.3%, to $422.6 million, which was below guidance for $426 million to $432 million. On the bottom line, adjusted net income grew 50.9%, to $59.6 million, and adjusted net income per share rose 46.5%, to $0.63 -- near the high end of Palo Alto's guidance range of $0.61 to $0.63.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

Now what

CEO Mark McLaughlin admitted the company was "disappointed" with its top-line results, which they believe were held back by "go-to-market execution issues that are becoming more evident as we progress through the year." Namely, those issues arrived as the company "over-complicated" its account coverage with too much market segmentation.To solve the problem, Palo Alto is reorganizing its account coverage model and adjusting its investments in sales and marketing accordingly.

But Palo Alto also provided guidance for current-quarter revenue of $406 million to $416 million -- good for growth of 17% to 20% from the same year-ago period -- and adjusted net income of $0.54 to $0.56. Both ranges were well below Wall Street's models, which called for quarterly revenue of $454.6 million and adjusted earnings of $0.63 per share.

As I pointed outsubsequent to the report, however, CFO Steffan Tomlinson noted they are "purposefully being prudent and cautious around the guide because [they] understand that the execution issues will take a while to get through." And in the meantime, Palo Alto Networks announced an incremental $500 million share repurchase authorization, effectively doubling its total repurchase authorization to $1 billion.

But these moves did little to appease our impatient market as investors worry that Palo Alto's current headwinds may not prove so easily solved in the near term. So while the pullback might well represent a compelling point at which long-term shareholders can open or add to a position, it's no surprise skittish investors were bidding down Palo Alto Networks stock last month.

10 stocks we like better than Palo Alto NetworksWhen 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 Palo Alto Networks wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 3, 2017

Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
While the timeline for one of the Trump administrations key policy promises, tax reform, has been called into question in recent weeks, one former Treasury Secretary says U.S. economic growth depends on this vital piece of economic legislation.

On Tuesday, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway said that a tax reform bill can be passed this year.

Yes, we believe that he canThis is a very big piece of his domestic legislative agenda, very big piece of his campaign promises."

John Snow, former treasury secretary under George W. Bush, said tax reform is the centerpiece of American economic growth, and if it fails to pass, the economy could be in trouble.

Well have slower growth, well have fewer jobs, well have slower wage improvement, [and] well have a less successful economy, he told FOX Business Neil Cavuto.

Snow believes the White House can learn from the failure of the health care bill as it looks to garner bipartisan support for its tax agenda.

The timing is less important than getting it rightThe experience with the health care reform clearly tells us there needs to be a successful effort to educate both the Congress and the American people, so that the benefits of tax reform are something that the public sees and demands, he said.

However, the former Treasury Secretary doubts Democrats will hop on board with Trumps tax reform initiative.

Desirable as bipartisan support would be for broad based tax cuts and reform That doesnt seem to be in the DNA of the Democrats to support lower tax rates. So I think the Republicans are going to have to do this.
President Trump said he has no plans to enter Syria, despite ordering airstrikes on a Syrian military base last week.

Were not going into Syria, Trump told Maria Bartiromo during an exclusive interview on FOX Business. But when I see people using horrible, horrible chemical weapons and see these beautiful kids that are dead in their father's arms, or you see kids gasping for life  when you see that, I immediately called General Mattis.

Trump ordered the airstrikes in Syria after a deadly chemical attack on the countrys civilians.

Images broadcast globally showed many heartbreaking pictures of children caught in the attack. Trump said former President Obama should have taken action during his tenure in the White House.

What I did should have been done by the Obama administration a long time before I did it, said Trump. I think Syria would be a lot better off right now than it has been.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Russia on Tuesday to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.

While the conflict in Syria is expected to be discussed, President Trump blamed Russiawhose government backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assadfor issues in the Middle Eastern country.

If Russia didnt go in and back this animal [Assad], you wouldnt have a problem right now, Trump said.
President Donald Trump hosted another gathering of CEOs Tuesday at the White House and improving the nations crumbling roads, bridges and airports was on the agenda yet again.

The U.S. is now 16th in the world in infrastructure, and anybody who goes to our airports or drives on our roads is in close touch that we could do better our infrastructure is in a very sub-par position, said Blackstone Group Chairman Stephen Schwarzman during an interview on FOX Business Mornings with Maria, ahead of the meeting. This is not that hard because we know we have a huge, multi-trillion dollar need and its just a question of how you finance it.

Trumps push to combine private-public infrastructure reform may advance some government proposals already in the works, including a GOP plan to reform Americas ever-aging air traffic control system (ATC).

The Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act (AIRR), introduced by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) last year, proposes spinning-off ATC operations from the Federal Aviation Administration, which could result in less time spent waiting at the airport for travelers. Shuster cited outdated technology as a major reason for pushing forth the new bill, and said it may help reduce overall flight times and improve on-time performance. According to the Pennsylvania Republican, flight delays cost the economy $25 billion last year.

Travelers and the airline industry were brutally reminded this week of the intense pressure to keep planes on a tight schedule. A United Airlines (NYSE:UAL) passenger was forcibly removed from a flight and bloodied after being asked to give up his seat on a trip that was allegedly overbooked. The graphic video, which went viral, forced CEO Oscar Munoz to issue a public apology late Tuesday.

Reforming ATC wouldnt just help airlines minimize scheduling issues, it would also have a very positive impact on taxpayers, according to Rep. Shuster, who heads the House Transportation Committee.

Taxpayers have spent over 30 years and billions upon billions of dollars on our air traffic control system, he told FOX Business adding, We have spent well over a billion dollars on next generation technology that was studied and scrapped without any use. We are literally throwing away taxpayer money.

President Trumps budget blueprint for 2018, which calls for a 13 percent funding cut to the Department of Transportation, includes this proposal to spin-off air traffic control operations from the Federal Aviation Administration to an independent, non-governmental organization; part of a larger move within the Trump administration to reorganize the administrative state. Today, more than 60 other countries have shifted control of air traffic services to an independent provider.

Though ATC operations would no longer be under the FAA, Shuster said the agency would be free to focus more on its core mission: safety. Aviation fatalities were significantly lower than highway and train deaths in 2015, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Last week, during a separate meeting with business leaders at the White House, U.S. National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn reiterated the administrations plans for improving Americas infrastructure, singling out the countrys air traffic control system as a sector with significant upside potential. Air traffic control is probably the single most exciting thing we can do, he said.

Currently, the FAA is still in the process of implementing its NextGen program, aimed at modernizing air traffic control operations, including the transition from 1950s-era ground-based radar to satellite (GPS) radar technology. This plan is expected to help reduce delays and provide controllers with a more accurate representation of where airplanes are in the sky. The FAA said its investment in NextGen improvements through 2030 is $20.6 billion, though its target date for completion is 2025.

More on this...

Reaction From Airlines

Major U.S. air carriers, including Southwest (NYSE:LUV), American (NASDAQ:AAL), JetBlue (NASDAQ:JBLU) and Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK), support the move to reform air traffic control. Delta Airlines (NYSE:DAL), however, does not. According to a company sponsored study, operational costs for ATC in the United States could increase by 20 to 29 percent after ten years and "likely lead to a rise in the cost of airline tickets in the U.S."

While the airline declined to comment further on the spin-off of ATC, they did provide a statement to FOX Business: Delta remains committed to working with the FAA and other industry stakeholders to make U.S. airspace more efficient, with the goals of reducing delays, improving traffic flows and enhancing airline performance.

Other airline executives disagree. If in fact the airspace is managed more effectively, there will be more flights, more landings, more takeoffs, and therefore more total revenue from the airlines point of view, said Bob Crandall, former president and chairman of American Airlines.

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union representing the FAAs 14,000 controllers, has supported Shusters AIRR legislation. In a statement to FOX Business, the union said it will continue to evaluate the Presidents proposal, stipulating that certain criteria must be met in order for the organization to support any reform.

I would want to make sure that all the work agreements, things like that, would stay in place, Martin Lauth, who worked 27 years as a controller and now teaches courses in air traffic management at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, told FOX Business. That the controllers pays arent going to be slashed [either].
The first 100 days of the new administration is approaching and President Trump is facing backlash on implementing many of his early promises. He has yet to follow through on his promise to repeal and replace ObamaCare, or implement a tax reform plan, but he has delivered in one area specifically; the border.

Whether you lean left, right, or youre in the middle you have to be a fan of what hes done for the border patrol, for the border security. Hes done more in first 100 days than the last two administrations have done in 16 years, Brandon Judd, Border Patrol Union President and active border patrol agent told Stuart Varney during an interview on the FOX Business Network.

In March, there were more than 16,000 undocumented immigrants apprehended and illegal border crossings as a whole saw a 30 percent drop in February, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

And on Tuesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions visited the U.S.-Mexico border to reiterate Trumps tough stance on immigration.

I am issuing a document to all federal prosecutors that mandates the prioritization of these immigration enforcement. Starting today, federal prosecutors are now required to consider for prosecution all of the following offenses often not prosecuted in the past, Sessions said.

Judd, who has been a border patrol agent for 20 years said he has never seen such a quick drop in illegal immigration, and believes it is due strictly to president Trumps policies.

However, Trumps signature campaign promise of building a wall along the southern border has hit a potential roadblock.

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has suggested that Congress may delay the funding of the border until 2018.

The big chunk of money for the wall, really, is...next fiscal years appropriations because they literally cant start construction even this quickly, he said during an interview on CBS This Morning.

But Judd disagrees with Speaker Ryans position.

President Trump promised the American public that he was going to secure the border, and part of securing the border is putting in place the proper technology and resources that allows us to be successful and a border wall in strategic locations is one of those things we must get done.

The Border Patrol Union President noted the differences between the previous administration's approach to immigration enforcement, and because of Trumps policy changes the handcuffs are being taken off of the law enforcement agents and were putting the handcuffs back on the criminals.
President Donald Trump met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House Wednesday, doubling down on requests for member countries to step up defense spending in order to increase prospects for global security.

We must  ensure that NATO members meet their financial obligations and pay what they owe. Many have not been doing that, Trump said. If other countries pay their fair share instead of relying on the United States to make up the difference, we will all be much more secure, and our partnership will be made that much stronger.

Secretary General Stoltenberg thanked the president for his attention to the issue of fair burden-sharing, saying although defense spending in Europe has started to increase, members need to strengthen contributions in order to keep our nations safe in a more dangerous world.

President Trump also said he would inquire about debts owed by member nations that have not been meeting their financial obligations over the years.

The United States contributed more than 22% of the organizations budget in 2016, according to White House data, which constituted 3.6% of U.S. GDP at $664 billion, far outpacing all other members. Out of all 28 countries that belonged to NATO at the start of this year, only five met the minimum contribution level in 2016the U.S., Greece, the U.K., Estonia and Poland.

At a NATO meeting earlier this month, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson suggested each member state falling short of its financial obligations should create a payment plan to reach the 2%-of-GDP target by years end.

"Our goal should be to agree at the May leaders meeting that by the end of the year all Allies will have either met the pledge guidelines or will have developed plans that clearly articulate how, with annual milestone progress commitments, the pledge will be fulfilled," Tillerson said.

The United States relationship with NATO has showed signs of strain since President Trump took office. Trump has been a strong critic of the intergovernmental military-based alliance, which, just prior to his inauguration, he called obsolete for its failure to make substantial headway in the fight against terror. On Wednesday the president stepped back this criticism, saying the organization was no longer obsolete and reaffirmed the United States commitment to the NATO alliance.

The president also said he spoke with the secretary general about upgrading NATO, particularly where it pertains to the fight against terrorism.

On Monday, President Trump supported Montenegros admission to NATO. It will become the 29th member of the organization.

Stoltenbergs White House visit comes ahead of Trumps scheduled trip to Brussels next month where he will attend a summit of NATO leaders.

While Stoltenberg has come out in support of the recent U.S. airstrikes in Syria, Trump told FOX Business Wednesday that the administration was not considering further military action in the region at this time. He did however implicate Russia for allowing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to remain in power.

If Russia didnt go in and back this animal [Assad], you wouldnt have a problem right now, Trump said.
President Trump said he is taking action after North Koreas President Kim Jong-un threatened to nuke U.S. war ships.

We are sending an armada, very powerful. We have submarines, very powerful, far more powerful than the aircraft carrier, Trump told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo. We have the best military people on Earth. And I will say this: he is doing the wrong thing.

Meanwhile, President Trump spoke with President Xi Jinping of China Wednesday over North Korea concerns. He said he was willing to help the U.S. with North Koreas weapons program.

Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2017

During a meeting last week at the White House, Trump and Xi discussed trade relations between China and the U.S. I said, look, you have a tremendous power because of trading through the border. If they don't get food, they don't get, you know, they can't sell their coal. In his opinion, China will do much better on trade if they help us with North Korea.

Trump also discussed cruise missile strikes against Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government in response to a chemical attack against their own people. Trump said Xi was ok with it and added that they get along.

We have two very different countries, two very different peoples. But I think he understood the message and I understood what he was saying to me, he said.
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney said Wednesday that President Trump is using his business experience to cut the fat on Capitol Hill, even taking suggestions from American citizens on how to make agencies run more efficiently as the White House lifted its federal hiring freeze.

Were actually trying to bring this business attitude towards the way we run the government, he said during an interview with Fox & Friends Wednesday morning.

The hiring freeze, one of Trumps first acts in office, was part of a longer-term White House plan aimed at decreasing the size of the government. The ban will be replaced with a smart hiring plan, which requires each agency to reorganize itself in compliance with the larger goals of the administration and the budget.

Some folks are going to be allowed to hire back, especially in areas where the president wants to do more. But in other areas where he wants to do less, and thats a lot of the federal government, were going to have these more strategic surgical reductions in the workforce, Mulvaney said Wednesday.

The Trump administrations budget calls for across the board cuts to a number of agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Education, the State Department and the Department of Commerce. Mulvaney told the press he expected the EPA, Department of Defense and the VA to be most affected by this new guidance. While the EPA will likely have to cut jobs in accordance with calls for a 31 percent reduction in funding, the Defense Department (9 percent increase) and Department of Veterans Affairs (6 percent increase) will likely be increasing headcount.

Each agency is expected to deliver its reorganization plan to the White House by June, and the plans will be presented to the president in September.

This directive follows President Trumps March 13 executive order asking agencies to turn inward and look for ways to trim fat and reduce waste. Mulvaney, a known deficit hawk, has been working with the president on eliminating wasteful bureaucracy and streamlining government.

The president has also insisted that removing burdensome regulations will spur economic growth. Trump took aim at Dodd-Frank Tuesday during a summit with twenty business leaders and CEOs, where he promised a major streamlining and perhaps elimination of the prominent financial regulation.

While Mulvaney wouldnt elaborate on how many federal jobs he expects to be added or eliminated as a result of the administrations reorganization, he did say we could run the government more efficiently than the previous administration, and with fewer people." He also called government restructuring the biggest story no one is talking about.
The Demon makes the Hellcat look like a church mouse.

The wide-body Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is a barely street-legal drag racer with a V8 that can produce up to 840 HP and 770 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful American car ever. Its also the quickest car in the world, with an NHRA-certified 0-60 mph time of 2.3 seconds and a quarter-mile time of 9.65 seconds at 140 mph. That's so quick and fast that you can't even enter it in an NHRA-sanctioned event without installing a roll cage.

Dodge didnt just turn up the boost on the Challenger SRT Hellcats 707 hp 6.2-liter supercharged engine to unleash its inner beast, it updated more than half of its parts and added a laundry list of production-first and high tech features to the Demon.

Theres a larger displacement 2.7-liter supercharger that runs at 14.5 psi boost; strengthened rods, pistons and valvetrain; twin dual-stage fuel pumps; and the largest hood scoop ever used on a muscle car: a 45.2 square inch intake Dodge calls the Air-Grabber thats apparently still not huge enough, because theres a second intake in the middle of the inside drivers side headlight and a third near the wheel liner. At full throttle, the Demon can suck all of the air out of a single-car garage in less than two minutes.

Run now.

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Instead of a simple cold air intake, the Demon cools things down by routing refrigerant from its air conditioner system through a chilling unit that helps drop the temperature of the ambient air by up to 45 degrees before the supercharger stuffs it into the cylinder. There, it can be mixed with as low as 91-octane fuel and turn it into 808 hp and 717 pound feet, but an optional engine controller can be installed that lets it run on 100-octane race fuel to unlock full 840/770, and it doesnt even void the five-year/60,000-mile warranty. If theres a blend in the tank, itll figure out the best way to burn it.

Regardless of how much power its cranking out, its delivered to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission thats been re-engineered to handle the torque, a stronger drive shaft, a beefed-up rear axle and a set of larger half shafts compared to the Hellcats.

To make use of as much of that power as possible, the Demon comes with a set of nearly-slick 12.6-inch-wide Nitto drag radials and a few electronic tricks to wring everything it can out of them. First, there's a line lock system like the Ford Mustang offers to enable easy burnouts to warm up the rubber. Then theres a steering wheel paddle-activated transmission brake for quicker and more powerful launches, an active suspension system that encourages the car to squat on its rear wheels under acceleration, and a traction control system programmed to manage wheel hop without you needing to lift off the gas. The Demon takes off so ferociously that Dodge says its capable of popping a wheelie nearly a yard high.

Dodge took 200 pounds out of it compared to the Challenger Hellcat by swapping in a few lightweight components, like aluminum brake calipers and open end lug nuts, but mostly by ripping out some carpeting and sound insulation, the parking sensors, 16 speakers and all of the seats except for the drivers.

Old school.

That makes it the first single-seat production car ever sold by a major automaker, but you can get the passenger seat and rear bench for $1 each, and add a 19-speaker 900 watt audio system for good measure. That is if youre not too concerned about those last couple of tenths at the track. If you are, youll definitely want to order the optional Demon Crate.

The goodie box comes with that engine controller, a set of skinny front-runner drag wheels, a hydraulic floor jack and cordless impact wrench to change them with, plus a tool kit and other Demon-branded accessories to help you turn your car into an even more focused racer at the strip.

Not since the very limited edition drag racing specials of the 1960s has a major automaker sold anything quite like this car, and Dodge is unleashing 3,000 Demons on America for 2018 with another 300 heading to Canada. The price has not yet been announced, but Fiat Chrysler Head of Passenger Car Brands Tim Kuniskis says it'll be less than six figures, and it includes a day at the Bob Bondurant School of High-performance Driving.

Unless you already build and race your own drag cars, you might need a little more than that to tame this monster.

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DODGE CHALLENGER GT IS A WINTER WONDER:
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Shia LaBeouf is leaving the United States behind to spend a month isolated in a cabin on Finlands remote Lapland region. His only communication with the outside world will be coming via text message to visitors at a Helsinki museum.

SHIA LABEOUF ARRESTED OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK MUSEUM

The 30-year-old isnt preparing for an upcoming movie role. Rather, the latest stunt is for a project called #ALONETOGETHER and will also include two members of the actors art collective, Nastja Ronkko and Luke Turner. The duo will also be spending time alone in separate cabins in Lapland beginning Wednesday.

Visitors to the Kiasama museum in Helsinki can visit a cabin and send a text to any of the three members. While they can respond to visitors, the trio cannot talk to one another.

The public can view a livestream of museumgoers and the trios texts on the museums website.

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LaBeouf was previously arrested in January at his anti-Donald Trump livestream in New York City.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Amber Portwood and Matt Baier believe their relationship is misunderstood by the media.

The 26-year-old star of MTVs hit reality TV series Teen Mom OG is engaged to the 45-year-old single dad, but the stars arent phased by the significant age gap.

The pair met on Twitter and began chatting about what they had in common, Portwood revealed to Fox News.

'TEEN MOM'S' AMBER PORTWOOD REVEALS WEIGHT LOSS

I think the initial thing was music, Portwood said. Because I grew up on a lot of older music with my father and everything. It meant a lot to me. So we listened to music, talked about music. It became a great friendship [We were] best friends for six months to the point that it felt so comfortable enough to meet each other in person. We met and fell in love.

Baier after a few days the pair felt they'd met who they were "supposed to be with."

The couple are currently gearing up for a wedding on October 13th. However, the duo havent decided if theyre going to have cameras capture the special moment for audiences or keep it as a more private affair.

But one thing theyve never hid was their personal battles with pain killers. The mother of now 8-year-old Leah was addicted to prescription pills, prompting her to go to rehab on several occasions. And even while in rehab, she was still using.

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I was chewing on fentanyl patches because it doesnt show up in the urine test, she tearfully explained. I didnt think Ive seen my daughter for like a month or so. And I was in a really bad place. Probably close to dying. I went to court one day and I said, I want to go to prison.

According to Portwood, she chose prison to save her life. In 2012, she served 17 months of a five-year sentence at Rockville Correctional Facility in Indiana and was released on good behavior, time served and the completion of two prison courses. Today, she still takes medication, but for her mental illness.

I have borderline personality [disorder] and bipolar disorder, said Portwood, adding that she works with a psychiatrist to make sure her prescriptions dont interfere with her sobriety. When I got out of prison, I was sober from everything and I tried to do it myself for probably about two years. And I didnt take any medication Now I do have to take pills for the rest of my life We started very low, the medication Im still on a very low dose of medication, and Im very proud to say that.

Today, Portwood is still filming Teen Mom OG, but also runs an online fashion store, Be Forever Haute.

And the duo insist everything they show in front of cameras is real. Baier is even getting ready to release his memoir in June, which he said will continue to reveal the truth.

I hope people will see me as not the guy in the tabloids, but the person in the actual book, said Baier. Like a human being. The reason I did it was because I wanted people to understand that just because something is in print doesnt make it true.

We dont go by a script. You see our lives, added Portwood. Ive never let a director or producer tell me what to do, or how to think or what to say. But if I say something and they want me to repeat it, thats what you do, thats your job. However, you dont let them give you the ideas, you dont let them make your story. And thats what it becomes, especially after nine years of this.

A new season of Teen Mom OG premieres Monday, April 17th on MTV.
A 16-year-old from Nevada who apparently really likes Wendy's chicken nuggets is closing in on the record for the most retweets ever thanks to a random idea he decided to act upon, reports the Guardian.

Last Wednesday night, Carter Wilkerson took to Twitter to ask: "Yo @Wendys how many retweets for a year of free chicken nuggets?" Wendy's responded that 18 million would do the trick.

Wilkerson accepted the challenge with this tweet, which had been retweeted about 2.5 million times as of Tuesday morning. For some perspective, the largest retweet ever came after Ellen DeGeneres took to Twitter during the 2014 Oscars, with hers clocking in at just under 3.3 million retweets.

Wilkerson now appears to have the second most popular tweet ever, having edged ahead of one by Louis Tomlinson of One Direction. Still, 18 million is a tall order, and the challenge has turned the teen into "a global hero with a mission" via #NuggsForCarter, notes a post at Twitter itself.

The teen spoke to the Reno Gazette-Journal when the tweet first took off, explaining that he sent his original query as a joke. The reaction has been "pretty cool," he says, with his father adding that he hopes they can work out some kind of charitable giveaway with Wendy's when the retweeting subsides.

Eater points out that Wilkerson could retweet himself, but he'd have to do so once a second nonstop for about seven months in order to reach the mark that way.

Meanwhile, the Guardian predicts that he's sure to show up on DeGeneres' show at some point.

This article originally appeared on Newser: A Teen's Joke Tweet May Set a Record
The owner of an Irish burger chain is blaming McDonalds for preventing his business from expanding into Europe.

Pat McDonough, the CEO and founder of Supermacs fast food restaurants, has accused McDonalds of trademark bullying in a complaint he filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), claiming that the American burger chain is deliberately trying to stifle competition by trademarking every word containing Mc or Mac.

McDonalds has literally registered the McWorld, stated McDonough, reports The Irish Times. It is trying to make sure that every word in the English language belongs to them if there is prefix Mc or Mac put in front of it.

MCDONALD'S PLANNING A BIG CHANGE FOR ITS QUARTER POUNDERS

McDonoughs complaints stem from a 2016 decision by the EUs Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM), in which they rejected an application to trademark his menu items on the grounds that consumers might confuse Supermacs offerings with McDonalds products, reports TheJournal.ie.

Instead, the OHIM granted Supermacs a separate trademark in Europe, but only on the condition that the Supermacs name not be used to sell meat, hamburgers, poultry and onion rings (among other items) outside of Ireland, per Hospitality Ireland.

McDonough also believes that the OHIM came to their 2016 decision under pressure from McDonalds, who submitted a 41-page complaint with the EU after McDonough filed for the companys trademark.

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They have trademarked words like McKids, McFamily, McCountry, McWorld, McJob and McInternet in order to, over time, squeeze out smaller family-based businesses, said McDonough, who claims to have named his Supermacs restaurants after the nickname he earned in college.

This means that if any McGrath, McCarthy or McDermott with a business idea uses their name in the title of that business or product, the chances are McDonalds already own the trademark and you can probably expect a knock on the door from them.

It's unclear if the EUIPO plans to revise their decision based upon McDonough's lastes complaint.

McDonough and his wife Una opened the first Supermacs in Ireland in 1978. The chain currently boasts over 100 restaurants throughout Ireland.
A woman in Melbourne, Australia, is getting worldwide attention for giving birth to a 13-pound baby boy without an epidural.

Natashia Corrigan welcomed Brian Jr. on Jan. 24 in a natural birth. She posted photos of the new addition on Facebook.

"It's hard to get our minds around such a whirlwind of a day," Corrigan wrote in the post. "I never dreamed we'd get so much love for our BIG baby boy and family."

Corrigan, who also has two daughters, told Australian TV network 7 News that she always wanted a chubby baby to join her family.

I dreamed of a little fat baby, Corrigan told the network. Ive always wanted a little fat baby and Ive got a big one!

The mom was told her baby would be heavier than the average newborn before she went into labor, according to 7 News. Corrigan couldn't believe she gave birth to a 13-pound, 4-ounce baby.

I think I was in a bit of shock because the birth was natural and I only had gas so I was still in a bit of shock just from that, Corrigan said.

The newborn is double the size of an average baby in Australia, according to 7 News.

Corrigan's newborn doesn't break the Guinness World Record for the heaviest baby that was born. Ohio woman Giantess Anna Bates gave birth to a 22-pound baby in 1879, but he died 11 hours later.
As any man whos suffered from bedroom issues knows, erectile dysfunction (ED) can take a major toll on self-esteem and romantic relationships. In the absence of a cure, as many as 30 million American men suffer from ED, and 30 percent of those are age 70 and older.

While ED mostly impacts older men, age usually has nothing to do with it. Fox News went to the experts to identify six medical risk factors that are linked with ED. If you suffer from any of the conditions below, they may be at the root of your performance problems.

1. Heart disease

For the majority of men with ED, cardiovascular problems such as arteriolosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, and high cholesterol are at the root of the issue.

Thats because, to achieve an erection, the arteries must allow blood to flow throughout the body, not just in the penis. Anything that clogs up your arteries or narrows arteries is going to affect blood flow, Dr. Dudley Danoff, a urologist in Los Angeles and author of The Ultimate Guide to Male Sexual Health, told Fox News.

COULD AN ED TREATMENT IN EUROPE COME TO THE US?

In fact, studies suggest men diagnosed with ED can have a heart attack or stroke within three to five years.

To check blood flow, your doctor may order a penile doppler ultrasound study, which includes an injection to cause an erection, along with ultrasound imaging. If the rate of blood entering the penis is too low, we know thats usually do to arterial disease, Dr. Peter Stahl, assistant professor of urology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, told Fox News.

Your doctor will refer you to a cardiologist and you may be prescribed a PDE5 inhibitor medication like Viagra, which studies show can help ED and your heart.

In fact, men who had heart attacks and were prescribed PDE5 inhibitors or alprostadil, another type of medication for ED, were 40 percent less likely to be hospitalized for heart failure than men who were not using the drugs, according to a study presented at the American College of Cardiology's 66th Annual Scientific Session in March.

2. Neurological problems

Any medical condition that affects the brain, the spinal cord or the small autonomic nerve fibers that send nerve signals from the spinal cord to the penis and from the penis to the spinal cord can lead to ED.

Men who have multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries or a degenerative disc disease, or those who have had surgery or radiation for prostate, bladder or rectal cancer, can be affected. The most common neurological condition that leads to ED  and the most difficult to treat  is diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage that occurs with diabetes.

ARE PENILE IMPLANTS SAFE?

Although vasodilator medications can help, they will only work in men who have some nerve function, Stahl said.

3. A leak

Veno-occlusive dysfunction, or venous leak, is a problem with the penis ability to trap blood. The penis has two erection chambers that expand and compress the veins that drain blood from the penis. Due to age, diabetes or other problems, the erection chambers can lose their elasticity and their ability to expand sufficiently.

No matter how fast blood rushes in, it leaves just as fast, so those patients can never achieve fully rigid erections, Stahl said.

Veno-occlusive dysfunction requires invasive treatment procedures or even a penile implant.

4. Hormones

Hormonal problems, such as thyroid dysfunction or pituitary tumors or malfunction, can lead to ED.

Although testosterone deficiency plays a part, those hormone levels affect libido, not erectile function. If a mans libido is low, that certainly can affect his erections, but it does it indirectly, Dudley said.

Whats more, it can be hard to tell whether ED is related to low testosterone, as men with low T can also have symptoms like fatigue, and weaker erections. Whether or not that is related to testosterone deficiency or usual things like not sleeping enough, poor lifestyle and lack of exercise, is very difficult to discern, Stahl said.

9 FOODS TO HELP BOOST YOUR SEX DRIVE NATURALLY

Although testosterone replacement therapy isnt a standard treatment for ED, studies suggest it improves erectile function in men with both ED and testosterone deficiency, Stahl said.

5. Anxiety

When men have performance anxiety, the sympathetic nervous system gets activated, adrenaline is produced, and blood flow gets diverted away from the penis, which can result in a mild loss of rigidity, albeit initially, Stahl said.

Yet the anxiety can lead to more anxiety, lessening blood flow to the penis and affecting a mans ability to get an erection. It can happen to anybody, and it can be very difficult to break cycle, Stahl said.

One way to tell whether ED is related to anxiety or another medical condition is to have a nocturnal penile tumescence (NPT) test. Using a device similar to a blood pressure cuff, the test will measure your ability to get an erection during sleep, when psychological barriers are absent.

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If you get erections, its likely not related to a physical problem. In that case, talk to your doctor or a therapist about things you can do to prevent ED.

6. Medications

Finasteride, used to treat prostate enlargement and male pattern baldness, can cause ED and, in a small subset of patients, permanent sexual dysfunction.

Drugs for high blood pressure like beta blockers, thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers may cause mild ED. SSRIs and SNRIs for depression and anxiety can also affect arousal, desire and orgasmic function. Yet trying a different type of medication is usually all thats necessary to reverse the effect.
Being a television personality comes with a lot of perks. Getting to live your life without criticism? Not one of them.

WHY THE 'CAVEMAN REGIMEN' IS BEAUTY ADVICE GONE WRONG

Australian Today show presenter Lisa Wilkinson made news this week after the Daily Mail published a story criticizing her for wearing the same blouse on-air twice during a four-month span. The article, which labeled her outfit repeat as thrifty, read:

Lisa Wilkinson looks to have a preference when it comes to attire, seen sporting the same floral shirt, just four months apart. The 57-year-old took to the set on Tuesday in a burgundy cut-out blouse with global detailing, that was previously worn on the program in early December, last year.

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The article also pointed out that this wasnt the first time the television host has worn the same outfit twice.

I am sooo busted! Seems I've been seen hosting breakfast TV wearing same blouse with "strategic cutout above the bust" just 4months apart!!! pic.twitter.com/hx1AaQw2b2  Lisa Wilkinson (@Lisa_Wilkinson) April 11, 2017

Ironically, as Mashable pointed out, her male co-host wore the same exact suit every day for a year as a social experiment. Shockingly, nobody noticed  or, if they did, they didnt say anything. So when Wilkinson got called out for her outfit repeat, she decided to troll the Daily Mail back in the sassiest way ever:

HOW TO WEAR THIS TRENDY COLOR FOR SPRING

Her tweet received nearly 1,500 likes, and was re-tweeted 277 times. Then, she took to the TV screens the following day wearing the exact same shirt.

Wilkinson also took to Instagram to joke about the incident:
Youve seen how the mainstream politicians and media in America tried to deride first Donald Trumps candidacy and now his presidency. In France, the candidate closest to Trump in ideology is undergoing a withering assault just two weeks before French voters go to the polls. And, like Trump, she may actually benefit from the ordeal.

Marine Le Pen, the presidential candidate of the National Front, touched an old but still open wound among Frenchmen this week, when she said her countrymen should stop feeling guilty about rounding up French Jews who were sent to their deaths during World War II, when France was under Nazi occupation.

The National Fronts founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen  Marines father  was an anti-Semite and a Holocaust denier. But since Marine took over leadership of the party, she has successfully softened its image, while still calling for stronger borders, fewer immigrants and a hard look at Frances participation in the European Union.

Those kind of anti-establishment positions have put her in the cross-hairs of her rivals, as well as most of the French mainstream media. France has a two-round system for choosing its president, and Le Pen has consistently been among the top two in national polls. The first round of voting takes place April 23.

Her top rival, Emmanuel Macron of the moderate En Marche Party, quickly used Le Pens heritage to attack her, saying, You repeat the lies that you heard from your fathers mouth.

Le Pens reference to the Holocaust, which appears to have been off-hand and not pre-planned, may have been inopportune two weeks before a crucial election where polls have her doing well. She may well lose whatever support from French Jews that she ever had. And the newspapers who delight in pillorying her will have a week or so of easy target practice.

But what they, and the French political establishment are forgetting, is this: not many Frenchmen living right now were born during World War II. And the youngest French voters  in their late teens and 20s  have no connection to the Holocaust except what they have read or been told. Certainly they do not feel personal responsibility for a round-up of French Jews that took place 75 years ago.

It is those young voters who will be most affected by the direction France takes in these elections. The youth unemployment rate in France is 23 percent, more than double the national average. While that is not directly attributable to immigrants taking away jobs from Frenchmen, Le Pens call to Put France First (sound like shes Trumpeting someone?) appeals to youths who are dont believe in the tired, corrupt French political establishment.

Le Pens inelegant remarks about French participation in the Holocaust stirred up the usual outrage among her foes. But in seeking to put history in the past  which is, after all, definition of history  Le Pen may be trying to send a message to younger voters who were not alive for those tragic events, and feel no inherited sense of guilt.
Just as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was ready to land in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin ran with a wild claim that the United States is poised to fake a new chemical weapons attack in Syria to justify further military action by President Trump.

Sounds completely nuts, right? Yet, the alt-radical left, destroy-Trump media, has been pushing these same types of insane conspiracy theories.

Wouldn't it be nice if it was just completely totally, absolutely impossible to suspect that Vladimir Putin orchestrated what happened in Syria this week so that his friend in the White House could have a big night with missiles and all of the praise he's picked up over the last 24 hours, MSNBCs Lawrence ODonnell said last week. Wouldn't it be so nice if you couldn't even in your wildest dreams imagine a scenario like that?

Wouldn't be great if we could go back to "Wag the Dog" being a  sitcom plot, you know? replied ODonnells colleague, Rachel Maddow.

And everyone at CNN as well as MSNBC seems convinced that Trump and Putin are somehow in cahoots. There is no evidence of this, and in fact Trump keeps proving he is the last man to carry water for Putin. But still they persist.

I'll say it again, this Russian connection just keeps building, said MSNBCs Chris Matthews on March 22. And every time it builds and expands, you have to wonder if Trump himself isn't worried about what's swirling around under the covers.

Two days earlier, Anderson Cooper had similar fake news speculation.

CNN has learned new details of the FBI investigation into potential links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government, Cooper gushed.

It goes on and on. Crazy, kooky, fake news conspiracy theories spouted by the alt-left propaganda media. Cue the "Twilight Zone" theme. It's pathetic.

Democrats in Congress are doing the exact same thing. They're as nutty as their friends in the media. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., told my colleague Tucker Carlson that Trumps decision to rain missiles on a Syrian air field, a decision that angered Putin, was all part of a diabolical plot.

This could very well be interpreted as an attempt by the administration to get out from under the claim that they're colluding with Russia, Moulton said, apparently unaware of how ridiculous he sounded.

What's clear is that the alt-radical left in this country is ignoring all truth and the facts. For months, they have been pushing - without one scintilla of evidence - this false narrative of President Trump colluding with the Russians.

Never mind that it goes against what former director of National Intelligence James Clapper, FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Admiral Mike Rogers have all been saying. There is zero proof of Trump-Russia collusion in the election or since.

If the media wants to talk about interfering in an election, they should go back and focus on what the Obama administration tried to do to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2014. A congressional investigation determined that an Israeli political group used more than $300,000 in taxpayer funds from the Obama State Department to try to defeat Netanyahu.

I've been saying since 2008 that journalism is dead, but the partisan press is now taking it to a bizarre new low. They're suffering Trump derangement syndrome and are doing everything in their power to destroy him. CNN, MSNBC and others in the alt-left media are no longer even trying to appear to be objective journalists. They seem to think they have a more important mission: Undermining the will of American voters.
"A picture is worth a thousand words" as the old saying goes. And a picture in the media is worth a million words...and billions of dollars!

The media decides what makes the headlines. The media just turned the United Airlines scandal into the biggest news story of the year. One customer being beaten and dragged off a plane went viral and destroyed a billion dollar brand.

In this case the mainstream media was right. The minute I saw what United Airlines did to one of their own customers, I warned in media interviews this would destroy United Airlines' brand, cost them billions in lost business, and drive their stock dramatically down. This is a business school case study in how to destroy a billion dollar brand overnight.

This scandal was so powerful because it could have been anyone of us. What if that poor beaten and bleeding man being dragged from the plane was you? Your husband? Your son? Your dad?

That incident wins the award for the worst treatment of a customer by a private sector company ever. Disgraceful. Everyone involved should be fired.

But I have a much worse story than this. A similar story, except far more widespread. The difference is the media never made it a headline. They barely covered it at all.

Its also a story of a CEO and terrible abuse of his own customers. The CEO is former President Barack Obama. The customers in this case were conservative taxpayers. The company that committed the terrible crimes against thousands of our fellow citizens was the IRS.

And it was Obama's IRS.

That's why the media never cared. That's why the media never covered it. Obama was (and still is) their hero. And the liberal mainstream media hates "evil" private sector corporations like United Airlines. But they love government agencies like the IRS.

They don't want the wrongdoing, abuse and corruption of government to make headlines all over the world.

The media covers up scandals involving Democrats and government. The either kill the story...or put it on the bottom of page 98.

The United Airlines scandal is the story of the year. Deservedly so. But the IRS scandal ignored by the media is the story of the century.

Now President Donald Trump has the opportunity to expose the most widespread criminal conspiracy in U.S. political history.

This scandal would make the Gambino Crime Family blush. I have stumbled upon this "political scandal of a lifetime" because Im a witness. I was one of the victims. Now Im asking President Trump to get involved in seeing that justice is served.

Back in 2010, I became one of the most high-profile critics of President Obama. My opinions were featured in the national media, day and night. In particular, here on Fox News.

Suddenly I became the victim of the most vicious, over-the-top, IRS attack any tax expert had ever seen. I was targeted for destruction. It was a witch hunt, persecution and intimidation all in one. It was meant to punish me, distract me and bankrupt me.

I beat the IRS. A judge in tax court threw the case out. But only six days after winning in court, I was under a new IRS assault. Tax experts reported this had never happened before in tax history. They told me, You are on the Presidents Enemies List.

Thankfully, I won again. I didnt owe one cent. But I lost three years of my life and tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. I didn't sleep for three years. I told my story multiple times here at FoxNews.com.

Government watchdog Judicial Watch got involved. They fought a 14-month battle to force the IRS to hand over my tax files. Once we prevailed, guess what we found? Hard evidence this was a political witch hunt, persecution, and intimidation based on my conservative political beliefs. We have the proof in writing. A government agency- in America- tried to destroy a citizen based on his political beliefs.

But this scandal isn't like the United Airlines scandal. The media destroyed a billion dollar brand based on one poor man's treatment at the hands of a cold, ruthless bureaucracy. This is so much worse. So much bigger.

The IRS scandal is not about one man being abused by a cold, ruthless bureaucracy. And he will make millions in a lawsuit against United. Millions for one hour of abuse.

The victims of IRS abuse suffered for years. And there are no lawsuits possible -- because government employees are protected by law from lawsuits.

But here's the big story. Im only the tip of the iceberg. There were thousands of victims just like me attacked by Obamas IRS.

How do I know? Well, first, did you see the headlines from Judicial Watch this week? Of course not. No one did.

The media never covered the new developments in the IRS scandal involving thousands of abused customers. They were too busy covering the one customer abused by United.

Here is what you missed. The IRS has finally handed over thousands of pages of supposedly lost documents. They claimed they were lost forever. It turns out they weren't lost, just hidden from investigators. These documents confirm the IRS illegally targeted conservatives.

But the scandal runs much deeper than the abuse of faceless conservative groups. Ive personally heard from over a hundred individual GOP donors who were mysteriously attacked out of the blue by the IRS- in each case, only weeks after writing a donation check to either the GOP, a GOP candidate, or a conservative group.

I've heard from board members of Tea Party groups who were attacked by the IRS for the first time in their lives, only weeks after joining the board.

I heard from a hedge fund CEO who attended the first meeting of hedge fund executives for Mitt Romney back in 2011. Everyone of the millionaire hedge fund CEOs in the room that day wrote a big check to Mitt Romney. He reports every one of them wound up under either IRS or SEC attack. 20 for 20. Could that be a coincidence?

There are clearly thousands of cases out there -- just like this.

If the IRS targeted thousands of Obama critics and individual conservative donors, this was the biggest criminal conspiracy in US history. And it's easy to prove.

Heres my recommendation for President Trump:

Start a DOJ investigation immediately. This case is so easy to prove. Simply compare Federal Election Commission lists of GOP donors for the eight years of Obama versus a list of IRS audit victims. I'm betting you'll find IRS audit percentage rates through the roof. I'm betting you'll find well over 50% of large GOP donors were audited by the IRS during Obama's eight years in office.

Now compare a FEC list of Democrat donors during Obamas reign. I'm betting you'll find normal random audit rates of 1%.

1 percent versus over 50 percent. That's statistically impossible.

I'm betting what DOJ investigators will also find is that Obama's IRS targeted and audited the highest percentage of GOP donors of any president in history. The numbers will be out of this world. More than any other president times ten.

Wanna bet?

Of course, this is proof of criminal targeting. I know what Obama did to conservatives. This was a massive criminal conspiracy to persecute, punish, intimidate and bankrupt GOP donors, activists and critics of Obama. It was meant to weaken and starve Obamas political opposition. It was meant to scare anyone away from writing a check to conservative candidates or causes. And it worked.

Lower-level IRS employees didnt do this by themselves. They were just following orders. Orders given by the Obama White House to destroy conservatives.

President Trump must send a loud message. No American citizen can ever again be targeted by government for their political beliefs. Everyone involved must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

President Trump -- start this investigation. This is how you drain the swamp.
Fresno State University said they will fully cooperate with any federal investigation after a professor posted a series of Twitter messages calling for President Trump to be hanged and for Republicans to be executed.

To save American democracy, Trump must hang, Professor Lars Maischak wrote on his Twitter account in February. The sooner and the higher, the better.

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Has anyone started soliciting money and design drafts for a monument honoring the Trump assassin, yet? the professor asked in an earlier tweet.

Maischak, who is a history lecturer, also went after Republicans  tweeting, Justice = The execution of two Republicans for each deported immigrant.

So why all the hullabaloo now over a bunch of tweets written back in February? Well, the tweets apparently went unnoticed and unreported until Breitbart News broke the story over the weekend.

The Secret Service has not commented on whether or not they are investigating the comments.

The university initially launched an investigation to determine that the professors statements were made as a private citizen and not as a representative of the school. However, in the face of massive national outrage it appears they are going to revisit the situation.

Fresno State President Joseph Castro said the professors comments warrant further review and consideration.

Professor Maischaks personal views and commentary, with its inclusion of violent and threatening language, is obviously inconsistent with the core values of our University, Castro wrote on the universitys website.

The review of these and any other statements will be conducted in the context of rights of free expression, but also for potential direct threats of violence that may violate the law, he added.

Fresno State will not say whether the professor has tenure or whether or not he is still in the classroom.

Maischak told television station KSEE he was appalled that the president of the university is allowing himself to be instrumentalized for a right-wing smear campaign.

Specifically, the suggestion that I had made potential direct threats of violence that may violate the law is unwarranted, he said. It constitutes an embrace by the university of the claims made by right-wing propaganda outlets.

The professor is not a big fan of the right-wing media.

The function of articles like the one produced by Breitbart and affiliates is to whip up a digital lynch-mob of people sending threats and insults to my email and Twitter accounts, with the ultimate goal of silencing dissenters, he told the Fresno Bee.

He went on to say he does not condone violence even though thats exactly what he advocated in his Twitter feed.

From the context of the entirety of my tweets, this should be evident to anyone reading them in good faith (as opposed to malicious intent), he said.

In other words, hes taking the It all depends on what the definition of hang is defense.

To say the professor is a prolific tweeter might be an understatement. Consider these gems:

What would you do if your country has been hijacked by a gang of crazed homicidal fanatics? You storm the cockpit #Flight93

Mercy towards racists was always the fatal weakness of good Americans. 1865, 1965, they left too many of them alive.

If only Mary had had an abortion! We would have been spared this Clerical-Fascist crap. #His Glory my ass!

You Fascist Trump-voting white trash scum can wallow in your filthy hell-holes of flyover states. Enjoy.

Republican students at Fresno State have every right to be deeply concerned about their safety and well-being inside that mans classroom.

Thats why I believe Professor Maischak should be fired  immediately.

And should Fresno State University decide to retain his services, we should call on the federal government to defund the school. Theres no good reason for our tax dollars to pay the salary of a man who wants to execute the president.

Class dismissed, professor.

The time has come to take back our public schools and universities. Click here to get a copy of Todds new book to learn how to restore American greatness to the classroom!
The FBI obtained a court order last summer that granted them permission to monitor the communications of former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

The so-called FISA warrant was granted as part of an ongoing investigation into possible links between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign, the paper reported.

The FISA court and its orders are highly secretive. Judges grant permission for surveillance if they agree there's probable cause that the target is an agent of a foreign power. Though the standard is a high bar to meet, applications are hardly ever denied.

In a statement to Fox News, Page said he was "excited the truth is coming out."

EX-TRUMP ADVISER CARTER PAGE RIPS 'FALSE NARRATIVE' ON RUSSIA COLLUSION

"It shows how low the Clinton/Obama regime went to destroy our democracy and suppress dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy," Page added. "It will be interesting to see what comes out when the unjustified basis for those FISA requests are more fully disclosed over time."

The Post reported that a 90-day warrant was issued for Page and has been renewed more than once by the FISA court.



According to the paper, the government's application for the FISA warrant cited contacts Page had with a Russian intelligence operative in 2013. According to court documents filed earlier this month in connection with a separate espionage case, the Russian tried to recruit Page as an intelligence source.

Page, who was working as an energy consultant at the time, acknowledged that he "shared basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents" with the operative, Victor Podobnyy. He described the information as "nothing more than a few samples from the far more detailed lectures" he delivered at New York University in 2013.

In an interview with Fox News last month, Page said he had been victimized by a "false narrative" surrounding his contacts with Russian officials.

"I did nothing that could even possibly be viewed as helping them in any way," Page said at the time.

Page was hired by the Trump campaign as a foreign policy adviser in March 2016, but left the campaign that September because, as he put it, "these stories kept coming out based on the dodgy dossier."

That's a reference to the now-infamous "Trump Dossier" created by former British Intelligence operative Christopher Steele, working for a U.S. political research group called Fusion GPS on behalf of both Republicans and Democrats.

Page's relationship with Russia began to draw scrutiny during the campaign after he visited Moscow in July 2016 for a speech at the New Economic School. While Page said he was traveling in a personal capacity, the school cited his role in the Trump campaign in advertising the speech.



Page was sharply critical of the U.S. in his remarks, saying Washington has a "hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality, corruption and regime change."



Days later, Page talked with Russia's ambassador to the U.S. at an event on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention. Attorney General Jeff Sessions spoke with the Russian envoy at the same event, a conversation he failed to reveal when asked about contacts with Russians during his Senate confirmation hearings.

Those who served on the Trump campaign's foreign policy advisory committee tell the Associated Press they had limited contact with Page.

But in a letter Page sent to the Senate intelligence committee last month, he cast himself as a regular presence in Trump Tower, where the campaign was headquartered.



"I have frequently dined in Trump Grill, had lunch in Trump Caf, had coffee meetings in the Starbucks at Trump Tower, attended events and spent many hours in campaign headquarters on the fifth floor last year," Page wrote. He also noted that his office building in New York "is literally connected to the Trump Tower building by an atrium."

Fox News' Catherine Herridge and Pamela Browne and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from the Washington Post.
Fox News Contributor and syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer said Tuesday on Special Report with Bret Baier that Russias continued support of the Assad regime in Syria is not an affection for Assad or Syria, but for a bigger reason.

As a result of their involvement, they now have a naval base in the warm water Mediterranean, they have active, very powerful airbase in Syria, he said. They have a presence in the Middle East. They are the power.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow on Tuesday as tensions have flared between the United States and Russia over American airstrikes on a Syrian airbase in retaliation for last weeks chemical weapons attack in Idlib province. The Kremlin has denied suggestions that the Syrian government led by President Bashar al Assad may have been behind the attack.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin went so far as to suggest that Assad was being framed for the chemical weapons attack, saying "we have intelligence from various sources that similar provocations are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including southern suburbs of Damascus, where they are planning to plant chemicals and blame the Syrian government for using them."

Before arriving in Moscow, Tillerson criticized Russia for failing to live up to its obligation to remove chemical weapons from Syria.

I hope that what the Russian Government concludes is that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-AssadThe Assad regime, the Iranians and Hezbollah - is that a long term alliance that serves Russia's interests? he said.

Krauthammer said may be foolish for an American secretary of state to lecture Russia on its own best interests.

They have displaced the United States, and their entire foreign policy under Putin is to recover the glory and the territory and the influence of the old Soviet Union one piece at a time and it does that by taking away from the United States, he said. It's a zero sum game.

The idea that we're going to persuade them it's not in your interest to stay with Iran and Hezbollah and Assad, who are we to say, of course it's in the Russian interest, they have succeeded in doing it and unless we show them a reason to abandon it, they are not going to leave, he added.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized late Tuesday after stating in his daily briefing that Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons."

"Today I was trying to describe the attack that [Syrian President Bashar] Assad made on his own people using chemical weapons," Spicer told Fox News. "Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, to which there is frankly no comparison.

"Obviously, that is not what I was intending to do. And I  especially during this week [Passover]  regret using that term and apologize and hope that we can focus on the president's decisive action that he took to make sure that we deal with the situation in Syria."



Spicer was discussing last week's chemical weapons attack, which killed nearly 90 Syrian civilians, when he said "we didn't use chemical weapons in World War II." Spicer later added that "someone as despicable as Hitler ... didn't even sink to using chemical weapons."

After the briefing, Spicer emailed this statement to reporters: "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable."

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., accused Spicer of "downplaying the horror of the Holocaust."

"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements," Pelosi said in a statement. "Either he is speaking for the President, or the President should have known better than to hire him."

Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., who is Jewish, said in a statement that "as far as comments being made and comparisons of various tactics and methods between now and World War II, you can make the comparison a little differently and it would be accurate, but it's important to clear up that Hitler did in fact use chemical warfare to murder innocent people."

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis touched on the issue at the Pentagon when discussing missile strikes launched by the U.S. against one of Assad's airfields in response to the chemical attack.

"Even in World War II, chemical weapons were not used on battlefields," Mattis said. "Since World War I, there has been an international convention on this. To stand idly by, when that convention is violated, that is what we had to take action on, urgently, in our own vital interest."

Spicer's comments came on the first day of Passover and a day after the White House held a Seder dinner marking the emancipation of the Jewish people, a tradition started during the Obama administration.

According to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Nazis experimented with poison gas in late 1939 with the killing of mental patients, which was termed "euthanasia." Both mobile and stationary gas chambers were later used, with up to 6,000 Jews gassed each day at Auschwitz alone.

On Monday, the White House clarified remarks Spicer made from the podium that the use of barrel bombs by Assad's government might lead to further military action by the United States.

In an exchange with reporters, Spicer appeared to draw a new red line for the Trump administration when he told reporters that if a country gases a baby or it puts "a barrel bomb into innocent people, I think you will see a response from this president."

Until Monday the administration had maintained that last week's airstrikes were in response to the Syrian government's use of chemical weapons against its own citizens. A White House spokesman said later that "nothing has changed in our posture" and the president retains the option to act if it's in the national interest.



Fox News' Serafin Gomez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page said Wednesday that a reported surveillance warrant targeting him last summer would have been based on false evidence, maintaining during an interview with Fox News that he has nothing to hide.

Page addressed a Washington Post report a day earlier that the FBI obtained a secret order from a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge to monitor his communications as part of an investigation into Russia and contacts with the Trump campaign. Parts of the Post report have been confirmed by Fox News.

There is a tremendous amount of false evidence, and there was various reporting about where that false evidence may have [come from] such as the dodgy dossier, Page said, in reference to a widely disputed document circulated last year that contained salacious allegations about the Trump team and was compiled by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele.

In a recent speech, though, FBI Director James Comey said its a high bar to monitor an American citizen.

Those applications are often as thick as my wrist or thicker. It is a huge pain in the neck to get permission to bug somebody in the United States, and that's the way it should be, Comey said.

In fact in 2013, the FBI was investigating whether Vladimir Putins government was trying to recruit Americans when Pages name surfaced in the probe. In court documents, he is listed as Male-1, as first reported by BuzzFeed.

Pressed by Fox News on allegations that he provided energy documents to a Russian intelligence operative, he said, It was the same energy documents that I quote unquote sent, gave to my students at NYU.

Asked whether the Russians tried to recruit him, Page said, I was never asked by anyone to do anything untoward or otherwise.

He did acknowledge having met with Victor Podobnyy, among a small group of operatives later charged in a Russian spy ring.

Page, meanwhile, told Fox News on Wednesday he worked for the Trump campaign on an informal basis and was not a major player. Asked how many times he met with candidate Donald Trump, he said, I have not met one on one or in any small group with Mr. Trump.

He said he was never on the campaign payroll.

Carter said hes a loyal American and that if its true a FISA warrant was issued against him, the justification for that warrant is this false evidence.

Ive never done anything wrong here, Page said. So Im more than happy for people to keep an eye on me because I think it only proves that Im doing the right thing.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told President Trump in a phone call Wednesday that Beijing is willing to work with Washington on ending North Koreas nuclear weapons program, but wants to do so through peaceful means.

"Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea," Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

Xi told Trump that China insists on peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula in the wake of the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson to the area and the conducting of the biggest-ever U.S.-South Korea military drills.

"China insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula ... and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side over the issue on the peninsula," Xi was quoted as saying by state media.

TRUMP WARNS CHINA ON NORTH KOREA: HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR WE WILL

The call came after Trump warned in a pair of tweets Tuesday that North Korea is looking for trouble and vowed to get Kim Jong-Uns regime under control with or without Chinas help.

I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem! Trump tweeted.

He added in a second tweet: North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.

Trump and other U.S. officials have repeatedly called on China to leverage its status as North Korea's biggest economic partner and source of food and fuel aid to force Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear weapons program.

China has said that it is in full compliance with sanctions enacted under U.N. Security Council resolutions and in February, suspending imports of coal from North Korea  a key source of foreign currency for Kim.

However, Beijing also said it will not countenance measures that could bring about a collapse of the regime that could release a flood of refugees across its border, destabilize northeast Asia and result in a U.S.-friendly government taking power in Pyongyang.

North Korea has drawn U.S. ire recently following a series of ballistic missile tests. There is also fear the countrys nuclear program is progressing.

Pyongyang said Monday it would hold the U.S. wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences if there was any further military action after the USS Carl Vinson arrives in the area of the Korean Peninsula.

Adding to tensions, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that activity appeared to be taking place at a North Korean nuclear test site ahead of the April 15 anniversary of the communist country's founding.

Fox News Cody Derespina and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ryan Gaydos is a news editor for Fox News. Follow him on Twitter @RyanGaydos.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie unloaded on United Airlines Wednesday in the wake of the forced removal of a passenger from a Chicago flight earlier this week, slamming the airlines attitude as awful and calling on the Trump administration to act.

United Airlines has apologized after David Dao was dragged off the flight by airport security Sunday when he refused to leave after being asked to make way for United employees on the full flight. Video of the incident sparked outrage, and forced United CEO Oscar Munoz to apologize and conduct a review.

But Christie told "Fox & Friends" the incident is representative of a broader culture at the airline.

Everybody who flies commercial knows United is awful, he said. They know its awful.

UNITED CEO: 'I DEEPLY APOLOGIZE' TO CUSTOMER DRAGGED OFF FLIGHT

Christie said it is a particular problem in his state, where 70 percent of flights at Newark International Airport are by United Airlines.

I dont think theyve ever really recovered from the merger between United and Continental, and I dont think theyve integrated employees. I dont think theyve set a culture there, and youve got a CEO who takes off after the guy was dragged down the aisle, he said.

Christie sent a letter Tuesday to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, saying that his state is looking into action to prevent what he called the abusive practice of overbooking, and requested that the administration suspend airlines' ability to overbook.

We would ask, in the context of the presidents efforts at regulatory reform to improve the lives of our citizens, that you consider the immediate suspension of this overbooking authority until a thorough review can be done by your department, Christie wrote.

Christie told "Fox & Friends" that until that happens, United Airlines can capitalize on the fact that people often have no choice but to fly United in places like Newark.

They kicked those people off  to make money and theyre doing it with the permission of the federal government, he said. So what Im saying to the administration is, stop them from doing it.

The Department of Transportation and others are looking into the incident, but the White House has not signaled any regulatory changes.

"Lets not get ahead of where that review goes," Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday. "It was an unfortunate incident, clearly, when you watch the video. It is troubling to see how that was handled. ... Law enforcement is reviewing it. And I think for us to start to get in front of what should be a local matter, not necessarily needing a federal response."

On Tuesday, Munoz issued an apology after initially defending the company in a memo.

"I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," he said in the statement. "No one should ever be mistreated this way."
Its clear by now that the presidents family has enormous influence on him, even on foreign policy, so I pay close attention to what they say.

Eric Trump, the presidents son, told the Daily Telegraph that the cruise missile attack on Syria proved that his dad wont be pushed around by Vladimir Putin.

In fact, he said, there would be no one harder on the Russians if they cross us. Whats more, the younger Trump, said, the presidents decision to launch the missiles was influenced by his sister Ivanka, who said she was heartbroken and outraged by Bashar al-Assads chemical attack that killed men, women and babies.

With Rex Tillerson arriving in Moscow yesterday, lets take a step back from the debate over the Tomahawk strike itself and turn to the subject that has bedeviled Trump: Russia.

The congressional investigations into possible ties between Trump, his associates and the Putin regime have so far failed to uncover any evidence of nefarious dealings, rather than some routine contacts with the Russian ambassador.

What has been driving the suspicions, especially on the left, is that Trump spoke favorably of Putin during the campaign and expressed a desire to cooperate with the Russians. That is unacceptable to Washingtons foreign policy establishment, which dismissed Trumps approach as impossibly naive.

When combined with Russian hackers trying to hurt Hillary Clinton by illegally obtaining emails from her campaign and the DNC, some Trump skeptics assumed either collusion between the Republican candidate and the Kremlin or speculated that Putins gang had damaging information on Trump.

But now that the new president is confronting the harsh truth of geopolitics, his stance looks very different. As Eric Trump put it: If there was anything that Syria did, it was to validate the fact that there is no Russia tie.

In the briefing room yesterday, Sean Spicer said theres no question Russia is isolated, pointing to its alliance with North Korea and Iran as well as Syria. Nikki Haley told CNNs State of the Union that nothing is off the table when it comes to imposing tougher sanctions on Russia as well as Iran.

And unnamed national security officials told White House reporters that it is clear the Russians are trying to cover up what happened through a disinformation campaign.

The president himself told Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo that Putin is aligning himself with someone who is "evil" and that "I don't think it's good for Russia."

Tillerson, for his part, pressed Moscow by saying that Assad is an unreliable partner.

Is that a long-term alliance that serves Russia's interests? the secretary of State told reporters. Or would Russia prefer to realign with the United States, with other Western countries and Middle East countries that are seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis?

Trump may not always listen to the low-profile Tillerson, but hes surely not out there freelancing.

Putin, meanwhile, likened the missile attack to the Bush administrations invasion of Iraq, while his government said another U.S. strike would be unacceptable and that U.S.-Russian relations are in the most difficult period since the Cold War.

I happen to think the president missed an opportunity by not addressing the country after the missile strike to lay out his vision of Americas role in intervening after foreign atrocities. That prompted stories like this one in the New York Times, which said his administration has spoken with multiple voices as it seeks to explain its evolving policy. But one voice has not been heard from: that of Mr. Trump himself.

But its clear that relations are already rocky between Trump and Russia. And you dont have to be a member of his family to grasp that his optimistic campaign talk is being overtaken by reality.
A Michigan state lawmaker is accused of putting a ghost employee on his office payroll to repay her for $14,000 in personal loans.

Sen. Bert Johnson, D-Highland Park, was indicted Tuesday on charges of conspiracy and theft, two weeks after FBI agents raided his home and Lansing office.

Johnson allegedly listed the worker as a community liaison, but she was actually a ghost employee who had lend money to the lawmaker, the indictment said. The grand jury said the person was paid $23,000 for no work over nine months. Johnsons lawyer denied there was a crime.

Based on what we looked at and who worked for him, he has not had any ghost employees," attorney Cyril Hall told radio station WWJ.

The person who lent the money to Johnson is identified in the indictment only as a "cooperating witness" and the owner of a company called M.A.D.E. The owner is Glynis Thornton.

Theft of public money "by elected public officials, as these charges allege, is disheartening and will not be tolerated," said Daniel Lemisch, the acting U.S. attorney in Detroit.

After the March 27 search of his home and office, Johnson told reporters that he's "an open book." He's been a state lawmaker since 2006, first in the House.

"I've worked very hard to build a reputation I think people trust," Johnson said.

He is the fifth Michigan lawmaker to be charged with a crime since May 2015.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held a hastily arranged meeting in Moscow late Wednesday with Russian President Vladimir Putin as he worked to ease tensions over Syria and other global crises  even as he and President Trump, from afar, continued to pressure Putin over his alliance with Bashar Assad.

Tillerson, speaking frankly during a press conference in Moscow alongside Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said he told Putin that U.S.-Russia relations have hit a low point. He stressed the need to improve ties.

There is a low level of trust between our two countries. The worlds two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship, Tillerson said.

Those tensions have mounted since Trump ordered a missile strike last week on an airbase controlled by the Assad government, in response to a chemical weapons attack. But Lavrov said Wednesday that the U.S. and Russia have agreed on the need for a United Nations probe of the Syrian chemical attack, a step that could dial down the rhetoric between the two nations for now.

Washington blames Russia's ally Assad for that attack, while Moscow says Syrian rebels are responsible. That disagreement was on display Wednesday, as Tillerson stood by U.S. claims that the evidence points to Assad  while clarifying the U.S. has no indications of Russian involvement.

Lavrov, speaking through a translator, also said special envoys would be appointed to discuss the irritants that have piled up mostly under the Obama administration.

Citing the countries disagreements, Tillerson said, We need to attempt to put an end to this steady degradation.

The news conference came after Putin met the top American diplomat for almost two hours to see if they could rescue relations between the world's mightiest military powers. Russia's alleged meddling in the U.S. presidential election also hovered over the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and a Trump administration Cabinet member.

Both Tillerson and Lavrov cited the goal of defeating ISIS as a common objective.

Lavrov also that Putin could restore a military hotline with the U.S. if Washington focuses on fighting the Islamic State and other extremist groups.

Tillerson, the first Trump Cabinet official to visit Russia, traveled to Moscow just days after the Trump administration launched missile strikes on the airbase in Syria.

Tillerson ratcheted up his rhetoric en route to Moscow earlier this week, saying the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end and challenging Russia to reconsider its alliance with the government in Damascus.

Trump also told Fox Business Networks Maria Bartiromo that Putin is backing an evil person in Syria, and its very bad for Russia.

At the same time, Trump made clear hes pushing for peace in Syria. He said, were not going into Syria, but said pressure will be on Russia to ensure peace.

If Russia didnt go in and back this animal, you wouldnt have a problem right now, he said.

Earlier Wednesday, during a forum at The Newseum in Washington, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked about what could be on the table at a Putin-Tillerson meeting. He spoke to their common interests.

I think there is a shared interest in defeating ISIS in the region that we have a national security concern that should align with their national security concern," he said.

Spicer had tough words for Russia's alliance with Assad, however.

"Russia right now is an island," he said. "It's Russia, North Korea and Iran ... Russia is among that group the only non-failed state." He said Russia is "isolating" itself by standing by Assad.

Lavrov said Wednesday that Syrians should determine their future, and the objective should not be to eliminate a political leader from the chessboard.

The Associated Press and Fox News' Rich Edson contributed to this report.
Last August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then Donald Trump's campaign chairman.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the country's former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledger's authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by The Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manafort's name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manafort's firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trump's campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manafort's work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russia's government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trump's unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said "any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank."

Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his "clients' preferred financial institutions and instructions."

Previously, Manafort and his spokesman, Jason Maloni, have maintained the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manafort's financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manafort's financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manafort's work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which The New York Times revealed that Manafort's name appeared in the Ukraine ledger  although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money  and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraine's pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovych, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manafort's work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manafort's namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard 7-year retention period. He said Tuesday the "computer sales contract is a fraud."

"The signature is not mine, and I didn't sell computers," he said in a statement. "What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo."

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manafort's former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice  $750,000 and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manafort's account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Virginia.

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manafort's receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

Leshchenko contended to AP that Yanukovych, as Ukraine's leader, paid Manafort money that came from his government's budget and was "stolen from Ukrainian citizens." He said: "Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people."

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovych. "It's about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account," he said.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

The AP reported last month that federal prosecutors are looking into Manafort's financial transactions in Cyprus, an island nation once known as a favored locale for money laundering.

Among those transactions was a $1 million payment in October 2009 routed through the Bank of Cyprus. The money was deposited into an account controlled by a Manafort-linked company, then left the account on the same day, broken into two disbursements of $500,000, according to documents obtained by the AP.

The records of Manafort's Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraine's main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.
Trump administration officials reportedly clashed with G-7 energy ministers after pushing their pro-nuclear power and pro-fossil fuels agenda during meetings this week.

G-7 officials, led by European energy ministers, refused to agree to stronger language pushing for fossil fuels in their joint statement unless the U.S. assured them they would stay in the landmark Paris climate deal, officials briefed on the talks told Politico Tuesday. A tense meeting among the ministers in Rome Monday ended with the officials scrapping a joint statement altogether.

The U.S. coal push became an issue for everyone involved, one G-7 negotiator told Politico. The negotiator added that Canada, Japan and European officials were frustrated over Trumps position.

The negotiator added that the U.S. refusal to discuss the Paris climate deal in the joint statement raised Europeans officials red flags, underscoring the widening gap between Trump and allies over climate change.

In a draft of a statement proposed by G-7 countries, obtained by Politico, U.S. officials pushed for stronger backing of clean coal and wanted to add a section that promoted nuclear energy. U.S. officials nixed a line that said G-7 nations would "take the lead in tackling the challenges of electricity systems with high shares of variable renewable energy and in addressing the resilience of the electricity system.

The spat among ministers during the meetings led to the scrapping of the joint statement. Instead, Italys economic development minister and summit chair release a summary of the meeting.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry said the Trump administration "is in the process of reviewing many of its policies and reserves its position on this issue," the summary said.

Trump signed an executive order last month undoing a slew of Obama-era climate change regulations. He has also threatened to take the U.S. out of the landmark Paris climate deal.

Press Secretary Sean Spicer said last month an official decision on the U.S. position in the climate pact would be made during a G-7 meeting in May.

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Kansas state Treasurer Ron Estes held off a stronger-than-expected challenge from Democratic civil rights attorney James Thompson Tuesday night as the GOP won the first special congressional election since President Trump's inauguration.

The election was held to fill the House seat vacated by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, a former three-term representative of Kansas' 4th district.

Estes won 53 percent of the vote to 46 percent for Thompson. The Republican's margin of victory was just over 8,000 votes. By contrast, Pompeo won re-election in November by 31 percentage points and 85,000 votes.

In a speech to supporters in Wichita, Thompson vowed that he would run for the seat again in 2018 and argued that the result was evidence that no Republican district is safe.

The race had been closely watched nationally for signs of a backlash against Republicans or waning support from Trump voters in a reliably GOP district. Trump won 60 percent of the votes cast in the 17-county congressional district this past November.

The president himself entered the fray Monday with a recorded get-out-the-vote call on Estes' behalf and tweeted his support on Tuesday morning.

Other nationally known Republicans pitched in over the final days of the race. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas campaigned for Estes Monday in Wichita, while Vice President Mike Pence also recorded a get-out-the-vote call. The National Republican Congressional Committee spent roughly $90,000 in last-minute TV and digital ads.

Thompson reckoned that the high-profile support for Estes helped push him over the top, and claimed he could have won had national Democrats rallied to him sooner. Readers of the liberal blog Daily Kos donated more than $200,000 to Thompson in the final days of the race. Thompson was also backed by Our Revolution, the group that grew out of Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign.

"You fight," Thompson said when asked what the results should show Democrats. "You play every game."

All those GOP calls prompted Charlene Health, a 52-year-old homemaker and Republican in Belle Plaine, to cast a ballot for Estes.

"I wasn't even going to vote," she said as she left her polling site Tuesday morning. "I finally did. I realized this was important."

Alan Branum, 64, a retired construction worker is a Wichita Democrat who voted for Estes and plans to change his party affiliation to Republican since he leans more conservative. He thinks Trump has been been doing fine so far.



"I don't think it is fair people condemn him," he said of the president. "He hasn't been in long enough to make a judgment. People need to give him some time."

Estes supported Trump last year and backs the president's policies. He supports the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act, backs funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, opposes funding for Planned Parenthood, and does not believe an independent investigation into Russian hacking of the election is needed.

Lucy Jones-Phillips, a 31-year-old insurance representative and Democrat, acknowledged she doesn't vote in every election, but said she voted for Thompson because she wanted to ensure supporters of Gov. Sam Brownback are not in office. She was especially upset when the Republican governor recently vetoed Medicaid expansion.

"I can't stand Brownback," she said as she left her polling site in Belle Plaine.

Thompson tried to tap into voter frustration with Brownback throughout the campaign, tying the state treasurer to the unpopular Republican governor. Thompson has called the Kansas congressional election more of a referendum on Brownback than on Trump.



But Thomas Hauser, 67, of Belle Plaine, a Republican who works in the information technology industry, said he crossed party lines in Tuesday's election to vote for Thompson. He also didn't vote for Trump in the last year's general election. Thompson appealed to Hauser in part because both men are ex-military but also because "I don't believe in the (GOP) line."

Republicans have represented the south-central Kansas district since 1994. The district has been hard hit by the downturn in the agricultural economy and the loss of hundreds of well-paying, blue-collar jobs in aircraft manufacturing plants.

With Estes' victory, Republicans are now defending three GOP-leaning seats in upcoming special elections in Georgia, Montana and South Carolina. Democrats are protecting a seat in a liberal California district.

Fox News' Lee Ross and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions told Fox News' "Hannity" Tuesday night that the Trump administration is trying to send a strong message to anyone thinking of trying to enter America illegally.

"The border is not open. Please don't come." Sessions said in an interview with host Sean Hannity. "You will be apprehended if you do come and you will be deported promptly. If youre a criminal, you will be prosecuted, and if you assault our officers, were going to come at you [like] a ton of bricks."

Sessions said President Trump's rhetoric was having an effect, citing a recent Department of Homeland Security report indicating that fewer people are attempting to cross America's southern border illegally.

ARRESTS AT MEXICO BORDER REACH LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 2000

"I knew strong Presidential leadership, unlike the wishy-washy-ness weve seen in the past, would impact the flow, but not as much as weve seen already," Sessions said. "The numbers are down 70 percent since President Obama left office. So its really a remarkable achievement."

The attorney general spoke after wrapping up a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border, where he urged federal prosecutors to focus on immigration-related crimes, such as human trafficking.

Sessions also responded to reports that GOP lawmakers were dropping funds for Trump's proposed border wall from a spending bill being prepared for later this month.

SESSIONS VOWS TO CONFRONT CARTELS, GANGS ON VISIT TO US-MEXICO BORDER

"I believe he will get funding for the wall. I cant imagine Congress to deny him that," said Sessions, before adding, "It doesnt have to be every foot of the entire 1,700-mile border ... But a wall, a barrier, multiplies the ability of our border patrol and customs officers to be effective ... So, this is the way to go."
The White House on Wednesday ordered a plan to reduce and streamline the federal government, replacing the hiring freeze President Trump implemented upon taking office in January.

Billions and billions of dollars are being wasted on activities that are not delivering results for hardworking American taxpayers, said Trump, who has put his Office of Management and Budget in charge of the effort.

The directive was ordered Wednesday along with a 14-page plan to federal agencies that details the presidents objective to hire in areas of high priority and cut back in others.

The agencies now have until June 30 to develop a draft plan to maximize the performance of government workers, and a total 180 days to submit final plans to the White House, according to the directive.

The final plans and input from the American people and each agency will be part of Trumps fiscal 2019 budget, the directive also states.

The hiring freeze was sort of a way to stop everything while the new management team came in, Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, told Fox News Fox & Friends.

"Now that weve had a couple of months  some folks are going to be allowed to hire back," he said. "But in other areas  were going to have these strategical, surgical reductions to the workforce."

The memorandum Trump signed in January imposed an across-the-board hiring freeze for essentially the entire federal government, except for the military and for positions deemed necessary for national security and public safety.

As part of the memorandum, Trump gave Mulvaney three months to come up with a long-term plan to reduce the federal government's size.

The directive does not include agency-specific goals or limits. But Mulvaney has made clear that agencies targeted for significant budget cuts in Trump's first budget proposal, such as the Environmental Protection Agency, will likely be expected to make significant cuts to their workforces.

And agencies that Trump wants to spend more on, like the Department of Veterans Affairs, would be expected to see their payrolls rise.

Trump's budget blueprint calls for a 6 percent increase in VA funding, mostly to pay for rising health costs to treat veterans. The VA is one of three agencies slated for more money amid major cuts to other domestic programs.

Mulvaney declined Tuesday, when first announcing the plan, to say how many jobs, overall, the administration intends to eliminate.

One possibility is moving the National Nuclear Security Administration from the Department of Energy to the Department of Defense.

However, Mulvaney acknowledged that many such changes would require congressional sign-off. Democrats have so far opposed nearly every Trump proposal.

Despite the earlier order, the federal government added 2,000 workers in February and 4,000 in January, according to Labor Department figures. Several departments, including the State Department, were granted exemptions from the hiring freeze after voicing concerns.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump declared Wednesday that U.S.-Russia relations may be at an all-time low, as he praised his top diplomat Rex Tillerson for working to address those tensions in Moscow  and left open whether ties between the two countries can be mended.

Right now, were not getting along with Russia at all, we may be at an all-time low, Trump said, during a White House press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, NATO's secretary-general.

Tillerson gave a similar assessment during a press conference with Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov, after meeting at the Kremlin with Vladimir Putin for nearly two hours Wednesday.

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia have flared since last weeks U.S. missile strikes against Syrias Assad regime, Russias ally, in response to a chemical weapons attack. Trump stood by the decision on Wednesday, calling Bashar Assad a butcher and saying: I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing.

Asked whether it's possible Syria could have launched the attack without Russia's knowledge, Trump gave a mixed answer, saying it's "possible" but "probably unlikely."

I would like to think that they didnt know, but certainly they could have, they were there, he said.

The president said it would be fantastic if the U.S. and Russia eventually get along but could not say whether that would happen.

Trump, meanwhile, dialed back his pre-inauguration criticism that NATO is obsolete, citing more involvement in fighting terrorism. I said it was obsolete. Its no longer obsolete, he said.

Stoltenberg agreed that NATO can and must do more in the global fight against terrorism.

Trump also touched on his efforts to address the threat from North Korea and said broadly, Right now the world is a mess. ... By the time Im finished, its going to be a lot better place to live in, because right now its nasty.

Addressing ties with another global power, Trump said he and Chinese President Xi Jinping had very good chemistry during their meeting last week and voiced hope that the country can help with North Korea. He said he told Xi that helping with Pyongyang could pave the way for a good trade deal, but the U.S. would go it alone if necessary.

I think he wants to help. Well see whether or not he does, Trump said. He praised China for, just minutes earlier, abstaining from a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Russia vetoed the resolution calling for a speedy investigation into the attack.

While Tillerson was working to ease tensions Wednesday with Russia, those tensions could help assure European allies who feared the administration would go easy on Russia. During his 2016 campaign, Trump said he would decide whether to honor the commitment to protect the Baltic republics against Russian aggression, based on whether those countries "have fulfilled their obligations to us."

He has since made his support of NATO allies clear, but has reiterated his stance that European members need to meet their end of the bargain if they are to continue benefiting from the military alliance.

The Trump administration says it is spending a disproportionate share on defense compared with its 27 partners, and that it expects action by the time Trump meets with other alliance leaders on May 25.

NATO leaders pledged in 2014 to halt defense spending cuts and move toward a guideline target of 2 percent of gross domestic product within a decade. Only four other nations currently meet the target: Britain, Estonia, Greece and Poland. White House officials said in advance of Wednesdays meeting that the administration still wants other nations to spend more on defense.

Stoltenberg backed Trumps goal on Wednesday, saying, We know that we all need to contribute our fair share, and suggesting Trumps focus on the issue has been helpful.

Trump reiterated Wednesday that NATO members must meet their financial obligations and many have not been doing that.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a military alliance of European and North American democracies created after World War II to strengthen international cooperation as a counter the rise of the Soviet Union.

The United States, NATO's most powerful member, spends more on defense than all the others combined  3.61 percent of GDP in 2016, according to NATO estimates. U.S. spending, too, has tapered off in recent years.

Trump on Tuesday also signed off on Montenegro's upcoming accession into NATO. Russia strongly opposes the move in a region it considers part of its strategic sphere of interest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
On Monday night, the San Diego night sky had a mysterious streaking light that has yet to be explained.

Dale Ruetz was inside her East Lake home in Chula Vista broadcasting when the bright flash appeared. I was absolutely scared because I thought it was coming at me. I thought I was going to die to be honest, Ruetz told Fox 5 San Diego.

Her friend put the clip on Twitter and it's become something of a viral sensation.

RARE TITANIC PHOTO UP FOR AUCTION, OFFERS GLIMPSE INTO DOOMED LINER'S FINAL DAYS

More than 260 reports in Los Angeles, Arizona and Nevada had similar sightings according to the American Meteor Society. Another San Diego County couple also has a dashcam video of the event.

Some are suggesting that the bright light could've been anything from a piece of rock to a piece of metal.

We dont know exactly what it was," San Diego Air and Space Museum employee Francis French said to Fox 5 San Diego. "It could have been a piece of rock, it could have been a piece of metal, but it was something re-entering Earth's atmosphere. It could have been a piece of an old satellite space junk up. Something coming in at that speed is going flare up and cause a huge fire ball."
As we reported last night, it falls to America, to us to stop war crimes and atrocities all over the world. Other countries will not do that including great powers like China and Russia. So is left to we the people and our elected representatives to decide who were going to save.

It's a gut wrenching decision as millions of people have been murdered all over the world by sick tyrants. President Trump's missile attack on Syria has sent a new message to the world that the USA is going to hold war criminals accountable at least to some extent. The previous president, Barack Obama would not do that. Instead, use negotiations which often failed.



(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We've eliminated Syria's declared chemical weapons program. All of these steps have helped to keep us safe and help keep our troops safe. Those of the results of diplomacy. And sustain diplomatic efforts no matter how frustrating or difficult they sometimes appear are going to be required to resolve the conflicts whirling in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria to Israel and Palestine.



(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And now we know the negotiations were phony. Not on the United States as part, but Syria did not eliminate its chemical weapons program. Casting grave doubt on whether Iran will obey the nuke deal President Obama made. It is beyond a reasonable doubt that the Syrian Dictator Assad is a war criminal. He is. But there are many other countries around the world in the same awful category.

According to Human Rights Watch, the North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-un allows the following. A systematic widespread and gross human rights violations including murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortion on and on and on. Roughly 18 million people in North Korea do not get enough food according to a U.N. report released last month. But that's not enough to attack the country.

There is some sense of responsibility on the part of the North Korean people themselves. Sometimes, you have to fight for your life and rights. The United States cannot declare war on North Korea despite the atrocities. But if the loony dictator continues to violate international weapons laws, targeted military action can be taken with justification. And then there's ISIS, which routinely rapes and kidnaps women, sells them into slavery, executes homosexuals, slaughters Christians and basically kills and maims at will.

ISIS currently under attack by a coalition of nations headed by you guessed it, us. And there's no excuse for not wiping ISIS off the face of the earth. A lesser group Boko Haram based in Nigeria, Africa kills children. Reuters is now reporting that group may have murdered 15,000 people over the years. It's a Muslim extremist group. It uses female and child suicide bombers, at least 44 children were killed in suicide attacks in 2015 alone. The world has not yet united against Boko Haram. But it should.

So, you can see that President Trump, the leader of the free world has his hands full. For eight years, President Obama expressed indignation over crimes against humanity and he did attacked evildoers with drones. But the problem is getting worse worldwide. And now it's up to President Trump to see if he can control it. And that's "The Memo".


This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," April 11, 2017. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

Watch "The O'Reilly Factor" weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET!

O'REILLY: FACTOR "Follow-Up" segment tonight, what is the status of the Susan Rice investigation. You may remember last week, headlines were made by the former National Security advisor to President Obama when it was discovered that she was involved in NSA wiretap surveillance. Apparently, Miss Rice looked at some of the dispatches and allegedly unmasked some of the Americans involved which is not usually done.

FOX News correspondent Adam Housley and Malia Zimmerman an investigative reporter for FOXNews.com have been working the story. They join us now from Los Angeles.

So, Housley, where is the investigation as far as Congress is concerned stand right now?

ADAM HOUSLEY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: We've been told Bill that members of the Intelligence Committee say the investigation is expanding right now. They say, they're looking into allegations for other Americans including politicians are possibly unmatched and had their information collected. The files similar to what they did with the Trump team, they're also not going on a record at this point, they say due to the fact this was an ongoing investigation. Also, they have their Easter break.

Meantime, we've also been told the Senate is looking at doing the same thing and together they both tell me members of both committees that the information they continued to request from the Intelligence Agencies now for over a month has been very little given. They said the FBI is being very difficult. We're told they just want to know about the unmasking, how frequent was this, who is doing it, why were they being unmasked and basically as one said to me, they're going to have to turn everything over or we are not going to authorize the congressionally approved 702 program which allows him to do this in the first place.

O'REILLY: Okay.

HOUSLEY: So, this investigation Bill is full-blown.

O'REILLY: Do we know Malia if the FBI because Comey was dancing around it when he was asked about it. Are they actively investigation the unmasking of Americans caught on taps?

MALIA ZIMMERMAN, FOXNEWS.COM INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: You know, there's a big question about the FBI's rule in this, and, you know, there is concerned in the House about just general how the FBI is handling the case. We spoke with some members of the House Intelligence Committee who said, they're very frustrated with the FBI, so I'm not sure how much active role in terms of what the FBI is actually investigating.

O'REILLY: That don't even know -- do you know Housley if the FBI is involved with this? Are they investigating it or?

HOUSLEY: You know, it's kind of -- I'm told it's a web, and that there are obviously multiple agencies involved here but they have to go to the FBI. You know, everything from the FISAs, to the reverse targeting. So yes, there is an FBI element here. The FBI, the NSA of course as well as --

O'REILLY: Yes. But the NSA would be the agency to turn over the logs to the Senate and House Intelligence Committees.

HOUSLEY: Right.

O'REILLY: They're the ones that are doing the tapping and they are the ones that allegedly Susan Rice and others asked to see what they had come up with and then asked for Americans to be unmasked. So is it the NSA that's not cooperating with the Congressional Committees, Malia?

ZIMMERMAN: It's actually both the NSA and the FBI. In fact, we were told that the FBI is much more difficult in terms of getting information. James Comey has not come back to the hill to be interviewed. Of course, he's the FBI director.

O'REILLY: Right.

ZIMMERMAN: And also 100 questions that they're supposed to have answered haven't been answered and the FBI in their defense says, were preparing the information. We want to make sure it's accurate before we send it. But it's been four weeks though.



O'REILLY: Okay. Explained the 100 questions, Malia? What are the 100 questions? Who wrote the questions and where did they go?

ZIMMERMAN: Sure. So, during the open house hearing, which was in March, around March, the third week of March. They had an open hearing on Capitol Hill and it was in the House Intelligence Committee and the House members asked James Comey as well as Admiral Rogers, whose the NSA director 100 questions that they did not answer. They said they couldn't answer it. And so they were supposed to go into closed sessions and actually answer these questions in private and not in front of the media, not in front of the public but that was never done. And James Comey has not come back to the hill. The 100 questions haven't been answered and so, they're still a great mystery in terms of what the answers are.

O'REILLY: All right. You would think Adam that --

HOUSLEY: Adding to Malia --

O'REILLY: Go ahead.

HOUSLEY: Yes. Adding to Malia. We also have people of both parties questions the FBI's actions here. And they're only getting little bits from.

O'REILLY: Okay. But you got to get the Attorney General now involved, Jeff Sessions because he is calm his boss and he can say, look, you have to answer this and that and the other thing. But we don't know, the folks don't know much about this. This is why I'm doing this segment, a big deal last week, a lot of partisans stopped in there, and then boom, we don't know anything. So, in your investigation Adam, where are you? What are you looking at?

HOUSLEY: Well, remember also when this came out, Bill, then you have the Syrian air strikes which of course took over the news cycle and then of course everything now is made political and in our case, you know, with our story, the idea here is to get it right. As you know, that's always been our goal in this. I have been doing this with you actually for five to 15 years.

So our investigation to go through and get the information that we can get. Remind me, this is delicate information, sensitive information. A lot of it is classified which were not allowed to see. These are individuals that really have nothing to gain but everything to lose who were talking to. And so our number one priority is to get it right. And so far we have --

O'REILLY: So what are you trying to get right though? What path do you want?

HOUSLEY: We have the exact same questions at the committees have. I mean, what was being done here? Was this more than just the Trump transition team? Was it more than Susan Rice explained last week earlier in a CBS interview which didn't really seem to match? Was -- were other people caught up in this? You know --

O'REILLY: Are you making any progress? Are you making any progress, you're getting any stuff?

HOUSLEY: We're absolutely making progress, but it's because of the sensitive nature of so many classifications.

O'REILLY: No, you know --

HOUSLEY: And also the classifications, Bill. It's not like, you know, some stories you can go right after because there's no classified information here.

O'REILLY: Yes.

HOUSLEY: You just have to find people and get the information out of them.

O'REILLY: Right.



HOUSLEY: Now, you have to find the people, get the information out of them that you can get in the right and safe and honest and at the same time --



O'REILLY: It is tough -- Malia, last question.



HOUSLEY: It is.

O'REILLY: Do you expect the whistleblower to come forth because that would break the case wide open. Do you expect that to happen?

ZIMMERMAN: That would. In fact, when we talked with the House Intelligence Committee, they said they're hoping that some of these people who have talked with Adam and I would come forward and mention what they've told us, some of the things that were working on and that we are investigating will often tell the House Intelligence Committee because that would really start to expand its investigation even further.

O'REILLY: You need some contacts and all of that. So, we'll see.

ZIMMERMAN: It's difficult though Bill, because they have, you know, they're all in their jobs right now. They'll have jobs in this industry.

O'REILLY: Yes. But remember, the Trump administration is sympathetic to this investigation.

HOUSLEY: And that's why they are more interested --

O'REILLY: Yes. For political reasons of course.

ZIMMERMAN: Yes. Yes.

O'REILLY: All right. Keep us posted, guys. We appreciate it.



Content and Programming Copyright 2017 Fox News Network, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Copyright 2017 CQ-Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of CQ-Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content.
A former employee of international hotel conglomerate Marriott, decided to seek revenge Robin Hood style after being fired back in August 2016.

A few weeks after being let go from his position, Juan Rodriguez hacked into the hotel's online reservation system and reduced rates on over 3,000 rooms from $159 to $499 per night, down to $12 to $59-- practically giving rooms away for free, according to TMZ.

LOOKING FOR A CLEAN HOTEL? DON'T JUST TRUST THE RATINGS

According to the court documents, however, Rodriguez was reportedly warned to stay away from the company computer system after he was fired.

But the ex-employee was caught last week because he failed to hide his IP address while he was hacking into the reservations system. The IP address used at his home in New York City matched an IP address used for his remote access. Rodriguez has been arrested and charged with three felonies, including computer tampering and computer trespass.

The alleged hacking cost the Marriott organization over $50,000 in lost revenue.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

But this isn't the first time Marriott has run into trouble with hacking. Two months ago, hackers got into the door lock system with ransomware at a hotel in Austria, locking guests out of their rooms, according to HackRead.

In order to get the key lock system restored, the hotel had to pay the hackers $1,600 in random money.
A shocking video involving a United Airlines passenger being forefully removed from his seat and dragged out of the plane has drawn widespread outrage on social media, with many experts warning that it could do permanent damage to the brand.

On Tuesday, two days after the incident, United CEO Oscar Munez issued a public apology to the customer, but airline insiders and branding professionals say it may be too little, too late.

Social media and cell phones have changed everything. It used to be said a picture was worth a thousand words, well, a video is worth millions, and a viral video worth multi-millions, Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, the largest non-profit consumer organization in the U.S. representing airline passengers, told Fox News.

UNITED CEO DEFENDS ACTIONS OF STAFF IN VIRAL VIDEO, AS LAWMAKERS CALL FOR INVESTIGATION

We saw it with police shootings and that changed legal guidelines, then we saw children being gassed in Syria, and that changed a presidents mind and policies, and you cant underestimate that, Hudson says.

The Flyers Rights president also says his group hopes this latest incident will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back when it comes to securing more rights for modern fliers.

Right now U.S. carriers are at the bottom in terms of customer satisfaction in surveys done. The only industry that comes in lower is cable television, he says.

The backlash over the dragging incident, which clearly hit a nerve with passengers who have long criticized carriers' cost-cutting measures (like seat shrinking and overbooking), has yet to die down.

Late Tuesday, the hashtag #NewUnitedAirlinesMottos, devoted to tongue-in-cheek catchphrases meant to replace the airlines fly the friendly skies advertising tagline, was popping up all over the Internet.

But of course this isnt the first time airline employees or airport officials have been caught with a cell phone and then called out on social media when things go viral.

POLICE VIOLENTLY DRAG MAN FROM UNITED PLANE AFTER AIRLINE REPORTEDLY OVERBOOKED FLIGHT

Just last month, United faced widespread backlash after refusing boarding priveleges to teenage girls wearing leggings. Though the young women were flying free under the airline's guest pass program-- and therefore required to adhere to a stricter code of dress-- celebrities like Chrissy Teigen and William Shatner blasted the airline for the policy.

In March 2016, two intoxicated women on a Spirit flight from Baltimore to Los Angeles started playing music loudly and, when fellow passengers started to complain, the women started to play the music louder-- and then a fight broke out. The mayhem was recorded and posted to a passengers Instagram page.

William "Rick" Crandall, Ph.D., chair and professor of management, marketing and International Business Department at University of North Carolina at Pembroke, says flight attendants and staff must now always be aware that cell phones are on them at all times, and their customer service is being scrutinized both before and after the flight.

The professor continued, "We live in a virtual world, and social media is recording it.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

Though social media trends come and go, in this new digital world where posts live forever online, experts say the dragging incident is likely to impart serious, longterm damage to the legacy carrier's brand.

Jim Linder, president and owner of marketing firm Fresh Branding Group suggests it might take United years to recover.

"They cant stop people from using smart phones. It's a PR disaster for United," Linder told Fox News. "Theyre going to have to run advertisements to convince passengers they are the "friendly skies," because they certainly haven't behaved that way."

Hudson says if United goes under it would affect many thousands of employees and suppliers.

"This airline has gone bankrupt twice, and it may not survive this time if passengers defect," Hudson says.
A body found on a California mountain Tuesday is believed to be a hiker who climbed to the peak more than 700 times, police said.

Officials found a man's body on the north side of Mount Baldy in Los Angeles county at about 2:10 pm., the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Dept. said.

5 HIKERS FOUND DEAD IN CANADIAN MOUNTAINS AFTER FALL

Officials are still waiting for a positive identification, but said they believe it is Suek "Sam" Kim, a 78-year-old South Korean hiker who was known for his hikes up the mountain.

Kim's family members became worried when he didn't come home from his hike on Friday, according to police. His car was still parked near the trailhead at Manker Flats.

SISTERS EXPLAIN HOW THEY ESCAPED POTENTIAL KIDNAPPER

Crews began looking for him on Sunday, combing through the hiking trails that Kim may have walked through to get to the summit.

Police were conducting an aerial search on Tuesday when they spotted the body.

Kim was a familiar face at Mount Baldy. He appointed himself the "mountain ambassador" and handed out Clif bars, jelly beans and Doritos to hikers on the trail, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Kim's ultimate goal was to take 1,000 trips up the 10,064-foot mountain by the end of this year.

Im feeling Gods embrace [hiking the mountain] this is better than church, Kim told the Los Angeles Times. My shortcut is the holy spirit.
A Philadelphia construction company has outlawed swearing on the job  yes, really  in the hope of setting a good example for college students.

Madison Construction is working on a new library at Temple University, and has posted a big, red-and-white sign saying "No Foul Language" at the entrance to the site.

"We try not to [use profanity]. We do have safety meetings about it and they want you to not curse," contractor David Buehler told Fox 29. "There are kids around here."

Most of the workers told the station they had no problem watching their language, but admitted it was something of an adjustment.

But what do Temple students think of the policy?

"I don't understand the point of it," one said to Fox 29.

Click for more from Fox29.com.
Convicted wife-killer Drew Peterson reportedly was jumped by another inmate at an Indiana prison -- only about a month after the Illinois ex-cop moved to the new facility for security.

The inmate, who was not identified, attacked Peterson with a food tray on March 29 in a dining area of the maximum-security federal facility in Terre Haute, a source told The Chicago Tribune.

CHICAGO JUDGE KILLED: FBI OFFERS $25G REWARD FOR INFO

Peterson wasnt seriously hurt and was separated from the prison's general population afterwards.

Peterson attorney Steven Greenberg told the Tribune he was looking into the matter.

Greenberg didnt say if hed talked to Peterson about the attack and neither Petersons family nor federal prison officials commented to the Tribune.

Peterson, 63, recently was sentenced to 40 years in prison for trying to kill a state prosecutor. He originally was given 38 years behind bars for murdering his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Hes also suspected in the death of his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson.

Peterson was moved to the Terre Haute facility on Feb. 20. Hes eligible for parole in 2081.
The cartel member suspected of shooting and killing Border Patrol agent Brian Terry in 2010 with a gun supplied by the U.S. government was arrested in Mexico Wednesday, senior law enforcement, Border Patrol, and congressional sources told Fox News.

The suspect, Heraclio Osorio-Arellanes, was apprehended by a joint U.S.-Mexico law enforcement task force that included the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC).

A $250,000 reward had been sought for information leading to the arrest of Osorio-Arellanes, who was captured at a ranch on the border of the Mexican states of Sinaloa and Chihuahua. U.S. authorities have said they will seek his extradition.

Terry was killed on Dec. 14, 2010 in a gunfight between Border Patrol agents and members of a six-man cartel "rip crew," which regularly patrolled the desert along the U.S.-Mexico border looking for drug dealers to rob.

The agent's death exposed Operation Fast and Furious, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) operation in which the federal government allowed criminals to buy guns in Phoenix-area shops with the intention of tracking them once they made their way into Mexico. But the agency lost track of more than 1,400 of the 2,000 guns they allowed smugglers to buy. Two of those guns were found at the scene of Terry's killing.

The operation set off a political firestorm, and then-Attorney General Eric Holder was held in contempt of Congress after he refused to divulge documents for a congressional investigation.

Four members of the "rip crew" have already been sentenced to jail time in the U.S. Manual Osorio-Arellanes was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder in February 2014.

In October 2015, Ivan Soto-Barraza and Jesus Sanchez-Meza were convicted by a federal jury of nine different charges, including first-degree murder and attempted armed robbery.

That same month, Rosario Rafael Burboa-Alvarez, accused of assembling the "rip crew," was sentenced to 27 years in prison after striking a plea agreement with prosecutors.

The last remaining member of the "rip crew," Jesus Rosario Favela-Astorga, is believed to still be at large.
A North Miami, Fla., police officer is facing criminal charges in the shooting of an autistic man's caretaker this past July.

Officer Jonathan Aledda was charged with attempted manslaughter and misdemeanor culpable negligence in the shooting of Charles Kinsey, a behavioral therapist, as he lay in the street next to his client, 27-year-old Arnaldo Rios.

Rios had walked away from the group home where he lives. Kinsey was trying to coax him back when a woman called 911 saying a suicidal man was walking down the street with a gun. Rios was actually carrying his toy truck.

A cellphone video captured events leading up to the shooting.

The Florida State Attorney's office said that Officer Aledda "was not in a position to correctly assess the situation or in a position to accurately fire."

There was no immediate comment from the North Miami Police Department or the Miami-Dade Police Union, which reportedly is representing Aledda.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from WSVN.com.
An 18-carat gold locket recovered from the Titanic wreck -- and soon going on display for the first time -- tells a story of love and loss that could rival the blockbuster Hollywood movie.

Virginia Estelle McDowell Clark was a first-class passenger with her husband, Walter Miller Clark, on the transatlantic liner as part of a belated honeymoon trip.

RARE TITANIC PHOTO UP FOR AUCTION, OFFERS GLIMPSE INTO DOOMED LINER'S FINAL DAYS

When the Ship of Dreams sunk nearly 105 years ago in the cold waters of the north Atlantic Ocean, Virginia was lowered in a lifeboat, while her husband stayed behind. He died.

During an expedition to the wreck in 1994, a small travel bag belonging to Virginia and her husband was found. Inside was the gold locket engraved the initials VC along with gambling chips, cuff links and a toiletry item.

They're set to go on display in time for the anniversary of the sinking  April 15.

The artifacts were found in a small travel bag, which is a very fragile and in permanent residence at the Titanic Conservation Laboratory, said Alexandra Klingelhofer, vice president of collections for Premier Exhibitions, Inc. Its especially exciting when we can link specific artifacts to passengers of the Titanic as it is extremely rare, and were thrilled to be able to help tell the Clarks story through this special display.

DID THIS ICEBERG SINK THE TITANIC?

Walter and his brother, U.S. Sen. William Andrews Clark, were mining magnates who built the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroads. The midway point of the route was in Nevada, creating Las Vegas and later resulted in the naming of Clark County.

Klingelhofer told CBS News the couple met while he was visiting his home state of Montana and they were on their way to the United States for their 2-year-old sons birthday.

Sadly, Walter did not make it, but Virginia did, she said.

According to Klingelhofer, after the ship hit the iceberg, Virginia ran to find her husband, who was playing poker with friends at the smoking lounge.

When we found those poker chips, everything kind of looked right, she said.

The gold-plated toiletry item found with the locket had the initials S.M. engraved. Klingelhofer said the M likely stood for McDowell and believes it was meant to be a present for a relative.

An online database about the Titanic passengers showed that Virginia died on December 21, 1958.

The database also showed Virginia was aboard the No. 4 lifeboat, which also had Madeline Talmage Astor, the wife of billionaire John Jacob Astor, who was referenced in James Cameron's "Titanic."

The items belonging to the Clarks and others from the Titanic will be on display on April 12 at Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
A congregation in Louisiana is going to offer drive-thru prayers for commuters as part of the holy day of Good Friday.

For the third year in a row, Louisiana Avenue United Methodist Church of Lafayette will pray over commuters who drive to their property this Friday.

MUSEUM OF THE BIBLE: PREVIEWING THE SOON-TO-OPEN LANDMARK

Louisiana Avenue UMC Senior Pastor Robert E. Johnson, Sr. told The Christian Post that the goal of the drive-thru prayers is to reach the unchurched.

"We started offering drive thru prayers because there is a low percent of people who go to church in the Lafayette area. Our church is located next to a busy highway," explained Johnson.

"So having people and their entire families come to drive-thru for prayers will give us an opportunity to introduce Christ to someone."

More than 100 drivers showed up last year, Johnson explained, and the goal is to have that number doubled via increased promotion of the event.

"We started advertising early and scheduled interviews on local television and radio stations to discuss our event this year," said Johnson.

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
A small plane made an emergency landing against traffic on an interstate Tuesday, struck a guardrail and came to rest nose-down, police said. One vehicle had to serve to avoid the plane, but no motorists were injured, and the two people aboard the plane suffered only minor injuries.

The plane, piloted by John Gayley, of Bowdoin, landed in the southbound lane of Interstate 295 in Bowdoinham at about 10:15 a.m. It then crashed into a guardrail off the breakdown lane.

OREGON SMALL PLANE CRASH KILLS 4



Police said Gayley had minor facial injuries and was taken to a hospital. Passenger Rodney Voisene, of Bowdoin, received a minor arm injury and was also taken to a hospital.

The plane, a 1947 Cessna, did not hit any cars during its landing. Police said one vehicle had to swerve to avoid the plane as it landed against traffic.

HARTFORD PLANE CRASH: STUDENT PILOT DELIBERATELY DOWNED AIRCRAFT, POLICE SAY

Police said Gayley told troopers he had taken off from a Bowdoinham airfield, and his engine stalled when he attempted to switch fuel tanks. His original plan was to fly to an airfield in Turner.

The Federal Aviation Administration was notified about the crash. A wrecker planned to remove the plane from the road later Tuesday.
A couple driving near the Salton Sea with their 5-year-old son was arrested over the weekend after border agents discovered cocaine hidden in their car, authorities said Tuesday.

The family was driving north on Highway 86 in a 2007 Jeep Commander Saturday at about 9 a.m. when they were stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint south of Salton City. While an agent was questioning the 37-year-old driver, a drug-sniffing dog detected something on the undercarriage of the Jeep, the Border Patrol said in a news release.

Agents searched the vehicle and discovered six plastic-wrapped bundles of drugs hidden inside the drivers seat. In all, about 14.5 pounds of cocaine was found in the car with an estimated street value of $218,250, according to the agency.

The man, his wife and son are all Mexican citizens. They, the Jeep and the drugs were all turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

READ MORE FROM FOX 5 SAN DIEGO.
The president of Penn State University on Tuesday threatened to kill off all Greek life on campus if students dont stop acting like the bros from Animal House.

Nine of the universitys 82 fraternities were busted during parents weekend in early April for breaking booze rules, ranging from underage drinking to throwing parties without licenses, President Eric Barron fumed in an open letter online to parents and students.

ALL FRATERNITY, SORORITY EVENTS BANNED AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY AFTER DRUG, ALCOHOL PROBLEMS

Even some parents were visibly intoxicated, said Barron, who said he is now considering the end of Greek life at Penn State.

Given they have broken just about every restriction, Im thinking theres going to be some very deep conversation about it, he wrote.

In February, the university put a moratorium on serving alcohol at Greek parties after a student, Tim Piazza of New Jersey, took a fatal fall down a set of stairs during a pledge-night party.

WOULD 'HOUSE MOMS' STOP FRATS FROM BEHAVING BADLY?

School administrators made an exception for parents weekend but said students must follow all legal-drinking rules.

Apparently, this was a mistake, Barron wrote.

Click for more from The New York Post.
President Donald Trump will welcome his Argentine counterpart, Mauricio Macri, to the White House on April 27.

Trump and Macri plan to discuss "bilateral and regional issues, including the deteriorating situation in Venezuela," the White House said Wednesday.

ARGENTINA SHUT DOWN FOR A DAY BY WORKERS' MASSIVE STRIKE, DOZENS ARRESTED

"The two leaders will exchange views on a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the expansion of trade, security sector collaboration, and the deteriorating situation in Venezuela," the White House said.

Trump and Macri will also discuss "ways to deepen the close partnership between the United States and Argentina."

Macri will be the second Latin American president to meet in Washington with Trump since his inauguration on Jan. 20.

In late February, Trump met with Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

ARGENTINAS PRESIDENT TWEETS A HUG FOR LEO FOLLOWING MESSIS SUSPENSION

Trump and Macri have spoken by phone a number of times and previously discussed the situation in Venezuela.

Relations between Washington and Buenos Aires cooled during the 2007-2015 administration of former President Cristina Fernandez.

After Macri's election, former President Barack Obama traveled to the South American country last year, marking the first visit by a US president to Argentina in almost a decade.
The mother of a man killed after an argument in San Diego faced her son's killer in court ten years later telling the man to "rot in hell."

"You murdered one man, but you slaughtered a family," Cybil Green told defendent Santiago Covarrbubias in court Tuesday. "Why did you do that to our family? You're a monster, you're scum of the earth."

Mom to sons killer: May your soul rot in hell https://t.co/GShkFDvEGT pic.twitter.com/0HT1YiJXzy  FOX 5 San Diego (@fox5sandiego) April 12, 2017

KANSAS WOMAN ACCUSED OF DECAPITATING EX-BOYFRIEND'S GRANDMA

Covarrubias, 42, was convicted of first-degree murder in the March 20, 2007 killing of bus driver Damon Green after an argument at a taco shop.

Fox 5 San Diego reported Covarrubias shot Green because he felt disrespected when the victim didn't believe he was in a gang.

ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB SHOOTER'S WIFE PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES

The murder remained a cold case up until 2015 when detectives used DNA to track down Covarrubias and link him to the murder.

"Ten years later the pain still continues it doesnt stop," an emotional Cybil told Covarrubias. "Every single day of my life I have cried."

Green was a husband and father to two boys, his youngest Jason, 14, also spoke in court.

"Yes you took my father away," Jason told his father's killer. "But you did not take me away."

According to San Diego police Detective Lori Adams a witness said Covarrubias didn't mean to kill Green, but only wanted to show that he wasn't a "punk or bitch," Fox 5 reported.

"You took all that away from me," Cybil said through tears. "Because you were disrespected. What kind of animal are you?"

Click for more from Fox 5.
Fox News' Tucker Carlson squared off with a New York City immigration lawyer Tuesday over criticism of the NYPD for working with immigration authorities, despite Mayor Bill de Blasio's pledge that Gotham was a "sanctuary city."

The "Tucker Carlson Tonight" host and public defender Lori Zeno discussed the practice, which Zeno had called "outrageous" in an interview with the New York Daily News.

"So youre saying its outrageous that Mayor De Blasio doesnt have the back of a convicted illegal alien sex offender who molested someone else on the subway?" Carlson asked Zeno. "He should have his back?"

"Im not saying whether the mayor should have somebodys back or not," Zeno responded. "The mayor came on television and said, New Yorkers, were all safe, dont worry. And in fact, theyre not. When they come to court, they are not safe."

"You want to make it about everybody," Carlson retorted. "But Im just saying, if you were on the subway and got molested by [an illegal immigrant] maybe youd ask Whats he doing in this country? And how did he get back after being convicted of sexually assaulting a child?"

"Maybe this one person molested a child, he was convicted of that, but its a bigger issue when youre talking about government," Zeno said. "Youre talking about a promise that were a sanctuary city. In fact, the NYPD is calling immigration and turning these people in."

"Youre gliding over the tragedy that took place to an individual ... because its inconvenient to your argument," Carlson came back. "Youre never going to win anyone over until you can look the facts right in the face and respond to them."
Two Illinois men were arrested and charged Wednesday with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS, according to the Department of Justice.

Joseph D. Jones, also known as Yusuf Abdulhaqq, 35, and Edward Schimenti, also known as Abdul Wali, 35, were set to make initial appearances before the U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon.

Authorities executed a search warrant at Jones residence in Zion, Ill., after the arrest. The case was investigated by Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force and local law enforcement agencies.

According to the DOJ, Jones and Schimenti, both U.S. citizens, pledged their allegiance to ISIS and posted violent, extremist content on social media in support of the Islamic State terror group. Their allegiance dates from the fall of 2015, when Jones and Schiementi befriended three individuals whom they believed were fellow ISIS supporters; two of the individuals were undercover FBI employees, and the third was working in cooperation with law enforcement and was not an ISIS supporter.

Over the next several months, Jones and Schimenti met with the undercover FBI employees and cooperating source on numerous occasions, and allegedly discussed their devotion and commitment to ISIS, according to the complaint.

Jones and Schimenti shared photographs of themselves holding the ISIS flag at Illinois Beach State Park in North Zion, Ill., and according to a recorded conversation with the cooperating source, Schimenti commented that he would like to see the ISIS flag on top of the White House, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, last month, the pair furnished several cellular phones to the cooperating source, believing they would be used to detonate explosive devices in ISIS attacks overseas, the DOJ statement read. On April 7, Jones and Schimenti drove the cooperating source to OHare International Airport in Chicago with the understanding that the source would be traveling to Syria to join and fight with ISIS.

According to the complaint, Schimenti told the source to drench that land with they, they blood, after engaging in physical training exercises with the cooperating source at a gym in Zion. At that facility Schimenti commented the exercises would make you good, you know, in the battlefield, according to the complaint.

If convicted the men face as many as 20 years in prison.
A 40-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico who had been deported from the U.S. was arrested Friday in Virginia on sex abuse charges involving a 12-year-old girl.

Oscar Perez-Rangel faces charges including felony aggravated sexual battery. The abuse allegedly occurred between October and December 2016, Fox 5 reported.

The girl was abused while at a daycare center operated by Perez-Rangels girlfriend, investigators said.

MARYLAND RAPE CASE: NO BOND FOR TEEN WHO CLAIMS SEX WITH VICTIM, 14, WAS CONSENSUAL

Fairfax County police said they did not believe there were other victims.

An immigration detainer has been lodged against Perez-Rangel.

Perez-Rangel was previously removed from the U.S., and has felony convictions for attempted robbery, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony and illegal re-entry after removal, Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement to Fox 5.

Last month, a 17-year-old and 18-year-old were charged with rape after investigators said a 14-year-old student was attacked in a high school bathroom in Rockville, Md. Officials said both suspects were in the U.S. illegally. A lawyer for one suspect claimed the sex was consensual.

Click for more from Fox 5.
A California church that raised nearly $200,000 to purchase a home for the family of Pastor Saeed Abedini while he was imprisoned for his faith in Iran in 2013 filed a lawsuit in order to settle a dispute over the money.

Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel, located in Yucca Valley, California, had raised the funds for Abedini's wife, Naghmeh, and their two children who were living in Boise, Idaho. But matters became complicated following Abedini's release from prison in January 2016 and the couple's divorce proceedings.

VIDEO: SUPREME COURT TAKES UP CASE OVER RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

According to the lawsuit, the church claims that Abedini implicitly demanded that the funds be given to him. But given that he and his wife are now separated and that the church had collected donations to buy a house for Naghmeh and their children, the church says that "a substantial controversy exists concerning entitlement to the charitable donations."

"Plaintiff (Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel) cannot distribute the benefits because it cannot determine which of the competing claimants, if any, is entitled to the said funds," the lawsuit states.

DYLANN ROOF PLEADS GUILTY TO MURDER IN CHARLESTON CHURCH MASSACRE

Abedini, who established house churches in Iran, was imprisoned for his faith for more than three years and was released in January 2016 after suffering torture and other forms of persecution. His wife as well as prominent Christian leaders campaigned heavily for his release.

But in recent weeks, Abedini has posted critical messages against those Christian leaders, his wife and Joshua Springs Calvary Chapel.

"Idaho media recently asked about the $200,000 which was raised for me when I was in prison and wanted to know what happened to that money and I didn't have any answer," he wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday.

"I told them I knew a Calvary Chapel Pastor fundraised but since I got released he never called me to let me know so I don't know what they did with that money. After 1 year because of the news push to get to know, I called Pastor Hagerman and his attorney told me they sued me and took me to court," he explained.

A copy of the lawsuit provided by the church's lawyer, David Earl Jacobs, explains that Merrily Hagerman, wife of Joshua Springs Pastor Jerel Hagerman, met Abedini's estranged wife Naghmeh through mutual friends in Idaho. After hearing about the plight of her husband in Iran, Merrily launched a fundraising campaign to buy a house for Naghmeh and her children, according to the lawsuit, and raised a total of $198,350.

"I called her up and said, 'Naghmeh, the Lord put it in my heart to buy you a home,'" Merrily Hagerman told MagicValley.com about how she connected with Naghmeh Abedini in 2014. "I really know it was the voice of the Lord. Why would I want to raise this? When you feel that prompt, it's from God."

In that same report, Naghmeh said when she told her then imprisoned husband that they would be getting a house, he wept knowing that he would have a home when he left prison.

"For him (Saeed), as the head of the family, it's a dream he's had," Naghmeh told the publication at the time. "It's what he wanted to provide for the family, that's why it's so emotional. The burden that has been on him for so long has been taken by other people."

Naghmeh told the publication that she would wait until late March in 2014 to even think about looking for a home with the money raised. Her dream at the time was to go house-hunting with her husband.

The dream, however, was shattered almost as soon as her husband was finally freed from prison in January 2016. She revealed that they were having significant marriage trouble and then announced last October that they were getting a divorce.

The church explained in its lawsuit that on Dec. 2, 2016, Saeed Abedini contacted Merrily Hagerman and asked about the money that was collected "under my name ... to buy us a home."

Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com
Police say a Phoenix man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a woman's purse during a first date.

They say 38-year-old David Harlow met the woman on an online dating site and two talked for several weeks before meeting in person at a Phoenix resort.

During the date, the unidentified woman went to the restroom and asked Harlow to watch her belongings. When she got back, Harlow and her purse were reportedly gone.

Police say Harlow allegedly took the victim's credit card to a casino and tried to withdraw money from several banks.

They say Harlow has been booked into jail on suspicion of felony theft, theft of a credit card and taking the identity of another person.

It was unclear Tuesday if Harlow has a lawyer yet.
An American woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in a plot that envisioned the use of rifles and gas bombs to kill shoppers at a food court in a mall in Canada.

Lindsay Kantha Souvannarath of Geneva, Illinois, was one of three people involved in the plan to shoot shoppers at the Halifax Shopping Centre in Nova Scotia.

Chris Hansen, a spokeswoman for the public prosecution service, said Tuesday the plea came during a routine court appearance.

Souvannarath, 25, had plotted the attack with Randall Steven Shepherd, who entered a guilty plea last year to conspiracy to commit murder.

An agreed statement of facts said Shepherd and Souvannarath, along with a 19-year-old man found dead, had planned to attack the mall on Valentine's Day in 2015.
North Korea could hit Australia with a missile within two years, a US acting ambassador to Australia has warned.

James Caruso, the US charge daffaires based in Canberra, told The Australian extreme concern was mounting about North Koreas intentions after the rogue state yesterday declared it was ready for war and had its nuclear sight trained on America over what it sees as acts of aggression by the Trump administration.

North Korea last week tested a mid-range ballistic missile, prompting President Donald Trump to send a US naval fleet to the western Pacific in response. The Americans believe North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to the US within four years, according to reports.

(It) is very clear North Korea is a problem, Mr Caruso told the newspaper.

Theyve gone from using these (weapons) tests to get attention to now really making these tests to do tests. The question has been: what do we want to do about it?

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull this morning said North Korea was threatening the peace of the world as he called on China to do more to foil the hermit kingdom.

The reckless and dangerous conduct of the North Korean regime is threatening peace and stability not just in the region but the whole world, Turnbull said.

We continue to call on China to exercise the undoubted influence it has over the North Korean regime to pull it back from further reckless conduct.

Read more from News.com.au.
Raffaele Sollecito, the ex-boyfriend of Amanda Knox, is seeking $3 million in a lawsuit against prosecutors and jurors over his wrongful conviction for the murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher in 2007.

AMANDA KNOX REVEALS SAME-SEX, NON-SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP IN ITALIAN PRISON



Sollecito and Knox were convicted of stabbing Kercher to death in the apartment the two women shared in Italy, but the Supreme Court acquitted them in 2015. Prosecutors had claimed the group was engaged in a drug-fueled sex game gone very wrong.

When the couple was acquitted, the Supreme Court said that the murder investigation had been characterized by culpable omissions and deplorable carelessness.

ITALY'S HIGHEST COURT CLEARS AMANDA KNOX

Sollecito, 33, has said that the entire incarceration process has traumatized him and that for seven years, his life was kept on hold - almost four of those years were spent in prison. In addition, his family racked up more than $400,000 in debt.

An attempt to claim over $500,000 from the state for wrongful imprisonment in February was rejected by an appeals court in Florence. They ruled that Sollecito contributed to the judicial error by making untrue and contradicting statements during the investigation.

Sollecito plans to sue the nine prosecutors and judges who he says are ruining his life with a new law that tests the civil responsibility of magistrates. He is also looking to sue 12 jurors who ruled on the murder case in Perugia, Italy as well as the Florence appeal court jury.

Jurors can only be sued if their conduct is considered to be brutally unfair or malicious, The Times reports. A judge in Genoa was hearing arguments on Tuesday to decide whether jurors should be included in this lawsuit.

Sollecito believes there had been major investigative flaws during his case and therefore there are precise responsibilities for the investigative phase.
Macedonian police say an employee at one of the country's biggest banks has been arrested on suspicion of stealing about 3 million euros ($3.1 million) worth of cash from the vault in the bank's headquarters.

Police alleged Wednesday that the administrator at NLB Tutunska Banka in Skopje surreptitiously removed the money, in euros and Swiss francs, over five days without being noticed by security staff.

The 40-year-old suspect, identified only as B.S., has been ordered detained for 30 days pending trial.

Police said the missing cash has not been recovered.

The bank's vault manager reported the theft to police on Monday at the end of working hours.
Foreign ministers from Central and Eastern Europe are meeting in Warsaw to discuss the future of the European Union's ties with its eastern neighbors and prospects for the bloc's enlargement.

Wednesday's meeting brings together ministers from the EU's so-called Visegrad Group  Poland, Hungary, The Czech Republic and Slovakia  and six other nations aspiring to join the club. The EU commissioner for neighborhood policy and enlargement, Johannes Hahn, and foreign ministers from EU members Croatia, Sweden, Estonia and Romania also attended.

Poland, which currently leads the Visegrad Group, is a strong advocate of expanding the EU's membership as a step toward greater European stability.

The EU has put its expansion on the backburner since the financial crisis and recent problems like the impending departure of Britain.
Ted Papastefan deals with some savage customers in his job as a Chicago grocery store manager, but theyre nothing like the wild animal he encountered on a recent vacation.

Papastefan, 43, and his wife, Sophie, traveled to South Africa and came home with an incredible story that would be hard to believe if there weren't pictures to prove it.

It happened at the Bagamoya Wildlife Estate, in Maselspoort, South Africa, an animal sanctuary.

Papastefan wanted some good photos, but when he entered the sanctuary, he said a 19-month-old lion came charging toward him.

Instead of being terrified, the excited Papastefan said, I could tell the animal just wanted to play.

So I ran toward him, he added, we collided and then started wrestling.

His horrified wife, who was nearby and saw the beast knock Papastefan to the ground and roll on top of him, started frantically yelling his name.

But once Sophie realized the big cat just wanted to cuddle and that Papastefan was enjoying himself, she began capturing the frightful encounter on her phone.

Sanctuary officials told Papastefan that the lion, which they named Napolean, is not yet full-grown and hasnt developed the aggressiveness of an adult male lion.

He just saw me as a big, playful toy, Papastefan said.

Although it was all in fun, Papastefan, who suffered cuts, bruises and puncture wounds on his leg during the tussle, posted the video online and It went viral.

Papastefan called it The best experience Ive had in my lifetime, and he highly recommends it.
Someone should teach elephants proper decorum when greeting royalty.

Queen Elizabeth, 90, and Prince Philip, 95, visited a new elephant center at the Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable, Britain.

The queen and prince seemed to enjoy meeting the elephants, even when a 7-year-old elephant named Donna snatched bananas right out of their hands.

Prince Philip chuckled as Queen Elizabeth put her glove back on after the incident.

The $2.5 million Centre for Elephant Care opens to the public Wednesday.


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Two giant panda cubs are being prepared for a new life at a zoo in the Netherlands following a long airplane flight from China.

Xing Ya and Wu Wen, 3 year olds from the province of Sichuan, arrived at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Wednesday evening.

From there, the pandas were to travel to Ouwehand Zoo in Rhenen, a city of about 20,000 people in central Holland.

For decades, China gifted friendly nations with its national mascot in what was known as "panda diplomacy." The country more recently has loaned pandas to zoos on commercial terms.

Around 420 pandas live in captivity in zoos and reserves, the majority within China, while an estimated 1,864 live in the wild.
Philippine troops battling militants on a central resort island killed a young Abu Sayyaf commander who was involved in the beheadings of two Canadians and a German and who had sailed far from the extremists' southern jungle hideouts to capture more hostages, the military chief said Wednesday.

Military chief of staff Gen. Eduardo Ano said that troops recovered and identified the remains of Moammar Askali at the scene of the battle in a coastal village on Bohol island. Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen, three soldiers and a policeman also were killed in Tuesday's clashes.

TWO ILLINOIS MEN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGED ISIS TIES

Ano said captured Abu Sayyaf militants identified Askali from a photo troops took of the young militant leader after death, which confirmed that the gunmen who quietly cruised into Bohol on three motorboats Monday night then clashed with troops belonged to the Islamic extremist group. Askali, who used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, had partly served as an Abu Sayyaf spokesman in recent years.

"This is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf," Ano told The Associated Press. "If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice."

ORLANDO NIGHTCLUB SHOOTER'S WIFE PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES

Askali was an emerging hard-line leader of Abu Sayyaf and had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. He had received bomb-making training from Malaysian Zulkifli bin Hir, or Marwan, a top Southeast Asia militant leader who was killed in 2015, according to a police profile.

It was Abu Sayyaf's first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the central Philippine heartland, far from the group's jungle lairs in the southern provinces of Sulu and Basilan. Ano said the troops were still hunting at least five Abu Sayyaf gunmen, though fighting had eased Wednesday.

While the bold kidnapping attempt appears to have been foiled, the militants' success in penetrating the bustling region of beach resorts and other popular attractions could raise concern among tourists and businessmen.

Bohol island lies about 397 miles southeast of Manila and is about an hour by boat from Cebu province, a trade and tourism center which has hosted some of the meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the regional bloc the Philippines is leading this year.

Ano said military intelligence operatives had been trying to track the movements of Askali's group for several days after learning of their planned abductions.

The gunmen traveled on motorboats along a river to Inabanga's Napo village, where government forces assaulted them, military spokesman Col. Edgard Arevalo said, adding that troops recovered four rifles and a homemade bomb from the dead gunmen.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila had earlier advised Americans to take precautions amid "unsubstantiated yet credible information" of possible kidnappings by terrorists in Bohol and other central areas.

The United States and the Philippines both list Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organization for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.

Abu Sayyaf militants have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists in past years, reflecting their growing capability and desperation for money. In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they seized 20 people, including three Americans, from a resort.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the extremists and has threatened to declare martial law in the country's south if the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups aligned with the Islamic State group gets out of control.

Although Abu Sayyaf have been weakened by years of battle setbacks, they beheaded two Canadians last year and a German hostage earlier this year after ransom deadlines lapsed. Askali was involved in those kidnappings and the captives' gruesome murders, Ano said.

The militants are still holding at least 29 captives in Sulu's jungles, many of them foreign tugboat and cargo ship crewmen seized in the seas surrounded by southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Russia's top diplomat accused the United States on Wednesday of breaking the law by attacking Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces -- a cold welcome for Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

"We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, referring to the cruise missiles President Trump was said to order, days after the U.S. accused Syria of launching a chemical attack on its own people. "We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future."

CHINA'S XI TELLS TRUMP HE WANTS PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO NORTH KOREA

It was an ominous start to Tillerson's visit -- the first to Russia by a Trump Cabinet official. Tillerson conceded the two world powers had "sharp differences" that have obstructed cooperation but voiced optimism that their talks could narrow those differences.

Meanwhile, Putin insisted that relations with the U.S. had only gone downhill since Trump took office in January. "The level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better but most likely has degraded," Putin said in an interview broadcast Wednesday by state television channel Mir.

NORTH KOREA DECRIES PENTAGON CARRIER DISPATCH AS PARLIAMENT MEETS

Lavrov said Russia was trying to understand the "real intentions" of the Trump administration. He added that Moscow had lots of questions about the "very ambiguous" and "contradictory" ideas coming out of Washington.

Trump, meanwhile, told Fox Business Network that the U.S. had no plans to become more deeply involved in Syria and only did so because of last week's deadly chemical weapons attack that killed dozens. Turkey has said tests showed sarin gas was used.

"Are we going to get involved with Syria? No," Trump told "Mornings with Maria." "But if I see them using gas...we have to do something."

Trump added, "Frankly, Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person," calling Assad "an animal."

Speaking in Moscow, Tillerson assured reporters, "We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open."

It was unclear whether Putin, who once gave Tillerson an "Order of Friendship" award, would grant the visiting American an audience. Though the Kremlin had declined to say whether the leaders would meet, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday: "There is a certain likelihood."

Russia, Assad's staunchest ally, has insisted that Assad is blameless for the chemical attack and that it was actually the rebels who were responsible.

Intelligence services from several Western countries strongly dispute that claim. The health minister in Turkey, which treated many of the attack's victims and conducted autopsies on others, said Tuesday that test results conducted on victims confirmed sarin gas was used.

Tillerson, on a mission to persuade Russia to abandon Assad, issued an ultimatum to Putin before flying to Moscow: Either side with the U.S. and likeminded countries, or with Assad, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah.

"Our policy is consistent and it's formulated exclusively on the basis of international law and not under the impact of current opportunistic motives or false choice: 'You are with us or against us,"' Lavrov told Tillerson.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
For the first time in nearly three months, Russia flew nuclear-capable Bear bombers near Japan, Wednesday, the latest sign of increasing tensions in the region, two US officials tell Fox News.

RUSSIA: MISSILE STRIKE ON SYRIA BROKE THE LAW

The officials said three Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers took off from a base in eastern Russia flying in the Sea of Japan and remained in international airspace.

One U.S. official described the Russian bomber flight as clearly meant to send a message.

NORTH KOREA DECRIES PENTAGON CARRIER DISPATCH AS PARLIAMENT MEETS

Japan scrambled 14 fighter jets at different times to intercept the Russian bombers and spy plane during flight near Japan, officials told Fox News.

The Russian bombers came as close as 36 miles from Japan, but remained in international airspace.

Joining the three Russian long-range bombers was a IL-20 spy plane.

The three Russian Bear Bombers flew down Japans east coast, while a spy plane flew down the west coast, officials said.

A US Navy destroyer, the USS Barry, was also tracking the spy plane from the Sea of Japan.

This latest provocation from Russia comes as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Moscow, Wednesday, the first visit by a cabinet member to Russia since President Trump assumed office.

The Russian bombers took off Wednesday from an air base in Ukrainka in eastern Russia, home to one of Russias largest fleet of strategic bombers.

In late January, a pair of Russian bombers circumnavigated Japan for the first time in a year.

On July 4, 2015, Russian bombers flew 40 miles off the coast of California on the same day President Vladimir Putin called President Obama to wish him a happy Independence Day.
A Swedish midwife on Wednesday lost her years-long legal battle to be exempt from performing abortions -- an act she says violates her religious freedom -- and is now considering a final push before the European Court of Human Rights.

Midwife Ellinor Grimmark objects to abortions because of her Christian beliefs. But the Swedish Labor Court decided that midwives are obligated to make a choice between conscience and career -- contradicting international law, which protects conscientious objection, experts say.



According to the organization Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers, "freedom of conscience" is a human right stating that no one shall be deprived of their ability to work in their profession because that person -- by ethical, moral or religious reasons -- cannot perform a task that extinguishes human life at its beginning, or final stages.

Restrictions on the right to freedom of conscience must be supported by law and be necessary in a democratic society, Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers said after the appeals court decision in Grimmark's case.

In November 2015, a district court found that Grimmarks right to freedom of conscience had not been violated, and required her to pay the local governments legal costs, which totaled more than $100,000.

Grimmark has been commuting to Norway, where midwives and doctors are granted freedom of conscience, according to the human rights group.

The Court has failed to protect Ellinor Grimmarks fundamental right to freedom of conscience despite the clear legal protections that exist in international law, Robert Clark, Director of European Advocacy for ADF International, an organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith, said in a statement. Some have attempted to frame this case as one that pits one human right against another -- however, the only person whose rights have been violated is Ellinor Grimmark.

According to ADF, three different medical clinics in the district of Jonkoping had refused to employ Grimmark because she would not assist with abortions due to her belief in the dignity of human life.

Grimmark must now decide whether or not to pursue her case before the European Court of Human Rights.
A big win for animal rights activistsand a bigger win for dogs and catsin Taiwan.



CHINA WARNS AGAINST INTERVENTION OVER DETAINED TAIWANESE MAN

With the legislature's approval of an amendment to the country's Animal Protection Act, Taiwan appears on track to become the first country in Asia to ban the possession, sale, purchase, and consumption of cat and dog meat, reports the Guardian.

The amendment that passed Tuesday, which includes fines of up to $8,100 for offenders, still needs to be signed by the president, but Tsai Ing-wen is known to be an animal lover and is expected to do so by the end of the month.

The measure also doubles the maximum penalty for animal cruelty to up to two years in prison and a $65,000 fine.

Though dog and cat meat were once popular in Taiwan, the animals are now most often viewed as pets and family members.

Tsai even brought her two adopted cats along on the campaign trail prior to her election last year, while promising to do more to protect animals, reports the Telegraph.

Click for more from Newser.
A vote by the U.N. Security council on a draft resolution to condemn the chemical weapon attack in Syria failed Wednesday with a veto by Russia, but fellow member China abstained, a sign that talks with President Trump last week may have had an effect on the superpower.

The draft resolution by Britain, France and the United States called for those responsible for the attack on the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4 to be identified and brought to justice.

The resolution garnered 10 votes in favor, Russia and Bolivia against, and China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstaining.

"With its veto, Russia said no to accountability," said U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

"Russia once again has chosen to side with Assad, even as the rest of the world, overwhelmingly comes together to condemn this murderous regime," she added.

At a press conference with secretary-general of NATO, President Donald Trump praised China for abstaining from the U.N. resolution. China usually sides with Russia in the Security Council, so the move to abstain represented a significant shift for Beijing.

Trump said it was "wonderful" that China abstained and the U.S. was "honored by that vote," which came after he met last week with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and the two spoke by phone Tuesday night.

The president said he's "very impressed" with Xi, adding he thought he means well and wants to help.

Trump added that it was "certainly possible but probably unlikely," that Russia knew in advance of Syrian chemical weapons attack.

The final draft of the resolution included a paragraph that the Russians objected to last week, which stressed Syria's requirement to provide investigators with flight plans and information about air operations on April 4 when Khan Sheikhoun was attacked, names of helicopter squadron commanders, and immediate access to air bases where they believe an attack may have been launched.

Before the vote, Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Vladimir Safronkov said the Western draft resolution "does not serve a useful purpose."

He later said the resolution "appointed the guilty party prior to the investigation," which he said is "incompatible with the legal norms."

Safronkov added that the American missile strikes conducted last week were carried out "in violation of international norms."

Haley said the U.S. "takes no pleasure to see Russia isolated on the Security Council."

"We want Russia to use its influence to stop Assad," she added. "Today's vote could have been a turning point."

The Chinese ambassador to the U.N., Liu Jieyi, said the choice to abstain came from some elements of the resolution could have been "amended.'

"It is our long standing hope that the security council can speak with one voice on Syria," he said.

Jieyi added that a political solution is the "only way forward."

Earlier in the day, the U.S. and Russia separately agreed to work together on an international investigation of the Syrian chemical weapons attack that prompted retaliatory American missile strikes.

The Trump administration blames Russia's ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad, while Moscow has repeatedly said Syrian rebels are responsible.

After a day of discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the former Cold War foes agreed a probe of events in northern Syria was necessary.

Russia has claimed rebels dispersed whatever chemical agent was found, which the Trump administration calls a disinformation campaign.

The news conference came after Russian President Vladimir Putin met the top American diplomat for almost two hours to see if they could rescue relations between the world's mightiest military powers.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said in a statement it was "no surprise to anyone that the Putin regime would shield the Assad regime from accountability" following the vote.

"To expect one war criminal to do anything other than protect another is unrealistic," Graham said. It is now time for Congress to pass sanctions against Putins regime for interfering in our election, as well as aiding and abetting Assads use of chemical weapons. The United States cannot give Putin a pass on either one of these outrageous acts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Unrest in Venezuela went up a few notches in the last seven days, as protests against Nicolas Maduros government have become part of the daily agenda for the increasingly fiery opposition.

Demonstrators in Caracas were bombarded with tear gas from helicopters and police have not been shy to use their weapons  two 19-year-old protesters died after being shot and hundreds have been wounded, including a baby at a hospital that was hit by gas bombs.

Witnesses say so-called collectives, groups of government loyalists said to be armed, are also taking active part in the new iron-fist approach by the socialist regime amid a brutal economic crisis.

We have seen helicopters throwing bombs, collectives that encircle people and activate tear gas bombs [on them]  it happened to me, said lawmaker Delsa Solorzano, who is among the victims of the government repression with a fractured rib.

Meanwhile, angry Venezuelans threw objects at President Maduro during a rally on Tuesday, as the unpopular leftist leader waved goodbye at the end of a military event. The state broadcaster then halted transmission.

VENEZUELA'S HEALTH CRISIS NEARING CATASTROPHE, GOVERNMENT PLEADS FOR HELP

After years of protesting with little results, street action erupted again after a Supreme Court decision in late March to assume the functions of the opposition-led congress. The controversial ruling was reversed just a day later, but Venezuelans kept protesting nonetheless.

Venezuelans have been suffering food and medicine shortages for months, leading many to skip meals or go without crucial treatment.

According to Venebarometro, one of the most prestigious pollsters in the country, 74 percent of Venezuelans today want a government change.

VENEZUELANS KILLING FLAMINGOS AND ANTEATERS TO STAVE OFF HUNGER AMID MOUNTING FOOD CRISIS

Opposition leaders announced another round of protests in more than 300 municipalities for Thursday, despite the risk of becoming casualties of the regime.

Congresswoman Solorzano said it is virtually impossible to know the exact number of people arrested or injured in the latest wave of protests due to the institutionalized culture of secrecy.

Only in [opposition bastions] Chacao and Baruta we can talk about hundreds of injured, she said, adding she plans to file a complaint with instances such as the International Criminal Court alleging human rights violations.

US SANCTIONS VENEZUELA VICE PRESIDENT OVER DRUG TRAFFICKING

There are snipers in government buildings. The National Guard attacked with tear gas a clinic I was in and they put a baby at risk. We will denounce these crimes, she told Fox News.

The attacks from helicopters are especially worrisome for observers and civil rights organizations such as the non-governmental organization Provea, which has taken legal action before the Attorney Generals office.

They dropped bombs from the air and that hadnt happened before, said Inti Rodriguez, from Provea. Its life-threatening for demonstrators because the impact of a bomb on the skull can lead to death.

Even Ombudsman Tarek William Saab, an open government supporter, condemned the air attacks and the UNs High Commissioner for Human Rights has formally asked the government to respect peoples right to peaceful protests.

On Tuesday, Congress President Julio Borges led a delegation of lawmakers in a surprise visit to the General Command of the National Guard, demanding an end to the violent repression and specifically the use of toxic gases.

There is no statute of limitations for human rights crimes, he said, and forbidding people to demonstrate is against human rights, he said.

Reuters contributed to this report.
A woman whose young daughter had multiple burn marks when deputies saw her in a Stafford County motel last year pleaded guilty to child abuse Tuesday in Circuit Court.

Carmen M. McLain-Robinson, 35, also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor failure to appear in court charge, court records show. She will be sentenced June 26.

According to a police report, Deputy D.G. French and Sgt. C.M. Neuhard went to the Days Inn on Simpson Road in southern Stafford early Oct. 21 in response to a call from a concerned citizen.

After finally being allowed into the room, deputies noticed a girl who appeared to be about 5 who had what appeared to be burn marks on her forehead, nose, chin and ears.

McLain-Robinson gave police several different stories about how the child got burned, including spraying herself in the face with cleaning products received from the motel staff.

The child was taken to Mary Washington Hospital, where doctors determined that some of the childs injuries were anywhere from several days to more than a week old.

Both of the childs parents, McLainRobinson and Norris T. Robinson, were arrested and put in jail. Norris Robinson has a trial on multiple charges set for June 1 in Stafford Circuit Court.

In exchange for her guilty pleas, several charges against McLain-Robinson were dropped Tuesday.

The burned child and a young sibling were turned over the Child Protective Services in October.
At the University of Mary Washington Wednesday morning, Democratic Virginia gubernatorial hopeful Tom Perriello shared a parable with the roughly 20 students and faculty gathered to ask him questions about his vision for the Commonwealth.

His father, the son of Italian immigrants who settled in Virginia coal country, got a scholarship to the University of Virginia that allowed him to graduate debt free as he worked and traveled over the mountain to school.

It was his ticket ... that put him on a path where he could make a difference, Perriello said.

He said that while his fathers generation had access to affordable higher education, todays students are burdened by debt that makes milestones like saving for a house or opening their own business seem like a far-off fence post.

As part of a campus tour, Perriello stopped by UMW Wednesday. Hes visiting 16 colleges to share his blueprint for education and to find out what other concerns are on the minds of young Virginians.

Among his higher education pledges is two years of debt-free community college. He also proposed refinancing existing student debt so monthly payments arent such a burden to saving for the future.

He told the group that raising the minimum wage is also key to lessening the debt of Virginians.

The first few questions posed by UMW students centered on campus mental health.

Perriello said Virginia needs to tackle access to mental health care, the affordability of care and the culture surrounding mental illness. He also posed the possibility of some loan forgiveness for those who go into needed professions like those in the mental health sector.

Student John Bownik, a senior political science and economics major, brought up expanding mental health services on community college campuses where it is even less accessible.

Student Elizabeth Hyitt brought up concern about how boards of visitors are chosen.

Perriello called it the Betsy Devos phenomenon, in which board members are chosen for political ties rather than expertise.

He said the key to fixing that problem is funding public education properly so boards dont have to be chosen for fundraising potential.

One student addressed the proposed federal government budget cutting AmeriCorps, which helped him lessen student debt.

The resistance to this administration is working due to its size and stories, Perriello said. Im policy wonk, but personal stories mean more to legislators than the statistics I throw out... Keep telling those stories.

He urged the students to get out and vote during the June 13 primaries.

Republicans want to know do they just protest or do they vote, he said. Right now is the most turbulent political time of my lifetime ...But it could get a lot better. In 10 years we could see this as the last gasp of a hateful and dying ideology.

Sarah Hansen, president of the Young Democrats at UMW, said though the organization doesnt endorse candidates in primaries she appreciates how Perriello has reached out to her on multiple occasions while she hasnt heard from Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Ralph Northams campaign.

Meeting here in a smaller space is exciting because we can get in depth into the issues, she said.

Hyitt echoed that sentiment.

Hes setting the precedent for understanding the nuance of social and economic issues, she said. Its something I havent seen in politicians before.

Perriello called UMWs students smart and energized, on both of his visits.

Millennials arent lazy and entitled, theyre working their tails off, amassing debt and encountering less opportunity, he said. My dad made those same efforts but didnt encounter $30,000 in debt to hold him back.
It was mid-November, and Tim Kaine was not going to be vice president of the United States after all, and some of his fellow senators had an invitation: "They said, you got to come talk about being on the trail," he remembers. These were colleagues from his weekly prayer meeting, a private bipartisan breakfast Kaine attends, where senators share stories from their lives and faiths. He declined the invitation. "I said: 'I've got to collect my thoughts. I don't know what I would say.' "

His colleagues asked him again in January. Was he ready to talk now? "Nope," he said. He wanted to do it, he assured them, but still couldn't figure out what to offer.

In March, they asked a third time and Kaine considered it. If he waited until he knew what he wanted to say, he reasoned, he wasn't sure he'd end up wanting to say it.

So he went to the prayer meeting. He found himself talking to his fellow senators not about the campaign, but about the effect that its first 72 hours had on his family. How it seemed to him like a combination of a microwave speeding things up, and a magnifying glass zooming in, and maybe also a pressure cooker, jostling everything around.

"Sometimes it seems like a dream, like it didn't really happen," he says now, talking about the prayer meeting while eating lunch in rural northwestern Virginia. There is wood paneling on the cafe's walls, and a lunch crowd of men in jeans and T-shirts. The proprietor had recommended the Big Jake burger, so Kaine, 59, has a half-finished one on his plate, and now he starts to laugh. "Sometimes I wake up and think this isn't happening."

"This," of course, is this: Russia, hacking, leaking, tapping, Obamacare repeals that keep rising from the dead like fiscally conservative zombies. A new uproar every week, a new headline every hour, a succession of columnists writing about how it all might signify the end of the world, or of the Republicans, or of a country that, unbeknown to all of us, has actually been held together by duct tape for a good long while.

The week after the Clinton-Kaine ticket fell, Hillary Clinton retreated to upstate New York, removing herself from public life except for an occasional woodsy sighting by an intrepid hiker. Donald Trump and Mike Pence set about packing for Washington, planning the agenda for an administration almost nobody had predicted would ever exist. But Kaine - Kaine was back in the Senate. Instead of a partner to the first woman president, one of a hundred senators.

Old office. Old shirt sleeves. Old routines: the Monday morning drive from Richmond to Washington, and the questions from fans about his harmonica collection. Kaine was back there for all of it, the elected representative of the only purple state Clinton had managed to win, bearing witness as the new order unfurled.

"I'm sorry you're not vice president, but senator's still important," a fourth-grader wrote to Kaine recently. "Can you please stop my classmates from being deported?"

Old job. Different world. Seventy-five thousand pieces of constituent correspondence reaching his office for the month of February, compared with 27,000 for the same period the year before.

"I used to try public housing discrimination cases," says Kaine, a former civil rights lawyer. "And I'd be at the counsel table, and it would be me and a guy who wasn't able to pay me, and the other table would be filled with lawyers getting paid a lot, and I would just be there, really praying that the system worked. Like, if they didn't have me - I'm it. They wouldn't have anyone. So I prayed the system worked. And usually it did, but not always." He shakes his head back and forth, weighing the metaphor. "I'm in that mental space again."

"The Democrats in the Senate are the only emergency brake on the train," he says a few minutes later. "This might be the most important period. Maybe I'll be in the Senate for the next 30 years, and the next two to four years - God-willing, it's more than two years for me - are the most important years I'll ever spend in the Senate."

He keeps track of the time, afraid of being late for meetings in Augusta County, which is a gateway to Appalachian Virginia. The White House's recently proposed budget includes the elimination of the Appalachian Regional Commission, which provides funding to the area. The county voted 71 percent for Trump.

"I'm going to work my tail off to get money back to the Appalachian region," Kaine says, because that's it what it is like to be Tim Kaine now: You could have won, but you didn't, and there's nothing to be done about it now, because the country that you tried to warn went and did the opposite thing anyway.

---

Two months before his trip to Augusta County, Kaine gained as much viral fame as can be achieved via a Senate confirmation hearing, for his operatic grilling of education secretary nominee Betsy DeVos. He used his allotted minutes to fire off 27 questions about her experience.

"In order to clarify, you never attended a K-12 public school, did you?" he asked. "And your children did not, either? And you've never taught at a K-12 public school?"

(DeVos would be confirmed anyway, via Vice President Mike Pence's tiebreaking vote).

Two days before Augusta County, Kaine decided that he would not support Supreme Court nominee Neil M. Gorsuch because he worried about the judge's positions on birth control and abortion. He released a statement saying as much, and, while power-walking to a committee hearing, anxiously checked his phone to see how it was being received. "I could have worked on the verb tense for days," he said.

(Republicans later enacted the "nuclear option," changing Senate rules to allow Gorsuch's nomination to go through without any Democratic support).

He chastised Trump for bypassing Congress in his decision to launch a strike on Syria. He asked the president to veto legislation relating to internet privacy. "I've been telling people, it's shocking but not surprising," Kaine says of the deluge of recent political developments. The initiatives that Trump's administration has been pushing were not, after all, secret initiatives. They were what Trump promised to do during the campaign: Overhaul health care. Curtail admission of refugees. Build a wall. They were what Kaine and Clinton had told people that Trump would do, over and over - the Cassandras of the campaign trail.

On another day, Kaine was in Norfolk, visiting a children's hospital. The cost of treating many of the patients is covered in part by Medicaid reimbursements, which could have been affected by the proposed, but ultimately scuttled, American Health Care Act. House Republicans were scheduled to set a vote on the bill later that day.

Kaine toured several floors, stopping to chat with families who had previously signed release forms. He passed through a chemotherapy ward, where small children sucked on popsicles as IVs dripped treatment into their veins. "I'm Tim," he told the families, one after another, as they talked about their children's diagnoses. "I'm Tim."

When Kaine was almost through the room, a mother hurried over. She looked tired, with bags under her eyes. She asked a person accompanying Kaine whether she was allowed to talk to the senator, even though she hadn't signed a release. She started to cry. "If that bill goes through, these children will be unsavable," she said. He leaned in close, listening for several minutes.

"Just think about us?" she asked him as they finished. "Think about us, as a person in power?"

As Kaine left, the mother told a hospital staffer that she was embarrassed about getting emotional, and she hoped it was OK for her to have approached the senator. "Oh, you did the right thing," the staffer told her. "That's your warrior, right there."

As he continued his tour, another mom recognized him. "There's Tim Kaine, honey!" a woman whispered to her small son. "Do you want to get your picture?" The boy shook his head. "But he's a senator," she encouraged. "He was almost - he was almost - oh, never mind."

---

An older man and woman stand in front of the Waynesboro Senior Center, holding a sign: "Vote Yes for Gorsuch."

"I can see I'm going to disappoint you on Judge Gorsuch," Kaine says, exiting his car and reaching out to shake their hands. "I spent six weeks reading up," he explains, and he just doesn't think that the man should be in the job.

The couple nods. They expected as much. Kaine stands and chats with them for a while, about vacation destinations in the Midwest, where he's from - Branson, Missouri, Silver Dollar City. The woman tells him that she still remembers the speech Kaine gave at Virginia Tech, after the 2007 shooting that left 32 people dead when Kaine was the state's governor.

He goes inside, where people from several nonprofit groups have gathered to talk to him about how the White House's budget would impact their work.

"We're not good Samaritans," one man tells him, comparing his center with the biblical parable about a man, a Samaritan, who brings a wounded stranger to recuperate at an inn. "But we're the innkeepers who allow good to take place. The innkeeper needs to have an inn. Please help us keep the inn open."

"You know this county," someone else says. "We went about 75 percent Trump. But they're good people."

"There's no money to be made in our work, but there's a lot of justice," says a representative from a legal fund, who talks about taking on the pro-bono case of an older woman who had been tricked into spending her $10,000 savings on frozen meat. "A case like that, you can't do without federal funding."

The event organizer hands Kaine a manila envelope of letters from seniors. He takes it and tells the group that he'll fight for them as best he can, but he knows it's going to be a tough budget cycle.

"We'll get some of the funding up, but not all," he says. "We're probably talking about where the biggest win is just standing still."

In the car, a few minutes later, he asks his press secretary to pass him the envelope. He pulls a letter out and reads it aloud.

"Dear Senator Kaine," he reads. "I am 87 years old. I live alone and do not have my own transportation. If it were not for the senior center, I would be spending a lot of time alone. I have been attending the senior center for 20 years. I do not always feel up to making meals, so it means a lot to come here and enjoy a meal with others."

He slides the letters back into the envelope. "Yeah," he says.

---

"The book of Job is something that's really important to me," Kaine says, back at the rural diner. The book of Job, in the Bible, is the story of a man whose faith is tested by the loss of his wealth, health and family. "It expresses a profound truth about humanity and causation," Kaine continues. "What humans tend to do is ask, why am I here now? It's clearly because of something that came before.

"The point of the Job story is that he's not where he is because of the past. He's where he is because of the future."

Kaine pauses. "I think I am here today, a senator in Waynesboro, more because of something that I'm supposed to do tomorrow than something I did yesterday. And I think in this moment in time, what am I supposed to do tomorrow is assuming a lot of existential importance."

A few days after the election, a Twitter account, @IfHillaryHad, was created and went viral - the premise being that the feed would recount the days of a parallel-universe administration in which Clinton had won. Clinton sees Merrick Garland confirmed to the Supreme Court, signs climate-change legislation, holds run-of-the-mill news conferences and sends Bill to fetch paninis. @IfHillaryHad has a companion account, @AltVP48, in which a fictional Kaine spends his Saturday nights reading policy papers and coming up with dad jokes.

It's a portrait of yearning, not for a soaring, impressive presidency, but a gently boring one.

But what-ifs are not a place that Kaine allows himself to go.

"I assume he's got to have thoughts, when he sees Mike Pence presiding over the Senate," says Sen. Angus King. I-Maine, who considers Kaine his best friend in Congress. But he's never heard Kaine say anything out loud, and in general, King says, the only difference in his colleague, pre-election vs. post, is that "I think his role is more urgent. He's fully committed to the Senate."

Sen. Mark R. Warner, D-Va., has known Kaine for 37 years. He calls him "the most relentlessly optimistic person I've ever met."

Kaine says only that he's been "proud of his emotional maturity" in recent months. "Where I really was able to look in the mirror and say, you know, I'm comfortable to be in the reality that I'm in, was when I was at the inauguration. I was sitting on the platform, and I was watching the president take the oath of office, and I was watching Mike Pence take the oath of office, and I didn't think, 'I wish it would have been me.' At that moment, I was very peaceful with the role I was playing."

He finishes his Big Jake burger. "We're living in a stress test of our constitutional democracy," he says. "It's like we took it in for our 230-year checkup, and it's up on the rack and we're seeing how the systems work." He believes the systems will work. He has that faith.

Kaine thanks the restaurant's owner for her hospitality, wishes a happy birthday to a young man celebrating at a table nearby and heads out to begin his afternoon of meetings.

A few hours later, he arrives at a construction site and sees a few people outside waiting for him.

"We're not invited," one middle-aged woman calls out. "We just saw you were coming and wanted to see you. To tell you to keep up the good fight."

"I will," Kaine says, stopping to shake her hand.

"With health care," the woman says.

"With Russia," the woman's companion adds.

"All of it," the woman says. "All of it."

"I will," Kaine says again, and the senator goes inside.
EASTER and Passover, among the most important religious holidays for Christians and Jews, have long been a part of American life.

A brief look at some of the related history and customs allows us to see the degree to which religion has influenced American politics and culture, as well as the influence of Americas tradition of religious tolerance and freedomembedded in the Bill of Rightson the religious practices of her citizens.

Easter is this Sunday and Passover this year began on Monday evening and observances continue until April 18.

The quiz below, from the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio, provides an opportunity for you to test your knowledge of these holidays as they have been observed in American history.

We offer this feature because many Americans have a limited understanding of our nations history and our unique form of constitutional government. Without this knowledge, how can we expect them to exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship?

1. What prominent American religious leader said love was the most durable power in the world in an Easter sermon?

(A) Lyman Beecher

(B) Cotton Mather

(C) Martin Luther King Jr.

(D) A.C. Dixon

2. Who was the first president to have a Passover Seder in the White House?

(A) George Washington

(B) Barack Obama

(C) George W. Bush

(D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt

3. Which president was born on Easter weekend?

(A) John F. Kennedy

(B) James Monroe

(C) Thomas Jefferson

(D) Ulysses S. Grant

4. Which of the following occurred after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on Good Friday?

(A) Jews sang mourning songs instead of Passover melodies

(B) Churches painted Easter lilies black

(C) Some compared Lincoln to Jesus Christ

(D) All of the above

5. Which president started the White House Easter egg roll?

(A) George Washington

(B) Rutherford B. Hayes

(C) Theodore Roosevelt

(D) Lyndon B. Johnson

6. Which well-known American poet referenced the Passover meal in a poem about the Touro Synagogue, the oldest Jewish place of worship in the United States?

(A) Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

(B) William Cullen Bryant

(C) James Russell Lowell

(D) William Carlos Williams

7. Who started Easter sunrise services in the United States?

(A) Presbyterians from Scotland in the 18th century

(B) Moravians from Germany in the 18th century

(C) Puritans from England in the 17th century

(D) Catholics from Poland in the 19th century

8. Which city in the United States is known as the Easter city?

(A) Rockport, Maine

(B) St. Augustine, Florida

(C) Old Salem, North Carolina

(D) Gloucester, Massachusetts

9. What did Jewish merchant Aaron Lopez send to Newport, Rhode Island, to support the patriot cause during the Revolutionary War?

(A) Gunpowder for muskets

(B) A rabbi as chaplain to soldiers

(C) Flour for the Seder matzot

(D) Wax extracted from whale oil to make candles

10. Which famous AfricanAmerican compared Passover to the Fourth of July in a famous speech?

(A) Martin Luther King Jr.

(B) Frederick Douglass

(C) Jackie Robinson

(D) Booker T. Washington

11. Which biblical story connected to Easter or Passover gave inspiration to troops fighting for the Union in the Civil War?

(A) Joseph being sold as a slave in Egypt

(B) Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt

(C) Jesus celebrating the Last Supper

(D) Peter striking off the ear of the priests servant

David and Ellen Tucker are, respectively, senior fellow and publications editor at the Ashbrook Center. Together with Sarah Morgan Smith, they edited Religion in American History and Politics: 25 Core Documents. They wrote this for InsideSources.com.ANSWERS: 1. c; 2. b; 3. c; 4. d; 5. b; 6. a; 7. b; 8. c; 9. c; 10. b; 11. b
Cities aided virus spread, distance slowed it

The new analysis assessed 25 factors that could have contributed to the spread and duration of the West African epidemic. It confirmed the common perception that cities played a major role in the magnitude of the epidemic compared to central African outbreaks that had occurred in remote, sparsely populated regions.

Distance between cities also played a role, with the shorter the distance, the more likely that infected travelers would arrive and seed an infection. Distance was key to sparing nearby Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, Mali, Cote dIvoire and northern Guinea from severe and protracted epidemics. Some of these regions had large cities in which Ebola would likely have exploded had the virus been introduced.

Essentially, it was entirely down to chance that the outbreak didnt spread further and cause an even bigger crisis, Dudas said.

Other variables, such as shared languages, economic output and climate were not found to be significantly associated with speeding or slowing the epidemic.

The analysis did see correlations between border closure dates and virus traffic reduction; once the borders were closed, virus movement occurred mostly within countries rather than among them.

But by the time Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea closed their borders, cross-border travel had already seeded outbreaks in each country. And although international traffic of viruses was reduced after the closures, it didnt stop completely.

That was part of the problem in Sierra Leone and Guinea in the final stages of the epidemic, where a particularly mobile chain [of infected people] was moving back and forth between the countries, Dudas said.

What the genome knows

In previous genome analyses, scientists traced the epidemics origin to December 2013, when a two-year-old who had been playing near a bat-filled tree died in a small village in the southeastern part of Guinea. It took until March 2014 for hospital workers to detect and report the spread of a disease with an unusually high death rate. By later that month it was identified as Ebola.

Bats are the suspected  but not proven  reservoir for Ebola virus. (A reservoir refers to an animal that harbors a virus, allowing the virus to live and multiply between outbreaks in humans.) The virus spreads to humans and then from person to person through direct contact.

Sequencing virus genomes from even a fraction of people infected in an epidemic and comparing mutation patterns can give researchers valuable information about how big the epidemic is, how long it has been spreading and where transmissions chains start and end, said Dr. Trevor Bedford, a Fred Hutch evolutionary biologist and one of the papers authors.

Some of this information can be and was obtained the old-fashioned way, by public health workers going door-to-door, tracing contacts of those infected. But in West Africa and other areas where public health resources and even basic infrastructure are limited, real-time genome sequencing and analysis can speed the response by telling health officials where to initiate contact tracing, add hospital beds, quarantine those infected and implement other infection controls.

It can also provide information unavailable by other methods. In earlier studies, for example, genome sequencing had confirmed that Ebola deaths in Sierra Leone and Liberia came from Guinea and were not a new introduction from the virus natural reservoir.

Genome sequencing can tell you epidemiologically relevant things that are unobtainable by traditional methods, Bedford said.

And synthesizing that information with data on population size, travel distances, geography, language and other factors can provide context for which factors influenced the epidemics spread and duration  and where to target treatment and interventions.

Technology  and data-sharing  advances

Virus genome analysis has played a bigger role in understanding the West African Ebola epidemic than for any other infectious disease outbreak for two reasons: modern advances in sequencing technologies and scientists who were unusually willing to share data.

So-called next-generation sequencing equipment have dramatically lowered both the costs and time to prepare samples and do sequencing, making it much easier to sequence an entire viral genome.

And scientists relatively early on in the epidemic decided to share viral genome sequences they were collecting from patients rather than waiting until they published a research paper. Publications are considered the currency of science, but the admonition to publish or perish took on a new meaning in the midst of such a devastating outbreak.

The old model where you hold onto the sequences until the publication comes out, which as any academic knows is going to be months, is morally wrong if those sequences can be used to affect a response on the ground, Dudas said.

Early posting of data on the public database GenBank led to a surge of collaboration from experts in diverse fields. It was when one of those early researchers, Harvard Universitys Dr. Pardis C. Sabeti (another author on the new paper) and her team sequenced 99 Ebola genomes from patients in Sierra Leone and uploaded their data that Rambaut became involved. Bedford had been a postdoc in Rambauts lab before coming to the Hutch in 2013, six months before the Ebola epidemic started. Dudas, who is now a postdoc in Bedfords lab, did his doctorate research under Rambaut.

Analysts like Dudas, Rambaut and Bedford bring to data a good understanding of how evolution works, along with strong critical thinking skills and an ability to spot trends and anomalies.

Andrew is wonderfully curious, Bedford said of Rambaut. The community working on Ebola was really lucky that he was involved in all of this. And Gytis is faster than anyone I can think of. If Andrew or I think of a question and ask Gytis about it, hell have some beautiful figure to show us an hour later.

Next steps: more speed, more data-sharing

Because speed is critical in an outbreak, Bedford wants to make the analysis process even faster, just as new technologies have sped up sequencing.

Wed like basically to make some of the core analyses in this paper, and the animation [that Dudas made of the virus spread] something that can just happen, he said.

To this end, he and a longtime collaborator, Dr. Richard Neher of the University of Basel in Switzerland, have designed a tool called nextstrain to analyze and track genetic mutations during outbreaks. Anyone can download the source-code from GitHub, run genetic-sequencing data for the outbreak they are following through the pipeline and build a web page showing a phylogenetic tree, or genetic history, of the outbreak. The innovation recently won the first-ever international Open Science Prize.

If there is a next [epidemic], and there is faster data-sharing, Bedford said, you can have analyses out the door very quickly.

But the challenge of getting scientists to share data remains. Despite the precedent set by the response to the Ebola epidemic, Bedford and Dudas point out that fewer researchers have shared Zika virus genomes from the more recent crisis in Brazil, Central America and the Caribbean. In part, they said, that may be because the Zika virus is more difficult to sequence than Ebola, making researchers more prone to guard their rare sequences for publication.

The Ebola epidemic began while Dudas was working on his Ph.D., and the data-sharing that ensued impressed the young researcher deeply. My standards for what collaboration is supposed to look like have been set pretty high, he said.

There are still some people who think that genome sequencing is effectively stamp collecting, Dudas continued. You might collect samples, and you might sequence them and look in retrospect at the outbreak. But all the sequencing thats been done leading up to this publication was essentially being done in real time. And each analysis was then used to go back to the field and make decisions. Its a way to understand whats driving an epidemic.

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Financial toxicity is the heart of our work

One big reason to switch to a value-based system is to reduce the financial burden of cancer care.

The financial toxicity of cancer is an American epidemic, said Ramsey, whos published a number of studies on the subject. Data suggests that a third of all cancer patients experience extreme financial distress at some point during treatment, meaning they have to remortgage or sell their house, use up all their savings, borrow money from family or friends or go into bankruptcy. A third.

And the cost of that care is steadily escalating.

By 2020, cancer care in the U.S. is projected to cost nearly $175 billion a year, a 40 percent increase from 2010, and that doesnt even take into account indirect or out-of-pocket expenses. Sadly, patients and their families are bearing more and more of these costs, putting both their finances and their health in jeopardy. Not only are cancer patients far more likely to declare bankruptcy than those without cancer, those who do go bankrupt are nearly 80 percent more likely to die, HICOR studies have found.

Its easy to try to blame one group  pharma or health insurance or providers, said Ramsey. But financial toxicity is much more complex than that and its an issue we have to tackle."

Carla Tardif, CEO of the Boston-based financial assistance nonprofit, Family Reach, said shes thrilled people are finally talking about it.

Were been around for 20 years and much of this has not being talked about or addressed, or it wasnt until Dr. Scott Ramsey entered the scene, said Tardif, a two-time cancer survivor.

Tardif said she regularly talks with patients whove lost jobs, homes, and more after a diagnosis. Some skip treatments in order to put food on the table. Others become homeless.

Im seeing patients like a single mom with ovarian cancer and two young kids, and theyre all sleeping on a park bench in Philly because she lost her job and her home due to cancer, she said.

Part of the problem, she said, is that cancer patients are often ashamed to talk money with their providers or worry their care will be impacted if their doctors know theyre financially strapped. Another problem: providers dont bring it up.

Many say We dont talk to patients about money, our focus is on cancer, she said. But patients need to talk to somebody.

Camins Bretts, a stage 4 endocrine cancer patient, said figuring out which patients are more likely to be hit by high costs is key.

If you think its bad for common cancers like breast or colorectal cancer, try having a really rare one, Bretts said. My personal out-of-pocket costs have increased 400 percent since I was diagnosed. One of the things we need to look at is who is getting the strongest financial hit. This has severely impacted my ability to access care. And I know lots of people like me.
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President Tran Dai Quang and Kyodo News President and Editor-in-Chief Masaki Fukuyama (Source: VNA)



During a reception in Hanoi on April 12th for Kyodo News President and Editor-in-Chief Masaki Fukuyama, President Quang highlighted significant progresses in bilateral political and diplomatic ties over the past 44 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1973.

Expressing support for cooperation plan between the two news agencies, the State leader said as official news agencies of Vietnam and Japan, VNA and Kyodo News should further popularise each countrys culture, business environment and people, contributing to deepening mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples.

At the same time, both sides should continue providing timely, comprehensive and objective coverage of achievements in Vietnam-Japan ties in order to lift the bilateral extensive strategic partnership to a greater height, he said.

On the APEC Year 2017 with nearly 200 meetings and the 25th APEC High-level Week to be held in Da Nang, the host said it enables the two news agencies to coordinate in news coverage to contribute to the success of such events.

He told his guest that Vietnam is refining mechanisms and administrative procedures, improving competitiveness and business climate, and prioritising industrialisation and modernisation, during which, the country is ready to provide all possible support for foreign enterprises, including those from Japan, to do long-term business here.

Amid the alarming trade protectionism trend, Vietnam backs global trade liberalisation, he said, adding that countries need to accelerate the negotiations and signing of bilateral free trade agreements to enhance economic, trade and investment links.

On regional and global issues of shared concern, he said during meetings, Vietnamese and Japanese leaders underscored the need to work closely together at multilateral forums to maintain an environment of peace.

Fukuyama, for his part, briefed the host of the outcomes of collaboration between VNA and Kyodo News over the past years.

He said the Japanese people as well as major corporations, groups and local companies are interested in business opportunities in Vietnam so that Kyodo News holds an important responsibility for presenting a full and accurate coverage of Vietnam, its people, culture and business climate./.
Story Highlights 42% plan to start a business, down from 54% in 2011

12-point drop among nonwhites; little change among whites

Entrepreneurial ambition remains flat nationally

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Entrepreneurial ambition has receded among racial and ethnic minority students in grades five through 12 in the U.S., according to the latest findings from the Gallup-HOPE Index. Though a majority of nonwhite students (54%) said in 2011 that they intended to start their own business, this figure fell to a new low of 42% in 2016.

These results are based on telephone surveys conducted Sept. 12-Nov. 7, 2016, with a nationally representative sample of 1,006 U.S. students in grades five to 12. While yearly fluctuations among nonwhite students may reflect smaller sample sizes among this group, the drop in entrepreneurial ambition between 2011 and 2016 is significant.

Nonwhite students' entrepreneurial ambition once outpaced white students' to a significant degree, but this edge has nearly evaporated. The 12-percentage-point drop since 2011 in the proportion of nonwhite students saying they plan to start a business puts them on par with white students. While nonwhite students have become less likely to have future business plans, white students' intentions have been steady over the past six years, between 37% and 40%.

However, nonwhite students (50%) remain somewhat more likely than white students (40%) to say they want to invent something that will change the world. This has been the case since the index began tracking the issue in 2011.

Less Than Half of U.S. Students Plan to Start a Business, Invent Something

Overall, about four in 10 U.S. students in grades five to 12 express the intent to start a business (41%). They are slightly more likely (45%) to say they will invent "something that changes the world." These figures have been fairly stable since 2011.

Bottom Line

Grooming the next generation of U.S. entrepreneurs is crucial to addressing the country's slowdown in GDP growth. Less than half of U.S. students in grades five to 12 plan to invent something revolutionary, and they are less likely to say they plan to start their own business.

Among minority students -- a group that once exuded entrepreneurial ambition -- intentions of starting a business sagged last year, whereas those among white students remained stable. Nonwhite students remain more likely to have plans of inventing something, which perhaps could draw out their erstwhile entrepreneurial spirit. The country's long-term economic competitiveness depends on maximizing entrepreneurial energy nationwide and addressing the decline in ambition among nonwhite students. Minority entrepreneurs already face unique challenges that, paired with reduced enthusiasm, could have a larger effect on U.S. entrepreneurship potential more broadly.

U.S. schools' approach to business education is critical to boosting entrepreneurial aspirations among students nationally, and the Gallup-HOPE Index highlights some key opportunities, such as internships and youth-run businesses, that are highly underused as a means of teaching business skills.

To learn more about the entrepreneurial aspirations and energy of U.S. students, read "The 2016 Gallup-HOPE Index: Quantifying the Economic Energy of America's Youth."
A group of people attend a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, of Springfield, speaks during a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Easthampton High School student Isabelle Poirier, front, from left, Gus Morales, of Holyoke, and Easthampton High School student Samantha Garcia take part in a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. All spoke during the rally. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Natalie Poirier, right, speaks beside Amy Pybus during a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Former Easthampton School Committee Chair Nancy Sykes, left, speaks beside Natalie Poirier during a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Noreen Nardi, front left, holds a sign during a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High Schools recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

Dana and Neal Salisbury, center, of Easthampton, hold signs during a rally Tuesday at the Easthampton Municipal Building prior to an Easthampton School Committee meeting. The rally was held in the wake of Easthampton High School's recent walkout, when hundreds of students marched and voiced concerns about how school administrators handle racism. GAZETTE STAFF/JERREY ROBERTS

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EASTHAMPTON  In the face of another demonstration that drew about 200 people in advance of a School Committee meeting Tuesday night, school officials defended their actions in dealing with incidents of bullying and harassment at the school and vowed to keep working to improve the culture at Easthampton High School.

We know it is hard work to confront the issues of systemic racism in any community, and we feel up to the task to meet the work with positivity and full engagement, Kevin Burke, EHSs principal, told the School Committee during Tuesdays public comment session.

Over the course of 90 minutes, administrators, students, parents and others spoke about racial and harassment incidents at the school. Others spoke about moving forward, sticking together as a community and creating a positive environment for students.

The issue was brought to light when hundreds of EHS students organized a walkout on March 30, a day after a student who allegedly used a racial slur in an online message was physically assaulted in the school parking lot. Three students were arrested on charges of assault and battery for punching the student who allegedly used the racial slur.

The students were voicing concerns with the administrations alleged indifference to hate.

A week later, at an April 5 School Committee meeting, a group of parents called for the removal of both Burke for failure to act on reports of bullying and harassment and School Resource Officer Alan Schadel for a conflict of interest.

At Tuesdays meeting, Burke said the high school will create a three-year plan aimed to help the school become a more equitable and inclusive environment. The Collaborative for Educational Services in Northampton will develop facilitation questions, surveys and processes used to collect data to develop the plan of action. There will also be multiple forums where students, staff and parents can share their thoughts.

We are dedicated to ensuring that is an opportunity to include more voices in the collaborative community we are building at EHS, and we insist that this opportunity to grow will make us stronger, and will not divide us, Burke said.

Twenty-nine members of the high schools faculty and staff signed a letter of support for Burke, stating that they recognize the issues that must be addressed and that they believe Burke is up for the challenge. Teachers and the principal wore pins at the meeting that said, EHS embraces all #nohatehere.

Hate not new, some say

Many say the issues with racism and hate at the high school are nothing new.

City Councilor Salem Derby, who has children in the Easthampton School District, said he first notified the superintendent and principal on Oct. 8 about an incident at EHS that he found greatly disturbing.

Although he did not elaborate, Derby said as a parent, as a city councilor, I was greatly mortified.

Derby, a physical education teacher at Northampton High School, said he knows what happens in high schools but this was beyond the pale.

There were clear signs that something was wrong, he said.

Months later, Derby heard of another incident, which he said sounded like a threat to the school. He said he notified school officials again as well as the police chief.

In other comments Tuesday, parents and students spoke of incidents at EHS that raised concerns, such as a student teasing another about getting deported.

In a classroom for English language learners and other courses, We the people art posters of diverse women were vandalized. One student was said to have pointed a toy gun at an image of woman wearing an American flag hijab and said Kill the terrorists.

Im very sad, Im angry and Im frusterated with how things have been dealt with. This has been going on for a year and a half, said senior Allison Christopher, 17. To say the least, Im disappointed with the administration.

Isabelle Poirier, 17, another senior, read a statement from one of her classmates who wanted to remain anonymous.

Clearly there is a problem when I am seeing students making anti-Semitic signs in our school without further action to speak about this issue, she read. Clearly there is a problem when a swastika appears on one of the boards in one of my classrooms.

While some students were punished for their actions, Poirier said the administration couldve done more to prevent future incidents.

See the problem isnt lack of punishment, its more so the lack of attention to the deeply rooted issues we face in our school, she read. Had we discussed racism and fully brought light to the issue at our school, these incidents could have been avoided.

Robert Meeropol of the Rosenberg Fund for Children spoke of an incident that happened about eight years ago at a New York high school where there was a series of racial epithets and swastikas were painted on some of the lockers.

The superintendent immediately  with support of the principal  shut down all regular programming at the school, Meeropol said. They acted immediately.

Members of the Easthampton High School Association signed a letter to the school committee stating as a group, we condemn hate speech. We condemn violence we will continue to foster a space in which all students feel safe and secure to focus on learning and on growing as individuals.

Follansbee said We can not change what has happened in the past, but we can learn from those experiences.

Acting school committee chairman Peter Gunn said the committee plans to later delibrate in executive session to discuss concerns raised by parents and students.

Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.
The available council seats are in the city's Third, Fifth, and Ninth districts.
March 13, 1930 - April 7, 2017

Beverly Bacon, resident of Albany and Santa Cruz, California, died peacefully in the company of family on Thursday, April 7, in Albany at the Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House.

Born in Glendive, Montana, she was the second of five children born to Amy and Neal Bidleman. Bev graduated from high school in Auburn, Washington, and attended the University of Washington. She became a stewardess for Pacific Northern Airlines and flew in DC3s and DC4s from Seattle to Alaska in the early 50s. On one such trip, she met her husband, the late Richard Dick Bacon. They were married in 1954. Their first two children, David and Alice, were born in Anchorage, Alaska, before it became a state. Upon returning to the lower 48, they had three more children, Louis born in Bremerton, Washington, Paul born in Gallup, New Mexico, and Ralph born in Winslow, Arizona.

Bev was predeceased by her parents, Neal Harry Bidleman and Amy Moriarty Bidleman; sister Doris Fletcher; and half-sisters Mary Duffy and Betty Peterson.

She is survived by three of her loving siblings, Fritzi Jacobson, David and Richard Bidleman. Bev enjoyed a rich family life that included helping raise her two grandsons, Michael and Ryan, as well as being the matriarch of the family that included 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Beverly was always devoted to family and always took the time to tell us all, You know what you ought to do. She made the best chocolate cake on the planet and spoiled the family with her grandma cake to the point where nothing else was acceptable; she even made grandma cake for a grandsons wedding cake. Bev loved to shop and never missed a chance to give a gift to one of her beloved family members. Some of us received gifts from her after her death!

Bevs family will have a memorial at her daughter Alice Bacon-Trues house to honor her life from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday April 15, at 34627 Knox Butte Road., Albany.

Please consider donating to the Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House in care of Fisher Funeral Home, 306 Washington St. S.W., Albany, OR 97321.

Online condolences for the family may be posted at www.fisherfuneralhome.com.
The fighting already has started over the possibility of a new tax on Oregon businesses: A new group that calls itself Priority Oregon recently released a series of ads blasting a potential legislative proposal to impose a new type of tax on the state's corporations.

If this seems to you premature, considering that no one (with the possible exception of a small group of legislators) knows exactly what shape that proposed tax might take, you're right.

But that hasn't stopped the group from launching the ad, titled "It's Really Just a Sales Tax." Echoing an argument that we heard during the bruising fight over Measure 97 last November, the new ad argues that businesses able to do so likely would just pass along any additional tax to consumers. Of course, this is true of any tax imposed on businesses, but let's not go there just yet.

This notion of putting pressure on lawmakers while they're in session isn't new, by any stretch: You see the same technique used frequently whenever the U.S. Congress is considering controversial legislation. It's a little more unusual to see an ad campaign targeted at state lawmakers, but you can be sure this won't be the last such effort.

Sen. Mark Hass, the Beaverton Democrat who heads the Senate Revenue Committee, is leading a bipartisan work group of legislators working on business tax reform. He told The Oregonian recently that the group is leaning toward some sort of gross receipts tax, but at a much lower rate than Measure 97 proposed: Hass told the newspaper that the group is eyeing a tax rate somewhere between 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent of a business's Oregon sales. The new tax would replace the state's existing corporate income taxes.

As part of his effort, Hass said, he's been reaching out to Oregon business groups  a tough task in light of the fight over Measure 97, but the talks have been somewhat encouraging, the senator told the newspaper.

This talk about taxes is part of a delicate balancing act facing this session of the Legislature: Although Republicans and business groups were fiercely opposed to Measure 97, they have suggested that they might be open to considering other possible taxes, and legislators are keenly interested in finding ways to plug the state's estimated $1.6 billion budget shortfall.

Republicans have some leverage here, even though they're a minority in the Legislature, because any tax increase requires a three-fifths majority. Republicans have said that they're willing to talk about taxes, but only if the Legislature makes progress on public pension reform and a transportation package to help pay for needed work to the state's roads and bridges. And no one thinks that we'll be able to fill that $1.6 billion with additional revenue, so the state's budget will have to include some cost cuts as well.

It's still early in the session for all of these critical issues, but legislators are working on a variety of proposals for pension reform. And we expect to see the outline of a transportation package emerge in Salem in the next few days.

So we can understand why Hass seemed a little irked at the emergence of Priority Oregon's ad campaign: He told The Oregonian that the ads are threatening his ability to reach some sort of compromise on the tax issue.

It's probably true that the ad campaign isn't helping matters much, but it probably isn't going to single-handedly stop any deal: There are all sorts of ways this could run off the rails. But people waiting to take a shot at it would be well advised to wait until they have a clearer view of the target. (mm)
Five days after Oregon Department of Transportation officials filled two 20-yard dumpsters with trash left from abandoned homeless camps, two new camps appeared beneath the Fourth Street Bridge Tuesday.

In late March, ODOT officials posted notices on about five to 10 campsites underneath the bridge along the north side of the Marys River. They returned Thursday with the Corvallis Police Department and an inmate crew to haul out the trash left behind.

Its not the first time ODOT crews have coordinated a cleanup under the bridge, and the return of the new camps was another sign that it won't be the last.

This is an area that weve been cleaning up regularly, said Angela Beers Seydel, an ODOT public information officer. "Our crews say they have seen more people in that specific area but the camps in Corvallis in general have been pretty steady all winter long.

Beers Seydel said ODOT officials have cleaned up several other camps under and around major bridges this year. Earlier this month, they posted and cleaned up camps under the Highway 34 bypass. And over the weekend, they posted notices at several new camps under other area bridges.

I really think its every month theyre cleaning up new campsites, Beers Seydel said, adding that crews have not seen any increase in the number of campsites with the closing of the cold weather shelters on March 31. The impression were getting is that everyone else is also coming outside now that its warmer and thats why theyre seeing (the camps) more.

For each cleanup, ODOT officials post 10-day notices alerting those in the area that camping is illegal. Then, 10 days later, officials return with local law enforcement to cite anyone still camping, and a cleanup crew to haul out the trash.

ODOT maintains jurisdiction under and around several major bridges and has intergovernmental agreements with the city of Corvallis and Benton County. But Beers Seydel said campers often take advantage of jurisdictional lines by moving off of ODOT property temporarily before returning weeks, or sometimes days, later.

We know folks will just move from area to area," she said. And it may be the same people that were cleaning up after every time.

But this year ODOT officials are using what they hope is a more effective deterrent: limited access fencing in areas underneath several bridges. Officials began installing fencing earlier this month on the Third Street Bridge over the Marys River, on the onramp to the eastbound Highway 34 Bypass, and the Marys River bike path bridge.

The fencing is placed for the safety of the people and the bridge itself, and the access is limited to ODOT staff working on the bridge, Beers Seydel said. With a few other projects going, and weather issues, we expect to be done by June.

Beers Seydel said that while crews monitor the area for camping, several cleanup projects are often driven by citizen requests.

Our crew wont be surprised if they end up placing the limited access fencing at other bridges in the area, she said.

While no fencing is planned for the area beneath the Fourth Street Bridge, several local residents are hoping to raise awareness of the increase in campsites and trash along the Marys River, under bridges and on the bike path.

Paul Cauthorn, who regularly walks along the bike path and previously helped organize citizen cleanups in the area, said he was surprised to see the amount of trash built up along the Fourth Street Bridge before ODOT's cleanup.

A couple of years ago we did a cleanup here and it was a fraction of this, he said. This is a totally different scale.

Cauthorn said he was encouraged to see the area under the bridge following the cleanup, but hopes people won't consider the matter solved.

I hope they continue to maintain it, he said. I think if we organized more walks and had a wider variety of people go down there and actually see it, it would help a lot. Because you see it build up like that and its just shocking.

Erica Heath said she joined Cauthorn and several other residents in a walk from McKinley Skate Park through Pioneer Park because she was afraid to walk along the path alone.

I hung out down here as a teen, Heath said. Ill go to every park in Corvallis now except this one.

Heath said she also wonders whether the fencing along the bridges is sufficient to solve the problem.

Theyre still going to have to enforce it, she said. Its going to get torn up with bolt cutters and theyll go in anyway. So then theyre going to have to be down here repairing it too.

Sheri Nasby said she was also afraid to walk the path alone.

Im a fourth-generation Corvallis native and Im concerned about my town, she said. There are services and public assistance for people choosing to get the help. So its not that we dont want people to be able to get those services, but there is drug use and thievery and a criminal element to this; weve seen a lot of stolen bikes. It just seems like there are no consequences to it. And when theres no consequences, theres no stopping it.

Mike Wells, whos lived in Corvallis for more than 50 years, said hes also seen an increase in campsites downtown. There are people who have been here for years but there is also this new scarier element of people coming into town, Wells said. Ive been here a long time and Ive never seen it like this.

Lewisburgs Elizabeth Campbell said shes made regular visits to walk through Corvallis parks for the last 45 years, but she was surprised at the number of homeless camps she saw during her walk last week.

I have never seen it like this, she said. This is definitely the worst Ive ever seen down here.

Beers Seydel said ODOT officials appreciated that local residents were leading the effort to increase awareness of camping in the area.

Were dealing with it across the country, much less across Oregon. Its a societal issue that were all going to have to come to terms with, Beers Seydel said. Different communities are trying to tackle it in different ways but theyre also asking the same question: What do we want to do as a group to help these folks and find some solutions? Its a good question, but its not an easy one to answer.
The annual Pastors for Peace fundraising dinner is set for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 19, at the First United Methodist Church, 1165 N.W. Monroe Ave.

Pastors of Peace staff member and seminary student Manolo De Los Santos is the guest speaker. There is no charge for the dinner, but donations will be accepted for Pastors of Peace, which will be conducted its annual caravan to Cuba in July.

Corvallis residents have participated in the tour since 1992. This years tour, which will travel to Cuba from Mexico City, will visit the Cuban cities of Santa Clara, Guantanamo and Santiago. The caravan delivers medical and educational supplies to Cuban groups and participates in other projects.

For information on the dinner contact Mike Beilstein at 541-602-1007 or mikebeilstein@yahoo.com
The Individuals Deposit Guarantee Fund has started searching for authorized persons interested in participating in the removal of insolvent Finbank (Odesa) from the market, the fund has reported on its website.

Preliminarily the authorized persons would have the following ways to remove the bank from the market: liquidation of the bank, selling its assets and liabilities to the accepting bank; the creation of a transition bank and its transfer to the investor with assets and liabilities and further liquidation of the insolvent bank; and the sale of the insolvent bank.

The fund synchronously is holding a tender to select the accepting bank if the fund's top managers decide that the removal of Finbank via its liquidation and refunding of deposits is expensive.

Bids can be submitted until April 27, 2017. The fund will study the bids before May 4, 2017. The terms could be expanded.

The authorized persons are to submit the guarantee fee of UAH 20-40 million depending on the way of removing the bank from the market before April 27, 2017.

The funds that can be refunded by the fund totaled UAH 3.1 million as of April 1, 2017.

The fund said that 99% of all depositors of the bank will receive their deposits in full amount, as their size does not exceed the sum guaranteed by the Deposit Guarantee Fund (UAH 200,000).

As reported, the NBU on April 7, 2017 declared Finbank insolvent.

The National Bank noted that following the results of examination of Finbank, held on April 1, 2016, the NBU board in October 2016 approved the necessary amount of capitalization for the financial institution. Finbank, in turn, submitted a program of capitalization to the regulator. However, as of April 1, 2017 these measures had not been implemented.

In addition, Finbank has not submitted a plan of measures in due time to bring the bank's activity in line with the requirements of the legislation and NBU regulations on transactions with related entities.

According to the NBU, the majority shareholder in the bank is Ukrainian businessman Oleksandr Hranovsky (79.66%).
Public joint-stock company State Food-Grain Corporation plans to send UAH 138 million to modernization of enterprises in 2017, the corporation's press service has reported.

"This year the capital investment plan includes the implementation of new projects on reconstruction and technical re-equipment and the completion of modernization projects started last year," Deputy Board Chairman Andriy Zadyraka said.

The corporation plans to upgrade grain drying equipment, modernize or partially buy truck and wagon scales, truck unloading equipment, grain processing equipment and upgrade technological equipment at processing branches. Some funds will be sent to automation of industrial processes.

"We are trying to quickly react to the needs of our branches in technical re-equipment and increase of competitiveness. For comparison: if in 2015 total capital investment was UAH 18 million, in 2016 over UAH 116 million was sent to modernization of enterprises," Zadyraka said.

The government in August 2010 decided to create the State Food and Grain Corporation of Ukraine. The corporation has a chain of branches, comprised of grain storage facilities, flourmills, fodder factories and a cereals factory. The 53 subdivisions of the corporation can store a total of 3.75 million tonnes of grain, which includes the grain handling capacities of Odesa and Mykolaiv ports of some 2.75 million tonnes of grain cargo per year.
The Metinvest mining and metal group has warned individuals and legal entities that are both residents and nonresidents of Ukraine against the illegal use of its property remaining at the enterprises in the non-controlled territory (NCT) that were taken over by representatives of so-called 'Donetsk Peoples Republic' (DPR) and 'Luhansk Peoples Republic' (LPR).

The company said in a statement spread on Tuesday that the warning applies both to the use of products of Metinvests entities and supply of metallurgical raw materials to these enterprises.

Metinvest informed the appropriate government agencies and law enforcement authorities about the takeover of its enterprises immediately after losing control over its entities in the NCT. The information gave rise to the commencement of criminal proceedings and ongoing investigations.

The list of agencies, to which letters were circulated, includes regional agencies of the National Police of Ukraine, Prosecutors Office, Security Service of Ukraine, Headquarters of the Anti-Terrorist Center of Ukraines Security Service, State Labor Service, State Service for Geology and Mineral Resources of Ukraine, State Fiscal Service of Ukraine and many other ministries and agencies, Metinvest said.

Sanctions in the form of blocking the entities and a ban on doing business (by placing to so-called 'blacklists') were imposed against so-called 'DPR' and 'LPR' and their activists by the United States, EU, Britain, Switzerland, Australia and other states. Cooperation with the unrecognized states and their related/controlled entities or enterprises constitutes a breach of international economic sanctions. Companies, which cooperate with the blacklisted entities, may become exposed to penalties and sanctions in the form of asset freeze and a ban on doing business, and their officials may be subject to criminal liability.

"Metinvest Group keeps a close watch on its property that was taken over in the NCT. Should it reveal any evidence of third parties' intent to take advantage of its property in Ukraine or any other country as well as facts evidencing the use of such property and products of the enterprises in the NCT for whatever purpose, Metinvest Group will enforce its response action plan involving legal actions and respective communications," the group said in the statement.

"I would especially warn against attempts to use property in the NCT by entities of the Russian Federation. This refers both to products and to equipment being taken out from the plants, as well as deliveries of raw materials to them. Any of the aforementioned acts constitutes smuggling. Should such illegal acts be revealed, offenders (companies and their management) will be subject to the commencement of criminal proceedings pursuant to the legislation of Ukraine, the Russian Federation and international law, stock exchanges, on which their shares are listed will initiate sanctions, the international financial community will impose restrictions against them," Metinvest CEO Yuriy Ryzhenkov said.
Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021.
An opportunity for foodies and beer lovers to get lost in a world of food and drink from a hand-selected range of food trucks and breweries from around New Zealand.
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.
Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers at a meeting on Wednesday extended the state of emergency in the electricity market for one more month.

"This is about the temporary measures on the electricity market. Does anyone have objections? Let's continue, the decision is approved," Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said.

As reported, emergency measures in the energy sector, stipulated in government resolution No. 103-r of February 15, came into effect on February 17 because of the blockade by activists with the support of a number of people's deputies of deliveries of goods from the ATO zone, in particular, anthracite coal, which is used by half of thermal power plants in the country.

During the period of emergency measures, Ukrenergo is obliged to determine the permissible level of reducing the reserve of power generating capacities, establish requirements for thermal power plants equipment, if necessary and in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry to apply rolling blackouts.

Energomarket state-run enterprise is to draw up schedules for loading the power grid, taking into account the needs of Ukrenergo, provide for sending payments for electricity to its generators at the upper price in the system.

Energoatom is obliged to provide for partial unloading of some reactors of nuclear power plants (NPPs) on weekends and holidays if it is required.
Commercial banks in Zimbabwe will soon be compelled to accept livestock such as cattle, goats and sheep as collateral for cash loans to informal businesses under a new law presented to parliament Tuesday.

Under the Movable Property Security Interests Bill tabled for debate by Finance and Economic Development Minister Patrick Chinamasa in the House of Assembly, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will compile and administer a collateral-security register in which small-business operators and individuals can register their movable assets as security for credit.Vehicles, television sets, refrigerators, computers and other household appliances will become acceptable as collateral once they are evaluated and registered in the central banks register, according to Chinamasa.

Quote

As minister in charge of financial institutions, I feel there is need for a change of attitude by our banks to reflect of our economic realities,

he said.Banks are

Quote

stuck in the old ways of doing things and failing to respond to the needs of our highly informalized economy.
The @ symbol  Things that are surprisingly older in the internet world Features oi -Shilpa History of commonly used sign '@'

There used to be the days where the internet was rarely used by the user and surprisingly only by few. Now, that's not the case in 2017. People google each and everything including how to sleep. With the advancement in internet technology, few old pieces of stuff which were used online long before is about to become obsolete.

"@" is one among such things. Other than using it in mail, people don't seem to use it anywhere else. Spelled as "at", it is commonly called as 'at sign', 'at symbol' or 'commercial at'. Though you see this symbol in emails nowadays, the main reason behind the innovation of this sign is not the same. It was originally used for accounting purpose with the meaning 'at a rate of'.

After its wide utilization in email addresses, even the computer and smartphone keyboards started including this symbol on them for easy access. Although we are aware of its usage only on emails and smileys, its existence is dated back to at least 500 years old.

Some even argue that this symbol dates back to 6th or 7th centuries where people from Latin adapted this sign from the Latin word ad which means at, to or toward. There are various other linguists who argue that this sign appeared sometime in the 18th century and used by merchants to indicate the price per unit like 2 fish @ 7 pence.

There is also an evidence of first documented usage of it in a letter by Francesco Lapi, a Florentine merchant in 1536, who used the symbol @ to show the units of wine called amphorae. Its origin itself looks mysterious.

Understanding Kernel in layman's terms

As we go deeper in search of its history, there comes another interesting thing. The symbol which we are using now in our mail has got different meaning in different countries. Especially they are associated with animal names.

In South African language Afrikaans, this sign is called aapstert which means monkey's tail. In Greece, it is called as papaki, meaning 'little duck'. Whereas, in Italian, the symbol is called as chiocciola which means 'snail'. There are still many countries which use this sign for a completely different purpose.

How to manage and protect content on Android?

Later comes the story of an email address. In 1971, a computer scientist named Ray Tomlinson was searching for a symbol on his Model 33 teletype to separate individual's name from computer name. When he came across @ sign located above 'P' on his teletype model, he felt this is the right symbol because of its less usage in other areas.

@ was also inducted into the lasting collection of the Museum of Modern Art, which says the modern usage of this symbol as an example of "elegance, economy, intellectual transparency, and a sense of the possible future directions that are embedded in the arts of our time."

Best Mobiles in India

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Galaxy S8 expected to receive Android 7.1 shortly News oi -Chandrika It's almost time for your Samsung phone to get the Android 7.1

While a number of Samsung devices are getting the Android 7.0 Nougat update, they are not running the latest version of Android. The reason behind this is that Samsung's Nougat builds are based on Android 7.0. Most of the times, Samsung gives software updates to its devices by changing the version number. However, lack of support for the Google Day dream VR shows that the Galaxy S8 is yet to get the Android 7.1.

But according to the APK Mirror website, Samsung finally plans to release the Android 7.1 to its devices starting with the Galaxy S8. The latest version of Samsung's S Health and Game Tuner apps now reportedly support Android 7.1, which is seen for the first time on any of the company's apps. Game Tuner's changelog for the latest version is also showing that the Galaxy S8 and S8+ will now support it.

Samsung Galaxy S8's Bixby Assistant to expand Functionality and Language Support in Q4

This could mean only one thing, Samsung's recently launched flagship phones will receive the Android 7.1 version any day now.

It is expected that the update will start hitting the devices as soon as they become available for sale, though we can't say anything for sure at this moment.

It is also unclear if the older Samsung devices will get Android 7.1 in near future. The company has not disclosed whether it will be pulling in features from Android 7.1.1 into the 7.1 build.

Nonetheless, the company should let us know about more details in the next few days. As of now, it is confirmed that the update will begin to roll out to devices shortly.

Best Mobiles in India
Google Pixel series smartphones get Wi-Fi calling on Reliance Jio Networks News oi -Samden Sherpa In addition to the VoLTE calling technology, Google Pixel smartphones are now getting Wi-Fi calling feature as well.

It was in December last year that Google rolled out Android7.1.1 Nougat update for its Pixel devices. The update also brought VoLTE calling technology currently provided by Reliance Jio.

While this seemed like a very useful feature, Google has just announced that next software update that it will be releasing soon will add support for Wi-Fi calling on the Pixel devices as well. According to Google India's twitter post, the company has confirmed that the feature will be available for Pixel device owners who are on Reliance Jio network. This will be the first time the feature is coming to India.

Google offers 0 million investment to LG display for bendable OLED

Google's Wi-Fi calling feature will presumably be coming with Android 7.1.2 Nougat version. However, apart from this feature, the update should also bring bug fixes and performance improvements along with it. Notably, the Wi-Fi calling feature is coming to Pixel smartphones, but Google hasn't shared information on whether Wi-Fi feature will be made available for Nexus smartphones.

Now say hi over wi-fi. VoLTE and WiFi calling, now available to Pixel on Jio. Watch out for the next Nougat update. pic.twitter.com/C80XFKM9g4  Google India (@GoogleIndia) April 10, 2017

Moreover, Reliance Jio is also yet to make a statement regarding this. While the telecom service provider has not mentioned any developments we have to wait till the company makes it official. Then we will also have an idea of how the whole thing works.

Google Home to soon offer multi-user access and notification support

Besides, it is worth mentioning that apart from Google Pixel and Pixel XL, the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge also feature Wi-Fi calling capabilities.Unfortunately, the feature is yet to be enabled by telecom service providers.

But, in any case, now that Reliance Jio is putting an effort to bring in this new service, the Wi-Fi calling feature could be rolled out to other smartphones in the coming days.

Best Mobiles in India
Airtel appeals ASCI to review 'fastest network' ad campaign News oi -Priyanka Jio has also sent a legal notice to Ookla, the broadband testing and network diagnostic application that has rated Airtel as India's fastest mobile network

India's largest telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has filed an appeal in Advertising Standard Council of India to review its decision that sought modification or withdrawal of the company's 'fastest network' advertisement campaign.

"Airtel has filed an appeal before ASCI for the review of the decision with additional material to support the company's advertisement campaign. The company will abide by all guidelines," a company source told PTI.

The telco has recently aired commercial in which the company claims to be India's fastest network based on Ookla's finding.

However, ASCI found the ad as misleading and asked the company to modify or withdraw the commercial by April 11.

Vodafone offers 4GB data on 4G upgrade

The advertising industry watchdog said the complaint against Airtel was considered by the Fast Track Complaints Committee (FTCC) at a meeting held on March 29. Adding that, "we have advised the advertiser to modify appropriately or to withdraw the said TVC (television commercial) and the website advertisement by April 11, 2017."

To recall, the whole issue actually started when Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio filed a complaint against Airtel and Ookla in Advertising Standards Council of India for claiming that it is the fastest network.

Jio has also sent a legal notice to Ookla, the broadband testing and network diagnostic application that has rated Airtel as India's fastest mobile network.

Best Mobiles in India

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Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers, under a proposal of the Finance Ministry, has approved the attraction of an external advisor who will advise the ministry in upgrade of the strategy for reforming state-owned banks.

The decision was made by the government on Wednesday.

"Implementing clause 13 of the memorandum [signed by Ukraine and the International Monetary Fund, IMF] where it is necessary to update the strategy for reforming the banking sector in light of the nationalization of PrivatBank (Dnipro), an external advisor should be attracted. The funds were not foreseen for this in the national budget 2017, as the bank was nationalized after the adoption of the budget. We appeal to approve the proposal of the Finance Ministry," Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk said at the government meeting.

As reported, under the memorandum, the Finance Ministry in consultation with IMF staff will prepare amendments to the strategy in light of the nationalization of PrivatBank, which is to be approved by the government by end-April 2017.

Under the memorandum, in consultation with IMF staff, in March 2017 we will submit to the Verkhovna Rada the draft law on state-owned banks that facilitates the adoption of the new corporate governance approach and expect this law to be adopted by end-March 2017. By end-June 2017, the Financial Policy Department of the Finance Ministry, in consultation with IMF staff, will establish memoranda of understanding with all state-owned banks in order to inter alia define a relationship framework between the Finance Ministry and each bank, and safeguard each bank's commercial independence in achieving its objectives. The supervisory board of each of the state-owned banks will be selected in line with the Principles of State Banking Sector Strategic Reforms, which inter alia requires the candidates to be proposed by a reputable international recruitment firm.

According to the document, the government will refrain from making operational the recently created Export Credit Agency until all related cost and capital needs for the next three years are clearly identified, on the basis of an independent assessment, and included in the national budget.
India Warns Pakistan Spy Case Could Impact Ties

By Anjana Pasricha April 11, 2017

India has warned Pakistan to consider the consequences on bilateral relations if a death sentence handed to a former naval officer by a Pakistani military court is carried out and said it will do "whatever it takes" to ensure justice for him.

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj spoke in the upper house of parliament Tuesday after lawmakers demanded justice for Kulbhusan Jadhav, an Indian national who has been found guilty of espionage and sabotage in Pakistan, but who New Delhi maintains is innocent.

Calling the verdict against Jadhav "indefensible," Swaraj said he had been sentenced on "concocted charges. I repeat, on concocted charges."

The Indian foreign minister also said, "If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistan's well known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism."

"I would caution the Pakistani government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," she said.

The Pakistan government Tuesday defended the death sentences awarded to Jadhav, however, and dismissed assertions that if he is executed India will regard it as a "premeditated murder."

"We have followed all the rules and regulations and laws of the land," Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the parliament while delivering a policy statement on the issue.

Asif reiterated that the condemned Indian naval officer was operating a terrorism network in Pakistan at the behest of Indian state and anyone involved in such activities to destabilize the country will meet the same fate.

The minister explained that Jadhave has 60 days to challenge the verdict in a appellate military court before filing mercy petitions to the army chief and president of Pakistan respectively.

Both countries have given conflicting accounts of how the Indian national came into the custody of Pakistani authorities.

India has maintained since Jadhav's arrest that he was kidnapped in Iran, where he was doing business and taken to Pakistan.

Minister Swaraj said that since Islamabad repeatedly turned down consular access to him, "the exact circumstances are unclear."

Arrest, confession

Islamabad has said Jadhav was arrested in March of last year in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province, alleging he had been tasked by India's foreign intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing, "to plan, coordinate and organize espionage-sabotage activities aiming to destabilize and wage war against Pakistan."

After Jadhav's arrest, Islamabad released a confessional video in which he was shown admitting his involvement in spying. India has questioned the alleged confession, saying it was extracted under duress.

Calling him India's son, Swaraj said New Delhi will bring him back at any cost.

Premeditated murder

She reiterated in parliament what India told the Pakistani high commissioner soon after the sentence was announced on Monday  that if carried out, the sentence will be tantamount to an act of premeditated murder.

The latest spat between the nuclear-armed neighbors has fueled tensions that have been running high since an attack by armed militants on an Indian army camp in September of last year. New Delhi also accuses Pakistani-based militant groups for a surge of violence in Indian Kashmir, which has witnessed violent protests.

Indian officials told media that they have put on hold the release of a dozen Pakistani prisoners who were to be repatriated this week, apparently in retaliation for the death sentence handed down to Jadhav.

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Inherent Resolve Strikes Target ISIS in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 11, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, conducting 31 strikes consisting of 99 engagements against ISIS targets yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

U.S. Central Command continues to work with partner nations to conduct targeted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria as part of the comprehensive strategy to degrade and defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS.

Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 19 strikes consisting of 26 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Abu Kamal, a strike damaged two ISIS wellheads.

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, three strikes destroyed one ISIS wellhead and damaged a second.

-- Near Raqqa, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- Near Tabqah, 12 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed four vehicles, three fighting positions, a vehicle-borne bomb and a tactical vehicle.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes consisting of 73 engagements against ISIS targets, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government:

-- Near Beiji, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit, destroyed an ISIS staging area and an ISIS fuel truck and damaged a vehicle.

-- Near Mosul, six strikes engaged five ISIS tactical units; destroyed a fighting position, a supply cache, a rocket-propelled grenade system, an anti-air artillery system and a vehicle-borne bomb; damaged a fighting position; and suppressed an ISIS tactical unit and a mortar team.

-- Near Qayyarah, three strikes engaged three ISIS tactical units and destroyed two vehicles.

-- Near Rawah, a strike destroyed an ISIS tactical vehicle and destroyed an anti-air artillery system.

-- Near Tal Afar, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed three bunkers and a vehicle.

Part of Operation Inherent Resolve

These strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to destroy ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The destruction of ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria also further limits the group's ability to project terror and conduct external operations throughout the region and the rest of the world, task force officials said.

The list above contains all strikes conducted by fighter, attack, bomber, rotary-wing or remotely piloted aircraft; rocket-propelled artillery; and some ground-based tactical artillery when fired on planned targets, officials noted.

Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike, they added. A strike, as defined by the coalition, refers to one or more kinetic engagements that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single or cumulative effect. For example, task force officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIS vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against a group of ISIS-held buildings and weapon systems in a compound, having the cumulative effect of making that facility harder or impossible to use. Strike assessments are based on initial reports and may be refined, officials said.

The task force does not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target.

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Taiwan reaffirms sovereignty over South China Sea islands

ROC Central News Agency

2017/04/11 15:58:20

Taipei, April 11 (CNA) The Republic of China (Taiwan) government has reaffirmed its sovereignty over the South China Sea's islands and vowed to protest any move threatening that sovereignty in response to a plan by the Philippines to occupy uninhabited islands in the region.

The South China Sea islands are part of the ROC's territory, and it is indisputable that the ROC enjoys rights to these islands and their surrounding waters based on international and maritime law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Eleanor Wang () said at a regular news briefing.

She urged all parties to refrain from any unilateral action that would escalate tensions in the region and said the ROC would protest and call for an immediate end to any move that could undermine ROC sovereignty over the South China Sea islands.

Wang was responding to reports that Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered Philippine troops to occupy uninhabited islands and shoals his country claims in the disputed South China Sea to assert its claims over the islands.

He also plans to visit Thitu Island in the Spratlys on Philippine Independence Day on June 12, the reports said.

Reaffirming Taiwan's stance on South China Sea disputes, Wang called on all parties concerned to engage in a multilateral negotiation mechanism, based on a principle of shelving disputes and seeking joint development of resources.

As a member in the South China Sea, Taiwan should be included in the multilateral mechanism that seeks to address disputes in the region, Wang said.

Taiwan is also willing to engage in dialogue with other countries on an equal footing, to jointly seek to promote peace and stability and maintain freedom of navigation and overflight in the region, she added.

Six countries -- Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei -- claim all or part of the South China Sea, which is said to be rich in resources.

(By Scarlett Chai and Elaine Hou)

ENDITEM/ls

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U.S. Department of Defense

Press Operations

News Transcript

Presenter: Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis; General Joseph L. Votel, commander, U.S. Central Command April 11, 2017

Press Conference by Secretary Mattis and Gen. Votel in the Pentagon Briefing Room

STAFF: Good afternoon, everyone. For for today's briefing, we're joined by Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and General Joseph Votel, commander of U.S. Central Command in Tampa, Florida.

We will start with a few opening remarks, then proceed directly to your questions. We're planning to go for around 30 minutes.

With that, Mr. Secretary.

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE JIM MATTIS: Well, thank you, Steve. We're on right now?

STAFF: Yes, sir.

SEC. MATTIS: OK. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I previously released a statement on the U.S. military's response to the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons. I thought this was an appropriate time now for General Votel and me to update you on the military action itself.

Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself.

In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies.

The National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful. Based on these considerations, on 6 April, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons.

This military action demonstrates the United States will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed.

We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack.

Our military policy in Syria has not changed. Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the United States homeland.

In closing, the Syrian regime should think long and hard before it again acts so recklessly in violation of international law against the use of chemical weapons.

General Votel will now provide further information on the strike.

GENERAL JOSEPH L. VOTEL: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

As Secretary Mattis stated, the United States Central Command was directed to develop military options in response to the Syrian regime's use of chemical weapons. We did that and developed a target- strike package, with the goal being to eliminate those capabilities, including airframes, equipment and fuel supplies, that provided offensive military capacity for the regime from Shayrat airfield. We did not deliberately target personnel in these strikes.

Once the order was received, we targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those. We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded.

We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessary.

Meanwhile, we are focused on the defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission.

In closing, I want to commend the exceptional skill and professionalism of our military forces involved in this strike operation. They performed extraordinarily well and we are very, very proud of them.

SEC. MATTIS: Well thank you, General Votel. We can take your questions now.

Bob, let's start with yours.

Q: Secretary Mattis, thank you.

You mentioned that defeating ISIS in Syria is your main priority, but in light of the chemical attack, is it your view that the U.S. should take some additional steps, such as creating safe zones or no- fly zones or even attempting to or removing Bashar Al-Assad from power?

And if I can ask General Votel if he could bring us up to date on the prospects for sending additional troops to Syria to accelerate the campaign there?

SEC. MATTIS: Bob, the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused on accomplishing that, is breaking ISIS, destroying ISIS in Syria. This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation.

Q: You don't see a point of doing safe zones or no-fly zones?

SEC. MATTIS: Those other issues that you bring up are always under consideration among allies, and certainly the president has options, but right now the purpose of this attack was singular, against the chemical weapons use.

GEN. VOTEL: Bob, I would just for the question directed to me, I would just say, I'm not going to particularly comment on anything we might do in the future here. Obviously, we remain engaged with the department here and on the way forward, and so -- we'll -- we'll let the leadership make those decisions here and then we'll act accordingly.

SEC. MATTIS: Barbara?

Q: It's for both of you gentlemen.

Mr. Secretary, you said I believe that Assad should think long and hard about doing this again. That seems like you are sending him a very direct military message. What message are you sending to Assad about this? Do you feel -- why do feel -- what message are you sending?

Why do you feel he chose to do this not until the Trump administration took office? Did he read the signals from administration officials that ISIS was no longer the top priority? While ISIS might be the priority, regime change was not. Do you feel that that's the signal he got, and are you sending him a new signal?

And for you, General Votel, although you don't talk about future military operations and ISIS remains a priority, how prepared are you, how prepared is Central Command to take on additional military targeting? Do you feel you know, even if you can't say where the chemical weapons are at this point?

SEC. MATTIS: Barbara, we believe that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925. Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again.

I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score.

GEN. VOTEL: I would just say that as a Central Command commander, I'm very confident that we can respond to any directions or orders that the secretary or the president give us in the region.

Q: Do you know where his chemical weapons are?

GEN. VOTEL: Again, I'm not going to speculate on what we know or don't know here but again I remain very confident in our forces and our ability to respond when we're asked to do things.

Q: First to General Votel. Could you just bring us up to date about what measures you're taking in this kind of new, more tense environment to ensure protection of U.S. forces on the ground in Syria? And General -- Secretary Mattis, could you please let us know, how is what you're doing militarily in Syria fit into a broader strategy being developed by this administration?

How does the strike and the positioning of U.S. forces -- U.S.- backed forces on the ground help in a broader strategic sense?

SEC. MATTIS: Well, Phil, the broader strategy as you know is embedded inside a global strategy. And overall right now the Americans are making very clear that ISIS is in our crosshairs and that's what our conduct of the campaign in Syria is designed to take on, is take on ISIS and defeat them. This other effort that came up in the midst of that had to be addressed because it addresses a vital national interest of ours that chemical weapons not be used, that the bar not keep getting lowered by the Assad regime so this becomes commonplace.

We had to make a very, very clear statement on this.

GEN. VOTEL: I would just add that force protection of course is something we always pay attention to and as the environment always changes, we have to change with that so we're paying a lot of -- we continue to pay a lot of attention to that. As we execute this operation, I think we took very prudent measures to make sure that we -- our forces -- all of our coalition forces that were operating with us are -- were well-protected, were well aware of what was going on and we had prudent measures in place.

And what we have done is we've entrusted our commanders on the ground to, you know, with the authority and the decision-making capability to resume operations as they -- as they assess the environment and so I remain very confident in their ability to do that.

Q: (Inaudible) -- anything additional you can specify that you've done differently?

GEN. VOTEL: No, I don't think we've done anything differently that we haven't previously done in the past.

SEC. MATTIS: Jennifer?

Q: There have been mixed messages from the administration about whether you're calling for regime change in Syria. Are you prepared if -- are you calling for Assad to step aside, and are you prepared militarily if he were to step aside tomorrow?

General Votel, have you seen any evidence that the Iranians were involved in this chemical attack, Qasem Soleimani in particular? And any evidence that Assad is moving his chemical stockpiles around within Syria?

SEC. MATTIS: Jennifer, the strike that we're talking about here today was directed at the people who planned it, who held onto the weapons contrary to what they had promised the international community and United Nations when they said that they had gotten rid of all those weapons. And the reason for the strike was that alone. It was not a harbinger of some change in our military campaign.

GEN. VOTEL: I'm unaware that -- of any information regarding Iran's participation in this and I -- I think we've seen some information that the regime has moved some aircraft and other things around so I would imagine there's some movement of his equipment that has taken place. Whether it's chemicals or not, I don't think I can comment on that.

Q: I'd like to ask both of you if you believe that Russia had advanced knowledge of this strike and if Russia should be considered as complicit in this strike, the chemical weapons attack?

SEC. MATTIS: David, I can speak for both of us on that one. It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We know what I just told you. We don't know anything beyond that.

Q: In this room on Friday, a briefer said that at the time of the attack, a drone was sighted over that building and we weren't sure whether it was a Russian or a Syrian drone. Has it been determined yet whether that drone was Russian or Syrian?

SEC. MATTIS: I don't know. I -- I will tell you that we have gone back through and -- and looked at all the evidence we can and it is very clear who planned this attack, who authorized this attack and who conducted this attack itself, that we do know, with no -- no doubt whatsoever.

Q: Mr. Secretary, why -- can you help us understand why the death of innocent men, women and children from a chemical weapon warrants a U.S. military response, but the deaths of far more women and children in Syria from conventional weapons such as barrel bombs does not warrant a military response?

SEC. MATTIS: I think what we have to look at here, Jamie, is a policy decision by the United States. There is a limit, I think, to what we can do. And when you look at what happened with this chemical attack, we knew that we could not stand passive on this.

But it was not a statement that we could enter full fledged, full bore into the most complex civil war probably raging on the planet at this time. So the intent was to stop the cycle of violence into an area that even in World War II, chemical weapons were not used on battlefields.

Even in the Korean War, they were not used on battlefields, since World War I; there's been an international convention on this. And to stand idly by when that convention is violated, that is what we had to take action on urgently in our own vital interest.

Yes, go ahead.

Q: General and Mr. Secretary for both of you, we were expecting a new counter-ISIL plan this spring with these developments. Does this delay that in any way? And what are your thoughts on -- on finding a way toward an endpoint for both the ISIS war and what should happen in Syria, with regard to your military campaign and the rest of the whole of government campaign that, general, you've been asking for?

SEC. MATTIS: Well, the counter-ISIL plan has been put in skeleton form; it's being fleshed out now. This has got to be done in a methodical way, where we look at each element of it. A couple weeks ago, Secretary Tillerson had 60, 68 nations in town with his counterparts as the fellow foreign ministers.

And they are working on the stabilization efforts in Syria; this is not the United States working alone. It's very, very complex security situation and its one that we're going to have to address in a very methodical manner.

And it's not something you can simply add water to a dehydrated plant and it's suddenly a full-fledged plan. This is hard work and it's going to take time.

GEN. VOTEL: I would just add on the part of the question directed to me here, I think you know, the campaign plan remains where we thought that it would be at this particular point. We're obviously engaged in very, very difficult fighting in both Mosul and around the Raqqa area, which is where we expected to be at this time.

And -- and we -- we anticipate that the fighting would be difficult at this particular part and I think that's exactly what we're seeing, so again, I certainly won't put a timeline on this. It does -- it'll ultimately prove us to be wrong but I -- but I think this is proceeding about the way that we expected it would, at this point.

SEC. MATTIS: Go ahead.

Q: Mr. Secretary, if I can ask you about North Korea, the Vinson strike group has now been redirected towards the Sea of Japan in the coming weeks. General Brooks is no longer coming to testimony later this month.

Has tension ratcheted up just recently in the past few days and can you explain why, what has changed just in the past couple of days or week?

And then General Votel, if I could ask you, Secretary Mattis mentioned about that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years. What chemicals have you seen there, are we talking about chlorine or something more specific?

SEC. MATTIS: Yes, I can answer the question, you asked him about my answer, if you wish, right. (Laughter.)

SEC. MATTIS: We have, of course, we've seen chlorine. It's been documented by independent medical authorities. They've been using chemical weapons. So those -- you're correct. That's what we were looking at.

As far as the...

Q: Nothing -- no other nuclear agents that you -- I'm sorry -- no other nerve agents that you've seen since, other than the chlorine in the last several years, besides this one attack...

(CROSSTALK)

SEC. MATTIS: I believe you're correct, but this time, it was not chlorine, quite clearly. And we know that for certain. There's no doubt. This is a medical fact.

As far as the movement of the Vinson, she's stationed there in the western Pacific for a reason. She operates freely up and down the Pacific, and she's just on her way up there because that's where we thought it was most prudent to have her at this time. There's not a specific demand signal or specific reason why we're sending her up there.

Q: (Inaudible) unusual for us to know about a ship movement in advance. That was sort of what -- what got everyone's attention. So why was that? I mean, why was it put out in advance? Was it just to signal to North Korea that there would be a show of presence there?

SEC. MATTIS: I believe it's because she was originally headed in one direction for an exercise, and we canceled our role in that exercise, and that's what became public. We had to explain why she wasn't in that exercise.

Yes, here?

Q: Thank you, Secretary Mattis.

I wanted to ask you about the status of the de-confliction line. When was the last time you talked to the Russians on it? And what has its absence meant for U.S. pilots and coalition pilots? Are they in a more defensive posture at present?

GEN. VOTEL: Let me address that. I'm not going to discuss the de-confliction line in any particular detail. But I would emphasize to you, I remain very confident that we are continuing to operate in a very safe and effective manner in the air. The de-confliction line has been very useful for us in the past as a venue for professional airmen-to-airmen exchange. And it was useful for us on the night of the strike, both in our pre-notification to the Russians and in our immediate communication that we had afterwards.

Q: Are you not talking about the de-confliction line because it's not being used?

GEN. VOTEL: No, that's not what I'm saying.

SEC. MATTIS: No, the operation goes on. It's well de-conflicted. The operations are going quite safely right now.

Q: Secretary Mattis, you're a student of history. You're a student of strategy. You've talked about red lines. The president has talked about red lines. The Russians have talked about red lines. At what point is there a danger of this spiraling out of control and to conflict between two nuclear-powered countries?

SEC. MATTIS: I don't believe I've talked about red lines. I generally shy away from it myself. I recommend Assad be rather cautious about violating international law with chemical weapons. I suppose that could be considered a red line. So I won't argue the point.

It will not spiral out of control. As you know, Secretary of State Tillerson is in Moscow. We maintain communications with the Russian military and with the diplomatic channels. It will not spiral out of control.

Q: What gives you that assurance? I mean, the Russians have been very clear in their rhetoric. If you -- I'll take your point that you have not said the word "red lines." The Russians have. They're saying that another response like the one you launched on April 6th would be a red line for them. How are you so confident that this isn't going to spiral out of control?

SEC. MATTIS: Well, I'm confident the Russians will act in their own best interests, and there's nothing in their best interests to say they want this situation to go out of control.

Yes, ma'am?

Q: As you consider the U.S. force posture after ISIS is defeated in Mosul and Raqqa, are you contemplating maintaining U.S. bases or a U.S. base in Iraqi Kurdistan so as to be able to check any further resurgence of an ISIS-like group?

SEC. MATTIS: The short answer is we are in consultations with the Iraqi government about what -- what the stabilization phase looks like. There have been no decisions. There have been no offers made either way. We're in consultation. We're talking about what the tactical situation will probably look like.

As you can tell, some of that would be assumptions right now since we have an active enemy still in the Euphrates River Valley, in Tal Afar, and of course the ongoing fight there in west Mosul. So, it would be premature to come to conclusions about that now, or even enter into the specifics about it now, until we actually have this enemy on the run out of there.

But we would be willing to engage with the Iraq government on how this should look in the future.

Q: Has the White House given the military authority to preemptively strike at Syria if in fact you had knowledge of a looming chemical attack?

And then I had a North Korea question.

SEC. MATTIS: No.

Q: But you've not been given authority to preemptively strike if you know in advance of a Syrian attack?

SEC. MATTIS: No, we have not.

Yes?

Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Does the U.S. view chlorine -- barrel bombs filled with chlorine now as a chemical weapon? And the -- the second question, if I may, are there -- going back to North Korea, are there any feasible or straightforward military actions that the U.S. could take that wouldn't immediately spiral into a broader regional conflict?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, I -- I don't want to speculate about North Korea military actions. It would -- we owe some confidentiality as we discuss with our allies this situation that we -- we face up there. But as far as barrel bombs with chlorine, I mean, chemical weapons are chemical weapons. So, that -- that is the issue if you're talking about the strike we took.

It is not about whether it's delivered with an artillery shell or it's delivered by a helicopter with a barrel bomb, or a fighter aircraft with a bomb. It's about chemical weapons.

And we've made clear where we stand on that. President Trump has made it exceedingly clear where the United States stands on that sort of malfeasance.

You guys got lots of questions here today.

My gosh, young lady, you've been very patient the whole time. Go ahead.

Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I was hoping you can clarify something.

In your statement yesterday, you said the cruise missile strikes took out 20 percent of Syria's operational aircraft. There was some confusion over that statement. Can you clarify it and explain how much of a blow it was to Syria's overall capabilities?

And General Votel, we're in the process of isolating Raqqa right now. Does the coalition and the -- our partner forces there have what they need to begin the offensive on Raqqa? And what -- what more resources do they need?

SEC. MATTIS: Yeah, the Syrian Air Force is not in good shape. It's been worn down by years of -- of combat plus some -- plus significant maintenance problems. We thought it was -- I thought it was about 20 percent. I think it's around 20 aircraft were taken out, which probably equates to about that, although I probably shouldn't have used the 20 percent.

We're trying to provide information as it comes in. And this is one of the challenges of trying to get it accurate but get it out as quickly as we can actually give you some fidelity.

But it's -- it's around 20 aircraft. And that damage to the Syrian Air Force is pretty severe, as you can tell.

GEN. VOTEL: You know, with respect to what's going in Raqqa, I think we have the capabilities we need to do what we're doing right now, which is the isolation of Raqqa. And I -- I think you're -- I think we're seeing that play out every day.

Right now, as I -- as our partners on the ground very effectively isolate this particular area as we move forward, obviously, the secretary and I and others are in consultation here on what additional resources we need. And I'll -- I'll just leave it at that. We're -- we're -- we're talking about what we need.

STAFF: ...will be the last one.

SEC. MATTIS: The new (inaudible) hate you for skipping the rest of them. (Laughter.)

STAFF: All right, sir, we'll go with Ms. Nancy Youssef.

Q: Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary, I just wanted to clarify something you said earlier because it's an important point.

Is it your convention that chemical weapons -- if it's a barrel bomb holding chlorine, chemical weapons only being that with the use of a nerve agent that is a chlorine then a barrel bomb would not necessarily lead to U.S. strikes, but that the use of a nerve agent, that that's the distinction you're making? I just want to make sure I'm understanding the point you were making earlier.

SEC. MATTIS: Right. I -- I just want to say very clearly that the use of chemical weapons contrary to the Geneva Convention that Syria has signed up for, using chemical weapons that Syria agreed under U.N. pressure to remove from their arsenal, those chemical weapons that the Russians certified were gone, that if they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price. OK?

Hey, thanks very much, ladies and gentlemen. I appreciate your time here and I waiting this afternoon to talk. Thank you very much.

Q: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1148604/

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NATO welcomes opening of European Centre for Countering Hybrid Threats

NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

11 Apr. 2017

Several NATO Allies and European Union members came together in Helsinki on Tuesday (11 April 2017), formally agreeing to establish a European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in the Finnish capital. At a ceremony attended by Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini, officials from NATO and the European Union welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Centre, which will open later in 2017.

In total, nine nations signed the Memorandum: Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other NATO and EU nations are expected to join the Centre in the near future. While not signatories themselves, NATO and the EU will participate actively in the Centre's activities.

Countering hybrid threats is a priority for NATO, as they blur the line between war and peace - combining military aggression with political, diplomatic, economic, cyber and disinformation measures. NATO's counter-hybrid strategy includes strengthened coordination with the European Union, and also involves our new Intelligence Division, more training and exercises, and our work to actively counter propaganda with facts.

Other Centres of Excellence already contribute to NATO's efforts to counter hybrid threats, including the Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, Latvia; and the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. Centres of Excellence are international research centres, which are nationally or multi-nationally funded and staffed. They work alongside and contribute knowledge and expertise to the Alliance, but they are not NATO bodies.

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Georgian Energy Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze said that Georgia's agreement with Gazprom (MOEX: GAZP) will allow the country to not depend on Russian gas and instead buy gas from Azerbaijan using transit fees for gas supplied to Armenia.

"By the end of the year all the necessary natural gas will be acquired from Azerbaijan," he told journalists on Wednesday, commenting on changes introduced by the Energy Ministry in its forecast balance of gas for 2017.

He said that Georgia had the possibility of buying gas from both Azerbaijan and Iran. "As of now, we have decided to fully take on natural gas from Azerbaijan," the minister said.

He said that Georgia will have tougher positions at the end of the two-year agreement with Gazprom, since gas storage facilities will be built by this time allowing the country to decrease its dependence on Russian gas.

In January-March, Georgia recieved a total of 100 million cubic meters of gas from Russia, including 70 million cubic meters in February. The new agreement between Georgia and Gazprom Export on gas transit conditions to Armenia envisages switching to a monetary form of payment for transit costs.

The company guarantees it will pay Georgia for transporting 2 bcm-2.2 bcm per of gas per year through the country for 2017-2018, as well as supply gas to Georgia "on flexible conditions, at a price of $30 less per thousand cubic meter compared to 2016," in other words $185. The price for gas transit has not been revealed and is considered a commercial secret.

According to the agreement, Gazprom will pay for gas transit in 2017 according to a mixed system, partly paying with money and partly through gas, and in 2018 it will only pay in monetary form.

Georgia plans to receive 2.457 bcm in 2017, of which 2.347 billion, or 95.5%, will come from Azerbaijan.
US aircraft carrier expected to arrive in waters off S.Korea this weekend

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 16:55, April 11, 2017

SEOUL, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier is expected to arrive in waters near South Korea this weekend, raising tensions in the Korean Peninsula, Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.

A South Korean military official was quoted as saying that the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is forecast to enter the waters near the Korean Peninsula around April 15.

The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier was reportedly being accompanied by two destroyers and one cruiser.

The Carl Vinson Strike Group departed from Singapore last Saturday for the Western Pacific. The re-deployment of the U.S. aircraft carrier and its accompanying battleships raised tensions on the peninsula.

It would be unusual for the aircraft carrier to be re-mobilized to the peninsula, after having participated in the U.S.-South Korea military exercises, codenamed Foal Eagle, from March 19 to March 25. The joint annual springtime war game would last by the end of this month.

Due to the unusual U.S. action, ungrounded rumors spread on the Internet here that the U.S. military could stage a pre-emptive strike against nuclear and missile facilities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

Seoul's foreign ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck told a press briefing that the authorities of South Korea and the United States are closely cooperating on the DPRK issues, saying those rumors are groundless.

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America's $13 billion carrier begins sea trials

People's Daily Online

By Curtis Stone (People's Daily Online) 15:18, April 11, 2017

The newest aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy's fleet, the USS Gerald R. Ford, began its first set of sea trials, known as Builder's Sea Trials, on Saturday.

The systems, components, and compartments of the Ford will be tested at sea for the first time, according to a news release by the U.S. Department of Defense. The $13 billion carrier, the most expensive warship ever built, departed Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, after more than a year's delay and billions in cost overruns.

Construction on the Ford started in 2009. The Defense Department estimated the cost of the carrier at $10.5 billion, with delivery expected in 2015. But issues with the carrier's advanced systems and technology delayed the ship.

In March, U.S. President Donald Trump promised to rebuild the U.S. military and called for a 12-carrier Navy aboard the new warship during a visit in Newport News. In his remarks, Trump called U.S. carriers "the centerpiece of American military might overseas." "We are standing today on 4.5 acres of combat power and sovereign U.S. territory, the likes of which there is nothing to compete. There is no competition to this ship," Trump said.

Trump called the Ford a "monument" to American might. The new warship will carry 4,500 personnel and 70 aircraft and will be able to project American power "to the farthest reaches of the world," said the Defense Department.

Currently, the U.S Navy has 10 aircraft carriers, the Navy Times reported.

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Egyptian lawmakers approve 3-month state of emergency

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:16PM

Egypt's parliament has unanimously approved a three-month state of emergency declared by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi after attacks claimed by Takfiri Daesh terrorists killed over 40 people.

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail told lawmakers before the vote that the measure was essential to combat terrorist groups bent on undermining the North African country.

"The emergency law is aimed at enemies of the homeland and citizens, and it will grant state apparatuses greater ability, flexibility, and speed to confront an evil enemy that has not hesitated to kill and wreak havoc without justification or discrimination," the premier said in a televised speech on Tuesday.

Parliament Speaker Ali Abdelaal said it was a necessary measure at a time that requires exceptional laws. "It is up to all of us to protect this nation. This is a national and constitutional duty."

The countrywide state of emergency was declared by President Sisi on Sunday after the deadly attacks. The measure, however, required parliamentary approval according to the constitution.

On Sunday, at least 17 people were killed and more than 40 injured after a bomb targeted a church in Alexandria. The attack took place just hours after a church in the city of Tanta near Cairo was targeted with a remote-controlled bomb killing at least 27 people and wounding around 80 others.

The emergency law will allow police to make arrests and conduct surveillance and seizures more easily. The measure has raised fears among some Egyptians, who see it as a formal return to the pre-2011 police state under the rule of former dictator Hosni Mubarak.

The Arab Network for Human Rights Information has expressed concern over the emergency law, saying it would not achieve security and was intended to "further suppress freedom of opinion, expression and belief, and to crack down on human rights defenders."

Nasser Amin, the head of an Egyptian-run organization working to advance judicial independence, said, "By implementing the state of emergency almost all the guarantees that exist for rights and freedoms in the constitution will be halted."

Amin added that the law grants the executive branch sweeping powers, allowing it to close companies, shutter media outlets, halt demonstrations and monitor personal communications without judicial approval.

Egypt has been facing violence due to terrorist attacks across the country in the past few years with Takfiri militants taking advantage of the turmoil after the first democratically-elected president, Mohamed Morsi, was ousted by the military in July 2013.

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In message to Russia, Trump approves Montenegro's accession to NATO

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 4:31PM

US President Donald Trump has backed the expansion of NATO by approving Montenegro's accession to the Western military alliance, in what many observers view as a message to Russia.

"Today, President Donald J. Trump signed the United States instrument of ratification of the Protocol for Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)," the White House said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Trump's signing off on Montenegro's accession comes on the eve of his meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House in Washington, DC.

The Balkan nation will officially become the 29th member of NATO if the Netherlands and Spain approve the accession later this year.

The decision to expand NATO comes despite the fact that Trump has called the military alliance outdated and obsolete. He has repeatedly called the United States' commitment to the alliance into question, demanding allies pay more toward collective defense.

The Republican president has said NATO members should either pay for US military support or rely on their own military might at the time of war.

Trump has frequently suggested that US defense of a NATO member would depend on its contributions to the military alliance.

The move is also surprising because it is made by a president who has repeatedly spoken out in favor of improving ties with Russia, which has opposed Montenegro joining NATO, calling it a "provocation" that would reinforce the alliance's presence in the Balkans.

Last month, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted to approve Montenegro's admission to NATO.

The ratification was approved by a vote of 97-2, well above the two-thirds majority needed in the 100-member chamber.

Only Republican Senators Rand Paul of Kentucky and Mike Lee of Utah voted against Montenegro's membership.

Sen. Paul argued that joining NATO would bring the tiny Balkan nation under the United States' security blanket with little in return.

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US, South Korean troops hold joint logistics drill

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 1:26PM

American and South Korean troops are holding a 10-day logistics drill in the city of Pohang amid growing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

The joint drill, dubbed Operation Pacific Reach (OPR), involves about 2,500 US soldiers and 1,200 South Korean soldiers, along with 50 vessels, and is due to last until April 21.

US and South Korean military officials said the joint drill is not part of the annual joint Foal Eagle exercise, and is aimed at enhancing logistics capabilities which can be applied not only for military purposes but also for humanitarian assistance.

A US official told Reuters over the weekend that the drill began as the US Navy strike group Carl Vinson cancelled a planned trip to Australia and was moving towards the western Pacific Ocean near the Korean peninsula as a show of force.

Pyongyang has slammed the move, saying the deployment proves the US aggression against Pyongyang has entered a "serious phase."

"We never beg for peace but we will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," an unidentified spokesman for the North's foreign ministry said.

On Tuesday, North Korean state media warned of a nuclear attack on the US at any sign of a US pre-emptive strike and said the country was prepared to respond to any aggression by the United States.

"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the US mainland," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

Tensions have escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula with talk of US military action gaining traction following its missile strikes last week against Syria.

North Korea accuses the United States of plotting with regional allies to overthrow its government. Pyongyang says it will not relinquish its nuclear deterrence unless the US ends its hostile policy toward North Korea and dissolves the US-led UN command in South Korea.

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US Navy considering more powerful warships

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:22AM

The US Navy is planning to upgrade its future frigates to make sure they can defend other ships from anti-air threats as well as enemy vessels undersea and on the surface.

The force has put together a study group called the Requirement Evaluation Team (RET) to examine how future frigates can be equipped with a local air defense system in order to protect Combat Logistics Force ships that supply warships at sea with fuel, ammunition, spare parts and food.

According to a RET draft document, the objective is to develop a frigate from the existing littoral combat ship (LCS) designs by Lockheed Martin and Austal USA.

Last year, the Navy reached the conclusion that spending billions of dollars to make faster warships under the LCS program was a strategic mistake and that the final products lacked viable firepower.

As a result, a new frigate class was designed to address the shortcomings of the LCSs by employing heavier armor plates and additional weapons.

RET has been tasked with designing LCS-based frigates that can carry a minimum of 16 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) Block 2 missiles or make use of a Mark 41 vertical launch system that can house at least 8 Standard SM-2 missilesone of the primary anti-air weapons used by on the Navy's various vessels.

The challenge is that using that type of weaponry requires the addition of several new radars and a more capable command and control system.

The ships would also have the Cooperative Engagement Capability, which links sensors and weapons carried on multiple ships, aircraft or shore installations and turns them into an integrated fire control system.

The draft document stated that RET, which in addition to several Navy offices and commands includes the Joint Staff and the Pentagon's Office of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, had until the end of May to provide its recommendations. The first frigate was expected to be commissioned in 2020.

So far, four of Navy's fleet of six Littoral Combat Ships have suffered engineering or design issues. According to the General Accounting Office, the latest LCSs cost $482 million to $563 million apiece.

It was revealed in January 2016 that Saudi Arabia had rejected the Pentagon's $4 billion offer of four frigates based on Lockheed's LCSs.

US President Donald Trump has promised to expand the Navy as part of his efforts to build the "biggest military" in history.

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FBI Reportedly Monitored Trump Campaign Adviser For Russia Contacts

April 11, 2017

The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to Donald Trump during his campaign for president, the Washington Post reported on April 11.

Citing anonymous U.S. officials, the Post said the FBI obtained the warrant targeting foreign policy adviser Carter Page after convincing a court that Page may have been acting as an agent of a foreign power -- Russia.

Such a warrant would provide the clearest evidence to date that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump adviser was in touch with Russian agents, the Post said.

The FBI and congressional committees are investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump's favor, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives' e-mails and releasing embarrassing information, but also possibly by colluding with Trump associates.

Page, who has not been accused of any crimes, has repeatedly denied any collusion.

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page told the Post. He contended that the Obama administration was trying to suppress "dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy" during the campaign, and "I have nothing to hide."

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and Washington Post

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/fbi-monitored- trump-campaign-adviser-russia-contacts- washington-post-reported/28424682.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump Ratifies Protocol for Montenegro's Accession to NATO

Sputnik News

17:58 11.04.2017(updated 18:29 11.04.2017)

US President Donald Trump has ratified the protocol for Montenegro's accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a release on Tuesday.

"The United States will work to further strengthen our already strong relationship with Montenegro and looks forward to formally welcoming the country as the twenty-ninth member of the NATO Alliance," Spicer stated.

Montenegro's accession to NATO will not affect US contributions to the alliance, Trump stated in a letter to the US Senate on Tuesday.

"The inclusion of Montenegro in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will not have the effect of increasing the overall percentage share of the United States in the common budgets of NATO," he stated.

The president noted that the inclusion of Montenegro in NATO will not detract from the US ability to meet or to fund its military requirements outside the North Atlantic area.

On March 28, the US Senate approved Montenegro's accession to the military bloc.

The country was invited to join NATO on December 2, 2015, in the alliance's first expansion into Eastern Europe in six years. The country accepted the invitation the following day, which triggered protests. In May 2016, the Alliance members signed a protocol on its accession, since all the NATO member states must ratify Montenegro in order for it to become a full-fledged member.

Montenegro was bombed by NATO in 1999.

 Sputnik

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Millions across Africa, Yemen could be at risk of death from starvation - UN agency

11 April 2017  Warning of increasing risk of mass deaths from starvation in many countries in Africa and in Yemen due to worsening drought and conflict, the United Nations refugee agency has called for international support to prevent the repeat of the 2011 tragedy in the Horn of Africa that claimed more than 260,000 lives.

"An avoidable humanitarian crisis in the region, possibly worse than that of 2011, is fast becoming an inevitability," Adrian Edwards, a spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told journalists at the regular bi-weekly media briefing in Geneva.

"A repeat must be avoided at all costs."

According to estimates, some 20 million people are living in areas hit hard by drought. About 4.2 million among them are refugees and the number of the displaced is rising as a result of consecutive harvest failures, famine and insecurity.

Worst affected are children and lactating mothers.

In southeast Ethiopia, for example, acute malnutrition rates among newly arriving Somali refugee children aged between 6 months and five years is reported in the range of 50-79 per cent. Similarly, in South Sudan, children account for the majority of the refugees (about 62 per cent).

Nearly all refugees, including these children, are dependent on food assistance, such as those provided by the World Food Programme  the UN's emergency food relief agency  but with lack of funds to buy food rations are being cut. Worst hit are those in Uganda where rations have been cut by up to 75 per cent. Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Rwanda (by between 20 and 50 per cent) and Djibouti (by 12 per cent) are also witnessing this decrease.

"Many refugees are without full access to livelihoods and agriculture or food production and their ability to take matters into their own hands and help themselves is limited," noted Mr. Edwards.

Almost five million children could be out of school

The severe food insecurity is also causing many students, such as those in Kenya, to drop out of school. Some 175,000 students in drought areas in the country have stopped attending school and almost 600 schools have closed in Ethiopia.

In all, some five million children could see their educations being disrupted over coming weeks and months.

Drastic situation turning worse in countries

The daunting humanitarian scenario has been further complicated by a range of challenges including new displacement, economic hardships, crop failure and conflict.

In Somalia, of the half a million people displaced since November, 278,000 were displaced in the first quarter of this year and the country continues to see a complex situation of both outflows and returns, mainly from Yemen.

Furthermore, in famine hit parts of South Sudan, increase in fighting, insecurity, lack of access to aid and a collapsing economy have left 100,000 people facing starvation and a further one million people are now on the brink of famine.

The humanitarian situation in Yemen, too continues to decline. Already the world's largest humanitarian crisis, food needs are being cited as the lead factor in displacement at three quarters of all locations across the war-torn country where there are internally displaced people.

UN efforts scaled up but resources extremely scarce

Responding to the growing crisis, the UN refugee agency and its partners have been scaling up their efforts.

However, UNHCR operations in these countries are facing considerable constraints due to limited funding.

"It is now urgent that the shortfalls be addressed," underscored the UNHCR spokesperson.

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No Sanctions in Hand, Tillerson Arrives in Moscow

By Luis Ramirez April 11, 2017

U.S. Secretary State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow Tuesday with less ammunition than Washington and London had hoped he would have in his bid to convince Russia to abandon Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

But he had a tough ultimatum in hand, following reports quoting unidentified senior U.S. officials as saying that Russia had prior knowledge of the attack that killed scores of people including women and children.

G7 ministers meeting Tuesday in the Italian city of Lucca failed to agree on targeted sanctions against the Russian and Syrian military, arguing that an investigation would first have to confirm who in Syria used chemical weapons against civilians in the country last week.

"We cannot let this happen again," Tillerson told reporters as he prepared to go to Moscow, where he is to deliver an ultimatum. "We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role," he said. "Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia's interests longer term."

The chemical attack prompted a world outcry and a U.S. missile attack that marked a turning point in the Trump administration's approach to the seven-year-old conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May had agreed to press Russia to distance itself from Assad following the chemical attack by imposing targeted sanctions, but Germany and Italy, both leading G-7 nations, disagreed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin "must not be pushed into a corner," said Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said Tuesday.

For his part, Putin called Tuesday for a U.N. probe of last week's attack. Without elaborating, he also said Russia has received intelligence about planned "provocations'' using chemical weapons that would put the blame on the Syrian government.

The G7 ministers' decision now means the prospect of sanctions is dim. The process of launching an investigation would be long and complex, requiring a U.N. resolution and an agreement by the Assad government for weapons inspectors to access sites in territory under Assad's control before establishing who was responsible and whether there was Russian complicity.

As the ground rapidly shifted regarding the U.S. approach to Syria, Tillerson made it clear that Washington hopes Assad will not be part of Syria's future. He told ministers in Lucca last week U.S. missile strikes were necessary as a matter of U.S. national security, and indicated the Trump administration may not be done with Assad.

"We do not want the regime's uncontrolled stockpile of chemical weapons to fall into the hands of ISIS or other terrorist groups who could, and want, to attack the United States or our allies. Nor can we accept the normalization of the use of chemical weapons by other actors or countries in Syria or elsewhere," Tillerson said.

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President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that Kyiv cannot yet give security guarantees to the European side for investing in infrastructure projects in Donbas.

"Unfortunately, we cannot yet give guarantees to our European partners and say that it's time to safely invest in Donbas, because not everything depends on us. Unfortunately, the threat of military actions on the part of the Russian Federation remains very and very urgent," he said, speaking to employees of medical institutions in the town of Kreminna, Luhansk region.

According to the president, the Ukrainian side will do everything possible for peace to come to Donbas using political and diplomatic means. "Several projects have already been implemented: bridges are being built, including bridges in Donetsk and Luhansk regions," Poroshenko said.
Risk of Death from Starvation Grows in Africa

By Lisa Schlein April 11, 2017

United Nations and international aid agencies warn the chances are growing for mass deaths from starvation in the Horn of Africa, Yemen, Nigeria, and South Sudan. Lack of money is pushing the humanitarian crisis ever closer.

Aid agencies are haunted by the specter of the 2011 famine in the Horn of Africa, which killed more than 260,000 people, half of them children under age five. They do not want a repeat of that tragedy, but say they fear the severity of the current humanitarian crisis gripping Yemen, the Horn of Africa and neighboring countries could result in an even worse outcome.

The U.N. refugee agency reports hunger and conflict are forcing increasing numbers of people to flee within their countries and across borders in search of food and refuge. UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards says refugee numbers are escalating.

"Consecutive harvests have failed, conflict in South Sudan coupled with drought is leading to famine and outflows of refugees, insecurity in Somalia is leading to rising internal displacement, and rates of malnutrition are high, especially among children and lactating mothers," he said.

Edwards says in the Dollo Ado area of southeast Ethiopia, acute malnutrition rates among very young newly arriving Somali refugee children are running between 50 and nearly 80 percent.

Aid agencies have been scaling up their humanitarian operations in northeastern Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, where more than 20 million people are experiencing famine or are on the brink of famine.

But Edwards tells VOA the efforts may be doomed to failure, he warns problems will reach catastrophic levels unless funds are received.

"What we are looking at is the need for funding across the international community," he said. "This is really is an absolutely critical situation that is rapidly unfolding across a large swathe of Africa from west to east. It does need urgent addressing from a really concerted international action."

Earlier this year, the United Nations launched an appeal for $4.4 billion to provide life saving assistance in the four famine-affected countries. As of now, only 21 percent of that amount has been received, far from enough to avert a humanitarian catastrophe.

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Somali Pirate Leader Missing After Attempted Hijack

By Harun Maruf April 11, 2017

A notorious Somali pirate leader is missing following an attempt Saturday to hijack a cargo ship, maritime sources and villagers said.

Abdikarim Salah "Aw Koombe" and two other pirates were last seen on board a Lebanese-registered cargo ship, OS 35 near Socotra Island, as they attempted to intimidate the crew and steer the vessel to the direction of the Somali coast, sources say.

Two pirates who remained in the ship have escaped and reached land, sources told VOA's Somali service.

The surviving pirates told residents in the Red Sea town of Alula that Aw Koombe and two other pirates who boarded the ship had been left behind.

They believe Aw Koombe and the two other pirates were likely captured by the Chinese navy who rescued the crew of the ship Saturday.

The Chinese navy was not available for comment, but internal information shared between international maritime forces off the coast of Somalia indicated that at least three pirates were arrested during the operation.

Aw Koombe is a known, notorious, wanted pirate leader who authorities believe was involved in the hijacking of at least 10 ships over the course of several years.

Meanwhile, Somali pirates are still holding nine Indian sailors who they moved to land after abandoning the boat Al Kausar following an operation by Somali regional security forces off the coast of Hobyo port town Monday night. The sailors, including the captain of the boat, are being held in a village called Qararrow.

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Afghan Official: Russian Advisers Help Taliban in Contested Province

By Noor Zahid April 11, 2017

Russia's role in Afghanistan was questioned again Tuesday when the provincial police chief in Uruzgan told Afghan media that intelligence reports showed visiting Russian generals were providing Taliban militants with weapons and training.

"Eleven Russians, including two women, dressed in doctor's uniforms and guarded by four armed Taliban, along with an Afghan translator, have been spotted in various parts of the province," Ghulam Farooq Sangari, Uruzgan police chief, told VOA's Afghan service. "They have been enticing people a

Russian military advisers have been spotted twice recently near Tirinkot, the Uruzgan capital, Haji Abdul Bari, a tribal elder in the province, told VOA.

Taliban connections with Russia have increasingly come under the spotlight as Moscow seeks to increase its influence in the nation it once occupied and to counter Islamic State expansion from Afghanistan to neighboring Central Asian countries.

Russia pledges peace effort

Mounting allegations of Russian military involvement on the ground in Afghanistan have drawn concern from U.S. and Afghan authorities that Russia is working behind the scenes to help the Taliban battle Afghan forces and militant groups in the country, like IS.

Russia has acknowledged political ties with the Taliban. But Russian officials say Moscow is not supplying Taliban militants with arms and training. They assert that their contacts with the Taliban are aimed at facilitating the peace process in Afghanistan.

Over the weekend, the Russian Embassy in Kabul issued a statement saying the Russian military was not helping Taliban militants.

"It is surprising that statesmen, deputies and high-ranking police officers, based on rumors and conjectures and without providing the public any evidence, allow themselves to publicly make irresponsible accusations against Russia in financing and supporting terrorism," the Russian statement said.

But the allegations of Russian-Taliban military ties are growing.

The governor of Kunduz province said last month that the Taliban were asking Moscow for weapons and training to counter the expanding influence of IS groups in various parts of the country.

In Helmand province

Despite the Russian denial, analysts say signs of Moscow's assistance to the Taliban have been felt in Afghanistan.

Kabul-based Taliban expert Wahid Muzhda this month told VOA that Moscow had provided the Taliban with a well-equipped mobile clinic, along with a large supply of medicine to treat injured Taliban fighters in Helmand province, which borders Uruzgan.

A number of Afghan lawmakers accused Russia of allowing its military personnel to visit Taliban locations near the border with Pakistan, after a Russian military delegation visited the Waziristan tribal region in Pakistan  a sign of Moscow's deepening relations with Islamabad, which has been supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry said it was investigating the reports.

Kabul and Washington, increasingly wary of the deepening ties between Russia and the Taliban, say Moscow's alliance with the militant group could complicate an already precarious security situation in the country.

"I believe what Russia is attempting to do is they are attempting to be an influential party in this part of the world," General Joseph Votel, chief of U.S. Central Command, told U.S. lawmakers last month. "I think it is fair to assume they may be providing some sort of support to [the Taliban] in terms of weapons or other things that may be there."

VOA's Afghan service contributed to this report.

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Background Press Briefing on Syria, 4/11/2017

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

April 11, 2017



James S. Brady Briefing Room

12:10 P.M. EDT

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: This briefing today is about a declassified -- or it's a summary based on declassified information about the attacks on the 4th of April. So this is on background only. Attribution is senior White House official, and it will be embargoed until the end of the brief. And I'll have each of my colleagues come up here and introduce themselves.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: My understanding is you'd just like to ask some questions. So I'm happy to go through some details of the narrative, or just take questions incoming, if you have them.

Q Do you mind walking through some of the narrative related to the chemical weapons attack -- what Russia knew perhaps beforehand, or during, or after, and some of the reporting that has come out about a Russian drone, et cetera?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So let me start with the narrative of what we think happened in the attack. And let me tell you, to start with -- what we've done here is we've declassified a lot of intelligence with great thanks to our colleagues in the intelligence community so that we can be very forthcoming with you about the amount that we know about this attack and why we believe the Russian and Syrian narratives are false. And we think it's really important for you to understand the depth of information that we have that supports this narrative.

I would say that since we started coming forward, in the immediate wake of the attack, all of the way through to today, we continued to get additional information. And the information we get about this attack continues to be clear and consistent with our understanding of the attack, starting on the day of the attack, April 4th, and working all the way through today.

And I would say we, even as recently as last night, for today, declassified additional information that, again, lends additional weight and credibility to the narrative I want to share with you today.

The information we have downgraded and declassified includes a wide body of open-source material, both social media accounts. It include open-source videos, reporting, open-source imagery, et cetera, as well as our own geospatial intelligence, our signals intelligence, and it include physiological samples of victims of the attack. And again, all of that tells a very clear and consistent story about what we think happened.

So to be clear, based on the pro-opposition social media reporting, those reports indicate that the chemical attack began in Khan Sheikhun at about 6:55 local time on April 4th. Our information makes quite clear that the attack came from SU-22 fixed-wing aircraft out of the Shayrat airfield, which is regime-controlled. These aircraft were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhun for about 20 minutes before reports of the chemical attack came out, and they vacated the area shortly after the attack. And I think some of you have seen the information that we shared previously about the tracks of those aircraft that came out of the Khan Sheikhun airfield -- or out of the Shayrat airfield, lingered over Khan Sheikhun, and came back to that airfield.

In addition, we have information that suggests that personnel historically associated with the chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March preparing for this attack. On the dates surrounding the attack, and the day of the attack, they were again present at that airfield. Hours after the attack, there were hundreds of accounts of victims of the particular chemical weapons attack.

The victimology, the symptomology of those victims is very consistent with nerve agent and sarin exposure. And now, as I will note, we do have physiological samples from a number of victims that confirm sarin exposure. The symptomology was quite consistent. We saw miosis, or pin-point pupils. We see frothing at the noise and mouth, twitching. All of those are consistent with nerve agent. They are not consistent with chlorine.

Also, the victimology shows that those people don't have other wounds or injuries that would be consistent with a conventional attack.

I would note, as well, that another clear symptom of sarin or nerve agent exposure is that the secondary responders also started to have symptoms consistent with sarin exposure. And those were the people that were there that took in the victims, that were touching them, that were removing their clothing. Some of those also passed out and had other symptoms of sarin exposure.

So by about 12:15 local time, the open source was very clear: It showed images of dead children of varying ages. And then we started to get accounts of the hospital, where some of those victims were being taken, being bombed at about 1:10 p.m. local. It showed, again, victims flooding to that particular hospital before there was a conventional attack against that hospital.

The impact craters that we have in imagery and open source show conventional weapons being used around that hospital, not chemical weapons there. The other information we have shows that leakage around the actual weapon that we think the sarin came from, not explosive debris that we would expect if it had been an explosive munition that it hit chemicals or something that would be consistent with a Russian attack. And again, we think that is not true.

Q Sorry, can you just go over that one --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, I'll come back through it. Let me hit the Russian narrative all the way through, and I'll help you there.

We also think -- some people have alleged that videos had been fabricated, that a lot of this information had been fabricated. The absolute massive data we have, and all the different vehicles we've gotten it from -- open-source videos, to victim accounts, to imagery, to signals intelligence -- it's just too massive for really any intelligence organization to fabricate in that short a period of time. We just think that's not a feasible explanation.

And then we did confirm that some of the videos that were shot of the account, we did go to independently confirm that the times at which those videos were taken were consistent with the times of the attack and not from prior footage of other attacks, other places.

So let me walk through a little bit -- and, I would also note the World Health Organization came up with similar analysis on April 5th. It, too, felt that the victims had been exposed to nerve agent based on the same kind of symptomology along the board. And we do expect that as others continue -- and we would expect we are looking forward to the OPCW's fact-finding mission, looking into this event itself, and we think it's really important for them to get out there, for them to have access to the site of the attack, to the airfield, to other places that might be affiliated. And we expect that any samples they find will again be consistent with what we've found so far.

In terms of the Russian narrative -- and I'll get back to your question about them and the inconsistency -- across the board, starting in 2013 and then since, we've seen both the Russians and the Syrians have a very clear campaign to try to obfuscate the nature of attacks, the attackers, and what has happened in any particular incident.

They've thrown out a bunch of potential agents, a bunch of potential responsible or accountable parties. And, often, their own information is inconsistent with their own narrative.

They certainly have dismissed the allegations of a chemical weapons attacking Khan Sheikun. They called it a "prank of a provocative nature." But again, we don't think it's remotely possible for the Syrians or the Russians to have fabricated this much information so fast and so consistently on this attack.

I'd also note that we've, of course, got extensive media observers and we have our own intelligence information. And the intelligence information and the accounts we've gotten from our partners, again, suggest very similar outcomes in this attack.

They noted, as I said -- the Russians did -- that this was a regime attack against a munitions depot, and that perhaps that terrorists had been holding chemical munitions that were attacked and then exploded from there. As I noted, we think that the information is inconsistent with that narrative. There is, as I said, leakage, and not in this hospital or this area where they said a building was attacked, but in a separate place where we can see the leakage from that munition. It is inconsistent with where the Russians would say that this attack happens and where the gas came from. And similarly, again, it's leakage; it does not show explosive dissemination of the chemicals. And we don't see a building, again, with that chemical residue we would expect if the Russian narrative was true.

Q When you say leakage, that's how a chemical weapon is supposed to work. It's deliberate leakage?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Right. Yeah, absolutely.

Q It's dispersed.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: It's dispersed. But there's always leakage around the outside, or almost always leakage around the outside that shows that the material inside has leaked out as it disseminates.

Q Rather than it was bombed and then exploded.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Exactly. Exactly.

Q Do you believe it was only one munition that was dropped on the 4th?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I don't have details on the number of munitions here for you, but I think it's fair to say we think it's at least one munition. And we have one particular munition that we've seen via overhead that we think is a munition that contains sarin.

Q How do you explain the Russian drone at the hospital?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I don't think we have information for you today to talk about the Russian drone or any other information on the Russians, per se. We just want to walk right through the narrative here. We're still looking into what we think the intelligence community assessment or other is about Russian knowledge of involvement, et cetera. And I'm sure we'll come forward with more information on that, if we have it.

Q (Inaudible) on the question foreknowledge of Russia.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We don't have information on that, per se. I think it's clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I'll say we're still looking into that, into the particulars of that question. And there's not a consensus on our side about the extent or how to interpret the information that we have and continue to get.

However, what we do know from looking at a history of the Russian military and the Syrian military operating together for the better part of two years now closely, since the Russian advisory mission and assistance mission began in earnest in 2015. And in addition, two militaries that have a decades-long support relationship. Based on that historical pattern, we've seen that these two militaries operate very closely, even down to an operational and tactical level.

And so considering the fact that there were Russian forces co-located with Syrian forces at the Shayrat airfield, in addition to many other installations -- many other Syrian regime installations around the country -- we do think that it is a question worth asking the Russians about how is it possible that their forces were co-located with the Syrian forces that planned, prepared, and carried out this chemical weapons attack at the same installation, and did not have foreknowledge.

Q So just to be clear, the attack that you mentioned against the hospital, which you said was aimed at covering up the initial chemical weapons attack, was that carried out by munitions that are linked to Russia?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, we don't have information on that today.

Q Is it the assessment at this point, though -- can you say the least that -- and you spoke to this a little, and, [senior administration official], I want to get your take -- that the Russians tried to cover up the chemical weapons attack? Do you believe that that is the case?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, we don't know the tactical intentions of the Russians on that day on any operations that they may have been involved in.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So what I would say, in terms of cover-up -- just in terms of cover-up to follow there, I'm talking about the absolute -- coming out afterwards to say it was terrorists, to say that they're --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The cover-up is the --

Q (Inaudible) stockpile --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I would say --

Q -- you would say is absolutely an attempt to cover up a --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: To cover up Syrian regime culpability in a chemical weapons attack.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The cover-up is the disinformation that has happened from the day of the attack to today.

Q In your estimation, does this action show an increase in Russian involvement? Or is it has always been with Russia?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: What I'd like to do right now is get back to going through the narrative, and then we'll take more of the questions. If you can just finish going through the --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, if I can just finish why we think the Russian narrative is false.

So getting back to why we think the Russian narrative is false -- Moscow, as I noted, said that the release of chemicals was caused by the terrorist -- a strike on a terrorist ammunition depot, but a Syrian military source told Russian state media on April 4th that regime forces had not carried out any strike in Khan Sheikhun, which contradicted Russia's claim directly.

An open-source video shows where we believe the chemical munition landed -- again, not on a facility with weapons, but in the middle of a street in the northern section of Khan Sheikhun. The imagery of that site from April 6th, after the allegation, shows a crater in the road that corresponds to the open-source video, so we can track to where we think that particular munition was.

The Russians also allege that the terrorists -- this was a bombing on a terrorist ammunition depot. We do not assess and have not assessed that ISIS or other terrorists in the area have sarin. So while ISIS is using sulfur mustard -- and we've documented that quite well, and certainly oppose chemical weapons use by any actor, state or non-state, and are working, of course, to be able to push back ISIS chemical use as well -- it is quite clear to us that in this case this is not a terrorist holding of sarin or terrorist use of sarin. But we do know that the Syrian regime has sarin, that it used it in the 2013 attack, and there are outstanding questions from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that make quite clear that Syria has not fully come clean on the locations, facilities, types of agents, or personnel involved with its chemical weapons program, causing us additional questions on what's there.

In terms -- is there more you want me to hit from the Russian piece?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Go ahead.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think it's a clear pattern of deflecting blame. We've seen this in multiple accounts, including when the OPCW-U.N. joint investigative mechanism came out with reports in August and October of last year identifying Syria as culpable in three chemical weapons attacks. In these three cases these were chlorine attacks. They were from a different airfield here. The United States did come out with designations on personnel affiliated with that attack on that airfield to condemn that use, as well.

This is quite concerning, given that the Russians were part of setting up the deal by which Syria was supposed to give up its chemical weapons. It was party to the deal to create the Joint Investigative Mechanism to investigate these attacks. The JIM did come forward with clear attribution calls, and Russia has refused to accept those along the way.

And I think I would leave it there on the narrative.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Okay. So stepping back to some of your earlier questions, we're going to open this up again to questions. But to be clear, you're going to receive a 3.5-page background document at the end of this that's going to run you through this narrative that will be very detailed.

One thing I want to address is the questions come up before. We had a lot of questions about a hospital, about munitions use on that hospital, about who was responsible for bombing that hospital. So, at this time, what you'll see in this document is a discussion of the Russian use of information and disinformation for obfuscatory purposes in an attempt to shift blame or to transfer blame away from the Assad regime, to prevent counter-narratives about U.S. actions. That's what we're addressing and discussing today.

We don't have any comment right now on who may have been involved in bombing that hospital and why and how. So that piece, just to be clear -- because there was some confusion about that -- we're talking -- when we talked about the Russian role, we talked about the obfuscatory information campaign, not the other thing that you asked on. We don't have a comment on that at this time.

And I'll open it up to questions.

Q Have you exchanged any information with the Russians? Because it's easy -- they say one thing, you say another thing. Why don't exchange the information, compare it?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, so we've come forward with a lot of the information we have publicly already. This is another attempt to come forward publicly with that information.

We have had conversations at a variety of levels with the Russians, as well, to explain to them what we understand about the attack, and ask them to be helpful to our efforts to get the Syrians to come clean. We have not done a full intelligence exchange, and I'm not sure that's particularly likely at this point.

Q I think I heard you mention signals intelligence. Do you have any SIGINT that actually indicates any level of collusion between Russia and Syria, or any indication that Assad himself ordered this strike?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So we don't have any comment on that right now.

Q On the question of the delivery mechanism for the sarin, are you sure that the (inaudible) was Syrian air force?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We are confident, as I noted, that the SU-22 took off from the Shayrat airfield, which is regime-controlled, and dropped the strike, and we believe the Syrian regime is culpable.

Q Do you have any details about the origin of the sarin?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We don't have additional details on the origin of the sarin. It's well-documented that the Syrians produce sarin as part of their chemical weapons program. They were supposed to, of course, have destroyed -- declared and destroyed all of that agent.

Q You had talked about the movement, in late March, indicating that personnel were moved to this base to prepare these weapons. Do you have any intelligence that indicates these types of personnel were moved to other airbases within Syria, that they may be preparing more chemical weapons attacks in the future?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I can tell you that we take very seriously the possibility that Syria may have additional agents elsewhere. We are working with our intelligence community to understand every piece of information they have about where such munitions might be located, who might be ahold of them, and I can tell you that that's going to be part of what we try to figure out and where we go from here.

Q Do you believe that the Assad regime still owns a large stock of chemical weapons, especially sarin and the nerve gas, or is it the small (inaudible) amount that they use, like we saw in (inaudible)?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I don't think we have any comment on how much we think is left. As I noted, we're working with our intelligence community to figure out what it is. But our clear goal right now, and the goal of this strike, was, in large part, to deter further chemical weapons uses by the Syria regime.

Q In the end, is there any indication that this action is an increase in Russian involvement?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I don't think it's -- I don't think it indicates an increase. I mean, in the whole -- let's say, in the whole environment of operational cooperation between the Russian military and Syrian military, the level of cooperation is quite high, so we've seen. We haven't seen that peak or drop. It's been steady.

Q So following, then this isn't a provocative action aimed at the U.S., per se?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Don't see any indication of that. There were clear operational reasons, we think, probably, why they employed the weapons.

Q My question is about what President Putin said this morning, suggesting, according to him, the rebels were preparing other attacks around -- outside Damascus. Can you give us any insight on that, and your view of those statements?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Of chemical attacks?

Q Yes. Yeah, well, I don't think it was -- I don't think there was a specification.

Q He specifically said that there will be other provocations like this one that -- and then the General Staff of the Russian Forces -- armed forces -- already said that the rebels, whom you call rebels, are already bringing in the substances.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I would just say -- so to be clear, we are very confident that terrorists, or non-state actors, did not commit this particular attack. We are confident as well that these terrorists or rebels don't have sarin, so they would not be able to conduct a follow-on attack of this sort, given especially that they didn't conduct the first one.

Q Given the fact that chemical weapons were used in this attack, do you have a sense of whether Syria got rid of any of its chemical weapons -- where that stockpile stands at this point? And have you thought about next steps in terms of trying to get rid of it?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So we do know that Syria gave up a huge amount of its chemical weapons -- over 1,000 tons of chemical weapons. They declared them. And we had, through and incredible international effort with our partners, removed those chemical weapons and destroyed them.

Nevertheless, Syria -- it is clear that Syria's declaration was not complete. The OPCW has additional questions, and we look to the OPCW and the entire international community to support the OPCW's effort to press Syria for answers to the outstanding questions, to get them to declare any agent, facilities, personnel, or others involved in the chemical weapons program, and most certainly get rid of anything that's left.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Okay, we're going to hold for a second. [Senior administration official] is going to make a quick point here, and then we'll jump back into Q&A.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, I think it's important to understand the context in which these weapons were employed, what motivated the regime -- the fact that they were losing in a particularly important area, and that's what drove it.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yeah, so in the middle of March, opposition forces launched an offensive from Southern Idlib province toward the major city of Hama, which is a strategic city in Syria. It's Syria's third city, and it's also the location of a key Syrian regime airbase that has been crucial for the regime and the forces that support it for projecting power from central Syria, both along the western spine, from Aleppo down to the south, and also further to the east to support operations in Palmyra. So that is an airbase that the regime had to calculate that it could not lose.

The opposition offensive approach was able to penetrate to within just a couple of miles of that strategic airbase and also threatened the Hama population center within just a few miles.

At that point, the regime we think calculated that with its manpower spread quite thin, trying to support both defensive operations and consolidation operations in Aleppo and along that north-south spine of western Syria, and also trying to support operations which required it to send manpower and resources east toward Palmyra, we believe that the regime probably calculated at that point that chemical weapons were necessary in order to try to make up for the manpower deficiency.

That's why we saw, we believe, multiple attacks of this nature against locations that the regime probably determined were support areas for the opposition forces that were near Hama -- for example, in the town of Al-Tamanah and then in the town of Khan Sheikhun, both of which are in what would be, in military terms, the rear area for the opposition forces that were on the front line.

So we believe certainly that there was an operational calculus that the regime and perhaps its Russian advisors went through in terms of the decision-making.

Q You said there was an operational reason for this attack.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Correct.

Q So just to clarify what you just said, this was an attack on civilians, but your understanding is that these civilian areas were seen as providing some sort of operational support for the opposition forces, which is what they're --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes. Now, I don't mean -- I don't mean that that means that the munitions were aimed at some sort of military capability. What I --

Q They were aimed at civilians.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: They were clearly aimed at areas that were most likely civilian areas. However, what I mean is that they were most likely intended to create pressure in what was deemed a rear area for those opposition forces that were fighting.

Q So understanding that, just a quick follow-up on that, is there anything about the timing, why this took place now -- or when it did?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: In terms of the timing?

Q So you explained to us why you think they chose to attack where they did. Why did they do it then?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes, if you look at sort of the punch-counterpunch of opposition and regime forces that are fighting in the vicinity of Hama, yes, you can see that -- in that context, you can see that the chemical weapons attacks seem -- could fit within the flow of a punch-counterpunch -- operational punch-counterpunch.

Q You said just a second ago, multiple attacks of this nature. So multiple sarin attacks, not just (inaudible)?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So it's a multiple chemical weapons attacks. So we think that the regime has consistently used chemical weapons over time, not necessarily all sarin, to be able to fill conventional voids in its ability to reach the opposition.

Q -- the context of your colleague's conversation with us about this particular one, so I'm just trying to clarify if they're all sarin attacks, or just the one in Khan Sheikhun, which you have established with your high degree of confidence.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So we would say that there are more than 200 allegations of regime chemical use since 2013, when Syria promised to give up its chemical weapons. We assess that many of those are credible. In terms of what we've been able to say right now, at least one of those is sarin, and we're continuing to look into --

Q Khan Sheikhun, correct?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: It's Khan Sheikhun, right.

Q With all of this confirmation that you have today, how are you employing the world community, to include the U.N., as it relates to what's happening with the punch-counterpunch? And also with the collusion with Russia and Syria together, how are you employing them? And also is this clarification and confirmation ramping up efforts against Syria?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So I'll start, and then I'm going to let these guys follow on.

In terms of the chemical weapons piece of this, it's incredibly important that we speak with one voice at the United Nations and at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. We need to speak with a clear message: That chemical weapons use of any kind, by any actor, is absolutely intolerable. That is our goal, and we need to do everything we can, collectively, to make sure that comes across clearly.

We're working with all of our partners, and we've made this message clear to the Russians as well, and will continue to do so, that we believe it's in no state's interest that any actor uses chemical weapons.

Q Support of additional forces, especially now that you believe to think that they have more agents left, be it sarin or what have you --

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: So we're still working through our partners. We have to get through U.N. and OPCW this week. We're continuing engagement there, and then we'll work with the international community. Really important is going to be for the fact-finding mission at the OPCW to do its job, to turn over any information that it has to the Joint Investigative Mechanism so that we have an outside body confirm, I think, is what they will do, what we already very strongly believe -- that the Syrian regime is behind this attack.

And again, I don't think there's evidence to the contrary at all, but we need to let the international community -- and empower those mechanisms of the international community to do their jobs. And our hope is that that will lend additional weight to what we've already talked here about.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: We're going to let my colleague set up there. And do you want to follow on with that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, no, that's fine.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Quickly, we're going to end here. But what I'd like to say on this is it's also -- you guys have asked about this several times. Speaking with one voice is what we just said. This is an opportunity. We have a clear, concise and definitive analysis here. We understand what happened there with a very high degree of confidence. And this is an opportunity, going back to an earlier question, for the Russians to choose to stop the disinformation campaign and make the commitment to accept what happens and work forward to eliminate WMDs from Syria together.

And that's it, we're going to leave it there. Thank you. The document will be handed out. Thank you for being here. And this is on background. I'm going to finish off -- on background, senior White House officials, embargoed until we walk out of the room. Document is coming to you.

END

12:40 P.M. EDT

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Nepal - Politics

Nepal is governed by a Communist government, only the sixth in the world after China, North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and Laos. April traditionally is a month of political ferment in Nepal, primarily for meteorological, rather than ideological, reasons. Protests are almost a springtime ritual here, and the scent of spring flowers in the air is typically accompanied by the smell of burning tires, as the warmer, pre-monsoon weather draws various groups out into the streets to vent assorted grievances.

A final agreement regarding a constituent assembly election was adopted by the political parties in December 2007. It elaborated a plan for an assembly of 601 seats335 elected under a proportional representation system, 240 under a first-past-the-post system, and 26 nominated by the Council of Ministers. The election took place in April 2008, following months of delay and political maneuvering. Approximately 60 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

The Communist Party of NepalMaoist, which later became UCPNMaoist, won 220 seats to become the largest party in the constituent assembly. The Nepali Congress captured the second largest number of seats with 110, followed closely by the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified MarxistLeninist), which won 103. The Madhesi parties, collectively, captured the fourth largest share with 83 seats.

The final list of members elected under the proportional representation system was released on May 8, 2008. The members of the Constituent Assembly [CA] were sworn in on May 27, 2008, and the first session of the CA was convened on May 28, 2008. In this session, the CA voted to declare Nepal a federal democratic republic by abolishing the monarchy. Out of 564 members of the CA who voted, 560 voted in favor and 4 against the motion.

Historically marginalized groups around the country, radicalized by the Maoists in the decadelong insurgency, began to press with increasing intensity for their rights and a greater inclusion in national-level affairs. This movement was particularly pronounced among the Madhesi people living in the Tarai, Nepals southern plains. Unrest in the Tarai continued for many months, with periodic strikes, bandhs (shutdowns), outbreaks of violence, and the rise and proliferation of armed groups.

Elections - 2008

Some observers were concerned that widespread violence may return if the Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist (CPN-M), the group which waged a 10-year armed struggle against the former government of Nepal, felt its political agenda has been thwarted by political opposition in the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly elections of April 10, 2008, were a key step toward consolidating peace in Nepal and enhancing Nepal's democratic process.

The Constituent Assembly was elected to form the structure of the new government of Nepal. It was also confronted with the need to address economic development and ethnic issues. The Maoists would lead this process as they had the largest representation in the Constituent Assembly.

As violence associated with the former Maoist insurgency abated, intercommunal tensions mounted and at times become violent. This has been particularly acute in the Terai region where the Madhesi live. The Madhesi, or plains folk, seek autonomy to free themselves from what they feel is domination by Pahadis from the more mountainous parts of northern Nepal. The Madhesi added a new regional dimension to Nepal's struggle for political stability. A new threat to the political stability of Nepalemerged from a number of groups representing Madhesi in southern Nepal.

In August 2008, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Maoist) was sworn in as Prime Minister. Less than a year into his term, Prime Minister Dahal resigned from the government on May 4, 2009 following a dispute over his bid to dismiss the Chief of the Army Staff. On May 23, members from 22 of the 24 political parties represented in the Constituent Assembly elected veteran Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (UML) leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as Prime Minister. Madhav Kumar Nepal was sworn in on May 25, 2009. On June 30, 2010, Prime Minister Nepal announced his resignation "for the sake of consensus" and to end the country's political deadlock following months of Maoist protests. On February 3, 2011, after 16 rounds of voting, Jhala Nath Khanal (UML) was elected Prime Minister; however, 6 months later on August 14, 2011 Khanal resigned from the government, citing the failure to make significant progress on the peace process. On August 29, 2011, Baburam Bhattarai (Maoist) was sworn in as Nepal's 35th Prime Minister, and the fourth Prime Minister since the 2008 CA election.

The CA could not promulgate a new constitution and dissolved on May 28, 2012,. It failed to finish the constitution drafting process despite repeated extensions, ending four years of constitution drafting. This created a constitutional and political void in the country until the Second CA was constituted. When the CA was dissolved there was a great disappointment among the population and some anger against political parties.

Presidential Election - 2018

More than 330 lawmakers from the Federal Parliament and 550 lawmakers from the Provincial Council are eligible to vote for president. The Federal parliament was formed after the completion of House of Representatives and Province Assembly elections in December 2017. There are also 59 members of the National Assembly who can vote, minus three nominees of the National Assembly whose appointments have been challenged at the Supreme Court. A total of 549 lawmakers from the Provincial Council will vote to elect the new president. The polls opened at 10:00 am and closed at 3:00 pm. Incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari looked poised to win a second term.





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Spotlight: S.Korean lawmakers of biggest political party raise voice against THAAD deployment

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 20:20, April 11, 2017

SEOUL, April 11 -- South Korean lawmakers of the biggest Minjoo Party on Tuesday raised voice against the deployment of the U.S. Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system in their territory, calling for a resolution through dialogue and negotiations.

A discussion session was hosted by the People's Solidarity for Democracy and Peace, an association composed of 22 Minjoo Party lawmakers, to find alternative to the planned THAAD installation, to which Seoul and Washington agreed in July last year.

On March 6, two mobile launchers and other first elements of THAAD were delivered to an unknown U.S. military base in South Korea. One THAAD battery is comprised of six mobile launchers, 48 interceptors, an AN/TPY-2 radar, and the fire and control unit.

"Just one month is left before a presidential election. It was very deplorable for acting president and defense chief to press ahead with the THAAD deployment, an issue which is extremely crucial to people," said Rep. Sul Hoon of the Minjoo Party who leads the association.

The lawmaker noted that the THAAD deployment indicates South Korea becoming part of the U.S. missile defense (MD) networking in the region, demanding such a significant issue influencing the country's security be ratified in the parliament.

Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn has served as an interim president since a bill to impeach former President Park Geun-hye was passed in the National Assembly in December.

Park was removed from office on March 10 in the historic ruling of the constitutional court, but the acting leader pushed for the THAAD deployment by allowing the first elements of the U.S. missile shield to be delivered to the country.

During the session, local experts said the THAAD installation would worsen South Korea's relations with China and Russia. It would lead to difficulties for South Korea to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and look for cooperation from the two countries in the eventual reunification with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

They said the deployment decision was hurriedly made without any parliamentary and public discussions and also without any close consultations with neighboring countries, increasing the diplomatic burden for next president.

An early presidential election is scheduled for May 9. Moon Jae-in of the Minjoo Party and Ahn Cheol-soo of the center-right People's Party are having a close race in recent presidential polls.

Regional countries, including China and Russia, have strongly opposed the THAAD deployment in South Korea as it breaks regional strategic balance and damages security interests of the two countries.

To resolve the THAAD issue, the main panelist proposed to the next South Korean government taking the lead in talking the DPRK into freezing its nuclear and missile developments first. Then, Seoul can discuss a gradual lifting of sanctions on Pyongyang with China and the United States to achieve the ultimate goal of the denuclearization on the peninsula.

Cheong Seong-chang, director of unification strategy studies program at the private Sejong Institute, depicted the approach as the re-internalization of the Korean Peninsula issues in which two Koreas take the initiative to resolve the peninsula's nuclear issue.

Cheong recommended the next South Korean president to hold summit talks with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un to agree on the immediate stop of Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missile tests in exchange for the resumption of the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the DPRK's border town as well as the restart of tours to the DPRK's Mount Kumgang resort.

If the agreement is reached, China and the United States can agree on the partial lifting of sanctions on the DPRK. In that case, there would be no need to deploy THAAD in South Korean soil.

Cheong said the DPRK's nuclear capability had advanced significantly in comparison to the one in 2006 when the country carried out its first nuclear test, and that the advanced capability would have made the U.S. think of it as a real threat to its security.

As a few more nuclear and missiles tests can lead the DPRK to own nuclear-tipped missiles capable of striking the U.S. mainland, it would be urgent to stop any further advancement in the DPRK's nuclear and missile capabilities, the senior researcher added.

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President Xi meets incoming HKSAR chief executive

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 18:29, April 11, 2017

BEIJING, April 11 -- President Xi Jinping met Tuesday with Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, the newly appointed chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in central Beijing.

Congratulating Lam on her victory in the election as the HKSAR's fifth-term chief executive and ensuing appointment by the State Council, Xi said Lam's victory is well deserved and she meets all the central authority's standards for the role.

With 36 years of government work experience, especially the multiple important posts she held after Hong Kong's return to the motherland, Lam has shown "a firm stance in loving the country and Hong Kong, a diligent, pragmatic and responsible work style, as well as rich administrative experience and ability to handle complicated situations," Xi said.

Lam also enjoys high recognition in Hong Kong society and has the mind, capability and sense of responsibility to serve the country and Hong Kong, Xi said.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the return of Hong Kong.

"Hong Kong has experienced its share of ups and downs during the past 20 years, and faces challenges and risks as well as opportunities and hopes in this stage," Xi said.

"Over the past two decades, great success has been achieved in the implementation of the 'one country, two systems' principle in Hong Kong," said Xi.

"The special administrative region system, stipulated in the Constitution as well as the Basic Law, operates effectively, and Hong Kong continues to enjoy prosperity and stability, winning high praise from the international community," Xi noted.

Xi also stressed that the practice of the "one country, two systems" principle in Hong Kong is an unprecedented cause and needs to be advanced through fresh explorations.

"As the newly appointed chief executive, you have a heavy responsibility and a glorious mission," said Xi.

The central government is determined to stick to the principles of "one country, two systems," "Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy, Xi noted.

That determination would not change or waver, said Xi, adding that full support would be given to Lam and the HKSAR government to carry out their duties in accordance with the law.

Xi expressed the hope that Lam could live up to the great trust, rely on the people of Hong Kong, comprehensively and precisely implement the principle of "one country, two systems" and the Basic Law, and contribute to the development of Hong Kong.

Senior leaders including Zhang Dejiang, Li Yuanchao, Li Zhanshu and Yang Jiechi attended the meeting.

Lam won the chief executive election with 777 of 1,163 valid votes on March 26. She is expected to assume office on July 1, 2017.

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Mounting Tensions: Pyongyang Ready to Respond to Potential US Military Actions

Sputnik News

06:57 11.04.2017

The North Korean Foreign Ministry believes that US decision to send an aircraft carrier strike group to the shores of the Korean Peninsula proves the aggressive intentions of Washington, and Pyongyang is ready to take countermeasures in case of military action, local media reported Tuesday, citing a ministry's official.

TOKYO (Sputnik)  The official said that Pyongyang was ready to defend itself by military means.

"[Sending aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula] proves that the US scenario of invading North Korea has reached a serious phase. If the United States dares to make a choice in favor of military action, shouting slogans of 'preventive strike' and 'destruction of the headquarters,' North Korea is ready to react at any US-desired military form," the official was quoted as saying by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)

On April 5, North Korea reportedly launched a ballistic missile from Sinpho, South Hamgyong province, in the direction of the Sea of Japan.

On April 8, US officials announced that aircraft carrier strike group was sent to the Korean peninsula amid rising tensions with North Korea.

Since the beginning of 2016, North Korea has carried out a number of missile launches and nuclear tests, prompting worldwide criticism. As a result, the UN Security Council tightened the sanctions regime for North Korea in an attempt to force Pyongyang to stop ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests, including imposing a measure intended to affect the country's trade, export of natural resources, arms trade and the banking sector.

 Sputnik

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Strike Force Group Deployment Seen as US Signal to N. Korea

By Jenny Lee April 11, 2017

The Pentagon's decision to move a powerful U.S. Navy strike force to Pacific waters near North Korea serves as a signal to the regime to cease further provocations, former U.S. officials say.

The USS Carl Vinson Strike Group departed from Singapore on Saturday for waters off the Korean Peninsula, a deviation from its original schedule of port visits in Australia, the U.S. Pacific Command said in a statement.

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Vinson and accompanying ships, including guided missile destroyers and aircraft squadrons, are expected to arrive in Korean waters near the April 15 birthday of the late Kim Il Sung, founder of the communist nation. Because of the significance of the date, many experts think the Democratic People's Republic of Korea might be provoked into launching its sixth nuclear test.

While Seoul's official reaction toward the deployment has been supportive, the ships' movement has stirred concerns in the South that the U.S. might take pre-emptive strikes against the regime.

Retired Admiral William Fallon, who commanded U.S. forces in the Pacific in the George W. Bush administration, told VOA that the strike group was rerouted "to send a message to Pyongyang that its recent belligerent activities, the provocative missile shootings and the violation of U.N. resolutions are not something we take lightly and to show some U.S. resolve in the region."

North Korea staged a medium-range missile test a day before the summit between President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, last week.

"When a single striker is sent to an area, it's meant as a message to pay attention and cease the provocative activities," Fallon said Monday. "Of course, these groups can be put together into a much more significant force, and there happens to be another carrier striker out in the Western Pacific now."

Christine Wormuth, undersecretary of defense for policy from 2014 to 2016, also said that repositioning U.S. forces is oftentimes used for signaling an adversary like North Korea that "we have military capabilities to deal with challenges that they are posing and let the North Koreans know that that's happening."

Despite the latest U.S. action, the Kim Jong Un regime appears to be remaining defiant, issuing a scathing statement against what it called a "reckless move" of the U.S. to invade North Korea.

"We will hold the U.S. wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions," said the North's state-controlled news agency KCNA.

With the growing North Korean nuclear threat, there appear to be increasing calls for the U.S. to employ military tools to try to curb Pyongyang's ambitions.

While the U.S. could move additional forces like the Vinson group into waters near the Korean Peninsula, Fallon said it also could set up more permanent bases and orchestrate more joint military exercises in South Korea and Japan.

Deploying more missile defenses like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the region, the admiral added, could also provide additional coverage against possible North Korean ballistic missile attacks.

"The objective of any of that activity would be to try to deter the DPRK from further provocative actions," Fallon said.

The White House is not addressing the question of whether the Trump administration would act unilaterally to counter the Kim regime. But tough talk from the commander in chief is fueling speculation that the U.S. may take military action.

On Tuesday, Trump reiterated his position, tweeting that "North Korea is looking for trouble" with its nuclear weapons development program, and again imploring Beijing to do more to restrain Pyongyang.

"If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!" Trump tweeted.

Wormuth, however, cautioned that "whatever the United States might do in response to future provocations, the Trump administration will think very carefully about that and coordinate very closely with the South Koreans," given Seoul's proximity to Pyongyang.

NBC News reported that the National Security Council told Trump his options for dealing with North Korea's nuclear threats also included assassinating Kim.

This story originated with VOA's Korean service.

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DPRK vows to react to mode of war desired by U.S.

Xinhua

Source: Xinhua 2017-04-11 13:13:57

PYONGYANG, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said late Monday that the U.S. preparations for invading the DPRK have reached "a serious phase of its scenario" with the sending of a nuclear carrier task group in waters off the Korean Peninsula by Pentagon.

A spokesman for the DPRK Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quoted by the Korean Central News Agency as saying that the U.S. dispatching of Carl Vinson nuclear carrier task group to waters off the peninsula "all of a sudden" has proved that Washington's "reckless moves of invading the DPRK have reached a serious phase of its scenario."

"If the United States dares opt for a military action, crying out for 'preemptive attack' and 'removal of the headquarters,' the DPRK is ready to react to any mode of war desired by the United States," said the spokesman.

He stressed that "the prevailing grave situation proves once again that the DPRK was entirely justified for increasing in every way its military capabilities for self-defense with preemptive attack with a nuclear force as a pivot."

"The Trump administration is foolish enough to deploy strategic striking forces one after another in South Korea, trumpeting about 'peace by force of arms,' but the DPRK remains unfazed."

"We never beg for peace but we will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves," said the spokesman.

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Militants shelled the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone 45 times on Tuesday, which resulted in injuring five Ukrainian servicemen, the press center of the ATO headquarters reported.

In the Mariupol sector, militants fired using 82 mm mortars, Zu-23-2 anti-aircraft systems, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns at Maryinka, using grenade launchers, armored personnel carriers and machine guns - Vodiane, using antitank grenade launchers  Novotroyitske, using infantry fighting vehicle weapons - Shyrokyne, using armored personnel carriers - Pavlopil, using machine guns and small arms - Berezove. In addition, the enemy snipers fired at the positions of the ATO near Vodiane, Novotroyitske, Martinka and Krasnohorivka.

In the Donetsk sector, militants fired on Opytne using 120 mm and 82 mm mortars and weapons of infantry fighting vehicles, Avdiyivka using 82 mm mortars, grenade launchers, ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft systems and heavy machine guns, Vernkhniotoretske using 82 mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers, Luhanske using ZU-23-2 and weapons of infantry fighting vehicles, Zaitseve and Pisky  from grenade launchers and machine guns, Pisky  from the arms of infantry fighting vehicles.

In the Luhansk sector, militants fired on Krymske using 120 mm mortars and anti-tank grenade launchers, Novoaleksandrivka using armored personnel carriers and grenade launchers, Katerynivka using grenade launchers.
Indian Officers Scam Army Into Paying Millions in Rent for Disputed Land

Sputnik News

18:53 11.04.2017

India's investigative agencies have exposed a land scam operation running into millions of rupees, involving Indian Army officers and locals in the Indian State Jammu & Kashmir. The Army is said to have paid the money as rent to fictitious owners for land that is situated in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  In the nine cases that have come to light, the agencies found that the Army officers drew money from the exchequer through forged documents to reimburse the rent paid by Army personnel. The agencies are questioning how the money was paid.

"There are altogether nine reported cases relating to alleged payment of rent for land in Pakistan Administered Kashmir. Out of these cases, the State Vigilance Organization has filed FIR in one case and CBI has filed FIR in two other cases. Remaining cases are under confidential verification by CBI," Defense Minister Arun Jaitley told the Indian parliament.

In many cases, rent had been paid to fictitious owners for several years. For example, Army had paid rent for 13 hectares in Rajouri till September 2015. But CBI investigation has found that land is actually situated in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Seven such cases have been unearthed by the vigilance department. "After the investigation, it was concluded that revenue documents were forged by the State Revenue officials and the land was either administered by Pakistan or is located in no-man's land," said the Indian defense ministry.

The defense ministry has occupied around 687,965 hectares of land across the country for establishing cantonments, offices, residential property in various parts of the country. But in recent years, several scams such as the Sukna land scam, Srinagar airport land scam, the Adarsh society scam have been unearthed by agencies where it has been found that Army officers were involved.

Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir to be their territory in the dispute which harks back to the Partition of British India in 1947. Though the two countries have fought three wars since then, the dispute is far from over.

Some local residents in Indian Administered Kashmir, call for greater autonomy or even independence from India.

After a spurt in militancy was put down in the 1990s, life in Indian-administered Kashmir was reasonably peaceful until July 2016, when the killing of Burhan Wani, the leader of an outlawed Kashmiri separatist group, by Indian forces led to the resurgence of street protests. The region has been on the boil since then.

 Sputnik

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India Set to Patrol Malacca Straits That Lead to South China Sea

Sputnik News

12:28 11.04.2017

In a significant development for India, the countries patrolling the Straits of Malacca are expected to give their consent for India to join the patrolling of the straits connecting the Indian Ocean with the Pacific Ocean very soon. The Malacca Straits also links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  Government sources told Sputnik that India has managed to receive a positive response from member countries of the Malacca Straits Patrol Framework and will join the group.

Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand launched the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) in 2006 to ensure the security of the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. MSP comprises the Malacca Straits Sea Patrol (MSSP), the "Eyes-in-the-Sky" (EiS) Combined Maritime Air Patrols, as well as the Intelligence Exchange Group (IEG). MSP was initiated in the wake of an upsurge in pirate attacks on ships in the region in the early 2000s. This is the route through which 80% of China's crude and oil imports from the Middle East and Africa must pass. Japan and South Korea are also dependent on this route for trade.

Strategically, India can monitor the movement of the Chinese Navy in the Indian Ocean as well because India's Andaman and Nicobar islands are also some 100 km from the western edge of the Malacca Straits.

"If India does manage to join the MSP, it will be a very significant development. The four countries involved in patrolling the Malacca Straits have acute sensitivities about each other's maritime activities closer to their own territorial waters. They are also inherently wary of extra-regional contributions to the patrolling effort. Part of the problem is that three of the four states have competing territorial claims in littorals adjoining the Malacca Straits," said former Indian Navy Commander Abhijit Singh said.

Indian Navy's Boeing P-8 maritime surveillance and strike aircraft have been deployed in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands near the Malacca Straits and it may add some more in the near future as the deployment of Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean since 2013 have caused disquiet in Delhi.

On March 29, Indian Navy has also commissioned first of its eight Landing Craft Utility (LCU) at Andaman and Nicobar Command at Port Blair, very near the Malacca Straits. The LCU will play a significant role in the transportation of 145 tons of military equipment like main battle tanks, armored vehicles with the addition of 165 fully equipped troops. India has started the laying of 1450 miles dedicated submarine Optical Fiber Cable between mainland (Chennai) and Port Blair and five other islands viz. Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Havelock, Kamorta and Great Nicobar at a cost of $165 million last year. Once India is authorized to patrol Malacca Straits, real-time data of commercial ships and naval platforms will be available.

"Now, as armed robbery and militancy in Southeast Asia are on the rise, there is a clamor for outside assistance in the maritime security effort. But India must be aware that joint maritime operations in the region will come with its share of challenges," Abhijit Singh added.

The Straits of Malacca are considered a weak point in China's maritime strategy where India wants to assert itself more with such strategic move.

 Sputnik

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President calls for huge voter participation in May 19 elections

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Sari, Mazandaran Prov, April 11, IRNA -- President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday called on the Iranian people to maintain an outstanding participation in the upcoming May 19 presidential and city council elections.

President Rouhani made the remarks in an inaugural ceremony held for introducing 43 development and infrastructural projects in the northern province of Mazandaran.

"We are now in a critical situation and we should show our unity and power to the world, "the President said.

Rouhani urged respecting ethics and upholding moral values in the election campaigns and said that the angels of ethics and peace should not be victimized.

"The election campaigns in Iran are different from the similar campaigns in the European or American countries because we are living in an Islamic country under the umbrella of Velayat-e Faqih (Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist), the Founder of Islamic Republic and we remain to abide by the Constitution," the President said.

The registration of candidates for Iran's presidential elections kicked off in the Interior Ministry headquarters on Tuesday morning.

Head of the Islamic Coalition Party's Central Council Mostafa Mirsalim was the only prominent political figure, who registered his name on Tuesday morning to run for the next presidential election.

Incumbent President Rouhani and Hojjatoleslam Ibrahim Raeisi, the Custodian of Imam Reza holy shrine are two politicians expected also to register their name for the upcoming presidential elections.

The time for registration will end on April 15, and the Guardian Council will start the vetting process April 16.

The 12th presidential elections, the 5th city and village councils as well as the parliamentary run-off for some constituencies will be held on May 19.

9191**2044

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Myanmar oil pipeline deal reached in Beijing

People's Daily Online

(China Daily) 08:10, April 11, 2017

China and Myanmar on Monday signed an agreement on a crude oil pipeline to send oil from Myanmar's Kyaukpyu Port to Yunnan.

The agreement and eight other cooperation documents were signed after talks between President Xi Jinping and Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw, who is on a state visit to China from Thursday to Tuesday. Details of the agreements were not released.

In the talks, Xi said China is willing to "push forward China-Myanmar cooperation to focus more on Myanmar's livelihood, such as education and rural area development", according to a news release issued by the Foreign Ministry.

Xi said China expects to work with Myanmar to firmly adhere to the right direction of bilateral ties and support each other on key issues related to core interests.

China appreciates Myanmar's active involvement in the Belt and Road Initiative, Xi said, adding that Beijing will comprehensively consider development strategies of the two nations to promote cooperation in fields like trade and investment, infrastructure, energy, hydropower and border economic cooperation zones.

China will also push forward key cooperation projects such as the Kyaukpyu special economic zone and connectivity projects, Xi said.

He said China respects Myanmar following a development path in accord with its own national status.

China will continue playing a constructive role in Myanmar's domestic peace process and work with Myanmar to jointly maintain security and stability in the border area, Xi said.

U Htin Kyaw said his country will never forget China's help in its development and support in the international arena.

This is his first visit to China after taking office in March 2016. He visited Chengdu, Xi'an, Shanghai and Hangzhou before arriving in Beijing.

Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters after the meeting that one section of the China-Myanmar crude oil pipeline has been finished, while China has built a refinery near Kunming, provincial capital of Yunnan.

"Recently, the two sides have been discussing operation of the pipeline. After the signing of the agreement, I believe the pipeline will be put into operation soon," Liu said.

He said the project will not only transport oil that China imports from Myanmar, but will also benefit regions along the pipeline.

The two sides also reached "important consensus" in areas such as energy, interconnectivity and infrastructure cooperation, Liu revealed.

China and Myanmar have "basically reached consensus" on the Myitsone Dam project, which was delayed by the former Myanmar government, Liu said.

"Both sides expressed positive expectations," he said, adding the two sides will continue the discussion to reach a proper win-win settlement. "It is predictable that there will be a result acceptable to both sides in the coming future."

Liu said a gap in the nation's common efforts that existed in the past will be filled by the decision to focus combined efforts more on the livelihoods of Myanmar's people.

U Htin Kyaw also met Premier Li Keqiang on Monday. Li stressed that stability in northern Myanmar has a direct effect on security of Southwest China.

China does not want to see the border area disturbed and will support Myanmar's efforts to realize domestic peace and reconciliation, Li said.

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Myanmar begins shutting down displacement camps in Rakhine

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 10:17AM

Myanmar authorities begin shutting down three displacement camps in the beleaguered Rakhine State, where persecuted Rohingya Muslims are mainly based.

"We have initiated the process to close down three IDP (internally-displaced persons) camps," Myanmar's National Security Advisor Thaung Tun said in a press briefing, without elaborating on where the camp inhabitants would be moved to.

The move came after a commission led last month by former UN secretary general Kofi Annan called on the government to close them as part of a series of measures aimed at mending simmering ethnic tensions that have led to the brutal persecution of Rohingya Muslims in the region.

The official further said the government had started with the three camps identified in the commission's report, including one sheltering ethnic Rakhines and one that houses Kaman Muslims.

He further stated, "In Kyauk Phyu, there are IDP camps for Rakhines... Sittwe for the Rohingya group and Ramree... mostly for Kamans."

The largest of the three includes more than 200 houses full of Rohingya Muslims.

Tens of thousands of people from Rakhine's Muslim and extremist Buddhist communities were placed in internally-displaced camps after violence divided the poor region five years ago.

Myanmar has been internationally censured for its brutal treatment of Rakhine's more than one million Rohingya Muslims, whom the Buddhist majority and the government dismiss as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

The vast majority of the Muslims are not granted citizenship and face harsh restrictions on their access to education, healthcare, food and movements although many have lived there for generations.

The crisis reached a boiling point last October after Myanmar's army began a brutal crackdown in the north of Rakhine, reportedly killing hundreds of Rohingya Muslims.

UN investigators say Myanmar's forces may have carried out crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya during the crackdown.

Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi rejected such charges last week, asserting in an interview that the term ethnic cleansing was "too strong an expression."

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As Myanmar Rebuffs International Spotlight, Rohingyas Suffer

By John Owens April 11, 2017

In the ramshackle refugee camps that dot the landscape of Bangladesh's borderlands with Myanmar, the prospect of an imminent return home for the Rohingya people is growing ever dimmer.

It has been seven months since a military offensive began among the Rohingya community in Myanmar's Rakhine state, prompting widespread allegations of mass rape and murder and the flight of around 70,000 Rohingya into neighboring Bangladesh.

Yet with recent U.N. efforts to investigate being stonewalled by Myanmar, and allegations of atrocities being downplayed, demands for justice continue to meet deaf ears.

Meanwhile, fears grow that this will become the latest generation of Rohingyas forced into permanent exile.

Conditions for return

In Balu Kali camp  situated in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district  they are building for the future ahead of the coming rainy season.

Alongside the recently built huts, bricks wait in piles on construction sites to be laid.

Mohammed Anwar dreads the onset of Bangladesh's lashing rains and retains hope that he will see the village he fled three months ago.

However, he is firm about what is required to make him return to Myanmar.

"If we get a fair recognition as Rohingya, and a promise to the world that we will not be tortured, then we will go back," he said. "Otherwise we will not go back."

Anwar's conditions for return are commonly echoed here.

Deprived of even the most basic rights in Myanmar, including citizenship and the freedom to move, the Rohingya are a Muslim minority group in largely buddhist Myanmar.

They are labelled by many in their homeland as Bengali immigrants, despite having a presence in the region stretching back generations.

Yet with hopes pinned on the international community, progress so far has been slow.

Reaching stalemate

Myanmar's military operation was prompted by the death of nine policemen at the hands of a Rohingya insurgent group in October. But the crackdown has faced accusations of brutally targeting civilians and widespread atrocities, a charge rejected by Myanmar.

Though the Myanmar military released a statement saying it had ended military operations in Rakhine in mid-February, reports indicate that few, if any, Rohingya have returned permanently.

Since then, real efforts to look into what happened have come to little.

While rebuffing the UN, Myanmar sent its own state-backed commission to the camps in Bangladesh, but Sultan Ahmad, who was present at the visit, told VOA "they didn't hear or care what we said."

"We said about burning many villages, and the burning of children by locking newborn babies in the houses," said Ahmad, who is from nearby Kuptalong camp.

"We asked them why they were lying after what they'd done, and they said it was us that were lying."

Disillusionment, meanwhile, has also set in regarding de facto Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Feted as a beacon in the country for human rights and given a role within government last year after her party won in a landslide election, she has remained largely mute on the topic of the Rohingya  save an interview this week in which she denied allegations of ethnic cleansing.

"We do not expect any positive steps from Myanmar." added Ahmad.

Stretched resources

Elsewhere in Kutapalong camp, the newly-arriving refugees are welcomed with empathy.

It is estimated that between 300,000 and 500,000 Rohingya live in Bangladesh, having fled what they say is persecution in Myanmar that has gone on for decades.

A number of them live in the longer-established part of Kutapalong, where the houses are more firmly built and a scattering of tombstones marks a graveyard.

Minuara Begum, who fled to Bangladesh in 2012, fears that as more time passes, chances grow that those who arrived recently will also end up permanently displaced.

But with aid to the Rohingya already stretched, she also has another fear  that the patience of the Bangladeshi government will wane.

"People keep on coming to Bangladesh and, like us, living here," she said. "There may be a population problem, and the price of food, and other important elements are increasing day by day."

One NGO source, who did not want to be identified, told VOA that though the government had publicly given "the green light" in helping Rohingya, it was "making life difficult" for NGOs  leaving many without much needed assistance.

Recently, the government in Bangladesh proposed relocating the Rohingya to flood-prone and remote Thengar Char island in the Bay of Bengal, an idea that has drawn condemnation from human rights groups.

Requests from VOA for comment by the national government have been met with silence.

But at the local level, Kazi Abdul Rahman, deputy commissioner for Cox's Bazar, referred to the ongoing presence as "a concern," stating they would be "awaiting a decision" regarding Thengar Char.

Rather stay away

Some wait because they must, but there are others determined not to return.

With NGOs present, some are gaining access to services like healthcare that they were deprived of back home, even if many are living on one meal a day.

Rashida Begum was split from her daughter Senuara amid a military raid on her village in Myanmar, and fears she is in the hands of soldiers.

"If she is alive or not, I do not know," she tearfully told VOA.

But while she is constantly hunting for news of her daughter from new arrivals, the prospect of returning home fills her with dread.

"There is no peace in Myanmar and it will never come. I'll never go back to Myanmar, even if there is peace," she said. "There, I couldn't sleep at night. Here, though I am starving, I can sleep in peace."

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Pakistan Executes 2 'Hardcore Terrorists'

By Ayaz Gul April 11, 2017

Pakistan executed two militants Tuesday who officials said were convicted of terrorism-related offenses by military courts.

The deaths by hanging took place on a day when Amnesty International in a worldwide report noted Pakistan reduced the number of executions by 73 percent in 2016 compared to the year before.

The men were active members of the anti-state Pakistani Taliban and were found guilty of staging deadly attacks on security forces, aid workers and polio vaccination teams, according to an army statement.

The militants were executed at the "high security prison" in the central city of Sahiwal, it added.

Even though the country carried out fewer executions last year, the number of recorded death sentences alarmingly rose to over 360 compared to 121 death sentences in 2015, noted the Amnesty report.

"With at least 87 executions carried out in 2016, however, Pakistan remained among the world's top executioners," it said.

Pakistan reinstated controversial military courts in March after a lapse of two months, ignoring opposition by local and international rights groups.

While officials maintain the special tribunals are an "effective deterrent" against terrorism, rights defenders question transparency of the trials because of complete secrecy surrounding military courts as well as suspects tried by them.

Separately, authorities said Tuesday that counterterrorism forces raided a militant hideout in the city of Multan in the early morning and captured seven militants linked to the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the outlawed Pakistani Taliban.

A spokesman for the provincial counterterrorism department in Punjab said the raid also seized hand grenades, explosives, computers and weapons from the suspects' possession.

Officials allege that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which the United States has also designated as a terrorist group, plots attacks against Pakistan from sanctuaries inside Afghanistan.

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S. Korea Dismisses Rumors of War Crisis on Korean Peninsula

KBS

Write : 2017-04-11 18:58:37 Update : 2017-04-12 09:59:19

South Korea's Foreign Ministry has dismissed rumors of a looming war on the Korean Peninsula, which are rapidly spreading on social networking sites.

Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said on Tuesday during a regular news briefing that foreign and defense authorities of South Korea and the U.S. are closely cooperating on issues related to North Korea and its nuclear weapons.

The spokesman said that deployment of U.S. strategic assets to the Korean Peninsula is under way through close cooperation between Seoul and Washington to reinforce their combined defense posture to counter threats from North Korea.

He said that the U.S. is making it clear that it will not seek any new policies or take measures without discussing them with South Korea.

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S. Korea Cautious of Possible US Action on N. Korea

KBS

2017-04-11 11:42

Anchor: Amid concerns over possible North Korean provocations and a U.S. military response, Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn urged the government and the public to remain cool-headed. As Hwang called for composure in dealing with the North,

Seoul's Unification Minister expressed his opposition to a possible U.S. military strike on North Korea. He said its impact on South Korea must be considered.

Kim In-kyung has more.

Report: In a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn noted that North Korea could carry out an additional nuclear test or other provocations this month to mark various anniversaries.

While pointing to uncertainties surrounding the U.S. military strike against Syria and the ensuing tension between world powers, Hwang said that the government and the Korean public must remain realistic to the situation for effective responses.

Hwang's call for composure comes amid rising speculations on social media of a possible U.S. attack on North Korea.

In a media conference on Monday, Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo also expressed concerns about the possible military move.

Hong said Seoul will have to consult with Washington about a preemptive strike, saying that although an attack would be aimed at resolving the regime's nuclear threat, South Korea must consider its possible ramifications.

While pointing to concerns over the possible collateral damage in the South, Hong said Seoul cannot see eye to eye with Washington's every military decision regarding the North. However he emphasized that Seoul will continue its coordination with Washington on North Korean matters.

The concerns of possible North Korean provocations have led to the deployment of the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier led strike group to waters near the Korean Peninsula.

Kim In-kyung, KBS World Radio News.

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Putin's National Guard Cracks Down On Opposition Activists In Irkutsk

Maria Chernova April 11, 2017

IRKUTSK, Russia -- An anticorruption protest in the Siberian city of Irkutsk on March 26 passed peacefully. The authorities had given permission for the event, and about 1,000 people listened to a few young organizers give impassioned speeches calling for an investigation into allegations of corruption leveled against Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev before heading home. There were no reports of arrests or violence.

The drama came later, in the early morning hours of April 6.

"On Saturday at 6 a.m., I was awakened by the doorbell. They said that we were leaking water on the downstairs neighbor. When I opened the door, men in masks pushed me against the wall," says Natalya Maksianovich, the mother of 24-year-old Igor Martynenko, an organizer of the Irkutsk protest. "I am still in shock.... After a few minutes, they took Igor and [his girlfriend and fellow protest organizer] Sofia [Miktinyuk] out."

She says nobody knew anything about her son for two days. "I didn't even know where he was. I was afraid they were beating him or worse," Maksianovich says. "Why else would they hide him from us?"

The men refused to identify themselves and wore no insignia.

But that wasn't the end of the story. After Martynenko was driven off, the masked men spent more than an hour searching the apartment. They ignored requests for a court order as they packed up virtually all the electronics on the scene into plastic bags. They left without leaving a written protocol of what had been seized.

At the same time, officials were busy at the home of activist Dmitry Litvin. He, too, was hustled off without communication and disappeared into the web of Russian law enforcement for more than 48 hours.

A fourth protest organizer, Valeria Altaryova, was also detained.

The detentions came the day before the four organizers planned to get together and discuss their next steps after the March 26 rally.

"The four of us were the organizers of the protest," Miktinyuk tells RFE/RL. "And it was completely legal, by the way. All our opposition activity is completely legal. All the protests or other actions that we organized were always conducted with the permission of the authorities and kept within the limits of the law."

"Yes, we are unhappy with the current government and the direction it is taking the country," she continues. "I am certain that our detention was connected with our active opposition to the leadership of the country."

Sending A Message

While their concerned relatives were making the rounds of Irkutsk police stations and courtrooms, the detainees were being held at the city's Center for Combating Terrorism. The masked men who detained them, it turned out, were soldiers of Russia's newly formed National Guard.

The National Guard is a force of some 400,000 officers that was created in 2016 by President Vladimir Putin and placed under the command of Viktor Zolotov, who formerly headed Putin's personal protection service.

Although the official mission of the National Guard is to combat terrorism, many in Russia believe its true purpose is to protect the Putin government and to ensure his smooth reelection to a fourth term in March 2018. During the debate about the force in the State Duma, Communist Party lawmakers openly associated its creation with "the forthcoming election," while nationalist firebrand Vladimir Zhirinovsky said the force was essential to deal with "any mutineers, revolutionaries, and extremists."

In the end, only 19-year-old Litvin is facing criminal charges. He was released pending trial on charges of "insulting the feelings of believers" for posting allegedly antireligious images on social media. One photograph of someone making a rude gesture in the direction of a church, which Litvin reposted in 2015, particularly attracted the attention of prosecutors.

The other detainees were released, having been told officially that they had been detained in the capacity as witnesses in the developing case against Litvin. Except for Martynenko. He was sentenced to 10 days of administrative custody for allegedly resisting a police officer, although his relatives were not allowed to testify as witnesses to his detention and a video showing some of the incident was not taken into consideration.

Defense lawyer Svyatoslav Khromenkov tells RFE/RL that he believes the court "was guided by an a priori presumption of Martynenko's guilt."

Khromenkov says he has no doubt that the whole matter was drummed up as a means "for the current regime to let everyone understand that it has muscles."

"As far as I understand, the Irkutsk protest against corruption on March 26 passed relatively peacefully, without arrests like they had in other regions," Khromenkov adds. "The police were reproached for this. So [the authorities] retroactively went after the standouts -- in particular, the young people who particularly attracted attention with their opposition activities and their liberal views."

Robert Coalson contributed to this report

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/russia-national-guard-cracks-down- irkutsk-opposition/28424005.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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There can be no security in Europe until Russia stops its aggression - Kyiv in response to G7 communique

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has welcomed the joint communique of the G7 countries, which confirms their commitment to pressing Russia into ending aggression against Ukraine.

"Ukraine welcomes the G7 Foreign Minister's Joint Communique and their full support of Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and their resolve in urging the Russian Federation to stop its aggression against Ukraine," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the G7 Ministerial Joint Communique posted on the ministry's website on Tuesday.

Kyiv said there can be no security and stability in Europe unless Russia stops its belligerent foreign policy aimed at redrawing borders and reinstating Cold War spheres of influence. The Foreign Ministry said only full adherence to international law and implementation of agreements reached can lead to peaceful settlement of conflicts.

"The Russian Federation bears full responsibility for the deterioration of security and the dire human rights situation in occupied Donbas and Crimea," the statement reads.

"We welcome the G7 reiteration of its condemnation of the illegal attempted annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea by Russia. This illegal annexation has led to repressions, widespread human rights violations, as well as discrimination of the Crimean Tatars and ethnic Ukrainians. Russia must uphold all of its obligations under international law as an occupying power. In particular it must ensure full respect of human rights in the occupied Crimea and the city of Sevastopol," the ministry said.

The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine believes that militarization of the Crimean peninsula and its use for Russian military operations in Syria constitutes a grave threat to European security. "It also goes against international efforts to bring peace to the Middle East," the statement reads.

Kyiv also welcomed the G7's renewed commitment to the implementation of the Minsk Agreements and recognition that Russia must live up to its commitments: to cease fire, to withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine and to return Ukraine the control over its international border. The Foreign Ministry also appreciated the G7's advocacy for the continuation of sanctions until Russia gets off Ukrainian land.

"We are pleased that the G7 has recognized the progress that we are making on our reform agenda. We know that there is much to be done in this area and with the continued support of our partners we will accomplish it," the statement reads.

As reported, on April 11, during the summit in Lucca (Italy), the foreign minister of the G7 countries recognized that the process of Donbas settlement has encountered serious difficulties.

The Bloomberg agency reported referring to Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, the G7 summit participants noted difficulties in the implementation of the Minsk agreements.
Tillerson To Press Russia On Syria As Trump's Detente Hopes Stall

Carl Schreck April 11, 2017

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is set to challenge Russian officials in Moscow over the Kremlin's backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack last week.

Tillerson was set to meet Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian officials on April 12, days after U.S. missiles bombarded a Syrian air base that Washington alleges was used to launch a poison gas attack that killed dozens in a rebel-held Syrian town.

Tillerson's arrival in Moscow the previous day came amid increasingly sharp rhetoric from both sides and mounting doubts about the likelihood of the kind of rapprochement that Trump voiced support for during last year's presidential campaign.

Trump repeatedly said he wanted to improve ties with Moscow that have been severely strained over the conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, though his administration has shown no clear signs of easing policies enacted by his predecessor, Barack Obama, aimed at pressuring and isolating the Kremlin.

Trump escalated Washington's standoff with Russia last week by ordering a barrage of cruise missile strikes against the Syrian air base following the suspected chemical weapons attack that killed more than 80 people.

The U.S. operation incensed Moscow, Assad's main backer in the six-year-old civil war in Syria, which called the missile strikes a violation of international law.

"It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson told reporters on April 11 prior to departing Italy for Moscow. "We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar Al-Assad."

Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, chose the day of Tillerson's arrival in Moscow to lash out at Washington in his first public comments on Syria since the U.S. missile strikes.

Putin told reporters that Moscow would appeal to a UN agency in The Hague to conduct an investigation into the chemical weapons deaths.

He added that Russia had obtained intelligence concerning planned "provocations" involving chemical weapons that would be used to accuse Assad's government.

"We have information from various sources that such provocations -- I cannot call them otherwise -- are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern outskirts of Damascus, where they are again planning to throw some kind of substance and accuse Syrian official authorities of using it," Putin said during a televised press conference on April 11.

Putin frequently met with former Secretary of State John Kerry during official visits to Russia by Obama's top diplomat. It was not immediately clear, however, whether Putin would meet with Tillerson during this week's visit.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said prior to Tillerson's arrival that Putin did not have a meeting with the U.S. diplomat on his schedule "yet."

'Show Us What You've Got, Cowboy'

The Kremlin greeted Trump's stunning victory in November with cautious optimism, while political proxies loyal to President Vladimir Putin were more enthusiastic that the new Republican president would pursue more favorable policies toward Moscow.

Publicly, however, the new administration's approach to Russia on key issues has differed little from that of Trump's Democratic predecessor.

The Trump administration has said it will maintain sanctions on Russia over the Kremlin's 2014 seizure of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and its backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

It has also issued critical statements about Russia's record on human rights and political freedoms, including a recent politically tinged conviction of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, and reports of alleged brutal violence against LGBT people in Russia's southern Chechnya region.

And on the day Tillerson arrived in Moscow, Trump formally signed off on Montenegro's accession to NATO, the Western military alliance whose usefulness the U.S. president had previously questioned and whose expansion has long angered Russia.

This week's visit by Tillerson, the former ExxonMobil CEO once given a state award by Putin for his longtime work with the company in Russia, is "not going to be the visit that I think the Russians maybe were expecting three months ago," said Steven Pifer, a former longtime State Department official who served as ambassador to Ukraine under President Bill Clinton.

Pifer, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank in Washington, told RFE/RL that the Trump administration so far has shown a "a pretty conventional Republican mainstream policy approach" toward Moscow: "supportive of Ukraine, supportive of NATO, and pretty skeptical about Russia."

"My guess is on the Russian side, they're going to want to take the measure of Secretary Tillerson and see if there's any 'there' there in terms of a Trump reset policy," Pifer said. "But my guess is they're going to be disappointed as they talk about the tough issues like Syria and Ukraine."

Trump has faced mounting domestic pressure as well amid the ongoing fallout over Russia's alleged meddling in last year's presidential election. U.S. intelligence says the Kremlin directed a hacking-and-propaganda campaign that ultimately aimed to help Trump defeat his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, a charge Moscow denies.

The FBI and several U.S. senate committees are now investigating Russia's role in the election as well as contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials.

Both Democratic and Republican members of Congress have expressed concerns over Trump's stated desire to improve ties with Russia.

Vladimir Frolov, a well-connected foreign affairs analyst based in Moscow, told RFE/RL that during Tillerson's visit, the Kremlin hopes to get greater clarity on the Trump administration's policy on Syria following a series of mixed messages.

Trump's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said over the weekend that regime change was a priority for Trump in Syria, while Tillerson said that defeating Islamic State militants in Syria was a priority.

He said Tillerson had "earned some goodwill" in Moscow "by knocking off talk of regime change in Syria" and downplaying suggestions that Russia was aware of a planned chemical attack in Syria ahead of time. This, Frolov said, would likely secure a meeting between Tillerson and Putin, plans for which were reported by Russian media citing unnamed sources.

As for Putin's sharp words ahead of Tillerson's meetings in Moscow, Frolov portrayed the president's comments as part of a negotiation strategy to getting "clarity and linkage" from the Texas native on "the whole package, not just nice words on Syria."

"It's a way of saying: 'Show us what you've got, cowboy,'" he said.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, Interfax, AFP, and TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/tillerson-press- russia-syria-trump-detente-hopes- stall-moscow-visit/28424677.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Iran, Syria call for formation of fact-finding committee on Khan Sheikhoun attack

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, April 11, IRNA -- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan and the Syrian Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij called for establishment of a fact-finding committee to probe into the Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack in Idlib province.

Washington alleges that the Khan Sheikhoun attack has been conducted by the Syrian Army against its own people, a claim strongly rejected by Damascus.

Dehqan and al-Freij , in a telephone conversation on Tuesday, called for more coordination between Iran and Syria to intensify the military operation against terrorists.

Referring to the US attack against a Syrian airfield, the Iranian and Syrian defense ministers underlined that such actions will not have any effects on the will and determination of the resistance front in its fight against terrorists.

A Syrian airfield was attacked by the US missiles under the pretext of the use of chemical weapons allegedly by Bashar Assad's government against its own people, a claim dismissed by Damascus.

It was the first US direct assault on Syrian fortifications on Friday as a result of which some 59 missiles were fired on Shayrat air base in Homs Province in Syria.

The missile attack was conducted without the UN Security Council and the US Congress consent.

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Iran defense chief discusses US raid with Russia, Syria counterparts

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 7:8PM

The Iranian defense minister has in separate phone calls with his Russian and Syrian opposite numbers exchanged views about the recent US airstrikes against a Syrian army air base, with the trio stressing the importance of boosting cooperation for a resolute campaign against terrorists.

"This [US] move is in contravention of all the principles of international law and was a blatant act of aggression against an independent country to revive and raise the crippled spirits of terrorists in Syria," Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said in a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Tuesday.

He added that the missile attack was also an attempt to restore the marred image of US President Donald Trump on the country's political scene and distract the public opinion away from domestic problems in the country.

He warned that the US is implementing "suspicious and dangerous" plans to make up for the terrorists' losses in the Middle East, create a consensus against the legitimate Syrian government and justify their military presence in the region.

Despite their claims, the US rulers are not fighting terrorism but are taking steps to boost the morale of terrorists and their sponsors and bombing the Syrian armed forces and nation instead of terrorists, the Iranian defense minister said.

Terrorists must understand that they cannot further continue with their criminal conduct and Washington should also know that its measures would not remain "unanswered," he added.

"The resistance front will firmly and resolutely continue with its anti-terror measures in spite of US wishes," Dehqan pointed out.

The Russian defense minister, for his part, urged the immediate reinforcement of the Syrian army and popular forces.

Shoigu expressed his country's determination to make use of its political and military capacities and furhter inflict crushing blows on terrorists and their sponsors.

US warships deployed to the eastern Mediterranean launched a barrage of 59 Tomahawk missiles against Shayrat Airfield, southeast of the western Syrian city of Homs, on Friday. Washington, without providing any evidence, alleged that the attack came in response to a chemical attack by the Syrian government.

At least 86 people were killed in the gas attack in Khan Shaykhun.

Syria has categorically denied carrying out the gas attack, with the foreign minister stressing that an Idlib airstrike had targeted a depot, where terrorists stored chemical weapons.

Need for fact-finding mission to probe US claim

Meanwhile, the defense ministers of Iran and Syria urged the establishment of a fact-finding committee at the earliest to investigate the US lies about an alleged Syrian government role in the chemical attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib Province.

"Such measures will have no impact on determination and will of the resistance front in the battle against terrorists," Dehqan said in a telephone conversation with Syrian Defense Minister Fahd Jassem al-Freij.

The two defense chiefs discussed ways to boost cooperation on intensifying military operations against terrorists.

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UN draft resolution urges probe into Syria gas attack

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:3PM

A new United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution drafted by Britain, France and the US has called for an investigation into a suspected chemical attack in Syria.

British Ambassador to the UN Matthew Rycroft said in a post on his Twitter account on Tuesday that the resolution would require "full cooperation with the investigation" of a purported gas attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria's Idlib Province on April 4 that killed over 80 people.

Last week, the UNSC discussed three separate draft texts proposed by London, Paris and Washington, but failed to vote on any of the measures.

The new motion is the revised version of last week's texts that condemned the Khan Shaykhun incident and demanded a full investigation into it.

A senior council diplomat said he expected a vote on the revised draft resolution in the coming days.

"We cannot give up and we must try, in good faith, the best we can, to have a text condemning the attack, asking for a thorough investigation," said French Ambassador to the UN Francois Delattre.

Western countries rushed to blame the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad for the Khan Shaykhun incident without providing any evidence to support their accusations.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said that Damascus did not and would not use chemical arms, even against terror outfits. He also noted that the Syrian military had carried out an airstrike on a depot where terrorists stored chemical weapons.

Analysts say President Assad had had no motive to order a chemical attack and draw global ire at a time when his forces have the upper hand on the battlefield against militant groups.

Iran and Russia have called for an impartial investigation into the chemical incident.

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US chemical attack claims against Syria like 2003 Iraq war plot: Putin

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 5:35PM

Russian President Vladimir Putin says the recent US missile strike on a Syrian air base over an alleged chemical attack was reminiscent of a plot hatched in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Italian counterpart, Sergio Mattarella, in Moscow on Tuesday, Putin said Washington invaded Iraq following false allegations that it possessed chemical weapons.

"Then the US representative at the UN Security Council showed alleged chemical weapons found in Iraq," he said, adding that the military intervention "ended with the country's destruction, with the growth of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the ... [Daesh terrorist group] on the international stage, no more, no less."

On April 7, US cruise missiles hit Shayrat Airfield in Syria's Homs Province earlier this week, killing 15 Syrians and causing material damage. Washington claimed that the air base was the origin of the April 4 purported gas attack on the town of Khan Shaykhun in Syria's Idlib Province which left over 80 people dead.

The US attack on the Syrian airfield following accusations of Damascus' involvement in the Khan Shaykhun incident "strongly resembles the developments of 2003," Putin pointed out.

Russia's Defense Ministry said last week that the Khan Shaykhun deaths were caused when a Syrian airstrike hit a "terrorist warehouse" used for making bombs containing "toxic substances." Syria also gave a similar account of the incident.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Russian president warned of future chemical weapons "provocations" in Syria to frame President Bashar al-Assad.

"We have information from various sources that such provocations - I cannot call them otherwise - are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern outskirts of Damascus, where they are again planning to throw some kind of substance and accuse Syrian official authorities of using it," he said.

In early 2003, the US, strongly backed by the UK, invaded Iraq under the pretext that the regime of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. No such weapons, however, were ever found in Iraq.

The invasion and subsequent occupation of the country killed more than one million Iraqis, according to the California-based investigative organization Project Censored.

The Iraq Inquiry report concluded last year that the Iraq war was launched on the basis of "flawed" intelligence at a time when Saddam presented "no imminent threat" and diplomatic options had not been exhausted.

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No place for Assad in any future Syrian government: Tillerson

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 1:5PM

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says there is no place for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in any future government for the Arab country.

Tillerson made the remarks on Tuesday as foreign ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries held meetings in Italy on Monday and Tuesday for a diplomatic push to resolve the six-year-old Syrian crisis which was created by the US and its allies.

"Our hope is Bashar al-Assad will not be part of that future," Tillerson stated.

"The United States' priority in Syria and Iraq remains the defeat of ISIS," he added, using an alternative acronym for the Daesh (ISIL) terrorist group.

"As events shift, the United States will continue to evaluate its strategic options and opportunities to de-escalate violence across Syria," he continued.

Tillerson is due to travel to Moscow later on Tuesday at the end of the two-day meetings in the Italian city of Lucca with his Italian, German, French, British, Japanese and Canadian counterparts.

Since March 2011, the United States and its regional allies, in particular Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, have been conducting a proxy war against the Syrian people and government.

The years-long conflict has left more than 470,000 Syrians dead and half of the country's population of about 23 million displaced within or beyond the Arab country's borders.

In September 2014, the US and some of its allies started conducting airstrikes inside Syria against Daesh terrorists. However, observers say the attacks did little damage to the terrorists; rather, they targeted the country's infrastructure.

In September 2015, Russia launched its own air offensive against the terrorists who were still wreaking havoc in Syria. The Russian campaign, analysts say, has broken the backbone of Daesh and other Takfiri militants, and has strengthened the Assad government's fight against terrorism.

In recent months, the Syrian army, backed by the Russian air power, has been making major gains against Takfiri terrorist groups, recapturing several strategic areas from their grip, particularly in the strategic northern province of Aleppo.

But then this month the US military decided to target the Syrian military directly. It fired 59 Tomahawk missiles at al-Shayrat airbase in Homs province in western Syria on April 7.

US President Donald Trump said he had ordered the strike in response to the April 4 chemical attack in the Arab country that he blamed on the Syrian government.

The US military claimed the airfield targeted was used to store chemical weapons and Syrian aircraft. This is while Damascus volunteered to destroy its chemical stockpile in 2014 following an agreement which was brokered by the US and Russia in 2013.

Tillerson again accused Moscow of failing to enforce the 2013 deal meant to get Syria rid of its chemical arsenal.

He said that Russia had "failed to uphold the agreements that... stipulated Russia, as the guarantor of a Syria free of chemical weapons, would locate, secure, and destroy all such armaments in Syri."

The top US diplomat said it was "unclear whether Russia failed to take this obligation seriously" or had "been simply incompetent."

On Sunday, Tillerson also said the April 4 chemical incident happened because of Russia's failure "to achieve its commitment to the international community."

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Militant shelling kills two Russian servicemen in Syria

Iran Press TV

Tue Apr 11, 2017 12:9PM

The Russian Defense Ministry says two of its servicemen have been killed and another sustained severe injuries after foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants launched a mortar attack.

The ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that those killed were serving as military instructors within a unit of the Syrian government forces, noting that "military medics are struggling for the life of a wounded Russian soldier."

The statement, however, did not provide any further information about the exact place and date of the attack, nor the identities of the slain servicemen.

Russia has been offering military assistance to the Syrian government since September 2015.

The military assistance, in the form of an aerial campaign and advisory support, came upon a request from the government in Damascus, which has been fighting a foreign-backed militancy in the country since 2011.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on March 6 that one of its servicemen had been killed after members of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group mounted an offensive against positions of Syrian government forces in the central province of Homs.

The ministry said in a statement that Private Artyom Gorbunov was killed in action near the ancient Semitic city of Palmyra, located about 215 kilometers northeast of the capital, Damascus, four days earlier.

The statement added that the 24-year-old "was guarding a group of Russian military advisers in the Syrian Arab Republic" at the time.

On February 20, Russia's Defense Ministry said four Russian soldiers had been killed and two others sustained injuries earlier that month, when their military vehicle was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED) en route from Tiyas military airbase, also known as the T-4 airbase, to the city of Homs.

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Putin Lashes Out Over Syria, Increasing Tension As Tillerson Arrives In Moscow

RFE/RL April 11, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Moscow will formally call for an international investigation into what Western governments say was a deadly chemical-weapons attack by the Syrian government on civilians last week.

Putin lashed out on April 11, in his first public comments on Syria since the United States fired missiles at an air base in the Middle Eastern country to punish President Bashar al-Assad.

His remarks add to already heightened tension between Russia and the West just before a visit to Moscow by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who arrived shortly after Putin spoke and is due to meet with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on April 12.

Putin said Russia would appeal to UN agencies in The Hague to investigate, apparently referring to the global chemical-weapons watchdog, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

"We believe that any incident of this kind should be officially investigated," Putin said. "We plan to turn to the United Nations bodies in The Hague and call on the global community to thoroughly investigate into this incident and make balanced decisions based on the investigation's outcome."

Russia and Syria have claimed that the toxic gas that killed dozens of civilians in an Idlib province town on April 4 was released when government bombs struck a rebel-controlled chemical-weapons depot -- an assertion that Western governments reject and Tillerson has said was neither "plausible" nor "credible."

Putin also claimed that Russia has received intelligence about planned "provocations" using chemical weapons that would put the blame on the Syrian government. He offered no evidence to back up the assertion.

"We have information from various sources that such provocations -- I cannot call them otherwise -- are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern outskirts of Damascus, where they are again planning to throw some kind of substance and accuse Syrian official authorities of using it," Putin said after during a televised press conference.

Putin alleged that Russia has heard that the United States is planning strikes on the southern Damascus suburbs -- also without any evidence.

Russia has given Assad crucial diplomatic backing throughout the war in Syria, which has killed more than 300,000 people and uprooted many more.

Putin said that the Western accusations against Assad reminded him of claims, ahead of the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, that Saddam Hussein had stockpiled chemical weapons.

Suggesting that he was quoting from a Soviet-era satirical novel, he said such claims were "boring" and added, "We've seen this all before."

Tillerson: U.S. Or Assad

Before departing Italy for Moscow on April 11, Tillerson urged Russia to abandon its support for Assad after his repeated use of chemical weapons and join the United States in seeking a peaceful future for Syria.

"We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad," Tillerson told reporters, calling the alleged use of a nerve agent an act of "barbarism."

Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said before Tillerson's expected arrival that a meeting with Tillerson was not on Putin's schedule "yet."

Russian media reports have quoted unnamed sources as saying there are plans for a meeting between Putin and Tillerson, the highest official in President Donald Trump's administration to visit Russia.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that Lavrov will meet with the foreign ministers of Syria and Iran in Moscow later this week.

With reporting by AP, Reuters, Interfax, and Lifenews, and TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/a/syria-russia-putin-lashes -out-ahead-tillerson-visit/28423715.html

Copyright (c) 2017. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Syrian Army Establishes Control of Strategic Height Near Palmyra

Sputnik News

19:55 11.04.2017

The Syrian Armed Forces liberated the strategic height of al-Abtar south of the ancient city of Palmyra from the Daesh terrorists, according to local media reports.

DAMASCUS (Sputnik)  The Syrian army managed to liberate the strategic height of al-Abtar south of the ancient city of Palmyra from the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terror group, outlawed in Russia, local media reported on Tuesday.

The government troops also established fire control over the al-Halabat palace near al-Abtar, the SANA news agency reported.

The army is also said to have carried out operations against the Jabhat Fatah al Sham terror group, outlawed in Russia, in the Daraa province. Terrorists reportedly suffered heavy losses in personnel and vehicles. Two senior terrorist leaders Mohammad Jamal Hindawi Masalmeh and Rashed Aba Zaid were reportedly killed in these operations.

The government's troops also killed 15 Daesh terrorists and destroyed two machine gun-equipped vehicles, barricades and motorcycles in the province of Deir ez-Zor.

Terror organization such as the Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham are not part of the ceasefire that came into force on December 30, 2016, with Russia and Turkey being its guarantors.

 Sputnik

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UK, US Circulate New UNSC Draft Resolution on Syria Chemical Attack - Envoy

Sputnik News

19:48 11.04.2017(updated 19:53 11.04.2017)

UK Ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft said that US, UK, and France circulated a new draft of Security Council resolution on the recent chemical attack in Syria.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik)  The United States, the United Kingdom, and France circulated a new draft of Security Council resolution on the recent chemical attack in Syria, UK Ambassador to the United Nations Matthew Rycroft said on Tuesday.

"With US and France, UK has circulated revised draft resolution on #Syria condemning [chemical weapon] attack & requiring full cooperation with investigation," Rycroft stated.

On April 4, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces said some 80 people were killed and 200 injured earlier that day in a chemical weapons attack in Khan Shaykhun, Idlib province, blaming the Syrian army for the incident.

The Syrian foreign minister denied the government's involvement in the Idlib incident.

The United States, France and the United Kingdom proposed a draft resolution condemning the attack and claiming it was carried out by the Syrian government forces. Among other things, it emphasized the need for the Syrian government to provide investigation teams with information on flight plans, flight logs, names of all individuals in command of all helicopter squadrons and provide access to relevant air bases.

Russia submitted its own draft resolution on conducting a proper investigation into the incident. It also suggests forming an investigation team "based on the principle of a broad-based and balanced geographical representation" that should have safe and secure access to the site of the incident.

 Sputnik

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High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini will pay a working visit to Russia on April 24 at the invitation of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

"The negotiations are expected to address the state of affairs and prospects of Russia-EU relations, and also key international problems, including the situation in Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and Libya, the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iran, the Middle East settlement and countermeasures against international terrorism," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday.
Chemical Incident: Russia to Ensure Security of Experts at Syria's Sha'irat Base

Sputnik News

17:47 11.04.2017

The Russian military will provide security for experts during their investigation into the chemical incident in Syria's Idlib province.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Russian military is ready to ensure security and allow independent experts and representatives of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to visit the Sha'irat airbase in Syria to conduct an examination, the Russian General Staff said Tuesday.

"We are ready to provide any opportunities, ensure security and allow independent experts and representatives of the OPCW to visit the Sha'irat airfield for an expert examination. Experts know that it is impossible to conceal traces of chemical weapons," chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at a news briefing.

On April 4, a chemical weapons incident in Syria's Idlib province claimed the lives of some 80 people and inflicted harm on an additional 200 civilians. The Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, as well as a number of Western states, accused the Syrian government troops of carrying out the attack, while Damascus refuted these allegations, with a Syrian army source telling Sputnik that the army did not possess chemical weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on April 5 that the airstrike near Khan Shaykhun by the Syrian air force hit a terrorist warehouse that stored chemical weapons slated for delivery to Iraq, and called on the UN Security Council to launch a proper investigation into the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said April 6 that groundless accusations in the chemical weapons incident in Syria's Idlib were unacceptable before the investigation into the matter had been carried out.

However, the incident was used as pretext for a US missile strike against the Ash Sha'irat airbase carried out late on April 6. US President Donald Trump characterized the strike as a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government troops while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was a violation of the international law. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the US missile strike against the Syrian airfield as a strategic mistake.

Earlier this year, Syrian President Bashar Assad said that the country's government had never used weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, against the Syrian people. Besides, under a Russian-US deal after the east Ghouta sarin gas incident in 2013, Damascus joined the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and agreed to destroy its stockpile under Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) oversight. In January 2016, the OPCW announced that all chemical weapons in Syria had been destroyed.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Army Expanding Security Zone Around Palmyra

Sputnik News

17:23 11.04.2017(updated 18:01 11.04.2017)

Rebels are retreating and leaving the dominant hills around Palmyra under the Syrian Army's pressure.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  The Syrian army continues to expand the security zone around the ancient city of Palmyra taking control over 230 square kilometers since the beginning of April, the Russian General Staff said Tuesday.

"In the Palmyra area, Syrian army units continue to expand the security zone around the city. As a result of the offensive by the Syrian armed forces, the rebels are retreating and leaving the dominant hills," chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at a news briefing

"Since the beginning of the current month, more than 230 square kilometers of the territory have passed under the control of government troops," the general added.

Rudskoi noted that Russian sappers were taking part in the clearance of the city from mines and explosive objects.

"To date, 21 socially significant facilities have been cleared, including 10 schools, nine mosques and two hospitals. [A total of] 1,894 buildings and houses were inspected on the territory of 1,135 hectares, 115 kilometers of roads, more than 5,000 explosive items and improvised explosive devices were defused," the general concluded.

On March 2, the Syrian government forces regained control over Palmyra with the support of the Russian aircraft operating in Syria. The operation was carried out with minimal losses among the anti-terrorist troops.

Daesh seized Palmyra, which was the capital of the Palmyrene Empire and one of the richest cities of the Roman Empire, in May 2015. Terrorists destroyed a number of historic sights designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Arch of Triumph, the Temple of Baalshamin and the Temple of Bel. Jihadists also looted the national museum and the famous Palmyra's necropolis.

Less than a year after that the Syrian army supported by the Russian Aerospace Forces managed to liberate Palmyra. Russian specialists demined the historic center as well as residential areas of the city. Russian historians and renovators visited Palmyra in early July 2016 and prepared a report assessing the condition of the damaged sites and costs of the renovation works. However, in December 2016, the city was retaken by jihadists.

Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the December Daesh offensive on Palmyra. According to the Russian leader, the situation in Palmyra was a result of discordant actions of different players in Syria.

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.

Moscow has been conducting a counter-terrorist campaign in Syria since September 30, 2015, at President Bashar Assad's request.

 Sputnik

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Syrian Opposition Fails to Provide Map of Controlled Areas to Russian Military

Sputnik News

17:01 11.04.2017

Syrian opposition has not provided Russia with a map indicating the areas it controls, which complicates fight against terrorism.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia has not yet received a map from the Syrian opposition indicating the areas it controls, which makes it difficult to fight terrorists, the Russian General Staff said Tuesday.

"We have not yet received a map indicating the areas controlled by the opposition and terrorists, which makes our fight against the terrorists from Daesh and al-Nusra Front [both outlawed in Russia] more difficult," chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at a news briefing.

He added that since the beginning of 2017, some 226 settlements and about 3,500 square kilometers of the Syrian territory have been liberated from terrorists.

Since September 2015 Russian Aerospace Forces have been carrying out airstrikes in Syria targeted at terrorist positions at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad. In March 2016, the biggest part of Russian air forces left Syria in line with the decision of Russian President Vladimir Putin, following successful task fulfillment.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in December that the Syrian government and armed opposition groups had reached an agreement on a nationwide ceasefire in Syria and on readiness to start peace talks.

 Sputnik

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Russian General Staff Warns Against New US Missile Strikes on Syria

Sputnik News

16:00 11.04.2017(updated 17:25 11.04.2017)

Moscow warns against new US missile strikes on Syria, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operational Directorate Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi said at a news briefing on Tuesday.

Militants are preparing a provocation against the Syrian government.

"Militants are delivering toxic chemicals in Khan Shaykhun, the Jira airport, East Ghouta and to the West of Aleppo," the Russian General Staff said. The aim of these actions is to forge another pretext for accusing the Syrian government of using chemical weapons and for triggering new US strikes."

"We warn against such inadmissible steps," the general staff said.

The general reiterated that the Syrian army does not possess chemical weapons, while the remaining two chemical weapons production and storage facilities in Syria are located on the territory controlled by the so-called armed opposition groups.

"We demand a thorough investigation of the alleged chemical attack by Syrian aviation on the city of Khan-Shaykhun," Rudskoi said.

The authenticity of media reports accusing Syrian authorities of the use of chemical weapons in Idlib province raises serious doubts, the Russian General Staff said.

"We have carefully analyzed the materials in the media accusing the Syrian government of using chemical weapons in the settlement of Khan Shaykhun in Idlib province, their authenticity is highly questionable," Rudskoi said.

"More and more respected experts and organizations are inclined to believe that the video footage [of the alleged attack] has been fabricated," the general added.

On April 4, a chemical weapons incident in Syria's Idlib province claimed the lives of some 80 people and inflicted harm on an additional 200 civilians. The Syrian National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, as well as a number of Western states, accused the Syrian government troops of carrying out the attack, while Damascus refuted these allegations, with a Syrian army source telling Sputnik that the army did not possess chemical weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry said on April 5 that the airstrike near Khan Shaykhun by the Syrian air force hit a terrorist warehouse that stored chemical weapons slated for delivery to Iraq, and called on the UN Security Council to launch a proper investigation into the incident.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said April 6 that groundless accusations in the chemical weapons incident in Syria's Idlib were unacceptable before the investigation into the matter had been carried out.

However, the incident was used as pretext for a US missile strike against the Ash Sha'irat airbase carried out late on April 6. US President Donald Trump characterized the strike as a response to the alleged use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government troops while Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said it was a violation of the international law. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the US missile strike against the Syrian airfield as a strategic mistake.

Earlier this year, Syrian President Bashar Assad said that the country's government had never used weapons of mass destruction, including chemical weapons, against the Syrian people. Besides, under a Russian-US deal after the east Ghouta sarin gas incident in 2013, Damascus joined the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and agreed to destroy its stockpile under Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) oversight. In January 2016, the OPCW announced that all chemical weapons in Syria had been destroyed.

 Sputnik

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US Blasts Russian Claim Denying Syrian Government's Use of Chemical Weapons

By Ken Bredemeier April 11, 2017

The U.S. on Tuesday sharply rejected Russian claims that the chemical gas sarin, which killed dozens of people in Syria last week, came from an airstrike on a rebel-held munitions depot rather than a deliberate attack by Syrian fighters on civilians.

National security officials at a White House briefing accused Moscow, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, of "a very clear campaign to obfuscate the nature of the attack." They said the chemical weapons in the April 4 attack landed in the middle of a street  as shown by charring of the roadway  not on a building.

The officials, speaking on background without direct attribution, said Syria "has not come clean" on its collection of chemical weapons, despite a 2013 agreement to dismantle its stockpile.

"We know the Syrian regime has sarin gas," one official said. "We are confident the rebels [fighting Assad's government] don't have sarin."

The official called the evidence "an opportunity for Russia to end its disinformation campaign." But later, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said there is "no consensus" among U.S. intelligence officials that Russia colluded with Syria in carrying out the attack.

The White House officials spoke hours after Turkey announced that tests have confirmed the deadly nerve gas sarin was used in the attacks on rebels that killed about 90 people and sickened hundreds more.

Ankara's health minister said Tuesday the conclusion was reached after blood and urine samples were examined during autopsies on three victims of the gas attacks that were brought from Syria's Idlib province. The World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the post-mortem examinations.

Putin's accusations

Confirmation of the cause of the deaths came as Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a U.N. investigation of the chemical weapons attack, which prompted U.S. President Donald Trump to launch 59 missiles on the Syrian air base Washington believes was used to carry out the mission.

Putin, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, accused the United States of "provocations" to blame Syria for the chemical weapons attack. Without offering any evidence, Putin said Washington is planning a new missile launch, including near the capital, Damascus, after faking chemical weapons attacks there.

"We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse Syrian authorities" of using chemical weapons, Putin said.

The Russian leader added, "It reminds me of the events in 2003 when U.S. envoys to the [U.N.] Security Council were demonstrating what they [erroneously] said were chemical weapons found in Iraq. We have seen it all already."

Tillerson in Moscow

Putin's rebuke of the United States came as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks Wednesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Tillerson, the highest-level U.S. official to meet with Russian officials since Trump took office in January, said he hopes Moscow will abandon its support for Assad after last week's deadly chemical attack.

"We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people," Tillerson said. "Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role. Or Russia can maintain its alliance" with Syria and Iran.

There are no scheduled plans for Tillerson to meet with Putin, but Russian media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said such a meeting will occur.

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US Blasts Russian Denial That Syria Uses Chemical Weapons

By Ken Bredemeier April 11, 2017

The United States has sharply rejected Russian claims that the nerve gas sarin, the agent responsible for scores of deaths in Syria last week, was the inadvertent result of an airstrike on a rebel-held munitions depot. A U.S. report says it is clear the chemical-weapons assault was a deliberate attack on civilians.

The National Security Council released a report at the White House Tuesday declaring that Syria's "unacceptable" use of outlawed chemical weapons is a clear threat to the world. It accused both Syria and Russia of attempting to "confuse the world community about who is responsible for using chemical weapons against the Syrian people," both on this occasion and previously.

The NSC called on the international community to speak out and make clear that "this behavior will not be tolerated," although it did not specify possible consequences.

Security Council prepares to vote

At the United Nations, the United States, Britain and France look set to go ahead with a revised Security Council resolution on Wednesday  even though such an effort is expected to be vetoes by Russia.

At a White House briefing in Washington, U.S. national-security officials said Moscow, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in engaged in "a very clear campaign to obfuscate the nature of the attack." They cited evidence, such as images of charred roadway showing that the gas shells dropped from the sky on April 4 landed in the middle of a street, not on a building, as Damascus and the Kremlin have claimed.

The American officials said Syria has ignored its agreement in 2013 to dismantle its stockpiles of chemical weapons. "We know the Syrian regime has sarin gas," one official said, speaking on background. "We are confident the rebels (fighting Assad's government) don't have sarin."

The clear-cut nature of this month's sarin attack should be seen as "an opportunity for Russia to end its disinformation campaign" about Syria's use of banned weapons. Separately, Turkey announced Tuesday that its test have confirmed the deadly nerve gas sarin was used in the attacks that killed about 90 people and sickened hundreds more.

What of Russia's role in attack?

Ankara's health minister said blood and urine samples were examined during autopsies on three victims of the gas attacks whose bodies were brought in from Syria's Idlib province. The World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the post-mortem examinations.

Despite the growing agreement about Syria's tactics, there was no clarity on the question of whether, or to what extent, Russia colluded with Syria in carrying out the attack. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said U.S. intelligence officials have not been able to come up with a "consensus" on that issue.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for a U.N. investigation of the chemical-weapons attack, which prompted U.S. naval forces to fire 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Syrian air base believed to be the source of the sarin. President Donald Trump approved the missile attack last week.

Putin contended the U.S. staged "provocations" to bolster its charges against Syria, although gave no details or evidence for his statement. The Kremlin leader also claimed Washington is planning a new missile launch against Syria, which supposedly would target an area south of the capital, Damascus, "where they (the Americans) are planning to again plant some substance and accuse Syrian authorities" of using chemical weapons.

Tillerson-Putin meeting uncertain

Putin's condemnation of the United States came as the American secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, arrived in Moscow Wednesday for talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Tillerson said he hopes Moscow will withdraw its support for Assad as a consequence of last week's chemical attack.

"We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people," Tillerson said. "Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role. Or Russia can maintain its alliance" with Syria and Iran.

There are no scheduled plans for Tillerson to meet with Putin, but Russian media outlets, citing unnamed sources, said such a meeting will occur.

At the United Nations, Britain, France and the United States worked on a revised draft resolution condemning the chemical weapons attack. A similar attempt last week ended in acrimony between the three powers and Russia, and was followed by the U.S. missile strike on the Syrian air field.

Wednesday UN vote seen

A revised version of the proposed resolution has been circulated among council members, and diplomats said they expect a vote Wednesday afternoon.

"Our draft resolution seeks first of all to condemn the heinous attack on the 4th of April; second, to require full cooperation by all the parties with the investigations being run by the OPCW and the JIM (Joint Investigative Mechanism); and thirdly, to ensure that there is full accountability," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

He said they drafted the resolution with the intention of achieving consensus among the 15 council members. "I find it very hard to understand how any member of the Security Council could vote against any part of that resolution," Rycroft said, but diplomats said a Russian veto is likely, even if China abstains.

If Russia blocks the measure, it would be the eighth time it has used its council veto to protect Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during the six-year-long civil war.

Veto or not, an international investigation is already fully mandated under existing council resolutions, and could go ahead. The proposed resolution seeks to strengthen Syrian government cooperation with investigators.

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Royal Marines to be restructured in line with growing Royal Navy

11 April 2017

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Philip Jones confirms that the Royal Marines will be restructured to better balance a growing Royal Navy.

With billions being invested into a growing Royal Navy, the Royal Marines have decided to restructure to better balance skills across the force.

The move comes as part of the Navy's regular review of its structure to ensure that it suits the operational demands of the 21st century, and is appropriately balanced for the future with 400 more personnel, more ships, new aircraft carriers and submarines entering front line service.

Around half of the 200 roles being repurposed are backroom function roles, like drivers and administrative staff. Freeing these up to be carried out by Reservists and civilians will enable skills to be used more appropriately across the Navy.

The other half of the restructure comes as part of plans developed by 3 Commando Brigade, who are responsible for the deployment of the Marines, who decided it would be beneficial to the Corps to make 42 Commando a specialised Maritime Operations unit.

A Royal Marines Commando performs roles ranging from maritime operations like countering piracy and protecting our trade routes across the globe, to land-based operations like warfighting and peace-keeping. Under this re-balancing, 42 Commando will become the specialised, go-to unit for maritime operations  meaning some of their posts, like heavy weapons specialists, can be reallocated across the Navy.

No Royal Marines will be made redundant as a result of today's news  when those in the roles which have been identified for repurposing leave, their position will simply transfer to a different area of the Navy.

The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Philip Jones, said:

"As someone who has worked with Royal Marines at every stage of my career, most notably when commanding the Amphibious Task Group from RM Stonehouse, I know how vital their role is as the UK's premier high readiness contingency force. However, as First Sea Lord, I also know we must adapt to meet the challenges of a dangerous and uncertain world."

"The Government is investing in a new generation of ships, submarines and aircraft. As we introduce these capabilities into Service, we must ensure we have the right mix of skills across each of the Navy's Fighting Arms to optimise how we use them, and the Commandant General and I have sought to find the right balance between sailors and marines in responding to this challenge."

"The Royal Marines remain bound in to every part of the Royal Navy's future, from conducting sophisticated operations from the sea, at a variety of scales and against a range of threats, using our new aircraft carriers as a base, to leading the Service's development of information warfare. They will continue to be as vital to the Defence of the Realm in the years ahead as they have been for the past 350."

Commandant General Royal Marines, Major General Robert Magowan, said:

"As Royal Marines, we pride ourselves in being the first to understand, the first to adapt and the first to overcome. So as we confront a changing and unstable security environment, we are defining an exciting future for our Corps, which will ensure that we remain as relevant tomorrow as we do today."

With a 178 billion equipment plan backed by a rising defence budget, this year sees the first of two giant 65,000-tonne Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers arrive in Portsmouth, the first of the Navy's five next generation patrol ships begin her sea trials and the fourth Astute Class submarine enter the water.

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A Gloucestershire man who helped his ex-wife run two brothels has failed in an Appeal Court bid to clear his name.

Phillip Stubbs, 70, of Hook Street Farm, Lynch Road, Berkeley, was found guilty of two counts of brothel keeping at Bristol Crown Court in March 2015.

He was handed a two year suspended sentence and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

His former wife, Julie Gatty, 61, was ordered to do 120 hours unpaid work after being found guilty of the same charges.

Stubbs yesterday challenged his convictions at the Court of Appeal, in London, saying he had uncovered "new evidence".

He criticised his trial lawyers and argued the fresh evidence could have undermined testimony given by witnesses at his trial.

But his complaints were thrown out by senior judges, who said there was "a wealth of evidence" he was involved in running the brothels.

Two brothels - 'Panache', in Highland Crescent, Clifton, Bristol and 'From China with Love', in North Street, Bedminster, Bristol - were targeted by a police investigation using undercover officers and surveillance.

Officers and women who worked at one of the properties gave evidence at the trial that sexual services were offered for money.

The court heard there was also surveillance footage which showed Stubbs going to and from the properties with plastic bags.

He claimed he had collected money to help his ex-wife, but was not aware the premises were being used as brothels.

However, despite his denials, he was found guilty by a jury of keeping the brothels between November 2009 and March 2012.

During a raid at his farm in March 2012, officers discovered more than 100 cars - including Mercedes, Bentleys and Lamborghinis - in a temperature controlled basement, as well as an indoor swimming pool.

Rejecting his appeal bid, Judge Christopher Kinch QC said he had received a fair trial, at which he gave evidence, and there was no merit in his complaints.

"There was a wealth of evidence from different sources as to his involvement in these premises.

"None of the matters relied upon raise any arguable ground of appeal," the judge concluded.
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The heartbroken fiance of a young hairdresser killed in the centre of Cheltenham yesterday described her as "a lovely, lovely person who loved life".

Anna Rys died after she was hit by a Citroen Relay van on her way to work in the town centre yesterday.

The 34-year-old lived with Piotr Koniuszewski in Bishop's Cleeve and was walking to work when she died.

This morning an emotional Piotr kneeled for a few minutes as he lit a candle outside Anna's salon, Hairs Atalia, in Clarence Street, and laid flowers at the spot where she died.

"She was a lovely lovely person," he said. "She loved life and was always helpful. She loved it here in Cheltenham.

"She would have just got off the bus from Bishop's Cleeve. It's really hard to think she was just three minutes away from the salon. I still can't believe it's happened."

Mr Koniuszewski and his friend Kristoff said they wanted to visit the scene of the accident to pay their respects and hopefully speak to any of the town centre workers who stayed with her until 999 services arrived.

They also wanted to personally thank those who held blankets up to protect her privacy as paramedics battled to save her life.

Anna had moved from Poland about three years ago and originally set up a salon on Upper High Street, moving to Clarence Street in April last year.

Choking back tears Kristoff said: "She was a wonderful person, always so open with everybody and full of life."

Peter Ray from a neighbouring shop Images said: "A member of staff came in yesterday morning and told me what had happened.

"Even though we didn't know who it was, it was deeply upsetting to have something so devastating happen so close to home.

"She popped in a few times to say hello when she first moved in and seemed to be a nice lady."

A shop assistant at Malinka Polish Delicatessen said: "She was one of our customers. We didn't know her well but she was always polite and seemed like a nice, kind person.

"She used to have a barber shop in Cheltenham and her customers seemed to like her so she must have been a nice person."
Some 69 Ukrainian servicemen killed, more than 420 wounded in ATO zone since beginning of year

Since the beginning of this year, 69 servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been killed, more than 420 injured in the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) zone, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said.

"Only in the course of this year 69 soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have been killed and more than 420 injured as a result of the enemy's shelling," the president said on Wednesday, speaking to the tank brigade during his working trip to the Luhansk region.

He also said that a total of 2,652 Ukrainian servicemen of various security agencies had been killed during the ATO.
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Police are still investigating the circumstances of yesterday's fatal accident in Cheltenham which claimed the life of 34-year-old Anna Rys.

The hairdresser was killed as she was walking to work at her salon, Hairs Atalia, in Clarence Street, shortly after getting off the bus from Bishop's Cleeve, where she lived with her fiance Piotr Koniuszewski.

She died after she was involved in a collision with a Citroen Relay van in Clarence Parade, near the junction with Clarence Street at 9.30am.

This morning, police have put up yellow signs appealing for information.

A picture of Anna, has been taped to the police sign asking people to call 101 if they have any information.

Floral tributes and lanterns have been placed at Hairs Atalia and near the scene of the collision.

A spokesman from Gloucestershire police said: "Collision investigations are continuing."

The van was driven by a 40-year-old man from Oxfordshire.

Anna had moved from Poland about three years ago and originally set up a salon on Upper High Street, moving to Clarence Street in April last year.
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Floral shrines are growing in Cheltenham after a 34-year-old woman pedestrian was killed following a collision with a van yesterday.

Lanterns have also been placed and lit for Anna Rys, from Bishop's Cleeve, who died on her way to work at around 9.30am yesterday.

Messages of love and sadness have been written on some of the floral tributes.

Her fiance, Piotr Koniuszewski, said: "She was a lovely lovely person," he said. "She loved life and was always helpful. She loved it here in Cheltenham."

Anna, who moved from Poland three years ago, ran Hairs Atalia, in Clarence Street, and flowers and tributes have been left there, and near the scene of the collision in Clarence Parade.

Flowers and lanterns started to be placed last night outside the salon

And more were added during the day

The lights were flicking through the night and into the morning

These flowers have been placed on the junction of Clarence Parade and Clarence Street, near the scene of the collision on Tuesday, April 11.

And a picture of Anna has been taped to the police appeal for witnesses.

Lighting lanterns to honour the dead is traditional in Poland and linked to the Catholic feast days of All Saints and All Souls.

On November 1 and November 2 practically everybody visits cemeteries to lay candles and flowers on the graves of departed loved ones.

The whole nation appears to stop to pay a respectful dignified tribute to loved ones and others who have passed away.

Visitors say the view of thousands of candles in transparent or coloured vases surrounded by fresh flowers is a beautiful sight.

Families mingle with priests singing psalms as they wander the paths between the graves well into the early hours of the morning.

Many head to Rakowicki in Cracow where many of the graves are considered works of art in their own right and other cemeteries housing famous Polish people are popular.

Although now associated with Catholicism, in Eastern Poland there was a similar pagan custom called 'Dziady' (Forefathers).
Poroshenko reports on readiness of Ukrainian military to quickly return weapons to their positions if necessary

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that, if necessary, the Ukrainian military are ready to promptly return the disengaged equipment and weapons to their former positions.

"Today, in accordance with the Minsk agreements, large-caliber artillery, tanks and heavy weapons are disengaged from the front line. But all the tank units and other military units are in full combat readiness, and we are now convinced of this," the president said addressing servicemen of the 17th separate tank brigade in the Luhansk region on Wednesday.

According to him, if necessary, all this equipment and weapons "will return to certain places to strengthen our defense borders in the very shortest possible time."

"The 17th tank brigade, which possesses combat skills with solid and glorious military traditions, is not an exception," Poroshenko said.
Former Rep. Tom Perriello's upstart campaign has edged ahead of Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam about two months ahead of the Democratic primary for governor and either Democrat tops GOP front-runner Ed Gillespie by double-digits in a new survey by Quinnipiac University.

More than half of the voters remain undecided ahead of each party's June 13 primary and most voters do not know enough about the candidates to form an opinion.

In the Democratic primary, Perriello, the former 5th District congressman, received 25 percent to Northam's 20 percent, with 51 percent undecided.

In the Republican primary, Gillespie, former chairman of the Republican National Committee, maintains a comfortable lead, with 28 percent to 12 percent for Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, and 7 percent for Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Virginia Beach.

In potential head to head match-ups, Perriello tops Gillespie 46 percent to 33 percent and Northam tops Gillespie by 44 percent to 33 percent. Both Perriello and Northam run basically even against Gillespie among men, but the Democrats hold leads of more than 20 percentage points among women.

Republicans have not won a statewide race in Virginia since 2009. Gillespie nearly knocked off U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., in 2014, but the GOP continues to face headwinds in Virginia, where 36 percent approve of how President Donald Trump is handling his job, and 57 percent disapprove, according to the poll.

Perriello's January entry into the nomination fight scrambled the Democratic contest. The former one-term congressman hopes to ride a wave of opposition to Trump to victory in the primary and the general election.

"Two months before Virginia Democrats and Republicans pick their candidates for governor, the heavy front-runner in each primary is 'undecided,' " said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

"Although the race for the Republican nomination is far from over, former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie is solidly ahead among those who name a candidate.

"Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam originally had been expected to coast to the nomination, but former Congressman Tom Perriello is inching ahead."

Two other recent surveys showed the Democratic contest neck and neck while Gillespie held large leads among the Republican contenders.

In a Christopher Newport University poll released March 28, Northam and Perriello each had 26 percent support among Democratic-leaning respondents, with 45 percent undecided. In Quinnipiac's Feb. 16 survey, Perriello matched Northam at 19 percent, with 61 percent undecided.

Northam and Perriello are holding high-profile events in Richmond this week - the lieutenant governor courted African-American constituents at a series of events today. On Thursday Perriello campaigns for college students' votes at Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond.

Northam has the backing of Virginia's Democratic establishment, including Gov. Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Mark Herring and U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Warner. Perriello's college tour this week seeks to build on the momentum from his recently endorsement by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who built a following among young progressives in his 2016 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Republican contenders for governor will debate Thursday evening at Liberty University in Lynchburg.

The Quinnipiac survey also took an early look at potential match-ups in Virginia's 2018 U.S. Senate contest in which Democrat Tim Kaine is seeking a second term.

Kaine, the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2016, led conservative commentator Laura Ingraham by 56 percent to 35 percent. He topped former Hewlett-Packard CEO and ex-GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina by 57 percent to 33 percent.

The survey did not include potential match-ups between Kaine and Reps. Barbara Comstock, R-10th, or Robert J. Wittman, R-1st.

Quinnipiac surveyed a total of 1,115 Virginia voters between April 6 and April 10. The survey's margin of error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. The survey sample includes 435 Republicans and 483 Democrats.
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine pledged to help protect federal workforce training programs from proposed budget cuts while speaking with local industry and education leaders and touring Danville facilities Tuesday.

Kaine, who is touring the region during the Congressional Easter break, spoke with leaders about the economy, health care and higher education.

However, much of the time was spent talking about how to develop a skilled workforce in the Dan River Region.

Its all about the workforce, Kaine said.

During a roundtable discussion at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Kaine heard from industry leaders like Ben Davenport of Davenport Energy and Krista Boerrigter of Axxor N.A.

Leaders said the search for skilled and qualified workers continued to be a huge hurdle. Boerrigter said job skills and certifications werent the only things companies were having trouble finding  many workers from the ages 18-25 had issues with work ethic, showing up on time or drug use.

Kaine said federal programs like Job Corps could help young people learn the life skills necessary to enter the workforce, but were in danger of being cut by President Donald Trumps proposed budget.

Theres a massive proposed budget cut to programs like Job Corps and the Department of Labor, Kaine said.

President Donald Trumps budget would slash Department of Labor funding by $2.5 billion. Kaine said his office planned to hear from constituents this week, then advocate for them during budget negotiations later this year.

Kaine also spoke about ongoing efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act by Republicans, as well as his continued support of expanding Medicaid. Virginia Republicans have continued to block efforts by Gov. Terry McAuliffe to pass the measure in the state.

Danville Regional Medical Center performed more than $40 million in uncompensated care during 2015, some of which could have been covered by the Medicaid expansion, CEO Alan Larson said.

Kaine said in addition to Medicaid expansion, he would like to see Medicare be able to negotiate the prices of prescription drugs. He also said he was working with committee chairman Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, to stabilize the individual insurance market.

That market is challenged, Kaine said. It was challenged before the Affordable Care Act and it is challenged now.

During the visit, Kaine also toured the Institutes research program and the Haas Center machining program.

Kaine also took time to visit Danvilles Goodyear manufacturing plant. The Register & Bee was not allowed to accompany Kaine into the facility.

Kaine said he visited Goodyear because it was the largest employer in Danville, and he has also testified on behalf of the plant before the International Trade Commission earlier this year against Chinese tire dumping practices.

That really undercuts plants like the Goodyear plant here and in Salem, too, Kaine said.

Kaine also said he was hopeful Democrats could reach out to young progressives who supported the economic populism of politicians like Bernie Sanders, as the party rebuilt after a loss to Trump.

I think the Democrats have had some internal battles around messaging that had sometimes let our economic messaging not be as strong as it could be, Kaine said.

Kaine said he viewed himself as a pro-growth progressive, meaning he supported taxation to help amend wealth inequality, but in a way to keep the economy growing at a healthy rate.

Kaine heads to Franklin County, Roanoke and Wytheville on Wednesday and other areas of the state later this week.
VANCOUVER, Apr 11, 2017 - Battle Mountain Gold Inc. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:BMG) (OTC PINK:BMTNF) announced today that it has completed the acquisition of the final 40% interest in the Lewis Gold Project, pursuant to its April 2013 option agreement, by making a final $1,550,000 cash payment to an arm's length party. Battle Mountain now owns 100% of the project, located in Lander County, Nevada.The exercise of this option now provides Battle Mountain with full ownership of the Lewis Gold Project - a substantial 5,500 acre tenement adjacent to Newmont's producing Phoenix mine. In 2016 the Company also negotiated an important reduction of the royalty on the Lewis project as part of its project consolidation strategy, which will serve to significantly enhance future potential project economics.To find out more about Battle Mountain Gold Inc. please visit our website at www.battlemtngold.com.On behalf of the Board of Directors of Battle Mountain Gold Inc.Chet Idziszek, ChairmanPresident and CEONeither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.This news release includes and is qualified by the Cautionary Statements following.This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. All statements other than statements of historical fact herein, including, without limitation, statements regarding our assessment of the future potential of our projects, and our other future plans and objectives, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and future events and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should conditions or our estimates or opinions change, other than as required by law. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks associated with mineral exploration, the capital markets, price volatility in the mineral commodities we seek, and operational and political risks. Readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.604.331.8772604.684.6024www.battlemtngold.com
Vancouver, April 12, 2017 - Nortec Minerals Corp. . (TSX-V: NVT; OTC-PK: NMNZF) (the "Company" or "Nortec") - Nortec commences work program in preparation for Phase 1 drilling on the Tom-1 and Tom-2 targets, Tomboko Permit, Northeast Guinea, West Africa (Figure 1). Nortec entered into a Letter of Intent ("LOI") to acquire an 80% interest in pro-rata stages in the Tomboko Gold Property, held by The Golden Rule Limited. Nortec will also earn an 80% interest in all of TGR's interests in other exploration permits located in Guinea.

TGR's properties consist of a 100% interest in the Tomboko permit, a 100% interest in the Diguifara Permit and minority interests in the Badamako and the Kouroussa permits. These land holdings cover prospective ground on three separate mineralised trends. Details on the Tomboko, Diguifara, Badamako and Kouroussa permits are in the Company's January 11and February 10, 2017 news releases.

The permits are in the northern part of the Birimian Siguiri Basin, a well-known prolific gold producing area. This part of the Basin already hosts three multi-million ounce gold mines, the Lero (Nord Gold NV), the SAG (AngloGold-Ashanti) and the Keniero (SEMAFO) along with several other lesser mines and projects in advanced stages. Historically, the Niger River lowlands have been the site of extensive mining of alluvial gold and high-grade quartz lode gold in the saprolite (rock altered to clay) that gave rise to several past African Empires. Artisanal mining is still very widespread in the area

Mohan Vulimiri, CEO commented "The consistency of the gold anomalies defined by termite mound and soil sampling on Tomboko supported by rock chip 'grab' samples averaging 5.9 g/t Au (17 samples) and 11g/t Au (10 samples) in two parallel trends at TOM-1 provides Nortec with a set of very robust initial targets for our first round of drilling."

The Company signed a drill contract with Gestion Fredal SARL, a drilling company located in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Drill pads and access roads are being constructed in preparation for drilling with several drill pads already completed. The Company plans to drill 31 shallow reverse circulation drill holes for a total of 2500 metres on the Tom-1 North, Tom-1 South and Tom-2 targets (Figures 2 & 3). Drilling is expected to commence in two weeks. Nortec has a management and technical team in place on site to monitor and supervise the drill program.

The gold mineralization on the Tom-1 and Tom-2 targets is hosted in highly altered, sheared brecciated sandstone and volcanic rocks of the early Paleoproterozoic age Siguiri Basin. The SAG Mine is also hosted in the same age rocks. The Tom-3 Prospect is hosted in quartz porphyry intrusive rocks. The mode of occurrence of the gold mineralization at Tom-3 is similar to the 2.3 million ounce Koulekoun deposit located 120 kilometres to the south which is owned by Avocet Mining, a company listed on the London Stock Exchange,.

Mohan R. Vulimiri, M.Sc., P.Geo, Director of Nortec and CEO of Nortec Minerals, is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Vulimiri has approved the corporate and technical content contained in this press release. All the bedrock and termite mound samples were analysed by SGS Labs, an accredited laboratory in Bamako, Mali. A blank was inserted every 20th sample for quality control.

About Nortec Minerals Corp.

Nortec is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Company has a 49% interest in the Tammela Gold & Lithium Project in South-West Finland. Avalon Minerals, a public Australian mining company has earned the 51% interest and is carrying out the 29% Stage 2 earn-in interest on the Tammela Project. Avalon has completed more than 3,000 meters diamond drilling on the Kietyonmaki lithium prospect and the Satulinmaki and Riukka prospects that comprise the Tammela Project. Detailed information on the Company's projects have been posted on the Company's website www.nortecminerals.com.

The Company recently moved its offices to Suite 915, 700 West Pender Street, Vancouver BC, V6C 1G8.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Nortec Minerals Corp. "Mohan R. Vulimiri" Mohan R. Vulimiri, CEO and Chairman

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This press release contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performances or expectations implied by these forward looking statements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States.





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Figure 1: Location Map. Guinea, West Africa



Click Image To View Full Size



Figure 2: Outcrop Sampling Results - Tom 1 North Target and Termite and Soil Geochemical Anomalies - Tomboko Permit.



Click Image To View Full Size



Figure 3: Outcrop Sampling Results and Termite and Soil Geochemical Anomalies and interpreted A-B cross-section with proposed drill holes - Tom 1 North Target, Tomboko Permit.



Copyright (c) 2017 TheNewswire - All rights reserved.


DENVER; April 12, 2017 - Intrepid Potash Inc. (NYSE: IPI) plans to release its first quarter 2017 financial results on Tuesday, May 2, 2017, before the market opens. Intrepid will host a conference call the same day at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results and other operating and financial matters and to answer investor questions.

Management invites you to listen to the conference call by using the dial-in number 1-800-319-4610 from the U.S. and Canada, or +1-631-891-4304 from other countries. The call will also be streamed live on Intrepid's website, www.intrepidpotash.com.

A recording of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call at www.intrepidpotash.com or by dialing 1-800-319-6413 from the U.S. and Canada, or +1-631-883-6842 from other countries. The replay of the call will require the input of the conference identification number 1333. The recording will be available through June 2, 2017.

About Intrepid

Intrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI) is the only U.S. producer of muriate of potash. Potash is applied as an essential nutrient for healthy crop development, utilized in several industrial applications and used as an ingredient in animal feed. Intrepid also produces a specialty fertilizer, Trio, which delivers three key nutrients, potassium, magnesium, and sulfate, in a single particle.

Intrepid serves diverse customers in markets where a logistical advantage exists; and is a leader in the utilization of solar evaporation production, one of the lowest cost, environmentally friendly production methods for potash. Intrepid's production comes from three solar solution potash facilities and one conventional underground Trio mine.

Intrepid routinely posts important information, including information about upcoming investor presentations and press releases, on its website under the Investor Relations tab. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll on the Intrepid website, www.intrepidpotash.com to receive automatic email alerts or Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings.

Contact:

Matt Preston, Investor Relations

Phone: 303-996-3048

Email: matt.preston@intrepidpotash.com





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: Intrepid Potash Inc. via Globenewswire


Iryna Musiyenko, who is suspected of participating in the 'gas scheme' of Oleksandr Onyshchenko, has been detained in the capital of Montenegro, Podgorica; the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) is taking measures for her extradition to Ukraine.

"On April 7, the authorities of Montenegro, on a tip-off by the Interpol Department and Europol, detained a Ukrainian citizen, Musiyenko I., at the Podgorica airport, who is suspected of participating in the so-called 'gas scheme' of MP Onyshchenko, in particular in the commission of criminal offenses under Part 1 of Article 255, Part 4 of Article 28, Part 5 of Article 191, Part 4 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 205, Part 4 of Article 28, Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine," SAPO said on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

Currently, SAPO is taking all possible measures to extradite Musiyenko to the territory of Ukraine with a view to bringing her to criminal liability.

The prosecutor's office reminded that during the first detentions of participants in the 'gas scheme', Musiyenko fled the territory of Ukraine on June 15, 2016 and has not returned to the present day. On August 13 she was notified of suspicion of committing criminal offenses. Musiyenko was put on the wanted list by a decision of the NABU detective dated August 13.
Ex-head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, the leader of the party Rukh of Novykh Syl, Mikheil Saakashvili, stands for the construction of a wall that would separate the occupied part of Donbas from the rest of Ukraine.

"I am for building of a large wall (not the Yatsenyuk's type, but a real one), and temporarily isolate ourselves from the occupied part of Donbas, concentrating on the rest of Ukraine," he wrote on his Facebook's page on Wednesday.

Saakashvili expressed confidence in the return of the occupied territories, but "after we defeat corruption and begin rapid development."

"But in order to return them [occupied territories] quickly, changes must first take place in Kyiv," the politician said.

As reported, in September 2014, former Prime Minister of Ukraine Arseniy Yatseniuk announced the beginning of the project 'Wall' - the construction of a fortification on the border with the Russian Federation.

According to the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, in 2016 UAH 120 million out of UAH 200 million was spent for the arrangement of the state border of Ukraine with the Russian Federation, provided for in the budget.
Oregon state lawmakers who fear heightened marijuana enforcement by federal agents overwhelmingly approved Monday a proposal to protect pot users from having their identities or cannabis-buying habits from being divulged by the dispensary shops that make buying pre-rolled joints and "magic" brownies as easy as grabbing a bottle of whiskey from the liquor store.The bipartisan proposal would protect pot consumers by abolishing a common business practice in this Pacific Northwest state where marijuana dispensaries often keep a digital paper trail of their recreational pot customers' names, birthdates, addresses and other personal information. The data is gleaned from their driver's licenses, passports or whatever other form of ID they present at the door to prove they're at least 21 as required by law.The data is often collected without customers' consent or knowledge. It is stored away as proprietary information the businesses use mostly for marketing and customer service purposes, such as linking their driver's license number with every pot product they buy so dispensary employees are better able to help out during their next visit.The measure that passed 53-5 now heads to Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, who is expected to sign it into law.It would bring Oregon statutes in line with similar laws already in place in Alaska and Colorado and self-imposed industry standards in Washington state -- the only other three U.S. states were where recreational cannabis is actively sold in dispensaries to consumers of legal age.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement is suspending a recently adopted practice of reporting cities that don't cooperate with federal detention efforts after the first few reports were plagued by errors.The new policy, an attempt to pressure cities and counties that refuse to hold people in the country illegally for immigration agents, was a priority for President Donald Trump. Last month, Attorney General Jeff Sessions promised to push back against these "sanctuary cities," possibly by denying them federal funds and using other methods of pressure.The weekly "declined detainer" reports by ICE were supposed to be a first step, focusing attention on jurisdictions that were releasing immigrants from jail or after arrest.But the plan didn't go smoothly. In some cases, ICE mixed up names, confusing Franklin counties in Iowa, New York and Pennsylvania, said David Lapan, chief spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. In other cases, the detainees had already been picked up by ICE, or had never been released in the first place.The reports were suspended after two weeks."There have been some data processing errors, and some other issues," Lapan told reporters on Tuesday. "We want to make sure we look at this holistically and make sure we are getting this as accurate as possible." The department still intends to "let the public know which jurisdictions have policies that do not assist ICE in its mission," he said, adding that he didn't know when the reports would resume.Under the Obama administration, a program called Secure Communities enlisted local police as partners in immigration enforcement. But there was a backlash after immigrants were detained and deported after minor violations like traffic tickets. And some court rulings have questioned the legality of police or jails continuing to hold someone without due process.One immigration rights advocate said the pullback points out the flaws in the new get-tough policy. "One of the fundamental problems with what the attorney general and President Trump are trying to do is to mobilize a massive deportation task force" by shaming and pressuring states and cities, said Gregory Chen, director of advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "The fact that the federal government has had to pull back and apologize is a perfect example of how the federal government is overreaching here."Another point of contention: Just what does it mean to be a "sanctuary city"? Some cities that won't honor detainers still work with ICE, by letting the agency know when someone is about to be released. One of them is Franklin County in south central Pennsylvania, which landed on the "uncooperative" list after ICE said the county jail was not honoring requests to hold five prisoners."We looked at the information we had and it didn't match up with the information in the report," said David Keller, chairman of the county commission. "They said, yeah, the information is not correct, and we apologize.""They created the impression we were not cooperating, we were releasing people to the street that they were interested in, and that just wasn't accurate," he said. Keller says his county jail sends a list of prisoners to an ICE office every day, and the agency picks up three to four of the county's prisoners per month. "I personally think that's a good thing. We need to have rule of law," he said.But Keller says Franklin County, like about 20 others in Pennsylvania, will not honor ICE requests to hold someone for 48 hours after their scheduled release date. In 2008, a U.S. citizen was mistakenly held for three days in Allentown, Pa., after a mistaken detainer request. He sued and received settlements of about $150,000. "We try to protect our citizens from unnecessary liability," Keller said.(c)2017 Tribune Co.
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GIS  12 April 2017: New regulations will be made under the Road Traffic Act to provide for the update of medical criteria for examination of fitness and ability to drive as well as for the assessment of drivers prior to issuing of a driving licence.

At its meeting held on 7 April 2017, the National Road Safety Council, which coordinates the activities of all departments and agencies involved in road safety, endorsed the project on an appropriate legal and regulatory framework as well as a control system on examination of fitness to drive.

As part of the project, medical commissions will be established to deliver certificate of fitness to drive. In that context, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport organised a one-day workshop on basic training in medical examination of fitness to drive today at the headquarters of the Traffic Management and Road Safety Unit in Port Louis.

The workshop brought together some 30 health professionals from both the private and public sector who would be conducting medical examination for fitness and ability to drive. The objective is to enable participants to acquire medical knowledge necessary to assess the fitness to drive of any individual. It also aims at informing medical practitioners of the consequences of allowing a person to continue to drive if unfit to do so. The workshop was conducted by Dr Charles Mercier Guyon, French international he is found expert in Traffic Medicine.

Several topics were discussed namely the epidemiological aspects, the regulatory framework, and the medical and para medical diagnostic tools used for screening and identification of pathologies and associated driving risks. The issue of driving under the influence of drugs, alcohol and medicine was also addressed.

In his presentation, Dr Guyon recalled that the most dangerous risk factor in road traffic is the behaviour of people and that it was imperative to develop the responsibility of drivers with regard to their ability and fitness to drive. He underlined that as a result of progress in technology and knowledge in the field of assessment of medical fitness to drive and related medical treatment, people with pathologies such as epilepsy and diabetes or people with disabilities can drive on condition that there is a medical follow-up and the use of adapted vehicles.
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GIS  12 April 2017: The factors affecting technology acceptance at the level of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) were discussed today during a seminar at the Mauritius Research Council (MRC) at Ebene Heights in Ebene Cyber-city.

Findings of a research, initiated by the MRC under its Unsolicited Research and Innovation Grant Scheme, were presented by the project team. The objective is to achieve a thorough review of the work carried out on technology acceptance among SMEs in Mauritius. Discussions were conducted by resource persons from the University of Mauritius.

The research project aimed at identifying the various SMEs and cluster them based on specific criteria. A survey was carried out among SMEs in the Handicraft and the Food sectors to investigate the factors that impact on SMEs awareness, acceptance and usage of technology. Survey findings were analysed and a model of technology adoption (MTA) was proposed. Moreover, recommendations have been made to aid policymakers to provide assistance to SMEs with regard to technology acceptance and usage.

General recommendations comprise: structuring of data captured and stored at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA); developing targeted training programmes; and, designing specific technology-related incentives.

As regards MTA, recommendations made relate to using the model to define future ICT training needs for SMEs; validating the MTA and utilising it to devise policies for SMEs; and, evaluating the MTA on the African continent and among Small Island Developing States.

In Mauritius, SMEs have the potential to contribute significantly to economic growth. However, they face both internal and external challenges such as limited local market and fierce competitions from emerging markets.

Previous research has shown that technology can meaningfully contribute to the efficiency of SMEs, but in Mauritius the SMEDA has observed that technology usage among SMEs is low despite training being provided.
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GIS - 12 April, 2017: Some 232 beneficiaries from Port Louis, Pamplemousses and Riviere du Rempart districts received their Letters of Intent during a handing over ceremony held this afternoon at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Hall in Port Louis. Some 232 beneficiaries from Port Louis, Pamplemousses and Riviere du Rempart districts received their Letters of Intent during a handing over ceremony held this afternoon at the Sir Harilal Vaghjee Hall in Port Louis.

The Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth; the Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr Showkutally Soodhun; and other personalities were present at the handing over ceremony.

The number of beneficiaries are as follows: 133 from Port Louis, 47 from Pamplemousses, and 52 from Riviere du Rempart.

In his address, the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, recalled that the aim of the Government is to help vulnerable people at the bottom of the social ladder and to have a more equitable and just society. He said that some Rs 10 billion will be injected in housing projects till 2019 with the construction of 1 586 houses this year and 3 682 houses in 2018. He also added that henceforth social houses which will be constructed will consist of two or more rooms.

Mr Jugnauth recalled that several measures have recently been implemented with the objective of enhancing the lives of citizens, namely the construction of the National Wholesale Market; and the launching of 350 Wifi zones, amongst others.

For his part, the Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Housing and Lands, Mr Showkutally Soodhun, announced that Rs 200 million has been earmarked for the construction of houses for 600 vulnerable people in Baie du Tombeau while adding that the construction will start as from July this year.

The Vice-Prime Minister outlined Governments vision to cater for vulnerable people by providing them dignity through land ownership. The security of tenure in effect empowers people, giving them the opportunity to access loan facilities, he said.

Minister Soodhun recalled that since 2015, 14 000 people have become owners of a plot of land, 95 000 people have become owners of ex-CHA houses, and that in the months to come 5 000 houses will be constructed.

He also pointed out that in a bid to help low-income families, the threshold and criteria of eligibility for houses and land has increased from Rs 8 500 to Rs 20 000. Provision has been made for an increase in the grant for casting of roof slab from Rs 65,000 to Rs 75,000 for families earning a monthly income of up to Rs 10,000 where the previous income limit stood at Rs 8,500, he said.

Sale of State Land to building site lessees

On December 2013, legislative amendments were brought to give those families holding a building site lease over a plot of State Land not exceeding 422.087 m, other than Pas Geometriques, the option to buy the Land at a uniform price of Rs 2 000. Families with very modest means will have full ownership of their lands.

This measure concerns some 14 000 building site lessees. As at 24 March 2017, 11 579 applications have been received, 8 164 applications have been examined out of which 5 982 cases have been approved. As from the start of this project up to date, about 3 565 deeds have been finalised.
The city of Cupertino, Calif. has launched the buildingeye building and planning data map  and with it, a new way to follow along with the construction of the new Apple campus firsthand.The buildingeye solution provides a publicly accessible, searchable map of city building and planning data, along with an alerts option that allows users to receive updates about certain kinds of activity happening in a city. That means anyone with a computer could create alerts to see new permits Apple has pulled for its second campus in the northeast corner of the city.Not that thats the only way to use the app.We know that our residents lead busy lives, Mayor Savita Vaidhyanathan said in a statement . This new tool will save them an extra trip to city hall to visit our planning and building counter. We expect that buildingeye will improve how our citizens, business owners and contractors access planning and building data.The citys contract with buildingeye shows that it purchased a three-year package from the company for $43,000: $5,000 to set up the system and $19,000 for each of the first two years of service. The third year came free through the deal.The company agreed to handle 50,000 alert emails per month per department for free, but the city can choose to pay extra for a larger alert capacity.The surrounding San Francisco Bay Area has been buildingeyes most active stomping ground. It participated in San Franciscos Startup in Residence program in 2014, and operates in other municipalities in the area like Redwood City and Alameda.We're in 15 cities, but in multiple departments in each city, buildingeye Founder Ciaran Gilsenan toldvia email. In some cases like Pittsburgh, it's building, planning, code enforcement and business licenses. Others like Cupertino, its building and planning.Outside California, buildingeye has worked with governments in Oregon, Montana, Colorado, Michigan and Pennsylvania.The company, which launched in 2012, is in the seed funding stage
In his seven years as mayor of Baltimore and eight years as governor of Maryland, Martin OMalleys proudest achievement was developing a new way to manage state and local bureaucracy. Borrowing from CompStat, a system used by the New York Police Department, OMalley created for both his city and state an office of analysts that collected reams of performance data from departments and applied pressure for improvement through regular meetings and public progress reports. It was CitiStat in Baltimore, and StateStat when he took it to Annapolis in 2007.There were reports of dramatic results, from impressive reductions in chronic absenteeism among public workers to quicker turnarounds on filling pothole requests. The Stat programs played a role in driving down Baltimores murder rate, improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and clearing a backlog of unchecked state DNA samples collected from convicted criminals. The good news spread quickly. More than 20 large cities and a handful of counties now have Stat programs, as do several federal agencies. This data-driven approach to governing, at least among effective leaders, is becoming more the norm than the exception, OMalley says.But for all the accomplishments of OMalleys Stat initiatives, the model is in trouble. His successor in Annapolis, Gov. Larry Hogan, has discontinued the program. Baltimores CitiStat hasnt fared much better, languishing from inactivity for months, if not years, at a time. The celebrated innovation that inspired a movement of Stat-like programs from Jackson, Miss., to Washington state is struggling to stay alive on its home turf.In 2015, Hogan issued an executive order replacing StateStat with the Governors Office of Performance Improvement, or GOPI. On paper, the new office sounded a lot like the old one. It would provide accurate and timely data about the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of government services. The order called for the tracking of agencies progress against established strategic goals, along with regular meetings between the governors office and agency heads. But in practice, it looked more like a gut job than a rebranding effort. Hogan cut the offices budget in half, reduced the staff from nine positions to four, and moved the headquarters from Annapolis to a small town 20 minutes outside the state capital.The GOPI website says it publishes information on the progress that state agencies make in meeting their goals. But under the Track Our Progress tab, visitors cant track anything. The page provides a link to the states open data portal -- which still gets updates -- but without performance benchmarks, its nearly impossible to draw conclusions about agencies progress by the numbers alone. If GOPI staff meet regularly with agency heads, theres no trace of it on the website. The office does not produce public agendas beforehand or written summaries afterward. (Gov. Hogans office did not respond to questions for this story.) Its heartbreaking from a data perspective, says Beth Blauer, a former director of StateStat who now leads the Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University. We built performance measures into basically everything we did and we talked about them very publicly because we wanted the public to hold us accountable. And it just disappeared.The hollowing out of StateStat isnt a total surprise given that Hogan, a Republican, is a longtime critic of OMalley, a Democrat. It can be explained at least in part as routine fallout in the transition of power between parties and political adversaries. But the Stat initiative has suffered setbacks in Baltimore as well. A few months before Hogan replaced StateStat,reported that in 2014 the CitiStat office hadnt published a single department report and had canceled a third of its meetings. The account echoed the papers coverage from 2012, when it found that CitiStat didnt publish any reports in the first two years of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blakes administration. (Rawlings-Blake did not respond to interview requests.)When local media scrutinized the program two years ago, other problems came to light: As eventually happened with StateStat, CitiStats staff of nine analysts had been reduced to four. Its director was splitting his time between his full-time city government job and a part-time position with a private law firm. When reporters inquired about how many CitiStat meetings the mayor or her chief of staff had attended, her spokesman couldnt say. My great fear in all of this is that we are losing the accountability that our constituents and we depend on, Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke said at an oversight hearing on CitiStat in 2015.As the Stat model has struggled in its home state, it continues to spread elsewhere. The Johns Hopkins Center for Government Excellence is now involved in What Works Cities, a national consortium of municipalities that draws lessons from CitiStat and incorporates them into a broader strategy around transparency, data management and evidence-based decision-making. Performance measurement of one variety or another is an increasingly common way to run government agencies, which is why what happened in Baltimore and Annapolis may provide useful lessons for jurisdictions elsewhere. Many of the Stat programs are still being run by the elected officials who established them. They have yet to undergo the test of a political transition.In Baltimore, for all its problems, CitiStat still exists. Catherine Pugh, who won last Novembers mayoral election, is the third person to inherit the program since OMalley left office. As a candidate, Pugh pledged to keep CitiStat as a tool of measurement and accountability, but also as part of a broader strategy for analyzing and responding to crime trends. Whether CitiStat undergoes a revival, or drifts further into irrelevance, will speak volumes about the models long-term viability as a good-government tool from one administration to the next.Its something that OMalley himself thinks about. He recalls discussing the sustainability of Stat programs with Bill Bratton, the former New York City police commissioner who helped institute CompStat. Bratton said to me, You know, Martin, the hardest things to institutionalize are new systems that require constant work. And thats true on policing. Thats true on the environment. Thats true across any government -- city, state or federal, OMalley says. Just as easily, that rock will roll back down the hill if someones not pushing it up.the man tasked with breathing life back into CitiStat is Sameer Sidh. His most recent post was with the citys department of transportation, but he was a director of StateStat in the OMalley administration. Since assuming his post in late 2015, Sidh has created a Twitter account and new website for CitiStat. Hes conducting regular meetings and publishing progress reports online. I wanted to make sure it was clear that it was an active program, he says. It was a mix of getting us back to our fundamentals, holding agencies accountable and making sure we were following up on discussions that we had in meetings.Perhaps Sidhs most difficult assignment has been to cleanse CitiStat of the authoritarian and sometimes corrosive top-down management structure that rankled program managers and agency heads. The word that were pushing is collaboration, Sidh says. Ive tried to relax the atmosphere a little bit more. We want folks to be honest. Ultimately as city hall, we want to understand whats going on from the agency level. You can extract more information if folks are actually comfortable talking.Several of the CitiStat directors under Rawlings-Blake had made similar pledges to depart from the confrontational nature of the program in the OMalley years. Viewers of the HBO television series The Wire are familiar with the dramatized version of Baltimore police meetings in which senior officials would flash numbers on a screen and publicly grill subordinates about their failure to meet benchmarks. One previous director likened CitiStat in its early days to a Spanish inquisition. Today, the new CitiStat, Sidh says, is not an opportunity to browbeat middle managers, but an opportunity to get better as a city government.One former director, Matt Gallagher, says the old critique of CitiStat as hostile and demoralizing stems from rare incidents, usually after months of missed targets and poor performance, that led to confrontation. The stuff about an adversarial relationship was overblown, he says. You have to remember that we were holding five Citistat meetings a week, sometimes six. Thats 250-plus Stat meetings over the course of a year. If youre going to convene that often, if youre going to have robust conversations about performance, good and bad, theres going to be disagreements.Bob Behn, a Harvard professor who visited dozens of CitiStat meetings in researching his book,, says the Stat meetings he witnessed could make subordinates uncomfortable, but they were always civil. Nobody swore at anybody. Nobody personally belittled people, Behn says. What you did was ask them questions that they couldnt answer. And if you ask them questions that they cant answer, thats embarrassing. You dont have to swear at people or raise your tone. Everybody gets it.Regardless of how accurate the portrayal of CitiStat as a brutal inquisition might be, it reflects a common perception of how the program operated. And it sheds some light on why a successor would want to change it.In Baltimore, Sidh and Pugh plan to shift CitiStat from its focus on the performance of individual agencies to an emphasis on cross-cutting policy issues, such as homelessness or blight. In Stat meetings about the citys homeless population, for instance, staff from the police, fire and transportation departments would attend, even though ending homelessness is not currently part of the core mission for any of them. Baltimore has tested this approach in the past with issue-specific Stat groups that focused on cleanliness, child well-being, illegal gun trafficking and domestic violence. But those were the exceptions. Now they will be the main program.Gallagher thinks thats what needs to happen. You think about complex outcomes like the health of the Chesapeake Bay or producing a safe, happy, healthy child, he says, and its hard to hold one agency accountable for that outcome because so many different agencies contribute to it.seems to be in line with the way the overall field of government performance measurement is evolving. Programs inspired by the OMalley Stat programs have since developed their own twist on the original concept. One of those programs is in Cincinnati, where City Manager Harry Black launched CincyStat based on his three years as chief financial officer in Baltimore. Black decided to place his Stat program in a larger Office of Performance and Data Analytics. Once his staff identifies a troubling trend in a Stat session, they refer the issue to another part of the office called the Innovation Lab, which uses business and process improvement techniques to address the problem. Stat by itself is not enough, Black says. What are you going to do with what you discover?Other jurisdictions are experimenting in similar ways. In Washington state, for example, Gov. Jay Inslee sits in on monthly Stat-like Results Review meetings where his analysts discuss strategy and performance data with senior agency officials. But his Results Washington program also includes Lean process improvement training to equip state employees with the skills necessary to address problems that arise in review sessions.In Baltimore, meetings under the last administration had slipped to six-week intervals, raising concerns from the city council that the program couldnt be as responsive to emerging trends. Yet some Stat supporters say the programs shouldnt be judged on the frequency of meetings. That, too, evolves over time. David Gottesman, manager of a Stat program in Montgomery County, Md., says the regularity of meetings should correspond with the general performance of an agency and the urgency of resolving a particular issue. When his predecessor created Montgomery CountyStat about 10 years ago, the office held weekly or biweekly meetings with department heads and program managers. When CountyStat was in its infancy, it was appropriate, Gottesman says. The meetings could last three hours and required the attendance of senior officials within a department, an expensive investment of labor and resources. Over the years, the value in those meetings naturally diminishes because you attack the low-hanging fruit and you get things in a good state.The exception is when a crisis hits that requires immediate attention. When the Montgomery County Department of Liquor Control received negative press in 2015 for poor customer service, CountyStat initiated routine meetings and weekly progress reports around a few key outcomes. As the department has improved in the past year, the Stat sessions have become less frequent.One of the potential lessons from CitiStat and StateStat is that these programs inevitably run the risk of being sidelined during a political transition. On one hand, they usually require the ongoing engagement of the executive. Both in Baltimore and in Annapolis, OMalley not only gave the programs his blessing, but attended the sessions and sometimes ran them. His personal involvement made people identify Stat as an OMalley project. That association has posed problems. Nobody succeeds somebody else and wants to prove that her or his predecessor was brilliant, says Behn, the Harvard professor. Most people dont come in and want to continue their predecessors initiatives. The most you can hope for is that theyll keep the substance and change the name.Some of the Stat programs outside Maryland have tried to account for the risks of political transition. In Louisville, Ky., LouieStat has developed two layers. Agency heads hold regular sessions with their own internal analysts. Then the mayors office convenes more traditional Stat meetings that focus on cross-agency issues, such as pedestrian safety and citywide customer service. The goal is to transfer partial ownership of LouieStat to department heads, so that it isnt exclusively the mayors program.The way elected officials talk about Stat programs may also affect their longevity. In her role at What Works Cities, Blauer advises municipal officials that the public relations strategy around a Stat program should focus on improved outcomes that affect citizens lives, not the underlying machinery that made them happen. For example, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu used the Stat model to corral his administrations efforts around reducing blight and violent crime in the city. What the public associates with Landrieu isnt his performance management approach, but the results derived from it. It hasnt been Mayor Landrieu, NolaStat Mayor, she says. Its been Mayor Landrieu, the mayor thats getting hard work done in the city of New Orleans, and these are just the tools that hes relying on.If successors see Stat as a standard tool to achieve their policy objectives, they may be more likely to keep it. That is what Sidh hopes will happen in Baltimore. This has to be broadly respected as a good-government practice and not just the creation of one specific political figure, he says. Regionally and nationally, I think youre starting to see that tide turn and people understand that the value of the program goes beyond the one person who gave the program its name.
(TNS) -- Dayton drivers may soon be able to feed parking meters downtown using their cell phones and get text messages when their meters are nearing expiration.The city of Dayton is seeking a vendor to replace most of its parking meters with smart devices that have pay-by-mobile technology. Digital payments would be accepted through a mobile app or a website.Motorists also would be notified by texts when their meters are running out of time and would be able to extend their parking sessions remotely.Last year, the city of Dayton finalized a third-party study and assessment of its on-street parking, which made a variety of recommendations to improve the system to be more efficient and customer friendly.One of the top recommendations was to add mobile payment options.Most of the Daytons 1,300 parking meters are legacy technology that accept coins and will need to be replaced in the near future, according to the city.The city has 450 meters that are newer technology that accept credit cards. They are concentrated near city and Montgomery County government buildings and Sinclair Community College.New meters can be programmed to offer more flexible time limits depending on the time of day and day of the week.Michigan consulting firm Carl Walker said the citys current time limits on parking meters are confusing to customers and recommended changing and extending the limits on some meters.In short, the on-street parking system is stuck in the past and it needs an overhaul, according to the parking system assessment.Daytons center city continues to benefit from a hot and growing housing market, new investments and new businesses, and the parking system needs to update to support redevelopment efforts, city officials said.The city may take other steps to try to improve the parking situation and customer experience.Parking enforcement staff, for instance, do not have digital and wireless ticket writers. Meter maids upload the citation data at the ends of their shifts. Carl Walker recommended investing in new ticket-writing and tracking technology.Also, expired meter fines are $35 in Dayton, but they are reduced to $20 if paid within 72 hours.The consultant recommended lowering the initial fine, which he described as higher than some comparable cities.This newspaper found that Daytons financial penalty for meter violations were more in line with larger cities than medium-sized Midwestern municipalities.
More than a month after former CIO Tom McQuillan retired, Prince William County, Va., announced on Tuesday, April 11, that IT veteran Robert Mancini will return from the private sector to lead its Department of Information Technology.The Board of County Supervisors for the states third largest county made the announcement after a competitive hiring process and a nationwide search.Mancini has 30 years of experience in IT and 12 years in local government, the county said in a news release . For the last two years, however, he was CIO at Lexington Technology, and described the Pennsylvania company as a $2 billion pharmaceutical firm on his LinkedIn feed.At Lexington, Mancini executed a critical turnaround plan for its IT division; negotiated service contracts, introduced service level agreements and initiated "programs that increased productivity while reducing attrition, according to the news release.On LinkedIn, Mancini described the contribution as transforming an IT division from being a weakness to being recognized as the driving force behind the firm reaching its target goal of $2 billion in revenue. On April 11, his profile still listed him as CIO at Lexington.In it, he described himself as a passionate CIO who gets IT on point for organizations seeking maximum business value and superior results.Before Lexington, Mancini held several positions in D.C. government for more than 11 years.Most recently he had been CTO for a little over four years, creating the Digital Inclusion Initiative to expand broadband access in underserved areas of the city; developing the D.C. Centralized Technology Procurement team; and forging public-private partnerships with cybersecurity entities. He left that role in January 2015.Corey A. Stewart, chairman of the board of county supervisors, highlighted Mancinis experience and expertise in a statement."He has implemented several successful technology programs in the public and private sectors alike," Stewart said, "and we are confident that he will serve our community and the organization well."Mancini said he is thrilled to return to public service."I want to thank the Board of County Supervisors and reinforce my commitment to deliver innovative technology-based strategies and solutions that will best serve Prince William County, he said in a statement.McQuillan had been in county government for seven years when he announced his retirement as CIO in early January.
(TNS) -- Net neutrality supporters are going on the offensive over the new Republican chairman of the Federal Communications Commissions reported plan for dismantling open internet rules passed under the Obama administration.Advocates say Chairman Ajit Pais plan to repeal the rules and instead ask internet service providers pledge to follow open internet standards places too much trust in large corporations like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast.If these reports are true, Chairman Pai is preparing to give dominant cable and telecommunications companies what their D.C. lobbyists have dreamed of for years: voluntary net neutrality rules where consumer protection is no more than trust your cable or internet provider, Chris Lewis, vice president at the pro-net neutrality group Public Knowledge, said Friday.According to sources attending a meeting between Pai and internet service providers (ISPs) last week, cited by Reuters , Pai could offer a plan to repeal the rules barring ISPs from blocking, throttling, or favoring web traffic for a fee (a practice known as paid prioritization) as early as April. In exchange, Pai reportedly wants providers to commit to upholding those standards in their service agreements with customers, which would subject ISPs to legal action if they did otherwise.Under the plan, the Federal Trade Commission would oversee compliance, returning the authority the agency had to police ISPs before the FCC reclassified them as public utilities under Title II of the Communications Act. Reclassification from an information service under FTC jurisdiction to a common carrier service under FCC oversight was the portion of the FCCs 2015 Open Internet order Pai disagreed with most.The report is consistent with statements Pai has made since taking over the agency in January.The end goal is to preserve the free and open internet that we had for two decades starting in the Clinton administration, Pai said in February . Thats a framework thats served the American public very well and thats a framework that I hope well be able to return to on a bipartisan basis in the future.Soon after President Donald Trumps election victory in November, Pai said the new Republican majority at the agency would  fire up the weed whacker and remove those rules that are holding back investment, innovation, and job creation. Republicans and ISPs have leveled those criticisms against the rules, which potentially give the FCC the power to regulate the price of service (though previous Chairman Tom Wheeler pledged to forbear from doing so).Public Knowledge, whose former president and founder served as a top aide to Wheeler when the rules were passed, warned since day one of Pais chairmanship he would seek to undo the rules. This months congressional repeal of net neutrality-rooted privacy rules , which Pai stayed before taking effect, were a precursor.Federal courts have upheld the current rules and investment in the internet economy has continued under them to the tune of billions of dollars, Lewis said. Chairman Pai and President Trumps interest in eliminating these simple protections is their latest attempt to take a weed wacker (sic) to basic consumer protections, following the repeal of broadband privacy rules.Some evidence suggests broadband investment has declined since the passage of the net neutrality rules.Lewis added that voluntary compliance would let ISPs decide ahead of time what rules they would like to follow and when they can change those rules and lead to massive market abuses including unreasonably low data caps, inflated prices for some content and preferring cable/broadband content over smaller, independent competitors.Democrats in Congress supportive of the rules agreed.The only way to protect a free and open internet is with strong net neutrality rules of the road  not voluntary guidelines  that ensure businesses, innovators and families can use the worlds greatest platform for commerce and communications, Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey, who sits on the committee overseeing the FCC, said Friday. Chairman Pais proposal would put the future of an open and free internet in the hands of big corporations and the powerful few at the expense of consumers.Markey warned an historic political firestorm would result if anyone at the FCC, in Congress or in the broadband industry attempt to weaken or eliminate the Open Internet Order.South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune, who favors codifying net neutrality protections via an act of Congress, said in January the threat of FCC repeal may help inspire some of my Democrat colleagues to embrace the idea that a bipartisan, legislative solution is the best possible outcome.
Fernando Alonso will race in the 2017 Indy 500 in a McLaren-entered car - missing the Monaco Grand Prix, which falls on the same day.

The car, which will be Honda powered will be run by Andretti Autosport.

Fernando Alonso said, "I'm immensely excited that I'll be racing in this year's Indy 500, with McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport."

"The Indy 500 is one of the most famous races on the global motorsport calendar, rivalled only by the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Monaco Grand Prix [which Fernando has won twice, one of those victories at the wheel of a McLaren (in 2007)], and it's of course a regret of mine that I won't be able to race at Monaco this year. But Monaco will be the only 2017 Grand Prix I'll be missing, and I'll be back in the cockpit of the McLaren-Honda MCL32 for the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal in early June."

"I've never raced an IndyCar car before, and neither have I ever driven on a super-speedway, but I'm confident that I'll get to grips with it fast. I've watched a lot of IndyCar action on TV and online, and it's clear that great precision is required to race in close proximity with other cars on the far side of 220mph [354km/h]. I realise I'll be on a steep learning curve, but I'll be flying to Indianapolis from Barcelona immediately after the Spanish Grand Prix, practising our McLaren-Honda-Andretti car at Indy from May 15th onwards, hopefully clocking up a large number of miles every day, and I know how good the Andretti Autosport guys are. I'll be proud to race with them, and I intend to mine their knowledge and expertise for as much info as I possibly can."

"I've won the Monaco Grand Prix twice, and it's one of my ambitions to win the Triple Crown [the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours], which has been achieved by only one driver in the history of motorsport: Graham Hill. It's a tough challenge, but I'm up for it. I don't know when I'm going to race at Le Mans, but one day I intend to. I'm only 35: I've got plenty of time for that."

Zak Brown (Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group) said:

Zak Brown, McLaren's Executive Director said, "As an American, albeit one who fell in love with Formula 1 at a very young age, I've always regarded the Indy 500 as a fantastic motor race."

"For that reason I'm particularly delighted to have been able to bring McLaren back to Indianapolis in my very first year as McLaren's Executive Director. Michael [Andretti] is an old friend of mine, and a man I respect enormously, and his Andretti Autosport organisation is one of the best in the business. Michael is a winner - indeed his team won the Indy 500 last year with Alexander Rossi, who will be one of Fernando's team-mates at Indy next month and I couldn't be happier that Fernando will be making his IndyCar debut in one of Michael's cars."

"Equally, this project wouldn't have been possible without Honda's support and encouragement. And our car - the McLaren-Honda-Andretti - will be decked out in the papaya orange livery made famous by our founder Bruce McLaren, and in which Johnny Rutherford drove McLaren IndyCars to Indy 500 victory in both 1974 and 1976."

"Could Fernando win this year's Indy 500? Well, I wouldn't be so silly as to make any such rash prediction, but I expect him to be in the mix. Put it this way: the team he'll be racing for won the race last year, using the same Honda engine, and he's the best racing driver in the world. That's quite a compelling combination. So, yes, as I say, he'll be in the mix. "OK, equally, he'll have his work cut out to acclimatise to running at super-speedway velocities, but ultimately it's quality that counts in all forms of motorsport, and Fernando is very definitely quality. He's ballsy and brave too. Also, the differences between Formula 1 cars and IndyCars are less marked now than they were in the past. Formula 1 cars weigh about the same as IndyCars these days - just north of 700kg [1543lb] - and Formula 1 cars actually develop more power than IndyCar cars do, whereas it used to be the other way around in the past."

"I'll be at Indy to see McLaren's return to the Brickyard, and I'll be a happy man on that day. But I'll be in constant contact with Eric [Boullier], who'll be running McLaren-Honda's Formula 1 operation at Monaco as per usual."

Michael Andretti said, "It's a great honour to partner with McLaren for the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 and to bring Fernando into one of our Andretti Autosport Hondas. I want to thank Zak [Brown], Honda and McLaren for this tremendous opportunity. We've been working very closely in the planning of this new partnership and I believe we've laid the foundation for a successful month of May. We're looking forward to giving Fernando an effort in reaching one of his biggest career goals of winning the Indy 500."

"Fernando's lack of experience on super-speedways is not of concern to me. I do believe that the Indianapolis 500 is one of the best places for a rookie to start because there is the opportunity for so much practice time on the track - and, as we have demonstrated, it can be won by a rookie. Fernando is a great talent and I have full confidence that he will represent very strongly for McLaren, Honda and Andretti Autosport."

"Fernando's addition to the team takes our stable of entries to six, working in a cooperative effort. This sharing of experience and knowledge is what makes Andretti Autosport stand out and gives us that extra competitive edge."

Honda's Katsuhide Moriyama said, "We are delighted that we are able to race in the historical Indy 500 as McLaren-Honda-Andretti in order to make Fernando Alonso's dream come true."

"We are also honoured that Honda can become a part of this ambitious project as an engine supplier. We are grateful to Mr. Andretti who willingly accepted our offer and now shares this dream with us. Fernando is one of the best racing drivers in the world, and I strongly believe that he will put on a great performance in one of the world's most historical motor races, the Indy 500."

"Honda will provide our maximum support to him and the team, as well as the other Honda drivers competing. We can't wait to see him racing on the legendary Indianapolis track.

McLaren has won the Indy 500 twice as a team, in 1974 and 1976 with Johnny Rutherford, while a Penske-run McLaren chassis won in 1972 with Mark Donohue.

McLaren will announce the identity of Alonso's replacement at Monaco shortly.
The Cambodian version of Chinese President Xi Jinping's book on the governance of China was released on Tuesday in the capital of Cambodia.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen and Jiang Jianguo, vice head of the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, presided over the release ceremony of the book at the prime minister's office, Peace Palace.

The ceremony, broadcast live on the country's leading Fresh News website and Hun Sen's Facebook page, was attended by some 500 officials, academicians, researchers and university students.

The book "Xi Jinping: The Governance of China" contains 79 speeches, talks, interviews, notes and letters of the Chinese leader between November 2012 and June 2014, and it helps readers around the world to better understand China's development, domestic and foreign policies and response to the concerns of the international community.

Hun Sen said the book featured Xi's thoughts on governance, economy, improvement of welfare and life for the people, rule of law, cultural advancement, ecological conservation and China's contributions to peace and stability in the region and the world.

"The book will enable the Cambodian people to better understand Chinese President Xi Jinping's thoughts on the deep reforms of the governance of China," he said.

"I'd like to encourage all officials, professors and students to read the book and choose good thoughts to practice in your real work."

The prime minister said he was impressed by Xi's ideas on governance, anti-corruption, increase in confidence among the people, and China's foreign policy that treats countries in the world as good and true friends.

Meanwhile, Hun Sen said China has been playing a crucial role in boosting global economy and trade and in maintaining political stability in the region and in the world.

"China's progress has greatly benefited the world because China has adhered to the coexistence principle," he said.

Jiang, who is also the chief of China's State Council Information Office, said the book, to date, has already been translated into 16 languages and has a distribution of over 6.2 million copies around the world.

"I believe that the Cambodian version of the book will provide a broader opportunity for Cambodian readers to learn China's experience in governance and administering the country," he said.

Cambodia's Secretary of State and spokesman for the Council of Ministers Phay Siphan said the book would provide Cambodians a deeper understanding about the Chinese leader and his thoughts on political issues and foreign policies.

"The Cambodian language book stands as an iron symbol of solidarity and cooperation between Cambodia and China," he told Xinhua.

"It will enable Cambodian readers to better understand China's successful experience in economic development, administration and international relations."

Sorn Samnang, an advisor to the Cambodian government, said with the Cambodian version of the book, more Cambodian people would be able to read it.

"This book offers very useful information and experience for Cambodia in its national development," he told Xinhua.

Khlot Thyda, president of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said she had read the Cambodian version of the book and believed that it would be an invaluable asset for Cambodian readers.

"With the book, I'm strongly confident that more Cambodians will better understand President Xi's philosophy of governance and use his philosophy to reflect on the reality in Cambodia," she told Xinhua.

She said the book provided comprehensive knowledge of China's policies on energy, economy, technology, environment, security, governance, corruption and international relations.

"The book helps the international community to better understand China's mentality, domestic and foreign policies and response to the concerns of international community as well as the Chinese Dream," she said.

Thyda said in the book, she was impressed by Xi's win-win approaches such as the establishment of a new model of major-country relations and the Belt and Road Initiative.

The translation and publication work of the Cambodian edition of the book was completed in close collaboration between the China Foreign Languages Publishing Administration (CFLPA) and the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia.

Chea Munyrith, director of the Confucius Institute of the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said the 603-page book would offer Cambodian readers a broader opportunity to better understand about China.
Photo taken on April 10, 2017 shows giant panda Xing Ya in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. Two giant pandas Xing Ya and Wu Wen, left for the Netherlands on Tuesday. [Photo/Xinhua]

CHENGDU, April 11 (Xinhua) -- With "visas" granted by Consul General Koen Sizoo of the Netherlands in Chongqing, Xingya and Wuwen, a pair of giant pandas, were given the all clear to fly to Amsterdam from their home province of Sichuan, southwest China, Wednesday afternoon.

Their 15-year sojourn will be at Ouwehands Zoo, the Netherlands, and was organized as part of a scientific research cooperation.

This is the first time that Holland has played host to China's national animal.

Zhang Haiqing, vice director of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), handed over files on the two pandas to the zoo Tuesday.

"Everyone is mad about them," said Brenda van Ekeren, a zoo keeper who escorted the pandas. She arrived in Wolong last month with her colleagues to get acquainted with the pandas.

They began to respond to her instructions, and she has learned to call their names in the Sichuan dialect, said van Ekeren.

Photo taken on Nov 2, 2016 shows giant panda Wu Wen in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, Southwest China's Sichuan province. [Photo/Xinhua]

Both Xingya, male, and Wuwen, female, were born in August 2013.

Xingya was "macho, playful" while Wuwen "is inquisitive, but very gentle," she said.

To ease the animals into their new lives, CCRCGP has prepared a welcoming feast of 40 kg of bamboo shoots, 80 kg of bamboo, and plenty of apples, carrots and a special kind of bread made of corn, rice, soy beans, eggs and other nutrients.

"They were both in a fairly good physical condition," said Hu Zhengquan, who has been caring for giant pandas for five years at the CCRCGP.

Xingya and Wuwen are due to land in Amsterdam Wednesday evening. They will go through a month of quarantine after a welcome ceremony.

Hu and his colleagues will be based at the zoo to help the pair get used to the new surroundings.

Giant panda protection specialist Li Desheng said that Chinese experts can learn advanced concepts from their foreign counterparts while providing technical support abroad.

The CCRCGP has forged ties with 13 zoos from the United States, the United Kingdom, Austria, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Belgium, the Republic of Korea, and Holland, since 1996.

All together, 28 giant pandas were sent abroad under the cooperation schemes. Eleven of 17 cubs born abroad have returned to China.

China had 1,864 giant pandas in the wild at the end of 2015, up from about 1,100 in 2000. There are also 422 animals in captivity, according to China's State Forestry Administration.
GUANGZHOU, April 11 (Xinhua) -- A new freight train service started operation on Tuesday, linking Dongguan, a manufacturing hub in south China's Guangdong Province, and Vorsino, Russia.

The trip of about 11,000 kilometers takes 15 days, about one third of the time by sea, while the cost is half of that by air, said Huang Pu, chief of Dongguan customs.

A launch ceremony was held at a Sino-Russia trade logistic base, which will eventually cover 241 hectares.

Trade between Guangdong and Russia is booming, with import and export volume last year standing at 37.26 billion yuan (about 5.4 billion U.S. dollars), up 2.1 percent from the previous year. Import and export volume in January and February this year was 6.37 billion yuan, up 27.2 percent.

By last year, Dongguan customs had processed 124,000 tonnes of exported cargo, of which 6,455 tonnes was sent to Russia. The cargo includes tablet PCs, mobile phones, air conditioners, lamps, automobile parts, shoes and toys.
(For the latest China news, Please follow People's Daily on Twitter and Facebook
Members of the Supreme Courts conservative majority are questioning the continued use of affirmative action in higher education. In lengthy arguments Monday, the justices wrestled with persistent, difficult questions of race. The justices heard from six different lawyers in challenges to policies at the University of North Carolina and Harvard. Those policies consider race among many factors in evaluating applications for admission. One conservative justice likened affirmative action to giving some college applicants a head start in a footrace. But a liberal justice said universities are the pipelines to leadership in our society and suggested that without affirmative action minority enrollment will drop.
Another day, another controversy involving state Rep. Larry Pittman.

Pittman (R-Concord) equated Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler in a Facebook post Wednesday that said the president was "the same sort of tyrant" as the German dictator.

Pittman, a Presbyterian pastor, made the comment in mounting a convoluted defense of his role in the previous day's controversy, wherein he and two other conservative legislators introduced a bill to defy a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage.

GOP leaders backed away from the bill Wednesday, saying it would never see the light of day because it proposed defying the highest court in the land.

In his post, Pittman likened Lincoln to Hitler by saying that the Civil War president was "personally responsible for the deaths of over 800,000 Americans in a war that was unnecessary and unconstitutional."

Lincoln was the Republican Party's first president and his name is often invoked by modern GOP candidates promoting the party's heritage as an early champion of civil rights.

N.C. Democratic Party Chair Wayne Goodwin urged his counterparts in the Party of Lincoln to "condemn these outrageous and offensive statements.

Representative Pittman and his ultra-conservative allies in the General Assembly have no sense of decency, no sense of shame and no sense of historical fact," Goodwin said in a written statement Wednesday afternoon.
CoreLife Eatery is coming to Greensboro.

It will open at 1430 Westover Terrace, the site of a former IHOP, which moved to 1609 Westover Terrace.

The old building will be demolished to make way for CoreLife.

CoreLife opened its first eatery in Syracuse, N.Y., in 2015.

It specializes in greens and grain bowls topped with house dressings, fresh broth bowls with vegetables and all-natural proteins such as grass-fed steak, antibiotic-free chicken and grilled fresh tofu.

Freshly-made lemonades based on a variety of fruits and vegetables are also offered.

Greensboro designer Jay Jung will be involved in the project, says Marty Kotis, CEO of Kotis Properties, which owns the site.

Once I found out Jay Jung was involved, I was on board with the concept, Kotis said.

CoreLife has about 10 locations, mostly in New York and Ohio, with more than a dozen other units planned across the country, including Fayetteville.

CoreLife joins Grabbagreen and Tropical Fruit Smoothie in Greensboro as healthier fast casual chains that are trending in markets.

Winston-Salems independently-owned Organix Juice Bar is opening a Greensboro shop this spring.

More Dunkin Donuts

Franchise group Carolina Donuts, LLC plans to develop eight new Dunkin Donuts restaurants throughout the Winston-Salem area.

The team, led by Steve Galloway and his partners, recently acquired five existing Dunkin Donuts restaurants throughout the Winston-Salem area and operates 12 restaurants throughout Florida and Tennessee, according to a news release.

The groups first new North Carolina location is planned to open in 2018.

There are more than 300 Dunkin Donuts located throughout North Carolina, and the company is continuing to recruit franchisees in High Point, Burlington/Mebane, Raleigh and Jacksonville/Sneads Ferry areas.

Giving back

On Tuesday, Chipotle at 1420 Westover Terrace, Suite A in Greensboro will help out the National Conference for Community and Justice of the Piedmont Triad.

Stop by for a meal between 4 and 8 p.m., and mention NCCJ, and the store will donate half of your sale to the nonprofit that promotes understanding and respect among all cultures, races and religions through advocacy, education and dialogue.

For more information, visit http://nccjtriad.org/.

Meet a farmer

Have you ever wanted to meet the farmer responsible for the food on your plate?

Tessa Farm to Fork at 3929 Battleground Ave. in Greensboro is going to have some of the producers of its food meet guests and talk about their farms during a Farmer Appreciation Night event from 5 to 9 p.m. April 19.

Call (336) 763-1256 for information.

Wine down

PB & Java at 616 S. Elm St. in Greensboro is holding Wine Down Wednesday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. each Wednesday.

Stop by for half-price wine and networking.

For information, call (336) 663-7615 or visit PB & Java on Facebook.

Tex-Mex brunch

Los Gordos Tex-Mex Cafe (2505 Battleground Ave.; 336-617-4155) in Greensboro is now serving Sunday brunch starting at 8 a.m.

The menu features pozole, barbacoa, menudo, chilaquiles, eggs and chorizo, eggs and potatoes, tamales, mole, gorditas, pancakes, omelets, and breakfast tacos with fresh tortillas.

Meal kits

The Fresh Market in Greensboro is offering HelloFresh meal kits.

Each kit serves two people and includes all the ingredients to cook a meal from scratch and a recipe card.

Recipes are Crispy Chicken Parmesan, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, Lemony Shrimp Risotto and One-Pan Tortelloni Pesto Gratin.

Kits are $24.99.

Locations are at 3712 Lawndale Drive and 1560 Highwoods Blvd.

Easter dining

Restaurants are offering special dining on Easter Sunday.

Table 16 (600 S. Elm St., Greensboro) is offering a brunch menu noon to 4 p.m. with items like Steak and Eggs ($12), Benedict Oscar ($15) and Creme Brulee French Toast ($12). Call (336) 279-8525.

(600 S. Elm St., Greensboro) is offering a brunch menu noon to 4 p.m. with items like Steak and Eggs ($12), Benedict Oscar ($15) and Creme Brulee French Toast ($12). Call (336) 279-8525. Reel Seafood Grill (2002 New Garden Road, Greensboro) will serve brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. and a full dinner menu 5 to 9 p.m. Call (336) 617-4200.

(2002 New Garden Road, Greensboro) will serve brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. and a full dinner menu 5 to 9 p.m. Call (336) 617-4200. Four Flocks and Larder (433 Spring Garden St., Suite 101, Greensboro; 336-676-6131) is offering brunch with items like Red Velvet Belgian Waffles and Pimento Cheese and Bacon Omelets.

(433 Spring Garden St., Suite 101, Greensboro; 336-676-6131) is offering brunch with items like Red Velvet Belgian Waffles and Pimento Cheese and Bacon Omelets. Spring Garden Diner (1901 Spring Garden St., Greensboro; 336-763-16590) is offering chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and French Toast stuffed with strawberry cream cheese. Items are offered all day.

(1901 Spring Garden St., Greensboro; 336-763-16590) is offering chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and French Toast stuffed with strawberry cream cheese. Items are offered all day. Mimis Cafe (3322 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; 336-852-7811) is offering a three-course meal starting at 11 a.m. Cost is $18.99 for adults, $8.99 for ages 11 and younger. Mimis is also offering the Easter Ham Supper to go that feeds six to eight people. Cost is $89.99. Orders are accepted through Friday.

(3322 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; 336-852-7811) is offering a three-course meal starting at 11 a.m. Cost is $18.99 for adults, $8.99 for ages 11 and younger. Mimis is also offering the Easter Ham Supper to go that feeds six to eight people. Cost is $89.99. Orders are accepted through Friday. Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar (3342 W. Friendly Ave., Greensboro; 336-294-7790) is offering a three-course brunch menu starting at $44.95.
GREENSBORO  Some churches will offer free food and gas as part of an effort to reach out to the community this upcoming Easter weekend.

Here's a few:

FREE EASTER MEAL

A group of United Methodist churches is giving away Easter food boxes on Good Friday.

The boxes, which include chickens, green beans and rolls, are available on a first-come, first-serve basis to the first 1,000 people in line.

The giveaway is at 9 a.m., Muir's Chapel UMC, 314 Muir's Chapel Road.

Sponsoring UMC churches include: Collins Grove, Raleigh's Crossroads, Hickory Grove, Guilford College , Muir's Chapel, Greensboro Korean, St. Timothy's, Zion Hill .

FREE GAS

The line usually snakes out of the gas station and down the street.

And Mount Zion Baptist Church is doing it again.

The church is giving away gas and inspiration at two Triad locations on Good Friday as part of its No Greater Love Weekend, which also includes a community day with clothing giveaway and activities for the children, at Peeler Recreation Center, 1300 Sykes Ave.

The gas locations are: the Exxon located at 3602 E. Wendover Ave., starting at 7 a.m., for the first 300 cars. The other is at Murphy's Oil 2107 Pyramid Village Blvd., starting at 9 a.m.
Jiang Lili and her father Jiang Congqing discuss teaching in a classroom of Qingxi Primary School in Yongjiang county, Hunan province. (Photo/China Daily)

Three generations of one family in Hunan have returned to their remote hill village to teach

Many who live in the poorest parts of rural China dream of pursuing a college education so they can escape their poverty-stricken hometowns - especially those from mountainous areas with little access to the outside world.

But three generations of the Jiang family, from Yongjiang county, Hunan province, appear to have bucked this trend by bringing education back to their home village of Qingxi, a settlement more than 50 kilometers from the county seat.

Jiang Hao became the first person from his village to secure a place at college when he was accepted by an institution in Hengyang, Hunan in 1955. His family's poverty almost meant that he was unable to attend, however, until his fellow villagers pooled their resources to cover his tuition fees and travel expenses.

According to his granddaughter, Jiang Hao was so moved that he knelt down in front of the whole village and vowed to return with the knowledge he would gain.

The patriarch, who has since died, stayed true to his word and even refused an offer to become a county government official after graduation, choosing instead to teach in local schools for 29 years until his retirement.

"My father often told us that he never expected to be an official or to be rich and, as a teacher in the mountains, he felt respected," recalled his son, Jiang Congqing, who in 1985 also gave up an opportunity to work as an official in the township government and become a teacher instead.

The 52-year-old is now principal of Qingxi Primary School, which has nine teachers and 138 students. He said one-third of the students are left-behind children whose parents are migrant workers.

The granddaughter, Jiang Lili, said she had wanted to be a teacher from an early age.

"Since childhood, senior family members have taught us we should make every effort to get more education and make our dreams reality," said the 28-year-old.

"'Students in the mountains have to learn English in their third year of primary school. If they don't learn English well, they fall behind other students. So, after I graduated from senior high school in 2006, my grandfather suggested I chose an English major at college."

Jiang Lili took her grandfather's advice. In 2011, she came back to Qingxi Primary School and became an English teacher.

The four other teachers who joined with her at the same time have since left. She has also had chances to transfer to other schools in different locations, but chose to stay.

"I don't want to leave the place where I was born and raised. I don't want to abandon the children here," she said.

"This school is remote and isolated, which makes many young teachers reluctant to come. But the older teachers here are not qualified to teach English. If I leave, the students here will fall far behind their urban counterparts."

Jiang Lili now hopes to help as many students as she can learn the skills to succeed in life. "I hope my efforts can help the children here bridge the gap in knowledge and life experience they have with their peers in the city. I hope more of them will get out of the mountains and see the world outside," she said.
GREENSBORO  Mary Dieudonne gathered the strength for the first time on Tuesday night to visit the site where her daughter Alisia was killed at a party in October.

She had traveled to Greensboro from her Illinois home on two other occasions since the shooting, but she never went to the scene.

Alisia, 19, of Homewood Ill., and Ahmad Campbell, 21, of Kitrell were both shot and killed while attending a house party at 911 Circle Drive near the campus of N.C A&T.

Dieudonne, joined by Alicia Campbell  Ahmads mother  spoke at a vigil for their children and urged the community to talk with police about the unsolved shooting.

Our kids are in heaven and we cant bring them back, Dieudonne said to the crowd of students, school administrators and police. I dont want your mother or father to feel our pain.

About 100 people attended the event. Family and friends shared stories about the two, prayed, sang and finally blew bubbles into the air to remember the students whose lives were cut short by bullets not meant for them.

After the partys host forced some uninvited people to leave, at least one person fired two shots  one bullet striking Alisia and one striking Ahmad. Police are still investigating the homicides but have little to go on.

Mary Dieudonne had planned to speak with her daughter the Sunday morning after the shooting.

That call never came. Instead, it was a call from police giving her the news that Alisia was dead.

The hardest thing to do is bury your child, Dieudonne said.

Dieudonne and Campbell have forged a friendship since their children were killed, speaking almost daily for support. The grieving mothers are hopeful someone will come forward with information that will lead to an arrest.

I am angry, Im hurt and Im mad because some of you were at that party, Campbell said to the crowd. Did any of you tell what you know? I need you guys to please encourage your friends to tell what they know.

Though several months have gone without an arrest, police dont consider it a cold case, according to Capt. Nathaniel Davis, commander of the Greensboro police criminal investigations division.

They were victims of a heinous crime, Davis said. No information in this case is insignificant.
Tamara Figueroa and her son Jose Charles were joined Wednesday by Operation Transparency's Protection Brigade, which is asking Greensboro City Council to release the police video on the Jose Charles arrest. After a brief press conference Wednesday the crowd of about 40 people went to the council's executive office to deliver copies of their ultimatum to City Council. As part of its ultimatum, the group said it will be at the May 2 council meeting prepared to do all that we can to protect this child, and to protect transparency and fairness. At first denied entry, the Rev. Nelson Johnson spoke to Greensboro Police Deputy Chief James Hinson Jr. who came out of the locked door to speak to the crowd and afterward let them in to make their delivery.
Russian Trinity is a 90-minute PBS documentary in which the former Soviet Union is described as a trinity comprised of the Kremlin, the secret police and the Bolshoi Theater, or Ballet, the latter of which was used by the other two legs of the trinity to distract the population by spreading a little fairy dust.

One night last week, just before my evening run, I decided to pop on the evening news. Rather than a broadcast pertaining to important national and international matters, I got Welcome home, Tar Heels, said program not only airing live but apparently for some time beforehand. I turned it off and went for my run. I returned 55 minutes later and turned on the television. More Welcome home, Tar Heels.

Karl Marx once called religion the opium of the people. In lieu of that, or the Bolshoi Ballet  or a television program informing us of matters that actually affect our lives, such as why health care reform is constantly designed by legislators of both political parties, national and state, to the disadvantage of the majority of the population who elect them, North Carolinians are fed fairy dust.

John Rhodes

Efland
The White House has responded to the video showing an Asian man being violently dragged down an aisle with blood coming from his face on a United Airlines flight from Chicago.

During Tuesdays daily White House press briefing, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked if the government should investigate United Airlines, and the industry as a whole, as it relates to passenger treatment. In answering the question, Spicer called the incident unfortunate. In talking about the video, Spicer said, It is troubling to see how that was handled.

Spicer said he is sure U.S. President Donald Trump has seen the video. When a reporter asked about the presidents reaction to the shocking video, Spicer responded, I dont think anyone looks at that video and isnt a little disturbed that another human being is treated that way.

Spicer then recalled some of the more gruesome details.Watching another human being dragged down an aisle, watching blood come from their facethis probably could have been handled a little bit better when youre talking about another human being.

The disturbing video and Uniteds insensitive response sparked a social media storm. On Chinas top micro-blogging site Weibo, many of Chinas netizens remain shocked and angered by the horrifying incident. Some Weibo users want to know why, if Trump has seen the video, he has not posted it on his social media accounts. Others have urged him to quickly post it, given his history of frequent use of social media.

After Uniteds stock dropped, wiping out $255 million off the market cap, United finally apologized. I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way, United CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement on Tuesday.

But the apology is not sitting well with many of Chinas netizens. One Weibo user called the U.S. airline shameless. Your stock falls and you lose money. Now you apologize. You have no sense of shame!
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GREENWICH  The Chamber Players of the Greenwich Symphony are tuning up for a pair of concerts honoring a mix of composers from different musical worlds.

The Players, along with two guest musicians, will feature a fusion of styles, Old World and New World, showcasing the work of Mozart, Copeland and Juliuz Zarebski as part of the groups 45th season.

The music we have chosen demonstrates the connection between musical worlds by featuring two European composers, one a household name and one obscure, as well as a well-known and original American composer influenced by European compositional trends, said Daniel Miller, cellist for the Chamber Players.

The Mozart trio is a classic of the genre. The Zarebski quintet is a gem from a forgotten composer. The Copeland composition shows the cerebral side of a composer best known for his folk-inspired popular works, Miller said.

The Chamber Players performances are set for 4 p.m. April 23 at Round Hill Community Church and 7:30 p.m. April 24 at the Bruce Museum. The concerts will feature guest violinist Deborah Wong and violist Ahling Neu.

The two will be joining Chamber Players Andrew Gordon, Susan Hytken-Metcalf and Miller for several selections.

The players will perform Mozarts Piano Trio in B-flat major 5 K 502, the Piano Quartet by Aaron Copeland and Juliuz Zarebskis Piano Quintet in G Minor Op. 34.

Zarebski was a virtuoso pianist and Polish composer who studied with Franz Liszt and later collaborated with him for performances.

Each concert includes an informal wine and cheese reception for both audience and the musicians.

Tickets are $30 for adults and $5 for students. More information is available online at http://www.greenwichsymphony.org/chamber-players-greenwich-symphony or by calling 203-637-4725.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday held a telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, and discussed the situation on the Korean Peninsula and in Syria.

Xi said that China sticks to the target of the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and that China is committed to peace and stability of the peninsula.

China holds that the issue should be solved through peaceful means, said Xi, adding that his country is ready to maintain communication and coordination with the United States on the issue.

On Syria, Xi said that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and that the path of political settlement should be followed.

He expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would speak in one voice as it is important for the Security Council to remain united over the issue.

Xi also asked teams of China and the United States to work together closely to make sure that Trump's visit to China later this year could achieve fruitful results.

He also urged the two sides to promote economic cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication and coordination in major global and regional issues,through the newly established four-pronged dialogue mechanism.

He expressed the hope that the dialogue mechanism will yield as many early-stage results as possible so as to inject impetus to bilateral relations.

The four-pronged dialogue mechanism, which covers the fields of foreign affairs and security, economy, law enforcement and cybersecurity, social and people-to-people exchanges, is an important result of Xi's meeting with Trump in Florida.

Xi said his recent tete-a-tete with Trump in the latter's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida has produced important results, which have won positive response among the Chinese people and the international community.

The two leaders held in-depth discussions and reached important consensus on bilateral relations in the new era and on major global and regional issues, said Xi.

He and Trump have increased mutual understanding and established sound working relations, he added.

In Wednesday's phone conversation, Trump said the meeting with Xi at Mar-a-Lago was a success. It is very important for the two presidents to maintain close communication, he added.

Trump agreed that the two sides should work together to promote pragmatic cooperation in wide-ranging areas.

He said he was looking forward to his state visit to China this year.

The two presidents agreed to keep close communication through all kinds of channels.
HARTFORD  Therapy dogs would be allowed to visit courthouses when children appear in sexual-abuse trials, under a bill that was the focus Wednesday of a canine lobbying effort in the state Capitol.

Children are afraid to testify, said Rep. Diana Urban, D-North Stonington, co-chairman of the legislative Committee on Children, which earlier in the session unanimously approved the bill. But research shows us when they have an animal with them, they can testify.

On Animal Therapy Day, the pooches plied the halls, then rallied their handlers at a news conference aimed at expanding existing state law that requires the state Department of Children and Families and the Department of Agriculture to track animal abuse.

Research indicates that most adults imprisoned for violence abused animals when they were children.

The legislation, which is being reviewed by House leaders, would allow kids to cuddle animals, but not in the presence of jurors, was supported during a morning news conference by Jessica Brocksom, Connecticuts Kid Governor, who campaigned on a be-nice to-animals platform.

When you are kind to animals, in return they will treat you like family and will be kind to you, said Brocksom.

A new state law allows UConn law students to represent abused animals in Superior Court. A previous law, from 2014, on cross-reporting has enabled agriculture officials as well as the DCF, to jointly track over 228 cases of animal and child abuse, where animal-control officers and social workers share information.

Raymond T. Connors, supervisor of animal control in the Department of Agriculture, said that other states are following Connecticuts reporting protocol, aimed at stopping the escalation of violence from animals to humans. Some of the cases have led to animal-abuse arrests, Connors said. If one dog, or one animal is saved through this bill, it means the world to the animal world.

He said that over the last two years, DCF has reported 56 cases of animal abuse to his agency, including 15 this calendar year. The numbers are escalating, Connors said.

kdixon@ctpost.com; Twitter: @KenDixonCT
PepsiCo owns some 22 billion-dollar brands, including Gatorade, Tropicana, Lays, Doritos, Fritos, Quaker, Mountain Dew, Aquafina, and of course, Pepsi. And yet, the food and beverage giant walked straight into a brand minefield with a now infamous protest commercial starring Kendall Jenner.

If the message was that a can of Pepsi can unite both sides of the most divisive political movements of the day -- from Black Lives Matter to Women and Donald Trump -- it only succeeded in uniting everyone against Pepsi for being tone-deaf and trivializing what they see as serious issues.

PepsiCo pulled the ad campaign and issued an apology two days later, saying Pepsi was trying to project a global message of unity, peace and understanding. Clearly we missed the mark, and we apologize. We did not intend to make light of any serious issue, and so on.

Heres the thing. While the commercial was ill-conceived, I can see where the company was trying to go with it. Personally, I think people are way too thin-skinned for their own good these days. Who knew that TV and internet ads are supposed to be safe spaces devoid of controversy? Not me, thats for sure.

Related: Pepsi Ignites Outrage With Kendall Jenner Ad

That said, the world is the way it is, and no company big or small gets to dictate how its customers think, feel or perceive their brand. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so is brand preference. Like it or not, we are becoming a society of snowflakes who get offended at the drop of a hat. Thats the new normal.

Pepsi is just the latest in a long line of companies and individuals to get caught in the cross hairs of the growing ranks of political activists and social media trolls who never pass up an opportunity to whine, criticize and call attention to themselves and their causes, whether their outcries are legitimate or not.

Their weapon of choice is to rile up their hordes of social media followers in viral protest. That usually end up in calls for boycotts or for those responsible for whatever upset them to be fired. If your company really rubs the wrong activists the wrong way, you may even end up in court.

I can think of a laundry list of companies that have recently suffered that fate, from Budweiser and Netflix to Uber and Grubhub. Going back further there was Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Whole Foods, the Food Network over Paula Dean, and A&E over Duck Dynasty. I can go on and on.

Corporate giants can more readily weather social media firestorms and PR crises. In time, they always bounce back. Its harder for smaller companies and individuals, who can find their reputations and businesses ruined for good. Business leaders can avoid unforced errors that can get them in big trouble by following three simple rules:

Take cultural trends seriously.

Whenever this sort of thing happens, fair-minded and clear-thinking people always shake their heads and say something like, Whats the big deal? Cant people just mind their own business? Or my personal favorite, It shouldnt be this way.

I feel you folks, but companies and individuals with a lot at stake need to wake up and face social reality. For an extremely vocal minority, controversial issues are a big deal. They make it their business. Like it or not, thats just the way it is. Take it seriously.

Related: Before You Delete Your Account, Uber Wants You to Know It's 'Deeply Hurting'

Remember that risk-reward has a downside.

If you think about why Pepsi ran the ad, it was a simple risk-reward proposition. They knew it was controversial, but they went for it, hoping it would resonate in a big way. Instead, the opposite happened.

You always hear people say you have to risk big to win big and no pain, no gain, but you never hear anyone talk about the downside risk, that you can just as easily lose big. Never forget that.

Related: The 12 Worst Social-Media Fails of 2016

If your business isnt politics, keep politics out of your business.

Ive been telling executives and business leaders that for as long as I can remember. Do they ever listen? Most don't but the savvy ones do. The way I see it, if you cant afford to lose half your customers over your position on a controversial issue, just dont go there. Simple as that.

Pepsi will walk away from this without so much as a dent to its pristine brand. You, my friend, may not be so lucky.

Related:

3 Lessons From Pepsi's Controversial Kendall Jenner Protest Ad

E-commerce Companies Eyeing Physical Stores to Up Sales

#6 Steps For Start-Ups At CrossRoads To Stay The Course



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved
On the way to a museum visit and then lunch in Greenwich, we got off Interstate 95 at Exit 3 and ended up in France  first with the marvelous show of impressionist paintings of Alfred Sisley at the Bruce Museum and then at the busy and very French restaurant Meli-Melo for crepes and salad.

Sisley painted within the circle of impressionist artists, had his portrait painted numerous times by his friend Renoir, and hung around with Claude Monet for most of his life. The show at the Bruce brings together 50 of his beautiful landscapes spanning his entire career from a young student in Paris to his final impoverished days in Moret, a Paris suburb.

Meli-Melo puts on a show of contemporary French bistro bustle as servers hurry to and fro quickly serving the lunchtime crowd  all under the watchful eye of Madame. Crepes, salads, sandwiches and more crepes (this time for dessert) are the house specialties. Oh, yes! Theres a juice bar and an ice cream menu too  the yin and yang of healthy eating.

Sisley, though born in England, spent his adult life in France  mostly in and around Paris. The exhibit shows his mastery of light on water and how it plays across the landscape. Village scenes, meandering paths through the countryside, rivers, bridges, and cathedrals are all painted with finesse and inviting light. You wish you could walk right into the picture.

There are no large blockbuster canvasses here, just modestly-sized, beautifully-executed portrayals of ordinary scenes. In one series, the church at Moret is painted in sun, rain, and clouds  alternately warm and inviting, damp and dreary, or gray and melancholy. Sisley was applauded for painting the world as he encountered it, notably the several views of The Flood at Port Marly. Rivers, with their shifting colors, lively light, charming boats, and architectural bridges figure prominently throughout Sisleys work. He was recognized in his obituary as, first and foremost, a painter of light.

Organized by the Bruce in partnership with a museum in Provence, this is the only United States stop for the Sisley show  a not-to-be-missed opportunity. You can see it through May 21. The Bruce gift shop is one of Marshas favorites. Filled with beautiful things, great goodies for kids, and stuff tied to the exhibits, its a place to stockpile Christmas and birthday presents, pick up a few hostess gifts, and indulge in a gimmie.

The friendly museum staff was happy to suggest some options for lunch. The Delamar Hotel with its posh Lescale restaurant is just across the street, great for a special lunch on the water. Greenwich Avenue, with lots of desirable lunch opportunities, is only a few blocks away. At the desk, they recommended Harvest Wine Bar. We had also looked into Mediterraneo as well as Douro for Portuguese specialties, all within a stones throw of each other.

But pumped up about the natural beauty of France and looking for the marvelous food the French enjoy every day, we headed to Meli-Melo at 362 Greenwich Ave. It has more than doubled in size since we were last there, with plenty of seating and lots of light from the floor to ceiling windows facing Greenwich Avenue.

The extensive menu features buckwheat crepes in almost infinite variations. We opted for the classic Jambon et Fromage (ham and Swiss)  Marsha straight up, me with an added organic egg. If the restaurants not too busy, you can hang out at the counter and watch the crepes being made. Thin, perfectly even, and exactly round, theyre the product of skilled and experienced hands. Twenty-two more crepe options reach around the Mediterranean and even to California and the Pacific Rim for their inspiration.

We also squeezed a Meli-Melo onto our tiny table, not able to resist the salty roquefort, rich walnuts, prosciutto di parma and a mustardy vinaigrette over mesclun greens as a foil to the hearty crepes. Twenty salad choices dont make decisions easy. The daily soup list is left on the table and posted on chalk boards around the restaurant. A selection of Euro-style sandwiches is tempting, too, for anyone not in the mood for crepes.

Wheat crepes are used for desserts. Ours was spread with confiture  homemade three red fruits jam  fruity, tart, and delicious, as you would expect. There is, of course, the traditional butter and sugar presentation as well as honey and lemon, homemade dulce de leche, Nutella, and lots of ice cream ideas. Some dessert crepes are even flambeed!

The extensive juice menu covers Healing Helper Juices, a Cleanse Menu, Smoothie Blends, and Daily Juices.

An after-lunch window-shopping stroll up and down Greenwich Avenue helps to work off that dessert crepe. The small boutiques, large stores, and speciality merchants all put out enticing displays. Look for a computer at the Apple store, a car at Tesla, a custom suit at Richards, or a stylish outfit at any of the small dress shops.

Back on the ramp to I-95 youll know youve left behind the beauty and tranquillity of Sisleys France and the delightfully authentic food of Meli-Melo. But dont worry! Theres still plenty of time for another visit this spring!

Frank Whitmans Not Bread Alone column runs every Thursday in The Hour. Frank can be reached at notbreadalonefw@gmail.com.
(Xinhua) 14:05, April 12, 2017

BEIJING, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Any attempt to play up the case of a Taiwan resident under investigation will further harm the "already severe" relations between the mainland and Taiwan, an official said Wednesday.

Lee Ming-che is being investigated for suspected activities "endangering national security," An Fengshan, spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said at a press conference.

The mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits has entrusted a Taiwan-based NGO to inform Lee's wife of the case and pass letters from him to his family, according to An.

"Some outside groups in Taiwan have taken the case to attack the mainland, make trouble, and interfere with the investigation," An said. "They will not have a way to attain their goals."

"The investigation is being conducted in accordance with the law and the suspect's legal rights will be protected," An said, warning that attempts to interfere with the case will only complicate matters and harm Lee's rights.
Thats already unnecessarily generous. Photo: KHON

A server in Hawaii won the service-industry lottery twice last week, when a couple she waited on tipped her $400, then decided that  as a bonus tip  they were also going to pay off her student loans. Cayla Chandara got the initial fat gratuity during her Wednesday-night shift at Noi Thai Cuisine, a popular spot on Waikiki Beach. She tells KHON that the people at one of her tables  a couple visiting from Australia  had asked what brought her to the islands. She explained that shed originally moved there for school, but right now was kind of in a little bit of debt, so shes working that waitressing job  plus another at the Cheesecake Factory  until she can go back. Feeling generous, the couple doubled their $200 tab when the check came, and left that as Chandaras tip.

She says she felt so overwhelmed that she hunted them down at the hotel they said they were staying at. I just thought it was so generous of them, she tells KHON. I never get tipped that big. I had to say thank you. She dropped off a thank-you card, some dessert, and flowers.

That must have been some dessert, because the couple returned to the restaurant the next day, and said they wanted to take care of her student debt, which totaled more than $10,000. I was like, No way, you dont have to do that for me. I just wanted to say thank you, Chandara says. I still dont feel like its real. I want to run around in the streets.

The benevolent couple wants to remain anonymous, but they told Chandara that the best thank-you is for her to just be your best possible self. That, plus maybe treating her school friends to dinner, so they can get a break from Cup Noodles.
Murrays Cheese has been a longtime destination for the citys dairy fanatics. Photo: Matt Dutile

Shake Shack is, of course, one of the great New York City success stories. Started as a stand in Madison Square Park, its grown to well over 100 locations around the world, all of which promise burgers and fries with an increased focus on quality and hospitality. Sbarro, meanwhile, was once a family-run New York operation that specialized in Italian-American food, and which is now in every food court in every mall in America (or so it seems). Yet after the growth, Sbarros defining feature is the mediocrity of its food. Expansion  and corporate influence  can have a wide-ranging effect on a small, independent business. Murrays Cheese, long a beloved Bleecker Street destination for soft-ripened triple creams and brandy-washed wheels of Epoisses, is now at this crossroads. This year, the business  comprising, among other assets, the shop, a Grand Central Terminal outpost, and extensive aging caves  was sold to the Cincinnati-based Kroger grocery chain, which currently operates 2,796 stores. Now, Murrays has the means to grow, but will expansion turn it into something like the Shake Shack of cheese shops, or will it wind up sacrificing quality for size, like Sbarro?

For decades, Murrays has been that idealized type of New York business: The stand-alone storefront thats so dedicated to its cause  cheese in all of its glorious forms  that the bottom line almost seems secondary. (Writer Calvin Trillins adored tour of his favorite food destinations in the city, itself something of a New York institution, often began at Murrays.) So it was surprising when news of the sale  which on the surface has all the trappings of either a financial bailout, or simply selling out  became public.

The shop has only even changed ownership a handful of times: In 1940, Murray Greenberg, a Jewish immigrant, opened Murrays Cheese at the corner of Bleecker and Cornelia Streets in Greenwich Village. In 1970, Greenberg sold the store to his Calabrian clerk, Louis Tudda. In 1991, Tudda sold the shop to fervent regular Rob Kaufelt, who in turn sold the store to Kroger.

The latest sale itself really began to take shape in 2008. In a Crains profile, Kaufelt cheered that he was taking the neighborhood national through the Kroger partnerships he began that year, installing three Murrays kiosks inside Kroger stores. In 2012, there were 38 outposts. Eventually, they were adding almost 100 per year, and there are now more than 250. At the same time, the two partners were building up their expertise, and training employees as Certified Cheese Professionals recognized by the American Cheese Society: 13 in 2014, 20 in 2015, and 29 last year.

With roughly $250 million in annual sales, Murrays owned about 7 percent of the nations $3.7 billion gourmet-cheese market. Kroger, meanwhile, made more than $2 billion in 2015. The chain often grows by way of mergers, preserving local brands  such as Marianos in Chicago, King Soopers in Denver, Ralphs in Los Angeles, and Frys in Arizona, which are all owned by Kroger  along the way.

Nobody from Kroger or Murrays would disclose financial details of the merger, but Kroger now owns the Murrays name, as well as the street-level retail condominium that houses both the Murrays store on Bleecker and Amys Bread next door (although they dont own the building itself). Murrays Cheese Bar, the nearby restaurant, was acquired in the deal as well (though the space is still leased). By all accounts, the sale was not a financial necessity for Murrays, or Kaufelt.

I never thought Rob would sell, says Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen. He looks and acts much younger than he is. I thought hed stick with Murrays another 30 or 40 years. But the timing proved to be fortuitous for McMullen, as Kaufelt says the grind of running the business had started to become too much.

Our big joke was TGIM, Kaufelt explains. Thank God Its Monday because Friday and the weekend were always so busy for us  my weekends were just gone. Years and years of weekends. He says that something dawned on him, and that he needed to spend more time away from the shop. Im 69 with young kids  I just didnt want to do that anymore. This election, this country, this time we have has to matter. I can pick my kids up from school now.

Nick Tranchina  Murrays chief operations officer, who has been with the company since 2006 and has overseen much of the Kroger relationship  sees other upsides to the sale. Most of us are here because we like cheese, he says. Now, we have this big corporate system where we can handle all the tedious, terrible, non-cheese things: legal, contract review, accounting, budgeting. We can send all that in-house and focus on the cheese again.

Tranchina says hes talking more about actual cheese than he has been in a long time, and the company has just come out with the first-ever cheese that Murrays created entirely in-house, from concept to creation. This month, the shop also plans to be the exclusive importer of a dozen specialty Danish cheeses, such as Maribo and Vesterhavsost.

That still may not be enough to assuage concerns of longtime fans and cheese lovers around the city, who fear that corporate creep  and the need for growth  will diminish the obsessiveness and breadth of products that made Murrays special in the first place.

Its been happening across the industry for a while, says Anne Saxelby, the cheesemonger of an eponymous shop in Essex Street Market, who worked for two years at what she calls the boot camp of Murrays. She points to smaller producers  Cowgirl Creamery, Redwood Hill, Laura Chenels  that were sold to larger companies. But, she says, Robs a smart guy. He sees where the opportunities are. He did it with his wholesale business, his mail-order business, his cheese classes.

Saxelby likens whats happening in the cheese industry now to the world of craft beer around ten years ago, when megabrewers like AB InBev saw the value of adding smaller, independent breweries to their product portfolios. Theres a lot of room, Saxelby says, but also a lot of action, a lot of growth, and a lot of motion. In short, someone begins to promote the idea of great food, which sparks interest that grows until someone with a lot of money inevitably sees a business opportunity, and the original small player is forced to compete. Their effect on consumers is controversial, but mergers and sales are nevertheless naturally beneficial to both sides of the deal: The company gets the brand prestige, and the smaller company gets a vastly increased budget.

While corporate money can provide breathing room for small producers and sellers, theres always concern that the influence will change the way the smaller party goes about its business. At a certain point, at a certain size, Saxelby says, its turning it over from an entrepreneur to a focus group. And thats where Murrays is now. Everyone involved in the deal knows that if the quality of the cheese drops, people will look elsewhere. Tranchina remembers Artisanal Premium Cheese, the New York specialty shop acquired in 2007 by American Home Food Products, Inc., which ballooned to its breaking point: It was sad to see. They just ran it into the ground. Fairway is the most recent example of a company that expanded far too quickly, and couldnt keep up with the new owners financial wishes. Growth is hard in the food world because theres only so much great food out there. Even McMullen says, Its a blessing and a curse to have good food  Nothing else will do after you know how good it can be. For the many devoted customers of Murrays, who count on the shop to provide that good food, thats the exact issue thats causing so much anxiety right now.
No, you are not too old for Il Buco Alimentaris chocolate pops, eggs, or bunnies. Photo: Giada Paoloni

Easter. A time to celebrate Jesus saying, psych! and disappearing from his tomb; a mischievous rabbit that hides painted eggs around your house; and roast lamb. In New York, its also another occasion for restaurants to get in on the action with special dishes and celebratory menus. And while prix fixe holiday meals arent always the jam (or a great deal), there are plenty of top-flight restaurants where youd be happy to eat before binging on Cadbury eggs. Here, the ones you should be eating at.

Barano

Price: A la carte or $60 for four courses

Out in Williamsburg, Easter specials will be offered for a late lunch or dinner, either a la carte or as part of a four-course, family-style menu. Dishes include Pecorino-stuffed artichokes, spit-roasted spring lamb, whole-roasted Romanesco, and pastiera.

Cookshop

Price: A la carte

Over in Chelsea, you can eat a special carrot-cake snowball dessert with marshmallow fluff, carrot curd, candied walnuts, and salty carrot crispies.

Gramercy Tavern

Price: A la carte

The charming New American restaurant is excellent for any special occasion on its own, but acclaimed pastry chef Miro Uskokovic will give you another reason to head there with his hot cross buns.

Gotham Bar and Grill

Price: $75 for three courses

At the Union Square classic, there will be a three-course brunch with dishes including Muscovy duck and foie gras terrine, spring pea soup, Belgian lobster, and Gotham chocolate cake.

Harolds Meat + Three

Price: $35$45

The Tribeca restaurant, loosely inspired by Nashvilles Meat & Three spots, will have two family-style menus available for dining in or takeout. Theres a $35 option with ham, mac n cheese, red-eye gravy, braised greens, and three-bean salad; and a $45 meal of leg of lamb, roasted fingerling potatoes, braised white beans, a greens-and-herb salad, and asparagus. Both come with biscuits.

Il Buco Alimentari

Price: $45$65

The Italian restaurant will serve a $45 prix fixe brunch ($30 for kids) with cured-salmon pizza and lamb leg with cardamom yogurt; and a $65 prix fixe dinner ($35 for kids) featuring dishes like sweet pea soup, that same lamb, and coconut-lime meringue. For those on the hunt for treats, the restaurant will also sell bunny-shaped chocolate pops ($5), Easter eggs ($5$10), and rabbits to go ($15).

Maysville

Price: A la carte

During brunch, the southern restaurant in midtown will serve specials like crispy grits with ham Mornay, crab cakes with butter beans, and charcoal-grilled flatbread with porchetta.

The Modern

Price: $85$178, a la carte in the barroom

The museum restaurant will offer three different menus, while staying a la carte in its barroom. There will be a foie gras tart and carrot cake on the three-course prix fixe ($148); with a foie gras tart and carrot cake, a six-course dinner ($178) at its new kitchen table; and a family-style meal ($85) for parties of eight or more with leg of lamb and coconut-and-carrot tart.

North End Grill

Price: A la carte

In addition to its regular brunch and dinner menus, the Battery Park City spot will offer a dinner special of Colorado lamb belly grilled over a wood-fire, two sunny-side-up eggs, and a spring salad.

Ops

Price: A la carte

The Bushwick pizzeria will serve a savory cake called torta pasqualina, lamb-belly pizza, stuff some of the citys tastiest calzones with ham, and offer chocolate creme with ricotta-filled pastries.

Paowalla

Price: A la carte

If youre more in the mood for modern Indian dishes  like glazed pork ribs vindaloo, ramp kulcha, and polenta upma with asparagus  head to Floyd Cardozs Indian restaurant. Those specials and others will be offered all day long.

Lot 2

Price: $35 or $17 for kids

The South Slope neighborhood restaurant will serve a little gem lettuce wedge salad, smoked country ham, buttered snap peas with mint, mashed red potatoes, plus to be determined dessert.

Pig Bleecker

Price: A la carte

The barbecue-ish restaurant will put a smoked spin on Italys pizza rustica, enhancing it with barbecue pork, for brunch  while dinner will mean smoked and grilled lamb chops with chimichurri sauce, spring peas, and red onions.

Reynard

Price: A la carte

Andrew Tarlows hotel restaurant will offer both brunch specials like Pizzagaina (a.k.a. pizza rustica), the Italian ham pie traditionally made for the holiday; lobster salad; and a lamb roast. There will be a leg of lamb at dinner, too, in this case roasted over a wood fire.

Romans

Price: $85 for four courses

The Fort Greene trattoria will offer a special with a prix fixe first course (options include stuffed egg and carciofi alla giuda); brodetto pasquale; roasted lamb, naturally; and pastiera, the Neapolitan ricotta-and-orange-flower-water tart.

Rotisserie Georgette

Price: A la carte

The chicken-crazed restaurant will launch its Celebration of Spring Asparagus menu on Easter, with dishes like chilled asparagus salad with pickled shrimp, warm asparagus with morel fricassee, and poached white asparagus with hollandaise or lemon vinaigrette. Additionally, the restaurant will serve family-style meals, (must be preordered) like leg of Colorado lamb with rosemary and nicoise olives, for six to eight.

White Gold Butchers

Price: A la carte lunch, $60 prix fixe dinner, plus limited a la carte

On the Upper West Spot, April Bloomfields crew will serve a lunch plate of leg of lamb with layered potato; and a $60 prix fixe dinner with lamb broth, pane cotto, and lamb with artichoke and potato.
Five feet of Peeps.

The Washington Post may have canceled its annual Peeps contest, but Easter is not wholly ruined. The competition was storied, yes, but the papers celebration of sugar and artificial dye was just one of the many that occur in America during April. This year, Maryland residents appear to have taken up the marshmallow-revelry mantle in the Carroll County Arts Councils tenth annual PEEPshow  a competition that was initially modeled after the Posts  and the contestants went all out. Take for example, this life-size version of Disneys Belle, which required a veritable truckload of the mustard-yellow Peeps.

The website Delish got in touch with Belles creator, a baker named Candace Birger, and learned that it required conjoining 1,500 marshmallow chicks of various colors. The other entries are equally ambitious: Theres a total of 151 other entries that contain anywhere from one to 7,500 Peeps, and they run the full gamut  from cute (Peepington Bear) and literary (Edgar Allan Peep), to downright weird (Peeptri Dish) and potentially criminal (Peeping Tom). Theres even a diorama version of that actual Frankenfood known as the Peepza, where the marshmallows replace acceptable pizza ingredients, that involves zero pizza.

Here are a few others from the contests current leaderboard.



The Peep Mobile.

The highly anticipated Victorias Peepscret fashion show.

Also Halloween-appropriate.
You probably remember the One X10 that leaked at the beginning of the year. Everyone expected to see the device at HTCs event on January 12, but the Taiwanese company decided to back off. Still, an official release is on track since an official poster was leaked by famous tipster evleaks.





From the slogan Big style meets bigger battery you can be sure that HTC will bet on design and battery life as the device's key selling points. The poster also says the battery is going be a long-lasting one, but no official numbers are out.

So far we know the device will allegedly come with 5.5 1080p panel and 3 GB RAM. The SoC reportedly will be Helio P10 which is a downgrade from One X9s Helio X10. Fingerprint sensor finally appears on a One X device and will be positioned below the camera on the back.

Via
WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz apologized Tuesday for a bloody incident onboard of one of its flights Sunday in which a passenger was brutally removed from the plane to make room for its own employees.

"I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should be mistreated this way," Munoz said in a statement published on the airline's official website.

"We take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said.

The statement came after an initial response from the top executive, which said he was sorry for "re-accomodating" the passenger, was accused of sidestepping responsibility and downplaying the severity of the incident.

In an internal memo Monday, Oscar said the flight attendants on flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville were performing according to procedure and had his full support.

The horrific incident, coupled with the company's defiant stance, has led to an explosion of criticisms on social media in past 24 hours, with quite a number of web users vowing to boycott the airline for its inhumane treatment of passengers.

The outcry against the airline also wiped about 600 million U.S. dollars in the company's stock value, and drove down its value as much as six percent in premarket trading Tuesday.

The incident took place in Chicago O'hare International Airport late Sunday, when a passenger of Asian descent with bloodied face was literally dragged off a plane by airport police.

United Airlines said to make room for four of its employees, four passengers need to be bumped off the plane, and when an monetary incentive of 800 U.S. dollars lured no volunteers, flight attendants said they used computers to "randomly" chose four unlucky passengers.

Three complied with the airlines' demand but the fourth, a 59-year-old doctor who said he needed to reach a patient, refused to disembark.

Airport police were then summoned and wrestled the man out of his seat, in the process of which the man's mouth was hit and bled.

The Department of Transportation has announced a probe Monday.
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Samsung retook the lead in global smartphone sales in Q1 of 2017 by securing 26.1% of all sales, new report from TrendForce says. Apple returned to its usual second position with 16.9%

The study quotes strong performance of the Galaxy J series phones as the reason for the shift. Back in Q4 of 2016 Apple was on top with 20.3%, capitalizing on the launch of its iPhone 7 pair.

Along with Samsung Huawei was the only other brand to increase its share compared to the previous quarter, solidifying its grasp on the third place. Oppo, vivo and LG follow, but all lost ground compared to Q4 of 2016.

TrendForce also took a closer look at the Chinese manufacturers, who now combine to produce just over 46% of all smartphones. Xiaomi ranks fourth there, some way off the top three mentioned above, but gaining 2.1 percentage points in a single quarter. ZTE comes next and is also on the rise.

We are also in for a very interesting second quarter as newly launched flagships such as the Huawei P10, the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the LG G6 are bound to cause some movement in the shares. Xiaomi's Mi 6 is coming out next week too, so there will be no shortage of exciting phones on the market.

Source | Via
A 9-year-old girl from eastern China's Shandong province has had a major scar removed five years after a car accident severely disfigured her face.

The girl, Liu Jiahui, lived with her father in the streets of Qingdao for three months in 2016, after her family became economically distressed due to expenses from the accident. Liu and her family, who earn a living by selling fruit, ultimately received enormous help from society after their story was spotlighted by the media.

In December 2016, a factory in Qingdao provided accommodation for the family and offered Liu's father a job. The support also allowed Liu to return to school, though she still held out hope that she could one day have the scar removed from her face. Liu disliked reliving the events of the accident each time her friends asked about the disfigurement.

Now, the little girl's dream has come true. An orthopedic hospital in Qingdao performed a scar removal surgery for Liu on April 6. In three months, a second surgery will be performed if her recovery continues to go well. By then, the scar will be nothing more than a fine line beside her mouth. Though the treatment would normally cost more than 100,000 RMB ($14,493), the expense is being covered by the hospital.




Haiti - FLASH : A new non-military mission will replace the Minustah





The Minustah will leave Haiti in 6 months and a new reduced non-military mission, will replace it in Haiti. A resolution will be adopted before the end of the current mandate of the UN Mission on 15 April 2017. In her address to the Security Council yesterday, Sandra Honore, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti, is very clear "[...] the Secretary-General has recommended the closure of MINUSTAH in six months from now [...] With your support, the transition from MINUSTAH to a new and smaller Mission would be guided by a Joint Transition Plan that underpins the gradual transfer of tasks to the Government, international partners and the UN Country Team."



Text of the statement to the Security Council of Sandra Honore :



"Madam President,



1. I would like to express my gratitude to the United States Presidency of the Security Council, for convening todays session on Haiti.



2. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the presence of the Permanent Representative of Haiti.



3. I would particularly like to thank all the countries that contribute in troops and police staff to MINUSTAH and all the member states that are collaborating with the process of consolidating stability in Haiti.



Distinguished members of the Council,



4. Six months ago when I last briefed the Security Council, in the aftermath of the passage of the devastating Hurricane Matthew, we called for solidarity with the Government and people of Haiti as the country struggled to keep on track an electoral process, critical for the consolidation of its stability. Today, as a result of the successful holding of elections on 20 November 2016 and 29 January 2017, Haitis political outlook for 2017 and beyond has significantly improved, with the opening of a crucial window of opportunity to address the root causes of the political crisis that preceded the polls. The elections provided for the installation of all directly-elected officials at all levels of Haitis governance structure for the first time since 2006, including the peaceful transfer of power to the third democratically-elected President since MINUSTAHs deployment to Haiti in 2004.



5. In contrast with the parliamentary dysfunction registered in 2015, all 119 Lower Chamber members have been elected and all but one of the 30 Senators have been seated; among those are four women; and the 50th Legislature has been functioning regularly since the opening of the second Legislative year on 9 January. Municipal authorities have been in place almost a year now and the publication of final results for local elections is imminent. Following the inauguration of Haitis 58th President Jovenel Moise on 7 February, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant and his Cabinet assumed their functions after Parliaments endorsement on 22 March. Haitis return to Constitutional order and the full functioning of the Executive, the Legislature and local government has now set the stage to address the many pressing challenges facing the country.



Distinguished Representatives,



6. A relatively stable security situation prevails, despite continuous signs of fragility. The Haitian National Police (HNP), now 14,000 strong, has demonstrated increased capacity in the planning and execution of complex operations, including the securing of the elections, while simultaneously performing routine tasks in combating crime and more effectively maintaining public order. Further development of the national police, including in the areas of internal management and oversight, the police-to-population ratio and the geographic coverage will have to occur within the framework of the new five-year strategic development plan 2017-2021 to ensure the sustainability of the law enforcement body.



7. To this end, international support, including from the UN, will be needed to enable the HNP to eventually provide security for all Haitian citizens. I have called on the Government to continue prioritizing the further professionalization and the provision of financial and material resources to the HNP, despite its stated intention to reconstitute a national defense force. The preservation, by the Government, of the apolitical character of the police will be particularly critical to the credibility of the institution and its ability to serve all Haitian citizens.



Ladies and gentlemen,



8. Political challenges remain the primary impediment to consistent progress in the administration of justice and human rights to truly anchor the rule of law and render police work more effective whilst creating conditions conducive for foreign and domestic investment and job creation.



9. The justice and human rights system continues to suffer from multiple deficiencies, including a lack of popular confidence, accountability, limited institutional capacity, high rates of prolonged pre-trial detention and inhumane conditions of detention. These deficiencies call for a renewed engagement of the Executive and the Legislative alike to devise a comprehensive reform package that can finally tackle these long-standing hurdles to stability and development. In this context, the discontinuation of the mandate of the United Nations Independent Expert on the human rights situation in Haiti is regrettable, and I continue to call on the Government to nominate a ministerial-level focal point for human rights and to expedite the transparent and merit-based appointment of the National Ombudsperson, even as the United Nations monitoring role of the human rights situation continues.



10. Equally, the outcome of the recent action taken to fill key appointments in the Supreme Court and the Superior Council of the Judiciary is eagerly awaited as important steps to fully restore the judiciary and underpin its independence from the Executive and Legislative powers.



Ladies and Gentlemen,



11. The resolution of Haitis protracted politico-electoral crisis has established the political space and institutional stability needed for Haitis democratic institutions to develop a constructive and forward-looking agenda to deliver tangible results that respond to the diverse expectations of the Haitian people, in the wake of post-hurricane reconstruction and a difficult economic situation, while addressing the root causes of weak governance and recurring political crisis.



This will be critical in order to establish conditions conducive to lasting stability and sustainable development, also in view of MINUSTAHs transition.



12. In this regard, I am encouraged by the Presidents calls and those of Haitian political, civil society and private sector leaders in support of a genuine dialogue on a concrete roadmap for progress in key areas, including the identification of clear development priorities and the consolidation of the rule of law. It will be important that this roadmap be driven by the desire to enhance delivery of the State and the confidence among Haitian citizens in the democratic institutions. The United Nations in Haiti look forward to intensifying our cooperation with all Haitian stakeholders as they identify and implement those national priorities. I am also encouraged by the calls from a broad cross-section of Haitian society for constitutional reform to, among other things, simplify the electoral cycle and strengthen legal oversight bodies with a view to stabilizing the countrys democratic institutions and reforming its governance.

Honorable Members of the Council,



13. The progress achieved during the past 13 years in Haitis stabilization process is notable. It is therefore timely to reshape the partnership among the international community, the United Nations and Haiti with a view to ensuring the sustainability of this progress. It is with this in mind, that the Secretary-General has recommended the closure of MINUSTAH in six months from now and the establishment of a smaller peacekeeping operation with concentrated focus on the rule of law and police development, with strong good offices and human rights monitoring roles. With your support, the transition from MINUSTAH to a new and smaller Mission would be guided by a Joint Transition Plan that underpins the gradual transfer of tasks to the Government, international partners and the UN Country Team.



14. Government leadership and ownership will be as crucial for a sustainable transition process that underpins the implementation of the Secretary-Generals recommendation for the future of the United Nations presence in the country as will be a shift in focus of the international communitys support, away from stabilization to institutional strengthening.



15. I encourage the President of the Republic and the new government and Parliament to implement a program of institutional reforms aimed at strengthening governance at all levels and addressing the most pressing political and socio-economic problems. In the same vein, I call on Haiti's international partners to forge a renewed partnership with the Haitian authorities and the Haitian people and to lend their support to the authorities in implementing the reforms in a coordinated manner that helps to consolidate the gains already achieved.



16. I thank all my colleagues in MINUSTAH and the UN Country Team for their dedication and commitment during this critical period for Haiti. And I thank all of Haitis international partners for your continuous support in assisting the country to fully seize this exceptional opportunity to begin a new chapter in Haitis history as the Mission transitions.



Thank you."



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20604-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20503-haiti-politics-promises-of-security-of-prime-minister.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20059-haiti-flash-towards-a-reconfiguration-of-the-minustah-after-april-15.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-20002-haiti-flash-the-departure-of-the-minustah-will-not-end-the-presence-of-the-un-in-haiti.html



HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre


















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By Xiang Bo (Xinhua) 16:01, April 12, 2017

(File Pic/China Daily)

BEIJING, April 12 -- China is expected to unveil pilot mixed-ownership reform schemes for the first group of central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) soon amid efforts to invigorate its torpid SOEs.

The country is also preparing for a second round of pilot programs to begin later this year in more sectors, according to the Xinhua-run China Securities Journal.

State-owned telecom firm China Unicom is expected to incorporate private shareholders including local Internet giants via a secondary public offering.

Trading of the company's Shanghai-listed shares remained halted Wednesday as it "deliberates on major issues," according to a statement from China Unicom, which announced on April 5 that it was preparing for a mixed-ownership revamp.

An annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled for May 10 is likely to announce the reform plan allowing for cross-shareholding between the operator and Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent.

Introducing the Internet trio and other powerful shareholders will offer China Unicom more marketing resources and promote its business operations, according to BOC International.

The first pilot reform scheme also includes China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Power Grid, Harbin Electric Corporation, China Nuclear Engineering and Construction Corporation and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation.

There are thousands of SOEs in China and they form the backbone of economic growth. But their monopolies in many sectors shut out smaller market entities and lead to low efficiency and poor service.

China has banked on mixed-ownership reform of SOEs to shore up their performance. A special meeting by China's top economic planner has called for fast and substantive progress in the SOE-dominated sectors of electricity, oil, natural gas, railway, civil aviation, telecommunication and military industry.

Reform plans should be submitted before the end of June and be implemented in the latter half of this year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.
Chinese farmers should view product promotion through the lens of Internet Plus," said an official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on April 12.

Innovation has always been key in brand-building. We have long passed the time where farmers only toiled on their land. In our era, Internet Plus must be highlighted. China is the worlds largest consumer of meat and crops, with an annual consumption of 50 kilograms and 450 kilograms per capita respectively. It is time that we promote our brand overseas, said Song Chengmin, a macroeconomic management official with the NDRC, at a conference on agricultural branding in Linyi, Shandong province.

The conference was held by the Linyi government and the Peoples Tribune on April 12. Its theme was the proposal made by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015 to strengthen brand-building for agricultural products.

Hu Xiaoyun, director of the China Academy for Rural Development at Zhejiang University, pointed out that it remains difficult to sell many Chinese agricultural products at high prices, even though they are equal in quality to their overseas counterparts.

Even at some high-end venues in China, we are served foreign tea instead [of Chinese tea]. This is heartbreaking because tea originated in China and we see a huge amount of tea production every year, Hu said.

In fact, China is not short of agricultural brands, but is enmeshed in an age of wilderness, according to Dang Guoying, a researcher with the Rural Development Institute at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Dang told reporters on the sidelines of the conference that a large crowd of small Chinese brands cannot win out against Western giants. To spur domestic agricultural development, authorities should encourage brand-building rather than offering blueprints.

On top of the agenda is our mission to find a carrier to hold the brand. It is usually giant agricultural cooperatives that do this job in the West. There are reportedly up to 1 million co-ops in China, which is in fact bad for brand-building, Dang explained. Echoing the NDRC official, Dang also agreed that access to the internet could bring down the cost of agriculture.

With the help of the internet, some less developed regions have become known in other regions, and business deals have been made. This pattern could promote basic infrastructure construction, Dang said, adding that a beneficial cycle could be perpetuated in rural areas to boost sales as well as brand-building.
Baku, Azerbaijan, April 12



By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:



The Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project is the vital element of the European Energy Union, the EU Commissioner for Energy Maros Sefcovic said in a video message to the participants of the 4th Caspian Energy Forum in Baku April 12.



"Energy Union is not only about our relations with the EU member states, but also with ourpartners, Azerbaijan being an important one," he added.



The EU is confident to receive gas from Azerbaijan in 2020, said Sefcovic, adding that Azerbaijani gas is very important in terms of energy diversification of Europe.



He pointed out that all contracts have been signed on the SGC project and concrete construction work is going on all of the projects included in SGC.



This progress is not only the result of efforts and commitments of all parties involved, but also the favorable atmosphere created for this project's implementation, he added.



Sefcovic also highlighted the personal involvement and commitment of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev to this process and recall the successful visit of President Aliyev to Brussels.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.
ACU Foundation Announces Ratings for the 2016 meeting of the Hawaii State Legislature

News Release from ACU October 20, 2016

WASHINGTON DC  The American Conservative Union (ACU) Foundation released its 2016 ratings of the Hawaii State Legislature. In our third year of rating the state, ACU found that the Republican average decreased by 21 pointsfrom 67 out of 100 in 2015, to 46 out of 100 in 2016.

Last year, the Hawaii legislature received a conservative score of 15%, placing it at 49th out of all 50 states, near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to support for conservative values. This session we witnessed more of the same disastrous liberal policies. Hawaii is basically a one-party state with only a handful of Republican lawmakers, said ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp. Hawaii continued the big government agendaincreased regulations, increased taxes, weakened ethics rules, and expanded subsidies. This is truly unfortunate when Hawaii is ranked among the worst for tax burdens on individuals and companies. When is the Hawaii legislature going to learn? Overreaching legislation and over-taxation only hurts small businesses and the states economy. We know that proven conservative solutions work, even in the most liberal states, and we hope to see Hawaii get back on the right track during the 2017 session.

A detailed scorecard has been produced for all 50 state legislative bodies across the full spectrum of conservative issues, with scores for over 7,400 individual legislators. ACU is the only organization in the nation to do this. Like our Congressional ratings that have been published for 45 consecutive years, ACUs state ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individuals life. Hawaii legislators with the strongest scores consistently voted with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution.

New in this years ratings are references to how legislation impacts families based on the ACU Foundations new Family Prosperity Index. Also highlighted are issues ACU Foundations policy centers and Senior Fellows focus on.

To view our Hawaii ratings guide, visit State Ratings 2016 and click on Hawaii.

The ACU Foundation researches and selects a wide range of bills that reflect a members adherence to conservative principles, whether they be economic, social, cultural, or government integrity. Legislators who score above 80% in each state receive awards for their commitment to conservative principles. As President Ronald Reagan stated, The person who agrees with you 80% of the time is an ally.

The following Representatives and Senators will receive a 2016 ACU Ratings Award:

Representatives: None

Senators: None

REPORTS:
ANNUAL FAMILY PROSPERITY INDEX SHOWS UTAH IN TOP SPOT, WEST VIRGINIA DEAD LAST

News Release from American Conservative Union, Family Prosperity Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C., (February 16, 2017)The 2017 Family Prosperity Index (FPI), released today by the American Conservative Union Foundation (ACUF), shows Utah maintaining its status as the #1 state in the U.S. for family well-being, earning top scores for its young population, low dependence on government, and strong family culture. At the other end of the spectrum, West Virginia ranks last, scoring the worst in the Indexs economic categories and in the bottom 10 states across most other measures.

Hawaii Highlights From Report:

Hawaii Ranks 41st for Family Prosperity with an average score of 4.35.

In 2015, Hawaii had the highest cost of living with an index value of 116.8, while Mississippi had the lowest level of cost of living with an index value of 86.7a difference of 35 percent.

Hawaii Ranks 42nd for Family Self-Sufficiency with an average score of 4.19.

In 2015, Hawaii had the highest SNAP spending at $222.99, while New Hampshire had the lowest at $103.87a difference of 115 percent.

Hawaii Ranks 8th for Family Structure with an average score of 5.80.

In 2015, Hawaii had the highest property crime rate at 3.81 percent, while Vermont had the lowest rate at 1.41 percenta difference of 171 percent.

Hawaii Ranks 2nd for Family Health with an average score of 6.22.

ACUF economists Wendy P. Warcholik, Ph.D., and J. Scott Moody, M.A., created the FPI to measure the relationship between economic and social factors and their impact on families. The husband-and-wife team, who direct ACUFs Family Prosperity Initiative, are also the creators of the Tax Foundations State Business Tax Climate Index, an authoritative measure of the impact of tax policy on business, now in its fifteenth year of publication.

The 2017 FPI is based on an analysis of publicly-available, mostly government-produced data for 60 different variables ranging from personal income to single-parenthood to obesity, along with a host of other variables in six categories  economics, demographics, family self-sufficiency, family structure, family culture, and family health. Because the FPI does not work solely with economic data, it provides the most comprehensive assessment of how well  or poorly  families are doing in a particular state and highlights areas in need of improvement. By ranking states against each other, the Index allows for comparisons within regions and across the country.

The annual FPI is a reference for state policy makers, think tanks, activists, and families, as they seek to better understand the problems their states are facing. The 2017 edition includes a new measure of early mortality (years of productive life lost), as well as a more accurate picture of illicit drug use, and a means of showing how much income leaves a state when residents move away. In addition to publishing its annual national Index, the Family Prosperity Initiative partners with State Policy Network think tanks and Family Policy Council affiliates to produce a series of deep-dive state studies each year. The 2016 studies included Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Utah, and Rhode Island.

The Family Prosperity Index continues to be an important part of the American Conservative Union Foundations mission to educate everyday Americans, policy makers, and opinion leaders about the problems facing our society and the steps they can take to help solve them, said ACUF Chairman Matt Schlapp. In the last year, the FPI has enabled us to broaden our focus to include working more closely with state think tanks and policy organizations to address the problems facing American families and their communities. In order to solve our biggest problems, we first have to identify and quantify them, and the FPI helps us do just that, said Schlapp.

The Family Prosperity Index will be a key focus of the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference next week at the National Harbor. The Family Prosperity Initiative will host a panel discussion as well as private briefings for those policymakers, think tank leaders, and policy advocates who will find the updated 2017 Index useful to their work. In addition, CPAC attendees will have access to the FPI booth, where they can learn where their state ranks and how they can use the data to improve prosperity in their own communities.

-30-

PDF: Full 2017 FPI Study with Data Appendix
A salesman at Melbourne-based LED Technologies has won an unfair dismissal case after making an offensive and vulgar Facebook post at work.



The Fair Work Commission ordered LED to pay the worker $6,238 in compensation after considering that he was hired for a job that wasn't paying as much a week after being terminated.



Colby Somogyi posted "how much of the bosses c--- did you suck" at 2.15pm on August 24, 2016.



Despite the post allegedly breaching the businesss ban on social media in the workplace, the FWC found LED failed to ensure staff were aware of the policy.



The employee was fired the same day he made the post after other workers at the company told Somogyis manager about it.



The FWC heard that the manager told Somogyi in a one-minute conversation to "return all company property to the office", but did not offer a reason why he was being dismissed.



The Fair Work Commissioner David Gregory found the post was "undoubtedly crude and immature", but also used language that was "common" at work.



"It used references that are offensive and vulgar despite the fact that, regrettably, they are increasingly part of the common vernacular," he said.



The company made the case to the FWC that Somogyi was fired because the posts were offensive, were directed at its business, and were made at work.



However, Somogyi argued his post was about a worker at his mother's workplace who was trying to remover her from her position.



Moreover, after he was dismissed, Somogyi took down the post and replaced it with another:



"Let's Reword my last status so there is no miss-understanding...



"My Poor mum;



"Her arrogant boss is bullying her and miss treating her everyday at work he is trying to push her out of the company, because there is a new girl and she is sucking/f---ing the boss. this new girl has got into my mums position by being a whore. She comes home most nights upset and a few night she is crying her eyes out.



"She needs to speak to someone or fair work i think but she won't listen to me.



"I am sick of pathetic people's arrogance and all the bullshit that people do to others for no reason."



The Commissioner Gregory found in his favour and accepted Somogyi's explanation:



"While it is difficult to see how such a crude and offensive post could ever assist in achieving this objective this explanation about why it was posted appears to be the only plausible explanation that exists," Gregory said.



He added that while its content was undoubtedly crude and immature the fact it was not directed at LED Technologies, or any of its employees, makes it harder to understand why it can be said to have provided a valid reason for [the employee's] dismissal".



Overall, this case is a reminder of the importance of staff training and making employees aware of important policies, particularly those involving technology.




Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

The existing economic cooperation level between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Azerbaijan doesnt reflect the true potential of the two countries, the Emirates News Agency quoted UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri as saying.

Al Mansouri made the remarks on the eve of the 6th meeting of the UAE-Azerbaijan Joint Commission on Economic, Commercial and Technical Collaboration to be held in Abu Dhabi on April 20.

The ways of strengthening economic cooperation in areas of tourism, energy, environment and natural resources will be the core issues of discussion at the meeting, to be held under the chairmanship of the UAE Minister of Economy Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri and his Azerbaijani counterpart Shahin Mustafayev. The meeting will bring together top government and private sector executives and businessmen from the two countries.

The committee meetings are a good platform to promote bilateral economic relations and augment investment and trade exchange between the two countries in a way that fulfils the expectations of their leaderships, said Al Mansouri.

He added that the non-oil trade exchange between the two countries, which reached $605 million by the end of 2015, is yet to reflect the prospects of cooperation and the potential boasted by the two countries, and more efforts have to be made to use the available opportunities and resources to bring the bilateral economic relations to new heights.
(CNBC) Hedge funds are snapping up insurance against a South Korean default as the nuclear threat from North Korea appears to grow. As measured by South Koreas five-year-default swap, the cost of protection against the countrys inability to pay back loans leaped Tuesday to its highest level since July.

To read this article:
On March 29, President Mika Hannula of the Tampere University of Technology issued a statement that announced: "It is the decision of the Academic Board that [Prime Minister of Ethiopia] Hailemariam Desalegn will not be conferred as an Honorary Doctor at the 2017 conferment ceremony." The reason given was that Mr. Hailemariam "will be unable to attend".

Although I applaud the Board's decision to rescind its offer of an honorary degree, I remain perplexed by the University's initial decision to even consider Mr. Hailemariam in the first place. This is because an honorary degree is almost always given to individuals with proven contributions to a given field of knowledge, or to those who are celebrated for their services to humanity.

Mr. Hailemariam's distinction is not in services to humanity or human rights. His forte is in government wrongs. He heads a regime that controls 100 percent of the legislative seats in the Ethiopian parliament. His regime operates an ethnic apartheid system called kilils, which is similar to apartheid South Africa's Bantustans. Hailemariam's regime just recently extended its rule by martial law ("state of emergency") for another four months. There are tens of thousands of political prisoners held in numerous prison camps regarded as among the worst in the world, while the regime practices torture on an industrial scale. The independent press in the country has been decimated and journalists imprisoned or exiled. What's more, corruption has become rampant under the rule of Hailemariam's party and Ethiopia has lost tens of billions of dollars to illicit capital transfers.

I admire the work done by Ethiopians living in Finland who have exercised their democratic rights to pressure TUT into rescinding its offer to Hailemariam. I am informed and believe that Finland is an open and safe country where everyone can find a role to play, and diversity is a valued part of everyday life. For a small immigrant community in Finland to find its voice and be heard speaks volumes for Finnish civic values and practices.

The biggest lesson I draw from afar regarding this unfortunate situation is that a small group of Ethiopians living in Finland was able to do what 100 million Ethiopians are fearful of even talking about in their own country. Openly challenging Hailemariam and his regime in Ethiopia comes at an extreme price, as many journalists, dissidents and opposition leaders have learned over the past few decades. Like most Ethiopians who live abroad, I suspect many that have settled in Finland have done so in the hope of living in freedom and under the rule of law. These traits arent applicable to Ethiopia, where many people live in fear of the government.

It is this lesson in democracy that I hope Hailemariam will learn for the second time, since he appears to have remembered so little of Finnish democracy from his time there as a student. I hope Mr. Hailemariam will learn three things from this situation: 1) Tampere rightly decided to rescind its offer after the Board learned the full facts about his regime and personal leadership; 2) in a democracy, even the voices of a small minority are considered and dissent is not criminalized and severely punished; 3) honor is earned, it does not come from wielding a scepter.

But there is a greater question that Finnish government and society ought to consider in regards to their Ethiopian policy. Should Finnish taxpayers continue to support a regime that brutally suppresses peaceful dissent, widely practices torture in its prisons, steals elections in broad daylight and corruptly mismanages international aid?

Alemayehu Mariam, Ph.D., J.D. is a professor of political science at California State University, San Bernardino and a constitutional lawyer. His letter to Tampere University president on this matter is available here.
The centre is expected to assume a major role in promoting strategic-level understanding of hybrid influencing and developing responses to hybrid threats in the European Union, Timo Soini (PS), the Minister for Foreign Affairs, stated during the signing ceremony in Helsinki on Tuesday.

Finland and eight other nations have signed a memorandum of agreement for establishing the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki.

Finland is proud to host the centre of excellence particularly for two reasons, he said. Firstly, the centre represents a concrete step in building resilience to hybrid threats. Secondly, the centre is a real boost for the co-operation between the EU and Nato.

Countering hybrid threats, he pointed out, has become a priority for both the EU and Nato.

The EU has taken determined steps to improve its readiness to respond to hybrid threats since adopting the joint framework for countering hybrid threats in mid-2016. The EU Intelligence and Situation Centre features a cell focusing on analysing the external aspects of hybrid threats, the EU Hybrid Fusion Cell. The EU has also taken steps in strategic communication, infrastructure protection, energy security and other fields relevant to enhancing its resilience to hybrid threats.

The next step is the establishment of this centre of excellence, said Soini.

Nato is similarly committed to enhancing its resilience and has adopted a counter-hybrid strategy including strengthened co-operation with the European Union. Natos efforts, which are founded on its hybrid strategy and its commitment to enhance resilience, are important also for the EU, according to Soini.

He pointed out that hybrid threats and tactics have become one of the most prominent security challenges and one of the most important areas of security co-operation in Europe. Hybrid means, he added, have been employed as tools in both power politics and military conflicts.

Coercive and subversive activity to confuse, complicate and hinder decision-making processes has increased. Elections have been interfered with in manners that are not appropriate, he said, also identifying the attempts to steer migration flows during the ongoing migration crisis as means to apply political pressure.

Soini admitted that such hybrid tactics have put the internal cohesion and resilience of the society to the test. The objective of hybrid strategies, he added, is to turn our strengths  such as democracy, openness, the free flow of information and freedom of speech, and democratic freedom  into weaknesses.

What is needed in response is not only state but societal resilience, a comprehensive approach to security, he told.

Finland, too, is a target for hybrid influencing, reminded Soini.

We are constantly dealing with information campaigns and malicious activities in the cyber domain. Even the very establishment of this hybrid centre has already attracted attempts to muddy the waters and create confusion, he said, presumably referring to the concurrent visit of Russian ultra-nationalist Alexander Dugin to Helsinki.

Soini reminded that while the ability to respond to hybrid threats is largely reliant on national competences, the vulnerabilities to hybrid threats transcend national boundaries. Hybrid threats consequently necessitate a co-ordinated response also at the level of the EU and Nato.

We believe that Finland has something to offer in this multinational co-operation to counter hybrid threats and to develop resilience, he stated.

The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats will engage in strategic dialogue, research, training and consultation, according to a press release from the Finnish Government. It will also conduct practical training exercises designed to improve the readiness to counter hybrid threats by raising awareness of both hybrid threats and societal vulnerabilities.

The centre is set to employ roughly a dozen experts and will begin its operations with a meeting of its steering board, which will consist of representatives of the participating countries, on 12 April, 2017.

The annual budget of the centre will initially be roughly 1.5 million euros, with half of the budget being covered by membership fees and the other by the host country, Finland.

The memorandum of agreement was signed also by France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. The signing ceremony was also attended by representatives of the EU and Nato.

Also other countries are expected to sign the memorandum after completing their national decision-making processes in July, according to the Finnish Government.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Markku Ulander  Lehtikuva
Banning motorists from Eden Quay may have a "detrimental impact" on businesses, the Dublin Chamber of Commerce has warned.

A submission was made this week to Dublin City Council (DCC) by the business chamber, outlining the consequences that imposing the ban may have.

In February, DCC announced that private cars are to be banned from travelling along the quays in Dublin. This will allow DCC to introduce more bus lanes to prepare for the new Luas Cross City.

In a report to the Transport Committee, council management said the Luas will be halting traffic movement on the Quays every 90 seconds and the changes are being made to limit congestion.

Graeme McQueen of Dublin Chamber of Commerce told the Herald this ban would be like "turning off a light switch and expecting everyone to find their way around in the dark".

"As a chamber for businesses we're always happy for change in the city centre, but we have got to be very careful imposing big measures like these," he said.

Nervous

"We've been asking DCC how they can make sure that this is going to be beneficial, but we still don't know how people are going to get around once cars are blocked from using Eden Quay.

"This makes us very nervous. There's no guarantees that changes like this are ever going to work, but we still need some assurances."

Last month, motorists were barred from turning onto Eden Quay from O'Connell Bridge as part of the ongoing construction works. The permanent change will only allow public transport and cyclists to access the route.

Mr McQueen added that companies will be put off from investing in Dublin city centre if it introduces this measure.

"It may have a detrimental effect for existing businesses in the city centre, more people will surely choose to avoid travelling there," he said.

"It could also turn off potential companies from investing here due to poor manoeuvrability and logistical options, along with long and/or inconsistent commute times."

The Dublin Chamber also warned of a potential increase in congestion on the M50. As part of this controversial initiative, extra bus lanes may be introduced along Ormond Quay, Bachelors Walk and Eden Quay.

Eden Quay from O'Connell Street to Marlborough Street will be used only by public transport, taxis and cyclists.

The south quays will have an extra bus lane along Burgh Quay, Aston Quay and Wellington Quay. In addition, there will be a new bus lane on Winetavern Street at Christchurch for traffic coming onto the quays.

The plans coincide with the proposed Liffey cycle route, which could see all private traffic rerouted from the quays between James Joyce Bridge and Fr Mathew Bridge up to North King Street and North Brunswick Street and back down Queen Street or Church Street.

Attractive

Joe Herron, head of the Irish Taxi Federation, told the Herald that he believes the vehicle ban will create chaos for Dublin's city centre.

"I think it's going to create terrible chaos," he said. "The whole idea of stopping private cars from travelling on the quays will contribute towards the death of trading for the city centre. 'There is no doubt that the city isn't as busy as it used to be. It's like DCC wants to turn the entire area into a public transport location only.

"The problem with this is that it won't suit many people who can't use public transport for going to work or shopping.

"The parking fees in town are also very high and it's making the various shopping centres around the capital seem much more attractive," he said.

In recent weeks, driving in Dublin city centre got significantly slower after authorities expanded the number of areas with a speed limit of 30kmh.

The new limit was applied to non-arterial roads in the Dolphin's Barn, Kilmainham and Smithfield areas from Friday following a vote by Dublin City councillors in December.

The measure will also be extended to residential zones in the wider Dublin area from May 31.
Cystic fibrosis campaigner Jillian McNulty says she and hundreds of other CF patients' lives will be "transformed" after a deal was struck giving them access to ground-breaking drugs from next month.

The young Longford woman has spent close to three years fighting to have the Health Service Executive (HSE) make the cystic fibrosis drugs Orkambi and Kalydeco available to approximately 600 Irish CF patients.

The original price sought by the drugs' manufacturer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, was too high to make access to the drug feasible.

It reportedly would have cost the State approximately 160,000 per patient per year to pay for Orkambi, which treats the underlying cause of the debilitating lung condition.

However, after Health Minister Simon Harris yesterday announced that the drugs should now be available by May 1, Ms McNulty said the lives of CF patients will be vastly improved.

"I hope it will transform the lives of other people with CF the way it has transformed mine," she said.

Ms McNulty has been taking Orkambi for the past four years as part of a drug trial.

Since then, she has gone from having to spend every few weeks in hospital due to frequent infections and complications from the disease, to leading a relatively normal life.

"I no longer have to live my life in a hospital bed," she said.

Although she still fears every cough and sneeze from the public, which forces her to wear a mask to prevent infection that could send her back to hospital, she said the drug has given her a new lease of life.

"I don't need to have a nap every day anymore," she said.

The breakthrough also means she can stop campaigning and "just relax and get on with my life".

Ms McNulty sent a letter to more than 30 senators and TDs urging them to fund the drug, which allowed her to breathe properly for the first time in her life.

Tireless

She said her phone was "hopping" yesterday as delighted CF patients and their families welcomed the news that the drugs should be available soon.

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland last night welcomed the news and thanked campaigners for their tireless efforts to make the drugs available here.

"Cystic Fibrosis Ireland pays tribute to all in the CF community who have spoken out so bravely in favour of Orkambi and Kalydeco in recent months, in particular Jillian McNulty, the Whitmarsh family and many others also," a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Mr Harris confirmed that the HSE and Vertex are working to finalise the contractual arrangements and complete approval processes.

"I want to recognise the work the HSE has put into these negotiations over a long period and I thank them for that," he said.

"I also want to especially acknowledge that this has been an extraordinarily difficult time for CF patients, their families and friends as they have been waiting for this process to conclude."
The White House has sparked outrage after Sean Spicer claimed that not even Hitler sank to using chemical weapons in the way it is believed Bashar al-Assad's government did in Syria last week.

The White House press secretary was asked by a reporter why Russia would pull out of its alliance with Mr Assad now, given its longstanding nature.

Mr Spicer said during a briefing yesterday: "We didn't use chemical weapons in World War Two, you know, you had a, someone as despicable as Hitler, who didn't even sink to the, to using chemical weapons.

"So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself is this a country that, and a regime, that you want to align yourself with.

"You have previously signed on international agreements rightfully acknowledging that the use of chemical weapons should be out of bounds by every country. Russia put their name on the line.

"So it's not a question of how long that alliance has lasted, but at what point do they recognise that they are now getting on the wrong side of history."

Attack

He was speaking after the US and UK called on Russia to drop its support for the Assad regime, following last week's chemical attack on the village of Khan Sheikhoun.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said: "We call on Russia to do everything possible to bring about a political settlement in Syria and work with the rest of the international community to ensure that the shocking events of the last week are never repeated. We deplore Russia's continued defence of the Assad regime even after the chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians."

Asked to clarify his remarks, Mr Spicer said: "I think when you come to sarin gas there was no, he was not using gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing. I mean, there's clearly ... He brought them into the Holocaust centres, I understand that.

"But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them where he went into towns, dropped them down to innocent - into the middle of towns, it was. The use of it - I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent."

A caption on the live video stream of Mr Spicer's briefing, carried by MSNBC, read: "White House: Hitler didn't 'sink to level of using chemical weapons' like Syrian leader (Hitler gassed millions)".
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

Herbert Salber, the EU special representative for the South Caucasus, will visit Baku on Apr. 19-20, the EU Baku Office told reporters Apr. 12.

He is expected to hold bilateral meetings with officials and discuss ways of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

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.
A Dublin man, who is wanted in Northern Ireland over the attempted murder of a police officer, has been granted bail in the High Court after his mother agreed to a 30,000 surety, paid out of her life savings. (Stock photo)

A Dublin man, who is wanted in Northern Ireland over the attempted murder of a police officer, has been granted bail in the High Court after his mother agreed to a 30,000 surety, paid out of her life savings.

The court heard that Sean Farrell (32) was arrested in Dublin on March 23 on a European Arrest Warrant, which sought his surrender to the Northern authorities for attempted murder and possession of explosives with intent to endanger life.

Barrister Leo Mulrooney, counsel for Farrell, who is currently detained at Portlaoise Prison, said his client was granted bail on the condition that an independent surety of 30,000, with 25,000 to be lodged into court, be approved.

Counsel said that Farrell's mother, Monica Farrell, of Kilfenora Road, Crumlin, Dublin, agreed to the independent surety to satisfy the bail conditions.

The conditions also include that Mr Farrell provides a 5,000 cash surety of his own, signs daily at Sundrive Garda Station, surrenders his passport and resides at his mother's home.

Mr Justice Donald Binchy warned Ms Farrell that if her son fails to abide by the bail conditions she may lose the full 30,000, which, the court heard, was the product of her life savings.

Satisfied

Barrister Tony McGillicuddy, for the State, said the Minister for Justice was satisfied that details of Ms Farrell's bank account showed she was in a position to act as an independent surety.

Mr Farrell was arrested last month at his place of work in Dublin. Ciaran Maguire (29), of Kippure Road, Finglas, Dublin, was also arrested in relation to the same charges.
A son became aggressive and belligerent towards nursing home staff because he was concerned about the care his mother was receiving. Stock image

A son became aggressive and belligerent towards nursing home staff because he was concerned about the care his mother was receiving.

Richard Brennan (37) was asked to leave the nursing home and warned not to return, but he came back the next day.

A court heard staff were concerned as he was encouraging his mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's, to smoke in her room, near to oxygen canisters.

Judge Anne Watkin ordered Brennan to enter into a probation bond for 12 months.

The defendant, from the Mespil Estate, Dublin 18, admitted before Dun Laoghaire District Court to trespass at Glebe House Nursing Home.

Garda Orla Darcy said Brennan's mother is a patient in the home and he had visited her the previous day. She said Brennan was asked to leave because he was encouraging his mother to smoke in her room and was aggressive towards staff.

Gda Darcy said Brennan returned on November 9, 2015. He entered without permission, argued with staff and refused to leave. She said the defendant had access to the door entry code.

Arrest

Gda Darcy said Brennan had been warned not to come back, and she had to arrest him to get him out of the building.

The court heard the defendant has 74 previous convictions, mostly for public order matters.

Defence solicitor Ronnie Lynam said Brennan regrets what happened and the defendant apologised to the court.

Mr Lynam said Brennan had "some difficulties with his mother's care at the nursing home and didn't handle it very well".

The court heard that part of Brennan's bail conditions was to stay away from the nursing home, however, Gda Darcy had arranged for him to visit his mother at Christmas and on Mother's Day.

Mr Lynam said Brennan was very grateful to the garda for facilitating the visits.

The solicitor said Brennan suffers from bipolar disorder and he wasn't great "at accepting the illness".

Mr Lynam said Brennan was homeless for periods of time and was getting into trouble.

A sergeant told the court Brennan is "looking better than he has for a long time".

Gda Darcy said Brennan was now welcome to visit his mother "as long as he behaves himself".
A thief travelled across the east of Ireland as she repeatedly stole mobile phones from telecommunications stores.

Irene Mahon (42) stole the mobile phones, worth a total of more than 2,800, during a four-week period in 2015.

Judge David McHugh adjourned sentencing for 10 weeks to a date in June.

The defendant, of Rossberry Lane in Lucan, admitted before Blanchardstown District Court to four counts of theft, contrary to the theft and fraud offences act.

Mahon stole a Samsung mobile phone, worth 719, from 3 Ireland in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre on November 1, 2015.

A second Samsung phone, also worth 719, was stolen by the defendant from the 3 Store, Scotch Hall Shopping Centre in Drogheda, Co Louth, on the same day.

A third Samsung phone, again worth 719, was stolen from the 3 Store in Portlaoise on November 28, 2015.

Mahon also stole an Apple iPhone, worth 669, from the 3 Store Blackfriars in Waterford on that date.

Sick

The defendant also admitted to attempting to steal a mobile phone from the 3 Store, Dundrum Town Centre, on December 7, 2015.

The thefts only came to the attention of gardai when she was stopped at the phone store in Dundrum after she had attempted to get a phone.

Defence solicitor John O'Doherty said that Mahon had previously entered pleas of guilty and the matter had been adjourned on a number of occasions so she could save up compensation.

Mr O'Doherty said Mahon has been sick in the recent past and had been unable to attend court on the last date due to illness.

He asked the judge to give her time and to further adjourn sentencing so she could bring some compensation to court.

Mr O'Doherty also asked the judge to order a probation report, saying a report would "assist the court".

He said he will make a plea of mitigation on the defendant's behalf on the next day.

Judge McHugh said the matters have been ongoing for some time and he will sentence Mahon on the next date.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

Trend:

Azerbaijan retains all the rights to restore its violated territorial integrity by all possible means if negotiations dont yield any results, said Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

He was addressing a meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of Visegrad (V4) Group and Eastern Partnership (EaP), held in Warsaw, Poland, Apr. 12.

The future of EaP strongly depends on lasting security, peace and stability in the regions that have suffered from conflicts, he said.

Azerbaijan is interested in a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and a roadmap based on principles of international law, Mammadyarov noted, adding this is particularly enshrined in the Global Strategy for the EU Foreign and Security Policy 2016.

However, the country keeps all the rights to restore its violated territorial integrity by all possible means in its disposal if already decades-old negotiations do not yield any results.

As it has repeatedly been stated, the Azerbaijani government is ready to provide all guarantees for the coexistence of both Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Mammadyarov said.

Contrary to Azerbaijans attempts to find a solution to the conflict, Armenia is continuously conducting a purposeful policy of changing the demographic nature of the occupied territories, as well as fabricating illegal elections or referendums in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh. The most recent illegal referendum in the occupied territories proved to be yet another provocative attempt against the constitutional order of the Republic of Azerbaijan. This illegal action has been rejected by the international community. The April events of 2016 and the most recent provocation on the Line of Contact on February 25, 2017, proved the fragility of the no war, no peace situation, said Mammadyarov.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

The relationship between Azerbaijan and the U.S. has really been improving, and the parties are working together in many areas, Robert Cekuta, the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend in an exclusive interview on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

For the U.S., our focus in Azerbaijan is a strong, stable, independent, prosperous, democratic country. We have worked together in three equally important areas to help realize that: security, and energy and economics, and democracy and human rights. All three are related, and I think all three are equally important to making this country that the country Azerbaijan wants to be, Ambassador Cekuta said.

The Ambassador noted there are many things Azerbaijan and the United States can work on together, but cooperation in energy security and fighting terrorism have great strategic importance that goes well beyond just two countries.

Azerbaijan is a country that has significant energy resources and has played, continues to play and, I think, will continue to play an important part in developing Europes energy security and maintaining the ability of countries to have different sources of supply. It makes those countries able to stand up to outside pressures better. So that is an important role Azerbaijan plays, Ambassador Cekuta said.

The Ambassador stressed that Azerbaijan is also important in fighting terrorism and violent extremism, and that the U.S. and Azerbaijan have worked together and continue to work in Afghanistan, with Azerbaijan playing an important role as a transit route between the West and Afghanistan.

Ambassador Cekuta also noted there are good prospects for cooperation in the transport sector.

Azerbaijans geography is key, and the role that Azerbaijan plays as East-West and North-South corridor is going to continue to grow. I look at the importance of this in terms of trade between East Asia and Europe and also between South Asia and rest of Europe, the Ambassador said.

According to Ambassador Cekuta, there is also potential for economic engagement between the U.S. and Azerbaijan, including new enterprises and new economic activities in Azerbaijan.

It is something we look at as a positive aspect of Azerbaijans efforts to grow, to diversify its economy, to become stronger player in the region, he said.

Cooperation on the Southern Gas Corridor

The U.S. continues to strongly support the Southern Gas Corridor due to the positive role it can play in European energy security, Cekuta said.

Speaking about the possibility of funding of the project by American financial institutions, he noted that those sorts of decisions are commercial, and they are made by the banks themselves. However, Ambassador Cekuta said the US is working on this issue as a part of its engagement with Azerbaijan.

According to the Ambassador, what can be done is to help Azerbaijan be more competitive, and to work on this area broadly in terms of economics.

It is a very competitive world out there, in terms of being able to get financing, and being able to capture international financial attention. And so, we work with Azerbaijan to create conditions that will make it a more attractive business partner, he said.

According to the Ambassador, those conditions are fighting corruption, boosting transparency, engaging in rule of law.

These sorts of things are things banks are looking out for. And these are things we want to work on with Azerbaijan. We have been working with Azerbaijan to make it more competitive in terms of its dealings with international financial institutions, he said.

Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Peaceful negotiation is essential for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Cekuta stressed.

There is no military solution for this conflict. It is essential that the parties come together and work towards finding a peaceful settlement to this conflict. This conflict has gone on for too long, he said.

The Ambassador noted that the United States works through the OSCE Minsk Group and is very active in this work, helping the parties come together to find the settlement.

We have to help the parties move forward, he said.

Ambassador Cekuta noted that Richard Hoagland, the new OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair from the United States has a lot of experience in the U.S. State Department, knows this part of the world well and has worked with this part of the world before.

According to the Ambassador, Hoagland has already engaged with his partners  the French and Russian Co-Chairs  to look at the situation, engage with people, help bring the parties together and help them realize a peaceful settlement.

He is a very energetic and very strong player, and I think he can really help to move this process ahead, Cekuta said.

Answering the question about Armenias frequent provocations against Azerbaijan along the contact line and border, the Ambassador stressed again that there is no military solution to this conflict.

Violence does not help anyone. It is really important for the parties to come together to find a way forward, to achieve a peaceful settlement. This is something that is important to all people in the region, he said.

Cekuta noted that when he travels around the country he meets with IDPs and sees the effect the conflict has on people. Meanwhile his colleagues on the other side of the contact line see the same thing, he said.

We need to do what can to help move things forward, to help the parties to reach a settlement, he said, adding that the parties of the conflict need to have the political will to move forward, but the U.S. can help this process.

Multiculturalism in Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan sets a good example of different faiths living together, Cekuta said.

Ambassador Cekuta said that one thing Americans should know about Azerbaijan is the countrys tradition of not just religious tolerance but religious acceptance. He added that Azerbaijan, a secular Muslim Shia state, is a good example of tolerance and acceptance of people of different faiths living together.

It can provide an example that others can use on their own efforts to turn people away from terrorism and violent extremism, Ambassador Cekuta said.

The Ambassador recalled that last September, an Azerbaijani who had immigrated to the United States commissioned the writing of a new Torah for a synagogue here in Baku, and a delegation from Brooklyn came to attend the event.

And they were really impressed to see this presentation of a Torah in a Muslim country. This is an amazing thing to many Americans. This is an example to all countries in the world, he said.

Ambassador Cekuta also noted that the U.S. has had 500 Peace Corp volunteers in Azerbaijan over the years, who worked on English language training and community development. He stressed that these volunteers are the best Ambassadors of Azerbaijan in the United States.

There was a group [of Peace Corp volunteers] when I was in Washington in March. And they still follow developments here, they are interested in Azerbaijan, they tell their friends and families about Azerbaijan, they come back to Azerbaijan for Azerbaijani weddings. It really builds relationships, he said.

The Ambassador stressed that relationships such as these between people are truly important for building strong ties.

I think that there are a lot of things Americans can learn about Azerbaijan, that Azerbaijan can teach them, he said.

The Ambassador also noted that Azerbaijan is an interesting tourism destination, and he travels a lot around the country.

I enjoy going out and seeing the mountains, the nature, the variety in this country . . . It is fun to see the country, to see historical places, to see the nature, go to farms, eat different foods, he said.

Ambassador Cekuta also noted his family has come to Azerbaijan for Christmas both years he has served in Baku and they also enjoyed their vacations here. His youngest son even brought his friends from University last Christmas.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

As Russia and Europe cope with the aftermath of a series of terrorist attacks, Moscow is working to make the best of the instability, especially in its near abroad, according to an article by Stratfor, the US publisher and global intelligence company.

To this end, Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of the Russian Security Council, led a delegation to Azerbaijan Apr. 10, 2017 to meet with the countrys State Security Service chief, Lieutenant-General Madat Guliyev and other Azerbaijani security officials, according to the article.

Guliyev discussed state building and law enforcement reforms being carried out in Azerbaijan, while Patrushev discussed deepening security cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan, said the article.

Azerbaijan has traditionally kept a neutral and diversified position when it comes to security matters, the article said. Unlike Armenia (which is a Russian ally with a Russian military base on its territory), Azerbaijan kept Russia at arms length for years and instead pursued close military and security cooperation with Turkey.

However, Russian political maneuvering in Azerbaijans conflict with Armenia over the breakaway territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh region has fostered greater security and military cooperation between Moscow and Baku in recent months, according to the article.

Azerbaijan has increased its weapons purchases from Russia, while in November [2016] the two countries agreed to expand military-technical cooperation and joint training, said the article.

In this way, political instability has given Russia an opportunity to expand its influence in many of its neighboring countries, especially when it comes to security cooperation, the article said.
It's been 125 years since Dracula was published. And it's still scary.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

Trend:

Estonia, within its chairmanship at the European Union, will support development of relations with Azerbaijan, said Estonian Foreign Minister Sven Mikser.

Mikser made the remarks at the meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov, according to Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry Apr. 12.

The two ministers meeting was held in Warsaw on the sidelines of the meeting of foreign ministers of the Eastern Partnership countries and Visegrad Group.

The Estonian Foreign Minister noted that he intends to visit Azerbaijan soon.

During the meeting, the two ministers exchanged views on issues of development of bilateral cooperation in various spheres.

Mammadyarov, for his part, spoke about good opportunities of cooperation in such spheres as IT, tourism, agriculture and others.

Moreover, Mammadyarov drew attention of his Estonian counterpart to Azerbaijans position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

Trend:

The European Unions Office in Baku has announced the date of a meeting on the new Azerbaijan-EU agreement.

Negotiations on the agreement will be held during the visit of an EU delegation to Baku on Apr. 25, the EU Office in Azerbaijan told Trend Apr. 12.

The new agreement should replace the 1996 partnership and cooperation agreement and should better take account of the shared objectives and challenges the EU and Azerbaijan face today. The agreement will follow the principles endorsed in the 2015 review of the European Neighborhood Policy and offer a renewed basis for political dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan.

The new agreement envisages the compliance of Azerbaijans legislation and procedures with the EUs most important international trade norms and standards, which should lead to the improvement of Azerbaijani goods access to the EU markets.

Another EU delegation is expected to visit Baku on Apr. 27-28 to discuss the issues related to the upcoming Eastern Partnership Summit, to be held in Brussels, Belgium in November.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Elmira Tariverdiyeva  Trend:

Johannes Hahn, commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, will participate in the Ministerial Meeting on the Eastern Partnership in Warsaw on 12 April, says a message posted on the organizations website.

The meeting will bring together foreign ministers from EU countries, as well as from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

The participants will take stock of progress on deliverables and focus their discussions on priority projects, such as connectivity and economic developments.

Ahead of the meeting, Commissioner Hahn said that the success of the Eastern Partnership is based on our shared values.

Our partnership aims to deliver tangible and visible results for our citizens; results that contribute to greater stability and resilience of the region, he added.

Last year, we have been advancing in priority areas  economic development, strengthening institutions and good governance, mobility and people-to-people contact, and notably connectivity, but still more needs to be done. In Warsaw, I will stress that the Eastern Partnership is and will remain our priority for the future, said Hahn.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

A delegation of the European Parliaments Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) will visit Azerbaijan, the representative of the office of the EU Delegation in Baku told reporters Apr. 12.

The visit is scheduled for the first half of 2017.

During the visit, AFET delegation will hold several meetings with officials, and the sides will discuss the development of relations between the European Parliament and Azerbaijan.

The AFET delegation is also planning to visit Georgia and Armenia.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum
Details added (first version posted on 20:09)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Anakhanum Hidayatova  Trend:

Over the past 25 years, the US provided over $1.3 billion as assistance to Azerbaijan, said US Ambassador Robert Cekuta addressing an event dedicated to the 25th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and Azerbaijan, Apr. 12.

This is a humanitarian assistance to help farmers, to help develop new industries, to help develop new companies, new businesses, noted the ambassador.

The important thing about the relationship between Azerbaijan and the US has been the people and what they have done together to build a strong relationship, as well as to help make Azerbaijan a strong, prosperous, democratic, independent country, added Cekuta.

The diplomat said that during the 25-year period, over 6,000 Azerbaijanis have studied in the US and also Americans have come to Azerbaijan to study and work at universities.

Along with this, US education specialists, teachers and professors assisted Azerbaijanis in various educational institutions in Azerbaijan, he noted.

The ambassador also said the US has been supporting Azerbaijan in diversification of its energy supplies.

We have continued working with Azerbaijan over 25 years and discussing the energy projects to move them forward. These projects are very important for European energy security and global energy security, added Cekuta.
CONOVER  The Adrian L. Shuford Jr. YMCA celebrated participants of the latest LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, a free support program for adult cancer survivors, Tuesday afternoon.

Catawba Valley Medical Center (CVMC) and the Shuford YMCA teamed up to provide the program to anyone who could benefit.

At the Y, we believe that in order to bring about meaningful change, individuals affected by cancer need ongoing support, encouragement and connections to others  all of which LIVESTRONG at the YMCA provides in abundance, Jolleen Christians, the Health and Wellness director, said.

The group meets twice a week, where participants listen to guest speakers from CVMC about treatment side effects and nutrition, and then exercise with the YMCA staff.

We are providing an atmosphere where participants can have as much guidance and support as needed, Christians said. The exercises will focus on endurance, which allows everyone to be the best that they can be.

Presenting the latest participants with a certificate of completion, a free month at the YMCA and a certificate for a massage, Christians spoke highly of the participants.

This group from day one bonded with each other immediately; each one brought a different aspect to the small group dynamic, Christians said. Its just amazing how God can bring different people like this together, and they all have something special about them.

During the course of the 12-week program, Christians sees improvements every time with each participant.

From the 12 weeks of this program and with this group, we definitely saw improvements in their strength, flexibility and balance, Christians said. Those things increased their abilities from their normal, day-to-day lives.

Christians has seen three rounds of the program so far, with great success and feedback from participants.

As a triple negative breast cancer survivor, I came here and Ive enjoyed the program, its helped a lot, Crystan Heien, one of the latest participants, said. The exercises really helped me not be so tired.

After having six chemotherapy treatments, Heien said she lost a large amount of energy and wanted to find a way to gain it back.

I found out about it through a support group at Catawba Valley Medical Center, Heien said. I never got sick or anything while doing treatments, I was just tired. The program really helped me with that.

Alumni from the other two rounds of the program also spoke highly of it by explaining how it helped them in their situations.

Im a three-time cancer survivor, participant Vicki Klimovich said. I was going through different treatments while I was doing the program, which really helped me cope.

Klimovichs husband passed away in early 2016, which caused her to have a setback in support.

He went to every single appointment with me, was always there and then I had to do it all by myself, Klimovich said. When I joined the program, I finally had that support and it was great.

I was able to express myself to someone that would understand and I need that. I needed to get those things off my mind and chest.

As part of the original group, Rocky Miller had already beat cancer when he decided to take part in the program.

We were all survivors and had beat it, Miller said. One had thyroid cancer, two had breast cancer and I had prostate cancer.

Miller said at times, he felt guilty for not having to fight as much as the other participants did.

Those women really had to fight, Miller said. I still learned a lot about fighting and these women's drive and will to live was incredible.

The original group remains friends and stays in touch as much as possible, while Miller frequently visits the YMCA to encourage others.

We just got so close and became such good friends during that time, Miller said. Im up here all the time, Im actually a board member of the Y now and I go around encouraging people.

The participants LIVESTRONG stories differ vastly, with some doing treatments during the program and other being cancer free for a while.

Ive been cancer free for 16 years, participant Jeff Guiton said. I was diagnosed with a brain tumor when I was young and I kept having seizures due to epilepsy.

Guitons doctors removed the tumor, which came back two years later. The tumor was once again removed but had returned within a year and one month.

It came back a third time, and the doctor told me that if I didnt do radiation, it would keep coming back, Guiton said. Now its been 16 years; its been wonderful, and God is good.

Even though Guiton has been cancer free for so long, he still sees changes in his life due to the program.

Before then, I would just sit at home doing nothing, and my niece got me started at the Y and then Jolleen asked if I wanted to do the program, Guiton said. The program was great.

I love the people that were in there with me and I had a good time, Guiton said. Jolleen was awesome; she is a real strong instructor.

Another participant, Nancy Briggs, saw substantial changes in her physical health once she participated in the program.

I lost 11 pounds, 11 or 12 inches and I dont fall as often, Briggs said. Im cane free today and before the program, I wasnt.

As a breast cancer survivor and stroke victim, Briggs was once new to the area and found it difficult to find friends.

It was just me and my husband, so I didnt have a lot of support, Briggs said. I joined the Y and Jolleen told me about this program. I was great for me spiritually, emotionally and physically.

Since being in the program, Briggs has made many friends through her journey.

The friends that you make in this program stay with you, Briggs said. The group meant so much to me because I was able to talk to other people that were going through the same thing as me.

When asked if she would recommend the program to others, Briggs did not hesitate with her answer.

I strongly recommend the program, Briggs said. Not only if youre going through treatment, but even after everything is done, you can still learn so many things.

There will be a fundraising event April 28 at Concordia Christian Day School at 5:30 p.m. to raise money for the program. For more information, call 828-464-6130.

To register or for more information on the LIVESTRONG program at the YMCA, call 828-464-6130. The referral application is at www.ymcacv.org.
Baku, Azerbaijan, April 12

Trend:

Ceremony of signing of agreement between Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) and University of Kuala Lumpur (UniKL), Malaysia took place at BHOS. The ceremony gathered rector of the Higher School Elmar Gasimov; Ambassador of Malaysia to Azerbaijan Dato Roslan Abdul Rahman; UniKL Deputy President on Academic and Technology professor Dato' Dr. Azanam Shah Hashim; Dean of Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (UniKL MITEC) associate professor Dr. Sairul Izwan Safie; and representatives of the Malaysian Embassy. The Higher Schools teachers and staff members also attended the event.

Welcoming the honorable guests, rector Elmar Gasimov emphasized importance of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Malaysia in the field of education. He said that signing the agreement would help to strengthen ties between BHOS and UniKL and would further enhance partnership relations between the two higher educational institutions professors, teachers and students. The rector also informed that it was already agreed to launch student exchange program and develop new joint academic programs on Electronics and Electrical Engineering.

Speaking at the ceremony, UniKL Deputy President on Academic and Technology professor Dato' Dr. Azanam Shah Hashim said that signing an agreement with one of the most prestigious higher educational institutions in Azerbaijan would suit the joint interests and would open new horizons for their fruitful cooperation.

Then the agreement between the Baku Higher Oil School and the University of Kuala Lumpur was signed. It provides excellent opportunities for joint activities, initiatives and projects including developing academic programs and training courses, implementing student and teacher exchange programs, carrying out scientific research, arranging conferences and workshops, and providing postgraduate education and lifelong training.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Italy is ready to export its bio- and nanotechnologies to Azerbaijan, Luigi DAprea, former director general of the ITA (Italian Trade Agency), a trade promotion section of the Italian Embassy in Baku, said in an interview with Trend.

Despite the crisis in the global economy, the interest of Italian companies for Azerbaijan isnt decreasing, he said.

DAprea added that he received as many requests as he did in 2015 from Italian companies willing to take part in economic missions to Azerbaijan.

During economic recession, a country always gets many opportunities for investments, because many people are afraid to invest in this country, however, those who are not afraid to take such a step, win, he noted.

At the same time, this provides considerable opportunities for the development of local companies and their access to foreign markets, he said.

DAprea said that Italian companies will continue to work with Azerbaijan, as they are aimed at long-term cooperation with the country in various spheres.

He added that in the coming years Italy and Azerbaijan will be connected by gas pipelines being constructed within the framework of the Southern Gas Corridor project, and this will further expand energy cooperation between the countries.

But at the same time, Azerbaijan and Italy have great opportunities for developing cooperation in other spheres as well, DAprea said.

Italy is known as a country of fashion and delicious cuisine, but Italy is also intensively developing the production of various technologies, he said.

Today, Italy is famous for biotechnologies and nanotechnologies and the country is ready to export the know-how to Azerbaijan, DAprea added.

As for Italys interest in other Azerbaijani products, today Azerbaijan is trying to promote its products under the Made in Azerbaijan brand in the world and the country has a great potential for it.

DAprea visited several Azerbaijani companies producing cosmetic products and stressed that the companies huge potential.

In DApreas opinion, those companies can try to enter the Italian market.

The Italian market is very good for cosmetic products but the products must be competitive, he said.

DAprea added that the Italian side also shows interest in the Azerbaijani food products.

The Italians have a good taste, especially in cuisine, he said, adding that the Azerbaijani cuisine is wonderful.

DAprea said that he likes the Azerbaijani cuisine very much and often goes to the restaurants offering the countrys national dishes.

He added that he likes that there are a lot of restaurants serving Italian cuisine in Baku.

It is important for the restaurants serving Italian cuisine to have food products from that country so, Azerbaijan and Italy have a good opportunity to develop trade in agricultural products, DAprea said.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov
A visit by a nations ruler to another national capital is a success for bilateral relations when there arent any hitches during the course of that visit. Nonetheless, the same visit is also dubbed a success, even if there are one or two unresolved riders, which are substantially eclipsed by a myriad successful accomplishments. The Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas visit to New Delhi could be described as the latter. The imbroglio over water sharing between India and Bangladesh from the Teesta River has not been resolved. But, other agreements indicate the potential for bilateral relations to strengthen constructively.

Apart from Indo-Bangladesh bilateral relations, it also staged a minor sideshow in the form of certain strains in Centre-state relations within India. PM, Narendra Modi, and the chief minister of the West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, were not in consensus regarding the pressing issue of the Teesta River water distribution with Bangladesh. Nevertheless, the leaders saw to it that despite some contrarian positions, the silver lining for a solution was not elusive.

Not a trace of acrimony was visible during the entire duration of the Bangladesh PMs stay. The substance and volume of joint declarations and agreements between India and Bangladesh are substantial. If implemented, it would definitely propel the socio-economic normal of Bangladesh upward and create ingredients to strengthen the symbiotic aspects of relations between the two countries.

While the paramount issues of security, battling terrorism, defence cooperation and stemming cross border infiltration  primarily from Bangladesh to India  have featured clearly in the 22 pronouncements, the issue of particular import has been the strengthening of economic diplomacy with Bangladesh. A massive credit line to the tune of $5 billion has been announced for Bangladesh to enable economic infrastructure development and maintenance  by Indian public and private sectors, of ports, railways, airports, and technological facilities.

By doing so, India has signalled to its eastern neighbour that although it might not yet be able to match the $24 billion that China had promised as aid for Bangladesh in 2016, India, having far greater geographic proximity to and more cultural similarity with Bangladesh, would not hesitate to help Bangladesh with appropriate monetary largesse. Moreover, the amount promised by India is realistic, on better rates of interest than Chinas and Indian economic assistance has a credible record of delivery. Till date, India has given Bangladesh a total of $8 billion, of which $3 billion has already been utilised.

At home, PM Hasina could emphasise the net outcome of her India visit and tide over any criticism surrounding the New Delhi visit. Mamata Banerjees insistence for beginning the long-due adequate dredging of rivers flowing from India to Bangladesh, to ensure more water flows into that country has some merit. Banerjee is fully supportive of and recognises the need for sharing more water with Bangladesh. But, she is keen to explore other feasible options of water distribution other than the Teesta Rivers water  very necessary for northern West Bengal.

With so much positive energy in this bilateral relation, both countries, sooner than later, are bound to hammer out a mutually satisfactory solution as regards this crucial resource of water.

Ranajoy Sen is a commentator on foreign affairs and economics.

The views expressed are personal
British Vogue, an iconic fashion magazine which celebrated its centenary last year, named Ghana-born Edward Enninful as its first male editor on Monday.

Enninful, a close friend of British supermodel Naomi Campbell, will replace Alexandra Shulman, who is stepping down on August 1 after more than 25 years.

He was born in Ghana, brought to London as a child and was scouted as a male model aged 16 before becoming the youngest editor in the industry when he was named fashion director of i-D magazine in 1991 aged just 18.

Enninful has already worked at Vogues Italian and US editions and has been the creative and fashion director of the US style magazine W since 2011.

Enninful is an influential figure in the communities of fashion, Hollywood and music which shape the cultural zeitgeist, said Jonathan Newhouse, head of publisher Conde Nast International.

Enninful was named fashion creator of the year by the British Fashion Council in 2014 and last year he received an honour from Queen Elizabeth II.

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Bollywood filmmaker Kabir Khan has said he often talks to his friends Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan but has no plans to team up with the duo in the near future.

Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif in a post-release photo shoot for Bang Bang.

There were reports that Hrithik had given his nod to Kabirs next, an action-romance which would also feature Katrina opposite him. The director said while he definitely had a conversation with the Bang Bang stars about several things, they did not discuss a project.

Katrina is one of my closest friends. I keep chatting with her about several things. Hrithik is also somebody with whom I chat a lot. But nothing is concrete till its finalised. So yes I have spoken to Hrithik and Katrina but there is no project as such which is being reported about. Thats completely false, Kabir said.

The director has worked with Katrina in three films of which New York and Ek Tha Tiger turned out to be huge hits while Phantom failed to garner that much attention.

The filmmaker is now gearing up for his web series on Subhas Chandra Boses Indian National Army. Kabir says as of now he isnt sure if it will have major Bollywood presence in the cast. We are still discussing that (referring to casting Bollywood actors). It may, it may not, because the project is in the early stages. We will surely think about Bollywood actors but the great thing about this platform is that youre not dependent only on stars. Unfortunately in Bollywood, your budget gets decided by stars but in this medium the story decides. Once the budget is locked, stars come in, he added.

Tentatively titled The Forgotten Army, which is also the name of Kabirs documentary, the international mini-series for Amazon Prime Video will be set during World War II. Kabir is aware that delving into a subject like this would invite scrutiny and insists he has done enough research for the topic and will be historically authentic.

You have to be authentic and responsible with history and we have done research on this for years. We have spoken to people who were involved in INA. Most of my story comes from their mouth. So you cant go wrong with people telling their story themselves. There are certain controversies surrounding Netaji but I must put in perspective that the story isnt about him. Its more about the soldiers who formed the Azad Hind Fauj, he added.

Based on true events, The Forgotten Army is about men and women who fought a heroic war for the independence of India as part of the Indian National Army.

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The Pulitzer prizes, the most prestigious journalism and arts awards in the US, were announced on April 10, 2017. The Pulitzer for fiction went to Colson Whitehead for his eighth novel The Underground Railroad, about a young woman escaping slavery in the 1800s by way of an otherwordly train system.

The Pulitzer judges deemed the novel a smart melding of realism and allegory that combines the violence of slavery and the drama of escape in a myth that speaks to contemporary America.

Whitehead has attracted other accolades for the book, including last years National Book Award. The bestseller, published by Doubleday, was also selected by Oprahs book club, and cited by Barack Obama for his 2016 summer holiday reading list. Moonlight director Barry Jenkins is adapting the story into a series for Amazon.

A native New Yorker born in 1969, Whitehead attended Harvard College, then worked at the Village Voice newspaper, where he penned pop culture reviews. His debut novel, The Intuitionist, was a finalist for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award. Thereafter, he shifted between essays, fiction, and non-fiction.

The Guardians Alex Preston described him as moving effortlessly between genres, as at home in the rigorously researched historical fiction of John Henry Days as he was in the futuristic zombie world of Zone One.

His accomplishments extend into academia and journalism as well. Whitehead has contributed to The New Yorker, Harpers Magazine, and Granta. He has taught at the University of Houston, Princeton University, and been a Writer-in-Residence at Vassar College, among other American institutions.

The Underground Railroad begins at a Georgia plantation. The heroine, Cora, an orphan whose grandmother arrived on a slave ship from West Africa and whose mother disappeared, decides to escape the hellish shackles of slavery.

This unfurls into a treacherous odyssey through the antebellum South, weaving state by state in search of freedom. Its both allegorical and resonant with the current racial crisis, drawing from authentic slave testimonies and fantasy alike.

Whitehead has taken that historical metaphor  the network of abolitionists who helped ferry slaves out of the south  and made it into a glistening, steampunk reality, wrote Preston.

This is a luminous, furious, wildly inventive tale. Kirkus Reviews concurred: Whitehead continues the African-American artists inquiry into race mythology and history with rousing audacity and razor-sharp ingenuity; he is now assuredly a writer of the first rank.

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Recently, I met someone judging a book by its colour; he was putting together a collection of books based purely on the dominant colour of the books spines. No, he wasnt an artistically inclined book lover; he was an interior decorator. On vigorous cross-questioning, he finally let the proverbial cat out of the bag.

Books, parchments, maps and tomes have been integral to giving the interiors of homes and offices an elevated status, an air of gravitas, if you will. But, sometime back the space-challenged city apartments began to shy away from books  bookshelves displayed more household bric-a-brac than the books they were meant for.

According to an interior designer, nothing adds a touch of class more than a great collection of book titles. (HT Photo)

Those days, according to my decorator friend, are now behind us and book display is once again popular, but with a small difference. The impressive rows of burgundy coloured leather-bound classics lined up neatly on bookshelves in upmarket homes may actually be decorative rexine-clad cardboard props. And why not he argued, nothing adds a touch of class more than a great collection of book titles even if they are just a pile of pretend prototypes.

Throwing light on the reason behind his particular book quest, he confessed that apparently, books that add a pop of colour to the interiors are a rage among the new house-proud hipster generation. The clients who order these, like to have the visible portions of the books, the spines, match with the colour palate of the particular room theyre placed in. It doesnt matter if the book is fiction, a self-help book or a dry tome on taxes, as long as its spine compliments the colour of the room, its good for the shelf.

In fact, now books with colourful and arresting visuals on the cover have an even better chance of being bought. Given that few are likely to pick out a book for a read, the millennials have found the perfect use for them  as aesthetic arty props on walls. A few even have them in gilded photo-frames.

I recovered from my sense of hopelessness to take heart in the fact that somewhere a writer is still being able to sell his books and earn a bit from the effort that he puts in filling the pages. Never mind that he is blissfully aware that the choice of his book by the buyer is entirely dependent on the mood of the cover designer on a particular day.
The government today said the US-based iPhone maker Apple has indicated plans for introduction of selective manufacturing lines in the country this year.

However, no decision has been taken yet on concessions demanded by the US-based company for setting up local manufacturing facility in the country, Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman informed the Rajya Sabha.

Apple in their communications, indicated their plan for selective introduction of manufacturing lines in Spring 2017, Sitharaman said in a written reply.

Apple has sought concessions such as duty exemption on manufacturing and repair units, components, capital equipment for smartphone manufacturing and service/repair for a period of 15 years.

With sales tapering in the US and China, Apple is eyeing India -- the fastest-growing smartphone market in the world -- and looking to set up a local manufacturing unit to cut costs.

It, however, does not manufacture devices on its own and rather does this through contract manufacturers.

The company sells products through Apple-owned retail stores in countries like China, Germany, the US, the UK and France, among others.

It has no wholly-owned store in India and sells its products through distributors such as Redington and Ingram Micro.

Replying to a separate question, she said that cement demand is expected to increase in the next financial year on account of various flagship programmes of the government such as Housing for All by 2022, Smart Cities Mission, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Freight and Industrial Corridors and National Highways Expansion.
Concerned over the adverse impact of virtual currencies such as bitcoin on the consumer, the government on Wednesday set up a committee to look into ways of regulating the fast-growing segment to curb money laundering.

The move comes amid apprehension that black money hoarders may have resorted to virtual currencies and bitcoins to launder their cash Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the demonetisation drive on November 8.

bitcoins have been banned in several countries, including Russia, on grounds that the virtual currency could be used for money laundering or financing terrorism.

The panel has been asked to suggest measures for dealing with virtual currencies including issues relating to consumer protection and money laundering, the finance ministry said in a release.

Read | A bit of change: Indians using bitcoin to trade, shop, even pay for pizza

The circulation of virtual currencies which are also known as digital and crypto currencies has been a cause of concern, it said.

Since December 2013, the Reserve Bank of India had also cautioned users, holders and traders of virtual currencies, such as Bitcoins, about the potential financial, operational, legal, customer protection and security related risks that they are exposing themselves to.

In December, Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar wrote to finance minister, Arun Jaitley, and RBI Governor, Urjit Patel, on the proliferation of Bitcoins and its use to launder black money.

There are already reports of a surge in domestic bitcoin trade and moving of black economy to the Dark Internet. The surveillance and policing requirements are challenging and I suspect the government and RBI are ill-equipped, currently, to deal with this. I am drawing your attention to the need to be ahead of the curve on this rather than behind and so the RBI must develop the capabilities on this urgently. he wrote.

Read | Bitcoins may gain ground as govt fights black money

After the contentious issues of bitcoin and other virtual currencies have been debated in various fora from time to time, the finance ministry has decided to come up with rules to govern it.

To examine the existing framework, the department of economic affairs under the finance ministry has constituted an inter-disciplinary committee chaired by special secretary (economic affairs) and representatives from DEA, department of financial services, department of revenue (CBDT), home ministry, ministry of electronics and information technology, RBI, NITI Aayog and State Bank of India.

The Committee will take stock of the present status of Virtual Currencies both in India and globally, examine the existing global regulatory and legal structures governing virtual currencies, suggest measures for dealing with such virtual currencies including issues relating to consumer protection and money laundering.

The committee has been tasked to submit its report within three months.
India will launch the Goods and Services Tax (GST) as planned on July 1 to boost economic growth and state revenues, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday, despite calls from some businesses for a delay.

The central and state governments were ready to roll out the GST, said Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, adding that firms should not count on a postponement of a tax more than a decade in the making.

Indias most ambitious tax reform since independence would transform its $2 trillion economy and market of 1.3 billion people into a single economic zone with common indirect taxes - something that neither the European Union nor the United States can boast.

And, although the GST is designed to be revenue neutral, Adhia expects it to improve compliance by businesses as well as draw their owners into the income tax net, thus boosting overall tax revenues.

The entire parallel economy will vanish, Adhia told Reuters in an interview.

The benefit of avoiding tax which was accruing to the entrepreneur or to the trader - that will now come to the government. That is why we expect revenue buoyancy to go up.

Checkposts to go

Tax checkpoints at state borders would be dismantled, Adhia said, adding that a GST panel was in talks with other departments to remove other posts that could hinder the movement of goods. This would take some time.

Work is also complete on setting up the GST Network, an IT system that will match invoices, making it possible for companies to claim input credits that will soften the impact of initially high GST rates.

There will be four tax slabs - 5, 12, 18 and 28% - with rates on individual items broadly in line with levies that now apply. Parliament passed laws to implement the GST in the session now ending.

Our fundamental aim is to keep the rate closer to the existing one, said Adhia, one of Prime Minister Narendra Modis most trusted bureaucrats.

Other countries that have launched GSTs have faced a dip in growth and revenues due to initial teething troubles, but Adhia was confident that indirect revenues would exceed a target of 9-10% in the fiscal year to March 2018.

With company owners using their personal tax numbers to comply with the GST, Adhia expects income tax dodgers to have to come clean. Only around 3% of people in India pay income tax.

It will become harder for people to stay informal, he said. They will have to come into the tax net, and that in turn will give us some benefit in direct taxes also.

Looking further out, expected revenue buoyancy would leave room to lower GST rates and simplify the tax structure.

The 18% or 28% rates certainly need a relook, but right now we cant afford it, said Adhia. Once our revenues are more steady, there is a reason for consumers also to benefit from GST. And that they will.
Food regulator FSSAI today said it has entered into an agreement with US-based Decernis Ltd which will enable it to access various international regulations.

With this tie up, the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) would get access to database of over 70,000 standards for food additives, food standards, food contact and contaminants from over 170 countries.

Under this agreement, Decernis would facilitate access to various international regulations through a user-friendly online platform, the regulator said in a statement.

It would also enable the scientific panels of the regulator in understanding the global standards and benchmarking Indian regulation to those norms.

The database will also be of immense help in the risk assessment.

Under the pact, FSSAI will share with the American company its notices of new draft and final regulations.

FSSAI CEO Pawan Agarwal said, As per the good regulatory practices, international practices are required to be taken into account while framing the national standards or guidelines. PTI MJH MR
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Ukraine is ready to join creation of new transport corridors within the framework of developing its transit potential and connect to the existing routes, Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman said, according to the website of the Ukrainian government.

He said the routes include the South-Western direction from Central Asia via Georgia and Azerbaijan towards Europe. Groysman was commenting on the possibility of creating a joint venture by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine.

The joint venture will use a single window system for handling of cargoes along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

The proposal to create the joint venture was made by the heads of the Azerbaijani, Georgian and Kazakh railway administrations Javid Gurbanov, Mamuka Bakhtadze and Kanat Alpysbayev at the meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman in Kiev Apr. 11.

Groysman stressed that cooperation in the transport sphere with the member countries of the Organization for Democracy and Economic Development (GUAM) and Ukraines partners in Central Asia is a priority shared by both the government of Ukraine and the governments of its partner countries.

We have complete understanding at the level of the heads of government, Groysman added.

In this context, he recalled that a special logistics committee has been already created in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, and said that this committee will deal with transport issues and improve cooperation with other countries.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route runs through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and then through Turkey and Ukraine to Europe.

In October 2016, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Georgia signed an agreement on the establishment of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route association with its office in Astana. Its activities are aimed at attracting transit and foreign trade cargo, as well as developing integrated logistics products via the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
The Uttarakhand government has set an ambitious target to increase its mining revenue by about 70% in the current financial year to compensate for the loss incurred after highway liquor ban.

Out of the total 526 liquor shops in state, 402 fall within 500 meters of highways, resulting in excise duty loss of up to 50%.

Last week, the state government de-notified 64 state highways into district roads, but that, too, could bring relief only to some handful of shops.

The state government, however, got a breather when the Supreme Court stayed a high court ban on mining in the state on April 10. The HC ban had led to a revenue loss of around R 1.5-2 crore every day. Add to that, labourers and transporters lost jobs.

The state issues mining permits for removal of river bed material (RBM) with certain restrictions to curb flooding of rivers during rainy season owing to excessive accumulation of RBM. However, successive governments in the state have failed to prevent illegal mining, whose quantum is allegedly much higher than the revenue generated through legal mining.

Now, the authorities are planning to monitor illegal mining through geographical information system (GIS) mapping and tracking of mining vehicles through geo positioning system (GPS).

While GIS is a satellite-based technology that helps collect and manage accurate data like satellite images and aerial photos, GPS mechanism helps in real-time monitoring of vehicles.

At present, GIS mapping of all mining sites in the state is being carried out through a government agency. The work should be complete in the next five-six months. Once it is done, we will be able to identify the problem areas where illegal mining is taking place, mining secretary Shailesh Bagauli told HT on Wednesday.

Also, we will run GPS tracking system on a pilot basis to see how successful it is. Besides that, we are also planning to raise a dedicated geo-informatics centre for live monitoring all such (mining) activities, he added.

In the last financial year (2016-17), mining activities had contributed around R 335 crore to the states coffers. For the current fiscal (2017-18), the state plans to mop up around R 550 crore from mining.

Underlining how a policy of zero tolerance would be followed towards illegal mining, Bagauli said that vehicles, stone crushers, storage points involved in the process will be immediately seized or sealed. Unlike in the past, we will not follow any compounding policy and FIRs will be lodged immediately against those involved in illegal mining, he said.

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Baby Hussains daughter got admission in KG class at Delhi governments Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, Tughlakabad Extension. However, she cannot send her child to the school since it is for boys only.

Hussains daughter is among at least 17 girls who have been given to this boys only school. When I went to complete admission formalities, I was told the school is only for boys. The school asked us to file a complaint with the Directorate of Education. We have registered a complaint, said Baby, a resident of Nardan Basti.

Parents blamed the confusion on the online admission process. The Delhi government had launched online admissions to its schools this year.

This online system is too much of a hassle for us, said Baby.

The admission in charge of the school confirmed that several girls were allotted seats there.

Another parent, Priyanka Yadav, is also dealing with the same problem. She said the government should take immediate measures so that the process could go on smoothly.

My daughters name is in the waiting list at Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Tughlaqabad Railway Colony, which also runs classes for boys only . The process was better earlier. We could go to the school of our choice, said Yadav.

Government is also aware of the problem and say they are looking into each case individually.

We have started the process of calling parents and the schools where this problem has occurred. We will be shifting these children to the nearby Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalayas . In case, the school has more than the prescribed students, which is 40 per class, we will treat them as special case and help them get a seat there, said Atishi Marlena, advisor to Delhi education minister Manish Sisodia.

Education activists, who are helping the parents with the admission process, say that the government should have first sensitised the parents about the formalities.

Online admission is good but parents are not aware about school selection. Due to this lack of awareness, the process has become complex both for parents as well for teachers in schools, said Arvind Singh of Matri Sudha, an NGO.

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A vendor in outer Delhis Mangolpuri was stabbed to death on Sunday night for refusing to serve golgappas to a group of youths. Earlier in March, a man was beaten to death with batons in Shahbad Dairy after a DJ he had hired was playing loud music on Holi. In January, a man was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors for using a barbers comb without permission in south Delhis Badarpur.

The national capital continues to witness such murders over petty issues. In the first three months of 2017, Delhi has already seen 16 such killings, a marginal dip compared to 18 in the corresponding period in 2016.

Senior police officers say the law-enforcing agency can do little to prevent such killings because they were triggered by sudden provocation and involved no prior planning.

Murders triggered by sexual jealousy or illicit relationships led to one in every 10 of the 127 murders reported in Delhi in the first 90 days of this year. A man allegedly tortured his wife for 12 hours before beheading her with a saw at their east Delhi home in February as he suspected her of infidelity.

While the police may claim such murders are difficult to prevent, quite a few of the 127 murders until March 31 this year were well-planned and executed before the police could unearth the conspiracies. Twenty-nine murders, nearly a fourth of all killings, were because of personal enmities, a break-up of Delhi Polices statistics show.

These include the gunning down of jailed gangster Manjeet Mahals father in broad daylight outside his home in Najafgarh late January. That was followed by the sensational double murder of two young cousins by their rivals in Japanese Park on Valentines Day.

The number of murders over enmities stood at 23 in the corresponding period in 2016. Similar increase in the number of murders over issues such as money and family disputes has been recorded. An ex-sailor stabbing his father 30 times and blowing up his flat in east Delhis Madhur Vihar early this year is among 26 such murders till March this year, a two-fold increase compared to last year.

The police have failed to solve nearly 30% of all murders this year, consistent with last years figures. The police remain clueless about the killers or motives behind these 31 murders this year. They are yet to even identify murder victims in eight other cases.

The police have been patting their backs in preventing murders during robberies or thefts. As compared to 13 people being murdered during robberies in the first quarter of last year, this year four such killings have happened. This is because of our crackdown on robbers and thieves by implementing integrated patrolling involving combined teams of local police, PCR and traffic police, says Madhur Verma, Delhi Police spokesperson.

In the first quarter in 2016, 125 persons had been killed in the city. The figure had stopped at 528 by the end of the year. What had left the police worried were 41 people killed during robberies, a preventable crime in polices opinion.
An international drug syndicate with roots in Myanmar and Indian states such as Manipur, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Punjab was busted on Tuesday by the special cell of Delhi Police.

Two key members of the drug cartel were caught from central Delhis Daryaganj area with three kilograms of heroin worth R12 crore in the international market.

The consignment was to be delivered to an African drug dealer based in Delhi, police said. They claimed the receivers of such consignments of drugs in Delhi were mostly people of African origin residing in areas such as Vikaspuri, Tilak Nagar, Shahpur Jat, Uttam Nagar and Khirki Extension.

Drugs received by these persons are smuggled to various European and African countries through courier companies. Investigation regarding suspected links of arrested drug suppliers in Pakistan and Bangladesh is being conducted, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

Special cell sleuths said the two drug peddlers, Mohammad Jafar and Parvez Saifi, allegedly supplied heroin from Manipur to Delhi and other states through the air route. They frequently travelled between these states and allegedly carried the consignment of drugs with them in the flights. The two belonged to Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

The DCP said the seized consignment of heroin was smuggled to Manipur from Myanmar and was to be delivered to an African national in Delhi.

Apart from the drugs, we seized three mobile phones with SIM cards procured and used for the purpose of drug trafficking. We recovered air tickets from the two, said Yadav.

During interrogation, Yadav said, the arrested drug dealers revealed they were members of a drug syndicate run by a Manipur-based drug peddler, Manjum.

Manjum had supplied the consignment of heroin and instructed them to deliver it to his counterpart in Delhi. They trafficked the heroin in Delhi from Manipur in a flight on Monday.

The two had wrapped drugs in thick layers of carbon papers to avoid detection by baggage scanners installed at airports. Jafar had created a secret cavity in his bag to hoodwink the security personnel, added Yadav.

Jafar said Manjum had links with drug suppliers in Myanmar. Apart from getting heroin from Manipur, Manjum procured huge consignments from his counterparts in Myanmar, he told the police.

There is widespread illegal cultivation of opium in bordering areas of Manipur where heroin is prepared but its quality is inferior to that brought from Myanmar. The processed heroin of Myanmar is of superior quality and is cheaper than heroin produced in Manipur. That is why heroin produced in Myanmar is in high demand internationally, including in India, said an investigator.

Jafar told police he was into the illegal trade for the last three years and supplied more than 50 such consignments from Manipur to various states during that period.
Two important Delhi Police stations will start functioning as model police stations from Wednesday evening, equipped with senior officers and 33% women personnel in a possible bid to repair the forces poor image following shoddy handling of campus clashes two months ago.

Parliament Street Police Station in the heart of the Capital and north Delhis Maurice Nagar next to Delhi University, the epicentre of protests in February, will be part of the first-of-its-kind exercise.

Lieutenant governor Anil Baijal inaugurated the initiative at Parliament Street police station  next to Delhis protest venue of Jantar Mantar  in the presence of police chief Amulya Patnaik and other top officers.

The objective is to bring an attitudinal and behavioural change among police staff and change the way they work and behave with the public, said a senior police officer.

These two stations will now have the maximum number of senior officials such as inspectors, sub-inspectors (SIs), and assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and lesser constabularies. A regular station currently has two or three inspectors and ten to fifteen sub-inspectors. But with this new officer- oriented policing concept, each of the two police stations will have seven inspectors, 40 sub-inspectors, 40 assistant sub-inspectors and 60 head constables.

These two will also become the first Delhi police stations where a third of the staff would be women. This means the stations would have at least two women inspectors, in addition to the male inspectors.

The presence of more inspectors, sub-inspectors, and assistant sub-inspectors in a police station means complaints and grievances of public will be heard and addressed in a more sophisticated and professional manner, added the officer.

The decision to turn the two police stations into officer-oriented facilities was taken last month by the police commissioner following a meeting at the L-Gs office where Baijal mooted the idea, said a senior Delhi Police officer.

Sources in police, however, attributed this decision to the Delhi Polices unprofessional and poor handling of the February clashes at Ramjas College in Delhi University, where many reported police personnel misbehaving and roughing up students, teachers and even journalists.

Though two constables and a head constable were suspended for resorting to lathicharge and violence, the unprofessional policing was widely criticised and the issue was also raised during the L-Gs meeting.

Some senior officers opined that the mishandling could have been averted had there been more inspectors, sub-inspectors, and assistant sub-inspectors at the venue. It was also taken into consideration that such mishandling happened mostly during mass protests where maximum deployment of constabularies was done.

The L-G himself was convinced with such problems and come up with the idea of officer-oriented police stations in the city, the officer said adding, We decided to start the pilot project from the Parliament Street and Maurice Nagar police stations because these two police stations constantly witness such protests and demonstrations and personnel here have maximum interface with the public.

Delhis famous protest venue, Jantar Mantar, that witnesses various protests everyday throughout the year, comes under the territorial jurisdiction of the Parliament Street police station.

Similarly, DUs North Campus, venue for students protests, is under the Maurice Nagar police station, which is also the green police station in the city. In 2010, it had become the first women-run police station in the city.

Several complaints from protestors were received in the past that staff of the two police stations, especially constabularies, misbehaved with them and indulged in violence during their protests. Now that more upper-rank officers have been deployed there, we expect that the public dealing will be more professional and such complaints will certainly come down, the officer added.
It all happened before my eyes and I could not save her, cried Munna Lal, father of Pooja Kumari, who was reportedly mowed down by a private bus in north Delhis Burari area on Tuesday morning.

Lal recalled the incident while speaking to Hindustan Times. I was numb. The bus ran over her and before I could react she was dead, she said.

For Lal, it was a routine to drop his daughters off to school every morning before he headed out to work. Like any other morning, on Tuesday as well, he was taking them to school on his bike when the accident occurred.

He said he always exercised extra caution while riding the bike when his daughters were with him, but on Tuesday his luck was not with him. One of my daughters is in Class 5 and the one who passed away was in Class 8. I dropped them to school every day and that had been the routine for years now, he said.

On Tuesday, when I reached Burari chowk, a bus hit my bike from behind. I slowed down but lost balance over the vehicle. While I and my younger daughter fell on the left side, she fell to the right. I tried to hold her, but could not. Just then, the bus driver drove over her crushing her head and spinal cord under the rear wheels of the vehicle, Lal said.

My younger daughters hand was also fractured as it was crushed under the wheel but I escaped unhurt. Before I could get up and react, my daughter was dead. I picked her up and could not understand where I should take her.

Locals chased the driver. I started shouting and the locals ran after the bus driver, but he managed to escape. He left the bus behind. The locals got very angry and even hurled stones at the bus. My daughter was taken to the hospital but the doctors could not revive her. She died, Lal said. Whatever punishment is given to the driver, will not bring my daughter back, he said.

On Monday, a 5-year-old girl was crushed to death by a school van. The driver was reversing the vehicle that did not have rear view mirrors and crushed the girl standing behind. The incident was reported from east Delhis Shahdra area.
It is high time unruly and dangerours drivers were reined in. More than five lakh road accidents take place in India every year claiming close to 1.5 lakh lives. That is why the Lok Sabhas approval of the modifications to the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016 which includes a slew of tough measures against violators, is a radical departure for the better from the 30-year-old law that governs traffic in the country.

One of the highlights of the new bill is heftier penalties . Those in the habit of driving rashly should be prepared to pay as much as 20 times more than before. Driving without a licence will invite a fine of Rs 5,000: the fine for the offence was Rs 500 earlier. Driving with a licence that has been deemed disqualified can make you poorer by Rs 10,000 , the fine rising from Rs 500. Another significant proposal is a prison term for callous custodians. If a vehicle is registered in the parents name and a minor causes a fatal accident while driving it, the parent could go to jail for a maximum term of three years. This should discourage the culture of underage drivers causing mishaps while speeding or carrying out stunts.

A strong legislation that makes penalties for violators tougher was required to control the growing indiscipline on Indias roads, particularly in big cities.As many as 1,48,707 people were killed and 4,82,389 were injured in more than 4,64,674 accidents on Indian roads in 2015. The lack of awareness about the consequences of letting their children drive is common in many urban households. Instead of checking the menace, some parents take pride in letting their children drive young. And the offenders are getting younger every passing year. According to government data, the Delhi Police fined 225 juveniles for underage driving in 2015 alone. The menace of drink driving is even more widespread. In 2015, the police prosecuted 5,523 people in the Capital for driving under the influence. The proposal to penalise drink driving with a Rs 10,000-!5,000 fine, is , therefore, welcome.

Under the new bill, .compensation for hit-and-run cases will increase from Rs 25,000 to Rs 2 lakh and for fatal road accidents, up to Rs 10 lakh. Also, it proposes the creation of a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund that would extend a compulsory insurance cover to all road users for certain kinds of accidents and the protection of good Samaritans from civil or criminal action.

To facilitate the delivery of services to stakeholders, says the bill, the government will lean heavily on e-governance. This includes enabling online learners licences, increasing the validity period for drivers licences and doing away with the norms of educational qualifications for licences. But this can have a flip side.

One of the biggest speed-bumps for the BJP government before it realises the objective of reducing fatalities by 50% in five years is ensuring that only those with requisite expertise get a licence to drive. Although the fear of heftier fines is a step in the right direction, only airtight implementation can ensure that wayward drivers dont get away by greasing the palms of authorities at various levels.
Senator Simon Birmingham, education and training minister, Australian government, has awarded a three-year tuition fee waiver scholarship to 11 Indian students, worth AU $ 1.1 million. He made the announcement during a visit to the TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre (TDNBC) in Gurgaon.

The scholarships have been awarded to the PhD students engaged in research programmes at the TERI-Deakin Nanobiotechnology Centre in Gurgaon. They are currently enrolled at Deakin University under the Deakin India Research Initiative (DIRI), which was launched in India in 2009. DIRI builds on Deakin Universitys world-leading expertise in material sciences, nanotechnology and biotechnology.

While addressing the gathering at TDNBC, Birmingham said, The TERI Deakin Nano Biotechnology Centre facility is not incredible because we are commissioning bricks and mortar, its incredible because of the brains, the students, the knowledge that is embedded within the facility, and the potential that they (students) are going to realise in so many different ways.

Under the programme, each student will get a full tuition fee waiver from Deakin University of up to an amount of approximately AU$ 100, 000 for a period of three years. The students will travel to Deakin University, Australia, for six to eight months during their PhD to work closely with their Deakin supervisor.

Elaborating on the scholarship programme, Professor Jane den Hollander, AO, VC Deakin University said, The three-year scholarship programme is predominantly designed to equip the best of the talent with advanced research facilities. Under this programme, Deakin University and TERI will provide joint supervision to the students. TDNBC envisions meeting the demand for a global, skilled workforce in nanobiotechnology.

Students selected for the programme include Devangana Bhuyan, Poonam Shashidhar, Mohd Azeem Khan, Rahul Chandra Mishra, Gaurav Chugh, Tanuka Sen, Nandini Bhattacharya, Shifali Garg, Amos Samkumar Rajan and Aditi Pandit. Bhuyan has completed her masters in Biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore. She also has more than three years of work experience in government sponsored research as senior research fellow. Shashidhar is a graduate from Savitribai Phule Pune University who has specialised in biotechnology . Her research interests are plant molecular biology, plant stress physiology and plant biochemistry. Khan has completed his masters in engineering from Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences, Pilani. He is also a rank holder in Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-NET-Life Sciences, 2016. Mishra, an MSc-life sciences student from the National Institute of Technology Rourkela has been a senior research fellow at the Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH) and has interests in immunological and cell biological techniques, molecular genetics techniques and microbiological techniques. Chugh, who holds a masters degree in Botany from Delhi University has worked as a student research assistant in a Delhi University-funded innovation project on soil pollution. Sen is a post graduate in microbiology from University of Delhi, south Campus. Her current research interests include immunology and antibiotics resistance in microbes, bioremediation techniques, pathology , various aspects of molecular therapeutics especially regarding cancer and HIV-AIDS pathologies. Bhattacharya, a masters in biochemistry from Allahabad Agricultural Institute, has worked with several reputed research institutes such as the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi and School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University . Garg has pursued her MSc environmental studies from Delhi University and was awarded a junior research fellowship in 2016. Rajan is from Karunya University and has worked in the molecular plant immunity laboratory,National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. Thakkar is a post graduate in botany from Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi. Her interests include plant science and agriculture. Pandit graduated in plant biotechnology from TERI University, New Delhi and has been working with TERI in Mycorrhiza Culture Collection .

Giving more details of the awards, Dr. Ajay Mathur, director general, TERI, said, Within five years, the Centre aims to have a number of researchers, including PhD students, enrolled at Deakin. With its cutting edge technology at the disposal of these bright minds, this Centre will help India make a mark on the global map for building new capabilities and bringing new innovations in the field of science and technology.
The Crime investigation agency (CIA) of Sector 17 arrested four alleged snatchers on Tuesday. A laptop, a gold chain, a mobile phone, a wallet and three ATM cards were recovered from their possession, according to the police.

The police also confiscated their motorcycle that they are said to have used to carry out their crimes.

The four men were arrested by a team headed by the inspector-in-charge Narendra Chauhan after he received a tip-off about their presence.

They have been arrested under Section 397 A/34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Udyog Vihar police station, Gurgaon, and will be produced before the court on Wednesday.

The group consists of four men aged between 19 and 32 years. The youngest is Rinku alias Pankaj (19), a resident of Rewa district of Madhya Pradesh. Lalkumar, also known as Sonu (20), is a resident of Mahanpur district of Nepal. Monu alias Rajkishore (31), is a resident of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh. The oldest, Manoj, is 32 years old, and hails from from Mahendragarh district.

A crime team had been tracking these men for the past few days and it acted after getting specific information about the presence of these men. A case has been registered in this regard, said Manish Sehgal, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Gurgaon police, and spokesperson for the department.
Four cyber crime cases were registered at the Sushant Lok police station on Tuesday after investigation by the cyber cell of the Gurgaon police.

In the first instance, Faridabad resident Vasundhra Kaul, in her complaint to the police, alleged that a man posing as a bank official called her and took the details of her debit and credit cards and her account number. She said that he also took her OTP, and debited Rs36,000 from her account.

After realising that she had been duped, Kaul got her cards blocked and lodged a complaint with the cyber cell.

In another incident, Anand Kumar, who works in a private educational institution, told the police in his complaint that someone called him posing as a State Bank of India (SBI) official. The official told Kumar that since his bank account was not linked with his Aadhar number, his debit card was being blocked.

He took Kumars bank account and card details and used the same to spend Rs26,000 online, and Rs10,000 through Paytm, according to the complaint.

In the third case too, South City resident Dipti Tiwari, said in her complaint that a man posing as a bank official had taken her bank account and card details, telling her that her debit card was going to expire soon. Later, Tiwari discovered that Rs24,000 had been spent from her account.

The fourth case, of cheating and fraud, was registered at Sushant Lok police station on the complaint of Wazirabad resident Jai Prakash. He alleged that someone had swapped his ATM card and managed to withdraw Rs5,000.

Officials at the Sushant Lok Police station said that the cases have been registered and they will nab the culprits soon.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Azad Hasanli  Trend:

Azerbaijans Agriculture Ministry is starting negotiations with foreign donors to carry out the work envisaged in this spheres road map, the countrys Deputy Agriculture Minister Seyfaddin Talibov told reporters in Baku Apr. 12.

He made the remarks on the sidelines of the 4th meeting of the Agriculture Ministry and donor organizations.

Talibov said that the meetings main goal is to discuss with donor organizations that for which projects, envisaged in the road map, they can provide funds or other aid.

We think that such negotiations will allow strengthening the potential of the Agriculture Ministry and considering more deeply and comprehensively the tasks assigned us as part of the road map, said the deputy minister.

Strategic road maps of Azerbaijans national economy are approved by the head of state in late 2016. Those documents cover priority areas for the country in the economic sphere. One of the road maps is dedicated to agriculture. Thanks to the implementation of measures reflected in this document, about 20,000 new jobs are planned to be created in Azerbaijan and to increase the countrys GDP by 1.2 billion manats until 2020. Direct effect on GDP of implementation of measures envisaged in the road map will be 575 million manats, and the indirect effect will ensure additional increase in GDP by 660 million manats.

Under the document, nine strategic goals have been defined in order to create a favorable environment, which will allow creating competitive sectors of production and processing of agricultural goods.

Investments in the amount of 1.17 billion manats are needed to reach these goals.

Main goals of the road map are to strengthen the stability of food security, simplify access to financial resources, improve the quality of education, develop consulting and information services, simplify the access of producers to markets, develop market infrastructure, and improve the business environment in the agricultural sector and other issues.
Finding somebody with a bone marrow match can be most challenging, which is why it seemed like nothing short of miracle when this Iraqi girl with aplastic anaemia hit gold thousands of miles away in Germany.

Soon afterwards, doctors at the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences in Faridabad successfully performed matched unrelated donor (MUD) stem cell transplantation on 15-year-old Banin Mohamad Humza. The girl had been suffering from the condition for a year now.

Severe aplastic anaemia occurs when the patients body stops producing enough new blood cells. It leaves the patient fatigued, and at a higher risk of infection as well as uncontrolled bleeding, said Dr Prashant Mehta, a bone marrow transplant specialist at the hospital.

The doctor described it as a rare condition that can develop at any age. It may occur suddenly or slowly, and get worse over a long period of time. A bone marrow transplant is currently its only proven cure, he said.

In Banin Mohamads case, doctors could not find any genetically matching relative to act as the bone marrow donor. In about 75% of these cases, they are unable to find a match in the family  raising the requirement for an alternative donor.

Donor hunting was a race against time in Banins case, considering that her condition was deteriorating fast. Luckily, they found a genetic match in Germany. We used special techniques to harvest and transport the donor cells. The transplant was successfully carried out a month ago, said Dr Mehta.

She was subjected to chemotherapy during the four-week procedure, which involved the destruction of damaged cells and simultaneous infusion of new ones. In the weeks that followed, she underwent intensive monitoring and supportive care through multiple transfusions.

Fortunately, her body accepted the donor cells and the procedure was successfully completed. At present, she is free of the disease and the blood count has normalised. She is on follow-up care on an outpatient basis, said Dr Mehta.

Banin is one of the few patients in India to be treated with donor cells from the international database. MUD transplantation is uncommon in India due to risk of complications, besides logistic difficulties in procuring the cells from places outside India.

While 45 million people across the globe are registered with Bone Marrow Donor Worldwide and other stem cell registries to meet the needs of patients, the donor pool in India is miniscule. Indian registries show just three lakh donors.

Its important not only to have more donors but also the requisite technology required to preserve the cells for a longer period. We also have the best cryopreservation facilities at our hospital, so the cells can be used for the same patient in the future  if required, said Dr NK Pandey, chairman and managing director of the Asian Institute of Medical Sciences.

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The Haryana government on Tuesday launched a statewide campaign called Operation Durga to check harassment of women in public spaces, on the lines of Uttar Pradesh governments Operation Romeo that drew much criticism.

A state government spokesman said Haryana Police launched the operation in all districts in the state and 24 teams constituted by the chief ministers flying squad nabbed 72 persons for alleged crimes against women in public places.

Last month, the chief ministers flying squad had rounded up four couples in Gurgaon during a statewide operation.

In Gurgaon, the CID team carried out a sanitizing operation at public colleges, and outside the schools to prevent anti-social elements from harassing girls. An official said that four youth had been arrested by the team and they were handed over to police for further action.

Across the state, the police department constituted teams that comprised nine sub-inspectors, 14 assistant sub-inspectors, six head constables and 13 constables, including women staff, apart from other police personnel from each district.

These teams visited public places such as schools, colleges, bus stands and railway stations and nabbed people allegedly harassing women.

A state government spokesman said Operation Durga was launched to ensure safety of women and to encourage them to lodge complaints.

The action also comes in the wake of observations that women hesitated to report incidents involving anti-social elements in spite of that fact that women police stations had been opened in all the districts.

The campaign was undertaken after identifying places where such anti-social elements were involved in harassing women, passing vulgar comments, stalking and other similar activities, he added.

On September 26 last year, Gurgaon police had rounded up 76 people from MG road for misbehaving with women under operation Romeo.

Gurgaon police has been conducting such operations regularly but it is for the first time that a statewide operation has been launched at the initiative of the Haryana government.
Chances are you may not have seen this interview Jackie Chan gave to China Press in 2015. The Hollywood A-listers frank disclosure, which resurfaced again on the internet earlier this week, has stunned his fans: Jackie claimed he was forced to marry his girlfriend Joan Lin in 1982 when she got pregnant with their son. The two were married to each other for 35 years.

It was an accident which conceived Jaycee. I had never thought of getting married, but I felt it was akin to being forced to get married, Chan said.

In the interview, Jackie goes on to say how he had many girlfriends when he was much younger and how he secretly married Lin in a Los Angeles coffee shop in 1982.

Jackie has been rumoured to have had many affairs while being married to Lin, one of them being former beauty queen Elaine Ng, who gave birth to Jackies daughter Etta Ng in 1999, reports Shanghaiist.com.

The relationship between Jackie and his daughter is said to be strained. His son Jaycee was in news in 2014 when he got arrested after police seized more than 100 grams of marijuana from his apartment in Beijing. He was later sentenced to six months in jail.

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The director of the forthcoming Mulan live-action remake, Niki Caro has criticised Hollywood film industry on gender imbalances, calling it shameful.

The 51-year-old filmmaker, whose film The Zookeepers Wife recently released, says she is appalled to look at the abysmal number of female directors in the field, reported The Huffington Post.

My gender should have absolutely nothing to do with it, at least in discussing the quality of my work, in which case Im very proud to be working in a feminine way. But now that (The Zookeepers Wife) is out, I look at the statistics on female directors, and now its time for me to speak up.

Niki Caro (L) poses with actor Jessica Chastain, who plays the main character in her film The Zookeeper's Wife. (AFP)

Ive been silent for personal reasons, but now Im very happy to say publicly that its a shameful statistic. Just the sheer ignoring of 50% of the available skill and talent and vision and tenacity and ambition appals me, says Caro.

Her remarks come after the release of a report earlier this year, which showed that only 7% of all directors were women who worked on the 250 highest-grossing films in the year 2016 (down 2% from the previous year).

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Hollywood actor Blake Lively was worried two years ago, when she was in labour to give birth to James, her daughter with actor Ryan Reynolds.

While playing a Fact or Fiction game with fashion designer Michael Kors, Lively said when she was in labour, Reynolds started singing the 1973 single Lets get it on, making the doctor laugh, reports dailymail.co.uk.

My husband played Lets get it on when I was in labour, Lively said.

My doctor was laughing so hard that I thought she was going to drop our baby, she added, revealing her cause of worry.

The couple also have another daughter, Ines, who is now six months old.

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The Meghalaya government has decided against observing Digital India Day on April 14 because it coincides with Good Friday, an important occasion for the states Christian-majority population.

Chief minister Mukul Sangma took strong exception to the NDA governments decision to hold the event on a sacred day, and stated that it was an attempt to dilute the secular fabric of the nation.

I will be writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi because it is necessary for me to express concern on behalf of the people with special reference to the Northeast, which has a significant Christian population, he said on Tuesday.

Nearly 75% of Meghalayas two-million population (Census 2011) are Christians. Other states in the region with a Christian-majority population are Nagaland (88%) and Mizoram (87%).

Addressing mediapersons in Shillong, Sangma said the state government has already written to the Union cabinet secretary in this regard. The Congress government in the state had earlier expressed resentment against the Centres decision to observe Good Governance Day on December 25, the same day as Christmas.

We have to be candid in asking: What is their agenda? Observing Good Governance Day on Christmas and now Digital India Day on Good Friday? Are they trying to marginalise the minority? Sangma questioned.

The fresh development comes amid a strong push by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to come to power in the state, which goes to the polls next year. The party is already in power in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur. Besides this, it is part of the Naga Peoples Front-led coalition in Nagaland.

In a bid to win electoral support ahead of the assembly polls, senior leaders of the party have clarified that cow slaughter wont be enforced in Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram  three states where consumption of beef is allowed.

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An army subedar major allegedly shot himself dead on Monday after his wife committed suicide by hanging herself at their residence in Jinds Dharauli village.

The police said domestic feud between the couple seemed to be the reason behind the suicides.

Subedar major Anoop Kumar, posted in Delhi, had come home on leave on Saturday and had to go back on Monday. However, when he was about to leave, the couple allegedly had a quarrel after which his wife Sheela hanged herself from the ceiling fan. Soon after, Anoop too shot himself in his head from his licenced gun.

The neighbours, who heard the voice of the gunshot, rushed to their house to find Sheela hanging and Anoops body lying in blood. The two were rushed to the civil hospital, where they declared brought dead.

The police said the couple had two school-going children  a daughter studying in Class-9 and a son in Class-7  who were not at home during the incident.

We have handed over the bodies to the family after post-mortem. It seems to be an outcome of domestic feud between the couple. We are investigating if anything else could have caused it, investigation officer Balwan Singh said.
The people of Arunachal Pradesh live difficult lives under Indias illegal rule and they look forward to returning to China, a state-run Chinese daily claimed on Wednesday as it criticised New Delhi for allowing the Dalai Lama to visit the frontier state.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaderss ongoing visit to the region.

Under Indias illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China, a provocative article in the China Daily said.

The article, however, skirted the media reports about the periodic protests in Tibet, including more than 120 self- immolations by Tibetans against the Communist Chinese rule.

The Dalai Lamas visit shows he cant wait to give away Tawang district, which happens to be the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama in 1683 and is at the centre of Tibetan Buddhism, in exchange for Indias support for the survival of his separatist group.

One identity of the 14th Dalai Lama that history will record for posterity is he is a troublemaker, it said about the 81-year-old spiritual leader and Nobel laureate.

The article said the Dalai Lamas visit is testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country, as well as regional peace.

Depending on India for a living, the Dalai Lamas eagerness to please his master is understandable, but he is going too far by selling Southern Tibet in exchange for his masters favour, it said.

He has described himself a son of India more than 20 times on public occasions in recent years. He just hopes to add weight to his identity as a son of India by selling the territory to India this time, ignoring the trouble he is making for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace and stability, it said.

India and China have been negotiating to resolve the border dispute for more than 20 years but an agreement is yet to be reached.

The dispute covers the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control. While China claims parts of Arunachal as Southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute also covers the Aksai Chin area which China occupied during the 1962 Sino-India war.

The article said the Dalai Lama has betrayed regional peace. Solving the border dispute in a peaceful manner will require the courage and wisdom of the peoples of China and India. The Dalai Lamas visit to the sensitive region benefits neither.

The Dalai Lama is in Arunachal on a nine-day visit and this is not the first time he has visited the state. In 2009, the Tibetan spiritual leader visited the region, which too was opposed by the Chinese government.

China has lodged a diplomatic protest to India over the visit and a number of articles and editorials in the Chinese state media have attacked the spiritual leader over the visit.

The Chinese foreign ministry said on Tuesday it will select the next highest monk of Tibetan Buddhism through the traditional way of drawing lots from a sacred urn at Dachau Temple in Lhasa, dismissing the Dalai Lamas assertion that Beijing cannot choose his successor.

All reincarnation of the Dalai Lama has followed the religious rituals and history rules, it said in a written response to queries about the Dalai Lamas recent comments.

The article also accused the Dalai Lama of changing his stand on Arunachal Pradesh during his 58-year-long exile in India. It said, even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote Indias sovereignty over Southern Tibet at first. Yet, that gradually changed.

To support Chinas claim over parts of Arunachal Pradesh, the article cited historical events, saying the state was separated from China by the so-called McMahon Line in the early 1900s, which was a line the then foreign secretary of the British-run government of India, Henry McMahon, proposed as part of the Shimla Accord, a treaty that was never validated.
A middle-aged man and his wife were partially buried in the sand by residents of an Assam village on the suspicion of practising black magic, in the wee hours of Wednesday.

However, Dhakuakhana police said the two, who had been assaulted along with another relative, were rescued before they could be subjected to any further torture. The victims were identified as Brajen Doley (40), his wife Durgeshwari (35) and relative Amiyo Doley (32).

A local police officer said a mob whisked the three from their home at Moinaguri village in Lakhimpur district around 2 pm. After beating them, the attackers partially buried the couple in a sand pit. They were later rescued by other villagers.

We were informed about the incident around 4 am, after which we sent a constable to verify it. However, some of the attackers refused to release the victims  saying they will deliver justice themselves, said Hemanta Kumar Das, an officer with the local police station.

Following this, a police team accompanied by the village headman set off to rescue the victims. All the three had sustained injuries.

According to the couple, some of the villagers claimed to have seen them collecting soil from the scene of a villagers death. Following this, they accused them of dabbling in black magic, said Das.

There was some confusion over the extent to which the couple was buried in the sand. Some villagers say the couple was buried to their necks, while others claim it was only till their waists. We are conducting inquiries to verify what exactly happened, the police officer added.

Although nobody has been arrested till now, an FIR has been lodged against the villagers concerned under various sections pertaining to voluntarily causing grievous hurt, unlawful assembly and criminal trespass.

In 2015, the Assam assembly had passed a bill stipulating stringent measures against those targeting people in the name of witch-hunting. However, it is yet to become a law.

The incident comes less than two weeks after a few residents of Kokrajhar district accused a couple of practising black magic, and hacked them to death. The bodies were then thrown into a river.

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Medical students pursuing post graduate (PG) courses at government colleges will have to pay Rs 15 lakh if they quit the course midway. And those, who acquire PG degree also needed to serve at least three years in the state to avoid paying Rs 25 lakh to the government.

Henceforth, the students desirous of taking admission in the PG courses of government colleges in the state will have to fill up two separate bonds at the time of admission - one for not quitting the course midway and another for offering at least three years service in the state after completing their course.

A decision to introduce the bond system for PG students in medical colleges of Bihar was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Nitish Kumar here on Wednesday.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, principal secretary of cabinet secretariat department Brijesh Mehrotra said those quitting the course midway would also have to pay back the stipend paid to them, apart from the amount pledged by them in the bond they sign.

Sources in the health department said the decision to introduce the bond system was prompted by huge vacancies in non-clinical and para-clinical PG courses like forensic science, anatomy and physiology and an acute shortage of specialised doctors in district and block hospitals.

A sizable chunk of seats of para and non-clinical courses in various medical colleges were vacant for the entire session, as those pursuing PG in these courses switch to clinical sections. The practice led to shortage of teachers of non-clinical sections of medical colleges, said a senior officer of the health department.

Citing the practice of bond system in some other states, health department officials here observed that the bond for service facility would help the state improve medical facilities at the district and village levels.

There are 477 seats for PG courses in six medical colleges, including those located at Patna, Darbhanga, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Gaya. However, on an average, 450 students pass the courses every year, they added.

About 75% posts of specialised doctors have been vacant at the district and block-level hospitals in the state for the last many years.

Last year, the department had asked the Bihar Public Service Commission to recruit against about 2,700 posts of specialised doctors. But the exercise failed to achieve the purpose of filling up the vacancies, as the BPSC managed to recruit around 600 PG doctors, only.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, April 12

By Leman Zeynalova - Trend:

Azerbaijan has a huge potential in the sphere of renewables, said Aida Sitdikova, EBRD director for energy in Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia.

She made the remarks during the 4th Caspian Energy Forum in Baku April 12.

Emphasizing the ongoing activities in the sphere of renewables in Georgia and Turkey, Sitdikova noted that EBRD hopes to see similar dynamics in Azerbaijan.

"We would like to come to Azerbaijan and work here," she added.

Further, Sitdikova talked about the significance of the Southern Gas Corridor project.

Gas is a means of transition to renewables, she said, adding that this is the reason why the European Commission backs this project.

It is beneficial for new economies and it allows Europe to diversify its supply routes, said Sitdikova.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.

Follow the author on Twitter: @ Lyaman_Zeyn
A local court in Keralas Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday found notorious criminal Devinder Singh alias Bunty Chor guilty in a case relating to the burglary at the house of an NRI businessman in the states capital.

The court of the chief judicial magistrate will announce the quantum of punishment on April 22.

Bunty, who has been involved in more than 500 theft cases and managed to give police the slip on several occasions, had carried out a burglary at the high-security home with latest electronic surveillance devices of NRI businessman Venugopalan Nair in 2013.

He had cut through the bullet-proof glass door, deactivated two security alarms and close circuit television cameras and fled with an SUV worth Rs 25 lakh, a laptop, two mobile phones, a gold ring and Rs 2000 in cash.

Read | Is Bunty chor back in business?

Though he deactivated the security alarm and CCTVs, one of the cameras hidden behind a door captured his image that helped Kerala police to pinpoint him. They immediately constituted a special investigation team.

Hot on the trail, he later abandoned the stolen SUV near Bengaluru the next day. He was arrested from Pune two days later with the help of Maharashtra police.

During interrogation, he reportedly told the police that he had stolen the car to take revenge on well-known Bollywood director Dibakar Banerjee who based his film Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye on his life in 2008.

When Bunty was lodged in the high-security Poojapura Central Jail, his lawyer had approached the state jail department, saying he was suffering from acute mental illness.

The super thief has hundreds of cases against him in different states across the country. Bunty also took part in the television reality show Bigg Boss in 2010 when he was out on bail.

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A case was slapped on Wednesday on Yogesh Varshney, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth wing leader, who announced a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for beheading West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Police said a complaint was filed by Aligarh district Trinamool Congress President Ramphool Upadhyaya at the local Civil Lines Police Station.

The announcement of the bounty by the BJP Yuva Morcha leader on a video created nationwide furore, with party leaders cutting across party lines demanding stringent action against Varshney. The BJP also distanced itself from the controversy by disowning its leader.

The youth wing leader had earlier said that he was deeply hurt at a cane charge on a crowd of Hindus at Birbhum on Tuesday when they had had gathered to celebrate Hanuman Jayanti -- the birthday of Lord Hanuman.

Varshney has since apologised for his statement and withdrawn the bounty announced in the morning.

He told reporters that he made this announcement in a fit of rage and emotional outburst after seeing video footage of the cane charge in West Bengal.

Meanwhile, former legislator of the Samajwadi Party (SP) Jameer Ullah also jumped into the raging controversy on Wednesday evening and sought to get the tongue of the BJP Yuva Morcha leader chopped off.

Another complaint was filed by a Trinamool Congress counsellor on Wednesday in Kolkata.
A Congress leader and the editor-owner of a Hindi news channel were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly spreading communal hatred in the western UP town, police said.

Police said Congress leader Israt Hussain Babar was arrested in Shambal for allegedly threatening the owner of Sudarshan channel, Suresh Chavhanke, and his supporters.

Chavhanke was arrested in Lucknow for allegedly hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity between religious groups through a progamme aired between April 6 and 8.

An FIR was lodged against Sudarshans channel under various sections of IPC including those dealing with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth and over content to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public and other sections, Sambhal police station SHO, Brijmohan Giri said.

Provisions related to deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings have also been invoked, he said.

It was alleged that the channel had telecast a programme in which Chavhanke dished out objectionable content because of which tension prevailed in the city. The FIR was registered by the SHO when the matter was raised during a meeting of the peace committee on April 9, in which prominent citizens pointed out the programme telecast between April 6 to April 8.

When contacted for its response, the channel said that it condemned any attempt to suppress and intimidate the media.

We condemn any act to suppress and the intimidate the media. To protest this I will reach Sambhal on April 13, a statement issued by Chavhanke said.

He had also vowed to puja at a temple, which he claimed, was situated inside the Jama Masjid in the town. It led to communal tension in the area and additional forces were deployed to maintain peace in the town.

Meanwhile, heavy security has been deployed in the town to ensure law and order.
Cracking whip on the striking employees, the Haryana government on Wednesday suspended about 105 leaders and employees of the Haryana roadways workers union, even as the commuters continued to undergo harrowing times across the state on the third consecutive day.

Transport minister Krishan Lal Panwar told HT that he had ordered suspension of at least 105 employees including union leaders for going on flash strike without prior notice to the government.

Meanwhile, reports on the hardships being faced by the commuters came from all parts of the state as the state-run buses remained off the road for the third consecutive day.

Also Read | Thousands stranded as Haryana Roadways employees go on strike

The Haryana Roadways workers union had gone on a flash strike on Monday evening, the state government called union leaders for talks on Tuesday, which failed and the strike continued. The roadways union is protesting against the government scheme to give 853 permits to private bus operators on 273 routes and is demanding that more roadways buses be bought and run on these routes to give employment to more people.

The state government, on the other hand, says it is in process to have its own buses, but private operators services are required in the wake of a huge gap between buses and passengers.

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DMK Rajya Sabha MP MK Kanimozhi was declared elected president of The Hindu Office and National Press Employees Union in the office-bearers election held on Tuesday.

She defeated A Kingsly Solomon in the poll held to elect officer-bearers to the official employees union of The Hindu daily headquartered in Chennai.

Out of the total eligible 735 voters, 722 votes were cast including 12 postal votes and 13 abstained, sources in the union and DMK told PTI.

According to DMK sources, Kanimozhi is the first woman chief of The Hindu union. She had worked in the newspapers editorial between 1996 and 2000, they said.

The poll began at 8am and ended at 5pm on Tuesday but the number of votes polled in favour of Kanimozhi is not known and the process of completing the poll process was on, sources added.

Former Union minister and DMK leader NVN Somu was also a past president of the Union.

Former DMK MLA, NP Ramajayam, was general secretary of the union in the past.

For the post of general secretary, veteran unionist M Kamalanathan was re-elected for the fourth time in a row defeating G Kumar.
As many as 1,48,707 people were killed and 4,82,389 were injured in over 4,64,674 accidents on Indian roads in 2015. Those numbers speak volumes about the necessity to amend the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which was updated last in 2001.

The passage of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Lok Sabha on Monday was thus a milestone in road-safety movement in the country. The new bill will enable digitalisation of vehicle and license registration system to end bogus licensing, besides accountability for faulty road design and engineering,and help curb road accidents by enforcing heavier fines.

Heres how some of the key points of the new traffic rules will matter to you:

1) Pedestrians gets their way

The bill proposes giving state governments the power to regulate the activities of pedestrians and non-motorised road-users in a public place.

How it impacts you: The government has finally recognised pedestrians as a part of road traffic, giving them rights and protection. The bill talks about having separate lanes for bicycles, skaters, push-carts and other non-motorised transport.

Pedestrians have given weight in the new bill. (HT File Photo)

2) Strap on, children

The bill proposes increasing the safety of children in/on vehicles by enforcing stricter use of seat belts or a child-restraint system in cars and school-buses. Children older than four and travelling on a motorcycle have to wear a helmet.

How it impacts you: As many as 15,633 people under 18 years of age died on Indian roads in 2015: as much as 10.5% of total road fatalities that year.

3) Who dug up that road!

Contractors, consultants and civic agencies will be accountable for faulty design, construction or poor maintenance of roads leading to accidents. Those found guilty would be penalised up to Rs 1 lakh.

How it impacts you: People and civic agencies will have to face courts for bad roads and potholes. Currently, contractors get away because there is no accountability framework, says SaveLife Foundation, an NGO working for road safety.

4) Licensed to drive

People holding multiple or fake driving licences seemed an unsolvable problem till now. All regional transport offices will be computerised to set up a National Register for Driving Licences and all licences will be linked to Aadhaar to solve that problem.

How it impacts you: Its an open secret that people hire agents to get their driving licences, without going through driving tests at an RTO. Not anymore!

As transport minister Nitin Gadkari said about the new bill: Even a minister like me cannot get my licence sitting at home.

Driving licenses will have to be renewed every 10 years after the age of 30, and every 5 years after the age of 55.

(HT Illustration)

5) For insurance claims

The new rules says the liability of third party insurer for road accidents is unlimited. According to a report of PRS India legislative, the maximum liability for third party insurance in case of motor accident has been capped at Rs 10 lakh in case of death and at Rs 5 lakh in case of grievous injury.

The bill provides for a Motor Vehicle Accident Fund to provide compulsory insurance cover to road users in India for certain types of accidents.

Also, victims of hit and run accident cases will also be compensated from a Solatium Fund. The compensation has been capped at Rs 25,000 in case of deaths and Rs 12,500 in case of grievous injury.

Special laws

The bill proposes a correction home-like institution for people who violate traffic rules repeatedly. Their names will be put in public domain and they will have to undergo a driver refresher training course to get their licences back.

For the first time, the government has proposed rules for cab aggregators like Ola Cabs, Uber and Meru. Any violation of the licence conditions by these companies will lead to a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,00,000.

The bill also proposes stricter motor recall policy for vehicles which do not meet standards. It also provides for establishing testing agencies for issuing certificates of approval.

Fines

The most important part of the bill are the fines for traffic rule violations which are proposed to multiply heavily. Heres a table

The fines will increase @ 10% annually every April 1.

Section Title Existing Penalty Proposed minimum penalty 177 General Rs 100 From Rs 500 up to Rs 1,500 New 177A Violation of road rules and regulations Rs 100 From Rs 500 up to Rs. 1000 179 Disobedience of authorities orders Rs 500 Rs 2000 180 Unauthorised use of vehicles without licence Rs 1000 Rs 5000 181 Driving without licence Rs 500 Rs 5000 182 Driving despite disqualification Rs 500 Rs 10,000 182 B Oversized vehicles New Rs 5,000 - 10,000 183 Over speeding Rs 400 Rs 1000 for Light Motor Vehicle From Rs 2,000 up to Rs. 4,000 for Medium /Heavy passenger and commercial vehicles 184 Dangerous driving Rs 1000 From Rs 1000 up to Rs 5000 and/or 6 -12 months imprisonment 185 Drunken driving Rs 2000 Rs 10,000-15,000 186 Driving when mentally or physically unfit to drive Rs 200 for the first offence and Rs 500 for subsequent offence Rs 1000 for the first offence and Rs 2000 for subsequent offence 187 Punishment for offences relating to accidents Imprisonment of up to 3 months and Rs 500 fine for first offence, 6 months and Rs 1000 fine for the second offence 6 months imprisonment and Rs 5000 fine for the first offence, and one year imprisonment and Rs 10,000 for subsequent offence 189 Speeding / racing Rs 500 Rs 5,000 192 A Vehicle without permit Up to Rs 5000 Up to Rs 10,000 193 Aggregators like Ola, Uber, Meru (violations of licensing conditions) New Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,00,000 194 Overloading Rs 2000 and Rs 1000 per extra tonne Rs 20,000 and Rs 2000 per extra tonne 194 A Overloading of passengers New Rs 200 per extra passenger 194 B Seat belt Rs 100 Rs 1000 for violation

Child restraint: Rs. 1000/- 194 C Overloading of two-wheelers Rs 100 Rs 1000 , Disqualification of licence for 3 months 194 D Not wearing helmet Rs 100 Rs 1000, disqualification for 3 months for licence 194 E Not providing way for emergency vehicles New Rs 10,000, six months imprisonment 196 Driving without vehicle insurance Rs 1000 Rs 2000 and /or three months imprisonment 198 A Failure to comply with standards for road design, construction and maintenance New Up to Rs 1,00,000 199 Offences by juveniles New Guardian of the juvenile and/or owner of the vehicle shall be deemed to be guilty, to be fined Rs 25,000 with three-year imprisonment. Juvenile to be tried under Juvenile Justice Act, and vehicles registration to be cancelled 210 B Offences committed by enforcing authorities Twice the penalty under the corresponding section
The Election Commission on Wednesday threw an open challenge to people to hack its EVMs, a move which comes after opposition parties urged it to revert to the paper ballot system as they raised doubts over infallibility of the machines.

From the first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines, an official source said.

They said the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days and will have various levels.

The Commission had announced a similar challenge in 2009 and it claimed no one could hack its electronic voting machines (EVMs).

Several political parties have raised doubts over the reliability of the EVMs after the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJPs) unexpectedly massive victory in Uttar Pradesh elections last month.

Following the Aam Aadmi Partys underwhelming performance in the Punjab assembly polls, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had alleged that the EVMs could be manipulated.

The commission rejected the allegations made by Kejriwal as completely baseless and said that they were made without verifying the facts.

The issue of faulty EVMs was raised again after reports that a VVPAT machine used during a trial in Madhya Pradeshs Bhind only dispensed slips with the ruling BJPs poll symbol.
It was yet another informal meeting of the council of ministers of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar in Haryana on Tuesday. But in this agenda-less meeting that lasted near two hours, the cabinet took a host of decisions such as giving liberty to the ministers to transfer employees of their departments till April 30.

As a section of the ministers pitched in the proposition of opening the general transfers demanding that they should be allowed to transfer employees on their own, the agenda was readily accepted with unanimity.

And within hours, the office of the chief secretary DS Dhesi issued formal orders to implement the general transfer decision. on consideration of the matter (general transfers), the government has decided that the Ministers-in-charge would be competent to effect transfers in their respective departments, reads the formal order, pointing out that transfers will be open for Class-3 and Class-4 employees, excluding the teaching staff of the education department.

In the Khattar council of ministers, there are nine cabinet ministers (including CM) and five ministers of state with independent charge who meet every week in the absence of nosey bureaucrats to discuss hot-button political and administrative issues.

Issues to be tabled in the formal cabinet meetings are debated in this informal meeting. The objective is to iron out the differences, if any. This exercise saves time during the formal cabinet meetings and the decisions are quick, a cabinet minister said.

SPECIAL SESSION TO PASS GST BILL

While the cabinet meeting was fixed for April 18, it was also decided to convene a special session of Haryana Vidhan Sabha to pass the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill. The cabinet left it to chief minister Khattar to decide when to hold the assembly session.

Besides, a cabinet sub-committee headed by agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar will be set up to hold a survey of the below poverty line (BPL) families.

Sources say the contentious issue of illegal beneficiaries of social security pension also cropped up in the meeting. During a function in Sirsa last Sunday, the chief minister had stated that social welfare department had identified persons who were taking pension illegally and that recovery notices were issued.

According to social justice and empowerment minister Krishan Kumar, the chief minister decided that those availing benefits of social security pension schemes in a wrongful manner but had now crossed the age of 60 years will be given the benefit of pension. However, the amount of pension availed wrongfully would be recovered by deducting half of their monthly pension, the minister said.

BJP TOP GUNS TO VISIT ROHTAK, HISAR AND SIRSA

With an eye on 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to strengthen its position in the three Lok Sabha seatsSirsa, Hisar and Rohtak--that the party had lost in 2014 polls. The BJP has deputed Union minister Piyush Goyal; former Union minister Uma Bharti and national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya to visit these parliamentary seats on April 13 and hold meetings with the cadre.

While Goyal will visit Rohtak, Bharti will go to Hisar and Kailash will tour Sirsa Lok Sabha seat, according to Rajiv Jain, the BJPs media cell in-charge. Haryana has 10 parliamentary seats and BJP had won seven in 2014.

BLURB Haryana ministers given liberty to transfer employees of their departments till April 30

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The government wants the Supreme Court to reconsider a landmark decision that restrained the army from using excessive or retaliatory force in Indias conflict regions and ordered investigations into hundreds of alleged extra-judicial killings in Manipur between 1979 and 2012.

The top courts judgment last July ruled that despite the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, the armed forces cannot use excessive and retaliatory force in Manipur.

Human rights campaigners call the law draconian as it gives security forces extra-judicial powers during anti-insurgency operations. The Afspa shields troops from prosecution and is in force in parts of the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir.

Read | Law that should go: Supreme Court challenges Afspas license to kill

The Centre filed on Wednesday a curative petition, saying the courts verdict is hampering the armys ability to respond to insurgency-related situations and its daily operations in Kashmir and the Northeast, both regions torn by militancy.

Its an issue of national security, attorney general Mukul Rohatgi said before a bench headed by Chief Justice JS Khehar, and appealed for the petition to be listed for an open-court hearing.

A curative petition is the last legal recourse available after a litigant exhausts all remedies such as appeals and review pleas.

Chances of success are rare. But in recent years, the court has admitted such pleas that raised important constitutional matters.

The top court had said in its verdict on Afspa last year that excessive force could be used only when a soldier is defending himself in a combat with terrorists.

The decision was seen as the strongest judicial rebuke of the armys special shoot-to-kill powers, which trace their origins to a British-era ordinance used to suppress the Quit India Movement of 1942. The army denies misusing the law.

The Centre defended its military actions in conflict areas and said the army was not a rogue. Any proactive action in maintaining peace and law and order was curtailed by the verdict, it argued.

Any retaliatory measure to neutralize terrorists/militants would be branded as excessive force or an extra-judicial execution which runs counter to the very purpose of Afspa, the petition says.

The 2016 verdict was cheered by activists, who have long pointed to a lack of oversight of military personnel.

The decision came on petitions demanding investigation into 1,528 alleged cases of extra-judicial killings by the army in the northeastern state. The petitioners complained of the abuse of special powers available to army officers.

But, according to the Centre, the courts interpretation of the law was not in consonance with the ground realities that the armed forces face in Manipur, which has several secessionist groups.

If the position maintained by the impugned order continues it may, one day, be well-nigh impossible to maintain peace and security, the Centre said.

The army has to take quick decisions that cannot be dissected nor can be judicially reviewed like any other murder appeal, the government argued.

Also, it contended that the verdict would lower the morale of the armed forces, especially personnel who spend a lifetime risking their lives to safeguard the nations sovereignty and integrity.

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Catch the corrupt, but do not trample (upon) the dignity of others. Thats the sane advice Haryana cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ashok Khemka has given to union minister Piyush Goyal .

As per reports the provocation behind the 1991 IAS batch and principal secretary rank officer Khemka taking a dig at the union minister was a video in which the power minister Piyush Goyal was seen allegedly and aggressively cautioning officials of his ministry to desist from indulging in corruption. The video was recently circulated on social media.

A viral video shows a central minister speaking deprecatingly in official meeting. Catch the corrupt, but do not trample dignity of others, Khemka stated in his tweet.

A viral video shows a central minister speaking deprecatingly in official meeting.

Catch the corrupt, but do not trample dignity of others.  Ashok Khemka, IAS (@AshokKhemka_IAS) April 11, 2017

The 1965 born IAS officer is known for speaking out his mind and at times even crossing the proverbial lakshaman rekha.

In another April 8 tweet, the officer has said: Good governance suffers when poor quality advocates stuffed in office of AG.

Good governance suffers when poor quality advocates stuffed in office of AG.  Ashok Khemka, IAS (@AshokKhemka_IAS) April 9, 2017
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

European countries need to diversify energy supplies with the help of Azerbaijani gas, said Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic in a video message to the participants of the 4th International Caspian Energy Forum-2017 being held in Baku Apr. 12.

Despite certain achievements, the EU remains vulnerable in this matter, especially when it comes to the Balkans, Eastern Europe and the Baltic region, Grabar-Kitarovic said.

She noted that expanding cooperation in the energy sector will allow Europe to feel more secure and competitive.

In order to achieve these goals, Europe has become more cooperative with the countries of the Caspian region, she said.

The Southern Gas Corridor project is very important for the EU, its energy security and diversification of energy supplies, and thats why Azerbaijan is an important partner for Europe, Grabar-Kitarovic said.

The Croatian president added that her country intends to continue cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sphere.

This is of great importance not only for Croatia, but also for the countrys neighbors, she said.

The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of gas from the Caspian region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey.

At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor projects. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage.

As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans Adriatic Pipeline.
Gurmehar Kaur, who was trolled after she took on the RSS-backed ABVP last month, has finally broken her silence. The 20-year-old on Tuesday posted the link to her blog on social networking sites. In the post I am, she writes: My father is a martyr. I am his daughter. But. I am not your Martyrs Daughter.

The blog starts with a question: Who am I? Am I who the trolls think I am? Am I what the media portrayed me as? No, I cant be any of that. She says, I am an idealist. An athlete. A peacenik. I am not your angry, vindictive war mongering bechari you hoped me to be.

Speaking to HT on Wednesday, the Lady Shri Ram College student said she will write an article every week. Right now a lot has been going in my mind. I will pen down my feelings, she said, and added: My exams are in May but I will keep on writing the blog.

While talking to HT last month, Kaur had claimed she may write an article on her confrontation with the ABVP soon. I love to read books. I also like to write. So I may just pen an article on the entire issue, she had said.

Gurmehar had grabbed headlines after one of her older social media posts on her father, Captain Mandeep Singh, and her perceptions about Pakistan and war, went viral.

She became the face of the fight against the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and even received rape threats on social media.
India on Wednesday thanked Somalia for rescuing 10 Indians working as crew on a commercial vessel hijacked by pirates.

I am happy to inform that 10 Indian nationals working as crew on MV AL Kausar which was hijacked by pirates have been rescued, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

We thank Federal Government of Somalia, Galmudug state authorities and people of Somalia for their help and cooperation. /2  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 12, 2017

Swaraj also thanked Indias High Commissioner in Kenya Suchitra Durai for her efforts in securing the release of the Indians.

Somalia security forces today freed eight Indian sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off the hijacked Indian ship earlier this week.

Pirates stormed the Al Kausar ship off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31, holding the 10-man crew hostage.

Somali security forces liberated the vessel on Monday, rescuing two Indian crew members, but the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages.
Kerala revenue minister E M Chandrasekharan on Wednesday came down heavily on state intelligence chief, additional DGP, B S Mohammed Yasin after he mistook him for agriculture minister Sunil Kumar.

Chandrasekharan blew his top after Yasin arrived at his official residence in the morning asked him whether he was Sunil Kumar. He even told the minister that he has taken an appointment with Sunil Kumar in the morning. He moved out after realising his mistake but not before Chandrasekharan gave him a dressing down.

It is sad a senior police officer couldnt recognise ministers. And that too it happened to the state intelligence chief, the minister expressed his displeasure in public. He said though there was no need for a meeting with the intelligence chief but since the latter sought an appointment after reaching his residence he decided to meet him.

State intelligence chief BS Mohammed Yasin claims his driver made a mistake and drove to the revenue ministers residence instead of the agriculture ministers. (HT Photo)

Both ministers belong to the CPI, a partner in the ruling Left Democratic Front. Later Chandrasekharan asked his staff to guide Yasin to Sunil Kumars house.

Yasin played down the incident claiming that his driver took him to the wrong house and asserted that he knew all ministers personally. He had sought an appointment with agriculture minister Sunil Kumar to sort an issue of setting up an intelligence office in Thrissur being represented by the minister.

The incident turned funnier after Kumar vouched that he knew Yasin personally and met him on several occasions. Hailing from Andhra Pradesh the senior officer, known for his integrity, had held many positions including the police commissioner of Kochi. He bagged the Presidents medal last year.

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Ruckus prevailed briefly at the end of a conference in New Delhi on Tuesday as several members of the media mobbed Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit and former foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri, forcing the envoy to make a hasty exit.

Kasuri was in Delhi to attend the conference on Improving Indo-Pak Relations at the India International Centre that was also attended by senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani.

During the event, some reporters asked questions to Kasuri and Basit on the death sentence awarded to Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. But both of them declined to answer.

As soon as the event got over, reporters and camerapersons first mobbed Basit to get his response on the sentence, which has been condemned by India.

The high commissioner then sought to make a quick exit, but was chased by reporters on the stairscase and in the IIC lawns until he sped away in his car.

Kasuri sought to exit through a different route but was pursued by the media men who asked questions for nearly 10-15 minutes, including on issues of consulate access being sought by India.

The former Pakistan foreign minister was then escorted away by the organisers.

Pakistan sentenced Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi, the militarys media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said in a statement.

According to ISPR, Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage actives in Pakistans restive Balochistan province and Karachi city.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.

Earlier in the day, a group of people led by Congress leader Shehzad Poonawalla protested outside the Pakistan high commission against the death sentence of Jadhav.

The protesters, numbered around 18-20, arrived outside the high commission around 10.30am and were detained and taken to Chankayapuri police station, said a senior police officer.

The protesters were detained for a couple of hours and later released, he said.

Poonawalla was taken inside the commission by police, and he submitted a memorandum seeking the overturning of the death sentence awarded to Jadhav in the alleged espionage case.

Was taken to Pak HC from back gate to give memorandum seeking justice for Kulbhushan Now being taken back to Chanakyapuri police station, read one of Poonawallas tweets.
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has indirectly opposed the death sentence handed out to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav for spying, saying the issue is controversial but his party is against capital punishment on principle.

The issue of Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav is controversial. He must not have been here in the first place, Bilawal told reporters on Tuesday.

Recalling that his maternal grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also sentenced to death, he said his party is against capital punishment on principle.

PPP Punjab president and former federal information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said the Indias reaction on Jadhavs death sentence was natural.

In fact Nawaz Sharif government has failed to tell the world about the chargesheet on Jadhav. Had India arrested such a Pakistani spy it would have propagated a lot in the world, he said.

Pakistans former attorney general Anwar Mansoor Khan said Jadhav can file a review appeal before the army chief or the Supreme Court against his sentence.

In case of rejection of his petition, he may file mercy plea before the President, he said, adding this is a long process and it may take more than two years.

Pakistan sentenced Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi, the militarys media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had said in a statement.

According to ISPR, Jadhav alias Hussein Mubarak Patel was arrested on March 3, 2016 from Mashkel area of Balochistan for his involvement in espionage and sabotage actives in Pakistans restive Balochistan province and Karachi city.

India had acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government.
Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj has said India would go out of its way to save Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former navy officer facing death on allegations of spying in Pakistan, and appoint good lawyers to get the guilty verdict overturned.

Top Indian experts feel that there wouldnt be a dearth of lawyers to represent Jadhav but warn that many might be unwilling to challenge the powerful Pakistani army establishment. Here are the top four Pakistani lawyers that India can tap to save Jadhav from the gallows:

Asma Jehangir: A noted human rights lawyer and activist, Jehangir is a former president of the Pakistani Supreme Court bar association and is considered a top name in defence of human rights in the neighbouring country.

Ansar Burney: A veteran lawyer and activist, Burney is also a formal federal minister for human rights and has worked with the United Nations. He has worked prominently on rights of prisoners and has railed against the death penalty.

Jibran Nasir: A young lawyer and activist, Nasir shot into the spotlight for taking on clerics and religious extremists in the aftermath of the Peshawar school shooting that left 150 people dead.

Aitzaz Ahsan: A former president of the Supreme Court bar association and leader of the lawyers movement that who defended the then suspended chief justice of Pakistan against corruption charges.

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Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday demanded strict action against Pakistan where a court awarded death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav.

A Pakistani military court on Monday awarded death sentence to Jadhav after declaring him a spy.

Merely expressing feelings or threatening Pakistan of consequences will not work now. Now is the time for direct action to teach them a permanent lesson. Jadhav has to be brought back at the earliest, Thackeray told reporters at his residence Matoshree in suburban Bandra.

He said the Sena was criticised when it protested the welcoming of Pakistani politicians and artistes in India, but after events such as the awarding of death penalty to Jadhav, the nationalism of people suddenly springs up.

Notably, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday made a statement in both the Houses of Parliament, asserting that India will go out of way to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an innocent kidnapped Indian.

Asked about the fate of Sena-BJP relations after his party attended the NDA constituents meet in New Delhi earlier this week, Thackeray said, Relations are going in the right direction at a snails pace.
There was no reason to doubt Pakistans legal system, senior National Conference leader Sheikh Mustafa Kamal has said after a military court in that country awarded death sentence to retried Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav for spying.

Jadhavs sentencing that came as a shock has caused widespread anger, with India warning the neighbour of serious consequences for ties if 46-year-old Jadhav was executed.

Why should anybody doubt the legal system of Pakistan without any proof just because New Delhi doesnt like the country, the Kashmiri leader said on Tuesday, a day after Jadhavs sentencing.

As far as he knew, spies were always tried in army courts in Pakistan, where a convict could seek relief from the supreme court and even the president, said Kamal, who is an uncle of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah.

India says charges against Jadhav are concocted.

The NC leader said Jadhavs conviction was an internal matter of Pakistan.

It is a legal matter and if there is any objection we should bring proof we should present proof to indicate where they have wronged. Why should Delhi question the legal system of Pakistan, he said.

Kamal, known for his controversial statements, also accused Delhi of Pakistan bashing, which he said had worsened the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The fact is todays government does not like Pakistan. There is inherent deep rooted hatred of Pakistan in the establishment in Delhi, not the people of India. They should give it up, he said.

Delhis view point may not have a bearing on rest of the country but it had repercussions for Jammu and Kashmir.

And I am sure the J&K problem is hanging fire since 1947 as a legacy of partition. New Delhi is trying its utmost to go around the problem instead of heading for the problem straight, this further complicates the issue of J&K, said Kamal.

His views are in line with the recent remarks of his older brother, Farooq Abdullah, who recently contested the Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll and stirred a controversy by saying stone-pelting youth were giving up their life for resolution of the Kashmir issue.

Pakistan was a failed state and India should help it instead of creating more problems, Kamal said.

I am saying openly it is a failed state. Instead of helping a neighbour, they removed half of it in the form of Bangladesh, he said.
Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has said the trial of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death for spying, was carried out according to prescribed legal procedure, the Dawn has reported.

On Monday, Pakistan said a military court sentenced Jadhav to death for allegedly spying and stoking violence in Balochistan, drawing an angry response from New Delhi which said it will be a premeditated murder if carried out.

Jadhav was arrested in March last year in Balochistan and accused of being a Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agent fuelling the Baloch separatist movement and attempting to sabotage the $46-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. India denies the charges.

A statement by the Pakistani militarys publicity wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said Jadhav was declared guilty of waging war against the country.

For anyone involved in espionage and sabotage, the case is tried in military court, a lawyer is assigned to defend the accused and the procedure is the same for Pakistanis as well as foreigners. Jadhav was tried according to the same procedure, Dawn quoted as Musharraf saying during a discussion on popular Pakistani television network ARY TV.

Jadhav opted for a civilian defence lawyer, which was provided to him, it is a misconception that there is no defence in court-martial cases. Consul access was denied to him as it was a case of espionage, it is standard practice. As for his options, according to military law Jadhav can appeal to an appellate bench or take the matter to the Supreme Court if that doesnt work out, the last resort is a mercy plea to the president, the former president added.

He further said Jadhavs trial was not conducted in a hurry as the accused had already given his statement and there were facts and figures available to him, so the trial took as long as it was expected to take.

Musharraf said the relevant personnel in the government knew about the trial as well as the verdict before it was shared with the media. There is also talk in Indian media that the civilian government (of Pakistan) did not know of the case, which is not true as the defence minister gave a statement on the matter as soon as the news came out, Musharraf said.

The ties between the neighbours are at their lowest in several years following a string of militant attacks on defence installations in India, which New Delhi blames on Pakistan-based groups.

Indian foreign secretary S Jaishankar summoned Pakistani high commissioner Abdul Basit and handed over a demarche describing the court proceedings as farcical shortly after the Pakistani army issued the statement regarding Jadhav.

Dawn reported that Musharraf said India might try to get even with Pakistan for Jadhavs death penalty.

International intelligence is a dirty game. Pakistan now needs to remain vigilant as they [India] might try to sabotage us by picking up some Pakistani and portray them as a Pakistani spy and try to get back at us, Musharraf, a former military ruler, said.

He also said that Pakistan may face a backlash when the Indian government will raise the matter on international forums.

One thing is certain that they [India] will create a hue and cry about it internationally, their media has already started to do that. And in the west, the death penalty is not looked at in a very favourable light so, of course, they are going to use that as a defence, Musharraf said.

He also said the strain between India and Pakistan man deepen and that there will be a sharp rise in tension between Pakistan and India.

Their media has already started using their pet term rogue army. If they think our army is rogue, what is their army doing in Kashmir, have they forgotten what happened to Sikhs in their country? Pakistan has to stand fast against Indias accusations of the move being of premeditated murder, Musharraf said.

I would like to remind everyone of how India dealt with Ajmal Kasab. Kasab was one non-state actor involved in one incident, this man was responsible for launching several such incidents in Balochistan and Karachi. Who is a greater criminal if we were to talk numbers? he asked.

Talking about the future of Pakistan-India relation Musharraf said, This singular incident should be set to one side and both countries should actively try to move forward in their overall relationship

Dawn said the former president refused to comment on what the army chief should do if Jadhav enters a mercy plea with him, saying he did not wish to influence any decisions.

The current chief is a wise man, he will weigh all the pros and cons of the case and then come up with a decision. We all know this case is not simple.

Pakistan had hanged an Indian, Sheikh Shamim, on charges of spying in 1999 and had sentenced others to death over the same charge. Though several suspected Pakistani spies have been arrested in India over the years, none had been sentenced to death.

Last December, Pakistans foreign policy adviser Sartaj Aziz told the upper house of Parliament that the dossier on Jadhav contained mere statements and didnt have any conclusive evidence. Hours later, Pakistan denied the statement.

Pakistan army released a confessional video of Jadhav who is purportedly heard saying that he was serving the Indian navy. In the video, Jadhav allegedly says he arrived in Iran in 2003 and started a small business in Chahbahar.

Islamabad also repeatedly refused Indias request for access to Jadhav, who allegedly held an Iranian residency permit and a passport in the name of Hussain Mubarak Patel. The place of birth given in this passport was apparently Sangli, Maharashtra.

Pakistan has accused India of fomenting unrest in Balochistan, the countrys largest province, but it has never offered any evidence to back up its claims. India last year launched a new offensive by highlighting Pakistans alleged human rights abuses in Balochistan.
Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dismissed as a regular affair a Rs 11-lakh bounty on her head by a BJP youth wing leader and vowed to spread the Trinamool Congresss reach to Indias heartland.

Her comments came shortly after the Centre gave her a free hand to take legal action against Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, who offered the bounty over what he said was the Bengal governments bias against Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti.

I am regularly targeted with offensive words. But, the more they say such things, the more we will progress, Banerjee said at a public rally in Domkal of Murshidabad district.

From Bengal to Jharkhand to Uttar Pradesh...we will spread out towards Delhi.

The Trinamool Congress also sent out a series of tweets from Mamatas rally.

I participate in Durga Puja. I also participate in Eid, I go to church. Who are you to stop me? Mamata was quoted as saying, in an apparent reference to the BJP youth leaders allegations.

You can abuse me as much as you want. I pray to God to forgive them, they do not know what they are saying.

In Kolkata, a Muslim cleric known for announcing fatwas against political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and author Salman Rushdie, made a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for the BJP youth wing leaders head.

Mamata Banerjee is our respected leader and I consider her as my sister...It is expected that fascist RSS-BJP will be speaking the language of hoodlums, Nur-ur Rehman Barkati, imam of Kolkatas Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque and one of the most influential Muslim clerics in the state, told Hindustan Times.

The issue was raised in both Houses of Parliament by Trinamool Congress members and all major political parties, including the Congress, Left, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party.

Party Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Shekhar Roy highlighted the matter on the floor of the in the Upper House, saying the BJP youth activist publicly described West Bengal CM as a demon.

There were attempts on her life in the 90s. Later, she was beaten up and dragged by her hairs during various movements during the Left Front regime. These people are misfits in politics and it seems they have opened a dictionary of bad words be it Dilip Ghosh (Bengal BJP president) or this BJP leader from Aligarh, Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of Trinamool Congress, said.

The BJP leader should be immediately arrested. Why is he roaming free after making such a statement?

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: I strongly condemn such type of statements. The state government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue.

In the Rajya Sabha, deputy chairman PJ Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

Intellectuals in Kolkata also expressed shock at the statement.

How can one say such things? He should be immediately arrested. In which country are we living? One cannot say such things, noted writer Nabanita Deb Sen said.

Debesh Chattopadhyay, theatre personality, said, It is time people should get together against such religious fundamentalism. This is an attack against democracy.

West Bengal  where Banerjee returned to power with a thumping majority last year  has seen mounting clashes between state forces and right-wing elements, who say the Trinamool Congress is biased towards Muslims and is anti-Hindu.

The state sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha and is widely considered one of the toughest bastions for the BJP  which has won a string of assembly elections  to breach.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Elena Kosolapova  Trend:

Oil and other liquids supply will further rise in OPEC countries and reach 39.51 million barrels per day in 2017 and 40.21 million barrels per day in 2018, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its April 2017 Short-Term Energy Outlook.

The forecast for 2017 was decreased compared to the March 2017 Short-Term Energy Outlook, when OPEC oil and other liquids supply was forecast at 39.53 million barrels per day.

EIAs forecast for 2018, in contrast, increased compared to the previous outlook, when it was at 40.2 million barrels per day.

Production of oil and other liquids in OPEC countries totaled 38.99 million barrels per day in 2016, according to the EIA.

The biggest share of OPEC production falls on Saudi Arabia  10.42 million barrels of oil per day in 2016, according to the EIA. Iraq with 4.43 million barrels of oil per day in 2016 ranks second among the OPEC countries. Iran, which produced 3.49 million barrels of oil per day in 2016, is the third largest oil producer in OPEC.

OPEC has 13 members  Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Venezuela and Gabon.

In late 2016, OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached a deal to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day starting from Jan. 1, 2017 for six months, extendable for another six months, with top exporter Saudi Arabia cutting as much as 486,000 bpd.

Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova
Resumption of talks with Pakistan can possibly help India to secure the life of Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said on Wednesday.

We must send signals to Pakistan that we are interested in talks. Had we continued talks with Pakistan, such incident (death penalty to Jadhav) perhaps would have not occurred, Aiyar, a strong advocate of Indo-Pak ties, told HT

The Narendra Modi government has announced it will go out of the way to save Jadhav, a former Indian navy officer, sentenced to death on Monday for espionage.

Opposition parties have backed the government as it explores ways to counter the punishment and bring Jadhav back to India safely.

Aiyar, who has often been criticized for his support for Indo-Pak friendship, maintained that New Delhi can also go around the world to drum up support in favour of Jadhav.

But I dont know whether it can be an effective way to defuse this current crisis. Remember that the world had appealed to General Zia ul-Haq not to hang Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, but he ignored the appeals and killed Bhutto, he said.

Aiyar, a former diplomat who had served in Pakistan, also suggested that Indian might use its bargaining chip if it has any Pakistani facing similar charges as Jadhav in any Indian jail.

In case we have any Pakistani in detention in Indian jail under similar conditions, we might bargain with Pakistan.

The Congress veteran is optimist that in case of a legal battle, New Delhi has bright chances of getting a top-rated lawyer to represent Jadhav in Pakistans Supreme Court.

There are many brilliant lawyers who are sympathetic to India. We can possibly engage Asma Jahangir or Aitzaz Ahsan to save Jadhav, he said.

Jahangir is a reputed human rights lawyer while Ahsan had been an Opposition leader in Pakistan Senate.

Jadhav now has less than 60 days to appeal against the death sentence.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day maiden visit to Israel on July 5, the first by an Indian PM, and mark 25 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries, officials said on Wednesday.

Modi will be in Israel on July 5 and 6 en route to the July 7-8 G-20 Summit at Hamburg, Germany.

Preparatory work for the historic first has already begun, with defence secretary G Mohan Kumar bound for Tel Aviv on April 24-26 for a high-power joint working group meeting on military cooperation.

India is keen to jointly develop an armed drone with long endurance and high survivability in the war theatre, officials said.

Foreign secretary S Jaishankar will also visit Israel early next month, even as India plays host to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Thank you, my friend, for your kind holiday greeting. The people of Israel eagerly await your historic visit. https://t.co/Is1NmfWiMF  Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) April 11, 2017

Though Israel is among the top four military hardware suppliers to India, with more than $1 billion in annual sales to New Delhi, the Modi government is keen to ensure that this visit is not focused on defence ties alone, but encompasses long-term economic and technological cooperation, resulting in a free-trade agreement.

Modis visit will be an open acknowledgement of Indias close ties with Israel, and also pave the way for transfer of high-end agricultural technologies that will benefit Indian farmers.

In the context of West Asia and the Af-Pak region, terrorism will top the agenda, and Israel is expected to brief the Indian prime minister of the role of Irans support to Shia extremist groups in destabilising Iraq and Syria. Tel Aviv will also share its assessment on the spread of the so-called Islamic State (IS).

Modis itinerary in Israel is still be worked out, but the larger part of the two-day programme will be aimed at people-to-people interaction, and the charting out of an agenda for future exchanges, the officials said.

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Panjab University students who clashed with police on Tuesday over fee hike have not been charged with sedition, police have said.

The university authorities, too, have taken back their complaint of sedition and now insist their remarks were misinterpreted.

Initially we said there were slogans against the state. But when I got to know that the police were slapping sedition charge, I personally went to police station and clarified in writing that the slogans were raised against UGC (University Grants Commission), MHRD (ministry of human resource and development) and PU, universitys chief security officer Ashwani Kaul told HT on Wednesday.

We also asked police to see video clipping. Everyone was there and saw what happened. There is no u-turn. We never meant sedition.

Fifty-two students were arrested after groups of them clashed with police outside the office of the vice chancellor on the campus in Chandigarh, throwing stones and even flower pots at the personnel.

Police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse them, injuring students and security personnel.

The Chandigarh Police, which reports to the union home ministry, too, were reluctant to register a case of sedition, which can invite death penalty, source said.

Senior officers asked the staff to verify if students acts amounted to sedition or waging a war against the state, sources said.

We are not registering case of sedition though we can always add any more sections if these are needed after investigation, a police official said.

Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana, is a union territory administered by the Centre.

The Modi government has been accused of stifling dissent and using campuses to back the Hindutva agenda of the ruling BJPs ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. The sedition charge would have been as added embarrassment.

The scale of violence in PU, which is also the alma mater of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, was unprecedented. The university, where Singh was a student as well as a teacher, resembled a war zone, with broken windows, glass shards, stones and flower pots littering the campus.

A few students, who were being chased by the police, entered a gurdwara on the campus. Police officials surrounded the shrine to force them out.

Classes had to be suspended in several departments due to the shutdown called by the students.

The fee hike, applicable from the coming (2017-18) academic session, is over 1,000% in some courses.

University authorities said the fee was hiked on the directions of the HRD ministry and the UGC, the countrys higher education watchdog.

The university is grappling with financial crisis for the last two-three years, with grants from the Centre and the Punjab government not coming in regularly. It is struggling to pay the faculty and other staff.

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Assam Rifles has engaged services of nutritionists to prepare a standard menu based on calorific requirement of its troops, and other paramilitary forces are having monthly mess meetings to address any grievances over food quality, the government told Parliament.

In January, a video posted by a BSF trooper Tej Bahadur Yadav deployed at the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir created a controversy over the quality of food served to soldiers at army camps. Posted on Facebook, the video showed a meal box comprising a watery soup-like dal, which he said had only turmeric and salt, and a burnt roti.

Yadav alleged that this is what jawans were served at mealtime, and that jawans often went to bed on empty stomach.

The video was widely shared on social media, sparking outrage.Union home minister Rajnath Singh also ordered an inquiry into the allegations, which is still on.

Responding to a question in the Parliament, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said a mechanism were in place to check quality of food being served to soldiers.

Forces (CAPFs) while deployed under Ops Control of Army procure ration as per defence food specification/Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Also, some forces like Assam Rifles is reported to have engaged nutritionist to prepare a standard menu based on calorific requirement of troops, said Rijiju.

In all paramilitary forces unit medical officer or duty officer or senior officer check food for its nutritious value and quality during their visits, said the minister.

Monthly mess meeting is carried out to look into grievances and further improvements in the quality of food. In addition, this ministry has also advised the forces that the senior officers may also partake the food prepared for jawans and endorse a note on the quality and quantity of food in inspection register, added the minister.

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More than 1,400 Sikhs arrived in Lahore from India on Wednesday to participate in the Baisakhi Festival at Gurudwara Hasan Abdal in Rawalpindi district of Pakistans Punjab province.

The Sikhs, who arrived on three special trains, were greeted by the officials of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbhandik Committee at the Wagah railway station amidst tight security.

Some 1,430 Sikh Yatrees arrived here today via Wagah Border on three special trains. After immigration and serving them food they left for Gurdwara Punja Sahib Hasan Abdal, ETPB deputy director (shrines) Fraz Abbas told PTI.

We were expecting more than 2,000 yatrees to arrive from India for the festival. However, only six yatrees travelled by the third train, he said.

But he was not aware of the reason as to why less number of devotees reached for the festival.

Abbas said special measures have been taken to provide security to the visiting Sikh pilgrims. The Rangers and Elite Force besides police personnel have been engaged to provide security to the Sikhs, Abbas said.

In the wake of recent terror attacks in Lahore the government has taken extra-ordinary security measures for the visiting Sikhs. The main event will be held on April 14.

The Sikhs would also visit Gurdwara Janamesthan Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Soda in Farooqabad, Gurdwara Kartarpur Narowal and Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore.

The Sikh Yatrees will visit Gurdwara Dera Sahib Lahore on April 18, Kartarpur Narowal on April 19 and return to Lahore on the same day.

A seminar titled Besakhi will be held in Lahore on April 20 where Punjab Governor Malik Rafique Rajwana will be the chief guest.

They will return to India on April 21.

ETPB Chairman Sididqul said that special arrangements have been made for the Indian Sikhs. Security of Gurdwaras in Pakistan has been given to the Pakistan Rangers. Pakistani people want good relations with India and prayed for easing tension between the two countries, he said.

Sardar Balvinder Singh, a visiting Sikh leader, expressed his gratitude to the ETPB for arrangements for the Indian Sikhs.

He, however, complained that the immigration process at Wagah was slow.

The immigration process should be fast so that the yatrees leave for their Gurdwaras, he said, adding the people of both the countries want peace and not war.
Pakistans top officials toughened on Wednesday their stand on the death sentence for an Indian national accused of espionage, saying his trial was fair and that Islamabad wouldnt bow to pressure from New Delhi.

Abdul Basit, Islamabads top envoy to New Delhi, said Kulbhushan Jadhav, a retired Indian naval officer, was tried in a military court because he was not a civilian, a treatment that was given also to Pakistani citizens accused of similar crimes.

Basits explanation was in response to Indias questioning of the fairness of Jadhavs court-martial in utter secrecy  a trial that external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj called farcical. India denies the charges against 46-year-old Jadhav, who was sentenced for espionage and sabotage activities on Monday.

The charges against Jadhav were such that he could not be tried in a civil court and he was also provided defence counsel, Basit said in an interview with India Today TV, adding Jadhav had been visiting Pakistan since 2003 using an original Indian passport but a fake name.

The Pakistani envoy said 270 people, including Pakistanis, were tried in these courts that deal with terrorism-related cases.

Pakistans former president Pervez Musharraf echoed Basit.

For anyone involved in espionage and sabotage, the case is tried in military court, a lawyer is assigned to defend the accused and the procedure is the same for Pakistanis as well as foreigners, he was quoted as saying by Pakistans ARY TV.

Meanwhile, Indian officials said the government was working on possible legal steps to save Jadhav. It was also considering more measures to put diplomatic pressure on Pakistan, and seek consular access to the condemned man.

India and Pakistan routinely accuse each other of sending spies into their countries and it is not uncommon for either to expel diplomats accused of espionage, particularly at times of high tension. However death sentences have rarely been passed in such cases in recent years, and trials of alleged spies have largely gone through civilian courts.

As New Delhi stepped up its offensive over the death sentence, the Nawaz Sharif government deployed senior ministers to defend the action.

Pakistans minister of state for information Marriyum Aurangzeb told reporters the country will not bow to pressure from India to release Jadhav. Federal minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also said no law was broken or changed to arrest or sentence Jadhav.

Earlier in the day, local media reported that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa also agreed not to bow to any pressure over the death sentence to Jadhav.

Samaa TV quoted an official source as saying that the Army chief called on Sharif and took him into confidence regarding ... Jadhav.

But in a somewhat tempered message of hope, Pakistans national security adviser Nasser Janjua spoke of the need for India and Pakistan to engage to resolve disputes.

Pakistan and India cannot remain enemies forever, he was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

After repeatedly turning down Indias request, Pakistan foreign office made a conditional offer that New Delhi will have to investigate the evidence against Jadhav.

India hasnt accepted the condition as that would tantamount to accepting that Jadhav is guilty.
Parliament strongly condemned on Wednesday a statement by a BJP youth wing leader who announced a Rs 11-lakh bounty to anyone who beheads West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, with the Centre saying the state government is free to take legal action against him.

Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, triggered a controversy after saying Banerjee does not allow processions and fairs during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti though she organises Iftar party and always supports Muslims.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress members even as all major political parties and the government condemned the statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, deputy chairman PJ Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Trinamool member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said the BJP youth activist publicly described West Bengal CM as a demon and announced the bounty.

Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the incident, saying a constitutionally elected CM has been described as demon.

He said the Centre was trying to unleash a reign of terror in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.

Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: I strongly condemn such type of statements (read Varshneys remarks). State government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue.

On such people action can be taken under the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course, the deputy chairman said, adding you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that.

BSP supremo Mayawati termed it a serious matter and said BJP should not just condemn the statement but should also take action.

Other opposition parties, including the Congress, Left and the Samajwadi Party, also supported the TMC on the issue and condemned the incident.

Jaya Bachchan of the SP said there was a need to take aggressive steps for the protection of women. You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities, she added.

How dare somebody talk like this, especially against a woman CM particularly when women are feeling insecure. Is this the way you are going to protect women, Bachchan asked.

BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The chief minister who is also a women should answer this.

In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leaders bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.

She is an elected chief minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it, Kumar said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. This is complete wrong. All sides must exercise restraint, she said.

Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the days business, TMC member Saugata Roy said: Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected chief minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroots leader and government must take action on it.

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such an incident must not happen anywhere.

A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty, Kharge said.

West Bengal  where Banerjee returned to power with a thumping majority last year  has seen mounting clashes between state forces and right-wing elements, who say the Trinamool Congress is biased towards Muslims and is anti-Hindu.

BJPs Kailash Vijayvargiya said he did not agree with Varshneys remarks although there was anger against Mamata Banerjee for her politics of appeasement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday slammed opposition parties for stalling a bill that seeks to accord constitutional status to the OBC commission, questioning why they stopped its passage in the Rajya Sabha when it aims to benefit backward castes.

Modi was addressing the OBC MPs of BJP, who had gathered to thank the Prime Minister for the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha which seeks to create National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (NCSEBC), with judicial powers and constitutional status.

The Prime Minister said this bill will ensure justice to backward sections of the society and will also help in their social empowerment, but it is surprising why this bill was not passed in the Upper House, BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said, quoting Modi, after the meeting.

The Prime Minister said it would have been better if this bill was passed in the Upper House, he added.

Modi also asked the MPs to spread the message about the bill and make backward classes aware about it and how it would be a game changer in their lives.

The Rajya Sabha had on Tuesday referred the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-third Amendment) Bill, 2017, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, to the Select Committee after opposition forced the government.

The committee to examine the bill will be headed by BJP member Bhupender Yadav. It has been asked to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the next session.

The 25-member Rajya Sabha Select Committee includes Sharad Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Satish Mishra and Praful Patel.

According to the bill, the new body NCSEBC will replace the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

Once the Bill is passed, states will not be able to add or delete castes from the backward classes list without Parliaments approval.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is surprised over the bill to accord constitutional status to an OBC commission getting stuck in the Rajya Sabha.

Modi told a group of OBC MPs of the BJP on Wednesday that it was a long pending demand made by a Parliamentary committee and that MPs of all parties had personally demanded the same from him.

On Monday, the Lok Sabha cleared with voice vote the bill, which seeks to safeguard the interest of the socially and educationally backward classes. Blocked by the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the bill has been referred to a select committee of the upper house.

The committee to examine the bill will be headed by BJP member Bhupender Yadav. It has been asked to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the next session.

This kind of negative politics to deprive the backward classes of their rights is regrettable, Modi told the BJP MPs who felicitated him for bringing in the bill. He asked BJP MPs to reach out to opposition members and convince them about the benefits that a constitutional status for the commission will bring to the backward communities.

An aggressive outreach to the most backward communities in the recent assembly election in Uttar Pradesh helped the BJP sweep the polls. The ruling party has tried to woo these socially influential groups ever since Modi, who also comes from a backward community, was projected as the BJPs prime ministerial candidate in the run up to the 2014 general election.

With the aim of consolidating the BJPs support from backward communities, Modi also asked the BJP MPs to discharge their moral and constitutional duty to create awareness among the socially marginalized groups about the governments move and how it would benefit them.

New opportunities to improve their life will be created under the new commission, Modi told them. Describing the backward communities as a self respecting social group, Modi said they never forget even smallest help extended to them.

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A Muslim cleric, known for announcing fatwas against political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and author Salman Rushdie, made a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for the BJP youth wing leaders head who announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for beheading West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha in Aligarh, announced the price on Banerjees head following state police action against a saffron rally billed as a show of strength.

The threat came a day after police baton charged hundreds of saffron activists who took out massive rallies in the heart of Kolkata to mark Hanuman Jayanti, highlighting the growing muscle of right-wing forces in a state the BJP barely managed a toehold in the past.

Mamata Banerjee is our respected leader and I consider her as my sister. I will pay Rs 22 lakh to anyone who brings me the head of the BJP leader. It is expected that fascist RSS-BJP will be speaking the language of hoodlums, Nur-ur Rehman Barkati, imam of Kolkatas Tipu Sultan Shahi Mosque and one of the most influential Muslim clerics in the state, told Hindustan Times.

Banerjee, however, was unruffled by the issue, saying she is regularly targeted with offensive words.

But, the more they say such things, the more we will progress. From Bengal to Jharkhand to Uttar Pradesh -- we will spread out towards Delhi, Banerjee said at a public rally at Domkal in Murshidabad district on Wednesday.

The issue was raised in both Houses of Parliament by Trinamool Congress members and all major political parties, including the Congress, Left, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, and the government condemned the statement.

Party Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Shekhar Roy highlighted the matter on the floor of the in the Upper House, saying the BJP youth activist publicly described West Bengal CM as a demon and announced the bounty.

There were attempts on her life in the 90s. Later, she was beaten up and dragged by her hairs during various movements during the Left Front regime. These people are misfits in politics and it seems they have opened a dictionary of bad words be it Dilip Ghosh (Bengal BJP president) or this BJP leader from Aligarh, Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of Trinamool Congress, said.

The BJP leader should be immediately arrested. Why is he roaming free after making such a statement? added Chatterjee.

Bharatiya Janata Party state president Dilip Ghosh known for his acerbic comments, too, condemned the statement. Such madness has no place in politics, Ghosh said.

Intellectuals in Kolkata also expressed their shock at the statement.

How can one say such things? He should be immediately arrested. In which country are we living? One cannot say such things, noted writer Nabanita Deb Sen said.

Debesh Chattopadhyay, theatre personality, said, It is time people should get together against such religious fundamentalism. This is an attack against democracy.

Varshney made the statement on Tuesday.

Those who will cut and bring West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee head, I will give that person Rs11 lakh. Mamata Banerjee never allows Saraswati Puja, fairs during Ram Navami and during Hanuman Jayanti procession, people were lathi charged and brutally beaten up. She organises Iftar party and always supports Muslims, Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, told ANI.

West Bengal  where Banerjee returned to power with a thumping majority last year  has seen mounting clashes between state forces and right-wing elements, who say the Trinamool Congress is biased towards Muslims and is anti-Hindu.

The state sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha and is widely considered one of the toughest bastions for the BJP  which has won a string of assembly elections  to breach.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Azerbaijans Ministry of Transport, Communication and High Technologies will create a working group on expanding the use of ICT in business, said Elmir Velizade, the countrys deputy minister of transport, communication and high technologies.

He made the remarks at the Caspian Energy Forum 2017, held in Baku on Apr. 12.

Velizade noted that the ministry is conducting active work to increase export potential of the country in the ICT sphere.

The development of this sphere is a priority for Azerbaijan, where modern technologies are used widely in all spheres. Azerbaijan is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of use of mobile communications. About 78 percent of population has access to internet, and most of them use broadband services, said the deputy minister.

Azerbaijan, he said, is interested in cooperation with states of the Caspian region in ICT sphere and the Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) is the platform for such cooperation. Negotiations are underway with Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on the projects implementation.

Velizade said that as part of the expansion of international cooperation, Azerbaijan will be represented soon at the international forums and exhibitions in Belarus (TIBO 2017, on Apr. 18-21) and Moscow (Sviaz 2017, on Apr. 25-28).

Azerbaijan, for the first time, will participate at the Sviaz 2017 exhibition as a partner country, added the deputy minister.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn
The birthplace of Sita is a matter of faith and there is no historical evidence to prove that she was born in Bihars Sitamarhi, Union culture minister Mahesh Sharma said in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Opposition members seized the ministers remarks to criticise the BJP-led government, saying Sitas husband, Hindu god Ram, is a matter of faith too if the same logic is applied.

Ram and Sita are the principal characters of the epic Ramayana, and he is one of most revered gods in the Hindu pantheon.

Sharmas comments were in his written reply to a question in the House on whether the Centre has any historical proof about Sitas birthplace.

Sitas birthplace is a matter of faith. There is no direct evidence of its existence. The Archaeological Survey of India has not undertaken any excavation in Sitamarhi district of Bihar and hence it does not have any historical evidence that Sitamarhi is Sitas birthplace, the reply in Hindi says.

It also states that Sitas birthplace is mentioned as Mithila in Valmikis Ramayan.

His remarks triggered a debate and opposition members demanded an apology from the government.

Janata Dal (United) parliamentarian Anil Kumar Sahani accused the government of insulting Sita and women in general.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said: Lord Ram is my god. The ministers reply has shaken my faith. I condemn his reply.

Your government has reached this place today on the back of the Ram movement and now you are saying that Sita is a matter of faith, he said.

He was referring to the BJP-spearheaded movement to build a Ram temple at a place where a mosque stood in Ayodhya. The Babri mosque was demolished on December 6, 1992, by right-wing Hindus, sparking communal riots across the country that left more than 3,000 people dead.

Many Hindus believe that god Ram was born at the spot where Babur, the first Mughal emperor, had built the mosque. The disputed site, comprising 2.7 acres, remains Indias most potent religious flashpoint.

As opposition parliamentarians heckled the culture minister, he said his comments were misinterpreted.

I am saying the government started religious circuits such as Ramayana and Buddha. In the Ramayana circuit we are doing upgrades in Sitamarhi district of Bihar, which is said to be the birthplace of Sita, Sharma said.

The raging debate had its light-hearted moment when CPI(M)s Sitaram Yechury started chuckling.

Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari quipped that Yechury should not feel apologetic about his name. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was present in the Upper House, looked at the veteran communist and smiled.

(This story has been updated to reflect the ministers written reply in Parliament on evidence over Sitas birthplace.)

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Somalias military has rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said Wednesday.

The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, the towns mayor, told The Associated Press.

Four pirates were arrested during the operation, he said.

All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two had been freed in the ship on Sunday, the mayor said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.

Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.

They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal, the mayor said.

In recent weeks there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalias coast after five years of inactivity. The piracy was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry but lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near Somalia, whose weak central government has been trying to stabilize the country after 25 years of conflict.

But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign ships illegally fishing in local waters.

In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.

Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy. On Saturday, pirates boarded the Lebanese-registered OS 35 cargo ship but abandoned it the next day before naval forces recovered the ship.
Fifty-year-old Kunta Devi has her job cut out. At the crack of dawn, she is already out in the alleys of her sleepy village in Uttarakhand, carrying a basket, to clean its underbelly.

Devi is a manual scavenger who makes a living by removing human excreta from dry latrines in Jorassi Jabardastpur village in Haridwar district.

Paradoxically, the hill state has been ranked as one of the best performing states under Prime Minister Narendra Modis flagship programme, the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). The SBM dashboard declares, along with Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Sikkim, the state has achieved 100% Individual Household Latrine (IHHL) coverage.

Presence of Devi and her ilk in the village-- with their faces obscured with dupattas perched on heads and wrapped around shoulders-- however, exposes the mismatch between the governments data and the ground reality, and how farcical these rankings are.

Raj Dulari, 45, of the same village rues she has to remove human excreta from 20 houses everyday and cant even afford to take a day off.

Just for the record, manual scavenging is prohibited in the country by law. Manual scavengers are paid an appalling Rs 150 for six months, or 10kg wheat for the same period and a chapati (roti) a day by every household.

Block development officer of the area, Pawan Saini, refuses to accept their existence, claiming there is no dry latrine in the area and no mahila karmi removes human excreta. Even Somanth Saini, programme manager of Swajal, the implementing authority of the sanitation programme endorsed the BDOs claim: No manual scavengers and no dry latrines in the district.

But panchayat pradhan Abdul Rahim spills the beans, putting the number of dry latrines in the areas under his jurisdiction to around 500.

The Socio Economic and Caste Census 2011 had enumerated just 12 manual scavengers in the entire district of Haridwar. But the HT came across eight persons who are doing the job in one village alone.

Jorassi residents said government officials dismantled dry latrines last year without constructing new flush toilets. As nothing was done for months, we were compelled to construct the dry latrines again as building flush toilets is beyond our means, said Mohammad Irfan, a villager.

As HT traversed through Uttarakhand, its next port of call was Mahua Dabra Haripura in Udham Singh Nagar district. Here, every third household lacks a toilet. There is also no community toilet in the village. Villagers say most of them go to the jungle to defecate.

Government records, however, give a different picture. According to the data collected from the panchayat bhawan, in the seven wards under it only 150 houses do not have a latrine. A whopping 1726 households have one.

A manual scavenger is engaged by a contractor in the Sagar Cantonment, MP. (MUJEEB FARUQUI/HT)

The SBM dashboard proclaims Udham Singh Nagar district as an open-defecation-free (ODF) district with 100% IHHL coverage.

Local residents and sanitation activists, however, contradict the official claims. They point out that amid a mad rush among the districts to declare them as ODF, facts often are the casualty.

Magsaysay Award winner Bezwada Wilson said there are 1.6 lakh safai karmacharis who clean dry latrines in India. If as many flush toilets have been built under the SBM, then how come as many people are still cleaning dry latrines? he said.

The 2011 caste census puts the number of manual scavengers in India at 1.68 lakh whereas 3.49 crore latrines have been built under the SBM.

The most startling revelation came from Madhya Pradeshs Sagar district, another place HT visited to do the reality check. We found out that manual scavengers have been hired even by the government, albeit via contractors.

Thirty-year-old Ajay Karotia is one such manual scavenger engaged by a contractor to clean four dry and non functional sanitary community latrines in the Sagar Cantonment. Karotia said he has to manually scoop out excreta using a discarded mudguard of a motorcycle as and when drains get choked.

But as per government data, all the 39,362 insanitary latrines in the state have already been converted into sanitary toilets.

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013 fixes responsibility on each local authority, cantonment board and railway authority to survey insanitary latrines within its jurisdiction and construct sanitary community latrines.

Offences under the act are non-bailable. But it has been brazenly violated. Even the government is indirectly engaging scavengers for cleaning community dry latrines, railway tracks, government hospitals, said Wilson.

Avani Kapur, a fellow at the Centre for Policy Research, explains that the discrepancy is the outcome of frantic efforts to meet the SBM targets by any means and the absence of infrastructural capacity to meet those goals.

The government officials responsible for the implementation of the flagship scheme, however, remain steadfast in their claim about the success of the project. The SBM has become a Jan Aandolan (mass movement). We have a robust mechanism to monitor its progress on the ground. If any aberration occurs, we instruct the state governments to address them immediately, since the primary responsibility of its implementation lies with the states, said Parameswaran Iyer, secretary in the ministry of drinking water and sanitation.

On the ground there are very few takers of the governments so-called success story.

Findings of survey on SBM conducted by Centre for Policy research, New Delhi in December 2015 Tracked households which had built a toilet in the last 2 years according to the SBM-MIS. As many as 1/3rd households reported to have toilet in the government database, didnt actually have them.

Despite ad blitzkrieg through big billboards and fancy advertisements, awareness about the scheme was missing on the ground. Only 60% of households that requested for financial assistance received it and the main reason for a large section not placing request was lack of awareness.

Only 6% of the households surveyed were aware of the Swachhta Doots and only 10% reported any awareness programmes on sanitation conducted in their village.
Procedural lapses and dependence on an unverifiable witness by the prosecution led the court trying the 2007 Ajmer blast case to dismiss the judicial confession of Swami Aseemanand, paving the way for his acquittal, court documents accessed by HT show.

Last month, a Jaipur court let off Aseemanand and six others allegedly involved in the blast at the famous shrine of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer. Three of the accused were convicted for the blast that killed three persons on October 11, 2007. Aseemanand is also an accused in the Samjhauta Express and Mecca Masjid blast cases, all three coming within months of each other and dubbed as acts of Hindu terror.

Aseemanands confessional statement made in December 2010 was the most credible evidence against him as it was recorded by a judicial magistrate, giving it legal sanctity. He, however, retracted the statement later. The Ajmer case was initially probed by Rajasthan police but was handed over to the NIA in 2011. Aseemanand was arrested on November 18, 2010 by the CBI, which was probing the Mecca Masjid blast in Hyderabad that killed 14 people in May 2007. The case was later handed over to the NIA. Since the Ajmer case was registered in Hyderabad, a city court dealt with Aseemanands custodial hearings since his arrest. But his confession was recorded by a magistrate in Delhi and not in Hyderabad, which went against the prosecution.

The CBI investigating officer (IO) T Rajabalaji told the court that since the accused had information about a Delhi connection into the Mecca Masjid blast probe, he was brought to the national capital. It was here that Aseemanand allegedly expressed his desire to repent and confess, the court documents said quoting the IO. Since the confessional statement of Aseemanand was connected with the probe into the Ajmer case also, the prosecution relied upon it during the trial.

However, special NIA judge Dinesh Gupta said in his judgment that the magistrate should have recorded reasons given by the IO to bring Aseemanand to Delhi and also why he was confessing in the national capital.

The court said that on December 15, Aseemanand was in Mumbai with the IO and he could have been taken to Hyderabad from there. Aseemanand was produced before a magistrate in Delhi on December 16.

The court also pointed that an application made on behalf of Aseemanand seeking to confess did not have his signature. It was instead signed by the IO and public prosecutor. Therefore, these facts raise doubts whether Aseemanand was repentant, said the judge. The Delhi magistrate, during his deposition before the court as a witness, said Aseemanand had given one application to the IO on his desire to confess but the court said it was not produced as evidence.

The court also held it against the prosecution that during the confession proceedings, Aseemanand was not provided any lawyer. The prosecutions reliance on a Sheikh Abdul Kaleem, as a witness in the case, too failed to impress the judge. The prosecution said that Aseemanand had met Kaleem, an accused in the Mecca Masjid case, at the Chanchalguda jail in Hyderabad.

In his confession, Aseemanand said since Kaleem took great care of him, he wanted to repent. But during the trial, it came to light that Kaleem was not held in the Mecca Masjid case. Even if one document was produced (in connection with his arrest in Mecca Masjid case)...it would have been easily proved that Kaleem was arrested and remained in Chanchalguda jail, said the judge.



In his deposition, Kaleem said he and Aseemanand were lodged in different cells and that Aseemanad was taken out only for 10 minutes . Kaleem also said when Aseemanand was taken out, other prisoners were sent back . The evidence produced for confirming the fact that Aseemanand and Kaleem had meetings in jail is not credible, said the court

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Minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale on Wednesday accused Pakistan of spreading terror in India and of wrongly accusing Kulbhushan Jadhav of being a spy.

Athawale also sought the attention of the United States and the United Nation to prevent the hanging of Jadhav, accused of being an Indian spy by Pakistan.

UN and the US should take cognisance of what is happening. They need to pay attention to what is being done by Pakistan, the minister said in the Rajya Sabha said.

Pakistan is deliberately poking India, he said, adding that India gave Mumbai attacks accused Ajmal Kasab a chance to legal resource, despite evidence to indicate his terror links.

He hit out at Pakistan for not paying heed to Indias dossiers on terrorists being funded and aided from its soil. Athawale said that despite India presenting proof, Pakistan has not acted against terrorists. He said the neighbour sentenced Jadhav to death without any evidence.

On whether India should push for Pakistan being declared a terrorist state, he said it is well established that Islamabad spreads terrorism in India. Now they have terror attacks in Pakistan as well... mosques and people are being attacked, he said.

Athawale, who heads the Republican Party of India (A), said Pakistan should have used Indias help to develop its economy. It is a small country and yet bullies us, this is not good, he said.

I have been there (Pakistan) thrice, common people want good relations with India. Even in PoK, people have begun to struggle against the government, the minister said.

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Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistans decision to give death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a strong message to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhavs trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years,Ayres told PTI.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhavs conviction is rather flimsy and the story by the Pakistani authorities do not add up.

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, seems to be politically motivated in order to counter Indias aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against Indias efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isnt executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India, Kugelman said.

The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasnt a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimsons South Asia programme, said the decision and timing of Jadhavs execution sentence appears puzzling because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest.

If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted, Lalwani said.

If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhavs capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions, Lalwani said.

Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information, a State Department spokesperson said.
A delegation of Opposition parties, led by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to seek his intervention in getting the electronic voting machines (EVMs) replaced with ballot paper following allegations of tampering in the recent elections.

They put forth their concerns over recent incidents of violence, including attacks by cow vigilantes, and attempts to muzzle voices of dissent.

The delegation also apprised the President of the current political and law and order situation in the country, especially in the wake of the lynching of a man in Rajasthan.

The Opposition leaders of 13 political parties accused the BJP-led NDA government of destroying the secular fabric of the country and also muzzling the voices of dissent.

We have drawn the attention of President to voices being muzzled. In a democracy, rule of law should prevail but mob lynching and harassment is seen in the country. Many incidents like Alwar, Dadri and Udhampur many incidents are being witnessed in the country. Key bills are being disguised as money bills, senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters after the meeting.

We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect Indias constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country, he told reporters.

Azad said the delegation drew the attention of the President to the recent political developments which have seriously undermined the accepted norms of governance and institutional integrity.

The issue of malfunctioning and alleged tampering of EVM machines were also raised with the President, that have reportedly raised questions on the sanctity of electoral process, particularly in recently-concluded elections.

He said in this regard the opposition parties have already met the Election Commission, which has promised to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.

There has been an attack on cultural, academic and historical institutions, universities, especially Nalanda University and the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, he said.

The continuous violence and failure of governance in Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of grave national concern, he said.

Azad also added that all central agencies -- the CBI, Income Tax and the Enforcement Directorate -- are being used to harass leaders of political parties, particularly chief ministers.

There has never been such harassment of chief ministers and leaders of political parties, he said.

Besides Manmohan and Sonia, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge and Anand Sharma were part of the delegation.

The memorandum was also signed by Tariq Anwar (NCP), Satish Chandra Misra (BSP), Dharmendra Yadav and Neeraj Shekhar (SP), D Raja (CPI), Sitaram Yechury (CPI-M), Sukhendu Sekhar Roy and Kalyan Banerjee (TMC), Sharad Yadav (JD-U), V Elangovan (DMK) and others.

With inputs from PTI

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Members of a Hindu youth group founded by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath allegedly barged into a house in Meerut and thrashed a Muslim man for being in a compromising position with a woman, sources told HT on Wednesday.

Local residents and activists from the Hindu Yuva Vahini allegedly handed over the man, identified as Wasim, and the woman to police on Tuesday. According to a PTI report, the woman was released after a warning, but Wasim  a resident of Muzaffarnagar who works at a hotel in Meerut  was booked on charges of obscenity.

The incident occurred in Meeruts Shastri Nagar locality.

Members of the Hindu Yuva Vahini at the Meerut locality on Tuesday. (ANI Twitter)

The incident comes days after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath instructed police not to harass innocent couples. He had asked senior officials to chalk out clear guidelines for anti-Romeo squads to ensure that police did not act against boys and girls hanging out together with consent.

The anti- Romeo squads have been formed to take action against anti- social elements. People who harass girls are not youth but ruffians , he said. The CM said there will be no moral policing.

Police said the couple wasnt beaten up. Local residents and Vahini members handed them over to police after finding them in a compromising position when they entered the house, Alok Priyadarshi, superintendent of police (city) said. He also claimed that man and his girlfriend were Muslims and that both were released.

According to police, Wasim called his girlfriend to his rented room on Tuesday. But local residents informed Hindu Vahini leaders Sachin Gupta and Nagendra Tomar who arrived with a big gang of members and pushed their way into the room, finding the couple in a compromising position.

People have become confident and more aware since Adityanath has taken charge as the chief minister. They want things to become better. The people in the neighbourhood, where this incident took place, informed us about it, said Sachin Mittal, Meerut zonal head, Hindu Yuva Vahini.

The word moral policing (used for us) is wrong. The moment we were informed about the incident we called up police immediately and they reached the spot before us. Police brought them out.

(With PTI inputs)
A leader of the BJPs youth wing has announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees head following state police action against a saffron rally billed as a show of strength.

The threat came a day after hundreds of saffron activists took out massive rallies in the heart of Kolkata to mark Hanuman Jayanti, highlighting the growing muscle of right-wing forces in a state the BJP barely managed a toehold in the past.

Those who will cut and bring West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee head, I will give that person Rs11 lakh. Mamata Banerjee never allows Saraswati Puja, fairs during Ram Navami and during Hanuman Jayanti procession, people were lathi charged and brutally beaten up. She organises Iftar party and always supports Muslims, Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, told ANI.

In West Bengals Birbhum district, police said they had already warned Bir Hanuman Jayanti organisers on Sunday that no rally or meeting would be allowed. The organisers pressed on and assured the police that they would not carry arms. However, the police did not move from its stand and charged on.

West Bengal  where Banerjee returned to power with a thumping majority last year  has seen mounting clashes between state forces and right-wing elements, who say the Trinamool Congress is biased towards Muslims and is anti-Hindu. West Bengal sends 42 members to the Lok Sabha and is widely considered one of the toughest bastions for the BJP  which has won a string of state elections  to breach.
Sanju Samson joined an illustrious Indian Premier League (IPL) list when he scored a century for Delhi Daredevils in their match against Rising Pune Supergiant on Tuesday.

FOLLOW: Live cricket score, Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, IPL 2017, Live

Samsons 102 off 63 balls in the Daredevils 97-run victory was the 12th ton scored by an Indian in the history of the IPL.

He has now joined the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Alinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, and five others as the only Indians to have managed three-figure scores in a single IPL innings.

No. Player Score Team Opponent Season 1 Manish Pandey 114* Royal Challengers Bangalore Deccan Chargers 2009 2 Yusuf Pathan 100 Rajasthan Royals Mumbai Indians 2010 3 Murali Vijay 127 Chennai Super Kings Rajasthan Royals 2010 113 Chennai Super Kings Delhi Daredevils 2012 4 Paul Valthaty 120* Kings XI Punjab Chennai Super Kings 2011 5 Sachin Tendulkar 100* Mumbai Indians Kochi Tuskers Kerala 2011 6 Virender Sehwag 119 Delhi Daredevils Deccan Chargers 2011 122 Kings XI Punjab Chennai Super Kings 2014 7 Ajinkya Rahane 103* Rajasthan Royals Royal Challengers Bangalore 2012 8 Rohit Sharma 109* Mumbai Indians Kolkata Knight Riders 2012 9 Suresh Raina 100* Chennai Super Kings Kings XI Punjab 2013 10 Wriddhiman Saha 115* Kings XI Punjab Kolkata Knight Riders 2014 11 Virat Kohli 100* Royal Challengers Bangalore Gujarat Lions 2016 108* Royal Challengers Bangalore Rising Pune Supergiant 2016 109 Royal Challengers Bangalore Gujarat Lions 2016 113 Royal Challengers Bangalore Kings XI Punjab 2016 12 Sanju Samson 102 Delhi Daredevils Rising Pune Supergiant 2017

At 22 years old, Samson is also the second youngest player to manage the feat, coming in second behind Manish Pandey who smashed his century at the age of 19 in 2009 to also become the first Indian player to complete the achievement.

In the overall list of centuries struck in the IPL, Samson is the 28th batter to score a ton and his effort was the 43rd century in the tournaments history.

READ | Sanju Samson benefits from Delhi Daredevils mentor Rahul Dravids faith

Chris Gayle has hit the most centuries having managed five overall. Next on the list is India and Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli who has four tons and leads the list for most centuries by an Indian. All of Kohlis centuries came in 2016 which is an overall record for most by a player in a single season.

Gayles unbeaten 175 for RCB against Pune Warriors India in the 2013 season continues to be the highest score by a player in a single innings.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Dalga Khatinoglu  Trend:

Iran increased gas deliveries to power plants by 4.7 percent to 57.74 billion cubic meters (bcm) during last fiscal year (ended Mar. 20, 2016), while the plan was a 20 percent growth to 65 bcm.

However, the statistics of Energy Ministry indicate a huge growth in replacing liquid fuels with gas in power generation sector during last four years.

Iran had planned to deliver 65 bcm of gas to power sector during last year, and increased the growth by 8.5 percent until the end of fall, 2016, but it seems Turkmenistans cutting its gas export to Iran during winter caused a decrease in gas deliveries to power sector.

Turkmenistan exported 9 bcm of gas to Iran in 2015, but it cut gas deliveries in January 1, 2017 due to Irans $2 billion debt to Ashgabat.

However, weekly statistics of Irans Energy Ministry indicate that the gas flow to power plants during 11 days of current fiscal year (March 21-March 31) experienced a 14.13 percent growth to 1.411 bcm.

Irans gas deliveries to power sector increased from 35 bcm in a year to March 20, 2014 to 57.74 bcm the last fiscal year, which indicates a huge growth.

The liquid fuels use in this sector decreased from 27.42 billion liters to 10.18 billion liters during the mentioned period.

Irans nominal power generation capacity also increased by 2.464 gigawatts (GW) to 76.567 GW from March 2016 to March 2017.

The countrys actual power generation capacity and actual electricity generation stood at 59 GW and 286 billion kWh during last fiscal year.

Iran increased electricity import by 4 percent to 4.336 billion KWh, while its electricity export decreased by 33 percent to 6.503 billion kWh during the last fiscal year.

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Dalga Khatinoglu is the head of Trend Agencys Iran news service, follow him on Twitter: @dalgakhatinoglu
Hardik and Krunal Pandya have bought a house in the Versova locality of Andheri in Mumbai so that their parents can live there while visiting the city to watch them play in the Indian Premier League. (IPL SCHEDULE | RESULTS)

The Pandya brothers  both of whom play for the Mumbai Indians franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL)  collectively purchased the house for their parents who live in Baroda in Gujarat.

Read more | Zaheer Khans rumoured girlfriend Sagarika Ghatge seen at Delhi Daredevils match

This is our first house in Mumbai. We are delighted because it has been bought by our two sons, their father Himanshu Pandya was quoted as saying by the Asian Age.

The stepping ceremony in the new house was recently performed. It is a fully-furnished two bed room apartment, and our both sons can live here together peacefully, he added.

With elder brother Krunal likely to get married this December, the house is expected to be an excellent option for the parents to reside when they are visiting the city to watch the brothers play.

Read more | Delhi Daredevils centurion Sanju Samson reveals how horror times transformed him

There is no immediate plan to shift here from Baroda, but whenever we are in Mumbai, can open the flat and stay here as long as we want, the proud father added.

Himanshu and his wife Nalini were present with the Pandyas entire family at the Wankhede Stadium when Mumbai Indians played Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday night.

Read more | AB de Villiers is scariest player on the planet, remarks Allan Donald

The Mumbai franchise won the match by chasing down the 179-run target set by KKR. The Pandya brothers played a key role in the victory. Hardik contributed with a 23-ball 29 to successfully complete the chase while Krunal had scalped three wickets from his four overs during the KKR innings.

It was the Mumbai franchises first win after opening their campaign with a defeat to Rising Pune Supergiant on April 6.

They play their next match against defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad at home on Wednesday before travelling to Bangalore to face Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.
Police arrested four people, including a woman, from Delhi on Tuesday for cheating a Bikaner woman of 56 lakh, said Bikaner inspector general of police Bipin Kumar Pandey. The victim transferred the money into the account of a man she met on a matrimonial site.

Police said the money was transferred into the bank accounts of Ajit Kumar Yadav of Jharkhand, who used 10 aliases and had accounts in the name of Anil Kumar Manjhi, in Bikaner, Delhi, Guwahati, Patna and Pune.

In November 2016, Bikaners Neetu Sharma, 35, lodged a FIR against Paras Prem Kumar and others for conning her into depositing 56 lakh over two months in different bank accounts for the release of 2.5 million British Pounds that Prem Kumar had allegedly couriered to India by a diplomatic service to be handed over to her.

Sharma told the police that Prem Kumar got in touch with her after she registered on a matrimonial site to search for a groom for her. He told me that he was an orphan and he worked as an aircraft engineer with the United Nations and was posted in Iraq, the woman told HT.

She said that the man said he would quit his job and relocate to India to marry her because she told him that she was not willing to relocate. He told her that he had accumulated a lot of wealth which he will transfer to her bank account.

I was a little hesitant in the beginning. I said, why should I accept your money before we are married, but he said he didnt have an Indian citizenship and therefore needed a beneficiary here to transfer his money, the woman said.

The man told her that his agent, named James David, will contact her when the courier arrives in India and she will need to pay 78,500 as tariff charges for port entry. The agent later called her to say that the customs had seized the courier and found that there were gold bars along with British currency.

They fooled me into depositing money in different bank accounts in the name of bribing one office or the other. They even sent me a forged document of Indian finance intelligence unit to say that this transfer had come to their notice. We got worried about getting booked for money laundering without any fault and kept transferring money, she said.

The woman, a science graduate, said after she stopped depositing money, Prem Kumar blocked her on his WhatsApp number. Thats when she got suspicious and began an investigation into the bank accounts into which she had transferred the amounts.

I found out that the accounts were in the name of Anil Kumar whom some bank officials called a fraud, leading me to file a police complaint, Sharma said.

She lodged a FIR on November 18 which was transferred to the cyber cell in Jaipur but the Bikaner police resumed an investigation into it and arrested the Indian nationals involved in the gang on Tuesday. We suspect that some foreign nationals are also involved in the crime, the IGP said.

Along with Yadav, police arrested Shrawan Singh Soda (34) from Barmer, Virendra Nath alias Maharaj Goswami (30) from Jodhpur and Anita (37) from Gurgaon.
Taking note of negligence of duty, the health department has taken action against erring auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) in Barmer district. The health department took action after a report 9 health centres remained closed, no child immunised on Polio Day was published in HT on Wednesday.

Health minister Kali Charan Saraf said eight ANMs have been put on awaiting posting orders (APO). The health department will issue directions to district collectors and chief medical and health officers (CMHOs) to conduct surprise inspections of health facilities and inform the department about the erring staff, so that action can be taken and the system can be set right. This will ensure that people get quality health services even at their villages, he said.

Naveen Jain, mission director National Health Mission, said, eight ANMs have been asked to report to the Jaipur office and have been put on APO. We will issue chargesheets against all and such negligence in duty will not be tolerated. Even the chief ministers office (CMO) has sought a report, he added.

Barmer district collector Sudheer Sharma had earlier directed the health department to carry out sudden inspections of health centres and submit a report. He had ordered this after locals complained that most health facilities remain closed.

On Sharmas directions, Barmer deputy CMHO, Dr PC Dipen, carried out an inspection of the health centres in three blocks  Barmer, Chohtan and Dhorimanna  from March 31 to April 2. He visited nine sub-centres and found all of them closed on April 2, which is National Pulse Polio Day. This implies that not even one child, under the age of five in these villages, were administered the polio vaccine.

Apart from these, many other irregularities were also found.

The Government of India had declared Barmer and Jodhpur as high-risk areas considering their proximity with Pakistan, a polio endemic country. In high-risk areas, extra rounds of immunisation are carried out, however, several health centres failed to carry out the recent drive.

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The demand for separate state of Gorkhaland comprising parts of Bengals Darjeeling district resurfaced at the national echelon when Bimal Gurung, president of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM), appealed to all the 33 National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners to support the cause. The meeting was held on Monday evening in Delhi.

The NDA meet in New Delhi was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Union ministers Arun jaitley and Sushma Swaraj, Andra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, Shiv Sena chief Udhav Thackrey and others.

In the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the GJM, which commanded a massive base in the Darjeeling hills, supported the BJP and helped Jaswant Singh and S S Ahluwalia win the Darjeeling seat. In both elections, the BJP promised in its poll manifesto that it would look into the long-pending demands and aspirations of the people of North Bengal, including the Gorkhas.

Read: NDA partners raise beef issue at PM Modis unity dinner, call for sensitivity

Binay Tamang, assistant secretary of the GJM told Hindustan Times from Delhi that Gurung raised the Gorkhaland issue in his seven-minute speech. Gurung raised several issues. These included Gorkhaland, the demand for schedule tribe status to 11 Gorkha communities and a central university in the Darjeeling hills, said Tamang.

Gurung said that GJM is a committed partner of the NDA and wants to see the promises made in the BJP election manifesto fulfilled. Gurung also appealed to NDA partners to support the cause of Gorkhaland, said Tamang.

The hill region has so far witnessed two aggressive political movements for creation of Gorkhaland. The movement from 1986 to 1988 was led by Gorkha National Liberation Front and it witnessed the death of 1200 people in violent clashes. The second - between 2007 and 2011 - was led by the GJM.

The GJM is likely to face tough challenge from Trinamool Congress in the municipal elections which are likely to be held on May 14. The GJM has already lost considerable ground ever since chief minister Mamata Banerjee created 15 development boards for different hill communities and carried out development projects despite opposition from the GJM-run Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).

Read: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised at NDA meet: Five things you need to know

An autonomous body, the GTA was formed in 2012 through a tri-partite agreement between the Centre, the Bengal government and GJM after a long movement by the Gorkhas.

The GJM however alleged that the state government violated the GTA agreement by interfering in the functioning of the autonomous body. Also, the creation of a separate Kalimpong district out of the Darjeeling hills and formation of Jan Andolan Party (JAP) - which is close to the Trinamool Congress - have substantially weakened the GJM.

Local politicians feel that unless the GJM gets assurance from the Centre that at least schedule tribe status will be granted to 11 hill communities, the going will be tough for GJM in the elections to four hill municipal bodies which will be followed by panchayat and GTA polls.

Interestingly, the BJP state leadership is against the creation of Gorkhaland and the Centre has not yet responded to GJMs demand.

Harka Bhadur Chetti, the JAP president and former GJM MLA said: GJM leaders, including Bimal Gurung, are good at telling lies. It is impossible to believe that Gurung raised the Gorkhaland issue at the NDA meeting attended by leaders of 33 parties because in the past he could not raise the issue before the Prime Minister.

Tamang however claimed that it was great moment for the Gorkhas because never before had the issue been raised at a national forum of such significance.

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While BSP chief Mayawati is caught in the past, blaming EVMs for her humiliating UP loss, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is already looking ahead.

Eye on 2019 Lok Sabha polls where it would again look up to UP to support Prime Minister Narendra Modis re-election bid, the BJP has launched fresh plans to connect with states 21% dalits who were the mainstay of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) till 2014.

Quite successful in making inroads into the community vote bank, the BJP and its allies had won 73 of the total 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 75 out of 85 reserved seats in assembly polls held recently.

The party will host social harmony feasts (samarasta bhoj) on Ambedkar Jayanti (April 14).

In the feasts, upper caste party leaders would dine with community members in their colonies even as chief minister Yogi Adityanath and several of his ministers are scheduled to visit the Ambedkar Mahasabha office in Lucknow where urns of Dalit ideologue are kept.

Ahead of 2017 UP polls, the BJPs ideological mentor, RSS, had even got Dalits to perform yagnas in the presence of upper caste party leaders in a bid to correct the impression of BJP being an upper caste party.

Last year, the Akhilesh Yadav government had released funds for celebration of Ambedkars 125th birth anniversary in all UP districts besides sanctioning 121 crore budget for the marriage of poor Dalit families in the state. This time Yogi Adityanath government has ordered that primary schools in the state would be made aware of the life and times of Ambedkar on the occasion.

Minister for basic education (independent charge) Anupama Jaiswal said the government wants schools to make students aware of Ambedkars contribution.

We have asked schools to invite parents, senior citizens and other prominent people in their areas on the occasion and host cultural programmes too, she said. CM has already asked social welfare department to ready a kanyadaan yojana under which state would sponsor marriages of poor girls from Dalit families.

The RSSs social harmony wing would hold seminars focused on the life and times of the leader.

The CM accepted our invite to visit the campus on a day of special importance to the community. Since Dalits are on BJPs agenda, we sincerely hope their condition improves and they find important positions in the party, government and bureaucracy, Lalji Nirmal, the president of Ambedkar Mahasabha told HT.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited the Mahasabha office in January 2016 to lay the blueprint of partys Dalit agenda in UP ahead of the state elections.

On the occasion, party cadres would also be popularising new digital payments app - BHIM - or Bharat Interface For Money that was named after Ambedkar and launched by Modi last year.

We would be visiting Dalits, OBCs and all sections of the society to explain the functioning of digital payments app, said Abhijat Mishra, general secretary, BJP youth wing.

Yogi Adityanath would also be visiting the RSS office in Nirala Nagar on the occasion, said UP BJP city unit chief Mukesh Sharma.

For the desired Dalit-connect, the BJP is looking to replace Keshav Prasad Maurya, its OBC party chief in UP with a Dalit after Mauryas elevation as the deputy chief minister. The BJP follows the principle of one-man, one-post. An RSS leader said along with Ambedkar they would be celebrating the birth anniversaries of all Dalit icons  from Narayan Swamy to Jyotiba Phule. The Sangh never believes in caste. Our aim is to unify Hindus and this is the goal we are working on, he said.

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has blocked a statewide pension programme with more than five million beneficiaries pending an inquiry but ordered hikes in the payout under other schemes.

At a midnight meeting with senior officials, the CM ordered the Samajwadi Pension Yojana -- the ambitious pension scheme of the erstwhile Akhilesh Yadav government -- to be put on hold till its verified if the scheme was actually reaching the intended 5.5 million beneficiaries, sources said.

Officials told HT that the scheme would be continued after the verification on a bigger scale, with an aim to double the number of beneficiaries.

The pension scheme would now be known as Mukhyamantri pension scheme -- keeping with the chief ministers directives to replace the word Samajwadi from all government programmes with Mukhyamantri (chief minister). The pension scheme provided for a monthly pension of Rs 500 to people below poverty line.

The 44-year-old leader also asked officials to increase old age pension from Rs 400 to Rs 1000. The widow pension too was hiked to Rs 1000. Disability pension too would be increased from Rs 300 to Rs 500, officials said, and the states handicapped welfare department would now be known as the divyang jan kalyan vibhag, in accordance with the term  divyang  coined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the disabled.

The state government is likely to also start a kanyadaan yojana where the state government would foot the bill incurred in marriages of women from deprived sections.

There is a provision for financial relief for marriages of poor girls but the CM wants the government to hold mass marriage functions where girls from poor Dalit families are married. This would also ensure that families of these girls are not forced to give dowry, an official said.

Lawmakers would be encouraged to select 20 poor women whose marriage cost would be borne by the government. These people would be married at mass marriage functions.

The CM asked the social welfare department officials to prepare schemes keeping the interests of the landless and poorest among the Dalits (ati dalits) in mind, sources said. All beneficiaries would be linked with Aadhaar by the social welfare department that would also be the nodal agency for tapping the corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund of corporate giants.

A social welfare board to look into the problems faced by the poor from the general category would also be set up. Baba Saheb Ambedkar Community Centres would be opened in Dalit localities. Land at subsidised rates would be provided to such Dalits who want to be job providers rather than job seekers.

Sources said the CM asked officials how much funds would be required to run welfare schemes for the OBCs, including the most backward. The BJPs massive win in 2017 UP polls is largely attributed to the support party got from OBCs and Dalits.

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Fast and Furious 8

Director - F Gary Gray

Cast - Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Nathalie Emmanuel, Kurt Russell, Scott Eastwood, Helen Mirren

Rating - 2/5

It is in times like these that you mourn Hans death extra hard. The sight of him, that stone cold stare, those smirky shrugs, thoroughly unconcerned by the unbelievable mayhem playing out around him, probably slipping single chips into his mouth... Youll miss that here  dare I say, more than youll miss Brian.

Especially when demi god Vin Diesel decides to race a nuclear-armed submarine. But more on that later.

Before that, he meets a mysterious cyber terrorist called Cypher, who, and theres no better way to put this, hacks into his brain, and forces him to turn his back on the only code he lives by  family (say it in Vin Diesels gravelly monotone for maximum impact).

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Charlize Theron, right, and Vin Diesel in The Fate of the Furious. (AP)

Of course, theres a reason why Dominic Toretto goes rogue. There always is. Because without it, wed have no movie would we? And when that reason is revealed, by God it will put you in a strange mood.

For the longest time, the Fast and Furious series has been an exercise in testing mankinds patience for cartoonish action - like a multi-billion-dollar lab experiment gone way out of hand. On literally any other occasion, the sight of million-dollar cars parachuting down from the sky, or chasing down a cargo plane down a 45 km runway, OR Vin Diesel soaring across the sky Superman-like, wouldve been one outlandish move too many. We were there right with them till theyd restricted themselves to dragging 3-tonne bank vaults across Rio de Janeiro, but not anymore, no.

And then, theres the issue of the almost Inception-like levels of complexity to the chronology of the series. As we stand, this is how it goes: 1, 2 - a short film with a deceptive poster retroactively written, produced, and co-directed by our boy Vin Diesel (this is not a lie. Go look it up) - 4, 5, 6, 3, 7 and now, 8.

And as if all this - the insane timeline, the devil-may-care attitude to the action, the increasingly uncomfortable will they/wont they dynamic playing out between The Rock and Vin Diesel - wasnt enough, theres also the fact that the characters personalities arent set in stone, which is so weird. Tyrese used to scowl a lot and used to punctuate his sentences with the word bruh. He is now the comic relief, and if memory serves, has stopped saying bruh completely. Ludacris, the man, the rapper, despite showing no signs of being adept at anything other than chilling on lounge chairs in his first appearance, was made a computers expert in the later movies.

Oh, and also, they brought Letty back from the dead, which, in hindsight, too a shocking plot development to simply shrug off like we all did.

But I digress. Lets come back to the point. Vin Diesel was racing a nuclear-armed submarine. And we were missing Hans classic reaction shot, that wry smile on his face, and a bag of chips in his hands.

Fast and Furious 8, or The Fate of the Furious if we were to call it by its more inventive title, is not as deliriously over-the-top as 5, it isnt as emotional as 7, and it isnt as all around awesome as Tokyo Drift (which is, unconventionally, my favourite of the bunch). But none of this matters. It is, however, the strangest, darkest, and the most deviant film in the series.

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Charlize Theron, left, and Vin Diesel in The Fate of the Furious. (AP)

But even if we were to put all the eccentricities of the plot aside for a moment, because being a fan of this franchise, someone who has been there right from the beginning, I realise that what really draws us to these movies is the action. It used to be the characters too, once upon a time, but now, sadly, its just the action. But director F Gary Gray, who has made some fantastic films in the past (The Italian Job, Straight Outta Compton to name a couple), seems to be too bogged down by the behemoth this series has become. His action set-pieces (that tundra-set show stopper included) dont hold a candle to anything Justin Lin did in his four movies. Or even James Wan in Furious 7. Theres no authorship to this film. It could have been directed by any of the series previous filmmakers and no one would have noticed.

For a franchise whose sole purpose of being hinges on the age old mantra go big or go home, Fast and Furious 8 sure does follow the rulebook. But sadly, the fatigue is setting in. A couple of films ago  even three films ago  youd never have believed it. The series had just witnessed a comeback unlike any other. In that moment, to quote a teen novel of all things, we were all infinite. Dom was in love. The Rock was breaking concrete by stomping on it real hard. Tyrese was yelling. Women were being objectified

But now, after weve seen parachuting cars and flying Vin Diesels, whats a nuclear missile here and there?

Follow @htshowbiz for more

The author tweets @RohanNaahar

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The state government had decided to allow drivers of black-and-yellow taxis to start air-conditioned (AC) services at 20% more than the normal fare, but still ignored the long-pending demand of commuters for colour-coded rooftop indicators on taxis and auto rickshaws.

The indicators, which would signal if the cab is free or occupied, was to bring down the rampant ride refusals by drivers, as according to a 2012 proposal, a vacant vehicle will have to ply as per the commuters request.

Meanwhile, according to source, the drivers can begin AC services only after regional transport authorities give the go-ahead, sources said.

In 2012, a Hakim panel had derived a fare-revision formula for taxis and autos, which included the proposal for indicators. In January 2014, the transport department had invited suggestions from people issuing draft rules, for installing the LED based gadgets.

It was accepted by the Hakim Committee at that time, but the government has not yet implemented it, despite the troubles to lakhs of commuters, said AV Shenoy, transport expert. Even auto rickshaw and taxi unions have agreed to install these indicators , according to sources. The decision is mainly pending because of a language issue with transport minister Diwakar Raote suggesting putting letters on the indicators in Marathi as well.

Manoj Saunik, transport secretory of the state, who recently taken over the charge of the department said that he is not aware of the proposal. I will check with my department officials, said Saunik.

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Should the Centre decide to regularise food portion served by star hotels and restaurants, eating out will become costlier, say hoteliers in Mumbai,adding that one size does not fit all.

According to Kamlesh Barot, Director, Vie Hospitality, which runs the Revival Group of Hotels, prices will shoot up with such regulations. We will be forced to increase rates as it will interfere with our business model. Our pricing and food portions are planned accordingly and any interference will have a direct effect on the consumers bill, Barot fears.

Currently, it is unfeasible to increase costs and many establishments will be forced to close down, he adds.

Satish Nayak, who owns the reputed Idli House and Udupi Sri Krishna Boarding at Matunga, second Barot.

We design the entire menu and the portion size based on variety of things such as the demography of the area and taste of the people. Standardization will complicate things, obsereves Nayak.

The Union food ministry is drafting a questionnaire for hotels and restaurants to explain what dish sizes they should serve to a customer. According to Food minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the aim is to reduce food wastage in these establishments. He said the hoteliers were the best people to suggest the dish sizes.

The Hotels and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has debunked the wastage theory, saying that consumers are smart enough not to waste. Many of the customers take the parcel home of unfinished food. In addition, many of the hotels have tied up with NGOs who supply the leftovers to the poor, said Dilip Datwani, president, HRAWI.

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Hoteliers against Centre fixing portion size

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At least six to seven schools in Mumbai have hiked their fees, without parents consent, in the last two weeks, ahead of the new academic session, 2017-18. This has raised doubts over the effectiveness of Maharashtras school fee regulation law, which seeks to limit fee hikes and involve parents in the process to ensure that schools do not increase fees arbitrarily.

The Maharashtra Educational Institutions (Regulation of Collection of Fee) Act, 2011, which has been effective since December, 2014, requires managements of private unaided schools to put forth proposed fees for the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) executive committees approval, six months before the start of the new session.

Parents said that schools are violating the law by not giving parents prior notice or seeking their approval before increasing the fees. They are hiking fees every year, while the act allows them only once in two years.

At Terna Orchids School in Ghansoli, parents were asked to pay Rs10,000 (for Class 6 and 7) and Rs15,000 (for Class 8) in addition to their regular fees as the school has hired a special faculty to teach math and science. It will raise their fees from Rs 89,000 to Rs 1, 02, 000 a year. The school has hiked their fees by 10% last year.

Parents alleged that this was done without taking their approval. We were called for a PTA meeting in which the new initiative was merely discussed. Later on we found that the school took our attendance as consent, said Rakesh Mundhra, one of the parents fighting the hike. He added that his request to the principal to hold another parent-teacher meet was turned down.

The school justified its actions saying that the money is needed to provide a new initiative to make math and science lively and interesting. We are calling expert IITians to hold classes for our students. The programme had received a good feedback from parents when we started it on trial basis last year, said Pratibha Mishra, principal of the school. We took it forward only after talking to parents.

Activists said that fee disputes are increasing because the fee act is silent on schools charging fees under different heads. This is a loophole that is being exploited by schools, said Jayant Jain, president of the Forum for Fairness in Education. Schools are charging exorbitant amounts as security deposit, admission fees and others, he added.

Another problem is the delay in setting up state-level and divisional fee regulation panels for parents or schools to approach in case of disputes. The divisional panel was formed only last year, while the revision panel became operational last month. As a result, hundreds of fee hike disputes are still pending with them.

An online poll has found that even as schools begin admissions for the coming academic year, exorbitant fees and rampant fee hikes are a major cause for concern among parents. Around 55% parents said that their schools has hiked fees by 11% to 20% for the new academic session.

The fee increase in many schools has again been quite high this year and parents in different parts of the country have come on to the roads to protest about it, read the statement released by LocalCircles, an online citizen engagement platform that carried out the survey. They have also been complaining about the hefty increase in the annual fee charges which schools are not able to justify, it stated.

Also read: School fees : Survey shows up to 20% hike this year; parents seek correction

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr.12



By Dalga Khatinoglu  Trend:



Iran exported 2.6 million barrels of crude oil and gas condensate per day during the last fiscal year (ended March 20), of which 2 mb/d was crude oil, said Irans oil minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh.



Zanganeh said that during the sanctions era (2012-2015), about 70 million barrels of unsold gas condensate stockpile was stored on tankers, but after the removal of sanctions in January 2016, the volume was sold gradually and reached about zero by March 20, 2017, IRNA reported.



Therefore, Iran had sold 2.6 mb/d of newly produced oil and gas condensate and sold 200,000 b/d from its gas condensate stockpile on water during last year.



During the sanctions era, Irans oil (including gas condensate) output and export volume decreased from 4.1 mb/d and 2.5 mb/d to 3.3 mb/d and 1.2 mb/d respectively.



Zanganeh said that Iran plans to keep the export volume unchanged during the current fiscal year.



However, he has announced a week earlier that Iran plans to export 2.4 mb/d of oil and gas condensate during the current fiscal year.



Iran also plans to inaugurate the first phase of Persian Star Refinery this summer, which would add 120,000 b/d to the countrys refining capacity.



Zanganeh further said that Iran plans to increase the production volume from West Karoon block, Azer field and South Pars gas fields oil layer.



He said that the countrys oil production volume is expected to reach 4 mb/d during the current fiscal year.



Iran started the 15,000 b/d of oil production from Azer field, which is projected to double in summer.



The country also started 25,000 b/d of oil extraction from South Pars last month and the volume is projected to reach 35,000 b/d. Iran also plans to increase the oil output from West Karoon block, including five giant fields, to about 300,000 b/d. Currently, the volume is more than

two times less than the mentioned figure.



However, about 80 percent of Irans active oil fields are in their second half life and lose annually 8-12 percent of their productivity naturally due to pressure fall in reserves.



Iran has re-injected 70-80 million cubic meters per day into the oil fields to maintain the crude oil output, but the volume is 3.5-4 times less than the needed gas recycling volume.



During the last several years, Iran shut downed some of fields due to sanctions and export decline, while the gas re-injection continued.



Therefore, during the last fiscal year, after resuming the oil extraction from those fields the production level was stable and the pressure of reserves was high relatively, though the ,output of fields, controlled by Iranian Offshore Oil Company decreased by 0.2 mb/d to 407,000 b/d during last fiscal year, compared to the pre-sanctions era.



Iran has planned to issue tenders on 49 oil and gas fields based on newly designed agreements, called Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) to increase oil production to 4.7 mb/d by 2021. However, IPC is still under the study of the Supreme National Security Council, waiting to be approved.



Iran needs $100 billion to develop the mentioned 49 oil and gas fields, of which 80 percent is projected to come from foreign investments.

Dalga Khatinoglu is the head of Trend Agencys Iran news service, follow him on Twitter: @dalgakhatinoglu
There may be relief ahead for more than 500 liquor-serving establishments along highways in Mumbai and Thane, who have been forced to stop serving alcohol following a Supreme Court directive  the Apex court has banned the sale of liquor within 500m of highways. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has requested the state government to hand over the state highways  Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Western Express Highway (WEH) for repair and maintenance. But here is what the move will actually do.

Both the highways begin in the middle of the city and there are a number of restaurants, bars, pubs and liquor shops around them both in Mumbai and Thane. Denotifying these highways and handing them over to the MMRDA would mean these establishments can serve liquor.

Before handing them over to the MMRDA, the state public works department (PWD), which currently maintains both the highways, will have to de-notify them.

Sources in the PWD confirmed they received a request from the MMRDA on Tuesday. The MMRDA has also agreed to bear all the expenses for repair and maintenance of both the EEH and WEH, said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

The government is positive on the matter and the decision on handing the highways to the planning authority will be taken soon, the officer said. Once approved, the PWD will issue a notification to de-notify both the highways, he said. The EEH starts near Chembur and goes up to Thane, where it branches out to Nashik through Kharegaon with another branch going towards Ghodbunder Road. The WEH starts at Bandra and connects Dahisar.

In case of EEH, the planning authority has requested the PWD to hand over the patch up to Kharegaon toll naka in Thane, which means most of the establishments in Thane city will also be exempted from the prohibition, the sources said.

Taking note of the large number accidents on highways caused by drink driving, the SC in December last year, had ordered a ban on all establishments within 500m of highways that served liquor.

In Maharashtra alone, 15,699 establishments, including restaurants, bars and liquor shops, were shut following the ban. The state government was under tremendous pressure from the sector to come up with a solution to minimise the impact of the ban.

Referring to its decision taken in 2001, state excise minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule had declared that the state government is ready to de-notify state highways if the local bodies are ready to take over them for repair and maintenance.

Sources in the state government confirmed that de-notifying of state highways will be done in other major cities as well. This includes Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Nashik. The planning authorities concerned will also be sending similar requests to the PWD.

State highways of four cities  Latur, Jalgaon, Jalna and Yavatmal  have already been de-notified by the state government and hence are free from any prohibition.

The government will have to bear the loss of Rs7,000 crore every year because of the ban.

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A special PMLA court on Wednesday reserved its order on Enforcement Directorates (ED) plea seeking a non-bailable warrant against televangelist Zakir Naik. It will hear the plea again on Thursday.

The ED on Tuesday moved a plea in the special court seeking the NBW on the ground that Naik had failed to cooperate with the investigation.

EDs counsel Hiten Venegaonkar said depsite issuing several summons Naik had failed to appear before the agency.

The agency had first issued summons to Naik in January. Naiks overseas properties are also under scanner, sources said. Naik has failed to appear in person and certain questions and queries can only be answered by him and his presence is necessary, said an ED officer privy to the investigation.

The agency is not keen on Naiks proposal to be available via video-conferencing or a questionnaire. ED sources said if Naiks video-conferencing request is approved, it would set a bad precedent.

Naik established dummy companies in the country and abroad to diverst funds, said sources. The probe gathered momentum with the first arrest in the case of Aamir Gazdar, a confidante of Naik.

Gazdar played a pivotal role in acquiring and disposing of the cash. Dummy companies were used to camouflage funds received by Naik though provocative speeches, alleged sources.

The central agency stated that Gazdar is director in at least six companies formed by Naik. Two companies are in England  Universal Broadcasting Corporation Ltd and Lords Production Inc Ltd  four others are based in Mumbai  Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, Long-Lost Constructions Pvt Ltd, Majestic Perfumes Pvt Ltd and Alpha Lubricants Pvt Ltd.

The financial transactions between Gazdar and Naik are also under the lens. The ED alleged that Gazdar was filing IT returns in the name of his wife and children. However, he admitted that they dont have any source of income which raises a suspicion that he was trying to layer the proceeds of crime into the system. The ED also revealed that videos of provocative speeches were produced and exported to Dubai for telecaste. Naik used Gazdar for cash transactions without leaving any trail. The cash was collected and provided to employees of the banned Islamic Research Foundation (IRF), the agency said.

The agency has recorded statements of Naiks siblings  sister Nailah Noorani and brother Mohammad Abdul Karim Naik. However, they have claimed ignorance in the matter.

READ

ED seeks non-bailable warrant against Zakir Naik

Is the Zakir Naik case falling apart?

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The Tardeo police have arrested a vengedul 29-year-old graphic designer who allegedly created a fake social media profile of a girl who rejceted his proposal. He also tried to allegedly hack her friends Facebook account to avenge rejection.

According to the police officials, Harish Dhuri is a resident of Prabhadevi.

In February, a 19-year-old student had lodged a case of defamation after an unknown person used her name and created a Facebook profile.

Dhuri contacted the girls family and reltives through the fake profile and abused them, said the police.

He used her personal details whcih were extracted from her real Facebook profile. He then started sending lewd messages, photos and videos to everyone and sullied her image in public, said an officer from Tardeo police station.

The incident came to light after one of the victims classmates asked her about an abusive message received from the fake account. The complainant denied sending any such message.

The officer further added, Dhuri got in touch with the friend of the victim and took her number. He even contacted the friend through his real Facebook account.

When she ignored him, he tried hacking into her Facebook profile following which she got a notification. The alert showed hackers IP address.

With the help of the IP address, we reached his residential address and arrested him from Prabhadevi, said an officer. Dhuri confessed to the crime.

The police have registered a case sections 354 (D) (stalking) and 500 (punishment for defamation) of the Indian Penal Code along with sections 66 (C) and (D) under Information Technology Act.

Meanwhile, they are also seeking help from the the cyber police and have even written to Facebook for profile details.

Beware of online fraudsters

Never send money to unknown internet friends: Many times, we send money via Internet to needy friends. We must verify if they really need it over the phone or in-person.

Never give your personal information: Never give your personal information to any unknown Internet friend as they may harass you and extort money under the pretext of sharing your personal information.

*Attachments in email: Never download attachments in an email without scanning for viruses.

Never believe in stories: There are many people who ask you to send money to their account in the name of giving you gifts, free products or lottery tickets or any such freebies. Never believe in such stories.

Change your password from time to time: Keep changing your password to prevent hacking strikes.

Lack of personal details: The easiest way to find a fake email is the sender will send you email in the name of some bank, organisation, etc. and will never mention your name in the email. This is because the sender does not have your personal information as he chooses your email randomly or from a list of emails and so he cannot mention your name.

Avoid posting personal information and photos on social networking sites. Your photos or information such as your residential address, phone number, and date of birth can be misused

Do not leave your computer unattended with your Facebook account open.

DIAL FOR HELP

Cyber crime complaints can be reported to the Mumbai polices cyber wing

24x7 helpline: 9820810007/022-26504008

E-mail: cyberpst-mum@mahapolice.gov.in

Office: Cyber police station, first floor, Bandra-Kurla Complex police station, Bandra (E), Mumbai.

Past Instances

March 31: The Vikhroli police arrested Sandeep Pagare, a resident of Tagore Nagar, for harassing a girl who spurrned his advances. He did not stop to stalk her even after she had changed her phone number.He also created a fake Facebook account of the victim.

February 28: A 30-year-old housewife from Parel registered a case with the Kalachowkie police after an unidentified person hacked her facebook account and started to demand money from the people on her friend list. The accused is still at large.

READ

How they take a swipe at your savings

Banks can do a lot to curb cyber crime, feels expert

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A Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Mumbai has written to two-wheeler dealers asking them to start training their customers before selling them vehicles.

The step has been taken to curb the growing number of road accidents involving two-wheelers .

Speaking at the Global Road Safety workshop for journalists organised by Bloomberg Philanthropy Initiative, Sanjay Sasane, deputy RTO of Wadala, revealed the plan.

He said transport authorities have also taken steps like providing road safety training to school teachers and conducting driving tests on scientific test tracks.

We have written to two-wheeler manufactures and dealers, asking them to get in touch with driving schools and train people before handing them their vehicles, said Sasane.

While many Mumbaiites use mass transport like suburban trains and BEST buses, over te past decade, more citizens are buying two-wheelers to commute. Hence, Mumbai has seen exponential growth in purchase of two-wheelers, which comprise about 17 lakh of citys 27 lakh vehicles .

According to an RTO source, Mumbaiites prefer two-wheelers for commutes as those are easy to maneuver on congested roads. However, but they are also more risky and prone to accidents.

The traffic police data suggests that of the total accidents in 2015, a large proportion (28.8%) involved two-wheelers .

During the workshop, Nalin Sinha, India Coordinator for Global Health Advocacy Incubator, said that of the 1.48 lakh road accidents deaths in India, 43,548 involved two-wheelers.

READ MORE

Scared after hitting a two-wheeler, 17-year-old boy runs over a woman near Mumbai

Two college students killed in hit-and-run on Mumbai highway

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A team from the Thane police will take Sagar Shaggy Thakkar, the mastermind of the Rs1,900-crore Thane call centre scam, to his native place in Ahmedabad on Wednesday to identify and asses his investments, allegedly made from the ill-gotten money.

He had surrendered himself to the police and was arrested from the Mumbai airport on Friday.

The scam, which operated since 2013 through at least half a dozen call centres in Thane, targeted at least 15,000 US-based tax payers, who were allegedly conned by Indian tele-callers.

The scam came to light last year when police raided call centres at Mira Road in Thane district on the night of October 4-5. Subsequently, police teams raided and shut down five call centres in Ahmedabad which were a part of the racket.

More than 70 people, mostly directors and key persons linked to these call centres, were arrested and 700 employees were detained.

Thane commissioner Param Bir Singh told HT on Tuesday that the police had obtained leads about Thakkars investments in properties and some other businesses. We will check those addresses and also the bank accounts as revealed by him, Singh said, adding that the police would seek courts intervention to attach those assets.

The police will check Thakkars three bank accounts during their visit to Gujarat.

They will also check hawala channels who helped him en-cash US iTune cards, through his contacts in China for a cut. He, sources said, earned merely 15-20% of the scam money, while the rest went to his partners and employees. He is believed to have made Rs15-20 crore over the last two-three years, sources added.

Of demonetisation demons and distress sale

The Thane police have something to cheer about the Narendra Modi governments November 8 demonetisation move.

A senior Thane crime branch officer told HT that the notes ban had hit Thakkar in two ways. Firstly, the curb on black money had resulted in plummeting property prices, while on the other hand, the transactions in white (via cheques or money transfer) had left the trail of the deals.

After getting to know about raids at his call centres in Mira Road, Thakkar left for Dubai the next day. Before leaving, he allegedly asked his parents to sell of his sprawling bungalow at Gokuldham society in the plush New Renip area of Ahmedabad. He also dispatched his two expensive cars  an Audi R8 and a BMW SUV to his friends in Haryana and Ahmedabad, respectively.

It was only in December last year that his parents and one of his friends could find buyers for the bungalow and the SUV. With a slump in realty prices and cash cruch owing to the notes ban, the assets fetched almost 50% less than what he had expected. Moreover, all trascations of the sale were done in white, which will help the police in establishing the money trail and pinpoint if Thakkar recieved any finacial support during his self-imposed exile.

Due to demonetisation, the 5,000 sq ft bungalow, which could have easily bagged anything between Rs5 crore and Rs6 crore, had to be sold off for Rs2.5 crore. The Audi R8 was seized while the BMW was sold by his friend at an abysmally low price, the officer, who is privy to Thakkars interrogation, said.

The police have learnt that both the transactions were made via cheques. Even if attempts were made to wire transfer the money, the trail can be established from the accounts, the officer said, adding that three of Thakkars bank accounts in Ahmedabad had been identified.

READ

Call centre scam mastermind who gave girlfriend Rs 2.5-cr Audi held in Mumbai

Thane scam: Mastermind Shaggy used Dubai earnings to start fake call centres

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There are approximately 35,000 of them working across Mumbai. In rain and shine, they collect garbage to the extent that its possible to, clean the citys sewers, sweep the streets, slide down manholes to clean them and generally do the chores that must be done in a city. They remain invisible because the system wills it to be so.

These conservancy workers of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), or safai karmacharis, are rarely able to beat the system. It is a pernicious system, a reflection of all that is wrong with urban societies, city governance and vestiges of a feudal set-up. If they want the job, they must grin and bear this system though some of them see the stark exploitation, injustice, illegality and unethicality of it all.

They earn about Rs15,000 a month if they work six days a week. But thats about it. They are contracted labour, not employed directly by the BMC. They do not get paid leave, are not provided with protective gear, cannot claim medical expenses for injuries sustained during work, and do not have a medical insurance cover. The abysmal work conditions mean that illnesses and early death are common, and to top it all, they must go off the rolls for a few days before they complete 240 days of work.

Nearly 225 of the workers die every year due to the appalling work conditions; about 1,380 had died between 2009 and 2015, according to the BMCs own data. Some of the poorest, most marginalised and least educated people suffer and die to keep Mumbai as clean as possible.

Though the city cannot do without them, the BMC does not employ them because it would have to give them a higher salary, paid leave, medical cover and so on. So it hires them from hundreds of contractors because, on paper, each contractor has only about 20 workers on rolls. Why? Because he can escape the provisions of the Contract Labour Act which mandate benefits and rights to establishments with more than 20. A contractor takes them off the rolls before they complete 240 days and rehires them after a gap because otherwise he would have to, according to the Industrial Disputes Act, make them permanent employees.

This is an exploitative, malicious, illegal and unjust arrangement but it suits everyone involved  except, of course, the safai karmacharis.

Ten years ago, some 2,700 of them helped by their union approached the industrial tribunal. In October 2014, the tribunal ruled in their favour granting them permanent employment with the BMC and all applicable benefits. What did the BMC do? It appealed against the order in the Bombay High Court. In December last year, the HC too ruled in the workers favour.

The BMC appealed in the Supreme Court which dismissed the petition last week. It is anybodys guess if the BMC will implement the orders immediately but this case opened the avenue for nearly 3,000 workers whose cases are pending in the tribunal. This is still 10 per cent of all conservancy workers.

As Mumbaiikars, you would have to wonder what compelled the BMC to behave the way it did  and does  with those on the bottom rung of the class, perhaps caste, and work ladder. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta has grand plans to make Mumbai clean: build toilets in slums, replace 3,000 open garbage bins with closed compactors, install new garbage processing stations, and so on, while completing the paperwork required to get a Swachh Bharat rank. Mumbai was placed 10th in India last year.

But Mehta fought tooth and nail in the courts to deny the safai workers their rights. The Swachh Bharat rank is coveted, clean Mumbai is important, but those who work for it are treated like, well, dirt. How much more dichotomous and unethical can the BMC be? Or the question to ask: Who benefits from this pernicious exploitative system? That pervasive contractor-corporator-official nexus, perhaps?

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Leading electronic music festival Ultra announced an expansion Monday to China and India, sensing a bright future for the booming genre in the worlds two most populous countries.

Ultra Music Festival, launched in 1999 in Miami when electronic dance music was beginning to find mass audiences in the West, also plans to head to Australia which will bring the party to six continents.

The September 9-10 edition in Shanghai marks the first entry of an international music festival into mainland China, which has a number of homegrown events that have drawn global talent.

Russell Faibisch, Ultras president, CEO and executive producer, said he has been spending time in China since 2012 and sensed a strong appetite for electronic dance music.

There is no other genre like electronic music now, or ever, in the history of music, Faibisch told AFP.

Its the one genre that brings everyone together no matter what country youre in, what language you speak, he said.

Ultra will come to India in September in New Delhi with a second edition set for February 2018 in Mumbai. The Indian events for now will be Road to Ultra shows which have single rather than multiple stages.

Another major electronic festival, Las Vegas-based Electric Daisy Carnival, came to New Delhi in November, while the western beach state of Goa is already home to the popular Sunburn festival.

Electronic music revelers, often decked out in extravagant outfits for hours of sweaty dancing, have increasingly crossed borders. Ultras flagship event in Miami last month drew 165,000 people from more than 60 countries, according to organizers.

Faibisch, who said Ultra tailored each event to local musical preferences, explained that he witnessed the potential for growth in Asia by seeing so many fans travel within the region.

Elsewhere in Asia, Ultra has editions in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

I think the artists really love going and playing there because the fans are so enthusiastic about it. Their energy is very high, maybe because its something thats newer in that region, Faibisch said of Asia.

Ibiza residency planned

Just a couple of decades ago, China and India were relative backwaters for many Western concert promoters despite their billion-plus populations.

Along with rising incomes, China and especially India have seen musical tastes shaped by the streaming revolution with fans instantly enjoying access to DJs who once seemed remote.

Electronic dance music has also kept rising in the West, outpacing other genres in streaming and performance revenue expansion.

I just see this continuing to grow and become even more popular in all corners of the world, Faibisch said of dance music.

Ultra also announced that Resistance, its stage for more underground electronic music, will have a six-week residency from July 25 on the Spanish island of Ibiza at Privilege, billed as the worlds largest club.

Faibisch, calling the island crucial for the Ultra brand, promised a production that has never been seen in Ibiza before led by British DJ pair Sasha and John Digweed.

The Road to Ultra will come to Melbourne in February 2018 with a full-fledged festival planned in both Melbourne and Sydney in 2019.

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Ghaziabad municipal corporation is now proposed to have 20 new wards as per the recent delimitation held on the basis of the 2011 census. The district administration has also finalised the proposal of new wards for other local bodies in the district that it will be sending to the director, local bodies, in Lucknow.

The entire exercise took place after a recent government order that ordered new delimitation to be taken up for local bodies in accordance with the population based on Census 2011 figures.

The Ghaziabad municipal corporation is now proposed to have 100 wards instead of the existing 80. This is done as per the population estimates of 2011. Fourteen new wards are proposed in Vasundhara zone, six in Mohan Nagar zone and two in Vijay Nagar zone. Two existing wards in the Kavi Nagar zone will be merged with two neighbouring wards, said Ashu Verma, mayor.

The population in the wards has increased over the past several years. Once the delimitation is finalised after notification by the government, it will lead to better local area development. With the new delimitation, the developmental works can be easily carried out for a particular area, he added.

According to officials, the citys population was 16.5 lakh as per 2011 projections. Areas with population above 15 lakh to 18 lakh are proposed to have 100 wards, according to the government order. The officials were asked to send the finalised delimitation figures to Lucknow by April 12.

The proposed delimitation will be sent to Lucknow. Thereafter, a public hearing will take place and after its disposal, a final notification will be rolled out by the government. We expect that the entire exercise will be completed at the government-level by May, said Nidhi Kesarwani, district magistrate.

Apart from the Ghaziabad municipal corporation area, one of the biggest areas of Khoda also became a nagar palika. It is proposed to have 34 wards after an estimated 1.9 lakh population in 2011.

Apart from the Khoda Nagar Palika, the Loni Nagar Palika is now proposed to have a total of 55 wards instead of the existing 45. The Nagar Palika of Modi Nagar will remain unchanged with 26 wards.

In the government order of April 4, officials were asked to put all family members of a household in one ward and try to keep a mohalla in the same ward. They were also asked to preferably put all voters related to a polling booth in a particular ward.

The last delimitation exercise was carried out in 2005 based on Census 2001 figures.

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Fifty-year-old Rajesh Jolly, who shot his business partner, Ajay Khuranas wife and son in Sector 39 on Tuesday night, was known to the family for 18 years.

Khurana, 60, and Jolly lived for 14 years in the same locality of Mayur Vihar Phase-1 in Delhi. As the duo was into property business and money lending, Jolly would often come to meet Khurana at his office  AS Properties in Pocket-4 of Mayur Vihar Phase 1.

Jolly also had business dealings with Ajays sons Amit, 38, and Ankush, 33, who were also into real estate. Ankush, who was shot by Jolly, was his close associate.

I couldnt believe it when I got to know that the Khurana family was attacked by Jolly. I knew Ankush and he came to my office several times for property related work with Jolly. The duo had a good bonding and would work together on sale and purchase of properties in Delhi-NCR, said Alok Vatsa, managing director of Millennium Group of Companies, standing outside Khuranas E-59 house in Sector 49, Noida.

The attack survivors

Vatsa said after he got to know about the incident, he called up Amit to enquire about the incident. Amit told me that his father had a serious dispute with Jolly over the money earned from the sale of a plot of land. The fact will come out only when police get in touch with Jolly, said Vatsa.

Relatives, who gathered outside the mortuary in Sector 94, said Ajay trusted him blindly, they added.

Jolly had no office, he would sit with Ajay uncle in Mayur Vihar. He was mostly interested in money lending and would push money into businesses through uncle. For 18 years, he held many responsibilities of my uncles family, said Munish Khurana, Ajays nephew.

The Khurana family shifted to Noida four years ago from Mayur Vihar Phase 1 after Ankushs marriage. Jolly would visit Noida to see them and this is the reason domestic help Rajinder opened the main gate without suspecting anything.

People, who have been working with Ajay, said that for the last three days, they saw Jolly wearing cargo pants with multiple pockets and a black and white T-shirt. They suspect that Jolly was planning to kill Khurana, but could not.

He entered the house on Tuesday night in the same clothes. He must have been wearing the clothes to carry weapons. Police recovered live cartridges from his pocket. In the last three days he came to our office at 8pm, when Ajay used to be alone. Even on Tuesday, he came to the office at 8pm, said Tejpal Singh Rajput, who works with Ajay Khurana.

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A 50-year-old property dealer allegedly shot dead his business partners wife and younger son in Noidas Sector 39 on Tuesday night, in a manic attack over a suspected financial dispute.

Besides, Rajesh Jolly is accused of stabbing with a sharp surgical knife 60-year-old Ajay Khurana, elder son Amit and domestic help Rajinder. They survived the assault, but Khuranas employee was gravely wounded and is now being treated at a private hospital.

File picture of accused Rajesh Jolly. (Salman Ali/HT Photo)

Police said on Wednesday the assailant was also admitted to the hospital with head injuries but it couldnt be ascertained if these were self-inflicted or picked up in a scuffle.

The attack began immediately after the suspect reached his partners home and the domestic help answered to his knocks at the front door at 10.20pm. Jolly was allegedly armed with two pistols, 40 bullets, a rope and a surgical knife.

The attack survivors

Family sources said he stabbed Rajinder twice at the door, and fired at Khuranas younger son Ankush who was having dinner. Next he shot at his business associates 56-year-old wife, Anju, who had come out of an inner room after hearing screams and gunshots.

Bullets pierced the womans chest and she died in hospital. But her 33-year-old son took a straight hit in the head, dying instantly.

Jolly fired several rounds towards Khurana, his primary target, but missed. After a while, his pistols jammed and 38-year-old Amit seized the opportunity to wrestle him down.

File picture of the Khurana family. (Salman Ali/HT Photo)

Khurana joined his son to keep Jolly pinned down. But the assailant took out his knife, stabbed the duo frenziedly to get out of their clutches, and ran to a room on the first floor of the three-storey home. He locked himself inside.

When police reached the house, in response to neighbours call, they found the suspect in the room with multiple head wounds akin to knife cuts. He was arrested and murder charges were pressed against him, Noida police superintendent Dinesh Yadav said.

Khuranas employee Rajinder is kept in the intensive care unit and he underwent a 13-hour surgery on Wednesday. Amit was discharged on Tuesday night while Khurana was sent home the day after.

Jolly has a deep head cut  and is on ventilator support now. Doctors said his limbs have stopped functioning, which suggests the nervous system is affected, a hospital spokesperson said.

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Baku, Azerbaijan Apr. 12



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Former Iranian Vice-President Hamid Baqaei has arrived in the building of the countrys Interior Ministry to submit his name on the second day of candidate registration for the countrys May 19 presidential elections.



Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his chief of staff Esfandiar Mashaei accompanied the hopeful, Tasnim news agency reported.



The registration process began on April 11 and will last for five days. All hopefuls need to be approved by Guardian Council, the country's constitutional watchdog.



Ahmadinejad has expressed support for Baqaei saying he will do his best in order to convince the watchdog body to vet his aide.
When the Anna Hazare movement was in full flow, the choicest abuses were hurled at it and the then government for the delay in enacting the lokpal. BJP leader Sushma Swaraj spoke eloquently about an old man who keeps fasting to fight against corruption, an appeal to our collective conscience. Many in the present government accused the UPA of acting like a child in handling the Hazare agitation and strongly supported the just, fierce and fair anger. At that time, the current finance minister, Arun Jaitley has said, we are ready to pass it (lokpal bill) without a debate.

Cut to reality. All concrete initiatives were actually taken by the UPA. A joint drafting committee was created in April 2011, and the bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August 2011. It was referred to the parliamentary standing committee, which I had the privilege to chair. In a record four months, after examining over 140 witnesses in 15 meetings spread over 40 hours, the 31-member Committee comprising 17 political parties, submitted a near-unanimous report. Despite agreeing in the Committee, the BJP opposed it in Parliament. The Act was passed in both Houses at the end of 2012 and after Presidential assent, brought into force on January 16, 2014.

In the last 36 months, every possible excuse has been trotted out to avoid bringing in the lokpal. One of the funniest excuses is that the Act as passed refers to the Leader of Opposition (LOP) being in the selection committee to select the lokpal; and the Congress, at 44 members, and the largest in the Lok Sabha, does not qualify as LOP and hence the government has no selection committee. The fact that a one line amendment recognising the single largest party in place of the LOP in the Lok Sabha can be passed in five minutes has escaped those who glibly trot out such specious and flimsy excuses.

An amendment was made about the mandatory disclosure of assets in the Lokpal Act in 2016 but the LOP amendment was deliberately avoided. Indeed, the government did amend the CBI Act to recognise the single-largest party in the Lok Sabha instead of LOP. While this government has no compunction in passing the largest number of ordinances in the shortest time and in camouflaging several non-money issues as Money Bills, it is comical to see the kind of helplessness it pleads on lokpal.

Since institutional memory in India is short, we are being condemned to repeat the lessons of history. We havent learnt from the Gujarat experience from 2003 to 2013, the period of Chief Minister Narendra Modis entire tenure, which never saw a lokayukta appointed. Instead, it was resolutely and obstinately blocked by the state government for a decade!

Gujarats lokayukta post fell vacant in 2003 when Justice SM Soni demitted office. No one was appointed. In 2006, Justice KR Vyas was proposed and then delayed, deserted and denied. In 2010, the state government finally proposed Justice JR Vora, a person who it had earlier opposed. The Gujarat Act specifies a selection process with no ostensible role for the CM and creates a selection collegium comprising the High Court Chief Justice, the governor, and the LOP. Though the Supreme Court in 2013 held that the governor cannot act independently but on the advice of the state government, the court also accepted that the primacy in the collegium is assigned to the Chief Justice. Consequently, when the collegium in 2011 appointed Justice RA Mehta, the state governments opposition to him was without legal basis.

Unprecedentedly, the State Government filed a Writ in the High Court challenging Mehtas appointment. After losing, they persisted and carried an appeal to the Supreme Court. The apex court dismissed the appeal on January 2, 2013, upholding Mehtas appointment. In concluding para 74, the Supreme Court said, the facts of the case revealed a very sorry state of affairs, revealing that in the State of Gujarat, the post of Lokayukta has been lying vacant for a period of more than 9 yearsonly a few half-hearted attempts were made to fill up the post

Despite the Supreme Court upholding his appointment, Mehta resigned in August 2013 writing in his letter that the present controversy has degenerated the office of the lokayukta and adversely affects it credibility. The appointment has lost all grace and dignity. The lokayukta post thus lay vacant for a decade. As in many other issues, this government has already successfully replicated the Gujarat model.

Abhishek Singhvi is MP, national spokesperson, Congress party, former additional solicitor general (ASG) and former chairman of the parliamentary standing committee which also dealt with lokpal

The views expressed are personal
The protest against fee hike turned ugly on the Panjab University (PU) campus on Tuesday, with police using tear gas and water cannons against the protesting students, who in turn, resorted to stone-pelting, leaving 22 cops and some students injured.

The police arrested 52 students, including three women, after 68 were booked by name for violence and damaging public property. The police also resorted to mild canecharge. At least 15 policemen besides some students had to get medical help; some were still in hospital and said to be in a stable condition. More than 50 protesters were taken into custody.

The fee hike for the 2017-18 session  purportedly necessitated by a financial crunch at PU  meant some courses saw an increase of up to 1,000%. The Union ministry for human resource development (MHRD) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) have been pressuring PU to increase income from internal resources if grants are needed.

On Tuesday, student parties, except the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), had called a strike. The ABVP is protesting separately and their hunger strike entered its 10th day on Tuesday.

GATHERING SUPPORT

Right from 9am, members of the Students for Society (SFS), a leftist union, was moving from department to department asking students to join the stir.

Around 10.30pm, hundreds of students gathered outside the vice-chancellors office and started sloganeering against V-C Arun Kumar Grover, MHRD, UGC, and the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Members of Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), Students Organisation of India (SOI) and National Students Union of India (NSUI) also joined.

Students managed to dodge the police and university authorities to enter the arena right outside the V-Cs office.

When the water cannon was used, stone-pelting started which smashed the windowpanes of the water-cannon bus of the police. (Karun Sharma/HT)

CLASHES ENSUE

As students tried to push their way to enter the office, the policemen pushed back. When the water cannon was used, stone-pelting started which smashed the windowpanes of the water-cannon bus of the police. However, some leaders then tried to pacify the students and told them not to throw stones.

Students sat down and told the policemen to call an ambulance for those injured. They were also demanding to call the V-C out, but the authorities said he was out of station. When students charged for a second time, the police resorted to using water cannon and lathicharge. Students then hurled stones and flowerpots at the cops.

At this, teargas teargas shells were fired by the police. Students dispersed but cops chased them and nabbed some of them, assaulting many in full public view. A tear gas shell entered a classroom in the chemical engineering department too.

Even photojournalists had to bear the brunt as police used force. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Eish Singhal also visited the campus.

Students again got together briefly to put a blockade near hostel number 3. But, when the police marched, stone-pelting started again and the cops replied with tear gas.

Elsewhere on the campus, police chased students from the library to the Students Centre to hostel number 4. Some complained the police hit them even when they were not part of the protest.

STALEMATE ENDS

Finally, some students took shelter at the university gurdwara, which was surrounded by cops. Prof AS Ahluwalia, who heads the management of the gurdwara, did not allow police to enter the sanctum sanctorum. The SSP too came to the spot.

The students eventually surrendered after calling the president of Chandigarh district bar association and other lawyers from the district courts there. Forty students were thus taken into custody.

Amritpal Singh, SFS leader, who also surrendered, said, Our female members were injured and we were calling for an ambulance. SFS president Damanpreet Singh said, Fee hike is also a form of structural violence. Our right to education at PU is being denied.

On the situation going out of control, deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Ram Gopal said, Students are not criminals. We have to take care of their careers also. But today they did not leave us with any option. Damanpreet Singh, who was leading the agitation, is absconding.

Students sat down and told the policemen to call an ambulance for those injured. They were also demanding to call the V-C out, but the authorities said he was out of station. (Karun Sharma/HT)

STUDENT UNION CHIEF CONDEMNS INCIDENT

Nishant Kaushal, president, Panjab University Campus Students Council, condemned the stone-pelting, though he part of the protest.

Nishant Kaushal said, Leaders of student parties sent me on behalf of the PUCSC to meet the dean of university instructions and student welfare, and the chief security officer.

The officials told me the fee issue can be resolved only by the senate and the vice-chancellor. Then I called up the vice-chancellor, who was in Delhi and told me to wait for a few days, he said.
On a day when protest against the fee hike at Panjab University took a violent turn, HT caught up with PU campus studentss council president, Nishant Kaushal, who condemned stone pelting. He said some unidentified persons resorted to violence and called for alternate non-violent methods of protest.

We could have sat on hunger strike also. Now, parents have to pay for lawyers fees for getting their children released. And on other hand, we are protesting against fee hike, Kaushal said.



Panjab University campus studentss council president, Nishant Kaushal (HT File)

Tuesdays violence has forced Kaushal of thinking of resigning from the presidents post.

We are thinking of resigning from our posts. Neither the authorities are listening to us nor are the students. No solution has been coming out. Today, some students pelted stones. This is not a way of protest. Police resorted to lathi charge. One of our students, Jatin from Anthropology department, is admitted at PGIMER and may need surgery.

Violence has weakened our protest against fee hike. Now, we have to protest for dropping charges against students. Stone pelting will attract headlines but will not yield anything.

The vice-chancellor was in Delhi today. He has asked us to wait till the hearing in the apex court. It was a black day for us, he said.

In pics | Protest against fee hike at Panjab University turns ugly

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Timely dropping of the sedition charge against protesting Panjab university students at the behest of Chandigarhs director general of police Tajender Singh Luthra and some other officials after Tuesdays violence saved not only the police but also the Narendra Modi-led central government from possible embarrassment.

The Modi government has been accused of stifling dissent and using campuses to back the Hindutva agenda of the ruling BJPs ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. The sedition charge would have been an added embarrassment in Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab and Haryana and a union territory administered by the Centre.

On Tuesday, the scale of violence at PU, which is also the alma mater of former prime minister Manmohan Singh, was unprecedented. The university, where Singh was a student as well as a teacher, resembled a war zone, with broken windows, glass shards, stones and flower pots littering the campus.

The university authorities and police were seething with rage over the protest called by the students over what they termed a massive fee hike. In their complaint to the police, PUs chief security officer Ashwani Kaul accused the students of raising slogans and waging war against the state. Accordingly, the police registered a case of sedition under section 124A of the Indian Penal Code, which incidentally is the same section under which last year Delhi police had arrested the then president of the student union of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Kanhaiya Kumar, and others, sparking a major controversy.

DGP Luthra, who was in Delhi, spoke with adviser to the administrator Parimal Rai and advised SSP Eish Singhal not to rush into registering case of sedition against students. The PU authorities were approached and asked if they were sure of their complaint and wanted to register case against its students under sections usually associated with terrorists.

Our whole idea was to maintain peace and not to harass anyone unnecessarily, Luthra told HT. The police had however registered the case and the only way out was to drop the charge. The first case diary gives us that option to drop or add a charge in the FIR, said an official, adding that once the university authorities withdrew their charge, the police added in the case diary that sedition charges were being deleted. Accordingly, the police informed the court on Wednesday.

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Dubbing Canadian defence minister Harjit Singh Sajjan a Khalistani sympathiser, Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday said he will not meet the Indo-Canadian leader during his expected visit to India later this month.

Harjit Sajjan is a Khalistani sympathiser, Amarinder alleged on the Off the Cuff TV show by Shekhar Gupta. The chief minister claimed that there were, in fact, five ministers in the Justin Trudeau government who were Khalistani sympathisers and he would not have any truck with them.

Canadas defence minister Harjit Sajjan, the highest-profile Indo-Canadian in the Justin Trudeau government, is expected to travel to New Delhi this month. (Reuters)

They had prevailed upon the government to prevent my entry into Canada, where I wanted to go to meet my Punjabi brethren and not to campaign for elections, he was quoted as saying in a release issued by his team after the programme.

Amarinder, whose poll campaign in Canada was stalled last year in the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections, had responded by accusing some Canadian ministers of having Khalistani leanings then too. The Canadian defence minister is expected to travel to India this month in his first visit since his appointment as minister

On bans

Amarinder was candid on other issues too. Asked about beef ban, he said people had the right to, and should be allowed to, eat whatever they wanted.

The CM also said that he was not in favour of a ban on Pakistani artistes, and said he would be happy to invite them to Punjab and would also love to visit Pakistan again. It is time to mend fences and make friends with Pakistan, he said, urging New Delhi to be wary of China on the other border.

On Rahul

As for his party, seeing a deliberate malicious attempt by vested interests to pull down Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Amarinder also urged the people to give him (Rahul) a chance. There is a clear conspiracy against Rahul who is being targeted with ridiculous names, he said.

Captain said that he had always found Rahul extremely perceptive and willing to listen, besides being open to suggestions and ideas.

On EVMs

On the controversial issue of possible tampering of electronic voting machines, Amarinder said had the EVMs been tampered with in Punjab, he would not be sitting here today. However, he was quick to note that it was important to find out the reason for many advanced countries refusing to adopt EVMs.
A day after an elderly man owing allegiance to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) died during an anti-drugs police raid at Lambi in Muktsar district, police on Wednesday arrested assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Gurdeep Singh on murder charge.

Muktsar senior superintendent of police Baljot Singh Rathore said they are also investigating the role of other cops.

Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, meanwhile, ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident and also announced 10-lakh relief for the next of kin of the victim, Gurdev Singh, 62, of Tarmala village. Malout MLA Ajaib Singh Bhatti presented the cheque to the family on Wednesday.

SAD leaders have alleged a police party led by the ASI, who is in charge of the Bhai Ka Kera police post, raided Gurdev Singhs house in search of illicit liquor and beat him up on failing to find anything. The victim reportedly died of injuries on his forehead.

Taking note of media reports, Amarinder has ordered a detailed probe to ascertain the cause and circumstances that led to the death, and to fix responsibility, said a government spokesperson.

Even as he reiterated his promise to free the state from drugs, the CM directed the police and other agencies engaged in the anti-drugs campaign to exercise restraint.

Former Punjab chief minister and SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal also asked Punjab Police to work with caution so that no innocent is harassed or victimised.

Badal, who attended Gurdev Singhs cremation at Tarmala village, also demanded a government job for one of his family members.
Mahesh Babus upcoming film with AR Murugadoss might easily be the biggest film in his career, in terms of wide release. While the film is already being made as Tamil-Telugu bilingual, it is also to be noted that the makers have decided to simultaneously dub it and release it in Malayalam as well. Maheshs films so far have only released in Telugu, even though his film Srimanthudu was dubbed in Tamil as Selvandhan, it didnt have a simultaneous release in cinemas.

After months of never-ending wait, fans of Mahesh Babu have a reason to cheer. The much-anticipated first look of the film will be finally unveiled today (April 12) at 5 pm, the makers have announced. The first should also put to rest all the rumours surrounding the films title which is believed to have some Shiva connect.

In the film, which is being directed by AR Murugadoss, it is believed that Mahesh plays an intelligence bureau officer. Rakul Preet Singh plays the leading lady while actor-filmmaker SJ Suryah plays the main antagonist.

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Arunachal Pradesh is not Indian territory but is a disputed part of the Sino-Indian border, China said on Wednesday, adding that by allowing the 14th Dalai Lama to visit the region, New Delhi has violated its commitments on Tibet and the border dispute.

The ministry of foreign affairs (MFA) also claimed that the Dalai Lama and Indian officials made provocative statements, which will have a negative impact on settling the territorial disputes through negotiations.

We have lessons to learn from history, Lu Kang, MFA spokesperson said in a press briefing, which could be interpreted to be a warning about what could happen if the protracted Sino-India talks on the border question collapse.

Earlier in the day, the state-controlled China Daily wrote an editorial saying the people of South Tibet  their name for Arunachal Pradesh  were leading hard lives under Indias illegal rule.

Under Indias illegal rule, the residents of Southern Tibet live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination, and look forward to returning to China, the editorial said.

Both the article and the MFA, however, glossed over the periodic protests in Tibetan areas of China, where more than 130 Tibetans have self-immolated against Communist Chinas policies in the region.

The Dharamsala-based Tibetan leader, Dalai Lama left Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday after spending more than a week in the border state amid the well-tuned dual attack of the Chinese governments constant criticisms and the Chinese state medias harsh editorials.

A day after the Dalai Lama left, Beijing fired another loaded salvo of criticism. Much of it was directly aimed at New Delhi.

I said the Dalai Lama is visiting the disputed eastern section of the China-India boundary. It is not Indian territory, Lu said, when asked what commitments India had violated by allowing the visit.

The Indian government made solemn commitments on Tibet-related issue and boundary question. We have lessons to learn from history. The Indian side violated commitments on the relevant issue and insisted on arranging the Dalais activities in the disputed section of the China-India border and indulged in provocative political statements.

We have made our solemn representations (to the Indian government) and it will of course have negative impact on bilateral relations.

We have already reached important consensus on the boundary question through dialogue and consultation. Indian side also has commitment on Tibet related issues. We hope Indian side will bear in mind the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, safeguard political foundation of bilateral relations and not take any provocative actions, he said.

Lu reserved his most critical adjectives for the Dalai Lama, calling him disgraceful.

The Dalai Lama has had a disgraceful performance on the boundary question. He called himself a son of India and backed up the unfounded statement of so-called Arunachal Pradesh. He also attacked the Chinese government on Tibet related issue and advocated political view on splitting China. It shows the Dalai clique has already viewed itself as foreign, Lu said.

Calling the Dalai Lamas statements a performance, Lu said it will not change Chinas position on the boundary question or on Tibet-related issues.

Echoing the China Daily editorial, he said neither will it change the fact that local government of Tibet has been exercising effective administration of eastern section of the boundary. Still less could it change the fact that Tibet is achieving faster growth. It will only make people see clear his nature, that he is attempting to split China and damage interests of all ethnic groups of China under the cloak of religion.
Bangladesh executed an Islamist militant leader and two aides on Wednesday for a grenade attack on the British ambassador in 2004, a senior prison official said, days after the president turned down their clemency pleas.

The Supreme Court last month upheld death sentences for the three militants, who included Mufti Abdul Hannan, the head of the Harkat-ul Jihad Islami group, for the attack on a Muslim shrine that killed three people and wounded the then British high commissioner.

The trio were convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 for the attack, which took place on May 21, 2004, after Friday prayers in the northeastern district of Sylhet.

The Bangladesh-born British envoy, Anwar Choudhury, was wounded in the leg. About 50 others were also injured.

They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT) in two prisons, Mizanur Rahman, senior superintendent of Kashimpur Central Jail, told Reuters.

Hannan, 60, and another convict, Sharif Shahedul, were executed in the Kashimpur jail, on the outskirts of the capital, while the other militant, Delwar Hossain, was hanged in Sylhet central jail.

The execution took place amid a spate of militant attacks in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million people, with at least three attacks targeting police late last month claimed by the Islamic state.

Hannans wife Zakia Parvin said he was innocent.

He has no connection with militancy, she told reporters earlier on Wednesday after meeting her husband for the last time.

Last month, suspected militants attempted to free him by hurling bombs on a police van carrying him.

Harkat-ul Jihad Islami was blamed for several other attacks, including a bomb blast later in 2004 at a rally by then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who later became prime minister. Hasina narrowly survived the attack but 23 people were killed and more than 150 were wounded.

Hannan was also sentenced to death for a bomb attack on a Bengali New Years celebration in 2001 that killed 10 people and wounded scores.

Security has been strengthen across the country before the traditional Bengali New Year celebrations on April 15.

Police and army commandos have killed more than 60 suspected militants and arrested hundreds since a deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe in July last year in which 22 people were killed, most of them foreigners.

Al Qaeda and Islamic State have also claimed responsibility over killings of foreigners, liberals and members of religious minorities in Bangladesh over the past few years.

The government has constantly denied the presence of such groups, blaming domestic militants instead.
US President Donald Trump gave the order to strike Syria with dozens of cruise missiles during dessert with visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said in an interview aired Wednesday.

We had finished dinner. Were now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it, Trump told the Fox Business television network.

And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? Trump said. And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way.

And I said, Mr. President, let me explain something to you -- this was during dessert -- weve just fired 59 missiles.

Trump said Xi paused for 10 seconds and then asked the interpreter to say it again. I didnt think that was a good sign.

But then, Trump said, Xi responded that anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, its OK.... He was OK with it. He was OK.

Trump had been hosting Xi at his private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago on April 6. The US missiles struck a Syrian air base in retaliation for Syrias alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town, killing 87 civilians, many of them children.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Tuesday there was no doubt the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack. But Russia, Syrias ally, disputes that, saying no evidence has been produced.

Trump, in his interview, said all 59 missiles fired hit their targets and called the display of military prowess unbelievable, amazing, incredible, brilliant and genius.

Trump regularly spends his weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which his staff has nicknamed the Southern White House.

Members of the club pay a $200,000 fee, which gives access to its amenities and its eateries.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Irans former and controversial President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has submitted his name for the countrys forthcoming presidential election to be held May 19, ISNA news agency reported.



Ahamadiejad, who arrived earlier this morning in the building of the countrys Interior Ministry to accompany his former Vice-President Hamid Baqaei during the registration process, made a surprise move by registering himself as another hopeful for the upcoming presidential race.



It should be noted that previously Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told Ahmadinejad to refrain from contesting in the presidential

elections.



Ahmadinejad served as Iran's president from 2005 to 2013.



The registration process began on April 11 and will last for five days.



All hopefuls need to be vetted by Guardian Council, the country's constitutional watchdog.
US First Lady Melania Trump has accepted an apology and damages from the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper for reporting rumours about her time as a model.

Trump sued the Daily Mail in Britain and Mail Online in the United States over the August 2016 article. The first ladys attorneys argued that the report damaged her ability to build businesses based on her status as a successful businesswoman.

In a joint statement Wednesday, the parties said the Mail retracted its false statements that Trump provided services beyond simply modelling and agreed to pay damages and costs. The amount was not specified.

As part of the settlement the Mail published an apology, saying we accept that these allegations about Mrs. Trump are not true and we retract and withdraw them.
A Muslim womans hijab was allegedly ripped off in the US by a man who she claimed beat her like an animal and repeatedly stepped on her head, prompting calls for a hate crime probe.

The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer. Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.

The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital yesterday.

I said to myself, I am going to die today for sure. So he gets up from the car and told me to come here, said the woman who was attacked.The woman, who did not wish to be named, said a car pulled up alongside her. One man came from a car. That man wanted only one thing -- to remove the womans hijab, or headscarf, she said.

He said to take my hijab, my scarf. I tried to fight him. Dont take my hijab, you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal, she told the TV station.

The attacker was able to pull the scarf off and blood stains remained on it, the report said. The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped on her head repeatedly.

She said he also took out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.

Certainly were scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe. The initial reaction is shock, said Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Those at the Islamic Center believe this was a hate crime.

Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf -- is a hate crime, Ahmad was quoted as saying

The victim somehow made it home. That is where she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. She said during the beating, the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.

Police said they were investigating and there was no suspect in custody at this time.

The incident comes amid a spike in hate crimes and assaults targeting hijab-wearing women across the US.
Popular Indian-American stand-up comedian Hasan Minhaj would be the main entertainer at the annual dinner of the White House Correspondents Association, which for the first time in decades would be skipped by a US President.

Minhaj, whose parents come from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, will serve as the entertainer at the event.

I am thrilled that Hasan will serve as our featured entertainer at this years White House Correspondents Dinner, said Jeff Mason, the president of the White House Correspondents Association.

Hasans smarts, big heart and passion for press freedom make him the perfect fit for our event, which will be focused on the First Amendment and the importance of a robust and independent media, Mason said.

Fire up the roast, The Daily Show's @hasanminhaj will host this year's White House Correspondents' Dinner. #NerdProm https://t.co/Y3QdMq6yET  Twitter Moments (@TwitterMoments) April 11, 2017

US President Donald Trump, in February, had announced that he would skip the glitzy annual dinner.

The last president to miss the dinner was Ronald Reagan, who sat out because he was he recovering from an assassination attempt in 1981, although he still delivered remarks by phone.

The White House Correspondents Dinner, which US presidents have attended for decades, supports the work of the WHCA.

Proceeds fund the organisation and go toward scholarships and awards aimed at promoting aspiring journalists and recognising excellence in the journalism profession.

It is a tremendous honour to be a part of such a historic event even though the president has chosen not to attend this year. SAD! Now more than ever, it is vital that we honour the First Amendment and the freedom of the press, said Minhaj.

This is for the first time that an Indian-American has been invited to be the main entertainer for the most prestigious annual event in Washington DC.

Minhaj, 31, was born in Davis California, where his parents migrated from India. But his mother spent the first eight years of his life away from him, in India, completing medical school.

He is married to Beena Minhaj, whom he met in college.
Nepals Madhes-based parties on Wednesday decided to boycott the local elections slated for May 14 and announced a fresh protest saying the new constitution amendment moved by the government is even more regressive than the previous one.

The move by the alliance of seven Madhesi parties threw into disarray the plans of the government led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal  Prachanda to hold polls after a gap of 20 years.

The alliance said they will picket all district election offices in their stronghold of Tarai from next week and announce other protest programmes in detail later.

A meeting of Madhes-based parties concluded they would not take ownership of the constitution amendment registered in Parliament on Tuesday.

They said the new proposal has not addressed revision of provincial boundaries, the key demand of Madhesis, and that no provisions pertaining to citizenship, national assembly and language has been changed from the old proposal.

The Madesi alliance says the content in the proposal was different from what was agreed upon by the joint task-force of ruling parties and Morcha leaders.

The fundamental demand, said the alliance in a statement, is to change demarcation of the provincial boundaries which the government has failed to fulfil.

The government had registered the new amendment in a bid to persuade the Madhes-based parties to take part in all three tiers of elections- local, provincial and central.

More than 70 people have died in Nepals southern belt during the anti-constitution movement after major parties in Nepal promulgated the new statute in September 2015 without approval from the Madhes-based parties.

Prachanda repeatedly said in public he had prepared a draft of new amendment in consultation with Madhes-based leaders, which they said on Wednesday was not true. They denied the governments claim that the new proposal was brought in after taking the Madhesi Morcha into confidence.

The government had registered a proposal in Parliament earlier in November but withdrew it as it could not get the backing of Madhes-based parties and main opposition CPN-UML.
Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai became only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship Wednesday, before advocating in a speech to parliament for women and girls education -- a cause dear to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Wearing an orange hijab, the traditional Muslim veil, and a green dress, the young woman was welcomed to the seat of Canadas democracy in Ottawa by Trudeau.

At age 19, Yousafzai is the youngest person to speak to Canadian members of parliament and senators in a joint session.

She is also the youngest to receive honorary Canadian citizenship -- a privilege previously granted to Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso), religious leader Karim Aga Khan IV, Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg (posthumously) and Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Yousafzai had fought for years for the right of girls to education in her strictly Muslim home region in Pakistan.

She leaped to global fame after a Taliban gunman shot her in the head on a school bus in October 2012 for defending her right to attend school.

She has lived in the English city of Birmingham, where she continues to advocate for womens rights, since a successful operation following the attack.

During a ceremony inside the Gothic Revival halls of Canadas parliament, Trudeau praised Yousafzai for her advocacy.

Today we proudly bestow honorary Canadian citizenship on Malala Yousafzai, a young woman from Pakistan who has done tremendous things for the people of her country and for the children of the world, he said.

Malala, your story is an inspiration to us all, he said.

- I Am Malala added -

Yousafzai was given the Canadian flag from atop the Peace Tower at the entrance of parliament, and a copy of her 2013 book I Am Malala was added to the parliamentary library.

She thanked her hosts and expressed excitement in particular about meeting Trudeau, whom she praised for speaking out for womens rights, gender equality, and refugees during a time where the world is hopeless.

I wanted to say that Trudeau is an amazing person and an inspiration, she said. He is a true example and Im sure that other world leaders will learn from him.

Yousafzai had been invited to Canada by the previous Conservative government in 2014 -- when she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize -- to receive Canadian citizenship in Toronto.

But the ceremony was postponed due to the shooting of a ceremonial guard and an attack on parliament the same day.

Earlier Wednesday, Yousafzai joined the prime ministers wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau for a talk with students at a local high school.

The message I am spreading around the world to our leaders, to our politicians, (is) that they must prioritize education for each and every child around the world, she said to a standing ovation.

There are more than 130 million girls that do not have access to education, she said.

I am here to speak on their behalf and to say if you are living in this modern world where we see improvements in technology, we should not be seeing children out of school.
North Korea should halt any plans for nuclear and missile activities for its own security, a Chinese newspaper said on Wednesday, warning that the United States is making clear it doesnt plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

North Korean state media cautioned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a US Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific -- a force US President Donald Trump described as an armada.

Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished ally and neighbour, said in a tweet that North Korea was looking for trouble and the United States would solve the problem with or without Beijings help.

The Korean Peninsula has not been so close to a military clash since North Korea conducted its first nuclear test in 2006, Chinas influential state-run tabloid the Global Times said in an editorial.

Not only [is] Washington brimming with confidence and arrogance following the missile attacks on Syria, but Trump is also willing to be regarded as a man who honours his promises, the paper, run by the ruling Communist Partys official Peoples Daily, said.

The US is making up its mind to stop the North from conducting further nuclear tests. It doesnt plan to co-exist with a nuclear-armed Pyongyang, it said.

Pyongyang should avoid making mistakes at this time.

The Global Times, whose stance does not equate with Chinese government policy, said that Beijing would likely react strongly to any North Korean test.

If the North makes another provocative move this month, the Chinese society will be willing to see the (UN Security Council) adopt severe restrictive measures that have never been seen before, such as restricting oil imports to the North, the paper said.

Beijing has signed on to UN sanctions against North Korea, but it has repeatedly called for a return to dialogue to resolve the tensions.

A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark Saturdays 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung, North Koreas founding father and grandfather of the current ruler. North Korea often marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities.

US officials have previously stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme, though Washington has said all options - including military ones - are on the table.
The Pakistan army has taken into custody a leading Karachi gangster who is being accused of leaking sensitive information to a foreign intelligence agency.

Media reports in Pakistan linked the arrest of Baloch to the death sentence awarded by a secret Pakistani court to former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav over alleged spying.

The army took custody of the Lyari gang war leader this week. Earlier, Baloch was arrested by the paramilitary Rangers from the outskirts of Karachi last year.

Uzair Baloch was taken into military custody under the Pakistan Army Act 1952 and Official Secret Act, 1923, said Maj Genl Asif Ghafoor, director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations, in a late night tweet on Tuesday.

He said that the high-profile criminal was taken into custody on charges of espionage (leakage of sensitive security information to foreign intelligence agencies).

The Lyari gang war leader, who has close ties to Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party, had confessed his involvement in killings of rival group members, including workers of Muttahida Qaumi Movement as well as police officials.

Baloch had claimed in the past that several police officers were working for him and a number of PPP leaders were supporting him.

Baloch, a former chief of the now-defunct Peoples Aman Committee who was declared a most-wanted criminal by the provincial government, had been in the custody of the Abu Dhabi police for nearly three months before his arrest.

He was detained in the United Arab Emirates based on an Interpol red warrant on December 29 2015 at the Dubai-Oman border.

Pakistani newspaper The News reported that Baloch was said to be in contact with Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The law enforcement agencies may have nabbed Jadhav on Balochs identification, the paper quoted defence expert Shahzad Chaudhry as saying.
In a gruesome incident, a 15-year-old boys sexual organ was chopped off and eyes pricked by the family members of a girl who suspected him of having an illicit relationship with her in Pakistans Punjab province.

The boy, a class nine student, was robbed off his sight for the rest of his life but doctors managed to save his life.

The incident came to light on Tuesday after the boys family protested against the girls family members in Raiwind area of Lahore city and demanded action against them.

The boy was kidnapped by the girls father and his accomplices on suspicion of having an illicit relationship with his daughter in the last week of February, according to the FIR lodged by the boys family.

The accused after kidnapping the boy from his school took him to a deserted place near Ravi river and chopped off his sexual organ, pricked his eyes in revenge and fled.

The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life.

His father has alleged that a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is backing the accused.

The boys father has urged Pakistans Chief Justice for intervene in the matter.

Lahore senior police officer Haider Ashraf said all the five accused have been arrested. We will submit the challan of the case after completing investigation, he said.
Britains Queen Elizabeth II has employed a footwoman, who will walk up and down the Buckingham Palace corridors when the monarch gets a new pair of shoes, to help her in breaking in to them without having shoe blisters.

The shoes have to be immediately comfortable...she does get someone to wear them. The Queen can never say Im uncomfortable, I cant walk any more. She has the right to have someone wear them in, revealed designer and royal dress-maker Stewart Parvin, who has designed the Queens wardrobe for over a decade.

The so-called footwoman has the job of walking up and down Buckingham Palace corridors to ensure the 90-year-old monarchs shoes are soft and ready to wear.

The British monarch is known to favour mostly low-heeled black shoes made by shoemaker Anello & Davide. The member of staff in charge of softening her new shoes must wear a pair of beige cotton ankle socks and walk on the palace carpets during the breaking in period, the Evening Standard reported.

It is unclear how long the breaking in process lasts but it ensures there is no scope of any new shoe blisters at the end.
Britain has long depended on doctors from India to run the National Health Service (NHS) since it was founded in 1948, but the reliance is likely to increase after the UK leaves the European Union and EU-trained doctors will no longer have the right to work here.

India is the largest source country of doctors in the NHS after Britain  there are currently 25,281 doctors who gained their medical qualifications in India. Considered the backbone of NHS, they are often hailed for their contribution to Britain.

However, the nature of migration of Indian doctors has changed over the years. From thousands coming to Britain to work and settle, the recent trend sees more doctors come to train and return back to India, as the growing health sector back home provides more lucrative opportunities.

Ramesh Mehta, president of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (Bapio), said on Wednesday that the experience of Indian doctors in the NHS had not always been positive, but revealed that new systems had been put in place to improve the situation.

Mehta told Hindustan Times: Britains historical dependence on India for doctors and health professionals will increase after Brexit. Many patients died when EU-trained doctors with poor English and other skills worked in the NHS, but they could not be barred as the UK is a member of the EU.

But after Brexit, they will not have the automatic right to work, which will turn the NHS more towards India - again - to meet the thousands of vacancies, given the acknowledged better clinical and language skills of India doctors.

Figures show that Indian doctors are the most complained against among non-EU trained doctors. A new report by experts at the University College London this week revealed that they are five times more likely to face inquiries than their UK-trained counterparts.

However, Mehta said the data used in the UCL study was until 2013; the higher number of complaints could be due to unconscious bias or institutional racism, but a new standard put in place in all hospitals was considerably changing the situation.

Since 2014, all NHS organisations are mandated to follow the Workforce Race Equality Standard that seeks to ensure employees from black and minority ethnic communities have equal access to career opportunities and receive fair treatment in the workplace.

After it was put in place, all NHS organisations have been contacting Bapio to help in culture change. This is a good sign; there is slow but steady progress. The establishment is listening to us. Bapio has been working to this end for the last 20 years, Mehta said.

According to latest figures of the General Medical Council, only 695 new Indian doctors registered in 2016, following the dwindling numbers per year since the high of 3640 in 2004. Many settled Indian doctors in the NHS have also taken up jobs in India in recent years.

Mehta said that under a new programme which starts later this year, groups of Indian doctors will come to Britain on a rotation basis for two or three years (not leading to settlement), and return after gaining valuable training experience.

We are partnering with the Maharashtra University of Health Sciences and other such Indian universities to send new graduates. It is a win-win situation for both countries: the UK gets doctors to fill vacancies and India benefits from valuable training here, he said.

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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Reacting to a surprise move by former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to contest in the forthcoming presidential elections, a large number of Iranian conservatives have harshly criticized the decision.

Despite Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis earlier remarks implicitly urging Ahmadinejad to refrain from taking part in the upcoming elections, the controversial politician on April 12 appeared in the building of the countrys Interior Ministry to submit his name as a hopeful for the May 19 presidential elections.

This is suicidal, Hossein Kanani Moqadam, an Iranian conservative figure, told ILNA commenting on the issue.

He added that Ahmadinejads move was against the supreme leaders will.

Ali Naderi, the editor-in-chief of pro-conservative Raja news website, termed Ahmadinejads decision as a politically suicidal and accused him of realizing the wishes of the intelligence service of the UK.

Today, we witnessed one of the most complicated games of the UK intelligence service in the elections, Naderi tweeted.

Elyas Naderan, a former pro-conservative MP, has also described the move as the end of Ahmadinejad.

In the meantime, Mehdi Kouchakzadeh, a former conservative MP, has published a letter harshly criticizing the ex-allys decision.

Meanwhile, the Dolat-e Bahar (the Government of Spring) news website, which is affiliated with the former president, has apparently been out of access.

Conservatives threw their tremendous support behind Ahmadinejad during the 2009 controversial elections and the post-election unrests.

To contest in the May elections, Ahmadinejad, alongside with dozens of other presidential hopefuls, needs to be vetted by Guardian Council, the country's constitutional watchdog, before the beginning of the race.
Outrage spread to Vietnam on Wednesday over United Airlines handling of a passenger dragged from his seat after it emerged that the 69-year-old US doctor was Vietnamese by birth.

Although United Airlines has no direct flights to Vietnam, there were widespread calls on social media for a boycott after video showed a bloodied David Dao being yanked out of the plane by airport security on Sunday to make way for United employees.

The ire in Vietnam grew quickly after it was reported that Daos origins were not in the Southeast Asian countrys old enemy, China, as many had at first assumed.

Vietnamese also fumed at allegations over Daos past reported in the United States as irrelevant and possibly racist.

Watching this makes my blood boil, Ill never fly United Airlines, commented Anh Trang Khuya on Facebook, the most widely used social media platform in Vietnam.

Nguyen Khac Huy wrote: Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Lets be loving and united, Vietnamese people!

There was no immediate comment from the government or in state media.

Video showing Dao being pulled from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago OHare International Airport on Sunday went viral and the worldwide backlash hit the airlines share price and prompted an apology from the company chief executive.

Kentuckys medical board website shows that a doctor David Dao graduated in 1974 in Ho Chi Minh City - then known as Saigon and the capital of US-backed South Vietnam before its defeat and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule a year later.

Around that time, Dao left for the United States, according to U.S. media and Vietnamese websites.

Vietnamese media said that Dao was also a songwriter and crooner of soulful ballads - including one about the memory of rain falling in Saigon.

Reports in U.S. media of an offence that had led to Dao losing his medical licence in 2003 were dismissed in Vietnam as a probable smear campaign.

Dr. Dao didnt do anything wrong on that flight and thats the main thing, wrote Clarence Dung Taylor in a post that had more than 4,000 likes.

The attitude to the case shifted dramatically in Vietnam once it was reported that Dao was not from China - an ancient enemy with which Vietnam continues to have a maritime dispute over the South China Sea.

When initial reports had suggested the man being dragged from the plane was Chinese, some Vietnamese had posted strongly unsympathetic comments about him.

So funny, wrote Bui Nguyen Trong Nghia. Now they know hes Vietnamese, most people stand up to advocate. Whether its Vietnamese or Chinese, therell be discrimination as were Asian.
President Donald Trumps administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syrias government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as secretary of state Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for Syrian President Bashar al Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to go into the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assads government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syrias Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against US allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there, one White House official said.

White House spokesperson Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the US version of events. Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, he told reporters.

But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologised and said he should not have made the comparison. It was a mistake. I shouldnt have done it and I wont do it again, Spicer told CNN in an interview. It was inappropriate and insensitive.

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression, including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.

Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise, she said on CNN.

US intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons programme were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack, the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shiite Muslim Iran.

Tillerson message

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on Americas traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Tillerson told reporters in Italy. We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad.

He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assads government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them.

We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons, Putin said.

Trump denied further plans in Syria.

Were not going into Syria, he said in an interview with the New York Post. Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria.

A senior Trump administration official called Putins remarks part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syrias government to cooperate with investigators.

TURNING POINT

The secretary of states role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing scepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.

Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp , which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russias Order of Friendship in 2013.

Tillerson is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting may take place.

Western countries have been calling for Assads departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.

Assads position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assads government directly.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focussed on defeating Islamic State.

(Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati in Moscow, Ayesha Rascoe, Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Eric Beech in Washington; Writing by Peter Graff, Alistair Bell and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Yara Bayoumy, Will Dunham and Lisa Shumaker)
Nepalese soldiers proved to be the British armys bravest of the brave.

If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha. This judgment by Indian army Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who as a lieutenant colonel commanded a Gurkha battalion, is a testament to the unmatched bravery of the Nepalese soldiers who have served in British forces for nearly two centuries.

British military leaders first faced Nepals troops in combat during the 1814-16 Anglo-Nepalese War. They were so impressed by the courage, martial spirit and fighting prowess of these soldiers that they recruited them to form infantry units in British service (the first 5,000 in 1815). The name Gurkha is derived from Nepals Gorkha district, where the men were recruited.

Since then, British army Gurkha units have forged an enviable reputation as ferocious fighting forces on countless battlefields. During World War I, they fought on the Western Front, in the Middle East and at Gallipoli. In World War II, they served in North Africa, Italy, Greece, Malaya, Singapore and Burma. Post-World War II, Gurkha units participated in the Malaya Emergency, Falklands War and Gulf War. Most recently, they were deployed as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Since 1911, when Gurkhas first became eligible to receive the Victoria Cross, 13 Nepalese soldiers have been recognized with Britains highest valor award. Over half of these awards were for heroism in jungle combat against the Japanese army in the brutal 1942-45 Burma Campaign. (An additional 13 Victoria Crosses have been awarded to British officers serving in Gurkha units.)

Gurkhas are superb light infantry soldiers, proficient in the use of all types of weapons. However, their distinctive close combat weapon is the traditional Nepalese knife, the fearsome-looking kukri (or khukuri). Typically 16-18 inches long, it features a broad, inwardly curving blade that facilitates a deadly chopping motion that can easily slice through muscle and bone.

Today, the British armys Brigade of Gurkhas consists of 3,460 soldiers serving in infantry, engineer, signal, logistics and training and support units. Yet Gurkhas serve in other nations forces as well, including Nepals army (two battalions), Indias army (42,000), the Singapore Police Force (2,000) and the Sultanate of Brunei (2,000).

A fitting tribute to these Great Warriors is the inscription on the British memorial to the Gurkhas, located in London: The Gurkha Soldier: bravest of the brave, most generous of the generous, never had country more faithful friends than you.

Jerry D. Morelock, PhD, Armchair General Editor in Chief.

Originally published in the July 2014 issue of Armchair General.
The March 2014 issue of Armchair General presented the Combat Decision Game Japanese Defense of Nomonhan, 1939. This CDG placed readers in the role of Major Tomiji Kajikawa, commander of 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division in Japans Kwantung Army.

In 1931, expansionist Imperial Japan had seized and occupied Manchuria in northeast China, establishing a Japanese puppet state it renamed Manchukuo. Beginning in 1938, the aggressive actions of Japans occupying force, the Kwantung Army  which often operated independent of Tokyos control  provoked numerous clashes with Soviet and Mongolian forces over disputed boundary lines in sections of the long border Manchukuo shared with the USSR and its communist client state Mongolia.

By 1939, this series of escalating border clashes constituted an undeclared war between Japan and the Soviet Union. In mid-May of that year, the fighting became focused in western Manchukuo along the Khalkhin Gol River (which the Japanese claimed was the dividing line), 10 miles west of the village of Nomonhan (which the Soviets and Mongolians asserted was the actual border). By early July, substantial Japanese, Soviet and Mongolian infantry and mechanized forces had moved into this disputed territory and were fighting for control of it.

Kajikawas mission on July 7, 1939, was to defend against a two-pronged attack a strong Soviet infantry and tank force had launched east across the Khalkhin Gol River. The Soviets aimed to destroy the outnumbered Japanese battalion and then move on to capture Nomonhan, thereby reestablishing the Soviet-claimed border line.

HISTORICAL OUTCOME

Although the Soviet force outnumbered Kajikawas battalion and included tanks  while the Japanese had none  its tactical disposition proved seriously flawed. The Soviet commander unwisely placed his company to the northwest beyond the supporting range of his main infantry-tank force to the south. This disposition exposed one-third of his infantry force to destruction, thereby putting at risk the success of his overall attack.

Kajikawa capitalized on his Soviet counterparts blunder by sending two Japanese infantry companies and his anti-tank guns to block the main Soviet infantry-tank force approaching from the south, while directing Captain Kinichis infantry company to ambush the enemy company to the northwest that was advancing across the Khalkhin Gol River (COURSE OF ACTION THREE: COMPANY AMBUSH). Kajikawa then positioned his artillery platoon and heavy machine-gun company in the center to support both Japanese forces.

After the northwest Soviet company and its two supporting 76 mm guns crossed the river and moved several kilometers east, Kinichis infantry company ambushed the enemy force and, with the help of artillery and heavy machine-gun fire, killed more than 100 of its 150 Soviet soldiers. The routed enemy survivors retreated westward across the Khalkhin Gol, leaving behind the bodies of their slain comrades as well as two heavy machine guns and both 76 mm artillery guns.

With the destruction of the northwest company, the enemys two-pronged attack collapsed, compelling the Soviet commander to halt his main forces assault in the south and to withdraw. This allowed Kajikawa to move his battalion southwest and seize a key bridge over the Khalkhin Gol River to use it to support future offensive operations the Kwantung Army had planned against the Soviet and Mongolian forces.

Yet despite Kajikawas success on July 7, the Soviets won a decisive victory in the series of battles that unfolded from May to mid-September 1939, which were collectively known to the Japanese as the Nomonhan Incident and to the Soviets as the Battle of Khalkhin Gol. The four-month-long struggle eventually involved 75,000 Japanese soldiers against 60,000 Soviet and Mongolian troops and featured significant numbers of tanks, artillery and aircraft supporting the two sides infantrymen. The key to the Soviet victory was the strategy, operational skill and leadership of future Marshal of the Soviet Union Georgi Zhukov, whose August 20-31 offensive encircled and decisively defeated the main Japanese force.

The battle had far-reaching consequences for both the USSR and Japan. The two sides signed a neutrality pact that eliminated the threat of a two-front war for the Soviets when Germany invaded Russia in 1941 and allowed the USSR to concentrate its forces solely against the German invasion. The Japanese militarys failure in the Nomonhan Incident against the Soviets in the North was an important factor in Japans decision to instead strike South and launch World War II in the Pacific against the United States and Britain in December 1941.

READER SOLUTIONS

ACG judges based their selections for winning Reader Solutions and those receiving honorable mention on submissions that chose COURSE OF ACTION THREE: COMPANY AMBUSH or those whose explanations demonstrated a solid understanding of the key principles of a defense against a multiple-axis attack. This plan allotted a sufficient force to block the Soviet main attack in the south while taking maximum advantage of the enemy commanders tactical error of isolating his northwest company beyond the supporting range of his main force. Fighting from ambush positions, Kinichis infantrymen were able to bring concentrated rifle, artillery and heavy machine-gun fire against the Soviets and destroy them while avoiding unnecessary exposure to enemy fire. By centrally positioning the Japanese artillery and heavy machine guns, Kajikawa made the best use of his available fire support.

Although COURSE OF ACTION ONE: HOLD AND STRIKE offered Kajikawas battalion the strongest defense against the main enemy infantry-tank force approaching from the south, it relied on the Japanese artillery and heavy machine guns to act alone against the Soviet company attacking from the northwest. This plan likely would have led to failure, as the artillery and machine guns should have been deployed in conjunction with a substantial infantry force to prevent the Soviets from maneuvering to evade the weapons rounds.

COURSE OF ACTION TWO: COMPANY COUNTERATTACK probably was the worst plan for this tactical situation, as it mirrored the Soviet commanders mistake by giving the enemy an opportunity to cut off and destroy the Japanese counterattacking company, which accounted for one-third of Kajikawas battalion. By operating on the far side of the river beyond the range of the battalions infantry and fire support units while attacking a superior enemy force of infantry and artillery  essentially a banzai charge over open terrain  the counterattacking company would have been in danger of being annihilated by the Soviets, thereby putting the battalions defense at risk of collapsing.

And now for excerpts from the winning Reader Solutions to Japanese Defense of Nomonhan, 1939.*

JORGE EDUARDO ASSAD, BRAZIL: Place the artillery platoon and the heavy machine-gun company in a central position from which they can support the defense in the south as well as in the north. Employ the power of penetration of the 37 mm anti-tank guns against the thinly armored Soviet cars.

CRAIG BURTON, TEXAS: Position the artillery and Company 4 centrally  being able to attack either enemy force is vital for flexibility. Massed fire from the 37 mm anti-tank guns will have a 1939 shock and awe effect on the Soviets who are counting on their tanks and superior numbers to intimidate the Japanese.

NICHOLAS RIDER, WASHINGTON: Course of Action Three allows us to preserve our manpower, minimize movement over difficult terrain, surprise the enemy, and double the effectiveness of our support units. Immediately occupy key terrain, stressing the need to utilize folds in the ground for concealment.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this CDG. Now turn to page 56 and test your tactical decision-making skills with CDG #63, Battle on Golan Heights, 1973. This battle during the Arab-Israeli Yom Kippur War places you in the role of Israel Defense Forces Captain Meir Zamir, commander of an armored company consisting of 10 Centurion tanks. Your mission is to defeat a Syrian army mechanized force whose tanks outnumber yours by at least 5-to-1. Use the CDG map and form on pages 59 and 60 to explain your solution and mail, email or fax it to Armchair General by June 27, 2014. Winners will be announced in the November 2014 issue, but those eager to read the historical outcome and analysis can log on to armchairgeneral.com/cdg after June 30, 2014.

*Editors Note: For each Combat Decision game, ACG typically receives numerous Reader Solutions that have selected the course of action that ACG judges have deemed the best COA for that CDG. However, our judges are required to choose winners and those earning an honorable mention from submissions whose explanations, in their opinion, best reflect an understanding of the principles and key points of the CDGs tactical situation.

Originally published in the July 2014 issue of Armchair General.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Two members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have been killed in the countrys southeastern regions.



Tasnim news agency close to the IRGC reported that the slain personnel were carrying out a mission before being killed on April 12.



The report introduced the slain personnel as Vahid Aslani and Rouhollah Kamandar.



A funeral ceremony will be held for the slain members of the IRGC on April 13 in their hometown, Kerman. Over the past week at least three IRGC members have been killed in southeastern Iran.
News, events, history, and other mid-week tidbits.

Tuesday, October 25, 4:30  7 p.m.

Orr Area EMS Open House

Brats and burgers will be served. Event includes a new ambulance tour and blood pressure screenings. For more info: 218-780-3798.

Orr Fire Hall

4540 Lake St., Orr

Tuesday, October 25, 12  6 p.m.

Essentia Health Job Fair

Talent recruiters and department managers will be on-site at Essentia Health-Virginia. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to attendnurses, nursing and clinical assistants, surgery technicians, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, human resource professionals, and those interested in environmental services or nutrition services. Essentia staff will greet candidates, conduct an initial screening and filter them to appropriate hiring managers for interviews. Select candidates will be verbally offered a position before leaving. Candidates are asked to bring a resume, but its not required. Attire is business casual. For more info: www.essentiacareers.org.

901 9th St. N., Virginia
Around 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, The owners of The Barn for Equine Learning in Lowell, Michigan, experienced every horse owners nightmare.

My stepfather was letting the dog out and saw the flames,

founder Kay Welton told local ABC affiliate WZZM

. I ran down from my house to the barn, and the horsesthe fire had taken the barn.

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Welton went into the barn and opened stall doors, but she was too late. The 13 horses in the barn and one pet rabbit had perished as a result of smoke inhalation.

Further compounding the devastation caused by the loss of these horses is their connection to the community. The Barn for Equine Learning offers programs in equine-assisted learning, equine-assisted psychotherapy and community outreach programs alongside traditional riding lessons and summer camps. Those programs will be suspended, but the organization is already working to rebuild.

The Barn had two horses that had been recently added to the herd and were housed in a separate building and survived the fire. Those horses will become an important part of the program as The Barn restarts.

The Barn did have insurance coverage which will help replace some of the lost property. Additionally, a GoFundMe page has been created to help raise funds to rebuild and start a new herd of therapy horses.

Tap here to view The Barn for Equine Learnings GoFundMe page.

Authorities are calling the fire suspicious and are investigating the cause of the blaze as a criminal matter. While firefighters were putting out the flames, the barns owners noticed that one of the barn doors had been chained shut and the fence surrounding the area had been cut. Additionally, Welton told WZZM that there had been odd things happening around the property in the lead up to the fatal fire. The organization was in the process of setting up surveillance cameras when the fire happened.

Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact the Kent County Sheriffs Office at 616-632-6125.

While the investigation proceeds, the riders and volunteers at The Barn are working through their grief over the loss of the 13 beloved horses. A memorial service for the animals will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 15 at The Barns property.

Leslie Potter is a writer and photographer based in Lexington, Kentucky. www.lesliepotterphoto.com
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel companies, is proud to announce the opening of Holiday Inn Express Berlin  Alexanderplatz in Germany's capital this Spring. With Holiday Inn Express Next Generation rooms and public spaces, the hotel caters for the needs of travellers on the go with a host of smart design features.

Located just off Alexanderplatz, Berlin's most popular square, the 186-room hotel neighbours some of the city's most popular museums and historical sites, as well as the main shopping and business districts, making it the perfect base for business and leisure travellers. For those looking to explore the city, there's plenty of history to take in, with Museumsinsel, Museum Island and Nikolaiviertel on the doorstep. Meanwhile, the revolving TV tower Fernsehturm de Berlin nearby offers impressive views over the city, and guests can also enjoy a long list of walking tours to see the city through different cultural lenses.

Rooms take on a flexible, multifunctional design and feature smart TVs, which enable guests to stream their own media from a personal device and built-in USB ports. It's also easy to stay connected thanks to unlimited free WiFi and every guest room is fitted with a satellite to enjoy in-house movies after a long day of meetings or sight-seeing.

For business travellers, Holiday Inn Express Berlin  Alexanderplatz has a flexible lobby area with a business corner which can be used as a breakout space. As with all Holiday Inn Express hotels, the signature Express Start breakfast is included in the price, with a choice of hot, hearty and healthy options on the menu. The lobby bar also caters for all-day-dining and offers guests a selection of tasty local dishes and light bites.

Mike Greenup, Vice President Brand Management, Holiday Inn Express at IHG, commented: "We are proud to open our third Holiday Inn Express hotel in Berlin, right in the heart of one of the city's most famous squares. Holiday Inn Express Berlin - Alexanderplatz is a shining example of how we know what matters for our guests  a great bed, free Wi-Fi, and the Express Start breakfast, included in the price, so guests have everything they need to enjoy the best Berlin has to offer."

Ines Meiner Surname, General Manager, Holiday Inn Express Berlin  Alexanderplatz:"Providing first-class customer service has been woven into the DNA of the hotel, and our team are really looking forward to welcoming our first guests. Boasting the innovative features of the Next Generation design concept, we expect Holiday Inn Express Berlin  Alexanderplatz to become the hotel of choice for travellers who visit our city, whatever the reason."

All guests can take advantage of IHG's Lowest Price Promise  a guarantee that guests will get the lowest rate when they book directly with IHG Rewards Club.

Rates for a standard double room start from 99.

There are 234 Holiday Inn Express properties in Europe, including 29 in Germany, with a further 58 in the pipeline for Europe.*

For more information on Holiday Inn Express Berlin  Alexanderplatz, visit IHG.com/holidayinnexpress

About IHG

IHG Hotels & Resorts [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global hospitality company, with a purpose to provide True Hospitality for Good.

With a family of 17 hotel brands and IHG Rewards, one of the world's largest hotel loyalty programmes, IHG has over 6,000 open hotels in more than 100 countries, and a further 1,800 in the development pipeline.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated and registered in England and Wales. Approximately 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices globally.

Visit us online for more about our hotels and reservations and IHG Rewards. For our latest news, visit our Newsroom and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Iman Denney-Brown

+44 1985 512 267

IHG
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Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano and Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, have discussed the outcome of the recent G7 summit as well as regional and international developments over phone.



During the conversation, Angelino Alfano briefed Zarif about the outcomes of the recent G7 summit, IRNA news agency reported.



Zarif described the US missile attack on Syria as unacceptable and called for forming a fact-finding committee to probe into a chemical attack on a rebel-held town in Syria.



A suspected chemical attack on Khan Sheikhoun in Syria last week left 89 people dead.



In response to the chemical attack on the rebel-held town, dozens of US missiles hit Shayrat airfield in western Syrian province of Homs.
Fernandez has extensive global luxury five-star experiences; he joins Fairmont The Palm from Roya International where he operated as a special projects executive driving projects in hospitality development, corporate operations strategy and project management. Prior to this, Fernandez was general manager, luxury brand development for American Trade Hotel, a five-star luxury boutique brand in Panama. Fernandez worked for Hospes Hotels, a boutique hotel company in Spain, as hotel general ,anager and later as rgional manager, responsible for 10 hotels, six new openings and the project growth of five properties. Fernandez also has experience as a corporate events manager with Gourmet Paradis, with his career commencing as resident manager at Barcelo Hotels and Resorts. A Spanish national, Fernandez holds an MBA in Hospitality Administration from EHL Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland, in addition to a Postgraduate Diploma of Associate Sciences, Hotel Management from ESADE Business School and a B.A. in Business Tourism and Hotel Administration from EOT, Spain.
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Shangri-Las Le Touessrok Resort & Spa, Mauritius is thrilled to announce Emmanuel Pauliat as the teams new Executive Chef. With 25 years of culinary experience in city hotels and resorts, Pauliats gourmet expertise will be greatly valued and utilised at the iconic resort alongside his enthusiasm, ambition and creativity. Originally from France, Pauliat has travelled extensively throughout his career, working as a chef in Romania, France and Morocco and as an Executive Chef in Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Dubai to name but a few. Throughout his career Pauliat has been at the centre of new menu innovations, kitchen renovations as well as being heavily involved in the running and catering of large banquets at the hotels in which he worked. Most recently, Pauliat was stationed in Qatar as the Executive Chef at the Intercontinental Doha in which he managed a kitchen brigade of 70 chefs and 30 stewards. Whilst in Qatar, Pauliat was also at the helm of award winning restaurants PRIME steak house, SQUARE all day dining and STRATA bar and lounge and now looks forward to sharing his award-winning skills with the team at Shangri-Las Le Tousserok Resort & Spa.
Last Friday, Tupac Shakur was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Meanwhile, fans across the globe bemoaned having to wait another week for Kendrick Lamars Damn. to drop. The two rappers have had an immense impact on their respective generations.

So much so that a man hit another with a shovel during a quarrel over which was the best rapper. Falmouth Patch reports that the incident happened in Falmouth, Maine last Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Two men fought over who was the best music artist, 2Pac or K-Dot, Falmouth police said in a statement. A preliminary investigation did reveal that an argument over who was the best music artist led to one man punching another man. The second man then retrieved a shovel, and before striking the other man both men were told to leave the property.

Police said the incident was still under investigation and no arrests were made at this point. So, who do you think is the best rapper? Cornrow Kenny or Makaveli?

Kendrick Lamar & 2Pac
To promote the upcoming Fast & Furious 8 movie, along with his newly-released Vitamin D single, Ludacris made his way by the NBC studios on Tuesday and served as a special guest on The Ellen Show.

During his time on set, Luda was asked to play a little fun game of never have I ever with comedian Chelsea Handler. Among the things theyve both done, Luda & Chelsea revealed that theyve done shows while intoxicated, both have been in handcuffs, and both have been kicked out of bars. Both also stole things, used fame to get out of traffic tickets, and theyve each joined the mile high club. But sending nudes on the other hand, thats only Chelseas thing apparently.

In addition to the innocent game, Luda later talked to Ellen by himself for a more informal conversation, talking about the upcoming movie The Fate & The Furious, and the muscle-bound actors that hes starring in the movie with.

Check out both clips of Ludas visit on Ellen (below).

luda
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian Foreign Ministrys Spokesman Bahram Qasemi has criticized the recent EU decision on extending sanctions against Tehran over human rights violations.

The EU has turned a blind eye on the reality of citizen rights in Iran, IRNA news agency quoted Qasemi as saying Apr. 12.

He further said the EUs policy of imposing sanctions against Iran is a failure and inefficient.

The EU earlier on April 11 announced that it had prolonged until April 13, 2018 its travel ban and asset freeze on 82 Iranian individuals and one entity as well as a ban on the blocs exports of certain equipment to Iran.
According to Fletch, the Essex synth warriors' Global Spirit Tour will hit these shores during its winter stint

Mega-selling electro act Depeche Mode have just released their fourteenth studio album, Spirit, and the band will be hitting the road next month to tour it around the world. Kicking off in Stockholm on May 5th, the first leg of their Global Spirit Tour will see Basildon's finest rock export play to over 1.5 million fans at 34 shows throughout stadiums in 21 countries in Europe and North and South America.

No Irish date has been announced yet  but Hot Press has learned that Dublin will certainly be included in the itinerary.

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Directed by Sam Hooper, the new video features generous helpings of skin and paint.

Seemingly a reimagining of that scene from The Matrix where Neo first awakens from his incubator tube, the video begins with two people freeing themselves from their hard-wiring and discovering each other as if for the first time.

Showing the beauty that can happen when someone puts their headphone lead into someone else's AUX socket (and all the connotations that go with that...), 'Pleasure' leaves quite an impression.

The single will officially be released on April 21.

Advertisement

Watch the video below:
Netflix has acquired the global rights to a new movie entitled 'The Meyerowitz Stories', which has a stellar line-up that includes Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson.

The film, which is written and directed by Noah Baumbach, will premiere in cinemas before being made available on the popular streaming service in late 2017.



The award-winning writer, producer and director's credits include 'Kicking and Screaming', 'The Squid and the Whale', 'Margot at the Wedding', 'Greenberg', 'Frances Ha', 'While Were Young' and 'Mistress America'.

Baumbach received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay for 'The Squid and The Whale'.

"Noah Baumbach is an important voice in American filmmaking and his films are always highly anticipated around the world. Noah is among the filmmakers that we were eager to work with, and I know that film enthusiasts everywhere will be as moved by this film as we were," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer. Were thrilled to be the avenue in which global audiences will be able to see the film.
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Proponents of the University of Texas System's scuttled plan to build an institute for data science focusing on Houston's key economic engines say it could have been a tipping point for a largely industrial corner of south Houston that new investment has bypassed despite its proximity to some of the city's most important institutions.

Veterans of Houston's real estate community lament that the deal fell apart, calling it "unfortunate," "a setback to Houston" and "a missed opportunity." The so-called Quantum Village project had already begun to boost surrounding property values, they say, progress that is now at risk with the property again in limbo.

The university's proposal, these supporters say, might have been Houston's answer to thriving academic and research hubs like Silicon Valley or Cambridge, Mass.

"The city desperately needs something like this," said Houston land developer and former Metro chairman David Wolff, who believes UT's plan could have been a catalyst to bring other companies to the area, broadening Houston's economic base.

With the university now poised to sell the 300-acre tract - an almost unheard of amount of undeveloped property so close to the urban core - it could end up being developed into "standard Houston fare," warned John Kirksey, a Houston architect who sold UT the land.

"It could be sold off and turned into more of suburban Houston," Kirksey said, referring to the city's penchant for low-density development.

An independent task force formed by UT in 2016 recommended the data institute to anchor the project, which the task force's final report foresaw to be on the scale of the Houston Ship Channel, the Texas Medical Center and NASA.

The center was to focus on energy, education and health care. With 300 acres to work with, UT officials could have perhaps sold parcels to groups that wanted to be near them.

"When we buy property and are planning to do something changing the culture and mindset of property, we try to buy as much of what surrounds us as we can because you affect the values around it," said developer Brad Freels, chairman of Houston-based Midway. "If they (UT) do something game changing, they can recoup a large part of their investment."

After it became public that UT had bought the land, values in the area shot up, said Kirksey, citing a tract for sale on Main Street whose asking price more than doubled from $20 per square foot.

The acreage, an overgrown swath of land north of Holmes Road along both sides of Buffalo Speedway, was once part of an oil field, a point of contention among those who criticized the university system for buying the land before disclosing its vision. The property is in the path of Metro's potential rail expansion south along U.S. 90A.

$218 million purchase

People who were involved in the deal said there are no environmental concerns that would prevent the property from being developed.

Kirksey, who along with business partner Joel Scott spent 15 years acquiring the acreage from dozens of separate owners, said many of the transactions had loans from banks, which usually will not finance property without environmental studies. Environmentally speaking, he said, "the property has been covered soup to nuts."

Kirksey, a UT graduate, had already sold three parcels of his holdings and had contracts pending on two more when the university came along. Developers have built apartment complexes on the land and a homebuilder also owns property.

Houston developer and UT alumni Walt Mischer Jr. said the idea that the property is flawed is a myth created by opponents of the deal.

He worked with the university to determine if the site was suitable for development, and it is, he said.

"From an underwriting standpoint, I would buy the property with its present challenges without hesitations," he said.

The UT system bought the land for $214.8 million but didn't announce plans for more than a year after the deal was announced.

The University of Houston condemned the land purchase as potentially presenting unfair competition for top faculty and students.

The data institute proposal was revealed last month, the day Chancellor William McRaven said the university system would no longer pursue the plan amid mounting criticism.

UT doesn't have an immediate plan to sell the property, but a spokeswoman said the sale will be transparent.

"We will be developing a strategy and timeline for the disposition of the land that will protect the UT System's investment," Karen Adler said in an email. "The process of divesting of the land will be open and transparent, in accordance with UT System policy."

Staying ahead

Despite McRaven's recent announcement to drop plans to develop the site, some are holding out hope the vision could still be realized.

"San Antonio, Dallas would be doing back flips for this," said Freels, the Midway chairman and a graduate of Texas A&M University.

Midway considered buying a portion of the property at one time, but Freels said he passed on it because he felt like there wasn't yet a lot of demand in the area. Midway is known for upscale mixed-use developments, like CityCentre and downtown's GreenStreet.

But the property is a "perfect play" for an institution like UT, Freels added.

"Developers build for demand. Users create it," he said. "There's not going to be an institution that runs in there tomorrow and says, 'Hey, I need 300 acres,' This is a needle in a haystack."

Wolff and others see UT's vision as a way to help elevate Houston's image.

They say big data is the future and Houston needs to remain competitive as the energy business evolves into a more data-driven industry.

"Houston's future is not a sure thing," Wolff said.

Proponents cite projects in other markets that have resulted in significant change.

In Austin, the 1980s emergence of Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corp., or MCC, helped steer the city toward becoming one of the nation's high-tech powerhouses.

"It was an incubator for technology," said Ric Campo, chief executive of Houston-based Camden Property Trust. "Twenty years later, Austin's the next Silicon Valley."

In Boston, Massachusetts Institute of Technology became the epicenter of academic and private industry collaboration, especially after drug company Novartis moved into its Cambridge neighborhood several years ago. The company now occupies 1 million square feet of space there with some 2,000 employees.

"They moved for the intellectual capital of MIT," said Tom Hynes, CEO and co-chairman of the Boston office of Colliers, a commercial real estate firm. "Certainly it wasn't tax benefits or cost of living. Houston would have been much more economical."
With electronic DJ culture prevalent and sailing toward ubiquitous, Jonathan Toubin exists among a smaller, scrappier group of 21st-century DJs who work without laptops, continuing to put pieces of vinyl on a turntable, dropping the needle and getting people to dance to songs more than a half-century old.

For 10 years, the Houston native has hosted his signature Soul Clap and Dance Off events in New York. They're simple in structure: Toubin plays raw, old R&B, soul and blues songs from the '50s and '60s and people dance, including a short dance competition midshow.

Toubin, 45, says he found his space simply by trying to offer an alternative to the typical dance-floor events offered around New York at the time. On one end, he says, was the progressive music issued by the electronic DFA label, and on the other was contemporary hip-hop and R&B. Within those parameters, Toubin says, "I felt like an alien.

"Even though I've tried from time to time, I've never been passionate about post-disco dance music," he says. "From house to techno all the way up to the newer electro. So I felt alienated when it came time to dance. I also imagined there were probably a lot of people out there who could and would dance to tougher sounds, with drums and guitars, if it was presented in the right way. I primarily thought it would be cool if someone started a small alternative dance culture for people like me."

More Information Jonathan Toubin's Soul Clap and Dance Off When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Walter's, 1120 Naylor Tickets: $8-$10; 713-222-2679, waltersdowntown.com See More Collapse

Around that time, Toubin discovered an old box of R&B 45s at a junk store on his block for a few dollars.

"I always liked soul and rhythm & blues, but for the most part only had LPs by the likes of James Brown, Little Richard, Ike and Tina, Wilson Pickett, and other canonical artists," he says. "The screaming, expressive musicianship and raw passion always stood in contrast to the slickness of contemporary popular music - or even oldies or classic Motown, for that matter."

He started playing some of these songs at late-night dance parties and found the sounds got people on the dance floor. Toubin decided to build an entire evening around that music.

The Dance Off started organically, when two of his friends were arguing about who was the better dancer.

"Growing up in punk culture, I always appreciated the breaking of barriers between entertainer and audience," Toubin says. The dance competition achieved just that.

A decade is a lifetime for a recurring DJ-centric party in New York. But Toubin still spins there, while taking his show to large-scale music festivals and international stages as well. He's become a slick-suit-clad, two-tone wing-tip-shoe-wearing lord of land of 1,000 dances, only without playing obvious standard hits like, well, "Land of 1,000 Dances." Instead, he digs for diamonds put into the earth by forgotten performers like Phil Flowers and the TNT Tribble, Bill Robinson and the Quails, Sonny Til and the Orioles, and Eddie Bridges and His Lowriders.

Toubin's status as tastemaker was further codified when Norton Records, a prestigious curator of old music, made him the first DJ to release albums on its label. So far, Norton has put out four volumes of songs selected by Toubin as "Souvenirs of the Soul Clap."

Toubin, like the music he plays, has proven durable. He has hosted more than 2,000 Soul Claps, with a brief interruption in 2012 to recover from a ghastly freak accident that nearly killed him.

When you read about emergency services being dispatched to save the life of a musician in a place with a name like the Jupiter Hotel, the cause of distress will almost always be chemical and self-inflicted. Such was not the case with Toubin's close call. In December 2011, he did a show, then checked into the Jupiter in Portland, Ore., where he fell asleep.

Early that morning, a taxi driver suffered a seizure and drove his car through the hotel's exterior, coming to a stop on top of Toubin, who was pinned to the bed by the vehicle. His list of injuries was extensive: fractured skull, crushed lungs, broken pelvis, punctured liver, broken sternum and ribs and two broken collarbones. The injuries to Toubin's skull affected his hearing, and his hands were mangled beyond use for months.

That Toubin survived was shocking. That he was walking and back at the turntables within months was near miraculous, due to a mix of dedicated rehab and physical therapy.

The music's resilience springs in part from the ageless urgency of '50s and '60s R&B. By embracing that gritty, soulful music, with its distinctive regional flourishes, Toubin provides an alternative to laptop music culture.

Having just celebrated the Soul Clap and Dance Off's 10th anniversary in New York last month, Toubin brings the show back to his hometown this weekend, the first time he's spun in Houston in four years.

Toubin says he grew up on KTRU's alternative programming in Houston before spending time playing guitar in local bands like Noodle and Cheezus, which he describes as "early 1990s Texas underground bands with no pretension to do better commercially than any of the bands who influenced us - meaning we knew we wouldn't make a dime and wanted to make the music we love and have fun as a part of the post-hardcore and grunge era underground music scene we inhabited."

Since drifting away from his Texas post-hardcore youth, he's since found a wealth of music from this region and across Texas for his Soul Claps.

"While Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio had the most fertile record cultures in Texas, you'd be surprised how there were so many great platters coming out of Tyler, Beaumont, Waco, Corpus Christi, Midland/Odessa, El Paso and all over the state," he says. "And while Texas was more hoppin' than most states, multiply all of that by 50 and you have hundreds of thousands of wax artifacts from the 1950s and 1960s."

Toubin's description of these forgotten songs speaks to the enthusiasm that led to their creation and the obscurity that would soon cloak them for decades. And with his shows, he can again reassemble together some brilliant music he calls "these most noble shattered dreams."
(BPT) - Start back-to-school season off right with a no-fail routine sure to keep the whole family on track for the busy school year to come. Follow these five tips for a healthy and happy school year from Daphne Oz, New York Times bestselling author and Emmy award winning co-host of ABC's The Chew, whose new book, The Happy Cook: 125 Recipes for Eating Every Day Like Its the Weekend, hits stands Sept. 20.

Plan ahead.

Planning ahead and keeping healthy items on hand are the most important steps for a successful week of lunches and dinners. Use Sunday to plan meals, grocery shop, portion and cook or store lean meats, and chop veggies for easy recipe inclusion throughout the week. Stock up on hearty basics like lentils, beans and rice, whole grain breads, and hard-to-bruise fruits and veggies for easy lunch packing, like broccoli, carrots, apples and grapes.

Know your food groups.

A well-rounded range of ingredients is key to providing a wholesome, filling and nutritional meal for the whole family. When it comes to keeping our family happy and healthy, I try to make sure the meals I make feature a variety of food groups  fresh fruits and veggies, lean protein, quality dairy, and wholesome nuts, seeds and grains, says Oz, a natural foods chef. My kids and I are cheese fanatics, and we love Arla sliced cheeses and cream cheese. Both are free from artificial flavors and preservatives, so I feel good about sharing them with my family.

Dont forget about snack time.

One of the common mistakes parents make at back-to-school time is focusing only on lunch. Remember that lunch periods may fall earlier or later in the day than your child may be used to. A solid breakfast gets them off to the right start, and a wholesome snack when they get home will help keep kids from spoiling their dinner with empty calories. Something like chopped veggies with cream cheese or hummus, or a slice of cheese on a whole grain rice cake or toast provides a quick and tasty energy boost after the school day, Oz says. I took a look at the cream cheese I used to buy and it had so many unnecessary ingredients that I couldnt pronounce and didnt want to feed my kids. Arla keeps their recipe simple and delicious with only four natural ingredients.

Pack a work lunch simultaneously.

Its easy to forget to pack yourself a lunch and put all your morning energy into your kids. However, back-to-school is a great time for parents to kick their healthy eating up a notch, too. By packing a meal for work at the same time you pack your kids school lunch, you can avoid spending precious time, money, calories and energy on convenience food that isnt particularly delicious or good for you. Plan to use similar ingredients to those in your childs lunch so preparation and packing dont take any additional time. If your child gets a yummy sandwich of sliced cheese such as a Gouda or Muenster, meat and veggies, try yours open-faced on fiber crackers with a spread of cream cheese, the same meat (or smoked salmon!) and veggies, a squeeze of lemon and some fresh herbs like mint or basil. Pack a side salad or hard fruit like apples or pears to have along with your meal or as a quick afternoon snack.

Get creative.

Eating healthy can get boring when there is a lack of variety or creativity. Switch up ingredients every few weeks and use whats most seasonally available to keep things interesting. One of my favorite unique lunch combos is organic turkey with Arla sliced cheese and a little dollop of your favorite jam, Oz says. Its savory and a touch sweet  think Thanksgiving turkey with cranberry sauce  so adults and kids love it. I do little rollups for quick snacking (you wont miss the bread!), or layer between two whole wheat tortillas and toast in a skillet for a fresh take on a quesadilla.

With the right mix of planning, packing and creativity, a solid back-to-school routine is the key to a happy and healthy school year to come.
Rice University has named James Tate, chief of police at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, as its new chief of police and director of public safety, effective May 1.

"During his nearly 30 years in law enforcement, James has served as a city, military and university police officer," Vice President for Administration Kevin Kirby said. "He also built the University of St. Thomas Police Department from scratch, which reflects his leadership and collaborative skills. That breadth of experience and skill set made him the ideal candidate to oversee the Rice University Police Department and build upon the success that Chief Johnny Whitehead had in strengthening the department before his retirement."

Tate said Whitehead befriended him three years ago and served as a mentor after learning that Tate was tasked with building the University of St. Thomas' campus security service into a full-fledged police department. "When I talked to people at Johnny's retirement reception, I saw how much they respected Johnny and the police department, and I realized at that point that Rice was someplace where I could thrive," Tate said.

He began his career in law enforcement in 1988 as a police officer for the city of Jonesboro, Ark., which is about 80 miles from his hometown of Marianna. "I've always had a sense of service to the community," Tate said, "and law enforcement is a very noble profession. At heart, I care for my community. If I can help make a community safe and be there for folks who need help or are not able to fend for themselves, I think that's a great thing to do."

In 1993 Tate joined the U.S. Army National Guard as a first lieutenant and worked his way up to lieutenant colonel, a position in which he oversaw the deployment and redeployment operations for 2,500 soldiers. During a major power outage in St. Louis, he supervised National Guard relief efforts and provided 700 military police officers to the city. While a member of the National Guard, Tate earned a bachelor of science in liberal studies from Regents College in Albany, N.Y., and attended U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kan. He retired as lieutenant colonel in 2010.

Before becoming chief of police at the University of St. Thomas in 2014, Tate served as a police officer for the University of Arkansas Police Department in Fayetteville and then as a patrol captain and assistant chief of police for the Lamar University Police Department in Beaumont, Texas.

"University police departments really lend themselves to the concept of community policing," Tate said. "They're not like working for the city or county, where you go from call to call to call. You have an opportunity to have a genuine partnership with students, staff and faculty. Community policing builds trust and credibility between the police department and the community we serve. You learn so much more about whom you're serving and working with, and they learn more about us and appreciate that sometimes our officers are in difficult situations and have to make decisions very quickly. When the community can sort of put themselves in your shoes, it's a win-win for the police department and the community."

At St. Thomas, a private Catholic university with an enrollment of 3,700 students, 14 percent of whom live in campus residential facilities, Tate had to write job descriptions and policies for a university that never had a police department. He also had to educate the community about how they could benefit from having campus police. While one of his newly hired officers was in training, Tate helped patrol campus and captured two armed-robbery suspects after a student reported seeing them in response to an emergency alert that Tate issued.

A 90-minute training session on surviving an active shooter that Tate developed for the university president and cabinet was so successful that the president mandated that all full-time employees receive the training. "It's very effective," Tate said. "People understand what they have to do if they're in an active-shooter situation."

In addition to building the department to its current staff of nine officers plus administrative support, Tate established relationships with local, state, federal and international agencies. He's a member of the Texas Police Chiefs Association, the Houston Area Police Chiefs Association, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators and a board member of the Houston chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

He will maintain that network at RUPD, which he considers to be "a professional police department that is well-staffed and well-equipped." He hopes to expand its community outreach program by adding a "coffee with the chief" program that will give students, staff and faculty an opportunity to meet with him in an informal setting to talk about various issues and provide ideas on how RUPD might better serve the community.

Kirby noted that Tate is inheriting a "very high-functioning" police department that is fully staffed and has received kudos for arresting suspects while they were still on or nearby campus in a couple of recent cases. The department just received national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc.

"I'd like to thank Capt. Clemente Rodriguez for serving admirably as interim chief of police since February while we conducted the national job search for Chief Whitehead's successor and commend RUPD for their hard work and recent successes with arrests," Kirby said.

RUPD currently has a team of one chief of police, two captains, seven sergeants, 21 officers and nine dispatchers, along with staff for security, parking enforcement and administrative support. Rice Emergency Medical Services is also part of RUPD.
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The alleged threat was blunt: Miguel Buezo told his girlfriend he was going to shoot her.

Buezo, 27, and Karen Ramirez, 26, fought in the driveway of the southeast Houston home they shared.

"Shut up and calm down," a witness recalled Buezo saying in Spanish to Ramirez on March 25. "I'm going to shoot you like I shot at you the other time."

Police are accusing Buezo of following up on that warning. Buezo was charged with murder on April 6, according to court documents.

Ramirez hasn't been seen since. Buezo is on the run.

Volunteers with the nonprofit Equusearch headed Tuesday to the neighborhood where the couple lived. They searched in trees lining the residential streets for any sign of Ramirez, who has been missing for more than two weeks.

But authorities did track down her car on March 31, parked in an industrial district in west Houston, about 10 miles from where the couple lived, according to court documents. They found her purse, dried blood and a bullet.

The couple had stayed out until the early hours of March 25 at the La Playita Bar and Grill, according to court documents. When they got home, they started fighting, between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Neighbors saw Buezo in the driveway, yelling. They heard Ramirez reply.

Police suspect Buezo shot and killed Ramirez that night and stuffed her body in the trunk of her car, according to court documents.

Buezo was romantically involved with Ramirez, but he had been married to another woman since 2011, according to records.

Buezo turned up at his wife's house on March 25, she told authorities. His mother, who lived in Honduras, was sick, he said. He was going to fly home immediately to see her.

When Buezo's wife asked what Ramirez would do in his absence, Buezo was vague.

"I got in an argument with her," he said.

Buezo asked for his wife's help. She later told authorities she unwittingly obliged.

The pair drove Ramirez's car to west Houston and left it in the 8300 block of Tilgham Street. Then, Buezo withdrew money to buy an airline ticket to Honduras. The next day, March 26, Buezo's wife dropped him off at the airport, she told authorities.

It wasn't until after the plane had taken off that his wife realized, upon speaking with Buezo's brother, that her mother-in-law was not actually sick.

"I hope he didn't do something stupid to Karen," Buezo's brother said.

Days later, police found Ramirez's car. The pungent odor of a decomposing human body wafted out of the trunk. Blood coated the trunk and the driver's seat, under which a bullet was lodged. Ramirez's purse was still inside the vehicle. A bullet shot from inside the car appeared to have pierced the passenger door.

Ramirez's body was nowhere to be found.
Nearly a year after a chemical warehouse fire and a Houston Chronicle investigation exposed how little city officials know about the thousands of buildings with hazardous materials across Houston, there's been little progress toward a fix.

New Fire Chief Samuel Pena affirmed the newspaper's findings on Tuesday, telling a City Council committee that Houston can't properly police chemical stockpiles until it can assess the risks. And that won't happen without a comprehensive record management system that bridges communication between all city departments, he said.

The risks go beyond chemicals. Two people died at an unregulated rooming house in March after fire tore through its maze-like interior with windowless bedrooms. A Department of Neighborhoods inspection in 2015 resulted in no action, even though Briscoe's Place violated city codes and firefighters denied requests for permits and occupancy certificates to operate as a boarding house, city officials said. It had numerous public complaints and police visits, but word never got to the fire department that it was operating illegally, Pena told the public safety committee.

"I'm not saying that would have changed the outcome of that fire, but it highlights the disjointed communication," he said.

Pena is in an awkward position because the solution - which includes replacing the city's outdated building department database that tracks hundreds of thousands of properties - would be expensive. And a major weight on the city's financial position is firefighter pensions, a multibillion-dollar problem facing an uncertain outcome in the state legislature.

Outside auditors are reviewing city data and found 36,000 duplicate entries in the building department database, plus 7,000 entries the building department didn't know about.

Avoiding 'another West'

Meanwhile, as many as 20 percent of businesses aren't reporting hazardous stockpiles because they reason it's too costly and prefer to "play the odds," Pena said. They also continue to complain that reporting puts them at higher risk of terrorism, Councilmember Michael Kubosh said.

When Kubosh raised the prospect of a central hazmat reporting database, "I got all this pushback," he said. "I don't want our firemen running into a situation where they don't know what's there. I don't want another West."

A fertilizer plant blew up in that Central Texas town in 2013, killing 13 firefighters.

Such catastrophes don't happen often, but storage facilities without proper oversight are accidents waiting to happen, Pena said.

While the audit is ongoing, he isn't waiting for results. The department, he said in an interview, is working on what it can control - verifying permits, scheduling inspections and evaluating how they deploy resources. The inspection division does good work but needs to be restructured, and employees need more training and resources, Pena said.

"There are a lot of needs. A lot of gaps," Pena said. "Professional development is a big one."

Pension priorities

In time, he wants firefighters to conduct inspections of low-risk facilities, leaving the highest priorities to the department's inspectors. The department has stepped up firefighter surveys of new buildings and improved communication so that inspectors can follow up when those surveys raise a concern. Even so, they're hamstrung by a lack of manpower and money.

Mayor Sylvester Turner warned last year that the issue would take a back seat to pension reform. His office declined to comment Tuesday. Pena said Turner is broadly supportive of anything that improves public safety and reduces risk.

The chief said the problems can cost money as well as lives.

He cited figures that a single fire, on average, affects 21 other businesses, just from the disruption caused by the emergency response. At Spring Branch, the fire department used nearly $100,000 in supplies and equipment, which won't be recovered because the warehouse went out of business.

"The amount of money that literally goes up in smoke is staggering," Pena said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12



By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:



An explosion at a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in the Iranian southern city of Shiraz has killed one and left two more injured.



Colonel Yousef Malekzadeh, the head of the provincial police, has said that the fuel tank of a vehicle which was fueling up, exploded, ISNA news agency reported.



Malekzadeh added that the experts are still probing into the incident.



The incident heavily damaged the station and two other vehicles, the report added.
AUSTIN - Legislation to require specialists who treat autistic children to be licensed was left pending Tuesday in a Senate committee despite testimony in favor of the of the bill during a public hearing.

Senate Bill 589, by Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., D-Brownsville, would mandate licensure for applied behavior analysts, therapists who are mostly known for their treatment of autism.

Supporters say the legislation is needed to regulate the treatment, though the bill was met with some confusion from senators and opposition from a representative of the psychology community.

If the bill becomes law, Texas would join 26 other states in requiring behavior analysts to be licensed.

"It will ensure that practitioners of behavior analysis have sufficient education and training to provide treatment and  protection to some clients that are subject to misuse of behavior analytic methods," said Kate Johnson-Patagoc, director of specialized services at the Texana Center, an autism treatment facility in Rosenberg. She is vice president of the Texas Applied Behavior Analysis Public Policy Group, which has raised more than $20,000 to lobby the legislation.

The Texana Center is one of about 40 statewide applied behavior analysis facilities to support SB 589.

At the hearing, Sens. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, and John Whitmire, D-Houston, raised questions about why the legislation is needed and what exactly would be licensed.

Joseph McCoy, a psychologist from the Rio Grande Valley, was the sole person to voice opposition. While McCoy supports licensure, he believes the measure should be regulated by the Texas Board of Examiners of Psychologists because ABA treatment is rooted in psychology.

One in every 68 children in the U.S. is autistic, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Applied behavior analysis is the longest standing and most well-known treatment for children on the autism spectrum. It helps autistic children who struggle, for example, with speech or social impediments, to conquer weaknesses by breaking down issues into small goals and rewarding the child for each goal completed. The therapy requires up to 40 hours per week of one-on-one treatment. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

There are roughly 1,300 behavior analysts in Texas certified through the national Behavior Analysts Certification Board, which requires at least a master's degree from a credible ABA program at a university, along with field work and other requirements. But since there is no statewide mandate, behavior analysts in Texas are technically allowed to practice with little to no experience.

Supporters of Lucio's bill also say licensure could lead some insurers who do not now cover ABA treatment to change their policies. The federal government requires licensure for Medicaid reimbursements, according to Sen. Kelly Hancock, R-North Richland Hills, the chair of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, which heard the bill.

Matthew Adams contributed to this report.
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Sixty years ago, five professors served as the first-ever "masters" of Rice University's residential colleges, mentoring and advising students in each housing community. The term was meant to echo the titles at universities in Europe that honored expertise and leadership.

But that explanation is hard for some Rice students and faculty to accept today as universities nationwide openly debate issues of racial justice and the legacies of slavery on campus. Rice is now an integrated campus, and faculty and students say it can be challenging to explain what "masters" do in each residential college.

"Why are they called 'masters'? I don't have a good answer to that," said senior James Carter, who said a black family pulled him aside during Orientation Week to ask him about the term.

Rice said last week that it will retire the term at the end of the academic year, swapping "master" with "magister" - a word derived from Latin and defined as a title or form of address given to scholars - and continuing a broader wave in American higher education against symbols connected to the country's slave-owning past.

"In this country, unlike the U.K., the term 'master' also carries a historical connotation," undergraduate dean John Hutchinson said. "It is an increasing awareness of how the term sounds to people who are not necessarily inside the university and familiar with the role  Times change and people change."

Masters at Rice live in university accommodations near each of the colleges, advise students on academic and personal issues and help oversee programming and governance.

What's in a name?

Harvard, Yale and Princeton Universities along with the University of Pennsylvania each decided in the last two years to no longer use the word "master" for similar positions at their institutions. Each university cited concerns with historical connotations as they announced the change.

These decisions occurred as universities nationwide re-examined the names of their academic programs and residence halls and the display of statues in the aftermath of a June 2015 mass shooting in Charleston, S.C., in which a white supremacist shot and killed nine black churchgoers during Bible study. Civic and university leaders questioned openly whether to fly the Confederate battle flag or change the names of institutions or buildings that honored Confederate leaders.

Last year, the University of Texas at Austin decided to move an 8-foot, 6-inch bronze statue of Confederacy President Jefferson Davis from its main mall into an on-campus American history museum after the shooting. Statues of other Confederate leaders, including Gen. Robert E. Lee, remain on campus, which the university said at the time was because each man honored had a deep tie to or a legacy in Texas.

In February this year, Yale decided to rename a residential college that honored Vice President John C. Calhoun, a white supremacist who promoted slavery, and Vanderbilt University renamed "Confederate Memorial Hall," a dorm, to "Memorial Hall" last summer.

"There's a fair amount of peer pressure in academia - Yale moved to take the term 'master' out of the lexicon, and it doesn't surprise me that Rice would seek to do the same," said Gerald Horne, a University of Houston history and African-American studies professor.

'It is problematic'

Universities do not want to have what could be perceived as a hostile work environment as they try to compete for students and faculty, he said. Last fall at Rice, 37 percent of undergraduate students were white, 24 percent were Asian, 14 percent were Hispanic and 7 percent were black.

The word "master," Horne said, "has echoes and ripples from the slavery era" and could isolate prospective students and faculty.

Monuments to the Confederacy after the Civil War aimed to assert power, said Karen Cox, a history professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte who has written about these symbols. "It became part of a ritual. It was intended to be visible and make a statement of who was in charge: This is a white man's government."

Rice's use of the term "master" is not directly connected to slavery or the Confederacy. But that doesn't remove those connotations, she said.

"In a broader culture, and particularly at a university in the South," Cox said, "it is problematic."

Term tough to explain

A group of Rice's faculty masters began discussing the potential change in late 2015. They said in a March 2016 letter to Hutchinson that it was awkward to explain the title's origins in recommendation letters for students and to prospective students. Some said they avoided using the term consciously "because of embarrassment or principle."

As their discussions proceeded, Harvard, Princeton and Penn announced their changes.

"Explaining the title to colleagues, prospective students and members of the general public unfamiliar with the actual culture and history of the position at Rice will become even more difficult as the title is retired from use at other schools," the letter said.

But a few acknowledged that eliminating the title of master "is to undermine the original vision of Rice residential colleges as close-knit communities, headed by educated and experienced administrators," these faculty members wrote. They said others called it a symbolic change that wouldn't affect deeper questions of inclusivity at Rice. Only one black faculty member has ever held the title.

Students, faculty and alumni weighed in later in the year before Rice announced the change last week.

Hutchinson said critics who would call the decision an example of political correctness run amok make a "lazy argument."

"I think one has to look more deeply at an understanding of a social dynamic of a university and the ways we interact with each other," he said.

Carter, the Rice senior, oversaw diversity efforts in Rice's student government last year. He said he did not find the term "master" offensive, but "explaining it to people outside of Rice is hard."

Still, he was glad the decision was made before he graduates in May. Titles will change this summer.

"Was it worth it? Yes," he said. "It's more about a broader message on the direction in which we're moving."
Harris County commissioners Tuesday voted to add high-profile, conservative litigator Charles Cooper to a growing team of attorneys defending the county and several public officials against a civil rights lawsuit alleging the county's bail system unconstitutionally jails the poor.

Cooper, a former clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Rehnquist and friend of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, would represent 15 out of 16 county criminal court of law judges in a potential appeal.

Ready for 'eventualities'

No decision has been made yet in the case nor has it gone to trial. Parties are awaiting a ruling from Chief U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal to determine if the current bail system should be suspended before trial. When Rosenthal makes that ruling, either the plaintiffs or the county could appeal.

"It's simply being ready to deal with eventualities," First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard said of Cooper's retention. "Whether the county decides to appeal, the plaintiffs decide to appeal, it's sometimes good to have these things lined up in advance."

Tuesday's vote to retain Cooper reignited a contentious debate over the county's involvement in the lawsuit. Most members of county commissioners court and several county officials agree that its system can unfairly penalize poor people who cannot make bail payments. The county has even taken steps to rectify the system, such as launching the first program in the state to have public defenders present at most hearings where bail is set.

However, the county has argued in court their bail system is constitutional.

The county already has paid approximately $2 million to two outside law firms in the case, money that reform advocates such as Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis said could have been spent on actually implementing reforms being sought in the suit.

Ellis, who has advocated to settle the lawsuit and has criticized the county's bail system, cast the lone vote Tuesday against retaining Cooper. He questioned Cooper's role in defending California's ban against gay marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"He seems like the leading candidate that people go to if you want to fight civil rights," Ellis said.

Cooper did not respond to requests for comment.

Soard said Cooper was specifically requested by the 15 criminal court judges. Cooper was considered earlier this year for the post of U.S. Solicitor General.

He would be paid $550 per hour if and when he is asked to weigh in, which could include advice on whether to file an appeal or make sure paperwork is filed in a timely manner.

Cooper would join approximately 12 other attorneys on the case, including those from outside law firms and also the county attorney's office.

John O'Neill, of Winston & Strawn LLP, who is representing the 15 judges, said the county is retaining appellate counsel to cover the contingency of an appeal by either party.

"If an injunction is granted and she resolves in favor of the plaintiffs or if she rules for the defendant, the plaintiff might appeal," O'Neill said.

Deaths during pretrial

The suit was filed last spring by two civil rights groups on behalf of Maranda O'Donnell, a single mother who was held for two days, because she could not afford the $2,500 bond on a charge of driving without a valid license

Criminal justice reform advocates say that research shows those jailed and unable to bail out are more likely to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit.

They also pointed to cases like that of Sandra Bland, who failed to make bail after a controversial arrest and committed suicide three days later in the Waller County jail, as examples of tragedies that could be prevented.

Of more than 1,100 people who have died in Texas jails in the past decade, most have been pretrial detainees. In Harris County, from 2009 to 2015, 55 people died in pretrial detention, including defendants arrested for misdemeanors such as trespassing and driving while intoxicated.

Gabrielle Banks contributed to this report.
The small crisis takes place countless times at the lunch hour in schools across Greater Houston: Students have no lunch money, for all sorts of reasons.

The solution du jour in many area school districts is cheese on bread, which officials describe as a necessary balance between child nutrition and fiscal responsibility. While not exactly Dickensian, these "alternative meals" are the best the school officials say they are able to do.

"There really is no such thing as a free lunch," said Matt Antignolo, food service director for Lamar CISD. "That is being billed somewhere."

But such meager fare is sparking debate from Austin to Washington over the obligation increasingly low-income public schools face to feed kids who either haven't applied for free or reduced-price meals or don't have lunch money.

One local critic known as the lunch angel has founded a local nonprofit to address school debts. At least five others have launched fundraisers.

They include local teacher Christopher Robinson, who took action last year after hearing about cheese sandwiches handed out in Fort Bend ISD. (The district now serves cereal.) Robinson, who grew up eating free lunches, empathized with the students being served alternative meals.

"It just shook me," he said. "You get bullied for stuff like that."

Robinson wasn't the only one paying attention. State legislators in Austin continue to propose fixes, including a proposal that would allow at least a two-week grace period for parents to repay the schools.

Other states have taken stronger measures. Last week, New Mexico outlawed shaming students whose parents have fallen behind making payments. Schools will be required to work with parents to repay debts or apply for help.

Meanwhile, Houston ISD's chief operating officer this week maintains that the district is among the few in Texas that do not serve an alternate meal, providing students with a regular meal regardless of their ability to pay. He said the incoming district child nutrition officer hopes to examine how to make lunch free for everyone.

***

In 1946, the federal government established a program to assist those who could not afford school meals. In 2010, that expanded to include a provision that provides free meals for everyone in qualified low-income schools - nofamily paperwork required.

How to handle those at other campuses who still struggle to pay, yet do not sign up or qualify for help, remains up for debate. Nutrition directors endeavored to find a palatable solution. With free lunch for all unlikely, each developed a slightly different answer.

"You can argue it either way," said Fred Walker, child nutrition director for Clear Creek ISD. "There's not a right or wrong answer to the whole situation, other than the kid is the one who suffers for it."

Schools consider alternative meals a last resort. Children complain about them, prompting parents to confront the issue. Nearly half of 2,426 students who owed money this year in Alief ISD, for example, qualified for free lunch.

But no one wants to take away a hot meal. And directors worry over sandwich stigma. To reduce shame, the child nutrition director for Stafford schools serves cheese sandwiches monthly for everyone.

Still, officials say they have no better way to handle the issue.

"We'd love to feed them all," said Doug Massey, nutrition and food services director for Klein ISD. "That's why we're here. That's what we want to do. But also, I'm very cognizant of the costs. I can't be a drain on the school district."

***

Unpaid meal policies differ beginning with the limit on how much can be charged to an empty account. That might be $1, as in Clear Creek ISD, or $20, as in Humble ISD. Meals across grade levels cost an average of $2.27.

Schools also have various methods for contacting families. Often, they issue alerts when accounts get low and send home letters when they empty.

Crosby ISD officials call parents when students make their first charge to an empty account. They call again if it's not refilled.

In Channelview ISD, principals are notified if a child eats alternative meals for three consecutive days. In Clear Creek ISD, principals can cover meals with their own accounts.

"We all work on it," echoed Jennifer Basich, director of child nutrition services in Alvin ISD. "It's the lunch lady. It's the cashier. It's the principal. It's the secretary. It's the parents."

The free meal provided when charges run out is often cheese on bread - usually cold, except at Deer Park ISD, where it's grilled. It is common in part because of peanut allergies. Some offer sides. All provide juice or milk. But in districts such as Needville and Spring, the alternative for middle and high school students is nothing.

***

Of 32 area districts surveyed, only four served a regular meal instead of an alternative one to students who continue to be unable to pay. Friendswood does so because it makes financial sense, an official said. Spring Branch and Cypress-Fairbanks cover costs with accounts funded by donations.

Such funds make a significant impact in Cy-Fair, though they recently stopped using them to cover high school meals because students were inappropriately taking advantage of the program, food services director Darin Crawford said.

He added that the program helps him sleep better at night.

"There's some things you just can't skimp on," said Kenny Thompson, aka the lunch angel. "You can't skimp on a child's health."

Thompson learned of the problem in 2014, when a student he mentored in Spring Branch ISD had his hot meal exchanged.

"I just wanted to go in a corner and hide," one student he worked with, Dakota Gibson, said in a 2014 StoryCorps radio interview of what that feels like.

Horrified, Thompson began to pay off debts across the region in return for a school's promise that it wouldn't serve an alternative lunch again. Most recently, he set his eyes on eliminating the cheese sandwiches he heard of at HISD.

In an interview Monday, though, HISD's new chief operating officer, Brian Busby, said students eat regular meals regardless of current payment.

A new nutrition services officer takes over in May, and Busby said he expects they willlook at how to make lunch free for all students. Thompson took the news as a victory.

"This is a big hoorah for the city, for our state," he said. "HISD's doing it? They're stopping it? Wow. Then why can't we all do it?"

***

Widespread change has been incremental. At the federal level, the Department of Agriculture published a summary of best practices in September and is requiring that those using federal programs develop a written policy on the topic by July.

In Texas, a law authored by state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, a Houston-area Democrat, required districts in 2015 to establish policy regarding a grace period for when students run out of money.

State Rep. Helen Giddings, a Dallas-area Democrat, in a bill this term suggested that the grace period be at least two weeks, with standard notification requirements.

Giddings learned of the issue from a staff member who saw kids cry after their meals were trashed and replaced.

"It was unimaginable to me," Giddings said.

One Fort Hood-area teacher and military veteran, Kelvin Holt, says two weeks is too short.

Holt also has seen a child's food dumped. He said it wrongly punishes children for a parental problem. For him, fundraising for just one school wasn't enough.

"We're not a Third World country," he said. "We shouldn't have to fund our education through charity."

Holt started an online petition, wrote to the governor and contacted legislators. He drafted an amendment. He got nowhere.

***

The problem for now remains with grass-roots movements and local leaders.

Amina Ishaq, who started a fundraiser for Lamar CISD, worries about the kids in the middle, who don't qualify for free or reduced meals but whose families struggle. She was one of them growing up; her effort drew more than $1,500.

"It's a sad situation," she said. "They're eating cold cheese sandwiches."

Robinson, who ate free lunches, raised $600 for Fort Bend. Jan Rynda Greer, who started a third local campaign, raised more than $200. She, too, grew up on a limited income. The political climate this year spurred her to address an issue she thought anyone could get behind.

A fourth raised more than $1,000for Galveston ISD. Ashley Olson launched a fifth. She benefited from reduced meals as a student and decided to raise money for Alief ISD, which she attended. She received more than $6,500, including $1,000 from GoFundMe.

"We all need help sometimes," she said.
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AUSTIN - Attorney General Ken Paxton is scheduled to face the first of three felony criminal charges against him in a Houston courtroom on Sept. 12, in the heart of the 2018 election season.

Tarrant County state District Judge George Gallagher issued the schedule Wednesday, setting jury selection for Sept. 11 and 12, with the trial scheduled to begin Sept. 12. The trial will conclude no more than 10 days later on Sept. 22, according to the judge's order.

The trial originally was scheduled to begin May 1 but was pushed back after Gallagher opted to move the trial out of Paxton's home of Collin County.

The trial schedule came one day after Gallagher moved the case to Harris County, which prompted Paxton's legal team to file a motion seeking a Harris County judge to replace Gallagher.

Paxton is facing two first-degree felony securities fraud charges and a third-degree felony charge of failing to register with the state as an investment adviser.

Special prosecutors have said they plan to first take up the failure to register charge and conduct a second trial on the securities fraud charges at a later date, which would further stretch Paxton's criminal proceedings into the 2018 election cycle.

"It's going to create a real cloud over Attorney General Paxton until it's resolved, and particularly regarding his re-election prospects," said Mark Jones, who teaches political science at Rice University.

Paxton, a first-term attorney general, has until December to file for re-election.

The Republican primary is next March.

With potential rivals on both sides of the aisle waiting to see how his criminal case shakes out, it could behoove Paxton to seek further trial delays to create an air of uncertainty and ward off serious challengers who believe the case has left Paxton politically wounded, Jones said.

"If he's exonerated, or it looks like he's going to be exonerated, he's unlikely to face any serious competition in the Republican primary," Jones said. "But if he's found guilty, then we are likely to see him face a challenge in the Republican primary, and that could potentially be one of our only high-profile statewide Republican primaries in 2018."
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AUSTIN - Ken Paxton's lawyers Tuesday asked the Fort Worth state district judge presiding over the attorney general's criminal securities case be replaced by a Harris County jurist.

The request for a new judge, contained in a motion filed by Paxton's defense team, came hours after Tarrant County state District Judge George Gallagher announced he was moving the trial to Harris County.

"By this motion, Paxton respectfully advises the Court that he will not be giving the statutorily-required written consent  to allow the Honorable George Gallagher or his court staff to continue to preside over the matter in Harris County," reads the motion filed late Tuesday. The motion asks that a new judge from Harris County be assigned to the case.

The move is not a surprise, said Melissa Hamilton, a visiting criminal law scholar at the University of Houston.

"The judge has not ruled in their direction on many issues, so, of course, they would want to gamble with a different judge," Hamilton said. "It's a calculated gamble, meaning that the rulings can't go that much worse for them with somebody else."

According to Texas Criminal Code, the judge would need written consent from the prosecuting attorney, defense attorney and the defendant to continue presiding over the case.

Judge was to continue

Earlier in the day, a spokesman for Gallagher said the judge planned to stay on the case.

Paxton faces two counts of felony securities fraud and one count of failing to register with the state as an investment adviser. If convicted, he could face up to 99 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Gallagher opted to relocate the high-profile criminal trial out of Collin County, Paxton's home, after citing concern about the attorney general's political influence there.

"Harris County was selected because the lead counsel for the state and the defense are located there," Gallagher said in a rare written statement. "Harris County also has the facilities to accommodate the trial."

Shifting the case to Harris County plucks Paxton's trial out of heavily Republican North Texas, which he began representing in the state Legislature in 2003.

Gallagher had yet to set a date for the trial, which was originally scheduled for May 1, before he opted for a change in venue.

The new location puts the proceedings in the home of all three of the special prosecutors, Nicole DeBorde, Kent Schaffer and Brian Wice, and two of Paxton's defense attorneys, Dan Cogdell and Philip Hilder.

The location also widens the potential jury pool for the high-profile trial featuring an embattled Republican politician who contends he is the victim of a political witch hunt.

In "Collin County, where it was, Ken Paxton is king," said famed Houston criminal defense lawyer Dick DeGuerin. "And Houston has the most diverse jury panel than anywhere in Texas. If you can't get a fair trial in Houston, you can't get a fair trial anywhere."

A fairer venue

Moving the trial to Harris County presumes a greater degree of fairness, said BrandonRottinghaus, a political science professor at the University of Houston and author of "The Institutional Effects of Executive Scandals." Not only is the county population much higher in Harris County, but fewer people are likely to have had a personal relationship with Paxton, which will make for a fairer jury pool, he said.

"The average Harris County potential juror won't have much of a sense of who Ken Paxton is and, therefore, won't be able to take out their frustrations on him politically, and that's really what the system is supposed to do," Rottinghaus said.

While Harris County went 54-42 in favor of Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, the county still is home to large pockets of Republicans and is unlikely to make for an easy jury for the prosecutors, he said.

Paxton's legal team declined comment, citing a gag order imposed by the judge.

The special prosecutors did not return calls seeking comment.

The prosecutors, who were assigned to the case by a previous judge, pushed for the change of venue earlier this year, arguing Paxton's allies have tried to "vilify, malign, and defame" them and their witnesses in various media, including in radio ads and on TV. They also pointed to lawsuits filed by friends of Paxton that have halted Collin County's payments to the special prosecutors, who say they are owed back pay on more than a year's worth of work. The prosecutors last submitted an invoice in January for more than $200,000, which has gone unpaid.

Paxton's lawyers opposed the change of venue and say a poll they commissioned in Collin County found Paxton enjoyed no home field advantage heading into the trial.

They asked the judge to reconsider his decision to move the trial, which Gallagher rejected in his ruling Tuesday.

Although the trial will be held in Harris County, Collin County still will be responsible for costs related to the case, Gallagher said through spokeswoman Melody McDonald Lanier.
Sean Spicer, along with his boss, loves to heap scorn on the media, er- "enemies of the people." He loves to attack the Washington press corps as incompetent, at best, evil at worst. But even the press pool seemed to feel sorry for Spicer as he dug himself deeper and deeper, even as they tried to throw him lifelines. He just couldn't stop revealing the depth of his own ignorance and/or incompetence. Click through the images below for many more cartoons.
Nobody should learn from an anonymous letter how a loved one died.

Nonetheless, that's exactly how Cris Chapa discovered the truth about what happened to her mother two years ago. The staff at Kindred Hospital Sugar Land had led her to believe 87-year-old Manuela Chapa had died as an inevitable consequence of her battle with pneumonia. But the letter a stranger mailed to her late mother's house said that a doctor had performed a procedure without legal consent, that it went badly and that the matriarch of the Chapa family died after her heart stopped.

When she read the letter, Cris Chapa cried. She looked through the pile of records stuffed in a yellow envelope and wondered who had decided to reveal the truth.

The answer to that mystery points out a problem that deserves attention from state lawmakers.

As it turned out, the anonymous letter writer was a conscientious nurse practitioner named Linda Patton, whose story was reported by the Chronicle's Mike Hixenbaugh ("Family's grief, guilt turn to anger," Page A1, Sunday). Patton said she started noticing problems at the hospital right after she went to work there, like nurses who didn't know what medications patients were taking and what side effects they could cause. She didn't know the hospital had been cited 10 times in three years for violating state rules governing patient care.

Still, she was shocked when she learned about the chain of events that led to Chapa's death, details she gleaned from medical files and what she heard from co-workers who witnessed the operation that went awry. Later, Patton got even more upset when she discovered nobody who worked for the hospital had been disciplined, and the family hadn't been told what happened. She kicked her concerns up the chain of command by sending a note to Kindred's corporate office, but she said all she got was a scolding for violating the dead patient's privacy by writing about what happened in an email. So she wrote to the Department of State Health Services.

As a result, a state investigation concluded the hospital violated Chapa's rights because it didn't get her daughter's consent for the fateful operation that led to her death. What's curious is that only one person involved in this case lost her job: The nurse practitioner who wouldn't ignore what went wrong.

How did it come to that? It seems state officials passed Patton's name and her written complaint along to the hospital chain that employed her. Pretty soon, she was told her position was being eliminated due to budget cuts. Kindred showed her the door a little more than a month after the state dispatched an investigator to check out her allegations of wrongdoing.

Something's wrong here. State law orders the results of hospital investigations kept secret. (We know part of what happened in this case because it was later revealed in a federal report.) But this cloak of secrecy doesn't cover hospital employees who put their jobs on the line when their sense of professional duty drives them to report problems that can endanger or kill patients.

Chapa's loved ones are suing Kindred, but even if they win nobody's going to make much money off this case. "Tort reform" capped malpractice damages in Texas at $250,000, which shields hospitals from paying for their mistakes by generally making complex medical malpractice litigation too expensive for lawyers to pursue as anything but charity cases.

That's why it's all the more important for Texas to provide adequate whistleblower protection to workers who report trouble at hospitals and other medical care facilities. A nurse practitioner like Linda Patton who exercises her conscience shouldn't have to worry about losing her job.
Retired teachers

Regarding "Slap to teachers" editorial (Page A31, Sunday), thank you for speaking out for teachers and those who retired from the profession. Retired after 36 years of working for public schools in the Houston area, I now spend a good amount of my time advocating for the preservation of our pension system and maintaining adequate health care for retired teachers.

The editorial did a good job of characterizing the dilemma that retired teachers are now facing. Even the Legislature's Joint Interim Committee Report (November, 2016) informed our legislators that TRS-Care, created in 1985, was expected to remain solvent for just 10 years, with the understanding at that time that additional funding and benefit changes would be necessary to maintain the plan. However, contributions since 2005 have remained the same while trends in health care costs continue to increase. Supplemental appropriations, while appreciated, certainly do not fix the problem and historically have only delayed and increased the shortfall.

In addition, because fewer than 5 percent of Texas teachers qualify for Social Security, our state Teacher Retirement System is vital. We are constantly plagued by those who want our defined benefit plan to be dropped in favor of defined contribution plans, handled through private investment companies. Who benefits most from this scenario? The investment brokers do, while those who contribute to the plans shoulder all of the risk.

Retired teachers would prefer to be engaged citizens who can focus on voting, thanking our legislators for their service to the state and volunteering in our communities.

Our legislative leaders need courage and foresight to fix these problems so we no longer must make trips to Austin to plead for fair and modest treatment in our retirement.

Mary Widmier, Kingwood
As the Texas Legislature advances a bill that threatens to cut state funding from so-called "sanctuary cities," the Trump administration has renewed a similar threat, directing U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to withhold federal crime-fighting funds from localities over their sanctuary policies. While both moves would potentially face serious legal challenges, they send clear signals the White House and like-minded politicians in states like Texas will keep applying draconian force against immigrants at the expense of community health and safety.

This form of political blackmail is as unconstitutional as it is cruel to everyone in communities across the nation that rely on their local law enforcement agencies' judgment to reduce crime by building trust with immigrants instead of criminalizing them. Turning local officers into immigration agents heightens the climate of fear in our communities.

Lost in the debate is the health of communities. Trump's scapegoating of immigrants has created fear and hostility which have added stress and impeded individuals from tending to their healthcare needs, leading to illnesses that immigrants ignore for fear of running into immigration agents posted near health clinics.

It is critical that we challenge the targeting of communities of color, and not allow any individual or government to police our existence, separate our families, and tear our communities away from the only homes they have ever known. More than two-thirds of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. have lived here for more than a decade.

The deportation-only environment makes people increasingly afraid to engage with local police.

The ever-present fear of deportation and hopelessness impacts the emotional and physical well-being of all immigrants, regardless of status. Increased law enforcement in their neighborhoods leads to missed health care appointments. Many immigrants avoid applying for health care coverage because divulging personal information might place relatives at risk, according to a National Center for Biotechnology Information study, which goes on to note that the negative health outcomes include depression, high blood pressure and anxiety. Furthermore, Hispanics who perceive living in an anti-immigrant environment are 70 percent more likely to report poor health regardless of status, and "the current political environment will exacerbate health disparities for an entire generation of Latina/o Americans," stated a recently published paper.

Those observations were underscored during recent visits to state legislative offices in Austin by a dozen Hispanics from the Rio Grande Valley who oppose SB 4, the bill pending in the state Legislature.

One woman, a health clinic employee, reported that families are skipping medical appointments because they worry about the increased presence of immigration agents.

We still remember the arrest of an undocumented transgender woman at an El Paso courthouse as she sought relief from domestic violence. In Dallas, Sara Beltran-Hernandez, undocumented mother of two, was forcibly bound to a wheelchair and removed from a hospital while waiting for emergency surgery for a brain tumor. Elsewhere, immigrant families are being separated, and women are being detained, often deprived of their basic healthcare rights.

Local government and law enforcement officials, like Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, call the latest federal announcement inaccurate and a "thin cloaking for political retribution," adding, "I am frustrated that Travis County resources and attention are continually diverted from public safety to address unfounded politically motivated allegations of wrongdoing." Earlier this year, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Houston, "is, and always has been, a welcoming city." He added that local police are not immigration officers. "We don't profile, and we are not going to start profiling people to determine whether they are here illegally."

Activists and staff for Texas Latina Advocacy Network in the Rio Grande Valley agree, and vow to set aside fear to fight back. "We are going to keep fighting. We are talking to Congress and to state legislators," said Lucy Ceballos Felix, who attended meetings with legislative offices. "I would rather fight outside than to remain inside afraid."

Bills like SB 4 undermine safety of communities and anti-sanctuary city policies must be stopped, both at the federal and state level.

The health and safety of our communities depend on it.

Cardenas (@ncardenastx) is the Texas associate director for State Policy and Advocacy for the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 12

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

A kidnapper took his own life in the Iranian northeastern city of Mashhad after taking six hostages, provincial police said.

Colonel Mohammad Boustani, the chief of the provincial police, has said that the kidnapper had abducted a mother alongside with two children as well as three relatives, ISNA news agency reported.

Following the negotiations with police, the kidnapper agreed to release the four, including the mother and two children, Colonel Mohammad Boustani added.

The kidnapper refused to surrender and planned to flee with the hostages. So, the police raided the kidnappers shelter. Following the police raid, the kidnapper shot himself in head, the police chief added.

All the hostages were hospitalized following the police operation, Colonel Mohammad Boustani said.
In the 1980s, Texas citizens were assured of a September-to-May school year. Parents found vacations easier to plan. Students had ample time to earn money for college. Teachers pursued continuing studies or a summer job.

During those long summers, our state's tourism industry flourished because a robust August - the peak month for travel - meant more revenue, meaning more jobs for Texans and higher tax receipts.

Yet our treasured summers began to erode when the Legislature changed the school calendar in 1990. By 1999, the common school start date was Aug. 16. Several of the state's largest school districts started classes on Aug. 9, one district on Aug. 2.

The Legislature reversed this erosion in 2006, adopting Texas' fourth-Monday law. It mandates public schools not to resume classes before the fourth Monday in August. This year, that is Aug. 28.

The Perryman Group determined last month that for each week the school year is moved earlier, the cost to Texas would be about $300 million in direct tourism spending, translating into $1.01 billion in total spending that is lost. Each lost week means the equivalent of 7,506 full-time lost jobs. The Perryman Group estimates that moving the school start date one week earlier would lead to annual losses to the state of $562.1 million - $124.2 million over a biennium and almost $24 million annually to local governments.

School districts should be aware of the travel industry's impact on their property tax revenues. The increased tax from travel-related real estate assets adds $675 million in revenue to Texas ISD coffers, the Perryman Group found in a 2016 economic study.

The fourth-Monday law also means K-12 and higher-education calendars are better-aligned, allowing teachers and high school students to attend both semesters of college summer school.

This is not just about economics. Starting earlier with no more classroom instruction does not lead to better outcomes. Most research indicates it is the use of time that affects student performance. Schools could intensify work after spring testing, when instruction sometimes goes slack. Schools also might strengthen the bridge to the following fall by increasing use of online summer learning.

Targeted interventions for students and professional development for teachers have shown higher success on improving student outcomes. The reading and math academies as well as the student success initiative have not been sufficiently funded to produce the results we need.

Andrew Kim, superintendent of the fast-growing, 22,000-pupil Comal ISD, practices these approaches. Comal's 2017-18 school year will begin Aug. 29. Experimenting with earlier starts is especially sensitive with parents, Kim says. "Our parents like the time we start. They like to have time off with their kids in summer." Much more is gained in student performance by attending to fundamentals like teacher development and collaboration, he adds.

Proponents of earlier start dates might consider lengthening the school day. The Texas Education Code requires 75,600 minutes, or 180 days of instruction. Educators could lengthen the school day by 10, 15 or 30 minutes to make more innovative use of classroom time while shortening and better balancing semesters.

Pressure for earlier start dates come from proponents of the District of Innovation (DOI) law, which allows "innovative" schools to claim exemption to the Texas Education Code.

We take notice of House Bill 1865, bipartisan legislation authored by Reps. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth, and Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, which would prohibit schools from beginning instruction before Labor Day. It would also bar instruction beyond Memorial Day and eliminates the exemption from the current fourth Monday in August start date to DOI schools. For many such districts, an earlier school start is just one of a handful, if not the only innovation, they have chosen to pursue from 67 possibilities.

Texas educators have options to improve schools without damaging the economy, hurting tax revenues and denying families a long, satisfying summer.

Perryman is president and CEO of the Perryman Group, an economic analysis and research firm based in Waco. Scott served as Texas Commissioner of Education from 2007 until 2012.
As educators, we know that setting a calendar to maximize student learning can sometimes get derailed by the interest of adults, leading to less-than-optimal opportunities for learning. We work hard to ensure that our calendars are focused squarely on the needs of students and student learning, working to balance semesters, to end in time for future learning opportunities in higher education, and to maximize instructional days prior to state-mandated tests.

Imagine our surprise, then, to hear that adults are working to derail the calendars for every district in Texas by arguing that our calendar should not be about students and student learning, but should be about economics and the tourism industry.

Lobbyists working for the tourism industry have one goal - sell more. That is how they are paid, which is fine as long as you remember that they aren't paid to put you and your family first. They will pull at the heartstrings with a family-time argument, but their ultimate goal is to sell more vacations. Educators agree that family time is important, and believe that a calendar focused on student learning has no negative impact on family time.

While the tourism industry spins an economic argument that a late start date - in current law, specifically the fourth Monday of August - is better for the tourism industry in Texas, it's just not true. When we as a school system start earlier, we finish earlier. There is an equal amount of time for tourism and family time regardless of the start date.

Let's examine some of the important reasons we believe that schools should be allowed to set their calendars. Starting school earlier allows us to place our graduating seniors who want to get a head start and begin college courses immediately in a better position. Many college classes start the end of May or the first week of June. The later school starts, the later they graduate.

Additionally, starting school later creates a challenge in balancing semesters each year and limits the number of days of instruction prior to state-mandated exams in the spring. By allowing districts the flexibility to set their start dates, it provides for an improved instructional calendar that is more balanced, with the first and second semesters being closer in the number of days of instruction. Also, students participating in dual enrollment opportunities - an arrangement that allows high school students to earn college credit - will work with balanced semesters that better align with our local colleges.

An early start date permits high school students additional time for instruction to prepare for state-required end-of-course assessments and allows students at all grade levels who take required state assessments more instructional time prior to the spring assessments. It also allows high school students the opportunity to complete fall semester final exams before the December break.

Finally, we believe that our district, guided by our community, knows what works best for our students in our community. Increased local control of our calendar will ensure equitable pathways are offered to every student through the balanced provision of a dynamic, guaranteed and viable curriculum.

Educators are a whole lot more interested in educating our kids to be future leaders who can transform the world, than worrying about the tourism business that we don't believe will suffer anyway. We call on the Legislature to continue to allow school districts and their communities to build a calendar that works best for our students and our families.

Pilkington is president of the Klein ISD board of trustees.
The push to have address numbers displayed on every home and business in the City of Houston took another step toward fruition Saturday.

A dozen members of the Houston Community Betterment and Arts Councils Y.O.U.T.H. group (Youth Organization Understanding Tomorrows Houston), several adult community betterment representatives and some City of Houston volunteer firefighters canvassed the town to determine where address numbers were either hardly visible or nonexistent. Project director (and former Houston police chief) Jim McNiell said observing about 1,200 buildings on about 90 streets revealed a significant lack of adequate numbering.

Its quite a high percentage, McNiell said. And it was interesting that we found a lot of businesses that didnt have numbers.

The idea behind the address number project is to ensure that first responders, utility workers, delivery drivers and anyone else who might be interested can more easily locate a home or business. Houston Police Chief Tim Ceplina said address numbers can be crucial in situations involving health or fire.

When you need emergency responders, you need them, Ceplina said. You dont want them having a hard time finding you. If you have a fire, you want the fire department there quickly. Similarly with an ambulance crew  seconds matter when a loved one is having a heart attack or bleeding.

The projects next step is making contact with the residents and business owners whose buildings needs numbering, and they will be offered the chance to have their buildings numbered by the project group. A work day is set for May 6 when McNiell and company head out to do the work.

That will be at no cost to them, McNiell said, and it will be done with a very professional look. We will be asking for a donation to help defer our costs, but no work will be done without the peoples consent.

And well work with them regarding where and how they want numbers placed.

McNiell said that once the data from last weeks outing is tabulated, he expects the projects next phase will result in visits to hundreds of homes and businesses.

There is a problem with this in Houston, he said. You might know a general location, but it can be hard to find someone if you dont have an address number to go by.

Why dont more homes and businesses in Houston have adequate address numbers?

People dont think about it, McNiell said, and a lot of senior citizens just cant do it.

McNiell said the project seems to be well received by Houston citizens.

I havent had one person say its a bad idea  everyone has been very positive, he said. And numbers are required by city ordinance; were not trying to make a big issue out of this, but were offering these services to improve the community. I think this is a big plus.

For more information, call Ceplina or Community Betterment representative Elaine Campbell at 417-967-3348.

We know theres a lot of work ahead of us, McNiell said, but were willing to do that work to help out the community.
Missouri would legalize and regulate growing industrial hemp under a proposal thats passed the state House.

The House on Monday voted 126-26 to pass the legislation. It now goes to the Senate.

The bill would legalize the growing of industrial hemp as a raw material for manufacturing. Hemp comes from the same plant as marijuana, but contains very low levels of the psychoactive chemical tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

Supporters call the bill a development opportunity that could be a boon for farmers and help cultivate new business. Critics say its difficult to regulate.

Under the proposal, people who want to grow hemp must apply with the Department of Agriculture and submit to a background check. Crops would also be subject to inspection.

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White House spokesman Sean Spicer triggered an uproar on Tuesday by saying Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons, Reuters reported. He apologized after his comments drew immediate criticism on social media and elsewhere for overlooking the fact that millions of Jews were killed in Nazi gas chambers.

Spicer made the assertion at a daily news briefing, during a discussion about the April 4 chemical weapons attack in Syria that killed 87 people. Washington has blamed the attack on the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," Spicer said when asked about Russia's alliance with the Syrian government.

The Nazis murdered six million Jews during World War Two. Many Jews as well as others were killed in gas chambers in European concentration camps.

When a reporter asked Spicer if he wanted to clarify his comments, he said: "I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing."

Later on Tuesday, Spicer apologized and said he should not have made that comparison.
Doughty, who is a partner in EYs talent and reward practice, says pay disparity is largely a result of unconscious bias impacting any number of stages in the employment process.

Unconscious bias is alive and well and it happens right from the point HR advertises for people through to how HR recruits them, selects them, rates their performance, progresses their pay and promotes them, she says.

In all of those steps along that line, there is some form of unconscious bias that can potentially be applied and its one of the major factors behind the gender pay gap.

According to the Auckland-based HR figure, even the most well-meaning employers will never be able to close the gender pay gap if they dont look at earlier factors and tackle the problem in a holistic way.

Some employers dont understand that this requires a fully-integrated approach, she says. Its not just about doing one thing, you have to do a range of different things to create that kind of workplace and tackling unconscious bias in definitely one of the biggest barriers.
Taiwans legislature has banned the dog and cat meat trade, earning applause from Humane Society International. Taiwan becomes the second territory in the Greater China Region to ban dog meat consumption. Hong Kong banned dog meat consumption in 1950, the first in Asia to ban the eating habit.

Adam Parascandola, director of animal protection and crisis response for HSI, said: Taiwans legislature has taken a monumental step in ending the dog meat trade. This legislation is going to send a message to the Chinese mainland, Nagaland state in India, Indonesia and other Asian countries where dog meat consumption is still legal that ending the brutal dog meat trade is the positive trend across Asia and a step in the publics long-term interest. Most people in Asian countries do not eat dog and cat, and most find the cruel and often crime-fueled trade appalling. The animal protection movement is growing rapidly across Asia and the calls for an end to dog meat cruelty are getting louder and louder.

Give now to help stop the cruelty.

HSI is one of the leading organizations campaigning across Asia to end the dog meat trade that sees around 30 million dogs a year killed for human consumption. Its a trade that subjects dogs to horrifying treatment and raises serious human health concerns for traders and consumers alike, all for a type of meat that relatively few people eat on a regular basis. Similar problems face an unknown number of cats.

Taiwans 1998 Animal Protection Act indirectly banned dog meat consumption by outlawing killing dogs and hurting dogs. In the United States, Representatives Alcee L. Hastings, D-Fla., Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., Dave Trott, R-Mich. and Brendan Boyle, D-Pa., introduced a bill last month to prevent domestic trade and imports of dog meat. Thailand, Hong Kong andthe Philippines also have dog meat bans in place.

Facts:

In China, HSI works alongside Chinese groups to rescue dogs from trucks bound for the dog meat markets, uncover the immense cruelty that takes place at the slaughterhouses, and draw attention to the plight of the animals.

In South Korea, thousands of dog farms throughout the country rear an estimated 2.5 million dogs each year for human consumption. HSI has worked with seven farmers since 2015 to shut down their farms and rescue 825 dogs. By helping farmers transition into humane trades, HSI is demonstrating that a government-led dog meat farm phase out is possible and desired by many farmers in the industry.

For more information, visit hsi.org/dogmeat. Take action and donate to help.

Media Contact: Raul Arce-Contreras, rcontreras@humanesociety.org, 301-721-6440
Grandmothers are going to court to stop development on their community's traditional lands along the Ontario-Quebec border.

The Algonquin Grandmothers of Pikwakanagan filed a claim statement in March, according to Metro Ottawa, to stop a mixed-use development from being built on both the Gatineau and Ottawa sides of the Ottawa River, and on the Chaudiere and Albert Islands.

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The grandmothers are not only concerned that sacred lands could be turned into condos, but that by negotiating a treaty for the land, Pikwakanagan could at one point no longer be classified as a reserve.

It has always been known that the women are the backbone of our community and, as a grandmother myself, I didnt want to see any type of status taken away from my own grandchildren, Barbara Sarazin, a spokesperson for the group of eight grandmothers, told APTN News.

"Zibi" named after the Algonquin word for "river," will be a mixed commercial, residential and retail development by Windmill Development Group and Dream Unlimited Corporation. The land has been used for industrial mills since the 1800s, but for generations before that, the waterfalls near the islands were a sacred site for First Nations.

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"Zibi is where nature, culture, heritage and the joys of life culminate," reads the project's website.

Supporters of the project include Pikwakanagan Chief Kirby Whiteduck, who says the project could be an opportunity for collaboration. Whiteduck says in a video posted to the development's website that it could bring jobs to community and that he values the sustainability of the project.

The grandmothers have some backup in their fight against Zibi. When it was announced in 2015, architect Douglas Cardinal and architect Raymond Moryama (who designed the Canadian War Museum, located near the proposed development) expressed their opposition. Cardinal told the Ottawa Citizen at the time that the pair support building a national indigenous centre on the land.

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11 Facts About Canada's First Nations See Gallery
If you've seen the Batmobile driving around Calgary, you haven't been imagining things.

Calgary police pulled over Batman  er, some dude dressed like Batman  on Monday. And they had an interesting conversation.

"What are you?" an officer asked the costume-clad man.

"I'm whatever #Calgary needs me to be," he replied, according to a Facebook post by the police service.

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The post was also shared by a page called HolyBatman, which regularly posts photos of the man at charity events and visiting children at hospitals.

HolyBatman took the opportunity to praise police officers for their service.

"I want to thank The Calgary Police and all that you do for the community," he wrote on Facebook. "Maybe next time we can carpool."

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Salt might make our roads safer, but it's also threatening hundreds of lake ecosystems around North America.

Lakes near roads or parking lots are the most at-risk, but even a small amount of pavement close by increases a lake's salination, according to a study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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The study looked at 371 freshwater lakes in the Midwest and Northeastern U.S. It found that as little as one per cent of impervious land cover  roads, sidewalk or any other hard surface that prevents salt from soaking into soil  meant that a lake would have a high chloride concentration. Over the past few decades, 44 per cent of the studied lakes got saltier.

These results are likely an underestimation of the salinization problem, as a number of regions with heavy road salt application, such as Quebec or the Maritime provinces of Canada, had no long-term lake data available, study co-author Sarah Bartlett said in a release from the University of Madison-Wisconsin.

Road salting became a standard practice in the '40s, the study notes. Over the following 50 years, the amount of salt used in the U.S. increased from 0.15 metric tons per year to more than 18 million.

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In Canada, an average of five million metric tons of road salt was used every year between 1995 and 2001.

In the U.S., 27 per cent of large lakes are surrounded by at least one per cent of roadway or sidewalk, meaning that they are at a high risk of hurting local ecosystems, drinking water and fisheries. The study estimated that 7,770 lakes are in trouble across North America.

Salty drinking water can hurt people with kidney disease, and lakes with high salinity slowly kill off freshwater fish.

Cities trying to use less salt

The study recommended that local jurisdictions set up long-term monitoring to keep freshwater lakes "fresh."

Canada's government published a code of practice for reducing the use of road salts in 2004.

Toronto reduced its salt use by a mean of 37,000 tons over two years after implementing a new training program for employees. Municipalities like Cowansville, Que., and Williams Lake, B.C., have started using beet juice to reduce the salt's environmental impact.

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However, cities aren't the only problem.

What I dont think people realize is that a large quantity of road salt  in some areas more than 50 percent  is applied by private citizens and businesses, to sidewalks and parking lots, and there has to be an effort to reduce this load as well," researcher Hilary Dugan told the University of Madison-Wisconsin.

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Mind the gap. No, seriously. Its a pretty big one.

Sydney Trains, the rail network that serves the Australian city and surrounding area, released a scary video to warn parents to be careful with their children when they board and get off trains.

In the January 2016 incident, two-year-old Ayden was about to walk on a train with his grandparents and their other grandchild at Cronulla Station when the toddler disappeared through the crack between the platform and train, according to 9News.

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The grandparents waved their hands for help before the boys grandfather, John Brewster, managed to grab his hands and pull him out.

Brewster told 9News that it all happened so fast, and hes thankful Ayden didnt hit his chin on the track and break his neck.

"It took years off my life. Ill never forget it," he said.

Sydney Trains put out other videos to warn parents. In an incident from last October, a girl holding hands with an adult fell into the gap, according to the Daily Telegraph.

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Passengers rushed to notify the train conductor to keep it still while the woman pulled the girl back up.

According to data from the transit authority, 223 children fell underneath trains last year and 81 were hurt. The total number of incidents dropped from 2015, but 2016 also saw an increase in injuries.

Sydney Trains warned parents to hold their childs hand and not to rush.

We have to say, though, that the gap looks pretty large, and there are ways to cut out this hazard completely. Many cities in Asia and Europe have screen doors at their train stations that prevent people or objects from falling onto the platform.

That technology will be a part of Sydneys new rail system, which is currently under construction. There's no word on whether the train station where the boy fell will get an upgrade.

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Brewster told 9News he's stunned the transit authority hasn't found a way to resolve the problem.

"I look at those gaps now and just shake my head and it runs through my mind."

You can see the terrifying footage in the video above.
Canadians havent jumped on the protectionist bandwagon to nearly the same extent as people in some other developed countries, but when the idea of Chinese state-run corporations gaining greater access to Canada comes up, the answer is a resounding no.

A new poll from Nanos Research, carried out for the Globe and Mail, found nearly nine in 10 Canadians are uncomfortable with the idea of Chinas large, government-controlled business gaining more access to Canada's economy  an almost inevitable aspect of any free trade deal with China.

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Eighty-eight per cent of respondents were either uncomfortable or somewhat uncomfortable with opening Canada up to Chinese Chinese state-owned firms. Only 11 per cent said they were comfortable with the idea.

A trade deal with China would almost inevitably mean giving government-controlled businesses greater access to Canadas economy. The vast majority of Chinas largest corporations are at least partly state-owned, and many of their top executives are hand-picked by government.

That could pose a political problem for the governing Liberals, who are pursuing a trade deal with China in the wake of rising protectionism in the U.S., embodied by the rise to power of President Donald Trump.

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The Liberals have said they expect a trade deal with China to create jobs in Canada in the longer run.

Canadian officials held exploratory talks on a trade deal with China earlier this year, and another round of talks is expected this month.

After Chinas state-run CNOOC bought oilsands player Nexen in 2012, then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper changed regulations to make it more difficult for state-run enterprises to take over Canadian companies.

Trade experts say thats one rule Chinas government will want rescinded. Some predict that China will even want the ability for Chinese companies to import their own employees to work on projects in Canada. Observers note that such a clause is part of Chinas free trade deal with Australia, which was signed in 2015.

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In an interview with the Globe and Mail last month, Chinas ambassador to Canada, Lu Shaye, said his government is looking for total access to Canadas economy.

Lu also rejected the notion of linking human rights to a free trade agreement.

Investment is investment. We should not take too much political considerations into the investment, he said. Just like the negotiations of the (Canada-U.S.) FTA, we should not let political factors into this process. Otherwise, it would be very difficult.

A majority of Canadians disagree. The Nanos poll found two-thirds of Canadians agree with the notion that human rights in China should be linked to a free trade deal with Canada. Twenty-one per cent opposed the idea, and 14 per cent were unsure.

The Nanos poll also found more than eight in 10 Canadians oppose dropping national security reviews of Chinese takeovers of Canadian companies, with only 17 per cent in support of the idea.

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When asked more generally about a trade deal with China, Canadians seem to be more receptive to the idea. A poll carried out last year for the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada found Canadians evenly split on a trade deal with China, with 46 per cent in support and 46 per cent opposed.

However, Canadians were much more likely to support trade deals with more developed countries, such as Australia or Japan.

The Nanos poll surveyed 1,000 Canadians aged 18 and over from April 1 to 4. It has a margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

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Online shopping has made it easier than ever to keep weird purchasing habits private. But research from real estate company Estately gives us a glimpse into Canadians' wacky shopping searches.

The site looked at Google Trends to measure Canadian Internet searches with Google Shopping, and compared the results to find out what items each province or territory searched for more frequently than other regions. We're not sure how exact the methodology was, but the results are definitely worth a laugh.

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Some of the findings are pretty reasonable  B.C., Canada's most earthquake-prone province, had the most searches for earthquake kits. But it also topped the chart when looking for shark costumes, leg warmers, vape juice and wine fridges (who wouldn't want to go to that party?)

Newfoundlanders searched for cargo pants, cowboy hats and handguns, but they couldn't out-cowboy Albertans, who had the most searches for bolo ties, butter churns and moonshine stills.

But the wackiest search history might go to Canada's smallest province, P.E.I.

Islanders searched for: glitter, confederate flags, Magic: The Gathering cards, thongs, the Bible, fishing poles, Beanie Babies, bagpipes and snowblowers, just to name a few.

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As Estately put it, "the results are either quite fascinating or mildly disturbing."

The company previously blogged about how likely each Canadian province is likely to survive a zombie apocalypse. Ontario fared poorly, which might be why so many Ontarians searched for a zombie survival kit online.

Take a look at a few of the top searches in Estately's map and the slideshow below:

Canada's Weird Online Shopping Habits, By Province See Gallery
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson held a joint news conference following bilateral discussions in Moscow on Wednesday, April 12, Sputnik reported.

Lavrov reiterated Moscow's calll for an "independent and thorough investigation" in both Idlib and Sha'irat incidents. "We have other affects available to us, and we are not trying to impose anything on anyone" but Moscow doesn't believe it is fair or just to place all blame on Damascus prior to an objective probe of the chemical attack. Lavrov expressed that a UN security council resolution would be counterproductive and may only legitimize accusations against Damascus. On April 14, Moscow will host Afghanistan, central Asian nations for a summit, and Lavrov has an extended an invitation to the US to allow their representation at the summit.

Lavrov and Tillerson discussed the "special responsibility" Moscow and Washington bear for maintaining "strategic stability." This will include "business-like, pragmatic" discussions on arms reductions, Lavrov said. Business interests in both nations want to reverse the trend of negative relations between Moscow and Washington, he added.

"On the whole, we all realize the current situation is far from easy, and the international situation is far from easy," and that other parties may want to try and take advantage of these tensions. "We are open to this dialogue..and not just dialogue, but [to] working together," in areas of mutual interest. "We understand each other bettter after today's talks," Lavrov noted.

"There's a low level of trust between our two countries," Tillerson began his remarks. "The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," he said. He then stated Moscow and Washington should end tit-for-tat strategies which can provoke tensions. Moscow and Washington have agreed to create a working group dedicated toward solving low-level problems. "We both believe in a stable and unified Syria," the US diplomat said.

Tillerson said Washington's belief that Assad planned and executed a chemical attack is "conclusive" and said it is not the first time Damascus has used chemical warfare since 2011. Lavrov disagreed: "Russia insists on an objective investigation." There is "no proof" that Washington's account of what happened in Idlib is true, Lavrov said.

"They have brought this on themselves," Tillerson said of international pressure against Assad. "We think its important that Assad's departure is done in an orderly way," he added. "the final outcome in our view does not provide a role for Assad or the Assad family. We will not accept that, we don't believe the world will accept that," Tillerson said. Lavrov said the US and Moscow are not "world's apart" on many issues, as one reporter had suggested. "We need to learn the lessons of the past, otherwise we cannot be successful in the present," he said.

For instance, in Yugoslavia, NATO "launched war" to bomb presidential areas, the Chinese embassy, and when they finally ran out ammunition, they went to the UN Security Council. "Many of these actions were in violation of the Geneva convention," Lavrov said. Similarly, in Iraq, "all the pretexts" the US used for invading the country, such as WMDs, "were fake." In Libya, an international coalition that ousted former dictator Muammar Gaddafi has not produced an positive example that might be followed for a regime change operation.

"The very statehood of Libya is even in danger right now," the Russian foreign minister pointed out. Moscow knows the "obsession" with overthrowing a dictator, Lavrov said. "We've seen all that and we all know how it's going to end."

Tillerson said cybertools have "emerged" to influence elections as well as interfere with the software systems relied on by weapons systems. "I can only confirm that we are interested in having close cooperation on cybercrime," Lavrov stated.

"We discussed no further sanctions" based on recent events in Ukraine, Tillerson said. "He did not make any threats in our discussions today," Lavrov confirmed. The Russian diplomat said he is not interested in hypothetical and speculative scenarios in Syria, but that "we want to establish truth." "There is a presumption of innocence" in Syria, Lavrov said.

Lavrov said that he had requested evidence that Russia interfered with the US elections, but that he has seen nothing resembling fact.
Christian Siriano isn't afraid to speak his mind.

From talking about the the lack of diversity in fashion to slapping inclusive mottos on the runway, the fashion designer isn't known for shying away from the important topics du jour.

More recently, Siriano spoke out about why he probably wouldn't ever dress first lady Melania Trump  an issue that several designers have also discussed publicly.

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Designer Christian Siriano.

In an interview with Time magazine, the "Project Runway" alum was asked whether he would ever dress Trump, to which he replied, "I dont think I would. I think for a while everyone was trying to figure out what to do. Unfortunately, it really doesnt have anything to do with her, but she is representing whats happening politically and whats happening politically right now is not really good for anyone."

Like Siriano, other designers have stated their disinterest in dressing Trump. Last year, designer Sophie Theallet called on fashion designers to boycott the first lady, noting her husband's "rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia."

In an open letter on Twitter, Theallet wrote, "As one who celebrates and strives for diversity, individual freedom, and respect for all lifestyles, I will not participate in dressing or associate myself in any way with the next First Lady. The rhetoric of racism, sexism, and xenophobia unleashed by her husbands presidential campaign are incompatible with the shared values we live by.

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Open letter | Sophie Theallet | November 17th, 2016 pic.twitter.com/g1hIAyBmdF  sophie theallet (@sophietheallet) November 17, 2016

Designer Tom Ford also said he would probably not dress Melania Trump, stating in an interview with Elle magazine that "given this presidents beliefs about made in America,'" both U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady should only wear clothes made in America that are accessible to all Americans.

"I think that whoever is the president, or the first lady, should be wearing clothes at a price point that are accessible to most Americans, and wearing clothes made in America. My clothes are made in Italy, they're very, very expensive. I don't think most women or men in our country can relate to that, and I think the first lady or the president should represent all people," Ford said.

First lady Melania Trump and Queen Rania of Jordan.

He also revealed on "The View" last November that he was asked to dress Melania a few years ago but he declined. "Shes not necessarily my image," he said.

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In addition, designer Marc Jacobs told WWD that he also has no interest in dressing the first lady.

"I have no interest whatsoever in dressing Melania Trump," Jacobs said. "I didnt see [Sophie Theallets] letter. Personally, Id rather put my energy into helping out those who will be hurt by [Donald] Trump and his supporters."

Siriano, however, isn't trying to single out Melania Trump. In his interview with Time, he noted that he also wouldn't dress celebrities who express hateful sentiments.

"Its not just [Melania]. If I got a call from somebody tomorrow that was, say, a musician, who was all over Twitter or Instagram hate-bashing people, I wouldnt dress her either. I dress people that I can support and support what theyre doing in their lives. Thats why its important to me and it should be important to every designer because the people that you put in your brand represent the brand."

"Ghostbusters" star Leslie Jones wears a dress designed by Christian Siriano.

Siriano, who notably dressed "Ghostbusters" star Leslie Jones after she tweeted that designers refused to dress her, also reflected upon the importance of diversity in fashion.

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There's no question these B.C. whale watchers got what they came to see.

Elliot Funt, from Vancouver, posted a incredible video of a pod of killer whales going in for the kill  paying no mind to boaters and sightseers also sharing the space.

Funt was out Tuesday enjoying the waters of Howe Sound near Vancouver with some friends, when a group of six orcas arrived on scene.

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The whales were drawn in while playing a game of chase with a sea lion, Funt told The Huffington Post Canada.

The 300-pound sea lion was trying to climb a nearby boat to escape the hungry whales, he said. The orcas taunted their exhausted prey by continuously pushing the boat out of the sea lion's reach.

"I feel like I'm an ice floe and they're just trying to wash him out from underneath me," calls a man from the boat where the sea lion was trying to climb aboard. (Watch video above.)

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The whales were coming so close to Funt's boat that "they definitely rubbed against the hull a few times," he said.

"We weren't really sure what to do. We didn't want to hurt the orcas by turning on the motors."

A quick-thinking guide from a nearby whale-watching tour encouraged the boater closest to the sea lion to act as an escort and chaperone the tired animal to safety a few hundred metres away, where it climbed onto the shore of Bowyer Island.

Funt says he's been boating the waters for Howe Sound for many years, but has never experienced whales quite so close before.

"It wasn't that scary, it was really exhilarating," he said.

"It all happened so fast."

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However, Funt said he's worried that experiences like this will soon be history in the Howe Sound area.

He said a proposal to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing and export facility at the former Woodfibre pulp mill site would bring tanker ships directly through the waters where his orca sighting occurred, disrupting marine wildlife.

He's asking anyone who watches his video to read up on the project and consider signing the Howe Sound Declaration.

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LARS HAGBERG via Getty Images Pakistani Nobel Peace Laureate Malala Yousafzai leaves Parliament hill after receiving an honorary Canadian citizenship in Ottawa, Ontario, April 12, 2017.Malala Yousafzai will receive an honorary Canadian citizenship. Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai becomes only the sixth person to receive honorary Canadian citizenship, advocating in a speech to parliament for women and girls' education -- a cause dear to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. / AFP PHOTO / Lars Hagberg (Photo credit should read LARS HAGBERG/AFP/Getty Images)

When Malala Yousafzai became an honorary Canadian citizen this week, she wasted no time in making sure her most important message got through to people across the country.

"I want to tell the children of Canada that when I was little, I used to wait to be an adult to lead," she said in an address to the Canadian Parliament. "But I have learned that even a child's voice can be heard across the world."

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Yousafzai, who was born in Pakistan, has become one of the most well-recognized activists in the world following an assassination attempt by the Taliban in 2012. The group was trying to silence her outspoken support of girls' education, a theme she has continued to speak out on with every opportunity that arises, including after Wednesday's honorary citizenship ceremony in Ottawa.

"If all girls went to school for 12 years, low- and middle-income countries would add $92 billion per year to their economies," she stated. "When women are educated, there are more jobs for everyone. When mothers can keep their children alive and send them to school, there is hope.

"But around the world, 130 million girls are out of school today. They may not have read the studies and they may not know the statistics, but they understand that education is the only path to a brighter future and they are fighting to go to school."

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"I have learned that even a child's voice can be heard across the world."

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, who was recently named to Women Deliver, Deliver for Good, a global initiative that invests in women and girls' education and human rights, among other topics, accompanied Yousafzai to Ridgemont High School in Ottawa earlier Wednesday to bring that same message directly to students.

Malala and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau visit high school students in Canada to kick-off the second stop on Malala's #GirlPowerTrip! A post shared by Malala Fund (@malalafund) on Apr 12, 2017 at 6:49am PDT

But Yousafzai wasn't about to leave the centre of politics in Canada without setting some clear expectations for what has to be done moving forward.

"Dear Canada, I am asking you to lead once again," she told the audience in Parliament, which included Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. "First, make girls' education a central theme of your G7 presidency next year. Second, use your influence to fill the global education funding gap to raise billions of dollars and save lives ... If Canada leads, I know the world will follow.

"Finally, prioritize 12 years of education and schooling for refugees. Today, only a quarter of refugee children can get secondary education. We should not ask children who flee their homes to also give up their dreams.

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"We must recognize that young refugees are future leaders on whom we all depend for peace. The world needs leadership. The world needs leadership based on serving humanity, not based on how many weapons you have. Canada can take that lead."

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Malala Yousafzai says the man who gunned down a Canadian soldier and attacked Parliament Hill did not share her Muslim faith, but rather the same hatred as the one who tried to kill her.

Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize co-winner and Pakistani education advocate, made the remark to a joint session of Parliament Wednesday, moments after she officially became an honorary Canadian citizen.

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Her stirring speech began with an acknowledgement that it was all a dream deferred.

Yousafzai, 19, was poised to receive the honour on Oct. 22, 2014. But soon after landing in Toronto, she learned of the fatal shooting of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, who was standing guard at the National War Memorial, and subsequent chaos in Canadas capital city.

She flew back to England but pledged to return one day.

On Wednesday, in front of members of Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and other dignitaries, Yousafzai addressed that hateful day with grace.

"I am a Muslim and I believe that if you pick up a gun in the name of Islam and kill an innocent person, you are not Muslim anymore."

The man who attacked Parliament Hill called himself a Muslim but he did not share my faith. He did not share the faith of one and a half billion Muslims, living in peace around the world, she said.

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The comment yielded a standing ovation. One of many.

He did not share our Islam. A religion of learning, compassion, and mercy.

I am a Muslim and I believe that if you pick up a gun in the name of Islam and kill an innocent person, you are not Muslim anymore.

The attacker that day shared the same hatred as the one who opened fire on a Quebec City mosque last January, Yousafzai said.

The same hatred as the man who killed a police officer and civilians in London, weeks ago.

The same hatred as the those who massacred 132 children at school in Peshawar, Pakistan.

And yes, the same hatred as the masked Taliban gunman who shot Yousafzai as she rode home from school at 15, a cowardly attempt to take her courageous young life.

Yousafzai said the real aim of her attacker failed, just as they fail in each act of terror.

'A bullet is no match for an idea'

These men have tried to divide us and destroy our democracies, our freedom of religion, our right to go to school, she said. But we and you refuse to be divided. Canadians, wherever you were born, however you worship, stand together.

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Yousafzai is just the sixth person to receive honorary citizenship and the youngest ever. In his introductory remarks, Trudeau said she might be one of the bravest new Canadians.

She proved, the prime minister said, that a bullet is no match for an idea.

Former prime minister Stephen Harper, whose government led the push to recognize Yousafzais bravery on behalf of girls and women seeking the right to education, released a statement saying she embodies what it is to be Canadian.

Welcome to Canada, Malala, he wrote on Wednesday.

Watch Yousafzai's full speech:

With a file from The Canadian Press

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Kegel exercises are known for strengthening pelvic floor muscles that may become weak from excessive weight gain, childbirth, and even straining due to constipation. But just because the exercises have that reputation, doesn't mean they can fix issues like postpartum leaking or urine leakage due to coughing or sneezing.

"A lot of people are actually too tight in their pelvic floor, which means performing kegels will actually make their dysfunction worse," pelvic physiotherapist Amy Gildner shares in the video above. To make matters worse, Gildner says we aren't even performing kegels correctly because most people compensate with their inner thigh and abdominal muscles.

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Kegel exercises aren't the only mistake you're making when it comes to your pelvic health; in the video above, Gildner shares four other pelvic health myths worth noting.

Also worth noting is that if you experience pain during intercourse or tampon insertion, or urine leakage after sneezing or coughing, you might want to consider trying pelvic physical therapy.

Pelvic physiotherapy involves a physical examination and medical assessment. Patients work with a physiotherapist to complete internal and external exercises with the intention of relaxing the muscles and reducing pain.

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And as for postpartum leakage, Gildner recommends pregnant women see a pelvic physiotherapist throughout their pregnancy to prevent dysfunction caused by distress from weight gain.

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A huge fire consumed a derelict boat in Victoria, B.C.'s Gorge Waterway on Monday.

Dramatic video from a eyewitness shows the vessel totally engulfed in flames as a man on the sailboat anchored next to it rushes to cut the ropes.

According to a report of the incident, Victoria firefighters put out the blaze.

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There are conflicting reports about how many people were on board at the time. Chek News reports that two people escaped safely, while Victoria Deputy Fire Chief Dan Atkinson told CFAX 1070 that only one person was on board.

One man was sent to hospital for smoke inhalation.

Atkinson also said that all oil, fuel and contaminants had been taken off the boat. However, the cause of the fire is still unknown.
Recently, one of the most talked about events in air travel was the video of a passenger being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight due to overbooking. In the 25 years I have been in the industry I have never seen anything quite like this.

Although overbooking is a common occurrence among most airlines this case took things to the extreme. The violent removal of the unwilling traveller was recorded by fellow passengers for the world to see. This event has shone a light on overbooking and caused travellers to question what their rights are once they pay for their air ticket.

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Most airlines expect a certain number of no-shows on each flight and routinely overbook flights to maximize capacity. This practice has been taking place since I started in the industry and for monetary reasons I doubt that it is ever going to change.

What many people don't realize is that airlines have the right to "involuntarily bump" passengers when they need to as long as they compensate the passenger. This is stated in each airlines "tariff" or terms and conditions which is essentially your contract with the airline. Airlines can bump passengers at any point in the travel process -- at check-in, at the gate or once passengers have actually boarded the aircraft like in the United Airlines incident.

In the U.S. and EU there are Passenger Bills of Rights that clearly state a set minimum amount of monetary compensation that airlines must give to "involuntarily bumped" passengers. In Canada, the amount is left up to the individual airlines. However, the Canadian government is planning to introduce legislation specifically dedicated to airline bumping and it is expected that minimum compensation amounts will be included in that Passenger Bill of Rights. This recent event with United Airlines could help fast track this legislation which would definitely benefit Canadian travellers in the future.

This entire situation with United Airlines could have been avoided if staff members handled this prior to anyone boarding the aircraft.

The passengers who are most likely to get bumped are those who have bought the cheapest fares, booked tickets on points or who are last to check in. Essentially there are various reasons you could be selected. To lower your chances of being bumped I recommend that you get a specific seat assignment when you book your flight and that you check-in as early as possible.

This entire situation with United Airlines could have been avoided if staff members handled this prior to anyone boarding the aircraft. Typically when this is dealt with beforehand the airline will ask for volunteers well before boarding and increase the compensation amount if no one comes forward. Frankly, offering an $800 voucher to already seated passengers was too little, too late.

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Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRKa.N) withdrew its application to the Federal Reserve to boost its ownership stake in Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) above 10 percent, and is instead selling 9 million shares to keep it below that threshold, Reuters reported.

Berkshire on Wednesday said it concluded after several months of talks with Fed officials that maintaining the higher stake would "materially restrict" its ability to do business with the third-largest U.S. bank.

The Fed exerts special oversight when investors take large bank stakes. It often allows double-digit stakes not designed to exert a "controlling influence," but has said it would review any resulting business relationship "case-by-case."

Berkshire said "investment or valuation considerations" were not factors in its sale of 7.13 million Wells Fargo shares this week, and planned sale of another 1.87 million shares "in the near future."

The company, which has owned Wells Fargo stock since 1989, also said it will sell more Wells Fargo shares if needed to keep its stake "slightly below 10 percent," including if the bank repurchases its own stock.

According to a regulatory filing, Berkshire owned 504.3 million Wells Fargo shares worth more than $27 billion before the sales, making it the bank's largest shareholder. Buffett, 86, owned another 2.01 million of the bank's shares personally.

Wells Fargo has been beset since September by a scandal over its creation of unauthorized customer accounts.

"We appreciate the confidence that Berkshire Hathaway has placed in Wells Fargo over the years, both as our largest shareholder and a very valued customer," spokesman Mark Folk said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our relationship."

On Monday, Wells Fargo said it would claw back an additional $75 million of compensation from the executives it blamed most for the accounts scandal, former Chief Executive John Stumpf and former community banking chief Carrie Tolstedt.

The San Francisco-based lender's shares have nonetheless risen 16.6 percent since Donald Trump was elected U.S. president, though they now trade at their lowest level in four months.

Many other banks' shares also rose after Trump's election.

Buffett told CNBC television on Feb. 27 that Wells Fargo made a "huge mistake" by not immediately addressing the unauthorized accounts, and that letting the problem mushroom made its reputation suffer.

Wells Fargo is expected on Thursday to report a decline in first-quarter profit, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Berkshire has large investments in other financial services companies, including year-end stakes of 16.8 percent in American Express Co (AXP.N), 6 percent in U.S. Bancorp (USB.N) and 2.9 percent in Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N).

The Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate also operates more than 90 businesses including insurers, utilities, industrial products makers, food and apparel companies, and a railroad.
KrulUA via Getty Images Protection background. Technology security, encode and decrypt, techno scheme, vector illustration

Internet users want convenience and privacy. However, more convenience means less privacy and vice versa. In a 2010 Wall Street Journal article, Nicholas Carr wrote that being online means you are quickly losing your ability to understand and control these tradeoffs. The ability to be aware of what information you disclose and what information you keep private is becoming harder. Carr says that incredibly detailed data about our lives is being analyzed from online databases without our knowledge or approval.

The U.S. made two recent changes to privacy laws that affect U.S. residents and non-U.S. persons including Canadians. In January 2017, changes to Privacy Act state that privacy policies of U.S. agencies (e.g. - NSA, FBI) exclude persons who are not United States citizens or lawful permanent residents from the protections of the Privacy Act regarding personally identifiable information."

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This means that U.S. federal agencies will share more information about non-U.S. persons that may increase the number of Canadians and foreigners being denied entry into the U.S. It may also increase online surveillance of information about certain Canadians and foreigners.

As cited on a Canadian law firm's website, in 2014, the Ontario information and privacy commissioner discovered that mental-health information of some Canadians was accessible to U.S. Customs and Border Protect and the FBI. This led to a Canadian being denied entry to the U.S.

Additionally, Canadians do not have to be in the U.S. for privacy laws to affect them.

About 90 percent of Canadian Internet traffic is routed through the U.S., according to Ronald Deibert, head of the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab.

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While VPNs can block a third party from seeing your Internet traffic, it cannot prevent tracking cookies, which are placed on each user when visiting a website.

According to Open Media, Canadians may have sensitive data shared between Canadian and American agencies like financial status, medical history, sexual orientation, and religious and political beliefs. Exactly what personal information is shared between Canadian and American agencies remains unclear.

In March 2017, the U.S. government repealed a law that forced Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the United States to get permission to share personal customer information like their location data. It allows ISPs to sell customer data to third parties without the customer's knowledge or consent.

According to The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a major online privacy rights organization:

"Companies like Cox, Comcast, Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon will have free rein to hijack your searches, sell your data, and hammer you with unwanted advertisements. Worst yet, consumers will now have to pay a privacy tax by relying on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to safeguard their information."

While Canadian ISPs cannot share customer information without their consent, Canadians regularly travel to the U.S. and use WIFI or cellular data on electronic devices and computers. In cases where they use cellular data or WIFI via American ISPs, their personal information may be accessible. Selling targeted ads to third parties based on a user's search history and visited websites data is how Google and Facebook make money. However, information collected by an ISP is much more detailed than what Facebook and Google collect.

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While Americans are at higher risk from changes to U.S. privacy laws, Canadians should take the following precautions to protect their privacy:

1. Install a Virtual Private Network

A VPN protects your digital privacy by encrypting your web browsing information from your Internet Service Provider (ISP). A VPN can be installed on any device or computer. When a VPN is turned on, your device connects to your VPN provider's computer servers. All information is encrypted on your device and your IP address and online behavior is blocked from tracking tools.

VPNs are also helpful when using a public WIFI like a cafe. Always turn on your VPN when using public WIFI. VPNs, when turned on, do not work on all websites. For example, Netflix can detect VPNs and disallows a customer from streaming content with a VPN.

Two VPN drawbacks are they degrade speed performance and a good VPN costs about US$3-10 per month for use on multiple devices. Two popular VPNs are F-Secure and TunnelBear.

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While VPNs can block a third party from seeing your Internet traffic, it cannot prevent tracking cookies, which are placed on each user when visiting a website.

2. Keep track of cookies from companies that track you

While a VPN hides your browsing activity from an ISP, Google, Facebook, Amazon and thousands of others use tracking technologies like cookies. Cookies contain identification tags that track your web browser activity.

In the past, ISPs like Verizon needed to inform customers they are being tracked and give then the option to opt out. In 2016, Verizon was fined $1.35 million because it didn't get permission from customers before sharing tracking information with third party companies. ISPs in the U.S. no longer face penalties. Cookies help provide a complete customer profile picture about their behavior and actions on a company's website. A VPN will not prevent cookies from tracking customers.

3. Install Privacy Badger to block third party tracking

Privacy Badger is a free browser extension for Firefox, Chrome and Opera developed by the non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation. It blocks third-party web trackers.

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According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation:

"Third-party tracking happens when advertisers and websites track your browsing activity across the web without your knowledge, control, or consent. It is a widespread practice in online advertising."

After installing the extension, when you visit a website, a number appears over the extension image showing the number of trackers. It is a useful exercise to visit your favorite website and notice the number of third party advertisers tracking your browsing activity.

While it is convenient to access your data anytime and anywhere, it is equally important to protect your privacy and civil liberties. The new privacy laws in the U.S. will take time to understand the ramifications. Canadians would be wise to pay closer attention to their privacy.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this blog indicated that Facebook sells customer data to third parties.

Facebook makes money by selling ads, and third parties gain no access to data.
Canada is in celebratory mood this year, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Confederation. The Canadian government has been funding cultural initiatives here and there to promote the diverse communities living together and to bring the multicultural aspect of Canada.

Internationally, Canada is portraying itself as an open country, accepting refugees from war ravaged countries like Syria. A sort of the antithesis of the American policies recently announced by U.S. President Trump to ban refugees. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau describes himself as a feminist, taking selfies with young Muslim girls in hijab. A sharp contrast with the previous prime minister, Stephen Harper, who defunded the Ministry of Status of Women and dehumanized Muslim women by fomenting the niqab debate.

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However, amidst this festive and open atmosphere, there is a dark cloud that keeps the rays of the sun from reaching everyone. The case of Omar Khadr is a black stamp on Canada's human rights record.

Omar Khadr never received any apology for the treatment he was subjected to in Guantanamo.

Omar Khadr was a child when he was imprisoned by the Americans in the military base of Bagram and later airlifted to Guantanamo Camp, where he was forcibly kept for over a decade. He was subject to physical and psychological abuses. He was betrayed by successive Canadian governments: Liberal and Conservative alike wanted him to stay in jail, far away from the public eye and TV cameras. No other western country dealt with its citizens detained in Guantanamo like Canada shamefully did.

Along these years, some prominent Canadian voices rose up to denounce the treatment of Omar Khadr, but they were not enough to deter the Paul Martin government, and later the Harper government, in refusing to call for the repatriation of Omar Khadr. In fact, then-prime minister Harper and his cabinet ministers kept justifying Omar Khadr's incarceration by the fact that he was convicted in the killing of a U.S. paramedic. Needless to say, this conviction came as the result of a plea bargain Omar Khadr had made with his American jailors to gain his transfer out of the Guantanamo prison.

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Even when Omar Khadr was returned to Canada after the insistence of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he was immediately imprisoned and kept there for three more years.

These days, the case of Omar Khadr has slipped under the radar. Even some human rights activists think that the return of Omar Khadr back home would mark the end of his tragic story. But it wouldn't. Omar Khadr never received any apology for the treatment he was subjected to in Guantanamo.

For instance, in 2008, Canadians officials flew to Guantanamo specifically to interrogate him and were never interested in his well-being. They offered to buy him a burger and some treats to get information out of him. When he understood that they were there for their own professional interests and not for helping him, Omar Khadr, became uncooperative with them. The Canadian officials pushed him to say what he clearly didn't know. This behaviour is reprehensible and should be denounced. Unfortunately, Canada never distanced itself from the actions of its officials despite the reprimand of the Supreme Court ruling declaring that Omar Khadr's rights were violated under the Charter of Rights.

Dennis Edney, the Canadian legal counsel for Omar Khadr, has been a hero in defending his client. Not only did he defend Omar Khadr under difficult circumstances, but he also accepted him in his home and protected him as one of his own children. Recognizing the work accomplished by Dennis Edney on behalf of Omar Khadr should be celebrated by all Canadians and not fought or hidden.

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Recently, Omar Khadr had to undertake a 19-hour-long surgery on his shoulder as a result of bullet wounds he suffered when he was shot in the back by the U.S. military. This serious surgery will undeniably delay Omar Khadr's efforts to progress in his studies and life.

Omar Khadr was stripped of his rights as a child, as a teenager and later as an adult. Today, he is trying hard to put his life back on track and get the education that was denied to him all these past years. As long as Omar Khadr file is still lingering, Canada won't be able to hide its dark face and celebrate its record on the world scene. It is time for the Canadian government to act swiftly and let the sun shine on Omar Khadr's life.

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Time is quickly running out for this Liberal government. With recent polls showing Kathleen Wynne's personal popularity rating at 12 per cent, the lowest rating for any premier in history. Premier Wynne needs to step aside soon and allow another member of the party an opportunity to rebuild the Ontario Liberal brand while there is still time to recover before the next provincial election.

If she waits any longer, she risks depriving her party of any chance to enjoy the political cooling off period that is usually afforded any new leader. Or worse, she could refuse to leave, and lead the party over the same cliff she has driven the Ontario economy over during her disastrous tenure as Liberal leader of this once prosperous province.

Wynne's hubris is larger than the budget deficit she and her party have racked up under their leadership.

Last week's Toronto Sun poll revealed the shocking reality that if the election were called today, the current government would likely hold on to just six or seven seats and may lose official party status in 2018 if these trends don't change. Let's face reality: Wynn beat the odds in 2014 and led the Liberals to a majority victory not because of any voter respect for her party, its accomplishments, or any confidence in its leadership, but because both the Tories and the New Democrats ran terrible campaigns that left the Ontario electorate to vote for the devil they knew, rather than the devils they didn't.

Since that election, the gaffes and examples of Liberal mismanagement have been stacking up like cordwood and Ontario's voters are ready to vote for anyone else but Wynne. Witness the gains from the Tories, who find themselves sitting at 44 per cent in the polls to the Liberals' 24 per cent. The recent Forum poll even suggests, say it isn't so, that the Tories are ahead in Toronto!

Wynne's hubris is larger than the budget deficit she and her party have racked up under their leadership, and she insists she is not going to quit the leadership. If that is the case, then I am convinced we are going to see a catastrophic meltdown of her party from which the liberals are not likely to recover for some time.

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Liberal failures like the "billion-dollar gas plant boondoggle," the disastrously inept mismanagement of hydro in general, the $300 billion + provincial deficit, Wynne's costly and ham-fisted handling of the carbon tax and environment files, the Sudbury By-election scandal, and the botched sale of Hydro-One have Ontarians and pundits alike reaching the same conclusion that the Liberal party's popularity and prospects cannot recover with Wynne at the helm of the government.

Ontario's economy is being subjected to damage the likes of which it has never seen and may never recover from, leaving the citizens of this once great and prosperous province to struggle against epic currents just to keep their heads above the proverbial water.

Wynne's terrible leadership and numerous failures have done real and lasting damage to the province of Ontario. It is time for her to accept responsibility for her mismanagement, step aside, little good it will do her failing party.

This is now Patrick Brown's election to lose and he needs to step up and show he has what it takes to lead Ontario out of this bleak wilderness that Wynne and her liberals have dragged us into.

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"If such people exist in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them since their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return".

These are the chilling, horrifying words of the Chechen president's spokesperson, made in response to recent news reports that authorities in the country have been rounding up and murdering homosexual men. Gay people, according to the president, "just don't exist in the republic".

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For the western individual, such comments and beliefs are truly mind-blowing. Yet the horrific persecution, execution and abuse of gay people is not something of the past - homophobia is rife in many countries around our world today.

Despite the progress made in the West, which has seen gay people accepted and embraced by much of mainstream society, a lot of our world still lives in the dark ages when it comes to understanding human sexuality. It remains illegal to be gay in over 70 countries, with at least 10 of these nations even willing to state that they will execute you if you are gay.

The recent events in Chechnya - reports suggest that the country has opened 'concentration camps' for gay men, with 'more than 100' gay men rounded up and locked away - demonstrate how much work there is to do in eradicating homophobia.

And how is it than we can we fight homophobia? The key, I believe, is tackling ignorance. It is when people do not understand human sexuality, when they are rigid and inflexible in their world outlook, that homophobia is able to flourish. For the Chechen leader to believe gay people "just don't exist in the republic" is a prime example of ignorance leading to homophobia.

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Scientists tell us that homosexuality is something innate within human individuals - it is like the Chechen leader claiming that left-handed people or a certain blood group don't exist in the country. It is beyond ridiculous, beyond absurd and beyond logic to claim gay people don't exist.

In every single population on planet earth, there are gay people. That is in every single community, country and on every single continent. It is believed that around 10% of the population is gay - that's 1 in 10 of people in every country. Gay people exist, whether their country 'allows' homosexuality or not. It is not something you can legislate on, control, or change.

As our species becomes more accepting, enlightened, informed and educated, we are seeing more clearly that homosexuality is something natural, normal and not to be feared. We know that it is the homophobic views and rules that need to change, not the gay individuals themselves. And why on earth should they change?

10% of the population are naturally and inherently homosexual - absolutely 0% of the population should be homophobic, hateful or harmful.

It is time that the Chechen leader - the leaders of the 73 other nations condemning homosexuality - , reviewed their attitudes, principles and beliefs. The global community will not stand by and allow a whole section of society to be persecuted in such a horrific way.

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And such ignorant, ill-informed and blatantly stupid comments have no place in a supposedly informed and intellectual world.
Fires in "the Jungle" in November 2016, Photograph by Benny Hunter

I am a volunteer with the charity Help Refugees who has been working on the ground in France since September last year. Help Refugees, alongside their partners Refugee Community Kitchen and L'Auberge des Migrants, have been working to provide food, clothing, firewood and other supplies to refugees in a camp in Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk in Northern France.

On Tuesday night, huge fires ravaged through the camp, destroying the homes of some 1,500 people. In Grande-Synthe, tensions between residents, which had been slowly rising for weeks, finally boiled over. During the evening, the frustrations of some residents living in the dire camp turned to scuffles between ethnic groups and violence. At around 10pm a fire broke out, catching shelters alight, before burning down the community kitchens and most of the the rest of the camp.

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In the middle of the night, hundreds of families with young children, as well as women, men and unaccompanied minors, became suddenly homeless. At least 10 people have been reported injured from knife wounds and fighting, and one person hit by a car remains in critical condition. Some 900 people are now being housed in three separate gymnasiums in Dunkirk, while a further 600 people are unaccounted for, presumably sleeping outdoors. As charities and the authorities scramble to assist those in need, the question that needs to be answered is how is it that this happened?

It is clear to anyone who worked in the camp that the events of last night were the inevitable consequence of a complete failure in management. The intolerable living conditions that refugees in Grande-Synthe endured meant that tensions and violence were foreseeable and that the vulnerable groups living there - the women, the children, the disabled and the elderly - would be especially affected. Now, in a convenient turn of events for the French and British authorities, the burnt down camp will not be rebuilt, and the people who once lived there will be presumably moved on.

Since the eviction of the 'the Jungle' camp in nearby Calais in October last year, the population of Dunkirk had been steadily increasing. Yet authorities had been refusing to allow new shelters to be built, forcing as many as 14 people to sleep in shelters built to house half that number. At least a hundred people, including many underage, had previously been sleeping on the ground of the community kitchen buildings. While it had been previously agreed upon by the authorities that the camp would be allowed to stay until the end of August, no efforts had been made to find an appropriate long term solution to this.

The camp was at least partly controlled by a gang of people smugglers, who expected payment for access to the facilities provided by the state, and enforced debt repayment for taking food offered by charities, or accessing shelters and other services. Sexual abuse and rape of women and children by smugglers in return for blankets and food was widely reported in testimonies given by volunteers, medics, refugees and other officials in a tribunal in the UK in February. Yet still families with babies and toddlers, lone women and unaccompanied minors continued to live amongst the majority older male population, with minimal protections in place.

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Forty days ago, Afeji, the association paid to run the camp, suddenly implemented a wrist-band policy, handing out wristbands to residents on a single arbitrary day and installing a new entry-gate system. Those outside of the camp on that day, or missed off the list were forced to smuggle themselves in and out of the camp whenever they wanted to walk to town, to shop at the supermarket or use the nearby WiFi hotspot. This of course also inhibited smugglers getting people to the UK. This had already led to clashes between camp residents and Afeji in March when a group of men rioted and burnt down the Afeji welcome office.

Little was done, either, by Afeji, to accommodate for the unaccompanied minors living in the camp, although legally obliged to identify these minors and refer them to child protection services. A census carried out just last week by Help Refugees, Dunkirk Legal Support Team and L'Auberge des Migrants found there to be a total of 120 unaccompanied minors living amongst adults in the camp. These children were especially affected by issues of overcrowding and risks of abuse and blatant and systemic negligence by the French authorities put all of them greatly at risk. The L'Auberge des Migrants Child Protection Team in Calais is now liaising with authorities and making use of this information to ensure that all of the children are accounted for and safe and will be continuing to demand appropriate accommodation and legal solutions for them.

Blame lies not only with the French, but also the British. The UK has increased border security, increased militarised border force patrols, and all the while refused to participate in the EU's mandatory resettlement scheme and closed existing humanitarian corridors for asylum such as the Dubs amendment. The charity Safe Passage identified at least 80 children with family in the UK living in Grande-Synthe - and so a legal right to be in the UK - while the government has done nothing to acknowledge them. These vulnerable children should be in the UK, but now they could be anywhere.

The only home had by some 1,500 men women and children has been reduced to ashes. This is a dire and deeply tragic situation, that was entirely preventable. It is important to remember, these are not criminals to be interned, but individuals experiencing the deepest tragedy of their lives, fleeing war, persecution and violence. They don't need our pity, but they deserve dignity and respect, because without this, their suffering will only be intensified.

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And when tragic events unfold, they need our assistance also. The charities on the ground in Dunkirk will continue to provide people with food, hot tea, warm clothes and blankets, while working with authorities to find a long term solution for the homeless. However, we can only give out the items that are donated to us and so we need your support.
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Teachers and school leaders from across the country are gathering in Manchester this Easter weekend for the Annual Conference of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union in the UK.

Conference provides the opportunity for teachers to share their reflections on the challenges facing our public education system and set policy on issues that teachers and school leaders from across the country have balloted as their most pressing concerns.

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It is no surprise that high on the agenda is the impact of excessive teacher workload which is driving the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, exacerbated by deep cuts to pay and increases in pension contributions.

Yet again, a recent survey of NASUWT members has shown workload to be the number one concern of the profession. Data tracking, inspection and pupil assessment are driving the excessive bureaucracy teachers are facing.

In a context of high-stakes accountability, many teachers are under pressure to undertake extra classes and revision sessions during lunchbreaks, after school, at weekends and during school holidays. In part, this pressure is a reflection of the huge significance of exam and test results and the consequences these can have for the fate of schools and teachers.

However, there is no evidence that such interventions deliver any long-term benefit for pupils. However, there is mounting concern, amongst teachers and others, that such "interventions" are increasing the pressure on pupils, from a very early age. For some children, this leads to anxiety, depression and self-harm. Teachers, too, are not immune from the impact of such pressure and the associated workload, long working hours and unacceptable management practices which are also taking their toll on teachers' mental health.

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At a time when the Government is deep in denial about the extent of the teacher recruitment and retention crisis, there is mounting evidence that successive years of real-terms pay cuts for teachers is leading to graduates choosing employment careers other than teaching and record numbers of teachers choosing to leave the profession by choosing other careers where they will be better rewarded.

NASUWT research shows that the average starting salary for comparable graduate professions is now at least 15% higher than the national starting point for a qualified teacher.

NASUWT conference representatives will be sending a clear message to politicians across the UK that in order to continue providing a high-quality public education for every child and to ensure teaching is restored as the profession of choice for graduates, a substantial pay award is needed to ensure that teachers' pay is competitive with salary levels in other graduate occupations.

Parents and the public should be in no doubt that governments which fail to invest in and to improve the conditions of teachers are also failing to invest in and improve the conditions of children and young people. The NASUWT conference will no doubt hear deep concerns about the impact of government policy on pupils, particularly the most vulnerable.

The Union will be publishing the findings of new research showing that for too many children access to core educational entitlements is increasingly dependent on parents' ability to pay. Worryingly, we are now seeing increasing evidence that some schools are deliberately adopting policies which will drive up the costs to parents in order to discourage parents on lower incomes to choose their schools. If parents know up front that it will cost them a princely sum to provide their child with uniform, books, equipment, and to pay for school trips, prom nights and so on, some parents will simply say to themselves that they cannot afford to send their child to a particular school. We are asking the Government to do something about this.

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The impact of cuts to provision for children with special educational needs, disabilities and for pupils with English as an Additional Language will also be high on the conference agenda. And so too will teachers' concerns about recent changes to GCSE gradings, which have created widespread uncertainty and anxiety for pupils, parents and teachers by moving the goalposts on what is considered to be a 'good' pass.

The pressures of the exam system on children and young people will be explored in greater depth during the conference as part of research looking at the issue of mental health among both pupils and teachers.

Figures suggest that rates of mental ill health in the population as a whole are rising and the NASUWT's casework bears this out.

Excessive workload, the pressures of the accountability system and greater job insecurity are a toxic mix which is leading to teachers experiencing increasing levels of stress, depression, anxiety and burnout.

Too often teachers fear negative consequences for their career if they are seen to not be coping and so feel they must conceal the issue, which inevitably makes the problem worse.

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NASUWT members from across the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and Gibraltar will be gathering at a time when the wider political landscape has never looked more uncertain in the context of Brexit and what this will mean for workers' rights and for investment in education. At a time of such uncertainty and turbulence, the role of education has never been so important in helping the UK to succeed after Brexit.

The NASUWT conference will be sending a strong message to governments and administrations on the need to invest in world-class education for every child.
Brexit is now in full swing and the ups and downs of negotiations will likely dominate thinking and media coverage for the next few years. Not an uplifting thought - unless you love mind-numbing detail combined with overweening rhetoric.

But while the historic importance of Britain deciding to cut itself off from the EU feels profound, that of most domestic interest is the vote for Brexit revealed a country not 'at ease with itself' - one of Prime Minister John Major's key aims several decades ago.

Policy makers and thank tanks worry about this, so too do social scientists and pollsters. More practically, local councillors and chief executives look at what they can do to provide a sense of purpose, well-being and hope to those parts of their locality that fall into the 'left behind' category.

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To many, the current Prime Ministers talk of a Shared Society seemed like a potential response to all this, but after its launch earlier this year, we have heard very little about it - not even a few initiatives in and around the Budget.

To move this debate on, Professor Gerry Stoker and I have published a pamphlet with NPC suggesting that one of the answers to these conundrums is to re-think the role of civil society and to put it centre stage.

Our argument is that civil society generates human capital, social enterprise, ideas, networks, emotional support, practical help and well-being. It allows us to learn from our experiences of social exchange and a stronger civil society reinforces our better selves and the values of solidarity, so its presence helps to sustain and spread those values. As we say, "If civil society didn't exist, progressives would have to invent it".

But too often it is seen as simply making up for what public and private sector don't do - clearing up their mess. If instead we start by putting civil society at the heart of our thinking, our question becomes: what should the state and private sector do to enable this to happen? We end up with a variety of proposals, some familiar, some radical that would help to put the support and encouragement of civil society much higher up the agenda. And because we are not naive, we look at some of the problems of the sector: its very voluntarism means it is distributed geographically and across issue areas in a rather random way; its deep and crucial commitment towards achieving its mission often takes away from any focus on efficiency. We then try to come up with some solutions.

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What kind of ideas have we come up with then? Well, as with attacking any policy agenda that involves a shift in emphasis you have to attack it from a number of angles. Some of the ideas are familiar and feel a bit trite on their own. But taken together - and combined with a number of new ideas - we think they could make a big difference.

We want to focus on:

Driving change in government to support the shared society: Promoting the sector to turbo charge the agenda including changes in Whitehall to deliver this; raising its status, with targeted funds to plug gaps; ensuring a Cabinet minister and team with strong leadership in all key departments too.

Implementing a new regulatory and improvement regime: Keeping the Charity Commission as the narrowly focused regulator and data source/collector but creating a new improvement agency to help promote good practice and stamp out bad practice.

Giving civil society a seat and a voice at the table of governance locally: Making it part of every unitary local government and regional government set up to have a third sector chamber or other means of having a voice.

Controlling and using assets for social good: Enabling third sector bodies to control, use or run assets not wanted or under-used by the state or private sector.

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Asking the private sector to step forward: Bringing in and promoting the concept of responsible business much more.

Bringing other players into the thinking of civil society: Actively seek engagement from beyond the normal suspects in order to limit the chances of group think constraining innovation.

Boosting social capital and social infrastructure: Monitoring progress on these issues down to very local levels and having funding earmarked to help support them.

Our hope is that the debates on civil society - that raged in the New Labour years, as it funnelled cash and more power to the sector, and then erupted with the brief push of Cameron's ill-fated Big Society initiative - but has now gone quiet, will be resurrected by our new pamphlet we will find some useful ways forward.
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'It is the view of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) that the service provided to victims of domestic abuse by the police is too often unacceptable. Police leaders told us that tackling domestic abuse is important, but in the majority of forces it is a priority on paper only and not in practice. It is deeply disappointing that the stated intent is not translating into an operational reality. Domestic abuse must be seen as everyone's business in a force, rather than someone else's problem.' HM Inspector of Constabulary, Zoe Billingham.

This week I have been dismayed to discover new data (gathered by The Independent from 18 of 43 police forces in England and Wales) reveals police charges in reported incidents of domestic violence have plummeted by more than 10% in just one year, even though the number of incidents have risen. In London, (which has the most cases of domestic abuse) reports of domestic abuse jumped by more than 2,000 between 2015 and 2016 and yet over 600 more abusers escaped police charges in 2016 than the year before.

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Let's put this situation into context: In the latest release by the Office for National Statistics, last year there were an estimated 1.8million adults aged 16 to 59 (not including the epidemic effecting girls younger than 16) who were victims of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse accounts for approximately one in ten of all crimes and that is the modest estimation. In a nutshell, our domestic abuse problem is bigger than ever before. The news released a story about a London man who has been arrested, a woman saved (and over 19 knives confiscated) in a domestic abuse scene that has been likened to an 'Alfred Hitchcock' scene. My issue here is that single life-saving incident just isn't representative of the reality and I don't understand why?

In 2013, our then home secretary Theresa May announced she was going to take personal charge of the way police respond to domestic abuse after a damning report exposed 'alarming and unacceptable' flaws in the system. May said that the report revealed 'significant failings, including a lack of visible police leadership and direction, poor victim care and deficiencies in the collection of important evidence'. She quickly announced her plans to lead a national oversight group. The inspectorate condemned the police service for treating domestic abuse as 'a poor relation' to other police activity with only eight out of 43 forces responding well to domestic abuse.

Yet here we are in 2017, Theresa May is now our Prime Minister and the new report discloses that officers showed a 'considerable lack of empathy' in handling cases (recently in the West Midlands officers were overheard calling a victim a 'f*****g slag.') The report also said victims are not taken seriously and identifies 'poor attitudes, ineffective training and inadequate evidence gathering' and calls for an urgent overhaul by the police service of its response to domestic abuse, from the frontline up to the leadership. Inspectors said Greater Manchester, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire and Gloucestershire in particular were causing serious concern.

This is upsetting to me. Calling 999 is the first thing I advise any woman who is the victim of abuse. This report leaves me with the impression that the fate of Britain's domestic abuse victims is literally a lottery. Except in this lottery if you win, the police do their job and assist you compassionately and professionally.

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That's just so wrong.

The newest report cites alarming and unacceptable weaknesses in core policing activity, in particular in the quality of the initial investigation. It also raised concerns over the failure of the police to undertake risk assessments of victims, and a confused approach to arresting perpetrators. Not to mention an inconsistent approach to how DV cases were pursued and perpetrators are dealt with. What exactly is going on?

I was shocked to read about a lack of specialist support and provision. Over the years, the way in which the police service tackles DV is supposed to have developed via effective risk assessment models especially with two women dying every week. Every 30 seconds the police receive a call for assistance relating to domestic abuse. Why isn't this a priority? If 1.8 million people were the victim of terrorism last year, I don't doubt the response would be excellent.

Even basic investigative techniques are not being carried out with the report revealing that in 600 domestic abuse cases involving actual bodily harm, inspectors found photographs of the injuries were taken in only half the cases.

Domestic abuse thrives on ignorance and laziness. Perpetrators succeed wherever they can get away with it. When a policeman fails to do his job properly, a victim is at risk of death and a perpetrator goes to bed smiling. The police must rethink the ways they deal with DV, in particular how they handle the complex issues and needs of its victims. They also need a deep understanding of domestic abuse amongst teens, and the coercive and psychological nature of this disgusting crime.

The report's author, Zoe Billingham, has said: "The service provided to victims of domestic abuse by the police is too often unacceptable. Police leaders told us tackling domestic abuse is important but in the majority of forces it is a priority on paper only and not in practice. The findings of this report should be a wake-up call for the police service. Domestic abuse must no longer be the poor relation."

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I assist the police in my work as a psychologist and I would relish the opportunity to work with local police services as a domestic abuse survivor and an interventionist to address this sad state of affairs once and for all.
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Most of us should connect to this concept. Of course we do, in some way shape or form. Well, actually if I stand by truth then I can honestly say that life is a bitch! I mean how many hardships do we need to go through? How much more sadness does life want to throw at us in order to dim our lights? How many times does life want to pick us up, spin us around, give us a lollipop and then throw a smack down on us into a deep dark well? It's just too much for any of us to handle.

As humans we have to cope with a lot in our daily lives. Death of our loved ones, birth of our special ones, bullying (in school/at work/in public/online), self doubt, suicide, self harm, eating disorders, relationships, body images issues, we even have to live with medical conditions - the list just goes on and on. How do we even start to cope with all of these things? It's just too much for anyone to handle alone. My question to you is, what is the one thing in life that you have a passion for? What is the driving force in your life? What is it that makes you wake up the morning everyday without fail? Think about it? Evaluate what it is that makes you breathe and live life.

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Each and every one of us has the potential to lead a happy and healthy life. We are born with the ability to be great and nothing less. I truly believe that we all come from this one source of light, energy, a ball of power - most people would name this powerful energy God. If we are all descendants of God, surely he has made us to be mighty just like him. I mean, I know we can't throw lightning bolts straight from our hands, or levitate and fly on a horse named Pegasus, but I am sure that he has embedded many other characteristics inside of us that we are yet to unleash. We are not born inadequate - we have the same energy inside of us that resides as God, which means that we are just as important as him. Our life is just as important through the ups, downs and all things good and bad. I will even go as far as saying that all humans are connected through this source of light which resides within each and every one of us.

Over a year ago I was fortunate enough to travel to South America, Chile, to be precise. It was the first time that I had ventured out of England on my own without friends or family to accompany me. I had to step out of my comfort zone. It took great courage to do so, and it truly was a life changing experience. The love that I received there from people was amazingly powerful - everyone that I had encountered had this mighty aura about them, I have never experienced that type of love before in my life.

I remember having a few days to myself along with the camera crew after work had finally finished - I was In Chile to do a live TV interview on the show they named Primer Plano. The whole crew and I decided to take a trip to port on Chile's coast called Valparaiso. The beach town was absolutely beautiful, graffiti masked the town's clifftop homes in each direction you turned, and the colours that masked the town were delightfully blinding. The saltiness of the beach could be tasted through the air. I was rather excited to sit beside the water and just feel the breeze caressing my face, body and lady beard - relaxation was strictly needed after a hectic few days of nonstop work. I took a deep breath in and the same breath out. I looked around and saw an unleashed dog running after a kite, I saw beautiful children making large sand castles. Mothers were playing with their toddlers and fathers were setting out the picnic food and snacks. My gaze was stopped in its tracks as it laid upon teenagers throwing rocks into the gushing water. My smile turned into confusion. Why would anyone laugh whilst throwing rocks at something so pure and stunning?

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.........There is a lesson to be learnt from this.
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In Dunkirk we saw another refugee camp burn down containing children alone and afraid. This violence and devastation is a needless repeat of what we have seen in Calais and Greece before. Again, overcrowded and unsafe conditions put children in unnecessary danger. Again, many of these children were going through a legal process which meant they shouldn't have been in that camp at all, but safe with their family in the UK. Again, we risk losing these children as they fail to find safe accommodation and instead are taken elsewhere by traffickers.

Luckily, it seems there were no fatalities this time, but until the UK acts with a proper system to help get these children safe this could easily happen again and again.

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Interviews we conducted with unaccompanied children in this camp in March, and to be released soon, show the awful circumstances from which the fire came about. This Dunkirk settlement is a violent place, controlled by traffickers in pitiful, cramped conditions. Children should not have even ended up there. The children we spoke to told us that they were so scared, along the route to Dunkirk, by the way they were treated by the authorities that they could not turn to them for information and protection. So they turned to - and were abused by - smugglers and traffickers who were offering information and apparent protection.

According to the law, children with family in the UK should be able to be safely transferred to them long before making the journey to France. However, most the children don't know this. Despite frequent contact with authorities in European countries on their journey towards the UK, the children we spoke to were never told about their legal right to protection, including their right to be safely reunited with their family members.

In fact, at the moment our rules for getting these children from the danger they have fled to the safety of their family first require children to make the crossing themselves into Europe, on those mortally dangerous boats into Greece and Italy. This forces children into the hands of smuggling and trafficking networks in order for them to reach safety. When we leave the EU it is possible that even this process, known as the Dublin system, will be lost to the children and they will have to make the entire journey without legal help and criminal gangs their only option.
Turkey has accomplished economic growth double the European Union and OECD average despite last years political difficulties, the nations prime minister said Wednesday, Anadolu reported.

Speaking at a meeting with businessmen in Izmir, Binali Yildirim pointed to how some rating agencies are revising upwards their forecasts on Turkey's economy for the years come.

"To those who lowered Turkey's note after the July 15 coup attempt, we said: You spoke too soon, you will change your mind," he stated.

The latest OECD data forecasts Turkey's growth rate this year at 3.26 percent and 3.8 percent in 2018, while it predicts that the average of the OECD countries this year at 1.98 percent and 2.29 percent in 2018.

Yildirim also urged more support for Yes votes in Sundays referendum from businesspeople in Izmir, where he was elected a member of parliament, and promised new investments in the city.

Sundays referendum proposes a host of constitutional reforms that would hand wide-ranging executive powers to Turkeys president.

The post of prime minister would be abolished and the president would also be allowed to retain ties to a political party.

Other changes include the minimum age of parliamentary candidates being reduced to 18 and the number of deputies increased to 600.

The Yes campaign is backed by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), while the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has campaigned against the changes.
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Talking to English friends recently, it has become apparent to me that they don't really think that the United Kingdom is in the process of breaking up as a result of Brexit. It will all blow over, they insist, when everyone realises what a great success Brexit is. Things will unfold like England after the Reformation - sure there were difficult times, some beheadings, a few burnings. Bloody Mary. But then it all came good under Elizabeth l. And that is how it will be again. But my perspective as a Scot is pretty clear. Brexit spells the end of the UK. Here's why:

1) Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland voted to remain in the European Union. So a UK-wide Brexit would mean that for the convenience of the English, Ireland and the European Union would be expected to undertake the trouble and expense of enforcing a border across 300 miles of the island of Ireland. Fuck that for a game of soldiers.

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The better solution is for Northern Ireland to remain in the European Union, which it voted to do, and the border of non-EU land to be on the British mainland. This would effectively create a united Ireland, though sovereignty could be shared between London and Dublin.

2) Scotland

Scotland also voted to remain in the European Union. The Scottish government asked the government in London for a flexible approach to Brexit which would allow Scotland to remain in the EU but that was rejected. A consequent vote of the Scottish Parliament for a new independence referendum has been stalled; PM Theresa May says "Now is not the time" and won't discuss a date.

Scotland is not Catalonia: it was joined to England in 1707 by the Treaty of Union which was voted on by the Scottish Parliament. It has had centuries of nationhood, with a system of government, its own law, its own Church. The British royal family acceded to the throne through its connection to the unbroken 1000-year line of Stuart kings of Scotland. Scotland has a devolved Parliament which has voted for a referendum. If stonewalling by London continues, Edinburgh may well have a legal and democratic case for calling a referendum on its own behalf which could lead to a unilateral declaration of independence.

One thing is certain, the Scottish Parliament is unlikely to accede indefinitely to London's requests to put a (sweaty) sock in it.

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3) Gibraltar

Gibraltar also voted - almost to a man and woman - to remain in the European Union. Until Spain joined the EU in 1985, there was a gated border on the rock, but Spain opened this under the freedom of movement rules within the European Union. Since then, there has been free movement across the border. But If Gibralter leaves the EU as part of the UK, the bilateral conflict with Spain over its sovereignty obviously re-emerges. The border could end up being closed again. English politicians' sabre-rattling over this recently was an example of how dangerous this could be.
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It took me 20 hours to travel to Texas for SXSW, including having to check-in twice even though I hadn't left the airport. When I arrived, Sony teleported me to Machu Picchu in seconds. I stood in a box, jumped and landed in Peru. And not one aggressive customs officer in sight.

The experience is actually a high-definition projector that sits so close to the wall it can map a 360 image without shadows. There may have been no condors flying overhead, but it certainly gave me an appreciation for the beauty of the Andes. 360 video, virtual reality, mixed reality; these technologies are taking us all over the world, and into new ones.

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NASA is using data from their rovers to make 3D reconstructions of Mars that allow scientists to do field work in virtual reality. The same technology is also being used to send elderly people in care homes into space. Now even the solar system is within the reach of everyone.

Technology is bringing people closer together, but how connected are we really? By the end of 2015, 65.3 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution and conflict. During 2010-11, Asia and the Pacific saw more than 42 million people lose their homes due to extreme weather events. By 2050, another 15 million people in Bangladesh alone could be on the move because of climate change. We can teach a car to drive itself, but what are we doing to help solve a global humanitarian crisis?

There are many people dedicated to helping, but finding a way to co-ordinate charities, government bodies, and the refugees themselves, through united global systems, is a huge challenge. Many refugees are highly skilled and utilising this talent will not only be of great value to the humanitarian effort, but it will also help to give the displaced back their identities.

Techfugees is one social enterprise mobilising the international tech community. From individual specialists to large government bodies, to the refugees themselves, they are facilitating collaboration through conferences, workshops and hackathons around the world. By forming new partnerships that breach industries and sectors, skilled and talented individuals are coming together to explore how technology can help solve real global issues.

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The Cancer Moonshot is an initiative set up by Joe Biden, 47th Vice President of the United States. The Moonshot Task Force brings together, amongst others, The Department of Energy, NASA and Amazon to accelerate cancer research. Together they have built a database that empowers patients and medical professionals with an easy way to share their research, exchange advice and offer hope.

"We have reached a new inflection point, scientists across all disciplines are working together...by aggregating and sharing data we find new patterns...Together we can end cancer," said Biden as this year's SXSW festival.

Virtual reality is opening up new ways for us to collaborate. It's already possible for avatars to interact in virtual space. Niantic Labs, the company behind Pokemon Go, is using Augmented Reality to reclaim real-world public spaces. Much like PokeStops have been bringing new audiences to art installations, museums and monuments, the aim is to use this technology to bring people together, and put public life back at the heart of policy making.

"The answer to all questions is in our collective experience," said Cory Richards, National Geographic's Explorer of the Year. He used Snapchat to give the world a real-time insight into his ascent of Everest, capturing a less polished but perhaps more truthful portrait of what climbing to the top of the world actually looks like. This type of technological window into someone else's life will not only help us to share knowledge, but importantly to develop our power of empathy.
When it comes to women's rights and the clothing industry - we want our fashion slow and our gender equality fast! According to Fashion Revolution, "the garment industry is and has historically been one of the most female-dominated industries in the world." So, when it comes to choosing what to put in our closets, we should keep the women making our clothing and the conditions they're working in, front of mind.

Startlingly, if we keep to business as usual, the World Economic Forum predicts the gender gap won't close entirely until 2186. It's hard not to feel discouraged when you're faced with disparity. You can make a difference by supporting fashion brands that are empowering women throughout their supply chain.

Here are 5 brands empowering women and creating beautiful fashion:

Raven + Lily

Raven + Lily, a Texas-based brand, is on a mission to alleviate poverty amongst women by giving them access to a sustainable income. To do this, they work closely with local artisan groups of at-risk women based in countries such as the US, Pakistan, Haiti, Malaysia and Guatemala.

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Raven + Lily is a certified B Corporation, focused on alleviating poverty among women by providing fair trade wages, a safe job, a sustainable income, healthcare and education. Shopping ethically with Raven + Lily means you're helping to empower over 1,500 female artisans.

Mayamiko

Mayamiko produces clothing, homewares and accessories that are made ethically by women in Malawi. Their aesthetic fuses contemporary design with traditional African techniques. All their prints are sourced by a local cooperative of women traders.

This brand is a leading advocate for better labour rights and has created the Mayamiko Trust, a charity which works in the community to train and empower disadvantaged women. One of the charity's projects, the Mayamiko Lab, was designed to provide skills training, education, nutrition, sanitation and promote fairer trade practices.

Same Sky

Jewellery brand Same Sky creates employment opportunities for women experiencing poverty, with collectives in Rwanda and the USA. They work with a wide range of women including HIV-positive survivors of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and those previously incarcerated women New Jersey.

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Their Rwandan artisans earn 15 to 20 times more than the average wage in Sub-Saharan Africa, and 100% of the brand's proceeds are reinvested to train and employ more women.

People Tree

UK fashion brand People Tree has been an entirely Fair Trade business for over 25 years, working with mostly female producers around the world. The brand empowers women by giving them control over how they work, as well as how proceeds are used to benefit their communities.

Over the past 10 years, People Tree has partnered with Agrocel to grow organic cotton. At Agrocel, women are paid the same as men and given paid maternity leave. "Farmers are paid a premium for organic and Fair Trade cotton...[which] support a savings scheme for female farmers that trains women in financial literacy, helping them save and plan for the future."

Naja

American lingerie brand Naja is all about empowering women, from the makers to the wearers. They employ single mothers and female heads of households who are paid above market wages, provided with health benefits and child education stipends.

Naja has also implemented flexible work policies to make it easier for women to balance work and childcare. Every child of a Naja garment worker receives books, school supplies, uniforms and all school meals paid by Naja.

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Mata Traders

Mata Traders is a small brand which works with Fair Trade cooperatives aiming to reduce the impact of poverty and empower women in India and Nepal. These artisan cooperatives provide services such as health care, paid maternity leave, retirement pensions, and daycare.

Mata Traders pride themselves on giving women the opportunity to develop confidence and leadership skills at work. The female artisans within their co-ops are paid per piece and have "control in determining the piece rate, and as the cooperatives are worker-owned organizations, they receive a share of the profits."

Brands in this article have been rated as Good or Great in the Good On You ethical fashion app. You can check it out here: www.goodonyou.eco

Other brands worth checking out:

ReCreate provides employment for women in Dey Tmey, a disadvantaged community in Cambodia

provides employment for women in Dey Tmey, a disadvantaged community in Cambodia The Social Outfit employs and trains women from refugee and new migrant communities

employs and trains women from refugee and new migrant communities Mettle - Fair Trade works with Cambodian co-ops to create fair trade accessories

works with Cambodian co-ops to create fair trade accessories Faire Collection is a jewellery label creating positive change in impoverished communities
Why are airplane passenger windows typically below eye-level? originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

Answer by Tom Farrier, Former Director of Safety, Air Transport Association:

Windows were recognized as a selling point fairly early in the history of passenger aviation. Aircraft are stronger and cheaper/easier to build without them, but a lot of people -- particularly in the 1920s and 1930s, when flights typically were conducted at fairly low altitudes -- liked the view. (Having spent the bulk of my military flying career in that environment, I have to agree.) Windows also can help at least some passengers who are feeling kind of queasy by giving them a means of re-connecting what their eyes and their sense of balance are individually reporting about what's happening around them. Remember, humans evolved as surface-dwelling, 5 kph organisms, and being in midair at hundreds of kilometers per hour provides all kinds of unnatural sensory input.

So, let's take as given the fact that, as aviation entered the jet era. windows had to continue to be provided as a desirable amenity. Unfortunately, they turned out to create a critical and hitherto unrecognized vulnerability when installed in pressurized aircraft.

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This was the DeHavilland Comet -- the first jet airliner in passenger service.

It was literally years ahead of Boeing and Douglas in reaching the commercial market. It was kind of under-powered, but it provided an extremely comfortable ride and offered stunning vistas through their nice big windows.

This picture of the aircraft without the BOAC livery shows just how big they were when you compare them to the size of the pilot's windshields.

The first accident involving a Comet was an in-flight break-up that occurred on May 2, 1953. "The accident was caused by structural failure of the airframe during flight through a thundersquall." (http://lessonslearned.faa.gov/Co...) Aircraft had been lost under such circumstances before, so the manufacturer duly examined the recommendations of the Ministry of Civil Aviation "court investigation" and took a variety of actions.

However, G-ALYP came to grief on January 10, 1954, about twenty minutes into a scheduled flight from Rome to London, breaking up in the middle of a routine radio transmission in good weather. The fleet was grounded, and modifications and inspections were made based on the company's best estimate of what might be happening. Barely two weeks after they were returned to service, a second Comet -- G-ALYY -- came apart in flight on a Rome-Cairo flight.

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After some out-of-the-box thinking and the construction of some novel airframe test facilities (left picture), de Havilland and the civil aviation authorities obtained conclusive proof that the corners of the windows were the source of "stress concentrations" that led to fatigue and eventual structural failure following repeated pressurization/de-pressurization cycles.

The practical results of this finding were a half-century's subsequent industry-wide practice of rounding off windows and making them significantly smaller.

Even the Comets had their windows pretty close to the midline of the fuselage, a practice continued for generations.

The practical reason for this is that placing them there allows the loads around them to be distributed as evenly as possible; the practical consequence is that, since the floor of the cabin where the passengers sit isn't all the way at the bottom of the aircraft, the windows wind up being pretty low relative to the overall volume of the cabin itself and thus, the eye level of the passengers.

Several years ago, aviation columnist Brett Snyder noted, "The [Boeing] 787 has windows that are 19 inches high, and overall 65% larger than what you'll usually find on an airplane." (Flier comfort: Boeing 787 myths and facts) This was achievable partly through careful research and study and partly through the use of new manufacturing techniques. As this picture shows, they've also been placed a little higher than the midline, but not much.

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Since the windows really can't safely extend very much higher than this, the space above them is used for overhead compartments. If you imagine the cabin floor being parallel to the line of windows and just above where the wing meets the aircraft, you can see that they're probably about as big -- and high -- as is presently practical.

So why, you may ask, can the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-400 have windows so high up on the circumference of their respective fuselages?

A fair question. Given that I have no way of modeling any of the actual stresses involved, I have to speculate that the flooring between the lower and upper decks adds a fair amount of structural strength that compensates for any lost by punching holes in the sides so high up.

Bear in mind that aircraft fuselages are basically a series of hoops, as you can see in this diagram (look above the wing to see the frames most clearly).

To a certain extent, each frame section carries its own loads. You don't want to put too big a hole in that cylinder, lest it become subject to failing.

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Back in January, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we rightly remembered and commemorated the darkest chapter in Europe's history. It's now more than seventy years since troops entered concentration camps in Germany, the Baltic states and Poland, liberating Jews, the disabled, homosexuals and other groups the Nazis wanted dead. But today, on the fringes of Europe, concentration camps are back.

According to Novaya Gazeta newspaper, hundreds of gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya have been rounded up and three have been killed by police or other security forces. Then over the weekend, news emerged of a 'concentration camp' for gay men in the town of Argun. Gay men are being beaten, electrocuted, and forced to sit on bottles, according to reports.

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The LGBT+ community is understandably concerned and angry, and has been calling for action. The Co-Chairs of Pride in London wrote to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, demanding that the British government acts against these atrocities. Amnesty and AllOUT have started online actions. And that's why I organised the protest taking place outside the Russian Embassy in London tonight.

We cannot stand by, watch and do nothing as gay men are rounded up and interned, or worse. Each of us fails in our common humanity if we don't act and make it clear that this is not right. Gay men in Chechnya are as much our responsibility as gay men in Chelsea or Chorley or Cheltenham: we wouldn't stand for people being 'rounded up' at home, and we must not stand for it abroad.

It's clear that there is a veil of secrecy over the whole affair. A spokesperson for Chechen leader Kadyrov said that gay men can't be being rounded up and killed, as there aren't any gay men in Chechnya. And if there were, the state wouldn't need to 'deal with them' as their families would do it themselves.

We could laugh that comment off, but it's actually rather chilling. The leader of a country of more than 1.2 million people is saying that gay men don't exist. It's erasure. And if they're saying that about gay men, what would they say about people of other identities like bisexuals and trans people? And how would they treat them if they start rounding them up?

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There are some activists on the ground in Russia and in Chechnya trying to establish what is going on. The bravery of the team at the Russian LGBT Network, who have been supporting victims of the Chechen regime, is inspiring and remarkable. But as we saw in eastern Ukraine a few weeks ago, being an LGBT activist in Russia or some former Soviet states is not a safe occupation. Reports of disappearances are not uncommon. It is for all these incredible people too that we protest tonight.

Since planning this protest 36 hours ago, I've been subjected to the usual online tyranny of idiots. Why aren't I organising a protest outside the Chechen Parliament? (Because I live in London.) Do I realise that Chechnya is autonomous from Russia? (It's really not: Chechen leader Kadyrov was installed by Putin.) Am I just a keyboard warrior, virtue signalling from my mummy's spare bedroom? (Yawn.)

And there's been the ever-tiresome Islamophobes, asking why we're not protesting outside the Islamic State Embassy (yes, really) or against the countries who still maintain the death penalty against LGBT+ people. The fact is that Pride in London highlights those countries in its Parade each summer, and will do so again this year. There are regular protests at various Embassies and High Commissions, that many of us join.

The reason we're protesting tonight is because London - and the UK - must show that it will not sit back while human rights abuses are perpetrated on our European doorstep. We can't celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of decriminalisation of homosexuality if we ignore the persecution of LGBT+ people today. If we want to be a beacon in the world - and my goodness we're going to need every opportunity after Brexit - then we need to take action and stand up for what we believe.

We're asking those coming tonight to bring pink flowers, so that we can create a pink triangle - the symbol used by the Nazis to identify homosexuals in camps, a symbol now claimed by our community to remind us that we must rise up, and take a stand so that it never can happen again.

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Somali piracy off the Horn of Africa was once estimated by the World Bank to cost global trade billions of dollars, and to harm the fragile economies of countries in the region.

These disastrous financial costs, at a time of painful global downturn, came alongside a raft of pain and suffering for those taken hostage, some of whom died due to desperate living conditions and a lack of medical treatment. Now, in the last few weeks, Somali piracy is back: making headlines, boarding ships, and taking hostages. Since early March, based on news reports, there have been a series of successful attacks, including on 1 April, when the cargo ship Al Kaushar was boarded. Eleven Indian nationals are in pirate hands.

Despite the region's harrowing history, the five-year let-up in serious attacks has led to a collective forgetting about the dangers of Somali piracy. Hard-won lessons about veering too close to the Somali coastline and having visible security seem to have been thrown overboard in favour of time and cost savings. Navy patrols, one of the main reasons for the lull in attacks, have decreased due to other emerging priorities that tax the scarce resources of countries.

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There are four things that need to be done immediately, if we are to avoid a rerun of the early part of this decade when attacks on shipping numbered in their hundreds, dozens of hostages were held in appalling conditions, and billions were wiped off global trade.

First, it is imperative that the international community remains vigilant and commercial shipping follows the advice of navies and the International Maritime Organization when planning safe passage through the sea corridors off Somalia. Intelligence on risk, criminal gangs, the disposition of pirate boats, and recent pirate activity needs to be gathered, reviewed and swiftly transmitted.

Second, job creation aids crime prevention. What is done on land impacts action at sea. Somalia is perhaps the least developed country in the world, and we should acknowledge that the promise of pirate riches is enough to bait the hook for impoverished and jobless youth. A survey of 66 imprisoned pirates by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime--UNODC--and Oceans Beyond Piracy found poverty was one of the main reasons for their criminal activity: "My family is poor, so that's why I joined the pirates," said one prisoner.

Advocacy about the dangers of life on the high seas, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods on land are essential. Piracy's relationship with illegal fishing, which depletes Somalia's resources, also needs to be fully examined, and if necessary, mitigated.

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Third, the pursuit of fair criminal justice systems so pirates can be prosecuted, and if found guilty, jailed in safe and secure prisons back in Somalia. So far, 1,300 young Somali men have been held on suspicion of piracy and processed through the courts of 21 states.

UNODC, and its Nairobi-based Global Maritime Crime Programme, assists regional states in the trial and prosecution of suspected pirates, as well as supporting piracy's many victims. Hostage release efforts are ongoing and UNODC has been involved in the freeing of 150 hostages, including last October's release of 26 crew members from the FV Naham 3.

Stopping pirates from becoming terrorists is a priority. UNODC runs one of the world's largest programmes on preventing violent extremism in the prisons where pirates are held. It is specifically designed to prevent the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab from radicalising and recruiting vulnerable prisoners.

Fourth, Somali maritime law enforcement agencies need to be fully supported with resources and equipment, so they can extend their reach beyond the Somali coast. UNODC is already providing training so that coastguard operations can be linked to navy operations, as well as commercial shipping movements to deter the pirates.

Many of these subjects will be discussed at a conference in London on 11 May. Our own work in these areas is a model for the support offered to countries. The UN and the international community can be justly proud of these achievements; however, the London conference can build momentum for future action.

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The Americas Cup and Panerai are pretty much the same age. Created in 1851 and 1860 respectively, these two great names, with a shared affinity for the sea, became partners in 2017, teaming up for the 35th edition of the prestigious regatta, which this year takes place in Bermuda from 26 May (heats) to 25 June (final). Panerai is the Official Watch of the Americas Cup, Oracle Team USA and SoftBank Team Japan. The company has created five new watches for the occasion. They all have black dials and straps bearing the Americas Cup logo, with white, red and blue accents for the hands and topstitching  the colours of the competition and the two teams. Each watch also comes with a customised engraved caseback.

Official watch

The Luminor Marina 1950 Americas Cup 3 Days Automatic is the Official Watch of the 35th Americas Cup. The 44 mm satin-brushed stainless steel case frames an understated black dial on which the essential functions of hours, minutes, small seconds at 9 oclock and date at 3 oclock are all highly readable. The watch is driven by the automatic P.9010 calibre. Its two barrels supply a three-day power reserve, and the balance wheel, turning at 28,800 vph, has a crown-operated stop-seconds mechanism. Distinctive features include the Americas Cup legend in blue at 6 oclock, and the competition logo engraved on the screw-down caseback.

 Panerai

Three models for Oracle Team USA...

Oracle Team USA, skippered by James Spithill, won the two previous Americas Cups in 2010 and 2013. They will be defending their title in Bermuda. Panerai has created three official watches for the team, each in a limited edition of 200. Like Oracle Team USAs foiling catamaran, the watches make the most of cutting-edge materials and technology.

The most complex of the watches is the Luminor 1950 Regatta Oracle Team USA 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic, in a 47 mm satin-brushed titanium case, certified water-resistant to 100 metres. Its automatic flyback chronograph movement P.9100/R also provides a regatta countdown timer function. The red push-button at 4 oclock sets the chronograph minute hand to count down to the start time; once the countdown is complete, the watch continues timing the race.

The Luminor 1950 Oracle Team USA 3 Days Chrono Flyback Automatic comes in a smaller 44 mm synthetic black ceramic case. Its P.9100 calibre offers the same functions, minus the countdown timer.

Finally, the Luminor Marina Oracle Team USA 8 Days, with the basic hour, minute and small second functions, is a version of one of Panerais iconic models. Its 44 mm steel case houses the manually-wound P.5000 movement, with the 192-hour (8-day) power reserve typical of the Florentine watchmakers historical models.

 Panerai

... and one for SoftBank Team Japan

The third Luminor Marina model in the Americas Cup special series is the Luminor Marina SoftBank Team Japan, which celebrates the Japanese teams return to the competition after a fifteen-year absence. Just 150 of this model will be produced, making it rarer than the others. The 44 mm steel-cased watch is very similar to the Official Watch of the 35th Americas Cup described above, the only changes being the hour and minute hands, which are black and white, and the simple white topstitching on the strap. The main difference can be seen on the screw-down caseback, which is engraved with the logo of the team, skippered by Dean Barker, and a picture of their boat.
What to know before you vote today
Baidu's AI Research (Photo : Getty Images)

China has attained progress in technological innovations after more than 60 years in AI research, as it claimed to have started applying artificial intelligence (AI) in some sectors, the Xinhua News Agency reported.



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The progress made could be attributed to large quantities of data and computing power that the country possesses at present.



"While we are just getting started, we have made prominent progress in applying artificial intelligence in smart city and intelligent customer service on automobiles," Liu Lihua, vice minister of industry and information technology, said, adding that more sectors will make use of AI technology in the future.



Liu said that the government recognizes the great potential in AI applications as the country has some of the best talents in the AI industry.



"Chinese researchers and entrepreneurs are among the best in the world, with technological innovations and good earnings in the sector," Liu said.



The senior official said that researchers from Alibaba, Baidu and iFlytek were among those who joined in the study of the world's leading AI technologies in the fields of reinforcement learning, face recognition payment and self-driving trucks.



The three technologies and seven others were listed by the MIT Technology Review as the ten breakthrough technologies of the year.



Chinese Internet giants are looking at the next decades as the golden age for AI and they are now focused on the further development of AI.



"If we define 2016 as the first year of China's artificial intelligence, this year will be the beginning of applications of artificial intelligence in the country," Liu Qingfeng, board chairman of tech firm iFlytek Co. Ltd, said.



A number of Chinese Internet companies have established AI research hub. Baidu has its national deep learning technology for AI experts hub in Beijing while Xiaomi has set up its "Explorer's Lab" last year.



"Companies in emerging markets need to offer their consumers a compelling vision so that they not only resolve problems today but even address problems on the horizon," Lei Jun, founder and CEO of Xiaomi, said.



According to the government work report issued last month, the government will push for the implementation of innovation-driven development this year and strive to perform better and be more competitive.



"We will accelerate R&D on and commercialization of new materials, artificial intelligence, integrated circuits, bio-pharmacy, 5G mobile communications, and other technologies, and develop industrial clusters in these fields," the report read.



In May last year, the government presented a three-year action plan to develop AI, the report said.


Former City Councilor Michael Ward explained his petition to the City Council on Tuesday night.

Objection Halts Pittsfield Council Debate About Walmart

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Charter objection!

For just the third time since the new charter went into place, a debate was halted on the City Council floor because of the rarely invoked charter objection. The objection halts debate and pushes a vote off until another meeting. It was included in the new charter the city adopted in 2013.

On Tuesday it was used to halt a discussion on whether or not the City Council should ask Waterstone Retail Development to design the proposed Walmart Supercenter in the William Stanley Business Park closer to the road.

The petition had come from former City Councilor Michael Ward. He wants the council to go on record asking the developers to bring the storefront to the intersection of Tyler Street and Woodlawn to improve pedestrian and bicycle access and safety.

"It is not about dressing up the appearance of the Walmart building. It is about safety and accessibility for bikes and pedestrians," Ward said.

There had been some misconceptions about the proposal after images were spread around of different Walmart designs. Ward said he isn't asking the company to replicate those models but to simply bring the store to the corner to complement the Department of Transportation's complete streets program.

"This is current DOT policy. This is also what is considered good transportation planning in the year 2017 and considered good urban planning in the year 2017," Ward said.

The petition calls for the design to adhere to a "Main Street" development that includes being at the corner of Woodlawn and Tyler, having primary entrances there, have storefront windows, and be compatible with the neighborhood.

Councilor at Large Melissa Mazzeo doesn't want any retail operations at the William Stanley Business Park but if the city is going to allow the project to move forward, then she at least wants to mitigate negative impacts. She voiced her support for Ward's petition, saying now is the time to let the company know what the city envisions for that area.

"We should not be afraid to say this is what we want when you come into our community," Mazzeo said.

Mazzeo said Morningside is an urban environment with a lot bicycle and pedestrian traffic. To have a big box store set back behind a large parking lot, asking pedestrians to go that much farther, doesn't support the future walkability of the area, she said.

Others on the council, however, said they don't believe now is the time. They are waiting for an actual application for a special permit to come before them. That has been continually put off by the proponents with last Friday being the last date mentioned  but it wasn't filed by then either.

"We don't have plans from Waterstone at this point so we don't know what they are proposing," Councilor at Large Peter White said. "I think we first need to see something from Waterstone."

Ward 7 Councilor Anthony Simonelli said he likes the idea of bringing the store close to the intersection, but he didn't want to feel pressured into going on record with demands yet.

"I like an awful lot about it. I am not convinced it is the plan," he said. "I don't want to be pressured to do this tonight."

There has been a significant amount of debate over the proposal but little as far as firm plans from the company. And it has been a long time coming. Waterstone was first at the table with the Pittsfield Economic Development Agency in 2011 and then again in 2013.

In 2013, Waterstone didn't reveal the name of the store but just that it would be a retailer. That became one of the hottest issues during that election as questions centered on whether or not the park should be used for retail at all. The park is former General Electric land now in control of PEDA for redevelopment. Many believe the intent is to bring back manufacturing or other similar industries to the site while others are welcoming any development to the location.

Ultimately, Daniel Bianchi, who believed the park should be used for advanced manufacturing, won the 2013 election and halted the project. Months after Bianchi was ousted and Mayor Linda Tyer took office, Waterstone returned with the Walmart plan.

It has been just short of a full year since the June 2016 proposal went public and Waterstone has yet to file any permit applications. Two weeks ago, Don Harr from Atlantic Retail Properties, one of the partners in the development, updated the PEDA board saying a significant amount of engineering and a change to a design to include a grocery pickup section had delayed the finalization of a final proposal. He expected to file it the following week.

But during those 10 months, there has been plenty of talk about it in Pittsfield. Waterstone has rolled out a "support for Woodlawn Crossings" campaign to get the public behind it. The City Council has taken on the debate multiple times. Community meetings have been held. And it took a large role in the most recent state election debates.

Mazzeo said there has been plenty of information presented about the project and questions much of it  such as the selling point that the Morningside neighborhood is a "food desert" and there are residents without cars needing to be closer to a grocery store.

"I've never heard someone from Morningside come up and talk and say we need a grocery story," Mazzeo said. "They've been out there dictating to everybody what they think we need."

Whether it be the food desert or the extent of the proposed cleanup work at the park to the intersections, Mazzeo said the company has had a year to constantly repeat their selling point while the City Council has sat idle waiting for the special permit application.

"We hear something and if you say something over and over enough, people will believe it," Mazzeo said.

The City Council previously opted against asking the company to pay for an independent economic impact study mostly because there had not been a formal proposal on the table.

Much of that goes far beyond Ward's petition but may have been a driver for what was becoming yet another City Council debate about the project Tuesday night.

Ward repeated that his petition isn't about retail or Walmart or the business park, but simply that if a building is put there that it be as pedestrian safe as possible.

"Let's require that building to be on the corner and why, because of safety and accessibility," Ward said. "I don't think it is ever asking too much from an applicant to ask for safety."

Mayor Linda Tyer said the city is focusing on Complete Streets, a state design program that places a priority on all modes of travel on roads  typical vehicle travel, bicycle lanes, and sidewalks for pedestrians.

"I'm intrigued by this and I think it is important that we aren't shy about asking what we want to have in our city if Walmart wants to build here," Tyer said.

Ward 6 Councilor John Krol supports having the developer craft a design that supports the city's vision for the city.

"This is saying we are not going to settle for a cookie-cutter Walmart," Krol said.

Diane Marcella of the Tyler Street Business Group, however, feels that forcing Waterstone to bring the building to the corner and put the parking in the rear is "unrealistic,"

"The people of Morningside are very excited about having the Walmart nearby ... Please don't make contingencies that will make Walmart walk away," Marcella said.

Marcella said a development project that is best for a neighborhood is unique to the individual neighborhood and not dictated by common practices or a "textbook." Having the development is what is best for the Tyler Street area, she said, and that of 47 neighboring business 41 support it.

Ron Marcella said they know the neighborhood because they've been involved with it for 35 years.

"We have a developer that has come into town and wants to spend $30 plus million dollars. They are not looking for a TIF. They are not looking for incentive money. They are willing to clean the site, they are willing to fix the dangerous intersection," he said. "We know what this means to the people. We don't want to drive these developers away by making unrealistic demands."

Councilor at Large Kathleen Amuso invoked the charter objection Tuesday night stopping all debate and putting off a vote on Ward's petition until at least another meeting.

It is just the third time the objection was used  the first was former Councilor Barry Clairmont in 2014 and then again in 2015, when Mazzeo invoked it over a question of how to pick a council vice president.
The council on Tuesday night approved the transfer of properties from HOI.

North Adams Votes to Accept Properties, Funds From Housing Program



The city will not accept the former Sun Cleaners until the property can be shown to be free of contamination. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The City Council on Tuesday night accepted a transfer of assets held by Housing Opportunities Inc., an agreement that ends years of negotiations.

The board of the 30-year-old nonprofit has been trying to dissolve for at least five years. It is comprised of the same board as the North Adams Housing Authority and the staff of the authority has been managing the properties.

City officials have been in talks with HOI for nearly six years on taking over its assets but the talks have hit bumps along the way despite a vote several years ago to begin the transfer.

"Their auditors brought this up, they're a federal housing authority, and their auditors basically stated that this is not the type of work you should or can be doing," Mayor Richard Alcombright told the council. "It's taken us five years to get to this place."

The HOI board determined in 2012 to dissolve the 30-year-old program created to help first-time homeowners, feeling it was no longer useful and spurred by concerns expressed by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development.

Included in the transfer are seven parcels of vacant land at 353-355 River St., 83-83 River St., 140-142 Bracewell Ave., 60 East Quincy St., 337 River St. and 5-17 North Holden St., and a parcel with a building at 367 Houghton St.

There are also three mortgages for 35 Chase AVe., 29-31 Chase Ave. and 83 and 87 Brooklyn St. (added to article on 4/12)

Two pieces of property are being held back for at least 90 days: the former Sun Cleaners at 111 River St. and an apartment building at 111-113 Bracewell Ave. currently being used by Louison House.

The former dry cleaners, parts of which date to 1865, closed at least a decade ago. HOI purchased the property for $50,000 in 2008 and there is concern about chemicals in the soil. The city will take possession depending on the results of a 21E environmental assessment that will be paid out of funds held by the HOI, which is now about $292,704.

Any remaining funds after testing and remediation will be transferred to the city, minus "reasonable costs incurred" in the property transfers.

Councilor Eric Buddington asked what would happen to HOI if the city declined to accept the River Street property.

"The city would not be obligated to take that property if we're not satisfied with the results of the 21E assessment," City Solicitor John DeRosa said. "It would leave HOI where they are now, holding title to a property that's less than desirable."

It was an important piece of the agreement to ensure the city would not be obligated to take any contaminated property, he said.

Administrative Officer Michael Canales said he's requested estimates for doing an assessment and expected it to be done within the next few weeks. Alcombright said results would be forwarded to the council.

The mayor also said the HOI board and the city agreed that if Louison House Inc. wanted to continue its housing program on Bracewell Avenue the building would be transferred to it. Louison, formerly the Family Life Support Center, has been operating on Bracewell and at the Flood House, which it acquired from Housing Authority for $1 last month.

"I think there's 90 days in there to make up their minds if they want to stay," Alcombright said.

All the properties and any leftover funds would be managed by the Community Development Department.

"This has been done through the Community Development Department before so they're very adept at the collection process for [mortgages]," the mayor said to questions.

Once the city has possession, it may sell off the properties and use the funds for other housing betterment programs.

"You could potentially look at a use for a facade program, a paint program, all kinds of things that we can think about with that money," the mayor said.

Councilor Robert M. Moulton Jr. objected to the transfer, asking why the HOI had not sold all the property already.

"The city has a ton of properties ... I don't know 175-200, from this building to an unusable parcel," he said. "So now we're going to be getting more parcels. ... Why in this period, in this past three or four years, has HOI not put all these to auction and sold them and then just given the proceeds to the city."

He brought up a parcel the North Adams Ambulance Service had not been allowed to buy while other pieces were being sold, some to city employees.

Councilor Keith Bona called a point of order, saying there could be a conflict in the discussion because Moulton was chairman of the ambulance's board of directors. "It sounds like a gray area to me," he said.

Alcombright said the issue had nothing to do with the agreement before the council but he would explain what had happened three years ago. The ambulance had submitted an offer for an adjacent piece of land for $12,000 that was approved by the HOI board. Before the closing, an offer for the full value had come to the mayor's office.

The mayor said he would have been criticized by others if he had played a role in allowing a piece of public property to sell for less than half its value.

"So this is a lose-lose situation ... We're three years past that and it has nothing to do here," he said.

The final vote was 7-1 to accept the properties, with Moulton voting no. Councilor Nancy Bullett was absent.

The council also:

 Approved two secondhand license renewals for Ernest Perry of 118 Eagle St. (Odds & Ends) and for Mary Ann George, 656 Ashland St. (Maryann-Tiques & Gifts).

 Heard a presentation on the annual audit and progress on Americans With Disabilities Act compliance, and referred a fiscal 2018 draft budget to the Finance Committee.
Jeffrey Thomas, left, and Ann O'Connor disagreed on the place of 'symbolic' resolutions at town meeting.

Williamstown Selectmen: Pot Bylaw a 'Defensive Step'



Selectwoman Jane Patton publicly grappled with her conscience before voting against recommending town meeting approve a bylaw change regarding marijuana businesses. WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass.  A divided and conflicted Board of Selectmen on Monday voted its recommendations on a 40-article warrant to be presented to next month's annual town meeting.

The four selectmen in attendance made short work of most of the financial warrant articles, though a couple of the Community Preservation Act allocations generated some discussion.

The real sticking points came further down the warrant, when the board considered a bylaw amendment to create zoning regulations for marijuana businesses and, later, three articles placed on the warrant by citizens petition.

Jane Patton set the tone for the marijuana bylaw by expressing the conflict she felt between her obligation as a town official and her personal opinions about legalized pot.

Patton admitted that she was in the minority among town voters who cast ballots on November's statewide initiative to legalize recreational marijuana. She said Monday's vote was the hardest she had to cast in her four years on the Board of Selectmen.

"I'm struggling with this, and I don't often struggle," Patton said. "I usually have a clear conscience and a sense of purpose.  This one honestly has got me all jammed up."

Each of the selectmen at the table grappled with the complex issue, but the majority came down in favor of the Planning Board's initiative to define the zoning districts in which marijuana retail, testing and production facilities would be allowed if ever.

It was the "if ever" part that was key to the discussion.

Everyone at the table noted that the commonwealth is at least a year away from having a clear regulatory path established for marijuana retail establishments.

"Among the things we're waiting for from the Legislature is a rule about how a town can enact a full ban," Town Manager Jason Hoch noted. "There's reference to it in the [November 2016] referendum, but it's not clear what the legal process is.

"I have to believe something will come out of the Legislature allowing that. We could be in a position next year where a group of citizens at town meeting could pursue that."

Selectwoman Ann O'Connor was the second person on the board  and third town official in two weeks  to reveal how she voted on the state initiative. She voted for legalizing marijuana, but she saw the issue as one of criminal justice reform, O'Connor said.

Now that it is the law of the commonwealth, she shares the concerns expressed at last week's Planning Board public hearing about the impact on local youth of sending the wrong message about pot.

O'Connor said she had at one time "held every position in this room," but her thought process led her to ultimately support the zoning bylaw proposed by the Planning Board.

"As it stands, we don't have any restrictions on where you'd place a business selling marijuana," O'Connor said. "My sense is that the Planning Board has been doing its job by tackling this question now and not thinking we have this statewide moratorium. Yes, there is a moratorium, but it's wise to figure out in what parts of town you'd permit this."

Jeffrey Thomas agreed.

"Ann makes a good point in clarifying that this is a pro-active and, in a way, defensive step, where we're saying: If it comes here, this is where it will be, and this is where it won't be," Thomas said.

"People in the community are confused and think that if they support this warrant article, it means they think we should have pot shops here, and that's not true. If you're concerned about having marijuana here, you should get behind this warrant article because it gives us, in case it does come, control over where it is located."

Thomas, O'Connor and Chairman Andrew Hogeland voted to recommend town meeting pass the bylaw. Hugh Daley, who previously expressed an intention to abstain because of a potential conflict (land ownership in one of the affected zoning districts), missed Monday's meeting because of illness. Patton voted in the minority of a 3-1 decision after clarifying that she appreciated the Planning Board's work on the bylaw.

"I am thrilled beyond measure at the Planning Board and the work that they've done on this," Patton said. "This is not an easy thing. This literally comes down to my personal moral compass, and, for the first time, it has gotten in the way for me.  I like to really support something or really not. I'm not good at gray. Therein lies my challenge.

"But I have total and complete confidence the Planning Board has gone through this. How I feel about this is not an indication of the regard and respect I have for the Planning Board and the work it has done."

Thomas was on the losing end of a pair of 3-1 votes regarding two of three articles on the warrant via citizens petition.

He voted against a proposal to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day in the town and against a resolution to encourage pollinator-friendly behavior in the Village Beautiful.

On both counts, Thomas was clear that he agreed with the intent of the articles. His issue was with the practice of using town meeting to make "statement" resolutions.

Thomas noted that the former resolution, on Columbus Day, would do little more than change some paperwork at Town Hall and a notation on the town's calendar. Williamstown's decision will not change the fact that there is a federal holiday recognizing an historical figure whose legacy is more sordid than was widely recognized a generation or two ago.

The latter resolution is arguably more symbolic. The Pollinator-Friendly Community resolution, one of several working their way through Western Massachusetts municipalities, is non-binding and described by proponents as educational.

Thomas contended that town meeting should be about the town's business: the passage of a budget and other concrete actions, like zoning bylaws.

"Why support a resolution that's not going to change much?" Thomas asked.

Hogeland said he shared Thomas' concern but at the end of the day, town meeting is the legislative body of the town, not the creation of the Board of Selectmen. And it is far from unusual for legislative bodies at all levels of government to pass non-binding resolutions.

O'Connor was more strongly in favor of such motions.

"I feel that in a town that cares about many issues, advocacy of this kind is not unusual," the Williamstown native said. "I believe there's plenty of precedent throughout town meeting history. The town clerk has, I believe, files and files of petitions and resolutions with signatures.

"You say these are non-binding. We might be grateful for that. These [pollinator] petitioners could have written ordinances and gotten those ordinances on the ballot. That would have created more problems for town government: A poorly written ordinance gets passed and has to be reviewed by town counsel."

The vote in favor of recommending the Indigenous Peoples resolution to town meeting was 2-1-1 with Thomas voting against and Hogeland abstaining. Hogeland joined Patton and O'Connor in recommending the pollinator resolution to town meeting.

All four members of the board at Monday's meeting enthusiastically supported a resolution to affirm the policy of the town's Police Department not to investigate civil immigration matters . In addition to affirming that general order, the resolution makes it town policy that the order cannot be rescinded or modified without a minimum of 30 days advance notice to the public.

Police Chief Kyle Johnson previously told the board that he was OK with the wording of the resolution.

"I want to note that there was a great process offline which involved discussion between the town manager, the chief of police and the citizens who wanted to see this happen," Thomas said. "I want to acknowledge the wonderful work that brought to us something reasonable, and [that work] makes me comfortable with the mini precedent of a town meeting vote affecting how the police operate."
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Montreal, 12 April 2017  The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) continued its efforts to bolster worldwide aviation training capacity this week, during the Fourth ICAO Global Aviation Training and TRAINAIR PLUS Symposium in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.



The event, hosted by Ethiopian Airlines and continuing from 11-13 April, is the first ICAO Global Aviation Training Symposium to take place on the African continent. It presents a unique opportunity for ICAO Member States and training organizations to come together and explore new collaboration and partnership opportunities, and to increase their awareness on key near- and long-term aviation training capacity priorities.



In her opening address, ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu spoke to these concerns, pointing to the positive and robust growth trends in the global air transport network and the imminent doubling of its flight and passenger volumes.



Over the next twenty years, this projected growth will require many new skilled personnel such as pilots, maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers, she stressed. These pressing needs for aviation personnel, especially in light of competition for their skills from other high-tech sectors, make clear for us that we must address our persisting training capacity gaps sooner than later, ultimately ensuring a sustainable skilled workforce for the future of civil aviation.



Stressing the value of training cooperation, the Secretary General also emphasized the need for training organizations to engage in collaborative projects, applauding Africas initiative in establishing the Association of African Aviation Training Organizations (AATO). The AATO is currently addressing important issues such as the standardization of course curricula, the harmonization of instructor training, and the recognition of certificates. Dr. Liu encouraged other Regions to follow this example.



The Secretary General also took time to specially recognize training organizations from 14 States which have attained various TRAINAIR PLUS Programme milestones, including China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, Paraguay, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia and Venezuela .

Resources for Editors

About ICAO

A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 Member States.



ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative

ICAO's Global Aviation Training Programme

Contacts

Anthony Philbin

Chief, Communications

aphilbin@icao.int

+1 (514) 954-8220

+1 (438) 402-8886 (mobile)

Twitter: @ICAO

William Raillant-Clark

Communications Officer

wraillantclark@icao.int

+1 514-954-6705

+1 514 409-0705

Twitter: @wraillantclark
The United States is host to approximately 329,000 Chinese students. (Photo : Getty Images News)

The Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) inaugurated its School of Global Governance intended to train professionals to be more multilingual, proficient in cross-cultural communication and achieve a global vision.



BFSU President Peng Long said that its innovative training model will cultivate the talents of those who are proficient in at least two working languages of the United Nations and in international rules.



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According to Peng, BFSU will provide intellectual support for China's participation in international organizations and international affairs aside from carrying out research on international organizations. It School of Global Governance was launched in 2010, growing out of an education reform pilot program.



Established in 1941, BFSU offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. The school is known in China as the "cradle of diplomats."



Formerly known as the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute, BFSU was affiliated with the China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs from its establishment in 1941 in Yan'an by the Communist Party of China to the early 1980s. It was classified as a key university under the Ministry of Education.



The wide-ranging courses at BFSU are provided by over 600 faculty members, on top of around 120 international experts and teachers invited annually from over 20 countries.



BFSU graduates have been employed by such bodies as the United Nations Office at Geneva, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.



University of Hong Kong chair in higher education Gerard Postiglione said that China is in the perfect position to become a global leader in educational opportunities and research with its number of world-class universities, many of which have invested significant amounts for research and development.



The country is attracting a great number of international students, making China the third-largest host of foreign students after the U.S. and the U.K. According to the 2015 data collated by the Institute of International Education, China has approximately 397,635 international students.


Shanghai Disney Resort is set to celebrate its first anniversary this June 16. (Photo : Getty Images)

Shanghai Disneyland has brought significant development for those working and living in nearby areas.



In his visit to the Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone on Wednesday, mayor of Shanghai Ying Yong said that the influence of Shanghai Disneyland will increase and industrial clusters will be established in the zone. The zone, located in Pudong District, includes Shanghai Disneyland.



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The mayor has also announced plans to improve the tourism facilities, transportation and dining in the zone.



Shanghai Disneyland was opened mid-June last year. In the first nine months of its operation, the resort accommodated around 8 million visitors, said Walt Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger at the company;s annual meeting of shareholders held a month ago.



According to Iger, the resort is expecting to reach the 10 million mark by June during the first anniversary of the park.



An increase of 60 percent in the number of tourists from the same period in 2016 was observed in major tourist destinations in Pudong during this years Spring Festival. The district received about 1.6 million visitors during the holiday which lasted from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.



The commercial enterprises in the district gained 642 million yuan ($93 million) sales revenue, higher by more than 32 percent than the previous year.



The Chuansa area in Pudong has been dubbed Chuan-lifornia by Disney employees. The resorts launch last year opened doors for those living in the area.



Du Weiping, a 49-year-old Chuansa local, has previously worked as a factory worker. Now, she is a cleaner at the park. Aside from fulfilling her assignment to clean the main entrance, she often volunteers to assist and guide tourists who need help.



The visitors, both Chinese and foreigners, have all kinds of questions about which programs are the most interesting, how to get a fast pass, and where the toilet is, Du said.



Before, Du cannot speak a word in English. But through the help of her younger colleagues, she can now confidently communicate with foreign tourists in simple English.



Locals are not the only ones who benefited from the resort. People across the world have been given opportunities by Shanghai Disneyland.



Ntsepa Pitjeng, an actress from South Africa, performs in the Chinese version of The Lion King musical. She had previously performed in the English version of the musical in different countries. But regardless of her experience, she found her new role challenging.



It took her two months to learn how to deliver her lines in Chinese. She remembered an instance when she went blank. All of a sudden, she could not remember her lines on stage. Fortunately, her Chinese colleague gave her a hint.



According to Dong Xiaoling, a Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone official, Shanghai Disneyland has not only contributed to the growth of tourism. The theme park has also brought business experience and innovation to the country.



The China-U.S. cooperation is advantageous to the country, she added.



Shanghai Disneyland continues to bring magic not only to its visitors but also to the lives of the people of Pudong.


First Silk Road Freight Train from Britain to China Embarks on Its Journey

Silk Road Freight Train from Britain (Photo : Getty Images)

On Monday, the first Silk Road freight train from Britain to China left the DP World London Gateways rail freight depot located in Corringham, east of London.



The train carries a variety of British goods including vitamins, baby products, soft drinks among many others.



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The 32-container train left for its first trip amidst Britains efforts to buff its credentials on global trading. Britain aims to strengthen its trade links with different countries in preparation for its plan to leave the European Union in two years time.



It will take the train three weeks to complete its 7,500-mile journey from eastern England to eastern China. This is about half of the time required for a corresponding trip by boat.



Early this year, the first freight train from China reached Britain.



The train departed from a freight depot at Stanford-Le-Hope in Essex for Barking in east London. It will then pass through the Channel Tunnel into France and will move across Belgium, Germany, Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.



According to British Trade Minister Greg Hands, this new rail link with China is another boost for global Britain, following the ancient Silk Road trade route to carry British products around the world.



The freight train is managed by Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment. Through the Yiwu-London freight service, London became the 15th city in Europe to have a direct rail link with China under the One Belt, One Road Initiative. The initiative was launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping back in 2013.



The freight bound to China carries goods including soft drinks, vitamins, pharmaceuticals as well as baby products.



This is the first export train and just the start of a regular direct service between the U.K. and China, said Xubin Feng, chairman of Yiwu Timex Industrial Investment Co.



We have great faith in the U.K. as an export nation and rail provides an excellent alternative for moving large volumes of goods over long distances faster, Xubin added.



The launch of the first Silk Road freight train from Britain benefits both China and Britain. The British are hoping to strengthen its trade links while China continues to push its OBOR Initiative.


I Saw Unbelievable Things That I Could Not Support

The Fellowship | April 12, 2017 I Saw Unbelievable Things That I Could Not Support'

Karl Plagge



Life: July 10, 1897  June 19, 1957

Why you should know him: A German who was a member of the Nazi party, Plagge used his position of power in order to save Jews  more than 1,200 of them, initially  from death at the hands of his countrymen.

After their defeat in World War I  and the ensuing economic and national devastation that came with it  many German veterans were lured by Adolf Hitlers promises to make Germany great again. Karl Plagge was one of these men whod fought for his country and hoped for its renewal, joining the Nazis in 1931.

Soon, however, Plagge realized the racism and anti-Semitism that was behind Hitlers every political move. And so Karl Plagge refused to support such evil theories. His local Nazi leadership accused Karl of being a friend of Jews and stripped him of his own leadership position.

When World War II broke out, however, Plagge  an engineer by education  was put in command of an engineering unit, responsible for maintaining and repairing the Nazi militarys vehicles. The unit Plagge commanded, HKP 562, was sent to Vilna during the Nazi invasion of Lithuania. There, Plagge witnessed the genocide being carried out against Vilnas Jews, saying, I saw unbelievable things that I could not supportit was then that I began to work against the Nazis.

Plagge gave out work certificates to Jewish men, marking them as skilled workers (and essential to the Nazis) regardless of their experience. Each certificate saved the man, his wife, and two children from the Nazi sweeps in which any Jew without proper paperwork was captured and executed. Plagge was able to issue 250 of these certificates, thus saving the lives of more than 1,000 Jews.

He also helped the Jews he saved survive by providing extra food, including hot meals. He allowed his workers to smuggle food out of the workshop, which was illegal, and made sure they had warm clothing, medicine, and wood to heat their homes. When his workers or their families were arrested during Nazi sweeps, Plagge made sure to secure their freedom.

In 1943, the Vilna Ghetto  where the Jews of the city were held  was to be liquidated. Even the Jews with work permits were to be taken away and killed. Plagge formed a slave labor camp for his unit on the citys outskirts, and on September 16 of that year, he transported over 1,000 Jews there. Less than a week later, the Nazis liquidated the ghetto, murdering the rest of the citys Jews.

In the camp hed had built, Plagge ordered his officers to treat the laborers with respect. Along with tolerable work conditions and the food provided them, the Jewish laborers in Plagges camp suffered little abuse. However, the Nazis still controlled these Jews fates.

In early 1944, while Plagge was on leave at home in Germany, the Nazi SS rounded up most of the camps 250 children and murdered them. That summer, the Nazis also planned to murder the remaining Jews as the Soviet Red Army approached Vilna.

Plagge, knowing that murderous Nazi officials were watching, warned his workers in code of their impending deaths. He gave a speech  under the watchful eyes of the SS  that secretly gave the Jews the date the Nazis planned to killed them: July 3, 1944.

Warned, more than half the camps prisoners were able to hide before the Nazi death squads arrived. 500 prisoners did appear at the Nazi roll call, and every one of them were shot. The 250 that remained in hiding survived.

During the Holocaust, 70,000 Jews were murdered in Vilna. Many thousands more were sent to extermination camps and lost their lives there. Karl Plagge was only able to save 250 of the 1,250 Jews he initially protected, but that survival rate of 20% is much higher than the only 3% of Lithuanian Jews who survived the Holocaust.

When Plagge, a Nazi, was tried after the war, his former prisoners advocated for him, and the court found in his favor. Like Oskar Schindler, however, Plagge wished he could have save more Jews, a lament that lasted for the rest of his life. Karl Plagge died in 1957, and in 2005 was named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem for the Jewish lives his actions did save.
Humanitarian Shipments to Gaza Mask Terror Supplies

The Fellowship | April 12, 2017 Humanitarian Shipments to Gaza Mask Terror Supplies

Writing for the Jewish News Service, Stephen M. Flatow explains that when humanitarian packages are sent to the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, these seemingly innocent shipments might actually be hiding materials for terrorism  a fact pro-Palestinian activists dont want to admit.

In an attempt to be kind to Gazans and appease international criticism, the Israeli government allows numerous trucks with supposedly humanitarian items to enter Hamas-ruled Gaza each day.

Its a big risk, because Hamas repeatedly has exploited Israels kindness by using the humanitarian shipments as means of smuggling in materials that can be used for terrorism. They did it again earlier this month.

Examining a shipment of sporting goods bounds for Gaza, Israeli border inspectors at the Kerem Shalom crossing point discovered 30 professional diving suits earmarked for Hamas naval commandos, according to Israels Defense Ministry.
Bishop Macarios of Minya and Abu Qirqas in Upper Egypt announced on Tuesday the cancellation of this year's Easter celebrations in his diocese.

The announcement comes after two suicide bombings hit Mar Girgis Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria on Palm Sunday, killing 46 and injuring dozens in the deadliest attack on Copts in the country's recent memory.

The cancellation of celebrations will apply to all churches in the diocese "due to the current circumstances the country and the Church are witnessing," the bishop announced in a statement on the diocese's Facebook page.

"The Easter mass will be limited to prayers only," the statement said.

"We apologise that we will not be receiving felicitations from officials or regular citizens. The Diocese also appreciates all the kind regards it has received from everybody."

Christians are set to celebrate Easter in masses across the country's churches on Saturday night.

Egypt's main Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo has not announced the cancelling of Easter celebrations.

Egyptian Copts make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 90 million and constitute the Middle East's largest Christian community.

Last December, a suicide bombing hit Cairo's St Peter and St Paul Church, killing 29 worshipers, mostly women and children.

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We have entered the era of startups. Due to the rapid spread of digital tools, it has become easier to turn an idea into a tangible project. However, the challenge of competing with the big players remains. IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.), a local cloud services and data center pioneer, believes that by enhancing flexibility and mobility through a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system a startup can overcome this hurdle.

According to a January 2015 report by Socialbakers, a global social media analytics company, 66% percent of user generated tweets mentioning brands are now executed through mobile devices. In a June 2016 study made by the social media site, half of their 12,000 respondents took action immediately after seeing a brand tweet. This included visiting the brands site or Twitter page. Also, the study revealed that almost 1 in 5 Twitter users will eagerly retweet a tweet that mentions a brand and is contemplating to make a purchase after being exposed to a brand-related tweet, proof that brand-based social engagement does drive consumer behavior.

Because digital tools such as social media and cloud are more cost-efficient compared to the traditional ways of managing and promoting ones business, it is usually the route taken by budding businesses. As such, we can consider most startups digital natives. With digital now considered the norm, startups are at an advantage, said Dave de Leon, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Business Solutions Group of IPC.

However, de Leon notes that the true challenge lies in effectively generating, winning, and keeping business leads. Heres where an effective customer relationship management (CRM) tool comes in. It affords a startup's sales team access to crucial real-time information, thereby empowering them to make better business decisions, said de Leon.

Challenged with a limited budget and a leaner workforce, startups can utilize CRM tools that can help them understand who has bought what, how much they spent, and help predict demand for future product offerings or market expansion.

A Forrester Research study says companies that excel at lead nurturing generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost. Furthermore, a report by Bain and Company shows that just a 5% increase in customer retention boosts lifetime customer profits by 50% on average across multiple industries, as well as a boost of up to 90% within specific industries such as insurance.

Salesforce, one of the largest cloud computing companies in the world that provide CRM solutions, also adds that a good CRM can increase sales up 29%, sales productivity up to 35%, and forecast accuracy by 42%. Primarily known as a company that aids large enterprises with its software and development platform, Salesforce also helps startups with its Salesforce for startups initiative where new businesses are provided access to the technology, tools, and expertise needed to become a customer and community-focused company. Currently, IPC holds the distinction of being Salesforces only partner in the Philippines.

Whoever can understand the customer better, wins the competition. So thats why you have to have CRM to manage and analyze customer information which helps businesses to understand them even before they look for a product, said Brian Dizon, Director for Sales  Business Solutions Group of IPC. When you empower your sales reps with the right tools, they can focus more on hitting their quotas instead of working on reports that can otherwise be automated or simplified.

On November 22, 2016, IPC will be hosting a morning workshop that focuses on the importance of equipping sales teams with the latest CRM solutions and methods that can help maximize overall efficiency. Titled Salesforce: Find, Win & Keep, the workshop, which will be handled by Salesforce certified administrators, will talk about redefining the role of CRM in a company. Registration is free of charge and done online at www.ipc.ph/findwinkeep.

Sales teams need a highly accessible tool that will help them gather up-to-date insights about their clients in order to make swift decisions that could potentially close a sale, said de Leon. Without a clear CRM strategy, sales opportunity tracking becomes cumbersome and a sales pipeline takes longer to build. A cloud-based CRM application allows sales reps to get more done, while providing real time feedback to management.

With its clear benefits, its no surprise that businesses of all kinds are utilizing CRM. It is a vendor-agnostic solution. Any company that sells will definitely gain from using CRM as it provides them critical insight into the behavior of their consumers, thereby building and help maintain relationships which is critical for startups.

Dizon also notes that a Cloud-based CRM solution is an ideal platform for startups since most solutions are offered with a promo, thereby costing less. Many cloud service companies provide extremely flexible and adaptive solutions that are usually on a pay-per-use model.

IPC provides consulting and implementation services for Salesforce, bringing together solutions across sales, service, marketing, communities, analytics, apps and the Internet of Things. By continuing to innovate and embrace technologies like mobile, relationship intelligence, and collaboration, IPC is helping sales reps to become more productive while at the same time making the entire process easier and quicker for the customer. To know more about how to get started with Salesforce CRM from IPC, visit http://ipc.ph/salesforce/.
The Honda group of companies in the Philippines led by Mr. Daiki Mihara, President of Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI), the manufacturer and distributor of motorcycles and power products, Mr. Toshio Kuwahara, President of Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI), the manufacturer and distributor of automobiles, and Mr. Yasuharu Ikida, President of Honda Parts Manufacturing Corp. (HPMC), the manufacturer of engine parts and transmission, officially announced the One Honda Road Safety program thru a public launch at the Honda Safety Driving Center, in Sucat, Paranaque.

Attended by guests representing government agencies, the academic sector, industry organizations and private companies as well as the combined two-wheel and four-wheel media, the program symbolizes a partnership of Honda together with the society to help reduce road accidents in the Philippines. The group introduced One Honda Road Safety program to unify and guide Honda operations for road safety promotion to the same direction of building a community of safe and responsible road users. This event marked the kick off for all project partners who aim for the same goal of reducing road accidents which is the major concern for every sector.

Honda worldwide has always been committed to safety as expressed in its Global Safety Slogan Safety for Everyone. Taking this mission to the operations in the Philippines, various traffic safety promotions and initiatives have been continuously implemented by the group. However, as the toll of traffic accident is increasing sharply, Honda, as the leading mobility company, would like to help solve the problem by expanding its road safety activities in partnership with different sections of society.

Attended by guests representing government agencies, the academic sector, industry organizations and private companies as well as the combined two-wheel and four-wheel media, the program symbolizes a partnership of Honda together with the society to help reduce road accidents in the Philippines. The group introduced One Honda Road Safety program to unify and guide Honda operations for road safety promotion to the same direction of building a community of safe and responsible road users. This event marked the kick off for all project partners who aim for the same goal of reducing road accidents which is the major concern for every sector.

Honda worldwide has always been committed to safety as expressed in its Global Safety Slogan Safety for Everyone. Taking this mission to the operations in the Philippines, various traffic safety promotions and initiatives have been continuously implemented by the group. However, as the toll of traffic accident is increasing sharply, Honda, as the leading mobility company, would like to help solve the problem by expanding its road safety activities in partnership with different sections of society.

To realize this goal, the Honda group of companies introduced a unified and synergistic road Safety program called, One Honda Road Safety, to all of Hondas businesses while collaborating with the project partners.

The One Honda Road Safety campaign carries the theme Road Safety For our Family. It focuses on three major thrusts: educate the public to become safe and responsible road users; promote vehicle safety technology thru actual customer experience; and collaborate with concerned sectors of society. Piloted in July 2016 in each of the three Honda companies internally, One Honda Road Safety is now ready to expand externally, starting with the two industrial parks where Honda manufacturing plants are located. This will then move out farther to cover the communities of Sto. Tomas and Tanauan, Batangas and Sta Rosa, Laguna where the Honda facilities are situated. The ultimate goal of this Road Safety Program is to provide safer roads for the society by reaching and educating as many road users in the country.

In a related activity, the new lobby of the Honda Safety Driving Center (HSDC), which played host to the event, was likewise formally inaugurated. The HSDC remains to be Honda's centerpiece public facility that directly promotes road safety though responsible motoring and education. The HSDC also promises improved and more accessible services for its customers as the country's only world class driving facility which offers basic and comprehensive driving training for two-wheel, four-wheel and even trucks. Also, to be opened within this month is safety driving facilities at the newly renovated flagship shops of Honda in Cebu and Davao.

All these efforts by the three Honda companies resonate with the words of its founder Mr. Soichiro Honda, himself: "as long as we are handling a mode of transportation, we are entrusted with human lives". One Honda Road Safety is definitely one step towards Honda's ultimate dream of a collision-free mobile society - where its customers and everyone sharing the road can safely and confidently enjoy the freedom of mobility.
Perfect for Shooting Photos, Video; Expandable Storage for Mobile Devices

As people nowadays rely more and more on mobile device to take high-quality photos and videos, the need for higher capacity and more reliable backup function is even more urgent. Kingston, the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the addition of the 256GB capacity to its line of Class 10 UHS-I microSDHC / microSDXC cards. The large capacity and Class 10 UHS-I speed allows users to capture more photos (up to 64,000 12MP images) and HD videos (up to 976 minutes at 1080p 30 frames per second) without interruption.

The microSDHC / microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I is the smallest form factor SD card available and is the standard expandable storage option for many tablets, smartphones and action cameras. It is ideal for cinema-quality HD (1080p) video and reduces buffer time between shots when compared to Class 4 cards. The versatile card can withstand harsh environments for adventurous travelers as it is waterproof, temperature proof, shock and vibration proof and X-ray proof. Capacities of 16GB to 256GB make it easy to find the right card for ones needs and provides space for thousands of hi-res photos and hours of video.

We are excited to ship our new higher capacity 256GB microSDXC card for consumers who need more storage for photos, videos and other data, said Nathan Su, Flash Memory Sales Director, APAC Region, Kingston. As image quality and 4K content continues to rise, we strive to push storage densities higher to match our customers needs for larger capacity and stable products.

Class 10 UHS-I microSDHC / microSDXC is available as a stand-alone card or with an SD card adapter in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 256GB capacities. Kingston recommends its latest readers for best card transfer speeds to and from a computer. The Class 10 UHS-I microSDHC / microSDXC backed by lifetime warranty, free technical support and legendary Kingston reliability.

Kingston microSDHC / microSDXC Class 10 UHS-I card Features and Specification:


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I was supposed to be in No 10, advising and changing the world through politics. My life has gone tits up  in a good way! In 2015, Ayesha Hazarika abandoned her career as a Labour Party special adviser to become a stand-up comic. A career move that, quite understandably, was met with raised eyebrows. Fast-forward to 2017, and things look very different. With a fool in the White House and Britain zooming, Wile E Coyote-style, off a cliff marked Brexit, her decision to ditch politics looks a wholly sensible one. The world is a madhouse.

We meet among the MacBook-tapping scriptwriters in the bar at Londons Soho Theatre. Hazarika is easy to spot: a tangle of posh-looking shopping bags, warm smile peeking out from beneath a natty Fedora (my tribute to Nigel Farage, she jokes). She greets me with a friendly wave.

Before we escape to the quiet of an upstairs meeting room, Hazarika chides herself for agreeing to meet here. Her new show The State of the Nation  a head-shaking canter through the post-Trump, post-Brexit wilderness, but with jokes!  is due to kick-off a nationwide tour, starting at Soho Theatre in a few weeks. The place is making her nervous.

And well it might. The tour is the 41-year-old MBEs biggest test to date; the spoils of a stand-up career that has blossomed since she took to the mic again in 2016 for her second stint as a stand-up, after eight years advising Labour Party big-hitters Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband on speeches, media and policy.

Hazarikas past political life working for the Labour Party has given her plenty of material for her new show 'The State of the Nation'

This past life in the Westminster thick of it has provided Hazarika with plenty of Thick of It-style material. Through toe-curling anecdotes and good-old-fashioned gags, her previous show Tales from the Pink Bus told the story of Harriet Harmans widely mocked attempt to connect with women voters during the 2015 election  travelling the country in, you guessed it, a pink bus. It was this well-intentioned but absurd thing. We couldnt even decide what colour the bus was: some said pink; some said magenta, she says.

With State of the Nation, Hazarika plans to pick up where Pink Bus left off. To use her rollercoaster ride in the Labour Party  from the highs of helping put the Equalities Act on the statute book to the lows of failing to get Ed Miliband into Downing Street  as a vehicle for political illumination and (of course) laughs. In addition, she's set herself the herculean task of assessing where politics is at in 2017. Every day something new and mad happens, she groans.

Born to immigrant parents in the Lanarkshire town of Coatbridge, Hazarika first gave stand-up a crack back in 2001, spending a few years on the circuit before making the jump into politics. There were far fewer women comics in those days and the backwards attitudes of comedy bookers proved a hindrance.

At out of town gigs, quite often they wouldn't put more than one woman on the bill. That was quite a standard thing. Clubs would say to me: Oh yeah, we cant book you that week because weve already got one! Its like they thought we'd all be making the same jokes.

But things are better now, surely? Things have changed massively: There are many more women doing it now and on the circuit and I think promoters and bookers are becoming much more enlightened.

Of course, as a good lefty, she's desperate to see more stand-up from minority voices  more women, more people of colour, more people with disabilities. But, at the same time, she worries that the current glut of left-liberal comedians isnt altogether healthy for the scene. I do think it would be nice to mix things up a bit. I'm quite good friends with Geoff Northcott, a Conservative comedian, and its refreshing to hear a different view from mine. I think that's why politics went a bit tits up  we only really had one view of the world.

Hazarika travelled in the former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Harriet Harman's pink election bus as her adviser

Away from comedy, Hazarika has parlayed her political nous into a burgeoning career as a media commentator, regularly popping up on the Daily Politics and Sky News, and writing a regular column for the Scotsman. As a political junkie, she relishes the chance to hold forth on current affairs, even if the very white, very male make up of the commentariat sometimes leave her feeling awkward and out of place.

The people tend to come from a similar background. Theyve known each other since Oxbridge, she says. I do enjoy the work but, when I'm in the Newsnight studio sat between two commentator titans I still get this massive feeling of imposter syndrome as were about to go live. It's like, why am I here? I feel like that taxi driver who turned up at the BBC and they put him on the telly.

To imposter syndrome add online abuse. In the age of social media, commentators  especially women commentators  are plagued with anonymous broadsides from the internet's swivel-eyed massive, and Hazarika, a regular on Twitter, is no exception.

To some men, youre obviously just inherently thick because youve got tits  that's just the law in terms of Twitter, she says. I get comments like, Theres obviously some quota they have to fill, which is obviously the reason Im on the telly, she says, eyes-rolling. I get called The Asian a lot.

It helps to see the funny side, she says: There was this one guy, his avatar was just a union jack. He used to tweet me in capital letters. Are you Muslamic? We are leaving the EU, Muslamic!

There are political insults too. Because of her past allegiances in the Labour Party, the Corbyn faithful tend to characterise Hazarika as a Blairite, a neoliberal, a capital P Part of the Problem. The truth, as ever, is more complicated; but then these people rarely do nuance. All the metrics show that Labour is doing really badly she says. Im a Labour person and a party member. But you have to be honest about these things.

Hazarika admits to excitement at the tsunami of support for Labour in the early days of the Corbyn experiment. In a watershed moment for British politics, here was a chance to present people with some radical policies, to hose off the stink of New Labour and begin again. But instead, in her view, the performance of Corbyn and co since has amounted to a fiesta of incompetence.

The Corbyn machine is still obsessed with rallies, marches. They'll argue that there are all these games in politics and that your job should be to go out and communicate with the country. But things like PMQs matter: they set the agenda for the week, they get onto television, all the journalists watch it. Its really important for your own side to show that youre up for the fight. At the moment, Theresa May has an easy life.

As our time draws to a close, the subject returns to her new show, The State of the Nation. I want to talk about how we continue to make the same mistakes in politics, regardless of what party we're in. The people with the most power in political parties are still not listening to ordinary people and are very, very out of touch. It's the reason were in such a mess, she says. Before adding quickly: Oh God, that sounds too heavy, it might put people off. There are loads of jokes too!

I tell her not to worry. Heavy is de rigeur in comedy. At the Edinburgh Festival a couple of years back there was a trend for shows about traumatic subjects  The Day My Dad Died, that sort of thing.

Ive done My Party Died, she says, and then sighs deeply before stepping into the grey Soho afternoon.

Ayesha Hazarika's 'The Station of the Nation' tours nationwide from 18 April to 14 July
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In Ken Loachs documentary The Spirit of 45, Winston Churchill is greeted with boos as he attempts to capitalise on the Allied victory over Hitler to secure re-election. The masses will not accept the reactionary vision being peddled by the Conservative statesman and wartime hero. What they demand, and receive courtesy of a Labour Party swept along by their anger, is a battery of socialist reforms introducing the NHS and the modern welfare state.

With the hard right now ascendant across the globe, the welfare state crumbling, and Labour in disarray, it makes for painful viewing. The far right was on the march in the 1930s, and we defeated the fascists through a great united working-class effort, the veteran film director tells The Independent. That sense of unity and strength is what gave people confidence to change things. We have to give people the confidence that we can change things now  and that we can do so without a war.

Its a big ask. In the 50s, Churchill told a Cabinet meeting: Problems will arise if many coloured people settle here attracted by the Welfare State. Public opinion in the UK won't tolerate it. In 2016, demagogues with all the bluster of Churchill made his Victorian views the stuff of 21st-century discourse.

Im speaking with the Kes and Cathy Come Home creator at a Momentum-organised Take Back Control event in Croydon, intended to bring Leave and Remain voters together to build a progressive post-Brexit vision. Still a peppy and eager interviewee at the age of 80, hes evidently sincere in believing Jeremy Corbyns Labour can win back the popular vote.

Jeremy Corbyns election was the most hopeful thing since the Labour Party began, Loach says. Hes the first Labour leader whos ever stood on the picket line along with workers. While the post-war sweep toward social democracy played out, Corbyns socialist predecessor Clement Atlee repeatedly sent in armed troops to break strikes.

Behind us I, Daniel Blake, Loachs stark depiction of life and death for those denied access to benefits, plays to a crowd of white-haired local Corbynites. As they gasp and applaud like a theatre audience the director allows himself a small smile, then borrows a Momentum line: Labour need to take back the Brexit slogan of take back control, and say weve got to take back control of our housing, our jobs, our health service.

A marginal Remain constituency, Croydon is riven by the political fault lines which bisected the country on Referendum day. Near the station, a dizzying array of geometric plate-glass high-rises is under construction around an imported version of the Box Park. (Dapper in a silk cravat, Loach wouldnt look out of place at the new take on Shoreditchs over-priced hipster hangout.) But there are scores of homeless people sleeping rough around the shabby town centre, and one in five local children lives in poverty. The new Box Park cost Croydon council 160,000, plus a 3 million loan.

For the working class here and elsewhere, Brexit is only the danger thats on the horizon, Loach argues. He cites the 2700 per child lost by impoverished families with more than two children, and the case of a terminally ill cancer patient whose family stood to lose all but 6000 of their expected 58,000 lifetime support if he survived past midnight last Wednesday. Thats going to reduce that family to poverty, he says. It will happen to many people, and this is urgent and drastic regardless of Brexit.

And how are the Tories going to attract investment, when countries want access to the European Union? By saying weve got a workforce you can exploit easily, you can get rid of them at the drop of the hat come and invest here, because labour is cheap.

Its the job of the Labour party to say all that. Labour should be working flat out, saying people are really suffering. but its very tough. Theyve got to demand to be heard.

Loachs documentary In Conversation with Jeremy Corbyn, shot as the socialist Labour Leader steamrollered the hapless Owen Smith in last years re-election campaign, puts the focus on the groundswell of anti-Tory sentiment which thrust Corbyn into power. Frequent shots show him frowning and nodding in agreement with his supporters, who are given just as much air time to lay out their own grievances and demands.

But Corbyn has experienced rather different treatment elsewhere. The whole media are committed to getting rid of him, says Loach. They have this ritual where one MP will say something hostile to Corbyn, the media will give them interview after interview their aim is to destroy the Labour Party in the local elections.

This is what makes these labour MPs so despicable  the biggest party membership in Europe have joined because of Jeremy Corbyn, the leader they are trying to destroy. [Labour members] must not be bullied by the hierarchy of the Labour Party, by people like Tom Watson, who ought to be deselected.

We cant abandon the mass media, we have to fight them every inch of the way for a presence. but we need a mass movement: its got to be grassroots activity, a lot of old fashioned door to door knocking, social media.

While Im queuing for my interview with the celebrity film-maker, I chat to one member of this movement, disability rights campaigner Paula Peters. She asks why the Independent is giving another interview to the director of the Palme dOr-winning documentary about benefit sanctions, rather than ordinary people really suffering at the hands of the Department of Work and Pensions.

Since Brexit happened hate crime towards disabled people has risen yet again [by 216 per cent], she says with tears in her eyes. She cites the case of Brendan Mason, hung from a tree and beaten to death. Disabled people are really scared about the future. Many feel they simply do not have a future and we are scared what will happen next.

Like Corbyn, Loach wants to focus on the mass movement of activists watching his film next door, and despairs of a corporate funding system which stops progressive young filmmakers from following in his enormous but ageing footsteps. Like Corbyn, he inevitably seems a little frayed, reciting the same arguments for the fifth interview in a row. Yes, I think theres hope, he says. But whether it can be done, I dont know.

Im sure he would much rather place campaigners like Paula in the spotlight, and follow through on the retirement plans he announced back in 2014. But this is the difficulty he and Corbyn face  a media which prefers to deal with Ken Loachs, while ignoring the real Daniel Blakes.

Momentum and The World Transformed are running Take Back Control events around the country, focusing on communities which voted to leave the EU
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The sculptor of Wall Street's Charging Bull statue is accusing New York City of violating his legal rights by allowing the Fearless Girl, a smaller bronze statue, to have been installed staring down the bronze beast, without his permission.

Arturo Di Modica, who designed the iconic bull, is challenging city officials, who issued a permit for the small guerilla art statue to remain there until February 2018.

The Fearless Girl, designed by Kristen Visbal, was fitted by State Street Global Advisors in honour of International Womens Day as a plea for US financial firms to employ more women at senior levels.

But Mr Di Modica called the statue an "advertising trick" created by two corporate giants, State Street Global Advisors, a Boston-based investment company and its New York advertising firm McCann.

The sculptor said the Fearless Girl statue infringes on his own artistic copyright by changing the creative dynamic through the little girls bold presence.

His attorney Norman Siegel, is expected to explain at a news conference on Wednesday the grounds on which the sculptor hopes to bring the challenge - but a lawsuit has not yet been filed.

He said his client was demanding New York City release documents showing what procedures were followed for authorising the statue to stay longer than the initial 30 days.

The statue of the school-aged girl with her hands on her hips became a fast favourite with tourists.

Several petitions were launched in the hope of making the statute permanent, which quickly ramped up with tens thousands of signatures.

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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. 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Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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In response to the campaign, mayor Bill de Blasio announced the statue had been granted permission to stay for nearly a year. The mayors office has not yet responded to a request for comment.

Mr Di Modica also installed his Charging Bull statue overnight in front of the New York Stock Exchange, without a permit, in homage to Americas strong reaction to the 1987 stock market crash.

Popular support for the artwork allowed it to remain in the financial district.

Additional reporting by Associated Press.
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Butterflies are failing to cope with climate change and the pollution of the British countryside, experts have warned after a disastrous year saw population declines in 40 out of 57 species.

The UK Butterfly Monitoring Survey found it had been the fourth-worst year overall with six species  the heath fritillary, grizzled skipper, wall, grayling, white-letter hairstreak and white admiral  all suffering their most dramatic declines in the 41 years since records began.

Sixteen species saw increases with one remaining about the same, the annual survey found.

But Professor Tom Brereton, head of monitoring at Butterfly Conservation, said the results showed that the insects were in trouble.

Worryingly, not even the pleasant summer weather of 2016 was enough to help butterflies bounce back from a run of poor years, he said.

The results show that butterflies are failing to cope with our changing climate and how we manage the environment.

As butterflies are regarded as good indicators of environmental health this is hugely concerning for both wildlife and people.

A mild winter is thought to have been the beginning of their troubles.

Research has suggested this leads to an increase in diseases and predation and a disruption of their over-wintering behaviour.

This was followed by a cold spring, which caused further problems as it can delay their emergence into the winged stage of their life, leading to shorter lifespans.

Some of the declines in population numbers found by the survey before were jaw-dropping.

The gatekeeper was down 48 per cent on the year before, while other similarly widespread species like the meadow brown and wall butterfly (both down 31 per cent) also struggled.

The white admiral, white-letter hairstreak and grayling numbers also fell by 59 per cent, 42 per cent and 27 per cent respectively.

The heath fritillary, now found in just a few sites in southern England, fell by 27 per cent between 2015 and 2016, raising fears for its long-term future in the UK. Its numbers have fallen by 82 per cent in the last 10 years.

Dr Marc Botham, butterfly ecologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, which was also involved in the survey, said: The weather at critical times of species development can cause dramatic changes in population numbers in the short term.

What is of greatest concern is the regularity with which these short-term changes in recent years are negative, resulting in significant long-term declines for many species.

Furthermore, this is becoming more and more commonplace for many of our most widespread and abundant species equating to large reductions in overall butterfly numbers with knock-on effects to their ecosystems.

Animals in decline Show all 8 1 /8 Animals in decline Animals in decline Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) Where: Orkney Islands. What: Between 2001-2006, numbers in Orkney declined by 40 per cent. Why: epidemics of the phocine distemper virus are thought to have caused major declines, but the killing of seals in the Moray Firth to protect salmon farms may have an impact. Alamy Animals in decline African lion (Panthera leo) Where: Ghana. What: In Ghanas Mole National Park, lion numbers have declined by more than 90 per cent in 40 years. Why: local conflicts are thought to have contributed to the slaughter of lions and are a worrying example of the status of the animal in Western and Central Africa. Animals in decline Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Where: Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Costa Rica. What: Numbers are down in both the Atlantic and Pacific. It declined by 95 per cent between 1989-2002 in Costa Rica. Why: mainly due to them being caught as bycatch, but theyve also been affected by local developments. Alamy Animals in decline Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) Where: South Atlantic. What: A rapid decline. One population, from Bird Island, South Georgia, declined by 50 per cent between 1972-2010, according to the British Antarctic Survey. Why: being caught in various commercial longline fisheries. Alamy Animals in decline Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) Where: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. What: fall in populations has been dramatic. In the early 1990s numbers were over a million, but are now estimated to be around 50,000. Why: the break up of the former USSR led to uncontrolled hunting. Increased rural poverty means the species is hunted for its meat Animals in decline Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Where: found worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas. Why: at risk from overfishing and as a target in recreational fishing. A significant number of swordfish are also caught by illegal driftnet fisheries in the Mediterranean Animals in decline Argali Sheep (Ovis mammon) Where: Central and Southern Asian mountains,usually at 3,000-5,000 metres altitude. Why: domesticated herds of sheep competing for grazing grounds. Over-hunting and poaching. Animals in decline Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) Where: the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to South Africa and to the Tuamoto Islands (Polynesia), north to the Ryukyu Islands (south-west Japan), and south to New Caledonia. Why: Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing and trading of the species

On the positive side, the large blue, which was reintroduced after extinction in the UK, recorded its second best year on record with numbers up by 38 per cent on 2015 after conservation work to improve the type of grassland habitat the still-rare insect needs.

The widespread red admiral recorded a rise of 86 per cent compared to 2015 and the clouded yellow, another mainly migrant species, saw its numbers rise by 35 per cent.

Anna Robinson, monitoring ecologist at the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, thanked people for helping carry out the survey.

We are really grateful to the thousands of volunteers who get involved in monitoring the UKs butterflies, she said.

The evidence provided by the [survey] is of great importance in showing the need for conservation action to improve the situation.

The survey has run since 1976 and involves thousands of volunteers collecting data through the summer. Last year a record 2,507 sites were monitored across the UK.

The scheme is organised and funded by Butterfly Conservation, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, the British Trust for Ornithology and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
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Polar bears may be the largest land predator in the world, but they are also one of the animals set to suffer most from climate change.

With their Arctic home warming at an alarming rate, the sea ice which they use to hunt for seals is melting and grizzly bears are moving into their territory. If that wasnt bad enough, chemical pollutants such as PCBs have been found to be weakening the males penis bones to the point where they can snap.

But their situation appears even bleaker, according to a new study of the way they hunt.

Scientists discovered they rely heavily on their sense of smell to find their prey. To do this, they walk across the direction of wind to test the air from as wide a range as possible.

But wind speeds are projected to increase as a result of climate change, which will make it harder to pick up and follow the scent.

The study, the first to investigate how polar bears find ringed seals, their main prey, involved tracking 123 adults in Hudson Bay, Canada, for 11 years.

Their movements were then compared to wind patterns.

Recommended A third of polar bears to be wiped out in 40 years

Researcher Ron Togunov, of Alberta University, said: Predators search for prey using odours in the air, and their success depends on how they move relative to the wind.

Travelling crosswind gives the bears a steady supply of new air streams and maximises the area they can sense through smell.

Professor Andrew Derocher, also from Alberta University and a co-author of a paper about the research in the journal Scientific Reports, explained the best conditions for this type of hunting.

"Crosswind search was most frequent when winds were slow, when it is easier to localise the source of a certain smell, and at night when bears are relatively active and when vision is less effective, so bears rely more heavily on their sense of smell, he said.

But the warming temperatures in the Arctic are expected to make such conditions less common.

Animals in decline Show all 8 1 /8 Animals in decline Animals in decline Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) Where: Orkney Islands. What: Between 2001-2006, numbers in Orkney declined by 40 per cent. Why: epidemics of the phocine distemper virus are thought to have caused major declines, but the killing of seals in the Moray Firth to protect salmon farms may have an impact. Alamy Animals in decline African lion (Panthera leo) Where: Ghana. What: In Ghanas Mole National Park, lion numbers have declined by more than 90 per cent in 40 years. Why: local conflicts are thought to have contributed to the slaughter of lions and are a worrying example of the status of the animal in Western and Central Africa. Animals in decline Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Where: Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Costa Rica. What: Numbers are down in both the Atlantic and Pacific. It declined by 95 per cent between 1989-2002 in Costa Rica. Why: mainly due to them being caught as bycatch, but theyve also been affected by local developments. Alamy Animals in decline Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) Where: South Atlantic. What: A rapid decline. One population, from Bird Island, South Georgia, declined by 50 per cent between 1972-2010, according to the British Antarctic Survey. Why: being caught in various commercial longline fisheries. Alamy Animals in decline Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) Where: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. What: fall in populations has been dramatic. In the early 1990s numbers were over a million, but are now estimated to be around 50,000. Why: the break up of the former USSR led to uncontrolled hunting. Increased rural poverty means the species is hunted for its meat Animals in decline Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Where: found worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas. Why: at risk from overfishing and as a target in recreational fishing. A significant number of swordfish are also caught by illegal driftnet fisheries in the Mediterranean Animals in decline Argali Sheep (Ovis mammon) Where: Central and Southern Asian mountains,usually at 3,000-5,000 metres altitude. Why: domesticated herds of sheep competing for grazing grounds. Over-hunting and poaching. Animals in decline Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) Where: the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to South Africa and to the Tuamoto Islands (Polynesia), north to the Ryukyu Islands (south-west Japan), and south to New Caledonia. Why: Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing and trading of the species

Wind speeds in the Arctic are projected to increase, potentially making olfaction [smelling] more difficult, Mr Togunov said.

It is important to understand how polar bear hunting success will be affected by these changing conditions.

Rod Downie, polar programme manager at conservation group WWF, said: Polar bears are at a crossroads and face an uncertain future. The Arctic is in meltdown.

"The population of this iconic species could decline by a third by 2050. The greatest threat to polar bears is climate change and the predicted loss of their sea ice habitat, which will affect thousands of other species that have evolved to live on, under or around it.

"We need to urgently tackle climate change head-on by honouring the Paris climate agreement, reducing carbon emissions and embracing clean energy solutions.
On Palm Sunday, two suicide bombings hit St George's Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria on Palm Sunday, killing 46 and injuring dozens

A total of 31 people who were injured during the deadly suicide bombing at Alexandria's St Mark's Cathedral on Palm Sunday have returned home from hospital after receiving treatment, Ahram Arabic website quoted Alexandria's governor as saying.

The attack left 17 people dead and 48 injured, of whom 17 remain hospitalised, Governor Mohamed Sultan added.

A state of emergency, according to Sultan, has been declared in all hospitals housing the bombing victims until they recuperate.

On Palm Sunday this week, two suicide bombings hit St George's Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria, killing 46 and injuring dozens in the deadliest attack on Copts in the country's recent memory.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks, naming the Alexandria suicide bomber as Aba Isaac Al-Masry (Aba Isaac the Egyptian) and the Tanta suicide bomber as Aba Al-Baraa Al-Masry (Aba Al-Baraa the Egyptian).

A three-month state of emergency was declared later on Sunday by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

The cabinet approved the state of emergency on Monday, and the parliament approved the decision unanimously on Tuesday.

Copts, who make up about one tenth of Egypt's population of more than 92 million and who will celebrate Easter next weekend, have been targeted by several terrorist attacks in recent months.

In December, a suicide bombing claimed by IS killed 29 worshippers at a Cairo church.

In recent years, Egypt's security forces have been battling a militant insurgency in North Sinai, mostly led by an IS affiliate called Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, which has killed hundreds of security forces. The group has also claimed responsibility for several attacks in other parts of the country, including the capital.

Security forces say they have killed hundreds of militants in recent years.

Last March, the army said a prominent leader of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis had been killed in a raid in North Sinai.

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There are common misconceptions of Southern American food in that it is viewed as less elevated than other cuisines or that it is unhealthy, says Seattle-based chef Eduoardo Jordan of dishes including chitterlings (pig intestines cooked with aromatic spices) or collard greens (brassica leaves cooked with smoked meat, chili and sugar). That is why his new restaurant Junebaby not only comes with a conventional dinner menu, but an encyclopedia.

In reality, he continues, Southern food is what shaped American culinary history. Enslaved people were given the undesirable parts of meat and they used it the best they could to recreate dishes from back home. Items like fried chicken or hoecakes were consumed to fuel the hard laborious work they were forced to perform. There is a deep rooted history to southern cuisine and it has yet to be fully understood. This idea hits back at racist attitudes towards Southern food that are used to stereotype African Americans at a time when racial tensions in the US are at a boiling point.

June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Show all 5 1 /5 June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Shannon Renfroe June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Shannon Renfroe June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Shannon Renfroe June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Shannon Renfroe June Baby restaurant staff - in pictures Shannon Renfroe

Junebaby's encyclopaedia, that has been published online ahead of the restaurant's launch this month, is trying to help build a new level understanding. Eventually Jordan hopes to link this to an interactive dinner menu for guests to explore as they choose what to eat.

As a well-respected chef, Jordan is well-equipped to change attitudes towards Southern food. Born in St Petersburg, Florida, he spent time at restaurants including The French Laundry and Lincoln Ristorane in New York, Bar Sajor and Sitka & Spruce in Seattle. He opened his first and award-winning restaurant, Salare, in June 2015. There, he has made a name for himself with foods piecing together influences from France, Italy, the Caribbean, and the American South to great acclaim. For Junebaby, he is stripping the menu back to focus on Southern cuisine. This is an approach that plays in neatly with the encyclopaedia, where words fraught with meaning and complexity are considered from their origins.

The first entry is Africa, which is described as the: Worlds second largest and second most populous continent. Paleo-anthropologists consider Africa to be the oldest inhabited territory on Earth, with human species originating from the continent. Africa has a long history of slavery beginning with the Arab slave trade between the 7th and 20th centuries. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the Atlantic slave trade took an estimated 7-12 million slaves to the New World. Today, there are 54 sovereign countries within the continent.

Next is African-American [An] ethnic group of Americans with ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. Also a term used to include individuals who are descendants of enslaved Africans." Terms including Aji, the name used by coloniser Christopher Columbus to describe food spices or peppers, and conch - a type of sea snail used to make gumbo and fitters - are also featured.

Jordan says he thought up the idea of an encyclopedia for diners partly because the restaurant is located in the northwest. A lot of terms that are familiar in the south are not so familiar here. JuneBaby is meant to be a historical journey and with that comes education. Its important to have an understanding of where food and ingredients come from," he tells The Independent.

But isnt a little patronising to assume that diners are unaware of basic terms just because they live a few thousand miles away from where they originate?

"No, is Jordan's response. Those that may feel that way probably are not the people that should be eating my restaurant. It's about educating diners and people interested in Southern foods. It starts with knowledge and then comes the appreciation.

To Jordan, his addition to the traditional menu isnt patronising, but making the dining experience more complete.

Conventional menus lack soul and character, he says. We all have been cooking the same foods and now we are moving towards cooking from our hearts and personal stories.

And Jordan isnt the only chef re-thinking the menu. The wine list at Terroir in New York City features essays on wine and information about grapes, while Momofuku Nishi in the same city has footnotes on dishes. This itself is part of the wider hunger for food and drink which has a story, be it a craft beer to the knives that slice the food.

Jordan pieced together the encyclopedia with director of operations Suzi An, by flicking through hundreds of cookbooks, having conversations with food producers in the South, and drawing from their knowledge. And its still far from finished. We started with a small list of terms and expanded from there. The encyclopaedia is meant to be a work-in-progress where we will continually add to it," says Jordan.

But Jordan rejects the idea that hes doing anything ground-breaking. After all, being keen to learn is nothing new and his objective isnt to shock, but to educate. It's not about pushing boundaries, it's about teaching about one of the original cuisines of America while breaking and embracing stereotypes surrounding the cuisine."
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Asda has been accused of misleading customers after re-launching its Farm Stores range - a label which some agricultural organisations say wrongly suggests that the produce is locally sourced.

The retailer has reintroduced the label on some of its fresh products after dropping it in 2001, but several organisations have panned the move, calling the name of the range deceiving.

Over the past few years we have seen retailers re-brand some of their own brand product ranges, National Farmers Union (NFU) food chain adviser Ruth Madson said.

Recommended Tesco and other supermarkets using fake farm brands spark complaint

Although such re-brands can drive an uplift in sales, in our view, it is important that product names and descriptions are clear, accurate and do not mislead consumers. With Asda now using the term farm within its branding, it is imperative that the origin of these products is clear to customers, she added.

Soil Association policy director Peter Melchett called the branding misleading for consumers and insulting to farmers".

Mr Melchett said: "Many hard-pressed customers, trying to do their shopping in a hurry, are likely to be misled into thinking they're buying a product from a specific British farm when they are not.

"Many farmers work hard to build a reputation for producing quality food from their farm, and many people value the opportunity to buy food direct from a particular farmer, in the hope that the farmer is getting a fair return for their hard work. Marketing schemes that use fake farm names or other branding to imply products come straight from a farm abuse the concern that people have for British farmers. This is disgraceful.

"Asda and other retailers should instead focus on increasing the amount British food they stock."

A spokesperson for Asda said in a statement sent to the Independent: We know how important quality produce at a great price is to our customers.

Were reconnecting with our heritage by bringing back the Farm Stores brand to Asda  a name that our customers remember and trust for great value, quality produce.

It is not the first time that British farmers have accused retailers of using labelling that is misleading.

Last year, Britains largest retailer Tesco and its seven made-up farm brands came under fire after the NFU lodged an official complaint over its use of farm names.

The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size Show all 5 1 /5 The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size McVitie's Digestives biscuits In Tesco, these biscuits were sold for 1.59 before they shrank and increased to 1.69 after. They stayed at 1 in Asda. Which? The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size Tropicana orange and raspberry juice Size before: 1 litre Size after: 850ml This juice cost 2.48 in Asda both before and after it shrank. Which? The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size Sensodyne toothpaste In Tesco, this sold for 2.40 was 3.60 before it shrank, then 3.49. In Morrisons it was 4 before it shrank, and then 3.49 after, which is more per 100g. Which? The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size Percol coffee Size before: 227g Size after: 200g This coffee was 3.90 in Sainsburys and Waitrose before it shrank, and 3.65 and 3.75 respectively after  both of which are more per 100g. Which? The supermarket products that cost the same while shrinking in size Dettol bathroom wipes Size before: 36 Size after: 32 These were 2 in Tesco and Ocado before they shrank, then 2 in Tesco and 2.03 in Ocado afterwards. Which?

Three in five people who said they believed such products were definitely or probably British, admitted that they would feel misled if they were informed that it came from overseas, according to a YouGov survey commissioned by the NFU.

Tesco at the time defended the brands, saying its customers were well aware that the supermarket was so big it could not possibly source all its products from individual farms.
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The sharp post-Brexit drop in the value of the pound combined with falling flight costs has lured bargain-hunting overseas tourist to the UK for Easter, according to industry figures.

International flight bookings to the UK have increased by 49 per cent for the Easter holiday period, which falls between 31 March and 14 April, compared to the same holiday period last year, according to data by eDreams ODIGEO, one of Europes largest e-commerce businesses and owner of online travel agency eDreams.

The fall in the pound against the euro since Britain voted to leave the EU in June has made the UK a much more attractive destination, particularly for European travellers, but the rise may also have been fuelled by falling flight costs.

The average price of a return ticket from Europe to the UK during the Easter break has fallen by 16 per cent year-on-year, according to eDreams.

Edinburgh has surpassed London as the most popular destination in terms of year-on-year growth of flight bookings with a 66 per cent rise compared to 61 per cent for the capital. Bookings to Manchester went up by 48 per cent.

Overall, the UK has a 10 per cent share of all flight arrivals when it comes to all European travel bookings within Europe during Easter 2017, the figures show.

Dana Dunne, chief executive of eDreams ODIGEO said: London has always been a favourite destination for travellers from around the world, [] What's really encouraging for the British tourism industry is that inbound arrivals are also up for cities across the country, including Edinburgh and Manchester.

The latest tourism figures from the Office for National Statistics revealed that spending by overseas tourists in the UK was 15 per cent higher in January than a year earlier and visits were up 9 per cent.

However, there have also been warnings that the industry risks significant long-term damage as a result of Brexit.

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

Earlier this month, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), which has about 1,200 members including airlines and travel agents, urged ministers to maintain UK holidaymakers ability to travel freely within Europe.

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA said at the time: With negotiations taking two years, it is vital that the Government agrees effective transitional arrangements with the EU whilst the finer details of the UKs exit are worked out.

This will give consumers and businesses confidence to carry on booking and travelling and enable one of Britain and Europes leading industries to continue to thrive.
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Risks relating to cyber security have risen to the top of the corporate agenda in recent years but few company leaders are aware of the full extent of the possible damage that data breaches can cause.

A new study commissioned by cyber security firm CGI and conducted by Oxford Economics, has found that companies share prices fall by an average of 1.8 per cent on a permanent basis following a severe breach  where large amounts of sensitive information are lost.

This means a typical FTSE 100 firm is worse off by an average of 120m after a breach, according to the study.

Oxford Economics compiled the data using the Gemalto Breach Index  a register of publicly disclosed cyber security breaches.

Some 315 breach events were examined in total with a focus on 65 severe and catastrophic breaches occurring since 2013 across seven global stock exchanges. The analysis found that investors have lost at least 42bn due to severe public domain cyber security incidents since 2013.

Dr Andrew Rogoyski, vice president of cyber security services at CGI UK, said there is a huge difference between industry sectors that are targeted for attacks and those that suffer major cyber breaches.

Healthcare is an example of a sector that suffers a large number of breaches but isnt necessarily targeted, because there arent many ways to monetise attacks on health companies, yet. Dr Rogoyski told The Independent.

Companies that perform financial transactions tend to be targeted because of the potential for cyber criminals to make money out of them, he added.

Many company chiefs appear to be unaware of their firms vulnerability to a cyber-attack.

The reality is that cyber security isnt perceived to grow the top or bottom line, so its often under-funded, Dr Rogoyski explained.

Andrew Gilchrist, a senior associate at international law firm K&L Gates LLP, said the response to a cyber breach can only be as good as a companys preparation for it.

Once a breach has occurred, the clock is ticking and a business will only have a short period of time to instruct cyber specialists, lawyers, PR managers and insurers, while at the same time react to fulfilits regulatory obligations and position itself in the best way possible to respond to, and mitigate, anypotential regulatory investigation and media scrutiny, Mr Gilchrist said.

Experience shows us that the real threat to UK businesses is not necessarily a fine from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). This is a drop in the ocean compared to the bad press and loss of customer confidence that often follows a cyber-hack, he added.

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

Online lender Wonga earlier this week became the latest in a long line of companies to discover that information they hold on their customers had been compromised. Wongas breach could affect up to 270,000 current and former customers.

In November last year, thousands of Tesco Bank accounts were compromised and customers saw hundreds of pounds wiped from their balances.

A cyber-attack on phone company TalkTalk in 2015 resulted in a 400,000 fine from the ICO for security failings which led to the theft of personal data of almost 157,000 customers.
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More than 130 more free schools have been approved by the Government, creating an expected 69,000 new places for pupils.

The new wave of schools - the largest to be approved by the current Parliament - comes amid fierce criticism of real-terms spending cuts within education, with a reported two-thirds of secondary schools making cuts to staff.

Among the 131 schools to be given the green light to open is Stone Lodge Academy, a secondary school in Dartford that has been put forward by the Endeavour Multi Academy Trust, which currently runs two grammar schools.

Recommended Schools using money meant for poorest pupils to cover budget shortages

No selective schools such as grammars are included in the latest wave; Stone Lodge Academy said it will not select pupils based on academic ability.

Others include the Flagship School in Hastings, a special school being led by parents which will offer 56 places for nine to 16-year-olds; and Sapientia Primary Prep School for five to 11-year-olds, proposed by the Sapientia Education Trust, which runs Wymondham College - the largest state boarding school in England.

As many as 20 local authorities have been granted permission to open special educational needs schools, following a significant rise in the number of pupils needing assistance with disabilities or learning difficulties.

Education Secretary Justine Greening said: We need schools that can bring out the best in every single child no matter where they're growing up, how much their parents earn, or however different their talents are.

That's why these new schools are so important - they give us the school places we need for the future, and they also give parents more choices to find a great school place in their area that's right for their child.

Free schools are new state schools that are not under local council control and have freedom over areas such as staff pay and the curriculum.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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

In total, 124 have opened since 2015, with 373 more, including those announced in the latest wave, due to open.

The Government has pledged to open 500 new free schools by September 2020.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner remained critical of the scheme, arguing that building the costly new schools was not the best use of taxpayer money.

While new school places are welcome and necessary, the Government are failing to deliver the number of places that will be needed by 2020, she said.

The Free Schools programme has been proven to be an enormously expensive and inefficient way to create school places.

Today's announcement alone almost certainly comes with a huge price tag, without necessarily even providing new school places in the areas that need them most. And this is at a time when existing schools are facing a severe funding crisis.

 Budget 2017: Seven key points

Her comments follow a scathing report into the Governments new free schools proposals as set out in the Spring Budget.

A House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report warned childrens futures were being put at risk as a result of what they said was the biggest squeeze on school spending to be enforced since the 1990s.

Industry leaders claim have protested the free school plans, which they say earmark billions for state of the art buildings to be created while local authority schools struggle on in desperate need of repair.

Commenting on the latest announcement, Kevin Courtney, General Secretary of the NUT, the largest teachers union, said: At a time when the majority of schools are struggling to survive the decision to pour tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers' money into free schools, for some to be sponsored by grammar schools is indefensible.

Clearly the Government has no concern whatsoever about the hundreds of head teachers and the thousands of parents that have spoken out against school funding cuts.

But Toby Young, free schools advocate and Director of New Schools Network, remained confident in saying the independently-run schools were the most cost-effective way of creating much-needed extra places.

He said: This is the largest ever cohort of free schools to be approved.

The fact that so many of the free schools approved in this wave are outside of London, with over 21 in the Midlands alone, demonstrates this Government's commitment to extending the benefits of the free schools policy to all parts of the country.

This is a big day for free schools. With 800 either opened or approved to open, providing 400,000 places when full, free schools are now a permanent part of England's educational landscape.


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Government funding intended to help the countrys most disadvantaged children is being used to plug holes in insufficient school budgets, as schools face the most drastic cuts to spending in decades.

In a survey of 1,361 teachers, around a third of heads said their school had been forced to use pupil premium funding to cover other costs  with schools from the most disadvantaged areas most often affected.

On top of this, almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of the secondary school headteachers polled said their school had cut back on teaching staff to save money.

As many as 80 per cent said they had cut back on either teaching staff or teaching assistants, and half of teachers said they had cut both.

The research, conducted by the National Foundation for the Education Research for the Sutton Trust, follows a report published by the Institute for Fiscal Studies last month detailing how schools in England face their first real-terms funding cuts in 20 years.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee warned childrens futures are being put at risk as a result, with class sizes expanding and the quality of education in English schools likely to fall further.

This week it was revealed that half of schools in England had been forced to ask parents for some form of financial help as a result of crippling budget cuts, with one in six teachers admitting their school had asked parents for cash donations directly.

Some teachers reported having to teach classes of 60 pupils or more as a result of staff shortages, a problem industry leaders say is likely to escalate as the school-age population grows.

Commenting on the Sutton Trust survey, the shadow Education Secretary, Angela Rayner, said the latest figures provided further evidence that the country's most vulnerable children were most likely to suffer as a result of Government cuts to education.

She told The Independent: This is the second survey in the space of a week to show that the unprecedented squeeze on our schools has left head teachers facing terrible choices on how to keep afloat.

"The Sutton Trust results show that it is the poorest paying the highest price. Pupil premium money is propping up school budgets and schools serving the most disadvantaged children are reporting the steepest cuts.

The Tories promised to protect funding for every child, but that promise is being broken and the next generation is being left to pick up the pieces.

According to the latest figures, schools with more disadvantaged intakes are more likely to report cuts to staff.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA 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

Almost half (47 per cent) of heads in the most disadvantaged fifth of primary and secondary schools said they had cut teaching staff, compared with just over a third (35 per cent) in the least disadvantaged fifth of schools.

Teachers in London and the North-east were also more likely to report cutting staff.

National Union of Teachers general secretary Kevin Courtney said: Head teachers are cutting back on all spending areas to try and keep teachers in front of classes.

"The fact that some heads seem to be using resources allocated for poorer peoples is deeply reprehensible and shows how badly the government is handling our education service.

"In their manifesto they told parents: 'The money following your child to school would be protected', but that turns out to be simply untrue. The Government should correct that immediately, by funding our schools properly."

The pupil premium is additional funding for state-funded schools in England designed to help raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils, regardless of ability, and help close the gaps between them and their peers.

It applies to all local authority schools including those for children with special education needs or disabilities, as well as academies and free schools, and is allocated for each child eligible for free school meals.

When asked their priorities for spending their pupil premium funding, most teachers cited early intervention schemes (27 per cent), followed by more one-to-tuition (12 per cent) and teaching assistants (12 per cent).

Just 4 per cent of all teachers cited pupil feedback as a priority and only a handful (1 per cent) said peer-to-peer tutoring  two methods proven to be highly cost-effective in terms of raising individual performance levels.

Almost a fifth (18 per cent) of teachers said they dont know what their schools main priority for pupil premium spending is.

Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust and Chairman of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: Our new polling adds to the growing evidence from highly credible sources that the squeeze on school budgets is having a detrimental effect on schools.

Of particular concern is that schools are having to use funding for poorer pupils to plug gaps in their finances. Many are having to get rid of teachers to close these funding gaps."

A Department for Education spokesperson said: The pupil premium  worth 2.5bn this year  is helping the most disadvantaged pupils and closing the attainment gap at both primary and secondary level.

"All schools are trusted to use this premium to ensure it meets the needs of their students and are held to account by Ofsted for how disadvantaged pupils benefit from the extra funding.

School funding at its highest level on record at almost 41bn in 2017-18  and that is set to rise, as pupil numbers rise, to 42bn by 2019-20.

We recognise that schools are facing cost pressures and we will continue to provide support to help them use their funding in cost effective ways. This includes improving the way they buy goods and services and our recently published School Buying Strategy is designed to help schools save over 1bn a year by 2019-20 on non-staff spend.
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Two in every five GPs are planning to quit the NHS, a new survey suggests, amid warnings that perilously low morale among family doctors is fuelling an enormous crisis in frontline healthcare.

Jeremy Hunt has said GP surgeries should be open seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm, and has announced plans to place doctor generalists in A&E departments to help ease overwhelming pressures faced by NHS hospitals.

But the British Medical Association (BMA) said GPs across the country were already struggling to cope with rising patient demand, stagnating budgets and widespread staff shortages  and warned this could get worse if Brexit results in an exodus of doctors from overseas.

Academics at Exeter Medical School surveyed more than 2,000 GPs, with over half reporting low morale.

The researchers said the Government needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought to avert a crisis if their results were echoed in other regions.

The number of GPs working full-time has fallen, according to figures published last month, despite Government proposals to recruit 5,000 more by 2020. There are now 34,500 GPs in the NHS, a decrease of 0.3 per cent from last year. A BMA survey of 3,500 GPs in England found around a third of practices had vacancies for doctors they had been unable to fill for at least a year.

There has also been a 15 per cent rise in the total number of GP consultations in the last five years, according to The Kings Fund  three times the overall growth rate of the GP workforce in that period.

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chair of the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), said the NHS is haemorrhaging highly trained, experienced GPs at an alarming rate.

 Thousands gather in London for NHS rally to protest against cuts to services

General practice is currently facing intense workload and resource pressures  these figures show it is severely impacting our workforce, and we fear they are indicative of the situation right across the UK, said Professor Stokes-Lampard. The future of the NHS relies on having a robust general practice service, with enough GPs to deliver the safe care and services our patients need.

Dr Krishna Kasaranei, of the BMA, said: Many GPs are voting with their feet because of the daily struggle of trying to provide enough appointments to patients without the resources or support they need.

Given the uncertainty of whether the UKs departure from the European Union will result in more overseas doctors leaving the NHS, this shortage could well get even worse in the years to come.

John Campbell, a professor at Exeter Medical School, and his team sent the surveys to 3,370 GPs across the region and received responses from 2,248.

Low morale was reported by 54 per cent and seven out of 10 said they intend to change their working patterns in a way that would mean less contact with patients  such as leaving patient care, taking a career break, or reducing their hours. 40 per cent said they intended to quit patient care, which the researchers attributed to an underlying serious malaise in the profession.

The doctors surveyed were all working in the southwest of England, but the BMA and RCGP said the findings were applicable across the UK.

Our findings show an even bleaker outlook than expected for GP cover, even in an area which is often considered desirable, and which has many rural communities, said Professor Campbell.

If GPs have similar intentions to leave or reduce their hours in other regions, as many are reporting, the country needs to take robust action more swiftly and urgently than previously thought.

Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Show all 6 1 /6 Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves The elderly We acknowledge that there are pressures on the health service, there are always extra pressures on the NHS in the winter, but we have the added pressures of the ageing population and the growing complex needs of the population, Theresa May has said. Waits of over 12 hours in A&E among elderly people have more than doubled in two years, according to figures from NHS Digital. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Patients going to A&E instead of seeing their GPs Jeremy Hunt has called for a honest discussion with the public about the purpose of A&E departments, saying that around a third of A&E patients were in hospital unnecessarily. Mr Hunt told Radio 4s Today programme the NHS now had more doctors, nurses and funding than ever, but explained what he called very serious problems at some hospitals by suggesting pressures were increasing in part because people are going to A&Es when they should not. He urged patients to visit their GP for non-emergency illnesses, outlined plans to release time for family doctors to support urgent care work, and said the NHS will soon be able to deliver seven-day access to a GP from 8am to 8pm. But doctors struggling amid a GP recruitment crisis said Mr Hunts plans were unrealistic and demanded the Government commit to investing in all areas of the overstretched health service. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Simon Stevens, head of NHS England Reports that key members of Ms Mays team used internal meetings to accuse Simon Stevens, head of NHS England, of being unenthusiastic and unresponsive have been rejected by Downing Street. Mr Stevens had allegedly rejected claims made by Ms May that the NHS had been given more funding than required. Getty Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Previous health policy, not funding In an interview with Sky Newss Sophy Ridge, Ms May acknowledged the NHS faced pressures but said it was a problem that had been ducked by government over the years. She refuted the claim that hospitals were tackling a humanitarian crisis and said health funding was at record levels. We asked the NHS a while back to set out what it needed over the next five years in terms of its plan for the future and the funding that it would need, said the Prime Minister. They did that, we gave them that funding, in fact we gave them more funding than they required Funding is now at record levels for the NHS, more money has been going in. But doctors accused Ms May of being in denial about how the lack of additional funding provided for health and social care were behind a spiralling crisis in NHS hospitals. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves Target to treat all A&E patients within four hours Mr Hunt was accused of watering down the flagship target to treat all A&E patients within four hours. The Health Secretary told MPs the promise  introduced by Tony Blairs government in 2000  should only be for those who actually need it. Amid jeers in the Commons, Mr Hunt said only four other countries pledged to treat all patients within a similar timeframe and all had less stringent rules. But Ms May has now said the Government will stand by the four-hour target for A&E, which says 95 per cent of patients must be dealt with within that time frame. Getty Images Everyone the Government blames for the NHS crisis  except themselves No one Mr Hunt was accused of hiding from the public eye following news of the Red Crosss comments and didnt make an official statement for two days. He was also filmed refusing to answer questions from journalists who pursued him down the street yesterday to ask whether he planned to scrap the four-hour A&E waiting time target. Sky News reporter Beth Rigby pressed the Health Secretary on his position on the matter, saying the public will want to know, Mr Hunt. Sorry Beth, Ive answered questions about this already, replied Mr Hunt. But you didnt answer questions on this. You said it was over-interpreted in the House of Commons and you didnt want to water it down. Is that what youre saying? said Ms Rigby. Its very difficult, because how are we going to explain to the public what your intention is, when you change your position and then wont answer the question, Mr Hunt. But the Health Secretary maintained his silence until he reached his car and got in. Getty

He added: Whilst numerous Government-led initiatives are under way to address recruitment, there is a need to address the underlying serious malaise which is behind this data.

We are in a perilous situation in England, with poor morale of the current GP workforce, and major difficulties with recruitment and retention of GPs reflected in the stark overall reduction in the GP workforce. Reactive, sticking-plaster approaches are not the answer.

Professor Campbell said GPs and their teams deliver nine out of every 10 patient contacts with the NHS but attract just seven pence in every pound of NHS spending.

Workload pressures were compounded by an ageing GP workforce, he said, adding that 30 per cent of GPs are over 50 years old and many younger GPs do not want to take on the financial risk and responsibilities involved in running a practice.

David Wrigley, chair of the union group Doctors In Unite, told The Independent: There is a crisis across the country, and this has been brewing up for years. Surgeries are closing around the country  one near me closed last month due to the inability to recruit a new doctor.

"Youve got GPs working 12 or 13 hour days non-stop which is not safe I know GPs running a practice who have left in their mid-40s, when theyd usually have 15 years left in the NHS, but they just cant cope with continuing.

"This is all down to politicians failures to invest in the NHS. Theyre living in cloud cuckoo land, they havent got any idea about whats going on in the ground in general practice. Were working flat out to see our patients and try and give them a good service, and the Government are then saying, you can go and work in A&E. Well, what happens to the patients in our practice? They want us to provide a seven-day service when were struggling to provide a five-day service.
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The Scottish nurse who survived Ebola has said she will return to Sierra Leone because she wants to end her ordeal with something positive.

Pauline Cafferkey, 41, was the first person in the UK to be diagnosed with Ebola, which she caught in 2014 while working as a volunteer in the west African country.

She said her fundraising trip next month to raise money for the some 12,000 children left orphaned by the disease would help bring her closure after a terrible couple of years.

During the Ebola crisis which swept Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone from 2013 to 2016, more than 28,000 cases were reported, resulting in over 11,000 deaths.

Ms Cafferkey, who lives in Glasgow, told the BBCs Victoria Derbyshire programme she was excited to go back and raise funds for the charity Street Child and is not going there with any trepidation.

It's where things kind of started for me and I've had a terrible couple of years since then. So it will be good to go back just for things to come full circle for me and a little bit of closure, she said.

Most people have been supportive if they know that I'm going back. I've had a few people, like family friends, who say 'just be careful when you get back there'.

Ms Cafferkey suffered a series of further health scares due to complications linked to the disease, at one stage falling critically ill.

When she was first diagnosed, she spent almost a month in isolation before doctors said she had fully recovered and discharged her from the Royal Free Hospital in London.

More than 28,000 Ebola cases were reported during the epidemic (Getty)

However, she was readmitted to hospital on three occasions  in October 2015 and February and October 2016, and was diagnosed with meningitis caused by the virus, which was still present in her body.

This led to numerous health complications including thyroid problems, hair loss, joint pain and mobility difficulties.

My health is not what is was before, but its as good as its going to get. And Im really happy about that, she said.

The nurse of 16 years also faced disciplinary proceedings over events surrounding her return to the UK for which she was later cleared.

She will take part in a 10km run during the fundraising trip for Street Child, which estimates around 12,000 children were left orphaned, with 1,400 still critically at-risk and struggling to survive.

Ms Cafferkey said she has the ordeal of contracting the virus in common with its African victims, although their experiences were very different.

The Ebola patients in Sierra Leone didn't know what they were going home to, or who was left alive in their family. They might be going back to sheer hell, she said.

Health news in pictures Show all 40 1 /40 Health news in pictures Health news in pictures Coronavirus outbreak The coronavirus Covid-19 has hit the UK leading to the deaths of two people so far and prompting warnings from the Department of Health AFP via Getty Health news in pictures Thousands of emergency patients told to take taxi to hospital Thousands of 999 patients in England are being told to get a taxi to hospital, figures have showed. The number of patients outside London who were refused an ambulance rose by 83 per cent in the past year as demand for services grows Getty Health news in pictures Vape related deaths spike A vaping-related lung disease has claimed the lives of 11 people in the US in recent weeks. The US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has more than 100 officials investigating the cause of the mystery illness, and has warned citizens against smoking e-cigarette products until more is known, particularly if modified or bought off the street Getty Health news in pictures Baldness cure looks to be a step closer Researchers in the US claim to have overcome one of the major hurdles to cultivating human follicles from stem cells. The new system allows cells to grow in a structured tuft and emerge from the skin Sanford Burnham Preybs Health news in pictures Two hours a week spent in nature can improve health A study in the journal Scientific Reports suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing Shutterstock Health news in pictures Air pollution linked to fertility issues in women Exposure to air from traffic-clogged streets could leave women with fewer years to have children, a study has found. Italian researchers found women living in the most polluted areas were three times more likely to show signs they were running low on eggs than those who lived in cleaner surroundings, potentially triggering an earlier menopause Getty/iStock Health news in pictures Junk food ads could be banned before watershed Junk food adverts on TV and online could be banned before 9pm as part of Government plans to fight the "epidemic" of childhood obesity. Plans for the new watershed have been put out for public consultation in a bid to combat the growing crisis, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said PA Health news in pictures Breeding with neanderthals helped humans fight diseases On migrating from Africa around 70,000 years ago, humans bumped into the neanderthals of Eurasia. While humans were weak to the diseases of the new lands, breeding with the resident neanderthals made for a better equipped immune system PA Health news in pictures Cancer breath test to be trialled in Britain The breath biopsy device is designed to detect cancer hallmarks in molecules exhaled by patients Getty Health news in pictures Average 10 year old has consumed the recommended amount of sugar for an adult By their 10th birthdy, children have on average already eaten more sugar than the recommended amount for an 18 year old. The average 10 year old consumes the equivalent to 13 sugar cubes a day, 8 more than is recommended PA Health news in pictures Child health experts advise switching off screens an hour before bed While there is not enough evidence of harm to recommend UK-wide limits on screen use, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health have advised that children should avoid screens for an hour before bed time to avoid disrupting their sleep Getty Health news in pictures Daily aspirin is unnecessary for older people in good health, study finds A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that many elderly people are taking daily aspirin to little or no avail Getty Health news in pictures Vaping could lead to cancer, US study finds A study by the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Centre has found that the carcinogenic chemicals formaldehyde, acrolein, and methylglyoxal are present in the saliva of E-cigarette users Reuters Health news in pictures More children are obese and diabetic There has been a 41% increase in children with type 2 diabetes since 2014, the National Paediatric Diabetes Audit has found. Obesity is a leading cause Reuters Health news in pictures Most child antidepressants are ineffective and can lead to suicidal thoughts The majority of antidepressants are ineffective and may be unsafe, for children and teenager with major depression, experts have warned. In what is the most comprehensive comparison of 14 commonly prescribed antidepressant drugs to date, researchers found that only one brand was more effective at relieving symptoms of depression than a placebo. Another popular drug, venlafaxine, was shown increase the risk users engaging in suicidal thoughts and attempts at suicide Getty Health news in pictures Gay, lesbian and bisexual adults at higher risk of heart disease, study claims Researchers at the Baptist Health South Florida Clinic in Miami focused on seven areas of controllable heart health and found these minority groups were particularly likely to be smokers and to have poorly controlled blood sugar iStock Health news in pictures Breakfast cereals targeted at children contain 'steadily high' sugar levels since 1992 despite producer claims A major pressure group has issued a fresh warning about perilously high amounts of sugar in breakfast cereals, specifically those designed for children, and has said that levels have barely been cut at all in the last two and a half decades Getty Health news in pictures Potholes are making us fat, NHS watchdog warns New guidance by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the body which determines what treatment the NHS should fund, said lax road repairs and car-dominated streets were contributing to the obesity epidemic by preventing members of the public from keeping active PA Health news in pictures New menopause drugs offer women relief from 'debilitating' hot flushes A new class of treatments for women going through the menopause is able to reduce numbers of debilitating hot flushes by as much as three quarters in a matter of days, a trial has found. The drug used in the trial belongs to a group known as NKB antagonists (blockers), which were developed as a treatment for schizophrenia but have been sitting on a shelf unused, according to Professor Waljit Dhillo, a professor of endocrinology and metabolism REX Health news in pictures Doctors should prescribe more antidepressants for people with mental health problems, study finds Research from Oxford University found that more than one million extra people suffering from mental health problems would benefit from being prescribed drugs and criticised ideological reasons doctors use to avoid doing so. Getty Health news in pictures Student dies of flu after NHS advice to stay at home and avoid A&E The family of a teenager who died from flu has urged people not to delay going to A&E if they are worried about their symptoms. Melissa Whiteley, an 18-year-old engineering student from Hanford in Stoke-on-Trent, fell ill at Christmas and died in hospital a month later. Just Giving Health news in pictures Government to review thousands of harmful vaginal mesh implants The Government has pledged to review tens of thousands of cases where women have been given harmful vaginal mesh implants. Getty Health news in pictures Jeremy Hunt announces 'zero suicides ambition' for the NHS The NHS will be asked to go further to prevent the deaths of patients in its care as part of a zero suicide ambition being launched today Getty Health news in pictures Human trials start with cancer treatment that primes immune system to kill off tumours Human trials have begun with a new cancer therapy that can prime the immune system to eradicate tumours. The treatment, that works similarly to a vaccine, is a combination of two existing drugs, of which tiny amounts are injected into the solid bulk of a tumour. Nephron Health news in pictures Babies' health suffers from being born near fracking sites, finds major study Mothers living within a kilometre of a fracking site were 25 per cent more likely to have a child born at low birth weight, which increase their chances of asthma, ADHD and other issues Getty Health news in pictures NHS reviewing thousands of cervical cancer smear tests after women wrongly given all-clear Thousands of cervical cancer screening results are under review after failings at a laboratory meant some women were incorrectly given the all-clear. A number of women have already been told to contact their doctors following the identification of procedural issues in the service provided by Pathology First Laboratory. Rex Health news in pictures Potential key to halting breast cancer's spread discovered by scientists Most breast cancer patients do not die from their initial tumour, but from secondary malignant growths (metastases), where cancer cells are able to enter the blood and survive to invade new sites. Asparagine, a molecule named after asparagus where it was first identified in high quantities, has now been shown to be an essential ingredient for tumour cells to gain these migratory properties. Getty Health news in pictures NHS nursing vacancies at record high with more than 34,000 roles advertised A record number of nursing and midwifery positions are currently being advertised by the NHS, with more than 34,000 positions currently vacant, according to the latest data. Demand for nurses was 19 per cent higher between July and September 2017 than the same period two years ago. REX Health news in pictures Cannabis extract could provide new class of treatment for psychosis CBD has a broadly opposite effect to delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main active component in cannabis and the substance that causes paranoia and anxiety. Getty Health news in pictures Over 75,000 sign petition calling for Richard Branson's Virgin Care to hand settlement money back to NHS Mr Bransons company sued the NHS last year after it lost out on an 82m contract to provide childrens health services across Surrey, citing concerns over serious flaws in the way the contract was awarded PA Health news in pictures More than 700 fewer nurses training in England in first year after NHS bursary scrapped The numbers of people accepted to study nursing in England fell 3 per cent in 2017, while the numbers accepted in Wales and Scotland, where the bursaries were kept, increased 8.4 per cent and 8 per cent respectively Getty Health news in pictures Landmark study links Tory austerity to 120,000 deaths The paper found that there were 45,000 more deaths in the first four years of Tory-led efficiencies than would have been expected if funding had stayed at pre-election levels. On this trajectory that could rise to nearly 200,000 excess deaths by the end of 2020, even with the extra funding that has been earmarked for public sector services this year. Reuters Health news in pictures Long commutes carry health risks Hours of commuting may be mind-numbingly dull, but new research shows that it might also be having an adverse effect on both your health and performance at work. Longer commutes also appear to have a significant impact on mental wellbeing, with those commuting longer 33 per cent more likely to suffer from depression Shutterstock Health news in pictures You cannot be fit and fat It is not possible to be overweight and healthy, a major new study has concluded. The study of 3.5 million Britons found that even metabolically healthy obese people are still at a higher risk of heart disease or a stroke than those with a normal weight range Getty Health news in pictures Sleep deprivation When you feel particularly exhausted, it can definitely feel like you are also lacking in brain capacity. Now, a new study has suggested this could be because chronic sleep deprivation can actually cause the brain to eat itself Shutterstock Health news in pictures Exercise classes offering 45 minute naps launch David Lloyd Gyms have launched a new health and fitness class which is essentially a bunch of people taking a nap for 45 minutes. The fitness group was spurred to launch the napercise class after research revealed 86 per cent of parents said they were fatigued. The class is therefore predominantly aimed at parents but you actually do not have to have children to take part Getty Health news in pictures 'Fundamental right to health' to be axed after Brexit, lawyers warn Tobacco and alcohol companies could win more easily in court cases such as the recent battle over plain cigarette packaging if the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is abandoned, a barrister and public health professor have said Getty Health news in pictures 'Thousands dying' due to fear over non-existent statin side-effects A major new study into the side effects of the cholesterol-lowering medicine suggests common symptoms such as muscle pain and weakness are not caused by the drugs themselves Getty Health news in pictures Babies born to fathers aged under 25 have higher risk of autism New research has found that babies born to fathers under the age of 25 or over 51 are at higher risk of developing autism and other social disorders. The study, conducted by the Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai, found that these children are actually more advanced than their peers as infants, but then fall behind by the time they hit their teenage years Getty Health news in pictures Cycling to work could halve risk of cancer and heart disease Commuters who swap their car or bus pass for a bike could cut their risk of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half, new research suggests  but campaigners have warned there is still an urgent need to improve road conditions for cyclists. Cycling to work is linked to a lower risk of developing cancer by 45 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 46 per cent, according to a study of a quarter of a million people. Walking to work also brought health benefits, the University of Glasgow researchers found, but not to the same degree as cycling. Getty

Ms Cafferkey travelled to Freetown, Sierra Leone, to volunteer at an Ebola treatment centre with Save The Children in 2014.

She returned to the UK on 28 December that year for what was supposed to be a break as part of a rotation system but she was quickly struck down with the killer virus herself.

In 2016 the nurse also faced misconduct proceedings before the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) over allegations relating to her arrival in the UK in the early stages of her infection.

Ms Cafferkey was cleared by the NMC as her judgement at the airport had been so impaired by the developing illness that she could not be found guilty of misconduct.

She said the proceedings were a massive stress at a difficult time, but she did not hold anything against the NMC.
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Comedian Charlie Murphy, the brother of actor Eddie Murphy, has died, aged 57.

Famous in his own right for the Chapelle Show, the stand-up comedian, actor and writer died today in New York City from leukemia.

Tributes have begun flooding in on Twitter.

We just lost one of the funniest most real brothers of all time. Charlie Murphy RIP, former co-star Chris Rock tweeted.

After making his big screen debut in 1989's Harlem Nights, directed by his younger brother Eddie, and appearing in bit roles in Spike Lee films like Mo' Better Blues and Jungle Fever, Murphy's big break came as a cast member on Chappelle's Show, where Charlie Murphy's True Hollywood Stories resulted in a pair of memorable sketches.

Both sketches featured Murphy reminiscing about he and his brother's celebrity encounters in the 1980s with Dave Chappelle portraying Rick James and Prince in the now-legendary sketches.

Born in Brooklyn, he served six years in the US navy after being released from prison as a young man.

According to TMZ, his family were shocked at his unexpected death as they believed he was getting better.

He leaves behind three children - two from his marriage to Tisha Taylor Murphy, who died in 2009 from cervical cancer, and another from a previous relationship.

His friend Russell Simmons paid tribute to him, calling him his biggest comedy idol.

The penultimate tweet sent from Charlie's account was a poignant quote by Abraham Lincoln.

Rise & Grind: Wake up with the rising sun and seize the day!" it said.

The message was posted just four hours before his death was announced, followed by a final message which said: "One to sleep on: Release the past to rest as deeply as possible."
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Campaigners fighting a Government decision to approve a fracking site in Lancashire have lost a High Court action.

The Preston New Road Action Group (PNRAG) and campaigner Gayzer Frackman had urged a judge to find that the decision to grant a planning application for the site in Fylde was not fair or lawful.

But Mr Justice Dove, announcing his decision at the High Court in London on Wednesday, dismissed their judicial review actions.

At a hearing at Manchester Civil Justice Centre last month, the judge was told that the planning application by developer Cuadrilla was refused by Lancashire County Council in 2015, but later granted following an appeal and a planning inquiry.

The scheme was given the go-ahead in October by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid.

At the hearing in Manchester, David Wolfe QC, on behalf of PNRAG, told the judge the group had been "wrong-footed" because a planning inspector's decision to approve the site was based on an argument made after their closing submissions at the inquiry, when the group's advocate was not present.

He said the inspector's decision that the site would not have a significant impact on the landscape because it was only granted permission for a temporary period was not lawful and breached the council's development plan.

Recommended Fracking is not the answer to the question of how we power our nation

Marc Willers QC, on behalf of Mr Frackman, said the site would lead to a "considerable quantity of greenhouse gas emissions".

He said the commercial gas produced at the fracking site would go directly to homes and industry.

Mr Willers told the court: "There will be no assessment of these greenhouse gas emissions arising from the gas being pumped through the gas grid to homes and industry."

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and developer Cuadrilla were represented at the hearing, but the court was told Lancashire County Council was not taking part.

Mr Justice Dove, giving his ruling on the PNRAG case, said none of the grounds argued "have been made out in substance".

Turning to Mr Frackman he said one of the grounds was arguable, but added: "It is not made out in substance."

Elisabeth Whitebread, a Greenpeace UK energy campaigner, said: "Lancashire said no to fracking from the start but the Government overruled local people and the local council. In this legal challenge Preston New Road Action Group has represented thousands of people. Ordinary members of the community have been peacefully opposing fracking for six years and they won't stop now.

Lancashire needs clean, reliable energy, innovation and job creation, not disruptive drilling, noise, air and light pollution. Our government should listen to the public, stop prioritising fracking, and instead support cutting edge renewables and battery storage, which can meet our energy needs."
Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told MPs on Wednesday that Egypt, which currently heads the UN Security Council's Anti-Terrorism Committee, has provided the Security Council with all the information necessary to name countries that fund and support terrorist activities.

"I think there will be a good opportunity very soon to name these countries that fund terrorist activities," Shoukry said in a statement delivered before parliament's Arab Affairs Committee.

Shoukrys comments come days after two suicide bombers attacked two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, killing 46 people and injuring dozens more.

Shoukry also told MPs that "most information on the most active terrorist organisations in the world right now, like Daesh [the Islamic State group], show that they are Muslim Brotherhood offshoots."

"All of these terrorist organisations were formed on the basis of the Muslim Brotherhood's jihadist and Takfiri ideological foundations, not to mention that most of its senior leaders were originally members of the Brotherhood," said Shoukry.

Shoukry questioned how terrorist organisations like the Islamic State still have access to all the financial resources necessary to mount their terrorist attacks.

"It has become quite clear that this money is still being supplied through a network of certain countries to fund these terrorist organisations," said Shoukry, adding that "these countries donate this money with the objective of using these terrorist organisations to achieve political goals in the Middle East and the Arab world."

"I also wonder how the world's major intelligence apparatuses have so far not been able to publicly name the countries that fund terrorist organisations," said Shoukry,

"In most battlegrounds against terrorist organisations, the world saw how these groups were able to get access to sophisticated weapons, explosives and up-to-date trucks that help them launch their attacks."

After the suicide attacks hit the two churches in Egypt on 9 April, many MPs accused Qatar and Turkey of funding terrorist operations in Egypt.

MP Mostafa El-Guindi said "it is no secret that Turkey, Qatar and Muslim Brotherhood leaders living in these two countries are directing billions in cash to the North Sinai-based Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis group, which has declared allegiance to the Islamic State and claimed responsibility for the attacks on Coptic churches in Tanta and Alexandria on Sunday."

"When will Egypt name these two countries as the largest sponsors of terrorist activities in countries like Egypt, Libya and Syria?" El-Guindi asked.

In a short address to parliament on Tuesday, Prime Minister Sherif Ismail told MPs that the latest attacks have made it clear that extremist militants still have access to billions of pounds to fund their operations in Egypt and other countries.

FM Soukry also answered questions on Egypt's relations with Sudan and its role in solving the crises in Libya and Syria.

Shoukry said that after seven years of civil war in these countries, all should be aware of the risk of supporting "political Islam."

"Those who supported political Islamist movements to take power should now see how these movements have disrupted these countries and spread chaos everywhere," said Shoukry.

Shoukry also praised a recent summit meeting between President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Saudi King Salman in Amman, Jordan.

"The meeting showed that relations between Egypt and Saudi Arabia are very strong and that the two leaders have a strong wish to keep these historical relations intact," said Shoukry.

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The man behind the Westminster terror attack may have been inspired by a poster of a London bus on the wall of his flat, his former housemate has claimed.

Khalid Masood killed five people when he ploughed a hire car into crowds on Westminster Bridge before leaping out and stabbing PC Keith Palmer to death on the cobbled forecourt of Westminster Palace.

Thousands of fellow officers and members of the public lined the streets to pay tribute to the fallen officer as his funeral cortege made its way through London earlier this week.

Before the attack, Masood, 52, lived in a flat above a restaurant in Birmingham with three other housemates after moving away from his wife and children.

One unnamed housemate believes the large print, showing a red bus in Piccadilly Circus, just streets from where Masood carried out his deadly attack, could have inspired the terrorist.

For three months I was living next to the terrorist who shocked the world he told The Mirror. He was sitting here planning the attack and I believe he may have got inspiration from the picture. Every time he went from his room to the kitchen he passed in front of it.

It's scary to think this monster was living a few feet away from where I slept. I can't believe that I came so close to true evil.

The housemate said Masood had no visitors during the time he spent at the flat but was desperate to spend time online. He also spent hours lifting weights in his 450-a-month room.

I believe he wanted access to the internet so he could prepare and plan, he said. His room was just a bed, a bathroom and gym equipment, nothing on the walls. Khalid stayed there most of the time. I only really saw him when he was cooking or washing clothes.

In pictures: Westminster attack Show all 9 1 /9 In pictures: Westminster attack In pictures: Westminster attack An air ambulance lands after gunfire sounds were heard close to the Palace of Westminster in London PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack MPs wait until the situation is under control in Westminster. 'The alleged assailant was shot by armed police,' David Lidington, leader of the House of Commons, told the house. BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Crowds gather in Westminster after shooting incident, which police are treating as terror attack BBC News In pictures: Westminster attack Police were also called to an incident on Westminster Bridge nearby AP In pictures: Westminster attack Early reports indicate the car, which mounted the pavement on Westminster Bridge and mowed into around a dozen people, was the same vehicle which then rammed into the railings of the Palace of Westminster, just around the corner Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack Security sources described the suspected assailant as a middle-aged Asian man, who is understood to have left the car before attacking a police officer with a seven-to-eight inch knife PA wire In pictures: Westminster attack Police have asked people to avoid the immediate area to allow emergency services to deal with the ongoing incident AP In pictures: Westminster attack One woman has died and a number of others, including the police officer, have been hurt, according to a junior doctor at St Thomas' Hospital Reuters In pictures: Westminster attack At least three gun shots were heard by those inside Westminster, and proceedings in the House of Commons have been suspended AP

He was big and very muscly and always lifting iron to gain strength. He lived in his own tiny world, just the four walls of his room. The way he lived wasnt healthy, he never saw daylight and he never went outside. He couldnt find any reason to hold on to life.

The housemate described Masood as really calm, almost emotionless but said he got angry when he thought one of his housemates was smoking cannabis.

He moved into the flat in December 2016 and planned his attack there, disappearing from the property three days before he drove a hired vehicle into crowds in Westminster and fatally stabbed PC Palmer.

Masood, who was born Adrian Elms, grew up in Kent and Sussex. He has two daughters with his first wife, Jane Harvey  the oldest of whom is now 24.

He converted to Islam and changed his name, marrying his third and most recent wife, Rohey Hydara. He moved out of the family home, and into the Birmingham flat, shortly before Christmas.

Police raided the flat shortly after Masood carried out his attack. Three people were arrested, including a couple who had only moved in that morning, but all were later released without charge.
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Boris Johnson is a liability who is undermining Britains credibility abroad, Labour has said.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell warned that the Foreign Secretarys performance over Russia and Syria  and failed attempt to push for new sanctions  was reflective of poor judgment.

The idea of going along to the G7 to try and put together a coalition around sanctions was never going to succeed. It was a bad policy decision by Mr Johnson. It should never have happened, Mr McDonnell told Sky News.

He should have gone to Moscow. When he went to Moscow he should have been clear with the Russians just how much we condemn what Assad has done, and what theyve done in support of Assad, but try to get them back to the negotiating table.

Im hoping the initiative now by the Trump regime and others is going to enable that to happen. Its a pity Mr Johnson made such a poor judgment of this matter.

Mr Johnson was last week accused by domestic politicians and the Kremlin of being a poodle to the US after he cancelled his own visit to Russia to make way for US secretary of state Rex Tillerson.

The Foreign Secretary was also humiliated at a G7 meeting in Italy after he publicly pushed for sanctions on Syria and Russia but was rebuffed by his European allies.

John McDonnell criticised the Foreign Secretary (Getty)

Tory MP Alistair Burt, who was formerly a junior foreign office minister, however told BBC Radio 4s Today programme the issue was not about Boris Johnson.

What is most important here is that we try to find a way to end this conflict in which one out of two Syrians have either died or been displaced. It is going to be very difficult, he said.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

It does involve some difficult and distasteful calculations, perhaps with Russia and Iran, but the main focus should not be on an intergovernmental spat about whether or not Boris Johnson has been humiliated.

Mr Tillerson is now in Russia for talks over the countrys involved in the Syrian conflict.
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The European Council has extended sanctions against Iran, one of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assads key backers, in response to serious human rights violations.

The measures hitting exports and targeting key leaders were signed off on the same day EU member states helped block a fast US/UK drive for new sanctions on the Assad regime and Russia, which are allied to Iran in the Syrian civil war.

It also comes as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, having secured backing for the US military action in Syria responding to a chemical weapons attack blamed on Assad.

Recommended Rex Tillerson arrives in Russia amid high tensions over Syria

The extended EU measures hitting Iran include a travel ban and asset-freeze against people involved in the countrys theocratic regime  including senior figures in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, National Police Force and Basij religious paramilitary group.

EU documents state they target persons complicit in torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, or the indiscriminate, excessive and increasing application of the death penalty, including public executions, stoning, hangings or executions of juvenile offenders.

They also hit people responsible for directing or implementing grave human rights violations in the repression of peaceful demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders, students or other persons who speak up in defence of their legitimate rights, including freedom of expression.

There is then a ban on exports to Iran of equipment which might be used for internal repression and of spying equipment for monitoring telecommunications.

 Russia and Iran have threatened the US over Syria

The measures were first implemented in the wake of the Iranian government crackdown against protests in 2011, while Arab Spring demonstrations were breaking out across the region.

But they have been extended by the EU just as Boris Johnson demanded similar restrictions against Russian and Syrian figures in the wake of the Idlib chemical weapons attack, which were rebuffed by the EU representative, and those of France and Germany at the G7 in Italy.

The G7 did issue a joint-position that Assad cannot have a position in government following any future peace settlement in Syria, with Mr Tillerson heading to Moscow to put pressure on the Syrian leaders main backer, Mr Putin, on Wednesday.

There was outrage across the world after dozens of civilians were killed in what is believed by the West to have been a chemical weapons attack by the Assad regime which killed scores in the rebel-held village of Khan Sheikhoun.

But Mr Putin has showed little inclination to respond to US diplomatic moves following the American missile attack on the base from which the chemical attack is believed to have originated, saying instead that there are planned "provocations" to blame Syria's government.

Mr Tillersons trip also comes as the UN Security Council is set to vote on Wednesday on a draft resolution drawn up by the US, Britain and France calling on the Syrian regime to co-operate with a probe into the chemical attack.
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Germany has warned Russia it must come to the negotiating table if it wants any other country to help bear the huge financial burden of rebuilding war-ravaged Syria.

The countrys Foreign Minister said it is impossible for Russia to alone pay for Syria's regeneration and that Moscow will have to ensure there are no more pictures of children murdered by poison gas if it wants to be a respected international partner.

Speaking following Boris Johnsons failure to win strong backing for new sanctions on Russian and Syrian figures, German chief diplomat Sigmar Gabriel said there could be no solution overnight to the conflict.

His words also come as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aimed at convincing him to loosen his support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Gabriel highlighted that there are things the West can offer Russia to entice it out of isolation on Syria.

He said: Firstly, there would be no rebuilding of Syria as long as there is no change.

Nobody would invest in Syria as long as there is war and civil war. Nobody would finance Mr Assad and Russia knows that it cannot carry this financial burden alone.

Secondly, I believe that Russia wants to be a respected international partner. One could not stand on the side of a regime that  not for the first time  had used poisonous gas against its own civilian population.

 Boris Johnson: Syria chemical attack offers Russia a 'choice'

Mr Gabriel said he did not believe Russian politicians or civilians wish to see further pictures of mothers and fathers carrying their children murdered by poison gas, nor to see Russia supporting such a regime.

His words came after Britains failure to secure immediate support for sanctions at the G7 in Italy this week  in response to the Idlib chemical weapons attack  with allies Germany, the EU and Canada underlining the need for due process.

Asked about the sanctions, Mr Gabriel said: One cannot not expect to come to a solution overnight after so many years of war.

And Russia would not say right, now we'll do things how you want from one day to the next. Instead a range of talks will be held.

He called for the Geneva round of talks to be broadened to include Russia, the US, Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Mr Tillerson has landed in Moscow in the middle of the escalating row between the US and Russia over Syria.

Mr Putin has condemned a US missile attack on the Syrian airbase, which US President Donald Trumps administration has said was the origin of the chemical weapons attack that killed around 100 civilians including many children in a rebel-held village.
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Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn named and shamed energy giant E.ON as one of the firms he said is guilty of making late payments to its suppliers  despite the fact the energy giant sponsored an event at the party conference in 2016.

E.ONs Director of Strategy and Regulation was inside the conference room alongside Labour MPs at the event in Liverpool, having paid several thousand pounds to be there.

That did not stop Mr Corbyn from criticising the corporation in a speech where he vowed to crack down on firms which he says profit from withholding more than 26 billion from suppliers through late payment and drive around 50,000 small firms out of business annually.

Recommended Corbyn woos small businesses with plan for crackdown on late payments

Other firms he named and shamed included Capita, BT Group, Vodafone, National Grid and Marks & Spencer.

Cash is king for any business, and big companies are managing their cash by borrowing  interest free - from their suppliers, Mr Corbyn said at a Federation for Small Businesses event.

Some of the biggest names in business are holding cash piles that dont actually belong to them.

Its a national scandal. And its stopping businesses from growing and causing thousands to go bust every year. It kills jobs and holds back economic growth.

Labour said Mr Corbyns attack on the corporations was based on data from current Experian credit reports, which identified payment beyond terms, normally 30-60 days, by big companies.

In the figures quoted by Labour, German energy giant E.On was said to have gone 78 days over terms, M&S went 72 days beyond terms, Capita 82 days and the National Grid as long as 119 days. Others mentioned by Corbyn were 89 days for BT and 84 days for Vodafone.

Credit agency Experian said the data should be treated with caution, however, because the figures only take into account invoices which are settled late and do not take into account those paid on time, meaning they do not represent an aggregate.

Several of the companies named by Mr Corbyn, including M&S, Capita and BT, disputed the figures in the speech.

An M&S spokesperson said: We dont recognise these numbers at all. Over 99% of our supplier invoices are paid on time and we are signatories to the prompt payment code.

The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Show all 11 1 /11 The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He called Hezbollah and Hamas friends True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups friends after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be part of the debate for the Middle East peace process. I use (the word friends) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk, he added. Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. Reuters The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyns original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is haunted by the legacy of his evil great-great-grandfather False. A Daily Express expose revealed that the Labour leaders ancestor, James Sargent, was the despotic master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about pigeon bombs in Parliament This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled pigeon bombs, proposing that the House register being appalled but barely surprised that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: The House believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again. It was not carried. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He rides a Communist bicycle False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a Chairman Mao-style bicycle earlier this year. Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao, he later joked. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn 'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews' False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a rumour passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Ricas move to abolish it armed forces. Wouldnt it be wonderful if every politician around the worldabolished the army and took pride in the fact that they dont have an army, he added. The caveat that every politician must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He missed the induction into the Queens privy council True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyns republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem. Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials respect in the proper way, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese True. The group lists its purpose as the following: To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers.

This is not the first time E.ON has been criticised by a Labour leader.

Ed Milliband took the big six energy firms, who include E.ON, to task for their failure to pass on reductions in the cost of fuel to customers, saying they were part of the problem, not the solution.

But this did not prevent E.ON from reportedly being allowed to build a kind of wendy house at the Labour Conference in 2014 at a cost of several thousand pounds, where the company is said to have defended its pricing strategy, according to Vice magazine.

The final decision on exhibitors at the partys conference is taken by the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC), which Mr Corbyn chairs.

McDonalds was blocked from exhibiting at the Liverpool conference, a move criticised as snobbish by some commentators.

The decision to turn down McDonalds was reportedly motivated by concerns over public health and the connection between fast food and the UKs obesity epidemic.
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Militant Islamist group Boko Haram is increasingly forcing children to carry out suicide bombing attacks, often drugging them before their missions, Unicef has warned.

The use of children as suicide bombers has surged this year, with the number of attacks since January nearly reaching the total for last year.

In the first three months of the year, 27 children have been used in suicide attacks, compared to nine cases in the same period in the previous year, and 30 children being used for bombings in all of 2016, Unicef said.

Since 2014, 117 attacks have been carried out by children in the Lake Chad basin, with nearly 80 per cent of the bombs strapped to girls.

 Nigeria finds schoolgirl abducted by Boko Haram

Unicef's Marie-Pierre Poirier said the very sight of children near marketplaces and checkpoints now sparks fear, resulting in nearly 1,500 children being detained last year across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

Ms Poirier said: "These children are victims, not perpetrators. Forcing or deceiving them into committing such horrific acts is reprehensible."

The Boko Haram insurgency is now in its eighth year with little sign of ending, having claimed over 20,000 lives.

Its child kidnappings gained global notoriety after the abduction of more than 200 girls from the town of Chibok in Nigeria's northeast in 2014, three years ago.

Boko Haram has kidnapped thousands, often raping them, forcing them to become suicide bombers, help the militants in their conflict or marry fighters, Unicef said.

The rise of Boko Haram Show all 20 1 /20 The rise of Boko Haram The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau delivers a message. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the mass killings in the north-east Nigerian town of Baga in a video where he warned the massacre was just the tip of the iceberg. As many as 2,000 civilians were killed and 3,700 homes and business were destroyed in the 3 January 2015 attack on the town near Nigeria's border with Cameroon AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People displaced as a result of Boko Haram attacks in the northeast region of Nigeria, are seen near their tents at a faith-based camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Yola, Adamawa State. Boko Haram says it is building an Islamic state that will revive the glory days of northern Nigeria's medieval Muslim empires, but for those in its territory life is a litany of killings, kidnappings, hunger and economic collapse The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nitsch Eberhard Robert, a German citizen abducted and held hostage by suspected Boko Haram militants, is seen as he arrives at the Yaounde Nsimalen International airport after his release in Yaounde, Cameroon on 21 January 2015 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Officials of the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) visit victims of a bomb blast in Gombe at the Specialist Hospital in Gombe. According to local reports at least six people were killed and 11 wounded after a bomb blast in a marketplace in Nigeria's northeastern state of Gombe on 16 January 2015. Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been blamed for a string of recent attacks in the North East of Nigeria The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather at the site of a bomb explosion in a area know to be targeted by the militant group Boko Haram in Kano on 28 November 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather to look at a burnt vehicle following a bomb explosion that rocked the busiest roundabout near the crowded Market in Maiduguri, Borno State on 1 July 2014. A truck exploded in a huge fireball killing at least 15 people in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the city repeatedly hit by Boko Haram Islamists The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram President Goodluck Jonathan visits Nigerian Army soldiers fighting Boko Haram Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Displaced people from Baga listen to Goodluck Jonathan after the Boko Haram killings AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan speaking to troops during a visit to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State; most of the region has been overrun by Boko Haram AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Members of the Nigerian military patrolling in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, close to the scene of attacks by Boko Haram EPA The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Harams leader, Abubakar Shekau, appears in a video in which he warns Cameroon it faces the same fate as Nigeria AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nana Shettima, the wife of Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima (C) weeps as she speaks with school girls from the government secondary school Chibok that were kidnapped by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, and later escaped in Chibok The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram South Africans protest in solidarity against the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls in Nigeria by the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram and what protesters said was the failure of the Nigerian government and international community to rescue them, during a march to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Haram militants have seized the town in north-eastern Nigeria that nearly 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from in April 2014 AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A soldier stands guard in front of burnt buses after an attack in Abuja. Twin blasts at a bus station packed with morning commuters on the outskirts of Nigeria's capital killed dozens of people, in what appeared to be the latest attack by Boko Haram Islamists, April 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The aftermath of the attack, when Boko Haram fighters in trucks painted in military colours killed 51 people in Konduga in February 2014 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau (with papers) in a video grab taken in July 2014 AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Ruins of burnt out houses in the north-eastern settlement of Baga, pictured after Boko Haram attacks in 2013 AP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A Boko Haram attack in Nigeria, 2013 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau, Boko Harams leader AP

One 16-year-old girl from Chad lost her legs after being drugged and forced by Boko Haram to take part in an attempted suicide attack on a crowded market, according to the report.

Though the girl survived, her family initially rejected her "out of fear of stigma".

Children who escape Boko Haram are often held in custody by authorities or ostracised by their communities and families.

"Society's rejection of these children, and their sense of isolation and desperation, could be making them more vulnerable to promises of martyrdom through acceptance of dangerous and deadly missions," Unicef said in its report.

Earlier this year, an 18-year-old woman who was stopped while wearing an explosive vest in Maiduguri said she had been given N200 (50p) for food by militants who instructed her to "detonate the explosives anywhere we saw any form of gathering."

She added: They said if we press the button, the bomb would explode and we will automatically go to heaven."
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Forced medical examinations for homosexual men have been banned by Tunisias medical council.

Same sex relationships are banned in the north African country, where doctors perform anal "tests" people suspected of engaging in them.

But the National Council of the Medical Order has now decreed that doctors must tell people they have a right to refuse the exams.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the announcement, made earlier this month, was an important and courageous step forward.

 Crowd of people hold LGBT dance party outside Mike Pence's house

However, it said that people could still feel compelled to give their "consent" in some circumstances. Campaigners have said the tests can amount to torture.

Tunisian doctors have taken a courageous step in opposing the use of these torturous exams, said Neela Ghoshal, senior LGBT rights researcher at HRW.

To ensure that forced anal testing in Tunisia ends once and for all, police should stop ordering the exams, and courts should refuse to admit the results into evidence.

However, others argued more action was needed.

"Although the decision of the Tunisian medical council to oppose coercive anal tests is a welcome move, it does not go far enough, said Peter Tatchell, LGBT rights campaigner.

Anal tests for homosexuality, regardless of whether they forced or with consent, are unreliable and unethical. They are rightly condemned by medical authorities worldwide."

In Tunisia the tests have been going on for at least nine years and most probably longer.

Damj [Tunisian LGBT rights group] said they were already hearing of cases when they first started documenting human rights abuses in 2008, and they didn't know how far back the practice dated, Ms Ghoshal told The Independent.

Because they were working more or less underground at the time, not much was publicised about these abuses.

However, a series of high profile cases in Tunisia in recent years has brought more attention to the issue.

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Two men were arrested in December last year and subjected to the tests. Despite passing the exam both were sentenced to eight months in prison in March.

Earlier HRW reports also documented a number of other cases of men being subject to the abuse in 2015.

I took my pants off and had to get on the table, one man told the charity. He entered one finger inside my anus, with cream on it. He put his finger in and was looking. While putting his finger in, he said, Are you ok now, I said, No Im not okay. It was painful.

Then he put in a tube. It was to see if there was sperm. He pushed the tube far inside. It was about the length of a finger. It felt painful. I felt like I was an animal, because I felt like I didnt have any respect. I felt like they were violating me.

HRW and other rights groups have been lobbying the medical council since 2015 but it was not immediately clear what prompted the announcement.

The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Show all 16 1 /16 The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Bora Bora is textbook honeymoon territory Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations The stilt fishermen of Sri Lanka Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Santorini sunsets are among the best in the world Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Team Sri Lanka with the Maldives Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations There's more to Mykonos than its party reputation Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Honolulu's the place for top notch hotels Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Rotorua in New Zealand - perfect for a different kind of honeymoon Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Pick South Africa for a properly wild honeymoon MHVILJOEN/Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations And relax, at Le Meridien Bora Bora Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Bora Bora's your typical honeymoon destination Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Iceland's magnificent landscape is a pretty impressive start to a marriage Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Some beaches are better for same-sex couples than others Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Iguazu Falls straddle Brazil and Argentina Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations A honeymoon in Iceland might turn up the Northern Lights Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Rio embraces LGBT travellers Out of Office The best LGBT+ honeymoon destinations Queenstown New Zealand Out of Office

However, HRW welcomed the development and hoped it would inspire change in other places.

It is time for the world to say a resounding no to the use of forced anal exams everywhere, Ms Ghoshal said.

It is encouraging to see Tunisias doctors leading the way. Medical councils around the world, as well as law enforcement agencies and other government bodies, should take their cue from this example.
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US Attorney General Jeff Sessions outlined a hard new stance on immigration prosecutions in his first visit to the US- Mexico border. He told border control agents the Trump administration would crack down on immigration crimes and direct new funding to border control efforts.

It is here, on this sliver of land, where we first take our stand against this filth, Mr Sessions said in a speech from the border town of Nogales, Arizona.

Mr Sessions made his remarks as part of his official border tour on April 10. The attorney general laid out his plans for a crack-down on illegal immigration, telling agents that the Trump administration marks a new era in immigration reform.

This is the Trump era," he said. "The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws, and the catch and release practices of old are over."

The same day, Mr Sessions released a memo outlining his border control plans. He urged prosecutors to focus on immigration crimes like illegal border crossing, and the smuggling or harbouring of immigrants. He vowed the Trump administration would bring more felony charges for illegal border crossings, and promised to add 125 immigration judges in the next two years.

Statistics from the last three years, however, show immigration crimes already constitute more than 50 percent of all federal criminal prosecutions. Gregory Chen, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association accused Mr Sessions of drawing false connections between illegal immigrants and violent crime.

He and President Trump are wasting more federal taxpayer dollars going after illegal border crossers instead of protecting the American public," Mr Chen told The Associated Press.

Mr Sessions statements echo a hard-line stance immigration stance that the president has promoted for years. Mr Trump infamously accused Mexican immigrants of being rapists and drug dealers in his presidential announcement speech. Shortly after taking office, he issued an executive order denying funding to sanctuary cities that protect undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly also issued stringent border control guidelines in February, broadening the scope of immigrants who could be targeted for deportation. Among those targeted are unaccompanied child immigrants and those suspected of committing a crime.

"This is no accident," Mr Sessions told border control agents on Tuesday. "This is what happens when you have a President who understands the threat, who is not afraid to publicly identify the threat and stand up to it, and who makes clear to law enforcement that the leadership of their country finally has their back."

Mr Sessions plan is reinforced by the Justice Departments latest budget proposal, which would direct hundreds of millions of dollars to hiring new Border Patrol agents, federal prosecutors, and deputy US Marshals, while cutting the departments overall budget by more than $1 billion.
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Eric Trump, President Donald Trump's son, defended his father against accusations of family bias by calling nepotism a beautiful thing.

President Trump handed over control of his multi-billion dollar company, the Trump Organisation, to Eric and his brother shortly after winning the election. Speaking to The Telegraph, Eric claimed his father gave him the reins because he knows I deeply care about the properties, our amazing teams.

Is that nepotism? Absolutely, he continued. Is that also a beautiful thing? Absolutely. Family business is a beautiful thing.

Eric extended his praise for nepotism to the White House, commending the influential role his sister, Ivanka, plays in his fathers administration.

I think the beautiful thing about family is you play on a little bit of a different dynamic, he said, and once in a while you can pull them aside and say: No disrespect but you might want to think about this or maybe you crossed the line here."

Many legal experts, however, disagree with Erics assessment. Federal anti-nepotism statutes state that public officials may not appoint relatives to the agencies in which they serve. Experts say Mr Trump crossed that line in creating government roles for Ivanka, and her husband, Jared Kushner.

Ethics lawyers like Norman Eisen, who worked for the Obama administration, claim Ivankas new role as senior White House adviser violates the federal anti-nepotism statute. The growing list of roles played by her husband, meanwhile, caused one political scientist to label the Trump administration akin to medieval monarchy.

When the closest advisers, both institutional (in the case of son-in-law Jared Kushner) and informal (in the case of his three children), are dominated by family members, the decision-making process will not only be influenced by private family interests but also tend to ignore legal procedures, Georgia State Politics professor Henry Carey wrote in The Conversation.

So far, the Mr Trump has avoided legal trouble because of a court decision that exempts the President from anti-nepotism laws.

The youngest Trumps defence of family favouritism is a continuation of his previous comments, in which he called nepotism a factor of life.

Eric, who has only ever worked for his father, told Forbes that he and his brother might be here because of nepotism, but were not still here because of nepotism.

You know, if we didnt do a good job, if we werent competent, believe me, we wouldnt be in this spot, he said.

Court documents show Eric and his siblings were allowed to invest alongside their father early on, in the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas, and the Trump International Hotel Washington D.C. Eric began working for his fathers company shortly after graduating college, and remains an executive vice president there today.

Robert Jones, a nepotism expert at Missouri State University, told Forbes it is common for children of wealthy families to underestimate the benefits their upbringing gives them.

For most of us who have been given privilege, to some extent we dont even know it, Jones said. Were just not even aware of the opportunities were given.
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Women surgeons around the world are recreating the front cover of The New Yorkers latest issue to fight against stereotypes of the male-dominated industry.

The magazines cover, created by artist Malike Favre, features four illustrated female surgeons wearing face masks and staring down at a patient, with bright operating lights suspended above them. The image is drawn from the perspective of the patient on the operating table.

The image was created to fit with the themes of The New Yorkers latest issue, with cover health and medicine, and has been replicated by hundreds of surgeons across the globe, the publication reported.

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Dr Susan Pitt, an endocrine surgeon at the University of Wisconsin, kicked off the trend when she was at the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons conference after she recreated the cover with three other surgeons and tweeted it with the hashtag #ILookLikeASurgeon, which became popular last year.

I hope it opens peoples eyes and minds that women can be surgeons and anything else they want to be, she told Buzzfeed. There is no such thing as a mans world.

Ms Pitt added that equality in the industry has become a strong movement in the industry, but that the emphasis is on inclusivity, not just women surgeons.

A lot of people who have responded have mentioned that they want to show the pictures to their daughters so they will learn that they can be anything, she said.

Dr Haneen Gomawi, from Saudi Arabia, told The New Yorker: We (lady surgeons) face lots of challenges, in the surgical field and in life; despite the difference in countries.

She told the magazine it felt empowering, bonding and reassuring to be able to take part in the challenge.
Fokaides is currently visiting Egypt along with a Cypriot defense ministry delegation

Related Egypt signs military cooperation agreement with Cyprus

Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi met on Wednesday with Cypriot Minister of Defence Christoforos Fokaides in Cairo where they discussed military cooperation and the latest developments in the Middle East, the Egyptian presidency announced.

The meeting was attended by Egyptian Minister of Defence Sedki Sobhi, who held a separate meeting with his counterpart later.

Fokaides, who is visiting Egypt along with a Cypriot defence ministry delegation, expressed his condolences for the victims of the two deadly church bombings in Egypt earlier this week.

On Sunday, two suicide bombings hit St George's Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria, killing 46 and injuring dozens in the deadliest attack on Copts in the country's recent memory.

Last year, Sobhi and Fokaides signed a joint military cooperation agreement on fighting terrorism and combating the migrant crisis.

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government will publish draft legislation on the legalisation of marijuana later this week.

Under the new rules which will fulfil an election campaign pledge made by the Liberal Party, citizens will be able to carry up to 30 grams of the drug, according to CBC News.

But there will likely be a debate on the age at which it will be legal to buy cannabis.

Mr Trudeau has previously said he favours the law being set to allow the drug to be used legally from the age of 18.

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However, Conservative politicians have joined forces with the Canadian Medical Association to propose it be set at 21. They highlight evidence showing cannabis can damage brain development up to the age of 25.

As a compromise, the plans could allow each Canadian province to set the age of lawful cannabis consumption in line with the legal age for drinking alcohol.

I think the proposal for the age of 18, or 19 in some provinces, to align with the [legal drinking age] across the country, is a reasonable compromise, Mr Trudeau said last December.

We know the largest misdeeds of marijuana use happens at a lower age than 18, 19 years of age, and I think this is a responsible approach that we have found in terms of balance that is both practical and useful.

Where cannabis is and isn't legal Show all 10 1 /10 Where cannabis is and isn't legal Where cannabis is and isn't legal UK Having been reclassified in 2009 from a Class C to a Class B drug, cannabis is now the most used illegal drug within the United Kingdom. The UK is also, however, the only country where Sativex  a prescribed drug that helps to combat muscle spasms in multiple sclerosis and contains some ingredients that are also found in cannabis - is licensed as a treatment Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal North Korea Although many people believe the consumption of cannabis in North Korea to be legal, the official law regarding the drug has never been made entirely clear whilst under Kim Jong Uns regime. However, it is said that the North Korean leader himself has openly said that he does not consider cannabis to be a drug and his regime doesnt take any issue with the consumption or sale of the drug MARCEL VAN HOORN/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal Netherlands In the Netherlands smoking cannabis is legal, given that it is smoked within the designated smoking areas and you dont possess more than 5 grams for personal use. It is also legal to sell the substance, but only in specified coffee shops Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal USA Although in some states of America cannabis has now been legalised, prior to the legalisation, police in the U.S. could make a marijuana-related arrest every 42 seconds, according to US News and World Report. The country also used to spend around $3.6 billion a year enforcing marijuana law, the American Civil Liberties Union notes AP Photo/Ted S. Warren Where cannabis is and isn't legal Spain Despite cannabis being officially illegal in Spain, the European hotspot has recently started to be branded, the new Amsterdam. This is because across Spain there are over 700 Cannabis Clubs  these are considered legal venues to consume cannabis in because the consumption of the drug is in private, and not in public. These figures have risen dramatically in the last three years  in 2010 there were just 40 Cannabis Clubs in the whole of Spain. Recent figures also show that in Catalonia alone there are 165,000 registered members of cannabis clubs  this amounts to over 5 million euros (4 million) in revenue each month Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Uruguay In December 2013, the House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill legalizing and regulating the production and sale of the drug. But the president has since postponed the legalization of cannabis until to 2015 and when it is made legal, it will be the authorities who will grow the cannabis that can be sold legally. Buyers must be 18 or older, residents of Uruguay, and must register with the authorities Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Pakistan Despite the fact that laws prohibiting the sale and misuse of cannabis exist and is considered a habit only entertained by lower-income groups, it is very rarely enforced. The occasional use of cannabis in community gatherings is broadly tolerated as a centuries old custom. The open use of cannabis by Sufis and Hindus as a means to induce euphoria has never been challenged by the state. Further, large tracts of cannabis grow unchecked in the wild Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Portugal In 2001, Portugal became the first country in the world to decriminalize the use of all drugs, and started treating drug users as sick people, instead of criminals. However, you can still be arrested or assigned mandatory rehab if you are caught several times in possession of drugs Getty Where cannabis is and isn't legal Puerto Rico Although the use of cannabis is currently illegal, it is said that Puerto Rico are in the process of decriminalising it RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP/Getty Images Where cannabis is and isn't legal China Cannabis is grown in the wild and has been used to treat conditions such as gout and malaria. But, officially the substance is illegal to consume, possess and sell Getty

The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police is also asking the government to back down on plans to allow people to grow the drug at home, saying it would put too much of a burden on law enforcement officials.

A government taskforce on the issue had suggested setting the limit at four plants per home and limiting the height of each plant to 100 centimetres in a bid to reduce fire risks.

Police have warned Canadians that, for now, using cannabis remains illegal and they will continue to clamp down on those breaking the law.

The country has one of the highest rates of cannabis use among young people, leading government ministers to argue that criminalising the drug has not been effective.

As we legalise cannabis and make a decision about what age it can be accessed, we know that regardless of the age of the person consuming, that it is a product that has potential risk associated with it, Jane Philpott, the Health Minister, told The Toronto Star. "Thats why we are taking a public health approach with a strong focus on public education.

She added: This is a way of responding to the reality of the fact that rates of use are extremely high in young people and we need to take an approach that acknowledges public health, acknowledges the approach of criminalization has not deterred young people from using it.
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Republicans survived an election scare on Tuesday and won a Kansas House seat in the first congressional election since President Donald Trump's victory, but the margin was much closer than expected in a district that had voted overwhelmingly for Trump in November.

Republican state Treasurer Ron Estes, 60, will represent the Kansas 4th congressional district replacing Mike Pompeo, who Trump named as CIA director.

Trump won 60 percent of the district's vote in November and Pompeo won re-election by 31 points. Estes defeated civil rights lawyer James Thompson by seven percentage points, suggesting some backlash against Republicans since November.

Republicans nationally should be very worried, said Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist. It's remarkable that Thompson got this close.

The Kansas election was the first of four special elections to fill seats in the House of Representatives  where Republicans now hold a 237-193 majority to replace Republicans who took top jobs in the Trump administration. Others are in Georgia, Montana and South Carolina.

Both parties will now turn their attention to Georgia and the extremely competitive April 18 contest to replace Tom Price, who resigned to serve as Trump's Health and Human Services secretary.

Democratic hopes rest with Jon Ossoff, 30, a former congressional staffer turned investigative filmmaker who has raised more than $8 million, an extraordinary amount for a special election. Ossoff is counting on opposition to Trump to propel him to a decisive victory.

The Kansas result also reflected blowback against the state's unpopular Republican governor Sam Brownback.

Thompson tapped into voter frustration after Brownback made Kansas a laboratory for sweeping tax cuts that left the state short of revenue and facing a budget crisis. Brownback also refused to expand the Medicaid health programme for the poor.

Lucy Jones-Phillips, a 31-year-old insurance representative and Democrat, acknowledged she doesn't vote in every election, but said she voted for Thompson because she wanted to register her disappointment in Brownback, especially his veto of an expansion of Medicaid.

I can't stand Brownback, she said as she left her polling site in Belle Plaine.

In a sign of nervousness in the waning days of the campaign, Republicans poured money into the race to bolster Estes. Republicans pulled in US Senator Ted Cruz of Texas to campaign in Wichita for Estes, and both Vice President Mike Pence and Trump recorded robo calls for him.

Those GOP calls prompted Charlene Health, a 52-year-old homemaker and Republican in Belle Plaine, to cast a ballot for Estes.

I wasn't even going to vote, she said as she left her polling site Tuesday morning. I finally did. I realised this was important.

Republicans have represented the south-central Kansas district since 1994. The district has been hurt by the downturn in the agricultural economy and the loss of hundreds of well-paying, blue-collar jobs in aircraft manufacturing plants. The 17-county congressional district includes the state's largest city of Wichita, home to Koch Industries, the company led by conservative billionaire political donors Charles and David Koch.

Estes handily won the district's rural counties. But Thompson won in Sedgwick County, which includes Wichita. Trump had carried Sedgwick county by more than 18 percentage points.

Estes said in his victory speech Tuesday night that his campaign showed political pundits and national media that they were wrong in suggesting he could lose the race.

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

Thompson, 46, a political newcomer backed by a group aligned with Senator Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, said late Tuesday that he will run for the seat again in 2018.

We came a lot closer than everyone thought we were going to be at the beginning of the race, because from the very beginning people wrote us off as having absolutely no shot, Thompson's spokesman Chris Pumpelly said.

Libertarian Chris Rockhold trailed a distant third in the race.

Associated Press
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Former Presidential candidate Mitts Romneys memorable phrase about being brought binders full of women was not just a figure of speech, it has emerged, after they were handed over to a newspaper.

The Republican candidate sparked a mixture of outrage and mirth when he used the phrase in a 2012 election debate with Barack Obama in response to a question about workplace equality.

I had the chance to put together a cabinet, and all the applicants seemed to be menI went to a number of womens groups and said, Can you help us find folks? and they brought us whole binders full of women.

Women go on strike against Donald Trump Show all 7 1 /7 Women go on strike against Donald Trump Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump Protestors march during a demonstration against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump near Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York City, December 12, 2016. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Women go on strike against Donald Trump Protestors march during a demonstration against U.S. President-elect Donald Trump near Trump Tower in the Manhattan borough of New York City, December 12, 2016. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images Women go on strike against Donald Trump People rally as part of a nationwide protest against US President-elect Donald Trump outside of Trump Tower on December 12, 2016 in New York. Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images

Critics pounced on the phrase, branding it clumsy at best and downright sexist at worst. Mr Romney was roundly ridiculed and the phrase caused an avalanche of comic material as well as having its own trending Twitter hastag. A Facebook group named "Binders full of women" attracted tens of thousands of members.

But it has just been discovered that the binders existed after a former Romney aide dug them out and handed them over to the Boston Globe.

The newspaper describes the files as: Two white three ring binderspacked with nearly 200 cover letters and resumes, along with a few handwritten notations.

Mr Romney was formerly Governor of Massachusetts and the folders are said to have originated in the 2002 transition period after he won the election.

Although he claimed to have asked for female candidates, a coalition of womens groups said they provided them unsolicited.

Concerned about a lack of females in high-level positions, the coalition said they compiled the information on women interested in working in government and submitted the binders to Romneys embryonic administration.

It was a response to a desire on the part of the Romney administration to access a pool of talent, said Linda Rossetti, who worked with the coalition, made phone calls to encourage candidates to submit applications, and included her own.

They drummed up what was an inelegant way to get at this pool of talent.

Although he was much derided following the binders remark, Mr Romney is regarded as having a good record of putting women in high-level positions.

Compared to the remarks President Donald Trump was discovered to have made during last years election campaign about how his celebrity had enabled him to grab women by the pussy without their consent, the binders full of women remark seems relatively tame.

But the furore proved costly for Mr Romney back in 2012, with Mr Obama able to capitalise and recover ground following a difficult first debate.

Campaigning in Iowa the day after the debate, Mr Obama remarked: Ive got to tell you, we dont have to collect a bunch of binders to find qualified, talented, driven young women.

Beth Myers, who was Romneys chief of staff in Massachusetts and later his presidential campaign manager, recalled that the binders continued to be used once the transition period was over.

He wanted to have his Cabinet and office staff well represented with women. We werent getting a ton of names, Ms Myers said, adding, those resumes in the binders  they werent just used in the beginning to look for staff and put in a corner; we used them throughout, especially for boards and commissions.

The businessman said he would not support Mr Trump when he won the Republican nomination, saying he would spoil his ballot paper.

Hillary Clinton is wrong on every issue, but she's wrong within the normal parameters, he said prior to the 2016 election.

Mr Romney was reportedly passed over for a job on the Trump team after reportedly being considered for the position of Secretary of State, which went to Rex Tillerson.
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A Peruvian news reporter interrupted a live report on severe flooding in the country to rescue a struggling dog.

Aaron Rodriguez, a reporter for broadcaster Latina Noticias, had travelled to the area of Piura to cover the severe flooding in the northern region.

The reporter, who was standing waist-deep in a flooded street and broadcasting live, helped the dog who appeared to be swimming helplessly between a series of flooded streets and unable to find land.

Mr Rodriquez, holding a mobile phone, a microphone and its bunched up cables in one hand, scooped up the dog in the other and waded through the flooded streets until he reached dry land, putting the dog down.

The river Piura bust its banks at the end of March and floodwaters rose to nearly six foot in height, causing four people to drown and 500 people to be evacuated from the town of Catacaos, the BBC reported.

Fifteen hours of rain, the heaviest seen in the area in nearly 10 years, caused the floods, which are thought to have affected 10,000 people in the city of Piura.

After the floods Show all 8 1 /8 After the floods After the floods Lima, Peru A Minnie Mouse soft toy lies in mud after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru, Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru A chair sits on top of belongings after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru Belongings are seen at the home of Paulino Rojas after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru, Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru A chair stands in mud at the home of Francisco Coca after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru Bottles lie in mud after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru, Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru A children's bike leans against a wall covered in mud after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru, Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru Bottles and containers lie in mud after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima Reuters After the floods Lima, Peru Televisions and a chair sit on a pedestrian bridge after rivers breached their banks due to torrential rains, causing flooding and widespread destruction in Carapongo Huachipa, Lima, Peru,

More than 100 people have died in Peru from rain-related events since December. A number of people died in March after a sudden warming of Pacific waters unleashed torrential downpours on the Andean nation, Reuters reports.
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His multiple roles on the small family run newspaper with a circulation of 3,000 include city editor and part time reporter, but that hasn't stopped Art Cullen from winning a prestigious Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing.

He scooped the highly coveted journalism award for for his strongly-worded criticisms of Iowas powerful agricultural companies in The Storm Lakes Times,

His editorials were fuelled by tenacious reporting, impressive expertise and engaging writing that successfully challenged powerful corporate agricultural interests in Iowa, the Pulitzer committee said.

Mr Cullen beat writers on The Washington Post and the Houston Chronicle, both of which have considerably larger circulations and are much more well established.

Founded in 1990, by Mr Cullen's brother John, his wife Dolores and son Tom also work at the newspaper which prints twice a week.

Mr Cullen also works as the city editor, part-time reporter, but he won for his editorials that took on some of Iowa's most powerful agricultural interests including the Koch Brothers, Cargill and Monsanto, and their secret funding of the local government's defence of a big environmental lawsuit.

The investigation into the legal challenge, which had been brought against Buena Vista County for high levels of river pollution from local farms, took several years.

We felt the public deserved to know who's paying our bills," Mr Cullen told Poynter, a non profit school for journalism. "We did a lot of groundbreaking news reporting and my son, who's 24, did most of the heavy lifting.

Doctor Says Monsanto Insecticides, Not Zika Virus, Causing Disease

The editor added that he had lost some friends in pursuing corporate agriculture, which is one of the largest employers in the area, although Storm Lake is a town of just 14,000 people.

Weve always believed that The Storm Lakes Times should be as good at covering Storm Lake as The New York Times is at covering New York, Mr Cullen told The Guardian.

Theres no reason why an editorial written in Iowa shouldnt be as good as an editorial written in Washington.
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A pair of male Republican senators in the midwestern state of Missouri sparked fury when they suggested women would be safer getting abortions at the zoo than in a clinic.

During a debate on a tax increase that would benefit St Louis Zoo, Senator Bob Onder attempted to link it to the city's recent anti-discrimination ordinance which would ban employers and landlords from discriminating against women who have had an abortion.

Claiming it had made itself an "abortion sanctuary city", he filed an amendment to the Zoo Tax Proposal, which said it should have to change its name to The Midwest Abortion Sanctuary City Zoological Park.

Recommended Republicans push bill to allow doctors to lie about foetal anomalies

Republican senator Wayne Wallingford also suggested women should go to the zoo to get a termination because we know it will be safer.

Mr Onder then picked up the zoo theme and compared having an abortion to putting down animals.

Lets think about this, he said, referencing the state law that requires a three-day waiting period before a woman can have an abortion, during which time she must receive state-sponsored counselling to discourage her from going through with the procedure.

Senator Bob Onder was one of the two Republicans who jokingly compared abortion to euthenizing animals (youtube)

Babies, its three days, so although there are members of this body who dont agree with that three days, babies are three days. So, zoo animals, it couldnt be more than 24 hours, right?

He then explained that the waiting period for euthanising zoo animals is five days.

I believe there's some sort of requirement to notify in case some other zoo wants to adopt that animal, he said, before reportedly laughing. Isn't that interesting?

Maybe we should send the people that want an abortion to the St Louis Zoo, because we know it'll be safer, his colleague Mr Wallingford replied.

Senator Wayne Wallingford insisted he was joking when he made his suggestion that women should 'go to the zoo' for an abortion 'because it will be safer' (youtube)

The day before this exchange took place, Democrats in Missouri had filibustered a bill that would have bolstered the rights of pregnancy crisis centres in St Louis which are reportedly run by pro-Lifers and provide misleading information.

Critics say the three days a women has to wait between seeing a doctor and being allowed to have an abortion is burdensome and can be costly, especially for poorer women.

Mr Onder was referencing his belief that there should be a much longer waiting time and that even zoos have a five-day waiting period before they euthanize animals.

Following a swift public backlash, Mr Onder went on a local Fox News talk radio show to defend his comments.

When we're debating on the Senate floor, sometimes we make serious proposals, and sometimes they're tongue-in-cheek to make a point, he said. The humorlessness and the lack of appreciation for irony and satire on the left is on full display here.

Republican legislators in the state of Missouri like Onder have waged a war to stamp out abortion access in the state and shut down the last Planned Parenthood centre that offers abortion care.

The restrictions on Missouri abortion clinics are so tight that the facility in St Louis is the only one in the entire state.

Abortion is not free in the state or covered by insurance plans except in the case of rape, incest or where the life of the mother would be put at risk by continuing the pregnancy.

A federal court is currently in the process deciding whether to overturn the major restrictionsincluding laws that put impossible requirements on clinics and have been ruled unconstitutional in Texasthat have prevented more clinics from providing abortions.

Not only has [Onder] compared women to giraffes and zoo animals, but he has invoked the Holocaust and genocide in reference to a woman's right to an abortion, campaign group Progress Missouri said in a statement.

His colleague, Senator Wayne Wallingford, also suggested that we send people seeking an abortion 'to the zoo.' Unfortunately, this nonsensical rhetoric is as dangerous as it is disturbing, and there's no place for it in public discourse.
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The passenger who was violently dragged off his seat on a United Airlines plane, sparking widespread outrage on social media, has spoken out about the incident for the first time.

David Dao, a 69-year-old doctor from Kentucky, confirmed he was the man in the viral videos, which showed him bleeding from his mouth after law enforcement officers tried to remove him from the overbooked flight.

Dr Dao is receiving treatment in a Chicago hospital. Speaking to WLKY, a local cable TV channel, he said everything was injured, and that he was not doing well.

His family have issued a statement expressing gratitude for the public's support.

The family of Dr Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received, the familys attorney, Stephen Golan, said.

Currently, they are focused only on Dr. Daos medical care and treatment.

Dr Golan is one of two lawyers hired by the doctors family, raising the possibility the father of five could be planning to sue United Airlines.

 Man brutally dragged off United Airlines flight: "I want to go home"

The airline released an initial statement to explain that the United Express Flight 3411 in Chicago was fully booked and that staff asked for volunteers to take another flight.

It later came to light that passengers were removed so that the airline's own staff could take a seat.

When too few volunteers came forward, law enforcement was tasked to select random passengers and force them off the plane.

During the incident, passengers allegedly heard the doctor say he could not delay his journey because he had appointments with his patients scheduled for the following day.

"He just was not willing to get off the plane. He started yelling at her, 'I'm a doctor. I have patients I have to see in the morning. I have to get back tonight. I can't be delayed,' said Tyler Bridges, a passenger on the flight.

You can tell he's dazed from being unconscious, confused."

The CEO of United Airlines, Oscar Munoz issued a statement apologising to Dr Dao for his treatment.

The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment, Munoz said.

I share all of those sentiments, and above all: my deepest apologies for what happened.

A group of senators have signed a letter to Munoz requesting further information about the airlines procedures for forcibly removing a passenger.
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The chief executive of United Airlines has issued another statement to apologise to employees for the forcible removal of a passenger from one of the companys flights this weekend.

Video from flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville went viral over the weekend, after fellow passengers captured the incident on their phones. The video shows a man being dragged from his seat by police, as he and other passengers protest loudly. The man later reappears in the cabin with blood on his face.

Shares in United Airlines tumbled after the incident, wiping almost $1bn from the company's value.

In a letter to employees circulated on Tuesday, Oscar Munoz said he was disturbed by what happened on the flight.

I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way, he wrote. I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right.

The letter marks a departure from Mr Munozs earlier statement on the event, in which he refused to take responsibility and called the passenger disruptive and belligerent.

Fellow passengers on the flight said the man had been randomly selected to give up his seat, in order to make room for United crew members on the overbooked flight. When he protested, claiming to be a doctor who needed to see patients the next day, the police were called in to forcibly remove him.

The videos sparked outcry on social media, spurring some users to call for a boycott of the airline. Many wondered whether the man, who is Asian, was unfairly targeted for his race.

"I strongly fear that united airlines 'randomly' selected an asian to throw off the plane because they also believed asians were compliant," wrote one Twitter user.

The video stirred up similar controversy in China, where state media described the man as Chinese in descent. The hashtag United forcibly removes passenger from plane racked up more than 270 million views and 150,000 comments on Chinese social media platform Weibo on Tuesday. State television stations played the video on repeat, labelling the incident "savage."

United made approximately 14 per cent of its revenue flying Pacific routes last year, according to Reuters.

United stock fell as much as 4.4 per cent, the equivalent of almost $1bn, by Tuesday morning. The stock moved back up by the end of the say, showing a 1.15 per cent loss.

Mr Munoz promised employees a review of airline policy on overbooked flights, and an examination of how they work with city and airport authorities. The results should be available by April 30.

"I promise you we will do better," Mr Munoz said.
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A pair of US judges who were recently sent to the Mexican border to process asylum requests from migrant women and children have reportedly been withdrawn from their posts because they had to few cases to handle.

Deployed in an effort to quickly hear the claims of migrants seeking asylum so that those deemed ineligible could be deported, the judges left behind scheduled hearings in their home courts.

But after they arrived at detention centers housing women and children in Dilley and Karnes County, Texas, they had so few cases their presence was deemed a waste of resources by the US Department of Justice, a source told the Reuters news agency.

There has been a sharp drop in illegal border crossings by women and children since US President Donald Trump took office in January.

The number of parents and children apprehended at the border dropped to just over 1,000 in March, a 93 percent fall from December, the Department of Homeland Security reported last week.

The number of people apprehended by border patrols while trying to cross into the US, also fell for the fifth consecutive month to their lowest level since 2000.

Eight immigration judges were reassigned from their regular courts to detention centres at the border beginning on March as part of Trump's executive order to curb illegal immigration.

While six have had full dockets, handling dozens of cases per week, the judge in Dilley had no hearings and the judge in Karnes County had four, according to a spokeswoman for the US Department of Justice's Executive Office of Immigration Review.

 Donald Trump's Mexico wall: At what cost, and how long?

The Trump administration was quick to claim the immigration figures showed its tougher stance on immigration had been a success.

Speaking on his first visit to the US-Mexico border, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said the US government would crack down on the "filth" of immigration offences.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which has fought legal challenges on behalf of undocumented migrants, has strongly condemned harsh new controls on immigration.

The ACLU said in a statement: "The Trump administration is intent on inflicting cruelty on millions of immigrant families across the country.

"Virtually every immigrant is now a priority for detention and deportation. Immigration and border agents will increase dramatically in number and are empowered to operate unfettered."
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Donald Trump has said Nato is no longer obsolete in an about-turn on previous comments that the military alliance no longer served a purpose.

The US President, who is hosting the Nato secretary-general for talks in Washington, thanked the member states of the bloc for condemning the Syria chemical attack.

But he also said they were still not paying their fair share of the Nato budget and told Jens Stoltenberg he would be seeking to claw back money from states that he said had underpaid in the past.

"I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete," Trump said, adding that the transatlantic alliance was adapting to the broader mission against Isis.

Mr Trump thanked Nato members for their support of his decision last Thursday to launch 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack on civilians and said it was time to end Syria's civil war.

Mr Stoltenberg said he had an excellent and productive meeting in the Oval Office with Trump.

 James Mattis says Putin's threat to Nato is biggest threat since WWII

As a candidate in the presidential election, Mr Trump said the 28-member organisation had outlived its usefulness.

Since taking office, he has expressed support for Nato but has reinforced his view that European members must meet a 2014 agreement for member countries to boost defense spending to 2 per cent of GDP within a decade.

Only the US and a handful of other countries are meeting the target.

He said Nato countries would be more secure and the partnership strengthened if other countries stopped relying on America.
Egypt's Ministry of Interior said on Wednesday it may resort to judicial procedures against newspapers and media outlets that "spread rumours and false reports of security problems" at strategic and vital facilities.

In a statement on its official Facebook page, the ministry named specific newspapers and websites El-Wafd, El-Masreyoun, El-Bawaba and El-Masry El-Youm  that it said published false reports of a bomb explosion in 6 October City on Wednesday as well as unfounded reports of the finding and dismantling of an explosive device near Tanta University.

The ministry said that news outlets should report on such news from official sources so as not to confuse public opinion.

Egyptian authorities have confiscated the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of El-Bawaba newspaper for publishing articles criticising what they described as a security lapse resulting in the deadly church bombings that killed 46 people in Tanta and Alexandria on Sunday. The articles demanded the resignation of minister of interior Magdy Abdel-Ghaffar.

On Monday, the president declared a three-month state of emergency on Monday after the two deadly suicide bombings hit the Mar Girgis Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria on Palm Sunday.

The state of emergency grants the state more powers in overseeing media in addition to other exceptional legal and judicial authorities.
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Vladimir Putin has said trust between Russia and the United States has deteriorated since President Donald Trump took office.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated," Mr Putin said in an interview when asked about relations with Washington since Mr Trump became president.

US intelligence agencies have accused Mr Putin of trying to help Mr Trump get elected as president.

When he was asked about accusations that Syria's government launched a chemical weapons attack in Idlib province, which killed 87 people including many children, Mr Putin said Damascus had given up its chemical weapons stocks.

He said he believed there were two main explanations for the alleged chemical weapons attack: that Syrian government air strikes had hit rebel chemical weapons stocks, releasing poisonous gas, or that the incident was a set-up to discredit the Syrian government.

Mr Putin has previously claimed fake chemical attacks in Syria could provoke further US strikes.

 Russia and Iran have threatened the US over Syria

Intelligence services from several Western countries have disputed Russia's claim Syrian rebels were responsible for the chemical weapons.

The health minister in Turkey, which treated many of the attack's victims and conducted autopsies on others, said test results conducted on victims confirmed sarin gas was used.

The White House has accused Russia of being involved in a "cover up" over the suspected chemical attack.

Secretary of Defence James Mattis said the US government has no doubt sarin gas was used, resulting in nearly 100 deaths, in an attack perpetrated by Syrian President Bashar al Assads regime.

General Mattis said it was clear the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed the attack.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

Mr Trump said Mr Putin was backing an "evil person" in Syria and called the Syrian President "an animal."

He told Fox Business Network Mr Putin's support for Mr Assad was "very bad for Russia" and also "very bad for mankind."
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Both Republican and Democratic legislators are yet to uncover evidence Obama administration officials did anything unusual or illegal, CNN reports.

President Donald Trump had alleged Barack Obama's National Security Adviser Susan Rice may have committed a crime by requesting the "unmasking" of individuals in the Trump transition team.

Mr Trump called it "one of the big stories of our time."

Recommended Donald Trump says Susan Rice may have committed a crime

However, after reviewing intelligence reports related to Ms Rice's requests at the NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland, several members and staff of the House and Senate intelligence committees have found no wrongdoing, multiple sources told CNN.

One described Ms Rice's requests as "normal and appropriate" for officials who serve as National Security Adviser.

Another said there is "absolutely" no smoking gun in the reports.

They reportedly urged the White House to declassify them to make clear there was nothing alarming.

 Donald Trump says he wants to be president of the US, not the world

Ms Rice denied any wrongdoing, telling MSNBC: "The allegations that somehow Obama administration officials utilised intelligence for political purposes are absolutely false."

According to five US intelligence officials talking to Reuters, Ms Rice followed standard procedure in requesting the NSA to reveal to her the names of American citizens who had been in contact with Russians whose communications were monitored by US intelligence.

It is unlikely she would have known that any unidentified American had a connection to Mr Trump, the officials said.

Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Show all 22 1 /22 Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Kanye West and President-elect Donald Trump speak with the press after their meetings at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images Kanye West meets Donald Trump in Manhattan Singer Kanye West arrives at Trump Tower December 13, 2016 as US President-elect Donald Trump continues to hold meetings in New York. Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images

As White House national security adviser, Ms Rice could not order the NSA to reveal the identities of any Americans. Instead, she could only request it to do so.

There is nothing unusual, much less suspicious, about any request by Ms Rice, another intelligence official said, especially since it could have revealed Russian intelligence contacts or agents operating in the United States.

That official and two other intelligence officials said the NSA often receives dozens of such requests in a month.
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The US position on Syria remains a mystery to Moscow and Washington's rhetoric tends to be primitive and loutish, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov has said.

Mr Ryabkov's remarks were released minutes before US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the highest level representative of the Trump administration to visit Russia, was set to start talks with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.

Mr Ryabkov said that at the talks Russia expected to discuss no-fly zones in Syria, and that North Korea and Ukraine would also be on the agenda.

Recommended Rex Tillerson arrives in Russia amid high tensions over Syria

At the beginning of the meeting between Mr Tillerson and Mr Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister said that his country wanted to "know the intentions of the White House" but both he and Mr Tillerson made clear that they wanted an open and frank dialogue about the differences between the two nations.

That amounted to somewhat of a detente after days of escalating rhetoric over Russia's support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. At a summit in Italy on Tuesday Mr Tillerson said it was clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end and that the United States hopes for a Syria without Mr Assad in power.

We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people. Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role, Mr Tillerson added in remarks to reporters.

Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia's interests longer term.

Meanwhile Vladimir Putin deepened his support for the Syrian regime, saying that groups opposed to Mr Assad could use false chemical attacks blamed on the Syrian President to provoke the US into further strikes. He even appeared to suggest the US may have more attacks planned.

We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared  in other parts of Syria, including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using [chemical weapons], Mr Putin said, without offering any proof.

Mr Putin said western and Turkish accusations that Syrias government dropped the nerve agent that killed dozens of civilians in Idlib earlier this month were comparable to the now-discredited claim that Saddam Hussein had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. 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In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. 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. 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Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. 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As a whole, the administration's stance with regard to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all, RIA news agency quoted Mr Rybakov as telling reporters.

In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy, RIA quoted Mr Ryabkov as saying.

Mr Lavrov told his US opposite number that last week's Tomahawk missile strike on Syrian military targets was a violation of law and that it was important not to allow them to be repeated.

Additional reporting by agencies
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The White House has said it believes Russia is involved in a cover up over a suspected chemical attack in Syria and are prepared to respond if more chemical weapons are used.

In the wake of a declassified intelligence report, the US government said it has no doubt that a sarin gas attack in Idlib, which resulted in nearly 100 deaths, was perpetrated by Syrian President Bashar al Assads regime, Secretary of Defence James Mattis said.

Senior White House officials said they are also sure that Russia is engaging in a disinformation campaign in saying the attack could have been carried out by groups other than the Assad regime.

Recommended US investigating possible Russia collusion in Syria chemical attack

General Mattis said it was clear the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed the attack.

The White House said intelligence reports and video pointed to the regime being at fault, claiming personnel who were associated with Mr Assads chemical weapons programme were seen near the airfield where the attack is believed to have originated.

It was at this base that 57 US Tomahawk missiles were fired on 6 April.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was unequivocal in her criticism of Russia.

She said Russia was either incompetent in assuring that chemical weapons were not in use in the area or that they were played for fools by Mr Assad.

The White House said there was a level of cooperation between Mr Assad and Russia that is indicative of collusion if not foreknowledge of the attack.

Russian forces were located in the same area as the Syrian forces believed to have carried out the 4 April attack.

The US warned Russia ahead of the missile strike, General Mattis said.

Russia and Russian state media also said that the sarin gas in Idlib province was released after bombs hit a munitions depot, but the White House said their intelligence shows the sarin-laden weapons did not land near such a depot.

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer once again followed Mr Trumps earlier narrative of blaming the previous Obama administration.

It was [former National Security Adviser] Susan Rice that said Syria no longer had chemical weapons, he said during a daily briefing.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

He added that the only countries who do not think Mr Assad carried out the sarin attack are Syria, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Russia is agreeing with failed states, he added.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the US accusation reminds [him] of the events in 2003 when US envoys to the Security Council were demonstrating what they said were chemical weapons found in Iraq.

It was never proven that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

He also claimed that Russia had intelligence that the attacks were planned and carried out in such a way that it was convenient to frame the Assad regime.

Mr Spicer also managed to spark fierce debate on another issue during his address on Syria when he said even Hitler didnt use chemical weapons. His remarks drew instant criticism and it was pointed out that the Nazis used gas chambers in concentration camps to kill millions of Jews with chemical during the Holocaust.

General Mattis later said the US missile strike was a measured response to Mr Assads use of chemical weapons in the battlefield.

He said the US will not passively stand by as Syrians are killed with chemical weapons, but reiterated the primary objective for the US was to defeat Isis.

He said the strike was not a harbinger of some change in our military campaign against Isis, but did not rule out a similar responses to any future use of chemical weapons.

He also indicated that the Assad regimes use of barrel bombs - inexpensive weapons filled with shrapnel or oil - could be considered chemical weapons if filled with chlorine gas. It was unclear whether this would now prove to be a new red line for the Trump administration.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is currently in Moscow meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and is also expected to meet Mr Putin, as diplomatic tensions between the two powers continue to rise.
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The White House would 100 per cent strike Syria again, says White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer.

The US would absolutely consider taking further military action if the Syrian government continues to use chemical weapons against its citizens, Spicer told reporter Greta Van Susteren on Wednesday.

The President showed last Thursday night that he will use decisive, proportional and justified action to right wrongs, Mr Spicer said, referring to the US 6 April air strike on a Syrian military base.

Mr Trump ordered the air strike after a chemical weapons attack  reportedly authorised by the Syrian government  killed 70 people in northern Syria. The President urged the rest of the world to join the United States in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.

The strike was praised by Australia, Japan, and several European and Middle Eastern nations.

On Tuesday night, however, Mr Trump seemed to tell reporter Michael Goodwin that he would not take action in Syria again.

Our policy is the same  it hasnt changed, he said. Were not going into Syria.

Mr Spicer attempted to clarify these comments on Wednesday morning, telling Ms Van Susteren the president was referring to sending ground troops into the country  not air strikes.

Should [the Syrian government] continue to use gas  especially against children and babies  all options remain on the table, Mr Spicer said. He said the White House would absolutely consider striking Syria again.

The press secretary's comments echo his previous statement that the US would definitely consider further military action in the country. Mr Spicer said on Monday that the White House cant imagine a stable and peaceful Syria under current leadership, but would prioritise fighting Isis over forcing regime change.

The air strikes have put Mr Trump on opposite ends of the conflict with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he previously praised heavily. The Russian government is allied with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war, supplying weapons to his government despite international criticism.

The White House accused Russia of obscuring Mr Assads role in the chemical weapons attack on Tuesday. A four-page document released by the National Security Council accused Russia of shielding their ally from international condemnation.

Mr Spicer took a similarly hard line on Wednesday, saying Russia should live up to its obligations in controlling the spread of chemical weapons. Russia previously promised to help destroy Syrias chemical weapons arsenal after a 2013 attack.

Mr Spicer urged Russia to ally with the US in their shared interestof defeating Isis in the region. He criticised the country for allying with North Korea and Iran in backing the Syrian government.

If youre Russia, youre really isolating yourself by aligning yourself with Assad, Mr Spicer said.

He did not confirm whether Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who left for Russia on Tuesday, would meet with Mr Putin during his stay.
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North Korean state media has warned of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of aggression as a US aircraft strike group steams towards the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

President Donald Trump described the carrier group, headed by the USS Carl Vinson, as an "armada".

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a peaceful resolution of rising tensions on the Korean peninsula in a call with Mr Trump.

 North Korea 'ready for war' after US sends navy strike group to peninsula

Mr Xi stressed China "is committed to the target of denuclearisation on the peninsula, safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula, and advocates resolving problems through peaceful means," Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

"China is willing to maintain close communication and coordination with the US side", Mr Xi said.

Mr Trump ordered the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier group to head for the Korean peninsula in an attempt to deter North Korea's nuclear and long-range missile ambitions, which it is developing in defiance of UN resolutions and sanctions.

There are concerns the hermit kingdom could conduct a nuclear test this weekend to mark the 105th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founding father Kim Il-sung.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, the President said: "We are sending an armada. Very powerful.

"We have submarines. Very powerful. Far more powerful than the aircraft carrier. That I can tell you."

He said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was "doing the wrong thing" and, when asked if he thought Mr Kim was mentally fit, replied: "I don't know. I don't know him."

US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach Show all 10 1 /10 US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach US Marine soldiers patrol during the US-South Korea joint Exercise Operation Pacific Reach in Pohang, South Korea. North Korea is vowing tough counteraction to any military moves that might follow the US move to send the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to waters off the Korean Peninsula AP US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach South Korean soldiers take part in the Operation Pacific Reach joint logistic exercise in Pohang, South Korea Reuters US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach North Korea is vowing tough counteraction to any military moves that might follow the US move to send the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to waters off the Korean Peninsula AP US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach South Korean marine soldiers stand guard during the US-South Korea joint Exercise Operation Pacific Reach in Pohang, South Korea AP US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach A US Marine takes part in Operation Pacific Reach joint logistic exercise in Pohang, South Korea Reuters US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach A US Marine takes a position during a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) exercise as part of a joint defence exercise at a beach in Pohang Getty Images US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach South Korea and the United States kicked off a combined distribution exercise focused on integrating the two sides alliance logistics capabilities, in Pohang, 260 kms southeast of Seoul Getty Images US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach South Korea and the United States kicked off a combined distribution exercise focused on integrating the two sides alliance logistics capabilities Getty Images US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach A US Marine walks past a military vehicle during a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) exercise as part of a joint defence exercise in Pohang Getty Images US/South Korea joint exercise Operation Pacific Reach US Marines gather at a beach during a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) exercise as part of a joint defence exercise in Pohang, 260 kms southeast of Seoul, South Korea Getty Images

Japan is reportedly preparing to send several warships to join the US strike group in a joint show of force, two sources in Tokyo told Reuters.

North Korea has said it is prepared to respond to any US aggression.

"Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the US invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland," the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said.

It comes after Mr Trump tweeted to say North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the US would "solve the problem" with our without the help of China.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!" Mr Trump tweeted.

In another tweet, he said: "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!"

"USA," he added.

On the morning he sent his tweets, China had ordered its training companies to return coal from North Korea to the isolated country.

Following the order, a fleet of North Korean cargo ships headed home to the port of Nampo, shipping data revealed.

However, has Beijing said it will not countenance measures that could bring about a collapse of the regime that could release a flood of refugees across its border, destabilise northeast Asia and result in a US-friendly government taking power in Pyongyang.

Additional reporting by agencies
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Japans population is set to plummet from 127 million to 88 million by 2065 - and is projected to drop even further to just 51 million by 2115 if current trends continue.

The bleak forecast from the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research places greater pressure on the Japanese government to address its population problem, which has been described by economists as a demographic time bomb.

While the country is currently the 11th most populous nation in the world, its failure to boost birth rates in recent decades has left it with a significantly older population base and a dangerous shortage of young adults.

The institute's data shows that the average life expectancy for women in Japan will increase from 87 to 91 by 2065, while that of men is likely to see a rise from 80 to 85.

This means that, by 2065, people aged 65 or older will make up over 38 percent of the population.

The toxic combination of low fertility rates and an ageing population will add to the gloomy economic prospects for a country with the highest amount of public debt in the world.

The one slight silver lining offered by the data is that it does reveal a moderately slower population decline than has been previously projected.

The research body attributed the small rally to "more women in their 30s and 40s having children".

The Japanese government reshuffled its Cabinet in 2015 with the specific goal of tackling the issue and stopping the total slipping below 100 million by 2060.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had previously appointed Katsunobu Kato as the minister for 100 million active people in 2012 to address the rapidly falling birth rates. Nevertheless, last year saw Japanese birth rates drop below 1 million for the first time since records began in 1899.

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

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told the Daily Telegraph he was optimistic about the measures the administration had implemented: I am sure that the next five years will show even more of an impact.

Suga also told the Staits Times that the government will "respond with all our strength" to its "most important issue".
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Two new Turkish opinion polls show a narrow majority of Turks, between 51 and 52 per cent, would vote yes in the referendum and extend the powers of current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Voters in Turkey go to the polls on 16 April to decide whether to change the constitution and create an executive presidency. Voting for Turks living abroad finished on Sunday.

A survey by pollsters Anar put the yes vote at 52 per cent. Its poll was conducted face-to-face with more than 4,000 people from 5 to 10 April in 26 provinces. The number of undecided voters has fallen to 8 per cent, it said, adding that that had led to a two percentage point boost for yes since the start of March.

Recommended Critics of President Erdogan tell of intimidation ahead of referendum

Similarly, the Konsensus polling company put the yes vote at 51.2 per cent after the distribution of undecided voters. It conducted its survey face-to-face with 2,000 people from 2 to 8 April in 41 provinces.

Mr Erdogan said this week that Turks living overseas had turned out strongly to vote, which pollsters say could benefit him.

The Turkish President has also spent much of his recent campaign attacking the head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), which is spearheading the no camp. Mr Erdogan has accused its leader, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, of lying, language Mr Kilicdaroglu has said is not fitting of a president.

On Tuesday, Mr Erdogan ridiculed the opposition leader for losing the last seven elections. The people don't like you, they don't embrace you. The truth is plain, he said during a televised meeting with university students.

The referendum campaign has damaged Turkey's ties with some European allies. Mr Erdogan has described the banning on security grounds of some rallies by Turkish ministers in the Netherlands and Germany as Nazi-like tactics.

Germany has called the references unacceptable. But Mr Erdogan has continued undeterred, repeatedly accusing Germany of harbouring members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an accusation Berlin has denied.

Germany is currently sheltering terrorists. I say it openly. When I say they have resurrected Nazism they go crazy. Why do you go crazy? That's what you've done, that's why I say it, Mr Erdogan said at Tuesday night's event.

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

On Wednesday, the PKK claimed responsibility for a bomb attack on a police compound in South-east Turkey that killed three people, saying more than two tonnes of explosives were planted in a tunnel under the complex.

The blast on Tuesday tore through the compound in Diyarbakir, the largest city in the mainly Kurdish South-east.

Authorities initially said the explosion appeared to have occurred during repairs to an armoured vehicle but later said it was a terrorist attack.

The PKK, which has waged an armed struggle against the Turkish state for more than three decades, is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and Europe.

It turned out that the explosion was the result of a terrorist attack, the Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told broadcaster Haberturk on Wednesday. They dug a tunnel and placed the explosives in the ground.

The Diyarbakir governor's office said the attackers dug a 30-metre tunnel from the basement of an adjacent building. Forensic investigations showed that about 1 tonne of explosives and diesel were detonated by timer, it said.

One officer and two civilians were killed in the blast. Four wounded people remain in hospital.

The governor's office said five people suspected of direct links to the incident had been arrested. Another 172 people thought to be in relation with terrorists were also detained, it said without giving details.

Reuters
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Former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has announced he will stand again in Irans upcoming elections, an unexpected move which could upend the countrys political landscape.

Mays election is widely expected to be won by current moderate President Hassan Rouhani, best known outside the country for his negotiation of a nuclear deal with world powers.

Mr Rouhani was endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in September 2016, who also recommended that Mr Ahmadinejad should not run. Without naming the former president, he said one candidate should not seek office as it would bring about a polarised situation that would be harmful for the county.

 Benjamin Netanyahu urges Theresa May to back fresh sanctions for Iran

Conservative parties in Tehrans parliament have so far been unable to coalesce around a single candidate.

Election officials appeared stunned, Associated Press journalists said, as they watched the processing of Mr Ahmadinejads paperwork. No immediate reaction was forthcoming from the Ayatollahs representatives.

While the Ayatollahs September comments were just advice, they do not prevent me from running, Mr Ahmadinejad told Iranian state media shortly after registering himself as a presidential candidate.

There is extensive pressure on me from dear people of different walks of life as their small servant to come to the election, he added.

48 Hours In: Tehran, Iran Show all 2 1 /2 48 Hours In: Tehran, Iran 48 Hours In: Tehran, Iran 48 Hours In: Tehran, Iran

At least 120 people have submitted their names as candidates for president since registration opened on Tuesday, including several of Mr Ahmadinejads allies.

The former presidents firebrand style could prove appealing for hardliners now seeking a tough-talking candidate to stand up to newly elected US President Donald Trump, who made much on the campaign trail of his tough stance on Iran.

Analysts observe a Ahmadinejad candidacy could re-ignite the divides in Iranian politics deepened by his turbulent second term in office between 2009-2013.

[The decision] was an organised mutiny against Irans ruling system, Soroush Farhadian, who backs political reformists, told the AP.

Mr Ahmadinejad remains a controversial figure in Iran. Western belief he was secretly pursuing a nuclear weapons programme led to crippling international sanctions during his time in office, and protests at his 2009 re-election were met with a crackdown which sent hundreds of people to prison and left dozens dead.

Several of his close political allies have since been jailed on corruption charges. Internationally, Mr Ahmadinejads frequent comments predicting the demise of Israel and questioning the scale of the Holocaust often raised alarm.

Under Irans electoral system all potential presidential candidates must be vetted by a clerical body before they are allowed to run for office. Women and political dissidents are usually vetoed.

Iran goes to the polls on 19 May in an election widely viewed as a referendum on the historic 2015 nuclear agreement. While the deal eased international sanctions in return for curbs on the countrys nuclear programme, the trickle-down effects have yet to be felt by many of Irans 80 million-strong population.
Egypt's Catholic and Evangelical churches have decided to cancel Easter celebrations on Saturday night after the two deadly suicide bombings that hit Mar Girgis Cathedral in Tanta and St Mark's Cathedral in Alexandria on Palm Sunday.

Father Andrea Zaki, the head of the Evangelical community in Egypt, said Easter celebrations will be cancelled and masses will be limited to prayer services in mourning of the victims of the attacks.

The secretary of Egypt's Coptic Catholic Church Emmanuel Ayad said on Wednesday that the Catholic Church has also decided to cancel Easter celebrations in solidarity with sister churches and the families of those killed in the attacks.

On Tuesday, the secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church Bishop Rafael announced the cancelation of Easter celebrations and the limiting of Saturday night masses to prayers, with a reception of mourners on Sunday.

Christians are set to celebrate Easter in masses across the country's churches on Saturday night.

Egyptian Copts make up about 10 percent of Egypt's population of 90 million and constitute the Middle East's largest Christian community.

The Sunday double deadly attacks on the two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, which left 46 killed and dozens injured, was the worst terrorist attack against the country's Christian population.

Last December, a suicide bombing hit Cairo's St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, killing 29 worshipers, mostly women and children.

Correction: An earlier version of this piece indicated that the Egyptian Anglican Church has decided to cancel Easter celebrations on Saturday night. In fact, it is the Evangelical Church.

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Russia has vetoed a UN resolution condemning the reported use of chemical weapons in Syria and urging a speedy investigation.

The resolution, which aimed to bolster support for international inquiries into a deadly toxic gas attack in Khan Sheikhoun last week, was being pushed by the US, Britain and France.

While 10 nations voted in favour, Russia and Bolivia vetoed the resolution, while China, Kazakhstan and Ethiopia abstained.

It marks the eighth time Russia has vetoed a vote on a Syria resolution.

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he was dismayed at Russia's decision to veto the resolution, saying it put the country on the "wrong side of the argument".

It comes after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned that trust between Moscow and Washington had plunged to a low level amid rising tensions over the war in Syria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin meanwhile said trust had eroded between the two countries since Donald Trump became president, after the new US leader fired missiles at Syria to punish Moscow's ally for its suspected use of poison gas.

Mr Tillerson met Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov for talks on Wednesday, during which Mr Lavrov reportedly said Russia was willing to reinstate an air safety agreement put on hold last week aimed at preventing accidents between US and Russian jets in the skies above Syria.

Russias top diplomat said after the talks that the pair had agreed to continue discussions aimed at securing a peaceful solution to the Syrian civil war, but warned of attempts by groups to sabotage relations with the US.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

Earlier on Wednesday, British scientists told the UN Security Council they had found sarin in samples taken from the site of an alleged chemical gas attack, while Turkey also claimed to have found evidence of sarin gas use after testing the bodies of the victims.

The majority of the international community has blamed the attack in Idlib province, which killed 87 people including many children, on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

The Syrian government has meanwhile denied involvement in the toxic attack, blaming rebel groups.
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British scientists have found sarin in samples taken from the site of an alleged chemical gas attack in Syria.

Britain's UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told the UN Security Council samples taken from the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun and analysed by British scientists tested positive for sarin or a sarin-like substance.

"The United Kingdom therefore shares the US assessment that it is highly likely that the regime was responsible for a sarin attack on Khan Sheikhoun on 4 April," Mr Rycroft told the UN Security Council.

 Britain backs US strike on Syrian air base after 'barbaric' chemical attack

The majority of the international community has blamed the attack, which killed 87 people including many children, on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkey has also claimed to have found evidence of sarin gas use after testing the bodies of the victims.

The Syrian government has denied involvement in the toxic attack and blamed rebel groups.

In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Show all 7 1 /7 In pictures: US missile strike against Syria In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78) launches a tomahawk land attack missile in the Mediterranean Sea AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria The United States military launched at least 50 tomahawk cruise missiles at al-Shayrat military airfield near Homs, Syria, in response to the Syrian military's alleged use of chemical weapons in an airstrike in a rebel held area in Idlib province EPA In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Shayrat airfield in Syria Getty Images In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Ross (DDG 71) fires a tomahawk land attack missile in Mediterranean Sea Reuters In pictures: US missile strike against Syria President Donald Trump speaks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., after the US fired a barrage of cruise missiles into Syria in retaliation for this week's gruesome chemical weapons attack against civilians AP In pictures: US missile strike against Syria Syria's President Bashar al-Assad Reuters

Mr Rycroft called on all 15 members of the UN Security Council to to support a resolution drafted by the UK, France and the United States to condemn the reported use of chemical weapons and demand all parties provide speedy access for investigators.

He said Russia, a close ally of President Assad, has a choice of sticking with "the toxic Assad regime that poisons its own people" or seeking peace through negotiations and a political transition.

Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov has said Russia would veto the draft in its current form, the Interfax news agency reported.

A final paragraph in the report stresses Syria's requirement to provide investigators with flight plans and information about air operations on the day Khan Sheikhoun was attacked  names of helicopter squadron commanders, and immediate access to air bases where they believe an attack may have been launched.
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Barack Obama is to visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on his first trip to Europe since leaving office.

The former US President will travel to Germany for the launch of a summer of special events to mark the 500th anniversary of the Protestant church.

He will arrive in Germany on the same day as his successor Donald Trump is due in Brussels for a meeting with other NATO leaders  the first scheduled foreign visit for the President since taking office.

Mr Obama is due to give a speech in the German capital and take part in a discussion on democracy with Ms Merkel, who he once called his closest ally.

Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Show all 11 1 /11 Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama's best moments in the White House May 19, 2009 The President was leaving the State Floor after an event and found Sasha in the elevator ready to head upstairs to the private residence. He decided to ride upstairs with her before returning to the Oval Office, Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Oct. 26, 2012 President Barack Obama pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the son of a White House staffer in the Outer Oval Office Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House A National Security staffer, Carlton Philadelphia, brought his family to the Oval Office for a farewell photo with President Obama. Carltons son, Jacob, softly told the President he had just gotten a haircut like President Obama, and asked if he could feel the Presidents head to see if it felt the same as his. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House March 21, 2010 The President, Vice President and senior staff applaud after watching on television the House vote on H.R. 4872 for health care reform, in the Roosevelt Room of the White House Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Dec. 3, 2009 President Barack Obama fist-bumps custodian Lawrence Lipscomb in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building following the opening session of the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Sept. 22, 2015 "The Obama family and Biden family greet Pope Francis as he arrives in the United States for the first time at Joint Base Andrews," Sept. 22, 2015. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 21, 2014 President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden participate in a "Let's Move!" video taping on the Colonnade of the White House, Feb. 21, 2014 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Feb. 18, 2016 President Barack Obama watches First Lady Michelle Obama dance with 106-Year-Old Virginia McLaurin in the Blue Room of the White House prior to a reception celebrating African American History Month, Feb. 18, 2016 Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Jan. 21, 2013 "The President and First Lady wave to supporters as they ride in the inaugural parade. I had asked the President if I could ride in the presidential limousine and the President joked, 'But Michelle and I were planning to make out," Jan. 21, 2013. Peter Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama share a private moment in a freight elevator at an Inaugural Ball, January 2009 all pics: Pete Souza Barack Obama's best moments in the White House Barack Obama rests his hand on the bible that President Lincoln used for his swear-in, being held by his wife Michelle Obama as he is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States of America Rex

He and Ms Merkel will speak on a purpose-built stage at the historic Brandenberg Gate, Berlins most prominent monument, which stands as a symbol of the Iron Curtain and the end of the Cold War when Germany was divided into East and West by the Berlin War.

In 2008, Ms Merkel intervened to prevent then presidential candidate Obama from delivering a speech at the Brandenberg Gate because she said she thought it would be inappropriate to use the non-partisan symbol for political purposes  although he was permitted to speak at the monument as President in 2013.

With the German general election taking place in September, Ms Merkel is facing a tough battle to win a fourth term as Chancellor and the joint appearance will be seen by some as a bid to boost her chances.

Mr Obama has previously endorsed Conservative Ms Merkel saying, If I were German and I had a vote Id support her in his final visit to Berlin as President last November.

He joked that he didnt know if that helps or hurts.

Tensions emerged in relations between the US and Germany after it emerged that the National Security Council had tapped the phones of Ms Merkel and other officials in the country, although the two leaders continued to enjoy an apparently warm relationship.

In contrast, Mr Trump has been publicly critical of the German Chancellor, particularly her willingness to allow refugees into the country.

President Trump met with Ms Merkel for the first time last month and is due to make his first official visit to Germany for a meeting of the G20 leaders in Hamburg in July.

He was invited to Germany  where he is a popular figure - by the bishop of Bavaria, Heinrich Bedfor-Strohm.

President Barack Obamas attending the Kirchentag in Berlin, which will ring in the Reformation Summer, underlines the international character of our 500th anniversary celebrations, the bishop said in a statement.

"Anyone who is pious also has to be politically minded, he added. "I am looking forward to enthusiastic debates during the Reformation Summer 2017."

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Mr Obama has never cited any religious affiliation before, although he was a member of a Christian community when he lived in Chicago and has said in the past that he occasionally consults the bible for guidance.

After his appearance in Berlin, Mr Obama is due to visit Scotland where he will address business leaders and philanthropists at a dinner at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
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So how is the post Brexit post Trump world shaping up? Well recent events have cast a revealing light as to the direction of travel. Last week saw the post Brexit Global Britain strategy pursued headlong. Theresa May was in Saudi Arabia, Chancellor Philip Hammond in India and international trade secretary Dr Liam Fox in the Philippines.

Global Britain

The Global Britain strategy essentially embodies an extreme free market drive long dreamed of by elements of the corporate and financial elite. It will take the form of bilateral trade agreements (most notably with Trumps America) and a bonfire of regulations.

If you thought leaving the European Union would avert the EU-US trade agreement, or Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), think again. A free trade deal with Trumps America could be TTIP magnified times 10 leaving the UK exposed without the negotiating power of the EU. It will aggressively open up the NHS and public services to US corporate takeover and lock in privatisation.

Liam Fox greets self-confessed murderer and international pariah President Duterte with a warm handshake (Rex)

On her recent visit to Trump, Theresa May specifically did not rule out further opening up the NHS to US healthcare and insurance as part of a trade deal. In fact, Jeremy Hunt tweeted about how the US and UK health sectors should work together.

The Donald is doing his bit; tweeting a picture with the major American health insurance CEOs at the Oval Office in February whilst attempting to dismantle Obamacare.

UnitedHealth CEO Stephen J Hemsley can be seen in the frame, estimated by Forbes back in 2011 to have total compensation of around $102m (82m). His predecessor Dr William McGuire was forced to resign following a share options scandal but his golden parachute was estimated in the region of $1bn. NHS boss (and ex-UnitedHealth executive) Simon Stevens is already pushing the US Accountable Care model over here translating into a large programme of hospital service and GP closures, significant cuts, privatisation and the expansion of private health insurance.

Billionaire President Trump has packed his administration with other billionaires as well as continuing the corporate capture of policymaking (Getty)

A US trade deal would likely mean ripping up regulations around workers rights, environmental protections and the EU Reach health and safety regulations. Food and drug standards would then only have to comply with inferior US regulations. Thus, we can look forward to toxic pesticides, unsafe hormones in the food chain, chlorine chicken, acid-washed meat and GM food.

Meanwhile, Fox visited Philippines President Duterte. Duterte is an international pariah responsible for killing 7,000 people in a drugs war. He has personally boasting of killing people himself as a mayor, including throwing someone from a helicopter.

Bilateral trade agreements with other big markets are liable to leave us similarly exposed. Development secretary Priti Patel recently announced that the City of London should transform into a financial hub for the developing world and gateway to imperial dreams of Africa 2.0.

Brexit will aggressively open up the NHS and public services to US corporate takeover and lock in privatisation (Rex)

Geopolitical hegemony

Mays visit to Saudi Arabia follows on from important trade trips to the US and India. The Saudi trip is designed to facilitate the negotiation of trade deals ahead of the proposed $2 trillion flotation of Saudi state oil company Aramco on the London Stock Exchange. MPs and humanitarian groups have criticised the visit due to human rights abuses including Saudi Arabias devastating war in Yemen, which has killed over 10,000 civilians.

Theresa May with one of our major post-Brexit trading partners. Not for him those pesky EU food safety regulations (Getty)

Such concerns have been pushed aside with the Saudis considered a key ally in US-UK geopolitical hegemony of the Middle East. In fact, Wikileaks disclosures from Hilary Clintons emails revealed knowledge of the Saudi Arabian and Qatari governments arming and funding ISIS whilst the US State Department (and the UK) negotiated massive arms deals with the Saudis.

The strategy of using Islamists as a buffer against Arab nationalism or socialism stretches back decades. The consequences have included the global amplification of Islamic terrorism. Yet in the same week as the Westminster terror attack, up to 200 civilians were killed by US air strikes in Mosul following on from dozens of civilians similarly killed in Syria.

At the end of March, it was announced that Trumps Syria policy would not be conditional on the removal of Assad. This was consistent with Trumps historic position urging Obama not to attack Syria in 2013.

Then the chemical attack, blamed on Assads regime even though formal investigation is awaited, took place. Last Thursday morning, we heard of an astonishing U-turn on Trumps Syria policy. By Friday, he had ordered US missile strikes against a Syrian airbase with the predictable result of unifying political and media opponents in near universal praise.

In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier listens at the President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker speaking at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Frank-Walter Steinmeier, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, delivers his speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Michel Barnier, European Chief Negotiator for Brexit reacts during a meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg EPA In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Member of the European Parliament and former leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage wears socks with Union Jack flag at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty Images In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Nigel Farage, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) member and MEP, addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcoming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier gestures during speeches at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker (L) speaks with European commission member in charge of Brexit negotiations with Britain, French Michel Barnier at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions European Union's chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt, President of the Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), addresses the European Parliament during a debate on Brexit priorities and the upcomming talks on the UK's withdrawal from the EU Reuters In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg Getty In pictures: European parliament Brexit discussions The European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France Getty Images

This episode would appear to be the latest instalment in Trumps fight with the deep state following on from the intelligence agencies accusing Russia of election interference and unveiling a Trump dossier detailing lurid allegations of connections with Russia.

Former NSA analyst John Schindler recently tweeted that a friend in the intelligence community informed him Trump will die in jail. 

Utopia or dystopia?

At present, there is polarisation of debate. One falls into either the liberal camp in favour of remaining in the EU and supportive of Hillary Clinton or into the conservative/nationalist camp in favour of Brexit and Trump. Thus, any critique by default means being in favour of the alternate position. Evidently, this black and white approach is not constructive.

There were plenty of legitimate reasons for voting to leave the EU. In fact, the old left position was very much against the EU as a corporate and financial super-state, which is undemocratic and unaccountable. It is worth recalling that the EU is a neoliberal construct of the 1990s predicated upon the Maastricht treaty, not to be confused with the post-war European project of social justice and peace.

Former NSA analyst John Schindler, who recently tweeted that a friend in the intelligence community informed him Trump will die in jail (YouTube) (youtube)

The crippling austerity policies of the Troika  the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund  have generated mass unemployment and escalating poverty across southern Europe and in particular Greece. The consequences of neoliberal globalisation left millions of people behind in the West. So when the disenfranchised had the chance to stick two fingers up to the technocratic, globalist establishment, they proceeded to do just that.

But the omens do not portend well for the anti-establishment populist vote. The signs were always there in the form of the Leave campaigns leading lights - ex-City boy Nigel Farage, Old Etonian Boris Johnson and Oxford University alumnus Michael Gove. The Conservative Party is financed by hedge funds, City of London financiers and the super-rich, while Ukip is bankrolled by ex-Tory and City millionaires.

The same applies to the Trump phenomenon. In spite of the mandate for post-financial-crash reforms, Obama failed to challenge the neoliberal consensus and extended the Bush era national security doctrine. Clinton was, if anything, more captive to Wall Street and had a track record as a foreign policy hawk.

Yet billionaire President Trump has packed his administration with other billionaires as well as continuing the corporate capture of policymaking. This is not draining the swamp but rather replenishing it and is unlikely to deliver beneficial change for his working class base.

Post-Brexit and Trump policies are liable to cause greater turmoil and instability abroad and aggravate domestic social and economic problems. UK wage stagnation, collapsing living standards and overstretched public services have been caused by the financial crisis and austerity policies. It is convenient to scapegoat immigrants as the cause when the political, corporate and financial elite are actually responsible  unfortunately many are falling for it.

A picture is worth a thousand words (Getty) (Getty Images)

Unsurprising when one considers that the tabloid press engage in vile hate speech targeting migrants on a daily basis. It is important to interrogate the reasons behind this. The cross-ownership of the corporate media  notably the Murdoch press and the Rothermeres  helps to deflect blame for societal ills away from the elite.

The xenophobic language of the Government  for example Camerons description of swarms of migrants or Boris Johnsons numerous bigoted gaffes  Ukip and Katie Hopkins legitimises hate crimes. The result is the kind of appalling attack on an asylum seeker by a vigilante mob that took place in Croydon recently. The victim narrowly escaped with his life, sustaining a fractured spine and eye socket as well as a bleed on the brain, and is now apparently unable to recognise his own brother.

There is a progressive alternative to either neoliberal globalisation or economic protectionist nationalism. It would mean transformation into a high investment, high wage economy as opposed to the current low wage, low investment model of financialisation. It would encompass democratic control of the economy, publicly provided and owned public services, a green economy and full automation. It will be up to citizens to fight for and build this optimistic vision in the 21st century.

Youssef El-Gingihy is the author of How to Dismantle the NHS in 10 Easy Steps published by Zero books. Follow @ElGingihy
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A British woman and an Australian man have fallen to their deaths while apparently trying to take a selfie above a popular beach in Portugal.

The couple were discovered by a fisherman returning from work on Wednesday at 6am local time, the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha reported.

The pair were found below a 30m drop on the Praia dos Pescadores (Fishermans Beach), in the west coast town of Ericeira, and a mobile phone was discovered on the wall above the beach.

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Rui Pereira da Terra, the head of the rescue service at the Cascais port near Lisbon, told the paper that authorities suspect the man and woman had been trying to take a picture together when they fell, or that they could have been trying to retrieve personal possessions that had been dropped.

We believe [the incident] occurred when one or both of them tried to take a selfie near the wall, he said.

Sadly, this is not the first instance of someone risking their life for the perfect shot. Here are the most dangerous selfies ever taken.

This Christ the Redeemer selfie isn't one for those with a fear of heights (Lee Thompson)

Christ the Redeemer selfie

Many thrill seekers have taken photos from the top of the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This one, taken by Lee Thompson, the founder of solo travel company Flashpack, is among the most stomach-churning.

A Russian model went to great lengths to get the perfect Instagram shot (Instagram/Viki Odintcova)

Skyscraper selfie

A Russian model hit headlines in February 2017 after she posted a photo on Instagram of herself dangling without safety ropes from a skyscraper in Dubai. Viki Odintcova, 23, hung off the arm of her male assistant from the 1,000ft high Cayan Tower to get the perfect shot. The footage and videos quickly went viral, garnering over a million views.

The dangerous trend of bear selfies started in 2014 (Twitter/Coconutchanel)

Bear selfie

The notorious bear selfie trend, which took off in 2014, led to the US Forest Service warning against the dangerous practice. Visitor Centre staff routinely encounter unsafe situations as guests ignore their instructions and get too close to bears to take photos and videos, the Forest Service warned in a statement. Few listened though, and dozens of snaps were taken with the dangerous animals in the background.

Explorers have taken the ultimate extreme photos, volcano selfies (Twitter/George Kourounis)

Volcano selfie

Some have taken the art of the selfie to the extreme by posing in front of active volcanos. Among these daredevils is George Kourounis, the Canadian adventurer and storm chaser, who couldnt resist taking a picture of himself to a backdrop of the active Benbow volcano on Ambrym Island in Vanuatu.

Selfies at attractions like the Grand Canyon have become de rigueur (Reddit/Wholesale Grapefruit)

Grand Canyon selfie

A woman tragically fell to her death from the Grand Canyon in 2016. While many headlines claimed she was taking a selfie when it happened, in fact she was politely squeezing out of the way for someone to pass by and stumbled over the side of the trail. Many other people take risky photos while at the landmark though, including this chap who uploaded his photo to Reddit.

Gun selfies often have unforeseen consequences (Facebook/Jules Bahler)

Gun selfie

A trend for posting gun selfies to social media  where the person is holding a gun or even pointing it at their own head  has had unforeseen consequences in various instances. There are several tragic accounts of people losing their lives after accidentally shooting themselves while taking the dangerous photos. Meanwhile, it has led to others being caught after committing crimes; Jules Bahler, 21, was arrested for three bank robberies in Michigan after posting a photo of himself with a gun to Facebook.
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In the court of public opinion between United and the passenger who was forcibly removed from their aircraft on Monday, theres no contest: the airline is indisputably at fault, the victim entirely innocent.

But beyond the outrage, many airline professionals  particularly cabin crew  are less sympathetic. The Independent asked several aviation insiders for their take on the situation.

Mary Kirby, editor of Runway Girl Network

I must say I'm aghast that anyone would try to apologise for United's handling of #bumpgate, both on a frontline and communications level or condone the carrier's behaviour. I have seen a lot of industry people bend over backwards to blame the passenger and it beggars belief in my opinion. I'm grateful that United's CEO has taken ownership and finally released a proper apology, with a vow to do better going forward.

Last week, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, an industry exec said in reference to the airline passenger experience, 'Your perception is your reality.' Because United seems incapable of communicating appropriately  publishing cold, sterile comments that make it seem tone-deaf, uncaring and bot-like  it is helping to fuel the fire surrounding any event or crisis, and thus further colours passengers' negative perceptions of the airline.

The latest example, of course, is this horrifying incident, which exemplified how the airline is ill-equipped to communicate during a crisis. But #leggingsgate could also have been avoided  or at least minimised  had the airline's messaging been clearer. United needs social media assistance stat.

"John", Pilot at a major international airline

Pretty much everyone was at fault! The airline for not blocking out seats for a positioning crew. The man concerned for not following the instructions of a law enforcement officer. And the officers themselves for their unprovoked use of force. A sorry state of affairs all around.

John Walton, contributing editor at Runway Girl Network

This specific incident is horrific  but not surprising. Its part of the ongoing pattern of airlines and the aviation industry, particularly in the US, to treat passengers with contempt.

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Everyone involved in commercial aviation needs to dramatically and fundamentally rethink the way they treat paying customers. Calling in the cops to drag someone off a plane to resolve a business dispute should not and cannot be the answer, and three days later United CEO Oscar Munoz is finally agreeing with that.

A key problem is that US carriers on the whole have practically zero goodwill they can count on from the flying public, which is entirely their own fault. Urgent work is needed to change that. US airlines are in a perfect storm of their own making: over-consolidation; refusal to work with the Gulf airlines; revitalised full-service challengers in Alaska and JetBlue; low-cost pursuit from Southwest, Spirit, Frontier and Allegiant; seemingly continual scandals, gutted frequent flyer programmes and the Basic Economy squeeze. Add to that increasingly mobile, social and vocal passengers  just look at the virality of an Asian passenger having his head smashed into an armrest on Weibo, and compare those users to Uniteds longhaul China strategy  together with the Trump Effect, and its a poor outlook.

Industry long-timers are cracking out the old canard about how passengers may be angry with United now, but will come flooding back if the fares are low enough. I take a more measured view: passengers decisions are affected by many factors, and as the high season booking period for summer, Thanksgiving and Christmas rolls around, I think theyll be having conversations like Oh, not United, do you remember what they did to that poor man?, Airline B is only $20 more expensive, Look how much cheaper No-Frills Airline is, and Well, Low-Cost Carrier cant be that much worse.

Brad, cabin crew at a rival airline

Imagine being in your office, and a man comes in for a long scheduled meeting at the end of the day. Meeting ends and he is super displeased at the outcome of the meeting and now refuses to leave until the company changes their mind on a policy. After asking several times to leave on his own accord, he still refuses. It's late, time to go home, and your office is after all private property. What do you do?

There are about a million ways to do our jobs, but there are very few things we have to do by the book, and this is one of them. I don't make announcements for sh*ts and giggles. I make announcements to follow procedures for my crews safety and your safety. People forget that not complying with crew instructions is against federal law.

I still don't know enough about the timeline of the whole incident but almost 99 per cent of the reactions I have seen have been pro United from people who work in the business. Pro United in the sense that passengers MUST obey and follow crew member instructions.

There is a lot we still dont know [about the incident] and probably wont, but the taunting and harassment some of my friends who are United flight attendants have endured today is awful.

United, Republic Airways [whose metal the incident took place on] and the Chicago Aviation Police completely messed up. Force should never have been used. This whole thing could have been avoided if the gate agents kept offering passengers more money to give up their seat. $800 obviously wasnt enough for these passengers to miss a day at work/school/time with family. But I bet if they offered $1,300 or more they would have found passengers happy to spend 18 hours in an airport hotel.

I hope a new law comes out of this fiasco that doesn't allow airlines to involuntarily bump passengers unless its for safety reasons. Airlines should be required to keep offering money until someone voluntarily takes it.
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Boris Johnson has now been Foreign Secretary for nine months. He has travelled a great deal, and made a large number of speeches in his typically eccentric style, but failed either to establish himself as a serious player in global diplomacy or to set out any coherent vision for UK foreign policy post-Brexit.

The Governments often-repeated mantra that We are leaving the EU, but we are not leaving Europe cries out for further explanation, and the idea of Global Britain still remains an empty phrase, but Boris continues to pepper his speeches with jokes and riddles. The G7 foreign ministers meeting this week has confirmed his low reputation among other key foreign ministers. Is it now too late for him to transform his reputation as an amicable but unserious figure into an effective British foreign secretary?

Theresa May arrived in No.10 with far less experience of foreign than domestic policy  like many of her predecessors. Margaret Thatcher relied on Lord Carrington for advice and support, as she learned the complexities of multilateral diplomacy and came to terms with the personalities and domestic constraints of their leaders; Tony Blair relied on Robin Cook. May chose Boris for internal party reasons after a bruising referendum campaign. It was a post he wanted, and they are reported to get on well. He keeps the right-wing media in London happy  but its hard to believe that he provides the Prime Minister with valuable advice.

Last December, he gave a speech at Chatham House, which he claimed would be the first in a series of speeches setting out our foreign policy strategy. He then devoted as much of the speech to the future of the worlds elephant population as to the future of Britains relations with France, Germany, or Russia.

As in many other speeches before and since, he revelled in the success of the Harry Potter books as showing the global reach of Britains soft power. And he rolled out the deliberately obscure phrase (borrowed from Churchills description of his relationship with the Church of England) that our future relationship with the European continent would be similar to that between a flying buttress and a cathedral, supportive of the EU project, but outside the main body of the church.

 Boris Johnson looks 'daft' after pulling out of Moscow trip - Alex Salmond

He has confused many foreign audiences with this phrase, using it even to Muslim audiences. At one European foreign ministers meeting, Boris has happily remarked, the simultaneous interpreter rendered it as a flying bucket. That is the point of it: it is intended to sound clever and profound, but to remain entirely unclear.

What sounds funny to British audiences too often unnecessarily irritates foreign governments. We are pro-secco, and by no means anti-pasti, he told a British Chambers of Commerce conference in February  thus reminding the Italian government yet again of his promise that they are so desperate to sell us sparkling wine that they will be willing to give the UK the Brexit package we want. Latin quips and invented words  gloomadon-poppers, whingerama  added sparkle to his newspaper columns, but dont impress diplomats.

Theresa May has understood that good relations with the German government will be key to successful post-Brexit diplomacy. But Boriss repeated references to the Second World War hinder her efforts, and provoke negative comments in the German media. Politicians and journalists there have not forgotten his comparisons of the EU with Hitlers conquered Europe; his post-referendum joke about EU governments wanting to administer punishment beatings to Britain went down badly also with the French.

Boris Johnson must have understood that he was actively disliked by many foreign policy-makers across Europe before he became foreign secretary, for the fake stories he reported about Brussels regulation when he was the Telegraphs Brussels correspondent. The tragedy is that he has done nothing to rebuild his reputation since he took office.

 Boris Johnson: Syria chemical attack offers Russia a 'choice'

One nostalgic reference point on which he is however explicit is his assertion that Britain is back East of Suezprojecting British power worldwide, including through the Malacca Straits  reversing a decision taken, on sound strategic grounds, 50 years ago. Hes given no explanation as to why we should defend Singapore, or denude the North Atlantic of ships to assemble a carrier task force for the South China Sea.

Theres a back to the 1950s tone to much of his apparent world view, evident also in his support for a new royal yacht. One of his colleagues voiced the underlying assumption that our closest friends are still in the white Commonwealth  provoking a formal protest from the Canadian minister to whom it was addressed.

Nevertheless, Boris remains popular with the Conservative grassroots. It will take time for his incompetence, now evident to both friendly and unfriendly foreign governments, to become clear to the domestic audience.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farrons description of him as Trumps poodle struck home; the similar hairstyle, the greater ease he displays in following an American lead than in cooperating with France or Germany, make our New York-born foreign secretary vulnerable to charges that Global Britain in his hands will shadow Washington wherever President Trump takes us.

Unlike the Liberal Democrats, he simply doesnt realise that you cant have a hard Brexit and a strong, influential Britain. The UK needs the goodwill and understanding of our continental neighbours as we negotiate the complexities of our post-Brexit relationship. The current foreign secretary will hinder, not help, the success of these negotiations.

William Wallace is a Liberal Democrat peer in the House of Lords
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As one persons diplomatic star falls, another ones rises. Boris Johnson has returned to London with criticism swirling around him after his much-trumpeted initiative to impose tough new sanctions on Russia was summarily rejected at the G7 summit in Italy. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the stock of Nikki Haley, the American ambassador to the United Nations, is rising amid predictions of a future of power and influence.

Both have just had their first big foreign relations forays in new jobs, with Syria and the unfolding crisis there the common denominator.

Ms Haleys performance at the emergency Security Council meeting, holding up victims photographs from the Idlib chemical attacks as she declared we cannot close our minds to these pictures was viewed across the world and helped shape the international reaction to the missile strikes which followed to be better than could be expected, while also being praised in America.

Mr Johnson, on the other hand, got nowhere in persuading ministers of allied states to take punitive action against Russia with his attempt described as counter-productive. As he retreated from Lucca he found that the knives were already out for him from cabinet colleagues back home.

A member of Theresa Mays Government complained to one newspaper that the Foreign Secretary had presided over a total letdown for Britain. A second held in another newspaper that we now have no credibility with the Russians and no additional credibility on the world stage following the G7. This had been a very negative experience  Its a very difficult moment for him. It was a play to increase his influence but it has backfired.

The G7 ministers had, it appears, not so much forcefully argued with Mr Johnson, but ignored him. The comment of Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Foreign Minister, was dismissive: The question wasnt mentioned by anyone except Boris Johnson but we didnt talk about it any further. Even the Americans, with whom the British Foreign Secretary is supposed to have coordinated his offensive, did not fight for tougher sanctions. Italys Angelino Alfano stressed that we must have a dialogue with Russia and we must not push Russia into a corner. There is no consensus on additional new sanctions as an efficient instrument to deliver the goal we are aiming for. For Germanys Sigmar Gabriel, not just Russia but Iran must be welcomed to take part in Syrias peace process  and certainly not threatened.

What happened at the meeting may be a source of embarrassment for London but for European and American allies it has become a source of irritation and even anger. They have been forced to expose the Wests trump card, or rather that they lack one, even before talks have begun with Russia on the crisis and this has been caused by UK action they privately described as clumsy, deluded and irresponsible.

Vladimir Putins stance, the language he is using, has hardened after the news of what occurred at the G7 summit emerged. The US Secretary of State has arrived in Moscow for tough negotiations, but now armed with just carrots and no stick. The exasperation among Western diplomats and ministers has grown with the belief, backed by some evidence, that all this came about because Theresa May banned the British Foreign Secretary from a planned visit to Moscow at the last minute and Mr Johnson had then sought to save face by creating his role as the sanctions enforcer.

Ms Haley is in a very different position, sitting in New York receiving praise. Unlike Mr Johnsons venture, her performance at the Security Council debate was meticulously prepared. Other national delegates were impressed, and even the Russians, at the receiving end of her tongue-lashing, were privately acknowledging that they will be facing someone at the UN from now on who they cannot take lightly.

Ms Haley is relatively unknown outside the US. She held office before her current job as the Republican governor of South Carolina, the state where she was born, after her family arrived there from India, via Canada. She won three elections and was reported to have been considered as the vice-presidential running mate by Mitt Romney in the 2012 US presidential election, an offer she turned down.

The Governor was a critic of Donald Trump during the election campaign, inevitably leading to angry tweets from him. One declared the people of South Carolina are embarrassed by Nikki Haley after she asked him to disclose his tax returns.

Nevertheless he offered her the UN post. At her confirmation hearing in January Ms Haley spoke of her support for Nato when the new President was publicly questioning the need for the Alliance. The following month, when news broke that the Trump election team had sought to weaken the Republican platform over opposition to Moscows annexation of Crimea, she stressed that sanctions against Russia over Crimea would continue. She subsequently expressed opposition to a Muslim ban on entry to the US because we should never ban anyone based on their religion. She spoke up in favour of a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine when Mr Trump appeared to be abandoning US support for it.

Recommended Russia sanctions rejection is latest in series of failures for Boris

Taking contrary positions has not, so far, harmed Ms Haley in the Trump administration; quite the contrary in fact. She is the first UN ambassador since the Reagan administration to hold full cabinet rank and, with little fanfare, she became a member of the principals committee of the National Security Committee as Mr Trumps chief strategist, and supposed Svengali, the hard-right Steve Bannon, was being removed from it.

Ms Haley insists that the White House has not tried to control what she does or says. The President has not once called me and said dont beat up on Russia. He has not once called me and told me what to say, she wanted to stress in a TV interview. These words would no doubt elicit a rueful smile from Boris Johnson, who can do little without the permission of the Prime Minister (as the cancellation of the Moscow trip showed) and still gets frequently slapped down by No 10.

But it is also the case that the UN ambassador is able to continue this way thanks to the confusion and infighting which has marked the chaotic first months of the Trump administration. There may come a time when order is established and the White House will be able rein in officials more. Ms Haley will then have to show just how independent she really is.

 Boris Johnson: Syrian chemical attack evidence points to Assad

In any event, Ms Haley may not want to get too close to this White House. There remains the feeling that skeletons continue to rattle around in the cupboards of the administration and Russia, in the form of the Trump election teams links to Moscow, may yet unravel this presidency. The former Senator is relatively young in political terms at 45, and the plaudits she is gathering and the alliances she is forming are likely to serve her well in the future. Staying at a distance in New York may be a safer option than Washington.

As for Mr Johnson, the feeling in Whitehall is that he will carry on in his job or perhaps another government department if Ms May gives the Foreign Office to one of her allies. Keeping a recent rival for the leadership of party and country damaged but inside the tent remains the best of all options for the Prime Minister.
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Normally, elections for the leadership of trade unions dont matter much  even to their own members, let alone to the outside world. Turnout can be a derisory 10 to 15 per cent. Yet the contest to lead the biggest union Unite, which closes in a weeks time, could have profound implications for the Labour Party and, in turn, British politics.

Len McCluskey, a close ally of Jeremy Corbyn, is trying to see off a challenge from Gerard Coyne, Unites general secretary in the West Midlands. Coyne insists its not the job of a union boss to choose the Labour leader, but in a high-profile campaign has claimed that McCluskey and Corbyn will render the Labour Party unelectable and keep the Conservatives in power far into the future. A Coyne victory would be seen as the beginning of the end for Corbyn.

McCluskey has accused Corbyns Labour critics of using the Unite election for a proxy war against Corbyn and, in effect, a second leadership challenge against him. The bitter contest has reminded us that Labour is two parties right to the very top. At the weekend, McCluskey named Tom Watson, the partys deputy leader, as part of a cabal backing Coyne with lies, innuendoes and smears. Watson and Corbyn no longer bother to mask their differences. Watson was first out of the traps to condemn Labours failure to expel Ken Livingstone, and backed the US air strike against Syria, which Corbyn opposed.

In Labour today, its not business, as they say in The Godfather, but personal. The party is more like the American version of House of Cards. Watson and McCluskey used to be friends and flatmates; they have not spoken since last July, when Watson tried to persuade union leaders to back a deal for Corbyn to stand down before the general election. When Watson condemned suggestions that Unite might affiliate to the pro-Corbyn movement Momentum, McCluskey accused him of "sharpening his knife looking for a back to stab." Karie Murphy, Watsons former office manager, is now Corbyns powerful office director. She is a close friend of McCluskey, leading some other unions to complain that Unite has too much of a grip on the Opposition Leaders office.

 Corbyn accuses 'failing' media of being 'obsessed' with his leadership

Left-wingers insist McCluskey is a stabilising force, that Labour MPs are in contrast destabilising Corbyn via the Unite election despite claiming to have taken a vow of silence about his performance. Murphys move to Corbyns office was meant to build bridges between the Labour leader and his deputy. But that bridge has been burned.

McCluskeys opponents claim he has fought a low-key campaign in an attempt to keep the turnout down to the 15 per cent seen when he was re-elected in 2013. He received many more nominations from branches (1,185, or 80 per cent) than Coyne (187) and Ian Allinson, the grassroots socialist candidate (76). Coynes allies insist that some nominations were made at meetings of a handful of people. They claim he is winning a battle of social media posts by a 2-1 margin, and can beat McCluskey if the turnout among Unites 1.4 million members rises to around 23 per cent.

The good news for Corbyn is that McCluskey remains more likely to win than Coyne, according to union insiders. The bad news is that a McCluskey victory would not rally the unions as a whole behind his leadership. Leaders of big unions such as the GMB and Unison are deeply worried about Labours dire opinion poll ratings and have little confidence that Corbyn will turn them round. They are more interested in securing a Labour government than preserving the lefts grip on the party, and so could make life uncomfortable for Corbyn barring a dramatic improvement in Labours fortunes, which is hard to see happening.

 Len McCluskey says 'sinister forces' are behind Corbyn coup

In recent days, Labour has rolled out some policies  a 10-an-hour minimum wage; free school meals for all primary pupils; help for small businesses hit by late payments by big ones; and keeping the triple lock on the state pension. At last, Labour is talking about policy rather than itself.

But the measures may do little to help Labour in next months council elections. The worry among Labours high command is that while individual policies might be popular, the Corbyn Labour brand may already be tarnished. The same poll findings  policies fine, party toxic  haunted the Conservatives before David Cameron detoxified them.

The unions will be watching the polls very closely. Even McCluskey has hinted that Corbyn might want to reflect on his position by the summer of next year if things havent got better. We are not prepared to stand by and allow Jeremy to lead Labour off a cliff, said one senior figure in other union.
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Nicola Sturgeon faced a storm of criticism as she embarked on her grievance tour of the US this month, instead of focusing on negotiating a second referendum for Scottish independence. Yet one aspect of that visit was grossly overlooked.

At the Women in the World conference in New York  where she spoke openly to Tina Brown about her own miscarriage, the misogynist Donald Trump and the Daily Mails infamous Legs-it cover  her no-nonsense feminism made me warm towards the SNP and Scottish independence more than I ever have imagined, and in less than four years.

Yes, Sturgeon is a career politician who is very good at talking the talk. But if her talk is to denounce discrimination, sexism and violence against women, these are words everyone needs to hear. She is setting new societal norms and creating a more inclusive environment.

 Nicola Sturgeon: Legs-it and her desicion to speak out about her miscarriage

Sturgeon is vilified for believing strongly in independence ever since she was a teenager. But she grew up in a working class Scottish society under the rule of Margaret Thatcher. Who could blame her?

Im still worried about independence, including falling oil prices, risking a stable currency and a worrying tendency to talk of patriotism and forging our own destiny.But when Sturgeon speaks openly about gender equality, it rings true and is profoundly encouraging. It is not just a womens issue or a narrow issue that fails to take the wider picture into account. Gender equality, as she suggested, can play a part in ending conflicts and avoiding wars, it strengthens democracies and improves economies.

Scottish women, in particular, relate to her concerns. She said the new law in the UK, which requires women to prove they have been raped to receive child support, is disgusting. She was frustrated, she said, about reporters always asking her why she didnt have children. She also rejected the habit of reducing women to body parts and what they wear.

Ultimately she has addressed the elephant in the room. Meanwhile Theresa May, who has done good things for women such as ratifying the Istanbul convention and addressing female genital mutilation, would appear to bend over backwards in public to avoid it.

Since 2014, Sturgeon argues that the circumstances regarding Scottish independence have changed, and shes right.

In 2015, I was hopeful about Jeremy Corbyns landslide election and delighted with the launch of the Womens Equality Party. In 2016, I was thrilled with the election of Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim to be mayor of London. But in 2017 Im thoroughly fed up with the Tories cutting welfare, stigmatising immigrants, whipping up frenzy over benefits scroungers and using Brexit, the so-called will of the people, to roll back protections for workers and the environment.

By contrast, Sturgeon has this month signed a bill with California Governor Jerry Brown to agree to tackle climate change together, to show Scotland wants to be an outward-looking, progressive, global citizen.

It also seems possible that an independent Scotland under Sturgeon's leadership could re-join the EU. Frankly, Scotlands fractured relationship with England is becoming increasingly obvious, the difference in perception of the two nations abroadincreasingly clear. Scotland and England are like Canada and the US, Iceland and Hungary, or Norway and Austria. How can we argue in a post-Brexit world that Scottish independence is a move towards nationalism? Brexit is the worst example of nationalism we have seen in the UK in modern history.

And how can Sturgeon be hated so much for betting her career on her dream, when so many men  Boris Johnson, David Cameron and Michael Gove, to give just three examples  have done the same and got away with it? The answer is, because she's a woman.

At the Women in the World conference, Sturgeon was asked about what it was like to have three women as the main political party leaders in Scotland. She warned against making the mistake of thinking we had won the battle to achieve gender equality. Its not enough to be a woman in politics  you have to do the right thing, she said. That's a pretty clear hint to Theresa May.

If May continues to pretend she is not a woman leader  despite the fact that she has, ironically, been tasked with the clearing up the mens Brexit mess  then she could lose my support for a United Kingdom. If she could lose me, Im sure she could lose a lot of other voters, men and women alike.

Gender equality has the ability to transform every area of our lives for the better. If the Scottish people embrace Sturgeons message of equality, then they might be willing to follow her wherever she wants to go, even if thats outside of the UK.
Egypt's Ministry of Interior identified in a statement on Wednesday the suicide bomber responsible for Sunday's deadly attack at Alexandria's St Mark's Cathedral which killed 17 as 30-year-old Mahmoud Hassan Mubarak Abdallah.

The ministry said that Abdullah was born in Upper Egypt's Qena, worked at an oil company and resided in Suez governorate.

The ministry added that efforts are underway to identify another suicide bomber responsible for the deadly blast at Tanta's Mar Girgis Cathedral on Sunday morning.

The ministry said that Abdallah was an associate of Amr Saad Abbas Ibrahim, a fugitive who is the leader of a terrorist cell that orchestrated last December's deadly suicide bombing of Cairo's St Peter and St Paul's Church, which killed 29 worshipers, mostly women and children.

The statement added that police killed seven members of the cell in Upper Egypt's Assiut governorate in a shootout during a security raid on Monday.

The ministry also published the names of 19 wanted members of the cell.

At least 46 people were killed and dozens injured on Sunday morning, when two blasts ripped through the two churches in Tanta and Alexandria, in the deadliest attack on Copts in the country's recent memory.

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When I wrote a few weeks ago that the Middle East would at some point reach out and grab Americas crackpot President, I never guessed it would do so at such speed. Nor that the entire fandango would come wrapped up in a Hitler fiasco which dumped the White House madmen back in another hole. Nor, indeed, that an American media which had identified Trump as insane should so quickly fall into line and regard the firing of 59 Cruise missiles at Syria as a change of US foreign policy.

What were they talking about? There is no policy  because the President appears deranged, because most of his colleagues are barking, and because Washington no more cares about the Arab world when Syrians are gassed than it does when the Egyptian President disappears his own people, or when the Saudis bomb civilians in Yemen, or when US-supported Iraqi forces kill civilians trapped in Isis-held western Mosul.

But lets start with Hitler. A President who doesnt read books and reacts instead to night-time television news pictures obviously doesnt know his history. The same clearly applies to his pet chump Sean Spicer.

Its not just a question of leaving Hitlers ghost alone; never, ever, compare anything to the horrors Hitler unleashed on the world in the Second World War. Obviously, if the White House really wanted to dump on Assad  whose name, I notice, they still cannot pronounce correctly  it should have compared the Syrian President with Saddam Hussein, who really did use gas against his own people.

But theres a problem there, too. Because the moment you mention Saddam, you recall for your audience all the lies and fake news the George W Bush White House spewed out about the Iraqi dictator before its illegal 2003 invasion  fake news assisted at the time, let us remember, by The New York Times. And then you also remind your audience that the whole Iraqi adventure ended in a bloodbath for Iraqis and utter catastrophe for the United States. So Saddam is out  and Hitler has to be brought back to life yet again.

And yes, we compared Saddam to Hitler. Indeed another well known chump, the son of our present Queen, reportedly told a woman who had lost relatives in the Holocaust that Putin was doing in Ukraine just about the same as Hitler. Moscow called this outrageous. That was almost exactly two years ago.

Of course, Spicer simply could not grasp that Hitler used a chemical weapon called Zyklon B with which the Nazis gassed up to a million of the six million Jews slaughtered in the Holocaust. No, they were not fired from the air. Actually, they were dropped through the roof of the gas chambers. But Hitler certainly did use gas on his own people since many of the murdered Jews had been German citizens, some of whom had actually fought for their country in the First World War.

 Sean Spicer made an egg pun shortly after making Hitler chemical attack slip-up

And theres a clue for poor old Spicer. He might, I suppose, have referred to the German use of chemical weapons in the First World War. But the Kaiser doesnt actually have the cachet of Hitler in the hate stakes, and the British then used gas themselves (so we cant compare Arab dictators to the Brits). Besides, I have my doubts that Spicer could even give the dates of the First World War. Nor Trump, for that matter.

In his sloppy excuses later, Spicer actually apologised not only to survivors of the Holocaust but to anyone who was offended. That would include anyone who cares about the truth and about history and about facts.

Then Spicer said his words were a blunder and that they were inappropriate and insensitive. But they were not insensitive  they were a disgrace. Arab leaders have also made some pretty insensitive and inappropriate comments about the Holocaust, so now I suppose we must put Spicer alongside them.

Did Assad use chemical weapons in the recent attack? Or was this an al-Qaeda weapons store which the Syrians blew up (which wouldnt actually let Syria off the hook, since the aftermath of such an attack would obviously kill civilians)? The problem is that we know Assads opponents have chemical weapons  some captured, I suspect, from Syrian government stocks before Assad handed them over to the West for destruction on Putins orders. Other chemicals passed across the northern frontier of Syria from Turkey (Nato member and a friend of the West, before Erdogan went bonkers). And if the Syrian military did use chemicals on their own people why should they do so when they are now winning their war with Isis and when such use would clearly embarrass Putin?

Yet oddly, the American media have fallen back into Saddam mode. Not only are they seriously talking about Trumps policy in the Middle East (something he clearly doesnt have) but are talking, in The New York Times last week, about Assads depravity  precisely the word the US press used about Saddam when they were supporting Bushs path to war in Iraq and publishing his lies about the Iraqi dictator.

Oddly, the Americans started suggesting further missile strikes, not just if Assad uses chemicals, but if he uses barrel bombs again. The trouble with this argument is that the regime has been using barrel bombs for three years. Was this also a change in Trump policy? I doubt it. I think the White House are just so ill informed and plain dumb that they dont know when barrel bombs were first used in the Syrian war.

Trumps team then appeared to roll back on the barrel bombs threat. Perhaps someone tipped them off about this little bit of history, too?

Gas, cruise missiles, barrel bombs, Hitler and the American media. Mix them all up and I suppose you get Trumps new policy in the Middle East.
Seven fire brigade units and three ambulances were involved in the rescue

Eleven people, including three children, have been rescued after a suspected arson attack in an apartment block.

The blaze is believed to have started in a suite of furniture which had been left on a landing on the third floor of the Gleann na hEorna complex in Tallaght, Dublin.

Gardai said officers were investigating a complaint of criminal damage.

The entire block was evacuated after the alarm was raised between 1.30am and 3am, including some residents being taken off a balcony on the side of the building by Dublin Fire Brigade.

The apartment block is just off Cookstown Way in Tallaght and a short distance from The Square.

Dublin Fire Brigade said six people were treated in hospital for the effects of smoke inhalation but none were believed to be in a life-threatening condition.

Fire crews from Tallaght, Dolphin's Barn, Rathfarnham and a unit from Tara Street with a turntable ladder were dispatched after a number of 999 calls were received.
Wicklow West continues to have the highest rates of TB, significantly above those in other parts of the country, according to latest figures from the Department of Agriculture.

The area had a TB incidence rate of over 6.1pc per 1000 tests through the first quarter of 2017 some three times higher than the national average of 1.6pc over the period.

Professional hunters should be brought in to cull between 17,000 and 50,000 deer in Wicklow, a major research project has found.

The study claimed that deer numbers in the area were too high for recreational hunters to significantly reduce the population.

The interim report, which was drawn up for the Manor Kilbride Deer Management Project following two years of a four-year study, proposed that professional hunters be employed to reduce the population to a sustainable level, at which point recreational hunters could then control numbers.

Deer have been widely blamed by farmers in Wicklow for spreading TB, and also for damaging forestry plantations and grazing crops and grassland.

Nationally TB rates are up marginally on 12 months ago with 2,800 reactor animals over the period compared to 2,500 in the first quarter of 2016.

Other counties with high TB rates included Dublin, Leitrim and North Tipperary with incidence rates above 2pc.

New research has discovered a vaccine which prevents against TB in badgers under natural conditions.

It comes following a scientific research project which involved the administration of an oral vaccine to badgers, to investigate its impact against bovine tuberculosis in a large scale field trial in Co Kilkenny.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed of the results and said that the results of the trial were very positive in that they demonstrated that the oral vaccination of badgers has a significant protective effect in badgers under natural conditions.
Ireland recently made its first push to secure the future availability of nitrates derogations to Irish farmers.

The derogation which enables farmers who meet strict conditions to increase this application limit to 250 kg of nitrogen per hectare per annum is currently availed off by some 7,000 farmers.

The derogation is of particular importance to more intensively stocked farms.

The Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government Simon Coveney, assisted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has embarked on a review of its Nitrates Action Programme with the European Commission, with a view to having in place by 2018, an agreed Nitrates Action Programme that will run from 2018 to 2021.

In addition, a request for a new Nitrates derogation has been submitted to the Commission as part of the review process.

The Department of Agriculture has said that agreeing a new action programme and securing derogation is a significant objective for 2017.

Ireland has engaged with the Commission and the timetable for the review has been established.

Four presentations have to be made to the Nitrates Committee which is an expert scientific group composed of representatives of each member state and chaired by the Commission.

Presentations focus on water quality, Irelands agricultural profile, proposed changes to protect and improve water quality and Irelands derogation. The first presentation was made recently.

Renewal of Irelands derogation will only be discussed when the Commission are satisfied that the package of measures proposed by Ireland for 2018-2021 will help to protect and improve water quality.

The final presentation which will focus on the potential derogation will be made just before Christmas.

There will then be a vote by all Member States on whether or not Irelands derogation will be approved.
A five-year-old boy has been detained by police after he was found pedalling his toy tractor towards a petrol station late at night.

When subjected to a routine traffic check by concerned officers in the town of Ingolstadt, Germany, the child simply explained: "Petrol station. Oil run out!"

The "young farmer" was eventually returned home to his mother, North Upper Bavaria Police wrote in a "story to smile about" posted to their Facebook page.

He was picked up by officers making a routine traffic patrol at around 9pm, who made sure to give both driver and vehicle a thorough examination.

The runaway was then returned home to his mother, who had still not noticed her son had gone missing. He apparently clambered out of a window while her back was turned.

One comment on the police's Facebook page read: "And? Was the oil successfully topped up?" The citizen went on to express concern that the engine may be frozen up.

The police replied: "All good! Running like it's freshly oiled".

Another wrote "You are awesome!", to which the police replied: "We'll pass that on! Thanks a lot!"

A third member of the public posted: "Good work. Great friends and helpers. Good that nothing happened to the little man."

In Philadelphia last year, an eight-month-old received a severe dressing down by traffic police after running a red light in her hot pink pedal car.

"'Not being able to read' really isn't an excuse - but nice try," the police department wrote.
The ICSA has warned that high levels of sheep imports from Northern Ireland and Britain raises serious questions around labelling and the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme.

The association's sheep chairman John Brooks pointed out this week that processors in the Republic imported 3,680 tonnes of sheep meat last year, of which 3,395 tonnes came from Britain.

The figures were supplied by Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed in response to a Dail question from Tipperary TD Jackie cahill.

"If you calculate on the basis of a 20kg lamb carcass this equates to approximately 170,000 sheep," said Mr Brooks.

"This also equates to approximately one full month's lamb kill," he added.

"If you add to this the significant number of live sheep imported for direct slaughter from Britain, it raises serious questions and doubts as to traceability and labelling. It also casts a cloud over 'Origin Green' and the Bord Bia quality assurance scheme," Brooks claimed.

There has been growing farmer frustration at the low prices being quoted by factories for new season lamb this Easter. Factories quoted a top of 6.20/kg this week, with the small numbers available in the marts making up to 125-128/hd.

IFA's sheep chairman John Lynskey reiterated that a price of 7/kg for spring lamb was essential for early season producers.

In addition, he said factories would need to pay to 21kgs or 21.5kgs in order to ensure a reasonable return to farmers.

While Mr Lynskey accepted that there were a relatively small number of the country's 30,000 sheep farmers who targeted the early lamb trade, he insisted that this was a top quality product that deserved a premium price.

Lynskey predicted strong demand for lamb over the next two months as this week's Easter festival is followed by Ramadan in late May. He said hogget supplies had tightened this week, with factories finding it more difficult to get stock at the 5.00-5.10/kg being quoted.

He said ewes were making from 2.80/kg to 3.20/kg.
Dairygold, Irelands largest farmer owned dairy Co-Operative, has recorded operating profits of 17.5m for 2016.

Turnover at the Co-OP during 2016 was 756.1m, down almost 4pc on 2015, delivering earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, and amortisation of 39.0m.

During the year the Co-Op strengthened its track record in building strong commercial partnerships with global food companies with the announcement of the planned development of the new Jarlsberg cheese production facility in partnership with Norways largest dairy processor Tine SA.

This will quadruple the current Jarlsberg cheese production in Mogeely.

Our commercial partnerships with global food companies have been an avenue to significant value add for the business. We will continue to seek out strategic partnerships with leading global organisations that can leverage our best in class processing facilities to deliver more value added production for the business, Dairygold chief executive, Jim Woulfe said.

However Mr Woulfe issued a warning about Brexit, saying that it will have a profound impact on the Irish dairy and food industry regardless of how soft or hard it may be.

Together with other cheese producers in the dairy industry and with Government involvement we need collectively to address Brexit challenges for Irelands cheese exports of which 60pc of Irish product is sold into the UK. We must continue to pursue strategies to diversify markets and to continue to add value to our dairy output, to minimise the impact of Brexit, he said.
The United Nations peace envoy for Syria on Wednesday urged the United States and Russia to agree on a way forward to end the war in Syria and pave the way for a "real negotiation."

Special envoy Staffan de Mistura told the UN Security Council that he was ready to convene a new round of talks in May but that US-Russian cooperation was needed.

His appeal came as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov following US missile strikes in Syria in retaliation for a suspected chemical attack.

The two countries have "serious differences" but also a "common interest" in ending the six-year war that has killed 320,000 people, De Mistura said.

"They must find a way to work together to stabilize the situation in a deliberate, realistic and concerted way in support of the political process," he said.

The United Nations is ready to lead a "real negotiation" on a "package for an orderly, mapped-out, credible and irreversible, agreed political transition" to end the war, he added.

The council was meeting ahead of a vote later in the day on a draft resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

Russia is expected to veto the measure -- which would mark the eighth time that Moscow has used its veto power to block Security Council action directed at its ally, Syria.

"Let us view this moment of crisis -- and it is a moment of crisis -- as a watershed and an opportunity for a new level of seriousness in the search for a political solution," said De Mistura.

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Fast-growing technology firm, Qualtrics, has pledged to employ hundreds more people at its European headquarters in Dublin following a fresh $180m equity injection from its private equity backers.

The corporate research software company, founded fifteen years ago in Utah by brothers Ryan and Jared Smith, forged into Ireland in 2013, and now employs over 250 people at its offices near St Stephens Green.

This latest funding round takes Qualtrics valuation to $US2.5bn and is likely to fuel hopes of a stock market debut later this year as investors clamour for a larger pipeline of tech IPOs.

Chief executive Ryan Smith, has made no secret of the companys desire for a tilt at the boards but in an interview with the Irish Independent declined to give any clarity around the timing of a float.

He said we are really focused on the post IPO years, arguing it was important to ensure you are set up for that acceleration.

Smith emphasised that Qualtrics remains majority-owned by its founders and staff but said this latest investment was led by Insight Venture Capital with additional cash provided by Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital.

The addition of Murray Demo, chief financial officer to the Australian tech darling Atlassian, which debuted on the New York stock exchange and in December 2015 and has since shot up in valuation, is likely to add further grist to the IPO rumour mill.

Smith pointed out that Qualtrics board is already populated by industry leaders, including former Apple and Google executive, Kim Scott, who joined in April 2016.

Smith also signalled at a wider European expansion, claiming we are having a phenomenal time over there as the company looks to open in Paris after establishing operations in London and Munich.

But he declined to give any detail about the precise numbers of new jobs on offer in Dublin, pointing out the company has already exceeded its target of employing 250 people in the capital.

Dermot Costello, chairman of Qualtrics European operations, said the intention was to hire hundreds more people in Dublin stressing the company had complete confidence that well be able to keep growing in Ireland.

Qualtrics fund raising news follows the launch of its XM Platform, which groups the four core experiences of businesses  customer, employee, product and brand experience, in one single platform.
The Irish data protection commissioner is to consider taking action against Yahoo over the web company's shortcomings around an email data breach last year that affected over 500m people.

Commissioner Helen Dixon said that she would "impose remedial action where the findings require such action".

Ms Dixon made the remarks at the launch of her office's 2016 annual report yesterday, which revealed a record number of data protection complaints.

"We're of the view that it could have been detected sooner and the risks mitigated sooner," Ms Dixon said.

"We are currently finalising our report and will then give Yahoo an opportunity to review and respond to the report."

Ms Dixon said that it is up to Yahoo whether or not it wants to make the report public.

Sanctions available to the Irish data protection watchdog are limited at present, but these will be significantly boosted next year when the EU-wide General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect.

This will allow for fines of up to 4pc of annual turnover or 20m.

Ms Dixon's remarks on Yahoo come after the regulator reported a spike in overall complaints last year to a record level of 1,479.

That was up from 932 in 2015.

In her office's annual report, Ms Dixon said that there were 2,224 security breach notifications reported here, a slight decrease from 2,317 in 2015.

Meanwhile, the DPC office is to double its staff to 130 people and is to seek a second new Dublin office.

The regulator's office, which is responsible for overseeing some of the biggest technology companies in the world, has expanded from 30 people in 2013 to 70 people now.

However, Ms Dixon says that the relentless pace of the work means that further expansion is required.

"Such is the rate of our recruitment programme that an additional nearby premises is now being sought by the DPC to house the further staff members who will join the DPC over the next two years, bringing our Dublin-based staff to around 130," said Ms Dixon.

The regulator intends to hire 35 extra staff this year and a further 25 staff next year.

The extra resources are partially necessary, she says, to prepare for one of the biggest legal events in data protection history next year, when the General Data Protection Regulation takes effect.

"Once the GDPR comes into force on 25 May 2018, the DPC will be the lead data-protection authority for the regulation of multinationals that have their 'main establishment' in Ireland under the one-stop-shop model," Ms Dixon added.
Lebanese President Michel Aoun suspended parliament on Wednesday to prevent it extending its own term for the third time in less than four years.

The legislature had been due to meet on Thursday to vote on an extension.

In a live televised speech, Aoun said he had decided "to postpone the House of Representatives meeting for a month" amid deadlock over a new electoral law.

Under the constitution, the president can suspend parliament for up to a month.

Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement and the Lebanese Forces party of his ally Samir Geagea have called for mass protests Thursday in central Beirut to prevent parliament voting through a further extension to June 2018.

The current term had been due to end in June 2013, but the House of Representatives voted to extend that by 13 months as the parties wrangled over a new elections law.

In November 2014 it then voted through a further extension of two years and seven months.

Each party is pushing for a law that would give it the maximum possible advantage in legislative polls within Lebanon's complex confessional system.

The constitutional deadline to set a date for elections passed without agreement on a new law.

Aoun was elected president in October after two and a half years of political stalemate.

His appointment was the result of an accord between two fierce rivals, Christian leader Geagea and Sunni former and current premier, Saad Hariri.

The resulting government included most parties in the parliament, but the row over the elections law remains unresolved.

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Members and supporters of the Irish Postmasters Union at the Taoiseachs constituency office in Castlebar. Photo: Keith Heneghan/Phocus

Almost 300 Post Offices are at risk An Post has indicated.

Speaking on RTE's Prime Time, Chief Executive of An Post, David McRedmond said 265 post officers are "near no discernible area of population".

"We have to be real and we have to grasp these things," he said.

An Post have yet to state how many Post Offices are at risk of closure and when asked if the 265 branches could be written off as a "starting point" Mr McRedmond again refused to be dawn on an exact number.

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"I would never start off like that but certainly there will be a significant number," he said.

"If we don't really make the changes that are needed for the future... then the whole system will collapse," he said.

Mr McRedmond said that at the moment the majority of the population lives within 15km of five post offices.

The department set target is that everyone in the country would live within 15km of a post office.

"Our job is to make sure that what we are putting in place.. is actually a professional retail network," Mr McRedmond said.

The change coming down the line for An Post will mean "difficult decisions and difficult discussions" he added.

Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday around 150 people, mainly post office operators, staged a protest outside the constituency office of Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Castlebar, Co Mayo.

The protest, organised by the Irish Postmasters' Union, lasted for about an hour and concluded with a letter being handed in calling on Mr Kenny to act decisively.

Sean Martin, treasurer of the IPU, said closing potentially 600 post offices, out of about 1,100 would "decimate" rural Ireland.
Three senior civilian managers are being recruited by the Gardai as part of a bid to strengthen the capacity of the management of the force, the Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald has said.

The Government has also published draft terms of reference of the commission that will examine the operations of the garda force.

Minister Fizgerald made remarks that civilians were being recruited to the higher ranks as the Dail debated Fianna Fail's motion calling on the Government to request that the Policing Authority assess Garda Commissioner Noirin O'Sullivan's ability to restore confidence in the police service.

The motion was tabled in the wake of the controversy over the almost one million bogus breath tests recorded by gardai and the more than 14,000 wrongful convictions in relation to traffic offences.

The Dail will today debate Sinn Fein's motion calling on the government to remove the Garda Commissioner from her role.

The government is opposing both Private Members Bills.

Read more: Tanaiste who was 'too busy' to attend garda conference spends three hours at FG branch meeting

Ms Fitzgerald said the Policing Authority is investigating the issues surrounding the breath tests and the wrongful convictions.

She said the capacity of senior management needs to be strengthened and pointed to the recruitment campaign for the three civilian roles: director of strategy and transformation; director of legal and compliance; and chief information officer.

Ms Fitzgerald restated the Government's confidence in Ms O'Sullivan. She said she believes Fianna Fail's motion risks interfering with the independence of the Policing Authority.

Earlier, the Tanaiste published the draft terms of reference of the "root and branch" review of the Gardai.

The Cabinet agreed to establish the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, which will comprise of a panel including international experts.

Read more: 'It dents your confidence' - Garda managers say scandals are making it harder to do job

It's understood there is to be a public element to its work. There is to be a "thorough review" of all aspects of policing including management, recruitment, training and culture and ethos. The draft terms are being presented to the Opposition for consultation.

The draft terms published by the Government cover a wide brief.

The terms state that a complete review is needed of the Garda force that will encompass all the functions. It outlines that there are concerns about the accountability, leadership, management capacity, and the culture and ethos of the Gardai.

The broad ranging terms are expected to include agencies such as the Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission, the Police Authority and the Department of Justice in their interactions with the Gardai.
Jashua Robert Tremblay originally said he was only 16 when he started talking to the young Irish girl

A CANADIAN father who flew to Ireland twice to have sex with a 13-year-old girl he groomed on the internet is due to be sentenced today.

Jashua Robert Tremblay, who is in his early 30s, pleaded guilty to three charges under Canadian child sex tourism legislation.

His victim was only 13 when the online grooming began in late 2012 and she was 14 when Tremblay had sex with her, local radio station 630 CHED reports.

He had originally told the girl he was 16 when they started talking but revealed his real age before travelling to Ireland.

Tremblay flew to Dublin Airport and then made his way to south Kerry.

The Kerryman reported in 2015 that concerns were then raised by locals when they were spotted at a rental accommodation together.

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He was reported to gardai by a local in Portmagee who became suspicious of the pair's relationship.

It is understood that when Mr Tremblay was questioned in the company of the girl, he initially claimed he was her father. However, he was subsequently arrested in another jurisdiction and was deported.

Gardai then began a major joint Irish-Canadian investigation.

The young girl was interviewed by gardai and they examined all her computers and phone, when they discovered Tremblay had been using his real name on social media to contact her.

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Explicit sexual images were also discovered, which Tremblay initiated.

He pleaded guilty last December on three counts:

Online luring to facilitate the making of a child pornography;

Online luring to facilitate sexual contact with a person under the age of 16;

Sexual contact with someone under the age of 16.

Under Canadian law, citizens and permanent residents can be prosecuted for certain sexual offences committed against children in other countries.

He will be sentenced at the Edmonton Law Courts in Canada.
Jashua Robert Tremblay originally said he was only 16 when he started talking to the young Irish girl

A Canadian man who flew to Ireland twice to meet with a teenage girl he began grooming on the internet when she was just 13, before having sex with her, has been sentenced to four and a half years in jail.

Jashua Tremblay (34) pleaded guilty to charges of luring to facilitate child pornography and luring for sexual contact, and sexual interference.

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On Wednesday, a judge sentenced Tremblay to four and a half years in jail. His sentence also includes a 10-year ban from the internet, or locations where children could be, after he is released, according to the Edmonton Journal and CTV News.

The Edmonton Journal reported previously that Tremblay met the Irish girl (13) on an online forum and began exchanging messages with her offline, including explicit pictures.

When she turned 14 he travelled to Ireland, 14 months after he first preyed on her.

According to an "agreed statement of facts" presented to the court Tremblay had convinced her they were in a legitimate relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.

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She came to believe she was in love with him.

In a victim impact statement the girl's devastated father said she had been "brainwashed" by the predator.

She believed she would move to Canada and marry him when she turned 18. He also told her he wanted "100 kids".

He sent naked pictures of himself to her, and encouraged her to reciprocate. He also sent the girl explicit audio messages about sexual acts he wanted them to perform on one another.

In July 2013 he first travelled to Ireland and spent a week in hotel rooms and bought a tent, camping for a few nights.

During the visit the pair had sex and he continued to convince the victim they were in a legitimate relationship.

The girl had lied to her father - her only surviving parent - telling him she would be spending a week-long break from school with a friend.

On Tremblay's return to Canada the girl's father became suspicious when he saw excerpts of a letter Tremblay had posted to the victim. Pretending to be a 19-year-old pen pal he spoke on the phone to her dad and promised not to contact her again.

However, he continued to communicate with her and on midterm break in October 2013 he visited again for ten days.

He a booked holiday home in a seaside town and together they visited tourist spots and went shopping during the day, but locals became suspicious.

When first interviewed by gardai it is understood he pretended to be the victim's father.

The father wrote that after Tremblays offences were discovered, his daughter became distressed and isolated, and had to seek counselling.

Tremblay was arrested in his hometown of Fort McMurray in Canada in December 2015 and appeared in Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton yesterday.

While on bail he was also found to have breached conditions when he evacuated with his girlfriend and her three children during a wildfire.

He stayed 11 days at a home elsewhere and did not inform the family who allowed them to stay about the conditions of his release.

Tremblay has undergone counselling since his arrest and a psychiatric report presented to court found that he does not meet the criteria to be diagnosed with pedophilia.

The criminal behaviour is instead attributed to a regression brought on by the stress of his marriage and becoming a father.

The report suggests that he primarily a misjudgment regarding the basic rules of courtship.

Additional reporting by the Edmonton Journal
Jashua Robert Tremblay originally said he was only 16 when he started talking to the young Irish girl

A Canadian man who flew to Ireland twice to meet with a teenage girl he began grooming on the internet when she was just 13, before having sex with her, is due to be sentenced today.

Jashua Robert Tremblay (34) has pleaded guilty to two counts of child luring, one count of sexual interference and two counts of breaching conditions.

He met the Irish girl (13) on an online forum and began exchanging messages with her offline, including explicit pictures.

When she turned 14 he travelled to Ireland, 14 months after he first preyed on her.

According to an "agreed statement of facts" presented to the court Tremblay had convinced her they were in a legitimate relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.

She came to believe she was in love with him.

In a victim impact statement the girl's devastated father said she had been "brainwashed" by the predator.

She believed she would move to Canada and marry him when she turned 18. He also told her he wanted "100 kids".

He sent naked pictures of himself to her, and encouraged her to reciprocate. He also sent the girl explicit audio messages about sexual acts he wanted them to perform on one another.

In July 2013 he first travelled to Ireland and spent a week in hotel rooms and bought a tent, camping for a few nights.

During the visit the pair had sex and he continued to convince the victim they were in a legitimate relationship.

The girl had lied to her father - her only surviving parent - telling him she would be spending a week-long break from school with a friend.

On Tremblay's return to Canada the girl's father became suspicious when he saw excerpts of a letter Tremblay had posted to the victim. Pretending to be a 19-year-old pen pal he spoke on the phone to her dad and promised not to contact her again.

However, he continued to communicate with her and on midterm break in October 2013 he visited again for ten days.

He a booked holiday home in a seaside town and together they visited tourist spots and went shopping during the day, but locals became suspicious.

When first interviewed by gardai it is understood he pretended to be the victim's father.

The father wrote that after Tremblays offences were discovered, his daughter became distressed and isolated, and had to seek counselling.

Tremblay was arrested in his hometown of Fort McMurray in Canada in December 2015 and appeared in Court of Queen's Bench in Edmonton yesterday.

He is due to be sentenced on Wednesday and the prosecution is seeking a five year jail term, but the defense lawyer is arguing for a four-year term.

While on bail he was also found to have breached conditions when he evacuated with his girlfriend and her three children during a wildfire.

He stayed 11 days at a home elsewhere and did not inform the family who allowed them to stay about the conditions of his release.

Tremblay has undergone counselling since his arrest and a psychiatric report presented to court found that he does not meet the criteria to be diagnosed with pedophilia.

The criminal behaviour is instead attributed to a regression brought on by the stress of his marriage and becoming a father.

The report suggests that he primarily a misjudgment regarding the basic rules of courtship.

However, the Crown prosecutor in the case Craig Krieger asked the court, to note the inappropriateness of using the word "courtship" in this context when handing down the sentence.

Additional reporting by the Edmonton Journal
An Estonian man charged with conspiracy to murder a long-time friend of the Hutch family has been further remanded in custody.

Gardai from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau supported by members of the Special Crime Task Force, Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit raided a premises in west Dublin on the morning of April 4. Three men were arrested as part of an investigation into the Hutch-Kinahan feud.

Imre Arakas (58) with an address at Sopruse, Tallinn, Estonia, was charged on last Thursday afternoon and remanded in custody.

He is accused of conspiring with others not before the courts to murder James Gately in Northern Ireland between April 3 and April 4. The offence is under Section 71 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.

He faced his second hearing on Wednesday at Cloverhill District Court.

Judge Victor Blake noted that Mr Arakas has good English and he then asked Det Gda Anthony Kennedy if directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) were available. Det Gda Kennedy said they were not and he applied for a further remand for two weeks.

The defence said Mr Arakas is being held in Mountjoy prison and was consenting to the garda application.

Judge Blake further remanded him in custody to appear via video-link on April 26 next. He has not yet indicated how he will plead to the charge.

Last week his first hearing was told he made no reply to the charge and due to the nature of the charge a bail application could only be made in the High Court.

Legal aid was allowed following submissions that he was unemployed and unable to pay a lawyer.

The other two other men arrested in connection with this investigation have been released from Garda custody without charge. A file is being prepared for the DPP.
A soldier has been found not guilty of assaulting a fellow member of the Defence Forces while on tour in Lebanon.

Sgt Martin Dougan was accused of assaulting Corporal Niall McShane on 9 March 2014, while both men were serving with the Irish Defence Forces in Lebanon.

The court martial trial heard that Cpl McShane and four other colleagues were on an overnight recreational visit in south Lebanon when they met Sgt Dougan and others at a pub on the night of 8 March 2014.

The alleged incident then happened in the pub in the early hours of the following morning, and Cpl McShane was found outside the pub several hours later by a civilian.

After deliberating for 90 minutes, the board of officers, similar to a jury, came back with a verdict of not guilty on both charges faced by Sgt Dougan. Both charges arose from the alleged assault, one under civil law and one under the Defence Forces Act.

Sgt Dougan previously faced a charge that he was under the influence of an intoxicant on the day of the alleged assault but the charge was dismissed, due to lack of evidence.

Sgt Dougan had denied all the charges during the court martial sitting, at the Military Justice Centre in McKee Barracks, Dublin.

At the beginning of the hearing Cpl McShane told the military court that on 8 March 2014, while serving in Lebanon, he and four colleagues were given overnight leave to visit the city of Naqoura in south Lebanon.

He said they went shopping, had something to eat, watched part of a rugby match, and then went to a pub, the Irish House, for members of the Defence Forces.

Cpl McShane said that while there, there appeared to be some animosity between another serving member of the Forces, whom he had known for a long time, and Sgt Dougan, who was also in the Irish House.

Cpl McShane said that later in the evening, Sgt Dougan challenged him to an arm wrestling contest outside the pub, which Cpl McShane won. Sgt Dougan then went inside.

Cpl McShane said as he walked back into the pub, he saw Sgt Dougan in front of him.

I was struck in the left eye  and thats the last memory I have of that night, Cpl McShane said. The next memory I have is in the ambulance.

Cpl Dougan said he suffered a deep laceration on the back of his head, cuts on various parts of his body, a swollen black eye, bruises on his face and a busted upper and lower lip.

Commandant Gerard Rigney, a witness for the defence, said that on 24 September 2015, he conducted an investigation into the alleged assault.

He said Cpl McShane told him he did not see who hit him but that the memory came back to him after attending sessions with a Defence Forces psychologist.

Cpl McShane stated that he did not see who struck him, said Comdt Rigney. He said words to the effect that memories came to him after the event.

Cpl McShane said he was 100 per cent certain Sgt Dougan was the one who struck him, Comdt Rigney said.

Two other colleagues, who accompanied Cpl McShane to the pub, also gave evidence, although they both left before the alleged incident.
Islamic State militants claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on Wednesday near the Afghan Defence Ministry that killed at least three people.

At least one civilian and two members of the Afghan security forces were killed, a ministry spokesman said, adding that the target appeared to be a police post near military headquarters.

Islamic State claimed responsibility in an online post.

A police officer at the scene told Reuters the attack appeared to have been carried out by a suicide bomber on foot. A Reuters witness reported seeing several damaged cars, with possible injuries to the occupants.

Last month, Islamic State fighters killed nearly 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul.

Islamic State's offshoot in Afghanistan, known as the Sunni militant group's so-called Khorasan Province, is suspected of carrying out several attacks on minority Shia Muslim targets. U.S. officials say intelligence suggests Islamic State is based overwhelmingly in Nangarhar and neighbouring Kunar province.

Estimates of its strength in Afghanistan vary. U.S. officials have said they believe the movement has only 700 fighters but Afghan officials estimate it has about 1,500.

The Afghan Taliban, who are trying to overthrow the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, are fiercely opposed to Islamic State and the two have clashed as they seek to expand territory and influence.

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Jashua Robert Tremblay originally said he was only 16 when he started talking to the young Irish girl

This footage shows a predator who groomed and raped a 14-year-old Irish girl attending his court hearing hand-in-hand with a young woman.

Jashua Robert Tremblay (34) has pleaded guilty to two counts of child luring, one count of sexual interference and two counts of breaching conditions.

He met the Irish girl (13) on an online forum and 14 months after he first preyed on her he made the first of two trips to Ireland where he booked them into hotels and a holiday home.

The victim's devastated father - her sole surviving parent - told the court Tremblay had 'brain washed' his daughter before having a sexual relationship with her.

According to an "agreed statement of facts" presented to the court Tremblay had convinced her the were in a legitimate relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend.

She came to believe she was in love with him.

She believed she would move to Canada and marry him when she turned 18. He also told her he wanted "100 kids".

During the two years he preyed on her using online messages, at least one letter and audio messages he:

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Sent naked pictures of himself to her

Encouraged her to reciprocate with explicit images of herself

Sent her audio messages about sexual acts he wanted them to perform on one another

Travelled to Ireland during school holidays, convincing his victim to pretend she was staying with a friend

Told gardai she was his daughter when first questioned

Tremblay was arrested in Canada after he was identified by gardai here.

On Tuesday he attended court for a sentencing hearing and he is due to return again on Wednesday.

Footage courtesy CTV Edmonton
Families are 'not having the conversation' about who will take on the care of a relative with an intellectual disability when a parent is no longer able to care for them.

A Symposium on Caregiving Capacity and Contemporary Irish Family Life has heard that "the majority" of parents are reluctant to pass the burden of care on to their other children.

The discussion, held as part of Trinity Week at Trinity College Dublin (TCD), heard that for most families, the decision about the future care of the person with an intellectual disability did not come about until the family had reached crisis point.

For many, this resulted in acrimonious relations with other family members.

Dr Damien Brennan of TCD's School of Nursing told delegates that families are not sitting down to do the future care planning and this leads to "family rows and tense situations".

"The majority of families say they will not pass on care-giving to the rest of the family members which means the family may require residential services in future," he said.

Professor Mary McCarron, Dean of Trinity's Faculty of Health Sciences, said this is the first time in history that we have an older population living with an intellectual disability and that this is to be celebrated.

"However, we must ensure that the necessary supports are made available to carers," she said.

Families are the main care providers of care-giving support for people with intellectual disabilities but because of the changing structure of families, family care is more difficult and complex, delegates heard.

Michael Gannon, of Newbridge, Co Kildare, told the symposium of his experience of living with an intellectual disability and of living with an extended family in adulthood.

He requires support in cooking, paying bills, visits to the doctor and going on holidays but that some of his friends would need additional help.

Meanwhile, Mark O'Connor of Inclusion Ireland said carers need more of the basics - such as changing facilities for adults in public places, greater levels of respite care and greater flexibility in the hours they are allowed to work outside the home.
Mid-ranking gardai have voted to make high-visibility clothing mandatory for all cyclists.

The Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) will now call on the Justice and Transport ministers to introduce laws which they say could dramatically cut road deaths.

Speaking at the annual AGSI delegate conference in Killarney, Co Kerry today Sgt Gerry Moylan, from Co Sligo, suggested that sanctions for breaking a proposed law might include fixed charge penalty notices (FCPN).

In 2016, 35 pedestrians were killed on Irish roads. 23 of these were in rural areas. That is why we think high-visibilty clothing can make a significant contribution to road safety in the future.

He continued: I believe that at least if we have legislation we can ecourage people a little bit more. We can start off with a discretionary measure that is always available to us. If people continue to persist we can take a more forcible attitude.

Asked to explain what he meant by that Sgt Moylan suggested: Maybe there could be a fixed charge penalty notice similar to driving offences.

He said the motion was primarily focused on rural areas during the hours of darkness.

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Sgt Sean Callaghan, from the Sligo/Leitrim district, said since 2013, 141 pedestrians killed on Irish roads. He said that reflects 20 per cent of all fatalities

However Sgt Claire Healy from the Dublin Traffic corps said such a law would be impossible to enforce amongst pedestrians in Dublin city centre at night.

"We thought it would be very hard to police if all pedestrians were required to wear flourescent jackets. The motion didnt refer to urban zones or rural zones or lighting up times. It would be very hard to police at OConnell street at 4am.

She said the law should not be extended to pedestrians. However she agreed that cyclists should be obliged to wear high-visibility clothing.

Furthermore she said helmets should be mandatory for all cyclists.

A number of cyclists have been killed or seriously injured on national roads in recent years.

The motion as amended was supported by the AGSI national executive.

Board member Rory Brennan said: Preserving life is part of our job and if we can save one life with a high-vis jacket then that will be worthwhile.
Fine Gael has been told political reforms which could boost the party's chances ahead of a General Election cannot be put in place until a new party leader is appointed.

At a parliamentary party meeting, Fine Gael general secretary Tom Curran told politicians a radical overhaul of the party would not be fully implemented until Taoiseach Enda Kenny is replaced.

Sources at the meeting said the intervention by Mr Curran was significant because it was the first time the future of the party was discussed since Mr Kenny announced his intention to step down.

Mr Curran was discussing recommended party reforms set out in two reviews of Fine Gael after the partys disastrous general election last year.

The general secretary said decisions relating to market research would be left to the new Fine Gael leader.

Those anxious for Mr Kenny to step down as leader were buoyed by Mr Currans comments.

Meanwhile, the Fianna Fail parliamentary party meeting was dominated by water charges.

Party leader Micheal Martin said the issue had been dealt with effectively by Fianna Fail and that the party's position would be vindicated in the future.

Fianna Fail's water spokesperson Barry Cowen criticised TDs who he said were expressing disquiet about the party's position to members of the media.

He said that the Confidence and Supply Agreement states that an Advisory group should be set up to monitor water charges and Irish Water and that he will insist this is delivered upon.

Some TDs, including Tipperary deputy Jackie Cahill, raised concern about group water schemes.

But reassurances were issued by the party leadership.

A Fine Gael spokesman said: "There was not mention of a general election at the parliamentary party"
The 19th edition of the festival will run from 19 to 25 April, featuring films 45 countries and eight from Egypt

The 19th Ismailia International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts opens on 19 April in the Suez Canal city of Ismailia, featuring 115 films this year from 45 countries.

Headed by Essam Zakaria, this edition is dedicated to the late critic Samir Farid and director Mohamed Kamel El-Kaliouby, both of whom left an influential mark on cinema and film criticism.

The festival will also honour its founder, director and author Hashim El-Nahas.

A number of El-Nahas' films will be screened during the festival, in addition to the release of his new book titled Naguib Mahfouz: the Conscience of His Time.

Through the festival I hope you will get a chance to take a closer look at some of my works, and give this honouring your blessing, El-Nahas said.

One of the most important changes to the festival this year is that from now on its director will not be the head of the National Cinema Center (NCC), as was the case with previous editions. The change aims to provide a continuity that was otherwise disrupted with changes in position at the NCC.

This will ensure a more stable festival in the long term, as the director will be allowed to stay in charge for more than one year, Khaled Abdelgelil, head of the NCC said.

A global festival

Held largely at the Ismailia Culture Palace, in addition to other venues, the festival will open with the Spanish documentary film J: Beyond Flamenco, the latest film by renowned director Carlos Saura.

Sauras prolific career spans over half a century, marked by a number of international awards, including the Silver Bear at Berlinale for La Caza (1996), special jury awards at Cannes for La Prima Angelica (1973) and Cria Cuervos (1975), in addition to BAFTA, Goya, and Golden Globe awards, as well as multiple Oscar nominations for films including Carmen (1983), Tango (1993), and Mama Cumple 100 Anos (1973).

During the selection, the jury members were looking first and foremost at the quality of films, but also sought variety in subject matter, treatment as well as the countries of production, Zakaria said at the press conference this morning.

Among the participating countries are Italy, France, Lebanon, USA, Belgium, Canada, Senegal, Argentina, Belarus, Djibouti, Palestine and Ukraine, among others.

The festival is considered to be four festivals in one, Zakaria added, pointing to the four main competition sections of the festival.

The Long Documentaries competition will feature 10 films from 11 countries, with one film from Egypt, Al-Madina Sawf Totaredak (The City Will Pursue You) by Ahmed Nabil. The Short Documentaries competition will include 18 films from 18 countries, including one Egyptian film, Noqtat Al-Baa (The Letter Bs Dot) by Hana Rakhawy.

The competition for short features will feature 17 films from 18 countries with Egyptian film Khalil by Islam Shamel. The animation competition will present 18 films from 16 countries, including one from Egypt, Tareeq Tawil (Long Road) by Adel Badrawy.

Members of the selection jury included Egyptian director Ahmed Abdalla alongside Indian director Arun Chadha, Italian director Manu Gerosa, South Korean director Yung A Han and Spanish director Margarita Maguregui.

Considering that every section contains only one film from Egypt, Zakaria explained to Ahram Online that the priority was to bring foreign films to audiences in Ismailia.

Of course it is important to have Egyptian films participating, but we didnt want them to be taking the place of other international films that we have the chance to screen here, he said.

In parallel

The festival will also have three special screening programmes, as well as a number of films in a panorama section that are out of competition.

One section highlights animation films from South Korea, bringing a selection of 10 films in the genre.

We noticed how animation films in South Korea are flourishing, and being recognised globally for their excellence. We found that we had a large number of good submissions in that genre, so we chose six to include in a special section, Zakaria said.

A similar observation during the selection phase led to the creation of a programme for films that focus on Dance, Music and Song, which presents six films from six different countries.

Special focus is also given to Egyptian films, in a section dedicated to films produced by the National Cinema Center. This section will screen the premieres of six films.

As for the non-competitive Panorama section, the festival presents five short documentaries from six countries, including Ana Wel Dr. Sobhy (Me and Dr. Sobhy) from Egypt.

This section also presents two feature-length documentaries, We Are Egyptian Armenians from Egypt, and Ragaa Bint El-Mallah from Morocco.

Additionally, the Panorama Shorts will present 12 films from eight countries, notably featuring four from Italy. Finally the Panorama Animation section will showcase 10 films from 11 countries.

Two workshops will be given: one on animation for ages nine and older, and one on scriptwriting that will also educate filmmakers on how to finance their films apply for funds and grants.

Alongside El-Nahas book, other publications to be released during the festival include Searching for Kaliouby by Hussein Abdellatif and Adventures of Global Cinema by Salah Hesham.

Gorvernor of Ismalilia Yassin Taher said that last year the festivals goal was to revive itself after a few tumultous years. Now that it is back on the agenda the goal this year is to make it a stronger international festival and ensure its progression.

Taher added that the return of the festival to Ismailia, alongside other cultural events, will hopefully serve to revive tourism in the city and in Egypt. He noted that the festival coincides with several other celebrations in the city, including Sinai Liberation Day (25 April) and a commemoration of renowned poet Abdelrahman El-Abnoudi, as well as the new Strawberry Festival.

Reaching out

An important aspect of this year's programme will be the launch of new cooperation with Morocco.

According to Abdelgelil, two partnership agreements between the High Cinema Institute in Cairo and the Audiovisual Centre in Rabat will be officially finalised and signed at the festival.

The countries share close ties already and positive cinematic cooperation, he said. The agreements are intended to boost that mutual support, for film shooting procedures, archiving, festival organisation, and other aspects of cooperation.

In response to a question from the audience on how the festival is working to garner a wider audience in Ismailia, considering that last year's local outreach could have been stronger, Zakaraia said that attracting a local audience is a problem with all festivals.

It's something that needs work all year round to garner an audience base. This is especially difficult since the films are not the in the popular genre, but often require some artistic awareness and appreciation from the viewers, the festival director said.

Nonetheless, the festival has taken several additional measures this year to reach out to locals.

One of the things we did this year was to establish the Society of Ismailia Film Lovers at the Ismalilia Culture Palace, which screens a selection of films all year round, he said, adding that this creates a community around the festival that stretches beyond its week-long screenings.

We started some of the workshops early this year which are taking place right now, also to extend the festival beyond its duration. At the closing we will screen the results of the workshops. This year will also bring back the cafe screenings that Ismailia Festival was known for, and we have expanded our screening venues, so as to reach a wider, more varied audience, Zakaria concluded.

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The standard pint of Guinness is the best-selling alcoholic drink in the Dail bar. Stock Image

The long delay in forming a Government meant bad news for the bottom line at the Dail bars and restaurants last year as profits slumped by 14pc.

Revenues and profits were hit by the State's political parties taking 70 days to form a new Government and longer summer holidays due to upgrading works at Leinster House.

According to new figures released in response to a Freedom of Information request, profits at the Dail bars last year declined by 14.5pc from 111,699 to 95,555.

This followed revenues at the Dail members' and visitors' bars decreasing by 4pc, going from 282,226 to 270,693.

Separate figures show the drop in activity at Leinster House resulted in the restaurants going into the red.

The figures show the restaurants recorded a loss of 30,830 compared to a profit of 95,746 - a negative swing of 126,576.

This followed revenues at the restaurants declining from 954,513 to 913,356.

A spokeswoman for the Houses of the Oireachtas said: "2016 was an unusual year and the fact that we had an election and it took some time for everything to get up and running would have impacted on the activity in the restaurant."

"Also, there were two agency staff employed during that year and these were paid for directly out of restaurant revenues and that would have had an impact too."

A factor behind the Dail members' bar remaining in profit is the cut-price beer on offer there.

A pint of Heineken there sets you back 4.80 compared to 5.60 in a busy Dublin city centre pub. A humble pint of Guinness at the Dail members' bar costs 4.40 compared to 5 at a nearby pub off Grafton Street.
The government's decision to not include children from mother and baby homes in a redress scheme has been criticised as "shameful" and "devastating".

An interim report of the Commission investigating the homes has said that children that lived in the homes without their mothers "have a real cause for grievance".

It recommends that the government re-examine a decision not to include them in a redress scheme for survivors of institutional abuse.

However, Children Minister Katherine Zappone confirmed that following an examination of the report the government decided that it is not possible to implement the recommendation that unaccompanied children at the homes should have access to a redress scheme.

A survivor of the Protestant Bethany Home in Dublin, Derek Leinster, called for a reversal of the decision which he described as "shameful".

Sinn Fein children spokesman Donnchadh O Laoghaire said the decision is "devastating to a lot of survivors".

A statement released by the Department of Children noted that the Commission of Investigation has yet to make findings regarding abuse or neglect.

It said it wouldn't be appropriate to deal with the question of redress in advance of any such conclusions.

It's understood concern over the costs of a new redress scheme and the potential for setting a precedent for other cases were considered by the government.

Costs associated with the previous redress scheme established in 2002 will be as high as 1.5bn. The original estimate had been 250m.

The possibility that redress will be considered after the Commission completes its report in February has not been ruled out.

Ms Zappone said she has spoken to survivors of the Homes and is "very sensitive to their needs and concerns".

Her focus will be on assisting survivors with "practical" supports involving health and well-being, to be signed off on before the summer.

The Commission's interim report said survivors of Bethany Home have a "strong case" for inclusion in a redress scheme.

It said there is also a strong case for Catholic Church-run mother and baby homes including Bessboro, Castlepollard and Tuam, and all of the similar County Homes to be included as well.

The report - completed last September, but published yesterday - hasn't recommended the extension of its terms of reference beyond the 18 homes it is investigating.

There have been calls for the extension of the probe since the discovery of human remains at the site of a former home in Tuam. Ms Zappone has committed to a scoping review of the Commission's terms of reference.
Fine Gael Senator Joe O'Reilly has broken ranks with the Government saying he is against proposals to scrap the 90-year-old ban on selling alcohol on Good Friday arguing that it's "part of our national identity".

The Fine Gael-led minority government has agreed to allow the Bill - proposed by independent senators - to pass unopposed.

However, Fine Gael Senator Joe O'Reilly has signalled his opposition to the plans put forward by senators Billy Lawless, Michael McDowell, Gerard Craughwell and Victor Boyhan.

Mr O'Reilly told the Seanad: "I would like to respectfully depart from the developing and growing consensus around the opening of licenced premises on Good Friday.

"Im against it for a couple of distinct reasons.

"The de facto situation that we have at the moment - of pubs being closed on Good Friday - is part of our national identity.

"Its a distinctly Irish thing and its been that way for a long time."

He added that it's a non-sectarian part of Ireland's religious tradition.

Mr O'Reilly also said: "I think its also sent a subliminal message out about our attitude to alcohol that we did favour a temperance and that there was a space of a non-alcohol day too in the year.

"I also think that we shouldnt give in to every fad and every whim of commercialism.

"If there is money to be lost so be it if theres a valuable national priority to be maintained.

"I think keeping the pubs closed on Good Friday is distinctly Irish, its part of our religious cultural heritage, and I honestly would like to put it on the record," he said.

The Seanad Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017 - will see the sale of licenced premises permitted on Good Friday from next year onwards.
Mr Kennys prognosis is at odds with the tax-cutting plans of his likely successor, Leo Varadkar. Photo: Tom Burke

Taoiseach Enda Kenny is blaming upcoming public sector pay hikes for a lack of funds to cut income taxes.

But Mr Kenny's prognosis is at odds with the tax-cutting plans of his likely successor, Leo Varadkar, the favourite to become the next Fine Gael leader.

And even Finance Minister Michael Noonan admits economic performance could allow for a softer budget.

Mr Kenny has warned the year ahead will be "tight" for the public finances and signalled difficulties in being able to cut income tax rates.

The Taoiseach said ministers are "committed" to legacy issues such as public sector pay agreements, and warned that demands and expectations are rising.

He was challenged on the Government's failure to cut income taxes at a Fine Gael meeting on Brexit this week.

"We have to have a tax offering that's stable, that's transparent, that's competitive, so when you look at the issues facing the minister for public expenditure and reform and finance this year  and all of the issues around that table will have to be dealt with, in what will be a tight year from 2017 to 2018," he said.

"There are legacy issues there of a very substantial issues that ministers are committed to, the consequences and the success of the Lansdowne Road Agreement, the public pay talks have to take place, the demands and the expectations that are rising.

"So while in theory Government would like to be able to have a much more favourable tax rate, there are serious issues to be considered by Government in that regard," he said in reply to a questions at a meeting in Clane, Co Kildare.

Yet the same day, Mr Noonan even indicated a softer budget in 2018 is now on the cards.

Economic growth this year is running well ahead of the forecast when this year's Budget was set back in October.

"There will probably be some additional funds available from the extra growth," he said on Monday.

The official Department of Finance forecasts for economic growth have been lifted to 4.3pc this year - up from the previously expected 3.5pc. Growth in 2018 is now tipped to be 3.7pc.

The big change is Brexit, which forecasters thought would have hit the Irish economy harder by now.

Mr Noonan said the adjustment made [to the forecasts] for Brexit didn't come through.

Neither Mr Kenny nor Mr Noonan are expected to be in the Government when Budget 2018 comes around in October

The Taoiseach is supposed to stand down by the summer and Mr Noonan is expected to not be included in the next Cabinet - either standing aside or being dropped.

Mr Varadkar is the leading contender to become Taoiseach and has signalled his plans to cut taxes for middle-income earners if he takes over.

The Social Protection Minister acknowledges the level of income tax they pay is unjust and says it is driving our qualified professionals overseas.

"Taxes should be low, simple and fair," he wrote in the Irish Independent last month. "High tax rates make it harder to attract skilled, qualified and talented people home from London and from other countries, and it is one of the push factors that causes our homegrown doctors, IT professionals and others to take opportunities elsewhere."

Mr Varadkar vowed to reform the Universal Social Charge, bring down the marginal rate of tax below 50pc and raise the entry point at which workers begin paying the higher tax rate of 40pc, which is currently set at 33,800.

Meanwhile, employers group Ibec has dismissed as meaningless an international study that claims Ireland is a low income tax country.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) claimed income tax in Ireland is comparatively low.
The scene of an apartment fire on Cookstown Way, Tallaght. (Image: Gerry Mooney)

The scene of an apartment fire on Cookstown Way, Tallaght (Image: Gerry Mooney)

The scene of an apartment fire on Cookstown Way, Tallaght (Picture: Gerry Mooney)

Gardai are treating as suspicious a fire in a Tallaght apartment complex which left six people, including three children, in hospital early this morning.

The alarm was raised when the fire broke out at the Gleann na hEorna apartment block opposite Tallaght Hospital at around 3am.

Eleven people were rescued in total, some from balconies on the first and second floor levels.

Fire crews from Dublin Fire Brigades C Watch, including units from Rathfarnham, Dolphins Barn and a turntable ladder from Tara Street station, tackled the blaze and completed the rescue.

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Three ambulances also attended the scene.

Six people were taken to hospital suffering from suspected smoke inhalation but none of the injuries are reported to be life threatening.

Neighbour Lesley OToole described how people were left shaking with fear after the blaze.

My brother came in to me and said there was a fire in the neighbouring apartment, so we ran out and we could see the flames coming out the window on the middle floor.

The fire brigade were already there and there was a woman in the middle balcony with her two sons age seven and ten, and a couple in the top balcony with their daughter, son and baby, she explained.

They had to be rescued off the balconies, they were shaking, she added.

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The woman living on the middle floor said she was about to go to bed when she saw the smoke coming in under the door from the common hallway. She thinks something was set on fire in the stairwell on the middle floor, said Lesley.

Two 999 calls were made in relation to the fire.

The apartment complex forms part of the Respond Housing Association accommodation in the Tallaght area and was built in 2011.

Gardai sealed off the scene overnight pending a forensic examination by members of the garda technical bureau.

Gardai said officers were investigating a complaint of criminal damage.
Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar has refused to describe the outcome of Fine Gaels water battle with Fianna Fail as a win for his leadership rival Simon Coveney.

Mr Varadkar said the Fine Gael team on the water committee achieved the best deal that was possible based on the Dail arithmetic.

However, he refused to engage say whether it was a win for the Housing Minister, telling reporters: Im not going to get into that space.

The deal agreed last night will see around 70,000 households still receive water bills on the basis that they use excessive amounts of water.

However, normal usage will be paid for through general taxation.

Mr Varadkar previous told a private meeting of Fine Gael TDs and senators that such a result could not be classed as a political victory because the party favoured water charges for all homes.

Mr Coveney, who along with Mr Varadkar is seen as a frontrunner to replace Enda Kenny as party leader, has been praised by colleagues for sticking to his guns when Fianna Fail appeared to be siding with Sinn Fein to end all charges.

Asked if the result looks better in light of the row that has engulfed Leinster House for the past 10 days, Mr Varadkar said: "What I think there has been far too much of when it water in Ireland, is far too much party politics and far too much personality politics.

When we make decisions on water it should be about protecting the environment, protecting the taxpayer from potential fines and ensuring we have a decent stream of income for water services into the future.

He added that he was absolutely delighted the debate over water was now ending.

The problem with water for years and years now is that the focus has been on political gain, one-up-manship and party politics rather than whats the right thing to do, he said.
It wasn't so much the death of her eight-month-old baby that spurred Ade Stack to do something remarkable in his name, it was what she witnessed during his short life that made her honour his memory in an extraordinary way.

Hugh was born on December 13, 2012, and spent almost his entire life in hospital. While Ade and her partner Marty Curley spent 247 days living the heightened reality that comes with caring for a seriously ill child, they saw at first hand how other parents struggled to cope.

"I remember feeling drunk with tiredness, and seeing parents sleeping on the floor or in a chair to be near their child," says Ade. "It was cruel, particularly for people who had to come up from the country. Some couldn't afford to buy a cup of tea, and there were no facilities. They couldn't even wash their clothes. When they went home, they'd spend their time washing clothes for the following week."

When Hugh died, Ade and Marty decided to use the money they would have spent on him, had he lived, to help families of sick children. They bought a big house in Belvedere Place in the heart of Dublin and transformed it into a bright, welcoming home. Called Hugh's House, it's run entirely by volunteers, and accommodation is completely free of charge.

Expand Close Hugh lived for 247 days. His parents have said Hugh's House has helped them heal by helping others in need. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Hugh lived for 247 days. His parents have said Hugh's House has helped them heal by helping others in need.

In the two years since Hugh's House opened its doors, more than 200 families have stayed there while their children were cared for in the nearby hospitals of Temple Street, the Rotunda and Holles Street. There are seven family bedrooms. Its occupants talk of the homely atmosphere, the support they get from being able to talk to other parents who understand what they're going through, and the relief of being able to do the simplest things, like sleeping in a comfortable bed and doing laundry.

"Putting on a wash makes me emotional to this day," says Ade. "That's when I talk to Hugh. I tell him that because we do this in his name, people can be refreshed and feel good about themselves. They can live as normal a life as possible during the precious time they have with their children.

"When a child dies, we have to let them go, but you don't let the love go. Putting on the washing is how I love Hugh."

Ade also runs a chain of pharmacies while raising her and Marty's three other children, Theo (7), Fred (5) and Jeff (seven months). She spends a great deal of time in Hugh's House, and thanks to her efforts and those of fundraisers and volunteers, later this year, the house next door - Zion's House, named after a little boy who shared a room with Hugh - will open its doors to accommodate four more families.

Expand Close Ade Stack and Marty Curley in the garden of Hughs House, which they built in memory of their baby son who died in 2013. Right, work in progress Photo: Gerry Mooney / Facebook

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Whatsapp Ade Stack and Marty Curley in the garden of Hughs House, which they built in memory of their baby son who died in 2013. Right, work in progress Photo: Gerry Mooney

Margaret Kelly from Easkey, Co Sligo has stayed in Hugh's House since her son Mark was born prematurely on March 2 last, weighing just 710g (1.5lb).

"Mark came into the world in a hurry," says Margaret. "He's still in the ICU in Holles Street, and will be there for some time because he has a heart murmur, but thankfully, he's doing much better. He's off all the drips and I can hold him, which is wonderful."

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Whatsapp Outdoor space: Margaret and Ade at Hugh's House

Like most mothers of premature babies, Margaret was discharged while Mark remained in intensive care. At the time Hugh's House was full, and she went home to Easkey with a heavy heart.

"It was horrible," she says. "I had a child, but he wasn't with me. I was miserable without him, but a few days later, we got a call to say that a room had become available in Hugh's House. It was ours if we wanted it, for as long as we needed it. I can't describe how much that meant to me and my husband Gerard. Accommodation in Dublin is expensive and we have no relations there. I don't know how we'd have managed without it.

"Hugh's House is so close to the hospital, I can hop on a bus and be there in minutes. I spend all my days with my little boy and in the evenings, I have dinner here with other parents, talking about our children and sharing tips. It's a great support when you're away from your own family.

"My room is cosy and comfortable. It feels like home, and the other parents feel like family. I can't describe how lovely it is to come and go as I please and be able to sleep at night knowing that Mark is happy and well cared for, and that I'll see him in the morning. It's a fantastic feeling."

First-time mum Laura Dwyer from Bruff, Co Limerick, spent three weeks in Hugh's House when her daughter Lucy was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at 28 weeks on February 25 this year. She weighed 815g, less than 2lb.

"Things happened so fast, it was a lot to take in," says Laura. "I'd been rushed to Holles Street from Limerick Maternity Hospital and Lucy was born before my husband Wayne got here." When Laura was discharged a week later, Lucy remained in the ICU in Holles Street.

"Apart from the worry about her, there were practical things to consider," she says. "I work in a supermarket and Wayne's a pig farmer. I couldn't afford to come up and down to Dublin, not knowing how long I'd need to be there."

So when Laura heard she'd got a room at Hugh's House, she was over the moon.

"It was home from home," she says. "I made friends with other couples there, and after days spent with our babies, we'd sit and have dinner together in the evenings, swapping stories and sharing advice. To have that support, especially when you're away from your own family and friends, is priceless.

"There was even a little welcome pack when I arrived, with deodorant, face wipes, a facecloth and other essentials It was really thoughtful, but that's Ade Stack for you. She's amazing. She'd pop in and out and I could talk to her if I was worried about anything."

Three weeks later, Lucy was well enough to be transferred to Limerick Maternity Hospital, and Laura returned home to Bruff.

"It's wonderful to be back home and have my supports around me, but I'll never forget my time in Hugh's House," she says. "People don't realise the emotional rollercoaster you're on when you have a premature baby, and how much you want to be with them. Lucy's lungs were not fully developed, but she's a little fighter. I was lucky that I got to see her every day. How torturous it must be for those parents who can't do that. There needs to be a Hugh's House in Limerick, and all over Ireland for that matter."

Hugh's House has just launched an inaugural cycle along a 600km route from Mizen Head to Malin Head on August 3-7. To donate, volunteer or find out more, visit hughshouse.ie
Sharm El-Sheikh Youth Theatre Festival, which took place between 1 and 9 April, expanded theatre activities beyond the gravitational pull of the capital

The young and ambitious always seek challenges; they innovate and gracefully cross traditional barriers. This is exactly what Mazen El-Gharabawy and Wafaa El-Hakim have done since last year. Accomplished theatre artists, the two teamed up to create a new theatre festival outside of the centrality of Cairo, creating the Sharm El-Sheikh Youth Theatre Festival, whose second edition took place between 1 and 9 April.

Launching the festival was not the only challenge. They also aspired to defy international political and security attitudes towards Egypt as repercussions of the mid-air explosion of a Russian airplane after take-off from Sharm El-Sheikh in late 2015.

Since the very beginning, El-Gharabawy and El-Hakim planted seeds for a theatre event that would also have political, national and international significance.

Therefore, the Sharm El-Sheikh Youth Theatre Festival was not born out of coincidence; nor only due to a desire to expand theatre activities beyond the central city of Cairo. It was born in direct relation to the specificity of Sharm El-Sheikh and of its political and international situation.

A theatre festival at its best is not only the performances it presents; it is also its cultural context and references, as well as the political stand it takes. A theatre festival is a public statement in a timely and artistic tone.





The festival's second edition



Made of artistic events throughout the day, the festival offered seminars, professional encounters, workshops and performances. The city of peace witnessed hundreds of visiting artists from nationalities as various as Kuwait, Bahrain, Italy, Spain, Mexico, South Korea, Tunisia and Belarus.

Distributed between indoor and outdoor venues, the festival celebrated the city, on the one hand, and provided a vision of another Sharm  one primarily cultural and artistic, and that constitutes a new touristic experience and human encounter  on the other.

To see the Lady of Arab Theatre Samiha Ayyoub present every day at all the events of the festival, supporting in every sense the young artists as president of the festival, was a great signal of what artists can do for their communities. This public role was one of empowering the youth, putting youth leadership in the foreground while being always there for advice and guidance.

This is rather rare model in a society where an older leadership often refuses to make way for younger generations. For decades, Egyptian artists have been living with the same circles of leadership, in spite of all good intentions and revolutionary statements made.





To move away from Cairo and Alexandria is to find a near desert of cultural services. To have the ministries of culture, tourism and youth support the expenses of the festival, including a large chunk of international and domestic flights, is only one way to help decentralisation. Another way would be to support the artists of outlying communities, so they can regularly create their own art and culture, while empowering the local infrastructure of cultural services to gradually make the provinces places of attraction for visiting performances across the year.

If such a dream were achieved, the impact of the Youth Theatre Festival in Sharm El-Sheikh would grow incredibly. It would also develop to another level of outreach and embeddedness that could transform it from a visiting festival into a resident one.



It is worth mentioning that the executive team of the festival is made only of young people, while everyone has a foot in the performing arts and another in the administrative and managerial work. Executive director Injy El-Bestawy is a tireless and forever smiling cultural operator that was sleepless for at least 10 days prior to and during the festival. She is a genuine model of what young women can achieve in Egyptian society, overturning prejudice and sterotypes alike. It was not only El-Bestawy who was sleepless; most of the festivals contributors as well as audiences lost sleep.

Running from a seminar on new international playwriting trends to a professional meeting on festivals and networking, to a workshop on acting and then to two performances back-to-back, is quite an intense mission for anybody.

Maybe the intensity could be reduced or redistributed, for the sake of more community-based events. And maybe there could also be stable state venue for the festival dedicated to yearlong activities organised by the festival, even if those activities take place across long intervals.

The festival offered prizes that were decided by an prestigious international jury headed by actress and theatre professor Samira Mohsen. The prize for best director went to the Egyptian Said Soliman for The Good Person, produced by Taliaa Theatre (Avant-Garde Theatre), while best choreography went to South Koreas The Butterfly, and best production to Italys The Farm."

The festival managed to gather a group of the most prominent faces in Arab theatre, including the Lebanese artists Randa Asmar (actress) and Shadia Zeytoun (scenographer) and the Kuwaiti star Dawood Hussein.

It has proven the possibility of escaping the gravitational pull of cultural offerings in Cairo; of challenging them while succeeding with a theatre initiative of massive scale.

The Sharm El-Sheikh Youth Theatre Festival is live evidence of what young cultural leadership can do. It defies many of the states aging events within the culturally and creatively aging Cairo. And it is defying the surrounding death and the profoundly rooted Egyptian sadness.





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Exactly 100 years ago next Monday, Henry Ford established the famous factory in Cork. On April 17, 1917 Henry Ford & Son Ltd put down roots at the Marina in Cork, his ancestral home city.

Now they are planning on big celebrations to mark the anniversary. Henry's great great-grandson (and Ford executive chairman) William Clay Ford Jr, arrives in Cork to lead the way.

There will be several commemorative events, with his visit also embracing a call to the 'family' home.

Next week there will be a gala event at Cork City Hall. And at a special event in UCC, a partnership between Ford and the university will be announced. Busy times.

As you are probably aware Henry's father, William, emigrated to the US from Ballinascarthy, Co Cork, during the Famine in 1847 with his siblings and parents.

Henry was born in Michigan in 1863 and 40 years later set up the Ford Motor Company in Michigan in 1903.

Just 14 years later, on April 17, 1917 he opened the first purpose-built Ford factory outside of North America at the Marina in Cork.

The Fordson tractor was the main product from the Irish plant.

However, it also produced passenger models including, of course, the iconic Model T.
Dealers can have spare parts worth 100,000-plus lying around.

That's a lot of 'spare change' tied up.

But it needn't be any more, according to an enterprising Irish company.

Surplus Stock Worldwide uploads dealers' spare parts to its platform where buyers from around the world can view and buy them. There is an annual subscription charge, naturally.

Right now there are nearly 20 million parts on the site. So far they have sold to buyers in more than 100 countries.

The founder of the Enterprise Ireland-backed business reckons many dealers are sitting on 100,000+ of 'dead' parts.

So he developed an online platform that puts buyers and sellers in touch. For the yearly subscription, Surplus Stock Worldwide projects your spare parts to a global audience.

Founder and director Terry Reihill explains: "From talking to dealer principals, it is clear there is a need out there for this service.

"We are providing another route to market, enabling dealers to sell their parts with the added advantage of helping them reduce their redundant parts stocks.

"We are creating a global shop window for these parts."

Among the early adopters of the service are the Charles Hurst group, Donnelly Group, Ashley Ford and the Spirit Motor Group.
Moscow's determination to protect Bashar al-Assad at all costs is increasingly harmful to its global interests.

Ever since Russia embarked on its military adventure in Syria, Vladimir Putin's relationship with the Syrian dictator has been characterised more as a marriage of convenience than an ideological meeting of minds.

Russia's principal interest in Syria's seven-year conflict has been to protect its military bases at Latakia and Tartus, which Moscow regards as being vital strategic assets. It was to safeguard the bases that Mr Putin agreed to a request from Iran, the Assad regime's main regional backer, to intervene in Syria in the autumn of 2015, when it looked as though the rebels were about to capture Damascus.

So far as Moscow is concerned, keeping Mr Assad in power must always be seen through the prism of protecting Russia's interests in the region, rather than there being any great affection for the Ba'athist cause.

There have even been a couple of occasions when the Kremlin has intimated it might be prepared to ditch Mr Assad and replace him with a candidate more palatable to the West, so long as it did not mean compromising Russian interests.

If this is the case, then it begs the question why Mr Putin remains so determined to defend Mr Assad when the rest of the civilised world now views the Syrian leader as a pariah who should stand trial for committing war crimes.

Mr Putin's continued support for the butcher of Damascus, moreover, seems all the more remarkable when all the evidence indicates the Assad regime carried out the devastating chemical weapons attack on Idlib last week without even bothering to inform Moscow about its intentions. For any other country, this would be its diplomatic get-out-of-jail card, a valid excuse to abandon an alliance.

And yet Mr Putin continues to stand by the Syrian dictator, even though, by so doing, he runs the risk of deepening Moscow's ostracism from the rest of the world.

Part of the explanation for Mr Putin's stubborn refusal to abandon Mr Assad lies with Russia's problematic relationship with Damascus, which dates back to Cold War days, when having a foothold in Syria was important because the US enjoyed dominance throughout the rest of the Middle East. During this period, Russia helped the Syrians to develop their chemical weapons arsenal - which no doubt explains why Moscow has been so keen to take a lead role in decommissioning the deadly warheads. The Russians were supposed to have done this in 2013 as part of an agreement to prevent the Obama administration launching air strikes after the Assad regime was accused of using chemical weapons against rebel positions in Damascus.

Yet the Assad regime has clearly retained some of its arsenal. This means it has duped the Kremlin on at least two counts: failing to come clean about its chemical weapons, and failing to inform the Russians of the regime's intention to use them in attacks on rebel-held positions.

Given the scale of the Assad regime's betrayal of their Russian protectors, the Kremlin would be well within its rights if it decided to abandon the support that has been instrumental in keeping the Syrian dictator in power - a point US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will no doubt want to raise during today's talks in Moscow. As Donald Trump remarked to Theresa May yesterday, there is "a window of opportunity" to persuade Moscow that "its allegiance with Assad in no longer in its strategic interest".

That may be so, but Mr Putin shows no sign of ditching his alliance with Damascus. On the contrary, Moscow has mobilised its fake-news propaganda machine to rebuff intelligence pointing to the Assad regime's involvement in the Idlib attack. By so doing, though, Mr Putin runs the risk of increasing Russia's isolation. The only other country that shares the Russian leader's enthusiasm for propping up Mr Assad is Iran, whose own interest in developing weapons of mass destruction has attracted renewed interest from Washington. The Iranian-backed Islamist terrorist group Hizbollah is another organisation that has condemned the US missile strikes on Syria.

Otherwise, Mr Putin finds himself on his own in his determination to keep the Assad regime in power at all costs. He has, in effect, dug himself into a big diplomatic hole, which cannot be good for Russia's interests.

Mr Tillerson may be able to break the impasse today by offering a compromise, such as getting Moscow to end its support for Mr Assad in return for playing a prominent role in deciding Syria's post-Assad future. But if Mr Putin insists on clinging to his deranged ally, then Russia under his leadership will remain a lost cause. ( Daily Telegraph, London)
Last Thursday night on RTE's 'Prime Time' programme, Fianna Fail TD John Lahart said that the water charges shambles in the Dail earlier that day was "no longer about water, it is now about trust. Fianna Fail is a party that keeps its promises and Fine Gael doesn't". In the same interview, having sought to claim the high moral ground, Mr Lahart then denied point blank that Fianna Fail had contemplated introducing meters and hefty charges as recently as 2010.

The facts are that Fianna Fail did advocate the establishment of a single national water utility along with meters and charges in 2010. Another fact is that Fianna Fail's U-turn had all to do with not being outflanked by Sinn Fein and little to do with the substance of the matter, and likewise Sinn Fein's volte-face in its electoral battles with Paul Murphy.

Up to the moment, last year, when Simon Coveney's resolve weakened, conceding that Fine Gael may be open to discussion about water charges, 63.5pc of households had signed up to pay. Irish Water said that, such was the rate at which people were signing up, it expected the figure to reach 70pc soon thereafter. If we add a conservative estimate of 100,000 households who didn't sign up because, genuinely unable to pay, they would have qualified for a waiver, and add a similar number already paying for their own private water schemes, this means that well over 70pc of citizens were ready to comply.

Nobody likes new taxes so, not surprisingly, enrolment stopped abruptly and went into reverse as people sensed that the charges might be abandoned. However, it is a measure of the leadership vacuum at the heart of Irish politics that this large constituency for doing the right thing was shamelessly abandoned first by Sinn Fein, quickly followed by Fianna Fail, and later by Fine Gael.

The dearth of political leadership since water became such a hot potato allowed all kinds of misinformation, deceit and unbridled demonisation to dominate the debate. It also allowed virtual open season on ordinary workers in Irish Water; for example, a letter in the 'Irish Examiner' from a Donegal writer put their safety at risk by comparing them to murderers, con-men and Black and Tans.

One of the latest sticking points concerned the definition of wasteful use of water. Sinn Fein's Eoin O Broin said it was a non-issue. Fianna Fail's Barry Cowen created the straw man of people with swimming pools who like to water their five-acre gardens with sprinklers and then agrees they should have to pay for such excesses. The purpose of charging for use beyond a reasonable allowance is not to curb this kind of "wilful waste" but to incentivise conscientious use by everyone, every day. That's the purpose of the European directive on water.

The bitterest of all ironies in this saga is the contention by parties of the left, Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail that poor and disadvantaged people will benefit if water is funded from general taxation. The opposite is true. Ultimately the 300m needed every year to repair our ramshackle water infrastructure will deflect this enormous sum from the investment desperately needed to plug glaring holes in the public services on which poor people in particular rely.

Just for example, the CEO of the HSE says that 9bn is needed to transform the health service; billions more is needed to house families currently enduring slum-like conditions in hotel rooms; and still more to deliver rural broadband, public transport and care for our ageing population.

To peddle the line that there is a huge pot of tax out there, moreover one that the Government can get its hands on, and which will enable water, garbage collection and other services to be 'free' is a lie.

The net losers, if we don't have disciplined conservation of water, if the bill is paid from general taxation and if Ireland is fined for breaches of the European water directive, will be the very people whom those politicians trumpeting "victory for people power" on the plinth of Leinster House say they are concerned about.

The so-called "best practice" in water utilities was set out by the International Expert Committee established to advise the Government; it consists of a metered system, payment for use in excess of a reasonable allowance, and a waiver for those who cannot pay. The real reason, of course, for setting up this committee was to kick the can down the road.

Sinn Fein considers a 54pc Remain vote in the North as justifying an accelerated campaign for a united Ireland but it thinks it's OK for "people power" in the form of street protests by, at the very most, 5pc of adults to trump people power as represented by 70pc of law-abiding citizens. This week in Dail Eireann, still high on the rush of last Saturday's "can't pay, won't pay" marches, it will extract further concessions from a confused Fianna Fail now impaled on a policy it doesn't really believe in, and leave Fine Gael waving the tattered remnants of a water policy that, by right, ought to reflect best international practice.

Thisfiasco is like a tracer that shines a light on all that is wrong with our political system, particularly the unprincipled, short-term opportunism that prevails, most especially when an election is in the air. It is the same political culture that caused the crash of 2007-8.

They all say "no one wants an election over water". Well I do. An election is worth the risk on the off-chance that the kind of leadership the country so desperately needs may emerge. The outcome can be no worse than the "new politics" (what a joke) that we have now.

Eddie Molloy, a management consultant, conducts masterclasses in strategy managing change and innovation
Abu Ghassan, one of the survivors of a chemical attack in the Ghouta region of Damascus that took place in 2013, points at a piece of one of the rockets. Photo: Bassam Khabieh/Reuters

I propose that I be given full ability to review Ian O'Doherty's oeuvres before publication and, where necessary, provide factual rebuttal.

Mr O'Doherty does a serious disservice to readers in his cheerleading of the US's recent illegal strike against Syria (Irish Independent, April 11).

Mr O'Doherty knows full well that on this, and previous occasions, where Syria has been accused of using chemical weapons, the entire international community has provided no evidence to substantiate its claims.

None. Ever.

The jingoistic beat of war drums across the West slyly pretends such evidence exists; to such an extent that the US ambassador to the UN yesterday declared that even though she herself had not seen it, it existed, but was classified.

Mr O'Doherty is championing an illegal aggression against a Syrian government with a huge mandate from its people, over 80pc of whom voted for Bashar al-Assad in the 2014 Syrian presidential election.

The United States has wrought havoc across the Middle East, causing the deaths of millions, since it used weapons of mass destruction lies to justify its disastrous invasion of Iraq, and has been funding the foreign jihadist 'rebels' in Syria to the tune of $1bn a year since 2012.

Mr O'Doherty should be aware of all of this; if he is, I call on him to cease his efforts to curry Irish support for yet another American war in the Middle East, a war that this time could have nuclear consequences.

I call on Mr O'Doherty to publicly acknowledge that not a shred of evidence has been provided by the United States to confirm Syria has ever used chemical weapons.

Kev O Faolain

An Tulach Mhor, Uibh Fhaili

Missing the point on drink driving

Re Colette Browne's article today (Irish Independent, April 11) defending the stance of the Healy-Rae brothers on the proposed revised drink-driving penalties, like many commentators she is missing the point.

It is not the number of deaths caused by those driving with a 50mg to 80mg blood alcohol level that is the problem. Rather, the fact that the penalty for being caught at that level is currently so small means that many people will take a chance and drive after consuming three or more pints, thinking they might still be below the 80mg limit (and also probably assuming they will not be stopped at a checkpoint in any event).

Automatic disqualification will deter many such people from taking that chance, and will therefore reduce road deaths by far more than the 35 lives often quoted in the media and by Transport Minister Shane Ross.

Stephen Doyle

Walkinstown, Dublin 12

Census figures up for debate

I have heard experts discuss the census in recent days. But I have not heard any opinion on the accuracy of the figures.

Is it not possible that apartments, in particular, are difficult to contact and may yield poor census figures? For example, recent news reports mention a house in Cabinteely, Dublin, sublet to 70 people. It would be very interesting to know what the census return was for that house!

Brendan Chapman

Booterstown, Co Dublin

Sergio tees up an Irish victory

Out of all of golf's four major championships, the coveted Masters championship in Augusta, Georgia, is the only one that continues to elude our very good Irish golfers.

So, what a pity indeed that the name of this year's winner was not spelled Sergi O'Garcia! No doubt for the superstitious minded it is a very good omen that next year's wearer of the famous green jacket will fittingly and certainly be Irish. You read it here first, folks.

Ivor Shorts,

Rathfarnham, Dublin 16

Drivers deserve 22 per hour

Sean O'Rourke of RTE was quizzing the NBRU leader yesterday on the union's demand of 22 per hour for Bus Eireann drivers.

On a package of 291,000, O'Rourke earns 143.50 per hour based on a 39-hour working week (although he may work more hours).

O'Rourke also works for a broke semi-state entity and his pay is partly funded by the tax (licence) payer. RTE lost 20m last year.

I have no doubt who is worth the 22 per hour from my taxes, and it ain't O'Rourke, good and all as he is!

Larry Dunne

Rosslare, Co Wexford

Water and travel are not the same

Alison Hackett (Irish Independent, April 11) confuses water charges with free travel, just as, it seems, do an increasing number of people - politicians, bus and train workers and union persons.

Let's be quite clear and distinguish between the two. Water has a production cost - once used, it is down the drain and lost with no ongoing benefit. Free travel enables OAPs to travel, socialise and visit city centres for shopping.

In almost all cases, the seats occupied would go unused - further, by travelling the OAPs contribute to local economies. For example, a sandwich and coffee from the trolley on a train, purchases in a bus station shop, and access to Dublin city centre, which is crying out for more shoppers. Those who glibly bracket water charges with free travel should try being aged 83.

William Shortland

Blessington, Co Wicklow

Not a healthy attitude by State

Congratulations to your columnist Charlie Weston for his contribution to this debate. Excellent, as usual.

If every citizen stopped buying private health insurance - what would be the state of the health service? How would it affect Government coffers - no more income from levies, no more 800 a night for public hospitals.

Let the Government appreciate those of us who take responsible decisions.

I joined the VHI in 1962 and had one claim in 1984. Why am I to be penalised now because of age? The HSE spends a fortune on advertising to promote healthier lifestyles and then complains of the problem of an ageing population.

The Government should cancel all policy levies and restore the tax benefit.

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Brian McFadden and ex-wife Kerry Katona with Molly and Lilly-Sue in 2004

Brian McFaddden and ex-wife Vogue Williams with his daughters Molly and Lilly Sue in Dublin in 2013

Molly McFadden, Brian McFadden and Danielle Parkinson at the annual Christmas Ward Walk at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Dublin

Kerry Katona launches her new venture 'Bingo With Kerry' on January 26, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Luca Teuchmann/Getty Images)

Kerry McFadden and daughter Molly pose at the "O2 In The Park" festival on September 4, 2004 at The Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowbizIreland/Getty Images)

Kerry Katona attends the 'Morning Glory' UK premiere at the Empire Leicester Square on January 11, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)

Singer Kerry Katona is pictured leaving the ITV studios with her daughters Molly and Lilly-Sue after co-presenting Loose Women. Picture: Simon Earl / Splash News

KERRY Katona has revealed she is "absolutely heartbroken" about her eldest child's decision to move to Dublin to live with Brian McFadden's parents Mairead and Brendan.

Last month, the former Westlife star spoke about how his daughter Molly (15) was planning to relocate to his parents' house in Artane in order to concentrate on her studies.

His ex-wife Kerry has now broken her silence about her daughter's decision to move to Brian's hometown and said that it has hit her hard.

"I'll be absolutely heartbroken. I have had a few down days about it already," she said.

Expand Close Kerry McFadden and daughter Molly pose at the "O2 In The Park" festival on September 4, 2004 at The Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowbizIreland/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kerry McFadden and daughter Molly pose at the "O2 In The Park" festival on September 4, 2004 at The Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowbizIreland/Getty Images)

Far from following her parents into the world of showbiz, her daughter has her heart set on studying medicine at college and Kerry reckons that a year in Ireland would help with her marks.

She will start school here in September.

"Molly wants to be a surgeon. She wants to get really good grades in her GCSEs so she's going to Ireland to do a transition year," Kerry said.

"This will give her an extra year of biology and sciences. But I don't want to be the one holding my daughter back from furthering her education. She is my first-born. Knowing Molly, she will be back every weekend."

Expand Close Brian McFaddden and ex-wife Vogue Williams with his daughters Molly and Lilly Sue in Dublin in 2013 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Brian McFaddden and ex-wife Vogue Williams with his daughters Molly and Lilly Sue in Dublin in 2013

Asked about how she reckoned Molly would handle being away from home, she said she believed she will be "massively homesick".

"But I've told her that I think that it's the right thing to do. Her mind is like a sponge and just soaks everything up," she said.

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Kerry paid tribute in an interview with OK! Magazine to Brian's parents and said that they will "dote on her" and take good care of her while she is with them.

"I told her that if she didn't do it she could live to regret it. I don't want her to have a life full of regrets," she said. "If she doesn't like it, she can always come back home."

Expand Close Kerry Katona launches her new venture 'Bingo With Kerry' on January 26, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Luca Teuchmann/Getty Images) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Kerry Katona launches her new venture 'Bingo With Kerry' on January 26, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Luca Teuchmann/Getty Images)

The mum-of-five, who lives in Sussex, has two children from her short marriage to McFadden, Molly and Lily Sue (14).

They married in 2002 but split two years later, with their divorce finalised in 2006.
Campaigners are calling for the monks behind popular tonic wine Buckfast to lose their charitable status, claiming they are profiting from a "dangerous" drink.

The Buckfast Abbey in Devon made 10.3 million in 2014/15 and paid no tax on the profits due to the fact it is a charitable trust, Devon Live reports.

National Secular Society - which works to challenge religious privilege - has claimed Buckfast Tonic Wine is a scourge on society.

The drink is particularly popular in both Ireland and Scotland.

However, it has been linked to 6,500 reports of antisocial behaviour and violence in just two years.

It has been produced in the abbey in Devon since the 1920s but now the National Security Society is calling for it to be stripped of its charitable status.

Society vice president Alistair McBay said: "The monks should be setting an example as a religious organisation but the opposite is happening.

"The question needs to be asked 'Are they serving God or Mamon?"

The Trust justifies its charitable status by saying its aim is the "advancement of the Roman Catholic religion".

It said it takes "all complaints about registered charities seriously" and would "assess the information about the Buckfast Abbey Trust to determine if there is a regulatory role for the Commission".
Levels of trust between Moscow and Washington have deteriorated since U.S. President Donald Trump took office, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.

Asked about relations since Trump became president, Putin said, according to a transcript of the interview released by the Kremlin: "One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated."

Asked about accusations that Syria's government launched a chemical weapons attack in Idlib province, Putin said that Damascus had given up its chemical weapons stocks.

He said he believed there were two main explanations for the incident in Idlib province: that Syrian government air strikes had hit rebel chemical weapons stocks, releasing poisonous gas, or that the incident was a set-up designed to discredit the Syrian government.

Meanwhile Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters.

"There is a certain possibility," the meeting will take place, Peskov said, if Tillerson and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, who are having talks in Moscow, deem it expedient to brief Putin on their discussions.

Peskov also said Western powers' calls on Russia to stop supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amount to giving terrorists a free hand.
Pulitzer board said that Matar's memoir about his native Libya "examines with controlled emotion the past and present of an embattled region."

Libyan Writer, Hisham Matar, has won the 2017 Pulirzer Prize for biography/autobiography, for his memoir, The Return: Fathers, Sons and the Land in Between.

the Pulitzer board said Monday that Matar's memoir about his native Libya "examines with controlled emotion the past and present of an embattled region." Tyehimba Jess' "Olio" was the poetry winner, cited for melding performance art with poetry "to explore collective memory and challenge contemporary notions of race and identity."

Matar was born in the US to Libyan parents, lived in Tripoli and Cairo during childhood, and published his first novel in 2006, In the Country of Men, that was shortlisted for various awards, including the prestigious Man Booker Prize.

Colson Whitehead's "The Underground Railroad," his celebrated novel about an escaped slave that combined liberating imagination and brutal reality, has won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction.

Monday's announcement confirmed the book as the literary event of 2016, an Oprah Winfrey book club pick and critical favorite which last fall received the National Book Award, the first time in more than 20 years that the same work won the Pulitzer and National Book Award for fiction. Whitehead, known for such explorations of American myth and history as "John Henry Days," conceived his novel with what he calls a "goofy idea:" Take the so-called Underground Railroad of history, the network of escape routes to freedom, and make it an actual train. He wove his fantasy together with a too-believable story of a young girl's flight from a plantation.

Whitehead finished "The Underground Railroad" well before Donald Trump's election but now finds parallels with the present.

"I think the book deals with white supremacy as a foundational error in the country's history and that foundational error is being played out now in the White House," he told The Associated Press on Monday. "When I was writing the book I wasn't thinking about current events, but I think you have to look at it differently now."

Other winners announced Monday also touched upon race and class, in the present and in the past.

Lynn Nottage's "Sweat," which won for drama, explores how the shutdown of a Pennsylvania factory leads to the breakdown of friendship and family, and a devastating cycle of violence, prejudice, poverty and drugs. The play marks

Nottage's Broadway debut and her second Pulitzer Prize. She is the writer of "Intimate Apparel," ''By The Way, Meet Vera Stark" and "Ruined," which also won the Pulitzer.

"I was looking at how poverty and economic stagnation was beginning to shift our American narrative and how a culture was crying out," Nottage told the AP after her win Monday. "I'm very honored. I'm in a bit of a daze."

The history winner, Heather Ann Thompson's "Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy," examines the events that unfolded starting Sept. 9, 1971, when nearly 1,300 prisoners took over the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York to protest years of mistreatment. The work reveals the crimes committed during the uprising and its aftermath, who committed them, and how they were covered up.

Thompson, a historian at the University of Michigan, was teaching her second class of the day when her cellphone awakened with a call from her book agent about the win. Her students burst into applause.

Thompson said she was most happy that survivors of the uprising and subsequent brutal crackdown were able to have their stories told after more than four decades.

"Beyond Attica, I'm hoping that it also shines a light on inside these correctional facilities, of which we have more in this country than any other country on the planet," she said. "I hope it reminds us that the 2.5 million people that are locked up in a correctional facility are human beings."

The general nonfiction winner was Matthew Desmond's "Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City," set in Milwaukee and praised by the Pulitzer board as "a deeply researched expose that showed how mass evictions after the 2008 economic crash were less a consequence than a cause of poverty." Desmond, who last month won a National Book Critics Circle award, said Monday that he hoped his book would illuminate both the severity of the crisis and the role of government.

"You look at a public housing tower and a mortgaged suburban home," he told the AP. "Both are government subsidized, but they don't look anything alike. We seem a lot more willing to spend money on tax write-offs than on direct assistance."

The Pulitzer board gave the music award to Du Yun's "Angel's Bone" and called it a "bold" work which "integrates vocal and instrumental elements and a wide range of styles into a harrowing allegory for human trafficking in the modern world."

Yun had just returned from a day of panels at The Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi, and her librettist Royce Vavrek texted her the good news, which arrived close to midnight for Yun. She said that it was great to hear after a day of learning "how to use art and make art ... to advance cultural change" at The Culture Summit.

"I met a lot of people who work intensively with refugees and human trafficking, which was the top of my work," Yun said. "We just had this intense conversation about how to really use art to affect policies."

The Pulitzer board gave the music award to Du Yun's "Angel's Bone" and called it a "bold" work which "integrates vocal and instrumental elements and a wide range of styles into a harrowing allegory for human trafficking in the modern world."

Yun had just returned from a day of panels at The Culture Summit in Abu Dhabi, and her librettist Royce Vavrek texted her the good news, which arrived close to midnight for Yun. She said that it was great to hear after a day of learning "how to use art and make art ... to advance cultural change" at The Culture Summit.

"I met a lot of people who work intensively with refugees and human trafficking, which was the top of my work," Yun said. "We just had this intense conversation about how to really use art to affect policies."

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Firefighters and rescue workers at the site after an explosion in Diyarbakir, Turkey (AP)

An explosion that hit a police station in the Turkish city of Diyarbakir, killing three people, was the result of a "terror attack", Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said.

The blast happened on Tuesday inside a workshop in the mainly Kurdish city, where a police armoured vehicle was being repaired.

Mr Soylu had initially said the explosion appeared to be accidental.

On Wednesday, however, he said investigators had concluded that it was an attack by assailants who had dug tunnels and placed explosives beneath the vehicle repair facility, which is an annex to the city's main police headquarters.

The minister told Haber Turk news channel: "Last night, it became clear that it was a terror attack."

He did not say who was suspected of being responsible.

Kurdish rebels, engaged in a renewed battle against the government forces, have previously targeted police in the region.

AP
The Philippine army took part in a gunfight with Abu Sayyaf militants that left at least nine people dead (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Troops in the Philippines have killed a senior militant commander blamed for the beheadings of two Canadians and a German hostage.

Military chief of staff General Eduardo Ano said the Abu Sayyaf rebel leader Moammar Askali died in a clash with government forces on the resort island of Bohol.

He said troops have recovered the remains of Askali, who also used the nom de guerre Abu Rami, and was apparently attempting another kidnapping mission.

The soldiers took photos of the dead men, and he was identified by captured Abu Sayyaf militants.

Five other Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in the fighting on Tuesday, along with four soldiers and policemen.

Gen Ano said: "T his is a major blow to the Abu Sayyaf. If they have further plans to kidnap innocent people somewhere, they will now have to think twice."

The military chief said Askali had led several militants who travelled by speedboats from their jungle lairs in southern Sulu province to Bohol province in an apparent bid to carry out another kidnapping in a region that is popular for its beach resorts.

Sporadic gunfights between the remaining Abu Sayyaf militants and government forces continued on Wednesday, military officials said.

The fighting in Bohol is far from the extremists' southern jungle bases and in a region where the US government has warned that the gunmen may be plotting kidnappings.

National police chief director general Ronald dela Rosa said troops and policemen attacked the gunmen early on Tuesday in Inabanga, where the gunmen had arrived aboard three boats.

T he gunmen took cover in three houses as the firefight broke out.

Government forces seized control of two of the houses, and the rest of the gunmen either were in the third house or had fled the area, Mr dela Rosa said.

It is the Abu Sayyaf's first known attempt to carry out ransom kidnappings deep in the heartland of the central Philippines.

Bohol island, where one of the world's smallest primates, called tarsiers, are found, drawing many tourists, is about 400 miles from Manila.

Abu Sayyaf militants have crossed the sea border with Malaysia on powerful speedboats and kidnapped scores of foreign tourists in past years.

In 2001, they sailed as far as western Palawan province, where they seized 20 people, including three Americans, from a resort.

"If we were not able to monitor this and engage them with our government forces, it's a cause for alarm if they were able to carry out kidnappings," Mr dela Rosa said.

The US embassy in Manila recently advised Americans to take precautions amid "unsubstantiated yet credible information" of possible kidnappings by terrorists in Bohol, nearby Cebu province and other central areas.

The US and the Philippines have separately blacklisted the Abu Sayyaf as a terrorist organisation for bombings, kidnappings for ransom and beheadings.

Some Abu Sayyaf commanders have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered troops to destroy the extremists in Sulu and in outlying island provinces.

He has threatened to declare martial law in the country's south if the threat posed by Abu Sayyaf and other extremist groups aligned with IS gets out of control.

Abu Sayyaf militants beheaded two Canadians last year and a German hostage earlier this year after ransom deadlines lapsed.

They are still holding at least 29 captives in Sulu's jungles, many of them foreign tugboat and cargo ship crewmen seized at the sea border between the southern Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.

AP
Outrage spread to Vietnam on Wednesday over United Airlines' handling of a passenger dragged from his seat after it emerged that the 69-year-old U.S. doctor was Vietnamese by birth

Although United Airlines has no direct flights to Vietnam, there were widespread calls on social media for a boycott after video showed a bloodied David Dao being yanked out of the plane by airport security on Sunday to make way for United employees.

The ire in Vietnam grew quickly after it was reported that Dao's origins were not in the Southeast Asian country's old enemy, China, as many had at first assumed.

Vietnamese also fumed at allegations over Dao's past reported in the United States as irrelevant and possibly racist.

"Watching this makes my blood boil, I'll never fly United Airlines," commented Anh Trang Khuya on Facebook, the most widely used social media platform in Vietnam.

Nguyen Khac Huy wrote: "Boycott United!!! This is excessive! Let's be loving and united, Vietnamese people!"

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Whatsapp An image made from a video shows a passenger who was removed from a United Airlines flight in Chicago (Audra Bridges via AP)

There was no immediate comment from the government or in state media.

Video showing Dao being pulled from United Airlines Flight 3411 at Chicago O'Hare International Airport on Sunday went viral and the worldwide backlash hit the airline's share price and prompted an apology from the company chief executive.

Kentucky's medical board website shows that a doctor David Dao graduated in 1974 in Ho Chi Minh City - then known as Saigon and the capital of U.S.-backed South Vietnam before its defeat and the reunification of Vietnam under communist rule a year later.

Around that time, Dao left for the United States, according to U.S. media and Vietnamese websites.

Vietnamese media said that Dao was also a songwriter and crooner of soulful ballads - including one about the memory of rain falling in Saigon.

Reports in U.S. media of an offence that had led to Dao losing his medical licence in 2003 were dismissed in Vietnam as a probable smear campaign.

"Dr. Dao didn't do anything wrong on that flight and that's the main thing," wrote Clarence Dung Taylor in a post that had more than 4,000 likes.

The attitude to the case shifted dramatically in Vietnam once it was reported that Dao was not from China - an ancient enemy with which Vietnam continues to have a maritime dispute over the South China Sea.

When initial reports had suggested the man being dragged from the plane was Chinese, some Vietnamese had posted strongly unsympathetic comments about him.

"So funny," wrote Bui Nguyen Trong Nghia. "Now they know he's Vietnamese, most people stand up to advocate. Whether it's Vietnamese or Chinese, there'll be discrimination as we're Asian."
US President Donald Trump announcing the missile strikes on Syria last week. Photo: Alex BrandonAP

US President Donald Trump has surrounded himself in controversy again after he remembered the "beautiful chocolate cake" he was eating during the launch of the Syrian missiles, but forgets which country he sent them to.

In an interview with journalist Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business, Mr Trump said he was eating dinner with the Chinese President when the missiles were sent to Syria.

Trump remembers details of cake he was eating while launching missiles, but not which country he was attacking. pic.twitter.com/TYfqXXDeCZ  Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) April 12, 2017

However, he tells Ms Bartiromo that the missiles were heading towards Iraq before he quickly corrects himself.

"I was sitting at the table, we had finished dinner," Mr Trump told Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo. "We're now having dessertand we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seenand President Xi was enjoying it.

"I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded... So the missiles were on the way."

Mr Trump said he turned to President Xi and explained to him what was happening.

"We've just fired 59 missiles -all of which hit by the way- unbelievable from 100s of miles away. It was brilliant, genuis. What we have in terms of technology nobody can even come close to competing."

He continued to say that the military has been cut back and depleted so badly by "the past administration and by the war in Iraq which was another disaster".

"We've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq," Mr Trump said before journalist Bartiromo corrects him asking "heading to Syria?".

"Yes, heading towards Syria," he corrects himself.

Mr Trump said the Chinese President paused and got his interpreter to translate for a second time.

"He said to me anybody that uses gas to do that to young children and babies it's ok. He was ok with it."
In October 2015, the Economist published a piece titled the Sad State of Egyptian Liberals. It said liberals in this country were in crisis and enumerated the reasons: internal divisions (most of them due to strong egos) lack of money, inexperience, and a terminology that proved alien to most Egyptians. More specifically, a limited government was a foreign idea the Egyptians did not understand.

The alien terminology argument is debatable. I would rather say, for instance, that Egyptians (at least the elites and the urban and rural middle classes) understand quite well what constitutes a limited government, but they, rightly or wrongly, do not consider this to be a top priority.

Most either want to radically reform the society  and for this a strong, efficient and even absolutist state is necessary  or, they want to promote and protect their interests through a kind of clientelist relation with the State, so they prefer to avoid antagonizing it. Last, but not least, many want security and are afraid of "the people" as a political force.

Most of the other critiques seem much more pertinent.

The liberals are divided, of course, but the egos are only a partial explanation. It seems to me that Egyptian liberals have different origins: first, they are the daughters and sons of old wealthy families, which were, more often than not, affiliated with the Wafd party before 1952. These families may have been side-lined or co-opted by the Nasser and Sadat regimes; they remained faithful to the Wafd political culture, or to that of the liberal era.

This culture holds a Egyptian mixture of conservative, reactionary, liberal and progressive worldviews. The individual views can be very different on gender issues, religion and world affairs, but most are committed to more or less free market economies.

They are united by a common diagnosis: these individual differences are okay, healthy, even necessary and these families are the natural leaders of Egypt: the Nasser regimes original sin is seen as its denial of this elites right to govern.

To put it differently, these people are the elite; liberal norms govern intra-elite relations, and to some extent their relations with the people, provided everybody respects the hierarchy. Some of them have a very ugly conception of the last notion.

Most of these liberals simply are not involved in politics. Instead, they focus on private sector careers. The few who have tried to participate in politics have been disheartened, either by the regime or by the unending power play among the parties. However, they read the international newspapers, speak foreign languages and carry sound common sense and a deep understanding of Egyptian politics.

I would even say their understanding of world affairs is fair (notwithstanding a gross overestimation of the power of lobbies). They do not like the post-1952 regimes and their legacies.

The second origin of liberals gave us the daughters and sons of the effendis, the (more or less) westernised, educated middle class who were the top civil servants, the engineers, doctors, merchants, judges and lawyers of both the monarchy and Nasser regime. They share a lot of common features with the first group.

Of course, there is no unanimity in this second group regarding experiences under Nasser and many are not against the states intervention in the economy. While they believe some are more equal than others, they have a more egalitarian worldview than the first group.

These first two groups form crucial components of the enlightened public opinion. Few of them participate in politics, but most of them read, comment, discuss politics, and have a kind of transmitted knowledge of political and human affairs.

The third and the fourth groups are more active and much more visible. The third stems from the radicalised left that rooted itself in the universities between 1968 and 1978, before losing the war for control of the campuses to an alliance of Islamists and regime supporters.

This extreme left organised the massive demonstrations of 1968 and 1972. The regime considered them as enemies and they reciprocated  though it may have been the other way around.

This radicalised lefts evolution looks pretty much similar to that of its western counterparts. Some remained committed to the idea and the goal of a revolution, as faithful leftists. Others decided revolution was an impossible goal and tried to re-join the ranks of the state, or of the alliance of state and business.

Others became journalists, or members of the microscopic political parties. Others started looking for other and new kinds of militancy and activism. They converted to liberal culture and to human rights activism.

A real revolution was deemed impossible, so they focused on political and social rights and on gender and minority issues. Their brand of liberalism is very different from the one shared by the first two groups. They were more politically active: indeed, they were a key founder of the Kefaya movement.

We easily forget today their contribution: all of a sudden, they broke taboos and liberated the language, which stopped being the expression of what we should say, becoming a tool for expressing what we wanted to say.

Of course, they can and they should be criticised. In some ways, human rights culture and activism are a betrayal of the social sciences legacy, as they tend to believe modifying the law is enough to achieve decisive progress. This culture is not very strong at building political coalitions. It seldom takes into account the context, the realm of possibilities.

Finally, its political memory is seldom an asset or a guide. The Egyptian authorities tried to undermine these activists international funding and connections to delegitimise the whole process. It considered them foes who pursued war against the state through other means.

The fourth group is by far the youngest. It entered in politics at some point between 2000 and 2010. They are the daughters and the sons of the first three groups members, plus some who are fed up with the authoritarian patterns that structure political, religious and social lives in Egypt.

To be continued

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KANNAPOLIS  The Rowan-Cabarrus Community College Board of Trustees, staff and faculty recently gathered with North Carolina Research Campus representatives, the mayor of Kannapolis and community members to discuss the future of Kannapolis.

We are very proud of our relationship with the city of Kannapolis and the North Carolina Research Campus, said Dr. Carol S. Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Our strong partnership has continued to grow over time.

The college currently has two sites in Kannapolis, with a third on the way. The Rowan-Cabarrus building on the North Carolina Research Campus, opened in 2010, is home to the nursing and biotechnology programs.

The colleges West Avenue Center, which opened in June of 2015, is the location of the cosmetology, esthetics, and manicuring programs, as well as nurse aide and employability training. The programs at this location have grown and expanded as a result of this upgrade.

Additionally, Kannapolis will also be home to the soon-to-be developed Advanced Technology Center, thanks in part to the nearly three-acre donation of land from Mr. David H. Murdock, chairman, CEO and president of Castle & Cooke, Inc. and NC Research Campus founder. The new Advanced Technology Center (ATC), a 60,000-square-foot classroom and laboratory building, will be adjacent to the Colleges existing facility on the research campus.

The discussion centered around the revitalization of Kannapolis and Rowan-Cabarrus Community Colleges pivotal role in the growth and development of the campus and the city.

We work together frequently to move our community forward. The best way to do it is to do it together, said Mayor Hinnant.

According to Hinnant, the revitalization will have 2,000-4,000 people working in downtown Kannapolis.

Were looking at the possibility of relocating the colleges cosmetology facility across the street from the current location. Wed plan for you to be in the new building for the fall 2018 semester, said Hinnant. This is part of the citys 10-year capital plan and will require no new taxes. We will make the college whole.

While the final location for the new college space has not been determined, the city is working with creative developers to help determine the best use of all downtown spaces.

The mayor has been very careful and caring for the college during this process. We know how much property we need and our programs needs. We know that our futures are linked and we are a major part of the success of this region, said Spalding.

The cosmetology program is one of the largest and most successful in the state. In addition to the cosmetology classes located at the new center, other courses such as nurse aide and resume and interview support services are also offered.

We are so excited and thank Mr. Murdock for his generosity and the city of Kannapolis for their continued partnership. When this all comes together, it will be a great result, said Carl. M. Short, chair of the colleges board of trustees.

The existing facility used for the cosmetology program and related associate degree, diploma and certificate programs serves more than 700 community college and high school students.

We are committed to our partnerships with Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and the city of Kannapolis, said Castle & Cooke North Carolina Vice President of Operations Mark Spitzer. As a result of Mr. Murdocks generosity, we at Castle & Cooke are proud to support the addition of the ATC which will enhance the campus role not only as a premier center of scientific research, but as an engine for workforce and economic advancement for Kannapolis and the surrounding region.

For additional information about cosmetology, manicuring and esthetic services, please call 704-792-9788.

For more information about Rowan-Cabarrus Community College, please visit www.rccc.edu or call 704-216-RCCC (7222).
Alexander County officials found three dead dogs and 10 dead birds, along with numerous malnourished animals, during a search last week on Bolick Lane in Bethlehem, according to a press release.
Visakhapatnam, often abbreviated to Vizag, is a coastal port city in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in the northeastern part of the state, nestled between the hills of the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.

Known for its beautiful landscape and golden beaches, the city is also called Jewel of the East coast and Goa of the East.

Visakhapatnam is the administrative headquarters of Visakhapatnam district. With a population of 4.29 million, it is the largest city in Andhra Pradesh. It is also home to the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy.

Once a small fishing hamlet, Visakhapatnam has seen rapid development in the past few years. It is now a fully developed port city and a major industrial town in south India.

Transport

Visakhapatnam is strategically located on the eastern coast of India and serves as the gateway to East and Southeast Asian economies. Its transport system is well developed and includes a well-connected road, rail, water, and air network.

Visakhapatnam has two ports: Visakhapatnam Port (opened in 1933) and Gangavaram Port (opened in 2008). While Gangavaram port is the deepest port in the country, Visakhapatnam port is one of the busiest ports in India. It has the ability to handle large international vessels and takes care of all strategic operations through sea transport.

A new satellite port is also being developed at Bhimli, which is 12.42 miles away from Visakhapatnam port.

National highway (NH) number 5, part of Golden quadrilateral system of the Indian highway network, connects Visakhapatnam to the major cities on the eastern coast. The city railway system ensures connectivity to metro cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai, Indore, Coimbatore, and Hyderabad.

Port sector

Visakhapatnam is an arterial port connecting manufacturing hubs and industrial clusters across the region. It is among the 13 major seaports in India and is the second largest seaport in Andhra Pradesh, in terms of annual traffic.

Visakhapatnam is an all-weather, landlocked and protected port, meaning it is encircled by land with an opening to the sea. It houses the countrys biggest ship-building and ship-repair industry.

Key exports from Vizag comprise of: iron ore (especially from Bailadila mines to Japan), manganese ore, spices, and wood. Primary imports include mineral oil, coal, luxury items, and other industrial products.

The hinterland of Visakhapatnam port constitutes an approximate area of 1.31 lakh square miles (3.4 lakh sq. km) that includes Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining mineral rich areas of Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Karnataka states.

According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the federal government has recently invested over US$925 million (Rs 6,000 crore) in further developing the Visakhapatnam port. Additionally, coastal economic zones are being developed to reduce logistics cost under the Sagarmala project.

Industrial hub

Visakhapatnam is a thriving industrial city. Endowed with rich mineral reserves in its hinterland, well developed means of transport, telecommunications, and infrastructure facilities, the city offers unlimited potential for industrial growth.

In the 1970s and 80s, Visakhapatnam grew rapidly following major investments in state owned industries such as the Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Hindustan Zinc Plant, and a host of other ancillary industries. At present, it is home to many heavy industries such as GAIL, HPCL, BHEL, Dredging Corporation of India, Coromandel Fertilizers, RINL and LG Polymers, Reliance, Brandix, Essar Pellet Plant, among others.

There are several Special Economic Zones and industrial parks in Visakhapatnam, namely the Visakhapatnam Special Economic Zone (VSEZ) that started operations in 1989, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), Aganampudi Industrial Park, Visakha Dairy, JNPC, Brandix Apparel City etc.

Exports from VSEZ stood at a whopping US$8.8 billion (Rs 57,134 crore) during 2015-16, up from US$6.9 billion (Rs 44,999 crore) in the previous year, mirroring an increase of 27 percent.

Emerging IT sector

Visakhapatnam is soon to be the information technology (IT) and innovation hub of Andhra Pradesh. The state government is committed to promoting IT growth through the development of IT economic zones and incubation centers. New state initiatives include development of a mega IT hub at Madhurawada IT Park Hill and Sunrise Start-up Village at Rushikonda.

Visakhapatnam is home to several institutes and R&D centers. Its cosmopolitan culture along with the availability of large, highly skilled, and accessible workforce has attracted many IT companies to the region. Some of them are HSBC, IBM, Sutherland, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HSBC, and Concentrix.

The IT sector in Vizag registered a turnover of approximately US$308 million (Rs 2000 crore) during the financial year 2015-16 and employed over 19,000 people. Software exports from the city stood at US$1.83 billion (Rs 11,875crore) in the year 2015-16.

Investment prospects

Visakhapatnam is endowed with natural advantages like the availability of large mineral reserves, a long coastline, and deep draft ports that enable linkages with major markets in Southeast Asia.

Excellent government support, accelerated industrialization in the region, access to skilled workforce, agglomeration of cargo from distant hinterland centers, and increased connectivity continue to create ample opportunities for businesses in the region.
India has been asked to join the Malacca Straits Patrol (MSP) framework, and will commence naval operations to patrol the area, which acts as an oceanic gateway to and from the South China Sea, and also links the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. From an economic and strategic perspective, the Malacca Straits is one of the most important shipping lanes in the world. It serves as the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, and links major Asian economies such as India, China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

In 2006, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand formed the MSP to provide maritime security to the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. The MSP comprises of the Malacca Straits Sea Patrol (MSSP), the Eyes-in-the-Sky (EiS) Combined Maritime Air Patrols, as well as the Intelligence Exchange Group (IEG). The Straits of Malacca is one of eight major oil chokepoints throughout the world, and the MSP was initiated in the wake of an upsurge in pirate attacks on ships in the region in the early 2000s. About 80 percent of Chinas crude and oil imports from the Middle East and Africa passes through these straits.

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Former Indian Navy Commander Abhijit Singh is quoted stating, If India does manage to join the MSP, it will be a very significant development. The four countries involved in patrolling the Malacca Straits have acute sensitivities about each others maritime activities closer to their own territorial waters. They are also inherently wary of extra-regional contributions to the patrolling effort. Part of the problem is that three of the four states have competing territorial claims in littorals adjoining the Malacca Straits. Now, as armed robbery and militancy in Southeast Asia are on the rise, there is a clamor for outside assistance in the maritime security effort. But India must be aware that joint maritime operations in the region will come with its share of challenges.

The Straits of Malacca are considered a weak point in Chinas maritime strategy, and India wants to assert itself more with such a strategic move as becoming part of the MSP. Once India is authorized to patrol the Malacca Straits, it will have access to real-time data of commercial ships and naval platforms.

RELATED: India and Russia Collaborate on Joint Development Funds, Technical Innovation Projects

The move is certain to upset China, whose own occupation and development of various disputed reefs around the South China Sea has caused regional criticism. Indias involvement in the MSP will essentially limit the extent of any further Chinese expansion and could be used to blockade supplies to China in the event of a conflict. India has a powerful navy, including nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers. The move also signals that India is ready to take on greater responsibilities in acting as a counterweight to the perceived Chinese naval might. This comes as the United States looks to withdraw from the region, and puts India in a possible position of influence, especially with respect to how some of the ASEAN nations can counter perceived territorial threats from Beijing.

Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide.

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017

An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2017 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to stay up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes.

Working as an Expat in India

In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we look at Indias living and working environment, HR and payroll laws, and the taxation norms as applicable to foreign nationals. India is the second most favored destination for expatriates that want to work in the emerging markets. Expatriates should take note of the basic social and welfare concerns as well as the regulatory and tax issues that apply to foreigners that work in the country.
Actor Silambarasan's 'Anbanavan Asaradhavan Adangadhavan' shooting was supposed to be held in Thailand and the team had also landed in the country. But now it seems the Thailand schedule has been cancelled and the cast and crew has returned to Chennai.

It is said that there were some issues that could not be sorted out in getting permission to shoot the film in Thailand and hence the makers have decided to shoot the portions in a set in Ramoji Film City in Hyderabad.

'AAA' is being directed by Adhik Ravichandran of 'Trisha Illana Nayanthara' fame and STR plays triple roles in the film. Shriya Saran and Tamannah have played the female leads while recently Sana Khan recently joined the star cast of this film produced by Michael Rayappan under his Global Infotainment banner.
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 | 07-11-2022 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 | 07-11-2022 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 | 07-11-2022 2:00 pm

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The best airlines would always be judged by its customer service. Compromising on passenger priority is the worst that airlines can do and, sadly, there have been instances where the staff has been at their worst, doling out equally bad service.

Also read: 9 Times When Airline Staff Misbehaved With Passengers

Listed here are nine instances where fight experience turned into living nightmares for passengers.

1. United Airlines

United created an uproar on social media after videos of security guards dragging an Asian doctor off an overbooked flight went viral. After the officials yanked the passengers out of his seat aboard the United Flight 3411, the 69-year-old passenger was forcibly dragged on the aisle amid the horrified shrieks of fellow travellers. As a result of this manhandling, the doctor suffered serious injuries on his face and was heard saying 'I have to go home' and 'just kill me' repeatedly.

screen grab

2. Jet Airways

Budget airlines, Jet Airways received major flak after it asked five passengers aboard its Bhopal-bound flight to make room for a wealthy Gujarati family. After 17 members of the 80-strong party arrived late, the airlines cancelled their booking. However, after creating ruckus on board, the staff asked other passengers to vacate their seats. When that didn't work, they bribed people to volunteer which resulted in in five people coming forward to receive the reward of Rs. 10,000.

screen grab

3. United Airlines

United landed in soup in another incident where they denied entry to two girls wearing leggings. What made the matter worse was United's initial response where they explained that they "shall have the right to refuse passengers who are not properly clothed."

getty images

4. Delta Airlines

YouTuber Adam Saleh, who has over 1.6 millions fans on the video platform, was kicked off a Delta flight at Heathrow airport after 20 people complained that he was talking in Arabic. Saleh was escorted off the plane along with his friend. What people didn't know before accusing Saleh was that he was talking to his 66-year-old mother on the phone - a ritual he follows every time he is about to take off.

Adam Saleh

5. American Airlines

Two Muslim women who worked for the US government were escorted off the plane after the staff complained that they made the crew 'uncomfortable' and 'unsafe'. The women were asked to leave the plane after one of them was heard talking to another passenger about the lack of water and food on the flight that had been grounded at Miami for five hours. After the de-boarded, they were welcomed by armed air marshals and police officers who told them that the male flight attendant - who heard them complaining - had felt threatened by them.

facebook

6. Southwest Airlines

Little did Khairuldeen Makhzoomi know that saying 'inshallah' would result in his ouster from a Southwest Airlines flight. Makhzoomi was speaking to his uncle when he used the Islamic phrase which means 'God willing'. Two minutes later, he was being escorted off the plane by armed officials.

CDN.TURNER

7. Aeromexico

Indian-American actor, Waris Ahluwalia, was barred from boarding Mexico City's largest airline after he refused to remove his turban. The airline staff had asked Ahluwalia, who is a Sikh, to book a ticket on a different flight following which he posted a photo of his cancelled ticket on social media.

reuters

8. United Airlines

The pilot of a United flight made it a 'safety of flight' issue after he kicked a Muslim family off the plane. Eaman-Amy Saad Shebley, her husband, and three children were off to Washington DC for a holiday where their plans were shattered by a flight attendant who asked them to leave the aircraft without giving them a reason. It was then that the pilot made it a safety issue. Once Shebley posted her video recordings of the encounter on Facebook, the airline said that the family was removed because there were concerns regarding their child's safety seat.

the sun

9. Air India

The Indian airline was asked to shell out Rs. 50,000 by a consumer court after it offloaded a passenger due to overbooking. The court said that it had overbooked its flight for commercial gains without showing any concern toward its passengers.

toi

Misbehaving with passengers and beating them black and blue is not what customers pay for while buying a ticket. It would do them well to double back and get a crash course in human courtesy.
With films such as The Fate of The Furious and Bahubali 2 releasing in April, the month promises to stake a heavy claim to your salaries this month. Besides these films, there are several other interesting movies from different genres including historical, action and animated adventure lined up for release this month. If you are confused as to which movie to head out for, here is a list of movies releasing this April.

1. Begum Jaan  April 14





After Kahaani 2, Vidya Balan is back to the rock the silver screen with yet another enthralling story. Stepping into the shoes of Rituparna Sengupta, the madam of the brothel, Vidya is all set to captivate her fans with yet another powerhouse performance.

Apart from Vidya Balan, if theres any other actor to look out for in the movie, it is Chunky Pandey, who looks unrecognisable with shaved head sporting a mean look in the trailer. The high-voltage dialogues from the film have already cast its spell on the audience. Furthermore, Amitabh Bachchans narration in his deep voice adds up to the mood of the period drama.

Helmed by National Film Award-winning director Srijit Mukherji, Begum Jaan is a remake of Hit Bengali movie Rajkahini (2015) and is hitting the screens on April 14.

2. The Fate of the Furious  April 14

The wait for the eighth installment of The Fate of the Furious has been longer than ever. The action film is a tribute to Paul Walker, who played the role Brian O'Conner in the franchise, before the world lost him in a car accident in 2013. Despite being an action film, there is an emotional depth associated with the movie as it is the first film without Paul Walker.

Furthermore, since when the trailer of the movie has been released, fans are confused to see Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) betraying his family of friends, after being seduced by Charlize Theron (Cipher). Also, adding to the excitement are Kurt Russell (Mr Nobody) and Helen Mirren (in an undisclosed role), who are debuting in the franchise with The Fate of The Furious, releasing on April 14.

3. Noor  April 21





Based on the hilarious novel by Pakistani writer Saba Imtiaz, You're Killing Me, Noor starring Sonakshi Sinha narrates the misadventures of a Pakistani journalist as she navigates her way through Mumbai. Its a story about a real girl and her real life struggle.

Apart from Sonakshi, comedian Kanan Gill is making his acting debut in the film, and thats exciting, isnt it? Whats more, Sunny Leone will also be seen a cameo role.

The makers have promised that the movie has an immense sense of relatability, and so we are looking forward to it. Directed by Sunhil Sippy, Noor is slated to release on April 21.

4. Maatr  April 21





The revenge thriller, which marks the comeback of Raveena Tandon after a hiatus of two years post-Bombay Velvet, looks hard-hitting than ever. The story Maatr, which once again highlights Delhi as the rape capital of the nation, revolves around a mother who fights against the broken judicial system after the death of her daughter who was raped.

The intense, as well as gripping story of the movie, narrates how she fights against judiciary as well as the criminal system when her own husband disses her and leaves her to fight the battle alone. TVs acclaimed actor Rushad Rana will play the role of Raveenas husband in Maatr, which is releasing on April 21.

5. Smurfs: The Lost Village  April 21

Sony Pictures CGI animated reboot of The Smurfs movie, titled Smurfs: The Lost Village showcases the colourful and flashy lives of Smurfs latest adventure. What happens when the Smurfs discover the village of other female Smurfs? And what happens when they come across a female Smurf that fights back with a bow and an arrow? Whoa! This is something that has never happened in the Smurf universe before, which is otherwise much tamed, isnt it? In order to know what happens thereafter, head to the theatres on April 21 to watch Smurfs: The Lost Village.

The movie includes the voices of Demi Lovato as Smurfette, Mandy Patinkin as Papa Smurf, Joe Manganiello as Hefty, Rainn Wilson as Gargamel, Jack McBrayer as Clumsy and Danny Pudi as Brainy.

6. The Lost City of Z  April 21





Written and directed by James Gray, The Lost City of Z, is a biographical adventure film based on the real-life events from the life of British explorer Percy Fawcett, who made several efforts to find a lost city in Amazon before he disappeared with his son in 1925. Its a story of the obsession of real life explorers. Want to get lost in a jungle for some adventure? Probably the movie will be a treat, complimenting with a strong story line.

The Lost City of Z stars Charlie Hunnam in the role of Fawcett along with Robert Pattinson as his fellow explorer Henry Costin, and Sienna Miller as his wife Nina Fawcett.

7. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion  April 28





And after years of wait, Bahubali 2 is finally releasing on April 28, making the year bigger and better. The movie is going to be bigger and grander than the first installment, for sure. But as known already, the makers of the movie havent revealed even asingle bit of the detail on the storyline of the movie, but still, the anticipation continues. Finally, the much-speculated question as to why Kattappa killed Bahubali will be answered. Are you all excited?

(Also Read: 9 Little Known Facts About Bahubali 2 That Will Make The Wait Even More Exciting)
Men have been treating women as an object since forever, but a lot changed in the past decade. A lot of women began speaking towards domestic violence, rape, molestation, harassment, eve teasing etc, however, we are yet to reach a state of security.

In yet another harrowing experience for women in Tamil Nadu's Tirupur; a cop was caught on camera, slapping a woman protestor.

A woman protester was slapped by a senior police officer in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu on Tuesday evening. The Additional deputy superintendent of police (ADSP), Pandiarajan, was seen in the video, first approaching that woman violently and then hitting her hard.

It happened in Samalapuram in Tirupur, some 460km from Chennai. These women were protesting against Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) liquor outlet in the locality and were demanding its closure.

In this ruckus, several others were injured as they were pushed away to clear the road, one was even hospitalised. As the video showing the act went viral, various political parties, including DMK, condemned the 'police brutality'. Shops in the locality remained shut on Wednesday in protest against the police action.

files case against ADSP Pandiarajan Regarding Cop Slapped woman https://t.co/iTCwJSiqj2 #TamilNadu  Tamilnadu Today (@tamilnadu_today) April 12, 2017

The assault of the woman was raised in the Madras High Court this morning by social activist Traffic Ramaswamy and PMK's legal wing member K Balu, who sought action against the police official.

Following a special mention on the matter, a bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice M Sundar agreed to hear their petitions later in the day.
In a big breather, Somalia's military has successfully rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said today. Read more

AFP

Here are the other top news of the day:

1) Five Indian Cities Will See Petrol And Diesel Prices Change Daily From May 1

azertag/representational image

May 1 onwards, petrol and diesel prices will be revised on a daily basis, beginning with five select cities, in sync with international rates, much like what happens in most advanced markets. Read more

2) After Sentencing Kulbhushan Jadhav, Now Pakistan Claims RAW Has Abducted ISI Man To Avenge The Ex-Navy Official

ap

The Pakistan media is abuzz with speculation that India's Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has abducted a retired Pakistan lieutenant colonel as a retaliatory act. This comes after Pakistan had announced the death penalty for former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav. Read more





3) 'She Always Supports Muslims': BJP Youth Leader Offers Rs 11 Lakh For Beheading Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

BCCL

Courting massive controversy, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) leader Yogesh Varshney, announced a reward of Rs 11 Lakh for West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjees head. The bizarre announcement comes after a lathi charge at Birbhum district to disperse a rally raising slogans of "Jai Sri Ram" on Hanuman Jayanti. Read more

4) Now, CBSE Class 12 Textbook Teaches Students That 36-24-36 Is The Ideal Body Size For Women

Representational image

A Class 12 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) textbook, finally, has the answer for all the ladies out there wondering what is the ideal body size. Making a declaration, the textbook has put all speculations to rest, suggesting that the much-celebrated 36-24-36 is indeed the best body shape for females. Read more

5) Government Sets April 30 Deadline For Linking Aadhaar Cards To Your Bank Accounts

BCCL/Representational Image

Accounts opened from July 2014 to August 2015 will have to submit know your customer (KYC) details and their Aadhaar number to banks and financial institutions by April 30 and self-certify them to comply with FATCA regulations (Foreign Tax Compliance Act), the tax department said on Tuesday. Read more
It was only yesterday when we reported about China's intention to host the infamous Yulin dog meat festival despite all the petitions and outrage.

reuters

It's inhuman, grotesque and downright despicable to kill animals like that. But in what looks like a measure to save street/pet animals from this contemptible treat is Taiwan's latest ban.

Parliment in Taiwan just banned the slaughtering of cats and dogs for human consumption.

The bill also questioned the possibility of how people lead animals after putting them on a leash, as they drive/ ride a bike, thereby, banning people from pulling their pets alongside them on leash as they travel.

reuters

Felons will be imprisoned for two years or will be fined a large sum of money. Basically, this measure came in place to guard animal and address the animal protection laws in the country.

This protection act is first of its kind in Asia, making Taiwan's Animal Protection Act iconic for other countries. But this is not the first time that Taiwan has went a step ahead in saving animals, Some 16 years ago, Taiwan banned the sale of meat and fur of pets such as cats and dogs for what it described as "economic purposes".

chamais

These cats and dogs who were regularly consumed by folks in the region will now become their family members!
If you are in a habit of cribbing about work, let Prime Minister Narendra Modi be your inspiration. Leading a country of 125 crore Indians is no easy task but the PM finds it 'very satisfying'.

afp

While we are busy cribbing about our work stress, just have a look our PM @narendramodi 's schedule which is just another day for him!

 pic.twitter.com/vmdJNufezY  Neetu Garg (@NeetuGarg6) April 11, 2017

To which Modi replied this.

How can working for 125 crore Indians be stressful? It is very satisfying. https://t.co/gDw9HrzjFM  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 11, 2017

Garg felt overwhelmed after receiving a reply from the PM.

Now this is totally unbelievable 2 get reply from our PM @narendramodi from his busiest schedule to a small Karyakarta. Feeling overwhelmed https://t.co/QOVLFWQuaR  Neetu Garg (@NeetuGarg6) April 11, 2017

The day being referred to in Garg's photo involved Modi meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 10, which was followed by his meeting with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Modi then took a ride on the Delhi metro post which he inaugurated an exhibition as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. He ended his day with meeting with NDA leaders that didn't end till midnight!

Is he Superman?
In a bid to put all the doubts over the electronic voting machines (EVM) to rest, the Election Commission has thrown an "open challenge" to people who want to try and hack the machine.

With this step, the commission wants to send a message to the political parties, who urged to revert to the paper ballot system raising doubts over infallibility of the machines. "From first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines," an official source said.

AP

According to poll panel officials, the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days and will have various levels. The Commission had announced a similar challenge in 2009 and it claimed no one could hack its electronic voting machines (EVMs).

BCCL

The opposition to EVMs gained momentum particularly after the recent results of the assembly elections in five states. BJP saw landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh, after which political parties were casting doubts over the EVMs.

Among those who were demanding to check the EVMs was Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which said that the Election Commission is issuing a political statement on the issue of EVM tampering instead of taking due action.

The EC had said that AAP was free to file an election petition in the state high court if it wanted to verify votes cast in Punjab polls with data of paper trail.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also election commissioner Nasim Zaidi to discuss EVMs tampering issue.

Later, he told media persons that the EVMs are being tampered at a large scale and it raises a question mark on the democracy.

AP

The vulnerability of the EVMs have been a contentious issue for long. But it escalated after the BJP's landslide victory in the recent UP elections. Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati was the first to raise the allegation, claiming that votes of her candidates went to the BJP.

BCCL

AAP which tasted humiliation in Punjab also made similar allegations about the EVMs used there. A number of other opposition parties also joined the chorus on raising questions on the credibility of the vote.

All these while the Election Commission has stood its ground and maintained that its EVMs are tamper-proof.
China's Yulin dog meat festival doesn't need any introduction. It's barbaric exploits and actions has managed to fetch millions of eyeballs.

Reuters

Much to the outrage of animal lovers, the city of Yulin, in China, has become the site of a sickening dog meat-eating festival and despite all the petitions, it will happen this year too.

1.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival will happen again on June 21, 2017. 10,000 dogs will be tortured and then eat... https://t.co/WP61KlHUeD via @Change  Rumer Willis (@TheRue) April 10, 2017

2.

I can't stand this picture but I can't stand not sharing this so that everyone knows how outrageous this is!... https://t.co/Autk7ifb6U  Kelly Scaletta (@KellyScaletta) April 10, 2017

3.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival will happen again on June 21, 2017. 10,000 dogs will be tortured and then eat... https://t.co/3M2TMwyRy1 via @Change  Tara Summers (@TheTaraSummers) April 10, 2017

4.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival will happen again on June 21, 2017. 10,000 dogs will be tortured and then eat... https://t.co/IqdiMOkSnt via @Change  GILLIAN ZINSER (@msGILLIANZINSER) April 10, 2017

5.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival will happen again on June 21, 2017. 10,000 dogs will be tortured and then eat... https://t.co/F8vpOSoDbF via @Change  Remigio  (@RemigioPereira) April 9, 2017

6.

Yulin Dog Meat Festival will happen again on June 21, 2017. 10,000 dogs will be tortured and then eat... https://t.co/nw1zEwxBL3 via @Change  Jennifer Esposito (@JennifersWayJE) April 8, 2017

So in less than 3 months time, what you'll see is thousands of dogs hanging upside down on the street, blood reeling from their body, some of them will be crying due to unbearable pain and spectators will be enjoying the view.

Reuters

In 2011, the festival went on for 10 days wherein more than 15,000 dogs were slaughtered and eaten. This is only an estimated figure and the numbers can be higher.

Reuters

The unfortunate dogs are imprisoned at this festival are routinely snared around the neck with metal hooks and dragged from their cages.

They are forced to travel a long distance, crammed into wired cages, and gets eaten by their fate. Many are burned and boiled alive.

Reuters

Not only strays but even pet dogs with their collars still on are stolen from all over the country. Close to 226,800 kilogrammes of dog meat is consumed every year.

Reuters

The city of Yulin has over 100 dog slaughter houses that butcher as many as 2000 dogs a day during the festival.

So when this disturbing act caught world's attention, a lot of animal lovers and activists shouted in unison for its abandonment, however, nothing concrete was fetched out of it. Despite several petitions, China will host this event anyway this year in June.

Reuters

The recent petition that urging for its abolishment reads -

"Outraged and feeling desperate to do something, anything for these helpless dogs, ....  its time to STOP the Yulin Dog Meat Festival permanently!"

Reuters

"Anyone who has ever had a dog knows how sensitive, loyal, loving and trusting dogs are. Please sign my petition to help END this despicable festival for good."





If you feel the same way, please sign the petition here and see if your signature can change the fate of those hapless dogs!
In a big breather, Somalia's military has successfully rescued eight Indian crew members who had been held hostage by pirates, an official said today.

AFP

The sailors of a ship hijacked last week were rescued after regional forces surrounded their pirate captors in a small village outside Hobyo town, Abdullahi Ahmed Ali, said the town's mayor.

All the Indian crew members have now been rescued as two had been freed in the ship on Sunday, the mayor said. Ten crew members were taken captive, not 11 as initially announced by officials, he said.

He revealed that four pirates were arrested during the operation.

ALSO READ: In Somalia, Severe Drought Kills 110 In 48 Hours, While Threatening Millions Across The Country

AP

Pirates made the captive crew members walk long distances in the bush for days to avoid troops that were chasing them.

"They are exhausted and hungry because of that long ordeal," the mayor said.

In recent weeks there has been a resurgence of piracy off Somalia's coast after five years of inactivity. The piracy was once a serious threat to the global shipping industry but lessened in recent years after an international effort to patrol near Somalia, whose weak central government has been trying to stabilize the country after 25 years of conflict.

ALSO READ: In Somalia, Terrorists Groups And National Army Recruit Child Soldiers To Fight Each Other

AFP

But frustrations have been rising among Somali fishermen, including former pirates, at what they say are foreign ships illegally fishing in local waters.

In March, Somali pirates hijacked the Comoros-flagged oil tanker Aris 13, marking the first such seizure of a large commercial vessel since 2012. They later released the vessel and its Sri Lankan crew without conditions, Somali officials said at the time.

Pirates in late March also seized a fishing trawler, which police warned could be used for further piracy. On Saturday, pirates boarded the Lebanese-registered OS 35 cargo ship but abandoned it the next day before naval forces recovered the ship.
The chief executive of embattled United Airlines has unequivocally apologised for an incident in which a passenger has dragged off a plane, and promised a thorough review of the airline's practices. The apology came yesterday after the entire event was captured on video by passengers and posted on social media.

AP

After thrashing and forcefully removing an Asian man in a bloodied process off the plane, the United Airlines shares took a massive plunge, as a result of widespread criticism. The 69-year-old passenger, Dr David Dao, had refused to be "bumped" from the overbooked flight -- an airline practice that has come under increased scrutiny since the incident.

"I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," CEO Oscar Munoz said yesterday.

AFP

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right." The comments were in stark contrast to the company's initial response, in which it seemed to at least partially blame the passenger, inflaming worldwide outrage.
Security researchers have discovered a bug in Microsoft Word that exposes users to malware that can take control via email.

McAfee researchers were the first to reveal the vulnerability, though teams at FireEye says they discovered the exploit weeks ago but avoided disclosing it to the public before Microsoft had a chance to fix it.

The bug, which was patched earlier this week, was spotted in Microsofts Office 2016 suite for Windows 10. "The attack involves a threat actor emailing a Microsoft Word document to a targeted user with an embedded OLE2link object," FireEye said in a blog post.

"When the user opens the document, winword.exe issues a HTTP request to a remote server to retrieve a malicious .hta file, which appears as a Rich Text Format file. Word then loads and executes the file by default, which triggers the malicious script."

McAfee says its been able to detect attacks using this particular exploit as early as January this year. However, Microsoft was only able to fix the vulnerability this week in its Patch Tuesday update.
While 3D printing is still making steady inroads in a variety of tech-related industries, from robotics, to medical prosthetics, Boeing is looking to get in on the 3D printing action in a big way.

Norsk Titanium

The US-based aeroplane manufacturing giant is looking to build the worlds first commercial jet liner with 3D printed parts, in collaboration with Norwegian firm Norsk Titanium. If reports are correct, the new material could help the company save up to $3 million on each jest constructed.

Norsk Titanium confirmed on Monday that its received a production order from Boeing for 3D printed structural components, to be used for the upcoming Dreamliner 787. The parts, to be printed using titanium ink will make up sections of the planes load bearing structures.

"From the outset, the 787 has been the hallmark of innovation and efficiency," said John Byrne, vice president, Airplane Materials and Structures & Supplier Management at Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are always looking at the latest technologies to drive cost reduction, performance and value to our customers and Norsk Titanium fits the bill in a new and creative way."

Norsk Titanium

Norsk will begin printing the parts in Norway, but says it plans to eventually have nine 3D printers running in New York by the end of 2017. The parts are the first ever 3D printed pieces for aeroplanes to be approved by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA). The cost reduction could be a huge boon for Boeing, which only last year managed to reduce the cost of building the Dreamliner 787 to below its sales price, after racking up $29 billion in losses through its initial design, testing, and manufacture period.

Norsk will be using an internally- developed 3D printing technique called Rapid Plasma Deposition (RPD), in which the titanium wire is melted while immersed in argon gas to create each part. This helps cut down on both the cost of raw materials, as well as energy usage involved with traditional manufacturing processes for aeroplanes.
A World in Turmoil, Thank You Mr. Trump!

By Philip Giraldi

April 12, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - " Unz Review " - The real Donald Trump has been exposed. The man who promised a sensible and non-interventionist Middle Eastern policy and a reset with Moscow has now reneged on both pledges. His nitwit United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley has directly linked Russia and Syria for punishment by the omnipotent Leader of the Free World lest anyone be confused.

The unconscionable attack on Syria based on the usual unsubstantiated allegations has shifted the playing field dramatically, with the new sheriff in town apparently intent on proving he is a real man who can play hardball with the rest of them. Last week Syria was blamed by all and sundry in the Establishment for an alleged chemical weapons attack just two days after the White House backed away from the Obama Administration demand that President Bashar al-Assad be removed. Was Syria dumb enough to use chemical weapons in a war that it is winning at a point when the overt hostility from Washington had been ratcheted down? Or was it staged by the so-called rebels?

And who benefits from weakening al-Assad of Syria? ISIS and al-Qaeda. Now that Trump has the bit between his teeth on how abysmal approval ratings can skyrocket if one starts a war, look forward to more of the same with my sources telling me that establishment of a no-fly zone is currently being discussed in the Pentagon. A no-fly zone would be toe-to-toe with the Russkies to see who would blink first.

Meanwhile an aircraft carrier battle group is making its way to confront North Korea, which is being warned with the good old all options are on the table rhetoric which will almost certainly produce a schizophrenic result of some kind. If I were a resident of Seoul I would be moving out of the city tout suite as it is within range of Pyongyangs massed heavy artillery batteries along the DMZ.

Trump, regarded by many including myself as the sensible peace candidate, appears to be preparing to engage militarily on multiple fronts worldwide. And things are particularly heating up in the Middle East and South Asia. More U.S. troops are being deployed to Iraq and also to Syria, in that latter case without any invitation from Damascus or legal justification or even a phony United Nations mandate, and thousands more soldiers will be returning to Afghanistan to stabilize the situation. Meanwhile Yemen continues to suffer as the U.S. supports Saudi aggression.

And it doesnt help to look for enlightenment from the cheerleading Fourth Estate, which has been completely coopted by the Establishment point of view. In the eyes of the mainstream media the Syria narrative is all about the evils of its government which Washington is now pledging to remove. Russia meanwhile is indicted without evidence for trying to overthrow our democratic system and the recent terrorist attack in St. Petersburg would have been reported more extensively but for the fact that those Soviet holdovers probably deserved it. No one is asking why the United States should believe itself to be empowered to intervene anywhere unless it is actually being directly and seriously threatened by some other nation.

So it is all a mess, largely of our own creation due to our tendency to get involved in places regarding which we know nothing and could really care less about. And by supplementing all of that with our inclination to believe in the myth of our national Exceptionalism as a genuine force for good, you wind up with a witchs brew that has fueled anti-Americanism worldwide, led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and emptied our treasury. Ambassador Chas Freeman has aptly perceived the U.S. government as the foreign relations equivalent of a sociopath  a country indifferent to the rules, the consequences for others of its ignoring them, and the reliability of its word.

As bad as that all seems, if I had to pick one place where our inability to discern right from wrong is likely to lead to the next major armed conflict, i.e. a real war, in fairly short order it would have to be Iran. The recent increase in tension between Washington and Tehran combined with the lack of any diplomatic dialogue mean that an actual shooting war might now be a false flag, fake intelligence report, or accidental naval encounter away. And once things start to sour, no one would stand up and say Stop! as the Trump Administration, Democrats, Republicans and the media all hate Iran.

I have long viewed this visceral hatred of Iran on the part of many Americans as a byproduct of the Iranian revolution and the occupation of the U.S. Embassy. Revolutionary Iran became overnight the dangerous other, a source of nightmares for the Washington Establishment. During my time in government, when the hostage taking at the embassy was still fresh, hating Iranians was almost a requirement in the national security community. More recently, Israel and its supporters have used Iran as a punching bag to maintain the myth that the Jewish State is existentially menaced by Tehran and its minions in the region. Being threatened in a serious way insures that the money tap from the U.S. Treasury will continue to be open and it also justifies many of Israels other transgressions as it chooses to portray itself as a nation under siege, ever the victim. More recently Saudi Arabia has jumped onto pretty much the same Iran band wagon, blaming Iran for all regional problems and providing justification for the ongoing slaughter in Yemen.

All of that is understandable enough, so far as it goes, but the generation of government officials who were around during the Iran hostage crisis is now retired, while the pleas of Israel and Saudi Arabia are generally best received while holding ones nose if one has even a basic understanding of what is going on in the Middle East. But that would require some ability to establish a reasonable perspective on what is taking place and what is particularly disturbing is that some people in the government hierarchy who should know better apparently are just as delusional as some junior straight out of college scribbler for The Washington Post.

During his campaign Donald Trump repeatedly denounced the Iran Nuclear Agreement, to my mind one of only two foreign policy accomplishments of the outgoing Obama Administration. Trump said he would tear the agreement up and require Tehran to come up with something better or else. He has since backed off the tear-up theme, but has unfortunately appointed to high office a group of former military officers who appear to have swallowed the Iran-as-threat proposition hook-line-and-sinker.

There are some similarities between what is happening with Iran and what has been going on with Russia. Russia, it is being claimed, has been responsible for hundreds military intrusions that required a response from NATO in the Baltic. But Russia borders on the Baltic and it is part of its territorial waters, so what is really being said is that Moscow is operating in and around its own maritime coastal zone and it is NATO that is responded as if it were a threat. Similarly, Iran, which sits on top of the Straits of Hormuz is accused of being aggressive when its small boats patrol in and around its coastal waters. It is the American Sixth Fleet that is the out of region intruder. Both Iran and Russia are being subjected to Washingtons belief that its writ runs worldwide and that it has a right to be the hegemon wherever it seeks to plant the flag.

I first encountered the Iran-as-threat crowd back in December 2015 when I listened in disbelief to a rambling speech by retired General Michael Flynn in Moscow. Ignoring the fact that Iran cannot actually threaten the United States or any genuine vital national interests, Flynn explained his concept of 21st century geo-political-economic strategy. At the time, I knew little about Flynn and his views, but I was particularly taken aback by a random shot he took at the Iranians , stating very clearly that they were responsible for fueling four proxy wars in the Middle East. He was presumably referring to Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and Yemen. The audience, which included a number of international journalists and genuine foreign-policy experts, became somewhat restless and began to mutter. Two minutes later, Flynn returned to the theme, mentioning the terrible nuclear deal with Iran.

Later, in December, Donald Trumps then national-security adviser Michael Flynn, officially put Iran on notice while declaring that The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate Irans provocations that threaten our interests. The days of turning a blind eye to Irans hostile and belligerent actions toward the United States and the world community are over. He did not elaborate on what those actions were.

Trumps Pentagon Chief General James Mattis and his new National Security Adviser Lt. General H.R. McMaster have also taken shots at Iran, making clear their own assessments that Tehran constitutes a major threat both regionally and against the United States. But the most recent diatribe by an American General against Iran is perhaps one of the oddest indictments of that country. It came in a briefing provided by Army General Joseph Votel, Commander of the U.S. Central Command. Votel was testifying before the House Armed Services Committee regarding security issues relating to the greater Middle East. Votel told the congressmen, who were of course delighted to hear bad things about the Mullahs, that Iran is one of the greatest threats to the U.S. today and that it has increased its destabilizing role in the entire region.

How Iran, with its miniscule defense budget and complete inability to project power greatly threatens the United States has to remain a mystery, though Votel provided some elaboration. He said that Iran operates in a gray areajust short of open conflict. Per the general, Iran engages in lethal aid facilitation, uses surrogate forces and carries out cyber attacks. He also cited Iranian small boats harassing incidents involving U.S. warships, some of which could be considered unprofessional or unsafe. Put it all together and Iran is the greatest long-term threat to stability for the entire Middle East. Votel then advocated disrupting Iran through military means or other means.

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One has to ask if Votel or the congressmen cheering him on are mentally defective. I was a bit thrown by the Pentagonese expression lethal aid facilitation, but it must mean supplying weapons to Syria and other Iranian allies. Some congressman who had not had his brain phasered should have asked Votel if his indictment of Iran wasnt for doing precisely what the United States has been doing only orders of magnitude greater. The United States arms the entire region and also provides lethal weapons to so-called rebels in Syria. And those rebels are U.S. surrogates, are they not? And as for cyber attacks, no one is better at it than the United States and its good buddy Israel. Does Stuxnet ring a bell? And what is the Sixth Fleet doing in the Persian Gulf in any event? Send the ships home and there wont be any incidents involving Iranian speedboats.

Irans government admittedly is not to everyones liking for good reasons, but the country itself is only the enemy because we have been making it happen after empowering its government in the first place by bringing down Saddam Hussein. Irans own perspective appears to have evaded American critics. It is a country surrounded by enemies, constantly threatened, which views its relations with its few friends in Syria and Lebanon as defensive measures. I am accustomed to seeing and hearing nasty things about the Mullahs, but they usually come from Israeli and Saudi partisans who persist in falsely describing the Iranians as a global threat. It is in their interest to do so, and many pliable American politicians and media talking heads have picked up the refrain, so much so that a U.S. attack on Iran would likely be endorsed overwhelmingly by Congress and applauded in the media. The danger here is that there is a groupthink about Iran and war could happen in a heartbeat if someone does or says something really dumb to trigger it. Votel sounds stupid enough to do just that.

Phil Giraldi is a former CIA Case Officer and Army Intelligence Officer who spent twenty years overseas in Europe and the Middle East working terrorism cases. He holds a BA with honors from the University of Chicago and an MA and PhD in Modern History from the University of London.

Ed Note - The cartoon embedded in this article did not appear in the original item.

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Information Clearing House.
Members of the Shiite group took to the streets to protest against the arrest of their leader and his wife Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and Zeenat.

The protest was however disrupted by men of the police force by unleashing dogs on them and firing water cannons and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd.

The incident caused gridlock on the popular Shehu Shagari Way as the protesters ran helter-skelter into the road to evade the assault.

The Shiite members had gathered at the Unity Fountain, Maitama to protest the continued detention of their leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, by the Federal Government when the police stormed the arena and chased them away.

The personnel from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command unleashed their dogs, forcing some of the protesters into the road and paralysing traffic.

Reports gathered showed that before all hell was let loose, the police had directed the crowd to vacate Unity Fountain, but the Shiite members reportedly ignored the order.
The saga between the Presidency and the Senate as the former has said it will not succumb to the senate, to remove Ibrahim Magu from his office as chairman of the anti-graft EFCC.

The Senate recently refused to screen presidential nominees for the position of the resident electoral commissioners, saying it would not do so until Mr. Magu is removed as Acting EFCC Chairman. The Senate had twice rejected the presidents request to confirm Mr. Magu.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said in an interview with newsmen that the presidency will give full support to Mr. Magu.

He said, Im fully in support of Magu as the EFCC Chairman just as the president is.

Speaking on the Senate rejection, the vice president said it is up to the Senate to make their judgement. If our candidate is rejected, , we can represent our candidate.

The Senate, while rejecting Mr. Magu the second time had said it would no longer consider him if his name is sent again by the president.

But Mr. Osinbajo gave the clearest indication yet that Mr. Magu may remain in acting capacity as EFCC Chairman for the duration of the Buhari administration.

I fully agree with Mr. (Femi) Falana that there was no need in the first place to have presented Mr. Magu for confirmation, he said making reference to the Section 171 of the constitution.

The Vice President said although the EFCC Act requires that an EFCC chairman be confirmed by the Senate, part of Section 171 of the constitution, which is superior to the act, does not mandate such Senate confirmation.

The vice president also described the State Security Service action of writing a report against a presidential nominee (Mr. Magu) to the Senate as a robust expression of our institutions of government.

He said it shows that the administration does not interfere in the works of its security agencies, making reference to the U.S. where the FBI wrote a report against the U.S. President Donald Trump.

He (President Buhari) has not interfered with what the DSS want to say, Mr. Osinbajo said.

Mr. Osinbajo said President Buhari merely studied the SSS (also called DSS) report and reviewed Mr. Magus response which he found satisfactory.

The president looked at what Magu said and what the DSS wrote and he said, I am satisfied with what Magu said.

The controversy over Mr. Magu, who is opposed by majority of senators, some of whom have corruption cases, is one of the issues affecting the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

The Federal Executive Council recently set up a committee headed by Mr. Osinbajo to discuss with the National Assembly leadership and try to end the rift. The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, also got involved in the negotiation.

At a meeting between the APC leadership and the partys National Assembly caucus, some senators had requested the corruption trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki be dropped for there to be a smooth working relationship with the executive. Mr. Saraki is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false asset declaration with many of the evidence used against him believed to have been sourced by the EFCC.

The Senate President has, however, denied any wrongdoing and said he believed the trial would collapse.

Source: ( Premium Times )
The Quater Final first leg tie between Borussia Dortmund and Monaco has been postponed by UEFA because of the ugly incident that happened to the home side on their way to the stadium. Three explosions went off next to Borussia Dortmunds team bus on Tuesday night, leaving one player ( Marc Bartra ) injured.

According to local police, the blasts were specifically aimed at the bus and a letter claiming responsibility for the attack was recovered from the scene but investigations has begun Investigators to examine the authenticity of the letter

The incident occurred as the team left their hotel in the suburb of Dortmund-Hochsten shortly after 7.00pm local time. Marc Barta, the Dortmund defender, broke a bone in his right wrist in the incident and underwent surgery in hospital.

Supporters were kept inside the stadium until police established that they would be safe to leave. The Monaco fans chanted Dortmund songs in a show of solidarity, while Dortmund encouraged residents of the city to house travelling Monaco supporters who still wish to attend Wednesdays rescheduled fixture.

Polizei Nordrhein-Westfalen Dortmund, the local police force, praised fans for the way they dealt with developments, tweeting: High praise to all stadium visitors! Without problems almost all left the stadium and are on the way home!

Hans-Joachim Watzke, Dortmunds CEO, revealed that the clubs players were in shock following the attack, writing in a statement on Facebook: There has been an attack with explosives on the team bus. Three explosive devices were placed and triggered on the edge of the road.

The whole team is in a state of shock, you cant get pictures like that out of your head. I hope the team will be in a position to be able to compete tomorrow on the pitch. In a crisis situation like this, Borussia pulls together, he added.

A statement by local police released shortly after news broke of the incident read: In the run-up to the Champions League match of the BVB against the AS Monaco, there was an explosion near the BVB team team bus shortly after 7pm.

The event location is Wittbrauckerstrae / Schirrmannweg in Dortmund-Hochsten. According to current knowledge the disks of the bus (whole or partial) were broken and one person was injured.

It is not yet possible to say exactly what the explosion was or exactly where something exploded.

The match will be played today, Wednesday 12 April at 5.45pm BST.

The return leg in Monaco will take place next Wednesday, April 18.
A Nigerian has been sentenced to one year imprisonment by a court in Dubai Court last Sunday for almost killing a man. According to the Gulf News, it was revealed that the 29-year-old cleaner battered the victims head with a stick following a heated argument and caused him a haemorrhage in May 2016.

Cleaner jailed for beating that nearly killed man https://t.co/amNBRTNFeN  Gulf News (@gulf_news) April 12, 2017



The victim, whose nationality remained undisclosed in records, was taken to hospital where doctors performed urgent and life-saving surgery on him as he had suffered a haemorrhage.



Surgeons lifted the victims skull to be able to reduce the haemorrhage that had resulted in the man losing consciousness.

Law enforcement officers arrested the Nigerian, who was identified from the surveillance cameras installed at the building where the incident happened at 7.15pm.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the cleaner of assaulting the man and causing him a permanent disability. The Nigerian had pleaded innocent in court.

A police corporal testified that a person reported to them that someone had assaulted the victim, who was rushed to a hospital as he bled profusely from his head.

The caller informed the police that the beaten man had an argument and quarrelled with the defendant, who battered his head with a stick. The caller said the man collapsed on the floor and lost consciousness. The surveillance cameras at the building where the assault happened clearly showed the Nigerian assaulting the man.

The defendant was taken into custody. During questioning, he admitted that he had a heated argument with the victim  the argument developed into a fight. The accused said the man grabbed a stick and was about to attack him when he took it away and beat him. The accused admitted the victim fell down after he hit his head  he then threw away the stick and left the place, the corporal said.

Medical reports confirmed that the victims head injury still requires medical follow-up. The primary judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.

Source : ( Linda Ikeji )
A Site Engineer identified as Ade Adeyemo,working for a contractor renovating Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori, in Khana Local Government Area was allegedly murdered by Cultists and youths in Ogoniland, the engineer was allegedly murdered on Tuesday morning.

It was learnt that the killers felt that the engineer had been a stumbling block from the continuous looting of building materials at the project site.

The school is one of those selected by Governor Nyesom Wikes administration for renovation.

According to a close source to the family of the deceased: It has been very difficult breaking the sad news to parents because of their state of health. His mother is hypertensive, while his father is recuperating from partial stroke.

It was further learnt that the General Overseer of the church where the family worships had been contacted to find a subtle way of breaking the news without causing serious trauma to the parents.

Omoni Nnamdi, the Rivers Police Public Relations Officer told our correspondent exclusively on phone that the incident was true.

I can confirm to you that it is true. When we were alerted, before our men got to the scene, they took off. I can assure that the culprits have been identified and we are on their trail

The corpse of the late Engineer Ade Adeyemo has been moved from Ogoniland and taken to the Kpaima Morgue in Port Harcourt.

Source: ( PM News )
The recent outbreak of Menigitis in the country has been a big worry and concern to Nigerians but the Delta State Commissioner of Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, on Wednesday, urged the citizens of the state not to panic over the reported case of meningitis in the state.

Azinge, who made the appeal in Lagos, said that one case of meningitis could not be taken for an outbreak, adding that the state is safe.

Doctors in Central Hospital, Warri, Delta State, on Tuesday confirmed a case similar to symptoms of the dreaded disease, Cerebrospinal Meningitis.

He said the reported case of meningitis in Delta was only one officially reported case which could not be regarded to as an outbreak.

There is no outbreak of meningitis in Delta state. To refer to a case as an outbreak, you must have witnessed five cases out of 100,000 cases among the population.

It is true we have few cases reported, but only one was confirmed and unconfirmed maybe two people.

Meningitis is not like Lassa fever that spreads easily. If we have a reported case of one victim, then that is not an outbreak, we need to have at least five cases.

Delta state is safe from meningitis. We have measures in place to combat it. We are ready medically.

We may have to address the state to clear the air on the reported case soon. The ministry of information will see to that, he said.

The case is the first to be recorded in the state since the outbreak of the pandemic some weeks ago in the country.

It was disclosed that a female patient, whose identity was undisclosed, had arrived the hospital with typical symptoms of meningitis.

A Consultant Physician at the hospital, Dr Ngozi Chukwubeni, said the patient had no previous exposure to the endangered meningitis belt of the country in recent time.

According to her, the patient has been taken through the appropriate examinations and laboratory tests and assured that the patient was responding to medication.

We have a female patient. She came with classical symptoms of meningitis, headache, vomiting, neck pain and stiffness.

There was no history of recent travel to the meningitis belt or exposure. We did a lumbar puncture.

We made an assessment, clinical features and laboratory investigations when you are keeping with spinal meningitis.

We placed her on antibiotics. The patient is doing very well, Dr Chukwubeni said.

The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, had on Tuesday confirmed 489 deaths from the meningitis outbreak in Nigeria.

Adewole, at a meeting convened by the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar III, to tackle the outbreak of meningitis in the northern region of the country, said 428 deaths were recorded as of Friday.

The recorded cases of meningitis have hit about 26 states of the federation. 171 were confirmed to be the Type C meningitis with Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger and Kebbi states most affected.

Adewole said that the Federal Government had earmarked over $1bn to procure vaccines to combat meningitis in the five most affected states in the northern region.

He also said that 823,000 doses of attenuated Type C had been delivered to the Federal Government by the U.K. Government, while UNICEF had delivered over 1 million Type A of the vaccines.

The Federal Government needs $1.087bn to procure vaccines and administer on some 21 million persons against meningitis in the affected states, he said.

Adewole advised states to join hands with the Federal Government in combating the deadly epidemic by investing more in the health sector.

Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.

A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling.

(NAN)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a house maid identified as Blessing Paul, who stole $10, 000 in Gbagada which she exchanged at $86/#1 from Bureau de change operators.

According to reports,the maid forced her boss room opened with a knife while the woman was at work. She was said to have handed the money to the house guard, identified as Daniel, who also gave it to a security man at another residence in the area.

The security man, identified as Amos, allegedly took it to a Bureau de Change operator, who changed the money at N86 per dollar, shortchanging the thieves of over N2m.

However,there is a twist to the story as BDC operator claimed he received only $5000 from Amos.

The commands spokesman, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole, said the maid confessed that her boss, Mrs. Tokunbo, has been very kind to her, adding that she usually bought clothes and gift items for her to take to her family in Benue State.

Cole said that the BDC operator gave the suspects N870,000 as an equivalent for $5,000, adding that the police have recovered N400,000 from there.

We also found N400,000 in the maids bank account but we are following courts procedure to seize the money. The BDC operator was allegedly given $10,000 but he claimed he only received $5,000.

Investigation revealed that money and valuables have been missing in the house, but the woman didnt suspect the maid until the theft of foreign currency last week.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,has given reasons why President Muhammadu Buhari didnt preside over Wednesdays Federal Executive Council, and deliberately assigned Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to preside over the meeting as the president had to attend to other official matters.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ministers clarification came on the heels of speculations on the Presidents health condition as being reported in the social media and some traditional media organisations

The minister, who was addressing State House correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting, said the presidents absence at the meeting was not something abnormal or unusual

When you came in this morning Mr President was not in the chamber and the Vice-President did preside over the FEC meeting.

Understandably, that has sparked a lot of controversies and agitations in the minds of people.

I just want to make this clear; Mr President is in town; Mr President is attending to other issues; Mr President looked at the agenda, it was a very light agenda, and said that the Vice-President should preside.

It is not unusual for the kind of interest that had been shown, especially giving the fact that Mr President was away for a while on medical treatment.

We are not surprised that the people are wondering whether Mr President ill again; he is not ill; he is not sick and Im sure that later in the day or tomorrow morning, he will back in the office.

It is not unusual even if the President is hale and hearty and everything is going well, for the VP to come and preside over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, he said.

Mohammed announced that already, the president was meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, on national issues.

On the forthcoming two-year anniversary of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government, the minister disclosed that his ministry would soon roll out a comprehensive programme meant to inform Nigerians of the achievements of the government so far.

He said that under programme, all cabinet ministers would address Nigerians on the achievements of their respective ministries in the last two years.

Source: ( PM News )
68 persons have been deported by the trio of Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso, this was confirmed by the Acting Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), Mr Abdulrazak Dangiri on Wednesday.

He said, 37 were deported from Mali, 25 from Burkina Faso and six from Ghana according to him, the victims were arrested by police in the three countries, handed over to Nigerian embassies and subsequently transported back home.

He disclosed that among those arrested in Mali were four suspected human traffickers.

The four suspected traffickers from Mali are still under investigation to ascertain their level of involvement before charging them to court he said.

The acting DG said that the rescued victims would be counselled and rehabilitated by NAPTIP before handing them over to their relations.

Reacting to the recent deportation of Nigerians from Italy, Dangiri said that most of the deportees had committed drug related offences and some were illegal migrants.

He said that all victims in the agencys custody were well taken care of in terms of their health and welfare, adding that some of them were even sponsored to return to school.

The acting DG appealed to state governments and corporate bodies to collaborate with the agency in tackling the menace of human trafficking in the country.

Source : ( PM News )
A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has granted the embattled online blogger, Kemi Omololu-Olunloyo, N1 million bail following the bail application by her counsel, Fatai. O. Lawal.

The accused had been in detention at the Port Harcourt Maximum Prisons for allegedly transmitting false adultery report about the General Overseer of Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie.

The trial judge, Justice H.I.O. Shamah, while delivering ruling yesterday, said the court exercised its discretionary power, considering that the offence she is arraigned for was bailable.

Giving conditions for her bail, Justice Shamah said the accused must produce a surety in like sum, adding that the surety must be resident in Port Harcourt metropolis and the persons address must be verifiable.

The surety, if a civil servant, should not be below Level 12 and must submit his or her letter of employment, as well as staff identity card. The surety would also sign an undertaking to ensure the accused did not jump bail and to bring her to court on adjourned dates.

He added that the accused person must submit her international passport to the court and sign an undertaking never to influence the court proceedings and to appear in court any day the matter is adjourned.

Speaking after the court proceedings, counsel for the defense, Mr. Fatai Lawal, said the bail conditions are long and rigid, expressing hope that they will be able to meet it.He said: It depends on our ability to meet the bail conditions. The court has already given its ruling.

Source: Guardian
The Department of State Services (DSS) has said it has discovered an ISIS-linked Boko Haram members based in Benue and the FCT between March 25 and 26.

According to the statement released by an operative of the service, Mr Tony Opuiyo, said the group had perfected plans to attack the UK High Commission and US Embassy and other interests in Abuja.

He said during the operation, five key suspects, Isa Jibril, Jibril Jibril, Abu Jibril, Halidu Sule and Ahmodu Salefu were arrested.

In a related development, Opuiyo said that the service had arrested a 20-year-old Boko Haram suspect, Adamu Datti, on March 22 at Fika, Yobe.

He said that the suspect confessed his involvement in the execution of sinister activities of the group.

On kidnapping, he said the service had arrested Daniel Lorve, a member of the Terwase Akwasa, alias Gana-led notorious kidnapping and terrorist group.

He said a joint military, Police, Service raid on a farm suspected to have housed the armoury of Akwasa in Katsina-Ala, Logo and Ukum Local Government Areas of the State , resulted in the recovery of high calibre arms and ammunition.

According to him, the items are: one General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), three AK-47 rifles and one SMG rifle with large quantity ammunition.

He said that the suspects were undergoing detailed investigations.

Opuiyo said that the service had also arrested Daniel Dibiamaka on March 24, at Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers, for his complicity in the kidnapping of Emmnaule Ukah on Jan. 20.

He said that the service also arrested kidnapping and ICT suspects in Kogi, Edo Ebonyi and Abia, respectively.

The operative advised members of the public to beware of network involved in the issuance of certificates and letters of indigenship to foreigners.

The Boko Haram terrorist group has become part of this network and uses it to buoy its membership in Nigeria.

It is also discovered that these non-Nigerians use their new indigene status to seek privileges including admissions into the countrys tertiary institutions,he said.

He said that to check this ugly development, state and local authorities have been advised to be more circumspect in the issuance of these Certificates and Letters.

He enjoined the public to always liaise with the appropriate government organs, especially the Immigration Service to checkmate this trend.

The Service wishes to reiterate its commitment to ensuring that peace prevails across the country,he said.

He warned that the service would not hesitate to bring the full weight of the law against defaulters, no matter how highly placed.

On the continued detention of former governor of Benue, Mr Gabriel Suswam, the operative said he was being held in line with the law.

He said that Suswam failed to cooperate with the service on the recovery of large cache of arms at his facilities.

While investigation is ongoing on this matter, the Service has valid detention warrants to keep him.

He will be charged accordingly, once the investigations are concluded,he said.

Source: ( PM News )
The Lagos State police command have arrested and charged an ex-convict for allegedly stealing a Huawei G73 phone valued at N70,000 inside a church. The Lagos State police command have arrested and charged an ex-convict for allegedly stealing a Huawei G73 phone valued at N70,000 inside a church.



The suspect, Williams Okonoboh Eromosele who claimed to be a graduate of accountancy from Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, stole the phone from one Mrs. Ehindinibu Omowunmi at the Church of Resurrection Anglican located at 1004 estate, Victoria Island, Lagos.

It was also reported that the suspect had earlier been arrested in 2016 for stealing money from church offering box at a church in Victoria Island and charged to court. He pleaded guilty to the crime and was jailed for six months.

According to a Police report, the suspect committed the latest crime on 11 December, 2016 when he went to The Church of Resurrection Anglican at 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos, to attend their service. Police further alleged that while the church members were praying, the suspect cleverly stole the complainants phone and escaped from the church.

The Police stated that when the complainant observed that her phone was missing, she used another phone to call the number of her missing handset, but the suspect received the call and told the complainant that she must pay him N10,000 before he will return the phone to her.

The complainant reported the matter to the DPO in charge of the Bar Beach division, Victoria Island, CSP Olusegun Ajamolaya, who then advised that she play along and pay the money as bait into the account the suspect provided.

The suspect was arrested when he went to the bank to withdraw the money. He was taken to the station and interrogated where he allegedly confessed to the crime.

I am an OND holder in accountancy from Auchi Polytechnic and I have not been able to secure job with the certificate. When I came to Lagos and could not secure any job, I went to a church on Victoria Island to steal from church offering box and I was arrested, charged to court and jailed for six months. When I came back, the devil pushed me again as I went to The Church of Resurrection, Anglican, 1004 Estate, Victoria Island, Lagos and I was arrested again. I promised to change if am set free from this present case, he reportedly confessed to the police.

After the investigation by Inspector Sarah Ojie and her team, the suspect was arraigned before an Igbosere magistrates court on a one-count charge of stealing.

The offense, according to police prosecutor, Inspector OketeEjima, is punishable under section 287 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria.

The accused who pleaded guilty to the crime will reappear in court on 19 April, 2017 for facts and sentencing.

Source: PM News.
An evil cannibal has done an unthinkable damage to the family of a 5-year-old boy after he slaughtered and drank the little boys blood.

A vampire killer slashed a young boys throat in the street and sat over him drinking his blood in what has been called a sacrificial killing in South Africa, Dailymail reports.

The little boy identified as Tinyiko Reckson, 5, was playing with friends outside his home in Soweto, Johannesburg, when a man dressed in religious garments grabbed him. He plunged a blade into the boys throat three times then laid him down and knelt to drink his blood in a suspected ritualistic murder.

Another witness Lipolelo Boboke, 34, said: I heard Tinyikos screams and saw this man stab him three times in the neck and then sit on him.

After sucking the boys blood as it came out of his neck he just stared down at him, she said.

Witness Andries Ndlovu, 30, said: Children should be allowed to play freely but cannot because there are vampires out to get their blood in the day. Police spokesperson Kay Makubele said a 21-year-old man had been arrested and charged with murder and will appear before magistrates.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, and the Minister of Education, Mr. Adamu Adamu,have been summoned by the House of Representativesof over the outbreak of an epidemic in Queens College, Yaba, Lagos, which has so far claimed the lives of three students

One of the students, an orphan, Praise Sodipo, had died on March 31, after days of undergoing treatment.

Over 1,222 other students were affected by the outbreak, according to a House resolution passed after the Majority Leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, moved a motion calling for an urgent intervention.

Gbajabiamila recalled that the college had faced a health crisis since January when students returned from their Christmas and New Year break.

He added that the schools water sources were reported to have been contaminated by pathogens, while there was a general poor hygiene regime on the premises.

The two ministers, along with the Principal of the school, are to explain what steps their respective ministries have taken so far to halt the situation from claiming more lives.

The majority leaders motion passed by the House, read, The House is aware that the health crisis in the school has been in the news since the school resumed from the Christmas and New Year holiday in January 2017, and despite this obvious health crisis, the management of the school failed to take appropriate steps to safeguard the students.

Instead, they concealed the facts, claiming there was no outbreak of an epidemic or death recorded in the school.

Further aware that the case of Praise Sodipo, one of the students who had been in the intensive care unit until she died on March 31, 2017, is even more pathetic as an orphan and the only child of her late parents, meaning that her family lineage had suddenly seized to exist.

Concerned that the current situation in Queens College calls for a state of public health emergency in the institution as young lives and future leaders have been lost carelessly with many more endangered; leaving parents in tears and sorrow as the benefits for sending their young daughters to school.

Meanwhile, in a separate resolution, the House called on the Federal Government to intensify its search for the remaining 195 Chibok schoolgirls.

The lawmakers passed the resolution ahead of the third anniversary of the abduction of 219 schoolgirls from Government Girls Secondary school, Chibok, Borno State, which comes up on tomorrow.

The girls were abducted by Boko Haram insurgents, who later released 21 of them.

The whereabouts of the remaining 195 remain unknown.

The resolution was passed after the member representing Damboa/Gwoza/Chibok Federal Constituency of Borno State, Mrs Asabe Bashir, informed members that the plight of the girls remained a source of concern.

Source: (Punch Newspaper )
The Nigerian Air Force has acquired two new Russian Mi-35M fighter jets, which will, among others, combat militant activities in Ikorodu, Lagos State, sources told The PUNCH on Tuesday.

It was also gathered that the military, through Operation Awatse, was putting finishing touches to its plans to launch an aerial offensive on Isawo in the Ikorodu area, believed to be the militants stronghold.

The Defence Headquarters, Abuja, however, told one of our correspondents that it would not release details of any operation as a formal briefing on Operation Awatse would be held later.

The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, added that the military would not release any sensitive information yet.

Just be patient with us. You dont have to jump the gun. I have heard about the incident. We have information at the strategic level, which cannot go out yet, he stated.

Sources told The PUNCH that the Russian fighter jets would be deployed for operations after the NAF anniversary next week.

Enenche had said last week that Operation Awatse was ongoing, urging the residents of Lagos and Ogun states to supply credible information to the military.

He said, The Operation Awatse by the Armed Forces is aimed at curbing pipeline vandalism and petroleum products-related criminality with negative socio-economic consequence for the country.

It is ongoing. Surveillance is key to the success of the military in this operation, which is based on accurate and timely intelligence. In this regard, the general public around Lagos and Ogun states in particular are very useful for more successes in this operation.

One of the sources, a top NAF officer, said the time of the bombing of the Isawo creeks and environs would depend on several logistics.

He said, I can confirm to you that the NAF has acquired two new Russian Mi-35M fighter jets, which could be deployed for this operation. The jets will be inducted into the inventory during the NAF anniversary next week.

It doesnt cost the military any efforts to bomb the creeks again. It is a big possibility now. But we want to put proper logistics in place to avoid an episode like the Rann camp in Borno State.

Another source said, The Operation Awatse men have been given marching orders from the DHQ to step up their game against the militants. They are working on various strategies, including an aerial strike. But it is premature to release lot of information.

It was also learnt that six Nigerian pilots, training in Russia to man the fighter jets, would return to Nigeria on Thursday (tomorrow).

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
The Lagos State government on Wednesday told a court that contrary to evidence available to the public, its officials did not carry out further demolition of homes in Otodogbame, but only went to the community to pack debris.

The government also offered insights into the cause of the stalemate in the court-ordered mediation between its officials and inhabitants of Otodogbame, a waterfront community in the Lekki area.

The counsel to the state government, S. Quadri, on Wednesday told a Lagos High Court that the state did not pull out of the mediation but that the residents were making impossible demands.

We appeared before the mediation, but they are asking the government to build houses for them, over 300 people, Mr. Quadri told Justice S.A Onigbangbo.

The government never made any offer to the people that were displaced, how do we relocate them, they should not just come anywhere they see and settle. If they want to settle in Lagos, they should come with their money and buy land to settle.

The court had earlier on Wednesday struck out contempt proceedings instituted by the Otodogbame community against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode stating that it lacked jurisdiction to try the governor because of the immunity he enjoys.

The court, however, condemned the alleged action of the governor.

If the governor had truly ordered the forceful eviction and demolition of the second applicant, he undermined the principles of the rule of law and the same process which put him in office in the first place, the judge said.

Reacting to the judges decision, Megan Chapman, co-director of Justice Empowerment Initiatives, a community-based legal and empowerment organisation which represents the residents of Otodogbame, said there are still armed men who shoot anyone that comes into the community.

It was reported to us as at yesterday that government brought two gun boats in the community. So, the reality may be that they arent safe to go back there and enjoy their rights in the community, Ms. Chapman said.

Ms. Chapman said the court could not punish the governor for disobedience of a court order because he enjoys immunity from prosecution.

The judge has made his position clear on this case that he finds the action of the governor reprehensible and in flagrant disregard to the rule of law which is detrimental to democracy in Nigeria, she said.

It is beyond his powers to commit the governor to prison but if he could, he would have and thats a strong pronouncement; and I hope it reaches the ears of the governor so he understands that what he is doing is undermining the rule of law, undermining the principles of democracy and its damaging the society at large.

The Court had on January 26 ordered the parties involved in the demolition of the Lagos waterfront communities to attempt mediation through the Lagos State Multi-Door Courthouse and report back to the court.

PACKING DEBRIS

While also denying claims that the Lagos State government ignored court orders in further demolishing the slums in the waterfront communities, Mr. Quadri said they were only packing the debris resulting from the fire outbreak in the community. The Fire Services were there and they saw that it was only the debris we were packing.

Responding to the claims of the government that they were at the scene of the demolition only to pack debris, Justice Onigbangbo cautioned the government to act in a fatherly manner to the residents.

You dont act like a child, so if they had flaunted the court order do you also join them, the judge said.

If a child rolls on the sand will you also join the child? If you had allowed those debris you claim to be packing for a month or two pending when the court gives its judgement, will those debris turn to concrete that you wont be able to pack again?

The judge ordered that the status quo be maintained in the matter, implying residents return to their various houses in the waterfront communities and carry out their daily activities pending the outcome of the case.

The case was adjourned till April 25.

Source: PremiumTimes
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied the allegation that he received $200m from the $1.3bn Malabu oil deal.

This was made known by the Media Adviser to the former president Ikechukwu Eze, on Tuesday, who described a story published by Buzzfeed as false.

He said that it was sponsored by those who were threatened by his rising profile in the international community, adding that the story was meant to tarnish his image.

The former President said, It is one more in the series of fake news sponsored by those threatened by Dr. Jonathans continuously rising profile in the international community.

Commonsense should have shown the purveyors of this slander that the Malabu oil deal far predated the Jonathan regime and it would only make sense for him to be bribed if he had a time machine to go back in time to when the deal was struck.

According to Jonathan, the report relied on hearsay evidence from a man, who provided no substance to back up his false claim.

He said, The man quoted by the report said he assumed that Dr. Jonathan would be bribed.

The former President wondered how the assumption of a man could be enough to smear the reputation of a patriot and international statesman of his calibre.

The report also wrongly claimed that Jonathan and Etete had known each other for years, according to Shell staff, when Jonathan served as a tutor to Etetes children while he was a minister.

He said that the claim was clearly ridiculous, adding that nothing could be further from the truth.

The statement said, In the first place, the former President couldnt have been a tutor to Etetes children without first establishing a contact with the family. This is because Jonathan met Etete, who served as the Petroleum Minister in Gen. (Sani) Abachas military regime for the first time under the succeeding civilian administration, when he was already the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. Even then, the fact remains that ex-President Jonathan has never met any of Etetes children.

Jonathan could not have been anybodys private tutor during that period because he was already in the directorate cadre in the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, (now NDDC), having already left the academics, at the time Etete was a serving minister.

He said that the latest allegation came after the publication of a story that he refused to help the British Government in rescuing the Chibok girls.

The former President noted that the British Government had denied the story.

He also cited a publication that he planned to contest the 2019 election as another lie.

The statement added, It is instructive that this same old fable apparently intended to rubbish Jonathans name locally and internationally is being recycled with more lies added to garnish the narrative, at a time the ex-President is making efforts to resolve the issues in the Peoples Democratic Party.

Again, let us point out for clarity and for the umpteenth time that while he was in office and now that he is out of office, former President Jonathan did not open and does not own any bank account, aircraft or real estate outside Nigeria. Anyone with contrary information is challenged to publicly publish same.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Founder of Mount Zion Ministries, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, has cautioned pastors against making reference to the recently concluded Big Brother Naija in their churches.

The popular drama minister said that it was not right for born again Christians to begin to envy or wish for Efes (winner of the show) wordly glory. According to him, the grace that Efe enjoyed that saw him win and become a celebrity isnt Gods grace as it is a product of immorality.

He wrote, BBN painfully still on My Mind. They kissed, they romanced, before the cameras of Africa, and they were honoured and glorified. At times, the glory of this world makes the children of the kingdom look stupid.

I hope some Kingdom children will not begin to envy this type of worldly glories

What does this teach our youths now? glamourizing and glorifying immorality before the cameras of the world can fetch you millions and make you a celebrity overnight?

I hope some pastors will not begin to make reference to this as a work of Gods grace.

Efe, the winner of the reality show was rewarded with a prize money of 25 million Naira, and a brand new KIA Sorento car.

Source: [email protected]
MTV Base sets the tone for a new season of Lip Sync Battle Africa, with a sizzling face-off between dancehall king Patoranking and Chocolate City first lady Victoria Kimani.

Lip Sync Battle Africa returns to our TV screens on MTV Base (DStv channel 322 on Saturday 22 April 2017).

Season 2 promises more bops, more booty hops, more mic drops, more shade thrown and more sultry poses for viewers to savour as celebrities and entertainers from Nigeria and across the continent dance, dab and diss to a soundtrack of chart-topping hits  all while striving to earn the Lip Sync Battle Africa winners belt.

This time around, more than 30 of the continents hottest celebrities and entertainers will be strutting their stuff in front of the captivated Lip Sync Battle studio audience. Among the revealed Nigerian contestants are Tekno, Falz and Simi. As is customary, the stars will be joined on stage by dancers and decked out in the most outrageous outfits, wigs and props imaginable.

Irresistible screen queen Pearl Thusi returns home to resume her hosting role for a second season, aided and abetted by flamboyant Nigerian TV star, and former Lip Sync Battle Africa contestant, Denrele Edun.

Lip Sync Battle Africa (season 2) premieres on MTV Base (DStv channel 322) on Saturday 22 April 2017 at 8PM.

For more information on Lip Sync Battle Africa, please go to www.mtvbase.com or join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #LSBAfrica and tagging @MTVBaseWest.

Source: encomium.ng
Boko Haram Islamic suspected recruiter has been arrested by the Senegalese police according to authorities in the country.

The Police said Wednesday they arrested the Nigerian on April 1 in a Dakar suburb. Police said the suspect was known to Nigerian intelligence services and had been in Mauritania for some months before coming to Senegal to recruit on behalf of Boko Haram.

Senegal police also said they arrested two Moroccans at the international airport who had been linked to the Islamic State group.

The two men, who police said came from a Syrian refugee camp in Turkey, denied association with the extremist group. Police said they came to Senegal for its proximity to Morocco.

Senegal has increased security following major attacks by al-Qaida-linked militants in Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali.

Source: ( PM News )
The Nigeria Police has summoned the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma, to appear before its team investigating Tuesday fire outbreak at the agencys audit unit in its headquarters in Lagos.

Dunoma made the disclosure yesterday while briefing newsmen after inspecting the damage caused by the fire.

Dunoma said the police was carrying out an investigation on the incident and that FAAN had also constituted a separate panel to look into the causes of the fire.

Dunoma said: Police investigation is necessary because under the constitution, they are allowed to investigate such incidents.

I am to appear before them too as part of their investigation.

Dunoma said the FAAN investigative panel would not only submit its findings on the incident, but also make recommendations.

He said the fire, which started at about 8.20am, affected some offices, including the Audit, Public Affairs and Commercial Departments.

Members of the FAAN panel are from: the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Department of State Security.

Others are: FAAN Aviation Security, Safety Department, Fire Department and Legal Department which is to provide the secretary of the panel.

Dunoma said: They are to look into the remote and immediate causes of the incident, the extent of damage, contributions by various agencies and proffer solutions to these issues, so that we can prevent future occurrences.

The panel has two weeks to submit its report and immediate action will be taken on their recommendations.

Dunoma assured members of the general public that the incident had not deterred FAAN from carrying out its statutory responsibilities at the airport, stressing that full operations would resume on Wednesday.

Source: Dailypost
The police in Abuja yesterday dispersed supporters of the detained Shiite leader, Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, who were protesting his continued detention.

The protesters, who converged at the unity fountain, turned violent after the police sprayed teargas at them.

It was gathered the police resorted to teargas after attempts to disperse the protesters with water failed.

Former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who addressed the protesters, advised the Federal Government to respect the rule of law by releasing El-Zakzaky.

Source: TheNation
A young burglar that broke into a house to steal had himself to blame after he was nabbed in the line of his criminal duty.

Lucky ran out on two burglars in an undisclosed area in Nigeria as their criminal operation failed leading to the arrest of one of them.

The nabbed miscreant was forced to endure the regular pills of jungle justice as he was comforted with rounds of beating while his hands were tied.

Read the account given by a social media user below:

The thief was caught about 14:30 in my area. He attempted to steal from a house, but his luck ran out as he was caught by the owner (Lady) of the house.

According to her, she left for the market to sell, but forgot something at home, so she went home whilst leaving her son to sell. Getting home, she heard an unusual sound coming from her room, on entering she saw the thieves both of the thieves panicked and ran away.

Fortunately, one of them wasnt quick enough and an alarm was raised before he could escape. He was caught. I wasnt there when he was caught but I was drawn to attention upon seeing the crowd, curiously I went and saw the guy still being beaten.

He was said to have stolen #8,000 and a chicken (fowl.. can u imagine ). The other suspects are still at large but the guy has provided the address of his accomplice.
Mr Michael Lana, a defence witness in the murder case against a female lawyer, Yewande Oyediran, on Wednesday told an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan that the deceased mistakenly stabbed himself to death.

Oyediran, a staff of the Department of the Public Prosecution, Oyo State of Ministry of Justice, allegedly murdered Lowo, her husband, by stabbing him with a knife on Feb. 2 at Akobo area of Ibadan.

Lana, a lawyer, while being led in evidence by the defendants counsel, Mr Leye Adepoju, said that the landlord of the couple, Mr Akinpelu Adelodun, told him that Lowo mistakenly stabbed himself while he ( Adelodun) was trying to settle the fight between the couple.

The witness said Adelodun also told him that Yewande came out from the house shouting for help while Lowo was chasing her with a knife.

He said Adelodun informed him that Lowo had held down Yewande beside his car, adding that he (landlord) was able to rescue Yewande while Lowo mistakenly stabbed himself in the neck.

Lana, who said he was a family member of Adelodun, added that the landlord called him on phone to his residence as a lawyer to narrate the incident to him.

He also said that the landlord requested for his advice on a letter sent from the court inviting him (Adelodun) to come and give evidence in court.

The witness said Adelodun further told him that he did not give the police the real knife that stabbed the deceased, adding that another knife was taken away as the murder weapon.

He said Adelodun told him that he did not give the police the real knife because it could be incriminating as the thumbprint on the murder weapon would be that of the deceased and him, and not that of Yewande.

During cross-examination by the prosecution counsel, Mr Sanya Akinyele, the witness said he was in court to prove that Adelodun was lying when he told the court that he did not call him on phone.

Lana, who said that the statement Adelodun made to the police was not true, added that he was in court to ensure that justice was done based on the truth.

A witness from MTN, Mr James Oluwatunyi, was also called by the defence counsel to tender the call log between Lana and the landlord.

Justice Munta Abimbola adjourned the case till May 24 for the continuation of hearing.

The accused, who had been standing trial on a one count of murder, had remained in prison custody after entering a  not guilty plea.

(NAN)
If youre looking for a way to liven up your self-storage business, attract an untapped customer base and create additional revenue, consider adding wine storage. The service can lend that extra oomph a facility needs to go from plain Jane to fancy Nancy.

The property I manage, Pacific Highway Storage in San Diego, was built in 2008-09. The owners decided wine storage would be an excellent addition, since we're close to the citys affluent downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods.

The wine area was built as a large room, separated from our offices by an artistic wooden door. The individual units are metal boxes in varying sizes. The smallest will accommodate a 12-bottle case, the largest up to 340 bottles. Our unit measurements were based on the average 10-by-10-by-12-inch wine box.

Wine likes to be stored at 46 to 65 degrees. Anything higher ages the wine faster. Wine also likes darkness, proper humidity (nothing above 70 percent), air circulation and stillness. Our wine units are perfect for these conditions, designed with metal shelving, gaps at the top of the doors for air circulation, motion-sensor lighting and controlled air-conditioning. If you go into the room first thing in the morning after the door is shut all night, it's about 51 degrees. Perfection. It all sounds great, right?

Well, it wasntat least not always. In the beginning, we made some critical errors. Ill share them with you here so you can benefit from our experience.

Learning the Hard Way

Imagine a very cold can of Coca-Cola. You put it on the table, and it immediately starts to form condensation on the outside, with water running onto the table top. Now imagine a cold room with no insulation in the ceiling or the walls. It abuts another storage area at the bottom floor of a two-story building. This was our wine room. Can you guess what happened?

Our upstairs tenants started complaining that the concrete floors in their units were wet. This was bad, since moisture leads to mold. It took a bit of detective work, but we discovered the wine-storage area was condensing. We immediately moved all the tenants who were impacted, gave them a free month of rent for the inconvenience, and hired a contractor to install insulation over the entire ceiling. Thankfully, that solved the problem.

A year or so later, the tenants of the storage units on the same floor as the wine room began complaining of mold. At the time, we were also beginning to experience huge swings in humidity in the wine room. That's bad for the bottles, as it negatively affects the corks and labels.

I called a mold-remediation specialist for his opinion. He told us the humidity and moisture from the wine room was seeping through the block walls. We would need to seal all the unit walls and fix the humidity problem.

Again, we moved all the affected tenants to new units. I had my maintenance supervisor measure the room, and we bought and installed a large dehumidifier, which drained all the collected moisture outside. We also sealed the concrete blocks with waterproof sealant, glued 1-inch foam insulation board to the walls, taped the seams, and used foam to cover any corners. Problem No. 2 was now solved.

Rebuilding the Business

So now we were problem-freeexcept for our occupancy. Back in 2012, our wine-storage occupancy was 15 percent. Struggling to improve our rentals, we hired local wine consultant Eric Guy of True Wine Culture, who offered a lot of ideas. He began marketing to local sommeliers, hotels, restaurants and networking clubs, and rentals began to increase. He then suggested we host a wine reception every quarter and showcase local artists. Things improved, but they were still hit and miss.

By the time I was promoted to the position of manager in spring 2014, our wine-storage occupancy was up to 35 percent. Thats not bad, but I thought we could do better. That said, I wasn't sure what to do. I liked wine, but I didn't know a Pinot Noir from a Barbarossa. I tried advertising in local publications, but that netted zero results. Guy finally recommended (and we agreed) that we be proactive about our pricing. We changed our website, and every prospective wine-storage customer was offered a deal. As we got more tenants, referrals started to bring in yet more business.

In addition to wine storage, we accept wine deliveries for tenants who belong to wine clubs or work in the wine business. The combination of all these things has pushed our wine-storage occupancy up to 96 percent! Now it's time for judicious rent increases.

Is it worth it to add wine storage to an existing facility or include it as part of your new build? Only you know your demographics. Take what we learned and see if wine storage would give your facility that extra oomph.





Kris Fetter is the operations manager for Pacific Highway Storage in San Diego. A California native, she served in the U.S. Navy and has worn many customer-service-related hats, including those of military police, vendor, dry-cleaner, security guard, administrative assistant and assistant teacher. She entered the self-storage industry four years ago. To reach her, e-mail [email protected]; visit www.selfstoragesd.com.
Jonathan Grabel will be Laceras next investment chief, II has learned, hired after a long search by the $50 billion pension system.

After nearly two years without a permanent chief investment officer, the Los Angeles County Employees Retirement Association has hired Jonathan Grabel from the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico.

Grabel is joining the $50 billion California fund after three years as CIO for New Mexicos $15 billion retirement portfolio, Gregg Rademacher, chief executive officer of Lacera, confirmed. Grabels former deputy, Jude Perez, has temporarily taken over his duties at New Mexicos pension plan, which is inviting candidates to apply for the CIO role by the end of April, according to its website.

Laceras last CIO, David Kushner, resigned in May 2015 for unknown reasons. The pension funds investment board Chair David Green said that hiring a new CIO and addressing delegation and communication issues between the board, staff, and consultants was a goal last year, according to minutes of Laceras February board meeting.

After Kushner left, Principal Investment Officer Vache Mahseredjian picked up his duties as interim CIO, the pension funds documents show, while Lacera hired recruitment firm Korn Ferry to assist in the search for a permanent replacement. At least one candidate advanced to serious consideration before withdrawing from the process, according to a person with knowledge of the search.

Lacera paid Kushner $287,413 in total compensation in 2015, the latest available public records show, including a salary of $184,291, benefits worth $58,497, and $44,625 in bonuses and other pay. This package ranked Kushner fifth among California public fund CIOs, but well behind CalPERS Ted Eliopoulos ($947,000), CalSTRS Chris Ailman ($746,000), San Franciscos William Coaker ($634,000), and San Mateo Countys Michael Coultrip ($355,000).

Grabel arrives at Lacera having led two U.S. public funds  New Mexicos and Montgomery County Public Schools near Washington, D.C.  after more than a decade in private equity.

We are excited to welcome Mr. Grabel to the Lacera team, Rademacher said in a statement. He brings a wealth of experience from both public pension plans and investment management firms and we look forward to his contribution in delivering financial security for our members.
The former boss of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is urging the Federal Government to set up a comprehensive, independent comparison website for the $16 billion-a-year home and car insurance markets.Allan Fels, who headed ACCC from 1995 to 2003, identified the need for the comparison website to help consumers shop around for car and home insurance policies, as he denied insurer claims that such a website would lead to policy features being stripped out.Fels, in his role as NSWs Emergency Services Levy Insurance monitor, is set to appear at a Senate inquiry in Melbourne on April 12 to strongly argue for the establishment of a comparison website for home and car insurance, News Corp Australia reported.A comparison website for health insurance is already being operated by the government, showing the highest-rated policies first.Its obvious that a customer who is interested enough to go to a website to compare prices will be a motivated, perceptive person who will also look at relevant premium and quality differences, Fels told News Corp Australia.Analysis by the news outlet revealed that consumers take nearly 100 times longer to shop for car insurance than health cover.
Brokers and the wider insurance industry have a big opportunity to prove their worth to clients as expectations and dynamics continue to shift, according to an industry head.Customer expectations continue to change as insurance is held up against other industries that clients encounter in their everyday life.With ease of use and efficiency top of mind for many clients, Lambros Lambrou , CEO of Aon Risk Solutions Australia, said that he sees these changing dynamics as a big opportunity for the insurance industry moving forward.Having fixed the customer experience, and I wouldnt suggest for a minute that is a one size fits all process as it always is a continuum, the thing we are going to move to is client empowerment, Lambrou said at the recent ANZIIF InsurTech Conference held in Sydney.Lambrou noted that client empowerment will involve boosting the relevance of the insurance industry to clients by exponentially improving the value of insurance solutions to clients.With insurtech intently focused on customer experience, whether that is in personal or commercial lines, brokers and insurance incumbents can focus on making their client experience as positive as possible to help retention rates and new client acquisition.The industry will need to look at apps and online presence but also try to reduce friction in face-to-face channels and look at claims practices for the benefit of the customer, Lambrou continued.Lambrou noted that it is clear to see that the world around businesses is becoming more risk-filled and volatile. The insurance industry is perfectly placed to meet these new, evolving risks head-on.Therefore the way that we think about creating certainty for customers, and how we help them protect themselves from known or unknown risks, is the real opportunity for us within the risk industry, Lambrou continued.
Aviva has become the first insurer to join the Climate Neutral Now campaign of the United Nations, reaffirming the companys commitment to zero-carbon operations.

Climate Neutral Now is a global community of organisations that have vowed to become climate neutral by the second half of the 21st century.





Want the latest insurance industry news first? Sign up for our completely free newsletter service now. Aviva will be among the ranks of global powerhouses that are already part of the campaign. These firms, which include Microsoft, Adidas and Sony, are not only taking action to tackle climate change themselves, but champion the need for action and encourage others to do the same, said Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

We hope that by joining a UN level international campaign we will encourage other organisations to understand the vital importance of measuring, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions to help tackle climate change now, said Kirsty Cooper, Avivas group general counsel.

The insurance giant has worked with climate and development experts ClimateCare for its carbon-offset programme. Aviva has also been measuring its operational carbon for nearly 20 years while seeking ways to reduce impacts through focused property management, use of energy efficient technologies, and the purchase of renewable electricity.
Insuring the marijuana industry is a new frontier  with growers and producers constantly innovating, and regulation differing across the country. Its opportunistic, but thats what makes it interesting.Jodi Faulkner and Travis Blackford, at Hull & Co, have been occupying the marijuana space since 2007 and, though the industry is growing with every new state that legalizes the drug, they say the cannabis insurance environment seems to be forever in flux.Its a new arena, Blackford says, but thats part of what makes it exciting.Right now, its definitely opportunistic, the space in general, he says. We feel like were in a pretty strong position to continue to be able to be viable as this opportunistic environment continues to expand, even given all the challenges that we face. But it obviously is challenging from a capacity standpoint, just with limited carriers.The inherent creativity in the industry also creates challenges, he says. The marijuana industry is evolving and innovating incredibly quickly.You have folks that are extremely creative. Now you can basically go into a room and theres a buffet of different strands with different levels that have different effects. You have technologies that continue to change  so its interesting: from technology, to the products, and then you have the consumer on the end of that. Its crazy what the industry is doing.So while cannabis manufacturers continually innovate their processes, the insurers backing them have to also continue to be dynamic and adapt to the changes as they happen.Whats kind of neat about the industry right now, and weve experienced it here in our office working with some of the carriers that we have, is that weve had a claim that happens and that we didnt anticipate  we couldnt anticipate  [and] we pay out the claim, Blackford says. Then we work with the carrier and legal team to then manuscript a document to protect the carrier from having to pay that claim ever again, because that really wasnt the intention of what we were trying to cover. But you dont know what you dont know.And while it can seem unsettling at times, all of this nevertheless makes marijuana insurance a positive space, Faulkner says.Its obviously a growing market, as more and more states get on, she says. Theres very few [insurance firms] that specialize in it, that are capturing a share of the market  theres probably four or five, us being one of them  that are well-known in the industry and have a good-sized book.We are insuring everything  we have the capabilities for  everything from the buildings; I have some markets that will offer crops, but really just for fire; liability side; product liability side; excess; their auto; their transit; from the grower to the dispensary to their suppliers; all of that.However, the confusing legislative nature of the industry  whereby its legal in some states but still considered illegal at the federal level  also has its problems, Faulkner says.And with a new president, you never know how they view it, Faulkner says. Trump has kind of given us some issues at the moment. Hes not for the recreational side of it. Those are the challenges.
A former Coast Guard is making further inland moves into insurance, as he joined the Iroquois Group to become its regional manager for Florida in the South.Richard Cole Shannahan will join the insurance network, following a previous stint at Brown and Brown Insurance, and four years with Bates & Hewett, Inc.According to Iroquois, its new manager served with the Coast Guard for 10 years prior to hanging up his life jacket to join the insurance industry.Coles experience as an agent gives him added perspective on the challenges, needs, and opportunities of our Iroquois member agencies, Iroquois South managing partner David Ward, said in a company statement. His enthusiasm and experience coupled with Iroquois resources will (be) a potent combination for our members.Iroquois South is part of The Iroquois Group, which is a network of more than 2,200 independent agencies operating across 41 states. The group maintains a diverse membership which benefits from increased revenues, healthy margins, and enhanced agency value.
Kidnapping and extortion cases are happening every day  and while you might not hear about them due to their confidential nature, it pays for companies to have insurance to pay ransoms and negotiate getting their employees home.Sarah Katz, assistant vice president of kidnap, ransom and extortion at Victor O. Schinnerer & Co, said companies are increasingly taking out the policies.More organisations are seeing the value of protecting their employees when they travel abroad or they have operations abroad or where they have exposure to those types of risk domestically, she explained.Physical kidnappings continue to be committed  regularly  and these are often being claimed for through insurance. Latin America remains the most dangerous region for kidnapping threats, Katz said, although other regions are growing.In terms of the number of kidnappings that occur, Mexico leads by a large margin. Then there are a number of countries in Latin America with significant kidnap threats, she said.In addition, Nigeria had recently gotten worse, Katz pointed out, while Venezuelan kidnappings were on the rise. While Americans kidnapped in the Middle East and Africa were rarer, due to fewer Americans visiting those areas, she said, those incidents can be some of the most complex to resolve.We regularly have claims come in, she said. Theres a wide range of claims, from somebody being kidnapped for ransom in Mexico, to somebody getting cyber extortion in the United States, to an ex-employee threatening to kill the manager, to detentions in Afghanistan  all sorts of things, all over the world.When it comes to getting the right result in a kidnap case, its the negotiators who are the real stars.With kidnapping, ransom and extortion coverage, one of the most important parts is the crisis response firm thats associated with [the insurance policy], Katz said. Thats one of the things that separates it from other lines of insurance  that as important as it is for having reimbursement, or the expenses incurred, the ransom and so forth, having access to an expert who can assist with the negotiation process is really of key importance with the coverage.And thats where people like Bruce Kaplan come in.Kaplan, managing director of Hazelwood Street Consultants, has more than two decades of experience  on the ground in foreign lands  negotiating with foreign criminals and getting kidnap victims returned.Ive done about 250 cases myself and have managed hundreds more, he said. I prefer the field to management  its a lot of stress, a lot of waiting, and then just moments of abject terror as you come to critical points in the process.He said kidnapping had the potential to destroy victims and their families.Its really sad. Its the worst, demoralizing, sinister crime you can imagine, he stated. It destroys families. I still cry after every case.While you may not hear about many cases due to confidentiality, kidnapping is not a shrinking market for criminals, Kaplan said.He and his staff could be deployed anywhere, to work on pirates in African waters, kidnappers in the Middle East, or guerrillas in the South American jungle. Just last week he was settling a case in the Caribbean, he said.Were seeing an uptick  most of it is in Central and South America and most of it is still extortion, he noted.Insurance was important for individuals with high net worth, and for employees with companies with business in high risk areas: Its a problem thats growing, he said.
A Michigan senator is up in arms with the state Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) following its order to ban the sale of temporary car insurance to residents.Chairman of the Senate Insurance Committee Joe Hune is tackling the DIFS review of the legal basis for selling seven day insurance in the state. The review was prompted by Randall Gregg, general counsel of Michigan DIFS.Gregg has yet to give a statement about his reasons for initiating the review, but Senator Hume speculated that he made the move because he has a bug up his ass about it.However, Andrea Miller, communications director for the insurance department, clarified that no-one at the department has an axe to grind with LA Insurance in an email to local publication Crains.DIFS has served a Notice of Withdrawal of Approval to Integon, the provider behind LA Insurances temporary insurance product.Crains first reported of the possible ban towards the end of last month but state regulators have kept quiet about their review of the legal merits of temporary insurance.DIFS notified Integon on March 15 that Michigan will disallow the sale of its weekly product beginning the middle of this month. Implementation of the ruling was deferred following a review by director Patrick McPharlin, director of the insurance department.The publication earlier reported that some motorists abuse the product by getting temporary insurance when they need to have their vehicle registration renewed, and then do not get proper coverage for the rest of the year after the product expires.Hune argued however that targeting the product is not a solution to the issue. Rather, he said, the industry needs to address the escalating cost of auto insurance in the state, which is driving motorists to use the product in the first place.We have an affordability issue in so many urban areas  and thats the problem, Hune told Crains. Thats what has created the short-term policies, and it wouldnt exist if the legislature would address affordability in auto insurance.He concluded, Some folks have no choice but to pay by the week or pay by the month because its just so damn expensive.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is buckling under the weight of a $25 billion debt, so somethings got to give.For some policyholders, this could mean as much as 25% increases in the rate they pay for coverage every year. In Mississippi, anecdotal evidence shows premiums could shoot up by as much as 80%.Amy Bach, the chief executive of consumer advocacy group United Policyholders, said she found one homeowner in the state having to cough up $4,000 to keep her coverage, from paying a mere $800 previously.CBS reports that the hikes are measures Congress is adopting to steer the federal insurance program back to actuarial health, following devastating losses from the major weather events of the past few years.Congresss way of dealing with flood insurance consists mostly of kicking the soggy can down the road, the media outlet observed.Even when it was easier to get things done, there were all kinds of delays, Loretta Worters, a spokesperson for the Insurance Information Institute, told CBS. The last time the NFIP ran out, it took 17 short-term extensions, four lapses and almost four years before the program was reauthorized.As the NFIP expires this September, the report stated that Trump and his Republican coterie are inclined towards privatizing insurance in continuing to provide coverage for American homeowners.One benefit of such a move is the perceived ability of the private sector to navigate the prevailing political headwinds, which have greatly affected the NFIP in the past.However, consumer advocate Robert Hunter, who is the director for insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, believes privatization is awful. Hunter explained that private companies, given the prerogative, would tend to cherry pick risks, picking out the most lucrative lot from the market, and leaving problematic homes to the NFIP.But even as privatization emerges as a viable option, proponents agree that the market needs to be eased into it.Nat Wienecke, vice president of the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCIAA) says a four year reauthorization could help move the market towards private vendors. The government and insurance companies could run parallel programs during which time the private sector can build up a risk data base and inject fresh capital into the market.
Custom House Risk Advisors (CHRA), a Westwood, Mass.-based independent risk management consulting affiliate of Starkweather & Shepley Insurance Brokerage Inc., has hired Kathleen Nickerson as vice president, Susan M. Scanlon as a risk management consultant and Janine Stewart as an associate risk consultant.

With more than 30 years of experience and knowledge in risk management and commercial insurance, Nickerson will serve as a senior consultant and advisor for her clients.

Nickerson joins the Custom House team after previously serving as a risk management consultant at Fort Hill Risk Management in Boston, Mass., and as senior vice president at Robert M. Currey & Associates in Boston.

Scanlon, who has more than 17 years of experience and knowledge in the industry, will help commercial real estate and non-profit organizations better mitigate their risks and control their costs through insurance placement and risk management services.

Scanlon joins the Custom House team after previously serving as a risk management consultant at Fort Hill Risk Management in Boston and as a consultant at Robert M. Currey & Associates in Boston. She previously worked for Robert D. Gordon Adjusters.

Stewart has more than 20 years of risk management experience, focusing primarily on the commercial real estate sector. She will ensure that her clients experience a high level of customer service by identifying their unique exposures, discussing risk management best practices and suggesting and/or negotiating insurance coverage.

Stewart joins the Custom House team after previously working as an associate consultant at KFDA Risk Advisors in Boston and a senior risk management technician at Robert M. Currey & Associates in Boston.

CHRA specializes in risk management and insurance issues applicable to all avenues within the real estate industry. Its clients are owners, developers, contractors, operators and managers of various asset classes across the real estate sector. CHRA also has expertise in other arenas, including non-profit and financial institutions. It focuses on the appropriate transfer of liability, using techniques specific to the particular risks and composition of each client.

Source: Custom House Risk Advisors

Topics Massachusetts Risk Management
The insurance industrys third annual diversity and inclusion festival, called Dive In, will be held Sept. 26-28 at events across the globe.

Marsh, Willis Towers Watson, XL Catlin and Aon are continuing their year-on-year support of the festival and will be joined this year for the first time by Chubb and Miller.

Sponsorship is still open, said a statement from Dive In. (See below for contact details).

This years theme is the Diversity Dividend, promoting the business case for diversity and inclusion (D&I) best practice. The theme will ensure the focus stays on the bottom line business benefits to an organization of a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture, driving productivity and innovation across the market, said Dive In.

This years festival will return to global locations such as London, New York City, Zurich, and Bermuda, as well as new cities including Beijing, Perth, Melbourne, Leeds, and Mumbai, with further locations to be announced soon.

The festival is an initiative of Inclusion@Lloyds, the group that provides D&I strategy, governance and practical support for the Lloyds market.

The Dive In festival provides a catalyst for the insurance industry to drive inclusive working cultures and customer centricity to keep the insurance sector focused on staying globally competitive and relevant, said Dominic Christian, chair of Inclusion@Lloyds and CEO of AON UK.

The Inclusion@Lloyds committee this year has established a Dive In Steering Committee with the specific aim of shaping and delivering the Dive In festival. It comprises representatives from brokers, underwriters and professional bodies including the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the British Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA), and the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the Dive In statement said.

Survey data from last years event, which attracted more than 5000 attendees, revealed that 98 percent felt that D&I is good for business, while 74 percent said that the festival has given them new ideas for D&I engagement, added Dive In.

Resources:

Companies interested in sponsorship can contact Dive In via email: support@diveinfestival.com

A video learning library of D&I content from the last two Dive In festivals is available on the Dive In website and on the Dive In app, on both Apple and Android.

Topics Lloyd's
Cyber security breaches erode companies share prices permanently, with financials the worst hit, a study issued by IT consultant CGI and Oxford Economics has found.

Severe cyber security breaches, such as those having legal or regulatory consequences, involve the loss of hundreds of thousands of records and hurt the firms brand, caused share prices to fall on average 1.8 percent on a permanent basis, the analysis of 65 companies affected since 2013 globally has found.

Investors in a typical FTSE 100 firm would be worse off by an average of 120 million after such a breach, the report said. Overall the cost to shareholders of these 65 companies would be in excess of 42 billion pounds ($52.40 billion).

CGIs analysis compared each companys share price against a cohort of similar companies to isolate the impact of cyber breaches from other market movements, during incidents detailed in a breach index compiled by Dutch security firm Gemalto.

Two-thirds of firms had their share price adversely impacted after suffering a cyber breach. Financial firms were the worst affected, followed closely by communications firms.

Financial services experience the greatest burden in terms of impact, reflecting the high levels of regulation, the importance of customer confidence and the potential for financial fraud to be a facet of the breach, the report said.

Those least affected were retail, hospitality and travel companies.

Hacking attacks and other cyber security breaches have impacted companies across the world in recent years, from retailer Target in the United States in 2013 to British communications firm TalkTalk in 2015.

($1 = 0.8015 pounds) (Reporting by Helen Reid; editing by Robert Birsel)

Topics Cyber
AXIS Capital Holdings Ltd. announced the appointment of Michael Leahey as vice president and deputy head of Catastrophe Underwriting for Europe, Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Israel, for AXIS Re.

In addition to underwriting property catastrophe reinsurance business in those regions, Leahey will also help further expand the coordination between AXIS Res European Underwriting and Catastrophe modeling teams. He will report to Andrew Bisset, executive vice president, AXIS Re, and will be based in Zurich.

Leahey has nearly a decade of experience underwriting property reinsurance coverage, including catastrophe modeling and analysis of insurance-linked securities (ILS). He joins AXIS Re from XL Catlin, where he was a senior property underwriter and market manager for the Nordics region and senior property underwriter for the DACH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) region.

Leahey began his reinsurance career at PartnerRe, where he held a succession of property catastrophe underwriting roles. Prior to that, he was an environmental geologist and engineer in Zurich.

Michaels appointment is an important step as we continue to enhance the services and expertise we provide our clients in the property cat treaty reinsurance space, commented Bisset, noting that Leahey brings extensive experience in property-cat underwriting, portfolio analysis and pricing.

Leahey is a Chartered Financial Analyst and earned his Masters Degree in Geophysics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, where he also received a Bachelors Degree in Earth Sciences.

Source: AXIS Capital Holdings

Topics Europe Underwriting Reinsurance Property AXA XL
Ant Financial, the finance affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, and Indonesian media company Elang Mahkota Teknologi (Emtek) are to form a joint venture to offer payment and financial services in Indonesia.

The Emtek tie-up is Ants fifth international payments deal since November, seeking to tap Asias third-largest country by population as the company continues to extend its mobile finance empire outside China.

The new venture will initially take the form of a payments platform within BlackBerrys messaging service, which has about 63 million users in Indonesia, the two companies said in a joint statement.

Ant Financial has proven know-how in delivering payment and other financial solutions to a large and growing mobile audience in China  and we are looking forward to replicating and creating this success in Indonesia, Emtek CEO Alvin Sariaatmadja said in the statement.

Ants Alipay payment app has 450 million users, the vast majority of which are in China, where it is the countrys most popular mobile wallet. The company also has an internet banking license and offers financial services including insurance products and mutual funds.

Reuters first reported that Ant and Emtek were in talks last month.

Ant has already struck deals with Thai payment company Ascend Money, South Koreas Kakao Pay Corp and Philippines-based fintech business Mynt. It also has plans to close further deals in Asia this year.

The Indonesian venture also comes as Ant faces off against U.S. company Euronet Worldwide to acquire Dallas-based Moneygram International, a remittance business that could play a significant role in linking Ants other payment assets in Asia.

Emtek, an investor in online marketplace Bukalapak.com and travel portal Reservasi.com, signed a strategic alliance with BlackBerry last June and will help Ant Financial to roll out a range of payment products anchored in the BlackBerry social messaging system (BBM) as well as payment services for unspecified e-commerce platforms in Indonesia.

An Ant Financial spokeswoman declined to comment on a timeline for when services by the new joint venture will be rolled out.

(Reporting by Cate Cadell; editing by David Goodman)

Related:

Topics China
An Omaha, Neb., mortuary and its insurers have sued a Pennsylvania company, alleging that it didnt properly rebuild a cremation machine blamed for a fire that injured four people.

The Jan. 26, 2016, blaze heavily damaged the Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler funeral chapel. The lawsuit was filed last month by Heafeys corporate entity and Cincinnati Casualty Co. and Cincinnati Indemnity Co. They seek a jury trial and at least $5.75 million from Matthews International Corp., which is based in Pittsburgh. A company spokeswoman declined to comment.

The bodies and cremains of deceased people that had been in the burning structure later were taken to other mortuaries owned by the company.

Co-owner Bill Cutler said that the rebuilding is expected to be completed in September.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Carriers Nebraska
When a train jumped the tracks this past week at New Yorks Penn Station, the seemingly minor accident led to a cascade of exasperating delays for hundreds of thousands of commuters.

When a flood forced authorities to condemn a one-lane, century-old bridge in rural Ozark, Missouri, it was no less frustrating for the residents and business owners cut off from their shortest route into town.

The two episodes highlight a reality about the U.S. transportation system  it is aging, congested and so vital that when things go wrong, big and costly disruptions can result for which there is no quick fix.

Though President Donald Trump has promised a $1 trillion infrastructure-rebuilding program, not all of that may go toward transportation. Even then, it would fall well short of the many trillions needed to fix the countrys web of roads, bridges, railways, subways and bus stations.

The commuter train in New York derailed because of a weakened railroad tie. No one was seriously injured. But the incident shut down eight of the stations 21 tracks, disrupting Amtrak service in the Northeast from Boston to Washington, as well as delaying commuter trains in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for the better part of a week.

Business meetings were canceled, ballgames, dinners and doctors appointments missed, and commuters fumed.

Lawyer Dominic Boone, who travels into New York from New Jersey, complained that because he arrived late to the office and had to leave early to catch a different train, he lost 10 hours of work for which he could have billed clients.

They should have been working on Penn Station forever ago, Boone said. As a nation, we should be spending more on our crumbling infrastructure.

Century Old Tunnels

The disruption was only a brief example of the frustration travelers could face if the region cant find a way to replace a pair of deteriorating, overcrowded, century-old rail tunnels that run under the Hudson River and connect New York and New Jersey.

The tunnels, which were severely damaged in Superstorm Sandy in 2012, could cost more than $20 billion to replace. But the money has yet to be lined up. And construction, whenever it begins, may take more than a decade.

The Penn Station derailment came less than two weeks after another one there, caused by a misaligned track.

Atlanta Overpass

And it happened just days after motorists in Atlanta were forced to begin taking long, bumper-to-bumper detours because a fire collapsed an Interstate 85 overpass linking the city to some of its biggest suburbs. Arson  not aging steel and concrete  is suspected there. It could take until mid-June to repair the highway.

Earlier this year, a cracked steel beam forced the closing of a major bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey for 11/2 months.

Improving the nations roads and bridges would require $120 billion a year through 2020, according to a recent U.S. Department of Transportation estimate. But annual spending at all levels of government is just $88 billion. And the nations mass transit systems have over a $90 billion backlog of maintenance and repair needs.

The capacity of the nations transportation system is lagging behind population growth, leading to ever greater congestion. By 2040, nearly 30,000 miles of the nations busiest highways are expected to be clogged on a daily basis.

Rural Challenges

Rural communities also face challenges, partly because they have fewer residents over whom to spread the cost of transportation improvements. Grant County, Oklahoma, for example, has more than 3,500 bridges with a population of about 4,500 and an economy based on agriculture and energy production.

While this infrastructure was ideal 70 years ago for transporting livestock and crops, it is inadequate to support todays heavier trucks, increased traffic and higher operating needs, county commission chairwoman Cindy Bobbitt told U.S. senators at a recent hearing.

The complexities of government can sometimes slow down improvements, as cities, counties, states, port authorities, special taxing districts and federal agencies all have a say in which projects get built, when to do the work and how to pay the bills.

Plans for wider roads and new rail lines can also face opposition from the communities they pass through because of concerns about noise, pollution and diminished property values.

Of course I believe there needs to be more infrastructure investment, said Martin Wachs, a retired professor of civil and environmental engineering and urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles. At the same time, political decisions have to be made that weigh that against investments in education and health care and so forth.

Higher Taxes

At least 20 states have raised taxes or fees for transportation over the past five years.

California became the latest to do so last week, as legislators passed a bill to raise $5 billion annually through higher fuel taxes and vehicle fees to pay for road and bridge repairs, public transit and pedestrian trails.

The plan tackles part of a $137 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on state highways and local roads. It came together after a destructive winter in which flooding caused nearly $600 million in damage to highways.

Indiana and Tennessee are among other states considering raising fuel taxes and fees for transportation this year.

In Ozark, a town of fewer than 20,000 people in Missouri, voters approved a transportation sales tax Tuesday of three-eighths of a cent, with some of the proceeds going toward a new, $3 million two-lane bridge to replace the narrow structure that has been closed since it was damaged by flooding in 2015.

The bridge closing has forced 75-year-old Gary Jenks to drive an extra 10 minutes along a circuitous route every time he needs to go the doctor or pharmacy or visit his family on the opposite side of town.

Its just been a total inconvenience and a burden, Jenks said.

Associated Press reporter Karen Matthews contributed from New York. Lowy reported from Washington and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics USA Flood Tech New York Agribusiness New Jersey Missouri
David Govrin has been appointed to the position of executive vice president of underwriting for Third Point Reinsurance (USA) Ltd.

Govrin brings 25 years of experience in the insurance industry to his new role. Prior to joining Third Point Re, Govrin served for the past seven years as vice president for Berkshire Hathaways Reinsurance Group, where he was a key member of the underwriting team. Immediately prior to joining Berkshire Hathaway, Govrin founded an insurance private equity fund, Hudson Insurance Capital, focused on specialty insurance underwriting and distribution, as well as a reinsurance intermediary, Sierra Re Advisors. Prior to that, he spent the majority of his career as a senior executive at Goldman Sachs and Guy Carpenter.

Third Point Reinsurance (USA) writes property/casualty reinsurance business.

Related:

Topics USA Underwriting Reinsurance
The Oklahoma House Insurance Committee has passed a bill that will allow individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines.

Senate Bill 478, by state Rep. Lewis Moore and Bill Brown of the Senate, will allow the Oklahoma Insurance Department to compact with other states in offering more affordable and better tailored individual health insurance policies across state lines. The plans would still have to be approved by each participating state legislature.

In support of the presidents and the Republicans desire to make individual health care affordable again, the Oklahoma House of Representatives Insurance Committee today passed Senate Bill 478, said Moore, R-Arcadia, in a statement released by the House.

He said the bill will allow individuals to keep their current Oklahoma plans if they wish, or they can shop for other competitive plans to meet their individual needs. The compact also will allow individuals to find better coverage in some instances, such as for autism care that is better provided for by 46 other states than in Oklahoma, he said.

The free market works every time, said Moore. This bill allows individuals to find more comprehensive or catastrophic coverage if that is what is desired, and it should reduce the cost of individual coverage.

Moore said this bill puts in place the mechanism for the insurance department to move forward on negotiating plans and forming a compact. The bill has protections for Oklahoma companies as they compete to match policies offered by other states. He added the National Association of Insurance Commissioners said they are against the federal government mandating such compacts, but they favor each state choosing participation for itself.

Source: Oklahoma House of Representatives

Topics Oklahoma
The Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau on Tuesday submitted a July 1 Pure Premium Rate Filing to the California Department of Insurance proposing advisory pure premium rates that average $2.02 per $100 of payroll.

The move follows a vote by the WCIRB Governing Committee last week.

The average proposed advisory pure premium rate is 16.5 percent lower than the corresponding industry average filed pure premium rate of $2.42 as of Jan. 1, and 7.8 percent less than the insurance commissioners approved average Jan. 1 advisory pure premium rate of $2.19.

The WCIRB highlighted the keys drivers of the WCIRBs fifth consecutive proposed advisory pure premium rate decrease since 2015 in an executive summary of the filing.

Those drivers include downward medical loss development in part driven by continued acceleration in claim settlement, decreasing indemnity claim frequency and lower than projected loss adjustment expenses.

The WCIRB also noteed that while these loss and loss adjustment expense trends are reducing the indicated pure premium rate, high levels of lien filings, continued growth in cumulative injury claims and rising medical severities could erode the impacts of these trends and warrant continued monitoring.

The Filing and related documents are available in the Publications and Filings section of the WCIRB website. The CDI is expected to schedule a public hearing to consider the filing.

Related:

Topics California Workers' Compensation
SAN DIEGO, CA - April 12, 2017 (Investorideas.com Newswire) GPS Tracking News - Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB:GOPH) ("Gopher" and the "Company"), a development-stage company, which specializes in the development of real-time, heuristic-based - mobile technologies, and its partner Guardian Patch, LLC ("Guardian Orb") announced today that they completed a two-day field test mainly in the San Francisco area.

Danny Rittman, the Company CTO, stated, "We welcome the opportunity to test our product on third party network as it proved for us the diversity of our core technology, which in simple words, means it can comply and work on other networks."

The Guardian Orb prototypes are working with the Company's mobile app, which can be downloaded for free at the Apple Store and on Google Play under the name "Guardian Pet Tracker." As a courtesy to the public, the Company previously released the Guardian Patch app to provide users with live views of the Guardian Orb units during testing. Guardian Orb will post images as well as short videos documenting the field test. For the purpose of this field test, the Company SOW's vendor programmed the Guardian Orbs to comply with the third party infrastructure platform.

The Company is evaluating the results of the field test, including comparing and verifying the results to a third-party data base and will announce the results in the near future.

The Guardian Orb Pet Tracker (Sphere Internal name - the "Sphere") system is a derivative technology of Gopher's Guardian Patch technology. The Sphere is designed to provide its users with local tracking capability using a re-chargeable/replaceable battery source. The objective of Gopher's current efforts, is to deliver for testing in a pre-designated area, a few mobile units of the Guardian pet devices along with a base station, test results and eventual manufacturing capability for both the mobile and the base unit.

About Gopher Protocol Inc.

Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB: GOPH) ("Gopher" and the "Company") (http://gopherprotocol.com/) is a development-stage company developing a real-time, heuristic-based mobile technology. Upon development, the technology will consist of a smart microchip, mobile application software and supporting software that will run on a server. The system contemplates the creation of a global network. Gopher believes this will be the first system that is developed using a human, heuristic-based analysis engine. Since the core of the system will be its advanced microchip technology that will be capable of being installed in any mobile device worldwide, Gopher expects that this will result in an internal, private network between all mobile devices utilizing the microchip by providing mobile technology for computing power enhancement, advanced mobile database management/sharing and other additional mobile features.

Corporate Site: http://gopherprotocol.com

Press page/ press kit - http://gopherprotocol.com/?page_id=228

Consumer and product website for Guardian Patch: http://www.guardianpatch.com/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, and governmental and public policy changes. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.

Contact:

Dr. Danny Rittman CTO

Gopher Protocol Inc.

VM Only 888-685-7336

Media: press@gopherprotocol.com

Disclaimer/Disclosure:

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Disclosure: GOPH is a PR , social media and publishing client and compensates Investorideas.com (effective April 4, 2016 - three thousand five hundred per month )More disclaimer info: http://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp

Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: http://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country.
IoT Evolution, the leading media brand for the Internet of Things (IoT), has published a book outlining more than 150 of the leading trends in the IoT industry, entitled IoT Time: Evolving Trends in the Internet of Things. The book, written by IoT Evolution Editorial Director, Ken Briodagh, seeks to explore the factors that have shaped the recent past of the developing industry and use those to predict the trends that will drive the next period of growth. Each of the trends is explicated and illustrated with a case study or product review that supports each position.

In this weekly series, well be previewing chapters for you to read in the hopes that youll like enough to read the whole thing. To do just that, for free, click here. Alternatively, theres a paperback version available on Amazon for $14.99.

Chapter 7: Automation

Trend: AI for IoT

Socionext and SOINN Announce Joint Trial to Integrate Sensors and AI for IoT

The IoT needs AI to handle its vast computations and statistical analysis. To get that need filled, Socionext and SOINN have teamed up on a trial for integrating SoC-based data sensing technology and AI to develop solutions and new businesses. The first step of the trial is to have the Artificial Brain SOINN learn data collected by Socionexts viewphii, and then verify the result with the goal of providing better monitoring and predictions of future risks. The objective of the trial, the companies said, is to add the functions and performance of AI to the IoT.

Artificial Brain SOINN is a self-learning, general-purpose artificial intelligence built by SOINN with a learning algorithm. Socionext leverages its data sensing technology based on its SoC expertise to enable the extraction of useful information out of sensor signals, while SOINN carries out fine-tuning of its self-learning algorithm.

As the first step of the trial, various biometric data obtained by viewphii was provided to conduct learning studies on Artificial Brain SOINN. Based on the outcome of that trial, SOINN was able to boost the improvement of its self-learning algorithm and accuracy for further evolution of Artificial Brain SOINN. Socionext will continue to establish new businesses, and promote new products and services through utilization of SoC-based sensing technology.

Trend: Automation equals industry acceleration

IT Automation Will Ultimately Determine IoT Success

The IoT evolution is constantly accelerating, growing to approach the predicted 30 billion autonomous devices that will be connected via the Internet by 2020. Research firm IDC forecasts the installed base of IoT devices will extend to 212 billion thingsphones, sensors, various devices, and systemsby that same year.

Something is going to have to be in charge of all that activity, and people will certainly not be doing it. No, instead, it will be IT automation. The volume of IoT data constantly being generated is incredible, and manual data processing is rarely sufficient to handle the millions of tasks involved. Moreover, in order for connected devices to do what they must do, instant decision-making is critical  another job for IT automation.

Automation solutions collect data from devices, then pass that data to other devices that analyze it on-the-fly. When results are ready, the automation platform automatically alerts the proper individuals and devices. Automation also ensures that downstream processing continues without interruption. In the event of a slowdown or blockage, automation directs IT staff to the problem location, ensuring the issues is resolved quickly and efficiently while minimizing time to resolution.

IT automation serves as the central hub for data processing, enabling reliable, end-to-end workflow execution across many different applications, operating systems and computing systems. Most valuable are the analytical functions make sense of the raw data and produce actionable intelligence. This ability to connect the dots in IoT data is the real secret of IT automation.

Rules-based, policy-driven IT automation interprets the processes, understands the dependencies, and monitors the execution of tasks to ensure that the right things are done in the right order, at the appropriate time, and by the correct people and devices. With IoT at the forefront of the next era in computing, its important to think about how this technology will be coordinated to fulfill its promise. Intelligent automation is the keyand the time to start planning is now.

Trend: The rise of the Industrial Operator

What Today's Industrial Operator Needs to Know about Adopting IIoT

Industrial Internet of Things enables the data captured by operational systems to be combined with analytics to optimize operations, streamline efficiency and increase profitability. Every day, more industrial operators are introducing IIoT systems into their operations to tap into these advantages.

In the past, some industrial operators have thought they were too small to use automation effectively, but no more. Be it insight gleaned from access to a larger set of behavioral data, or access to more resources for responding quickly to problems on-site, there are benefits of IIoT for operations of any size.

When considering something as new and broad as IIoT, it is getting easier with time and better information to understand what is involved in putting these systems in place and what the payback timeline can be. IIoT is improving industrial plant operations already. That much is undeniable, as we see the results from early adopters.

Trend: Automated factories

PointGrab Joins Cisco Digital Ceiling Initiative for Smarter Buildings

PointGrab joined the Cisco Digital Ceiling framework as a partner for developing building automation solutions over one IP network. The Cisco Digital Ceiling is an IoT-based solution that connects building services in a single, converged IP network through an extensive ecosystem of technologies. PointGrabs edge analytics smart sensor, CogniPoint, provides occupancy analytics and connectivity with the aim of ensuring that organizations are able to make better, more informed decisions affecting building management.

As a member of the Cisco Digital Ceiling framework, PointGrab will collaborate with leading organizations to drive toward smarter, connected, and more secure buildings and factories. PointGrab joins Cisco Digital Ceiling partners such as Philips and Cree for lighting, Johnson Controls for building automation, and Relayr for ISVs, among others.

The quality and breadth of information available for digital building management is determined by the smart sensors data capture and analysis, making sensors a critical technology for smart buildings, said Itamar Roth, Chief Business Officer, PointGrab. PointGrabs inclusion in the Cisco Digital Ceiling partnership is a welcome recognition of the CogniPoint sensors unique contribution to next generation building automation.

By embedding deep learning technology into optical sensing devices, PointGrabs CogniPoint sensor provides analytics precision in the detection of occupants locations, count, and movements, thus enabling effective office space management and enhancing buildings operations efficiency. The sensor is a miniature network-connected device, running state-ofthe-art deep learning algorithms on a low-cost embedded ARM-based processor.

Trend: Manufacturing gets smarter

Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and Intel Propose IoT Manufacturing Testbed

Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, and Intel Japan have launched a Factory Automation Platform as a Service (FA PaaS) testbed in the field of next-generation factories at the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC). The goal as stated of the testbed is to test open IoT platforms that integrate Factory Automation in manufacturing and IT. The findings will be incorporated into Hitachis Lumada IoT Platform in order to help users create new solutions.

IoT platforms are built to include IoT data processing platforms that use Big Data, IoT head end systems, and IoT gateways to securely connect service platforms with factory environments. The advantage of IoT platforms tested in this testbed will be that the process will accelerate application development for next-generation factories.

Hitachi is in charge of IT related products, software which connects each device in this testbed, and system integration of the testbed. Mitsubishi Electric is in charge of factory automation environment, and Intel is in charge of IoT gateways and supportive coordination with IIC. Under collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric and Intel, Hitachi will complete tests of secure connections between environments and service platform layers, and test the effectiveness of testbed functions and the flow of operational data from the perspective of the front lines of manufacturing, by June 2017. After that, it will conduct use case tests with IIC member companies and customers.

Trend: Remote control

Honeywell Controls North Sea Platform Remotely From On Shore

Automated offshore drilling is here, thanks to a project from Honeywell off the shore of Norway. Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) is providing advanced automation and safety solutions to enable remote onshore operation for an unmanned offshore platform in the North Sea, reducing overall production costs and improving safety.

When drilling operations are completed, Statoils Valemon platform, located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, will become a periodically-manned installation and Statoils first platform that will be operated remotely from shore. Control operations will be located in Bergen, about 100 miles away from the platform itself. Moving personnel off the facility will improve the safety of operations while boosting efficiency by centralizing the controls.

This project is a great example of how Honeywell is able to use its technology and experience to help Statoil remotely control operations at an important gas production facility, said Pieter Krynauw, VP and GM, Projects and Automation Solutions, HPS. As companies move oil platforms farther offshore and into other remote, challenging locations to find oil and gas, managing those operations efficiently while reducing risk to workers will become increasingly important.

Honeywell serves as the engineering, procurement and construction automation contractor for the project and provides a range of control and safety technologies for the project including new operator stations and critical alarm panels at the Bergen operations center that will communicate with the systems on Valemon.

The Valemon platform sits in about 440 feet of water and will produce natural gas and condensate from one of the biggest undeveloped natural gas fields in the North Sea with an estimated 192 million barrels of oil equivalent. Once drilling is complete in 2017, the platform will have 10 production wells.

Among the technologies Honeywell will provide are its Experion Process Knowledge System, integrated protective solutions, Critical Alarm Panel with Safety Manager, integrated fire and gas and emergency shutdown solutions, and closed circuit TV software.

Trend: Gateways enable IIoT

SMC Touts IoT as Another Automation Evolution

As the world waits for the IoT to reach maturity and amass the type of presence projection after projection predicts, there are some in the industry that say the IoT is nothing new  just a fancy term for automation. That group includes Varun Nagaraj, President and CEO, Sierra Monitor Corporation (SMC), who called this industry business as usual for him and his team, having been enabling automation in the industrial setting for 10 years. Over the years, Nagaraj explained, SMC has shipped millions of its IoT gateways to customers  primarily in the industrial segment.

The journey began with connecting things inside buildings to other things inside buildings, with all of these components being brought together in a central management system. Initially, SMCs gateways were for protocol translation  so the fire panel could speak with the sprinkler system, for example. The next step was the ability to connect to the cloud. Nagaraj noted that for many companies this was the starting point, a secure cloud connection, and he continued to note that in order to make the promise of security it is mission critical to manage both ends of the data pipeline.

Next comes the somewhat controversial topic of fog, or edge computing, which offers distributed control. Nagaraj stated, certain things are done better locallyon a facility premise, it makes perfect sense to add logic, nature, history and even doing analytics.

Trend: Industry 4.0

What's Behind IoT's Supply and Demand?

Industry 4.0 and smart factories have caught the imagination of manufacturers. The promise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and digitizing internal processes gives hope to companies that spent the last few decades cutting labor costs and increasing efficiencies throughout their organizations. When manufacturers see analyst forecasts predict increases in revenues by 23 percent and productivity by 26 percent, IoT is impossible to ignore.

Kaeser Compressors, a manufacturer of air system products, is using the IoT to transition its business from one of making things to one that sells products as services. When Kaeser began automating its systems to reduce maintenance costs and equipment downtime, it began using the reams of data collected to make smarter strategic decisions. The company uses predictive maintenance to help determine when equipment needed to be replaced or was not working properly. Kaeser service personnel rely on predictive analysis to recognize usage patterns and monitor machine health.

At Harley-Davidsons manufacturing plants, the motorcycle company began modernizing its shop floor and digitizing operations in 2009, and now, ERP, supply chain, profit-loss management, and manufacturing are integrated directly to the companys different plants and provide a clear picture of the business to managers located locally at headquarters and remotely. On the shop floor, motorcycle parts have RFID chips that identify their work requirements for the bill of materials. As the parts move along the assembly line, a manufacturing engine reads the chips, which store information such as the bikes vehicle identification number (VIN). The engine matches the VIN to the build requirements, and the parts move steadily along the assembly line completing each step of the build.

Mohawk Manufacturing, a Georgia-based flooring manufacturer, uses sensors in its equipment tied to an analytics engine to track the dying process of its carpets. When carpet rolls come off the manufacturing lines, Mohawk needs to make sure the dyes set correctly, so it added sensors and tags to every piece of equipment, and the sensors detect data and transfer it for analysis.

Trend: Job market effects

Examining the IoT's Potential Impact on the Jobs Market

The Internet of Things is a technological revolution with unlimited and largely untapped potential. IoT systems will only get better with time, as they learn to better address the needs of users. But, what about the unintended consequences, particularly when it comes to jobs?

An article at Value Walk painted a grim picture of this, saying that the IoT could lead to many job losses.

Many people dont realize that the IoT has been integrating into the manufacturing industry for years, and many of the physical processes in production plants have been automated for some time. Almost everything in the modern factory can be automated now, including analytics and cost estimates, plant load optimization, monitoring equipment, managing the supply chain, and maintaining healthy and safe environments, and if all of them get linked to the IoT very little human involvement will be needed.

As systems continue to become smarter and spread into more areas of industry, it raises an interesting question: where will displaced workers go when technology comes for their jobs?

Right now, there is no clear answer to this question, which explains why the IoT is something of a source of anxiety for some economic forecasters. A discussion in The Guardian theorized that new fields and expertise will emerge along with IoT systems. That seems like a likely case.

Trend: Robots

Improving SQUEAKS with IGear, Komatsu and Genesis Systems

IGear, a smart manufacturing and supply chain solutions provider, has teamed up with industrial machinery company Komatsu America Industries and robotics systems integrator Genesis Systems Group, to improve its SQUEAKS mobile-first industrial messaging app.

The app is designed to facilitate quicker, better decision-making, and closed-loop collaboration, with machines as part of the conversation. It integrates messaging across machines and personnel; and it enables algorithms, rules and analysis to be applied across multiple data environments to formulate insights and prescriptive actions. This allows front-line workers and management to be updated on events driven by both simple conditional alerts, and complex event triggers. SQUEAKS makes it possible for workers to respond quickly to understand an events root cause and validate ownership and closure, with timestamps.

We believe the true power of IIoT messaging comes from a combination of generating insightful data from industrial equipment, and its ability to share this data among selected individuals, via mobile technology, to ensure clarity, ownership, accountability, and interaction, said Don Korfhage, president and CEO, IGear.

When people and machines communicate well, manufacturers benefit. Some of those benefits include improved uptime and overall equipment effectiveness, resulting in less scrap and rework, lower operating costs (personnel, material management and flow, floor space utilization), continuous improvement and heightened workforce engagement.

The Industrial Internet of Things has the potential to usher in a new wave of innovation and reinvention of manufacturing as we know it, said Korfhage. But its also creating a data explosion, with some 20 billion connected devices expected by 2020.

According to the International Federation of Robotics, there were about 1.6 million operational industrial robots worldwide at the end of 2015. Getting machines and robots to be team players and communicate effectively with their human manufacturing floor stewards is of the utmost importance as the demand for industrial robots has accelerated considerably due to the ongoing trend toward automation and the continued innovative technical improvements in industrial robots.

Trend: The money rolls in

Foghorn Systems Secures $12 Million in Series A Funding

The money keeps rolling into the IoT from every side, and the folks at FogHorn Systems, based in Mountain View, CA, raised $12 million in its recently closed Series A to develop more IIoT solutions. FogHorn builds software for industrial and commercial IoT applications. The funding round was lead by March Capital and GE Ventures, with additional funding was provided by Robert Bosch Venture Capital GmbH, Yokogawa Electric Corporation and Darling Ventures. The company also converted $2.5 million of initial seed capital provided by March Capital and The Hive, the Palo Alto-based AI and big data studio that co-created FogHorn.

FogHorn is at the forefront of edge tech for industrial and commercial IoT applications. This is the largest initial round of funding raised by a Silicon Valley startup focused on IoT edge analytics and fog computing, said David C. King, CEO, FogHorn. Our investors include major strategic players in the Industrial IoT sector with participation from global leaders based in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region. In addition to welcoming these companies as strategic investment partners, we will work with each of them to develop breakthrough IoT solutions for their industrial and commercial customers.

FogHorn says its technology enables high-performance edge processing, real-time analytics and heterogeneous machine learning applications, designed to be hosted as closely as possible to the source of operations technology (OT) machine data.

The Industrial Internet enables organizations to leverage and act on analytic insights from their machines, equipment, and operations. Realizing this vision requires distributed edge-to-cloud computing and machine learning, and we are excited to have leading technology innovators like FogHorn as part of our Predix ecosystem, said Michael Dolbec, head of ventures and business development, GE Digital.

Industry sectors where this high-performance, real-time edge analytics technology can unlock billions of dollars in economic value include manufacturing, power and water utilities, oil and gas production, mining, renewable energy, transportation and health care, as well as smart grids, smart cities, smart buildings and connected vehicles. The vast amount of data produced every day by the machines in these settings dictates the use of an edge-centric computing paradigm that not only minimizes bandwidth costs but also addresses latency, reliability, security and privacy issues.

Trends: Government buy-in

U.S. Department of State Awards IoT Contract

The U.S. government is slowly acting to catch up with much of the world in terms of IoT implementation, and the Department of State took a big step in the right direction when it awarded C3 IoT a multi-year contract worth up to $25 million to provide its IoT enterprise application development platform for energy management and predictive analytics. This is the U.S. federal governments first enterprise-wide contract of this type, which is designed to help achieve and maintain statutory, executive order, and department energy and sustainability goals.

Under the agreement, C3 IoT will enable the U.S. State Department to gain dynamic, real-time operational insights and efficiencies by analyzing all data from enterprise and systems and sensors across the more than 22,000 department facilities in more than 190 countries. The machine learning-based platform and software application suite will monitor, analyze, and support energy management across all of the departments international assets, predict impending failures of critical facility equipment, and monitor the health of the sensor and device infrastructure.

With C3 IoT as its strategic technology partner, the Department of State will enhance operational efficiencies by analyzing hundreds of thousands of its facility data points in real time, making our data lakes a rich source of actionable items, said Landon Van Dyke, Senior Advisor, Energy, Environment, and Sustainability, U.S. Department of State. Leveraging the C3 IoT Platforms extremely powerful machine learning capabilities and scalable infrastructure, we will be able to identify and address outliers across our global buildings portfolio, learn how to improve upon previous embassy designs and operations, and, overall, lower utility and maintenance costs while greatly reducing our energy and environmental footprint.

Using Amazon Web Services (AWS), C3 IoT will deploy and operate the C3 IoT Platform and software applications in the AWS GovCloud, an isolated AWS region designed to host sensitive data and regulated workloads in the cloud, ensuring compliance with U.S. government requirements, including International Traffic in Arms Regulations and Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.

Today, world-leading organizations are using IoT technologies to enable better, data-driven offerings, and that includes government agencies. Enterprise-wide contracts like this one will allow the State Department to develop smarter programs by taking advantage of energy management and predictive analytics on a global scale, said Teresa Carlson, VP, Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services, Inc.

Trend: Manufacturing as a service

Arkessa Offers Remote Monitoring Solution with Siemens

The IIoT seems to be following the rest of the world into becoming a service industry instead of a product or production industry. This Industry 4.0 and the digital networking of manufacturing processes will make it possible to manufacture products at lower costs and in a manner that is more flexible, energy-efficient, resource-saving and customizable.

For machine builders and vendors, remote Internet access will allow them to better implement the maintenance plan sold with their products to deliver superior customer service and a higher level of equipment availability or up time. And of course, avoiding downtime is a central goal for any manufacturing enterprise.

Arkessa services are connecting Industry 4.0 on a global scale and we are proud to power the Siemens solution, said Andrew Orrock, CEO, Arkessa. In the near future Industry 4.0 will enable Manufacturing as a Service where it will be the output of the machine which is purchased, not the machine itself.

The Siemens SINEMA Remote Connect promotional package comprises a LTE-enabled SCALANCE M876-4 Industrial Router, a SINEMA RC KEY-PLUG for auto-configuration of the secure connection and the SINEMA Remote Connect basic software. Arkessa provides an M2M SIM and connection management services to complete the solution bundle.

Arkessa's optimized global roaming M2M SIM card enables rapid deployment of the solution by simplifying the network planning, product deployment and installation processes. Arkessa managed services will handle the global scaling, secure connectivity and flexibility.

This will enable even more serviceification of the manufacturing industry for OEMs and their customers. This is a development that seems like it is inevitable, so companies need to get on the stick and start getting customers ready for this new economy. Because the pains of change are poised to cause huge upheaval if folks arent prepared.

Trend: Regulations drive innovations

Manufacturers are Feeling the FSMA Heat

Food manufacturers are focusing on quality big-time thanks to tougher industry standards like the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), according to a survey commissioned by Aptean, an enterprise software provider. The survey, designed to gauge the sentiment of Aptean customers with respect to FSMA, found that more than 80 percent of respondents are reporting already experiencing the effects of FSMA and other food chain regulations. The manufacturers affected by the weight of the FSMA listed the following five areas of their operations as having been impacted the most: traceability, supplier & facility audits, HACCP/preventative programs, corrective actions, and product recalls.

While I think most manufacturers support FSMAs mission to put prevention at the forefront, many arent equipped to handle growing consumer concerns and compliance demands, said Jack Payne, VP, Product Management and Solution Consulting, Aptean. Our customers are taking the right steps by implementing advanced technology to transform their strategies from reactive to proactive.

In addition, about 70 percent of the surveyed manufacturers said that they will need to expend moderate to considerable effort to comply with FSMA, even if they already meet Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) guidance and credentials. Some of that effort can be relieved through the application of connected technologies and tracking solutions, especially in terms of meeting reporting, traceability and auditing standards under FSMA. Although the additional requirements are all designed to create a safer food supply chain, the fact that there will be additional costs and challenges associated with FSMA compliance is inevitable.

In this weekly series, well be previewing chapters for you to read in the hopes that youll like enough to read the whole thing. To do just that, for free, click here. Alternatively, theres a paperback version available on Amazon for $14.99.
Afghanistan is emerging as a new theatre of US-Russia power-struggle, with Moscows return to the conflict-ridden country after almost three decades. Buoyed by its strategic incursion in Crimea and the success of its military diplomacy in Syria, Russia is now overtly asserting itself in Afghanistan.





In 2001, Russia supported the US intervention in Afghanistan. From 2009 to 2015, Russia also provided diplomatic and logistical support to the US military presence in Afghanistan. However, in the last two years, Moscow has been a vocal critic of US and NATO policies in Afghanistan. It believes Western policies in Afghanistan have failed.





Taking advantage of the geopolitical opening created by fleeting US foreign policy and the drawdown of Western forces from Afghanistan in 2014, Moscow is trying to outflank Washington in Afghanistan. This marks a significant shift in Russias traditional Afghan policy of neutrality.





Russias Afghan Initiative





Russia will be holding the third meeting of its Afghan initiative on April 14, 2017. The stage for these talks was set in December 2016 when Moscow hosted a trilateral dialogue with Islamabad and Beijing. Another round of consultations, comprising six nations including Russia, China, Pakistan, India, Iran, and Afghanistan was held in Moscow on February 15, 2017. In both meetings, NATO and the US were not invited. Russia invited the US for the April talks, which the latter has refused.





The US refusal to participate in the April 14 meeting indicates growing American discomfort with Russias Afghan overtures. The new US administration considers it to be direct interference in Afghanistan. This will potentially give birth to new geopolitical rivalries along with further complicating existing ones. Broadly, this will split the region into two rival political blocs of local and global powers: Russia-China-Iran-Pakistan-Central Asian States and US-India-NATO-Afghanistan.





A number of factors motivate the growing Russian involvement in Afghanistan. First, amidst the transitioning global world order, with the rise of China and the weakening US influence, Russia is positioning itself to expand its influence in South Asia and Central Asia. Second, following sanctions from the West, Russia seeks to stabilize its strategic backyard to export energy to South Asian markets. Third, Russia seeks new customers for its military industrial complex. Finally, Russia seeks to integrate itself with Chinas ambitious, One Belt One Road (OBOR) project by improving its connectivity with the region.





US-Russian Divergences on Afghanistan





Russia and the US have divergent outlooks on the situation in Afghanistan. Russia views the Islamic State of Khurasan (ISK), the regional affiliate of IS in the Af-Pak region, as the major regional security threat. The declaration of the first Moscow meeting expressed concern about the rising activities of ISK in Afghanistan. On the contrary, America and its NATO allies view the Afghan Taliban as the major actor of instability in Afghanistan.





Moscow maintains that its ties with the Taliban are limited to peace negotiations and countering ISKs influence. On the contrary, Washington believes Russia-Taliban contacts aim to undermine the US and NATO mission in Afghanistan. The former advocates a flexible approach towards the Taliban, while the latter considers renunciation of violence, the delinking of the Talibans ties with Al-Qaeda, and the Talibans recognition of the Afghan constitution and government, as non-negotiable pre-conditions for peace talks.





Russia alleges that US forces have not done enough to check the rise and expansion of ISK in Afghanistan.



Russia moreover views the American proposal for a moderate troop surge and increased military spending in Afghanistan as recipe for more war and destabilization. On the other hand, the US military commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicolson, considers support for the Afghan Taliban by Russia, Iran, and Pakistan as the major source of instability in Afghanistan.





In addition, Russia alleges that US forces have not done enough to check the rise and expansion of ISK in Afghanistan. Moscow views the growing presence of ISK fighters in Afghanistans northern provinces near the Central Asian states with suspicion. It alleges that the US is using ISK as a proxy in Afghanistan. On the contrary, the US rejects such allegations, pointing out that 15 top commanders of ISK, including its emir Hafiz Saeed Khan Orakzai, have been killed in US drone strikes, and that the territorial footprint of the terrorist group has been reduced from nine to three districts in Afghanistan.





New and Old Geopolitical Rivalries





Such divergent and opposing outlooks on the Afghan conflict, even before the start of a formal dialogue process, is ominous. It will complicate regional geopolitics and turn Afghanistan into a battleground for proxy wars. Russian competition with the US and NATO, in addition to the ongoing power-games between India and Pakistan as well as Iran and Saudi Arabia, will work to the advantage of militant groups in Afghanistan.





Americas and NATOs financial assistance bankroll the Afghan economy and their military presence in Afghanistan has ensured the survival of the National Unity Government (NUG). Without US involvement, a durable and realistic solution of the Afghan conflict looks difficult. At the same time, continued US military presence without an exploration of a realistic and flexible political solution will further destabilize Afghanistan. Arguably, when 150,000 US and NATO troops in Afghanistan are not able to break the deadlock of the Afghan conflict, a meagre increase of 3,000 to 4,000 troops will not make any difference.





The failure of the US and Russia to reconcile their differences on Afghanistan can potentially turn Afghanistan into another Syria which will negatively affect the regional and global peace. Russian (ISKs presence) and American (Al-Qaeda and Taliban links) concerns are best addressed if the two sides cooperate instead of compete with each other.





Previous Peace Initiatives





So far, all the major initiatives to broker a ceasefire agreement between Kabul and the Taliban have failed. The Russian peace initiative does not seem like it will be an exception. In 2013, the US-led initiative known as the Qatar Process crashed after the Taliban hoisted their official flag and plaque ahead of the talks in Doha. The then-US administration and former Afghan President Hamid Karzai rejected the move and pulled out of negotiations.





After a gap of two years, another effort was made to revive the peace talks in 2015, under the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) comprising the US, China, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The QCG talks came to a screeching halt in mid-2015 with the disclosure of Talibans founding leader Mullah Umars death. In early 2016, another effort was underway to rekindle the QCG dialogue when the US killed the new Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Masnoor in a drone attack in Pakistans Balochistan province and dashed hopes of restarting the peace talks.





The Way Forward





Notwithstanding the divergent US and Russian outlooks on the Afghan war, the core dispute remains the discord between the Taliban and the NUG. The US presence in Afghanistan, regional states interference in Afghanistans internal affairs, and the rise of opportunistic groups like ISK are irritants and by-products of the lingering conflict. If a political compromise between Kabul and the Taliban is reached, it will be easy to tackle the irritants.





Pakistan, which has suffered the most because of the unrest in Afghanistan, along with China, should play a bridging role instead of taking sides in this emerging geopolitical situation. The regional and global powers need to take a bipartisan view of the situation in Afghanistan. Reviving the QCG process and expanding it to include Russia and India offers the most viable diplomatic framework to end the war in Afghanistan.




It may be thirsty work, but negotiating parties at Stormont Castle have been warned not to drink the tap water as it may be contaminated.

The Northern Ireland Executive Office has confirmed that an investigation has been launched into the potential contamination of the water supply at the talks venue.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for making an "insensitive" reference to the Holocaust in comments about Syrian President Bashar Assad's use of chemical weapons.

Mr Spicer said during a White House briefing yesterday that Adolf Hitler "didn't even sink to using chemical weapons".

The remark drew strong criticism from Jewish groups and critics who noted it ignored Hitler's use of gas chambers to exterminate Jews during the Holocaust.

Mr Spicer said during an interview with CNN he had been trying to make a point about President Assad's use of chemical weapons and gas against his people.

But he "mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison," he said.

"And for that I apologise. It was a mistake to do that."

It was the second day in a row in which Mr Spicer, Donald Trump's main spokesman, appeared to struggle to articulate the president's foreign policy at a critical time.

The White House generated criticism at the start of the year when a statement on international Holocaust Remembrance Day did not make any reference to Jews.

In the CNN interview, Mr Spicer said: "My comments today did not reflect the president's, were a distraction from him and frankly were misstated, insensitive and wrong."

He added: "Obviously it was my blunder."

Mr Spicer had earlier delivered a garbled defence of his remarks in which he tried to differentiate between Hitler's actions and the gas attack on Syrian civilians last week.

The attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and Turkey's health minister said tests show sarin gas was used.

"I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no, he (Hitler) was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," Mr Spicer said.

"There was clearly ... I understand your point, thank you. There was not ... He brought them into the Holocaust centre I understand that.

"I appreciate the clarification. That was not the intent."

The comparison to the Second World War appeared to be part of a message the administration was trying to deliver as it explains its tactics in Syria.

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis noted in a separate briefing that "the intent was to stop the cycle of violence into an area that even in World War II chemical weapons were not used on battlefields".

Democrats and Jewish organisations condemned Mr Spicer's comments.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California said he was "downplaying the horror of the Holocaust" and should be fired.

The New York-based Anne Frank Centre for Mutual Respect called on Mr Trump to sack Mr Spicer, saying he had denied that Hitler gassed Jews during the Holocaust.

Mr Spicer's comments came on the first day of Passover and a day after the White House held a Seder dinner marking the emancipation of the Jewish people, a tradition started during the Obama administration.

According to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Nazis experimented with poison gas in late 1939 with the killing of mental patients, which was termed "euthanasia".

Both mobile and stationary gas chambers were later used, with up to 6,000 Jews gassed each day at Auschwitz alone.

On Monday, the White House clarified remarks by Mr Spicer that the use of barrel bombs by the Assad regime might lead to further military action by the US.
Polar bears may be at further risk from climate change because stronger winds projected in the Arctic could damage their ability to hunt by smell, research suggests.

The apex predator is already threatened by melting sea ice destroying hunting grounds, and a new study of how the bears use their nose to seek prey questions whether the technique could be affected by the weather.

A team at the University of Alberta in Canada found that the massive carnivores travel "crosswind" to give them a better chance of sniffing out prey before they home in for the kill.

The scientists found that the technique was most frequently used when winds were slow and "it is easier to localise the source of a certain smell", and at night when bears are less able to rely on sight.

Lead author Ron Togunov said: "Wind speeds in the Arctic are projected to increase, potentially making olfaction more difficult.

"It is important to understand how polar bear hunting success will be affected by these changing conditions."

The Alberta paper, published in the Scientific Reports journal, looked at the way polar bears hunted ringed seals, a typical prey.

The researchers used satellite data collected from 123 bears in the remote and huge Hudson Bay in north-east Canada.

Mr Togunov added: "Predators search for prey using odours in the air, and their success depends on how they move relative to the wind.

"Travelling crosswind gives the bears a steady supply of new air streams and maximises the area they can sense through smell."

Co-author Professor Andrew Derocher said the best conditions were on winter nights, adding: "Crosswind search was most frequent when winds were slow, when is is easier to localise the source of a certain smell, and at night when bears are relatively active and when vision is less effective, so bears rely more heavily on their sense of smell."

A separate study in December revealed that a third of the world's polar bears could disappear in the next 40 years because of melting Arctic sea ice.

There is a 71% likelihood that polar bear numbers will be reduced by more than 30% in three generations, a team led by Dr Eric Regehr from the US Fish and Wildlife Service found.

Loss of sea ice due to climate change has a direct impact on the ability of polar bears to feed and survive.

The bears need platforms of ice to reach their prey of ringed and bearded seals. Some sea ice lies over more productive hunting areas than others.

Writing in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters, the USFWS team calculated that the current population of 26,000 bears could be cut to around 17,300 over 35 to 41 years.
Donald Trump has described how he boasted about ordering a missile strike in Syria to the Chinese President while eating "the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake".

The US President told a TV interviewer how he gave the order for a retaliatory strike while having dinner with President Xi Jinping at his luxury Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last week.

Mr Trump ordered the strike in response to a deadly chemical attack by the Syrian regime in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun last Tuesday.

In an interview with Fox Business Network, Mr Trump initially appeared to confuse Syria with Iraq but quickly corrected himself.

He said: "We had finished dinner, we were now having dessert and we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake you have ever seen. President Xi was enjoying it.

"I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? We made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way.

"I said, 'Mr President, let me explain something to you' - this is during dessert.

"'We have just fired 59 missiles, all of which hit by the way, unbelievable, from hundreds of miles away.'

"It's so incredible, it's brilliant, it's genius."

Mr Trump initially said the missiles were heading towards Iraq but corrected himself when prompted by the interviewer.

Trump says he told President Xi about US missile strikes in Syria over the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake pic.twitter.com/CTKtXBl9nI  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 12, 2017

Mr Trump said: "So what happens is I said, 'We have just launched 59 missiles, heading to Iraq.

"Yes heading toward Syria. 'And I want you to know that.'

"Because I didn't want him to go home, we were almost finished, it was a full day in Palm Beach.

"We were almost finished. What does he do, finish his dessert and go home and then they say the guy you just had dinner with just attacked a country?"

Asked how the Chinese President reacted to the news, Mr Trump said: "He paused for 10 seconds and then he asked the interpreter to please say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign.

"Then he said to me... 'Anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies - it's ok. He was ok with it."

PA
Its earnings figures showed first-quarter organic revenue rose 13%, compared with the 8% median forecast. All divisions beat estimates, with the fashion and drinks units standing out. The stock gained as much as 2.9%.

Investment in brands such as Louis Vuitton has enabled LVMH to extend its leadership of an industry thats undergoing a turnaround after several years of ebbing demand in China and a slowdown in travel to Europe.

The performance benefited from comparison with a period of last year when the industry was struggling with the aftermath of terror attacks in Paris. Such levels of growth shouldnt be expected for the full year, the company said.

As the sector bellwether, LVMHs beat should support the luxury space, wrote Rogerio Fujimori, an analyst at RBC Europe. The results also raise the bar for other stocks reporting in coming weeks.

Prada is due to report full-year earnings later today, while Gucci owner Kering will announce first-quarter results on April 25. Kering shares rose 1.4% in Paris.

LVMHs quarterly sales rose 15% to 9.88 billion. Analysts had predicted 9.5bn. Growth was led by its fashion and leather-goods unit, where organic sales rose 15% in the quarter, compared with the 9% estimated by 16 analysts.

Revenue in the key division, which generated more than half of the companys 7bn in earnings last year, had been unchanged in the same quarter of 2016. There is a better consumer environment for luxury, and LVMH is gaining share, said Mario Ortelli, an analyst at Sanford C Bernstein. He cited product innovation at Louis Vuitton, and rapid growth in the Fendi brand as driving gains in fashion and leather-goods.

The wines-and-spirits and perfume-and-cosmetics units also came in well ahead of analyst projections, as did the selective-retailing division, which includes beauty emporium Sephora and the tax-free airport retailer DFS.

Selective retailing is the groups second-largest division with sales of 11.9bn in 2016  but has the narrowest margins. DFS has been dragging down the division and offsetting the strong performance by Sephora, according to Deborah Aitken, an analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence: This could be an important turnaround, Ms Aitken said.

A steep increase in Hennessy cognacs volume will lead to a shortage of inventory for the rest of the year, the company said, repeating an earlier warning.
Grafton Merchanting owns the Chadwicks and Heiton Buckley brands. Over the last three years, it has increased staff by 350 and the latest appointments will boost its workforce to 1,420 people by the end of 2019.

We see this as further evidence of a tangible and sustainable turning point for the construction sector in Ireland, said Eddie Kelly, Grafton Merchantings head in the Republic.
Research by the Central Bank has revealed that almost half of 2,000 mortgage holders surveyed believed it would be too complex to change their mortgage plans. More than a third who did change plans felt there was too much paperwork and red tape involved.

More than a third said that additional fees when switching mortgages with their lender put them off, while the majority said they would consider switching if they could be certain they would make a saving over the lifetime of the mortgage.

Just over a quarter of mortgage holders reported no obstacles to switching their mortgage and four out of five said they understood every step of the process when they did make the change.

Bernard Sheridan, the acting deputy governor of the Central Bank, said the research shows that borrowers who actually switched their mortgage had a positive experience.

It is also clear that lenders could be doing more to facilitate consumers who are thinking about switching, be that switching to another lender or to another mortgage product with the same lender, he said.

Lenders need, therefore, to examine these findings carefully. The Central Bank will progress its work in this area by publishing a consultation paper later this year which will set out proposed measures to help any consumer who is considering switching.

The Central Bank will examine whether lenders can provide greater clarity to consumers on the switching process itself, including timeframes and potential costs.

It will also examine the benefits of lenders having dedicated switching contact points, and whether further disclosure rules at trigger points in the mortgage life cycle, such as at the end of a fixed interest-rate term, should be introduced.

The regulator will also examine the scope for increased co-operation among lenders during the mortgage switching process.

The Central Bank is currently examining 2m accounts following the tracker mortgage scandal, which found that lenders had wrongly taken mortgage holders off trackers in the midst of the financial crisis.

Up to 500m could be paid out in compensation to mortgage holders when the review is complete, the Central Bank has said.
However, in European countries where these models exist, the need to contain costs due to demand has led to rises in co-payments and a tightening of eligibility criteria, making formal home care more difficult to access.

The report, Approaches to the Regulation and Financing of Home Care Services in Four European Countries, looked at Germany, the Netherlands, Scotland and Sweden.

Formal home care in Germany and the Netherlands is funded by compulsory long-term insurance and means-tested co-payments. Taxes fund home care in Scotland and Sweden, with small co-payments for all services in Sweden and payment for household tasks by those who can afford to in Scotland.

However, the report warns that the cost of these schemes is on the rise in all four countries.

Germany has increased co-payments to 30% of the total formal home care costs, as well as hiking long-term insurance premia for childless couples.

Netherlands has waiting lists and has reduced its needs-based service allocation by tightening access criteria.

Scotland has asked citizens who can afford it to pay for home help.

Sweden has tightened eligibility criteria.

The report, conducted by the Health Research Board on the Governments behalf, says the national governments in each of the four countries have overall control of the vision of home care. However, Ireland adopts a laissez-faire approach, with a weak government role and no vision for home care regulations.

The models scrutinised offer a basket of services which include personal care and help with household tasks.

Nursing care is included in Germany, the Netherlands and Scotland. In Scotland, the recipient must pay for housekeeping tasks if they earn over 16,000 (18,800). Swedens basket includes emotional and social support. All four countries have an element of user choice with services typically offered in kind or via personal cash budgets, direct payment, or voucher systems.

The report said there are three typical ways in which home care users contribute to their public formal home care services  free of charge, means-tested co-payments, or fixed co-payments.

Yesterday, Helen McEntee, junior minister for older people, said no decision has been made on a funding model. Asked on RTE radio if it would be similar to the Nursing Home Support Scheme/Fair Deal where participants pay up to 22.5% of the value of their home, she said: I dont know if that would be an option because people are still living in their home.

A public consultation process is due to commence at the end of May which Ms McEntee expects to take six to eight weeks, but she was unable to say how long it will take before a scheme is actually devised.
Almost 600 patients will benefit from Orkambi and Kalydeco because of their particular CF genotype. These drugs slow the progression of the illness, reduce hospitalisation caused by sudden worsening of the condition, and reduce dependency on other drugs like expensive antibiotics.

CFI chief executive Philip Watt said there  is a very innovative element to the agreement which is that it is inclusive of pipeline drug therapies from the same company that are currently showing promise in the advance stages of clinical trials.

Even with Orkambi and Kalydeco, there will be around 30% of the CF population that still has no drug that treats the underlying cause of their condition in Ireland. This is why a pipeline deal is so important. There also may be better drugs for those on existing Vertex drugs coming down the line.

Health Minister Simon Harris told the Dail that agreement had been reached  in principle between the HSE and Vertex on the commercial terms for the supply of Orkambi and Kalydeco to patients from next month.

Orkambi can be used by patients aged 12 and over while Kalydeco can be used on children aged 2-5.

Mr Harris said: Both parties are now working to finalise the contractual arrangements and complete approval processes in advance of May 1. I want to also especially acknowledge that this has been an extraordinarily difficult time for CF patients, their families, and friends as they have been waiting for this process to conclude.

About 40 people with CF had been receiving the treatment on a trial or compassionate-use programme.

Once the deal has been scrutinised by HSE lawyers, it will go before Cabinet for final approval.

Fianna Fail TD Marc McSharry said while the agreement in principle is welcome, the fact that it has taken this long to get to this point is beyond reprehensible.
Over 560 teams are competing.

Not only did the students, part of an overall team of 12 young techies from Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh, excel in the Dell EMC VEX EDR National Finals in CIT, they also raised more than 13,000 to pay their way to the US.

The teens, all fourth-year and fifth-year students, swept the boards at the national final in January.

Their phenomenal achievement including securing the category of Tournament Champion, the Excellence award, Robot Skills and Partner of the Year  an award given to the best STEM ambassadors in the competition.

Winning four out of the six available awards at the Irish finals automatically qualified them to represent their country in the VEX Robotics World Championships in Kentucky this Easter.

The teams win was the biggest awards haul ever in the European VEX robotics history.

Were flying out for a week, returning on April 23, explained 17-year-old G-RAF team member Kevin ORegan, who acts as head of finance, and PR and sponsorship.

Kevin explained the group will be competing against a staggering 565 teams from all over the world.

The teams from around the world will have extremely high standards.

They will all have upgraded their robots substantially in order to give themselves a good chance of competing at the world championships.

We have spent months redesigning, rebuilding and re-programming our robot in preparation for the world event, he said.

We replaced all of the steel parts with aluminium to make it lighter and enable it to lift itself up, Kevin said.

The team has also made a claw to allow the robot to grasp objects.

The boys exceeded a fundraising target of 10,000, securing more than 13,000 to pay for travel, costs and accommodation, as well as for robot parts and team marketing materials for the event.

The Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh team was one of those which took part in the Dell EMC VEX finals in CIT.

The team will be accompanied by the schools fifth year head, Mary Walsh. The boys, whose team mascot is a giraffe, secured sponsorship from firms all over Ireland including some of Corks largest companies.

It is thanks to this financial support that we were able to travel to the competition, said Kevin.

He also paid tribute to his school and teachers for their support throughout the project.

The teams sophisticated robot must participate in a competition in which it lifts three-dimensional stars and cubes and throws them over a fence before self-elevating on a pole in the corner of the arena.

We have been working on this robot since September of 2016.

Its been a very demanding project, but we learned an awful lot from it.
The sides will reconvene at the Labour Court at 10.30am today to see if it can find the formula for resolution which eluded the Workplace Relations Commission.

Early yesterday morning, after another round-the-clock session in the WRC, unions and management emerged to say the talks had broken down and the dispute was being moved to the Labour Court for a non-binding recommendation.

The break-up of the WRC talks came with yet more rancour not just between unions and management but also directed towards the Government and National Transport Authority.

Unions pointed out that they had offered 18 million in savings  significantly more than had been originally sought by the company  as well as an 11% increase in efficiency. The company conceded that progress had been made and agreement reached to eliminate many work practice inefficiencies.

However, it said an offer made by the company that would help to deliver financial viability was rejected by driver representatives.

It is believed the company was looking at a consolidated wage deal, incorporating a number of non-core payments into core pay, which was the equivalent of 19.20 per hour. The unions, however, had been looking for a wage in the region of 22-23.

Now that the process has moved onto the Labour Court, it is likely any recommendation will include a wage figure. It is possible that it would fall somewhere between the two positions of the sides and a figure of 21 may well be accepted.

The sides were in the Labour Court for three hours yesterday afternoon, before the court adjourned the session to allow it time to assess the positions of the sides before bringing them back in at 10.30am this morning.

It is likely that the court will make a recommendation by this evening or tomorrow.

Unions have signalled that, as soon as a recommendation emerges which can be put to a ballot, pickets will be lifted by the 1,900 staff members currently on strike and bus services will be able to resume while the workers vote on the proposals.

Earlier, unions had directed criticism towards the Department of Transport over, what National Bus and Rail Union general secretary Dermot OLeary called, the Governments restrictive role in the talks process. Referencing the Department and the National Transport Authority, he said other agencies restricting the ability of Bus Eireann to actually reach agreement with the unions.

Siptu said it appeared that management was controlled by consultants and others outside the process who are content to see 2,600 good jobs lost in order to advance the privatisation of public transport.

However, the Government denied it was doing anything more than facilitating the WRC and Labour Court, while the NTA told RTE none of its officials had been near the WRC talks, though it said its chief executive Anne Graham had met Bus Eireann chief executive Ray Hernan on Sunday to be briefed on the situation.
As you know this relates to the disappearance of James Nolan who was last seen in 2010, said Superintendent William Carolan of Blanchardstown Garda Station said yesterday at the site of the search in Tolka Valley Park.

He added that the torso was in the state mortuary undergoing an autopsy, therefore a DNA analysis confirming its identity was pending.

Mr Nolan had previously spent 14 years in prison for a rape conviction in 1986.

Mr Nolan, aged 46, from Fairlawn Road in Finglas, was last seen on November 30, 2010, when he collected methadone from the Wellmount Clinic in his local area.

zzzJamesNolanHandcuffs_large.jpg

An arm was then found on Dollymount Strand in February 2011. It was identified as belonging to Mr Nolan using a DNA sample taken which matched a DNA profile on a UK police database.

Professor Marie Cassidy, the state pathologist, who is carrying out the autopsy on the torso, had carried out the autopsy on the arm from 2011 and concluded that Mr Nolan was dead at the time the limb was severed because there was no evidence of bleeding into the tissues.

Gardai said they have been investigating the case for six years now and confidential information led them to the Tolka Valley Park in Finglas.

Supt William Carolan and Det Insp Des McTiernan brief the media at the scene in Tolka Valley Park. Gardai said confidential information had led them to the site.

We had updated information and you will appreciate, because it is a live investigation, we are not going into the sources of that information, said Supt Carolan.

But clearly, we were satisfied that there was enough credence to obviously put substantial resources into the operation and obviously that information has been verified by the finding of this torso.

At approximately 1pm [on Monday] during the course of excavating a particular area, we located a torso, a mainly intact torso, buried approximately 1ft below the surface.

The site is located near the North Road Gate area of the park and is a wasteland plot filled with dumped rubbish and brambles.

We had special services. We employed the service of a cadaver dog which is used to detect the scent of human remains and we also have a forensic archaeologist who is on site and is supervising the dig, said Supt Carolan.

He added that Mr Nolans family had been contacted.

The Nolan family was informed of the update in relation to this operation and our family liaison officer is remaining in contact with them.

While no formal suspect has been identified nor the source that led gardai to Tolka Valley Park, reports have emerged about an alleged letter detailing Mr Nolans murder and dismemberment, that was passed on to the gardai.

The superintendent was asked if a letter had led them to the site. Its a live investigation and we will not be disclosing the sources of the information, he said.

A search of the site will continue for another week and a half approximately.

Gardai are asking anyone with information in relation to the disappearance and suspicious death of Mr Nolan to contact either at Finglas Garda Station (01 666 7500), the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any other Garda station.
I was very busy. I used to drive a rigid lorry, and that was a very physical job. I also drove a taxi every week-end. I was getting just four and a half hours sleep most nights. I was 56 years old but still thought I was a young lad, he recalls.

One night he went to bed early: I was reading a book to help me sleep, but when I put it down, the room started spinning, and I got violently sick. My wife, Teresa, called the ambulance  that arrived very quickly because it was in the vicinity.

He got to Naas General Hospital within 50 minutes of having the stroke and got the treatment he needed.

Yesterday, George, now 60, attended the launch of the Irish Heart Foundations new Stroke Manifesto  a 12-point blueprint to eliminate preventable death and disability from stroke.

George is thankful he got support from the brain injury organisation, Headway, in rebuilding his skills to achieve the best quality of life possible. However, there is a concern now that underfunded stroke services are unable to cope with Irelands increasing stroke rate.

The outgoing head of the HSEs national stroke programme, Prof Joe Harbison, said that after five years of dramatic improvement, stroke patient outcomes were in decline. He blamed the double effect of persistent service deficits and a rapid growth in the rate of stroke in Ireland, which it is estimated will soar by a further 50% over the next eight years.

We are heading for a crisis. Our stroke services cant even deal with the numbers we have now, let alone the surge in cases that has already started due to our ageing population.

We dont need extra money to fix things  we just need to invest in treatment, so we dont have to send so many patients unnecessarily to expensive nursing home care, he said.

Prof Harbison launches stroke manifesto "we are facing a stroke crisis with 45% increase in 3 yrs" #unitedforstroke pic.twitter.com/SLQWSKdRuL  Irish Heart Foundation (@Irishheart_ie) April 11, 2017

TV presenter Brendan Courtney, who is an advocate for better home care provision for the elderly, said he is appalled that deteriorating hospitals services are driving more patients into long-term care when it would be cheaper to meet their wish to stay at home: When are we going to put patients first?

Mr Courtneys RTE documentary We Need to Talk About Dad showed how his family battled to get care for his father when he suffered a stroke two years ago.

The fashion designer also wants to know why people around his age (45) are suffering from strokes  he was treated for a blood clot in his upper body five years ago and suffers from hereditary hypertension: I have been given as many warning signals as a person can be to address it.
City councillors agreed the investment in the venture and signed off, this week, on the terms of a five-year contract with the operator, Pat Flynn. The service is due to start in May.

The train will set off from Parnell Place on a route which will pass City Hall, the College of Commerce, Holy Trinity Church, Red Abbey, Elizabeth Fort, St Fin Barres Cathedral, the Tyndall, the Mercy University Hospital and North Main Street.

It follows confirmation from officials some 16 months after the venture was first proposed, that a route has now been agreed, details of operation signed off, and all the required regulatory and operational issues have been resolved.

But it also emerged at Mondays council meeting the project was hit, at the last minute, with an unexpectedly large insurance bill.

The citys head of corporate affairs Paul Moynihan told councillors the council opted to provide a 10,000 grant to cover insurance costs in the first year of operation, only as a gesture to get the project over the line.

Following queries from several councillors about the level of public investment in the venture, Mr Moynihan said the city has tried to encourage the launch of a tourism train several times over the years, without success.

He said it is clear there is market failure that requires the council to step in.

Mr Moynihan also said he was satisfied with the operators business model and figures which have been subject to detailed scrutiny.

He said the city should recoup up to 50,000 of its investment over the five years, at which point the city will have an embedded asset.

And the city council will have done its job to kickstart it, he said.

The council has now been cleared to transfer ownership of the tourism train to Mr Flynn, who will now be responsible for the operation of the service, and for obtaining the relevant insurance and permits.

Under the terms of the service level agreement, Mr Flynn will repay the council just over 3,800 by way of six-monthly instalments over the next five years, and a final cash payment of 5,000.

Mr Flynn will also accommodate capacity on the train dedicated to the city council for social inclusion and entertainment purposes, as well as providing free advertising spaces on the train for use by City Hall.
Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) Helen Dixon warned in her annual report, published yesterday, that an overhaul of EU laws was coming down the tracks in terms of greater protection of personal information.

We are going to see a very big change and thats really what I was referencing when I made the reference to a new era, she told the Irish Examiner.

At an EU level the law is being completely over-hauled and that new law in the form of the General Data Protection Regulation and in due course also a new e-privacy regulation is going to be implemented from May 2018.

She said data will be treated with greater care.

We are all going to be under obligation to treat the personal data that we process much more carefully in the future. Were going to have to ensure that there is much greater transparency to users, in terms of the personal data that we collect and process.

For public bodies, we will have to appoint on a mandatory basis by law a data protection officer.

However, the new law does not just demand greater accountability on the part of the companies and state bodies, it gives individuals more rights.

For the individual, the intention of this new law is that it puts all of us much more in control because arguably we are not in control at the moment because we are not entirely clear all the time whos collecting what on us.

A lot of organisations have pro forma privacy policies that are extremely difficult to decipher, theyre not concise and intelligible to the user. We dont see in plain English exactly what a company is collecting on us and what third parties theyre sharing it with.

In the report, the DPC outlined emerging issues in the field of data protection.

Its clear that power in terms of internet tracking and driving profit from interest-based ads lies largely in the hands of a few big platforms and that questions need to be asked and answered as to whether consumers are being left between a rock and a hard place with too little choice (and therefore subject to a type of forced consent) given that media outlets are all signed up to those same ad exchanges.

The report also detailed the number of queries it received as well as breaches reported. In 2016, the DPC dealt with 15,335 queries by email, 16,744 by phone and 1,150 queries by post. Some 2,224 valid data security breaches were recorded.

Unsolicited marketing email

An online retailer was prosecuted by the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) for sending an unsolicited marketing email.

A customer received an unsolicited email after opting out of marketing from the company, Shop Direct Ireland Limited trading as Littlewoods Ireland.

Littlewoods Ireland carried out a review of the customers account.

It found that while she was correctly opted out of email marketing, she was not opted out of third-party marketing.

It then took steps to opt the customer out of third-party marketing.

A null value was applied to the email marketing field of the customers account but this had the unintended consequence of opting her back into email marketing.

In court, last April, the company pleaded guilty to one charge of sending an unsolicited marketing email without consent.

The company made a charitable donation and the charge was struck out.

Bank disclosed personal data

The Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) received a complaint last year that Bank of Ireland (BoI) had disclosed personal information to a third party. This occurred because BoI failed to properly verify the identity of an individual on the phone.

The individual in question was the mother of a son (the complainant), who shared a forename with his father. The mother mistakenly thought the call was in relation to an account she held with her husband.

BoI did not contest the disclosure but said confusion had arisen. The DPC found BoI contravened Section 2A(1) of the Data Protection Acts 1988 and 2003. While the circumstances of this case involved the verbal unauthorised disclosure of personal data to a family member of the data subject concerned, this in no way makes it any less serious than if it had been a written disclosure to an unrelated third party, the DPC said.

Hackers demand ransom from school

A ransom was demanded from an Irish primary school after hackers seized personal data.

The Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) received a report about a breach from a primary school last October, where parts of the schools information systems had been encrypted (data was concealed) by a third party.

This meant the school was unable to access its own files, which contained names, dates of births, and personal public service numbers.

A ransom was then demanded from the school to release the encrypted files.

The DPC found that the school failed to ensure that adequate security measures were in place, to protect against the unauthorised processing and disclosure of personal data.

The DPC made several recommendations to the school, which were followed.
Buttevant claims that Napoleons famous white charger, Marengo, belongs to it and wants the newly refurbished skeleton of the horse repatriated to the medieval town.

The skeleton of Marengo which has been cleaned and rearticulated at a huge cost by the British government and is now on display at the British National Army Museum in Chelsea, London.

The museums director general, Janice Murray, has told councillors in North Cork that shes happy to consider their request to loan out the horses skeleton to them once they have built a museum in Buttevant which is capable of housing it.

Ms Murray said she would hold discussions with the Kanturk/Mallow Municipal District Council once they had an appropriate location to house the remains of the stallion.

Cllr Bernard Moynihan, chairman of the municipal district council, said he welcomed Ms Murrays comments.

While wanting to have Marengo permanently housed in Buttevant  he was said to have been bought by the French at the famous Cahermee Horse Fair in the early 1800s  Mr Moynihan said accepted it might be some time before it might happen.

A museum capable of providing proper temperature and atmosphere controls will be required to keep the skeleton intact for future generations to enjoy.

Cllr Moynihan admitted that in the short term providing such a state-of-the-art museum could be problematic for Buttevant as council funds were not great at present.

Cllr Moynihan said a museum for Buttevant would be a huge boost for the town, where nearly 2,800 artifacts were recently found in the town during recent archaeological excavations.

We would love the skeleton of Marengo as the centrepiece of such a museum, Cllr Moynihan said.

At least the door is open with them [the British National Army Museum] with ongoing dialogue promised and Im grateful for that.
Wednesday, April 12th, 2017 (4:07 pm) - Score 1,304

The FTTH Council Europe has revised downward last years Comsof estimate for the cost of deploying ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH/P) based broadband networks across the EU (currently this still includes the UK) by 2025, which makes it 137 billion (116bn) instead of 156bn (132bn).

As before the final cost model targets the complete overlay of the EU28 countries with pure fibre optic broadband, which includes an outcome that would expect to see 100% of homes passed (covered) and 50% connected (subscribed / take-up). This includes 50% of the most remote rural 5% being both passed and connected.

Apparently the reason for the downward cost revision is because significant progress has been made since those studies in terms of homes passed and connected with fibre (e.g. Spain). The latest figure from iDATE suggested that today, approximately 36% of households are passed with FTTH (at the last report it was 30%) and 11% are already enjoying its benefits.

The calculation also appears to factor in fluctuating aspects like labour costs and the re-use of existing infrastructure via effective implementation of the new Cost Reduction Directive (i.e. cutting red tape).

Ronan Kelly, President of the FTTH Council Europe, said: We are very happy to be publishing this study now. The cost modellers who generated the FTTH Council Europe cost estimates have modelled over three quarters of a million households using real data from actual deployments in a variety of scenarios. By putting out the methodology we also invite other parties estimating these costs to join a discussion. The key for me is that the opportunity cost of not building fibre networks or delaying their construction is too high. Policy makers should not compromise in seeking the best networks for Europe. Fibre will undoubtedly play a crucial role in enabling European 5G rollout as its foundational infrastructure as well as next generation digital services.

The cost of deploying FTTH/P varies from location to location. In some rural areas it might cost several thousand pounds per premise, while in easier urban locations weve seen operators like MS3 in Hull and Cityfibre / TalkTalk in York bring it down to as little as 500 per premise passed. Meanwhile community-built providers, such as B4RN, can often get around the hefty rural costs by asking local people to help build the network.

Another challenge stems from the fact that it can still take many years to roll-out due to the need for lots of extra civil engineering work (possibly over 10 years if you intended to blanket the United Kingdom), although the longer term benefits may well outweigh this (easier / less maintenance, ultrafast speeds etc.). At the current pace 2025 is perhaps a touch unrealistic for achieving 100% FTTH coverage in the UK (weve only just gone past 2%).

The FTTH Council Europe have of course released this to help support the European Commissions post-2020 policy, which proposes a new non-binding Gigabit Society target for all European households to get a minimum Internet download speed of 100Mbps+ by 2025, with businesses and the public sector being told to expect 1Gbps+ (here).

Quite how much of this will be adopted in the United Kingdom, where Brexit is the order of the day and an austerity conscious Government holds sway, is anybodys guess. Over the next few years BT and Virgin Medias combined (mostly commercial) efforts should put FTTH/P within reach of 4 million premises by 2020.

On top of that alternative network providers, such as Hyperoptic, Gigaclear, B4RN and Cityfibre etc., could potentially add a few million to that total and so we might see coverage of around 25% of premises in just a few short years time (estimates vary quite a bit due to the uncertainty of altnet commitments and potential for delays or funding uncertainty) and rising again over the longer term.

This is being supported by new regulation from Ofcoms Strategic Review (here and here), which among other things will give rival ISPs more access to harness Openreachs (BT) existing cable ducts. On top of that the Government has setup a 400m Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund (DIIF) that is designed to support full fibre deployments from alternative network providers (here), which has recently been boosted by another pot of 200m (here).

However this is still just a drop in the ocean of what would be needed to achieve the FTTH councils aspiration in the UK, which would require billions more from public and private investment. In the meantime cheaper, but still very capable, hybrid-fibre upgrades like G.fast and DOCSIS3.1 should help to meet the short-medium term demand for ultrafast connectivity that exists.

Unless you live in a remote rural area.. in which case, the long wait for even 30Mbps+ capable broadband continues.
The Broadband Stakeholders Group, which acts as a think-tank for the government, has published a new report that summarises the risks and challenges of Brexit for Internet and digital communications across the United Kingdom (broadband, mobile, USO, state aid policy etc.).

A lot has already been said about the pros and cons of the United Kingdoms decision to leave the EU but, like it or not, that decision has been made. As such the BSGs report broadly acts as a useful summary of the many different telecoms, broadband and Internet related areas that will be affected by the change.

Government must work with industry to provide as much regulatory certainty in the short to medium term whilst exploring the opportunities that Brexit can offer in the long term.

This report serves to highlight the complexities of Brexit for the digital communications sector. The sector is the bedrock of the wider economy, particularly digital industries which makes up around 16% of the UKs economy.

The report notes that the Brexit decision comes at a particularly acute time because the sector is in the initial phase of a new investment cycle to bring the next generation of ultrafast and 5G technologies, which could easily be put at risk if the Government fails to build a suitable path through the minefield of changes. Luckily it has a few recommendations to help.

The recommendations cover various areas from the impact on State Aid policy and funding for rural broadband networks, to data sharing agreements, the Universal Service Obligation (USO) for Internet connectivity, mobile roaming prices, cross-border data sharing, spectrum management (radio) and various issues related to Internet policy / regulation (privacy, law etc.).

In particular the BSG calls on the Government to preserve the continued implementation of regulations covering cross-border services  areas such as mobile roaming charges (the EU is abolishing such costs) and the Country of Origin principle for the delivery of audio-visual media services.

Likewise they also call for the UK to maintain something similar to the EUs State Aid rules in order to protect competition in the broadband market and for the Government to continue its somewhat self-regulated protection of the open internet (Net Neutrality), as well as to keep pace with any future USO for the EU etc.

In addition, the BSG states that retaining a seamless level of research and funding cooperation with the EU in the ICT sector is essential and they encourage the Government to consider whether it will continue to support programmes which have benefited from EU funding. Generally there arent really any big surprises here, its a fairly logical summary.

BSG Brexit Recommendations for the Government

Avoiding a cliff-edge Brexit

 It is important for the sector that the process of exiting the EU is as smooth as possible. This means exiting the EU and agreeing the terms of its future trading and collaborative relationship as early as possible. A cliff-edge scenario, whereby the terms of the transition deal or a trade agreement between the UK and the EU are not secured, would further the concerns of the industry over the regulatory, economic and trade environment under which businesses operate.

Alignment with the EU regulatory framework for the medium term

 The UKs national regulatory regime is derived from the EU Telecoms Framework which is currently under review. We support the Governments commitment to taking part in and influencing the ongoing negotiations. In the short and medium term, industry expects that the UK telecoms regulations will remain aligned with overall EU regulatory framework to provide legal and commercial certainty during the transition period. The UK should seek to align the UK rules with the EU regulatory framework in the medium term. Government may see benefits in diverging from the EU on aspects of the framework in the longer term and industry stands ready to engage on any such proposals through Government consultation.

 Difficulties in implementing EU rules post-Brexit could however arise in the context of the regulation of crossborder services where cooperation with other regulatory bodies will be necessary. We expect that co-ordination will need to be maintained in the long term between UK and EU regulatory regimes for cross-border services (e.g. delivery of audio-visual media services, and broadcasting content).

 Divergence from the EU Framework could be possible or desirable in some areas (frequency of market review, avoiding regulatory asymmetry across converged services and bundles, deregulating where possible, tailoring access remedies, etc.) but divergence would need careful consultation with industry and other stakeholders to avoid unintended consequences in the long-term.

Confirming the role of Ofcom as the independent UK Regulator, and as a key contributor to EU policies which will continue to affect UK companies operating in Europe

 It is key that Ofcom and Government continue to have clearly divided responsibilities, and to be legally and functionally independent to support competition and investment in telecoms and deliver good outcomes for UK citizens and consumers. To achieve this, checks and balances need to be retained in the process of regulating the telecoms market, including identifying a third party body, potentially the Competition Market Authority, to play a backstop role in maintaining Ofcoms independence from Government while ensuring its decisions are properly scrutinised. It is also crucial that future policy and regulatory decisions are proportionate and adopted on the basis of robust evidence.

 Given the scale of Ofcoms valuable contributions and current level of involvement within BEREC (Body of European Regulators in Electronic Communications), the UK should seek to retain an active role for Ofcom within this EU institution. EU policies and legislation will continue to affect and in some cases apply directly to UK companies. Ofcom therefore needs to retain its strong collaborative relationship with other EU regulators.

Retaining key EU regulatory principles post-Brexit

 EU State Aid rules for broadband exist to protect competition and private investment for the broadband sector, we believe it necessary that these are retained post-Brexit. Opportunities to tailor the regime to the specificities and needs of the UK market may arise, but this should remain a long-term consideration for regulator Ofcom and the Government. The assessment of the compliance of public funding initiatives against competition rules will not be carried out by the European Commission, and this may reduce the length of the approval process. It is however key that this process is carried out by an independent authority in the UK.

 The extension of EU universal service rules to broadband is being debated. It is unclear if the UK will transpose the Directive (as part of the revised framework  the EECC) particularly if the Government position diverges from that of the EU (e.g. on the relevant funding mechanism). It is important that Government delivers its policy decision prior to completion of the EU review process.

 EU Open Internet rules were adopted and implemented in the UK alongside the BSG Open Internet Code. Self-regulation has in this instance played an important role in the development of the UKs successful and growing digital marketplace. This is one area that sets the UK apart from many other EU Member States, and should be maintained alongside the EU Regulations.

With careful engagement with industry, securing the continued implementation of EU regulations on cross-border services

 The upcoming abolition of additional roaming charges in the EU will benefit UK consumers. It is due to be implemented from 15 June 2017. For UK consumers to continue to benefit from roam like at home in the EU and EEA after Brexit, UK operators must continue to have access to wholesale roaming rates at or below the EU regulated caps. Without access to these wholesale rates, domestic mobile operators will face significantly higher costs, which will lead to higher roaming charges for UK consumers.

 The Country of Origin principle under the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive has been crucial for content and audio-visual businesses. Government should seek to conclude an agreement with the EU to retain the status quo.

 Cross border data flows are key to the telecoms industry. Government should seek to secure adequacy of the UK data protection regime during Brexit negotiations, as failure to do so may lead to the localisation of data flows on EU citizens outside the UK.

 Due to the ability of wireless transmissions to cause interference across borders and the need for economies of scale, spectrum management and regulation has always had an international dimension. With its role as a crucial ingredient in an increasing array of applications of future economic and societal importance, the EU is becoming increasingly active in the area. The UK will need to retain its international influence in Europe via the CEPT and the EU RSPG group, and at a global level in the ITU by increasing resources dedicated to these fora.

Engaging with industry throughout the process of concluding trading arrangements with the EU and the rest of the world

 The digital communication industry needs further clarity on the Governments strategy regarding the process of exiting the EU, and in particular its objectives for the conclusion of transitional arrangements with the EU and the World Trade Organisation (WTO), as well as a potential bespoke Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU. Securing a bespoke free trade agreement with the EU could help mitigating risks the industry could face post-Brexit in the cross-border delivery of services and flow of data. Engagement with the industry in the phase of planning would be crucial.

 The UK may need to conclude Mutual Recognition Agreements with the EU to facilitate the accreditation process of electronic products and remove obstacles for market entry of telecoms equipment. The WTO Information Technology Agreement provides for zero-tariffs on many IT goods. Whilst the EU is a signatory to the Agreement, the UK would need become part of it following the process of exiting the EU.

 In partnership with the industry, Government should engage and strengthen ties with international bodies such as the WTO, ICANN, ITU, OECD, G7/20 and associated business groups such as Business Europe, B7/20, BIAC, IGF, ICC, WEF. Given the importance of technical standards to the UK companies competing in the European and global markets, Governments involvement within standardisation bodies (e.g. ETSI, ENISA and CEN/CENELEC) should be increased to minimise the risk of EU standards being used as non-tariff barriers to UK companies.

Retaining the UKs capacity to attract European and international resources and talent in order to continue developing the UK as a leading digital nation

 Industry would welcome continued commitment from Government to initiatives to attract resources from across Europe, including low-skilled workers who have been particularly relied upon for the deployment of fibre broadband networks. The industry relies on researchers and innovators from across the EU in specific sectors such as cyber security. To maintain our hard-earned leadership position post Brexit, the digital communications industry needs to attract talent from abroad and guaranteeing the status of EU nationals in the UK should be seen as a priority objective for Government.

 Post-Brexit, the UK telecoms sector may lose access to key funding schemes supporting the development of emerging technologies (e.g. 5G, IoT) and the deployment of broadband networks. Retaining a seamless level of research and funding cooperation with the EU in the ICT sector is essential. Government also needs to consider whether it will continue to support programmes which have benefited from EU funding.
"Quantico" season 2, episode 18 invites Graham Rogers to reprise his role as Caleb Haas. With his return though, Alex's FBI team might be in deeper trouble as previous spoilers claim that he wants the team on his hands. With a playful boss, Priyanka Chopra's character and her friends might indeed have a difficult time fulfilling their duties.

"Quantico" season 2 continues to attract more viewers since the series went on a single timeline on season 2, episode 14. It has almost a million viewers tuned into the reboot which the showrunner said will focus on a Donald Trump administration arc. With the return of another character though, the series might gain a little number as some are expecting the story to continue with a more thrilling plot through Rogers.

Graham Rogers' Caleb Haas is finally coming back which the promo for the upcoming episode confirmed. The preview of "KUMONK" episode of "Quantico" season 2 sees President Claire Haas having a debate with her son, Clay. The duo is in the middle of discussing the future of the task force when Caleb appears and interrupts the batting. Rogers will only serve as a guest star but his participation will not end with only one episode as confirmed by showrunner Joshua Safran in a previous interview.

Safran talked about Caleb Haas' role which was ambiguous at first. The character has however developed as the series progresses where the viewers were able to relate to his pain and loneliness. Yet when he comes back, Caleb Haas will have a different character focusing on the fun side of his life.

Elsewhere in the promo, Alex and Owen are spending more time together as the former teaches the latter to trust his instincts and how to focus. Alex is also set to lead a special operation where she exposes the collaborators' plans to destroy President Haas' reputation.

"Quantico" season 2, episode 18 will air on Monday, April 17 on the ABC Television Network.


The iPhone 8 needs to have innovative features to topple the Samsung Galaxy S8 off the pedestal once it is finally released. However, that is no easy task. Apple is looking at turning the flagship smartphone into something that the company refused to do for a long time now. The iPhone 8 may finally be a dual-SIM device.

Most of the smartphone manufacturers have introduced dual-SIM versions of their products. To this day, Apple is the only remaining company which refused to put two SIMs in its phones. Rival Samsung has already done it with the Galaxy S7 Edge. While this is not a ground-breaking feature, providing iPhone owners the ability to use two SIMs will be a major factor in choosing their next smartphone.

As BGR noted, many people use more than one SIM card which is why they prefer dual-SIM phones. Sometimes, these people have no other recourse but to use two phones which can be difficult to carry in pockets or bags. A dual-SIM iPhone finally resolves that annoying need to use two phones.

Apple has a few new patents that were recently published that points to future iPhones having dual-SIM card slots. One patent, titled "methods and apparatus to support Global platform usage on an embedded UICC (eUICC)", does not directly translate to Apple using dual SIMs but it does try to figure out a way for the tech giant's smartphones to use two numbers.

Despite this recent rumor, some quarters still believe that Apple will not put a dual-SIM card slot in the iPhone 8. The same people believed that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will also not be a dual-SIM device. They were partly correct. Samsung will release a dual-SIM version the Galaxy S8 in some countries though it hasn't been revealed yet which ones will they be. Many do believe that U.S. and U.K. will not have this version. As for the iPhone 8, a past rumor indicated that it will have dual-SIM capabilities as part of Apple's plan to enter the Chinese market. If this one proves true, Apple will go the way of Samsung and only offer dual-SIM versions in selected countries.

The main obstacles with dual-SIM iPhones are the carriers. These networks want iPhone users to stick to their products and not use other carriers. As Tech Radar explained, this is simply because these networks profit highly from international plans. Such profit will quickly dissipate if the user utilizes another SIM card.
The CEO of Huawei Technology is not fond of smartwatches as he revealed the truth about the gadget. Eric Xu Zhijun, Huaweis rotating CEO, said that he has always been confused why we need smartwatches when we already have smartphones. The CEO of one of the worlds biggest makers of smart products spoke honestly about his opinion on the device during the companys Global Analyst Summit 2017 held in Shenzhen on Tuesday.

Mr. Xu made the revelation as his company is setting the release dates of two smartwatches of their own. He directly questioned the future of this wearable smart devices and even admitted that he had never dreamed of wearing one on his wrist anytime soon. He explained that his company's smartwatch team was very excited when they presented the ideas, but he kept reminding them to evaluate if there are actually any need for it in the market.

According to the South China Morning Post, Huawei's CEO explained his thoughts on smartwatches during a Q&A session attended by international analysts and reporters. Mr. Xu gave his straight forward opinion when he was asked by one of the reporters if he thinks smartwatches would squeeze the smartphone business. He further added that he is not optimistic about the smartwatch's future in the market.

According to Forbes, the way Huawei's CEO responded to the smartwatch question was very refreshing. It's highly rare for a CEO to diss one of his company's product. This could also be the reason why the company rotates its CEO among three men every six months. The rotating policy makes it sure that the company avoids from becoming too narrow-minded or out of touch when it comes to smart devices that they are selling.
Its common knowledge that healthcare organizations are prime  and relatively easy  targets for ransomware attacks. So it is no surprise that those attacks have become rampant in the past several years. The term low-hanging fruit is frequently invoked.

But according to at least one report, and some experts, it doesnt have to be that way. ICIT  the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology  contends in a recent whitepaper that the power of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) can crush the health sectors ransomware pandemic.

Which, on its face, might sound like a bit of an oversell, when the mantra in cybersecurity is that there is no such thing as a silver bullet.

James Scott, ICIT senior fellow and author of the report, agrees that AI/ML alone will not make any organization bulletproof. Organizations must, effectively implement fundamental layered cybersecurity defenses and promote cyber-hygiene among personnel, he said.

But, he said the use of AI/ML can definitely solve the low-hanging fruit problem. They will no longer be an attractive target for unsophisticated ransomware and malware threat actors, he said, so adversaries will dedicate their resources to attacking easier targets  likely in other sectors  that do not have algorithmic defense solutions.

Rob Bathurst, managing director for worldwide health care and life science at Cylance, and an ICIT fellow, agrees that AI/ML are not a silver bullet. But they are a much better bullet, he said.

He said they are a major improvement over Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions that, in the words of the report, are plagued by data overload, false positives, and false negatives.

The AI/ML model, Bathurst said, doesnt need specific signatures. Its very good at answering questions like: Is this file going to potentially harm my computer if its allowed to execute? It doesnt need one-to-one matches with signatures, he said.

It is obvious that the healthcare sector needs better security. One of the reasons it is such a popular target is that, as the report notes, the victims are more likely to pay, since, every second a critical system remains inaccessible risks the lives of patients and the reputation of the institution. Hospitals whose patients suffer as a result of deficiencies in their cyber-hygiene are subject to immense fines and lawsuits.

Also, for security solutions to be attractive to healthcare organizations, they have to be both non-intrusive and affordable.

As has been widely reported, healthcare workers are notorious for skirting security protocols because of friction  they slow down or inhibit the ability to respond quickly to patient needs.

And, when a hospital or clinic is on a tight budget, security is a lower investment priority than patient care.

That, said Don McLean, chief technologist at DLT and an ICIT fellow, is both understandable and appropriate. If a hospital administrator has limited funds, and needs to choose a new DLP system to protect data or a new defibrillator to rescue dying patients, theyll pick the latter every time  and they should, he said.

Given that, what are the chances that AI/ML will become common enough in the health sector to reverse, if not crush the ransomware trend?

On the non-intrusive front, it gets high marks. One of the selling points of AI/ML is that it is not intrusive and works in the background, said Mike Davis, CTO of CounterTack.

Scott agrees. AI and ML solutions would automate and streamline the cyber-hygiene and security solutions that regularly inhibit health sector response time, he said.

On the cost front, however, things are more vague, in part for the obvious reason that there is no typical healthcare organization.

But Davis said it isnt cheap, and when it comes to the bottom line, administrators may conclude that it is cheaper to pay ransoms than to pay AI/ML vendors.

AI/ML can be three times the cost of anti-virus solutions, he said, and healthcare organizations are already fighting for every budget dollar they have.

If the average cost of a ransomware attack is $300  which was reported by the ICIT in 2016  why would I spend tens of thousands of dollars more per year to prevent that risk? Id need 30 or 40 successful attacks before the cost makes sense.

An even more significant barrier, however, is simply that nothing  not even AI/ML  is a set it and forget it security solution. It takes time both to configure it and maintain it.

Experts, including advocates like Scott, agree that it is a component of a layered security posture.

Matt Mellen, security architect, health care, at Palo Alto Networks, said AI and ML are proving to be very effective at one of hardest things to get right in security  to identify whats normal versus malicious.

But he, like others, adds the caveat that, no single capability, like AI or ML, is going to be able to stop all attacks. Hence, its important to carefully employ multiple advanced prevention capabilities.

Davis has the same warning. Using AI/ML technologies raises the bar but it does not eliminate the risk. There is a lot more a company has to do to really address the risks discussed in the report, he said.

Attackers can simply move to different techniques  for example non-malware attacks that do not use binaries but scripts or macros  which are much harder to train/learn from an AI/ML perspective. Any preventative technology that relies on the classification of good or bad is always susceptible to the arms race, he said.

Reza Chapman, managing director of cybersecurity in Accentures health practice, said maintaining the effectiveness of AI/ML can require significant maintenance. Detection thresholds need to be adjusted to reach a balance between false alarm rate and missed detection rate, he said.

Further, constant tuning is often necessary within the specific operation environment. Overall, this is not a reason to steer away from these technologies. Instead, consider AI and ML as complementary to the personnel in your security program.

And Chapman said he doubts AI/ML will discourage ransomware attackers. While those technologies will certainly raise a barrier, the payoffs of mounting a ransomware or other malicious campaign are high, and attackers will likely continue to evolve, he said. Further, attackers are likely to employ AI and ML techniques for their own efforts.

Perry Carpenter, chief evangelist and strategy officer at KnowBe4, agreed that, like any technology, the devil is in the details. These systems need to be implemented, baselined, tuned, and proven effective in an ongoing manner.

And he added another caveat  that while AI/ML are promising technologies, both for detection of threats and in being self-healing and self-protecting, they can still be undermined by negligent humans.

While they can adapt to, nuances of human behavior, it would be a mistake to believe that they can fully account for the unpredictability of humans, he said.

Beyond all that, if a healthcare organization decides to implement an AI/ML solution, that takes some advance due diligence as well.

Scott said while there are hundreds of companies offering it, many of these organizations are faux experts and snake-oil salesmen that are using AI and ML as buzzwords and whose products lack any substance.

A conservative guess would be that at the moment, there are less than a dozen actual, reputable vendors, he said.

Davis is skeptical in the other direction  he said vendors that exclusively offer AI/ML may be charging a premium for a product that is not necessarily superior. Many [antivirus] vendors have already moved to AI/ML models, and usually for a price much cheaper than the new ML/AI only vendors, he said.

So, the best advice is to ask around. Ask for a demonstration, Scott said. Seek input from the products clients, and examine what technology the solution actually employs, how it deploys that technology, and whether it can deliver on its promised results.

Finally, Scott acknowledges that attackers will eventually adapt to any new defense, but said he believes it will be five to 10 years before that happens. Meanwhile, algorithmic solutions are adaptable, so they constantly learn and can be updated and retooled to respond to emerging threats, he said.

AI and ML will not become obsolete  they will be the foundation for all future defense-grade cybersecurity solutions.

That, of course, assumes they are implemented. As Chapman noted, one thing is clear from the history of many healthcare organizations: Top-tier innovation is focused on patient care, operational efficiency and cost reduction, not necessarily IT and security.

Can you slay the comment dragon too? Head to Facebook with pen in hand.
Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 79F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tonight

Partly cloudy. Low near 60F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

Tomorrow

A few passing clouds, otherwise generally sunny. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 69F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.
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Public invited to Easter service

Lewisville will have its annual community Easter service on Sunday at 7 a.m. at Shallowford Square.

The early service will include several local churches with breakfast to follow at Lewisville United Methodist Church, 6290 Shallowford Road. In case of rain, the service will be at Lewisville Baptist Church, 125 Lewisville-Clemmons Road.

The public is invited to attend the community service.

Transportation invites comment

The public is invited to give their opinion on proposed transportation projects, including a median on Lewisville-Clemmons Road, at a drop-in meeting on Tuesday at the N.C. Department of Transportation Division 9 headquarters, 375 Silas Creek Parkway Road, Winston-Salem.

The meeting, which will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in the conference room, will give people a chance to talk to local transportation officials about its draft list of projects that it wants to fund in the next 10 years. A median from Interstate 40 to U.S. 158 is on the draft list, an inclusion that has created some uproar among business owners in Clemmons.

Lewisville officials were disappointed that its Great Wagon Road project was not included on the list of projects. Lewisville residents are welcome to discuss this decision at the meeting Tuesday.

The state is expected to finalize the list in the summer.

Jobless rate falls in Forsyth, Davie

The Triads jobless rate dropped below the 5 percent threshold again in February, with analysts saying its a sign of a still growing local and state economy.

The rate was 4.9 percent, down from 5.3 in January and from 5.5 percent a year ago, the N.C. Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The 4.7 percent rate in December was just above its lowest rate since December 2007  about eight months before the full effect of the 2008-10 economic downturn began to be felt locally.

Economists traditionally have considered a jobless rate of 5 percent as full employment.

Yet, most economists say the job market remains challenging for applicants lacking technology and other specialized skills necessary to land advanced manufacturing jobs.

The jobless rate for the five-county Winston-Salem metropolitan statistical area was 4.8 percent in February, down from 5.3 percent in January and from 5.4 percent a year ago. The region consists of Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Stokes and Yadkin counties.

All 14 counties in the Triad and Northwest North Carolina had a decline in their February jobless rate. Forsyths rate was 4.8 percent. The lowest rate was 4.4 percent in Davie and Yadkin counties.
The death of a 75-year-old man whose dismembered body was found in his Winston-Salem home Monday is being investigated as a homicide and may be related to the discovery of human remains in Archdale, authorities said Tuesday.

Police found the body of John Douglas Agnew after being called to make a welfare check at his townhouse in the 300 block of Timberline Drive, off New Greensboro Road near Business 40.

Winston-Salem police are working with the Randolph County Sheriffs Office and pathologists to determine whether the case here is connected to the human remains recovered in Randolph County on Monday, police Lt. Mike Cardwell said. Officials have not identified that body.

Randolph County Sheriff Robert Graves said that a state Department of Transportation crew found the remains in a wooded area in Archdale.

Police also are looking for Agnews silver 2003 Mazda Miata convertible bearing N.C. license plate No. ZNY-4120.

Three residents of the complex where Agnew lived said Tuesday that they are concerned for their safety after officers found his body.

One neighbor, Bryan Davis, said he knew Agnew as an acquaintance for three years. Davis said he last saw Agnew on Friday.

He didnt look like he was stressed out or had any concerns, Davis said. He looked like his normal self. He was not a loud neighbor.

Davis said he sometimes saw Agnew washing his car under the carport at Agnews townhouse. Davis recalled seeing the vehicle parked at Agnews home on Saturday.

Im a little uneasy right now considering that they (police) havent found the suspect who did this heinous crime to Mr. John, Davis said, referring to Agnew. Im going to be on edge for the next couple weeks until we get some more clues on what happened.

Kenia Godinez, another neighbor, said she often saw Agnew at the townhouse complex, but she didnt know him.

Nothing like this happens here, so its kind of surprising, Godinez said. Its kind of scary.

Tasha Russell, also a neighbor, said she was shocked when she learned of Agnews death. She also saw Agnew washing and taking care of his car, but said she didnt know him.

You see this stuff on television all of the time, but you dont expect it to happen so close to you, Russell said.

An autopsy will be conducted on Agnews body at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Cardwell said. He declined to comment further about the case.

Anyone with information about the case can call Winston-Salem police at (336) 773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 727-2800.
A state House bill would provide up to $5,000 apiece toward helping small food retailers offer more fresh fruits and vegetables to food deserts in their communities.

A state House Agriculture committee discussed on Tuesday, but didnt vote, whether to create a fund through House Bill 387, titled the Corner Store Initiative.

The bill has Rep. Donny Lambeth, R-Forsyth, as a primary sponsor and solid bipartisan support. Reps. Ed Hanes and Evelyn Terry, both D-Forsyth, are co-sponsors.

This bill does have good support, Lambeth said. It is possible we will get support in the House. If it does, then we will add to the budget as a House priority to expand on the program that was started last year. We will monitor results to determine if the value is worth the investment.

A food desert is defined by federal government criteria: a tract of land with a poverty rate of at least 20 percent or a median family household income at or below 80 percent of the statewide level.

In urban areas, the tract must have at least 500 individuals who live more than a mile from a grocery store or an affordable healthy food outlet. For rural areas, the 500 individuals must live more than 10 miles from such food outlets.

The goal is assisting small retailers  those operating 5,000 or fewer square feet of leased space  in selling nutrient dense foods, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes, low-fat dairy products, lean meats and seafood.

The bill would allow a county or public health department to buy and install refrigeration equipment, display and shelving, and other equipment at a cost of up to $5,000 per small retailer. The bill also would give the small retailer $100 for start-up costs and $1,500 toward paying salaries.

The retailers must agree to accept SNAP food stamp funding, as well as special SNAP benefits for women, infants and children. The retailers must be willing to have their records reviewed by state health officials.

Parts of the initiative already have been rolled out in the form of the Forsyth County Healthy Corner Store Network, which debuted in 2012.

Jesus Guzman, who operates La Comercial at 1218 Waughtown St. with two family members, said his participation in the Forsyth network has increased his offerings of fresh produce from three in 2007 to more than 75 now, including passion fruit, celery, apples, white potatoes, broccoli, purple sweet potatoes, lettuce, cantaloupes, pineapple, different peppers and cactus.

Were able, through the network, to import produce from Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador and Mexico, Guzman said.

Guzman said his sales have increased by nearly 35 percent since joining the network in January 2014.

Neighbors in the local community are not only buying the produce, they are telling and encouraging their neighbors to do the same, Guzman said.

Guzman said he would appreciate the ability to add additional refrigeration equipment because the more items I can keep refrigerated, the more I can sell, and the healthier my customers can be.

Other network participants are: Parkers Stop & Shop at 4257 Reidsville Road; Kingz Downtown Market at 418 N Liberty St.; and Tickled Pink Convenience at 3080 Kernersville Road.

The network is administered by the Forsyth Health Department. Through grant funding, the four stores were given signs and shelves, and operators were taught how to store and prepare fresh produce to better serve customers.

In analyzing local food-access conditions, the county planning staff reported there are 21 census tracts in Forsyth that the U.S. Agriculture Department has designated as food deserts.

The majority of local food deserts are in the central and eastern portions of the county. Meanwhile, most of the grocery stores are in the western half of the county.

As far as bringing the healthy foods in, were trying to find options of working with local farmers, said Ashley Curtice, coordinator for the Forsyth Healthy Corner Store Network. Weve also had presentations done by the Triad Buying Co-op, for example. Were trying to find ways that are easily accessible for our owners to be able to provide these foods at a very good rate.

Hanes said he is confident the bill has a great opportunity of passing and may be one of the most important to get done.

It has tremendous bipartisan support because healthy food choices are a problem in both rural and urban communities.
Both of Forsyth Countys large hospitals received a B grade when it comes to a measuring stick on patient safety.

A semiannual study is timed for release today by The Leapfrog Group, a national not-for-profit organization founded by larger employers and private health care purchasers. Leapfrog began issuing safety scores in the spring of 2012.

Forsyth Medical Centers grade dropped from A in the fall of 2016. Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centers grade remained at B for the seventh consecutive report.

Medical Park Hospital, operated by Novant Health Inc., was graded at A for the third consecutive report. Kernersville Medical Center, also operated by Novant, remained at A, as did High Point Regional.

Ten of the Triad and Northwest North Carolinas 15 hospitals received an A, while the rest received a B grade  a remarkable regional accomplishment in itself given that the majority of hospitals nationwide were rated as a C.

Novant Health makes significant efforts to provide safe, quality care to patients and believes it is important for hospitals to be transparent with their quality, safety and patient satisfaction information so that patients are better informed, Diana Best, the systems senior vice president of clinical improvement, said in a statement.

On an ongoing basis, a team of physicians and clinical staff analyze our hospital-acquired conditions, patient safety indicators, hospital-acquired infections, safe practice measures and patient communications to identify opportunities for improvement.

We encourage patients to use all available resources and hospital care rating systems, including the Leapfrog hospital safety grades, to make health care decisions that are right for them.

Wake Forest Baptist officials have said they prefer to be compared primarily with other academic medical centers. Duke University Hospital received an A for the 10th consecutive report, while UNC Hospitals was ranked A for the second consecutive period.

We appreciate the many rating agencies, like Leapfrog, that grade us on performance during particular measurement periods, Dr. Russell Howerton, Wake Forest Baptists chief medical officer, said in a statement.

It allows us to see how well we did during that important snapshot in time. We use the ratings to evaluate how we can continuously improve every aspect of our care, and we are confident that we are always improving.

Moses Cone and affiliate Wesley Long Hospital each received an A for the fifth consecutive report.

Unnecessary infections, complications and errors unfortunately happen all too often in our nations hospitals, said Dr. Bruce Swords, Cones chief medical officer. Avoiding them is really a hallmark of truly exceptional care.

Researchers use publicly available data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and secondary data sources to produce a composite score for 2,639 participating hospitals.

Overall, 823 hospitals earned an A (31.2 percent), 706 earned a B (26.7 percent), 933 earned a C (35.3 percent), 167 earned a D (6.3 percent) and 10 earned an F (0.5 percent).

Leapfrog reviews 30 measures of patient safety, including areas such as error prevention, infections and medication mix-ups. It also issues a score of above average, average and below average in six categories: collapsed lung, serious breathing problem, dangerous blood clot, surgical wound splits open, accidental cuts and tears, and death from treatable serious complications.

The score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital, as well as two of the most common infections  C. diff and MRSA.

Our goal is to alert consumers to the hazards involved in a hospital stay and help them choose the safest option, said Leah Binder, Leapfrogs president and chief executive. We also hoped to galvanize hospitals to make safety the first priority day in and day out.

So far, weve been pleased with the increase in public awareness and hospitals commitment to solving this terrible problem.

But we need to accelerate the pace of change because too many people are still getting harmed or killed, Binder said.

Officials with the N.C. Hospital Association have cautioned that a simple grading system for hospitals safety ignores many of the factors involved in patient care, particularly physician consultations.
An administrative law judge has ruled that a Clemmons man does not have the right to have a hearing to learn the reasons behind his firing from a state job in 2013.

Judge Randolph Wards ruling last week covers the N.C. Office of Administrative Hearings, or OAH, which is where the legal case of Joseph Vincoli against the N.C. Department of Public Safety would have been handled.

Vincoli said he will appeal Wards ruling to the N.C. Court of Appeals.

The ruling came the same week that state Sen. Joyce Krawiec, R-Forsyth, filed a bill that would expand whistleblower protections for state employees. Krawiec said Vincolis legal case served as a motivation for Senate Bill 530.

In July 2012, then-Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, signed a deal, also inspired by Vincolis whistleblowing efforts, that contained new protections for people who allege wrongdoing affecting the State Health Plan.

Vincolis job was affected directly by the Republican-controlled General Assemblys approval of a bill in August 2013 that gave then-Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican, and his administration more authority over hiring and firing state employees.

Vincoli worked for more than three years in an administrative role with the N.C. Department of Correction, attaining career status.

His job was changed from nonexempt to managerial exempt in October 2013. He was fired on Dec. 9, 2013.

Issue dates to 2014

Vincoli has been pursuing a hearing before the OAH since August 2014, primarily to question state administrative officials about why his state job was changed.

On Nov. 1, 2016, the state appeals court ruled that Vincoli has a statutory right to an OAH hearing. A hearing had been set tentatively for the week of April 24.

The N.C. Attorney Generals Office, representing the N.C. Department of Public Safety, or DPS, which oversees the corrections division, appealed that ruling.

Tamika Henderson, an assistant attorney general, said that there is no genuine issue of material fact with regard to petitioners claims, including that Vincoli does not have a valid whistle-blower claim.

Ward said his dismissal decision was based in part that Vincoli did not file his appeal to the appellate court in a timely manner, and in part because no law authorizing OAH to provide a hearing under these circumstances has been identified. He ruled that Vincolis whistleblower act claim is dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

Ward also cited Vincolis job position as being classified as exempt by the McCrory administration, meaning his position could be terminated and he did not have rights to appeal the termination.

The Court of Appeals ruled that I had a constitutional right to a hearing in OAH when I first filed for one, Vincoli said. The OAH, though, denied me that constitutional right.

Now, the administrative law judge had ruled that I dont have a right to a hearing because of decisions that were made by my lawyers, like where to file the appeals, were done in one way and not another.

The tragedy here is that I would not have had to deal with any of these issues cited by the administrative law judge had my initial hearing been granted, Vincoli said.

The attorney generals office requested the dismissal of Vincolis motion. Laura Brewer, communications director for the AGs office, said Friday that staff attorneys will review the decision carefully, and well share with our client.

Unjust-firing claim

Though the appeals court ruling directly affects only Vincoli, it appeared from the opinion that it could affect an additional 1,199 state employees who also were shifted from nonexempt to exempt career status.

Henderson claims that Vincoli has not proven he was unjustly fired from his state job after submitting whistleblower claims for a legal dispute involving Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center and the State Health Plan that began in June 2009.

DPS officials claimed they told Vincoli that the agency was not the proper avenue for pursuing his state property incident report form as it related to the Wake Forest Baptist case.

DPS Secretary Frank Perry said Vincolis position had been made obsolete by a computer-automation system and was reclassified as a much-needed nurse director position.

Henderson wrote: There is simply no evidence that petitioner can bring forth to demonstrate that the proffered reasons for ending his (state) appointment are merely a pretext.

As it relates to the appeals court ruling of Nov. 1, Henderson claims that while the court of appeals did hold that employees could appeal an exempt designation to OAH, it did not give petitioner the absolute right to seek review.

Indeed, well-settled precedent would be violated if petitioner were allowed to proceed in this matter.

Henderson claims OAH does not have the authority to alter the contents of Vincolis personnel file, which he claims has inaccurate and misleading documents about his state employment. State law allows an employee to submit a letter into his personnel file that explains or challenges file documents.

She also claims Vincoli is barred from resurrecting a whistleblower act claim in OAH since the OAH has no jurisdiction over his claim.

High-profile case

The impetus behind the new state whistleblower protection in 2012 was a high-profile case that lasted from 2009 to 2011 involving Wake Forest Baptist and Vincoli, a former administrative director at N.C. Baptist Hospital.

Baptist filed a lawsuit against Vincoli in January 2011, accusing him of contacting the plan and other state agencies about his concerns that the state plan had overpaid Baptist.

A state auditors report determined that Baptist overcharged the state plan by $1.34 million from July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2008, because Baptist didnt tell the state about rate increases that would have allowed the State Health Plan to ask for discounts. The auditor determined Baptist was not legally required to repay the money, primarily because the contract already had expired.

The lawsuit in Forsyth Superior Court accused Vincoli of providing disparaging and/or confidential information to state plan officials. It accused him of unjustified, vindictive, malicious and gratuitous actions.

Baptist withdrew the lawsuit in October 2011, a month after the Winston-Salem Journal ran an article about Vincolis whistleblower role in the investigation of the State Health Plan.

After June 2008, the state moved all State Health Plan participants to a Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina network product.

Previously, the states whistleblower general statute essentially had covered only state employees, not private employees, who raise concerns about state agencies and employees. The law signed by Perdue added private employees.

Wake Forest Baptist officials have declined to comment on the law.

Protections proposed

Krawiecs bill would classify that any whistleblower communications to a regulatory body, whether written, e-mail or other digital means, are not public records.

Regulatory bodies would be defined as any federal agency or any public board, such as a city council, board of commissioners and any subdivision of those bodies.

Vincoli claims that part of his State Health Plan dispute with Wake Forest Baptist involved Baptist officials obtaining his communications through public records requests.

SB530 also says that a government employee who reports improper government activities (following state law procedures) in good faith is immune from civil liability if the report was made to a regulatory body as defined by (state law) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating suspected improper government activity.

A government employee is not immune from civil liability if the report was made in bad faith, it says.

Vincoli has said he has spent tens of thousands of dollars on his legal cases, although he has benefited minimally to date through a legal defense fund.

Krawiec said her decision to sponsor the bill was based in part on Vincoli.

I believe that what happened to him was terribly wrong, she said.

We are always encouraging people to do the right thing, and when you see something, say something. I want to make sure that when brave citizens speak out against errors, fraud, injustice, etc., they are protected from retaliation.

A citizen should never be punished for doing the right thing.
A state regulatory board has suspended the license of Cremation Services Inc. of Winston-Salem after cremated human remains were found in February on a company employees property in King.

The employee told police he had 93 sets of remains at his home for the alleged purpose of disposal, according to the suspension order from the N.C. Board of Funeral Services.

Police in King were tipped off about the remains when a resident noticed on Jan. 31 what appeared to be bone fragments and ashes in or near a trash can left for pickup at Faye Court, police said in a release Wednesday.

Investigators then confirmed the remains were human and that the resident at that address works for a crematory in Winston-Salem.

Police said in a statement the remains are allegedly from unclaimed bodies and the employee who was to take them to a proper location for disposal told investigators he accidentally dropped one container in his driveway. Police said the crematory employee told them he then scooped up the remains and put them in the trash.

Wednesday's statement says investigators confirmed the employee had permission from the crematory director to store the remains at his residence until they could be disposed of. Cremation Services Inc. did not have enough storage space for the remains, according to police.

Investigators also say the Stokes County District Attorney told them the employee's actions did not violate state law.

King Police then notified the N.C. Board of Funeral Services.

The board, which regulates funeral services in North Carolina, issued the order for the suspension on March 30. A hearing on the case is set for 10:30 a.m. May 10 at the boards office in Raleigh.

Susanne Blair, the owner and manager of Cremation Services, acknowledged in an interview Tuesday that her business didnt properly handle the cremated human remains mentioned in the order. Blair said she and the employee, James Howard Massie III, will testify at the hearing.

This was just a case of human error or a mistake, Blair said. Ive been doing this for 20 years, and this is my life.

Blair said that Massie typically takes unclaimed cremated human remains from her business and disposes of them in the Blue Ridge Mountains. On the occasion cited by the state board, the remains were placed in a bag, which was then placed in a box. Massie drove those remains to his King home, took them out of his pickup and put them into his shed, Blair said.

Both the bag and the box had holes in them, she said, without elaborating. A small amount of the cremated human remains were scattered on the property, Blair said.

Under state law, cremated remains generally may be scattered over uninhabited public land, a public waterway or sea or on private property of a consenting owner.

Massie couldnt be reached Tuesday to comment on the case.

David Shehdan, the executive director of the funeral services board, confirmed the boards action against Cremations Services, but declined to comment further.

According to the order, the board took action after receiving information from 1st Sgt. D.D. Hale of the King Police Department, who had investigated a complaint about cremated human remains at Massies home in King.

Hale went to the home on Feb. 2 and saw what appeared to be cremated human remains and bone fragments and shards in Massies trash can in the driveway and in other areas of the home, the suspension order said.

Hale interviewed Massie the next day at the King Police Department. Massie confirmed that the cremated human remains were taken from Cremation Services Inc. of Winston-Salem at 7600 North Point Court, the order said.

King Police Chief Paula May did not return a phone call on Tuesday. State court records do not show the existence of any charges in the case.

The state board said it suspended the business license to protect the publics safety and health. The board also ordered Cremation Services to stop operating as a crematory.

Blair said the board isnt treating her fairly.

I dont feel that this is a situation that they should have closed me down, Blair said. Its a hard thing to take away ones livelihood.

Blair said that her business performs 900 to 1,000 cremations every year. Her business typically gives cremated human remains to surviving family members.

However, her business also has unclaimed cremated human remains from people who left their bodies to medical science and deceased poor people, whose bodies social-services agencies in Forsyth, Surry, Stokes and Wilkes counties pay Cremations Services to cremate, Blair said.

We are sorry that all of this happened, she said. It was never done intentionally or done out of disrespect.
In January, President Barack Obama's national security adviser, Susan Rice, declared: "We were able to get the Syrian government to voluntarily and verifiably give up its chemical weapons stockpile." Obama, she boasted, was able to "deal with the threat of chemical weapons by virtue of ... diplomacy" and "in a way that the use of force would never have accomplished."

Tell that to the children of Idlib, their lifeless eyes dilated from exposure to an apparent nerve agent that the Obama administration assured us the Assad regime no longer possessed.

"I'm very proud of this moment," Obama declared last year of his decision not to enforce his red line and turn instead to Russia to get him out of his pledge with a face-saving agreement for Syria to give up its chemical weapons -- one we now know President Bashar al-Assad violated with impunity.

The Syrian gas attack was not just a failure of Obama's feckless foreign policy. It also was a failure of the Democrats' arms-control agenda. For decades, Democrats have placed their faith in international agreements to control the spread of dangerous weapons. But as we have seen in recent years, pieces of parchment, not backed by credible threat of force, are powerless to restrain murderous dictators from trying to stockpile weapons of mass destruction.

It's not just Syria. As President Donald Trump ordered strikes against the Assad regime, he was meeting with China's president to discuss how to deal with another Democratic arms-control failure: the North Korean nuclear threat. On Oct. 18, 1994, President Bill Clinton boasted that while "three administrations have tried to bring this nuclear program under international control," his administration had finally succeeded in reaching a historic agreement with North Korea that would help to put an "end to the threat of nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula."

Twelve years later, North Korea exploded a nuclear device. Despite Clinton's promises of intense verification, the North Koreans had -- just like Assad -- been cheating all along. They not only continued developing nuclear weapons but also became one of the world's most profligate proliferators of nuclear technology, helping Syria to build a suspected nuclear reactor at Deir al-Zour (that was stopped not by diplomacy, but by an Israeli military strike).

Worse, on Jan. 1 of this year, Kim Jong Un announced that his regime had "entered the final stage of preparation for a test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile" that could one day deliver such a bomb to the United States.

Once North Korea possessed a demonstrated nuclear capability, it became increasingly difficult for subsequent administrations to roll back its nuclear program. But at least we could defend ourselves by building and deploying ballistic missile defenses to protect against a North Korean attack, right?

No, Democrats said, that would violate another sacred precept in the left's arms-control canon - the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM) Treaty. Democrats howled when President George W. Bush withdrew from the ABM Treaty in 2001, allowing the United States to begin deployment of defenses against rogue regimes. Unable to prevent U.S. withdrawal, Democrats did their best to limit deployment. The Wall Street Journal reported that Obama cut funding for missile defense by about 25 percent over the course of his presidency as of 2015 and eliminated critical programs that could overcome decoy missiles by placing multiple warheads on a single interceptor and destroy incoming missiles in the boost phase when they are slowest and thus easiest to strike.

As a result, we now face a rapidly emerging intercontinental ballistic missile threat from North Korea but are years behind the curve in terms of our ability to defend against it.

That's not all. If you liked the arms-control failures in Syria and North Korea, you're going to love the results of Obama's nuclear agreement with Iran. The Iran agreement is actually far worse than the nuclear framework Clinton negotiated with North Korea. While North Korea at least had to cheat to develop a nuclear bomb, Iran does not have to cheat - because Obama's agreement does not require it to dismantle any of its nuclear facilities, end enrichment, end research and development on advanced centrifuges, permit snap inspections or stop the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that, far from preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear power, the Iran deal "paves Iran's path to the bomb."

The Democratic arms-control establishment assures us that Netanyahu is wrong. Well, it also assured us that Obama's diplomacy had disarmed Syria, that Bill Clinton's diplomacy had helped to end "the threat of nuclear proliferation on the Korean Peninsula" and that we would be safer relying on the ABM Treaty and "Mutually Assured Destruction" rather than ballistic missile defenses.

Feeling safer yet?
WASHINGTON -- The United States has become a combatant in Syria's horrific civil war. The Trump administration, which intervened with deadly military force, gives no sign of knowing what it's doing or why.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has absurdly tried to suggest that nothing has changed. He is wrong. Fifty-nine cruise missiles constitute a policy shift. So what is the administration's strategic vision? What is its desired outcome? How does it get there? And what happens next?

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley said Sunday that the administration cannot envision "a peaceful Syria" with dictator Bashar Assad still in power. Tillerson went on a different Sunday show to say that Assad's fate is up to "the Syrian people." Neither statement had much grounding in the reality of a heartbreakingly brutal war that has killed about 400,000 people and displaced half of Syria's population.

Who's going to make Assad leave? "The Syrian people" have been trying to get rid of him for nearly six years, yet he remains. The Obama administration believed it had at least negotiated the surrender of Assad's capacity to use chemical weapons, but last week's sarin gas attack demonstrates otherwise. There is no political process through which Syrians can express their will. There is only a grinding, multi-sided conflict that has allowed the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, to seize huge swaths of territory.

"Wouldn't it be nice if we got together with Russia and knocked the hell out of ISIS?" Trump asked during the campaign. But nice does not equal feasible. Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent military forces to help Assad maintain his grip on power. Working with Russia would require the cold-bloodedness to look past Assad's myriad atrocities -- and Trump's description of the "beautiful babies" who were "cruelly murdered" was hardly the rhetoric of realpolitik.

Trump seemed willing to try some sort of alliance -- but then came the chemical attack. And now, having bombed the Sharyat airfield near Homs from which the planes carrying chemical weapons took off, Trump has sided against Assad in deed if not in word. Careful diplomatic statements cannot disguise the obvious fact that the United States and Russia are working at cross-purposes.

At least in part, Trump seems to have been determined not to follow the example of the Obama administration. In 2012, Obama declared chemical weapons use a "red line" that must not be crossed. When Assad crossed it anyway, Obama prepared to strike -- but decided at the last minute to ask Congress to give him authorization to use force. Congress declined.

Trump enthusiastically supported Obama's restraint at the time. He warned throughout the campaign against deeper U.S. involvement in Syria. Now his decision to launch the cruise missile strike is being applauded by foreign policy traditionalists of both parties -- the establishment figures who gave us the disastrous war in Iraq -- as a show of U.S. "strength" and "resolve." That should worry us all.

Red lines and symbolic displays of force do not constitute a plan. I have long opposed U.S. military intervention in Syria because I did not see how such action -- within the parameters of the possible -- would make the situation better. I still don't.

A punitive strike to deter Assad from using chemical weapons does nothing to protect the millions of desperate civilians who remain vulnerable to conventional weapons wielded by the Syrian government, such as deadly barrel bombs. Indeed, Assad reportedly made a point of having warplanes take off from Sharyat on bombing runs the day after the missiles landed; while the base suffered considerable damage, runways were left intact. Civilians are also under attack by Russian forces, the Islamic State and various jihadist and non-jihadist rebel groups.

I have to wonder what Assad hoped to accomplish by using chemical weapons in the first place. Could he have been trying to bait the United States into military action -- and thus drive a wedge between Trump and Putin? The Russian strongman is not what you'd call sentimental, and he might abandon Assad if Trump made it worth his while. Such dishonor among thieves now seems less likely, at least in the short term.

If the cruise missile attack was a one-and-done warning, it changes nothing. If it was an opening salvo of some kind, what follows? Either we're on a slippery slope toward deeper military involvement, or we remain helpless witnesses to unspeakable carnage. Maybe Trump, having acted as commander in chief, feels good about those alternatives. I don't see why anyone else should.
Software tycoon Ahn Cheol-soo is seen as the most likely winner of the upcoming Seoul mayoral election even before he has declared his candidacy, and political parties are desperate to get a closer look at his personal life.

His achievements are evident because he published several books and has been interviewed scores of time. But his private life has largely been off-limits.

Biographical information is limited to his work address -- the Seoul National University Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology in Suwon. Even some friends only know that he lives near the financial district of Yeouido but not the exact address. AhnLab moved its head office from the Gangnam area south of the Han River to Yeouido in 2004.

Ahn does not have a cell phone because he says he does not want to "ruin his private life" and apparently communicates by e-mail. His wife, SNU professor Kim Mi-kyung, said in one media interview, "If I don't know where my husband is, I do an Internet search."
"No one should ever be treated this way," reads part of a new public statement issued Tuesday by United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz, following Sunday's incident when a passenger was bloodied after being dragged off an overbooked United airliner at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. "I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight," the Munoz statement also says.

The incident has gone viral through social media after being captured on other passengers' cell phones.

Munoz added that the company will conduct a review of how the airline handles overbooking situations and how it interacts with airport authorities and law enforcement. He said the company will release the results of its review April 30.

Munoz released two earlier statements staunchly supporting the crew, saying in a statement late Monday that United attendants "followed established procedures" when the passenger was forcibly removed.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said President Donald Trump has seen what Spicer describes as the "troubling" video recorded on the United Airlines flight. Besides the global social media firestorm, the incident also has stirred up threats of a boycott.

Spicer told reporters at a White House briefing Tuesday the incident was "unfortunate" but does "not necessarily need a federal response," adding there are "plenty" of law enforcement agencies available to conduct an investigation.

Because the Chicago to Louisville flight was overbooked, the crew asked passengers to voluntarily take another flight in exchange for financial compensation. According to media reports, the airline needed to make room for four of its employees.

No one volunteered, so the airline randomly selected four people, one of whom refused to leave -- resulting in his forced removal by three men who were identified as Chicago aviation security officers.


Fans of the namaste bow or tree pose will soon have a new studio to practice their regular stretching and breathing techniques, as Essential Yoga recently held its soft opening at 140 West Richardson Street (upstairs from Katie Mae's) in Summerville's historic downtown area. Read moreEssential Yoga debuts in Summerville
US Attorney General Jeff Sessions [official website] on Tuesday announced [press release] his office has mandated immigration enforcement as a priority. In order to limit the number of undocumented immigrants in the country, the Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] sent a memo [text, PDF] to all federal prosecutors instructing them to prosecute harboring and reentry cases as felonies instead of misdemeanors for repeat offenders. Furthermore, the order requires the designation of border security coordinators to ensure enforcement and track the amount of cases prosecuted. The memo also instructs felony charges for those who enter into a marriage to prevent deportation.

It is a high priority of the Department of Justice to establish lawfulness in our immigration system. While dramatic progress has been made at the border in recent months,much remains to be done. It is critical that our work focus on criminal cases that will further reduce illegality. Consistent and vigorous enforcement of key laws will disrupt organizations and deter unlawful conduct. I ask that you increase your efforts in this area making the following immigration offenses higher priorities.

Sessions also announced a plan to hire over 175 immigration judges to combat the backlog in immigration courts.

The focus on immigration policies continues to be a growing legal issue. JURIST Guest Columnist Ali Khan discussed [JURIST backgrounder] the potential deportation of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the US as a crime against humanity. A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesman announced [JURIST report] Wednesday that President Donald Trumps administration was no longer planning to separate women and children at the US southern border as a means of deterring immigration. The state of Massachusetts] on Tuesday requested [JURIST report] the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court find that state authorities lack jurisdiction to detain illegal immigrants. The California State Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill [JURIST report] on last Monday that would expand protections for undocumented immigrants by prohibiting state or local law enforcement from using resources to investigate, detain, report or arrest people for immigration violations
[JURIST] The Group of Seven (G7) [backgrounder] nations failed to reach an agreement on whether to impose new sanctions on Russia and Syria, Italian foreign minister Angelino Alfano announced Tuesday. Before the two-day meeting of the G7 ministers, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson [official website] had stated that he wanted to impose [BBC report] new sanctions in the wake of the alleged chemical weapons attack. The G7 met to solidify a unified approach to the Syrian situation before US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson [official profile] visits Moscow next week. However, the G7 meeting reached no such unified plan.

Last week, the UN Security Council conducted emergency talks regarding an alleged chemical attack in Syria that killed numerous civilians [JURIST report]. The next evening, the US military attacked [CNBC report] a Syria-government airfield with 59 Tomahawk missiles. Following the US missile launch, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for restraint [JURIST report] in handling the situation in Syria. Also last week, US Speaker of the House Paul Ryan called for [JURIST report] President Donald Trump to consult Congress on potential further action following a military strike on Syria.
The Constitutional Court of Hungary [official website] repealed a village ban on the construction of mosques as well as headscarves like burkas and chadors worn by Muslim women on Wednesday. The village of Asotthalom, located on the Serbian boarder, implemented implemented the law in November. The village also outlawed muezzins, men who call Muslims to prayer from the minaret of a mosque. In its ruling [AP report] the court said the bans were aimed to limit freedoms of religion and speech. Village leaders said the ordinance was linked to the European Unions [official website] plan to resettle asylum-seekers and to maintain the villages community and traditions. Prior to Hungary building walls along their boarders with Serbia and Croatia, the village of Asotthalom was used as an entry point to Western Europe for refugees.

Full-coverage veils have been the recent subject of legislation and adjudication in Europe. In February Bavaria approved [JURIST report] a partial ban on full-face veils in certain public spaces. Later that month the Turkish Ministry of Defense [official website, in Turkish] announced that female soldiers will be allowed to wear headscarves along with their uniforms. In December German Chancellor Angela Merkel on endorsed [JURIST report] a partial ban on burqas and niqabs, saying that the full facial veil is inappropriate and should be banned wherever is legally possible. Also in December the Netherlands legislature voted in favor [JURIST report] of a partial burka ban. However, in July the EUs highest court ruled in favor [JURIST report] of a French woman who was fired for wearing a head scarf.
Hungarys president Janos Ader [BBC profile] on Monday signed legislation requiring foreign universities in Hungary to also have campuses their home country. This is an issue for schools like Central European University (CEU) [university website], which has a campus in Hungary but nowhere else, even though it states that the university has a dual US-Hungary identity. The school, financed by the Hungarian-born campaigner for open society George Soros, may have to move out of the country. The legislation is criticized for allegedly targeting foreign universities [Reuters report] in Hungary as a part of Prime Minister Viktor Orbans [official website] campaign pledge to protect national interests against foreign meddling in Hungarian affairs. Opponents of the legislation say that the government is forcing out important education centers in Hungary. The government has argued that it is not forcing out or closing down any schools bur rather ensuring that all schools are governed by the same set of rules without privileges.

The Hungarian National Assembly passed the law [JURIST report] early this month. The legislation requires that CEU open a campus in the US by February 15, 2018 to remain in Hungary. There have been concerns in the past over Prime Minister Orbans views on nationalism. At the beginning of Orbans term, Hungary adopted a new constitution called the Fundamental Law [text, pdf], which has been criticized for neglecting international human rights standards and fast-tracking political procedures in a manner that jeopardizes the countrys separation of powers. Furthermore, there has been concern over the administrations human rights views with the International Federation for Human Rights and Human Rights Watch [JURIST reports] addressing Hungarys laws and practices regarding human rights.
Around 500 migrants were taken to nearby gymnasiums, but the rest are unaccounted for, Lalande and Damien Careme, mayor of Grande-Synthe, told reporters Tuesday.

As many as 1,600 migrants were living in the camp at the time of the fire, many of whom lost all the meager possessions they had, Lalande said.

The fire destroyed most of the Grande-Synthe migrant camp near Dunkirk and the fighting left several people injured, according to the regional prefect, Michel Lalande.

A refugee camp in northern France burned down Monday night after a massive brawl involving more than 150 migrants broke out between rival groups of Kurds and Afghans, French authorities said.

"There is nothing left but a heap of ashes," Lalande said. "It will be impossible to put the huts back where they were before."

Grande-Synthe was set up last year by the medical aid group Doctors Without Borders and housed mostly Kurdish refugees. Its population swelled in October after the notorious Calais refugee camp, located about 25 miles away, was shuttered and destroyed.

A large number of migrants arrived from Afghanistan recently, further increasing the camp population.

Corenne Torre, head of the group's French operation, told the Associated Press that authorities are scrambling to find the unaccounted-for migrants.

"We just don't know where they are," she said, adding that some could be hiding in fear of authorities or fear of rival gangs at the camp.

Investigators are still trying to determine the exact cause of the fire, though Lalande and Careme said authorities believe it was set intentionally as part of Monday night's brawl.

Torre said 10 migrants went to the hospital with injuries sustained during the fire. At least six migrants were wounded during the brawl, three of whom suffered stab wounds. Another migrant was left in critical condition after being hit by a car outside the camp.

Riot police intervened in the brawl, which led to further fighting between migrants and authorities.

Migrants have gathered for decades along the coast in northern France, with hopes of reaching Britain.

The Grande-Synthe camp has seen several violent incidents in recent months, with the most recent coming last week when migrants tried to block traffic and climb onto vehicles on a nearby highway.
[JURIST] Legislators in Maryland on Monday withdrew a bill [SB 835, PDF] proposing to make Maryland a so-called sanctuary state. The purpose of the bill was to prohibiting a specified government agent from taking specified actions for immigration enforcement purposes. The bill would have prevented law enforcement from stopping, arresting, searching, or detaining an individual for purposes of investigating a suspected immigration violation or inquiring about specified matters and would have required a specific model of conduct to be developed and implemented for such procedures. The bill had been threatened [Washington Times report] with a veto from the governor and harshly criticized by the Trump administration.

Immigration has been a key focus for Trump since his inauguration. Last month the city of Seattle filed a lawsuit [JURIST report] against President Donald Trumps administration, arguing that their designation as a sanctuary city should not prevent them from receiving federal funds, as required by Executive Order 13768 [text]. US Attorney General Jeff Sessions [official profile] reiterated [JURIST report] that sanctuary cities may soon see federal funds from the Department of Justice cut off. In January, seven days after his inauguration, Trump issued an executive order [JURIST text] which limited migration from seven Muslim-majority countries, among other changes. That order was repeatedly challenged, causing Trump to craft a new order of slightly smaller scope. The new order was challenged [JURIST report] two weeks ago by five states claiming that the revised order will still cause severe and immediate harms.
Hearings began in Spain on Monday regarding potential war crimes committed by President Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria [BBC backgrounder]. The case is a result [AP report] of a Spanish nationals brother being abducted and tortured in Damascus before being executed in 2013. The family claims that the brother was not part of an opposition group and just a truck driver making a delivery. The family was able to identify the body after a forensic photographer smuggled the photos out of Syria. The photographer may testify in the case next month. The investigation involved nine of Assads closest aides but not Assad himself due to his immunity. Spain is the first to hold a criminal investigation of potential war crimes into Syria, as Russia has blocked referral of the Assad regime to the International Criminal Court.

The war in Syria [JURIST backgrounder] continues to have a significant impact, particularly in the region of Aleppo. On Wednesday, The UN Security Council met for emergency talks regarding an alleged chemical attack in Syria that killed numerous civilians [JURIST report]. In February, according to Human Rights Watch, the Syrian government carried out [JURIST report] coordinated chemical attacks on rebel-controlled portions of Aleppo.
The Canadian government has published proposals to prohibit the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in foods by the summer of 2018.

Health Canada, the federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, is proposing adding PHOs, a source of trans fats in food, to the countrys list of contaminants and other adulterating substances in foods.

Health Canada said its announcement is designed to allow industry stakeholders time to phase-out the use of PHOs. The proposed definition would apply to PHOs used in foods destined for human consumption and to PHOs added to foods for minor use applications or technical purposes such as processing aids, pan release agents, etc.

The consumption of trans fats increases the risk of coronary heart disease, one of the leading causes of death in Canada, Health Canada said. According to the Department, efforts to reduce trans fat intakes of Canadians since the early 2000s, have proven successful in reducing trans fat levels in the Canadian food supply.

However, Health Canada said: Some foods still contain industrially produced trans fats, namely PHOs. These foods include some commercially baked goods, such as cookies, some shortenings and certain types of margarines. This can be a health concern for Canadians who choose these foods regularly, and for vulnerable sub-populations who are at risk for higher trans fat intakes, such as children and teens, Canadians in remote areas and price sensitive consumers.
The United States on Tuesday sharply rejected Russian claims that the chemical agent sarin, which killed dozens of people in Syria last week, came from an airstrike on a rebel-held munitions depot rather than a deliberate attack by Syrian fighters on civilians.

A National Security Council report said the Syrian regime and Russia were trying to "confuse the world community about who is responsible for using chemical weapons against the Syrian people in this and earlier attacks."

The NSC report said Syria's use of chemical weapons was "unacceptable" and posed a "clear threat" to the United States and the world. It called on the international community to make a statement that "this behavior will not be tolerated," although it did not specify possible consequences.

National security officials at a White House briefing accused Moscow, an ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, of "a very clear campaign to obfuscate the nature of the attack." They said the chemical weapons in the April 4 attack landed in the middle of a street -- as shown by charring of the roadway -- not on a building.

The officials, speaking on background without direct attribution, said Syria "has not come clean" about its collection of chemical weapons, despite a 2013 agreement to dismantle its stockpile.

"We know the Syrian regime has sarin gas," one official said. "We are confident the rebels [fighting Assad's government] don't have sarin."

The official called the evidence "an opportunity for Russia to end its disinformation campaign." But later, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said there was "no consensus" among U.S. intelligence officials that Russia colluded with Syria in carrying out the attack.

The White House officials spoke hours after Turkey announced that tests had confirmed sarin was used in the attacks that killed about 90 people and sickened hundreds more.

Ankara's health minister said the conclusion was reached after blood and urine samples were examined during autopsies on three victims of the attacks that were brought from Syria's Idlib province. The World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the postmortem examinations.
President Donald Trump says he gave his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping an ultimatum in their meeting last week: Solve the North Korea crisis and you'll get a good trade deal.

Trump tweeted Tuesday, "I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the U.S. will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!"

In a second tweet he wrote, "North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A."

The president made clear his hope that China will pressure its neighbor and close ally to stop its nuclear program. He has also repeatedly hammered China for exporting more goods to the U.S. than it imports.
"The United States, which has a fleet headed to the Korean Peninsula, is understood to have notified Australia that it is fully prepared to shoot down these rockets," the report said. "The Australian-United States joint facility at Pine Gap monitors North Korean missile launches, and is on standby."

Intelligence sources told the Australian daily the North could test-launch ballistic missiles around the birthday of nation founder Kim II-sung this week.

The U.S. has put Australia and other allies on alert that it is fully prepared to shoot down rockets launched by North Korea, the Daily Telegraph reported Tuesday.

In a letter to the U.S. Senate the same day, Gen. Lori Robinson, the commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), said, "North Koreas closed society and robust denial and deception capabilities challenge our ability to observe missile and nuclear test preparations, a concern that would be exacerbated in crisis or in wartime and complicate our ability to defend the U.S."

But Robinson said she is "confident" in the U.S.' ability to "defend against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack from North Korea."

The North has been testing a range of rockets and ballistic missiles in recent months and seems determined to build an intercontinental ballistic missile that could deliver a nuclear payload to the U.S. mainland.

The U.S. Navy strike group led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier is expected to reach waters near the Korean Peninsula as early as Saturday. It is escorted by an Aegis cruiser armed with SM-3 interceptors.

In addition, the U.S. is expected to deploy two or three more Aegis destroyers in the East Sea around Saturday.
People's Party presidential candidate Ahn Cheol-soo on Tuesday revealed the finances of his daughter amid demands to prove he has not illegally passed his software fortune to her. Ahn has been under pressure from Minjoo Party, which accused his daughter Seol-hee of owning massive real assets and dodging taxes. Opponents also levied a number of vague charges that aim to paint him as a typical member of the establishment, potentially undermining his image as a reformer. Online rumors claimed she has U.S. citizenship, which could damage Ahn's chances among left-leaning voters.



Ahn Cheol-soo

So far Ahn had tried to shrug off the allegations as scurrilous. But when the attacks continued, Ahn's spokesman Son Kum-ju said Tuesday, "As of April of 2017, Ahn Seol-hee's assets amount to W112 million including bank deposits and insurances (US$1=W1,147)." He said she also owns a 2013-model car priced at around US$20,000. Son added Seol-hee does not own any real estate or stocks either in Korea or in the U.S. "The assets were partly gifts from her parents and inherited from her grandparents over a long period of time plus money she saved from a portion of her $30,000-40,000 annual income," the spokesman said. Son added Ahn paid for his daughter's tuition throughout university and until the first quarter of her first year in graduate school. According to U.S. Internal Revenue Service data, Seol-hee earned $39,313 in 2015 as a research assistant at Stanford University, where she started her doctoral degree in 2012. When he became a lawmaker in 2013, Ahn reported that Seol-hee owned W93.9 million in assets, but he has since stopped declaring her assets saying she now supports herself. The spokesman denied Seol-hee has a U.S. passport. He said Seol-hee was born at Seoul National University Hospital, and "has never held U.S. citizenship or applied for American residency," Son said.

Ahn Cheol-soo with his wife and daughter (file photo)

According to Ahn's aides, Seol-hee went to elementary school in the U.S. in 1996-7 but then returned to Korea. She went back to the U.S. in 2002 for junior high school and has been living there since. They also denied that she went to posh prep schools and said she in fact attended public schools in Washington state and California, where she lived either in dormitories or in small apartments that cost around $1,000 a month in rent and condominiums that cost between $2,000 and $3,000. Minjoo was unconvinced and demanded that Ahn reveal the actual financial records. Minjoo lawmaker Chun Jae-soo told the Chosun Ilbo, "People who live there say it's impossible to support yourself through graduate school on $40,000 a year, so how could she possibly save up money?" He called on Ahn to reveal bank transfer records to back up his claims that she supports herself. "Ahn's mother-in-law and sister-in-law are believed to have U.S. residency or citizenship. How can his daughter not have applied for residency if she's lived there for the last 15 years?" Chun added. Ahn's camp, meanwhile, tried to turn the tables on his Minjoo rival Moon Jae-in, demanding that Moon respond to allegations that his son was given a plum civil-service job at the Korea Employment Information Service as a special favor. The KEIS chief at the time had been a subordinate of Moon's in the presidential office, and the hiring process was decidedly murky.
Hundreds of tourists from Thailand will visit a ski resort in Yongpyeong, Gangwon Province this week to enjoy the last bit of snow.

The Korea Tourism Organization said Tuesday that it has created a tour program using the remaining snow of the ski resort targeting Thai visitors who plan to overseas trips during their New Year holiday, which this year takes place amid an unprecedented heat wave.

The program runs from Thursday through Saturday.
After 2 years a baby sturgeon spotted

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-04-12 02:29

THE first juvenile Chinese sturgeon of this year was observed on Monday, Shanghai Yangtze River Estuarys Chinese Sturgeon Nature Conservation Area office said yesterday.

Researchers were unable to find any sign of juvenile sturgeon last year.

Chinese sturgeon, or Acipenser sinensis, is a critically endangered species that is restricted locally to the main channel of the Yangtze River for spawning. As the fish gets older, it swims to the ocean through the Yangtze estuary.

The juvenile Chinese sturgeon found this year weighed about nine grams and was 130 millimeters in length.

Yangtze Rivers estuary is like a kindergarten for Chinese sturgeons, to prepare for them transferring from fresh water to the sea, a researcher surnamed Zheng with the conservation areas office told Shanghai Daily. Their size will also grow bigger to nearly 500 centimeters during the period.

However, the number of observed Chinese sturgeon juveniles has declined sharply since 2010. In 2014 and 2016, researchers found no sign of any Chinese sturgeon juveniles.

Such inconsistency in the observation is a dangerous sign for the species, Zheng said. But as we are still able to find a new juvenile this year, it means theres still hope. With the improvement of Yangtze Rivers ecological environment, the species still have chances to thrive again.

The conservation area said it would strengthen observation and monitoring on the endangered species and promote education among local fishermen and conduct emergency rescue if wounded Chinese sturgeons were spotted.
According to a Helmsley Charitable Trust press release, it provided $16 million in grants for 41 rural hospitals in the Midwest to purchase new CT scanners.

The trusts goal is to ensure that rural Americans have access to quality health care as close to home as possible. The trust is working to provide up-to-date equipment so patients can receive essential health care locally. This initiative is one of many that aims to improve health care access and health outcomes across the upper Midwest.
ELWOOD  Christopher Michael Kruger, 30, of Elwood died Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at his home.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church in Arapahoe with Chaplain Tyler Wilterding officiating. Inurnment will be at Fairview Cemetery near Cambridge with military honors by the Nebraska National Guard Honor Guard.

There will be no visitation. Cremation was chosen.

Wenburg Funeral Home in Arapahoe is in charge of arrangements.



He was born on May 16, 1986, in McCook to Bryan and Jeana (Elmer) Kruger.

Chris was confirmed at First United Methodist Church in Arapahoe in 1999. He attended school at Arapahoe High School and graduated with the class of 2004.

He married Jennifer Putnam on March 20, 2004, at First United Methodist Church in Arapahoe.

He entered the National Guard in 2003 and was still active. He had been working for The Maschhoffs for 12 years. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and enjoyed being in the outdoors, but always loved his girls.

At a young age, he started wrestling and enjoyed it all through his junior high and high school years, and recently helped coach with the Arapahoe Pee-Wee wrestling program.

Chris is survived by his wife, Jennifer Kruger of Elwood; daughters, Anastasia, Amilia and Alyssia; parents, Bryan and Jeana Kruger of Holbrook; sister, Brianna and daughter Kamryin Raile of Holbrook; brother, Matthew and sons Alex and Bryan Kruger of Holdrege; grandparents, Owen and Donna Elmer of Indianola, Bill and Pam Kruger of Cambridge and Cathy and Jo Briceno of Johnstown, Colo.; great-grandparents, Bill and Betty Kruger of Cambridge; and numerous loving aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Memorials will be designated later.

Visit wenburgfuneralhome.com to leave condolences or personal reflections.
Americas white working class voters put Donald Trump in the White House and also voted Republican majorities into both houses of Congress, but their generous support is going unrewarded, according to at least one political observer.

The throwback Americans who elected Trump want to make their nation great again, and believe it can be accomplished only with a steady focus on the problems of this country. However, the new president and his top deputies are pointing their attention overseas.

Syria, the Middle East and China have snared the presidents attention, and his secretary of state spent the beginning of this week in Russia. Americans believe their president should pay attention to global matters, but doing that robs attention from pressing domestic issues.

The working class at home needs a little love from Trump, but are they receiving it?

The presidents approach to health care reform wont do his loyal supporters much good if he cuts coverage for opioid abuse and for pre-existing conditions, as proposed in his health care fix, or by slashing social programs to pad defense spending, as envisioned in his budget outline.

Unless Trump and the GOP can come up with better health care fixes, one observer believes that death rates will rise rapidly among white working class Americans.

The policies that you see seem almost perfectly designed to hurt the very people who voted for him, said Angus Deaton, a Princeton economist who won the Nobel Prize in 2015. Deaton has studied Trumps policies and shared his concerns with The Associated Press.

Deaton believes that Americans are falling deeper into what he labels an epidemic of deaths of despair  those caused by drugs, alcohol and suicide. Such a phenomenon once was centered in Appalachia, but now afflicts much of the nation, according to Deatons follow-up to his 2015 study.

The Sacramento Bee notes in a recent opinion that Deatons updated study confirms that deaths of despair rose most dramatically between 1999 and 2015 for white Americans with a high school degree or less.

For men, the rate rose by 130 percent to 196 per 100,000 and for women by 380 percent to 115 per 100,000.

There are good reasons to believe our new president will make America great again, starting with the creation of good middle-income jobs for the millions of forgotten Americans. His best bet for doing that would be to refocus on domestic matters and not bog down in global conflicts.
In February 2016 Gov. Pete Rickets appointed a task force to address the growing violence in Whiteclay in northwest Nebraska. The task force included two beer store owners, several elected officials, a pastor, the Sheridan County attorney and the county sheriff. Subsequently the task force made six recommendations.

At the top of the list was the need for full-time law enforcement.

The recommendation by itself was an admission that current law enforcement is inadequate.

Thursday at the Nebraska Liquor Control Commissioner hearing a task force member, James Krotz, tried to minimize the task forces recommendation and argued aimlessly that they had adequate law enforcement.

Krotz then acquiesced and acknowledged that Sheridan County doubled the law enforcement budget for 2017, giving the appearance that the elected officials were providing cover for the beer store owners.

Attorney General Natewin Means, the chief law enforcement official of the Ogalala Sioux Tribe, told the committee that Pine Ridge residents were asking her for help with alcohol related crimes being perpetrated in Whiteclay. She told the committee that she does not have any jurisdiction in Whiteclay and there is not any cooperation from Sheridan County officials.

Supporting her testimony was a four-page resolution passed unanimously by the Ogalala Sioux Tribes Executive Committee asking the Nebraska Liquor Control Commissioner to refuse to authorize the re-issuance of off-sale beer licenses at Whiteclay.

With the on-going murder investigation of Sherry Wounded Foot since August 2016, lawlessness in Whiteclay is on the rise. It is in the best interest of Nebraska and Pine Ridge to not reissue the four beer licenses at Whiteclay.

Alan Jacobsen, Lincoln

EDITORS NOTE: The author is a contractor and member of the group Fix Whiteclay.
On a Saturday afternoon in late February, my son and I stood before tiny flickering candles inside the spectacular Bath Abbey in Bath, England. Last July, my mother and my cousin had died, and we had vowed to honor them at some memorable site on this trip. Instinctively, we knew that this was the place.

We had entered this abbey seeking refuge from the chilly drizzle outside, and our mouths fell open. This place was a wonder. Hundreds of other tourists were in there, too, and like them, we gaped and dropped our voices to a whisper.

We meandered up the side aisles, studying its crypts and graves, its two majestic pipe organs and its 62 enormous windows, many of stained glass. On the stone front outside, sculptured angels scrambled up toward heaven. A staircase of 140 steps climbs up to the bell tower.

This 1,400-year-old wonder started as a monastery in the seventh century and became a cathedral in the 10th century. The first English king, King Edgar, was crowned here in 973 A.D.

In 1539, King Henry VIII ordered monasteries dissolved, and the church lay in ruins for 70 years before being resurrected in the 16th century. To Americans who define old as anything a mere 100 years old, this history was sobering.

A kindly white-haired docent stood in the center aisle answering tourists questions. He told me that the church has finally raised enough money to rebuild the floor, which is unstable because 3,000 bodies are buried underneath it. Centuries ago, he said, people were buried beneath churches, without caskets. He said the bodies and the floor have shifted through the years.

Cant you tell its uneven? he asked, curiosity flickering in his friendly eyes. No, I said truthfully.

The next afternoon, we visited Salisbury Cathedral in the town of Salisbury. Long before we got to town we could see its spire, the tallest in Britain, tickling the sky.

This 760-year-old masterpiece, done in Early English Gothic architecture, was built in just 38 years. It has the worlds oldest working clock, built in 1386, and a ceiling that is 404 feet high. It houses one of four surviving copies of the Magna Carta, written in 1215.

We learned that at 3 p.m., the Salisbury Cathedral Choir would perform sacred music to benefit its upcoming trip to San Francisco, so we went. The audience of 300 people was in chairs. Pews were removed 65 years ago.

The 42-member choir processed in and stood regally in a semi-circle in the center of that dark, narrow church. As they sang Bach, Mozart and British composers, I let my eyes soak up this glorious place. I felt blessed to be there.

Few people in Britain go to church regularly. A week earlier, my son and I had gone to Morning Prayer in Londons Westminster Abbey. The entire congregation fit into the choir loft behind the 12-voice male choir. It was unforgettable, but that sparse crowd in one of the worlds most revered churches was troubling.

Most British consider themselves members of the Church of England the way I consider myself an American, but they rarely attend church. Here in the U.S., churches urge us to be buds with God. A few years ago, a church back home in Cleveland removed its traditional picture of a solemn Jesus and hung one of Him laughing.

In Britain, tradition still reigns, and so in holy Bath Abbey, my son and I lit two little candles in memory of my cousin and my mother. Their sweet flames were blessedly tiny. We humans are so small, and the Almighty is so big. I find that comforting.
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Russia seeks UN probe into gas attack in Syria: Putin

From:Xinhua | 2017-04-12 09:29

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Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a U.N. investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country. (Xinhuanet file photo)

MOSCOW, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Russian president Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Moscow would demand a U.N. investigation of the use of chemical weapons in Syria as it expected new provocations with toxic agents in the war-torn Middle East country.

"We intend to officially address a relevant UN structure in the Hague and call on the international community to investigate thoroughly this incident, and to take a balanced decision depending on the results of the investigation," Putin said at a joint press conference with Italian President Sergio Mattarella.

A reported April 4 toxic gas attack in Syria's rebel-held Idlib Province in northwestern Syria killed at least 70 civilians and wounded scores of others.

Numerous Western powers, including the United States, blamed the government of Bashar al-Assad of the attack.

The Syrian government denied possession of chemical weapons, while the Russian Defense Ministry accused Syrian rebels of producing toxic agents in a depot which exploded under a strike by Syrian warplanes and caused the contamination.

The United States launched last Thursday 59 cruise missiles against a Syrian air base, from which airplanes allegedly carrying chemical weapons took off.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that nine civilians, including four children, were killed and about 10 others were wounded in the attack.

Putin said Moscow had information from different sources that such "provocations" were being prepared in other regions of Syria including in southern outskirts of the capital Damascus, where "some substances" would be thrown in and the official Syrian authorities would be blamed for their use.

Putin said that the developments reminded him of the events of 2003, when representatives of the United States demonstrated in the UN Security Council toxic substances, allegedly found in Iraq to justify an invasion in that country.

"After this the military campaign began in Iraq, which ended in a destruction of the country, an increase of the terrorist threat and the appearance of the Islamic State (IS) in the international scene," Putin said.

Mattarella said at the press conference that Rome maintained the necessity of finding a solution for the Syrian crisis "on the basis of a dialogue at different levels between the Syrian parties, between regional players and within the international community".

He also expressed hope that Moscow and other powers would be able to use their influence to avoid repetition of gas attacks in Syria.

"Of cause it is necessary to find the guilty and persecute them. We hope that what has happened will make all the participants in the crisis, including the most influential, do everything in their power to overcome the current intolerable situation," Mattarella said speaking through an interpreter.

The press conference took place as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
U.S. Marine soldiers patrol during the U.S.-South Korea joint Exercise Operation Pacific Reach in Pohang, South Korea, Tuesday, April 11, 2017. North Korea is vowing tough counteraction to any military moves that might follow the U.S. move to send the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier and its battle group to waters off the Korean Peninsula. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
CBRC to tighten banking supervision

From:Shanghai Daily | 2017-04-11 10:19

China's banking regulator will tighten supervision on a wide range of banking operations from granting credit to Internet finance, signaling strong rules will be issued to curb systematic financial risks to the sector.



The China Banking Regulatory Commission released a guideline yesterday, asking banking institutions to prevent risks in 10 key areas, including beefing up risk management over credit, curbing excessive credit in the property sector, controlling investment in bond products, and cleaning the fraudulent online peer-to-peer lending business.

Risk prevention should be put higher on the agenda, the CBRC said. We should keep watch and resolve those highlighted risks to avoid any appearance of systematic risks.

The regulator also warned that institutions that breach the law will be punished.

The guideline came after 17 institutions, including Xinda Asset Management Co, Ping An Bank, China Merchants Bank and Bank of Communications, faced fines and were warned for indulging in irregular arbitrage, illegal transactions and improper fees or charges.

It was the first guidance filed after Guo Shuqing, former head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, took the helm of the banking watchdog.
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Premier Li Keqiang met with Japans former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yohei Kono, who led a delegation of Japanese businesspeople, on April 10 in Beijing.

Kono is also the head of Japans Association for the Promotion of International Trade (JAPIT).

Premier Li said that as this year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations, China is willing to improve the China-Japan relationship, based on the principle of taking history as a mirror and facing forward to the future.

History and practice have proved that only by adhering to the four political documents that China and Japan agreed to and sticking to the general trend of peace, friendship and cooperation can the Sino-Japan relationship maintain a healthy and stable development, the Premier said.

He hoped Japan can walk along with China, see Chinas development as an opportunity and take active policies on China, in order to accumulate positive factors for improving bilateral relations.

Premier Li said that Japanese social organizations, including the Association for the Promotion of International Trade, made positive efforts in promoting the normalization of bilateral diplomatic relations over 40 years ago.

Under the current situation, the Premier told Kono that he hoped the delegation could work to further improve China-Japan relations, promoting mutual cooperation in all fields and enhancing understanding and exchanges between people from both countries.

Kono said the association has been devoted to promoting the development of China-Japan relations through economic cooperation.

Japans economic circle has paid great attention to Chinas development measures and goals, and they are also willing to make continuous efforts to improve bilateral relations and cooperation, he said.
Pinarayi Vijayan has thanked FIFA for acknowledging the state's passion for football by tweeting about the Pullavoor cut-outs.
As if Darren Holdens global trotting schedule isnt already enough for the Mooncoin man, he has now added yet another chapter to his successful career.

The High Kings main man, who has just returned from an extensive theatre tour of the USA.

He has been seen in recent weeks on SKY Channel 389 presenting the brand new show Country Showtime and gaining an army of new admirers across Britain and Ireland.

Holden has been seen interviewing some of Irelands greatest ambassadors of song, including Brian Kennedy, Luan Parle, and the legendary Johnny Logan to name a few.

The show airs on Wednesday at 6pm and is repeated on Thursday at 7.30pm.

Ratings

Ratings for the show in Britain were very favourable with more than 200,000 viewers tuning in to catch Darrens chat show skills, and also hear some of his favourite Country/Folk/Pop music videos.

A music industry veteran, Holden first burst onto the scene in 1989 and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

The High Kings are set to tour the UK, USA, Canada, Germany, The Netherlands and more this year and are one of the most popular Irish exports ever and sell-out where ever thy go around the world.

Their concerts still features Holdens show stopping version of The Town I Loved so Well, which The New York Times Arts section recently referred to as Spellbinding and Spine chilling.

The band consists of Finbarr Clancy, Brian Dunphy, Martin Furey and Darren Holden.
A few years ago, the adult daughter of a deceased client of Indianapolis estate attorney Brett Carlile showed up in his office, distraught. After her father's death, she discovered he had dozens of credit cards, with debts totaling nearly $40,000. She was stunned. "My dad didnt live like this," she told Carlile.

Usually, when a person dies, his or her estate owes the debt. Estate assets used to repay the debt eat into the amount left for heirs. And, if there's not enough money to cover it, the debt goes unpaid. For unsecured credit card debt, children typically don't inherit a parent's unpaid balance, regardless of the amount or purpose of the spending, says April Kuehnhoff, staff attorney with the National Consumer Law Center (opens in new tab). Only a child who is a joint holder on the credit card would be liable.

Retirement plans with a named beneficiary, such as a child, can't be touched by creditors of the deceased, says Neil Brown, a wealth manager with Burkett Financial Services (opens in new tab), in West Columbia, S.C. But if the deceased parent named the estate as beneficiary of an IRA or 401(k), creditors can take first crack at it to collect the late parent's debts, he says.

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For a parent's federal student loan or Parent Plus loan (opens in new tab), the outstanding debt is canceled upon death, says Mark Kantrowitz, a financial aid expert with Cappex.com (opens in new tab), a college search website. But the Education Department recently has required the borrower's estate to pay taxes on the forgiven debt.

For co-signed private student loans, some lenders are calling in the loans even when children are current on payments. Check the loan contract to be sure the lender has the right to do so. They may try to charge the entire balance against the parent's estate, or attempt to collect it from the co-signer heir.

If your parent dies with a mortgage and you want to keep the house, you can try to arrange to take over the payments. Or you can sell, pay off the balance and pocket any profit. If the house is worth less than the mortgage amount, the creditor is left with the unpaid debt, not you, says Theresa Pulley Radwan, a professor at Stetson University College of Law.
Amid all the talk of pension plans' demise, one type of defined-benefit plan is growing fast. The trend may be a boon for older business owners who are behind on retirement savings--but it can also upend the retirement plans of long-term pension participants who are converted to new "cash balance" plans.

Cash-balance plans are like traditional defined-benefit pension plans with a 401(k) twist. As in a traditional pension plan, investments are professionally managed and participants are promised a certain benefit at retirement. But that promised benefit is stated as a 401(k)-style account balance, rather than as a monthly income stream.

Retirement savers may see the plans as a blessing or a bane--depending on how they've fared with 401(k)s or traditional pension plans. Those currently relying on 401(k)s may find that the addition of a cash-balance plan slashes their tax bills and pumps up a sagging nest egg. Those who depend on generous traditional pension plans are less enthusiastic.

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Many older business owners are turning to these plans to turbocharge their retirement savings. Cash-balance plans have generous contribution limits that increase with age. People 60 and older can sock away well over $200,000 annually in pretax contributions. In 401(k)s, total employer and employee contributions for those 50 and older are limited to $57,500.

Many boomer business owners have "directed assets into the growth of the business and haven't done a fantastic job saving for retirement," says Meghan Elwell, vice-president for quantitative analysis and research at investment-management firm Sage Advisory Services. In terms of tax-advantaged savings, she says, a cash-balance plan offers "such a huge bang for your buck."

Some large corporations and state governments, meanwhile, are setting up cash-balance plans as they seek to rein in the cost of traditional pensions. Eastman Kodak announced in July that it would shift participants in its traditional pension plan to a cash-balance plan starting next year, saying the move would reduce its pension benefit obligations by about $55 million. And states including Kansas and Kentucky have recently passed legislation establishing new cash-balance plans for public employees.

But longtime employees who have accumulated substantial benefits in a traditional pension plan may find that conversion to a cash-balance plan triggers a troubling benefit cut. One reason: While traditional pension benefits tend to be based on a participant's final working years, when salary generally peaks, cash-balance benefits are based on all working years, including those when earnings were lowest.

Morris Shockley, 66, has seen the pros and cons firsthand. As vice-president and treasurer of Hollenbeck Palms, a continuing-care retirement community in Los Angeles, he saw the organization's traditional pension plan sinking under ever-expanding liabilities during the financial crisis. To right the ship, Hollenbeck froze the pension plan and established a new cash-balance plan that took effect in 2009.

The move produced much-needed cost savings and helped the retirement community survive the recession without laying off workers, he says. But it also slashed benefits, Shockley says, noting his own benefits were cut roughly 15%. Although Shockley had once planned to retire at 66, that goal is on hold. "Right now I have no plans to retire," he says.

Supercharging Retirement Savings

It's a different story for many small employers who have turned to cash-balance plans after finding that their own or their workers' 401(k) plans are coming up short. These plans, which held $858 billion in 2012, account for 25% of all defined-benefit plans, up from about 3% in 2001, according to retirement-plan consulting firm Kravitz Inc. The number of cash-balance plans grew 22% in 2012, the latest data available, Kravitz says. Baby boomers who are sole proprietors or partners in medical, legal and other professional groups account for much of the growth, plan consultants say.

Dr. Robert Master, a retired cardiologist in Palo Alto, Cal., helped set up a cash-balance plan for his medical group in 2000, after a review of his fellow doctors' 401(k) accounts left him "quite concerned," he says. Given the area's high housing costs, some doctors weren't maxing out their 401(k)s, and others got clobbered in the dot-com stock crash, he says. Even for doctors on the brink of retirement, "the balances to me seemed inadequate," says Master, 63.

Today, doctors in the group's cash-balance plan "give me high-fives," Master says. If you take full advantage of both the cash-balance plan and the 401(k), he adds, "you'll have enough money to retire without taking excessive risks."

Whether they are running one-man operations or have a handful of employees, older business owners making more than $250,000 a year may be ideal candidates to establish a cash-balance plan. Plan contributions reduce adjusted gross income, resulting in potentially significant tax savings for people "waking up to this plethora of new taxes" that kicked in last year, says Kravitz president Daniel Kravitz. Those include a new levy on net investment income and higher payroll tax.

Business owners should expect to make cash-balance contributions for rank-and-file employees amounting to roughly 5% to 8% of pay, compared with the 3% contribution that's typical in a 401(k) plan. Participant accounts also receive an annual "interest credit," which may be a fixed rate, such as 5%, or a variable rate, such as the 30-year Treasury rate. At retirement, participants can take an annuity based on their account balance. Many plans also offer a lump sum, which can be rolled into an IRA or another employer's plan.

The plans can be more costly to employers than 401(k) plans, in part because an actuary must certify each year that the plan is properly funded, Kravitz says. Typical costs include $2,000 to $5,000 in setup fees, $2,000 to $10,000 in annual administration fees, and investment-management fees ranging from 0.25% to 1% of assets.

For many older business owners, the tax advantages that come with plowing six-figure annual contributions into the plans far outweigh such costs. For a 55-year-old, for example, the cash-balance contribution limit is $166,000, while a 65-year-old's limit is $225,000.
In response to geopolitical tension on two fronts, gold is trading dramatically higher today. As of 3 oclock Eastern Standard Time, gold futures (June contract) are trading $22 higher at 1276. This comes in response to statements made by the North Korean media, which have contributed to raising US-North Korea tensions. The second factor is the rising tension between the United States and Russia, as the United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson meets with his counterpart in Russia.

Tillerson Plays Hardball and Draws a Line in the Sand

In his first visit as Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow today to meet with his diplomatic counterpart. Per the State Department, Tillerson warned that Russia, must choose to side with the U.S. or the Assad regime, which he calls an "unreliable partner."

In a seven-minute statement today on C-SPAN, Tillerson went on to say, It is also clear Russia has failed to uphold the agreements that have been entered into under multiple Security Council resolutions. These agreements stipulated Russia as a guarantor of a Syria free of chemical weapons, that they would also locate, secure, and destroy all such armaments in Syria.

Stockpiles in continued use demonstrate that Russia has failed on its responsibility to deliver on its 2013 commitment. It is unclear whether Russia failed to take this responsibility seriously, or Russia has been incompetent. But this distinction doesnt much matter to the dead. We cant let this happen again.

Secretary of State Tillerson has entered his most complex meeting yet as he seeks to convince the Russians to choose the United States over the Assad regime. He has left little room for negotiation in his statement that, Russia must choose to side with the US.

North Korea Threatens Nuclear Strike on the United States

As reported by multiple news sources yesterday, a U.S. Navy strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, was making its way toward the Korean Peninsula on Sunday. Today, North Korea responded through their state media by warning that they would respond with a nuclear attack on the United States at the first sign of American aggression.

As reported by Reuters, North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the country was prepared to respond to any aggression by the United States.

Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theater but also in the U.S. mainland."

The fact of the matter is that the geopolitical tension based on both political hotspots will not be resolved overnight, as both North Korea and Syria have acted in this manner for an extended period. Moreover, both China, regarding North Korea, and Russia, regarding Syria, have yet to offer solutions to resolve these crisis hotspots. Without their collective input into both conflicts, it is hard to imagine a peaceful resolution to either Syria or North Korea.

As such, we could continue to see gold, as a safe haven asset, rise in value. Based on our current studies, we now see technical support at 1264 and resistance at 1300. If gold continues this trajectory, our upside target is 1327.

For those who would like more information, simply use this link to go to our website, or to sign up for a free trial.

Wishing you as always, good trading,
By Tom Bergin

LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - Interbank messaging service SWIFT, which is used to transfer trillions of dollars between banks every day, will launch a new tool to spot fraudulent messages, seeking to restore trust in the system after millions of dollars were stolen in cyber raids.

Belgium-based SWIFT said on Wednesday that it will offer clients a service that will be able to learn a user bank's messaging patterns so that it can spot if a payment is being made to an unusual counterparty or for an unusual amount.

Last year $81 million was stolen from Bangladesh's central bank after thieves hacked into its SWIFT system and sent instructions to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to pay money from Bangladesh Bank's account to parties in Asia.

SWIFT was criticised last year by some users and industry players for failing to beef up security on its system even as the risk of cyber attacks increased and the network expanded to include smaller institutions with more lax security procedures. Though SWIFT launched a range of new security measures and services in September, the latest product -- due to be introduced early next year -- will "red-flag", or put on hold, payment instructions that exceed limits set by clients or are deemed anomalous by the system's learning software. "The new payment controls service is a direct response to our community's request for additional services to complement and strengthen existing fraud controls," SWIFT Chairman Yawar Shah said.

Luc Meurant, SWIFT's head of financial crime compliance services, told Reuters that the service would be targeted initially at institutions and central banks with small messaging volumes because they might not be able to afford to develop such detection tools themselves.

He said the service could cost small users as little as 10,000 euros a year, though prices have yet to be finalised.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Banks tighten SWIFT system security after hacks SPECIAL REPORT-Not so SWIFT: Bank messaging system slow to address weak points ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Editing by David Goodman)
(Kitco News) - Gold prices are modestly up and hit another five-month high in early U.S. trading Wednesday. The yellow metal is boosted by safe haven demand amid a rise in geopolitical tensions and from chart-based buying due to an increasingly bullish technical posture. Silver bulls are also back in business as prices this week have made a solid rebound from recent selling pressure.June Comex gold was last up $3.10 an ounce at $1,277.30. May Comex silver was last up $0.101 at $18.355 an ounce.

Geopolitical risks are still keeping traders and investors worldwide tentative, and thats bullish for gold. The U.S. Navy has warships headed for waters off the Korean peninsula. North Korea has vowed to retaliate. President Trump has just tweeted: North Korea is looking for trouble. Meantime, U.S. and Russian government officials are meeting Wednesday to discuss the Syrian government. The U.S. wants Syrian leader Assad out, while the Russians support him.

The key outside markets on Wednesday morning see the U.S. dollar index trading near steady. The greenback bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Meantime, Nymex crude oil prices are firmer and near a four-week high. The oil bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage.



U.S. economic data due for release Wednesday includes the weekly MBA mortgage applications survey, import and export prices, the monthly Treasury budget statement and the weekly DOE liquid energy stocks report.

(Note: Follow me on Twitter--@jimwyckoff--for breaking market news.)

Technically, June gold futures bulls have the firm overall near-term technical advantage. Bulls next upside near-term price breakout objective is to produce a close above solid technical resistance at $1,300.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is closing prices below solid technical support at this weeks low of $1,248.20. First resistance is seen at the overnight high of $1,281.80 and then at $1,290.00. First support is seen at $1,268.10 and then at $1,264.20. Wyckoffs Market Rating: 6.5

May silver bulls have regained upside momentum and have the overall near-term technical advantage. Silver bulls next upside price breakout objective is closing futures prices above solid technical resistance at the February high of $18.54 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at $17.50. First resistance is seen at last weeks high of $18.49 and then at $18.54. Next support is seen at $18.00 and then at this weeks low of $17.735. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 6.0.
(Kitco News) - Gold prices rallied by several dollars an ounce in late-afternoon trading Wednesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that the U.S. dollar "is getting too strong." Gold futures ended the U.S. day session with modest gains but shot to a high of $1,285.70 in after-hours trading, basis June Comex futures, after Trump's remarks to the press. June gold was last up $9.10 an ounce at $1,283.40. By Jim Wyckoff For Kitco News Follow @jimwyckoff www.kitco.com

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
ULAANBAATAR, April 12 (Reuters) - Mongolia's foreign trade surplus hit $523.7 million in the first quarter of the year, up 45.5 percent from the same period in 2016, the country's statistics office said on Wednesday.

The increase was driven by a 446 percent surge in coal trade, which reached $541.3 million over the period, while total mineral exports were up 58 percent, the National Statistical Office said. Minerals represented 89.2 percent of Mongolia's total exports over the period.

Mongolia's trade surplus for the whole of 2016 stood at $1.56 billion, up 79 percent on the year.

But an economic slowdown caused by dwindling foreign investment and declining commodity prices turned into a full-blown crisis last year as Mongolia's currency, the tugrik, plummeted.

Amid concerns it would be unable to repay debt, the country agreed a $5.5 billion bailout with the International Monetary Fund and other partners in February.

The ruling Mongolian People's Party has blamed the country's economic woes on the previous government's expansionist fiscal policies. It is attempting to reverse course with policies aimed at curbing government spending and attracting foreign investment, especially in its lucrative natural resources.

Despite plans to raise taxes and cut spending, the MPP has a narrow lead in public support ahead of presidential elections set for June 26, according to a survey published this week by the Sant Maral Foundation, a Mongolian polling organisation.

The MPP was setting Mongolia in the "right direction", 35.9 percent of respondents said, while 28.3 percent said it was taking the country in the "wrong direction".

Candidates for the presidential election have not yet been announced. Incumbent Tsakhia Elebegdorj of the Democratic Party will step down after completing his maximum two terms in office.

(Reporting by Terrence Edwards; Editing by David Stanway and Susan Thomas)
(Kitco News) - With geopolitical tensions rising now is the time to have a strategic allocation in gold, according to Jim Cramer, host of Mad Money and co-founder of TheStreet.com.

According to some analysts one major factor that helped gold break through near-term resistance and soar to a new five-month high is because of growing geopolitical risk, with investors search for safe-haven assets. In particular tensions are rising among China and North Korea after a U.S. Navy strike group was sent to the area and following tweets from President Donald Trump..

North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! U.S.A.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 11, 2017

The TV personality and former hedge fund manager, said Wednesday that he likes gold in this environment.

"If you're going to talk about North Korea and put it on the burner and put it in a Twitter comment about how North Korea has to watch it [as Trump recently did], then suddenly what you're going to see is something -- which is that gold is much more attractive than people realize," Cramer said in an interview with TheStreet.com.

"I have to tell you, I've always believed that people should own at least 10% of their assets in gold," he added. "There is no time like the present to buy gold."

June gold futures last traded at $1,276.40 an ounce, up 0.17% on the day.
By Krishna V Kurup

April 12 (Reuters) - Most Southeast Asian stocks rose on Wednesday, but brewing geopolitical tensions kept a lid on gains, with Singapore headed for a second straight day of losses.

The heightened geopolitical risks have dampened an otherwise brightening outlook for global economic growth, led by the United States, encouraging momentum in export-reliant Asia. North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression, as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific. Japan's navy also plans joint drills with the U.S. force, sources told Reuters. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Moscow to denounce Russian support for Syria's Bashar al-Assad, raising the stakes in the Middle East.

Investors in Southeast Asian markets have factored in the geopolitical risks, said Rachelle Cruz, a research analyst with AP Securities.

"That is one of the reasons why foreign inflows have been strong for the emerging markets," she added.

Thai shares rose as much as 0.4 percent to hit a two-month high, boosted by energy and telecom shares.

Thai energy company PTT Pcl rose 0.5 percent as a rise in oil prices gave support, while mobile operator Advanced Info Service Pcl gained 0.9 percent. Indonesian shares were also up, with the index of the country's 45 most liquid stocks gaining 0.3 percent. Natural gas utility PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (Persero) rose 3.7 percent.

Singapore shares fell as much as 0.3 percent, with telecom stocks the biggest drag on the benchmark. Singapore Telecommunications Ltd dropped 1.8 percent.

Vietnam fell as much as 0.6 percent, with consumer stocks biggest decliners.

"Market has reached a plateau as short-term technical indicators suggest it is mildly overbought," said Fiachra Mac Cana, head of research at Ho Chi Minh Securities.

"Minor movements suggests a very mixed view with some investors happy to buy on dips as they expect a positive Q1 earnings season and good news on FOL (foreign ownership limit) from some companies at the upcoming AGMs (annual general meeting)."

For Asian Companies click; SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS :Change at 0510 GMT

Market Current Prev close Pct Move Singapore 3170.35 3174.75 -0.14 Bangkok 1586.1 1582.78 0.21 Manila 7623.3 7601.4 0.29 Jakarta 5643.873 5627.933 0.28 Kuala Lumpur 1737.45 1735.84 0.09 Ho Chi Minh 727.29 731.33 -0.55

Change on year Market Current End 2016 Pct Move Singapore 3170.35 2880.76 10.05 Bangkok 1586.1 1542.94 2.80 Manila 7623.3 6840.64 11.4 Jakarta 5643.873 5296.711 6.55 Kuala Lumpur 1737.45 1641.73 5.83 Ho Chi Minh 727.29 664.87 9.4

(Reporting by Krishna V Kurup in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Urvashi Goenka; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri)
HANOI, April 12 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0753 GMT.

April 12 USD/VND mid-point 22,321 USD/VND interbank 22,670/22,675 USD/VND unofficial 22,665/22,680 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.52/36.74

Interbank offered rates Overnight 4.6-5.1

1 week 4.7-5.2

1 month 4.8-5.15

3 months 4.9-5.2 NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016, the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
A foreigner-only information booth has opened at the Busan South District office. / Courtesy of Busan South District office



By Eom Da-sol

A Busan district has opened an information booth to help foreign residents who face language difficulties when handling administrative affairs.

Languages available at the booth are Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese, according to the Busan South District office.

Foreign residents can seek help for any administrative issue, including registration of marriage or residence. The service is free and the booth is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays.

"The booth will improve foreign residents' adaptation to Korea," a district official said.

Busan, Korea's second-largest city, is experiencing an increase in foreign residents. An estimated 58,000 foreigners lived in the city last year, up from 22,000 in 2007, according to the Busan Development Institute.
By Kim Rahn

Moon Jae-in

Moon Jae-in, the presidential candidate of the liberal Democratic Party of Korea, said the candlelit protests against former President Park Geun-hye were a signal for a new Korea, a fairer and more just country.

In the Korea Forum 2017, hosted by the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times, Wednesday, Moon said the civic rallies at Gwanghwamun Square helped him find answers about how to change the country after the presidential corruption scandal.

"The square, full of candles lit by 16 million citizens, was the beginning point of a new Korea," Moon said in the congratulatory speech during the forum, which was held at the Lotte Hotel Seoul under the theme of "How to Change Korea."

"Citizens wish for a fairer and more just country. Now we have to realize popular sovereignty in the political, economic and social sectors," he said.

For the goal, the candidate said the country needs a new order where people with vested rights and privileges will not rule anymore, and people without them will not suffer.

"We have to get rid of inequality, unfairness, and corruption. In politics, we have to achieve a democratic republic which truly belongs to the people. Socially, people should be given fair chances. In the economy, not only the rich and large conglomerates but also all people should enjoy growth together. This is the new look of a just Korea," he said.

Noting that the nation is working through a historic crisis, Moon said he would make efforts to build a Korea which can improve people's lives. "If I'm elected, I'll start with reviving the economy and creating jobs. I'll use all the national capacity to create good jobs by making sound policies and using as much of the budget as possible," he said.

"I'd like to make a country where people can have stable jobs, a just nation where democracy is realized in everyday life. I'll communicate with the people to achieve reform and national unity."
Ahn to give up Assembly seat to focus on election



By Kim Hyo-jin



Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Moon Jae-in vowed Wednesday to provide "maximum" support for foreign investors, if he is elected.



"I promise as much support as possible for foreign investors to help them do business in a better environment and attract their investments," Moon said during a speech at a meeting with leaders of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea and the European Chamber of Commerce in Korea.



Moon's pledge came as security concerns on the Korean Peninsula are deepening due to North Korea's nuclear development and the U.S.'s increasingly confrontational stance.



"I have confidence in reviving the Korean economy. You will have the best chance of investing in Korea," he said.

Moon pointed out the country's foreign direct investment rate falls short of the average of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member nations, calling "heavy regulations, inflexibility in the labor market, and concerns about violations of intellectual property rights" as major stumbling blocks.



Stressing the need to renew business policies, he vowed to seek deregulation, administrative transparency and policy consistency.



"I will adopt the principle of encouraging autonomy and minimum regulations," he said. "I'm determined to create an innovative investment environment so you'd choose Korea before any other country in the world."



He continued, "I will make sure of better defending national security with closer cooperation with our allies, especially based on the strong alliance with the U.S."













Earlier in the day, Moon unveiled his economic policy, centered on fiscal expansion aimed to stimulate the country's staggering economy.



In the plan, nicknamed "J-nomics," he vowed to increase the country's fiscal spending to an annual average of 7 percent, from an average of 3.5 percent year-on-year.



Though he said the spending will come from a natural rise in tax revenue over a five-year period, he still did not rule out the option of tax hikes.



"I will pursue this plan in a way to keep any increases in national debt as low as possible. Fifty trillion won will be financed from a natural rise in five-year tax revenue," he said during a press conference at the DPK's building.



"If short, I will cover it with adjusting the effective rate of corporate tax, expanding policy funds, and reducing unnecessary state projects. If still short, I intend to seek public consensus for a tax rise."



Moon also vowed to have a supplementary budget drafted once a new government is formed. But he did not specify its amount.



Questions remain whether he can get an envisioned budget bill passed with the approval of warring camps in the National Assembly. Given the DPK holds 119 of 300 Assembly seats, even if Moon takes office, it is inevitable to require cooperation with the opposition parties.



Meanwhile, Moon's rival Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party made a bid to attract more support, deciding to "give up his parliamentary seat when registering his candidacy on April 15." "Ahn views it as responsible to do so as a presidential candidate," an aide said.



Later in the day, Ahn met with university students at Korea University and pledged to create a new business structure in preparation for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.



The IT expert-turned-politician promised he will create jobs and revitalize the labor market, mindful of young voters concerned about the soaring unemployment rate and job insecurity.
By Choi Ha-young

Three liberal presidential candidates vowed to hold a referendum on constitutional revision in June next year, along with the local elections if they win the presidential poll, Wednesday.

They made the remarks while attending a National Assembly committee meeting on revising the Constitution.

Moon Jae-in of the Democratic Party of Korea, Ahn Cheol-soo of the People's Party and Sim Sang-jung of the Justice Party all said they are open to revising the Constitution to limit presidential power.

They shared views on limiting excessive presidential authority, empowering local governments and reforming the election system. However, they disagreed on how to reform the "imperial" presidential system.

"The U.S.-style four-year, two-term presidency is a measure to overcome the evils caused by the single-term presidency. This will enable a long-term governance plan with accountability and stability," Moon said.

Ahn emphasized the reform of the rule to elect lawmakers, in a bid to facilitate the multiparty system. Instead, he proposed a semi-presidential system or presidential system with decentralized authority.

Echoing Ahn's argument to dismiss the hegemony of the two largest parties, Sim focused on advocacy for workers and social minorities, in line with citizens' calls from the street rallies against corrupt leadership and family-run conglomerates.

Two conservative candidates, Rep. Yoo Seong-min of the Bareun Party and Hong Joon-pyo of the former ruling Liberty Korea Party (LKP) didn't attend the meeting citing personal schedules. Instead, Hong submitted his opinion in a written statement.












By Jung Min-ho







The number of Chinese tourists to Korea has fallen sharply after China's government started its retaliation over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here.



The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) announced a series of measures Wednesday to curb this trend and turn the crisis into an opportunity.



The retaliation has proven to be more damaging to the country's tourism than the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome outbreak, according to the KTO. The number of Chinese tourists dropped by 63.6 percent between March 16 and April 9 (expected), compared with the same period last year.



The KTO thinks that the total number of Chinese visitors at the end of this year may not reach 4 million, which is less than half of last year's 8.07 million. If the estimation becomes a reality, the economic loss is expected to be about 1.3 trillion won ($1.1 billion).



"Given how dependent Korea's tourism industry is on China, the retaliation certainly is a grave threat," Park Jung-ha, the KTO's international marketing director, said.



In response to this, the KTO will promote the country's tourist destinations more to Koreans, who would otherwise travel abroad.



The number of Koreans flying overseas on vacation has increased sharply over the past few years. The KTO plans to cooperate with regional governments across the country to develop tourism content, offer promotional events to change their destinations to places in Korea.



As part of this effort, the KTO said it has been studying policie of other countries in order to financially support Koreans who travel within their own country.



The KTO will also focus on attracting Japanese tourists. Last year, about 2.3 million Japanese visited Korea, a 25 percent increase from the previous year. The target number for this year is 3 million.



A promotional campaign, "My First Korea," will be conducted in 18 Japanese prefectures. The KTO will also beef up promotional activities via social media to especially target Japanese women in their 20s and 30s.



By August, the KTO plans to establish an online platform, in which tourists can search information, make reservations and pay for all kinds of tourist services in their own languages with other benefits. The KTO will use artificial intelligence to develop programs, which can help them find what they need based on big data.



The organization will also try to create a more friendly and convenient environment for tourists from Southeast Asian countries.



The economic fallout on tourism from the anti-missile Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) has become increasingly serious and could still get worse.



The shock came after the China National Tourism Administration ordered travel agencies to suspend organizing group and individual trips to Korea.



Woo, who began working at the division in May 2014 and was promoted to secretary in February 2015, remained there for 20 months until he resigned in October last year, following the emergence of the influence-peddling scandal that centered around Choi Soon-sil.



Woo is known to have received outstanding evaluations from Park especially for effectively controlling the prosecution  and by extension the police  using his connections as a former prosecutor.



Woo had telephone conversations on over 1,000 occasions with high-ranking justice ministry officials, all of whom are his friends, both before and after the corruption scandal broke out. The figures include Prosecutor General Kim Soo-nam, Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office head Lee Young-ryeol and the senior justice ministry official overseeing the prosecution Ahn Tae-keun. They all denied any wrongdoing claiming the conversations were about official duties, not personal favors.



Meanwhile, the prosecution has come under criticism yet again, for failing to include the charge of obstructing the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office into alleged malfeasance of the Coast Guard in the Sewol ferry sinking in 2014 to minimize the blowback on the Park administration. It also failed to include the charge of his personal corruption including embezzlement of his family-owned company Jeonggang, a move indicating the prosecution's unwillingness to hold him to a scrupulous standard.




















The "Nation's MC" Yoo Jae Suk recently expressed his support for Minzy's upcoming solo debut. On April 11, Minzy uploaded a photo of Yoo Jae Suk holding a written message for the former 2NE1 member.

According to Soompi, Yoo Jae Suk's handwritten message said "Minzy, I sincerely congratulate you on your comeback ~ Minzy! Go get it! Fighting! Come on!" In her caption, Minzy thanked the "Running Man" MC and even called him "oppa".

Also, "Sister's Slam Dunk Season 2" hosts and members expressed their support for Minzy. The former 2NE1 member is set to release her first solo album on Monday, April 17 at 12nn KST.

In other news, it has been recently revealed that Yoo Jae Suk has been secretly donating money to senior citizens living alone in Korea. Yoo Jae Suk has been doing the same act of kindness for 10 years now, as previously reported.

An insider closely related to Yoo Jae Suk stated that he has been donating the money to the welfare group "The Beautiful Foundation". The organization then disseminates the money to the old people living alone in South Korea.

Yoo Jae Suk's donations helps the elderlies sustain their daily living - food, clothes, and especially medicine. He has helped more than a thousand elderlies for the past 10 years.

The insider also revealed that the "Nation's MC" wanted to keep his donations a secret. Therefore, the amount of money Yoo Jae Suk has donated over the years cannot be estimated.

Yoo Jae Suk has also donated to the Korean comfort women during World War II, and to the victims of the Seomun Market fire. He has also donated to the families of the victims of the Sewol Ferry capsizing in 2014.

Also, earlier this year in February, Yoo Jae Suk participated in the unveiling of his wax figure in Seoul's Grevin Museum. Yoo Jae Suk was the first Korean TV personality to have the honor of having his image replicated in wax.
Lee Min Ho and Suzy Bae might have already been immune to all of the rumors and speculations that clouded their relationship. Now, rumors continue to seep through them as Lee Min Ho has just revealed a shocking statement.

Even though the couple has just celebrated their second year anniversary of being a couple, a new issue once again ravages them due to a recent statement released by Lee Min Ho. Now, rumors and speculations that point out to the possible breakup and split of the celebrity couple have resurfaced. This time, the reason for speculated split is Song Hye Kyo.

According to Celebeat, Lee Min Ho surprisingly revealed in an interview with ISplus that Song Hye Kyo is her ideal type of girl to work with. And because of it, he hopes that they will work together in the future.

In the statement that the actor released, he refers to Song Hye Kyo as her ideal type because of her elegant and classic personality and outlook when it comes to acting. He also describes Song Hye Kyo as being very talented in acting.

However, according to Korea Portal, he says that even though he is excited that they will work together in the future, he also confirms that he is nervous to work with her. He further adds that he will learn a lot when they work together in a future project.

Because of this, speculations have it that Song Hye Kyo might be more likely to become the leading lady of Lee Min Ho in "The Heirs 2", instead of Park Shin Hye. And obviously, with the recent statements that Lee Min Ho revealed, Suzy Bae is surely not happy with it.

Even though he might obviously mean his admiration and praise of Song Hye Kyo in a professional way, it still sounds more of like a personal interest. Whichever the case is, he surely has a serious explaining to do to his girlfriend, Suzy Bae.
K-pop superstars EXO celebrated their fifth anniversary in style fit for international celebrities, all because their international EXO-L's have spared no expense in proclaiming their love for their beloved K-pop group. EXO-L, the official fandom of EXO, reportedly spent $1-$4 million to showcase anniversary greetings for the group on New York's Times Square.

According to a report by SBS Pop Asia, EXO-Ls from around the world pooled their resources to fund the initiative to rent 11 Times Square billboards, most notably the massive Reuters Billboard at the center of Times Square to feature greetings, photos and videos by EXO. The billboards also featured messages of love in different languages to highlight the solid support of the fandom for EXO from all around the globe.

According to a report by Kpopstarz, the initiative was initially announced by EXO Baidu Bar from China, which was cascaded to EXO-L chapters around the globe. It was a major undertaking that required a lot of effort and funding. The fact that the move originated from China, where Korean content is now being banned because of a political conflict borne by newly implemented defense policy implemented by Korea - made the effort more meaningful for EXO. The Times Square billboards could well be the most expensive gift that a fandom has ever given their idols to date.

The initiative was made by EXO-Ls to bring the world's attention to the K-pop group which recently celebrated their fifth debut anniversary. EXO members also revealed a surprise of their own on the eve of their anniversary as they made a surprise VLIVE broadcast from Macau to share their love and gratitude for the fans who have helped them become the successful K-pop group that they are. On the actual day of EXO's anniversary, fans catapulted their old hits to the top of Korean charts anew and trended #5YearsWithEXO worldwide on Twitter.
In Case You Missed It:

Here's our original story from April, 2017 outlining the changes the Municipality of Anchorage is making to the People Mover bus routes. The route changes take effect Monday, Oct. 23.

Original Story:

The Municipality of Anchorage rolled out its new bus system plan Tuesday, to take effect in October of this year. It cuts out some routes, but increases frequency on others, and includes smaller buses for what it's calling "neighborhood routes".

Director of Public Transportation, Abul Hassan, announced the changes at a press conference at the People Mover maintenance shop.

The new system adds four routes that it calls "frequent service" areas. They will have a bus arriving every 15 minutes on week days, and every 30 minutes on weekends.

Those frequent service areas are on Northern Lights, Mountain View, Debarr and in West Anchorage covering Spenard and the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.

Some areas cut out of the route map include the Old Seward Highway, Northern Lights Boulevard west of Minnesota Drive, which included Wisconsin Street, Fireweed Lane in Midtown and 36th Avenue West of Lake Otis.

Bus riders south of Dimond will only have service during rush hour, and it will only be one-way in and out of town depending on the direction of the rush. That commuter service will also stay in effect in the Eagle River area.

In East Anchorage, some routes along Boniface, Checkmate, Baxter, and through the Nunaka Valley neighborhood will be cut out, but other parts of the area will see new "Neighborhood Routes," which will use smaller buses.

Channel 2 News asked frequent bus riders what they thought of the pending change:

I think that having express routes is a good idea and we dont need to go through those neighborhoods every bus trip but I dont think its necessarily, because of how spread out Anchorage is, to cut those routes out completely, said Robyn McKerley.

Attline Goen wants to the see the city invest in more buses to include neighborhood routes. If anything the bus services should have more buses so that the routes can be more frequented but I think that weaving into neighborhoods is extremely important, I mean we have people who are disabled a lot of people that are just reliant on that service thats been there for so long, Goen said.

Hassan, the public transportation director, said the new plan keeps 20-ton buses on major roads, "while transitioning services in residential neighborhoods to smaller, 22-foot vehicles." One of those smaller buses was behind him at the press conference, and is what many people would associate with an airport-type shuttle bus.

The change will also affect hours of service.

Weekday bus routes will have service from 6 a.m. to midnight, with later service to the airport until 2 a.m.

Weekend riders will be able to catch the bus from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The Muni says later Sunday hours to get from work were requested by riders during their public scoping process.
The Lawrence County prosecuting attorney recently filed more charges for misuse of funds against board members and employees of the Buck Prairie Special Road District. This group of charges follows similar charges filed against six people last November. Some of the new charges replace ones filed in November.

The charges came after the State Auditors Office found severe mismanagement in the Buck Prairie Special Road District during an audit that was released last August. Auditors found employees padding their overtime records, taking extra vacation time, putting tires from the district on their personal vehicles, using or taking other automotive equipment, such as jumper cables, paving a road in front of their home, and accepting money for attending meetings.

Terry Hickman,

59, a road district commissioner, was charged on April 7 with:

-- receiving stolen property by claiming $3,290 for attending meetings. The probable cause statement says he received checks on 2/16/2010 for $2,330, on 2/28/2011 for $480, and on 3/26/2012 for $520.

This complaint combines two charges of receiving stolen property filed last November into one charge; the charge is essentially for the same acts as those charged last November. The two charges filed against Hickman in November are no longer pending.

The probable cause statement against Hickman says payments for meeting attendance violate a state law, and other commissioners did not receive compensation for board meetings.

The secretary/treasurer paid each commissioner $40.00 for each monthly. Former board commissioner initially indicated these payments were for attending meeting but later indicated the payments may have been for mileage but no documentation was located for mileage reimbursement, the Lawrence County sheriffs deputys statement says.

Scott Killman,

46, a district employee, was charged on April 7 with:

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $2,225 by claiming 107 hours of overtime pay in 2013;

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $688 for 48 hours of vacation time in 2014; and

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $607 for 44 hours of vacation time in 203.

These appear to be the same or similar to the charges filed against Killman last November. The previous charges are no longer pending.

Terry Metcalf,

48, a road district commissioner, was charged on April 5 with:

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $3,440 for attending board meetings.

The probable cause statement against Metcalf says he received checks on 2/16/201 for $1,920, on 2/28/2011 for $480, on 3/26/2012 for $520, and on 4/29/2013 for $520. It says these payments violate state law, like the payments to board member Hickman.

This charge replaces a charge of receiving stolen property that was filed last November for the same checks after a judge ruled on April 3 that the statute of limitations prevented the charges from going to trial. Theres no explanation about why Prosecuting Attorney Don Trotter refiled the charge on April 5.

Metcalf still faces two other charges of receiving stolen property that were filed in November. Those are for Metcalf writing two district checks to his wife for $1,300 and $3,713 for hauling dirt and rock in 2012 and 2013, after saying at board meetings that he would "donate shot rock and truck to haul it," according to the probable cause statement.

Gene Godwin,

72, a commissioner, was charged on April 5 with:

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $1,440 in 2010 and 2011 for attending board meetings;

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $520 in 2012 for attending board meetings; and

-- receiving stolen property for improperly being paid $1,000 in 2013 for attending board meetings.

The probable cause statement against Godwin says he received checks on 2/16/2010 for $960, on 2/28/2011 for $480, on 3/26/2012 for $520, on 4/29/2013 for $520, and on 12/30/2013 for $480. Like the charges filed against Hickman and Metcalf, the probable cause statement says state law prohibits road district commissioners from being paid for attending board meetings.

Godwin was charged in November with five counts of receiving stolen property. The prosecutor dismissed one of those charges on April 3, and a judge dismissed three others on the same day. The charges filed on April 5 replace those dismissed charges with slightly different amounts listed for the checks that Godwin received for attending meetings.

Godwin still faces one of the five charges filed in November; thats for using $10,968 worth of chip-and-seal material in 2012 on two private roads that he owns. Godwins defense attorney filed a motion on Tuesday for a change of judge and change of venue for that case.

Two other road district employees also were charged last November. Their cases also are pending but one of them could be nearing a resolution.

Austin Morris,

a district employee, was charged in November with:

-- receiving stolen property for buying tires with district funds of $746 for his personal pickup in 2014; and

-- receiving stolen property for falsely claiming 107 hours of overtime worth $2,225 in one two-week period (while also receiving 80 hours of regular pay) in December 2013.

Austin Morris case hasnt had a preliminary hearing, at which a judge would rule whether theres enough evidence for a trial, but a disposition hearing is scheduled for May 1. A defendant sometimes pleads guilty, often in a plea agreement with prosecutors, at a disposition hearing.

Blaine Morris,

a district employee, was charged in November with

-- receiving stolen property for taking 60 hours of vacation time worth $998 in 2014;

-- receiving stolen property for taking 56 hours of vacation time worth $896 in 2013;

-- receiving stolen property for claiming 107 hours of overtime worth $2,676 in two pay periods in December 2013;

-- receiving stolen property for taking $20,865 for hauling and repair fees without soliciting bids between 2010 and 2014;

-- receiving stolen property for buying two tires worth $655 with district funds for his personal loader in 2014;

-- receiving stolen property for buying a rake wheel, jumper cables, personal cell phone services, and repairs for himself worth $4,867 with district funds in 2012, 2013 and 2014;

-- receiving stolen property for buying miscellaneous materials for himself worth $12,852 with district funds in 2012, 2013 and 2014; and

-- receiving stolen property for receiving $7,975 from the district for hauling and repairs in 2010.

A judge on April 3 dismissed count 7 (buying miscellaneous materials worth $12,852) but sent the other seven counts to trial court. Blaine Morris attorney is asking for his case to be moved out of Lawrence County. A hearing on that motion is scheduled for May 7.

-------------

Background: Audit report summary from State Auditor's Office:

August 31, 2016

Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway met with citizens in Marionville, just southwest of Springfield, to discuss the results of an audit of the Buck Prairie Special Road District, located in rural Lawrence County. The audit found the road district's financial condition suffered as a result of overspending, lax controls and little oversight by the board commissioners. In total, Auditor Galloway identified more than $65,000 in questionable and potentially inappropriate spending and payments. An additional $260,000 in payments were not properly documented.

"Special road districts provide a valuable service across Missouri, ensuring roads are safe and passable in the most rural parts of the state," Auditor Galloway said. "However, in this case, the board operated informally, and with little oversight, which created opportunities for errors and misuse of funds. Residents rightfully requested this audit, and my team has identified concerns, and made recommendations to help develop procedures to prevent future losses."

Employees of the road district were allowed to make personal purchases with district charge accounts, operating on a honor system to reimburse the district, and thereby avoiding paying sales tax. In one example, an employee used district funds to purchase tires for his personal vehicle and only reimbursed the district after being questioned about the purchase by local law enforcement officers. In other cases, the district paid employees for repairs or expenses, but did not require or keep any documentation to provide an explanation for the expense. For example, the district reimbursed an employee for airline tickets to Florida without requiring proof of the cost of the tickets or an explanation of how the expense related to the operation of the district.

The board did not solicit bids for major purchases, including payments for rock and dirt hauling services, with no bidding process and no explanation as to why the district-owned dump trucks were not used instead of employees' personal vehicles. More than $20,000 worth of hauling services were purchased from and paid to the board foreman and his business, along with $5,000 worth of services paid directly to the wife of a commissioner, with a check signed by that commissioner, raising concerns about conflicts of interest in payments.

Residents of the district petitioned the Auditor's Office for review after raising concerns related to the road district's management and operations. The audit began last fall, after residents submitted the required signatures to complete the petition process and begin the audit. This is the first state audit for the district, which was created in 1902 to maintain rural roads near the city of Marionville, where the meeting was held.
San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials presented the San Diego City Council Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee with the CityGate study on lifeguard services, April 5, which reviewed and made recommendations on operational, economic and dispatch issues. After the presentation, several lifeguards provided opposing thoughts on the report.

CityGate, which was issued in January, has sparked controversy over one of its recommendations  integrating the lifeguard dispatch and tracking resources into the Fire-Rescue facilities. As a result of the plan, land-water rescues (at rivers, lakes or other inland bodies of water) are first transferred from the 9-1-1 dispatch to a Fire-Rescue dispatcher, who then identifies the best agency to handle the call.

For Fire Chief Brian Fennessy, this change was positive and he said it helped the department deal with the large amount of calls dispatchers usually receive when a large storm hits San Diego. As an example of the improved coordination, he highlighted the swift water rescue performed Feb. 28 at a flooded hotel in Mission Valley. (There were) police officers, fire fighters and lifeguards working together, he said to the Council committee.

But for lifeguards, this change is delaying their everyday work. The most noted incident happened late January at La Jollas Childrens Pool, when the 9-1-1 call was allegedly delayed by five minutes.

City Council member Chris Ward (District 3) asked Fire-Rescue personnel about the changes. Lifeguard Chief Rick Wurts responded that only the inland calls are being transferred to the Fire Department. The change was one of the biggest challenges we had, handling gigantic amounts of calls. Its been a tremendous improvement, he explained.

Lifeguard Sgt. Ed Harris, who is a steward for Teamsters 911 union, told the Light the new policy is confusing, and beach rescues are now being filtered to the Fire-Rescue department. (The policy) wasnt vetted, there was no instruction and no training, and they didnt look at the whole picture, he said, adding that lifeguards agreed to integrate the lifeguard dispatch in the Fire-Rescue Command Center whenever there is a heavy rain event. But thats only two or three days a year, he said.

The lifeguards presentation made clear that the fastest way to process water rescue calls is to send them directly to the lifeguard dispatcher, who then issues a radio call heard by all lifeguards on the field. CityGate does not provide a justification for forcing a caller who needs help to go through three dispatch centers before being connected to the safety personnel who are most equipped to help, the lifeguard presentation concluded.

For District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry, whos a member of the Public Safety & Livable Neighborhoods committee, the change in policies is a seasonal issue mostly geared toward the rain, she said, adding that she was impressed to hear lifeguards perform 9,000 water rescues per year.

Cliff Rescues

Another hot point included in the CityGate report is the recommendation that Fire personnel be alerted and sent to cliff rescues.

This issue is how the Department utilizes the Lifeguard Services Divisions Cliff Rescue personnel and equipment for cliff rescues during daylight hours but then utilizes the Fire Operations Division special rescue personnel at night to provide the same service, the CityGate report reads, It should be the mission of the entire Fire-Rescue Department to send the closest, most appropriate resource and personnel to any emergency, including cliff and inland swift water rescue situations, on a 24/7/365 basis.

But for lifeguards, this policy is a waste of Citys resources. Over the last six years, Lifeguard Services have made approximately 300 coastal cliff rescues utilizing from three to six lifeguards. Of those, Fire-Rescue was needed in only 40 of those rescues, lifeguards claim.

According to the report, the service could also be improved thanks to geographic location emergency technology. Bry showed interest in this upgrade. I have a background as a technology entrepreneur and Im very interested in this. Would you recommend to spend some money to upgrade the operation? she asked lifeguards, adding that they should include the technology upgrade in their budget request.
Who doesnt have a box of old VHS tapes or slides in the closet, filled with images of the new baby, backyard barbecues and other treasured memories?

To bring the information on these obsolete files into the 21st century, the first Memory Lab on the West Coast  and second one in the country  has opened and its located right in La Jollas Riford Library. The Memory Lab opened April 1 with a small ceremony and will henceforth be open in the upstairs history room.

Funded to the tune of more than $10,000 by the La Jolla-based philanthropy group Las Patronas, the Memory Lab features equipment that takes files found on VHS tapes, VHS-C (aka compact VHS tapes), DV (camcorder), Betamax, audio cassettes, floppy disks, along with photos and slides, and digitizes them to modern files that can be readily accessed and preserved.

Unlike for-profit companies that will take your files and update them for a cost, the Librarys Memory Lab will do so for free, thanks to volunteers who will staff the Lab. Branch manager Shaun Briley said the Lab does not have specific hours, but would be open as long as there are volunteers available. To schedule an appointment, call the library at (858) 552-1657. However, the Lab is booked through the end of April.

One of the reasons we have libraries is to help with the storage and access of important information, and to help people link the past with the future, Briley said. This equipment is getting harder and harder to find, even the library had to shop around on eBay to find some of it because it isnt for sale anymore.  At the Memory Lab, you remain in control of your materials at all times and are present for the conversion and to make your own choices on labeling etc., assisted by our trained volunteers. We will even advise you about how to preserve the originals.

Las Patronas 2016-2017 president Leigh Plesniak said she was excited about the project and that the group was happy to fund the incredible community asset. In her lifetime, Plesniak said she has seen storage devices come and go, such as floppy disks of different size capacities and CDs, to make way for flash drives and digital clouds to come into use.

It can be hard to keep up, she said. We have a large aging population in La Jolla and there is all this history in their lives that would be lost of not preserved. The idea is to take things that people have stored and archive them. If these things need to be scanned, their owners can get things scanned and get help.

She added that in looking at her own family, there are an abundance of historically valuable stories that should be preserved and accessible.

My children have a grandparent who lived in Holland during World War II and apparently a German soldier tried to take the family bike and she stood up to him. The townspeople surrounded him and helped her stand up to him. She was able to keep the bike, she said. Stories like that give me chills and there have to be more stories like that in this community, so having this Memory Lab is going to keep those stories alive.

IF YOU GO: The Memory Lab is located upstairs at the La Jolla Riford Library, 7555 Draper Ave. To schedule an appointment, call (858) 552-1657. Library hours are 12:30-5 p.m. Sunday; 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. lajollalibrary.org
LAKE GENEVA  One flash fire is costing The Cove of Lake Geneva, 111 Center St., almost $100,000.

The cause? A one-pot meth clandestine lab gone wrong.

And the city of Lake Geneva Public/Private Partnership hosted a methamphetamine awareness training day on April 11 to combat stories like The Coves.

Patrick McBean, 50, Lake Geneva, was charged with manufacturing meth inside a hotel room at The Cove.

On Jan. 9, officials were called to The Cove for what was initially reported as smoke from someone smoking, according to the criminal complaint.

It was later discovered there was a flash fire, mostly contained to the bathroom.

First responders walked into the room before realizing that they were walking into a one-pot meth lab.

Cove General Manager Dick Schwalbenberg said that one employee had to stay in the hospital for observation for a night.

Now, three months later, the room is still empty and repairs are still being made.

The costs are approaching $100,000, Schwalbenberg said. We are working with the remediation company and the insurance company to coordinate our next steps.

Schwalbenberg said The Cove is negotiating with the insurance company for what to replace and what to fix.

The room will not be ready to rent for another three to five weeks, Schwalbenberg said.

Weve gotten through remediation and are bringing the room back to safe level, he said. We are working with different companies as far as what can be cleaned versus what can be destroyed and replaced.

Some are more costly than others.

They wanted us to decontaminate the original toaster and keep it, he said. How can you get contaminates out of a toaster? For that stuff, (negotiations) are not a big deal. But thats not the case for larger units.

He also said the impact of business is still being determined; not just for The Cove, but for the city.

We hear all the time, we booked a room and we want to cancel, but we also hear we may not want to go to Lake Geneva anymore, because this seems like a problem.

Employee education

Schwalbenberg said that it is hard to pinpoint what could have been done differently because often one-pot meth labs dont look like meth labs.

We have identified what we can do when looking at guests who check in, he said. As an innkeeper, I have the right to refuse service to anyone ... but guests have protections and rights as well. So it is a fine line with what you can do.

That being said, Schwalbenberg said he is training employees what to do if a person shows any red flags before checking in.

They can call the manager and the manager can refuse to check them in, he said. The incident has also left its mark on Cove employees.

The housekeepers feel personally responsible, Schwalbenberg said. (They have asked) What did we do wrong? Should we have seen something? They didnt do anything wrong, we didnt train you.

Though it has been a difficult situation, The Cove is moving forward, Schwalbenberg said.

We will do training, and still plan to do more training with the housekeeping staff, he said. All the agencies did a great job with containment and working with us and giving us info on what needed to be done.

Growing problem

The training featured DEA Special Agent Jim Langnes, who talked about the rising popularity of one-pot meth labs in Walworth County and how to deal with them.

Wisconsin as a whole has seen a 330 percent increase in number of labs between 2012 and 2016, he said.

And Walworth County has led the state in the number of meth labs discovered in fiscal years 2015 and 2016.

Its only been half of the fiscal year and already there were nine labs in Walworth County, Langnes said.

Most of them one-pot meth labs.

People can be unnecessarily exposed to dangers of one-pot meth labs because they dont look like labs, Langnes said. They dont use special glassware, they use common household items. So it is important to know and see the signs that you are in a lab.

Besides identifying one-pot meth labs, Langnes touched on the public, and often unknown, contamination.

Meth is a hazardous chemical and is expensive to clean, he said. But it is unknown how many properties are contaminated. We can only deal with it if we know about it.

His advice if you come in contact with a one-pot meth lab?

Leave and then call law enforcement, he said. And try to evacuate people.
As many as 70 people were already in line waiting for the grand opening of the Aldi food store early on a sunny, but surprisingly cold Thursday morning.

The first in line, Robin Walton of Pell Lake, had been standing in front of the store at 200 N. Edwards Blvd. since 6:30 a.m. for the official 8:25 a.m. opening.

Walton and several others said they were regular customers of the Aldi in Delavan. And they were glad to see one opening in Lake Geneva.

She wanted to make sure she was among the first 100 customers to get a golden ticket from Aldi employees.

It paid off. Later, Walton said that she had received a ticket worth $100 in Aldi merchandise. Walton said an Aldi official told her it was one of only four $100 cards handed out that day. Other cards were of lesser value, with most of the other tickets worth $10, she said.

Unlike many stores that have soft openings followed by grand openings weeks later, Aldis grand opening on April 6 was indeed the store opening.

The mayor and aldermen were given a quick tour of the building first. And then, slightly ahead of schedule, the doors were opened to the general public.

The 25-cent shopping cart rental was waived.

More carts

They could have used more carts.

Within the first hour of opening, employees had to set up a ration system, in which carts were quickly transferred from check-out to a waiting line.

According to information from Aldi, the Lake Geneva store has about 12,000 square feet of selling space divided into five aisles.

The new store will focus on fresh items, including large produce, dairy and bakery sections.

Like other new Aldi stores, the Lake Geneva store features open ceilings, natural lighting and environmentally-friendly building materials  such as recycled materials, energy-saving refrigeration and LED lighting, according Joe McHugh, an Aldi spokesman.

Its a beautiful store, said Mayor Al Kupsik. I couldnt believe the number of people who were waiting in line.

The mayor added that his wife and family love Aldi and are excited to have one in Lake Geneva.

It will be an asset to the city.

Growth plan

According to Aldi, the German-based company has about 1,600 stores in 35 states, serving about 40 million customers each month.

Aldi is in the midst of an accelerated growth plan, the company said. The company plans to have nearly 2,000 new stores open and running in the U.S. by the end of 2018. Aldis interest in Lake Geneva had been an open secret since December 2015, when the Lake Geneva City Council approved a conditional use permit for Aldi to remodel the store, at that time occupied by OfficeMax.

OfficeMax had been at that location for about 10 years. It was one of three businesses that moved into the building after a Sentry Food Store moved out.

OfficeMax finally announced in August 2016 that it planned to leave Lake Geneva by Oct. 8.

Aldi then announced it would open its new store in Lake Geneva in early spring.

The new Lake Geneva location will be open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.
To the Editor:

Why we should not annex Geneva Inn:

Lake Geneva signed a pact to never allow any commercial enterprise anywhere near the lake.

Geneva Inn is a huge commercial enterprise. This was illegal from the beginning. They knew it and built this huge enterprise anyway. Nobody did anything about it. But for Lake Geneva to reward them and take them in is equally wrong. We will have to foot the bill for the sewer and water hookup. This is wrong.

And all of you must know by now, if this enterprise is allowed and annexed, there is a huge company waiting to see how we vote on this. If we accept this, they will bring in a huge water park with commercial ducks and boats churning up the whole lake. This is wrong.

But, if you allow one commercial venture around this lake, there will be many more. And from this time on, we will never again be able to say no.

The community of Linn Township has said no several times. We should always back up our neighbors. WWJD? I am asking, What would you do, if someone wanted to put up a banquet hall next to your house? I think we would all raise Cain with Able (city hall).

If our city hall approves this, we will be going through lawsuits and its Hummel all over again. We are still paying the $4 million repercussions from that one.

If you are reading this, please, please call our city hall, the mayor, our council members and city administrator and tell them no. They are claiming nobody has called them on this subject.

Please speak up. The city hall number is (262) 248-3673.

Ruth Hackman

Lake Geneva
Honoring Cesar Chavez

Op Ed by Ruben Martinez, Ph.D.

Cesar Chavez died near his hometown of Yuma, AZ on April 22, 1993 at the age of 66. Chavez was in San Luis, AZ to assist UFW attorneys defend the union against a lawsuit brought by Bruce Church Inc. (BCI), a giant California-based lettuce and vegetable producer.

Eastern Michigan University's 12th annual Cesar Chavez celebration

YPSILANTI: Eastern Michigan University is the most diverse university in Michigan, which it holds as a defining and singular strength. As part of that, EMU is proud to host various events throughout the year that celebrate all races, cultures and ethnicities.

Por: Isabel Flores, corresponsal La Prensa

DETROIT, MI: La Comision Nacional de Libros de Textos Gratuitos (Conaliteg) cuenta en su portal de internet con el acervo digital de todos los libros de texto gratuitos para el ciclo escolar 2019 - 2020. El catalogo puede consultarse en la direccion: http:/libros.conaliteg.gob.mx De esta manera, los ninos podran mantenerse entretenidos con informacion en su propio idioma y estar al dia con sus materias, mientras se encuentran en casa por la contingencia.

Census 2020: Todos Debemos ser Contados
PRESS RELEASE

Former British Ambassador Warns of New ISIS "False Flag" Provocations To Set Up War, a la Iraq

April 11, 2017 (EIRNS)Former British Ambassador to Syria Peter Ford is warning against the rush into war against Syria. Remember the run-up to Iraq, he told BBC in an April 7 interview. The experts, the intelligence agencies and the politicians were convinced that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

"They produced reams of evidencephotographs, diagrams. It was all wrong.... Its possible that they are wrong in this instance as well, and they are just looking for a pretext to attack Syria."

You sound like you "chime with Russia," a "lone voice going against Michael Fallon," BBC goaded him.

"I dont leave my brains at the door when I examine a situation analytically," he responded drily, especially when intelligence experts have an agenda.

President Trumps bombing of Syria "has given Jihadis a thousand reasons to stage fake-flag atrocities," and put the blame on the Syrian government, he added. They did that in August 2016 when they mounted a chlorine attack on civilians.
PRESS RELEASE

The G7-Plus Meeting on Syria Refuses To Back New Sanctions Against Russia

April 11, 2017 (EIRNS)The meeting on Syria held on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Lucca, Italy, refused to back the British demand for new sanctions against Russia. This was after a British smoke- and-mirrors campaign to give the appearance that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was marching in lockstep with British Foreign Secretary Boris "the Boar" Johnson in demanding immediate sanctions against Russia over its support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The meeting concluded that the issue must not be brought up until a full international investigation into the chemical weapon incident. Russia has called for a full investigation as well.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson made numerous noises about sanctions and the nastiness of the Russians, but when the smoke began to clear and the mirrors were removed on the morning of April 11, it soon became evident that the sanctions had zero support among the other Europeans, especially Germany and Italy.

The meeting, which included the foreign ministers of the G7 countrieschaired this year by Italyas well as Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Qatar, lasted just one hour. Conference host Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano told the press afterward:

"At the moment there is no consensus on new sanctions as an effective instrument.... There are clearly different opinions. "We dont have a consensus on how to use sanctions as an instrument for achievement of goals. Italy has always stressed that sanctions could not be an ultimate goal. That is why we are against their automatic extension."

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had brought up the issue, Alfano said, "But we came to conclusion that we should not force Russia into a corner." Also confirming that Johnson had brought up the issue, French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said the diplomats had not discussed the issue in any depth.

In the 24 hours prior to the meeting, the British smoke-and- mirrors campaign ran hot and heavy, which included a telephone call with President Donald Trump initiated by British Prime Minister Theresa May, who issued a statement saying,

"The Prime Minister and the President agreed that a window of opportunity now exists in which to persuade Russia that its alliance with Assad is no longer in its strategic interest,"

according to the Prime Ministers official website, and that

"U.S. Secretary of State Tillersons visit to Moscow this week provides an opportunity to make progress towards a solution which will deliver a lasting political settlement."

May also gave Trump an earful on the "threat posed by Iran throughout the region." On North Korea, May and Trump

"stressed the importance of the international community, including China, putting pressure on North Korea to constrain the threat it poses,"

according to the statement.

The Times reported that May also pushed for new sanctions against Russians, including military figures.

The White House statement on the May-Trump call did not mention anything that was in the May statement. It was not issued until the morning, Eastern Time on April 11, and included Trumps call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Trump only expressed thanks for both Germanys and the United Kingdoms support for the U.S. strike against Syria.
PRESS RELEASE

Putin Warns of New Syria Provocations, Lays Blame on Obama

April 11, 2017 (EIRNS)Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that new provocations by terrorists using chemical weapons are being planned to put the blame on Syria. He also took an interesting swipe against former President Barack Obama as responsible for the international support for the U.S. strike against Syria.

In a joint press conference with visiting Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Putin warned:

"We have information from different sources that these provocationsI cannot call them otherwiseare being prepared in other regions of Syria, including in the southern suburbs of Damascus, where there are plans to throw some substance and accuse the official Syrian authorities,"

Putin said.

Putin said the U.S. strike against Syria reminded him of its attack on Iraq in 2003, when the United States launched a military campaign under the unproven pretext of Baghdads alleged possession of chemical weapons, Putin said.

"This [the U.S. strike on Syria] strongly reminds of the 2003 events when U.S. representatives in the UN Security Council showed allegedly chemical weapons found in Iraq,"

the Russian President said.

"After that, a military campaign started in Iraq and it ended with the destruction of the country, the growth of the terrorist threat, and the emergence of the ISIL [the former name of the Islamic State terrorist organization outlawed in Russia] on the international scene, no more and no less. The same is happening now,"

the Russian President said.

The Russian President also warned Trump tht his decision to launch missile strikes on Syria could be used by his political opponents. "If something happens, they will put the whole blame on him," Putin said. "I have no doubt about this."
Even before Jane Mayers piece on Charles and David Koch ran in the New Yorker in August 2010, she started hearing that the billionaire brothers werent pleased with being profiled by an investigative reporter. As Mayer describes in Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right, she and her editor, David Remnick, got word that the Kochs were trying to find dirt on Mayer.

I didnt feel vulnerable, said Mayer, in a phone interview while she was riding to a reading in the Bay Area. There were no secret legal problems or skeletons in my closet, so I kind of laughed at the whole thing. And what I found out was that you dont actually have to have any real vulnerabilities, people can make them up and try to tar you with stuff thats not true, and thats whats really scary.

The nature of truth, Mayer makes clear in her book, is very much at stake in our political system these days. Dark Money expands beyond the Kansas-based Republican kingmaker Kochs to explore the way a small number of extremely wealthy individuals, over the last several decades, used tax laws designed for philanthropy to construct a network of institutions, media organizations and political action committees to heavily influence  and at times, subvert  our democracy. As Mayer writes, the Kochs are part of a small, rarefied group of hugely wealthy, archconservative families that for decades poured money, often with little public disclosure, into influencing how Americans thought and voted.

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Jane Mayer will appear on the Whats up with America? panel at the LA Times Festival of books on April 23rd at 3:30pm. 

Vast sums of money in the form of what Mayer calls weaponized philanthropy funds battles against taxes, labor unions, environmental regulation, scientific research and civil rights efforts. Secrecy is a big part of the story. The covert nature of these maneuverings that really caught my eye, she explained. I found it fascinating. Theyd gone to such lengths to cover up the money trail.

Mayer, who studied history as an undergraduate at Yale and did graduate work in history at Oxford, has been a staff writer at the New Yorker since 1995. She became a reporter so she could tell stories about political history. I came into this with a kind of a high-minded attitude towards the whole thing, she said, and then discovered that a lot of it is pretty rough and tumble.

Mayer experienced that first-hand after the 1994 publication of Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas, which she co-wrote with former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson, a high school friend. The two of us had never really considered ourselves particularly political, Mayer said, but after the book came out they found themselves harshly attacked by conservative pundits and writers. We were kind of early canaries in the coal mine in seeing what its like and how rough it can be when political partisans come at you, Mayer said. We thought we were just documenting the facts.

Activists hold a protest near the Manhattan apartment of David Koch on June 5, 2014 in New York City. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

Twenty-three years later, the landscape has become even more polarized. For investigative reporters, whose work lives or dies on the integrity of their research, this is particularly unnerving. Theres much less consensus than theres even been in my reporting career about what is real news, Mayer said. Its become a kind of information warfare, and it gets the press completely caught up in the middle of it, when all youre trying to do is be a reporter and tell the country whats going on. And even the president of the United States is part of it.

Although the books subject was serious, there are moments of humor. I was writing about how some of these people have more money than you could ever imagine in your life, Mayer said. For some people theres never enough. One heiress she profiles attempted to increase her portion of the family estate by adopting her ex-husband (shares were given according to the number of children in each family).

When I couldnt talk to people like the Kochs, because they werent giving me interviews, I really bent over backwards to find people who knew them, and some of whom liked them: their childhood friends, family acquaintances, Mayer says. Its about credibility and its also just about being fair.

Mayer stresses that she didnt want to portray anyone as a cartoon villain. One thing Ive learned from covering a lot of really powerful people in politics some of whom have done some pretty nefarious things, she said, is that its very rare that people are sitting there twisting their mustache and saying, Im gonna get away with this! If you ask Charles Koch if he thinks hes doing something good for America, he probably would tell you sincerely that he thinks he is  its just that his ideology also happens to be exactly whats great for his fortune. Hes rationalized this and created an ideology thats perfectly self-serving.

When it came to the 2016 presidential election, the Kochs network raised $889 million for a candidate they wanted to back  and didnt find one. Donald Trump, Mayer said, certainly wasnt the candidate they had in mind.

Although the Kochs didnt work for Trumps election, there are many Koch allies with roles in the administration, including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and EPA head Scott Pruitt. Hes now got a number of people in his administration who are delivering on many things the Kochs want, particularly on the environment, Mayer says. Most of the families profiled in Dark Money made their fortunes in the gas and oil industry; they fiercely oppose any action to address climate change.

I think climate change is the issue in which you have to think that on some level the Kochs have to know better, Mayer said. Both Charles and David Koch are graduates of MIT, with graduate degrees from MIT also. Theyre not dumb guys. So how can it be that they really truly dont see what the scientific world tells them on this subject? Instead, theyve sided with their bottom line on this issue.

There are many things you can fix and you can bring back, and there are sort of cycles in American history and the pendulum swings back and forth, but there are things you can damage irreparably, and thats what Im worried about right this moment, Mayer added. And thats why this particular book  because its about the money that is stopping this country from doing something useful on climate change.

Still, she says, shes cautiously optimistic. I think that what this last election has resulted in is kind of waking up a lot of people who were complacent about American politics, and hopefully that includes the younger generation, she said. And I also think some of the best journalism Ive seen since becoming a reporter is being done right now, by all the major newspapers and many magazines, including the New Yorker. And I think theres a huge pushback. Theres a big fight going on. And hopefully it will really energize people and wake them up.

Since Dark Money came out last year, Mayer said, nobody has been able to say that its not accurate. Theres nobody whos refuted it on any side of the political spectrum. Having the book out feels wonderfully liberating, she added. The ultimate protection for writers is having your work published. Its out there for everyone to read.

President of the National Book Critics Circle, Kate Tuttle writes about books for the Boston Globe. Her reviews have also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Salon, the Washington Post and Newsday.
I keep a photograph of my family, circa 1972, on my fireplace mantle. Taken when I was 11 by a professional photographer in a studio at a mini-mall in Wilmington, Del., its the kind of stilted portrait many families sat for before we all started snapping candid selfies at family gatherings.

The similarities and shape of our features coupled with our pale skin speak to our Eastern European Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. That we look well fed and well groomed but not tanned nor meticulously styled lets you know that we werent summering in Gstaad. We children wear our hair laying flat against our heads like so many Marcias, Jans and Cindys in the early 1970s. We are attired in mix-matched cotton and wool frocks  the Von Trapp family were not. My grandmothers modest gold brooch and my mothers choice of a nautically themed jacket with its three-quarter-length sleeve, popularized by Jackie O., sends a signal that we are trying to be classy and move up a bit in the world.

We have smiles culled by the professional photographer, except for me. I refused to smile. My dramatic expression of long suffering would suggest that I am being marched on a pogrom. I also am affecting a more formal pose than the others, one befitting a royal family, sitting for a portrait that will hang in a state hall. Theres always one person in every family whose body language suggests they believe theres been a terrible mistake: What am I doing with these people? That was me.

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As long as I can remember, Ive thought that this image perfectly captured how even at an early age I was always plotting an exit strategy. So much so that its the cover of my book about my family and the families Ive joined by accident or on purpose. Now, Im questioning that premise.

Theres always one person in every family whose body language suggests they believe theres been a terrible mistake: What am I doing with these people?

There is someone in the shot who wasnt there when the picture was taken  my cousin Monique. Monique isnt the name of any of my cousins. Monique isnt a person at all. Shes the name my two real cousins and I have christened the woman pictured with us, their sister who is not their sister but a simulacrum, standing in for her. Monique, name withheld by request, did not want her image to appear on my book cover.

My sister and I were born in Mobile, Ala., our two cousins in Wilmington, Del., but Moniques birthplace was the Penguin/Random House book cover art department on Hudson Street in Manhattan.

Is hers a face that actually exists, lifted from some cache of stock footage? I searched for her in files of licensed images under white women and discovered available females cataloged with exhaustive detail. Depressed young woman by a lake in a park, with sadness, feeling loss and sad woman looking through car window with rain drops. How much call is there for that kind of thing? Perhaps these images are used in pharmaceutical brochures to advertise one of the varieties of anti-depressants I have experimented with over the years. I couldnt locate my new cousin anywhere in the vastness of cyberspace. More likely, her features are compiled from numerous sources. A nose plucked from here, mouth from elsewhere, lips cut and pasted from yet another source.

Annabelle Gurwitch launches her book Wherever You Go, There They Are: Stories about My Family You Might Relate To Thursday, April 13 at Skylight Books at 7:30 p.m. in conversation with Jonathan Gold and more. 

The reason Monique, name withheld by request, didnt want to be pictured is something I am not privy to. I texted her for permission to use her likeness and when she declined, I didnt ask why. I felt it might be intrusive. I havent spoken or seen her in over two decades.

Years ago Id heard that the six months during which my family crashed at Moniques home after the failure of one of my fathers many get-rich quick schemes was rough on her. Wed shown up on a frigid January morning without even enough money for winter coats. My mother fell into a deep depression and didnt get out bed for months and Moniques parents, my aunt and uncle, folded us into their family while my grandmother slipped them money to pay for our keep. Maybe she didnt get enough attention at a crucial moment in her emotional development? In my memory, Monique was an average if moody teenager given to holing up in her bedroom to strum an acoustic guitar. She played a lot of Neil Young, which might be a bad sign. I was only 6 at the time, so no doubt there is more to the story.

My sister and I were born in Mobile, Ala.; our two cousins in Wilmington, Del.; but Moniques birthplace was the Penguin/Random House book cover art department

Despite our estrangement, Id been surprised by her answer. Why would anyone care about a picture that was taken so long ago being on a book cover? What kind of person cant let go of the past like that? Me. Im still trying to make sense of how that time in my life carved deep grooves into my brain that set me onto a lifelong search for my people. People more reliable than my family. Was Monique, name withheld by request, plotting her escape as well?

In any case, Im not writing her version of a story, I am writing mine. History is written by the victors but memoirs are written by those drawn to reconstructing memories of complicated pasts that they hope to craft into meaningful presents.

Often these people are those whove lost something and through the act of writing hope to gain it back and in the process help their readers do the same. Some are written by those whove found something they believe is essential to living and want to share this hard-won wisdom in a book or a tele-seminar that you will be compelled to attend after reading of their journey to better living through, for instance, tripping on Ayahuasca or the magic of cleaning out your closets. They are also written by people whose lives are so extraordinary that their stories simply must be shared. She chewed off her own hand to escape from her captor! He reveals the Real Truth about life with Charles Manson or O.J. or some tangential connection to that which transfixes us and demands our attention. Im just a comedienne who ponders insignificant slights and the miracle that any of us survive childhood, even though, in the larger scheme of things, our woes are minor hiccups in the ever-expanding universe.

The Polish author Czeslaw Milosz is quoted as having said, When a writer is born into a family, that family is finished. This might be a chicken-and-egg question. Perhaps the family of anyone who becomes a writer was finished already? For better or for worse, Im the storyteller and my cousin is not.

I dont know if it was intended or a byproduct of the collage process that assembled her features, but there is something mysterious in Moniques gaze. A Mona Lisa effect. I considered having her removed from the photo entirely, but Im glad my cousin is gracing us with the presence of her absence or the absence of her presence, to quote Jacques Derrida, the French philosopher, known for his semiotic deconstructionist theories. Im not sure if I actually understand what Derrida had in mind. In fact, I cant remember if I even studied Derrida in my English lit college class that touched on semiotics or just picked up a vague notion about his theories while snorting cocaine off the chest of my adjunct professor who I was sleeping with and from whom I earned all of a B or B minus for my efforts. Memory can be a trickster.

I hope Monique has joined a tribe shes happy to be pictured with, because though I dont know her at all, and probably never did, I admire her. I think of writing as a redemptive act, one that allows us to reclaim our narratives, but without putting a word on a page, my cousin Monique, name withheld by request, has made her statement. Is there anything that speaks louder than declining to be pictured with your family in a book on the insanity and importance of family? Maybe the absence of her presence affirms her success at being the one who made a clean break from our family, although she has left us with the presence of her absence? Im not sure. Perhaps she knows, but like Mona Lisas smile, my cousin Monique, name withheld by request, remains a mystery.

Gurwitch is the author of I See You Made an Effort and the new collection of essays Wherever You Go, There They Are: Stories about My Family You Might Relate To.
Toyota discontinued U.S. sales of the FJ Cruiser in 2014. Now it could be signalling a return to the sporty SUV category with the FT-4X concept vehicle.

Unveiled at the New York International Auto Show, the cute-ute is a modern 4x4 toolbox for the most intrepid urbanites, Toyota said in showing off the new car.

Spunky looking, and featuring odd features including a removable audio system, removable cabin lighting and a sleeping bag that rolls up and doubles as an arm rest, the two-door, four-wheel-drive crossover vehicle was designed in Toyotas Newport Beach facility.

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Its meant to appeal to a group that Toyota calls Casualcore explorers and adventures, which appears to mean millennials who like going places but dont like having to prep or plan much.

Millennials are fond of the outdoors, but mostly operate indoors, the FT-4X media materials read. They enjoy venturing into new neighborhoods and national parks but hardly plan ahead.

Toyota isnt saying if or when the FT-4X might be available to buyers in the U.S., Japan or Europe. But the market for off-road-capable, four-wheel-drive adventure vehicles continues to draw buyers and drive sales at Subaru, Land Rover and elsewhere.

The New York International Auto Shows media days begin this week. The show is open to the public April 14- 23 at Manhattans Jacob Javits Convention Center.

In other auto show news, Genesis, Hyundais upscale division, has unveiled a hydrogen fuel concept vehicle, and Lincoln has unwrapped a refreshed Navigator.

charles.fleming@latimes.com

Twitter: @misterfleming
Delta, American and United airlines claim the right to eject fliers for smelling bad. JetBlue Airways can remove passengers who wear revealing clothing. Southwest has been accused of kicking off customers for being too fat to fit in a seat.

Airlines grant themselves all sorts of power over who can be removed from a flight, embedded in the fine print that passengers agree to when they click confirm to purchase an airline ticket.

These contracts of carriage or conditions of carriage often go well beyond standard rules such as the prohibition against tampering with smoke detectors in airplane lavatories.

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But in light of the incident this week in which a United Airlines passenger was dragged off a sold-out flight, to the shock of his fellow passengers and millions watching it on video, passenger advocates say airlines seating policies may now get closer scrutiny.

 Heres United Airlines latest PR nightmare. (April 11, 2017)

Most carriage contracts are largely one-sided benefiting the carriers only, said Kevin Mitchell, who heads the Business Travel Coalition, an advocacy group for business fliers. They are unfair because the majority of passengers fly only once a year, and they cant comprehend all the legalese in the contracts.

Each airline has its own specific customer agreement, which often exceeds 50 pages in length. The wording can be vague and open to interpretation.

For instance, Delta says it can remove customers whose conduct creates an unreasonable risk of offense or annoyance to other passengers  but doesnt elaborate on what constitutes such behavior.

The airlines are going to write the contracts in their favor and give themselves as much leeway as possible and the customer as little leeway as possible, said Douglas Kidd, executive director of the National Assn. of Airline Passengers.

The majority of consumers dont realize that airlines have absolute authority to cancel a ticket when they see the need to, he said.

On Sunday, United booted Dr. David Dao from a Chicago plane scheduled to fly to Louisville, Ky. A video recording of the incident that went viral showed law enforcement officials confronting Dao and then dragging him down the aisle as passengers looked on in disbelief.

United said that it was seeking to bump four passengers from the flight in order to accommodate a group of airline employees who needed to travel to Louisville. The company reportedly offered $400 and a hotel stay to passengers, and later increased the amount to $800 before randomly choosing passengers to be removed when no volunteers came forward.

Though United officials have described Dao as disruptive and belligerent, the company issued an apology Tuesday.

I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight, and I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way, United Chief Executive Oscar Munoz said in a statement.

The Transportation Department is reportedly investigating whether the airline followed federal rules on overbooking flights, which is a common industry practice. But United has denied reports that the flight was overbooked, saying that it was sold out.

Congress is also getting involved. Lawmakers from both parties, including leaders of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, have sent United a letter demanding that the airline explain its actions and requested an investigation by the Transportation Department.

The United incident comes at a time when the number of bumped passengers is declining across the industry, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Airlines posted an involuntary bumping rate of 62 per 1 million passengers in 2016, down from 73 per 1 million fliers in 2015. The bureau said the 2016 figure represents the lowest annual rate since 1995. U.S carriers bumped about 40,000 passengers on an involuntary basis last year.

The number of unruly passenger incidents also has fallen in recent years, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The organization reported 92 unruly passenger incidents in 2016, down from 105 the year before. The FAA said there was a high of 310 incidents in 2004.

But several high-profile cases have helped to keep the issue top-of-mind among fliers.

Actor Alec Baldwin was thrown off an American flight in 2011 for refusing to turn off his mobile phone. The year before, Kevin Smith, the director of Clerks, was kicked off a Southwest flight after flight crew allegedly cited his girth. The filmmaker launched a boycott of Southwest and publicized the dispute on social media, saying he was too fat to fly and calling the carrier PR-challenged fatty-haters.

Uniteds latest run of bad publicity began last month when it stopped two teenage girls from boarding a flight because they were wearing leggings. But the company later defended the decision, saying that because the girls were flying as pass travelers  meaning they were traveling using an employee pass  they were obligated to adhere to Uniteds dress code.

Airlines often prioritize customers when it comes to involuntary bumping. United states in its carriage contract that minors and people with disabilities are the last to be denied boarding. Other passengers are prioritized by criteria including fare class, itinerary, frequent flier membership and check-in time.

Federal rules require carriers to compensate bumped passengers if the rebooked flight delivers them one hour or later from their originally scheduled arrival time. The compensation amount increases the more the passenger is delayed.

Some advocates say that airlines are exercising more power over consumers as the industry continues to consolidate, leaving fliers with fewer choices.

They are very strict on passengers. This is what happens when there are four major airlines controlling 80% of the domestic market, said Andrew Appelbaum, an attorney with the nonprofit group FlyersRights.org.

On Tuesday, the organization called on U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to hold a summit with airline CEOs, passenger advocates and unions for pilots and flight attendants.

No one believes that continuing to give airlines carte blanche to abuse and assault passengers will make air travel great again, Paul Hudson, president of FlyersRights.org, said in a statement.

As carriers continue to overbook their flights in an effort to maximize profits, customer friction is bound to continue.

If you run your system at capacity, and theres no room for error, then things like this are going to happen, said Kidd, the head of the National Assn. of Airline Passengers. Carriers need to take a look at their policies or procedures with regard to overbooking and how much theyre going to offer passengers when they have overbooked.

It doesnt need to be an adversarial relationship between the passengers and the airlines, he said.

david.ng@latimes.com

@DavidNgLAT

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Weekday afternoons, millions of Americans  many stuck in rush-hour traffic  learn the business news of the day from Kai Ryssdal, a former Navy pilot and host of the public radio show Marketplace.

I spend almost as much time with Kai Ryssdal as I do with my own husband, joked Sally Kilbridge of Scottsdale, Ariz., who toughs out her more than two-hour-a-day commute by listening to public radio.

Marketplace, which is produced in downtown Los Angeles by American Public Media, is the most popular business program on radio or TV in the U.S., with an average of 14.6 million listeners a week. In the last year, the 28-year-old program has seen its audience grow 16%  benefiting from Americans increased appetite for news.

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Hoping to capitalize on its success, Marketplace has launched an ambitious plan to remain a vital source for economic information as consumers listening habits change, putting a strain the traditional broadcast model.

We cannot rest on the idea that listeners are always going to come to us, Deborah Clark, senior vice president and general manager of Marketplaces portfolio of programs, said in a recent interview. Theyve been a captive audience. Were on the radio and they know how to find us there  but now people are not just looking toward the radio for the content.

Consumers have more choices, including in their cars. New vehicles are equipped with screens and technology that enable drivers to use voice-activated Internet-connected devices  opening the floodgates of content available to commuters who spend hours in their cars and raising the level of competition for Marketplace.

At the same time, consumers are adding to their homes smart speakers, such as Amazons Echo, that connect with Internet radio. Tech-savvy and younger audiences are more in tune with podcasts and personalized music playlists than old-school radio.

Another threat exists in Washington: President Trump last month recommended eliminating government funding for public TV and radio. Marketplace doesnt directly receive any federal money. But if Congress goes along with Trumps plan, local stations would face deep cuts and some might have to scale back on programming, perhaps dropping Marketplace.

Cognizant of these challenges, Marketplace is expanding its staff, producing more audio podcasts and figuring out other ways to reach listeners and generate more revenue. The plan is to turn a show about business into a self-sustaining business that can prosper in the era of digital media.

I want us to grow, said Ryssdal, the popular host of the flagship afternoon program. We need to be a go-to source about things that are happening in this economy. We need to grow to a point where our reputation matches our ambitions.

Key to Marketplaces strategy is cultivating listeners who are not devotees of public radio. Finding new sources of revenue also presents challenges because public broadcasters are not allowed to run overt commercial messages, and Marketplaces mission  raising the economic intelligence of the country  puts a priority on education, not commerce.

Ive always admired what Marketplace does, said Ben Manilla, director of audio at UC Berkeleys Graduate School of Journalism. But the question is how will the programming be delivered, how will it be paid for and how will people find it in this vast sea of content?

Were on the radio and they know how to find us there  but now people are not just looking toward the radio for the content.  Deborah Clark, Marketplace senior vice president

Marketplace has long been an outlier. The show launched in 1989 at Cal State Long Beachs KLON radio station before being acquired in 1990 by USC, which sold the operation a decade later to Minnesota Public Radio.

It now distributes the four Marketplace programs  a morning report, the flagship 30-minute afternoon show, the weekend report and Marketplace Tech  through American Public Media, the St. Paul, Minn.-based parent company. Together, the shows attract a larger audience than leading cable business programs such as Fox News Your World With Neil Cavuto, which draws nearly 2 million viewers an episode, according to Nielsen.

Marketplaces annual revenue is about $18 million, about two-thirds of which comes from corporate sponsors. About a quarter of the money comes from the carriage fees paid by radio stations that air its programming. More than 750 stations carry Marketplace, including local stations KPCC-FM (89.3) in Pasadena and KCRW-FM (89.9) in Santa Monica.

The show has attracted loyal fans, including Kilbridge, associate director of the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism at Arizona State University in Phoenix. In the current polarized media environment, Kilbridge said she appreciates Marketplaces evenhanded treatment of the news and Ryssdals humor and conversational style.

Kai dumbs it down without making me feel dumb, she said.

Workdays begin early at Marketplaces downtown Los Angeles offices that overlook a busy on-ramp to the Harbor Freeway. Ryssdal, 53, and a small contingent of editors huddle in a conference room, beginning at 7:30 a.m., to discuss the news of the day and prepare the lineup for the show that tapes at 2 p.m. Reporters then have four hours to complete their assignments, boiling down a complex subject into 90 seconds of audio.

Unlike many other radio broadcasts, Ryssdal writes his own script.

The me that you hear on the air is pretty much the me that you get in real life, said Ryssdal, who spent eight years in the military and four years with the U.S. State Department, including in China. He returned to the U.S. in the late 1990s, and while his wife attended graduate school, he worked at a Borders bookstore in Palo Alto and tried to figure out what career to pursue.

At the age of 34, he became an intern at San Francisco public radio station KQED-FM (88.5)  and quickly got hooked.

He joined Marketplace in 2001, moving his family to Los Angeles and working the overnight shift to anchor the morning report, which is now produced in New York with David Brancaccio. Ryssdal became the host of the afternoon show nearly 12 years ago.

We need to grow to a point where our reputation matches our ambitions.  Kai Ryssdal, Marketplace host

On this morning, he and his Oakland-based colleague Molly Wood recorded an episode of their recently launched digital podcast, Make Me Smart With Kai and Molly.

This is an opportunity for us to go in spaces we havent been, he said in an interview. Theres a giant universe of people out there who dont know what public radio is, and they are [into] podcasts.

According to Edison Research, podcasts (digital audio broadcasts) have become one of the fastest-growing media formats. About 24% of the U.S. population listens to at least one podcast a month, according to an Edison survey this year, compared with 12% in 2010. The audience skews young; about twice as many listeners ages 12 to 24 download these audio stories compared with those over 55.

The spoken word isnt old-fashioned anymore, said Megan Lazovick, director of research for Edison Research in New Jersey, adding the rise in podcasts correlates with the adoption of smart phones. Podcasts are not going to replace radio, but it is really growing. There is a podcast for everyone.

Deborah Clark, senior vice president and general manager of Marketplace, in her office in downtown Los Angeles (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

Marketplace is well-positioned to capitalize on the trend because it has expertise in audio storytelling and high production values. The team has produced podcasts for more than five years and its podcasts now reach an audience of 5 million. The group now markets half a dozen podcasts, including Code Breaker, a series with Tech Insider; The Uncertain Hour, a documentary series about welfare reform; and Corner Office, Ryssdals conversations with big-name chief executives.

Make Me Smart With Kai and Molly is more personality-driven and more casual than the radio broadcasts. For example, a recent episode was: Avocado toast is really a story about NAFTA.

Marketplace has tackled complex stories, such as a current series called The Big Promise, which explores Trumps campaign promises and why voters embraced him. Ryssdal and other reporters have been focusing on the economy in Erie, Pa., which went for Trump in the last election. Another current series, Robot-Proof Jobs, examines how automation is displacing traditional jobs.

Three-quarters of Marketplaces audience comes from the radio broadcasts, but Clark, the general manager, expects the mix to change as audiences shift to digital sources.

Changing viewer habits prompted Marketplaces new business plan, not the proposed cuts in Washington, Clark said.

Clark plans to add nearly a dozen employees to Marketplaces staff of 85, and she recently hired a chief operating officer, public radio veteran Mark Crowley, to explore revenue opportunities, including live events, Marketplace video games and perhaps even creating educational materials for school curriculum.

This is about taking our brand and building it in a way that allows us to introduce our form of storytelling to more people, Clark said. This also is about putting some more meat on the bones and positioning for the future.

meg.james@latimes.com

@MegJamesLAT

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UPDATES:

3:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional ratings information.

April 12, 8:07 a.m.: This article has been updated to clarify that Marketplace is the most popular business broadcast on radio or TV in the U.S.

This article was originally published at 3 a.m.
Fox News host Bill OReilly said he will take a previously planned vacation as he faces mounting pressure over multiple sexual harassment allegations.

OReilly announced his plans during his Tuesday night broadcast of The OReilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, saying he typically takes a vacation around this time of the year.

I grab some vacation because its spring and Easter time, he said. Last fall, I booked a trip that should be terrific.

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OReilly wouldnt say where he was headed, only that he would have a full report when he returned.

Earlier this month, the New York Times reported that OReilly and Fox News paid about $13 million over the years to settle several claims of sexual harassment and other inappropriate behavior toward women at the company.

Since then, dozens of sponsors have withdrawn their commercials from the program. Advocacy groups like the National Organization for Women have called for OReillys dismissal.

OReilly has acknowledged the settlements made between 2002 and 2014, but denied the merits of all the sexual harassment claims made against him. He has said the payouts were made to spare his children from negative publicity that would be caused by any prolonged legal battles.

On Monday, network parent company 21st Century Fox said it was launching an investigation into a claim made by Los Angeles radio personality Wendy Walsh, who said she was denied the chance to become a contributor to Fox News after rebuffing OReillys sexual advances. Walsh spoke to the Los Angeles Times this week about why she went public with her claim against OReilly.

After OReilly announced his vacation, New York Magazine reported that theres a split inside the Murdoch family  which runs 21st Century Fox  over whether OReilly should remain with the network. 21st Century Fox declined to comment on that report. Fox News confirmed that this was a planned vacation and that OReilly is due back April 24.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

Twitter: @smasunaga

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Tech companies are pushing the Federal Communications Commission not to water down its rules on net neutrality, teeing up a confrontation between Silicon Valley and Washington as the nations top telecom regulator mulls a plan to undo the Obama administrations regulations for Internet providers.

In a meeting with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai on Tuesday, the Internet Assn. -- which represents companies such as Google, Amazon and Netflix -- said it maintains vigorous support for the agencys net neutrality policy, which moved to regulate broadband companies, such as Comcast and Charter, like their predecessors in the legacy telephone business.

Those rules ban the blocking or slowing of websites, and also prohibited Internet service providers from charging websites special fees for displaying them on consumers devices.

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Existing net neutrality rules should be enforced and kept intact, the Internet Assn. wrote in a follow-up transparency filing.

Pai has been consulting with industry groups on a proposal to repeal the FCCs rules, seeking voluntary promises by Internet providers not to block or slow sites rather than imposing preemptive regulations to ensure that they comply. Beyond cutting off a source of potential revenue, broadband industry advocates say, the rules have slowed the pace at which providers build out their networks and upgrade speeds.

Should Pai move forward with his plan, it would trigger a months-long process to solicit public feedback. If the last go-round on net neutrality is any indication, there could be a high-profile campaign by both sides to shape the outcome. But with a 2-1 Republican majority at the FCC, and GOP control of Congress and the White House, Pais path to rolling back the FCCs net neutrality rules seems clear for now.

The FCCs regulations were pushed through in 2015 by a Democratic majority. They took the dramatic step of classifying Internet providers as common carriers under the agencys congressional charter, giving the FCC greater authority to impose bans on carriers business practices. Although the industry sued to have the rules overturned, a federal appeals court later upheld the regulations. Broadband providers have asked the court to rehear the case, but such a step may no longer be necessary if Pai successfully rewrites the rules to suit the industry, experts say.

Some policymakers have pushed for legislation from Congress that could settle the debate once and for all. But Democrats are unwilling to come to the negotiating table unless they receive assurances that the bill would allow the FCC to continue writing rules for Internet providers in the future.

Republican opposition to the net neutrality rules revolves around this issue: Conservatives fear that the agency could use its powers to directly regulate the price of broadband or suppress investment in high-speed networks, analysts have said.

Pais effort to roll back the FCCs treatment of Internet providers as common carriers comes amid a broader swipe at the previous FCCs tech policies. He has taken steps to prevent smaller Internet providers from selling low-cost broadband to the poor, as well as to reverse a proposal that would have lifted a ban on in-flight cellphone use.

Brian Fung writes for the Washington Post.
United Airlines said it will no longer call on law enforcement to remove paid and seated passengers who have not agreed to give up their places on sold-out flights, one of several moves the airline announced Wednesday to try to quell a week of consumer outrage.

The Chicago airlines chief executive, Oscar Munoz, told ABC News Good Morning America on Wednesday morning that he felt shame when he watched the video of a passenger, Dr. David Dao, being dragged off a sold-out United flight bound for Louisville, Ky., on Sunday by Chicago airport police.

United has said it needed to bump four passengers to make room for airline employees who needed to travel to Louisville. The airline reportedly offered $400 and a hotel stay, and then $800 to passengers to induce them to give up their seats. When there were no volunteers, United selected Dao and other passengers to get off the plane.

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Dao refused, prompting airport police to pull him screaming from his seat.

Also on Wednesday, the Chicago Department of Aviation put two more officers who were involved in the onboard fracas on administrative leave, joining an officer who was suspended earlier. The passenger, Dao, took steps that could be a prelude to a lawsuit, and President Trump weighed in on the controversy.

During his interview, Munoz apologized to Dao, his family, passengers on the plane, United customers and employees, pledging that this will never happen again on a United Airlines flight.

That is not who our family at United is, Munoz said.

That is not who our family at United is.  United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz

Later Wednesday, United said all customers on that flight are receiving compensation for their ticket costs.

Such moves are the right first steps, branding experts said. But they believe the airline will have to do a lot more to regain the trust of customers.

They have so destroyed the connection and trust theyve built up over the years, said Eric Schiffer, chief executive of Reputation Management Consultants in Irvine. And it wasnt just the beat-down of a customer that everyone could project themselves being  it was the response afterwards, which was so cold and done with such a lack of empathy. It made people believe they just dont care.

After the videos and photos of Daos removal from the plane generated public outrage, Munoz initially said in a letter to employees that the 69-year-old physician from Elizabethtown, Ky., was a belligerent customer who refused to comply with requests to give up his seat.

Munoz apologized to Dao in subsequent statements, calling the incident a truly horrific event. In Wednesdays interview, Munoz said his initial words fell short of truly expressing what we were feeling.

Munoz said the airline will conduct a deep and thorough review of many of its policies related to this, including the incentives offered to give up seats once people are aboard an aircraft. If no one chooses to leave the plane, despite the compensation offered, Munoz said United will not put a law enforcement official on the plane to take them off.

To remove a booked, paid, seating passenger, we cant do that, he said.

This change could spread to other airlines, analysts said.

It just seems like something that is rare enough where theres a lot of upside to be able to promise passengers that this is not going to happen to you and its not costly to do, said Seth Kaplan, managing partner of Airline Weekly. Theres just no downside to doing this.

In 2016, airlines posted an involuntary bumping rate of 62 per 1 million passengers, down from 73 per 1 million fliers the year before, according to a recent report from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The bureau said the 2016 figure represents the lowest annual rate since 1995.

Delta and American airlines did not respond to requests for comment on whether their policies would change.

Although United has denied reports that the Chicago flight was overbooked, the incident has resulted in increased scrutiny of this common airline practice.

Jan Brueckner, professor of economics at UC Irvine, said overbooking can actually benefit consumers. If an airline flies with empty seats, it forgoes revenue on the flight.

Eliminating empty seats is a good idea because it keeps fares down, he said. People dont like it because its crowded, but still, they care more about the price than anything.

Rather than changing policies on overbooking, airlines should adjust their compensation policies to get more volunteers to take a later flight, he said. Rather than changing policies on overbooking, airlines should adjust their compensation policies to get more volunteers to take a later flight, he said.

There are no federal restrictions that limit compensation for passengers who choose to give up their seats. For passengers who are involuntarily bumped, federal rules say airlines can pay as much as $1,350.

President Trump also brought up this point in a Wednesday interview with the Wall Street Journal. Trump said airlines shouldnt be prevented from overselling flights, but should eliminate the maximum value of compensation vouchers so passengers have more incentive to give up their seats.

On Wednesday, Dao asked a Chicago-area court for an order requiring United and the city of Chicago to retain all recordings, video and reports of the incident, as well as the personnel files of the aviation department officials who pulled him from the flight, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Thomas A. Demetrio and Stephen L. Golan, attorneys representing Dao, said they planned to hold a news conference in Chicago on Thursday morning.

In his interview with ABC News, Munoz said he had reached out to Dao and left a message, but hasnt yet been able to connect with the passenger.

When asked whether he believed Dao was at fault, Munoz hesitated before saying, No, he cant be. He was a paying passenger sitting in a seat in our aircraft, and no one should be treated that way, period.

samantha.masunaga@latimes.com

tracey.lien@latimes.com

@smasunaga

@traceylien

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UPDATES:

April 13, 9:55 a.m.: This article was updated to clarify federal restrictions on compensation for passengers who are bumped from flights.

April 12, 5:15 p.m.: This article was updated with information from Dr. David Daos attorneys.

The article was originally published on April 12 at 3:50 p.m.
United Airlines Chief Executive Oscar Munoz went on an apology tour Wednesday, pledging to change policies and reimburse customers on a flight in which a passenger was dragged off a plane  all in an attempt by the company to put behind it a raging public relations disaster.

Its never too late to do the right thing, Munoz said as the company began to issue mea culpas Tuesday.

But experts in branding and crisis public relations say it may be too late to minimize the damage that video of the incident  and Uniteds original non-apology blaming the passenger  wreaked on the 91-year-old airline.

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This was a brand dirty bomb, said Eric Schiffer, chief executive of ReputationManagementConsultants.com, who added that the companys handling of the incident will, like nuclear fallout, stick around for a long time. It was self-built and self-ignited.

Munoz and his company spent Wednesday trying to clean things up.

He started the day telling ABC News that the company would review its policies and acknowledged that his initial words truly fell short of what we were experiencing.

He told the network that he felt shame when he saw the video, and blamed the incident on a system failure.

We had not provided our front-line supervisors and managers and individuals with the proper tools, policies and procedures that allow them to use common sense, Munoz said. Thats on me. I have to fix that.

When asked whether he believed the passenger, David Dao, a 69-year-old physician from Elizabethtown, Ky., was at fault, Munoz  who originally described Dao as belligerent  hesitated before saying, No, he cant be. He was a paying passenger sitting in a seat in our aircraft, and no one should be treated that way, period.

Munoz said United will evaluate at its procedures, and ensure that law enforcement will not be allowed on one of its planes to remove a booked, paid, seating passenger ever again.

Later in the day United said all passengers on the flight will receive compensation for the cost of their tickets.

Such moves are the right first steps, according to branding experts, but the Chicago-based airline will have to do a lot more to regain the trust of customers.

They have so destroyed the connection and trust theyve built up over the years, Schiffer said. And it wasnt just the beat-down of a customer that everyone could project themselves being  it was the response afterwards, which was so cold and done with such a lack of empathy. It made people believe they just dont care.

The change of tune was what public relations experts said Munoz should have done in the immediate aftermath of the incident Sunday, and many were baffled that it took him two days to issue a sincere apology. During that time, video footage of the passenger refusing to give up his seat, and later being dragged off the plane, had already gone viral on social media.

Imagine a world where the very first thing Oscar Munoz did Monday morning was a thoughtful apology directly to the passenger who was affected, and listed the steps United would take to make sure it wouldnt happen again, said Jeremy Robinson-Leon, a principal at branding firm Group Gordon. This would have been a significantly smaller issue. There still would have been public outcry because the video was so jarring, but this would not have been a three- to five-day story.

One example of an organization salvaging a situation is when PricewaterhouseCoopers swiftly apologized for its Best Picture mix-up at the Academy Awards. While viewers still remember the gaffe, Robinson-Leon said they dont associate it with PwC as much as they do the Academy, which was slow to respond.

Even Pepsi, which recently came under fire for an ad that portrayed the sugary drink as having the power to help bridge Americas racial divide, was quick to act.

I would argue that it was a significant misfire on Pepsis part to even make that ad in the first place, but the fact that they wasted very little time in pulling it and apologizing was the right response, Robinson-Leon said.

The challenge United Airlines now has is to not only put recent events behind it but also to overhaul its image. According to crisis PR experts, had Sundays incident been an isolated case, United might have a better chance at dealing with it. But given the quick succession of poorly managed situations that have garnered media attention (just last month the company was at the center of another public outcry when it refused to let two teenage girls board a plane because they were wearing leggings), Robinson-Leon likened Uniteds situation to that of the ride-hailing company Uber, which also dealt with crisis after crisis this year.

As with what happened with Uber, you ultimately start to see a pattern of mismanagement, Robinson-Leon said, and thats when you have a real problem.

tracey.lien@latimes.com

Twitter: @traceylien

ALSO

In China, the United Airlines incident unleashes frustration about treatment of Asians in America

Before apologizing on Tuesday, United tried two unsuccessful tactics to quell its public relations crisis

Were United Airlines, you do what we say: Kimmel skewers the embattled airline

UPDATES:

1:40 p.m.: This article was updated with United Airlines announcing that it will reimburse other passengers on the flight from which David Dao was removed.

This article was originally published at 10:10 a.m.
Door! a voice calls out.

The sound triggers two crew members into action. Standing on either side of a large, spaceship doorway, they manually push the cumbersome gate shut. Its not a fluid movement like the swooshing panels aboard the Starship Enterprise. The plywood doors aboard the Satellite of Love have their own, imperfect flow. Comically covered in unidentifiable bits of machinery  a mishmash of handmade tubes and gears  the prop eschews high-tech sleekness and tumbles together like the closing of a vaudeville curtain.

Its perfect.

That endearing low-rent aesthetic paired with high-quality comedy gags was what made cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 special. Created in 1988, MST3K centered on a man and his robot pals, floating through space doomed to comment on low-budget sci-fi flicks for viewers amusement.

With characters cobbled together from ping pong balls, a bowling pin and an empty gumball machine, the show often mirrored the very movies they were satirizing. The screws were visible in this screwball comedy, and fans loved it. The homespun humor of MST3K was a safe place for a certain kind of misfit, becoming a cult classic in dorm rooms and wood-paneled basements across America.

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Almost three decades after the premiere, a new crew of dedicated comedians, writers, puppeteers, engineers, Kickstarter backers, and artists are piled into a North Hollywood studio, trying to rekindle the old DIY magic for lovers of the original and a new generation of viewers. The rebooted MST3K returns Friday on Netflix with 14 episodes including a Christmas special.

The set is littered with objects as random as the premise of the show. Robot heads, plastic brains and tiny easels adorn the corners. A crew member sits on the floor taping the Gizmonics logo (the corporation for which all MST3K hosts labor) to the side of a bass drum. But on this September day the attention is on the bridge of the Satellite of Love, the ship that houses the MST3K crew.

Standing in front of the rickety doors, new host Jonah Ray readies for the call to action  or in this case Door! (Any die-hard MSTie worth their jumpsuit knows that you cant start an episode without the ceremonial door sequence.)

Sandwiched between a pair of robot puppets, Ray runs lines with Baron Vaughn (who voices red robot Tom Servo) and Hampton Yount (the voice behind golden Crow T. Robot). In this scene theyre hosting a low-expectations carnival. It is a show that is well within the realms of your imagination, Vaughn jokes, fully embracing the bravado of his character. While Servo and Crow are being puppeted from beneath the classic MST3K stage, Vaughn and Yount stand just off to the side working hand held contraptions that remotely control their characters puppet mouths.

The crew cant settle on a name for their side-show act at the carnival. Mimicking the voice of a carnival barker, Yount reads, Behold the boy struggling with social anxiety. Struggling with melancholy? suggests series creator Joel Hodgson, the driving force behind the revival. Hodgson offers another: Struggling with existential ennui? Bouncing off each other with glee, they go back and forth.

Theres an intimacy to the interaction, like watching a group of old friends goof around but with infinitely better jokes. And fast, scary fast. For one sketch, the cast started running lines at 9:16 p.m. and by 9:22 the director was calling Door! At 9:24, Crows mouth had to be repaired. By 9:27 the scene had wrapped.

Pair the pace with the reality that each MST3K scene includes puppetry, comedy, often a magic trick or two and one camera to capture it all, and you have a shoot with a high degree of difficulty.

Its like stage comedy, Ray says of the hurdles. You cant hide any mistakes.

But Ray wouldnt dare mess with the makeup of the series. Hes acutely aware of the responsibility hes shouldering as the new face of MST3K, and he knows what it means to fans because hes one of them. Mystery Science Theater is one of the things that got me interested in comedy, he says. Its the way I joke around. Its the way I talk with some of my friends. The first time I had a showbiz meeting with some managers and they asked, What would the Jonah Ray show be? I said, Oh Id remake Mystery Science Theater 3000. And they said, No! Thats a terrible idea!

To be fair, despite many years on Comedy Central and the (formerly titled) Sci Fi Channel, MST3K struggled to break into the mainstream. It did, however, garner two Emmy nominations, a Peabody Award and a fervent fan base  which proved its might by raising $5.7 million for Hodgsons MST3K revival on Kickstarter, far surpassing the original $2-million goal.

So why relaunch the Satellite of Love now?

More than anything, I felt like I was really going to regret it if I died before I got to spin it over and get this new group going, Hodgson says backstage. That was on my mind a lot. Im going to really regret it if I get hit by a car or something. With only two days of shooting left, its unlikely Ill get hit by a car so I feel really grateful. And even if I got killed they could do a rough edit, it would be pretty close.

Hodgson had been approached previously to bring back the bots, but the comic with the deadpan delivery and Zen-like demeanor had no interest in making the return all about him. He wanted to find new comedic voices for the odd little galaxy. He turned to Ray, whom hed met while guesting on the Nerdist podcast.

Were in our 50s, why not let somebody in their 30s do it like when we started? Hodgson says. Most of the narrative out there was, Just re-create it exactly as we remember it. I felt like that thats not the real spirit of it. I didnt want to make a love letter to the past, and instead make a love letter to the future, maybe.

Fortunately when youre a beloved cult classic that raised half of Hollywoods comedic actors, the talent comes to you. Elliott Kalan, former head writer for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, is the lead writer on the new season with contributions also coming from Dan Harmon (Community), Justin Roiland (Rick and Morty) and Joel McHale (Community). Patton Oswalt and Felicia Day play the new villains who beam the B-movies into the Satellite for torture/hilarity. Neil Patrick Harris, Jerry Seinfeld and Mark Hamill are all reportedly making cameos.

But despite the long list of names  and Hodgson promises that there are even more big surprises and cameos to come  the series remains focused on newer faces.

We were already friends, Vaughn says of the trio who met on the stand-up circuit. We already have a little bit of a chemistry and a dynamic.

Other cast members were found through Hodgsons comedic travels, including Second City alum Rebecca Hanson, the first woman to voice Gypsy, who also wrote for the series along with the rest of the cast.

Hanson confirms that Gypsy will be in the legendary theater from time to time, riffing with the other bots. She runs the ship and she has to keep everything on task, she says. Shes definitely a little sassier this go around.

I just felt like we never put the time in on Gypsy Hodgson says. Im trying to develop that and make it more like a real character Were just slowly starting to do that, she comes into every movie segment now and lands really good jokes.

Ray admits he got choked up the first time they slapped the Gizmonics patch on his yellow jumpsuit. The big trick is not getting overwhelmed emotionally and doing my best to feel that Ive done a lot of work to earn this, but still be grateful for being able to do it, Ray says. There are a lot of people who grew up on this show, and what I have to do is honor it as best as I can.

Hodgson halts production to play the new MST3K love song for the cast and crew. The instrumental, one of seven new songs in the new series, was arranged by Charlie Erickson, who also wrote the MST3K theme song. The song serenades the set into silence. A few Kickstarter backers  being on set a perk of their donations  tear up and Ray laughs, Im not crying, you guys are crying, while wiping his face.

In the late hours, the cast starts to get a little punchy. Ray flubs a line and launches into an impression of Norm Macdonald doing a David Letterman, Eeeeeeh you got any gum? He waits for a reaction, nothing. Nailed it, he murmurs. Vaughn and Yount laugh, and the show is once again what it always was, a bunch of friends cracking jokes.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return

Where: Netflix

When: Anytime starting Friday, April 14

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meredith.woerner@latimes.com

Twitter: @MdellW

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A 20-year-old man who shot at Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies while recording the standoff live on Facebook was criminally charged Tuesday, according to prosecutors.

Sean Vasquez was charged with five counts of attempted murder and seven counts of assault with a firearm upon a peace officer, according to a statement by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office.

Vasquez was arrested April 9 after a three-hour standoff with Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies. According to authorities, deputies responded to a call of a man firing at passing cars about 9:50 a.m. in the 16700 block of East Cypress Street. Prosecutors alleged that Vasquez shot at the deputies, including two who were in a sheriffs helicopter. No one was injured.

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Vasquez ran and barricaded himself at a nearby home in the 4600 block of Roxburgh Avenue, the L.A. Sheriffs Department said. During the standoff with deputies, Vasquez talked with sheriffs officials and a crisis negotiating team.

Details later emerged that Vasquez was live streaming video on his Facebook account of the confrontation. Although the Facebook account appeared to have been removed Monday, local television news captured portions of the video.

The video shows Vasquez raising his arm and firing at deputies as they gave commands over a loudspeaker. In the video, Vasquez then cocks his gun, says, Sorry, guys, and fires another shot at the deputies.

A third shot could be heard as deputies yelled, Let me see your hands.

Vasquez appeared in the video to be loading or checking his ammunition before he fired off two more rounds at deputies.

Then Vasquez ran into a home and crouched inside.

Deputy District Atty. Robert Serna of the crimes against peace officers section is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Vasquez faces a possible maximum sentence of nearly 200 years to life in state prison.

Times staff writer Veronica Rocha contributed to this report

ruben.vives@latimes.com

For more Southern California news, follow @latvives on Twitter.
Former San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock and his wife are suing the city over a 2015 fall she took on a damaged sidewalk that allegedly ruptured her silicone breast implants and eventually required replacement surgery.

While the Hedgecocks arent seeking a specific amount, the lawsuit they filed in October said the damages suffered are well in excess of $25,000.

The suit contends the city behaved with negligence and carelessness by not repairing a 2.5-inch concrete lip in a public sidewalk caused by a tree. The incident took place in Pacific Beach.

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A spokesman for City Atty. Mara Elliott said Wednesday that the city expected the case to go to trial later this year. Lawyers in the case are scheduled to meet Friday to discuss potential trial dates.

Trials are unusual in sidewalk cases, which the city typically has settled out of court in recent years.

According to the lawsuit, Cynthia Hedgecock suffered serious personal injuries when she tripped over the raised portion of sidewalk, flew forward and came crashing to the ground on July 31, 2015.

Two weeks later, she went to a local medical clinic with persistent chest pain and breast deformities and learned in September 2015 that both of her silicone implants had ruptured and that silicone had been leaking into her bloodstream, the suit says.

That November, she had both implants removed and replaced in what the suit described as a grueling procedure. She then needed weeks to recover, during which she used pain medication and sleeping aids and required her husbands constant assistance, according to the suit, which was first reported by the San Diego Reader.

Roger Hedgecock is a co-plaintiff because he suffered the loss of support, service, love, companionship, society, affection, relations and solace from his wife.

According to the suit, he had to stay at home and help his wife every day with her recovery, prompting him to seek compensation for his own loss of income and the loss of consortium with his wife.

Damaged city sidewalks have been a controversial topic this spring, with San Diego paying nearly $5 million to a bicyclist launched 28 feet by a raised sidewalk.

After the City Council approved that settlement on March 7, Councilman David Alvarez renewed his push for a new policy shifting the responsibility of repairing sidewalks almost entirely to the city.

The existing policy, which makes adjacent property owners responsible for repairs in all but a small number of circumstances, has resulted in too many damaged sidewalks and large injury payouts, Alvarez said.

Under existing policy, the city is essentially responsible only when sidewalks are damaged by utility work, heat expansion or changes in grade. Alvarez would shift the policy to say that the city is responsible unless it is determined that the damage was caused by the adjacent property owner or a third party.

The city has agreed to three other settlements of sidewalk cases in the last two years for $75,000, $98,000 and $235,000.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com

Garrick writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune
Seuk Doo Kim, a 78-year-old South Korean hiker from Culver City who climbed Mt. Baldy more than 700 times, died from injuries sustained in a fall on the north side of the 10,064-foot mountain, authorities said Thursday.

An autopsy found that Kim suffered multiple blunt trauma after he fell down a mountain trail, according to Lt. David Smith with the Los Angeles County Coroners Office.

Kims body was discovered by a flight crew just northwest of the Mt. Baldy summit about 2:10 p.m. Tuesday, slumped over at an elevation of 8,800 feet, said Lt. Elisabeth Sachs of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department in San Dimas.

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A sheriffs helicopter airlifted Kims body off the mountain, she said.

Kims enthusiasm for climbing the mountain made him a minor celebrity among local hikers, most of whom knew him only as Sam.

He had parked his car Friday morning near the trailhead at Manker Flats, as was his custom. His family became worried when he didnt return and alerted authorities.

On Tuesday afternoon, as the rescue operation wound down, Kims white Toyota Landcruiser was still parked where hed left it. Tucked under the windshield wiper was a note from a sheriffs deputy: Sam stop by the firehouse.

In December, on his 240th trip up Mt. Baldy that year alone  his 100th daily ascent to the summit in a row  Kim repeatedly encountered regulars hed met on the trail before.

In his self-appointed role as mountain ambassador, Kim handed out Clif bars, jelly beans and Doritos. He was always eager to chat, and charmingly assertive in demanding that everyone he encountered pose for a selfie.

It got to the point where I said, No more pictures, said Ellen Coleman, 63, of Riverside, as she descended the ski hut trail. He calls me Superwoman, but hes significantly older than me so I call him Superman. Hes incredible.

Thats my idol right there, said trail runner Thavee Nantarojaporn, 49, of South Pasadena. Anybody who can do it 100 days in a row is awesome.

Kim was vocal about his desire for peaceful reunification of South and North Korea.

Another hiker on the trail that day, Nithin Siddharth, said he had posted a picture on Facebook that shows Sam with his friends at the summit, holding the South Korean flag.

The caption reads: Heres to Kim and the power of the human spirit. For me he is literally the spirit of that mountain.

Kim didnt hesitate to show his love of Mt. Baldy.

Im feeling Gods embrace  this is better than church, Sam said on the way up. My shortcut is the holy spirit.

At the time, his son, David Kim, tried to explain his fathers passion.

My mother cant understand why he goes to the same mountain every single day. She says, Who cares if you hike this 1,000 times? But it means a lot to him, David said. Its a spiritual journey for him. He feels invigorated and finds peace of mind when he is up in the mountains.

In 1981, Sam and his family moved from South Korea to Southern California, where he worked as a manager at the Bank of Seoul. He later bought and operated a convenience store. At one point he did not take a day off for nine years, his son said.

On Tuesday, search and rescue teams from across Southern California scoured the Mt. Baldy area, using tracking dogs and a helicopter.

A team of three search volunteers from the Ventura County Sheriffs Department who had flown to the summit in the morning made their way down the south side of the mountain tracing the ridge of Goode Canyon, blowing a whistle and shouting: Sam! and Mr. Kim!

Just after 2 p.m., volunteer Andy Puheks hand-held radio crackled. Another search team had found a body matching Kims description.

Puheks posture changed. It was not the outcome any searcher hopes for.

You think of the family, said Puhek, of Moorpark. They want closure. If it didnt work out, it didnt work out, and they are entitled to know.

Back at the trailhead, Mt. Baldy Village resident Robin Riggle, who had met Kim and his wife on the trail, was saddened to hear the news.

He is adorable, and that just breaks my heart, Riggle said. He was just the most amazing, generous spirit.

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on April 22 at St. Gregory Nazianzen Church, located at 911 S. Norton Ave. in Koreatown. A reception will follow and the family has invited hikers who knew Kim to attend and share stories and photos.

ben.poston@latimes.com

Follow @bposton on Twitter.

MORE LOCAL NEWS

It feels like we go from one tragedy to another: After slayings at North Park Elementary, San Bernardino grieves again

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UPDATES:

April 17, 11:05 a.m.: This article was updated to include details about Kims funeral.

April 13, 3:15 p.m.: This article was updated to include details from the Los Angeles County Coroners Office about the cause of death.

April 12, 8:50 a.m.: This article has been updated with authorities confirming that the body found was that of Seuk Doo Kim.

9:40 p.m.: This article has been updated throughout with additional information and quotes.

This article was first published at 5:25 p.m. April 11.
Like many law enforcement agencies across California, Culver City police say officers dont enforce federal immigration law. The City Council declared the town a so-called sanctuary city last month, promising to protect the public safety of all city residents, regardless of immigration status.

But the Police Departments manual seems to suggest something different, offering officers guidance on how to stop people suspected of illegally entering the U.S., a misdemeanor under federal law.

Culver Citys policy says a lack of English proficiency may be considered as a possible criterion for police to suspect that someone entered the country illegally, though it goes on to say that it should not be the sole factor in establishing reasonable suspicion.

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The department is one of at least 11 in California that uses blanket police manuals from Lexipol, an Irvine company that drafts policies for law enforcement agencies.

Civil rights activists are now raising concerns about the manuals, saying they encourage immigration enforcement at a time when many local police agencies are trying to build trust with immigrant communities fearful over President Trumps calls for more deportations. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California sent a five-page letter to Lexipol on Wednesday morning calling on the company to modify the policy.

By suggesting that officers may systematically consider characteristics widely shared by Californians to arrive at reasonable suspicion of a crime, the policy encourages profiling and illegal detentions, and runs afoul of the Fourth Amendment, the letter reads.

Adrienna Wong, an ACLU staff attorney, said her office began researching the issue after receiving reports that some police agencies in the Inland Empire were turning over suspects to immigration enforcement agents without receiving warrants or detainer requests from federal authorities. ACLU officials said they identified nearly a dozen agencies using the Lexipol policy by submitting public records requests to various departments for their policies.

In addition to Culver City, police in Azusa, Blythe, Brisbane, Fontana, Fremont, Irwindale, Laguna Beach, Murrieta, Rialto and Walnut Creek in California all purchased the policy, according to the ACLU.

Police officials in Blythe, Brisbane, Culver City, Fremont, Rialto and Walnut Creek told The Times that they do not actively engage in immigration enforcement. Rialtos police chief said this week that he would consider revising the policy.

Police in Azusa, Fontana, Irwindale, Laguna Beach and Murrieta did not respond to requests for comment.

Ken Wallentine, a senior legal advisor with Lexipol, said the groups policies are guidelines for local police chiefs, who should consider their local demographics and circumstances before turning those policies into practice.

He said the addition of a lack of English proficiency as a criterion for a stop might carry more weight in, say, Minnesota than Southern California. Lexipols policy, he noted, urges police not to use difficulty speaking English as the sole reason to validate a stop. Officers should combine that factor with another, like the possession of fraudulent immigration documents, in deciding whether there is enough evidence to make an arrest, he said.

It just depends on the individual circumstances. Thats why we say lack of English proficiency is only one factor. The very fact that we emphasize that in policy is a pretty loud pronouncement of caution, said Wallentine, who is also a special agent for the Utah attorney generals office.

A Lexipol spokeswoman would not say how many law enforcement departments in California use the companys policies. Nationwide, roughly 3,000 police agencies have purchased some form of policy from Lexipol, according to Wallentine.

The ACLUs report comes at a time when law enforcement officials in California and around the country are growing concerned that increased immigration enforcement will deter people who are in the country illegally from cooperating with local police, reporting crimes or stepping forward to serve as witnesses at trial.

If theyre not enforcing it, thats good, but they shouldnt have this policy on the books to begin with.  Jennie Pasquarella, director of the ACLUs Immigrants Rights project in Southern California

Prosecutors in several states have said that ICEs practice of making arrests in courthouses will have a chilling effect on crime reporting. Last month, Los Angeles police said the number of sexual assaults and domestic violence incidents reported by Latinos had plummeted in the city since the beginning of the year.

Jennie Pasquarella, the director of the ACLUs Immigrants Rights project in Southern California, said continued use of Lexipols policy would only deepen the divide between police and the immigrant community.

It worries me that all these agencies have these policies on the books, she said. If theyre not enforcing it, thats good, but they shouldnt have this policy on the books to begin with.

The Lexipol policy adopted by Culver City police and other departments tells officers that all individuals, regardless of their immigration status, must feel secure that contacting or being addressed by members of law enforcement will not automatically lead to immigration inquiry and/or deportation. It then explains that officers may detain an individual when there are facts supporting a reasonable suspicion that the individual entered in the United States in violation of a federal criminal law.

Culver City Police Lt. Troy Dunlap, who heads the departments community relations bureau, said the immigration policy was part of a comprehensive package of policies developed by Lexipol that his agency adopted. The department has steadfastly refused to take part in immigration enforcement, he said.

I would say the purpose of us stopping someone would not be for immigration enforcement. The only time immigration would come into play is if they came to our jail and they were booked, he said. Specifically stopping someone and asking about immigration status is not our practice.

The citys mayor, Jim Clarke, said the department has not engaged in immigration enforcement in decades, but said he would consider the removal of the immigration enforcement policy from the departments manual.

Rialto Police Chief Randy De Anda said he was concerned about the possibility that crime victims might decide against contacting police, even though his agency does not engage in immigration enforcement.

I think its a concern across the state for a lot of police chiefs and sheriffs, he said. Hopefully, moving forward, were able to put those communities at ease, because obviously we cannot do our jobs to the fullest if we dont have the cooperation of witnesses or victims.

Other departments have modified their policies to remove sections the ACLU had criticized. A Fremont police spokesman said the department had deleted the section that allowed officers to consider a lack of English proficiency as a criterion for stopping a person suspected of illegal entry.

In the Bay Area city of Brisbane, police said they do not stop people to question their immigration status, but Cmdr. Robert Meisner defended the decision to nonetheless employ Lexipols policy.

The policy is to give guidance to officers on where we stand and what theyre allowed and should be doing or not doing, he said. But were sensitive to the issues.  We need to maintain trust in the community.

Meisner said all the municipal police departments in San Mateo County have incorporated general policies developed by Lexipol into their own rules, and ACLU officials said they are concerned that the policy on immigration enforcement could be employed by many more agencies in California. Pasquarella said ACLU officials in Minnesota have also been wrestling with similar police policies provided by Lexipol.

Its not a good idea to have local law enforcement engaged in the work of immigration enforcement, both because its not their job and it undermines community trust in police, Wong said. Calling on local law enforcement to engage in immigration enforcement results in racial profiling and disparate scrutiny placed on communities of color.

james.queally@latimes.com

Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California.

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Trumps crackdown focuses on people in the U.S. illegally  but not on the businesses that hire them

UPDATES:

2:45 p.m.: This article was updated with a comment from Culver Citys mayor and background about the citys policy and declaration as a sanctuary city.

This article was originally published at 9 a.m.
A Los Angeles County sheriffs deputy at the center of controversy after a YouTube video showed him inside his patrol car ignoring a shooting call wont face charges in a separate incident in which he was accused of domestic violence.

The Los Angeles County district attorneys office declined to prosecute Deputy Jeremy Joseph Fennell in the Jan. 25 domestic violence arrest, citing insufficient evidence of a crime. The decision not to charge Fennell, 26, was filed last week and was revealed by prosecutors Tuesday.

Fennell, however, remains relieved of duty because of a pending administrative investigation into his conduct on the YouTube video, in which he is seen ignoring a call about a shooting while recording a personal message to his ex-girlfriend. The video was condemned by Sheriff Jim McDonnell as very disturbing and behavior not reflecting the departments values.

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The ex-girlfriend, who was also involved in the domestic violence incident, posted it several months ago along with other videos of Fennell in his patrol car during their relationship.

Sheriffs Capt. Darren Harris said the department, with the closure of the criminal probe into Fennell, will now conduct a separate administrative probe into the domestic violence allegations.

Those allegations are detailed in a declination memo by Deputy Dist. Atty. Mario Coto-Lopez.

He wrote that the woman alleged the attack occurred in the early hours of Jan. 25. The woman told investigators Fennell used his fingers to jab and strike at her throat as they argued in a bedroom. Once inside a bathroom, she alleged, the deputy grabbed hold of her wrist and twisted it. The woman said that after she made 911 calls, she spoke to a friend on the phone.

As she spoke to that friend, the woman alleged, Fennell interrupted the conversation, grabbed her arm and twisted her wrist again, according to the prosecutors declination memorandum.

The prosecutor said that in reviewing the potential domestic violence charge he examined police reports, photos, audio transcripts from the woman and other witnesses related to the incident in Lakewood.

The woman had a slight  inch discoloration to the left side of the neck, a burn-type rash like mark to the right side of the neck, a 1 cm bruise to the right wrist, a  inch slight abrasion to the right upper chest, the prosecutor noted.

Fennell, according to the prosecutor, declined to provide a statement to investigators. The prosecutor said there were contradictory statements and some witnesses accounts helped a claim of self-defense or mutual combat.

As presented, the evidence depicts a one-on-one factual scenario with minimum, insufficient corroboration from witness accounts and photos of victims injuries, Coto-Lopez concluded.

Fennells attorneys office declined to comment on either the video or the domestic violence allegations.

The document does not identify the woman. But Priscilla Anderson, who posted several videos of Fennell, said she was the victim in the arrest.

Andersons attorney, Ben Meiselas, said in a statement: The decision is an embarrassment, a miscarriage of justice, and has exhausted what little credibility remains in the DAs ability to handle cases involving police misconduct. Once again, the DA has given de facto immunity to the police.

Anderson previously told The Times that Fennell had choked her and pointed his department-issued gun at her, stating, I cant live like this.

I was scared, Anderson said. I felt very terrified. Everything was all over the place; my nerves, I was crying, I didnt know what to do and how to react to it.

After I was able to leave and go home, I knew he wasnt going to stop, she said. He continued to call me after I had left, and I needed to go ahead and do something more. She got a restraining order in February. Anderson also began posting videos of Fennells conduct on duty that he sent her.

In the main YouTube video, the deputy is in uniform, wearing sunglasses and sitting inside his patrol car, recording a message for Anderson when a radio call of a shooting comes through. The deputy pauses to hear the call before speaking to the camera.

Someone is getting shot right now, damn. I know I got to go, but Im not going to go because youre mad. So Im not going to go, Fennell says in the video.

Someones getting shot  oh well  oh well  because I want to make things right with me and you first. Because youre mad for no reason and you dont need to be mad.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @lacrimes
A San Diego man who led a double life as the boyfriend of a wealthy Texas man and the fiance of a woman carrying his child went on trial accused of murder Tuesday in San Diego federal court.

David Enrique Meza is charged with traveling to Mexico in May 2015 and killing Jake Clyde Merendino, a Texan with whom he was having a romantic relationship.

He is also charged with covering up the crime with the help of his girlfriend, Taylor Marie Langston. She was pregnant with their child at the time of the slaying.

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He has pleaded not guilty.

During opening statements to the jury in U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Millers courtroom, Assistant U.S. Atty. Alexandra Foster said Meza planned to kill Merendino for money: Merendino had named him as the sole beneficiary of his estate in a one-page handwritten will written on hotel stationery.

Merendino and Meza had been romantically involved since June 2013, when they connected through an online advertisement Meza had placed. Merendino was living in Houston at the time. Eventually, he bought Meza two cars and a motorcycle, paid for his clothing and trips, and gave Meza access to his bank account.

In October 2014, Merendino bought a condominium at Palacio del Mar, a tony Rosarito high-rise with sweeping ocean views. That December, Merendino dashed off the one-page will that left his entire estate to Meza.

For the defendant to get that money, Foster said, Jake had to die.

At the time, Meza was also involved with Langston, though neither she nor Merendino knew Meza was leading a double life. Langston pleaded guilty in February to obstruction of justice for her role in the cover-up.

On May 1, 2015, Merendino and Meza checked into a Rosarito hotel. Foster said that night Meza went back to his apartment in San Diego, then returned to Rosarito just after 12:30 a.m., with Langston following in the couples SUV.

Cellphone GPS data from Mezas phone and border-crossing records tracked his movements, Foster said. The data showed that just before 2 a.m. his phone pinged off a cell tower in Rosarito.

The government said he lured Merendino from his hotel room about 1 a.m., saying his motorcycle had broken down on a highway outside town.

Merendinos silver Range Rover was found at a turnout off the highway about 3 a.m. by Mexican police, who then spotted his body dumped down a ravine. An autopsy showed he had been stabbed 22 times and had his throat slashed twice.

Eleven days after the killing, Meza mailed the handwritten will to the probate court in Texas. In interviews with FBI agents, Meza and Langston said they were in Mexico visiting a friend the night of the killing  but the friend did not back up the alibi.

Mezas attorney, federal public defender Reuben Cahn, told jurors that the governments case did not add up.

He said it would require Meza to pull off a brutal crime and leave no physical evidence behind.

But he left a trail of other evidence that made him a suspect: He did not disable the GPS on his phone or use a disposable burner phone, and he mailed the will shortly after the killing.

Cahn said no physical evidence  such as fingerprints, blood or DNA matches  nor witnesses tie Meza to the crime. After such a violent attack, he said, there should have been evidence in Merendinos car or on Mezas motorcycle or clothes. None was found.

Foster, the prosecutor, noted that security camera video from the border crossing shows Meza wearing different clothing when he crossed back and forth that night. But Cahn showed an extended portion of the video in which agents carefully examined his clothing and motorcycle but found nothing suspicious.

The trial is expected to last about two weeks.

greg.moran@sandiegouniontribune.com

Moran writes for the San Diego Union Tribune.

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No one at North Park Elementary School knew the private anguish of special education teacher Karen Smith.

In March, after two months of marriage, Smith, 53, had left her husband. But Cedric Anderson refused to let her go.

Anderson reached out to her repeatedly and tried to persuade her to return. He had made multiple threats against her, which she relayed to her family. Police said she was concerned by his behavior, but saw it as attention-seeking.

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What Smith may not have known was that Anderson had a history of allegations of violence made by at least two other women with whom he had been romantically involved.

One accused him of trying to suffocate her with a pillow and threatening her with a butcher knife, according to court papers. He once bluntly told his ex-wife that she would die, she stated in court proceedings.

On Monday, Andersons propensity for violence brought him to his wifes school, where surveillance footage showed him searching for an unlocked door.

An employee there recognized him as Smiths husband, and after asking him to sign in, allowed him to walk alone to her classroom. Thats not an uncommon practice for family members of teachers and other employees, San Bernardino City Unified School District Supt. Dale Marsden said.

In Smiths classroom, Anderson fired 10 shots from a Smith & Wesson revolver  stopping at one point to reload  then fatally shot himself.

Smith died at the scene. Two children were also struck; one, Jonathan Martinez, 8, was airlifted to a hospital and died before entering surgery. A 9-year-old boy was listed in serious condition Tuesday at Loma Linda University Medical Center. His name has not been released.

Since the shooting, police have visited addresses linked to Anderson and scoured his past  including his stint as a preacher and handyman in Las Vegas. Investigators interviewed Smiths family and friends, probing her husbands recent actions, San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said Tuesday.

The inquiry has focused on what transpired during the couples marriage and what drove him to carry a gun into the school, where Smiths colleagues knew nothing of the trouble at home. Police said her co-workers still viewed her as a newlywed.

She effectively kept her private life private, Burguan said. They were both adults and they had adult children, so its not like there were a lot of people who were truly engaged in their business.

Some saw hints of trouble. Lincoln Cooper, who runs a food bank in Perris, said he met Anderson by chance at a Riverside gas station last month. During the conversation, Anderson cast blame on his estranged wifes family for keeping her away from him, Cooper said.

When Anderson spoke of his marriage, he often clenched his fists, and he admitted to calling Smith every day.

He said, I dont know what to do. I cant focus on anything else, Cooper recalled.

For Anderson, a self-professed pastor, allegations of brutality trailed his former relationships.

Nearly two decades ago, his then-wife sought a restraining order amid divorce proceedings after Anderson called her and told her she was going to die, according to court papers.

The separation turned even more bitter as the couple fought over the custody of three sons, who at the time were all younger than 10. She called her ex-husband a habitual liar, and he accused her of assaulting him.

1 / 45 North Park student Elijah Beaven attends a candlelight prayer vigil with his mother, Laura Beaven. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 45 North Park Elementary School Principal Yadira Downing is comforted after the candlelight prayer vigil on the schools playground. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 45 The mood is somber as hundreds of residents, students and faculty attend a prayer vigil on the playground of North Park Elementary. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 45 Adrian Newton of San Bernardino attends a candlelight vigil at North Park Elementary. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 45 Students spend time at a memorial near North Park Elementary after a prayer vigil. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 45 Adrian Newton, 8, of San Bernardino brings a bouquet of flowers to place at a memorial for shooting victims Jonathan Martinez, 8, and Karen Smith the day after the two were shot in a classroom at North Park Elementary School. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 45 Ellie Paez places homemade Stars of Hope along the fence at North Park Elementary School. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 45 A young boy pays his respects at a makeshift memorial for the shooting victims at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 45 Bobbie Haywood, who lives in the neighborhood, stops by to pay respect at a makeshift memorial for the shooting victims at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 45 Denna Lopez and her 9-year-old son, Raymond Lopez, brings a stuffed animal to place at a makeshift memorial for the shooting victims at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 45 A sidewalk memorial in front of North Park Elementary on April 11, 2017, a day after a gunman walked into a classroom and opened fire on his wife, a teacher there, also wounded two students, one of whom died, and then killed himself. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 45 Betty Rodriguez hugs her granddaughter Giselle Rodriguez, 11, during a prayer vigil outside Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church for the victims in the shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 45 Residents hold a prayer vigil outside Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church for the victims in the shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 45 A child rests his head on his fathers shoulder during a prayer service at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church for the victims in the shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 45 Parents wait to be reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 45 Children walk in single file to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 45 A parent and child hug after being reunited hours after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 45 Parents are reunited with their chidlren at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 45 A police officer leads children to be reunited with their parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 45 Parents are reunited with their kids at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 45 A SWAT officer stands guard with evacuated children on the playground at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino after a shooting in the school. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 45 Summer Terrell hugs her daughter Jaylah James, 5, after being reunited with her at Cajon High School hours after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 45 Parents are reunited with their children who were evacuated after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 45 Children high-five on their way to be reunited with parents at Cajon High School after a school shooting at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 45 A woman is tended to outside North Park Elementary School. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 45 San Bernardino police officers help evacuate children to awaiting school buses after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 45 Children are led across a playground, holding hands. Students were being evacuated to Cal State San Bernardinos physical education building. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 45 Children are evacuated from North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. Two injured students were airlifted to a local hospital, authorities say. One student later died. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 45 SWAT officers stand guard with students waiting to be taken to Cal State San Bernardino. Parents were directed to go to Cajon High School, where officials will verify their identity before sending them to the college to pick up their children. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 45 SWAT officers walk through the playground after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 45 Evacuated students and teachers gather on the playground after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 45 A San Bernardino police officer puts up crime scene tape after a shooting inside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

As recently as 2016, Anderson was the subject of a domestic violence-related restraining order involving a former domestic partner, a woman in Torrance and her 12-year-old daughter.

The woman stated in court papers that she had been ironing clothes around Memorial Day 2013 when Anderson ran upstairs and pushed her onto the bed before grabbing a large butcher knife.

He told me he was sick of me, the woman recounted in court papers. The Times is not identifying the woman because she was an alleged victim of domestic violence.

Anderson had tried to suffocate her with a pillow, she said, after he learned she planned to go to karaoke with a female neighbor.

He then put the pillow over my face and held it so I could not breathe, she wrote. I fought as hard as I could. I thought I would die that night.

She told the court there was a pattern of abuse over several months. Police were called five times to their address.

Anderson was arrested by Torrance police in May 2013 and charged by Torrance city prosecutors with misdemeanor assault and battery, disturbing the peace and brandishing a weapon. The case was abandoned when the victim did not turn up to testify, Torrance police Sgt. Ronald Harris said.

Despite four arrests since 1982 on suspicion of theft, weapons and domestic violence, Anderson was never convicted of a crime.

He was allowed to obtain a gun, although the weapon he used Monday had been purchased in 1979 in Michigan. Police said Anderson was not the buyer listed in firearm records.

For those in San Bernardino and beyond, the cold-blooded killing of a teacher and her student has been devastating. Hundreds gathered late Monday at a Catholic church in San Bernardino to mourn the victims.

Sometimes all we can do is cry, said Bishop Gerald Barnes of the Diocese of San Bernardino.

Grief counselors met Tuesday with the parents of Jonathan Martinez, the young boy who was fatally shot.

His parents only son, Jonathan had already endured heart surgery and he was born with Williams syndrome, a congenital disorder that affects about 25,000 people nationwide.

He was a happy child, said Marsden, the superintendent.

Children with Williams syndrome are overly friendly and endearing, but are vulnerable to exploitation by strangers. The genetic disorder typically results in heart and kidney problems and other health ailments, officials said.

If youve met a child with Williams syndrome, you just dont forget it. They quickly have a way to light up a room, said Terry Monkaba, executive director of the Williams Syndrome Assn. She did not know Jonathan or his family, but said his death was acutely felt by the community of parents and family of those with the disorder.

We lose a handful of children every year to ... medical problems, and we all feel all of those deaths so personally, Monkaba said. This one, because it was so senseless and so tragic, it just makes it that much harder.

Neighbors and friends of Jonathan described the boy as friendly and well-behaved, from a loving  and now grieving  family.

Francisco Hernandez, who lived next door to the family for three years, said his 6-year-old son would go on play dates at Jonathans house.

Hernandez said he was anxious over the challenge ahead, one felt by other parents in this Inland Empire community: having to inform a young child how a friend died while at school.

I didnt tell my son what happened, Hernandez said. I dont know how.

richard.winton@latimes.com

sonali.kohli@latimes.com

melissa.etehad@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno

Times staff writers Maya Lau, Laura Nelson, Veronica Rocha and Paloma Esquivel contributed to this report.

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Lili Flores, a staff analyst for San Bernardino County, was at work not far from the Inland Regional Center when a husband and wife opened fire on an office holiday party there in 2015, killing 14 people, most of them her co-workers.

She was at work again Monday when she learned of the shooting at North Park Elementary School, where her son Christian is in fourth grade. She waited in anguish, through the worst hours of my life, she said, before learning in a message from his teacher that her child was safe.

It feels like we go from one tragedy to another, Flores said. Not only that but the gang violence, the killings of people, the robberies, the increased rate in crime.

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The slaying of teacher Karen Smith and 8-year-old Jonathan Martinez, and the wounding of a 9-year-old, in a classroom for special needs students at North Park was a tragedy of domestic violence  one that might have happened in any city or town. But it happened in San Bernardino, which has endured multiple waves of heartbreak, especially in recent years.

Confronted by the horror of Mondays shooting, residents face a grief compounded by experience  with the Dec. 2, 2015, terror attack, with the citys surge in homicides, with its poverty, its routine violence and crime.

Its a lot, and I think people feel a little overwhelmed, said Pastor Joshua Beckley of Ecclesia Christian Fellowship, who has worked with other pastors on efforts to curb the citys violence. We were just kind of settling in to a sense of peace and comfort that some of the activities we were doing to curb crime were starting to take effect, and then this tragedy happens  and it puts the city in an upheaval all over again.

In a way, though, those experiences have made city leaders primed to respond to that grief in a way few cities might.

For us as pastors and civic leaders and law enforcement, it becomes about how do we get our people back down, get them comfortable and let them recognize that even though this is a major tragedy, this will not escalate into something we cant control, Beckley said.

On Monday evening, as more than 300 residents gathered at Our Lady of the Assumption Church for a vigil to mourn the dead, the citys history of violence and tragedy was never far from the surface.

One man wore a shirt that read No more violence in SB. Others read SB Strong  a slogan of resilience that residents adopted after the 2015 attack. A group passed out fliers for a monthly prayer walk to remember those who have been killed in the city.

We gather to pray  that this community, that has experienced so many things, that we start healing, Father Henry M. Sseriiso told the mourners.

John Andrews, a spokesman for the diocese, said officials organized the vigil knowing from experience that the community would benefit from having a place to assemble and mourn on the same night as the incident. After the Dec. 2 mass shootings, the first formal vigils were held the following day, he recalled.

We learned that people are grieving right away and the sooner you can provide them a forum to gather and pray and to grieve together, the better it is to be able to do that, he said.

As in the aftermath of the terror attack, residents again pledged resilience.

Were proud, despite what happens, because of things like this, said Ericka Gomez, 24, as she looked at the parents, teachers, children and others who gathered outside the church, holding candles and offering prayers for the dead, for their families and for the city.

But for others, like Flores, there is a sense that the citys burdens have become simply too heavy.

Its getting to the point where it feels so unsafe, and so sad, she said.

 A makeshift memorial sprang up outside North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, where a gunman opened fire on his estranged wife, a teacher at the school, and then killed himself. Stray bullets struck two students, killing one.

While San Bernardino has long struggled with high levels of violence, last year it marked a grim milestone as police recorded 62 killings  making it the deadliest year since 1995.

The numbers have fallen so far this year, but only slightly. There have been 15 homicides, compared with 17 at this time last year, said police spokesman Lt. Mike Madden.

Yet even as it continues to struggle, the city has made strides toward improvement.

It has all but formally emerged from a more than four-year bankruptcy. A new city charter meant to make local government more efficient was adopted. And officials are working to boost the Police Department and to implement an innovative program aimed at blunting the citys violence.

Residents have also created organizations that work together to respond to crises in the city.

A network of pastors received a text message about Mondays shooting and within half an hour, Beckley said, dozens of them had responded to offer help, first at North Park and later at Cajon High School.

Two years ago, where a phone tree got everybody together, he said, this time it was just a simple text message because wed already established an infrastructure for emergency response for clergy and community leaders.

Terrance Stone, chief executive of the Young Visionaries Youth Leadership Academy, a nonprofit that provides outreach and training to the citys youth, also rushed to Cajon High School, where North Park parents had gone to reunite with their children.

Many of them had anxiously watched TV news images of children gathered on the school playground surrounded by police with long guns, not knowing for sure whether their own children were safe.

Some of the children who would soon arrive at the campus had watched in terror as their teacher and classmates were gunned down.

At Cajon, the volunteers scrambled to provide water, snacks and whatever encouragement they could offer.

A police officer brought Sherlock, the departments community affairs rescue dog, in hopes of comforting the students.

Providing support was a ritual many of these volunteers had offered on Dec. 2, 2015.

And its one that many of them have done since, as they respond to family homes after a homicide.

As the students arrived on buses, Stone and the others gathered in parallel lines and formed a cheering squad. Many of the same volunteers had done the same thing at Lincoln Elementary School last year, after the shooting death of 9-year-old Travon Williams. They offered hugs, high-fives and applause.

The idea, Stone said, was to hearten and reassure them that the community was with them.

We didnt want to make it any more tragic than it was, or cause any more trauma to those kids, Stone said.

Even though our city cant catch a break, he said, one thing I know, and I see, is that this community comes together.

paloma.esquivel@latimes.com

Twitter: @palomaesquivel

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Los Angeles police arrested a USC undergraduate student on Tuesday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a fellow student.

A statement issued by police said that Aarman Premjee, 20, was taken into custody about 11 a.m. by officers with the LAPDs Robbery-Homicide Division. A USC student directory spells the students first name as Armaan.

Premjee was released just before 8 p.m. on $100,000 bond, according to jail records.

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He is accused of sexually assaulting another USC undergraduate on April 1 at a campus dormitory, police said.

The alleged assault was reported immediately to USCs Department of Public Safety early in the morning of April 1, Capt. Billy Hayes said. At that time, the universitys public safety department reported it to the LAPD for investigation, Hayes said.

Hayes confirmed that both students are undergraduates, but he declined to provide further information, citing privacy issues and the ongoing investigation.

The alleged assault was not the result of an on-campus activity or an event sponsored by the school, Hayes added.

It was unclear whether Premjee was being represented by an attorney. A spokesperson for USC did not immediately provide comment on the arrest.

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

Twitter: @MattHjourno
Mohammed al Mustafa and his family escaped the terror and destruction of war-torn Aleppo, Syria, and they settled several weeks ago in El Cajon, ready to start a new life.

But now his parents and four sisters are mourning the 17-year-old, who is believed to have drowned Sunday after being caught in a rip current off Mission Beach in San Diego. His body hasnt been recovered.

He didnt have a childhood because of the war in Syria, his father, Husan al Mustafa, said through a translator. The family came to America hoping there would be a better future for him in the United States.

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In San Diego, Mohammed was just getting accustomed to his new surroundings, buoyed in part by the regions close Syrian community.

He had pleaded with his parents to let him go on the beach outing with four buddies. Promising to keep in close contact, he later spoke via FaceTime with his father from the beach, where the teens ate pizza and drank soda on the shore.

He was a good boy, family friend Lisa Attardo said Tuesday. He knew his parents were worried.

At some point, the group ventured into the water.

It was Mohammeds first time, ever, at a beach, his father said. He was last seen wading knee- or waist-deep in the waves.

He was a good boy. He knew his parents were worried.  Lisa Attardo, a family friend

Fire officials said it appears the boy and another teen were pulled into the strong rip current about 6 p.m. Lifeguards spotted the other teen struggling and pulled him to the beach, but they never saw Mohammed. Once on shore, the group told lifeguards their friend was missing.

Lifeguards, with help from a police helicopter, searched the area until it got too dark but couldnt locate the teen. Authorities believe he was submerged by the current.

It was pulling really strong, and it gets very deep very quick, San Diego lifeguard Capt. James Gartland said.

On Tuesday, search efforts resumed, with maritime agencies using boats equipped with sonar to scour the bottom of the ocean. A helicopter also flew over the area in search of the boys body, with no success. No further searches were planned.

The family held out hope that Mohammed might have returned to shore and wandered away, perhaps disoriented, but that hope was fading.

The teens mother is inconsolable, said Attardo, who attends St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Oceanside, which for weeks has been helping the family get settled in their new home.

San Diego County has a growing community of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war that has raged in their country since 2011.

Since 2014, about 1,140 Syrian refugees have arrived in the region. Many have settled in El Cajon or City Heights.

Like many of the others, Husan al Mustafa and his family fled their home as the violence grew.

It was really dangerous to live in Aleppo, he said through an interpreter. The family witnessed bombings and violence and had friends and neighbors who were killed, he said.

Al Mustafa, an accountant, said he and his family escaped in mid-2014 to Turkey, where they were able to rent a home. About a year later, they registered there as refugees.

He said the family wanted to leave Turkey because of Mohammed.  He was really young, but he could not study there.

After roughly 18 months of intense vetting, they were allowed to come to the U.S., sponsored by the Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. The family arrived Jan. 24.

At St. Thomas More, Father Mike Ratajczak and Sister Maureen Brown invited parishioners to help the family. The congregation has donated cash, household supplies, and a sewing machine and fabric for Mohammeds mother, who is a seamstress.

One parishioner offered a van for the family to use, and another volunteered to help Mohammeds older sister with her goal of entering college in the fall.

Attardo and her husband led the push to gather donations and have visited with the family often. She said they are hardworking and generous, always smiling.

Their house is full of laughter, Attardo said. A lot of love in this family. A lot of love.

Their father, who like the rest of the family is still learning English, is eager to find a job and become self-sufficient, Brown said.

She said that when Ratajczak has asked Al Mustafa what was needed, he replied that they could either give him a fish or teach him to be a fisherman  and he wanted to be a fisherman.

On Sunday, the Attardos had driven down to El Cajon to visit and hand off donations. They spent a few hours there and watched as the father spoke via FaceTime to Mohammed at the beach.

To read the article in Spanish, click here

Figueroa writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.

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UPDATES:

7:10 p.m.: This article has been updated with more information about the familys life in the U.S.

This article was originally published at 10:55 a.m.
The two friends from a suburb in northern Illinois believed they were helping train and equip fighters for the Islamic State terrorist organization, federal prosecutors say.

Joseph Jones and Edward Schimenti worked out with one purported jihadist at a gym in Zion, near the Illinois-Wisconsin border, to get him in combat shape, and bought cellphones at a local store they thought would be used as bomb detonators, according to prosecutors.

On Friday, they dropped him off at OHare International Airport believing he was traveling to the Middle East to kill infidels in the name of Islamic State.

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Drench that land with they, they blood, Schimenti allegedly said as he and Jones saw him off at the airport.

What Jones and Schimenti didnt know was that the purported Islamic State fighter was actually a U.S. informant and the FBI had been investigating them for nearly two years after red-flagging social media posts supporting terrorist activities, according to prosecutors.

Agents arrested Jones and Schimenti, both 35, on Wednesday morning on a criminal complaint charging them with conspiring to provide material support and resources to Islamic State, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

Reached by phone Wednesday at their St. Louis-area home, Jones parents expressed shock over the charges, saying their son had been working as a dietary cook and took care of his family, including a wife and young son. They said they were aware their son, who was raised Christian, had converted to Islam but didnt know to what degree.

We didnt know he was radicalized like that, said his father, Wayne Jones. We did not raise our children like that, and we dont believe in that.

According to the 77-page complaint, Jones, also known as Yusuf Abdulhaqq, and Schimenti, who also went by the name Abdul Wali, pledged their allegiance to Islamic State and advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group.

In meetings with informants and undercover agents in Chicago and across the suburbs, the two were captured speaking in glowing terms about Islamic State-inspired events, including the 2015 attacks in Paris where gunmen killed 128 people, as well as an incident last year when a terrorist drove a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people, according to the complaint.

At one point, Jones and Schimenti shared photographs of themselves holding the Islamic State flag at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, according to the complaint.

In recorded conversations, Schimenti also spoke wistfully of having Islamic States stark brand of Islamic law implemented in the U.S., saying hed like to see homosexuals dropped from the top of the Sears Tower and the Islamic State flag on top of the White House, the complaint stated.

The conspiracy charge calls for up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Meisner writes for the Chicago Tribune.

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UPDATES:

7:15 p.m.: The story was updated with additional information about the investigation into Joseph Jones and Edward Schimenti and their arrest.

The story was originally published at 12:05 p.m.
No, the news media did not get the wrong David Dao.

Angry allegations have been flying across social media on Wednesday, charging that local and national news outlets misidentified Dao, an Elizabethtown, Ky., physician, as the passenger that security dragged off a United Airlines flight on Sunday.

The Internet rumors stated that the real David Dao who was pulled off the flight was actually from Louisiana, where records and Google searches show there is a second man by that name who practices medicine. Media outlets had already been widely criticized over their coverage of the story and questioned over why it was relevant to publish details from Daos criminal history.

So for many social media users, if the Internets Louisiana theories were true, it would show that the news media was not only irritatingly invasive, but libelously sloppy  accusing another David Dao of past crimes he did not commit.

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Except the Internets Louisiana rumors arent true.

That is totally wrong, yeah, said a receptionist who answered the phone at the office in Elizabethtown where Daos wife works. She confirmed that, yes, the Elizabethtown David Dao is the same David Dao who was on the United flight.

They found the criminal records of one David Anh Duy Dao. The doctor on the plane was David Thanh Duc Dao.



I'm so ready for this. pic.twitter.com/mXYEPNP7w9  Dylan (@dyllyp) April 12, 2017

Additional confirmation (or denial, rather) comes from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, where the other David Dao works.

The David Dao we have as resident here is not the David Dao on the United flight, said a student worker who answered the phone. He declined to give his name for publication, but he sounded grateful to be asked for clarification about Daos identity. We have gotten nonstop calls over the past day.

In an incident that has made international headlines, the Kentucky David Dao boarded a flight in Chicago that was headed to Louisville when United staff tried to kick him off the plane to make room for airline employees. Dao refused, saying that he was a doctor who needed to go home to see patients. Airline staff summoned security, who manhandled a shrieking Dao and dragged him off the plane as other passengers watched in horror. (A security officer was later suspended pending an investigation into the incident, and officials have not responded to requests to release a name and service history.)

Video of the incident dominated the news cycle, and the Louisville Courier-Journal, after discovering Daos name, found out that he had been involved in a prominent criminal case in Kentucky in the early 2000s. Dao was convicted of six felonies in 2004 after being accused of illegally prescribing painkillers to a patient in exchange for sex, according to state medical licensing records.

Critics accused the newspaper and other news outlets of trying to justify the force used against Dao, which in turn fueled the resentment against the media that culminated with the rumor that the media had identified the wrong David Dao.

Full coverage of the United Airlines controversy 

The origin of the rumor appears to stem from a bit of sloppy Googling by users of a crowd-sourced site called Everipedia, which published erroneous information that then spread across social media and was taken as fact. The site describes itself as the encyclopedia of everything, and it functions similarly to Wikipedia, where users contribute the content.

As Daos name first began to circulate publicly, users of Everipedia created a page for Dao that identified him as David Thanh Duc Dao, an American physician based in New Orleans, Louisiana. To support this identification, users cited links to generic Internet sites that listed the full name of a David Dao who was a doctor in Louisiana  the wrong David Dao.

(Everipedia users would later correct Daos page and then identify him with a new name, David Anh Duy Dao, a Vietnamese American physician based in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. This time, the source was court records related to Daos indictment in Kentucky, which listed the correct Daos full name.)

But it was too late. Social-media users began identifying the United passenger as David Thanh Duc Dao, of Louisiana, which later led other users to point out that this was not the same name listed on Daos criminal records in Kentucky.

They have misidentified him as Dr. David Anh Duy Dao, wrote a user on Imgur, an image-sharing site, in a post that got more than 34,000 views, which featured a photo of Daos bloodied face. (The post was later deleted.) Dr. David Thanh Duc Dao is his actual name and with the false reports attempting to demonize and justify the treatment of him, it should be known that this man is innocent of the allegations.

The rumor was then inflated by journalists outside the U.S. who were following the story. I hate to say I told you so, but as it turns out fact checking matters because a number of publications ... may have confused Uniteds Dr David Dao with another David Dao registered in a different state, wrote an Australian freelance journalist, Claire Connelly, on her website.

Is the United Airlines man being smeared in the media even the right David Dao? read a headline from the Independent, a British publication. (In the piece, the author, Holly Baxter, did not try to answer the question. Its unclear who did that digging and whether serious mistakes in accuracy were made, Baxter wrote, instead concluding that Daos history didnt matter.)

That effort contrasted with local journalists in Kentucky who had been working doggedly on the story using a variety of sources.

This is getting a little out of control, Joel Christopher, editor of the Courier-Journal, said in a phone interview Wednesday. He said the newspaper had first confirmed Daos name with two people with some knowledge of the passenger manifest from the United flight.

Courier-Journal reporters then gathered Daos records with the state of Kentucky, which confirmed his address and his age, and then they checked with Daos community. Reporters went to Elizabethtown and spoke to people who knew him and confirmed that it was the same David Dao on the plane.

Christopher added: Its the guy.

matt.pearce@latimes.com

@mattdpearce

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Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. Its Wednesday, April 12, and heres whats happening across California:

TOP STORIES

San Bernardino grieving, again

The tragedy on Monday was horrible by itself. But the murder-suicide at North Park Elementary School, which killed a teacher and an 8-year-old student, comes as the city deals with the aftermath of the Dec. 2, 2015, terror attack, the communitys record number of homicides, and its poverty and routine violence. It feels like we go from one tragedy to another, one resident said. Not only that, but the gang violence, the killings of people, the robberies, the increased rate in crime. Los Angeles Times

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Plus: More details are emerging about the dysfunctional relationship victim Karen Smith had with her estranged husband. San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said at a news conference Tuesday that special education instructor Smith was concerned about her husband Cedric Andersons behavior just before the shooting. Los Angeles Times

Drought to deluge

Californias climate has long been dominated by cycles of intense dry conditions followed by heavy rain, but experts and state water officials say the state is seeing more of these intense weather swings as temperatures warm. That has profound implications for the droughts and floods the state may face in the generations to come. Los Angeles Times

A food desert in the Central Valley

There arent many grocery stores in North Fork, Calif. Its actually a rural food desert where 85% of the elementary school students live below the poverty line. Thats why the Gnarly Carrot organic market has taken it upon itself to nourish the whole town. Los Angeles Times

IMMIGRATION AND BORDER

Harder than the president makes it out to be: For newcomers to this country, assimilation has never been easy. Thats why, when Donald Trump says that he wants immigrants to share our values, the reality is much more complex. Los Angeles Times

On second thought: Immigration and Customs Enforcement is suspending a recently adopted practice of reporting cities that dont cooperate with federal detention efforts after the first few reports were plagued by errors. Los Angeles Times

Tough talk: Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions isnt mincing words in describing the need to fortify the border and deport criminals here illegally. Speaking about criminal gangs run by undocumented people, he said: We mean international criminal organizations that turn cities and suburbs into war zones, that rape and kill innocent civilians. It is here, on this sliver of land, on this border, where we first take our stand. Los Angeles Times

L.A. STORIES

King of the mountain feared dead: Search-and-rescue teams on Tuesday said they believe they have found the body of Seuk Doo Kim, a 78-year-old Korean hiker from Culver City, on the rocky terrain of Mt. Baldy, a 10,064-foot peak near Pomona that Kim had climbed well over 700 times. Los Angeles Times

Feeling bugged? The flowers arent the only things flourishing from all that rain. A long, wet winter followed by warm temperatures has created the perfect conditions for insects currently swarming Southern California. Those things that look like giant mosquitoes and tiny black gnats invading your house are an unfortunate side effect of the end of the drought. Los Angeles Times

Measuring the unmeasurable: Some California school districts, including Los Angeles and Santa Ana, are looking for new ways to measure young students social and emotional learning skills. KPCC

Another plane story: Meet the Irvine investment manager who says he was threatened with being handcuffed when he refused to vacate his first-class seat on a United flight to Los Angeles. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Moving the primary up: Lawmakers are trying to move Californias presidential primary right behind those of Iowa and New Hampshire. A state as populous and diverse as California should not be an afterthought, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in support of the measure. Los Angeles Times

No pensions for you: A state appeals court on Tuesday vindicated San Diegos five-year-old aggressive pension cutbacks, potentially saving the city millions it could have been forced to spend creating retroactive pensions for thousands of workers hired since 2012. San Diego Union-Tribune

CRIME AND COURTS

A simmering rift: Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn says its not the county sheriffs job to be involved in immigration issues. That puts her in stark contrast with the message that county sheriffs are sending on immigration. LA Observed

Lee in the crosshairs: Mayor Ed Lee was a target in the federal corruption investigation into the Raymond Shrimp Boy Chow racketeering case that led to a prison sentence for former state Sen. Leland Yee and criminal charges against some of Lees campaign staff, an FBI agent testified in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday. San Francisco Chronicle

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

Parking problems: At Teslas Palo Alto headquarters, theres a big big problem, and it has to do with parking. Wall Street Journal

California photos: These photos of sex and longing in Larry Sultans California suburbs are worth checking out. The New Yorker

Cheap coffee, but not bad: The new fast-food chain Locol, which was opened by mega-chefs Roy Choi and Daniel Patterson, has been getting a lot of attention lately. The latest report is about its cup of coffee that goes for just $1. New York Times

Herzog weighs in: Director Werner Herzog believes that in Los Angeles, theres an enormous intensity of culture and creative energy and things that ultimately decide the big things, the big internal movements of the planet. Things get done here. He has two movies out right now. Los Angeles Times

New restaurant coming soon: The king of Cronuts, chef Dominique Ansel, will open his restaurant at the L.A. Grove shopping center. It will be Ansels first full-service restaurant. Los Angeles Times

In Michael Tolkins novels, Hollywood has always been a driving character, and his latest work, NK3, is no different. Los Angeles Review of Books

CALIFORNIA ALMANAC

San Diego and Los Angeles area: sunny Wednesday, partly cloudy Thursday. San Francisco area: partly cloudy Wednesday, rainy Thursday. Sacramento: rainy Wednesday and Thursday. More weather is here.

AND FINALLY

Todays California Memory comes from Robert Harrington Jr.:

I got my first taste of Cali in 1990 as a 23-year-old boy from Indiana, just graduating Purdue. I flew out to visit my old roommate in San Diego. I was shell-shocked by the lifestyle, beaches, mountains and cities. I knew I had been missing something more my speed. It took seven years, but I finally drove out from Chicago for the last time and veered left off of Highway 80 by Lake Tahoe so my Weimaraner could fetch his ball in the frigid-pristine lake water. Ive been in Auburn, Sacramento, Orange County and Zephyr Cove ever since! I also met and married a beautiful gal from Elk, Calif.

If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.)

Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Benjamin Oreskes and Shelby Grad. Also follow them on Twitter @boreskes and @shelbygrad.
Its unclear  perhaps even to President Trump himself  whether the cruise missile attack he ordered on an air base in Syria last week will be followed by other military action against the government of President Bashar Assad. What is clear is that Trump, like so many of his recent predecessors, is perfectly comfortable using military force without authorization from Congress.

That was evident not only in last weeks attack, which was designed to punish Assad for using chemical weapons against his own people, but also in Trumps continuation, and in some ways intensification, of Barack Obamas campaign to degrade and ultimately destroy Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq. In neither case did Trump seek congressional approval.

In a letter sent to Congress after last weeks attack, Trump said he had acted pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct foreign relations and as commander in chief and chief executive. His only concession to congressional authority was to say that he was informing Congress consistent with  not in compliance with  the reporting requirements of the 1973 War Powers Resolution, a law that attempted to rein in presidential war making.

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There is a built-in tension in the Constitution between Congress power to declare war and the presidents responsibility as commander in chief to protect the nation and its armed forces. Sometimes the president will need to deploy the military to respond to emergencies without seeking prior congressional approval.

But its not clear that last weeks attack satisfied that exception. In 2013, Obama, when he was considering similar action to punish Assad for using chemical weapons, agreed to seek Congress permission. (He abandoned the military option after Syria agreed to dismantle its chemical weapons program, an undertaking it obviously has reneged on.)

Obama also sought congressional approval for the war against Islamic State, a much more sustained campaign. But he undermined the urgency of his request by insisting implausibly that he already had all the legal authority he needed under two authorizations for use of military force approved years earlier for different purposes. One, passed in 2001, was aimed at the perpetrators of 9/11. The other, approved in 2002, was designed to deal with the continuing threat posed by Iraq  the Iraq of Saddam Hussein.

Those were flimsy legal justifications in the Obama administration and they are still flimsy. Sustained military campaigns  whether the objective is defeating Islamic State or effecting regime change in Damascus  require timely and specific congressional approval. Thats true regardless of who occupies the White House.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook
News that a domestic abuser shot and killed his estranged wife and an 8-year-old boy at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino on Monday brought back memories of my only child, Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, who was shot and killed in the May 2014 rampage in Isla Vista, near UC Santa Barbara, where Chris was a student.

The Isla Vista killer murdered his three roommates, then drove through town shooting people. He shot 10 UCSB students; three died, including Chris. All this in a college community where our loved ones should have been safe.

Californians  and Americans  should not have to live this way. It is simply unacceptable that more than 90 Americans are shot and killed every day; hundreds more are shot and wounded.

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Since Chris died, I have met hundreds of families whose loved ones have been killed by gun violence, including at schools. Im horrified that families in San Bernardino are suffering today the pain my family has lived with every day for three years.

Californians  and Americans  should not have to live this way.

The shooting at North Park marked the 220th school shooting since 2013  and the 12th in 2017 alone. It reflects a few grisly facts about life in America: When it comes to gun violence against women, the United States is the most dangerous country in the developed world. And the United States is the only developed country where we routinely see our elementary school students on lockdown. Schools should be safe havens for learning math and science  not places where students learn how to duck and cover.

Mondays atrocity was not a mass shooting by many definitions, but it reflects some of the same trends you see when you look at such shootings. Research from Everytown for Gun Safety shows that more than half of mass shootings are related to domestic or family violence. And, as happened in San Bernardino, women and children are all too often in a shooters crosshairs.

Given how much bloodshed San Bernardino has already seen  at the Inland Regional Center in 2015, and in everyday acts of gun violence that never make the news  it is easy to feel helpless.

But we can do more, much more, as a society.

We can fight for laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. Domestic violence affects millions of American women and children, and guns in the hands of domestic abusers can turn mistreatment and violence into murder. The presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation makes it five times more likely that a woman will be killed.

National laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers  by requiring background checks for all gun sales and ensuring that prohibited abusers relinquish guns in their possession  are just common sense. States that require background checks for all handgun sales see 47% fewer women shot to death by intimate partners than states that do not have this requirement.

Since 2013, more than 20 states have enacted laws to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, including measures signed by Republican governors in New Jersey and Utah just this year, with other good bills moving forward in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

We also must resist the gun lobbys push to put guns into schools and onto college campuses.

In 2016, state legislatures across the country introduced 15 bills that would have pushed guns into schools, and 18 bills that would have forced guns onto college campuses. These were nearly all defeated, although Tennessee enacted a guns on campus bill last year despite strenuous opposition from college leaders, law enforcement and gun safety advocates.

And in California this year, we have a chance to pass a good, proactive law that will protect students and teachers by keeping guns out of K-12 schools. Because the last thing we need is to allow people with a bare minimum of training to carry concealed, loaded guns into our kids schools.

Even as we grieve for North Park victims Karen Smith and her student Jonathan Martinez, we must also strive for a world in which there is never another day like Monday. We must reject the gun lobbys vision of America  guns everywhere, for everyone, with no questions asked  and demand that not one more innocent man, woman or child be killed by senseless gun violence in our country.

Richard Martinez, whose son, Christopher Ross Michaels-Martinez, was shot and killed in the May 2014 shooting in Isla Vista, Calif., is the outreach associate for Everytown for Gun Safety.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook.
If youre still laboring over your tax forms to meet the April 18 filing deadline, heres a comforting thought: Unless you made well over $1 million  and unless your financial life is as complicated as, say, Donald Trumps  your chances of being audited are getting ever closer to zero.

The Internal Revenue Service says it will process 152 million individual tax returns this year; only about a million returns will trigger an audit. Thats roughly two-thirds of 1%, the lowest rate in more than a decade.

Theres a simple reason for that decline: Since 2010, Congress has reduced the tax agencys budget by roughly 17% in real dollars. Spending on tax enforcement, including audits, has been cut even more deeply  almost 30%.

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As a result, the federal government is losing at least $7 billion in revenue each year, according to tax expert William G. Gale of the Brookings Institution.

A smart businessman would look at those numbers and say: Thats nuts.

[E]very additional dollar spent on tax enforcement will produce at least $6 in revenue. Thats a return on investment any businessman would love.

Thats what Steven Mnuchin, the Los Angeles banker who became Trumps treasury secretary, concluded when he took his first look at the IRS.

I was particularly surprised  that the IRS headcount has gone down quite dramatically, Mnuchin told senators at his confirmation hearing. Especially for an agency that collects revenues, this is something that Im concerned about.

A stronger IRS, Mnuchin said, could reduce the federal budget deficit by closing the tax gap, the more than $450 billion difference between what the federal government is owed and what it actually collects.

This is one of the areas where I think we will all agree: to the extent we add resources, we can collect more money, he said.

And he was sure the president, another hardheaded businessman, would agree. We add people and we make money  hell get that completely. Thats a very quick conversation with Donald Trump.

That was before Mnuchin collided with Mick Mulvaney, Trumps new budget director.

Mulvaney, a former member of Congress, was a leader of the House Freedom Caucus, many of whose members say theyd like to abolish the IRS entirely. Mulvaney and his colleagues have been working to cut the IRS budget for years.

A few weeks after Mnuchins testimony, Mulvaney released Trumps first-draft budget proposal. It proposed cutting $239 million from the IRS.

Mulvaney hasnt explained why he chose that number; most of the media attention went to programs that were being slashed even more deeply, including the State Department and social services.

But he gave a clue to his thinking last year, when he co-sponsored a bill to impeach IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, ostensibly for failing to cooperate with congressional investigations.

Whos going to come rushing to the defense of the IRS? Mulvaney said then.

It would be hard to find a clearer collision between the two cultures of the Trump administration: the pragmatists like Mnuchin, many of them former Democrats, who came to Washington to run the federal government more like a business  and conservative hard-liners like Mulvaney, who want to shrink the federal government more than they want to run it.

If Trump is thinking clearly about the wrenching changes hes seeking in the federal budget  large-scale tax cuts, domestic spending cuts, and a big increase in defense spending  hell listen to Mnuchins argument about revenue.

The IRS and outside experts estimate that every additional dollar spent on tax enforcement will produce at least $6 in revenue. Thats a return on investment any businessman would love.

Theres another reason Trump should want to spend more money on tax enforcement: civic virtue.

Americans see taxpaying  as a civic duty and a moral obligation, argues political scientist Vanessa Williamson, author of Read My Lips, a new book on public attitudes about taxes. Even for very conservative Americans, being a taxpayer is shorthand for being an upstanding, contributing citizen.

Americans pay their taxes voluntarily at a rate higher than many other nationalities, she notes. The reason, she said, is something economists call tax morale  the social norm that we share, that if everyone else is chipping in I should do my part too.

A recent Pew Research poll found that 71% of Americans think not reporting all your income is morally wrong. That included 78% of Republicans  and only 68% of Democrats.

What does the IRS enforcement budget have to do with tax morale? If fewer returns are audited, tax experts fear the social norm in favor of honesty will erode  the same way police believe broken windows wear down the sense of order in an urban neighborhood.

If the system is not viewed as fair, overall compliance rates are going to drop, Koskinen said. If someone paying their fair share of taxes sees others who dont, and those others get away with it, that taxpayer may be a lot less motivated.

So, President Trump, as you broker this debate between your treasury secretary and your budget director, remember what you promised: that youd run the federal government more like a business. The revenue side is a good place to start. Better tax enforcement will help your bottom line. It would even be good for the nations morale.

doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com

Twitter: @DoyleMcManus

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook
To the editor: Former Senate Majority Leader Dr. Bill Frist is 100% correct when he describes the domino effect of cutting international public health funds. (Trump pushes historic cuts in global health aid, stoking fears of new disease outbreaks and diminished U.S. clout, April 10)

Jhpiego, an international nonprofit affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, has helped to reduce maternal mortality by 50% in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the developing world. Orphaned children are more likely to be pulled into the criminal elements that supply child soldiers for wars that may cost us hundreds of billions of dollars to combat in the future.

Fiscal conservatives in Congress should stop the Trump administrations proposed cuts to global health organizations. As an obstetrician and advocate for women and children worldwide, I call on Congress to help increase maternal healthcare worldwide. It is not only the moral and compassionate thing to do, it is also fiscally responsible and strategically necessary.

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Howard C. Mandel, MD, Los Angeles

The writer, a Los Angeles County health commissioner, chairs Jhpiegos international advisory board.

..

To the editor: Your article was very informative, thorough and devastating.

The administrations refusal to contribute to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is particularly galling because back in 2002, Donald Trump and I were on the same honorary committee for the Friends of UNFPAs Family of Woman exhibit in the lobby of the United Nations.

Trump obviously supported UNFPA then. What changed? He caved in to the virulent anti-U.N., anti-family planning faction of the Republican Party.

Jane Roberts, Redlands

The writer is co-founder of the group 34 Million Friends of UNFPA.

..

To the editor: I know President Trump prefers to make government smaller, but I think he should make it slightly larger by forming a Department of Unintended Consequences.

Everything he wants to do to make America great again is done at the expense of the rest of the world. In the end, all of these things will come back to hurt us.

Before he acts, he should consult with his new department to learn the long-term consequences. In time he may learn that not only is healthcare complicated, virtually all problems are complicated.

Bob Gould, Palm Desert

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
It was his sure-fire applause line, one he pulled out of his rhetorical grab bag whenever he saw he was losing the enthusiasm of a crowd: I will build a big, beautiful wall and Mexico will pay for it! If we are lucky, though, now that he is president, Donald Trump will renege on this, his biggest campaign promise.

He could simply declare victory and say a wall along the border with Mexico is no longer necessary because illegal crossings have diminished to a trickle. Unlike many of Trumps statements, that would have the added virtue of actually being more or less true. The number of people apprehended by the Border Patrol has dropped by 64% from this time last year, the lowest level in at least 17 years, according to an L.A. Times report.

If he simply says he has fixed the problem, his most ardent admirers will have no objection; first, because they believe anything he says and, second, because most of them already interpreted talk of a wall as hyperbole, an amusing exaggeration that only meant he was going to get tougher on undocumented immigrants. Trumps detractors, meanwhile, would breathe a sigh of relief because the wall is an insanely expensive absurdity.

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1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times)

It is estimated that building a giant, impervious 1,951-mile-long structure like Trump has proposed could cost as much as $38 billion and suck funding away from far more worthy and vital infrastructure projects. American ranchers and landowners along the border fear the wall would make parts of their property inaccessible. It would certainly make the Rio Grande unreachable from the U.S. side. It would also have the perverse effect of locking in thousands of migrants who might otherwise go back south.

In Senate testimony last week, Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly lowered expectations about Trumps big promise. Its unlikely that we will build a wall or physical barrier from sea to shining sea, he said. More likely, border security will be beefed up with stretches of wall here and there, supplemented with smaller fences, drones, electronic monitoring and other methods of interdiction, he said.

That almost makes sense.

Something that makes even more sense would be for Congress to put together comprehensive immigration legislation that would formally recognize the agricultural industrys need to employ guest workers from Mexico and elsewhere. Add to that assistance programs for Central American countries whose problems with criminal gangs and poverty are driving emigrants north. Such intelligent policies might go a long way toward lowering the number of people attempting the dangerous trek across the border.

Unfortunately, that kind of clear-headed thinking is not likely to emerge from the current Congress. Too many senators and representatives have benefited from riling up voters by exploiting the immigration issue. Why would they want to actually solve the problem?

Trump, though, has proven he can be quite elastic in his policy ideas. After insisting he would make Mexico pay for the wall, for instance, he came up with the idea of putting a duty on goods coming from Mexico. When everyone figured out that would mean American consumers would be paying the price, that idea lost traction. The latest shiny object to catch his eye is the wacky scheme from Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) to raise money for the wall by offering U.S. citizenship to any wealthy foreigner willing to fork over $1 million.

Heres an easier plan, Mr. President: Latch onto the latest border crossing numbers and call this a problem solved. Then, basking in your victory, simply allow your beautiful wall to go the way of all pipe dreams.

David.Horsey@latimes.com

Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter
Republicans survived an embarrassing scare and narrowly held on to a Kansas congressional seat Tuesday in a special election that served as a surprising red-state referendum on President Trump.

The single-digit victory for state Treasurer Ron Estes marked a far closer race than Democrats have pulled off in recent years, giving the party bragging rights as it looks to a series of special House elections this year.

Estes trailed in early tallies but then began to build a lead over Democratic civil rights attorney James Thompson, who had sought to translate anti-Trump anger on display at rallies and town halls across the country into a victory in one of the nations unlikeliest places. With 100% of precincts reporting, Estes led 53% to 46%.

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The 4th District race in the Wichita area was the first of a series of elections spurred by vacancies created when Republican House incumbents moved to the Trump Cabinet. The Kansas seat was held by Mike Pompeo, who resigned in January to take the job of CIA director.

The Kansas seat always ranked as a long shot for the Democrats, since the state has been ruby-red for decades and the seat has been held by a Republican since 1994. Trump carried the district in November in a 60%-33% swamping of Hillary Clinton. Pompeo won with a similar 61% of the vote in November.

Both Democrats and Republicans treated a GOP win as a foregone conclusion until recently, when Republicans were shocked into action. The combat continued until election day, when the president tweeted out a request for his supporters to show up at the polls.

Ron Estes is running TODAY for Congress in the Great State of Kansas. A wonderful guy, I need his help on Healthcare & Tax Cuts (Reform), Trump tweeted.

Nearly three months into his presidency, Trump has played the role he did in the campaign: a polarizing figure who inspires both rabid support and angry disapproval. The Kansas race showed that, for the moment, disapproval has more momentum.

The period between Trumps romping November victory and election day Tuesday has been a rocky one for the president. His immigration executive order, one of his campaigns most vehemently stated promises, was blunted by the courts and prompted protests across the country.

More recently, a recalcitrant and ideologically split Republican Congress could not come to agreement over a path to repeal and replace President Obamas healthcare program, leaving Trump unable to sign any measure to secure another of his highest-profile campaign pledges.

The successful ushering in of new Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, a clear administration success, has been partly overshadowed by continuing investigations into whether Trump or his team worked with Russian entities to harm Clintons presidency, another factor that Democrats hoped would depress Republican enthusiasm.

The Kansas race also appeared to be affected by the extreme unpopularity of the states Republican governor, Sam Brownback. His tax cuts, to which Estes, as the state Treasurer, was unofficially attached, have left the state with big budget problems.

More recently, Brownback vetoed an effort by state legislators, including moderate Republicans, to insure tens of thousands of Kansans by expanding Medicaid under the auspices of Obamacare.

A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday listed Brownback as the second-most unpopular governor in the country, with 27% of Kansans approving of him. Only New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was less popular, with 25% support in his state.

Estes appears to be swept up in a last-minute vortex of factors outside his control: Democrats anger towards Trump, independents anger towards Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP dissatisfaction with early administration failures, David Wasserman, an analyst for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, wrote Monday.

The outcome of the race had no appreciable impact on control of the House, where Republicans have a comfortable lead over Democrats, 237 to 193.

But it was a first test of whether Democrats could translate anti-Trump sentiment into a punitive verdict.

Apart from the fact that Republicans outnumber Democrats in the district by nearly 2 to 1, the congressional race represented Kansas best-case scenario for Democrats and worst-case for Republicans.

Democrat Thompson presented himself as someone who, due to his poverty-filled upbringing, had felt the pain of economically threatened Kansans. That made him the antithesis of a party often defined by coastal elites disconnected from the troubles of middle America.

Estes was swept into state office in 2010, along with Brownback, but has not struck an independent posture since and is largely not known for anything in particular, said Edward Flentje, professor emeritus at the Wichita State University School of Public Affairs.

Estes also seemed not to immediately anticipate the relative strength of the Democratic challenge.

Its been a lackluster campaign and hes done a kind of conventional approach to the election, Flentje said of Estes. Thompson, he said, had gotten his story across to anybody who pays attention.

The late-campaign push by Republicans included a Monday visit by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, more than $100,000 in money from national Republicans and their allies, and robo-calls into the district from Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole.

The attention was unlike anything seen in the state, where Republicans are usually expected to win as easily as Democrats do in places like California.

All of this is a bit surprising, Flentje said. I cant ever remember getting a robo-call from the president in Kansas.

Nationally, the political focus now turns to next Tuesdays special election in Georgia, where in a far more centrist district Democrat Jon Ossoff is trying to escape a runoff by gaining a majority against a host of squabbling Republican candidates.

That 6th District seat was held until recently by Republican Tom Price, who is now Trumps secretary of Health and Human Services.

The district went for Trump in November, but only by single digits, raising Democratic hopes of another boost before the important 2018 elections. With only weeks of planning, Ossoff raised millions in cash at a rate usually accomplished only by veteran fundraisers.

For more on politics 

cathleen.decker@latimes.com | Twitter: @cathleendecker

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UPDATES:

9:55 p.m.: Updated with results from 100% of precincts.

This article was originally published at 8:30 p.m.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday after appearing to forget about the Holocaust while comparing Adolf Hitler with Syrian President Bashar Assad during a cringe-worthy televised briefing with reporters.

His shaky performance and attempts to clarify the remark renewed criticism of Spicer, whose future in the role is a persistent source of speculation.

You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons, Spicer said, arguing that Russia and other countries that support Assad  whom Spicer at one point referred to as Ashad  are on the wrong side of history.

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Spicers rendering ignored the horror of the Holocaust, in which gas chambers were used as part of a genocide campaign that killed 6 million Jews as well as millions of others, including Gypsies and gay people.

An attempt to clarify the statement later in the briefing only compounded the problem, drawing more unwanted attention.

He was not using gas on his own people the same way, Spicer said. He referred to the Syria bomb victims as innocent.

He then added that he was aware of Holocaust centers  an apparent fumbled reference to death camps  and that he meant that Hitler did not use gas in the middle of towns.

The suggestion that Holocaust victims were not Hitlers own people  intended or not  hit a sore nerve for Jews and other victims who considered themselves loyal subjects of Germany. Hitlers propaganda cast them as disloyal and inferior.

There is also a painful and long history of Holocaust deniers who falsely claim, among other things, that gas chambers were not used to kill Jews.

After his own news briefing ended, Spicer attempted another clarification in written form that seemed to make a similar point.

In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, he said. I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable.

By Tuesday evening, Spicer was apologizing on CNN. He called his remarks a mistake, a blunder and an insensitive and inappropriate reference.

In making the case against Assad, Spicer appeared to be trying to draw a distinction made in a separate briefing Tuesday by Defense Secretary James N. Mattis.

Even in World War II, chemical weapons were not used on battlefields, Mattis said, saying that such weapons had been disavowed internationally since World War I.

The unforced error by Spicer is one of several that have given the combative press secretary an unusually high profile. The longtime Republican communicator is regularly spoofed on Saturday Night Live and is often subject to speculation that Trump, who cares deeply about his media coverage, will replace him.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi called for Spicers firing and demanded that Trump immediately disavow his spokesmans statements.

Spicers comments came on the first day of Passover, in which Jews celebrate freedom from oppression, she noted.

While Jewish families across America celebrate Passover, the chief spokesman of this White House is downplaying the horror of the Holocaust, Pelosi said.

This was not the first time Spicer has brushed up against Jewish sensitivities over the Holocaust. In January, he accused critics of nitpicking after the administration neglected to mention Jews in a statement observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

To suggest that remembering the Holocaust and acknowledging all of the people  Jewish, Gypsies, priests, disabled, gays and lesbians  it is pathetic that people are picking on a statement, Spicer said at the time, saying that the statement was written with help from a descendant of Holocaust survivors.

Trump, whose daughter Ivanka converted to Judaism before she married Jared Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, has also had uncomfortable moments in discussing hostility toward Jews. In a February news conference, Trump berated a Hasidic Jewish reporter who asked him how the government would respond to an uptick in bomb threats against Jewish centers.

Trump, who seemed to have mistook the question as a personal attack, said the question was unfair and angrily demanded that the reporter sit down.

I am the least anti-Semitic person that youve ever seen in your entire life, Trump said.

noah.bierman@latimes.com | Twitter: @noahbierman

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Records show ex-Trump campaign chief Paul Manaforts firm received payout from Ukraine ledger under investgation

Last August, a handwritten ledger surfaced in Ukraine with dollar amounts and dates next to the name of Paul Manafort, who was then chairman of Donald Trumps presidential campaign.

Ukrainian investigators called it evidence of off-the-books payments from a pro-Russian political party  and part of a larger pattern of corruption under the countrys former president. Manafort, who worked for the party as an international political consultant, has publicly questioned the ledgers authenticity.

Now, financial records newly obtained by the Associated Press confirm that at least $1.2 million in payments listed in the ledger next to Manaforts name were actually received by his consulting firm in the United States. They include payments in 2007 and 2009, providing the first evidence that Manaforts firm received at least some money listed in the so-called Black Ledger.

The two payments came years before Manafort became involved in Trumps campaign, but for the first time bolster the credibility of the ledger. They also put the ledger in a new light, as federal prosecutors in the U.S. have been investigating Manaforts work in Eastern Europe as part of a larger anti-corruption probe.

Separately, Manafort is also under scrutiny as part of congressional and FBI investigations into possible contacts between Trump associates and Russias government under President Vladimir Putin during the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. The payments detailed in the ledger and confirmed by the documents obtained by the AP are unrelated to the 2016 presidential campaign and came years before Manafort worked as Trumps unpaid campaign chairman.

In a statement to the AP, Manafort did not deny that his firm received the money but said any wire transactions received by my company are legitimate payments for political consulting work that was provided. I invoiced my clients and they paid via wire transfer, which I received through a U.S. bank.

Manafort noted that he agreed to be paid according to his clients preferred financial institutions and instructions.

Previously, Manafort and his spokesman, Jason Maloni, have maintained that the ledger was fabricated and said no public evidence existed that Manafort or others received payments recorded in it.

The AP, however, identified in the records two payments received by Manafort that aligned with the ledger: one for $750,000 that a Ukrainian lawmaker said last month was part of a money-laundering effort that should be investigated by U.S. authorities. The other was $455,249 and also matched a ledger entry.

The newly obtained records also expand the global scope of Manaforts financial activities related to his Ukrainian political consulting, because both payments came from companies once registered in the Central American country of Belize. Last month, the AP reported that the U.S. government has examined Manaforts financial transactions in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus as part of its probe.

Federal prosecutors have been looking into Manaforts work for years as part of an effort to recover Ukrainian assets stolen after the 2014 ouster of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich, who fled to Russia. No charges have been filed as part of the investigation.

Manafort, a longtime Republican political operative, led the presidential campaign from March until August last year when Trump asked him to resign. The resignation came after a tumultuous week in which the New York Times revealed that Manaforts name appeared in the Ukraine ledger  although the newspaper said at the time that officials were unsure whether Manafort actually received the money  and after the AP separately reported that he had orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation until 2014 on behalf of Ukraines pro-Russian Party of Regions.

Officials with the Ukrainian National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is investigating corruption under Yanukovich, have said they believe the ledger is genuine. But they have previously noted that they have no way of knowing whether Manafort received the money listed next to his name. The bureau said it is not investigating Manafort because he is not a Ukrainian citizen.

Still, Manaforts work continues to draw attention in Ukrainian politics.

Last month, Ukrainian lawmaker Serhiy Leshchenko revealed an invoice bearing the letterhead of Manaforts namesake company, Davis Manafort, that Leshchenko said was crafted to conceal a payment to Manafort as a purchase of 501 computers.

The AP provided to Manafort the amounts of the payments, dates and number of the bank account where they were received. Manafort told the AP that he was unable to review his own banking records showing receipt of the payments because his bank destroyed the records after a standard seven-year retention period. He said Tuesday the computer sales contract is a fraud.

The signature is not mine, and I didnt sell computers, he said in a statement. What is clear, however, is individuals with political motivations are taking disparate pieces of information and distorting their significance through a campaign of smear and innuendo.

Leshchenko said last month the 2009 invoice was one of about 50 pages of documents, including private paperwork and copies of employee-issued debit cards, that were found in Manaforts former Kiev office by a new tenant.

The amount of the invoice  $750,000 and the payment date of Oct. 14, 2009, matches one entry on the ledger indicating payments to Manafort from the Party of Regions. The invoice was addressed to Neocom Systems Ltd., a company formerly registered in Belize, and included the account and routing numbers and postal address for Manaforts account at a branch of Wachovia National Bank in Alexandria, Va.

The AP had previously been unable to independently verify the $750,000 payment went to a Manafort company, but the newly obtained financial records reflect Manaforts receipt of that payment. The records show that Davis Manafort received the amount from Neocom Systems the day after the date of the invoice.

Leshchenko contended to AP that Yanukovich, as Ukraines leader, paid Manafort money that came from his governments budget and was stolen from Ukrainian citizens. He said: Money received by Manafort has to be returned to the Ukrainian people.

Leshchenko said U.S. authorities should investigate what he described as corrupt deals between Manafort and Yanukovich. Its about a U.S. citizen and money was transferred to a U.S. bank account, he said.

A $455,249 payment in November 2007 also matches the amount in the ledger. It came from Graten Alliance Ltd., a company that had also been registered in Belize. It is now inactive.

The AP reported last month that federal prosecutors are looking into Manaforts financial transactions in Cyprus, an island nation once known as a favored locale for money laundering.

Among those transactions was a $1-million payment in October 2009 routed through the Bank of Cyprus. The money was deposited into an account controlled by a Manafort-linked company, then left the account on the same day, broken into two disbursements of $500,000, according to documents obtained by the AP.

The records of Manaforts Cypriot transactions were requested by the U.S. Treasury Department Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which works internationally with agencies to track money laundering and the movement of illicit funds around the globe.

Dozens of Ukrainian political figures mentioned in the Black Ledger are under investigation in Ukraine. The anti-corruption bureau, which has been looking into the Black Ledger, publicly confirmed the authenticity of the signature of one top official mentioned there. In December, the bureau accused Mykhaylo Okhendovsky of receiving more than $160,000 from Party of Regions officials in 2012, when he was Ukraines main election official.

The bureau said it would identify more suspects in the coming months.
Carol Penn stands in front of a classroom at St. Pauls Episcopal Church in Tustin, a copy of the book, English The American Way, in hand.

Her lesson that Tuesday morning involves explanations of DUI  driving under the influence is scrawled on a white board behind her  and the ride sharing company Uber.

Penn, 72, takes a break to ask the students in her high-intermediate English as a Second Language class to go around the room and say where theyre from.

Mexico, Korea, Japan, China, Vietnam, Iran.

And Im from Compton, Penn said. Straight out of Compton!

The students erupt with laughter.

While Penns international classroom bears little resemblance to the demographic makeup of St. Pauls congregation  Were white, were female, were old, said Penn  it looks just like Orange County, which has become majority-minority in recent years.

Penn agreed.

This is Tustin, she said.

As the county has changed, so has the programming at St. Pauls, which offers a robust set of free ESL courses Tuesdays and Thursdays, at several language levels, to immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers from all over the world.

We think internationally, and we say yes to tolerance, Penn said. We respond to people who need our help, and they need our help now.

Penn started St. Pauls ESL program in 2009, after state budget cuts to education led local school districts to drop adult programming, including ESL and citizenship classes.

Penn, who had been teaching at the Tustin Unified School Districts adult school, was laid off at the end of the academic year.

I went to my priest and said, I really dont know how Im going to get by this,  recalled Penn, who has taught ESL for nearly 20 years. I explained to her how valuable I thought these classes were, and she said, without hesitation, Bring them here. 

I thought she was crazy when she first said that, because we didnt have any books, we didnt even have white boards, we didnt have supplies, and we didnt have teachers.

But just a few months later, in September 2009, Penn started a new ESL and citizenship program at St. Pauls, with many of her old students in attendance.

Now the program has about 250 students per year, led by a team of 20 volunteer teachers.

Even as local school districts regained their funding for adult education last spring  and resumed ESL and citizenship classes  the program at St. Pauls remains strong.

They have a community, its not just a class, said the Rev. Kay Sylvester, rector of St. Pauls. I walk by often and hear them talking about buying appliances or negotiating going to school with your kids, what does this report look like, what does this form look like? Its really helping people be empowered to be citizens and self-determining.

Diaa Diwan, who came to the United States three years ago as a refugee from Syria, said that St. Pauls ESL classes have been like the sunlight for her.

Carol was not only teaching us English, she was telling us how to live here in the United States, the 36-year-old mother of two said. Its not easy for us. Its a new language, its a new life. Everything is new for us.

On top of weekly English lessons, Diwan said that Penn helped her family get drivers licenses, jobs and, eventually, green cards.

Now Diwan is enrolled in Moreno Valley College, where she plans to study early childhood education. Her family also purchased their first home in the area.

A current student in Penns high-intermediate class is a 21-year-old Iranian asylum seeker who studied English literature before coming to the United States in 2015 and cites Death of a Salesman as her favorite play.

When I went to that ESL class I wasnt OK, I was totally depressed, said the student, who asked that her name not be used because of her immigration status. I felt it was the end of the world, I am here alone, I am far away from my family, my family is also in danger because of me. I havent any place to go.

As an asylum-seeker, life is very hard, she went on. It takes a year to get your legal documents, such as Social Security number and employment authorization. Still Im applying for jobs. Those ESL classes are a center of hope for us.

Sylvester said the classes enrich St. Pauls congregation.

Episcopalians tend to, still, demographically be skewing towards white and economically advantaged, she said. One of the things the program does is it brings people on our campus who dont look like traditional Episcopalians, in the very best sense  because we can actually see who our neighbors are.

The fact that we have an ESL program has raised some awareness about what folks are facing in places like Syria, so theres less fear and more of a sense of we know what folks are up against, which makes us a better bridge to reaching out.

But this year, Penn said the dynamics in many classrooms have changed.

Our attendance at ESL of Muslim students dropped dramatically, she said. If they dont feel safe here, then they dont feel safe. It is a Christian church. Thats never been a problem before, but it might be a problem now.

Said Sylvester: When the first executive order came down, shutting the borders, as it were, to people from several nations, I went into the class and said very clearly, This has no effect on our relationship with you. We want to be your friends, we want to be your allies. Thats who were called to be. 

Barring immigrants and refugees from education  whether through fear of U.S. immigration policies or cuts to funding harms everyone, Penn said.

Throwing up these kinds of roadblocks I really dont think is benefiting this country, she said. These people have talents, they have education, they have gifts to give, and were setting up obstacles for them to use their gifts. That doesnt make any sense to me.

Why would we lock them out?

Caitlin Yoshiko Kandil is a contributor to Times Community News.
Scholarship awarded to OC veterans

The Rick Hopcraft Memorial Scholarship Fund, managed by the Orange County Community Foundation, has awarded scholarships to three Orange County veterans including Advaith Thampi of Irvine.

Corey Hamm of Huntington Beach and Gary Matsuk of Anaheim were also awarded. The scholarships range from $3,500 to $10,000 for a total distribution of $17,500.

The scholarship supports military veterans pursuing higher education in Orange County. It was created to recognize and support local veterans, as well as memorialize Rick Hopcrafts military service and his community and commercial real estate industry leadership.

A luncheon to honor the recipients was set to be held Dec. 8 at Scotts Restaurant and Bar in Costa Mesa. The event was hosted by Steve and Janice Hopcraft.

Advaith Thampi is pursuing a political science degree at UC Irvine. Thampi served as a plane captain, responsible for maintaining the planes systems, in the U.S. Marine Corps in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He received numerous awards, including the Navy Achievement Medal, and was named the UC Irvine Veteran Scholar of the Year and was also awarded a UC Regents Scholarship for his academic achievements.

Hamm, an Edison High School graduate, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2007, attained the rank of sergeant, was a squad leader, and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Hamm received more than a dozen awards, including the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Unit Commendation. Corey is pursuing a business administration degree at the USC.

Matsuk studies business administration at Cypress Community College. He served in the U.S. Navy Seabees beginning in 1973. The Seabees both build and fight in mobile construction battalions, developing airstrips, building bases, roadways and accomplishing construction, often in war zones of active fighting.

For more information about the fund or the foundation, visit oc-cf.org or mabril@oc-cf.org.

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Monahans restaurant helps raise funds

Skosh Monahans in Costa Mesa recently helped raise more than $2,000 to one of Newport Harbor High Schools dance teams.

The money will go toward the teams costumes and props, said Skosh Monahan owner Gary Monahan, also a Costa Mesa city councilman.

The Segerstrom family also chipped in with a $1,000 donation. It was the first time that the family had donated to Newport Harbor High, Monahan said.

I am hoping this will kick-start a really good relationship as we go forward, Monahan said in an email.

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Free water conservation kits

Ratepayers of the Mesa Water District are eligible to receive free conservation kits Saturday at Estancia High School.

The kits include a high-efficient shower head, shower time and reusable water bottle.

The kits will be given from 9 a.m. to noon at the school, located at 2323 Placentia Ave., Costa Mesa.

For more information, call (949) 631-1201 or email event@mesawater.org.

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The Laguna Beach City Council on Tuesday continued its hard-line stance against marijuana-related businesses, whether for medical or recreational purposes.

The council unanimously favored a proposed ordinance that would ban commercial cultivation, distribution and sales of recreational cannabis, which California legalized with passage of Proposition 64 last November.

The Adult Use of Marijuana Act allows cities to enact bans on marijuana businesses, though a person may grow up to six plants in a locked area inside a private residence for personal use, as long as the plants are not visible from a public place.

In that same election, Laguna voters rejected a ballot measure  Measure KK  that would have lifted the citys current ban on medical marijuana dispensaries and allowed up to two dispensaries.

City officials have said allowing sales of recreational marijuana in the city could attract loitering, criminal activity and increased traffic  the same concerns raised last year regarding medical marijuana dispensaries.

Resident Mike Beanan urged the council to reconsider while extolling the medicinal benefits of marijuana for people with certain health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

He cited Proposition 215, known as the Compassionate Use Act, which voters passed in 1996. The law legalized medical marijuana in the state.

The city is not showing compassion that goes with that law, Beanan said in an interview following the councils vote. How would you like the police evaluating whether you need pain killers?

Laguna Beach Police Chief Laura Farinella said the ordinance would not interfere with the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, which allows a person 21 years or older to buy marijuana and give it to someone 21 or older.

Costa Mesa also prohibits cultivation and retail sales of cannabis, though businesses that research, test, process and manufacture some medical marijuana products are allowed after voters in November approved Measure X.

Gov. Jerry Browns administration is proposing streamlined rules for medical and recreational pot, the Los Angeles Times reported earlier this month.

Laguna council members need to pass the ordinance on a second reading before it would take effect.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
The battleship-gray, 85-foot military craft bristling with four .50 caliber machine guns observed navigating the waters off the Orange Coast is a head-turner.

What spectators lining the shore see churning through the Pacific waves belongs neither to the U.S. Navy nor Marine Corps. It also has no name. Its only markings are U.S.A.A.F. P-520, painted in black on the stern and both sides of the forward pilothouse.

This vessel is a relic of wars past, a 73-year-old former U.S. Army Air Force crash-rescue boat that served during World War II and the Korean War to save air crews whose aircraft had ditched at sea or to recover the remains of those who suffered fatal accidents over water.

For the several months during WWII, P-520, which was constructed entirely of wood and could reach a speed of 35 knots, also was attached to a special Army emergency rescue unit located near the Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Beach. Its mission was to pick up downed airmen from Orange County coastal waters who were flying out of the Santa Ana Army Air Base in Costa Mesa, which had been established in January 1942, a month after Japans attack on Pearl Harbor.

Built in early 1944 at the Wilmington Boat Works Co., P-520 was one of 140 Army rescue craft built in 63-, 85- and 104-foot lengths at several U.S. shipyards for service during the two wars.

In WWII, many of the boats, including P-520, rescued Army and Navy airmen whose planes had been shot down while supporting U.S. amphibious landings on Japanese-held Pacific islands. During the Korean War, several of the boats engaged in clandestine operations as well, inserting South Korean agents into Communist North Korean ports and inlets.

According to Capt. Jerry Tretter, the crafts current owner and skipper, P-520 and the other 85-foot boats had crews of 16, all enlisted men. The boats had no heating or air conditioning and temperatures in Korea ranged from 20 degrees below zero to 100-plus. The men, who slept in tiered, narrow bunks, often went weeks without showers as the water tanks held only 500 gallons, which was used for cooking and drinking. In wintertime, the tanks often froze, and it was not unusual for ice to form on the crews bunks.

How P-520 eventually ended up in the hands of Tretter and his family is itself an intriguing tale.

Declared too old and obsolete for further service following the end of the Korean War, P-520 and the other rescue boats still seaworthy and operable were brought back to the U.S. and sold by the federal government to commercial fishermen, maritime freight haulers, collectors and yachtsmen.

One of those yachtsmen was multi-millionaire Richard E. Loderhose, whose father owned the United Paste and Glue Corp. in New York. Dick Loderhose also was an accomplished organist, founder and president of the American Organ Society and collector of historic church and theater organs.

In 1997, Loderhose sold the glue business he had inherited from his father, moved to Newport Beach and purchased the P-520 for $10,000 from its previous owner. Loderhose spent what he described as a fortune to rehabilitate the boat and turn it into a yacht. Once this was accomplished, he docked it at the Balboa Bay Club of which he was a member.

He named the vessel Music Man 1 and, after buying four other former rescue boats, named them Music Man 2, etc. Loderhose also purchased the old Bay Theater at the corner of Main Street and Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach, where he installed and played, at special performances, his prized 1927 Wurlitzer organ.

In 1997, Loderhose, tired of maintaining P-520, turned it over to Delbert Bud Tretter, Jerry Tretters father, who owned the Alamitos Marina Shipyard adjoining Alamitos Bay in Long Beach.

Bud Tretter, a longtime sailor who had competed in several Transpac races, diver and an Army rescue boat crewman during the Korean War, had always yearned to own one of the 85-footers and spent approximately $1 million to renovate the boat that had fallen into disrepair under Loderhoses stewardship and replace its original 1,500-horsepower V-12 twin Packard gasoline engines with equally powerful diesels.

In addition to his maritime pursuits, Bud Tretter became connected to the Hollywood motion picture and television industries. He served as a technical advisor for the 1963 feature film PT-109, which chronicled the heroism of Navy LTJG John F. Kennedy (played by Cliff Robertson) who saved crewmen from his patrol boat after it had been rammed and sunk in the Pacific by a Japanese Navy destroyer in August, 1943. Five months after the movie was released, Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas.

Tretter also was the technical advisor for the 1962-63 ABC television series McHales Navy, which starred Ernest Borgnine, and captained the Navy patrol boat featured in the series opening scenes.

On June 18, 2012, Bud Tretter died of diabetes and kidney failure at the age of 80. He left his shipyard, marina and Army rescue boat to his son, Jerry, who frequently skippers it to Orange Coast ports, where it has been displayed at boat shows such as those held at the American Legion Yacht Club in Newport Beach. Jerry Tretter, 56, also takes military veterans on day-long cruises aboard P-520 and enters it in area-wide boat parades.

Jerry, like his late father, also served on active military duty as a rescue boat crewmen. But his choice of service was the Coast Guard, not the Navy.

Tretter says he is considering donating the boat to a museum, such as the Battleship USS Iowa Museum in San Pedro, Barbers Point Naval Museum in Hawaii or the Smithsonian. He wants P-520 to be seen by countless thousands in future years. The old boat will soon begin to show its age. Its one of just a handful of Army rescue boats still in existence, and I want it to be preserved forever, he said.

David C. Henley is a contributor to Times Community News.
The Orange County district attorneys office will not pursue criminal charges against a Laguna Beach man in connection with an online post that city officials considered a threat, a spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday.

The prosecutor did not feel we would be able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, D.A. spokeswoman Michelle Van Der Linden wrote in an email.

Laguna Beach police arrested Michael James Ross Jan. 5 on suspicion of criminal threats and threats to public officials regarding a Craigslist post that authorities said showed photos of a man dressed in camouflage with an automatic rifle hiding in brush.

The Daily Pilot inquired about the cases status after Ross father, Laguna Beach resident Robert Mason Ross, appeared at Tuesdays City Council meeting.

Escorted by two Laguna Beach police officers, Robert Ross addressed the council for the first time in months after serving time in Orange County Jail.

Robert Ross, who ran for a council seat in 2012 and regularly speaks during meetings, criticized the citys change to its bus hours and the size of the trolleys.

In an interview outside council chambers, Ross, 75, struck an apologetic tone while alluding to a long-standing concern with the city regarding property line boundaries in the Top of the World neighborhood.

My son made a mistake, said Ross, whom authorities also arrested Jan. 5 on suspicion of illegal firearms possession.

Investigators found six rifles, a semi-automatic handgun and more than 100 boxes of ammunition.

I am warning the City Council that I am going to show up with my gillie suit, to remove these tyrants from office, in 2017, the post stated, according to police. Call the police and the city, council and tell them I am coming to end this corruption, from the Laguna Beach City Council, once and for all. Hahahahahaha, you are going down now.

Michael Ross was released Jan. 9 without posting bail because he was not arraigned in time, according to jail records.

Voter registration records show Michael Ross has the same phone number as his father. A call placed Wednesday afternoon was not returned.

Robert Ross pleaded guilty March 8 to three felony counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Orange County Superior Court website.

He was sentenced to jail time, which he has served, and three years of probation, according to the D.A.s office.

Mayor Pro Tem Kelly Boyd said Wednesday he knew Robert Ross would be at Tuesdays meeting.

I think he handled himself well, considering everything that happened, Boyd said.

Councilman Steve Dicterow said he was confident in the D.A.s decision to not file charges.

I think the D.A. does a wonderful job and thoroughly investigated the case, Dicterow said.

Per a court order, Robert Ross must contact the city or police department before conducting official business and must stay at least 15 feet away from council members.

bryce.alderton@latimes.com

Twitter: @AldertonBryce
Universal Orlandos Volcano Bay promises to do away with two hassles that are the bane of any water park visit: waiting in lines and carrying rafts up flights of stairs.

The new water park, set to open May 25, will occupy 30 acres wedged between an interstate highway and Universals Cabana Beach Resort hotel in Orlando, Fla.

Volcano Bay effectively replaces the Universal-owned Wet n Wild water park, which closed last year.

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Volcano Bay, dubbed a water theme park, will stay open as late as 10 p.m. to show off the transformation of the centerpiece mountain from daytime waterfalls to nighttime lava flows.

Volcano Bays elaborate back story begins with the journey of the fictional Waturi Islanders as they search for a new home in the South Pacific. Guided by a magical golden-finned fish, the Waturi traveled by outrigger canoes to Bali, Tahiti, New Zealand and Easter Island before finding a mythical smoking mountain named after the fiery god Krakatau. The legend informed all creative decisions during the development of the water park, which combines the cultures, music and design aesthetics of many Polynesian islands.

Volcano Bay promises to eliminate lines with a Tapu Tapu wristband that is included with every admission. The virtual queuing system allows visitors to tap a wristband at a totem station to book a return time for the parks major water slides.

An LCD touchscreen keeps track of all the booked ride times, and the wristband vibrates 15 minutes before visitors need to return to a slide. Extra time can be spent in the wave pools, lazy river, water play fortress, restaurants and shops. The wristband also triggers interactive water jets and lighting effects throughout the park.

The Volcano Bay wristband was developed by Britain-based Accesso, which also makes the QBot handheld device that powers the Flash Pass virtual queue system at Six Flags parks. The wristbands capabilities include proximity-based marketing, push notifications, cashless purchases, photo tagging, locker rentals and keyless hotel room entry. Universal plans to roll out the technology to its other theme parks.

The 18 attractions in the park will be divided into four themed lands: Krakatau Volcano, Wave Village, River Village and Rainforest Village.

The parks marquee Krakatau Aqua Coaster ascends the parks 200-foot-tall Krakatau Volcano with the help of magnetic propulsion. The water coaster mimics the ups and downs of a traditional roller coaster with linear induction motors that power raft riders over whoop-de-do hills and down high-speed drops. The journey begins in an elevated jungle temple loading station where riders climb into four-seat inflatable canoe-shaped rafts. Following a brief drop, the raft ascends through the mist and into the volcano. The water coaster travels through a series of darkened passageways and twists before finally plunging through a waterfall.

Other attractions on the parks signature volcano include a trio of trap-door body slides and a four-lane racing slide with mats designed to look like manta rays.

The Rainforest Village includes a whitewater inner-tube ride, four twisting raft slides, a pair of body slides with splashdown finales and a six-person raft ride with a zero-gravity wall.

The River Village features a pair of multi-person raft slides, a three-story water fortress and a lazy river.

The Wave Village, as you might expect, is home to a pair of wave pools.

Kohola Reef, the parks tropical-themed sit-down restaurant, serves coconut curry chicken, glazed Hawaiian ribs and mango barbeque pulled pork sandwiches. Quick-service stands offer hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza and tacos.

1 / 3 An aerial view October 8, 2016 of the construction of VoIcano Bay at Universal. It appears that it weathered hurricane Matthew. Volcano Bay is a water park currently under construction scheduled to open 2017. (Red Huber/ Staff Photographer) (Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel) 2 / 3 An aerial view October 8, 2016 of the construction of VoIcano Bay at Universal. It appears that it weathered hurricane Matthew. Volcano Bay is a water park currently under construction scheduled to open 2017. (Red Huber/ Staff Photographer) (Red Huber / Orlando Sentinel) 3 / 3 Volcano Bay water park at Universal (Sandra Pedicini / Orlando Sentinel)

Still need more theme park news? Check out the Los Angeles Times Funland theme park blog on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram.

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Fernanda Santini, an elementary school teacher in Sao Paulo, seemed to sum up the feelings of many Brazilians when a Supreme Court justice this week released a list of politicians being investigated on corruption allegations.

Rumors of who was on the list had circulated for some time, and when it finally came out, scores of officials were named, including eight Cabinet ministers.

Its about time they were all named, Santini said with satisfaction Wednesday. Its not like we all didnt know who would  or at least should  be investigated, but it makes you smile to think that what theyve done could all catch up to them now.

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Residents of Sao Paulo celebrated the release of the list Tuesday by banging on pots and pans, an act that has become symbolic in Brazil of protesting against political corruption since the arrest and jailing of many government leaders in the seemingly never-ending fallout from the investigation code-named Lava Jato, or Car Wash.

Satirical Brazilian website Sensacionalista even published a list of 15 politicians on the list who had previously attended anti-corruption protests.

The list, the subject of leaks and much speculation, was made public when Justice Luiz Edson Fachin removed the seal on plea-bargain testimony from executives of the construction company Odebrecht, whose former chief executive, Marcelo Odebrecht, is serving a 19-year prison sentence for his involvement in paying millions of dollars in bribes as part of a graft scheme.

Federal prosecutors will open new inquiries into eight ministers in President Michel Temers Cabinet, as well as 24 senators and 39 lawmakers in the lower house of Congress.

Among those on the Fachin list, as it is being called, are Temers chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, and Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes Ferreira. Members of the Brazilian Congress have been implicated too, including the president of the lower house, Rodrigo Maia, as well as former Senate President Renan Calheiros and his replacement, Eunicio Oliveira.

Marchers at Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro show their support in March for the Lava Jato, or Car Wash, anti-corruption investigation that has roiled Brazilian politics. (Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)

Temers name was also mentioned in evidence and transcriptions related to investigations into some of his top allies, according to Fachins ruling. The president, however, has temporary immunity, which prevents a sitting president from being investigated for acts that occurred outside his current mandate.

Brazilians are becoming accustomed to seeing presidents in legal hot water. Temers predecessor, Dilma Rousseff, was impeached last fall for breaking budgetary rules by shifting around funds to cover short-term deficits. She wasnt accused of corruption, nor was she a target of Lava Jato, but her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was. He faces corruption charges in connection with alleged bribes from Oderbrecht.

While some see the lists release as a victory, other Brazilians say its likely just another step in a long, long road.

Just because theyre on that list doesnt mean anything will actually happen to them, said Jairo Peres, a street vendor in Sao Paulo. Its good that they have the shame of being investigated, but theyll find a way to stay right where they are, spending all our money.

Once federal prosecutors wrap up their investigations into each politician on the list, their findings will be brought back to the Supreme Court, which will decide whether the officials will be charged with crimes such as corruption and money laundering.

Despite the fact that nearly a third of his Cabinet and a third of the Senate are named on the Fachin list, Temer said the accusations would not slow down the work of the federal government.

We absolutely cannot paralyze legislative activity, he said Thursday. We have to continue with government [work], and legislative and judicial activity.

The new inquiries have come at a delicate time for Temer, who is trying to obtain approval of controversial pension reform proposals that the government considers its only way out of severe pension system debt and, in turn, would provide a return to confidence in the countrys economy. Last year alone, Brazil registered a pension deficit of $67 billion in the 12 months through November.

Brazilians, however, are not pleased with the plan to set a minimum retirement age of 65 after the country has gone so many years without setting a bar at all.

Ive been working since I was 14 years old, and now they tell me Ill have to wait until Im 65 to retire and get my measly pension? Its absurd, said Antonia Ferreira, who works at a clothing store in Sao Paulo. Maybe if [politicians] stopped lining their pockets with our money, we wouldnt be in this situation in the first place. They should start paying us taxes. Or maybe Ill just run for office next year.

Langlois is a special correspondent.

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From his shop window, looking out on the storied Umayyad mosque and the remains of a 2,000-year-old Roman bath complex, Joseph Havera was contemplating what he considered a nightmare scenario: A U.S.-led assault on the Syrian capital, stronghold of President Bashar Assad.

Why would the United States attack Syria? I dont understand it, Havera, an august merchant of textiles, antiquities and other Syrian handicrafts, said from his musty second-floor aerie, up a series of narrow stairways that wind past sundry craftsmens workshops.

I knew this Trump liked women, Havera added. But it seems he likes bombs too.

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Syrian textile merchant Joseph Havera unfolds damask tablecloths in Damascus. He fears the prospect of greater U.S. intervention in Syria. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For the Los Angeles Times)

In the wake of a U.S. missile strike on a Syrian airbase last week, word of Washingtons newly aggressive posture toward Assads government has rippled through the cobbled alleys of the Old City, where serpentine lanes run past Roman-era colonnades, spice emporia and storefronts crammed with Damascus-steel daggers and intricately inlaid wooden boxes.

The prospect of a wider U.S. intervention has unnerved many in this bastion of support for Assad, whom Trump referred to on Wednesday as an evil person and an animal.

Assads response has been to defiantly dig in. Earlier this week, chanting demonstrators massed outside the U.N. office in Damascus, protesting the unjust American aggression against Syria. The Iraqi scenario will not be repeated in Syria, read one banner, referring to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq that followed accusations  unfounded, as it turned out  that Saddam Husseins government was harboring weapons of mass destruction.

After more than six grueling years of war, this ancient capital has regained a sense of equilibrium, despite the daily soundtrack of not-so-distant mortar strikes  hollow thuds that hardly draw notice anymore in this sprawling metropolis that is home to more than 5 million people.

Life has resumed a sense of normalcy, a notion that may stun those who have followed news reports of Syrias civil war but havent been to Damascus lately. Traffic clogs the streets and shoppers browse the souks, making time for an Arabic coffee or an ice cream from the celebrated Bakdash ice cream parlor in the Hamidiya souk. In one corner of the city, Damascenes can even be seen taking part in wedding festivities.

Residents have become accustomed to the checkpoints, concrete blast barriers and robust army presence in the streets. The heavy security has generally been successful in reducing the car-bomb attacks that racked the capital in the early months of the war and drove people from the streets. Now, the Old City is alive at night again. Bars are hopping in Bab Touma, a largely Christian district.

Many Damascenes have even allowed themselves to contemplate an end to the shattering conflict.

But the U.S. attack last week has added an unsettling new element that complicates any forecast for a resolution. Washington has long provided arms and training to anti-Assad rebels, but never overtly intervened against Assads government  until last week.

The Trump administration called the strike a retaliation for a Syrian government chemical attack on a rebel-held town in northwest Idlib province. Damascus and its main allies, Russia and Iran, have denied that the government was responsible, suggesting the poison gas was inadvertently released during an air strike on a munitions depot, or planted by the opposition to draw the United States into the war.

To many here, especially Christians, other minorities and secular Sunni Muslims, the Assad government  widely reviled in the West  has become a bulwark against an insurgency that has come to be largely dominated by hard-core Islamists. Government supporters may not like Assad, but they see his leadership as a barrier against an array of hard-line opposition fighters whom many consider just as threatening as Islamic State, the ultra-radical group that until now has been the main target of U.S. military might in Syria.

While Assads forces have tight control of the capital, armed opposition factions still control suburbs just a few miles from the city. Everyone is aware that the current sense of stability could be transitory.

Our spirit isnt very high right now, said Ghina Allain, 20, who was strolling through the ancient Souk al-Silah with her sister, Hannah Allain, 18. What does Trump know about our country? Who is he to do this?

Ghina Allain, left, and her sister, Hannah Allain stroll the ancient Souk al-Silah. Our spirit isnt very high right now, Ghina Allain said of the situation in Syria. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For the Los Angeles Times)

Of course, there are many Syrians who have long called for a U.S.-led military effort to oust Assads autocratic government. Various opposition groups applauded the Trump administration strike, saying it was long overdue. But no one would express such sentiments publicly on Damascus closely patrolled streets.

Instead, most expressed disdain for the United States.

We know that the Americans are working with the Saudis and with Daesh, said Mahal Ghanem, a snack seller in the Old City, using an Arab acronym for Islamic State. The United States and Saudi Arabia, he said, have long been arming anti-Assad forces, though Washington and Riyadh deny aiding Islamic State. This is nothing new, he said. They will be defeated.

Early on in the conflict, the government concentrated its forces on consolidating control of the capital, maintaining its base of support on the Mediterranean coast and recapturing the cities of Homs and Aleppo.

Mahal Ghanem, left, sells nuts, chips and other snacks in Damascus Old City. He says he believes the United States is working with Islamic State. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For the Los Angeles Times)

That strategy has resulted in a huge loss of life among pro-government forces but has thus far proved successful  thanks in large part to aid from Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, the Lebanese group closely tied to Iran. Government supporters are unapologetic about the outside aid, often denounced in the West and among opposition activists.

Yes, Russia helped save our Syria, and we are grateful, said Nidal Mahmoud, 47, a clerk from Homs who was sipping coffee in a to-go cup on an Old City street. What would we have done without them? Syria would have been lost.

The Old City, one of the historic jewels of the Middle East, has remained intact even as the ancient centers of Aleppo and Homs were destroyed in the fighting. It remains a place where people can come and put the war aside.

 After more than six years of war, life in Damascus has returned to a semblance of normality, though the sounds of mortars still echo in the Syrian capital and armed rebels remain entrenched a few miles from the city limits. But its spring and weddi

Many of our customers have lost loved ones in the war, they have suffered a great loss, noted Ahmad Hussein Abd, manager of the landmark Nawfara coffee and tea house, where clouds of smoke from water pipes drift over the patio. But here they can have some peace, some time to be quiet and be happy. Here, we dont talk politics.

There seems, in general, a reluctance to pass judgment. This is, after all, a conflict that has yet to be settled conclusively.

In the end, God will always save Syria, said Yusuf Kanavid, a stout rug salesman sitting on a plastic chair outside his shop. Syria will always survive. God is with us.

patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com

Twitter: @mcdneville

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All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced.  19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc.
New discovered Word bug has been exposed and as of the moment, the vulnerability hasn't fixed yet. Zero-day is a flaw discovered by the hackers in Microsoft word and Microsoft office, authorities have been warned the public to be extra careful as they seemingly sneak malware into users system.

According to the reports, over the weekend, a new bug has been targeted by the hackers which remotely install malware into a customer's system. The installed malware has a capability to steal banking logins will be patched, said by Microsoft.

The new vulnerability bug of Microsoft said to be a dangerous malware attack, according to McAfee anti-virus company. In a blog post, the anti-virus company also said that the dangerous malware attack is possible due to Microsoft's OLE (Object, Linking, and Embedding) technology, TNW has reported.

There are also reports claiming that the earliest attack has happened and seen dates back in late January. The dangerous malware exploits work reportedly on all Microsoft office versions and that includes the latest versions, the office 2016 that is currently running on Windows 10.

To trick people to open the files, the hackers are using specifically RTF files with a ".doc" extension. Once the user has opened the files, their PC will automatically download contained HTM application that enables criminals to have a full access on the user's machine.

MacAfee reminded the public to be precautious to the new security flaw of Microsoft and to not easily opened files obtained from untrusted sites or locations. McAfee has been in contact with Microsoft and the company is expected to release an update to the anti-virus app that further closes the flaw this week for its habitual Patch Tuesday bug release, BBC has reported.

The Redmond Company advised the public to ensure their software is up-to-date and is supported by the manufacturer. Also, the Microsoft users are advised to always ensure that Office Protected View is enabled.
After Apple accused Qualcomm about the licensing payments in cooperation with the Korea Fair Trade in December, the company filed an original suit claiming that Qualcomm has been overcharging on its patents. But on Monday, the chipmaker files a 139-page counterclaim stated that the giant company was making a false statement.

TC reported that Qualcomm claimed that Apple had been breaching and mischaracterized the agreements and negotiations with the chipmaker. Aside from Apple files suit, Qualcomm was also facing another two additional suits from China and the United Kingdom, which about the patents and designs as well.

Qualcomm case filed from Beijing was claimed 1 billion yuan, where the chipmaker abuses the China's monopoly laws, while $1 billion from the US, which is allegedly practicing and amounted to extortion on its licensing. However, Qualcomm claim that Apple threatened the chipmaker to block the revelation that will throttle Qualcomm-powered iPhones.

According to Ars Technica, Qualcomm claimed that Apple has been trying to prevent the chipmaker in sponsoring public comparisons between the Qualcomm-based iPhone and Intel-based iPhone, though Apple gives an assurance that there was no difference between Intel chipset and Qualcomm chipsets quality. Qualcomm added that Apple was seeking damages for rowing back on what they have been agreed.

In today's Qualcomm countersuit seeks for damages from Apple to not reaching the several agreements and to stop Apple interfering the deals with the iPhone and iPad parts manufacturing where Apple rejected Qualcomm's FRAND licensing offer. So far, the two company have failed to reach the agreement when the contract was signed before Apple used the chipsets.

It has been over 10 years since Apple has played such significant role in bringing the mobile technology with its popular products and services. Basically, Apple does not have a direct license on Qualcomm's technologies, but the company relies on its licensing agreements between iPhone and Qualcomm that capture over 90 percent of smartphone profits.
The least worst damage to current relations between Ireland and the UK is what Irish farmers are seeking in the upcoming Brexit negotiations.

That's what Jer Bergin, IFA National Treasurer told a Fine Gael Brexit meeting in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel on Monday night.

The agri food industry was particularly exposed, with a huge dependence on the UK market, Mr Bergin noted.

He said that a comprehensive free trade agreement with the UK was needed, one that would maintain the high standards that are currently in existence. The maintenance of the common external tariff was critical, as was the protection of the Common Agricultural Policy Budget.

The worst possible outcome would be no deal, which would lead to a WTO process involving the imposition of tariffs and duties. This would involved differing tariff rates across a range of foods.

Already farm impacts had been impacted by Brexit, Mr Bergin noted.

In Laois-Offaly 635 milllion was generated from agri food exports and it is easily the single most important economic activity across both counties, he pointed out.
Two Telfords branches in Laois could soon be getting the green light to begin recruiting as a result of the revival in house and other construction.

Grafton Merchanting ROI (GMROI), owner of the Telfords in Portlaoise and Mountrath, has announced it is to create 170 jobs over the next two years to facilitate expansion of its business. The new roles will increase total employment at GMROI to 1,420 staff, an increase of almost 350 since 2014.

GMROI currently employ 800 staff across Leinster. Grafton Merchanting ROI is a leading builders and plumbers merchant with a nationwide network of branches that includes Chadwicks, Heiton Buckley, Sam Hire, Telfords and Davies. It is owned by Grafton Group plc. The group's main Laois outlet is Telfords, Clonminham, Portlaoise and at the Square in Mountrath.

Up to 100 of the 170 new roles will be created in 2017, with the balance in 2018. The roles include senior management, specialist sales, operatives and administrative support and will be supported by extensive training and induction aimed at facilitating longer term career development within GMROI.

Grafton said the new roles reflect a strong recovery in the RMI (Repair, Maintain and Improve) market and a gradual, but sustained, increase in new-builds. New jobs will be added in most regions with Dublin set to benefit immediately with the creation of 30 new roles coinciding with the opening of 3 new branches.

Commenting on the announcement, Eddie Kelly, Chief Executive, GMROI said: We very pleased to be announcing 170 new jobs, bringing to almost 350 the total number of new roles being added since 2014. These roles represent a significant opportunity for young people to join a growth industry and avail of the significant training and development provided within the company.

"We see this as further evidence of a tangible and sustainable turning point for the construction sector in Ireland. At GMROI, our experienced and knowledgeable staff were a real differentiator during the downturn and that sector knowledge has also informed our decision to invest in new store formats in locations that meet the needs of builders in urban locations.

With Reports indicating that 35,000 new homes will be required in Dublin alone by 2018 we anticipate a more sustained new home building programme over the coming years, supported by the Governments Help-to-Buy scheme and relaxation of mortgage lending rules.

"We also expect a continuing recovery in RMI activity following a prolonged period of under investment. We believe this will be supported by improving household income, reduced debt and the extension of VAT relief for home improvements announced in budget 2016/17, he said.
Glenisk's, Vincent Cleary has said that the business took a significant hit in the last quarter of 2016, as a result of the Brexit vote.

The Killeigh-based family business, which produces organic yogurt and milks, experienced good growth in the first half of the year, but this seems to have disappeared in the second half.

Mr Cleary told a Fine Gael meeting on Brexit in Portlaoise on Monday night that the first crux facing his business, as a result of Brexit, would be the border.

"Glenisk is focused on the 32 counties," he stated. "A hard border would be a disaster. As a small island nation with a common economic outlook we should get our economies of scale in order.

"The softening of sterling, which occurred in the wake of the Brexit vote, hit our business badly and made us very uncompetitive overnight.

"We lost some business, and the UK multiples started seeking cheaper costs. We have learned that we must fine tune our product and add additional value to entice our UK customers back. We are back talking to UK retailers," he noted.

Glenisk was also making a big drive for European business this year. "I'm familiar with Germany and I know we are light years in areas such as food quality. We are ahead on everything, but price. Ireland is a high cost country to do business in."

Mr Cleary also noted that the millennial consumer is not as brand loyal and tends to be very mobile.
One of Portlaoise's best known and established family-owned businesses could hit the wall if the plan for the town is implemented.

That was one of the instant reactions when details of the Public Realm plan were revealed last week in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel.

The plan would see all surface car-parking removed from Lyster Square. The anchor shop on the square is Mulhalls SuperValu supermarket.

Ger Mulhall spoke on behalf of his business. He welcomed the preparation of a plan and said it contained a lot of positives but, he said, business needs to be consulted. He said there was no retailer involved in its preparation.

We need retailers in there. We are business people. We are watching our neighbours close and seeing what is happening, he said

He said he was a bondholder in the town.

This is like your house being attacked. And the house is under attack at the moment. As a result I temper my reaction.

My reaction is you need to look more to us (as a business). That vision that you have will close us. That is definite, he warned.

He said the shops in the newer part of town will lose none of their surface car parks. He did not believe the town has the population base to justify the amount of green areas proposed. He said the plan makes no reference to convenience for shoppers.

Mr Mulhall said he had based this after three hours of considering its contents, but felt that after 30 hours his view could change.

Matthew Kennelly, chairman of the Downtown Portlaoise group said he wanted to see something done for business in the immediate term.

As it is we are losing business with no disruption. Short term changes are needed regarding parking rates and whatever it takes.

He said the proposals look amazing but: How is it going to look on a wet Tuesday in November.

He wondered how some of the changes would attract shoppers across JFL. He queried the underground car park.

Publican PJ Kavanagh believed the focus should be on getting people back living in town first.

The impression has been given that as the town centre is developed, the residential side is going to pick up.

It seems a little bit cart before the horse, he said.

Locksmith Jack Nolan also called for immediate measures. He said the lack of parking is the biggest issue.

We are not on a level playing pitch.

You can drive over to either shopping centre and get free car parking to do your shopping. We have a half an hour free parking. That is the unlevel playing pitch, he said.

We never got the support in the centre of town from Laois County Council, never in my 35 years and we paid our rates and paid our dues.
A Castletown man who smashed his car into a pole while drink driving has been sentenced to three months in prison, with Judge Catherine Staines telling him he could have killed someone.

Before the district court was Eamon Dowling (64), Westfield, Castletown, who was detected at Wolfe Tone Street, Mountmellick, on March 28 last year.

He had 244mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood, and was driving without insurance. Inspector Jer Glavin told the court the accused had collided with a pole.

The accused had three previous convictions for drink driving.

Defence, Ms Josephine Fitzpatrick said that the offence had happened over a year ago and her client had not sat behind the wheel of a car since.

She said on the day, he had taken his vintage car out for a spin and met friends in Mountmellick, where he stayed on for drinks before foolishly taking the decision to drive home.

She said he has now completed an alcohol awareness programme.

Ms Fitzpatrick also handed in a letter penned by the accused's local community, and said her client was making no secret of the offence locally.

He does not regularly do this, she said.

Judge Staines noted that this was the accuseds fourth conviction for drink driving and he had crashed into a pole.

She said he could easily have hit a child, a mother or a father.

The judge said the accused was hugely over the limit, so she had to impose a prison sentence.

For drink driving, the accused was sentenced to three months in jail and disqualified from driving for three years.

The no insurance matter was taken into consideration, and the accused was disqualified from driving for two years.

Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.
A 25-year-old man convicted of his fourth no insurance offence has been given community service in lieu of six months in prison.

George Bassett (25), Ballyspillane, Johnstown, Kilkenny, was charged at last weeks sitting of the district court in Portlaoise with driving with no licence or insurance.

Inspector Jer Glavin gave evidence that on March 22, at Woodview, Durrow, the accused was detected driving a vehicle while disqualified.

He had 12 previous convictions, all road traffic matters, including three for no insurance.

So this is the third time he's driven while disqualified, noted Judge Catherine Staines.

Defence, Mr Barry Fitzgerald admitted that the case looked very bleak on the face of it as this was his clients fourth no insurance charge.

His last driving suspension had been imposed while Bassett had been in England, said defence, and when he returned from England he had insurance on an English car.

He should have been more prudent, said Mr Fitzgerald.

Defence went on to say that he had asked the accused why this breach of the law keeps happening, and Bassett said he simply wasnt careful.

He needs to cop on, said Mr Fitzgerald.

Remarked Judge Staines: He seems to have absolutely no respect for the court and absolutely no respect for the road traffic laws.

Addressing the court himself, the accused said he wasnt aware he had been given a four-year disqualification as he had been in England when the matter was dealt with by the court.

He admitted he should have looked into the matter more.

Judge Staines imposed 240 hours community service in lieu of six months in prison, and disqualified the accused from driving for four years.

The accused was refused legal aid, as he receives 250 a week and pays no money at home.
Money has been set aside for 'major redevelopment' of Portlaoise Prison, according to the Minister for Justice, who is also to confirmed that the first new prison officers recruited in nearly a decade will begin training this year.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is set to address the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice and Equality on spending plans for services under her responsibility today, Tuesday April 12.

In her opening remarks Minister Fitzgerald will say that the gross spending estimate for the prison service 2017 is 327 million plus an additional 2.833 million in unspent capital from 2016.

According to the Tanaiste Portlaoise Prison is down for refurbishment.

"A significant capital provision of over 25 million will allow enabling works continue in relation to the major redevelopment work planned for Limerick and Portlaoise prisons as well as refurbishment works in Wheatfield, Cloverhill and Castlerea prisons," the Minister will say.

The prison service has listed the E-wing in Portlaoise for overhaul because of the continuation of slopping out by prisoners because of the dated toilet and sanitary facilities.

The Minister said that new recruits are also on the way for the first time in nearly ten years.

"The Public Appointments Service (PAS) launched a recruitment campaign last year for recruit prison officers, the first such campaign since 2008. It is estimated that 80 new recruit prison officers will commence training this year and this will increase to over 200 in 2018. This recruitment will allow the Prison Service to keep pace with expected retirements," she will tell the committee.
No cash has been set aside for a new Laois court house in Portlaoise because it is no replacement plan as been approved nor is any contract in place.

The Tanaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is to tell TDs and Senators today, (Tuesday, April 12) that 22 million in public money has been set aside in 2017 for the completion of a Public Private Partnership project which covers seven courthouse venues.

This includes new courthouses being developed in Drogheda, Letterkenny, Limerick and Wexford while substantial refurbishment and extension works courthouses in Cork, Mullingar and Waterford.

The court service told the Leinster Express that Portlaoise is not part of the current tranche of seven buildings but is one of five / six major projects in the "exploratory / planning stage". Because of this it does not need to be in this year's public spending estimates.

"As no capital monies are needed until plan approval and contract signing stages in such matters," said a statement.

The Courts Service and Laois County Council are reviewing sites in Portlaoise to replace the troublesome building on Main Street.

The building was at the centre of a stabbing incident in Portlaoise last week and also contribute to a big traffic tail back in the Laois town.
Laois IFA Chairman, Francis Gorman offered some frank views when he spoke about the impact of Brexit on farming at the Fine Gael information meeting in the Portlaoise Heritage Hotel on Monday night.

He said that he personally was not worried about farmers in England or Northern Ireland. "The fact of the matter is that those people stood on the sidelines while that debate happened in England.

"They are venting their views and opinions now that the decision has been made. I don't see too many of them trying to change even the mindset of those who are going to make the decisions in Westminister.

"We are at two polar opposites. What Europe wants and what Britain wants at the moment are completely at odds with each other.

The free movement of people is one of the cornerstones on which the EU was founded and yet you have Britain deciding to close their borders and deciding who to let in and who to let out.

"From my own viewpoint as a drystock farmer we exported 270,000 tonnes of beef to Britain.

"That is approximately 800,000 head of cattle, give or take, and, at 150 a head, which is 12 per cent of a drop in the price of a finished animal, that is 120 million for one part of one industry.

"That does not take into account the losses in the dairy sector, the grain sector, the sheep and forestry sectors, or any other industry.

"I have seen plenty of fancy talk about concerns and we are taking your concerns on board. No one will tell us what those concerns are.

"My concern is how am I going to stay in business. How will that 150 a head for beef animals be made up to me if it cannot be got in the marketplace.

"The truth is we have lost out already over the last ten years. What disappointed me most about the last Budget is that, a few months after the Brexit vote, we had very few measures in that Budget which reduced the cost of us doing business. That could be through taxation or financial measures.

"We are been ripped of in terms of what we have to pay to borrow money in the banks, and there is very little been done about it at government level.

If we want to try and surviveand make a success of it, the first thing is to see what can we do in Ireland at Budget and Government level and, then in Europe, what can we do to make the cost of doing business cheaper."
Gardai in Portlaoise have returned a man to the town's hospital more than a week following his discharge after he went on a rampage in the town centre.

Just after 7pm this evening, (Wednesday, April 12) up to five Gardai stepped and peacefully escorted the man into a garda van before transferring him to the Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

The man did not appear to resist the Gardai during the operation. The police were assisted by three of members of the public who appeared to be known to the man.

The operation was carried out close to where the man went on a violent rampage last week at the junction of the Well Road and James Fintan Lalor Avenue. He had homeless since smashing several windows in his upstairs flat nearby.

Gardai arrested the man, who is of African origin, on Monday, April 3 after he was witnessed smashing the windows and doors to his own flat and a neighbour's accommodation.

Several on and off duty gardai were called to the incident during which members of the public were also threatened. After he smashed windows he was witnessed waving a large iron bar in the middle of the street.

Batons were drawn and pepper spray deployed during the incident which occurred in broad daylight. He was taken to Portlaoise Garda Station but because of concerns about his health was transferred to Portlaiose hospital for psychiatric assessment.

It is not know if he was formally admitted to the hospital, but neighbours were shocked when they saw him trying to break down the boarded up windows of his flat the following morning. Gardai again arrived at the scene and confiscated more implements. However, they did not have the jurisdiction to detain him for a second time.

Since the the man, who is known to the gardai in relation to other matters, has been sleeping homeless in various locations but mainly on a green space next to his flat.

The HSE has declined to comment.
14 Lilies who will battle it out this Saturday night to become this years Kildare Rose.

The gala selection night will be held in the Westgrove Hotel, Clane, which is the competitions main sponsor, this Saturday, April 15, and will be hosted by 2014 Rose Maria Walsh.

Every day this week, we will introduce some of the Rose hopefuls who will take part in this Saturday night's gala.

MEET MORE ROSES: Day One Day Three Day Four

Michelle O'Brien, Athy. Sponsor: The Clanard Court Hotel

My name is Michelle O'Brien. I grew up on a farm in Athy with four siblings and an assortment of family pets.

There was never a dull moment in our house!

I am a newly qualified behaviour therapist and have spent the last number of years working with individuals with autism, from early intervention to now working with adults in residential services.

I really enjoy my work and hope to continue working in the area of positive behaviour support paving the way for true person centered services.

I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie and spend my free time mountain biking, hiking and travelling.

Emma Farrell, Ballyteague. Sponsor: Ballyteague Stables

My name is Emma Farrell. Im 19 years old and Im from Ballyteague.

Im the eldest in my family and Im currently studying Business at the University of Limerick.

Im very interested in beauty and fashion and have won awards for beauty blogging in the past.

After my degree I would like to work in marketing for a while, but my ultimate goal is to me a fashion buyer for a large company or to own my own line of small fashion boutiques.

Ciara Reilly, Carbury. Sponsor: The Hamlet Court Hotel

My name is Ciara Reilly, I'm 20 years of age and I'm from Carbury. I have two beautiful sisters.

I'm currently studying to become a junior stylist in hairdressing. I love all areas of the beauty industry and I am currently a fully qualified makeup artist and tanning technician.

My future goals include progressing onto become a fully qualified senior stylist in hairdressing, opening my own hair and beauty salon and traveling and experiencing as many different countries and cultures as possible.

I absolutely love reading and I am a huge fan of mystery thrillers.
The debut feature film from the pen of Naas man Paul Fitzsimons will get a nationwide cinema release from April 21 next.

The Gift, written and produced by Paul Fitzsimons from Jigginstown, tells the story of Sean, a man bereft after losing his wife to cancer. He has decided what he must do but life gets in the way  family who miss him, a demanding landlord, a class of uncontrollable students.

And, with his own imagination working overtime, deciding to end his own life is his latest frustration.

The Gift stars Alan Devine (Veronica Guerin), Una Kavanagh (Fair City), Dawn Bradfield (Moone Boy) and comedian Brendan Grace in his first dramatic role.

It was directed by Killarney film director Damian OCallaghan, who debuted with the short film Bouncers in 2013. OCallaghan wrote The Gift with Kildare screenwriter Paul FitzSimons and it was filmed in and around Killarney.

The Gift will screen from Friday, April 21 at cinemas around Ireland, including Omniplex cinemas in Dublin-Rathmines, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford and at Cinema Killarney.

Click here to watch the trailer for The Gift.
A request by local councillors to meet with Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross over the failure of his Department to fund Local Improvement Schemes and Community Involvement Schemes has been unsuccessful.

A reply from the Minister's office acknowledged the request dated March 14 but stated the Minister's diary is very busy and he would be unable to schedule any more appointments at present.

The Minister replied that separate grant allocations were not being made for those schemes due to funding restraints.

He said local authorities are able to set aside 7.5% of the Restoration Improvement and Restoration Maintenance grants for CIS schemes if they so wish.

The Minister said that as the economy recovers, he will review the scope for making a separate grant allocation once the planned Review of the Capital Plan is completed.

At last Monday's meeting of Carrick-on-Shannon Municipal District Court, councillors were not happy with the response from the Minister.

Cllr Sean McGowan described the reply as very disappointing and said there has been none of those schemes in the county since 2011 and Leitrim has lost a lot of money over the years.

To say you can take it (funding) off your annual allocation, it's just not on, he said.

We should let the Minister and the Department know it's just not good enough, Cllr McGowan said.

Cllr Seadhna Logan quipped, In fairness to Minister Ross, it must be hard to hide from all the bus drivers.
BoyleSports is reporting further support for former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to succeed Michael D. Higgins as the next President of Ireland.

Ahern had already been the subject of a gamble earlier in the year and now the Drumcondra native is 6/1 from 7/1 to take up residency at the Aras.

Mairead McGuinness currently heads the market at 11/2 with Ahern now hot on her heels at 6/1 whilst Miriam OCallaghan, who once was the favourite to succeed Michael D. Higgins, has been eased to 7/1 from 6/1.

An outsider that has also seen some support, from one particular punter who placed a 20 bet at 66/1, is Westmeath native, Mary ORourke. The former Fianna Fail politician is now 40/1 from 66/1, but remains an outsider to succeed President Higgins.

Liam Glynn, BoyleSports spokesperson said We have seen more support behind Bertie Ahern to succeed Michael Higgins as President of Ireland and as a result the Drumcondra native is now challenging Mairead McGuinness for favouritism. At present if Bertie was to get the job and move to the Aras when Michael D Higgins steps down we would certainly be rubbing salt in our wounds.

He added Punters certainly like to have their say on political markets like the Next President and an interesting candidate whose price has now been cut into 40/1 from 66/1 is Athlone native Mary ORourke. Over the past few days we have seen her price nibbled at with one punters placing 20 at 66/1 on her to succeed Michael D Higgins.

Next President after Michael D. Higgins

Mairead McGuinness 11/2

Bertie Ahern 6/1

Miriam O'Callaghan 7/1

Fergus Finlay 7/1

Emily O'Reilly 8/1

Eamon O Cuiv 12/1

Pat Cox 12/1

Eamon Ryan 16/1

Brian Crowley 18/1

Ivana Bacik 25/1

Gerry Adams 28/1

Tom Arnold 33/1

Mary Lou McDonald 40/1

Mary ORourke 40/1

Sean Kelly 40/1

Proinsias De Rossa 40/1

Bill Cullen 50/1

Joe Brolly 50/1

David Norris 66/1

Micheal Martin 100/1

Dana Rosemary Scallon 100/1
Padanee Bridal Couture on Main Street, Carrick-on-Shannon has won TV3's Xpose top Fafinder Award.

The store, owned by Patricia Corrigan, is three years old and was selected earlier this year as a finalist in the national awards for TV3 Fafinder Awards.

Padanee was shortlisted as one of the Top Bridal Boutiques in Ireland, together with renowned wedding store McElhinneys in Donegal and the eclectic accessory store The Parisian Bride in Dublin.

The top three Irish stores were chosen by Fashion gurus Sonya Lennon and Brendan Courtney.

The Best Bridal XFA 2017 winner was selected by public vote in which all brides, customers and friends of Padanee voted over the last few weeks.

Wednesday last, April 5 Patricia and partner Daniel Cross were invited to the Dean in Dublin for the announcement of the winners.

A media ban was then placed on all winners until the show was aired last Friday night, April 7 which added to the excitement when the announcement was made.

When speaking with Patricia, she told the Leitrim Observer, I am genuinely overwhelmed with winning Best Bridal XFA 2017.

She did say she truly believes that Carrick-on-Shannon has the most beautiful boutiques for fashion and retail in Ireland and that she is delighted that recognition was been shown for that.

This is the second year of the 'Xpose Fafinder Awards' in which Xpose celebrate the very best of Irish independent fashion retail.

Patricia said its amazing to have Padanee win, however this would not have been possible without the trust of the brides who choose their Padanee gown and put their faith in a new local business.

Patricia who opened the store in 2015 concluded, The biggest thank you goes to the Padanee brides.

The award is expected to bring even more brides to Carrick-on-Shannon as they hunt for the perfect wedding gown.

Patricia Corrigan is well known in the wedding industry and has previously been awarded Weddings On line Wedding Coordinator of the year 2010, 2011 and Mrs2Be Wedding Coordinator of the Year 2014.

If you are getting married and want to choose your Padanee gown contact Patricia on (071) 9616917 or weddings@padanee.ie
In 3 weeks most of the UK has a chance to vote in an election.

The 2017 elections are a national opportunity to push back against hard Brexit. Unlike so much else that supporters and opponents of Brexit can cite as evidence of public support for their side, the success or failure of each side is measurable, public and real.

On 4 May 2017 there are elections, in England for:

 All 27 county councils in England,

 7 out of 55 unitary authorities in England,

 6 large regional mayors (covering several counties and cities each) and 2 city mayors.

All 32 local authorities in Scotland and all 22 of them in Wales are to be elected. There are no elections in Greater London. The capital will be all up in 2018. In all, about 18 million UK voters have one or more ballot to cast on 4 May 2017  46% of all UK electors  to fill around 2,400 council seats.

Local elections matter in themselves. The average county council in England, for example, spends 8 times per head what the EU does. The policies of the councillors elected have a big impact in their area on economic development and public services like social care, health, libraries, highways, housing and open spaces.

Local elections also have national importance. They are the mid-term tests that, like Parliamentary by-elections, show how government is being received by the public. Bad local election results contributed to the fall of Margaret Thatcher and the end of the poll tax. At different times, strong local elections results gave Tony Blair, Charles Kennedy, and David Cameron credibility which they later turned into Parliamentary Seats.

If we achieve the election of as many council candidates as possible who personally oppose Brexit that will send a strong message, one which the media and the government will find hard to ignore. It will point the way to what may follow when a Brexit General Election takes place- in 2020 or before.

In the anti-Brexit camp we can put Liberal Democrat, Green, Plaid and SNP candidates. I urgently wish Labour would be clearly against hard Brexit (or at least in favour of a further vote for the public). I implore individual Labour council candidates to come out against Brexit personally. For Conservative supporters I recognise the pull of party loyalty. But Brexit is bigger than party. Please, this time, send a message by giving your support to candidates who are against Brexit.

Every person who wants to do something constructive against Brexit should get in touch with their local election candidate. If you live in an area without elections its not far to places that do have them. Helping a local election campaign isnt glamorous . But if you give them a few hours of your time to deliver leaflets, make phone calls or give a donation to help them contact more voters in a better way than the pro-Brexit candidates, then it can really make a difference. If you want to come and help me win in Faversham, Kent, plese just drop me a line at mail @ favlibdems.com

On 4 May, lets delivering a resounding message against the hard Brexit government.

* Antony Hook was #2 on the South East European list in 2014, is the English Party's representative on the Federal Executive and produces this sites EU Referendum Roundup.
Wayne Chadburns post yesterday afternoon asked a question that the Liberal Democrats may have answered and agreed on nationally  that the majority of Lib Dems oppose Brexit  but it is a question that is still of huge regional significance. And national electoral success is won regionally, seat by seat. Significantly, the proposed boundary changes  if recommended next year in their current form  would move parts of the current Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency in South Yorkshire (where Wayne Chadburn is based) into Sheffield Hallam, Nick Cleggs patch.

When moving to Sheffield in late 2015, I bought a home within this constituency not only because I think south-west Sheffield is a great place to live, but because  for the first time in my life  Id be living in a constituency where I would have voted for my sitting MP. I have since delivered Nicks Christmas cards, enjoyed the annual fundraising dinner and made friends with fellow Lib Dems. As an academic in a universitys Modern Languages department, I worry about the future of ERASMUS. And so on.

But I have also been critical of the partys post-referendum anti-Brexit stance. The proposed boundary changes have formed part of my thinking, as well as volunteer work I do out in Stocksbridge, actually  an area very different to my Fulwood ward. Angela Smith, Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, may have voted against triggering Article 50  like our own Nick Clegg. But her constituents voted 61% for Brexit. By contrast, Sheffield Hallam residents voted 64% Remain.

Behind those headline figures that suggest irreconcilable cultural differences, there is the threat of a common political narrative. Sheffield Hallam was once Conservative, before Richard Allan (now Baron Allan) turned it yellow in 1997. The Conservatives have come second in each subsequent election apart from 2015 (when Labour made it to second place)  just as the Conservative candidates have been runners up in the two elections since Penistone and Stocksbridge was established as a constituency in 2010.

I am not saying that the Liberal Democrats should reverse the decision taken on a national stage, at last years conference. But there is a difference between accepting that decision and promoting it at the expense of other policy areas. I hope that Jackie Pearcey will take Manchester Gorton in May; I support her campaign. The Liberal Democrats as the nationally anti-Brexit voice with more MPs than the Greens, who are positioning themselves as the other anti-Brexit party, will no doubt help local Lib Dem efforts in the Manchester constituency, an area estimated to have voted Remain by 62%. However, the Greens have been busy talking about another flagship policy, in addition and unrelated to Brexit: their three-day weekend. I profoundly disagree with that policy, but it does at least position the party in debates around economic growth and the value of work in ways that are easy to understand (and, to our benefit, attack!) I absolutely agree with Ashley Cartman that something important is missing from the Liberal Democrat Strategy Consultation paper, and that we need an economic and industrial strategy  fast.

The fact is that to win elections, we need to be more than a national protest party. We need to win at elections, which means winning seats that are regionally far from straightforward. In order to do this, I suggest  in contrast to the Strategy Consultation paper  we have to bridge mainstream ideological divides in the electorate by distinguishing ourselves with pragmatic, compelling policies. There are many Liberals in the 48%; but there are some in the 52%, too. I have high hopes for Gorton. But other constituencies are more divided and others, quite literally, may soon be divided up by the Boundary Commission.

* Sean Williams is a Lib Dem member in the Sheffield Hallam constituency
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Apr 11, 2017, 3 PM

Great Britains eight Racehorse Legends stamps feature Frankel, Red Rum, Shergar, Kauto Star, Desert Orchid, Brigadier Gerard, Arkle, and Estimate in their most famous races. The stamps were issued April 6. The paintings for the stamps are by equestian ar

By Denise McCarty

Eight champion horses of the past six decades are honored on Great Britains Racehorse Legends set of stamps issued April 6 by Royal Mail.

The set includes eight stamps: two nondenominated first-class stamps (as of March 27, the first class-rate is 65 pence), two 1.17 stamps for the rate to Europe for letters up to 20 grams and to other countries up to 10 grams, two 1.40 stamps for international letters up to 20 grams, and two 1.57 stamps for letters to Europe up to 100 grams.

One stamp of each denomination shows a flat-racing legend, and the other depicts a national hunt legend. As its name suggests, flat racing takes place on a level race course.

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In National Hunt racing, the horses jump over obstacles, including hurdles, fences, and water ditches .

The four flat-racing legends are Frankel, first-class stamp; Shergar, 1.17; Brigadier Gerard, 1.40; and Estimate, 1.57.

The four National Hunt legends honored on the stamps are Red Rum, first-class stamp; Kauto Star, 1.17; Desert Orchid, 1.40; and Arkle, 1.57.

Philip Parker, Royal Mails stamp strategy manager, said that the horses shown on the stamps have proven their greatness on UK race courses and won the affection of the public.

Michael Heslop, an artist known for his equestrian paintings, created the illustrations for the stamps, using photographs from various sources.

Heslop said: I started painting race horses a long, long time ago. The reason I wanted to paint race horses is, for an artist they have everything; you paint form, you can paint movement. In that one image youve got horseflesh and youve got the silks of the jockey. Everything in that one image, that is really, really, worth painting.

Royal Mail said of Heslops illustrations for the stamps, The paintings capture each horse in action, during one of its legendary UK wins.

Frankel is pictured in action at the 2000 Guineas race at Newmarket in 2011.

In an article in The Telegraph, Marcus Armytage compared this win to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton the previous day, April 29, 2011.

He wrote: If the royal wedding gave the nation as a whole its feel-good moment on Friday then racing experienced similar emotions at Newmarket on Saturday when Frankel lived up to his billing as the next wonder horse winning the Qipco 2,000 Guineas in extraordinary style.

In the press release announcing the stamps, Royal Mail said: Frankel was the ultimate racehorse: in 14 flat races over three seasons, he was never beaten and rarely challenged. His style was ruthless, stretching long and low to the ground and powering clear of his rivals.

Shergar was named the 1978 European Horse of the Year, and his greatest race was the Epsom Derby in 1981. Two years later, in 1983, he was kidnapped from his home in Ireland.

Despite many theories and even fictional accounts of the kidnapping, the case was never solved.

Named after an Arthur Conan Doyle character, Brigadier Gerard won 17 out of the 18 races in his career in the early 1970s. In 1972, he was unanimously voted as Horse of the Year by the Racegoers Club.

The stamp pictures Brigadier Gerards victory over My Swallow and Mill Reef in the 2000 Guineas in 1971.

Foaled in April 2009, Estimate is the youngest horse included in the set. She is also owned by Queen Elizabeth.

The new-issue announcement said: Over the last six decades, Her Majesty The Queens thoroughbreds have had great success at Ascot, with victories in more than 70 races. Fittingly, in the year in which the 60th anniversary of The Queens Coronation was celebrated, Her Majesty would become the first reigning monarch to triumph in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, when her mare Estimate won the coveted event in June 2013.

Red Rum is the only horse to win the Grand National three times, doing so in 1973, 1974, and 1977. In 1975 and 1976, he came in second.

He was voted the No. 3 favorite horse in a poll of Racing Post readers, and, in 2014, was named the greatest Grand National horse of all time in a poll by Crabbies (a sponsor of the race) and Timeform.

One of the top-rated steeplechasers, Kauto Star is pictured in the King George VI Chase of 2009.

Kauto Star died in 2015, just a few years after retiring. In reporting his death, Armytage, writing for The Telegraph, said: The 15-year-old, whose last race was in the 2012 Cheltenham Gold Cup, a race he had won twice, was trained by Paul Nicholls to win King George VI Chase at Kempton a record five times and won 2.38 million in prize-money, an outstanding amount for a gelding running under National Hunt rules.

Desert Orchid and Arkle were voted the No. 2 and No. 1 horses, respectively, in the Racing Post poll.

Nicknamed Dessie, Desert Orchid raced from 1983 to 1991, winning 34 times. According to Royal Mail, his victory in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup has often been voted one of the most emotional horse races of all time.

J.A. McGrath, horse-racing commentator for The Telegraph, said,  Dessie was a true steeplechasing legend. No matter what the distance, the grey always ran his heart out, and the cheers willing him to his hard-fought win over Yahoo [in the 1989 Cheltenham Gold Cup] will never be forgotten.

The Irish thoroughbred Arkle won 27 of his 35 starts from 1963 through 1966. During that time, he also became a celebrity, receiving fan letters, gifts of Guinness beer and other items, and even requests for autographs.

Nicknamed Himself, Arkle has been described as the greatest steeplechaser of the 20th century, according to Royal Mail.

The 1964 Cheltenham Gold Cup is considered Arkles greatest race.

Royal Mail said, His first Cheltenham Gold Cup was a dramatic win as he dethroned Mill House and showed his greatness for the first time.

The firm Together Design designed the stamps. International Security Printers printed them by offset in sheets of 50 (sold in panes of 25 at most postal outlets).

The stamps measure 41 millimeters by 30mm and are perforated gauge 14.5 by 14.

Royal Mails other products for the Racehorse Legends set include first-day covers, eight postcards reproducing the designs of the stamps, and a presentation pack with mint examples of the stamps and text by British horse racing journalist and television presenter, Brough Scott.

Ordering information is available from Royal Mail, Tallents House, 21 S. Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9PB, Scotland. Check here for more information.

Royal Mails two agencies in the United States are Interpost, Box 420, Hewlett, NY 11557; and the British Stamp Service in North America, 1 Unicover Center, Cheyenne, WY 82008.
Liechtenstein honors trades and crafts on new stamps

Apr 12, 2017, 9 AM

Tools used by stonemasons, tailors and goldmiths are displayed on new stamps from Liechtenstein.

By Denise McCarty

Liechtenstein introduced a new series of stamps March 6 featuring trades and crafts.

One of the stamps in the set, the 2-franc denomination, is part of the 2017 Sepac series that also has a trades and crafts theme this year.

The inscription sepac appears at the bottom of this stamp, between the name of the designer, R. (Rene) Wolfinger, and the year date.

The Small European Postal Cooperation, or SEPAC, is a cooperation between 14 small postal administrations in Europe that issue stamps on common themes.

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In designing the Liechtenstein stamps, Rene Wolfinger used pictograms of tools to symbolize stonemasonry on the 1.30fr denomination, the work of tailors on the 1.80fr, and goldsmithery on the 2fr.

Among the tools shown are hammers, chisels, scissors, measuring tape, a thimble, a sewing machine, pliers, and a screw clamp.

Each design also includes a hand in the lower right. The hand on the 2fr Goldsmith stamp is wearing a ring.

While stonemasonry and goldsmithery date back to ancient times, the tailory profession originated around the 12th century.

Gutenberg AG of Schaan, Liechtenstein, printed the stamps by three-color offset in panes of 12.

The website for Liechtensteins online stamp store. The mailing address is Philatelie Liechtenstein, Zollstrasse 58, 9494 Schaan, Principality of Liechtenstein.
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Smartphones that dont clutter Android Smartphones with uncomplicated and plain Android UIs are not only easier to use, but also put less stress on the hardware /smart-living/innovation/smartphones-that-don-t-clutter-android-111646836483403.html 111646836483403 story

Buying a smartphone for sheer hardware prowess and ignoring software elements such as the type of interface and the level of app clutter can ruin the entire user experience. While one can always install launcher apps later, such as Google Now or Pixel launcher, to bring in some sense of familiarity, these can only change the basic layout. Deep down, a custom UI remains active draining on your phones resources. If you are looking for a phone with stock Android UI, you can consider one of these.

OnePlus 3T has kept things simple by sticking to stock Android layout.

OnePlus 3T

Rs29,999 onwards

OnePlus 3T is one of the few phones other than the Pixel smartphones that run the latest 7.1 (Nougat) version of Android. It has kept things simple by sticking to stock Android layout. The few differences it offers include the option to change the background colour in the app drawer and move the on-screen navigation keys to the lower bezel on the front panel. The phone is powered by Qualcomms top-of-the-line Snapdragon 821 quad-core chip with 6GB RAM and comes in 64GB and 128GB variants. It is a big-screen phone with a 5.5-inch display and resolution of 1,920x1,080p. For a big screen phone, its quite light (158g) and handy.

BlackBerry DTEK 50 runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and offers some unique features such as Blackberry Hub.

BlackBerry DTEK 50

Rs19,999

The DTEK50 doesnt impress much with its hardware, but on the software front, there is some good work that needs to be appreciated. Though the interface is laced with lots of hidden BlackBerry elements, the plain Android interface looks familiar and easy to use. The phone runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and offers some unique features such as Blackberry Hub, DTEK security app and hardware-level device encryption. The phone is driven by Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 octa-core chip with 3GB RAM, and offers 16GB internal storage and 256GB expandable storage. It offers a 5.2-inch screen with 1,920x1,080p resolution. It is a light phone, weighing just 135g.

Moto G5 Plus is one of the few sub-Rs20,000 smartphones that run Android 7.0 (Nougat) out of the box.

Moto G5 Plus

Rs16,999

Moto G5 Plus is one of the few sub-Rs20,000 smartphones that run Android 7.0 (Nougat) out of the box. True to the Moto tradition, it uses a near-plain version of Android with a few handy customisations. The interface has elements of both Google Now and Pixel launcher. There is no app drawer but the search bar is there. You can also remove the on-screen navigation keys and use the physical home button on the lower bezel as the return as well as the multi-tasking button. The phone runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 octa-core chip with 4GB RAM and offers 32GB storage. It has a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1,920x1,080p.

Lenovo Z2 Plus

Rs14,999 onwards

Lenovo Z2 Plus

The Z2 Plus is unlike any other phone selling under the Lenovo brand name. It runs a stock Android UI over Android 6.0 (Marshmallow). Lenovo has made some subtle changes to improve upon the user experience. For example, the shortcut and notification panel have been separated. Swiping down opens notifications and swiping up opens up quick settings panel. The phone is also the most powerful phone at this price point. It runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chip with 3GB RAM in a 32GB variant and 4GB RAM in a 64GB model. It has a screen size of 5 inches with a resolution of 1,920x1,080p.

Panasonic Eluga Ray Max uses a plain Android interface and not the Eluga UI used in earlier

Panasonic Eluga Ray Max

Rs11,499

Panansonics new smartphone uses a plain Android interface and not the Eluga UI used in earlier phones by the company. The phone runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with an AI (artificial intelligence)-enabled personal assistant called Arbo. It works by tracking user behaviour to provide suggestions and reminders based on the users location and time of the day. The phone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 octa-core processor with 4GB RAM. It offers a 5.2-inch display with a resolution of 1,920x1,080p. The phone has a removable metallic back cover.

Coolpad Note 3s runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with a stock Android interface which has a few similarities with the Cyanogen OS.

Coolpad Note 3s

Rs9,999

Coolpad Note 3s comes from a phonemaker which doesnt mind putting aside its custom UI to try new things. The Note 3 runs Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with a stock Android interface which has a few similarities with the Cyanogen OS. The number of pre-loaded apps on the phone is also limited. The Note 3s has a 5.5-inch display but offers resolution of 1,280x720p. It is not a basic device, driven by Qualcomm Snapdragon 415 with 3GB RAM. It offers 32GB internal storage and can take microSD cards up to 32GB.
The Plagues

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Every spring, Jewish people the world over celebrate Passover, a holiday that recounts the Exodus, when, according to the Torah (the Old Testament of the Bible), the Jews left Egypt for Israel.

However, before Moses could lead the 40-year journey through the desert, he needed the Pharaoh's permission to free the Jews, who were slaves in the land of Egypt, according to the Torah. But the Pharaoh had a hard heart, prompting the Lord to send down 10 plagues until the Pharaoh changed his mind, the Torah reports.

Could any of these plagues have occurred through natural phenomena? Live Science looks at possible scientific explanations behind each of the 10 plagues.

Blood

(Image credit: Credit: ESA/Getty)

To unleash the first plague upon the Egyptians, Moses struck the river Nile with his staff, turning its waters to blood. At the same time, his brother Aaron performed an identical transformation in the canals, tributaries, ponds and pools throughout Egypt.

After the water turned to blood, "thefish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water," according to the Bible, Exodus chapter 7, verse 21, English Standard version.

The sudden appearance of red-hued waters in the Nile could have been caused by a red algae bloom, which appears when certain conditions enable a type of microscopic algae to reproduce in such great numbers that the waters they live in appear to be stained a bloody red.

This phenomenon is known as "red tide" when it happens in oceans, but red algae are also well-represented in freshwater ecosystems. And these algae blooms can certainly be harmful to wildlife, as the algae contain a toxin that can accumulate in shellfish and poison the animals that feed on them. Fumes from densely-concentrated algae blooms can also disperse toxins in the air, causing breathing problems in people that live nearby.

Frogs

(Image credit: Hulton Archive/Getty)

What do you do next, after turning a nation's water supply into blood? If you're following Moses' playbook, you inundate them with frogs.

For the second plague, Moses allegedly conjured vast quantities of frogs that swarmed into people's homes  even finding their way into the Egyptians' beds, ovens and cookware.

As it happens, the phenomenon of "raining frogs" has been reported multiple times throughout history and in a range of locations around the world. A report published July 12, 1873 in Scientific American described "a shower of frogs which darkened the air and covered the ground for a long distance," following a recent rainstorm. The account was one of dozens of similar anecdotes collected in "The Book of the Damned" (1919), though its somewhat skeptical author suggested that the frogs may have simply dropped from trees.

And in May 2010 in Greece, thousands of frogs emerged from a lake in the northern part of the country, likely in search of food, and disrupted traffic for days, CBS News reported.

Lice

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The third plague, lice, could mean either lice, fleas or gnats based on the Hebrew word (Keenim). If a toxic algal bloom led to the first plague, and a pile of dead frogs followed, it's not surprising that a swarm of insects of some sort would have followed. That's because frogs typically eat insects; without them, the fly population could have exploded, Stephan Pflugmacher, a climatologist Leibniz Institute for Water Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin, said in a television special about the plagues that aired on the National Geographic Channel in 2010. Interestingly, both body lice and fleas can theoretically transmit the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which causes bubonic plague, according to a 2010 study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. If so, then an infestation with lice could have set the stage for the later plagues, such as boils, a 2008 review of plague science found. Scientists have also argued that the sickness that killed the beasts of the field for Egyptians in later plagues might have been Bluetongue or African horse sickness, both of which can be spread by insects from this plague, according to a 2008 Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

Wild beasts

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Once again, the Hebrew word for the fourth plague, arov, is ambiguous. It roughly translates to a "mixture," and over the years, rabbis had interpreted that word to mean either wild animals, hornets or mosquitoes, or even wolf-like beasts that prowl in the night, according to biblical commentary found in the Exodus Rabbah 11:3; Tanchuma, Va'eira 14. Most commonly, people interpret the text to mean wild animals such as venomous snakes or scorpions, or even lions or bears. However, according to a 1996 study published in the journal Caduceus, which attempts to explain the plagues as epidemiological problems caused by an initial climate disturbance, J.S. Marr and C.D. Malloy argue that the fourth plague represents a swarm of flies such as the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans). Bites from these flies could have led to the boils that occurred later on in the story, according to that study.

Diseased livestock

(Image credit: PRISMA ARCHIVO/Alamy)

The fifth plague called down on Egypt was a mysterious and highly contagious disease that swiftly killed off the Egyptians' livestock. This biblical scourge is reminiscent of a real plague known as rinderpest, an infectious and lethal viral disease that decimated populations of cattle and other ruminants across Africa and Europe from the 18th through the late 19th centuries.

Rinderpest was caused by a virus in the same family as canine distemper and measles; infected animals developed a high fever, diarrhea and ulcers in their mouths and noses, according to a manual diagnosing rinderpest, produced by the Food and Agriculture Association of the United Nations.

The disease is thought to have originated in Asia, and traveled to Egypt 5,000 years ago along prehistoric trading routes, the New York Times reported in 2010. Its mortality rate was exceptionally high, often exceeding 80 percent. It killed an estimated 200 million cattle in the 18th century, according to a study published in the journal Medical History in 1997, and when rinderpest emerged in Africa in the 19th century, it killed 5.2 million cattle, causing one-third of the population of Ethiopia to die of starvation, a study published in the journal Science reported in 2008.

Rinderpest was last diagnosed in Kenya in 2001, and was declared completely eradicated in 2010, according to the New York Times.

Boils

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Shortly after the Egyptians' livestock died off, they were distracted by the sixth plague  an extremely uncomfortable plague of boils that covered their bodies. Boils are painful bumps usually surrounded by red, swollen skin, and are typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus, a type of bacteria commonly found on the skin's surface, according to the Mayo Clinic.

An outbreak of the highly infectious disease smallpox, which caused distinctive raised blisters, could result in a large number of people simultaneously coming down with rashes and welts. Smallpox is thought to have affected communities in Egypt at least 3,000 years ago, based on evidence of smallpox scars found on several mummies dating back to that period  including the mummy of Pharaoh Ramses V, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Fiery hail

(Image credit: Michael Folmer/Alamy)

The seventh plague brought a heavy hail accompanied by thunder and streaming fire. The chaotic weather struck down people, livestock and trees, although the area of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, was spared, according to the book "Tanakh, A New Translation of The Holy Scriptures" (The Jewish Publication Society, 1985).

A nearby volcanic eruption about 3,500 years ago on Santorini, an island north of Crete in the Aegean Sea, may explain this plague, as well as others. It's possible that the volcanic ash mixed with thunderstorms above Egypt, leading to a dramatic hailstorm, Nadine von Blohm, from the Institute for Atmospheric Physics in Germany, told the Telegraph.

Locusts

(Image credit: Keystone/Getty)

When the Pharaoh once again refuses to let the Jewish people go, hungry locusts descend as the eighth plague. Moses warns the Pharaoh: "They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land." Such a pestilence would devour all the remaining plants that the hail did not destroy, Moses said, according to the "Tanakh."

The volcanic eruption on Santorini may have created favorable conditions for the locusts, said Siro Trevisanato, a Canadian molecular biologist and author of "The Plagues of Egypt: Archaeology, History and Science Look at the Bible" (Gorgias Press, 2005).

"The ash fallout caused weather anomalies, which translates into higher precipitations, higher humidity," Trevisanato told the Telegraph. "And that's exactly what fosters the presence of the locusts."

Darkness

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

The plague of darkness may have been a solar eclipse or a cloud of volcanic ash, scholars say.

According to the Old Testament, a darkness so thick that "people could not see one another" descended on Egypt for three days. However, the "Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings," according to the book "Tanakh, A New Translation of The Holy Scriptures" (The Jewish Publication Society, 1985).

Perhaps the darkness coincided with an eclipse on March 5, 1223 B.C.  you can see the path here on NASA's website  according to a study written by Iurii Mosenkis, an archaeoastronomy researcher who lives in the Ukraine. However, the fact that Israelites had light in their homes might mean "lights out" for the eclipse hypothesis, as it doesn't make scientific sense why some people, but not others could overcome the darkness.

Another idea is that a volcanic eruption about 3,500 years ago on Santorini, an island north of Crete in the Aegean Sea, spewed ash that caused the darkness, according a to National Geographic special, as reported by the Telegraph. However, the eruption happened about 500 miles (800 kilometers) from Egypt and before the exodus event, according to the Christian Courier.

Killing of the firstborn

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

In the 10th, and last plague, Moses tells the Pharaoh that all the firstborns in the land of Egypt would perish.

Perhaps, the algal bloom that turned the rivers blood red released mycotoxins, poisonous substances that can cause disease and death in humans, according to a 2003 review in the journal Clinical Microbiology Reviews. Grain contaminated with these mycotoxins could have been deadly, and could explain the death of the firstborn children, said epidemiologist John Marr, who was the chief epidemiologist at the New York City Department of Health, as reported by Slate.

The firstborn might have been the first to pick the grain, and thus would have fallen victim to it first as well, according to the Telegraph.
Scientists have unraveled a knotty problem: the forces behind the accidental untying of shoelaces.

For the first time, researchers documented the mechanics of shoelace knots in motion, to understand what makes them loosen and ultimately fall apart. They discovered that walking and running produce unexpectedly powerful forces  stronger than the most powerful roller coaster  that act upon both the shoelaces' knot and the bows and loose ends.

First, the knot begins to loosen. Once that happens, the action of the flapping ends escalates the unraveling until the knot unravels, which happens very suddenly, the scientists wrote in a new study. [Unraveled! Solving the Knotty Problem of Untied Shoelaces | Video]

Scientific discoveries often stem from curiosity about everyday questions. Study co-author Oliver O'Reilly, a professor of mechanical engineering with the University of California, Berkeley, told Live Science that he had wondered for years about why his shoelaces kept untying no matter how carefully he knotted them.

And then recently, when he was teaching his young daughter how to tie her shoes, he noticed that there were plenty of instructional videos online demonstrating the process  but nothing that explained why they come untied.

Knots in motion

O'Reilly and his colleagues borrowed a high-speed camera and filmed the shoe-clad feet of co-author and avid runner Christine Gregg, a researcher and doctoral candidate at UC Berkeley, as she ran on a treadmill.

"Nothing happened for a really long time," O'Reilly told Live Science. "And then, all of a sudden, everything happened  the shoelace unraveled really quickly. This unraveling and how fast it happened really surprised us, and we set about trying to find out how it happened," he explained. [The Mysterious Physics of 7 Everyday Things]

To see how running deformed the knot, they used an accelerometer  a device that measures motion  and discovered that the gravitational force, or g-force, acting on the shoelace knot was surprisingly high: up to 7 G, O'Reilly said. To put that into perspective, the most powerful roller coaster in the world  the Tower of Terror in Johannesburg, South Africa  produces a g-force of 6.3 G, O'Reilly said.

"And your shoelaces are subjected to this force with every running step," he said.

As running action repeats, the knot begins to deform and loosen. At the same time, the bows and ends of the lace are flapping back and forth, and they begin to slip through the knot, much as they do when you deliberately untie a bow.

"The flapping motions back and forth actually increase inertial forces on the free ends," O'Reilly said. "That exacerbates the imbalance. Then they pull through, and then the shoelace has failed."

Strong versus weak

Next, the scientists repeatedly tested two of the most commonly used shoelace knots  both are variations of the double slipknot, but one has proven to be more robust than the other  using dress shoelaces and a pendulum that mimicked the action of a human stride. For 15 minutes at a stretch, the pendulum rocked weighted laces back and forth, with the rocking motion simulating a leg's swing and the weights simulating the impact of a foot hitting the ground.

They found that within the 15-minute periods, all of the weak knots failed. Some of the strong knots failed as well, and more of them came undone when more weight was added to the laces. So, while some types of knots may hold longer than others, the forces that are at work eventually cause an "avalanche effect" that will likely tease out even the most tenacious knot, Gregg said in a statement.

In the study, researchers tracked the deformation of knots over time and how they were loosened by the dynamics of walking or running. (Image credit: Oliver M. O'Reilly)

These findings resolve a mystery that may date back to when the first primitive shoe was laced up, thousands of years ago. Though it is not known exactly when people first discovered that they could secure shoes with strips of leather or with string crafted from plant material or other fibers, one of the earliest known examples of a type of shoelace is about 5,300 years old, and was part of the shoes found with the remains of the mummified man known as Otzi.

Questions remain about why some shoelace knots are more secure than others, and future studies could explore the mechanics of weak versus strong knots to better unravel what makes some fail more quickly than others, O'Reilly told Live Science.

But until science figures that out, everyone will just have to keep re-tying their shoelaces when the knots fall apart  except, of course, 89 lucky people who, in October 2016, managed to snag a pair of Nike's self-lacing shoes, which were based on the sneakers worn by actor Michael J. Fox in 1989, as Marty McFly in "Back to the Future Part II."

The findings were published online today (April 11) in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A: Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

Original article on Live Science.
Atmospheric physicist and Columbia University Earth Institute adjunct professor James Hansen testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a hearing about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project on Capitol Hill, on March 13, 2014.

Pres. Donald Trump issued a major executive order last week that, if successful, could undercut the nation's fight against global warming. In particular, the order kicks off an attempt to dismantle the Clean Power Plan, which regulates carbon emissions from the power sector. While Trump's move represents a big blow to U.S. climate efforts, the renowned scientist James Hansen sees a differentand, he argues, betterway forward on global warming. "The problem is the Clean Power Plan is really not that effective," says Hansen, former director of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and adjunct professor at Columbia University's Earth Institute, who brought climate change to the U.S. public's attention in his famed 1988 congressional testimony. "It's a tragedy that [the Obama administration] continued to pursue a regulatory approach."

The solution Hansen believes will work best is one recently advocated by a group of Republican statesmen: a "carbon fee and dividend." Although it is not a tax, the approach would put a price on carbona step Hansen thinks is absolutely essential for cutting back greenhouse gas emissions. Hansen, who has been called the father of climate change awareness, recently spokeabout the issue along with Earth Institute director Jeffrey Sachs, a leading expert on economic development, at the New York Society for Ethical Culture.

Scientific American followed up with Hansen, also director of the Climate Science, Awareness and Solutions program at Columbia, to discuss this strategy and how he thinks it will help the U.S. turn the tide on global warming.

[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]

What's the United States' best hope for solving climate change at this point?

The only effective way of addressing climate change is to make the price of fossil fuels include their cost to society. That could be done in a simple way by collecting a fee from the fossil fuel companies that would gradually rise over timea carbon fee and dividend. Studies show this would benefit the economy and this is a conservative approach, where you let the market move you toward a better situation.

I call it a carbon fee because you would give all of the money to the public, a dividend to each legal resident. [A group of Republicans] have adopted [this approach] almost precisely as I proposed it in 2008. The starting level of the fee varies from one proposition to anotherI believe that they start at $40 per ton of carbon. [I] suggest $55 per ton[that price] yields a dividend of $1,000 per legal resident and $3,000 for a family with two or more children, with one half-share for each child [and] a maximum of two half-shares per family.

This way it actually stimulates the economy. If it's a tax taken by the government, it makes the government bigger and it depresses the economy. That's why I object to the Democrats as much as to the Republicans. The only way the public will allow a carbon fee is if you give the money to thempeople don't want to see the price of gasoline at the pump going up.

That's what's frustrating about this problemthe fact that there's a solution, which is not difficult and not economically harmful. It would be remarkable if the Trump administration would actually understand this and realize that it would be popular. It would work, unlike some of the things that Trump is advocating.

What is the number-one action the U.S. could take to reduce its emissions, without the federal government?

Unless you get a fee on carbon, you cannot solve the problem. As long as fossil fuels appear to be cheap energy, they're going to keep being burned by somebody. So ultimately the solution has got to involve the government.

You view nuclear energy as an integral part of addressing climate changewhy?

Nuclear energyeven in its current sad stateis doing a lot to reduce carbon emissions and deaths and illnesses from pollution. There's no way countries like China and India are going to phase out their coal use without the help of advanced nuclear power.

The safety record of nuclear power is actually very impressive. We should have developed the technology of advanced nuclear power but the bias against nuclear has been so strong that the industry has not developed. It's still not too late because there are a lot of innovative start-up companies out therebut these need to be encouraged.

You've been focusing your energy on helping people understand the urgency of global warming. Are you hopeful that the public will demand major action from the government soon?

Climate change is not going to register on the public's list of priorities, so we need the help of an intelligent government system. Even though the fossil fuel industry money has been able to distort the climate science in Congress, the judicial branch can come into play. That's why I'm a plaintiff along with 21 young people in a lawsuit against the federal government [suing it for having takenand continuing to takeactions that support fossil fuel production and create greenhouse gas emissions].* We now have a really bulletproof case, which I think will win even with a conservative Supreme Court.

It's going to be a combination of using the judiciary branch of the government and then using the democratic process to shape the policy that's accepted. Between those two, I'm optimistic we could get on a path that would then influence the world.

So then is communicating with the public even useful?

This is somewhat analogous to civil rightsthe courts did not force the government to carry out policies to end segregation until the public began to make an issue of it. Courts don't often move in front of public opinion, so it is important to try to get public pressure.

How should climate scientistsboth federal government researchers and outside scientistsreact to the Trump presidency?

We have to use the scientific method and facts to make it clear that we're being objective, and that there's nothing political about the science. Scientists should stick to trying to explain the science as clearly as possible.

Given the president's stance on global warming, are you concerned about climate scientists' ability to communicate with the public?

I'm very concerned about their inability to communicate with the public, but that's nothing new with Trump. That problem has come about over the last decade or two, because of the political preference of those politicians who support the fossil fuel industrythey've found that an extremely effective technique is simply to deny the science or politicize it, or make it appear that scientists have an agenda. It's made it difficult for science to provide effective advice to the government.

Why is it important that climate scientists be able to openly communicate with the public about climate change?

We have to make this situation clear to the public. The public still does not treat this as a high-priority issue, while in fact it should be near the top of the list. It's a difficult story to communicate to the public because you just don't see that much happeningthe fact that the climate system has a delayed response is what makes this whole thing so dangerous. You might think the great inertia of the ocean and the ice sheets is our friend because we've seen a relatively slow response so far. But it's very clear in the science that we're building in bigger changes in the future, so there's a danger of handing young people a system that's out of their control. We're setting up a situation that's extremely dangerous. That's just crystal clear in the science.

*Editor's Note (4/10/17): This sentence has been updated with additional information since its original posting.

This article was first published at ScientificAmerican.com.  ScientificAmerican.com. All rights reserved.

Follow Scientific American on Twitter @SciAm and @SciamBlogs. Visit ScientificAmerican.com for the latest in science, health and technology news.
In the late 1800s, France hosted the world's first competitive motor race, and now, the country will set the stage for the next revolution in motor sports: the first-ever "nanocar" race.

Four teams will race tiny vehicles made of a single molecule at The National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Toulouse on April 28. The competition will be broadcast live on YouTube for fans of both motorsports and cutting-edge science.

Aside from putting on a spectacle, the competition is aimed at demonstrating the growing capabilities of so-called molecular machines. Three European academics won the 2016 Nobel Prize in chemistry for demonstrating the ability to design and build devices at the molecular level that work like traditional machines by converting input energy into mechanical work. [Magnificent Microphotography: 50 Tiny Wonders]

Several of the nanocars taking part in the race have a similar layout to conventional car designs, but others are mimicking the motion of things as varied as caterpillars, hovercraft and windmills. Christian Joachim, a senior researcher at CNRS and director of the NanoCar Race, told Live Science the organizers were keen to maintain the innovative spirit of early motorsports.

"In 1894, the first ever car race was organized between Paris and Rouen and if you look carefully, they decided at that time to keep all kinds of propulsion," he said. "In our competition, three cars from three different teams have wheels, a chassis, things like that. Three are nothing like that. We accepted a large variation of molecular designs on purpose to try to understand what works best."

The race is made possible by a one-of-a-kind scanning tunneling microscope (STM). An STM allows researchers to image and manipulate individual atoms using an ultrafine metallic tip, but the device housed at CNRS has four tips, allowing four different users to work on the same surface simultaneously.

These tips will be used to deliver tiny electrical pulses to the vehicles  each consisting of just a few hundred atoms  to power them around a racecourse made of gold atoms. The chemical structure of each nanocar has been specially designed so that the energy from these pulses propels it forward, Joachim said.

The idea for the competition came in 2013, but it has taken more than three years for the organizers to design the racecourse, adapt the STM for the race and for the teams to design their nanocars.

Nine teams initially applied to take part, and six were selected to go forward to the final stages of the race. Only four nanocars will be able to take part on the day, so the best-prepared teams will be chosen shortly before the race, according to the race organizers. Unlike other motor sport competitions, theres no prize money at stake for the teams; the researchers are just vying for a trophy and bragging rights.

The technology at the heart of the race has potentially transformative applications in fields ranging from medicine to microelectronics. Advances in electronics have traditionally relied on the ever-increasing miniaturization of components like transistors, Joachim said, and continuing this trend will eventually require the ability to construct devices atom by atom.

This technological reality may be a long way off and it is hard to predict the ultimate potential of the molecular machines, but the race will help answer important questions about their robustness to sustained pulses from the STM and the ability to coordinate multiple devices on the same surface, Joachim added.

"One lesson we will learn will be, can we really put four different molecules on the same surface and drive them on the same surface?" he said. "This has never been done before so we will learn the machinery, the software, the technology that enables us to do that."

Original article on Live Science.
This model shows the newly identified species, <em>Teleocrater rhadinus</em>, preying on a young cynodont, a distant relative of mammals. <em>T. rhadinus</em> was a carnivorous reptile and an early cousin (not an ancestor) of dinosaurs.

Before the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex, spiky stegosaurus and other dinosaurs roamed the Earth, their early cousins  creatures that were surprisingly crocodile-like  trod through what is now modern-day Tanzania, a new study reports.

The discovery of this newfound species fills a gap in the evolutionary, or phylogenetic, tree that has puzzled researchers for decades. Many researchers suspected that the creature filling this hole would be more dinosaur-like and bipedal, but the new study shows otherwise.

"Even though we had been predicting that some kind of animal should occupy this part of the phylogenetic tree, until you find it you don't know what all of its features will look like," said lead study researcher Sterling Nesbitt, an assistant professor of geosciences at Virginia Tech. "One of the surprises was that [its] ankle looked more like a crocodile [than that of a dinosaur or bird]." [See Images of the Croc-Like Creature]

Researchers named the croc-like beast, which resembles a modern-day monitor lizard, Teleocrater rhadinus. The genus name refers to the Greek "Teleos" and "krater," which mean "complete" and "bowl," respectively  a reference to its closed hipbone socket. The species name borrows from the Greek "rhadinos," the word for "slender," because the animal itself was quite skinny. It would have weighed between 20 and 65 lbs. (9 and 30 kilograms), the researchers said.

The carnivorous reptile measured between 7 and 10 feet (2 and 3 meters) long and sported a lengthy neck and tail, Nesbitt told Live Science. It lived about 245 million years ago during the Triassic, before the first-known dinosaur lived about 231 million years ago (older, so-called dinosaur specimens have been found, but it's hard to say for sure whether they came from dinosaurs, the researchers said).

An illustration showing T. rhadinus chowing down on the cynodont. The toothy carnivore measured between 7 and 10 feet (2 and 3 meters) long and sported a lengthy neck and tail. (Image credit: Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales)

The paleontologist F. Rex Parrington discovered T. rhadinus in Tanzania in 1933, and Alan Charig, the former curator of fossil reptiles, amphibians and birds at the Natural History Museum in London, studied it in the 1950s. Charig never published a study on the creature, but informally named it T. rhadinus, a name the researchers of the new study kept to honor him.

The new study was spurred by the discovery of at least three additional specimens (also found in Tanzania) in 2015 that had more preserved details, including the animal's ankles and parts of its skull, Nesbitt said.

Ankle evolution

The new discoveries open a window into archosaurs, a group encompassing crocodilians (crocodiles, alligators and their brethren), dinosaurs, pterosaurs and birds, the researchers said. If the archosaur family tree were a "V," the crocodilians would be on one side, while T. rhadinus, dinosaurs, pterosaurs and birds would be on the other.

All of the animals on the bird side of the "V" have bird-like ankles (that is, a simple hinge that goes up and down), while the crocodilians have croc-like ankles, which can go up and down and side to side, Nesbitt said. Researchers once thought that the bird-crocodilian's common ancestor  the animal at the bottom of the "V" that lived about 250 million years ago  had ankles that were neither crocodile-like nor bird-like, Nesbitt said.

This tree shows the archosaurs, a group that includes crocodilians (crocodiles, alligators and their cousins), dinosaurs, pterosaurs and birds. The newfound Teleocrater (in red) is the earliest known relative on the bird side of the family tree. (Image credit: Sterling Nesbitt)

"Now we know with Teleocrater having that ankle, the common ancestor of birds and crocodiles had a crocodile-like ankle," Nesbitt said. "And because of where Teleocrater is on this tree, it tells us that bird-like ankles evolved from a crocodile-like ankle." [Alligators vs. Crocodiles: Photos Reveal Who's Who]

He added that although T. rhadinus is not a direct ancestor of dinosaurs, it is the earliest-known relative on the dinosaur side of the "V." In addition, an analysis of the growth rings in its bones (which are like growth rings in a tree) show that it grew more like a dinosaur did, with fast growth in early life, than a crocodilian, the researchers said.

"Scientists generally don't love the term 'missing link,' but that's kind of what Teleocrater is: a missing link between dinosaurs and the common ancestor they share with crocodiles," study co-researcher Kenneth Angielczyk, an associate curator of fossil mammals at the Field Museum in Chicago, said in a statement.

The findings were published online today (April 12) in the journal Nature.

Original article on Live Science.
Fans of the podcast "S-Town" know that the main character, John McLemore, enjoyed a dangerous hobby called fire-gilding. The ancient process may sound like magic  turning dingy metals into brilliant gold or silver  but what's really going on is some straightforward science.

Fire-gilding was used to transfer gold or silver onto another object, said Tami Clare, an associate professor of chemistry at Portland State University in Oregon. The earliest use dates back to the 4th century B.C. in China, she said. Then, a bit later, it was used in the 2nd century A.D. in Europe, Clare said.

The process involves mercury and another metal, either silver or gold, Clare told Live Science. At room temperature, mercury is in a liquid state, whereas silver and gold are solid, she said. For gold to melt into its liquid state, for example, it would have to be heated to more than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius). [Elementary, My Dear: 8 Elements You Never Heard Of]

But when gold or silver is added to mercury at room temperature, the metals dissolve, forming an amalgam, Clare said. This mixture is thicker than mercury on its own; it can be spread like butter, she added.

After the the desired metal is dissolved in mercury, the resulting mixture is spread onto the object that the fire-gilder wants to color, Clare said. Copper-based materials, including brass and bronze, work best, because the mixture can adhere to them, she added.

The next step is where the fire comes in: Using fire, the mercury is boiled away, leaving behind the gold or silver, Clare said. Mercury boils at a relatively low temperature for a metal: 675 degrees F (357 degrees C), she said. For comparison's sake, gold boils at 4,712 degrees F (2,600 degrees C).

After the mercury is boiled off, the gold or silver layer that remains looks dull and lumpy, Clare said. This layer needs to be burnished with a hard, smooth stone to give the surface a smooth and shiny look, she said.

The process may sound simple, but it's dangerous because it involves boiling off the mercury, which releases elemental mercury into the air that a person can breathe in, Clare said. Mercury is a neurotoxin, and chronic exposure to it can cause mercury poisoning and other serious problems, she said. The process also releases mercury into the environment, she added.

Indeed, the risks of vaporizing mercury are why the technique is banned in many countries, Clare said.

Originally published on Live Science.
A jumping spider attacks an injured ant as it attempts to return from the hunting ground to the nest. When nest mates carry their injured comrades home, they are much less likely to die.

Hunting ants in Africa march off to raid termite nests with military precision. Now, new research finds that these ants are truly a band of brothers. They even rescue their wounded comrades.

These ant rescues aren't really selfless, researchers reported today (April 12) in the journal Science Advances. Without the fallen ants, colony sizes would probably be nearly a third smaller, because injured ants frequently die if they're not helped home.

"People always think that for ants or social insects, everything they do is for the good of the colony," said Erik Frank, a doctoral student at the University of Wurzburg, in Germany, who led the research. Biologists typically downplay the importance of the individual insect, Frank told Live Science. [See Photos of Zombie Ants]

"Here we show, for the first time, an example where the good of the individual, of saving an individual ant, is good for the colony as well," Frank said.

Ants to the rescue!

Megaponera analis ants live in sub-Saharan Africa and eat termites  only termites. Multiple times a day, an ant scout will come across a foraging band of termites and rush back to its nest, recruiting as many as 500 ants to march to the termites and attack. The ants then carry the termite corpses back to the nest to feast. [Ancient Termite-Ant Warfare Locked in Amber]

Two termites cling to an ant (Megaponera analis) after a raid. Injured ants like this have a 32 percent mortality rate before they can make it back to their nest, unless their nest mates carry them home. (Image credit: Frank et al./Sci. Adv. 2017;3:e1602187)

But Frank noticed that some of the ants carried not dead termites, but living ants, back to the nest. Upon closer inspection, he realized that these ants were wounded. Some had lost a leg or an antenna, while others had an angry termite or two clinging to their bodies.

"What's the benefit?" Frank wondered. "Why were they even doing this?"

To find out, Frank first chose 20 random injured ants and forced them to return alone from the hunting site to their nest, without the benefit of help from their brethren. He found that 32 percent of the injured ants died on the journey. More than half (57 percent) of the injured ants that were killed were ambushed by jumping spiders because they couldn't move very quickly.

A jumping spider attacks an injured ant as it attempts to return from the hunting ground to the nest. When nest mates carry their injured comrades home, they are much less likely to die. (Image credit: Frank et al./Sci. Adv. 2017;3:e1602187)

In comparison, only 10 percent of the healthy ants fell to predators on their marches back to the nest, and Frank never saw a carried ant get attacked in 420 raids.

For an injured ant, it was clearly beneficial to get rescued.

"But this is not the reason this behavior has evolved," Frank said. "It obviously needs to benefit the colony as a whole."

For the good of the group

And it does benefit the whole colony, Frank found. By marking injured ants with acrylic paint, Frank was able to track them in subsequent raids. He found that 95 percent of the time, the once-wounded ants returned to battle. In fact, 21 percent of ants in raiding parties showed signs of previous injury. Frank also found that ants with termites attached to them had those termites removed when they were safely back in the nest; ants that lost a limb or antenna spent a few hours figuring out how their bodies worked. By the next day, those amputee ants could run nearly as fast as their uninjured nest mates.

An African stink ant (Paltothyreus tarsatusMegaponera analis ant, which still has a termite hanging onto it from a hunting raid. When ants rescue their nest mates, most survive to raid again. (Image credit: Frank et al./Sci. Adv. 2017;3:e1602187)

In 53 observed raids, Frank saw a total of 154 ants being carried. He estimates that a typical colony rescues between nine and 15 of its injured soldiers per day. A colony of M. analis ants produces only about 13 new baby ants per day, he and his colleagues wrote, so the rescues make a major impact on the ant colony's overall population.

A computational model that the researchers developed showed that without rescue behavior, colonies would likely be around 29 percent smaller.

"Instead of being forced to replace these injured workers with new ones, they can just keep using the injured ones," Frank said.

Further investigation revealed that a substance coming from injured ants' mandibular (jaw) glands seemed to prompt the rescue behavior. The pheromones released from the gland are a mix of dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, the researchers found. Healthy ants smeared with these compounds were promptly picked up and "rescued" by their nest mates.

In mammals, especially humans, empathy is often used to explain heroic or helpful behavior. The pheromone discovery reveals that ants have evolved another way to prompt helpfulness.

"We have the convergent evolution of two different mechanisms with the same end goal," Frank said.

Original article on Live Science.
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Albany

Democratic primaries for the state Senate won't be held for another 18 months. But a number of Democrats are already eyeing primary challenges against the chamber's breakaway Independent Democratic Conference, according to interviews with more than dozen people.

One is a former New York City councilman. Another is a former union official who works for Mayor Bill de Blasio. Other potential challengers include a high-profile former New York City official and mayoral candidate, and current Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner.

A major reason: the election of President Donald Trump.

When Queens state Sen. Jose Peralta held a town hall meeting in February, hundreds of people turned out, with some calling him a "traitor" and threatening to vote him out of office in 2018.

Peralta had just decided to become the eighth member of the IDC, which broke free from the mainline Democratic conference in 2011 and created a formal coalition with Republicans following the 2012 elections. The conference's votes allowed Republicans to keep partial control of the state Senate through a power-sharing deal. The GOP, which regained its own majority in 2014, currently has the bare number of votes to control the Senate without the IDC.

But mainline Senate Democrats believe Trump's election has changed the calculus going forward, as young progressive activists are starting to organize and protest.

The IDC says its alliance with Republicans has allowed it to produce a slew of progressive results, including the recently passed state budget's inclusion of a plan to boost the state's age of criminal responsibility to 18, that otherwise wouldn't have been possible under sole Republican rule.

IDC spokeswoman Lis Smith said the mainline Democratic conference's campaign efforts, led by Sen. Michael Gianaris, "have already tried the strategy of challenging progressive Democrats and failed. Rather than wasting money on campaigns against progressive senators who raised the age and created a $10 million legal defense fund for immigrants facing deportation, they should work to defeat more Republicans."

But mainline Democrats claim the "Raise the Age" legislation in the budget is a half-measure, and criticize the IDC on issues like school aid and the failure to achieve comprehensive ethics reforms.

"The IDC is understandably touchy about the public uprising against their empowerment of Trump Republicans, which stems from people having been woken up to their Republican collusion," said Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy. "The IDC should look in the mirror instead of pointing fingers, because that won't work."

Here's a breakdown of potential Democratic primaries of IDC members.

District 31

The battle that's most clearly taking shape is in the upper Manhattan district of freshman Sen. Marisol Alcantara. In 2016, she had two main opponents: Micah Lasher, an ex-aide to Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and former New York City Councilman Robert Jackson. Alcantara won with 33 percent of the vote  barely edging out both Lasher and Jackson  with the help of huge spending by the IDC, backed in part by charter school and real estate interests.

A source close to Jackson said he is set to launch a rematch against Alcantara "very soon."

Lasher is unlikely to run again, which would likely help Jackson pick up votes among the swath of activist, anti-Trump voters on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The district also has a substantial black vote (Jackson's base) and Latino vote (Alcantara's). It's unclear if it will be a one-on-one race, which would likely help Jackson.

Lasher did not respond to a request for comment.

Groups like True Blue NY, an all-volunteer umbrella group, are challenging IDC members in their districts with protests. Lisa DellAquila, a lawyer who lives in Alcantara's district and is a leader of the group, has organized extensively trying to educate voters about the IDC.

"When people learn about it, they are shocked, and they take action," she said.

District 11

The race in this eastern Queens district may also be taking shape. It is held by maverick Tony Avella, currently in the midst of a long-shot bid for New York City mayor against de Blasio this summer. Assuming Avella loses, he could face a Senate rematch in 2018 from John Liu, a former New York City councilman, comptroller and mayoral candidate.

A person with knowledge of the matter said Liu is "definitely looking at it."

A trailblazer in Asian-American politics, Liu has a solid base in the district's substantial Asian-American population. He also would likely get more labor union support than when he narrowly lost to Avella in 2014, a year when many unions backed off targeting IDC members mid-campaign. Still, Avella is a formidable campaigner with a deep base of his own in northeast Queens. Liu did not return a request for comment.

Another name floated by multiple sources was Queens Councilman Paul Vallone, who also did not return a request for comment.

Queens Councilman Rory Lancman, a former assemblyman, said he was unlikely to want to challenge Avella and return to Albany, but didn't rule it out.

"There are a number of political figures, when the time is right, that could run, but it's way too early right now," Lancman said.

District 13

Peralta, the newest IDC member, represents a diverse district in northwest Queens. One person said to be definitely interested in challenging Peralta is Jessica Ramos, a press aide to de Blasio and former district leader, community board member and union organizer. She lives in Jackson Heights, a hotbed of young progressive activism. But she also has a complicated relationship with the Queens Democratic Party, which is looking for a Peralta challenger. Ramos declined comment.

Queens Councilman Danny Dromm, who recently spoke at an anti-Peralta rally, is unlikely to run. The same goes for Queens Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras, who is running for New York City Council speaker.

Assemblyman Francisco Moya, who would have to give up his seat in 2018 to challenge Peralta, is also unlikely to run, multiple sources said. (Moya is now mulling a City Council run against Ferreras.)

Dromm, Ferreras and Moya did not return requests for comment.

District 20

Sen. Jesse Hamilton, who joined the IDC in November and faced a protest at his office in February, holds this central Brooklyn district. One possible challenger floated by insiders is Assemblywoman Diana Richardson.

Hamilton is a protege of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, who has a long-running rivalry with another local power broker, U.S. Rep. (and former Assemblyman) Hakeem Jeffries. Meanwhile, Richardson is in the Jeffries camp, which means she would automatically enjoy substantial support for a run, including from U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke.

Richardson, who would have to give up her Assembly seat to challenge Hamilton, did not return a request for comment.

District 38

This Rockland and Westchester County district is represented by David Carlucci. One potential challenger floated by insiders is Stephanie Hausner, a Clarkstown councilwoman who announced she would not seek re-election to that seat. She did not return a request for comment.

District 53

The Central New York district is represented by David Valesky. He could get a serious primary challenger in Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Senate Democratic allies have been encouraging a run by Miner, who remains popular with Democrats in Syracuse, a city whose population makes up a large part of the district. Miner is term-limited from office this year, but has a statewide network as the former co-chair of the state Democratic Party. She had feuded with Gov. Andrew Cuomo over a range of issues, including a critical New York Times opinion piece she penned in 2013. A Miner spokesman declined comment.

IDC leader Jeff Klein and Sen. Diane Savino may be less vulnerable to challenges. The IDC retains a number of union allies. It also has a major financial advantage: As of January, the conference's campaign account had $412,000, while the Senate Democrats' had $19,000.

Correction: An earlier version of this story gave the wrong district number for Sen. Jose Peralta.

cbragg@timesunion.com
On this date in ...

1917: In accordance with a communication from U.S. Attorney General Thomas W. Gregory, Albany Police Chief James L. Hyatt issued an order through publication in the Times Union that all city residents who were aliens from countries now at war with the United States had to immediately surrender "all firearms, weapons, implements of war and other articles inscribed in the order." Anyone not complying within 24 hours  including unnaturalized Germans, Austrians, Bulgarians and Turks  would be subject to arrest.

1967: Area trucking companies kept their doors locked to about 1,000 Teamsters as negotiators returned to the bargaining tables in Washington in an effort to settle a wage dispute. The Highway Transport Association of Upstate New York claimed the lockout was at least 90 percent effective. The lockout had started April 9 on directives by the Trucking Employers Inc., a nationwide organization of trucking companies involved in a wage dispute with the Teamsters Union.

1992: In the days after last week's New York primary, every conceivable theory was tossed about to explain Paul E. Tsongas' surprising second-place showing. One of the more popular beliefs, among political conspiracy theorists anyway, was that state Democratic Party leaders devised a well-structured, secret plan to boost Tsongas at the last minute. Helping the former Massachusetts senator, the theory went, would dampen Bill Clinton's march to the nomination and increase the likelihood for a split convention this July. At that point, party leaders would turn to another choice, possibly Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, whom many state party officials wanted to run.

Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/.
Albany

Columbia County farmer Will Yandik, who unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination in last year's 19th Congressional District race, will not run again in 2018, he announced Tuesday.

Yandik, who is also a local government official, said in a statement that though he is grateful for the encouragement from supporters in recent months, "now is not the right time for me and my family to run for Congress."

"There is so much at stake in the 2018 elections," he said. "Our son John just turned one year old this week and we want him to grow up in a country with a bright future and unlimited opportunities. To accomplish this, we need a representative in Congress who will stand up for families, build jobs and communities, and resist the worrying trend of this current administration to weaken our democracy."

Yandik lost the primary to Zephyr Teachout, a 2014 gubernatorial candidate who had lost that Democratic contest to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Teachout has told supporters that she will not run again in 2018, Politico New York reported earlier this month.

Still, the Democratic field for next year already seems crowded. Antonio Delgado of Dutchess County, Steve Brisee of Ulster County and Brian Flynn of Greene County all have filed statements of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission.

The 19th District seat is held by Republican Rep. John Faso, who defeated Teachout in last year's election.

The district covers parts or all of Rensselaer, Columbia, Greene, Montgomery and Schoharie counties in the Capital Region. It runs into the mid-Hudson Valley and west toward the Southern Tier.
New York

For years, a woman named "Mel" mingled with young Muslims in New York, telling them she was a Turkish convert to the faith looking for friends. In reality, she was a cop working for the New York Police Department.

Her true identity and the full nature of her work remains a guarded secret, but, thanks partly to social media, she may be unmasked as part of an upcoming trial of two women accused of plotting a homemade bomb attack.

By combing the web, attorneys for the two defendants, Noelle Velentzas and Asia Siddiqui, say they have obtained the agent's photograph and learned her real name.

And in recent weeks, they got a judge's permission for a plan to circulate her picture at area mosques in order to build a case that their clients were entrapped by someone fishing for harmless people to lure into a phony plot.

The defense has an obligation "to investigate the case fully," defense attorney Charles Swift said, including probing the activities and background of the police department's mole.

That plan has dismayed police officials, who have been working to scrub any trace of "Mel" from the web.

The NYPD's top counterterrorism official, John Miller, said in a court filing that revealing her identity and widely circulating her picture could jeopardize ongoing undercover investigations.

The case could provide a rare glimpse into how the police department uses informants and undercover investigators to smoke out Islamic extremists  a tactic that has already sparked complaints by civil rights groups that the nation's largest police department illegally spied on Muslims on the basis of religion.

From a law enforcement perspective, the stakes are high for other reasons. Investigators with blown covers are often pulled off the street for good as a precaution. That's because risks of exposure are real, said a former NYPD undercover in major drug and gun trafficking cases and subject of the recent book "Gunz and God: The Life of an NYPD Undercover" who still uses an alias, Stevie Stryker.

"There are people out there who would do anything to take revenge on you," said Stryker, who testified only when courtrooms were closed to the public. "Protecting your identity goes to your house. It's about protecting your wife and family."

Police and prosecutors have revealed in court filings that the undercover agent befriended Velentzas and Siddiqui in 2013 and sometimes wore a hidden microphone to record their conversations.

On some of those recordings, made in 2014, Velentzas ranted against the U.S. and praised the Islamic State militant group. Prosecutors said the pair studied bomb-making and shopped for bomb components, eventually purchasing propane gas tanks, fertilizer and a pressure cooker.

The undercover officer played along, prosecutors said, and talked with them about potential targets.

Velentzas, despite taking the woman into confidence, still had suspicions, prosecutors said in court filings. She used her smartphone to search for the fake name the officer was using, as well as sites with titles like "How to Spot Undercover Police," and "Informants, Bombs and Lessons."

It's unclear how or why the undercover sought to befriend the defendants in the first place.

After news reports on their arrests, several students at Brooklyn College took to Facebook to share their suspicions  later confirmed by a professor  that the same undercover officer, using the name "Melike Ser" or "Mel," had been showing up at student political meetings, former organizer Tom DeAngelis said Monday. Other students told the news site Gothamist that she took a public profession of faith and also circulated at Muslim community centers.

DeAngelis, 23, who graduated last year, said that he encountered her twice and recalled how she once had an exchange in Turkish with one of his friends. Otherwise, "I didn't think anything of it," he said. "She was just there. A lot of us were a little bit naive at that point."

Using news reports and online searches, defense lawyers said they uncovered photos of the woman, her real name, her alma mater and even the names and pictures of some of her close friends.
A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to seven years and five months in prison after he pleaded guilty to selling more than one pound of methamphetamine to undercover officers in Cleveland and Houston, according to information from the U.S. Attorney's Office.



Jesus Najar Silva, of Houston, was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty in November to conspiracy to possess with the intendant to distribute, the department said.



Court records say an investigation into a multi-kilogram distribution of meth in the Eastern district of the state revealed Silva to be a supplier. The undercover officers say Silva made four deliveries of meth, weighing more than one pound; and was found through wiretaps to be one of four individuals involved in the drug distribution. Calls where Silva negotiated the sale of 6.1 kilograms of meth and four kilograms of cocaine were recorded during the investigation.
Lucca, Italy

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Tuesday that President Bashar Assad's reign in Syria was "coming to an end," and he warned that Russia was at risk of becoming irrelevant in the Middle East by continuing to support him.

His remarks, five days after the United States carried out missile strikes in retaliation for a chemical attack which Washington and its allies blamed on Assad, illustrated the extent to which the Trump administration has, in just one week, substantially rethought its approach to Syria's future.

Before the April 4 chemical attack, the administration appeared resigned to letting Assad's government, backed by Russia and Iran, continue gaining the upper hand in a six-year-long civil war that has claimed at least 400,000 lives. Even after the attack, Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said the administration would look "rather silly not acknowledging the political realities" of Assad's grip on power.

But then, late last week, President Donald Trump declared that efforts to change Assad's behavior had "failed very dramatically." Tillerson said that Assad could no longer remain in office, and that "steps are under way" for an international effort to remove him. On Tuesday, Tillerson seemed close to embracing the very policy the Obama administration had decided on: that Assad would eventually have to cede power, though the timeline remains unclear.

Trump himself has yet to clarify a welter of mixed signals emanating from Washington.

Tillerson's remarks did little to end uncertainty about the Trump administration's policies, which have cycled through acceptance of Assad's long-term hold on power, the need for his immediate removal and something in between.

The remarks at a Group of 7 foreign ministers' meeting here in the Tuscany region of Italy came just before Tillerson flew to Moscow to meet with Russia's president, Vladimir Putin.

Putin, at an appearance with President Sergio Mattarella of Italy, said on Tuesday that the chemical attack was "worth investigating thoroughly," and said Russia would formally ask the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for an inquiry.

But Putin showed no signs of backing away from Assad. He likened the accusations against the Assad government  made by Britain, France and other allies, along with the Trump administration  to the flawed intelligence that President George W. Bush's administration cited in 2003 to justify the invasion of Iraq.

Putin insisted that the chemical attack had stemmed from anti-Assad rebel units.

"We have information from various sources that similar provocations  and I have no other word for that  are being prepared in other regions of Syria, including southern suburbs of Damascus, where they intend to plant certain substances again and accuse official Syrian authorities of using them," he said, without providing evidence for his claims.

Russia's increasingly close alliance with Assad has allowed it to expand its military presence in the Middle East and has contributed to what is widely viewed as a renewed relevance in the region. Tillerson's suggestion that Russia's ties with Assad would diminish the country's standing contradicts Moscow's recent experience.
Washington

The White House accused the Russian government on Tuesday of engaging in a cover-up of the chemical weapons attack last week by Syrian forces that prompted U.S. missile strikes, saying that U.S. intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people.

In a declassified four-page report that details U.S. intelligence on the chemical weapons attack and contains a point-by-point rebuttal of Moscow's claims, the White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments had sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and "false narratives."

The document calls for international condemnation of Syria's use of chemical weapons and criticizes Russia for "shielding" an ally that has used weapons of mass destruction. It marks a striking shift by President Donald Trump, who entered office praising President Vladimir Putin of Russia and seeking common ground with him  and now appears to be moving swiftly to isolate him. The charges came as Rex W. Tillerson, the secretary of state, was preparing for meetings in Moscow on Wednesday, and as Congress and the FBI are investigating potential ties between Trump's presidential campaign and Russia.

"Russia is in an island on this," Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said. He said there was little dispute about Syria's responsibility for the attack  except by Moscow and the "failed states" of North Korea and Iran.

"This is not exactly a happy-time cocktail party of people you want to be associated with," he said.

Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the government's view, said Russia's goal was to cover up the Syrian government's culpability for the chemical attack. They asserted that the Syrian government, under pressure from opposition forces in the strategically vital Hama province and lacking sufficient troops to respond, used the lethal nerve agent sarin to retaliate against rebels who were threatening government-held territory.

Neither Spicer nor any of the officials who detailed the U.S. government's chronology of the chemical attack would comment on the possibility that the Russian government had known in advance of Syria's plan to carry it out, or to launch a subsequent assault on a hospital that was treating victims.

But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, and that Russian forces were stationed at Al Shayrat airfield, which was used to launch the chemical attack, Moscow must answer.

"Moscow's response to the April 4 attack follows a familiar pattern of its responses to other egregious actions," the report said. "It spins out multiple, conflicting accounts in order to create confusion and sow doubt within the international community."
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AUSTIN -- In a party-line vote, the House State Affairs Committee passed an anti-sanctuary cities bill Wednesday with few changes to a harsher Senate-approved proposal.

The 7-5 vote sends the bill to the full House as early as next week where Democrats have promised to try to amend it.

At issue is whether local law enforcement should honor every federal immigration request by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold on to persons in the country illegally until federal officials give further instructions or take them into custody. As noted by several of the bills opponents, the decision to honor ICE requests, known as detainers, is voluntary.

The House panel adopted most of the provisions in the bill that the Senate passed in February.

STICKY MEASURES: Status of the most controversial bills in the Legislature

Senate Bill 4 would cut off state grant funds to a local entity for the following year if a court finds that it adopted a policy in violation of SB 4. It also would ban local law enforcement agencies and university police departments from enacting policies prohibiting their officers from asking about someone's immigration status if they have been stopped with probable cause.

To enforce the measure, the bill would allow any citizen living in a jurisdiction he believes is not in compliance with SB 4 to file a complaint with the Attorney Generals office. It would impose a civil penalty between $1,000 and $1,500 on the local entity or campus for the first violation. Each subsequent violation would cost the entity at least $25,000 each day that it continues.

Both proposals exclude several areas, including hospitals, officers commissioned by religious organizations, and public and charter schools.

REVISIONS: House makes changes to 'sanctuary cities' bill to produce 'better product'

However, the House version eliminated the Senates wording that a department cannot discourage a police officer from enforcing detainer requests. Citing concerns that it was too vague, the bills author, Republican Rep. Charlie Geren of Fort Worth, said he worked with the attorney generals office to include instead a prohibition on a pattern and practice regarding an detainer request inquiry.

This raises the bar on what the state must prove, and existing other laws use the term pattern and practice to show an entity has an unwritten policy that would violate the law if it were written, Geren said. This allows a defense for an entity acting in good faith, but if the entity has a pattern and practice of violating (the bill), it is not operating in good faith.

The House version also narrows the scope regarding when police can question a person about his immigration status, requiring that the individual be lawfully arrested and not merely detained.

Ann Beeson, executive director of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, said the House's version was an improvement on the Senate's, but she still encouraged House members to vote against the legislation when it gets to the floor, perhaps as early as next week.

"We appreciate the Committee's efforts to improve the terrible bill first passed by the Senate, but let's be clear: This proposal still undermines the public safety and economic prosperity of Texas communities by placing unjust burdens on campus police and local law enforcement to enforce federal immigration law," she said.

Scroll through the gallery to see municipalities that have declared themselves "sanctuary cities"
U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Two suspects fleeing border law enforcement in Texas Monday rammed through two gates and a concrete barrier at an entry point before striking a police vehicle and continuing on foot, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Agents at the Donna Port of Entry, southwest of Harlingen, noticed a man pull over and pick up a suspected undocumented immigrant Monday night on a road near the border, officials said in a news release.
President Trumps border wall always has been a hare-brained idea. That, however, hasnt deterred the administration from taking the initial steps to get it built. And, now, folly is inching up to reality. Firms in San Antonio and Texas are offering conceptual plans and are likely to be in the final bidding to build this monument to wastefulness.

Congress should not appropriate a dime on this wall, the first portions of which are likely to be built in the Rio Grande Valley to fill some existing gaps, according to a recent Express-News article by Jason Buch. Congressional consideration will happen this month.

Cost, property confiscation, protracted legal battles, topography, environmental damage and wildlife endangerment are among the factors that render this idea hare-brained. But another big reason this idea should be abandoned is that it will not work.

Simply, there is no physical barrier that cant be overcome by going over  as in catapulting drugs  going under, going around and finding different routes as its being built. Or even blowing it up. Even with the beefed up manpower at the border envisioned, there are not enough Border Patrol personnel to monitor every inch of the wall 24/7. Then theres the matter of about 40 percent of undocumented immigrants coming in legally at regular ports of entry and then over-staying. A wall will do nothing to deter them.

And speaking of the Rio Grande Valley, its called that for a reason. The Rio Grande River is there.

So, does this wall  which will be no less than 18-feet tall and no more than 30  get built in the middle of the river, on the U.S. side or does this country simply appropriate Mexican territory and put it south of the river border? U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, according to E&E News and reported on in the Texas Tribune, seemed to suggest it will be on the Mexican side. How does that happen?

But if it is on the U.S. side, does that mean this country cedes the river to Mexico?. This might satisfy some who still hold a grudge over the Mexican-American War, but ceding this land is no way to honor U.S. sovereignty.

It is full speed ahead anyway on this wall. Congress, with its power of the purse, should torpedo it.
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Celebrate your Texas Independence this month by mixing your martini with a Texas-made vodka (even one made here in San Antonio) instead of a liquor-store shelf brand. Total Wine & Mores Spirits Direct program nurtures and supports small-batch distilleries to produce new and artisanal options in spirits.

Spike Vodka, created here in San Antonio, is a great example, said Erik Short, manager of the Del Norte Total Wine & More. The maker was working out of his garage, but we sampled it and brought it into the program, and now hes just built his own distillery.

Tower Vodka is another Texan success, made in Pilot Point. The Total Wine & More buying team goes around the world, as well as around the corner, to find and bring back fine and unusual spirits to be part of the Spirits Direct program.

We have between 500 and 750 different Spirits Direct options in our store, Short said. We have Cognacs from France, grappa and sambuca from Italy, vodkas from all over the world, and whiskeys from the better distilleries in Scotland and Ireland.

Customers visiting the store will note the yellow tags which indicate Spirits Direct products.

That yellow tag indicates something new and interesting, as well as value, Short said. Our strong relationships with producers means lower prices for the customer. Its the best bang for the buck.

Vodka, Bourbon and Scotch whisky are top sellers at the Del Norte store, according to Short. Within the Spirits Direct program, the top sellers for each spirits category are Starr Blu Vodka from Minnesota, which is distilled five times for a crisp and smooth finish; Two Stars Bourbon from Kentucky, which has a tawny amber color and woody aroma; and Grangestone single malt whiskies from the Scottish Highlands, ranging from 12 to 21 years old. The 21-year-old Grangestone single malt scored 94 points with Wine Enthusiast.

Liqueurs are part of the Spirits Direct program as well. Short said a new and fun liqueur to try is Van Meers Stroopwafel Liqueur, from the Netherlands. This low-proof dessert liqueur is like a cookie in a bottle, with flavors of cinnamon and spice, based on the famous stroopwafel cookie.

Short said his expertly trained staff can guide customers through the wide selection and any unfamiliar producers to options that fit their tastes and flavor choices. They can also introduce you to something new and different if you are curious to experiment and discover new flavors, he added.

In the spirit of adventure, we invite you to browse the Spirits Direct products available at any Total Wine & More, and discover something new.

Del Norte

125 NW Loop 410

San Antonio, TX 78216

(210) 524-9300

The Rim

17530 La Cantera Parkway

San Antonio, TX 78257

(210) 877-9155

You can also shop online at www.TotalWine.com.

Editors Note: This content is made possible by Total Wine & More. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com.
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War of Independence hero General Sean MacEoin is to be the subject of a new film, which will hopefully provide a wealth of opportunities for Longford creatives.

Killoe native and award-winning director Tom Begley has been tinkering with the idea of making a film about the Longford IRA leader for some time and, after getting in touch with some contacts in the States, has decided to go ahead with it.

I spent my early years listening to my grandparents telling stories about the great Sean MacEoin and the hero that he was, said Tom, who lived in Killoe until the age of 9.

I am an independent film-maker, so I would dearly love to be the one that tells his story for personal reasons. I am also in cahoots with another Longford man Davey Byrne and he has been encouraging me since we have been in touch.

Davey Byrne is based in New York and has quite a famous American actor contact - Kevin Dillon - who is very interested in playing the role of MacEoin, subject to the quality of the script, according to Tom.

Thats where Lonfords most talented writers come in: Tom is looking for a Longford writer to do the script.

I want a scriptwriter from Longford for a number of reasons. A Longford writer will have a better understanding of the language and rhythm used and also the humour of the locals, he said.

Secondly, I would like a local writer because the subject is from Longford and it would be more of a personal thing for a committed local writer. And lastly, I would like to keep it in-house if possible.

I would also like to put Longford on the map and generate some interest in the county through the arts.

There are a number of writing groups throughout the county, which Tom says is great to see, and hes hoping that some of these groups have ventured into the art of screenwriting, as opposed to writing for a play.

Im not saying that theres anything wrong with playwriting, but I do feel there is a need for more screenwriting, because it can be seen by a much wider audience and the knock on from this is that Longford might start attracting film studios and big production companies to the county, said Tom.

I think there is very little film-making happening in the county and I only know of one small film group who do it on a part-time basis, so again there is need to encourage this by making funds available to would-be film-makers.

But its not just scriptwriters that Tom wants. If and when this production goes ahead, he would like to utilise local actors for certain roles and parts, and hed also like to use local people in crowd scenes.

The film will also require music, and Tom would love for songwriters and musicians to send in samples of their work for consideration. Everyone who is involved in the film will be credited.

Anyone interested in submitting samples of their work, can do so by emailing Tom at tom@fcekfilms.com. Further information can also be acquired by emailing Tom.
The latest results from Census 2016 show that Irelands population stood at 4,761,865 in April 2016, an increase of 173,613 (3.8%) since April 2011.

The population of Co Longford now stands at 40,873, an increase of 4.8% over the last five years and the county now has the largest traveller population in the country living here.

Nationally, the total number of non-Irish nationals has fallen slightly to 535,475, or 11.6% of the population and this is the first decline since 2002.

The number of people with dual-Irish nationality had increased by 48,879 to 104,784 people since April 2011.

Neil Nugent from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) said that Longford showed an increase of 1% above the national average on population increase.

The reason for this, he added, will be considered in the coming months.

Nationally, there are more women than men, but that trend has been bucked in Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon.

In Longford there are 300 more males than females, continued Mr Nugent who then pointed out that there were 210 more males than females in Co Roscommon.

The average age is also increasing and if we look at Longford, we see that the average age is the same as the national average which is 37.4 an increase from 36.4 in the last Census.

In Leitrim, the average is 39.8 while in Co Roscommon it is 39.7.

Meanwhile, there has been an increase in the number of people divorced in the region.

The national average on this stands at 4.7%, while in Longford it is 4.6% - just ever so slightly below the national average.

It appears too, that the country is losing its Gaelgeoirs.

14,000 people in Co Longford admitted to being able to speak Irish on Census night, but those who can speak it fluently amounted to just 257, while there are 505 people in Co Roscommon.

The Census results also indicate that Co Longford has the highest proportion of Irish travellers residing here.

This particular aspect has shown a huge increase in Longford since 2011, added Mr Nugent.

The number of travellers living in Longford is just over 1,000 and that indicates an increase of 41%.

Broadband has been a bone of contention for businesses and homeowners alike in Longford for the last few years and the lack of services have also been highlighted in the latest Census results.

The overall broadband access level is at 71%, said Mr Nugent, before pointing out that Longford, Leitrim and Roscommon were all lagging behind this.

Longfords levels are between 58% and 60% and this indicates clearly that services need to be improved.
The Creative Ireland Programme kicks off with Cruinniu na Casca, a new national day of culture and creativity that will take place on Easter Monday in every county in Ireland.

Here in Longford three special events will take place that day, one of which will be held at Ardagh Creativity Centre that includes a wonderful afternoon for children.

A visit to a number of special sites that encapsulate the rich history and culture of this county is also on the cards, and there is currently 55 people booked in for that.

We have so much to offer here in Longford; it is a wonderful little county, Co Longford programme co-ordinator Mary Carleton-Reynolds told the Leader.

Creative Ireland is the Governments Legacy Programme for Ireland and is a five-year initiative, from 2017 to 2022 that places creativity at the centre of public policy.

This is one of the most exciting initiatives to happen in Ireland in a long time, Ms Carleton-Reynolds continued, before pointing out that if would force all of us to look at what we are good at; what we need to be celebrating and at our creativity.

This initiative is all about showcasing what is best about Ireland; we are being provided with an opportunity to look outwards instead of looking in.

Our Taoiseach was in America for St Patricks Day and we had many people around the world too who were focused on Ireland at that time.

But it wasnt about our economy; that was a time when we were all celebrating our own creativity.

The local county librarian went on to say that when we thought about our own creativity, sometimes we tended to focus on just one aspect, but in fact there were numerous aspects to consider.

Of course, our heritage and history is extremely important as well and what is really interesting about this whole Creative Ireland idea is that is is about all aspects of our creativity, she continued, before admitting that it can mean anything to anyone depending on the person.

This programme is about openness and interest, it is about thinking about our future, our young people and is inclusive of everyone from the very young right up to our oldest citizens.

It is very important that we all have a sense of pride in our own place; we keep talking all the time about sense of pride in our county and our place and this can never be talked about too much; that sense of pride is part of all of us and it must be nurtured.

She said the Creative Ireland initiative would give us back our sense of pride because for a while, we lost the run of ourselves, and the things that were really important to us were sidetracked.

People what a quality of life; it is not just about the house and the school; its about a sense of ownership, a sense of place, Ms Carleton-Reynolds continued.

Over the next year, there will be 90 different events taking place in Co Longford in conjunction with this wonderful initiative.

And what a wonderful time we are all going to have.
Longford County Council will have to cover the costs of restoring public sector pay from its own resources.

It comes after the Government confirmed it would not be reimbursing local authorities for additional payroll costs they face after the pay restoration timeline was brought forward by five months.

Its unclear how much those increases are likely to have on the Councils balance sheet going forward but its already led to scathing criticism from councillors locally.

Fianna Fails Seamus Butler admitted the current impasse could force smaller local authorities to effectively rewrite its income and expenditure capacities overnight.

You would have to look at everything, he cautioned.

Everything would be on the table.

Only last month, Longford County Council officials announced plans to embark on an ambitious 43m capital investment plan over the next three years.

Cllr Butler said by forcing councils to foot any pay restoration bill there was every chance some projects might have to be temporarily shelved or even downsized.

The Fianna Fail group leader said even the contentious issue of commercial rates might have to be reassessed should government chiefs fail to grasp the precarious financial plight certain councils would find themselves in.

Everything would be in the mix but I tell you if its a choice between building a new corporate headquarters or looking at rates, we will forego the new corporate headquarters, he said.

The reality is businesses out there are still struggling.

The recession has not by any manner of means reached out to provincial towns like Longford. Central government, which sits in Dublin would really want to get out and see for itself the impact this will have if they are serious about sanctioning increases like this while expecting struggling local economies to pay for it.

Public pay was one of many areas of government spending which came in for reductions during the economic downturn.

As Irelands fiscal fortunes recovered however, unions secured pay restoration agreements under the 2015 Lansdowne Road deal.

Cllr Butler said they, together with some ancillary costs, looks set to throw up plenty of financially challenging decisions for councils such as Longford.

Its not just the wage bill. We are carrying all the pensions that go with that and that has to be found.

This thing of a guaranteed pension has to be found out of current expenditure every year which is a ludicrous situation, he contended.
By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

Jacob Alegria, 27, stands accused of reckless driving in February that claimed the life of a German au pair.

Jacob Alegria of Southampton, 27, has been indicted for causing a fatal crash in Southampton Village in February.

Southampton , NY - April 12, 2017 - A 27 year old A 27 year old Southampton man has been indicted for recklessly causing a fatal crash in Southampton Village in February that claimed the life of a German au pair, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

The defendant Jacob Alegria pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree and reckless driving. Alegrias indictment was unsealed this morning by State Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho who set bail at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.

The black box in the Lexus the defendant was driving shows he hit the SUV in the oncoming lane traveling at a speed of 78.3 miles per hour  in a 25 mile per hour zone on Hill Street; more than three times the posted speed limit, D.A. Spota said.

The impact of the collision sent the victims SUV into a tree. The passenger in the vehicle, Charlotte Meyer, 20, who days earlier arrived in the US to work as an au pair, died of her injuries. The driver, Luisa S. Keszler, 26, of Southampton, is recovering from serious injuries.

Multiple witnesses, District Attorney Spota said, indicated the defendant had previously executed a similar maneuver - crossing the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic - to pass slower vehicles just prior to the head-on collision.

The SCDA Vehicular Crimes Bureau and the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit with the assistance of the Southampton Village Police conducted the field investigation at the crash scene which closed the area to traffic for approximately seven hours.
Local News, Crime, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

A.G. Warns: My Office Will Pursue Any Landlord Who Harasses Tenants On The Basis Of Immigration Status.

Albany, NY - April 12, 2017 - Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today released a new "Know Your Rights" guidance, providing immigrant tenants in New York State with legal guidance in the event that they face landlord harassment on the basis of immigration status.

With fear on the rise in immigrant communities, the Attorney Generals office has received a number of reports of tenant harassment; in particular, tenants and advocates have reported an increase of cases in which renters have been specifically targeted based on immigration status, including landlords threatening to call federal immigration officials and have the tenants deported in an attempt to illegally displace the tenants.

Every New York tenant has a basic legal right to live in peace in their home. Harassment of tenants based on immigration status is not only appalling  its unlawful, said Attorney General Schneiderman. This guidance will help ensure that all tenants know their rights  and should serve as a reminder: my office will pursue to the fullest extent of the law any landlord who illegally harasses tenants.

The guidance covers a variety of legal protections that tenants have across the State of New York. Specifically, the guidance makes clear that landlords may not unlawfully evict or lock-out, harass, or deny essential services to tenants based on their immigration status. It also offers information on specific protections that exist in certain parts of the state, such as protections derived from New York's rent stabilization law, and specific laws for undocumented families, such as provisions of the New York City Human Rights Law that prohibit discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived immigration status. The guidance also reminds immigrant tenants that they have the right to organize and form tenant associations, and that their landlords may not retaliate against them for asserting their rights under housing and civil rights laws.

The Attorney Generals office partnered with the statewide New Americans Hotline  1-800-566-7636  to expand the hotlines services. Tenants can call and be connected with qualified legal service providers that can represent them in housing court in the event that they are harassed or targeted for eviction. The toll-free hotline is operated by Catholic Charities Community Services and is available Monday through Friday, from 9am to 8pm, providing live assistance in over 200 languages. All calls are confidential and anonymous.

The Attorney Generals new guidance follows an uptick in overall harassment of rent-regulated tenants, which Attorney General Schneiderman has made a priority to address through his work on the Tenant Harassment Task Force, an inter-agency partnership between the Office of the Attorney General, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the New York City Department of Buildings, and New York State Homes and Community Renewals Tenant Protection Unit. The Attorney General has indicted three New York City-based landlords since the launch of the Task Force.

For more information on the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords, please review Attorney General Schneidermans comprehensive Tenants Rights Guide, available in English here and Spanish here

Many New Yorkers have neighbors, friends, and even family members who are currently facing an incredibly difficult time, said Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez (D-NY). After holding multiple Know Your Rights workshops in my district, I can speak first-hand to the prevalence of fear and the desire for helpful information stemming from our immigrant communities. Under no circumstance, should immigration status be used as a threat to force families out of their homes. I applaud Attorney General Schneidermans action to provide comprehensive legal guidance for immigrant tenants.

I commend Attorney General Schneiderman for todays initiative to protect tenants from exploitation by landlords seeking to take advantage of their undocumented status, said U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13). Landlords should never, under any circumstance, have the ability to threaten or deprive a tenant of his or her legal rights based on their immigration status. I urge anyone who has been subjected to such abuse and vulnerabilities to contact the hotline to report their situation immediately.

"Landlord harassment, while unfortunately common, is completely illegal -- and steps must be taken to inform tenants of their rights. 'Know Your Rights' guidance, which I have advocated to be placed in public areas, is a very effective way to increase awareness and prevent violation of these rights," said New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito. "Attorney General Schneiderman's new 'Know Your Rights' guidance builds on the legislation the Council introduced last week to prevent tenant harassment and protect all New Yorkers, regardless of their immigration status."

Landlords must be punished when they harass tenants with threats about immigration status. I welcome the new Immigrant Tenants Rights Guide because it will educate tenants to protect themselves from illegal harassment and displacement. The New York City Council, which recently authorized legal representation for tenants in housing court, has also introduced a raft of local legislation to fight landlord harassment. I know we can count on State Attorney General Schneiderman and the State Office of New Americans in our work protecting immigrant tenants, said Council Member Menchaca.

"For generations, immigrants and refugees have brought their talent, their energy, hope, and faith to our communities and neighborhoods. Catholic Charities applauds the Attorney General in this initiative to protect newcomers against discrimination and harassment in their homes and joins its New Americans hotline to the effort. We have been made better because immigrants have made New York their home; we are committed to making them safer today," said Mario Russell, Esq., Director, Catholic Charities Immigrant and Refugee Services.

Landlord harassment is a problem our immigrant clients face on a daily basis, partly because many are unaware of the available tenant protections afforded by law, said Adriene Holder, Attorney-In-Charge of the Civil Practice at The Legal Aid Society. These Know Your Rights campaigns provide crucial knowledge, and empower immigrant communities to push back and protect their households using all appropriate legal tools. We look forward to sharing this information with our clients, and laud Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman for his efforts serving New Yorks most vulnerable.
Family & Parenting, School & Education, Local News, Business & Finance, Community, Charity & Cause, Politics

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

First-in-the-Nation Program Makes NYS Public Universities Tuition-Free for Families Making Up to $125,000 Per Year, Alleviating Crushing Burden of Student Debt and Placing More New Yorkers on Path to Financial Security.

Albany, NY - April 12, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation enacting the Excelsior Scholarship, the first-of-its-kind in the nation program to provide tuition-free college at New Yorks public universities to families making up to $125,000 a year. The legislation was passed as part of the FY 2018 Budget, and was the Governors first proposal in his 2017 State of the State. The Budget additionally includes $8 million to provide open educational resources, including e-books, to students at SUNY and CUNY colleges to help defray the cost of textbooks. The Governor signed the legislation at LaGuardia Community College, joined by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"By providing tuition-free college to thousands of middle class New Yorkers, we are restoring the promise of the American Dream for the next generation and forging a bold path forward of access and opportunity for the rest of the nation to follow," Governor Cuomo said. "With a college education now a necessity to succeed in today's economy, I am proud to sign this first-in-the-nation legislation that will make college accessible, strengthen the middle class, and build a brighter future for all New Yorkers."

Senator Bernie Sanders said, Every American, regardless of income, must have the right to a higher education. In a competitive global economy, with rapid changes in technology, we must make public colleges and universities tuition-free. I congratulate Governor Cuomo and New York State for helping to lead the nation in that direction."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, "New York State has long been a pioneer in education. Taking this next step to make college tuition-free for hardworking families is the right thing to do, and the smart thing to do. I was proud to put this plan forward during my campaign, and I'm thrilled that it's become a reality in New York. I hope students, families, and educators across our country will continue to speak out on this issue, and call on more states to follow suit."

Under the Excelsior Scholarship, nearly 80 percent, or 940,000 middle-class families and individuals making up to $125,000 per year, qualify to attend college tuition-free at all CUNY and SUNY two- and four-year colleges in New York State.

The new program will be phased in over three years, beginning for New Yorkers making up to $100,000 annually in the fall of 2017, increasing to $110,000 in 2018, and reaching $125,000 in 2019. Scholars must be enrolled in college full-time and average 30 credits per year (including Summer and January semesters) in order to receive the funding. The program, however, includes built in flexibility so that any student facing hardship is able to pause and restart the program, or take fewer credits one semester than another.

Students are required to maintain a grade point average necessary for the successful completion of their coursework, and, as the program makes a major investment in the states greatest asset  our young people  scholars will be required to live and work in-state for the same number of years after graduation as they received the scholarship while in school. 84 percent of SUNY and CUNY students remain in New York after graduation.

The Budget provides a record $7.5 billion in total support for higher education, a $448 million, or 6.3 percent, increase over last year. These initiatives build on the Governors commitment to making college affordable for all students in the Empire State, including the nation-leading 'Get On Your Feet' Loan Forgiveness Program, which allows eligible college graduates living in New York to pay nothing on their student loans for the first two years out of school.
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By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

Workshops scheduled for May 9, May 16 and June 8, 2017.

Glen Cove, NY - April 12, 2017 - Educators will have three opportunities to attend professional development workshops at the Educators will have three opportunities to attend professional development workshops at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County (HMTC) this Spring. Survivor: Arons Story, will take place on Tuesday, May 9, at 4 p.m.; Teaching Mockingbird, a Facing History and Ourselves workshop, will take place on Tuesday, May 16 at 10 a.m.; and Choice and Responsibility During the Holocaust, a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum workshop, will take palace on Thursday, June 8, at 9:30 a.m. All three workshops will be held at HMTC, Welwyn Preserve, 100 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove , NY.

Humanities and art educators are encouraged to attend Survivor: Arons Story on May 9. Author Alex Teplish will immerse the audience into his grandfathers memoir, utilizing Shoah Foundation video testimony, artwork from the book, as well as historical music and imagery. The first part of Survivor: Arons Story shared Arons experience of living in Odessa, Ukraine and his survival as a teenager until the Romanian/Nazi occupation during WWII. Arons story, visually depicted in graphic novel form, allows readers to experience the events first hand, though the eyes of young Aron himself.

The May 16 workshop will introduce Facing Historys resource, Teaching Mockingbird, which incorporates civic education, ethical reflection and historical context into a literary exploration of Harper Lees beloved novel. Participants will discover new interdisciplinary teaching strategies that reinforce historical and literacy skill and will also receive a free copy of To Kill a Mockingbird. This workshop is recommended for 6-12th grade English Language Arts, Social Studies or Humanities educators. There is a $10 registration fee for this workshop.

On June 8, HMTC and USHMM will present a one-day workshop that will provide teachers with resources and pedagogical approaches to teach the Holocaust. The workshop is open to middle school, high school and community college educators, as well as pre-service educators and administrators. Participants will receive books and resources from USHMM and a certificate of participation at the completion of the program. A light lunch will be provided. There is a $15 registration fee for this workshop.

To register for the Facing History workshop on May 16, visit HERE . For more information or to register for Arons Story or the USHMM workshop, contact Tracy Garrison-Feinberg at (516) 571-8040 or tracygarrisonfeinberg@hmtcli.org
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

Stefano Belloisi, 51, in custody on Reckless Driving and Drug Possession charges, officials say.

SCPD have arrested Stefano Belloisi of Deer Park, 51, following a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a mail carrier in North Babylon.

North Babylon, NY - April 12, 2017 - Police have arrested a Suffolk County Police have arrested a Deer Park man following a motor vehicle crash that seriously injured a mail carrier in North Babylon on Tuesday.

Stefano Belloisi was driving a 1998 Lincoln Continental westbound on Prairie Drive at 1:57 p.m. when his vehicle veered off the road, struck a mail carrier, who was outside his vehicle, the carriers postal truck, a fire hydrant and a telephone pole.

The mail carrier, 40, of Bayport , was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was admitted with serious injuries.

Belloisi, 51, was charged with Reckless Driving and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree. He was scheduled to be arraigned today at First District Court in Central Islip

Detectives are asking anyone who may have seen Belloisi driving prior to the crash or have any information on the crash to call the First Squad at 631-854-8152 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
School & Education, Local News, Religion, Community, Charity & Cause, Arts & Culture

By Long Island News & PR Published: April 12 2017

East Meadow, East Williston, Half Hollow Hills, Herricks, Hicksville and Syosset announce closure of schools and offices on Diwali.

Pictured is a Hindu temple; six LI school districts have declared the Hindu festival of Diwali as a holiday for students.

Long Island, NY - April 12, 2017 - Hindus have welcomed the inclusion of Diwali, most popular of their festival, by declaring holiday for students on October 19 by six school districts in New York State on their school calendars for 2017-2018.

These are East Meadow School District, East Williston Union Free School District, Half Hollow Hills Central School District, Herricks Union Free School District, Hicksville Union Free School District and Syosset Central School District. Another, Mineola Union Free School District, announced that no home work or examinations would be given on Diwali, reports suggest.

In neighboring New Jersey 2017-2018 school calendars; Glen Rock Public Schools announced closure of schools and offices on Diwali; in West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, schools will be closed on October 19; and in Piscataway Township Schools, there is No School for Students on Diwali. In Pennsylvania, Unionville-Chadds Ford School District headquartered in Kennett Square approved closure of schools on Diwali; while Harvard Public Schools in Massachusetts has declared October 19 as early release day, reports add.

Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, describing it as a step in the right direction, urged all other public school districts and private-charter-independent schools in New York State to do the same.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a positive thing to do in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of these pupils.

Rajan Zed indicated that schools should make efforts to accommodate the religious requirements of Hindu students and show respect to their faith by not conducting regular business and scheduling classes on Diwali. We did not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali.

If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali, Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added

Rajan Zed suggested all New York State schools, public-private-charter-independent, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make New York State students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.

Zed urged New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State Education Department Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and New York State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia; to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the 728 public school districts, and persuading the private-charter-independent schools to follow.

Rajan Zed further says that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious festivals are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Besides Hindus; Sikhs and Jains and some Buddhists also celebrate Diwali.
The great Gold Rush Music Festival returns to the township of Waihi, with the first nuggets of gold dropping for the highly anticipated return of the 2023 festival.
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Kuwait, 4 April 2017

Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC) announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2016 in which it yielded a net profit of 211 thousand Kuwaiti Dinars at an EPS of 0.70 fils per share, compared with a profit worth of 985 thousand Kuwaiti

Tareq Mishari Al Bahar, KFICs Board Member & CEO stated that Despite the unstable environment in the GCC markets in the recent period, KFIC remarkably maintained its profitability. This in return reflects the company's solid strategy in diversifying its investment portfolio, in which KFIC relies on generating revenues and sustainable levels of cash flows from financing activities, asset management and income generating investments rather than, relying on trading in the financial markets.

Al Bahar then added: Currently the company has a strong financial position and a promising growth potential. Where the total assets have amounted to 68 million Kuwaiti Dinars, out of which the current assets have amounted to 21.9 million Kuwaiti Dinars. On the other hand, the total liabilities amounted to 26.4 million Kuwaiti Dinars, out of which the current liabilities amounted to 5.3million Kuwaiti Dinars. Furthermore, the equity of the shareholders of the parent company has amounted to 38.1 million Kuwaiti dinars.

Al Bahar then concluded: We are always keen on finding variety of effective investment products that yield acceptable rates with limited risks, in order to meet the expectations of our valuable clients. Moreover, KFIC in continuing its plans to exit from some of the non-yielding investments and diversify the investment portfolio geographically to minimize risks.

About Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC):

Interview with Tareq Mishari Al Bahar, KFICs Board Member & CEO of KFIC: Kuwait Finance and Investment Company (KFIC), a Well-Established Asset Manager in Kuwait

In an exclusive interview for Marcopolis, Al Bahar commented on the activities of KFIC followingly: Since year 2003, we are in KFIC providing full-fledged financial services to our clients. We are providing portfolios and fund management through our Asset Management Team. Currently, we have approximately USD 1 billion of assets and funds under management. We also offer to our clients investment banking services and unique structured products that fit clients risk appetite.

Regarding the strengths of KFIC vis-a-vis other asset managers in Kuwait, Al Bahar pointed out: The diversity of KFICs activities is differentiating KFIC from its competitors and enabling KFIC to explore the growth opportunity in each activity when market conditions become favourable for such growth. For example, during the financial crisis, we witnessed a steep decline in asset management and brokerage revenues, while a steady cash flows was generated from financing activity.

FAIR USE POLICY

This material (including media content) may not be published, broadcasted, rewritten, or redistributed. However, linking directly to the page (including the source, i.e. Marcopolis.net) is permitted and encouraged.
Weve all heard stories of how the most well-known musical prodigies started young, and this includes Mozart, who wrote his first musical compositions at 4 years old. Starting your kids on a path to musical prowess at a young age doesnt mean you need to force them into learning an instrument they havent shown the slightest inclination toward. Enrolling your kids in music school should, ultimately, be about enhancing their creativity and promoting their love for the skill. An exciting and holistic approach to music will dispel any negativity toward the learning process.

Its a good thing there are plenty of fantastic music schools and learning programmes out there catered to kids of all ages  even newborns  that will help develop the skill in a positive way and eventually lead them on a path to further master their hidden talent.

Head up to the gallery to check out 5 great music schools in Singapore that are perfect for your kids.

Angela Goh

Read more:

Singapore Talent: 10 Local musicians and bands you may not have heard of

5 Musicians to look to for style inspiration

Cultivate Compassion: 5 Places to volunteer at with your kids in Singapore

Toddlers & Tees: 10 Trendy kidswear brands all Singaporean mothers need to know
NORTHAMPTON -- Columbia Gas of Massachusetts is nearing an agreement with Holyoke Gas & Electric that would bypass a bottleneck in the region's network of gas pipelines and end a two-year-old ban on new hookups in Easthampton and Northampton.

Stephen H. Bryant, president of Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, said Monday that lawyers for Holyoke Gas & Electric are reviewing the agreement now. It would result in Columbia feeding gas to Holyoke Gas & Electric through a connection separate from the overburdened Northampton lateral line.

Once Holyoke has a new way to get gas, Holyoke Gas & Electric would have less need of capacity on the Northampton lateral, freeing up capacity for Columbia to get more gas to Northampton and Easthampton.

This would free capacity on the Northampton lateral to get more gas from a main pipeline in Southwick to Northampton and Easthampton.

Speaking Monday following an event with U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal at Springfield's Union Station project, Bryant said he is very excited to get more gas into Northampton and Easthampton and start signing up new customers again.

"I want to get this done," he said.

He didn't have a timeline for when the moratorium would be lifted once the agreement is in place, adding that there will need to be some pipeline construction to get the gas where it needs to go.

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts imposed a moratorium on new service in Northampton and Easthampton at the end of 2014, saying that capacity on the Northampton lateral was running out.

Separately, Berkshire Gas Co., also worried about pipeline capacity on the Northampton lateral, imposed moratoriums in the Hampshire County towns of Amherst, Hadley and Hatfield and the Franklin County communities of Greenfield, Deerfield, Montague, Whatley and Sunderland in late 2014 and early 2015.

At the time, Berkshire Gas said the only solution to its supply problems would be the Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy Direct pipeline, then in the planning stages, to be built across the northern tier of Massachusetts and into New Hampshire.

But the Kinder Morgan plan failed in the face of stiff opposition and investors who balked at rising costs.

Today, Pittsfield-based Berkshire Gas is planning to implement one of two solutions: a compressed natural gas facility in Franklin County that could bring in gas by rail or truck or a 19-mile connector to bypass a bottleneck.

Bryant said the Kinder Morgan project would never have helped Columbia Gas in Northampton and Easthampton. The proposed pipeline would have been too far north.

Berkshire Gas communications manager Chris Farrell said all proposed solutions from Berkshire Gas and from Columbia would require approval by the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities and its siting committee. Just those approvals might take a year.

Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz said he hopes that an agreement between Holyoke Gas & Electric and Columbia will be enough to at least begin an incremental process of lifting the moratoriums in Northampton and Easthampton.

"This is an agreement that I'm very interested in," he said.

If nothing is done to improve capacity on the Northampton lateral, a shortage of capacity will start to hurt Holyoke and Westfield as well, he said.

"It's just going to move south," Narkewicz said. "It's in the region's best interest that this important agreement between Columbia and Holyoke Gas & Electric is signed."

The Northampton connection moratorium has stopped development of both businesses and housing or has forced builders to accommodate bulky propane tanks.

Projects that have been adjusted include the Village Hill development at the old Northampton State Hospital site, a building on Old South Street and the Way Finders (formerly HAP Housing) and Valley CDC projects on Pleasant Street.

Narkewicz said he knows Columbia Gas is working on the problem.

"They obviously don't want to be in the business of turning away customers," he said.

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts Service Territory by Jim Kinney on Scribd
MassLive spoke Wednesday with Snapchef CEO Todd Snopkowski, whose culinary staffing agency has opened its first Western Massachusetts office at 174 Worthington St. in Springfield.

The Dorchester-based company, which placed 13,000 people with jobs last year, bills itself as the largest firm of its time in New England and has worked with Foxwoods, Hyatt and Boston Children's Hospital.

Snapchef works with large-scale employers like hospitals and universities. In the interview, Snopkowski spoke about his company's background and the decision to open a facility in Springfield.

The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

How did you start the business? What's your background?

I was a chef for Aramark. I worked for the Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta, and I started noticing there that there was a shortage of cooks. They were hiring 3,000 people for the Olympic village, and the temp labor companies we had to use - they were day labor companies and there was no real food service or chef staffing service.

I thought if there's a way to do that, it would be a home run.

Back in 2001, when we started Snapchef, there was still this vacancy for a culinary staffing company. It would be a temp agency to start, with the hopes of placing the people who walk through our door with local commercial kitchens.

it's a temp agency that's not a day labor model. It's a temp agency that's a career path for those who walk through the door. Now we have over 350 clients throughout new England.

Why expand to Springfield?

Honestly, Laura Masulis from MassDevelopment. We took a class called Interise, it's a streetwise MBA program that I took for the business. I met her through that.

I had talked with her a handful of times. She came out and I saw her at a breakfast, and she said you have to come up to Springfield, you'll love it.

I came up here and she was right. I'm from Buffalo, New York originally - there's a lot of similarities. It's a very familiar feeling.

I do like the opportunity, similarly to Worcester. There's definitely an employment base here that's untapped. We didn't come here for the casino. We're a preferred vendor for Sodexo and Aramark, we just have to call them and let them know we're here. We already have 45 applications for workers in Springfield.

What is your training program like?

What we opened her on Worthington is our first real storefront model. Our building in Dorcester has a commercial kitchen it in. This isn't really a commercial kitchen, it's a training kitchen to get basic skills and certifications in ServSafe.

If a chef comes in and asks you do find a half sheet pan you might not know what that is, But you take our five-day course and you're prepared. We get into chopping, slicing, dicing.

Are you focused on permanent positions as well as staffing temporary jobs?

For people with experience, they can go into our clients' kitchens and be hired by our clients without a buyout. That's something I said when I created it - if someone walks into our door, why not get them a job and a career? That speaks volumes about us I think.

Can you talk about any Western Mass businesses you work with?

We've talked to a handful of clients. Westfield State, and our Sodexho, Aramark and Compass Group hospitals -- we will start doing sales calls next week.
When John Wilkes Booth performed in Massachusetts, the young actor was typically greeted by enthusiastic crowds and fawning reviewers.

While the now notorious Booth is remembered for fatally shooting President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington on April 14, 1865, he was a popular stage actor north and south of the Mason-Dixon line in the years leading up to the assassination.

Weeks before Booth's performance at the Music Hall in downtown Springfield, the public was told to be be prepared to witness "one of the brightest stars on the stage." Tickets for his Oct. 14-15, 1863 performances of "Richard III" were priced at 25 and 50 cents.

As Richard III, the 25-year-old Booth earned a glowing review from The Springfield Daily Republican.

"Mr. Booth is young and impulsive, but has unmistakable talent," the newspaper's theater critic wrote. "His readings at times were almost faultless, exhibiting a subtle appreciation of the author's meaning, which he who plays Shakespeare must have or be nothing.... In the expression of extreme passion, he is very good, if not great, when a desire for startling effects does not tempt him over the bounds of dramatic propriety."

Booth was a hit and he returned to the Music Hall on Pynchon and Main streets a week later for an Oct. 23 performance of "Hamlet."

The Springfield Daily Republican considered his performance as Hamlet to be superior to his take on Richard III writing, "He astonished his most enthusiastic admirers with intensity and power of his representation."

Booth performed on another Bay State stage 11 months before the assassination.

He starred in "Romeo and Juliet" in May 1864 at Boston Museum on Tremont Street, where he was heralded as "the eminent young tragedian."

Booth was no stranger to the Boston Museum, having performed in productions of "Macbeth," "Richard III," "Othello" and "The Merchant of Venice" there in 1862 and 1863.

Following Lincoln's assassination, The Springfield Daily Republican noted that Booth had visited Boston just two weeks before the killing. He was described as being "moody and misanthropic" and dedicated to the Confederate cause.

The newspaper wrote, "One of the most frequent quotations of Booth in conversation was the following of his favorite play, 'Richard III' -- 'The daring youth that fired the Ephesian dome, outlives in fame the pious youth that reared it.'"

In Boston, Booth may have visited his brother and fellow actor, Edwin Booth, who was starring in "Hamlet" at the Boston Theatre on Washington Street at the time.

Edwin Booth -- who had saved Lincoln's son, Robert, from serious injury or worse when he fell from a train platform in New Jersey months earlier -- left the Boston production and made his way to Washington once he learned of the killing.

"With deepest sorrow and greatest agitation, I thank you for relieving me from my engagement with yourself and the public," Edwin Booth wrote in an April 15, 1865 letter to the Boston Theatre management. "The news of the morning has made me wretched indeed, not only because I have received the unhappy tidings of the suspicions of a brother's crime, but because a good man and a mostly justly honored and patriotic ruler has fallen in an hour of national joy by the hand of an assassin."
boston trench collapse

In this Friday, Oct. 21, 2016 photo, a worker pleads for help after a trench collapse and water leak killed two workers on Boston's Dartmouth St. When fire crews arrived on the scene, fire department spokesman Steve MacDonald said they found "workers trapped in a trench in the ground that was filling rapidly with water." (Mark Garfinkel/The Boston Herald via AP)

The owner of a Massachusetts-based drain cleaning company is now facing a slew of workplace safety violations and a fine of more than a million dollars - in addition to criminal charges - following the death of two people on his worksite.

Atlantic Drain Service Co. Inc, a residential & commercial drain cleaning company, was cited for 18 violations of workplace safety standards by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The violations include not installing a support system before having employees work inside a trench and not having a ladder on hand to allow workers to escape in the event of an emergency.

The company has been fined $1.4 million following the federal workplace safety investigation.

Robert Higgins, 47, and 53-year-old Kelvin Mattocks were excavating a trench in South Boston in October when a fire hydrant collapsed into the tunnel, causing it to flood with water. Both men drowned inside the 12-foot deep trench.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office has accused the company of recklessly failing "to take the standard safety precautions that could have averted that tragedy."

"The flood mixed with dirt and clay, trapping the men within seconds below the rising waterline, and ultimately claiming their lives," the DA's office said in a statement announcing that CEO Kevin Otto would face manslaughter charges in connection with the deaths of his workers.

Atlantic Drain was cited for similar workplace conditions in both 2007 and 2012.

The DA's office has accused the company of submitting doctored paperwork to safety officials containing forged dates and signatures of workers attending trainings following the previous OSHA violations.
Boston Harbor

(Google Maps)

A boat struck rocks near Lovells Island in Boston Harbor on Tuesday night, prompting a successful rescue effort launched by police.

Two people were pulled off the sinking, 35-foot boat after it ran aground by the Boston Police Harbor Unit.

Neither person suffered any injuries.

"Both victims in good shape," Boston Police wrote on Twitter.

Lovells Island is located several miles off the coast.
22044358-mmmain.jpg

Many spoke out against the Charter Commission proposal to create a 60-member town council.

(Republican File Diane Lederman)

AMHERST -- Some were bewildered, others had questions, and the majority who spoke at a Charter Commission listening session opposed to the idea of a 60-member town council.

Charter Commission Chairman Andrew Churchill said about 60 people packed the Jones Library meeting room to air their views at Tuesday night's listening session.

"Most expressed dissatisfaction, even bewilderment, at the 60-person council idea. A number said it didn't offer a real choice for voters, that it looked like a slightly smaller Town Meeting," he wrote.

Churchill said one speaker suggested that, when the issue comes up for a vote in 2018, Town Meeting supporters would oppose it and those who want change in town government wouldn't even vote.

Many at the meeting supported the 13-member council proposed earlier, Churchill said.

Earlier this month, the Charter Commission in a 5-4 vote proposed the 60-member town council, along with a mayor and chief administrative officer, to replace the 13-member council proposal.

Under its current form of government, Amherst has a town manager, a five-member select board and a 240-member representative Town Meeting.

Amherst Charter Commission members who proposed the larger council offered it as a compromise between Town Meeting and "a more normal council," Churchill said earlier this week.

"I'm not sure how it would work in practice, though," Churchill said. He was one of the opponents.

Another speaker at Tuesday's meeting questioned whether there would be enough people willing to do the work of being responsible members in a 60-person town council.

Resident Ted Parker noted that the other large councils in the country -- including New York and Chicago -- still have one representative per precinct; they just have a lot of precincts. He also said that in these large councils, being a councilor is a full-time job, paying over $100,000 a year.

Amherst, with a population of about 38,000, has 10 precincts.

Several from the University of Massachusetts political science department spoke and five signed a letter in opposition.

"As political scientists who study political institutions, we write to advise strongly against a large Town Council for the new charter. In our view a mayoral form of government with a seven- to nine-member council would work best, given the diversity of the town, the complexity of issues, and budgetary constraints," the letter states.

"Paradoxically, a 60-member Town Council would likely be less representative than a much smaller council and risks several potential problems for a democratic system."

The UMass faculty wrote that the council would not "solve the structural challenges a large representative assembly poses. Having a large Town Council will provide relative anonymity for its members, with the result that most residents will not know who represents them and who to hold accountable for political decisions -- just like Town Meeting."

According to the National League of Cities, "Councils can range in size from five to 51 across the nation, although the national average is six. While the number of councilmen is proportional to the population of the municipality, there is no national standard of proportion."

James A. Brooks, City Solutions director with the National League of Cities, said the largest councils in the U.S. are New York, with 8.4 million residents, which has a 51-member city council, and Chicago, with a population of 2.7 million, which has 50 aldermen.

Northampton and Easthampton each has a nine-member council, and Greenfield has a 13-member council. Springfield, the largest city in Western Massachusetts, has a 13-member city council.

Holyoke currently has a 15-member city council, but voters adopted a 13-member council that will take effect following the November municipal election.

The next Charter Commission meeting is slated for April 20. The commission is soliciting comments on its webpage.

The commission has until July 31 to submit a preliminary report. The final report is due by Sept. 29. The commission would then make a recommendation that voters would consider in March 2018.
Agawam PD mug 041117

A man known to Agawam police was arrested on Tuesday evening after he allegedly brought a hoax device into the police headquarters on Springfield Street. April 11, 2017.

(Brian Steele, The Republican)

AGAWAM - A man known to Agawam police was arrested on Tuesday evening after he allegedly brought a hoax device into the police headquarters on Springfield Street.

The building was evacuated at around 5:50 p.m. and 911 calls were temporarily rerouted to West Springfield, said Police Chief Eric Gillis. The road was closed in that area for about an hour.

Gillis said the suspect, whose name was not immediately released, walked into the lobby, approached the dispatch center carrying the device, and said he had found it outside. He then dropped it and fled.

Gillis described the device as jars that were taped together and filled with fluid.

Massachusetts State Police and the Western Massachusetts Anti-Terror Task Force responded. The device was determined to be a hoax.

The suspect was arrested near his home, said Gillis.

The incident is consistent with threats the suspect has made in the past, he added. The last time police interacted with him was Friday.

No one was hurt.
Health care is a trillion-dollar industry in America, but are we getting what we pay for? Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal, a medical journalist who formerly worked as a medical doctor, warns that the existing system too often focuses on financial incentives over health or science.

"Weve trusted a lot of our health care to for-profit businesses and its their job, frankly, to make profit," Rosenthal says. "You cant expect them to act like Mother Teresas."

TERRY GROSS

Full Story: http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/04/10/523005353/how-u-s-health-care-became-big-business?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=20170411
This Grand Rounds style lecture series provides a cross-section of recent advances in medicine along with clinical etiology, diagnosis, and management information. During its long tenure, and throughout each conference year topics have addressed infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases; endocrinology; gynecology; ethical issues; patient management; immunology; internal medicine; neurology; and a myriad of medical sub-specialties.

With a commitment to education and continued learning, this interdisciplinary conferences goal is to ultimately improve patient care and outcomes.

Members of the public can attend the events as well as view:

Stream Todays Presentation

Archived Presentations

Conference Schedule

http://www.wmtahec.org/friday-medical-conference/#Countinuing%20Medical%20Education
Vermont is pressing ahead on its preschool plans.

Back in 2014, then-Governor Peter Shumlin signed a bill into a law that offered 10 hours a week of high-quality preschool programs to the states 3- and 4-year-olds. By 2016, more and more programs were up and running.

Now, Vermont is in its first year of fully implementing universal pre-K statewide.

As Vermont Public Radio (VPR) explains, "All of Vermonts 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds who are not attending kindergarten are eligible to participate in Universal Pre-K, but its not required."

by Alyssa Haywoode

Full Story: https://eyeonearlyeducation.com/2017/04/12/vermonts-universal-pre-k-program-year-one/
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos on Tuesday rolled back an Obama administration attempt to reform how student loan servicers collect debt.

Obama issued a pair of memorandums last year requiring that the governments Federal Student Aid office, which services $1.1 trillion in government-owned student loans, do more to help borrowers manage, or even discharge, their debt. But in a memorandum to the departments student aid office, DeVos formally withdrew the Obama memos.

Shahien Nasiripour, Bloomberg

Full Story: http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/DeVos-Undoes-Obama-Student-Loan-Protections-11066031.php
The Special Technical Committee last met on 11 December 2019 and recommended that 10% of the total estimated population be controlled
Pravind Jugnauth a repondu a cinq questions lors de la seance parlementaire du 14 Mai 2019 a lAssemblee National alors du PMQT.

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MBAUniverse.com has started a new expert series of GD PI WAT preparation for MBA Admission 2014. This series of articles will help aspirants prepare for their GD PI WAT by providing them valid contents, probable topics and experts advice to help you succeed during admission process at various B schools. This article is based on the GD Topics Corruption is the root cause for Indian Economy slowdown to help you provide inputs for your group discussion rounds.



Background

The topic has two parts  A. The rampant corruption in India and B. Its adverse impact on growth of economy. MBAUniverse now takes you a step further with certain hot and specific view points to sharpen your penetration on this contemporary discussion.

Latest GD Topics: Read 200+ Group Discussion Topics 2022 for MBA Admissions Indian Digital Rupee: A landmark financial initiative? Moonlighting in India - What, Why and Should of this HR nightmare 5G Telecom Services in India  Benefits and Impact Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL): A convenience or a trap National Logistics Policy : Will it Reduce Costs & Improve Competitiveness of India Agnipath : Will it Prove a Military Transformation Scheme? Is India ready for Electric Vehicles? Gati Shakti Master Plan Russia Ukraine War : Reasons for Conflict & Impact on India Union Budget 2022: Key Highlights; will it propel post pandemic Economic Growth? Crypto Currency: A bright future or just a fad Privatization of Public Sector in India : A right step or selling family silver? Social Media: A boon or a bane for society and individuals E-Learning : A substitute for Classroom Learning? Is India ready for Electric Vehicles Coronavirus: Impact of Covid 19 Third Wave in India; Vaccination Policy; Roadmap Ahead Farm Laws Repealed : PM MODI withdraws the three farm laws Demonetisation: Success & failures Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC): Impact on Indian Financial System & Cryptocurrency Facebook rebrands to Meta: Is Metaverse a revolutionary technology, or just hype?

Arguments for the topic

Lot of material is available supporting the topic in the form of newspapers, periodicals, books, electronic media etc. The aspirant is suggested to read the same, form systematic pattern to present the same instead of putting forward scattered presentation.

Transparency International in its study on index of corrupt countries in 2012 placed India at 94th rank out of 176 countries while Somalia tops the list. Corruption in all walks of life in India is making it weak and has adverse impact on its growth. As per an estimate 80% of the public servants in India are corrupt because of which the wheel of growth is being pulled down.

The Constitution of India describes the country as Sovereign Socialist Democratic Republic leading to socialist-inspired policies for an entire generation from the 1950s until the late 1980s. Extensive protectionism in Industry, license Raj had contemporary policies vulnerable to pervasive corruption and slow economic growth, Rajagopalachari"Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari always stated that the system of License Raj would remain at the core of corruption and would pull back the economic growth in the country.

How does the growth is adversely affected due to rampant corruption - the former Indian Union Home Secretary, N.N. Vohra, in October 1993, submitted a report on corruption in politics and its criminalization. Politicians have the nexus with criminals. This criminal network is running a parallel government and satisfying the selfish ends of vested interests. More than 100 Members of Parliament are facing charges of corruption or related criminal charges. Public money which has otherwise been utilized for the growth of economy and for welfare of the public was misused to satisfy the greed of such networks.

The people have to pay bribe to get a job done in a public office. Taxes and bribes are common between state borders. As per an estimate more than Rs. 24,000 crores is paid in bribes. Government regulators and police share in bribe money, Transporters have to pay bribes to cross the state borders within the country and this phenomenon can be witnessed at any state border including the capital. These stoppages including those at checkpoints and entry-points take up to 10-12 hours in a day. This is despite the fact that many of the sates have done away with many taxes or the same have been made centralized. About 60 percent of these (forced) stoppages on road by concerned authorities such as government regulators, police, forest, sales and excise, octroi, weighing and measuring department are for extorting money. The loss in productivity due to these stoppages is an important national concern. The number of truck trips could increase by 30 to 40%, if forced delays are avoided. According to a World Bank report, the travel time for a Delhi-Mumbai trip can be reduced by about 2 days per trip if the corruption and associated regulatory stoppages to extract bribes was eliminated.

Various government officials, politicians in connivance with Criminals tend to grab the public property illegally. This land and property is meant for infrastructural or community development. These activities hamper the growth of economy.

Corrupt construction contractors in association with corrupt politicians and Public Works Department officers get the contracts and deliver poorly constructed roads, buildings, bridges. News of building, bridge collapse, are very common.

Corruption caused problems in government funded projects are rampant almost in all the states. Only 40% of grain handed out for the poor reaches its intended target. The World Bank study finds that the public distribution programs and social spending contracts have proven to be a waste due to corruption. MGNREGA, (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), NRHM (National Rural Health Mission), and other such programmes have become controversial as poor quality of infrastructure is built, Poor is still poor to the same level, Funds assigned for rural health care and Medicines are misappropriated. Corruption, waste and fraud-related losses from this government program has been alleged to be around Rs.10, 000 crores.

Mineral resources are the back bone to the prosperity of the country. The corrupt Ministers and government officials of such states go for awarding illegal mining of such rich resources. They illegally help transport the minerals like coal, iron ore, bauxite, copper, etc. to other places for their personal benefits. The economic growth is severely affected by such corrupt activities.

According to a report corrupt officials in India may be making the country poorer by more than Rs.90, 000 crores every year, (More than 1% of the GDP, through corruption) These politicians, corrupt officials and business associates have black money in Swiss banks to the tune of Rs. 10,000 crores or more depriving the Indian Economy of its path on sustained growth.

Such corruption leads to further bureaucratic delay and inefficiency. Corrupt politicians and bureaucrats may introduce ways and means to extract more money affecting institutional efficiency. This would affect growth indirectly. Corruption also results in lower economic growth for a given level of income. With the reduction in Corruption level in India the growth rate of GDP might increase by 5 to 7%. As per an estimate the rampant corruption in India causes loss of growth in terms of investment and employment by Rs.25000 crores.

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Arguments against the topic

Please remember we can find more core points and arguments for the topic. You cannot say that India is a corruption free or very less corrupt country nor you can deny the facts placed with the support of reports and data. Hence you must present the things like causes, remedies, and other favorable making it a point that the things are not flimsy or should not contradict your own points.

The history of corruption in India is not new. Even during the regime of East India Company in 17th Century it was a serious issue. The economy has been running infected since then. To make India corruption free it is important to explore the root causes of corruption in India which includes excessive regulations, complicated taxes and licensing systems, numerous government departments infested with bureaucracy and discretionary powers, monopoly by government controlled institutions. These features cater to the corruption on one hand and the lack of transparent laws and processes put the public at the receiving end. However, corruption varies from state to state and place to place, from man to man. Those who have the knowledge of rules and regulations find it easier to keep the corrupt away from indulging in corruption while for others it is difficult.

India has wide spread illiteracy. To weed out the corruption and to put the wheel of growth on right track, Education is the basic requirement. Suitable law requires to be passed to make it a fundamental right as well as fundamental duty of the state to impart education to each and every person in the state.

The fight against corruption to accelerate the growth has time and again been taken up by eminent social workers, activists like Anna Hazare, NGOs etc. Various stringent bills to rein in the corruption are already present in the country like Indian Penal Code 1860, The Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, and the proposed Jan LokPal Bill etc. Various Departments and organizations exist in the country to prevent corrupt practices e.g. Central Vigilance Commission, CBI, Lokayukta, etc.

Although it is a fact that corruption should be curbed, at times it speeds up the processes also. People find it difficult to get their jobs done in the countries where no corruption exists. It takes many days to get the Visa to many countries and years to get the green card in USA. Professionals, their relatives complain that the process takes a very long time and since no one takes bribe in USA the process goes on its pace. How would it be, if the same processes were in India? One could get it processed faster by spending some extra money.

There are thousands of public servants and other officials who have never taken any bribes in their life. They worked for the betterment of their organization and the country. They have never been corrupt but always remained at the receiving end of their corrupt seniors and juniors and were trapped in one or other way. The punishment went to the honest while corrupt remained free. Such good officials need to be protected to avoid further spread of corruption.

India has co-existence of private and public sector. While private sector is surging ahead and has been providing low cost products and services e.g. transport, travel, courier, communication, consumer goods etc., the public sector, controlled by the government has been moving slowly. This is despite the fact that private sector has to face all the red tapism, has to bribe the officials and politicians still can work faster and contributes more to the economy.
Indian Democratic system is passing through a grave crisis of implementing the Aadhaar Card. It is difficult to present the views without rightly knowing what the Aadhaar is. The Aadhaar in fact is a 12 digit unique identification number that every resident of India (regardless of citizenship) is entitled to get after he furnishes his demographic and biometric information. Demographic information shall include the name, age, gender and address while Biometric information shall include biological characteristics of the person e.g. fingerprints, eye scan ( iris scan). No Collection of information pertaining to race, religion, caste, language, income or health is made.



The Aadhaar number shall serve as proof of identity, subject to authentication. However, it should not be construed as proof of citizenship or domicile. Aadhaar number shall be issued after verification of information collected for the person. Such collected information shall be stored in a database called the Central Identities Data Repository. This repository shall later be used to provide authentication services to service providers.

Government of India set up an office of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in 2009 within the Planning Commission. In 2010, the government introduced the National Identification Authority of India Bill in Parliament to give statutory status to this office.

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Aadhar Linking: Government of India Vs. Supreme Court of India

Government of India requires each and every citizen of India to link their Aadhar number to the Mobile phone connection, Bank accounts, PAN and other services apart from transferring the funds under Government schemes. The earlier extended deadline for linking of Aadhar was extended from December 15, 2017 to March 31, 2018 as the last date for the people to link the Aadhar number to all these services.

This decision was challenged in Supreme Court of India who in its order dated March 13, 2018 has extended the date indefinitely till it delivers the verdict on the linking of Aadhar to these services.

However, according to Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Aadhar will be needed for opening new bank accounts or applying for Tatkal passports. So indirectly for opening of new bank accounts, linking of Aadhar is not waived by Supreme Court of India.

The rider in the apex court ruling is that the government can continue to seek beneficiaries' Aadhaar, the 12-digit National Biometric Identification number, for the transfer of benefits under schemes funded from the consolidated fund of India



For - Yes, Aadhaar is unnecessarily being made mandatory

Implementation of Aadhar has been the subject of a severe criticism from various quarterscabinet colleagues and bureaucrats, policy experts and activists, even a few state governments. Procedures for data collection and the potential errors therein to concerns over privacy, are being questioned. Besides, the existence of an older exercise, the National Population Register (NPR), led by the home ministry, is also posing a threat to the project. Most of the eminent ones accept the need for creating a systematic database of our citizenry, the path to be taken for this has created a vertical divide in the government and is leading to a turf war.

UIDAIs process of using multiple registrars and enrolment agencies to collect individual data as well as its system of relying on secondary information via existing identification documents has become a core debatable issue. The Registrar General of India (RGI) while compiling the National Population Register push for a method of public scrutiny in which individual data is collected directly and put up before the public to weed out any fraud. The method used in NPR helped villagers in Gujarats border areas expose strangers (from Pakistan) on the rolls when the data was put up for public scrutiny. This reinforced the belief that the NPR process, despite being long and painstaking, is more foolproof. RGI and census commissioner Dr C. Chandramouli found the data collection for Aadhaar faulty and stated Our objection is to the data collection by other registrars who have a different orientation from ours. From a security point of view, they are not acceptable. it was felt both programmes could pool their data and share information. But the home ministry has refused to use UID data for NPR.

The agencies say the Aadhaar numbers will be issued in about 90 days time but in most cases, it takes between four to six months. Many agencies are asking for additional data but they are not communicating to the people that everything is not mandatory and they dont have to fill up everything in the form.

There are many issues with UIDs biometric data collection. Labourers and poor people, the primary targets of the Aadhar process, often do not have clearly defined fingerprints because of excessive manual labour. Even old people with dry hands have faced difficulties. Weak iris scans of people with cataract have also posed problems. In many cases, agencies have refused to register them, defeating the very aim of inclusion of poor and marginalized people.

Activists also question UIDAIs authority to collect biometric data. Human rights and UID activist Gopal Krishna,is critical about Aadhaar There is ambiguity about biometric data. It is not clearly defined in the National Identification Bill. UIDAI also provides for storing biometric data like fingerprints forever while even the Prisoners Act provides that this data should be destroyed on acquittal. Usha Ramanathan activist and legal expert fumes The whole thing is so illegal. Every statutory organisation can only act within a given mandate and citizens rules do not provide for it. The Citizenship Act has nothing on biometric data. She further says The whole emphasis is on enrolment with no planning on how this is going to be used. UIDAIs system of using introducers to identify and provide numbers to the homeless and those without documents is another grey area.

The Public Distribution System is getting worst affected. Going by the system of present fair price shops (FPS), each of them has a specified number of households registered to it. The FPS stores grains only for the registered households. The FPS owner would not know how many migrants, and for what periods, would come in and demand their quota. Hence, for lack of stock, he would turn away migrant workers who demand grains. Therefore, the FPS system is incompatible with the UID-linked portability of PDS.

Aadhaar therefore, is engraved with the following risk factors - First, the project would necessarily entail the violation of privacy and civil liberties of people. Second, it remains unclear whether biometric technology  the cornerstone of the project  is capable of the gigantic task of de-duplication. The Unique Identification Authority of India's (UIDAI) Biometrics Standards Committee has noted that retaining biometric efficiency for a database of more than one billion persons has not been adequately analysed and the problem of fingerprint quality in India has not been studied in depth. Third, there has been no cost-benefit analysis or feasibility report for the project . Finally, the so called benefits of the project in the social sector, such as in the Public Distribution System (PDS), are not realistic.

Cons  No, Making Aadhaar mandatory, is a good idea

Identity of a citizen in the wake of infiltrations from neighbouring countries may be described as the missing link in India's efforts to rise as a superpower. Aadhaar may be termed as the technology linked identity drive in right direction.

The UID Aadhaarproject has two different dimensions. The first one is that it is linked to national security and the other one is developmental concern. Both the factors are equally important.

So far the recipient of benefits under various government sponsored schemes has to establish his identity and eligibility many times by producing multiple documents for verification. The verification of such documents is done by multiple authorities. An Aadhaar enabled bank account can be used by the beneficiary to receive multiple welfare payments as opposed to the one scheme, one bank approach.

Aadhaar shall be able to reduce the involvement of middlemen who siphon off part of the subsidy. In the new system, the cash shall be transferred directly to individual bank accounts and the beneficiaries shall be identified through Aadhaar. The government has firmly planned to transfer benefits under various schemes directly into the bank accounts of individual beneficiaries.

The MNREGS, scholarships, pensions and health benefits in all districts are proposed. There are around 34 schemes that have been identified to implement the DCT (Direct Cash Transfer)programme. It can be termed as a good beginning.

So far the government subsidies contained products like food grains, fertilizers, water, electricity and services education, healthcare by providing them at a lower than market price to the beneficiaries. This has led to operational inefficiencies. An Aadhaar enabled DCT system will improve the situation and would ensure timely payment directly to intended beneficiaries, reduce transaction costs and leakages. DCTs shall provide poor families the choice of using the cash as they wish. Having access to cash will also relieve some of their financial constraints.

Aadhaar number shall also help to eliminate the duplicate cards and fake cards for non-existent beneficiaries in the schemes.

Aadhaar would qualitatively restructure the role of the state in the social sector. The UID project is aimed to expand India's social security system and to ensure targeting with precision. The UIDAI claims that UID would help the government shift from a number of indirect benefits into direct benefits. Let us hope that Aadhaar will serve the well intended purpose. Millions are supposed to be covered with Aadhaar.

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Smart City Project in India is one of the current hot topics and in all probability one or other session on Group Discussion in MBA colleges may ask the shortlisted candidates to express their ideas on this GD topic.



Smart City: Short definition in Indian context

A 'smart city' is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability.

It is a city where information technology is the principal infrastructure and is the basis for providing essential services to residents.

In a smart city, economic development and activity is sustainable and rationally incremental by virtue of being based on success-oriented market drivers such as supply and demand.

Smart city will benefit everybody, including citizens, businesses, the government and the environment.

In smart cities a number of services such as an e-governance portal, an emergency helpline, e-education, a smart-card enabling cashless retail transactions and recording of medical data for better treatment are present that facilitates the proper functioning of the system.

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Need of smart city in India

Across the world, the stride of migration from rural to urban areas is increasing. By 2050, about 70 per cent of the population will be living in cities, and India is no exception to this fact.

India will need about 500 new cities to accommodate the influx.

India proposes to have 100 Smart Cities to cope with the rush.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has announced setting up/upgrading of existing cities to 100 smart cities. If takes shape, it will pave way to tremendous growth of India.

How Advantageous

The 100 Smart cities in India are going to give a new shape and new recognition to India in the coming future.

It will improve the pace of economic growth and can provide number of job opportunities to the new talents in the country.

The Indian Prime Minister agenda of the Skill Development to the youths will gain success when this project starts taking its shape.

The advancement towards new technology will drive more youths to learn and to earn their livelihood.

The Make in India project will also boom when the Industrial Corridors such as DMIC, BMEC, AKIC, and CBIC will come into real picture. The development of these corridors will itself contribute a lot in the infrastructural and economical growth of the smart cities lying nearby these belts.

Smart City plan is part of a larger agenda of creating Industrial Corridors between Indias big metropolitan cities in India. These include the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), the Chennai-Bangalore Industrial Corridor (CBIC) and the Bangalore-Mumbai Economic Corridor (BMEC). It is hoped that many industrial and commercial centres will be recreated as Smart Cities along these corridors.

The Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), which is spread across six states, seeks to create seven new smart cities as the nodes of the corridor in its first phase. There are several such smart city projects being undertaken across the country in places such as Dholera in Gujarat, Kochi in Kerala, Aurangabad in Maharashtra, Manesar in Delhi NCR, Khushkera in Rajasthan, Krishnapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Ponneri in Tamil Nadu and Tumkur in Karnataka.

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No funding issues

Japan has offered a great volume of investment to the tune of $ 4.5 bn in India to develop smart cities in the first phase of the DMIC project through lending from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Japan is also working closely with the government for the development of other industrial corridors.

Government has opened the doors for the foreign investors to invest in India and contributes in the development of the smart cities in India.

IBM and Cisco are the technological partners in developing the smart cities. IBM and Cisco have prepared the Integrated Communication Technology (ICT) Master Plan for the smart cities under the DMIC project in the first phase.

Smart cities project will raise the living standard of the common people as well as it will contribute in the development of the Indian economy. The smart city project will place India among the top nations of the world. The Indian economy will then have great influence in the Global economy.

Areas of concern

A large amount of Capital is required to develop the smart cities and therefore needs to attract more and more foreign investment which is not an easy task.

The government has to liberalize the trade and the other Industry reforms to attract the foreign investors.

The other biggest concern is over land acquisition. Most of these smart cities are being built ground up, on land currently owned by villagers who may not be open to a change of ownership or who may want a premium price.

The lack of the coordination between the various Government agencies and project execution are the other areas of concern.

There is a need of change in the mindset and the segregation of the domain expertise and authorities, such as police, Municipal Corporation etc, with their own agendas and structured processes.... Read More GD Topics

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McDowell Chamber of Commerce announces workshops for entrepreneurs and women in business, and an after-hours event at US Cellular.

The McDowell Marketing Masterminds will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday where they will hear from a guest speaker on how to grow their followers on the social media site Instagram.

Tyler J. McCall helps entrepreneurs use Instagram with intention to grow their community, grow their list of contacts and grow their business.

McCall uses his skills to teach clients how to use Instagram to tell stories, build relationship and convert followers into fans. He has nearly 10 years of experience in social media management, non-profit marketing and management and community organizing.

The event is free and will begin at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday at the Historic Marion Depot, located at 58 Depot St. in Marion. The program will last about an hour. A light breakfast and coffee will be provided.

For more information, visit the 4McDowell group on Facebook. 4McDowell is supported by the Marion Business Association and the McDowell Chamber of Commerce.

On Tuesday, April 18 the Chamber will host a Women in Business workshop forum from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Universal Manufacturing Center at McDowell Technical Community College.

Lynn Carnes will be the guest speaker, and will lead an engaging and interactive workshop to help identify the roadblocks of fear in your life, and ways to overcome and conquer them. Lunch will be provided. The theme of the workshop is When its all too much; Using fear to thrive and grow.

Carnes is an accomplished and highly-acclaimed speaker and community leader. She is the past president of the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy, Lake Lure Community Education Foundation and also volunteers for the Lake Lure Classical Academy and the Hickory Nut Gorge Olympiad.

More information about Carnes can be found on her website www.lynncarnes.com or Carnes & Associates, Inc. Facebook page.

There is a $15 for Chamber members and $20 for guests.

On Wednesday, April 19, the Chamber will host an after-hours event with U.S. Cellular from 5-7:30 p.m. The event titled BYOB is inviting customers to bring their cellphone bill to their building on Sugar Hill Road and let them see if they can beat your current rate, even if you already are a customer.

Light refreshments will be served and there will be a door buster drawing for any Chamber member that attends, brings their bill for analysis or decides to switch their service at the event. This event is free.

For more information on events at the McDowell County Chamber of Commerce, visit www.mcdowellchamber.com, or call them at 828-652-4240.
Morgan County Veterans Day Parade slated Nov. 11 Audio Article The Morgan County Veterans Day Parade will be held on Friday, Nov. 11. The parade will form at the Commons, in McConnelsville, at 9:30 a.m. and set out at 10 a.m. The American Legion Post 24 will render honors at the monuments at the Commons, Riecker Building, the Square, at...

A concert with two purposes Audio Article Wednesday, Nov. 30, a concert with dual purposes is being held at the Twin City Opera House in McConnelsville, Ohio. Its a thank-you to healthcare workers, who can attend for free, and its a benefit for the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society. In September 2021, Rick Shriver contracted COVID-19. He collapsed...

BOE reminder of early voting hours and polling location change Audio Article Remaining early voting hours at the Morgan County Board of Elections are as follows: from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov, 2 through Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5; from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m....

Lions Club announces annual Wreaths Across America Audio Article On Saturday, Dec. 17, the Chesterhill Lions Club will be joining with National Wreaths Across America in the laying of wreaths at each of the seven cemeteries located in Marion Township. The mission is to honor the local veterans who have served our nation so their families can rest assured...

Governor DeWine awards $6.7 million for domestic violence survivor programs Audio Article Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has announced that he is awarding $6.7 million to support the work of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) to offer mobile and health advocacy services and temporary residential services for domestic violence survivors across the state. The announcement comes during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month....

CDC committee vote wont change Ohio school vaccine requirement Audio Article Ohio Department of Health Director Bruce Vanderhoff, MD, MBA has released the following statement: The CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the COVID-19 vaccine to be added to the formulary or schedule of vaccines for children does not mandate this vaccine for school children. Ohio law determines...
A view of Duke Kunshan University, jointly set up by Duke University, Wuhan University and the city of Kunshan, in 2013. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Duke Kunshan University in Jiangsu province, will launch its undergraduate degree courses in 2018, Zhang Zefeng reports.

Tian Hongrui leads a busy life at Duke Kunshan University in East China's Jiangsu province, where he attends the interdisciplinary non-degree program called the "global learning" semester.

He takes courses on social sciences, writing and art with a dozen students from different countries and interacts closely with teachers both from China and the United States.

In addition to his academic interests, he works out at a gym to bond with the other students.

Tian, 22, is otherwise a senior student of preventive medicine at Peking University Health Science Center.

But intrigued by the idea of receiving world-class education at home, he decided to join the program that focuses on liberal arts and research at Duke Kunshan University, a venture jointly set up by Duke University of the US, Wuhan University and the city of Kunshan, in Jiangsu, in 2013. It has been offering master's programs since 2014.

The program Tian attends also serves as a platform for members of the faculty at the university to prepare for the launch of its full-fledged undergraduate degree courses in the fall of 2018. Both Chinese and foreign students can apply for them from August, with the first batch size expected to be 175.
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The skin effects of psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis can look similar. Some individuals may have both of these inflammatory conditions, but they have key differences. People often confuse one for the other as each can affect the scalp. One significant difference between seborrheic dermatitis and scalp psoriasis is their appearance. Psoriasis that affects the scalp appears powdery and has a silver surface. Seborrheic dermatitis is more likely to appear yellow and greasy. In this article, we look at other differences in each condition, as well as their possible causes and treatments.

Differences Understanding the differences between seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis can help people get early treatment from a doctor. A quick diagnosis supports more effective treatment for either condition. Seborrheic dermatitis symptoms Share on Pinterest Seborrheic dermatitis causes greasy, yellow patches on the scalp and skin. The symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis usually develop on the scalp, although they can sometimes develop on the face, upper chest, and back. Symptoms include: crusty, white flakes

greasy, yellow scales

red and swollen skin

an itching or burning sensation in the affected area Psoriasis symptoms While psoriasis can affect the scalp, it is more likely to develop in other areas of the body, such as the elbows or knees. Psoriasis causes raised, scaly patches to appear on the skin. When it develops on the scalp, it can lead to cracking, bleeding skin, and silver-white scales. The skin may feel sore or have a burning sensation. However, as with seborrheic dermatitis, it can also cause flaking that resembles dandruff. Despite this similarity, the skin around psoriasis lesions is much drier than the skin around sites that seborrheic dermatitis affects.

Types of psoriasis There are five main types of psoriasis, each of which has different skin involvement. Plaque psoriasis The most common type of psoriasis is plaque psoriasis. The condition presents as raised, red patches with a silvery-white buildup of dead skin cells. These lesions can be itchy and painful. Guttate psoriasis This type of psoriasis takes the form of small, dotted lesions. About 10 percent of people with psoriasis have this version of the condition. Inverse psoriasis Inverse psoriasis appears as red, smooth, shiny lesions that develop in skin folds, such as the groin, armpits, and backs of the knees. As inverse psoriasis affects the folds of the skin, these areas can become more prone to yeast or fungal infections. Pustular psoriasis Pustular psoriasis usually affects the hands and feet. White blisters of pus with a surrounding of red skin are characteristic of the condition. Erythrodermic psoriasis The rarest and most severe form of psoriasis is erythrodermic psoriasis. This appears as a fiery redness that spreads over most of the body and is extremely painful. People with erythrodermic psoriasis may experience severe itching, and their skin may peel off in sheets. Only about 3 percent of people with psoriasis have erythrodermic psoriasis. Here, learn more about the different types of psoriasis.

Causes Scientists do not know the exact cause of psoriasis or seborrheic dermatitis. However, researchers believe that genetics play a critical role in both. Triggers in the environment cause the specific genes that lead to dermatitis and psoriasis to send incorrect instructions to the immune system. Thinking about any recent exposure to these triggers can help a person identify which condition might be behind a symptom flare. Triggers for seborrheic dermatitis Share on Pinterest Illness may trigger seborrheic dermatitis. These include: stress

hormone changes

chemicals

illness

solvents

soaps

harsh detergents

dry weather

microorganisms on the skin Diseases that impact the immune system, such as HIV, can make the symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis worse. Those that affect the nervous system, such as Parkinsons, might also aggravate symptoms. Triggers for psoriasis When people have psoriasis, skin cells grow more quickly than they do in others. This causes lesions to build up. The following can trigger a flare of psoriasis symptoms: stress

skin injury

medications, such as lithium and quinidine

infection, such as strep throat, bronchitis, and tonsillitis Here, learn about the possible triggers of psoriasis.

Risk factors People who regularly encounter the triggers of psoriasis and seborrheic dermatitis and have a genetic tendency toward psoriasis are at risk of a flare. Seborrheic dermatitis might develop at any age, and it is a little more common in males than in females. Males and females are equally as likely to get psoriasis, and it is slightly more common in white people than African Americans. People can develop psoriasis at any age, although it often occurs between 15 and 35 years of age. In very rare cases, infants may develop psoriasis.

Treatment There are several treatments available for both seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis. Treatments are different for each condition, and the effectiveness of the different approaches can vary from person to person. Seborrheic dermatitis treatment A person can treat mild cases of seborrheic dermatitis by applying a topical antifungal cream. Medicated shampoo can also help. Examples of these include: ketoconazole

selenium sulfide

coal tar

zinc pyrithione People with more severe seborrheic dermatitis may need treatment with corticosteroids to reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids may not be appropriate if someone has had previous, long-term exposure to them. If this is the case, a doctor might prescribe a medication they call topical calcineurin inhibitors. These treatments might also help some people with scalp psoriasis. However, doctors consider them to be off-label medications for psoriasis. Examples of topical calcineurin inhibitors that a doctor may prescribe off-label include: tacrolimus (Protopic)

pimecrolimus (Elidel) People with severe seborrheic dermatitis might also use antifungal medication. Scalp psoriasis treatments Share on Pinterest Medicinal shampoos are available to treat scalp psoriasis. Different types of psoriasis require different interventions. As seborrheic dermatitis most closely resembles scalp psoriasis, this article focuses on treatments for this type. Treating scalp psoriasis is often complicated and takes time and patience. Coal-tar products and salicylic acid are useful for treating mild scalp psoriasis. There are also many medicated shampoos available over the counter (OTC) to treat scalp lesions and help reduce itching if the lesions are very mild and only affect a few areas. Bathing the scalp in warm water or making the scalp damp before applying lotions, creams, and ointments can help make plaques softer. Gently combing the scalp in circular motions can then remove softened plaques from the scalp. More severe cases of scalp psoriasis may require more intensive topical treatments, such as: anthralin (Dritho-Scalp)

calcipotriene (Dovonex)

calcipotriene and betamethasone dipropionate (Taclonex)

tazarotene (Tazorac) Doctors do not often consider systemic medications as treatments for scalp psoriasis. They may consider biologics, such as etanercept (Enbrel), that originate from living cells, but these are not the first-line treatment for scalp psoriasis and would be off-label. People with more severe scalp psoriasis may need to try and combine several treatments before they find the one that works for them. After repeated use, a persons psoriasis may become less responsive to the medication. If this happens, they may need a combination of treatments, which they can use in rotation. There is a range of psoriasis shampoos available for purchase online. When to see a doctor A person should talk to a doctor if they are experiencing the physical effects of seborrheic dermatitis or psoriasis. If a rash, lesion, or pustule does not respond to OTC remedies, it may be one of these chronic disorders. No test is available to identify either condition. A doctor will ask people questions about their medical history and look at the lesions to decide the cause. The doctor may also remove a small sample of skin to help confirm their diagnosis.
Walking between busy urban environments and green spaces triggers changes in levels of excitement, engagement and frustration in the brain, a study of older people has found.

Researchers at the Universities of York and Edinburgh say the findings have important implications for architects, planners and health professionals as we deal with an ageing population.

The study is part of a larger project looking at mobility, mood and place and the role of the urban environment in promoting lifelong health and wellbeing.

The aim of the study was to understand how older people experience different urban environments using electroencephalography (EEG), self-reported measures, and interviews.

As part of the experiment, eight volunteers aged 65 and over (from a wider sample of 95 people aged 65 and over) wore a mobile EEG head-set which recorded their brain activity when walking between busy and green urban spaces.

The research team also ran a video of the routes the people walked, asking the participants to describe "snapshots" of how they felt. The volunteers were also interviewed before and after.

The volunteers experienced beneficial effects of green space and preferred it, as it was calming and quieter, the study revealed.

Dr Chris Neale, Research Fellow, from the University of York's Stockholm Environment Institute, said: "There are concerns about mental wellbeing as the global population becomes older and more urbanised.

"Urban green space has a role to play in contributing to a supportive city environment for older people through mediating the stress induced by built up settings.

"We found that older participants experienced beneficial effects of green space whilst walking between busy built urban environments and urban green space environments. Indeed, this work is the first to be published in a series of papers understanding the impact of green and urban spaces on brain activity in older adults.

"In a time of austerity, when greens spaces are possibly under threat due to pressure on council funding, we have demonstrated that these areas are important to people's health.

"We have an ageing population which places challenges on the NHS. As the cost of looking after an ageing population continues to rise, maintaining access to green space could be a relatively low cost option for improving mental wellbeing."

Dr Sara Tilley, Research Fellow, from the University of Edinburgh, added: "To help ensure that living longer is a positive experience for everyone, we need evidence-based solutions to support lifelong health and wellbeing.

"These findings - and others from the same project which show how important places are for our personal and cultural memories, and for enabling us to stay connected socially - have implications for the way we design for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities so that going outdoors in younger years becomes a lifelong passion for getting out and about."

The study is published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

It was funded by the Research Councils UK under the Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Cross-Council Programme. Details about the project can be found here: http://www.mobilitymoodplace.ac.uk/

Article: Older People's Experiences of Mobility and Mood in an Urban Environment: A Mixed Methods Approach Using Electroencephalography (EEG) and Interviews, Sara Tilley, Chris Neale, Agnes Patuano and Steve Cinderby, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, doi: 10.3390/ijerph14020151, published 4 February 2017.
Scientists based in Vienna unveil the complex molecular structure that causes lethal infections by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Their findings might have implications for potential therapies against antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis.

In a paper published in Nature Microbiology, an international team of scientists across Europe, including IMP (Institute of Molecular Pathology) and IMBA (Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences) group leader Thomas Marlovits, describe the overall architecture of an assembly of proteins known as Type VII (T7SS) secretion systems found in a group of bacteria which cause diseases such as tuberculosis.

"We could identify a unique architectural principle that potentially reveals a novel molecular mechanism of T7SS, a protein complex located in the cell membrane of bacteria", says molecular biologist and biochemist Thomas Marlovits, who led the structural analysis by electron microscopy and who is also Professor at the Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) and deputy director at the Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) in Hamburg. "This new system will allow us to further investigate the biology of the bacterium that causes tuberculosis as Mtb relies heavily on T7SS to transport molecules across its cell membrane upon infection, disarming and damaging the host cell." Relying heavily on large-scale facilities for structural data but also Mtb genetics, the team had joined forces with researchers at EMBL Hamburg and at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

New drugs are urgently needed in the fight against tuberculosis as the bacteria responsible for causing the disease become increasingly resistant to current antibiotics. According to the World Health Organisation, tuberculosis resulted in 1.8 million deaths and 10.4 million new infections in 2015, making it one of the top 10 causes of death in humans worldwide. The bacterium responsible has a complex biology and a comprehensive understanding of this is crucial to inform the development of new drugs.

T7SS-systems play a key role in tuberculosis infections and might present important targets for much needed new drugs: blocking these systems could prevent the bacteria from bursting the host cells and could thus alleviate the infection.

Thomas Marlovits illustrates the unique molecular architecture of the T7SS transport system: "In total, five T7SS systems are found in mycobacteria. Known as ESX-1 to ESX-5, these systems are likely all very similar but transport specific molecules. In our study, we could show that the mycobacterial T7SS structure sits exclusively in the inner bacterial membrane."

In addition to the core body of T7SS, some of the proteins extend down into the bacterial cell. The team collected Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) data at the EMBL SAXS beamline on the DESY campus in Hamburg to help understand what they look like and how these parts of the secretion system might move. "We believe these arm-like proteins help to move the molecules of different shapes and sizes from the inside of the bacterial cell towards the pore of the secretion system for them to be transported out of the cell," says first author Kate Beckham from EMBL Hamburg.

Now further biochemical and genetic experiments will be carried out to support the structural data and to provide in vivo insights into the components required for assembly of the T7 secretion system.
Researchers have hypothesized that migrations into higher, colder latitudes may lead to the evolution of fast-burning metabolisms that keep cells warm in chilly conditions, boosting cold tolerance. In Developmental Cell, on April 10, researchers show that a gene called THADA, which has previously been identified as one of the key genes in humans that differs in people from arctic latitudes and people from tropical latitudes, helps flies burn energy from fat. When the gene is knocked out in flies, they become obese and burn less energy. This finding may be a clue to previously observed correlations between ancestral latitudes and metabolism in humans.

"When you remove THADA, then the cells store more fat and produce less heat. When you restore THADA function, the cells store less fat and burn more energy," explains study co-author Aurelio Teleman of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, Germany. "It's a metabolic regulator that affects the balance between how much energy your body turns into fat versus how much of it gets burned."

When the researchers tested obese flies' response to cold by putting them in a walk-in refrigerator, they found that they were less able to cope. At near freezing temperatures, fruit flies "pass out," but when the researchers returned cold-immobilized flies to a warmer room, THADA knockout flies took longer to "wake up" than their wild-type counterparts. That result surprised study co-author Alexandra Moraru of DKFZ. "We suspected that fatter animals would have better insulation and be more resistant to the cold, but in this case, they were more sensitive to cold," she says.

However, the fact that flies with slower metabolisms took longer to recover from cold makes more sense in light of the observed correlation between tropical latitudes and obesity. In warmer regions, the heat from burning fat isn't as important for survival as it is in colder climates. Obese flies, which have a slower metabolism, burn less energy and thus cannot adapt to colder environments as quickly.

Of course, humans and fruit flies are quite different when it comes to anatomy, making it difficult to compare human obesity and fruit fly fat storage. "Unlike humans, flies have an exoskeleton, which means they have a solid carapace on the outside and that constrains how much they can expand," explains Teleman. "So if you just look at a fat fly from the outside, it's hard to notice any difference, but then if you open it up and look inside, then you can see that there's a bunch more fat in the abdomen."

However, there are reasons to think that human and fly metabolisms are pretty similar at the cellular level. Previous fly studies have identified metabolic genes that turned out to be standout predictors of obesity predisposition in humans. In addition, when a previous population genetics study compared the genomes of Siberian people to genomes of people from the lower latitudes of Southeast Asia, they found that THADA was one of the genes in which the two populations diverged the most. However, until this study, scientists weren't sure what THADA's function was.

In this study, the obesity of THADA knock-out flies was rescued both when the researchers restored fruit fly THADA function or when they added human THADA to the flies' genomes, suggesting that THADA has the same metabolic effect in both mammals and fruit flies. "All the hints are there that THADA will probably be an important metabolic regulator in mammals as well," says Teleman.

The team is following up on that hypothesis by collaborating with a UK lab to study THADA's function in mice.

This work was funded by the Deutsche Krebshilfe and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB1118.
A puzzling surge in western Uganda patients diagnosed with a painful, disfiguring skin condition known as elephantiasis was caused not by the parasitic worms typically associated with the affliction, but by long-term exposure to irritating soil minerals absorbed while walking barefoot, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

The investigation by a team of experts from the Uganda Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was prompted by what appeared to be a relatively recent and intense outbreak of elephantiasis in 2014 and 2015 in the Kamwenge District of Western Uganda, an area not previously known to harbor the inflammatory disease.

While the people affected had painful swelling and ulcerating sores associated with the condition, they lacked evidence of the microscopic filarial worms that cause the most common form of elephantiasis, a condition known as lymphatic filariasis. After reviewing the medical history of 52 of the victims, scientists concluded they were suffering from a form of elephantiasis podoconiosis - which also meant this was no sudden outbreak.

"People can be suffering from podoconiosis, a non-infectious disease, for decades before it becomes obvious that they are developing elephantiasis," said Christine Kihembo, MD, a senior field epidemiologist with the Ugandan Ministry of Health and the lead author of the study. "Many of the people affected in Western Uganda probably had been suffering silently without help for more than 30 years."

Podoconiosis is caused by repeatedly walking barefoot in volcanic soils, which contain tiny, sharp mineral crystals that can penetrate the soles of the feet. For some people, once these crystals are under the skin, they provoke repeated cycles of inflammation. Over time, the inflammation produces a build-up of scar tissue that eventually blocks lymphatic vessels and produces dramatic and disabling swelling and open sores in the lower legs.

According to the WHO, this type of elephantiasis is typically associated with farming and years of working barefoot in freshly turned soil. But Kihembo said that until about 50 years ago, the area of Uganda where the patients she studied live was completely covered with forest and grasslands.

According to the report, in the 1960s, a large migration of people swept into the area in search of farmland "and subsequently, the soils were laid bare." But early signs of the disease went undetected because neither the settlers nor healthcare workers in the region had any experience with podoconiosis, which is known to occur in some parts of Eastern Uganda, but is more commonly described in Ethiopia. The WHO estimates at least 1 million people in Ethiopia are estimated to be affected by podoconiosis, but it affects other parts of Africa along with volcanic regions of Southeast Asia and Central and South America as well.

Investigations by the researchers revealed patients who for many years had suffered routine bouts of itching, foot pain and swelling that were dismissed as minor problems.

The scientists ultimately concluded that "contrary to the perception that an outbreak of elephantiasis had occurred in the area, we have uncovered a chronic neglected tropical disease with a relatively stable annual incidence over the last 30 years."

According to the study, the mean age of those diagnosed with elephantiasis in the region is 48 years old. However, the scientists believe the disease process itself likely began when the victims were much younger.

Evidence shows that the easiest way to prevent podoconiosis is for people to wear shoes and regularly wash their feet. Indeed, many of the patients in the study reported frequently digging in the soil to grow crops and never wearing shoes or washing their feet after being barefoot in the soil. There is now an effort underway in the region to conduct a public health education campaign to focus on the importance of better foot hygiene.

Kihembo noted there have been some misperceptions in the community about the cause of the disease. For example, she said that when word got out that people were suffering from a condition called elephantiasis, a rumor spread that it was caused by dung from elephants that live in surrounding forests and occasionally stroll through local farms. And even when people understand the real cause, the solution is not as simple as it may sound, Kihembo said.

"It can be a challenge to get people to focus on foot hygiene in a poor, rural community where there are many hardships, and going barefoot is not generally viewed as one of them," she said.

Kihembo said flagging early signs of the disease is crucial because proper foot care can prevent it from progressing any further. Eventually, podoconiosis reaches a "point of no return" where the swelling cannot be reversed, she said.

"People end up being isolated and stigmatized by the disease and they can develop secondary infections due to the ulcers on the skin, all of which cause a further decline in their health and their ability to be productive members of the community," Kihembo said.

The podoconiosis investigation was undertaken as part of the Uganda Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), a collaborative effort between the Uganda Ministry of Health and Makerere University School of Public Health, with support from CDC. Since the program's inauguration in January 2015, the Uganda fellows have successfully investigated more than 60 disease outbreaks and conducted dozens of other applied epidemiologic investigations on emerging public health threats across the country.

This is a perfect illustration of why there is often no substitute for getting out into the field and interviewing patients to determine why they are getting sick and what can be done to help them," said ASTMH President Patricia F. Walker, MD, DTM&H, FASTMH. "These findings can help inform the decisions of health authorities in planning education campaigns to stop further suffering from this terrible, but entirely preventable, form of elephantiasis."

Article: Risk Factors for Podoconiosis: Kamwenge District, Western Uganda, September 2015, Christine Kihembo et al., American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.16-0932, published online 10 April 2017.
Researchers from King's College London have discovered a specific class of inhibitory neurons in the cerebral cortex which plays a key role in how the brain encodes spatial information. The findings are published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

The cerebral cortex, the brain's outer layer, is responsible for many complex brain functions, such as thought, movement, perception, learning and memory. It is a complex, highly organised, structure, whose function relies on vast networks containing two main groups of nerve cells, or neurons: pyramidal neurons and interneurons. Neurons communicate with each other through chemical and electrical signals that can be excitatory (activating) or inhibitory (deactivating), depending on their class: Pyramidal cells are excitatory neurons whilst interneurons are inhibitory. Importantly, due to their great diversity, interneurons are uniquely placed to orchestrate the activity of neural networks in multiple ways. Understanding the function of specific classes of cortical interneurons is therefore one of the main challenges of contemporary neuroscience.

Previous studies have shown that a special type of cortical interneurons, called basket cells, exerts a strongly inhibitory effect on brain circuits. However, their specific contribution to the function of cortical circuits has remained elusive. In their new study, the researchers reveal that one of the main classes of basket cells plays a key role in how the brain represents and remembers our environment, called spatial information coding.

The multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Centre for Developmental Neurobiology (CDN) at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), and the MRC Centre for Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MRC CNDD), found that a particular class of basket cells does not function properly in the absence of a protein called ErbB4, making and receiving fewer connections with other neurons. They also found that the disruption of the connectivity of these cells during brain development causes alterations in brain oscillatory activity and disturbs the function of place cells, a type of pyramidal neuron that becomes active when an animal is located in a particular place in its environment. These developmental defects in the wiring of neural circuits cause very selective alterations in spatial learning and memory in adult mice. Together, these results uncover a novel role for interneurons in the coding of spatial information in mice.

'Our work emphasises the high level of functional specialisation that exist among different classes of neurons in the cerebral cortex. This study also exemplifies how relatively subtle developmental changes in neural circuits have a major impact in function and behaviour in adults', said Professor Oscar Marin, senior co-author of the study and Director of the MRC CNDD and the CDN at King's College London.

The present study builds on previous work by the laboratories of Professor Beatriz Rico and Professor Oscar Marin on the role of the disease susceptibility gene ErbB4 in the development of neuronal circuits in the cerebral cortex. In recent years, their work has led to the realisation that cortical inhibitory circuitry is directly involved in cognitive function, and that developmental disruption of the function of cortical interneurons might be linked to the pathophysiology of developmental disorders such as schizophrenia.

Professor Beatriz Rico, senior co-author of the study from the MRC CNDD and the CDN, said: 'Step by step we are building knowledge on how cortical interneurons orchestrate the function of cortical networks. We know that the hippocampus is the brain area where precise maps of spatial information are established. In this study, we have discovered that a subpopulation of inhibitory neurons is essential to maintain the shape and the stability of these maps. Without the proper wiring of these interneurons, the spatial information changes from precise to diffuse and from stable to unstable.'
Pest management professionals battling the ongoing resurgence of bed bugs are wise to employ a well-rounded set of measures that reduces reliance on chemical control, as new research shows the early signs of resistance developing among bed bugs to two commonly used insecticides.

In a study to be published in the Entomological Society of America's Journal of Economic Entomology, researchers at Purdue University found significantly reduced susceptibility to chlorfenapyr among three out of 10 bed bug populations collected in the field, and they found reduced susceptibility to bifenthrin among five of the populations.

The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) already shows significant resistance to deltamethrin and some other pyrethroid-class insecticides, which is viewed as a main cause of its resurgence as an urban pest. In fact, 68 percent of pest management professionals identify bed bugs as the most difficult pest to control, according to a 2015 Bugs Without Borders survey of pest management professionals conducted by the National Pest Management Association and the University of Kentucky. Little research had yet been done, however, to examine potential resistance to bifenthrin (also a pyrethroid) or chlorfenapyr, a pyrrole-class insecticide, which led the Purdue researchers to investigate.

"In the past, bed bugs have repeatedly shown the ability to develop resistance to products overly relied upon for their control. The findings of the current study also show similar trends in regard to chlorfenapyr and bifenthrin resistance development in bed bugs," says Ameya D. Gondhalekar, Ph.D., research assistant professor at Purdue's Center for Urban and Industrial Pest Management. "With these findings in mind and from an insecticide resistance management perspective, both bifenthrin and chlorfenapyr should be integrated with other methods used for bed bug elimination in order to preserve their efficacy in the long term."

They tested 10 populations of bed bugs that were collected and contributed by pest management professionals and university researchers in Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, DC, measuring the percent of bed bugs killed within seven days of exposure to the insecticides. Generally, populations in which more than 25 percent of the beg bugs survived were deemed to have reduced susceptibility to the insecticide based on statistical analysis performed in comparison to the susceptible laboratory population.

Interestingly, the researchers found a correlation between chlorfenapyr and bifenthrin susceptibility among the bed bug populations, which was unexpected because the two insecticides work in different ways. Gondhalekar says further research is needed to understand why the bed bugs that are less susceptible can withstand exposure to these insecticides, especially chlorfenapyr. In any case, adherence to integrated pest management practices will slow the further development of resistance.

"There is a plethora of research that has shown that if insecticides are integrated with additional control measures such as vacuuming, steam or heat, mattress encasements, traps, and desiccant dusts, effective bed bug control can be accomplished and theoretically this should reduce the risk of resistance build-up in populations," Gondhalekar says.

Article: Detection of Reduced Susceptibility to Chlorfenapyr- and Bifenthrin-Containing Products in Field Populations of the Bed Bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), Aaron R. Ashbrook, Michael E. Scharf, Gary W. Bennett, Ameya D. Gondhalekar, Entomological Society of America's Journal of Economic Entomology, doi: 10.1093/jee/tox070, published 10 April 2017.
"Laten Wij Over Mao Zedong Lezen" ("Let's Read About Mao Zedong"), the Dutch-language version of a Chinese children's book was launched Monday in The Hague.

The book is one of the most important titles of the year 2017 that were specially selected for the Dutch-language market, said Lenard Wolters, founder and CEO of Leonon Media, a Dutch publishing house.

"Mao's thoughts and ways of practice have deeply influenced and shaped China as it is now. Without understanding Mao Zedong, it will be very hard to truly understand the present China," explained Wolters.

"I hope this book will provide an opportunity and new point of view for the European readers, to understand China's great man Mao Zedong, his ideals, his pursuits, and his wisdom.

" Anne Marie Westra-Nijhuis, the Dutch translator of the book, said: "There's nothing more rewarding than to be able to communicate in another language and to understand and learn from other people from different cultures."

The book has sold over 100,000 copies since its publication a year ago in China.


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Whenever we think of action movies, our minds instantly start picturing actors like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves, or Daniel Craig beating the sh*t out of villains. While they are brilliant at what they do, there are several other action thriller movies where women lead the way and prove to the world that they are no less when it comes to kicking some ass. Lara Croft, Salt, Lucy are only some of the movies where we loved to watch these women in their killer avatar. Well, having said that we have compiled a list of top 10 brilliant action movies of all time where women were at their badass best. From Hollywood, Bollywood to Korean and Chinese, we have tried to include the best films so far.

1. Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2

 miramax

Uma Thurman is hands down the most badass woman to have ever walked this earth. If you are wondering why we think so, then chances are you probably havent seen the Kill Bill movie as of now, or dont recollect the badassery of that film. The movie revolves around a woman who goes by the name, The Bride aka Black Mamba, who seeks revenge on a team of assassins and their leader Bill, after they try to kill her and her unborn child.

2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

 Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia

Michelle Yeoh is another fantastic actress to watch out for. The movie talks about a young Chinese warrior who steals a sword from a renowned swordsman and then the story unfolds into the world filled with adventure, romance, vengeance and a mysterious past. Right from the musical score, to the martial arts scenes, everything was breathtaking and sheer treat for our eyes. A must watch for those who havent watched it yet and others who have already seen it, theres no harm in watching it again.

3. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

 Lionsgate

Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen has made us fall in love with her all over again. Call it a stereotype or my ignorance, but I never saw Jennifer as an actress who can portray such intense action packed roles with perfection. I always saw her as a protagonist in romantic comedies or soppy movies. But The Hunger Games literally left me craving for more.

4. Wanted

 Spyglass Entertainment

When a movie has a power-packed star cast, at time it becomes difficult to focus on one particular character. However, the gorgeous Angelina Jolie not only stood out from the crowd but also left a deep impression on the viewers with her kickass avatar and bang-on action scenes. This movie talks about a guy who finds out that he is a son of an assassin and together with a woman named Fox (Angelina), they set out on a deadly adventure.

5. Hanna

 Focus Features

This movie revolves around a 16-year-old girl, who lives in northern Finland with her father, an ex-CIA operative. Since the age of two, she has been trained as an assassin. Their lives are now in danger as a senior CIA agent is trying to track them down and eliminate them. Saoirse Ronan is possibly the youngest in this list but definitely a strong contender for being the most badass actress amongst the group.

6. Mardaani

 Yash Raj Films

Rani Mukherjee came back with a bang with Mardaani and boy she just left all of us stunned with her performance. From an actress who only did romantic and emotional movies to someone who didnt think twice before beating the sh*t out of bad guys, her transformation was definitely amazing and in Bollywood she proved her mettle as the most badass actress to date. Mardaani is the story of a policewoman who uncovers the secrets of human trafficking by the Indian mafia, while solving the case of a kidnapped teenage girl.

7. Assassination

 Caper Film

When it comes to action movies, we often look up to Hollywood and at times Bollywood for inspiration. But trust me, South Korean movies are the ultimate game changers when it comes to genres like action, horror, comedy and romance. Talking about romance, Assassination is not your regular action movie, to be honest. But, it packs a lot more intense drama and action scenes, as compared to their Hollywood counterparts and Jun Ji-Hyun is one versatile actress who stuns us every time she comes on screen. This has to be on your binge-watch list.

8. Shadowless Sword

 CJ Entertainment

Another South Korean marvel, this movie talks about exploits of the last prince of the Balhae Kingdom, who has been living in a small village, hiding his identity until he is called out to battle the invaders from Khitan. Actress Yoon So-Yi perfectly portrays the role of the best female warrior of her time, who always carries a shadowless sword and shows excellent skill in swordmanship. This movie is a masterpiece that you should definitely watch, if you havent already.

9. Chocolate

 Sahamongkol Film International

We dont realize this but there are some really amazing Asian movies that can beat Hollywood or all the film fraternities across the world combined. Chocolate is a Thai martial arts movie starring JeeJa Yanin, who flaunts her badass side when her mother is targeted by a gangster who was her former lover. Do watch it guys, its totally worth the time.

10. The Assassin

 central motion pictures

This Chinese action movie is nothing short of a marvel and actress Shu Qi portrays the role of an assassin with perfection. This movie revolves around Shu Qi, an assassin directed by her master (a nun) to slay corrupt government officials. A perfect amalgamation of action, adventure and history makes this movie a must watch.

Just in case we missed out on any of your favourite action movies, where women showed the world who the true boss is, then do let us know.
Did you know that you can apparently buy stuff like tanks online? Yeah, me neither. But this tank fanatic literally struck gold when he got a new model in a 30,000 trade-in. Nick Mead, 55, was restoring the Russian T54/69 with his friend, Todd Chamberlain, 50, when they discovered the five gold bars, amounting to be about 2million.

Mead wasnt messing around with this stuff, he already has 150 military vehicles under his belt. He runs Tanks-a-lot, which basically gives regular people an experience of driving any of his tanks on his farm in Helmdon.

 Twitter

While exploring his new purchase, he decided to film the whole thing as he was concerned that there might be weapons concealed somewhere in the tank, and if so, his footage would be helpful to the bomb disposal crew.

 Twitter

Both Mead and Chamberlain were going through the tank and found machine gun ammunition. Then, they decided to look inside the petrol tank and instead of finding any more ammunition, they found something a whole lot better. They discovered 5 solid gold bars worth a whopping 2 million.

 Twitter

They believe that the gold was looted by Iraqi soldiers in Kuwait during the Gulf War. Nick said, "They must have cut a hole in the fuel tank and rammed it full of gold bars."

While talking to the Sun, he said, "We didn't know what to do. You can't exactly take five gold bullion bars down to Cash Converters without questions being asked, so we called the police."

 Twitter

Even though the Police took away the gold bars, they provided him with a receipt. He added, "Even if I don't get any of the gold back, I will still have my beautiful tank."
Whenever you feel like you cant do something, just look up to Min Bahadur Sherchan for inspiration, and trust me you will actually be really motivated.

The Nepali man became the oldest person to climb the Mount Everest back in 2008, at the age of 76. But then five years after that, his record was broken by a then-80-year-old Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura in 2013. Since then, Sherchan has been trying to regain his title by scaling the 29,035-foot Himalayan peak, the world's tallest mountain.

 Twitter

"I want to be the oldest person to scale Everest again to be an inspiration for humankind, a boost for the elderly people and an encouragement for youths," Sherchan told The Associated Press on Wednesday in his home in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu. "It will be a message for everyone that age is no obstacle to achieving their dreams."

 Reuters

When he tried to achieve this incredible feat in 2013, he faced financial problems and delays getting a climbing permit and when he tried again in 2015, an earthquake-triggered an avalanche that killed 19 people at Base Camp a day before he reached the site.

"I am confident that I will succeed this time," he told the news agency. "I have no problems that could stop me from climbing Everest and the only problem could be weather."

 Reuters

According to him, the only fear he has is the "very dangerous" section between Base Camp and Camp 1, which includes the dreaded Khumbu Icefall, where climbers have to use aluminium ladders and ropes to navigate through deep crevasses amid tall ice blocks.

An avid advocate of peace, he wants to campaign for world peace and spread his message by travelling to conflict areas like Syria, if he regains his record.

 Twitter

"After I become the oldest Everest climber, people will listen to my campaign for world peace," he said.

What an inspiration!
Chinese brands have joined those ranked as the most valuable in the world.

Four Chinese brands are now in the top 10 of the most-valuable banking brands, with ICBC topping the table, according to a recent report released by Brand Finance, a London-based brand valuation consultancy. Five years ago, there were none.

"Chinese brands were once the minnows of our global studies while Japanese, European, and particularly US brands dominated the rankings," said Alex Haigh, director of Brand Finance. "However, in 2012 President Xi Jinping called on Chinese companies to start a trend of Branded in China', rather than simply Made in China' and since then China has been the rising dragon of our studies."

In 2014, Xi said China should have its own flagship products and establish its own world-renowned brands, believing that the future of China's industry went beyond manufacturing, and that focus had to move to the promotion of China's own products.

Xi's emphasis on brands is paying dividends. Not only have Chinese brands improved their ranking in international league tables, but the value of China's 100 most valuable brands has more than tripled in the last five years, from $266 billion in 2012 to $823 billion in 2017.

ICBC is China's most-valuable brand, with its value growing 32 percent year-on-year to $47.8 billion. Its growth has been so strong that it has overtaken US bank Wells Fargo to become the world's most valuable banking brand.

Haigh said China's brands have a number of common attributes. The first is scale, with China's vast population and the growing prosperity of its citizens creating a huge market for its major brands, he said.

"Cultural factors are just as significant as macroeconomic ones because Chinese consumers have a relationship with their brands that Western brands can only dream of," Haigh added.

Despite the tremendous growth in developing global brands, pundits saidChina remains behind the Westin some areas.

"It is not a matter of just becoming well-known but also admired and wanted," said Paul Temporal, a global expert on brand creation and an associate fellow at Oxford University's Said Business School.

Temporal argued that there is a difference between a global business and a global brand, adding that the key difference between weak and powerful brands is the strength of the emotional relationship between the brand and consumers, given everything being equal on the rational product side.

He said Chinese businesses need to learn techniques in creating powerful emotional connections with consumers, something that has been successfully employed by Western brands.
China and the UK unveiled plans for the world's first crowdfunding index in London on Tuesday, marking efforts to systematize data for the rapidly expanding sector. The index is being jointly developed by the Chengdu-based big data company BBD, the Academy of Internet Finance of Zhejiang University, and Cambridge-based Crowdsurfer.

"The index will capture information from thousands of crowdfunding platforms worldwide and enable investors to assess investment opportunities and manage risks," said Zeng Tu, CEO of BBD China. The index will be available to the public in the coming months.

The index will play a role that is similar to that of the FTSE Index to the global equity market. The index's changes will be indicative of the ups and downs of the crowdfunding market as a whole.

Crucially, it will be available to banks and asset managers, so they can create derivative products, such as a fund that tracks the index, which has not yet been formally named. Such derivative products will allow investors to enjoy the profits of the industry without directly investing into crowdfunding platforms.

Regulators and policymakers will be able to use the index to monitor the size and growth of the alternative finance segment, and create policies to support its healthy development.

Crowdfunding gained prominence after the 2008 financial crisis severely battered the credibility of traditional banks. It has been supported by the growth of internet technology.

By 2015, 11.4 billion yuan ($1.65 billion) had been raised through crowdfunding platforms in China, a small part of the $34 billion raised globally. But the World Bank forecasts great crowdfunding growth potential in China, estimating it will be worth $50 billion by 202552 percent of the global total.

Richard Baker, chairman of Crowdsurfer, said the index will capture both peer-to-peer crowdfunding and equity crowdfunding, and may have sub-indexes for different industries.

The Academy of Internet Finance opened a London office on Tuesday. Ben Shenglin, AIF's dean, said it will work on the index, build fintech collaboration, and support knowledge exchange with British universities.

Financial technology collaboration between China and the UK has grown in recent months, following the establishment in November of the UK-China Fintech Bridge, a government initiative to facilitate fintech information and regulation communication.

BBD established a London office and a research and development center in Cambridge last year.

The moves follow a spate of branch openings in the UK. Popular Chinese payment company Alipay has its European headquarters in London. Alipay's move will be followed by WeChat Pay, another Chinese mobile payment company, whose services will become available to Chinese tourists in the UK next month.
Georgia and United States explore free trade possibilities

The United States (US) supports the economic reforms Georgia is currently undertaking, says Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister David Zalkaliani.Georgian and US officials met yesterday in Washington for a working meeting on Economic, Trade and Energy Cooperation within the US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership. This was the first meeting of its kind since the new administration took office."The American side praised the four-point reform agenda presented by the Georgian Prime Minister, Deputy Foreign Minister Zalkaliani said following the meeting.He said that the parties discussed a range of topics including: Bilateral trade relations Investment opportunities High-level trade dialogue Negotiations of Free-Trade AgreementZalkaliani added that this year a US-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership plenary session will take place, and the event will be attended by the Georgian Prime Minister and the US Secretary of State.Before this, three more meetings of the working group on Economic, Trade and Energy Cooperation will take place to enhance bilateral investment possibilities, expand Georgian access to benefits offered by the US and explore the possibility of a Free-Trade Agreement.
TUSCOLA COUNTY  A federal lawsuit has been filed against the Caro Center because of health and safety issues regarding mandatory overtime.

Complaints of excessive mandatory overtime at the center have been made for more than two years. There have been pickets by staff members in an effort to raise public awareness and bring about change.

Because of the conditions at the center, Alan Teasel, who is one of the involuntary patients at psychiatric hospital outside of Caro, had Attorney Bruce Miller of Detroit file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division. The suit alleges excessive overtime is jeopardizing the health and safety of patients as well as staff at the center.

The class-action suit is against the state and Department of Health and Human Services on behalf of the patients. The suit blames mandated overtime of residential care aides "for riots" at Caro Center, which make conditions dangerous for patients and staff.

"In plaintiff Teasel's hospital, there have been riots, patient-on-patient and patient-on-staff assaults, suicides and attempts at suicide, self-maiming and attempts at self-maiming, intoxication from excessive ingestion of water, and attempts to escape and actual escapes from the premises," according to the complaint.

The facility at 2000 Chambers Road houses individuals who are mentally ill, have been found not guilty by reason of insanity or have been deemed incompetent to stand trial.

Teasel claims patient care is lacking because staff is too tired from working overtime.

Teasel alleges residential care aides are too tired to talk and interact with patients; patients are being over medicated at a higher rate; and patients are being written up more for confrontations because the staff is exhausted.

"Almost every day, I see staff asleep in their chairs. The staff will only wake up when there is a loud noise near them," he said in court documents. "I have heard and witnessed multiple incidents of patient violence caused by or escalated by this situation."

In July 2015, workers at the Caro Center staged an informational protest on mandatory overtime.

The health and safety of persons who are involuntary patients at state mental health institutions are entitled to be safe in their confinement.

"It is cruel and unusual punishment to hold a convicted criminal in unsafe conditions" and that "excessive mandatory overtime for (residential care aides) has created a clear and present danger to the safety and health of patients."

Jennifer Eisner, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, declined to comment on the accusation because of the pending litigation.

Besides compromising the health and safety of patients, overtime is also allegedly taking a toll on employees.

Renae Goyette resigned as a residential care aide at the center due to excessive overtime effecting her health and wellbeing.

According to Goyette, during a typical two-week period, she was mandated to work an additional eight-hour shift seven to eight times.

"It is absolutely critical that a (residential care aide) on a one-to-one watch remain alert. The life and safety of the patient, and others, could depend on the (residential care aides) noticing dangerous behavior," Goyette stated in her affidavit, which noted that patients can have "assaultive and murderess criminal records and suffer psychotic contentions ... so a wakeful and alert staff is required at all times."

A tabulation of hours worked shows some employees worked a 16.98 hour shift. So far this year, from January through February, there have been 333 shifts where employees worked more than nine hours a day.

A Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports "deteriorating conditions at the Caro Center resulted in patients inflicting the following injuries on staff: fractured skull and leg, detached retina, torn rotator cuffs, torn bicep tendons, torn shoulder cartilage, concussions, ruptured discs, hair torn out, and bruises.

The complaint is asking the court to prevent the Caro Center from mandating any more overtime, even though the same issues are occurring in other facilities.

"Currently, there are 150 adults housed at the Caro Center and 340 staff," said Angela Minicuci, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. "And, there is a waiting list for the center. For the last three years, there has been a waiting list of over 200."

Gov. Rick Snyder is proposing about $110 million in the 2018 budget go toward building a new state hospital, including a $7 million increase in staffing at the state hospitals statewide. It is only a proposal at this point.
SEBEWAING  The Michigan Department of Education (MDE), gave the Unionville-Sebewaing Area School District a color designation as a mark of achievement.

"On the state report card, the district received the color rating of 'lime green.' Each of our buildings received the lime green grading," said Superintendent George Rierson.

Lime green is the second highest color rating a district can receive. Green is the highest. The ranking was for the 2015-16 school year.

And, that isn't the only good rating the district received.

"This year the MDE ranked USA High School the highest of any high school in both Huron and Tuscola counties," Rierson told the board of education. "The elementary school was ranked in the top three of elementary buildings in Huron and Tuscola counties."

"USA was the only district with all three buildings ranked in the top seven school buildings for all of Huron County," he added.

That isn't the only good report from the MDE.

"The elementary school also achieved a rank higher than 91 percent of all schools in the state for the gap score, which indicates the ability of USA elementary staff to increase achievement for all students regardless of their ability levels," noted Rierson. "Previously, we had earned a 'reward school' ranking."

Reward schools are those that did not receive a red overall scorecard status and have achieved one or more of the following distinctions: Be in the top 5 percent of schools on the Overall School Rankings, top 5 percent of schools making the greatest gains in achievement (improvement metric) or "beating the odds" by outperforming the school's predicted ranking and/or similar schools.

A "beating the odds" school is one that overcomes traditional barriers to student achievement and is outperforming schools with similar risk factors and demographic makeup.

While a 91 percent rank is very good, Rierson wants the district to go for 95 percent, which is says is doable.

"Achieving such a ranking isn't easy to explain," he said. "It takes several factors into account ... some are the rigorous programs we have on college and career readiness, dual enrollment in college classes, and AP (advanced placement) classes."

Rierson also credits the district's achievement to changing to a trimester schedule.

According to Rierson, the district's achievements were not unexpected.

"We have high expectations, and they are being met," he said.

The MDE's matrix says the district's graduation rate is 84.51 percent, has 759 students  of which 41.4 are ranked as economically disadvantage. It has 48 teachers  or one teacher for every 24 students.

"The graduation rate of 84.51 percent represents opportunity for improvement and is well below our goal of 100 percent," said Rierson. "To improve that rate, we recently finished training high school teachers on a 'Positive School Climate' initiative to increase engagement for all of our students."

The positive school climate training is an extension of the Multi-Tier System of Support (MTSS) program that focuses on reading and behavior data to increase student outcomes.

"Our teachers have participated in MTSS for several years and I attribute our success to that district-wide focus on data and achievement," he said. "To celebrate those accomplishments, the board of education is planning a special reception to recognize the achievements of our students and the hard work of our teachers, support staff and administrators will be scheduled later."

In other USA school news, Gerry Vermeesch was selected as the district's Friend of Youth for the Thumb Meet of Champions. She was a paraprofessional for the district from 1994 to 2015. She worked with students who needed help with reading, and she still does some private tutoring on her own.
You made the decision to go back to school and retool. Good on you. But you are a military spouse. You and your service member have the rent, a car loan, some credit card debt and maybe only one income.

How do you pay for college when you haven't got a dime?

The good news is that military spouses are eligible for military benefits as well as programs available to civilians. With our guide to paying for school, you'll be cracking those books in no time.

Step 1: Start Looking Into Military Benefits

For Nikki, it was easy. She said that until recently, college wasn't an option. We married right out of high school, and there just wasn't time or money for college. I had to work," the 22-year-old sailor's wife explained.

But Nikki had always dreamed of going back to school. With her husband's recent promotion, things at home became a little easier.

Money wasn't as tight, and with a helpful neighbor offering to take care of her kids twice a week, she thought it was finally time to focus on her.

I was ready. And things seemed to be going OK with the family. Everything was falling into place, and it was finally my turn," she said.

Even with perfect timing, Nikki still worried about how her family could afford a college tuition bill. I figured I'd work with MyCAA or the GI Bill," she said. I knew there were options for military families, so I started there." And that's the same place you should start.

Step 2: Squeeze Your MyCAA Benefits

If you're looking for a two-year degree, MyCAA (My Career Advanced Accounts) is the best place for you to start. Offering $4,000 for an associate's degree, vocational training or professional licensing, MyCAA is a good resource for spouses of service members in ranks E1-E5, W1-W2 or O1-O2.

The eligibility is narrow, but every dime counts when you are starting to pay for a military spouse education. To find out more about whether MyCAA might be a good fit for you, be sure to check out our MyCAA guide.

Step 3: Jump on GI Bill Benefits

If you are married to a more senior service member, you won't qualify for MyCAA funding. If you want to earn a bachelor's degree or graduate degree, MyCAA won't pay.

Yet your military benefits may still enable you to pursue your academic dreams. Your service member's Post-911 GI Bill Benefits may be transferred to you.

This option isn't for everybody: Your service member will have had to serve for six years and be committed for at least four more years in the military.

There are also some new, tightened restrictions about who qualifies for transferability and how long they have to make those transfer decisions. Confused about your eligibility? Don't be.

The GI Bill was a great option for Nikki. She and her husband determined that he was less likely to go back to school than she was. Since Nikki was ready now, transferring their benefits made sense.

Nikki is now busy looking for schools where she can train to be a veterinarian  her life-long dream. Growing up, I just figured that was like dreaming of being president," she said. It was never going to happen. And now it is!"

Step 4: Keep an Eye on Budget Cuts

As you start to look into military education benefits, you may find that more financial options existed during the surge.

Since the GI Bill is a benefit, not an entitlement, transferability may hit the chopping block due to sequestration and other budget cuts.

For example, over 4,000 soldiers lost their GI Bill transferability in January 2013. If it makes sense for your family to look into GI Bill transferability, don't wait another day. Start your application now.

While the options are fewer, these benefits are still yours. Take advantage of those that apply to you while you still can.

Step 5: Look for Scholarships

If you're still strapped for cash, look for college scholarships for military children and spouses. Other funding options could also include Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as other federal grants. You can also check this list of the best schools for financial aid.

Once you and your service member have decided that your continued education is the best plan for your family's financial health, keep moving forward. Paying for college may be simpler than you think.

Find More Military-Friendly Scholarships

Find more cash for school or get the lowdown on scholarships and education help available for your family. FastWeb can help. Visit FastWeb.com to have education tips and benefits updates delivered directly to your inbox
ANN ARBOR, MI - Residents of nearby neighborhoods and regulars are visiting the the new Mighty Good Coffee location now open in the Jefferson Market, 609 W. Jefferson.

The market across from Bach Elementary School switched hands at the end of February when the previous owner, Mary Rasmussen, sold the property to Mighty Good Coffee. It continues to operate as Jefferson Market.

Nic Sims said Mighty Good received a warm welcome on its first day, Monday, April 10. She and her husband, Dave Myers, of Mighty Good Coffee, had their eye on the location for years and were excited to take over the space.

"It was full and steady," Sims said. "We wanted to get the door open as soon as possible, to get started and start making some coffee."

Along with Mighty Good coffee, specialty drinks, and take-out lunch items, Sims is making homemade pastries like rhubarb cakelets and banana chocolate chip muffins in the kitchen at the back of the shop.

"These are things we made for ourselves and our family," said Sims, adding the kitchen has a lot of potential for a more extensive menu.

Some familiar touches and furnishings remain, like the glass-fronted case and long green counter that runs through the middle of the seating area, marked with bouquets brought as gifts from neighbors and loyal customers.

They may notice the space is brighter, Sims noted, with fresh paint and newly-revealed windows that let the spring sunshine stream inside. Red and white Mighty Good mugs line the shelves behind the register, while children's books are stacked in a bookshelf for younger patrons.

"We wanted it to be really friendly," Sims said. "We wanted to start simple, and grow into it."

The business is still hiring for kitchen and barista positions; those interested can apply online.

Mighty Good Coffee has three locations in Ann Arbor: 217 N. Main; 1335 S. University and 3010 Washtenaw. The new Jefferson Market location, offering take-out lunches and Sunday brunch, is also listed on its website.

The Jefferson Market website itself is now updated, describing the "latest incarnation" of the Ann Arbor icon as a "combined cafe and lunch/ brunch bistro" featuring locally-roasted coffee and New American comfort food made with Michigan produce.

New hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is available on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m., starting this weekend.

Expect the menu to change slightly as the new owners adjust to the customer base, Sims said, but not much else. Jefferson Market has been an establishment for decades, with some Ann Arbor residents remembering it as Johnny's Market.

"The Jefferson Market is this place, more than anything," Sims said. "This is a gift, and different from a typical expansion plan. We're really happy to be here, and understand the stories and memories people have. We're going to be reverent."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Adtegrity will relocate from its offices in downtown's Heartside Neighborhood to new office space above the New Holland Brewing Co. at 417 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids.

Scott Brew, Adtegrity's founder and CEO, said the move to the city's West Side is a natural fit for the company, which offers managed digital advertising services and employs 40.

"Our business demands that we stay ahead of trends," said Brew, whose company was founded in 1999 and has been headquartered at 38 Commerce Avenue SW since 2010. "Our culture is one of constant innovation, and this move reflects that."

The company's new offices will be on the third floor office space above New Holland Brewing Co., which opened last year. The mixed use project also includes the Knickerbocker restaurant and brewpub.

The New Holland project also includes Barley Flats, a 35-unit apartment complex and The Mitten State, a Michigan-themed apparel company. Ando Asian Kitchen, a new Asian-fusion restaurant concept by the owner of Maru, will open later this spring.

Adtegrity will occupy all of the office space above New Holland Brewing Co., totaling 20,000-square feet. Rockford Construction, which developed, built, and manages the property, and will complete the build-out of Adtegrity's space with Lott3Metz serving as the project's architect.

The third floor includes a private outdoor patio facing Bridge Street. "So much of what has allowed our company to be successful is our people," said Brew. "For our team to be in a dynamic space that supports creativity is key."

The company anticipates moving into their new office in June. "Rockford has been a great partner in helping us find the perfect location that will accommodate our growth," says Brew.

"The West Side is extremely walkable and friendly, and is home to great companies. We are looking forward to being a part of the neighborhood and adding to its energy."

Adtegrity places display advertising products on websites and devices. It specializes in working with small to medium-size agencies and businesses, offering delivery of advertising to 97 percent of the world's countries.

The building is adjacent to another new mixed-use facility that houses Rockford's latest apartment community, Barley Flats, as well as The Mitten State, a Michigan-themed apparel company. Ando Asian Kitchen, a new Asian-fusion restaurant concept by the owner of Maru, will open later this spring.

"When we began investing on the West Side, one of Rockford's main goals was to increase activity on Bridge Street," said Mike Mraz, managing partner of Real Estate Development at Rockford Construction.

"To be able to welcome outstanding retail and restaurants to the corridor, add additional housing options through Barley Flats, and to work with Scott and his team at Adtegrity to create an office that meets their needs is very exciting."

"We welcomed our first tenants to Barley Flats in January, and have already surpassed 85 percent occupancy, with tours happening daily. Residents like being close to downtown and in the middle of the growth and activity of the West Side," Mraz said.
FREEDOM TOWNSHIP, MI - A pair of swans has taken up residence in a pond west of Ann Arbor near where a driver deliberately ran over and killed an adult and four cygnets last year.

On Wednesday, April 12, two trumpeter swans swam and fed in the marshy pond at Parker and Scio Church roads in Freedom Township. They have built a nest among noisy Canada geese and red-winged blackbirds.

A swan pair has nested at the site for years. In 2016, a pair had four cygnets. On Aug. 10, a local resident found all the birds dead on the side of the road.

The Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office said they believed a driver deliberately ran them over as they were sleeping in grass along the road.

Area residents were angry about the incident as many people enjoyed watching the swans and cygnets throughout the spring and summer.

That's not the first time swans living in the area were found dead.

In 2009, a family of swans living in a pond at the same intersection were found dead and had head wounds, according to Ann Arbor News records.

Black-beaked trumpeter swans are a threatened and federally-protected species in Michigan. The more common orange-billed mute swans are an invasive species from Europe, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Trumpeter swans, which disappeared from Michigan for 100 years after settlers destroyed their marsh habitats and killed the birds for down, are making a comeback in thanks to the Trumpeter Swan Restoration Program.
SIMS TWP, MI -- Police are investigating how a Bay City-area man was killed on a stretch of road in rural Arenac County.

About 4 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, Arenac County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a scene on South Foster Road in Sims Township, for a male subject in the roadway. Undersheriff Don McIntyre said deputies arrived to find Nickolas A. Newman, 23, already deceased.

Newman had been attending a nearby house party. Other attendees told deputies they heard a loud noise and went outside to investigate, only to find Newman in the road.

"They're alleging he was struck by a motor vehicle," McIntyre said.

As no one actually witnessed the collision, deputies do not have a description of the vehicle that struck Newman.

"We don't have any suspects at this time, unfortunately," McIntyre said. "It's an active, ongoing investigation."

The undersheriff said an autopsy was conducted, but the report has not been finalized.

Newman graduated from Bay City Western High School in 2011 and worked at 3 S Construction Company of Midland at the time of his death.

"He loved to hunt, camp, fish and snowboard," his obituary states.

Newman's funeral is taking place Wednesday morning at St. Gabriel Parish in Auburn.
BAY CITY, MI -- A Manistee woman accused of having a stun gun during a routine traffic stop in Bay County is no longer facing a felony charge.

On Tuesday, April 4, Bay County District Judge Timothy J. Kelly granted the prosecution's request to dismiss the case against Joslyn E. Pomeroy. Pomeroy had faced one count of possessing a Taser, punishable by up to four years in prison.

Though Taser is a name brand, it's used generically to refer to any electro-muscular disruption device.

Michigan in 2012 made it legal for civilians to have such devices, with the caveats they obtain a CPL and are trained in their usage.

The afternoon of Nov. 24, a Michigan State Police trooper driving south on Interstate-75 through Bay County's Frankenlust Township noticed a 2009 Pontiac beside him containing a female passenger who seemed not to be wearing a seatbelt. The trooper pulled over the Pontiac near M-84, court records show.

On approaching the car, the trooper noticed the passenger was wearing the lap belt, but not the shoulder strap. The trooper also immediately smelled marijuana, he wrote in his report, contained in court files.

The Pontiac's driver, 24-year-old Joslyn E. Pomeroy, told the trooper there was no marijuana in the vehicle. At the trooper's instruction, she stepped from the car and handed over a baggie of pot residue, however.

The trooper then conducted a search of the car, finding a Sabre stun gun in a purse. Pomeroy told the trooper the electrical weapon was hers, adding she bought it at a Cabela's store in Ohio and carried it for protection.

Pomeroy did not have a concealed pistols license and said she did not know it is illegal to have a stun gun in Michigan without one, court records show.
Mischa Lopiano | MLive.com

Restaurant inspections April 3-10

Bay County Health Department officials routinely inspect area restaurants, coffee shops, hospital cafeterias, churches, hotels, vending machines and other places where food is served to the public. The food service inspection reports, which can be found online here, detail any health code violations that are found as well as actions taken to correct them.

There are three types of violations: core, priority foundation and priority. Priority foundation and priority violations are the more severe types of violations.

Food service establishments typically are subjected to two routine inspections per year, said Bay County Health Director Joel Strasz. Depending on the number and type of violations found, one or more follow-up inspections may be required.

Here's a look at the inspections conducted from April 3-10, 2017. The health code violations listed below are copied directly from the reports.

Don't Edit

Chen's Chinese Gourmet Express 4101 Wilder Road

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed severley dented cans on dry storage rack near cookline. Person in charge discarded noted cans.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed multiple unlabeled bulk food containers throughout kitchen. Person in charge properly labeled the noted bulk food containers with the common name of the food (flour, salt, msg, etc).

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed 1) Rice scoops stored in room temperature water, water observed at 68F, near front make line and on main cookline, 2) Scoops in bulk food containers with handles resting in food item. 1) Person in charge moved and stored noted rice scoops to empty container, 2) Person in charge positioned noted scoops so that handle is resting above food item but still within container.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed cooked chicken in deep, covered bowl in walk in cooler at 100-102F for 2.5 hours, per person in charge. Person in charge discarded noted food item due to time and temperature criteria not being met.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection Observed* cooked chicken in deep, covered bowl in walk in cooler at 100-102F for 2.5 hours, per person in charge. Person in charge discarded noted food items due to time and temperature criteria not being met AND has agreed to use proper cooling methods in future.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed facility using time as a public health control for food items held on buffet, hot items are held for 2 hours before discarding. No time stamps were observed on food items at inspection. Person in charge time stamped all food items held on buffet line, time board is located at steam table.

Priority Foundation: Observed water at buffet line handwash sink to be 52F.

Core: Observed the following plumbing fixtures to be soiled: 1) Soda machine floor drain, 2) Wok table floor drain, 3) Mop sink basin.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed unlabeled chemical spray bottles stored near 3 compartment sink/mop sink. Person in charge properly labeled the noted chemical spray bottles with the common name of the material.

Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.

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Erich T. Doerr | Bay City Times

Subway #303, 913 Washington Ave.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed deli slicer stored in back prep handwash sink. Person in charge removed noted item from handwash sink and has agreed to only use it for handwashing purposes in future.

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DAN STAUDACHER

Crossroads Inn, 3555 Old Kawkawlin Road

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed raw perch over ready to eat food such as ham, goulash, green pepper. Corrected immediately by storing fish on bottom shelf below ready to eat food.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Goulash, diced ham, sliced ham, opened milk, made tarter sauce, opened can of corn beef hash in kitchen 2 door cooler, made from scratch ranch dressing all improperly date marked. Corrected immediately by properly dating food items per the PIC, all made within 3 days.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Sweet potato pie is over 7 days. Corrected immediately by discarding pie.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Opened can of corn beef hash stored with a cover on it after use. Corrected immediately by removing food from can and placing in food grade container.

Priority Foundation: No thermometer is present for monitoring temperatures in thin foods. Priority Foundation: A test kit chlorine is not available.

Priority Repeat: *Corrected During Inspection* The sanitizer concentration for chlorine in the dish washer is at 0ppm. Corrected immediately by replacing empty chlorine container.

Priority: The ice bin in the server station does not have an airgap between the drainline and sewer.

Core: Lights located in basement are not shatter resistant. Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.

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Yfat Yossifor

Knights of Columbus Council 3590, 4760 Garfield Road

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Cooked rice and cooked pasta was being cooled in deep covered containers in the walk-in cooler. Corrected by breaking food into smaller containers and uncover.

Core: No handwashing signage is provided at employee handwash sink in the potato room and bar handsink.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Tori Schneider

Mulligan's Pub, 109 Center Ave.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed 2 containers of mashed potatoes in kitchen standing 2 door reach in cooler in deeply filled, covered, plastic container, over night per person in charge at 47F. Person in charge discarded the noted food items due to time and temperature criteria not being met.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed 2 containers of mashed potatoes in kitchen standing 2 door reach in cooler in deeply filled, covered, plastic container, over night per person in charge at 47F. Person in charge discarded the noted food items due to time and temperature criteria not being met.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed marinara sauce in hot holding unit at 99F for 3 hours, per person in charge. Person in charge properly reheated the noted food item to 165F for at least 15 seconds and stored at 135F.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed the following items without a date mark: 1) Cooked taco meat and housemade salsa in standing 2 door reach in cooler, 2) Hardboiled eggs, housemade cocktail sauce, and housemade dill sauce in 3 door reach in cooler with toploader. Per person in charge, all items prepped 1-3 days prior to inspection. Person in charge properly date marked the noted items.

Priority Foundation: Observed incomplete consumer advisory on facility menu or food items served cooked to order (burgers and steaks).

Core: Observed cookline handwash sink not properly sealed to the adjoining wall.

Core: Observed 1 door reach in freezer in basement to have heavy ice/frost build up.

Core: Observed the following items to be soiled with build up: 1) Interior top, walls, base, and shelves of standing 2 door reach in cooler, 2) Container and tray storing clean equipment in bottom half of hot holding unit, 3) Shelving unit next to cookline hood storing grill utensils, 4) Underside of shelf above 3 door reach in cooler with toploader, 5) Interior of toploader lids and interior of connected 3 door reach in cooler, 6) Walk in cooler fan cover and underside of condenser, 7) Dish machine racks.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed chemical dish machine to be sanitizing at 0ppm, per chlorine test strip. Person in charge properly adjusted noted dish machine at time of inspection, observed sanitizing at 50-100ppm, per chlorine test strip.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed utensils stored not inverted near wait station coffee machine. Person in charge inverted the noted utensils.

Priority Foundation: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed sanitizer wiping cloth bucket stored in bar handwash sink. Person in charge removed sanitizer wiping cloth bucket from noted handwash sink and has agreed to only use for handwashing purposes in future.

Core: Observed light bulbs in: 1) Walk in cooler, 2) Standing 2 door reach in cooler, 3) Underneath hood to not be shatter resistant.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed no handwah sign posted at bar handwash sink. Person in charge posted handwash sign, provided to BCHD employee, at noted handwash sink.

Core: Observed ceiling in walk in cooler, especially near condenser, to be soiled with build up.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed facility using an unapproved bleach (no EPA listing) to sanitize food contact surfaces throughout facility. Person in charge provided an approved bleach sanitizer at time of inspection.



Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.

Don't Edit

Danielle McGrew | MLive.com

Bob Evans, 4137 E Wilder Road

Priority: Observed raw steak stored directly behind raw fish in standing cooler on cookline, raw chicken stored directly behind raw ground beef in standing cooler on cookline. Person in charge arranged noted cooler so that raw animal foods are stored below and away from ready to eat foods and separated according to cook off temperature

Core: Observed heavy ice/frost build up in walk in freezer, especially near condenser.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed interior tops, walls, and bases of cookline microwaves (4) to be heavily soiled with food debris. Person in charge properly washed, rinsed, and sanitized the noted items.

Core: Observed the following items to be soiled: 1) Interior of drawers and area surrouding drawers of biscuit/pot pie heat warmers in wait station, 2) Underside of shelves above cookline toploaders/prep area, 3) Walk in cooler shelving unit storing cooked/prepped foods

Core: Observed space in ventilation hood filters above cookline equipment.

Core: Observed drain flies in facility, especially near soda machines. *NOTE: Facility is working with licensed pest control operator, Steritech, who makes routine visits every 6 weeks. Per last invocie, last treatment was 01/21/17.

Core: Observed floor area underneath both soda machine/ice bins in wait station to be soiled with build up.

Don't Edit

Yfat Yossifor

Dow Bay Area Family Y, 225 Washington Ave.

Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.

Don't Edit

LIPO CHING

Subway #14110, 3921 Wilder Rd.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed bag of onions stored directly on floor near walk in cooler. Person in charge moved and stored the noted item to an approved location where contamination cannot occur and at least 6 inches above the floor.

Core: Observed lobby soda machine/ice bin floor drain and drain lines to be soiled.

Don't Edit

~)^

Uno Chicago Grill, 2795 E Wilder Rd.

Priority Repeat: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed cross contamination raw hamburger stored on top of a container of pickes in the prep unit next to the pizza prep unit. Corrected immediately the PIC discarded raw hamburger and pickles.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Marinade sauce with additional items added, spices and vegtables, in steamer being hot held at 118F. Corrected immediately by reheating to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. PIC stated that it was placed in unit with 1 hour of inspection.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Bagged sliced turkey and cheese in pizza prep table being cold held at 45-50F. All the food in the prep unit across from grill was 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit. It included alfredo sauce, chicken wings, scampi sauce, spicy alfredo, cooked mixed vegetables, cooked broccoli, etc. Corrected immediately by discarding food.

Priority: *Corrected During Inspection* Cut spinach, feta/mozzerella cheese mixture, carmelized onions, garlic with fresh vegtabes,cooked mushroom marinade,cut tomatoes with garlic, sliced tomatos was over the use by date or not date labeled. Corrected immediately by discarding food.

Core: Large prep unit across from grill is not holding food temperatures below 41 degrees F.

Priority: The sanitizer concentration for iodine in the bar glass washer is at 0 ppm.

Priority: No air gap exists between the sewage system and a drain from the ice machine in the bar area, ice bin in the bar, oasis machine in the bar, and pop gun holders.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Rob Clark

Hungry Howie's, 502 S. Euclid Ave.

Core: *Corrected During Inspection* Observed unlabeled spray bottle, of water, stored on pizza make line. Person in charge properly labeled the noted spray bottle with the common name of the material.

Core: Corrected During Inspection Observed: 1) Sanitizer wiping cloth buckets stored directly on floor throughout facility, 2) Sanitizer wiping cloth bucket at 0ppm, per quat test strip. Person in charge moved and stored noted sanitizer wiping cloth buckets to approved locations where contamination cannot occur and off of floor, person in charge properly remade sanitizer wiping cloth bucket. Sanitizer concentration observed at 200-400ppm, per quat test strip.

Core: Observed ventilation hood filters, on both ends, above pizza oven to be heavily soiled with grease/dust build up.

Don't Edit

AmVets Post #22, 520 N. Pine Ave.

Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.

Don't Edit

Amanda Ray

Overpass Bar, 2650 Bay City Rd.

Core: The walls and ceiling in walk-in cooler are moldy.

Core: The food safety manager has not completed an approved training program containing an allergen awareness component.
2017 Bay City St. Patrick's Day Parade

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee marches during the 2017 Bay City St. Patrick's Day Parade on March 19, 2017.

(Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com)

BAY CITY, MI -- Bay County residents have an opportunity to meet with their congressman, U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, this week.

Kildee, D-Flint Township, hosts coffee hours from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13, at Krzysiak's House Restaurant, 1605 Michigan Ave., in Bay City's South End.

The coffee hour events are free and open to the public. Local residents are encouraged to attend and discuss issues and opinions face-to-face with Kildee.

Earlier in the day, Kildee will speak at Bay Future Inc.'s Annual Meeting.
The first trailer for Kathryn Bigelow's film based on the 1967 Detroit Riots -- simply titled "DETROIT" -- dropped Wednesday morning, April 12.

Watch the first intense trailer of the movie at the top of this page.

The film due out Aug. 4 of this year stars John Boyega, of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," as well as Will Poulter, Anthony Mackie and John Krasinski. Bigelow last directed 2012's "Zero Dark Thirty," which was based on the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards.

She was the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director for 2009's "The Hurt Locker."

"DETROIT's" August release date comes a week removed from the 50th anniversary of the riots, which left 43 dead, 1,189 injured and more than 7,000 arrested. The damage done was substantial; amounting to between $287 and $323 million in 2016 dollar amounts.

Boyega will play the role of a police officer on the front line of the riots caused by police brutality, unemployment, segregation, racism and a lack of opportunity. A group of military personnel asks his character for "sugar," which Boyega promptly replies with "don't push it."

The trailer starts with a news broadcast set to an intense score as a the words, "here in Detroit, a city of war." The action in the trailer kicks in after a starter gun fires in a room at the Algiers Motel, which draws the attention of police and military men who open fire on the room.

The Algiers Motel incident is one of the riot's most notorious. In reality, three black teenagers were killed at point-blank range, and others were beaten at the motel by police looking for snipers. Only one of the officers involved went to trial, and he was acquitted by an all-white jury.
A man caused multiple evacuations Wednesday after delivering an apparent mortar from the World War II era or prior to the Sterling Heights police station.

He entered the station and informed a desk worker he wanted to get rid of a mortar he'd found in his home and kept for more nearly 55 years, a police statement said.

The man told police the possible explosive was in the rear of his minivan, which prompted police to evacuate the nearby library and courthouse as a precaution and call the state police Bomb Squad.

The incident occurred about noon. Police secured the suspected explosive but did not have a photo available to release to MLive.

WXYZ-TV, Channel 7 News published a photo of the mortar, which appears to be mostly covered in rust.
The city on Tuesday unveiled a tool to track the legal status of medical marijuana centers across Detroit.

Authorities began scrutinizing the rapid growth of marijuana dispensaries in recent years and have shut down 161 shops since the city passed a regulatory ordinance in 2015, according to the mayor's office.

The interactive map of more than 280 medical marijuana caregiver centers can be accessed here, showing sites that are currently operating, in the process of being approved, or closed.

The website will be updated by 4 p.m. every Monday and residents can anonymously report issues with any operating location, the mayor's office announced.

"We continue to receive a lot of community feedback about the number of dispensaries across the city and we are enforcing the ordinance, which we think is fair and equitable," said David Bell, director of Detroit's Building Safety, Engineering and Environmental Department. "This new website map will allow people to stay up to date on any one of the locations."

Michigan voters legalized medical marijuana use in 2008.

Regulations on the number and locations of dispensaries in Detroit were not in place until an ordinance the city passed in 2015 went into effect last year.

About 200 medical marijuana caregiver centers were operating at the time, but since enforcing the new ordinance, the city has received 281 applications, 161 shops were shut down and 120 are in the application process.

Three have received full city approval and about 50 centers are expected to operate citywide, according to the mayor's office.

Marijuana cannot legally be sold or manufactured within 1,000 feet of a school, library, child care centers, arcades and outdoor recreational facilities.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is suing the federal government for information on the effect President Donald Trump's immigration and travel bans had in Michigan.

ACLU branches across the country filed 13 Freedom of Information Act lawsuits seeking records from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, including a Wednesday filing demanding information about on-the-ground implementation of the orders at Detroit Metro Airport and Michigan-Canada border crossings.

The group claims in court documents that "CBP officials would not respond to requests for information about how many travelers had been detained at the airport."

The FOIA requests seek information on activity at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit, International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie and the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron was being pursued.

"President Trump's January 27 Executive Order barring entry to people from seven predominantly Muslim countries led to utter chaos," Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney for the ACLU, said in a news release.

"Michiganders need to know exactly what happened that day, and what has been going on since then, including whether people were or are being illegally detained, illegally coerced into giving up their green cards, or illegally removed from the United States."

Federal courts blocked Trump's initial order in February. A second, revised version was later signed, but blocked again.

The Detroit-area has a high number of residents from the seven countries listed on Trump's executive order.

The original FOIA requests were part of a separate lawsuit challenging the executive order that was filed by the ACLU and the Arab American Civil Rights League in January.

The ACLU claims the FOIA requests went unanswered, leading to the lawsuit filed Wednesday.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson declined comment on the pending lawsuit Wednesday.

"CBP has a long history of ignoring its obligations under the federal Freedom of Information Act -- a law that was enacted to ensure that Americans have timely access to information of pressing public concern," said Mitra Ebadolahi, border litigation project staff attorney with the ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties.

"The public has a right to know how federal immigration officials have handled the implementation of the Muslim bans, especially after multiple federal courts have blocked various aspects of these executive orders."

Aside from Detroit, the lawsuits seek information from the following local CBP offices: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa and Tucson.
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / April 12, 2017 / New Age Farm Inc. (CSE:NF) (OTC PINK: NWGFF) (0NF.F) ( www.newagefarminc.com ) ("New Age Farm" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce the signing of a letter of intent between its Washington State subsidiary, New Age Farm Washington, LLC ("NAF Washington") and CannaAgra LLC ("CannaAgra") to secure three additional tenant growers, along with a lease to own option on 11 acres of industrial land in Moses Lake, WA (the "LOI").

Under the terms of the LOI, NAF Washington and CannaAgra will form a 50/50 joint partnership corporation in Washington State, CannaUsa LLC ("CannaUsa") that will hold the lease on the 11 acres of industrial land in Moses Lake, WA ("Moses Lake"). This will increase the Company's Washington State property holdings to three separate agri-campuses in Sumas, Oroville and Moses Lake. In addition, CannaAgra will bring three Tier 3 Production/Processing licensees to Newco, and these licensees will become the Company's newest tenant-growers. The Company expects to enter into a definitive agreement with CannaAgra within the next couple weeks, upon completion of due diligence.

CannaUsa will build out and operate greenhouse facilities on the Moses Lake Property that will accommodate New Age Farm's tenant-growers for year round operations. The Company's current strategy calls for outdoor planting to begin in the next 120 days as growing conditions permit, followed by a conversion to complete greenhouse operations by the fall of 2017, or as soon as the greenhouse facilities are ready.

On completion of the Moses Lake agri-campus, New Age will have in excess of 250,000 square feet of canopy growing space available to its tenant-growers at its three Washington state locations. The Moses Lake agri-campus will be structured in such a manner that it will allow for a total growing capacity of approximately 170,000 square feet of canopy space - this means up to five Tier 3 tenant-growers and one additional Tier 2 tenant-grower can be housed at the facility.

Carman Parente commented, "When at full operating capacity, these additional Tier 3 tenant-growers at Moses Lake will have the capacity to generate between $6 and $8 million in gross revenues per month (USD). With our turnkey tenant-grower model, where our clients pay base rent and fees for our specialized services such as the expertise of our master growers, our storage, processing and production capabilities, New Age Farm is positioned to begin generating significant income over the next year."

Additional information regarding the LOI and the proposed definitive agreement will be provided upon completion of each party's respective due diligence, board and regulatory approval. The Company may pay a finder's fee in accordance with CSE policies.

About New Age Farm

British Columbia

Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NHS Industries Ltd. ("NHS"), New Age Farm owns a five and a half acre facility in the lower mainland of BC that includes a 48,000 square foot greenhouse. NHS is in the process of formulating innovative proposals for small scale agricultural facilities for exploring multiple avenues for cash flow processes. Anticipating Canadian federal government regulations regarding the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes is one avenue that NHS will be exploring. NHS also intends to look at other high value crop possibilities such as hemp and its potential revenue generation. Management's intent is for NHS to achieve positive cash flow as expediently as possible, all the while developing and maintaining multiple product income streams that will foster profitability, rather than relying on a single market sector.

Washington State

Through its Washington State subsidiary, New Age Farm has two properties, one located in Sumas, WA, and the other in Oroville, WA, where it offers fully built out turnkey service operations to licensed I-502 tenant-growers who will lease the facilities for production and / or processing. With three leases already in place, operations in Washington State have begun and will expand further as the Company completes its build outs. In compliance with state regulatory requirements, New Age Farm's facilities feature 24 hour security that enhances the safety and security of the community, our tenant-growers and their operations. All New Age Farm's tenant-growers hold either Tier 2 or Tier 3 licenses allowing them to produce and / or process marijuana for sale at wholesale to marijuana processor licensees and to other marijuana producer licensees. A Tier 3 license allows for between ten thousand square feet and thirty thousand square feet of dedicated plant canopy while Tier 2 licensees can have up to ten thousand square feet of dedicated plant canopy. Revenue is generated on a base lease rate and the level of service that the tenant-grower requires for its production and / or its processing needs.

About the Washington I-502 Marijuana Market

Sales of marijuana products in Washington State have for the first time surpassed $200 million in a quarter. The News Tribune reports residents and visitors bought more marijuana than ever before in the second quarter of 2016, based on an analysis of purchase and tax records from two state agencies. In the first quarter of 2016 January, February and March people spent $54.8 million mor4e on spirits than marijuana, which includes the cost of the products and its associated taxes. By the second quarter April, May and June that gap closed to nearly $37 million. Those amounts include taxes levied by the state on those products. Spirits sales do not include wine and beer. Marijuana sales include all cannabis products, but not paraphernalia. Marijuana sales in the second quarter of 2016 amounted to nearly $212 million. Spirits sales in the same period amounted to almost $249 million. In July, the state closed medical marijuana shops, making all sales go through licensed recreational marijuana storefronts. Sales at retail pot shops shot up by $66.6 million in the third quarter of the year, to $278.6 million. Washington voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2012. Earlier this month voters in California, Massachusetts and Nevada approved recreational pot. Colorado, Oregon and Alaska have also legalized recreational marijuana.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/business/article115802063.html

For further information about New Age Farm, please consult the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Visit the Company's website at www.newagefarminc.com for more information and to view a video of the Oroville facility: http://newagefarminc.com/

On Behalf of the Board Of Directors

Carman Parente

President and Chief Executive Officer

cparente@newagefarminc.com

For Further Information Contact

Catherine Jones

Corporate Communications

corpcom@newagefarminc.com

(888) 871-3936

WWW.NEWAGEFARMINC.COM

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The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Readers are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected including, but not limited to completion of planned improvements at both the Canadian and US sites on schedule and on budget, the availability of financing needed to complete the Company's planned improvements on commercially reasonable terms, the availability of contractors and materials, planned occupancy by the tenant-growers, commencement of operations, weather and other natural factors that may affect agriculture based businesses, the ability to mitigate the risk of loss through appropriate insurance policies, and the risks presented by federal statutes that may contradict local and state legislation respecting legalized marijuana. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances save as required under applicable securities legislation. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell securities and the Company is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

This news release does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in the United States. These securities have not and will not be registered under United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to a U.S. Person unless so registered, or an exemption from registration is relied upon.

SOURCE: New Age Farm Inc.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson isnt leaving a whole lot of room for negotiation about the future of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad as he heads into high-stakes meetings with Russian officials in Moscow. In advance of his arrival in the Russian capital, Tillerson told reporters at a meeting of the G-7 countries in Italy that Russia must choose whether to align itself with Syria, Iran and Hezbollah, or to be a partner to the United States and the West. Either way, he said, Assad must go.

It is clear to all of us that the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Tillerson said. But the question of how that ends and the transition itself could be very important in our view to the durability, the stability inside of a unified Syria.

Related: Russia Walks Back Threats of Retaliation If the US Strikes Syria Again

Syria has been engaged in a complex civil war since mid-2011, and the Assad regime has earned international condemnation for indiscriminate attacks on civilians in rebel-held areas, including the use of chemical weapons and barrel bombs. A chemical attack on the city of Idlib last week killed dozens, including many children, and spurred President Trump to order airstrikes on the base from which the assault was launched.

Tillersons de facto ultimatum was issued after the secretary of state participated in a side meeting at the G-7 that involved representatives from a number of countries, including multiple Middle Eastern nations such as Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

We want to relieve the suffering of the Syrian people -- Russia can be a part of that future and play an important role, Tillerson said. Or Russia can maintain its alliance with this group, which we believe is not going to serve Russia's interests longer term.

But persuading Russia to abandon Assad will not be simple. Russian President Vladimir Putins regime is running short on allies, after his invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2014 and the Kremlins continued support of armed rebels fighting the government in that countrys Donbas region.

Story continues

Related: Why The US Can't Just Take Out Assad

In Syria, Russia has its only substantial military base in the eastern Mediterranean and its largest concentration of troops anywhere outside of Russia. The prospect of losing that foothold if Assad is overthrown may not be acceptable to the Kremlin from a strategic perspective.

In addition, Russia has put its reputation as an international power on the line in Syria. By supporting the Assad regime it has laid down a marker that it would be exceedingly embarrassing to back away from under US pressure, both internationally and domestically.

In a statement issued in advance of Tillersons arrival, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the meetings purpose, first and foremost would be to assess the United States willingness to seek stabilization and normalization of the two countries increasingly contentious bilateral relationship.

In connection with US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons working visit to Russia beginning later today we would like to point out that we hope for productive talks," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement reported by the government-run TASS news agency. "This is important for the prospects of our bilateral interaction and for the general climate in the international scene."

Related: Team Trump Still in Search of a Coherent Syria Policy

The TASS report made no mention of the conflict in Syria. However, other Kremlin-run news services played up the issue. The RT website declared that Tillerson was arriving in Moscow as tension spikes over Syria.

Sputnik News cited Russian political analyst Pavel Svyatenkov, who declared that the stepped-up US activity in Syria was some sort of negotiating tactic. "Given that the situation in Syria remains Russia's bargaining chip in its talks with the United States, the Trump administration is apparently trying to deprive Russia of it," Svyatrenkov said.

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Private budget carrier IndiGo has partnered with Australian flight training institute, Flight Training Adelaide (FTA), to provide training to its pilot cadets.

The initial tie-up is for two years and can be renewed later and the training will be conducted at the FTA's facility at the Parafield Airport in South Australia.

Mentored by IndiGo, successful candidates will receive licence from both Australian air safety regulator, CASA as well as the aviation watchdog DGCA, IndiGo said in a release.

These cadet pilots upon graduation will return to India for flight licence conversion and absorbed as junior first officers (JFOs) with IndiGo, it added.

FTA has extensive experience in conducting cadet pilot training for airlines worldwide over the last more than three decades.

At present, it provides training to cadet pilots from Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, Cathay Dragon, Hong Kong Government Flying Service, TAG Aviation, Vietnam Airlines, QantasLink and Virgin Australia.

"We are delighted to partner with FTA. We have always endeavoured to tap the best talent in the industry. By ensuring that these talented cadets are exposed to the best pilot training at FTA's world-class facilities in Australia, we will have continued access to a pool of highly skilled aviators well into the future," said IndiGo Whole Time Director and President Aditya Ghosh.

FTA is IndiGo's third partner for flying training since 2011 when for the first time the Gurugram-based budget airline joined hands with CAE to provide training to pilot cadets at the CAE Global Academy Gondia in India and CAE type-rating training centres.

Last year, it collaborated with New Zealand-based CTC Aviation for pilots training programme.

"IndiGo is our latest airline partner. We are looking forward to extending our relationship with the airline, and more importantly, to offer a high quality, fit-for-purpose training program to facilitate the employment of a First Officer with IndiGo," Flight Training Adelaide Chief Executive Officer Johan Pienaar said.
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State-owned NBCC will help develop a social housing project and construct a new Supreme Court building in Mauritius, which together are estimated to cost USD 50 million.

The government told the Lok Sabha that an agreement was inked between NBCC and Mauritius government to develop the social housing project at Dagotiere and Mare Tabac in Mauritius. The pact was signed last month.

NBCC has been appointed as Project Management Consultant (PMC) agency on "deposit work basis" and would provide various architectural services, among others.

"The estimated cost of the project is USD 20 million," Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. During Question Hour, he also said that NBCC had signed an agreement in March with the Mauritius government for construction of new Supreme Court building on PMC basis. "The estimated cost of the project is USD 30 million," he said.

These projects are financed by the Indian government under Grant Assistance to Mauritius. Besides, NBCC is acting as a PMC for renovation work of Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and project work of Institute for Security and Law Enforcement Studies (ISLES) in Maldives.
The first quarter of FY17 saw frenzied activity in the deal space with landmark deals like the Vodafone Idea merger stealing the limelight. CNBC-TV18 catches up with Prashant Mehra Partner at Grant Thornton to find what has been driving deal activity, to determine the trends in the sector and to get a sense of what lies ahead in the M&A space.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview.

Q: The Vodafone merger with Idea Cellular was obviously the big story in that space. So, consolidation seemed to be the big theme in the first quarter of FY17. Do you expect that theme to continue going forward?

A: Yes, of course. As you rightly mentioned, the Vodafone-Idea merger which is valued at about USD 27 billion or so was a chunk of the USD 34 billion activity which we saw in the quarter. We have been mentioning this over the last previous quarters that consolidation will really drive the deal activity in the country for 2017 and possibly going forward as well. This is a huge transaction, probably a milestone transaction in the telecom space.

And we will continue to see such transactions in other key sectors as well which are core specifically, the technology sector which is e-commerce, we were already talking about some large transaction playing there, more so in the pharmaceutical sector as well. We will see consolidation in he otherwise the telecom sector, the infrastructure sector. But specifically on the financial sector, post demonetisation we are seeing some emerging business trends.

Non-banking finance companies (NBFC) are continuing their drive on fund raising. And microfinance firms are also on a consolidation rise. So yes, the theme is here to stay and will perhaps continue for the remaining part of the year at least.

Q: In your report, you mentioned that big ticket investment in the private equity space is at the lowest in 11 months. What do you think is driving investment lower?

A: It is a little strange because the macroeconomic factors are all positive. The real reason why there has been tepid growth in the private equity space which is just about USD 2 billion in this quarter which is 30 percent below what it was in the same period last year. What is really driving this is private equities being cautious in their pet space which is e-commerce.

But interestingly, where there are big private equity and venture capitalist (VC) players not making investments, we are seeing an emerging trend where early stage private equities, VC as well as seed stage investors increasing their volumes and backing startups. And the volumes have been much higher than what they have been in the previous quarter.

So interesting dynamics there. But going forward, companies which are hoping to raise big money from large venture capital and private equity firms will perhaps struggle for a few quarters still.

Q: The big landmark event coming up, the stipulated date is July 1 for the goods and services tax (GST) rollout. What kind of impact do you see of the GST on deal activity going forward?

A: We have been really waiting for GST to come. It has finally been announced and hopefully we will have a rollout from July 1. It is a much awaited milestone event. On all aspects of deal making whether it is foreign investment into India, whether it is domestic consolidation or whether it is private equity investments, it affects the manufacturing as well as the services sector. So, we will see some real interesting times in deal activity picking up in or around or even post the GST rollout.

It is going to make some significant changes in the business models which are being floated by various sectors. And of course, it brings about uniform taxation. The visibility for growth, the planning for growth will be better with GST which is a key factor for investments and deal making.

Q: Any particular sectors in your mind that might benefit more once GST is rolled out?

A: The manufacturing sector obviously. There are a lot of intermediary taxes which make the goods more expensive in the hands of the consumer. So there are elements of services there, there are elements of manufacturing there as well. So, goods in general, the manufacturing industry is perhaps to benefit the most. I am not too sure if it will make such a big impact for services, but anything to do with manufacturing will definitely benefit from GST.
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Shilpa Medicare today said the US health regulator has issued an Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for its manufacturing facilities located at Raichur in Karnataka.

"The USFDA has issued an EIR for the company's Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing facilities located at Raichur, Karnataka which was inspected between December 12-16, 2016. The inspection has now been closed by the USFDA," Shilpa Medicare said in a BSE filing.

USFDA releases a copy of the EIR to the establishment that was the subject of an FDA or FDA-contracted inspection when the agency determines the inspection to be closed.

It further said: "The company had submitted a detailed corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan to the regulator within the stipulated timelines in response to the form 483 issued at the end of inspection. The USFDA has reviewed the CAPA and has found them acceptable".

Form 483 is issued when an investigator observes any possible violation of the laid-down rules.

Shares of the company were trading 5.60 percent higher at Rs 720.65 on BSE.
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Public sector IDBI Bank said a section of employees who were to go on a one-day nationwide strike today have called it off.

"It is advised that proposed one-day nationwide strike on April 12, 2017 by united forum of IDBI officers and employees in support of their demands has been called off," IDBI Bank said in a BSE filing.

Yesterday, the bank had informed about a day's strike on April 12, 2017 to press their demand related with wage issues.

The association had also written a letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, seeking his intervention in the matter.

"Yesterday there was a conciliation meeting in Mumbai held by the deputy chief labour commissioner and the management has been advised to finalise the wage revision settlement before May 8," All India Bank Employees' Association general secretary C H Venkatachalam said in a statement.

In view of this, the strike to be observed today has been deferred and Union has decided to attend bilateral talks to explore the possibility of settlement, he said.

The bank's stock was trading 0.99 percent lower at Rs 75.30 apiece on BSE today.
The government is focused on port-led developments and the target is to make Indian ports at par with international standards, is the word coming in from the Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Talking exclusively to CNBC-TV18, he said while developing the ports full care will be taken of all the norms of air and water pollution.

According to reports, the government ports have reported remarkable reports with respect to time, tonnage and profits, said Gadkari.

The government also plans to implement new recommendations made by private consultants, he said.

In Sagarmala port-led development we have planned for 14 industrial clusters with an investment of Rs 15 lakh crore, he said. Government is also formulating a scheme for fishermen at Sagarmala, he added.

Government ports are ahead of the private sector in all the segments that they operate in aided by lot of reforms be it administrative, working system, decision making process, in technology, said Gadkari. They aim to have all machinery on electricity and not diesel.

He is also hopeful of Rajya Sabha passing the Motor Vehicle Amendments in the next parliament session.

Below is the verbatim transcript of the interview

Q: You said that the government run ports are doing much better than the private ports. Could you highlight that for us?

A: The report which was received from all the ports, it is very remarkable and historical. In the case of time, tonnage and profits. We have now the highest record. This improvement in the ports sector is a great achievement for our country. We have also implemented a lot of new recommendations given by the private consultant then our target is to make our port of international standards and we are comparing all the things with international standards.

At the same time, in water pollution and air pollution, we have taken a decision that we should be very cautious about it and we should fulfil the norms which are of the ports in different states by achieving the goal of water pollution and air pollution because our ports should be free from water pollution and air pollution. This will be our highest priority.

Q: You also spoke of how automobiles are something that are being exported from the Mumbai port. But are you looking at expanding that basket, more commodities and other things?

A: This is a great achievement that Mumbai, the Bombay Port Trust (BPT) has exported 2,50,000 cars and this is also a record. This is one of the important things for the automobiles sector. For the future, I feel that it will be very useful for our sector that we will export more cars and auto spare parts and this is a sector which is giving maximum employment potential to the youth of our country.

Q: So, more sectors are going to be added?

A: Yes, in Sagar Mala, port led development, we have planned for 14 industrial clusters and we expect the investment of Rs 15 lakh crore: automobile cluster, petroleum cluster, wood and furniture cluster, chemical cluster, steel cluster, these are different type of clusters there. Even in Sagar Mala, we are now formulating a scheme for fishermen and we will allow them to go more than 12 nautical miles in the sea and the result will be five times more production in the fishing. 18 percent of our population is in the coastal area and it will be a great achievement for the people that they will get more money from fishing which is going to be very useful for the socio-economic transformation in that area.

Q: Coming to using foreign currency loans. That has been on your agenda for the longest time. Private ports are already doing it, so what is the government doing about it?

A: First time in the history of our country, we have taken foreign loans in dollars in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and in Ennore Port. Now, it has already started because we are getting money in dollars without hedge with 2 percent. So, our turnover in the ports is more than Rs 5,000 crore per year. So, we can easily take a loan of Rs 50,000-60,000 crore or more than that in dollar which interest cost will be only 2 percent. So, that is going to be important thing because as per the internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is concerned because of less interest cost, it can be possible for us to be economic viability of the projects.

Q: Cruise is something that you have been looking at giving a fillip to. What is the scenario there? Just now, you pointed out how the profits have gone up.

A: Profits are going up. The efficiency is improving, time period is improving. Cruise tourism is improving. Every sector in the port, everywhere now, we are ahead more than private sector. That is the great achievement for the government because it is under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. A lot of reform we have taken in administrative reform, reform in the laws, reform in the working system, reform in the decision process, reform in some of the outdated system we have just now changed all that. And we are very transparent, positive and development oriented and using the best technology. Now, we have decided that all type of machinery, they should take on electricity, not on diesel. We are just hanging on the mandatory order for that, no diesel, no fuel, take electricity.

So, these are the new things, small things, but giving more impact and that is to be a great achievement for the sector.

Q: For ports and shipping, have you set any target for the coming financial year?

A: Yes, always target are there. Now, the next time, we have given the target, but I will not discuss the target because sometime the media printed that this is my commitment. So, it creates a problem for me because the target for the road sector was 40 km that was the target. That was not commitment. It comes to 23 km per day, then people say he has given 40, why is it coming 22-23, then it is an unnecessary confusion that starts.

Q: The Rajya Sabha does not seem that the bill will be passed at all, the amendments to motor vehicles.

A: I have tried my level best to convince them because every minute we have a death of four persons. So, it is unfortunate and I feel that I try my level best. I want to save the life of the people. They are also interested, they are supporting it. It is actually the standing committee\'s recommendation, all recommendation we have accepted. The recommendation from the 18 transport ministers belonging to 10 political parties, their suggestions we have accepted, parliament has already passed unanimously. So, the Rajya Sabha, I was trying my level best to convince them, but now we have no option. The next session, I am expecting that this bill will be passed.
On Tuesday, the government said that it was drafting a questionnaire for hotels and restaurants seeking to assess the quantity of food it serves customers in a bid to cut down on food wastage.

Explaining the rationale behind the proposal, Ram Vilas Paswan, Minister for Food, said people are paying for food they don't eat and asked why a person "should be served four idlis when he can eat just two".

On March 26, Modi had raised similar concerns over wastage of food in Mann ki Baat. He said food wastage at social gatherings is injustice to the poor.

The problem of food wastage is widespread and even as the government starts to take action, a volunteer organisation called Robin Hood Army has found an innovative way to tackle the problem.

Its co-founder, Neel Ghose, narrates the story of their efforts to be agents of change:

What is the Robin Hood Army?

We are group of volunteers spread out across Indian cities that collects excess food from restaurants and distributes it among the less fortunate. The idea is that you serve your immediate community and so we function at the hyperlocal level. For example, in any particular suburb, the food comes only from that area and the volunteers will either be residents or office-goers from the vicinity. They will visit public hospitals or homeless shelters in the perimeter.

These drives mostly happen on weekends, but the volunteers are distributed in such a way that food is distributed daily. At the outset, the local chapter head allots restaurants to volunteers, who pick up the food at a certain time and then everyone meets at a common place. They then make meals out of the individual packages before venturing out to distribute it.

Spirit of giving

We try to take the initiative beyond just distributing the food. As a policy, we also spend time with the people who are receiving it. Thats something that really surprises them. Most of them have seen charity, but no one usually spends time with them, asks about their families, makes them laugh, or takes pictures. And we end up having more fun when this happens. Its about sharing meals and becoming friends.

Early days

I first came across this idea through an organisation called Refood International while I was working in Lisbon (Portugal) a few years ago. I found it simple and uniqiue and on returning home to Delhi, I shared this story with my old friend Anand Sinha. We got talking and figured why not we start a similar platform in India.

We did our first food distribution drive in August 2014. Initially, we went out with our friends and visited familiar areas in Delhi. As happens with everyone, we all felt good about doing something charitable. But on the first drive itself, we quickly realised the scale of the problem. Like most people, we werent aware that 20 crore Indians remain hungry.

It dawned on us that serving a few people once a week was not really going to make a difference in the long run. We figured that the greatest act of patriotism would be to serve food to our countrymen and to even have a chance of making a real difference, we would have to think about Robin Hood Army as a startup, scale it accordingly, and get many more liked-minded people involved.

Scaling up

Our social media presence has helped us grow quickly. Initially, many of the restaurant owners wanted to know where the food was going. To give them an idea, we started sharing photographs of our food distribution drives on social media.

But these posts also helped Robin Hood Army get noticed by our colleagues and old classmates, a lot of whom took an interest and asked when we would bringing the initiative to their cities. Anand and I both have full-time jobs that involve travelling, so we slowly started expanding to other cities and countries, including Australia, Malaysia and Philippines. We soon realised that the idea could be spread even remotely.

Also, we have a very strict no-funds policy, because we dont need the money. The food and packaging is handled by the restaurants. The only thing we spend on is fuel, which we anyway would for a social outing on a weekend. Because we dont seek funding, we have been able to make the most of social media and reach many more people.

Robin Hood Army now has chapters in 40 Indian cities and all the local chapters keep in touch through a common WhatsApp group. For anyone who wants to start a new chapter or join an existing one, all they need to do is visit our website. A college in the Pakistani city of Sukkur in Sindh checked out our website and started their own chapter.

The flock

Robin Hood Army is very decentralised. Every chapter is what its volunteers make of it and it works really well because there are people who have much more time and resources at their disposal who have been waiting for such a platform.

In that sense, students are the future of the Robin Hood Army. They are bright, resourceful and have more time on their hands. If the idea is introduced to people at a young age, then we feel it could really shape the way they think. With this mind, weve tied up with colleges including Lady Shri Ram in Delhi, St Xaviers in Mumbai, and Indian School of Business in Hyderabad.

Driving force

When people use their education, skills and mindets to make a difference, they automatically change their mindsets. We see the impact of what we are potentially building and realise that it can make a large difference. Initially it was a passion, but now its a responsibility. We feel that if we cannot spread this initiative to many more places then its a waste of what weve achieved so far.

Going forward

Apart from spreading to smaller cities, an ambitious project is education. We recently started the Robin Hood Academy, where we teach children and adults on the streets. One of the main agendas of academy is to make sure that a significant number get enrolled into local government schools in a few weeks.

AS TOLD TO NILESH PINTO

This article was first published on True Blue Talks
Mamata Banerjee (C) , chief minister of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal and chief of Trinamool Congress (TMC), waves towards her supporters outside her residence after the initial poll results of the West Bengal Assembly elections, in Kolkata, India May 19, 2016. REUTERS/ Rupak De Chowdhuri - RTSEZAW

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday - without naming the BJP  dared the saffron party to divide Bengal in the name of religion.

Mamatas statement came after BJPs youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney announced Rs 11 lakh reward on her head. Varshney threatened Bengal CM after Hanuman devotees were not allowed to carry out procession in Birbhum on Tuesday.

Addressing a public meeting in Domkal in Murshidabad district, she said , Aamake ChomkaleyAami Gorjai (I roarIf someone threatens me).

It is unfortunate that people were seen carrying arms during Ram Navami. In Bengal, such act will not be tolerated and we will take action against such people, she said.

On beef controversy, she said, Food and religion are individuals choice and no one can dictate what one should eat. It is our duty to protect the religious freedom in Bengal. Why there is hue and cry over meat. Vegetables like potol (parval), lau (bottle gaurd) etc are also living thingswhy there is no controversy when we eat them. There are many Hindus who eat meat. It is up to the individual to decide what he or she will eat. There should not be any restriction.

There are minorities, Christians and tribal communities who consume beef. It is their choice. The Constitution has given them some basic rights. We live in a secular country. Why will someone threaten them. We will not tolerate this in Bengal, she said.

Mamata went to Murshidabad to inaugurate the fourth unit of the Sagardighi Thermal Power project. After her public meeting, she inaugurated other developmental projects, including a Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), primary health care units, an ITI, road projects, girls' hostels, drinking water projects.

She also distributed cycles under Sabuj Sathi scheme and offered other benefits like Kanyashree, Sikshashree, Yubashree, Sabushree, Sasthya Sathi, agricultural machinery and Gatidhara.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday - without naming the BJP  dared the saffron party to divide Bengal in the name of religion.

Mamatas statement came after BJPs youth wing leader Yogesh Varshney announced Rs 11 lakh reward on her head. Varshney threatened Bengal CM after Hanuman devotees were not allowed to carry out procession in Birbhum on Tuesday.

Addressing a public meeting in Domkal in Murshidabad district, she said , Aamake ChomkaleyAami Gorjai (I roarIf someone threatens me).

It is unfortunate that people were seen carrying arms during Ram Navami. In Bengal, such act will not be tolerated and we will take action against such people, she said.

On beef controversy, she said, Food and religion are individuals choice and no one can dictate what one should eat. It is our duty to protect the religious freedom in Bengal. Why there is hue and cry over meat. Vegetables like potol (parval), lau (bottle gaurd) etc are also living thingswhy there is no controversy when we eat them. There are many Hindus who eat meat. It is up to the individual to decide what he or she will eat. There should not be any restriction.

There are minorities, Christians and tribal communities who consume beef. It is their choice. The Constitution has given them some basic rights. We live in a secular country. Why will someone threaten them. We will not tolerate this in Bengal, she said.

Mamata went to Murshidabad to inaugurate the fourth unit of the Sagardighi Thermal Power project. After her public meeting, she inaugurated other developmental projects, including a Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU), primary health care units, an ITI, road projects, girls' hostels, drinking water projects.

She also distributed cycles under Sabuj Sathi scheme and offered other benefits like Kanyashree, Sikshashree, Yubashree, Sabushree, Sasthya Sathi, agricultural machinery and Gatidhara.
Sculptor Hussaini uses his fingers to wipe a sculpture of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, made from 11 litres of frozen blood, in Chennai February 23, 2013. The sculpture, made from 6.5 litres of Hussaini's own blood siphoned every three months for the past eight years, as well as 4.5 litres of donated blood, was created to celebrate Jayalalitha's 65th birthday.

The Madras High Court today granted bail to a city-based doctor, who was arrested in February for claiming that former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa was brought dead to a private hospital here.

When the bail application of Dr Rama Seetha came up, Justice S Bhaskaran granted her bail.

At a public meeting held by supporters of Deepa Jayakumar, niece of the late chief minister, Seetha had claimed that Jayalalithaa was brought dead to Apollo hospital.

On February 26, the doctor was arrested following a complaint filed by the management of the Apollo hospital, where Jayalalithaa was admitted on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration.

Later, the hospital management had claimed that Dr Seetha never worked for them.

A case was registered against Dr Seetha under various IPC sections including 153 (deliberately giving provocative statement with intent to cause riot) and 505 (statement conducive to public mischief).

Subsequently, the petitioner had moved the court seeking bail.
The deregulation of fossil fuels in the US poses a great risk to oil prices, said Willem Buiter, Global Chief Economist at Citi. Also, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries' (OPEC) inability to enforce the production cut on non-OPEC members can also affect crude prices. He sees more downside pressure than upside pressure on crude.

Below is the excerpt of the interview.

Q: I read your hundred page report on the world in 2017. Let me start by asking you that is this definitely the year when people find the holy grail of growth? Is 2017 going to be for the global economy a much better year than previous five years?

A: It will be somewhat better but not spectacularly better. At market exchange rate real GDP growth last year was 2.6 percent and this year we are excitingly expecting 2.8 percent. That is better but it is not exactly nirvana.

Q: Could we get to nirvana? From your own work, you have graphs on business confidence which are unusually high after November. A significant event happened in November, there was a change of government but it is a big jump in business confidence, a big jump in consumer confidence that we have seen in the last three months. So, are there makings of an upside risk to both US growth and global growth?

A: There is but, thus far these very strong eruptions of confidence not just in the financial equity markets but also in business sentiment, consumer sentiment is not matched by people putting their capex where their mouth is. So, we have not seen it translated into actual demand for goods and services.

So, the first quarter in the US in fact has come out yet again weaker than expected and as usual the weather is to blame.

Q: Even this 2.8 percent growth, your data indicates that emerging markets could grow at 4.2 percent versus 3.9 percent in the previous year and advanced economies almost at 2 percent compared to about 1.5 percent last year. Can all these go awry because of Syria and Korea?

A: I doubt whether that is going to happen. In any case Korea will not become a critical issue until year or maybe two years from now. The time horizon experts tell us between today and the day at which they can send a nuclear warhead into the American west coast is probably at least few years away. So, that is not an issue yet. However there are accidents that can happen, there is upside risk, I agree with that. If business sentiment remains optimistic, if Donald Trump is not able to deliver on some of his fiscal hopes and desires then we could have stronger growth. However the downside is also real. A reasonable amount of confidence is for continued gradual extension of growth both in emerging markets and advanced economies, that is kind of unusual.

Q: I just want to flesh this trouble that has erupted in Syria and the angry words that we last heard from Russia and Russia has warned the United States. Can all this mean an imbroglio which just gets out of hand?

A: Everything is possible but not everything is likely. This is just ritual posturing. The US made a sort of symbolic statements by sending 59 or so missiles into Syrian airbase. Russia as the first and foremost ally of the regime who owns the airbase had to stand up and be offended. However United States later made it clear that it is not going to engage in sort of an on the ground presence. So, this is more or less a global symbolic statement by the US that, when we say we don't like something be it military or economic, we actually are willing to act in very different force if its risk for us. So, it was as much a signal to Korea and to China on trade negotiations as it was an actual message to Assad.

Q: What are the chances that oil will not go to USD 70-80 per barrel?

A: This is my personal view, I think our Citi experts are slightly more uppish on oil, I think it would take a huge departure from the way I see it in next 2 or 3 years for oil to get anywhere near USD 70 per barrel. The two downward drivers on oil prices that I see are one, the likely inability of OPEC to enforce its will on the non-OPEC informal members of the cartel - Iran and Russia particularly. Second, the fact that we are seeing complete deregulation of fossil fuel sector in the US, we are going to get an eruption of tight oil and gas from the US reinforced by pipelines that will bring Tar sands of Canada into the global markets. So, if anything I see a greater risk of downward pressure on oil relative to the USD 55-56 per barrel where it is today than significant upward pressure.
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) described farm loan waivers as a "moral hazard" and said such facilities should be targeted only to the needy.

"Debt waivers create a moral hazard from a credit repayment perspective and we cannot have omnibus waivers," chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala told reporters here, a week after UP government announced a Rs 36,000-crore farm loan waiver package.

With demands for similar measures on in other states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, Bhanwala said there is a need to look at the moral hazards which such schemes create and targeting such schemes only to the needy farmers.

He said every time a debt waiver is announced, it is taxpayers' money which is used to help bail out the farmers.

The comments come days after Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel also expressed strong displeasure over such measures.

Nabard today reported a 4.24 per cent increase in its post tax net for 2016-17 at Rs 2,631 crore, and a 16.27 per cent expansion in its outstanding loans at Rs 3.08 trillion.

Bhanwala said the development finance institution, which primarily refinances banks' agri loans, feels that the financial sector is set to surpass the Rs 9 trillion agri loans target for fiscal 2017 set by government and will repeat the performance in fiscal 2018 by exceeding the Rs 10 trillion target.

Nabard is laying extra focus on long-term irrigation fund and expects to deploy up to Rs 25,000 crore for this purposes through identified projects (up from Rs 9,000 crore in fiscal 2017) and also to mitigate climate change impact, Bhanwala said, adding the company will also be focusing on micro-irrigation sector this year, and plans to deploy up to Rs 2,000 crore in it.

He said share of long-term loans has risen to 24 per cent of its total loanbook now from 19 per cent two years ago, and Nabard will continue to focus on increasing this number.

Its outstanding borrowing increased to Rs 80,000 crore from Rs 60,000 crore in the year-ago period and Bhanwala said there would be an increase of Rs 15,000 crore in the outstanding borrowing in fiscal 2018.

Nabard was able to recover a few of its bad loans in the just concluded financial year and consecutively the non- performing assets ratio has come down to 0.07 per cent.

With the Centre having announced a target to double farmers' incomes in the next five years, Nabard is working with the states to develop action plans to ensure that the targets are met, he said, adding a pilot project of working closely with the communities towards this purpose is being implemented in seven states.

As part of the pilot project, it will be working in 10 villages of a district having over 1,000 farmers each in every state and the job will start with identifying the base income structures in each states.

On demonetisation, Bhanwala said there was a jump in repayments in the initial days but credit demanded was impacted later. He, however, added despite this, the Rs 9 trillion target has been met.

In a first, Nabard has also started operating a financial inclusion fund and sanctioned installation of 2.07 lakh point of sale machines for different banks since February, he said, adding they will be deployed soon.

For villages which lack mobile connectivity and also power shortages, it has allocated Rs 308 crore towards this purpose.
You've probably been hearing a lot about the government's plan to revise petrol and diesel prices on a daily basis. But how does it affect you? Here's an overview:

What exactly is happening?

Petrol and diesel prices are soon going to be revised every day, in sync with international market rates. There has been talk of a daily price change for a long time, but the technology has only now been made available to state-run oil firms.

How often are petrol and diesel rates currently changed in India?

State fuel retailers currently revise rates on 1st and 16th of every month based on average international price of the fuel in the preceding fortnight.

Petrol & Diesel Rates Yesterday Petrol Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 106 106 View more Diesel Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 94 94 View more Show

Who is going to carry out this exercise?

State-owned fuel retailers Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL), which own over 95 percent of nearly 58,000 petrol pumps in the country.

When does the daily price revision begin?

May 1.

Where will it be implemented?

To begin with, daily revision of fuel prices will be implemented in Puducherry and Vizag in southern India, Udaipur in the West, Jamshedpur in the East and Chandigarh in the North.

What about the rest of the country?

Oil PSUs will initially launch a pilot for daily price revision in only the above mentioned five cities and gradually extend it to all over the country.

Why does it matter?

A shift to daily revision would mean that prices don't drop or rise sharply, as rates may only change by a few paise everyday and will not lead to a price shock for customers. It may also help the government avoid any political backlash as incremental price changes may go mostly unnoticed.

Is India ready?

With modern means of communication like social media available, communicating price revisions to petrol pumps may not be a problem.

However, the Petroleum Dealers Association has expressed concerns over back-end infrastructure at retail outlets to implement such a system. They have requested that the transition happen in a phased manner.

(With inputs from agencies)
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing media with his Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull during the ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Monday. PTI Photo by Manvender Vashist(PTI4_10_2017_000040B)

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull lauded the "ambitious" reform agenda of the Modi government, especially on taxation that has made the duty regime more efficient.

"Prime Minister Modi has an ambitious reform agenda. He has made taxes more efficient and deregulated the economy," Turnbull said at a dinner meeting with industry leaders here.

Praising the progress in IT and the knowledge sector, the visiting premier said India is doing an outstanding job in these areas. He specifically noted the large number smartphone users (around 400 million) in the country.

Earlier in the day, he visited the campus of TCS at suburban Andheri and requested India's largest software exporter to open an innovation lab in his country.

Turnbull flew into the financial capital after his engagements in New Delhi and drove straight to the TCS campus located near the airport.

The PM said the digital evolution is transforming the global economy in general and that of India in particular. Smartphones are playing a big role in connecting people with global marketplaces, democratising knowledge and expanding people-to-people interactions.

"Technology is one of the most important developments in human history," he added.
New Delhi: Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley addressing a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. PTI Photo by Kamal Singh(PTI12_30_2016_000162B)

Banks have been cutting rates in the recent times as they want to use liquidity available with them, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Rajya Sabha as some parties, including ruling NDA, said demonetisation did not have positive impact on credit growth.

Shiv Sena member Sanjay Raut said it was claimed that demonetisation would have positive effects on credit growth but that did not seem to be happening while there were also concerns related to banks cutting down staff. Minister of State for Finance Santosh Gangwar said, "while such concerns had been expressed, if we look at figures, there has been a positive impact on credit growth."

Another member raised a question about sluggish credit growth, to which Jaitley said steps which are taken to give boost to the economy also mean that credit growth should increase. Alternative source of credit such as bonds have seen a significant revival, he said.

Jaitley said that, notwithstanding the monetary policy decisions of the Reserve Bank of India, immediately after the demonetisation in the first go itself, in the month of January, the banks had cut their rates down by almost about 80 to 85 basis points.

"Recently, again, at the beginning of this month, I saw there was a marginal cut by some banks," Jaitley said, adding "therefore, banks have themselves also been indulging in the exercise of cutting down the rates, essentially, because excess liquidity is available with banks and they want to use this amount.
India and Georgia are exploring the option to negotiate a comprehensive free trade agreement to promote bilateral economic ties.

Both the countries have decided to set up a group to conduct a joint feasibility study on the free trade agreement (FTA).

A "joint statement" to launch the study on the FTA was signed today by the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia and Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman here.

The Commerce Ministry said in a statement said that upon the completion of the study, India and Georgia "may proceed to negotiations on an FTA once the internal procedures are completed and the mandates on negotiations are approved."

The joint feasibility study group consists of the officials of the two countries.

"The purpose of establishing the group is to provide an opportunity for more in-depth and systematic examination of potential FTA," it added.

It would discuss the possible scope of a potential pact and also analyse the sensitiveness of specific sectors, while recommending possible ways to address them.

Both the ministers expressed hope that the group would issue a report with the relevant analysis and recommendations within a period of six months.

The two-way commerce between the countries stood at USD 107 million in 2015-16. India has a positive trade balance with Georgia.

In a free trade pact, two or more trading partners either eliminate or drastically reduce duties on goods, besides liberalising norms to promote services trade.

India has already implemented similar agreements with several countries including Singapore, South Korea, Japan and Asean region. It is also negotiating such pacts with over a dozen countries, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves with Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka June 6, 2015. Modi arrived in Dhaka for a two-day state visit to Bangladesh. REUTERS/Rafiqur Rahman

India will invest up to $10 billion in Bangladeshi sectors including infrastructure and medicine and will provide $5 billion in loans, including $500 million in military assistance, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on Tuesday.

Hasina returned to Bangladesh on Monday after a four-day state visit to India, leading a 280 member business delegation including 40 senior government officials and ministers.

"The offers of investment and loans were given by the Indian government and private entrepreneurs during my visit to New Delhi," she told reporters during a news conference.

"Both investments and credit will be used for the development of several sectors including power and energy, logistics, education, medical, infrastructures and rail, road and waterways."

Hasina said the military assistance included training for military personnel to ensure peace in border areas, and joint patrols and drills in international sea areas.

Hasina said the loan would also be used to purchase military equipment.

The credit for the military sector has been given with 1 percent interest to be repaid over the next 20 years.

Separately the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said on Tuesday that during the visit India signed an agreement to facilitate debt for the construction of facilities producing 1,320 megawatts of electricity in Bangladesh.
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Banking operations at IDBI Bank may be impacted today as a section of its employees have given a strike call to press for their wage related demand.

The bank has received strike notice from United Forum of IDBI Officers and Employees in support of their demand, IDBI Bank said in a filing to the BSE.

The association also shot off a letter to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, seeking his intervention in the matter.
India's state-owned fuel retailers plan to implement daily revision of fuel price in five cities from May 1 ahead of a nationwide roll out of the scheme, industry sources said.

To begin with, daily revision of fuel prices will be implemented in Puducherry and Vizag in southern India, Udaipur in the West, Jamshedpur in the East and Chandigarh in the North, they said.

The oil ministry will be meeting representatives of oil marketing companies, retailers and Petroleum Dealers Association on Wednesday evening to discuss the roll-out, according to CNBC-TV18 sources.

The ministry has directed the Petroleum Dealers Association to prepare for the pilot roll out.

According to sources, the association has expressed concerns over back-end infrastructure at retail outlets to implement such a system. Also, they have requested for the transition to happen in phased manner.

Petrol & Diesel Rates Yesterday Petrol Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 106 106 View more Diesel Rate in Mumbai Yesterday Current Petrol Price Per Litre 94 94 View more Show

State refiners currently revise fuel prices every fortnight to reflect volatility in the currency and global oil markets.

State refiners - Indian Oil Corp , Bharat Petroleum Corp and Hindustan Petroleum Corp - operate 90 percent of the retail outlets in the country.

The three have upto 200 fuel stations in the five cities, the sources said.

The roll out of "daily dynamic pricing" in five cities will help them identify the problems ahead of a nationwide roll out of the scheme later this year, the sources, who did not wish to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter, said.

No immediate comment was available from the state refiners.

Indian private fuel retailers - Reliance Industries and Essar Oil - are expected to follow their state peers, the sources added.



Disclosure: Reliance Industries owns Network 18 that publishes Moneycontrol.com.



(With inputs from CNBC-TV18)
Bull's Eye, CNBC-TV18's popular game show, where market experts come together to dish out trading strategies for you to make your week more exciting and compete with each other to see whose portfolio is the strongest.

Remember these are midcap ideas not just for the day, but stocks that look attractive in the medium-term as well.

This week, Vijay Chopra, Ruchit Jain and Jay Thakkar battle it out for top honours.

Below their top stock picks and analysis:

Ruchit Jain of Angel Broking

Buy Engineers India with a stoploss at Rs 149 and target of Rs 163

Buy Lakshmi Vilas Bank with a stoploss at Rs 164 and target of Rs 185

Buy Reliance Capital with a stoploss at Rs 597 and target of Rs 660

Vijay Chopra of enochventures.com

Buy Reliance Capital with a stoploss at Rs 610 and target of Rs 640

Buy Bank of India with a stoploss at Rs 142 and target of Rs 152

Buy Dewan Housing Finance Corporation (DHFL) with a stoploss at Rs 380 and target of Rs 405

Buy Syndicate Bank with a stoploss at Rs 71 and target of Rs 79

Jay Thakkar of Anand Rathi Securities

Buy Titan Company with a stoploss at Rs 479.60 and target of Rs 502.40

Buy Dredging Corporation with a stoploss at Rs 671.20 and target of Rs 703.70

Buy IDFC Bank with a stoploss at Rs 59.90 and target of Rs 62.90

Buy Idea Cellular with a stoploss at Rs 87 and target of Rs 91.90
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Reliance Industries

CLSA has retained its buy rating on the stock. The research firm believes the new promotional offer will further cement high data usage. Jio could reach 100 million paid subscribers well before March 2019 estimates, CLSA observed. This may lead to an upgreade in EPS estimates. Strong delivery by Jio could drive a significant stock re-rating, it added.

Morgan Stanley believes Reliance Jios offerings are attractive and disruptive as Jio Summer Surprise. The new offerings are at 40 percent discount to Bharti Airtels average revenue per user (ARPU).

(Reliance Jio is a part of Reliance Industries that owns Network 18 Media & moneycontrol.com)

Cairn-Vedanta

Macquarie has an outperform rating on Vedanta with a 30 percent upside potential to its target price. It believes that the Cairn-Vedanta merger further diversifies Vedantas earnings and strengthens balance sheet. Post the merger, the company will be the 20th largest free gloat midcap company in India.

On the financial front, Vedantas Q4FY17 production shows good volume ramp-up across divisions, analysts at the firm wrote in their report. Strong production with higher commodity prices will help the firm repeat historic EBITDA in Q4.

Furthermore, it sees a lot of steam being left in Vedantas valuations. It valued the stock at five times EV/EBITDA.

Eicher Motors

Citi has maintained its buy call on the stock with an increased target price of Rs 30,000 from Rs 28,000 earlier. It believes that Q4 results are likely to be strong driven by volume growth of over 20 percent year on year. The margins would be over levels of 32 percent on higher operating leverage.

The expected a further increase in the waitlist period for Royal Enfield, which is already on the higher side. It is not ruling out a shift of potential Royal Enfield clients to Dominar due to the long waiting. The firm hit a peak production capacity of 60,000 units a month. With the third plant at Vallam Vadagal likely to start production by Q3 of this fiscal, the combined capacity will be 75,000 units per month and nine lakh a year.

It has increased FY17-19 Royal Enfield volume estimates by 1-2 percent and has also increased consolidated EPS estimates by 4-5 percent over FY17-19. Citi has also increased target multiple for Royal Enfield business to 34 times from 33 times.

Petronet LNG

Nomura has a buy rating with an increased target of Rs 510 from Rs 425. It believes that earnings can grow 17-19 percent despite a very strong base. It also sees no risks tp the companys eligibility to raise tariff by 5 percent in the near term. It feels that the company can still surprise on volume and marketing margins as LNG demand remains strong.

Yes Bank

CLSA has a buy call on the stock with an increased target of Rs 1,920 from Rs 1,780. Recent USD 750 million capital raise will lift Tier-I car to 15% and aid faster growth, the research firm said. Furthermore, it expected the retail segment to lead loan growth.

Meanwhile, the CASA should continue to expand at over 35 percent over the next two years. The research firm also raised profit estimates for FY18-19 by 6-7 percent.

Cyient

Credit Suisse has initiated coverage on the stock with an outperform rating and target of Rs 625. It believes that the firms offerings are relatively immune from challenges that the IT industry is facing. H-1B/L-1 visa dependence is less than 15%, possibly least among its Indian peers, the research firm said. It also expects Cyient to report over 13 percent revenue CAGR over FY17-19. Meanwhile, the margins have scope to expand from the current 13.6% to 14.6% by FY19.

Power

CLSA has a buy call on Tata Power and a sell call on Adani Power and Adani Enterprises. The research firm sees no impact on Tata Powers estimates after the Supreme Courts ruling on compensatory tariffs. The company may cut cost by shifting to cheaper coal against Melawan currently. Tata Power Mundra UMPP claimed under- recovery of 70 paise/kwh during Q3, it said in its report.

Meanwhile, on Adani Power, CLSA feels the recovery of USD 578 million to Adani Power by Adani Enterprises looks tough after the apex courts order. Furthermore, Adani Power is falling short to service 12 percent of debt even at 90% operating PLF.

Non-banking financials

Credit Suisse is positive on Shriram Transport Finance, LIC Housing and Cholamandalam Finance. Additionally, it expects Bajaj Finance and Indiabulls to continue to deliver fast growth. Bharat Financial Inclusion should see some growth after the decline seen in Q3 and it will look for improvement in its collection efficiency. It expects steady growth and continued margin expansion for LIC Housing.

For vehicle financers, it sees a resumption in growth after being hit in December. Q4 will see two Shriram firms transition to 120 days past due (DPD) from 150 DPD. These lower DPD may result in an increase of gross NPA numbers.
Sushil Finance's commodity report on Crude oil

Crude oil prices turned positive on Tuesday, reversing course on reports that Saudi Arabia has told OPEC officials it wants to continue output cuts for an additional six months. Oil futures have been pinned in a range, supported by production cuts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel and other producing states but capped by rising U.S. shale oil production. The market, which retreated early in U.S. trading, turned positive after reports that Saudi Arabia said it wants to extend production cuts enacted in January for another six months when the group meets in May, according to the Wall Street Journal. OPEC members have previously said they lean toward oil cut extensions, as long as non - members are also involved. In post - settlement trade both grades got a boost as industry group the American Petroleum Institute said U.S. crude inventories has fallen by nearly 1.3 million barrels a day, defying expectations that they would increase 87,000 barrels in the week. U.S. crude inventories have touched record highs at the U.S. storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, and in the U.S. Gulf Coast in recent weeks, according to U.S. government data. If confirmed by U.S. Energy Information Administration figures on Wednesday, oil could get another boost. Analysts said, however, that there are worries demand growth could falter, and other indicators were warning that the market had not yet cleared enough of its surplus to keep prices rising.

We expect crude oil prices to trade positive on the back of reports that Saudi Arabia wants to continue output cuts for an additional six months.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

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Justice Chandrachud: The judge who is not afraid to dissent'
Kunal Bahl, CEO of India's e-commerce firm Snapdeal, poses after an interview with Reuters in Mumbai, India, February 6, 2017. REUTERS/Shailesh Andrade - RTX2ZT38

By Kunal Khattar

General Partner at advantEdge Partners

All entrepreneurs take risks. More often than not, and particularly in case of startups, their bets may not pay off.

Confronted with a failure, they have to make a choice  shut down the business or learn from their mistakes, reassess the environment, pivot and take another shot at reinventing and rebooting their business. If this reinvention is hinged upon innovation, success becomes increasingly plausible.

The Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter has stated that Innovation is the core of the theory of creative destruction. When applied to the current cycle of layoffs in Indian startups, it helps us make sense of these developments.

Snapdeals recent decision to let go of a large fraction of its workforce  estimated to be as high as 2,000 out of a total of 4,300 employees is an indication of the economists theory playing out for yet another time.

The Gurgaon based online marketplace, which has so far raised USD 1.56 billion in 11 rounds from 21 investors; including a USD 500 million round less than two years ago, has faced many crises before.

Each time though, its founders have pivoted their business and managed to stabilize the business.

Most startups take one-two pivots to get their business model right anyways, but Snapdeal has pivoted many times before and mostly emerged stronger every time. Will the current crisis be yet another turning point for the company? We would have to wait and watch.

The situation that Snapdeal finds itself in also throws up important lessons for the startup ecosystem at large.

It is a perfect example of how companies that raise too much money too soon end up going out looking for a fight. They put an unhealthy focus on beating their competition instead of wooing their customers.

They also inevitably end up scaling a model without first validating the same and testing the product market fit.

If there is no dearth of cash in the bank, companies end up attempting too many business models all at once -many times unrelated or at the most with minimum synergy, instead of focusing on just one and getting that right. The focus is on land grab (market share) instead of getting the unit economics right.

This diffusion of focus inevitably results in a lot of cash burn. At its peak, Snapdeal was spending Rs 50 crore every month on marketing and customer acquisition, in a bid to enhance its market share, because the belief at that time was that the next rounds valuation would be determined by a multiple of its GMV.

But, when the next round of funding did not come through, the marketing spends were promptly reduced to as low as Rs 5 crore a month. Talk about crash and burn. Or in this case Burn and Crash.

Difference between a pivot and turnaround

The theory of creative destruction further goes on to says that if something must fail, fail fast. Large and established companies undergo a slow decay for years, especially once their business model loses its relevance because of innovation and disruption from other more nimble competitors.

Startups do not have this luxury; and it is wise to quickly recognize how the rapidly altering external environment necessitates the need for a flexible business model and an iterative execution strategy, one that has the ability to a take corrective steps and evolves with as the business evolves over time.

Now that the founders have signaled their intentions to focus on profitability, they must realize that turnarounds requires very different skillsets from the ones that are needed to scale and grow operations in normal times.

Also, a turnaround is very different from a pivot. A pivot is normally attempted by companies at an early stage, which are still small and relatively nimble.

When you have already achieved scale, normally a company would attempt a turnaround to resolve a legitimate business crisis or a near death experience.

Turnarounds aim to resolve situations like mounting inefficiencies in operations or depleted cash reserves.

A pivot on the other hand is necessitated when the product-market fit is not right, or the response from customers was not as expected. A failed pilot also necessitates a pivot. But Snapdeal today needs a turnaround or amalgamation (which looks more likely now).

Developed markets have turnaround specialists whose job is to get the company back on its feet and running again. In India though, the job is made more difficult because of cultural issues around layoffs and resistance from other stakeholders.

Just look at how Snapdeals suppliers have already approached government fearing that they will not receive their payments.

The Snapdeal reincarnation has to taken as a sign of the Indian startup ecosystem maturing. Lets be clear, layoffs and rightsizing is not a big deal in any major developed markets around the world.

The ebbs in business cycles, especially funding slowdowns inevitably force startups to take drastic steps to ensure their survival. Besides, downsizing is clearly a better alternative to going out of business.

It leads to temporary pain to the laid off employees, but sooner or later they will end up finding other jobs in a competitive and growing market. Thats just the nature of the startup ecosystem.

For Snapdeal though, the road ahead is going to be very rough. All of the company stakeholders  from its employees and suppliers to the investors  will have to make sacrifices in terms of either job or salary cuts, receivables and reduced make to market valuation.

The unenviable task for the management is to execute these difficult steps while simultaneously ensuring that operations do not suffer.

Good communication will protect brand Snapdeal

I believe good PR and media relations will play a huge role in diffusing the current crisis. Snapdeal also needs to get better at crisis management.

The leaders should communicate more often, and be more open and transparent with all stakeholders  especially their employees and customers.

They not only need to protect their brand, but also communicate what it stands for, once the dust settles.

The founders have to be available to any and all employees who have questions and concerns.

It is an emotional time for all, but to ensure that you have the support of those remaining, you have to be seen as leading from the front. I still remember the time from my previous startup Carnation Auto, we were pivoting from a company owned asset heavy model to an asset light franchise model, we had to reduce a majority of the workforce over a period of time.

We spent three months in planning the process, ensured that there was continuous avenues of communication and sufficient resources to ensure that the pain was minimised. The founders and management lead from the front.

And apart from some minor challenges here and there, the company was able to achieve the objective and turn the operations around and achieve break-even.

I feel Snapdeal will emerge smaller, leaner and fitter at the end of this crisis, and in a much better position for an eventual merger or acquisition.

They are fortunate enough to have strong investors with deep pockets and experience with other portfolio companies, who will need to play a key role in this turnaround.

But like I said before, the terms of the transaction would hinge on how successfully the founders and the management are able to achieve this transition while keeping operations going. Lets wait and watch.

(Data source: Crunchbase, Moneycontrol Startups)

(advantEdge Partners is an investor in Smartivity, Shuttl, Rapido, IIMJobs and TrulyMadly.)
Four directors of a company which manufactured tobacco fragrance have been arrested by the CBI for allegedly cheating a consortium of public sector and private banks to the tune of Rs 2,240 crore.

Directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited--Chairman Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal-- have been arrested by the CBI on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB).

CBI Spokesperson R K Gaur said they have been sent to 10 days of agency's custody.

The company manufactured fragrance used in various tobacco products commonly called 'zarda'.

The accused named in the CBI FIR registered in 2014 have been arrested as the agency suspected that they were trying to flee the country, the CBI sources said.

They said the directors were not cooperating with the agency and were allegedly reluctant to share details of the purported fund diversion.

The agency has alleged that the directors used more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds, they said.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the CBI sources said.

The company was given a loan of over Rs 2,000 crore by a consortium of 20 banks, including four private banks, the sources said.

They said the account of the company was declared as non- performing asset in July, 2012 when the total outstanding towards company was Rs 2,066 crore which swelled to Rs 2,240 crore when the FIR was registered in 2014.

The CBI alleged that the company had availed working capital by fudging account books, stock statement and accounts of people.

The sources said the probe so far shows that there was no genuine business.

The agency has registered five cases against the company so far out of which charge sheets have been filed in two. Probe is underway in three cases.

The funds given as loan by the banks were used for purposes other than those they were meant for, the CBI alleged.

According to the books of the company, the stock of perfumery items were shown to be Rs 887 crore to the banks but the investigation showed that only Rs five crore worth stock was available with it, the sources said.

"The said firm also allegedly diverted Rs 376 crore out of the working capital limit obtained from consortium of banks to six wholly owned foreign subsidiaries based in Singapore, Hong Kong, Dubai, Indonesia, Ghana and China. Further investigation is continuing," Gaur said.
* Nearly 16bn euros of debt to be sold at auction

* Debt sales from Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Germany

* Geopolitical tensions continue to dominate

* Euro zone periphery govt bond yields http://tmsnrt.rs/2ii2Bqr

By John Geddie

LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) - Yields on most euro zone government bonds edged up on Wednesday with nearly 16 billion euros of upcoming debt sales weighing on risk-averse, holiday-thinned markets.

After a number of days in which rising political and diplomatic tensions have put investors off riskier assets, analysts said debt sales from the likes of Italy and Portugal may prove challenging, especially just days before the Easter break.

On the flip side, steep yield falls in safe haven German Bunds suggest there should be demand for Berlin's sale of 10-year debt -- although recent auctions of both two- and five-year bonds have failed.

France is the focus of concern for European investors, with far left veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon surging up the polls to join another anti-EU candidate Marine Le Pen among the contenders for the presidency. The first round vote is on April 23.

Rattling nerves in broader markets, the Syrian conflict has put the United States on a collision course with Moscow, allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while North Korea warned of a nuclear attack on the United States.

"A veritable glut of government-bond issues will be appearing on what is a rather reluctant market: Italy, Ireland, Portugal and Germany will all be vying for the favour of relatively risk-averse investors," DZ Bank analyst Christoph Kutt said.

"With the market possibly showing a low level of receptiveness, it is quite conceivable that some price concessions will have to be offered at these auctions."

German 10-year yields - the bloc's benchmark - nudged back above 0.20 percent having hit a five-week low of 0.192 percent on Tuesday.

Yields on lower-rated bonds from the likes of Italy, Spain and Portugal were up 2-3 bps on the day.

Story continues

Italy is set to offer up to 10 billion euros of four bonds on Wednesday, Ireland and Portugal will offer up to 1.25 billion euros in dual bond auctions, and Germany aims to sell 3 billion euros of Bunds. The auctions get underway from around 0900 GMT.

Analysts at Mizuho said there was lukewarm demand for bonds sold by the Netherlands and Austria on Tuesday and that countries selling bonds on Wednesday could see some underperformance.

Investors tend to sell bonds in secondary markets ahead of debt sales to make room in their portfolios for new supply.

"We are expecting a similar dynamic at play today with the large supply slate weighing on outright direction for Bund while countries with bonds on offer today should lag other euro zone government bonds," Mizuho said.

For Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets
Education

Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu.

Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu.

Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events:

International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu.

EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu.

Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale  an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s  will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets  June Homecoming: Participant  $18 per person; Sustainer  $25 per person; Benefactor  $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler  Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary.

The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events:

SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available  for information call 610-275-1960

Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above)

SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m.

Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.

Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m.

Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.  4 p.m.  computers are available during those hours.

Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863.

Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376.

Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com.

The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes:

Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at

other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020.

CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313.

The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events:

Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m.

Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m.

Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m.

Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m.

Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30.

Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301.

For Kids & Families

The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443.

Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950.

Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required.

The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950.

Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus.

Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage.

Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun.

Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train.

Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world!

Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class.

Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org.

Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583.

Community Events at the Ambler Y:

-YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register.

Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org.

Health

Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot.

The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863.

The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information.

Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245.

Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net.

Spring Aquatic Programs  UDHS Pool:

-Summer is just around the corner  Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required.

 Shallow Water Aerobics  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR.

 Adult Swim Instructions  Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR

-Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21.

-Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday  Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m.

-Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons.

-Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates.

Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994.

SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com.

Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org.

Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs:

FITNESS CLASSES

Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month.

Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30  9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly.

SUPPORT GROUPS

Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000.

Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30  7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047.

New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.  12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30  4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931.

Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325.

Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes.

Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com.

Librarytalk

Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744

www.upperdublinlibrary.org

APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS:

Storytimes: Please register in the library.

o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m.

o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m.

o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m.

o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6.

APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS:

North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee

APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS:

NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org.

One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register  contact info above.

Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744.

o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register.

Meetings:

Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m.

Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m.

Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org.

For children and teens at Blue Bell:

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m.

* May 14  Despicable Me

* June 11  Alpha and Omega

* Special Events

* April  watch for date of spring/Easter events

* April 14 at 4:30 p.m.  Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children.

* April 14 at 7 p.m.  Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided.

* April 16 at 1 p.m.  Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King.

* April 16 at 1:30 p.m.  Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes?

* April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button.

* April 30 through May 3  Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults.

* May  sign up for Science in the Summer

* June  sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children

* June  sign up for Summer Reading, all ages

For adults at Blue Bell:

* Daytime Book Discussion Group  fourth Tuesday, Jan  April at 1:30 p.m.

* April 26  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Night-time Book Discussion Group  third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.

o April 19  The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

* Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges

o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked?

*Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs

* Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class.

* Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class.

* Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m.

* Giant Book Sale, April 29  May 3

o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults!

o Held during library hours.

o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m.

o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join.

* Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series

o May 11 at 1 p.m.  Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society

* Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room.

* Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read.

* Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome.

* Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome.

*Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older.

* Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours

* Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours

* Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday!

Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library.

* Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian.

* Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages.

* Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages.

* For adults:

* Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn.

* Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net

* Special Events:

* April 14 at 1:30 p.m.  Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian.

* April 19 at 7 p.m.  Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m.

* April 21 at 7 p.m.  Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades.

*May 2 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

*May 10  Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*May 12 at 1:30p.m.  Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

*May 17  Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m.

*June 13 at 6:30 p.m.  Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time.

Meetings and Lectures

The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833.

The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200.

The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/.

LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings.

Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org.

Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org)

-Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them.

The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter.

For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps.

Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin.

Special Events

The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County.

The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065.

Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org.

The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members.

Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex.

The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com.

The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348.

The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org.

Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163.

The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu.

The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com.

The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net.

Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd.

The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages.

13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries.

Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler.

The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family.

The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler.

JPRN  Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them  Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike.

Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies.

Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately.

Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information.

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways.

Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table.

Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m.

Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp  Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday  Friday from 9 a.m.  4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374

Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall:

-Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store.

Music and Theater

The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220.

Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html.

Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free.

The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org

Religious News

The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276.

Reunions

St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net.

Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572.

Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779.

Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net

Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net

The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411.

Support

New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149.

PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931.

The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296.

Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656.

Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group  every other Wednesday, 7  8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support  second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner  Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers  Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information.

CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7  8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided.

The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich,
Some of Pennsylvania's largest counties are working to help voters fix mail-in ballots that have fatal flaws such as incorrect dates or lack of signatures on the envelopes used to send them in.
Letter to editor: Voting is necessary to protect democracy
By Ricardo Brito and Lisandra Paraguassu BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Brazilian Supreme Court justice on Tuesday opened investigations into eight ministers in President Michel Temer's cabinet and dozens of sitting lawmakers allegedly linked to the country's biggest-ever corruption scandal. The office of Justice Edson Fachin released the names of the politicians targeted after lifting the seal on plea bargain testimony from 77 employees of builder Odebrecht [ODBES.UL], which has admitted paying millions of dollars in bribes. The investigation into eight ministers, or nearly a third of the president's cabinet, poses a serious threat to Temer's efforts to regain investor confidence and lift the economy out of its worst recession on record. Temer's office declined to comment. The ministers targeted include Eliseu Padilha, Temer's chief of staff and an experienced politician who is considered key in negotiations with Congress to approve the administration's landmark pension reform. Padilha declined to comment on the investigation order, saying he will defend himself in court. Temer's ministers of foreign affairs, trade and agriculture will also be investigated as part of the case that has shaken Brazil's political establishment and jolted financial markets. The heads of both houses of Brazil's Congress are being targeted as well as senior politicians from both Temer's ruling coalition and the opposition, including former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Dilma Rousseff. "The political crisis will deepen and we risk an institutional paralysis because the entire Brazilian political system is under question," opposition senator Jorge Viana, who is also under investigation, said in a statement. Brazil's top public prosecutor in March asked the Supreme Court to open 83 investigations into senior politicians based on the Odebrecht employees' testimony. Local media have reported the testimony accuses dozens of politicians of taking bribes to help what was once Latin America's biggest builder win lucrative contracts with state-run oil company Petrobras. Rodrigo Maia, the head of the Chamber of Deputies, said his innocence will be proved during the investigation. Other politicians also insisted they were innocent and discredited the testimonies. Temer has vowed to suspend ministers who are charged and dismiss any if indicted. Aides close to Temer have told Reuters that it could take months for the ministers to be charged, meaning Padilha and other key cabinet members will likely stay in their posts long enough to secure the pension reform's passage. Former presidential candidate and likely contender for the 2018 elections, Senator Aecio Neves of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB) also will be investigated, the daily reported. (Reporting by Ricardo Brito, writing by Alonso Soto; editing by Daniel Flynn, G Crosse and Bill Trott)
Rabbis installation at Keneseth Israel will get a boost of student creativity
The only one that couldn't make it had a pretty good reason not to be there...

2 hours ago
Around 80 workers are expected to be permanently laid off after Duralee Fabrics and The Robert Allen Group merged at the end of March.

The closing of Duralee Ltd., which has a facility located on Hopewell Road in Morganton, will affect 82 employees, according to a WARN notice filed with the North Carolina Department of Commerce. A WARN notice requires employers to provide a 60-day advance notice of certain plant closings and mass layoffs, according to the commerce department.

Duralees WARN notice says the date the layoffs take effect is May 30 but company information says the merger was to take place immediately. The company had 162 employees as of December, according to information from Western Piedmont Council of Governments.

Lee Silberman, the former executive vice president of Duralee, has been named CEO of the newly merged company, which is called The Robert Allen Duralee Group, according to company information.

They are each a division of a new company called The Robert Allen Duralee Group. The Robert Allen Group and Duralee will continue to operate as separate divisions and will continue to sell their products under their brands, the company says.

In June 2015, Duralee, which has been in Burke County since 2005, was awarded a $410,000 building reuse grant from the N.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority to help with an expansion of its Hopewell Road facility. The city of Morganton and Burke County agreed at the time to split a required local grant match of $17,750.

The grant was contingent on the company hiring at least 41 new workers.

Leah Martin, senior planner for Western Piedmont Council of Governments, which administered the grant, said Duralee did not take advantage of the full grant. She said it only requested $98,622.50 of the grant.

Martin said typically a grant is for two years but a company can request extensions. She said a company that receives any building reuse grant money has to produce a cleared check for the work that was done on the building. She said shes sure the company spent its own money on the building as well, in addition to the grant money.

The building reuse grant the company received was contingent on it hiring more than 41 full-time employees and keeping them for six months. Martin said the company hired more than the required 41 workers and kept them for longer than the grant required.

There will not be an issue to close out the grant, Martin said.

Martin said t heir goal was 41, and they well exceeded their full-time employee commitment.

Hope Hopkins, director of business retention and expansion for Burke Development Inc., said Duralee has two division, fabrics and furniture. On Tuesday, Hopkins said she believes it is the fabrics division that is affected by the merger.

In a letter on its website about the merger, Silberman said The Robert Allen Group and Duralee will continue to operate as separate divisions and will continue to sell products from their respective brands. He said the new company has 500 employees.

The Robert Allen Group was owned by investment firm Altamont Capital Partners prior to the merger, according to a press release from the company. It said Altamont will continue to serve as a financial partner to The Robert Allen Duralee Group.

The Robert Allen Duralee Group has its corporate headquarters in Hauppauge, New York, and now has a combined total of 24 corporate showrooms in 12 locations nationwide, according to information from the company.

Sharon McBrayer is a staff writer and can be reached at smcbrayer@morganton.com or at 828-432-8946.




china military

Amid a productive phone call between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese state-run media reported that 150,000 Chinese troops went to North Korea's border.

Both China and the US have pushed back on the claims of troops massing, however.

International observers fear that North Korea may conduct another nuclear test this weekend on the anniversary of the founding of Kim Jong Un's regime, but the US has broadcast loud and clear that nuclear posturing in the Korean peninsula will no longer be tolerated.

In March, Business Insider talked to Sim Tack, a North Korea expert at Stratfor, a geopolitical-analysis firm, who speculated how Chinese forces could stop North Korea's nuclear program without firing a shot.

Tack predicted China would "definitely react to and try to prevent" a US strike on North Korea. The US increasingly has touted military strikes as an option against the Kim regime, even going as far as positioning an aircraft carrier off Korea's coast.

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"The overt presence of Chinese forces would dissuade the US from going into that territory because they would run the risk of inviting that larger conflict themselves," Tack said.

Chinese forces in North Korea would "be in a position to force a coup or force Kim's hand" to disarm, Tack said.

Ultimately, China, North Korea's biggest backer, would attempt "to make sure North Korea still exists and serves Chinese interests while it stops acting as a massive bullseye to the US," he added.

Kim Jong Un

In this way, China could preserve its buffer state from falling to Western influence, prevent a US military strike on its borders, and even prevent a nuclear war.

Story continues

Besides its possible troop buildup, China also seems willing to apply pressure to the Kim regime in other ways. Last week, Beijing ordered its customs authorities to reject coal imports from North Korea  a big hit to the regime's wallet, since coal makes up about 40% of its total exports.

NOW WATCH: A Navy SEAL explains what to do if you're attacked by a shark





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Jeremy Grantham: This is my favourite exhibit on oil. For 100 years, it oscillated wildly, which is it's wound around $19 and then in OPEC of 1972 it jumped to about $36 and then more recently it jumped, I think, to about $65. I used to think $75, but about $65. The point here is it's not $19 in today's currency. We have nearly quadrupled the cars. We are beginning to show signs of all resources running out.

This was the general graceful decline in prices of resources and then we had a recovery for no known reason. Not World War I or World War II like the others, it just went up. And then it came down and bounced around. But you can see that the old trend is probably dead and gone, and I believe price of oil will once again in several years be considerably higher.

Agriculture is another point which interacts with climate change and other problems. The productivity in the green revolution on the left was 3.5% a year, just sensational. In three years, you had a 10% increase. Not surprisingly, it came down. It's down to 1.2% which is exactly the 10-year average growth in global population. We have no safety margin, no run for people to eat cattle which is 5 times as grain intensive. It is a dead heat at the moment and erosion and climate change working against us.

Another problem you will not be aware of is that you cannot grow anything, animal or vegetable, without phosphorus or potassium, but we'll deal phosphorus because 77% of all the cheap useful phosphorus in the world is in Morocco and the Western Sahara that it controls. If you took them out for any political reason, in 55 years, assuming a 2% annual growth in food, and we run out.

Why a crisis now on resources? The population explosion. When you see any chart like this in investing, you want to jump. I put in Malthus at $1 billion and my birth at under 2 billion, 1.7 billion, and now we're 7.5 billion heading almost certainly to 10 billion. And the other reason was China gobbling up the world. 53% of every bag of cement on the planet was used in China and 48% of all the iron ore, etc., 47% of the coal.

The possible saving grace to frame this picture is the declining population growth, the fertility rate that Malthus never even dreamt of. We have chosen because children are damn expensive and incredibly inconvenient. All the developed countries have decided to drop below a replacement level and as have China, Japan, and the Far East. The only problem here is Africa, and if the U.N. were to be right, which it will not be, you can see in red a 2 billion increase and change, 2.5 billion, in the rest of Africa and Nigeria exploding to 750 million. When I was born, it had 26 billion.

Incidentally, Syria had 2.8 million and now has 28 million. It has many more migrants than it had population when I was born. The big problem here is pressure on resources forcing immigration from Africa and the near east, climate change making it worse and threatening the liberal tradition of Europe with the waves of immigration, which I'm sorry to say I wrote about four years ago, the liberal traditions are looking a little shaky as we sit.

The other saving grace is the enormous progress in alternatives, far greater than most people realize. You can see the stunning scale for utility, solar there from $400 to $54 just in the last handful of years and wind keeping up. They have actually been bided and accepted, signed contracts at 30 on both of them in northern Chile and Qatar.

And this is now competitive. Solar and wind without year-round storage is cheaper than coal. On the contracts signed, in Chile, you are talking a lower price than the variable cost of coal, just the cost of the material not the cost of the plant, the maintenance and the depreciation.
BEIJING, April 12 (Reuters) - Ant Financial, the finance affiliate of Alibaba Group Holding, and Indonesian media company Elang Mahkota Teknologi (Emtek) are to form a joint venture to offer payment and financial services in Indonesia.

The Emtek tie-up is Ant's fifth international payments deal since November, seeking to tap Asia's third-largest country by population as the company continues to extend its mobile finance empire outside China.

The new venture will initially take the form of a payments platform within BlackBerry's messaging service, which has about 63 million users in Indonesia, the two companies said in a joint statement.

"Ant Financial has proven know-how in delivering payment and other financial solutions to a large and growing mobile audience in China ... and we are looking forward to replicating and creating this success in Indonesia," Emtek CEO Alvin Sariaatmadja said in the statement.

Ant's Alipay payment app has 450 million users, the vast majority of which are in China, where it is the country's most popular mobile wallet. The company also has an internet banking licence and offers financial services including insurance products and mutual funds.

Reuters first reported that Ant and Emtek were in talks last month.

Ant has already struck deals with Thai payment company Ascend Money, South Korea's Kakao Pay Corp and Philippines-based fintech business Mynt. It also has plans to close further deals in Asia this year.

The Indonesian venture also comes as Ant faces off against U.S. company Euronet Worldwide to acquire Dallas-based Moneygram International, a remittance business that could play a significant role in linking Ant's other payment assets in Asia.

Emtek, an investor in online marketplace Bukalapak.com and travel portal Reservasi.com, signed a strategic alliance with BlackBerry last June and will help Ant Financial to roll out a range of payment products anchored in the BlackBerry social messaging system (BBM) as well as payment services for unspecified e-commerce platforms in Indonesia.

An Ant Financial spokeswoman declined to comment on a timeline for when services by the new joint venture will be rolled out.

(Reporting by Cate Cadell; Editing by David Goodman)


We polled brokers and agents for opinion on potential cooling measures and sentiment was decidedly split.



In what is likely the most comprehensive survey of agent opinion on the matter, the results are in on whether or not the industry is in favour of a foreign sales tax in Toronto.



A total of 3,343 REP readers took part in our latest poll, in which we asked whether a Toronto foreign sales tax was a good idea.



Opinion was decidedly split.



Of those based in Toronto, 49% said it would a good idea compared to 51% disagreed.



Outside of Toronto, meanwhile, agents had a relatively similar split: 51% were in favour of a Toronto foreign buyer tax compared to 49% against.



A similar question was asked of MortgageBrokerNews.ca readers.



The results were slightly different.



Of those polled, 65% were in favour of market intervention; 23% believe the market should be left to its own devices; and 12% were undecided.



A lot has changed since last summers bombshell announcement that Vancouver would start taxing foreign homebuyers an additional 15%. Vancouvers real estate prices took a dive while Torontos skyrocketed.



And while there is no concrete proof that foreign money that would have been spent in Vancouver is making its way further east, anecdotal evidence certainly supports that hypothesis.



Now, it seems, the debate has been reignited in Toronto.



A year ago I was thinking, Let market forces prevail, Finance Minister Charles Sousa recently said when asked about the potential tax. But now Im concerned about  the ability of people to enter the marketplace. [There are] bidding wars everywhere you go, it appears, and Im sensitive to that.



For its part, however, the housing industry in Ontario is against the tax.



"Home affordability needs to be addressed before millennials are completely priced out of the market, said Ontario Real Estate Association CEO Tim Hudak. That is why Ontario Realtors have called for the creation of an Affordable Homeownership Task Force. We need real estate experts to come together to hammer out a plan for making homeownership more attainable for first-time buyers and young families.



The main culprit behind rapidly rising house prices is the GTAs unbalanced market  housing supply cannot meet demand  not foreign buyers, Hudak continued. A foreign buyer tax would only penalize the international MBA student who will one day start her own business in our province, or the surgeon aspiring to work at Sick Kids. Before we pin a tax on foreigners, we need to address the elephant in the room, and thats the lack of housing supply.
The largest commercial property owner in Quebec has just announced the release of its financial results for the quarter that just ended on March 31.



Cominar Real Estate Investment Trustcurrently the third largest diversified REIT in Canada, owning a total of 44.1 million square feet of office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use space in Quebec, Ontario, the Atlantic Provinces and Western Canadascheduled its Q1 2017 results release for May 11 (Thursday).



Management will also hold a conference call on the same day at 11:00 a.m. (EST) to discuss the REIT's financial results and performance, the company announced. Presentation materials will be made available on the REIT's website at www.cominar.com prior to the call.



Interested parties can join the conference call by dialling in (1 888) 390-0546 five minutes before the call begins. A recording of the conference will be available at (1 888) 390-0541, code 869839 # from May 11 (2:00 p.m.) to May 25 (11:59 p.m.).
In its latest report, the BC Non-Profit Housing Association found that homelessness in the Metro Vancouver area has reached crisis levels as it intensified by a full 30 per cent from the previous study conducted in 2014.Created in collaboration with M.Thomson Consulting and prepared on behalf of Homelessness Partnering Strategys Community Entity, the Preliminary Data Report for the 2017 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver revealed that 3,605 people are currently homeless in the region as of March 8.Of those, 2,573 are sheltered and 1,032 remained unsheltered. Vancouver itself has the largest homeless population at 2,138, while Surrey came second with 602 homeless individuals.BC Non-Profit Housing Association CEO Kishone Roy noted that the situation underscores the need for urgent government intervention.Significant investments in new affordable housing, maintenance of the existing housing stock and coordination of support services for people who are homeless is needed at all levels immediately to address this crisis, Roy explained. Both the federal and provincial governments, have recently made significant investments but even these are insufficient to address our affordable housing backlog.In terms of demographics, the elderly represented around 23 per cent of the regions homeless population, with 230 seniors aged 55 to 65 years old and 176 seniors aged above 65. Meanwhile, individuals aged under 25 years old comprised 16 per cent of the homeless population, with 199 children aged under 19 and 179 young adults aged 19 to 24 years old.

Related stories:

B.C. judge orders shutdown of tent city amid worsening conditions


A few weeks ago I met a couple girlfriends at the Yellow Cab Building for the Brunch Food Truck Rally. Since brunch is my favorite meal of the week, I was geared up to go. I was properly caffeinated, had cash in my pocket, and my pants had a little stretch to make way for all the yummy food ahead of me. When I got there I was shocked by the amount of people who had the same plan in mind. Everywhere I turned the lines were long. I thought to myself that surely no food that came out of a truck could possibly be worth waiting for, but wait I did.

We landed on the always fresh and delightful Shakery Juice Bar since my friends and I were looking for something light and healthy to eatbut smells of waffle batter and maple syrup kept wafting in my direction. Where was this heavenly scent coming from? Of course the truck with the longest line of the day: The Drunken Waffle.

As I practically licked the last of my acai berry bowl, I made a mental note to wait for some waffles the next time. Fortunately the next time came around much sooner than I had expected. The Drunken Waffle was parked out back of the Cannery Loft Apartments the very next weekend, so my husband and I decided to give some waffles a whirl.

We ordered two meals and decided to split them. I went relatively traditional with the 50 Shades of Swine, a bacon wrapped breakfast sausage cooked into the waffle batter. It was accompanied by a jalapeno maple syrup that wasnt overly spicy, but left a nice lingering tickle on the tip of my tongue. My husband took a left at classic and went with a dish that was full of twists and delicious turns: The War Pig. This dish had ham, bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and a scrumptious herbed mayo sandwiched in between a spicy, 3 pepper waffle. He also got a side of asparagus that were perfectly seasoned and cooked.

All in all, the meal was as whimsical as the names of the dishes, the flavor combinations were spot on, and the portions were not overwhelming. Most importantly, the waffles tasted good, they were fluffy and flavorful. I always appreciate when a restaurant (or in this case a food truck) can introduce some creativity into their food without losing focus of the basics. The Drunken Waffles food is fun and exciting while still keeping the flavors at the forefront.

So the next time you find yourself in a long line at a food truck rally asking How good can food from a truck really be?

Trust that it can be really, really good, and yes, it may even be worth the wait!

Where you can find the Drunken Waffle this week:

Wednesday | Air National Guard Base in Springfield (Military access required) from 11am-2pm

Thursday | WHIO (1611 S Main Street in Dayton) from 11am-2pm

Saturday | Home Depot Rally in Centerville from 11am-6pm



Brunch! Food Truck Rallies at the Yellow Cab are held on the first Sunday of every month, through September.
(Peter Apps is Reuters global affairs columnist, writing on international affairs, globalization, conflict and other issues. He is founder and executive director of the Project for Study of the 21st Century; PS21, a non-national, non-partisan, non-ideological think tank. Before that, he spent 12 years as a reporter for Reuters covering defense, political risk and emerging markets. Since 2016, he has been a member of the British Army Reserve and the UK Labour Party. The opinions expressed are his own.)

By Peter Apps

April 12 (Reuters) - If there was ever any doubt that President Donald Trumps strike against Syria was also intended to send a message to Pyongyang, the deployment this weekend of a U.S. carrier strike group towards the Korean Peninsula should have cleared it up.

There is now a strange symmetry to the two principal foreign policy crises the Trump administration is confronting: the civil war in Syria and North Koreas growing nuclear weapons program. Each bisects Washingtons relations with its two primary geopolitical rivals, Russia and China. And neither offers an easy solution.

Washington would like North Koreas Kim Jong Un and Syrias Bashar al-Assad gone. It believes North Koreas nuclear ambitions risk a regional conflict, while Syrias ongoing civil war is destabilizing the Middle East and providing havens for militant groups such as Islamic State.

None of the military options for North Korea are good, and most risk sparking the conflict everyone wants to avoid  possibly while leaving the countrys nuclear program intact. The Obama administration tried to topple Assad through limited support to local forces, without success. No one in the Trump White House has publicly pushed for a large ground intervention, even if Trump could get such an operation past Congress.

At best, the Trump administration hopes it could do a grand bargain with Moscow and Beijing, persuading them to help bring things under control.

Story continues

At the same time, greater U.S. military action could feed the growing risk of confrontation between nuclear superpowers. Those at the top of the administration  particularly National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Defense Secretary James Mattis, the key voices behind Thursdays strike  know this. In Thursdays strike the U.S. military prioritized avoiding Russian casualties, giving Moscow advanced warning and minimizing the threat to Russian advisers believed to be on the targeted Shayrat airbase.

The strike doesnt appear to be the start of a wider U.S. effort to topple Assad militarily. In a weekend interview with Fox News, McMaster said its goal was largely limited to deterring further use of chemical weapons.

Persuading Russian President Vladimir Putin to switch positions on Assad will be a main focus for U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillersons Moscow visit. The strike, however, has hurt Trumps chances of having improved relations with Putin, who will reportedly not meet the top U.S. diplomat.

At the very least, Moscow now seems likely to step up military support for both Syria and Iran, including possibly the supply of air defense weaponry that will make further U.S. action more difficult.

In the aftermath of the missile launches from U.S. warships in the Mediterranean, Russia sent one of its own vessels to patrol the same area. Chinas sole aircraft carrier has also been exercising off the Korean Peninsula, a reminder of its likely opposition to any U.S. military action there.

Russia also reportedly pulled out from its deal to coordinate aerial activities over Syria after the strike, raising the risk of inadvertent incidents. Reports differ on whether the deconfliction line has since been reinstated  the U.S. military says it wont comment on the status of the agreement or exact methods used, but that it continues to communicate with Russian officials.

These disputes could also poison wider relations. Moscow could retaliate for the Syria strike with further violence in Ukraine or by destabilizing Eastern Europe. If relations with China were to collapse over a strike on North Korea, Beijing could become even more assertive in the South China Sea. Alternatively, either power might try to retaliate in cyberspace, sparking a new kind of warfare no one knows how to control.

This weekends meeting between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping was always partly intended to be about clearing up some of those differences, or at least making sure all sides knew where they stood. The U.S. administration hopes the strikes on Syria helped show Beijing that Washington is not to be trifled with, but it also wants to hold open the option of partnership.

It may have worked, at least for now. An article in Chinas state-run Global Times quoted a Chinese analyst as saying North Koreas pursuit of nuclear weapons was approaching Chinas bottom line, implying Beijing might take a tougher stance against Pyongyang. But it repeated Chinas opposition to U.S. military action, which the analyst and other experts said could bring about unbearable consequences.

Washington wants to keep up the psychological pressure on both the North Korean and Syrian leadership. U.S. officials said one option considered but rejected at this stage was a direct decapitation strike against Assad . U.S. forces have also reportedly trained for direct attacks on North Koreas Kim.

For now, the restraining hand of Moscow and Beijing probably keeps that within the realm of diplomatic posturing. As the United States learned in Iraq, regime change can only usher in more problems  but its a reminder how the shifting global landscape has changed for Washington since 2003.

In his interview with Fox, McMaster said the Trump administration has managed a remarkable degree of concurrent activity this week over Russia, Syria and its summit with China and nobody even broke a sweat over it. But neither of these stories is over, and there could be some very sweaty days to come. (By Peter Apps)
Inlanta Mortgage branch manager and MPA Hot 100 alum Kevin Laffey has been promoted to regional production manager, according to Inlanta.In his new role, Laffey will work with mortgage professionals who are seeking to expand their business in the Kansas, Missouri and Iowa markets. Hell also continue in his role as a branch manager.Laffey has more than 26 years experience in the industry. For the last six years, hes served as a branch manager in the Kansas City market. Hes also played a key role in the growth of Inlantas third-party origination solutions in the market. Hes a recipient of the Mortgage Bankers Associations Lifetime Achievement Award and Inlantas Corporate Citizenship and Leadership Excellence Award.Kevin has been an instrumental member of the Inlanta team, said Nicholas DelTorto, president and CEO of Inlanta. His leadership and dedication to helping Inlanta grow is unparalleled and I am excited to have Kevin on the business development team.We have seen significant growth within the last quarter, and we want to expand our footprint and continue to grow our presence, said Chad Gomoll, Inlanta senior vice president. Kevin Laffey is a veteran mortgage banker and will help us accomplish our planned growth strategy by serving a vital role on our business development team.
ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - Apr 12, 2017) - Dominovas Energy Corporation (OTCQB: DNRG) (the "Company") today announces that it has received from the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water (MINEA) an invitation to secure the exclusive right to an 18MW hydroelectric project. The project will be located in northwestern Angola, and will produce over 150,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year. This hydro project will represent an estimated US$90 million investment to Angola's energy sector. As current rates often can exceed US$.20/ per kWh in Angola, this project will begin to dilute the significantly overburdened energy cost.

Execution of the project will be directed by Vassilis Koutras, Dominovas Energy's Managing Director, Africa. The hydroelectric deployment will be facilitated using "Best In Class" EPC, suppliers and vendors that focus on hydroelectric power generation solutions with minimal impact to the environment and natural resources. The proprietary ORCAS (Ocean River Current Access Solutions) installation will utilize the most advanced, eco-friendly and effective hydro technologies available for sustainable power generation. The system enables on- and off-grid clean energy flexibility for the generation of electricity from river-based power generating systems.

It is anticipated that the deployment will complement an existing hydropower plant; a project that reflects several years of collaboration between Dominovas and government officials to explore much-needed clean, efficient, and reliable power solutions for Angola.

"Dominovas Energy's leadership remains committed to powering Africa. This project is yet another example of our commitment, and it is nice to have completed this phase in the negotiations with the government of Angola. The Dominovas team has been relentless in its efforts in Angola, to deliver this project. Long in the making, yes, but well worth the wait. I now look forward to the next set of steps in our process," says Koutras.

Next steps will include the completion of appropriate bankable feasibility studies, the negotiation of all off-take agreement terms and conditions, which will be supported by the requisite government guarantees which will cover Dominovas' investment in the power plant and attendant infrastructure.

"Angola and its leadership has long been at the table with Dominovas Energy in an effort to determine a precise solution that benefits both parties. I am honored our Company has been selected for this high-profile project, and I applaud the administration for its vision and unyielding determination to deliver continuous, reliable, and efficient electricity to its people. We do not take this selection lightly and look forward to moving to execution and implementation with each of the venerable, 'Best-In-Class' partners that will work with us to deliver this power plant," says Dominovas chairman and CEO Neal Allen.

The project will be funded by Dominovas' financing partner, Graecrest Energy Solutions and its partners, under a $1.2 billion financing agreement announced October 27, 2015. Further, the project construct is set by the Angola-mandated "FBOOT" program, which refers to a "Finance, Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer" model.

About Dominovas Energy Corporation (OTCQB: DNRG)

Founded in 2005, Dominovas Energy Corporation (DEC) is a publicly traded company, based in Nevada. With its operating headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, Dominovas Energy Corporation is a leading power solutions provider to emerging markets around the world. DEC seeks to deploy its proprietary RUBICON Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology, the ORCAS hydro systems and sourced clean coal technology for deployment in multi-megawatt power generation units worldwide. The worldwide need of clean and efficient production and distribution of is well documented. Dominovas Energy recognizes that worldwide, the markets offer immense potential for commercial development of energy resources. Dominovas Energy is aggressively moving to allocate its intellectual and financial capital forthwith, in order to strategically address this opportunity. By engaging throughout the world, Dominovas Energy is committed to creating shareholder value by not only generating guaranteed revenue streams, but also by increasing the value of "human and community capital." Devoted to core values by operating under the utmost of honesty and integrity in all its business transactions, Dominovas Energy is additionally dedicated to respecting the rights of all individuals, while acknowledging and respecting all cultures necessary to support the growth and development of the communities and countries in which it operates. The Company strongly believes that the impact of advanced "energy" technology can and will positively change the world, and Dominovas Energy is resolute in its mission to provide electricity where and when economically viable.

For more information, visit www.dominovasenergy.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release, as well as other statements made by Dominovas Energy Corporation (the "Company"), contain forward-looking statements that reflect, when made, the Company's current views with respect to current events and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are subject to many risks, uncertainties and factors relating to the Company's operations and business environment, which may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results. All statements that address future operating, financial or business performance or the Company's strategies or expectations are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as is applicable would be discussed under captions as follows: "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in the Company's filings as would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as required. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect the Company. It should be remembered that the price of the ordinary shares and any income from them can go down as well as up. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by law.
Michigan Technological University is one of eight universities selected to participate in a new collegiate competitionAutoDrive Challengehosted by GM and SAE International.

Students competing in the challenge have been tasked with designing, building and testing a fully autonomous vehicle. They will start with a Chevy Bolt and outfit it with sensors, control systems and computer processors to successfully navigate an urban driving course in automated driving mode.

And they have three years to make it happen.

"It is an ambitious project, with an ambitious goal, and I couldn't be happier that we will be a part of it," says Dan Fuhrmann, the chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

"I have a lot of respect for these other institutions and I know the competition will be stiff," Fuhrmann says. "I welcome the opportunity to see how Michigan Tech stacks up."

The Michigan Tech team is led by Jeremy Bos, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, who worked closely with Darrell Robinette, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering who worked at GM for nine years. Michigan Techs Enterprise Program will be a key part of the project; Rick Berkey of the Pavlis Honors College, which oversees much of the Enterprise Program, also helped organize Michigan Techs AutoDrive team.

On the student side, the AutoDrive Challenge project will be spearheaded by the Robotic Systems Enterprise, and Bos will become their faculty adviser next year. The enterprise is hosted in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and relies on mechanical engineering and computer science collaboration.

"This is a great opportunity for these three units to show what can be accomplished when we break down the silos a little bit and work toward a common goal," Fuhrmann says. "I see a renaissance in the state driven by new mobility technologies, which leverages the considerable engineering talent that already exists here. Engineers who can cross disciplinary boundaries among mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and computer science are needed to keep this movement vital."

Throughout the AutoDrive Challenge competition cycle, students and faculty will be invited to attend technology-specific workshops to help them in their concept refinement and overall autonomous technical understanding.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
Chad Brisbois is one of 53 graduate students in the US to earn a place in the Department of Energy's Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program.

Brisbois, a physics PhD candidate at Michigan Technological University, is heading to the Los Alamos National Laboratory for several months later this year as part of the DOE program. He will be collaborating with researchers who run a specialized gamma-ray observatory called the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) in Mexico.

For his PhD thesis, Brisbois analyzes binary systems where a compact object, such as a black hole or a neutron star, orbits a massive star. They emit periodic electromagnetic radiation in sync with their orbital motionhowever, high-energy emissions, specifically called TeV gamma-ray emissions, are rare. For example, out of the billions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, researchers only know of five binary systems with such high-energy emissions.

"Part of the challenge to their detection is performing observations over a long enough period to detect their variability, which can range from days to decades," Brisbois says.

Due to the regularity and high energy of the emission from these gamma-ray binaries, they are natural laboratories to test Lorentz Invariance, a basic assumption on which relativity theory is based.

Chad Brisbois is part of a collaboration working on the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory in Mexico

"The HAWC observatory is one of very few instruments capable of observing these periodic sources for their entire period," says Petra Huentemeyer, an associate professor of physics at Michigan Tech and Brisbois' adviser. " The Michigan Tech gamma-ray group, to which Chad and I belong, is an institutional member of the HAWC collaboration."

Through the DOE's SCGSR Program, Brisbois will be able to help upgrade the HAWC observatory and continue to refine binary system detection. He will join the ranks of other DOE-funded graduate students pursuing research at national laboratories.

The SCGSR program prepares graduate students for science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) careers critically important to the DOE Office of Science mission, says Steve Binkley, acting director of DOEs Office of Science. We are proud of the accomplishments these outstanding students have already have made, and look forward to following their achievements in years to come.

Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure.
A Saudi Aramco employee sits in the area of its stand at the Middle East Petrotech 2016, an exhibition and conference for the refining and petrochemical industries, in Manama, Bahrain, September 27, 2016. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed (Reuters)

By Ron Bousso, Dmitry Zhdannikov and Rania El Gamal

LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and international oil companies have discussed gas venture opportunities inside the kingdom and abroad as part of the top crude-exporting country's drive to diversify investments before the listing of national energy giant Saudi Aramco.

Saudi officials explored investment opportunities with firms including BP <BP.L> and Chevron <CVX.N> to help develop its gas reserves, the world's sixth largest, at a time of booming energy demand at home, four industry sources told Reuters.

Aramco has also looked into investing in gas ventures abroad, including with Italy's Eni <ENI.MI>, the sources said.

The development revives memories of talks between Aramco and global majors at the end of the 1990s and early 2000s, known as the Saudi gas initiative. Most of those talks collapsed as the parties disagreed over returns on investment.

This time, Aramco is gearing up for a share listing next year, aiming to get a valuation of up to $2 trillion in what could be the world's biggest initial public offering (IPO).

Chevron, BP, Aramco and Eni declined to comment on talks.

"We have a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia, so it is not uncommon for us to talk to them. We're always having discussions about business development. I don't have anything particular to say about Saudi Arabia," Chevron CEO John Watson told Reuters last week.

BP Chief Executive Bob Dudley, who traveled to Saudi Arabia at the end of last year, said this year he wouldn't rule out "creative partnerships" with Aramco but that an outright investment by BP in the IPO was unlikely.

The kingdom has a long-term goal of increasing the use of gas for domestic power generation, thus reducing oil burning at home and freeing up more crude for export.

This could help increase Aramco's valuation as it generates more revenue from exports than selling oil at lower domestic prices - Saudi Arabia is the world's fifth-biggest oil consumer despite being only the 20th-biggest economy.

Story continues

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih, who is also Aramco's chairman, said last year that Aramco was interested in investing in international upstream ventures, particularly gas, and could invest in importing gas into the kingdom.

Diversifying gas assets abroad would help Aramco achieve a better valuation and is attractive for investors, industry sources said. Riyadh also plans to raise domestic gas prices, a move seen as an incentive for foreign companies.

NEW GAS STRATEGY

Aramco is preparing to reveal in the next few months a new gas strategy aimed at developing resources to keep pace with rising domestic demand, sources familiar with the discussions said.

It comes as part of the kingdom's push to diversify its economy away from oil, a strategy known as "Vision 2030", amid a global drive to phase out the most polluting fossil fuels.

Aramco wants nearly to double gas production to 23 billion standard cubic feet a day in the next decade.

"IOCs (international oil companies) are waiting for that (strategy) to make their decisions," one industry source familiar with the matter said.

Another industry source said Energy Minister Falih had said in private meetings with Western oil executives that he wanted Aramco to partner with other companies in upstream projects.

Two Saudi-based industry sources familiar with the discussions said BP's Dudley had expressed an interest in investing in gas exploration in the Red Sea. However, the two sides have yet to hold any talks on the project.

Aramco controls gas reserves in excess of 8 trillion cubic metres, according to BP's annual energy review. The Saudi company has said it wants to explore for gas in the shallow waters of the Red Sea as well as onshore shale gas.

SOUR MEMORIES

Since gradually renationalizing the industry in the 1970s, Saudi Arabia has not allowed the majors to develop its oil.

The Saudi gas initiative of the 1990s was effectively an effort by the then-minister for oil, Ali al-Naimi, to thwart attempts by companies such as Exxon Mobil <XOM.N> to partner with Riyadh in oil developments.

In a book published last year, Naimi said he was convinced that as part of gas talks during that decade, oil majors hoped to acquire cheap Saudi reserves of gas condensate, a high-quality form of crude oil.

The $25 billion gas initiative offered in 1997-98 had some of the world's top oil companies such as Exxon and Shell expressing interest but struggling to agree terms.

Riyadh later invited investors in 2003-2004 to find and produce gas in Rub Al Khail, a desert in the country's southeast.

Companies including Russia's Lukoil <LKOH.MM>, Shell and China's Sinopec formed ventures with Aramco but have failed to find commercially viable deposits. They also complained about low domestic gas prices and high extraction costs.

Russia's Lukoil <LKOH.MM> was the most recent foreign company to quit Saudi Arabia's search for gas.

However, Saudi Arabia last month slashed income tax on energy companies operating in the kingdom to make energy investments more attractive.

"The terms will be better now," an oil executive said.

(Editing by Dale Hudson)
We are collating signatures to petition ...
the five bob beckel

Fox News commentator Bob Beckel put one of his co-hosts on the defensive on Tuesday when he criticized White House spokesman Sean Spicer's bizarre comments about the Holocaust.

At a press briefing just hours earlier, Spicer claimed that unlike Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Adolf Hitler didn't use chemical weapons on his own people. The ahistorical claim sparked a firestorm of criticism online.

Beckel took a moment out of the program to address the comments, which he said a Fox News producer left out of the show's agenda.

"I can't let this go because our producer didn't put it in the lineup, but Sean Spicer, the president's press secretary, today said  Hitler didn't gas his own people, referring to Assad," Beckel said.

He continued: "Sean, go back and take a hard look at the Second World War, where gas was used."

Beckel's co-host Greg Gutfeld then cut Beckel off, and appeared to excuse Spicer for the remarks.

"Obviously he made a mistake, Bob," Gutfeld said. "Thank God none of us here make mistakes like that."

"That's a pretty big mistake," Beckel responded.

"Oh, I admit it's a pretty big mistake," Gutfeld said. "But let's remember how many big mistakes are made at this table."

Watch the exchange below:

Fox News silent on Spicer's Hitler comments until a few mins ago, when Beckel mentioned it. Revealed producers didn't include it as a topic pic.twitter.com/YH7fzS6dMr  Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 11, 2017

NOW WATCH: Watch Trump's budget director explain proposed cuts for after-school programs that feed children





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DailyFX.com -

Talking Points:

Gold prices surge as interest rates decline amid risk aversion

Crude oil prices rise on Saudi support for output cut extension

Commodities may reverse recent move on US/Russia bargain

Gold prices surged as risk aversion swept financial markets. Haven-seeking capital flows pushed up Treasury bonds and sent yields lower while the priced-in 2017 Fed rate hike outlook implied in futures markets flattened. This bolstered the relative appeal of non-interest-bearing assets including the yellow metal.

A risk-off mood may continue to translate into gold gains as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson travels to Russia, where a diplomatic showdown looks likely after last weeks missile strike against Syria. Indeed, S&P 500 futures are down alongside local bourses in Asian trade, hinting that investors remain on edge.

While Tillersons rhetoric hardened at a G7 meeting this week, he also reportedly questioned why US taxpayers should be interested in Ukraine. That may hint at a possible bargain that has Russia trading some easing of Ukraine-linked Western pressure for dialing back support of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.

Signs pointing to the emergence of such an accommodation may be interpreted as de-escalation by investors, opening the door for a recovery in market-wide sentiment. That may see rates rebounding as Treasuries retreat, putting gold prices back on the defensive.

Crude oil prices continued to march higher amid reports that Saudi Arabia will support extending last years OPEC production cut accord into the second half of the year. API reported that US inventories lost 1.3 million barrels last week, helping to push prices upward.

If signs of a fledgling understanding between the US and Russia trickle out, easing supply disruption fears may weigh on energy prices. Selling pressure may be tempered if EIA inventory data falls closer in line with APIs estimate than the consensus forecast calling for a smaller 772.2k barrel weekly draw.

Story continues

Will gold prices continue to rise in 2Q? See our forecast to find out whats driving market trends!

GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Gold prices broke trend line resistance guiding the move lower since July 2016, hinting a significant change of direction is at hand. From here, a daily close above the 61.8% Fibonacci expansion at 1282.31 opens the door for a test of the 1302.90-08.00 area (76.4% level, former support). Alternatively, a reversal below the February 27 high at 1263.87 exposes the 1241.50-49.01 region (chart inflection point, 38.2% Fib).

Gold Price Surge May Falter as US, Russia Weigh Syria and Ukraine

Chart created using TradingView

CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS  Crude oil prices rose for a fourth consecutive day. Near-term resistance remains at 53.57, the 50% Fibonacci expansion, with a break above that exposing the 55.10-21 area (January 3 high, 61.8% level). Alternatively, a turn back below 38.2% Fib at 50.04 paves the way for a retest of the 23.6% expansion at 50.14.

Gold Price Surge May Falter as US, Russia Weigh Syria and Ukraine

Chart created using TradingView

--- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com

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The widow of the Pulse nightclub shooter is back in Orlando and pleaded not guilty to the charges against her on Wednesday morning at the federal courthouse in downtown Orlando.

Noor Salman pleads not guilty to charges against her

Faces charges of aiding and abetting, obstruction of justice

FULL COVERAGE: Terror attack at Orlando's Pulse nightclub

JUMP TO: Pulse survivors and families react to case 

Noor Salman, the wife of Omar Mateen, appeared in a yellow jumpsuit before Judge Karla Spaulding with her stand-by lawyer Fritz Scheller. Her normal attorney did not appear.

The court went over her Florida charges, which are aiding and abetting and obstruction of justice. On her behalf, Scheller entered a plea of not guilty.

On Thursday, April 20, a hearing will take place to determine if the defense and prosecutors are ready for a June 5 trial.

A status hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 15, at 4 p.m.

Salman is staying in general population, according to a deputy U.S Marshall Criminal Investigator. The investigator would not confirm which jail for security reasons.

No family or victims of the Pulse shooting were at Wednesday's hearing.

Noor Salman showed no emotion while she sat handcuffed, next to attorney Fritz Scheiler.

"She was transported, she had her arraignment today, and she entered a plea of not guilty," said Fritz Scheller, Lawyer.

Scheller is a well-known criminal defense attorney in Central Florida.

According to court documents, Salman was scheduled to appear in a California court on Monday, April 10, for a hearing to fight her transfer to Florida. However, she waived her right to that hearing and was transferred to Orlando to face trial.

Last month, a federal judge in California reversed a decision to release her on bond. She has been in custody since being arrested in January.

Salman was arrested in the San Francisco bay area, about seven months after the tragedy at Pulse nightclub in June 2016. Her husband killed 49 people and wounded more than 50.

She's accused of obstruction of justice and aiding and abetting her husband's material support to ISIS. She denies the charges.

"It is going to be a long road, and she is fine. Thank you," said Scheller.

New court documents released Wednesday reveal electronic surveillance and confidential witnesses could be used as evidence against her in the trial.

Survivors: Someone has to take responsibility

Pulse survivors and family of Pulse victims are reacting to Noor Salmans first appearance in federal court in Orlando.

One survivor who barely escaped with his life says he was invited to attend court, but it was too difficult to come face to face with the shooters widow.

Chris Littlestar was shot while hiding out with others in the nightclubs bathroom.

I was shot the first time probably three times, and then the second time he came back. I was shot two times, said Littlestar.

Littlestar says he mainly just wants justice.

I dont want to see somebody convicted for something that Im not sure they took part in. But at the end of the day, somebody has to take responsibility, and she knew what was going on with him, said Littlestar.

Littlestar talked about Salmans federal court appearance while at an event in Orlando Wednesday related to an upcoming documentary about the Pulse tragedy.

Christine Leinonen, who lost her only son in the tragedy, says she will go to federal court eventually.

If and when shes convicted by a jury, I definitely want to be there to let the sentencing judge know the impact this massacre had on so many people, said Leinonen.

Nobody knows exactly what part she took in it, said Littlestar. I definitely think she should be held accountable for whatever part she did do.

Survivors, victims families and others deeply affected by the Pulse tragedy said the timing of the federal court case is going to make things even more difficult.
Giving birth has been described as a miracle, but a Texas mother's story of giving birth to her twins 14 days apart from each other redefines miraculous.

Spring residents LaTroya and Arthur Woolridge are the proud parents of twins Amara and Arthur III, who were born two weeks apart from each other.

On January 17, a day where flood-producing rains swept across the Houston area, LaTroya felt contractions so strong she vomited. With her husband out of town for work, she drove herself to Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital.

FROM ABOVE: Aerial video of Houston's January floods captures severity of storms

"It was terrifying," LaTroya told Chron.com. At just 24 weeks pregnant and without family or friends, the Louisiana transplant gave birth to her daughter, who began to fight for her life at 1 pound, 3 ounces. Story continues below.

"I didn't know what was about to happen. After being triaged, I remember the nurse calling my doctor, then transporting me to a birthing room where I was told I was in active labor," LaTroya said. While LaTroya delivered her daughter on January 17, her son, Arthur, wasn't quite ready to see the world.

Twins are typically born minutes apart from each other, but this wasn't the case for LaTroya's children. "For Arthur's birth, we waited and waited and waited and nothing ever happened," LaTroya said.

A shocking 14 days went by before doctors decided to take Arthur out through a cesarean section on January 31. LaTroya developed a slight fever and the doctors didn't want an infection to develop.

PARENTING HELP: The Five C's of effective parenting - an opinion

Those 14 days were crucial to Arthur's development. He was born at 2 pounds 2 ounces with an 80-90 percent survival rate, while his sister only had a 50-60 percent survival rate at 24 weeks.

"The miracle is not a medical miracle. There's something higher - some high miraculous power - working there to keep the second baby in there," said David Weisoly, D.O, medical director of the NICU at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital.

Amber Samuel, M.D., maternal-fetal medicine specialist and Andrea Richter-Werning, M.D., LaTroya's obstetrician, together helped LaTroya through her pregnancy and delivery. Dr. Samuel says a birth like LaTroya's, called a delayed interval twin delivery, occurs in less than 1 in 1,000 twin births.

Throughout the process, the couple's friends, family and faith helped the couple through the trying time by giving cards and flowers, but LaTroya said the prayers were the most important thing during the process.

PARENTING MISTAKE: Couple face charges after allegedly abandoning baby in Katy parking lot

"The hospital clergy played a vital role in keeping us positive. He saw us a few days after Amara's birth and after that, he made a point to see us, even if it was just to say, 'How are you doing today?'" LaTroya said. "I didn't feel any need to be negative or feel down and I knew I had to keep good spirits to benefit my son."

After the trying start of their lives, the twins continue to fight and grow in the NICU. As of Wednesday, Dr. Weisoly says Arthur weighs 6 pounds 11 ounces and his older sister weighs 5 pounds 6 ounces. While LaTroya and her husband visit their children ever day after work, the twins are close to going home soon, Dr. Weisoly says.

"It was a lot of prayer and our family and friends is what sustained us during that time. And still during this NICU journey as well," LaTroya said. "The thing is it's a really, really great story, but the struggle behind the story is totally different. The story behind premature birth is something I never imagined. I just didn't think of this happening and the reality of it is quite devastating, but on this home stretch, I see the light."
Washington Math/Science Institute may soon become the Washington STEM Academy.

Washington Math/Science Principal Banay Newton provided a report for the Midland ISD board on Monday that showed curriculum at Washington should be updated and focus around STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) principles. Therefore, a new name also would be appropriate.

And while a Washington curriculum also will involve arts and reading, research and writing initiatives, Newton and MISD Academic Officer Patrick Jones said STEM -- and not STREAM -- was the choice for the new name because reading/writing and arts are really a part of the education for all MISD elementary students.

Newton said funding increases would not be needed to accomplish the STEM change. She also said changes to the facilities at Washington are not needed. Another point was that implementing Project Lead The Way (PLTW) -- a project-based learning initiative -- would best prepare Washington students for junior high school, where the same academic initiative will be put into place. PLTW gives the district flexibility for certifications as it relates to STEM curriculum.

Jones said the changes will help Washington increase its academic capacity and regain its academic image.

The board will address the name and mission change at its May board meeting.

Parental concerns

MISD parent Joshua Delgado voiced concerns that his children dont feel safe going to school because of bullying taking place by teachers at a school that was not identified during the public comment period. He said concerns about teachers were falling on deaf ears at the school. He said principals and MISD administration werent forthcoming about what is being done to teaching staff. Board President Rick Davis said appeal processes exist for parents, whose concerns would be addressed at higher levels.

Delgado said he has pulled his daughter from MISD and will move her to a charter school. He said his son wants to give the district another try, which Delgado said he is willing to allow because his son will move to a junior high campus next year.

Turnaround programs approved

The board approved turnaround programs for a pair of improvement required campuses, Lamar and Travis elementaries. Structure has been an issue at both campuses, according to Midland ISD officials. Lamar is on its fourth principal in four years. Travis is alleged to have high teacher turnover from year to year. Plans address the stability and culture on the campuses. Interim Superintendent Rod Schroder said he believes turnover is related to campus culture and that when the joy of teaching returns, the chances increase of a teacher staying.

Board notes

All board members were present at Mondays meeting. ... The board approved the 2017-18 meeting schedule. Meetings will continue to take place on Monday nights.
NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 11, 2017 / A decisive sift towards mixed-use real estate has recently been taking the lead in New York City and other cities across the United States. Property expert Jacob Frydman is optimistic about the returns for investors currently putting their capital into this type of residential rental and commercial use opportunities, including office space, retail, and hospitality. Manhattan alone has now over 30 Special Mixed-Use Districts (MX), with the number of MX-zoned properties growing rapidly within the rest of the boroughs.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/jacob-frydman

Jacob Frydman notes the special interest and close attention paid by the New York zoning officials to the bullish mixed-use real estate climate. Melissa Mark-Viverito, Speaker of the NYC Council, has recently addressed the growing demand. We are seeing remarkable interest from a range of companies to build new buildings and retrofit existing buildings in neighborhoods across the City We need to create the conditions to support this kind of investment, she urged. In a November, 2014 report, Engines of Opportunity: Reinvigorating New York Citys Manufacturing Zones for the 21st Century, Mark-Viverito recommended that zoning officials establish new vertical MX zoning designations. And this past April, the New York City Council approved a modified version of a major planning initiative proposed by Mayor de Blasio that includes mixed residential and commercial use development in East New York and Ocean Hill neighborhoods. The real estate data research firm, AxioMetrics, reports that the Kings County submarket in Brooklyn, NY alone has 23 mixed-use developments in the pipeline for 2013-2021.

"Opportunities abound today for investing in mixed residential and commercial use real estate," says Frydman, who has a long history of successfully redeveloping and repositioning real estate assets like the Old Global Crossing Building in Manhattan, which was purchased in 2003 for $46.2 million and sold in 2005 for $91.2 million. The veteran real estate investor praises New York zoning officials for taking pro-active steps to embrace the new "live-work-play" paradigm that has been blooming in the city's urban areas. MX zoning creates a lively and diverse infrastructure - it revitalizes neighborhoods and stimulates economic growth. For the Millennial generation, leaving a smaller carbon footprint, spending less time in commuting, and fostering a sense of community are high priorities, says Frydman. And as Millennials flock into urban settings where they can enjoy a living space in close proximity to ground floor employment, shopping, and dining, the mixed-use market is bound to flourish.

Jacob Frydman is a New York-based property expert and consultant who sources and identifies value added investment opportunities. For over 30 years, he has executed and participated in highly complex real estate transactions valued at over $2 billion and spanning over 5 million square feet. A frequent guest on Fox News, Bloomberg TV, CNBC, and other television news outlets, Frydman has also lectured on real estate finance at Columbia University and in the Master's Lecturer series sponsored by New York Law School. An avid philanthropist, Jacob Frydman devotes much of his time and capital to various charitable organizations, including the National Committee for Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE), Chabad of Dutchess County, and the Brem Foundation of Washington, DC.

Jacob Frydman - Blog - JacobFrydmanNews.com: http://JacobFrydmanNews.com

Jacob Frydman -- Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/jacob-frydman

Jacob Frydman -- On the Development of New High Performance Office Space: http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Jacob+Frydman+--+On+the+Development+of+New+High+Performance+Office+Space/11911116.html

Contact Information:

JacobFrydmanNews.com

contact@jacobfrydmannews.com

www.JacobFrydmanNews.com

SOURCE: Jacob Frydman
All the eyes of Montgomery County were turned toward NASA as Robert Crippen, an astronaut who grew up in Porter, was set to pilot the first orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission took place April 12-14, 1981. Later a school in the New Caney school district was named in honor of Crippen. Crippen is a 2016 inductee into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

April 13, 1901

The Tharp post office is renamed "Keenan."

April 15, 1909

The outside of the first brick courthouse in Conroe is plastered. Sam Godsey and his crew were pictured doing the replastering.

April 12, 1912

Retailer J. Wahrenberger Co. had wooden dressers for sale for $20, $10 and $8.50.

April 15, 1912

In the icy waters off Newfoundland, the luxury liner Titanic with 2,224 persons on board sank at 2:27 a.m. after striking an iceberg.

April 13, 1916

The Courier reported that machinery had arrived in Conroe for Conroe's new ice plant. The name of the business was the Conroe Gin, Ice and Light Company.

April 13, 1923

Four men were sentenced to prison time for bootlegging liquor.

April 13, 1923

A front-page passage addressed the editor's frustration that Conroe would not be getting a nice new depot.

April 15, 1932

The Courier reported a Heep well was completed and thousands waited for hours to witness this spectacle.

April 14, 1933

Under President Roosevelt's Forestry development plan, it was possible for Montgomery County to secure a camp of approximately 25,000 men.

April 13, 1934

Mayor H.M. Creighton was sworn into office. Also a report showed that the population of Conroe was 5,156 according to the 1930 Census.

April 12, 1935

Interest in the Federal Housing Campaign continued in Conroe as many repair jobs were underway.

April 14, 1938

Cotton Gin owner Cedric N. Nutter announced his candidacy for State Rep. for District 27.

April 13, 1939

A new Christian church was in the works for Conroe. The location of the proposed new church was two blocks west of the post office on Highway 75.

April 14, 1939

Mayor T.E. Gentry urged citizens to cooperate in a clean-up week.

April 12, 1945

President Franklin D. Roosevelt died suddenly at Warm Springs, Georgia after suffering a brain hemorrhage. He held four consecutive terms and lead the nation through the Great Depression and World War II.

April 12, 1945

PFC. Richard E. Hines was killed in action while serving in Germany in World War II.

April 12, 1945

An open house and dedication was to take place at Girl Scout Camp Agnes Arnold north of Conroe.

April 12, 1951

New ventures in the city pointed to city's growth. The Conroe National Bank was to open with a new, handsome design. Everett & Sons opened an expanded hardware store.

April 15, 1951

KMCO radio station signs on the air from the second floor of the old Masonic Building on Main Street in Conroe. Young Mary McCoy, at 12 years old, is one of the first radio personalities.

April 15, 1955

Salk vaccine program begins in mass in Montgomery County.

April 14, 1965

In a controversial move at the time, new mayor W.F. "Bill" Newton fired Conroe Police Chief Larry Evans. Evans was the second police officer for Conroe, following after Conroe's first police officer Eddie Stephan.

April 13, 1969

An Electra-Fair was set to take place at the North Hills Shopping Center on North Frazier. Nine local exhibitors were to show their electrical appliances during a show sponsored by Gulf States Utilities Co.

April 14, 1969

The town of Cut and Shoot is incorporated.

April 12, 1970

A bus of Conroe Noon Lions left for the Lions Camp for Crippled Children in Kerrville. Some of those participating included Mr. and Mrs. John Burge, Mr. and Mrs. Don Buckalew, Mr. and Mrs. Pat George, Mr. and Mrs. Rigby Owen Jr. It was reported the Conroe Club was the only one in the state that has for the past 20 years participated in donating funds to the camp.

April 12, 1972

Conroe school trustees studied plans for a new 42-room, $1 million wing for Conroe High School. Included in the discussion were Gerald Creighton, Dr. Deane Sadler, Otha Reaves, Roy Poinsett, Sam Hailey, Neal Knox and Al Weymouth.

April 16, 1972

John Wiesner Buick-Pontiac held its grand opening at 815 W. Davis in Conroe.

April 12, 1981

The first space shuttle flight occurred with the launching of Columbia with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen, who is from New Caney.

April 12-14, 1984

Astronaut Robert Crippen of Porter pilots the Columbia space shuttle on its first orbital flight.

April 14, 1995

Lawsuits mounted against the San Jacinto River Authority after October 1994 major flooding in the area.

April 12, 2003

Conroe dentist Alan Moore, an Army Reserves captain was pictured in The Courier serving in Kuwait.

April 12, 2005

It was reported that voting across the county could be all electronic by 2006.

April 15, 2011

Redistricting brought a legislative seat to Montgomery County.

April 15, 2016

The last Apache helicopter departed from the First Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment base in Conroe. The unit converted to UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

Some information from Larry Foerster's "Montgomery County Texas Historic Timeline Book." The book may be purchased at www.montgomerycountyhistoricalcommission.com. The Courier also wishes to thank the Genealogy Department at the Central Library for their support in this project.
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Morris Bateman can't get over these computers we all carry around in our pockets today.

Bateman began working for the Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange in 1938 and spent from 1948 to 1985 keeping Conroe residents connected for the telephone company. Today the 101 year old marvels at all the changes that have taken place in telecommunications and with the town of Conroe itself.

"Last summer my daughter was in Hawaii. I picked up the phone here in Conroe, Texas and talked to her from my house, without an operator or nothing," Bateman said in an interview Thursday. "I'm country. I want to go to an operator and have her fix up that call for me."

Bateman is from the era of switchboards and pay stations and he just can't believe how far phone service has come.

Conroe's first lines

The Heritage Museum of Montgomery County reports that in the late 1800s, a long-distance line existed from Houston to Gilbert's Drug Store.

In 1899, Mr. Gilbert and Mr. A.A. Madeley conceived the idea of putting in an exchange and installing telephones in Conroe.

By 1900, this had been done and Mr. P.L. Curd and S.K. Hailey were operators at the switchboard which was at the back of Gilbert's Drug Store.

Mr. G.B. Madeley bought the telephone company from Gilbert and A.A. Madeley. They named it the Conroe Communications Company.

Dan and A.A. (Albert) Madeley, brothers and Conroe businessmen, began rebuilding their Madeley Meat Market in brick within months of the Conroe fire of Feb. 21, 1911. They had a very successful land and livestock business. They opened their meat market downstairs in September 1911, and for a time Robert C. (Bob) Curd operated his grocery store next door in the building.

In 1912 George Bell Madeley moved his Conroe Communications Company into his brothers' building at 125 Simonton. The second floor of the Madeley Building served as the office for the telephone company for over 40 years.

On Jan. 25, 1929, G. B. Madeley sold the phone company to Judge Mantooth, Dr. Denman, Mr. Hester and Clayton Denman of Lufkin.

The phone company then became a part of the Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange, but kept the name of Conroe Telephone Company.

Bateman comes to Conroe

Bateman's hometown is Lufkin. In high school, he went to school with the children of some of the owners of the Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange.

Following school, he started installing telephones for the Conroe-Lufkin Telephone Exchange in 1938 at age 23.

He worked his way up to managing a switchboard of 15 operators in Lufkin and it was work he enjoyed.

Then one day, the Conroe manager, who was a brother to the Lufkin manager got mad at his brother, "so he put on his hat and left him high and dry," Bateman said.

The manager asked Bateman "'How'd you like to go to Conroe?"

'"Where's Conroe?" Bateman said. "I had never heard of it. I came over here and lived in a hotel for a while until I took over the telephone company. It wasn't but me, the switchboard operators and another employee."

What he found was a country town where everything from general stores to banks to doctor's offices were on the downtown square.

"We were just a little, old country telephone company and had 630 phones in the whole town," he said. "Everything was on the (downtown) square. It wasn't in the shopping malls or four-lane roads. Everything was country. It was an oilfield town is all it was."

After the hotel, the company put him up in a remodeled home on Phillips Street. He said it was the coldest place he'd ever stayed in. The family eventually built a house on Everett Street in Conroe.

Early Operations

"When I started, you twisted a crank and the operator would plug in a little white light (popped up) and she said, 'Number please.' (The caller said), '44.'" Bateman said. "She'd plug in 44 and rear back on the key and ring it. Simple, simple."

Vera Acrey was one of Bateman's "girls" who served as an operator. She started her communications career as a telephone operator for the Conroe Telephone Company back in 1952 - years before dial service was available in Montgomery County.

Prior to joining the phone company, Acrey worked at Brownlee Pharmacy for 50 cents an hour, but she was lured away by the promise of 98 cents an hour to work the switchboard.

"I was thrilled at the time and remember thinking how much more money I'd have," said Acrey in a previous Courier article. "I really enjoyed the work."

Work in the cramped offices of the Madeley Building was difficult, said Acrey. Her boss, Bateman, draped a tarp over the back of the switchboard to keep it dry when it rained - often sending a cascade of water into the retail dress shop below.

Bateman recalls that the phone company was also the first place in Conroe to get air conditioning.

On occasion, the water pan from the air conditioner would run over and spill into the dress shop ruining some of the clothing in Mrs. Bell's dress shop below.

"When that happened her son Floyd Bell would bring them there and I'd buy them and give them to the operators," Bateman said.

The job was a 24-hour operation with operators manning the phones overnight.

Working alone at night was also a challenge Acrey.

"I'd hear footsteps on the stairs or noises in the walls and get scared," she said in a previous Courier article. "Turns out there were plenty of rats having a tea party all around me."

To bolster her courage and help her stay awake, Acrey said she often called Calvin Blake, night manager at Hulon's Gulf Service Station.

"It wasn't that busy for either of us at night so we'd chat and keep each other company," said Acrey.

Bateman recalls one time when a man came banging on the door of his home around 2 a.m.

"He said I've been trying for 30 minutes and I can't get the operator," Bateman said. "I told him 'Alright, I'll go see what's going on.' The operator was sound asleep on the floor."

During that time, the phone operator was also vital to emergency communications.

Bateman explained when a person was having an emergency, such as a fire, the person would give the operator their address and she would pull back on a key on the switchboard that would blow a siren.

He said there was a siren in north Conroe and a siren in south Conroe.

The volunteer firefighters would hear the sirens and go to the fire station. Then they'd have to call the operator and ask her for the address of the fire, he said.

"I'll never forget those sirens. I always felt sorry for the people who lived next door," Bateman said. "When they went off, you knew it."

Changing to a dial system

In 1954 dial service came to the Conroe Telephone Company and then traditional operators weren't needed.

Bateman recalls having to go to every house with a telephone in the area and changing out the phone from one where you'd talk to an operator to one that used a dial system.

Also in 1954, the phone company moved out of the Madeley building and to a different facility on Phillips Street.

Today the Madeley building has been renovated and is home to the Conroe Art League's Gallery at the Madeley. In addition to the fine art gallery, community functions also take place in the building.

Explosion in growth

"What made this town was Lake Conroe," Bateman said. " At one time, I had four construction crews, plus my own crews, doing nothing but putting up telephone lines. We just couldn't put them up fast enough. They'd put up 125 houses out there and they all want a phone. Well, I had to put a line up for each phone."

Bateman explained they established small telephone offices at the different communities around the lake and in 1957 they took over the Montgomery telephone office.

End of an era

After 47 years as an employee of the Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange, Bateman retired in 1985.

Acrey continued to work for the telephone company until June 1996. After 35 years of service to the company, she was given her company chair at her retirement party.

On Nov. 21, 1997, Lufkin-Conroe Telephone Exchange became a subsidiary of TXU Communications.

TXU Communications was later purchased by Consolidated Communications in April 2004.

Today the Consolidated Communitcations office is on Loop 336 South in Conroe at Grand Lake Drive.

To take a trip back in time and explore the phone system of yesteryear visit the Heritage Museum of Montgomery County in Conroe's Candy Cane Park.

The museum has a portion of the switchboard previously used in Conroe and other telephone items donated by Bateman and others.
A 24-year-old man who died during a shootout with Fremont police Sunday night was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, officials said.

An autopsy revealed that the man, identified as Roger Perez of Orinda, took his life, according to the Alameda County Coroners Bureau. Fremont Police Department officials previously had said two officers fatally shot Perez after he fired at them.

The autopsy determined that Perez suffered no other gunshot wounds to his body, according to the coroners bureau.

Fremont police responded to an emergency around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when a police officer from the East Bay Regional Parks District called for assistance to the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on Decoto Road and Fremont Boulevard, police said.

Once they arrived, Fremont police spotted Perez fleeing from a vehicle in the parking lot with a firearm, police said.

He ran across Fremont Boulevard to the area behind a Walgreens where he mounted a box truck and opened fire on the responding officers, said Officer Michael Gilfoy, a spokesman for the Fremont Police Department.

Police returned fire and, according to a police statement, Perez ducked down out of view of the officers (and) at that time officers did not know if Perez had been struck by gunfire.

Police said they summoned their SWAT team and a Highway Patrol air unit, which reported that Perez was lying motionless atop the truck. Police then approached the truck and found Perezs body with a loaded firearm in his hand. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Fremont police said in a statement that the incident began when Perez had displayed a firearm in a threatening manner to a customer in a nearby convenience store. The customer summoned the park policeman, who was in the area, who in turned summoned Fremont police.

After spotting Perez atop the truck, officers ordered Perez to show his hands. Police said Perez initially raised his hands, then quickly ducked down behind the elevated portion of the trucks cargo box, out of view of the officers before suddenly reemerging and opening fire, drawing the return fire of the two officers.

Police said they were reviewing video footage of the incident taken from police car cameras.

According to police, Perez was believed to have been a suspect in an attempted armed robbery in the parking lot of a Newark bar immediately before the fatal gunfire in Fremont.

It was the third officer-involved shooting in Fremont this year.

The two officers, whose names have not been released, are on administrative leave, per standard protocol while the shooting is being investigated, Gilfoy said.

Chronicle staff writer Steve Rubenstein contributed to this story.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani
A man who was fatally shot by police in Fremont on Sunday night fired at officers from atop a box truck before he was killed, officials said.

The man has been identified as 24-year-old Roger Perez of Orinda, according to the Alameda County Coroners Bureau.

Perez is the third person to be shot and killed by officers from the Fremont Police Department this year.

Fremont Police Chief Richard Lucero described cases in which officers must use lethal force as very difficult but said the three recent fatal shootings by his officers were all very different, with one key similarity.

What they have in common is that they all involve very dangerous violence against officers, Lucero said.

Fremont police were initially contacted around 11:30 p.m. Sunday when an officer from the East Bay Regional Parks District Police called for an emergency response to the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on Decoto Road and Fremont Boulevard, where occupants of a vehicle allegedly had a firearm, police said.

Perez held a handgun as he fled the vehicle and ran across Fremont Boulevard to the area behind a Walgreens, according to police.

When responding officers spotted Perez on top of a box truck, he opened fire on them, prompting two officers to return fire, according to Officer Michael Gilfoy, a spokesman for the Fremont Police Department.

A gun was found in close proximity to Perez, who was pronounced dead at the scene, Gilfoy said.

Law enforcement officials from eight different East Bay agencies swarmed the area during and after the shooting, according to police.

The two officers, whose names have not yet been released, are being represented by Pleasant Hill defense attorney Michael Rains, Gilfoy said.

Rains has represented law enforcement officers in some of the Bay Areas most high-profile cases related to alleged police misconduct and brutality, including the Oakland Riders police misconduct scandal and the case of the Corcoran eight, involving correctional officers at the state prison in Corcoran (Kings County) accused of setting up gladiator fights between prison inmates and ultimately acquitted.

Police do not believe there is body camera footage of the shooting because Fremont police officers, other than traffic officers, do not wear body cameras, Gilfoy said.

He added that police vehicles have front-facing cameras on their windshields, but he did not know whether cameras on the officers vehicles caught any of the Monday shooting.

Following standard procedure, the two officers are on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, according to Gilfoy.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening.

Thursday

Sign-making event: Sign-making event for the April 22 March for Science in San Francisco. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Public Library of Science, 1160 Battery St., San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2nYqXr4.

Education discussion: The Lamorinda Democratic Club hosts a conversation on how federal funding will affect public education. The event is at 7 p.m. at the Lafayette Library and Community Center, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd. For information: www.ldclub.org.

Saturday

Tax march: Protesters will march to demand that President Trump release his tax returns. A San Francisco march will start at 1 p.m. at 11th and Market streets. For information: http://bit.ly/2m5xWOA. A San Jose march is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information: http://bit.ly/2nSMxO7.

Pro-Trump rally: The event is to promote free speech. Noon to 4 p.m. in Berkeley. Details are being confirmed. For information: www.facebook.com/events/185364111955870/?active_tab=discussion.

Monday

Town hall: Hosted by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-San Francisco, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the San Francisco Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 2850 19th Ave. in San Francisco. Attendees must have a ticket. Tickets are free. For information: http://bit.ly/2nBgGTa.

Conversation on land use: A discussion on how local communities can make the best decisions to meet regional and local needs on land use and housing. The event is at 6 p.m. at SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission St., San Francisco. Tickets are $10 for non-SPUR members, free to members. For information: www.spur.org/events/2017-04-17/who-should-make-land-use-decisions.

Tuesday

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Santa Rosa, at 6:30 p.m. at Napa Valley College Performing Arts Center, 2277 Napa Vallejo Highway in Napa.

Wednesday

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Santa Rosa, at 3 p.m. at City Hall, 525 Henrietta St. in Martinez.

ACLU event: The League of Women Voters hosts a discussion with Jay Laefer of the American Civil Liberties Union on safeguarding the rights of our entire community. The event is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Woodside Road United Methodist Church, 2000 Woodside Road, Redwood City.

Conversation on Trump resistance: A new event series hosted by The Chronicle is called Chronicle Chats. This event, The Future of the Left: Can the Trump Resistance Grow Beyond Protest, will be moderated by columnist David Talbot and will feature a senior adviser to the Bernie Sanders campaign and other experts and leaders. The event is from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Tickets are available at: https://info.sfchronicle.com/chroniclechats.

April 20

Anti-Trump show: The Museum of International Propaganda is hosting a pop-up art and poetry show called Against Trumpism: The Art & Poetry of Resistance. Bay Area and national artists and poets will present their work from April 20 to 29. The opening reception is on April 20 from 6 to 10 p.m. with a poetry reading at 7:30 p.m. at 1000 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. The event is free and wheelchair accessible. For more information, contact artofresistingtrump@gmail.com.

April 22

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, at 10 a.m. in the gymnasium of Canada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Woodside. Rep. Eric Swalwell also will host a town hall at 4 p.m. at the Dublin High School Student Union, 8151 Village Parkway in Dublin.

Science march: Marches mark Earth Day. In San Francisco, a march begins at 11 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza, Embarcadero Center at Market and Steuart streets, and ends at Civic Center Plaza. For information: http://bit.ly/2nAcLkN. A march in San Jose will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details to be confirmed. For information: http://bit.ly/2oV8oSu. In Walnut Creek, a march from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. will start at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive. A Hayward march from 10 a.m. to noon begins at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave. For information: http://bit.ly/2n7oonY.

April 23

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Silicon Valley, at 1 p.m. at Newark Memorial High School, 39375 Cedar Blvd. in Newark.

Sexual assault conversation: Loosid Projects, Planned Parenthood and Bay Area Women Against Rape host a discussion called Locker Room Talk: Confronting Sexual Violence in the Age of Trump. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. at 507 55th St., Oakland. Tickets are $10 at the door. For information, contact info@loosidity.com.
The grisly murder and dismemberment of a San Bruno man, allegedly by his neighbor, stemmed from a dispute over the price of a used space heater, officials said.

The victim was identified by prosecutors as Benjamin Roybal, who was in his 70s and lived down the street from 50-year-old David Stubblefield, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held in jail on $10 million bail.

Investigators searching for Roybal, who was reported missing March 29, went to Stubblefields home on Thursday and discovered human body parts inside his house and in the backyard.

The dispute arose over the price of the space heater the victim had agreed to buy, said San Mateo County Assistant District Attorney Albert Serrato.

Officers visited Stubblefields home on the 3700 block of Pacific Heights Boulevard in the course of searching for Roybal, San Bruno Police Chief Ed Barberini said Friday.

While at this residence, detectives located what appeared to be a dismembered human corpse in the rear yard, Barberini said.

He added that a portion of the body was outdoors and a portion was in a structure.

According to San Mateo County district attorney Steve Wagstaffe, the suspect used pepper spray on the victim, then shot him with a handgun, then dismembered him, then used chemicals in an initial attempt to hide the body.

Investigators found chemicals around the room, the district attorney said.

"It was a very inartful attempt to get the body to decompose  like what you see on TV, when they throw the body in acid, Wagstaffe said. That's what he tried to do."

According to Wagstaffe, the suspect was convicted two decades ago of possession of methamphetamine for sale.

Roybals remains were found about a week after he was reported missing.

As of Tuesday morning, the San Mateo County coroners office has not yet positively identified the remains as belonging to Roybal, and the San Bruno Police Department has said that until they do, the investigation into his disappearance will remain open.

Stubblefield was interviewed by police and booked into San Mateo County Jail late Thursday night.

He made his first appearance in San Mateo County Superior Court on Monday and was appointed an attorney to represent him.

Stubblefield is scheduled to be arraigned on April 24 on charges of murder, unlawful possession and use of teargas, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Chronicle staff writer

Michael Bodley contributed

to this report.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
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San Antonio officials crowed after beating out Alberquerque as host city for the expanded operations of television streaming service Hulu  part of Bexar Countys push to draw high-paid tech talent here.

Hulu, based in Santa Monica, chose the Alamo City for new facilities that will eventually bring up to 500 new jobs here, Mayor Ivy Taylor said Wednesday. She cautioned in a statement that there are still a few hurdles to cross, but the company is expected to formally announce the move Thursday.

As a leader in the tech industry, Hulus decision to grow here is a testament to our citys growing tech industry and our skilled and talented workforce, which were both heavily emphasized during our visit with the companys leadership, Taylor, who led a local delegation to California a few weeks ago, said in a statement. This is exactly the outcome we were working toward.

Los Angeles-based TaskUs also announced plans Wednesday to expand its new San Antonio operations, hiring 500 people for a call center serving start-up technology companies, the companys first in the U.S.

These are great wins. These announcements show we are making great progress, said David Heard, co-founder and CEO of Tech Bloc, a local technology advocacy group. A marquee name like Hulu makes a big difference. A whole host of cities would love to be the place for a Hulu expansion.

Local officials and developers see drawing technology companies to San Antonio as key to reviving the citys urban center and strengthening the local economy. Theyve concentrated their efforts on the downtown tech district where Google Fiber and several startups have local offices. Its what San Antonio needs to stay competitive in the modern economy, said developer Kevin Covey.

Last month, the city and county announced that CaptureRX, a health care tech company, planned to hire 200 workers and move its headquarters into the Kress building in the tech district in exchange for more than $1 million in incentives. Local officials said they are working on a tax incentive package for Hulu but declined to disclose the details.

Hulu coming to San Antonio is a testament to the hard work of the city and county leaders to attract high-paying jobs to the tech community, U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-San Antonio, said in a statement Wednesday. Hulu realized what weve known all along  San Antonio is a powerhouse of innovation and creativity.

The Bexar County Commissioners Court is voting on a countys tax plan for Hulu next week, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff said in an interview. City Council is voting on its incentive package for Hulu on April 20, said Leslie Ann Garza, director of communications in the mayors office.

Taylor and Wolff led a delegation to Hulus California headquarters in early March to court the company. The delegation included San Antonio Economic Development Foundation executives. A foundation spokeswoman said SAEDF would not have a comment on Hulu until Thursday.

The expansion would bring about 300 jobs initially and then grow to 500 within a couple of years, Taylor said last month. In March, the Express-News reported that San Antonio was a finalist for the Hulu expansion along with Albuquerque, New Mexico.

TaskUs selected San Antonio in September for its first U.S. call center  paying $12 to $15.50 an hour  because of the citys proximity to Austin, its huge young and educated workforce and its reputation as one of the friendliest cities in the U.S, the company said in a statement. Company founders, CEO Bryce Maddock and President Jaspar Weir, recently moved from California to Austin where TaskUs has sales offices.

TaskUs Site Director Claudia Bazaldua said the companys culture reflects its younger, high-tech clientele.

The company is spending $3.4 million to expand its San Antonio offices from 60 to 500 employees. It will be stocked with perks once completed this summer, including complimentary coffee and snack station, a napping room, on-site yoga classes, massage therapist visits, one-on-one nutritionist visits, foosball games, an on-site gym, library and a television space. The company also conducts cookouts, pajama days, bring-your-pet-to-work days and financial literacy education.

dhendricks@express-news.net
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San Antonios three main mayoral candidates faced off Wednesday in front of local manufacturers just three weeks before the election, debating minimum wage movements, regulations, and labor force issues.

The debate was hosted by the San Antonio Manufacturers Association at the San Antonio Country Club. The candidates  Bexar County Democratic Chair Manuel Medina, District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg, and Mayor Ivy Taylor  were asked about what they would do about rising minimum wages, and increased regulations, and workforce problems.

San Antonio manufacturers told Nirenberg the city was doing alright, doing just OK, he said.

For a city thats going to be the size of Chicago, population wise doing just OK is not good enough, Nirenberg said. We have to be more proactive, we have to have forward-thinking policy in all of those areas your industry relies on.

One issue U.S. cities have been grappling with is whether to raise minimum wages up to $15 an hour, what some have called a living wage. Some, like Seattle and Los Angeles, have pledged to raise their minimum wages to $15 an hour by 2020. USAA announced Tuesday that it was raising its minimum wage to $16 an hour.

Taylor said the emphasis has been misplaced as for the focus on wage increase and said the city is trying to work with its lower-wage employees to provide resources so they can qualify for higher paying jobs.

But on making the minimum wage $15 an hour in the city, Taylor said I certainly am not an advocate for it.

Nirenberg said San Antonio should be a model employer by raising city employees up to $15 an hour.

This is a low-wage city and we are an underemployment city and we have to face that reality, Nirenberg said. One of the challenges is that we have many parts of our community that have to work two and three and four jobs just to make ends meet and thats not good for us.

Medina told the group that the good news is most of you already pay most of your employees more than $15 an hour.

While he said forcing them to pay a higher minimum wage would hurt most of them, he said employers that pay that much should get preferential treatment on city contracts.

If you are paying your employees a livable wage, then that should help you get your next contract with the city, he said.

When asked about regulations, Medina accused City Manager Sheryl Sculley and the City Council of crafting new regulations with an aim of how much money can we get out of you?

Nirenberg said the process behind regulations needed to become more transparent while Taylor said there needed to be more listening before acting.

Rey Chavez, SAMAs CEO and president, said he hopes that whomever is elected will be more mindful when crafting regulations, saying manufacturers need more lead time to give their input and prepare for possible new regulations that would effect them.

rdruzin@express-news.net

@druz_journo
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GREENWICH  The Mueller Preserve dates back to the 1800s, when it was part of a larger property owned by pharmaceutical visionary Benjamin T. Fairchild. It was later part of the 112-acre estate known as The Orchards established by Tyler Longstreet Redfield in 1909.

Louise Mueller, co-founder of Black Forest Pastry Shop on Lewis Street, purchased a corner of the property in 1986, and a quarter-century later donated four acres and a farm house there to the Greenwich Land Trust, which restored it and turned it into its headquarters.

This year, the preserve is being presented with a Connecticut Preservation Award by the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation.

Our 2017 awards recognize a diverse range of historic preservation projects and achievements from across Connecticut, said Daniel Mackay, Executive Director of the Connecticut Trust. Each person and project that the trust has recognized demonstrates the skill and determination required to protect our states rich architectural and cultural heritage.

The preserve is one of 11 properties and conservationists being honored by the Connecticut Trust this month. Other Fairfield County sites to receive awards include the Ferguson Library and Hubbard Mansion in Stamford and the Harral, Security and Wheeler buildings in Bridgeport.

This state award is a wonderful honor, said Greenwich Land Trust Executive Direct Will Kies. It really represents the hard work and thought that went into the renovation of this historic property. The vision Louise Mueller had ... and the team on our end that worked to make that vision come true, we owe everybody a big thank you.

When Mueller made the gift, the Land Trust offices were jammed into a small, rented office above Dominos Pizza in Cos Cob, said board member Henry Cameron.

So when Ms. Mueller approached the organizations directors about her property, they could see its great potential, he said.

The Land Trust used $1.5 million of money it raised to restore the farmhouse and other buildings on the Round Hill Road property. Since 2015, the Mueller Preserve has been the organizations home base.

We were impressed in (their) finding a use for a farmstead in an area where not much farming takes place anymore, said Connecticut Trust Deputy Director Chris Wigren. And particularly that it was a land trust. A lot of land trusts are focused on natural versus historical landscapes.

E: jturiano@greenwichtime.com; T: @jturianoGT; IG: @greenwichgreen
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The path from science fiction to Mars and beyond is paved with wild ideas wrapped in cold hard cash. Sort of like ravioli or inklings incubating under a blanket of gravy.

And, every year NASA cooks up a batch of space ravioli by funding wild-eyed, futuristic, "visionary aerospace" concepts selected by the agency's Innovative Advanced Concepts program.

"NASA is preparing for a future that could include soft robotic spacecraft with flexible surfaces that can anchor to an asteroid, and an artificial gravity device for long-duration, deep space missions, along with other technologies that so far has been limited to the realm of science fiction," the agency said announcing this year's 22 selected projects.

The program bakes projects in two phases. The first phase of finding for 15 projects comes in at about $125,000 for nine months of building up the "initial definition and analysis" of the concepts. Phase two funding for seven projects comes with about $500,000 each to "allow awardees time to refine their designs and explore aspects of implementing the new technology."

All told, the funding cycle will spend about $5.4 million. And that's peanuts compared to the agencies current $19.5 billion annual budget.

Check out this year's funded projects in the gallery above.

Jake Ellison can be reached at jakeellisonjournalism@gmail.com. Follow Jake on Twitter at twitter.com/Jake_News. Also, swing by and *LIKE* his page on Facebook. If Google Plus is your thing, check out our science coverage here.
FREDERICKSBURG  Warm winter weather could mean too few chill hours for much of the states fruit production areas, said Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

Fruit trees, such as peaches and apples, depend on cool weather in the winter to promote proper physiological growth in the spring, said Dr. Larry Stein, AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde. If plants dont receive the required number of chill hours, the plants are slow to leaf out and this typically leads to poorly developed fruit or no fruit at all. Multiple seasons of inadequate chill hours can kill plants.

Damp, cloudy conditions and temperatures between 32-45 degrees are ideal for accruing chill hours, Stein said.

Chill hours begin to add up after the first freeze each fall, he said. Trees go dormant for the winter, but chill hours promote hormones that dilute growth inhibitors throughout the winter and prepare the plant to break dormancy and promote growth, bloom and set fruit.

But this winter has been one of the warmest on record and has experts and producers concerned the lack of chill hours could impact the states fruit crops, especially peaches.

Fruit trees need sufficient chill hours, he said. The lack of chill hours is a big deal.

The lack of chill hours around the state has confused plants, Stein said, because growth inhibitors remain and are holding the trees back physiologically.

Hormones in the buds are telling trees to remain dormant because the inhibitors are still there, he said. Bloom has been delayed. Fruit set is erratic at best. Some fruit sets look like they may abort.

Jim Kamas, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Fredericksburg, said it was the warmest winter in Central Texas he can remember in 22 growing seasons. And local news reports noted this winter was the warmest in Central Texas since 1906.

Most peach trees in the Fredericksburg area need 800-850 chilling hours to break dormancy and set fruit properly, Kamas said. The area received 525 chill hours this year.

The trees look like its still winter, he said. Leaves are still slow to emerge.

Some producers applied BudPro, a growth regulator that replaces winter chill and induces uniform bud break, to help fruit trees along.

It helps speed up the termination of dormancy as if flower buds were exposed to chilling and fully differentiated, Kamas said. But its still stressful on plants and were waiting to see how they perform. Insufficient chilling can detract from the size and shape of the fruit.

Kamas said fruit with low chillhour requirements, including some peach varieties, could perform well, though he said bloom and ripening times will be out of normal sequence.

Peach producers should know the extent of the damage within the next few weeks Kamas said. They will be cutting open fruit to see if viable seeds have formed.

Other fruits like grapes and blackberries, depending on the variety, were not affected by the warmer conditions, Kamas said. Strawberries were being harvested and appeared to be fine. However, he said it could be a tough year for apple orchards because the fruit trees are more susceptible to lack of chilling than peaches.

Usually low chill hour varieties are hit or miss because they bud so early and typically face a freeze, Kamas said. But this looks like it could be their year.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

SOUTH PLAINS: Temperatures reached the upper 80s, with gusty winds and blowing dust. Rain was in the forecast. Soil temperatures at the eight-inch depth were in the 60s. Field preparations continued, and many growers started pre-irrigation in preparation for planting. Wheat was heading in many fields. Planting of feed grains was expected to begin within the next 10 days. The rains in late March helped pasture conditions and decreased some available fuels in relation to wildfire threats.

PANHANDLE: Temperatures were near normal then increased to above normal. Rain was needed throughout the district. Deaf Smith County producers were preparing for planting. Corn planters should be running in two weeks or less with the warmer temperatures and chances for rain. Winter wheat fields got a shot in the arm with the recent rain events, but many acres were destined to be grazed out. Some disease issues were being seen in wheat fields but not widespread yet. Hansford County reported 1.64 inches of rain and snow in one day. Some fields had standing water. Cattle were doing well. Recent wildfires made it tough for many ranchers in Hemphill and Lipscomb counties, but over the last week the counties received more than 3 inches of general rain. Spring calving season was expected to be over in the next month. Cows were grazing on new growth. Wind erosion was a concern as the sand hills, especially along the Canadian River, were bald and exposed. Wildfire recovery was still in progress. Livestock supply points were still meeting rancher needs.
U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady is calling this the "worst week of the year for many Americans"  a reflection of the amount of time and money people have to spend in preparing and filing their income tax returns.

Still, as Montgomery County residents make their way through the last few days before this year's tax deadline, they and other Texans can at least take a degree of solace in knowing the tax load they carry is considerably less than the burden of people who live in most other states.

Because April 15  the usual tax deadline  falls on a Saturday, and Monday is a holiday in Washington, D.C.,- this year's tax deadline is pushed back until Tuesday, April 18. The extra days for filing taxes pushes the tax deadline back closer to the state's so-called "Tax Freedom Day," the day that the Tax Foundation  a nonprofit group that claims to be the nation's leading independent tax policy think tank  says is the date that people have to work through in order to cover their federal and state income tax bill.

Because Texas generally has lower taxes than most other states, Texans can celebrate their freedom day considerably sooner than residents of a number of states, especially in the Northeast or California.

Although late Wednesday the Tax Foundation was still working on determining this year's freedom day, it's expected that in Texas it will come nearly a month earlier than in New York, Connecticut or New Jersey.

Last year, Tax Freedom Day in Texas was April 17, while it didn't arrive until May 21 in Connecticut and May 11 in New York. Overall, the foundation ranks the tax system in Texas as 12th in its business tax climate index, noting that Texas does not tax wages.

Still, even with Texans carrying a lighter tax burden than residents in most states, Brady, R-The Woodlands, is pushing a federal tax reform bill he says will not only reduce taxes, but make filing them so easy that people will be able to file their taxes on a postcard.

"This week is the worst week of the year for many Americans," Brady wrote in an editorial. "It is the annual hassle to find the documents and paperwork to file your IRS tax return ..."

Brady, who is also the chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, claims the so-called GOP Blueprint for tax reform will grow wages by nearly $5,000 for middle-income households.

In Texas, the Tax Foundation says the GOP's proposal also will create more than 140,00 jobs across the state.

"This new data proves once again that our comprehensive tax reform blueprint will create jobs and increase paychecks in Texas and every state across America," Brady said in response to the group's report.

Still, Democrats in Congress, emboldened by the Republican defeat in trying to overturn the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, are expected to fight the Republican version of tax reform, claiming the GOP version of tax reform benefits the rich and corporations.
A public boat ramp at Pine Island Bayou once threatened by a proposed road widening project will be spared following numerous complaints from area anglers.

The Texas Department of Transportation unveiled a revised plan to improve U.S. 69 at Pine Island Bayou during a Tuesday night town hall at Roy Guess Elementary School in Beaumont.
AUSTIN -- County clerks with a sincerely-held religious objection to same sex marriages could give that responsibility to a deputy under a bill that received final approval by the Senate on Wednesday. Bill author and Granbury Sen. Brian Birdwell believes that forcing a person to violate their religious beliefs at work is unconstitutional. His bill, SB 522, would allow a county clerk to notify the commissioner's court that they cannot issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and then the court could delegate the responsibility to another clerk's office employee, or even an outside agency if no one in the office is willing. "Under this bill, county clerks will be able to fully follow the law without being forced to compromise their religious liberty, the license is issued and is executed to the couple requiring the license and simultaneously the right of conscience to clerks and judges is protected," said Birdwell. The bill would prohibit a person from refusing to issue a license for a reason that is protected under law, such as religious affiliation or race. It would also permit judges to refuse to perform a marriage ceremony under the same sincerely-held religious objection.

Also Wednesday, the Senate approved a bill aimed at reducing prescription opioid addiction and abuse in Texas. It's become a crisis, said McAllen Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa. "Drug overdoses now kill more Americans than HIV or AIDS did at its peak," said Hinojosa. "More than gun homicides and car crashes combined. In 2015, 52,000 people died of drug overdoses, more overdoses than any other period in U.S. history." His bill, SB 316 would require doctors and pharmacists to check a state database, called the prescription monitoring program, which tracks opioid prescriptions before they prescribe or dispense one to a patient. It would also require pharmacists to report any opioid prescription they dispense to the database within one business day. It also allows the Texas State Board of Pharmacists, who currently operates the prescription database, to monitor the database to find ways to identify problematic prescription trends, like doctor shopping, and send electronic alerts to doctors.
Premier payment solutions company, MasterCard Inc. MA has reached the last leg in its acquisition of UK based company VocalLink, with regulators giving a nod to the deal. The Competition & Markets Authority of UK passed the deal after being satisfied with the remedial measures taken by MasterCard to address competition concerns.

The regulators were bothered about competition to the LINK ATM network, serviced by VocaLink.

The deal valued at 700 million, will very soon see the light of day. It will be one of the companys strategic steps to broaden its payments system by providing bank accounted transfers. Shares of the company returned 21.2% since last July when the deal was announced, significantly outperforming the gain of 11.2% logged by the Zacks categorized Financial Transaction Services industry.

VocaLink is a leader in bank account-based payments. Its technology allows bank account transfers in some of the major financial centers across the world which includes UK, Singapore and Thailand. With this acquisition the service will be made available in the U.S too.

With VocaLink, MasterCard seeks to capture more payment flows by adding automated clearing house (ACH) payments to its core card-based business since ACH payments constitute a significant amount of all payments made by companies, businesses and governments.

The deal will provide MasterCard a greater foothold in the U.K. payments industry. The company is keen on making it big in the ACH space since it is at the center of commerce in the U.S., moving money and information from one bank account to another. According to NACHA, The Electronics Payments Association, each year the ACH network moves more than $41 trillion and 24 billion electronic financial transactions. The ACH Network is continuously growing and is now one of the largest, safest and most reliable payment systems in the world, creating value for all participants.

Last month, the company announced another acquisition of NuData Security, a privately held global technology company. This buy will enable MasterCard to provide greater security to online transactions.

Story continues

These deals will also help the company to source newer avenues of growth in the wake of the recent loss of one of its big client, the USAA, to another player Visa Inc. V.

The company has been seeking inorganic growth via acquisitions. To this end, it acquired two businesses for $609 million in cash in 2015, and eight businesses for $575 million in 2014.

MasterCard carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the space are Fiserv, Inc. FISV and Total System Services Inc. TSS. Each of these stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Fiserv beat estimates in two of the last four reported quarters with an average surprise of 1.2%.



Total System Services beat estimates in three of the last four reported quarters with an average surprise of 3.7%.

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A Houston man accused in a murder-for-hire plot involving his girlfriend, a prominent Montrose veterinarian, in an alleged scheme to kill their exes is expected in court Wednesday.

Leon Phillip Jacob, 39, was arrested last month on a charge of solicitation of capital murder with veterinarian Dr. Valerie Busick McDaniel, who killed herself March 27.

Jacob is expected to be arraigned by state District Judge Jim Wallace. If convicted, he faces the possibility of life in prison.

MORE ON THE CASE: Well-known attorney withdraws from murder-for-hire case

Jacob is in the Harris County Jail without bail. He was on bond when he was arrested trying to hire a hitman to kill his ex-girlfriend, a woman who had accused him of domestic violence and stalking.

Jacob, through his attorney George Parnham, unsuccessfully argued for bail. It is exceedingly rare for Harris County judges to grant any bond amount to suspects accused of violence while free on bail.

LAST WORDS: Veterinarian accused in murder-for-hire left notes before jumping to her death

The case, which made international headlines, continued to capture Houstonians' attention when it was revealed that city councilman Michael Kubosh, in his role as a bail bondsman, was the tipster who apparently turned Jacob in.

Jacob allegedly approached Kubosh about contacting a middleman whom Jacob had already paid to find a hitman. Kubosh contacted the Houston police and the department's major offenders unit set up a sting with a fake triggerman, complete with staged crime scene photos.
A person was shot Wednesday afternoon in the leg in southwest Houston, according to police.

The shooting occurred around 4 p.m. at 6001 Rampart Street near Gulfton Street. The victim is in unknown condition.
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Nahomi Rodriguez's family got one answer they wanted - they found the missing 19-year-old.

But, they didn't find her alive, so now they are searching for a second answer - who killed the teen when she vanished last year after leaving work at McDonald's in Harlingen.

Nahomis aunt Enedina Sanchez told reporters that the killers will be found.

STILL SEARCHING: Family, friends raising money for reward, 25 years after slaying

Whoever you are, all these gentlemen here are looking for you, Sanchez said of law enforcement personnel on hand Monday. We will find you."

Harlingen Police Chief Jeffry Adickes said Rodriguez could have died the night she disappeared or several months ago, but no significant evidence was found at the scene.

Sanchez said Harlingen police told her Nahomi was identified through dental records.

Rodriguez was last seen alive in Harlingen, leaving her job at the local McDonald's. She never arrived home.

Scroll through the above gallery to see other missing persons cases in Texas
special forces

Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham are painting ISIS and the Assad regime as "inextricably connected" in a call for "greater military action" in Syria.

The pair of senators who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee released a joint statement on Tuesday, saying that there would never be a diplomatic solution for the Syrian civil war as long Assad remained in power.

"Our strategy cannot presume to separate the fight against ISIL from the Syrian people's fight against the Assad regime," they wrote, using another acronym for the self-proclaimed Islamic State group. "They are inextricably connected. Assad is a puppet of Iran, and as long as he continues to slaughter his own people, it will be impossible to destroy the radical terrorist groups that occupy Syria and the region, and the war will never end. Nor will the threat posed by these groups to our nation."

They offered praise for President Donald Trump's recent cruise missile strike against the regime, which came in response to Assad's use of chemical weapons last week. According to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, it was meant to deter future chemical weapons use, while showing the world that the US would "not passively stand by" when such atrocities are carried out.

Neither Mattis or Trump have said the strategy in Syria  which has been focused solely on the defeat of ISIS  would change in light of the strikes. In an interview on Tuesday, Trump said "we're not going into Syria" when asked of any possible escalation beyond the small US footprint that is already there engaged in the anti-ISIS fight.

lindsey graham john mccain

Still, McCain and Graham want more. In their statement, they urge Trump to take steps such as grounding the Syrian air force, and to establish safe zones for refugees. The US military, however, needs to be weary of how Russia or Iran potentially respond to such moves, given the level of volatility in the region after the cruise missile strikes.

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"I'm confident the Russians will act in their own best interests, and there's nothing in their best interests to say they want this situation to go out of control," Mattis said Tuesday.

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Fire crews often find themselves fighting terrifying fires, but they also receive calls that don't involve flames at allsometimes the calls involve beloved pets in need of rescue from compromising positions.

The Vacaville Fire Department found itself responding to a family's distress call on Tuesday morning, when they found that their one-year-old puppy, Lex, had gotten himself stuck in a hole in the wall.
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Google Fiber is significantly reducing the number of fiber huts needed to house its infrastructure and will remove one of the controversial structures that has upset residents.

Mark Strama, Google Fibers regional director for West/SW Sales and Business Organization, told the San Antonio Express-News in an exclusive interview Wednesday that evolving technology has changed the landscape. The company will also be using a new trenching method to bury its fiber-optic lines, allowing it to speed up construction of the network while being less intrusive in the community.

When Google initially announced that it would bring its service here and contracted with the city for access to municipally owned property, it had planned to install some 40 fiber huts, though later reduced that number to 17. The huts contain needed infrastructure that aids in connectivity.

Google has installed two so far, much to the consternation of critics upset with their locations: Haskin and East End parks. Other proposed locations include at public-safety facilities and libraries.

We can get by with far fewer huts because of advancements (in technology), Strama said. One site we no longer need a hut at is Haskin Park.

San Antonio is one of a handful of U.S. cities selected for Google Fiber, which requires the installation of all-new infrastructure.

But concerns have been raised over the size of the huts, which are the size of a small house  about 12 feet wide, 30 feet long and 9 feet tall. Residents also complained about constructions noise and inconvenience. As the firm moved to the construction phase, officials said they needed to install only 17 huts.

Earlier this year, the city paused further construction so it could vet the sites it had already approved. Meanwhile, Google was busy testing new technology that would render the need for 17 huts moot.

Mayor Ivy Taylor has met at least three times this year with Google officials  twice in San Antonio and once in Washington, D.C.

Weve enjoyed a strong relationship with Google Fiber and appreciate their willingness to continue to work with us to create a fiber network that fits our community, Taylor said.

In the next few months, the hut at Haskin Park will be removed and replaced with a cabinet, which typically fits within public right of way and ranges in size from an air-conditioning compressor to a small refrigerator, Strama said.

Moving forward, installation of the fiber-optic lines should be smoother as well, Strama added. Google has been criticized for damaging utilities as its contractors install some 4,000 miles of fiber optic cable in San Antonio.

Google has also taken heat from city officials, who in the past have said the California-based firm dropped the ball on communicating with residents. City Manager Sheryl Sculley noted in an email to council members earlier this year that the company fell short of their committed obligations to properly inform neighborhood residents about the construction schedule.

And despite council approval, some officials were bothered by plans to lease park space to Google.

In construction thats been under way since April 2016, Google has faced challenges typical of major infrastructure projects, Strama said. When the cable goes underground, Google has to bore horizontally at about three feet beneath the surface  the same depth as other utilities.

The machines are loud and drilling through rock, ubiquitous in San Antonio, is time consuming. And though workers work with utility maps to avoid striking existing utilities, it still happens, Strama said.

But Google has tested micro-trenching  a method that is far less invasive, quicker and doesnt require the same depth as typical utilities  in Austin to great success, the Google official said. In 300 miles of micro-trenching, the company hasnt struck an existing utility once, he said. And construction crews are able to get in and out of neighborhoods quicker.

The shift in deployment strategy, Strama said, will be great in reducing friction and disruption common in large-scale projects.

Outgoing District 10 Councilman Mike Gallagher, who faced criticism from some of his constituents for not blocking the fiber hut from Haskin Park, said Googles new plan will ensure residents can access the Internet service while having their park preserved.

Technology is ever-changing, and we are proud to help keep San Antonio at the forefront of fiber deployment, he said. The goal has always been to work toward a solution that not only benefits our community around Haskin Park, but also the 40,000 residents served by the fiber backbone. I am pleased to see that our collective efforts made that goal a reality.

jbaugh@express-news.net

Twitter: @jbaugh
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A state district judge, testifying at a hearing Wednesday, backed up a claim made by defense attorneys in a murder case that District Attorney Nico LaHood had threatened to destroy the lawyers practices when they told him they might raise issues of prosecutorial misconduct.

Attorney Mark Stevens put LaHood on the stand for more than two hours, then drew testimony from Judge Lori Valenzuela about an exchange last February between LaHood and the lawyers in the judges chambers.

LaHood has denied the accusation, made in a defense motion, that he threatened to shut down the practices of lawyers Joe D. Gonzales and Christian Henricksen after they said they might seek dismissal of the murder charge because they were told too late about a sexual relationship between a prosecutor and a key witness three years before the killing.

The testimony Wednesday morning covered only the conversation between LaHood and Gonzales. LaHood denied threatening him.

But when Stevens, who is part of the defense team but was not in the judges chambers when the conversation took place, asked Valenzuela if LaHood had threatened Gonzales practice, the jurist replied: Yes.

Asked if she considered it a direct threat by LaHood against Gonzales, the judge replied: Yes, I did.

Stevens asked if Valenzuela thought LaHoods statements to Gonzales constituted official oppression, which is a Class A misdemeanor, and the judge replied: I did, based on his position and statement he made. It could move to official oppression.

The courtroom was packed with lawyers who watched the judge assert that the district attorney might have committed a crime and describe behavior that appeared to violate National District Attorneys Association standards that say prosecutors should not express personal animosity toward opposing counsel.

The American Bar Association's Canons of Professional Ethics also urge avoidance of personal colloquies between counsel which cause delay and promote unseemly wrangling.

Stevens declined to say if he planned to file a criminal complaint against LaHood. Class A misdemeanors are punishable by a $4,000 fine, up to a year in jail, or both.

Valenzuela recused herself from the murder case the same day defense lawyers filed the motion to dismiss the murder indictment against Miguel Martinez, 29.

The defense lawyers learned only after the trial started that the prosecutor who had the sexual encounter with the witness had access to their clients criminal file for a day before she was taken off the case, the motion stated.

Trying Martinez a second time would constitute double jeopardy, putting the accused person on trial twice for the same offense, the motion argued.

Senior District Judge W.C. Kirkendall of Seguin took over the case and conducted Wednesdays hearing.

A good deal of LaHoods testimony came in answer to Stevens questions about news coverage of the murder case and LaHoods statements to reporters about why he wanted to personally try the case.

LaHood said he found out about the prior sexual involvement of a prosecutor with the witness, Gregory Dalton, days before the trial started, and said he discussed it with the chief of his ethical disclosure unit and the head of his appellate division.

Neither believed it required disclosure to the defense, he said.

They looked it up, researched it, and it was not information that had to be disclosed, but his advisers said the information could be given to the judge if we wanted to do something, LaHood said.

When Valenzuela learned of it, she ordered that it be disclosed to defense lawyers as a jury was being picked, the defense motion stated.

A day of testimony Feb. 8 was followed by a series of continuances and conferences in the judges chambers before a mistrial was declared.

On Wednesday, the district attorney said he became angry when Gonzales suggested airing the allegations of prosecutorial misconduct in the news media. Stevens asked LaHood if Gonzales had threatened first.

He made a bad faith threat, sir, LaHood replied.

Asked about the alleged vow to shut down Gonzales practice, LaHood said: No, it was not said.

Valenzuela said Gonzales did not threaten to go to the news media. Asked if Gonzales appeared threatening to LaHood, she said: In my opinion, no.

Asked how she reacted to LaHoods words to Gonzales, the judge said they had a chilling effect on me and prompted her to think about how the news media would cover it when it became public.

She said she imagined the headline, DA threatens local defense attorney.

The motion did make headlines. It contained a description of an enraged LaHood who vowed to shut down the practices of Gonzales and Henricksen and make sure they never got hired on another case again in Bexar County.

In his testimony, LaHood referred to stories in the news media about the defense allegations as a (expletive) show.

Asked if he was enraged during the conversation in chambers, LaHood said, No, I was angry.

Valenzuela also was asked if LaHood had been enraged, and she replied: I think certainly some people could think that, yes.

Martinez is accused of shooting Laura Carter, 33, five times in the head as she sat in her vehicle in a Southeast Side neighborhood on Jan. 11, 2015.

According to the defense motion, a prosecutor assigned to the case shortly after Martinez's arrest told Jason Goss, an assistant district attorney, of her involvement three years earlier with Dalton, a witness who could place Martinez at the scene.

She was instructed to have nothing more to do with the case but had access to the case file for one day, the motion states.

Goss, who prosecuted Martinez in February with LaHood, gave testimony Wednesday that mostly mirrored that of LaHoods. He said he did not believe the prosecutors involvement with Dalton was relevant and still doesnt. Though Goss said his boss was upset during the conference, he did not recall hearing LaHood threaten to shut down the defense lawyers practice.

I dont remember hearing those words, Goss said.

Henricksen testified that he and Gonzales werent sure how to proceed when told of the prosecutors history with the witness, and that it was LaHood who raised the option of a mistrial and choosing a new jury. The defense felt backed into a corner, Henricksen said.

LaHoods threats made him tell his wife that night that they might have to move because the DA is coming after me, Henricksen recalled.

Assistant District Attorney Josh Somers questioned whether Henricksen really felt threatened.

I absolutely felt threatened, Henricksen replied.
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Texas has its own amphibian, dinosaur and pepper, but strangely enough, state officials have not yet designated a state handgun.

Lawmakers are primed to pull the trigger on a resolution this session that would designate the 1847 Colt Walker pistol, used in the Mexican-American War, as the state handgun of Texas.

Rep. Mike Lang, R-Granbury, got the idea for his resolution while running for office. Zachary Maxwell, Langs chief of staff, said during the lawmakers campaign they found the issue voters cared about most was the second amendment.

Weve got state pie and weve got everything else, a state knife, Maxwell said, adding Lang thought the resolution would be a fun thing to do.

In the 1840s, a firearm designer and a Texas Ranger joined forces to create the Colt Walker pistol. Samuel Colt and Texas Ranger Samuel Hamilton Walker designed the weapon to be used for the Texas Rangers, the first law enforcement agency in the country, Maxwell said.

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Only 1,100 pistols were produced, and almost all were sold to military members, said former Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, adding that civilians at the time probably didnt know the firearm even existed.

The Colt Walker, often referred to as the Walker Colt, did not use bullets and was instead loaded with black powder and a round ball. It weighed a heavy 4.5 pounds and came with a long barrel.

Its not exactly a concealed carry, he said. You put the holster on your waist and it might just pull your britches off.

Texas would join the ranks of eight other states with designated guns, including Utah, Alaska, West Virginia, Indiana, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Kentucky, if the resolution is approved this session.

RELATED: Piece of Alamo history, other Texas artifacts up for auction

By the 1860s, lighter firearms were invented, leaving little use for the Colt Walker, which was "just too damn heavy," Patterson said. Maxwell said Lang chose the pistol for designation because of its historical significance.

Captain Walker carried two of them, he said, adding Samuel Colt once declared the pistol was so big, only a Texan could carry it.

Langs resolution states that the pistol was a crucial element to Texas survival.

A similar resolution proposed by Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, would designate the cannon as the official state gun of Texas. He cites the 1835 Battle of Gonzales, where Texans cried: Come and take it! when Mexican soldiers tried to steal their cannon, in his resolution.

I thought that was a bad idea because thats a cannon, not a gun, Patterson said.

Lang's team requested a hearing for the resolution and they expect it to go through without much fuss.

Its pretty favorable across the line, Maxwell said.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
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The rain never bothered Texas State students, anyway.

Videos of students using high waters and flooded parking lots in San Marcos to have a little fun surfaced Tuesday as rain hit Central Texas hard with a band of strong storms.

RELATED: Social media photos, videos capture storms, flooding in Central Texas

Students wake-boarded, kayaked, danced and showered as water poured across town, social media videos show.

In a tight spot without an umbrella, one student carried a table over his head to shield from the rain and another decided it was the perfect time to grab a tube and float a flooded parking lot.

Click through the slideshow to see all the Texas State shenanigans during the April flooding.

As students played in the rain, emergency crews were busy with 50 water rescues, said Mayor John Thomaides on Twitter. He said 7 inches of rain fell Tuesday.

kbradshaw@express-news.net

Twitter: @kbrad5
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley resigned on Monday, after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors related to the coverup of an alleged affair with former aide Rebekah Caldwell Mason. Taking his place is Lieutenant Governor Kay Ivey. As she was sworn in on Monday, Ivey became the first Republican woman to occupy the state office and the fifth woman to currently serve as a governor nationwide.

Today is a dark day in Alabama, but also its one of opportunity, she said during the ceremony. I ask for your help, and your patience as together we steady the ship and improve Alabamas image.

Ivey is taking the reins of a state in political turmoil, and not just because of the circumstances that catapulted her into office. Beyond Bentleys lengthy scandal that earned him the nickname Luv Guv, former House Speaker Mike Hubbard, a Republican, was convicted on 12 felony ethics violations in June and left office, according to the Montgomery Advertiser. And last September, the states Chief Justice Roy Moore was suspended for what was left of his term after ordering probate judges not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. His replacement Acting Alabama Chief Justice Lyn Stuart swore Ivey in.

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Ivey tried to put a positive spin on the transition of power on Monday, calling it a demonstration of our successful practice of rule of law and the principles of democracy.

Ivey is the second woman to serve as Alabamas governor. The first was Lurleen Wallace, wife of Governor George Wallace, known for his staunch support of racial segregation. She was governor for about a year after state law kept her husband, a Democrat, from running for consecutive terms, according to the New York Times. Interestingly enough, as a student, Ivey campaigned for Lurleen Wallace.

By the time Ivey, now 72, first won elected office-state treasurer in 2002-shed switched her political affiliation to the Republican party. She served two terms in that role and it saddled her with perhaps her biggest piece of political baggage: She oversaw the states Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program that let parents pay for their childrens college education ahead of time. The program failed to keep up with rising tuition costs and was hampered by the financial crisis. During Iveys second term, in 2008, it stopped accepting new enrollees and the state later settled a class action lawsuit with participants. Ivey blamed the programs collapse on market forces and, in 2010, she narrowly won the lieutenant governor election, defeating the incumbent.

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On Monday, Ivey became the fifth woman to currently occupy a governors mansion, according to Rutgers Universitys Center for American Women and Politics. The others are Democrat Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, Democrat Kate Brown of Oregon, Republican Susana Martinez of New Mexico, and Republican Mary Fallin of Oklahoma. A sixth is expected to join the ranks if Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, a Republican, is confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to China-President Donald Trump nominated him for the role in December-and hes replaced by his lieutenant Kim Reynolds, a Republican.

The current total is down from six last year and well shy of the all-time high of nine, which was achieved in 2004 and again in 2007. In the history of the United States, only 38 women have served as governor-22 Democrats and 16 Republicans.

This article was originally published on FORTUNE.com
Somehow, firing Tomahawk missiles at Syria suddenly changed people's opinions of President Trump. Now they call him a "serious" leader.

William Kristol said Trump's action "reassures you."

Senators Lindsey Graham and John McCain, long critical of Trump, now say he "deserves the support of the American people."

Politicians from France, the U.K., the EU, Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Australia expressed their support. So did Hillary Clinton.

"Why is war such an alluring illusion?" asks Jeffrey Tucker, of the Foundation for Economic Education. "Good intentions are never enough to justify government intervention in anything. This is especially true in war, the meanest, deadliest, and most destructive government program ever conceived. And yet we keep doing it."

Trump says pictures of Syrian children killed by nerve gas moved him to order the attack. His supporters say launching the missiles was the "moral" thing to do.

But Syria's dictator killed more children in the past.

In 2013, after a horrible chemical attack, Trump tweeted, "Do not attack Syria. There is no upside and tremendous downside ... If the U.S. attacks Syria and hits the wrong targets, killing civilians, there will be worldwide hell to pay. Stay away."

Fortunately, it appears that these missile strikes didn't kill civilians. But four years ago Trump also said, "What will we get for bombing Syria besides more debt and a possible long term conflict?"

What changed? Just seeing pictures on TV?

For years, we've tried to sort out who is on which side in Syria. Last week's attack was an awfully fast switch to military action.

Both Democratic and Republican interventionists focus on Assad as the bad guy. Many say getting rid of him will make the Syrian public less likely to side with ISIS.

Maybe. But they've been completely wrong before about the aftermath of war. In Syria, dozens of factions are fighting each other. We don't know the motives of all of them. Some rebels Assad wants to crush are openly allied with ISIS.

None of this makes Assad a good guy, but it means we don't know what will replace him if he gets toppled. Fourteen years ago, many people thought nothing could be worse for Iraq than Saddam Hussein. The groups unleashed when Saddam fell were worse.

Before that, our support of "freedom fighters" in Afghanistan helped arm the Taliban and eventually ISIS. Today, they kill Americans with weapons American taxpayers paid for.

In Libya, Tucker reminds us, "(T)he US intervened with airstrikes to overthrow a terrible dictator but instead of unleashing freedom, the results unleashed a terror army that continues to spread violence and death ... (I)t is not enough merely to bomb a government or regime into disgrace, resignation or obliteration. It is grossly irresponsible not to ask the question: what comes after?"

We don't even know for certain that it was the Syrian president who used nerve gas.

He claims his regime attacked anti-government militias with conventional bombs, and one must have hit gas that the militias themselves stored.

I don't know if that's true, but I have a hard time being as confident as people like John McCain about what's going on over in the Middle East.

Even if Assad was responsible for the nerve gas, it's not obvious that using nerve gas is a more horrendous crime than fighting wars by other means. Nearly everyone seems to think so, and chemical weapons do drift in the air, making them more likely to kill civilians. But families torn apart by conventional bombs take little consolation in knowing that what killed their relatives wasn't poison gas.

If Trump turns out to be like most past presidents, he'll see his popularity rise because he took military action. George W. Bush's approval rating spiked 10 percent after he invaded Iraq. When his father invaded, his approval rating jumped 28 percent.

Trump loves being popular. I fear his new slogan may be "Syria first, then North Korea, then..."

John Stossel is the author of "No They Can't! Why Government Fails - But Individuals Succeed." For other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.
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STAMFORD  A known accomplice of the citys fiercest female criminal pleaded guilty to a federal count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

Besim Muriqi, 31, of Stamford, pleaded guilty Tuesday before Judge Vanessa Bryant in Hartford federal court.

The investigation into Muriqi when members of the Stamford Police Departments Narcotics and Organized Crime squad members discovered Amonda Mendez, known on the street as M-Dot or Dot, was distributing a variety of narcotics in the city.

The federal Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force conducted four undercover purchases of narcotics from Mendez between February and April 2015, according to Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut.

A wiretap confirmed Mendez was selling the narcotics and investigators listened to calls between Muriqi and Mendez when they discussed dealing drugs, Daly said.

Police followed them to the Bronx, N.Y., where they purchased drugs, Daly said.

Mendez was arrested May 17, 2015 after the wiretap revealed she was injured in a shootout on Lawn Avenue with a rival drug dealer and she was preparing to retaliate, Daly said.

Stamford police called the .44 caliber semiautomatic pistol the much-feared Mendez was firing that night a hand cannon. Mendez winged the 23-year-old man with a shot to his upper right arm, another bullet lodged in the mans shoulder followed by a through and through gunshot wound to his hip.

Mendez, who was identified as the leader of a subset of the Bloods street gang then known around Stamford as the Green Team, also faced state charges for pistol-whipping another man with what may have been the same high-caliber pistol.

Police arranged to purchase 10 Oxycodone pills from Muriqi in September 2016 and pulled him over for a broken tail light about a month later, Daly said.

Police found 58 oxycodone pills in the car and he was arrested on state narcotics charges, police said. Two days later, investigators searched his apartment and found 400 Valium tablets, 985 Xanax pills and 15 grams of cocaine, police said.

Muriqi is scheduled to be sentenced on July 19, when he will face up to 20 years in prison. Muriqi has been released on a $150,000 court appearance bond.

Mendez is serving a 10-year federal prison sentence.

jnickerson@stamfordadvocate.com;
The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, law enforcement and other U.S. officials said.

The FBI and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting Carter Page's communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, according to the officials.

This is the clearest evidence so far that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump campaign adviser was in touch with Russian agents. Such contacts are now at the center of an investigation into whether the campaign coordinated with the Russian government to swing the election in Trump's favor.

Page has not been accused of any crimes, and it is unclear whether the Justice Department might later seek charges against him or others in connection with Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election. The counterintelligence investigation into Russian efforts to influence U.S. elections began in July, officials have said. Most such investigations don't result in criminal charges.

The officials spoke about the court order on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of a counterintelligence probe.

During an interview with the Washington Post editorial page staff in March 2016, Trump identified Page, who had previously been an investment banker in Moscow, as a foreign policy adviser to his campaign. Campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks later described Page's role as "informal."

Page has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in his dealings with the Trump campaign or Russia.

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page said in an interview Tuesday. "I have nothing to hide." He compared surveillance of him to the eavesdropping that the FBI and Justice Department conducted against civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

The White House, FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.

FBI Director James Comey disclosed in public testimony to the House Intelligence Committee last month that the bureau is investigating efforts by the Russian government to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

Comey said this includes investigating the "nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts."

Comey declined to comment during the hearing about any individuals, including Page, who worked in Moscow for Merrill Lynch a decade ago and who has said he invested in Russian energy giant Gazprom. In a letter to Comey in September, Page had said he had sold his Gazprom investment.

During the hearing last month, Democratic lawmakers repeatedly singled out Page's contacts in Russia as a cause for concern.

The judges who rule on Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) requests oversee the nation's most sensitive national security cases, and their warrants are some of the most closely guarded secrets in the world of U.S. law enforcement and intelligence gathering. Any FISA application has to be approved at the highest levels of the Justice Department and the FBI.

Applications for FISA warrants, Comey said, are often thicker than his wrists, and that thickness represents all the work Justice Department attorneys and FBI agents have to do to convince a judge that such surveillance is appropriate in an investigation.

The government's application for the surveillance order targeting Page included a lengthy declaration that laid out investigators' basis for believing that Page was an agent of the Russian government and knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow, officials said.

Among other things, the application cited contacts that he had with a Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013, officials said. Those contacts had earlier surfaced in a federal espionage case brought by the Justice Department against another Russian agent. In addition, the application said Page had other contacts with Russian operatives that have not been publicly disclosed, officials said.

An application for electronic surveillance under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act need not show evidence of a crime. But the information obtained through the intercepts can be used to open a criminal investigation and may be used in a prosecution.

The application also showed that the FBI and the Justice Department's national security division have been seeking since July to determine how broad a network of accomplices Russia enlisted in attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, the officials said.

Since the 90-day warrant was first issued, it has been renewed more than once by the FISA court, the officials said.

In February, Page told "PBS NewsHour" that he was a "junior member of the [Trump] campaign's foreign policy advisory group."

A former Trump campaign adviser said Page submitted policy memos to the campaign and several times asked to be given a meeting with Trump, though his request was never granted. "He was one of the more active ones, in terms of being in touch," the adviser said.

The campaign adviser said Page participated in three dinners held for the campaign's volunteer foreign policy advisers in the spring and summer of 2016, coming from New York to Washington to meet with the group. Although Trump did not attend, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a top Trump confidant who became his attorney general, attended one meeting of the group with Page in late summer, the campaign adviser said.

Page's role as an adviser to the Trump campaign drew alarm last year from more-established foreign policy experts in part because of Page's effusive praise for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his criticism of U.S. sanctions over Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine.

In July, Page traveled to Moscow, where he delivered a speech harshly critical of the United States' policy toward Russia.

While there, Page allegedly met with Igor Sechin, a Putin confidant and chief executive of the energy company Rosneft, according to a dossier compiled by a former British intelligence officer and cited at a congressional hearing by Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. Officials said some of the information in the dossier has been verified by U.S. intelligence agencies, and some of it hasn't, while other parts are unlikely to ever be proved or disproved.

On Tuesday, Page dismissed what he called "the dodgy dossier" of false allegations.

Page has denied such a meeting occurred, saying he has never met Sechin in his life and that he wants to testify before Congress to clear his name. A spokesman for Rosneft told Politico in September that the notion that Page met with Sechin was "absurd." Page said in September that he briefly met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich during that trip.

Comey has declined to discuss the details of the Russia probe, but in an appearance last month, he cited the process for getting FISA warrants as proof that the government's surveillance powers are very carefully used, with significant oversight.

"It is a pain in the neck to get permission to conduct electronic surveillance in the United States. And that's good,'' he told an audience at the University of Texas in Austin.

Officials have said the FBI and the Justice Department were particularly reluctant to seek FISA warrants of campaign figures during the 2016 presidential race because of concerns that agents would inadvertently eavesdrop on political talk. To obtain a FISA warrant, prosecutors must show that a significant purpose of the warrant is to obtain foreign intelligence information.

Page is the only American to have had his communications directly targeted with a FISA warrant in 2016 as part of the Russia probe, officials said.

The FBI routinely obtains FISA warrants to monitor the communications of foreign diplomats in the United States, including the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. The conversations between Kislyak and Michael Flynn, who became Trump's first national security adviser, were recorded in December. In February, The Washington Post reported that Flynn misled Vice President-elect Mike Pence and others about his discussions with Kislyak, prompting Trump's decision to fire him.

In March, Trump made unsubstantiated claims about U.S. surveillance of Trump Tower in New York. Later that month, Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and a Trump transition official, charged that details about people "associated with the incoming administration, details with little apparent foreign intelligence value" were "widely disseminated" in intelligence community reporting. He said none of the surveillance was related to Russia. The FISA order on Page is unrelated to either charge.

Last month, the former director of national intelligence, James Clapper Jr., told NBC's "Meet the Press" that U.S. law enforcement agencies did not have any FISA orders to monitor the communications of Trump, either as a candidate or as a president-elect, or his campaign. But Clapper did not address whether there were any FISA warrants targeting Trump associates.

Three years before Page became an adviser to the Trump campaign, he came to the attention of FBI counterintelligence agents, who learned that Russian spy suspects had sought to use Page as a source for information.

In that case, one of the Russian suspects, Victor Pobodnyy - who was posing as a diplomat and was later charged by federal prosecutors with acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government - was captured on tape in 2013 discussing an effort to get information and documents from Page. That discussion was detailed in a federal complaint filed against another Kremlin agent. The court documents in that spy case only identify Page as "Male 1.'' Officials familiar with the case said that "Male 1'' is Page.

In one secretly recorded conversation, detailed in the complaint, Pobodnyy said Page "wrote that he is sorry, he went to Moscow and forgot to check his inbox, but he wants to meet when he gets back. I think he is an idiot and forgot who I am. Plus he writes to me in Russian [to] practice the language. He flies to Moscow more often than I do. He got hooked on Gazprom thinking that if they have a project, he could rise up. Maybe he can. I don't know, but it's obvious that he wants to earn lots of money.''

The same court document says that in June 2013, Page told FBI agents that he met Pobodnyy at an energy symposium in New York, where they exchanged contact information. In subsequent meetings, Page shared with the Russian his outlook on the state of the energy industry, as well as documents about the energy business, according to the court papers.

In the secret tape, Pobodnyy said he liked the man's "enthusiasm" but planned to use him to get information and give him little in return. "You promise a favor for a favor. You get the documents from him and tell him to go f--- himself,'' Pobodnyy said on the tape, according to court papers.

Page has said the information he provided to the Russians in 2013 was innocuous, describing it as "basic immaterial information and publicly available research documents." He said he had assisted the prosecutors in their case against Evgeny Buryakov, who was convicted of espionage.
Black holes theorized in the 18th century PhysOrg (Chuck L)

Possible signs of life found ten kilometers below seafloor PhysOrg (Chuck L)

Agriculture is depleting world aquifers, new satellite measurements show MinnPost (guurst). :-(

The Dark Secret at the Heart of AI MIT Technology Review (Chuck L). Not smart to be deliberately incubating Skynet. What if a self driving car gets road rage? Theyd presumably be better at it than a person.

Giant viruses found in Austrian sewage fuel debate over potential fourth domain of life Science (martha r). Look at what we grew in the sewage!

The FDA just struck a deal that could replace animal testing with a tiny chip Business Insider (David L)

A New, More Rigorous Study Confirms: The More You Use Facebook, the Worse You Feel Harvard Business Review (resilc)

China?

China faces a tough fight to escape its debt trap Financial Times

Americans deploy nuclear sniffer plane to Okinawa Nikkei (Dan K)

Ecuadorians Reject Neoliberalism in Presidential Race New Economic Perspectives. Funny that the MSM didnt report on this. This means Assange still has a refuge in London.

Syraquistan

Imperial Collapse Watch

D.C.s war madness The Week (Sid S) Whos Playing The Long Gameand Whats Their Game Plan? Charles Hugh Smith (Chuck L). He overstates some of his points. Stuff like The Neocon camp has also ordered its media armthe corporate-owned mainstream media to go into full attack mode is cringe-making. But if you discount the hyperbole, there is some good stuff in here.

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

The relentless push to add connectivity to home gadgets is creating dangerous side effects that figure to get even worse. MIT Technology Review (martha r)

Trump Transition

Obamacare

Gabbard: We need to learn from Iraq The Hill (resilc)

Liberal leaders call for challenge to Gabbard over Syria skepticism CNN. Oliver: I must confess I had not heard of Ms Gabbard before now, but she seem very rational. CNNs performance during this interview is well, what can I say.

Seeking 2020 clout, California looks to jump the primary queue Politico

Newly Energized Liberals Pour Record Effort Into Local Races Wall Street Journal

Virginia (VA) Poll  Dem Gov Primary Quinnipiac (martha R)

Live results: Kansas special election The Hill (martha r)

US state could vote to bring back duels for public officials Independent

United Removal Fiasco

The Fundamental Problems of the Financial Crisis Are Still with Us Finanz und Wirtschaft. Interview with Raghuram Rajan, one of the few Serious Economists to warn all was not well before the crisis. Joe Costello: Gets more than many, but phew

Trumps DOJ takes same hard line as Obamas in Wells probe American Banker

Argument preview: Court to consider application of Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to debt buyers SCOTUSblog (martha r)

Whats New in Republicans Plan to Replace Dodd-Frank Wall Street Journal

NY Fed research implies small business expectations are mostly worthless FT Alphaville

I Was a Whistleblower. The Fed Is Not Doing Enough to Fix Wall Streets Culture of Fear ProMarket

Guillotine Watch

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour. From the winners of the Sony World Photography Awards (Scott):

And a bonus video. A bit leisurely, but I get a kick out of the feisty Shetland pony.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
'It wasn't meant to be': Chandler Smith comes up short in third Chandler Smith talks about what more was needed tonight and what could've been done differently as he puts a cap on the season.
Find the newest releases to watch from National Geographic on Disney+, including favourite documentary series and films Free Solo, The Rescue, Shark Beach with Chris Hemsworth and The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
Vive la France et sa culture was the order of the day on March 24 last when Cashel Community School held its annual Journee de la Francophonie or French day.

The aim of the day is to promote French and French culture within the school through the provision of fun activities for both students and staff to enjoy.

Junior cycle students participated in a French themed art competition with an overall winner being chosen from each year group. They were: First Year Sarah Quinn, Second Year Julianne Bongcaras and Third Year Abigail Keating. The overall winner for this years French art competition was Emily Coleman a first year student. Felicitations!

First year students followed French clues throughout the school in order to find le tresor (treasure). Lunchtime activities involved a whole school approach with a table quiz, a film in French and French music for all to enjoy. The table quiz saw a huge turnout with Eve Moloney, Anneka Maxwell, Eleanor Tobin and Clodagh Quinn facing down stiff competition in a double tie-break situation on the day.

La journee de la Francophonie would not have been complete without the sale of French food with crepes available at lunch time. The final task for sixth years was to interview students and teachers in French throughout lunchtime with the best interviewers Maria Magner and Tom Davern both receiving a prize.

TY and 5th year students were essential to the running of the day and Rachel O'Carroll was recognised for her efforts in helping out on the day and for speaking en Francais.

Cest en forgeant quon devient forgeron or in English Practice makes perfect
What the faces on Mount Rushmore said about Indians:

Indians and wolves are both beasts of prey, tho they differ in shape.

~George Washington, 1778

If ever we are constrained to lift the hatchet against any tribe we will never lay it down til that tribe is exterminated, or driven beyond the Mississippi . . . in war they will kill some of us; but we will destroy all of them. Adjuring them, therefore, if they wish to remain on the land which covers the bones of their fathers, to keep the peace with a people who ask friendship without needing it, who wish to avoid war without fearing it. In war, they will kill some of us; we shall destroy all of them.

~Thomas Jefferson, August 28, 1807

I suppose I should be ashamed to say that I take the Western view of the Indian. I dont go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every ten are, and I shouldnt like to inquire too closely into the case of the tenth.

~Theodore Roosevelt, January, 1886
(Adds quotes, details)

By Felix Onuah

ABUJA, April 12 (Reuters) - Nigeria will delay the issuance of a green bond until the 2017 budget has been passed, the environment minister said on Wednesday.

The government had planned to launch the 20 billion naira ($65.55 million) bond in April to fund projects to reduce carbon emissions and develop renewable energy.

Announcing the plans in February, the environment ministry said the programme was aimed at widening Nigeria's funding options and diversify the OPEC member's oil-dependent economy, which is the largest in Africa.

"All is set for its formal launch but the budget has to be passed first before the issuance," Ibrahim Usman Jibril, the minister of state for environment, told reporters in the capital, Abuja, following a cabinet meeting.

The budget -- which was first presented to lawmakers by President Muhammadu Buhari in December -- must be agreed by parliament before it can be signed into law by the president.

Lawmakers have resolved to pass the 2017 budget more swiftly than last year when wrangling between parliament and the presidency delayed the spending plan being passed in to law for months.

($1 = 305.1000 naira) (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Alison Williams)
US President Donald Trump: Secretary General Stoltenberg, it's a pleasure to welcome you to the White House, especially at such an important moment in our great alliance. I also want to acknowledge the great work being done by our secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, to strengthen the NATO alliance, as well as the secretary's trip to Moscow to promote the security interests of the United States and its allies. He did a terrific job. Just watched parts of it, he did an absolutely terrific job.

Sixty-eight years ago this month, not far from where we are gathered today, President Harry Truman spoke at the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty. In the nearly seven decades since Harry Truman spoke those words, the NATO alliance has been the bulwark of international peace and security.

NATO allies defeated communism and liberated the captive nations of the Cold War. They secured the longest period of unbroken peace that Europe has ever known. This enduring partnership is rooted out of so many different things, but our common security is always number one, and our common devotion to human dignity and freedom.

Since 1949, the NATO member states have more than doubled, increasing from 12 to 28.

On Monday, I signed the protocol to approve the 29th, the country of Montenegro. In the coming months and years, I'll work closely with all of our NATO allies to enhance this partnership and to adapt to the challenges of the future, of which there will be many. This includes upgrading their focus on today's most pressing security and all of its challenges, including migration and terrorism.

We must also work together to resolve the disaster currently taking place in Syria. We are grateful for the support of NATO members and partners in their condemnation of Assad's murderous attack using the most horrible weapons. The vicious slaughter of innocent civilians with chemical weapons, including the barbaric killing of small and helpless children and babies, must be forcefully rejected by any nation that values human life. It is time to end this brutal civil war, defeat terrorists, and allow refugees to return home.

In facing our common challenges, we must also ensure that NATO members meet their financial obligations and pay what they owe. Many have not been doing that. The Secretary General and I agree that other member-nations must satisfy their responsibility to contribute 2 percent of GDP to defense. If other countries pay their fair share instead of relying on the United Sates to make up the difference, we will all be much more secure, and our partnership will be made that much stronger.

The secretary general and I had a productive discussion about what more NATO can do in the fight against terrorism. I complained about that a long time ago and they made a change, and now they do fight terrorism. I said it was obsolete. It's no longer obsolete.

It's my hope that NATO will take on an increased role in supporting our Iraqi partners in their battle against ISIS.

I'm also sending General McMaster to Afghanistan to find out how we can make progress alongside our Afghan partners and NATO allies.

Every generation has strived to adapt the NATO alliance to meet the challenges of their times. And during my visit to Brussels this Spring, which I look very much forward to, we will work together to do the same. We must not be trapped by the tired thinking that so many have, but apply new solutions to face new circumstances, and that's all throughout the world.

We're not here to stand on ceremony, but to develop real strategies to achieve safety, security and peace. We're here to protect the freedom and prosperity of our citizens and to give them the future they so richly deserve.

Secretary general, I'm honored to have you here today and to reaffirm our commitment to this alliance and to the enduring values that we proudly -- and I mean very proudly -- share.

Thank you, very much. Thank you for being here. Thank you.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: Thank you so much, Mr. President.

We just had an excellent and very productive meeting. And its really an honour to meet you for the first time, here in the White House.

We agree that NATO is a bedrock of security both for Europe and for the United States.

Two World Wars and a Cold War have taught us all that peace in Europe is not only important for Europeans, but is also important for the prosperity and the security of North America.

So a strong NATO is good for Europe, but a strong NATO is also good for the United States.

And therefore I welcome the very strong commitment of the United States to the security of Europe.

We see this commitment not only in words but also in deeds.

Over the past months, thousands of US troops have been deploying to Europe. A clear demonstration that America stands with Allies to protect peace and defend our freedom.

And yesterday you announced the completion of the ratification of Montenegros membership in NATO  another expression of your strong commitment to Europe and to the transatlantic bond, and we thank you for that.

In a more dangerous and more unpredictable world, its important to have friends and Allies. And in NATO, America has the best friends and the best Allies in the world.

Together, we represent half of the worlds economic and military power. No other superpower has ever had such a strategic advantage.

This makes the United States stronger and safer.

We saw that after the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

That was the first time NATO invoked our Article 5, the collective defence clause.

Allies sent AWACS surveillance planes to help patrol American skies.

And we launched NATOs biggest military operation ever, in Afghanistan.

Hundreds of thousands of Europeans and Canadian soldiers have served shoulder-to-shoulder with American troops. More than a thousand have paid the ultimate price.

Earlier today, I laid a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, in tribute to the fallen. It was a deeply moving experience.

We owe it to our servicemen and women to preserve the hard-earned gains we have made together in Afghanistan.

We were reminded of their sacrifice just this week, when a US soldier was killed there fighting ISIL.

Our mission in Afghanistan is a major contribution to the fight against international terrorism.

NATO plays a key role in many other ways also. All NATO Allies are part of the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL.

And NATO provides direct support to the coalition. With training for Iraqi forces in their fight against terrorists. And more intelligence-sharing. And you are right, we have established a new division for intelligence which enhances our ability to fight terrorism and working together in the Alliance to fight terrorism in an even more effective way.

But we agreed today - you and I - that NATO can, and must, do more in the global fight against terrorism.

In the fight against terrorism, training local forces is one of the best weapons we have.

NATO has the experience, the expertise and the staying power to make a real difference.

And fighting terrorism will be an important topic when NATO leaders meet in Brussels in May.

The other major topic will be fairer burden-sharing in our Alliance.

And we had a thorough discussion on this issue today. And Mr President, I thank you for your attention to this issue. We are already seeing the effect of your strong focus on the importance of fair burden-sharing in the Alliance.

We agree that Allies need to redouble their efforts to meet the pledge we all made in 2014 to invest more in our Alliance.

It is about spending more on defence. It is about delivering the capabilities we need. And it is about contributing forces to NATO missions and operations. This means cash, capabilities, and contributions.

Fair burden sharing has been my top priority since taking office.

We have now turned a corner. In 2016, for the first time in many years, we saw an increase in defence spending across European Allies and Canada. A real increase of 3.8%. Or ten billion dollars more for our defence.

We are now working to keep up the momentum. Including by developing national plans, outlining how to make good on what we agreed in 2014.

We know that we all need to contribute our fair share. Because we need to keep our nations safe in a more dangerous world.

We discussed many different topics during our meeting today, including the horrendous use of chemical weapons in Syria. Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, cannot go unanswered, and those responsible must be held accountable.

So Mr. President, thank you once again. I look forward to working with you to keeping the Alliance strong.

And I look forward to welcoming you to Brussels in May, when Heads of State and Government in the Alliance meet there to address the challenges and they need to continue to adapt the Alliance to a more challenging security environment. And to respond both to the need for fairer burden-sharing and stepping up our efforts to fight international terrorism. So thank you once again.

DONALD TRUMP (President of the United States): Thank you very much. Great. Thank you. So we'll have a couple of questions. Jeff Mason.

JEFF MASON (Reuters): Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

I'd like to ask you about two topics if I may. First, has your view of Vladimir Putin changed after what's happened in Syria? And what is the United States prepared to do if he continues to support Assad? And on a separate question, have you made a deal after your chat last night with the President of China about China helping to reign in North Korea, and is that one reason you have decided not to label Beijing a currency manipulator? For the

DONALD TRUMP: Well I'll be speaking to Yeah, you want to go ahead, go ahead.

JEFF MASON: May I? For the Secretary General, do you believe NATO should continue to bolster its presence along the alliance's eastern border? And do you have, are you confident that you have President Trump and the United States support for that?

Thank you.

DONALD TRUMP: I'll be speaking with Rex Tillerson in a little while, calling in. I think he had a very successful meeting in Russia. We'll see; we'll see the end result which will be in a long period of time perhaps. But the end result is what's most important, not just talk. And I think that  [break in transmission] everything I'm hearing things went pretty well, maybe better than anticipated.

It would be wonderful as we were discussing just a little while ago if NATO and our country could get along with Russia. Right now we're not getting along with Russia at all. We may be at an all-time low in terms of relationship with Russia. This has built for a long period of time. But we're going to see what happens. Putin is the leader of Russia. Russia is a strong country. We're a very, very strong country. We're going to see how that all works out.

Last night, separately, I spoke with a man that I have gotten to know. I dont know Putin but I do know this gentleman, I've spent a lot of time with him over the last two days, and he is the President of China. You were there, most of you were there, and it was quite an interesting period of time. President Xi wants to do the right thing. We had a very good bonding; I think we had a very good chemistry together. I think he wants to help is with North Korea. We talked trade; we talked a lot of things. And I said: the way you're going to make a good trade deal is to help us with North Korea, otherwise we're just going to go it alone, that will be alright too. But going it alone means going it with lots of other nations. But I was very impressed with President Xi, and I think he means well, and I think he wants to help. We'll see whether or not he does.

JEFF MASON: Do you feel like you have a deal with him? And

DONALD TRUMP: Excuse me?

JEFF MASON: Do you feel like you have a deal with him in terms of the currency manipulation designation, and have your views changed on Putin?

DONALD TRUMP: We're going to see. We're going to see about that. And I'll also see about Putin over a period of time. It would be a fantastic thing if we got along with Putin, and if we got along with Russia. And that could happen, and it may not happen; it may be just the opposite.

I can only tell you what I would like to do. I would love to be able to get along with everybody. Right now the world is a mess. But I think by the time we finish, I think it's going to be a lot better place to live. And I can tell you that speaking for myself, by the time I'm finished, it's going to be a lot better place to live in because right now it's nasty.

JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO is in the process of implementing the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War. And one element of that is to increase our military presence in the eastern part of the alliance. And we are now deploying four battle groups to the three Baltic countries and Poland, and there will also be more U.S. forces in that part of Europe. And this is the first time in many, many years that we see an increase in the military presence of the United States in Europe. So we are increasing our presence, and we are also increasing the readiness and the preparedness of our forces so we can quickly reinforce if needed.

We consider the presence we will have when the four battle groups are in place as sufficient given the current security situation in Europe. But of course we will assess the situation and follow the developments very closely.

The message from NATO is that what we do is proportionate; it is defensive. And we don't want a new Cold War, we don't want a new arms race. And actually we strongly believe that there is no contradiction between a strong NATO, a credible deterrence and defence, and political dialogue with Russia.

Actually we believe that a precondition for a political dialogue with Russia is that we are strong, and that we are united. But based on that, we can talk to Russia because Russia is our neighbour, Russia is here to stay, so we have to find ways to manage our relationship with Russia.

And I am absolutely certain that the United States supports this approach partly because the United States is contributing with forces to our enhanced presence in the eastern part of the alliance, and also in the southeast of the alliance, in Romania. And the United States and the President has clearly expressed that they want dialogue with Russia, but based on unity and strength in the alliance. Then the next question is from John Sopel.

JOHN SOPEL (BBC): Thank you very much. Secretary General, how long do you think it will take you to persuade the other European countries to burden share, and what are you going to do to persuade them?

Mr. President, could I ask you do you think it's

DONALD TRUMP: I like that question.

[Laughter]

JOHN SOPEL: I'm here to help. And Mr. President, do you think it's conceivable, what's your instinct: was it possible that Syrian forces could have launched that attack in Idlib last week without the Russians knowing? And have you been disappointed, surprised by Vladimir Putin's reaction since then? Thank you very much.

DONALD TRUMP: I think it's certainly possible. I think it's probably unlikely. And I know they're doing investigations into that right now. I would like to think that they didn't know, but certainly they could have, they were there. So we'll find out. General Mattis is looking into it with the entire Pentagon group that does that kind of work. So it was very disappointing to see, it's disappointing no matter who does it, but when you get into the gases, especially that form, it's vicious and violent, and everybody in this room saw it all too many times over the last three or four days: young children dying, babies dying, fathers holding children in their arms that were dead, dead children. There can't be a worse sight. And it shouldn't be allowed. That's a butcher. That's a butcher. So I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing. And it was very, very successfully done, as you well know. Thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG: On defence spending and burden sharing, that has been my top priority. I have raised it in all my meetings in all capitals. I visited with prime ministers, presidents, ministers of Finance, and of course also Defence and Foreign ministers. And I expect of course all allies to make to make good on what they decided back in 2014. And a very strong and clear message from President Trump has been very helpful, so now we see that things are starting to move in the right direction.

For the first time after many, many years of decline in defence spending, we now see an increase in defence spending across Europe and Canada. So they have started to move in the right direction: 3.8 percent real increase in defence spending across Europe and Canada is a significant step in the right direction.

It's not enough, we still have a long way to go, but at least they have turned a corner, the European allies have turned a corner, instead of reducing defence spending, they are starting to increase defence spending.

Then I think it is important to remember that this is something the Europeans do because they know that this is in their own security interest. It is in their interest to invest more in European defence because the role has become more dangerous.

Many European allies of course reduce, or all European allies, reduced defence spending after the end of the Cold War because then tensions went down. But if you are decreasing defence spending when tensions are going down, then you have to be able to increase defence spending when tensions are going up. And now they are going up.

So we have still a long way to go, but I'm encouraged by the fact that we have started to move in the right direction. Last year, there were five allies spending two percent, this year Romania has declared that they will reach two percent; next year Latvia and Lithuania will also reach two percent. So we go from five to eight, which is at least going in the right direction, but still we have some work to do.

DONALD TRUMP: And I did ask about all the money that hasn't been paid over the years, will that money be coming back. We'll be talking about that

[Laughter]

DONALD TRUMP: We want to talk about that too. Anita Kumar McClatchy, where are you?

ANITA KUMAR McCLATCHY (McClatchy Newspapers): (Question inaudible).

DONALD TRUMP: We did talk last night. I think it's wonderful that they abstained. As you know very few people expected that. And, no, I was not surprised that China did abstain. Very, very few people thought that that was going to happen. So we're honoured by the vote. That's the vote that should have taken place.

ANITA KUMAR McCLATCHY: Secretary General, you talked a little bit about Moscow, about Russia.  (inaudible).

JENS STOLTENBERG: The most important thing is to have a strong alliance to stay united and be firm and predictable in our approach to Russia. And that means that we have to invest in our collective defence, that's exactly what we are doing, deploy more troops in the eastern part of the alliance, increase the readiness of our forces, and increase defence spending. And I welcome the very strong message from President Trump on the importance of increased defence spending.

We have started to do this, so we are implementing the biggest reinforcement of our collective defence since the end of the Cold War, providing credible deterrence. But at the same time, we have to find ways to engage with Russia, to talk with Russia; because Russia will not go away, Russia will be our biggest neighbour, and we have to find ways to live with them and to try to avoid a new Cold War, a new arms race. And that's exactly why I am very much in favour of what we call a dual track approach to Russia. And as a former Norwegian politician, I had the experience to work with Russians because Norway is bordering Russia. And Norway was able even during the Cold War to develop  I would call it a pragmatic working relationship with Russia, cooperating with them on energy, on border issues, on environment, on fishery, and also on military affairs. And that was not despite our membership in NATO, but it was because of our membership in NATO. Because NATO provided the strength, the predictability, the platform for a small country to have a political dialogue with Russia. So I strongly believe that the only way to deter Russia is to be strong, but the only way to avoid a new Cold War, avoid a new arms race and avoid increasing tensions is to continue to engage Russia in a political dialogue and to make sure that what we do is defensive and proportionate in response to a more assertive Russia.

(Norwegian media): What do you think European countries have to fear from Russia if this tension continues to escalate? And for you, Mr. Secretary General: the President said that the attack in Syria last week was warranted and it was also an attack on U.S. allies. Do you think that this attack was warranted, and do you see NATO playing any supporting role in future actions in Syria?

DONALD TRUMP: Well I want to just start by saying hopefully they are going to have to fear nothing ultimately. Right now there is a fear, and the problems, there is certainly problems. But ultimately I hope that there won't be a fear, and there won't be problems, and the world can get along, that would be the ideal situation. It's crazy, what's going on, whether it's the Middle East or you look at no matter where, the Ukraine, you look at whatever you look at, it's got problems, so many problems. And ultimately I believe that we are going to get rid of most of those problems, and there won't be fear of anybody. That's the way it should be.

We have a very big problem in North Korea, and as I said, I really think that China is going to try very hard and has already started. A lot of the coal boats have already been turned back. You saw that yesterday and today, they have been turned back, the vast amount of coal that comes out of North Korea going to China, they've turned back the boats. That's a big step, and there are many other steps that I know about. So we'll see what happens. It may be effective, it may not be effective. If it's not effective, we will be effective, I can promise you that. Thank you.

JENS STOLTENBERG: NATO has constantly condemned the use of chemical weapons in Syria, and the use of chemical weapons is horrendous, and it's a clear violation of International Law. And any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and cannot go unanswered. So those responsible most be held accountable. The strike against the airbase in Syria was a U.S. operation based on U.S. intelligence. But you have seen that within the alliance, this has been something which has been met with a lot of understanding because NATO allies do not accept that chemical weapons are used, and therefore we also strongly support the efforts of the fact-fnding commission to try to find out actually what happened and to make sure that we dont see any use of chemical weapons in the future.

DONALD TRUMP: Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you.
Several NATO Allies and European Union members came together in Helsinki on Tuesday (11 April 2017), formally agreeing to establish a European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in the Finnish capital. At a ceremony attended by Finnish Foreign Minister Timo Soini, officials from NATO and the European Union welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the Centre, which will open later in 2017.

In total, nine nations signed the Memorandum: Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. Other NATO and EU nations are expected to join the Centre in the near future. While not signatories themselves, NATO and the EU will participate actively in the Centres activities.

Countering hybrid threats is a priority for NATO, as they blur the line between war and peace - combining military aggression with political, diplomatic, economic, cyber and disinformation measures. NATOs counter-hybrid strategy includes strengthened coordination with the European Union, and also involves our new Intelligence Division, more training and exercises, and our work to actively counter propaganda with facts.

Other Centres of Excellence already contribute to NATOs efforts to counter hybrid threats, including the Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence in Riga, Latvia; and the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. Centres of Excellence are international research centres, which are nationally or multi-nationally funded and staffed. They work alongside and contribute knowledge and expertise to the Alliance, but they are not NATO bodies.
Your Brain Is a Time Machine: The Neuroscience and Physics of Time Dean Buonomano W. W. Norton (2017) 9780393247947 | ISBN: 978-0-3932-4794-7

Apparently elastic and possibly illusory, time is a puzzle to physicists and neuroscientists alike. Dean Buonomano straddles the divide, invoking cutting-edge theory and research as he wrestles with the often glaring mismatch between physical and 'felt' time. The result is immensely engaging, exploring why we use spatial metaphors (such as a long day) when talking about time; why presentism (the theory that only the present is real) is upheld in neuroscience but plays underdog in physics; and how not just consciousness and free will, but also space-time and relativity, can be parsed in neuroscience.

Darwin's First Theory: Exploring Darwin's Quest for a Theory of Earth Rob Wesson Pegasus (2017) 9781681773162 | ISBN: 978-1-6817-7316-2

For this adventurous study of Charles Darwin's contribution to geology, seismologist Rob Wesson traded computer screen for trenching shovel to trace the Victorian icon's far-flung fieldwork. Wesson trekked from Wales to Patagonia and journeyed along the watery route of HMS Beagle, interweaving Darwin's observations of lava beds and erratic boulders with vivid accounts of his own research on the sites, and interpolations of science. A wonderful evocation of Darwin's great theory of subsidence and uplift, the substrate of his later, explosive discovery of evolution.

Governing Global Health: Who Runs the World and Why?

Chelsea Clinton and Devi Sridhar. Oxford University Press (2017)

9780190253271

Global public-health governance can seem tortuously complex. Specialists in the field Chelsea Clinton and Devi Sridhar pierce the haze, usefully focusing on players old and new, from the World Health Organization to publicprivate partnerships such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, that involve collaboration between governments and social entrepreneurs. This is smart research with nuanced conclusions, for instance stressing the need for broader on-the-ground change  strong health-care systems, socio-economic equity and climate-change policy  if interventions are to fully root.

An American Sickness Elisabeth Rosenthal Penguin (2017) 9781594206757 | ISBN: 978-1-5942-0675-7

The US health-care system pivots on blatant profiteering, argues journalist (and former physician) Elisabeth Rosenthal in this bold, insightful, well-researched analysis. Brick by brick  from insurance to research  Rosenthal dismantles the edifice to discover where the billions in bills end up, and boils her research down to ten 'rules' that dominate the dysfunction, such as the lack of fixed prices for medical tests. She also outlines a range of suggestions for the fight against unneeded treatments and stratospheric fees, from comparison shopping for drugs to insisting on itemized bills.

How to Tame a Fox (and Build a Dog)

Lee Alan Dugatkin and Lyudmila Trut. University of Chicago Press (2017)

9780226444185
Under a microscope, cells often appear static  solid elements of biological architecture. Yet in reality, they are dynamic structures, jostling for space in a packed environment. Cells squeeze, stretch, flex and pull on their surroundings and each other, exerting force as they do so. These forces are incredibly small  on the scale of piconewtons, or roughly one-billionth of the weight of a paperclip. But they can have profound biological impact. The shifting forces in a rapidly growing embryo can alter cells' developmental programs, telling them when to stop dividing and begin transforming into brain or bone. Protein structures in cells experience and create tiny forces that scientists are learning how to map at the micro scale. Credit: Carsten Grashoff

The idea that physical forces affect cellular function was put forth a century ago, by Scottish scientist D'Arcy Thompson in his seminal work On Growth and Form1. Cell and tissue, shell and bone, leaf and flower, are so many portions of matter, wrote Thompson, and it is in obedience to the laws of physics that their principles have been moved, moulded and conformed.

Thompson's largely theoretical work paved the way for numerous experimental studies of biomechanical principles. Biomechanics is a very old field  people just ignored it for a long time, says Carsten Grashoff, who studies cellular forces at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Munich, Germany. In part, that's because researchers lacked the technology to measure molecular-scale forces with precision.

Now, scientists have tools that make it possible to microscopically map the forces that skin cells exert as they crawl forward during wound healing, or to program cells to blink on and off as proteins stretch and relax. Hurdles remain  researchers still struggle to tell apart the true effects of cellular forces from random biological noise, and they have yet to work out how these processes play out in the complex environment of a living organism. But by combining 'mechanobiology' tools with other measurements of genetic and biochemical activity, researchers can begin to understand how force is translated into function.

Life processes aren't just a biochemical signalling pathway, says Beth Pruitt, a mechanical engineer at Stanford University in California. When you pull on a protein, you might open or close a binding site that flips a switch to choose which program is going to be run by a cell.

Gaining traction

Cells interact with their environment largely through proteins embedded in their membranes, which represent crucial foci for generating and interpreting cellular forces. Some proteins respond to being 'pushed' by the flow of liquid, as seen in blood vessels, whereas others generate tension-related signals when a cell gets tugged by its neighbour or latches onto other proteins nearby.

Mechanical forces can play as big a role in the eventual shape of a tissue as the genes that are activated.

A method called traction force microscopy (TFM) took off in the 1990s, and gave the field its first real tool for quantitatively measuring such forces. In 1999, for example, Yu-Li Wang, then at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, and Micah Dembo at nearby Boston University, plated connective-tissue cells called fibroblasts on a gelatinous material embedded with fluorescent beads. They then showed that they could use TFM to deduce the forces that those cells generated by measuring the displacement of the beads2. It's like a spring-scale, says Ben Fabry, a biophysicist at Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany, where you put a weight onto a spring and measure the deformation, and you can determine the force if you know the stiffness of the spring.

TFM has become a standard method for studying both individual cells and tissue-like sheets of interconnected cells. Clare Waterman at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, has used TFM to study cell migration, a process mediated in part by the forces that cellular structures known as focal adhesions exert as they anchor themselves onto the surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM).

Waterman's group has developed strategies for increasing the number of beads that can be imaged in a TFM experiment, producing ultra-high-resolution force maps. We can get 50 markers under each focal adhesion, so we're down to submicrometre resolution, she says. This has enabled her group to reveal how forces generated at focal adhesions trigger the molecular events that coordinate directed cellular movement during processes such as embryonic development3.

Of course, the multidimensional shifting of beads in response to cellular motion is much more complicated than a one-dimensional spring scale. TFM initially required powerful supercomputers to interpret the data, although modern computational methods have made the technique more accessible. Even so, converting bead-displacement data into force measurements remains challenging, and there are many sources of potential error. You can have a single cell pulling in opposite directions that makes it look like there's basically no deformation, says Waterman. And when there's movement of beads well beyond the boundaries of the cell, that can be hard to deal with.

Other groups are extending TFM into three dimensions, in an effort to better mirror biological reality. Fabry and his colleagues, for example, developed a TFM method to track cellular forces in 3D using gels built of collagen, a key protein component of the ECM. His team was able to probe the relationship between the shape of breast cancer cells, the forces that they generate and their speed and direction as they propel themselves through a synthetic 3D 'tissue' potentially modelling metastatic growth4.

But his method also ups the analytical and computational challenges. Collagen is a very awkward material  its behaviour is highly nonlinear, meaning that if you stretch it a little bit it's soft, but if you stretch it a bit more it's suddenly very stiff, he says.

To work around this computational burden, Celeste Nelson, a biomedical engineer at Princeton University in New Jersey, settles for lower-resolution data in her studies of organ development. We care more about finding the relative differences in the magnitude of force across an entire population of hundreds or thousands of cells, she says. However, force generation is inherently dynamic; by collecting these 3D data at multiple time-points, she says, the computational demand just explodes.

On pins and needles

As a simpler option, some researchers use small, precisely designed chips moulded from various polymers, which provide a direct readout of cellular forces. One widely used design, developed by bioengineer Christopher Chen of Boston University, Massachusetts, and his colleagues, consists of an elastic material called PDMS that displays an array of flexible pillars, like the bristles on a toothbrush. These 'micropillars' are topped with ECM proteins that allow cells to form attachments5. They basically act like mini springs, says Jianping Fu, a former postdoc of Chen's who now uses similar devices to study human stem cells at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. By measuring the deflection, people can identify and measure the forces that cells exert at individual pillars. Deflected 'micropillars' in experimental arrays can be measured and compared with cell protein scaffolds. Credit: Reprinted from H. Van Hoorn et al. Nano Lett. 14, 42574262 (2014).

Micropillar-array data are easier to interpret than the results of TFM experiments, and they require less computational analysis. And the devices themselves are reasonably straightforward to manufacture. They are also compatible with fluorescence microscopy, which facilitates molecular-scale investigation of the events that produce cellular forces. However, these arrays also impose a specific  and unnatural  pattern of interaction between cells and their substrates, governed by the distribution and size of the pillars, which could deviate from how cells behave in living organisms.

Researchers can also customize the culture surface by manipulating the design of the micropillar array. Shorter, thicker pillars are more rigid and unyielding, whereas taller, slender pillars are flexible and more responsive to force. Such changes in the rigidity of the pillar surface can trigger considerable reorganization of a cell's cytoskeleton  the network of proteins that form the cell's physical infrastructure and help it to transmit and respond to force. This, in turn, can influence cellular proliferation, movement and maturation.

Fu, for instance, has found a relationship between surface rigidity and adult stem-cell differentiation. With stump-like pillars that are hard to bend, they become bone cells, but when you seed them on taller pillars, they have a greater tendency to become fat cells. By precisely tuning the design, Fu's team was even able to develop a culture system that strongly favours the development of human embryonic stem cells into functional spinal motor neurons6.

Tiny tugs

Other researchers are measuring the forces applied by proteins or protein complexes using molecular sensors that generate a fluorescent signal in response to small-scale changes in tension. Such sensors generally are based on Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET), a phenomenon in which one fluorescent molecule, or fluorophore, excites another  but only when they are in close physical proximity.

A map of traction forces exerted by migrating cells. Credit: Nikolce Gjorevski As a postdoc in the lab of biomedical engineer Martin Schwartz at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Grashoff worked with colleagues to develop one of the first FRET-based tension sensors, which they described in a 2010 paper7. We had this idea that we would use this very elastic protein that you find in spider silk to link the two fluorophores to each other, Grashoff says. When there is mechanical tension, it would elongate, and you could measure the decreased FRET signal. At rest, the silk protein forms a compact coil, but a gentle tug can stretch out the spring and uncouple two flurophores.

As proof of concept, Grashoff and Schwartz incorporated their sensor into a protein called vinculin, a component of focal-adhesion complexes that form a bridge between the ECM and a cell's cytoskeleton. When they expressed the sensor protein in cells, they observed that vinculin experiences piconewton-scale forces that change as focal adhesions assemble and disassemble during cell migration7.

In principle, FRET sensors can be inserted into a diverse range of proteins to obtain measurements otherwise difficult to collect. For example, there are few tools for quantifying how cells push and pull on each other in a tissue. Stanford University chemical engineer Alexander Dunn and his colleagues were able to measure these forces by integrating Grashoff and Schwartz's FRET sensor into E-cadherin, a protein that couples cells together8.

And sensors can be built around other linker proteins, as well, enabling researchers to fine-tune a sensor's sensitivity. Grashoff notes that his FRET-sensor collection can selectively respond to forces of 112 piconewtons. But there's still room for improvement, he adds, because intracellular proteins can experience forces as high as 2030 piconewtons.

But the design and validation of such sensors is labour-intensive, and sensors can 'go dark' for reasons other than force detection  such as degradation. FRET signals can also be challenging to interpret, requiring careful measurement to eliminate false positives. And there are consequences from inserting a bulky sensor into proteins whose function is strongly structure-dependent. You cannot fully predict how well it will work, says Grashoff. It may not be a problem that you've disturbed the protein, but you have to know how great that disturbance is.

Other groups are measuring extracellular forces using sensors that need not be shoehorned into a protein. Biophysicist Khalid Salaita's group at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, has developed several such probes, in which one end is anchored to a solid surface, such as a glass slide, and the other displays a biomolecule that binds to a cell-surface protein of interest9. In between, Salaita places various linkers that are responsive to forces of different magnitudes. Polyethylene glycol polymers are like wet spaghetti, where you have this random coil that gets stretched, whereas DNA has this fixed secondary structure, says Salaita.

His group also uses linkers derived from a protein called titin, which produces elastic recoil in muscle. It's a naturally evolved spring that can withstand greater forces, says Salaita. These titin-based sensors were strong enough to measure the powerful pull that cells exert on their environment through integrin proteins10, a component of focal adhesions that can generate tens of piconewtons of force  enough to tear apart weaker DNA duplexes and polymer-based sensors. The integrin is basically a brute-force grappling hook that anchors cells and applies extensive forces, says Salaita.

Forces for good

That scientists can measure intracellular forces is itself remarkable. The resulting insights might yield valuable clinical dividends. Salaita thinks that assays for measuring forces at the single-cell level could help scientists to identify safer drugs that interfere directly with physical mechanisms of tumour progression. The migration and the invasion of the cancer cell is what is most deadly, and if you can shut down that mechanical process but make the drug non-cytotoxic, that's a much more precise tool, he says.

However, many biological questions need to be explored at the tissue or organ scale. You can't predict much about a tissue from isolated cells, says Nelson. The connections of individual cells seem to be necessary for the generation and transmission of force in a tissue.

In many of her experiments, Nelson uses engineered epithelial tissues that provide a controlled, reproducible model for studying the forces involved in organ formation. Other groups use stem cells to generate specialized tissues; for example, Pruitt uses stem-cell-derived cardiomyocytes to study the mechanobiological effects of heart disease. We have this confluence of tools that makes it possible right now to create cardiomyocytes from human cells and apply and measure force, displacement and stretch in single cells and microtissues, she says.

Nelson is excited that scientists are finally able to explore the implications of Thompson's century-old hypotheses. I think the field as a whole is revealing that mechanical forces can play as big a role in the eventual shape of a tissue that develops as the genes that are activated during the process  if not bigger, she says.

Still, more tools are needed. Most force-measurement experiments remain time-consuming, which limits their usefulness for applications, such as drug screening, that require parallel analysis of large numbers of cells. Fabry's group is developing ways to automate and accelerate TFM experiments. We want to measure the response of hundreds or thousands of cells in a 3D tissue at the same time, he says.

Measuring cellular forces in living organisms is also a significant challenge. FRET sensors offer one solution, and mechanical engineer Otger Campas at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and his colleagues recently devised another. His group injects living organisms with fluorescently labelled oil droplets, which are decorated with proteins that can bind to cell surfaces11. By documenting how these droplets deform in the spaces between cells, they can computationally derive the 3D forces those cells are exerting on the droplets.
A rare one-horned rhino at a national park in Nepal suffered and died under the hands of poachers.

According to Telegraph, the male one-horned rhino was shot in the head and left to die after poachers gouged its horn.

The incident which occurred on a rainy eve last Friday is the first rhino brutality that took place at the national park ever since anti-poaching measures were implemented by the park three years ago.

In an interview with Skynews Australia, Ram Chandra Kandel, chief warden of Chitwan National Park, explained that the poachers likely used a silencer because no one near the site heard any gunshots. She also noted that the spiteful crime seemed to be well planned.

"It appears that they were planning this for a long time and were waiting for an opportunity to strike," Kandel explained.

Since it was raining and also thundering when they committed the crime, no one noticed the poachers. The corpse of the poor one-horned rhino was only found the next day, Saturday.

"The poachers fled with his horn and tail and left the animal in a pool of blood," Kandel lamented.

Meanwhile, Nurendra Aryal, another spokesperson from the park told AFP that a team is already investigating the incident and security had already been tightened at the district borders.

Mongabay reported that despite the recent incident, Nepal has made substantial progress in rhino conservation. The outlet said that due to their conservation and anti-poaching efforts, the rhino population went up from 375 in 2005 to 645 in 2015.



Illegal trade in animal parts remains a lucrative business in the international black market. Among the most coveted animal parts used by Chinese as traditional medicine ingredients are rhino horns, elephant tusks, donkey hide and tiger parts.

As per the World Wildlife Fund, the greater one-horned rhinoceros is the largest of the three Asian rhinos. It has a single horn between 20 to 60 centimeters long. Aside from illegal poaching, rhinos are also threatened by pressures of human encroachment.
A six-foot python which has shown signs of methamphetamine addiction after living in a drug lab is taken to a prison rehab in Australia. After months of treatment at the Corrective Services-managed wildlife center in Windsor, the python is finally clean and is ready to get back to the "real" world.

The six-foot-long python was seized during a raid of a methamphetamine lab. As reported by International Business Times, the python had absorbed drug fumes through its skin and has developed addiction to it. The report added that the python was more aggressive than normal and it appeared jittery.

"Normally these pythons can be a little bit snappy, they are constrictors and not poisonous, and they just lie around," Ian Mitchell, senior overseer of the wildlife center based at the John Morony Correctional Complex, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "This one was very aggressive and had very erratic behavior."



Because of the effect of the meth on the python, it had to be detoxified for six weeks. Mitchell explained that it will take a long time for the snake to get the meth out of its system. However, the center was able to "calm down" the meth and bring it back to its normal feeding pattern.



The wildlife center at the correctional facility, according to BBC, has been running for nearly 20 years. Aside from snakes, the rehab program also deals with bearded dragons, blue tongue, kangaroos, wallabies, possums, wombats and native birds.



The animals are under the care of 14 selected prisoners in a minimum security facility. Their job is to clean and feed non-venomous reptiles, while staff with professional training handles venomous ones.

Prison governor Ivan Calder told BBC, "What we see with the men in our care in their approach to animals is that it softens them and it humanizes them ... Giving the inmates the opportunity to care and take responsibility for animals is a major enabler in their rehabilitation and a major agent for behavior change."
For generations, people of the Heiltsuk Nation tell stories of an ancient settlement that survived the Ice Age. This group of people predates many ancient civilizations and could tell of a different history than more popular theories on North Americans.

Archaeologists from the University of Victoria, Hakai Institute and the Heiltsuk Nation unearthed what seems to be this legendary settlement during an excavation on Trinquet Island along British Columbia's central coast, according to a report from CBC News. Discovered in the traditional territory of the Heiltsuk, the village is dated to exist roughly 14,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age where glaciers blanketed most of the continent.

"Heiltsuk oral history talks of a strip of land in that area where the excavation took place," William Housty, a member of Heiltsuk Nation, explained. "It was a place that never froze during the ice age and it was a place where our ancestors flocked to for survival."

Finally, this latest excavation proves the stories that have passed through the Heiltsuk generations. The new information will help the indigenous people with future negotiations of land titles and rights.

"This find is very important because it reaffirms a lot of the history that our people have been talking about for thousands of years," Housty said of the excavation's significance to their culture. "So now we don't just have oral history, we have this archaeological information. It's not just an arbitrary thing that anyone's making up ... We have a history supported from Western science and archaeology."

One of the researchers of the find, Alisha Gauvreau of the University of Victoria and Hakai Institute, revealed that the team was able to unearth some artifacts like wooden tools as well as charcoal flakes from a hearth that they sent for carbon dating.

The discovery of this ancient settlement in Canada also paints a different picture on the history of North Americans. Many believe that humans arrived in the Americas from Asia, crossing a bridge from Russia to Alaska on foot, according to a report from IFLS. From here, they were able to make it to eastern and central Canada. However, the study offers a different analysis, saying humans first moved down the coast using boats.

"The alternative theory, which is supported by our data as well as evidence that has come from stone tools and other carbon dating, is people were capable of travelling by boat," Gauvreau said. "From our site, it is apparent that they were rather adept sea mammal hunters."
Untied shoelaces -- it's one of life's most annoying quirks. A team of mechanical engineers at the University of California Berkeley has had enough, so they investigated the reason why shoelaces keep on coming untied.

According to a report from Phys Org, the group found that the feet's combination of stomping on the ground and whipping around act as an "invisible hand," loosening and eventually untying the knot.

"When you talk about knotted structures, if you can start to understand the shoelace, then you can apply it to other things, like DNA or microstructures, that fail under dynamic forces," Christopher Daily-Diamond, study co-author and a graduate student at Berkeley, explained. "This is the first step toward understanding why certain knots are better than others, which no one has really done."

There are two ways people generally tie their shoelaces: the "granny knot" and the "square knot" that tends to last longer. Both eventually fail though, and to find out why, the researchers conducted several experiments testing the knots. First, one of the study authors Christine Gregg hopped on a treadmill as her colleagues filmed her feet.

With the slow-motion video, the team observed that the foot strikes the ground at seven times the force of gravity. Reacting to this increased force, the knot stretches and relaxes with the foot's movement. This causes the knot to loosen, and when the swinging leg also applies inertial force on the ends of the shoelaces, it's only a matter of time that the knot becomes untied. The shoelaces can unravel in as little as two strides.

Walking -- the combination of stomping and swinging -- is necessary for the knots to come undone. A report from Science Magazine stressed that simply stomping will not get the knot to fail, nor will just swinging the feet.

"We were able to see that these two combined effects lead to shoe knots failing," UC Berkeley engineer Oliver O'Reilly told Science Magazine. "You need both together."

The experiment also underlined the superiority of the square knot, which only failed half the time compared to the granny knot, which failed all the time. Scientists still need further studies to figure out why one knot is stronger than the other.

The significance of knots goes beyond solving the everyday problem of shoelaces. Understanding these mechanics has other practical applications like mountaineering and climbing, sailing and even surgical sutures. More importantly, knots exist on a microscopic level as well such as in the DNA.

The study appears on the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson , has arrived in Moscow following the G7 foreign ministers' meeting.

That meeting included Middle East nations that have opposed the rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad , which has received renewed international criticism after recent chemical attacks allegedly conducted by his regime. Russia, for its part, has also come under fire for its open support of Assad's regime.

Tillerson is to meet Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in a bid to pressure Moscow on its involvement with Syria. However, his chances of doing so are "zero to nada," according to Marc Ginsberg, who formerly served as White House deputy senior advisor for Middle East policy.

"[The Russians] have heard all these arguments before from the Americans. And they don't think that Mr. Tillerson has much behind him to show that he can compel the Russians to do anything," he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Wednesday.

Ginsberg said he hopes for higher odds of success, and that Russia will start playing a "more constructive role" to transition away from the Assad regime.

"Even though Assad ultimately may be expendable," Ginsberg said, "Russia has an enormous strategic stake in the Assad regime." He explained that Syria is Russia's doorway to the Middle East and holds some of its major military bases.

Ginsberg said "the United States has no real stake in the future of Syria, provided that we're able to eliminate the threat of extremism that is ISIS as well as the remnants of a resurgent Al-Qaeda inside Syria."

And without strong support from allies on the back of the G7 meeting in Italy, Ginsberg said that it "sends a strong message to Putin that the Europeans and the United States remain divided on what to do about Syria."

However, Ginsberg said the real problem for the situation in Syria is Iran.

"If the Russians have doubled down to support Assad, the Iranians have tripled down," he said. Iran considers Assad an essential component of the Shiite Crescent and "they're going to do everything they can to keep the Shiite regime in power. Assad is an essential bulwark, in their minds, against ISIS."

Story continues

Russia is not the only country the U.S. is pressuring to make a move against an ally.

Deployment of U.S. Navy Strike group in Korean Peninsula

A U.S. aircraft carrier-led strike group has been deployed to the Korean Peninsula waters, which Ginsberg said is not just a warning to North Korea but also to China.

"I think the signal is as much a follow up to his meeting with [Chinese] President Xi [Jinping] as it is to his warning to Pyongyang," Ginsberg said of President Donald Trump, adding that this could mean the U.S. leader is not going to remain patient for long.

It is likely, according to Ginsberg, that Trump's "efforts with President Xi of China to try to compel China to take stronger actions against North Korea's nuclear program, probably, did not result in any significant breakthrough."

Regarding North Korea's nuclear program, Ginsberg said he believes the unpredictability of the rogue state's actions makes it difficult to define a red line.

"The fact that we may see another nuclear test by the regime while the carrier group gathers around the Korean Peninsula, it almost reminds you  I hate to harken back to this  but it reminds you of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis," he said.

"Who's going to blink here? And it's extraordinarily dangerous in my judgment and there's no parallel in history because we've never had anything like this before, but I've been trying to study up on 1962 because that's the only parallel that I can draw," Ginsberg added.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette was sued Tuesday after his office rejected a public-records request for his and 20 staffers' private emails that a liberal advocacy group said were used to conduct government business over a six-year period.

Progress Michigan filed its lawsuit in the Court of Claims, nearly six months after the department largely denied the request by saying it did not possess the records. State employees who use personal email accounts to perform official functions are clearly creating public records subject to Michigan's Freedom of Information Act, according to the suit.

When Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, whose office is exempt from Michigan's open-records law, voluntarily released thousands of pages of emails related to the Flint water crisis last year, some emails showed Snyder and his staff using their personal accounts.

Progress Michigan said it learned through previous FOIA requests that the Republican attorney general and at least 12 other current or former employees had used their personal email accounts for official work. The suit cites a series of emails between May 2014 and May 2015 in which senior staff meetings, news conferences and media interviews were scheduled.

"For the attorney general to come back and say they don't exist and we don't possess them is simply not true," said Mark Brewer, the group's attorney. "We attached examples to the complaint of the fact that they do exist. So the question before the court is, 'Is the attorney general lying about whether they exist or not or were they improperly destroyed or what happened to these emails?'"

Schuette spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said the suit was being reviewed. She declined to comment further on pending litigation.

The use of private email for government business has become more prominent nationally. Republicans frequently criticized Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state. Vice President Mike Pence more recently has come under scrutiny for using an AOL account to conduct state business when he was Indiana's governor.

Brewer said he was unaware of any Michigan court ruling specifically on the issue of government officials' having to disclose private emails that discuss official business.

"What's critical under the Freedom of Information Act is, 'Have you created a public record?'" he said. "The medium in which it's created is irrelevant."
San Francisco police officers will not be charged in the shooting death of Amilcar Perez-Lopez, District Attorney George Gascon said Wednesday.

Perez-Lopez, a Guatemalan man, was fatally shot by officers in the Mission District on Feb. 26, 2015. Officers at the time were responding to a 911 report of a man running with a knife down Folsom Street toward 25th Street, chasing another man, officials said.

Gascon said it took two years to gather evidence and interview three dozen witnesses.

I take my responsibility in these cases incredibly seriously, Gascon said. It is my sworn duty to follow the facts and the law, wherever that may lead.

The DA's Office launched an investigation shortly after the shooting. Activists criticized the slow pace of the investigation and in August held a vigil and rally to mark the 18-month anniversary of Lopez's death.

Gascon said the investigation was delayed in part because some witnesses came forward a year or more after the incident, opening up new lines of inquiry and prompting investigators to seek input from expert witnesses.

The DA's Office at news conference Wednesday released animation of what they believe happened during the 2015 shooting. The DA's Office said Perez-Lopez died from six gunshot wounds by police, had a knife and the officers used deadly force in self defense.

The decision sparked protests in San Francisco later Wednesday, as people stood in the middle of the street, blocking traffic and calling for justice.

Leaders of a San Francisco minority group say the DA's decision is fueling resentment toward police that's reaching a critical point.

"Pressure breaks a pipe. You understand? And when it gets like that, it's gonna explode," said DeJenney Davis of the Black & Brown Social Club.

A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Officers Association called the incident tragic and hopes the decision will not drive a wedge between the community and police.

Attorney Arnoldo Casillas provided the following statement Wednesday on behalf of the Perez-Lopez family:

"We have always anticipated that the district attorney would refuse to bring charges against the officers who killed Amilcar Perez Lopez. The long-awaited decision comes as no surprise. Rarely, if ever, do prosecutors bring charges against police officers in shooting cases. Instead, as Mr. Gascon did today, prosecutors will make every effort to give the officers the benefit of every doubt. For example, the inconsistencies in the officers versions which the DAs report points out are deep and meaningful.

Yet, for Mr. Gascon, these inconsistencies are superficial and he is willing to overlook them. Such meaningful differences in the accounts given by co-defendants in a shooting would have doomed them both to being prosecuted and likely convicted. Unlike the prosecution of other shootings which do not involve police officers, prosecutors are eager to take on such cases. Here, because the killers were police officers, Mr. Gascon has shied away from his duty to do justice.

It takes courage and a true commitment to justice to take on the police. Its a shame that the District Attorney would not carry out his duty to impartially apply the law."

Martine Halloran, president of the San Francisco Police Officers' Association, provided the following statement Wednesday:

"Today, the San Francisco District Attorneys office announced that it will not be pressing charges against the officers involved in the 2015 shooting of Amilcar Perez-Lopez.

While the DAs decision makes it clear that the responding officers are not guilty of any crime, there is no doubt that this incident was tragic for everyone involved. It left a family to grieve for a loved one, and it forever changed the lives of the officers involved.

We cannot let this pain be a wedge between us. Instead, it should motivate us to work together as a community to prevent future tragedies from taking place. This means putting in place smart policies and introducing 21st century tools that will protect both the public and police officers.

It is through collaboration, not conflict, that progress will be made.

NBC Bay Area's Thom Jensen and Bay City News contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump and Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg of NATO meets for the first time at the White House on Wednesday to discuss preparation for the meeting of NATO heads of state and government, including NATO's contribution to the fight against terrorism, according to NATO.

Stoltenberg is touting NATO's benefits at a joint press conference with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Since taking office, Trump has expressed support for NATO but has reinforced his view that European members must meet a 2014 agreement for member countries to boost defense spending to 2 percent of GDP within a decade. Just the U.S. and a handful of other countries are meeting the target.

In 2016, NATO "saw an increase in defense spending across Europe and Canada," Stoltenberg said, "10 billion dollars more" than ever before.

NATO provides crucial support to the coalition fighting the Islamic State group, as well as help training soldiers and intelligence sharing, Stoltenberg said. Both he and Trump agree that NATO is "a bedrock" of security for both Europe and the United States.

The president, who spoke with China leader Xi Jinping Tuesday night, discussed the call at the joint press conference. "I think he wants to help us with North Korea," Trump said.

"The way youre going to make good trade deal is youre going to help us with North Korea," Trump told Xi.

According to a description of the call released by the Chinese foreign ministry, Xi told Trump that Beijing is willing to work on denuclearization but wants a peaceful solution.

When asked about whether his opinion on Russia leader Vladimir Putin has changed, Trump responded "We're going to see about that."

"Id love to get along with everybody. By the time Im finished, the worlds going to be a lot better place to live in because right now its nasty.'"
A company "failed to provide basic safeguards" in relation to a deadly trench collapse in Boston, according to labor officials, resulting in $1.48 million in penalties.

Robert Higgins and Kelvin Mattocks, employees of Atlantic Drain Service Co., were killed on Oct. 21, 2016 when the trench in which they were working collapsed and filled with water from a fire hydrant supply line.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Atlantic Drain for "18 willful, repeat, serious and other-than-serious violations of workplace safety standards," the U.S. Department of Labor confirms. OSHA has proposed a fine of $1,475,813.

According to the OSHA report, company owner Kevin Otto, who oversaw the work being done when the trench collapsed, did not take measures to protect his employees and did not train them to recognize such hazards.

"The deaths of these two men could have and should have been prevented," Galen Blanton, the New England regional administrator for OSHA, said in a statement. "Their employer, which previously had been cited by OSHA for the same hazardous conditions, knew what safeguards were needed to protect its employees but chose to ignore that responsibility."

Otto, according to OSHA, did not install a support system to protect the employees from a cave-in or to prevent the hydrant line from collapsing. Other violations OSHA named include failures to provide a ladder in the trench at all times, give hardhats and eye protection to employees, and remove support structures near the trench that posed overhead hazards.

"We want to emphasize to all employers that trenching hazards can have catastrophic consequences if they are not addressed effectively before employees enter a trench," Blanton added.

Atlantic Drain has 15 working days after learning of the citations to meet with an area director for OSHA to contest the penalties.
President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort will register with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for lobbying work he did on behalf of political interests in Ukraine, led at the time by a pro-Russian political party, his spokesman said Wednesday.

Manafort is the second Trump campaign adviser to have to register as a foreign agent since the election. The confirmation that he intends to register comes as the Trump administration has been facing heavy scrutiny over the foreign ties of former campaign advisers and other Trump associates.

By registering retroactively, Manafort will be acknowledging that he failed to properly disclose his work to the Justice Department as required by federal law.

The Justice Department rarely prosecutes such violations of the Foreign Agent Registration Act, but Manafort will now have to publicly and specifically detail his foreign agent work. That includes which American government agencies and officials he sought to influence, how he was paid and the details of contracts he signed as part of the work. Before, Manafort had been able to keep much of that information out of public view.

Manafort began discussions with the government about his lobbying activities after Trump hired him in March 2016, Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said, although it was unclear whether those conversations occurred before or after Trump forced Manafort to resign in August. Asked by The Associated Press on Wednesday whether Manafort intends to register as a foreign agent, Maloni said: "Yes, he is registering."

Manafort's resignation from the campaign came immediately after the AP had reported that Manafort's consulting firm between 2012 and 2014 orchestrated a covert Washington lobbying operation on behalf of Ukraine's ruling political party without disclosing that it was working as a foreign agent.

Manafort's decision to register as a foreign agent comes about one month after former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn registered with the Justice Department for work he did that could have benefited the Turkish government. The filing came after Trump fired Flynn in February, saying that Flynn had misled administration top officials about his contacts with Russia.

The White House did not immediately respond to questions about whether Trump was aware that Manafort needed to register as a foreign agent.

Earlier Wednesday, one of the Washington lobbying firms that worked on the influence campaign under the direction of Manafort and his former deputy, Rick Gates, itself registered after the fact with the Justice Department as a foreign agent. The Podesta Group acknowledged its work could have principally benefited Ukraine's government. The other firm involved, Mercury LLC, later said it also would register soon as a foreign agent for its work.

Gates did not respond to text messages left by the AP on Wednesday. His voicemail box was full.

The Podesta Group and Mercury had previously disclosed their lobbying work to Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, but neither firm had registered with the Justice Department. A foreign agent registration requires lobbying firms to disclose more details about their work than is required under the congressional registration.

The Podesta Group disclosed details of $1.2 million worth of lobbying it did from 2012 through 2014 on behalf of a Brussels-based nonprofit, the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine.

In a statement to the AP, Kimberley Fritts, CEO of the Podesta Group, said that the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine had certified to the Podesta Group that it was not a vehicle of a foreign government or political party, which is why the lobbying firm only previously registered with Congress. Fritts did not say what information had been brought to light to change that determination.

The European Centre did not immediately respond to phone messages and emails from the AP.

As part of the lobbying, the Podesta Group contacted staffers for Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., both strong supporters at the time of sanctions against the government of then-Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, whose political party Manafort worked for as a political consultant.

By October 2013, as relations deteriorated between the Obama administration and Yanukovych, the lobbying effort appeared to intensify. Three times that month, for example, Podesta lobbyists contacted staffers for Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., who had sponsored sanctions legislation.

One of the staffers was Dan Harsha, now associate director of communications at Harvard University's Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation. Harsha said he did not recall specific lobbying conversations but said congressional staffers were aware that the European Center was a pro-Yanukovych entity.

"How many obscure European think tanks were able to hire sophisticated A-list lobbyists?" he said. "It was widely assumed the think tank was a conduit for Yanukovych and it was treated as such on the Hill."
Several beaches at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore were closed Tuesday after a toxic chemical called hexavalent chromium spilled into the Burns Waterway.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the spill originated at a U.S. steel facility in Portage. The site reported a wastewater discharge containing hexavalent chromium, a toxic byproduct of industrial processes, to the waterway Tuesday morning. Several area beaches, including Indiana Dunes National Lakeshores West Beach, Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk, as well as nearby Ogden Dunes' town beach, were shut down shortly after.

Sky5 footage taken early Wednesday morning from overhead showed what appeared to be a dark substance spreading into Lake Michigan, but the EPA says that's sediment, not the chemical.

Hexavalent chromium  also known as chromium six  was the same chemical made famous by the film Erin Brockovich.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration warns chromium six can lead to cancer, kidney damage, skin ulcers and permanent eye damage.

It is unknown exactly how much of the dangerous chemical was spilled into the waterway, but the nearest water source at Ogen Dunes was also shut down out of an abundance of caution, according to the EPA.

"EPA sampling today and yesterday has not detected hexavalent chromium from the spill in Lake Michigan," the department said in a statement Wednesday.

Officials warned residents and their pets to refrain from any contact with the water in Lake Michigan and the Burns Waterway in the affected areas.

U.S. steel did not immediately respond to NBC 5s request for comment.
Governor Bruce Rauner began a two-day tour through the state of Illinois on Tuesday  but refused to call it a re-election campaign swing.

Rauner paid for it out of his campaign funds, had campaign aides, as well as his own personal photographer at his side, but instead called it a conversation.

After a lengthy early morning radio interview in which the Republican defended his record, he headed to Elmhurst for a rally.

Local Republicans were told to be at the event, but not to publicize it in order to keep protesters away, though a few showed up anyway.

Rauner then headed off to a vitamin factory in Bloomingdale, where he told employees, Whether youre a Democrat or a Republican or an independent or dont even care about politics at all, were working for you.

As the incumbent governor, the line gets blurrier on what constitutes official business and what is campaigning  but Rauner continually claimed the events were not political in nature.

This has nothing to do with the election, this is not about the election announcement, he said, adding in response to further questioning, This is about communicating with the people of Illinois. [[419186634, C]]

Rauner is already running TV ads, with his approval ratings around 30 percent, and his Democratic opponents  who are out on the campaign trail  believe thats why hes crisscrossing the suburbs and downstate as well, with no Chicago events on the schedule.

Theres a lot of time, theres a lot of Democrats in the race  thats fine, let them fight their own fight, said Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin.

One of those Democratic challengers spent part of Tuesday at Northeastern Illinois University, where students and staffers held a rally as the state budget crisis forced the school to begin a three-day furlough.

I dont know how weve gotten to a place in this country where we can pick on the salaries of a public sector worker, a professor, a teacher ,a carpenter, a plumber and that is somehow an American virtue, asked 47th Ward Alderman and gubernatorial candidate Ameya Pawar.

A spokesman for Rauner pointed out that if NEIU is in a budget crisis, it raises questions as to why the school was willing to spend $90,000 on an executive search for a new president, or until a donor stepped in, $30,000 to former White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett for a speech at commencement.

Tuesday afternoon, Jarrett did agree to speak at the schools graduation ceremony for free.
We are serious about our pizza in Connecticut and the "Daily Meal" has weighed in on where they think the best pizza in the state comes from.

They have given the honor to Frank Pepe Pizzeria Naploletana and called it a checklist destination to discuss the topic of America's best pizza with any authority.

They also put the spotlight on the clam pizza.

The ranking looked at pizza places across the country with a menu that is either made entirely of pizza or has at least a section dedicated it. The list included more than 800 pizzerias nationwide, which were then narrowed down by a panel of culinary authorities who voted for their favorite.

There are nine Pepes locations; New Haven, Manchester, West Hartford, Danbury, Waterbury, Fairfield and at Mohegan Sun, in Connecticut; Yonkers, New York; and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Santarpios Pizza in Boston is the best pizza in Massachusetts, according to The Daily Meal and Di Fara in Brooklyn won the top spot in New York.

Daily Mail gives Al Forno in Providence the honor of the best pizza in Rhode Island.

Whats your favorite pizza?
The Marriott Hotel in downtown Hartford reopened its ballroom days after the city ordered the area to be shut down for cleaning and sanitizing after dozens of people reportedly fell ill.

The order came after reports of around 60 people who used the facility coming down with Norovirus-like symptoms between March 30 and April 4.

Dr. Gary Rhule, director of the city of Hartford's Health and Human Services Department, said in a statement that the city advised the hotel on Monday that it could reopen the ballroom and resume normal operation.

He said the hotel has complied with all aspects of the health order the Health and Human Services Department.
A passenger allegedly threw out the driver of a car in New London on Tuesday night.

Police said they got 911 calls reporting that a man had been thrown from a vehicle and was lying in the roadway at Ocean Avenue and Plant Street at approximately 8:25 p.m.

Responding officers found the man conscious but lying in the street.

The victim told police he was giving suspect, Victor Hall, a ride when the two began to argue. Hall allegedly got physical with the driver and ended up throwing the victim from the car while driving, New London Police said.

The victim was transported to L&M Hospital for further medical attention.

Police are looking for the suspect. Hall, 25, also has an active domestic violence warrant.

The investigation remains active.
Police in Massachusetts have arrested a potential suspect in a New Britain homicide case tied to an Amber Alert over the weekend.

Patrick Miles, 36, of New Britain, was arrested early Wednesday morning in West Springfield, Mass. He was charged as a fugitive from justice.

Patrick Miles is a potential suspect in the death of 33-year-old Yasheeka Miles, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in a home at 48 North Mountain Road in New Britain Friday night.

Police identified Patrick Miles as a potential suspect and believe he fled to New York City with his 2-year-old daughter Paisley Miles after the incident. The search for Paisley prompted an Amber Alert early Saturday morning. The girl was found safe with a relative in Brooklyn, New York Saturday morning. That relative is cooperating with police.

Police said Yasheeka and Patrick Miles had a domestic relationship, but have not elaborated on what the relationship between them is. On Monday, police issued a news released listing 48 North Mountain Road as the home address for both of them.

According to New Britain police, Patrick Miles does have a criminal history in Vernon and New London.

Connecticut authorities currently hold two arrest warrants for Patrick Miles on violation of probation charges. The warrants have a combined bond of $350,000.

Patrick Miles is scheduled to appear in Massachusetts court Wednesday.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the New Britain Police Department at 860-826-3000. Anonymous tips can be made on the Community Tip Line at 860-826-3199 or online at newbritainpolice.org.
VCG | Getty Images. Google wants to sell its digital glasses to workers at businesses. That's a big challenge but could eventually move Alphabet's revenue needle.

Google (GOOGL) Glass isn't dead. In fact, it's a growing business.



That's according to developers who license the smart glasses technology from Google Glass' enterprise-focused "Glass at Work" program.

Google unveiled the smart glasses at its I/O conference in April 2012 in a high-profile demonstration featuring skydivers, and rolled them out to developers a year later. But the product was pricey at $1,500, and not particularly stylish. Onlookers were also concerned about the glasses recording them without their knowledge, which led to several Glass-wearers being attacked in public. Google discontinued Glass as a consumer product in 2015.

But a version for the workplace lives on.

"It's a big market today, and it will be an even bigger one in the future," said Brian Ballard, founder and chief executive officer at Upskill, a Google Glass partner that makes augmented reality apps for workers in the field. Its customers  and as of recently, its investors  include industrial giants like Boeing (BA) and GE (GE).

Upskill works with other smart glasses makers as well, like Intel (INTC), Microsoft (MSFT) and Vuzix. (VUZI) Ballard declined to comment on how many units it has deployed, but he did say it is targeting companies that will need "thousands of these devices in the field to do one job."

Where Google could boost the business further and stand out from competitors, he says, is by adding advanced computing, like machine learning, to its offering. An example might be in incorporating computer vision technology so field workers simply have to snap photos for the purposes of documentation.

Augmedix, a San Francisco-based start-up with nearly 1,000 employees, built its business off smart glasses. Unlike Upskill, the vast majority of its customers  doctors at large hospitals  are using Google Glass. CEO Ian Shakil said the company expects to deploy 1,000 Google Glass devices by the end of the year.

Augmedix sells its application to 12 hospitals, including Dignity Health, Sutter Health and TriHealth, to help doctors transcribe notes from patient interactions. Doctors wear the glasses during consultations and transmit video to medical scribes, who take notes. That way, the doctors are freed up to focus on the patients.

Story continues

Shakil wouldn't tell us how much the company pays Google but says it's in the realm of $1,500, which is the price Google charged developers for the original product.

Augmedix, which raised $23 million in December, is poised to triple its growth year over year, said Shakil. Thus far, he said, most patients seem open to their doctors wearing the device: "We've already done tens of thousands of patient interactions."





More From CNBC


The Trump administration veered toward deeper conflict with Russia Tuesday as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow, gambling that an unpredictable new president armed with the willingness to threaten military action gives the U.S. much-needed leverage to end Syria's carnage.

Yet there were no guarantees Tillerson's arguments would prove any more successful than the Obama administration's failed effort to peel Russia away from its Syrian ally. Tillerson's mission, coming days after 59 Tomahawk missiles struck a Syrian air base, also carries serious risks: If Russia brushes off the warnings, President Donald Trump could be forced into another show of force in Syria or see his credibility wane.

"I hope that what the Russian government concludes is that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad," Tillerson said before flying to the Russian capital, referring to Syria's embattled leader.

"The reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," he confidently predicted.

But Tillerson's claim is one President Barack Obama, too, argued for years, only to see Assad outlast his own term in office. And the Trump administration's nascent Syria policy seems to be increasingly centering on the same tactic Obama unsuccessfully employed: persuading Russia, Assad's staunchest ally, to abandon him.

The parallels haven't gone unnoticed by Russian President Vladimir Putin as U.S. officials have accused his military of knowing about Assad's recent chemical weapons attack ahead of time and trying to help cover it up. Calling for a U.N. investigation, Putin held to his claim that it was actually Assad opponents who introduced chemical weapons into Syria's harrowing civil war.

"We have seen it all already," Putin said. Jabbing at U.S. credibility, the Russian leader reminded reporters about unfounded U.S. claims of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, used to justify America's 2003 invasion.

The escalating dispute over last week's events in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun has thrust Washington and Moscow into a level of tension rarely seen since the end of the Cold War. The animosity is especially striking given widespread speculation that Trump, who lavishly praised Putin during his campaign, would pursue rapprochement with Moscow.

Even on Syria, the positions appeared to be hardening. Only a week ago, top Trump officials had spoken off deprioritizing past U.S. efforts to remove Assad from office and accepting the "reality" that 18 months of Russian military intervention had secured him in power. Since last Thursday's cruise missile strike, Tillerson and other U.S. officials appear to have reverted to the past administration's rhetoric of insisting that Assad is on the way out, without outlining any strategy for making that happen.

The Trump administration's change of heart, apparently spurred in part by the president's emotional response to the images of chemical weapons victims, also is serving another purpose: defanging the perception of coziness between Trump and Moscow. As the FBI and multiple congressional committees investigate potential collusion between Russia and Trump's campaign, the president can point to his hard-line stance on Assad as fresh evidence he's willing to stand up to Putin.

Asked about Putin possibly skipping a meeting with Tillerson, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, "There is a bit of irony that for all of these talks that have been perpetuated about back channels and direct links, that now it's they won't meet with you." At a minimum, Tillerson will meet Wednesday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and the two are expected to take questions from reporters.

As Tillerson landed in Moscow, senior White House officials briefed reporters on declassified U.S. intelligence they said disproved Russia's claim that rebels were responsible for the chemical weapons. In an accompanying four-page memo, the U.S. accused Russia of a disinformation campaign and aiding Syria in covering up the gruesome attack, which killed more than 80 people.

"Russia's allegations fit with a pattern of deflecting blame from the regime and attempting to undermine the credibility of its opponents," the report read.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon, "It is very clear who planned this attack, who authorized this attack and who orchestrated this attack."

Putin's government has been incensed by the Trump administration's public accusations, and even more so by U.S. military intervention in Syria. The retaliatory strikes, which Obama declined to approve after blaming Assad for an even deadlier chemical weapons attack in 2013, hit an air base where Russian troops were also present, although none are believed to have been killed.

Meeting allies earlier Tuesday in Italy, Tillerson delivered an ultimatum to Russia: Side either with the U.S. and its dozens of coalition partners or face the isolation of a partnership with Assad, Iran and Hezbollah. That may hardly be punishment for the Kremlin, which dismissed many of Obama's similar warnings about Russia being sucked into a quagmire in Syria with no way out while tarnishing its international reputation.

Trump may not have much to offer Russia currently. Even if Moscow cooperates, the allegations of election meddling have weakened the U.S. leader's hand to deliver on any significant carrot, such as a loosening of the U.S. and European economic sanctions stemming from Russia's actions in Ukraine.

And wielding the stick of potential military action is risky. Trump's cruise missile order restored the believability of Washington using its military might in Syria.

But if Moscow ignores Trump's entreaties or if Assad uses chemical weapons again, bad options await Trump. He can order more military action, with the danger of an escalating America involvement in a war that has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Or he can hold back and risk losing face like Obama.

Putin seems undeterred. Hours after Tillerson's warning, his office announced Russia would host Syria and Iran's foreign ministers for a three-way meeting Friday, the day after Tillerson departs.

Associated Press writer Vivian Salama in Washington contributed to this report.
If you pay someone to prepare your taxes, you might want to shop around.

The NBC Connecticut Responds team spoke with a New Britain woman who could have paid anywhere between $100 and just over $700 for services. It all depended on which preparer she hired.

Jeanette Burgos spent a few weeks trying to understand why it cost her $712 to get her taxes done at the Liberty Tax Franchise in New Britain.

Burgoss arent complicated. According to a tax expert, with her income status, she even qualifies to have a preparer file her taxes for free at a community center. But she didnt know that when she went to Liberty in February, agreed to pay. Then, three hours later, she said she went back.

In my head I just like, somethings wrong, somethings wrong, Burgos said.

But it wasnt wrong. The New Britain Franchise owner told NBC Connecticut Responds his charges reflect corporate guidance and he tells every customer what theyll pay before they sign the dotted line.

That was echoed by the corporate office. A spokesperson said they have not found an indication of problematic pricing on Jeanette Burgoss filing.

So NBC Connecticut looked at how the $712 charge stacked up against competitors.

The company-owned H&R Block in West Hartford said they would have charged her around $360. A Jackson Hewitt Branch, also in West Hartford, would have cost her between $300-$350.

All three of those companies charge by the number of forms. Some preparers, like Torrington-based Kris Roberts, charge by time. Roberts estimated Burgos would have paid between $100-$150 for her service, and shes not surprised by Burgoss complaint.

Which is a scary thing that it doesn't surprise me, because I run into it all the time, Roberts, who is a chapter president of the National Association of Tax Preparers.

The lack of consistency in pricing between various tax preparers is a three-part issue, according to Roberts. For one, the system is complex for the average person.

Congress has made the tax code so complicated, that people can't do what we consider simple returns anymore, Roberts explained.

Consumer education is another problem. Roberts said many customers dont ask enough detailed questions about pricing.

And finally, oversight, or lack thereof.

Right now there's absolutely no regulation, no oversight, no standards for what we would call commercial tax preparers in the state of Connecticut, said Department of Revenue Services Commissioner Kevin Sullivan.

Sullivan hopes a bill proposed this session will help set an industry-wide standard.

The right of the taxpayer to know at the beginning of that conversation, how long is this going to take, do I have an opportunity to reconsider, how much are you going to charge me, what exactly are you going to charge me for, Sullivan said.

All three major companies will answer most of those questions up front, and customers do have the option to reconsider. But neither Jackson Hewitt nor H&R Black disclosed what they charge for various forms.

After NBC Connecticut Responds asked the Liberty Tax owner, he did give us a breakdown of Burgoss nine documents.

Almost half of that $712 fee came from two sheets alone  her 1040-A and her earned income credit. They are both specifically for low-to-moderate income earners.

Because she qualifies for these earned income credits, it's almost like she's being penalized, Roberts said.

Burgos said if she hires a preparer for next years taxes, shell be better prepared.

It makes me like, I dont know, like $712 Is a lot of money. Its crazy, Burgos said.

An H&R spokesperson said their average cost is less than $220, and all clients may request a fee estimate before deciding if they do want to file. The same applies to Jackson Hewitt, and their prices start at $48 for a federal return.

In the end, the Liberty Tax franchise manager offered to reduce Burgoss charge to what she paid last year through Turbo Tax - $140.

That brings the NBC Connecticut Responds total to $142,839 dollars recovered for viewers.

If you have a consumer issue you want investigated, call NBC Connecticut Responds at 844-303-RESP or click here.
A Texas company is celebrating its 100,000 employee milestone across Mexico and Texas.

H-E-B Texas Grocery announced the growth of its employment to 100,000 people Tuesday. This total makes H-E-B the largest privately-held employer in the state and one of the largest in the country.

"This milestone represents our deep commitment to improving the lives of Texans and their families," said Craig Boyan, President and COO of H-E-B. "It takes great people to build a great company, and we look forward to providing even more Texans with meaningful career opportunities."

Since 2008, H-E-B has created more than 24,000 jobs. The company currently has 388 stores and plans to add nine new stores in Texas and six new stores in Mexico in 2017.
While Congress is in recess for two weeks, Sen. Ted Cruz is back in Texas. He is on a two-week listening tour, meeting with constituents throughout the state.

On Tuesday he toured the Peterbilt plant in Denton for several hours, and he sat down for a one-on-one interview with NBC 5 political reporter Julie Fine.

"It is great to be home," Cruz said.

Cruz talked about the airstrikes in Syria and says the United States needs a strategic plan going forward.

"We are trapped between impossible options. On one hand, Bashar al-Assad is a monster. He has repeatedly used chemical weapons against his own citizens, against innocent men women and children. He is a bad, bad guy. But on the other hand, the opposition  many of the rebels fighting against him  are radical Islamic terrorists. They are people like al-Qaida, al-Nusra terrorists. They are even worse. They hate America and want to kill Americans," Cruz said.

"So all of us our prayers are with the Syrian people, the victims of Bashar al-Assad, the victims of the terrorists. But I think the central lodestar for any U.S. military involvement must be protecting the vital national security interests of the United States," Cruz said.

He continued:

"The worst outcome would be to topple Assad and to see those chemical weapons fall into the hands of ISIS or al-Qaida, because if they have those chemical weapons they would use them against us," Cruz said. "I look forward to the commander-in-chief laying out a vision, presenting a plan to the American people, to Congress about how we go forward and protect our national security interests."

While Syria is an immediate issue, the House of Representatives has not publicly laid out what is next for health care. The bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act was pulled after there were not enough votes to pass it.

Cruz said failure on repealing the Obama administration's health law is not an option, and he believes it will get done.

"You know, Julie, it is worth keeping in mind, it took Obama 14 months to pass Obamacare. The House bill was on the House floor for 18 days. You can't pass major legislation that impacts one-fifth of the economy in just 18 days. It takes more work than that," Cruz said.

He says he is already working with lawmakers to get them to pass a new bill. He is doing this as the campaign for his Senate seat in 2018 is officially underway. U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-El Paso, has announced he is running for the seat.

"Well, listen, there is an old phrase there are two ways to run: scared and unopposed. Until I am the latter I will continue to be the former, and so I am going to continue to work every day to earn the votes, to earn the support of men and women across the state," Cruz said.
A 9-year-old boy who was wounded in Monday's deadly shooting at a California elementary school is recovering and in "good spirits," his parents said Wednesday.

A gunman opened fire Monday at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, in what authorities described as a murder-suicide.

He killed his estranged wife, Karen Elaine Smith, a special needs teacher at the school, before turning the gun on himself.

The shooter, identified as 53-year-old Cedric Anderson of Riverside, fired 10 shots, police said.

Two students sitting nearby her were also hit by gunfire.

Jonathan Martinez, 8, later died from his injuries. Nolan Brandy, 9, was hit in the upper body, but is now recovering.

Leon and Rachel Brandy, the parents of the surviving victim, released a statement Wednesday thanking the community "for the outpouring of prayers and support."

They said their son Nolan is recovering very well, adding that they are "grateful."

A day after the shooting officials said the boy was in stable condition, watching cartoons and expected to recover.

"Please continue to pray for him and also for Jonathan Martinezs and Karen Smith's families," the Brandy family said.
Attorneys representing children who got infections during dental treatments have filed 58 claims against a Southern California city, alleging it provided contaminated water to a clinic.

Attorneys say they're still determining how the water at Children's Dental Group sickened dozens of kids who underwent pulpotomies, or baby tooth root canals, last year in Anaheim. The clinic has been shut down.

The Orange County Register reported Tuesday that the claims are a legally required precursor to a lawsuit and must be filed within six months of a person's injury.

"Two claims have also been filed against the county," reported the Register.

Some children developed a bacterial infection of the mouth that can spread to the gum and bone.

Anaheim spokesman Mike Lyster insisted the city's water supply was not to blame in a statement Wednesday.

"We want to be clear: Anaheim's water supply is not at issue in the case of Children's Dental," the statement read.

"Our hearts go out to the kids and families who visited Children's Dental," Lyster said in the statement. "No one should have to go through what they have. But we have no reason to doubt the OC Health Care Agency's determination that the likely source of infection was the internal dental water system."

Lyster advised parents and dental patients that making "sure their dentist follows recommendations for water quality from the Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association" is the best thing they can do.
A South Florida man was arrested at Dolphin Mall Tuesday after he touched a 14-year-old girl's buttocks, police said. Kevin Sean McDonald, 31, was caught by mall security in the parking lot when he ran after groping the victim.

Sweetwater Police responded to the mall around 4 p.m. after a call was made about a possible child abduction. When they arrived, the 31-year-old was seen running toward the bus stops north of Bass Pro Shops. That's when officers apprehended McDonald and they later discovered that the suspect grabbed the teen's backside, police said.

The 31-year-old faces simple battery charges.

Miami-Dade Corrections

This is not McDonald's first run-in with the law. In 2014, he was arrested by Davie Police after he showed up at a Starbucks to meet with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl he met on Facebook. Detectives posed as the girl after the teen's father discovered McDonald chatting online with his daughter.

Footage shows Kevin McDonald being escorted into TGK after he was accused of molesting a teen girl at Dolphin Mall.

Davie Police said McDonald sent lewd photos to the girl's Facebook account. He was charged with child porn among other charges, but was never convicted because a judge ruled, in 2016, McDonald incompetent due to an intellectual disability and mental illness.

The 31-year-old has been allowed conditional release since 2014 and recently allowed to get community-based treatment in Fort Lauderdale.
A special meeting is being held in Pembroke Pines Wednesday night to discuss the quality of the city's drinking water, an issue the city and state health department have been somewhat at-odds over.

City officials say the meeting was called to set the record straight and assure residents that the water is safe to drink, amid conflicting information from the Florida Department of Health and the city.

The concern stems from a test sample in November that showed a high level of trihalomethanes, a chemical compound that can be harmful if ingested over many years. That high level prompted the Department of Health in Broward County to alert people in Pembroke Pines.

"The water is currently not meeting the standards for disinfection byproducts," the notice read, in part.

"During routine maintenance last November, we had test results that came in uncharacteristically high, it's never really happened in Pembroke Pines before," vice mayor Angelo Castillo told NBC 6. "We're trying to get to the bottom of why that is because it didn't occur before and it didn't occur after."

Castillo said the test came while pipes were being cleaned, and that may have impacted the results.

The city released a statement last week telling residents that there is "no acute health risk." The statement said that improvements to the water plant were underway and there was no need to boil water or take any action.

"There's all kinds of limitations on words in the public health water arena, I am learning. There's certain things they're asking us not to just come out and say, here's what they're comfortable with us saying, go ahead and keep using the water the way you always have," Castillo said.

Castillo said it could take months of testing, possibly until the end of the year, before the Department of Health officially gives the green light.
Living in South Florida requires one to fuel up on cafecito just to get through the day -- and the traffic.

Miami's iconic restaurant Versailles is helping Cuban espresso lovers get over hump day with free cafecito!

The Little Havana hangout is inviting folks to La Ventanita or the walk-up coffee window Wednesday for the pick-me-up to celebrate its social media milestone.

Versailles launched its Facebook page in recent years and quickly gained a huge following, reaching 20,000 followers.

At a time when gaining followers on social media is top priority for many, Versailles' Facebook achievement is a cause for celebration.

So, if you need to get rid of the mid-week blues on Wednesday, you can head over to the Miami landmark where the cafecito will start flowing at 8:30 a.m.
Crews battled a fast-moving blaze at a New Jersey commercial building that left neighbors without power and injured two firefighters Tuesday night, officials say.

Fire crews said it took about three hours to get the fire under control after it completely torched the building, which stores food products, on First Street in Passaic. Flames were seen shooting out of the structure.

The fire quickly spread up the rear walls to an apartment building behind the building on Market Street, fire officials said.



A young man who lives in the apartment building said he told his family to run out in their pajamas. His is one of 11 families the Red Cross is helping in the aftermath of the blaze; the organization says about 60 people are displaced.

The fire chief said putting out the fire in two different buildings made it more difficult than expected.

The hard part was that the roof collapsed and there was a lot of fire burning underneath the roof, Fire Chief Joseph Cizjer said. The adjoining buildings were very close with exposures on the sides and the rear on Market Street."

The apartment buildings sprinkler system was activated, which helped contain most of fire, however, dozens of people were forced out onto the street because of water damage, crews said.

Cizjer said it could be at least a day or two before displaced residents would be able to return to what remained of their homes.

Because the blaze was so taxing on the water system -- firefighters had about five or six hydrants going at the same time -- the Passaic Valley Water utility says residents may see poor water pressure or discolored water in their homes.

The mayor took to Facebook Live to alert residents of the flames and thick smoke from the blaze that spread for blocks around the area.

Crews remained on the scene through early Wednesday.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. The injured firefighters were treated at a hospital; they're expected to be OK.
What to Know Sean Spicer has apologized after he incorrectly said Nazi leader Adolf Hitler did not "sink to the level of using chemical weapons"

An influential health panel is dropping its opposition to routine prostate cancer screening in favor of letting men decide for themselves

Michael Buble's wife says their 3-year-old son, Noah, is "well" following treatment for cancer in Los Angeles

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.

Spicer Apologizes for 'Insensitive' Reference to Holocaust

White House press secretary Sean Spicer incorrectly said Nazi leader Adolf Hitler did not "sink to the level of using chemical weapons." Spicer made the comment when asked about Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons in a bombing of their people. Spicer was arguing that Syrian President Bashar Assad was in some way worse than Hitler, whom he described as "despicable." After several attempts to clarify his remark, Spicer later apologized, calling his remark "insensitive" and a "mistake" in an NBC News interview. Hitler used chemical weapons in systematically killing millions of people as part of the Holocaust and his "Final Solution" of ethnic cleansing. An April 4 chemical weapons attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and the U.S. has blamed Assad and condemned the attack, responding with a barrage of cruise missiles on a Syrian military base. Turkey's health minister said test results confirm sarin gas was used.

Trump Administration Ends Hiring Freeze, Announces Plan to Restructure Government

The federal government hiring freeze implemented by President Trump as one of his first acts in office will be lifted. But budget director Mick Mulvaney says many jobs will remain unfilled as the White House embarks on a government-wide effort to overhaul the executive branch and significantly reduce its work force. Mulvaney told reporters at a White House briefing that the move was part of the president's campaign pledge to "drain the swamp" in Washington and save taxpayers money. The president signed a memorandum in January freezing large portions of federal government hiring, barring the military and positions deemed necessary for national security and public safety. As part of the memorandum, Trump gave the Office of Management and Budget 90 days to come up with a long-term plan to reduce the federal government's size. While the guidance to be issued does not contain agency-specific hiring goals or limits, Mulvaney said agencies targeted with significant budget cuts in Trump's first proposal, such as the EPA, would be expected to make significant cuts to their workforces.

Russia Trying to Cover Up Syrian Chemical Weapons Attack, White House Says

The White House has accused Russia of trying to "cover up" Syrian president Bashar Assad's role in a chemical weapons attack that left dozens, including children, dead, NBC News reports. Senior administration officials briefed reporters on declassified intelligence that knocks down the Russian-pushed narrative that last week's deadly chemical weapons attack could have been carried out by non-state or terrorist actors. One administration official called that effort an absolute cover up of Syrian regime culpability, and reinforced the U.S. narrative that the Assad regime was behind the attack and that the gas used was, in fact, sarin. Russians have a "clear pattern of deflecting blame" from the Assad regime, another administration official said.

Prostate Cancer Tests Get Government Panel's OK, With Caveats

An influential U.S. government health panel is dropping its opposition to routine prostate cancer screening in favor of letting men decide for themselves after talking with their doctor. The new draft guidelines echo those of several leading medical groups, but they don't make the decision any easier for men: With their doctor's help, they have to decide whether to take an imperfect PSA test that has a small chance of detecting a deadly cancer and a larger chance of triggering unneeded worry and treatment with serious side effects. Men whose greatest concern is reducing their chances of dying from cancer are sometimes willing to face the consequences and choose testing. PSA screening to detect the most common male cancer is among the most heated topics in men's health. It involves a simple blood test for elevated levels of a protein that may signal cancer but also can be caused by less serious prostate problems.

Founder of The J. Geils Band Found Dead in Home, Officials Say

John Warren Geils Jr., guitarist of the rock group The J. Geils Band, was found dead in his Massachusetts, home, police confirmed. Authorities said they responded to the 71-year-old's home for a well-being check and found him unresponsive. He was declared dead at the scene. Police said no foul play is suspected. A preliminary investigation indicates that Geils died of natural causes. The J. Geils Band was founded in 1967 while Geils, whose full name was John Warren Geils Jr., was studying mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Geils served as the band's guitarist and vocalist. Bandmates included Danny Klein, Richard "Magic Dick" Salwitz, Stephen Jo Bladd, Peter Wolf and Seth Justman. The group had several Top 40 singles in the early 1970s, including a cover song "Lookin' for a Love" by the family group The Valentinos and "Give It to Me."

Michael Buble's Son Doing Well After Cancer Treatment, His Wife Says

Michael Buble's wife says their 3-year-old son, Noah, is "well" following treatment for cancer in Los Angeles. Speaking at a press conference in her native Argentina, actress Luisana Lopilato said Noah has a long recovery ahead of him. She says the experience has made her value life more. The family last shared an update on Noah in February, when they said he was progressing well in his battle against the disease. The family announced Noah's cancer in November. They didn't say what type of cancer he has or when he was diagnosed. The couple also has another son, Elias, who turned 1 earlier this year.

Jeff Cook of Alabama Announces Parkinson's Diagnosis

Jeff Cook, guitarist and fiddle player with the country band Alabama, announced he has Parkinson's disease and will no longer be regularly touring with the band. Cook, along with frontman Randy Owen and bassist Teddy Gentry, told The Tennessean in a story that Cook was diagnosed about four years ago, but the band kept the news private until now. Cook said the chronic neurological disorder gives him tremors that make it hard for him to play his instruments, but he didn't want to stop playing music. He said he is not quitting the band, but won't be regularly touring with them so he can rest.
White House press secretary Sean Spicer incorrectly said Tuesday that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler did not "sink to the level of using chemical weapons."

Spicer made the comment at Tuesday's daily press briefing when asked about Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons in a bombing of their people. Spicer was arguing that Syrian President Bashar Assad was in some way worse than Hitler, whom he described as "despicable."

After several attempts to clarify his remark, Spicer later apologized, calling his remark "insensitive" and a "mistake" in an NBC News interview.

"It was a distinction that didnt need to get made. Theyve both done horrendous, heinous things to innocent people," he said, referring to Hitler and Assad. "To make any kind of comparison is really regrettable and a mistake."

Hitler used chemical weapons in systematically killing millions of people as part of the Holocaust and his "Final Solution" of ethnic cleansing. While Hitler killed himself before the end of World War II, some Nazi leaders were convicted of war crimes in its aftermath for their part in the murders.

An April 4 chemical weapons attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and the U.S. has blamed Assad and condemed the attack, responding with a barrage of cruise missiles on a Syrian military base. Turkey's health minister said Tuesday that test results confirm sarin gas was used.

Spicer's comments, which came on the first day of the Jewish holiday Passover, immediately generated outrage on social media. The outrage continued after he attempted to clarify the remark, with the Anne Frank Center calling for Spicer to be fired for engaging in Holocaust denial.

Asked what he meant, Spicer said he meant that Hitler was "not using the gas on his own people the same way that Ashad [sic] is doing."

Spicer on Syria: You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons... pic.twitter.com/UN3JfRRg0w  Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 11, 2017

While many of those who died in the Nazi gas chambers were brought in from other countries, many were Germans as well.

The gas chambers used Zyklon B, a cyanide-based pesticide, for the mass murders of those the Nazis felt were "unworthy of life," according to the U.S. Holocaust Museum.

Hitler's victims included Jews, mentally and physically disabled peoples, homosexuals and any political opponents of the Nazi Party or Axis powers. The Holocaust Museum notes that it is extremely difficult to estimate the exact number of people killed by Nazis and Nazi policies because of a lack of documentation.

Chelsea Clinton was among those who quickly reacted on Twitter, urging Spicer to visit the nearby museum.

I hope @PressSec takes time to visit @HolocaustMuseum. It's a few blocks away. https://t.co/24fNoMUyS8  Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) April 11, 2017

The initial remark led some people, like Anne Frank Center Exectuive Director Steven Goldstein, to call for Spicer's firing.

"On Passover no less, Sean Spicer has engaged in Holocaust denial, the most offensive form of fake news imaginable, by denying Hitler gassed millions of Jews to death. Spicer's statement is the most evil slur upon a group of people we have ever heard from a White House press secretary," Goldstein said in a statement.

Leading House Democrat Nancy Pelosi also released a statement calling for Spicer's dismissal.

Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements," Pelosi's statement read. "Either he is speaking for the President, or the President should have known better than to hire him.

Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican from New York, said in a statement that "as far as comments being made and comparisons of various tactics and methods between now and World War II, you can make the comparison a little differently and it would be accurate, but it's important to clear up that Hitler did in fact use chemical warfare to murder innocent people."

When asked by NBC News if he thought his job was safe, Spicer said: "Well, you know what, I made a mistake. Im owning up to it. And you know, obviously I expect, Id hope, that everyone understands that we all make mistakes and ask for forgiveness."

Earlier, Spicer had attempted a second clarification after the initial briefing was over: "In no way was I trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust, however, I was trying to draw a contrast of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on innocent people."

The phrase "Holocaust centers" was trending on Twitter shortly after Spicer's comments, quoting a misstatement Spicer made in reference to concentration camps as he backtracked during the briefing.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer and American Urban Radio Networks reporter April Ryan have an exchange at a press briefing on Tuesday, with Spicer telling Ryan to "stop shaking your head" several times.

The Trump administration has faced criticism in the past for comments related to the Holocaust and anti-Semitism. The White House released a statement on international Holocaust Remembrance Day earlier this year that did not make any reference to Jews, and some have taken issue with the speed with which Trump has condemned anti-Semitic attacks, including threats against Jewish community centers.

Asher Klein and Shannon Ho contributed to this report.
Republicans have held off a surprisingly strong Democratic challenge for a Kansas House seat in the first congressional election since President Donald Trump's November victory.

Voters on Tuesday picked state Treasurer Ron Estes to fill the vacancy created when Trump chose former U.S. Rep. Mike Pompeo as CIA director.

Estes held off Democrat James Thompson, a civil rights attorney, to claim the 4th congressional district seat occupied by Republicans for more than two decades.

Trump won 60 percent of votes in November's election in the 17-county district in south-central Kansas that includes the state's largest city of Wichita.

The special election was closely watched for any anti-Trump backlash against Republicans.
Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor apologized Wednesday in the face of an investigation by the inspector general's office, but provided scant details about what he feels he did wrong.

Democratic Lt. Gov. Mike Stack said he has said "things in anger or stress or frustration" that he wishes he hadn't said.

"Any person who goes through life and gets stressed, I think, will say things that they don't mean and they say things out of anger, and I'm no exception," Stack said. "That's not an excuse. That's not a reason that's acceptable. The bottom line is, I know that I've said things in anger that I wish I could take back, that I didn't mean."

Stack summoned reporters to his Capitol offices to address reports of an investigation into how he and his wife have treated the troopers and state workers who guard and serve them. He said the inspector general's office notified him by letter of the probe a few days ago.

He said its focus is on how he interacts with troopers detailed to protect him and the people who work in the lieutenant governor's official residence. Stack and his wife, Tonya, live in a state-owned house at Fort Indiantown Gap, the state National Guard headquarters about 20 miles east of the Capitol.

He addressed reports that he or his wife may have pressured state troopers to use their sirens when transporting them and acknowledged he supported a failed proposal to change state law to specifically allow troopers to use flashing lights and sirens when transporting dignitaries such as the lieutenant governor.

"If I've ever said something in anger or frustration, being in a rush, something like that, where a state trooper felt I was telling them how to drive or how to operate their emergency response procedures, if I ever gave that impression I was wrong," Stack said. "And I apologize. But one thing I want you to know, as I said, these guys are the boss. They have all the training. They make the decisions. And they should."

Stack did not provide any examples of what he did wrong, but said he did not believe anything he said would be considered abusive.

The chairman of the state Republican Party issued a statement that said he was disturbed to see reports Stack "lambasted" state workers and that he was concerned about Stack's dealings with troopers.

"Sadly, arrogance and corruption among Democrat public officials, especially those from Philadelphia, is becoming more and more common these days," said GOP chair Val DiGiorgio.

Stack, 53, is a former state senator from Philadelphia who was elected more than two years ago.

In Pennsylvania, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run independently in the primaries and, once elected, hold what are considered independent offices.

Stack said he plans to run for a second term next year, as does Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.

Wolf's office said he had not received a report about the investigation from his inspector general and won't comment before he's able to review it.

State officials say the cost to staff and maintain the lieutenant governor's residence is about $450,000 annually. Stack's salary is $162,000 a year, and his duties include presiding over the state Senate, considering pardons applications and overseeing the Emergency Management Council.

Messages left for the inspector general's office weren't returned.
At least 28 people were killed and more than two dozen injured when gunmen opened fire on a bus carrying Coptic Christians south of Cairo, Egypt on May 25, 2017.

In April, the Egyptian cities of Alexandria and Tanta were left reeling after Islamic State suicide bombers killed 44 people attending Palm Sunday services.

Those killed were Coptic Christians, an ancient sect established by St. Mark the Apostle thousands of years ago. Easter is their most sacred holiday.

The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria is the most historically significant Coptic Christian church in Northeast Africa and the Middle East, yet many outside the region are unfamiliar with the community.

According to the Harvard's Religious Literacy Project, historically, the Coptic Church has roots in the earliest days of Christianity; Christian religious sites mark where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus are believed to have stayed during their flight to Egypt.

Below is a primer on the Coptic Church:

Egypts Copts are one of the oldest Christian groups in the Middle East.

They comprise roughly 10 percent of Egypts population and hold a minority of seats in the Islamic-led government. The majority of Egyptians are Sunni Muslim.

The Coptic Church was established by St. Mark the Apostle, who is credited with introducing Christianity to Egypt. The Libyan-born saint died in Alexandria in 68 A.D.

St. Marks Cathedral in Alexandria is considered the historic seat of Christianity in the Middle East.

Like in Catholicism, a pope heads the Coptic church. Currently, Pope Tawadros II holds the honor. He is the 118th Pope of Alexandria and will meet with his Catholic counterpart later this month.

Coptic Egyptians are direct descendants of Ancient Egypt. Their language is derived from hieroglyphics and is only spoken during holy observations, according to Heather J. Sharkey, professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania.

Copts were the targets of recent terrorist attacks. In late March, a bomb was defused at the Tanta church where 28 people died Sunday. In December, 30 churchgoers were killed in Cairo.

The Islamic State is increasingly targeting Christians in the Middle East. They claim Egyptian Christians supported the 2013 overthrow of former president Mohamed Morsi.

Persecution against Copts dates back to the Byzantine Empire, Sharkey said. In 1000 A.D., some 3,000 churches were destroyed in the name of Islam. Most of their saints are martyrs.

Coptic Christians hold the same beliefs as other Christian denominations. Their defining characteristic is a deep sense of history and cultural ties to their ancestral homeland.

Easter is their holiest feast. The timing of the Palm Sunday attack would have resonated deeply throughout the community, Sharkey said.




Bail was set at $1 million for an accused unlicensed, drunk driver who allegedly ran a red light and struck a pedestrian, killing him, in Little Italy last week.

David Dominguez, 21, pleaded not guilty to felony gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony hit-and-run with injury, felony DUI causing injury, felony driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher and a misdemeanor for driving without a license at his arraignment Tuesday.

The collision occurred just after 11 p.m. Thursday on West Laurel Street.

Garold Allen Crosbie, 50, was walking northbound on Pacific Coast Highway and through the intersection of Laurel Street when a car ran a red light and hit him, according to the Medical Examiner's office.

A San Diego Harbor police officer was at the intersection at the time and witnessed the event.

Just after 7 a.m. on Friday, police arrested Dominguez in Encanto.

Dominguez faces a maximum of 15 years if convicted.
A gun rights activist who gained notoriety after a video showed him loading a shotgun at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., in 2013 was arrested Monday near the White House.

Adam Kokesh was taken into custody prior to a planned protest on a fugitive of justice charge for failing to appear in court in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

He did not show up for a 2015 criminal summons that caused a 10-minute closure of a Transportation Security Administration screening point at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Kokesh was at the White House to protest the U.S. bombing of Syria, according to one of the protest participants. Heather Mullins said things were just about to begin when he was approached by Secret Service officers.

Mullins said the TSA conducted an investigation into the airport incident and decided to let Kokesh off with a warning. However, the citation he was issued required him to appear in court in Glen Burnie, Maryland, which he apparently did not do.

At a court appearance Tuesday, a judge declined to grant Kokesh bail and sent him back to jail. The judge cited Kokeshs previous weapons charge for the shotgun, which he served four months in jail plus probation.

Kokesh is expected to be transferred to the custody of Anne Arundel County.
Ward 4 D.C. Council member Brandon Todd has a political mess on his hands. Somebodys been bad at accounting for tens of thousands of dollars in a campaign report.

A new audit from the Office of Campaign Finance is withering. The audit charges Todds campaign  for the 2015 special election he won to replace Muriel Bowser on the council, not his most recent re-election bid  didnt properly document more than $69,000 in credit card deposits and failed to clear the record even after being asked.

The audit said the campaign  which totaled about $400,000  understated receipts in some cases and overstated them in others. It charges that some expenditures were not reported and key financial summaries were misstated.

Politically, the audit is bad for Todd and his mentor, Mayor Muriel Bowser. Bowser picked Todd to run to replace her in Ward 4. Todds campaign essentially was the same "Green Machine" that elected Bowser mayor. Businessman Ben Soto is treasurer for both Todd and Bowser.

On Monday, Todd spoke to News4. "Well, Tom, I take that audit  any audit  very seriously for my 2015 campaign account," he said. "We have begun to provide the Office of Campaign Finance with the documents they requested, and I am confident this will be resolved very quickly.

The auditors said the campaign has been slow to document responses to the audit.

Asked about Todds campaign troubles, Mayor Bowser on Monday told News4 she was confident Todd would clear it up. And she stood by Soto when we asked if he would be her treasurer in the upcoming reelection campaign.

"Certainly. Ben has been my treasurer for five campaigns," she said. "And I am very confident in the work he has done for us.

 Gray more in than out. Now it is obvious, if not official: Vincent Gray is a candidate for mayor next year until he says he isnt.

At the initial budget hearing last week and his speech on the state of his Ward 7 council district, the former mayor was in campaign mode.

There may be no formal campaign announcement for many more months, but Gray walks, talks and acts like a 2018 candidate against incumbent Mayor Bowser.

I have no plans at this stage to run. ... Anything could change, of course, he told us last week after he and Bowser clashed over health care east of the Anacostia River. Gray said at this stage three times. And, he smiled slyly.

A few days later, he gave his Ward 7 speech. Before the speech, The Washington Posts Paul Schwartzman reported, aides passed out a 30-page brochure laying out Grays views on a host of citywide issues. The brochure also includes a half dozen pictures of, you guessed it, Gray.

In tone and ambition, Schwartzman wrote, Grays State of Ward 7 address Thursday had the tenor of a politician unwilling to discourage chatter hes eying a rematch against [Bowser], who defeated him in 2014.

The former mayor is still seething over his re-election loss in 2014, when then-U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen publicly left the impression 30 days before the primary that Gray was about to be indicted any day. Gray had been leading Bowser and a handful of other candidates. But after Machens action, opposition to Gray coalesced around Bowser and carried her to victory.

Machen later left office without indicting Gray; no charges were ever brought against him, although more than a half dozen people involved did plead guilty. He cost me the election, Gray says of Machen. Despite the polite public comments, those who have spoken with Gray in private say he curses Machen and resents how Bowser benefited.

Gray has a free shot at running for mayor. He would not have to give up his Ward 7 seat to run.

Bowser is expected to formally announce her re-election bid as early as this fall. We asked her last week if she were prepared for a Gray challenge. Im ready to run. Period, Bowser replied.

 And Karl Racine? Watching on the sidelines of this face-off is the current attorney general, Karl Racine. He has been making the rounds assessing his own campaign for mayor. He told us on the WAMU Politics Hour that he likely would decide this summer whether to seek re-election as attorney general, return to private life, or seek some other office. To translate for him, thats the mayors office.

 A final word. Former Ward 6 D.C. Council member Sharon Ambrose, 77, was praised for her commitment to the District during funeral services last week. She had a lifetime of civic involvement in schools, community and citywide issues.

She won a seat on the council in 1997 and served 10 years.

We first met Ambrose when she was chief of staff to then-Council member Betty Ann Kane. As a Washington Post reporter back then, we sat across from her in Kanes office as Ambrose encouraged us to actually read any pending legislation and check not only who was sponsoring it but who might be behind it.

Still good advice.

Tom Sherwood, a Southwest resident, is a political reporter for News 4.Todd, entangled
Four Howard University students and two recent graduates have been selected for prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards in the areas of research, study and teaching English abroad for the 2017-18 academic year.

"I extend my warmest congratulations to Howard University's outstanding Fulbright Students," said Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University. "Their accomplishments are the latest example of Howard students and alumni standing out as scholars in their field and making an impact, here at home and globally."

The Fulbright program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. The awards come from the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.

The winning students:

Briana Applewhite, of Olney, Maryland, is a psychology major and is trple-minoring in biology, chemistry and German. Applewhite will be in Berlin, Germany, working on an independent project involving refugee integration into alternative coping mechanisms for victims of forced migration. She studied abroad in Berlin for the 2016-17 academic year and saw firsthand the need for assistance not only economically but emotionally as well. She has been selected for a Fulbright Research Award.

Chelsea Nnebe, of East Brunswick, New Jersey, is a chemistry major who aspires to become a neurosurgeon. Nnebe will be in Germany identifying sub-clinical markers of cognitive deficiency in epilepsy. The purpose of her research is to allow doctors to be able to identify which epileptic patients may develop memory loss or other disorders before they show symptoms of cognitive deficiency. She has been selected for a Fulbright Research Award.

Jakiya Pyron, of Trenton, New Jersey, is a communications major. Pyron will be in Kenya doing peace work within the local community, as well as partnering with the Kenya Justice Project to further the project's goal of educating rural communities in Kenya about the property rights granted to women under the 2010 Constitution of Kenya. She has been selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award.

Brittany Scott, of Nashville, Tennessee, is an economics major. Scott will be in South Africa working with students in secondary school. She will help with research, lesson plans and course presentation to improve English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills of students for whom English is a second language. She has been selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award.

The winning alumni:

Wen-kuni Ceant, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, graduated with honors from Howard University with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 2013. Ceant, who is currently studying at Drexel University, will be evaluating the implementation of a new healthcare prepayment system with experts at Institut Mere-Enfant in Kaolack (IMEK) in Senegal, with an eye toward refining and developing a model to facilitate greater access and care for patients. She has been selected for a Fulbright Grant Award.

Chiamaka Ikpeze, of Rochester, New York, graduated with honors from Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in sociology in 2016. Ikpeze will help with research, lesson plans and course presentation to improve English speaking, listening, reading and writing skills of students for whom English is a second language. She has been selected for a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship award.
Investigators determined a large two-alarm fire that destroyed M&R Liquors in Manchester Wednesday morning started in the attic and investigators are examining the electrical wiring.

Drivers passing by the building on 120 Tolland Turnpike noticed heavy smoke and called 911 around 3:55 a.m., according to the fire department.

When firefighters arrived, smoke was pouring out from all windows, as well as the door and the roof. The fire caused bottles of alcohol to explode, which added more fuel to the fire.

Within five minutes, part of the roof collapsed and the firefighting operation became even more extensive as more of the nearly 10,000 foot building continued to collapse.

A investigation found that the fire started near the center of the building's attic space above the drop ceiling. The department is further examining electrical wiring in the attic space, but the cause of the fire has not be determined, according to a news release from the Manchester Fire Department said. The fire marshal is investigating the determine the official cause.

Huge Fire Destroys Manchester Liquor Store

It was not safe for crews to go inside as the fire raged, so firefighters has to attack from outside the building.

"The fire was very hot, very intense and this is what's called a 'truss construction' roof, metal construction, so it fails very quickly in a hot fire," Manchester Fire Chief David Billings said. "That's why we did have the building collapse within the first five or 10 minutes of our arrival."

No one was inside when the fire started. The store had closed several hours earlier, around 9 p.m. Tuesday.

M&R Liquors, a family-owned business, has been open since 1952 and in current building was built in the 1980s and did not have a sprinkler system because it was grandfathered in, Billings said.

The Manchester Fire Department, the Eighth Utilities District, and East Hartford Fire Department all responded to the scene. Glastonbury fire and Bolton fire were also called in to provide station coverage.

Crews have demolished the building and the owner, Gary Rounsville, said he plans to rebuild and reopen.

"More than likely, we're going to have to pay out of pocket for some of it, but insurance will take care of a good piece of it," he said.
The man police say was driving a car that struck a utility pole in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, last week, killing three young women in his rear seat, has been freed on $25,000 bail.

James Belanger was also ordered to surrender his license during his arraignment Monday on several charges, including three counts of driving to endanger with death resulting. He did not enter a plea.

Police say the 21-year-old Pawtucket man was behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima that struck the pole early last Thursday. The violent crash that tore the car in two killed Fatima Rosa, Emily Howell, and Theresa Leary, all of West Warwick.

Belanger's lawyer requested lower bail, saying his client has no criminal record and is not a flight risk.

A second man in the car also survived.
A Maine man was arrested for his seventh drunken driving offense after he allegedly struck a pedestrian in a crosswalk Monday night in Gloucester, Massachusetts.

Joseph A. Nally, 58, of Bucksport, is charged with operating under the influence of alcohol, operating while license suspended for OUI, crosswalk violation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. He was held pending his arraignment in Gloucester District Court.

Gloucester police said they were called to Raymond Street around 6:30 p.m. Monday for a reported motor vehicle crash with a pedestrian struck.

Upon arrival, emergency crews said they found a man lying in the road with injuries to his hands, arms, back and head. He was taken to an area hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.

Police said the accident investigation determined that the victim was hit by a 2010 GMC pickup truck. The driver, later identified as Nally, had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. He failed several field sobriety tests and was arrested at the scene.

A records check revealed that Nally had six prior convictions for operating under the influence in Maine and Massachusetts and had a suspended license and should not have been driving at all.

The investigation also concluded that the victim saw the truck coming and put his arms up to signal Nally to stop. Nally allegedly made no attempt to stop before striking the victim.
The transgender community in New Hampshire is dissapointed after the Manchester School Board avoided taking action to include transgender health care as an employee benefit.

I was disappointed and frankly a little confused, said G.L.A.D. Executive Director Janson Wu.

Speaking to reporters from his Boston office, Wu said that the Manchester School Boards decision to table the vote on transgender health care benefits sends the wrong message.

I worry the most about young, transgender students in the district hearing a message from the leaders of their own school that they are not as valued as the other students, said Wu.

School board member Richard Girard said at Mondays meeting that the board had too many unanswered questions to take a vote in good faith.

Saying it is a sign that anyone is being discriminated against or held in disfavor is a bit of a reach, Girard said, adding that the board is looking for clarification on a number of things; one of them being whether transgender health services are considered elective.

Should everybody in a society pay for everybody elses medical wishes, needs, and desires? Girard asked.

The facts are that transgender health care is health care ... period, Wu argued.

Last year, the city approved transgender health care services, including sex change surgery, for city employees. For now, those same services are not covered for employees of the school district.

It only underscores a need for consistent, statewide protection for transgender people throughout New Hampshire, Wu said.

If the school board eventually approves transgender health benefits, health insurance would go up about $1.10/month for each of the 3,800 members on the plan. Thats about $50,000 every year. Most of that would be paid for by taxpayers.
putin

From the northern tip of the Baltics to the southern edge of the Balkans, Russia is stepping up spying on its neighbors, according to numerous reports from the region.

The most recent notice of such activity comes from Estonia, whose intelligence service's annual report says the "Baltic Sea area is especially vulnerable to threats from Russia."

According to Estonia's national intelligence service, Russia, acting through its military intelligence agency, the GRU, and its Federal Security Service, or FSB, has taken a special interest in the foreign and security policies, defense planning, armed forces, arms development, and military capabilities of its neighbors.

"The Russian special services are interested in both the collection of information and in influencing decisions important for Estonia," the report states.

"The Russian intelligence and security services conduct anti-Estonian influence operations, including psychological operations  in other words, influencing the defence forces and the general population of a potential enemy."

Russia FSB headquarters

Underscoring what Estonia sees as the more pronounced Russian threat was the country's recent apprehension of its first alleged spy tied to the GRU. The person, a Russian citizen, was arrested in January and could face 10 years in prison if convicted.

That arrest comes after Estonia detained two people with dual Estonian-Russian citizenship last year who it said had been recruited by the FSB to spy on military and law-enforcement activity. They were both convicted. Two other FSB recruits were reportedly captured in 2015.

"Besides this type of conspired secret activity, the Internal Security Service and its partner agencies have detected photographing and filming of defence structures and military exercises and the flying of drones above Defence Force structures or during exercises by persons whose intentions were not benevolent," Estonia's intelligence services said in its annual report. "Considering the security situation, such incidents can be expected to recur."

Story continues

putin military russia

According to the report, the recent deployment of NATO forces to Eastern Europe  including UK and Canadian units to Estonia  "was met with an aggressive reaction by the Russian media and politicians, and ... an aggressive propaganda campaign was launched attributing the North Atlantic alliance with bad intentions toward Russia."

Estonia is only the most recent Eastern Europe country to raise concern about Russian activity.

According to Estonia's report, security services in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Sweden, among others, have noted "an increased intensity of Russian intelligence operations."

Earlier this month, defense officials in Lithuania, which borders Russia's Baltic semi-exclave Kaliningrad, said they were "taking very seriously" Russia-organized propaganda efforts to undermine stability in the Baltics.

The country's defense minister said Lithuania's security services were seeing what they called propaganda efforts in the style of what occurred in Ukraine prior to Russia's annexation of Crimea.

"Russia is a threat," Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis told The Guardian. "There are real parallels with Crimea's annexation [from Ukraine] ... We are speaking of a danger to the territorial integrity of Lithuania."

nato training

In February, British intelligence said Moscow was involved in a plot to assassinate the pro-Western prime minister of Montenegro and undermine the Balkan country's effort to join NATO.

A special Montenegrin prosecutor appointed to investigate the election-day plot said there was "evidence that Russian nationalist structures were behind [the plot], but now also that Russian state bodies were involved at a certain level."

British and US intelligence agencies asked to aid Montenegro in its investigation have gathered evidence of high-level Russian involvement, according to The Telegraph. Interpol has issued wanted notices for two Russians who Montenegro alleges are GRU officers who oversaw the plot's planning.

A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin called the allegations "absurd" and insisted Moscow does "not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, including Montenegro."



NOW WATCH: Russia jailed the man who may become Putins biggest challenger in the next election





More From Business Insider


The mayor of Burlington, Vermont, is joining mayors of a number of cities around the country in banning official travel by city employees to North Carolina despite a change to the state's "bathroom bill."

The mayors of New York, Washington, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and other cities announced last week that previous bans on city-funded travel to North Carolina would remain in place, agreeing with civil rights groups who say discrimination still exists in the replacement law, which left some LGBT restrictions in place.

The Burlington Free Press reports that Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger signed an executive order on Monday enacting the ban, saying the city will stand with the many other cities around the country in continuing "to boycott North Carolina until the state ends this discriminatory practice."


Lynn Christian calls for volunteers to start Credit Union Lynn Christian calls for volunteers to start Credit Union

Lucy Faulkner-Gawlinski, from Kings Lynn Quakers, is hosting a meeting for anyone who may be interested in helping to bring the Norwich Credit Union to Kings Lynn.

On Thursday, April 27 Lucy Faulkner-Gawlinski (right) from Kings Lynn Quakers is organising a meeting to seek to bring a Norwich Credit Union service point to Kings Lynn, and would welcome anyone who may be interested in volunteering their time to make it happen.



Two representatives from the Norwich Credit Union will be at the meeting, which will be held at the Friends Meeting House on Bridge Street, from 5.30pm  7.30pm to explain how it works.



Lucy Faulkner-Gawlinski said: The Norwich Credit Union offers an affordable, not-for- profit save and borrow service throughout the Norfolk area. It does not yet have a service point in Kings Lynn but, if we bring together enough volunteers, we could start one, just as they have in Great Yarmouth and Dereham.



A credit union is a way of keeping money in the local community and it offers low-cost, fair and flexible loans. In addition, it opens up the possibility of saving and borrowing for people who have never had a bank account.



The Norwich Credit Union is a real alternative to high street banks and payday lenders. Can we bring the Credit Union to Kings Lynn? Could you be part of a team to make it work?



If you have a couple of hours once in a while, you could become one of the volunteers. You would have to be trained and be able to use a computer but you would not have to handle money.



All are welcome.



Friends Meeting House, 38 Bridge Street, Kings Lynn, PE30 3AR








Stalham girl on overseas mission helping refugees

2017: Stalham girl Abbey St John has been travelling in Europe with the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Discipleship Training School, where she has been working with refugees for the last six months.

Abbey has been shocked by the conditions under which the refugees are living, and tells her story in Stalhams Community Scene magazine.

She had been finding the frequent news reports about the migrant crisis disturbing, and felt strongly that she needed to do more to help. She signed up with the YWAM training school, which has a refugee focus, and is about to return from six months in Greece and Turkey.

The work in Greece mainly involved distribution of supplies, whereas in Turkey Abbey was involved a variety of projects, including educating Syrian children, and training Syrian women in business skills.



Abbey says England is historically a Christian nation, yet currently are we trying to preserve our Christian culture by acting in an un-Christian way in this crisis?



To read the full account of Abbeys mission, visit www.communityscene.org.uk



The picture of Abbey St John above is also courtesy of Community Scene.



Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in East Norfolk?
When it came to the physical plant, it used to be easy with surveillance cameras and access badges to tell if an insider was up to no good. Now with a more virtual network, you cant always know if the person sitting in the next cubicle is gaining access to confidential documents.

While the insider threat still connotes an employee of the company, the intruder is no longer someone located within the confines of the building. Accessing the network can happen from such public places as the local coffee shop.

For companies today, where old corporate lines are disappearing more frequently, the challenges only increase. Enterprises need to adapt their policies and procedures to prevent threats by securing corporate end-point equipment and the right tools that protect and allow users to do their work, said Matias Brutti, a hacker at Okta. Work environments are constantly changing, so monitoring is difficult on a corporate level.

Much of the technology has changed, but the constraints are the same, and companies have to continue to be proactive about stopping malicious attacks, he said. They must understand their threats and adapting their technologies to serve them. More than ever, hiring the right team and building the right technologies is key to success.

Steve Mancini, senior director of information security at Cylance, said not all insider threats are the same. How we deter those that emanate from the careless or negligent will perhaps differ from those that emanate from the intentionally malicious. The proverbial carrot and the stick are principles that apply as much in this area of human behavior as they do in others.

He added that deterrence of insider threats would need to map to the type of risk you are seeking to mitigate. The question is answered based upon environmental factors about company culture, the status of the organization (healthy, failing, layoffs, etc.), and how you treat/monitor/legally manage contractors.

Security vendors chimed in on how to combat what can be the invisible threat who can virtually go anywhere within the network.

Nir Polak, Exabeam CEO and co-founder, put it succinctly: Mini-Max  minimize access where possible, maximize monitoring of that same access for unusual patterns.

Work environments are constantly changing, so monitoring is difficult on a corporate level.

Matias Brutti, a hacker at Okta

That was the common theme among security vendors. Dont provide employees with an open door to the entire network. Make access a privilege and not a right.

Hamesh Chawla, vice president of engineering at Zephyr, said companies should provide a "need to know" access and audit all actions taken. Audits should be implemented by those with enough power to do so, such as root and administrator roles.

Geoff Webb, vice president of strategy at Micro Focus, said the single most important thing enterprises can do is to reduce the access that insiders have to sensitive data. Many organizations struggle to adequately manage who has access to data, even highly sensitive data, mostly because of the complexities of the modern workforce, the role of many outsiders, the rate at which information flows, and the effects of privilege creep over time for long-time employees.

Beyond reducing the level of access that employees have, enterprises should enforce good governance practices in which responsibility for reviewing and certifying who has access is placed squarely with the line-of-business managers who manage that data source, he said.

Enterprises should monitor activity around access to sensitive or valuable data, looking for anomalous behavior that might indicate that an insider is either improperly accessing that data, or as is often the case, that an outsider is successfully impersonating a privileged user after stealing their credentials, Webb said. Like all good security, detering insider threats requires a multi-layered approach. The good news is that it is often the most basic steps that provide the greatest value, and being systematic and thorough provides huge benefits in protecting sensitive data.

An insider policy needs to be enforceable through the right technologies, for example, implementing user activity monitoring for finance and HR departments can help detect and prevent their ability to abuse access to sensitive information, said Shawn Burke, Global CSO at Sungard Availability Services. Organizations should also perform routine security awareness and information governance training. Such training ensures employees are well advised of incident response protocol and encouraged to be proactive in reporting suspicious activity.

Awareness training

The other common thread throughout the security pros interviewed was that security awareness training is key for employees to help spot the insider threat.

Javvad Malik, security advocate at AlienVault, said user awareness and education should be made widely available and repeated. This includes reminding what is or isnt acceptable behavior, what the risks are and how to report a suspected breach.

Line managers should also receive training in providing regular reminders to staff as well as remaining vigilant to spot any untoward behavior, Malik said.

The biggest factor to deter insider risks is to give ongoing security awareness training to all employees, said Scottie Cole, network and security administrator at AppRiver. This trains employees on what is expected of them and provides them the signs to identify a risk. Insider risk teams should also have ongoing assessments and auditing of company assets can help identify risks that would otherwise be ignored.

Dottie Schindlinger, governance technology evangelist at Diligent, said training should supplement the current security training already done at the organization. The insider risk team can take a lead role in evaluating security-focused software tools that help identify and deter insider threats, and provide security for sensitive information -- especially information that is shared with external parties, such as board documents being sent to outside directors.

Jo-Ann Smith, director of Technology Risk Management and Risk Privacy at Absolute, mentioned how the insider risk management team, should meet on a regular basis to update policies. Once in place, it's then critical to create and maintain a risk register that both qualifies and quantifies risks for remediation, and subsequent mitigating steps. To demonstrate progress, the team should create KPIs and then audit and report on risk levels to show status and improvement year over year.

Schindilinger said the risk management team can also help ensure that the companys whistleblower policy and procedures are feasible, easy-to-navigate, and able to be enacted quickly in the event that an insider threat is identified. Most importantly, this team should work with the companys leadership to establish a culture of transparency and accountability  ensuring that policies are rigorously enforced, and that anyone who comes forward with information regarding a potential threat is rewarded - not penalized or ostracized - for doing so.

She added implementing risk mitigation and security software is critical to identifying, deterring and reporting incidences. However, software cannot solve the problem alone. Establishing a culture of accountability and transparency  and rigorously enforcing policies  can help stop potential threats before they become crises.

A few security pros used the term socializing when indicating how awareness training needed to be implemented.

Kennet Westby, president and co-founder at Coalfire Systems, said the greatest deterrent is identifying the risk and building a program to tackle it. Greater value than any specific policy, control or technology is getting the companys focus and cultural commitment to address the insider threat. By raising awareness, understanding the impact of the risk, and building a team internally to take on the challenge, you can instantly shift a company culture to a team intent on protecting themselves.

Socializing the concept that all personnel are responsible for deterring and detecting insider threats is key, said Alvaro Hoyos, chief information security officer at OneLogin. This is similar to what a successful security awareness program strives to do. Investing in technical solutions is important as well, but no technical solution can replace an attentive end user.

Eric Stevens, director of consulting services for Forcepoint, said from a deterrence perspective having a well-defined and socialized plan in place is a great start. Educating users that you are running an Insider Threat Program, what the intention of the program is, what proper data handling looks like and ensuring that they understand their part in protecting the enterprise can help to curb careless behavior and put the intentional wrong doer on notice. Technology controls, such as user and or endpoint behavior analytics, can then provide the necessary monitoring of the program and alert IT security to anomalous behavior while collecting the necessary forensic evidence.

Know your assets

If you dont know what you have in your network, it makes it very difficult to determine if someone is accessing information they shouldnt be.

Malik said enterprises should have critical assets and their owners identified, and classify data. There should be a view into both on premises as well as cloud infrastructure. This should be enhanced with reliable threat intelligence in order to identify any patterns of behavior known to be used by organized gangs as well as rogue individuals.

Steven Grossman, vice president of strategy and enablement at Bay Dynamics, said to effectively reduce insider risk, companies should understand which assets, if compromised, would cause the most damage, where those assets reside, and who governs and interacts with them. Companies should also limit access to those assets to only those employees and contractors who need it, continuously monitor behaviors and engage application owners in the business to qualify alerts as suspicious or business justified.

That kind of business-oriented qualification significantly reduces noise and false positives, bumping the most important and imminent alerts to the top of the pile. Non-malicious policy violators should be put on notice that it is unacceptable behavior, sent to targeted security awareness training that focuses on the policy violated and be tracked post training to ensure they changed their behavior," he said.

Organizations should always be testing for insider threats, by simulating new threats and not thinking of it as a build-once-and-use policy, said Brutti. Red teams should always be performing new attacks and blue teams should be trying to detect them and build upon what they learn.

Kris Lovejoy, CEO of BluVector, takes a slightly different tact than the other security pros. She believes shutting off access will stifle innovation. She said companies should not oversecure their networks but have a balance that protects the organization with health of the business. Like water, employees and contractors will find their way around controls where they are too locked down. They will use personal email, drop-box, other less secure data transfer mechanisms to just get the job done.

This story, "Detecting insider threats is easier than you think" was originally published by CSO .
BlackBerry said Wednesday it has been awarded US$815 million in an arbitration decision for excess royalties it had paid to chip company Qualcomm.

Qualcomm and BlackBerry had entered into an agreement in April last year to arbitrate a dispute over whether Qualcomm's agreement to cap certain royalties applied to payments made by BlackBerry under a license agreement between the two companies.

Qualcomm has faced charges of excessive royalty rates by regulators as well as other companies. Apple filed a lawsuit in January in a U.S. federal court in California against Qualcomm, objecting, among other things, to the chip company charging a royalty on the selling price of phones rather than on the value of the specific baseband chipset supplied for the iPhone.

The chip company has also run afoul of regulators. It was fined in December by South Korea's antitrust regulator for violating antitrust laws. By January, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission accused it in a lawsuit of forcing phone makers into accepting unfair licensing terms while giving Apple a break in exchange for exclusivity.

The dispute between BlackBerry and Qualcomm appears to have ended amicably with BlackBerry CEO John Chen saying the two companies continue to be "valued technology partners." Chen said he looked forward to collaborating with Qualcomm in security for application-specific integrated circuits and technology for automotive applications, markets BlackBerry has entered after stopping making phones to focus on software.

Qualcomm had earlier described BlackBerry's claims for "return of the alleged overpayment" as without merit. The chip company said on Wednesday it does not agree with the decision but it is binding and not appealable. The arbitration decision was limited to prepayment provisions that were unique to BlackBerrys license agreement with Qualcomm and has no impact on agreements with any other licensee, it added.

A final award to BlackBerry, including interest and reasonable lawyers fees is scheduled to be issued May 30. The binding arbitration hearing was held in San Diego, California, from Feb. 27 to March 3, according to a statement from BlackBerry.
MOSCOW, April 12 (Reuters) - Russia's central bank does not expect a large capital outflow in future, and the current account surplus will decline, central bank official Alexander Morozov said on Wednesday.

Morozov was answering a question as to whether the central bank would raise its capital outflow forecast for this year after the central bank data on Tuesday showed a larger than expected capital outflow in the first quarter.

The central bank also said on Tuesday that current account surplus totaled $22.8 billion in the first three months of the year compared with $12.9 billion in the same period of 2016. (Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya; Writing by Alexander Winning; editing by Katya Golubkova)
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The consequences of the BS-III vehicle ban are still playing out, with auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) stating on Tuesday that two-wheeler and commercial vehicle makers together are saddled with a BS-III inventory worth Rs 5,000 crore.

The heavy discounting employed by these firms during the last two days of March to clear away lakhs of BS-III units have also impacted balance sheets by a cumulative Rs 1,200 crore. The Supreme Court banned manufacture, sales and registration of BS III vehicles from April 1, 2017.

According to documents filed by SIAM with the Supreme Court, automakers had 8.24 lakh BS-III vehicles in stock as of March 20  6.71 lakh two-wheelers, 96,700 commercial vehicles, 40,048 three-wheelers and 16,198 passenger vehicles.

Most of the two-wheeler stock was liquidated during the last two days, pointed out Vishnu Mathur, director-general, SIAM. However, the heavy discounting employed to liquidate this stock, mostly from dealers, has led to significant impact on revenue for the month.

The revenue loss of the industry due to discounts, mostly by the two-wheeler makers, is to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore, Mathur said. Firms that still have stock, close to 120,000 units, are exploring several options.

Sugato Sen, deputy director-general, SIAM, pointed out that the first option is to export these vehicles to markets that still allow BS-III stock, since it will be expensive to bring them back to factories and upgrade them to BS IV standards.

These markets will primarily be in the African and South Asian geographies, admitted a senior director in a motorcycle manufacturer.

This admission by SIAM is the first official estimate of the kind of losses automakers have taken during the past two days of the final quarter of the last financial year. Earlier, Crisil Research had estimated that two-wheeler makers would take a loss of around Rs 480 crore due to the ban. Meanwhile, according to dealers, the worth of total BS-III inventory as on the date of the ban had been more than Rs 12,000 crore.

CHENNAI: The consequences of the BS-III vehicle ban are still playing out, with auto industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) stating on Tuesday that two-wheeler and commercial vehicle makers together are saddled with a BS-III inventory worth Rs 5,000 crore. The heavy discounting employed by these firms during the last two days of March to clear away lakhs of BS-III units have also impacted balance sheets by a cumulative Rs 1,200 crore. The Supreme Court banned manufacture, sales and registration of BS III vehicles from April 1, 2017. According to documents filed by SIAM with the Supreme Court, automakers had 8.24 lakh BS-III vehicles in stock as of March 20  6.71 lakh two-wheelers, 96,700 commercial vehicles, 40,048 three-wheelers and 16,198 passenger vehicles. Most of the two-wheeler stock was liquidated during the last two days, pointed out Vishnu Mathur, director-general, SIAM. However, the heavy discounting employed to liquidate this stock, mostly from dealers, has led to significant impact on revenue for the month. The revenue loss of the industry due to discounts, mostly by the two-wheeler makers, is to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore, Mathur said. Firms that still have stock, close to 120,000 units, are exploring several options. Sugato Sen, deputy director-general, SIAM, pointed out that the first option is to export these vehicles to markets that still allow BS-III stock, since it will be expensive to bring them back to factories and upgrade them to BS IV standards. These markets will primarily be in the African and South Asian geographies, admitted a senior director in a motorcycle manufacturer. This admission by SIAM is the first official estimate of the kind of losses automakers have taken during the past two days of the final quarter of the last financial year. Earlier, Crisil Research had estimated that two-wheeler makers would take a loss of around Rs 480 crore due to the ban. Meanwhile, according to dealers, the worth of total BS-III inventory as on the date of the ban had been more than Rs 12,000 crore.
Shruthi H M By

Express News Service

BENGALURU: The floriculture sector in the country is going through a rough patch owing to soaring temperature and water shortage. With groundwater depleting and bore wells going dry, production has taken a hit, impacting both export and local business. Outdoor floriculture, which caters to majority of the local needs, has nearly come to a standstill because of water scarcity induced by the climatic condition.

The situation is alarming in Karnataka, which accounts for bulk of the countrys floriculture industry. Karnataka exports roses to West Asia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. However, this summer being extra harsh, export activities have taken a hit. Taj Mahal, the priced variety of red rose which sees the most export, is failing to fetch business.

According to data available with the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the total value of the floriculture business has come down from Rs 460.76 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 306.95 crore in 2015-16.

Karnataka accounts for a large portion of the floriculture business in the country with a total cultivated area of 30,900 hectares, followed by Tamil Nadu which has a cultivated area of 55,000 hectares of floriculture. Karnataka also is a leading producer of loose flowers at 220,000 tonnes per year (as per data compiled by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation).

The bud size of the flowers have become small because of the heat and, hence, cannot be exported. While previously Karnataka used to cater to the demand for roses in Australia and New Zealand, this market, too, has come down because of the quality of produce having gone down, said Anne Ramesh, member of International Flower Auction Bangalore and president of South India Florist Association. Climatic conditions have played a huge impact and water scarcity looms large. Some people are resorting to water harvesting but not all farmers can afford to invest in water harvesting technology.

The past two summers have been harsh and production of good quality roses has become difficult, said Shwetha Yogesh, partner of Red Blossom Florists. The more the temperature, the more the pests and, hence, there is a decrease in quality. The number of roses exported by us every month stand at nothing less than 1.5 million pieces. However, at the moment, it is not more than 10,000, she said.

The temperature having gone up, flowers are wilting and maintenance has become an issue, said Shivraj, who runs Bangalore Florists. Production has come down and the prices have gone up. Taj Mahal variety of rose, for instance, used to be Rs 70 per bunch and now this has become Rs 120. The prices of almost all flowers have gone up.

Outdoor floriculture, majorly seen in the Tumakuru district has suffered a huge impact, too. Floriculture is water-intensive. Owing to drought and the climate change, over the past two years, production has been affected a lot, said Sharath Hittalamane, retired additional director of horticulture. Due to water scarcity, production has almost come to a standstill, he said.

BENGALURU: The floriculture sector in the country is going through a rough patch owing to soaring temperature and water shortage. With groundwater depleting and bore wells going dry, production has taken a hit, impacting both export and local business. Outdoor floriculture, which caters to majority of the local needs, has nearly come to a standstill because of water scarcity induced by the climatic condition. The situation is alarming in Karnataka, which accounts for bulk of the countrys floriculture industry. Karnataka exports roses to West Asia, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. However, this summer being extra harsh, export activities have taken a hit. Taj Mahal, the priced variety of red rose which sees the most export, is failing to fetch business. According to data available with the Union Ministry of Agriculture, the total value of the floriculture business has come down from Rs 460.76 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 306.95 crore in 2015-16. Karnataka accounts for a large portion of the floriculture business in the country with a total cultivated area of 30,900 hectares, followed by Tamil Nadu which has a cultivated area of 55,000 hectares of floriculture. Karnataka also is a leading producer of loose flowers at 220,000 tonnes per year (as per data compiled by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation). The bud size of the flowers have become small because of the heat and, hence, cannot be exported. While previously Karnataka used to cater to the demand for roses in Australia and New Zealand, this market, too, has come down because of the quality of produce having gone down, said Anne Ramesh, member of International Flower Auction Bangalore and president of South India Florist Association. Climatic conditions have played a huge impact and water scarcity looms large. Some people are resorting to water harvesting but not all farmers can afford to invest in water harvesting technology. The past two summers have been harsh and production of good quality roses has become difficult, said Shwetha Yogesh, partner of Red Blossom Florists. The more the temperature, the more the pests and, hence, there is a decrease in quality. The number of roses exported by us every month stand at nothing less than 1.5 million pieces. However, at the moment, it is not more than 10,000, she said. The temperature having gone up, flowers are wilting and maintenance has become an issue, said Shivraj, who runs Bangalore Florists. Production has come down and the prices have gone up. Taj Mahal variety of rose, for instance, used to be Rs 70 per bunch and now this has become Rs 120. The prices of almost all flowers have gone up. Outdoor floriculture, majorly seen in the Tumakuru district has suffered a huge impact, too. Floriculture is water-intensive. Owing to drought and the climate change, over the past two years, production has been affected a lot, said Sharath Hittalamane, retired additional director of horticulture. Due to water scarcity, production has almost come to a standstill, he said.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: One of the worlds largest musical instruments manufacturers, Yamaha, is planning to set up shop in Chennai. According to a statement from the firm on Tuesday, a new 28-acre factory in OneHub Chennai is being built to produce portable keyboards, acoustic guitars, and other professional audio equipment to be sold at mass-market prices.

The factory will help the company crack the expanding Indian market and make it easier to expand in other emerging markets. The Indian western musical instruments market is predicted to cross Rs 542 crore by 2017, according to a report by TechSci Research.

The plant, scheduled to go into operation in January 2019, is the first from Yamaha in India. Locating our operations in OneHub Chennai aligns well with Yamahas vision to expand in India. With this new facility, we will be able to serve both international and domestic markets, providing high-quality musical instruments that cater to the growing market at competitive prices, pointed out Takashi Haga, Chairman, Yamaha Music India.

The firm is also the fifth

Japanese company to set up shop in the OneHub Industrial township in the city, after Ajinomoto, Hitachi Automotive Systems, Maruchan Ajinomoto and Takasago International.

This is an important milestone for the development and we hope this will encourage other organisations to partner with us, stated Anurag Bhargava, Chairman, IREO and Director, OneHub Chennai.

CHENNAI: One of the worlds largest musical instruments manufacturers, Yamaha, is planning to set up shop in Chennai. According to a statement from the firm on Tuesday, a new 28-acre factory in OneHub Chennai is being built to produce portable keyboards, acoustic guitars, and other professional audio equipment to be sold at mass-market prices. The factory will help the company crack the expanding Indian market and make it easier to expand in other emerging markets. The Indian western musical instruments market is predicted to cross Rs 542 crore by 2017, according to a report by TechSci Research. The plant, scheduled to go into operation in January 2019, is the first from Yamaha in India. Locating our operations in OneHub Chennai aligns well with Yamahas vision to expand in India. With this new facility, we will be able to serve both international and domestic markets, providing high-quality musical instruments that cater to the growing market at competitive prices, pointed out Takashi Haga, Chairman, Yamaha Music India. The firm is also the fifth Japanese company to set up shop in the OneHub Industrial township in the city, after Ajinomoto, Hitachi Automotive Systems, Maruchan Ajinomoto and Takasago International. This is an important milestone for the development and we hope this will encourage other organisations to partner with us, stated Anurag Bhargava, Chairman, IREO and Director, OneHub Chennai.
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Observing that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is not akin to Lokayukta, the High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the state government seeking to know the legal basis on which the ACB was established.

Staying the FIR registered by the ACB against suspended BBMP chief engineer K T Nagaraju in a disproportionate assets case, Justice Anand Byrareddy asked why the ACB was formed when everything was fine under Lokayukta.

Nagaraju had challenged the constitution of the ACB itself, besides the case registered against him. The judge issued notices to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, the Home Department and the ACB.

Nagarajus counsel argued that the investigating agency has to be free and fair as ruled by the Supreme Court. However, the ACB, constituted by an executive order, comes under the direct control of the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, the counsel argued.

The counsel argued that investigation into offences punishable under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the procedures are prescribed under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act.

When the field is occupied by legislation, it is impermissible to invoke the Article 162 of the Constitution by the executive to establish ACB. Only in the absence or lacuna in the law created by the legislature, the Executive can supplement the parent legislation/law.

However, the executive has no power to create a police force by way of an executive order, the counsel argued. The ACB was constituted by disbanding the Lokayukta police wing on March 14, 2016.

The court also stayed the proceedings initiated by the ACB against Gayathri N Nayak, Special Land Acquisition Officer, National Highways, Mangaluru. Gayathri had challenged the case registered against her under Prevention of Corruption Act on the ground that ACB cannot register the case unless it is declared as a police station.

HC stays CBI court order on probe into rape case

The High Court stayed the order of the CBI Special Court which directed the CBI for further investigation into the rape and murder of 17-year-old Soujanya of Ujire, Dharmasthala. Hearing the petition filed by the accused, Justice Anand Byrareddy stayed the Special Court order dated February 7, 2017.

The three accused Dhiraj Jain, Uday Jain and Malik Jain have challenged order of the Special Court which ordered the CBI to submit a report by April 24.

On November 25, 2016, the HC had stayed the summons issued by CBI Special Court to the three accused in connection with the alleged murder of Soujanya.

The CBI Special Court had issued summons to them on November 19 in response to the application filed by the girls father seeking to implead them as additional accused. The Special Court had asked them to appear before the court on November 29, 2016.

CBI Special Court had slammed CBI for a shoddy probe. While asking the CBI to probe further, the CBI special court observed: It is a case of brutal rape and murder. The investigation of the CBI shows that they have recorded only the statement of the witnesses whom they like, but they have left out the statements of the material witnesses. Hence the CBI is ordered to take this matter on priority basis and submit report by April 24, 2017.

Soujanya was found raped and murdered at Pangala near Dharmasthala on October 9, 2012. The case was handed to CBI after public protests.

BENGALURU: Observing that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is not akin to Lokayukta, the High Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the state government seeking to know the legal basis on which the ACB was established. Staying the FIR registered by the ACB against suspended BBMP chief engineer K T Nagaraju in a disproportionate assets case, Justice Anand Byrareddy asked why the ACB was formed when everything was fine under Lokayukta. Nagaraju had challenged the constitution of the ACB itself, besides the case registered against him. The judge issued notices to the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, the Home Department and the ACB. Nagarajus counsel argued that the investigating agency has to be free and fair as ruled by the Supreme Court. However, the ACB, constituted by an executive order, comes under the direct control of the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, the counsel argued. The counsel argued that investigation into offences punishable under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the procedures are prescribed under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act. When the field is occupied by legislation, it is impermissible to invoke the Article 162 of the Constitution by the executive to establish ACB. Only in the absence or lacuna in the law created by the legislature, the Executive can supplement the parent legislation/law. However, the executive has no power to create a police force by way of an executive order, the counsel argued. The ACB was constituted by disbanding the Lokayukta police wing on March 14, 2016. The court also stayed the proceedings initiated by the ACB against Gayathri N Nayak, Special Land Acquisition Officer, National Highways, Mangaluru. Gayathri had challenged the case registered against her under Prevention of Corruption Act on the ground that ACB cannot register the case unless it is declared as a police station. HC stays CBI court order on probe into rape case The High Court stayed the order of the CBI Special Court which directed the CBI for further investigation into the rape and murder of 17-year-old Soujanya of Ujire, Dharmasthala. Hearing the petition filed by the accused, Justice Anand Byrareddy stayed the Special Court order dated February 7, 2017. The three accused Dhiraj Jain, Uday Jain and Malik Jain have challenged order of the Special Court which ordered the CBI to submit a report by April 24. On November 25, 2016, the HC had stayed the summons issued by CBI Special Court to the three accused in connection with the alleged murder of Soujanya. The CBI Special Court had issued summons to them on November 19 in response to the application filed by the girls father seeking to implead them as additional accused. The Special Court had asked them to appear before the court on November 29, 2016. CBI Special Court had slammed CBI for a shoddy probe. While asking the CBI to probe further, the CBI special court observed: It is a case of brutal rape and murder. The investigation of the CBI shows that they have recorded only the statement of the witnesses whom they like, but they have left out the statements of the material witnesses. Hence the CBI is ordered to take this matter on priority basis and submit report by April 24, 2017. Soujanya was found raped and murdered at Pangala near Dharmasthala on October 9, 2012. The case was handed to CBI after public protests.
By PTI

CHANDIGARH: Fifty two students were arrested after a protest against fee hike turned violent at the Panjab University campus here today as the agitators clashed with police, forcing the latter to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides.



Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest.



After registering a case of rioting and damage to public property against the protesting students, police have arrested 52 students out of the 66 identified by the university authorities, police said.



The agitating students wanted to hold talks with Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the fee hike issue as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike.



When the students were not called for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office in the varsity campus by jumping the barricades set up by police.



Police resorted to water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation turned violent when students allegedly started pelting stones and flower pots at cops, forcing the police to lathi charge and lob teargas shells, leading to injuries to several students including girls.



Several student bodies including Students for Society (SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Punjab University Students Union (PUSU) had given a joint call for 'Panjab University Bandh' in protest against the fee hike.



"We resorted to use force after students turned violent," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said, adding that some police vehicles were also damaged.



"On our side 22 cops sustained injuries," SP said.



"We have arrested 52 students so far for rioting and damaging public property," he said.



After police used force, some protesting students took shelter in a Gurdwara situated on the campus.



Earlier, the protesting students boycotted classes.



Some students could also be seen forcing the shops to close.



Some photo journalists and reporters who were covering the protest have also sustained injuries allegedly caused by police cane charge.



Chandigarh Press Club strongly condemned the alleged lathicharge by the police on photographers and journalists.



In a release issued here, the Press Club's president Jaswant Rana and Secretary General Barinder Singh Rawat alongwith the governing council members demanded inquiry into the incident and registration of FIR against those police personal who were involved in lathicharge.



A delegation of the Chandigarh Press Club will meet the UT Administrator, UT Adviser and UT IGP in this regard to take strict action against those involved in this incident, the release said.



The students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by the PU senate last month for the 2017-18 academic year.



In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In the B Pharma course, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in MA (journalism) course, the fee was hiked from Rs 5290 to Rs 30,000. For PU's dental course, the fees was increased from Rs 86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh.



With the students demanding rollback of the fee hike, the PU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike while considering the financial condition of the university as the it has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18.

CHANDIGARH: Fifty two students were arrested after a protest against fee hike turned violent at the Panjab University campus here today as the agitators clashed with police, forcing the latter to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides. Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest. After registering a case of rioting and damage to public property against the protesting students, police have arrested 52 students out of the 66 identified by the university authorities, police said. The agitating students wanted to hold talks with Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the fee hike issue as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike. When the students were not called for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office in the varsity campus by jumping the barricades set up by police. Police resorted to water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation turned violent when students allegedly started pelting stones and flower pots at cops, forcing the police to lathi charge and lob teargas shells, leading to injuries to several students including girls. Several student bodies including Students for Society (SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Punjab University Students Union (PUSU) had given a joint call for 'Panjab University Bandh' in protest against the fee hike. "We resorted to use force after students turned violent," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said, adding that some police vehicles were also damaged. "On our side 22 cops sustained injuries," SP said. "We have arrested 52 students so far for rioting and damaging public property," he said. After police used force, some protesting students took shelter in a Gurdwara situated on the campus. Earlier, the protesting students boycotted classes. Some students could also be seen forcing the shops to close. Some photo journalists and reporters who were covering the protest have also sustained injuries allegedly caused by police cane charge. Chandigarh Press Club strongly condemned the alleged lathicharge by the police on photographers and journalists. In a release issued here, the Press Club's president Jaswant Rana and Secretary General Barinder Singh Rawat alongwith the governing council members demanded inquiry into the incident and registration of FIR against those police personal who were involved in lathicharge. A delegation of the Chandigarh Press Club will meet the UT Administrator, UT Adviser and UT IGP in this regard to take strict action against those involved in this incident, the release said. The students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by the PU senate last month for the 2017-18 academic year. In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In the B Pharma course, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in MA (journalism) course, the fee was hiked from Rs 5290 to Rs 30,000. For PU's dental course, the fees was increased from Rs 86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh. With the students demanding rollback of the fee hike, the PU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike while considering the financial condition of the university as the it has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financial year 2017-18.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, in a play of words, commented on Wednesday that BJP-Shiv Sena relations that media believed were on a ventilator are actually normalising, albeit at the pace of a tortoise (Kaasav).

Kaasav (Tortoise) and Ventilator are the two Marathi movies that bagged almost half a dozen awards at the recent National Film Awards. Kaasav, directed by Sunil Sukthankar and Sumitra Bhave bagged the title of Best Feature Film.

Uddhav Thackeray felicitated artists from these films at his residence, Matoshree, on Wednesday, where media persons asked him to comment on the BJP-Shiv Sena relationship which is believed to be on the Ventilator.

Thackeray replied that relations between the two parties are improving at a tortoises pace.

Uddhav Thackeray had recently participated in a meeting of NDA members with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. This was the first such visit by the Shiv Sena president in the past two years.

Relations between the two parties that had gone to the brink during Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections earlier this year are believed to be getting back to normal after the recent NDA meeting.

A couple of weeks ago, Shiv Sena had proclaimed in its typical style that whoever wants to solicit for its votes in presidential elections will have to do so by visiting Matoshree.

Uddhav Thackeray eventually visited Delhi for the NDA meeting. There he even had to receive admonition by LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan for Shiv Senas criticism of the government.

However, Thackeray also got an opportunity to interact freely with Prime Minister Modi and BJP President Shah, which appears to have transformed things, a Shiv Sena insider said.

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, in a play of words, commented on Wednesday that BJP-Shiv Sena relations that media believed were on a ventilator are actually normalising, albeit at the pace of a tortoise (Kaasav). Kaasav (Tortoise) and Ventilator are the two Marathi movies that bagged almost half a dozen awards at the recent National Film Awards. Kaasav, directed by Sunil Sukthankar and Sumitra Bhave bagged the title of Best Feature Film. Uddhav Thackeray felicitated artists from these films at his residence, Matoshree, on Wednesday, where media persons asked him to comment on the BJP-Shiv Sena relationship which is believed to be on the Ventilator. Thackeray replied that relations between the two parties are improving at a tortoises pace. Uddhav Thackeray had recently participated in a meeting of NDA members with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. This was the first such visit by the Shiv Sena president in the past two years. Relations between the two parties that had gone to the brink during Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections earlier this year are believed to be getting back to normal after the recent NDA meeting. A couple of weeks ago, Shiv Sena had proclaimed in its typical style that whoever wants to solicit for its votes in presidential elections will have to do so by visiting Matoshree. Uddhav Thackeray eventually visited Delhi for the NDA meeting. There he even had to receive admonition by LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan for Shiv Senas criticism of the government. However, Thackeray also got an opportunity to interact freely with Prime Minister Modi and BJP President Shah, which appears to have transformed things, a Shiv Sena insider said.
sean spicer wolf blitzer

White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologized for his controversial comments about the Holocaust after setting off a firestorm of criticism at a press briefing on Tuesday.

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer said in an interview with CNN host Wolf Blitzer. "And for that, I apologize."

Hours earlier, Spicer shocked reporters by saying that unlike Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Adolf Hitler never used chemical weapons.

His subsequent attempts to clarify the false claim seemingly made things worse when he said Hitler "was not using the gas on his own people" the way Assad allegedly did, and referred to concentration camps as "Holocaust centers."

But in the interview with Blitzer, Spicer said he's "not in any way standing by" his remarks, and said he apologized to "anybody not just who suffered in the Holocaust or is a descendant of anybody, but frankly, anyone who was offended by those comments."

Blitzer pressed Spicer, asking whether he knew that Hitler used gas chambers to exterminate Jews, gypsies, homosexuals, and other people at death camps across Nazi Germany.

"Clearly I'm aware of that," Spicer said.

He continued: "The point was to try to talk about the use of aircraft as a means by which Assad was using this to gas his people, but it was a mistake to do that.

"I should have just stayed on topic, stayed focused on the actions that Assad has taken and the horrible atrocities he committed against his own people."

Spicer's comments sparked fierce backlash on social media, and have led to calls for his resignation, most notably from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Watch videos of the interview below:

Sean Spicer: I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, there is no comparison https://t.co/6SwTJwLWJw  CNN (@CNN) April 11, 2017

Did you not know there were gas chambers where Nazis slaughtered people? Yes clearly Im aware of that Spicer says https://t.co/IV3L0nl9W9  The Situation Room (@CNNSitRoom) April 11, 2017

Story continues

NOW WATCH: 'Stop shaking your head again': Watch Spicer's tense exchange with a reporter over alleged White House scandals





More From Business Insider


By PTI

COIMBATORE: People from different walks of life, including farmers, students and general public, today launched a blood signature campaign to express solidarity with farmers agitating in the national capital for over a month.

Their thumb impressions with blood was affixed on paper expressing support to the farmers, who are demanding waiver of nationalised bank loans, constitution of Cauvery Management board and drought relief of Rs 40,000 crore.

There was a plan to collect two lakh thumb impressions and send it to the President, seeking his intervention on the issues affecting ryots, police said.

Farmers' belonging to Apolitical Farmers' Association, present at the venue, accused the Centre of neglecting the interest of Tamil Nadu farmers.

COIMBATORE: People from different walks of life, including farmers, students and general public, today launched a blood signature campaign to express solidarity with farmers agitating in the national capital for over a month. Their thumb impressions with blood was affixed on paper expressing support to the farmers, who are demanding waiver of nationalised bank loans, constitution of Cauvery Management board and drought relief of Rs 40,000 crore. There was a plan to collect two lakh thumb impressions and send it to the President, seeking his intervention on the issues affecting ryots, police said. Farmers' belonging to Apolitical Farmers' Association, present at the venue, accused the Centre of neglecting the interest of Tamil Nadu farmers.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: Social organisation Assam Public Works (APW) has sniffed a greater design in the April 15-17 scheduled visit of Chinese envoy to India, Luo Zhaohul, to Assam and urged the Centre to cancel it.



As per schedule, Luo Zhaohul and other embassy staff will visit a Chinese war cemetery at Margherita in Tinsukia district. But the APW alleged that the diplomats were coming to study the Brahmaputra after the Centre had recently decided to dredge the river in Assam. An agreement in this regard was signed in the presence of union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, during Namami Brahmaputra festival.



The APW alleged that China was sending the diplomats as advised by insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. He is believed to be operating from somewhere along the China-Myanmar border, and the Assam police often claimed that he had been in constant touch with sleuths of Chinese spy agencies.



The main purpose of the diplomatic teams visit to Assam is to study the mighty Brahmaputra. China is worried about the dredging agreementIt was on the advice of Paresh Baruah that Beijing is sending the diplomatic team, APW president Abhijeet Sharma told reporters in Guwahati.



We demand that the Centre as well as Assam government cancel the visit. We request the people of Assam, besides political parties and organizations, to stand up against this, he said.



According to Assam Inland Water Transport, survey of 300 km of the 841 km stretch of the Brahmaputra in Assam has been completed. The dredging will give Assam access to the Chittagong port in Bangladesh and is also expected to reduce the perennial problem of floods.



Indias concern over the Brahmaputra stems from a number of Chinese hydro-electric power projects that are coming up on Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in India). There is an apprehension that these projects will dry up the river.



Given the Chinese activities, there is a perception that the Namami Brahmaputra festival was a ploy of the Centre to internationalise the river. The festival, held from March 31 to April 4, was attended among others by Bhutans Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

GUWAHATI: Social organisation Assam Public Works (APW) has sniffed a greater design in the April 15-17 scheduled visit of Chinese envoy to India, Luo Zhaohul, to Assam and urged the Centre to cancel it. As per schedule, Luo Zhaohul and other embassy staff will visit a Chinese war cemetery at Margherita in Tinsukia district. But the APW alleged that the diplomats were coming to study the Brahmaputra after the Centre had recently decided to dredge the river in Assam. An agreement in this regard was signed in the presence of union minister for road transport and highways, Nitin Gadkari, during Namami Brahmaputra festival. The APW alleged that China was sending the diplomats as advised by insurgent group United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah. He is believed to be operating from somewhere along the China-Myanmar border, and the Assam police often claimed that he had been in constant touch with sleuths of Chinese spy agencies. The main purpose of the diplomatic teams visit to Assam is to study the mighty Brahmaputra. China is worried about the dredging agreementIt was on the advice of Paresh Baruah that Beijing is sending the diplomatic team, APW president Abhijeet Sharma told reporters in Guwahati. We demand that the Centre as well as Assam government cancel the visit. We request the people of Assam, besides political parties and organizations, to stand up against this, he said. According to Assam Inland Water Transport, survey of 300 km of the 841 km stretch of the Brahmaputra in Assam has been completed. The dredging will give Assam access to the Chittagong port in Bangladesh and is also expected to reduce the perennial problem of floods. Indias concern over the Brahmaputra stems from a number of Chinese hydro-electric power projects that are coming up on Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra in India). There is an apprehension that these projects will dry up the river. Given the Chinese activities, there is a perception that the Namami Brahmaputra festival was a ploy of the Centre to internationalise the river. The festival, held from March 31 to April 4, was attended among others by Bhutans Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: Former Union minister and two-time Lucknow mayor Akhilesh Das Gupta died of cardiac arrest here on Wednesday morning. He was 56.

Das suffered a massive heart attack early on Wednesday morning and was rushed to Lari Cardiology under King Georges Medical University (KGMU) where he was declared dead upon arrival by the doctors. Das is survived by his wife Alka, son Sagar and daughter Sona.

The son of a freedom fighter and former UP Chief Minister Babu Banarsi Das, Akhilesh Das had an illustrious political career. He was the mayor of Lucknow from May 1993 to November 1996, before getting nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress. He served as secretary of Congress between 2003 to 2006 and was subsequently appointed as Union minister of steel in the UPA-I regime.

Das developed differences with the Congress leadership in 2008 and quit the party to join BSP and contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections on BSP ticket from Lucknow but lost to BJPs Lalji Tandon.

He was then nominated by Mayawati to Rajya Sabha where his term ended in 2014. Subsequently, Das took a nearly two-year sabbatical from active politics but returned to it in January this year and joined Congress again calling it his 'Ghar Wapsi.

A former national level badminton player, Das was also President of Badminton Association of India and UP Olympic Association. He was also vice-president of Indian Olympic Association. Das also contributed significantly to the field of education and established a university in the name of his father in Lucknow. He also had stakes in real estate and media.

Leaders, cutting across the political lines, expressed deep sorrow on his sudden demise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief on the loss. The CM visited his residence to console the bereaved family. The PMO tweeted: "Saddened by the demise of former MP and Union minister Akhilesh Das. His active contribution to public life will be remembered.''

While Congress leaders including national general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad and UP Congress chief Raj Babbar said that Das would always be remembered for his contributions to strengthen the Congress party, Former UP chief minister and SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui too reached Das's residence after learning about his death.

LUCKNOW: Former Union minister and two-time Lucknow mayor Akhilesh Das Gupta died of cardiac arrest here on Wednesday morning. He was 56. Das suffered a massive heart attack early on Wednesday morning and was rushed to Lari Cardiology under King Georges Medical University (KGMU) where he was declared dead upon arrival by the doctors. Das is survived by his wife Alka, son Sagar and daughter Sona. The son of a freedom fighter and former UP Chief Minister Babu Banarsi Das, Akhilesh Das had an illustrious political career. He was the mayor of Lucknow from May 1993 to November 1996, before getting nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Congress. He served as secretary of Congress between 2003 to 2006 and was subsequently appointed as Union minister of steel in the UPA-I regime. Das developed differences with the Congress leadership in 2008 and quit the party to join BSP and contested the 2009 Lok Sabha elections on BSP ticket from Lucknow but lost to BJPs Lalji Tandon. He was then nominated by Mayawati to Rajya Sabha where his term ended in 2014. Subsequently, Das took a nearly two-year sabbatical from active politics but returned to it in January this year and joined Congress again calling it his 'Ghar Wapsi. A former national level badminton player, Das was also President of Badminton Association of India and UP Olympic Association. He was also vice-president of Indian Olympic Association. Das also contributed significantly to the field of education and established a university in the name of his father in Lucknow. He also had stakes in real estate and media. Leaders, cutting across the political lines, expressed deep sorrow on his sudden demise. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath expressed grief on the loss. The CM visited his residence to console the bereaved family. The PMO tweeted: "Saddened by the demise of former MP and Union minister Akhilesh Das. His active contribution to public life will be remembered.'' While Congress leaders including national general secretary Gulam Nabi Azad and UP Congress chief Raj Babbar said that Das would always be remembered for his contributions to strengthen the Congress party, Former UP chief minister and SP president Akhilesh Yadav and BSP national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui too reached Das's residence after learning about his death.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: On a day when Pakistan military court awarded death sentence to a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was in Pakistan captivity for alleged spying, a maritime force saved lives of two Pakistani maritime commandos.

The Indian Coast Guard, on Sunday, while patrolling into Indian waters, a distress call was received at the Maritime Rescue Coordination centre in Mumbai from Karachi, headquarters of Pakistani Maritime Security Agency (PSA).

According to information provided by the Indian Coast Guards headquarters based in the national capital, the message was regarding a speed boat of Pakistani Maritime Security Agency that was gone missing on a routine patrol off the International Maritime Boundary Line. and the last recorded location of speed boat was 59 nautical miles West of Jakhau and was feared that it may have drifted into Indian waters.

"Immediately, three ships patrolling the sea including Coast Guard ship Ankit, ICGS Samrat and ICGS Arinjay were diverted for Search and Rescue Operations. In addition to a Dornier patrol aircraft and an advanced light helicopter later joined in to undertake sea and air coordinated searches in Indian waters," a statement issued by the Indian Coast Guard said.

Pakistani side also deployed three ships and two helicopters in their waters. But, hours after search and rescue operation launched by Indian Coast Guards, an Indian fishing boat identified as Dhanshree Chamunda' on Monday spotted the Pakistani boat and recovered rescued two Pakistani maritime commandoes from water and four were drowned.

As their condition was fast deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to the sun, they were given immediate medical attention. The fishermen contacted the Coast Guard ship Samarat over the VHF and subsequently handed the Pakistani commandos to them for medical attention.

"Subsequently the search operation yielded recovery of bodies of other four crew members of which three were recovered by coast guard ship Arinjay and Ankit. Both survived Pakistani maritime commandoes and four dead bodies were handed over to Pakistan agency on Wednesday," Indian Coast Guard statement added.

NEW DELHI: On a day when Pakistan military court awarded death sentence to a former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was in Pakistan captivity for alleged spying, a maritime force saved lives of two Pakistani maritime commandos. The Indian Coast Guard, on Sunday, while patrolling into Indian waters, a distress call was received at the Maritime Rescue Coordination centre in Mumbai from Karachi, headquarters of Pakistani Maritime Security Agency (PSA). According to information provided by the Indian Coast Guards headquarters based in the national capital, the message was regarding a speed boat of Pakistani Maritime Security Agency that was gone missing on a routine patrol off the International Maritime Boundary Line. and the last recorded location of speed boat was 59 nautical miles West of Jakhau and was feared that it may have drifted into Indian waters. "Immediately, three ships patrolling the sea including Coast Guard ship Ankit, ICGS Samrat and ICGS Arinjay were diverted for Search and Rescue Operations. In addition to a Dornier patrol aircraft and an advanced light helicopter later joined in to undertake sea and air coordinated searches in Indian waters," a statement issued by the Indian Coast Guard said. Pakistani side also deployed three ships and two helicopters in their waters. But, hours after search and rescue operation launched by Indian Coast Guards, an Indian fishing boat identified as Dhanshree Chamunda' on Monday spotted the Pakistani boat and recovered rescued two Pakistani maritime commandoes from water and four were drowned. As their condition was fast deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to the sun, they were given immediate medical attention. The fishermen contacted the Coast Guard ship Samarat over the VHF and subsequently handed the Pakistani commandos to them for medical attention. "Subsequently the search operation yielded recovery of bodies of other four crew members of which three were recovered by coast guard ship Arinjay and Ankit. Both survived Pakistani maritime commandoes and four dead bodies were handed over to Pakistan agency on Wednesday," Indian Coast Guard statement added.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Despite the tough posturing, India can use only diplomatic maneuvering to save former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from the gallows in Pakistan, say strategic experts. The Indian citizen, who was allegedly abducted by Pakistan forces from Chahbahar Port in Iran, also has the option of appealing to the President of Pakistan for mercy.

Sources from Pakistan Embassy here said that as per the law, Jadhav can challenge decision in army court of appeal. If rejected, he can appeal for mercy to Pakistan Army Chief. And if the appeal is rejected there too, he can appeal to Pakistans President for clemency.

Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national who was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016, and had been detained there on charges of espionage, was awarded the death sentence. Persons convicted under the Pak Army Act (PAA) 1952 can file an appeal with the Court of Appeal within 40 days under Section 133B of the Act. However, Major Navdeep Singh Puri, an expert in Army legal matters, said: The term court is a misnomer since the said body is an executive body comprising serving military officers not trained in law and who cannot be logically expected to defy what has been confirmed by their boss, that is, the Army Chief. Pakistan Army Chief has already approved the death sentence to Jadhav given by the military court.

Pak military courts are extra-constitutional entities which cannot be questioned in civilian courts and these can be convened at secret locations without providing a counsel to the accused. In Jadhavs case, he is said to have been given a defence officer instead of a counsel, hence questions loom large on the due process and basic protection available to Jadhav in the proceedings.

Unlike India, where civilians cannot be tried in military court, Pakistans Field General Court Martials have unlimited power to try civilians. The narrative spawned by the Pakistan Army, as being told by Pakistan authorities here is: Those in establishment realised that espionage is a serious business.

Accordingly, a serious verdict was expected. Interestingly, in India all civilians, including spies caught, are tried by civil courts. For the Indian government, the options are limited as strategic thinkers feel that Islamabad is going to use Jadhav in broader negotiations. The Indian diplomatic establishment is presently undertaking frantic efforts to save Jadhav. The option available at the moment is to put diplomatic pressure on Pakistan through the UN and the US.

NEW DELHI: Despite the tough posturing, India can use only diplomatic maneuvering to save former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from the gallows in Pakistan, say strategic experts. The Indian citizen, who was allegedly abducted by Pakistan forces from Chahbahar Port in Iran, also has the option of appealing to the President of Pakistan for mercy. Sources from Pakistan Embassy here said that as per the law, Jadhav can challenge decision in army court of appeal. If rejected, he can appeal for mercy to Pakistan Army Chief. And if the appeal is rejected there too, he can appeal to Pakistans President for clemency. Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian national who was arrested in Balochistan in March 2016, and had been detained there on charges of espionage, was awarded the death sentence. Persons convicted under the Pak Army Act (PAA) 1952 can file an appeal with the Court of Appeal within 40 days under Section 133B of the Act. However, Major Navdeep Singh Puri, an expert in Army legal matters, said: The term court is a misnomer since the said body is an executive body comprising serving military officers not trained in law and who cannot be logically expected to defy what has been confirmed by their boss, that is, the Army Chief. Pakistan Army Chief has already approved the death sentence to Jadhav given by the military court. Pak military courts are extra-constitutional entities which cannot be questioned in civilian courts and these can be convened at secret locations without providing a counsel to the accused. In Jadhavs case, he is said to have been given a defence officer instead of a counsel, hence questions loom large on the due process and basic protection available to Jadhav in the proceedings. Unlike India, where civilians cannot be tried in military court, Pakistans Field General Court Martials have unlimited power to try civilians. The narrative spawned by the Pakistan Army, as being told by Pakistan authorities here is: Those in establishment realised that espionage is a serious business. Accordingly, a serious verdict was expected. Interestingly, in India all civilians, including spies caught, are tried by civil courts. For the Indian government, the options are limited as strategic thinkers feel that Islamabad is going to use Jadhav in broader negotiations. The Indian diplomatic establishment is presently undertaking frantic efforts to save Jadhav. The option available at the moment is to put diplomatic pressure on Pakistan through the UN and the US.
By PTI

NEW DELHI: The issue of Panjab University students protesting fee hike being beaten up by the police was raised in the Rajya Sabha today, as the government said it has sought a report on the matter though it was not a central varsity.

HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Centre has not raised any fee in the Panjab University, which is a separate entity and not a central varsity.

"Punjab University is a separate entity. This is not a central university. We have not raised any fees," he told Congress members while responding to their protests over the incident.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Javadekar said he has sought all information with regard to the fee hike and those pertaining to financial grants to the Varsity.

"This matter pertains to the state government. This is not a central university," the minister said.

The police had clashed with students in the Panjab University yesterday as the week-long protests over the steep fee hike turned ugly. Over 60 students were arrested and many of them slapped with sedition and criminal charges, reports said. Students claim that the fees for various courses were hiked from around Rs 5,000 to over Rs 50,000.

During the Zero Hour, Chhaya Verma (Congress) raised the issue of fee hikes in Panjab University and an educational institution at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. She was joined by other Congress members also.

Verma said the fees were hiked by six times at an educational institute at Bilaspur leading to massive protests. She asked the government to roll back the hike and also withdraw FIR against Dalit and Adivasi students.

On the Chhattisgarh matter, Javadekar said he will get information.

NEW DELHI: The issue of Panjab University students protesting fee hike being beaten up by the police was raised in the Rajya Sabha today, as the government said it has sought a report on the matter though it was not a central varsity. HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Centre has not raised any fee in the Panjab University, which is a separate entity and not a central varsity. "Punjab University is a separate entity. This is not a central university. We have not raised any fees," he told Congress members while responding to their protests over the incident. Taking cognisance of the matter, Javadekar said he has sought all information with regard to the fee hike and those pertaining to financial grants to the Varsity. "This matter pertains to the state government. This is not a central university," the minister said. The police had clashed with students in the Panjab University yesterday as the week-long protests over the steep fee hike turned ugly. Over 60 students were arrested and many of them slapped with sedition and criminal charges, reports said. Students claim that the fees for various courses were hiked from around Rs 5,000 to over Rs 50,000. During the Zero Hour, Chhaya Verma (Congress) raised the issue of fee hikes in Panjab University and an educational institution at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. She was joined by other Congress members also. Verma said the fees were hiked by six times at an educational institute at Bilaspur leading to massive protests. She asked the government to roll back the hike and also withdraw FIR against Dalit and Adivasi students. On the Chhattisgarh matter, Javadekar said he will get information.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a Pakistani military court sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of spying, has hit the trade between the neighbouring countries through the Attari-Wagah land route near Amritsar.

The traders in the region allege that following the issue, Pakistan has not been importing tomatoes, garlic and soybean from India in the past three months. Additionally, China has blocked the import of dry fruits and dates from Afghanistan, hitting the trade here badly.

Since the beginning of this year, our export of tomatoes, garlic and soya bean to Pakistan has been hit badly. For last two months, the Pakistani authorities did not unload 43 trucks of garlic sent from here. The crop was lying at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari. Such is the condition of hundreds of trucks of soya bean that were refused by the health authorities of Pakistan citing that these were not fit for consumption, said president Karyana and Dry Fruit Association (Amritsar) Anil Mehra told the New Indian Express.

Now they are not allowing tomatoes from here citing the same reason. Tomato prices in Pakistan have gone as high as Rs 150 per kg. The Pakistani authorities have even issued TV advertisements recommending the use of curd instead of tomatoes while cooking, he added.

The issue has also affected the 35-year-old trade relation between Afghanistan, from where India imports dry fruits and dry dates regularly. India gets only cement and gypsum from Pakistan and Afghanistan now, Mehra said.

If Pakistan does not want to continue trade relations with India due to pressure from its radicals, India should withdraw the status awarded to Pakistan as its most favoured trading partner.

The negative sentiment between both the countries is not good for trade. There is a possibility of a decline in the trade relations between the countries in the coming days. Pakistan has already stopped importing perishable goods from us, said Rajdeep Singh Uppal a leading exporter and former chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (Amritsar Zone).

India mainly imports cement, gypsum, dry fruits, rock salt from Pakistan while it exports meat, vegetables, soya meal, raw cotton, yarn to Pakistan.

CHANDIGARH: The rising tensions between India and Pakistan after a Pakistani military court sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of spying, has hit the trade between the neighbouring countries through the Attari-Wagah land route near Amritsar. The traders in the region allege that following the issue, Pakistan has not been importing tomatoes, garlic and soybean from India in the past three months. Additionally, China has blocked the import of dry fruits and dates from Afghanistan, hitting the trade here badly. Since the beginning of this year, our export of tomatoes, garlic and soya bean to Pakistan has been hit badly. For last two months, the Pakistani authorities did not unload 43 trucks of garlic sent from here. The crop was lying at the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari. Such is the condition of hundreds of trucks of soya bean that were refused by the health authorities of Pakistan citing that these were not fit for consumption, said president Karyana and Dry Fruit Association (Amritsar) Anil Mehra told the New Indian Express. Now they are not allowing tomatoes from here citing the same reason. Tomato prices in Pakistan have gone as high as Rs 150 per kg. The Pakistani authorities have even issued TV advertisements recommending the use of curd instead of tomatoes while cooking, he added. The issue has also affected the 35-year-old trade relation between Afghanistan, from where India imports dry fruits and dry dates regularly. India gets only cement and gypsum from Pakistan and Afghanistan now, Mehra said. If Pakistan does not want to continue trade relations with India due to pressure from its radicals, India should withdraw the status awarded to Pakistan as its most favoured trading partner. The negative sentiment between both the countries is not good for trade. There is a possibility of a decline in the trade relations between the countries in the coming days. Pakistan has already stopped importing perishable goods from us, said Rajdeep Singh Uppal a leading exporter and former chairman of Confederation of Indian Industry (Amritsar Zone). India mainly imports cement, gypsum, dry fruits, rock salt from Pakistan while it exports meat, vegetables, soya meal, raw cotton, yarn to Pakistan.
By Express News Service

On Tuesday, a BJP youth wing leader from Uttar Pradesh announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for anyone who would kill West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Its not the first time that a politician has put his foot in his mouth. Just a month ago, an RSS leader from Madhya Pradesh announced a reward for the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He had to pay a heavy price for the act. The RSS leader had to quit his post and faces a few police cases.

The syndrome of announcing prizes or rewards for bringing fugitives to justice or assassinating an enemy goes far back into history, and the mythologies of many countries are replete with such lore; of emperors announcing bounties for any who wished to win their daughters hand, or war heroes presenting the decapitated heads of enemy kings to please their masters.

Whats a bounty?

A bountya word derived from the Latin word bonitas or goodnessis a payment or reward offered as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task. Bounties, in the form of money or largesse, are declared for the capture or retrieval of a person or object. One well-known example is the bounty announced for the capture of Saddam Hussein and his sons by the United States. Even the IT industry harks back to the practice. Many software hackers make a living by detecting bugs and reporting them to the maker in order to win a handsome prize. They even call themselves bounty hunters.

Were rewards given in ancient history for fetching criminals or wanted people?

Yes. Bounties were a common phenomenon in the 17th and 18th centuries when western nations relied upon the system to get rid of criminal elements from society. In the 18th century England, a bounty of 100 was given to anyone who provided information about robbers or burglars. Under William III, the system became a common practice to fight crime. In 1824, a bounty of 500 acres of land was declared in Australia for capturing Windradyne alive. Windradyne was a Wiradjuri warrior and the leader of the Aboriginal resistance movement.

Is bounty hunting legal?

Yes, bounty hunting is legal in some countries, such as in several states of the the US and the Philippines, where bounty hunters are bail bondsmen who are rewarded for bringing criminals into the clutches of the law. But nowhere is killing for reward legal. Laws vary regarding the powers of bounty hunters. For example, in the US, a bail enforcer, might have the option of entering a fugitives place to capture him but is not allowed to enter the houses of their friends or families.

A celebrated case of a fugitive being brought to justice by a bounty hunter was the capture of the multi-millionaire serial rapist Andrew Luster by an independent bounty hunter named Duane "Dog" Chapman, who tracked down his quarry to Mexico back in 2003.

Is the bounty system legal in India?

Not in the Wild West sense of it, but bringing in fugitives to justice is legally rewarded in India. For instance, the National Investigation Agency has a list of fugitives for whose capture it has handsome rewards. Several states fighting Maoists and terrorists also have a bounty system that rewards citizens and law enforcement personnel for capturing or killing fugitives at large. Heres a few on the National Investigation Agencys wanted list of 141:

Mupalla Lakshman Rao

Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi

Isak Sumi

Illyas Kashmiri

Hafiz Muhammad Saeed

Who usually become bounty hunters?

Former soldiers, mercenaries, policemen or detectives who have the necessary skills to track down and confront criminals often take up bounty hunting as a profession. Surviving in dangerous and unpredictable conditions is a major skill that many of these bounty hunters possessed.

Some famous bounty hunters

Rick Crouch: A former South African politician, Rick Crouch set up a private investigation and digital forensics company and assisted the law enforcement agencies in tracking fugitives. He became known as the "PI to the stars" for having a client list of prominent California celebrities and politicians.

John Riley Jack Duncan: A renowned Texan lawman, John Riley was known for his efforts to capture one of the most infamous criminals Wes Hardin in the late 1800s.

Domino Harvey: She was a British bounty hunter in the US and was known for being one of the very few women in the field. She targeted drug dealers, thieves and occasionally murderers. She died in 2005 due to an alleged drug overdose.

David Schulz: A former wrestler, Schulz later began his career as a bounty hunter and has captured more than 1700 fugitives. He has worked with some of the major law enforcement agencies like the DEA and the FBI and has pursued criminals as far as Egypt and Puerto Rico.

=================================================

Controversial cases of bounties on important personalities

1. MF Husain: In 2006, the Hindu Law Board offered a bounty of Rs 51 crore to anyone who eliminates artist MF Husain for making obscene paintings of Hindu goddesses. The Hindu Law Board offered double the amount to UP minister Yaqoob Qureshi for slaying the artist. One of the most controversial paintings was Mother India which depicted a nude woman posing across a map of India with names of states on her body. Husain, who was living in a self-imposed exile, died in June 2011 in London.

2. Salman Rushdie: The most notorious case of a reward being offered for the head of a personality was of course that of Salman Rushdie. In 1989, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie for writing the book The Satanic Verses and placed a bounty of $3 million for killing him. The bounty is still on. Last year, more than three dozen hard-line Iranian media outlets raised the bounty by $600,000.

3. Yaqoob Qureshi

UP minister Yaqoob Qureshi offered a bounty of Rs 51 crore for killing Danish cartoonist for caricaturing the Prophet. His statement had sent shockwaves through the Samajwadi party with many leaders choosing to distance themselves from him.

4. Pinarayi Vijayan: Earlier this year, Kundan Chandrawat, an RSS leader from Ujjain declared a bounty of Rs one crore to anyone who beheaded and brought him the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Chandrawat had held the Kerala CM responsible for the killings of RSS men in the state. The RSS leader was arrested and later released on bail. He also retracted his statement which drew considerable condemnations.

5. Tarek Fatah: In February this year, a Bareilly-based Muslim organisation, All-India Faisan-e-Madina Council, declared a bounty of Rs10 lakh for beheading Islamic scholar Tarek Fatah for allegedly promoting un-Islamic views via his television programme Fatah ka Fatwa. The organisation also called for an immediate ban on his show. Fatah was also manhandled at an Urdu poetry and cultural festival.

6. Subhash Chandra: The Muslim organisation which targeted Tarek Fatah also declared a bounty of Rs5 lakh on the head of Subhash Chandra, the owner of Zee News for the telecast of Fatehs programme.

===============================================

Pappu Yadavs Bounty

The Lok Sabha MP openly declared that anyone who would bring tapes of corrupt officials would be rewarded Rs 25,000 while those who would beat them to death in public will be rewarded Rs 10 lakh. If the government is not taking action against bureaucrats and ministers who are looting the poor then the Dalits should shoot the politicians responsible for deaths like that of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, he said.

======================================================

Bounty hunters in popular culture

1. Harrison Ford in Indian Jones

2. Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

3. Gerard Butler in The Bounty Hunter

4. Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained

5. Lee-Min-ho in Bounty Hunters

6. Christopher George in Chisum

On Tuesday, a BJP youth wing leader from Uttar Pradesh announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for anyone who would kill West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Its not the first time that a politician has put his foot in his mouth. Just a month ago, an RSS leader from Madhya Pradesh announced a reward for the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He had to pay a heavy price for the act. The RSS leader had to quit his post and faces a few police cases. The syndrome of announcing prizes or rewards for bringing fugitives to justice or assassinating an enemy goes far back into history, and the mythologies of many countries are replete with such lore; of emperors announcing bounties for any who wished to win their daughters hand, or war heroes presenting the decapitated heads of enemy kings to please their masters. Whats a bounty? A bountya word derived from the Latin word bonitas or goodnessis a payment or reward offered as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task. Bounties, in the form of money or largesse, are declared for the capture or retrieval of a person or object. One well-known example is the bounty announced for the capture of Saddam Hussein and his sons by the United States. Even the IT industry harks back to the practice. Many software hackers make a living by detecting bugs and reporting them to the maker in order to win a handsome prize. They even call themselves bounty hunters. Were rewards given in ancient history for fetching criminals or wanted people? Yes. Bounties were a common phenomenon in the 17th and 18th centuries when western nations relied upon the system to get rid of criminal elements from society. In the 18th century England, a bounty of 100 was given to anyone who provided information about robbers or burglars. Under William III, the system became a common practice to fight crime. In 1824, a bounty of 500 acres of land was declared in Australia for capturing Windradyne alive. Windradyne was a Wiradjuri warrior and the leader of the Aboriginal resistance movement. Is bounty hunting legal? Yes, bounty hunting is legal in some countries, such as in several states of the the US and the Philippines, where bounty hunters are bail bondsmen who are rewarded for bringing criminals into the clutches of the law. But nowhere is killing for reward legal. Laws vary regarding the powers of bounty hunters. For example, in the US, a bail enforcer, might have the option of entering a fugitives place to capture him but is not allowed to enter the houses of their friends or families. A celebrated case of a fugitive being brought to justice by a bounty hunter was the capture of the multi-millionaire serial rapist Andrew Luster by an independent bounty hunter named Duane "Dog" Chapman, who tracked down his quarry to Mexico back in 2003. Is the bounty system legal in India? Not in the Wild West sense of it, but bringing in fugitives to justice is legally rewarded in India. For instance, the National Investigation Agency has a list of fugitives for whose capture it has handsome rewards. Several states fighting Maoists and terrorists also have a bounty system that rewards citizens and law enforcement personnel for capturing or killing fugitives at large. Heres a few on the National Investigation Agencys wanted list of 141: Mupalla Lakshman Rao Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi Isak Sumi Illyas Kashmiri Hafiz Muhammad Saeed Who usually become bounty hunters? Former soldiers, mercenaries, policemen or detectives who have the necessary skills to track down and confront criminals often take up bounty hunting as a profession. Surviving in dangerous and unpredictable conditions is a major skill that many of these bounty hunters possessed. Some famous bounty hunters Rick Crouch: A former South African politician, Rick Crouch set up a private investigation and digital forensics company and assisted the law enforcement agencies in tracking fugitives. He became known as the "PI to the stars" for having a client list of prominent California celebrities and politicians. John Riley Jack Duncan: A renowned Texan lawman, John Riley was known for his efforts to capture one of the most infamous criminals Wes Hardin in the late 1800s. Domino Harvey: She was a British bounty hunter in the US and was known for being one of the very few women in the field. She targeted drug dealers, thieves and occasionally murderers. She died in 2005 due to an alleged drug overdose. David Schulz: A former wrestler, Schulz later began his career as a bounty hunter and has captured more than 1700 fugitives. He has worked with some of the major law enforcement agencies like the DEA and the FBI and has pursued criminals as far as Egypt and Puerto Rico. ================================================= Controversial cases of bounties on important personalities 1. MF Husain: In 2006, the Hindu Law Board offered a bounty of Rs 51 crore to anyone who eliminates artist MF Husain for making obscene paintings of Hindu goddesses. The Hindu Law Board offered double the amount to UP minister Yaqoob Qureshi for slaying the artist. One of the most controversial paintings was Mother India which depicted a nude woman posing across a map of India with names of states on her body. Husain, who was living in a self-imposed exile, died in June 2011 in London. 2. Salman Rushdie: The most notorious case of a reward being offered for the head of a personality was of course that of Salman Rushdie. In 1989, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against author Salman Rushdie for writing the book The Satanic Verses and placed a bounty of $3 million for killing him. The bounty is still on. Last year, more than three dozen hard-line Iranian media outlets raised the bounty by $600,000. 3. Yaqoob Qureshi UP minister Yaqoob Qureshi offered a bounty of Rs 51 crore for killing Danish cartoonist for caricaturing the Prophet. His statement had sent shockwaves through the Samajwadi party with many leaders choosing to distance themselves from him. 4. Pinarayi Vijayan: Earlier this year, Kundan Chandrawat, an RSS leader from Ujjain declared a bounty of Rs one crore to anyone who beheaded and brought him the head of Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Chandrawat had held the Kerala CM responsible for the killings of RSS men in the state. The RSS leader was arrested and later released on bail. He also retracted his statement which drew considerable condemnations. 5. Tarek Fatah: In February this year, a Bareilly-based Muslim organisation, All-India Faisan-e-Madina Council, declared a bounty of Rs10 lakh for beheading Islamic scholar Tarek Fatah for allegedly promoting un-Islamic views via his television programme Fatah ka Fatwa. The organisation also called for an immediate ban on his show. Fatah was also manhandled at an Urdu poetry and cultural festival. 6. Subhash Chandra: The Muslim organisation which targeted Tarek Fatah also declared a bounty of Rs5 lakh on the head of Subhash Chandra, the owner of Zee News for the telecast of Fatehs programme. =============================================== Pappu Yadavs Bounty The Lok Sabha MP openly declared that anyone who would bring tapes of corrupt officials would be rewarded Rs 25,000 while those who would beat them to death in public will be rewarded Rs 10 lakh. If the government is not taking action against bureaucrats and ministers who are looting the poor then the Dalits should shoot the politicians responsible for deaths like that of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, he said. ====================================================== Bounty hunters in popular culture 1. Harrison Ford in Indian Jones 2. Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 3. Gerard Butler in The Bounty Hunter 4. Jamie Foxx in Django Unchained 5. Lee-Min-ho in Bounty Hunters 6. Christopher George in Chisum
Prof B M Hegde By

It has become a fashion to prescribe baby aspirin (50-75 mg) daily for healthy people above the age of 30 for preventing a heart attack. A couple of decades ago Professor Cleland, a cardiology professor at the Southampton University had analysed the data and had clearly shown that while aspirin might or might not prevent non-fatal heart attacks, it definitely increases fatal cerebral haemorrhagic stroke by ten per cent! This did not deter the drug industry from coming out with their infamous poly-pill with the same aspirin in addition to rat doses of many other drugs in a single pill with propaganda claiming that a daily pill of this cocktail will keep death at a distance. Thank God that poly-pill remained a non-starter.

Man is dreaming of immortality always and the industry caters to that dream. George Bernard Shaw in his classic, Doctors Dilemma, did emphasise: do not try to live here for ever, you will certainly not succeed.

A recent excellent study by the Southampton University and the Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that taking aspirin daily may lead to increased odds of heart attacks by 190 per cent! The study also revealed that a class of drugs called direct oral anticoagulants were also tied to increased odds of heart attack in patients with atrial fibrillation. The findings echo the guidance issued by NHS watchdog NICE in 2015 which said aspirin does more harm than good for AF patients. Atrial fibrillation affects up to 900,000 patients in England and causes their hearts to beat fast and irregular, greatly increasing the risk of stroke and early death. But as many as one in sevenup to 1,20,000 patientsare taking aspirin even though it isnt very effective and may itself cause a stroke.

Look at this irony. An earlier study in 2016 did say that aspirin is a panacea for elderly people to live longer! Older Americans who take a low dose of aspirin every day will drastically cut their risk of contracting heart disease or cancer, a new study claims. "Although the health benefits of aspirin are well established, a few people take it," said David B Agus, the lead author of the study. The authors claim multiple health benefits and a reduction in healthcare spending from this simple, low-cost measure that should be considered a standard part of care for the appropriate patient.

The long-term benefits of low-dose, daily aspirin were questioned this year after conflicting guidelines were published by the US Preventive Services Task Force, a government-backed panel of experts, and the US Food and Drug Administration. The task force issued updated aspirin guidelines that declared the clinical benefit of aspirin.

However, the FDA was concerned that some patients, particularly those 60 and older, face an increased risk of stroke and bleedingboth gastrointestinal and in the brainif they take aspirin daily. However this study was not a prospective one and was derived from observations done by different sets of examiners at different times and with different entry criteria and is not as reliable as the Southampton study.

There was a more detailed study from Scotland published in 2010 in the Journal of the American Medical Association which did show aspirin in bad light. Another study revealed that regular aspirin intake did not decrease the likelihood of suffering heart attack in at-risk patients. Scottish researchers found that high-risk patients who took aspirin daily had similar stroke and heart attack rates as those on placebo treatment. About three years ago, Bayer AG requested to label aspirin as a heart attack prevention drug. Based on the 2010 Scottish study it was denied by the FDA. The FDA has also cautioned patients taking aspirin with blood thinners. Other serious effects associated with aspirin intake include internal bleeding, peptic ulcers, asthma, and kidney disease.

Although there are any more studies on aspirin these three show how medical research throws up uncertainty as its only certainty. A layman would be floored by this kind of reductionist research. So, before one relies on these studies, especially the ones that support a common drug for uncommon indications, one has to see who funds that research.

Of these three studies the Scottish and Southampton studies were prospective done on NHS patients and not much money changed hands but the American studies are all money-based studies where research simply means getting more funds, writing more papers and, fattening their CVs. Even if one goes by democratic principles there are more reliable studies that show aspirin in bad light.

I would be happy to accept the Southampton study for the time being as the best guidelines for aspirin treatment. I would go one step further to warn doctors to be very parsimonious in prescribing NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug)for simple upper respiratory infections as the latter in the long run could precipitate a stroke or heart attack. Many young people get a heart attack probably due to NSAID use earlier, even if they had used it five years before. There were some studies suggesting inflammation as the cause of vascular diseasesthe new target for new drugs from industry.

I have a hunch that it is the NSAIDS that must have connected the two. One cannot get better with reductionist thinking in a holistic human being with his mind in the driving seat. In the medical field where wise people insist on evidence, we do not have a scope to gauge the human mind. Until then, all our reductionist studies remain only tentative, but caution is our wiser bet.

Logically chemical drugs cannot be used for preventing any disease when they have potentially dangerous side effects. Using them for treatment in a desperate situation is logical but not for prevention.

Prof B M Hegde

Cardiologist and former vice chancellor of Manipal University

Email: hegdebm@gmail.com

It has become a fashion to prescribe baby aspirin (50-75 mg) daily for healthy people above the age of 30 for preventing a heart attack. A couple of decades ago Professor Cleland, a cardiology professor at the Southampton University had analysed the data and had clearly shown that while aspirin might or might not prevent non-fatal heart attacks, it definitely increases fatal cerebral haemorrhagic stroke by ten per cent! This did not deter the drug industry from coming out with their infamous poly-pill with the same aspirin in addition to rat doses of many other drugs in a single pill with propaganda claiming that a daily pill of this cocktail will keep death at a distance. Thank God that poly-pill remained a non-starter. Man is dreaming of immortality always and the industry caters to that dream. George Bernard Shaw in his classic, Doctors Dilemma, did emphasise: do not try to live here for ever, you will certainly not succeed. A recent excellent study by the Southampton University and the Maastricht University in the Netherlands found that taking aspirin daily may lead to increased odds of heart attacks by 190 per cent! The study also revealed that a class of drugs called direct oral anticoagulants were also tied to increased odds of heart attack in patients with atrial fibrillation. The findings echo the guidance issued by NHS watchdog NICE in 2015 which said aspirin does more harm than good for AF patients. Atrial fibrillation affects up to 900,000 patients in England and causes their hearts to beat fast and irregular, greatly increasing the risk of stroke and early death. But as many as one in sevenup to 1,20,000 patientsare taking aspirin even though it isnt very effective and may itself cause a stroke. Look at this irony. An earlier study in 2016 did say that aspirin is a panacea for elderly people to live longer! Older Americans who take a low dose of aspirin every day will drastically cut their risk of contracting heart disease or cancer, a new study claims. "Although the health benefits of aspirin are well established, a few people take it," said David B Agus, the lead author of the study. The authors claim multiple health benefits and a reduction in healthcare spending from this simple, low-cost measure that should be considered a standard part of care for the appropriate patient. The long-term benefits of low-dose, daily aspirin were questioned this year after conflicting guidelines were published by the US Preventive Services Task Force, a government-backed panel of experts, and the US Food and Drug Administration. The task force issued updated aspirin guidelines that declared the clinical benefit of aspirin. However, the FDA was concerned that some patients, particularly those 60 and older, face an increased risk of stroke and bleedingboth gastrointestinal and in the brainif they take aspirin daily. However this study was not a prospective one and was derived from observations done by different sets of examiners at different times and with different entry criteria and is not as reliable as the Southampton study. There was a more detailed study from Scotland published in 2010 in the Journal of the American Medical Association which did show aspirin in bad light. Another study revealed that regular aspirin intake did not decrease the likelihood of suffering heart attack in at-risk patients. Scottish researchers found that high-risk patients who took aspirin daily had similar stroke and heart attack rates as those on placebo treatment. About three years ago, Bayer AG requested to label aspirin as a heart attack prevention drug. Based on the 2010 Scottish study it was denied by the FDA. The FDA has also cautioned patients taking aspirin with blood thinners. Other serious effects associated with aspirin intake include internal bleeding, peptic ulcers, asthma, and kidney disease. Although there are any more studies on aspirin these three show how medical research throws up uncertainty as its only certainty. A layman would be floored by this kind of reductionist research. So, before one relies on these studies, especially the ones that support a common drug for uncommon indications, one has to see who funds that research. Of these three studies the Scottish and Southampton studies were prospective done on NHS patients and not much money changed hands but the American studies are all money-based studies where research simply means getting more funds, writing more papers and, fattening their CVs. Even if one goes by democratic principles there are more reliable studies that show aspirin in bad light. I would be happy to accept the Southampton study for the time being as the best guidelines for aspirin treatment. I would go one step further to warn doctors to be very parsimonious in prescribing NSAIDS (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug)for simple upper respiratory infections as the latter in the long run could precipitate a stroke or heart attack. Many young people get a heart attack probably due to NSAID use earlier, even if they had used it five years before. There were some studies suggesting inflammation as the cause of vascular diseasesthe new target for new drugs from industry. I have a hunch that it is the NSAIDS that must have connected the two. One cannot get better with reductionist thinking in a holistic human being with his mind in the driving seat. In the medical field where wise people insist on evidence, we do not have a scope to gauge the human mind. Until then, all our reductionist studies remain only tentative, but caution is our wiser bet. Logically chemical drugs cannot be used for preventing any disease when they have potentially dangerous side effects. Using them for treatment in a desperate situation is logical but not for prevention. Prof B M Hegde Cardiologist and former vice chancellor of Manipal University Email: hegdebm@gmail.com
By Express News Service

BENGALURU: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday warned the State of Karnataka that restraining directions would be passed against it if discharge of untreated sewage into the Bellandur Lake was not stopped immediately. The chief secretary of the state has been directed to be present before the tribunal on the next hearing date on April 18.

The tribunal also came heavily on the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) for being the sole lake development authority in the world that is allowing fire incidents to take place in the lakes. In fact, the state along with KLCDA and other authorities have been directed to apprise the court about the measures taken after the lake fire incident on February 16, 2017 to prevent such accidents in the future.

The impleading application of the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), however, has been allowed. Whereas the impleading application filed by politician Kupendra Reddy was dismissed as he has preferred a separate Original Application (OA). A notice was issued on the OA filed by Kupendra Reddy. The matter has been adjourned to April 18.

BENGALURU: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Wednesday warned the State of Karnataka that restraining directions would be passed against it if discharge of untreated sewage into the Bellandur Lake was not stopped immediately. The chief secretary of the state has been directed to be present before the tribunal on the next hearing date on April 18. The tribunal also came heavily on the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) for being the sole lake development authority in the world that is allowing fire incidents to take place in the lakes. In fact, the state along with KLCDA and other authorities have been directed to apprise the court about the measures taken after the lake fire incident on February 16, 2017 to prevent such accidents in the future. The impleading application of the Karnataka State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (KSIIDC), however, has been allowed. Whereas the impleading application filed by politician Kupendra Reddy was dismissed as he has preferred a separate Original Application (OA). A notice was issued on the OA filed by Kupendra Reddy. The matter has been adjourned to April 18.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer on Monday denied reports that President Trump has gone back to the drawing board as it relates to tax reform.

I think what you are seeing is us going through this process of his economic team, everyone from Secretary Mnuchin, Secretary Ross to Gary Cohn and others sitting down internally and beginning that process of meeting with groups that have been advocating for tax reform since 1986, Spicer told FOX Business Blake Burman.

The press secretary said tax cuts will be a major undertaking and the administration has begun to meet with members of Congress, inside and outside groups for input on formulating the best tax reform policy.

On Friday, President Trumps Chief Economic Advisor Gary Cohn said tax reform is the number one domestic priority for the administration and suggested the August deadline might be extended to later in the year.

The President is pushing extremely hard on tax cuts and everything we can do to generate economic growth in the United States. The President [completely] understands how stimulative deregulation and tax cuts will be for the U.S. economy. He understands that and he is pushing us all very hard to get that done as soon as we possibly can, Cohn said during an interview on FOX Business Varney & Co.

Spicer said it would be a great opportunity to have a tax reform bill ready before Congress leaves for August recess and hopes middle-income Americans will have a tax cut this time next year.

We are going to make sure we do this right and we do it with the input of all the individuals groups and members of Congress that have had a long time interest in doing this, he said.

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By Express News Service

BENGALURU: A 32-year-old Nigerian was arrested by R T Nagar police on charges of conning a job aspirant, who is the son a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP). He had cheated the student of `14.3 lakh after promising him a job in Scotland.

Steve Owen

The arrested has been identified as Steve Owen alias Hussain, a resident of Banaswadi, who had come to the city on a business visa four years ago.

Police said the complainant, an MBA graduate, had applied for a job on an employment website in July 2016. Claiming to be the HR executive of a company based in Scotland, Owen conducted an online interview with the job aspirant. A few days later, Owen sent him a fake appointment letter to his email ID along with a pay package of `1.44 crore per year.

Owen then contacted the complainant and claimed that he needed to complete procedures for his visa and permits. He said that the expenses for the paperwork will be reimbursed once he joins the company. The student deposited `14.3 lakh in Owens bank account. After a few days, when the job aspirant couldnt contact Owen, he realised he had been conned.

He then approached RT Nagar police and filed a case. Based on the bank account details, police traced Owen to Banaswadi. During interrogation, Owen told police that he was involved in a similar crime earlier. But when police seized his bank account, they found only `70. Police are investigating if others were involved in the scam.

BENGALURU: A 32-year-old Nigerian was arrested by R T Nagar police on charges of conning a job aspirant, who is the son a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP). He had cheated the student of `14.3 lakh after promising him a job in Scotland. Steve OwenThe arrested has been identified as Steve Owen alias Hussain, a resident of Banaswadi, who had come to the city on a business visa four years ago. Police said the complainant, an MBA graduate, had applied for a job on an employment website in July 2016. Claiming to be the HR executive of a company based in Scotland, Owen conducted an online interview with the job aspirant. A few days later, Owen sent him a fake appointment letter to his email ID along with a pay package of `1.44 crore per year. Owen then contacted the complainant and claimed that he needed to complete procedures for his visa and permits. He said that the expenses for the paperwork will be reimbursed once he joins the company. The student deposited `14.3 lakh in Owens bank account. After a few days, when the job aspirant couldnt contact Owen, he realised he had been conned. He then approached RT Nagar police and filed a case. Based on the bank account details, police traced Owen to Banaswadi. During interrogation, Owen told police that he was involved in a similar crime earlier. But when police seized his bank account, they found only `70. Police are investigating if others were involved in the scam.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Harping on his early stance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the government has done everything possible in the Jishnu Pranoy case. At a Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Pinarayi termed the DGP Office incident as something that shouldnt have happened.

However, he didnt hide his discontent over the strike by Mahija and others. Was there any need for such a strike? What did they gain from it? The government can say without a shadow of doubt we have done everything possible in the issue, he said.

In an apparent reference to the Opposition and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) activists, who took part in the strike, Pinarayi said some people exploited Mahijas situation to make political gains.

The government fully comprehends the mental state of a mother who lost her son. But some people were making political gains out of it. We couldnt let it happen. But my intervention alone wouldnt have ended the strike, he said.

The incident shouldnt have happened in the first place.Its painful, Pinarayi said. Stating the police needed to look into the conspiracy angle, he said he cant comment on Jishnus uncle Sreejiths role in the issue.

Expressing his unhappiness over SUCI taking up the issue, he said when the SUCI activists went to jail, they had given their phone to Sreejith. This revelation forced Sreejith to admit he had contacted them, Pinarayi said.

If Mahijas was a party family, how could the SUCI influence them? Pinarayi asked, saying itll be verified whether SUCI had any other intention in the issue.

Kanam played no role to end stir

CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran played no role in resolving the hunger strike by Jishnus family, said Pinarayi.

Kanam hasnt called me in this regard. He met Jishnus mother Mahija and relatives on Sunday. He also spoke with CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan over phone regarding the issue, he said.

Pinarayi also said there was no intervention from the part of party central leadership in resolving the issue.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Harping on his early stance, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said the government has done everything possible in the Jishnu Pranoy case. At a Cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Pinarayi termed the DGP Office incident as something that shouldnt have happened. However, he didnt hide his discontent over the strike by Mahija and others. Was there any need for such a strike? What did they gain from it? The government can say without a shadow of doubt we have done everything possible in the issue, he said. In an apparent reference to the Opposition and the Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) activists, who took part in the strike, Pinarayi said some people exploited Mahijas situation to make political gains. The government fully comprehends the mental state of a mother who lost her son. But some people were making political gains out of it. We couldnt let it happen. But my intervention alone wouldnt have ended the strike, he said. The incident shouldnt have happened in the first place.Its painful, Pinarayi said. Stating the police needed to look into the conspiracy angle, he said he cant comment on Jishnus uncle Sreejiths role in the issue. Expressing his unhappiness over SUCI taking up the issue, he said when the SUCI activists went to jail, they had given their phone to Sreejith. This revelation forced Sreejith to admit he had contacted them, Pinarayi said. If Mahijas was a party family, how could the SUCI influence them? Pinarayi asked, saying itll be verified whether SUCI had any other intention in the issue. Kanam played no role to end stir CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran played no role in resolving the hunger strike by Jishnus family, said Pinarayi. Kanam hasnt called me in this regard. He met Jishnus mother Mahija and relatives on Sunday. He also spoke with CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan over phone regarding the issue, he said. Pinarayi also said there was no intervention from the part of party central leadership in resolving the issue.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam has been made compulsory up to Class X in all schools in the state from the next academic year.

The state government has issued an ordinance in this regard. Accordingly, headmasters of schools violating the norms will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000. Also, the government can cancel the recognition of these schools.

The Malayalam Language (Compulsory Language) Bill 2017 makes the language compulsory in all schools, irrespective of the syllabus followed. Teaching the mother tongue has been made compulsory in government, aided, unaided and self-financing schools and schools following state, CBSE and ICSE syllabus, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

If there are schools following any other syllabus, the decision would be applicable to them also.

Earlier, the government had planned to make Malayalam mandatory in schools up to the higher secondary level. However, it was modified to class 10 considering practical difficulties in implementation.

As per the ordinance, there should not be any kind of ban - direct or indirect - on speaking Malayalam in schools. Similarly, no boards/ notices/campaigns should be displayed instructing only a specific language should be spoken.

Compulsory learning of Malayalam has been made mandatory for issuing NOC to schools under CBSE or ICSE boards. The government has also decided to cancel the NOC of schools that refuse to teach Malayalam.

The ordinance has made teaching Malayalam compulsory for recognition to unaided schools as per the Kerala Education Rules.

If students from other states or abroad - pursuing education here - are not able to learn Malayalam as per the system, they have been exempted from studying the language in class 10. Also, if students belonging to the linguistic minority groups wish to learn Malayalam, necessary support will be given.

The draft of the ordinance was cleared by a special cabinet on Monday. The ordinance received the Governors nod on the same day. The Cabinet decision was to make a move ahead of the Assembly session considering its urgent nature.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalam has been made compulsory up to Class X in all schools in the state from the next academic year. The state government has issued an ordinance in this regard. Accordingly, headmasters of schools violating the norms will have to pay a fine of Rs 5,000. Also, the government can cancel the recognition of these schools. The Malayalam Language (Compulsory Language) Bill 2017 makes the language compulsory in all schools, irrespective of the syllabus followed. Teaching the mother tongue has been made compulsory in government, aided, unaided and self-financing schools and schools following state, CBSE and ICSE syllabus, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. If there are schools following any other syllabus, the decision would be applicable to them also. Earlier, the government had planned to make Malayalam mandatory in schools up to the higher secondary level. However, it was modified to class 10 considering practical difficulties in implementation. As per the ordinance, there should not be any kind of ban - direct or indirect - on speaking Malayalam in schools. Similarly, no boards/ notices/campaigns should be displayed instructing only a specific language should be spoken. Compulsory learning of Malayalam has been made mandatory for issuing NOC to schools under CBSE or ICSE boards. The government has also decided to cancel the NOC of schools that refuse to teach Malayalam. The ordinance has made teaching Malayalam compulsory for recognition to unaided schools as per the Kerala Education Rules. If students from other states or abroad - pursuing education here - are not able to learn Malayalam as per the system, they have been exempted from studying the language in class 10. Also, if students belonging to the linguistic minority groups wish to learn Malayalam, necessary support will be given. The draft of the ordinance was cleared by a special cabinet on Monday. The ordinance received the Governors nod on the same day. The Cabinet decision was to make a move ahead of the Assembly session considering its urgent nature.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K M Shajahan held in connection with the protest outside the Police Headquarters has demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on why he was put in jail and harassed. The Chief Minister has taken revenge because of my fight against Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin case, he said.

Following his release on bail on Tuesday, Shajahans mother L Thankamma ended her fast. My question is why was I put in jail for seven days? Shajahan asked.

What does Pinarayi Vijayan, as Chief Minister, have to say about that? I spent less than 10 minutes outside the DGPs Office on April 5.

Recounting the events, Shajahan said he had intervened when the Museum SI pushed SUCI activist M Shajarkhan by the nape of his neck into the police jeep. The SI demanded to know who he was. When he identified himself as V S Achuthanandans former staff member, the officer said, Then you also get in.

The police action amounted to violations of Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution promising protection to life and personal liberty and safeguarding against arbitrary arrest and detention, said Shajahan.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: K M Shajahan held in connection with the protest outside the Police Headquarters has demanded an explanation from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on why he was put in jail and harassed. The Chief Minister has taken revenge because of my fight against Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin case, he said. Following his release on bail on Tuesday, Shajahans mother L Thankamma ended her fast. My question is why was I put in jail for seven days? Shajahan asked. What does Pinarayi Vijayan, as Chief Minister, have to say about that? I spent less than 10 minutes outside the DGPs Office on April 5. Recounting the events, Shajahan said he had intervened when the Museum SI pushed SUCI activist M Shajarkhan by the nape of his neck into the police jeep. The SI demanded to know who he was. When he identified himself as V S Achuthanandans former staff member, the officer said, Then you also get in. The police action amounted to violations of Articles 21 and 22 of the Constitution promising protection to life and personal liberty and safeguarding against arbitrary arrest and detention, said Shajahan.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI: In a memorandum presented to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao here on Wednesday, the DMK has sought dismissal of chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy and his council of ministers over charges of corruption.

Three Members of Parliament from DMK, led by R S Bharathi, including TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva met and presented a memorandum to Governor Rao at Raj Bhavan here.

The memorandum signed by DMK president M K Stalin also demands that the union government should initiate a CBI probe into the massive corruption of council of ministers belonging to the AIADMK government.

Any conviction for an offence of bribery results in automatic disqualification of elected members of legislative bodies for a period of minimum six years, according to the Representation of People act, 1951.

Documents seized by the Income Tax (I-T) department in recent raids have clearly shown that chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy and his council of ministers systematically carried out bribery of voters.

Hence, they are liable to be convicted and disqualified from holding public offices, the memorandum submitted by the DMK members has argued.

MUMBAI: In a memorandum presented to Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao here on Wednesday, the DMK has sought dismissal of chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy and his council of ministers over charges of corruption. Three Members of Parliament from DMK, led by R S Bharathi, including TKS Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva met and presented a memorandum to Governor Rao at Raj Bhavan here. The memorandum signed by DMK president M K Stalin also demands that the union government should initiate a CBI probe into the massive corruption of council of ministers belonging to the AIADMK government. Any conviction for an offence of bribery results in automatic disqualification of elected members of legislative bodies for a period of minimum six years, according to the Representation of People act, 1951. Documents seized by the Income Tax (I-T) department in recent raids have clearly shown that chief minister Edappadi Palanisamy and his council of ministers systematically carried out bribery of voters. Hence, they are liable to be convicted and disqualified from holding public offices, the memorandum submitted by the DMK members has argued.
By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Terming the police assault on protesters in Tirupur district a serious case of human rights violation, the National Human Rights Commission has ordered notice to Chief Secretary, DGP and district SP, seeking reports from them in two weeks. The commission observed that the police appeared to have taken the law into their hands in exceeding the limits. State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice T Meenakumari said the Additional Director-General of Police/Director of Investigation Division of the rights body would probe the allegations.

"A senior officer himself had gone to the extent of beating those women who were standing helpless and defenceless," it said referring to Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan allegedly slapping a woman and pushing two others.

"The act of the police is nothing but a serious violation of human rights as well as the rights guaranteed to women for their self-respect," the Commission said.

NHRC said it issued notices to Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, DGP T K Rajendrian and Tirupur Superintendent of Police E S Uma, calling for reports within two weeks on the "widely reported incident of police excess while dispersing about 300 people."

Quoting reports, NHRC said the residents had yesterday staged a protest against the opening of a retail liquor outlet "and in that process they blocked the highway."

"The reports also state that the police tried to persuade the protesters, but in vain," it added.

The liquor outlet in Tirupur district was closed today following outrage over the 'assault' on a woman by a police official during the crackdown on the protest against the shop.

The police officer's act, caught on camera, drew strong condemnation and protests, following which the district the administration ordered closure of the outlet in Samalapuram, about 20 km from Tirupur. An enquiry was also ordered into the incident.

(With inputs from PTI)

CHENNAI: Terming the police assault on protesters in Tirupur district a serious case of human rights violation, the National Human Rights Commission has ordered notice to Chief Secretary, DGP and district SP, seeking reports from them in two weeks. The commission observed that the police appeared to have taken the law into their hands in exceeding the limits. State Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice T Meenakumari said the Additional Director-General of Police/Director of Investigation Division of the rights body would probe the allegations. "A senior officer himself had gone to the extent of beating those women who were standing helpless and defenceless," it said referring to Additional Deputy Superintendent of Police Pandiarajan allegedly slapping a woman and pushing two others. "The act of the police is nothing but a serious violation of human rights as well as the rights guaranteed to women for their self-respect," the Commission said. NHRC said it issued notices to Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan, DGP T K Rajendrian and Tirupur Superintendent of Police E S Uma, calling for reports within two weeks on the "widely reported incident of police excess while dispersing about 300 people." Quoting reports, NHRC said the residents had yesterday staged a protest against the opening of a retail liquor outlet "and in that process they blocked the highway." "The reports also state that the police tried to persuade the protesters, but in vain," it added. The liquor outlet in Tirupur district was closed today following outrage over the 'assault' on a woman by a police official during the crackdown on the protest against the shop. The police officer's act, caught on camera, drew strong condemnation and protests, following which the district the administration ordered closure of the outlet in Samalapuram, about 20 km from Tirupur. An enquiry was also ordered into the incident. (With inputs from PTI)
By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: The stage is all set to increase reservations for Muslims in employment and education to 12 per cent in the state.



On a day of fast paced developments on Tuesday, Telangana State BC Commission submitted its report to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Later, Rao decided to convene the State Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at 5 pm at Pragathi Bhavan. Next, Rao drove straight to Raj Bhavan and held discussions with Governor ESL Narasimhan on convening the special session of the Legislature. Though, the Budget session of the Legislature was over, Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary on the request of the CM did not prorogue the Assembly. The Assembly was adjourned sine die and there was no need for Governor to notify the session afresh.



According to sources, the Legislature session will be convened next week to adopt Bills on enhancement of Muslim reservations and also ST reservations to 12 per cent. The Parliament adopted GST Bill and it will come to State Legislature. During the special session of the Legislature, the Assembly and Council will adopt the Centres GST Act.



BC Commission submits report to Chief Minister

Telangana State BC Commission, which studied the sociological conditions of the backward class communities in the state, submitted its report to the Chief Minister on Tuesday.



BC Commission chairman BS Ramulu and other members had a meeting with Rao. The Commission submitted its report about the educational and social backwardness among the BC (E) Category communities.



Muslims and Dudekula Muslims in the state are now entitled for five percent reservations in BC(E) category. The TRS government proposed to increase the Muslim reservation to 12 per cent as per the population of Muslims. Likewise, reservations for STs too will be hiked to 12 per cent from the present 6 per cent according to their population.



As the Muslim Reservation Bill may not stand before the legal scrutiny, the state government has decided to lead an all party delegation to the President and the Prime Minister for including the TS reservations in the Constitution as the Centre did it for Tamil Nadu in the past for increasing the overall reservations beyond 50 per cent.

HYDERABAD: The stage is all set to increase reservations for Muslims in employment and education to 12 per cent in the state. On a day of fast paced developments on Tuesday, Telangana State BC Commission submitted its report to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Later, Rao decided to convene the State Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at 5 pm at Pragathi Bhavan. Next, Rao drove straight to Raj Bhavan and held discussions with Governor ESL Narasimhan on convening the special session of the Legislature. Though, the Budget session of the Legislature was over, Assembly Speaker S Madhusudhana Chary on the request of the CM did not prorogue the Assembly. The Assembly was adjourned sine die and there was no need for Governor to notify the session afresh. According to sources, the Legislature session will be convened next week to adopt Bills on enhancement of Muslim reservations and also ST reservations to 12 per cent. The Parliament adopted GST Bill and it will come to State Legislature. During the special session of the Legislature, the Assembly and Council will adopt the Centres GST Act. BC Commission submits report to Chief Minister Telangana State BC Commission, which studied the sociological conditions of the backward class communities in the state, submitted its report to the Chief Minister on Tuesday. BC Commission chairman BS Ramulu and other members had a meeting with Rao. The Commission submitted its report about the educational and social backwardness among the BC (E) Category communities. Muslims and Dudekula Muslims in the state are now entitled for five percent reservations in BC(E) category. The TRS government proposed to increase the Muslim reservation to 12 per cent as per the population of Muslims. Likewise, reservations for STs too will be hiked to 12 per cent from the present 6 per cent according to their population. As the Muslim Reservation Bill may not stand before the legal scrutiny, the state government has decided to lead an all party delegation to the President and the Prime Minister for including the TS reservations in the Constitution as the Centre did it for Tamil Nadu in the past for increasing the overall reservations beyond 50 per cent.
By AFP

KASHMIPUR: Bangladesh hanged three Islamist extremists including the leader of a banned militant outfit on Wednesday, after they were sentenced to death over a 2004 grenade attack on the British ambassador.

The authorities hanged Mufti Abdul Hannan, the leader of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI), and one of his associates at Kashimpur prison just outside Dhaka and another associate in a jail in the northeastern city of Sylhet, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

"They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT)," he told AFP.

The three were sentenced to death in 2008 for the grenade attack four years earlier at a 14th-century Sufi shrine in Sylhet, which killed three people and injured the British high commissioner at the time.

Bangladesh's highest court last month upheld the death sentence, rejecting the final appeals by Hannan and the two associates, Delwar Hossain and Sharif Shahedul Islam.

They had sought clemency from the Bangladesh President in a last-ditch attempt to commute the execution orders to life sentences, but he rejected their pleas.

A madrassa teacher who studied in India and Pakistan, Hannan, 60, fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, a group founded for jihadists who fought in that war.

Prosecutors said Hannan had headed HuJI since the late 1990s, masterminding deadly attacks on a church, secular gatherings, and mosques used by Islam's minority sects.

In August 2004, in one of the country's deadliest extremist attacks, he masterminded the blasts at a political rally of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outside her party office in central Dhaka.

Hasina, then leader of the opposition, narrowly survived what she said was an assassination attempt. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 were injured.

By the time Hannan was arrested in late 2005, more than 100 people had been killed in attacks he orchestrated across the Muslim-majority nation.

HuJI was the first Islamist militant outfit to emerge in Bangladesh, and rose to prominence as Hannan escalated its deadly operations under his leadership.

Security has been tight at the Kashimpur prison and Sylhet prisons with hundreds of policemen and an elite security force patrolling outside the facilities.

Last month, suspected Islamist extremists hurled bombs at a prison van in a daring attempt to free Hannan near the Kashimpur jail. Police arrested a 24-year-old former Madrassa student from the scene.

KASHMIPUR: Bangladesh hanged three Islamist extremists including the leader of a banned militant outfit on Wednesday, after they were sentenced to death over a 2004 grenade attack on the British ambassador. The authorities hanged Mufti Abdul Hannan, the leader of Harkatul Jihad Al Islami (HuJI), and one of his associates at Kashimpur prison just outside Dhaka and another associate in a jail in the northeastern city of Sylhet, home minister Asaduzzaman Khan said. "They were hanged at 10 pm (1600 GMT)," he told AFP. The three were sentenced to death in 2008 for the grenade attack four years earlier at a 14th-century Sufi shrine in Sylhet, which killed three people and injured the British high commissioner at the time. Bangladesh's highest court last month upheld the death sentence, rejecting the final appeals by Hannan and the two associates, Delwar Hossain and Sharif Shahedul Islam. They had sought clemency from the Bangladesh President in a last-ditch attempt to commute the execution orders to life sentences, but he rejected their pleas. A madrassa teacher who studied in India and Pakistan, Hannan, 60, fought against the Soviets in Afghanistan before returning to join HuJI, a group founded for jihadists who fought in that war. Prosecutors said Hannan had headed HuJI since the late 1990s, masterminding deadly attacks on a church, secular gatherings, and mosques used by Islam's minority sects. In August 2004, in one of the country's deadliest extremist attacks, he masterminded the blasts at a political rally of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina outside her party office in central Dhaka. Hasina, then leader of the opposition, narrowly survived what she said was an assassination attempt. At least 22 people were killed and more than 100 were injured. By the time Hannan was arrested in late 2005, more than 100 people had been killed in attacks he orchestrated across the Muslim-majority nation. HuJI was the first Islamist militant outfit to emerge in Bangladesh, and rose to prominence as Hannan escalated its deadly operations under his leadership. Security has been tight at the Kashimpur prison and Sylhet prisons with hundreds of policemen and an elite security force patrolling outside the facilities. Last month, suspected Islamist extremists hurled bombs at a prison van in a daring attempt to free Hannan near the Kashimpur jail. Police arrested a 24-year-old former Madrassa student from the scene.
By PTI

KATHMANDU: Nepal's agitating Madhesi parties today decided to boycott next month's local elections and hold fresh protests, saying the content of the new Constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament was different from what was agreed with the government.

The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) leaders, in a meeting held here, claimed that the new proposal has not addressed their key demand -- revision of provincial boundary. They decided to boycott the local-level polls slated for May 14 and announced fresh protests, saying the new proposal has failed to address their demands.

The leaders said they would not take ownership of the amendment proposal which the government registered at the the Parliament Secretariat yesterday. No provisions pertaining to citizenship, national assembly and language have been changed in the old proposal, according to the agitating UDMF.

Terai Madhes Democratic Party leader Surendra Jha rejected the government's claim that the new proposal was brought in by taking the Madhesi Front into confidence. He said the content in the proposal was different than what was agreed during the joint meeting between the representatives of ruling parties and Front leaders.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the new Constitution amendment proposal registered at the Parliament is aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the Madhesi people. Talking to journalists in Palpa in western Nepal, Poudel said the proposal has been registered to facilitate the people of Madhes to take part in the upcoming local-level election and to honour the sentiments of the Madhes-based parties. He slammed the leaders of Madhes-based parties for distorting facts, saying the Nepali Congress Party has always favoured for the inclusion, citizenship rights, development and welfare of the Madhesi people.

The Madhesi parties, which are demanding more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries, are opposing the local body elections. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, 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.

KATHMANDU: Nepal's agitating Madhesi parties today decided to boycott next month's local elections and hold fresh protests, saying the content of the new Constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament was different from what was agreed with the government. The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) leaders, in a meeting held here, claimed that the new proposal has not addressed their key demand -- revision of provincial boundary. They decided to boycott the local-level polls slated for May 14 and announced fresh protests, saying the new proposal has failed to address their demands. The leaders said they would not take ownership of the amendment proposal which the government registered at the the Parliament Secretariat yesterday. No provisions pertaining to citizenship, national assembly and language have been changed in the old proposal, according to the agitating UDMF. Terai Madhes Democratic Party leader Surendra Jha rejected the government's claim that the new proposal was brought in by taking the Madhesi Front into confidence. He said the content in the proposal was different than what was agreed during the joint meeting between the representatives of ruling parties and Front leaders. Meanwhile, Nepali Congress senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the new Constitution amendment proposal registered at the Parliament is aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the Madhesi people. Talking to journalists in Palpa in western Nepal, Poudel said the proposal has been registered to facilitate the people of Madhes to take part in the upcoming local-level election and to honour the sentiments of the Madhes-based parties. He slammed the leaders of Madhes-based parties for distorting facts, saying the Nepali Congress Party has always favoured for the inclusion, citizenship rights, development and welfare of the Madhesi people. The Madhesi parties, which are demanding more representation and re-demarcation of state boundaries, are opposing the local body elections. Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, 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.
By AFP

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump gave the order to strike Syria with dozens of cruise missiles "during dessert" with visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said in an interview aired on Wednesday.

"We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it," Trump told the Fox Business television network.

Given word that US warships in the Mediterranean were "locked and loaded," Trump said the decision was made then "to do it, so the missiles were on the way."

"And I said, 'Mr. President, let me explain something to you' -- this was during dessert -- 'we've just fired 59 missiles.'"

Trump said Xi "paused for 10 seconds and then asked the interpreter to say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign."

But then, Trump said, Xi responded that "anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, it's OK.... He was OK with it. He was OK."

Trump had been hosting Xi at his private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago on April 6. The US missiles struck a Syrian air base in retaliation for Syria's alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town, killing 87 civilians, many of them children.

Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Tuesday there was "no doubt" the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack. But Russia, Syria's ally, disputes that, saying no evidence has been produced.

Trump regularly spends his weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which his staff has nicknamed the "Southern White House."

Members of the club pay a $200,000 fee, which gives access to its amenities and its eateries.

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump gave the order to strike Syria with dozens of cruise missiles "during dessert" with visiting Chinese leader Xi Jinping, he said in an interview aired on Wednesday. "We had finished dinner. We're now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that you've ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it," Trump told the Fox Business television network. Given word that US warships in the Mediterranean were "locked and loaded," Trump said the decision was made then "to do it, so the missiles were on the way." "And I said, 'Mr. President, let me explain something to you' -- this was during dessert -- 'we've just fired 59 missiles.'" Trump said Xi "paused for 10 seconds and then asked the interpreter to say it again. I didn't think that was a good sign." But then, Trump said, Xi responded that "anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, it's OK.... He was OK with it. He was OK." Trump had been hosting Xi at his private Florida resort Mar-a-Lago on April 6. The US missiles struck a Syrian air base in retaliation for Syria's alleged chemical attack on a rebel-held town, killing 87 civilians, many of them children. Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said Tuesday there was "no doubt" the Syrian regime was behind the chemical attack. But Russia, Syria's ally, disputes that, saying no evidence has been produced. Trump regularly spends his weekends at his Mar-a-Lago resort, which his staff has nicknamed the "Southern White House." Members of the club pay a $200,000 fee, which gives access to its amenities and its eateries.
By AFP

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after complaining of worsening ties with Donald Trump's administration as the two sides spar over Syria.

Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria.

Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of the Kremlin's ally Bashar al-Assad last week.

Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office.

"You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin.

"Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact."

- 'Clarify differences' -

Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil.

But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis.

At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference."

During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd".

Lavrov told Tillerson that Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria.

In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later on Wednesday.

The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack.

"We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the Security Council as it met.

Ahead of Tillerson's visit tempers rose sharply as US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun.

The White House compared Assad's tactics to those of World War II Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, sparking widespread criticism for apparently ignoring the Holocaust.

Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict.

- Evacuations in Syria -

In a sign that the Kremlin is not set to drop its firm support for Assad, Syria's foreign minister is set to jet in to Moscow for talks with Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting involving Iran's top diplomat on Friday.

As the powerbrokers wrangled over the six-year war in Syria that has cost some 320,000 lives, a deal on the ground to evacuate four besieged towns began on Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said.

Thousands of people, both civilians and fighters, are expected to begin leaving government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani later Wednesday.

The evacuations of the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday met US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson after complaining of worsening ties with Donald Trump's administration as the two sides spar over Syria. Putin received Tillerson at the Kremlin along with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov after the top diplomats held several hours of talks dominated by the fallout of an alleged chemical attack in Syria. Despite initial hopes in Moscow of better ties with the US under Trump, the two powers have descended into a furious war of words over the incident and a retaliatory US missile strike against the forces of the Kremlin's ally Bashar al-Assad last week. Russia has slammed Washington's attack on a Syrian airbase and, as Tillerson met Lavrov, Putin admitted that relations have worsened in the three months that Trump has been in office. "You can say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military side, has not improved but most likely worsened," Putin said in the transcript of an interview with Mir television released by the Kremlin. "Where is the proof that Syrian troops used chemical weapons? There isn't any. But there was a violation of international law. That is an obvious fact." - 'Clarify differences' - Tillerson, a former oil executive, might once have looked like the perfect envoy to mend strained ties, having worked closely with the Kremlin while negotiating deals for energy giant ExxonMobil. But the underlying tensions between the former Cold War foes never went away and last week's chemical attack has left ties once again in crisis. At the start of his meeting with Lavrov, Tillerson said he wanted to "clarify areas of common objectives, areas of common interest -- even where our tactical approaches may be different -- and further clarify areas of sharp difference." During his visit -- the first to Moscow by a senior Trump administration official -- Tillerson was expected to challenge Russia to distance itself from Assad and his Iranian backers, an idea that the Kremlin dismissed as "absurd". Lavrov told Tillerson that Moscow was hoping to understand Washington's "real intentions" and warned that the Kremlin considered it "fundamentally important" to prevent more "unlawful" US strikes against its ally Syria. In a further indication of the stark differences, Russia also slammed as "unacceptable" a proposed UN resolution put forward by the US, Britain and France on the alleged chemical attack, and said it would veto it in its current form at a vote expected later on Wednesday. The Western-backed resolution -- which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week -- demands that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation into the alleged attack. "We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy. We are ready to help bring this conflict to an end," US Ambassador Nikki Haley told the Security Council as it met. Ahead of Tillerson's visit tempers rose sharply as US officials suggested Russian forces may have colluded in the latest atrocity blamed on Assad's regime that left 87 civilians dead including children in the town of Khan Sheikhun. The White House compared Assad's tactics to those of World War II Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, sparking widespread criticism for apparently ignoring the Holocaust. Putin meanwhile accused Assad's opponents of planning to stage chemical attacks to be blamed on Damascus in order to lure the United States deeper into the conflict. - Evacuations in Syria - In a sign that the Kremlin is not set to drop its firm support for Assad, Syria's foreign minister is set to jet in to Moscow for talks with Lavrov on Thursday before a three-way meeting involving Iran's top diplomat on Friday. As the powerbrokers wrangled over the six-year war in Syria that has cost some 320,000 lives, a deal on the ground to evacuate four besieged towns began on Wednesday with an exchange of prisoners between rebels and government forces, local sources and state media said. Thousands of people, both civilians and fighters, are expected to begin leaving government-held Fuaa and Kafraya and opposition-controlled Madaya and Zabadani later Wednesday. The evacuations of the four besieged towns come under an agreement brokered by rebel backer Qatar and government ally Iran last month.
By AFP

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council is set to vote Wednesday on a resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Idlib province, but Russia is likely to veto the measure, diplomats said.

Britain, France and the United States put forward the draft text which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

The vote is scheduled for 3 pm (1900 GMT) and comes as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow to pressure Russia to reconsider its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Russia is expected to use its veto to block the measure, diplomats said. It would be the eighth time that Moscow has resorted to its veto power at the Security Council to block action against its ally Syria.

The draft resolution expresses "horror" at the reported use of chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhun and condemns the alleged attack on April 4.

The text expresses the council's full backing for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the joint UN-OPCW investigative panel tasked with determining who is responsible for such attacks.

It calls on the Syrian government to provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators.

The West has accused Assad's forces of carrying out the attack that killed at least 87 civilians, including 31 children, and shocked the world.

On Thursday, the United States fired cruise missiles at a Syrian air base that Washington says was used to launch the chemical attack.

Everybody needs to know

The revised text incorporates suggestions from China, Russia and the other 10 council members.

"We have drafted that resolution deliberately with consensus in mind," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters.

"I find it very hard to understand how any member of the Security Council could vote against any part of that resolution."

The Security Council last week discussed three separate draft texts but failed to agree on a way forward and there was no vote on any of the measures.

On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a thorough investigation by the OPCW and suggested that Assad was the target of false accusations. Syria has denied using chemical weapons.

"It's very important that there is a full investigation so that everybody knows, everybody knows, so that the entire world knows how these horrible chemical attacks occurred and where they come from," French Ambassador Francois Delattre said.

UN investigators already have the mandate under previous resolutions to look into allegations of chemical weapons use but the council wants to underscore its support for a thorough investigation in the Khan Sheikhun case.

Syria is obliged to cooperate with the OPCW as a member of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which it joined in 2013, but access to sites has been a complicated issue.

Turkey's health minister meanwhile confirmed post-mortem tests on victims showed that the deadly nerve agent sarin had been used in Khan Sheikhun.

UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council is set to vote Wednesday on a resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack in Idlib province, but Russia is likely to veto the measure, diplomats said. Britain, France and the United States put forward the draft text which was slightly revised from a proposal presented last week in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun. The vote is scheduled for 3 pm (1900 GMT) and comes as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is in Moscow to pressure Russia to reconsider its support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia is expected to use its veto to block the measure, diplomats said. It would be the eighth time that Moscow has resorted to its veto power at the Security Council to block action against its ally Syria. The draft resolution expresses "horror" at the reported use of chemical weapons in Khan Sheikhun and condemns the alleged attack on April 4. The text expresses the council's full backing for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the joint UN-OPCW investigative panel tasked with determining who is responsible for such attacks. It calls on the Syrian government to provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators. The West has accused Assad's forces of carrying out the attack that killed at least 87 civilians, including 31 children, and shocked the world. On Thursday, the United States fired cruise missiles at a Syrian air base that Washington says was used to launch the chemical attack. Everybody needs to know The revised text incorporates suggestions from China, Russia and the other 10 council members. "We have drafted that resolution deliberately with consensus in mind," British Ambassador Matthew Rycroft told reporters. "I find it very hard to understand how any member of the Security Council could vote against any part of that resolution." The Security Council last week discussed three separate draft texts but failed to agree on a way forward and there was no vote on any of the measures. On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a thorough investigation by the OPCW and suggested that Assad was the target of false accusations. Syria has denied using chemical weapons. "It's very important that there is a full investigation so that everybody knows, everybody knows, so that the entire world knows how these horrible chemical attacks occurred and where they come from," French Ambassador Francois Delattre said. UN investigators already have the mandate under previous resolutions to look into allegations of chemical weapons use but the council wants to underscore its support for a thorough investigation in the Khan Sheikhun case. Syria is obliged to cooperate with the OPCW as a member of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which it joined in 2013, but access to sites has been a complicated issue. Turkey's health minister meanwhile confirmed post-mortem tests on victims showed that the deadly nerve agent sarin had been used in Khan Sheikhun.
By PTI

WASHINGTON: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give the death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Read: What can be done to save Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistan?

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI. She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank. Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up".

Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Diplomatic moves begin to save former naval officer

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal.

Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said. "The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support.

We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest. "If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

Read: India will go out of its way to ensure Kulbhushan Jadhav's return: Sushma Swaraj in Parliament

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub-conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said. "Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip.

Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said. Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav. "We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.

WASHINGTON: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give the death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a "strong message" to India against isolating it on the world stage. Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. Read: What can be done to save Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistan? "Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said. "The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI. She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank. Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction "is rather flimsy" and the story by the Pakistani authorities "do not add up". Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav case: Diplomatic moves begin to save former naval officer Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said. "This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center. "At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said. "The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said. According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest. "If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said. Read: India will go out of its way to ensure Kulbhushan Jadhav's return: Sushma Swaraj in Parliament "If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub-conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said. "Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said. Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav. "We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.
By PTI

UNITED NATIONS: Russia today vetoed a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of a suspected chemical attack that the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad's forces.

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus.

Britain, France and the United States put forward the measure in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 87 dead, including 31 children.

China, another veto-holding power at the council, abstained in the vote, as did Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. Bolivia voted against the measure and 10 other council members supported it.

Russia imposed its veto as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after talks in Moscow that there was a "low level of trust" between the United States and Russia.

The proposed resolution would have condemned the alleged attack and expressed the council's full backing to investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

The draft specifically would have demanded that the Syrian government provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators.

UNITED NATIONS: Russia today vetoed a UN draft resolution demanding the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of a suspected chemical attack that the West blames on President Bashar al-Assad's forces. It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the UN Security Council to block action directed at its ally in Damascus. Britain, France and the United States put forward the measure in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in Khan Sheikhun on April 4 that left 87 dead, including 31 children. China, another veto-holding power at the council, abstained in the vote, as did Kazakhstan and Ethiopia. Bolivia voted against the measure and 10 other council members supported it. Russia imposed its veto as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after talks in Moscow that there was a "low level of trust" between the United States and Russia. The proposed resolution would have condemned the alleged attack and expressed the council's full backing to investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The draft specifically would have demanded that the Syrian government provide flight plans, flight logs and other information on its military operations on April 4, hand over the names of commanders of any aircraft and provide access to air bases to UN investigators.
By IANS

WASHINGTON: The US Department of State on Wednesday asked American citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Pakistan as "foreign and indigenous terrorist groups" in the country "continue to pose a danger to US citizens".

In a new travel advisory for Pakistan, the department urged American citizens to minimise the duration of trips to public markets and restaurants and to avoid gathering at any one location at any time if they choose to live or travel to Pakistan despite the warning.

"Pakistan continues to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks... Throughout Pakistan, foreign and indigenous terrorist groups continue to pose a danger to US citizens," the latest advisory said.

"Evidence suggests that some victims of terrorist activity have been targeted because they are Americans. Terrorists and criminal groups have resorted to kidnapping for ransom," it added.

The US Department of State said travel by US government personnel within Pakistan was also restricted and their movement outside of Islamabad was "severely restricted".

US government personnel may not attend services at places of worship without prior approval or use public transportation or stay overnight at hotels in Pakistan, it added.



WASHINGTON: The US Department of State on Wednesday asked American citizens to avoid all non-essential travel to Pakistan as "foreign and indigenous terrorist groups" in the country "continue to pose a danger to US citizens". In a new travel advisory for Pakistan, the department urged American citizens to minimise the duration of trips to public markets and restaurants and to avoid gathering at any one location at any time if they choose to live or travel to Pakistan despite the warning. "Pakistan continues to experience significant terrorist violence, including sectarian attacks... Throughout Pakistan, foreign and indigenous terrorist groups continue to pose a danger to US citizens," the latest advisory said. "Evidence suggests that some victims of terrorist activity have been targeted because they are Americans. Terrorists and criminal groups have resorted to kidnapping for ransom," it added. The US Department of State said travel by US government personnel within Pakistan was also restricted and their movement outside of Islamabad was "severely restricted". US government personnel may not attend services at places of worship without prior approval or use public transportation or stay overnight at hotels in Pakistan, it added.
SunPower Corporation SPWR has begun construction of an 8.79-megawatt (MW) solar power system at the new headquarters of Toyota Motor Corporation TM located in Plano, TX.



In Jun 2016, the company announced that it has won a contract to design and build a 7.75- MW photovoltaic (PV) solar power system for the new headquarters of Toyota. In this context, Toyota planned to install Sunpowers solar system at the new headquarters, to meet 25% of the buildings energy requirement.



Notably, the Japanese automaker also unveiled plans to shift its North American headquarters from Southern California to Plano, near Dallas, this year.



However, Sunpower is now constructing almost 1 MW, greater than what was initially planned. This will mark the largest on-site solar installation in a corporate office, apart from utility companies, in the state.



Details of the Deal



Currently, high-efficiency SunPower E-Series solar panels are being installed on steel carport structures across the top of four parking garages. On completion, over 20,000 solar panels will cover the area and is now projected to generate sufficient electricity to meet about 33% of the headquarters' energy needs.



Earlier, during the announcement of the contract, the company had said that the solar system will feature three solar carport structures, utilizing high-efficiency SunPower solar panels. Two carports, each with of a capacity of 2.45 megawatts (MW), will become operational around mid-2017, while the third, which has a capacity of 2.83 MW, will come on line by 2017 end.



With the installation of the SunPower solar system, Toyota hopes to be able to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 7,122 metric tons, which is equivalent to the electricity required to power nearly 1,000 homes annually.



It should be noted that this solar system installation is part of Toyotas objective to obtain the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Platinum LEED Certification for its state-of-the-art campus. SunPowers high-efficiency E-Series solar panels, known for generating 20% more efficient power than its competitors during the first year of operation, is expected to significantly aid Toyota in achieving this aim.



This project is being financed by Toyota through a power purchase agreement (PPA) arranged by SunPower. Also, the renewable energy credits associated with the system will be owned by Toyota.



SunPower and Toyota are celebrating their 14 years of partnership. There are SunPower solar arrays at a number of Toyota facilities in the U.S. Presently operating facilities are a 1.5 MW system in West Caldwell, NJ, a 2.3 MW installation in Ontario, CA, as well as an array in Torrance, CA, which was built in 2003.



A Brief Note on E-Series Solar Panels



SunPowers E-Series solar panels deliver efficient performance with low levels of degradation, as validated by third-party performance tests. Per management, compared to other technologies, SunPower converts the greatest percentage of sunlight into electricity, thereby generating more electricity and helping consumers save more money on electricity bills.



The company primarily manufactures E-Series solar panels at its solar panel assembly facilities in Mexico and France.



Our View



SunPower strives to provide high-performance solar products to its customers. The company utilizes sophisticated manufacturing techniques to improve solar cell efficiency, reduce wafer thickness, improve throughput, process yield and quality, and introduce new products that help customers to develop solar projects.



With fossil fuels being scarce, a number of countries are adopting renewable resources as a major source of electrical energy. Among renewable, solar and wind energy are gaining the most traction. To tap this growing market for solar energy, SunPower has been expanding its customer base for quite some time now.



Price Movement



SunPower underperformed the Zacks categorized Solar market industry. Shares of the company lost 68.2% compared with the industrys decline of 50.3% over the last 12 months. This could have been triggered by stiff competition from Chinese solar manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region. As a result, SunPowers performance lagged behind its peer, Canadian Solar, Inc. CSIQ, who has outperformed the industry.

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Zacks Rank & a Stock to Consider



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On Sunday, family of Crown Prince of Denmark bid farewell to their lovely dog Ziggy: Ziggy has been part of the family for 12 years and was the wedding gift of the royal couple. Ziggy was a loyal and affectionate dog. Ziggy's quality of life was rather high in the recent years despite illnesses like chronic kidney failure and osteoarthritis. On Sunday, Crown Princess Mary shared a photo of Ziggy after the death of Ziggy on her Instagram account. Also, a week ago, a photo of Ziggy had been shared by the Crown Princess on her Instagram account.
Longtime tattoo artist opening new shop in the heart of Middletown

Jennifer Beirola has a long history in tattooing and will soon have a place to call her own locally.
U.S.-Russia relations are at a "low point" and need to be improved, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Wednesday in a joint news conference in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Tillerson said he had a "productive," two-hour meeting earlier in the day with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin.

"I expressed the view that the current state of U.S.-Russia relations is at a low point and there is a low level of trust between our countries. The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," Tillerson said.

On his first visit to Moscow as Presdient Donald Trump's secretary of State, Tillerson said the two countries are unified on issues like stabilizing Syria and tackling international terrorism. He said, however, that "until full progress is made under the Minsk accords, the situation in Ukraine will remain an obstacle to improvement in relations between the U.S. and Russia."

The 2016 Minsk agreement was an attempt to stop the fighting in Ukraine between pro-Moscow rebels and the Ukrainian government.

Tensions between the United States and Russia have grown in the wake of the U.S. missile strike on a Syrian air base last week. Trump ordered the strike, accusing the Moscow-backed regime of Syria's President Bashar Assad of the chemical attack that killed dozens, including children.

Senior national security officials briefed reporters Tuesday on declassified intelligence regarding the chemical attack, saying the symptoms of the victims was consistent with exposure to the nerve agent sarin.

The officials rejected Russia's claim that terrorists or rebels carried out the attack. They said that they were confident that terrorists do not have access to sarin.

Tillerson doubled down on these conclusions, saying "this is just the latest of the use of chemical weapons by the Assad regime, and notwithstanding their use on more than 50 occasions of chlorine bombs and cluster bombs and other types of weapons that are intended to maim and kill in the most horrific ways."

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The Russian foreign minister cautioned that the two countries should learn from history, criticizing Western countries for being "fixated on eliminating this or that dictator, authoritarian or totalitarian leader."

Lavrov acknowledged that "it's quite evident that this is a topic with regard to which we have differences of opinion." The Russian foreign minister reiterated calls for an investigation and a "fact-finding mission." He said Russia is "not convinced" of accusations leveled against the Syrian regime.

Russia's relationship with the U.S. has deteriorated since Trump assumed the Oval Office, Putin said in an interview aired Wednesday.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved, but rather has deteriorated," Putin said, according to translated remarks by the Kremlin.

Putin added that Syria had given up its chemical weapons stocks, Reuters reported.





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By Jemima Kelly

LONDON (Reuters) - Money transfer company Transferwise will move its European headquarters from London to the continent by March 2019, it said on Wednesday, in a blow to Britain as it seeks to hold onto its position as a global hub for the developing fintech sector.

CEO Taavet Hinrikus, who co-founded the company in 2011 in London with fellow Estonian Kristo Kaarmann, told Reuters that the new European office would be set up by March 2019, in time for the end of two years of divorce negotiations between Britain and the European Union.

The global headquarters would remain in London, where the company employs around 120 people, because the UK is its biggest market, Taavet said. But if it was setting up the company now, it would not chose Britain.

"Uncertainty means that maybe if you're building the next fintech business you shouldn't build it in London today, until everything clears up again and we understand whats going to happen with access to talent and so on," he told Reuters on the sidelines of a government-sponsored fintech event in London.

Since last June's vote to leave the EU, other financial and technology centres such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Dublin, Paris and Amsterdam have been touted as potential challengers to London as the main hub for European fintech.

A study by Deloitte this week, though, found that London remained the global number one, for now, along with Singapore.

Transferwise has not yet decided where its new European office will be, Hinrikus said, although it was considering the "usual suspects". The new headquarters would provide jobs that would otherwise have been in Britain, he said.

The main reason for the move was the loss of passporting rights, which give EU companies unfettered access to all of the bloc from a single base.

The company, which is valued at more than $1 billion, is backed by several high profile investors, including Silicon Valley venture fund Andreessen Horowitz, Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, and PayPal co-founders Max Levchin and Peter Thiel.

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Customers in more than 50 countries send roughly $1 billion through its website every month.

Hinrikus was speaking at a conference that featured speeches from Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, who said regulators needed to take a light-touch approach to the fintech sector, and UK finance minister Philip Hammond, who said it was important that Britain did not "rest on (its) laurels" when it came to keeping its competitive edge.

"They're all saying the right things but its one thing to talk and another thing to deliver," Hinrikus said.

He thought London would probably remain a fintech hub for the time being, but had to make sure it was able to attract foreign talent. And the lead Britain's regulators had shown in taking a light-touch approach and starting "sandboxes" for start-ups was being copied elsewhere, meaning the country had to do more to keep its edge.

(Reporting by Jemima Kelly; Editing by Huw Jones and John Stonestreet)
The body is geared to function according to a number of inbuilt biological clocks which respond to various cues, including light and darkness. These work in coordination under the master clock in the hypothalamus, which reacts to light.

Light and the circadian rhythm

Light is perceived in the retina by image-forming and non-image forming photoreceptors. The second type includes the intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells, or ipRGCs. These are responsible for perception of light by the hypothalamic clock even in blind individuals, which in turn regulates entrainment of the circadian cycles, and produces the pupillary light response.

These cells contains a specialized photopigment, mostly thought to be melanopsin. This is responsible for mediating the circadian rhythm in humans. The circadian clock is susceptible to phase-shifting by artificial light, and blue light is the most effective for this therapy, with a shorter duration and lower radiance being sufficient to achieve suppression of melatonin. Melatonin is a key hormone in circadian regulation.

40 percent of the neural pathways that are known to originate in the melanopsin-producing ipRGCs project to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which controls the biological clock. Sleep has been particularly well studied in relation to the circadian rhythms. The SCN secretes melatonin in a specific pattern in response to environmental light. Thus biological night causes melatonin production to rise, which triggers the onset of sleepiness. Artificial light at night, especially when timed inappropriately in relation to the biological clock, can lead to severe disturbances of the biological rhythms.

Other ipRGC axons project to brain areas which control the effect of light on physical activity, sleep duration and type re-training of circadian rhythms, and the rhythm of secretion of several hormones. These regions of the brain include the limbic system, the brainstem, and the cortex. Thus functions such as fear reactions, language, analysis, and long-term memory, are all potential targets for ipRGC-mediated stimulation or modulation. Sunlight and darkness are the primary zeitgeber or synchronizer of the circadian system in humans.

Results of circadian rhythm disruption by light

Circadian rhythm disruption by abnormal light exposures may therefore cause various metabolic and chronic conditions to arise, including tumors, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as a response to desynchronization of various physiological processes.

Shift workers are a model for this type of disorder, because their unnatural work times have been associated with various types of morbidity and mortality from cancer and cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and strokes. Breast cancer has been declared to be in part caused by shift work, which is an identified risk factor for the condition. As a result, some governments compensate female shift workers who develop breast cancers for their medical care.

"Biological Effects of Light and What this means for Housing Design and..." by Victoria L. Revell Play

Blue light and circadian rhythm

In the modern world, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are being increasingly used in all kinds of applications where light is used. These include backlit devices such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers, and computer or television monitor screens. Industrial, commercial, and domestic lighting is also dependent upon LEDs.

However, research shows that the spectrum of light emitted by LEDs is not really white but contains blue light at peak emission, in the 400-490 nm range. Blue light is used to treat many disorders, including sleep disturbances and circadian dysrhythmias, because it affects many functions of the body.

Blue light exposure is also responsible for increased alertness and cognitive function. In support of this, many studies have pointed out that the use of backlit e-readers at bedtime can cause hyper-arousal which has a negative effect on sleep. Blue light is also useful for improving alertness in shift workers. It also helps to treat seasonal affective disorders such as SAD (seasonal affective depression), and a recent interesting discovery is that mutations of the melanopsin gene can increase the risk of these disorders.

Light exposure timing and circadian rhythm resetting

A very intriguing modality of treatment of circadian rhythm disorders such as shift work insomnia and jet lag is carefully regulated and timed bright light over several days, which has been shown to produce a predictable and precise change in the circadian rhythm. It is based on the demonstrated difference in the effect of light on various physiological functions known to vary with the timing of the light stimulus, with respect to both amplitude and direction.

Thus nocturnal exposure to light has the maximum effect on the biological system, and the least in the middle of the day when sunshine exposure is maximum. The same stimulus late in the day or in the evening causes a phase delay shift. In the night or early in the biological day, it causes phase advance shifts instead.

Melatonin suppression occurs within five minutes of the start of exposure to each stimulus, but its levels began to rise within ten minutes of the end of exposure. Each light stimulus following the first one produced a similar suppression, and rise of melatonin. This pattern holds good for all animals, plants, and insects, which have a circadian system.

It follows on that short-duration treatment with blue or white light works for all these disorders, to re-entrain the circadian rhythm to a 24-hour day. At the same time, untimely light exposure can bring on a host of disorders ranging from insomnia to cognitive deficits.

References

Further Reading
Researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, have uncovered a mechanism through which a mutation in the STAT3 gene leads to a disorder in the development of the pancreas and to infant diabetes.

Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM), or diabetes among infants less than six months of age, is a rare form of diabetes caused by a mutation in genes crusial to the development or function of beta cells. In about half of such cases, the disease becomes permanent (PNDM). Mutations in more than 20 genes have thus far been identified as causing the permanent variety of neonatal diabetes.

Unlike in type 1 diabetes, NDM patients typically do not have the autoantibodies normally associated with diabetes. However, it was recently discovered that mutations which activate the STAT3 gene may result in neonatal diabetes that includes a strong autoimmune phenomenon.

The mutation that activated the STAT gene most intensely (K392R) was found to cause the most severe form of neonatal diabetes. The mutation was discovered in 2014 in a Finnish patient, who had high levels of beta cell antibodies at birth and underdeveloped pancreas. The patient later developed several autoimmune manifestations in different organs.

A new study, led by Professor Timo Otonkoski, examined the impact the STAT3 mutation has on the development of the pancreas by using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) derived from the patient's skin cells. The study was published in Cell Reports.

The iPS cells produced from the skin cells were made to differentiate into pancreatic islet cells through a complex in vitro method that mirrors the normal development of the pancreas in humans. Before differentiation, the point mutation in the patient cells was repaired using CRISPR-CAS9 genome editing. After this, it was possible to compare the differentiation of the patient's cells during pancreatic development in two kinds of genetically similar cells: ones sick carrying the disease mutation and ones made healthy after being repaired through genome editing.

The results showed that the mutated STAT3 protein produced by the patient's cells led to the premature differentiation of the pancreatic progenitor cells into endocrine cells that produce insulin or glucagon. The results were clearly apparent in both cell cultures and in cells transplanted to mice, which allowed the researchers to study the development of the cells for much longer.

"The impact of the mutated STAT3 protein mechanism we discovered accounts for the underdeveloped pancreas and the early onset of diabetes, even without the damage done by autoimmune mechanisms," states Jonna Saarimaki-Vire, postdoctoral researcher and first author of the article.

Professor Otonkoski and researcher Diego Balboa, who was in charge of genome editing, point out that even though the mutation is rare, the study has broader impact.

"These results reveal the previously unknown significance of the STAT3 gene to pancreatic development. We also successfully used new stem cell technologies and genome editing methods that enable high-precision analysis of the mechanisms underlying disease mutations. We intend to use the same approach to study other diabetes genes in the future."
The Human Vaccines Project and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) today announced that they joined forces with Illumina, Inc., to decipher the human immunome, the genetic underpinnings of the immune system. Illumina will provide the genetic sequencing technologies and expertise required to process the massive amounts of data required to decode the human immunome.

The Human Vaccines Project is a public-private partnership of academic research centers, industry, non-profits and government agencies that aims to decode the human immune system to accelerate development of next-generation vaccines and immunotherapies. A core initiative of the Project is the Human Immunome Program, an internationally led effort by VUMC to determine key principles of how the human immune system prevents and controls disease by illuminating the complete set of genes and molecular structures known as the human immunome.

"By decoding the human immune system, we have the potential to uncover novel diagnostic biomarkers for a wide range of diseases," said James Crowe Jr., M.D., director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center and lead investigator of the Human Immunome Program. "This will enable the development of highly targeted vaccines and immunotherapies against infectious and non-communicable diseases like AIDS, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and cancer."

Due to its scale and complexity, the human immunome is estimated to be billions of times larger than the human genome. With recent technological advances from biomedical and computational sciences, it is now possible to undertake such a mammoth genetic sequencing and data analysis program.

"We are very pleased to collaborate with the Human Vaccines Project, Vanderbilt and its partners, by bringing Illumina's state of the art genetic sequencing and bioinformatics technologies to help solve this major challenge," said Gary Schroth, Ph.D., distinguished scientist and vice president for product development at Illumina. "Successfully defining the human immunome will provide the foundational knowledge to usher in a new era of vaccine, diagnostic and therapeutic development."

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

"Illumina's involvement exemplifies the value of public-private partnerships in advancing medical science," said Wayne C. Koff, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Human Vaccines Project. "Collaboration offers significant opportunity to harness the human immune system and transform our ability to fight disease across the globe."

The launch of the Project's Human Immunome Program was announced in June 2016. The long-term global study, which is coordinated by the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, will genetically sequence the receptors from B and T immune cells from individuals varied by age, gender, genetics, geography and disease states. Results will be shared as an open-sourced database to the global scientific community.

"Sequencing the human immunome is the next frontier of genetic medicine. This important collaboration with The Human Vaccines Project and Illumina marks an exciting step in Vanderbilt's distinguished history and leadership in vaccine research and personalized medicine," said Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of VUMC and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. "Insights about the genetic underpinnings of the human immune system gained from this study will help guide future generations of biomarker and therapeutic development."

This multi-institutional effort is also supported by the Human Vaccines Project Bioinformatics and Data Management Core, located at the J. Craig Venter Institute and the San Diego Super Computer Center at the University of California, San Diego. The Core will analyze the enormous data sets generated by the effort.

Source: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2017/04/11/the-human-vaccines-project-vanderbilt-and-illumina-join-forces-to-decode-the-human-immunome/
New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO has extended the deadline for submitting Aadhaar number to April 30, 2017 for its over four crore members.



The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) had set March 31, 2017 as the deadline for submitting Aadhaar number earlier.



EPFO has also extended the deadline for submitting digital life certificates for its over 50 lakh pensioners till April 30 to link pension accounts with Aadhaar.



"We have extended the deadline for submission of Aadhaar by subscribers to April 30, 2017. Besides, pensioners can also submit their life certificates till April 30," EPFO's Central Provident Fund Commissioner V P Joy told PTI.



EPFO had extended the deadline several times in the past.



It has also done away with the system of accepting life certificate manually through banks. Pensioners are required to provide life certificates digitally either through their mobile phones or at common service centres or bank branches providing such facility.



The latest EPFO order provides that if a pensioner is not able to submit the life certificate in digital format, then the same can be submitted in physical form with valid reasons for not submitting it digitally.



It also says that a pensioner would cease to receive payments from May if life certificate is not submitted by April 30, 2017.
A former woman employee of a web portal ScoopWhoop has lodged a complaint against the co-founder of the website.The complaint was given to the Delhi Police and an FIR was registered on March 28.The complaint has been filed against the web portals co-founder Suparn Pandey. The complaint also includes two other names for being party to the crime.According to a senior police officer, the FIR was registered on the basis of the complaint received.According to police sources, the woman, in her complaint, vividly described how she was harassed for a period of two years from 2015 to 2017. She has mentioned that apart from passing lewd comments, Pandey also touched her objectionably. Under various pretexts, Pandey repeatedly got uncomfortably close, often trying to play with her hair. Pandey was even brazen enough to allegedly send her a lewd video on the company's official Gmail chat, according to Catch News Police have invoked IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment, 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation).Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have issued a notice to Pandey. Pandey has already moved the court for anticipatory bail in the court. The court has given Delhi police five days to reply.This comes days after a former woman employee of The Viral Fever (TVF) came forward and spoke about the harassment at workplace.
New Delhi: India must seek from Pakistan a copy of the judgement awarding death sentence to former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav so the grounds on which he has been convicted is known, noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani has said.



"We want to know whether the sentence is right, and right as in, whether the conviction is right, then the question comes of what kind of punishment for that.



"Suppose he has been convicted on stupid evidence, then that makes a much stronger case for India," he told PTI.



The eminent criminal lawyer was speaking on the sidelines of a conference on 'Improving Indo-Pak Relations' at the India International Centre here which was also attended by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit, its former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.



At the end of the conference last night, commotion prevailed briefly at the venue, as several members of the media mobbed Basit and Kasuri with a volley of questions, against the backdrop of widespread outrage in India over the death penalty to 46-year-old former officer on charges of alleged "espionage and sabotage" activities.



"Reactions are flying thick and fast from every side, and media is also reacting to it strongly. But, one must know on what evidence he has been convicted, first of all.



"I should read what is the charge and what is the evidence on which they (Pakistan) have acted, and why this death sentence. Death sentence is justified only in those cases in which you cannot imagine a more serious offence, that is the law, as far as I can see," Jethmalani said.



The 93-year-old lawyer, who was born in Sindh province (now in Pakistan) of undivided India also urged media to exercise restraint while asserting both the countries must continue to engage peacefully to resolve outstanding issues.



"Today people are giving opinions on the case (Jadhav's) without reading the judgement. I have not read it, and I do not want to aggravate the situation. But, whole press seeking opinions, have they read the judgement, nobody.



"We have made our stand, but we want to see the judgement. So, we (India) must ask from Pakistan the certified copy of the judgement.. Before we burn bridges, we need to think properly," he said.



Asked if Pakistan would be willing to share the copy of the order, he said, "Have we asked for it, that it has not been given."



Former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) A S Dulat described the situation as "crazy".



"The whole episode surrounding Jadhav's case is so crazy. I wonder if Pakistan would be willing to share anything," he said on the sidelines of the event.



Dulat ran into Kasuri while he was entering the conference hall and left soon thereafter, after exchanging pleasantries.



During the event, some reporters had posed questions to Kasuri and Basit on the raging issue of death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. But both of them declined to answer.



Surrounded by a battery of reporters and camerapersons, Kasuri only said, "Even many civilians in Pakistan have been tried by military courts."



During his talk at the conference, Pakistan's foreign minister said, both sides must not allow things to drift away and that it is in Islamabad's interest to have good relations with India.



At the same time, he admitted that things between the two neighbours are not looking good.



"Relationship is not normal right now. Rhetoric not particularly good on either side of the border. I must admit I was initially hesitant, but it is these times that we must persist and talk about peace," he said.



India has warned Pakistan of the "consequences" Jadhav's hanging could have on their ties and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid pervasive outrage in the country.
India will wait for Pakistan government's response to its protests over death penalty to alleged spy Kulbhushan Jadhav and not react in a hurry, sources have told CNN-News18.That is because New Delhi is certain that Pakistan will not carry out the hanging sentence immediately as it would exhaust all options available to the neighbouring country.In the meanwhile India will explore all diplomatic options for saving Jadhav from the death row, sources said, adding that this was also the suggestion given to the government by security agencies.In a bid to ramp up pressure through mutual friends, India is likely to raise the issue with US National Security Advisor H R McMaster who is visiting New Delhi and Islamabad next week.Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit has been apparently told to provide the evidence against Jadhav and give him a fair trial following the rules of diplomacy.The government is also trying to understand the real reason behind the hurry in which a Pakistan military court sentenced Indian national Jadhav to the gallows for "espionage and subversive activities" and the urgency with which Army Chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa confirmed it.Security agencies are also learnt to have suggested to the government not to deal with the issue through backchannels but to keep pressurising Islamabad through official channels. That is because they feel opening up of backchannels may undermine the Indian position.Jadhav was arrested reportedly from Balochistan after he entered from Iran in March 2016. He was accused by Pakistan of being a "R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent and planning "subversive activities" in the country.The Indian government, on the other hand, believed that he was picked up from Iran.The case took a turn In December 2016, when Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz told the Pakistan Senate that there was not enough evidence against Jadhav.However, in March, Aziz retracted his statement and ruled out any possibility of extraditing Jadhav back to India.Aziz told the Senate that Pakistan never said there was any lack of evidence against him. "We have filed an FIR and prepared a case to prosecute Indian state actor for his subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.Aziz said Islamabad had shared a dossier with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on New Delhi's involvement in internal affairs of Pakistan, and in subversive and terrorist activities in the country.
The Pakistan Army has taken custody of a Karachi-based underworld don who they claim was helping Kulbhushan Jadhav to spy against the country.According to Pakistani media reports, the Army took custody of Uzair Baloch on espionage charges who was earlier arrested by by Pakistan Rangers personnel outside Karachi in January 2016 in a so-called raid.A report from the Dawn said that Balochs arrest is embroiled in controversy as more than a year after his arrest in Dubai by Interpol, he mysteriously surfaced in Karachi, only to be caught by Rangers in their targeted action.Jadhav was arrested reportedly from Balochistan after he entered from Iran in March 2016. He was accused by Pakistan of being a "R&AW (Research and Analysis Wing) agent and planning "subversive activities" in the country.The Indian government, on the other hand, believed that he was picked up from Iran.The case took a turn In December 2016, when Pakistan Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz told the Pakistan Senate that there was not enough evidence against Jadhav.However, in March, Aziz retracted his statement and ruled out any possibility of extraditing Jadhav back to India.Aziz told the Senate that Pakistan never said there was any lack of evidence against him. "We have filed an FIR and prepared a case to prosecute Indian state actor for his subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan," he said.Aziz said Islamabad had shared a dossier with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on New Delhi's involvement in internal affairs of Pakistan, and in subversive and terrorist activities in the country.Besides being involved with Jadhav, Baloch is accused in other anti-state activities.Baloch is the head of lyari gang, a Karachi-based criminal gang. The Pakistanis also claim Baloch was working for Iranian intelligence officials.Baloch, once known for his loyalty to the Pakistan Peoples Party and close contacts with its certain leaders, was declared absconder in over 40 cases.
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav may face trouble as Uttar Pradesh police will collect his voice samples for forensic investigation in the IPS officer Amitabh Tahkur threat call case.



A complaint was filed by Thakur in 2015 alleging that Yadav had threatened him over a phone call. Thakur and his wife Nutan had earlier complained the Lokayukta against the then minister Gayatri Prajapti, with proof gathered via a right to information plea, for accruing illegal wealth.



The investigating officer in the case, Dinesh Kumar Singh, on Tuesday presented a report before the Lucknow Chief Judicial Magistrate Sandhya Srivastava saying that due to Assembly polls related duties police could not take any action in the case, but will soon study the recording of the alleged conversation between Yadav and Thakur. Also, Yadavs voice samples will be collected for forensic investigation. The next date of hearing in the case is April 24.



Thakur had alleged that Hazratganj police had closed the investigation in October 2015 without any proper investigation. However, the final report of Hazratganj police, which had given a clean chit to Yadav, was rejected by the CJM on in August 2016. The CJM had also directed the investigating officer to reopen the case and send the voice samples for forensic investigation. The CJM had also directed the IO to conduct a test on the voice sample in a CD produced by Thakur as evidence. The CJM had pulled up the IO for incomplete investigation.



However, police continued to move a slow pace in the case. According to political analysts, the police may now feel less pressure in the case as Yadavs party is no more in the power in UP.



Thakur had earlier moved a protest petition stating that it was clear from the police probe that Yadav had called and threatened him.


New Delhi: The Pakistan Army officer who went missing in Nepal last week was on a sensitive ISI mission while he vanished, top Indian intelligence sources told CNN-News18.



Lt Colonel Mohammed Habib Zahir, a retired artillery officer, was reported to be on way to Lumbini in the Indo-Nepal border when he made his last call to his family in Lahore.



His family has accused that he was lured into a trap and was kidnapped by enemy intelligence agencies, while India has maintained it has nothing to do with the officers disappearance.



Indian intelligence circles believe Zahir had a "no-objection certificate" from ISI to travel outside Pakistan, which was issued on March 31, 2017, by Lt Col Atif Anwer Dar of ISI.



Col Zahir was on sensitive ISI mission in Nepal and was to stay there for two weeks. After losing touch with Zahir, ISI disown any links with him, they said.



Earlier, there were reports that Zahir was among the ISI team that had kidnapped former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav from Chaman in Iran and brought him to Pakistan.



A few days ago a Pakistani military court had sentenced Jadhav to death for espionage activities in the countrys restive Baluchistan region.









Indian intelligence circles rubbished the claim that Zahir's disappearance had anything to do with Jadhav's sentencing.



Pakistani sources said Zahir had arrived in Kathmandu on April 6 by Air Arabia, and boarded an Air Buddha flight to Bhairahawa. The official version is that he had visited Nepal for a job interview with a UN agency that was negotiated over the Internet. He was currently working with Rafhan Mills, Faisalabad.



He last spoke to his family on April 6. Saad Habib, a son of the missing officer, in an FIR lodged late on Monday with Rawat police station near Rawalpindi, said that his father was received by one Javed Ansari in Nepal who took him to Lumbini, a town near the Indian border.



According to the family, a caller identified as Mark Thompson had reportedly contacted him both via email and a UK-registered telephone for a job interview in Nepal for which he was also provided an air ticket.



Pakistani media had claimed that initial probe showed that the UK number was computer-generated and the emails and website domains were registered in India, creating an alarm that Indian spies might have tricked the officer.
On the day that a military court in Pakistan ordered the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, a former Navy officer, the Indian military establishment saved the lives of two Pakistani maritime commandos.According to the Coast Guard, on the 9th April at around 8.30 pm, the Maritime Rescue Coordination centre in Mumbai got a distress call from Karachi.A speed boat of the Pakistani Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) had gone missing while on a routine patrol off the IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line). Its last known position was 59 nautical miles West of Jakhau. The fear was that it had drifted into Indian waters.The rule of the Sea is simple. The utmost priority is to save a life, procedures can follow later. True to that spirit the Indian Coast Guard was put on high alert.Three ships patrolling the area including ICGS Ankit, ICGS Samrat and ICGS Arinjay were diverted for search and rescue operations. A Dornier patrol aircraft and an advanced light helicopter later joined in to undertake sea and air coordinated searches in Indian waters.The Pakistani side also deployed three ships and two helicopters in their waters.The Indian team roughly knew what they were looking for. A white rigid inflatable boat with orange stripes and six Pakistani maritime commandos on board.The next day on 10th of April, roughly at the time that the Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Bajwa was signing on Kulbhushan Jadhav's execution order, an Indian fishing boat spotted the Pakistani boat and rushed to its rescue.Of six men on board, four had drowned. But they managed to rescue two survivors. Their condition was fast deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to the sun. The fishermen contacted the Coast Guard over the VHF and subsequently handed the Pakistani commandos to them for medical attention.The Indian effort didn't end there. Two coast guard ships continued to look for the bodies of the four Pakistanis, three were recovered and handed over to the PSMA.This is the version of the Indian Coast Guard. The version of the Indian fishermen who were also part of the search and rescue is slightly different.They said three boats of the PMSA had rounded up seven Indian fishing trawlers near the IMBL. While escorting them to the Karachi Port, one of the trawlers rammed the Pakistani boat that capsized on impact.The Indian fishermen then saved two Pakistani commandos and immediately contacted the Coast Guard. ICG Arinjay sailed in with medical help. The two commandos and three bodies recovered were handed over to Pakistan this morning. As a goodwill gesture, Pakistan released all 62 fishermen they had rounded up.Whichever version you believe, one thing is clear. India helped save two Pakistani lives mid sea. It is now Pakistan's turn to return the favour.
Madrid: A woman and a child died after the boat in which they and 31 other migrants were trying to reach Europe capsized in the Mediterranean Sea, Spain's maritime rescue service said on Wednesday.



A service spokeswoman said a Spanish Navy unit stationed on Alboran island, halfway between Spain and Morocco, rescued 30 migrants after the boat overturned yesterday.



She said a search for one missing migrant was continuing.



The spokeswoman said a 10-year-old girl was found dead and the woman died later. It was not immediately known if the two were related.



She said the service transported 29 of the migrants by boat to the Spanish port city of Almeria while a pregnant woman was flown to an Almeria hospital for treatment.



None of the 29 needed to be hospitalised.



She said the service had been tipped off by an NGO in Morocco that the boat had set sail from near the northern Moroccan city of Nador.



There were no details on the migrants' nationalities.



Thousands of migrants, most from sub-Saharan African countries, try to reach Spain's shores by boat each year.



The official spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with service regulations.




Mumbai: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has recorded a two-minute prolog for a social campaign on Victim Shaming, urging families, authority figures and citizens to reflect upon the need to break the tolerance towards how victims of sexual assault are treated.



Amitabh has lent his voice to a public service awareness initiative by Star Plus, in which he questions culprits of character assassination with the question Whose fault is it?. The campaign advocates that society needs to place the guilt rightfully with the perpetrators by putting them on trial instead of shaming the victims.



Talking about it, Big B said in a statement: "The idea that a woman loses her dignity if she is sexually assaulted is instilled strongly in our cultural mindset. The shame should be on the perpetrators instead of the victim. We need to foster a safe, secure and supportive environment where victims can seek refuge especially from those who they turn to for protection like authority figures, family and society.



"There is a strong need to step forward and talk about this through stories which can trigger this change in mindset of the people."



The campaign is an extension of the channel's new show Kya Qusoor Hai Amala Ka.



The 74-year-old earlier took to his blog to dwell on how it's a shame that one has to rely on various mediums and campaigns to raise awareness about such issues.



"Is it not a shame though, that what should come to us humans as a natural reaction to protect the female gender in our society, one and many ones, have to propagate the issue through various mediums and campaigns! A shame," wrote the lead actor of Pink, which has just won the National Award for Best Film on Social Issues.




Mumbai: Kangana Ranaut started a debate on nepotism in the film industry, but the actress said her remark on Karan Johar's chat show was an observation and she does not have any objection with star kids joining Bollywood.



The actress said she is not on a mission against star kids as everyone in the industry is working to make good cinema.



"If you're talking about nepotism, it's not an objection, it's an observation. As an individual, it is my prerogative to leave my footsteps behind for the ones who will follow me. It is important they know where I fell, where I walked, stayed and ran...



"We should all work on it and not point fingers and make it sound like a fight to make the society more democratic for everyone," Kangana told reporters here.



The 30-year-old actress said the film industry has become more welcoming towards outsiders and the credit for the same goes to artistes coming from unconventional background and making it big in Bollywood.



"'What is an outsider?' We are all working to make cinema. Anyone working for some other intention is an outsider. I don't consider myself an outsider."



Whoever comes from an unconventional background, they should work towards it and not say, 'Oh we have been lucky enough that we didn't face any discrimination or we are the chosen one, the industry has accepted us with open arms'," she said.



Kangana said the industry has a democratic environment today where actors can choose to openly say 'they cannot talk in English' and will still not be looked at differently.



"The fact that today in the industry we have a lot more democratic environment is also because of people like us who have been working at it. I see newcomers easily say 'I can't talk in English I will only talk in Hindi.' It's because we have made it appear cool.



"We are going to make outsiders feel and appear cool. Kangana was speaking at the launch of Spring Summer collection of Melange by Lifestyle.
New Delhi: After a persistent attack by the Opposition parties and, particularly by Arvind Kejriwal, the Election Commission has decided to throw an open challenge to prove that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) cannot be tampered with. The exercise will be taken up in the first week of May.



The four-level challenge will be conducted in Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi. The challenge will be open to people from the domain of technology as also the political parties for ten days.



Recently, there has been a growing criticism of the EVMs and the call for the return of ballot paper voting has gained momentum. Congress and AAP-led delegations had recently communicated their disapproval of EVMs to the Election Commission.



The opposition raked up the issue once again after a VVPAT machine in Madhya Pradesh dispensed only the BJP slips, no matter what button was pressed.



Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal had recently challenged the EC to hand over an EVM to him and he will prove within 72 hours that these machines weren't fool proof and can be tampered with.



However, it was BSP supremo Mayawati who first alleged the EVMs were tampered with after her party was reduced to a meagre tally of 19 seats in the recently concluded Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.


Rahul has also had round of meeting in this regard with CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury. In the corridors of Parliament and Central Hall where MPs gather for a cup of tea or butter milk served by liveried bearers, the post-UP political situation has been discussed many times over in the last four weeks.

But more than that, the larger framework to work together both inside and outside Parliament has to be thrashed out amongst opposition parties. Especially when contradictions are inherent, and compulsions are both political and personal in nature.

The task before the UPA or whatever remains of it is cut out. Especially in the face of an adversary which has settled leadership issues; has an ambitious strategy in place to expand its political footprint in consort with an ideological bulwark which operates on an entirely different plane.

: The post-recess part of the budget session of Parliament marks the beginning and the end of things both administrative and otherwise.Parliament gives its nod to the government of the day to withdraw and spend to meet its annual expenses. The sun firmly establishes itself in the northern firmament. Spring gingerly makes way for a precocious summer stepping in with intermittent sweep of warm westerly which strews all about a thick carpet of old and worn out leaves.On one such day in the penultimate week of the session, Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi met CPI MP D Raja. The same morning newspapers had carried headlines in bold letters of Yogi Adityanath endorsing the concept of Hindu Rashtra."After the UP victory, there is no pretence on the part of the RSS and the BJP what they intend to do. So there is obviously an attempt by the alternative forces to at least know one another's mind on the current political situation," said a Left leader privy to the discussions in the meeting.There is still time and no one really wants to jump the gun. Or rush into something which may complicate matters further. The grand alliance is a grand idea. But in electoral politics two and two isn't always four. The two twos can add up to eight; or even contract in a zero sum game. Electoral politics is as much chemistry as it is about arithmetic - between social groups and their immediate compatibility."We first need to understand the possible action plans and their feasibility," says a Left leader who is aware of these developments.CPI has already had a discussion within and a round with CPM in this regard. There are many proposals doing the round. Presidential elections slated in July this year could be one opportunity where this opposition unity could be put to an early test."But more than that it is about an alternative narrative. Do we have one in the face of BJP attempting to appropriate Ambedkar? Do we have one in the face of government's media blitz when NDA complete three years in power in May this year," says a leader.Can CPM and Mamata work together- in Bengal and outside? Can SP get its core Yadav constituency to vote for BSP's Dalit candidates if the two parties are to join hands? Feasibility of an electoral pact is more about compatibility of the social groups seeking to join hands for political power than their leadership holding joint rallies.Which is why every party, and every leader is playing it safe for now. Congress' political capital is at its all time low. As it happens in transformative years, the grand old party has for the last three years been afflicted with an extended bout of after-me-deluge syndrome with old guards steadfastly refusing to give way.As was evident on the last day of the session when one statement by a former union minister was enough to shatter an assiduously built campaign against the use of EVMs by 16 opposition parties.Sensing realignments in the next two years, BJP has already started to plan its next move. All NDA allies, small and big were invited by party president Amit Shah for a meeting in Delhi at the close of the budget session.The first of its kind meeting in two years where a BJP minister counted 34 parties breaking bread and exchange notes. "That is ten more than Atalji's NDA," he told reporters.East, North-east and the Coromandal Coast is the new catchment area. In the second week of April, senior party leaders and ministers were sent to spend a day in at least one Lok Sabha constituency which NDA lost in 2014.For the opposition, recreating secular versus communal binary - as in 2004 - won't be easy. And Congress' positioning as a pan-India national party would be critical in determining both the pitch and strength of the challenge opposition can mount.
Rao said if the central government refused to include the legislation in Constitution's 9th Schedule as was done in the case of Tamil Nadu, Telangana would approach the Supreme Court.

He said that his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) was taking the step to implement its poll promise to increase the quota for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes to 12 percent each.

KCR said there was also a need to increase the quota for backward classes. The cabinet has asked BC Commission to submit a report in six to seven months after a thorough study of the socio-economic conditions of BCs.

The total quantum of reservation in Tamil Nadu is 69 percent, Jharkhand 60 percent, Maharashtra 52 percent and as high as 80 percent in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram, he averred.

: A special session of Telangana Assembly will be held on April 16 to pass a legislation to increase the quota for Muslims and tribals, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Wednesday.He said the percentage of enhanced quota will be decided by the state Cabinet at a meeting on April 15.After passing the bill, which will take the overall reservation quota in the state beyond the prescribed limit of 50 percent, it will be sent to the Union government for President's assent.Defending the proposed move, he said it was the responsibility of his government to increase the overall quantum of reservation in line with the social composition of the newly-created Telangana.Rao was addressing a news conference after the meeting of the state cabinet, which accepted the report of State Backward Classes Commission on the socio-economic conditions of Muslims and report of another panel to increase the quota for tribals.KCR, as Rao is popularly known, pointed out that the socially and economically backward sections among Muslims are already enjoying 5 percent reservation in jobs and education.The Chief Minister said Telangana's legislation would be on the lines of the law passed by Tamil Nadu and included in 9th Schedule.He announced that his government will also increase the quota for Scheduled Castes (SCs) by one percent. The SCs currently enjoy 15 percent reservation while they constitute 16.3 percent of the state's population.He contended that with 90 percent of Telangana state's population constituting backward classes, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities, 50 percent ceiling on reservation will not work for the state.He referred to the Supreme Court judgment in Indira Sawhney case that total reservation can exceed 50 percent provided a case is made out with quantifiable and impeccable data.Citing the examples of states implementing more than 50 percent reservation, he remarked that law has to be equal for all states.KCR reminded the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been opposing the move, that following the protest by Gujjars and Jats, its government in Rajasthan increased the total quantum of reservation to 68 percent and sent the legislation to the Centre for President's assent.In an obvious reference to strong opposition to the move from BJP, KCR reiterated that the reservation was not based on religion but on socio-economic backwardness of Muslims.He pointed out that states like Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Karnataka and Manipur were already providing reservation to some backward groups among the minorities.Stating that his government is extending cooperation to the Centre as and when required, KCR hoped that Narendra Modi government will accept the state's request. "Otherwise, we are ready for a fight as long as it takes," he added.The TRS chief also demanded that the Centre transfer the subject of reservation to states as the states will have a better understanding of their social composition and will be able to take necessary steps to ensure social justice.
New Delhi: Senior leader Veerappa Moily on Wednesday refused to back the demand made by opposition parties to the Election Commission to reintroduce ballot papers.



"There needs to be a high power committee. There is no question of going back to the manual voting. Going back to the manual is no progress. We need to go forward, Moily told reporters.



This comes as the Congress on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to review its stand on EVMs and try alternatives suggested to it to put to rest concerns raised by political parties that voting machines can be tampered with.







Congress leader P Chidambaram said all political parties including the BJP have at some point of time raised serious doubts on impenetrability of EVMs and his party has suggested various alternatives which the poll body should emulate.



"All political parties at some time or the other have serious doubts over the EVMs. Then you should look for alternative. The alternative does not exclude an EVM. It says EVMs plus VVPAT or EVM plus ballot. We are proposing several alternatives, he said.



I think the Election Commission should not reject it out of hand but must have the humility to accept the case of the political parties and re-examine its position," he added.



Chidambaram said as per the memorandum submitted by Opposition parties there is overwhelming evidence that EVMs can be tampered with and they are vulnerable to being manipulated.




Dhaka: Bangladesh on Wednesday night executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.



Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 pm (local time), Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.



His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.



Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun Ur Rashid said the autopsies of Hannan and Bipul have been completed and their bodies will be sent to their village homes amid tight security.



President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions this week.



Earlier, the authorities beefed up security in and around the Kashimpur jail. The family members of Hannan - his wife, two daughters and elder brother - met him in the jail this morning.



Ripon's family members also met him at the Sylhet jail. On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.



The then Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.



The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.



A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.



Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.



HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.



The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organization and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.



Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.
Washington: White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologised on Tuesday for "insensitive" remarks in which he seemed to favorably compare Adolf Hitler's actions during the Holocaust to atrocities carried out now by strongman Bashar al-Assad in Syria.



During a White House briefing Spicer sought to intensify criticism of Assad, painting the Syrian leader's suspected use of sarin nerve agent against civilians last week as historically evil.



"You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons," the spokesman said during a White House press briefing, momentarily forgetting the Holocaust and prompting outraged calls for his resignation.



A few hours later, a contrite Spicer appeared on US television expressing regret for the comments, which in the hours after he made them were greeting with growing outrage and demands for his resignation.



"Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive comment about the Holocaust and there is no comparison," he told CNN.



"For that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that."



Spicer's comments, which came during the Jewish festival of Passover, sparked calls from anti-defamation groups and opposition Democrats for his ouster.



"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the President must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements," said top congressional Democrat Nancy Pelosi.



"Either he is speaking for the president, or the president should have known better than to hire him."



Spicer -- the most public face of the Donald Trump's administration after the president himself -- has been a frequent target of ire and satirists for his angry denunciations of press coverage and sometimes loose grasp of the facts.



He was pilloried for his first appearance in the press briefing room in January, when he browbeat journalists and falsely insisted Trump had the biggest inaugural audience ever.



He later caused an international incident by claiming British signals intelligence agency GCHQ helped former president Barack Obama spy on Trump.



Furious British spies described the claim as "nonsense" and "utterly ridiculous," forcing Spicer to explain his comments to the British ambassador.



But his latest claim brought anger from across the political spectrum and looks of astonishment from the assembled White House press corps, who offered Spicer a chance to clarify.



"I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no -- he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing," Spicer said, returning to the subject.



As journalists shouted "what about the Holocaust?" Spicer continued, "I think there is clearly... I understand the point, thank you, thank you I appreciate that."



Hitler "brought them into the Holocaust centers, I understand that. But I'm saying in the way that Assad used them, where he went into towns, dropped them down, to innocent -- into the middle of towns, it was brought... so the use of it, I appreciate the clarification, that was not the intent."



Steven Goldstein, head of the Anne Frank Center, described Spicer's comments as an "evil slur" and said he now "lacks the integrity to serve."



In an earlier written clarification, Spicer said he was "in no way... trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust."



"I was trying to draw a distinction of the tactic of using airplanes to drop chemical weapons on population centers. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable," he explained.



Defense Secretary Jim Mattis later offered a hint at what Spicer may have meant, saying that "even in World War II, chemical weapons were not used on battlefields."



"Since World War I, there has been an international convention on this."



Richard Price, professor of political science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and author of The Chemical Weapons Taboo told AFP Hitler in fact came very close to using chemical weapons on civilian areas.



"Hitler used gas widely in the concentration camps, but they never used them against soldiers nor against cities," he said.



"Albert Speer, munitions minister, said that during the trials of Nuremberg that Hitler gave the order to use them in the last months of the war, but his generals refused, because they knew the war was over, there was no point."



- Syria briefing -



Tuesday's incident was not the first time this week that Spicer has found himself in rhetorical difficulty over Syria.



On Monday, he suggested that Trump could take military action if Assad were to drop more barrel bombs -- a regular occurrence in Syria's brutal war and a red line that would almost immediately be breeched, making US military action all but certain.



The White House privately walked back his comments.



Trump's pared-back approach to staffing has resulted in many of the apparatus around Spicer from being removed.



There are around half the number of National Security Council's communications staff, whose job is -- in part -- to brief the press secretary on international developments.



The State Department does not have a spokesperson and has stopped holding daily briefings, which often serve as an early warning system for the White House about questions and issues headed their way.
Donald Trump the president looks less and less like Donald Trump the candidate.

While campaigning last year, Trump promised, among other things, to label China a currency manipulator and rework or withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement within his first 100 days. Neither is happening.

Trump recently told the Wall Street Journal that he wont officially accuse China of currency manipulation, at least not any time soon. He hasnt done anything about NAFTA, except to say pleasant surprises are coming. He has continued to threaten tariffs on certain imports from the two countries, but he hasnt backed that with legislative or policy proposals. For all his bluster, Trump seems to be letting China and Mexico off the hook.

The two countries served as Trumps most convenient bogeymen during the campaign, when he repeatedly claimed that low-paid workers from Mexico and China had taken millions of jobs that once belonged to Americans. Among Trumps more memorable accusations:

We cant continue to allow China to rape our country.

Mexico is killing us on trade.

Other countries are eating our lunch.

Trump used the threat of trade wars to great effect during the campaign, convincing millions of American workers that a tougher stance on trade would make them better off. He now seems to be changing his mind, which is not surprising given that hundreds of economists and business leaders have warned that punitive tariffs and other protectionist measures would do more economic harm than good.

President Trump and Chinas president Xi Jingping

It might be tempting to call Trump a flip-flopper, but its also worth noting that his views on key economic issues seem to be maturing as he shifts from campaigning to governing. It has certainly happened to other newly elected presidents. Many campaign promises are never fulfilled, which is perhaps one reason Americans have soured on electoral politics.

Many Trump campaign promises would also be reckless if fulfilled. Labeling China a currency manipulator would open the door for US trade restrictions on China, and China would probably retaliate with similar sanctions on the United States. This would spook markets, probably sending stocks down. If such measures actually went into effect, prices of some imports would rise, with many ordinary families paying more. This is not what to do if you want to boost economic growth, a key Trump goal.

Story continues

Trump has also threatened companies that build products in Mexico with sizeable border tariffs if they could just as easily make such goods in the United States. He has tangled on that issue with automakers such as Ford and General Motors, which both build cars in Mexico that are for sale in America. Those flare-ups have been doused by automaker promises to hire more Americans and invest more in Americano border taxes needed.

Trump meets regularly with CEOs and other top business minds, and he undoubtedly gets an earful about the risks of protectionism. He appears to be listening. Trump could still seek trade concessions from China and Mexico as various agencies finalize reports and investigations into Americas trade relationships. Perhaps most likely are targeted, modest requests on trade from key partners. But the odds of outright trade wars seem to be dropping. That is good for businesses and might even benefit their workers at some point.

Read more:

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman
Washington: A Muslim woman's hijab was allegedly ripped off in the US by a man who she claimed beat her "like an animal" and repeatedly stepped on her head, prompting calls for a hate crime probe.



The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer.



Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.



The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital on Tuesday.



"I said to myself, 'I am going to die today for sure.' So he gets up from the car and told me to come here," said the woman who was attacked.



The woman, who did not wish to be named, said a car pulled up alongside her.



One man came from a car. That man wanted only one thing -- to remove the woman's hijab, or headscarf, she said. "He said to take my hijab, my scarf. I tried to fight him. 'Don't take my hijab,' you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal," she told the TV station.



The attacker was able to pull the scarf off and blood stains remained on it, the report said.



The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped on her head repeatedly.



She said he also took out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.



"Certainly we're scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe. The initial reaction is shock," said Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.



Those at the Islamic Center believe this was a hate crime.



"Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf -- is a hate crime," Ahmad was quoted as saying The victim somehow made it home. That is where she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital.



She said during the beating, the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.



Police said they were investigating and there was no suspect in custody at this time.



The incident comes amid a spike in hate crimes and assaults targeting hijab-wearing women across the US.
Washington: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis has said that Syria will pay a "very, very stiff price" if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that America's top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State militant group.



"If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.



Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.



"Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," he said.



"In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies," he added.



Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.



"We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful," Mattis said.



"Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said.



This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.



"We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack," he said.



Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.



"Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.



Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.



"We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded," he said.



"We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission, Votel said.



Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking ISIS and destroying ISIS in Syria.



"This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.



Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.



"Syria is a signatory to that international convention.



For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again, he said.



"I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score," the Defence Secretary said.



Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance.



"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We don't know anything beyond that," he said.
Amritsar: Activists of All India Anti Terrorist Front (AIATF) hold national flags as they shout patriotic slogans to pay tributes to the martyrs on the eve of the anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, at the Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs' memorial in Amritsar on Wednesday. (Image: PTI)
Some in the business community are crying foul to City Councils dismissal last month of a proposal to allow two-way traffic on Main and Church streets.

About a dozen people requested time to speak to City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday to express their disapproval at the decision not to implement two-way traffic on Main and Church streets.

Main and Church streets converted to one-way traffic in the 1950s.

The possibility of the two streets supporting traffic in both directions has been considered since at least the adoption of the citys Downtown and Riverfront Master Plan in 2001, which recommended two-way traffic as a way to slow traffic and increase visibility to businesses.

During a City Council meeting in March, numerous people in the audience possessed signs expressing their opposition to two-way traffic, and Rodney Taylor, owner of Market at Main, said two-way traffic on the two streets would be harmful to businesses. During that meeting, Councilman Randy Nelson made a motion to postpone making a decision on two-way traffic until a public hearing on the issue, but City Council approved in a split vote a substitute motion that replaced Nelsons motion and later voted unanimously against changing to two-way traffic.

Comments from people at Tuesdays meeting speaking in support of two-way traffic ranged from those sympathizing with the concerns of downtown stakeholders who were fearful of two-way traffic to requests City Council reconsiders its decision.

Real estate agent Victoria Bartholomew said she was concerned with the democratic process in the city and requested City Council reconsider the decision.

Its extremely dismaying that council decided to vote down a vital part of the long-standing and successful downtown master plan, she said.

Dan Hague is chairman of the board of directors of Grassroots Local Market, a grocery store cooperative that is planned for Main Street, and is father of Victoria Bartholomew. Hague said he has another project that is in the planning stages that encompasses virtually the entire block of the 1200 block of Church Street, and his decision to invest in downtown was based in large part on the citys adherence to the downtown master plan. Studies suggest two-way traffic produces a better pedestrian experience and improved business environment, he said.

As a result, a marked deviation from the plan, such as backpedaling on two-way conversion, reduces my expected return on investment with the completed projects, Hague said.

Your decision most definitely affects whether I choose to proceed with my plans for the 1200 block of Church [Street], he added.

Damien Bartholomew, owner of Rise Up Climbing and husband of Victoria Bartholomew, expressed concerns on how the decision was made.

It wasnt given a public forum, and it was a shock to many that a vote was even taken that night, Damien Bartholemew said.

Dave Poole, owner of Depot Grille, said the decision was made based on no input other than those of a small protest group, and he questioned what other future decisions could undo years of planning.

I was stunned by this sudden and drastic deviation from the master plan, Poole said.

Discussion on the topic from City Council was brief. Saying he would present ideas that would realistically address the concerns of people who either are in favor or against two-way traffic, Councilman Randy Nelson requested the topic be added to the agenda of a subsequent meeting.

City Council is set to revisit the discussion at a work session April 25.

Water rate increase approved

In other news, City Council authorized a 5.1 percent water rate increase following a public hearing. No one spoke in favor or against the proposed increase.

The proposed rate will increase the monthly volume rate from $2.55 to $2.68 per hundred cubic feet. According to Water Resources Director Tim Mitchell, the typical household would see a rise in their water bills of about 90 cents per month.

The rate increase was proposed to combat an anticipated decrease in revenue in the citys water fund following the approval of a water purchase agreement with the Bedford Regional Water Authority in 2015.

The rate increase is expected to generate an additional $397,000 in revenue to the water fund. A motion to approve the new rate was approved in a 6-1 vote, with Councilman Jeff Helgeson opposing.

The new water rate will take effect July 1.

Council OKs amended plan for event center at Bella Rose

Lynchburg City Council also unanimously voted to approve a petition to amend a concept plan that will allow the future construction of a three-story event center at Bella Rose Plantation on Graves Mill Road. The concept plan is associated with a conditional use permit for the adjacent Rosedale mixed-use commercial and residential development that was approved by Lynchburg City Council in 2014.

The Lynchburg Planning Commission recommended in February the concept plan be amended to allow for the construction of the event center.
Two of the five employees under investigation by the state for manipulating water test results at the Altavista Water Plant now have been interviewed. The other three employees had not been scheduled for interviews as of Tuesday, according to officials.

The Department of Professional Occupational Regulation (DPOR), which oversees licenses for water treatment plant employees, is slated to make a decision soon on if the five employees did anything unethical or illegal.

Once a conclusion has been reached, the board will gather at its next regularly scheduled meeting to vote on any disciplinary sanctions.

Altavista Director of Public Utilities Tom Fore is on DPORs Board for Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals and has recused himself from the Altavista investigation.

DPOR initiated the investigation into operational procedures at the Altavista plant in 2015 after two complaints were made by Altavista officials. That investigation is set to reach a conclusion by the end of this year.

The water testing results did not show the water was harmful but were altered to be better than standard.

Former Altavista Water plant superintendent Ed Callahan Jr., former supervisor Chuck Cofflin, current employee Pauline Brown and former workers Christopher Brumfield and John Jacobs all are under investigation.

Brown is one of the two who had hearings with DPOR investigators in early February. She is a Class I operator who started working at the plant in 2008.

Operators like Brown monitor water and chemical levels for clarity, pH and chlorine levels.

Brown and Callahans disciplinary cases will be before the DPOR Waterworks and Wastewater Works Operators and Onsite Sewage System Professionals board at its April 20 meeting. Both Brown and Callahan were interviewed Feb. 2.

According to transcripts from Browns interview, called an informal fact-finding conference, she said water plant operators were told to take samples for water quality testing from a specific basin. Operators were told by Callahan and Cofflin they must write a specific score on their reports for water sampling tests, she said.

If test results of that basin were not within the optimal range, Brown was told to take samples off other basins to get within the range and clear her conscience, she said. If the results still were not within the optimal range on the report, supervisors would change the numbers, she said.

She then trained employees to use the same method to get the results required by Cofflin and Callahan. In the transcript, she said Mitch Bernard, her initial trainer, told her to go out and look for the results that were needed in other sampling spots at the plant.

Yeah, I questioned that. Why would I not? You're fixing to lie. And he said, well, really you're not. I'm going to show you why. So [Bernard] took me and we went and we got ten different samples out of our applied water which is over 500,000 gallons, she said, explaining why she did not know that procedure was wrong.

Bernard is not under investigation in connection with the case.

Following publication of this article, Bernard reached out to The News & Advance to comment. Bernard said he worked at the Altavista Water Treatment Plant from 1996 to 2009. He said he was a Class II operator, and Browns co-worker. Bernard said he has not been contacted by, or interviewed by, DPOR.

Brown never had worked at a water plant prior to being hired by Altavista and had no prior experience with water quality testing.

The water quality reports all were done in pencil; no pens were allowed to be used, even for time sheets, according to Brown.

Brown said only one employee at the plant questioned the practice. The employee, Jacobs, asked about the procedure and would write the accurate test results on the report. He was berated by his supervisors and threatened he would lose his job if he did not comply, according to Brown.

Jacobs kept a notebook that was a list of all the readings he took along with dates and times. Jacobs kept true results in his notebook, but altered results were reported to Virginia Department of Health on the same day, according to Brown.

The daily samples were aggregated into a monthly operations report sent to the VDH.

The hearing for Jacobs, who no longer is employed at the plant, was rescheduled from Feb. 2. A new date has not been set.

Hearings for Cofflin and Brumfield have not been scheduled.

A witness at the February hearing, Delmar Handy, a former water plantemployee, verified Browns account that no one had a choice in what they wrote down on the reports.

A new employee, Brumfield, notified David Garrett, then director of public works and utilities,of the inappropriate procedures in early 2014, according to Brown.

Douglas Greene, the presiding officer of Browns fact-finding conference, said that is why writing in pencil raised a red flag. He understood quality control means writing reports in pen.

According to interview transcripts, Callahan said when operators wrote a test result that was not within the optimal range, it was an inaccurate reading. After four hours, the test result should be in the range, he said.

He admitted to correcting paperwork to create accurate reports to VDH.

He reiterated testing results were required to be within the range before he was employed. He confirmed it did not cross his mind what he was doing was unethical.

Garrett filed a complaint about the illegal practices at the plant with DPOR in August 2015. In September 2015, DPOR received a second complaint about the water plant staff, leading to additional investigations being opened.

As a result of the ongoing investigations, Garrett and Fore have made numerous changes at the Altavista Water Plant to prevent inaccurate test results.

All operators now write water test results in pen. If there is an error, a supervisor will verify with the operator that a number is correct and then write their initials where the change was made.

Jeffrey Wells, field director of the Virginia Department of Health Danville office  which covers Altavista  said his office has been very involved in changes that have been implemented during the past several months.

We were up there working, trying to improve record-keeping, forms and procedures. Theyve made tremendous improvements in transparency, Wells said.

The town also is phasing in a supervisory control and data acquisition system to electronically monitor the plant operations and tests. Plans for overhauling the plants electrical system also were approved at town councils March 14 meeting.

The plant also now employs eight people, and new employees must have a water license or be working toward a license.
BEDFORD  The Bedford County Board of Supervisors heard comments from teachers regarding the school divisions proposed budget at its meeting Monday night.

The Bedford County School Board has requested $36 million in local funds from the county for its 2017-18 budget.

During a public hearing Monday night for the countys proposed 2017-18 budget  which consists of $81.5 million in local funds and $100.8 million total  two teachers voiced their support for smaller class sizes and increased pay, both of which are in the school divisions proposed budget. At least five teachers showed up to the hearing.

The countys total budget is $6 million higher than the 2016-17 budget and, if approved in its current form, about 35.7 percent of its budget would go to the school division.

The schools proposed $103 million overall budget includes new positions to help decrease class sizes, more program offerings, teacher and staff raises and an expansion of personalized learning.

Crystal DeLong, a teacher at Liberty High School, asked supervisors to prioritize education for Bedford County children.

With the salary study done last year, it showed how much we need to do for pay compensation, DeLong said.

She said her number one concern is her students, and she wants to give them the best education she can.

Katie Lum, a music teacher at Boonsboro Elementary School, also advocated for teacher compensation, saying new teachers are getting paid the same as she is. She told the board she was hired during the 2008 recession.

Starting salaries in Lynchburg-area school divisions show a $7,000 disparity from the highest to lowest entry-level wages for teachers with bachelors or advanced degrees, according to state data.

For teachers with a bachelors degree, the Virginia Department of Education 2015-2016 Teacher Salary Report shows starting pay ranges from a low of $37,644 in Campbell County Public Schools to a high of $44,290 in Nelson County Public Schools. Bedford Countys starting pay is $39,227.

Its a sad reality to see teachers here are not supported like they are in other parts of the state, she said, Teachers staying here means teachers investing in the community.

The board heard comments from teachers but made no response to the remarks.

Following the public comments, supervisors unanimously voted to not change the countys tax rates. No rate increase is needed because the county saw a growth in their tax base last year.

The anticipated revenue increase from the last fiscal year is $4.6 million. Total anticipated revenues are $99.2 million for 2017-18, with about $63 million from property taxes.

About 64 percent of those revenues come from general property taxes, including real estate and personal property taxes.

Chairman Curry Martin thanked the school board for the accomplishments it has have made for the year and said the county is fortunate for an increase in revenue.

The board plans to vote on the final budget later this month.

Staff writer Josh Moody contributed.
Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping

President Donald Trump said that he told Chinese President Xi Jinping about the US strike on Syria over chocolate cake at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last Thursday night.

Trump recounted how he told Xi that the military had just struck a Syrian government air base with 59 cruise missiles after Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo asked him to describe the interaction in an interview that aired Wednesday morning.

"You have no idea how many people want to hear the answer to this. I have watched speculation for three days now on what that was like," Trump said.

"When did you tell him? Before dessert?" Bartiromo asked.

"I will tell you  only because you've treated me so good for so long, I have to right?" Trump said, to which Bartiromo laughed and thanked the president.

Trump said he and Xi had finished dinner and were winding down a day-long meeting in Palm Beach.

"Were now having dessert. And we had the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen and President Xi was enjoying it," Trump said. "And I was given the message from the generals that the ships are locked and loaded, what do you do? And we made a determination to do it, so the missiles were on the way."

Trump mentioned that the interaction occurred over dessert four times during his two minute response.

"I said weve just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq," Trump said, before Bartiromo asked him if he had meant to say they were heading to Syria. "Yes  heading toward Syria, and I wanted you to know that."

Adding to the suspense, Trump said he wasn't sure Xi had received the news well when Xi was silent and then asked his translator to repeat the information.

"I didnt think that was a good sign," Trump said.

But Xi apparently told Trump that he "agreed with" the attack.

"He said to me, anybody that uses gases -- you could almost say or anything else -- but anybody that was so brutal and uses gases to do that to young children and babies, its OK ... he was OK with it, he was OK," Trump said.

Story continues

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AT&T Inc. plans to acquire Straight Path Communications Inc., a Henrico County-based company that leases wireless spectrum licenses, in a deal valued at $1.6 billion.

The Dallas-based telecommunications giant said it will buy Straight Path for $95.63 per share in an all-stock merger, whereby Straight Path shareholders will be paid with AT&T stock. Straight Path shareholders will receive a combined $1.25 billion in stock.

The deal gives AT&T more wireless spectrum to develop the next generation of high-speed technology. And it could get Straight Path off the hook from a Federal Communications Commission penalty.

The transactions total value of $1.6 billion includes liabilities and payments to be remitted to the FCC per the terms of a consent agreement.

The acquisition represents a premium of 204 percent to the closing price of Straight Path common stock of $31.41 on Jan. 11, the day before Straight Path announced a $15 million initial settlement with the FCC and the surrender of 93 spectrum licenses, ending an FCC investigation into alleged fraudulent license renewals.

It represents a 162 percent premium to the closing stock price of $36.48 on Friday.

The transaction, which was approved by the board of directors of both companies, is expected to close in 12 months, pending FCC review.

The merger of AT&T and Straight Path Communications marks a vital point for us, Straight Path CEO Davidi Jonas said in a statement. Importantly, this merger provides Straight Path shareholders with a compelling return since Straight Paths spinoff to become an independent public company in 2013, with an initial price per share of $6.40 on July 31, 2013.

The communications asset company in March reported a net loss of $25.8 million for the three-month period that ended Jan. 31, compared with a net loss of $2.2 million for the same period in 2016. For the six-month period that ended Jan. 31, it reported a loss of $30 million, compared with a loss of $2.9 million for the year-earlier period.

As part of the AT&T deal, Straight Paths majority shareholder, Howard Jonas, has entered into a voting agreement with AT&T and agreed to vote his Class A shares (held through a trust) in support of the transaction, subject to certain limitations.

Straight Path is one of the largest holders of 28 gigahertz and 39 gigahertz wireless spectrum licenses.

As part of its consent decree with the FCC settling the agencys investigation, the company agreed to sell those licenses on or before Jan. 11, 2018, and pay the FCC 20 percent of the proceeds from the sale, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If it does not sell the remaining licenses by then, it will pay an additional penalty of $85 million or surrender its remaining spectrum licenses.

The company declined to comment beyond the news release.
trump fox business

President Donald Trump is trying to clear up his administration's message on next steps for Syria after he ordered a missile strike against an airbase in the country last week.

"We're not going into Syria," Trump said in an interview with Fox Business. Trump leaned in on Syrian President Bashar Assad, calling him an "animal," before turning to Assad ally Russia, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin was "backing a person that's truly an evil person."

The comments were some of the most definitive declarations Trump has made in the days since he ordered the US Navy to drop 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Syria's Shayrat airbase, but his words follow a number of mixed messages from within his administration on the Syrian regime and on Russia:

The White House press secretary, Sean Spicer, on Monday said the US would not become "the world's policeman," but he said later about Syria's chemical weapons use, "If we see this kind of action again, we hold open the possibility of future action." He later walked back the claim in a statement to Business Insider.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the White House was against "violent change at the top" in Syria.

The US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said "we don't see a peaceful Syria with Assad in there."

And Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis asserted the situation in Syria would "not spiral out of control."

During Trump's Fox Business interview Wednesday, Trump appeared resolute, saying Putin's loyalty to Assad was "very bad for Russia  very bad for mankind  very bad for the world."

Turning back to Assad, Trump said: "When you drop gas, or bombs, or barrel bombs  drop them right in the middle of a group of people. This is an animal."

It is unclear how the Trump administration's official posture toward Syria and Russia will evolve, but members of Congress have urged the White House to make it clear.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the Senate floor Friday that the Trump administration should identify its objectives for "dealing with the Assad regime in a manner that preserves the institutions of government." Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said Assad needed to be reminded that he would "pay a price" for committing "despicable atrocities."

Story continues

Watch a portion of the interview below:

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Bruce fights the Robins and the Alfred question is answered in Batman vs. Robin #3

Bruce Wayne's inner demons are weaponized as he fights the Bat family in Batman vs. Robin #3
Looks Like Wimbledon

Rules on Underwear

Are About to Shift
More than 50 years ago, Glen Canyon, straddling Arizona and Utah, became flooded with water after the creation of the Glen Canyon Dam led to the formation of the Lake Powell reservoir. But even though the Sierra Club wrote the canyon's obituary in 1963, Rebecca Solnit reveals in the California Sunday Magazine that the canyon is facing a resurrection of sorts, with a chance for the spires, ruins, burial sites, and general "intricate complexity hidden by water" for decades to see the sun once again. But excitement for the potential uncovering of this "drowned canyon" is tempered by the reason for it: climate change, the "uninvited guest" and "unanticipated disaster" that's sucking water out of the Southwest via drought and evaporation.

Solnit dives into the backstory of the upper Colorado River's development in the 1950s that eventually led to the creation of the dam and Lake Powell, which submerged the canyon in 1963, as well as the sticky differences between the more compromising conservationists of yesteryear and "tougher" environmentalists of today. Solnit also talks of her multi-summer explorations of Lake Powell with photographers Mark Klett and Byron Wolfe, labeling it an "enchanted ... sublimely beautiful" place, despite its slowly declining water levels, evidenced by the increasingly shorter water marks along the shoreline. Solnit isn't sure what's going to ultimately happen to the faltering reservoir, but "what's not hard to say is that Lake Powell is dying, and from its corpse the Colorado River is emerging," she writes. Read her full piece here. (The drought out West actually lifted the California mountains.)
It's the story of a 4:25am taxi ride and an alleged rape, but one that doesn't go the way you might expect. A 23-year-old Ohio woman was last week charged with raping her male cab driver, who was allegedly being held at knifepoint by one of the two men who accompanied her. Police say Brittany Carter, Cory Jackson, and a second unidentified male arranged for a pickup at a TownePlace Suites hotel in Findlay on Jan. 28. The Smoking Gun quotes the indictment as alleging Carter "purposely compelled" the 29-year-old victim to participate in a sex act "by force or threat of force"; he was otherwise uninjured. The Courier reports the prosecutor was unsure whether the car was parked or moving when the alleged crime took place.

"We don't know why she did it," Findlay Detective Lt. Robert Ring told the News-Messenger in reference to the sex act. "Maybe it was a distraction because they took money from him." The money was the $32 the driver had in his pocket; both Carter and Jackson have been charged with aggravated robbery, and police say the third person will also be charged once he's identified. Carter is being held in the Hancock County jail on the two first-degree felony charges. Jackson is currently at large; the Smoking Gun notes a neighboring county is also seeking him on a murder warrant. (This teacher accused of having sex with a 15-year-old is pregnant.)
President Donald Trumps administration accused Russia on Tuesday of trying to shield Syrias government from blame for a deadly gas attack, as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson brought a Western message to Moscow condemning its support for President Bashar al-Assad.

Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to go into the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Assads government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syrias Idlib province, killing 87 people including many children, to put pressure on rebels making advances in the area.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there is no evidence. Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there, one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events. Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, he told reporters.

But at the same briefing Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying, You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologized and said he should not have made the comparison. It was a mistake. I shouldnt have done it and I wont do it again, Spicer told CNN in an interview. It was inappropriate and insensitive.

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The United States launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack. The strikes thrust the administration of President Donald Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, into confrontation with Moscow.

Story continues

Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance. They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realize, she said on CNN.

U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack. It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack, the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shiite Muslim Iran.

TILLERSON MESSAGE

Tillerson carried a message from world powers to Moscow denouncing Russian support for Assad, as the Trump administration took on Americas traditional mantle as leader of a unified West.

Tillerson earlier met foreign ministers from the Group of Seven advanced economies and Middle Eastern allies in Italy. They endorsed a joint call for Russia to abandon Assad.

It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end, Tillerson told reporters in Italy. We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad.

He said Russia had failed in its role as sponsor of a 2013 deal in which Assad promised to give up chemical weapons.

Russia says the chemicals that killed civilians last week belonged to rebels, not Assads government, and accused the United States of an illegal aggression on a false pretext.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday he believed Washington planned more missile strikes, and that rebels were planning to stage chemical weapons attacks to provoke them.

We have information that a similar provocation is being prepared ... in other parts of Syria including in the southern Damascus suburbs where they are planning to again plant some substance and accuse the Syrian authorities of using chemical weapons, Putin said.

Trump denied further plans in Syria.

Were not going into Syria, he said in an interview with the New York Post. Our policy is the same; it hasnt changed. Were not going into Syria.

A senior Trump administration official called Putins remarks part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

The United States, Britain and France have proposed a revised draft resolution to the 15-member U.N. Security Council similar to a text they circulated last week pushing Syrias government to cooperate with investigators.

TURNING POINT

The secretary of states role as messenger for a united G7 position is a turning point for Trump, who in the past alarmed allies by voicing skepticism about the value of U.S. support for traditional friends, while calling for closer ties with Moscow.

Tillerson is a former chairman of oil company Exxon Mobil Corp, which has gigantic projects in Russia. Putin awarded him Russias Order of Friendship in 2013.

Tillerson is due to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday. The Kremlin has said Tillerson has no meeting scheduled with Putin this trip, although some Russian media have reported such a meeting may take place.

Western countries have been calling for Assads departure since 2011, the start of a civil war that has killed at least 400,000 people and created the worlds worst refugee crisis.

Assads position on the battlefield became far stronger after Russia joined the war to support him in 2015. The United States and its allies are conducting air strikes in Syria against Islamic State, but until last week Washington had avoided targeting forces of Assads government directly.

U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States military policy in Syria had not changed and remains focused on defeating Islamic State.

This article was originally published on FORTUNE.com
A judge has ordered a dog to be euthanized despite a pardon issued by Maine Gov. Paul LePage, the AP reports. The Alaskan husky named Dakota was originally ordered to be put down after getting loose and killing a neighbor's pug last year and later attacking a second dog. On Tuesday, a judge declined a request to set aside the order to euthanize the dog, saying she didn't have leeway under state law.

The dog became a celebrity after being pardoned by the Republican governor on March 30. Kennebec County District Attorney Maeghan Maloney said the governor lacked authority to do so. Dakota is currently under the care of the Waterville Area Humane Society. Further appeals are expected. (Read more dog stories.)
When a teen in Utah was denied a lung transplant necessary to save his life because he had smoked pot a few days prior to coming down with the flu, his family cried foul, reports KSL. Riley Hancey, who is 19 and an avid runner, biker, and skier, says he smoked pot with friends on Thanksgiving night, something he claims to do infrequently and hadn't for an entire year prior. So when he came down with the flu, which developed into pneumonia and sent him to the hospital, THC showed up in his blood work. Just as Hancey was being told he'd die without two new lungs (per a YouCaring page, he ultimately came down with a rare lung infection that caused scarring), the University of Utah Hospital denied him a spot on the transplant list. "You will die. You better get your affairs in order," dad Mark Hancey says the doctor told his son.

As BuzzFeed reports, there are no federal laws or even recommendations on the use of cannabiswhich is legal in some form in nearly half of US states todayamong people who need organs. The head of medical ethics at NYU says it's obvious some hospitals are looking for ways to "kick" people off the list, but adds that it is "utterly wrong" to "discriminate against people for using substances that are legal." A statement from the hospital said only that patients actively using alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs are denied transplants "until these issues are addressed, as these substances are contraindicated for a transplant." Fortunately for Hancey, the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania agreed to take him in, and the YouCaring page is helping cover the costs. He got new lungs two weeks ago and is recovering now. (One baby was on an organ transplant list for just 40 minutes.)
Russia is running a "disinformation campaign" to confuse responsibility for last week's chemical attack in Syria and protect the Syrian government, according to White House officials. In a declassified report released Tuesday, the US government concludes Syrian forces used sarin gas during the attack, the New York Times reports. According to the Wall Street Journal, Syria has denied using chemical weapons, and Russia says the Syrian airstrike hit chemical weapons used by rebels. Russia has also claimed the attack was a "prank" and no chemical weapons were involved. The report accuses Russia and Syria of spreading "false narratives." Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up the attack, a senior White House official says.

While US intelligence hasn't found proof Russia knew about the chemical attack before it happened, officials say it would be strange if it didn't. Officials say Russian military personnel were located at the same base where the Syrian military planned and executed the attack, CNN reports. The two countries have been closely cooperating militarily. Vladimir Putin has called such accusations "very tedious." Despite the use of chemical weapons, the US' airstrike in retaliation, and Secretary of State Tillerson's comments about the looming end of the Assad regime, President Trump said Tuesday the US won't be "going into Syria." (Read more Russia stories.)
The United Airlines passenger dragged off a Louisville-bound flight in a disturbing scene at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Sunday still hasn't made it back to Kentucky. David Dao, a 69-year-old doctor who appeared bloody and disoriented after the incident, told WLKY Tuesday that he is recovering in a Chicago hospital. When the station asked him what was injured, he said "everything" and added that he is not doing well. A lawyer from a Chicago firm released a statement from Dao's family Tuesday thanking the public for the "outpouring of prayers, concern, and support they have received." The statement says the family is focusing on Dao's treatment and he will not be saying more until he is out of the hospital. In other developments:

One of the attorneys Dao has retained is Thomas Demetrio, described by the Chicago Tribune as a "high-powered personal injury lawyer." According to his company's website, his specialities include plane crashes, and he has won more than $1 billion in settlements.

CNN reports that the Louisville Courier-Journal is facing a backlash for a story on what it calls Dao's "troubled past," which includes accusations of misconduct and convictions for drug-related felonies. Critics say the doctor's past is irrelevant and accuse the Kentucky paper of trying to help United escape its PR and financial nightmare.

The incident, and the social media firestorm it started, caught the attention of lawmakers, the New York Times reports. "The last thing a paying airline passenger should expect is a physical altercation with law enforcement personnel after boarding, especially one that could likely have been avoided," the leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee wrote in a letter to United CEO Oscar Munoz. They have asked the airline to explain what led up to the incident, and the Department of Transportation says it is looking into whether rules on overselling flights were violated.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer told reporters Tuesday that he is sure President Trump has seen video of the incident, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Asked how Trump felt, Spicer said it would be hard for anybody to see the video and not think it "could have been handled a little bit better."

The AP reports that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Tuesday that the city has launched its own investigation and will make sure nothing like this happens again. He praised the commissioner of the city's Aviation Department, which suspended one of the officers seen removing Dao from his seat, for taking swift action.

(The incident is also making waves in China .)
Cedric Anderson had threatened his estranged wife before, but nobody realized how dangerous he really was until he opened fire in her San Bernardino classroom on Monday, police say. San Bernardino Police Chief Jarrod Burguan said Tuesday that Anderson, 53, who killed Karen Smith and an 8-year-old special-needs student before shooting himself, was allowed to go to Smith's classroom at North Park Elementary School because staff members recognized him, the San Bernardino Sun reports. Burguan says Smith, who separated from Anderson in March after less than three months of marriage, only told close family members that he had threatened her. "She effectively kept her private life private," the chief says.

The chief adds that Smith, who had moved back in with her adult children, believed Anderson's threats were only a cry for attention. The 8-year-old boy killed as he stood behind Smith has been identified as Jonathan Martinez, who had the genetic condition Williams syndrome, which causes developmental delays, the Desert Sun reports. School district Superintendent Dale Marsden says Jonathan's parents, who described him as a happy boy, want his death to spread awareness of the disease. A GoFundMe campaign to help the boy's family raised nearly $100,000 by the end of Tuesday. Marsden says a 9-year-old boy hit in the upper body by a bullet who was hospitalized in critical condition is "up and watching cartoons" and is expected to make a full recovery. (Read more school shooting stories.)
Rep. Joe Wilson, the congressman notorious for yelling "You lie" at former President Obama as he addressed Congress in 2009, had his words used against him by constituents in his South Carolina district Monday. Wilson, the latest Republican to face a hostile reception at a town-hall meeting, drew boos and chants of "You lie" as well as cheers when he spoke about plans to repeal and replace ObamaCare, WRDW reports. He was also booed after saying anybody in the US illegally should be deported, though the crowd at Aiken Technical College reacted more positively when he said he is against Planned Parenthood and does not believe human activity is contributing to climate change.

Wilson, who voted against extending the Violence Against Women Act in 2013, also faced chants of "You lie" when he said he fully supported enforcement of laws against domestic violence, the Post and Courier reports. Other Republican members of Congress have been skipping such events and Wilson's supporters said he deserved credit for facing his critics, though local pharmacist Julie Edwards, one of the most prominent anti-Wilson voices at the event, did not agree. "I think it's a shame that other senators and congressmen are not showing up," she told the New York Times. "But I'm not going to give him a gold star for showing up and doing his job." (Read more Joe Wilson stories.)
A court has sentenced a Spanish man to 23 years in jail for the murder of an Arizona woman while she was walking a world-renowned pilgrimage route in Spain, the AP reports. The court Tuesday sentenced Miguel Angel Munoz, 41, to 20 years for killing 41-year-old Denise Pikka Thiem and three years for stealing some $1,100 dollars from her. A jury found Munoz guilty April 5.

Thiem, a Phoenix resident, went missing in April 2015 in a rural area of northwestern Spain while on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Munoz was arrested five months later and led investigators to Thiem's buried body. Thiem was diverted from the pilgrimage trail by a fake marker Munoz put up to lead pilgrims near his house. She died from serious brain injuries caused by repeated beatings. (Read more murder stories.)
A jury in 2011 acquitted Casey Anthony of murdering her 2-year-old daughter after her defense attorney made the case for an accidental drowning. Her father, George Anthony, says that story is "a bunch of crap." It's one of several revelations he made in the final episode of Investigation Discovery's three-part documentary series on the case, which concluded Tuesday. Things to know about Casey Anthony: An American Murder Mystery:

Anthony suggested his daughter drugged Caylee Anthony on June 16, 2008, possibly with Xanax she got through friends. He also suggested it wasn't the first time Casey may have done this, noting Caylee often slept for up to 13 hours at a time, per USA Today. "I believe that Casey gave [Caylee] something," George Anthony said. "Caylee didn't wake up."

When asked what the street name of Xanax is, George replied, "Zanny." Some sites are reading into the remark.

His wife, Cindy, tells Investigation Discovery she believes Caylee's death was indeed an accidental drowning and that Casey simply panicked. She says she's since forgiven Casey and still speaks to her occasionally, reports the Orlando Sentinel. George, however, said he'll likely never speak to his daughter again, and adds, "Justice would be to have my daughter behind bars and have her suffer the way Caylee suffered."

How does the couple stay together with such diverging opinions? "I don't think I could find anybody else that would understand my day-to-day ups and downs and what we go through other than him," says Cindy, per USA Today.

Deadline suggests the series has been a big win for Investigation Discovery, the network owned by Discovery Communications. Sundays premiere pulled in 2.9 million live, same-day viewers, making it the network's biggest series debut.

The format in general is turning out to be a success. The Washington Post notes JonBenet: An American Murder Mystery took Investigation Discovery's top slot among its 2016 event series.

What do the critics think? Hal Boedeker was mostly favorable in the Sentinel, writing, "Im usually no fan of re-enactments, but the program used them effectively, photographing stand-ins from a distance and never showing faces." There was a real "you are there" feeling to it.

(Casey Anthony has pointed the finger at her father .)
When an 8-year-old pulled up to the drive-thru window of an Ohio McDonald's on Sunday night, staff thought they were being pranked, the Morning Journal reports. But the boy and his 4-year-old sister just wanted a cheeseburger. Officer Jacob Koehler tells WFMJ the boy "looked up videos on YouTube on how to drive." Then he grabbed the keys to his dad's van, some money from his piggy bank, and headed for McDonald's.

The boy drove through downtown East Palestine without incident, following all the rules of the road. He didnt hit a single thing on the way there," Koehler tells the Morning Journal. "It was unreal." The boy's parents were sleeping at the time, and his grandparents were called to the McDonald's to pick him up. The boy did end up getting his cheeseburger, and no charges are expected. (Read more weird crimes stories.)
"This will never happen again on a United flight," the AP quotes Oscar Munoz as saying Wednesday. "That's my promise." The CEO of United Airlines says the company will no longer use police to remove passengers from overbooked flights, the Wall Street Journal reports. That's the policy that resulted in a 69-year-old doctor being violently dragged from a flight earlier this week. Were not going to put a law-enforcement official on to remove a booked, paid, seated passenger, Munoz says. He adds that he was "ashamed" of video showing a bloodied David Dao being removed from his flight.

Gate agents for United called officers from Chicago's Department of Aviation to remove Dao. One of those officers has been placed on leave for not following proper procedure, according to the department. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the Department of Aviation will be conducting a "thorough investigation" to prevent a similar situation from happening in the future, the Chicago Tribune reports. In addition, representatives from the department are scheduled to answer questions from the Chicago city council on Thursday. (Read more United Airlines stories.)
Jakarta : A small plane with several people on board lost contact on Wednesday in Papua province of eastern Indonesia and a search operation was underway, the Indonesian Transport Ministry said.

"The cargo plane lost contact today (Wednesday). Now we are checking the number of crew," Transport Ministry spokesman J.A. Barata told Xinhua by phone.

Marsudi, a spokesman of the national search and rescue office, said the C208 Caravan plane was en route to Wajo and Sentani.

It departed at 2.45 p.m. (local time) and was scheduled to arrive at 3:24 p.m.

"The plane sent S.O.S. message during the flight," Marsudi said.

"Search and rescue for the plane is underway now, involving a plane and personnel from local search and rescue office. But the weather seems unfavourable," he said.
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A worker checks the valve of an oil pipe at the Lukoil owned Imilorskoye oil field near Kogalym, Russia, January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/Files

By Jessica Resnick-Ault

(Reuters) - Crude oil prices turned positive on Tuesday, reversing course on reports that Saudi Arabia has told OPEC officials it wants to continue output cuts for an additional six months.

Oil futures have been pinned in a range, supported by production cuts from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries cartel and other producing states but capped by rising U.S. shale oil production.

The market, which retreated early in U.S. trading, turned positive after reports that Saudi Arabia said it wants to extend production cuts enacted in January for another six months when the group meets in May, according to the Wall Street Journal. OPEC members have previously said they lean toward oil cut extensions, as long as non-members are also involved.

Brent crude (LCOc1), the international benchmark for oil, settled up 25 cents at $56.23 a barrel, its highest since March 7.

Brent has risen in each of the previous seven sessions, while WTI gained for the last six. Early in the day, prices had retreated on expectations U.S. inventories could climb again.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) (CLc1) rose 32 cents to $53.40 a barrel, surpassing a five-week high.

In post-settlement trade both grades got a boost as industry group the American Petroleum Institute said U.S. crude inventories has fallen by nearly 1.3 million barrels a day, defying expectations that they would increase 87,000 barrels in the week.

U.S. crude inventories have touched record highs at the U.S. storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, and in the U.S. Gulf Coast in recent weeks, according to U.S. government data. If confirmed by U.S. Energy Information Administration figures on Wednesday, oil could get another boost.

Analysts said, however, that there are worries demand growth could falter, and other indicators were warning that the market had not yet cleared enough of its surplus to keep prices rising.

"There's a lot of heightened geopolitical tension on two fronts," said Phil Streible, senior market strategist at RJO futures in Chicago. Rising concerns about North Korea and Syria may depress oil demand, he said.

Story continues

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a Tweet that North Korea was "looking for trouble" and the United States would "solve the problem" with or without China's help.

"Geopolitical tensions are bad for global demand growth," said Olivier Jakob, managing director of Petromatrix, noting rising acrimony between the United States and North Korea.

He also said the widening discount of the current Brent crude price to the contract in the next month is "basically telling you the market is not actually that tight."

(Reporting by Jessica Resnick-Ault; Editing by Dan Grebler and Cynthia Osterman)
New Delhi:

Abhay Deol has once again ignited the controversy over racism in the industry, after he slammed several leading celebs like Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, John Abraham etc, for endorsing fairness creams.

His reaction came in wake of the recent racist comments made by BJP leader Tarun Vijay during a debate on a news channel.

Abhay took it to social networking site Facebook, to voice his opinion about the matter abnd shared some celebrity ad campaign sarcastically slamming the celebs and the country over their obsession with fairness.

Pointing out actor John Abrahams advertisement, Abhay wrote, "WE ARE NOT A RACIST COUNTRY! I will prove it to you. In the pic below John holds a card with shades from white to dark. Hey! You can see the promise of darker skin too if you read the card from left to right! Hes not telling you to go from right to left! Duh!

"Even if the writing on the tube reads Intensive FAIRNESS moisturiser. It just means its FAIR to all who use it."

He also took pot-shots at actors and actresses such as "Raanjhanaa" co-star Sonam Kapoor, Ileana DCruz, Shahid Kapoor, Sidarth Malhotra, along with Hollywood star Eva Longoria for taking part in the business that thrives on peoples insecurities.

Giving reference of actress-filmmaker Nandita Das Dark Is Beautiful campaign, Abhay wrote, "Silly Nandita trying to teach us that Black is also beautiful. Doesnt she know that we already know that? Why else would we be so accepting of people from the south*?

" Whats that? Shes from Orissa? Can we include that in the southern belt of states? Cause I really want to believe in my bullshit. *in reference to a comment made by a politician on TV."

The actor further said it is difficult for one person to make a difference to the world about the racist attitude, but one can always start with their near and dear ones.

"Theres a lot more of these campaigns that are blatantly, and sometimes subtly, selling you the idea that whiter skin is better than darker skin. No one at the top of their game in any field is going to tell you that it is demeaning, false, and racist.

"You have to see that for yourself. You have to stop buying into the idea that a particular shade is better than others... While an individual may not be able to change this attitude in his/her community, he/she can at least start with the family," wrote Abhay.

Interestingly, this is not the first time that the issue of of racism has been highlighted in tinselvile.

Earlier, actress Tannishtha Chatterjee was also targeted for her skin color on 'Comedy Nights Bachao' where she had gone to promote her movie 'Parched'.

"I could not believe I was sitting in a nationally televised comedy show in 2016 in Mumbai amid such regressive (I can't call it humour), and blatantly racist content," Tannishtha was quoted as saying.

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Mumbai:

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Tuesday lauded the "ambitious" reform agenda of the Modi government, especially on taxation that has made the duty regime more efficient.

"Prime Minister Modi has an ambitious reform agenda. He has made taxes more efficient and deregulated the economy, "Turnbull said at a dinner meeting with industry leaders. Praising the progress in IT and the knowledge sector, the visiting premier said India is doing an outstanding job in these areas. He specifically noted the large number smartphone users (around 400 million) in the country.

Also Read: Watch | PM Modi, Malcolm Turnbull take a ride on Delhi Metro, click selfies and visit Akshardham Temple

Earlier in the day, he visited the campus of TCS at suburban Andheri and requested India's largest software exporter to open an innovation lab in his country.

Turnbull flew into the financial capital after his engagements in New Delhi and drove straight to the TCS campus located near the airport. The PM said the digital evolution is transforming the global economy in general and that of India in particular.

Smartphones are playing a big role in connecting people with global marketplaces, democratising knowledge and expanding people-to-people interactions.

Also Read: PM Modi, Australian PM Turnbull sign six MoUs for cooperation on terrorism, organised crime | List of MoUs

"Technology is one of the most important developments in human history," he added.

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Hyderabad:

Brazenly repeating another threat despite being booked on charges of hurting religious feelings, BJP MLA T Raja Singh has said he was ready to give or take life for the sake of building Ram temple at Ayodhya.



In a video which purportedly shows Singh addressing a crowd on the occasion of Hanuman Jayantion Tuesday, he says, It is the vow of every Hindu to build a Ram temple even if we have to give our life for it or take life. No force can stop the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya. We will see Ram temple built in a year or two and we will go for darshan.



Stating that he does not intend to hurt the faith of anybody, Singh adds he would, however, not keep quiet if somebody created hurdles in the construction of the temple.



When contacted, Singh, BJP MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad, today confirmed the genuineness of the video and his comments.



We will definitely build a grand Ram temple in the coming one or two years. Even during Hanuman Jayanti Sobha Yatra yesterday, more number of Ram bhakts and Hanuman bhakts participated compared to last year. There is growing awareness about Ram temple (issue) and more voices are emerging in its support, he told PTI.

ALSO READ | Ram Temple is matter of belief, ready to go to jail for it, says Uma Bharti



Singh had kicked up a row last week with his remarks that the heads of traitors opposing construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya will be chopped off, drawing criticism from the Congress and getting booked for trying to outrage religious feelings.



Singh can be heard threatening those who oppose the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya in a video shot on April 5 during Ram Navmi celebrations.



Hyderabad Police have registered a case against Singh on the complaint of Amjed Ullah Khan, the spokesperson for Majlis Bachao Tehreek (MBT), a local organisation.



He has been booked by Dabeerpura police under IPC section 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), police inspector D Venkanna Naik had told PTI.

ALSO READ | Heads of traitors opposing Ram Temple will be chopped off, says BJP MLA



In his complaint, Khan had said, When the title dispute is pending in the Supreme Court, such type of statements by Raja Singh (MLA) is the violation of the Supreme Court. I request to take appropriate action against the BJP MLA Raja Singh to allow law and order to prevail in the city (sic).



In the video, the MLA purportedly says, The day is not far..the dream of every Hindu of building a Ram temple in Ayodhya (will be fulfilled).



Recently, a video came on WhatsApp from Uttar Pradesh and someone was saying if Ram Mandir is built in Ayodhya they will create tehelka (chaos) in entire country. We welcome this. In fact, we were waiting for this day for the past several years so that when you traitors raise your heads, we will behead you, the MLA said.

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Bijnor:

The Vice President of AIMPLB has said that the board will end the practice of triple talaq itself in one-and-a-half years so the government should not interfere in the matter.

Kalbe Sadiq also advised the Muslims against eating beef. Sadiq, who was to attend a programme, was speaking to reporters at the residence of President of District Civil Bar Association.

The Shia scholar said the triple talaq system was unfair to women but it was a personal affair for the community and they would solve it themselves within one to one-and-a-half years. He said the government should not interfere in it.

ALSO READ | Practice of triple talaq, polygamy impacts dignity of Muslim women: Centre to SC

On the issue of beef consumption, he said in religious books eating beef is not advised and Muslims should not have it.

Sadiq said if the government enacts laws banning cow slaughter and beef eating in the country, the Muslims would welcome it. He condemned the unlawful activities of cow vigilantes and demanded that it be stopped.

On the Ram temple issue, he said the dispute should end now and the Hindus and the Muslims should yield some ground to each other so that a compromise could be reached.

He said Muslims should not insist on making a mosque at the site where the temple would be built. Sadiq said Muslim leaders were responsible for the poor state of the community.

ALSO READ | Misuse of 'triple talaq' leads matter to Supreme Court: Zafaryab Jilani

He said Kashmiri youths should open their eyes and understand the nefarious designs of Pakistan. He said India should be united for it to become a prosperous country.

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Domkal (WB):

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee broke her silence on a controversy that was sparked after a BJP youth wing leader announced a bounty on the TMC chief. Responding firmly to his remarks she said that one can threaten or call her names but nobody can scare her.

Without naming anyone, Banerjee said, They can abuse me, vilify me and conspire against me. They can abuse me as much as they want. I pray to God to forgive them. They do not know what they are saying. I will not say anything more.

In an apparent reference to the Hindutva brigade, she told a public meeting here, If anyone says that being a Hindu I cant go to a mosque or a church, it cannot be so. I am committed to the people. I am committed to protect everyone. There is no use threatening me.

The more you threaten or call me names, the more I will proceed... Your criticism will be blessings for us. That will help us move forward. Now we are in Bengal. We will move to Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand and then to Delhi, she said.



She also reiterated that the people would decide what they want to eat or what they wear. No political party can decide that, she said and asked the people not to get provoked by any instigation.

ALSO READ | Lok Sabha condemns offer of bounty on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees head



Do not fall prey to false propaganda spread through the Internet and social networking site. Social networks have been used to spread false rumours in lieu of money. Huge funds from abroad are coming in for this.



Dont be scared. Always remember that I am there as your biggest custodian, Banerjee said.



Referring to the brandishing of swords at Ram Navami processions by RSS affiliates, she said, Some locals have popped up suddenly asking people to play with swords. Thats not the Bengals culture, she said adding Let them learn Bengals culture first, then comment about the state.



There is no need to give importance to them, she said.

ALSO READ | Jaya Bachchan on BJP activist's Rs 11 lakh bounty for Mamata's head: 'You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities'

On the other hand, a Muslim cleric, known for announcing fatwas against political leaders including PM Modi and author Salman Rushdie, made a counter-offer of Rs 22 lakh for the BJP youth wing leaders head who announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for beheading West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.

BJP youth wing disowns Yogesh Varshney

The BJPs youth wing has disowned its leader Yogesh Varshney, who had announced a Rs 11 lakh bounty on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees head, and demanded legal action against him.



BJYM stands against the statements made by Yogesh Varshney, and also urges the local administration to take all the necessary legal actions against him as per law, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha said in a statement, adding Varshney was expelled two years ago from the party.

Varshney on Wednesday courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for TMC chief Banerjees head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti.



BJYM has nothing to do with Yogesh Varshney. BJYM has no alignments to the statements made by him about West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Bannerjee, BJYM said.



Political parties condemn BJP activist's remarks

Leaders across political parties have condemned as barbaric a BJP youth wing leaders offer of a Rs 11 lakh bounty on the head of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with his remark setting off an uproar in Parliament.



The TMC, which is led by Banerjee, demanded the immediate arrest of Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), while the BJP distanced itself from the controversial remark.



The Centre also roundly condemned the statement and said the West Bengal government was free to take legal action against Varshney.



Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I dont understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?



If they had any humanity, they wouldnt have beaten up like this.If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh, Varshney said in Aligarh while criticising the police action on a rally in Suri in Birbhum district in West Bengal where slogans in praise of Lord Rama on Hanuman Jayanti yesterday were raised.



As the Parliament roundly condemned the statement, the Centre said the West Bengal government was free to take legal action against him.



The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress(TMC) members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.



In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register an FIR and take action.



Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy asked the House and the government to condemn the statement, saying a constitutionally elected CM has been described as a demon.



He said the Centre was trying to unleash a reign of terror in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.



Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: I strongly condemn such type of statements. The state government is free to take appropriate legal action on this issue.

ALSO READ | Bring Mamata Banerjee's head and take Rs 11 lakh from me, says BJP youth leader



On such people action can be taken under the the law. An FIR should be registered. Law should take its own course, Kurian said, adding that you raised this issue. Minister has condemned it...No need of discussion on that.



BSP supremo Mayawati termed it as a serious matter and said BJP should not just condemn the statement, but should also take action.



Other opposition parties including Congress, Left and SP, also supported TMC on this issue and condemned the incident.



Jaya Bachchan (SP) said there was a need to take aggressive steps for protection of women. You can protect cows and women are facing atrocities, she added.



How dare somebody talk like this, especially against women Chief Minister paticularly when women are feeling insecure. Is this the way you are going to protect women, Bachchan asked.



BJP member Roopa Ganguly said she too was a woman and I was beaten up by 17 goons of TMC in front of policemen. The Chief Minister who is also a women should answer this.



In the Lok Sabha too, the BJP youth leaders bounty offer was condemned by all sides, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar saying such a statement by anyone was completely wrong and the government strongly condemns it.



She is an elected Chief Minister and due respect must be given to her. We strongly condemn it, Kumar said.



Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said there have been many unpleasant incidents in the political discourse in recent past and everyone must work together to improve it. This is completely wrong. All sides must exercise restraint.



Raising the issue soon after the House assembled to take up the days business, TMC member Saugata Roy said Mamata Banerjee is not only an elected Chief Minister but a former member of this House too. It is a serious and alarming behaviour and the House must condemn it. She is a grassroot leader and government must take action on it.



Fully supporting Roy, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said his party fully associated with the sentiment and such incident must not happen anywhere.



A strong message should go from the government against such behaviour and action must be taken against the guilty.



TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said in Kolkata that the threat has been issued by rogue element of politics and asked why Varshney was not arrested immediately.



BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is in charge of the party in West Bengal, said that he condemned such statement which propagated violence.



We do not agree with such remarks. There is anger against Mamataji for her appeasement politics, but (we) cannot support violence. We condemn such statements.



BJPs West Bengal unit president Dilip Ghosh said his party was against politics of violence and hatred and demanded action against him.



Such kind of statements have nothing to do with healthy politics. This is nothing but a reflection of an unstable mind, Ghosh told reporters in Kolkata.



The Congress and the Left Front also came down heavily on Varshney.



We are against such cheap statements. Such kind of statements not only propagate violence but also create an atmosphere of polarisation. Immediate action should be taken against him, state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said.



Strong action should be taken against him. Police should immediately take action. This is completely barbaric and uncivilised, senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.



(With inputs from PTI)

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Patna/Munger:

Stepping up the crusade against liquor, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday said that liquor will not be allowed in villages having a population up to 3,000.

The liquor sale has already been prohibited in villages having up to 2,000 population and now the government would keep villages with population up to 3,000 away from alcohol, Singh told reporters at the helipad in Munger, Bihar.

The chief minister further said that his government has already done away with Kuchiya Pratha (outsourcing liquor sale to middlemen/contractors) and liquor is sold only from government outlets.

He was here to meet Swami Niranjanand Saraswati of the Munger Yoga Peeth and congratulate him for getting a Padam Shri award recently.

Sarawati hails from Rajangaon in Chhattisgarh but left home in early childhood to join Munger Yoga peeth in Bihar which he is currently heading.

Also read: We will shut down all liquor shops in phased manner: MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Earlier, before proceeding towards Munger, Singh paid a courtesy visit to his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar at the latters residence in Patna.

Kumar presented a replica of Lord Buddha to Singh.

At Munger, the helicopter in which Singh had to return to Patna had some trouble taking off due to high speed winds and sand dust. But, the administration quickly sprinkled water on the ground after which the helicopter took off.

Also read: No liquor shops in residential areas: UP govt

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Ahmedabad:

Accepting the plea to implead more accused, the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday made them respondents to a petition filed by Bhikhabhai Jethwa, father of the slain RTI activist Amit Jethwa.

Bhikhabhai moved the court seeking a retrial after as many as 105 witnesses in the case related to his son's murder turned hostile in the trial court. Justice J B Pardiwala issued notices to five accused persons who are currently out on bail, asking them to remain present on April 18, the next date of hearing.

The lawyer of two accused, former BJP MP Dinu Solanki and his cousin Shiva Solanki (named as respondents in Jethwa'spetition) requested the high court to implead five more accused: Udaji Thakor, Bhadursinh Wadher, Sanjay Chauhan, courtlastPachan Shiva and Shailesh Pandya.

The court on Wednesday granted the request and issued notices. The CBI, which investigated the case, told court last week that as many as 105 out of the total 195 witnesseshad turned hostile, and five others had complained ofintimidation.

The high court had stayed the trial before the specialCBI court after Bhikhabhai moved the court last month.

Bhikhabhai alleged that witnesses turned hostile becauseof the threats given by Dinu Solanki and Shiva Solanki.

Also Read | Una Dalit flogging case: Gujarat HC grants bail to four accused, including two cops

Gujarat Police and the CBI were "not serious at theground level in ensuring protection of witnesses", he alleged.

Jethwa was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court onJuly 20, 2010, allegedly at the behest of Dinu Solanki forexposing illegal mining activities through RTI applications.

Amit had filed a PIL in the high court against illegalmining in Gir forest region, the habitat of Asiatic lions. Charges of murder and criminal conspiracy were framedagainst Solanki and six others in May 2016.

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New Delhi:

Senior Bhartiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday said that these days, if you talk of dialogue with separatists, then you are called anti-national. Does it mean Atalji was anti-national?

Sinha said that Farooq Abdullah has always been nationalist. Bypoll campaign was on so don't know in what context he made recent comments.

There has been a lot of violence during J&K bypoll, nobody wants to risk their lives and go for casting vote, said Yashwant Sinha.

Speaking on the relations with Pakistan, senior BJP leader said that for 70 years, relations have not improved. Its due to trust deficit. As long as Pakistan remains in denial, talks have no meaning.

Also read: Alienating Kashmiris will help Pak take advantage of situation: Yashwant Sinha

Also read: Yashwant Sinha-led delegation meets Hurriyat leaders to break three-month impasse in Kashmir triggered by Burhan Wani's killing



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Value investing is easily one of the most popular ways to find great stocks in any market environment. After all, who wouldnt want to find stocks that are either flying under the radar and are compelling buys, or offer up tantalizing discounts when compared to fair value?



One way to find these companies is by looking at several key metrics and financial ratios, many of which are crucial in the value stock selection process. Lets put Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited TSM stock into this equation and find out if it is a good choice for value-oriented investors right now, or if investors subscribing to this methodology should look elsewhere for top picks:



PE Ratio



A key metric that value investors always look at is the Price to Earnings Ratio, or PE for short. This shows us how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of earnings in a given stock, and is easily one of the most popular financial ratios in the world. The best use of the PE ratio is to compare the stocks current PE ratio with: a) where this ratio has been in the past; b) how it compares to the average for the industry/sector; and c) how it compares to the market as a whole.



On this front, Taiwan Semiconductor has a trailing twelve months PE ratio of 16.12. This level compares favorably with the market at large, as the PE ratio for the S&P 500 comes in at about 20.30.





If we focus on the long-term PE trend, Taiwan Semiconductors current PE level puts it among the highs experienced for this stock. The current level is above its midpoint over the past five years (which stands at 15.12) and the stocks PE metric has been on a general uptrend since mid-2015. This suggests that the stock is somewhat overvalued in comparison to its own historical trend.

Meanwhile, the stocks PE compares favorably with the Zacks classified Computer & Technology sectors trailing twelve months PE ratio, which stands at 21.86. At the very least, this indicates that the stock is relatively undervalued right now, compared to its peers.

Story continues





We should also point out that Taiwan Semiconductor has a forward PE ratio (price relative to this years earnings) of just 14.36  lower than the current level. So, it is fair to say that a slightly more value-oriented path may be ahead for Taiwan Semiconductor stock in the near term too.



PEG Ratio



While earnings are certainly important, it is essential to know how much you are paying for the growth of earnings as well. One can easily do that with the PEG ratio (ratio of the P/E to the expected future earnings growth rate).The PEG ratio gives a more complete picture of the valuation of a stock than the P/E ratio.



Taiwan Semiconductors PEG ratio stands at just 0.95, compared with the Zacks Computer and Technology sector average of 1.84. This suggests a decent undervalued trading relative to its earnings growth potential right now.





Broad Value Outlook



In aggregate, Taiwan Semiconductor currently has a Zacks Value Style Score of B, putting it into the top 40% of all stocks we cover from this look. This makes Taiwan Semiconductor a solid choice for value investors, and some of its other key metrics make this pretty clear too.



For example, the EV/EBITDA for Taiwan Semiconductor is just 8.48, a level that is slightly lower than the sector average of 9.46. The EV/EBITDA multiple (Enterprise Value/ Earnings before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortization) is capital structure-neutral, as it takes into account the level of debt on a companys balance sheet, not just its equity.



Additionally, its P/CF ratio (another great indicator of value) comes in at 9.68, which is far better than the sector average of 12.50. Clearly, TSM is a solid choice on the value front from multiple angles.



What About the Stock Overall?



Though Taiwan Semiconductor might be a good choice for value investors, there are plenty of other factors to consider before investing in this name. In particular, it is worth noting that the company has a Growth grade of A and a Momentum score of D. This gives TSM a Zacks VGM scoreor its overarching fundamental gradeof A. (You can read more about the Zacks Style Scores here >>)



Our VGM Score identifies stocks that have the most attractive value, growth, and momentum characteristics, and a good VGM score can increase your odds of success. All things considered, Taiwan Semiconductor seems to have pretty striking prospects.



Meanwhile, the companys recent earnings estimates have been trending upwards slightly. The current quarter has seen no revisions in the past thirty days, while the full year estimate has seen one upward revision and no downward revisions in the same time period.



This has had just a small impact on the consensus estimate though as the current quarter consensus estimate remained constant over the past month, while the full year estimate has inched higher by 1.8%. You can see the consensus estimate trend and recent price action for the stock in the chart below:

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. Price and Consensus

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. Price and Consensus | Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. Quote

This somewhat favorable trend is why the stock has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and why we are looking for better performance from the company in the near term.

Bottom Line



Taiwan Semiconductor is an inspired choice for value investors, as it is hard to beat its incredible lineup of statistics on this front. It forms a part of the Zacks categorized Semiconductor - Circuit Foundry industry which carries ranks in the Top 2% out of more than 250 industries. Boasting a formidable industry rank and a top Zacks Rank, the company deserves attention right now. So, it might pay for value investors to delve deeper into the companys prospects, as fundamentals indicate that this stock could be a compelling pick.



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New Delhi:

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday has rubbished reports about Congress leader Shashi Tharoor helping PM Narendra Modi government in drafting a statement on Kulbhushan Jadhav to be read out in Parliament.

" I have the assistance of very able secretaries," she said in curt tweet. She also posted the news report to which she was reacting.

According to the news report, Tharoor, also former Minister of State for foreign affairs, will help the government draft the 'Statement of Solidarity' on the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav. This statement will be adopted by both Houses of Parliament.

Also Read: Parliament: Kulbhushan Jadhav is India's son, Govt will go out of the way to help him: Sushma in Rajya Sabha

"The request to draft the resolution came from Swarajafter Parliament on Tuesday condemned Pakistan for sentencing Kulbhushan Jadhav to death," the report said. Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, has been sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan on the charges of "espionage and sabotage" activities, triggering outrage in India.

Also Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence: Sushma Swaraj warns Pakistan of dire consequences, says it will hit bilateral ties

"There is no evidence of wrong doing by Jadhav. If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast as persions on India to deflect international attention fromPakistan's well-known record of sponsoring and supportingterrorism," Swaraj had told both Houses of Parliament earlierin the day.

Also Read: Kulbhushan Jadhav and Ajmal Kasab: Tale of two trials shows difference between India and Pakistan





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New Delhi :

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to Rajya Sabha MP Anil Kumar Sahani and three others in connection with allegedly using fake bills for leave travel concession claims.

CBI had filed a charge sheet against Anil Kumar Sahani, a JD(U) MP from Bihar, and three others in the alleged LTC scam that broke out in 2013 with the probe agency claiming they had caused a loss of Rs 23.71 lakh to the exchequer.

Sahani had denied the charges against him in connection with the scam that had rocked Rajya Sabha, alleging that this is yet another blatant attempt by the Centre to misuse CBI by filing a "bogus charge sheet" against the MP.

Delhi's Patiala house court grants bail to Rajya Sabha member Anil Kumar Sahani in an alleged Leave Travel Concession case. pic.twitter.com/VAFzq11qxR  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

Besides Sahani, whose term in Rajya Sabha ends in April 2018, others named in the CBI charge sheet were Anup Singh Panwar, an employee of Delhi-based Air Cruise Travels Private Limited, N S Nair, then Office Superintendent (Traffic), Air India and Arvind Tiwari, a private person.

Also Read: Govt employees to face action for misusing funds under LTC scheme

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Shillong:

Meghalaya government has expressed its strong opposition to the Centres decision to observe Digital India Day on April 14, which is Good Friday and widely observed by the Christians.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said the state government has said it will not participate in such programmes which aim at diluting the secular fabric of the nation.

I will write to the Prime Minister as it is necessary for me to express concern on behalf of the people with special reference to the North East, which have a major chunk of the Christian community, he said.

ALSO READ | Prez Mukherjee calls Aadhaar card initiative a watershed event, applauds govt for digital-centric initiatives

He said the state government has officially intimated the Union Cabinet Secretary in this regard.

Lambasting at the Centres decision, Mukul said We have to be candid in asking what is their agenda. The identification of dates observing Good Governance Day on Christmas and now Digital India Day on Good Friday are they (BJP-led NDA) trying to marginalise the minority?

BJP is creating a perception in the North East that everything is good with their style of functioning and the people of NE should accept them. This testimony is not based on facts.

ALSO READ | BSNL promotes Digital India, offers 1 GB free data to all its non internet users

Congress will provide a more stable government in Meghalaya, capable of turning round the whole socio-economic landscape of the state, he said expressing confidence that the ruling Congress will return to power after the state Assembly elections in 2018.

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New Delhi:

Opposition parties led by the Congress met President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday and expressed their condern over the recent incidents of violence and efforts to "muzzle voices of dissent" in the country.

A delegation led by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, called on the President at the Rashtrapati Bhavan and sought his urgent intervention "to ensure the rule of law" in the country.



They presented a memorandum to him listing their various concerns and urged the President to ensure that constitutional democracy and fundamental rights of citizens are protected.



After the delegation met the President, leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said "an environment of fear and insecurity is prevailing in the country and voices of dissent are being muzzled".



"We have requested the President for his urgent intervention to protect India's constitutional democracy and safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens to ensure the rule of law in this country," he told reporters.



The delegation also raised issues of alleged EVM tampering during their meeting.

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New Delhi:

After a protest against fee hike in Panjab University the campus turned violent as the agitators clashed with police, forcing the latter to use force, resulting in injuries to both sides. Some mediapersons were also injured during the protest. Around fifty two students were arrested following the clash.

After registering a case of rioting and damage to public property against the protesting students, police have arrested 52 students out of the 66 identified by the university authorities, police said.

The agitating students wanted to hold talks with Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover on the fee hike issue as they were observing "PU Bandh" against the recent hike.

When the students were not called for discussion, they tried to forcibly enter the VC office in the varsity campus by jumping the barricades set up by police.

Police resorted to water cannons to disperse the angry students. The situation turned violent when students allegedly started pelting stones and flower pots at cops, forcing the police to lathi charge and lob tear gas shells, leading to injuries to several students including girls.

Also Read: Gurmehar Kaur's first blog: I am not your 'Martyr's Daughter'

Several student bodies including Students for Society(SFS), National Students Union of India (NSUI), Punjab University Students Union (PUSU) had given a joint call for 'Panjab University Bandh' in protest against the fee hike.

"We resorted to use force after students turned violent," UT Chandigarh SP Eish Singhal said, adding that somepolice vehicles were also damaged.

"On our side 22 cops sustained injuries," SP said. "We have arrested 52 students so far for rioting and damaging public property," he said.

After police used force, some protesting students tookshelter in a Gurdwara situated on the campus.

Earlier, the protesting students boycotted classes. Some students could also be seen forcing the shops to close.

Some photo journalists and reporters who were covering the protest have also sustained injuries allegedly caused by police cane charge.

Chandigarh Press Club strongly condemned the alleged lathi charge by the police on photographers and journalists. In a release issued here, the Press Club's president Jaswant Rana and Secretary General Barinder Singh Rawat along with the governing council members demanded inquiry intothe incident and registration of FIR against those police personal who were involved in lathi charge.

A delegation of the Chandigarh Press Club will meet the UT Administrator, UT Adviser and UT IGP in this regard to takestrict action against those involved in this incident, the release said.

The students have been protesting against the "significant" hike in tuition fee announced by the PU senate last month for the 2017-18 academic year.

In some courses, the fee hike was steep. In the B Pharmacourse, the fee was raised from Rs 5,080 to Rs 50,000 and in MA (journalism) course, the fee was hiked from Rs 5290 to Rs30,000. For PU's dental course, the fees was increased from Rs86,400 to Rs 1.50 lakh.

With the students demanding rollback of the fee hike, thePU had justified the average 12.5 per cent hike whileconsidering the financial condition of the university as theit has anticipated a deficit of Rs 244 crore for the financialyear 2017-18.



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New Delhi:

Four directors of Surya Vinayak Industries Limited were on Wednesday sent to 10 days CBI custody by a Delhi court for allegedly cheating consortium of banks to the tune of Rs 2240 crore.

Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal, who were arrested on the complaint of Punjab National Bank (PNB), were sent to custody till April 22 by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass.

CBI had arrested the four accused on Wednesday for allegedly using more than 100 shell companies for routing and diversion of bank funds.

The firm and the shell companies had no genuine business transactions, the CBI sources had said.



The PNB has alleged that the company had diverted bank funds to the tune of Rs 2240 crore, which resulted in loss to the consortium.

ALSO READ | 2,000 accounts were opened in SBI to channelise black money, found CBI



Over Rs 300 crore of working capital was also allegedly moved to six companies set abroad, it said.

ALSO READ | Money laundering case: CBI registers preliminary enquiry against Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain



(With inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

The Supreme Court deferred the final hearing in the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal case to April 27 on Wednesday stating that it does not want to shut the door to an amicable solution to the matter after the Centre informed the apex court that a meeting of Punjab and Haryana has been convened by it on April 20.



The court, however, made it clear that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.



"A meeting has been called at the highest level on April 20. The government of India is very keen to find a solution," solicitor general Ranjit Kumar told the bench headed by Justice PC Ghose.

The bench, also comprising Justice Amitava Roy, considered the statement of solicitor general and deferred the hearing in the case to April 27.

Read | Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal row: Police fortify Punjab-Haryana border as INLD threatens to dig tunnel

"We do not want to shut the door to an amicable solution," the bench said when senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for Haryana, reminded it that the matter has been listed for final hearing with regard to execution of the court's judgement favouring construction of SYL canal.



Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, who represents Punjab in the case, said that he has always been saying that an out-of-court solution should be found to the impasse. The bench stated that if a solution is not found, it will proceed with the matter on the next date of hearing.

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New Delhi:

The Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has officialy released the schedule for recruitment exam to be conducted in the year 2016 and 2017. The commission has planned to conduct the UPPSC schedule list recruitment exams for aspirants of 2013, 2017 and 2018.



Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) has invited applications for direct recruitment in 529 posts in various departments in the state. The last date to apply for the same is April 18, 2017. Interested candidates can apply for the same from the official website.



Candidates must pay the application fee before April 13, 2017 and upload all relevant documents while applying online.

After ordering a stay on Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) results following complaints of massive irregularities, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday summoned UPPSC Chairman Dr Anirudh Yadav.

UPPSC had drawn a lot of criticism for its functioning and allegedly biased recruitments during the previous regime. The Allahabad High Court had even quashed the appointment of its chairman Anil Yadav.



Exam Pattern:The UPPSC Pre Exam is a Conventional Type Examination. The examination will be in two papers with the time duration of two hours for each paper.

Also Read: JEE Advanced 2017: Know all about JEE registration date, eligibility criteria here

About UPPSC Exam:

This UPPSC PCS Pre Exam is conducted for the recruitment of candidates for various positions and various departments. Candidates should download the admit cards to attend the examination. Admit cards will be uploaded on the site one week before the exam date.

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Washington:

Reacting to the death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistan military court, top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistans decision and warned that Islamabad wants to send a strong message to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhavs trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers,? Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres told PTI.

Also read: Kulbhushan Jadhav row: Swaraj trashes report of Tharoor helping govt in drafting statement

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhavs conviction is rather flimsy and the story by the Pakistani authorities do not add up.

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, seems to be politically motivated in order to counter Indias aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

Also read: Military courts have tried even Pak nationals: Kasuri on Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence

This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against Indias efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isnt executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Jadhav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India, Kugelman said.

The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasnt a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimsons South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhavs execution sentence appears puzzling because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest.

If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted, Lalwani said.

If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhavs capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions, Lalwani said.

Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information, a State Department spokesperson said.

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New Delhi:

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh accused Pakistan of attempting a pre-planned murder of former Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and asserted India will do whatever it takes to ensure his release.

Pakistan is attempting a pre-planned murder of Kulbhushan Jadhav, he said, striking an aggressive posture against Islamabad over the death penalty awarded to the Indian national by a military court in the neighbouring country.

Jadhav is not a spy and should be released, Singh said while speaking at the Lokmat Maharashtrian of the Year Awards here tonight.

He went out of India for business. Pakistan agencies kidnapped him. He was carrying an Indian passport. Do spies carry passports? he asked, seeking to trash Islamabads claim that the 46-year-old was involved in espionage and sabotage activities.

ALSO READ | Military courts have tried even Pak nationals: Kasuri on Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence

We will do whatever it takes to ensure Jadhavs release. If needed we will take the issue to international fora, the Home Minister asserted.

Speaking during an interactive session at the event, Singh maintained India wont hesitate to take strong steps to secure Jadhavs release.

However, he did not disclose what strong steps New Delhi was contemplating.

We will raise this issue on international forum, if required: HM Rajnath Singh on #KulbhushanJadhav pic.twitter.com/k3SF43QshZ  ANI (@ANI_news) April 11, 2017

Jadhav, who hails from Maharashtra, was arrested on March 3 last year by Pakistan security officials allegedly in Balochistan which, they said, he entered from Iran.

He was sentenced to death by a military court in a secret trial and the Pakistans army chief yesterday approved his execution

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj rubbished reports that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor will help the Narendra Modi government in drafting a statement on Kulbhushan Jadhav to be read out in Parliament.

Pakistani authorities said Kulbhushan Jadhav has valid Indian passport. I think if he was a spy then he would not have kept it: HM Rajnath pic.twitter.com/KgODWWuaWH  ANI (@ANI_news) April 11, 2017

There is no dearth of talent in my ministry. I have the assistance of very able secretaries, she said in curt tweet.

She also posted the news report to which she was reacting. According to the news report, Tharoor, also former Minister of State for foreign affairs, will help the government draft the Statement of Solidarity on the issue of Kulbhushan Jadhav. This statement will be adopted by both Houses of Parliament.

The request to draft the resolution came from Swaraj after Parliament today condemned Pakistan for sentencing Kulbhushan Jadhav to death, the report said. Jadhav, a former Indian Navy officer, has been sentenced to death by a military court in Pakistan on the charges of espionage and sabotage activities, triggering outrage in India.

ALSO READ | Kulbhushan Jadhav row: Swaraj trashes report of Tharoor helping govt in drafting statement

There is no evidence of wrongdoing by Jadhav. If anything, he is the victim of a plan that seeks to cast aspersions on India to deflect international attention from Pakistans well-known record of sponsoring and supporting terrorism, Swaraj had told both Houses of Parliament earlier in the day.

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Vanity Fairs homepage on Apr. 22, 2017

The magazine that President Trump called dead is trying something new. Vanity Fair is planning to roll out a digital paywall, Yahoo Finance has learned.

Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter wants the new paywall ready in the next two to six months, according to communication seen by Yahoo Finance. Years ago, the magazine very rarely made select print features subscriber-only (like a 2014 cover investigation on Edward Snowden) but it did not have any formal, metered paywall.

The new move comes after the Conde Nast title saw its web traffic and digital revenue go up recently. Adweek reported that VF.coms 14 million monthly unique visitors last October was up 27% over a year before. And its digital revenue was up 74% year over year.

Perhaps thats why Carter believes now is the time for a paywall. So, will online readers pay up? (Conde Nast did not provide a comment for this story.)

Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFair Magazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 15, 2016

In December, after the magazine published a scathing restaurant review of Trump Grill in Manhattans Trump Tower, Trump tweeted that Vanity Fair was way down and in big trouble. But that day, Vanity Fair sold 100 times more new subscriptions than it usually sells in a day, and quickly gained 10,000 new Twitter followers.

Vanity Fair is now using the tagline, The magazine Trump doesnt want you to read in its subscription advertisements. On Wednesday, the web site published The optimists guide to impeaching Donald Trump.

Vanity Fair editor in chief Graydon Carter. (Getty)

Many print newspapers have experimented with paywalls online, with varying levels of success and varying degrees of porousness. (Some of them can be evaded simply by turning off your ad-blocker or switching your browser to incognito mode.) The New York Times, Wall Street Journal (NewsCorp-owned), Washington Post, Chicago Tribune (Tronc), and Boston Globe, to name a few, all have a metered approach, meaning they allow you a certain number (typically 10-20) of free articles per month before you must log in and pay. Business Insider has also been testing out a partial paywall. The Financial Times switched its metered model to a hard paywall in 2015.

Story continues

In England, the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph recently introduced a paywall with a twist: only the most unique, in-depth and insightful journalism is behind the wall, which amounts to 15% of its articles.

As of one year ago, according to a report at the time from the American Press Institute, 79% of US newspapers with circulation over 50,000 had implemented some sort of paywall. The average weekly price of subscription: $3.11.

In magazines, The Nation launched a metered paywall last year, while Newsweek went the other way, dropping its paywall. At Time Inc, different magazine brands have taken different strategies: Time.com still has a paywall in place for many of its archived stories, while Fortune.com, which briefly tested a paywall for some print features a few years ago, quietly stopped.

The New Yorker is often cited as a paywall success story. It implemented a metered paywall in 2014, and by October 2015 its monthly unique visitors had nearly doubled from the year before, the Wall Street Journal reported.

One can expect Vanity Fair to go with a similar setup to The New Yorker, as both are Conde Nast publications. Vanity Fair has had recent success with its tech blog, The Hivethats likely a section that wouldnt go behind the wall.

Back in 2010, Conde Nasts then-VP of business development said at a conference, Walling off our content and saying you cant have it, I dont think thats the right strategy. But that was seven years ago, and that executive is no longer at Conde Nast.

In his now-famous tweet about Vanity Fair, Trump added that Graydon Carter is no talent and will be out! But if the VF.com paywall works well, media industry pundits may end up declaring the opposite.



Daniel Roberts is a writer at Yahoo Finance, covering sports, tech, and the media business. Follow him on Twitter at @readDanwrite.

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London:

Scientists have detected a potential evidence of life below the deepest point in the worlds oceans in Mariana Trench. The signs of life have been discovered ten kilometres below the sea floor.

Researchers, including ones from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, reached out to Mariana Trench located in the western Pacific Ocean.



They extracted about 46 samples of serpentine from the ocean floor near the South Chamorro mud volcano using Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). They brought the samples back to their lab for study.

Researchers said serpentine is a mineral that forms when olivine in the upper mantle meets water pushed up from a subduction zone. Methane gas and hydrogen is produced by such reactions and it can be served as a food source by microbes.

Hydrothermal vents push serpentine to the surface of the sea floor, where the researchers found it.

They found trace amounts of organic material that was very similar to that produced by microbes living in more accessible places, the Phys.org reported. It is possible that the serpentine samples are evidence of life living far below the surface, researchers said.

The team used data from prior studies to calculate how far below the sea floor the serpentine was formed, which allowed them to estimate that the possible microbes might live - about ten kilometres below the sea floor.



The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

ALSO READ | Mystery of alien noise coming from Mariana Trench solved, scientists discover its source



(With inputs from PTI)

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Dhaka:

On Wednesday night, Bangladesh executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 PM (local time), Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun Ur Rashid said the autopsies of Hannan and Bipul have been completed and their bodies will be sent to their village homes amid tight security.

Also Read: Mumbai court reserves order on ED's plea for non-bailable warrant against Zakir Naik

President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions this week.

Earlier, the authorities beefed up security in and around the Kashimpur jail. The family members of Hannan - his wife, two daughters and elder brother - met him in the jail this morning.

Ripons family members also met him at the Sylhet jail.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.

The then Bangladeshi-born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.

The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.

A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.

Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.

HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organization and specially designated global terrorist while Indian officials suspected the outfits links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts there.

Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Beijing:

Targeting India once again over Dalai Lamas Arunachal Visit, China on Wednesday warned India that the Spiritual leaders visit will have negative impact on the settlement of the border dispute and blamed New Delhi of violating its commitment on the Tibet issue.

Chinese foreign ministry also said Beijing will take further action to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the provocative statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who had said that the state only shares its border with Tibet, and not with China.

In the strongest comments since April 4, when the Dalai Lama began his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as Southern Tibet, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said their provocative statements exceeded the scope of religious activities as stated by India.

Lu said despite Chinas objection, India insisted on arranging the Dalai Lamas visit in the disputed areas of the eastern section of the China-India boundary. He also said the some specific Indian official had indulged in provocative political statement but did not name Pema Khandu.

It shows that the activity by the 14th Dalai Lama already exceeded so called scope of religious activities claimed by the Indian side, Lu said.

What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two side through negotiations, it said.

Also Read: Dalai Lama says China's bid to name my successor to undermine the Tibetans' cause is nonsense

China has lodged representations with the Indian side (and) we will take further action to safeguard the territorial sovereignty and national security, he said without elaborating what measures Beijing would take.

Lu said the Dalai Lamas disgraceful performance will have negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial dispute between India and China.

China is opposed to the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly Tawang, which it considers as Southern Tibet. Its media and foreign ministry has repeatedly aired its opposition to the Tibetan Buddhist leaders visit to the region.

Also Read | Dalai Lama not primary problem in Sino-India relations in long run: Ex-Chinese diplomat

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Hungry:

A ban by a village led by a far-right mayor has been repealed by Hungary's Constitutional Court on Wednesday. The ban was on the construction of mosques and headscarves like burkas and chadors worn by Muslim women.

The village also outlawed the activity of muezzins, and it prohibited any "propaganda" or activities promoting marriage not exclusively between a man and a woman or which failed to recognize marriage and the parent-child relationship as the bases for family ties.

The rules, whose constitutionality was challenged by Hungary's commissioner for fundamental rights, "aim to limit directly the freedom of conscience and religion, as well freedom of speech," the court said in its ruling.

The measures had been in place since November in the village of Asotthalom, on the Serbian border, led by Mayor Laszlo Toroczkai of the far-right Jobbik party.

Before Hungary built fences on its borders with Serbia and Croatia in late 2015, Asotthalom was a frequent point of entry into Hungary for migrants and refugees on their way to Western Europe.

Last year, Toroczkai said the ordinance was adopted to defend the village's "community and traditions" and linked it to a plan by the European Union to resettle asylum-seekers among the members of the 28-nation bloc. Hungary is challenging the EU plan at the European Court of Justice.





For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Tehran:

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former president of Iran on Wednesday has unexpectedly filed to run in the country's May presidential election. Doing so he contradicted a recommendation from the supreme leader to stay out of the race.



Ahmadinejad's decision will upend an many believed would be won by moderate President Hassan Rouhani, who negotiated the nuclear deal with world powers.

Though Rouhani has yet to formally register, many viewed him as a shoe-in following Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's recommendation in September for Ahmadinejad to stand down.

But many hard-liners in seek a tough-talking candidate to rally around who can stand up to US President Donald Trump.



Ahmadinejad's candidacy also could expose the fissures inside Iranian politics that linger since his contested 2009 re-election, which brought massive unrest.



Associated Press journalists watched as stunned officials processed Ahmadinejad's paper work on Wednesday. Asked about Ahmadinejad's decision, one Tehran-based analyst offered a blunt assessment.



"It was an organized mutiny against the Iran's ruling system," said Soroush Farhadian, who backs reformists.



Ahmadinejad previously served two four-year terms from 2005 to 2013. Under Iranian law, he became eligible to run again after four years out of office, but he remains a polarising figure, even among fellow hard-liners.



Two of his former vice presidents have been jailed for corruption since he left office. Iran's economy suffered under heavy international sanctions during his administration because of Western suspicions that Tehran was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.



Ahmadinejad's disputed re- in 2009 sparked massive protests and a sweeping crackdown in which thousands of people were detained and dozens were killed.



Internationally, Ahmadinejad is more known for repeatedly questioning the scale of the Holocaust, predicting Israel's demise and expanding Iran's contested nuclear program.



The memory of the 2009 unrest likely sparked Khamenei's comments in September. At that time, he recommended an unnamed candidate not seek office as it would bring about a "polarized situation" that would be "harmful for the county."



Ahmadinejad described comments by the supreme leader suggesting he not run as "just advice" in a conference shortly after submitting his registration. There was no immediate reaction from the supreme leader's office.



He said his decision to run was intended to help former Vice President Hamid Baghaei, a close confidant. Baghaei registered alongside Ahmadinejad on Wednesday, as did Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, another of the former president's close allies.



More than 120 prospective candidates submitted their names as candidates on the first day of registration yesterday, including six women and seven clerics. Registration remains open until Saturday.



Under Iran's electoral system, all applicants must be vetted by the Guardian Council, a clerical body that will announce a final list of candidates by April 27. The council normally does not approve dissidents or women for the formal candidate list.



The May 19 is seen by many in as a referendum on the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and its ability to improve the country's sanctions-hobbled economy. Under that deal, agreed to curb its uranium enrichment in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions.



Since the deal, has signed multi-billion-dollar contracts with airplane manufacturers Boeing Co and Airbus. The benefits have yet to trickle down to the average Iranian, however, fueling some discontent.

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Washington:

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that North Korea is looking for trouble. Trump asserted that America will solve the North Korean problem unilaterally even if China does not help.

North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them!?USA, Trump tweeted, toughening his stance on North Korea.

In another tweet, Trump also gave an insight into his talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, whom he met last week at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem! Trump wrote in an earlier tweet.

The US last week sent a naval strike group to the region in a show of force against Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme.

Also read: China urges US, N Korea to avoid 'head-on collision' amid rising tensions

China is North Koreas sole major ally and economic lifeline.

The tweet indicated that the meeting might not have been as successful as is being claimed by senior White House officials.

I think we had an unbelievably helpful and productive meeting with the Chinese, the White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer had told reporters at his daily news conference yesterday.

Trumps tweets on North Korea came as Pyongyang said it is ready for war with the US.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said the behavior of North Korea with respect to the missile launches was not tolerable.

He (US President Donald Trump) has made it clear with respect to North Korea, that their behaviour and their actions with respect to the missile launches, that its not tolerable, Spicer told reporters at his daily news conference.

Also read: UNSC to meet on N Korea missile launches

The last thing we want to see is a nuclear North Korea that threatens the coast of the United States or, for that matter, you know, any other country and any other set of human beings. So we need stability in that region and I think he has put them clearly on notice, Spicer said in response to a question.

I think he has been very clear that he will not tolerate some of those actions by North Korea. But the President is not one whos going to go out there and telegraph his response, Spicer said.

The President keeps all options on the table and he keeps his cards close to the vest, he said

As he showed last week with respect to Syria, when the President is willing to act, it is going to be decisive and proportional to make it very clear what the position of the United States is, Spicer said.

Sourabh Gupta, a senior fellow at the Institute for China-America Studies in Washington, said that there might be another provocative behaviour from North Korea.

April 15th is Grandpa Kim Il Sung 105th birth anniversary; April 25th is Korean Peoples Armys 85th founding anniversary. So North Korea likes to test and blast during this month, he said.

However he said Trump and Xi managed to set a constructive tone to their relationship.

This, he said, will be necessary because the issues that divide China and the US are deep-seated.

But in no way did the meeting signal a G2 approach to managing regional issues, much less multilateral issues, he said.

In no way either did Trump signal that he would work over the heads of his allies in Asia to secure favourable outcomes for the US, although there is some consternation in Seoul over the relative paucity of consultation over North Korea policy, Gupta said.

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Lahore:

In a brutal incident, a class nine student's sexual organ was chopped off and eyes pricked by the family members of a girl who suspected him of having an illicit relationship with her in Pakistan's Punjab province.



The 15-year-old boy was robbed off his sight for the rest of his life but doctors managed to save his life. The incident came to light on Tuesday after the boy's family protested against the girl's family members in Raiwind area of Lahore city and demanded action against them.



The boy was kidnapped by the girl's father and his accomplices on suspicion of having an illicit relationship with his daughter in the last week of February, according to the FIR lodged by the boy's family.



The accused after "kidnapping" the boy from his school took him to a deserted place near Ravi river and chopped off his sexual organ, pricked his eyes in revenge and fled. The boy was spotted by passersby and taken to a hospital in the city where doctors saved his life.



His father has alleged that a lawmaker from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is backing the accused. The boy's father has urged Pakistan's Chief Justice to intervene in the matter.



Lahore senior police officer Haider Ashraf said all the five accused have been arrested. "We will submit the challan of the case after completing investigation," he said.

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Washington:

The Pentagon has said that there is no doubt that Syria's Bashar al-Assad government was behind the chemical attack on civilians in Khan Sheikhoun town.



US defence chief Jim Mattis also warned on Wednesday the embattled regime that it will pay a "very very stiff price" if it continues to use chemical weapons against its own people.



"If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price," Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.



Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

Read | Syrian gas attack probe: UN Security Council to vote on Wednesday, says US diplomat



"Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," the defence secretary said.



"In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies," he added.



Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regime's repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

Read | Trump, May agree to convince Russia to end support for Bashar al-Assad



"We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike and our actions were successful," Mattis said. "Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons," he said.



This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while President Bashar al-Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.



"We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack," he said. Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed. "Our priority remains the defeat of the ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.

Read | Trump, May agree to convince Russia to end support for Bashar al-Assad



Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.



"We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regime's ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded," he said. "We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission," Votel said.



Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking the ISIS and destroying it in Syria.





"This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.





Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.



"Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, you've got to ask him why he chose now to try it again," he said. "I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, I'll just let the mission speak for itself on that score," the Defence Secretary said.



Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance. "It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we can't say right now. We don't know anything beyond that," he said.

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Washington:

White House press secretary Sean Spicer has apologized for insensitive remarks during a press briefing in which he asserted that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons on his own people.

Frankly, I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive comment about the Holocaust and there is no comparison, Spicer told CNN on Tuesday. For that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that.

Earlier while comparing Hitler to Syrias Bashar al-Assad, Spicer said Hitler didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.

An April 4 chemical weapons attack in northern Syria left nearly 90 people dead, and the US has blamed Assad. Turkeys health minister said on Wednesday that test results confirm sarin gas was used.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.




Donald Trump Xi Jinping

When US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were enjoying chocolate cake at the end of their first dinner together on Thursday, US Navy ships were pounding a Syrian airfield with a salvo of 59 cruise missiles.

After a phone call on Tuesday night, the two signaled an agreement to work together to denuclearize North Korea, and China reportedly sent 150,000 troops to North Korea's border.

The Trump administration has long tried to establish its willingness to use military force against Kim Jong Un's regime.

"China insists on realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula ... and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the American side over the issue on the peninsula," Xi was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster CCTV and other official media outlets after the call.

"Had a very good call last night with the President of China concerning the menace of North Korea," Trump tweeted on Wednesday morning. Trump last month said China could end the North Korean crisis easily if it wanted to, but it had "done little to help."

Related:

For more news videos visit Yahoo View, available now on iOS and Android.

China has resisted taking hard action against North Korea since it has a vested interest in preserving the state, which acts as a physical and cultural buffer between China and the Western-oriented, democratic South Korea.

But now, as the US Navy's USS Carl Vinson carrier-strike group looms just off the Korean peninsula, multilateral talks hold more promise than ever.

Xi's response after his meeting with Trump signals he may be willing to go further in reeling in the rogue North Korean leader. Trump reportedly stressed the issue and suggested the US would unilaterally take care of the Kim regime if necessary.

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) transits the South China Sea, April 8, 2017. Photo taken April 8, 2017. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matt Brown/Handout via Reuters

But experts have told Business Insider that US military action against North Korea was never likely or plausible  North Korea just has too many guns aimed at South Korea.

Story continues

"The Chinese are smart enough to think about the various military options, so they probably have concluded that there's a very low likelihood" the US would strike North Korea, said Bonnie Glaser, director of the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"I think it's almost a universal that with military strikes the downsides are just so great that it's hard to see them taking place," said Joel Wit, the founder of 38 North, a website that brings together experts on North Korea.

But the Chinese seem to have been spooked by the deployment of a high-tech US missile-defense battery to South Korea, reportedly because of its advanced radar capabilities.

China is responsible for 85% of North Korea's external trade and a similar percentage of its energy imports.

china bridge north korea

While China has signed onto every UN Security Council resolution against North Korea since 2006, "it has, of course, watered down most if not all of those Security Council resolutions because it has not wanted to agree to sanctions that might create instability in North Korea," Glaser said. "And if it won't cause instability, it's probably not likely to be tough enough to cause Kim Jong Un to rethink his strategy and priorities."

So while China may have been swayed to act against its own interests by the Trump administration's military posturing, another more credible threat could have moved the needle.

"I think that [the Chinese] are quite worried about what Trump might do in the area of trade and economics  that's really credible," Glaser said.

NOW WATCH: How the US could prevent a North Korean nuclear strike  according to a former Marine and cyberwarfare expert





More From Business Insider
BROOKFIELD - The Charter Revision Commission wants to try once more to increase the size of the Board of Selectmen, among other proposed changes to the charter.

The commission presented its latest recommendations to the Board of Selectmen last week, building on its original suggestions from a report earlier this year. The commission adopted nine of 21 proposals the public and selectmen asked them to consider.

The commission, which has been exploring how to improve the charter since July, prioritized five of those nine changes.

The biggest would be to increase the Board of Selectmen from three to five members, as the state and Connecticut Conference of Municipalities suggests is optimal for a town Brookfields size.

It would help spread the work out among more people, said Joni Park, who chaired the commission. It would give more input from a variety of people to be able to run the town.

Several residents criticized this suggestion at a public hearing last month, arguing voters already rejected the idea in 2007 and 2012.

But Park said times have changed.

The town of Brookfield has grown and changed and there are new people in town and there are new things that can be addressed, she said.

First Selectman Steve Dunn praised the commissions work, but said voters would likely reject the five-member Board of Selectmen.

The issue for me is that a number of these have been brought up before and have just been slaughtered at the polls, Dunn said. We want to put things forward that the voters will be able to understand easily and approve.

If the town were to consider a five-member Board of Selectmen, Dunn said, it would need to form an ad-hoc committee to look at the pros and cons.

The Board of Selectmen will hold a public hearing on the recommendations and ask the commission to make changes for a final report. The selectmen will then vote which recommendations, if any, to send to a referendum.

Another proposal would change the way residents vote for selectmen. Under the current charter, the losing candidate for first selectman can still be voted onto the Board of Selectmen as a regular member if he or she receives enough votes.

But commission Vice Chairman Jerry Friedrich said these positions are different and should be voted on separately. Friedrich said he worries candidates run for first selectman thinking they can still get on the board even if they lose the race for the top spot.

That basic concept bothered me, he said. Id like people to run for the position they really want, because I think they can serve the town better.

Other priority recommendations included requiring that at least 10 days pass before a newly opened position on a town board can be filled. This would give residents more time to realize that positions are open and apply if they wish.

The commission also wants to clarify language concerning the Board of Ethics, to make it compliant with state statutes.

Other recommended changes, which the commission did not consider priorities, included increasing the number of members on the Library Board of Trustees to nine. The commission also wants to allow the public to restore budget line items at the annual town meeting to amounts previously approved by the boards of selectmen or education.

Friedrich said he disagreed with his fellow members about this last recommendation. He said the Board of Finance considers a variety of factors, from bond issues to credit ratings, when determining the budget. The average resident, Friedrich said, might not be as well informed.

The Board of Finance are elected positions and youre basically nullifying their work, he said.
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U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy is facing questions about his coordination with fellow Democrats at the state and local level in opposition to Donald Trump.

In a letter Wednesday to the state Elections Enforcement Commission, former state Rep. Dan Carter, R-Bethel, called for the watchdog agency to look into Murphys just-launched Fight Back Connecticut initiative.

As an arm of Murphys 2018 re-election campaign, Carter said, the effort should be prohibited from using federally earmarked political contributions to bolster state and local candidates.

Carter pointed to a $325,000 fine meted out by the agency against the state Democratic Party for using money in its federal fundraising account to pay for a pair of mailers that benefited the re-election of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2014.

Given the the Connecticut Democrat Partys track record of using federally raised contributions to elect state level candidates, I wanted to inquire as to the restrictions placed on Senator Murphy and his campaign for using campaign funds raised for the purposes of electing a United States senator to benefit candidates running for local, legislative and statewide office, Carter wrote.

A Murphy campaign aide said there will be no coordination with state and local candidates.

A key voice of dissent against Trumps administration, Murphy raised $3 million during the first three months of 2017 for his re-election. In an interview Friday, the first-termer from Cheshire said he planned to render financial and organizational aid to grassroots groups on how to get their message out and how to block Trumps agenda.

He did not commit to a dollar figure, but identified the Hillary Clinton-inspired organization Pantsuit Nation and Trump Indivisible Movement as some of the groups that could fall under the umbrella of Fight Back Connecticut.

In 2016, Carter gave up a safe seat in the Legislature to challenge Murphys Senate colleague, Richard Blumenthal, who was easily re-elected last fall.

nvigdor@hearstmediact.com; 203-625-4436; http://twitter.com/gettinviggy
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NEW MILFORD  Images of soldiers against a backdrop of sun filtering through a bank of smoke helped earn Sgt. Harley Jelis the distinction of U.S. Army Photographer of the Year.

It was a bit surprising, said Jelis, 27, of New Milford. I still havent completely processed it. Its an honor.

J elis has been a photographer and writer with the 138 Public Affairs Detachment of the New York Army National Guard for 3 1/2 years and with the National Guard for eight years.

Last week, he learned he was a recipient of a Maj. Gen. Keith L. Ware Communications Award, which is presented to the Armys top soldiers and civilian employees for excellence in the Army Public Affairs Program. He received the award after earning the same distinction for the New York National Guard and for the entire National Guard.

Its a huge accomplishment, said Sgt. Maj. Corine Lombardo, the public affairs chief for the New York National Guard. Were very impressed with him as a soldier, as well as his overall work.

Lombardo said she encouraged Jelis to apply for the award because of his high quality of work.

Hes got a terrific eye, she said. His ability to capture what our soldiers do is phenomenal. He does whatever it takes to be in the right place at the right time.

That includes being out at midnight in the deserts of Kuwait or waking up at 3 a.m. to march for miles as part of a live-fire training.

Most of the photos submitted for the award were taken during a training exercise in Louisiana with 1,000 soldiers from the New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland National guards.

A photo of a young soldier staring out of a window after a drill stands out in Jelis mind. The soldiers expression, the setting and the action around him all worked together to make a favorite image.

He was completely exhausted and had this 1,000-yard stare going on, he said. I was in the right place at the right time and a lot of that was in the shot and it working out.

While in high school, Jelis developed an interest in film, which he pursued at Mercy College. He enlisted in the National Guard during his freshman year before transferring to the State University of New York-Albany, where he earned a degree in documentary studies with a concentration in film.

At Albany, he took some photography courses, but was unable to complete his assignments during the week and would shoot instead during National Guard drill on the weekends. Another Guard photographer suggested he pursue photography with a public affairs unit, but he decided to stick with the artillery.

After graduating, Jelis did freelance video and photography work, but he didnt start taking photographs for the military until he was deployed to Kuwait in 2013. As part of the public affairs detachment, he shared the Armys story with other soldiers, their families and the general public through photography, video and writings.

Its a challenge, he said. You have to be adaptive.

His day might start with a promotion ceremony and end with a training exercise. While keeping an eye out for the perfect image, carrying his equipment and wearing body armor, he must dodge running soldiers and flying bullets. He has to make soldiers hes photographing comfortable with him so they will let their guard down.

He said civilian education and his background in artillery help.

I see things a little differently than maybe other military photographers can, Jelis said.

Jelis is required to complete the same training and certification as any National Guard soldier.

First and foremost, we are still soldiers, he said.
Theres no denying that a college degree is not as valuable as it was 20 or 30 years ago. Fresh graduates without prior professional experience can often run into issues when beginning their career search with no prior professional experience.

The competition for jobs is extremely fierce. Developing professionals are wise to build up their professional resume outside of the classroom while earning their degree. For Andrew Molz, SEO and social media expert and managing partner of a number of operations, landing in the world of digital marketing came from a healthy combination of hands-on experience and passion.

While this field does not technically require a fancy diploma, being successful can be extremely difficult. Molz has three big pieces of advice to help succeed in this constantly-evolving landscape.

Incorporate prior expertise.

To get involved in digital marketing, its incredibly beneficial to have an idea of how a particular business functions in the big picture. In doing so, you will learn a lot about what types of people you need to appeal to and how to lay out a proper strategy.

Molz, who earned his real estate license shortly after departing Texas Tech University, found a number of strong correlations between the two industries.

Id have to say the main correlation between the two industries is the perseverance involved in both. Having the background in real estate most definitely benefits me because I can relate to the problems while also addressing solutions to their hot button issues, says Molz.

Related: What Makes a Successful Entrepreneur? Perseverance.

Real estate is an industry primed for SEO, especially local. As Molz got to know some of the agents, he began managing their digital marketing strategies. During his experience in real estate, he learned some of its pressing struggles and developed a software platform called The Reputation Shop, which helps businesses like these manage their online presence.

Learning the ins and outs of a particular industry is essential for using digital marketing to boost engagement from both the business and consumer side.

Promote transparency.

There are a lot of reasons why business owners are scared of SEO. Most prominently, the process seems too complicated, and they fear that a specialist could potentially damage the companys online presence.

Therefore, it is extremely important that digital marketers convey that results will not occur overnight. They must be 100 percent transparent with new and existing clients.

When making any kind of investment, you want to do your own due diligence to ensure that the company youre entrusting with your SEO is one that can be trusted to deliver. The most important process when speaking to the potential clients is being 110 percent realistic in what their goals are for getting ranked on Google, Molz explains.

Related: 5 Examples of Companies Succeeding Through Transparency

According to imFORZA, 93 percent of online experiences begin with a search engine. At this point, SEO is no longer just an option for incorporating into a marketing strategy. Brands are wise to do their research to get themselves up to speed on how it can boost their ROI in the long run.

Always keep an eye out for trends.

One of the most important things to remember about SEO, and digital marketing as a whole, is that there are no guarantees. Strategies that worked wonders one week could very well be obsolete the next.

With technology and social platforms evolving hourly, what separates the good digital marketers from the great ones is being able to identify trends early on and act accordingly.

I believe one of the more breakout trends in SEO for 2017 will be the continued interest and advancement of voice to text searching using Siri, Cortana and Alexa. Most business owners shake the notion until I ask them to search for where they are ranked on Google using their mobile device. The result is always the same. Business owners that own the top rankings when you manually type the keywords into Google, are often nowhere to be found when you ask your mobile device the keywords using voice to text. This is a trend that savvy business owners capitalize on, says Molz.

Related: Aloft Hotel Adds Siri-Equipped Rooms

To get a better idea of potential trends, look into monitoring tools like Mention or Brandwatch. You can pick up valuable insights as to what people are buzzing about within a certain industry and gear your marketing strategy to fit the mold.

Apply what you know.

At the end of the day, being successful is all about applying the knowledge you have and using it to determine your future. In the realm of digital marketing, being an effective leader depends heavily on your ability to do this while navigating the ever-shifting terrain.

Related:

Effective Digital Marketing Takes Both Hands

How to Keep the Entrepreneurship Fire Burning in the E-commerce Industry

5 Reasons Why Digital Content is Going to be the Next Big Thing



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MONTREAL, April 12, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - For the third time in its history, the Acfas Annual Congress, the largest multidisciplinary research event in the Francophonie, will be hosted by McGill University.

Under the patronage of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the 85th Annual congress of the Association francophone pour le savoir  Acfas will welcome, this year again, over five thousand researchers and graduate students from some 40 countries. The program includes no fewer than 3,400 scientific papers brought together in 213 seminars, and 30 fields of research. All research sectors are represented: health sciences, natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, arts and humanities, social sciences and education.

"The Acfas Conference fosters interdisciplinary innovation and offers both professors and graduate students an ideal platform to present their latest discoveries. McGill University is proud to welcome attendees, and it is a great honour for us to help them discover our city, recently named the best student city in the world, and the long tradition of innovation which is so cherished by McGill," explained Professor Suzanne Fortier, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University.

Vers de nouveaux sommets will be the 2017 theme for this important French-language gathering of scientists and researchers. In this year of celebrations around Montreal's 375th and Canada's 150th anniversary, the Congress will highlight the dissemination of knowledge, acknowledging the scientific advances of the past while focusing on today's research and discoveries and the challenges of tomorrow.

"Acfas has evolved alongside the research community and the society that makes its activities possible. Now more than ever, the dialogue between science and society is timely in meeting the challenges that our society faces and that cannot be resolved without the ideas and commitment of our researchers. This year, as always, many of the subjects addressed will help us to understand our reality, whether it be opening data, radicalization, feminist and Indigenous issues or pandemics," commented Frederic Bouchard, President of Acfas.

For the general public, this week is a unique opportunity to meet and discuss with researchers during open general sessions, where they will present their research findings.

Acfas will also offer numerous free and entertaining activities for the general public, under the title Science-moi! These include the exhibit La preuve par l'image, a visit to the last dairy farm on the Island of Montreal, musical performances or the chance to attend the recording of the radio programs L'uf ou la poule and Les annees lumiere en direct.

Participants will include the municipal sector. For the first time, the municipalities that were finalists in the Merite Ovation municipal contest of the Union des municipalites du Quebec (UMQ) will present their innovative projects during the congress.

The complete program for the 2017 Congress is available online on the Acfas website.

Partners and sponsors

The 85th Acfas Annual Congress is supported by the following partners: Canal Savoir, Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Consulat general de France a Quebec, Canada Foundation for Innovation, Gouvernement du Quebec (Fonds de recherche du Quebec, Ministere de l'Economie, de la Science et de l'Innovation, Ministere de l'Education et de l'Enseignement superieur), Hydro-Quebec, Canada Institutes of Health Research, Le Devoir, Quebec Science, Radio-Canada, Tourisme Montreal, McGill University.



About McGill University

Established in 1821, McGill University is a world renowned, research-intensive and student-centred university and a Canadian leader in higher education. Located on two campuses in Montreal, a city known for its culture, diversity and quality of life, McGill has 11 faculties, 11 professional schools, 300 programs of study and some 40,000 students, including more than 9,000 graduate students. McGill's student body is one of the most diverse of all major Canadian universities, attracting students from over 150 countries,

About Acfas

Created in 1923, the Association francophone pour le savoir (Acfas) is dedicated to promoting scientific activity, stimulating research and fostering the dissemination of knowledge. Based in Quebec City, the association brings together some 5,000 scientists from all knowledge sectors.

Sources:

Association francophone pour le savoir - Acfas

McGill University

SOURCE McGill University

For further information: Information and media accreditation: Kilicom Relations publiques, Stephanie Quirion, Tel.: 514 845-8222, ext. 223, Cell.: 514 260-0603, [email protected]; Information for McGill University seminars: Vincent Allaire, Media Relations Office, McGill University, Tel.: 514 398-6693, Cell. : 514 704-6693, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.mcgill.ca


TORONTO, April 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) applauds the Senate of Canada for passing Bill S-231, the Journalistic Source Protection Act. By adopting the bill the Canadian Senate has taken a strong stand for press freedom, and sent a clear message to the House of Commons that they must take action. Canada is one of the only industrialized countries in the world that lacks legislation for the protection of journalists' sources.

Bill S-231 was unanimously adopted by the Senate on third reading on Tuesday evening. The bill was authored by Conservative Senator Claude Carignan, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate. Because it was introduced in the Senate, it now heads to the House of Commons where it must be adopted by Members of Parliament before it can become law.

"We applaud the Senate for taking this historic step to protect press freedom in Canada," says Tom Henheffer, Executive Director of Canadian Journalists for Free Expression. "Senator Carignan's bill is the beginning of full legal recognition for the role that journalists play in serving the public and protecting democracy. The Liberal government must offer its complete support."

Bill S-231 amends the Canada Evidence Act to protect the confidentiality of journalistic sources. It will allow journalists to refuse disclosure for information or documents that identify or are likely to identify a journalistic source. This condition will apply in all cases unless the information or document cannot be obtained by any other reasonable means and the public interest (for example, an exigent security situation) outweighs the public interest in preserving the confidentiality of the journalistic source. The bill will also reverse the burden of proof for demonstrating the public interest need for disclosure, removing the onus from the journalist to defend their sources and transferring it to the requesting party who must prove the need.

The bill also amends provisions of the Criminal Code, so that only a judge of a superior court issue a search warrant against a journalist. This ensures that justices of the peace, who approved the surveillance of journalists in Quebec, would not be allowed to issue such warrants. It also allows a judge to consult a special advocate who would be responsible for defending the interests of freedom of the press before the court.

On February 25, 2017 CJFE joined a coalition of civil society, media and labour organizations in five locations across the country to rally for government action on national security policy and freedom of the press. A core demand of those protests included the passage of S-231. Thousands more from around the world joined in on social media to call for greater protections for press freedom. A November, 2016 poll by Mainstreet Research establishes that 70% of Canadians support the creation of a press shield law such as Bill S-231.

With the adoption of Bill S-231 in the Senate, the bill now passes to the House of Commons for first reading. Justin Trudeau has stressed his government's commitment to press freedom. CJFE calls on the Prime Minister to demonstrate that commitment by offering his full support to the Journalistic Sources Protection Act. The Canadian Government must vote together in support of this bill and ensure its swift passage in the House of Commons.

Recent events in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada demonstrate how journalists are vulnerable to often inconsistent or unfair treatment by the courts. This includes the issuance of search warrants and production orders which could threaten their sources. The CJFE, along with Reporters Without Border and the Committee to Protect Journalist, has been granted intervenor status at the Chamberland Commission, which is conducting an investigation into police practices in Quebec. This follows revelations that police departments in Quebec and Montreal had spied on journalists' phone records in an attempt to identify their confidential sources. Several journalists have testified that new sources are more reluctant to come forward since spying revelations were made public in November, 2016.

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) monitors, defends and reports on free expression and access to information in Canada and abroad. Rooted in the field of journalism, CJFE promotes a free media as essential to a fair and open society. CJFE boldly champions the free expression rights of all people, and encourages and supports individuals and groups in the protection of their own and others' free expression rights.

SOURCE Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

For further information: For media inquiries or more information, contact: Tom Henheffer, Executive Director, Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), 647-992-4630, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.cjfe.org


Bay Park Centre will house new headquarters and employee campus designed to foster innovation for clients

The following B-Roll is available by Video On-Demand web download:

https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8081851-cibc-bay-park-centre/

TORONTO, April 12, 2017 /CNW/ - CIBC (TSX:CM) (NYSE:CM) announced today that it has agreed to become the anchor tenant of Bay Park Centre, a new urban campus at 81 and 141 Bay Street, Toronto, that will be developed and jointly managed by Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines, with construction starting this spring. The world-class complex will serve as CIBC's headquarters and a campus for approximately 15,000 of the bank's Toronto-area employees.

"This agreement is a bold step forward for CIBC as we mark 150 years of serving our clients in Canada and around the world," says Kevin Patterson, Senior Executive Vice-President, Technology & Operations, who is responsible for corporate real estate strategy at CIBC. "Our new home will foster a collaborative environment that will help us drive innovation, simplify our bank and strengthen our client-focused culture as we build the bank of the future. It will also reinforce Toronto's position as a global financial capital and is an investment in this city as a place to work, live and explore."

Bay Park Centre will comprise state-of-the-art facilities on a 2.9 million square foot campus in Toronto's financial district, across from Union Station and the Air Canada Centre. CIBC will lease up to 1.75 million square feet total office space in two connected buildings. The first is scheduled to be completed in 2020 and the second in 2023. Over that period, CIBC team members from various business units and support functions will move into Bay Park Centre from other locations across the Greater Toronto Area. CIBC will continue to have a presence in other offices across the city following completion of those moves.

The campus will also feature a strong retail banking presence, with a new banking centre serving thousands of residents and businesses in the area.

"This move will optimize CIBC's real estate footprint to meet the future needs of our workforce and our clients. We see it as a differentiator that will improve productivity, attract and retain the best talent, and enhance client experience," adds Sandy Sharman, Executive Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer at CIBC. "Our new headquarters will push the conventional perceptions of work to establish an innovative, engaged, flexible, and healthy workplace."

Bay Park Centre is a joint project by global real estate leaders Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines, with design by architects WilkinsonEyre and Adamson Associates.

Under the related lease agreement, CIBC will have exclusive naming rights and Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines will officially rebrand Bay Park Centre under a new CIBC name in the coming months.

"This development exemplifies the very best in excellence and innovation, and will enable CIBC to continue setting standards among forward-thinking companies on the global stage," says Daniel Fournier, Chairman and CEO of Ivanhoe Cambridge. "We look forward to working together to develop and deliver a dynamic environment for CIBC employees and clients. The project's strategic location at the confluence of all major transit channels in the heart of downtown Toronto will set the site apart as the pre-eminent office complex in the city."

C. Kevin Shannahan, Hines Canada CEO, added, "It is our sincere privilege to work in concert with CIBC and Ivanhoe Cambridge, our joint venture partner, developing this timeless headquarter complex in the heart of Toronto. The design addresses the extensive needs of tower occupants, while benefiting the community with a one-acre park elevated above the rail lines. Our mission is to contribute vibrant, technically and socially advanced architecture befitting the world-class city of Toronto for decades to come."

More than 4,000 construction-related jobs are expected to be created over the course of Bay Park Centre's development, according to Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines.

Development Highlights  Environmental Sustainability, Health & Wellness:

Engineered to LEED Platinum and Delos WELL specifications and exceeding mechanical, electrical and security expectations; awarded Wired Pre-Certified Platinum designation  the highest international standard in office internet connectivity, including a distributed antenna system for seamless and reliable cellular coverage.

Bay Park Centre is designed to connect to downtown Toronto and beyond via all modes of transportation, while a series of pedestrian-friendly pathwaysabove, below, and at ground levelwill connect the complex to downtown Toronto's PATH network, businesses and amenities.

and beyond via all modes of transportation, while a series of pedestrian-friendly pathwaysabove, below, and at ground levelwill connect the complex to downtown PATH network, businesses and amenities. The site will also feature a one-acre elevated park linking the buildings to each other and serving as an inspirational urban outdoor space for CIBC employees, clients and the public.

Today's announcement builds on investments that CIBC is making to modernize select banking centres across the country with a focus on advice for clients.

CIBC's advisors on the transaction were Blackwood Partners. Cushman & Wakefield advised Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines.

Terms of the lease agreement have not been disclosed. While the agreement will require various investments over the term of lease, CIBC does not expect these investments, or lease commitments within the agreement, to affect CIBC's ability to achieve its publicly stated financial targets.

To download broadcast quality B-Roll, please visit https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8081851-cibc-bay-park-centre/. For any technical issues, please contact [email protected].

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading Canadian-based global financial institution with 11 million personal banking and business clients. Through our three major business units - Retail and Business Banking, Wealth Management and Capital Markets - CIBC offers a full range of products and services through its comprehensive electronic banking network, branches and offices across Canada with offices in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www.cibc.com/ca/media-centre/ or by following on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/company/cibc), on Twitter @CIBC, Facebook (www.facebook.com/CIBC) and Instagram @CIBCNow.

A NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: From time to time, we make written or oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including in this press release report, in other filings with Canadian securities regulators or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in other communications. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about investments in the Bay Park Centre and about our financial condition, priorities, targets, ongoing objectives, strategies and outlook. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific. A variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control, could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in any of our forward-looking statements, including general business and economic conditions worldwide; amendments to, and interpretations of, risk-based capital guidelines; and changes in monetary and economic policy. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

SOURCE Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

For further information: Caroline Van Hasselt, Director, Public Relations, 416-784-6699 or [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.cibc.com


Delegates mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the First World War at Vimy 100 events and ceremonies

OTTAWA, April 11, 2017 /CNW/ - Last week, 30 delegates traveled to Ottawa to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the First World War. The delegates were nominated by Veteran organizations across Canada based on their personal connection to Vimy Ridge. The group participated in a number of commemorative events and activities in the nation's capital to mark the significance of the battle in Canada's military history.

During their stay in Ottawa, the delegates toured Rideau Hall and enjoyed a reception with His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada. The delegation also explored the Peace Tower and the Memorial Chamber at Parliament Hill, attended an Indigenous ceremony at the Aboriginal Monument, and shared their stories with the Encounters with Canada youth delegates. The delegation also attended special events at the National War Memorial this weekend, including the evening of remembrance on April 8 and the commemorative ceremony on April 9.

The delegation was also invited to attend a Citizenship Ceremony on April 7 at the Canadian War Museum. On this day, they witnessed 30 people from 18 countries become Canadian citizens after taking the Oath of Citizenship in the Barney Danson Theatre.

Quotes

"It's been a once in a lifetime experience to be here as the Silver Cross Mother representing all those who have lost a son or daughter in the military. The ceremonies in Ottawa were wonderful. They were emotional, real, and they really gave me a greater understanding of how important this battle was in Canada's history. There have been many real connections made here this week. You almost feel like close friends and family."

Colleen Fitzpatrick, 2016 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother

"I thought the week was very informative. The people were very friendly and it was emotional hearing their different stories and experiences. It brings back many memories. I was especially impressed with the visit to Parliament Hill and the Vimy Exhibit at the Canadian War Museum."

Donald Gillespie, Government of Canada delegate in Ottawa

Quick Facts

As there are no longer any First World War Veterans alive, Veterans Affairs Canada invited Veteran organizations across Canada to nominate a representative who has a personal connection to the Battle of Vimy Ridge or the First World War.

to nominate a representative who has a personal connection to the Battle of or the First World War. Veterans Affairs Canada asked Encounters with Canada to nominate 26 youth to join the Government of Canada delegation at events on April 8 and 9 in Ottawa . These youth, aged 14-17, have a keen interest in our country's military history and participated in the Encounters with Canada's " Vimy : Canada's Coming of Age" theme week.

to nominate 26 youth to join the Government of delegation at events on and 9 in . These youth, aged 14-17, have a keen interest in our country's military history and participated in the " : Coming of Age" theme week. An official Government of Canada delegation traveled to France to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge . The delegation included Veterans from Veterans' and Indigenous organizations guests who have direct family ties to soldiers who fought in the First World War; and parliamentarians.

Related Products

Associated Links

SOURCE Veterans Affairs Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Veterans Affairs Canada, 613-992-7468, [email protected]

Related Links

www.veterans.gc.ca


Off they go to explore Parks Canada places in beautiful Nova Scotia

OTTAWA, April 12, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, announced that the grade 8 class of Lethbridge Christian School won the Canada's Coolest School Trip. A total of 69 classes participated in the video competition and students from this grade 8 class are the winners of the trip of a lifetime to visit Parks Canada's treasured places in magnificent Nova Scotia.

The winning class will embark on a five-day, all expenses-paid trip to Parks Canada places in Nova Scotia from June 5-9, 2017, including a visit to Canada's first national historic site, Fort Anne, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of national historic sites in Canada. The winning class will explore the beautiful landscape of Nova Scotia and experience Mi'kmaq culture in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, take part in a spooky ghost tour at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, uncover the tragic and powerful Acadian history at Grand-Pre National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage site, and so much more!

Quote

"Thank you to all the students and teachers who put the time and effort into creating these fantastic videos and congratulations to the winning class. Our Government has made admission to Canada's national parks, national historic sites, and national marine conservations areas free in 2017. As the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, I encourage all Canadians, including youth, to explore Canada's remarkable gateways to nature, adventure, conservation, science and learning in 2017 for Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation."

Catherine McKenna

Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada

Quick Facts

Canada's Coolest School Trip is a contest offered through the My Parks Pass program. My Parks Pass is a collaborative program between Parks Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Historica Canada is also a founding program partner. The national contest partner is Air Canada.

is a contest offered through the program. is a collaborative program between Parks Canada, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Historica Canada is also a founding program partner. The national contest partner is Air Canada. The contest was open to all grade 8 and secondary 2 classes in Canada and entries were received between September 12, 2016 and February 27, 2017 . A total of 69 videos were submitted. A panel of judges selected the winning entry from twelve videos that received the most public votes online.

and entries were received between and . A total of 69 videos were submitted. A panel of judges selected the winning entry from twelve videos that received the most public votes online. Classes submitted remarkable videos, often in a creative way, on the importance of Parks Canada places within the context of Canada's 150th anniversary of Confederation.

150th anniversary of Confederation. The grand prize trip will take place from June 5-9, 2017 and includes meals, accommodations and airfare to and from Halifax, Nova Scotia on-board Air Canada.

and includes meals, accommodations and airfare to and from on-board Air Canada. As part of this initiative, other prizes include five runner-up local Parks Canada field trips and five honourable mention prize packages. The runner-up prizes were awarded to classes at the following schools: Kateri School ( Trout Lake , AB), The Bobs-Annette Street P.S. ( Toronto, ON ), Cummer Valley Middle School ( Toronto, ON ), Garrison Road Middle School ( Fort Erie, ON ), Mitchell District H.S. ( Mitchell, ON ). These classes have won an action-packed field trip to a local Parks Canada place or to a special natural or historic place near them.

( , AB), The Bobs-Annette Street P.S. ( ), Cummer Valley Middle School ( ), Garrison Road Middle School ( ), Mitchell District H.S. ( ). These classes have won an action-packed field trip to a local Parks Canada place or to a special natural or historic place near them. To view the video entries or for additional information and for the full contest rules and conditions, visit www.myparkspass.ca.

Associated Link

www.myparkspass.ca

SOURCE Parks Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Parks Canada Agency, 855-862-1812, [email protected], http://www.twitter.com/parkscanada

Related Links

http://www.pc.gc.ca/


Individual pharmacies to remain independently owned

ST-LAURENT, QC, April 12, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - McKesson Canada and Uniprix announced today that, pending shareholder approval and satisfaction of closing conditions, including approval from the Competition Bureau of Canada, McKesson Canada proposes to acquire all outstanding shares of Uniprix. The acquisition is a natural step for two companies with deep roots in Quebec, which have a long history of working together to deliver care to patients across the province. As part of the acquisition, the individual pharmacies will remain independently owned.

The information circular will be sent to shareholders mid-April 2017, with a shareholder vote scheduled for May 16, 2017.

"Today's announcement is very exciting for both McKesson Canada and Uniprix. Our two companies are coming together to help build the future of Uniprix's independent pharmacists," said Paula Keays, President of McKesson Canada. "The acquisition will allow independent pharmacies to remain competitive in an increasingly changing industry. For McKesson Canada, this is a strategic investment that enhances our commitment to Quebec."

By coming together, McKesson Canada will offer operational excellence to independent pharmacy owners, pharmaceutical distribution customers and manufacturers.

"McKesson Canada has a 100-year history in Quebec and its Canadian head office is in Montreal. Our success is a shared success, as today's announcement secures a bright future for Uniprix owners who will benefit from McKesson Canada's best-in-class supply chain network, designed to ensure patient safety, reduce costs, increase operational efficiency and protect the autonomy of independent pharmacies owners" said Philippe Duval, President and CEO, Uniprix.

About McKesson Canada

Founded more than 100 years ago, McKesson Canada is dedicated to delivering vital medicines, supplies and information technologies that enable the healthcare industry to provide patients better, safer care. Our solutions empower pharmacies, manufacturers, hospitals and other healthcare institutions by enabling them to get closer to the millions of patients they serve every single day, while contributing to the quality and safety of care in Canada. For more information, visit www.mckesson.ca .

About Uniprix

Founded in 1977, Uniprix Inc. is one of the largest groups of independent pharmacists in Quebec. The company offers services to a network of more than 330 pharmacies across the province. Year after year, Uniprix ranks among the most admired companies in Quebec. For more information, visit: www.uniprix.com.

SOURCE MCKESSON CANADA

For further information: McKesson Canada Media: Melanie Lussier, [email protected]; Uniprix Media: Pierre Gince, [email protected]

Related Links

http://www.mckesson.ca/


WICC prepares to rally the Relay For Life troops at its annual gala

TORONTO, April 10, 2017 /CNW/ - Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) is proud to support the Canadian Cancer Society's 2017 Relay For Life event in Toronto on June 16 at Downsview Park from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Prior to the Relay, WICC will host its annual gala. The gala takes places on April 12, 2017 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto.

"We're excited to build anticipation for this year's bigger and better Relay For Life, as many of the gala attendees are returning Relay participants," said Shari Dodsworth, WICC Chair, Relay For Life. "This gives us a chance to remind everyone what a great event Relay For Life is and what we're all fighting for."

Insurance company staff from across the city will be attending the disco-themed gala. They can look forward to not only the silent auction, but to potentially seeing their smiling faces on screen in the 2016 Relay For Life video. The video is set to inspire those who will be participating in the Relay this year.

"WICC and the insurance industry continue to make a significant impact in cancer research by not only participating in the Relay, but by sharing the Canadian Cancer Society's message through other initiatives such as the gala," said Susan Drodge, Director, Corporate and Community Partnerships and Donor Services, Canadian Cancer Society, Ontario. "It's a great opportunity to motivate people and remind them that they can make a difference."

A Relay For Life booth will be set up at the event so attendees can learn more about how they can help fight against cancer. Having supported Relay For Life for the last eight years, WICC is dedicated to making yet another powerful impact through this year's event, aiming to beat the impressive $470,000 it raised last year.

Donations make it possible for the Canadian Cancer Society to fund ground-breaking breast, prostate and general cancer research. More families can receive the support they need and more lives can be saved.

Accept the baton! To register a team, or to participate in other Relay For Life events, visit www.relayforlife.ca or call 1-866-201-6202.

#RelayForLife

Twitter: @WICCOntario

Facebook: @WICCOntario

SOURCE Women In Insurance Cancer Crusade

For further information: Jeff Rohrer, 416-362-2031 ext. 4364, [email protected]
DUBAI, UAE, April 11, 2017 /CNW/ -

The second round of the D ub a i F uture A ccelerator concluded with agreements to test autonomous flying vehicles , create virtual learning environments for schools in Dubai and develop solar-powered seawater desalination.





H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum : the United Arab Emirates is now a world-class destination for innovators to come and work with our government institutions to shape the future of vital sectors.

The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) concluded the second round of the Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA) with 28 Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) signed between Dubai government departments and innovative companies from around the world.

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/489225/Crown_Prince_of_Dubai.jpg )



(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/489226/DFA_s_closing_ceremony.jpg )



Twelve entities took part in the successful second round of the DFA program, which connects emerging technology companies with Dubai government bodies to test new approaches at the city- scale.

The Road and Transport Authority and Uber agreed to explore what regulations would be required to test autonomous flying vehicles in Dubai. The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) signed four MoUs with Funzi, Proversity, Zspace, and iMake, who will launch an e-training program for schools in Dubai and train Emirati nationals in 21st century skills.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) signed an MoU with Desolinator to test a household desalination plant that uses solar energy to turn seawater into drinking water; other MoU's were signed with Mulk holding and SolarBanks. Moreover, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) signed agreements with ASG Medical Equipment, ArcSecond and Photothera Labs to develop advanced health solutions, including a new technology to treat the eye retina for diabetic patients.

du signed an MoU with Ultimate AI to use artificial intelligence to dramatically improve customer service in both Arabic and English. The Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai (DNRD) will work with ObjectTech and Luther Systems to streamline the process for becoming resident in Dubai using biometric and blockchain technology. Dubai Economy (formally DED) signed MoUs with Otonomos and MarketIQ to create new and innovative licensing procedures, reducing processing time for applications by 80%.

Dubai Police (DP) signed three agreements with Papilon, Velours, and Parabon, to deploy facial recognition glasses, a DNA-image database, and indoor mapping technologies that increase efficiency by 90%. Etisalat will work with Mobile Doctors, AlTibbi, and Made of Genes in order to bring the latest telemedicine technologies to the large medical institutions in the region, as well as to pilot a "geno-bank" to Dubai.

"The United Arab Emirates is now a world-class destination for innovators to come and work with our government institutions to shape the future of vital sectors," said H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF), as he attended the closing ceremony. "The UAE is offering technology companies an ideal platform to test global technologies and future solutions, which cements its leading position in the future industry and in the global charge to shape the future of the most vital sectors today."

The list of MoUs included agreements between Smart Dubai, Avanza Solutions, and Consensys to standardize government services payment gateways using blockchain technology in Dubai. The Dubai Municipality signed an MoU with Renca to legalize 3D printing building material, as a way to promote 3D printing in construction. They also signed with Winnow to encourage the deployment of the Internet of Things (IoT) to reduce food waste across the hospitality sector.

"The Dubai Future Accelerators program sets an example and a business model where various sectors - public and private - can come together to draw up scenarios to face the challenges of the future, and benefit from the opportunities to secure sustainable development and prosperity for future generations," H.H. Sheikh Hamdan added. "The second edition of the program witnessed seismic shifts in the field of future technologies. This reiterates the fact that UAE is now a global hub for exporting advanced technologies and a platform to exchange experience and learn about the latest developments. Furthermore, the initiatives launched today will enhance the program's reputation as the world's best platform to connect the private and public sectors to build the future."

DFA Future Team Heroes Award

DFA's second round also launched the DFA Future Team Heroes Award. This was given to the government team that came up with innovative solutions, added significant value to the program and boosted efforts to realise the forward-thinking vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who has called for increased cross-sectoral cooperation.

The winning teams were: Dubai Police in first place, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority in second and the Department of Naturalisation and Residency Dubai in third place.

An Ideal Opportunity to Find Solutions for Future Challenges

The Dubai Future Accelerators program offers an ideal opportunity to work towards finding solutions for the challenges that are expected to arise in vital sectors of the economy. Over the course of 9 weeks, the program pairs top companies and cutting-edge entrepreneurs with powerful partners in the Dubai Government to create breakthrough solutions together.

SOURCE The Dubai Future Foundation (DFF)

For further information: Fatma Bujasaim - +971 4 37 66600, [email protected]
NASA is preparing for a future that could include soft robotic spacecraft with flexible surfaces that can anchor to an asteroid, and an artificial gravity device for long-duration, deep space missions, along with other technologies that so far has been limited to the realm of science fiction.

The agency is investing in 22 early-stage technology proposals that have the potential to transform future human and robotic exploration missions, introduce new exploration capabilities, and significantly improve current approaches to building and operating aerospace systems.

The 2017 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) portfolio of Phase I concepts cover a wide range of innovations selected for their potential to revolutionize future space exploration. Phase I awards are valued at approximately $125,000, for nine months, to support initial definition and analysis of their concepts. If these basic feasibility studies are successful, awardees can apply for Phase II awards.

The selected 2017 Phase I proposals are:

A Synthetic Biology Architecture to Detoxify and Enrich Mars Soil for Agriculture, Adam Arkin, University of California, Berkeley

A Breakthrough Propulsion Architecture for Interstellar Precursor Missions, John Brophy, NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California

Evacuated Airship for Mars Missions, John-Paul Clarke, Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta

Mach Effects for In Space Propulsion: Interstellar Mission, Heidi Fearn, Space Studies Institute in Mojave, California

Pluto Hop, Skip, and Jump, Benjamin Goldman, Global Aerospace Corporation in Irwindale, California

Turbolift, Jason Gruber, Innovative Medical Solutions Group in Tampa, Florida

Phobos L1 Operational Tether Experiment, Kevin Kempton, NASAs Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

Gradient Field Imploding Liner Fusion Propulsion System, Michael LaPointe, NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama

Massively Expanded NEA Accessibility via Microwave-Sintered Aerobrakes, John Lewis, Deep Space Industries, Inc., in Moffett Field, California

Dismantling Rubble Pile Asteroids with Area-of-Effect Soft-bots, Jay McMahon, University of Colorado, Boulder

Continuous Electrode Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion, Raymond Sedwick, University of Maryland, College Park

Sutter: Breakthrough Telescope Innovation for Asteroid Survey Missions to Start a Gold Rush in Space, Joel Sercel, TransAstra in Lake View Terrace, California

Direct Multipixel Imaging and Spectroscopy of an Exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission, Slava Turyshev, JPL

Solar Surfing, Robert Youngquist, NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida

A Direct Probe of Dark Energy Interactions with a Solar System Laboratory, Nan Yu, JPL

Awards under Phase II of the NIAC program can be worth as much as $500,000, for two-year studies, and allow proposers to further develop Phase I concepts that successfully demonstrated initial feasibility and benefit.

The selected 2017 Phase II proposals are:

Venus Interior Probe Using In-situ Power and Propulsion, Ratnakumar Bugga, JPL

Remote Laser Evaporative Molecular Absorption Spectroscopy Sensor System, Gary Hughes, California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo

Brane Craft Phase II, Siegfried Janson, The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California

Stellar Echo Imaging of Exoplanets, Chris Mann, Nanohmics, Inc., Austin, Texas

Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments, Jonathan Sauder, JPL

Optical Mining of Asteroids, Moons, and Planets to Enable Sustainable Human Exploration and Space Industrialization, Joel Sercel, TransAstra Corp.

Fusion-Enabled Pluto Orbiter and Lander, Stephanie Thomas, Princeton Satellite Systems, Inc., in Plainsboro, New Jersey
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A private investigator and Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Uwajeh has reacted to a petition written against him by the Chairman, Senate Committ...

A private investigator and Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Uwajeh has reacted to a petition written against him by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Accounts, Andy Uba alleging blackmail, extortion and threat to life.Speaking with journalists Wednesday in Abuja, Mr Uwajeh who is the subject of a petition before the Inspector General of Police IGP, said he never blackmailed the senator as there are pieces of evidence to question the fidelity of the lawmakers certificates.This is a case that is already in court, that is going through the judicial process. One of the things I sought in my plea in court was for an order directing Sen. Andy Uba to collect the originals of his academic certificates being the doctorate degree in Buxton University, degree certificate in science from Concordia University Montreal, Canada, his WAEC certificate and the document from his Boys High School, Awkunanaw. All the originals are with me. Let him come and collect his originals and pay me my money, he explained.Uwajeh who paraded several documents including copies of Sen. Ubas passports, said he is ready to testify against the Anambra senator, asking him to pay him his legal fees of 1.9 million pounds rather than trying to use state power to silence him.If I am not close to Andy Uba, I wont have copies of his American and Nigerian passports which he gave to me in the process of working for him to get the UK authorities to lift the travel ban placed on him since 2008.In the process of trying to prove that he is a genuine character, he presented lots of documents to be presented to the United Kingdom authorities which included some forged documents, WAEC certificates and others which were part of the documents that were filed in court. So, it has become a public document especially as they have also been published in the media and when we wanted to verify the issues, WAEC confirmed that the certificate that Emmanuel Nnamdi Uba is parading is a forged one and I expected the authorities to look into this issue vehemently because the issue of forgery in the national assembly is now something of alarming proportion, he said.In his newspaper interview, he alluded that I fought with Farida Waziri of EFCC and a host of other persons. I was engaged by EFCC, I had issues with them and was taken to court and I was discharged and acquitted. The issue he is bringing is irrelevant.The issue that concerns his certificates, I am not ready to go into it now but if the authorities want to investigate; if I am invited by the IGP, DSS or presidency to come and tender the originals of Ubas (forged) certificates and let things be put right, I am ready and willing to do that.I have never blackmailed Andy Uba, I have three powers of attorney signed by him and myself and I have done the job he asked me to do, to lift the ban on entering into the United Kingdom and after I have done everything, he has refused to pay me my legal fees of 1.9 million pounds, he stated.Sen. Uba had on Tuesday accused the lawyer of trying to blackmail him, urging the IGP to treat his petition with your characteristic urgency and meticulousness.As I stopped all communication with Mr. Uwajeh, his telephone calls and text messages even became more desperate and threatening. He would go between pleading for financial help to threatening in desperation. These text messages were sent vide mobile telephone number 0705155518 and +447424924346. These messages remain available for verification should the need arise.The character of Mr. Victor Uwajeh is not in question as there have been very strong allegations of similar nature against this man. The same allegations I make today were made by late Prof. Dora Akunyili, Mrs Farida Waziri, Mrs Cecilia Ibru among others, Uba had alleged.
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Taipei, April 12 (CNA) Following rainfall across most of Taiwan last night, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) said on Wednesday that the drought in central and southern areas had eased slightly and second-phase water rationing may no longer be necessary before the end of the month.
Pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has reacted to a statement credited to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, P...

Pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has reacted to a statement credited to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Paul Arkwright, where he stated that Britain is not in support of a divided Nigeria.IPOB warns that Britains insistent on their one Nigeria would be fatal and suicidal because they would never stop until Biafra is actualized.Arkwright had at a public lecture titled Brexit: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria, at the Federal University, Lokoja, stated that his country will not allow Nigeria to breakup.Reacting to this in a statement signed by IPOB Spokespersons, Dr. Ikenna Chinaka and Mrs Grace Ukpai, the group stated that the diplomat was out to cause mischief.IPOBs statement reads, We the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) worldwide led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to state that the substance of this press statement is traceable to the diplomatic blunder committed by no less a person than the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, His Excellency, Mr. Paul Arkwright recently in Kogi State of Nigeria where he was reported to have delivered a public lecture on the topic: Brexit: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria at the Federal University, Lokoja, on Thursday, 6th April, 2017.Asked about the position of Britain on the groups pushing for independence from Nigeria, the envoy said the UK remained firm in its support for one Nigeria. We have therefore taken time to painstakingly analyse this statement credited to the British Envoy and we find it very unfortunate and distasteful that a seasoned diplomat of Mr. Arkwrights standing could have displayed such ignorance of international law and protocol.From our very careful observation, we are of the view that two factors could have been responsible for Mr. Arkwrights uncharacteristic diplomatic blunder. The first that immediately comes to mind is ignorance and the second, which is equally unfortunate, even more so than the first, is mischief. Riding on these assumptions, we shall now take the liberty of this press statement to address these two possible inadequacies which His Excellency might be suffering from and to clear every doubt his stance may have engendered in the minds of a largely undiscerning and docile populace.We would want to presume that the statement of Mr. Arkwright may have been influenced by that opening phrase in the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (Nigerian) 1999 Constitution which reads as follows: We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Having firmly and solemnly resolved, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under God,We make haste therefore to inform Mr. Arkwright that even the most poorly lettered man on the streets of Lokoja (venue of Mr. Arkwrights public lecture) agree that the Amended Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution lied about itself and that the first lie in that Constitution is the wasteful phrase: We the people.It is the duty of IPOB to clear the illusions this deceptive phrase might have planted in the pliable mind of Mr. Arkwright and others like him. No doubt, the above phrase seeks to convey the misleading impression that ordinary people of Nigeria willingly in a conference, meeting or assembly convened by Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar somewhere in Abuja in 1999 agreed to vest immutable non-negotiable sovereignty on the Nigerian nation through the instrumentality of the said 1999 Constitution. This is a blatant lie, deception and fraud concocted by self serving individuals in Nigeria to deceive themselves and those not enlightened enough to know what is being done in their name.Not minding the obvious limitations and inherent defects of the Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution by virtue of the lie We the people.. preamble, we recognise the centrality of sovereignty in the field of International law. However, as rigid and important as this concept may be to the proponents of One Nigeria, it still admits and recognises some notable exceptions. It is therefore not immutable and cannot as a result be construed in absolute terms. In other words, sovereignty of states under international law is not cast in iron and can be broken or dissolved.The point IPOB is making here is to the effect that, in the exercise of the sovereign powers bestowed on it, an artificial creation like the Nigerian state or indeed any other country, can limit its own sovereignty or surrender a part of same. The truth as it stands today is that the Nigerian state, has out of its own volition already surrendered Nigerian sovereignty over Bakassi Peninsular, which therefore enables any part of Nigeria or section thereof to secede when they so decide, contrary to the wishes and ambitions of the neo-colonialists like Mr. Arkwright. This is equally true and remains same for even Great Britain whom Mr. Arkwright represents in Nigeria. Let us explain.We will use English judicial authorities to convey the message home to the British Envoy before we turn to the Nigerian judicial authorities. In the case of Blackburn vs. Attorney-General, Court of Appeal (Civil Division) [1971] EWCA Civ J0510-2, [1971] 1 WLR 1037 where Mr. Blackburn was concerned about the application of Her Majestys government to join the European Common Market by seeking to sign up to the Treaty of Rome.He brought two actions against Her Majestys Government Edward Heath through the then Attorney-General, in which he sought declarations to the effect that, by signing the Treaty of Rome, Her Majestys Government will surrender in part the sovereignty of The Crown in Parliament (British people) forever.He canvassed the view that in so doing the Government will be acting in breach of the law. Mr. Blackburn pointed out that many regulations made by the European Economic Community will become automatically binding on the people of Great Britain: and that all the Courts of Great Britain, including the House of Lords, will have to follow the decisions of a foreign European Court in certain defined respects, including the drafting of the Treaty itself.To buttress his point Mr. Blackburn made reference to an earlier decision by the Court of Common Market Costa v. E. N. E. L. ( 1964 Common Market Law Reports, 425) in February, 1964, in which the European Court in its judgment said that:..the member states, albeit within limited spheres, have restricted their sovereign rights and created a body of law applicable both to their nationals and to themselves.When this contention over the sanctity of sovereignty came before the Court of Appeal in England, a majority of the panel of judges (Lord Denning dissenting) reasoned and held that the power to enter into Treaties was itself a power of the Crown acting on advice from ministers. In simple terms, it means that sovereignty can indeed be tampered with by a government and as such cannot be held to be sacrosanct.There is no doubt that the Nigerian Head of State (President) has the powers to enter into treaties with foreign nations (both bilateral and multilateral) which is binding on the whole Nigerian state. Section 12 of the Amended Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution has laid down the procedure for the domestication of such treaties as a condition precedent to their activation as a law in Nigeria.There is no question regarding the binding nature of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (providing among others for the right to self-determination) on the Nigerian state. Equally true is the fact that not only that Nigeria is a signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, the Nigerian Parliament has entrenched the said Charter as part of the corpus juris of the country by way of domestication in compliance with the dictates of section 12 of the Constitution earlier referred to. It should be noted that Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right most lucidly proclaims in clear language that;All peoples shall have the right to existence. They shall have the unquestionable and inalienable right to self-determination. They shall freely determine their political status and shall pursue their economic and social development according to the policy they have freely chosen.As we earlier stated, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right became part of Nigerian laws by virtue of African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act), Cap 10, Laws of the Federation (LFN), 1990. The status of this very important legislation came up for interpretation before the Nigerian Supreme Court in the case of Abacha vs. Fawehinmi (2001) 51 WRN 29; (2000) 6 NWLR 228, (2002) 3 LRC 296, (2001) 1 CHR 95. In answering that crucial question, Justice Ogundare (of blessed memory) delivering the lead judgment of the full panel of the Nigerian Supreme Court had this to say:Where, however, the treaty is enacted into law by the National Assembly, as was the case with the African Charter which is incorporated into our municipal (i.e. domestic) law by the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap. 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 (hereinafter is referred to simply as Cap. 10), it becomes binding and our Courts must give effect to it like all other laws falling within the Judicial power of the Courts. By Cap. 10 the African Charter is now part of the laws of Nigeria and like all other laws the Courts must uphold it. The Charter gives to citizens of member states of the Organisation of African Unity rights and obligations, which rights and obligations are to be enforced by our Courts, if they must have any meaning No doubt Cap. 10 is a statue with international flavour. Being so, therefore, I would think that if here is a conflict between it and another statue, its provisions will prevail over those of that other statue for the reason that it is presumed that the legislature does not intend to breach an international obligation. To this extent I agree with their Lordships of the Court below that the Charter possesses a greater vigour and strength than any other domestic statue.It is important to point out that the provision of Section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution declaring null and void any treaty entered between Nigeria and any other country/countries will not acquire the force of law in Nigeria until domesticated, holds no water in international law, nor before International Courts/Tribunals.What this simply means is that the Nigerian state cannot, under any conceivable circumstance, resign from its obligation to honour any international treaty it freely entered into by citing its anachronistic domestic laws as a defence. In other words, Nigeria cannot point to its own domestic laws as constituting a limitation to the fulfilment of its obligation under any international treaty it freely entered into.Put more correctly, domestic laws cannot be allowed to constitute a drag on the operation of foreign laws under which a state party has undertaken to fulfil international obligations. Indeed, this is the heart and soul of Article 7 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties under International law.The argument put up by the Government of Nigeria to the effect that Bakassi Peninsula could not be yielded up to Cameroun on the principal ground that section 12 of the Nigerian Constitution would need to be complied with so as to effectively delete Bakassi as a Local Government by way of Constitutional amendment was roundly rejected by the International Court of Justice. (See generally Cameroon v. Nigeria, ICJ Reports, 2002, pp. 303, 346.) Today, Bakassi Peninsula, formerly of Cross-Rivers State of Nigeria, is no more a Nigerian territory even without any constitutional amendment. The Nigerian Supreme Court has now accepted this position as a correct representation of the law binding on the Nigerian state.A practical demonstration of this acceptance is made manifest in the case of Attorney-General of Cross-Rivers State vs. Attorney-General of the Federation and Anor (2005) 15 NWLR (Pt.947) pg 71 where the effect of the ICJ judgment on the erstwhile littoral segment of Cross-River State was captured thus;The effect of the judgment of the International Court of Justice dated 10/10/2002 on the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun is that it has wiped off what use to be the estuarine sector of Cross River State as a result of which the State is hemmed in by the new international boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun. That being the case, there seems to not be any estuarine boundary between Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State with the result that Cross River no longer has a seaward boundary.In fact, in a later 2012 case of Attorney-General of Cross-Rivers State vs. Attorney-General of the Federation and Anor, the Supreme Court (SC.250/2009), speaking through Rhodes-Vivour, J.S.C., was more punchy when it eloquently declared with a tone of finality that;This Court has no jurisdiction to decide ownership of oil wells located on oil rich Bakasi Peninsula for the simple reason that Bakasi Peninsula is foreign territory. It is Cameroun land. Supreme Court jurisdiction is restricted to Nigeria land.The jurisprudential beacon offered by the galaxy of authorities examined above leaves us with the only conviction that Mr. Paul Arkwrights position is out of tune with contemporary realities which reflects poorly on his standing as a seasoned diplomat.He must work hard to redeem his image which is being seen by many concerned Africans as one steeped in gross incompetence devoid of any intellectual depth. A good starting point will be for him to acknowledge that this Nigerian state as presently constituted, created by his fellow countryman Frederick Luggard, has voluntarily, by domesticating Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right, accepted to give fillip to any section of the country wishing to secede by facilitating the exercise of that undeniable right through referendum as was recently done in the United Kingdom, where Mr. Arkwright comes from and is representing, regarding Scotland.The second duty on the part of Mr. Paul Arkwright is for him to wake up to his real duties by impressing upon the Nigerian Government the imperative of discharging its obligation (under UN Declaration and African Charter) of facilitating a referendum for a peaceful Biafra exit from Nigeria.It is our hope that Mr. Paul Arkwright appreciates this new reality, otherwise we would be forced to draw the alternative inference that he set out ab initio to cause mischief and test the will and resolve of IPOB.This would be most unfortunate if it were to be so since the pervasive consequences of such an action will not spare anyone trying to subvert the will of the Biafran people. For record purposes, the Conservative Party led British Government of Theresa May has nothing to fear from the emergence of Biafra, after all we Biafrans are the most Anglophile of all races in Africa. Should Mr. Arkwright continue to pursue his flawed and misguided adventure of insisting on the indivisibility of their One Nigeria, it would be fatal and suicidal because we would never ever stop until Biafra is liberated. We wish to stop here.
The Muhammadu Buhari administration has condemned the use of chemical weapons on civilians in Syria.

The Muhammadu Buhari administration has condemned the use of chemical weapons on civilians in Syria.According to reports, the attack claimed 87 lives.The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Olushola Enikanolaiye, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday urged all parties to the Syria conflict to cease hostilities and respect the Chemical Weapon Convention which prohibits the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapon in all armed conflicts. in this connection.Nigeria feels reassured by the UN Secretary General that the UN Security Council, in the exercise of its responsibility for international peace and security, will take adequate measure to address this development, he added.
The BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group continued its Seven-Day Global Week of Action on Tuesday with the Catholic Archbishop for Abuja Diocese...

The BringBackOurGirls (BBOG) group continued its Seven-Day Global Week of Action on Tuesday with the Catholic Archbishop for Abuja Diocese, John Onaiyekan, calling on the Nigerian government to do more to free all Nigerians in illegal captivity.The week-long programme is to mark the third anniversary of the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls who were seized by Boko Haram insurgents from their school in Borno State in 2014.Mr. Onaiyekan was one of the key figures from the two major religious groups in Nigeria who joined a solidarity march of the BBOG group to the junction of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.The cleric and the chief imam of Apo legislatives quarters Jumaat Mosque, Mouhammed Khalid, hoisted a banner with the inscription:I MARCH For ChibokGirls, as they led the about three kilometres trek which began from the Unity Fountain in the Central Business District of Abuja.Addressing reporters at the Federal Secretariat junction of the Presidential Villa, Mr. Onaiyekan said the inscription on the banner was about the life of every Nigerian deprived of freedom.Life is important. We have still almost 200 girls out there missing for about three years. So I feel concerned not only them about the remaining Chibok schoolgirls but also maybe running into hundreds of other Nigerians who are missing, carried away by kidnappers, the Catholic Cardinal stated.Their families are languishing. We came to draw the attention of the whole nation. We are glad that we are able to carry out this simple exercise of walking down the streets from the Unity Fountain to here. And we thank government for making police available to protect us.This is not the first time I am joining in this kind of walking. I was here a year ago. At that time, most of the Sambisa forest was still under the control of Boko Haram and when we were marching, we were hoping that our girls were somewhere in the hands of the Boko Haram within those premises, he added.Today, the situation is different. We have been told that the whole of the Sambisa forest has been completely cleared. The question we are asking now is: Where are our girls? They cannot disappear.Those who are responsible for taking away these girls, whether they are Boko Haram or not, they have the first major responsibility to tell us what has happened to our girls and then whether they are alive or they are dead, whether they are around or they have been sold off. They have the responsibility to tell not only the parents and the family of the girls but the rest of Nigerians.And we believe too that the government ought to step up action in this direction. That is what is bringing us here and I believe the rest of the world has been waiting to hear and they cant understand that we lose people like that and nothing seems to be happening, he said.One of the major reasons why I came too is because this matter concerns me personally, and that is why I brought my brother here. The Holy father was taken away by kidnappers over a year ago and up to now, we have had no information about him.Now that touches me and I am sure there are many Nigerians who are suffering the same thing from the loss of members of their families. And so, this march is not just about Chibok girls, it is about the whole idea that Nigerians can just disappear, missing and we are not able to trace them, either dead or alive, he said.The Islamic cleric, Mr. Khalid, told journalists at the event that he allied himself with the position articulated by Mr. Onaiyekan.I joined this action because I want to equally send the message that His Eminence is sending to Nigerians and to the government that we can never allow the terrorists to win the war.If they get away free with those girls, then they have relatively won the war. That is what we cant afford. And also, we are tired of having Nigerians kidnapped, abducted and just like that. We want more actions from our government.It is true that some clerics like myself have been killed in the course of the insurgence of Boko Haram. We are not saying that the government is doing nothing, we are telling them to do more.Also at the march were the conveners of the BBOG group, Aisha Yesufu and Oby Ezekwezeli.The group began the seven-day global week of action activities Friday last week and vowed it will not give up on the 195 Chibok schoolgirls still under the captivity of Boko Haram.
Permit me to share a scholarly, revealing and I daresay disturbing intervention which was sent to me by a friend. The author wishes to rem...

Permit me to share a scholarly, revealing and I daresay disturbing intervention which was sent to me by a friend. The author wishes to remain anonymous.He wrote as follows:The disruptive power of the Hausa-Fulani cabal is a structural reality and will only get worse, no matter where the President of Nigeria comes from. It is a seven-fold yoke which we must break for the sake of our children.Globally, out of the 16 Federal Republics in the world, Nigeria is the only federation where land mass is used as a primary criteria for creating federating units.NO Southern leader (civilian or military) has ever had the guts to create any federating unit; all the federating units have been created by Northern military adventurers. 20 federating units were created from only one region (North), while 17 federating units were created from 3 regions (East, West and Midwest).Competent leaders are easily filtered off by the rigged political structure. At every election, the evil and corrupt Northern cabal needs only a few Southern collaborators to impose any presidential candidate upon the two foremost political parties, only for the electorate to formalize one of the candidates with votes.Thats why Nigeria has been having such mediocre leaders as President, in a country awash with extremely capable presidential materials.This also explains why since 1960 no Southerner has ever led Nigeria except by accident.The FIRST coming of ALL 3 Southern leaders  Aguiyi-Ironsi in 1966, Obasanjo in 1976 and Goodluck Jonathan in 2010  followed the death of Northern incumbents!The fourth and only other Southern leader was Ernest Shonekan and his coming followed the forced stepping aside of a northern Head of State in 1993. He lasted for 3 months after which he was toppled and replaced by another northern military Head of State.For 2019 the presidential contest is being set for Atiku vs Buhari- two Fulani representatives of the Cabal.Nigeria is the only oil-producing country where oil wells are allocated to individuals. The Hausa-Fulani cabal allocated over 80% of the oil blocks either to the Northerners or to their Southern fronts/allies. The names of these oil block allotees are in the public domain.No other faith is mentioned in the Nigerian Constitution, except Islam. For instance, in the 1999 Constitution, Christ, Christians and Christianity are not mentioned even once; whereas Islamic signposts are strewn all over the Constitution - Sharia is mentioned 73 times, Grand Khadi 54 times, Islam 28 times , Muslims 10 times, etc..That Constitution was written SOLELY by one Muslim Fulani Jihadist named Prof. Auwalu Yadudu (Special Adviser to Abacha on Constitutional Matters).While the 1979 Constitution emphasized Nigerias secularity, the 1999 Constitution of Yadudu is a de facto Islamic Constitution, and the Cabal ensured that Yadudu was there to fight that position at 2014 National Political Conference.Subsequently, during Obasanjos govt, the same Northern cabal formally adopted Islam as the State Religion in the core Northern States. Obasanjo refused to even discuss the issue, except to state that it would fizzle out. He knew fully well that it would not fizzle out but was afraid of confronting the cabal.The Sultanate forms a major pillar of the Hausa-Fulani cabal. As permanent President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) the Sultan is the permanent leader of all Muslims in Nigeria (whether they are Northerners or Southerners). As the Permanent Chairman of National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria (NCTRN) the Sultan is the permanent leader of all traditional rulers in all 36 States of Nigeria & Abuja. By the way, the current Sultan was the Brigadier-General Commanding 241 Recce Battalion Kaduna.Many public policies are determined only with the tacit approval of the Sultanate of Sokoto and the Emirates.For instance, when the Gender Bill was introduced in the National Assembly, the Sultan killed the Bill simply by criticizing it publicly.Even Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (the worlds most revered monarch) would never criticize Parliament publicly, because that would be an abuse of royal privilege.Nigeria is the only African country that built a new capital from scratch (using resources from the oppressed, deprived and degraded Niger Delta/South East ).The Cabal claimed that the location of Lagos by the ocean was a security risk, but this was just an excuse to Northernize national public service. A careful look at the map of Africa shows that only 2 nations have central capitals. The most common location for African capitals is at the coast.London (United Kingdom) is situated at the edge of England on the River Thames. Washington DC (USA) is located along the Potomac River on the East Coast of USA. Paris (France) is located at the edge of France in the north-bending arc of the river Seine.When Lagos was capital the Governors of Lagos State were from East, West and North. Since the Capital moved to Abuja, NO Nigerian leader has ever had the guts to appoint a Southerner as substantive FCT Minister. The FCT Minister must be a Northerner, preferably a Muslim (the current FCT Minister was appointed while he was Executive Secretary of the Hajj Commission).Any Christian leader who questions Nigerias membership of the two main international Sharia-driven bodies (OIC & D-8) faces the wrath of the Hausa-Fulani Cabal. So far, only Cdr Ebitu Ukiwe has ever had the guts to seriously question Nigerias involvement in these Islamic bodies and as a result Ukiwe was summarily dismissed from office.Nigeria is the only Federation in the world where all MAJOR security agencies are headed by only one section of the Federation and only members of one faith.Army  Northern Muslim. National Security Advisor  Northern Muslim. Minister of Defence  Northern Muslim. Minister of Internal Affairs- Northern Muslim. Airforce  Northern Muslim. Police  Northern Muslim. Economic Financial Crimes Commission- Northern Muslim. National Civil Defence Corps  Northern Muslim. Department of State Security  Northern Muslim. Immigration Northern Muslim. Prisons Service Northern Muslim. Federal Road Safety Corps  Northern Muslim. Nigerian Customs Service  Northern Muslim. Chief of Defence Intelligence  Northern Muslim. Director of Military Intelligence  Northern Muslim. Fire Service  Northern Muslim. National Emergency Management Agency  Northern Muslim. Nigerian Ports Authority- Northern Muslim.No southerner has been made substantive Comptroller General of Customs in 30 years.Even with all his braggadocio, Olusegun Obasanjo dared not break the jinx in all this years as Nigerias President.Again no southerner has ever been appointed as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission since the day it was established in 2003.Finally the only southerner that was EVER appointed National Security Advisor was killed after he was unceremoniously removed from office by Goodluck Jonathan after the cabal blackmailed and arm-twisted him and told him that if he wanted peace he must appoint a northerner back to that post.The above multi-faceted enslavement to the Hausa-Fulani Cabal is not an accident. Read the book by Harold Wilson which clearly states how and why the British laid the foundation for the Hausa-Fulani hegemony in Nigeria.The principle guiding the Cabal was clearly set forth by the cabals patron saint, Sir Ahmadu Bello who said to the media:The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather Othman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the north as willing tools and the south as a conquered territory and NEVER ALLOW THEM TO RULE OVER US and NEVER ALLOW THEM TO HAVE CONTROL OVER THEIR OWN FUTURE.  (The Parrot Newspaper, October 12, 1960).Freedom from the Cabal is NOT about North versus South. In fact, the greatest victims of the Northern cabal are the Northern masses themselves. The struggle entails Northern Cabal versus All of Lovers of Freedom.Nigeria is structurally unworkable and MUST EITHER BE RESTRUCTURED OR BROKEN. The Hausa-Fulani cabal will resist this with their blood, but there is no other way out of the enslavement for us and our children. We cannot continue suffering and smiling in this un-restructured zoo called Nigeria.The words of Harriet Tubman are relevant here. She said,  I freed a thousand slaves: I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.The author of this brilliant intervention has given us plenty of food for thought.He argued the matter in a detailed, succinct and concise manner and he stated the case very well. Though there were one or two omissions, his research is outstanding and his analysis is factual, insightful and incisive. The truth is that he has said it all.Sadly many in Nigeria do not know that they are slaves to the cabal because they cannot feel the yoke or see their chains.Yet slaves they are and it is time that we opened their eyes, broke their yokes, cut their chains and freed each and every one of them.That is precisely why yours truly, and millions of others, insist on restructuring our country or, failing that, dividing her and going our separate ways.May God deliver us. Happy Easter.
The 60th year celebration is not yet over foremost Nigeria's businessman, and the richest black man alive, Aliko Dangote.

The 60th year celebration is not yet over foremost Nigeria's businessman, and the richest black man alive, Aliko Dangote. The chief executive officer of Dangote Group has received applauds and warm wishes from so many people around the world  Nigeria's President, Buhari described him as a kind-hearted individual.This has proven to be true as in the past, his kind gesture earned him teary blessings from Benson Idahosa, the first pentecostal archbishop in Nigeria and father of pentecostalism in the country.According to The African Apostles:Volume 1 (Patriarchs and Pacesetters), a book detailing the lives and times of great African preachers, in the late 1970s, Idahosa hosted TL Osborn, an American pentecostal Evangelist, and his wife, Daisy in Benin.They had stayed late ministering at the Miracle Centre of Church of God Mission just opposite the Benin Airport, and needed to catch their flight to Lagos which was supposed to be a connecting flight from Johannesburg to France, England and then the US.By the time Idahosa took his guests to the airport, they were told that the last flight for the day was overbooked. Not a single seat was available. The passengers had boarded and the flight about to take off.The jetliner had begun to taxi towards the runway. Idahosas new Mercedes was reported to have sped towards the tarmac and screeched to a halt in front of the plane. Benson Idahosa came out and waved at the pilot, and subsequently got audience with him and the passengers on board.Excuse me friends, I have two of Gods special servants in my car. They must go to Lagos today on this plane. Two of you will get off now so Gods servants can board. God bless you, Idahosa was quoted to have said.One man was said to have tapped his assistant and both gave up their seats for TL and Daisy Osborn.Idahosa reportedly stopped the first man in the aisle of the plane. He asked him: Young man, what is your name and what do you do?My name is Aliko Dangote and this is my assistant. I am a trader, a businessman, the young man was quoted to have told Idahosa.The world will get up for you. My God will bless you! God will take you and your business beyond Africa and bless you beyond measure, Idahosa said to Dangote, and walked out of the plane waving, with tears in his eyes.
The Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has lashed out at t...

The Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, has lashed out at the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government over the state of affairs in the country.Olayinka, in a series of tweets on his social media handle pointed out that JAMB and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were functioning during the previous government but since the APC-led government came on board, things have derailed.According to Olayinka, Two years ago, before APC, JAMB was working, INEC was functioning, you could apply for a new passport and get it that same day.But under a regime that promises change, you now have to wait for five months after capturing before getting your passports renewed, due to lack of passport booklets. Getting JAMB form now takes weeks.May God never forgive those who foisted this calamity on us.
A Customs officer, identified simply as Samuel, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly raping and videotaping t...

A Customs officer, identified simply as Samuel, has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for allegedly raping and videotaping the nudity of his female friend.It was gathered that 29-year -old Samuel always threatened to post the clip on the social media whenever he demanded to have sex with her and she refused.Punch learnt that the duo had met on an online dating platform, Badoo, and after establishing a mutual friendship, the Customs man invited her to his house in the Ogba area of Lagos.Sometime in March 2017, the 26-year - old woman was said to have visited Samuel and after entertaining her, he reportedly made love advances to her, which she allegedly rejected.Samuel was said to have left her in the apartment, locked the door from outside and went out.A police source disclosed that Samuel returned home seven hours later when the woman had almost become unconscious, raped her and took a video of her unclothedness.It was learnt that the case was reported to policemen who arrested the suspect on Sunday.The source said,  The suspect is a Customs officer. He and the victim met on Badoo and he asked her to visit him. She honoured the invitation, unknown to her that he had a hidden agenda. He shut her inside and went out. The woman said she called for help to no avail. He returned home seven hours after and met her semi -conscious. Probably, he had put sedatives into a drink he used to entertain her. He removed her clothes, raped her and videoed her unclothedness. Thereafter, whenever he called her to come to his house and she refused , he would threaten to put the video on the social media and out of fear, she would yield to his request . At a point, she declined an invitation to his house and dared him . He sent the video to her relative to show that he meant his threat . The relative and the victim later reported the case to the police, leading to his arrest. 
The Nigerian Air Force has taken possession of two new Russian Mi-35M fighter jets and will soon commence fresh aerial strikes on Lagos cr...

The Nigerian Air Force has taken possession of two new Russian Mi-35M fighter jets and will soon commence fresh aerial strikes on Lagos creeks.The new jets will, however, be inducted into the inventory during the NAF anniversary next week.Also, the six Nigerian pilots, training in Russia to fly the fighter jets, would return to Nigeria on or before Friday.A source in Abuja close to military hierarchy confirmed the development to newsmen.Already, operatives of military unit, Operation Awatse, are being deployed as plans to launch an offensive on Isawo in the Ikorodu area, get underway.Recall that soldiers and policemen were killed on Sunday after a gun battle with militants.It was gathered that the Defence Headquarters, Abuja, has authorized the operation and residents around creeks will start hearing bombs soon.Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, last week, urged the residents of Lagos and Ogun states to supply credible information to the military.He said, The Operation Awatse by the Armed Forces is aimed at curbing pipeline vandalism and petroleum products-related criminality with negative socio-economic consequence for the country.It is ongoing. Surveillance is key to the success of the military in this operation, which is based on accurate and timely intelligence. In this regard, the general public around Lagos and Ogun states in particular are very useful for more successes in this operation.
A 56-year-old driver, Olusegun Agogo, on Wednesday asked an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 19-year-old marriage because h...

A 56-year-old driver, Olusegun Agogo, on Wednesday asked an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 19-year-old marriage because his wife encourages their children to steal.He said that his wife, Olufumilayo, with whom he had two daughters, fights him whenever he tried to discipline his daughters for stealing.My daughters aged 18 and 14 have penchant for stealing and my wife does not allow me to beat or punish them.There was a day I came home and met Odua People Congress (OPC) members disciplining my daughters by asking them to stool down.When I asked what their offences were, I was told that they stole N50,000 from a woman four houses away from ours, the money was recovered from them.When they came in, I wanted to beat them but my wife did not allow me.My first daughter once stole my phone from where I was charging it, when I asked my wife and daughters for the phone, they claimed that they did not take it, so I assumed somebody from outside must have stolen it.Some days later I heard the ringing tone of my missing phone coming from my daughters room, when I rushed there, behold she was receiving a call with the phone.She had destroyed my SIM card.Stealing is in my daughters blood, they duplicated my room key without my knowledge and stole my N100,000 that I collected from Esusu savings.On another occasion, they stole N20,000, from me and I stopped bringing money home, because most times, I come home to meet my room ransacked.Last month, they stole my two phones from my room while I was sleeping up till now, I have not recovered them.I can no longer walk freely on the street because of my daughters behaviour, the estranged husband said.The petitioner said his wife once accused him of stealing N40,000 from her.Once, my wife accused me of stealing her N40,000, she hit me with a big plank, I dodged it from hitting my head but I sustained injury on my wrist from the plank.When her daughters noticed that the missing money belonged to their mother, they returned it back to her, he saidAgogo begged the court to dissolve the marriage since he was no longer in love with his wife as she had caused great damage to their children.However, the respondent, Olufumilayo, said that her husband did not care for her and their children and that she had been responsible for their feeding and school fees.Anytime I asked him for the childrens school fees, he always told me that they should go and learn a trade and that he is not ready to train them in school.I singlehandedly paid our first daughters WAEC fee, he refused to contribute, she said.She however made a fervent plea to the court not to dissolve their marriage since she was still in love with her husband.Please, help me beg my husband not to divorce me, I will make amend in correcting the children over any wrong doing, she said.The court president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola adjourned the case to June 6, for further hearing.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned that Nigeria would be plunged into deep trouble if the present war against corruption was not wo...

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has warned that Nigeria would be plunged into deep trouble if the present war against corruption was not won.He said that corruption was fiercely waging reprisal attacks in the States, but assured the public that President Muhammadu Buhari was committed to sustaining the anti-corruption fight to ensure that the system was cleaned up and government business done the right way.He also called for a re-orientation of the Nigerian people.Speaking during a courtesy visit to him by the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers in the State House, Abuja on Tuesday, Osinbajo noted that Defence contracts of $15 billion for which many individuals were being prosecuted is half of our countrys foreign reserves.He said: If we are not able to sustain the trouble against corruption, we will end up in a very, very bad way as a nation. We have seen it in so many different ways that at almost every state, corruption fights back and fights very fiercely.
North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression as a U.S. Navy st...

North Korean state media warned on Tuesday of a nuclear attack on the United States at any sign of American aggression as a U.S. Navy strike group steamed toward the western Pacific.U.S. President Donald Trump, who has urged China to do more to rein in its impoverished neighbour, said in a Tweet that North Korea was looking for trouble and the United States would solve the problem with or without Chinas help.Tension has escalated sharply on the Korean peninsula amid concerns that reclusive North Korea may soon conduct a sixth nuclear test and after Washington said at the weekend it was diverting U.S. Navy strike group Carl Vinson from port calls to Australia toward the Korean peninsula as a show of force.U.S. officials have stressed that stronger sanctions are the most likely U.S. course to press North Korea to abandon its nuclear program but Washington has said all options, including military ones, are on the table and that a U.S. strike last week against Syria should serve as a warning to Pyongyang.North Koreas official Rodong Sinmun newspaper said the country was prepared to respond to any U.S. aggression.Our revolutionary strong army is keenly watching every move by enemy elements with our nuclear sight focused on the U.S. invasionary bases not only in South Korea and the Pacific operation theatre but also in the U.S. mainland, it said.South Koreas acting President Hwang Kyo-ahn warned of greater provocations by North Korea and ordered the military to intensify monitoring and ensure close communication with Washington.It is possible the North may wage greater provocations such as a nuclear test timed with various anniversaries including the Supreme Peoples Assembly, said Hwang, acting leader since former president Park Geun-hye was removed amid a graft scandal.Trump said in a Tweet that a trade deal between China and the United States would be far better for them if they solved the North Korea problem.If China decides to help, that would be great, he said. If not, we will solve the problem without them!Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping met in Florida last week and Trump pressed Xi to do more to rein in North Korea.Chinas ambassador to the United Nations, Liu Jieyi, repeated Chinas call for a return to dialogue with North Korea.The situation is tense and we certainly want a peaceful solution and we believe that it is highly important to move toward denuclearization, to maintain peace and stability and its time that different sides sit down to talk about achieving these objectives, he told Reuters.Asked about Trump linking a trade deal to Chinas help with North Korea: We need to look at the situation on the Korean Peninsula as something that we should work together on.North Korea convened a Supreme Peoples Assembly session on Tuesday, one of its twice-yearly sessions attended by leader Kim Jong Un, and reported a successful national budget execution and personnel appointments, the official KCNA news agency said.The agency made no mention of North Koreas nuclear weapons programme or being under threat from the United States.South Korean officials sought to quell talk in social media of an impending security crisis.Wed like to ask for precaution so as not to get blinded by exaggerated assessment about the security situation on the Korean peninsula, Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-kyun said.Saturday is the 105th anniversary of the birth of Kim Il Sung, North Koreas founding father and grandfather of the current ruler.A military parade is expected in Pyongyang to mark the day. North Korea often also marks important anniversaries with tests of its nuclear or missile capabilities in breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions.Men and women in colourful outfits were singing and dancing on the streets of Pyongyang, illuminated by better lighting than seen in previous years, apparently practising for the parade.Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent congratulations, lambasting big powers for their expansionist policy.The friendly two countries are celebrating this anniversary and, at the same time, conducting a war against big powers wild ambition to subject all countries to their expansionist and dominationist policy and deprive them of their rights to self-determination, the Norths KCNA news agency quoted his message as saying.North Koreas foreign ministry said the approach of the U.S. Navy strike group showed Washingtons reckless moves for invading had reached a serious phase.We never beg for peace but we will take the toughest counteraction against the provocateurs in order to defend ourselves by powerful force of arms and keep to the road chosen by ourselves, an unidentified ministry spokesman said.U.S. officials said at the weekend the carrier group would take more than a week to reach waters near the Korean peninsula.A statement from U.S. forces in South Korea on Tuesday said General Vincent Brooks, commander of United States Forces Korea, would not attend a Congressional hearing expected for later this month because of the security situation on the Korean Peninsula. The statement said the step was not unprecedented.North and South Korea are technically still at war because their 1950-1953 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. North Korea regularly threatens to destroy South Korea and its main ally, the United States.
Policemen attached to the Abura Dunkwa District Command, Ghana, have arrested a Stephen Enyan, a senior laboratory assistant at the Distri...

Policemen attached to the Abura Dunkwa District Command, Ghana, have arrested a Stephen Enyan, a senior laboratory assistant at the District Hospital for allegedly selling the blood of pregnant women to sakawa boys (cyber fraudsters) for money rituals.Enyan is reported to have sold blood samples of pregnant women to sakawa boys. He allegedly hides part of the blood samples he takes from pregnant women who visit the hospital for antenatal checks and sells them.He sells a little amount of the blood from GH5,000 to GH10,000. Most patients who visited the hospital reported that their ailments got worse after attending the clinic. In the case of the pregnant women, they either lost their lives or their babies.This led to the lodging of complaints to the hospital authorities who also informed the Abura Dunkwa police about the concerns.The District Police Commander, Superintendent Robert Adika, deployed police to the hospital for the arrest of Stephen Enyan.One Policeman posed as a sakawa boy and contacted Stephen Enyan on WhatsApp before going to him to buy blood.Stephen Enyan agreed to supply him with the blood and sent GH250 as part payment of GH10,000 before he was arrested in the course of the transaction. The money, in five GH50 notes, were tendered in court yesterday.Stephen Enyan after he joined the hospital as a laboratory technician was moved to the mortuary.However, family members of people who died at the hospital started complaining about missing parts of their dead relatives. This caused Enyan to be recalled to the lab before his arrest and his subsequent arraign.
Some men of the Nigeria Police Force last weekend bumped into a wedding celebration and rounded up the groom in Amuloko area of Ibadan, ...

Some men of the Nigeria Police Force last weekend bumped into a wedding celebration and rounded up the groom in Amuloko area of Ibadan, Oyo State.The arrested groom, popularly called in the area as Togo, was suspected to be a member of an armed robbery gang. He was arrested alongside some members of his family and that of the bride.According to reports, the police stormed the venue, packed the wedding cakes and some other items meant for the wedding.Immediately the policemen stormed the venue, they headed straight to where the groom was sitting and handcuffed him. They also picked some members of his family; while this was going on, people that have come from different location for the wedding flee in different directions, a witness said.A police source who didn't want his name in print, said, the groom and other members of his gang robbed at Olodo on Friday and two of them were arrested in the morning and later another one was arrested; he was the one that gave us the information about Togos wedding and the other one is now at large.However, the police public relations officer in the state, ASP Adekunle Ajisebutu said although he had read the report somewhere, he was not aware of its source.I am not aware of the incident. Though, I have read about it somewhere but I dont know the source of the story. I will find out. Call me back, let me find out, he said.
The Nigeria Police has summoned the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma, to appear before its...

The Nigeria Police has summoned the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Saleh Dunoma, to appear before its team investigating Tuesday fire outbreak at the agencys audit unit in its headquarters in Lagos.Dunoma made the disclosure yesterday while briefing newsmen after inspecting the damage caused by the fire.Dunoma said the police was carrying out an investigation on the incident and that FAAN had also constituted a separate panel to look into the causes of the fire.Dunoma said: Police investigation is necessary because under the constitution, they are allowed to investigate such incidents.I am to appear before them too as part of their investigation.Dunoma said the FAAN investigative panel would not only submit its findings on the incident, but also make recommendations.He said the fire, which started at about 8.20am, affected some offices, including the Audit, Public Affairs and Commercial Departments.Members of the FAAN panel are from: the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Accident Investigation Bureau and the Department of State Security.Others are: FAAN Aviation Security, Safety Department, Fire Department and Legal Department which is to provide the secretary of the panel.Dunoma said: They are to look into the remote and immediate causes of the incident, the extent of damage, contributions by various agencies and proffer solutions to these issues, so that we can prevent future occurrences.The panel has two weeks to submit its report and immediate action will be taken on their recommendations.Dunoma assured members of the general public that the incident had not deterred FAAN from carrying out its statutory responsibilities at the airport, stressing that full operations would resume on Wednesday.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday disowned media reports suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari was ill and tha...

The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed on Wednesday disowned media reports suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari was ill and that was the reason for his absence at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Information Minister said that the President was hail and healthy and carrying out other state functions during the FEC meeting.He was with the Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehinare and Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril.The Information Minister said that the absence of Buhari at FEC didnt mean that he was not working.He said; I want to make some remarks on what I think is trending. Clearly when you came in this morning, Mr. President was not in the chamber and the Vice President did preside over the council meeting. Understandably, that has sparked controversies and agitations in the mind of the people. I just want to make this clear that Mr. President is in town, Mr. President is attending to other issues.Mr. President looked at the agenda, a very light agenda, and decided that the Vice president should preside. It is not unusual for the kind of interest that has been shown, especially given the fact that Mr. President was away for a while on medical treatment. We are not surprised that people will be wondering if the President is ill again.He is not ill, he is not sick. I am sure that later in the day or tomorrow morning he will be back in the office. I just want to clear that misconception. Its not unusual, even if the President is hail and hearty and everything going on well, for the Vice President to preside over the FEC meeting.The fact that Mr. President is not in the office does not mean he is not working. I have just been told that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is with him at the residence and they are working. The fact that you did not see him in the office, did not mean he is not working at all, he addedEhinare disclosed that 420,000 persons have been vaccinated against meningitis type C in Zamfara State.While there are 4,637 suspected cases in the country, the Minister said that 489 persons have died from the disease.He said that 823,000 vaccines are expected this week from the United Kingdom.The Minister of State for Environment said that FEC ratified the universal convention banning the use of mercury.He said that Nigeria was among the 128 countries that signed the convention while 50 countries are needed to ratify it to make it effective.So far, he said, about 40 countries have ratified the convention.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied an allegation that he received $200m from the $1.3bn Malabu oil deal.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has denied an allegation that he received $200m from the $1.3bn Malabu oil deal.Jonathan, who stated this in a statement by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, on Tuesday, described a story published by Buzzfeed as false.He said that it was sponsored by those who were threatened by his rising profile in the international community, adding that the story was meant to tarnish his image.The former President said, It is one more in the series of fake news sponsored by those threatened by Dr. Jonathans continuously rising profile in the international community.Commonsense should have shown the purveyors of this slander that the Malabu oil deal far predated the Jonathan regime and it would only make sense for him to be bribed if he had a time machine to go back in time to when the deal was struck.According to Jonathan, the report relied on hearsay evidence from a man, who provided no substance to back up his false claim.He said, The man quoted by the report said he assumed that Dr. Jonathan would be bribed.The former President wondered how the assumption of a man could be enough to smear the reputation of a patriot and international statesman of his calibre.The report also wrongly claimed that Jonathan and Etete had known each other for years, according to Shell staff, when Jonathan served as a tutor to Etetes children while he was a minister.He said that the claim was clearly ridiculous, adding that nothing could be further from the truth.The statement said, In the first place, the former President couldnt have been a tutor to Etetes children without first establishing a contact with the family. This is because Jonathan met Etete, who served as the Petroleum Minister in Gen. (Sani) Abachas military regime for the first time under the succeeding civilian administration, when he was already the deputy governor of Bayelsa State. Even then, the fact remains that ex-President Jonathan has never met any of Etetes children.Jonathan could not have been anybodys private tutor during that period because he was already in the directorate cadre in the Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, (now NDDC), having already left the academics, at the time Etete was a serving minister.He said that the latest allegation came after the publication of a story that he refused to help the British Government in rescuing the Chibok girls.The former President noted that the British Government had denied the story.He also cited a publication that he planned to contest the 2019 election as another lie.The statement added, It is instructive that this same old fable apparently intended to rubbish Jonathans name locally and internationally is being recycled with more lies added to garnish the narrative, at a time the ex-President is making efforts to resolve the issues in the Peoples Democratic Party.Again, let us point out for clarity and for the umpteenth time that while he was in office and now that he is out of office, former President Jonathan did not open and does not own any bank account, aircraft or real estate outside Nigeria. Anyone with contrary information is challenged to publicly publish same.
The South-West caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday resolved to shut the doors of reconciliation against the factional...

The South-West caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday resolved to shut the doors of reconciliation against the factional National Chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.The party, led by the governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose, National Vice Chairman, South West, Eddy Olafeso and other notable leaders of the party, said the zone had foreclosed possibility of any reconciliation, even if summoned by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who is the partys leader.The caucus said this in Ado Ekiti after a meeting held to discuss the future of the party.The caucus, however, saluted Jonathans courage for his reconciliation efforts, particularly the one that ended in fiasco last week, when Sheriff stormed out of a meeting called to reconcile with Ahmed Makarfi group.Addressing journalists after the meeting , Fayose said: We laud former President Jonathan for the initiative, he has proven to be a good leader. He meant well and we stand by him. But let it be expressly stated that we wont reconcile with Sheriff. The door of reconciliation with Sheriff is shut.We believe in dialogue but not with impossible people. We knew that the PDP has a problem and when the supreme court adjudicates on the contentious matter before it, we will know whether we will stay together or go our different ways, because it is difficult to stay in a room with a snake, Fayose said.The communique read by Olafeso after the meeting read: we declare total support for the National Caretaker Committee of the Party under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi, in the quest to reposition, reorganize and promote the standing of the Party in Nigeria.We resolved to ensure that our Party, the PDP, will not be hijacked and taken over by fifth columnists and APC agents as represented by the Ali Modu Sheriff group.That this meeting resolves resolutely not to honor any further meeting geared towards reconciliation with the Sheriff group as they are totally extraneous to our Party and therefore of no use to the wellbeing of our Party.We also take due cognizance of the fact that a number of unprincipled and fair weather politicians are busy decamping from our Party to the APC. Therefore we call on all our members in the South West not to be discouraged or alarmed at this development as it is temporary.We also wish to underscore the fact that no politician worth his salt should consider decamping to the ruling Party that has ruined the economy and impoverish Nigerians to this odious level.We take serious view of the impending election in Ekiti and Osun States and therefore resolve to stand in solidarity and absolute support for the Party in the two States as a family. We call on all members of the Party across the Zone to be ready to sacrifice for our victory in the elections.We take serious view of the reconciliation meeting convened by former President Jonathan on Thursday, April 6, 2017 and thus commend him for that initiative and leadership acumen he displayed.Therefore we urge him to continue to take actions that will promote cohesion in the Party and should not be discouraged by dishonorable attitude displayed by the fifth columnists in our midst.Olafeso also condemned the continued arrest and intimidation of leaders and members of the t Party which subsists since the inauguration of the APC government of President Muhammadu Buhari under the guise of fighting corruption.We note that the so called battle against corruption is indeed a masked war against prominent members of the PDP. In this regard we note the continuing detention of Hon Gabriel Suswan, and Dr Babangida Aliyu the immediate past Governor of Benue and Niger States.Col Sambo Dasuki, Babatunde Olalere Gbadamosi, Nnamdi Kanu and other Nigerians been detained most illegally by the Buhari Government. This attitude is undemocratic and an abuse of the fundamental rights of those concerned, he concluded.
'It's the system': Inmate's relatives blame more than 1 deputy for 15-year-old's death
Walter Reed letters of support came from Bob Livingston, others before judge sentenced him
Along St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans a giant 18x23 foot mural full of photos of local civil rights pioneers went up in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Riders and the Congress of Racial Equality New Orleans Chapter. The Black Men of Labor helped create the memorial to recognize and pay tribute to the men and women, both black and white, who helped fight injustice and to foster racial equality during the 1960s and later. Passersby look up at the mural as they walk down the sidewalk on Friday, October 14, 2011. The Black Men of Labor installed the poster near their building where on Saturday, October 29, they will celebrate with brass music and a second line parade. Dodie Smith-Simmons, left, who took part in a lunch counter sit-in at McCrory's on Canal Street points to some of the police mug photos of other civil rights activists she knew back in the 1960s. (CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE)
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.
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We believe that thanks to our dedication, insightfulness, and commitment to our subject matter of non league today, we are offering the best of both worlds to those searching for an online non league paper. We give you the professional approach we feel is appropriate for news about one of the most intriguing aspects of UK football; an aspect that we genuinely feel does not receive the interest and plaudits that it should be generating. Nevertheless, we dont let that professionalism take over everything we do: we remain committed fans, nurturing our own personal interest in non league football and ensuring every word we compose is infused with a sense of passion and dedication that enhances the posts we create.

Its therefore obvious that our non-league content today isnt ever going to be dry, basic, or put together by a tired staff writer who has never heard of any team below the Championship before they rush off to the pub for the evening. Our writers are genuine experts: were covering non league football because we want to, because we believe in it, and because its where our strengths lie. The result is informed content that capitalises on our deep knowledge of the history, as well as the present-day realities, of non league football in the UK.

Beyond news: the nonleaguedaily.com interview series

One of our goals with nonleaguedaily.com is to not just dryly report the news from an outsiders perspective, effectively regurgitating press releases that are devoid of genuinely illuminating information. We also go right to the source of the stories: the managers and club insiders who have direct experience, and often influence, on the sport and how it is managed.

We regularly conduct interviews as part of our news provision, asking the questions that are on everyones lips and providing the best possible view into the non league world. We have reporters pitchside at matches, microphone to hand and plentiful questions ready to be asked. The end result for you, the reader, is the kind of information and close-up looks into the non league world that just cant be found anywhere else.

As our commitment to providing interesting interviews amply demonstrates, we want to be involved in breaking the stories that everyone then talks about, rather than following along and focusing solely on what everyone already knows. If youre looking for leading content that you cant find anywhere else, and that goes right to the centre of the non league world, then you can turn to nonleaguedaily.com for all the benefits of a conventional non league paper, but in electronic, easily-accessed form.

A host of other content to enjoy alongside the non league today

Our focus on providing non league news will always be maintained: we consider this aspect the most important of what we do, and it will always be the recipient of our time, dedication, and interest. Well be here, a consistent and trustworthy news portal, for as long as non league football news exists.

With that said, when you have read up on the latest goings-on, were here with further content for you to enjoy. Naturally, given our partnership with leading brand Betting.co.uk, we provide guidelines for those interested in the world of sports betting. Well help you find the best UK bookmaker with our plentiful coverage of existing brands; ideal if youre looking to put your newfound knowledge, courtesy of us, about non league to use and place a few bets.

Furthermore, we also provide highlights of all the latest UK betting offers, so you can ensure youre achieving the best value with all the latest betting deals whenever youre betting on the latest non league matches. Youll find all of this coverage is as consistent and reliable as our non league news provision,

Non league features and deep dives

Returning to the world of non league football, we also provide a range of feature content that goes deeper and further into the non league world than ever before. Less instantaneously topical but still hugely relevant to the modern game, our features are the dream deep dives that we feel non league fans deserve. Were always striving to do better, offer more, and ensure that non league fans can enjoy the same wealth of content as followers of the top tiers, so you can expect top-flight content with the same commitment and dedication as found throughout the upper echelons of the sport.

So whether youre looking to find the most recent non league football news, seeking a new bookmaker for your non league bets, or hoping to delve deep into a niche non league-related topic, nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be worth a visit.

Return to nonleaguedaily.com for all your non league news needs

Weve told you what you can expect from nonleaguedaily.coms news; now we need to put our confidence where our promises are, make sure we deliver on those promises, and establish trust as an online non league paper you can trust. We look forward to welcoming you back to our news section and showcasing the best we have to offer, from exciting new non league interviews to cutting-edge news to transfer speculation. If you want to truly have your finger on the non league pulse, then nonleaguedaily.com is always going to be here for you.
The Council Bluffs Community School District hired a new superintendent Tuesday evening.

The school board voted unanimously to approve offering a three-year contract to Vickie Murillo, the current chief academic and accountability officer of the Kansas City Public Schools in Missouri.

The contract includes a $225,000 base salary along with a 5 percent annuity and a standard benefits package  the same as outgoing Superintendent Martha Bruckner, district spokeswoman Diane Ostrowski said.

Murillo will take over the superintendents office July 1. Bruckner announced last November she would retire at the end of the school year.

Weve always been focused on student achievement and we didnt want to take us in a different direction, Board President Troy Arthur said. Shell fit well in our culture and said shell provide high expectation and high support and that aligns well with us.

A pool of 57 applicants was trimmed down to a dozen by Ray and Associates, the search firm hired by the school board to help run the process, as well as to screen and provide background checks on candidates.

Arthur said board members took the top 12 candidates provided by the firm and winnowed the field to seven, then five and, ultimately, to one finalist, who was publicly announced Monday afternoon.

Improving student achievement was a priority in Council Bluffs decision-making process, Arthur said. He said Murillo has a real unique background in leadership because she initiated career and technical education programs in Kansas City while also overseeing academic programs and federally-supported programs.

When we were interviewing her she got more and more passionate about student achievement and how shed work with our schools and we were impressed, Arthur said. We wanted someone with broad experience to help us to take us to that next step in our schools.

Murillo has been with the Kansas City School District for 20 years, but she said shes looking forward to coming to Council Bluffs and getting to know the school district and community.

A lot of good work has taken place here and Ive been honored to be apart of that process on moving the academic needle, Murillo told The Nonpareil in an interview Tuesday. Im really looking forward to coming up and getting to know the community  everyone seems to be so excited.

Murillo said she plans on creating 100-day plan that will include a transition piece where shell take time to learn and listen alongside Bruckner.

I want to visit and work alongside the current superintendent to learn about the district and get to know the staff members, Murillo said. Id like to see that transition take place in May and June, so when I do arrive on July 1, I can begin by really taking off.

While a specific timeline hasnt been set, Arthur said he hopes Murillo can learn what the districts accomplished, and what remains to do, from Bruckner in the coming weeks and months. The goal is a smooth transition, he said.

In her role in Kansas City, Murillo has opened two early learning community schools, a health center and a culinary arts program, according to her official biography. She is married to the Rev. Willie Murillo, and they have two adult children.

Murillo told The Nonpareil she was drawn to Council Bluffs because of the quality of its school system.

I quickly noticed that it was a great school system that had a solid board and good strong leadership with a superintendent that has provided good stability and does a fabulous job for that district, Murillo said. I know it will be big shoes to fill to follow (Bruckner), but I also know I would be walking into a good system where I could take my experience and what Ive learned and apply it to taking the schools to the next level.
Heres a look at upcoming Easter egg hunts in the area:

Today  Council Bluffs Public Library Egg Hunt

When & Where: 10:30 to 11 a.m. at the Council Bluffs Public Library, 400 Willow Ave., Council Bluffs

Description: Bring your basket and hunt for matching eggs. For children age 5 and younger with an adult companion. Call 712-323-7553 for more information.

Saturday  Clarinda Easter Egg Hunt

When & Where: 10:30 a.m., Page County Courthouse, 112 E. Main St., Clarinda

Description: Easter egg hunt for children up to age 9.

Saturday  Walnut Grove Baptist Church

When & Where: 11 a.m., Walnut Grove Baptist Church, 1001 North 29th St., Council Bluffs

Description: Preschool-aged children through age 8 will participate in a traditional hunt and ages nine and up will participate in a scavenger hunt.

Saturday  Lake Manawa Egg Hunt

When & Where: 10 a.m., Lake Manawa, 1100 South Shore Drive, Council Bluffs

Description: Boy Scout Troop 528 will host a free egg hunt at 10 a.m. in the North Shore area. Age groups are 0-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early, as the hunt starts at 10 a.m. sharp.
Iowas high school graduation rate has increased for the fifth year in a row.

State data shows 91.3 percent of students in Iowas Class of 2016 graduated high school within four years, which is up from 90.8 percent compared to last years class.

Graduation is a critical milestone in every students path to success, Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said in a release. While were proud that Iowa continues to lead nationally in high school graduation rates, we have work to do. We must ensure all Iowa high school students not only graduate, but do so with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in post-secondary education and training.

On Tuesday, the Iowa Department of Education also released graduation rates for school districts across Iowa. Iowa graduation rates are calculated with a formula established by the U.S. Department of Education.

One of southwest Iowas largest school districts saw a slight decline in its graduation rates.

The Council Bluffs Community School District saw an 87.11 percent graduation rate, which is down from the Class of 2015s four-year rate of 88.49 percent. This is the first year the district has seen a decline in a decade.

The Lewis Central Community School Districts four-year rate was 92.80 percent, while the Glenwood Community School Districts four-year rate was 98.66 percent  both above the state average of 91.26 percent.

Lewis Centrals school improvement specialist, David Black, attributed the districts success to its numerous graduation-focused programs and the districts focus on attendance.

Graduation rates is one of those things thats really important, but its affected by lots of things, Black said. To attribute it to one particular thing would be incorrect because its our whole comprehensive program at the high school and middle school levels. Its the whole system working together to help kids be highly successful.

AHSTW, Essex, Treynor and Woodbine school districts all had 100 percent graduation rates this year. The biggest gain in the area this year was for Clarinda Community School District, which saw an uptick in its graduation rate at 96.43 percent compared to last years 88.61 percent.

The biggest decline was for Boyer Valley Community School District, which dropped from 96.97 percent to 78.57 percent, although that only represents five students not graduating from the Class of 2015.

The second biggest decline was for Riverside Community School District, which dropped from 97.78 percent to 86 percent, which represents six students who didnt graduate.

Were not all that concerned about that because were a smaller school, said Tim Mitchell, Riverside superintendent. Were going to continue to work and make sure we have programming in place and make sure were doing the best we can so students are successful in our programs here as we move into the future.

The state also reported five-year graduation rates, drop-out rates and state data for graduation rates by certain subgroups.

Iowa saw its dropout rates increase for the first time since the 2009-10 school year, according to the Iowa Department of Education. The states annual dropout rate was 2.8 percent in the 2015-16 school year, up from 2.5 percent in the 2014-15 school year. The states 2015-16 dropout rate represents 4,154 students in grades nine through 12.

The statewide dropout rate increased among all but two student subgroups  multi-racial and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander  in the 2015-16 school year compared to the year before.

A high school diploma is not enough to position most workers for financial security, so its discouraging to see a slight increase in the states dropout rate, Wise said. At the same time, its important to put this one-year increase into perspective, and the long-term trend shows Iowas dropout rate is declining.

For Council Bluffs, the five-year graduation was good news. It showed an increase, reaching 90.67 percent for the Class of 2015. By comparison, the five-year rate for the Class of 2014 was 87.57 percent. The state average for 2015 five-year graduation rates was 93.3 percent.

We are thrilled that our five-year graduation rate, highest in recent history, broke the 90 percent mark, with 90.67 percent of kids graduating within five years, said Martha Bruckner, the Council Bluffs Community School District superintendent. The four-year graduation rate is reduced minimally from last years high, with the rate for Class of 2016 being 87.11 percent.

The district also saw a decrease in its 2015-16 dropout rate at 2.37 percent compared to 2014-15s 2.68 percent. The state average for the 2015-16 school year was 2.81 percent.

Our really big news is that the dropout rate of 2.37 percent is lowest in recent district history  and even below the state rate, Bruckner said. While we are not content if any student quits school, and were not satisfied until every child graduates, there is very good news in these numbers.
The Butler Did It par Read more [...]
Have you heard that even a "super-majority" of Liberal and NDP voters want security at the border dealt with over helping fake refugees enter the country?Probably not, doesn't fit the narrative.A new poll confirms Canadians see a real security risk at the border, and it doesnt matter how many stories the media and political elites trot out portraying those crossing the Canada-US border illegally as people escaping the nastiness of Donald Trump Theyre also pushing out media story after media story suggesting anyone that wants to crack down on illegal border crossings is some kind of racist, anti-immigrant xenophobe.Despite all of this, Canadians do see a risk at the border and want more resources going to securing the border than helping those fleeing America claiming to be refugees.The results will surprise many, but consider news of the Sweden attack just last week that killed four and injured several more which police now believe was carried out by a failed asylum seeker.Or the Berlin Christmas Market attack . The man that drove the truck that killed 11 pedestrians was a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia.There are more but lets just look at the most recent - the bomb scare in Norway. A bomb was placed near a busy subway system but was defused before it could go off. The culprit was a 17 year-old asylum seeker.When Trudeau began his refugee push, I called for tough vetting of anyone wanting to come here from Syria, an area filled with real refugees fleeing war but also war lords and war criminals fleeing persecution. There are terrorists and terrorist sympathizers everywhere.Time will tell if the tough vetting we did was enough but I hope so for all of our sakes.For months now, weve been seeing people just walking across the border and Canadians are not ok with this. Rightly, they see this as a security risk.Pundits, political and media establishment will not like the results of this poll and may be shocked, but Im not.Canadians support a generous immigration and refugee system if it follows Canadian rules and Canadian laws, doesnt allow queue jumping and if Canadas security is protected.None of those conditions are met right now with this influx of illegal immigrants crossing the border at non-border crossings and just yelling refugee. Im sorry, the US is not creating refugees, it accepts them, even under Donald Trump.The government needs to act on this and toughen up border security - even the majority of their voters and left wing NDP voters agree with that.If you agree with that assessment and you have not yet signed our petition at www.NoIllegals.ca , then I encourage you to do so.Activists want less border security and are pressuring the government to do less , not more but if you stand with the majority of Canadians and for common sense then please sign the petition at www.NoIllegals.ca - sign now.
In North Platte:

Kris Driskill of Belton, Missouri, will be the featured speaker Monday and Tuesday at the North Platte Christian Womens Clubs. Shell speaking on Director of the Universe Gives Up Control, and Lives To Tell About It.

Driskill, former director of the universe, tells how she was able to give up the need to be in control and how to find peace of mind, even when things seem out of control. She went from worrier to warrior. She is humorous, relevant, energetic and upbeat.

After 5 Connection

The After 5 ladies will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday at the Parkview Community Church, 1802 N. Jeffers St. Cost is $7, which includes a full meal. Special music will be by Janice Huber.

Reservations are required by Friday, and can be made by calling Donna at 308-532-5252 or Kathy at 308-530-4655, or emailing govegang25@gmail.com. Cancellations are essential and should be phoned in to Kathy by 10 a.m. on Monday.

Tuesday Brunch

The Tuesday Brunch ladies will meet at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday at the First Christian Church, 220 N. Vine St. Use the back door. Cost is $5, which includes brunch. Special feature will be Dr. Matt Weir, Precision Spinal Care, with a special music performance by The Gospel Lites.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling Konnie at 308-532-4268, Darlene at 308-532-2971 or Bev at 308-539-0719 no later than Sunday. Cancellations are needed by 9 a.m. on Monday to Darlene or Konnie.

In North Platte and Ogallala:

Barbara Bath of Wichita, Kansas, will be the featured speaker Monday and Tuesday at the Ogallala and North Platte Christian Womens Clubs.

Bath will be speaking on From a Sparkler to a Beautiful Fireworks Display in North Platte and in Ogallala. She will be speaking about her journey from a Crackpot to a Cracked Pot. She is a retired school counselor. She will tell how sparks from anger, grief and depression can change into a beautiful fireworks display.

After 5 Group

The After 5 Group will meet at 7 p.m. Monday at the Salvation Army, 1020 N. Adams, beginning with a light supper. Special feature will be Harry Spohn speaking on All About Flags.

Reservations can be made by calling Donna at 308-532-5252 or June at 308-532-8274. Cancellations are essential and should be phoned in to Donna by 10 a.m. on Monday.

Tuesday Brunch

The Tuesday group will meet at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday at the Eagles Club, 720 N. Chestnut. The groups special feature will be a surprise. Stephanie Anderson will present special music.

Reservations are required and can be made by calling Eleanor Aaron at 308-532-7514 or Darlene Small at 308-532-2971 no later than Sunday. Cancellations are needed by 9 a.m. on Monday.
Area will be open to public Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays only

Boaters beware: Jeffrey Lakes public boat ramp will be closed most of this summer while sediment is removed from that area of the lake south of Brady.

The boat ramp will, however, be reopened for the Memorial Day and Fourth of July holidays.

Crews from the Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District will begin removing at least 5 feet of sediment with a dredge in early May.

Jeff Buettner, public relations coordinator for the district, said the sediment has accumulated in the northern part of the lake, mostly between the inlet and outlet, since the districts hydro-

irrigation project took off in 1941.

The lake is an operating reservoir for the Jeffrey Hydroplant below it and is on CNPPIDs supply canal.

The sentiment buildup has made water depths less than 3 feet over a large area, and boat props drop through the mud when passing through.

Buettner compared the problem to dropping sand in a puddle.

If that dirt accumulated, that puddle would be shallower, he said.

Last year, Buettner said, the CNPPID workers completed the first phase of dredging sediment from the water, but after revisiting the site, crews decided to lease a larger dredge to remove more sediment.

Devin Brundage, the districts Gothenburg division manager, will oversee the project.

He said last years project was a good start, and this years project will further improve recreational opportunities at Jeffrey Lake.
A star-studded lineup is in store for the 2017-18 Town Hall Lecture Series.

The Town Hall Lecture Series is the only speaker series of its kind between Denver and Omaha, said Heather Johnson, publicity chair for the series. Because of that, the THLS board takes the job of finding and recruiting top-quality speakers very seriously.

There was added pressure this year because the series is celebrating its 35th anniversary.

The goal is always to find presenters who are both relevant and entertaining to our audience, Johnson said. Not only does the 2017-18 lineup accomplish that goal, it exceeds it, and we couldnt be more excited about that.

Next seasons speakers will be:

 Jenna Bush Hager  The daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush, Hager has had the chance to see the best in people through her work as a UNICEF volunteer, inner-city teacher and correspondent for the Today show. She uses a message of compassion for supporting those in need to inspire audiences to make a positive impact on their families, schools and communities.

A Morning with Jenna Bush Hager will take place Sept. 13.

 Amelia Earhart  A 28,000-mile flight around the world launched her into the public eye. She set out to recreate the famous 1937 flight of her namesake, and the flight became a symbol of determination, courage and empowerment. Thousands have been affected by her contagious enthusiasm for action and her raw and charming leadership style. She has been named one of the Top 10 Young Americans by the U.S. Jaycees.

Around The World with Amelia will be presented Oct. 11.

 Steve Murphy  Pablo Escobar was the worlds first narco-terrorist andMurphy helped bring him down. As a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Murphy and his partner Javier Pena lived and worked in Colombia alongside their Colombian National Police counterparts and elite U.S. military units. The group was tasked with dismantling one of the largest and most violent international trafficking organizations of the time: the Medellin Cartel, founded in part by Escobar. The Netflix series NARCOS is based on their activities.

The True Story of Pablo Escobar will be presented on April 4, 2018.

 Dallas Seavey  Only six people have held a title in both of the worlds two longest sled dog races, and Seavey is one of them. He is a third-generation dog musher, four-time Iditarod champion and has won the 1,000-mile Yukon Quest. Seavey holds the record for having the three fastest winning times in Iditarod history.

An Iditarod Life will be presented on May 8, 2018.

Tickets will not be sold for individual lectures, but the purchase of a $70 season membership guarantees admission to all four. Memberships can be purchased through membership chairwoman Betty Guynan at 308-530-8448 or online at nptownhall.com.

All presentations will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the North Platte Community Playhouse.

For an additional cost, season ticket holders can attend a luncheon featuring a question-and-answer session with the speaker at the Quality Inn and Suites after the presentation. Luncheon attendees must be season ticket holders, and reservations are required at least one week in advance. For more information, contact Jane Wilkinson, luncheon chairwoman, at 308-534-1375.

There is one more speaker left in the 2016-17 season. B. Gentry Lee will take the stage on May 9. Lee is the chief engineer for the Planetary Flight Systems Directorate at Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He is responsible for the engineering integrity of all robotic planetary missions managed by JPL for NASA, including the Mars exploration program.
To help more people climb out of poverty, our federal social programs must have the end goals of independence and productivity.

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program, known as MIECHV (pronounced McVee), is a positive example. With bipartisan support, this program has helped improve the health and well-being of families across the country.

MIECHV helps support state and local efforts to provide voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services to parents and children at risk of adverse experiences. Objectives include promoting school readiness of young children, increasing economic self-sufficiency of families, improving prenatal health and birth outcomes, and preventing child abuse and neglect.

Making this upfront investment in families protects children and reduces government dependence down the road.

MIECHV is also one of the only social programs in which funding is tied to proven evidence of effectiveness  to do otherwise is a disservice to both taxpayers and beneficiaries. We know we must improve our anti-poverty programs by demanding results, and MIECHV provides a good example of what we should expect and receive from the use of limited taxpayer resources.

On March 15, our Human Resources Subcommittee held a hearing on MIECHV, where we heard from witnesses who have either worked with clients in a home-visiting program or benefited from the services provided. Rosa, a 16-year-old high school junior from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, testified how a home-visiting program provided her with the support, confidence, and skills she needed when she found out she was pregnant at age 14.

Today, Rosa is the mother of a beautiful 20-month-old baby girl and is on track to graduate high school next year.

Nebraskans are also seeing positive outcomes from home visiting. Prior to our hearing, I visited Panhandle Public Health Districts Healthy Families America in Scottsbluff to see their work firsthand. The program strives to improve the economic success and school readiness of vulnerable children and families in Scotts Bluff, Morrill and Box Butte counties.

During my visit, I met Dawn, who was pregnant and homeless when she learned about home visiting. Through the program, she found a stable home and a steady income to provide for her growing family. Today, she is working toward a college degree.

We should strive to support the efforts of parents who are working to provide a better life for their children. I look forward to continuing our work on this reauthorization and ensuring our social programs help to build healthy, independent families.
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PORTAGE  Several beaches remained closed Wednesday as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency continued intensive monitoring of Tuesdays toxic chemical spill from U.S. Steel into the Burns Waterway, about 100 yards from Lake Michigan.

The EPA had not yet determined the amount of hexavalent chromium  a toxic byproduct of industrial processes  that was discharged into the waterway, Sam Borries, branch chief of the EPAs Region 5 emergency response team, told reporters Wednesday near the U.S. Steel site.

U.S. Steel said an equipment failure at its Midwest Plant in Portage resulted in a chemical leak into the waterway that forced the shutdown of a drinking water intake along Lake Michigan and several nearby beaches.

The spill forced the closure Tuesday of Indiana American Water's intake in Ogden Dunes and several beaches, including West Beach and Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, and Ogden Dunes' town beach. On Wednesday, the National Park Service announced the closure of Cowles Bog Beach.

The closure of Cowles Bog Beach was based on a recommendation that all beaches within three miles of the discharge be closed as a precaution to protect the health of park visitors," NPS said in a news release.

Hexavalent chromium is the same carcinogenic chemical that appeared in the 2000 biographical film, "Erin Brockovich," and can cause reversible and irreversible skin lesions on direct contact, the nonprofit Save the Dunes said in a news release.

Direct skin contact with hexavalent chromium can cause a nonallergic skin irritation, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Contact with nonintact skin also can lead to chrome ulcers. These are small crusted skin sores with a rounded border. They heal slowly and leave scars.

Save the Dunes warned "people and pets should avoid direct contact with Lake Michigan" until further notice.

A fish kill is expected to be the result, the nonprofit environmental group said.

Investigation ongoing

EPA's Borries said various sampling showed hexavalent chromium was not detected in Lake Michigan, but low levels were detected Tuesday night in the Burns ditch, which flows directly into the lake.

The EPA, the agency leading the investigation into the spill, continues to conduct sampling at the outfall, water intake, beaches and the Burns ditch.

Initial tests at the Indiana American Water intake showed chemical levels slightly above the detection limit, but a subsequent test of the same sample showed it was at or below the detection limit and well below EPAs health-based standard for drinking water.

"Things are improving. The (plant's) processes are shut down. We dont see the discharge occurring at this point," Borries said Wednesday.

Borries said EPA plans to collect sediment samples to determine if residual chemicals settled.

EPAs Borries said he does not expect any additional beach closures, but monitoring is ongoing.

Again, the closings that have occurred have been out of an abundance of caution to make sure no one would be impacted, not knowing what the size of the release was at the time, he said.

U.S. Steel reported the release of wastewater Tuesday from the Tin and Tin Free electroplating process, the company said.

"The wastewater is from the process used to treat the steel strip after electroplating, and the rinse water from this process is conveyed via pipe to a dedicated treatment plant," U.S. Steel said in a statement. "The preliminary investigation revealed that an expansion joint in the rinse water pipe failed and resulted in the water being released to a different wastewater treatment plant and ultimately Burns Waterway through an outfall."

U.S. Steel said it notified several other agencies and shut down all of its production processes.

"Additional steps to mitigate the impact are being taken," U.S. Steel said. "These steps include the isolation and repair of the damaged pipe, recovery of material, and the addition of a water treatment compound, sodium trithiocarbonate (CNa2S3), to the waste water treatment plant to convert and aid in the removal of hexavalent chromium."

Info trickled to residents?

Save the Dunes Executive Director Natalie Johnson questioned Wednesday why the National Park Service was the first agency to issue information Tuesday afternoon about the beach closures and the chemical spill.

The spill occurred at about 9 a.m. Tuesday and EPA was notified at about 9:30 a.m., authorities said. But beach users were not notified of the closures until after NPS issued the release to news media at about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to Johnson.

Though Johnson applauded the EPAs coordination of monitoring efforts on Wednesday, Johnson said the dissemination of information by U.S. Steel, the EPA and others could have been handled better, she said.

The most alarming event is that the fact that the information trickled to the residents as slowly as it did, Johnson said.

This is a case where we need to better coordinate an action plan. What happens if this happens again? What happens when this happens again? Were an area of industry and these kinds of things, theyre bound to happen, she added.

Water sources

Save the Dunes said Lake Michigan is a primary source of drinking water for many residents of Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties.

Ogden Dunes officials said the town's drinking water is currently coming from Indiana American's plant in Gary. EPA said the water intake at Ogden Dunes was shut down "out of an abundance of caution."

A news release from Indiana American Water stated they opted to shut down the intake based on discussions with IDEM.

We will be consulting with IDEM, EPA and other agencies to confirm there is no threat to the water supply prior before placing the Ogden Dunes water treatment facility back in service, the release stated.

The EPA, Indiana Department of Environmental Management, U.S. Coast Guard, NPS and Indiana American Water were on site Tuesday. The Department of Fish and Wildlife participated via phone, according to U.S. Steel. The company said it would continue to work with local, state and federal agencies to resolve the problem.

Ogden Dunes Town Council President Tim Nelson said town officials are monitoring the situation and awaiting additional information.

"We are gathering information right now. It is too early to tell if there is an impact on the town," Nelson said.

Check back at nwi.com for updates to this story.
The LaPorte Hospital board of trustees appointed a new CEO effective Wednesday.

Ashley Dickinson will be LaPorte Hospital's top executive after serving as chief operating officer of Porter Healthcare System for the past three years.

Ashley is the right fit for LaPorte, given her expertise in recruiting providers, overseeing major capital projects and focusing on quality, stated Mark Kosior, chairman of the LaPorte Hospital board of trustees. We look forward to working with her to move our plans forward to enhance how we care for our community.

Dickinson will oversee the hospital about a year after it was sold to Community Health Systems, a for-profit chain based in Tennessee.

That company, which also owns Porter Healthcare System, has since announced that it was exploring a sale and has been shedding hospitals in the face of financial difficulties. Its stock hit an all-time low of $4.98 a share late last year but was up to $9 as of Wednesday.

The new owner committed to build a new hospital as part of the sale. The hospital has said construction will begin by March 2018.

Dickinson replaces interim CEO Gigi Fergus, who departed last week. Thor Thordarson, who had been the hospital's chief executive since 2009, resigned in September.

Prior to working for Porter, Dickinson was chief operating officer and assistant CEO at Northeast Regional Medical Center, a 93-bed teaching hospital with a Level III trauma center in Kirksville, Missouri. She holds masters degrees in health administration and business administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a bachelors degree in finance from Oklahoma State University.
Local veterans in need of work or on the hunt for a new job should march or double time over to the upcoming Veterans Job Fair at Soldier Field.

More than 75 employers from across the Chicago area, including BP and Cargill, will meet and greet with job candidates from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 20 at Soldier Field, 1410 Museum Campus Drive in Chicago.

Disabled American Veterans, or DAV, and RecruitMilitary are staging the job fair for veterans, Reservists, National Guard members, military spouses and transitioning military.

"DAV RecruitMilitary job fairs maintain a track record of helping veterans and their families find meaningful employment," RecruitMilitary President Peter Gudmundsson said. "Just last year, 52 percent of veteran job seekers expected to secure an interview following a DAV RecruitMilitary job fair. Employers were expected to extend as many as 40,300 interviews and more than 12,560 job offers."

A long list of companies will be recruiting job applicants, including Meijer, The Home Depot, Walgreens, Waste Management, Farmers Insurance, PepsiCo, the American Hospital Association, the Argonne National Laboratory, and the Chicago Transit Authority. BP and Cargill are among the larger participating employers with operations in Northwest Indiana.

RecruitMilitary has held 20 veteran job fairs in Chicago since 2006, drawing 5,363 job seekers. More than 225 job seekers showed up at the last event to meet with 86 employers, including PNC Bank, Fresenius Medical Care North America, and KraftHeinz Company.
VALPARAISO  Flint Lake Elementary School second-graders participated in social media in a big way Thursday when they had an opportunity to Skype with a favorite children's author.

The children talked to Lauren Tarshis, famous for the children's book series, "I Survived." Tarshis talked to the children about how she became an author, the importance of research and she offered advice to the youngsters.

Second-grade teacher Erin Blumenthal said it all began in November when she was considering a writing project. She said she set it aside when students didn't express a lot of interest in the prospect of writing to different authors.

"Then, one of my students, Dionne, was the first one to do it," Blumenthal said. "I told her in advance we may not hear back but we had a response in two weeks. The children were really excited then. Now, everyone wanted to write an author. We stopped what we were doing that very afternoon, and all of the children sat down to write letters to their favorite authors."

Second-grader Dionne Ralph said she was thrilled to hear back from author Nick Bruel, famous for writing the "Bad Kitty" series. Dionne said she's got all of Tarshis' Survivor series at home.

"It's been pretty exciting talking to them," Dionne said. "I want to be a writer when I grow up. I've already written seven books. I want to write children's books. I'm working on a chapter book right now, but it might be rated PG because there's a little bit of violence in it."

After a few technical difficulties adjusting to Skype, the students were connected and flooded Tarshis with questions about how she became a writer, what inspires her and how long it takes her to write a book.

Tarshis told students her father was a writer, but she never expected to do that. She said she didn't start writing until she was 30.

"I learned how to write, because I practiced and practiced," she said. "I had to write a bunch of bad books first."

"When writing, think about the audience you're writing for and the kind of story you want to tell," Tarshis told students. She said when she's working on a historical book she does lots of research in advance.

Tarshis told the students she knows other authors who have taken 14 years to write a book. She said her contract calls for each of her books to be completed in six months.

"It's great being able to talk to you and see you. Not every author gets a chance to do that," she said. encouraging students to continue writing and reading.

Blumenthal said she used social media like Twitter to find the accounts for different authors and eventually found the addresses to write to them. The children have written to 22 authors and have heard back from 14 of them.

The class is still holding out hope they will hear from British novelist J.K. Rowling, famous for the Harry Potter series.

Blumenthal said she wants students to learn two things from the project: first that what they think matters and second, that it's important not to give up on your dreams.

Second-grader Brock Storey said he also wants to be an author. He was one of the students who wrote to Tarshis and thought it was "super cool" to talk to her face to face.

"We've been counting down the days until we could see her," he said.
WASHINGTON  The head of the International Monetary Fund says that after six years of disappointing growth, the world economy is finally gaining momentum. But she warns of a number of potential threats, ranging from political uncertainty in Europe to protectionism that could hinder global trade.

IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde says there is a critical need for more international cooperation, not less. Restricting trade flows would be a "self-inflicted wound" that would harm workers and consumers, she says.

In the text of a speech to be delivered in Brussels on Wednesday, Lagarde did not single out any country for specific criticism on the issue of protectionism. But in his campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to impose punitive tariffs on goods from countries he believes harm American workers by flouting global trade rules.

Trump has threatened to impose tariffs as high as 45 percent on goods from China and Mexico unless those nations stop practices he says violate trade laws.

Resorting to protectionism would have a number of consequences, from disrupting supply chains for domestic companies, to inflating prices that companies and consumer must pay, Lagarde said.

A better approach would be for countries running large trade surpluses and those running deficits to cooperate in pursuing policies to deal with the imbalances, she said.

"Cooperation means working together to ensure that countries observe a level playing field," Lagarde said.

In her prepared remarks, Lagarde gave a preview of next week's spring meetings in Washington of the 189-nation IMF and its sister lending organization, the World Bank. The United States will be represented at the discussions by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen.

Lagarde said the discussions are taking place at a time when prospects for the global economy are improving after struggling for six years to emerge from the severe downturn triggered by the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

"The good news is that after six years of disappointing growth, the world economy is gaining momentum as a cyclical recovery holds out the promise of more jobs, higher incomes and greater prosperity going forward," Lagarde said in the speech to be delivered at Bruegel, an economic research institute in Brussels.

Lagarde cited stronger manufacturing activity in advanced economies and continued robust gains in emerging economies, which she said will provide more than three-fourths of expected global growth in 2017.

One of the reasons for optimism is a rebound in the price of commodities which have brought relief to many low-income countries.

"Putting all this together, we see a global economy that has a spring in its step," Lagarde said, while cautioning that there are clear downside risks.
Professional Building Services, a design-build firm with offices in Dyer and Crete, won national industry recognition for its construction of the new Al-Amin Brother Transportation distribution center in Crete.

Nebraska-based Chief Buildings, a metal buildings manufacturer that also has a manufacturing operation in Rensselaer, gave Professional Building Services the top honor in its 2016 Warehouse Distribution national awards category. The firm was recognized for designing a 35,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center at 25525 S. Dixie Highway in Crete that handles frozen foods.

Al Amin's Chicago South Cold Storage Company warehouse sits on a 20-acre site in the south suburb in Will County and also includes corporate offices. It's the only public refrigerated storage and freezer facility in the area, according to a news release.

Professional Building Services is a 27-year-old company that both designs and constructs buildings across the Midwest, including for commercial, industrial, institutional and religious purposes.

Its clients have included Franciscan Alliance, Advanced Dental, North Creek Dental Care, Walt's Foods, Northwestern University and Southfield Church.
VALPARAISO  Grammy Award-winning bluegrass group The Del McCoury Band and jamgrass pioneers Leftover Salmon will headline this year's Lightning Bug Music Festival.

After a hiatus last year, the Lightning Bug festival returns from noon until dusk July 2 at Sunset Hill Farm County Park in Valparaiso. There will be local food, craft beer and a full slate of bluegrass and jam band groups.

Chicago-based Special Consensus returns to play the festival, which has raised more than $15,000 over the past few years to bring inner city kids to nature programs at the Dunes Learning Center in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Blues starlet Shemekia Copeland and Chester Brown also will perform at this year's fest.

Headliner The Del McCoury Band has released 16 albums since 1992, worked with renowned artists like Steve Earle, won a Grammy in 2006 and was named Entertainer of the Year at the 1999 International Bluegrass Music Awards. The jam band Leftover Salmon hails from Boulder, Colorado, and pioneered what it calls Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the gate. Kids younger than 12 are admitted free if accompanied by an adult.

All the proceeds go to the Dunes Learning Center and Duneland Family YMCA.

For more information, visit http://lightningbugmusicfestival.com/.
LANSING  Coolidge Elementary School students demonstrated how to "Believe in Your Dreams" during the annual Talent Show April 7. Students danced, sang, played musical instruments and even did voice impressions. The talent show was directed by Karra Beasley who is a teacher at Coolidge. The gymnasium was filled with proud families.
CROWN POINT  Police allege a 69-year-old South Bend man charged in a fatal crash this weekend in Hammond had a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle at the time of the incident.

Denver C. Brown is charged in Lake Criminal Court with causing death while operating a vehicle while intoxicated, as well as three lesser felony offenses.

Hammond police were dispatched at about 11:39 p.m. Saturday to the 3300 block of Michigan Street in Hammond after receiving reports of a two-vehicle crash, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Police determined Brown was headed eastbound on Michigan Street in a 2009 Toyota Camry when he crossed the center line at the road's bend, causing him to collide head-on with a 2007 Mazda 6, the affidavit states.

A passenger in the Mazda, Maria Chavez-Gonzalez, 55, of East Chicago, was killed in the crash, the affidavit states. Three other women in the vehicle suffered injuries that included broken bones and head injuries.

Brown was transported to St. Catherine Hospital, where a blood test revealed he had a 0.22 blood alcohol content, according to the affidavit.

A woman driving behind Brown's vehicle told police he was traveling at a high rate of speed and nearly failed to stop at a stop sign before the crash occurred, the affidavit states.

Brown is jailed on a $55,000 bond, according to court records.
INDIANAPOLIS  If President Donald Trump delivers on his promise to make $1 trillion available to states for infrastructure improvements, Indiana is poised to direct some of that money toward its aging local water systems.

Senate Enrolled Act 416, sponsored by state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, establishes a water infrastructure assistance fund at the Indiana Finance Authority to provide grants or loans for the planning, construction, renovation or expansion of public water utilities.

The proposed state budget does not appropriate any money for the infrastructure assistance account, but Charbonneau said just having it in place means Indiana will be prepared to act quickly should federal funds come in.

The legislation also requires the IFA study the ability of local water systems to continue delivering clean, safe drinking water into the future.

In addition, it permits the state environmental commissioner to require water testing when a utility changes its water source, so as to avoid a repeat of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis that was set off in part by the city switching from lake water to river water.

"Water is an invaluable, limited resource that we cannot afford to take for granted," Charbonneau said.

His proposal passed the Senate, 46-2, and the House, 97-0. It now goes to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb for his signature or veto.
INDIANAPOLIS  State budget leaders are rebuffing requests for increased spending after the revised revenue forecast released Wednesday projected Indiana would collect an additional $201.2 million in taxes during the two-year period beginning July 1.

State Rep. Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, and state Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, both warned that the extra money can't definitively be counted on to come in, and probably shouldn't be added to the appropriations in House Bill 1001, the state budget legislation.

"We've certainly received plenty of suggestions about more spending and I'm trying to dampen that fervor at this point," Kenley said. "That's such a small amount on a $16 billion budget that you just need to use that as petty cash and hold it on the side."

Brown cautioned that increasing spending amid rapidly changing economic and geopolitical conditions outside the state's control could turn a positive revenue outlook into a real revenue shortfall in a hurry.

"Projecting 27 months out has some uncertainty," Brown said. "The second year is much more unpredictable."

State Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, agreed that Indiana shouldn't spend all the extra anticipated revenue, but she said the state certainly can afford to allocate some additional money for key priorities, such as expanding pre-kindergarten education.

The revenue forecast estimates Indiana will collect $15.6 billion during the budget year that begins July 1, an increase of $107.4 million (0.7 percent) compared to the December 2016 revenue projection, and $420.9 million (2.8 percent) more than the current budget year.

For the 2019 budget year that begins July 1, 2018, the forecast calls for $16.2 billion in state revenue, which is $93.8 million (0.6 percent) more than the previous estimate and $592.6 million (3.8 percent) more than 2018.

Most of the revenue growth is expected to come through higher individual income tax receipts, as Hoosier wages are likely to increase over the next two years because the state's low unemployment rate (4.1 percent) will require businesses pay more to attract and retain quality workers.

The forecast, jointly compiled by financial experts in the state's legislative and executive branches, does not account for law changes pending at the General Assembly, such as the proposed tax hikes for state and local road and bridge improvements.

The House and Senate remain divided on whether that legislation, House Bill 1002, should require all gasoline sales tax revenue be dedicated to road funding  shifting roughly $300 million from the state's main spending account.

Kenley said if the revenue forecast had shown a huge increase in projected tax collections, it would be worth considering whether the House position that all road-related state revenue should be spent only on roads is doable.

"There's certainly not enough revenue gain to justify moving the sales tax on gas over to road funding and creating a big hole in the budget," Kenley said.

Lawmakers expect to finalize the state's budget and the separate infrastructure package on or before April 21, the Legislature's anticipated adjournment date.
CROWN POINT  Lake officials are reopening a debate on whether it would save taxpayer dollars to close its satellite courthouses in East Chicago, Gary and Hammond.

The Lake County Council voted 4-3 Tuesday to call for a cost utilization study for the three county office buildings to see if they are worth keeping open, or whether all county offices should be consolidated in Crown Point, where most are now located in the government center at 93rd and Main Street.

Councilman Eldon Strong, R-Crown Point, sponsored the resolution and won the support of council members Ted Bilski, D-Hobart; Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, and Jamal Washington, D-Merrillville.

Council members Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, Elsie Franklin, D-Gary, and David Hamm, D-Hammond, voted against the measure.

The opponents said the courts and other administrative offices in the satellite offices represent essential services for north county residents who lack transportation to Crown Point.

They also argued the cost of building additional courtrooms in Crown Point would offset any savings.

The issue now advances to the Lake County Board of Commissioners, who rejected a similar study in 2009.

Overdose study fails to win support

The council declined to free up money so Lake County Coroner Merrilee Frey can hire a part-time employee to study past drug overdose deaths to determine if they can be linked to illicit drug dealers or physicians who over-prescribe pain killers.

A month ago, the council supported, in principle, the idea of studying a spike in overdoses that has killed more than 400 Lake County residents since 2012 by looking through past death investigations filed in her office.

But when she asked them Tuesday to earmark $25,000 to do the job, they voted 4-3 against her request.

Strong argued this would duplicate investigations already conducted by the Lake County Sheriff and the Lake-Porter County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, which regularly collects data from the coroner on drug overdoses.

Frey said she would look beyond the statistics HIDTA uses to traffic accidents and other types of deaths. She said Chuck Porucznik, executive director of HIDTA, expressed support for her efforts.

She also said the sheriff's report only covers deaths in the county's rural and unincorporated areas.

Strong said the council already has provided the coroner with four additional investigators this year. "We already are paying taxes through HIDTA to do this. You asking us to do this is reinventing the wheel," he said.

Opposition to South Shore expansion restated

Lake Councilman Washington renewed his complaints Tuesday against the amount of money local Lake County governments have pledged to the construction of the South Shore West Lake Corridor expansion.

He drafted a resolution to reduce the county government's commitment from about $2.5 million to about $500,000, but withdrew it at the start of the council meeting.

Nevertheless, he argued the commuter train extension of 9 miles of track linking Munster and Dyer to the commuter passenger line violates the civil rights of minority residents of Gary and Merrillville, because it would disproportionately benefit suburban riders elsewhere.

Lake County and 14 participating cities and towns have signed an interlocal agreement to contribute $4 million annually to the state and local share of the $615 million in railroad construction cost, and $290 million in debt service for the next 30 years.

Merrillville voted last month to reduce its pledge, but the Indiana House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would garnish any South Shore contributions Merrillville or any other community failed to pay under the interlocal agreement.

Washington argues that bill would be unfair, because the interlocal agreement shouldn't be binding on Merrillville since not all cities and towns have joined. Cedar Lake, East Chicago, Griffith, Hammond and St. John have yet to sign up.
PORTAGE  Firefighters here will be getting a pay raise, but they are getting it in exchange for giving up time off.

The Board of Works approved a three-year contract with Firefighters Local 3151, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2017. Union members will receive a 5 percent pay increase for 2017; 3 percent in 2018 and 2 percent in 2019.

"We are giving them raises, but they also gave us back more time," Mayor James Snyder said.

The contract calls for members to give up a personal day, the equivalent of a 24-hour shift.

Fire Chief Tom Fieffer said that is like adding 62 shifts per year to the department.

Fieffer said the contract also includes a "tobacco-free" policy. Department members may no longer smoke cigarettes or cigars, vape or chew tobacco during their 24-hour shift.

Firefighters also voted to approve the new contract.

Snyder said the firefighter contract is the first of the union contracts to be settled. Officials are continuing to negotiate with representatives of the police, utilities, streets and sanitation departments on new contracts.

Snyder said he believes they are close with Operating Engineers Local 150 on a new police contract. He said they are continuing to negotiate with the streets and sanitation department, but hit a "hiccup" with the departure of street department superintendent Joe Mokol. Snyder said negotiations should be back on track with the hiring of interim superintendent Steve Nelson.

In addition, Snyder said officials have been trying to negotiate with the streets and sanitation and utility workers, both represented by OE Local 150, closely together to include a new general services department for the city.
INDIANAPOLIS  The General Assembly is sending legislation to Gov. Eric Holcomb that has the effect of indefinitely continuing portions of his emergency order providing enhanced state assistance to lead-impacted areas of East Chicago.

The Indiana House voted 81-0 Wednesday to advance House Enrolled Act 1344 to the governor. It previously passed the Senate, 48-0.

If signed into law, East Chicago neighborhoods contaminated by past lead manufacturing operations would be designated "areas of special concern."

State agencies would continue working in those areas with their federal counterparts to relocate residents and remove or remediate soil tainted by lead or arsenic.

In addition, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management would be required to annually test East Chicago's water supply to confirm it complies with federal lead and copper limits for drinking water.

The sponsor, state Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago, said he's grateful that lawmakers from across Indiana unanimously agreed to aid his hometown.

"I cannot express my happiness that we were able to help the residents of East Chicago, who did not create the problem, but have been unfortunate victims of it," Harris said.

Holcomb and the Region's representatives in Congress are scheduled on April 19 to tour East Chicago with Scott Pruitt, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
HOBART  Attention hasn't diminished for a $4.1 million bond issue that's being pursued to fund seven city parks projects.

Resident Jen Woronecki-Ellis told the City Council she agrees there's a need to complete several of the proposed projects, including the creation of a new maintenance garage for the Parks Department.

Woronecki-Ellis said the last parks master plan called for Americans with Disabilities Act compliance work to be completed in some city parks facilities, but not all of that work has been done yet.

She said it would be more appropriate to focus on those now instead of some other projects that would be funded through the bond issue, including a new splash pad at the Hobart Community Pool.

Parks Superintendent John Mitchell said improvements are planned to address ADA-compliance at parks within the bond projects.

Mayor Brian Snedecor also explained the existing splash pad doesn't have a system that recirculates water. Snedecor said the city is sending money down the drain, and the new splash pad would save funds by including a system to recirculate water.

Woronecki-Ellis said upgrading the splash pad isn't a necessity now but something the municipality could revisit in the future.

Councilman Josh Huddlestun said Hobart used information gathered from surveys completed by residents when deciding which parks projects to pursue with bond funding. A splash pad was one of the largest demands from residents, he said.

These were the things people wanted, Huddlestun said.

Keeping the splash pad at the Hobart Community Pool site also has been questioned by some residents who believe locating it closer to the city's downtown would be more appropriate.

Huddlestun said he initially had some concerns about the splash pad site, but his opinion has changed.

He said the existing location, at the pool, is near a bike trail that travels to the downtown area, and that could become a gateway to a variety of places in the city.

I think it's a great spot, Huddlestun said.

Other projects that would be completed with bond funding include work at Lakefront Park, the Brickie Bowl, Rugby Field and Festival Park. The city also plans to upgrade community park facilities.

The bond issue has been supported by Hobart's Park Board, but the City Council will make the final determination about financing in a future meeting.
Shirley Heinze Land Trust invites the public to explore the Calumet Region and beyond by attending its annual series of educational hikes. Led by a variety of experts, this seasons hikes will be held at three of the organizations state-dedicated nature preserves in Northwest Indiana: Seidner Dune And Swale in Hammond, Ambler Flatwoods in Michigan City and Cressmoor Prairie in Hobart.

Matt Kalwasinski, who birds extensively in Northwest Indiana and has led birding trips for the Indiana Audubon Society, will lead participants on a spring bird migration hike from 8 to 11 a.m. April 22 at Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve.

Scott Namestnik, botanist with Orbis Environmental Consulting, will lead participants on a walk through Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve to view late-season spring ephemeral wildflowers from 9 a.m. to noon May 20.

The final hike in the series will take place from 9 a.m. to noon July 15. Jim Louderman, entomologist with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, will lead this hike at Cressmoor Prairie.

Group size is limited to 15, and advance registration and payment is required. There is a $25 fee per person for each hike. For full details, visit Shirley Heinze Land Trusts website at www.heinzetrust.org/hike-program.html. To register for the hikes, call 219-242-8558, or email Sarah Barnes at sbarnes@heinzetrust.org.
Duneland Communty Schools Director of Safety and Security Steve Rohe said the topic of Monday's San Bernardino school shooting was brought up Tuesday morning during a meeting of the Porter County Safe Schools Commission.

We talked about, what do you do when someone is known to people? said Rohe, adding there is much unknown about what happened. Did she (the victim) have reason to believe he would be violent?

If that was the case, he said, did she alert staff?

According to police, Cedric Anderson, 53, walked into a special education classroom at North Park Elementary School in San Bernardino, California, Monday and opened fire with a .357 Magnum, fatally shooting his estranged wife, Karen Smith, and hitting two of her students. One boy died, and another is in stable condition. Anderson then killed himself.

School staffers knew Anderson, who followed the proper protocol and got into the school through the front office by saying he had to drop something off for Smith.

Local school administrators say the issue of whether the teacher alerted staff is critical. Most school districts run a criminal background check when they review a visitor's driver's license. Visitors are typically escorted to their destination.

School leaders agree it's difficult to monitor, however, when school officials are familiar with the visitor, as they were in Anderson's case.

In Duneland schools, all school building doors are locked when classes begin. Each school is equipped with a visitor pass system. A visitor is allowed in and must present their drivers license, which will be run through records searches and will alert if the person is a registered sex offender. If the person is cleared, a pass is printed and staff may add information, such as the visitor's destination.

Rohe said information also can be added to the system to provide alerts. If there is a court-ordered restraining order, or a staff member is having an issue with a significant other, that information can be put into the system to sound an alert that at least would allow him or another staff member to talk to the visitor before admitting that person into the school building.

Lake Central Schools Superintendent Larry Veracco said school secretaries often are at schools' doors to make sure people have legitimate business when they visit.

"It's typically parents dropping off stuff to their children," he said. "We tell them we'll deliver it. There is no need to enter the building. Most schools who are familiar with a spouse will likely allow that individual to enter the building.

"But you can't stop crazy in society. We don't have security everywhere we go in society, and I hope we don't ever get to that point. If the will of the people demand it, I suppose things could change."

Most districts follow similar safety protocols

Highland schools Superintendent Brian Smith said school leaders review security protocol quarterly.

"In a perfect world, we'd have security at every building, but we don't at this time with our budget constraints," Smith said.

"Right now, we're doing a major construction project and we're redoing the entrance at all of our elementary school buildings. When people come in, they will have to be buzzed in twice, so we can stop and physically see them before we allow them to come any farther."

Betsy Kohn, director of communications for Michigan City Area Schools said, "All of our schools have video monitors/buzzer systems. If an unwanted or agitated person is buzzing at the door, 911 is called and the building is put on lockdown.

"Visitors at all buildings are asked to state their name and purpose of their visit before they are admitted, and, once inside, they must proceed directly to the office (this is visible to the person buzzing them in).

"At the office, they are asked to sign in and ... they show ID and receive a visitor's badge. If they have an appointment, they are greeted by a staff person and escorted to their destination in the building. They sign out and return the badge on the way out."

Gary schools Superintendent Cheryl Pruitt said school resource officers and roving police officers are in the majority of school buildings.

While the doors are locked at Gary schools and visitors must be buzzed in, Pruitt said the district does not do criminal background checks on visitors. Pruitt said the district reviews school safety protocol annually.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Public confidence in the fairness and objectivity of our legal system is key.

Such confidence isn't fostered by asking the fox to guard the proverbial hen house.

It's why Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter and the East Chicago Police Department should act immediately to summon an Indiana State Police investigation of a recent traffic arrest.

Carter told us Friday he has asked East Chicago police to perform an internal probe of why Lake County Councilwoman Christine Cid, who Carter says was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving early Friday morning, was later released with no OWI-related charges.

We commend Carter for pushing for probes into the matter immediately after learning about the arrest.

But he said a request for a state police probe of the matter is a possibility when it should be the definite first course of action.

There are several key reasons for an outside agency to probe what occurred in Cid's arrest and eventual release:

This arrest involves a public official, and possible favoritism shown to her because of her elected status on the Lake County Council.

East Chicago police and their procedures are at the heart of questions into propriety during the arrest, preventing any appearance of objectivity.

The officer involved in Cid's arrest, Korey Dumas, has been the subject of recent controversy and disciplinary action regarding proper police procedure.

In December, the East Chicago Police Department confirmed it had taken internal action against Dumas for posting videos on SnapChat of himself talking about executing federal search warrants and evidence purportedly seized in federal raids. It was a breach of proper police protocol, and Dumas' recent history begs for an external probe of what is now a controversial arrest of a county official.

It's impossible to envision a scenario under which the public could have confidence that an internal East Chicago police probe of the Cid arrest would be both objective and exhaustive.

Carter said he has received reports Cid was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. Multiple reports received by both Carter and The Times indicate Cid's car was towed from the scene of the East Chicago traffic stop  and that she was brought to the police station on suspicion of operating while intoxicated.

She ultimately was ticketed for driving left of center and failure to use a turn signal. It's entirely atypical for a motorist's vehicle to be towed and for that driver to be taken into custody for minor traffic citations.

The facts at play in this case already create important questions of public trust. The Indiana State Police should be front and center of any investigation.
BEIRUT (AP)  Turkey's health minister said Tuesday that test results confirm sarin gas was used in an attack on a northern Syrian town earlier this month and the Russian military said the Syrian government is willing to let international experts examine its military base for signs of chemical weapons.

Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy of the Russian General Staff said in televised remarks that Russia will provide security for international inspectors seeking to examine Syrian bases, and that Damascus has agreed to allow the inspections. His comments came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow will appeal to the United Nations to investigate the attack on Khan Sheikhoun.

The April 4 chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held town in Idlib province left nearly 90 people dead. The United States blamed President Bashar Assad's government and launched nearly 60 cruise missiles on Friday at the Shayrat air base in the central province of Homs, where it claims the attack originated.

Moscow, which is a strong backer of the Syrian government, has dismissed suggestions that the Damascus could be behind the attack. The Syrian government also denied the allegation, saying its air force bombed a rebel arsenal that had chemical weapons stored inside.

Putin told reporters on Tuesday that Russia would appeal to a U.N. agency in the Hague, urging it to launch an official probe. The Russian president also said Moscow has received intelligence about planned "provocations" using chemical weapons that would be used to pin the blame on the Syrian government.

The Russian statements came as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Moscow where he will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday.

In Turkey, a main backer of the Syrian opposition, Health Minister Recep Akdag said test results conducted on victims of the Khan Sheikhoun attack confirm that sarin gas was used. Akdag said that blood and urine samples taken from the victims confirmed that they were subjected to the nerve agent. His comments were reported by the state-run Anadolu news agency.

Turkey last week conducted autopsies on three victims of the gas attack who were brought from Syria. Officials from the World Health Organization and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons participated in the autopsies.

In Damascus, a Syrian official said Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem will visit Russia on Thursday where he will meet officials in Moscow.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Tuesday that there might be a three-way meeting later this week in Moscow between officials from Russia, Syria and Iran.

Syrian government forces battling insurgents in Daraa have dropped several barrel bombs on the southern city, opposition activists said Tuesday, a day after the White House suggested that the use of the crude explosive devices could bring a U.S. response.

Russia's Defense Ministry meanwhile said two of its army officers were killed and a third seriously wounded in a mortar attack in Syria, without specifying when or where it took place. Russia has been waging an air campaign in support of Syrian forces since 2015.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the fighting in Daraa erupted Monday when rebels attacked a government-held area in the city center. It said 16 pro-government fighters, including an army colonel, have been killed.

Both the Observatory and Daraa-based activist Ahmad al-Masalmeh said warplanes carried out raids on Daraa while helicopter gunships dropped at least 14 barrels loaded with explosives.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Monday that the use of barrel bombs, which government forces have repeatedly employed throughout the six-year-old conflict, might prompt a U.S. retaliation.

A Syrian official, meanwhile, said residents will begin evacuating two besieged areas in northwestern Syria on Wednesday, in the latest population transfer arranged by the warring sides.

Hakim Baghdadi said authorities have prepared 100 buses to move 5,000 people out of the Shiite villages of Foua and Kfarya. Baghdadi, a member of the relief committee for the two villages, said they will be bused first to the nearby city of Aleppo, then on to other destinations.

The predominantly Shiite villages have remained loyal to the Syrian government while the rest of the surrounding Idlib Province has fallen under the rule of hard-line Sunni rebels.

The rebel commander in charge of two opposition-held towns in western Syria says evacuations will also begin from his districts tomorrow. The commander, who goes by the name Abu Adnan al-Zabadani, said residents and fighters electing to leave will be bused out of Madaya and Zabadani on Wednesday, before the towns are returned to government control.

An arrangement between the government and rebels has linked the fate of the four besieged towns since 2015. The U.N. has decried the arrangement, saying it has served to obstruct the provision of badly needed assistance.

___

Associated Press writers Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey and Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.
A community in the Bronx is mourning the death of a 26-year-old woman shot and killed earlier this month.

Family and friends of Margarita Marie Franco marched through the streets of Williamsbridge to call for an end to gun violence in the community.

Franco was found with a gunshot wound to the head back on April 2 on East 214th Street.

Her parents tells us they are heartbroken and want justice for their daughter.

"Lovable girl. Born on February 14, Valentine's baby. I was born on the 4th. We were all Aquarius, you know? We would clash, but she was mine," said Francisco Franco, Margarita's mother.

"We're just reaching out for gun violence. Whatever you know, it's anonymous. Just please, stop this now," said Jasmine Colon, Margarita's mother. "And it's just not for our daughter. For any daughters, any sons, any young kids, anybody carrying a gun. If you see them, make a difference."

Police are still searching for her killer.

Authorities say surveillance video shows her walking away from a man, then walking back towards him.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
NEW YORK - Police in Manhattan are are looking for the person who tried to shoot a 12-year-old boy Tuesday.

The incident happened just after 2 p.m. on Columbus Avenue between 105th and 106th streets on the Upper West Side.

Police say the boy was inside a barbershop at the time.

They say a man opened fire after the two exchanged words.

The shot broke the store's glass window, but did not hit anybody.

The man then fled the scene on foot.

He was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue shorts.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
The New York Rangers' quest for the Stanley Cup gets underway Wednesday night in Montreal.

The Blueshirts and Canadiens will meet at Bell Centre for Game 1 of their first round series.

Face off is set for 7 p.m.

The two teams last postseason meeting was in 2014, when the Rangers defeated Montreal in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Rangers are hoping to go further than they did last year, when they were eliminated by the Penguins in the first round.

New York made it to this year's playoffs as the first wild card in the East, one point behind the Canadiens.

Montreal was the top team in the Atlantic Division.

Game 2 of the first round series is Friday night at 7 p.m.
Senators from New York and New Jersey want Washington to get a major transit project back on track.

Charles Schumer, Kirsten Gillibrand, Robert Menendez, and Cory Booker highlighted the need for the proposed Gateway Project in an op-ed in Tuesday's New York Times.

It includes building a new tunnel under the Hudson River and repairing tracks at Penn Station.

The transit hub recently suffered from two train derailments.

Schumer says he doubts President Donald Trump is serious about spending on infrastructure.

"The budget proposals he made don't really match up with the talk of a major infrastructure bill," Schumer said. "But again, we Senate Democrats are ready to work with him on a bill that produces real dollars for large infrastructure."

"It was annoying that it took me an extra three hours to get home last week, and then I was late most days," said one commuter.

"I don't understand why we keep having this problem," said a third. "I mean, trains go either forward or backward."

Governor Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also sent a joint letter to Amtrak asking if state officials could take part in the railroad's review of its tracks.
RAPHELE-LES-ARLES, France  It seems this is a time of French malaise, moroseness and melancholy. I have been reading a lot about the existential anguish of France, a directionless nation under a featureless president. There are even fears for the Fifth Republic.

Here is something I read: France today is racked by doubt and introspection. There is a pervasive sense that not only jobs  but also power, wealth, ideas and national identity itself  are migrating, permanently and at disarming speed, to leave a vapid grandeur on the banks of the Seine. The article continued: The countrys manicured capital, impeccable roads, high-speed trains, glorious food, seductive scents and deep-rooted savoir-vivre provide a compelling image of wealth and tradition. But just as the golden statuary on the bridges of Paris distracts the eye from the homeless sleeping beneath the arches, so the moving beauty of France tends to mask what amounts to a kernel of despair.

Disturbing stuff all right  and the article noted how the anti-immigrant, rightist National Front was well placed to benefit from the ambient angst.

Well, that was an article I wrote 16 years ago, in 1997, when I was a Paris-based correspondent. So deep was the morosite that a two-part series was planned before my colleague, Bill Keller, then the New York Times foreign editor, decided even a malaise so massive could be evoked in a single piece. That was a good call.
A bar owner in Kerala, India, has come up with an innovative way to bypass a recent Supreme Court rule that banned the sale and serving of liquor within 500 meters of national and state highways.

On April 1st, Indias Supreme Court issued an order that bars, pubs and liquor shops across the country should be at least 500m away from state and national highways. The new rule hit business owners hard, and many of them have had to shut down their operations in the last two weeks. But one resourceful bar owner in Kerala appears to have come up with an effective, albeit unconventional, way of bypassing the requirement  by turning the entrance to his venue into a long, winding maze.

Photo: The News Minute

The Aishwarya Bar in North Paravoor, a suburb of Kochi, was forced to close down temporarily when the court ruling came into effect, but instead of complaining about it, the owner came up with an idea that would allow him to reopen the bar and operate legally. He hired some workers and spent three days putting up a series of concrete blocks that essentially turned the previously straight walkway leading up to the entrance into a maze. Now, the walking distance from the highway to his bar is 520 meters, so he is technically allowed to sell alcohol.

Believe it or not, the new entrance leads patrons from the front of the bar, through the side, to the barren patch of land at the back, where they have to zig-zag their way back to the entrance, through a walled walkway. Its pretty mind-boggling, but the owner and his manager are convinced that its perfectly legal.

We have done nothing illegal. The plot behind the bar also belongs to the owner and we have constructed an extended way to reach the bar, manager Shiju P. told The Indian Times. Now it is 520 meters from the highway. We are set to approach the circle inspector of excise with the new route map to authorize the reopening of the bar.

And if youre thinking that theres no way authorities will ever fall for this kind of gimmick, you couldnt be more wrong. Excise officials have already admitted that the solution is acceptable, since commissioners measure walking distance, not aerial distance, so the bar is now in the clear.

We do not measure the aerial distance but only the walking distance. However, they will be fined for altering the entrance, a Vijayan IPS additional excise commissioner said.

The owner of Aishwarya Bar reportedly spent 1.5 lakh ($2,300) modifying the entrance, but it will have been money well spent if he gets permission to operate again.

News of the bizarre workaround has already made national headlines, and bar owners across India are apparently planning to use the same method to bypass the Supreme Court rule.


GOP Should Back Away From Trump in 2024 Wed., Jul. 6, 2022 Trump has allegedly told his inner circle hes considering officially announcing his second run for the White House as early as this month. Heres why it would be a bad idea for the GOP to get behind him.
United Airlines has officially dethroned PepsiCo for public relations disaster of the week, after a widely-circulated series of graphic videos showed a passenger being manhandled and forcibly removed from a Sunday flight at Chicagos OHare Airport.

Personnel working the overbooked United flight 3411, which was en route to Louisville, discovered they needed to open up four seats at the last minute for embarking crew members. After fruitlessly attempting to offer passengers financial compensation, hotel accommodations and a rebooked Louisville flight the following afternoon, an airline supervisor began randomly selecting passengers for removal.

Three passengers from the sold-out flight complied, but a fourth, a 69-year-old Elizabethtown, KY doctor named David Dao, refused, claiming he had patients waiting to see him the following morning. In response, personnel contacted Department of Aviation enforcement officers, who yanked a screaming Dao from his seat, causing his face to strike an armrest. Officers then pulled the mans bloodied, limp body down the aisle and out of the cabin. Dao, who specializes in internal medicine and is a father of five, was later admitted to a hospital for his injuries.

So much for flying the friendly skies.

Videos of the graphic incident were soon posted to YouTube, and predictably, they went viral, provoking global outrage. Scores of consumers swore off the airline, with some even posting photos of their newly-shredded United credit cards and frequent flyer member cards. The Department of Aviation officer responsible for injuring Dao has since been suspended as the matter moves under internal review. The Department of Transportation said it is also reviewing whether United obeyed consumer protection laws in its handling of the incident.

Initially, United avoided standard apology theater in favor of doubling down amid the PR fallout, claiming that employees had followed the proper protocol and even blaming the victim for the events that transpired.

United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz first issued a tone-deaf statement via Twitter, expressing regret that it was forced to re-accommodate its passengers, a puzzling euphemism for forcibly dragging someone from a plane.

Brian Ellis

They need to review their protocols, because clearly the ones they have didnt work very well, said Brian Ellis, executive vice president of Minneapolis-based PR agency Padilla. Perhaps they should have resolved the seat issue before everyone got on the plane. Or perhaps they need to revisit what they are willing to offer consumers when they have to bump them off to make room for crews. Getting bumped for another paying customer is one thing, getting bumped to make room for a crew member is a totally different thing and points to poor asset management practices. This issue should never be resolved by dragging a paying customer off the plane.

Munozs statement was so ineffectual it ended up becoming part of the story, with late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel on Monday referring to the response as sanitized, say-nothing, take no responsibility, corporate BS-speak.

Amazingly, Munoz managed to make the situation even worse in a Monday emailed statement to employees, where the executive referred to Dao as disruptive and belligerent, words that only stoked the publics ire and ensured the story continued rotations in the news cycle.

Ronn Torossian

Uniteds argument that they are legally entitled to remove the passenger may be right, but being right in the court of law doesnt work to win in the court of public opinion, said Ronn Torossian, founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations. The images of the passenger being dragged off a plane are gross, and United wont win any points from anyone with their statement. They need to apologize to the customer and the public, and the whole airline industry needs to work on becoming more customer friendly.

Several media outlets reported that the crisis had also hit Uniteds stock price, causing it to drop more than three percent by Tuesday a.m., or nearly $1 billion in value. United is the third-largest airline in the country by passenger traffic.

Ironically, Munoz, who took the United president and CEO title in 2015, was named Communicator of the Year by PRWeek at that trade publishers signature awards ceremony in March. The untimely accolade provoked the publication to issue a mea culpa of its own in its editorial pages today, where it claimed that if the publication was choosing its Communicator of the Year now, we would not be awarding it to Oscar Munoz.

This crisis also comes just weeks after United temporarily barred two teenage girls from boarding a Minneapolis-bound flight for wearing leggings, a clothing item that allegedly violates the companys dress code policy for pass travelers, a free-flying program for United employees and their relatives.

My gut tells me everyone that is flying United these next few weeks will be worried about this happening to them, Ellis said.

By Tuesday afternoon, a third attempt to quell public discontent was made, one in which Munoz appeared to have finally changed his tune. The executive in an updated statement said the airline would conduct a thorough review of its policies, and that it will work to make it right. Munoz also said he continues to be disturbed by what happened and extends his deepest apologies.

Michael Fineman

If it was my agency counseling United, we would recommend they prepare a full report of the incident, how it got away from them and take full responsibility, said Michael Fineman, president of San Franciscos Fineman PR.

Fineman said that report would also lay out how United intends to make good on its promises regarding the ejected passenger, and would be augmented with a larger plan demonstrating new company guidelines and policies, especially new employee training programs to ensure a similar incident never occurs.

It has been reported that Uniteds reputation has been in the tank for some time; this could be a very bad-for-business tipping point. Were they to provide the report and plan I mention above, it could be seen as an acknowledgement of marketplace dissatisfaction and a new beginning in how they will treat their customers, Fineman said. Then, of course, United would need to demonstrate genuine progress and show that progress through independent audits of the airlines customer service.

Fraser Seitel

With no new news to feed it, this crisis will go away quickly, said Fraser Seitel, Emerald Partners president, NYU communications professor and ODwyers contributing editor.

Seitel said that while United should maintain its current overbooking policy  because, according to him, people lie about traveling  the company should change its policy so as to handle passengers slated for removal before they board, never expelling riders once theyve been admitted onto the plane. Seitel also said Munoz should be the one to announce these changes, and should then shut up and let the crisis dissolve, because it will on its own eventually.

And I predict, despite what most other crisis management geniuses have said, United wont lose riders, will see its stock come back from today's initial loss, and people will move on to the next Kardashian/Trump/OReilly crisis, Seitel said.
A "Faith for Rights" initiative launched at a recent gathering of faith-based and civil society actors from around the world aims to unite religious communities of various faiths to counter discrimination and religious-based violence through a shared objective to promote human rights and to uphold the freedom of religion or belief.

"Our objective is to foster the development of peaceful societies, where diversity is not just tolerated but fully respected and celebrated," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a video message to participants at the two-day meeting hosted by the UN Human Rights Office in Beirut.

"Religious leaders, with their considerable influence on the hearts and minds of millions of people, are potentially very important human rights actors," said Mr. Zeid.

Building on the 2012 Rabat Plan of Action that laid out religious leaders' core responsibilities in countering incitement to hatred, the Beirut Declaration (pdf) expands those responsibilities to the full spectrum of human rights. It calls on believers of all faiths to join hands and hearts in articulating ways in which they can stand together in defending fundamental rights against discrimination and violence.

Sheikh Maytham Al Salman, a religious leader and rights defender from Bahrain, urged religious leaders and faith-based organizations to assume leading roles in countering hate campaigns targeting particular religious groups. "Religious hostility has risen to alarming stages," he said.

Linked to the Beirut Declaration are 18 Faith for Rights commitments (pdf) to uphold human rights, including pledges to avoid invoking "State religion" in order to justify discrimination against any individual or group, to ensure gender equality and minority rights, to refrain from oppressing critical voices and to engage with children and youth.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the freedom of religion or belief Ahmed Shaheed said he was concerned about the explicit targeting of youth "by those who would prey on young minds." He called on religious leaders to pay particular attention to the vulnerability of young people subjected to hate speech.

"Youths look up to religious leaders for guidance, mentoring, support and advice. Therefore there is a need to engage with those communities at a very early age and provide a mind-set that is tolerant, broad-minded and has respect for others," said Mr. Shaheed. "It is important to go beyond the human rights council chamber out into the field and to engage people and ensure we develop solidarity and cross-community collaboration to mobilize people to support the freedom of religion or belief."

Ibrahim Salama, chief of the UN Human Rights Treaties Branch, hailed the Beirut Declaration as a rights-based call to people of all faiths around the world to promote peaceful societies based on mutual respect.

"Rather than focusing on theological and doctrinal divides, the Beirut Declaration favours the identification of common ground among all religions and beliefs to uphold the dignity and worth of all human beings," he said.

Join the UN Human Rights Office in supporting the Faith for Rights initiative calling on people of all faiths to join together in standing up to protect religious freedom and human rights.

If you wish to add your name as a supporter of the Beirut Declaration and its 18 commitments, please send an email to: faith4rights@ohchr.org.
Karen Civil Opens Up A Computer Lab In Haiti Dimas Sanfiorenzo Dimas Sanfiorenzo is the Managing Editor for Okayplayer. He specializes

Over the weekend, media mogul Karen Civil opened up a computer lab in Haiti.

Civil, who is Haitian-American, donated 20 computers and opened the Live Civil Computer Lab at House Of Hope Orphanage in Titanyen, Haiti.

In addition, a set of headphones for each computer was donated by former VP of Marketing at Beats by Dre, Dre Omar Johnson. Vans also pitched in by giving a new pair of shoes to each of the schools students.

The opening of the computer lab featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Speaking about the donation, Civil said:

Each year I return to Haiti, I hope that whatever I bring, contributes to the betterment of these students for the long termIn 2017, all students must have access to computers and other updated technology. It impacts the speed in which they can complete their homework, how quickly they can access information online, and improve their typing and reading skills. I want them to be given the same opportunity other educated youth are given in different countries.

The plan is for Karen Civil to keep on adding to some of Haitis educational institutions each year.
Agricultural News

Environmental Organizations Join in Launch of New Initiative to Improve Conservation in the State

A new statewide collaboration was officially launched today during a special signing before the annual Lt. Governor Turkey Hunt kickoff luncheon at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City.





The Oklahoma Conservation Task Force will focus on advancing conservation efforts across the state.





"As urban areas continue to grow, land and water resources are depleting," said Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb. "It's important we all do our part as a united team to conserve, protect and restore Oklahoma's natural resources. This is the first step in beginning a long-term collaborative relationship."





The task force is comprised of eight organizations, each dedicated to natural resource stewardship: The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma State University Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, and Oklahoma Tribal Conservation Advisory Council.





"The Noble Foundation was established on the fundamental belief that the land is our most important resource and that it is our duty to keep it healthy and productive for future generations," said Billy Cook, Ph.D., Noble Foundation executive vice president and Agricultural Division director. "Each of the contributing organizations to this task force agree that conservation of our natural resources is critical to healthy lands and ultimately impacts all Oklahomans."





This statewide effort will focus on three collaborative objectives: enhance the development of conservation in Oklahoma, coordination of research, and communication. In addition, the task force will identify and address major state conservation goals, develop models of success for specific topics, and develop informational resources and messaging to provide critical information to the general public, those involved in conservation, and the next generation.





"Each organization involved plays a role in conserving Oklahoma's vast resources, and we want to bring together all of those resources to better serve our great state," said Trey Lam, Oklahoma Conservation Commission executive director. "As state organizations go through budget cuts, it's just as important to come together to address the conservation needs and look for new ways to expand our impact through collaboration."





One outcome of the communication objective will be an annual meeting of all partners in Oklahoma to address the issues in conservation. This meeting is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 18-19, 2017, in Oklahoma City.







Source - Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation













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With Internet providers ranking near the bottom of customer satisfaction surveys, seven in 10 Americans say their towns or communities should be allowed to build new Internet networks that compete with large, established providers, according to new data from the Pew Research Center.

The latest findings add to a long-running battle over restrictions  often written by state legislatures and supported by telecom and cable companies  that prevent local governments from establishing homegrown rivals to ISPs such as AT&T or Charter. And, policy analysts say, the results underscore a gulf in attitudes about public infrastructure spending  though perhaps not the kind you may expect.

Substantial majorities of Democrats and Republicans back the ability of towns to build and sell their own Internet plans to local residents, according to the study. Although conservatives are slightly more likely than liberals to say they are a bad idea, just 27 percent of Americans overall say local governments shouldnt be able to offer competing service, Pews survey found.

Proponents of independent Internet networks argue that a public option for Internet access could help drive down the price of broadband and increase speeds. Opponents say the expense of building new networks represents an unacceptable financial risk for many local governments.

Municipal broadband networks too often end up failing and costing taxpayers millions, said USTelecom, a trade association representing Internet providers and telecom companies.

Some public projects have resulted in high-profile failures. In 2009, residents of Burlington, Vermont, learned that the citys mayor at the time, Bob Kiss, quietly used $17 million in city funds to prop up the local public broadband utility, Burlington Telecom. The utility is now in the process of being auctioned off as part of a negotiated settlement. Delays and cost overruns were also a feature of a public-sector broadband project in Utah.

But the movement to build public broadband has also led to successes. Long before Google Fiber came on the scene and began challenging incumbent ISPs, the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was competing aggressively with offers of downloads speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. In 2013, the city dropped its prices from $300 a month to $70  and in 2015 opened up a new service tier of 10 gigabits per second. After relying primarily on bond money and declining to fund the project with a new city tax, Chattanooga turned its fiber network into what its manager has called a great profit center.

Chattanooga became part of a high-profile legal battle in 2015, when it asked the federal government to help it overcome restrictions put in place by Tennessees legislature.

Under those rules, the citys Internet network was not allowed to grow to serve neighboring customers. Regulators at the Federal Communications Commission voted to supersede the state regulation, but a year later they were defeated when a federal court ruled the move unconstitutional.
Ink Labs, a company that markets a modern printing kiosk to colleges, announced Wednesday that it is moving its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Lincoln.

The announcement was made at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with company officials, Gov. Pete Ricketts and representatives from economic development groups on hand.

These are the days we all wait for, said Wendy Birdsall, president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

Jonathan Manzi, Ink Labs CEO, said moving to Lincoln was a natural decision. The city has a culture that encourages startups, he said, citing software company Hudl as an example. Theres also opportunity to further partner with UNL, where the company piloted its printing kiosks last year.

The companys main product, called Ink Smart Stations, allows users to print, copy, scan or fax at one location via a wide range of devices. Users can also create accounts or use social media platforms to access what they want to print and how to pay. The stations have since expanded to 12 more institutions, with more locations for the products in the pipeline.

We expect rapid growth, Manzi said.

Most of the companys 25 employees are expected to relocate with the business.

But Ink Labs is looking to add employees based on its growth in Nebraska. Manzi said the move allows the company to find staff quickly and base employees in an affordable city with a high quality of life.

Ricketts said the combination of factors like these should continue to draw new businesses to Nebraska.

Companies like Ink should want to come here, from Silicon Valley to the Silicon Prairie, because we have the complete package, Ricketts said.

Birdsall said it was a team effort to sway Ink Labs toward Nebraska, involving investors, the state and the university. But analysis from the Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development showing the citys cost-effectiveness helped seal the deal for the move.

Feeding Ink Labs drive to grow will be $6 million in funding from investors, which the company also announced Wednesday.

Nebraska investment groups and businesses contributed $1.75 million as the final funders before the announcement, said Brock Smith, a senior associate with Invest Nebraska.

Previous backers for the company include the founders of Redbox and the CEO of Zappos, whose leadership also encouraged the Nebraska move.

The company will temporarily be located in the Fuse Coworking building at 151 N. Eighth St. until its office space is prepared, Manzi said.

Denis Benic, the companys chief technology officer, said now that they know where theyre going, the next step is clear.

Just to start scaling up with the amazing talent around Lincoln, he said.
With one stroke of a pen, Gov. Terry Branstad is poised to make Iowa one of the friendliest states for gun owners.

Lawmakers have passed a bill that many say is the most comprehensive and broadest piece of legislation on gun rights the state has seen. The legislation would, among other things, allow citizens to use deadly force if they believe their lives are threatened and to sue local government officials if they think gun-free zones have violated their Second Amendment rights.

Branstad, the long-serving Republican governor whom President Donald Trump selected to be the ambassador to China, has hinted that he's inclined to sign the bill, calling it "reasonable" legislation that he "could support." House File 517 reached the governor's desk this week.

The passage of House File 517 marks the end of a decades-long battle for a bill that does more than make incremental changes to the state's gun laws and would bring Iowa in line with its more gun-friendly neighbors such as Missouri and Wisconsin, said Barry Snell, president of the Iowa Firearms Coalition, an advocacy group that has been instrumental in the bill's inception and passage.

"Without exaggeration, House File 517 is the most monumental and sweeping piece of gun legislation in Iowa's history," Snell told The Washington Post. "Never before have we passed a bill in which Iowa's Second Amendment rights are legally recognized, claimed and protected quite so profoundly as this bill does."

Among the bill's more controversial parts is a "Stand Your Ground" provision that says citizens who are not doing anything illegal can lawfully use "reasonable force, including deadly force" if they believe their lives are being threatened. The bill also frees a person who kills an "aggressor" from civil liability if he or she can justify the use of force.

That provision has raised concerns that the bill would do more to increase gun violence in the state.

Democratic State Sen. Nate Boulton said state law already allows Iowans to use deadly force if they are threatened in their homes or places of employment, adding that a Stand Your Ground law could lead some to misunderstand when deadly force may be used.

"I think anytime we are expanding the use of deadly force, we do have to be cautious about that," Boulton said. "The reality is when you have a gun-violent situation and if someone is killed with gun violence, we'll leave it to our courts to interpret and apply what the situation was that led to that death."

Daniel Webster, director of the John Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, echoed Boulton in a column published last month in the Des Moines Register. The "Stand Your Ground" policy would only "expand justifications for killing others," he wrote.

"There is no credible research that indicates deregulation of public carrying of concealed firearms reduces violent crime or curtails mass shootings," Webster wrote. "The most recent and most rigorous research shows that such policies, if anything, lead to more assaults committed with firearms."

Another provision that has attracted criticism would essentially prohibit city, county and township officials from creating weapons-free zones by allowing gun-carrying citizens to file lawsuits and claim damages if they think their civil rights have been infringed upon. Critics have raised concerns about how the bill would affect security at places such as city halls and courthouses, many of which are gun-free zones.

Tom Ferguson, executive director of the Iowa County Attorneys Association, said because the bill does not exempt city halls or courthouses, local jurisdictions would face a constant threat of lawsuits and damages.

"The question becomes, 'Is someone adversely affected if they want to go in there and are not allowed to carry a gun?' " Ferguson said.

The Iowa Judicial Branch, which oversees state courts, shares similar concerns. Spokesman Steve Davis said the judicial branch is unsure that the bill "will maintain the status quo on courthouse security."

The criticisms, however, did little to dissuade the bill's avid backers.

HF 517 passed the Iowa Senate 33 to 17 and the House 57 to 36.

Republican State Rep. Matt Windschitl, who led drafting of the bill, said he has tried for years to make Iowa a Stand Your Ground state, like nearly half the states in the country.

"This bill has been a work in progress for many years," Windschitl said. "The driver behind this is to restore Iowans' individual freedoms and liberties."

Other provisions include allowing children under 14 to use pistols or revolvers as long as they are supervised by an adult age 21 and older; legalizing concealed-carry at state capitol buildings and grounds; prohibiting the government from confiscating firearms during state emergencies; legalizing short-barreled rifles and shotguns; and making records of permit holders confidential. The bill also would prohibit prosecutors from stacking an additional firearm charge if the weapon has nothing to do with the crime.

Robert Cottrol, an expert on gun laws and a professor at George Washington University, said many of the provisions have been standard practice in most states.

Aside from the Stand Your Ground law, most states with significant rural areas already allow children to possess firearms, Cottrol said. Many states also have enacted laws prohibiting the government from seizing people's guns during state emergencies, after officials confiscated weapons during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

This is the first time in years that Republicans gained control of both the House and the Senate in Iowa, and gun rights advocates found an opportunity to catch up with its gun-friendly neighbors by addressing gun-rights issues in one fell swoop, said Snell of the Iowa Firearms Coalition, which is affiliated with the National Rifle Association.

It's not uncommon for states to pass gun-law revisions in one bill, according to the NRA, a supporter of the bill. Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Wisconsin have done so in recent years.

"This important legislation will make it easier for law-abiding gun owners to protect and defend themselves, while bringing Iowa's gun law in line with those of other states," NRA spokeswoman Jennifer Baker said in a statement. "The reforms of HF 517 are part of a growing movement across all 50 states to strengthen Second Amendment rights, and its enactment will be a significant victory for our members and law-abiding gun owners."

The magazine Guns & Ammo ranks Iowa No. 38 among the best states for gun owners. At the top of the list are Arizona, Vermont, Alaska, Utah, Kentucky, Wyoming, Alabama, Kansas, Missouri and New Hampshire.

That could change if the bill becomes law.

The legislation might make Iowa "the leading edge of protecting the civil right" to bear arms, said Randy Barnett, a law professor at Georgetown University.

"When you have a constitutional right, it often requires the legislation to protect that right," Barnett said. "That's what Iowa is doing."
Its a common gripe in Sarpy County.

Ask a city or county official about whats needed to keep the states fastest growing county booming and theyll respond, You see, theres this ridgeline ... .

The natural ridgeline theyre referring to cuts roughly east and west across the middle of Sarpy County, and officials say its an impediment to development and growth.

North of the line, land drains to the Papillion Creek and a sewer system is in place to send wastewater north.

But south of the ridge, the land drains to the Platte River and there is no sewer system to serve potential businesses and housing developments.

That lack of infrastructure is blocking progress and growth in one of the few places still available for development in the metropolitan area, according to a Sarpy County state senator.

State Sen. Sue Crawford of Bellevue has introduced legislation to make it easier to pay for a sewer system that would be built in stages and could eventually cost $220 million.

We have an area thats prime for growth thats not living up to its potential because it lacks basic infrastructure, Crawford said.

Her Legislative Bill 253, which is scheduled for debate by the Legislature on Thursday, would allow cities and villages to form a public agency with a county to oversee an entire regions sewer system. In Sarpy County, it would involve all five cities and the county.

The new sewer lines and water treatment facilities south of the ridgeline would be financed by sewer and connection fees paid by new homeowners and new businesses, Crawford said. The new countywide sewer agency could also levy property taxes, she said, but would use that authority only if sewer fees became inadequate.

Officials in Sarpy County have been studying the issue for almost 10 years and have been lobbying in support of Crawfords bill.

But theres a sense of urgency for the legislation as the pace of development has picked up, and as the county prepares for the eventual construction of a freeway along Platteview Road, which crosses the southern portion of the county that now lacks sewers.

Just this month Facebook announced a 146-acre campus with two 450,000-square-foot buildings and a 70,000-square-foot administrative building at Nebraska Highway 50 and Capehart Road in Papillion. Sarpy County has also added data centers from Fidelity, Yahoo, Cabelas and insurance group Travelers in recent years.

Papillion Mayor David Black said he estimates that Papillion will run out of land for development in the next five to seven years if the bill does not go through. Only about 40 percent of Sarpy County is developed, Black said, but the growth of Papillion, Springfield and Gretna depends on sewer infrastructure south of the ridgeline.

Crawford specifically pointed to potential growth areas along Highway 50, around the Nebraska Crossing Outlets and along the projected U.S. 34 freeway on Platteview Road.

Said Black, If you dont have sewer infrastructure in place, land is not developed.

If the countywide agency is created, the first phase of work is set to begin in 2019. There are four separate phases, with the final one set to begin in 2044.

If the agency is not created, then its back to the drawing board for the cities and county.

Wastewater currently generated south of the ridge is handled by several small, private treatment facilities or by a small facility owned by the City of Springfield. Most people living south of the ridgeline have septic systems.

In the case of Facebook, the county is doing some sewage gymnastics. Because there is no sewer system where the new Facebook campus will be located, a $690,000 pump station is being built to pump sewage north over the ridge line. Sewer fees from the company and a $75,000 state economic development grant are expected to cover that cost.

Black said the countywide agency would allow representatives from all five cities and the county to have input on the development of the sewer system.

The prospect of a new property taxing entity for sewers raised questions for some members of the Legislatures Revenue Committee. The committee, which is chaired by a Sarpy County senator, Jim Smith of Papillion, voted 5-0 to advance LB 253 in February. But three lawmakers abstained.

One was North Platte Sen. Mike Groene, who said he was concerned that such a taxing entity would be formed and embark on a pricey project, without a vote of the people.

Henderson Sen. Curt Friesen, who was also present and not voting on advancement of the sewer bill, said he was concerned that homeowners far from the location of the new sewers would get stuck paying the bill if the housing market takes a downturn and sewer fees are insufficient to pay debts.

What happens if things go bad? Whos on the hook for the bill? Friesen asked.

Crawford said residents of La Vista and Bellevue, which already have sewers, could be asked to pay some of the cost of the new sewers in the southern part of the county. But they would also get some benefit by expanding the countys tax base and possibly lowering their own taxes.

She pointed to estimates being distributed by backers of the bill. Those project $19 million in additional property tax revenue for cities in Sarpy County and $21 million extra for the county if areas south of the ridgeline are developed.

That same pamphlet, generated by Sarpy County Administrator Mark Wayne, projects an increase in sales tax revenue of $15 million for the county and $45 million for the state.

And Sarpy County Board members Brian Zuger and Don Kelly ask that the senators look at the countys track record on taxing.

A bill passed in 1994 gave Sarpy County the power to levy a special tax or issue revenue bonds to build and operate a sewer system in rural areas.

Fred Uhe, spokesman for the county, said the county has never used the levy to build or operate sewers in the county. Instead, the county used a different approach, issuing bonds backed by the taxing authority of the county to pay for sewer construction. Those bonds were paid off from sewer connection fees and not property taxes.

Zuger and Kelly said theyre not interested in raising taxes for residents of Sarpy County but think getting a sewer system to the southern half of the county is critical to Sarpys future.

Its true, this bill will give us the ability to levy property tax, Kelly said. But past performance has shown we have never done that.
LINCOLN  Nebraska would draw $180 million from its rainy day fund under a budget plan emerging from the Legislatures Appropriations Committee.

The committee wrapped up all but a few loose ends on the proposal Tuesday, finishing with a 6-3 vote to tentatively approve the plan with the transfer included.

The action represents the last major step in closing a budget gap that stood at nearly $900 million at the beginning of the year.

Formal votes on advancing the budget bills will come next week. Under legislative rules, the budget plan is due to the full Legislature by April 24.

State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, the appropriations chairman, said committee members tried to spare key state services and leave enough to weather additional budget woes.

We tried to do the least amount of damage we possibly could, long term, he said, adding, Its a contentious budget. Lots of moving parts.

The plan calls for spending $8.9 billion during the two fiscal years ending June 30, 2019. Thats an annual average increase of 1.1 percent, compared to the current year.

The proposal relies on tapping the states cash reserve, often called the rainy day fund, and taking money from numerous other cash funds to help make up for lagging tax revenues.

The three committee members who voted against the budget plan Tuesday all cited concerns about the transfers.

Sen. Dan Watermeier of Syracuse said he worries that the reliance on cash-fund transfers would come back to haunt the state in future years.

It just felt like we needed to do some more cuts yet, he said. I think the bodys expecting us to do more.

Sen. John Kuehn of Heartwell said he wants to know more about how the proposed fund transfers could affect various agencies. As an example, he said, the budget would take money from economic development funds. Kuehn argued that the transfers could hamstring state development efforts.

He raised concerns that transfers add up to about $400 million for the two-year period. The transfers are one-time sources of money that would not support continuing expenses, he said.

That has me really nervous, Kuehn said.

Gov. Pete Ricketts offered no comment on the fund-transfer decision Tuesday. His spokesman, Taylor Gage, said the governor would not weigh in until he has had a chance to review the committees whole budget plan.

Stinner acknowledged that the proposal would leave the cash reserve lower than he had wanted. It would drop to $373 million by June 30, 2019, and to $362 million two years later.

But he said there should be enough left there and in other cash funds to provide a $500 million to $600 million cushion if revenues do not rebound.

Stinner also hopes for passage of three bills that would reduce the amount needed from the cash reserve.

An amended version of Legislative Bill 233, pending before the Revenue Committee, would suspend some tax credits for the two-year budget period, saving an estimated $37 million.

LB 333 and LB 335, introduced by Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston on behalf of the governor, would cut Health and Human Services spending by an estimated $10 million.

The Appropriations Committee budget plan would hold state spending increases below the average 1.7 percent growth proposed by Ricketts in January.

The plan allows for a 2.3 percent average annual growth in state aid to schools. The $62 million hike is the largest spending increase in the plan.

But the increase is about one-third of the amount that would be required under the current school aid formula. Lawmakers are slated to debate cost-saving changes in the formula next week.

The budget plan also boosts state spending on the troubled corrections system by more than $15 million. The money is for additional employees, programs and equipment.

The total does not include funding for all of the corrections officer positions sought by the governor.

Committee members said the additional funding could be added next year, if corrections is able to make progress on filling vacancies. The agency had 148 corrections officer positions open as of the end of March.

Other significant budget increases include state employee pay raises and spending on Medicaid.

On the other side of the ledger, the budget plan reduces state agency spending by nearly $42 million over the two years and cuts $13 million from the University of Nebraska budget.

The biggest savings  $35 million over the period  resulted from an increase in federal matching funds for Medicaid.

Stinner said the budget proposal leaves about $1.5 million per year to pay for other legislation. About half of that would be needed for a bill increasing judges salaries.
A health warning was issued Wednesday for the general public in Lancaster County due to drifting smoke from agricultural burning in Kansas.

Douglas County Health Department officials said Wednesday that they did not expect any smoke-related problems in the Omaha area, although some people reported smelling smoke from the Kansas fires this morning. Officials said they would continue to monitor smoke levels.

In Lancaster County, the levels of smoke in the air were expected to be unhealthy for everyone, especially for those with asthma, lung disease, other respiratory conditions or heart disease as well as older adults and children, the Lincoln Lancaster County Health Department said.

The health department monitors air quality 24 hours a day, and the Air Quality Index at http://lincoln.ne.gov is updated hourly. Wednesday, the AQI was in the red category, meaning the air quality was unhealthy for everyone.

Officials advised people to stay indoors and avoid strenuous physical activity.

Lancaster County residents were urged to keep windows and doors closed and to use the re-circulate setting on their vehicles air conditioners, officials said.

Those who experience difficulty breathing, coughing, tightness in the chest or angina should contact a doctor, the health department said.

Lincoln Public Schools officials said they kept all elementary and secondary students indoors. They said there was no outdoor recess or physical-education classes. Field-trip decisions were made at each school based on location and amount of time outside, they said.

Ranchers in Kansas Flint Hills are burning thousands of acres of North Americas largest unplowed stretch of tallgrass prairie. The ranchers annually burn the tallgrass around March and April to stave off invasive species, preserve pasture, improve cattle forage and limit fuel for wildfires.
MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's top diplomat accused the United States on Wednesday of carrying out an unlawful attack against Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces as he opened a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Sergey Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, said Russia had lots of questions about the Trump administration's "very ambiguous" and "contradictory" ideas.

In an ominous start to their meeting, Lavrov said it was important for Moscow to understand the "real intentions" of the Trump administration.

"We have seen very alarming actions recently with an unlawful attack against Syria," Lavrov said. "We consider it of utmost importance to prevent the risks of replay of similar action in the future."

Tillerson, the first Trump Cabinet official to visit Russia, conceded the U.S. and Russia had "sharp differences" that have been obstructing cooperation between the two powers.

He said he was seeking to "better understand" the differences so that they could be narrowed.

"We both have agreed our lines of communication shall always remain open," Tillerson said.

The tense start to Tillerson's visit illustrated the widening chasm between the former Cold War foes. Early expectations of an easy rapport between the Trump administration and Russia have crashed into reality as the two countries have traded escalating accusations over what happened last week in a chemical attack in Syria.

As their envoys gathered in Moscow, President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin were voicing protests of their own.

"Frankly, Putin is backing a person that's truly an evil person," Trump told the Fox Business Network, referring to Assad. "I think it's very bad for Russia. I think it's very bad for mankind."

Of Assad, Trump added: "This is an animal."

And Putin, who U.S. intelligence agencies say tried to help Trump get elected, insisted that relations with the U.S. had only gone downhill since Trump took office in January.

"The level of trust at the working level, especially at the military level, has not become better but most likely has degraded," Putin said in an interview broadcast Wednesday by state television channel Mir.

It was unclear whether Putin, who once gave Tillerson an "Order of Friendship" award, would grant the visiting American an audience in Moscow. Though the Kremlin had declined to say whether the leaders would meet, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday: "There is a certain likelihood."

Tillerson is on a thus-far-futile mission to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to abandon support for Syrian President Bashar Assad. The fallout from Assad's chemical attack last week and the U.S. airstrikes that Trump ordered in response have plunged the United States and Russia into tensions rarely seen since the Cold War.

Before flying to Moscow, Tillerson issued an ultimatum to Putin: Either side with the U.S. and likeminded countries, or with Assad, Iran and the militant group Hezbollah. But Russia made clear it had no intention to acquiesce. Putin quickly invited the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers to Moscow on Friday, the day after Tillerson departs.

"Our policy is consistent and it's formulated exclusively on the basis of international law and not under the impact of current opportunistic motives or false choice: `You are with us or against us,"' Lavrov told Tillerson.

Adding further fuel to rising tensions: the White House's move to circulate declassified U.S. intelligence accusing Moscow of aiding Assad's government in covering up a gruesome, nerve gas attack that killed more than 80 people. The U.S. also accused Russia of mounting a disinformation campaign aimed at exonerating Assad from blame for the attack.

Russia has insisted it was Syrian rebels Assad's forces that were responsible for the chemical weapons. Intelligence services from several Western countries dispute that claim. The health minister in Turkey, which treated many of the attack's victims and conducted autopsies on others, said Tuesday that test results conducted on victims confirmed sarin gas was used.

Copyright 2017, the Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A nonprofit organization called Nebraska Families Collaborative has one of the most important and difficult jobs in the state.

The collaborative handles the child welfare cases in Douglas and Sarpy Counties  more than 5,000 cases during fiscal 2015-16. Thats just under half of the total child welfare cases in Nebraska.

The state recently signed a five-year contract for the nonprofit to continue those duties. It was a sound move.

Nebraska Families Collaborative has made significant progress in improving rates for child safety, well-being and permanent placement, compared with conditions before it took up such duties in 2009.

The organizations staff members must make judgments on often-complex home situations, working with other support organizations and deciding on the best responses to each situation.

Although the organization has been meeting federal standards, major challenges remain. It needs to reduce its rate of removal from the home, especially for children of color. This is a matter that federal regulators are increasingly focusing on nationwide.

The overall removal rate for Douglas and Sarpy Counties has long exceeded national levels, and this remains one of the central challenges for the Nebraska Families Collaborative. The organizations number of out-of-home placements exceeded its average in 11 of the last 18 quarters.

Reasons for removal from the home usually include neglect, parental drug use or physical abuse.

Still, the organization ultimately returns about 70 percent of children to parental custody, and the adoption rate for the organizations remaining youths has increased since 2012. Placement with relatives, in a strategy known as kinship care, has proved successful in many cases.

The collaborative  formed by Boys Town and other Omaha-area service providers  also must work to decrease the caseloads for staff members. Improvement on that score would likely reduce problems with staff turnover.

Continued progress will depend on receiving proper coordination from the state HHS and adequate funding from the Legislature.

Doug Weinberg, children and family services director for the Department of Health and Human Services, said last fall that the state sees value in pursuing a private provider for child welfare services in Douglas and Sarpy Counties.

We truly believe in the potential and power of a public-private partnership, he said. We want to give this one more shot.

That belief in NFC is well-founded, as the organization works to continue its success and meet its major challenges.
WASHINGTON  The University of Nebraska Medical Center is looking to expand its cooperation with the Defense Department when it comes to tackling highly infectious diseases.

While UNMC has made a name for itself in the area, it largely has come from working with civilian federal health agencies and the U.S. State Department.

That is the next frontier of this, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold told The World-Herald this week.

While Gold did not cite this as part of his thinking, a focus on collaboration with the Pentagon could track well with coming federal funding shifts.

President Donald Trump is pushing for significant cuts to domestic agencies and the State Department in favor of bolstering defense budgets.

Nebraska already has been on the map for years when it comes to Ebola and other highly infectious diseases.

UNMC and two partner institutions have been awarded $24 million in federal grants to support training efforts. And another $19.8 million in federal funds has been tabbed to develop the National Center for Health Security and Biopreparedness on the ground floor of a planned $118.9 million Global Center for Advanced Interprofessional Learning. Doors are expected to open in September 2018, with the national center training federal workers on the treatment of Ebola and other diseases.

Gold said UNMC soon will be asking the University of Nebraska Board of Regents to give the health security training facility a global scope so that it can serve people from around the world.

We know that in accepting this funding and accepting these programs, we take with it a tremendous amount of responsibility for the health and for the security of our country, our citizens, military and civilian, and that we wont let them down, Gold said.

An example of the continuing collaboration between UNMC and federal agencies was Wednesdays patient transport drill, the second such exercise with the State Department.

Operation Tranquil Shift started Monday morning and included 11 Americans serving as mock patients either exposed to or suspected of being exposed to a highly infectious disease.

Two 747s and three Gulf-stream aircraft flew from Atlanta to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and back to Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. Two of the smaller aircraft then flew on to Omaha, where the mock patients were taken to UNMC.

A previous drill in November transported three mock patients on one 747 to the Nebraska biocontainment unit.

UNMC officials said the latest drill represents a way to put them and everyone else involved through their paces.

Dr. Chris Kratochvil, UNMCs associate vice chancellor for clinical research, said officials are looking to expand the capacity for transferring patients to biocontainment units in the United States.

Its critically important to do exercises like that to really identify Are we doing all that we can be doing?  Kratochvil said.

Kratochvil said officials will be looking to the federal government to find ways to sustain the training supported by the $24 million beyond the life of the current grants.

They also will seek more opportunities to work with the Defense Department, in conjunction with the National Strategic Research Institute that is sponsored by U.S. Strategic Command and has been integral to the recent drills.

There are 13 of those DOD-affiliated university research centers.

Retired Lt. Gen. Bob Hinson, the research institutes executive director, noted that during the Ebola crisis, thousands of U.S. military personnel were working in Africa. There was a lot of concern about what would happen in the event of multiple patients coming to the United States with Ebola.

Hinson noted that the United States still has troops serving around the world in areas where they face the potential threat of infectious diseases.

You certainly wouldnt want to find yourself ill-prepared and affecting overall mission readiness of the troops that are forward-deployed in a lot of these locations, Hinson said.

Clearly, the threat of infectious diseases isnt going anywhere.

When you think youve conquered one, Hinson said, theres always another one that seems to pop up.
2 Russians accidently land on Mumbai coast; police let off duo after interrogation

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Mumbai, April 12: On Wednesday, two Russian nationals, on a sailing trip, accidently landed on Mumbai coast, according to reports. After being spotted sailing in their private yacht close to the Mumbai seashore, police stopped the duo. However, after proper verification, police officials released them.

"Two Russian nationals stopped at a light house near Mumbai after they reached the coast without permission for their yacht," reported ANI.

Two Russian Nationals stopped at a light house near Mumbai after they reached the coast without permission for their Yacht pic.twitter.com/bNAQig9Kep  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

As a part of their verification process, police officials spoke to the Russian Embassy in the city to find out the credentials of the two Russians. The police also searched their yacht. After the cops were satisfied that the Russians pose no security threat, they were allowed to go free.

"The Russian nationals were let off by Mumbai Police after verification from the Russian Embassy and after search of their yacht," added ANI.

The case has come to light at a time when India has increased security measures across all its borders, including coastlines. The coastal security forces have increased their vigil after the Indian Coast Guard warned about the suspected Islamic State-sponsored militants' possible infiltration into the city via the sea.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 12:00 [IST]
Chandra Grahan 2022: Check the start and end timing of lunar eclipse in major cities

IRCTC update: 136 trains cancelled on Nov 08; here is the complete list

Delhi enveloped in thick smog with 'very poor' air quality

'Kejriwal ji, if my claims true, you'll resign and retire': Sukesh writes a new letter

8th Public Sector Day: President Pranab Mukherjee presents SCOPE Awards

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

New Delhi, April 12: On the occasion of eighth Public Sector Day, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday presented SCOPE excellence awards to honour the outstanding Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs).

President expressed a strong belief that India's public sector story is unfolding slowly and many more glorious chapters will be added to its credit in the years to come. CPSEs, including Rural Electrification Corporation, NALCO, Mineral Exploration Corporation Limited, ONGC Videsh Ltd, ECIL and GSL got awards in the Institutional Category.

Let's have a glimpse of the function, where the prestigious SCOPE Awards were given to CPSEs at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

8th Public Sector Day celebration President Pranab Mukheree, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete, MoS Babul Supriyo, SCOPE Chairman Ved Prakash and others during the celebration of Public Sector Day and presentation of the SCOPE Excellence Awards 2014-15, in New Delhi. P V Ramesh President Pranab Mukheree along with Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete presents Institutional Category I Award (Maharatna/Navratna PSEs) to CMD, REC, P V Ramesh during the celebration of Public Sector Day and presentation of the SCOPE Excellence Awards 2014-15. Seema Gupta President Pranab Mukheree along with Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete presents outdstanding Woman Manager (below Board Level) award in PSEs to Executive Director of POWERGRID, Seema Gupta. T K Chand President Pranab Mukheree along with Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete presents Institutional Category I Award (Maharatna/Navratna PSEs) to CMD, NALCO, T K Chand. MoS Babul Supriyo is also seen. Shekhar Mittal President Pranab Mukheree along with Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Anant Geete presents Special Institutional (Turnaroud) Category award to CMD, Goa Shipyard Limited, Rear Adm Shekhar Mittal. SCOPE Awards President Pranab Mukherjee presenting SCOPE Awards to CPSEs at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi

Anant Geete, Union Minister of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Babul Supriyo, Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises graced the occasion.

[Days not far off when India's economy will be among top 5: President Pranab Mukherjee]

The award function was organised jointly by SCOPE and Department of Public Enterprises (DPE).

OneIndia News
Notices issued to civic officials after Ravana effigy remains half-burnt during Dussehra

Accused of being a police informer, Maoist kangaroo court kills one person

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Maoists have killed a man in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur region after a 'kangaroo court' accused him of being a police informer.

Death sentences by such Kangaroo courts for not believing in Maoist ideology in the naxal-hit states of the country.

'Kangaroo Courts', also called 'Jan Adalat', execute sentence against the civilians who do not subscribe to their ideology in the areas under their domain.

According to Home Ministry statistics, 18 people were killed following the directives of 'kangaroo courts' in 2015 for being alleged police informers or "for not believing in Maoist ideology".

Altogether 15 people were executed in 2014 following orders of 54 'Jan Adalats' and 20 people were killed in 2013 under the directives of 63 'Jan Adalats', said reports.

The state government had recently said it is keeping a strict watch on "kangaroo courts" held by the Naxalites.

(OneIndia News with PTI inputs)
Love and Narcotic Jihad: Religious leaders in Kerala call for steps to strengthen secular fabric

Fact Check: Is this lady constable complaining about Love Jihad in India

After anti-Romeo squad, love jihad rocks UP; couple allegedly attacked by Hindu group

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Lucknow, April 12: On Wednesday, reports emerged that a couple in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly attacked by activists of the Hindu Yuva Vahini on suspicion of 'love jihad'.

"#WATCH Hindu Yuva Vahini barges into Meerut home, drags couple to police, alleges Muslim boy romancing Hindu girl," tweeted Times Now.

#WATCH Hindu Yuva Vahini barges into Meerut home, drags couple to police, alleges Muslim boy romancing Hindu girl pic.twitter.com/zAyjDm1rBe  TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) April 12, 2017

"Hindu Yuva Vahini workers barge into a house in Meerut, rough up a couple on suspicion of 'love jihad'," tweeted ANI.

Hindu Yuva Vahini workers barge into a house in Meerut, rough up a couple on suspicion of 'love jihad'. pic.twitter.com/FaZMsdASd6  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 12, 2017

The Hindu Yuva Vahini is a Hindu youth group, founded by chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath. Love jihad, also called Romeo jihad, is a term coined to highlight alleged role of Muslims boys and men to convert women and girls belonging to various communities to the Islam under the garb of love.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party formed its government in Uttar Pradesh recently, the police formed anti-Romeo squads across the state to provide safety to women from eve-teasers and molesters.

The formation of anti-Romeo squad was a poll promise of the BJP. While several people have welcomed the move to tackle the menace of roadside goons, who regularly harass women and girls, several others have criticised the decision of the government as cases of alleged harassment of men and consenting couples have come to light.

OneIndia News
Who is Dr Anantha Nageswaran? All you need to know about the new chief economic advisor

Bank accounts to be blocked if not self certified by April 30

India

oi-Madhuri

The Finance Ministry on Wednesday has said that the bank accounts of all individuals will be blocked if the accounts are not self certified by April 30 to comply with FATCA provisions. It also said that only the bank accounts opened between 2014 and 2016 need self certification.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes also advised all financial institutions that all efforts should be made by them to obtain self-certification.

India had entered into an agreement with USA for implementation of FATCA with effect from August 31, 2015. Under the rule 114H (8) of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, the financial institutions have to obtain self-certification and carry out due diligence in respect of all individual and entity accounts opened between July 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015.

This was required to have been done by August 31 last year, failing which the accounts would be closed.

OneIndia News
Cong targets BJP, says no one apologised or resigned for Morbi tragedy

'Bhagya Lakshmi Yojna' for new born girl child in UP

India

oi-PTI

Lucknow, April 12: In line with its election manifesto, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has directed officials to start work on 'Bhagya Lakshmi Yojna' to give Rs 50,000 on the birth of girl child in poor families.

Under the scheme, a develoment bond of Rs 50,000 is given on the birth of a girl child in poor families," an official spokesman said in Lucknow.

The direction in this regard was issued by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at a meeting held on Tuesday evening.

With the implementation of this scheme, Rs 3,000 will be given when the girl reaches Class VI, Rs 5,000 in Class VIII, Rs 7,000 in Class X, Rs 8,000 on her reaching Class XII and Rs 2 lakh when she attains the age of 21.

The CM also directed to cover widows under the pension scheme and give them Rs 500 per month, and to increase amount for encouraging remarriage of widows to Rs 51,000 from existing Rs 11,000 and Rs 500 per month from existing Rs 125 per month given to dowry victims.

The CM also asked to increase amount given for legal assistance to dowry victims to Rs 10,000 from existing Rs 2,500.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 14:05 [IST]
WATCH | Varanasi declared as first ever SCO tourist and cultural capital

Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri case: Court asks mosque management to file objections to plea for carbon-dating of 'Shivling'

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Varanasi lights up with 8 lakh lamps on Dev Deepawali; PM shares pics too

Bird hits Jet Airways flight; 150 passengers stranded

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Varanasi, April 12: About 150 passengers of a Jet Airways flight were stranded at the Varanasi airport on Wednesday after a bird hit the flight while taking off.

According to the captain, three blades of the right engine were damaged due to the hit.

The 9W 2423 flight from New Delhi-Khajuraho-Varanasi-New Delhi was unfit to fly, a Jet Airways official said.

The flight was fully booked. About 100 passengers were ready to board in Varanasi and around 50 were already in the flight from Khajuraho bound to New Delhi.

Some of the passengers had international flights. The passengers who had to fly to other countries from New Delhi were also among those stranded at the airport.

The passengers were not satisfied with the airline's response to their queries.

The airport officials had no clue about the next course of action and said they were waiting for information from the head office.

It was not clear whether the airline would fly the passengers out on Wednesday.

IANS

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 10:52 [IST]
"Can protect cows but not women?" Jaya Bachchan tears into BJP

India

oi-Anusha

Expressing her anger against BJP youth wing leader for placing a bounty on Mamata Banerjee's head, Jaya Bachchan lashed out at the government in Rajya Sabha. "You can protect cows, but what about women?", asked the Samajwadi party's MP demanding the government's response on the comments made by its youth wing leader.

Taking severe offence to the statements made by BJP's Yogesh Varshney, Jaya Bachchan asked if BJP promoted such threats. "How dare anyone talk like this about women? Is this the way you are going to protect the women of this country? Women are feeling insecure and is this what you are promoting?" she asked.

Not the one to keep quiet, BJP's MP Rupa Ganguly hit back at Jaya Bachchan asking why Mamata remained mum when she was beaten in front of west Bengal police. "I am also a woman, I have been beaten up in front of policemen. Let the Chief Minister answer this," she asked.

The issue of Yogesh Varshney offering a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to behead Mamta Banerjee rocked the Rajya Sabha today with opposition parties launching scathing attacks on the government.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 14:10 [IST]
Toolkit case: SC dismisses pleas of Chhattisgarh govt against relief granted to Raman Singh, Sambit Patra

Chhattisgarh: Raman Singh shares mid day meal with school children

India

oi-Madhuri

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Wednesday joined along with school children for mid day meal at a school in Jamhari village which is located in Saraipali Tehsil of Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh: Chief Minister Raman Singh joins school children for mid day meal at a school in Jamhari pic.twitter.com/lE0LVngzbs  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

Earlier, Singh had launched the third phase of Lok Suraj Mission. He also sanctioned mini-stadium, solar pumps installation for drinking water purposes and agreed to develop village Putigarh into a tourist spot.

Singh said that Lok Suraaj Mission 2017 is in three phases. The main focus is in Grievance Redressal camps.

The Mid day meal scheme is a school meal programme of the government of India designed to improve the nutritional status of school-age children nationwide. The government provides free lunch to students from class one to eight on working days under the mid-day meal scheme.

However, this month, the Union human resource development ministry made aadhaar number mandatory for students to obtain mid-day meals.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 12:50 [IST]
D-day for BJP and Congress in Karnataka, bypoll results on Thursday

India

oi-Anusha

Curtains will be drawn on the big fight between the Congress and the BJP in Karnataka as results of two bypolls will be announced on Thursday. Results of the recently held Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls are expected to be out by 11 AM on Thursday morning. In the fight for supremacy for the BJP and defending bastions for the Congress, it is to be seen who will emerge victorious. Counting of votes will begin at 8 AM on Thursday.

In Nanjangud, the BJP hopes to snatch a victory with a margin of 7,000 votes. State BJP president B S Yeddyurappa who campaigned vigorously in both constituencies hopes to consolidate the Lingayat votes in both places. With Srinivas Prasad, the BJP hopes that it has managed to consolidate the Dalit votes but the Congress has a different story to narrate. The Congress is confident of a clear victory in Nanjangud with its candidate, Kalale Keshavamurthy enjoying massive support from voters.

In Gundlupet, the Congress is confident of a victory thanks to the sympathy wave for Geetha Mahadevprasad, wife of deceased Karnataka minister Mahadevprasad. While the Congress is sure of big wins in both constituencies, the BJP claims that it would win in Gudlupet with a margin of a massive 12,000 votes. In Gundlupet, the BJP is hoping that the votes that got split between the KJP and BJP in the 2013 assembly elections would be consolidated and ensure that its candidate Niranjan Kumar emerges victorious.

Both constituencies recorded huge voter turnout with 76 percent in Nanjangud and 78 per cent in Gundlupet. A divided vote share is sure to keep it a fight to the end.

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No news about 2 Arunachal youths who went missing from near China border in August

Dalai Lama visit: China warns of negative impact on Indo-China bilateral relations

India

oi-Madhuri

Following the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Beijing on Wednesday said that there will be negative impact on the bilateral relations between India and China. Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama on Tuesday wrapped up his week-long tour of Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing had strongly objected to. Beijing refers to this connection to claim Tawang as part of China after invading and taking over Tibet in 1950.

According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang,"When the Indian side violated commitments on relevant issues, the Indian side insisted on arranging the visit of the Dalai Lama in the disputed section of the China-Indian boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representations and it will of course have negative impact on bilateral relations."

Kang added that Beijing will take "further action" to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the "provocative" statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and "some specific Indian official" in an apparent reference to the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu.

"What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations," the spokesperson said.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 23:37 [IST]
Suspicious bird with rings on its legs caught near India-Pakistan border

Dalit leaders still slaves of political parties : Rajasthan Speaker

India

pti-PTI

Jaipur, Apr 12: Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal on Wednesday said that the people from weaker sections have not received their share post independence and even elected Dalit leaders continue to be "slaves" of their political parties.

"People from SC and ST have been suppressed for years and their issues are still unresolved. They have not received their justified share even after independence," Meghwal said at a programme at the Rajasthan High Court.

"We can say anything politically, but this is what the reality is," he said.

Dalits, he said, had not got their due political share.

"Where is our political share? We, leaders from Scheduled Castes category come as elected leaders and are representatives of Dalits. But we are slaves of our political parties," he commented.

He praised Chief Justice of Supreme court J S Khehar's comments that political parties must be held accountable for the election manifesto.

"This is a good thing that the Chief Justice of Supreme court has posed a question about the accountability of political parties regarding the implementation of election manifesto," he said.

PTI
Chandra Grahan 2022: Check the start and end timing of lunar eclipse in major cities

IRCTC update: 136 trains cancelled on Nov 08; here is the complete list

'Kejriwal ji, if my claims true, you'll resign and retire': Sukesh writes a new letter

Delhi: IT probes top RSS leader's firm for Rs 17 cr deposit post-demonetisation

India

oi-Madhuri

The Income tax department on Wednesday is currently investigating a clothing company owned by a top RSS leader in Delhi. It is learnt that the firm allegedly surrendered Rs 6 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana last December after the demonetisation policy was announced on November last year.

The managing director of Ahujasons Shawlwale Private Ltd, is Kulbhushan Ahuja, the Delhi Prant Sanghchalak or Delhi state head of the RSS. The company has three other directors namely Ahuja's sons Bhuvan and Karan, and daughter-in-law Nidhi.

Ahujasons Shawlwale Private Ltd, a leading name in Pashmina shawls, has showrooms at Karol Bagh, Khan Market and South Extension.

When Kulbhushan Ahuja was contacted, he refused to make any statements on the ongoing IT probe. According to sources, on February 22, the officials conducted a search operation at the residence and showrooms of Ahuja in Delhi.

Following the searches, company sources said, the company agreed to surrender a part of the Rs 17 crore, Rs 6 crore under PMGKY.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 10:24 [IST]
Chandra Grahan 2022: Check the start and end timing of lunar eclipse in major cities

IRCTC update: 136 trains cancelled on Nov 08; here is the complete list

'Kejriwal ji, if my claims true, you'll resign and retire': Sukesh writes a new letter

Delhi MCD election 2017: AAP promises health cover to sanitation workers

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 12: Ahead of the MCD polls, the AAP is wooing the city's sanitation workers by promising them free protective gears like masks and gloves and a fixed deposit of Rs 50,000 to their girl child.

Party sources said the AAP manifesto for the April 23 civic polls will have a separate section for sanitation workers with a promise to address their woes, including crediting their salaries in their bank accounts by seventh of every month.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has already announced regularisation of some 30,000-40,000 contractual sanitation workers.

"We are also promising a family health insurance cover to every safai karmachari and every worker will get a cashless card for his medical and health expenses," a party leader said.

"More safai karmacharis will be hired in the MCD to ensure that the city's cleanliness is not compromised with," he said.

There are currently 55,226 permanent safai karmacharis (sanitation workers) and 30,000-40,000 contractual sanitation workers in three civic bodies of Delhi and the party is leaving no stone unturned to woo this chunk of voters in the polls where margins are expected to be wafer thin.

"We are promising them resting rooms and food at subsidised rates and better working conditions," the leader said.

PTI
Delhi MCD Election 2017: Congress intensifies campaign, to deploy 90 top leaders

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 12: To intensify its campaign in the MCD polls, the Congress has decided to deploy nearly 90 of its top leaders from Wednesday to canvass for party candidates in the civic election, to be held in Delhi on April 23.

Congress leaders, like Jairam Ramesh, Shashi Tharoor, Salman Khurshid and Girija Vyas, will take strolls early morning in different parts of Delhi to interact with people about the party's blue prints to revive the civic bodies and make the city neat and clean, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said.

Maken said that he has written letters to senior Delhi Congress leaders, including former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, for joining the party's poll campaign. The list of heavyweight campaigners also includes names of Chief Minister's of Congress-ruled states like Virbhadra Singh of Himachal Pradesh and V Narayanasamy of Puducherry.

Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said he will campaign for Congress candidates in the upcoming Delhi civic polls to woo South Indian voters settled in the national capital.

"There are over 30 lakh south Indians who have settled in the national capital and Congress is the only secular party that will protect them against a party like BJP," he told a gathering of Delhi South Indian Congress members.

The chief minister said he will campaign in areas like R K Puram, Chattarpur, Indraprastha and Mayur Vihar on April 19 and 20. According to Narayanasamy, south Indians should be elected into local bodies in Delhi to ensure their issues are addressed.

"South Indians should be given a chance to govern and slowly they should be elevated to govern in the assembly as well," he said.

The high voltage campaign will commence with former Union minister Shashi Tharoor visiting the Jahanpanah forest today to interact with morning walkers over ways to improve primary education services of the municipal corporations, Maken said.

Jairam Ramesh will visit Bhalaswa and Gazipur landfill sites on April 13 and April 16 respectively to work on Congress' promise of making Delhi "zero landfill" city, he said.

Salman Khurshid will visit Tahirpur on the morning of April 15 to talk to people on primary health services provided by the municipal corporation, Maken said.

The Congress is keenly contesting the elections for 272 wards in the three municipal corporations of Delhi and is pitted against the BJP and the AAP. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has been ruled by the BJP for the last 10 years.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 11:08 [IST]
Delhi MCD election 2017: Kejriwal demands withdrawal of 'tampered' EVMs

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 12: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday demanded withdrawal of allegedly tampered EVMs brought from Rajasthan for MCD polls and said only VVPAT equipped voting machines should be used in the elections.

In his letter to State Election Commissioner S K Srivastava, he also demanded that state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed to examine EVMs to be used in the elections.

The AAP national convener sought to know why the SEC asked for Generation 1 EVMs, which are the most "insecure" with the least security features, to conduct MCD elections.

"We are really surprised that you (Srivastava) did not ask for VVPAT machines...Recent incidents of EVM manipulations from Dholpur show that the BJP has successfully managed to tamper the code/software of EVMs in Rajasthan because the state has the BJP government and all machines are in their custody," he alleged in the letter.

Kejriwal said he strongly opposed the use of machines sourced from Rajasthan for the MCD elections.

"Why are you insisting on conducting MCD polls with Rajasthan machines when it is clear that they are tampered. We demand that all these machines should be immediately withdrawn," he added.

Kejriwal said there were around 15,000 EVMs available in the city which were sufficient to conduct the elections.

"All state and nationally recognised parties should be allowed for technical examination of the machines which are being used for the MCD elections. We also demand that the MCD elections should be held only and only with VVPAT machines," Kejriwal said.

Noting the Supreme Court has categorically said that all elections should be held with VVPAT machines, he sought to know why the commission did not make an attempt to procure the machines.

"You (Srivastava) will have to walk an extra mile to restore that faith. Else it would be very dangerous for our democracy. I hope you accept our demands as promptly as you have been accepting BJP's demands so far," he added.

He said that public faith has been seriously "eroded" in the entire electoral process and EVMs. Earlier this week, Kejriwal had hit out at the Election Commission, claiming that the poll body was acting like "Dhritarashtra" to help son "Duryodhana" (BJP) win the polls.

The AAP leader had also alleged that the Commission's only intention was to bring the BJP to power in poll-bound states and that is why it was not paying heed to his request to investigate defective EVMs.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 17:45 [IST]
Dialogue with separatists: Does it mean Atalji was anti-national? asks Yashwant Sinha

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

New Delhi, April 12: Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha on Wednesday once again stressed on the need to start a dialogue with the separatists in Jammu and Kashmir to resolve the ongoing crisis in the state.

"These days, if you talk of dialogue with separatists, then you are called an anti-national. Does it mean Atalji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) was an anti-national?" Sinha was quoted as saying by ANI.

These days,if you talk of dialogue with separatists,then you are called anti-national.Does it mean Atalji was anti-national?:Yashwant Sinha pic.twitter.com/yNhF56BsbN  ANI (@ANI_news) April 12, 2017

The former Prime Minister Vajpayee strongly supported talks between all the stakeholders, including Pakistan and separatists, to resolve the Kashmir problem. Sinha, who is also a pro-talk member, says that Pakistan is in denial mode. "For 70 years, relations have not improved. It's due to trust deficit. As long as Pakistan remains in denial, talks have no meaning," Sinha said.

Regarding the recent controversial remark made by Farooq Abdullah on stone pelters, calling them nationalists, Sinha said, "Abdullah has always been a nationalist. The bypoll campaign was on so I don't know in what context he made recent comments."

The senior BJP leader had led delegations of civil society members twice to hold talks with separatists and other stakeholders in Kashmir in the follow up of the anti-India protests in Kashmir post Burhan Wani killing last year.

The former Indian foreign minister has called for an inquiry into the circumstances under which the byelection was conducted in Srinagar-Budgam parliament constituency on April 9.

In an article on NDTV website, Sinha wrote that the circumstances under which the Election Commission went ahead with the conduct of this election should be subject of an enquiry.

He said that fortunately, good sense prevailed and the Anantnag bypoll has been postponed. "Such elections can only lead to loss of face for us before the world community. My appeal to the Election Commission is to countermand the Srinagar byelection and hold fresh elections for that seat also as and when the situation returns to normal."

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Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday

Haryana panchayat polls: Public holiday in several districts on Nov 9 and 12

Do the young have no right to speak in this country, asks Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, April 12: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday wondered if protests by students against fee hike are sedition and if the youth have no right to speak up.

His remarks came amid reports that 66 Punjab University students were booked by the Chandigarh Police on sedition charges after protesting against fee hike by the varsity.

"Now protesting against fee hike is also sedition? Do the young have no right to speak in this country?" Gandhi posted on Twitter.

Now protesting against fee hike is also sedition? Do the young have no right to speak in this country?https://t.co/pPtV61MmEa  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) 12 April 2017

The Congress leader has often raised issues concerning the youth and has expressed solidarity with student protests in various campuses across the country.

These include the protests in JNU after some students were booked for sedition and also protests in Hyderabad University following the alleged suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 19:39 [IST]
Fire reported at IIT Madras, no casualties

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

A fire broke out in the IIT Madras campus on Wednesday night in the first part of the top floor of Centre for Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research. According to reports, five fire tenders were brought in immediately and the fire has been brought under control.

It is learnt that no one has been injured so far since no one was inside the building.The fire broke out around 10pm, and fire engines from Teynampet, Guindy, Raj Bhavan and Saidapet were immediately rushed in.

According to statement released by the institute,''We thank the fire department and the fire fighters for their immediate support. The reason for the fire will be investigated."

While the reason for the fire is still unknown, reports say that the power supply in the whole campus was shut down due to the massive blaze.

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Bharat Jodo Yatra will proceed to Srinagar, come what may, says Rahul Gandhi as march enters Maharashtra

'Will resign as MLA if proven wrong': Defiant Jarkiholi defends 'Hindu' remark even as Cong slams him

Former Congress councillor joins Yogendra Yadav's Swaraj India

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Apr 12: Former Congress councillor Anand Gautam on Wednesday joined the Yogendra Yadav-led Swaraj India and will contest as its candidate from Hauz Khas ward of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Gautam had initially filed nomination as an independent candidate from ward no 62S. Interestingly, a Swaraj India candidate had also filed nomination from the same ward, but his papers got rejected.

Nomination papers of nearly 20 Swaraj India candidates were rejected by the State Election Commission due to different reasons. With Gautam initially contesting as an independent and Swaraj India losing out its candidate from the ward, both decided to join hands.

Gautam has also got 'whistle' election symbol, a common poll identification for almost 200 Swaraj India candidates, in the upcoming MCD polls.

In another development, nearly 24 office-bearers of the Delhi Congress, along with several party workers, including Rajkumar Gupta joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

Gupta was chairman of the grievance cell. Elections to the 272 seats of the MCD spanning all three civic bodies -- North Delhi, East Delhi and South Delhi municipal corporations -- will be held on April 23.

PTI
Bharat Jodo Yatra will proceed to Srinagar, come what may, says Rahul Gandhi as march enters Maharashtra

Forming govt in J&K was BJP's 'biggest mistake', says Azad

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Apr 12: The Congress on Wednesday said forming a government in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP was the BJP's 'biggest mistake' as it 'reversed' the situation in the state to the 90s and led to the current violence there.

The Congress' stinging attack on the BJP comes in the backdrop of killings of eight civilians during the April 9 bypolls in the state. Congress general secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad also charged the BJP-led NDA government with not reaching out to stakeholders in the state to ensure peace there, unlike the previous UPA government.

"It (BJP) considers forming government there as its achievement. So that it can tell the world that it formed government there. But it is not an achievement, but their biggest mistake. Due to formation of PDP-BJP government there, the state's situation, which had improved, has reversed to where we began in 1990," Azad told reporters.

Recalling that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last year said that the process of holding political dialogue with all stakeholders from Jammu and Kashmir will be initiated, the Congress leader noted no effort has been made in that direction.

"The central government has failed in winning confidence of people, taking along political parties and this is the reason why blood has flown in the bypolls," he said.

To a question, Azad said it was not appropriate for the locals to pelt stones at security personnel, particularly when they are combating militants to protect the civilians. Normalcy returned to Kashmir alley today after three days of separatist-sponsored strike against the death of eight civilians in the poll violence.

The Valley remained shut for three days after the separatists had called for a strike on the polling day on April 9 and later extended it for two days following the death of eight civilians in the election-related violence.

PTI
Pakistan passes Bill to give right of appeal to Kulbhushan Jadhav

Pakistan gives Kulbhushan Jadhav right to appeal against death sentence

Hindustan ka beta: India protests against Pakistan; demands justice for Kulbhushan Jadhav

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called former naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who is currently lodged in a Pakistani jail and has been awarded death sentence by a military court of the neighbouring country, Hindustan ka beta (son of the soil). The Centre assured that all measures will be taken to release Jadhav from Pakistani confinement.

While politicians belonging to various parties stood united to save Jadhav from the gallows, the citizens of India came out on the streets on Tuesday to protest against Pakistani government's high-handedness in awarding death penalty to an innocent Indian, who has been falsely labelled as a spy.

Here are some of the images, captured by news agency PTI, depicting the anger and anguish of protesters from various parts of the country:

Save our friend, Jadhav This is a file photo of former Indian naval officer Jadhav. The 46-year-old took early retirement from Navy and was running a business in Mumbai. His friends in Mumbai have started a campaign to save Jadhav. Picture credit: PTI Pakistan, give justice to Jadhav Lok Janshakti Party activists protest against death sentence to Jadhav by Pakistani military court in Patna on Tuesday. Picture credit: PTI United we stand to save Jadhav Muslim students and teachers protesting against Pakistani military court's death sentence to Jadhav at the Islamic Centre of India in Lucknow on Tuesday. Picture credit: PTI Jadhav is innocent, cry children Girls display painting of former Indian naval officer Jadhav, demanding his release from Pakistani jail, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Picture credit: PTI Pakistan is murdering Jadhav Congress activists protest against Pakistan, shouting slogans against the neighbouring country, in Mumbai on Tuesday. Picture credit: PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 7:27 [IST]
History made as SC orders closure of mobile tower on cancer patient's plea

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A domestic help from Gwalior got justice before the Supreme Court after his plea to shut down a mobile tower on the ground that he got cancer because of it was allowed. Harish Chand Tiwari moved a petition in the Supreme Court stating that the electromagnetic radiation from the tower afflicted him with cancer.

He said that a BSNL tower was illegally installed at the house of a neighbour in 2002., This exposed him to harmful radiation, he said. The radiation from the tower which is less than 50 metres from the house where he works afflicted him with Hodgkin's Lymphoma caused by continuous and prolonged exposure to radiation, he stated in his petition.

The court while seeing reason with his petition ordered that the tower be de-activated within seven days. Incidentally this is the first time that a tower is being shut down on a petition by an individual. The order vindicates the stand taken by activists about the harmful rays. The government had however contended that there was no evidence to show that mobile towers generate harmful radiation.

The order could set a precedent. Activists have been complaining for long that no checks and balances are in place while installing mobile towers. The radiation that it generates has also affected nature badly and is one of the primary reasons for several birds to vanish.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 7:09 [IST]
Woman, her two children mowed down by train; Suicide not ruled out

I blame him and police for my death, said a girl in her suicide note

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

New Delhi: A 21-year-old girl student committed suicide by hanging herself to the ceiling fan in north Delhi's Chandrawal area. The girl who came to Delhi from Madhya Pradesh was pursuing B Com in a private University.

According to reports, the girl took the extreme step after her ex-boyfriend allegedly threatened to upload her private pictures online.

According to the top police official, he said that the incident came to light after police found a suicide note at her residence. In her note, she blamed her ex-boyfriend for her death and also accused Model Town police station of not taking her complaint seriously, The girl said that the police staff at the northwest Delhi are equally responsible for her death.

He added that after the incident on April 8, the police had registered a case under abetment to suicide against the accused, who is believed to be from Patna of Bihar. A team of police had gone to Patna to nab him.

The police official also said that strict action will be taken against the police department if the allegations made by the girl are true.

The police official said that the girl fell in love with the accused when she was pursuing her B com. The both is believed to be in the relationship for three years. the duo said to be living nearby places. After a few years, they both planned to get married. later they broke up.

The officer said that the parents of the both did not agree to their marriage proposal after which the boy asked the girl to go with him to Patna.

The girl who disagreed with the boy went back to her parents after he started threatening to post her private photos online if she doesn't mend her ways.

The suicide note left by the girl clearly shows how the boy had harassed her to leave her parents to go with him to Patna.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 15:58 [IST]
India cares: Pakistani spy too scared to go home; trusts Indian justice system

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

Bhopal, April 12: At a time when tension between India and Pakistan has accelerated due to the death penalty awarded to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a military court in Pakistan, a Pakistani spy, who has served a jail term in India, says he is too scared to go back home (Pakistan).

Meet Pakistani spy, Sajeed Muneer, who served 12 years jail term in Bhopal jail, but now says he is too scared to go back to his home country as he feels Pakistani authorities might kill him.

Revealing details about Muneer, Rajesh Bhadoria, Superintendent of Police, Bhopal, told ANI, "Muneer is afraid to go back to Pakistan as he fears he might be killed there. He says he trusts Indian justice system more."

Thus Bhopal Police is taking care of the Pakistani spy for 10 months now and paying for his daily necessities, reveals Bhadoria. The worst part is that even after his release from jail in 2016, Pakistani authorities refused to accept Muneer as one of their own citizens.

"Muneer was jailed for 12 years, but after his release Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian government," said Bhadoria.

At a time when Pakistan is hell bent on killing an innocent Indian by labelling Jadhav as a spy, the Indian government by taking care of Muneer shows as how 'love and mercy' go a long way in bridging distances between two hostile neighbours.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 8:58 [IST]
India must ask for copy of judgement on Jadhav: Ram Jethmalani

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

New Delhi, April 12: India must seek from Pakistan a copy of the judgement awarding death sentence to former navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav so the grounds on which he has been convicted is known, noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani has said.

"We want to know whether the sentence is right, and right as in, whether the conviction is right, then the question comes of what kind of punishment for that. "Suppose he has been convicted on stupid evidence, then that makes a much stronger case for India," he told a news agency.

The eminent criminal lawyer was speaking on the sidelines of a conference on 'Improving Indo-Pak Relations' at the India International Centre (IIC) which was also attended by Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit, its former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.

At the end of the conference on Tuesday night, commotion prevailed briefly at the venue, as several members of the media mobbed Basit and Kasuri with a volley of questions, against the backdrop of widespread outrage in India over the death penalty to 46-year-old former officer on charges of alleged "espionage and sabotage" activities.

"Reactions are flying thick and fast from every side, and media is also reacting to it strongly. But, one must know on what evidence he has been convicted, first of all. I should read what is the charge and what is the evidence on which they (Pakistan) have acted, and why this death sentence. Death sentence is justified only in those cases in which you cannot imagine a more serious offence, that is the law, as far as I can see," Jethmalani said.

The 93-year-old lawyer, who was born in Sindh province (now in Pakistan) of undivided India also urged media to exercise restraint while asserting both the countries must continue to engage peacefully to resolve outstanding issues.

"Today people are giving opinions on the case (Jadhav's) without reading the judgement. I have not read it, and I do not want to aggravate the situation. But, whole press seeking opinions, have they read the judgement, nobody. We have made our stand, but we want to see the judgement. So, we (India) must ask from Pakistan the certified copy of the judgement.. Before we burn bridges, we need to think properly," he said.

Asked if Pakistan would be willing to share the copy of the order, he said, "Have we asked for it, that it has not been given."

Former chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) A S Dulat described the situation as "crazy". "The whole episode surrounding Jadhav's case is so crazy. I wonder if Pakistan would be willing to share anything," he said on the sidelines of the event.

Dulat ran into Kasuri while he was entering the conference hall and left soon thereafter, after exchanging pleasantries.

During the event, some reporters had posed questions to Kasuri and Basit on the raging issue of death sentence awarded to Jadhav by a Pakistani military court. But both of them declined to answer.

Surrounded by a battery of reporters and camera-persons, Kasuri only said, "Even many civilians in Pakistan have been tried by military courts."

During his talk at the conference, Pakistan's foreign minister said, both sides must not allow things to drift away and that it is in Islamabad's interest to have good relations with India. At the same time, he admitted that things between the two neighbours are not looking good.

"Relationship is not normal right now. Rhetoric not particularly good on either side of the border. I must admit I was initially hesitant, but it is these times that we must persist and talk about peace," he said.

India has warned Pakistan of the "consequences" of Jadhav's hanging could have on their ties and vowed to go "out of the way" to save him amid pervasive outrage in the country.

PTI

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 19:05 [IST]
Mehbooba Mufti gets notice to vacate official bungalow 'meant for J&K CMs'

Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India

AAP "merely a party of UT Delhi", only Cong can challenge BJP in Gujarat, HP: Azad

J-K: Separatists call for shutdown ahead of Budgam repolling

India

pti-PTI

Srinagar, Apr 12: Separatists on Wednesday called for shutdown in areas of Budgam district in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency where repolling is re-scheduled to be held on Thursday.

"Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik have called for shutdown in poll-bound areas on April 13," the separatist groups said in a joint statement.

They said the main motive behind re-polling is to increase the voting percentage through "rigging and by using bogus voters".

Re-polling was ordered at 38 polling stations under the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, where bye-polls on April 9 saw large-scale violence, in which eight protestors were killed, and a very low turnout of 7.14 per cent.

In widespread clashes with security forces, protesters tried to storm polling stations soon after voting started at 7am. Responding to the call given by Hurriyat leaders to boycott the polls, youths even tried to set ablaze booths in some areas by hurling petrol bombs.

Budgam district, where six youths died in firing by security personnel, was the worst affected. Most of those killed were teenagers

PTI
Jadavpur University denounces moral policing in campus

India

pti-PTI

Kolkata, Apr 12: The students and authorities of Jadavpur University on Wednesday unanimously resolved to condemn the issue of moral policing inside campus.

"All stakeholders unanimously denounced the issue of moral policing inside the campus and decided to maintain the atmosphere of free thinking for which Jadavpur University is known for," University Registrar Pradip Ghosh told reporters.

"The meeting condemned moral policing and observed that no one has the right to take law in their hands," University Vice-Chancellor Prof Suranjan Das said. Members of Arts Faculty Students' Union were alleging for the past two weeks that some people were spotting students seated in different parts of the campus during afternoon hours and asking them not to sit together.

AFSU general secretary Debraj Debnath and executive committee member Somasree Choudhury alleged the trend of moral policing had started after the results of Assembly elections in some states, including UP, were out.

Asked who they suspected were involved in moral policing, outsiders or students, Registrar Ghosh said "They have not yet been identified." He said the meeting also decided to ensure that the framed rules of the campus were followed by everyone and the student representatives responded positively to the suggestion of preventing any unlawful activities in the campus by conducting workshops in coordination with the teachers.

"There will be a sensitisation campaign with help from students to stop any illegal activity from this month. It was the idea of students and we will back their initiative," the VC said. The AFSU leaders said "The meeting condemned moral policing, which we think is another form of anti-romeo squad we see in UP and everybody decided to stop this trend."

"And so far sensitisation is concerned on stopping any illegal activities in the campus (including allegations of consumption of banned substances), this might be the handiwork of some outsiders. We will discuss the issue with all students and decide what can be done," AFSU representatives present at the meeting, said.

PTI
Jadhav's death sentence was preemptive Pak action to cover their spy

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Lt Colonel Muhammad Habib Zahir was part of the team that nabbed Kulbhushan Jadhav. He is today suspected to be in Indian custody. The Indian agencies were on the trail of Zahir for long. Today sources say that the death sentence awarded to Jadhav may be linked to the disappearance of Zahir.

It is interesting to note that the moment the Pakistanis learnt about the disappearance of Zahir, the announcement regarding the sentence of Jadhav was made. Indian officials suspect that Pakistan did not want the news of Zahir to become public and hence the action against Jadhav was taken.

Zahir had retired from the Pakistan Army in 2014. After that he was engaged by the ISI for some operations. He was part of the team which arrested Jadhav. Zahir was lured into Nepal after a call from a UK phone number was made to him. The caller promised him of a big catch. On April 2 Zahir arrived in Nepal and reached Nepal the next day. He was then handed over a SIM card at Bhairawa. This he was told was to be used to speak to the point person who would give him the further lead.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 17:32 [IST]
Kerala Piravi: How God's own country was formed 66 years ago

I will break your legs: SFI issues threat to principal in presence of cops in Kerala

Transfer of Kerala judge due to remarks on womens attire, WhatsApp text

'If I have nominated even one person using authority, I'll resign': Kerala governor on VC row

Kerala intelligence chief goofs up, fails to recognise minister

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Thiruvananthapuram, April 12: Kerala intelligence chief B S Mohammed Yasin on Wednesday found himself in an embarrassing situation when he mistook a state minister for the latter's Cabinet colleague.

Yasin, an Additional Director General of Police, went to Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan's residence at around 7.30 a.m. and as the minister came out to meet him, the senior IPS officer asked if he was Agriculture Minister Sunil Kumar.

A baffled minister then asked a staff member to guide Yasin to the residence of his party and Cabinet colleague Sunil Kumar.

Confirming the goof-up, the Revenue Minister told reporters that such a mistake should not have occurred, especially on part of a senior intelligence officer.

State Police chief Loknath Behra assured of action in the case after a probe.

IANS

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 16:59 [IST]
I will break your legs: SFI issues threat to principal in presence of cops in Kerala

'If I have nominated even one person using authority, I'll resign': Kerala governor on VC row

Kerala: Man killed sister, parents to separate bodies from soul

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia Staff Writer

I killed my parents and sister to separate their souls from their bodies, claimed a man from Kerala. It was an experiment, I conducted to detach their souls from their bodies, Cadell Jeansen Raja told the police while describing the concept as Astral projection. The police are however not ready to buy this version as yet.

However, the police are not ready to take this version completely. It was after twelve hours of interrogation that Cadell has admitted to the crime.

Meanwhile a top police official said that the 30 year old will be interrogated further after being observed closely by senior psychiatrists as the convict exhibits varied character syndromes.

"He has admitted to the crime. But his behavioral patterns seems changing from time to time and that's why we need the help of a psychiatrist to find the correct version", the police said.

The brutal incident came to light during the early hours of Sunday when the neighbors had informed the police and fire officials that smoke was emanating from the house. After the fire was extinguished, the police recovered the four bodies. The bodies were charred beyond recognition and according to police were three days old.

Cadell was arrested by the railway police force on Monday evening from the first platform of the Trivandrum railway station during his arrival from Chennai. The victims were Cadell's mother and a retired cardiologist Dr.Jean Padma, his father and a retired history professor Raja thangam, his sister Caroline and Padma's Aunt Lalitha Jain.

Cadell was working as an animator for an Australian company after his unsuccessful attempts to clear medical and engineering in overseas universities.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 6:54 [IST]
Chandra Grahan 2022: Check the start and end timing of lunar eclipse in major cities

IRCTC update: 136 trains cancelled on Nov 08; here is the complete list

'Kejriwal ji, if my claims true, you'll resign and retire': Sukesh writes a new letter

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan's book 'Matoshree' released

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

New Delhi, April 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday released a book 'Matoshree', based on life of Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar, authored by the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

After the release, a play based on the book was staged at Balayogi Auditorium in the Parliament Library Building with the Prime Minister, several Union ministers and MPs in attendance. Mahajan said she had written the play more than 35 years ago as a volunteer of the Rashtriya Sevika Samiti, women's wing of the RSS.

Mahajan, the Lok Sabha MP from Indore, said through the play, she wanted to show "an Indian way of good administration". Ahilyabai, the daughter-in-law of Maratha chieftain Malhar Rao Holkar, was the Queen of Indore from 1767 to 1795.

Here are the images of the book release of the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan:

PM Narendra Modi releases the book "Matoshree" authored by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan "I have written the book but I am not a writer," the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said while welcoming the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Members of Parliament at a function. PM Narendra Modi releases the book "Matoshree" "I wrote the play and it was staged in Indore and other places but I never wanted it to be published as it could have had discrepancies," the Lok Sabha Speaker said. PM Narendra Modi interacts with Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Sumitra Mahajan said that her friends insisted on its publication and a historian friend from Indore checked it and got it printed. PM Narendra Modi greets senior BJP leader LK Advani PM Modi, his Cabinet Ministers and MPs including L K Advani, sat in an auditorium at Parliament premises to enjoy the play on the life of Maratha Queen Ahilyabai Holkar after the book was released.

Organised by Avirat, an Indore-based group active in Marathi and Hindi theatre, the play was directed by Rajan Deshmukh.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 13:40 [IST]
'Not part of it': Veerappa Moily distances himself from 'G-23' Jammu meet

Miffed by EVM remarks, Congress top brass summons Moily

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Former union minister Veerappa Moily was on Wednesday reportedly summoned by the Congress top brass for his remarks slamming his party for jumping on the bandwagon to oppose EVMs.

Moily earlier criticised his party for demanding that the use of Electronic Voting Machines be stopped and asking for ballot papers to be reintroduced in upcoming elections, said reports.

He had said that it was wrong to back some regional parties who are blaming the EVMs for their dismal performance in the assembly polls.

[Veerappa Moily defends EVMs, says Congress' decision to oppose it is defeatist]

Moily further dubbed such demands as 'defeatist' mindset and urged the Congress to not join the "populist sway of regional outfits."

Moily was also quoted as saying that the party did not consult anyone before deciding to join the group of political parties opposing the EVM.

Around 16 opposition parties, including the Congress, AAP and BSP, had approached the Election Commission to conduct the future elections using the ballot papers.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram had, however, said that the Election Commission should not reject the claims of the political parties and re-examine its position.

The parties are demanding that the EC dispel the apprehensions they have and reassure the people of the country and voters on the serious issue. The opposition parties observed that free and fair elections are the basic founding blocks on which the entire edifice of the country has been maintained.

OneIndia News
The joy of our lives: Sushma Swaraj's husband warm birthday wishes for late leader

Remembering Sushma Swaraj on her death anniversary: Facts about Iron Lady of India

Mischief planted, says Sushma on Tharoor being asked to prepare Jadhav report

India

oi-Madhuri

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday dismissed reports that she asked Congress MP Shashi Tharoor to draft a resolution that will be adopted by both houses against Pakistan over the death sentence given to Kulbhushan Jadhav.

The news was completely false and mischievously planted in the media. https://t.co/saNGa6xB3c  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 12, 2017

There is no dearth of talent in my ministry. I have the assistance of very able Secretaries. https://t.co/JH1wVAczLz  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 11, 2017

''The news was completely false and mischievously planted in the media. There is no dearth of talent in my ministry. I have the assistance of very able Secretaries," Swaraj tweeted.

Sources had earlier in the day said the minister made a statement today in both houses warning Pakistan over the death sentence and requested Tharoor to help draft the resolution to be adopted in both houses.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked Tharoor to draft a statement condemning Pakistan for freeing Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, a key plotter of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Earlier, Home Minister Rajnath Singh assured Lok Sabha that the government will do everything possible to get justice for Jadhav.

OneIndia News
Money laundering case: Satyendra Jain dares CBI to arrest him

India

oi-Preeti Panwar

New Delhi, April 12: Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Tuesday said the charges had "no merits" and dared the CBI to arrest him, shortly after the agency initiated a preliminary enquiry against him, for allegedly laundering Rs 16 crore, giving a fresh blow to the Aam Admi Party as it prepares for the MCD elections in the national capital.

Jain had himself dismissed the allegations after Income Tax had last month attached properties linked to him in the matter. Although the minister had "technically" resigned as Director from these firms before 2013 assembly polls, in which AAP made anti-corruption a major election plank, he still controlled their operations, it is alleged.

Reacting to the development, Jain dubbed the probe ahead of MCD polls as "politically motivated" and said there were "no merits" in the allegations against him, daring the agency to arrest him.

"All this is expected. The matter was raised before the Punjab polls. After three months, they are doing it again ahead of the MCD polls, he told reporters here. The Delhi government has started providing health care free of cost to people. No other government in the country provides free medicines and free diagnostic tests, irrespective of the cost and this has "affected" the politicians and pressure groups, he claimed.

"I have earned all my income with my hard work and I have been a tax payer for decades. I am not afraid of any probe about my income details, nor am I scared of any political vendetta," Jain further said.

He had said he was a professional architect with a practice of nearly 25 years. Jain had said he had made investments of around Rs 51 lakh between the years 2007 and 2012 in few Pvt Ltd companies. He had said that since he did not want the conflict of interest, he "resigned" from the boards of companies in which he was a director within 10 days of getting the AAP ticket to contest Delhi Assembly polls in 2013.

"Within 10 days of getting ticket, I resigned on 31st July 2013 from the boards of companies in which I was a director. I had taken this decision since I was entering politics and I did not want any conflict of interest," he had said. The Minister had said he has not been associated since 31 July, 2013 with any of the companies and he failed to understand how his name was dragged with regard to investment value of the land etc.

Allegation against Jain is politically motivated: AAP

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's government immediately rejected the allegation as "politically motivated" and was a "defamatory, malicious and desperate" attempt to malign Jain's image ahead of MCD polls.

An AAP government source said, "It is defamatory, malicious and desperate attempt to malign Jain's image ahead of MCD polls."

The source noted that before coming into politics, Jain, being a professional architect, had invested Rs 50 lakh in various companies between 2007 and 2012. Jain had also showed all his investment in his income tax return.

"Such allegations are politically motivated. In July 2013, he had given up directorship in all companies before joining politics," said the source.

Allegations against Jain

Jain was allegedly involved in laundering Rs 11.78 crore during 2010-12 through Prayas Info Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Akinchan Developers Pvt. Ltd., Managalyatan Projects Pvt. Ltd. and Indometal Impex Pvt. Ltd., CBI sources claimed citing the contents of the Preliminary Enquiry (PE).

Jain is also alleged to have been involved in laundering Rs 4.63 crore while being a public servant during 2015-16 through three of these companies, the sources said.

It is alleged that Jain used the ill-gotten money for purchasing agriculture land worth Rs 27.69 crore in Delhi in the name of companies controlled by him. Jain as Minister in Delhi Government was allegedly using his influence in trying to convert the agriculture land into residential land.

According to the PE, Jain allegedly gave Rs 11.78 crore , in cash, through his employees and associates to some Kolkata-based entry operators of shell companies for providing "accommodation entries" in his favour, they said.

Entry operators are agents who launder and route black money using normal banking channels without coming under scanner of banking regulators. The money was routed back by the entry operators in the form of investment in shares of the companies which were controlled by Jain at nearly 60 times their actual prices, it is alleged.

Shares worth Rs 10 in these companies were allegedly purchased at Rs 590 by the entry operators as investment in companies allegedly controlled by Jain. It is alleged that these companies did not have any business activity during the period of funding so as to attract such huge funding in the form of share capital and share premium.

The money received back in the form of investment in shares was allegedly used by Jain for purchasing the agriculture land. Last month, Income Tax department had attached 'benami assets' allegedly linked to Jain in a case of illegal routing of undisclosed funds probed by it. After the attachment, Jain had issued a statement denying the allegations against him.

The CBI has acted on a reference from the Income Tax department which was probing the matter under new benami prohibition law. The Benami Transactions Act carries a maximum punishment of up to seven years rigorous imprisonment and a hefty penalty, and violators could also stand to be charged under the Income Tax Act, 1961.

A preliminary enquiry is the first step by the CBI to gather information about the allegations. If the agency is convinced that there exists prima facie material in the matter, it may register a regular case against the accused.

[Also Read: Money laundering case: Preliminary inquiry against Satyendra Jain]

CBI's enquiry, a fresh blow to AAP

The Kejriwal-led AAP is the main contender in Municipal Corporation elections, due for April 23, along with the BJP and the Congress and is hoping to wrest the three corporations from the saffron party which has been controlling them for last 10 years.

However, the CBI action against Jain will further embarrass the AAP which faced criticism after the Shunglu committee recently pointed out "gross abuse of power" by its government. Latching onto the committee's report, the opposition has accused Kejriwal government of failing to deliver on its main plank of fighting corruption.

OneIndia News

(With PTI inputs)
MP fat-shamed police officer loses 15kg weight, resumes duty

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Bhopal: Daulatram Jogawat, a Madhya Pradesh police officer resumed his duty 3 days ago after he was mocked by socialist Shobha De on February 21 as she posted his photograph with a caption "Heavy police bandobast in Mumbai today". He has lost over 15kg in a month.

Jogawat, who reacted to the statement saying that it was due medical complications that he was overweight but not because of overeating.

Many hospitals reached out to the police officer to treat him and among that Saifee Hospital offered free of cost Laparoscopic Banded Roux en Y Gastric Bypass surgery for the officer. The Neemuch-based officer said that he is fit and fine now and was doing the regular exercise as advised by the doctors. My health is also improved and I have losing weight, said the police officer who weighted more the 182kgs before Shobhaa De's tweet.

Dr Muffazal Lakdawala said that the recovery of the officer is spectacular and he might lose 100 kgs by the end of 18 months.

Not forgetting Shobhaa De's mock, the police officer in March has thanked her for the tweet that helped him to get treatment from the best hospitals.

OneIndia News
My father is a martyr, but, I am not your Martyrs Daughter: Gurmehar Kaur

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

She was trolled and criticised for her remarks on the Kargil war. Gurmehar Kaur had kicked up a debate after she said that war and not Pakistan had killed her father. After a month's silence, Guremehar has taken to her blog to write, " My father is a martyr. I am his daughter. But, I am not your 'Martyr's Daughter'," she wrote.

"That girl you saw flashing all over your television screens, holding a placard in hand, eyebrows raised, gaze fixed at the tiny round lens of a cellphone camera, definitely looked like me. The intensity of her thoughts that reflected in the picture definitely had traces of me.

The post titled, " Who am I," says, "A question, I could've answered without any inhibitions or a trace of wariness in my standard cheerful tone only a few weeks ago. Now, I'm not so sure."

Am I who the trolls think I am?

Am I what the media portrayed me as?

Am I what those celebrities think of me?

"No, I can't be any of that. That girl you saw flashing all over your television screens, holding a placard in hand, eyebrows raised, gaze fixed at the tiny round lens of a cellphone camera, definitely looked like me. The intensity of her thoughts that reflected in the picture definitely had traces of me. She looked fiery, I relate to that but then the 'Breaking news headlines' told a different story. The headlines were not me."

"I'm my father's daughter. I'm my Papa's Gulgul. I'm his doll. I'm a 2-year-old artist who did not understand words but understood stick figures, which he drew in letters addressed to me. I'm my mother's headache, her opinionated, reckless, moody child- a reflection of her. I'm my sister's guide to pop culture and her sparring partner before the big matches.

I'm also the girl who sits on the first bench during lectures with intentions of interrupting the teacher and starting fiery debates on everything and anything, just because literature is more fun that way. My friends' sort-of-kind-of like me, I'm hoping. They say my humor is dry but works on certain days (I can live with that). Books and Poetry are my solace.

A bibliophile, the library at home is over flooding, and my biggest concern for the last few months has been on how to convince Mom to let me shift her lamps and picture frames to create another shelf."

"I'm an idealist. An athlete. A peacenik. I'm not your angry, vindictive war mongering bechari you hoped me to be. I don't want war because I know its price; it's very expensive. Trust me I know better because I've paid it everyday. Still do. There is no bill for it, maybe if there was, some wouldn't hate me so much. Numbers make it more believable."

"My father's a martyr but I don't know him as that. I know him as the man who wore big cargo jackets with pockets full of sweets, whose stubble scratched my nose every time he kissed my forehead, teacher who taught me how to sip from a straw and introduced me to chewing gum. I know him as my father. I also know him as the shoulder my tiny self clung to extremely tightly hoping if I held him strongly enough he won't go. He went. He just didn't come back.

My father is a martyr. I'm his daughter. But. I am not your "Martyr's Daughter".

Gurmehar's blog post can be read here:

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 7:19 [IST]
My party-BJP have different ideologies but common aim of uplifting poor: Nepal ex-PM Prachanda

Former Nepal PM says removed from office for including Kalapani

Nepalese infant with rare liver tumour is cancer free in 3 months

Nepal President on a five-day visit to India from April 17

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

New Delhi, April 12: Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will pay an official visit to India from April 17 to 21, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday.

This will the first state visit of Bhandari to India after she assumed office in October 2015.

During the visit, Bhandari will meet President Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Union ministers will also call on President Bhandari.

Besides official engagements in New Delhi, the Nepal President will be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May last year but then Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli cancelled the visit at the last moment.

The then Nepal cabinet cancelled the visit following political upheaval in the Himalayan nation when Oli's government was nearly toppled by its Maoist ally.

"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," said sources from External Affairs Ministry.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 14:26 [IST]
Pak spy goes missing in Nepal and Jadhav gets a death sentence

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

While the death sentence awarded to former Indian naval officer, Kulbhushan Jadhav continues to be debated, official sources say that this may be part of a larger ploy. Pakistan may have taken this decision to get India to the talking table after one of their officers went missing.

In Pakistan, the family of Lt. Colonel Muhammad Zahir told the media that they suspect that he was taken away by the Indian agencies. He had landed in Kathmandu, Nepal looking for a job last week and has been missing since.

India has repeatedly maintained that Jadhav was not a spy. India says that his arrest was wrong and the evidence mounted by Pakistan was false. Jadhav was a businessman after he quit the Indian Navy, officials have been maintaining.

Pakistan suspects that India was behind the disappearance of Zahir. The sentencing of Jadhav looks more like a pre-emptive measure by Pakistan. They feel that we may make revelations about Zahir and hence the sentencing of Jadhav is more of a pre-emptive move, a official said. However the official also added that India had nothing to do with the disappearance of Zahir.

Zahir had landed in Kathmandu on April 6 after he was called for an interview by a company. He had landed in Nepal and was received by a man called Javed Ansari. Since then he has gone missing, a FIR registered says. He retired from the Pakistan army in 2014 and since then has been looking for a job. Indian officials say that they have no idea about his whereabouts.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 7:38 [IST]
Pakistan passes Bill to give right of appeal to Kulbhushan Jadhav

Pakistan gives Kulbhushan Jadhav right to appeal against death sentence

Pakistan says no concession to Kulbhushan Jadhav, has only 60 days to appeal

India

oi-Madhuri

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif on Wendesday said that there will be no extension to Kulbhushan Jadhav who worked against spreading terrorism in Pakistan. He also said that he has only 60 days to appeal against the death sentence.

"Whether the enemies come from across the border or within Pakistan, they will receive punishment," Asif said while addressing a senate session.

He also said that the case alleged spy Kulbhushan Jadhav has been under way since the last three and a half months.

Pakistan on Monday sentenced Kulbhushan Jadhav to death for carrying out espionage and sabotage activities in Balochistan and Karachi.

Earlier on Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj warned Pakistan of dire consequences if it proceeds with the death sentence of Kulbhushan Jadhav without a fair trial.

Also, in retaliation to Pakistan military court's decision India has decided not to release Pakistani prisoners.

OneIndia News
Great tolerance, the CBI is sitting idle in Goa says its SP

Parrikar inducts 2 former Congressmen in Cabinet

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

Panaji: After the two Congressmen joined BJP recently, the Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday inducted the duo as cabinet ministers.

Mauvin Godinho and Viswajit Rane, the newly appointed ministers were administered the oaths of office by Governor Mridula Sinha.

It may be recalled that Rane resigned from Congress and as MLA on the day of floor test in the state assembly on March 16. Later he joined BJP after a few weeks.

While Mauvin had switched loyalty to BJP before assembly polls in February.

Now the Parrikar cabinet includes five ministers from the BJP including the chief minister, three from the Goa Forward, two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and two other independents.

Speaking to media corps, the chief minister said that the portfolios to the newly oath taken ministers would be allotted within a week.

The BJP formed a government in Goa after it formed an alliance with the local parties. BJP had won 13 seats. Congress which won 17 seats was hapless to form the government.

Drugs and late night parties:

Earlier in the day, Parrikar said that clear instructions given to the police department to crack down the drug trades, prostitution and illegal gambling business. He said that anyone found involved would be punished as per law.

Earlier on March 22, two days before the budget session in Goa assembly, the chief minister had warned the police and the government employees on few things. Parrikar had asked the police department to crack down the drug trade and late night parties in the state.

Speaking to the media, he said that the police were directed to act strictly on late night parties and the trafficking or sale of drugs in Goa. He also directed the police to take stringent action after investigating cases relating to women. He also asked the police to keep a strict watch on those persons forcing women into prostitution.

OneIndia News
Proud to be an Indian says Bhatkal man acquitted in terror case

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

I am proud to be an Indian is what this person from Bhatkal who was acquitted of terror charges had to say. Maulana Shabbir Gangawali Nadvi was acquitted by a Mangaluru court on Monday in connection with a terror case. He said that he had been picked up only because he is a resident of Bhatkal and was a moulana.

I underwent torture in jail for 8 years and now I have been acquitted and declared innocent, he said. I have full faith in the judicial system and the legal process. I am proud to be an Indian, he further added.

He further said that he has nothing to do with the Indian Mujahideen and terror related activities. I was arrested on a false charge of possessing counterfeit currency. When the police could not find any evidence against me in connection with the terror case, they implicated me in a fake currency case. I have appealed against this, he also said.

OneIndia News
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'It's an affront to sacred institution of Parliament': Congress on ED summoning Kharge

Shortage of 9,000 officers in Indian Army: Rajya Sabha informed

India

oi-Gulam Rabbani

New Delhi: Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre on Tuesday informed the Rajya Sabha that there is a shortage of 7,986 officers in the Indian Army and 1,256 in the Navy as of January.

In a written reply in the upper house, the minister said that there is no shortage in the India Air Force till date.

He added that there is also a shortage of 25,472 Junior Commissioned Officers in the Army, against which 78,205 recruits are undergoing training. "As such, there is no significant problem of shortage in Other Ranks in the Army," the minister said.

Bhamre also said that the shortage at the JCO-equivalent ranks is 12,785 in the Navy and 13,614 in the IAF.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 10:57 [IST]
No one has guts...: Junior defence minister's reply to China question

Twitter down as several users report login issues on website

Talented, driven and great potential: President Putin is all praise for India and Indians

Sushma Swaraj thanks Somalia for rescuing Indian nationals held by pirates

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Apr 12: India tonight thanked Somalia for rescuing 10 Indians working as crew on a commercial vessel hijacked by pirates.

"I am happy to inform that 10 Indian nationals working as crew on MV AL Kausar which was hijacked by pirates have been rescued," External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted.

"We thank Federal Government of Somalia, Galmudug state authorities and people of Somalia for their help and cooperation," she said.

Swaraj also thanked India's High Commissioner in Kenya Suchitra Durai for her efforts in securing the release of the Indians. Somalia security forces on Wednesday freed eight Indian sailors who had been taken ashore by pirates after they were chased off the hijacked Indian ship earlier this week.

Pirates stormed the "Al Kausar" ship off the Indian Ocean coast near Yemen on March 31, holding the 10-man crew hostage. Somali security forces liberated the vessel on Monday, rescuing two Indian crew members, but the pirates were able to escape with the rest of the hostages.

PTI
Ultimate restraint by our Jawan: Kicked by Kashmir youth, he just walks away

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

Our Jawans have been instructed to show restraint in Jammu and Kashmir even as stone pelters and jihadis make merry. That is exactly what a jawan in the CRPF did. He was retreating from a polling booth in Srinagar when he was kicked in the shin by a civilian.

He showed amazing restraint as he looked and continued to walk. Let us salute this man and also hang our heads down in shame as we see some of our own country men resorting to such tactics after being provoked by Pakistan.

After being kicked in the shin, the jawan's helmet fell down. He just picked it up and continued to walk. The incident comes just a week after the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi said in Jammu and Kashmir that the youth must shun violence.

Stone pelters have come in large numbers on to the streets and made the lives of security personnel hell. Security personnel in self defence have been using the pellet guns, but that too has kicked off a national discourse. Many feel that the pellet guns have scarred the lives of several youth who have been hit in the eye. Indian Army personnel and other security forces have said that it is a necessary weapon as the stone pelters are relentless. Security personnel have also argued that the pellet guns are not lethal.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 7:51 [IST]
Warrant against Zakir Naik: Order on Thursday

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A special court has reserved its order on whether to issue a non-bailable warrant against Dr Zakir Naik or not. The order is likely to be passed on Thursday.

On Tuesday the Enforcement Directorate had moved the court seeking issuance of a non-bailable warrant against controversial against controversial Islamic preachers Dr Zakir Naik. The application was moved in the Special Prevention of Money Laundering Court in Mumbai.

Dr Zakir Naik is currently away in Saudi Arabia and has not responded to the summons issued by the ED. It may be recalled that the the National Investigation Agency has issued yet another summons to controversial Islamic preacher, Dr Zakir Naik. Incidentally this was the third summons in the past two months and Naik has been told to appear before the agency on April 17.

Naik suspected to be in Saudi Arabia has dodged the summons issued to him on previous occasions. The NIA had earlier rejected his request to depose through video conferencing while stating that since the charges were serious, the option could not be granted.

Naik had left India and has been living in Saudi Arabia for the past ten months. He has been repeatedly asked by the NIA to join the probe. He had been told to appear before the NIA on March 14 and when he refused to do so, the agency had given him another date on March 30.

The NIA now plans on moving the court to seek a warrant against him. The warrant would be served on him through the ministry for home and external affairs. If he fails to turn up, then the extradition process against him would begin, NIA sources say.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 12:15 [IST]
Yogi Adityanath's big bureaucracy shake up, 20 IAS officers transferred

India

oi-Anusha

A day after his government's second cabinet meet, Yogi Adityanath initiated a major bureaucratic reshuffle in Uttar Pradesh. 20 IAS officers including Principal Secretary of Information, Navneet Sehgal were transferred on Wednesday. All officials transferred on Wednesday were appointed to their posts in the previous Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi party government.

Out of the 20 senior bureaucrats, Navneet Sehgal, who is said to have wielded considerable influence in the Akhilesh Yadav government, also held the charge of Religious Affairs, Information and Tourism.

Apart from the above-mentioned departments, the former Principal secretary of information was also the CEO of Uttar Pradesh Industrial Development Authority, the State Highway Authority and carried out duties as Additional Resident Commissioner, New Delhi.

After managing multiple posts, the senior IAS officer has been put on the waitlist, according to a Uttar Pradesh government release. Avanish Kumar Awasthi will replace Sehgal and has been given charge of all departments that were previously with Sehgal. He is a Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer who was on the waitlist after he was relieved from the Centre.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 16:29 [IST]
'Kantara' leads to debate on if 'Bhootha Kola' ritual part of Hindu culture

'Will resign as MLA if proven wrong': Defiant Jarkiholi defends 'Hindu' remark even as Cong slams him

Yogi's Hindu Yuva Vahini to launch enrolment campaign in Bihar

India

oi-IANS

By Ians English

Patna, April 12: The Hindu Yuva Vahini, founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has decided to strengthen its presence in Bihar by enrolling thousand of youths, the outfit's state President Pankaj Rai said on Wednesday.

"We have decided to strengthen Hindu Yuva Vahini in Bihar by enrolling thousands of Hindu youths and by setting up its units in all 38 districts," Rai said.

Rai added that Vahini will soon start an enrolment campaign across Bihar. "We will also select and appoint office-bearers of Vahini at the district level."Yogi Adityanath's visit to Bihar will galvanise the Vahini and its work." He said Vahini has single-point agenda: to propagate Hindu interest.

"Since Yogi Adityanath has become the chief minister, people have been dreaming of a Ram Rajya."

Rai demanded the Grand Alliance government of Bihar led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should set up anti-Romeo squads and take action against slaughterhouses like in Uttar Pradesh.

Cow protection is one of the main objectives of the Vahini founded by Yogi Adityanath and is strong in districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 15:24 [IST]
You 'kaufir,' they yelled before killing RSS worker Rudresh

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

You are a kaufir or a non-believer is what the killers of RSS worker Rudresh had shouted before murdering him in broad day light. The NIA which is probing into the death of Rudresh has established that a PFI leader from Bengaluru was in touch with operatives of the Indian Mujahideen.

The NIA has learnt that there was a large plot behind the murder of Rudresh. It was just a build up for more such murders. The killers had on their list several other such leaders in Karnataka and other parts of South India.

Meanwhile the NIA said that those who Rudresh had Indian Mujahideen links. Rudresh, an RSS worker was murdered in October 2016 in broad daylight at Bengaluru, following which the NIA took over the probe.

The NIA says that the five accused were in touch with Syed Ismail Afaaque a leader of the Indian Mujahideen based out of Bhatkal. Afaaque was arrested following the revelations made by Yasin Bhatkal, the chief of the outfit prior to his arrest three years back.

In the Rudresh murder case, five persons rfan Pasha, Waseem Ahmed, Mohammed Sadiq, Mujheebulla and Asim Sheriff, who was district president of PFI in Bengaluru city were arrested. It was found during the probe that not only were these persons in touch with the IM leaders, but had also hatched a conspiracy to kill several more BJP and RSS leaders. The NIA is likely to file its chargesheet soon.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 17:38 [IST]
Pak using Jadhav to counter India's aggressive diplomacy: US experts

International

oi-PTI

Washington, Apr 12: Top US experts have expressed concern over Pakistan's decision to give deathpenalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a 'strong message' to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Jadhav, 46, was awarded the death sentence by military Field General Court Martial under the army act for his alleged involvement in terrorism and espionage. The death sentence was confirmed by army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa.

"Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhav's trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers,"" Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years," Ayres told PTI.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank. Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Center at the Atlantic Council, a Washington-DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhav's conviction 'is rather flimsy' and the story by the Pakistani authorities 'do not add up'.

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, "seems to be politically motivated" in order to counter India's aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

"This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against India's efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage," said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Yadav isn't executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Yadav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India," Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Yadav's death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead," he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program,said the decision and timing of Jadhav's execution sentence "appears puzzling" because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistan's self-interest.

"If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted," Lalwani said.

"If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhav's capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions," Lalwani said.

"Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value," he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

"We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information," a State Department spokesperson said.

PTI
UNSC's counter-terror meet in India to focus on use of internet, new payment mechanism by terrorists

UNSC meet in India to begin its deliberations in Mumbai is a message in itself: MEA

From being a victim of terrorism to exploring global solutions: India praised at UN's Counter Terrorism meet

Syria gas attack: UNSC to vote today

International

oi-PTI

United Nations, Apr 12: The UN Security Council will vote on Wednesday on a draft resolution demanding that the Syrian government cooperate with an investigation of the suspected chemical attack last week in Idlib province, US diplomats said.

Britain, France and the United States put forward the measure which was slightly revised from a previous text presented last week in response to the suspected sarin gas attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhun.

More than 80 people were killed in a suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in north-western Syria.

Hundreds suffered symptoms consistent with reaction to a nerve agent after what the opposition and Western powers said was a Syrian government air strike on the area

The Syrian military denied using any chemical agents, while its ally Russia said an air strike hit a rebel depot full of chemical munitions.

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Story first published: Wednesday, April 12, 2017, 10:20 [IST]
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The 3rd World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Euro-Asian Mountain Resorts Conference was held in Tbilisi, Georgia on 4-7 April, under the patronage of the Ministries of Tourism and of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia.

More than 300 participants from 32 countries gathered for the conference.

Opening the event, Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Kvirikashvili said: It is significant to note that mountains make up more than 65% of the countrys landscape, and the government has been active in effectively using the aforementioned resource and advancing opportunities in tourism. According to various studies, Georgian ski destinations have the potential to generate more than 300 million US dollars in revenues from visitors. In this light, the Government of Georgia has focused considerable financial resources on sustainable development of the countrys mountain destinations, including implementation of major infrastructural projects.

Besides its economic potential for remote areas and isolated regions, mountain tourism is a key catalyst to raise awareness on sustainable tourism and to help us become more committed travelers, institutions and enterprises, a challenge especially pertinent at the present moment as we are celebrating the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General.

The conference was structured around five key sessions conducted by 25 international speakers from 17 countries:

1. Sustainable tourism in mountain destinations: challenges and long-term outlook

2. Mountain resort planning: an integrated planning approach and illustration of good practices in developing mountain destinations

3. Investment and incentive policies: legislative framework and investment-friendly practices

4. Product diversification and attracting new markets: a strategic approach to improve the positioning of mountain destinations

5. New revolutionary tools for mountain destinations: innovation and the digital media

Prior to the conference, eight companies and associations joined the Private Sector Commitment to the UNWTO Global Code of Ethics for Tourism: Adjara Group Hospitality; Caucasus Travel; Explore Georgia; Georgian Events, Georgian Incoming Tour Operators Association; Georgian Tourism Association (GTA); Living Roots; and Tourist Agency VisitGeorgia.

On the occasion, UNWTO Secretary-General Rifai was awarded the Order of Honor by Prime Minister Kvirikashvili for his contribution to the development of tourism in Georgia, for strengthening the relationship between UNWTO and Georgia, and for raising awareness about Georgia as a tourism destination internationally.
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FOUNDING father Sir Michael Somare says Bougainville should not break away from PNG. Sir Michael still believes that Bougainville is very much a part of Papua New Guinea, a country he led into independence.The Grand Chief, who was instrumental in what is now Bougainvilles journey, was asked to give his thoughts and views on Bougainville now that he was retiring from politics. Bougainville leaders, like the late Sir Paul Lapun, late Donatus Mola and now President John Momis, late Sir Alexis Sarei including Leo Hannett, all played a significant role under the leadership of Sir Michael in taking Bougainville this far. But Sir Michael said at the NBC Press Club interview when asked that Bougainville should have been given the delegated powers or transfer of powers  autonomy so they could stop asking for independence.If that is the type of government they want, allow them, then give it to them, I am talking about autonomy, Sir Michael said. There are two types of powers, delegated powers and transfer of powers  in Bougainville, if the transfer of powers were given to them, I dont think they will be talking about independence today, he said. For independence, I still believe when Bougainville goes to elections, you should get a piece of paper and mark my name, I tell you, when you go to the next elections, they will be voting for Papua New Guinea, he said. Post Courier/ ONE PNG
Vanillin Market To Make Great Impact In Near Future by 2025

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Vanillin is primarily used in the food and beverages industry to enhance the sweetness of food items such as chocolates, candy, biscuits, ice-creams and cakes. Vanillin is extracted from an extract of the vanilla bean, and its considered to be an organic compound. Vanillin can be produced naturally or it can be chemically synthesized. The seed pods of vanilla planifolia is used to extract the natural vanillin. In order to extract the flavor of vanillin, the natural green seed pods are kept for several months, as the natural green pods lack the flavor of vanillin. In order to accommodate the high demand for vanillin in food and beverages industry the chemical synthesis process is used. Apart from its application in food industry, vanillin is also used in pharmaceutical industry.There are two types of vanillin, namely ethyl and methyl. Methyl vanillin has mild flavor of vanilla planifolia. Methyl vanillin is majorly used in vanilla flavored foods. Ethyl vanillin has stronger vanilla flavor than methyl. Its an important flavoring agent in the food industry for the food items such as ice-creams, chocolates and beverages. Apart from these application, its also used as a flavoring agent in toothpaste and various other pharmaceutical applications.Request For Report Sample@Vanillin Market: Drivers and ChallengesGrowth in end-use industries such as food & beverages and pharmaceutical is projected to fuel the growth in vanillin market during the forecast period. The demand from emerging economies such as India, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and Indonesia for vanillin is fueling the growth of the global vanillin market. The major demand from these economies is from confectionary and bakery industry.Government and environmental regulations are posing as a challenge to the chemical synthesis vanillin market.Vanillin Market: OverviewThe global vanillin market is expected to expand at healthy CAGR of around 7-10% during the forecast period (2016-2025), due to growth in end-use industries such as food & beverages and pharmaceuticals.Vanillin Market: SegmentationThe global vanillin market can be segmented on the basis of type of production, type of forms, end-use industry and by regions.Based on type of production, the global market is segmented as:NaturalChemically SynthesizedBased on type of forms, the global market is segmented as:EthylMethylBased on end-use industry, the global market is segmented as:Food and BeveragesPharmaceuticalsVanillin Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global vanillin market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global vanillin market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. As of 2015, emerging region Asia Pacific dominated the global vanillin market in terms of market revenue. Asia Pacific & Japan are projected to expand at a substantial growth and will contribute to the global vanillin market value exhibiting a robust CAGR during the forecast period, 2015?2025.Visit For TOC@Vanillin Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in global vanillin market are Evolva Holding SA, Solvay SA, Jiaxing Zhonghua Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., and Prinova Group LLCABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Medical Lifting Slings Market to be Driven by Emerging Trend for Rental Provision of Medical Lifting Slings

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Given their applications in health care, the demand for medical lifting slings corresponds directly to the increasing geriatric population worldwide, since a large share of this demographic suffers from mobility-related disorders. The usability of medical lifting slings is therefore poised to surge in the health care industry. This, combined with the latest advancements introduced to improve designs of medical lifting slings, will boost their sales at a CAGR of 9.2%.Obtain Report Details @Prospects in Europe for Medical Lifting Slings Market to be Most LucrativeRegionally, Europe accounted for the dominant share of 33.09% in the market in 2015. North America emerged as the second-largest regional market for medical lifting slings holding 28.90% of the global market in 2015. In Europe, the market for medical lifting slings is expected to gain considerably from favorable government policies.However during the forecast period, prospects exhibited for the market in Asia Pacific is expected to be the most lucrative. As per TMR, the Asia Pacific market for medical lifting slings is expected to surge at a CAGR of 9.7% between 2016 and 2024.Hospitals to Report Highest Demand for Medical Lifting SlingsHospitals majorly exhibit bulk purchase of medical lifting slings due to their limited product life. In Asia Pacific, the demand for cost-effective medical lifting slings is expected to rise in particular. However, the high cost of advanced medical lifting slings may hamper their sales in the hospital segment of developing economies. As per TMR, the hospitals segment is expected to report a CAGR of 8.9% between 2016 and 2024. In 2015, the segment was valued at US$186.3 mn.Besides this, home health care is also fast emerging as a lucrative segment for sale or rent of medical lifting slings.Favorable Policies by Governments to Ensure Highest Standards of Patient Care to Boost MarketBased on in-depth research, Transparency Market Research (TMR) projects the valuation of the global medical lifting slings market to reach US$910.6 mn by 2024 from US$391.8 mn in 2015. By sling shape, the demand for u-shape slings is likely to be the highest during the forecast period. Regionally, Europe will emerge as the most lucrative market for medical lifting slings globally. Among other factors, the rising willingness among consumers for spending on advanced healthcare has been crucial in bolstering the sales of medical lifting slings.Ensuring the highest standard of healthcare facilities is a priority for governments across developed as well as developing nations. Encouraged by favorable policies, leading manufacturers are keen on investing on better designs of medical lifting slings. The emerging rental provisions have been aiding the medical lifting slings market as well. This new trend facilitates patients who require slings for shorter duration.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report @Lack of Technical Expertise Emerges as Major Challenge for CompaniesDespite opportunities in the market being high across the globe, the lack of technical expertise and inadequate training provisions are having an adverse impact on the market. For instance, lifts can prove dangerous if correct lifting slings are not selected. In order to avoid such incidents, TMR recommends hospitals and health care centers to focus on providing adequate training to care providers. Understanding the principles behind potential risks of various types of hoisting will help them in delivering improved patient care.Based on end users, hospitals hold the largest share in the market. TMR estimates the market share held by this segment to be around 47.54% in 2015. The segment is considerably gaining from the increase in obese population in developed nations such as the U.S. The increasing incidence of lifestyle impairments also has positively influenced the demand from this segment.Some of the leading vendors operating in the global medical lifting slings market include Hill-Rom Holding, Inc., Prism Medical Ltd., ArjoHuntleigh, Inc., Invacare Corporation, Barrier Free Lifts, Inc., Joerns Healthcare, LLC, Silvalea, Vancare, Inc., Guldmann, Inc., MedCare, and others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Patient Engagement Solutions Market - Rising Awareness about Self-Care will be the Key Driver for the Markets Growth

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According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research Patient Engagement Solutions Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2023, the global patient engagement solutions market was worth US$6.66 bn in 2014 and is expected to reach US$34.94 Bn by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 23.0% from 2015 to 2023. North America was the largest market for patient engagement solutions in 2014. Growth in this region is expected to be driven by patient-centric government reforms and augmented demand for quality healthcare services. Along with this, rising awareness about self-care will be the key driver for the markets growth.Obtain Report Details @Patient engagement solutions are the need of the hour for the healthcare industry. The rising incidences of chronic diseases and an aging population in most parts of the world have raised the demand for patient-oriented healthcare services. Patient engagement solutions are methods to engage patients monitoring their own health. These tools help patients to take better care and improve of their health even outside the hospitals and clinics.Patient engagement solutions result in overall effective healthcare management and reduces re-admissions in hospitals. Also, these solutions help mitigate the financial burden from healthcare payers. The rising trend of using smartphones and other personal digital assistants such as wearables and tablets has provided ease of access to patient engagement solutions. The inclusion of IT in healthcare services (HCIT  Healthcare IT) has refined the working trend in hospitals and other healthcare organizations.For instance, the adoption of electronic health record systems instead of paper-based health records can be seen as the effective involvement of IT in healthcare services. Furthermore, government regulations, which are primarily aimed at patient-centric services, have boosted the patient engagement solutions market. Further, improving healthcare infrastructure globally can be foreseen as an emerging opportunity for patient engagement solutions providers.The patient engagement solutions market can be segmented on the basis of delivery mode and end-users. On the basis of delivery mode, the patient engagement solutions market is further segmented into self-hosted, software as a service (SaaS), and application managed services. In 2014, self-hosted solutions were the most preferred patient engagement solutions, and accounted for around 43.6% of the revenue of the global patient engagement solutions market. SaaS is expected to expand at the highest CAGR of 23.6% from 2015 to 2023.The most significant factor driving the market for self-hosted solutions is the rising adoption of HCIT services by hospitals and healthcare providers. Furthermore, the hospital-specific customization that is possible with self-hosted solutions is further accelerating its market penetration.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report @In terms of end-users, the patient engagement solutions market is segmented into hospitals and providers, healthcare payers, and pharmaceutical companies. In 2014, the hospitals and providers segment held the largest revenue share, 42.4%, of the overall patient engagement solutions market. However, investment by pharmaceutical companies is expected to drive market growth, with pharmaceuticals segment alone expected to record CAGR of 24.1% from 2015 to 2023.Geographically, North America is the largest market for patient engagement solutions and is anticipated to dominate the global patient engagement solutions market during the forecast period. In 2014, North America accounted for approximately one-third of the global patient engagement solutions markets revenue. The key players of the patient engagement solutions market are McKesson Corporation, Axial Exchange Inc., Medecision, Inc., Phytel, Inc. (An IBM Company), Emmi Solutions, LLC, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, GetWellNetwork Inc., Orion Health Ltd., and Athena Health, Inc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Competitive Research, Emerging Companies & Forecast  2022 , Catalent, Procaps Laboratorios, EuroCaps

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This examination looks at the global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules market in a persistent way by explaining the main features of the market that are relied upon to hold a sizeable impact on its improvements over the given time frame. The key drivers of the market's development, restrictions, and patterns affecting the global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules market are surveyed in extraordinary detail, notwithstanding a subjective and quantitative examination relating to the anticipated effect of these elements on its development prospects sooner rather than later.The vast volumes of data on the Vegetarian Softgel Capsules by and large makes it an intense undertaking to take it down to the exceptionally significant bits of data and the genuine bits applicable to the present business issues in the market. Many organizations are additionally known to not have the fundamental committed assets and aptitude for taking up an illustrative statistical surveying in view of recorded information. Centered statistical surveying procedures can help these associations in framing clearer thoughts on their business systems and gather significant stakes in the market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @A sweeping volume of information concerning the basic components of the Vegetarian Softgel Capsules that can impact its extent of development is given in the report. The report in this manner makes for an exceptionally useful review and can successfully permit organizations and their leads in tending to the main difficulties that  as of now  control the market, and deliberately increase greatest conceivable advantages inside the profoundly focused market scene.The report likewise gives data on the current improvements in items and innovations as currently visible in the market, alongside an examination of the general impact that these progressions may have on any future advancements. The report likewise offers its clients a 360-degree examination of the competitive situation in the Vegetarian Softgel Capsules. This is legitimate for organizations of all sizes and development levels inside the worldwide Vegetarian Softgel Capsules market and helps different associations get a handle on the main dangers and openings that sellers regularly need to manage.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Content1 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Overview11.1 Product Overview and Scope of Vegetarian Softgel Capsules11.2 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Segment by Types31.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Vegetarian Softgel Capsules by Types in 201631.2.2 Starch31.2.3 Plant polysaccharide41.3 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Segment by Applications61.3.1 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Consumption Market Share by Applications in 201661.3.2 Pharmaceutical71.3.3 Health Supplements81.4 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market by Regions91.4.1 U.S.A. Status and Prospect (2012-2022)91.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)101.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)111.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)121.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Vegetarian Softgel Capsules (2012-2022)132 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Competition by Manufacturers142.1 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)142.2 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)182.3 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)202.4 Manufacturers Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Manufacturing Base Distribution212.5 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Competitive Situation and Trends222.5.1 Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers222.5.2 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion233 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Regions (2012-2017)253.1 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)253.2 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)273.3 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)293.4 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)303.5 U.S.A. Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)313.6 Europe Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)313.7 China Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)323.8 Japan Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)324 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)334.1 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Consumption by Regions (2012-2017)334.2 U.S.A. Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)354.3 Europe Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)354.4 China Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)354.5 Japan Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production, Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2012-2017)365 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Types375.1 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)375.2 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Revenue and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)395.3 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Price by Type (2012-2017)405.4 Global Vegetarian Softgel Capsules Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)41Read more @About UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Seed Processing Machine Market 2017 : SYNMEC, Agrosaw, Locus Exim, Tinytech Udyog, Westrup

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A market study based on the "Seed Processing Machine Market" across the globe, recently added to the repository of Market Research, is titled Global Seed Processing Machine Market 2017. The research report analyses the historical as well as present performance of the worldwide Seed Processing Machine industry, and makes predictions on the future status of Seed Processing Machine market on the basis of this analysis.Get Free Sample Copy of Report Here :Top Manufacturers Analysis Of This Research ReportLocus EximTinytech UdyogWestrupA & K Development CompanyYagnam Pulverizer Private LimitedWeilai MachinerySundex Process EngineersKumar Metal IndustriesHuntsmanSeedburo EquipmentOsaw Agro IndustriesSYNMECAgrosawKissan Agro IndustriesThe report studies the industry for Seed Processing Machine across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Seed Processing Machine market & dynamics of demand and supply of Seed Processing Machine into consideration. The 'Seed Processing Machine' research study covers each and every aspect of the Seed Processing Machine market globally, which starts from the definition of the Seed Processing Machine industry and develops towards Seed Processing Machine market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Seed Processing Machine market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Seed Processing Machine market. The geographical segmentation of the Seed Processing Machine industry has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the worldwide market for Seed Processing Machine is determined by evaluating the various industry participants, production capacity, Seed Processing Machine market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Seed Processing Machine market worldwide.Enquire Here :The global Seed Processing Machine market 2017 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Seed Processing Machine production volume, data regarding demand and Seed Processing Machine 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 Seed Processing Machine across the globe.About Us :Worldwide Business are a trusted brand in the research industry with capability of commissioning complex projects within a short span of time with high level of accuracy. At Worldwide Business, we believe in building long term relations with our clients. Our services cover a broad spectrum of industries such as Automotive and Aerospace, Medical Devices, Technology, Machinery & Manufacturing.Contact Us :Worldwide BusinessUnited States
Increasing Incidence Rate of Skin Disorders Drives the Global Tissue Engineered Skin Substitutes Market

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The elderly are highly prone to contracting skin diseases such as various forms of ulcers due to their significantly reduced flow of blood and overall immunity against diseases. The number of geriatrics in all nations has been on the rise owing to multiple factors, and a rise in their number is a direct call to action for all related healthcare organizations, products, and services. This includes the tissue engineered skin substitute providers and makes the above the top driver for its market.Obtain Report Details @The number of patients suffering from skin diseases and ulcers is also increasing within younger demographics. The CDC, for instance, stated in 2015 that close to 900,000 people are affected by DVT per year. A large number of patients were additionally being diagnosed with venous diseases per year, further boosting the need for tissue engineered skin substitutes.The market is, however, restrained by over competitiveness between local manufacturers and their globally prominent counterparts. The local manufacturers can offer tissue engineered skin substitutes at a much lower price than global ones, forcing the latter to drop prices and consequently their profit margins. This will affect the markets rate of research and development in the long run.These drivers and restraints are expected to converge to result in a CAGR of 17.2% for the global market of tissue engineered skin substitutes between 2015 and 2023. This market is expected to be valued at US$1.24 bn by the end of 2016, and US$3.87 bn by 2023.North America Continues to Show Strong Demand for Tissue Engineered Skin SubstitutesThe need for tissue engineered skin substitutes in North America has consistently been high over the past few years. It is expected to generate US$1.96 bn in revenue for tissue engineered skin substitute players by 2023. A key reason prompting the use of tissue engineered skin substitutes in North America is the very high prevalence of vascular diseases. The region holds an especially high proportion of the geriatric, diabetic, and obese demographics and thus requires tissue engineered skin substitutes to a higher degree than other major regions.Europe is another key region for tissue engineered skin substitute players. This region shows a similarly high demand as that shown by North America, although at a smaller revenue cap. The highest demand for tissue engineered skin substitutes at the moment, however, comes from Asia Pacific. The revenue earned by tissue engineered skin substitute providers in this region is expected to progress at a CAGR of 18.3% from 2015 to 2023. Key reasons for the high proliferation of tissue engineered skin substitute players in Asia Pacific is the growing geriatric population in nations such as South Korea and Japan, along with the rapidly increasing investments made by governments into the market.For more information on this report, fill the form @Tissue Engineered Skin Substitutes to Find Increasing Demand in Treatment of UlcersUlcers have consistently been the leading application segment for tissue engineered skin substitutes. By the end of 2023, nearly US$2.1 bn will be generated by tissue engineered skin substitute players through ulcer treatment alone. This segment is also expected to grow at a robust CAGR of 17.5% within 2015 and 2023.The same applies to other skin disorders that are growing in prevalence across the globe. Most dermatology organizations such as the ADA have made their predictions, all of which point to a growing number of patients with skin disorders. The ADA, for instance, in 2013, released findings of a study that stated at least one in every five U.S. citizens will suffer from a skin disorder in their lifetime. This makes the development of dermatology solutions such as tissue engineered skin substitutes a matter of high concern.The key manufacturers of tissue engineered skin substitutes include Acelity, Smith & Nephew, Molnlycke, ConVatec, Medtronic, and BSN Medical.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Multiple Reaction Monitoring Assay Market: Advanced Technologies & Growth Opportunities in Global Industry by 2024

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Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is an extremely selective and sensitive method of analyzing small molecules. This targeted method is used for the quantitation of peptides or protein fragments in complex biological samples. The MRM platform technology enables targeted filtering of specific proteins instead of going through massive amounts of data resulting from nontargeted studies. This powerful method for the quantitative measurement of target proteins has emerged as a principal tool in research methodologies today.Browse Market Research Report @Multiple reaction monitoring assays can be of various types: Human discovery assay, custom multiple reaction monitoring assays, human cancer multiple reaction monitoring assays, and human cardiovascular multiple reaction monitoring assays. These are used in diagnostic centers, hospital centers, and research institutes for quality control and biomarker assessment. Geographically, the worldwide market for multiple reaction monitoring assays covers four key segments: Europe, Asia Pacific, North America, and Rest of the World.The report serves as an ideal tool for both new and established players in the multiple reaction monitoring assay market, offering some of the best expansion strategies. The latest and most trusted business intelligence tools, such as the Porters Five Forces analysis model, have been employed to give readers a 360-degree overview of the multiple reaction monitoring assay market and the various macro and micro trends impacting its trajectory. Apart from statistical and qualitative insights, the report also includes recommendations from industry experts.Multiple reaction monitoring has been used for several years now for the detection of peptides and proteins in clinical samples. Multiple reaction monitoring offers a host of benefits to researchers, including better sensitivity, improved speed of detection, greater selectivity, higher specificity, and the ability to adjust or calibrate the instrument to detect a specific protein of interest. These advantages have significantly boosted the global multiple reaction monitoring assay market. In addition, the surge in R&D in the field of biologics has contributed significantly to the worldwide multiple reaction monitoring assay market. The rising use of multiple reaction monitoring assays in research institutes, diagnostic centers, and hospitals has also driven the global market.For more information on this report, fill the form @Globally, North America and Europe led the multiple reaction monitoring assay market. Countries in North America and those in Western Europe, such as Germany, France, Italy, and the U.K., have been contributing majorly to the multiple reaction monitoring assay market thanks to the increasing number of biology research institutes in the regions and the higher number of installed systems.The most well-known companies in the global multiple reaction monitoring assay market include MRM Proteomics, Sigma Aldrich, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. These players, along with other prominent players, have been carefully examined in the research report based on key parameters such as company overview, recent developments, product portfolio, R&D, business strategies, and financial standing. The report also employs a SWOT analysis to determine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the leading players.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
ADHD Therapeutics Market: Asia Pacific Market is Witnessing a Very Positive Growth due to High Rate of Development in Healthcare Industry

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also referred as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Hyperkinetic Disorder (HKD) is the most common psychiatric disorder among adolescents and children. The disorder is characterized by the presence of inappropriate levels of attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity, commencing in childhood and leading to impairment. Although these symptoms tend to cluster together, some people are majorly hyperactive and impulsive, while others are inattentive.ADHD was for long considered a childhood disorder but there is growing awareness that ADHD is also a significant source of impairment for many adults. The pathophysiology of ADHD is not clearly understood. Majority of scientific research states that ADHD is neurologically based but some experts claim that psychological factors are the major and primary cause of the disorder.Obtain Report Details @The available medications help to control the symptoms of ADHD but do not cure the disorder. However, medications assist a child to pay attention and complete their school tasks. It is still not clear whether medications are able to improve learning and academic skills among children. Combination of therapies such as behavioral therapy, medication, practical support and counseling can help children to survive normally with ADHD. According to a Research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) it has proved that medication gives good results when treatment is repeatedly monitored by the doctor and the dosage is modified according to the child's needs.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder among children that continue through adolescence and adulthood. Some of the causes that may lead to ADHD are genetic disorders, environmental factors, brain injuries and food additives. The onset of ADHD starts at the age of 7 years. According to The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), around 4.1% of adults in the U.S. are affected by ADHD who are 18 years of age and above in a year. Also around 9.0% of children who are aged between 13 to 18 years in the U.S. are affected by ADHD. Boys have four times more risk than girls.Geographically, the global ADHD therapeutics market is segmented into four major regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW). In terms of geography, North America accounts for the highest market in terms of revenue, followed by Europe due to highly developed healthcare industry, high disposable income, ongoing clinical trials, and early approval of drugs in the U.S market. However, Asia Pacific market is also witnessing a very positive growth due to high rate of development in healthcare industry, government initiatives for treatment of mental illness and increasing prevalence of mental disorders.Fill the Form for an Exclusive Sample of this Report @The global ADHD therapeutics market is witnessing an admirable growth due to the medical advancements, high number of research activities in this segment and high awareness among people about mental illness. However there are many side effects associated with medication such as decreased appetite, sleep problem, headaches, dizziness, Irritability, mood changes and tics. The high cost of treatment and the number of side effects associated with medication are some of the factors that may hinder the growth of ADHD therapeutics market.Some of the major players operating in ADHD therapeutic market are Amedra Pharmaceuticals LLC, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Noven Therapeutics, LLC, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and Shire Plc.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Male Infertility Treatment Market: Evolving Technology, Trends and Industry Analysis  2023

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Male infertility refers the male inability to cause pregnancy in a fertile female. It is majorly due to low sperm count, hormonal problem or presence of low number of motile sperms. Hence, fertility in male requires normal functioning of hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and testes. However, 40% -50% cases have no identifiable cause and 30% -40% cases are due to problem in the testes. The various causes of increasing infertility in male includes consumption of alcohol and drugs, rising stress level, obesity, smoking, and environmental toxins.Obtain Report Details @Infertility in male diagnosed with various techniques such as DNA fragmentation techniques, oxidative stress analysis, sperm agglutination, sperm penetration assay, microscopic examination, and computer assisted sperm analysis. Sperm Check fertility is a U.S. FDA approved home screening test to determine low sperm count for men in 2012. According to the American Society for Reproductive medicines, in approximately 40% of infertile couples, male partner is sole cause of infertility and about 85% -90% are treated with conventional treatment such as drugs or surgery.Global male infertility treatment market segmented into drugs, hormonal therapy, and assisted reproductive technology (ART). Drugs used for male infertility treatment are clomiphene citrate, and tamoxifen. Hormonal therapy market further segmented into human chorionic gonadotropinhormone(hCG), and recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH). Gonadotropin therapy is given to the patients to increase the testosterone level and sperm count. If these therapies are not worked after 6 to 12 months treatment then option is assisted reproductive technologies.Assisted reproductive technology further is segmented intoin vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET), gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), frozen embryo transfer (FET), and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT). Geographically, male infertility treatment market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, and rest of the World. Assisted reproductive technology segment dominated the global market due to higher success rate as compared to the drugs and hormonal therapy.However, doctors suggest ART treatment after the failure of drugs and hormonal treatment. In assisted reproductive technology segment in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer is the most dominated procedure in 2014. Geographically, the North America is the highest revenue generating market due to more awareness, and reimbursement facility for male infertility treatment. However, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a highest rate due to rising awareness, and increasing incidence of infertility in men due to changes in the lifestyle.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @Global male infertility treatment market is anticipated to grow at a faster rate due to the changes in the lifestyle, environmental effect, rising incidence of infertility cases, number of obese people, and increasing consumption of alcohol and drugs. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally 1.9 million obese and 600 million people were diagnosed to be overweight. Global organization for stress states that six out of ten people suffer from stress at work place and the highest stress rate was found at China (86%).However, the major limitation experienced in the male infertility treatment market is due to repeated treatment failures leading to an emotional impact on the patient. The person undergoing immense stress after the diagnosis or repeated failure of the treatment which would further result to intensify the infertility problem andresult in most of the patients to discontinue the treatment. The other limitation is the social taboo, and high cost associated with the treatment. Out of the 40% fertile men, only 15% of the men opt for the treatment for infertility due to the embarrassment, guilt, and other reasons.Some of the major players having presence in the global male infertility treatment market includes Parallabs, European Sperm Bank, Origio, Cryolab Ltd., IrvineScientific, Microm UK Limited, and Merck Serono.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Prefilled Syringes Market Global Industry Volume By Region 2016 - 2024

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Prefilled Syringes Market: Scope and SegmentationThis report provides a forecast and analysis of the prefilled syringes market on the global and regional levels. It provides historical data of 2015 along with forecast from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) and volume (Bn Units). The report also includes macroeconomic indicators along with an outlook on prefilled syringes consumption globally. It includes drivers and restraints of the prefilled syringes market and their impact on each region during the forecast period. The report also comprises the study of current issues with distribution channels and opportunities for prefilled syringes manufacturers. It also includes pricing analysis by material and value chain analysis with a list of industry stakeholders at each node in the value chain.Obtain Report Details @In order to provide users of this report with a comprehensive view of the market, we have included detailed competitiveness analysis and company players. The dashboard provides a comprehensive comparison of prefilled syringe manufacturers on parameters such as operating margin, unique selling propositions, collective market share, and geographic concentration. The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, by material type, product type, application type, and region.The report includes consumption of prefilled syringes and the revenue generated from sales of prefilled syringes in all regions and important countries in these regions. By material, the global prefilled syringes market has been segmented into glass based and polymer based prefilled syringes. By application, the market is segmented into vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and others. On the basis of the distribution channel, the market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and mail order pharmacies.Prefilled Syringes Market: Research MethodologyMarket numbers have been estimated based on average consumption and weighted average pricing of prefilled syringes by material and the revenue is derived from regional pricing trends. Market size and forecast for each segment has been provided in the context of global and regional markets. The prefilled syringes market has been analyzed based on expected demand. Prices considered for the calculation of revenue are regional average prices obtained through primary quotes from numerous regional prefilled syringes manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors. All key distribution channels have been considered and potential applications have been estimated on the basis of secondary sources and feedback from primary respondents. Regional demand patterns have been taken into account while assessing the market for various end users of prefilled syringes in different regions. Bottom-up approach has been used to estimate the prefilled syringes market by regions. Market numbers for global material, application and distribution channel segments have been derived using the bottom-up approach, which is cumulative of each regions demand. The company-level market share has been derived on the basis of revenues reported by key manufacturers. The market has been forecast based on constant currency rates.Several primary and secondary sources were consulted during the course of the study. Secondary sources include FACTIVA, NCBI, Google Books, company websites, journals, press releases, Hoovers, and company annual reports and publications.The report provides detailed competitive and company profiles of key participants operating in the global market. Major players in the global prefilled syringes market are Becton Dickinson & Co., Gerresheimer, Medtronic, Baxter International, SCHOTT AG, West Pharmaceuticals, Vetter International, Unilife Corporation, Stevanato Group, and Terumo Corporation.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Browse market research blog:
Pelvic Floor Electrical Stimulation Device Market Set to Expand by 2024

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Electrical stimulation is a therapeutic treatment to treat muscle spasms and pain. It prevents atrophy and builds strength in patients with injuries. It is helpful to keep muscles active, especially after a spinal cord injury or stroke. Electrical muscle stimulation can be used to strengthen weak pelvic floor muscles. Stimulating activity can be achieved by passive contraction of the pelvic floor muscles through the transmission of low grade electrical impulses to the nerves that supply impulse to the bladder and other sections in the pelvic area. The small electrical impulses are delivered to the pelvic structures through an internal vaginal method or anal electrode method. Posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is done by inserting a small electrode through skin of lower legs. The electrode can be connected through pulse generator. Similarly, sacral nerve stimulation (SNS) is done using a pacemaker like stimulator above the skin which plays an important role in functioning of the bladder. However, new developments in medical devices allow imaging at the cellular and molecular level, paving the way for earlier diagnosis and treatment by pelvic floor stimulation.Obtain Report Details:High prevalence of diseases such as urinary infection, neurological diseases, rising patient awareness, growing research and development initiatives, and increasing demand for electric stimulation devices such as electrodes and pacemakers are the major factors driving the global pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market. According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 17 million adults in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence, where women are twice affected as compared to men. Nearly 35% of female Medicare beneficiaries and 25% of male beneficiaries are estimated to suffer from urinary incontinence. Cost of reagents and sensitivity toward electrical impulses from the devices used during treatment are expected to hamper the pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market from 2016 to 2024.The global pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market has been segmented by device type, treatment, end-user, and geography. In terms of device type, the pelvic floor electrical stimulation market is classified into non-implantable electrical stimulator device and implantable electrical stimulator device. Based on treatment type, the market is classified into pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), and transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS). In terms of end-user, the pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market is classified into hospitals and ambulatory surgical units. The non-implantable device type segment is projected to witness strong growth driven by increase in urinary incontinence among the population, rising number of elderly women, and obesity. The Journal of Wound Ostomy and Continence Nursing 2016 has conducted a study to evaluate the effect of intravaginal neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and transcutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (TTNS) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in women with multiple sclerosis disease in order to compare the efficacy of the approaches.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Geographically, the global pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market is classified into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market due to increasing number of elderly women, rising obesity, and urinary infection rates. Early-phase diagnosis and treatment of disease is driving the medical biotechnology market, which in turn is expected to propel the pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market in North America. Europe is the second largest market for pelvic floor electrical stimulation devices due to favorable government policies regarding improvement of health standards for women and awareness programs by NHS and other health institutions. The market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow at a higher rate due to rising population, changing lifestyle, aging population, and increasing per capita expenditure. In addition, economic growth has led to improvement in health care infrastructure in developing countries such as India, China, and southeast Asia. These factors collectively support the growth of the pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market in Asia Pacific.Major players operating in the global pelvic floor electrical stimulation device market include Boston Scientific, Coloplast A/S, C. R. Bard, Inc., and Ethicon, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson).The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dental 3D Printer Market 2016 - Industry Perspective and Comprehensive Analysis 2024

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Global Dental 3D Printer Market: OverviewDigitalization has made life simpler for everyone, including most industries. This also holds true for the dental industry. With the assistance of 3D printing, dental labs and dentists are able to offer better services to their patients. Dental 3D printers can be used in the production of physical models for prosthodontics, customized dentures, fabrications of copings, manufacture of dental craniomaxillofacial, frameworks for dental restorations and implants, and productions of drill guides for dental implants. These systems help make the manufacturing process of tooth caps, crowns, and other dental components much easier.The dental industry is going through a digital revolution and it is expected to go completely digital sooner than one can predict. 3D technologies are completely changing the way in which dental solutions can be approached. With the given technology and ability, it has become simpler and convenient to print several complicated shapes on demand, in a variety of applicable materials, and in substantial volumes.Obtain Report Details:Based on raw material, the market is segmented into polymers, ceramics, and metals. On the basis of technology, the market is classified into selective laser sintering (SLS), electronic beam melting (EBM), stereolithography apparatus (SLA), direct laser metal sintering (DLMS), fused deposition modeling (FDM), laminated object manufacturing (LOM), and digital light processing (DLP). The market is further divided on the basis of application into surgical guides, dental implants, consumer products, dentures, and other range of orthodontic products.In the report, Transparency Market Report (TMR) provides a detailed analysis of drivers and restrictions in the global dental 3D printer market. It also delivers insight to the segments and regions of the market.Global Dental 3D Printer Market: Trends and ProspectsDental surgery procedures can turn out to be very complicated. In order to reduce stress and curb the anxiety of the patient and to help them understand the procedure, specialists frequently create reference models before beginning the surgery. Dentists are now turning to desktop 3D printing in their surgical planning and patient education.The 3D printing technique is being extensively used, invariably pushing the growth of the dental 3D printer market. There are various factors that are driving the market for dental 3D printers, such as increased investments in the 3D printing technology, availability of customization options with 3D printing of dental devices, cost effectiveness, and initiatives taken by government to encourage research activities in 3D printing. However, the cost of 3D printers and printing materials is usually high, thereby limiting the growth of the said market.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Global Dental 3D Printer Market: Regional AnalysisGeographically, the global dental 3D printer market is segmented into Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. Out of the regions mentioned, North America holds the maximum share in the global dental 3D printer market. The factors for the growth of this region can be attributed to easy adoption of advanced technology and increased investment.Europe and Asia Pacific are the major contributors to the market, in terms of revenue, after North America. Increasing demand for technological modifications and rising initiatives by government in the healthcare sector are some of the factors playing a crucial role in the growth of the Asia Pacific market and it is anticipated that this region is likely to grow at a significant rate during the forecast period.Companies Mentioned in ReportThe market for global dental 3D printer is highly fragmented. The prominent players in the market are EOS GmbH ExOne GmbH, Arcam AB, Optomec, Concept Laser GmbH, EnvisionTEC, Microtec Gesellschaft Fur Microcomputervertrieb MBH, 3D Systems Corporation, and Materialise NV.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
VisitEngland shared results of its Easter Trip Tracker survey that revealed expected number of travelers in the UK for this Easter weekend. The figures show an increase on last years survey results.

The survey published today shows that 6.6 million Brits are planning an overnight holiday trip in the UK this Easter weekend, bringing an estimated 1.7 billion boost to the British economy, while in 2015 the figure was five million travelers.

Tourism Minister Tracey Crouch said, "The UK is a world-class tourism destination with countless things to see and do, so it is no surprise that so many of us are planning to holiday at home this Easter.

VisitEngland Director Patricia Yates said, It is great to see so many Brits are planning holidays at home this Easter. The Easter break is a fantastic opportunity to get out and explore the outstanding accommodation, events and attractions right here on our doorstep whether enjoying a holiday at the seaside, countryside or on a city break.

This years VisitEngland Easter Trip Tracker survey also found that 20% of adults in Britain definitely plan to take an overnight trip over the Easter weekend, with a further 23% undecided. This is an increase on Easter 2016 where 17% were definitely planning a trip and 16% were undecided.

Among those who definitely or might take a trip over the bank holiday weekend, 52% plan to take a holiday or short break, while 56% will visit friends or relatives.

As has been the case in previous years, those aged under 45 are the most likely to be taking a trip, as over half of them (58%) definitely or might take a trip. Parents (58%) are also more likely to be taking a trip than those without children (38%).

By social grade, those in the least affluent DE grade are much less likely to be taking a trip (15% definitely, 35% definitely / might), while those in more affluent social grades AB, C1 and C2 are more likely to be taking a trip (definitely AB 26%, C1 20%, C2 19%, definitely / might AB 48%, C1 40% and C2

50%).

More than half (55%) of those in Greater London say they will definitely or might take a trip. This is much more than those in other English regions (ranging from 36% to 47%).

Among the 23% of respondents who are undecided about whether to take an Easter trip this year, the most common reasons are waiting to see what the weather is like (35%) and waiting to see if I can afford it (29%). The weather is more of a concern this year than last (28%); affordability is also a greater concern than it was last year (26%).
Hematological Cancers Market Trends And Opportunities For The Industry By 2024

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Hematological cancer, commonly known as hematological malignancy, is a class of cancer that affects the lymph nodes, blood, and bone marrow. It includes numerous forms such as lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma. Leukemia is a malignancy in which abnormal white blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. Lymphoma is a blood cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. Myeloma is a cancer associated with the plasma of the white blood cells. Hematological cancer is caused due to long exposure to toxic substances such as chemical agents and ionized radiation, genetic predisposition, viral infections, complex patient profiles, improper assessment, and risks associated with other diseases with decreased immunity.Rapidly increasing hematological cancer prevalence among the population pool, large investment by key market players, and a number of premium drugs commercially available are the factors driving the global hematological cancers market. According to the National Cancer Institute, globally, hematological cancer is the fifth most commonly occurring cancer and it is the second major cause of death in the U.S. Rich pipeline of products for leukemia is also likely to propel the market post commercialization. Increasing incidence of hematological cancers is expected to boost the global market in the next few years. However, low prevalence rate of myeloma is expected to hamper the growth of the global hematological cancers market during the forecast period.Obtain Report Details:The hematological cancers market has been segmented based on treatment, disease indication, and region. In terms of treatment, the hematological cancers market has been categorized into stem cell transplantation, pharmacological therapies, radiation, and surgery therapy. In terms of disease indication, the market has been segmented into leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. Prevalence of leukemia is higher than that of lymphoma and myeloma. Moreover, a number of blockbuster, biologically effective drugs are available for the treatment of leukemia. Hence, end-users prefer biological, blockbuster products as compared to chemotherapy drugs.Geographically, the global hematological cancers market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for a significant share of the global hematological cancers market owing to extensive research and development activities in the region. Improvement in reimbursement scenario and rich product pipeline are likely to drive the market in North America through 2024. Moreover, rising trend of patent protection is expected to boost the hematological cancers market in the next few years. Europe is expected to be the second largest market for hematological cancer treatment in terms of revenue due to enhanced product availability and implementation of cancer treatment alternatives in the region. Favorable reimbursement policies and regulatory framework highly focusing on cancer patient safety are expected to fuel the hematological cancers market in Europe from 2016 to 2024. High awareness about cancer treatment and increasing new product launches for substitute treatment options are the major factors driving the market in Asia Pacific. Investments by leading pharmaceutical players to develop new drugs is expected to boost the growth of the hematological cancers market in developing countries such as China and India. Countries in Latin America such as Mexico and Brazil are expected to have considerable potential in the hematological cancers market due to increasing cancer treatments and rising health care expenditure.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report:Major players operating in this market include Novartis International AG, Celgene Corporation, AbbVie, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Biomedical Refrigerators and Freezers Market is expected to expand at a 4.21% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024

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Transparency Market Research has published a new market report titled, Biomedical Refrigerators and Freezers Market (Product Type  Ultra Low Temperature (ULT) Freezers, Plasma Freezers, Shock Freezers, Blood Bank Refrigerators, Laboratory/Pharmacy/Medical Refrigerators, and Laboratory/Pharmacy/Medical Freezers; End-user  Hospitals, Research Laboratories, Pharmacies, Diagnostic Centers, Blood Banks, and Others)  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 20162024. According to the report, the biomedical refrigerators and freezers market was valued at US$ 2.9 Bn in 2015 and is projected to expand at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2016 to 2024 to reach US$ 4.3 Bn in 2024.Read Full Report:North America held the largest share of the global biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in 2015. The market in the region is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 3.9% from 2016 to 2024. Dominance of this region is attributed to the developed health care infrastructure and high adoption of advanced health care technologies. In addition, significant rise in life sciences research for treatment of cancer and neural diseases is boosting demand for biomedical refrigerators and freezers in North America. Presence of large number of blood banks, hospitals, and research institutes drives the biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in the U.S. Moreover, periodic introduction of advanced technologies such as multiple compressor equipment, green technology, energy-efficient equipment, and RFID-enabled equipment coupled with higher adoption of these technologies boosts the growth of the biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in the country.Plasma freezers are widely used in blood banks. Rising blood donations in the U.S. is driving demand for plasma freezers in the country. According to the American National Red Cross, around 9.2 million people donate blood in the U.S. each year. Seventy-four of 76 American National Red Cross member blood banks are situated in the U.S. Each blood bank has five to six refrigerators on average. Around 38% of the population of the U.S. is eligible for donating blood; however, only 10% donate blood each year. Hence, blood organizations are promoting blood donations in the country to reduce the demand-supply gap.Europe was the second largest market for biomedical refrigerators and freezers in 2015. Higher adoption of newly developed disease treatment options such as cellular therapies and organ transplant is increasing demand for biomedical refrigerators and freezers across the region. According to the National Health Service (NHS), every day, around 8,000 blood transfusions are carried out in the U.K. This has increased demand for plasma freezers in the country. Presence of a multitude of pharmacy stores (standalone and hospitals) and rising number of research laboratories are driving demand for laboratory refrigerators in Germany.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest growing market for biomedical refrigerators and freezers during the forecast period. Presence of key players, emerging economies, rising awareness, and availability of products at affordable prices are the major factors anticipated to drive the biomedical refrigerators and freezers market in the region. Japan has the second largest biotechnology industry in the world after the U.S. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development patent database, Japan ranks second with 11.5% of the biotechnology patents across the globe. The market in other Asian countries is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.The biomedical refrigerators and freezers market is highly fragmented, with several local players competing with few global players. Some of the players operating in the global biomedical refrigerators and freezers market include Aegis Scientific, Inc., Eppendorf AG, Haier Biomedical, Leibherr Group, Panasonic Healthcare Co., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Terumo Corporation, Philipp Kirsch GmbH, and Helmer Scientific.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Body Screening Market: Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments

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Body screening is a specialized method of detecting any hidden objects within a persons clothes by creating an image of a persons naked body without any physical contact or without physically removing the clothes. Body screening is done through body scanners. Military wave technologies are used by these body scanners in order to see through the clothes of a person. Globally, this method is gaining popularity due to increasing concerns about security fueled by an alarming rise in global terrorism.The global body screening is expected a significant growth during the forecast period. This is mainly driven by a rise in drug trafficking, illegal migration, and terrorism.This method is increasingly being adopted in train stations and airports all over the globe, primarily due to rising threat of terrorism and for aviation security. Moreover, the stringent rules and policies undertaken by various governmental bodies worldwide are driving the growth of the market. For instance, the bill passed by the U.S government called S.A.F.E.R A.I.R Act makes body screening mandatory in all airports.In the face of rising instances of in-flight detonation and fight hijacking, body screening helps in improving the security framework of airports. The ability to detect a wide range of threats, including explosives, is propelling the demand for body screening. Commercial airports are also engaging in making significant investments in body screening systems to adequately address the burning issue of drug-peddling.Read Full Report:One of the major advantages of body screening is the reduced time taken to screen passengers. This gives body screening an upper hand over the conventional pat down approaches, which are both uncomfortable and time consuming. Growing interest in full body screening worldwide is spurring intensive research and development efforts to bring forth machines that are image free and result in less radiation.Despite all the advantages, full body screening is controversial, as it easily raises individual privacy issues. Critics claim it to be in violation of human rights, unreasonable, and illegal. These factors are expected to restrain the growth of the market for body screening to some extent during the forecasted period.The market is segregated on the basis of application, technology, system, and geography. By application, the global body screening market is segmented into homeland security, defense, and commercial. Homeland security is further sub-segmented into applications in seaports, airports, and security of VIPs. Defense is sub-segmented into applications in high security zones, military premises, and border crossing controls.On the basis of technology, the global body screening market is characterized as digital tape measurements, white light patterns, laser scanners, 3D body scanners, and image modeling & processing.Download exclusive Sample of this report:By system, the market is segmented into X-ray systems, millimeter-wave, and backscatter.Lastly, on the basis of geography, the global body screening market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific (APAC), Europe, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and Latin America. North America holds a significant share of the global body screening market mainly due to the strict steps taken by the U.S government with respect to body screening in airports. The growth of the body screening market in Europe is expected to be limited during the forecast period due to the ban imposed on full-body scanning in the countries of the region. On the other hand, the growth of the body screening market in emerging economies of Latin America and Asia Pacific is estimated to be significantly fast due to increasing security concerns, rise in the number of low cost carriers, expansion of the tourism industry, and booming air travel.The key players operating in the global body screening market include Westminster International Ltd. (U.K), Tek84 Engineering Group LLC (U.S), Smiths Detection (U.K), Scan-X Security Ltd. (U.K), Rapiscan Systems (U.S), Nuctech Co. Ltd. (China), L-3 Security And Detection Systems (U.S), Digital Barriers PLC (U.K), Braun And Company Limited (U.K), American Science and Engineering (U.S), and ADANI Systems (Belarus).The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bone Degeneration Therapeutics Market: New Market Research Report Announced; Global Industry Analysis 2016 - 2024

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Bone degeneration is characterized by gradual deterioration of the articular cartilage casing the joints. Cartilage enables free movement of the joint hinges without any friction and deterioration of cartilage results in reduction of flexibility of joint movements and leads to inflammation, compressed nerves and pain. Aging is one of the natural causes of bone degeneration but is also accelerated by several conditions such as injuries, congenital disorders, diabetes and obesity. Numbness or tingling feeling in case of bone spurs, joint stiffness or joint lockage, radiating pain that begins in the back and spread through extremities and joint inflammation are some of the symptoms of degenerative bone disorders.Typically there are two levels of bone loss and are usually associated with an increased risk for fractures. Osteoporosis and ostopenia constitute two levels of bone loss. Ostopenia is characterized by loss of bone material density, indicating thinning of bones and this process initiates when the existing bones break faster than the body replaces it. While osteoporosis, a bone degeneration condition characterized by the presence of porous bones and it develops over the years as bones slowly lose minerals, structure and density resulting in weaker bones.Read Full Report:Eventually, osteoporosis leads to stooped posture, broken bones and loss of height. Womens bones are smaller and are less dense than mens bones and women are four times more likely to suffer from osteoporosis than men. The major reason being, women experience rapid bone loss in the years following menopause whereas, by the age of 65 or 70 men and women both lose their bone mass at the same rate resulting in lack of absorption of calcium. Excessive bone degeneration results in fragile bones that are highly susceptible to fracture. Currently, there are several tests performed to determine the density of bones and extent of bone degeneration such as bone densitometers, dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scans and others.Post diagnosis of osteoporosis, prevention is the best bet for the preservation of the bones. There are several foods that cause bone degeneration and interfere with the absorption of calcium and patients suffering from degenerative bone disorders are recommended to prevent the intake of such foods. For instance, salty foods, oxalates, junk foods, alcohol and caffeine are some of the foods that contribute to bone degeneration. Stimulation of soft tissues, cartilage repair with prolotherapy represents some of the ways of alleviating pain developed from degenerative bone disorders.Bone Degeneration Therapeutics Market: Trends and OpportunitiesCurrently, bone degeneration therapeutics are in the developmental stages and are aimed at alleviating the symptoms of bone loss and pain resulting from it. The bone degeneration therapeutics market can be evaluated on the basis of the pipeline molecules in the development and the analysis of the key players involved in the development. Denosumab, Wnt7a  based protein therapeutic and AOD-9604, SC-661 are some of the bone degenerative therapeutics in pipeline. Also, several events such as drug approvals, exclusivity rights of marketing along with patent grants and patent expiration are some of the factors that impact the bone degeneration therapeutics market growth. Also, regulatory policies either favor or restrict bone degeneration therapeutics market entry.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The major factors favoring the market growth are drastic change in lifestyles, increased physical inactivity, rising obesity and increasing rate of diabetes across the globe. On the other hand limited treatment options for bone degeneration and lack of commercially available therapeutics for the treatment are some of the factors that might restrain the growth of the bone degeneration therapeutics market.Bone Degeneration Therapeutics Market: Key PlayersAmgen, Inc., Calzada Limited, Cell Therapeutics, Inc., Fate Therapeutics, Inc., and Se-cure Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. Represents some of the companies involved in the development of bone degeneration therapeutics.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Brain Monitoring Devices Market Witnesses Rising Demand and Investment from R&D Activities

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Global Brain Monitoring Devices Market: OverviewThe National Institute of Mental Health in the US states that every 1 in 4 adults suffers from a brain disorder every year. It further asserts that at least 6% suffer from serious disabilities due to severe brain damage. This alarming statistic goes to show the dire need for brain monitoring devices in the global healthcare industry today. Research shows that brain monitoring devices will be in significant demand in critical care units due to a high incidence of accidents pertaining to brain trauma and injuries in recent past. The market offers a wide range of devices to treat the abnormal brain activities and restore its functioning, depending on the case.The global brain monitoring market has been analyzed by researchers at Transparency Market Research using foolproof research methodologies. The document has been collaborated using information from various journals, interviews, whitepapers, conferences, and magazines. The report also includes an assessment of the competitive landscape present in the global brain monitoring devices market. It offers a thorough understanding of the overall market dynamics and maps a plausible trajectory for the market.Read Full Report:Global Brain Monitoring Devices Market: Drivers and TrendsThe high incidence of neurological disorders in recent years due to changing lifestyles, rising stress levels, and radical changes in the social environments have cumulatively augmented the demand for brain monitoring devices market. Today, these devices are used for understanding the conditions of patients suffering from Alzheimers disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, and brain tumors amongst others. Thus, the increasing number of patients suffering from these conditions are expected to serve as a strong market driver for the global brain monitoring devices market.The various brain monitoring devices available in the global market are intracranial pressure monitors, magnetoencephalography, electroencephalograph, cerebral oximeters, and transcranial doppler. These devices track brain function such as the velocity of blood flow in the veins and arteries in case of epilepsy, pressure surrounding the brain, electrical and neural activity, brain death, and traumatic brain injury. The market is also growing due to the rising number of post-surgical cerebrovascular accidents. These incidences have led to an augmented demand for automated brain monitoring devices in clinics and hospitals to understand the impact of anesthesia and sedatives.Download exclusive Sample of this report:Analysts note that the improvement in functionality of these devices, their user-friendliness, and affordability along with technological advancements will encourage the growth of the global market in the coming years.Global Brain Monitoring Devices Market: Geographical OutlookOn the basis of region, the global brain monitoring devices market is segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Analysts predict that North America is expected to lead the global market as the region has a strong healthcare infrastructure. The high adoption of technology and high penetration of mobile device have given this market an edge over other regions. The brain monitoring devices market in North America is also being encouraged by the supportive regulatory framework and affordable healthcare plans. The significant rise in the geriatric population has also made its contribution to the rise of the brain monitoring devices market in North America. Research indicates that rising patient awareness about benefits of brain monitoring devices to treat disorders such as sleep apnea, Alzheimers disease, and epilepsy amongst others will also propel the regional market.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cardiac Output Monitoring Devices Market 2024: Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughs

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Cardiac output is known as the volume of blood is pumped by from the right or left ventricle of heart per minute and which is dependent on heart rate, and stroke volume. The cardiac output increases during acute exercise and mental stress, while decreased cardiac output might include physical exercise of a intensity that the patient is not able to bear because of decrease in oxygen supply, obesity, ingestion of large meals that place an added workload on the heart, retention of fluid, emotional stress, hypervolemia, and smoking. It is essential to assess the state of patients blood circulation. Low cardiac output usually leads to a common problem of low blood pressure which might surface occur during surgery, or during postoperative care in the intensive care units.Read Full Report:In high-risk surgical patients and critically ill patients the arterial blood pressure and cardiac output usually are monitored more comprehensively. Cardiac output monitoring devices are used to know the cardiac output of heart and arterial oxygen content which enable the circulation of continuous systemic oxygen supply to the body. Doubling the cardiac output leads to double amount of the oxygen supply to the tissues, while the low cardiac output leads to inadequate supply of oxygen to organs like brain and the low amount of cellular oxygenation can cause tissue and organ failure. The major observed causative factors for the decrease cardiac output are congenital heart defects, pathologic changes in the heart's muscle, blood dyscrasias, chronic pulmonary disease and electrolyte imbalances (as of potassium or calcium). According to North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, decreased cardiac output is defined as a state in which inadequate blood is pumped by the heart to meet the metabolic demands of the body. Cardiac output monitoring devices market is classified on the basis of product type, methods, end-user and geography.On the basis of product type the market is broadly classified into invasive, minimally-invasive and non-invasive cardiac output monitoring devices. The invasive cardiac output monitoring has been traditionally accomplished using the pulmonary artery catheter (PAC), but complications associated with PAC has markedly decreased the widespread use of the PAC. The market demand for the non- invasive devices is high followed by minimally invasive devices as compare to invasive devices, due to factors such as ease, accessibility and cost- effectiveness and fast response time. By methods the market is segmented as thermodilution method, pulse pressure analysis, Doppler method, bioimpedance and applied Fick principle. Each methods has its own merits and demerits. On the basis of end-user the market is segmented as hospitals, ambulatory care and critical care centers. By end-user hospitals covers the major market for cardiac output monitoring devices, because of reliability and conjunction of other therapeutic treatments. The factors such as raising incidences of cardiovascular diseases, increase in the number of people suffering from obesity, growing ageing population, and raising healthcare infrastructure facilities are the growth drivers of this market.Download exclusive Sample of this Report:By geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the world. Geographically, North America was observed to have the major share of cardiac output monitoring device market due to high healthcare awareness, prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and technological advancement in the region. Europe contributes to the second largest share in the cardiac output monitoring device market growth with raising ageing population. However, Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing due to the gradual adoption of improved technologies, emerging health care infrastructures, and raising population with cardiac problems and obesity. Followed by Rest of the world.The major key players operating in cardiac output monitoring device market include Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, Cheetah Medical, PULSION Medical Systems SE, Philips Healthcare, LiDCO Group plc, Boston Scientific Corporation, GE Healthcare, and others. Bioreactance-based NICOM Cheetah Medical remains the topmost non-invasive market leader.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analyzing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology developments, types, applications, and the competitive landscape.About us:Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a U.S.-based provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Healthcare Mobility Solutions (Payers, Providers, and Patients (Individuals)) Global Market - Opportunities, Strategies, Trends And Forecast to 2017 - 2023

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Healthcare Mobility Solutions (Payers, Providers, and Patients (Individuals)) Global Market - Opportunities, Strategies, Trends And Forecast to 2017 - 2023".The research study titled Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market  Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2015 - 2023 provides strategic analysis of the global healthcare mobility solutions market along with the market growth (size in US$ Bn) forecast for the period from 2015 to 2023. The report includes competitive analysis of various market segments based on types of products and services, applications, end-users, and in-depth cross-sectional scrutiny across different geography segments of the healthcare mobility solutions market. In order to aid in strategic decision-making, the report also includes competitive profiling of the leading healthcare mobility solutions vendors in the industry, their market positioning, recent developments, and the winning strategies adopted by them. Other in-depth analyses covered in the report provide insights into industry competition, market dynamics, and the most profitable segments in the healthcare mobility solutions market. Furthermore, the report analyzes the current and future market potential for healthcare mobility solutions across the globe.The report also provides the breakdown and review of the various factors affecting the growth of the healthcare mobility solutions market, appropriately described as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. These factors emphasize upon the existing trends and their impact on the market growth. Overall, the report includes a holistic analysis of the global healthcare mobility solutions market and provides growth estimates for the period from 2015 to 2023, keeping in mind the various factors affecting the market.On the basis of types of products and services, the healthcare mobility solutions market is segmented into: mobile devices, mobile applications, and enterprise mobility platform. The market revenue and forecast for different products and services segments have been included in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. Furthermore, the report also segments the healthcare mobility solutions market on the basis of applications in to enterprise solutions and mHealth applications. The market revenue and forecast for different applications have also been included in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. Similarly, the market is further categorized on the basis of end-users into payers, providers, and patients (individuals). The market revenue and forecast for different end-use segments have been covered in the report for the period from 2013 to 2023 in terms of US$ Bn, along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023. The regional analysis of the healthcare mobility solutions market gives in-depth insights into the current trends prevailing in different regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and RoW (Middle East and Africa, and Latin America). Each of these segments provide market size and forecast for the period from 2013 to 2023, highlighting the key factors responsible for influencing and challenging the market growth.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By Products and ServicesMobile DevicesMobile ApplicationsEnterprise Mobility PlatformsHealthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By ApplicationsEnterprise SolutionsmHealth ApplicationsHealthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By End-usersPayersProvidersPatients (Individuals)Healthcare Mobility Solutions Market, By Geography:North AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeEU7CISRest of EuropeAsia PacifiJapanChinaAustralasiaRest of Asia PacificMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Respiratory Protection Equipment Market: Emerging Trends and Opportunities During 2017 - 2020

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Global Respiratory Protection Equipment Market: Emerging Trends and Opportunities During 2017 - 2020".RPE is used to minimize the wearers exposure to airborne hazards. RPE finds application in industries such as manufacturing, chemicals, construction, oil and gas, food, and pharmaceuticals. RPE is used not only by industrial consumers but also by the general public to protect from pollution. The selection of RPE depends on risks that the wearer is exposed to and the intensity and duration of the exposure. One of the major drivers of the global respiratory protection market is the increasing adoption of PPE in APAC. The manufacturing and construction industry in APAC is outperforming the global manufacturing and construction industry and will drive the demand for RPE over the forecast period. Stringent government regulations regarding the health and safety of employees also play a key role in the growth of this market.Technavios analysts forecast the global respiratory protection market to grow at a CAGR of 6.84% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global respiratory protection market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the worldwide retail sales of sir-purifying respirators (APR), and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA).The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:APACEuropeNorth AmericaROWTechnavio's report, Global Respiratory Protection Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsAvon Protection Systems3MHoneywellMSA SafetyTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Other prominent vendorsAlpha Pro TechBullardDrgerwerkGentexGrollsGurit HoldingsIntech SafetyKimberly-ClarkMoldex-MetricOcencoRPB SafetyRSG SafetySiyasebenza ManufacturingMarket driverIncrease in hydraulic fracturing activityFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeImpact on work performanceFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendIncreased competition among manufacturersFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
2017, Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis Of Global H1N1 Vaccines Market

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "2017, Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis Of Global H1N1 Vaccines Market" to its huge collection of research reports.This report (Global H1N1 Vaccines Market) Mainly covers the following product typesNasal spraysIntramuscular injectionThe segment applications includingHospital useClinic useSegment regions including (the separated region report can also be offered)North AmericaEuropeJapanChinaSoutheast AsiaIndiaThe players list (Partly, Players you are interested in can also be added)Sanofi PasteurBioCSLAbbott LaboratoriesAstraZenecaMitsubishi Tanabe PharmaNovartisGlaxoSmithKlineProtein Sciences CorporationCSL LimitedBaxter InternationalMedImmune, LLCSerum Institute of IndiaSinovac BiotechBeijing KexingHualanChangchun ChangshengBeijing TiantanZhejiang TianyuanShanghai Institute of Biological ProductsID Biomedical Corporation of QuebecWith no less than 15 top producers.Data including (both global and regions): Market Size (both volume - Bottle and value - million USD), Market Share, Production data, Consumption data, Trade data, Price - USD/Bottle, Cost, Gross margin etc.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @More detailed information, please refer to the attachment file and table of contents. If you have other requirements, please contact us, we can also offer!Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of H1N1 Vaccines1.1 Definition and Specifications of H1N1 Vaccines1.1.1 Definition of H1N1 Vaccines1.1.2 Specifications of H1N1 Vaccines1.1.2.1 0.5ml1.1.2.2 5ml1.2 Classification of H1N1 Vaccines1.2.1 Nasal sprays1.2.2 Intramuscular injection1.3 Applications of H1N1 Vaccines1.3.1 Hospital use1.3.2 Clinic use1.4 Industry Chain Structure of H1N1 Vaccines1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of H1N1 Vaccines1.5.1 Industry Overview of H1N1 Vaccines1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of H1N1 Vaccines1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines1.7 Industry News Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.4 Other Costs Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of H1N1 Vaccines2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of H1N1 VaccinesMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Optimist Club of Downtown Flint announce Officer of the Year awardees

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Seven area police officers will be recognized by the Downtown Flint Optimist Club at a luncheon celebrating National Law Day, Monday, May 1. Sonitrol Great Lakes - one of Michigans largest locally owned and operated security firms  is proud to again sponsor the annual event, which will be held beginning at noon at the Genesee Career Center, 5081 Torrey Road in Flint.The awards honor deserving officers who have demonstrated exceptional bravery, achievement, and genuine commitment to their profession and the citizens they serve. Sonitrol Great Lakes has been sponsoring the event for the past nine years."We are excited to once again sponsor this great event, honoring our local law enforcement officers for their heroism, dedication, and outstanding service to the public," said Mike Buckel, Optimist Club past president and vice president of sales for Sonitrol Great Lakes.The Optimist Club of Downtown Flint congratulates each of this years honorees:Deputy Miguel Mendez  Genesee County Sheriffs Office, Officers John Boismier Ronnie Summers, Terry Lewis, Sergeant Charlie Mitchell, Detective Mona Patterson  City of Flint Police Department, and Trooper Rashad Horton  Michigan State Police, Third District, Flint Post.In addition, the club is honoring Sidney Shields, a second-year forensic science student at the Genesee Career Institute, as its Student of the Year.Deputy Mendez is being recognized for his lifesaving work, reviving three opioid overdose victims with emergency Narcan medication on three separate occasions. In addition, Deputy Mendez, a former U.S. Marine, is credited for a successful face-to-face negotiation with an armed combat veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome.Flint police officers Boismier, Summers, Lewis, and Sgt. Mitchell are being honored for their bravery, professionalism and teamwork during a November 2016 fire at Village Shores Apartments. Officer Boismier attempted a rescue of a female resident from a second-floor balcony. During the rescue, both fell off the building, but Sgt. Mitchell and Officer Summers positioned themselves on the ground to cushion the pairs impact. Officer Lewis, with assistance of neighborhood residents, identified, located, and arrested an adult female on arson charges.Flint Police Detective Patterson, in her role as the departments Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) detective, is being recognized for her investigative work, reopening and solving past sexual assault cases. Through her work, the Genesee County Prosecutors Office filed charges against 14 previously undetected sexual assault suspects, including one serial suspect targeting children.State Police Trooper Horton is being honored for his tactical and lifesaving skills while off-duty at the scene of an active shooting which took place a short distance from his home. He administered first aid to the seriously wounded victim, while encountering the suspected shooter, holding her at bay with his firearm until backup officers arrived and took the suspect into custody without further incident. Paramedics arrived to stabilize the wounded victim.President Eisenhower first declared National Law Day in 1958. It is meant to reflect on the role of law in the foundation of the country and recognize its importance for society.About Sonitrol Great Lakes: As one of the nations largest commercial security companies, Sonitrol offers integrated security solutions, featuring a unique verified audio detection technology. Sonitrol provides businesses with a single source of state-of-the-art alarms for verified audio and video intrusion, as well as video surveillance, access control and fire detection, all backed with professional monitoring by experienced, trained personnel. Sonitrol Great Lakes regional headquarters and state-of-the-art monitoring center are in Grand Blanc, Mich. For more information, go toPO Box 871346Canton, MI















The Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem 2016-2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts

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Albany, NY, April 11, 2017: Given the increasing prevalence of expensive household goods, cars and consumer electronics, insurance has become an unavoidable and often necessary cost in modern life. Mobile phones, and smartphones in particular are no exception to this trend.Most major wireless carriers, insurance specialists, device OEMs, retailers and even banks now offer insurance plans that cover theft, loss, malfunctions and damage of mobile phones. Many policies now also integrate enhanced technical support and additional protection features such as data backup facilities, allowing users to securely backup their phone data online.SNS Research estimates that the global mobile phone insurance market is expected to account for nearly $20 Billion in revenue by the end of 2016. The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 12% over the next four years, eventually accounting for over $30 Billion in revenue by the end of 2020.Get a Sample Research PDF with TOC:The "Mobile Phone Insurance Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts" report presents an in-depth assessment of the mobile phone insurance ecosystem including market drivers, challenges, opportunities, value chain, future roadmap, case studies, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents market size forecasts from 2016 through to 2030. The forecasts are segmented for 5 regional and 25 country level markets.Key Findings:The report has the following key findings:- SNS Research estimates that the global mobile phone insurance market is expected to account for nearly $20 Billion in revenue by the end of 2016.- The market is further expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 12% over the next four years, eventually accounting for over $30 Billion in revenue by the end of 2020.- In an effort to boost the uptake of mobile phone insurance, wireless carriers and insurance providers have extensively enhanced their insurance offerings with the addition of location tracking, data protection/recovery features and integrated technical support.- The success of mobile phone insurance plans has driven several wireless carriers, such as NTT DoCoMo and Orange, to invest in the sales of other insurance products through mobile phones and their retail outlets.- New insurance models are also beginning to emerge, such as London-based So-Sures social insurance for mobile phones, which allows customers to get up to 80% of their money back, if they and their friends dont claim.- Device OEMs are beginning to invest in tailored plans to suit the specific requirements of certain regional markets. A good example is Xiaomis Mi Protect plan in India, which covers accidental and liquid damage, for as little as $7 per year.Topics Covered:The report covers the following topics:- Mobile phone insurance ecosystem- Market drivers and barriers- Insurance policy structure, distribution channels and key trends- Case studies of mobile phone insurance initiatives- Industry roadmap and value chain- Profiles and strategies of over 40 leading ecosystem players- Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players- Market analysis and forecasts from 2016 till 2030Enquiry at:Key Questions Answered:The report provides answers to the following key questions:- How big is the mobile phone insurance opportunity?- What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?- How is the ecosystem evolving by region?- What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?- Which countries will see the highest percentage of growth?- Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?- What risks are typically covered in mobile phone insurance offerings?- How can insurance plans help wireless carriers in reducing churn?- What strategies should wireless carriers, device OEMs and insurance providers adopt to remain competitive?Browse Report details at:ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators.Albany NY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-621-2074Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Email: sales@researchmoz.usFollow us on LinkedIn at:
Global Greek Yogurt Market 2016 Industry, Analysis, Research, Share, Growth, Sales, Trends, Supply, Forecast to 2021

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Greek Yogurt Market 2016 Industry, Analysis, Research, Share, Growth, Sales, Trends, Supply, Forecast to 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.A new research report on the global Greek Yogurt market offers a 360-degree overview of it. The report discusses the market in significant details and elucidates all aspects of the global Greek Yogurt market likely to impact its growth trajectory in the upcoming years. Major market stimulants and deterrents have also been examined in great detail, with quantitative and qualitative description of their expected impact on the market in the forecast period. This would enable big and small players operating in the market to understand the dynamics and maneuver their moves accordingly.The different segments of the global Greek Yogurt market have been carefully discussed at length. The product segments, application segments, and end user segments have been detailed in the report, leveraging historical and current figures. The report gauges the growth figures for each of the segments to understand the global Greek Yogurt markets growth prospects. This helps to offer a granular overview of the Greek Yogurt market and areas in which it stands to gain and lose.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @A detailed analysis of the competitive landscape of the global Greek Yogurt market has also been furnished in the report. Chief competitors in the global Greek Yogurt market have been profiled and data about their business and financial activities has been presented. The report also throws light on their strengths and weaknesses. This report has been carefully crafted with data arrived at from primary and secondary research methodologies.The reports primary objective is to help the players operating in the global Greek Yogurt market to gain an insight into the current market dynamics, including opportunities and threats so as to be able to strategize sagaciously. To do, it implements market-leading analytical tools to gauge the current competitive landscape.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Greek Yogurt1.1 Definition and Specifications of Greek Yogurt1.1.1 Definition of Greek Yogurt1.1.2 Specifications of Greek Yogurt1.2 Classification of Greek Yogurt1.3 Applications of Greek Yogurt1.4 Industry Chain Structure of Greek Yogurt1.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Greek Yogurt1.5.1 Industry Overview of Greek Yogurt1.5.2 Global Major Regions Status of Greek Yogurt1.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Greek Yogurt1.7 Industry News Analysis of Greek Yogurt2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.4 Other Costs Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Greek Yogurt2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Greek Yogurt10 Industry Chain Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.1 Upstream Major Raw Materials Suppliers Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.1.1 Major Raw Materials Suppliers with Contact Information Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.1.2 Major Raw Materials Suppliers with Supply Volume Analysis of Greek Yogurt by Regions10.2 Upstream Major Equipment Suppliers Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.2.1 Major Equipment Suppliers with Contact Information Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.2.2 Major Equipment Suppliers with Product Pictures Analysis of Greek Yogurt by Regions10.3 Downstream Major Consumers Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.3.1 Major Consumers with Contact Information Analysis of Greek Yogurt10.3.2 Major Consumers with Consumption Volume Analysis of Greek Yogurt by Regions10.4 Supply Chain Relationship Analysis of Greek YogurtFigure Picture of Greek YogurtTable Product Specifications of Greek YogurtTable Classification of Greek YogurtFigure Global Production Market Share of Greek Yogurt by Types in 2015Table Applications of Greek YogurtFigure Global Consumption Volume Market Share of Greek Yogurt by Applications in 2015Figure Industry Chain Structure of Greek YogurtTable Global Greek Yogurt Major ManufacturersTable Global Major Regions Greek Yogurt Development StatusTable Industry Policy of Greek YogurtTable Industry News List of Greek YogurtTable Raw Material Suppliers and Price AnalysisTable Equipment Suppliers and Price AnalysisFor Latest Market Research Reports Visit @QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Research Report 2017

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Research Report 2017 to its huge collection of research reports.This report on global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification market is a comprehensive study, prepared to armor the players in the market to detect lucrative avenues and hence gain ground over their competitors. The report covers the analysis and forecasts the market on a global, regional, and country level. The study provides historic data along with forecast for the forecast period based on revenue. The study provides a decisive view of the Chipless Radio Frequency Identification market by carefully segmenting into significant aspects and regions. The analysis of the global market as well as each of the segments have been based on current trends and future potential, and the figurative estimations has been provided.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The study covers drivers and restraints governing the dynamics of the market along with their impact on demand during the forecast period. Additionally, the report encompasses opportunities in the global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification market. The report comprises detailed value chain analysis to provide a comprehensive view of the market. Proven market research methodologies such as Porters five forces model has been included to help understand the competitive landscape in the market. The study includes market attractiveness analysis, wherein crop types have been benchmarked by based of their market size, growth rate, and general attractiveness for future growth.One of the key aspect of the report is the chapter on companies profiles wherein it includes the market share of some of the prominent players operating in the global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification market. For each of the profiled company, the study provides important details such as manufacturing base, competitors, product portfolio, revenue, margin, business strategies, and recent developments.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Chipless Radio Frequency Identification1.2 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Chipless Radio Frequency Identification by Type in 20151.2.2 Chipless RFID Tag1.2.3 Reader1.2.4 Middleware1.3 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Segment by Application1.3.1 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 Supply Chain1.3.3 Retail1.3.4 Pharmaceutical1.3.5 Patient Monitoring1.3.6 Smart Cards1.3.7 Avaition1.3.8 Others2 Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion7 Global Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Alien Technology7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.1.2 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Product Type, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Chipless RFID Tag7.1.2.2 Reader7.1.3 Alien Technology Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 BASF SE7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Its Competitors7.2.2 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Product Type, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Chipless RFID Tag7.2.2.2 Reader7.2.3 BASF SE Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015 and 2016)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview8 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Chipless Radio Frequency Identification Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Chipless Radio Frequency IdentificationFor Latest Market Research Reports Visit @QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
2017-2022 Maternity Wear Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications

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Maternity WearCovered In This Report:This report studies the Maternity Wear market status and outlook of global and United States, from angles of players, regions, product types and end industries; this report analyzes the top players in global and United States market, and splits the Maternity Wear market by product type and applications/end industries.The global Maternity Wear market is valued at XX million USD in 2016 and is expected to reach XX million USD by the end of 2022, growing at a CAGR of XX% between 2016 and 2022.The Asia-Pacific will occupy for more market share in following years, especially in China, also fast growing India and Southeast Asia regions.North America, especially The United States, will still play an important role which cannot be ignored. Any changes from United States might affect the development trend of Maternity Wear . United States plays an important role in global market, with market size of xx million USD in 2016 and will be xx million USD in 2022, with a CAGR of XX.Geographically, this report is segmented into several key regions, with sales, revenue, market share (%) and growth Rate (%) of Maternity Wear in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesNorth AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificSouth AmericaMiddle East and AfricaThe major players in global and United States Maternity Wear market, including Old Navy, Isabella Oliver, ROSIE POPE MATERNITY, Motherhood, Seraphine, Liz Lange, Amoralia, Destination Maternity, Pea in the Pod, Mothercare, Oh Baby, JoJo Maman Bb, Mamas & Papas, Ripe Maternity, Thyme Maternity, BeMaternity, Expected by Lilac, MaCherie.Get Sample Report @The On the basis of product, the Maternity Wear market is primarily split intoTopsBottomsDressShoesOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report coversFor Early PregnancyFor Mid PregnancyFor Late PregnancyMake An Enquiry Before Buying This Report@Key Points In Table Of Content2017-2022 Maternity Wear Report on Global and United States Market, Status and Forecast, by Players, Types and Applications1 Methodology and Data Source1.1 Methodology/Research Approach1.1.1 Research Programs/Design1.1.2 Market Size Estimation1.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation1.2 Data Source2.1.1 Secondary Sources2.1.2 Primary Sources1.3 Disclaimer2 Maternity Wear Market Overview2.1 Maternity Wear Product Overview2.2 Maternity Wear Market Segment by Type2.2.1 Tops2.2.2 Bottoms2.2.3 Dress2.2.4 Shoes2.3 Global Maternity Wear Product Segment by Type2.3.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Growth (%) by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.3.2 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.3 Global Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)2.3.4 Global Maternity Wear Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)2.4 United States Maternity Wear Product Segment by Type2.4.1 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Growth by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)2.4.2 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.3 United States Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share by Types (2012-2017)2.4.4 United States Maternity Wear Price (USD/Unit) by Type (2012-2017)3 Maternity Wear Application/End Users3.1 Maternity Wear Segment by Application/End Users3.1.1 For Early Pregnancy3.1.2 For Mid Pregnancy3.1.3 For Late Pregnancy3.2 Global Maternity Wear Product Segment by Application3.2.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.2.2 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)3.3 United States Maternity Wear Product Segment by Application3.3.1 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and CGAR (%) by Applications (2012, 2016 and 2022)3.3.2 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Applications (2012-2017)4 Maternity Wear Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1 Global Market Status and Outlook by Regions4.1.1 Global Maternity Wear Market Size and CAGR by Regions (2012, 2016 and 2022)4.1.2 North America4.1.3 Asia-Pacific4.1.4 Europe4.1.5 South America4.1.6 Middle East and Africa4.1.7 United States4.2 Global Maternity Wear Sales and Revenue by Regions4.2.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.2 Global Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) and Market Share (%) by Regions (2012-2017)4.2.3 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.4 North America Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.5 Europe Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.6 Asia-Pacific Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.7 South America Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4.2.8 Middle East and Africa Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (%) (2012-2017)4.2.9 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units), Revenue (Million USD), Price (USD/Unit) and Gross Margin (2012-2017).10 Global Maternity Wear Market Forecast10.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales, Revenue Forecast (2017-2022)10.1.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.1.2 Global Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.2 United States Maternity Wear Market Forecast10.1.1 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.2.2 United States Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (%) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3 Global Maternity Wear Forecast by Regions10.3.1 North America Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.2 Europe Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.3 Asia-Pacific Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.4 South America Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.3.5 Middle East and Africa Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast (2017-2022)10.4 Maternity Wear Forecast by Type10.4.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast by Type (2017-2022)10.4.2 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Revenue (Million USD) Forecast by Type (2017-2022)10.5 Maternity Wear Forecast by Application10.5.1 Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) Forecast by Application (2017-2022)10.5.2 United States Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) Forecast by Application (2017-2022)11 Research Findings and ConclusionList of Tables and FiguresTable Research Programs/Design for This ReportFigure Bottom-up and Top-down Approaches for This ReportFigure Data TriangulationTable Key Data Information from Secondary SourcesTable Key Data Information from Primary SourcesFigure Maternity Wear Product PictureFigure Global Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure United States Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) Status and Outlook (2012-2022)Figure Product Picture of TopsTable Major Players of TopsFigure Global Tops Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)Figure Product Picture of BottomsTable Major Players of BottomsFigure Global Bottoms Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)Figure Product Picture of DressTable Major Players of DressFigure Global Dress Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) (2012-2017)Table Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) and Growth Rate (%) Comparison by Types (2012, 2016 and 2022)Table Global Maternity Wear Sales (K Units) by Types (2012-2017)Table Global Maternity Wear Sales Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure Global Sales Maternity Wear Market Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure Global Sales Maternity Wear Market Share (%) by Types in 2016Table Global Maternity Wear Revenue (Million USD) by Types (2012-2017)Table Global Maternity Wear Revenue Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure Global Maternity Wear Revenue Share (%) by Types (2012-2017)Figure 2016 Global Maternity Wear Revenue Market Share (%) by TypesTable Global Maternity Wear Price (USD/Unit) by Types (2012-2017)Continued...Buy 1-User Pdf @Contact Us:Norah TrentPartner Relations & Marketing ManagerSales@Wiseguyreports.ComPh: +1-646-845-9349 (Us)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (Uk)Follow On Linkedin:Subscribe Our Youtube Channel @Click Here For More DetailsABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. 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Industrial Valves 2017 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 5.30% and Forecast to 2019

Industrial Valves Reportss

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Industrial ValvesThis report studies the Industrial Valves on global market, focuses on the top players in US market and also the market status and outlook by type and application.Request For Sample ReportScope of the Report:About Industrial ValvesIndustrial valves are devices that are used to control, direct, and regulate the flow and pressure of gases, liquids, and fluidized solids. Several types of industrial valves including globe valves, gate valves, butterfly valves, ball valves, and safety-relief valves are used in various process industries such as oil and gas, chemical, power, refining, and food and beverage.Technavio's analysts forecast the global industrial valves market in oil and gas industry to grow at a CAGR of 5.30% over the period 2014-2019.Covered in this ReportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global industrial valves market in oil and gas industry for 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report covers the revenue generated from valves sold in the oil and gas industry.Technavio's report, Global Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. It covers the market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key Geographies Americas APAC EMEAKey Vendors Cameron International Emerson Electric Flowserve PentairOther Prominent Vendors Alfa Laval AVK Group Crane Curtiss-Wright GE Honeywell International IMI Kitz KSB Group Neway Valve (Suzhou) Rotork Valvitalia Group Velan Weir GroupMarket Driver Booming Oil and Gas Industry in Africa For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket Challenge Volatile Oil and Gas Prices For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket Trend Growing Oil and Gas infrastructure in China For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2019 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?.Complete Report:Table of Content01. Executive Summary02. List of Abbreviations03. Scope of the Report01. Executive Summary02. List of Abbreviations03. Scope of the Report03.1 Market Overview03.2 Product Offerings04. Market Research Methodology04.1 Market Research Process04.2 Research Methodology05. Introduction06. Market Landscape06.1 Market Size and Forecast06.2 Five Forces Analysis07. Market Segmentation by Product07.1 Global Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry by Product07.2 Global Ball Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry07.2.1 Market Size and Forecast07.3 Global Industrial Plug Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry07.3.1 Market Size and Forecast07.4 Global Gate Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry07.4.1 Market Size and Forecast07.5 Global Globe Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry07.5.1 Market Size and Forecast07.6 Global Butterfly Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry07.6.1 Market Size and Forecast08. Geographical Segmentation08.1 Global Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry by Geographical Segmentation08.2 Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry in EMEA08.2.1 Market Size and Forecast08.3 Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry in Americas08.3.1 Market Size and Forecast08.4 Industrial Valves Market in Oil and Gas Industry in APAC08.4.1 Market Size and Forecast09. Buying Criteria09.1 Parameters09.1.1 Price09.1.2 Reliability09.1.3 Efficiency09.1.4 Availability10. Market Growth Drivers11. Drivers and their Impact12. Market Challenges13. Impact of Drivers and Challenges14. Market Trends15. Trends and their Impact16. Vendor Landscape16.1 Competitive Scenario16.2 Other Prominent Vendors17. Key Vendor Analysis17.1 Cameron17.1.1 Key facts17.1.2 Business overview17.1.3 Business segmentation by revenue 201317.1.4 Business segmentation by revenue 2012 and 201317.1.5 Geographical segmentation by revenue 201317.1.6 Business strategy17.1.7 Recent developments17.1.8 SWOT analysis17.2 Emerson Electric17.2.1 Key Facts17.2.2 Business Overview17.2.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201317.2.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2012 and 201317.2.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201317.2.6 Business Strategy17.2.7 Recent Developments17.2.8 SWOT Analysis17.3 Flowserve17.3.1 Key Facts17.3.2 Business Overview17.3.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201317.3.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2012 and 201317.3.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201317.3.6 Business Strategy17.3.7 Recent Developments17.3.8 SWOT Analysis17.4 Pentair17.4.1 Key Facts17.4.2 Business Overview17.4.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201317.4.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2012 and 201317.4.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201317.4.6 Business Strategy17.4.7 Recent Developments17.4.8 SWOT Analysis18. Other Reports in this SeriesContinuedVisit to our official website on Linkedin@Continued.Buy This Report@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-categoriesOffice No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028 Maharashtra, India
Global Dried Pasta Sauce Market 2017 - Key Players are Mizkan, Campbell, Barilla, Dolmio and more

Dried Pasta Sauce Market

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Executive SummaryDried Pasta Sauce Market :-WiseGuyReports.com adds Animal Hospitals Market 2017 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On Request a Sample Report @Notes:Production, means the output of Dried Pasta SauceRevenue, means the sales value of Dried Pasta SauceThis report studies Dried Pasta Sauce in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringMizkanCampbellBarillaDolmioHuntsHeinzNewman's OwnB&G FoodsPremier FoodsKnorrGiovanni RanaLeggosDel Monte FoodsSaclaFrancesco RinaldiPrivate LabelsNAPOLINAMarket Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate of Dried Pasta Sauce in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product type, with production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoRed SauceGreen SauceWhite SauceBlack SauceSplit by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Dried Pasta Sauce in each application, can be divided into20 Ages20-50 Ages50Browse Full Report Details@Some Major Points from Table of Content:Table of ContentsGlobal Dried Pasta Sauce Market Research Report 20171 Dried Pasta Sauce Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Dried Pasta Sauce1.2 Dried Pasta Sauce Segment by Type1.2.1 Global Production Market Share of Dried Pasta Sauce by Type in 20151.2.2 Red Sauce1.2.3 Green Sauce1.2.4 White Sauce1.2.5 Black Sauce1.3 Dried Pasta Sauce Segment by Application1.3.1 Dried Pasta Sauce Consumption Market Share by Application in 20151.3.2 20 Ages1.3.3 20-50 Ages1.3.4 501.4 Dried Pasta Sauce Market by Region1.4.1 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Dried Pasta Sauce (2012-2022)2 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.3 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Average Price by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.4 Manufacturers Dried Pasta Sauce Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Dried Pasta Sauce Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Dried Pasta Sauce Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Dried Pasta Sauce Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Dried Pasta Sauce Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)5 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Dried Pasta Sauce Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesPurchase 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
Physical Security 2017 Global Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 8.79% and Forecast to 2019

Physical Security Indusstry

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Physical SecurityThis report studies the Physical Security on global market, focuses on the top players in US market and also the market status and outlook by type and application.Request For Sample ReportScope of the Report:About Physical Security in BFSIPhysical security involves securing an organization's data, hardware, network, and processes that can be damaged by an external agency, which in turn can damage its brand value. There are a number of hardware devices and software that are being adopted by government organizations and enterprises to ensure the physical security of critical data and infrastructure. Increasing instances of criminal activities in recent years are a major reason for the high adoption of physical security measures.Technavio's analysts forecast the global physical security market in BFSI sector to grow at a CAGR of 8.79% over the period 2014-2019.Covered in this ReportThis report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global physical security market in BFSI sector for the period 2015-2019. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of the following components: Access control systems Cloud-based services Physical security software Surveillance systemsBased on geography, the market is segmented into the Americas, EMEA, and APAC.It also presents the vendor landscape and a corresponding detailed analysis of the top six vendors in the market. In addition, the report discusses the major drivers that influence the growth of the market. It also outlines the challenges faced by the vendors and the market at large, as well as the key trends that are emerging in the market.Technavio's report, Global Physical Security Market in BFSI Sector 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, APA, and EMEA; it also covers the global physical security market landscape in BFSI sector and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key Regions Americas APAC EMEAKey Vendors Axis Communications Bosch Security Systems Cisco Systems Honeywell Security Group NICE Systems TycoOther Prominent Vendors Arecont Vision Assa Abloy Avigilon AxxonSoft CNL Software Genetec H3C Technologies March Networks MOBOTIX Panasonic Safran Salient Systems Samsung Techwin videoNEXT VidSysMarket Driver Rapid adoption of monitoring solutions For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket Challenge High TCO For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket Trend Adoption of IP-based video surveillance solutions For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey Questions Answered in this Report What will the market size be in 2019 and what will the growth rate be? What are the key market trends? What is driving this market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key vendors in this market space? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Complete Report:Table of Content01. Executive Summary02. List of Abbreviations03. Scope of the Report03.1 Market Overview03.2 End-users03.2.1 Individual Players03.3 Base Year03.4 Vendor Segmentation03.5 Product Offerings04. Market Research Methodology04.1 Market Research Process04.2 Research Methodology05. Introduction06. Market Landscape06.1 Market Snapshot06.2 Market Overview06.3 Market Size and Forecast06.4 Five Forces Analysis07. Market Segmentation by Category07.1 Global Physical Security Market by Category 201408. Geographical Segmentation08.1 Global Physical Security Market by Geographical Segmentation 201409. Buying Criteria10. Market Growth Drivers11. Drivers and their Impact12. Market Challenges13. Impact of Drivers and Challenges14. Market Trends15. Trends and their Impact16. Vendor Landscape16.1 Competitive Scenario16.1.1 Key News16.1.2 Mergers and Acquisitions16.2 Other Prominent Vendors17. Key Vendor Analysis17.1 Betfair17.1.1 Key Facts17.1.2 Business Overview17.1.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201417.1.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2013 and 201417.1.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201417.1.6 Business Strategy17.1.7 Recent Developments17.1.8 SWOT Analysis17.2 Ladbrokes17.2.1 Key Facts17.2.2 Business Overview17.2.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201417.2.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2013 and 201417.2.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201417.2.6 Business Strategy17.2.7 Recent Developments17.2.8 SWOT Analysis17.3 Unibet17.3.1 Key Facts17.3.2 Business Overview17.3.3 Product Segmentation 201417.3.4 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201417.3.5 Product Segmentation by Revenue 2013 and 201417.3.6 Business Strategy17.3.7 Recent Developments17.3.8 SWOT Analysis17.4 William Hill17.4.1 Key Facts17.4.2 Business Overview17.4.3 Business Segmentation by Revenue 201317.4.4 Business Segmentation by Revenue 2012 and 201317.4.5 Geographical Segmentation by Revenue 201317.4.6 Business Strategy17.4.7 SWOT Analysis18. Other Reports in this SeriesContinuedVisit to our official website on Linkedin@Continued.Buy This Report@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-categoriesOffice No. 528, Amanora Chambers Magarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028 Maharashtra, India
Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems 2017 Global Market Key Players - Bosch, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, WiTricity, Fulton Innovation Analysis And Forecast To 2022

Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market

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Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems MarketDescriptionIn this report, the global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems 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 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesEUChinaJapanSouth KoreaIndiaGlobal Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingBoschQualcommTexas InstrumentsWiTricityFulton InnovationRequest for Sample Report@On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoElectromagnetic InductionMagnetic ResonanceOn 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 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems for each application, includingPassenger VehiclesCommercial VehiclesEnquiry before Buying @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Contents:Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Research Report 20171 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems1.2 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Electromagnetic Induction1.2.4 Magnetic Resonance1.3 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Segment by Application1.3.1 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Passenger Vehicles1.3.3 Commercial Vehicles1.4 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 United States Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 EU Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 South Korea Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)8 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging Systems Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials8.1.2 Price Trend of Key Raw Materials8.1.3 Key Suppliers of Raw Materials8.1.4 Market Concentration Rate of Raw Materials8.2 Proportion of Manufacturing Cost Structure8.2.1 Raw Materials8.2.2 Labor Cost8.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses8.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Automotive Inductive Wireless Charging SystemsContinued...Buy 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.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra, India: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
Vitamin K2 2017 Global Key Players - Kappa Bioscience, NattoPharma, Gnosis, DSM, Viridis BioPharma Market Analysis and Forecast to 2022

Vitamin K2

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Vitamin K2Report Details:Leading vendors in the market are included based on sales; price, sales regions, products and profile etc.Vendors mentioned as follows:Kappa BioscienceNattoPharmaGnosisDSMViridis BioPharmaFrutaromDuPont Nutrition & HealthGeneFerm BiotechnologyXsto SolutionsShanghai Reson BiotechGuangdong GoodscendSeebio BiotechKyowa HakkoClick here for sample report @Based on products type, the report describes major products type share of regional market. Products mentioned as follows:By TypeSynthesis MK-4Natural MK-7Based on region, the report describes major regions market by vendor, products and application. Regions mentioned as follows:EuropeNorth AmericaChinaJapan & KoreaIndiaBased on application, the report describes major application share of regional market. Application mentioned as follows:MedicalHealth ProductsSome Major Points from Table of content:1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Product1.2.1.1 Synthesis MK-41.2.1.2 Natural MK-71.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Medical1.2.2.2 Health Products1.2.3 by Regions1.2.3.1 Europe1.2.3.2 North America1.2.3.3 China1.2.3.4 Japan & Korea1.2.3.5 IndiaFor Detailed Reading Please visit @4 Major Vendors4.1 Kappa Bioscience4.1.1 Profile4.1.2 Business Performance4.2 NattoPharma4.2.1 Profile4.2.2 Business Performance4.3 Gnosis4.3.1 Profile4.3.2 Business Performance4.4 DSM4.4.1 Profile4.4.2 Business Performance4.5 Viridis BioPharma4.5.1 Profile4.5.2 Business Performance4.6 Frutarom4.6.1 Profile4.6.2 Business Performance4.7 DuPont Nutrition & Health4.7.1 Profile4.7.2 Business Performance4.8 GeneFerm Biotechnology4.8.1 Profile4.8.2 Business Performance4.9 Xsto Solutions4.9.1 Profile4.9.2 Business Performance4.10 Shanghai Reson Biotech4.10.1 Profile4.10.2 Business Performance4.11 Guangdong Goodscend4.12 Seebio Biotech4.13 Kyowa Hakko..ContinuedBuy now @Contact Us:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPh: +91 841 198 5042info@wiseguyreports.com
Dental 3D Printers 2017  Global Market Key Players are Stratasys, 3D Systems, EnvisionTEC, DWS Systems and more

Dental 3D Printers Market

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Dental 3D Printers Market 2017SummaryWiseguyreports.Com Adds Dental 3D Printers Market -Market Size, Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Leading vendors in the market are included based on sales; price, sales regions, products and profile etc. Vendors mentioned as follows:Stratasys3D SystemsEnvisionTECDWS SystemsBegoProdways EntrepreneursAsigaRequest for Sample report @Based on products type, the report describes major products type share of regional market. Products mentioned as follows:By TypeDesktopIndustrialBased on region, the report describes major regions market by vendor, products and application. Regions mentioned as follows:North AmericaAsiaEuropeRoWBased on application, the report describes major application share of regional market. Application mentioned as follows:Lab & ClinicHospitalOthersTo get complete report visit@Key Points in Table of Content:Table of Contents1 Market Overview1.1 Objectives of Research1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Specifications1.2 Market Segment1.2.1 by Product1.2.1.1 Desktop1.2.1.2 Industrial1.2.2 by Application1.2.2.1 Lab & Clinic1.2.2.2 Hospital1.2.2.3 Others1.2.3 by Regions1.2.3.1 North America1.2.3.2 Asia1.2.3.3 Europe1.2.3.4 RoW2 Industry Chain2.1 Industry Chain Structure2.2 Upstream2.2.1 Raw Material2.2.2 Major Equipment2.2.3 Manufacturing Cost Structure2.2.4 Manufacturing Process2.3 Market2.3.1 SWOT2.3.2 Dynamics3 Environmental Analysis3.1 Policy3.2 Economic3.3 Technology3.4 Market Entry4 Major Vendors4.1 Stratasys4.1.1 Profile4.1.2 Business Performance4.2 3D Systems4.2.1 Profile4.2.2 Business Performance4.3 EnvisionTEC4.3.1 Profile4.3.2 Business Performance4.4 DWS Systems4.4.1 Profile4.4.2 Business Performance4.5 Bego4.5.1 Profile4.5.2 Business Performance4.6 Prodways Entrepreneurs4.6.1 Profile4.6.2 Business Performance4.7 Asiga4.7.1 Profile4.7.2 Business PerformanceContinued...Buy this report @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
Enema Bag Market: Major Key player, Regional Analysis & foresight to 2027

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Market Scenario:Enema bags are rubber bags which are utilized for the preserve enema. Basically these enema bags are utilized to administer enema. The global market for Enema Bag is expected to reach US$ by the end of the forecasted period and is expected to grow at a CAGR.Market Segments:Global Enema Bag market has been segmented; On the basis of Types; which comprises of Bag or Fountain travel enema, Closed or Bottle Enema, Higginson Enema, Bulb Enema On the basis of End Users; which consists of hospitals, clinics, research facilities On the basis of Application; which consists of Bowel clearing, Contrast X-ray, Medication administrationRequest a Sample Report @Study Objectives of Enema Bag Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Enema Bag market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the Enema Bag market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by type, by application, by end users and its sub-segments To provide overview of key players and their strategic profiling in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Enema Bag market.Browse Report Details @Key Players:Some of the key players in this market are: Baxter International, Inc. (US) Coloplast A/S (Denmark) B Braun Melsungen AG (Germany) Hollister Incorporated (US) Medline Industries, Inc. (US) MacoPharma (France)Intended Audience Enema Bag manufacturers Enema Bag Suppliers Pharmaceutical companies Medical Research Laboratories Academic Medical Institutes and UniversitiesRequest Table of Contents for this Report @Regional Analysis of Enema Bag Market:Globally North America is the largest market for enema bags. The North American market for Enema Bags expected to grow at a CAGR of and is expected to reach at US$ Million by the end of the forecasted period. This is due to high level of hygiene developed in hospitals and clinics. Europe is the second-largest market for enema bag which is expected to grow at a CAGR Whereas Asia pacific is expected to be a growing market for enema bag marketAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Italy Fire-Proofing Coatings Market - The New Product to Do the Business Which Can Take You to the Peak.

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Italy Fire-Proofing Coatings Market Report 2016 Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.This report on Italy Fire-Proofing Coatings market is a detailed research study that helps provides answers and pertinent questions with respect to the emerging trends and growth opportunities in this particular industry. It helps identify each of the prominent barriers to growth, apart from identifying the trends within various application segments of the Italy market for Fire-Proofing Coatings. Collecting historical and recent data from various authentic resources, and depending on all the factors and trends, the report presents a figurative estimate of the future market condition, along with compound annual growth rate (CAGR).This report studies the Italy Fire-Proofing Coatings market, analyzes and researches the Fire-Proofing Coatings development status and forecast in North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America. Various key players are discussed in details and a well-informed idea of their popularity and strategies is mentioned.Download sample pages of this premium report:Key segmentations and sub segmentations are elaborated with right information for Fire-Proofing Coatings market. The popularity and anticipated opportunities for all the segmentations are well explained in order to give a clear idea about the market trends. On the basis of estimations of the key segmentations, Fire-Proofing Coatings market has been elucidated. Technological developments which have taken place during the ongoing market situation and the predicted scenario during the forecast period are presented systematically.Get Discount on this Report:Most important data include the key recommendations and predictions by our analysts, intended to steer a strategic business decision. The company profiles section of this research service is a compilation of the growth strategies, financial status, product portfolio, and recent developments of key market participants. The report provides detailed industry analysis of the Italy Fire-Proofing Coatings market with the help of proven research methodologies such as Porters five forces. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of the buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and the degree of competition.For more inquiry before purchase:This report studies sales (consumption) of Fire-Proofing Coatings in Italy market, focuses on the top players, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player, coveringPPGAkzonobelSherwin-WilliamsAxaltaValspar PaintRPM InternationalBasf CoatingKansai PaintNipsea GroupNipponpaint-HoldingsMascoHempelKCCSikaDAWDulux GroupSamhwa PaintBetekSKS PaintMusashi PaintPacific Paint3MTOA GroupDai Nippon ToryoBrilluxAltana GroupSplit by product types, with sales, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoWater-Based CoatingsSolvent-Borne CoatingsOil-Based CoatingsSplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Fire-Proofing Coatings in each application, can be divided intoConstructionOil&GasTextileComplete report available at:About Research n Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Italy competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
Global Wound Care Market - Industry Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast for 2017 - 2027

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Market Scenario:The skin protects our body from outer injuries. It works as a shield to our body. Sometimes wound could be deeper and could cause more damages to under structure like bone, muscles nerves and arteries, this is when wound care is utilized to heal the outer wounds of a human body and to protect the body from further wounds.Market Segments:Global Wound Care market has been segmented as follows: On the basis of types which includes chronic wound, acute wound. On the basis of application which consists of surgical wounds, Ulcers, Pressure ulcers, Diabetic foot ulcers, venous ulcers. On the basis of products which consist of traditional wound care, surgical wound care, Advanced wound management products.Request a Sample Report @Study Objectives of Wound Care Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the Global Wound Care Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To Analyze the Global Wound Care Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the world To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segments by type, by applications, by product and sub-segments. To provide strategic profiling of key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the Global Wound Care MarketBrowse Report Details @Key Players for Wound Care Market: 3M Company (U.S.) Baxter International, Inc. (U.S.) Coloplast A/S (Denmark.) Convatec Healthcare B.S.A.R.L (U.S.) Covidien PLC (Ireland) Derma Sciences, Inc. (U.S.) Ethicon, Inc. (U.S.) Hollister, Inc. (U.S.) Ethicon, Inc. (U.S.) Acelity L.P/ (U.S.) Molnlycke Health Care (Sweden) Smith and Nephew (U.K.)Request Table of Contents for this Report @The reports also cover brief analysis of Geographical Region including:Americas North America US Canada Latin AmericaEurope Western Europe Germany France Italy Spain U.K Rest of Western Europe Eastern EuropeAsia Pacific Asia China India Japan South Korea Rest of Asia PacificThe Middle East& AfricaAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Report on Major growth driver of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market

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Market Synopsis of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) MarketMarket ScenarioThe major growth driver of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market includes high usage of DSP chip in consumer electronics market, growing demand of digital signal processors (DSP) in automotive sector, and growing technology which can be useful for DSP, and other surveillance equipment among others.Hence the market for Digital Signal Processors (DSP) is expected to grow (2016-2022).However, high cost of instruments and complex design are some of the factors which are hindering the growth of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market.SegmentsGlobal Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market can be segmented as follows: Segmentation by Components: ICs, single and multi-core processors, system-on chip (SOC), and input-output controllers among others. Segmentation by Applications: Automotive, Consumer electronics, Communication, Nano technology, Surveillance and Medical among others.Request a Sample Report @Objective Study of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market: To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of the various segments and sub-segments of the global Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market. To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth. To Analyze the Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market based on various factors- porters five force analysis, mega trend analysis, macroeconomic indicators etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of the World (ROW). To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by components, by applications and sub-segments.Browse Report Details @Key PlayersSome of the major players in Global Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market include: Analog Devices Inc. (U.S.), Altera Corp. (U.S.), Broadcom Corp. (U.S.), NXP Semiconductor (Netherlands), Qualcomm Inc. (U.S.), Renesas Electronics Corp.(Japan), Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (South Korea), Toshiba Corp. (Japan), Texas Instruments Inc. (U.S.) Xilinx Inc. (U.S.) among others.Request Table of Contents for this Report @Industry News: Texas Instruments has developed a 4K DLP chip in January 2016 for home theatre, businesses and education projection displays. The new chip is developed from DLP cinema technology and it combines the switching speed of digital micro mirror devices with the support of advanced image processing technology. Renesas Electronics Corporation has done an announcement in June 2016 about its new development two-port on-chip SRAM to provide solution to video processing for autonomous vehicle market.Regional Analysis of Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market:North-America is dominating the Global Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market with the largest market share in the region, and therefore is expected to grow by 2022. Digital Signal Processors (DSP) Market in Asia-Pacific market is expected to grow by 2022. The European market forDigital Signal Processors (DSP) Market is expected to grow (2016-2022).At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Global and China Cefprozil Market Research Report 2017-2021

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Global Cefprozil Market Research Report Forecast 2017-2021Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.The detailed study on Cefprozil market is done by compiling information from primary as well as secondary research points. It comes from journals, databases, white papers and updated press releases. It understands the factors driving the market and what inhibits the development of Cefprozil market .There is a systematic compilation of trends and key opportunities of this market with its maximum authenticity. The current size of the market and the anticipated changes have also been discussed in detail.Now Purchase this Report at:Get 30% Discount on this ReportThis research report helps provide insights into innovations, opportunities and new development in the Cefprozil market and its connected industries. It includes vital trends and dynamics of the market at regional as well as global level for the given forecast period. For a pervasive understanding of the market, business strategies and latest developments of the vital players accompanied with co-development deals and market size have also been enclosed. Briefly citing, their revenue share, contact information and meticulous SWOT analysis is available.For more inquiry before purchase:This research report helps provide insights into innovations, opportunities and new development in the Cefprozil market and its connected industries. It includes vital trends and dynamics of the market at regional as well as global level for the given forecast period. For a pervasive understanding of the market, business strategies and latest developments of the vital players accompanied with co-development deals and market size have also been enclosed. Briefly citing, their revenue share, contact information and meticulous SWOT analysis is available.The Major players reported in the market include:OrchidTaj PharmaDhanukaLupinAlkemCorden PharmaAurobindoCovalentTEVA GROUPGet up to 30% Discount on this report:This report further helps to:-Understand the factors which influence the Cefprozil market.Unravels the challenges and opportunities faced by the companies operating in the Cefprozil market.Considers important outcomes of Cefprozil market analysis done.Identifies leading players in Cefprozil market.Discovers profitable regions globally and leading segments during the above stated forecast period.For Sample Copy of this report:As the global Cefprozil market is segmented based on various parameters, an in-depth classification of the market is also mentioned; elements impacting the markets growth are studied in detail to understand the report precisely. Moreover this, profiles of some of the leading players operating in the global Cefprozil market are included in the report. Using SWOT analysis, their weaknesses and strengths are analyzed. It helps the study deliver visions into the opportunities and threats that companies may face during the forecast period.Complete Report Available at:About Research N Reports:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)Research N Reports0916, Gold Point, Dr,Houston, TX,Pin - 77064,Sunny Denis(Sales Manager),+1 888-631-6977,sales@researchnreports.com,
EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017

EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017

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In this report, the EMEA Magnesian Limestone 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 split EMEA into Europe, the Middle East and Africa, With sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Magnesian Limestone for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast)Europe: Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Benelux;Middle East: Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE and Iran;Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria.EMEA Magnesian Limestone market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Magnesian Limestone sales volume (K Units), price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingLafargeHolcimCemexGraymontNittetsu MiningHeidelbergCementItalcementi GroupSchaefer KalkSumitomo Osaka CementNALCIndependent Limestone CompanyTodaka MiningCarmeuseLhoistEurocementMitsubishi MaterialsIndiana Limestone CompanyAtlantic Minerals LimitedElliott Stone CompanyFels-Werke GmbHMississippi Lime CompanyAnhui Conch CementSouth CementChina Resources CementBBMGJiangxi WannianqingSanyou-GroupShougang LukuangDalian LimestoneSichuan Golden SummitOn the basis of product, this report displays the sales volume (K Units), revenue (Million USD), product price (USD/Unit), market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoLight CalciumcarbonateHeavy CalciumcarbonateOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume (K Units), market share and growth rate of Magnesian Limestone for each application, includingConstruction materialsCementLimeOthersAsk a professional & complete report sample, please feel free to contact us: tinaning@qyresearch.com orTable of Contents1 Magnesian Limestone Overview2 EMEA Magnesian Limestone Competition by Manufacturers/Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and Application3 Europe Magnesian Limestone (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Players, Countries, Type and Application4 Middle East Magnesian Limestone (Volume, Value and Sales Price), by Region, Type and Application5 Africa Magnesian Limestone (Volume, Value and Sales Price) by Players, Countries, Type and Application6 EMEA Magnesian Limestone Manufacturers/Players Profiles and Sales Data7 Magnesian Limestone Manufacturing Cost Analysis8 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10 Market Effect Factors Analysis11 EMEA Magnesian Limestone Market Forecast (2017-2022)12 Research Findings and Conclusion13 AppendixRelated Reports:Global Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017China Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017USA Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017Japan Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017India Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017Korea Magnesian Limestone Market Report 2017Contact Details:Company Name: QYResearch CO.,LIMITEDProfessional Market Research Report PublisherContact Person: Tina NingEmail: tinaning@qyresearch.com or qyresearcheurope@126.comTel: 0086-20-22093278(CN)Web:QYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience),Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District
Global Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017

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SummaryThe Global Bulk Container Packagings Industry 2017 Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Bulk Container Packagings industry.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Bulk Container Packagings 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 Bulk Container Packagings 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.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comPlayers covering:AnthenteBulk Lift InternationalBraid LogisticsBuscherhoff SpezialverpackungEnvironmental Packaging TechnologiesAmeriGlobeBAG CorpBulk Handling AustraliaCorrPak Bulk Packaging SystemsGriefIntertape Polymer GroupJ&HM DicksonJumbo BagLC PackagingLinerTechMiniBulkMondiRDA Bulk PackagingTaihua GroupVen PackWaterplexKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry Overview of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Four Capacity, Production and Revenue Analysis of Bulk Container Packagings by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Five Price, Cost, Gross and Gross Margin Analysis of Bulk Container Packagings by Regions, Types and ManufacturersChapter Six Consumption Volume, Consumption Value and Sale Price Analysis of Bulk Container Packagings by Regions, Types and ApplicationsChapter Seven Supply, Import, Export and Consumption Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Ten Industry Chain Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Eleven Development Trend of Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Bulk Container PackagingsChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the Global Bulk Container Packagings Industry 2017 Market Research ReportMain Chapter ShowedChapter Eight Major Manufacturers Analysis of Bulk Container Packagings8.1 Company one8.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors8.1.2 Bulk Container Packagings Product Category, Application and Specification8.1.2.1 Product A8.1.2.2 Product B8.1.3 Company one Bulk Container Packagings Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2018)8.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview...Related Reports:US Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017Europe Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017India Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017China Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017Korea Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017Japan Bulk Container Packagings Industry Market Research Report 2017Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact me~O(_)O~Hebe | Sr. Manager  Global SalesProfessional Market Research Report PublisherQYResearch Co.LtdQYResearch focus on Market Survey and ResearchPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com or hebe@qyresearch.comWeb:About QYResearch LtdQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminarservices. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, IndustryAssociation Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2years depth expert interview experience). Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).QYResearch LtdAddress: Room 2311 VILI International Building No.167 Linhe West Road Tianhe District Guangzhou City Guangdong Province 510610 ChinaPhone: +86-20-2209-3278Email: hebe@qyresearchglobal.com
CMOS Power Amplifier Market will Increase at a CAGR of 16 .6% during 2016-2026

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Expanding application base of the Internet of Things (IoT) is translating into rapid technological advancement and miniaturisation of devices that entails stronger connection peripherals. This, in turn, is resulting in higher demand for CMOS power amplifier. Future Market Insights has recently conducted an analytical study on the global CMOS power amplifier market that projects a stout growth in terms of revenue between 2016 and 2026. The arrival of superior wireless communication networks and extended benefits of CMOS technology is expected to provide an impetus to the overall development of the market. Network challenges introduced by news wireless standards is an additional factor expected to sustain the demand for CMOS power amplifier over the next couple of years. The US$ 1,017.9 Million CMOS power amplifier market is estimated to surpass US$ 4,714 Million by 2026-end, riding on a CAGR of 16.6% during the forecast period. Robust usage of CMOS power amplifier in GSM/EDGE, LTE, CDMA 2000, and other wireless communication technology is anticipated to create lucrative market opportunities for leading manufacturers and suppliers of CMOS power amplifiers.Market RestraintsFuture Market Insights report titled CMOS Power Amplifier Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 20162026 also reveals that technical complexities in CMOS power amplifier design may dampen the surging spirit of the market to a certain extent during the assessment period. Moreover, the inherently poor linearity of CMOS power amplifiers can often lead to distortion, thus, limiting its application to low-PAR (peak-to-average ratio) modulation systems.Request For Sample@Usage of CMOS Power Amplifier in LTE Technology to Grow HigherBased on modules, GSM/EDGE segment commanded nearly 31% revenue share of the market in 2015. However, swift adoption and rapid development of 4G and 5G wireless communication are leading towards higher consumption of CMOS power amplifier in LTE technology. In addition, the LTE module segment is anticipated to expand at the fastest CAGR of 20.2% over the assessment period. Manufacturers are focussing on developing high-performance CMOS power amplifier in order to meet the growing need for wider bandwidth and faster data speeds.Application of CMOS Power Amplifier in Smartphones to Remain DominantIn 2015, the smartphone segment registered the largest market share, reaching a market valuation of US$ 423.4 Million. The segment is expected to hold its top position throughout the forecast period, expanding at 17.9% CAGR over 2026.Send An Enquiry@Global CMOS Power Amplifier Market: Regional OutlookFuture Market Insights report delivers key insights and offers analysis on the potential of the CMOS power amplifier market through a regional overview. In 2015, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ) commanded a dominant share of the market attributed to the healthy existence of consumer electronics manufacturers across the region. The market in Asia Pacific is projected to remain dominant and expand at a staggering 19.4% CAGR over the forecast period.Competitive DashboardKey stakeholders in the global market for CMOS power amplifier include Skyworks Solutions, Inc., Toshiba Corporation, Broadcom Ltd., ACCO Semiconductor, Inc., DSP Group, Qorvo, Inc., Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Texas Instruments Inc., and Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Most of these companies are concentrating on further product innovation to increase their market presence at a global level. For instance, in October 2015, ACCO Semiconductor Inc., a leading provider of fabless semiconductors headquartered in the U.S. launched a range of CMOS power amplifier technologies designed to support quad-band GSM/EDGE and 12-band 3G/LTE smartphones as well as Internet of Things applications.Browse Full Report@ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Caustic Potash Market to Reach 2.5 Million Tons by 2022

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Caustic potash, also known as potassium hydroxide, represents a widely-used inorganic compound with the chemical formula KOH. It is white in colour, odourless, non-flammable as well as non-volatile at room temperature.The structure of caustic potash consists of an ionic bond between the potassium metal cation and the hydroxyl anion. It is deliquescent, corrosive and highly reactive in nature and absorbs moisture from the air until it is dissolved. Caustic potash is either used as a solid (flakes, crystals or briquettes) or as a solution with varying concentrations. On account of its distinct list of properties, caustic potash finds myriad applications in a number of industries. It is extensively used in consumer products, agro-chemicals and industrial chemicals.Request sample of the report:The demand for caustic potash witnessed a fluctuating trend during 2008-2015. This was due to a decline in both its demand and prices during the period. However, the demand for caustic potash increased moderately in the year 2016. According to a new report by Expert Market Research, the global caustic potash market reached around 2 Million Tons in 2016 and is further expected to reach 2.5 Million Tons by 2022. Factors such as increasing population, rising disposable income and a growing demand from emerging nations have proliferated the demand for caustic potash across the world.Browse full report:Key findings from the report:Caustic potash serves a number of application domains which include potassium carbonate, potassium phosphates, potassium soaps and detergents, liquid fertilizers and Others. Among these, potassium carbonate accounted for the largest share in 2016.Region-wise, Asia dominated the market with the majority of the share. This can be attributed to the mounting population in the region. Asia was followed by North America, Europe and Others.Some of the top players operating in the global caustic potash market include Unid Co Ltd, Occidental Chemical Corporation, Tessenderlo Chemie NV, Olin Chlor Alkali Products, Erco Worldwide (USA) Inc. and Chengdu Huarong Chemical Company Limited.Expert Market Research has analysed the global caustic potash market according to application, major regions and top players:Market breakup by ApplicationPotassium carbonatePotassium phosphatesPotassium soaps and detergentsLiquid fertilizersOther applicationsMarket breakup by RegionAsiaNorth AmericaEuropeOthersTop playersUnid Co LtdOccidental Chemical CorporationTessenderlo Chemie NVOlin Chlor Alkali ProductsErco Worldwide (USA) Inc.Chengdu Huarong Chemical Company LimitedBrowse more reports related to chemical & material industry:Expert Market Research (EMR) is a market research and consultancy firm providing syndicated and custom research along with consultancy services to a wide clientele base which includes Fortune 1000 companies as well as small and medium enterprises. With our tailored approach, the clients gain valuable and unbiased insights that help to improve their competitive edge and realize sustainable growth.With a keen focus on the qualitative aspect as well as accuracy of the reports, we align our resources and services as per the clients requirement and offer a flexible engagement model that best suits their needs. We offer market intelligence across a range of industry verticals which include Pharmaceuticals, Food and Beverage, Technology, Retail, Chemical & Materials, Energy & Mining, Packaging and Agriculture.Expert Market ResearchWebsite:Email: sales@expertmarketresearch.comUS & Canada Phone no: +1-415-325-5166UK Phone no: +44-702-402-5790
Research report explores the Probiotic Fermented Milk Market for the forecast period, 2017-2027

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Fermented dairy-based products consists of active bacterial cultures which are one of the common sources of probiotics present in the products. Probiotic fermented milk-based products contains specific strains of live bacteria that has potential health effects. Health benefits associated with probiotic fermented milk is gaining popularity in health conscious consumers. Probiotic fermented milk products helps in maintaining overall health of the individual along with improving gut function and immunity of the body. Probiotic fermented milk products consists of typical probiotics including lactic acid bacteria such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus casei. These probiotic strains are widely used in fermented milk-based products such as kefir, yogurt, and cheese. These type of probiotic fermented milk-based products are beneficial for many digestive and gastrointestinal conditions.Market Segmentation:The global probiotic fermented milk market is segmented on the basis of product type, application, and region. The global probiotic fermented milk market is segmented on the basis of product type such as yogurt, kefir, cheese, and others. Probiotic fermented milk market is growing due to its yogurt product which covers maximum market for probiotic fermented milk as compared to other milk products. Kefir milk is fermented milk product made with kefir grains has many health benefits which is becoming popular in many health conscious consumers which is in turn increasing global demand for probiotic fermented milk-based products. The global probiotic fermented milk market is segmented on the basis of application in industries such as dairy, cosmetics, and beverages industries. In cosmetic industry probiotic fermented milk is used in anti-aging creams and lotions.Request Report Sample@Market Regional Outlook:On the basis of regions, the Probiotic fermented milk market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Probiotic fermented milk market have significant share in North America and Europe as a result of increasing number of health conscious consumers. Asia Pacific is expected to grow in forecast period as a result of increasing awareness of healthy, nutritious probiotic fermented milk products. Demand for probiotic fermented milk products in global market is increasing as a result of its application in multiple industries.Market Drivers and Trends:The driving factors for probiotic fermented milk market are increasing demand for probiotic fermented milk in cosmetic products, dairy products and beverages. Rising consumer awareness regarding usage of probiotic fermented milk-based products in day-today life helps in enhancing the nutritional content of the food is one of the major driving factor for the market globally. Increasing demand probiotic fermented milk in cosmetic industry is also one of the key driving factor for global probiotic fermented milk market. Varieties of flavorings and taste enhancers are added to these probiotic fermented milk products which is making it popular in children in turn driving the global probiotic fermented milk market. Hence, the global probiotic fermented milk market is expected to observe robust growth over the forecast period.Request For TOC@Probiotic fermented milk Market Key Players:Some of the key players in the Probiotic fermented milk market include Danone, Nestle S.A., Valio Ltd., FrieslandCampina, Danisco A/S, Lifeway Foods, Inc., Bio-K Plus International Inc., General Mills, Inc., Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd., Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt Ltd. etc. are among these. The companies are projected to frame certain strategies in future in order to gain the competitive advantage in global fermented ingredients market till 2027.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Enzyme Inhibitors Market size and forecast, 2017-2027

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Enzyme inhibition means interruption or decrease in the enzyme activity. The enzyme inhibitors are substances that abolish or reduce the rate of enzyme action. Though enzymes are essential for life, abnormally high enzyme activity can lead to disease conditions. Hence, manipulation of enzyme catalysis with inhibitors is critical for prevention of infectious diseases, treatment of hypertension, control of inflammatory response, intervention in cell growth and cell cycle and much more. Also, besides acting as therapeutic agents, enzyme inhibitors play important roles in biological and clinical research.Enzyme Inhibitors Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe route of inhibitor administration is dependent on the properties and objective of the experiment to be carried out. Immobilized enzymes are used in industries and have a high value for industrial and medicinal enzyme products. Some of the examples of industrial enzymes are glucoamylase, amylase, pepsin, trypsin, glucose isomerase, cellulase and many others. With the emergence of new inhibitor enzymes in the quest for drug discovery, several new inhibition mechanisms are expected. Recently, several software programs have emerged to visualize custom visual interface to see curve fits in real-time, graph transforms, equations using kinetic data and these data tables are directly generated. The challenge is that most times, basic presumptions do not hold true in enzyme reactions and addition of new factors further complicate the calculation of reactor outcome. The outcomes of computer-based kinetic calculations are less realistic with more chances of variants. Another major challenge in the enzyme inhibitor market is that it is less reproducible and bio-applications are unpredictable because of synergy, the interplay of known and unknown physiological, biological, physical, and molecular factors affecting the reaction kinetics.Request Report Sample@Enzyme Inhibitors Market: SegmentationOn the basis of disease indication, the enzyme inhibitor market can be segmented into:Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary DisordersCardiovascular DiseaseGastrointestinal DisordersArthritisInflammatory DiseasesOthersOn the basis of end use industry, the enzyme inhibitor market can be segmented into:PharmaceuticalBiotechnologyFood & BeverageOthersThe majority of drugs to treat a number of chronic and life-threatening diseases are developed with a mechanism of action directed towards enzyme inhibition. Enzyme specificity and potency are the important factors considered while developing a drug. A high specificity and potency ensure that a drug will have fewer side effects and a strong therapeutic effect. Enzyme inhibitors are used as diagnostic agents to screen various diseases thus propelling the growth of enzyme inhibitor market.Enzyme Inhibitors Market: OverviewThe emerging therapeutic market for enzyme inhibitors used in human therapeutics is very high. New information is available on biochemistry for enzyme inhibitors and classes of enzyme-inhibiting products with broad current or potential therapeutic applications in large markets. However, more than 90 enzyme inhibitors are currently marketed and double those are under development. A better understanding of the emerging enzyme inhibitors on enzyme mechanism is key. In recent years, use of chemical immobilization has extended to immobilized antibodies or antigens in bio-affinity chromatography. In coming years, it is speculated that immobilization techniques of proteins and enzymes will have a greater impact on point-of-care medical and health business in the enzyme inhibitor market.Request For TOC@Enzyme Inhibitors Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region, the market is segmented into North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Latin America and the Middle East and Africa. The market for enzyme inhibitors is expanding with the rising incidence of enzyme-based diseases and increasing research and development activities. In developed countries like the U.S. and Europe, the market growth for enzyme inhibitors is high because of better availability of medical facilities, diagnosis rate for the diseases, infrastructure, awareness and available treatment options. In Asia Pacific region, China, Japan, and India are most potential markets for enzyme inhibitors due to growing population, improvement in medical facilities and economic development.Enzyme Inhibitors Market: Key PlayersSome of the players in the enzyme inhibitors market are AstraZeneca, Merck and Co. Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, Roche-Genentech Holding Ltd., and Takeda Pharmaceuticals. Other prominent players are Abbott Laboratories Inc., Bayer AG, and Johnson and Johnson Ltd. Vendors in this market are outsourcing different parts of their research work such as toxicology testing, product characterization testing to various contract research organizations. Also, vendors are increasingly engaged in outsourcing part of their enzyme inhibitor drug manufacturing or the entire manufacturing process to various contract manufacturing organizations. Thus, the increase in outsourcing of drug manufacturing is one of the trends witnessed in the enzyme inhibitors market.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Value Based Healthcare Services Market Shares, Strategies and Forecast Worldwide, 2017 to 2027

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The introduction of value based healthcare services has changed the traditional way in which providers used to bill for care. Providers need to pay on the value of care they provide instead of paying based on the number of visits and treatment the patients undergo. This change in the reimbursement platform is driving the value based healthcare services by directing better care at low costs. But for those healthcare providers who cannot achieve the required targets, the financial fines and lower reimbursement can create a prominent financial liability. As a patient and a healthcare customer, they pay more for the services and the treatment they get, where sometimes the cost can go out of the control of the patient. But with the introduction of new health plans and value based healthcare services are coming together on the solutions which will benefit the patients wallet and health. Value based healthcare services address to the rising healthcare expenditure, clinical inefficiency and repetition of services.Global Value Based Healthcare Services Market- Market Segmentation:On the basis of Models, the Global Value Based Healthcare Services market can be segmented into,Accountable care organization (ACO)Patient-centered medical home (PCMH)Pay for performance (P4P)Bundled paymentsOn the basis of End User, the Global Value Based Healthcare Services market can be segmented intoProvidersHospitalsClinicsOthersPayersInsurance CompaniesGovernmentOthersRequest For Report Sample@On the basis of Deployment, the Global Value Based Healthcare Services market can be segmented intoCloud BasedOn-PremiseOn the basis of Platform, the Global Value Based Healthcare Services market can be segmented intoStand-aloneIntegratedOn the basis of Region, the Global Value Based Healthcare Services market can be segmented into,North AmericaWestern EuropeEastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding JapanJapanLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaGlobal Value Based Healthcare Services Market- Market Dynamics:The most significant driver for the rapid development of the global Value Based Healthcare Services market is the healthcare-related risks shifting from the patients to their healthcare providers. With patient focused healthcare policies having changed the way medical care is delivered, it is now easy to see why the demand for Value Based Healthcare Services rising steadily. Where until a few years ago manual processes were the only means of carrying out everyday operations, automation and interconnectivity have made that approach nearly obsolete. Also, the global medical tourism industry is recording good growth numbers every year. This has helped healthcare providers in emerging economies adopt a positive investment option as far as care management solutions are concerned. However, it would be too early to say that the growth of the Value Based Healthcare Services market has taken off in the real sense. Several regions that have high investment potential but are restrained by the lack of internet connectivity are a missed opportunity for companies in the global Value Based Healthcare Services market. Moreover, in some countries in Asia and Latin America where basic healthcare infrastructure still remains below the desired levels, it will be a while before the environment becomes conducive to the adoption of Value Based Healthcare Services.Global Value Based Healthcare Services Market-Regional Outlook:Geographically, the Value Based Healthcare Services market has been segmented into North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Regionally, North America was the largest market for Value Based Healthcare Services and North America is anticipated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period due to rise in the healthcare reforms. Followed by Europe and then Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is the most progressive market for Value Based Healthcare Services. This growth is mainly attributed to factors such as improving population perspective and increasing awareness Furthermore, the Value Based Healthcare Services market in Latin America is likely to expand at a significant CAGR. Brazil and Mexico are driving the Value Based Healthcare Services market in the region due to favorable initiatives taken by the respective governments. Moreover, rising research and development would fuel market growth in Latin America.Visit For TOC@Global Value Based Healthcare Services Market- Major Players:Currently, the global Value Based Healthcare Services market is highly competitive owing to the involvement of many established players and government policies. Some of the key players in the global Value Based Healthcare Services market are Deloitte, McKesson Corporation, NextGen Healthcare, Genpact Limited, Athena Healthcare, Siemens Healthcare and many others.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment Market Global Industry Analysis, size, share and Forecast 2017-2027

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Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a general category that includes many different lung conditions. All interstitial lung diseases affect the interstitium, a part of the lung's anatomic structure. The interstitium is a lace-like network of tissues that extends throughout both lungs. The interstitium provides support to the lungs microscopic air sacs (alveoli). Tiny blood vessels travel through the interstitium, allowing gas exchange between blood and the air in the lungs. The disease affects the lungs in three ways. First, the lung tissue is damaged. Second, the interstitium becomes inflamed. Finally, fibrosis (scarring) begins in the alveoli (air sacs) and interstitium, and the lung becomes stiff, making it difficult to breathe. Interstitial lung disease treatment includes a diverse collection of illnesses with a variety of causes, treatments, and prognoses. Individuals who suffer from interstitial lung disease often have difficulty breathing and moving from place to place due to a consistent feeling of shortness of breath. Disorders classified under interstitial lung disease are often characterized by scarring of the lung's delicate tissues and a dry, pestering cough. Interstitial lung disease is caused by environmental factors, removing these triggers can slow the progression of the disease and damage to the lungs.Request Report Sample@Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment Market: DynamicsRegistries of the epidemiology of different interstitial lung disease have been compiled in several countries. However, they remain scarce due to the difficulties that arise in obtaining a specific diagnosis as many of these conditions are rare. More than 250,000 people have been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease in the United States, and nearly five million people have been diagnosed worldwide. It is estimated that more than 41,000 patients die each year from interstitial lung disease worldwide. The outlook for patients with interstitial lung disease varies depending on the underlying cause of the disease. There is no absolute cure for interstitial lung disease available as yet. A large portion of the treatment is directed to provide temporary relieve to the patients. Failure to provide a complete cure and limited treatment options are considered as major setbacks of the market. Limited drug options with low efficiency are further hindering the growth of the global interstitial lung disease treatment market. UCSF has an active research program conducting both clinical and basic research in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis. Through the generosity of patients, who collaborate with world-class physician scientists, they have developed a better understanding of the fundamental, cellular and molecular mechanisms of interstitial lung disease. The clinical research involves both observational studies and clinical trials that use the knowledge gained in basic research to study the benefits of novel treatments in patients with lung fibrosis.Request For TOC@Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the market is segmented into North America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa in which North America holds a major share of the market for interstitial lung disease treatment followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. However, the increasing incidence of lung disease, coupled with unmet medical needs, is likely to make way for the adoption of interstitial lung disease treatments. The rise in government initiatives to increase awareness regarding lung disorders among consumers in this region is also projected to propel the Asia Pacific market for interstitial lung disease treatment. Countries such as the U.S., France, Britain, Germany and Canada, have accounted for a healthy demand for interstitial lung disease treatment attributed to the increasing number of incidence of the disease in these countries.Interstitial Lung Disease Treatment Market: Key PlayersSome of the hospitals and clinics providing treatment for interstitial lung disease treatment are Cleveland, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Stanford Health Care, and UCSF Medical Center. Over the past decade, the definition of interstitial lung disease and thus enrollment criteria for this disease have become more specific. However, study design remains a challenge as there is continued debate on what constitutes a clinically meaningful endpoint.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comPress: press@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Flex Pack Coatings Market 2017-2027 by Segmentation: Based on Product, Application and Region

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Upsurge in demand for packaging solutions from industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, electronics and lubricants has led to the expansion of flex pack coatings market. Flex pack coating maintains freshness and integrity of material by protecting it from the external environmental hazards during transportation and storage. Flex pack coating can be used for providing information to the customer about the product and the manufacturing company. It also helps in providing protection to the contents by creating a barrier against moisture, gas, UV light, etc.Flex Pack Coatings Market: Market DriversFlex pack coatings market growth is correlated with the demand for flexible packaging products. The flexible packaging industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3% over the forecasted period. Some of the factors for the growth of the flex pack coatings market is the need for storing products through longer shipping cycles and increasing the shelf life of the product. Moreover, the growing demand for lightweight and compact items along with increased preference of e-commerce for procuring goods is also influencing the flex pack coating market. However, food and pharmaceuticals are the most dominating sectors in the flex pack coatings market. As the awareness for the environment protection is increasing, consumers now prefer to purchase products which are labeled environment-friendly. So the demand for the sustainable flex pack coatings market is expected to grow significantly. The low price to performance ratio has encouraged the packaging providers to adapt for flex pack coatings. Innovations such as use of bio-based solutions and nanotechnology may provide significant opportunities in the flex pack coatings market.Request For Report Sample@Flex Pack Coatings Market: Market RestraintsThe rising concern amongst regulatory bodies across the globe regarding plastic waste caused by the extensive use of flex pack coatings, acts as a restraint for the flex pack coatings market. The inability of the flexible packaging to compete with the rigid packaging in terms of product protection from physical hazards can reduce its demand. Interaction of the flex pack coating material especially in the case of the reactive product can also be the factor for limiting the growth of the flex pack coatings market.Flex Pack Coatings Market: Market SegmentationFlex pack coatings market can be segmented by packaging type, materials, and end-use industry.Based on the by packaging type flex pack coatings market is segmented into:PouchesBagsBoxesOver WrapBlistersBased on the material, flex pack coatings market is segmented into:Polyvinyl ChloridePolyethylenePolyethylene TerephthalatePolypropyleneBased on the end use industry, flex pack coatings market is segmented into:Food and BeveragePharmaceuticalHousehold ProductsPersonal Care & CosmeticsIndustrial PackagingElectronicsOil & LubricantsFlex Pack Coatings Market Regional OutlookRegionally Flex Pack Coatings market can be segmented asNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific, excluding Japan (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)The demand for the flex pack coatings is expected to grow at a steady rate in the period of 2016- 2024. North America is expected lead in term of demand for flex pack coating. In Latin America & APEJ flex pack coatings market is expected to grow due to increased consumer preference for lightweight products. There is a significant increase in the number of modern retail formats in Latin America and APEJ region. The growth for Flex pack coatings in Eastern and Western Europe is almost negligible. There would be a minor increase in the use of flex pack coatings in Japan due to increase in shipment values in Japanese region.Visit For TOC@Some Key players of Flex Pack Coatings MarketSome of the key players of Flex pack coatings are FPS Pty Ltd, Innovative FlexPak LLC, Flex Film Ltd, LEIPA Georg Leinfelder GmbH, Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd, Uflex Ltd, Bemis Co. Inc., Sigma Plastics Group, Sealed Air Corp, Berry Plastics Corp., DuPont Co, Winpak Ltd, etc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Shrink Wrapping Machines Market Regulations and Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2027

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Packaging has emerged as a key element that protects and stores products through complex and lengthy supply chains to reach customers across geographic markets. Manufacturers of the packaging machines have to consider the level of packaging and the interactive properties while implementing design and technology into the packaging systems. The market for shrink wrapping machines particularly caters to primary as well secondary packaging of products that require wrapping, stretching and overlapping the packaging of the products for transportation purposes.Shrink wrapping involves packing of products with the help of a shrink wrapping packaging machine for individual or bundle of products while providing transparency of the packed content. The shrink wrapping machines market has underwent significant changes over the last decade with co-relation to developments in the packaging market.Shrink Wrapping Machines Market:Market DynamicsThe growth of the shrink wrapping machines market is correlated with the demand for packaging products meant for longer shipping period. The demand for transportation and shipping of products to cover expanded geographic customer base, has led to growing demand for shrink wrapping which influences the demand for shrink wrapping machines market. Currently the shipping volume around the world is about 10 billion tons. The increase in the disposable income of the consumers in the emerging economies has led to the increase in demand for consumer goods, food and beverage market which is influencing the shrink wrapping machines market. The shrink wrapping machine is easy to operate which reduces the requirement for skilled personnel. Further shrink wrapping machines have low operational cost that act as favorable factor driving the shrink wrapping machines market.Request For Report Sample@Shrink wrapping machines offer configuration functionality that address packaging requirements of varied products. The ability of the shrink wrapping machines to wrap products of different shapes and sizes with varying level of complexity depending upon size, volume and speed is a key factor benefiting the shrink wrapping machines market. However the shrink wrapping machines requires high initial investment and it is a key factor restraining the proliferation of the shrink wrapping machines market. Shrink wrapping machines are designed for the use of plastic films which is a non-ecofriendly material. Ban on such films may limit the shrink wrapping machines market.Technological developments in shrink wrapping machines market have made improvements to the speed and efficiency of the shrink wrapping machine, resulting into new opportunities for the market. Shrink wrapping packing has reduced the cost of secondary packaging significantly which has further contributed to the growing preference for shrink wrapping machines.Shrink Wrapping Machine Market:Market segmentationShrink wrapping machinecan be segmented by the types of machines and end use industry.Based on the types of machines, shrink wrapping machinecan be segmented into:AutomaticSemiautomaticBased on the end use industry, shrink wrapping machinecan be segmented into:Food and beverage industryPharmaceutical industryLogistics industryShrink Wrapping Machine Market- Regional Outlook:Regionally global shrink wrap machine market is segmented intoNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEastern EuropeWestern EuropeAsia-Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ)Middle East & Africa (MEA)In the backdrop of upsurge industrialization and other economic factors in the APEJ region, growth in over the forecasted period shrink wrapping machine market in APEJ region is expected to be followed by North America. The Eastern Europe and Western Europe region is also expected have growth in shrink wrapping machine market over the forecasted period due to escalating packaging requirement for the meat & processed food products. Shrink wrapping machine market is at an introductory stage in MEA region.Visit For TOC@Shrink Wrapping Machine Market- Key Players:Some major players of the shrink wrapping machinemarket are 3M Company, Texwrap Packaging Systems, ARPAC LLC, Axon, Duravant, Eastey Enterprises, Kliklok-Woodman, Massman Automation Designs, LLC, PakTech, PDC International Corp, Standard-Knapp, Inc., Tripack and Shrinkwrap Machinery Co. Ltd and Gebo Cermex.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Optical Fiber Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth, Company Profiles & Outlook 2017 to 2022

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Market Research Report on Global Optical Fiber Market is a professional and in-depth research report. The Report include basic information like definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain overview, industry policies and plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures and so on. The Report Spread Across 110 Pages with Tables and Figures in It.An optical fiber or optical fibre is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber and find wide usage in fiber-optic communications, where they permit transmission over longer distances and at higher bandwidths (data rates) than wire cables. Fibers are used instead of metal wires because signals travel along them with lesser amounts of loss; in addition, fibers are also immune to electromagnetic interference, a problem from which metal wires suffer excessively. Fibers are also used for illumination, and are wrapped in bundles so that they may be used to carry images, thus allowing viewing in confined spaces, as in the case of a fiberscope. Specially designed fibers are also used for a variety of other applications, some of them being fiber optic sensors and fiber lasers.Request a Sample copy of Global Optical Fiber Market Research Report @This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Optical Fiber from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the volumes, prices, historical growth and future perspectives in the Optical Fiber market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Optical Fiber, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Optical Fiber market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Optical Fiber market are Corning (USA), YOFC (China), Pysmian (Italy), Furukawa (Japan), Sumitomo Electric (Japan), Hengtong Optic-Electric (China), Fujikura (Japan) etc.The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Optical Fiber industry has been provided.Enquiry Discount for Global Optical Fiber Market Research Report @Major Points In Table of ContentsPart 1. Exclusive SummaryPart 2. MethodologyPart 3. IntroductionPart 4. Market Landscape4.1 Global Optical Fiber Market by Volume 2011-20164.1.1 Overview4.1.2 Global Optical Fiber Volume 2011-20164.1.3 Top 10 Optical Fiber Companies (Volume Share)4.2 Global Optical Fiber Revenue 2011-20164.2.1 Overview4.2.2 Global Optical Fiber Market by Revenue 2011-20164.2.3 Top 10 Optical Fiber Companies (Revenue Share)Part 5. Segmentation by TypePart 6. Segmentation by ApplicationPart 7. North America Optical Fiber Market7.1 North America Optical Fiber Market SizePart 8. Europe Optical Fiber Market8.1 Europe Market Optical Fiber SizePart 9. Asia Pacific Optical Fiber Market9.1 Asia Pacific Optical Fiber Market SizePart 10. Market Forecast10.1 Market Size by Volume 2016-202110.2 Market Size by Revenue 2016-2021Browse full table of contents and data tables for Global Optical Fiber Market Report @Related Reports: -Global (North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Anion Exchange Resin Market 2017 Forecast to 2022Anion exchange resin is a positively charged synthetic particle that can freely exchange associated anions based on differences in the selectivities of the anions. Also referred to as anion resin.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
North Americas Silo Bags Market to Grow Moderately at 4.8% CAGR during 2016-2026

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The need to provide optimal protection for agricultural produce is coming at a great price for North American farmers and agroindustrialists. Serving this purpose, silo bags are likely to lose out in terms of demand, owing to rising prices of raw materials. Future Market Insights latest report on North Americas silo bags market indicates that undulating prices of raw materials such as polyethylene films is curbing the production of silo bags. Contingent upon the monotony of this scenario in the years to come, North Americas silo bags is less likely to soar at a steady momentum, and will probably exhibit revenue growth at 4.8% CAGR.Nonetheless, the decline in demand for silo bags across North America is not solely orchestrated by volatility of raw material prices. Future Market Insights report, titled Silo Bags Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026, predicts that strict environmental regulations associated with industrial use and large-scale production of plastic films is restraining a cost-effective production of silo bags. Silo bags, made from raw materials such as polyethylene or polypropylene films, are another burden on such regulatory authorities as dumping waste silo bags leads to environmental degradation. Key findings of the report indicate that through 2026, more than 90% of North Americas silo bags revenues emanate from sales of polyethylene bags, which further aggravates the environmental regulatory conditions.Request For Report Sample:The report reveals that in terms of volume, the consumption of silo bags in the US and Canada will exhibit a 4.4% CAGR. In 2016, the market has been estimated to be valued at US$ 31.8 Mn, and is expected to exceed a little over US$ 50 Mn by 2026-end. During this forecast period, the demand for 75-meter silo bags will remain high and bring in more than US$ 25 Mn in revenues towards the end of 2026. Also, over two-third of the markets value is accounted by sales of silo bags for protection of grains. The demand for silo bags is also predicted to gain traction for forage applications, revenues from which are expected to soar steadily at 5.1% CAGR. The report further projects that US will dominate with more than 80% share, while Canadas silo bags market will gain traction by showcasing a value CAGR above 5%.Send An Enquiry:Another factor that is expected to inhibit the growth of North Americas silo bags is the aggressive competition for securing higher profits. Leading manufacturers of silo bags in the region are faring the markets cut-throat competitive landscape by providing a product line with extra features. The overall profitability behind the sales of basic silo bags gets comprised and distorts the demand influx. The report has profiled key players in North Americas silo bags market, which include Grain Pro, Inc., IPESA  Rio Chico SA, GEM Silage Products, RKW Hyplast NV, Grain Bags Canada, Blue Lake Plastics, LLC., BagMan LLC., Canadian Tarpaulin Manufacturers LTD., Temudjin Flex-Pack BV, and KSI Supply, Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Thermal Spray Coatings Market worth 11.44 Billion USD by 2021

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The report "Thermal Spray Coatings Market by Material (Ceramic, Metals & Alloys ), Process (Combustion Flame, Electrical Energy), End-Use Industry (Aerospace, Automotive, Healthcare, Energy & Power, Electronics), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", Published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is projected to reach USD 11.44 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 6.5% from 2016 to 2021.Browse 72 market data tables and 47 figures spread through 153 pages and in-depth TOC on "Thermal Spray Coatings Market - Global Forecast to 2021"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The growing use of thermal spray coatings to protect surfaces of various products and engineered components is fueling the growth of thermal spray coatings market. Moreover, the increasing demand for thermal spray coatings from various end-use industries, such as healthcare, aerospace, and energy & power, among others is also leading towards the growth of the thermal spray coatings market.Request for Sample PDF of the Report @The aerospace end-use industry segment is projected to lead the thermal spray coatings market from 2016 to 2021.The aerospace end-use industry segment accounted for the largest share of the thermal spray coatings in 2016. It was followed by the automotive, healthcare, and energy & power end-use industry segments. The demand for thermal spray coatings from the aerospace industry is continuously increasing to ensure the long durability of critical components of aircraft. Moreover, the increase in the number of aircraft due to rise in air passenger traffic across the globe is expected to contribute towards the growth of the aerospace end-use industry segment of the thermal spray coatings market during the forecast period.The healthcare end-use industry segment of the thermal spray coatings market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2021.Thermal spray coatings are increasingly used in the healthcare industry for coating orthopedic implants. One of the critical applications of thermal spray coatings is in biomedical implants. Thermal spray coatings ensure proper hydroxyapatite (HA) coating of implants. These coatings are also used in several critical biomedical applications. The healthcare end-use industry segment of thermal spray coatings market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. This growth is attributed mainly to the significant use of thermal spray coatings for orthopedic implants, medical instruments, and apparatuses, among others.The Asia-Pacific thermal spray coatings market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.The Asia-Pacific thermal spray coatings market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2021. The growth of the Asia-Pacific thermal spray coatings market can be attributed to increasing demand for thermal spray coatings from various end-use industries, such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and healthcare, among others. The thermal spray coatings markets in China and Japan are expected to grow significantly during the forecast period.The growth of the Thermal Spray Coatings Markets in these two countries is due to increased consumption of electronic components in China and Japan. Growing demand for thermal spray coatings from the automotive industry is another major reason for the growth of thermal spray coatings markets in these countries.A & A Coatings (U.S.), Flame Spray Coating Company (U.S.), General Magnaplate Corporation (U.S.), Praxair Surface Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Oerlikon Metco (Switzerland), Plasma-Tec, Inc. (U.S.), Surface Technology (U.K.), H.C. Starck GmbH (Germany), and ASB Industries, Inc. (U.S.), among others are the key players operating in the thermal spray coatings market.MarketsandMarketss flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets.701 Pike StreetSuite 2175, Seattle,WA 98101, United States
Global Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Market Size, Industry Trends, Growth Prospects Till, 2017-2022 : QY Research Groups

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Hydrogen is the simplest and most crucial component in the universe. It is a noteworthy segment of water, oil, natural gas, and all living matter. Regardless of its simplicity and plenitude, hydrogen once in a while actually occurs as a gas on Earth. It is quite often associated with different components. It can be produced from oil, natural gas, and biomass or by splitting water utilizing sustainable sun-powered or electrical vitality. When hydrogen is delivered as molecular hydrogen, the vitality exhibit inside the particle can be discharged, by responding with oxygen to create water. This can be accomplished by either customary inner burning motors, or by gadgets called power modules. In an energy component, hydrogen vitality is changed over directly into power with high proficiency and low power losses. The global Hydrogen and Fuel Cells market has an aggregate estimation of 674.46 M USD in 2012 and expanded to 1309.81 M USD in 2017.Get Sample Report @Presently the major trend gaining prediction in the market is the generation of clean hydrogen fuel which means green fuel. The customary strategy to deliver hydrogen gas discharges GHGs that can decrease the zero-emanation favorable position of HFCVs. In this way, R&D to deliver hydrogen through clean techniques, known as a green fuel, with zero carbon discharges are under advance. Such techniques include sustainable power sources. One such strategy that is practically speaking is electrolysis. As per trending scope, one of the important enhancement factors for this market is the advancement of foundation to deliver hydrogen. Energy component electric vehicles utilize hydrogen as the essential power device. Right now, approximately 80 million tons of hydrogen is delivered every year worldwide at the average cost of $1.75/kg. The global fuel cell market requires the extra creation of 90 million tons every year to support development growth. Considerable investments are being made to level up the manufacturing of hydrogen and grow clean and outflow free hydrogen generation technologies.COMPLETE REPORT @The major key manufacturers available in this market are Toshiba, Fuel Cell Energy, Doosan Fuel Cell, Hyster-Yale Group, Nedstack, Panasonic, Ballard Power Systems, Pearl Hydrogen, Plug Power, Hydrogenics, Intelligent Energy, etc. The global hydrogen and fuel cells market depending upon its applications is widely classified into three parts, i.e., Transport, Stationary and Portable, with their different types like Air-cooled Type, and Water-cooled Type. Based on regions, this industrys market is segmented into North America, Europe, Japan and China.Contact us:Jia WangRoom B1510, ShijiKemao Building, No.66, Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, ChinaEmail- sales@qyresearchgroups.comFollow Us:LinkedIn:Twitter:Facebook:About Us:QY Research Groups is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. QY Research Groups is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Room B1510, ShijiKemao Building, No.66, Zhongguancun East Road,Haidian District, Beijing, 100190, China
IgA Nephropathy Exhibits Emerging Pipeline with 11+ Drug Candidates

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The study analyzed that the IgA nephropathy pipeline comprises of 12 drug candidates, of which one drug candidate is in Phase III stage, five drug candidates are in Phase II stage and three drug candidates are in Pre-Clinical stage. Also, there are two inactive drug candidates and one discontinued drug candidate. IgA nephropathy, also known as Bergers disease, is a kidney disorder that occurs when IgA antibody gets settled in the kidneys. This leads to inflammation that with time hinders the kidneys ability to filter wastes from blood. IgA nephropathy is a silent disease in its early stages with no symptoms. But the most common symptoms that are usually observed are proteinuria and hematuria. IgA nephropathy does not have a specific treatment, and the only treatment available is to delay or prevent end stage renal disease (ESRD). Therefore, combination therapies are being used to slow down the rate of proteinuria and hematuria and the use of various targets including a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) and B lymphocyte stimulator (BlyS) is expected to provide an effective and concrete treatment for the disease, with latest technological advancements further adding to the pipeline growth.Browse the Report Summary at:Insights on pipeline segmentsAs per the findings of the research, around 33.0% of drug candidates of IgA nephropathy pipeline are being developed to be administered by subcutaneous route and 22.0% are being developed to be administered by oral route. Route of administration of around 45.0% drug candidates of IgA nephropathy pipeline is not disclosed.Many companies are involved in the development of IgA nephropathy pipeline, with their products in different phases. Mallinckrodt plc has its drug candidate in Phase III stage of development. Merck KGaA, Pharmalink AB, Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Omeros Corporation each have their drug candidates in Phase II stage of development.Browse Report Sample at:TARGIT drug delivery technology platform for IgA nephropathy drug developmentPharmalink AB is using TARGIT drug delivery technology platform for the development of Budesonide for IgA nephropathy. The TARGIT technology is based on the application of a combination of enteric polymers onto injection-moulded starch capsules, for the targeted delivery of drugs to specific regions of the large intestine. The TARGIT capsule can accommodate relatively large doses of drug and can be filled with a wide range of formulations such as powders, granules, tablets, mini-tablets, coated pellets or semisolids.Major companies collaborate for the development of IgA nephropathy PipelineThe research finds that different companies have collaborated for the development of IgA nephropathy pipeline. In October 2012, Pharmalink AB entered into a contract with Patheon Inc. for manufacturing of Nefecon. The contract includes the manufacturing of Nefecon and no commercial terms were disclosed. In December 2011, Pharmalink AB gained an exclusive global license to Archimedes Pharma Ltd. for TARGIT drug delivery technology platform for use in Nefecon.Browse Other Related Report at:Some of the key players developing drugs for IgA nephropathy include Mallinckrodt plc, Merck KGaA, Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Pharmalink AB, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Omeros Corporation, IGAN Biosciences, Inc., Shire plc and Visterra, Inc.About P&S Market ResearchP&S Market Research is a market research company, which offers market research and consulting services for various geographies around the globe. We provide market research reports, industry forecasting reports, business intelligence, and research based consulting services across different industry/business verticals.As one of the top growing market research agency, were keen upon providing market landscape and accurate forecasting. Our analysts and consultants are proficient with business intelligence and market analysis, through their interaction with leading companies of the concerned domain. We help our clients with B2B market research and assist them in identifying various windows of opportunity, and framing informed and customized business expansion strategies in different regions.Contact:AbhishekExecutive  Client Partner347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016Toll-Free: +1-888-778-7886 (USA/Canada)Email: enquiry@psmarketresearch.comWeb:347, 5th Ave. #1402New York City, NY - 10016
Global Silage Additives Market, Global industry Analysis, trends and Forecast to 2021

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According to the report Global Silage Additives Market, published by Market Data Forecast, the global market projected to reach USD 579.79 million by 2021, at a CGSR of 3.85% from 2016 to 2021.Silage additives have been used to increase the ensiling procedure with successive improvements in animal performance. Its advantages have created an opportunity for Silage Additives Market.Silage additives are crucial in animal nutrition as they regulate the conservation process and are worth to increase silage quality so that by the time of nurturing it has maintained as many of the nutrients existing in the original fresh forage as possible. That in turn improves the animal fitness and performance; refining the yield, consequently, and value of food from animal origin. Silage additive thus make superior forage into good quality silage.Free sample of the report is available at:The demand for meat has increased due to the continuous rise in population, cultural inclinations, and lifestyle variations. Meat production and industrialization of animals is driving factor of the market. Increase in demand for animal protein all around the globe has applied pressure on livestock farmers for both quantity and quality. This condition has created a chance for silage additive producers. However, less efficiency of silage additives when compared with other additives is likely to obstruct the growth of the market.The products are segmented based on Type and Application and studied for a deep-level understanding of the Silage Additives Market. Each sub segment is accompanied with Market Size Estimations and Y-o-Y Forecasts as well.Enquire more about the report:Based on Type:InoculantsAcids and Organic acid saltsEnzymesAdsorbentsChemical InhibitorsBased on Application:Cereal CropsCornBarleyOatsWheatSorghumLegumesPeasFababbeansAlfalfaCloverOther ApplicationsOrnamental GrassCanolaGeographically the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Middle-East and Africa. North America and Europe are expected to remain key regions in the global silage additives market throughout the forecast period. Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing market in silage additives during the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East and Africa are expected to show relatively low growth for silage additives market.Geographical Segmentation:North America Silage Additives MarketEurope Silage Additives MarketAsia-pacific Silage Additives MarketLatin America Silage Additives MarketMiddle East and Africa Silage Additives MarketThe key players in Global Silage Additives Market are BASF SE (Germany), Volac International Limited (U.K.), ADDCON (Germany), Novozymes A/S (Denmark), Evonik Industries AG (Germany), Selko Feed Additives (The Netherlands), DSM N.V. (The Netherlands), Cargill Inc. (U.S.), Schaumann BioEnergy GmbH (Germany) and CHR. Hansen Holdings A/S (Denmark)The Silage Additives Market study offers the following deliverables:Global, regional and country-level analysis and forecasts of the study market; providing Insights on the major countries/regions in which this industry is blooming and to also identify the regions that are still untappedSegment-level analysis in terms of Type and Application along with market size forecasts and estimations to detect key areas of industry growth in detailIdentification of key drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges (DROC) in the market and their impact on shifting market dynamicsStudy of the effect of exogenous and endogenous factors that affect the global market; which includes broadly demographic, economics, and political, among other macro-environmental factors presented in an extensive PESTLE AnalysisStudy the micro environment factors that determine the overall profitability of an Industry, using Porters five forces analysis for analysing the level of competition and business strategy developmentA comprehensive list of key market players along with their product portfolio, current strategic interests, key financial information, legal issues, SWOT analysis and analyst overview to study and sustain the market environmentCompetitive landscape analysis listing out the mergers, acquisitions, collaborations in the field along with new product launches, comparative financial studies and recent developments in the market by the major companiesAn executive summary, abridging the entire report in such a way that decision-making personnel can rapidly become acquainted with background information, concise analysis and main conclusionsExpertly devised analyst overview along with Investment opportunities to provide both individuals and organizations a strong financial foothold in the marketAbout Market Data Forecast:Market Data Forecast is a firm working in the area of market research and business intelligence. With rich experience in research across various business domains, they cater to the needs of both individual and corporate clients. From all-encompassing umbrella markets to extremely specific niche markets covering all the major regions across the globe as part of the research scope, their research services offer one of a kind specialities with competitive pricing options. For more info kindly visit,Contact:Abhishek ShuklaSales Manager (International Business Development)Market Data ForecastDirect Line: +1-888-702-9626Mobile: +91 998 555 0206Mail: abhishek@marketdataforecast.comVisit MarketDataForecast Blog @View latest Press Releases of MDF @
Ischemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics Market Expected to Dominate Worldwide by 2027

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When an obstruction occurs in the blood vessel that supplies blood to the brain, it is known as ischemic stroke. This stroke accounts for around 87 percent of the total stroke cases and the main cause leading to ischemic stroke is uncontrolled hypertension. Basically, ischemic stroke is due to weak blood vessel, which gets rupture and leads to blood spill into the brain tissue. There are two types of ischemic cerebral strokes namely embolic or thrombotic. During atherosclerosis, when artery is blocked by a blood clot, resulting into fatty deposits. However, when a blood clot is formed outside the brain and then travels to the blood stream, it is known as embolus (emboli) stroke. Globally, technological advancements leading to development of advanced surgical devices coupled with increasing prevalence of ischemic strokes among people has led to demand for better and efficient stroke management or treatment. Major goal of ischemic cerebral stroke prevention to restore flow of blood as quickly as possible. Conventional ischemic stroke treatments include intravenous thrombolytic therapy and intra-arterial mechanical thrombectomy, which includes stent retriever devices. According to American Stroke Association, few recommendations related to prevention of ischemic cerebral stroke include sleep apnea screening, smoking cessation, and usage of anticoagulants orally especially patients suffering with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.It is essential to prevent the stroke as this is the deadly condition and is an age related. This can be basically controlled in two ways, Primary Prevention of Stroke and the other is Secondary Prevention of Stroke.Primary Prevention of Stroke can be done with the administration of antihypertensive drugs, anticoagulants-warfarin; antiplatelet agents, and statins. The prominent cause of Ischemic Cerebral Stroke are smoking, hypertension, Diabetes, Sickle cell disease, Body fat etc. There are also some home primary remedies like self-monitoring of blood pressure in hypertensive patients and proper sleep.Request For Report Sample@Ischemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncrease in the number of cerebral stroke cases across the globe coupled with high prices for AIS therapy contribute towards significant growth of ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market worldwide. In addition, growing prevalence of acute ischemic strokes among young population is anticipated to fuel the demand for surgical procedures, thereby in order to avoid the surgery demand for ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics will grow significantly in the next five to six years. However, limited availability of efficient drugs is restricting the market growth. Also, ischemic attack survivors are prone to another attack, thereby increased morbidity and mortality. This is leading to increased concerns for prevention therapeutics, resulting in overall ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market growth.Ischemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics Market: SegmentationThe global market for ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics is broadly classified on the basis of drug type, and end user.Based on drug type, the ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market has been segmented as follows:Anticoagulation TherapyWarfarinHeparinRevascularizationReperfusionEminaseRetavaseStreptaseOthersAntiplateletAspirinClopidogrelDipyridamoleTiclopidineNeuroprotectiveAcetyl-L-carnitineCiticoline (CDP-Choline)OthersBased on end user, theischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market has been segmented as follows:HospitalsClinicsPalliative CareAmbulatory Surgery CentersIschemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics Market: OverviewThe global ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market is expected to expand at healthy CAGR owing to increasing awareness for prevention of ischemic cerebral strokes prevention across the world. Among end users, hospital end user segment is expected to account for maximum share due to requirement of advanced healthcare infrastructure and low cost.Request For TOC@Ischemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics: Region-wise OutlookGeographically, the global intravenous ultrasound systems market is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Among all the regions, North America will continue to lead the global market for ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics. This is attributed to increasing cerebral stroke cases in the region. Geriatric population in Europe and Asia Pacific, who are prone to cerebral stroke offer opportunity for ischemic cerebral stroke prevention therapeutics market in the regions.Ischemic Cerebral Stroke Prevention Therapeutics: Key PlayersKey players operating in the global intravenous ultrasound systems market are Johnson & Johnson (Cordis Corporation), Boston Therapeutics, Inc., Edge Therapeutics, Inc., Zocere, Inc., Lundbeck, ThromboGenics, Vernalis, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Boehringer Ingelheim.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
PVDC Food Packaging Market : Information, Figures and Analytical Insights 2017  2027

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Polyvinylidene Chloride (PVDC) is a vinyl polymer which is a preferred raw material for food packaging. The use of PVDC material in food packaging improves the appearance of the packaging through its gloss, transparency, print-adhesion, and scratch resistance. PVDC is applied as water-based coatings to plastic films such as BOPP and polyester. PVDC plays an important role in blister packaging as coating or lamination on PVC. The gas and moisture permeability of PVC blister packaging is reduced to certain extent with the use of PVDC. Moreover, it provides an excellent barrier to both water vapor and oxygen.PVDC Food Packaging Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global PVDC food packaging market is expected to register decent growth during the forecast period driven by the middle class of developing countries. Demand for packaged food is rising in emerging regions due to the rapid urbanization and growing disposable income. Growth in such regions in expected to impact the food packaging industry positively. Specialty material such as PVDC is gaining importance in the food packaging market. The increasing demand for packaged food and beverages together with growing use of packaging material in various food service outlets and expanding working population has given impetus to PVDC food packaging market. The feasible properties of PVDC make is one of the most favored raw material for food packaging. The PVDC material meets the requirements of the governing authorities of North America and European region as it has lower environmental impacts. This factor acts as a driver for the global PVDC food packaging market. The PVDC film is environment-friendly which makes it suitable for the use of food packaging. The PVDC increasing demand of PVDC films in the packaging of processed meat, cheese, bread, snacks and the instant food is anticipated to grow the market during the forecast period. The market for PVDC food packaging can be segmented on the basis of application as dairy products, fruits and vegetables, pet food, baby food, confectionary, Meat, Poultry & Seafood, and others. The meat, poultry and seafood segment is expected to grow at a higher CAGR during the forecast period.Request For Report Sample@PVDC Food Packaging Market: SegmentationOn the basis of Application,Dairy ProductsFruit & VegetablesPet FoodBaby FoodConfectioneryMeat, Poultry & SeafoodOthers (Snacks, Oils, etc.)PVDC Food Packaging Market: Region Wise OutlookThe global PVDC Food Packaging Market is segmented into the seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, and Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). The North America region is the leading market in the global PVDC Food Packaging market. The APEJ region shows a huge potential to grow in PVDC food packaging market. The increasing disposable income of the middle-class population in countries like India and China is expected to drive the PVDC food packaging market over the forecast period. The Western Europe region is expected to emerge as another attractive market for PVDC Food Packaging.Request For TOC@PVDC Food Packaging Market: Key PlayersInnovia FilmsBilcare SolutionsPerlen PackagingCryovacKrehalon Food PackagingFILCONCaprihans India Ltd.Marubeni Europe plcMSP CorporationSKC Inc.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.CONTACT:Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Biopolymers Bioplastics Market 2017- Novamont S.P.A, Metabolix, Bio-On Srl, Trellis Earth and MHG

Biopolymers Bioplastics

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This report studies Biopolymers Bioplastics in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with capacity, production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering1. Braskem S.A2. NatureWorks3. Indorama Ventures Public4. Novamont S.P.A5. Metabolix6. Bio-On Srl7. Trellis Earth8. MHG9. Tianan Biologic10. Tianjin GreenbioThe market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall Biopolymers Bioplastics market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the Biopolymers Bioplastics market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.CLICK HERE to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of Biopolymers Bioplastics market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research Biopolymers Bioplastics report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the Biopolymers Bioplastics market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse FULL Report @The overall information of the Biopolymers Bioplastics market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the Biopolymers Bioplastics market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
When imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery

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Comment article by Alastair Paterson, CEO and Co-Founder, Digital ShadowsThe huge cost of cybercrime was once again graphically illustrated this week by a story on the BBC () of a hacker who allegedly used phishing techniques and fake websites to steal over $100m from two major U.S. companies.According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Lithuanian man allegedly set up a bogus company, which bore the same name as a legitimate Asian-based computer hardware manufacturer, and used the front to syphon off money from two major US companies between 2013 and 2015.The attacker allegedly registered the bogus company in Latvia and opened various accounts in its name at several banks around the world.He then is reported to have sent fraudulent phishing emails to employees and agents of the victim companies, which regularly conducted multimillion-dollar transactions with the cloned company, and got them to send money to bank accounts set up around the world for goods and services.If you wanted a graphic illustration of why there is such an active and motivated cybercrime underworld, its here - $100million worth of illustration!Malicious actors have a range of motivations, including geopolitical, ideaological and espionage purposes. However, it is the financially-motivated cybercriminals we commonly see targeting the organizations we work with. These actors will go wherever the money is. Pure and simple.It also ably demonstrates the threat posed by fake websites, companies and brands to legitimate businesses around the world.The trouble is it is easy to set up these resources, but its not always easy to identify them and act against them quickly and before they can have an impact. Intelligence is critical in these cases; the sooner you know about the threat, the sooner can you do something about it and protect your business.But knowing the risk posed by your digital footprint is critical in todays business environment. Companies need to be aware of the risks posed by malicious typosquatting and impersonation in support of targeted attacks. This is where attackers use domain names that are like a legitimate company to launch a wide variety of online fraud including phishing campaigns.Early detection of these domains is critical to helping organizations identify threats specific to their business so that they can quickly act to remove or neutralize them. In one case, I have worked with a U.S. based global brand was targeted by another company with 50 typosquat domains, which went undiscovered for some time. In a second instance, we detected 30 active phishing sites targeting a clients brand and detected customer and employees details being shared and sold on IRC channels.Early detection and effective intelligence is critical in todays digital world to mitigate the risks created by todays connected world. This case yet again shows why this is so important.About Digital ShadowsDigital Shadows provides insight into an organizations external digital risks and the threat actors targeting them. The Digital Shadows SearchLight service combines scalable data analytics with human analysts to monitor for cyber threats, data leakage, and reputation risks. Digital Shadows continually monitors the Internet across the visible, deep and dark web, as well as other online sources to create an up-to-the minute view of an organization and provide it with tailored threat intelligence. The company is jointly headquartered in London and San Francisco. For more information, visitConrad Offices, 19th FloorSheikh Zayed Road, Dubai
Corporate Wellness Market: Strong Government Support Contributing to Japans Corporate Wellness Market

Corporate Wellness Market

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The corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is predominantly driven by the increasing prevalence of obesity, the growing number of smokers, and the rising awareness levels among employers about corporate wellness. The number of key players entering the market is increasing consistently owing to the high demand for corporate wellness services in multinational companies and mid-sized firms. The market in the region was valued at US$3.4 bn in 2015 and is expected to reach US$7.4 bn by the end of 2024. If these values hold true, the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to register a strong CAGR of 9.0% during the forecast period.Read Full Report:Various services are available under corporate wellness programs, such as health risk assessment (HRA), fitness, smoking cessation, health screening, weight management, nutrition, and others, including stress management, diabetes management, and vaccination.The fitness segment took the lead in the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific in 2015 owing to the rising incidence of chronic diseases, increasing medical cost related to obesity, and the growing awareness about health and fitness among the population of various countries.On the other hand, the smoking cessation segment is projected to expand at an impressive CAGR during the forecast period. An estimated 5.8 trillion cigarettes were consumed globally in 2014 and the consumption is still on the rise. China ranks first in the top ten countries in terms of cigarette consumption. This list also includes other countries in Asia Pacific such as Indonesia, Japan, India, and South Korea.Download exclusive Sample of this report:China led the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific in 2015 and the market in the country is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2016 to 2024 owing to the increased development and high adoption of wellness programs. Changing lifestyles, an increase in the incidence of chronic diseases, rapid economic development, and large-scale urbanization are some of the other factors responsible for the growth of the corporate wellness market in China. A large number of public and private players have been providing corporate wellness services in China.Japan is also a prominent market for corporate wellness in Asia Pacific and is likely to remain a key contributor to the APAC market primarily due to the amendments in Japans Industrial Safety and Health Act in December 2015. According to the law, health checkups are mandatory for workers and employees. This is likely to drive the corporate wellness market in Japan during the forecast period. Moreover, sufficient government support to address the issue of employee health in a clear and effective manner has created a demand for corporate wellness programs in the country.Another lucrative market for corporate wellness in Asia Pacific is India. The rising number of corporate enterprises in the country is significant to the growth of the corporate wellness market. The willingness among corporate organizations to conduct wellness programs, the growing awareness among individuals about health and well-being, and the increasing incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart attacks are expected to accelerate the growth of the corporate wellness market in India.Key players operating in the corporate wellness market in Asia Pacific include Central Corporate Wellness, ComPsych Corporation, Optum, Inc., JLT Australia (Recovre Group), Truworth Wellness, SOL Wellness, Sodexo, ConneXions Asia, and Bupa Wellness Pty Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market 2017 Global Industry  Profiled Siemens, GE Healthcare, Toshiba, Hitachi, Philips

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Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market Research Report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market for 2017-2022. To calculate the market size, the report considers the revenue generated from the sales of Computed Tomography (CT) Scan globally. Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years and discussion of the key vendors effective in this market.A CT scan (often referred to as a CAT scan) makes use of computer-processed combinations of many X-ray images taken from different angles to produce cross-sectional (tomographic) images (virtual "slices") of specific areas of a scanned object, allowing the user to see inside the object without cutting.Request a Sample copy of Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market Research Report @This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Computed Tomography (CT) Scan from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the volumes, prices, historical growth and future perspectives in the Computed Tomography (CT) Scan market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Computed Tomography (CT) Scan, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan market are Siemens (Germany), GE Healthcare (UK), Toshiba (Japan), Hitachi (Japan), Philips (Netherlands), Shimadzu (Japan) etc.The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Computed Tomography (CT) Scan industry has been provided.Enquiry Discount for Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market Research Report @Major Points In Table of ContentsPart 1. Exclusive SummaryPart 2. MethodologyPart 3. Introduction3.1 Computed Tomography (CT) Scan DefinitionPart 4. Market Landscape4.1 Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market by Volume 2011-20164.1.1 Overview4.1.2 Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Volume 2011-20164.1.3 Top 10 Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Companies (Volume Share)4.2 Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Revenue 2011-20164.2.1 Overview4.2.2 Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market by Revenue 2011-20164.2.3 Top 10 Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Companies (Revenue Share)Part 5. Segmentation by TypePart 6. Segmentation by ApplicationPart 7. North America Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market7.1 North America Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market SizePart 8. Europe Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market8.1 Europe Market Computed Tomography (CT) Scan SizePart 9. Asia Pacific Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market9.1 Asia Pacific Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market SizePart 10. Market Forecast10.1 Market Size by Volume 2016-202110.2 Market Size by Revenue 2016-202110.3 Regional Consumption 2016-2021Browse full table of contents and data tables for Global Computed Tomography (CT) Scan Market Report @Related Reports: -2017 Top 5 Bone Sonometers Market Manufacturers in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and AfricaThis report studies Bone Sonometers Market in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa, focuses on the top 5 Bone Sonometers Market Players in each region, with sales, price, revenue and market share for top 5 manufacturer, coveringMarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
Improved Regulatory Scenario Works in Favor of Pharmaceutical Products and CMO Market in Brazil

Pharmaceutical Products and CMO Market

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Latin America has a fast growing healthcare sector and the pharmaceutical industry in the region is likely to witness steady growth during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024. The growth of the pharmaceutical products and CMO market in LATAM is attributed to high foreign investment, a rising geriatric population, an improving regulatory environment, and an increase in trade agreements with other countries such as the U.S., Canada, Japan, and several countries in Europe.Most pharmaceutical companies in LATAM are gradually outsourcing manufacturing activities to contract manufacturers in order to achieve cost efficiency, quality, capacity, and time to market. It is also being done to obtain expertise in a particular business category such as API manufacturing and packaging, which is not available in-house. According to Transparency Market Research, the pharmaceutical products and CMO market in Latin America is expected to grow from a value of US$127.9 bn in 2015 and to US$286.2 bn by 2024 at a strong CAGR of 9.3% therein.Read Full Report:Based on product type, the pharmaceutical products and CMO market comprises API and ingredients, finished dosage form, and pharmaceutical packaging.The finished dosage form segment led the pharmaceutical products market in Latin America, accounting for a share of approximately 85% in 2015. This product form is an integral part of formulation and analytical research, clinical pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics and as a result holds a significant share in the LATAM market. However, the API and ingredients segment is projected to expand at a high growth rate due to rising demand for APIs in the region and establishment of major multinational companies.On the other hand, the API and ingredients segment dominated the CMO market in Latin America, accounting for a share of approximately 60% in 2015. The increasing demand for cost saving and efficiency is boosting this segment. The finished dosage form segment of the CMO market is expected to expand at a significant CAGR during the forecast period.Download exclusive Sample of this report:The pharmaceutical products and CMO market in Latin America has been segmented into major countries: Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and Rest of Latin America.Brazil accounted for a significant share in the LATAM pharmaceutical product and CMO market in 2015. Brazils dominance has been attributed to excellent geographical location, the development of innovative products, better regulatory scenario, and an accessible pricing structure. The rising income of the consumers and an expanding geriatric population will further boost the demand for medication, driving the pharmaceutical product and CMO market in Brazil.Mexico was the second leading market for pharmaceutical products and CMO in 2015 due to its close proximity to North America. Rising free trade agreements with major countries in Europe and North America and the growing CMO industry are also expected to fuel the pharmaceutical product and CMO market in Mexico.The pharmaceutical products market in Argentina is projected to expand at a high CAGR during the forecast period due to government support and the increasing reliability of domestic players. Rest of Latin America, which includes Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia, is projected to witness the second fastest growth rate during the course of the forecast period. Factors such as a large patient pool and favorable government initiatives aimed at improving access to healthcare facilities are likely to propel the pharmaceutical products and CMO market in Rest of Latin America.Bayer AG, Novartis AG, Merck & Co., Inc., GSK plc, F. Hofmann La Roche, BASF SE, and Boehringer Ingelheim Group are some of the top players in the pharmaceutical products market in Latin America. Key participants in the CMO market in the region include Pisa Farmaceutica, Fresenius SE & Co. KGaA, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and Inc., Landsteiner Scientific.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Urolithiasis Management Devices Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024

Urolithiasis Management Devices Market

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The global demand for urolithiasis management devices has seen a steady rise in the past few years owing to the increasing prevalence of kidney stones. A 2015 study by the National Kidney Foundation of the U.S. states that one in 10 people in the country has kidney stones and that more than a half a million people are admitted to emergency rooms for kidney stone management every year. Across the globe as well, factors such as obesity, rising geriatric population, which is highly susceptible to kidney stones owing to reduced renal function and diabetes, and change in lifestyles are contributing to increased prevalence of kidney stone formation.Transparency Market Research estimates that the global urolithiasis management devices market will exhibit a healthy 4.5% CAGR over the period between 2016 and 2024 and rise to a valuation of US$1.78 bn by 2024.Read Full Report:Of the key end-users of urolithiasis management devices, including hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and clinics, the segment of clinics led the global market in terms of both revenue and volume in 2015. In terms of revenue, the segment accounted for over 55% in the said year. The leading position of the market segment can be attributed to factors such as the significant rise in the number of people opting for urolithiasis surgeries and advancements in treatment options that have reduced the time required for undertaking the procedures. Over the period between 2016 and 2024 as well, the segment is expected to hold a commanding position in the global market, retaining its status as the leading revenue generator.The demand for urolithiasis management devices across ambulatory surgical centers is expected to exhibit a strong growth over the next few years, with the end-user segment emerging as one of the most promising investment grounds for the global urolithiasis management devices market. The segment is expected to exhibit strong growth owing to high demand for ambulatory surgical centers and preference for day care surgeries across developing as well as developed parts of the world. Applications of urolithiasis management devices across the hospitals end-use segment is expected to witness stagnant growth as clinics and ambulatory surgical settings become more preferred owing to the lower cost of treatment and the need to be hospitalized for shorter lengths of time.Download exclusive Sample of this report:North America held a dominant share of nearly 36% in the global urolithiasis management devices market in 2015. Factors such as the rising prevalence of kidney stone, rising geriatric population, and campaigns undertaken to raise awareness about the risks associated with kidney stones by government bodies are central to the growth of the market in the region. Additionally, the introduction of new and innovative urolithiasis management devices such as laser lithotripters and flexible ureterenoscopes have also aided the healthy growth of the North America urolithiasis management devices market. The presence of high disposable income groups across developed economies such as the U.S. and Canada in North America, with a high prevalence of lifestyle-induced diseases such as obesity and a large base of geriatric population have also influenced the increased adoption of urolithiasis management devices.The urolithiasis management devices market in Asia Pacific is expected to exhibit an impressive CAGR of 4.6% over the period between 2016 and 2024. The mounting geriatric population in the region is the key factor driving the urolithiasis management devices market in the next few years. According to the United Nations ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific), is region is presently home to more than half of the worlds population of people aged over 60 years and the number is expected to rise to more than 2.45 bn by 2050. Owing to this, the regions is expected to lead to a substantial rise in demand for urolithiasis management devices in the next few years.Some of the key vendors operating in the global urolithiasis management devices market are C. R. Bard, Inc., Allengers Medical Systems Ltd, Dornier Medtech GmbH, Boston Scientific Corporation, Cook Group, Inc., Electro Medical Systems S.A., DirexGroup, Olympus Corporation, Karl Storz, and Siemens Healthcare.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dearth Of Safe Drinking Water And Poor Sanitation To Bode Well For Growth Of Hepatitis E Diagnostic Tests Market

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Hepatitis E diagnostic tests market is fuelled by the increasing occurrence of hepatitis E in numerous economies globally. The global hepatitis E diagnostic tests market stood at US$43.7 mn in 2015 and is poised to touch US$60.4 mn by 2024, rising at a 3.80% CAGR between 2016 and 2024.Transparency Market Research (TMR), a market intelligence company, throws light on the main test types and end users in the market for hepatitis E diagnostic tests. The dynamics impacting the development of the market have also been presented through this study.Obtain Report Details @Amongst the key test types, ELISA HEV IgM test kits are experiencing a huge demand in the market as compared to other test kits owing to them being extensively utilized in primary tests to carry on diagnosis of hepatitis E infections. In addition, due to the increasing occurrence of hepatitis E globally, researchers predicted that the demand for ELISA HEV IgM test kits to consistently rise exponentially in the coming years.On the other hand, the segment of RT-PCR test kits is predicted to trail the segment of ELISA HEV IgM test kits during the forecast period. This is owing to the fact that RT-PCR test kits have also emerged as direct tests in order to diagnose hepatitis Es acute infections. The segment of ELISA HEV IgG test kits is poised to experience a moderate progression in forthcoming years.The dearth of sanitation and the rising scarcity of potable water will raise the count of patients having hepatitis E in the coming years. This, in return, will give rise to the requirement for hepatitis E diagnostic test in forthcoming years. On the other hand, this market may experience serious hurdles in the coming years owing to the growing occurrence of asymptomatic diseases, which can be difficult to diagnose. In addition, the absence of awareness amongst consumers is also poised to come up as a prime factor impeding the development of the market in forthcoming years.Geographically, the Asia Pacific hepatitis E diagnostic tests market held a key share of over 42% in 2015 and is predicted to maintain its superiority in forthcoming years. This is due to the fact that numerous countries such as Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, and Kazakhstan experience hyperendemicity of hepatitis E, which results in an increased requirement for hepatitis E diagnostic tests, hence boosting the development of the market in Asia Pacific.Fill The Form To Gain Deeper Insights On This Market @On the other hand, the Middle East and Africa will also experience growth in the hepatitis E diagnostic tests market in forthcoming years. This is due to the increasing occurrence of hepatitis E in numerous nations such as Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, and Uganda owing to dearth of safe drinking water and poor sanitation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact us:Transparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Pneumatic Conveying System Market to be at Forefront by 2025

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Global Pneumatic Conveying System Market: IntroductionWith increasing automation in the manufacturing sector, the material handling industry has significantly transformed over the past few years. Demand for robust and novel technologies in material handling has witnessed significant upsurge, to cope up with the rapidly developing manufacturing techniques such as robotics. Owing to these customized and advanced handling demands, the material handling industry is expected to witness robust growth over the forecast period. Conveying systems form an important part of material handling industry. Of the varied types of conveying systems available, pneumatic conveying system  a system that utilizes air flow and pressure differential to fulfill conveying operations in a closed environment, finds its application for conveying powder, granules, abrasive and other dry bulk materials in various end use industries such as food & beverages, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, chemicals, metal & mining and pulp & paper.A sample of this report is available upon request @The pneumatic conveying system uses pressure difference and flow of air or other gases as the driving force for the conveying system. This is usually supplied by an air mover and kept under control for desired applications. The market for pneumatic conveying system is expected to witness healthy growth over the forecast period, owing to various advantages it offers over the existing conventional mechanical systems. Pneumatic conveying systems are more flexible than existing mechanical systems, occupy less space and provide enclosed space for transportation. Another major advantage of a pneumatic conveying system over a mechanical one is the relatively low maintenance cost, which is due to the fact that pneumatic conveying systems have less number of moving parts.Global Pneumatic Conveying System Market: Market DynamicsOwing to the stabilized growth of global economy and of end-use industries such as food & beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pulp & paper, steady growth in sales of pneumatic conveying systems is expected over the forecast period. Developing nations such as China, ASEAN, India and South Africa are expected to be the major contributors for the market growth.Benefits offered by pneumatic conveying systems, such as low maintenance costs, less space requirement for installation, durability and flexibility will be the key factors driving the focus of customers towards pneumatic conveying systems over other systems available in the market. Thereby, driving the growth of the global pneumatic conveying system market. Installation and MRO services are expected to hold significant shares of the total revenue generated in the global pneumatic conveying system market and drive the market growth.Factors that can hamper the growth of pneumatic conveying system market include large power requirements to drive the conveyor, continuous monitoring and change in air pressure and requirement of larger dust collection systems than other available systems in the market. Furthermore, sluggish growth in some of the end-use industries such as metal & mining industries pose challenge to the growth of global pneumatic conveying systems market.Global Pneumatic Conveying System Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America and Europe are expected to collectively account for over half of the revenue generated in the global pneumatic conveying system market. The U.S., U.K., Germany, France and Spain are expected to be the major contributors to the growth of the market.Asia Pacific is expected to hold significant market share in the global pneumatic conveying systems market over the forecast period. The market in the region is expected to witness high value CAGR over the forecast period. China, Japan, India and ASEAN are expected to witness significant growth opportunities owing to favorable macro-economic factors and rapid industrialization taking place in these countries.Request to view Table of content @Middle East and Africa and Latin America are expected to hold nominal market share in the global pneumatic conveying system market. Turkey and South Africa are expected to emerge as key countries holding significant opportunities for the growth of pneumatic conveying systems market in the region. The markets in Middle East & Africa and Latin America are expected to witness moderate growth over forecast period.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global DLP Projector Market 2017- BenQ, Acer, Optoma, NEC, Sharp and Vivitek

DLP Projector

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http://www.qyresearchgroup.com/market-analysis/global-dlp-projector-market-2017-industry-trends-sales.html

This report studies sales (consumption) of DLP Projector in Global market, especially in North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, covering1. BenQ2. Acer3. Optoma4. NEC5. Sharp6. Vivitek7. Panasonic8. Christie9. BARCO10. Digital Projection11. Costar12. ViewsonicThe market research report by QY Research provides detailed study on the overall DLP Projector market size, its financial positions, its unique selling points, key products, and key developments. This research report has segmented the DLP Projector market based on the segments covering all the domains in terms of type, country, region, forecasting revenues, and market share, along with analysis of latest trends in every sub-segment.CLICK HERE to Request Sample Report @The qualitative segmentation of DLP Projector market covered in the report gives in-depth information of the overall market. Furthermore, the market size, share, forecast trends, analysis, sales, supply, production, demand, major manufacturers, end-users, and many other vital factors are comprised in the Market Research DLP Projector report by QY Research. By these comprehensive data, it is simple to take and make precise and accurate decisions taking into consideration the present market situation and the forecasts of the global market, which in turn may result into profitable step for our clients.A competitive landscape that identifies the major competitors of the global market and their market share are further highlighted in the research report. A deliberate profiling of major competitors of the DLP Projector market as well as a inclusive analysis of their current developments, core competencies, and investments in each segment are also elaborated in the research report.Browse FULL Report @The overall information of the DLP Projector market provided in the report helps our client to make precise and accurate decisions in order to gain maximum profit in this cutthroat competition in the global market. The report comprises various elements such as table, figure, charts, TOCs, chapters, and so on so as to provide a crystal clear data to the client giving a brief of the market and its trends. Thus, the report provides in-depth information of the DLP Projector market in terms of revenue, value, volume, region, and many more.About Us:QYResearch Group is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. QYResearch Group also carries the capability to assist you with your customized market research requirements including in-depth market surveys, primary interviews, competitive landscaping, and company profiles. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics. QYResearch Group is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact US:Joel John3422 SW 15 Street, Suit #8138,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442,United StatesTel: +1-386-310-3803GMT Tel: +49-322 210 92714USA/Canada Toll Free No. 1-855-465-4651
Vietnam Reinsurance Key Trends and Opportunities Market Report 2020

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Market Research Hub (MRH) has recently announced the addition of a fresh report, titled Reinsurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 to its report offerings. The report analyses information pertaining to the competitive landscape in the country, gives a comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographics, and provides detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Vietnamese insurance industry.Request Free Sample Report:Synopsis:Timetrics 'Reinsurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides detailed analysis of the market trends, drivers and challenges in the Vietnamese reinsurance segment.It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, reinsurance ceded and reinsurance accepted during the review period (2011-2015) and forecast period (2015-2020).The report also analyses information pertaining to the competitive landscape in the country, gives a comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographics, and provides detailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Vietnamese insurance industry.The report brings together Timetrics research, modeling and analysis expertise to enable reinsurers to identify segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and access profiles of reinsurers operating in the country.Summary:Timetrics 'Reinsurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Vietnamese reinsurance segment, including:An outlook of the Vietnamese reinsurance segmentA comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographicsDetailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Vietnamese insurance industryThe competitive landscape in the Vietnamese reinsurance segmentScope:This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the reinsurance segment in Vietnam:It provides historical values for the Vietnamese reinsurance segment for the reports 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period.It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Vietnamese reinsurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.It provides a detailed analysis of the reinsurance ceded from various direct insurance segments in Vietnam, and the reinsurance segment's growth prospects.It analyzes various natural and man-made hazards and their impact on the Vietnamese insurance industryReasons To Buy:Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Vietnamese reinsurance segment, and each category within it.Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Vietnamese reinsurance segment.Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.Gain insights into key regulations governing the Vietnamese insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.Key HighlightsAccording to a decree issued on July 1, 2016, foreign firms can reinsure a maximum of 90% of their total business.The government issued Decree No. 73/2016/ND-CP on implementation and amendments to certain articles of the Law on Insurance Business, which came into effect from July 1, 2016.According to Decree 67/ND-CP, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) implemented aquaculture insurance products, for which Vietnam National Reinsurance Corporation (Vinare) was chosen as the reinsurer.In April 2014, Vinare was selected as the national consultant for the National Disaster Risk Finance (DRF) project advanced by the Asian Development Bank. It will enable the cities of Hue and Can Tho to cope with climate change.In April 2014, Vinare signed a memorandum of understanding with Catalytics to develop natural catastrophe models for floods, earthquakes and storms. This will enhance the reinsurers risk management capabilities.Table of Contents:1 Key Facts and Highlights2 Executive Summary1 Economy and Demographics3 Reinsurance Outlook3.1 Reinsurance Segment Size, 2011-20203.1.1 Total reinsurance premium accepted3.2 Reinsurance Segment Size by Premium Ceded, 2011-20202 Natural and Man-Made Hazards3.3 Flooding3.4 Storms/Typhoons3.5 Landslides3.6 Others3.7 Exposure4 Competitive Landscape4.1 Company Profiles4.1.1 Vietnam National Reinsurance Corporation - company overviewRead Full Report with TOC:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Follow Us on:Twitter:LinkedIn:Facebook:
Boosting the Global Antithrombin III Deficiency Testing Market by 2021

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Antithrombin deficiencies are mainly divided into two types: type I and type II. The type I antithrombin deficiency is characterized by an inadequate amount of normal antithrombin present in the bloodstream. In this condition, there is simply not enough antithrombin present to inactivate the coagulation factors. The type II antithrombin deficiency is characterized by adequate amount of antithrombin present in the bloodstream. However, it does not function properly and is unable to carry out its normal functions.A sample of this report is available upon request @Antithrombin III is a non-vitamin, K-dependent protease that naturally blocks abnormal blood clot formation in the bloodstream. Deficiency of antithrombin III causes various blood clot disorders in the human body. For instance, congenital antithrombin III deficiency is a common antithrombin deficiency, which usually occurs when individuals receive the abnormal antithrombin III gene from their parents. This abnormal gene causes abnormal blood clots in the human body which block blood flow and damage organs.The major symptoms of blood clotting include fainting, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, pain when taking deep breaths, and swelling of legs. In addition, some physical symptoms of blood clots are abnormal lung sounds, fast breathing, swollen foot or leg, and fast heart rate.The global antithrombin III deficiency testing market is categorized on the basis of various types of deficiencies, diagnostic procedures, and end users. Based on the type of deficiencies, the report covers type I antithrombin deficiency and type II antithrombin deficiency. Based on the type of technology, the report covers monoclonal antibodies, molecular diagnostics, differential light scattering, immunoassays, flow cytometry, chromatography, gel micro droplets, diagnostic imaging, and others. Based on end users, the report covers commercial or private labs, physician offices, hospitals, public health labs, and academic research institutes.In terms of geography, North America dominates the global antithrombin III deficiency testing market. This is due to increased government funding on healthcare infrastructure in the region. In addition, technological advancement in antithrombin III diagnostic procedures has also propelled the market in North America. The U.S. represents the largest market for antithrombin deficiency testing in North America, followed by Canada. In Europe, Germany, France, and the U.K. hold the major shares of the antithrombin III deficiency testing market. The antithrombin III deficiency testing market in Asia is also expected to show high growth rates in the next five years. This is due to the various initiatives undertaken by governments to increase awareness about blood clotting disorders in the region. In addition, increased investments by many foreign diagnostic instrument companies have also propelled the growth of the antithrombin III deficiency testing market in the region. India, China, and Japan are expected to be the fastest-growing markets for antithrombin III deficiency testing in Asia.Advanced applications of antithrombin deficiency diagnostic instruments and increasing prevalence of blood clot disorders are the key drivers for the global antithrombin III deficiency testing market. Also, increased government support in the form of funding and rapid technological advancements have fueled the growth of this market.An increasing number of mergers and acquisitions involving diagnostic consumables manufacturing companies and rapid product launches are the key trends in the global antithrombin III deficiency testing market.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @The major companies operating in this market are Abbott Laboratories, Avocet Medical Inc., Axis-Shield plc, Beckman Coulter Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, Trinity Biotech PLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Siemens AG, Roche, Chrono-log Corporation, Sysmex Corporation, Hyphen Biomed and American Diagnostica GmbH.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Clay Market  Share, Size, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017-2025

http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-clays-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/

http://www.indexbox.co.uk/store/world-clays-market-report-analysis-and-forecast-to-2020/

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IndexBox has just published a new report "World: Clays - Market Report. Analysis and Forecast to 2025" (This report has been designed to provide a detailed analysis of the global clay market. It covers the most recent data sets of quantitative medium-term projections, as well as developments in production, trade, consumption and prices. The report also includes a comparative analysis of the leading consuming countries, revealing opportunities opened for producers and exporters across the globe. The forecast outlines market prospects to 2025.Countries coverage: WorldwideProduct coverage: Kaolin and other kaolinic clays, whether or not calcined; bentonite, decolorizing earths and fuller's earth, fire-clay and other clays, Andalusite, kyanite and sillimanite, whether or not calcined, mullite, chamotte or dinas earths.Data coverage: Clay market size and volume; Clay market trends and prospects; Global clay production and its dynamics; Per capita consumption; Breakdown of production by region and country; Medium term outlook; Clay trade (exports/imports); Prices for clay; Profiles of the main manufacturers.The report will help you: Get a bigger picture of the market; Rewire your business around market trends; Devise your marketing strategy; Operate with increased effectiveness.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. INTRODUCTION1.1 REPORT DESCRIPTION1.2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY2.1 KEY FINDINGS2.2 MARKET TRENDS3. MARKET OVERVIEW3.1 MARKET VOLUME AND VALUE3.2 CONSUMPTION BY COUNTRY3.3 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES BY COUNTRY3.4 MARKET FORECAST TO 20254. PRODUCTION4.1 PRODUCTION IN 2007-20154.2 PRODUCTION BY COUNTRY5. IMPORTS5.1 IMPORTS IN 2007-20155.2 IMPORTS BY COUNTRY5.3 IMPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY6. EXPORTS6.1 EXPORTS IN 2007-20156.2 EXPORTS BY COUNTRY6.3 EXPORT PRICES BY COUNTRY7. PROFILES OF MAJOR PRODUCERSDownload a free sample of the report now!IndexBox is a leading market research publisher in the world. We conduct market research and publish reports.You can find more than 25,000 research reports in our web store, which cover global industries and regional markets. All the worldwide marketing data you need is at your fingertips.We collect this data from hundreds of highly reliable sources, verify it and carry out market analysis, uncovering new business opportunities and empowering you with actionable insights.The structure of our reports is intuitive and clear. We do our best to allow you to make strategic decisions and take immediate action. If you want to go further and be a step ahead of the market, just tell us your goals and we will tailor a report to your needs.Company Name: IndexBoxContact Person: Kirill BezverhiEmail: kirill.bezverhi@indexbox.co.ukPhone: +44 20 3239 3063Adress: United Kingdom, 44 Main Street, Douglas, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 0QWWebsite:
Cups and Lids Market Share, Demand and Sales, Foresight Report

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1257

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cups-and-lids-market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/glass-packaging-market

The market for cups and lids has been growing due to a rapid growth in the food & beverage packaging industry and foodservice industry. There has been a change in the preferences of the common people from regular to western food & beverage joints focusing on specialty beverages. This is backed by the increased investment in new technologies in global Cups and Lids Market and increased awareness for health and fitness which has led to the growth of the global cups and lids market.Key Players Georgia-Pacific Clondalkin Group Holdings Greiner Holding AG Huhtamaki Oyj Reynolds Group Holdings Limited PrintPack Inc. Solo Cup Operating Corporation Bemis Company, Inc. WinCup, International Paper Company Airlite Plastics Company Berry Plastics Group Incorporated Chengdu Anbao Paper Group Company Limited Constantia Flexibles Group GmbH Dart Container CorporationGet a Sample Report @SegmentsBy Product Typeo Cupso LidsBy Material Typeo Paper & Paperboardo Plastico MetalBy Applicationso Food & Beverageo Foodserviceo RetailBy Regiono North Americao Europeo APACo Rest of the WorldStudy Objectives of Global Cups and Lids Market To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 10 years of various segments and sub-segments of the global cups and lids Market To provide insights about factors affecting the market growth To analyze the global cups and lids market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc. To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW) To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospective To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by product type, by material type, by application and by region To provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the market To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global cups and lids marketBrowse Report @Regional Analysis of Global cups and Lids MarketAPAC dominates the global cups and lids market with its fast growing market worldwide. The reason is attributed to the expanding food & beverage industries in the region and the shift of consumer preferences to healthier and western food products. It will expand at a high CAGR over the forecast period. North America, followed by APAC, is expected to grow rapidly and will reach projected market size by 2021. Europe and Rest of the World are also expected to grow at good CAGR respectively from 2016 to 2021.Table of Content1. Report Prologue2. Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objective2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 Limitations2.3 Market Structure2.4. Market Segmentation3. Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size Estimation3.5 Forecast Model4. Market Dynamics4.1 Drivers4.2 Restraints4.3 Opportunities4.4 Macroeconomic Indicators5. Market Factor Analysis5.1 Value Chain Analysis5.2 Porters Five ForcesContinue.The report for Global Cups and Lids Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Related ReportGlass Packaging Market Information by Application (Alcoholic beverages, food & beverages, pharmaceuticals and others) and by Region - Forecast to 2021About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Tahini Market : Paste and spreads Will Account over 55% share

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Driven by growing popularity across the globe and steady adoption by the F&B industry, global tahini market volumes are estimated to surpass 314 thousand tonnes in 2016, up from nearly 305 thousand tonnes in 2015. According to the latest report published by Persistence Market Research titled Global Market Study on Tahini: Paste and Spreads Product Type Segment Projected to Remain the Largest Segment During the Forecast Period, global volumes are projected to reach 423,854 tonnes in 2025.Besides the availability of myriad flavors, rising adoption by local eateries are most likely to impact the global tahini market. Market Research Expert, Persistence Market ResearchGrowing popularity of authentic Middle Eastern food flavors is expected to escalate the demand for tahini-based products, such as hummus and tahini spread. The surging significance of social media marketing will play a pivotal role in the promotion of tahini and derived products. Emerging tahini applications in hummus, butter and spreads, halva, salads, bakery products, toppings, and traditional Middle Eastern recipes such as Baba Ghanoush will also influence the market favorably.By product type, tahini paste and spreads will witness the highest demand Paste and spreads segment will account for over 55% share in terms of revenues by 2025 Desserts and sweets segment, aggravated by growing popularity of halva, will maintain a market share of over 25% during the assessed period Sustained consumption of tahini dips and sauces will fuel the sauces and dips sub-segment, capturing over 18% market value shareBy distribution channel, major tahini sales will be directed through exports Conventional retail will lose its market share over 2015-2025; from over 37% market share in 2015, this sub-segment will settle at around 34% in 2025 Modern trade is expected to witness decent growth, accounting for a revenue share of over 29% by 2025 end Exports will, however, exhibit the fastest growth in terms of a distribution channel. With over 20% share of the revenues, this sub-segment is anticipated to reach US$ 465.9 Mn with a promising CAGR of 6.1%Considering product size, the tahini market is projected to gain the highest traction in the 50-150 gm size sub-segment With over 56% value share in 2025, the 50-150 gm size sub-segment will reportedly reach a consumption of around 243,189 tonnes Above 150 gm size sub-segment is likely to witness an uptick over the forecast period, capturing a considerable 28% market value share in 2025 Below 50 gm product size will be the fastest growing sub-segment at 5.9% CAGRDepending on the production process, industrial production process will remain dominant over conventional process With a slight setback from 76% share in 2015 to around 73% share estimated by 2025 end, industrial production process will witness moderate growth with a CAGR to the tune of 5.3% Conventional process will experience significant growth over the forecast periodA sample of this report is available upon request @According to Persistence Market Researchs regional analysis, Western Asia will continue to be the largest market, whereas GCC will emerge lucrative by 2025 end West Asia, identified as the most lucrative market for tahini, will predictably cross US$ 608 Mn by 2025 end, accounting for maximum revenues in the global market GCC countries will exhibit the fastest growth at 5.9% CAGR, primarily driven by Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. GCC tahini market revenues will reach around US$ 202 Mn by 2025 end North Africa, followed by the U.K., are projected to grow moderately at respective CAGRs of 5.7% and 5.4%Request to view table of content @Dipasa International S.A., Sunshine International Foods, Inc., Kevala International LLC, Joyva Corp, Premier Organics, Haitoglou Bros S.A., Halwani Bros. Co., Prince Tahina Ltd., El Rashidi El Mizan, Al-Wadi Al-Akhdar S.A.L, Carleys of Cornwell Ltd., Balsam Tahini, Ismail Termurcugil, and Alseedawi Sweets Factories Co. constitute some of the key players in the global market for tahini. While major export opportunities lie in Asia and North America, a majority of leading players are based in the Middle East and North America. Halwani Bros. Co. and Haitoglou Bros. are top Middle East companies, whereas Joyva Corp, Dipasa, and Kevala Int. are the key North American players. Alwadi Al Akhdars new factory in Lebanon is due in 2017 and Sabra Dipping Co. will soon double its tahini hummus production capacity.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Glass Packaging Market: Information, Figures and Analytical Insights 2021

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Globally there is an increase in demand for alcoholic beverages and beer which has augmented the market for Glass Packaging. The non-reactive nature of glass makes it a suitable packaging material in pharmaceutical and alcoholic beverages industry. This is backed by the increased awareness for eco-friendly packaging and increase in investments by packaging companies which has led to the growth of the global Glass Packaging Market.SegmentsOn The Basis Of Applicationo Alcoholic Beverageso Food & Beverageso PharmaceuticalsOn The Basis Of Regiono North Americao Europeo APACo Rest of the WorldKey Players Owens Illinois Inc. Saint-Gobain Ardagh Group Gerresheimer AG Vetropack Holding AG Amcor Ltd Nihon Yamamura Glass Co. Ltd Tamron Co., Ltd. Piramal Glass Limited Hindustan National Glass & Industries Ltd Stolzle-Oberglas GmbH Vidrala SA Wiegand Glas O.Berk Company LLC Shandong Pharmaceutical Glass Co., Ltd.Request a Sample Report @Study Objectives of Global Glass Packaging Marketo To provide detailed analysis of the market structure along with forecast for the next 5 years of various segments and sub-segments of the global Glass Packaging marketo To provide insights about factors affecting the market growtho To analyze the global Glass Packaging Market based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis, porters five force analysis etc.o To provide historical and forecast revenue of the market segments and sub-segments with respect to four main geographies and their countries- North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW)o To provide country level analysis of the market with respect to the current market size and future prospectiveo To provide country level analysis of the market for segment by application and region.o To provide strategic profiling of the key players in the market, comprehensively analyzing their core competencies, and drawing a competitive landscape for the marketo To track and analyze competitive developments such as joint ventures, strategic alliances, mergers and acquisitions, new product developments, and research and developments in the global Glass Packaging marketRegional Analysis of Global Packaging Machinery MarketAPAC dominates the global Glass Packaging market with its fast-growing market worldwide. It will expand at a high CAGR over the forecast period. The region is expected to grow in coming years due to increasing Glass Packaging consumption, particularly in China and India. The demand is dominated by the alcoholic beverages and pharmaceuticals industry.Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Scope Of The Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope Of The Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodologies3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast Model4 Market Landscape4.1 Five Forces Analysis4.1.1 Threat Of New Entrants4.1.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.1.3 Threat of substitutes4.1.4 Segment rivalry4.2 Value Chain of Global Glass Packaging Market5 Industry Overview of Global Glass Packaging Market5.1 Introduction5.2 Growth Drivers5.3 Impact analysis5.4 Market Challenges5.5 Impact analysisContinueBrowse Report @The report for Global Glass Packaging Market of Market Research Future comprises of extensive primary research along with the detailed analysis of qualitative as well as quantitative aspects by various industry experts, key opinion leaders to gain the deeper insight of the market and industry performance. The report gives the clear picture of current market scenario which includes historical and projected market size in terms of value and volume, technological advancement, macro economical and governing factors in the market. The report provides details information and strategies of the top key players in the industry. The report also gives a broad study of the different market segments and regions.Related ReportTube Packaging Market Information by Materials (Laminate, Plastic, Aluminum, paperboard and others), by Product (Squeeze tubes, Twist tubes, Cartridges and others) by Application (Personal Care, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverages, Consumer goods and others) and region - Forecast to 2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Bioelectronics Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 20162024

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Bioelectronics is a branch of medical science that deals with the application of ideologies of biological sciences in electrical/electronic engineering. In simpler terms, bioelectronics is the combination of biology and electronics. This is an essential emerging field in medicine. Bioelectronics has led to the expansion of various devices such as the pacemaker and a wide variety of therapeutic imaging devices that are easily accessible. The nervous system transmits an endless number of signals to carry out various functions of the human body. This creates a highly lucrative growth prospect for the study of bioelectronics and the related market is projected to flourish over the next few years.Some of the major tools associated with bioelectronics are bioelectromagnetics, robotics, sensors, and neural networks. Bioelectronics have been making a huge impact in the medicinal field from its early days, however, bioelectronics role in medical science is likely to grow at an incredible pace during the forecast period, touching disparate healthcare specialties such as vision disorders and spinal injuries. Wide-ranging research and development activities related to bioelectronics will aid in the increasing health care market by facilitating on-site diagnosis as well. Apart from life sciences and medical research, it is used in ecological monitoring as well, with requirement for the latter anticipated to rise speedily in the forecast period, owing to growing danger of global warming around the globe.Download PDF Brochure @Increasing awareness about bioelectronics is one of the key factors that will drive the growth of the market. High prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and rising usage of artificial pacemakers will propel the growth of bioelectronics market in the coming years. Additionally, increasing demand for home care and customized medicine are some of the other key drivers of the bioelectronics market. Moreover, sensors industrialized by bioelectronics research are responsible for the rise in demand for the bioelectronics products.Bioelectronics Market TaxonomyOn the basis of product type, the market is classified into:Electrochemical biosensorsPiezoelectric biosensorsThermal biosensorsOptical biosensorsOn the basis of application, the global market is classified into:Fabrication TemplatesBiochipsImplantable DevicesProstheticArtificial OrgansPillsSurgicalBiofuel CellsMolecular MotorsRising demand for diagnostic tests and monitoring devices like cardiac pacemakers, devices for measuring blood glucose level, and other medical devices are expected to increase the market size. Increasing incidence of diabetes along with rising need to monitor blood glucose level is expected to impact the market optimistically. Advances in technology and growing innovation in the field are some of the other reasons that will drive the growth of the bioelectronics market over the forecast period.Growing diabetic population and the increasing prevalence of heart diseases will drive the overall bioelectronics marketAccording to the Heart Foundation, in 2011, heart and other cardiovascular diseases led to 787 thousand fatalities in the U.S. alone. Moreover, as per International Diabetic Federation (IDF) around 415 million people suffered from diabetes in 2015. Since diabetic monitoring and control as well as heart failure patients need bioelectronics devices in the form of glucose monitoring devices, and artificial pacemakers, respectively, the market for bioelectronics product is likely to experience a huge surge in demand during the forecast period. This is attributed to rise in the number of patients suffering from the aforementioned diseases.North America held the maximum share of the bioelectronics market, owing to large number of applications in various healthcare segments. Rising occurrence of several grave diseases due to sedentary lifestyle; existence of large number of R&D facilities; and escalating adoptability of refined and advanced products by healthcare professionals, clinicians and patients, the bioelectronics market will see a significant growth momentum in this region. Asia Pacific is expected to observe a considerable growth due to improvement in healthcare infrastructure as well as speedy economic growth in the course of the forecast period.Request a sample copy of this report:Some of the key players operating in the global bioelectronics market are F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Abbott laboratories, LifeSensors, Siemens Healthcare, Nova Biomedical Corporation and AgaMatrix. Some of the other companies operating in the market are Bioelectronics Corporation, Sotera wireless, Beckman Coulter, Bodymedia, Avago, Danaher Corporation, Medtronics, Omnivision Technologies, and Roche, Sensirion.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Industry Size, Share, Growth, Analysis, Market Demand & Forecast Report 2017-2022

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The Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market 2017 Industry Research Report is a professional and in-depth study. This study covers, Global Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Sales and Healthcare RCM Outsourcing 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 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing.The Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market report provides Production and Revenue Data of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Industry. Production means the output of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing and Revenue means the sales value of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing.Request for Sample Copy of Global Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market Report @Topmost Leading Manufacturer Covered in this report:1. Conifer Health Solutions2. Emdeon Business Services3. MedAssets4. Parallon Business Solutions5. The SSI Group6. Adremia7. Alleviant8. Avadynehealth9. Cardon Outreach10. FirstSource Solutions Ltd.11. Health Systems Management Network Inc.12. Medirevv Inc.13. Precyse Solutions LLC14. T-System Inc.15. SourceMedical16. Sutherland Global Services Inc.17. Xerox Corp.Browse The Complete Report with Full TOC @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. United States2. EU3. Japan4. China5. India6. Southeast Asia This Market Research Report of 2017 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing 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. Information Network2. Logistics Services3. Medical Test4. Telemedicine This Report Divides by application, this report focuses on consumption, market share and growth rate of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing in each application, can be divided into :1. Clinical Services2. Food3. Medical Application4. OtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Place Direct Purchase Order of this Report:Some Points Covered In List Of Tables:Chapter One: Industry Overview of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing1.1 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market Overview1.1.1 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market by Type1.3.1 Information Network1.3.2 Logistics Services1.3.3 Medical Test1.3.4 Telemedicine1.4 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Clinical Services1.4.2 Food1.4.3 Medical Application1.4.4 OtherChapter Two: Global Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in FutureChapter Three: Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Conifer Health Solutions3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Emdeon Business Services3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Healthcare RCM Outsourcing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent DevelopmentsReason to Purchase this Report:1. The report of Healthcare RCM Outsourcing 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.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:
Cardiac Pacemaker Market Value to Increase to US$ 3923.8 Million by 2024

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Persistence Market Research (PMR) delivers key insights on the global cardiac pacemaker market in its upcoming report titled, Cardiac Pacemaker Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 20162024. The global cardiac pacemaker market was valued at US$ 4,100.0 Mn in 2015 and this is likely to decline to US$ 3923.8 Mn by 2024. In terms of revenue, the global cardiac pacemaker market is anticipated to exhibit a declining CAGR of -0.5% over the forecast period owing to various factors, on which PMR offers detailed insights and forecasts.Request to view Table of Content @Global cardiac pacemaker market dynamicsA key unmet need in global cardiac pacemaker market is the lack of a 100% safe and efficient pacemaker device to treat arrhythmias. There is an imperative need for development of cost-effective and rapid diagnostic methods for arrhythmias with a growing geriatric population and increasing patient pool with escalating global demand for treatment. This is anticipated to offer lucrative opportunities to new players in the global cardiac pacemaker market. Various key players in the cardiac pacemaker market are signing partnerships and licensing deals to share the research and development platform. In 2014, Medtronic has signed a deal with Lifetech Scientific to bring pacemaker into the Chinese market. According to the agreement, Lifetech Scientific shall manufacture pacemaker at their facility and Medtronics would provide with technology and required training.Global cardiac pacemaker market forecastThe market is segmented based on product type, end users, and regions. Based on product type, the market is segmented into implantable pacemaker and external pacemaker. Both the segments are expected to exhibit a negative CAGR for the forecast period, owing to increasing number of device recall related to device malfunctioning. The implantable pacemaker segment is expected to exhibit a declining CAGR of -0.5% and external pacemaker segment is expected to exhibit a declining CAGR of -1.0% during the forecast period.Sample of this report is available upon request @Based on end users, the market is segmented into hospitals and ambulatory surgical centers. The hospitals segment is anticipated to account for the highest market share over the forecast period exhibiting a declining CAGR of -0.1% due to better reimbursement rates offered by government and non-government bodies.This report assesses trends, that drive growth of each segment on the global as well as regional levels, and offers potential takeaways, that could prove substantially useful to medical device manufacturing companies who wish to enter into the global cardiac pacemaker market. North America and Europe are expected to lose market share in terms of revenue generation. Latin America, APAC, and MEA are collectively expected to be more attractive in terms of revenue generation in the global cardiac pacemaker market in 2016 with growth in revenue for the forecast period. Latin America is expected to expand at a CAGR of 1.1% closely followed by Asia Pacific with a CAGR of 1.0% over the forecast period, due to increase in the diagnosis rate and improved healthcare infrastructure. The India cardiac pacemaker market is expected to increase over other markets and register a CAGR of 1.5% in the region due to increased government initiative, increase in health care expenditure, and increase in disease prevalence. The growth of cardiac pacemakers in this region is largely due to increased participation of local manufacturers and increasing healthcare expenditure.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Global cardiac pacemaker market competitive landscapeSome key players in the global cardiac pacemaker market identified in this report are Medtronics, Lepu Medical Technology Co ltd., Osypka Medical GmbH. MEDICOWEB, Boston Scientific Corporation, Pacetronix ltd., BIOTRONIK SE & Co. KG, LivaNova Plc., and St.Jude Medical Inc. Persistence Market Research has discussed individual strategies of these companies in terms of increasing focus on rare diseases, initiatives to increase awareness, and enhancing distribution base. The report has been concluded with strategic recommendations for players already present in the market and new players planning to enter the market, which could help them in the long run.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
2017 Global Suplatast Tosilate Industry Situation and Prospects Research Report  Market Research HUB

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Market Research Hub (MRH) has recently published the latest market study to its online portal, which is titled as Global Suplatast Tosilate Industry Situation and Prospects Research report This study offers professional analysis of the current state of Suplatast Tosilate Industry.Request Free Sample Report@The Global Suplatast Tosilate Industry Situation and Prospects Research report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Suplatast Tosilate industry.In 2016, the world economy expanded by just 2.2 per cent, the slowest rate of growth since the Great Recession of 2009. Underpinning the sluggish global economy are the feeble pace of global investment, dwindling world trade growth, flagging productivity growth and high levels of debt. World gross product is forecast to expand by 2.7 per cent in 2017 and 2.9 per cent in 2018, with this modest recovery more an indication of economic stabilization than a signal of a robust and sustained revival of global demand. Given the close linkages between demand, investment, trade and productivity, the extended episode of weak global growth may prove self-perpetuating in the absence of concerted policy efforts to revive investment and foster a recovery in productivity. This would impede progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly the goals of eradicating extreme poverty and creating decent work for all.For the sake of making you deeply understand the Suplatast Tosilate industry and meeting you needs to the report contents, Global Suplatast Tosilate Industry Situation and Prospects Research report will stands on the report readers perspective to provide you a deeply analysis report with the integrity of logic and the comprehensiveness of contents. We promise that we will provide to the report reader a professional and in-depth industry analysis no matter you are the industry insiderpotential entrant or investor.Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Suplatast Tosilate 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, India 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 Suplatast Tosilate industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed.Read Full Report with TOC@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.About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of Market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Follow Us on:LinkedIn:Facebook:Twitter:
Non-Life Insurance in Poland, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 | Market Research Report

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Market Research Hub (MRH) has recently published a latest market study to its online portal, which is titled as Non-Life Insurance in Poland, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 This study offers professional analysis of the current state of Non-Life Insurance market.Request Free Sample Report@Non-Life Insurance in Poland Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Polish non-life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Polish insurance industry with its regional counterparts.It provides values for key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, combined ratio, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (2011-2015) and forecast period (2015-2020).The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Polish economy and demographics, explains the various types of natural hazard and their impact on the Polish insurance industry, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.The report analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.Summary:MRH 'Non-Life Insurance in Poland, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Polish non-life insurance segment, including:The Polish non-life segments detailed outlook by product categoryA comprehensive overview of the Polish economy and demographicsA comparison of the Polish non-life insurance segment with its regional counterpartsThe various distribution channels in the Polish non-life insurance segmentDetailed analysis of natural hazards and their impact on the Polish insurance industryDetails of the competitive landscape in the non-life insurance segment in PolandDetails of regulatory policy applicable to the Polish insurance industryScopeThis report provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-life insurance segment in Poland:It provides historical values for the Polish non-life insurance segment for the reports 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period.It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Polish non-life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.It provides a comparison of the Polish non-life insurance segment with its regional counterpartsIt analyzes the various distribution channels for non-life insurance products in Poland.It analyzes various natural hazards and their impact on the Polish insurance industryIt profiles the top non-life insurance companies in Poland, and outlines the key regulations affecting them.Reasons To BuyMake strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Polish non-life insurance segment, and each category within it.Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Polish non-life insurance segment.Assess the competitive dynamics in the non-life insurance segment.Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.Gain insights into key regulations governing the Polish insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.Access Full Report with TOC@Key HighlightsOn March 17, 2016, the European Commission (EC) stated that there was uncertainty regarding the renewal of the Insurance Block Exemption Regulation (Regulation 267/2010) (IBER), due to expire on March 31, 2017.Solvency II came into force in Poland on January 1, 2016. It is based on three pillars: risk-based quantitative requirements, governance and supervision, and disclosure and transparency.In December 2016, Xceedance, a global provider of property and casualty insurance technology, analytics and consulting services, announced the launch of an operations centre in Krakow, Poland. The centre will provide services and support to Xceedance clients for underwriting, policy and claims management, credit control, and finance and accounting.About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of Market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Details:90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (US-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:Follow Us on:LinkedIn:Facebook:Twitter:
Global Wheel Weight Market 2017 - WEGMANN, Plombco, TOHO KOGYO, Hennessy, Shengshi Weiye, 3M

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"Wheel Weight also referred to as tire balance, describes the distribution of mass within an automobile tire or the entire wheel (including the rim) to which it is attached.When the wheel rotates, asymmetries of mass may cause it to hop or wobble, which can cause ride disturbances, usually vertical and lateral vibrations. It can also result in a wobbling of the steering wheel or of the entire vehicle. Vehicle suspensions can become excited by unbalance forces when the speed of the wheel reaches a point that its rotating frequency equals the suspensions resonant frequency."Request For Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Wheel Weight in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversWEGMANNPlombcoTOHO KOGYOHennessyShengshi Weiye3MTrax JH LtdBaolongJiangyin YinxindeHolmanHEBEI XSTAlpha AutopartsHEBEI FANYAMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversClip-On TypeAdhesive TypeAccess Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoPassenger VehicleCommercial VehicleMotorcycleThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Wheel Weight market.Chapter 1, to describe Wheel Weight Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Wheel Weight, with sales, revenue, and price of Wheel Weight, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Wheel Weight, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Wheel Weight market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Wheel Weight sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Cellular M2M Industry Strategies, Future Trends and Forecast to 2025 |The Insight Partners

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The Global Cellular M2M Industry by Applications, Services and User Type report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global Industry with the Industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Cellular based M2M communication is used for wide coverage area using a cellular network. The devices get connected on the Internet through the cellular networks and the communication takes place. Such kind of communication is used between machines located at different sites and also for the machines that remain mobile for the major part of time and need to communicate about their statuses periodically.Get Complete Report @The report aims to provide an overview of Global Cellular M2M Industry along with detailed segmentation of Industry by applications, services, user type and five major geographical regions. Global Cellular M2M Industry is expected to witness rapid growth during the forecast period due to increased adoptions of asset tracking applications by supply chain industry and various associated applications of it.The objectives of Global Cellular M2M Industry Report is as follows: To provide overview of the Global Cellular M2M Industry To analyze and forecast the Global Cellular M2M Industry on the basis of applications, services and user type To provide Industry size and forecast till 2025 for overall Global Cellular M2M Industry with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and South America (SAM), which are later sub-segmented across respective major countries To evaluate Industry dynamics effecting the Industry during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend To provide exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions To profiles key Global Cellular M2M players influencing the Industry along with their SWOT analysis and Industry strategiesRequest Sample Copy @Segmentations Covered in the Cellular M2M Market Application : Video Surveillance, Asset Tracking, Fleet Management, Point of Sale (PoS) Service : Professional Services, Managed Services User Type : mall and Medium Enterprises, Large Enterprises Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Cellular M2M Market Report AT&T Verizon Communications Vodafone Group PLC Sprint Corporation Amdocs Inc. China Mobile Limited Deutsche Telecom AG Telefonica SA Aeris Communications Sierra Wireless.Access Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Cellular M2M market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this Industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen Industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global Industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Electric Wheelchair Market 2017 - Golden Technologies, Drive Medical, Invacare Corp, Hoveround Corp, Heartway

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This report studies the Electric Wheelchair market, A motorized wheelchair, powerchair, electric wheelchair or electric-powered wheelchair (EPW) is a wheelchair that is propelled by means of an electric motor rather than manual power. Motorized wheelchairs are useful for those unable to propel a manual wheelchair or who may need to use a wheelchair for distances or over terrain which would be fatiguing in a manual wheelchair. They may also be used not just by people with 'traditional' mobility impairments, but also by people with cardiovascular and fatigue based conditions. Centre wheel drive electric wheelchair is used in the smaller space with good flexibility, but the front wheels on uneven terrain conditions or the rear wheel is easily caused stagnation of wheelchair card.Figure Picture of Electric Wheelchair.Request For Sample Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the Electric Wheelchair in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversGolden TechnologiesDrive MedicalInvacare CorpHoveround CorpHeartway21st Century SCIENTIFIC Inc.Pride Mobility Products CorpEZ Lite CruiserMerits Health Products, Inc.DaneMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, coversCentre wheel drive electric wheelchairFront wheel drive electric wheelchairRear wheel drive electric wheelchairAccess Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Applications, can be divided intoHospitalHomeOtherThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Electric Wheelchair market.Chapter 1, to describe Electric Wheelchair Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of Electric Wheelchair, with sales, revenue, and price of Electric Wheelchair, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Electric Wheelchair, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, Electric Wheelchair market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe Electric Wheelchair sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data sourceAbout Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Prescription Narcotic Cough Preparations and Expectorants Market  Global Industry Insights,20162024

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Narcotic preparations are medicines that primarily induce sleep. The basic three narcotics are morphine, codeine, and thebaine. Mucokinetics are drugs that clear mucus from the lungs, airways, trachea, and bronchi. Mucokinetics can be divided into expectorants, mucolytic agents, and surfactants. Expectorant signals the body to amplify the quantity or hydration of secretions, thereby resulting into clearer secretions. As a byproduct, expectorant lubricates the respiratory tract. Guaifenesin, an expectorant is commonly used in many cough syrups. The term expectorant is often extended to all cough medicines, as it is a universal constituent. Cough is an abrupt and frequently occurring involuntary or voluntary reflex of our body in order to clear any unfamiliar material from the respiratory tract. Recurrent coughing is often associated with a variety of respiratory diseases, microbial infections, and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD). Coughing is a communicable disease which gets transmitted through bacteria and viruses to the unaffected person. Cough medicines are medicines that are used during coughing and related conditions. Prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants are cough medicines that are narcotic in nature, and are supposed to be consumed only when prescribed by a physician.Download PDF Brochure @Narcotic drugs such as codeine, tussiden, hydrocodone, dihydrocodeine, hydromorphone, duraganidin, Hydrostat, Guaifenesin, and Cheratussin, are some of the brands suggested for cough treatment. Narcotic drugs primarily target the nervous system and may have severe side effects. Therefore, drugs are generally not prescribed to children below the age of 6 years. According to a report published in CNN Health in 2014, more than 8 billion codeine prescriptions are written in the U.S. each year. Narcotics may have side effects such as vomiting, rashes, allergy and constipation. Elevated occurrences of diseases and allergies will drive the future growth of the prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants market.Market TaxonomyOn the basis of type of cough, the global market is classified into:Acute coughChronic coughOn the basis of end user, the global market is classified into:Government and Private HospitalsMedical PractitionersOthersAccording to a report by National Center for Biotechnology Information, acute cough comes under top five complications of general practice. Acute cough or acute bronchitis is the fifth most frequent presentation in Australia and the U.S. Moreover, the report also suggests that in the U.K. almost 50 persons out of 100 suffer from acute cough. Moreover, acute cough results into to 10 ambulatory visits per 1000 patient, in the U.S. each year. Substantiation from general practice intelligence and the U.K. and U.S. morbidity surveys demonstrate that the cases of acute cough are increasing at an alarming rate. Therefore, the overall prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants market is expected to grow proportionately.Rising incidences of pertussis will drive the overall prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants marketPertussis or whooping cough is a respiratory disease which is highly contagious in nature. Uncontrollable and violent coughing can lead to death in extreme conditions. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, in 2014, 32,971 cases of whooping cough were reported. This is a 15% increase as compared 28,639 cases reported in 2013. The increased rate of pertussis was observed mostly in the adolescents (13 to 15 years). Pertussis is a condition that needs physicians advice for treatment, thereby increasing the demand for prescription narcotic cough treatment market. Additionally, babies are affected by cough and in some cases this might become fatal. Increased awareness, availability of advanced drugs, and adoption of early detection and prevention of diseases will fuel the growth of the overall prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants market.Request to view table of content @Major manufacturers in the market compete on the basis of price, and technology (research and development activities). Some of the major players operating in the prescription narcotic cough preparations and expectorants market are Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Franklin Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Pans Laboratories, Synokem Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Lyka Hetero Healthcare Limited, Biomedica International, Klar Sehen Pvt. Ltd., and Ciron Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
Offshore Mooring Systems Industry Segmentation, Application, Technology & Industry Analysis Research Report 2025 |The Insight Partners

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The Global Offshore Mooring Systems Industry report categories the global Industry by Type, Anchorage, Application, Depth and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global Industry with the Industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Devices that helps the anchorage of the floating vessels or ships and platforms across all kind of water depths is known as offshore mooring system. A mooring line or an anchor attach the ship to the sea floor and it is important and critical for subsea production facilities. Wires, synthetic fiber ropes and chains or all the three together are used to make mooring lines. The global offshore mooring system is used in oil rigs, for extraction of oil from sea and transferring the oil onto ships. An offshore mooring system is also used in oil wells to extract crude oil.Get Complete Report @The material type used in a particular mooring system is determined by environmental factors like currents, waves and wind. The rapid growth in energy industry and oil & gas will help in the rise of the overall global offshore mooring market. The increasing energy demand worldwide and increasing focus on clean electricity is expected to actuate the global Industry for offshore mooring system. Also, with the increase in per capita consumption of energy due to rising population will help to drive the Industry for offshore mooring system. Lack of technical knowledge, high investments and crude environment conditions under the sea will affect the Industry growth, however with the advancements in the technology, safety measures and training, the Industry is expected to grow at a decent pace.Request Sample Copy @Global Offshore Mooring Systems consist of anchors, shackles, hooks, risers, connectors, buoys and synthetic ropes. Research organizations and different companies are taking initiatives that contributes the development of the Global Offshore Mooring Systems for precise operations. The integration of mooring systems with information technology and automation is driving the growth of the Industry by facilitating better precision of the operations, maximizing safety measures, reducing human efforts and data collection. Development of vessels such as FLNG, production, FPSO, drilling, storage, (FDPSO).and floating has boost the growth in the Industry for offshore mooring.Positive growth events for the industry can be seen due to newly explored oil reserves in South China Sea, Brazil, Arctic region and North Sea. Many players from Japan, Australia and China are introducing themselves in the Industry with improved mooring systems solutions. The demand for drilling activities and subsea exploration are increasing with the rise in energy demand. Due to increase in the investments in deep, shallow and ultra-deep water research by the new companies, Europe Industry is growing. Decent growth can be seen in the Asia Pacific Industry for offshore mooring. Due the availability of crude oil wells in the Middle East, the Industry is expected to grow as well. Subsea activity can benefit the growth of the Industry in South America. The global offshore mooring Industry is dominated by North America and Europe majorly. Though, the key facilities of offshore production are located in the South America, Africa and Middle East but new projects are initiated in the Asia Pacific.Segmentations Covered in the Offshore Mooring Systems Market Type : Taut-Leg System, Single Point Mooring, Spread Mooring, Semi Taut-Leg System, Dynamic Positioning Mooring Anchorage : Vertical Load Anchors, Suction Anchors, Drag Embedment Anchors Application : SPAR, Floating Production Storage & Offloading (FPSO), Tension Leg, Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG), Semi-Submersible Platforms Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Offshore Mooring Systems Market Report Offspring International Mampaey Offshore Industries B.V. Lamprell Energy Ltd. Advanced Production and Loading Balltec Limited HR Services & Equipment Inc. ScanaIndustrier ASA MODEC Inc. De Haan Mussel Kanaal B.V. Rigzone Mooring Systems Delmar Systems Inc. Balmoral Group BW Offshore Ltd Single Point Mooring Systems BW Offshore Ltd Blue Water Energy ServicesAccess Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Offshore Mooring Systems market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this Industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen Industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global Industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Global Cyber Security Industry with business strategies, Opportunities and Key Trends 2025 |The Insight Partners

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The Global Cyber Security Industry report categories the global industry by Solutions, Applications and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global industry with the industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Global Cyber Security is associated to information technology security that focuses on protecting computers programs, networks and data from unauthorized access. With the tremendous growth in the number of cyber-attacks and the intensity attacks, it has become mandatory for organizations to have adequate protection from such threats. Cyber-security is the modern day term used for protection against cyber espionages. Huge confidential data requires adequate level of security so that it doesnt get hacked or controlled by someone or else the data gets corrupted. Government, military, public data, Banking Financial Service and Insurance and hospitals are the verticals which produce huge amount of confidential data and transfer this data across networks.Get Complete Report @Huge and confidential data requires highest level of protection. Currently Big Data, predictive analysis trending in various industries; data generation, storage and transfer have undoubtedly became the word of businesses today. These technology trends are here to stay in the coming years and thus have become the primary drivers for the growth of this industry. Additionally, Government regulation on data privacy and growing number of cyber threats are the revenue generators for the Global Cyber Security industry. Also, rise in the usage of mobile devices, cloud and digitization have contributed on Global Cyber Security awareness. Furthermore, the rising scope of BYOD in companies is also driving this industry.The growth of the Global Cyber Security considering the advantages it offers hasnt been so smooth and has faced with certain restraining factors. The primary restraint to the growth of this industry is the lack of awareness about cyber security. The other factor that limits the growth to this industry is the availability of pirated security software and lack of talented security professionals in organizations. Ban on piracy and strict actions taken by Government on piracy could be conducive to reduce the effect of that factor.Request Sample Copy @Amongst the revenue contributors to the Global Cyber Security industry, North America and Europe are leading while APAC with emerging economies in India, China and South-East Asian countries is growing rapidly. Mobile security, SIEM, cloud security and threat intelligence are the applications which have contributed to the growth of this industry.Segmentations Covered in the Cyber Security Market Solution : Identity and Access Management, Encryption, Risk and Compliance Management, Data Loss Prevention, Antivirus/Antimalware, Firewall Management End-user Industry : BFSI, Telecom & IT, Aerospace & Defense, Healthcare Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Cyber Security Market Report Intel Security Symantec Corporation IBM Corporation Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Cisco Systems, Inc. EMC RSA Rapid7, Inc. Trend Micro, Inc. Fireeye, Inc. Sophos Ltd.Access Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Cyber Security industry, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging industries Scrutinize in-depth global industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the industry, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Industry Research Reports & Industry Analysis 2016-2025 |The Insight Partners

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The Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Industry report categories the global Industry by Device Type, Application, End-users and Geography report provides a detailed overview of the major factors impacting the global Industry with the Industry share analysis and revenues of various sub segments.Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) is a type of sound waves which propagate parallel to any elastic surface. First SAW device was introduced in mid- 1960`s, the versatility and flexibility of SAW technology has set platform to develop different SAW devices which include Filters, Unidirectional IDT Filters, Resonator Filters, and Wireless Tags and Sensors. Telecommunication and electronics is one of the key end user industries for SAW devices, SAW play a significant role in the radio frequency range in mobiles phones and base stations and used typically as a band pass filter. Key developing applications for SAW devices include sensors for the automotive, medical and industrial. Another significant application of SAW in recent year is touch screens. The increasing adoption rate for smartphones, tablets, and other touch based devices will uplift SAW Industry in near future.Get Complete Report @Automotive industry anticipated years ago, the need for advanced vehicle monitoring systems, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS) and Temperature monitoring were the key concerns in automotive industry. SAW sensors are to play significant role in TPMS to sense and monitor the tire pressure in real time. Automakers such as Ford Motors, Nissan, Tesla and others have initiated offering this feature in almost all the SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) and MUV (Multi Utility Vehicle), according to the statistics the tires have been linked to 119 deaths in the U.S.A., and all these accidents are mainly on Ford Explorer SUVs. The applications of SAW in TPMS will upsurge the Industry for SAW sensors by 2025.Apart from automotive, SAW devices are used widely in medical applications for pressure and strain monitoring, pressure values from various locations is recorded and used for further diagnosis while treating cardiology, gastroenterology, urology, orthopedics and many others. There is increasing demand for sensors which are small, reliable, and economical in medical industry for various applications, acoustic wave sensors one among the most preferred sensors. Acoustic wave biosensors use acoustic wave to detect and record medical, bio-chemical, biophysical information.Request Sample Copy @Touch screens Industry is gaining traction across various industries such as consumer electronics, industrial, medical, automotive and many others. The demand for acoustic wave touch screens are rapidly increase as an alternative for optical touch screens which are expensive compared to that of acoustic wave screens. SAW touch screens are manufactured using sheet of glass with transmitting transducers, receiving transducers and reflectors. These transducers are used to generate ultrasonic waves, which is transferred over the screen and get reflected and the feedback is captured at receiver transducers.North Americas is a leading region to hold the major share of SAW devices for a wide range of applications across different verticals. Some of the key SAW devices used are resonators, filters, and sensors, the devices are found to be more feasible than other semiconductor devices. While the major Industry for these devices is North America, APAC region being one of the largest electronics manufacturers is one of the growing markets for SAW devices.Segmentations Covered in the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Market Applications : Pressure Sensing, Humidity Sensing, Temperature Sensing, Touch Screens, Temperature, Torque End-users : Automotive, Military & Aerospace, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Industrial Geographical Analysis: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East & Africa (MEA), South America (SAM)Some of the leading players in Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) Market Report Honeywell International Murata Manufacturing, Co, Ltd. Senseor Vectron International CTS Corporation EpcosAccess Full Report @Reason to buy Highlights widely used product offerings thereby allowing organizations to gain revenues by focusing majorly on select products The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) market, thereby allowing players across the value chain to develop effective long term strategies Get reliable information about the strategies manufacturers in this Industry use to drive revenue Gain insights into the competitive landscape, to strengthen Industry competitiveness and positioning Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets Scrutinize in-depth global Industry trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as the those hindering it Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to client products, segmentation, pricing and distribution Examine the current and future impact of the five forces namely: bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, threat of new entrants and degree of competitionInquire about discount on this report @About The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.Contact Us:Call: +1-646-491-9876Email: sales@theinsightpartners.comAbout The Insight Partners:The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Technology, Media, and Telecommunication industries.505, 6th floor, Amanora Township,Amanora Chambers, East Block,Kharadi Road, Hadapsar, Pune-411028
Antimicrobial Coatings Market worth 4.19 Billion USD by 2021

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The report "Antimicrobial Coatings Market by Type (Silver, Copper), Application (Indoor Air / HVAC, Medical, Mold Remediation, Building & Construction, Foods & Beverages, Textiles) - Global Forecast to 2021", is projected to reach USD 4.19 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 12.1% from 2016 to 2021. With the increased penetration of antimicrobial coatings in end-use applications in North America and Europe, it is anticipated that the market will register slightly higher growth than the Asia Pacific region, Middle East & Africa, and South America, during the forecast period.Browse 152 market data tables and 27 figures spread through 235 pages and in-depth TOC on Antimicrobial Coatings MarketDownload PDF Brochure :Early buyers will receive 10% customization on reports.Medical, the largest application in the antimicrobial coatings marketMedical is the biggest end-use application of antimicrobial coatings. These are extensively used in the medical / healthcare industry for applications such as, catheters, medical devices, medical electronics, and trays among others. The demand for antimicrobial coatings is increasing due to the rising demand from North America and Europe, where governments are creating greater awareness about antimicrobial coatings in the medical / healthcare industries. Governments in all the countries are focusing on the requirement of decreasing hospital acquired infections, which is a major concern in recent years. Stringent regulations have been imposed by governmental agencies to reduce these infections, which require the use of antimicrobial coatings.Silver, the leading product type in antimicrobial coatings marketSilver has the largest consumption among all antimicrobial coatings. Silver has been known to be a potent antibacterial agent and is toxic to germs, fungi, and algae; and in the past few years, the use of silver in coatings has experienced a dramatic revival. Inorganic silver antimicrobial coating systems based on colloidal silver, silver salts, silver zeolite/ion exchange resins, complex glasses containing metal ions, and nanosilver have been in high demand in the healthcare arena. The antimicrobial property of silver has not displayed any adverse effects on humans unless excessive silver is consumed.Inquire More :Growing demand in North America, the major driver for growth of antimicrobial coatings marketNorth America had the largest demand for antimicrobial coatings in 2015. The region has rapidly growing end-user industries in the U.S. The growth is led by increased demand from the indoor air / HVAC and medical application segments. Regulations by governmental authorities and healthcare agencies is driving the antimicrobial coatings market in the region. The foods & beverages and textiles applications in the U.S. and Canada are also supporting the market growth of antimicrobial coatings.Key players in the antimicrobial coatings market are, AkzoNobel N.V. (Netherlands), BASF SE (Germany), Diamond Vogel (U.S.), Axalta Coating Systems (U.S.), Nippon Paint Company Ltd (Japan), PPG Industries Inc. (U.S.), Royal DSM (Netherlands), RPM International Inc. (U.S.), The Dow Chemical Company (U.S.), The Sherwin-Williams Company (U.S.)MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies revenues. Currently servicing 5000 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions.MarketsandMarkets701 Pike StreetSuite 2175, Seattle,WA 98101, United StatesTel: 1-888-600-6441
Global Car Batteries Market 2017 - Panasonic, Bosch, LG Chem, Johnson Controls, Samsung SDI

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Global Car Batteries Market 2017, presents a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Car Batteries market globally, providing basic overview of Car Batteries market including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure, Car Batteries Market report provides development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.The report Global Car Batteries Industry 2017 is a professional, in-depth study that includes insights extracted from complex information, which clients can use for their business advantage. A large volume of precise, reliable market data has been distilled into clear and actionable insight for clients so that they can formulate their plans or make crucial business decisions with precision.The report begins with an overview of the Car Batteries market and defines the trends that have shaped the global Car Batteries market. The key market drivers, restraints, and opportunities that will shape the dynamics of the Car Batteries market have been presented in the report. A detailed analysis of the key challenges the players in the market face has been also covered in the report. Key inputs from leading industry experts mentioned in the report address how these challenges can be turned into opportunities.A detailed segmentation analysis of the Car Batteries market is available in the report. The key segments in the Car Batteries industry along with their sub-segments have been covered in the report. The performance analysis of these segments and sub-segments has been included in the report along with detailed evaluation of the trends that will influence the growth prospects of these segments. Moreover, niche segments that demonstrate good growth potential and thus opportunities for new entrants and established companies in the market have been covered.Download Free Sample Report @Market forecasts and estimates for each key segment and its sub-segments are available in the report. All estimates and forecasts in the Car Batteries market study have been verified by the exhaustive primary research with the KIPs (key industry participants), which include the markets leading participants, key consumers and clients, and client distributors and vendors. A detailed company-wise analysis of the leading market players has also been covered in the Car Batteries market report.Analysis also covers upstream raw materials, equipment, downstream client survey, marketing channels, industry development trend and proposals. In the end, the report includes Car Batteries new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, investment return analysis, and development trend analysis. In conclusion, it is a deep research report on Global Car Batteries industry. Here, we express our thanks for the support and assistance from Car Batteries industry chain related technical experts and marketing engineers during Research Teams survey and interviews.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Dried Fruit Market 2017 - Murray River Organics, National?Raisin, Alfoah, Sunsweet, Osman Ak

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Global Dried Fruit Market 2017, presents a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Dried Fruit market globally, providing basic overview of Dried Fruit market including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure, Dried Fruit Market report provides development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.Global Dried Fruit Industry 2017 is an analytical research report that delves into the dynamics of the global Dried Fruit industry. It presents an executive-level blueprint of the market with key focus on its operations in global. In a lucid chapter-wise format, the report presents the historical statistics of the Dried Fruit market in addition to studying the competitive landscape. The purpose of this study is to present a comprehensive overview of the market for industry participants. Key findings of this report will help companies operating in the Dried Fruit market to identify the opportunities that they can capitalize on to propel growth.The study analyzes the Dried Fruit industry in detail. To begin with, it enumerates the primary market operations, evaluating the nature and specific characteristics of products and services it provides. In the following chapters, the study classifies the Dried Fruit market in terms of its varied product types, applications, network of supply chain, and geography. Based on the market segmentation, the report analyzes the competitive landscape of the Dried Fruit market and lays down the development status of key regions in globally.The study progresses with a detailed, incisive analysis of the strategies and trends common in the Dried Fruit market, and how the same is likely to impact the future course of action of players in the market and the growth trajectory of the market. Region-wise market share for the Dried Fruit industry is analyzed for the purpose of which the prominent players are profiled and their respective market share is calculated. Growth drivers, restraints, and opportunities are studied in detail with the help of industry-leading tools, based on which the report presents insightful growth forecasts for the Dried Fruit market. Key findings of the study will help stakeholders gauge the growth prospects and understand the investment feasibility.Download Free Sample Report @The Dried Fruit market research study has been composed using key inputs from industry experts. Furthermore, the extensive primary and secondary research data with which the report has been composed helps deliver the key statistical forecasts, in terms of both revenue and volume. In addition to this, the trends and revenue analysis of the global Dried Fruit market has been mentioned in this report. This will give a clear perspective to the readers how the Dried Fruit market will fare in global.This report also presents product specification, manufacturing process, and product cost structure etc. Production is separated by regions, technology and applications. Analysis also covers upstream raw materials, equipment, downstream client survey, marketing channels, industry development trend and proposals. In the end, the report includes Dried Fruit new project SWOT analysis, investment feasibility analysis, investment return analysis, and development trend analysis. In conclusion, it is a deep research report on Global Dried Fruit industry. Here, we express our thanks for the support and assistance from Dried Fruit industry chain related technical experts and marketing engineers during Research Teams survey and interviewsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
N-Hexane Market Value to Increase to US$ 1856.7 Million by 2024 End

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According to the latest report published by Persistence Market Research titled, Global Market Study on n-Hexane: Oil Extraction End-Use Segment to Dominate Consumption over the Forecast Period , the global n-Hexane Market is anticipated to witness a Y-o-Y growth of more than 3% in 2016. Increasing population coupled along with shooting refined oil demand is expected to propel the demand for n-Hexane. As a special-purpose solvent, n-Hexane has applications across a diverse set of industries which is expected to boost demand of n-hexane.Request to view Table of Content @Global n-Hexane market dynamicsDemand for n-Hexane, especially in developing region such Asia Pacific, is expected to boost the demand of the global n-Hexane market over the forecast period. Excellent properties of n-Hexane to remove odor and unwanted taste are expected to propel the demand of n-Hexane from the edible oil industry. n-Hexane has the ability to remove unwanted taste and odor and this is the precise reason that the demand for n-Hexane has increased in edible oil industry. However, the consumers from developed regions are shifting from refined oil to cold-pressed oil owing to its superior health benefits. Cold pressing is a natural way to produce oil which does not contain solvent residues, no preservatives with natural antioxidants. In addition, Isohexane, a hexane isomer is used as a substitute of n-Hexane in few oilseed extraction applications. Due to toxic nature of n-Hexane, it has been substituted by n-heptane in some pharmaceutical applications. This may retard the growth of the n-Hexane market.Sample of this report is available upon request @Global n-Hexane market forecastBased on application, oil extraction will continue to lead the market share, representing nearly 57% of total revenues in 2016. High demand for n-Hexane in oil extraction owing to its effectiveness and high yield is expected to propel the global n-Hexane Market. Polymerization is expected to reach more than 200KT in 2016. Oil Extraction, Pharmaceutical, and Polymerization will remain top 3 end-users in global n-Hexane Market.Grade wise, oil extraction followed by industrial will dominate the Global n-Hexane Market in 2016 and is anticipated to reach more than US$ 600 Mn in 2016. Demand for industrial grade n-Hexane is expected to reach closed to 560 KT in 2016.On the basis of the region, APAC has the largest market in n-Hexane market across the world. China recorded a dominant market share of more than 40% in 2015. Asia-Pacific is estimated to lead the market in 2016, followed by Europe and North America. Moderate growth is expected from the mature markets such as North America and Europe. Europe will witness sluggish growth owing to the gradual economic recovery. In addition, important players in the market have been shifting their production bases to Asia Pacific region in order to capitalize on scale economies. Rising environmental concerns in developed regions over the use of n-Hexane and its adverse impact on health and environment may inhibit the growth of the n-Hexane market. APAC is expected to drive the global n-Hexane market and is expected to register closed to 5% of volume CAGR over the forecast period 2016-2024.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Global n-Hexane market: Key playersKey participant of global n-Hexane market are Hindustan Petroleum Corp. Ltd., Sak Chaisidhi Company Limited, Liangxin petrochemical company, Exxon Mobil Corporation, Chevron Philips Chemicals LLC, Indian Oil Corp. Ltd., , Royal Dutch Shell plc., Rompetrol Rafinare S.A, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dongying Liaoning Yufeng Chemical Co., Ltd, Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global LED Ceiling Light Market 2017 - YLighting, Lumens, cooper Industries, Panasonic, OSRAM

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Global LED Ceiling Light Market 2017, presents a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the LED Ceiling Light market globally, providing basic overview of LED Ceiling Light market including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure, LED Ceiling Light Market report provides development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.The recent report on LED Ceiling Light market offers insightful information about the present scenario of the market across the global. The report, titled LED Ceiling Light points out the key factors affecting the growth of the market. Latest market trends as well as the future growth opportunities have been mentioned in the report. The report takes into account the various micro- and macro-economic factors governing the overall growth of the LED Ceiling Light market and assesses the valuation and size of the market in the coming years.The report talks about the distinct traits of the LED Ceiling Light market and provides in-depth study of the various segments of the market. The report especially focuses on the development of the LED Ceiling Light market in China owing to the increased demand from the region which has attracted the attention of the key manufacturers. Various regulations directly or indirectly affecting the LED Ceiling Light market in the region have been discussed in the report. The report takes note of the present state of the global economy, which after witnessing double-digit growth for three decades, is slowing down. Governments efforts to push the econo my is expected to positively affect the various sectors and increase demand from the market.The report discusses the competitive vendor landscape of the LED Ceiling Light market in the globe. Some of the key players in the market have been profiled in the report and crucial information about them such as their business overview, revenue segmentation, and product segmentation have been mentioned in the report. The report takes note of the market share held by the key players and estimates their future growth through SWOT analysis. It serves as a useful guide for the new entrants in the LED Ceiling Light market.Download Free Sample Report @Several analytical tools such as market attractiveness analysis, investment feasibility analysis, and investment return analysis are employed to study the global LED Ceiling Light market, whereas SWOT analysis and Porters five forces analysis are utilized to evaluate the major players in the LED Ceiling Light market in this report.This report not only provides a complete picture of the overall condition of the LED Ceiling Light market, but also assists the players in this market to create profitable market strategies in order to gain a competitive edge.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Fior Markets provides you the full spectrum of services related to market research, and corroborate with the clients to increase the revenue stream, and address process gaps.Contact UsMark StoneSales Manager2566, Lincoln StreetPrinceton,New Jersey 08540USAPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Global Behenyl Alcohol on Track to Reach 54,200.9 Metric Tons by 2021

Behenyl Alcohol Market

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According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research titled  Global Market Study on Behenyl Alcohol: Asia Pacific to Witness Highest Growth by 2021, the global behenyl alcohol market to expand at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period, 2015 - 2021.Request to view Table of Content @Behenyl alcohol (CAS: 661-19-8), often referred to as docosanol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise formulations. It is categorised on the basis of purity level. Behenyl alcohol with the purity level of 70% is most commonly used. However, behenyl alcohol with purity over 80% is very rarely used. Behenyl alcohol accounted for a mere 1.4% share of the overall fatty alcohols market, and for 14% share of the overall C16+ fatty alcohols market in 2014.Global behenyl alcohol market is projected to account for 54,200.9 metric tons by the end of 2021. In terms of value, the global behenyl alcohol market accounted for US$ 119.4 Mn in 2014. It is projected to witness the increase in volume due to rising demand from end-use segments.The report analyses the global behenyl alcohol market in terms of market value (US$ Mn) and market volume (metric tons), by end-use segment, region and application; and provides information regarding market dynamics, value chain, competitive landscape, current trends, market estimations and forecast.Globally, Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the market throughout the forecast period and is projected to witness a 1.4X increase in its volume production by the end of 2021. While Japan and India are two major exporters of behenyl alcohol chemicals globally, South Korea is one of the key importers of behenyl alcohol in Asia Pacific. In Asia Pacific, India is the largest producer of rapeseed and behenyl alcohol. A large number of companies based in the country export rapeseed to North America, Europe and other parts of Asia. Sun care products are widely used in Asia Pacific. It accounted for nearly US$ 2.2 Bn in 2014. The increase in demand for sun care products, in turn, is expected to boost overall demand for behenyl alcohol globally. Though the market is gaining traction in Asia-Pacific, low presence of Chinese players in the behenyl alcohol market has significantly reduced price competitiveness among the companies based in Japan, India and Europe. As a result, manufacturers are expected to generate high-profit margins in the Asia Pacific region. Europe is the next lucrative destination for behenyl alcohol manufacturers.Among the end-use segments, behenyl alcohol finds the largest application in the cosmetics industry, followed by pharmaceuticals and others. The pharmaceuticals end-use segment is expected to gain traction in the near future due to increasing demand for behenyl alcohol in ointments. Increasing demand for high-quality cosmetic products is influencing manufacturers to opt for high-quality ingredients such as behenyl alcohol, which has a relatively non-sticky property as compared to other ingredients.Globally, per capita consumption of cosmetics is increasing at a rate of 3.4% per year. Per capita consumption of cosmetics is expected to grow exponentially in the near future due to a significant rise in geriatric population, especially in Japan and China.Sample of this report is available upon request @By application type, the behenyl alcohol market is segmented into emollients, emulsifiers, thickeners and others. The emollients segment is expected to dominate the overall behenyl alcohol market by the end of the forecast period, i.e. by 2021. The segment is projected to register an above average growth rate over the forecast period. Global consumption of emollients stood at 130,000 metric tons in 2014. Consumption of behenyl alcohol as an ingredient in emollients accounted for a significant proportion of the total emollients consumed globally.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Key market participants covered in the report include BASF SE, Kao Corporation, VVF Chemicals Limited, Godrej Industries Ltd., Sasol Ltd. and Nikko Chemicals Co., Ltd.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global IEC Ferrule Type Fuseblocks and Holder Market 2017 - Schneider Electric, ABB, Eaton, Siemens, Legrand, Hager

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The report studies IEC Ferrule Type Fuseblocks and Holder in Global market Professional Survey 2017 : Size, Share, Trends, Industry Growth, Opportunity, Application, Production, Segmentation, Cost Structure, Company Profile, Product Picture and Specifications during the Forecast period by 2022Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the IEC Ferrule Type Fuseblocks and Holder in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Request For Sample Report @Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report coversSchneider ElectricABBEaton (Bussmann)SiemensLegrandHager (EFEN)GERittalLittelfuseMersen (Mingrong)ChintSocomecApatorW?hnerETIPronutecJEAN MuLLERSIBA GmbHMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis coversNorth America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Access Full Report With TOC @Market Segment by Type, coversSwitch-fuse DisconnectorFuse-switch DisconnectorFuse HolderMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided intoIndustrial & MachineryBuildingsEnergy & UtilitiesInformation TechnologyThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global IEC Ferrule Type Fuseblocks and Holder market.About Fior MarketsFior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
Ethylene Dichloride market is expected to show staggering growth with CAGR of 3.1% by 2022

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Market Highlights:Ethylene dichloride (EDC) commonly known as 1,2-dichlorethane which is colorless, flammable and have smell similar to chloroform. Ethylene dichloride is extensively used for production of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) which acts as precursor for manufacturing of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). EDC acts as intermediate and chemical solvents for many organic chemical compounds. Ethylene dichloride is made by the direct chlorination or oxychlorination of ethylene. Ethylene and Chlorine are two main ingredients in manufacturing of ethylene dichloride.Ethylene is highly consumed in construction industry owing to its use as reagent in building blocks. Thus, growing demand of ethylene dichloride in construction industry is expected to drive the ethylene dichloride market. the growing use of PVC in pipes, roof tiles, windows, fencing and others is expected to augment the overall market growth. EDC is widely used as solvent for metal cleaning, adhesives and textile industry. It is also used to manufacture wide variety of chlorinated solvent such as vinylidene chloride, ethylene amines, trichloroethane and trichloroethylene. Moreover, growth of application industries with developing resins grade is expected to drive the overall market growth.However, owing to high flammability and toxicity of Ethylene Dichloride has caused concern regarding health issues. By inhaling ethylene dichloride causes nausea, respiratory ailments and affects kidney, liver and central nervous systems. Also, dependence on crude oil and fluctuation in crude oil prices can further hinder the market growth. Development of bio-ethylene similar to ethylene reduces greenhouse gases and dependence on fossil fuels. Thus, major players are shifting their production to bio-ethylene which further opens opportunity for domain players in market.Request a Copy of Sample Report @Global Ethylene Dichloride Market Players: Bayer AG (Germany), Dupont (U.S), INEOS Group Ltd (Switzerland), LG Chem Ltd (South Korea), The Dow Chemical Co. (U.S), Solvay S.A. (Belgium), Occidental Chemical Corporation (U.S), Formosa Plastics Corporation (Taiwan), China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (China), Reliance Industries (India)Competitive AnalysisThe Dow Chemical Company (U.S), Formosa Plastics Corporation (Taiwan) and Occidental Chemical Corporation (U.S) and DuPont (U.S) has dominated the global Ethylene Dichloride market share in 2015.Application industry Analysis:Major application segment of Ethylene Dichloride is polyvinyl chloride owing to its diverse applications such as automotive, personal care and electronic industry. Growing automobile, construction and agriculture industry, contributes to large application of PVC which further enables the growth of ethylene dichloride market. Other application is construction industry owing to large scale application as reagent in building blocks. Increase in consumer spending along with changing lifestyle is further expected to boost the construction industry.Go through the market data and market information presented through more than 50 market data tables and figures in 140 pages of the project report. Read the table of content (TOC) & market synopsis on Ethylene Dichloride Market Research Report - Forecast to 2022Access Report Details @Segmentation:The global ethylene dichloride market is majorly segmented on the basis of production process and application. Based on production process of ethylene dichloride the market is segmented into Catalyst Law, Direct Synthesis, and Chlorination. Similarly, on the basis of application the market is classified into Chemical Intermediate, Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Construction, Metal Cleaning, Chemical Solvents, and Agricultural Chemicals.Regional analysis:The Asia-Pacific contributes largest market share in Ethylene Dichloride market. China consumes largest market share of more than 48% owing to growing demand from application industries such as construction, PVC and agriculture chemicals. The report estimates the size of the Ethylene Dichloride market, both in terms of volume and value. China expected significant growth in Asia Pacific market owing to high quality product supply of PVC. Other regions like India, Indonesia and Brazil are expected to drive the demand owing to relaxed regulations by government in setting up industries and producing large amounts of products to meet growing population demand. Rapid industrializations rise in per captia income and changing lifestyle of consumers has also contributed to high demand of ethylene dichloride in application industries. The Chinese economy maintains a high-speed growth which has been stimulated by the consecutive increases of industrial output, import & export, consumer consumption and capital investment for over two decades.Europe and North America are expected to witness a sluggish growth owing to stringent regulation for using high flammability toxic gas in various industries. Development of bio-based products in the region is expected to have a favorable impact on growth over the forecast period. Belgium, France and Germany are also top ethylene dichloride producing regions in European market.According to regional regulations supporting the production of Ethylene Dichloride as well as vertical development of industries through acquisition and expansion across application industries has opened opportunities for domain manufacturers. Companies focusing on research & development in order to develop innovative techniques of production of ethylene dichloride and switch to bio-ethylene based products have opened opportunities for major players in various regions.Make an Enquiry @Brief TOC1 Executive Summary2 Scope of the Report2.1 Market Definition2.2 Scope of the Study2.2.1 Research Objectives2.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations2.3 Markets Structure3 Market Research Methodology3.1 Research Process3.2 Secondary Research3.3 Primary Research3.4 Forecast Model4 Market LandscapeContinued.Browse Related ReportGlobal Salicylic Acid Market Information-By Source artificial/synthetic and natural), By Applications (health care, food preservatives and cosmetics) and By Region - Forecast till 2022About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Leprosy Treatment Market  Global Industry Insights, Trends, Outlook, and Opportunity Analysis, 20162024

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Leprosy or Hansen's disease (HD) is a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium lepromatosis or Mycobacterium leprae bacteria. Leprosy is principally a granulomatous disease. Symptoms of leprosy include reddish skin lesions, loss of sensation, and weakness of hands and muscles. Nerve damage is the primary cause for numbness of muscles. Leprosy is a communicable disease that can be propagated through contact with cough or phlegm of the affected person. Other risk factors of leprosy include malnutrition and weak immune system. Leprosy is especially prevalent in low-income countries.Leprosy Treatment Market OutlookAccording to the statistics received by the World Health Organization (WHO), from various regions (138 countries), the number of registered cases of leprosy was 176,176 in 2015, that is 0.18 cases per 10 000 people. The number of new cases shows the degree of sustained transmission of the disease. Global statistics illustrate that 203,600 (96%) of fresh leprosy cases were from 22 key countries. Prevalence of high occurrences is a reminder that some areas around the world show high incidences of the disease and experience very high rate of transmission. According to WHO, around 16 million cases of leprosy have been treated in the last two decades. Governing bodies and governments alike are trying to eradicate the presence of the disease on a global scale. Owing to these factors, the leprosy treatment market is expected to grow at substantial rate over the forecast period (20162024).Download PDF Brochure @Leprosy Treatment Market TaxonomyOn the basis of type of leprosy, the global leprosy treatment market is classified into:Early and indeterminate leprosy treatmentBorderline tuberculoid leprosy treatmentTuberculoid leprosy treatmentBorderline leprosy treatmentHistoid leprosy treatmentLepromatous leprosy treatmentBorderline lepromatous leprosy treatmentDiffuse leprosy of Lucio and LatapiOn the basis of treatment, the global leprosy treatment market is classified into:Multidrug TherapyOthersOn the basis of type of end user, the global leprosy treatment market is classified into:GovernmentHospitalsMedical PractitionersOthersAs per National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP), leprosy has been broadly categorized into two segments namely, paucibacillary leprosy (one to five skin lesions, maximum one nerve with skin liaisons) and multibacillary leprosy (over six skin liaisons, more than one nerve with skin liaisons). Early detection of the disease is an important factor for effective treatment, though various drugs are available for late stage leprosy patients. The most common treatment is multidrug therapy. The drugs recommended by WHO multidrug therapy are rifampicin, dapsone, and clofazimine. Among these, rifampicin is most preferred for treatment of leprosy. Treatment with everyday dapsone and monthly treatment with rifampcin for six months is followed for paucibacillary (PB or tuberculoid) cases. For multibacillary (MB or lepromatous) cases, the treatment is a prolongrd one. It includes daily dapsone and clofazimine. Additionally, monthly rifampicin is recommended for 12 months. Side effects, resistance, and relapse rate are low in multidrug therapy. Some of the other drugs available for leprosy treatment are rifadine and rimactane. The leprosy treatment market is projected to witness a steep inlince in the number of novel drugs and availability of the same, due to increasing initiatives across the globe to eradicate this menace.Leprosy Treatment Market Future Outlook: Asia Pacific to be Key Growth MarketLeprosy has been endemic to mankind since many decades. This needed interference of various governments around the world as well as the World Health Organization. Governments play an important role in the leprosy treatment market. Ever since the introduction of multidrug therapy by WHO in 1982, governments around the world have adopted this treatment procedure on a large scale. Some of them subsidized the treatment to eradicate the presence of the disease from their countries. Therefore government regulation as well as adoption remains the most important driver of the leprosy treatment market.Request For TOC:Asia Pacific, especially India remains one of the most affected countries. As per the World Health Organization reports, about 59% of the new cases reported were from India. According to stats released by the Leprosy Mission Trust, around 127,000 new occurrences of leprosy were reported from India alone during 20132014. Out of these, about 46% were women and children. In India, the prevalence rate according to The Leprosy Mission Trust in the year 2014 was about 0.68 per 10,000 population. The National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) is one such initiative by the Indian government that aims to eradicate the disease from the country by 2018. Therefore, leprosy treatment market in this region is projected to grow at a considerable rate in the near future.Key Players in Leprosy Treatment MarketCompanies operating in the leprosy treatment market include Glaxo Smithcline Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Systopic Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Acme Pharmaceuticals, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Macleods Pharmaceuticals, IDPL, Astra Zeneca Pharma India Ltd., Lark Laboratories (UIndia) Ltd., Genetic Pharma, and Novartis International AG.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.CONTACT US:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave, #3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel : +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comWebsite:
GoDoct Launch An initiative by bhargava phytolab

Many people get misguided with inappropriate information from the nearest pharmacy. So, to ensure your peace of mind Bhargava Phytolab; the most reputed homeopathic company extended their service as GoDoct. It is a reliable place to sort out all your medical problems. We strive to offer a service that is helpful both for healthcare experts and users.For patients looking for a periodical consultation, consulting with a doctor online is a great choice. Understanding this we are launching our website GoDoct.com; a place where anyone can enjoy consultation and also get various health tips. The portal we provide 247 support, and so you can consult with the doctor at any time. You dont have to wait for hours.This online portal gives you a list of reliable doctors, information about their clinics. You can now easily find a doctor in your locality in just few mouse clicks. You may explore the site from the comfort of your couch and select the best doctor in your neighbourhood. You get a chance to get all your health queries clarified for free.GoDoct gives you the chance of in-person communication with doctors. Not only you get doctors from all departments, but also you can check the clients feedback about them before booking an appointment. The information about your health from healthcare experts keeps you healthy.Effectual doctor-patient communication is helps in building a beneficial doctor-patient relationship, which is the heart and art of medicine. Godoct gives their best to make this communication process smooth and easy. The company guarantees that doctors save time and increase practice with easiness. The portal gives the patients an opportunity to share their problems and express their thankfulness as well. The practice increases the reputation of the doctors in the medical fraternity and online community.This user-friendly practice management software can control the information for one or more clinics and patients. The professionals can be in touch with their patients and also run their practice with our app.Currently we are working to make this relationship between doctors and patients technology stronger and hassle free. As one of the leading companies, we love to crack a range of problems and take new challenges and mallet them in no time. The main intend of Godoct is not only create a greater health care clinic, but also to create an environment that our employees respect.We are committed to make doctor-patient relationship a smooth one. We constantly go all-out to find out how we maintain gain appropriate skills and knowledge to deliver the best patient care. Dont struggle for better health; just register with us! Bhargava Phytolab is launching GoDoct allowing you to correspond with doctors from diverse specialties using your mobile handset.From humble beginnings in the year 1920, R.S Bhargava Pharmacy (Now called Bhargava Phytolab Pvt. Ltd.), has developed into an integrated global pharmaceutical company and en-route earned the loyalty of millions of people within and beyond India.With almost a 100 years of experience in providing healthcare and an unbroken commitment to those who rely on our treatments, India based Bhargava Phytolab has today become one of the world's leading homeopathic company. The company uphold the superiority of Homeopathy through expertise supervision of qualified technical professionals following Hahnemanian method. Today, every 3.6 seconds, someone around the world purchases a Bhargava Phytolab product.Making innovation the touchstone of its existence, Bhargava Phytolab has invested in decades of research and development, production as well as marketing of more than 3000 products (including generics and branded formulations). The company partners with distributors and retail chains to make homeopathic medicines available to a wide variety of consumers and physician and has thus fulfilled its mission of providing quality medicines at affordable prices to all.With our growth, our brand identity has evolved too. There can be no better way to signify evolution than R. S. Bhargava Pharmacy now being known as BHARGAVA PHYTOLAB. The new name retains "Bhargava" as a tribute to the trust & satisfaction of millions of customers in over 30 countries. The word "phyto" pertains to plants which are the principal source of homeopathic medicines and "lab" pertains to scientifically driven laboratories. They come together as "Bhargava Phytolab" and bring to you a healthier tomorrow!B-92 Sector - 2Noida
BGH: Health claims in relation to mineral water need to comply with the Health Claims Regulation

https://www.grprainer.com/en/legal-advice/intellectual-property-law-and-trademark-law/advertising.html

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Health claims in relation to mineral water need to be consistent with the Health Claims Regulation. This was confirmed by the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH), Germanys Federal Supreme Court, in its ruling of January 30, 2017 (Az.: I ZR 257/15).Advertising featuring health claims pertaining to mineral water also needs to adhere to the requirements set out in the Health Claims Regulation. That was the verdict of the Bundesgerichtshof with respect to an appeal against denial of leave to appeal, also noting that the Directive on Mineral Water did not justify any exceptions. In doing so, the BGH upheld the Oberlandesgericht (OLG) Koblenzs [Higher Regional Court of Koblenz] judgment.In the instant case, a competition association had complained about a mineral water companys advertising. The latter had promoted the positive qualities of calcium and magnesium in the advertising for its mineral water on its homepage, among other places. It described how calcium contributes to healthy bones, teeth and muscles, whereas magnesium supports energy metabolism and muscle function. The advertising gave the average consumer the impression that these positive statements applied to the manufacturers products and not magnesium and calcium in general. The competition association considered this a violation of the Health Claims Regulation, as the minimum quantities as defined by the Regulation for a source of calcium or source of magnesium had not been met. In the case of beverages, they typically need to account for 7.5 per cent of nutrient reference values per 100 ml. These values were not reached in the case of the advertised mineral water.The BGH shared the competition associations view, ruling that the Directive on Mineral Water did not include any special provisions on health claims which would supersede the requirements pursuant to the Health Claims Regulation. Health claims in relation to foodstuffs are only permissible if they comply with the requirements of the Health Claims Regulation. The Court went on to say that stating that a foodstuff is a mineral source is therefore only acceptable if the foodstuff in question contains the requisite amount of the relevant minerals.Companies often walk a fine line when it comes to advertising, especially with regard to foodstuffs. Violations of competition law can give rise to formal written warnings, injunction suits as well as damages claims. Lawyers who are competent in the field of competition law can assist companies in seeing off or enforcing claims arising from violations of competition law.GRP Rainer LLPis an international firm of lawyers and tax advisors who are specialists in commercial law. The firm counsels commercial and industrial companies and corporations, as well as associations, small- and mid-sized businesses, self-employed freelancers and private individuals worldwide from offices Cologne, Berlin, Bonn, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart and London UK.Contact Michael RainerLawyer, Managing PartnerGRP Rainer LLPGurzenich-QuartierAugustinerstrae 1050667 CologneGermanyPhone: +49 221-27 22 75-0info@grprainer.com
Zika Virus: Themis Bioscience Initiates Worldwide First Study With Live Attenuated Recombinant Vaccine

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Vienna, Austria, 11-Apr-2017  A promising vaccine for the Zika virus is now being tested by Themis Bioscience GmbH, a specialized biotech company developing prophylactic vaccines against emerging tropical infectious diseases. After recent progress with the development of a Chikungunya vaccine the company succeeded in swiftly adapting their proprietary vaccine technology for their Zika vaccine program. This program is based on a live attenuated recombinant vaccine that promises a fast and effective immune response.Themis Bioscience, a Vienna based biotech company, announced today the first clinical study worldwide of a live attenuated recombinant Zika vaccine tested in human volunteers. The vaccine is based on a well-established vaccine vector technology that uses a measles virus vaccine backbone. Previously the company succeeded in exploiting this technology for the development of a prophylactic Chikungunya vaccine. Following this success Themis quickly adapted the proprietary technology for the development of the Zika vaccine that now will be tested in a Phase I trial (MV-ZIKA-101).Dr. Erich Tauber, CEO and founder of Themis explains: "We not only manage to initiated one of the first studies of Zika vaccines at all, but globally the first study to test a live attenuated recombinant Zika vaccine. Live attenuated vaccines are regarded as superior as they induce a faster and more complete activation of the immune system leading to durable immunity. We are happy to be at the forefront of developing such a powerful vaccine against Zika."The clinical study will focus on identifying the most suitable doses of the vaccine candidate in regard to immunogenicity, safety, and tolerability. Therefore up to 48 healthy volunteers will participate in the study and three different treatment regimens will be compared with a placebo treatment. One treatment group will receive one injection of high dose vaccine, the other two groups will receive two shots of either high dose or low dose vaccine. Safety will be measured according to the occurrence of adverse events and side effects of the study medication. Efficacy will be detected by evaluating the elucidation of a Zika-specific immune response. Results of all groups are expected within the next six months. The study will be conducted at the "Department of Clinical Pharmacology" and the "Institute of Specific Prophylaxis and Tropical Medicine" at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria. These site will be opened for enrolment during April and first volunteers are expected from 10. April.The prophylactic Zika vaccine is based on a measles vector platform, where selected antigens from the Zika virus have been inserted into the well-established measles vaccine delivering those new antigens into the cells, thereby triggering a specific immune response against the Zika virus. As the measles vaccine has already proven its high efficacy and safety on well over a billion individuals over the last 30  40 years, it offers an excellent safety profile and a validated, cost-efficient production process. Based on this technology Themis already tested a number of candidate Zika vaccines in animal models, initiated a toxicity study and established GMP manufacturing. The promising results from the animal models advanced the now tested candidate rapidly to the clinical stage.Zika is a viral infection transmitted by mosquitoes. It originates in Asia and parts of Africa but the increase in global traveling and rising temperatures may cause it to spread into more temperate zones. Recently, the virus spread across the Pacific Ocean to the Americas, leading to the 2015  16 Zika virus epidemic.About the vaccine technology:The core technology of the measles vector platform has been developed at the Institut Pasteur in Paris and is licensed to Themis. It relies on the use of the standard measles vaccine as a vaccination vector. Genes coding for selected antigens from the Zika virus have been inserted into the genome of this well-established vaccine. The measles-Zika vaccine delivers the Zika antigens directly to macrophages and dendritic cells  the most potent and effective antigen-presenting cells, thereby triggering a specific immune response to Zika virus. This results in a powerful, antigen-focused immune response, which is most likely to confer long-term immunity as does the measles vaccine.About Themis (April 2017):Themis Bioscience GmbH develops prophylactic vaccines from the preclinical to the early clinical phase, focusing on emerging tropical infectious diseases, with initial vaccine candidates currently being developed against Chikungunya and Zika. The company's highly innovative and fully patent-protected measles virus vaccine vector technology platform, licensed from the internationally respected Institut Pasteur in Paris, forms the basis for all current vaccine candidates of the Vienna-based company.Contact Themis Bioscience GmbH:Dr. Erich TauberCEOMuthgasse 11/21190 Vienna, AustriaT +43 / 1 / 236 7151E erich.tauber@themisbio.com
Systweak Launches Anti-Malware for Android

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.systweak.androidantimalware

This season, Systweak brings a new security app for Android devices called Systweak Anti-Malware.This next generation security app provides real time protection and routine database updates for Android phones and tablets. Systweak has always lived up to users expectations and Systweak Anti-Malware app is another milestone in this regard.This app makes it possible to detect and block latest known and unknown malware threats. The major functions of the app include real time protection, whitelisting of trusted apps and scanning of internal and external memory. It also performs Quick and Deep scans to detect and remove infections. It comprises of many additional features like listing applications in your phone that can cost you money and many more. Systweak Anti-Malware the ultimate solution to safeguard your Android device.Data security is one of the most common problems today. It is a must to have a security app with updated anti-virus definitions to secure our data from snooping eyes. Systweak Anti-Malware is a fast and next generation security app that ensures your device is safe from threats. Users will simply have to install it and leave rest to the app since its real time protection will not allow any unauthorized access to the device, says Shrishail Rana, CEO, Systweak Software.Systweak Anti-Malware is the best security tool with latest database updates. It keeps Android devices secure from all vulnerabilities and attacks. Users will now have access to an advanced tool with latest features to safeguard their Android devices. added Mr. Yuvraj Gautam, Product Manager.Systweak Anti-Malware is compatible with all Android devices and can be downloaded from Play Store.Systweak Software has been developing and distributing Windows, Mac, iOS & Android Apps since last 18 years to improve the average users digital experience. It has recently been featured in 100 Most Promising Microsoft Solution Providers list by the enterprise solutions magazine, CIO Review. Some of the companys flagship apps have been featured on Newswatch, the Discovery Channels tech news bulletin. Systweak Software has a large user-base in North America followed by several countries in Europe and Asia.572 & 573, G-1, Tower B-1 Evolve, IT/ITeS Mahindra World City, Village Kalwara, Taluka Sanganer, Jaipur- 302037, INDIAPhone: +91-141-2243030, 2243031 (5:00 AM to 5:00 PM G.M.T.) FAX: +91-141-2577982
Global Food Texturizers Market 2017 : Cargill, DuPont, Fiberstar, Ingredion & Naturex

Food Texturizers

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Global Food Texturizers market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingArcher Daniels MidlandCargillDuPontEstelle ChemicalsFiberstarFMC CorporationFuerst Day LawsonIngredionKerry GroupLonza GroupNaturexPenford CorporationThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Food Texturizers market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Food Texturizers market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.To Get Complete Report With TOC @Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Food Texturizers market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Food Texturizers market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Food Texturizers market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Food Texturizers industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Insights, Primium Applications, key Development, Competitive Research & Demands - Biotronik SE & Co KG, Boston Scientific Corporation

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This research report gives an account of the global Tele-Care Medical Equipment market manages all its basic points of interest with the assistance of an inside and out and shrewd examination. The market is clarified in a comprehensive way and thus permits the report to show an entire examination of the market as concocted utilizing the elements that are required to have a quantifiable effect on its improvement.Despite the fact that a lot of summed up market-oriented data may not a mind boggling undertaking, it is sifting through the redundant parts of the given data to just the key points of interest that matter to a user, or that can settle a business issue. The absence of dedicated assets for undertaking such focused and even altered research procedure might be difficult for a few players in the Tele-Care Medical Equipment, and thusly can esteem this gathering of the most productive information as a standout from the oversimplified styles of research exercises.Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @The report supplies data that may help organizations in dealing with core issues without breaking a sweat and furthermore give an unmistakable subjective and quantitative segment relating to particular components of the Tele-Care Medical Equipment that associations could be keen on knowing.An association utilizing this report can have increasingly simpler access to the key points of interest of the Tele-Care Medical Equipment that are sure to have an exceptionally noticeable bearing on its general advancement, alongside its segments that are critical to the market as a whole. The report is made with the aim of satisfying the modified needs of all its readers who are a part of the Tele-Care Medical Equipment. The report in this way makes an exceptionally ingenious information archive that permits best practices to be framed profoundly and to provide viable business systems.Obtain Report Details @Table of ContentsGlobal Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Research Report 20171 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Tele-Care Medical Equipment1.2 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 External Tele-Care Medical Equipment1.2.4 Implantable Tele-Care Medical Equipment1.2.4 Type II1.2.4 Type II1.3 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Segment by Application1.3.1 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospital1.3.3 Clinic1.3.4 Health Institutions1.3.5 Community Service1.3.6 Other1.4 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment 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 Tele-Care Medical Equipment (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Tele-Care Medical Equipment Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 Southeast Asia Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 India Tele-Care Medical Equipment Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)5 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)5.3 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Price by Type (2012-2017)5.4 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Production Growth by Type (2012-2017)6 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Consumption and Market Share by Application (2012-2017)6.2 Global Tele-Care Medical Equipment Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2012-2017)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/CountriesAbout UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Research Report 2017

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In this report, the global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices 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 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGet sample report @Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingNokiaGeneral Dynamics Mission SystemsHarrison CorporationMotorola solutionsRaytheonEricssonAlcatel LucentCommScopeAirbusHuawei TechnologiesCisco SystemsQualcomm TechnologiesAirspan NetworksZTEOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHandheld DevicesRouter and ModuleseNBOtherOn 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 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices for each application, includingPublic SectorPrivate SectorOtherFill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @Table of ContentsGlobal Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Research Report 20171 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices1.2 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Handheld Devices1.2.4 Router and Modules1.2.5 eNB1.2.6 Other1.2.4 Type II1.2.4 Type II1.3 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Segment by Application1.3.1 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Public Sector1.3.3 Private Sector1.3.4 Other1.4 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices 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 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion7 Global Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Nokia7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Nokia Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 General Dynamics Mission Systems7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 General Dynamics Mission Systems Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Harrison Corporation7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Harrison Corporation Public Safety Long-Term Evolution Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)7.3.4 Main Business/Business OverviewQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. 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Snoring Control Devices Global Market Competition by Manufacturers : Mpowrx, ResMed

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Snoring Control Devices Sales Market Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.This research report gives an account of the global Snoring Control Devices market manages all its basic points of interest with the assistance of an inside and out and shrewd examination. The market is clarified in a comprehensive way and thus permits the report to show an entire examination of the market as concocted utilizing the elements that are required to have a quantifiable effect on its improvement.Despite the fact that a lot of summed up market-oriented data may not a mind boggling undertaking, it is sifting through the redundant parts of the given data to just the key points of interest that matter to a user, or that can settle a business issue. The absence of dedicated assets for undertaking such focused and even altered research procedure might be difficult for a few players in the Snoring Control Devices, and thusly can esteem this gathering of the most productive information as a standout from the oversimplified styles of research exercises.Get sample report @The report supplies data that may help organizations in dealing with core issues without breaking a sweat and furthermore give an unmistakable subjective and quantitative segment relating to particular components of the Snoring Control Devices that associations could be keen on knowing.An association utilizing this report can have increasingly simpler access to the key points of interest of the Snoring Control Devices that are sure to have an exceptionally noticeable bearing on its general advancement, alongside its segments that are critical to the market as a whole. The report is made with the aim of satisfying the modified needs of all its readers who are a part of the Snoring Control Devices. The report in this way makes an exceptionally ingenious information archive that permits best practices to be framed profoundly and to provide viable business systems.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Snoring Control Devices Sales Market Report 20171 Snoring Control Devices Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Snoring Control Devices1.2 Classification of Snoring Control Devices by Product Category1.2.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Snoring Control Devices Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Mandibular Advancement Device (MADs)1.2.4 Tongue Stabilizing Device (TSDs)1.2.5 Nasal Devices1.2.6 Chin Straps1.2.7 Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) Devices1.3 Global Snoring Control Devices Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Hospitals1.3.3 Sleep Labs1.3.4 Home Care Settings1.4 Global Snoring Control Devices Market by Region1.4.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Snoring Control Devices Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Snoring Control Devices (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Snoring Control Devices Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Snoring Control Devices (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Snoring Control Devices (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Snoring Control Devices Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Snoring Control Devices (Volume) by Application3 United States Snoring Control Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Snoring Control Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Snoring Control Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Snoring Control Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Snoring Control Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players5.3 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application6 Japan Snoring Control Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)6.1 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)6.1.1 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.2 Japan Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)6.1.3 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)6.2 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players6.3 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type6.4 Japan Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Application7 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices (Volume, Value and Sales Price)7.1 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales and Value (2012-2017)7.1.1 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)7.1.2 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)7.1.3 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)7.2 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Players7.3 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by Type7.4 Southeast Asia Snoring Control Devices Sales Volume and Market Share by ApplicationAbout UsQYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
TV & Monitor Mounts Market - Global Industry Analysis, Segments, Major Geographies and Current Market Forecasts 2022

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A monitor mount is a supportive bracket or arm designed to hold up a computer monitor, laptop, notebook or other display screen.TV & Monitor Mounts is a family of standards defined by the video electronics standards association for mounting flat panel monitors, TVs, and other displays to stands or wall mounts."Get Free Sample Copy of this Report @Scope of the Report:This report focuses on the TV & Monitor Mounts in Global market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers:MilestoneErgotronMounting DreamPremier MountsPeerlessAVFLGBellO DigitalKantoMount WorldSwift mountFleximountsPromountsInstallerPartsMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers:North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, covers:Ceiling MountDesktop MountWall MountFloor Stand MountOthersMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into:HouseholdSchoolOfficeOthersBrowse full report with Table of Content @There are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Microalgae market.Chapter 1, to describe TV & Monitor Mounts Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2, to analyze the top manufacturers of TV & Monitor Mounts, with sales, revenue, and price of TV & Monitor Mounts, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3, to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4, to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of TV & Monitor Mounts, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Chapter 10 and 11, to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12, TV & Monitor Mounts market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15, to describe TV & Monitor Mounts sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.Check for discount @Some points from TOC:-1 Market Overview1.1 TV & Monitor Mounts Introduction1.2 Market Analysis by Type1.2.1 Ceiling Mount1.2.2 Desktop Mount1.2.3 Wall Mount1.2.4 Floor Stand Mount1.2.5 Others1.3 Market Analysis by Applications1.3.1 Household1.3.2 School1.3.3 Office1.3.4 Others1.4 Market Analysis by Regions1.4.1 North America (USA, Canada and Mexico)1.4.1.1 USA Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.2 Canada Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.1.3 Mexico Market States and Outlook (2012-2022)1.4.2 Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)1.4.2.1 Germany Market States and Outlook (2012-2022).moreEnquiry Before Buying@About Us:GIR Market Research is a company that simplifies how analysts and decision makers get industry data for their business. Our unique colossal technology has been developed to offer refined search capabilities designed to exploit the long tail of free market research whilst eliminating irrelevant results. GIR Market Research is the collection of market intelligence products and services on the Web. We offer reports and update our collection daily to provide you with instant online access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, products, and trends.Contact us:+1-888-376-9998 (US)Email- sales@globalinforeports.comFollow Us:Twitter:Facebook:A monitor mount is a supportive bracket or arm designed to hold up a computer monitor, laptop, notebook or other display screen.TV & Monitor Mounts is a family of standards defined by the video electronics standards association for mounting flat panel monitors, TVs, and other displays to stands or wall mounts."
Global Bakery Ingredient Market 2017 : Ingredion, Bakels, Puratos, Novozymes & CSM

Bakery Ingredient

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Global Bakery Ingredient market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingCargillArcher Daniels Midland (ADM)Royal DSMKerry GroupAssociated British Foods (ABF)SudzuckerDaniscoAAKTate & lyleThe survey report by Market Research Store is an overview of the global Bakery Ingredient market. It covers all the recent trends including key developments in the global market in present and in future. Analyses of the global Bakery Ingredient market trends along with the projections of CAGRs (compound annual growth rates) are provided in the research report.To Get Complete Report With TOC @Further, an evaluation of the history of the global market and the basic information of the global market is included in the report. A developmental perspective of the industry is also documented in the report. Competitive profiles of the key players in the industry are also discussed.The research report provides both an assessment of recent developments in the industry along with forecasts examining the industry from the perspective of major competitors, present players and prospective end users in the Bakery Ingredient market.Forecasts are generated on the basis of region, type, product, supply, demand, and other vital factors of the global market. The research report analyzed the major factors driving the global Bakery Ingredient market in various countries with a satisfactory and manufacturing and structure of the global market. Forecasts are also provided region-wise in the research report.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The research report comprises several chapters, tables, figures, graphs, and various other presentations formats so as to provide a precise overview of the market. The sequence of the report is maintained in such a way that highlights the overall flow of the global market. Recent developments in the global market are further described in the research report. The report also summarizes latest trends along with abstracts of the Bakery Ingredient market. Major competitors of the global market including commercial and non-commercial participants in the global market are also covered in the report.Thus, the research report provides in-depth analysis covering all the major regions, competitors, and vital aspects of the Bakery Ingredient industry.About Us:MarketResearchStore.com is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations.Contact US:Joel JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Hybrid Power Systems : Wind-Solar-Diesel-Hybrid, PV-Diesel-Hybrid, (Residential, Rural Facility Electrification) - Emerging Evolution, Innovation and New Product Development

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The technology-driven hybrid power systems market is characterized by high initial investments and low switching costs. The lack of grid connectivity in remote and rural areas and its sheer unreliability has boosted the installation of these power systems in recent years. Hybrid power systems combine renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and energy produced by conventional means such as diesel generators. By type, hybrid power systems include wind-solar-diesel hybrid, PV-diesel hybrid, and others such as wind-hydro-diesel hybrid, solar thermal, and hybrid-solar biomass. Solar-wind-diesel systems, is immensely expensive. Installation of Hybrid Power Systems to Rise as Energy Industry Preference Centers on Renewable Sources.Hybrid Power Systems major advantage is the ability of these systems to reduce carbon emissions.Controlling carbon footprint is among the top priorities of most energy producing companies and factors such as climate change and growing social responsibility have contributed toward these companies focusing on using energy-efficient technologies in their networks.Technology Insights and Sample Copy :Hybrid Power Systems Market will account at US$703.5 mn by 2024 at a 6.1% CAGR. Over the past few years, wind-solar-diesel hybrid systems for rural electrification have been enormously developed by various stakeholders across developing countries such as Indonesia, India, China, and South Africa. Hybrid power systems has been geographically segmented into North America, South and Central America, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa, and Europe. Asia Pacific held the largest share.MarketResearchReports.biz supports your business intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market data sheets in its repository. Our document database is updated by the hour, which means that you always have access to fresh data spanning over 300 industries and their sub-segments.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone Market Poised to Account for US$ 985 Million by 2020

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The global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone (NMP) market is expected to observe modest growth over a five-year forecast period, 2015-2020. Expanding at a 5.4% of CAGR during the assessed period, the global NMP market will possibly attain the revenues of US$ 985.3 Mn by 2020 end.Request to view Table of Content @The market for NMP in developing Asian countries will be primarily driven by increasing urbanization and industrialization, coupled with rampantly evolving infrastructure development realm. Attributed to its chemical properties, such as higher flame point and lower volatility, N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone finds various applications several end-use industries. This will remain a key factor driving the demand on a global level. Industrial applications in a sweeping range of verticals, including electronics, pharmaceuticals, petrochemical, agrochemical, paints and coatings, and industrial cleaning will also continue to drive the market for N-Methylpyrrolidone over the next few years.The flourishing consumer electronics sector is likely to generate substantial demand for NMP. With soaring demand for electronics production, the consumption of N-Methylpyrrolidone will also witness a significant hike. Moreover, increasing demand for agrochemicals is expected to elevate the revenue sales in the next few years. Another industrial sector estimated to support the growth of the global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone market is pharmaceuticals. Growing market in Asia Pacific are expected to play a vital role in boosting the demand throughout the forecast period, eventually fostering the market for NMP globally.Stringent regulations regarding usage of N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone may remain a long-term restraint to market growth. Moreover, the market has been experiencing a rapid setback in certain verticals, such as paints and coatings, and industrial cleaning. This can also be a major limiting factor impacting the market growth by 2020 end.Sample of this report is available upon request @By application, the electronics application segment is expected to remain dominant over other segments, including agrochemicals, petrochemical processing, industrial cleaners, pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, and others. Electronics application segment will possibly capture around 23% share of the entire market revenues in 2020, witnessing an optimistic CAGR of 6.7% during 2015-2020. Pharmaceuticals will continue to be the second largest application segment that was evaluated at US$ 122.7 Mn in 2015. This segment is anticipated to demonstrate a moderate CAGR of 6.3% by 2020 end, accounting for nearly 15% market value share.According to Persistence Market Researchs regional analysis, Asia Pacific is foreseen to remain the global leader with over 36% share of the market revenues in 2016. This growth is predominantly attributed to lower production costs in Asian countries. The second largest regional market, North America, will contribute around 30% share to the market in 2016.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @A few key market players include LyondellBasell Industries N.V., BASF SE, Ashland Inc., Abtonsmart Chemical (Group) Co. Ltd., and Shandong Qingyun Changxin Chemical Science-Tech Co., Ltd. A few other notable companies competing in the N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone marketplace are Zhejiang Realsun Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Hefei TNJ Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., Puyang Guangming Chemicals Co., Ltd., and Balaji Amines Limited.Long-term Outlook: The global N-Methyl-2-Pyrrolidone market is likely to reach a value of US$ 985.3 Mn by the end of the forecast period, 2015-2020.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
What Are The Reasons For The Rise In Global Electric Aircrafts In Recent Period??

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Electric Aircrafts - Global Market Outlook (2015-2022) Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.This Electric Aircrafts market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share and contact information are shared in this report analysis.Data integration and capabilities are analyzed to support the findings and study the predicted geographical segmentations. Various key variables and regression models were considered to calculate the trajectory of Electric Aircrafts market. Detailed analysis is explained and given importance to with best working models.Geographically, the segmentation is done into several key regions like North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The production, consumption, revenue, shares in mill UDS, growth rate of Electric Aircrafts market during the forecast period of 2015 to 2022 is well explained.The ongoing market trends of Electric Aircrafts market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.Get Sample Copy of this Report:For a stronger and more stable business outlook, the report on the global Electric Aircrafts market carries key projections that can be practically studied. The research on the global Electric Aircrafts market will be useful to investors, regularity authorities, and policy makers, state the analysts. Independent research institutions, commercial entities, and non-profit organization in this sector can also benefit from the report.To achieve this, the research segments and sub-segments the global Electric Aircrafts market by using many criteria. The growth predictions for each of these segments are included in the report. Finally, the research directs its focus towards the possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can affect the growth of the global Electric Aircrafts market. The feasibility of new projects is also measured in the report by the analysts.As leading companies take efforts to maintain their dominance in the global Electric Aircrafts market, the right way to do so is by adopting new technologies and strategies. The report highlights major technological developments and changing trends adopted by key companies over a period of time. Key companies operating in the global Electric Aircrafts market are profiled by considering factors such as capacity production, products/services, applications, cost, gross, and revenue.Get Discount on this report:The report also implements primary and secondary research techniques for gathering the most crucial pieces of professional information, and applies a number of industry-best techniques upon the data for projecting the future state of the global Electric Aircrafts market. Based on current market development, the report includes an analysis of how activities such as mergers and shapes the markets future.Some of the key players in the market include Honeywell International, Boeing, Raytheon, Thales Group, Bombardier, Airbus, Zodiac Aerospace, United Technologies, Safran, Alatus Ukraine, Electric Aircraft Corporation and Flying motorcycle Samson Motorworks.Aircraft Type Covered: Large body Wide body aircraft Narrow bodyTable of Content:-1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Product Analysis3.7 Application Analysis3.9 Emerging Markets4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global Electric Aircraft Market, By Aircraft Type5.1 Introduction5.2 Large body5.3 Wide body aircraft5.4 Narrow body6 Global Electric Aircraft Market, By Application6.1 Introduction6.2 Military6.3 UAV-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle6.4 Commercial7 Global Electric Aircraft Market, By Geography7.1 North America7.1.1 US7.1.2 Canada7.1.3 Mexico7.2 Europe7.2.1 Germany7.2.2 France7.2.3 Italy7.2.4 UK7.2.5 Spain7.2.6 Rest of Europe7.3 Asia Pacific7.3.1 Japan7.3.2 China7.3.3 India7.3.4 Australia7.3.5 New Zealand7.3.7 Rest of Asia Pacific7.4 Rest of the World7.4.1 Middle East7.4.2 Brazil7.4.3 Argentina7.4.4 South Africa7.4.5 Egypt8 Key Developments8.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures8.2 Acquisitions & Mergers8.3 New Product Launch8.4 Expansions8.5 Other Key Strategies9 Company Profiling9.1 Honeywell International9.2 Boeing9.3 Raytheon9.4 Thales Group9.5 Bombardier9.6 Airbus9.7 Zodiac Aerospace9.8 United Technologies9.9 Safran9.10 Greenwing9.11 Alatus Ukraine9.12 Electric Aircraft Corporation9.13 Flying motorcycle Samson MotorworksFor More Info On This Report:Company Overview:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat United States and Global and Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales Market Report 2017

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This report studies sales (consumption) of Grapefruit Essential Oil in Global market, especially in United States, China, Europe and Japan, focuses on top players in these regions/countries, with sales, price, revenue and market share for each player in these regions, coveringAFUVivi's SecretJcareOshadhiGOODHERBORCAMENAEPretty ValleyPBAANUOLDLANDNow FoodsYoung LivingFill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @Market Segment by Regions, this report splits Global into several key Regions, with sales (consumption), revenue, market share and growth rate of Grapefruit Essential Oil in these regions, from 2011 to 2021 (forecast), likeUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaSplit by product Types, with sales, revenue, price and gross margin, market share and growth rate of each type, can be divided intoType IType IISplit by applications, this report focuses on sales, market share and growth rate of Grapefruit Essential Oil in each application, can be divided intoApplication 1Application 2For more information on this report, fill the form @Table of ContentsGlobal Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales Market Report 20171 Grapefruit Essential Oil Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Grapefruit Essential Oil1.2 Classification of Grapefruit Essential Oil1.2.1 Type I1.2.2 Type II1.3 Application of Grapefruit Essential Oil1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 21.4 Grapefruit Essential Oil Market by Regions1.4.1 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.2 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Grapefruit Essential Oil (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Competition by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume and Value) by Regions2.3.1 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Market Share by Regions (2012-2017)2.4 Global Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume) by Application3 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Application4 China Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 China Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Application5 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)5.2 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers5.3 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by Type5.4 Europe Grapefruit Essential Oil Sales and Market Share by ApplicationQYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. 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What Are The Reasons For The Rise In Global Aircraft De-icing In Recent Period??

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Aircraft De-icing - Global Market Outlook (2016-2022) Outlook (2016-2022) Purchase This Report by calling ResearchnReports.com at +1-888-631-6977.This Aircraft De-icing market research is an intelligence report with meticulous efforts undertaken to study the right and valuable information. The data which has been looked upon is done considering both, the existing top players and the upcoming competitors. Business strategies of the key players and the new entering market industries are studied in detail. Well explained SWOT analysis, revenue share and contact information are shared in this report analysis.Data integration and capabilities are analyzed to support the findings and study the predicted geographical segmentations. Various key variables and regression models were considered to calculate the trajectory of Aircraft De-icing market. Detailed analysis is explained and given importance to with best working models.Geographically, the segmentation is done into several key regions like North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and Latin America. The production, consumption, revenue, shares in mill UDS, growth rate of Aircraft De-icing market during the forecast period of 2015 to 2022 is well explained.The ongoing market trends of Aircraft De-icing market and the key factors impacting the growth prospects are elucidated. With increase in the trend, the factors affecting the trend are mentioned with perfect reasons. Top manufactures, price, revenue, market share are explained to give a depth of idea on the competitive side.Get Sample Copy of this Report:For a stronger and more stable business outlook, the report on the global Aircraft De-icing market carries key projections that can be practically studied. The research on the global Aircraft De-icing market will be useful to investors, regularity authorities, and policy makers, state the analysts. Independent research institutions, commercial entities, and non-profit organization in this sector can also benefit from the report.To achieve this, the research segments and sub-segments the global Aircraft De-icing market by using many criteria. The growth predictions for each of these segments are included in the report. Finally, the research directs its focus towards the possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that can affect the growth of the global Aircraft De-icing market. The feasibility of new projects is also measured in the report by the analysts.As leading companies take efforts to maintain their dominance in the global Aircraft De-icing market, the right way to do so is by adopting new technologies and strategies. The report highlights major technological developments and changing trends adopted by key companies over a period of time. Key companies operating in the global Aircraft De-icing market are profiled by considering factors such as capacity production, products/services, applications, cost, gross, and revenue.Get Discount on this report:The report also implements primary and secondary research techniques for gathering the most crucial pieces of professional information, and applies a number of industry-best techniques upon the data for projecting the future state of the global Aircraft De-icing market. Based on current market development, the report includes an analysis of how activities such as mergers and shapes the markets future.Some of the key players in the market include Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment Co, Vestergaard Company, Utc Aerospace Systems, The Dow Chemical Company, Sdi Aviation, Safeaero I Trelleborg AB, Laanga Industrial, Kilfrost Corporation, Kiitokori, JBT Corporation, Global Ground Support LLC., Denge Airport Equipment, Cryotech, Cox & Company, Contego, Clariant AG, BASF Corporation and B/E Aerospace, Inc.Fluid Types Covered: Type I Type II Type III Type IVTable of Content:-1 Executive Summary2 Preface2.1 Abstract2.2 Stake Holders2.3 Research Scope2.4 Research Methodology2.4.1 Data Mining2.4.2 Data Analysis2.4.3 Data Validation2.4.4 Research Approach2.5 Research Sources2.5.1 Primary Research Sources2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources2.5.3 Assumptions3 Market Trend Analysis3.1 Introduction3.2 Drivers3.3 Restraints3.4 Opportunities3.5 Threats3.6 Product Analysis3.7 Application Analysis3.8 Emerging Markets3.9 Futuristic Market Scenario4 Porters Five Force Analysis4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers4.2 Bargaining power of buyers4.3 Threat of substitutes4.4 Threat of new entrants4.5 Competitive rivalry5 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By Fluid Type5.1 Introduction5.2 Type I5.3 Type II5.4 Type III5.5 Type IV6 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By System6.1 Introduction6.2 Rotor Blade Ice Protection System6.3 Pneumatic Ice Protection System6.4 Electro-Thermal Ice Protection System6.5 Electro-Mechanical Ice Protection System7 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By Product7.1 Introduction7.2 De-Icing Trucks7.3 Sweepers7.4 De-icing Chemicals and Fluids7.5 Other Product8 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By Application8.1 Introduction8.2 Commercial8.3 Military9 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By Aircraft type9.1 Introduction9.2 Fixed Wing Aircraft9.2.1 Military Aircraft9.2.2 Regional Aircraft9.2.3 Narrow Body Aircraft9.2.4 Wide Body Aircraft10 Global Aircraft De-icing Market, By Geography10.1 North America10.1.1 US10.1.2 Canada10.1.3 Mexico10.2 Europe10.2.1 Germany10.2.2 France10.2.3 Italy10.2.4 UK10.2.5 Spain10.2.6 Rest of Europe10.3 Asia Pacific10.3.1 Japan10.3.2 China10.3.3 India10.3.4 Australia10.3.5 New Zealand10.3.6 Rest of Asia Pacific10.4 Rest of the World10.4.1 Middle East10.4.2 Brazil10.4.3 Argentina10.4.4 South Africa10.4.5 Egypt11 Key Developments11.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures11.2 Acquisitions & Mergers11.3 New Product Launch11.4 Expansions11.5 Other Key Strategies12 Company Profiling12.1 Weihai Guangtai Airport Product Co12.2 Vestergaard Company12.3 Utc Aerospace Systems12.4 The Dow Chemical Company12.5 Sdi Aviation12.6 Safeaero I Trelleborg AB12.7 Laanga Industrial12.8 Kilfrost Corporation.12.9 Kiitokori12.10 JBT Corporation12.11 Global Ground Support LLC.12.12 Denge Airport Product12.13 Cryotech.12.14 Cox & Company12.15 Contego12.16 Clariant AG12.17 BASF Corporation12.18 B/E Aerospace, Inc.For More Info On This Report:Company Overview:Research N Reports is a new age market research firm where we focus on providing information that can be effectively applied. Today being a consumer driven market, companies require information to deal with the complex and dynamic world of choices. Where relying on a sound board firm for your decisions becomes crucial. Research N Reports specializes in industry analysis, market forecasts and as a result getting quality reports covering all verticals, whether be it gaining perspective on current market conditions or being ahead in the cut throat United States and Global and Global competition. Since we excel at business research to help businesses grow, we also offer consulting as an extended arm to our services which only helps us gain more insight into current trends and problems. Consequently we keep evolving as an all-rounder provider of viable information under one roof.Contact us:Mr. Sunny DenisContact No. +1-888-631-6977sales@researchnreports.com(ResearchnReports)
OSSCube Gets Ready to Sponsor MidTech IT Summit 2017

OSSCube Sponsoring MidTech IT Summit 2017

OSSCube, the digital transformation and modernization partner for global Fortune 100 corporations, will be sponsoring MIDTECH Mid-Market IT Summit 2017 taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Red Rock Resort between April 23-25th, 2017.This executive-level conference for the IT industry is an event where technology experts, industry thought leaders and midmarket enterprise executives come together gain unique insights and hold open discussions.Executives from every industry get the chance to have informal interactions and one-on-one talks with solution providers and IT leaders.Key tracks during MIDTECH are: CIO Leadership & Innovation; Cloud Strategy; Data Solutions: Storage & Analytics; Security Risk Compliance; Internet of Things and Mobile First; and Modernizing Infrastructure.The event is designed to provide ample opportunities to keep updated and network with industry peers and leaders. Many leading solution providers will hold targeted research meetings, share real world customer case studies and showcase strategic presentations. The panel discussions by industry thought leaders will keep the attendees informed and enlightened.Sponsoring the event, OSSCube will be there to connect with mid-level enterprise executives to help solve low efficiency, high costs of operations, poor collaboration between teams, increased time to market due to legacy IT applications and business processes.OSSCube will be showcasing its success stories of implementing Application Modernization, Enterprise Mobility, PIM/DAM, Cloud, CMS/WCM, E-Commerce and Internet of Things. Through these solutions, OSSCube can help enterprises build easy to adopt, low cost, scalable and secure solutions.About MidTech IT SummitHosted twice a year, MIDTECH Summit is the leading executive level conference for the IT industry in the US.OSSCube is a privately held company with locations in Houston, Texas; London, England; and Noida, India. Established in 2006, OSSCubes dedicated IT services are focused on helping midmarket, private sector organization solve their digital transformation, application modernization, cloud computing and enterprise mobility challenges.OSSCube enables enterprises to build a seamless tomorrow by solving their digital transformation, application modernization, cloud computing and enterprise mobility challenges.9801 Westheimer Road,Suite #302,Houston, Texas 77042info@osscube.com+1 281-404-7003
Ceramic Tile Market Research, Trends, Analysis, Demand, Outlook and Forecast 2017

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Ceramic Tile Market 2017 Market Research Report was a professional and depth research report on Ceramic Tile Market industry that you would know the world's major regional market conditions of Ceramic Tile Market industry, the main region including (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa).Ceramic tile is made up of sand, natural products, and clays and once it has been moulded into shape they are then fired in a kiln. It may be glazed or unglazed.This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Ceramic Tile from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the volumes, prices, historical growth and future perspectives in the Ceramic Tile market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Ceramic Tile, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request a sample copy of Ceramic Tile Market Research Report @The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Ceramic Tile market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Ceramic Tile market are Kajaria Ceramics (India), Mohawk Industries (USA), Ras Al Khaimah Ceramics (UAE), Siam Cement Group (Thailand), Lamosa Grupo (Mexico), Crossville (USA), Florida Tile Inc. (USA), Ceramiche Atlas Concorde (Italy), China Ceramics Co. Ltd. (China), Saloni Ceramics (Spain), Ricchetti (Italy), Porcelanosa Grupo (Spain), Huida (China), ARROW (China) etc.The listed pricing for this Ceramic Tile Market report starts at $ 2800. Request Discount for Ceramic Tile Market Research Report @Table of Contents in Ceramic Tile Market Research Report:Part 3. Introduction3.1 Ceramic Tile Market Definition3.2 Supply Chain Structure3.2.1 Raw Material Supply3.2.2 Manufacturing3.2.3 Production Cost AnalysisPart 4. Market Landscape4.1 Ceramic Tile Market by Volume 2011-20164.1.1 Overview4.1.2 Global Ceramic Tile Volume 2011-20164.1.3 Top 10 Ceramic Tile Companies (Volume Share)4.2 Ceramic Tile Market 2011-20164.2.1 Overview4.2.2 Ceramic Tile Market by Revenue 2011-20164.2.3 Top 10 Ceramic Tile Companies (Revenue Share)Part 5. Segmentation by Type5.1 Type 15.2 Type 25.3 Type 3Browse full table of contents and data tables For Ceramic Tile Market Report @The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Ceramic Tile industry has been provided.Related Reports: -Global Smart Building Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022A Smart Building is: Also referred to as an Intelligent Building. Smart buildings improve the productivity of people and processes by leveraging technology & actionable information to help you & your building make better decisions and become smart, efficient and sustainable.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:Connect with us: LinkedIn | Twitter
The NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts 2016 - 2030

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "The NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market: 2016 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts" to its huge collection of research reports.Service providers continue to face increasing CapEx and OpEx burdens, amid growing requirements for high-speed mobile broadband services. By eliminating reliance on expensive proprietary hardware platforms, NFV (Network Functions Virtualization) and SDN (Software Defined Networking) promise to reduce service provider CapEx. In addition, both technologies can significantly slash OpEx due to a reduction in physical space, labor and power consumption.Driven by the promise of TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) reduction, mobile operators are aggressively jumping on the NFV and SDN bandwagon, targeting deployments across a multitude of areas. By the end of 2020, SNS Research estimates that NFV and SDN investments on service provider networks will account for over $18 Billion. These investments will initially focus on EPC/mobile core, IMS, policy control, CPE (Customer Premises Equipment), CDN (Content Delivery Network) and transport networks.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Spanning over 1,600 pages, the ""NFV, SDN & Wireless Network Infrastructure Market: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies and Forecasts report package encompasses three comprehensive reports covering covering NFV, SDN, conventional 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure and HetNet (Heterogeneous Network) infrastructure:- The SDN, NFV & Network Virtualization Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts- The Wireless Network Infrastructure Ecosystem: 2016  2030  Macrocell RAN, Small Cells, C-RAN, RRH, DAS, Carrier Wi-Fi, Mobile Core, Backhaul & Fronthaul- The HetNet Ecosystem (Small Cells, Carrier Wi-Fi, C-RAN & DAS): 2016  2030  Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & ForecastsThis report package provides an in-depth assessment of NFV, SDN, network virtualization, 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure and HetNet gear. Besides analyzing enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, use cases, mobile operator case studies, regional CapEx commitments, regulatory landscape, standardization, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies, the report package also presents revenue and unit shipment forecasts for multiple submarkets including:Conventional 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G Wireless Network Infrastructure- Macrocell RAN Base Stations- Macrocell Backhaul- Mobile CoreHetNet Infrastructure- Small Cells- Small Cell Backhaul- Carrier Wi-Fi- C-RAN (Centralized RAN)- C-RAN Fronthaul- DAS (Distributed Antenna Systems)NFV- Hardware Appliances- Orchestration & Management Software- VNF (Virtualized Network Function) SoftwareSDN- SDN-Enabled Hardware Appliances- SDN-Enabled Virtual Switches- Orchestration & Management Software- SDN Controller Software- Network Applications SoftwareThe report package comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report package.The report package covers the following topics:Wireless Network Infrastructure Topics- 2G (GSM and CDMA) technology and market trends- 3G (W-CDMA/HSPA, TD-SCDMA and CDMA-2000) technology and market trends- 4G (LTE, LTE-Advanced and WiMAX) technology and market trends- 5G (IMT-2020) technology and market trends- Mobile core technology and market trends- Mobile transport (backhaul and fronthaul) technology and market trends- HetNet (Wi-Fi offloading, small cell, C-RAN and DAS) technology and market trends- Analysis of key trends such as enterprise RAN, TD-LTE, VoLTE virtualization, unlicensed small cells and SCaaS (Small Cells as a Service)- Market drivers for wireless network infrastructure investments- Challenges and barriers to the ecosystem- Profiles and strategies of over 350 wireless network infrastructure vendors- Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players- Global and regional market analysis and forecasts- SWOT analysis of the wireless network infrastructure marketNFV & SDN Topics- SDN, NFV and network virtualization technology- Enabling technologies, protocols, architecture and key trends- Use cases, applications, PoC (Proof of Concept) and commercial deployment case studies- CapEx saving potential of SDN and NFV- Orchestration and management platforms- Regulatory landscape and standardization- Industry roadmap and value chain- Market drivers for SDN/NFV investments- Challenges and barriers to the ecosystem- Profiles and strategies of over 240 SDN/NFV ecosystem players- Strategic recommendations for ecosystem players- Global and regional market analysis and forecastsThe report package provides answers to the following key questions:- How is the 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G wireless network infrastructure market evolving by segment and region?- Which 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G technology constitutes the highest amount of spending and how will this evolve overtime?- What is the global and regional outlook for RAN and mobile core submarkets?- How will the market shape for HetNet infrastructure such as small cells, C-RAN and DAS?- How will Wi-Fi fit into future network architectures for access and offload?- What is the opportunity for mobile transport networking gear, and what new backhaul/fronthaul solutions are evolving?- How big is the SDN, NFV and network virtualization opportunity?- What trends, challenges and barriers are influencing its growth?- What will the market size be in 2020 and at what rate will it grow?- Which regions, submarkets and countries will see the highest percentage of growth?- How are service provider led initiatives driving SDN and NFV investments?- How does regulation impact the adoption of SDN and NFV centric networks?- How can NFV make the VoLTE (Voice over LTE) business case work?- How can software defined DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) complement SDN functionality?- What level of CapEx savings can SDN and NFV facilitate for service providers?- Do SDN and NFV pose a threat to traditional network infrastructure vendors?- Who are the key market players and what are their strategies?- Is there a ring leader in the SDN and NFV ecosystem?- What strategies should enabling technology providers, network infrastructure vendors, mobile operators and other ecosystem players adopt to remain competitive?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
At A CAGR Of 9.06% IT Market In South Africa To Grow Over The Period 2014-2019

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "IT Market in South Africa 2015-2019" to its huge collection of research reports.IT can be defined as an integrated platform that includes hardware, software, and IT services. The role of IT in an organization is to integrate various business processes and thus ensure smooth flow of information and processes. They also help organizations to align their business processes with various technologies and improve the overall efficiency.TechNavio's analysts forecast the IT market in South Africa to grow at a CAGR of 9.06 percent over the period 2014-2019.Covered in this reportThis report covers the overview of IT market in South Africa. The report also includes market segmentation by its products: hardware, software, and services.TechNavio's report, IT Market in South Africa 2015-2019, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes the profiles of key vendors operating in this market.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Key vendors- Accenture- Dimension Data- Gijima- Google- HP- IBM- Microsoft- SAPOther prominent vendors- 3M- Acer- Aegis Group- Agility Global Health Solutions- Apple- Bytes Healthcare Solutions- Capgemini- Cerner- Cisco Systems- CSC- Datatec- Dell- EMC- Ensign Solution- EOH- GE Healthcare- Hutspace- Infosage Ghana Limited- Intel- Intersystems- Netapp- Nitsak- Oracle- Pamoja- Philips Healthcare- Rackspace- Roche Group- Sage Group- Salesforce- Sekunjalo Healthcare- Siemens Healthcare- Softline- Symantec- TIBCO Software- Trifour Healthcare- T-Systems Enterprise Services- Verizon Communications- VMwareMarket driver- Increased government initiatives- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challenge- High attrition rate- For a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trend- Increased adoption of cloud computing- For a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this report- What will the market size be in 2019 and what will the growth rate be?- What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?- What are the challenges to market growth?- Who are the key vendors in this market space?- What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Lactic Acid Market Trends, Growth, Size, Analysis, Outlook by 2017 - Trends, Opportunities and Forecasts (2017-2022)

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Lactic Acid Market 2017 Market Research Report was a professional and depth research report on Lactic Acid Market industry that you would know the world's major regional market conditions of Lactic Acid Market industry, the main region including (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa).Lactic Acid Market is an organic compound with the formula CH3CH(OH)CO2H. In its solid state, it is white and water-soluble. In its liquid state, it is clear. It is produced both naturally and synthetically. With a hydroxyl group adjacent to the carboxyl group, lactic acid is classified as an alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA). In the form of its conjugate base called lactate, it plays a role in several biochemical processes.This report provides detailed analysis of worldwide markets for Lactic Acid from 2011-2016, and provides extensive market forecasts (2016-2021) by region/country and subsectors. It covers the volumes, prices, historical growth and future perspectives in the Lactic Acid market and further lays out an analysis of the factors influencing the supply/demand for Lactic Acid, and the opportunities/challenges faced by industry participants. It also acts as an essential tool to companies active across the value chain and to the new entrants by enabling them to capitalize the opportunities and develop business strategies.Request a sample copy of Lactic Acid Market Research Report @The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Lactic Acid market collected from specialized sources. The report covers key technological developments in the recent times and profiles leading players in the market and analyzes their key strategies. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. The major players in the global Lactic Acid market are Nature Works (USA), Corbion (Netherlands), Jindan (China) etc.The listed pricing for this Lactic Acid Market report starts at $ 2800. Request Discount for Lactic Acid Market Research Report @Table of Contents in Lactic Acid Market Research Report:Part 2. Methodology2.1 Research Methodology2.2 Geographic Scope2.3 Years ConsideredPart 3. Introduction3.1 Lactic Acid Market Definition3.2 Supply Chain Structure3.2.1 Raw Material Supply3.2.2 Manufacturing3.2.3 Production Cost AnalysisPart 4. Market Landscape4.1 Lactic Acid Market by Volume 2011-20164.1.1 Overview4.1.2 Lactic Acid Market Volume 2011-20164.1.3 Top 10 Lactic Acid Companies (Volume Share)4.2 Lactic Acid Market 2011-20164.2.1 Overview4.2.2 Lactic Acid Market by Revenue 2011-20164.2.3 Top 10 Lactic Acid Companies (Revenue Share)Part 5. Segmentation by Type5.1 Type 15.2 Type 25.3 Type 3Browse full table of contents and data tables For Lactic Acid Market Report @The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Rest of World. In this sector, global competitive landscape and supply/demand pattern of Lactic Acid industry has been provided.Related Reports: -2017-2022 China Phycobiliprotein Market Report (Status and Outlook)The Phycobiliprotein market size will be XX million (USD) in 2022 in China, from the XX million (USD) in 2016, with a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) XX% from 2016 to 2022.MarketSizeForecasters.com, a Skyline Market Research LLP brand, is an online aggregator of market research reports. MarketSizeForecasters.com offers a comprehensive collection of full length reports on global and regional markets in 100+ industry verticals. We have partnered with some of the leading business and market research publishing houses and regularly update our online library to offer wide range of reports to our customers.Market size forecastersThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketsizeforecasters.comWebsite:
System Integration in Telecommunication Market to Reach US$ 36.9 Bn by 2024

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The demand for system integration in telecommunication across APAC countries is projected to witness revenue growth at 7.1% CAGR. A majority of system integration solutions adopted across APAC telecommunications industry will be directed towards OSS, revenues from which will reach US$ 10.6 Bn by the end of 2024. China will contribute with more than one-third of overall revenues, while India, New Zealand, Australia, Japan and ASEAN countries will showcase rampant revenue growth. Vodafone Hutchinson Telecommunications, Telstra Corporation Ltd., SingTel Optus Pty Limited, NTT-Docomo Corporation, Ideal Cellular Ltd., Reliance Communications, and Softbank Corporation are some of the prominent IT service provider in the APAC telecommunications industry.Persistence Market Research projects  The future of global telecommunication industry will witness higher adoption of complex information systems which will facilitate speedy data convergence System integrators will play a key role in compiling information emanating from multiple and advanced telecommunication network standards Integration of business support systems (BSS) and operation support systems (OSS) will boost the support for end-to-end telecommunication services and bring forth some improved customer management solutionsOwing to rising urban population, growing strength of telecom networks, brimming data transference, and deployment of advanced technologies, the demand for system integration in telecommunication continues to surge in regions namely, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, Middle East and Africa. A latest study published by Persistence Market Research has estimated that the market for system integration in telecommunications across these regions is presently valued at US$ 22.5 Bn. By the end of 2024, these regions will collectively showcase revenue growth at an impressive 6.3% CAGR and witness the market for system integration in telecommunication reach US$ 36.9 Bn in value.On an average, 40% of revenues procured in Latin Americas system integration in telecommunication market will be emanating from Brazil. The demand for integrating OSS and BSS will also gain traction in Mexico and Argentina. Although, the overall system integration in telecom market in Latin America is being projected to expand at a moderate CAGR of 4.4%. High implementation costs of system integration solutions are imposing a relatively less adoption in Latin America, as opposed to the APAC region, Europe or Middle East & Africa. Leading IT service providers mapping Latin Americas telecom industry are identified as Telefonica Brasil, TIM Brasil, Telecom Argentina SA, Nextel, Telcel, Claro Brasil, and Telefonica SA.Request to view table of content @The EMEA system integration in telecommunication market is presently valued US$ 10.5 Bn. In the Middle East and Africa, South Africa is projected to exhibit high value CAGR of 7%, while the European system integration in telecommunication market will see consolidated growth from the EU5  Spain, Germany, Italy, France and the UK. These five countries will also dominate the overall EMEA region, accounting for over 40% value share by the end of 2024. The MTN Group, Saudi Telecom Company, Vodacom, and Airtel Africa are leading telecom service providers across the Middle East and Africa. The telecom industry of Nordic countries and Russia is mapped by IT service providers namely, Telenor ASA, VimpelCom Ltd., and Mobile TeleSystems. Meanwhile, companies such Deutsche Telekom, Orange SA, BT Group plc., Telefonica SA and Vodafone Group plc. are charting the waters of telecommunication services in EU5 countries.A sample of this report is available upon request @The report has also profiled leading providers of system integration solution in telecom across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa. These include, Oracle Corp., Redknee Inc., Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Sigma System Canada, NetCracker Technology Corporation, Openet Telecom, Ericsson, Comptel Corp., and Amdocs Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Oilfield Equipment Rental Services Market Key Players Halliburton, Oil States International, Schlumberger Ltd, Superior Energy Services, Baker Hughes and National Oil well Varco

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Market HighlightsOilfield equipment is equipment that extracts oil and gas from the reservoir. In order to reduce the capital expenditure of these equipment, the oilfield operators take these equipment on rent or lease. Due to growing energy demand, oilfield equipment rental is highly developing market. Oilfield equipment are generally used in drill pipe, drill subs and among others. The major factors driving the growth of oilfield equipment rental services market are increase in the drilling activities globally, reduction in capital expenditure because of renting of equipment rather than buying. The other factors which are responsible for the growth of this market are the growing energy needs, use of conventional and non-conventional drilling activities.Request a Sample Report@Market Research AnalysisThe market is segmented based on the drilling equipment. Drill pipe is dominating the drilling equipment segment because most of the wells being drilled, use frill pipes and have considerable depths. The increase in the global petroleum consumption and increase in investment for the development of offshore oil field has also resulted in the growth of drill pipeThe factors which are responsible for the growth of oilfield equipment rental services market are the rising demand for energy and drilling activities.Key Players Halliburton Co. (U.S.) Oil States International Inc. (U.S.) Schlumberger Ltd (U.S.) Superior Energy Services Inc. (U.S.) Weatherford International Ltd. (Switzerland) Baker Hughes (U.S.) National Oilwell Varco (U.S.) Cameron International Inc. (U.S.) Transocean Ltd. (Switzerland) B&B Oilfield Equipment Corp (U.S.).Regional Analysis:North America is expected to dominate the oilfield equipment rental services market due to the increase in the drilling activities in this region. Due to this most of the companies are operating in this region. Asia-Pacific is second largest region to dominate the market because most of the operators have started diversifying their operation in this region because of growing number of wells being drilled. Latin America is also experiencing growth due to the increase in E&P spending in this region.Scope of the ReportThis study provides an overview of the global oilfield equipment rental services market, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a five-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global oilfield equipment rental services market by drilling equipment, by pressure & flow control equipment and by region.By Drilling Equipment Drill Pipe Drill Collars Heavv-Wate Drill SubsBy Pressure & Flow Control Equipment BOP Valves & Manifolds OthersBy region North America Europe Asia-Pacific ROWTaste the market data and market information presented through more than 85 market data tables and figures spread in 140 numbers of pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content TOC & market synopsis on Global Oilfield Equipment Rental Services Market Information from 2016 to 2022"Browse Full OERS Market @Table of Content1 Executive Summary2 Research Methodology3 Market Dynamics4 Global Oilfield Equipment Rental Services Market, By Drilling Equipment4.1 DRILL PIPE4.2 DRILL COLLARS4.3 Heavy-Wate4.4 Drill subs5 Global Oilfield Equipment Rental Services Market, By Pressure & Flow Control Equipment5.1 Introduction5.2 BOP5.3 Valves & Manifolds7 Regional Market Analysis7 Competitive Analysis7.1 Introduction7.2 Competitive Scenario7.3 Halliburton Co. (U.S.)7.4 Oil States International Inc. (U.S.)7.5 Schlumberger Ltd (U.S.)About Market Research FutureAt Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash AnandMarket Research FutureMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.comWeb:
Global Consumer NAS Market : APAC Will Grow at 10.6% CAGR by 2024

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Apropos the report, titled Consumer Network Attached Storage (NAS) Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024, the global consumer NAS market is presently valued a little over US$ 1,545 Mn, and will exhibit a healthy 11.6% CAGR during the forecast period. Factors such as rising demand for speedy transference of bulk data, growing need for efficient data backup plans, and increasing implementation of cost-effective storage options have been identified as the key drivers for the global consumer network attached storage market. Nevertheless, a steadfast adoption of consumer NAS systems across the globe is facing challenges such as competitive advantage of cloud-based storage services, and complex nature of expensive consumer network attached storage systems.The ineffectiveness of traditional storage solutions has paved way for adoption of advanced storage options, particularly to record crucial consumer-centric data. Handling greater volumes of data transference has also necessitated the need for enclosing such data storage systems within a network. As opposed to single computer storage, individuals, as well as entrepreneurs, are growing more inclined towards setting network attached storage (NAS) servers. Remote access to such servers becomes more convenient for consumers, especially when improving operational efficiency and minimizing storage costs is a must. Persistence Market Researchs recent study explores the opportunities for adoption of such consumer-based NAS systems, predicting that by the end of 2024, the global market for consumer network attached storage will be valued at US$ 4,088.7 Mn.A sample of this report is available upon request @Even though a majority of global consumer NAS revenues emanate from North America, the Middle East & Africa region is being perceived as highly lucrative. Adoption of consumer network attached storage systems is expected to be rapid in this region. The MEA consumer NAS market is also being projected to exhibit the highest value CAGR  14.2%. With North America at the forefront, the global consumer network attached storage market will also witness substantial growth across Europe and Latin America. Meanwhile, the Asia-Pacific consumer network attached storage market will expand at 10.6% CAGR through 2024.Request to view table of content @Based on the report findings, the global market for consumer network attached storage will be showcasing a greater contribution from small & medium enterprises (SMEs). In 2017 and beyond, SMEs will remain as the largest end-users of consumer network attached storage systems in the world. The demand for consumer NAS is also expected to remain substantial among residential end-uses, revenues from which are likely to reach US$ 1,315.2 Mn by 2024-end. Likewise, these end-users are actively adopting standalone consumer network attached storage system, as opposed to rackmount. The design of consumer NAS will continue to play a pivotal role in growth of the global market. By the end of 2024, more than US$ 2,700 Mn worth of standalone consumer NAS systems will be sold in the world. And, leading tech companies that will be catering to such surging global demands include, D-Link Corporation, NEC Corporation, Seagate Technology PLC, Netgear Inc., Western Digital Corporation, Synology Inc., EMC Corporation, ASUSTOR Inc., QNAP Systems, Inc., and Drobo Inc.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Small Cells and Femtocells Market Shares, Strategies and Forecasts Research Report 2013 to 2019

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Small Cells and Femtocells: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2013 to 2019" to its huge collection of research reports.WinterGreen Research announces that it has published a new study Small Cells and Femtocells: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2013 to 2019. The 2013 study has 413 pages, 162 tables and figures. Worldwide markets are poised to achieve significant growth as small cell and femtocells and trucks permit users to implement automated driving.Small cells are better than base stations for expanding wireless infrastructure coverage in the ear of smart phones. Wireless signals have incremental strength added locally in home, airport, or enterprise.Small cells are able to offload traffic from the macro network to an underlay network at a street and indoor level. Small cells work for individual subscribers, public places, and enterprises. Small cells create a wireless signal transmission zone. A cluster of low-power access points are connected to a local controller. The quality of voice calls and data transmission is improved in a cost effective mannerSmall cells are units that address wireless services operator needs to continue to support of mix of 3G and 4G subscriber device generations and a mix of 3G and 4G technology within the same device. LTE standards for data are well established but wireless devices, smart phones still use 3G for voice services, creating a need for 3G and 4G transmission capability.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Delivery of voice services over LTE networks has not been standardized yet. Operators continue to deliver voice via their 3G networks even as they move data to LTE. As a result, subscriber devices are a mix of 3G-only and 4G plus 3G, with very few 4G-only devices. To support these subscribers comprehensively across all types of mobile services, operators must deploy a multi-mode radio access infrastructure including multimode femtocells.Multimode femtocells provide a cost effective solution to effectively support all user services. There are 3G microcells, picocells, femtocells, a mix of devices known as small cells.The number of mobile internet users has surpassed desktop users as tablets erode the PC markets rapidly. Video streaming and VoIP inflate traffic volumes by a factor of 1,000-fold by 2020. Adding conventional base stations is and unaffordable way to handle this situation. Operators are looking for cost-effective solutions to ease the pressure on their existing infrastructure.The small cell and femtocell designs amalgamate a group of features generally found on macro base station installations to represent a local solution that is cheaper, faster, and better. These include the transmitters, the receivers, software middleware needed for a very local integrated approach to improving signal transmission for smart phones and tablets. Significant investments in research and development are necessary as the emerging small cell and femtocells industry builds on incremental technology roll outs.Small cell and femtocell market shipments forecast analysis indicates that markets at $420 million in 2012 are forecast to reach $5.98 billion by 2019. Market growth comes because there is no other way to build out wireless data infrastructure in an economical manner. The delivery of apps is anticipated to grow to a $236 trillion, yes trillion dollar, market by 2019. This means a lot of data streaming around.According to Susan Eustis, principal author of the report, "Small cell market growth is a result of various moves toward autonomous miniature base stations that are used as boxes to improve cell phone transmission, particularly smart phone signal transmission from everywhere."Market driving forces relate primarily to the need for increased local signal strength. . Services providers are positioning with various small cell and femtocell models to meet huge demand as the world moves to 8.5 billion smart phones in use by 2019 and trillions of interconnected sensors on the Internet of Things. Many small cell vendors are making inexpensive smart phone local transmission a reality.This small cells and femtocells shipment analysis is based on consideration of the metrics for the number of smart phones shipped, percent of public places outfitted with small cells and femtocells, and probable market penetrations of macro base station numbers. Experience using the small cells and femtocells is another factor that contributes to development of triangulation regarding market forecasts for the sector.Companies ProfiledMarket Leaders- Microsoft / Nokia- Samsung- ip.access- Fujitsu- Airvana LP- Cisco / Ubiquisys- NEC- Huawei- Ericsson- Ubee / AirWalkMarket Participants- Airvana LP- Alcatel-Lucent- Antenova- Aricent- Berkeley-Varitronics Systems- CDG- Cisco / Ubiquisys- Ericsson- Ericsson Airvana- Fujitsu- Juniper- Kineto Wireless- LG- Micro Mobio- Mindspeed / picoChip- MTI Mobile- NextPoint- QRC Technologies- Qualcomm- Radisys- Rakon- Repeaters Australia- Reactel- RF Hitec- Small Cell Forum- Sonus Networks- Spirent- Ubee / AirWalk- ZTECheck Out These Key Topics- Femtocell Home Coverage- Small Cells- Femtocells- Pico Cells- Turnkey LTE Small Cell Solution- 3G Small Cell- Femtocell Software- 4G Wireless- 3G Wireless- Residential Femtocells- Enterprise Femtocells- Low-Power Access Points- Small Cells Market Shares- Small Cells Market Forecasts- Small Cells Famework Functions- Smart Phone Signal ControlMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Costume Jewelry Market 2017-2022 Analysis and Forecast Research Report

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In our aim to provide our erudite clients with the best research material with absolute in-depth information of the market, our new report on Global Costume Jewelry Market is confident in meeting their needs and expectations. The 2017 market research report on Global Costume Jewelry Market is an in-depth study and analysis of the market by our industry experts with unparalleled domain knowledge. The report will shed light on many critical points and trends of the industry which are useful for our esteemed clients. The report covers a vast expanse of information including an overview, comprehensive analysis, definitions and classifications, applications, and expert opinions, among others. With the extent of information filled in the report, the presentation and style of the Global Costume Jewelry Market report is a noteworthy.Request a sample of this report @The Global Costume Jewelry Industry report provides key information about the industry, including invaluable facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. Not only does the report cover a holistic view of the industry from a global standpoint, but it also covers individual regions and their development. The Global Costume Jewelry Industry report showcases the latest trends in the global and regional markets on all critical parameters which include technology, supplies, capacity, production, profit, price, and competition. The key players covered in the report provide a detailed analysis of the competition and their developments in the Global Costume Jewelry Industry. Accurate forecasts and expert opinion from credible sources, and the recent R&D development in the industry is also a mainstay of the Costume Jewelry Market report.The report also focuses on the significance of industry chain analysis and all variables, both upstream and downstream. These include equipment and raw materials, client surveys, marketing channels, and industry trends and proposals. Other significant information covering consumption, key regions and distributors, and raw material suppliers are also a covered in this report.Browse the complete report @Finally, the Costume Jewelry Market report ends with a detailed SWOT analysis of the market, investment feasibility and returns, and development trends and forecasts. As with every report on Orbis Research, the Costume Jewelry Industry is the holy grail of information which serious knowledge seekers can benefit from. The report which is the result of ultimate dedication of pedigree professionals has a wealth of information which can benefit anyone, irrespective of their commercial or academic interest.Place a purchase order of this report @Major Points from Table of Content:Chapter One: Costume Jewelry Market OverviewChapter Two: Global Costume Jewelry Market Competition by ManufacturersChapter Three: Global Costume Jewelry Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Four: Global Costume Jewelry Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)Chapter Five: Global Costume Jewelry Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter Six: Global Costume Jewelry Market Analysis by ApplicationChapter Seven: Global Costume Jewelry Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisChapter Eight: Costume Jewelry Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter Nine: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter Ten: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter Eleven: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter Twelve: Global Costume Jewelry Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter Thirteen: Research Findings and ConclusionChapter Fourteen: AppendixSome Points from List of Tables:Figure Picture of Costume JewelryFigure Global Costume Jewelry Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Costume Jewelry Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Product Picture of Bracelets and EarringsTable Major Manufacturers of Bracelets and EarringsFigure Product Picture of Necklaces and RingsTable Major Manufacturers of Necklaces and RingsFigure Product Picture of PendantTable Major Manufacturers of PendantFigure Product Picture of OtherTable Major Manufacturers of OtherFigure Global Costume Jewelry Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Costume Jewelry Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Male ExamplesFigure Female ExamplesFigure Global Costume Jewelry Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (K Units) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure North America Costume Jewelry Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Costume Jewelry Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)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.Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Follow Us on LinkedIn:For More PRs:
Chetu to Exhibit at Cnp Expo In Orlando, Fl

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Plantation, Fla. (April 3rd 2017)  Chetu is thrilled to announce that they will be exhibiting at the 2017 CNP (Card Not Present) Expo in sunny Orlando, Florida. The event takes place May 22nd through the 25th at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort, located at 9939 Universal Boulevard.This year, the CNP Expo will feature 50+ hours of education with a blend of merchant case studies, panels, and industry expert keynotes covering the trends, best practices and technology solutions prevalent in the CNP space. Among the topics covered this year: Fraud Prevention, Chargeback Management, Optimizing Payment Costs, Authentication Trends, Account Takeover Fraud, Conversion Strategies, Evaluating Fraud Providers, PCI Compliance, Tokenization, Alternative Payment/Digital Wallet Acceptance, Controlling False Positives, and more."We are excited to be exhibiting at the CNP Expo once again," said Bryan Van Norman, National Account Manager for Payments & Cyber-security industries at Chetu." Our goal is to present Chetu's security custom software development solutions, designed to protect networks, servers, and applications against potential security threats."About Chetu, Inc.:Chetu provides custom software development services for the security industry, including software solutions for Card-Not-Present, fraud prevention, risk assessments, security audits, and monitoring. Chetu's award-winning software development solutions span the entire software security spectrum, with strict adherence to all regulatory standards, including PCI-DSS, PA-DSS, Dodd-Frank, Check-21, and the Securities Act of 1993. For more information, visit us at:About CNP Expo:The CNP Expo is the only conference of its kind, dedicated to the intersection of security, e-commerce, software, mobile, retail and payments. Attendees come hungry to learn from our highly interactive panel sessions that include industry experts from all corners of the CNP space, including: merchants, vendors, educators, government agencies, startups, nonprofits, consultants, legal counsel and more.Media Contact:Ashley Stagray and/or Seth Burgerpr@chetu.com954-342-5676Chetu is a custom software development company servicing startups, SMBs & Fortune 500 firms worldwide with specialized technology solutions. We provide on-demand programming from senior-level software developers who are dedicated to advancing your business technology objectives.Chetu Inc.10167 W Sunrise Blvd,Suite 200, Plantation,FL 33322
Smart Medical Devices Market: Future Demand and Growth Analysis 2024

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Global Smart Medical Devices: SnapshotSmart medical devices have gained traction in the recent past due to the multitude of benefits they provide to the patient and the caregiver. These devices have radically changed the way a disease is managed, by storing copious amounts of data in a logical format to draw insightful inferences. From understanding patterns of diseases or health issues, smart medical devices have largely helped users to keep an efficient tract of their health and fitness regime. Owing to these reasons, the global smart medical devices market is expected to soar at a CAGR of 7.8% to reach US$66.1 bn by 2024 as compared to US$33.7 bn in 2015.Browse the Complete Details of this Report at:Convenience of Tracking Health Issues through Smart Medical Devices Bodes Well for Global MarketSmart medical devices are being used as important tools by physicians to detect various disease by monitoring vital signs. Chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes have thus received a fresh perspective from both the medical industry as well as the patients. From a broader perspective, these devices have drastically reduced the workload for healthcare providers by closely monitoring patient health and taking quick action in case of any major change in the readings. The report predicts that the demand for smart medical devices will be attributable to the growing pool of geriatrics, who are prone to a wide range of illnesses. Furthermore, the rapid technological advancements in the fitness devices have also lured in a large base of consumers who are interested in monitoring their heart rate, calorie intake, and the number of calories burned. The user-friendliness of these devices is also expected to fuel the uptake of smart medical devices in the coming few years.Diagnostic and Monitoring Devices to Remain Popular as Inclination toward Fitness IncreasesThe various products available in the smart medical devices market are On the basis of product, the global market is segmented into therapeutic devices, diagnostic and monitoring devices, and injury prevention and rehabilitation devices. Of these, the diagnostic and monitoring devices segment is expected to dominate the global market. Growing awareness toward fitness is expected to drive the uptake of these devices. The quick and easy accessibility to fitness prompts, near-accurate monitoring of health condition such as diabetes and blood pressure, and wide availability of devices in varying price range is expected to work in favor of this segment.Improving Medical and Healthcare Services in North America Drive Regional MarketIn terms of geography, the global smart medical devices market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Latin America. North America is expected to exhibit excellent growth rate in the coming years. The adoption of technology in the region and its acceptability amongst the overall population is estimated to benefit the regional market. The ongoing upgradation of medical and healthcare services in the region have also played a crucial role in swift sales of smart medical devices all across North America.Obtain the Sample Research PDF of this Report at:Some of the leading players operating in the global smart medical devices are Abbott Laboratories, Apple Inc., Dexcom, Inc., Fitbit, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic plc, NeuroMetrix, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, and Sonova. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. These players are expected to retain the lead in the coming years due to their penetration in emerging economies and product innovation. The growing investments in the development of sophisticated products are also anticipated to drive the soaring revenues of these players in the coming few years.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
European Molecular Diagnostic Market for Group A Streptococcus (GAS) Nucleic Acid (NA) Test Products Expected to Reach US$ 22.3 Mn in 2023

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Nucleic acid tests are used for rapid and accurate identification of microbes. This report on molecular diagnostic market for group A streptococcus (GAS) nucleic acid (NA) test products in Europe analyses the current and future prospects of the market. The report comprises an elaborate executive summary, including a market snapshot that provides overall information of various segments and sub-segments. This section also provides the overall information and data analysis of the nucleic acid test products market in Europe with respect to the leading market segments based on type of test techniques, end-user, and geography.Obtain Report Details @The market overview section of the report includes qualitative analysis of the nucleic acid test product market in Europe including the factors determining the market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities, along with Porters Five Forces Analysis. In addition, various analyses such as market attractiveness analysis by geography and competitive landscape by key players have been provided.The market attractiveness analysis explains the intensity of competition in the market in different geographies. The competitive scenario between market players is evaluated through market share analysis. These factors would help the market players to take strategic decisions in order to strengthen their positions and expand their shares in the European market.The nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been segmented based on type of test technique, end-user, and geography. Based on type of test technique, the nucleic acid test market has been categorized into three major segments: polymerase chain reaction, non-amplified tests, and isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology. Based on end-user, the nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been segmented into five types: Hospitals, public health laboratories, and others. Market revenue in terms of US$ Mn for the period between 2013 and 2023 along with the compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) from 2015 to 2023 is provided for all the segments, considering 2014 as the base year.For more information on this report, fill the form @Geographically, the nucleic acid test product market in Europe has been categorized into five regions: Western Europe, Northern Europe, Southern Europe, Eastern Europe, and Rest of Europe. Western Europe comprises France, Germany, Austria, and Rest of Western Europe. Northern Europe includes Ireland, Norway, Sweden, the U.K. and Northern Ireland, and Rest of Central Europe. Southern Europe comprises Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Rest of Southern Europe.Eastern Europe comprises Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Russian Federation, and Rest of Eastern Europe. The recommendations section included in the report would assist existing players to expand their market share and new companies to establish their presence in the market. The report also profiles major players in the nucleic acid test product market in Europe based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major players profiled in this report include Alere, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hologic, Inc., Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Nanosphere, Inc., and Quidel Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Contact UsTransparency Market ResearchState Tower,90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
North America Aesthetic Services Market 2024 Overview, Competitive Analysis and Development by Companies

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Characterized by the rivalry between Advanced Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery, Dermatology Solutions Group, Riverchase Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, and Cosmetic & Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Clinic Toronto, the North America market for aesthetic services demonstrates a highly competitive landscape, finds a new research study by Transparency Market Research (TMR).Browse the Complete Details of this Report at:Companies operating in this market are focusing aggressively on innovation and technical advancements and investing heavily to increase the research activities for the development of minimally invasive and less painful treatments. In the coming years, these companies are likely to introduce a number of aesthetic services, expanding their portfolio, which will further intensify the competition within the market.The research report estimates the North America market for aesthetic services to expand its opportunity at a CAGR of 7.70% during the period from 2016 to 2024, rising from a value of US$14.4 bn in 2015 to US$28.1 bn by the end of the forecast period. In terms of volume, the market is likely to get doubled by 2024, reaching more than 22 million procedures. Dermatology clinics and cosmetic centers have surfaced as the key end users of aesthetic services in North America and are anticipated to remain so over the next few years, reports the study.Demand for Aesthetic Services Higher in U.S.An assessment of the North America market for aesthetic services based on its geographical presence has also been offered in this research study. Analysts consider the U.S. and Canada as the key geographical subdivisions of this regional market. The U.S. has been leading the North America aesthetic services market and is expected to continue in the same fashion over the forecast period.The rising prevalence of skin diseases and the increasing awareness among U.S. citizens regarding aesthetic treatments, together with infrastructural advancements in the U.S. medical and healthcare industry, are projected to fuel the demand for aesthetic services considerably in the years to come. In addition to this, the augmenting demand for aesthetic treatments from the male population and the availability of advanced and user-friendly aesthetic devices will reflect positively on this market in the near future. The U.S. market for aesthetic services acquired a share of 95% in the overall market in 2015.Increasing Aesthetic Consciousness to Boost Market GrowthThanks to the remarkable upswing in the aesthetic consciousness and the rising interest of people towards self-grooming, the North America market for aesthetic services has been witnessing a significant expansion in its overall size, states the author of this study. Along with this, the rising prevalence of obesity in North American citizens and the consequent increase in the demand for liposuction procedure are also driving the growth of this market considerably.Obtain the Sample Research PDF of this Report at:On the other hand, the dearth of favorable reimbursement policies is likely to create obstacles for the North America market for aesthetic services in the near future. However, the increasing level of awareness regarding skin rejuvenation procedures, augmenting disposable income of consumers, and their shifting preference towards minimally invasive surgical procedures are anticipated to propel this market remarkably over the next few years, notes the research study.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Bromine Market Expected to Reach 483 KMT by 2016

Bromine Market

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Global demand for bromine market will reach 483 kilo metric tons (KMT) in 2016, up from 470 KMT in 2015. Demand will be impeded by growing regulation and legislation, especially in the European Union (EU), where the use of certain brominated flame retardants is banned or restricted.Bromine Market:Request to view Table of Content @Flame retardants will continue to remain the largest application segment, accounting for 203 KMT volume in 2016, a y-o-y increase of 2.8% over 2015. Use of bromine in oil and gas drilling will continue its upward momentum in 2016, growing at 4.3% in terms of volume  the fastest among all the application segments.The chemicals industry will remain the largest consumer of bromine, accounting for 292 KMT volume in 2016, representing market value worth 1,284 Mn. Use of bromine in the oil and gas sector will also continue to witness steady growth, as clear brine fluids gain traction for drilling purposes. Demand will be offset by sluggish adoption in the electronics industry, as use of brominated flame retardants continues to face stricter regulations. Demand for bromine from electronics sector will witness a growth rate of 2.1% in 2016 over 2015.Asia Pacific will remain the largest market for bromine, representing annual revenues worth US$ 1,087 Mn in 2016, up from 895 Mn in 2015. This is primarily due to expansion of end-use industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and electronic in APAC. Latin America will continue to offer growth opportunities to manufacturers, with global demand witnessing a 2.0% volume growth in 2016 over 2015. Demand will face constraints in the mature markets of North America and Western Europe in 2016 as well.Sample of this report is available upon request @Israel Chemicals Limited, Chemtura Corporation, Albemarle Corporation, Gulf Resources Inc., Tosoh Corporation, Tetra Technologies Inc., Tata Chemicals Limited and Hindustan Salts Limited are the key players in the market. Top players are continuously focusing on expanding their product offerings, especially in flame retardants segments. Collaborations and joint ventures are key business strategies to develop green brominated flame retardants.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @Long-term Outlook: PMR projects the global bromine market to witness moderate growth during the forecast period 2016-2024. APAC will continue to remain the largest market for bromine, growing at 4.1% revenue CAGR during the forecast period.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Gigahertz-Optik Product Update - MSC15 now with Bilirubin measurement function

MSC15 with Bilirubin measurement function

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The MSC15 () spectral light meter now includes display modes for the accurate measurement of neonatal phototherapy lamps in accordance with the latest standards and guidance, irrespective of the lamp type or manufacturer. It directly displays total irradiance for bilirubin, Ebi (mW/cm2) in accordance with IEC 60601-2-50:2009+A1:2016 as well as average spectral irradiance (W/cm2/nm) in accordance with the latest American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations.Neonatal phototherapy is widely used for the treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia, a condition in which there is too much bilirubin in the blood. This causes a yellowing of the infants skin, known as jaundice. Effective phototherapy requires sufficiently high irradiance with appropriate wavelengths, generally accepted as blue light.Optimising treatment dosimetry, agreement on best practises and comparing research have all been hindered by the large variability of measurement data produced by the many proprietary broadband radiometers employed, each with its specific spectral response and typically tailored to specific lamp or LED types. The MSC15 spectral light meter conveniently and effectively eliminates these issues.Additionally, the MSC15 can be used to measure any light source, displaying spectral irradiance from 360-830nm as well as photometric and colorimetric data including photopic, scotopic and melanopic illuminance, color rendering indices, color temperature and CIE chromaticity.Measurement of light - Measurement with lightSince its foundation in 1986, Gigahertz-Optik has always strived for excellence in optical radiation metrology, both in the equipment it produces and the calibration services it offers. Gigahertz-Optik GmbH designs, manufactures and calibrates high quality optical radiation measurement solutions ranging from handheld meters for routine applications through to the most sophisticated laboratory installations. Our comprehensive product line of UV-visible-NIR instrumentation includes spectroradiometers, radiometers, photometers, integrating spheres, calibration sources and numerous accessories. All benefit from our programme of continued product development which ensures our extensive expertise is embedded in our products. Our aim is to always ensure that users can confidently and conveniently achieve the very best levels of measurement uncertainty. Our worldwide customers also appreciate our ability and flexibility in supplying bespoke measurement solutions based on our standard product range and custom components.Gigahertz-Optik GmbHStephanie Gyngell-KleinMarketing-Management / MediengestaltungAn der Kalberweide 1282299 TurkenfeldDeutschlandTel: +49 (0)8193-93700-81Fax: +49 (0)8193-93700-50s.gyngell-klein@gigahertz-optik.de
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets Research Report 2022 | Researchmoz.us

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Therapeutics in Asia-Pacific Markets to 2022 - Launch of Premium Targeted Therapies and Increasing Prevalence to Drive the Market" to its huge collection of research reports.Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is the most common cancer and cause of cancer-related mortality globally. There were more than 1.8 million newly diagnosed lung cancer cases in 2012 globally, accounting for 13% of the total number of cancer cases. Over half of the incident cases of NSCLC are diagnosed in patients over the age of 65 - a high-risk age range for lung cancer. As the aged population is projected to increase, the prevalence of lung cancer is anticipated to increase, thereby acting as a driver for revenue growth. The poor prognosis, particularly for patients with advanced disease, has created a pressing need for improved therapeutic options. The NSCLC market is undergoing a gradual change from a focus on generic chemotherapy regimens to a complex treatment landscape based on different NSCLC subtypes, and the presence of various molecular aberrations.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @In the current market, patients with non-squamous histology can be treated with more efficacious therapies such as Alimta (pemetrexed), while patients harboring activating mutations in EGFR or ALK can be prescribed targeted therapies such as Tarceva, Iressa, Xalkori and Gilotrif. Opdivo (nivolumab) - a mAb immune checkpoint inhibitor targeted towards Programmed cell Death (PD) 1 - is a recent market entrant, gaining approval for treating advanced or metastatic squamous NSCLC patients in Japan in 2015 and in Australia in 2016. While the NSCLC developmental pipeline must aim to improve the outlook for all patients, there is currently a lack of options for patients with squamous cell histology or other detectable molecular characteristics besides EFGR and ALK mutations. Therapies that target mutant T790M and KRAS are being developed in the pipeline, with osimertinib, targeting T790M, gaining approval in Japan in 2016.ScopeThe NSCLC Asia-Pacific market will be valued at $4.9 billion in 2022, growing from $2.7 billion in 2015 at a CAGR of 8.7%.- How will immunotherapies such as Keytruda contribute to the growth?- What effect will patent expirations of currently branded therapies have on market value?The NSCLC pipeline is large and diverse, with an increased presence of mAbs and targeted therapies.- What are the common targets and mechanisms of action of pipeline therapies?- Will the pipeline address unmet needs such as a lack of treatments for squamous cell patients?- What implications will the increased focus on targeted therapies have on the future of NSCLC treatment?Numerous late-stage pipeline therapies with a strong clinical record have the potential to enter the market over the forecast period.- How have the late-stage therapies performed in clinical trials?- How would the approval of rociletinib to treat T790M mutant patients affect the competitive landscape, with its competitor osimertinib (AZD-9291) already approved in Japan in 2016?- How would the approval of abemaciclib to treat KRAS mutant patients affect the competitive landscape, with no targeted therapy currently available to address this patient subset?The market forecasts indicate that Japan will contribute the most to the Asia-Pacific market value due to the emergence of novel therapies.- How will the annual cost of therapy and market size vary between the five Asia-Pacific markets?- How could changes in risk factors such as population age, smoking habits and pollution influence the market?Licensing deals are the most common form of strategic alliance in NSCLC, with total deal values ranging from under $10m to over $1 billion.- How do deal frequency and value compare between target families and molecule types?- What were the terms and conditions of key licensing deals?Reasons to buyThis report will allow you to -- Understand the current clinical and commercial landscape by considering disease pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and the treatment options available at each stage of diagnosis, including a clinical comparison of marketed therapies.- Visualize the composition of the NSCLC market in terms of dominant therapies for each patient subset along with their clinical and commercial standing. Unmet needs are highlighted to allow a competitive understanding of gaps in the current market.- Analyze the NSCLC pipeline and stratify pipeline therapies by stage of development, molecule type and molecular target.- Understand the potential of late-stage therapies with extensive profiles of products that could enter the market over the forecast, highlighting clinical performance, potential commercial positioning, and how they will compete with other therapies.- Predict NSCLC market growth in the five Asia-Pacific markets with epidemiological and annual cost of therapy forecasts across India, China, Australia, South Korea and Japan, as well as individual contributions of promising late-stage molecules to market growth.- Identify commercial opportunities in the NSCLC deals landscape by analyzing trends in licensing and co-development deals.Make an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Global Bismuth Market Revenue is Expected to Reach US$ 226.1 Million by 2016

Bismuth Market

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Global demand for bismuth is expected to grow at a Y-o-Y growth rate of 4.9% by 2016 end. China is a major consumer, producer, and exporter of bismuth and is anticipated to maintain its dominance in the global market in the near future. The country is estimated to account for 27.0% share of overall bismuth sales by the end of 2016. The increasing use of bismuth oxide in growing manufacturing industries is anticipated to drive consumption in the region. The rapid growth of the automobile end-use industry is expected to drive further market growth.Bismuth Market:Request to view Table of Content @Increasing environmental regulations regarding lead usage in various end-use industries would drive demand for bismuth and bismuth derived compounds. Stringent regulations and initiatives by leading manufacturers in end-use industries to phase out lead production is expected to spur bismuth market growth. Major paints & coatings manufacturers such as BASF SE and PPG Inc. are actively offering bismuth-based products replacing their lead based portfolio, in order to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings.The bismuth market in APAC is anticipated to witness higher growth rates due to increasing manufacturing activities in China and India. Demand in Europe is also anticipated to be above average due to stringent lead restricting directives in the region, while demand in North America, Latin America, and MEA is expected to be moderate. Declining lead production due to regulations and declining consumption of lead-acid batteries is anticipated to be a major restricting factor for the global market. The increasing use of bismuth alternatives in pharmaceuticals and alloys is also a major obstacle to market growth.Sample of this report is available upon request @Hunan Jinwang Bismuth Industry Co. Ltd., Hunan Bismuth Co. Ltd., and Nui Phao Mining Company Limited are some of the top producers of bismuth, with a cumulative annual production capacity of 11,000 metric tons.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @PMR Long-term Outlook on Global Bismuth Market: The global bismuth market is expected to reach US$ 400.0 Mn expanding at a CAGR of 6.7% during the forecast period (20162024). Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the largest market for bismuth, with a market share of 46% in overall sales by the end of 2024.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.305 Broadway 7th Floor, New York City, NY 10007, United States,Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Metal Detectors Market to Observe Strong Development

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The Metal Detectors Market report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.A sample of this report is available upon request @Metal Detectors Market : Drivers and ChallengesThe global metal detectors market is expected to be significantly driven by increasing government investments in security owing to the rising violence and conflicts worldwide. Furthermore, ongoing infrastructural development across countries to develop new airports, stadiums and other such infrastructures will create demand for metal detectors. Security application is expected to hold a major share of the demand for metal detectors and witness robust growth over the forecast period. The global metal detectors market has also witnessed increased adoption of metal detectors in industrial application.Moreover, day-by-day general public is understanding the importance of security equipment and as a result systems such as metal detectors are also being increasingly deployed in residential buildings/apartments/townships so as to ensure safety of residents.One of the factors restraining growth is the higher cost, however this factor has only a moderate impact over the growth of the market. Government regulations in some of the countries, which ban the use of metal detectors for applications such as precious metal detection is expected to hamper market growth.Metal Detectors Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the market participants identified in the global metal detectors market are;Fisher Research LaboratoryGarrett Metal DetectorsMinelabXP Metal DetectorsBarskaDetectorProNokta Metal DetectorsTesoro Metal DetectorsE.I.A. S.p.A.Makro Metal DetectorsMetal Detectors, Inc.Metal Detectors Market: Regional OverviewAsia Pacific is expected to remain a major market for metal detectors over the forecast period. The region is expected to generate significant demand for metal detectors for security screening application owing to the ongoing infrastructural developments in the countries such as China and India. North America and Europe are expected to be the next big markets for metal detectors. These regions are expected to witness significant CAGR over the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are estimated to expand at a slower growth rate as compared to Asia Pacific, North America and Europe.Browse Full Report summary and to request sample report and table of content @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Global Elevation Gimbal System Market to Perceive Substantial Growth

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Elevation Gimbal System Market: IntroductionTracking systems are used to measure the relative position and velocity of the target, which in turn, is monitored by keeping track of their future values. Elevation gimbal system is concerned with generation of targets angular position in the elevation and azimuth coordinates through continuous measurements. The elevation gimbal system incorporates a mirror that is used for characterization of precision optical sensors, target tracking and laser based qualification. The system provides high accuracy, movement and direct-reading rotary encoders over the full travel range due to features such as RV Series Rotation Stages. The major application of elevation gimbal system is in military and commercial use. In military use, elevation gimbal systems are used for missile guidance and fire control. Other than this, these tracking systems finds commercial usage in civilian airport traffic control depicting the incoming and departing airplanes.TOC of this report is available upon request @Elevation Gimbal System Market: DriversFor efficient & effective monitoring of the terrorists, a proper elevation gimbal system is a much necessary device. It will be more convenient for armies to fight with the terrorists using elevation gimbal systems. The aforementioned reason is expected to boost the demand for elevation gimbal system and thus in turn, propel the growth of elevation gimbal system market. Moreover, since its precise mechanical design, motion and fabrication control meet the requirements of customer, these features are anticipated to fuel the demand of elevation gimbal system market in near future.Elevation Gimbal System Market: RestraintsInaccuracy of device and its inability to work in critical environmental conditions remain as one of the major challenges to the elevation gimbal system market for target tracking. Further, high initial cost of the system is also restraining the growth of the elevation gimbal system market. These reasons are expected to hinder the growth of elevation gimbal system market.Elevation Gimbal System Market: SegmentationThe global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented on the basis of axis, operation type, weight, range, application and regions. On the basis of axis, the market can be segmented into single axis and double axis. On the basis of operation type, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into manual operation and automatic operation. On the basis of weight, the market can be segmented into super lightweight (less than 1 lb), light weight (1 lb  10 lb), medium weight (10 lb -50 lb) and heavy weight (more than 50 lb). On the basis of range, the market can be segmented into long slant range and short slant range. On the basis of application, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into defence and military and commercial vehicles. On the basis of regions, the global elevation gimbal system market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Japan and Middle East & Africa.Elevation Gimbal System Market: Region wise OutlookBased on regions, North America is expected to be the most promising revenue generating region for global elevation gimbal system market. However, during the forecast period, this region is expected to witness sluggish growth owing to reduction in the defence budget of many countries. Asia Pacific is forecasted to witness significant growth in near future due to continuous increase in the defence budget of many countries. Moreover, China dominates the worlds in terms of troops. This, coupled with the increasing adoption of elevation gimbal system is expected to fuel the growth of elevation gimbal system market in APAC. Europe is expected to show steady growth over the forecast period. Middle East & Africa is anticipated to witness significant growth in near future.Elevation Gimbal System Market: Market ParticipantsSome of the prominent players identified in the global elevation gimbal system market are as follows: 3 Axis Inc. Icecam Gimbal DJI Embention Moog Inc. Deplot Octopus ISR Systems Aerotech Inc.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections done using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, type, machine size and end use.The report covers exhaustive analysis on: Market Segments Market Dynamics Market Size Supply & Demand Current Trends/Issues/Challenges Competition & Companies involved Technology Value ChainRegional analysis includes North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and AfricaSample of this report is available upon request @The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides an in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators, and governing factors, along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various factors on market segments and geographies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd.305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA - Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com
Latest Research report on Disposable Dental Syringe Market predicts favorable growth and forecast till 2022

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The latest industry research report on Disposable Dental Syringe by MRC provides a thorough analysis of the global Disposable Dental Syringe market. The report scrutinizes the market by different segments including regions, applications, competitive landscape, etc. over the predicted time frame. This report provides 360 Degree perspective of the Disposable Dental Syringe industry with an all-inclusive discussion of definitions, classifications, and market players in the industry chain structure. It features qualitative and quantitative analysis of the industry taking into consideration the significant development factors, competition in the market, and important reasons impacting the market growth.Check the discount on report atMedical devices are used to provide various healthcare services to patients thus aiding in monitoring conditions, initiating better recovery and reducing pain. Owing to increasing population, health awareness, growing numbers of chronic diseases, demand for medical equipment is growing. Constant technological advancement and innovation in design are making these devices user-friendly, thus propelling the growth of the Disposable Dental Syringe market.Get sample of report atThe research report focuses on the analysis of its major geographies, and different segments. This all-inclusive study discusses the current market development and trends, important factors driving market growth like drivers, restraints, market projections, and market structure for each region and its sub-segments. It also provides glimpses on the recent technological advancements in the market along with detailed profiles of key industry players. The report also includes an analysis of the micro and macro aspects noteworthy for the present active and the new entities apart from the study of the value chain.Buy report atKey Topics Covered in the Report: Comprehensive overview of parent market with market definition, classification Recognition of factors influencing the market scenarios and analysis of market drivers, barriers, and their impact on the market growth Current and future market trends, market scope and detailed market segmentation on the basis of application, region, and competitive scenario Value Chain Analysis, Strategic insights, and market estimations Technology, trends, developments, and changing market dynamics of the Disposable Dental Syringe industry Facts, stats, historical data, market size forecast regarding volume and value Analysis of competitive landscape and assessments on a regional scale with company profiles of leading market players, finance metrics, product offerings and key business strategies and growth prospects for the projected period Insights on prospective opportunities and challenges, success and riskThe report brings to your attention analysis of the Disposable Dental Syringe market in major geographies including North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. This research report provides a complete insight of the market trends and guides in making informed business decisions. It gives a clear understanding of the competitive environment, key market players, their portfolio, and strategies. It also features a technological growth map over a time and helps understand its impact on the market.Market ScopeThe research report takes different facets into consideration to scrutinize the global Disposable Dental Syringe industry. It brings to your attention market overview, market trends and future outlook, market growth and dynamics, market challenges and opportunities, competitive landscape, and potential investment segment.For More information on segmentation, companies profiled, Submarkets and detail table of content visit @Connect for more details:Sam CollinsMarket Reports Center1-646-883-3044 (US)info@marketreportscenter.comAbout Market Reports Center;Market Reports Center is an e-commerce platform obliging the needs of knowledge workers, experts, professionals who are subject to market research information for their work, or to make strategic business decisions. We are dedicated to create a comprehensive offering of market research which is accurate, credible and affordable.Market Reports Center currently has more than 4,00,000 plus titles and 50+ Publishers on our platform and growing consistently. We cover more than 35 industry verticals being: Automotive, Electronics, Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Chemicals, Construction, Agriculture, Food, Beverages, Banking & Finance, Media and Government, Public Sector Studies.304, Avon Complex,Baner, Pune - 411045
Global Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) Market is Anticipated to Grow US$ 186 Bn Globally by 2020 End

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According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Market the global active pharmaceutical ingredient market was valued at US$ 127 Bn in 2014 and is estimated to reach US$ 186 Bn by 2020 at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2015 to 2020.Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) refers to a therapeutically active ingredient or substance combination used in manufacturing a drug product. Production of active pharmaceutical ingredients is a highly sophisticated and technically demanding process. The global active pharmaceutical ingredient market is surging due to the increased demand for pharmaceutical drugs, which in turn is driven by aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases among others. Further, fragmented nature of the pharmaceutical supplies market, brings a smaller profit share to each player.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @The global active pharmaceutical ingredient market encompasses geographies such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World. North America accounted for the largest segment in the global active pharmaceutical ingredients market in 2014 due to fact that North America is the leading consumer of APIs and API exporters consider North America as the most lucrative market. India and China are the major suppliers of APIs to North America due to low production and labor costs. Moreover, biologics have become one of the top-selling drugs in North America. Thus, the expected market entry of biosimilars with flexible regulatory process would boost the API market in North America. The API market in the U.S. displays high level of competition, with mergers and collaborations between various key players such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sandoz (Novartis AG), Mylan, Inc., and Allergen plc.Additionally, demand for biological APIs is high in the region, as technological developments in the pharmaceutical industry are paving the way for newer biotechnology drugs. These expansion strategies intensify the competition between the global players, which is a result of expected high growth in the API market.Asia Pacific ranks second due to the factors such as availability of low cost production facilities and cheap labor in countries such as India and China. The cost difference ranges from 30% to 60% if the drugs are manufactured in China or India compared to other countries. Hence, China and India are expected to witness significant growth in the near future due to increase in production capacities and presence of large number of global and domestic players Thus, Asia-Pacific is the most competitive market in API and the competition is expected to intensify between India and China, as these are the most attractive destinations for pharmaceutical manufacturing.In Europe pharmacists are offered incentives for substituting branded drugs with generic versions, which contributes to the growth of the API market in the region. Regulations also play a vital role in the API market, as the law disallows development of generic APIs in Europe until patent expiry. However, the governments of various countries in Europe have started supporting the manufacture of generic drugs post the financial crisis. Patent expirations of major blockbuster drugs in Europe during the forecast period would fuel the growth of the API market in the near future.Request to View Tables of Content @Demand for generic drugs is increasing not only in developed countries, but also in developing and underdeveloped countries in South America and Africa. Brazils health authority Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA) allows the procurement or manufacturing of APIs only for companies registered with ANVISA. Moreover, foreign companies find it difficult to enter the generics market in Brazil, as nearly 80% of the market is controlled by the four local companies namely, EMS, Medley, Eurofarma and Ache/Biosintetica. According to reports published by Mexicos National Association of Drug Manufacturers (ANAFAM), in 2013 86% of drugs used in Mexico were produced domestically to help curtail rising healthcare costs. Other factors boosting the API market growth in developing regions are cost-efficient manufacturing, large patient pool, rising demand for generic drugs, and improvement in the healthcare infrastructure. For the same reasons, the API market in South America is developing steadily and is likely to witness significant growth during the forecast period.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Global Glycobiology Market will Reach US$ 1,670.3 Million by 2024

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According to a new market report published by Persistence Market Research Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Market the global active pharmaceutical ingredient market was valued at US$ 127 Bn in 2014 and is estimated to reach US$ 186 Bn by 2020 at a CAGR of 6.6% from 2015 to 2020.Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) refers to a therapeutically active ingredient or substance combination used in manufacturing a drug product. Production of active pharmaceutical ingredients is a highly sophisticated and technically demanding process. The global active pharmaceutical ingredient market is surging due to the increased demand for pharmaceutical drugs, which in turn is driven by aging population, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, neurological and infectious diseases among others. Further, fragmented nature of the pharmaceutical supplies market, brings a smaller profit share to each player.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @The global active pharmaceutical ingredient market encompasses geographies such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe and Rest of the World. North America accounted for the largest segment in the global active pharmaceutical ingredients market in 2014 due to fact that North America is the leading consumer of APIs and API exporters consider North America as the most lucrative market. India and China are the major suppliers of APIs to North America due to low production and labor costs. Moreover, biologics have become one of the top-selling drugs in North America. Thus, the expected market entry of biosimilars with flexible regulatory process would boost the API market in North America. The API market in the U.S. displays high level of competition, with mergers and collaborations between various key players such as Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sandoz (Novartis AG), Mylan, Inc., and Allergen plc.Additionally, demand for biological APIs is high in the region, as technological developments in the pharmaceutical industry are paving the way for newer biotechnology drugs. These expansion strategies intensify the competition between the global players, which is a result of expected high growth in the API market.Asia Pacific ranks second due to the factors such as availability of low cost production facilities and cheap labor in countries such as India and China. The cost difference ranges from 30% to 60% if the drugs are manufactured in China or India compared to other countries. Hence, China and India are expected to witness significant growth in the near future due to increase in production capacities and presence of large number of global and domestic players Thus, Asia-Pacific is the most competitive market in API and the competition is expected to intensify between India and China, as these are the most attractive destinations for pharmaceutical manufacturing.In Europe pharmacists are offered incentives for substituting branded drugs with generic versions, which contributes to the growth of the API market in the region. Regulations also play a vital role in the API market, as the law disallows development of generic APIs in Europe until patent expiry. However, the governments of various countries in Europe have started supporting the manufacture of generic drugs post the financial crisis. Patent expirations of major blockbuster drugs in Europe during the forecast period would fuel the growth of the API market in the near future.Request to View Tables of Content @Demand for generic drugs is increasing not only in developed countries, but also in developing and underdeveloped countries in South America and Africa. Brazils health authority Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA) allows the procurement or manufacturing of APIs only for companies registered with ANVISA. Moreover, foreign companies find it difficult to enter the generics market in Brazil, as nearly 80% of the market is controlled by the four local companies namely, EMS, Medley, Eurofarma and Ache/Biosintetica. According to reports published by Mexicos National Association of Drug Manufacturers (ANAFAM), in 2013 86% of drugs used in Mexico were produced domestically to help curtail rising healthcare costs. Other factors boosting the API market growth in developing regions are cost-efficient manufacturing, large patient pool, rising demand for generic drugs, and improvement in the healthcare infrastructure. For the same reasons, the API market in South America is developing steadily and is likely to witness significant growth during the forecast period.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Stair Lifts Market Expected to Account US$ 396 Mn by the end of 2016

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The global stair lifts market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 7% during the forecast period 2016-2024. Europe will remain the largest market, while North America will grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.Ease of accessibility and low installation costs are the key factors driving the growth of the stair lifts market. Moreover, the rise in geriatric population and ageing-related health conditions, such as osteoarthritis is also accelerating the demand for stair lifts. High level of mobility and user-friendliness is considered to be a top feature of stair lifts. In addition, the quick premarket approval process is expected to play a key role in pushing the demand for stair lifts during the forecast period.A Sample of this Report is Available Upon Request @High prices and negative customer reviews regarding the post-sales service are longstanding challenges in the stair lift market. In addition, concerns regarding the potential risk of injury owing to inappropriate installation will continue to pose challenges to growth.Owing to their numerous advantages, various government and private organisations are looking to invest in star lifts, and this is expected to create growth opportunities for manufacturers during the forecast period. Implementation of latest technology to enhance safety is expected to increase confidence among consumers, thereby, bolstering demand during the forecast period.Incorporation of adaptive technology, such as manual and powered Swivel technology along with a safety switch is a key trend among manufacturers. Another key trend in the stair life market is the use of rechargeable batteries which has led to simplified operations and high efficiency.Europe will remain the numero uno market for stair lifts during the forecast period 2016-2024. The Europe stair life market is expected to reach US$ 396 Mn by the end of 2016 and witness a CAGR of 7.2% through 2024. Strong distribution strategy and unparalleled product innovation will primarily drive the European stair lifts market. The UK, Germany, and France are expected to retain their position as the top 3 markets in Europe during the forecast period, with the UK stair lifts market expected to surpass US$ 167 Mn in 2016.North America will remain the second largest market for stair lifts, with overall demand dominated by the US. Innovative products and quicker premarket approvals are expected to play a key role in driving the growth of the North America stair lift market. Moreover, increased awareness about stair lifts among patients with disabled mobility is also expected to fuel demand during the forecast period. In the backdrop of these factors, the North America stair lift market is anticipated to reach US$ 284.9 Mn in 2016.Asia Pacific, the third largest market for stair lifts, is expected to witness impressive growth during the forecast period. The APAC stair lift market is expected to grow by 5% in terms of revenues in 2016. Japan is expected to remain the largest market during the forecast period, followed by China.Request to View Tables of Content @Key players operating in the stair lift market include Stannah Stairlifts Ltd., Acorn Stairlifts, Bruno Independent Living Aids, Inc, and Handicare. Leading brands available in the market include Starla, Siena, Acorn Superglide 120, Elan Indoor Straight, and Handicare Van Gogh.To Buy Full Report for a Single User @About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated re-search, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Con-sumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs en-gagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.commedia@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
ePharmacy Global Market (By Geography - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America) From 2017 - 2023

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "ePharmacy Global Market (By Geography - North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America) From 2017 - 2023".With the rise of Internet penetration, there has been a dramatic shift in the buying behavior of customers toward increased online purchasing. From essentials such as groceries and apparel to luxury products, everything is available for purchase on online retail platforms. The healthcare sector is no exception to this online retail trend, with pharmacies going online. With advantages such as round-the-clock availability and delivery of drugs, complete information on the prescribed drug, and knowledge of cost-effective substitutes, the market for ePharmacies is expected to experience a surge of growth in the coming years.Operating within all the guidelines and standards set by their respective national governments, ePharmacies have emerged as ethical business entities and have become an effective source of prescription medicines. The trend of ePharmacies was initially witnessed in the developed economies of North America and Europe; however, with the rising penetration of the Internet and growing awareness among customers about prescription medicines, the market for ePharmacies is gaining momentum in the emerging countries in Asia Pacific.This research study focuses on providing a comprehensive market assessment on current trends in the global ePharmacies market, along with a focus on various factors affecting the markets growth. The influential factors that affect the growth of the ePharmacy market have been analyzed under the market dynamics section, which comprises market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. The report also provides comprehensive assessment of vendor strategies for excellence in the business. The report segregates the market into five different geographies: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. Some of the major countries/regions analyzed in the report include the U.S., the EU7, the CIS, China, Japan, the Indian Subcontinent, Australasia, the GCC countries, North Africa, and South Africa. The report provides market size estimates and forecasts for all the regional and country segments for the ePharmacies market.The research study estimates the global ePharmacies market in terms of revenue (US$ Mn) for the period 2013 to 2023, which comprises:2013: the base year2014: estimated value20152023: forecast periodTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The market estimates have been evaluated considering different technological, economic, political, environmental, social, and legal factors. The market positioning analysis of major players in the market is provided in the research study, which would help the buyers of this report understand the key strategies adopted by these players.The company profiles section in the report provides competitive profiles of the leading players (however not all the market players) in the market. This section elucidates on the below details:Company addressGeographical presenceProduct/service portfolioRecent developmentsHistorical roadmapFinancial performanceBusiness strategiesSome of the leading players profiled in the report include Banner Health, Dr. Fox Pharmacy, Lloyds Pharmacy Ltd., eDrugstore.MD, Walgreen Co., DocMorris NV, Rowlands Pharmacy, MediSave, CVS Caremark, and PlanetRx.com.ePharmacy Market Segmentation:ePharmacy Market, by Geography:North AmericaU.S.Rest of North AmericaEuropeEU7 (UK, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Belgium, and Netherlands)CISRest of EuropeAsia PacificJapanChinaIndian Subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)Australasia (Australia, New Zealand, and Guinea)Rest of Asia PacificMiddle East and AfricaGCC CountriesNorth AfricaSouth AfricaRest of MEALatin AmericaBrazilRest of Latin AmericaMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Industrial Emission Control Systems Market, by Emission Source & Device Type - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2023

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ResearchMoz presents this most up-to-date research on "Industrial Emission Control Systems Market, by Emission Source & Device Type - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth Trends, and Forecast 2017 - 2023".This research study analyzes the market for industrial emission control systems in terms of revenue (US$ Mn). The industrial emission control systems market has been segmented on the basis of emission source, type of emission control device, and geography. The geographical segmentation includes regions which are further divided into eight countries (major players in the global industrial emission control systems market). For the research, 2014 has been taken as the base year, while all forecasts have been given for the period from 2015 to 2023. Market data for all the segments has been provided at the regional as well as country-specific level from 2015 to 2023. The report provides a broad competitive analysis of companies engaged in the industrial emission control systems business. The report also includes the key market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities affecting the global industrial emission control systems market. These market dynamics were analyzed in detail and are illustrated in the report with the help of supporting graphs and tables. The report also provides a comprehensive analysis of the global industrial emission control systems market with the help of Porters Five Forces model. This analysis helps in understanding the five major forces that affect the structure and profitability of the global industrial emission control systems market. The forces analyzed are bargaining power of buyers, bargaining power of suppliers, threat of new entrants, threat of substitutes, and degree of competition.The high-level analysis in the report provides detailed insights into the industrial emission control systems business globally. There are currently numerous drivers of the market. The most prominent drivers include stringent government regulations and emission standards, and growing demand for power in the wake of industrialization in the emerging markets. Market attractiveness analysis was carried out for the industrial emission control systems market on the basis of end-use. Market attractiveness was estimated on the basis of common parameters that directly impact the market in different regions.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The industrial emission control systems market was segmented on the basis of emission source (power plants, chemical process industry, marine industry, waste to energy industry, and other industries), device type (electrostatic precipitators, catalytic reactors, incinerators, filters, and others), and geography. The industrial emission control systems market was analyzed across four geographies: North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (the Middle East, South America, and Africa). Regional data has been provided for each sub-segment of the industrial emission control systems market. Key players in the industrial emission control systems market include Alstom Group, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises Inc., GEA Group AG, Johnson Matthey PLC, Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Limited (MHPS), CECO Environmental Corp., and BASF Catalysts LLC. The report provides an overview of these companies, followed by their financial details, business strategies, and recent developments.Industrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Emission SourcePower PlantsChemical Process IndustryMarine IndustryWaste to Energy IndustryOther IndustriesIndustrial Emission Control Systems Market: By Device TypeElectrostatic PrecipitatorsCatalytic ReactorsIncineratorsFiltersOthersIndustrial Emission Control Systems Market: By RegionNorth AmericaU.S.CanadaMexicoEuropeGermanyU.K.Rest of EuropeAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaRest of Asia PacificRest of the WorldMake an Enquiry of this report @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Oil And Gas Analytics Market to hit $21bn by 2024 : Global Market Insights, Inc.

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The report Oil And Gas Analytics Market Size By Deployment (On Premise, Hosted), By Application (Upstream [Exploration and Drilling, Field Surveillance and Monitoring], Regional Outlook (U.S., Norway, UK, France, Italy, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Nigeria), Global Forecast, 2016  2024 by Global Market Insights, Inc. says Oil And Gas Analytics Market size is expected to exceed USD 21 billion by 2024Low crude oil prices coupled with high cost investment in exploration and production of conventional and unconventional resources will drive the industry growth. U.S. based Cobalt has explored natural gas in the Zalophus 1 well at Block 20 offshore Angola. Such exploration activities will need advanced service platform including hardware and software support.Request for a sample of this research report @Increasing downstream demand owing to rapid refinery expansion to fulfill petroleum demand will drive global oil and gas analytics market size. These services will help to reduce the downtime and maintenance cost for refining industries.Increasing exploration and production to suffice growing demand for energy will enhance the oil and gas analytics in future. Increasing investments in digital technology by petroleum industry has increased the workforce productivity and reduced cost, which will further encourage the oil and gas analytics market size.Upstream oil and gas analytics market share is expected to witness highest growth, with increasing offshore drilling further complimenting revenue generation. It helps to obtain real time data at minimum cost which may favor the industry growth in coming years. TIBCO Software Inc., executed digital technology to optimize E&P cost. Increasing rivalry involving refinery & volatile feedstock has forced downstream players to utilize oil and gas analytics services, which will improve processing and refining efficiency.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Key insights from the report include: U.S. oil and gas analytics market size for hosted deployment segment, was valued over USD 800 million in 2015, and will grow at a CAGR of over 19% from 2016 to 2024. Bakken Shale exploration and production activity have deployed hosting for oil and gas industry. Professional services in France and gas analytics market size are likely to reach over USD 300 million by 2024. Rising adoption of big data platform in France for improving operationally efficient production will drive the oil and gas analytics market share. Field surveillance and monitoring for India is projected to reach over USD 100 million by 2024. Analytics helps upstream sector to obtain real time data at low cost which also manage operations in better way with new capabilities and by reducing risk factors. Cloud services were valued at over USD 1.2 billion in 2015 and is expected to witness gains of over 20% during the forecast period. Angola on-premise deployment demand was USD 17.50 million in 2015, growing at a CAGR of 25.8%. Norway exploration and drilling analytics demand was over USD 50 million in 2015, is expected to expand at a CAGR of over 15% by 2024. Key players catering this industry are Accenture, Cisco Systems, Inc., Cognizant, Deloitte, Drillinginfo Inc., Microsoft, SAS Institute Inc., Oracle, SAP SE, Tableau Software, Teradata, IBM, TIBCO Software Inc., Hitachi, Ltd., Capgemini, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP.Oil and gas analytics market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of revenue in USD million from 2013 to 2024, for the following segments:Global Oil And Gas Analytics Market By Deployment On-Premise HostedGlobal Oil And Gas Analytics Market By Services Professional Cloud IntegrationGlobal Oil And Gas Analytics Market By Application Upstreamo Exploration and Drilling Analyticso Field Surveillance and Monitoring Analyticso Production Planning and Forecasting Analyticso Equipment Maintenance Management Analyticso Asset Performance Analyticso Workforce Management Analytics Midstreamo Pipeline SCADA Analyticso Fleet Analyticso Storage Optimization Analytics Downstreamo Commodity Trading Analyticso Demand Forecasting Analyticso Pricing Analyticso Refining AnalyticsThe above information is provided on a regional and country basis for the following: North Americao U.S. Europeo Norwayo UKo Franceo ItalyBrowse Related Reports: Oil Storage Market Size By Reserve (Commercial Reserve, Strategic Reserves), By Material (Steel, Carbon Steel, Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic), By Fuel (Crude Oil, Gasoline, Aviation Fuel, Middle Distillates, LNG, LPG), Industry Analysis Report, Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Netherland, Spain, Belgium, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt, South Africa, Brazil, Argentina), Application Potential, Price Trends, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2016  2025About Global Market InsightsGlobal 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 HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:
Global Frequency Synthesizer Sales Market 2017 - Analog Devices Inc, Texas Instruments Inc, Ultra Electronics, National Instruments

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Global Frequency Synthesizer Sales Market 2017, presents a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market globally, providing basic overview of Frequency Synthesizer Sales market including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure, Frequency Synthesizer Sales Market report provides development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and cost structures.Global Frequency Synthesizer Sales Industry 2017 is a comprehensive, professional report delivering market research data that is relevant for new market entrants or established players. Key strategies of the companies operating in the market and their impact analysis have been included in the report. Furthermore, a business overview, revenue share, and SWOT analysis of the leading players in the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market is available in the report.Combining the data integration and analysis capabilities with the relevant findings, the report has predicted strong future growth of the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market in all its geographical and product segments. In addition to this, several significant variables that will shape the Frequency Synthesizer Sales industry and regression models to determine the future direction of the market have been employed to create the report.The report begins with a market overview and moves on to cover the growth prospects of the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market. The current environment of the global Frequency Synthesizer Sales industry and the key trends shaping the market are presented in the report. Insightful predictions for the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market for the coming few years have also been included in the report. These predictions feature important inputs from leading industry experts and take into account every statistical detail regarding the Frequency Synthesizer Sales market.Download Free Sample Report @Statistical forecasts in the research study are available for the total Frequency Synthesizer Sales market along with its key segments. The key segments, their growth prospects, and the new opportunities they present to market players have been mentioned in the report. Moreover, the impact analysis of the latest mergers and acquisition and joint ventures has been included in the report. The report also provides valuable proposals for new project development that can help companies optimize their operations and revenue structure.The competitive landscape of the market presented in the study profiles the most prominent players in the market. The business overview, recent developments, key strategies, and revenue share of key market players in the global Frequency Synthesizer Sales market have been covered in the research report. Moreover, the latest events and their impact on the Global Frequency Synthesizer Sales industry have been presented in the report. In addition to this, the report features strategic recommendations that will help new entrants or established players optimize their ROI.Fior Markets is a leading market intelligence company that sells reports of top publishers in the technology industry.Our extensive research reports cover detailed market assessments that include major technological improvements in the industry. Fior Markets also specializes in analyzing hi-tech systems and current processing systems in its expertise.We have a team of experts that compile precise research reports and actively advise top companies to improve their existing processes. Our experts have extensive experience in the topics that they cover.Contact UsMark StoneSales ManagerPhone: (201) 465-4211Email: sales@fiormarkets.comWeb:Blog:
SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY MARKET - GLOBAL INDUSTRY INSIGHTS, TRENDS, OUTLOOK, AND OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS, 2016-2024

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Synthetic biology is a combination of biology and biomedical engineering principles that favors designing and construction of novel biological parts & systems and also the reconstruction of preexisting designs according to specific application requirements. Synthetic biology is extensively used in the field of medical and pharmaceuticals to produce and manufacture improved biological drugs and systems to meet various challenges in the healthcare sector. Synthetic biology offers various opportunities in the field of healthcare such as recreating highly complex pathways, DNA sequences, and natural biological systems. In synthetic biology market, genetically modified organisms is the new approach for researchers. However, currently only one engineered gene has been developed, with increasing focus on creating clusters of genes. Also, due to the rising demand for vaccines in high income countries, synthetic biologists are more inclined towards research of various types of vaccines that can be used as prophylaxis. According to WHO, in in 2011, high income countries such as the U.S., Japan, and the U.K. contributed around 80% of global vaccine sales revenue, with these regions accounting for 20% volume share.Download Exclusive PDF Brochure of This Report :Synthetic biology market taxonomy:By Product TypeSynthetic DNASynthetic cellsSynthetic genesChassis organismsGenetically modified organismsOligonucleotide SynthesisBy ToolXeno-nucleic Acids (XNA)Cloning and Assembly kitsOligonucleotidesEnzymesGet Exclusive Discount on this CMI Report:By TechnologyEnabling TechnologiesBioinformaticsSite-saturation MutagenesisMeasurement and ModelingMicrofluidicsCloning and SequencingGene SynthesisGenome EngineeringNanotechnologyEnabled TechnologiesPathway EngineeringNext-generation SequencingBy ApplicationEnvironmental ApplicationBioremediationWhole-cell BiosensorsIndustrial ApplicationBiofuels and Renewable EnergyIndustrial EnzymesBiomaterials and Green ChemicalsMedical ApplicationArtificial Tissue and Tissue RegenerationPharmaceuticalsDrug Discovery and TherapeuticsGovernment funding supporting synthetic biology market growth:Growing demand for synthetic biology products such as synthetic DNA, synthetic genes for treatment of diseases and for developing genetic modified products such as hybrid crop, genetically modified animals for enhancing the nutritional value of the food is also contributing towards the growth of the synthetic biology market. Also, various governments are investing in research and development of novel synthetic biology products. For instance, according to the report from U.S. Trends in Synthetic Biology Research at the Wilson Center, during the period of six years from 2008 to 2014, the U.S. invested around US$ 820 million in research for products in synthetic biology. Among different funding agencies, the defense department became a key funder of synthetic biology research dominating the funds by national science foundation. The above key fact also suggests that U.S. is expected to be a significant contributor in synthetic biology market.Browse Global Strategic Business Report :Regional analysis of synthetic biology market:Developed countries such as the U.S., Germany, U.K., France, and Japan have mature markets for synthetic biology mainly due to large funding and favorable government regulation regarding the approval of synthetic biology products. According to genetic engineering & biotechnology news in 2010, the government of three European countries namely the Netherlands, U.K., and Germany invested around US$ 160 million in a span of five years between 2005 and 2010. Regulations such as Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in 1997, cover commercial uses of new microorganisms not regulated by other agencies: primary rules covering industrial biotechnology. European Commission and research agencies have also increased their funding for research in synthetic biology. In emerging economies in Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Africa, governments are focusing on tackling major issues such as under-nutrition by encouraging adoption of GMO crops. For example, Indian government is had put efforts in the past regarding in terms of intervention programs to combat malnutrition such as Integrated child development services and mid-day meal program This creates a highly conducive environment for market growth.Major acquisitions to support the growth in synthetic biology marketThere are few recent acquisitions by the big brands in biotechnology that is expected to favor the market for synthetic biology. QIAGEN N.V acquired OmicSofta software solutions company that offers scientists and researchers tools to efficiently analyze and visualize the data in bioinformatics. This acquisition is further expected to favor the working efficiency of the company. Key players operating in the synthetic biology market include DuPont, Amyris, Inc., GenScript USA Inc., Integrated DNA Technologies, Intrexon Corporation, New England Biolabs, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Synthetic Genomics, Inc., Royal DSM, and Novozymes.About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit Coherent Market Insights Blog @Connect with us on LinkedIn @
Polyurethane (PU) Adhesives Market Regulations and Competitive Landscape Outlook to 2026

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Adhesive is the substance applied on to different surfaces to bind them together. Use of adhesives has eliminated the demand for welded parts, rivets, and other mechanical parts in many equipment. The incorporation of polyurethane adhesives helps to reduce the overall manufacturing cost. Manufacturers have been using polyurethane adhesives due to superior product performance, improved product life, and reliability. Polyurethane adhesives are used in multiple industries such as construction, electronics, footwear, furniture, automotive, packaging, and so on. Nowadays, vehicles contain more of plastic parts over mechanical fasteners. Use of polyurethane adhesive makes vehicle parts light in weight and thus enhances the fuel efficiency. In automotive arena, the consumption of polyurethane based adhesives is significantly growing.Polyurethane adhesives are well accepted in many end-use applications, since they provide excellent adhesion to different substrates and binds them immediately. Polyurethane based adhesives are preferred over other adhesives due to fast curing. The demand for polyurethane adhesives is driven by growth in automotive and building & construction industry. Thermoplastic polyurethane adhesives are widely used for different applications as it offers enhanced flexibility and improved adhesion. However, thermoplastic polyurethane based adhesives are costlier. Rising demand for housing and government spending on infrastructure in China and India boosts the demand for Polyurethane adhesives. Industrial development and growing demand of customers for packaging, automotive, and electronics in terms of adhesives is expected to drive polyurethane adhesives market over the forecast period of 2016-2026.Request Report Sample@Polyurethane Adhesives Market: Market DynamicsDemand for polyurethane adhesives from end-use industries such as footwear, automotive, building & construction, packaging, and electronics has significantly increased over the past few years. The key driver of polyurethane adhesives market is the rapidly growing construction and renovation activities. There is significant growth in the building & construction industry of India, China, and Brazil, which results in propelling the demand for polyurethane adhesives. Increasing government expenditure on construction and growing economy are anticipated to boost the demand for Polyurethane adhesive market over the next few years in these countries. Growth of automotive industry due to rise in production of passenger and commercial vehicles with increasing demand for light weight components has impelled the demand for polyurethane adhesives. In Asia-Pacific region, significant automotive growth is observed in the past few years due to economic growth and rise in disposable income. The demand for automotive is likely to continue in next few decades in this region and thus drive the demand for polyurethane adhesives over the forecast period.Rising income, change in life style, consumer preference, and improving standard of living fuels the demand for electronics appliances, which in turn boosts the demand for polyurethane adhesives market. Asia-Pacific is the rapidly growing region for automotive and electronics segments of the polyurethane adhesives market. Growth in other end-use industries such as footwear, furniture, and packaging is supporting the demand for polyurethane adhesives across the world. The product development and innovation will be the keys to increase the customer base and market share of polyurethane adhesives market. New products with superior solutions and eco-friendly features are the major demand drivers of polyurethane adhesive market.Polyurethane Adhesives Market: Market SegmentationPolyurethane AdhesivesMarket is segmented on the basis of technology type, product type, and end-use application.On the basis of technology, Global Polyurethane Adhesives Marketcan be segmented as:Solvent-borneDispersionHot-meltReactiveOthersOn the basis of product type, Global Polyurethane Adhesives Market can be segmented into:ThermosetThermoplasticOn the basis of applications, Global Polyurethane AdhesivesMarket can be segmented as:FootwearAutomotiveBuilding & ConstructionPackagingElectrical & ElectronicsFurnitureOthersVisit For TOC@Polyurethane Adhesives Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the Global Polyurethane Adhesives Market identified across the value chain include, 3M, BASF, ADCO Global Inc., Avery Dennison Corp, Arkema S.A., Ashland Inc., H.B. Fuller, Henkel AG & Co, Huntsman Corporation, Illinois Tool Works Inc., Pidilite Industries, American Biltrite Inc., Adhesives Research Inc., Chemence, Ellsworth, RPM International Inc., Beardow & Adams (Adhesives) Ltd., Scott Bader Company Ltd., Ninghai Dingcheng Adhesive Co Ltd., Sika AG, and Dow Chemical Company among others.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Blog:
Cellulose Derivative Market Trends and Segments 2016-2026

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Cellulose is natural polymer present in plants, and cellulose derivative is produced from the pulp. The pulp is basically a fibrous material yielded after separation of cellulose fibres from fibre crops, waste paper or from wood. Naturally, the cellulose derivatives are water insoluble but with chemical process and alterations of the molecules, they are modified into water-insoluble cellulose derivatives. These water-insoluble cellulose derivatives find various applications such as in ceramics. Methylcellulose, cellulose derivative offers uniform thickness, better flow properties, and thermal gelation. Also, Cellulose ethers and cellulose esters which are also cellulose derivatives are widely used in pharmaceutical industries for formulations of health care products. Other pharmaceutical uses of cellulose derivatives include coating processes, mucoadhesive and bioadhesive drug delivery systems, osmotic drug delivery systems etc. Cellulose derivatives are also used in concrete mixtures as an additive, thus protects the water quality throughout construction. The cellulose derivatives are manufactured by various grades depending on the use such as, food grade, pharmaceutical grades, constructions grades etc. Cellulose derivative finds applications even in soaps and shampoos for producing long lasting foam. The cellulose derivatives market is expected to expand significantly during the forecast period due to increasing consumption in the diverse application.Global Cellulose Derivative Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe global cellulose derivative market is primarily driven by the increasing demand from pharmaceutical, personal care, and cosmetic industries. Cellulose derivatives offer wide properties such as stabilization, emulsification, reversible thermal gelation etc. These properties are enormously required in the food industry and increasing demand for these functional additive properties propels the global cellulose derivatives market.Request Report Sample@However, the stringent regulations for cellulose derivative might impact the growth of cellulose derivative market.Global Cellulose Derivative Market: SegmentationOn the basis of cellulose derivative type, cellulose derivative market is segmented into:-Methyl cellulose derivativeCarboxymethyl cellulose derivativeHydroxyethyl cellulose derivativesEthyl cellulose derivativesOthersOn the basis of cellulose derivatives grades, cellulose derivative market is segmented into:-Food gradePharmaceutical gradeIndustrial gradeOn the basis of end use, cellulose derivative market is segmented into:-Food IndustryPharmaceutical IndustryPersonal CareConstructionPaint IndustryOthersGlobal Cellulose derivative Market: Region wise OutlookThe global cellulose derivative market is divided into seven regions, namely North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan and Middle East and Africa (MEA). APEJ holds the major share in the global cellulose derivative market due increasing consumption in various application such as food industry, construction and pharmaceutical industries. Followed by APEJ is North America and Europe and are expected to grow relatively at a higher CAGR during the forecast period. The global cellulose derivative market is anticipated to expand at a double digit CAGR growth due to expansion of end use industries during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Global Cellulose Derivative Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players identified in the global cellulose derivative market includes:Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., LtdLOTTE Fine ChemicalSamsung Fine ChemicalsDaicel Corporation.Akzo Nobel N.V. (Performance additives)Ashland Inc.SE Tylose GmbH & Co. KGCP KelcoShandong Head Europe BVSichuan Nitrocell Co LtdAbout Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Blog:
Trans-free Products Market: Growing Incidences of Cardiovascular Diseases to Push Demand

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Growing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases has compelled consumers to be more aware about healthy foods and this is creating a demand for trans-free food products. Transparency Market Research (TMR) in its latest report, answers key questions with regards to the future growth prospects and scope of the trans-free market. The report is titled Trans-free products Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024Top of FormTop of Form. According to the report, the change in eating habits of consumers on account of growing health awareness and inclination towards healthy food, have resulted in a heightened demand for trans-free products. The growing disposable income of the middle class population and high spending patterns of these people on healthy foods are expected to boost the sales of trans-free products.Browse Market Research Report @The market for trans-free products is expected to flourish in the coming years on account of growing incidences of strokes and heart attacks on account of consuming products that are high in trans fats, which in turn leads to high cholesterol levels. So as to minimize the risk of heart failure and high cholesterol, consumers across the globe are opting for trans-free products, driving the market. Another factor boosting the growth of the global trans-free products market is the stringent regulations set by the FDA (Food and Drug Association) which bans the use of artificial trans-fats.As per this report, huge scope of growth opportunities lie in developing nations as stringent regulations are banning the use of trans fats in food products. However, some manufacturers are making use of saturated fats which increase low density lipoprotein (LDL) and blood cholesterol and is the factor which will restrain the market in the coming years.Make an Enquiry @On the basis of product, the market is segmented into snack foods, sweets, oil, and main course and convenience foods. By distribution channel, the market is segmented into supermarkets, hyper markets, retail stores, and e-retailers. On the basis of geography, the market is led by North America owing to a greater awareness among people regarding the health benefits of consuming trans-free products. Also, a large number of people in this region are suffering from heart diseases, thus further necessitating the consumption of trans-free products. Europe is leading the market of trans-free products after North America.Some of the players operating in the global trans free products market are Boulder Brands, Cargill, Incorporated., WESTERN PACIFIC OILS, INC., ACH Food Companies, Inc., El Peto Products LTD., Bunge North America, Inc., NMGK Group, and The J.M. Smucker Company. The report studies the business and financial overview of key players and discusses recent developments by each company.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Liquid Crystal Polymers Market Forecast By End-use Industry 2017-2027

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As frequencies tend to upsurge for the next generation of wireless applications, the integration techniques as well as materials in radio frequency systems are facing more challenging performance constraints. In addition, consumers are demanding repeatedly better performance with minimal surge in price. The new material technologies must be identified that can concurrently tackle these performance challenges, environmental variation, frequency, and cost. The commercial production of liquid crystal polymer (LCP) started in the mid-1980s, and they could not be injection molded at that time. Today, liquid crystal polymers can be melt processed on any conventional equipment into heavy as well as thin wall components at very fast speeds. Liquid crystal polymers are materials that have gained attention as a packaging material and potential high performance microwave substrate. They are available in market in liquid as well as solid forms.Liquid crystal polymers are unique group of linear polymers which are inert, highly chemical resistant and unreactive. During the melting and injection molding, liquid crystal polymers show low viscosity and high flow to fill the intricate molds completely, making liquid crystal polymers a good choice for manufacturing of ultrathin and miniature parts with less than 0.1 mm thickness and short cycle times. Liquid crystal polymers possess various physical and chemical properties such as high stiffness, high flow, and high temperature resistance, which makes it suitable for their use in product miniaturization in the electrical & electronics industry and microinjection molding. Liquid crystal polymers are utilized in various applications focusing on electronic components that include smartphones, laptop, desktop, and tablets. Further, liquid crystal polymers are consumed for automotive and industrial applications as well as in aerospace and medical. Owing to their increasing consumption in various end-use industries, the liquid crystal polymers market is expected to increase at a high CAGR over the forecast period (20172027).Request Report Sample@Global Liquid Crystal Polymers Market: DynamicsRising demand for high performance and lightweight materials from the automobile industry in order to manufacture fuel efficient vehicles and reduce carbon emissions is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of liquid crystal polymers market. Moreover, shifting trend toward the miniaturization of electronic as well as electrical components such as SMT connectors with high density of pin, surface mounting devices and other microelectronic devices is also expected to fuel the demand of liquid crystal polymers in near future. The aforementioned factors are expected to drive the global liquid crystal polymers market and their demand is expected to increase at a significant CAGR through 2026. The key challenges faced by market players in the global liquid crystal polymers market include their low welding strength, etc., nonetheless, efforts are being made to enhance their physical and chemical properties to overcome such challenges.Global Liquid Crystal Polymers Market: SegmentationOut of the many ways by which the global liquid crystal polymers market can be segmented is on the basis of end-use industry, which segments as the following:Electrical & ElectronicsAutomotiveAerospaceIndustrialOthers (medical, cookware, etc.)Global Liquid Crystal Polymers Market: Region-wise OutlookAsia pacific region is estimated to remain among the key consumers of liquid crystal polymers across the globe by 2017 end, owing to the expansion of electrical & electronics industry in the region. Within the Asia Pacific region, China accounts for a significant share in the regional liquid crystal polymers market. Rising investments and increase in number of manufacturing sites are expected to drive the market growth for liquid crystal polymers in the APAC region. Asia-pacific is also expected to witness a high growth over the forecast period. North America and Europe are anticipated to register steady growth in the global liquid crystal polymers market between 2017 and 2026.Visit For TOC@Global Liquid Crystal Polymers Market: Market ParticipantsExamples of some of the market participants in the liquid crystal polymers market, identified across the value chain, include Polyplastics Co., Ltd., Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Celanese Corporation, Solvay S.A., Ueno Fine Chemicals Industry Ltd., Toray International, Inc., SAMSUNG FINE CHEMICALS CO. LTD., and Shanghai PRET Composites Co., Ltd. among others.About Us  Future Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centers in the U.S. and India.CONTACT:616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:Blog:
2nd International Conference on Advances in Chemical Engineering & Technology November 16-17, 2017 Paris, France

http://chemicalengineering.conferenceseries.com/europe/

By following the successful campaign of Chemical Engineering-2016"" Conference Series LLC is very delighted to Organize the 3rd International Conference on Advances in Chemical Engineering and technology during November 16-17, 2017 Paris, France which includes prompt keynote presentations, Oral talks, Poster presentations and Exhibitions.For details visit our website:On this propitious moment, we invite all the global participants to join us at Paris, France for Eurochemical Engineering 2017. Theme of the Chemical engineering 2017 conference is Exploring the latest trends in Chemical Engineering with an objective to encourage young minds and their research abilities by providing an opportunity to meet the experts in the field of Chemical Engineering. Chemical Engineering events are designed to explore various applications in different fields.Conference Series LLC organizes a conference series of 3000+ Global Events with over 600+ Conferences, 1200+ Symposiums and 1200+ Workshops in Europe, USA, & Asia with support from 1000 more scientific societies and publishes 700+ Open access journals which contains over 30000 eminent personalities, reputed scientists as editorial board members.Conference series LLC5716 Corsa Ave, Suite110Westlake, Los AngelesCA-91362-7354, USAPh: +1-702-508-5200 Ext: 8035, 1-800-216-6499Email: eurochemengineering@chemseries.com
East Africa: Banking on Innovation

East Africa in recent years has been experiencing high economic growth rates, significant government reforms and a rapidly expanding middle class. With promising development prospects for East Africa, the region is expected to witness an annual growth average of more than four percent, however the overall depth and financial sophistication on the banking sector in East Africa remains low by global standards. The region's banks are generally well-capitalized and profitable but tend to focus most of their lending activity on financing large corporate clients and governments. SMEs and low and middle-class individuals too often remain formally unbanked.The banking sector in East Africa has deepened remarkably in recent years and access to finance is increasing apace. In particular, East Africa leads the world in terms of the mobile banking technology adoption. The challenge is that regulation, supervision and resolution capacity have not yet caught up with these developments, which creates some bottlenecks for further expansion and raises concerns about systemic risk.The East Africa Future Banking Summit will bring together regional banking gurus and FinTech leaders to share insights, discuss and deliberate on the future trajectory of the East African banking sector. The Summit comes at a time when the regional banking industry faces a new reality full of regulatory and compliance scrutiny, demanding customers and disruptive business models. In this scenario of uncertainty, financial institutions must closely control costs and derive benefits from innovative technologies to digitally transform every aspect of their existing business.The Summit will focus on addressing several key technological changes taking place in banking  such as the growing role of data, the opportunities powered by cloud and the rise of digital and mobile technology that is affecting the entire banking landscape and its interaction with banked and unbanked customers. The East Africa Future Banking Summit will host thought leaders from premier financial institutions including Wycliffe Momanyi  CISO at Kenya Commercial Bank, Denis Echeru  Chief Risk Officer at Centenary Bank (Uganda), George Njuguna CIO at Housing Finance Bank (Kenya), Michael Mbuthia  CIO at Kenya Bankers Association (Kenya), Paul K Mutai  Director of Operations at National Bank (Kenya), Gezahegn Dugassa  Director of Information Security at the Awash International Bank S.C (Ethiopia), Melaku Kebede  VP of Systems and e-Banking at United Bank S.C (Ethiopia), Mwanahamisi J Hussein  Head of Alternate Channels at KCB Bank (Tanzania), Vincent Wakaba  Head of Mobile Banking at Co-operative Bank of Kenya, John Njoroge  Head of Business Development at the i&M Bank Card Centre (Kenya), David Ndome  Regional Branch Business Manager at National Bank (Kenya), Aijaz Ahmad Shalla  Assistant General Manager of ICT at i&M Bank (Kenya) and Leon Kiptum  Head of Alternate Channels at Family Bank (Kenya) amongst others.The East Africa Future Banking Summit will be held on the 19th and 20th of June 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya.Fleming.connects people who know the answers, bring you the know-how you seek and the opportunities you desire, creating Critical Business Connections. After 13 years in the business, Fleming. has grown to offer a complete portfolio of Conferences, Trainings, Exhibitions, Blended Learning, and Online Conferences in 5 continents and various industries. More than 50,000 satisfied companies supporting, attending, and endorsing Fleming events and using its services every year prove that Fleming. is the right partner to support your business growth and help you achieve your goals.Address:Mlynske Nivy 71821 05 BratislavaSlovak RepublicE. mohor.mukherjee@fleming.eventsT. +971 4609 1570
TEC The Networking Event for the Electronics Industry - FPC highlights WEETECH Testers at EVERTIQ in Warsaw

FPC Polska Sp. z o. o. will display WEETECH's WK 260 PC Low Voltage Tester at The Evertiq Conference in Warsaw on May 25, 2017.

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Warsaw/Wertheim. WEETECHs distributor in Poland, FPC Polska Sp. z o. o, will display WEETECH testers at The Evertiq Conference, TEC Warsaw, on May 25, 2017. TEC is a premier industry event, featuring discussions and exhibits on advanced and emerging technologies in printed circuit board design, the current component situation, as well as the latest innovations within electronics assembly technologies.At booth 83 FPC will present the WK 260 PC Tester to the Polish audience; especially its ability to test automotive fuses and relay boxes. This compact low voltage tester is now available with 4-terminal measurement which allows to test and measure very low resistances with high precision. As an example: applied in daily work it means that it is able to test completely fitted fuse and relay boxes to confirm the correct fitting or to identify misplaced fuses. Expensive photometric systems including cameras become obsolete.FPC s.r.o in the Czech Republic together with its branch offices in Eastern Europe provides testing equipment including all hardware and software in the field of wire harness and electronics testing. The portfolio contains test systems, test tables, test modules (adapters, holders, checker fixtures), allowing a reliable testing of electrical and electronic products.We Test.For more than 40 years, WEETECH has developed and produced test systems for cables, back planes, electronic parts and components. Closely cooperating with our customers during planning, programming and installation of our tailored solutions have let us grown to a competent partner in the fields of cable testing and functional testing.We know the needs of our customers very well and we always accept new challenges to continuously advance our test systems. The foundation is the expertise and experience of our loyal and faithful employees.Our test systems are based on a modular system architecture. Their proven components are especially designed for the test systems from WEETECH. The individual software runs the testing procedure and covers a variety of additional tasks, such as automated test program development, interface to a customer-specific ERP system and the integration into sophisticated data base solutions.Heiko LindnerMarketing ManagerWEETECH GmbHHafenstr. 197877 WertheimTel. +49 9342 875-131Fax +49 9342 875-175hlindner@weetech.deSitz der Gesellschaft: WertheimAmtsgericht Mannheim: HRB701873Geschaftsfuhrer: Cathrin Lapp, Christian Reuter, Eberhardt Urban
Alcoholic Beverage Market Sees a Steady Growth Ahead

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The global alcoholic beverages market has been witnessing consistent growth over the years, despite fluctuating economic conditions around the world. Transparency Market Research, in a report titled Alcoholic Beverage Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 20152021, notes that sales are likely to remain steady in the coming years as well. The growing economic prosperity in developing countries, strengthening distribution channels and purchase channels, and evolving consumer lifestyles are responsible for the expansion of the alcoholic beverages market.Obtain Report Details @The key product categories of alcoholic beverages are beer, wine, and spirits, which include vodka, whiskey, and rum. Beer is by far the most commonly consumed alcoholic beverage, driven mainly by aggressive advertising and marketing activities and constant improvement in quality. TMR finds that the top six beer makers account for over half the global market for alcoholic beverages, hinting at the considerable growth of this product segment.On the basis of geography, the report studies North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Rest of the World as the key segments of the global alcoholic beverages market. Although Europe and North America are mature markets, they continue to be major revenue generators in the market. However, companies are looking to invest in markets where the unmet need is higher and where there is immense scope for growth. Asia Pacific is one of the most lucrative markets in this respect, owing mainly to the rising consumption of alcohol among the urban youth in countries such as China and India. Eastern Europe and Africa are also blossoming markets for alcoholic beverages thanks to a steady pace of Westernization and an increase in the youth population.For more information on this report, fill the form @There are several international and local players operating in the global alcoholic beverages market, making it a highly competitive and lucrative one. Product differentiation and competitive pricing are two of the key strategies adopted by companies to stay on top and garner a larger share of the consumer base. The launch of new products to cater to the health-conscious consumer is a recent trend noted in the alcoholic beverages market. Heineken, Constellation Brands, Bacardi, Treasury Wine Estates, Carlsberg, Accolade Wines, Diageo, Beam Suntory, E. & J. Gallo Winery, Anheuser-Busch, SABMiller, China Resource Enterprise, The Wine Group, Torres, and Pernod Ricard are some of the more prominent names in the alcoholic beverages market.These players are studied in depth, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses in addition to the threats and opportunities in store. The key strategies and collaborations in the recent past have been evaluated to understand their impact on the performance of a company and its financial standing. The latest product portfolio of a given company has also been studied to offer readers a clear picture of the competition in the alcoholic beverages market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Europe Intimate Wear Consumption 2016 Market Research Report

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Europe Intimate Wear Industry 2016 Market Overview, Size, Share, Trends, Analysis, Technology, Applications, Growth, Market Status, Demands, Insights, Development, Research and Forecast 2016-2020.This research report is a highly descriptive analysis of the Europe Intimate Wear market. It provides a detailed overview of the various applications and end users of the market and how the demand and supply charts are anticipated to look in the forthcoming years. It takes into account the current and historic data pertaining to the market and with the help of market experts, estimates future trends. These predictions can allow the readers to gain a coherent perspective of the Europe Intimate Wear market and all its dynamics.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report presents an in-depth analysis of the industry chain structure of the Europe Intimate Wear market. It includes the details and statistics regarding production along with industry policies that affect them, the efficiency of utilization of available resources, the currently available production capacities, and the degree at which they are utilized. This is followed by information regarding the import and export cycles within the market. The cost analysis of the Europe Intimate Wear market forms an important part of the report. It serves as a reliable tool for both existing and new players to maximize their profit.The report also includes market analysis tools and Porters five force analysis, which are pivotal in understanding the competitive landscape of the Europe Intimate Wear market. It profiles the prominent players in the market along with their latest developments, business strategies, revenue generation, and contact information. It performs the SWOT analysis that reveals the potential growth trajectory of each key player in the market. For a lucid analysis, the report has segmented the Europe Intimate Wear market on the basis of several parameters including application and geography. Each segment is meticulously studied in terms of both revenue and volume.Browse Complete Report with TOC @Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Intimate Wear 11.1 Definition and Specifications of Intimate Wear 11.1.1 Definition of Intimate Wear 11.1.2 Cotonella Slip Underwear 21.1.3 La Perla Windflower Underwired Bra 31.1.4 Triumph Plaid Flannel Pajama Set 41.2 Classification of Intimate Wear 51.2.1 Bras 71.2.2 Underpants 81.2.3 Sleepwear and Loungewear 91.3 Applications of Intimate Wear 101.3.1 Intimate Wear Products applied in Women 121.3.2 Intimate Wear Products applied in Men 131.3.3 Intimate Wear Products applied in Kids 141.4 Industry Chain Structure of Intimate Wear 152 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Intimate Wear 182.1 Raw Material Suppliers and Price Analysis of Intimate Wear 182.2 Equipment Suppliers and Price Analysis of Intimate Wear 192.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Intimate Wear 222.4 Other Costs Analysis of Intimate Wear 262.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Intimate Wear 272.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Intimate Wear 287 Major Manufacturers Analysis of Intimate Wear 757.1 Triumph 757.1.1 Company Profile 757.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications 757.1.3 Sales, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue 777.1.4 Contact Information 787.2 Marks & Spencer 787.2.1 Company Profile 787.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications 787.2.3 Sales, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue 827.2.4 Contact Information 837.3 Kiabi 847.3.1 Company Profile 847.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications 847.3.3 Sales, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue 867.3.4 Contact Information 877.4 Hunkemoller 877.4.1 Company Profile 877.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications 887.4.3 Sales, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue 897.4.4 Contact Information 90List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Intimate Wear 1Figure Product Picture of Cotonella Slip Underwear 2Table Product Specifications of Cotonella Slip Underwear 2Figure Product Picture of La Perla Windflower Underwired Bra 3Figure Product Specifications of La Perla Windflower Underwired Bra 3Figure Product Picture of Triumph Plaid Flannel Pajama Set 4Figure Product Specifications of Triumph Plaid Flannel Pajama Set 5Table Classification of Intimate Wear 5For Latest QYResearchreports Press Release Visit @QYReseachReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market 2017 Industry Share, Size, Trends, Growth and Its Covering With : Appendix,Methodology,Analyst Introduction,Data Source

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 to its huge collection of research reports.The Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System has been expressively dissected in this statistical surveying that has been added to our frequently growing industry knowledge arrangement. The archive takes after an arrangement that gives a careful and scientific diagram of the Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System and moreover inspects the main sections, compelling components, and market components that administer the development rate of the market and its competitive and regional scenes.The report offers to its clients an all-encompassing 360-degree point of view of the Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System from the back to front, starting with the core values of the mechanical components, then proceeding onward to the examination of information on the different perspectives including as industry chain structure, groupings, industry diagram, arrangements, applications, and late advancements.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @The data offered in the report has been accumulated through the assistance of various essential and auxiliary research strategies. Quantitative and subjective information appraisal for key market sections on the regional and the aggregate worldwide front have also been given in the report. The gigantic archives of information that have been sifted through by industry-best investigative techniques will give to the user the points of interest that matter the most.The report also gives a portrayal of the administrative situation of the Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System and gives points of interest relating to the more prominent arrangements, approaches, controls, and decides in that effect the numerous business related choices in the market. A point by point outline of the competitive scene of the Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System has additionally been given in the report, wherein itemized business profiles, SWOT examination, and numerous different insights about a portion of the real sellers in the market are incorporated.Table of ContentsGlobal Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System1.1 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Overview1.1.1 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Application 11.3.2 Application 2Order a copy of complete Research Report @2 Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Company 13.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Company 23.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Company 33.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Company 43.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Company 53.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Company 63.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Company 73.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments4 Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.2 Potential Application of Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System in Future4.3 Top Consumer/End Users of Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System5 United States Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Volatile Organic Compounds Recovery System Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)Read More @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Warehouse Management System (WMS) Industry 2017 Development, Trends, Share, Growth, Research and Market Analysis : Oracle,RedPrairie,SAP,RedPrairie,Reply

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022 to its huge collection of research reports.This is a clear and systematic research report on the distribution for those related with the worldwide Warehouse Management System (WMS) advertise. The report offers a foreordained estimate period from 2017 to 2022, the most recent portion of this exploration distribution stream. The report offers significant and precise bits of knowledge that will permit a client to accomplish a crisp point of view on the different sections existing in the Warehouse Management System (WMS). These incorporate the key components that expands its development rate and additionally the snags that are right now influencing its. The report additionally concentrates on the top patterns that right now influence the market and those that might be completed in the years to come. This incorporates full scale and small scale monetary elements that are influencing its improvement, and driving players and their exercises in the Warehouse Management System (WMS).Enter your information below to receive a sample copy of this report @A section based industry examination arranged utilizing feelings and bits of knowledge from industry specialists shapes the separating variable for the nature of this report. The customers can utilize these experiences to settle on their own choices and assess the locales and portions that are probably going to be productive to them over the given time frame.There are a couple of drivers that emerge from the group and this report uncovers their significance through a profound investigation of the different open doors that players may pick up from them. The report additionally explains the restrictions influencing the Warehouse Management System (WMS) so they can device how the properties will influence the direction of the market and their general remaining in it. A course of events of late improvements that have specifically or in a roundabout way impacted the market, furnishing the reports clients with a superior base of information in the market for the given forecast period.Table of ContentsGlobal Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Warehouse Management System (WMS)1.1 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Overview1.1.1 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market by Type1.2.2 Labor Management Systems1.2.3 Analytics and Optimization Management Systems1.2.4 Other (3PL Billing,Yard Management)1.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Manufacturing Industry (Automotive,Heavy Industry,Clothing,etc)1.4.2 Retail (Retail,Medical,etc)1.4.3 Logistics Industry1.4.4 OtherBrowse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 HighJump Software3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Manhattan Associates3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Oracle3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 RedPrairie3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 SAP3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 RedPrairie3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Reply3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Asgard Software3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Advanced Systems Consultants3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Cadre Technologies3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Warehouse Management System (WMS) Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Deposco3.12 AGI Wolrdwide3.13 Logitity3.14 Softeon3.15 BFC Software3.16 HAL Systems3.17 Camelot 3PL Software3.18 Argos Software3.19 Infor3.20 JDA Software Group4 Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Warehouse Management System (WMS) in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Warehouse Management System (WMS)5 United States Warehouse Management System (WMS) Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Warehouse Management System (WMS) Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size (2011-2016)6.2 EU Warehouse Management System (WMS) Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)Read More @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. 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Green Tea Market Strongly Driven by Rising Global Demand

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A new market research by Transparency Market Research, titled Green Tea Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2012  2018, presents an in-depth overview of the global green tea market. The study states that the market, which is one of the fastest growing segments of the global tea market, is poised to witness strong growth over the period between 2012 and 2018.Obtain Report Details @The rising awareness about the high antioxidant content of green tea and its vast health benefits is the key to the rising global demand for green tea. The proven effectiveness and preventive properties of green tea against health concerns such as digestive disorders, cancer, and many other chronic health conditions is also boosting the demand for green tea globally. Green tea is also found effective in curing body ache, reducing LDL cholesterol and excess body fat, and reducing the effect of cancer cells.Recently, it has started gaining heightened prominence as a weight management product. Global estimates state that nearly 30% of the worlds population today is either obese or overweight. Obesity is expected to also rise at an alarming rate globally in the next few years and the factor is expected to emerge as a key driver of the global green tea market in the next few years.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @The report gives a detailed overview of the other drivers, the key restraints, and the numerous trends that are impacting the overall development of the global green tea market. For the study, the global green tea market is segmented on the basis of criteria such as type, flavor, and geography.On the basis of type, the market is segmented into iced green tea, green tea bags, and green tea instant mixes. On the basis of flavor, the market is segmented into varieties such as aloe vera, lemon, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, basil, jasmine, and wild berry.On the basis of geography, the market has been segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, and Rest of the World. Asia Pacific is the key exporter of green tea, with countries such as China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, being some of the largest producing countries globally. Asia Pacific is also one of the leading consumers of green tea and commands a dominant position in the global green tea market. Developing regions such as North America and Europe are amongst the most promising regions for the green tea market.Some of the leading vendors operating in the market are DSM Nutritional Products, AMORE Pacific Corp, Oregon Chai Inc, Numi Organic Tea, Associated British Foods LLC, Nestle S.A., Northern tea Merchants Ltd., and Tetley GB Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Market 2016 Industry Share, Size, Trends, Growth and Including Factors : Orica,BME Mining,Solar Explosives

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.This research report gives a definitive review on the Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem as in light of a segmented pattern. Entry variables managed in the report incorporate the distinctive services or products offered by the market players alongside the free market activity scales for current market measurements, in addition to anticipated market insights. The Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem is thus examined first in an authentic sense by getting together all important information in the course of recent years, and after that moves on to the markets future which is a revelatory examination in view of momentum numbers and patterns. The elucidation of each outcome is left to the client who can take their business strategy to the next level in light of the given data.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The geographical examination of the Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem is directed utilizing different key regions in view of mainland diversities and different variables. For each key locale, the report gives information in general request, its development and the elements that impact it, the relative nearness of key global players and regional ones, and the rate at which every area advances in the market as far as innovative work endeavors. The competitive scene of the Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem is broken down utilizing systems, for example, the SWOT investigation, giving the reports clients a top notch point of view of all available data and what it might be molded like sooner rather than later. The Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem is likewise portrayed on the premise of its industry chain structure, in however much detail as could reasonably be expected.Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem1.1 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Overview1.1.1 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market by Type1.3.1 System Hardware1.3.2 Software1.3.3 Tools1.3.4 OS1.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Automotive1.4.2 Telecommunication1.4.3 Healthcare1.4.4 Industrial1.4.5 Consumer Electronics1.4.6 Military & Aerospace1.4.7 OthersBrowse Press Release of this Research Report:2 Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Atmel Corporation (U.S.)3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. (U.S.)3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 HCL Technologies, Ltd. (India)3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Intel Corporation (U.S.)3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Infosys, Ltd. (India)3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Infineon Technologies AG (Germany)3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Microsoft Corporation (U.S.)3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands)3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Renesas Electronics Corporation (Japan)3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Texas Instruments, Inc. (U.S.)3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.10.5 Recent Developments4 Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem5 United States Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Embedded Infrastructure and Devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) Ecosystem Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)Read More @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Industry 2017 Annual Growth Value, Market Trends, Developments & Opportunities : EtQ,C3global,ITC Infotech,Joe Barkai

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size, Status and Forecast 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.This research report gives an account of the global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM market manages all its basic points of interest with the assistance of an inside and out and shrewd examination. The market is clarified in a comprehensive way and thus permits the report to show an entire examination of the market as concocted utilizing the elements that are required to have a quantifiable effect on its improvement.Despite the fact that a lot of summed up market-oriented data may not a mind boggling undertaking, it is sifting through the redundant parts of the given data to just the key points of interest that matter to a user, or that can settle a business issue. The absence of dedicated assets for undertaking such focused and even altered research procedure might be difficult for a few players in the Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM, and thusly can esteem this gathering of the most productive information as a standout from the oversimplified styles of research exercises.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @The report supplies data that may help organizations in dealing with core issues without breaking a sweat and furthermore give an unmistakable subjective and quantitative segment relating to particular components of the Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM that associations could be keen on knowing.An association utilizing this report can have increasingly simpler access to the key points of interest of the Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM that are sure to have an exceptionally noticeable bearing on its general advancement, alongside its segments that are critical to the market as a whole. The report is made with the aim of satisfying the modified needs of all its readers who are a part of the Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM. The report in this way makes an exceptionally ingenious information archive that permits best practices to be framed profoundly and to provide viable business systems.Table of ContentsUnited States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size, Status and Forecast 20211 Industry Overview of Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM1.1 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Overview1.1.1 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market by Type1.3.1 Quality Process Management1.3.2 Cloud Computing in Manufacturing1.4 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Application 11.4.2 Application 21.4.3 Application 3Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size (Value) by Players (2015-2016)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 EtQ3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 C3global3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 ITC Infotech3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Joe Barkai3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Revenue (Value) (2011-2016)3.4.5 Recent Developments4 Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size by Type and Application (2011-2016)4.1 Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size by Type (2011-2016)4.2 Global Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size by Application (2011-2016)4.3 Potential Application of Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM5 United States Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size (2011-2016)5.2 United States Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)6 EU Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size (2011-2016)6.2 EU Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)7 Japan Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size (2011-2016)7.2 Japan Hype Cycle for Discrete Manufacturing and PLM Market Size and Market Share by Players (2015-2016)Read More @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Vietnam Elevator Market 2016 Industry, Analysis, Research, Share, Growth, Sales, Trends, Supply, Forecast to 2021

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http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/vietnam-elevator-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm

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Qyresearchreports include new market research reportVietnam Elevator Market 2016 Industry, Analysis, Research, Share, Growth, Sales, Trends, Supply, Forecast to 2021 to its huge collection of research reports.This market intelligence report examines extensively the trends in the global Vietnam Elevator market. It highlights the latest market state, the progress pattern in the previous years, and the prospects present for market participants in the near future. The research methods and tools employed in the achievement of this research publication are both secondary and primary. The market intelligence study also provides facts about the investments initiated by several organizations, institutions, government, and non-government authorities and regulatory bodies.Enquiry For Discount Visit @The publication further presents a valuation of the facets that are likely to prevent or encourage the expansion of the global Vietnam Elevator market. The global Vietnam Elevator market has been examined scrupulously based on aspects such as application, technology, product, end user, and geographical segment. An examination has been carried out in the research report of the chief regional segments and their respective place and share in the Vietnam Elevator market. The estimated revenue and volume valuation of the global market for Vietnam Elevator has also been stated in the study.An estimate of the market attractiveness and the level of competition that new entrants along with their new products are likely to offer to the experienced products and players has also been delivered in the market research publication. The market report also discusses the new expansions, the innovations, branding techniques, marketing approaches, and products of the chief players operational in the global Vietnam Elevator market. The vendor landscape has been broadly scrutinized employing the Porters five forces and value chain analysis to deliver a strong conception of the market. The challenges and opportunities in the near future for the key participants have also been stressed upon in the research publication.Table of Contents1 Industry Overview of Elevator 11.1 Definition and Specifications of Elevator 11.1.1 Definition of Elevator 11.1.2 Specifications of Elevator 21.2 Classification of Elevator 31.2.1 Elevator (Vertical) 41.2.2 Escalator 41.2.3 Other 51.3 Applications of Elevator 51.3.1 Residential Area 61.3.2 Commercial Office 71.3.3 Transportation Hub Area 71.3.4 Industrial Area 71.4 Industry Chain Structure of Elevator 81.5 Industry Overview and Major Regions Status of Elevator 91.5.1 Industry Overview of Elevator 91.5.2 Vietnam Major Regions Status of Elevator 101.6 Industry Policy Analysis of Elevator 101.7 Industry News Analysis of Elevator 11Order a copy of complete Research Report @2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Elevator 132.1 Main Raw Materials and Suppliers Analysis of Elevator 132.2 Equipment Suppliers Analysis of Elevator 152.3 Labor Cost Analysis of Elevator 182.4 Other Costs Analysis of Elevator 182.5 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Elevator 192.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Elevator 203 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Elevator 223.1 Sales in Vietnam and Establishment Date of Global Elevator Major Manufacturers in 2015 223.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Elevator Major Manufacturers in 2015 223.3 R&D Status and of Global Elevator Major Manufacturers in 2015 233.4 Main Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Elevator Major Manufacturers in 2015 234 Production Analysis of Elevator by Regions, Product Types, and Applications 254.1 Vietnam Production of Elevator by Regions 2011-2016 254.2 Vietnam Production of Elevator by Product Types 2011-2016 264.3 Vietnam Sales of Elevator by Applications 2011-2016 284.4 Price Analysis of Vietnam Elevator Key Manufacturers in 2015 294.5 Vietnam Capacity, Production, Import, Export, Sales, Price, Cost and Revenue of Elevator 2011-2016 31Read More @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Market Report 2016

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http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/europe-pain-management-therapeutics-market-report-2016.htm

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Qyresearchreports include new market research reportEurope Pain Management Therapeutics Market Report 2016 to its huge collection of research reports.A new research report on the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market offers a 360-degree overview of it. The report discusses the market in significant details and elucidates all aspects of the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market likely to impact its growth trajectory in the upcoming years. Major market stimulants and deterrents have also been examined in great detail, with quantitative and qualitative description of their expected impact on the market in the forecast period. This would enable big and small players operating in the market to understand the dynamics and maneuver their moves accordingly.For more info, get a Sample PDF with TOC:The different segments of the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market have been carefully discussed at length. The product segments, application segments, and end user segments have been detailed in the report, leveraging historical and current figures. The report gauges the growth figures for each of the segments to understand the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics markets growth prospects. This helps to offer a granular overview of the Pain Management Therapeutics market and areas in which it stands to gain and lose.A detailed analysis of the competitive landscape of the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market has also been furnished in the report. Chief competitors in the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market have been profiled and data about their business and financial activities has been presented. The report also throws light on their strengths and weaknesses. This report has been carefully crafted with data arrived at from primary and secondary research methodologies.The reports primary objective is to help the players operating in the Europe Pain Management Therapeutics market to gain an insight into the current market dynamics, including opportunities and threats so as to be able to strategize sagaciously. To do, it implements market-leading analytical tools to gauge the current competitive landscape.Table of Contents1 Pain Management Therapeutics Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pain Management Therapeutics1.2 Classification of Pain Management Therapeutics1.2.1 Antidepressants1.2.2 Anesthetics1.2.3 NSAIDs1.2.4 Opioids1.2.5 Anti-Migraine Agents1.2.6 Other1.3 Application of Pain Management Therapeutics1.3.1 Post-operative Pain1.3.2 Cancer Pain1.3.3 Other1.4 Pain Management Therapeutics Market by Countries1.4.1 Germany Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.2 France Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.3 UK Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.4 Russia Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.5 Italy Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.6 Spain Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.4.7 Benelux Status and Prospect (2011-2021)1.5 Europe Market Size (Value and Volume) of Pain Management Therapeutics (2011-2021)1.5.1 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2021)1.5.2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2021)Browse Complete Report with TOC @2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics by Manufacturers, Type and Application2.1 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1.1 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share of Key Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.1.2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2015 and 2016)2.2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.2.2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Market Share by Type (2011-2016)2.3 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics (Volume and Value) by Countries2.3.1 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.3.2 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Market Share by Countries (2011-2016)2.4 Europe Pain Management Therapeutics (Volume) by Application3 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Value (2011-2016)3.1.1 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.2 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)3.1.3 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)3.2 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers3.3 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Type3.4 Germany Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Application4 France Pain Management Therapeutics (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Value (2011-2016)4.1.1 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.2 France Pain Management Therapeutics Revenue and Growth Rate (2011-2016)4.1.4 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales Price Trend (2011-2016)4.2 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Manufacturers4.3 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by Type4.4 France Pain Management Therapeutics Sales and Market Share by ApplicationExplore on Latest Medical Report @QYResearchReports.com is an unimpeachable source of market research data for clients that comprise acclaimed SMEs, Chinese companies, private equity firms, and MNCs. We provide market research reports on various categories such as Energy, Chemicals, Alternative and Green Energy, Manufacturing, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, and Glass.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United States
Bavarian Inn employees support foundation to fight Multiple System Atrophy

www.bavarianinn.com

http://www.logos-communications.com/bavarianinn/

www.defeatmsa.org

Employees at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant are teaming up this year as part of the restaurants annual Company Giving Program to help fight a rapidly neurodegenerative disease that has affected members of the local community.This years Company Giving Program recipient is the Defeat MSA Foundation, an organization dedicated to education, patient support and finding effective treatments for MSA  Multiple System Atrophy. MSA is a rare, rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disorder which affects multiple basic bodily functions, such as breathing, temperature, muscle control and blood pressure.For over 30 years Bavarian Inn Restaurant team members have been giving back to community organizations through its Company Giving Program, established to help those organizations that help others.Each year an organization is chosen, and Bavarian Inn team members spend the year raising funds through voluntary payroll deduction, auctions, candy sales and other activities. At the end of the year, funds are tallied and then matched up to $5,000 by the Bavarian Inns Dorothy Zehnder family. The highlight is always the team appreciation party in early January when the Company Giving check is presented.The program has grown, contributing more than $125,000 over the years with some past recipients being the Fallen and Wounded Soldiers Fund, Hospice for Hope, Special Olympics, Saginaw Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, Child Abuse and Neglect Council, and the Saginaw Veterans Center.About Bavarian Inn RestaurantCelebrating 125 years of service in 2013, the Bavarian Inn Restaurant has become a Michigan landmark. Generations of diners, lodgers and tourists from around the globe have discovered true Bavarian hospitality thanks to Dorothy and her late husband William "Tiny" Zehnder. Guests experience the old-world European charm of the Bavarian Inn  whether its the famous chicken dinners, fresh baked goods or Michigans greatest selection of German beer. Bavarian Inn also prides itself on being one of the top consumers of Pure Michigan agricultural products. Nestled within a backdrop of authentic German architecture, a variety of shops and other fun activities, a trip to Frankenmuth would not be complete without a visit to the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. Learn more atBavarian Inn online press room:About Defeat MSA FoundationRealizing that much of the current attention is focused on more widely known diseases, Multiple System Atrophy is often overlooked. MSA patients are confronted with a dim prognosis and left with few options. The purpose of Defeat MSA is to support MSA patients, to develop effective treatments, to foster research on the possible causes and to raise awareness about living with MSA. Learn more at713 S. Main StreetFrankenmuth, MI
North America Hand Protection Gloves Market to See Incredible Growth during 2014-2027

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The North America Hand Protection Gloves Market Material Segment (Revenue) Outlook (2014-2027) statistical report, published by market research future contains succinct information on North America industrial hand protection gloves market and its size, in terms of either revenue or volume , segmented by material (Natural rubber, leather, polyethylene, nitrile, neoprene, metal mesh, others) and forecast from 2014-2027.Get Sample Copy @Factors such as increase in the number of accidents and high growth rate of contagious diseases have pushed individuals to take hand protection seriously. However, the high cost of material and productivity are the major restraints to impact the growth of market.Browse Report @Natural Rubber in North America Industrial Hand Protection Gloves Market accounted for the largest share with a market value of USD 573 Million in 2014.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Amanora Town Centre, Office No. 528,, Amanora Chambers, Hadapsar, Pune, Maharashtra 411028Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
Brief Overview of Global Cardamom Oil Market by Country

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/statistical-reports/cardamom-oil-industry-2305

The Global Cardamom Oil Market by country statistical report published by Market Research future contains a brief overview of global cardamom oil market by country. The market has been segmented on the basis of country as Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Nepal and Bhutan to provide a clear picture of cardamom oil industry in world. The global market for cardamom oil has witnessed continued demand during the last few years and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.68% from 2016 to 2021. Increasing awareness about health benefits of essential oil is likely to drive the global cardamom oil market.Make an enquiry before buying this Report @Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom oil followed by India. Guatemala is the major exporter of cardamom oil to North American region. Cardamom oil market in Guatemala is increasing at the rate of 8.9% whereas in India it is growing at the rate of 8.5% during 2016 and 2021. Nepal is the major producer of cardamom oil made from Amomum cardamom and it is growing at the rate of 6.7%. Indonesia is also emerging in cardamom oil market from last few years due to rising popularity of essential oils in Indonesia.Cardamom harvesting is hugely depend upon climate conditions that affecting the overall cardamom production especially in India and Nepal. Many agriculture research organisation are working to develop the efficient harvesting technique which can reduce the impact of climate change on cardamom production.Browse report details @Through this report Market Research future aims to provide understanding of the global cardamom oil market and assists identification of ongoing trends along with anticipated growth in the coming years. For this research extensive primary research was conducted to gain a deeper insight of the market performance. Various industry experts and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) were contacted from both supply side and demand side of global cardamom oil market. The supply side industry experts consisted of CEOs, Directors, Marketing Managers, Sales Mangers, R&D Specialists, Country Manager, Regional Managers cardamom oil companies, Retailers, and Distributors amongst others.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industry, MRFR often plans & conducts meet with the industry experts and industrial visits for its research analyst members.Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
High Purity Alumina Market is expected to rise at a remarkable CAGR By 2024.

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/statistical-reports/high-purity-alumina-application-market-2271

Global high purity alumina is used in range of hi-tech applications. The market is segmented based on application as LED, semiconductors, phosphor, and others. LED and semiconductors are estimated to be the prominent applications. LED segment is estimated to be the largest segment which has acquired more than half of the market share in 2016. And it has been anticipated that this segment will retain its dominance over the forecast period.This can be attributed to growing demand in LED lightings in global market. Sapphire substrate made of high purity alumina are used in LED lightings and there is no suitable alternative available in the market. Semiconductors, which is another prominent application for high purity alumina is estimated to be on the second position in terms of value and volume by 2016 end. The segment is anticipated to witness steady growth owing to increasing demand from SOS (sapphire on silicon) semiconductors. Furthermore, others segment which comprises applications such as, Li-ion batteries and industrial applications is anticipated to witness robust growth. The segment growth is attributed to increasing demand of Lithium ion batteries in electric vehicles.Get Enquiry Report @High purity alumina ingots are cut in to slices and, thereafter ground to sapphire substrates of desired thickness. These substrates are used in LED lightings. The segment is estimated to account for dominating share of more than half in overall market by 2016 end. The segment is primarily driven by increasing LED lightings market. As per MRFR analysis, the global LED lightings market is anticipated to witness robust growth, expanding at double digit CAGR over the forecast period. However, current requirement of larger substrate size and cost reduction are major challenges for the manufacturers. The segment is anticipated to witness robust demand from Asia Pacific, which accounts for 68.5% in overall segment revenue. This is attributed to higher demand from LED markets in China along with Japan, Korea, and Taiwan.Get Browse Report @Market Research future through this report aims to provide understanding of the global high purity alumina market on the basis of application, and also assists identification of ongoing trends along with anticipated growth during the forecasted period. For this report, extensive primary research was conducted to gain a deeper insight of the market performance. Various industry experts and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) were contacted and interviewed to get an idea of global magnesium sulphate market.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: akash.anand@marketresearchfuture.com
How to Increase Student Productivity

High School Modular Lab

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In a world where today's students have access to so many technological advancements  ranging from computer word-processors to instant access to online reference materials  the rate of student productivity and scholastic achievement hasn't kept pace. What can be done about it?Equipped with a tablet and access to the Internet, today's students have instant access to the treasure trove of the world's information. Yet, given all these new technology resources, there's a strong feeling that the level of student academic achievement and productivity has remained stagnant or even fallen behind. What can be done to improve student productivity? We take a look at three areas of concern to see what can be done to improve student performance.1. Concern that Young Students Have Trouble Paying Attention to Teachers in the ClassroomFaced with the challenge of improving standardized test scores, many school districts across the country have increased the number of classroom instruction hours at the expense of recess and physical education classes.The result? Many of today's students sit at their desks for far longer than they should. Just like adults working long hours at an office desk, sitting for long periods is unhealthy for children and adolescents as well (...). Students need to be getting up and moving about to maintain proper levels of concentration.Sit-to-Stand desks in the classroom can help.According to a study of second, third, and fourth graders published in the International Journal of Health Promotion and Education, researchers found preliminary evidence that students who used sit-to-stand desks increased their on-task engagement by more than 12% compared to those seated at traditional desks. This result, according to the researchers, is equivalent to increasing the instruction time by 7 minutes each hour.Another development in furniture design for young students are desks with built-in swing bars (also known as "busy bars") which are designed for leg movement. Two teachers from Oklahoma were among the first to develop the idea of incorporating these foot swings under a desk so that fidgety students could channel their physical energy in a way that was less distracting for other students in the classroom.Formaspace manufactures sit-to-stand desks and can create built-in swing bars for students that are tailored to your exact needs. Contact your Formaspace Design Consultant () for more information.2. Concern that Students are Increasingly Facing Healthcare Challenges, including Obesity and DiabetesSit-to-stand desks not only help with student concentration, they can help students become healthier overall  by encouraging students to stand while studying in the classroom.Studies, like a recent 8-month trial, indicate that height adjustable desks in the classroom have the potential to help overweight students lose excess weight (), which is a leading cause of Type II diabetes.Given the reduction or elimination of outdoor breaks or 'recess' at many schools, it's more important than ever to get students to move and stand up during classroom instruction.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 20 percent of US elementary schools did not include any scheduled recess breaks. In response, educators and parents are actively lobbying to bring back recess and physical education classes () to the daily school schedule.Brown Elementary School in Irving, Texas is one of four schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that have instituted four short recess breaks throughout the day. According to an interview with the Today show, administrators report that students return to class after recess fully refreshed and ready to learn.3. Concern that Students are Overwhelmed with Hours of Homework Designed to Prepare for Standardized TestsIn an effort to improve school district test scores, many schools have significantly increased the number of hours of homework that students are expected to complete during the evening hours after school.In some cases, parents are beginning to rebel.Read more ...Formaspace advances the spirit of discovery and creation through the design and manufacture of custom business furniture. Our furniture marries form to function with flexible solutions for clients in the laboratory, industrial, and office environments.Formaspace serves over 80% of the Fortune 500, as well as universities, governments, small businesses, and individuals.Formaspace1100 E. Howard LaneSuite 400Austin, TX 78753design.consultant@formaspace.com800.251.1505
Global Surgical Scalpel Market Analysis by Hospital and Clinic Applications 2022

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Global Surgical Scalpel Market 2017 report spread across 122 pages gives Market Segment Analysis by Key Manufacturers, Countries, Types and Applications. Surgical Scalpel is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, and various arts and crafts (called a hobby knife). Scalpels may be single-use disposable or re-usable.Complete report is available atScope of the Report:This report focuses on the Global Surgical Scalpel market, especially in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type and application.Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers: Hill-Rom, Swann-Morton, KAI Group, Feather, BD, Mani, Huaiyin Medical, Surgical Specialties, Shinva, SteriLance, Hu-Friedy, Ailee, Shanghai Surgical, GeisterMarket Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers: North America (USA, Canada and Mexico); Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy); Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia); South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.); Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)Market Segment by Type, covers: Blade, HandleMarket Segment by Applications, can be divided into: Hospital, Clinic, OtherRequest for discount atThere are 15 Chapters to deeply display the global Surgical Scalpel market.Chapter 1 to describe Surgical Scalpel Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force;Chapter 2 to analyze the top manufacturers of Surgical Scalpel, with sales, revenue, and price of Surgical Scalpel, in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 3 to display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2017;Chapter 4 to show the global market by regions, with sales, revenue and market share of Surgical Scalpel, for each region, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to analyze the key regions, with sales, revenue and market share by key countries in these regions;Order copy of report atChapter 10 and 11 to show the market by type and application, with sales market share and growth rate by type, application, from 2012 to 2017;Chapter 12 Surgical Scalpel market forecast, by regions, type and application, with sales and revenue, from 2017 to 2022;Chapter 13, 14 and 15 to describe Surgical Scalpel sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers, Research Findings and Conclusion, appendix and data source.ReportsnReports.com is your single source for all market research needs. Our database includes 500,000+ market research reports from over 95 leading global publishers & in-depth market research studies of over 5000 micro markets.Ritesh Tiwari,+ 1 888 391 5441sales@reportsandreports.com
Infant Incubator Market : Present Scenario and the Growth Prospects

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The market for infant incubators is anticipated to grow owing to its various advantages enabling the well-being of newborns. The advent of infant incubators has enhanced the survival rate of preterm infants and has reduced the neonatal hypothermia. This factor contributes to the growth of the infant incubators market. In addition, the growing rate of preterm birth is likely to propel the growth of the market. According to the WHO, the number of premature child births is more than 15 million every year and is anticipated to increase over the years. However, high cost of these devices, availability of alternate modes such as infant warmers, and inadequacy of these devices in the developing regions are expected to restraint the market growth. In addition, the incubators limit the infants access to medical care, which might have a negative impact on the growth of the infant incubator market.Infant incubator is a device that is used to provide a controlled environment with the essential levels of warmth, humidity, and oxygen required by a newborn. The incubator unit is composed of a soft mattress, which is covered by a plastic cover, and is usually in the form of a trolley. It protects the infant from dust, noise, infection, and excess handling, providing a clean environment. In the incubator chamber, a temperature sensor adjusts the heat and maintains constant temperature for the infant.Furthermore, there is a humidification system and electric heating system in the incubator chamber to maintain humidity and to circulate humid air. These devices are essential to regulate the temperature for preterm infants as their normal metabolic rate is lower, leading to reduced heat production.Infant incubators can be classified as closed care infant warming devices. The global infant incubator market can be classified on the basis of product, end-user, and geography. On the basis of product, the market can be segmented into transport incubator and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) incubator. The NICU incubators are anticipated to record a strong growth in the market. On the basis of end-user, the market can be segmented into pediatric hospitals, birthing centers, and neonatal intensive care units.Browse full report on Infant Incubator Market -Geographically, the global infant incubator market is distributed over North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to record a high market share of the market during the forecast period. This can be attributed to the growing number of premature term babies and well-developed health care infrastructure. Europe is anticipated to be the second leading region in the infant incubator market. It is observed that the number of premature child births in Italy is more than 7% and is anticipated to increase over the years, contributing to the growth of the Europe market. However, the sluggish economic environment might negatively impact the growth of the market. According to the WHO, India and China are the leading countries in terms of number of premature child birth. The Asia Pacific market is expected to record a robust CAGR during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the significant contribution from the emerging countries such as China and India.The major players operating in the infant incubator market include GE Healthcare, Atom Medical Corporation, Natus Medical Incorporated, Cobams srl, AVI Healthcare Private Limited, Gammer International, Fanem Ltd, Ningbo David Medical Device Co., Ltd, Novos Medical Systems, and Ardo.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Request for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Hospital Infectious Disease Testing Market : Key Players and Production Information analysis

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Hospital infectious disease testing is a procedure to identify hospital acquired/related infections. Hospital infections are among the most prominent challenges faced by health care delivery systems across the globe. Hospital infectious diseases are considered a significant cause of death globally. These are acquired while receiving health care treatment. Hospital infectious diseases tests are performed by health care professionals, especially clinical laboratory technicians, for the diagnosis of infections.Based on test type, the global hospital infectious disease testing market has been broadly segmented into:Urinary tract infection (UTI)Surgical site InfectionPneumoniaBloodstream infectionMRSAOthersThe UTI segment accounted for the major share of the hospital infectious disease testing market, followed by surgical site infections and pneumonia. Hospital infectious diseases are required to be closely monitored due to increase in antimicrobial resistance in some regions. Automated urine microscopy is the most preferred diagnostic tool adopted by clinical technicians for UTI. Prevalence of pneumonia and deaths associated with it are increasing gradually. Other hospital infections include cardiovascular, systemic, joint and bone, respiratory, and ENT (enteric) infections.The hospital infectious disease testing market has experienced strong growth in the last decade due to factors such as increased awareness about growth in the incidence of infections globally and development of innovative prevention and treatment solutions. Major factors driving the market are establishment of quality government guidelines and uniform code for prevention of hospital infectious diseases. Lack of funding and skilled manpower in developing countries and lack of stringent guidelines and framework to control the morbidity rate of hospital infections are restraining the hospital infectious disease testing market. Lack of controlling authorities and controlling programs in lesser developed regions is another major factor hampering market growth. Technological development of molecular diagnostics and passage of the Patient Care and Affordable Care Act in the U.S. are likely to offer significant opportunities in the market in the near future.Browse full report on Hospital Infectious Disease Testing Market -Geographically, the global hospital infectious disease testing market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounted for the largest share of the market due to growing patient awareness, favorable initiatives taken by the federal government, and large number of market players based in the region. The hospital infectious disease testing market in Europe is mature due to presence of strong and active hospital infection control and prevention authorities and guidelines such as the NHS in the U.K. Moreover, Europe is considered the hub for the global geriatric population. It is observed that geriatrics are more prone to various infections. This is likely to increase demand in Europe. Asia Pacific is a lucrative market for hospital infectious disease testing products as the overall prevalence of the infections in this region is high. Moreover, stringent guidelines have been set for the prevention and control of such conditions in the health care infrastructure in this region. Countries such as China, India, Japan, Thailand, Australia, and the Philippines are expected to be the major contributors to the hospital infectious disease testing market in Asia Pacific. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are considered the emerging markets for hospital infectious disease testing. This is attributed to increasing investment by governments for effective health care infrastructure in the region.Key players operating in the hospital infectious disease testing market include Abbott Laboratories, Alere, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (Life Technologies Corporation), Becton, Dickinson and Company, bioMerieux SA, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Hologic, Inc., Siemens Healthineers, Diatherix Laboratories, Inc., Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cepheid, Inc., and QIAGEN.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Request for brochure of this report -About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Advanced Materials Market: Industrial Progress Offers Lucrative Opportunities 2024

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Advanced materials are significantly superior than conventional materials as they are either novel, are specifically products, or are enhanced materials after undergoing several modifications. With growing concerns regarding climate change, governments and consumers are readily opting for environment-friendly production methods and products. Besides that, extended product lifecycle, higher fuel efficiency, low power consumption, and consistent research and development of other advanced materials are other factors augmenting the demand in the global market for the same. According to a recent study by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global advanced materials market had a valuation of US$42.76 bn in 2015, and estimates it to reach US$102.48 bn before the end of 2024, incrementing at a healthy CAGR of 10.4% during the forecast period of 2016 to 2024.Browse Market Research Report @How competitive is the global advanced materials market?According to the TMR report, the competition in the global market for advanced materials is moderate, with 3M Advanced Materials holding 70% of the market in 2015, and is expected to remain dominant throughout the forecast period with an impressive product portfolio and proprietary technologies. Most of the other leading companies are actively indulging in research and development too, aiming to produce state-of-art advanced materials in order to ideally meet the demand. Huntsman Corporation, Materion Corporation, Morgan Advanced Materials plc, Hanwa Group, and Hexcel Corporation are some of the other notable vendors in the global advanced materials market.Which market segments are most lucrative?Based on product, the report segments the global advanced materials market into glasses, ceramics, composites, polymers, and metals and alloys. Out of these, ceramics is the most popular product segment due to its application in the production of medical devices. Owing to the prosperity of the healthcare industry, the demand for ceramics advanced materials market is expected to expand quickly during the forecast period.Application-wise, the advanced materials market is segmented into medical devices, electrical and electronics, automotive, aerospace, power, industrial, and others. Among these, the rapid growth of the automotive industry is clearly evident on the market. Lightweight and high-strength advanced materials are highly useful for the automotive industry.Geographically, North America is the most lucrative region, owing to high adoptability rate of new technology and high demand of efficient automobiles, especially since the advent of hybrid vehicles. However, important North America countries such as the U.S. and Canada are reaching maturity, while Asia Pacific and the Middle East offer substantial new opportunities due to the presence of several emerging economies, rapid industrialization, and increasing disposable income among the urban population.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @Advanced materials offer several benefits over conventional materials, but cost factors is hindering the market from attaining its full potential. In this scenario, players in this market must research and develop cheaper products with equal advantages in order to meet the desires of potential customers.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medical Manifolds Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 - 2024

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Manifolds are pipeline systems with several openings. Manifolds are specially fabricated structures wherein two or more cylinders are connected to a single pipeline to increase the availability of gas at the source. Medical manifolds offer the function of reducing the pressure from cylinders with high pressure to the required pressure, which is feasible to use in the hospital pipeline. In hospitals, medical gases are largely used to provide long-term support to patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Medical air is used in hospitals in large quantities and hence, it is feasible to produce it on site, rather than storing it in gas cylinders. Medical gas supply in a hospital needs to fulfill the stringent requirements of the installation standards and safety of all patients in the hospital. The need for medical manifolds primarily arises from strict rules and requirements for the medical gas supply systems. For instance, in July 2012, the U.S. Congress passed a bill putting into effect the Food & Drug Safety & Innovation Act. This act provides selected gases as approved medications for common medical gas mixtures; provides manufacturers with the protection of their intellectual property rights for new products; and establishes a certification process for medical gas production. These factors serve as a driver for the market.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:Increasing awareness regarding the medical gas safety amongst manufacturers and consumers is a major factor that drives the global medical manifolds market. Growth of the health care infrastructure has led to rise in the number of hospitals, which acts as a driver for the global medical manifolds market. In addition, the establishment of industry-friendly associations such as Medical Gas Association (MGA), Compressed Gas Association (CGA), and Gases & Welding Distributors Association (GAWDA) is fueling the market. Constant efforts made by the members of CGA and GAWDA have rendered the actualization of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act. These associations help in chalking out strategies that would ultimately help the market thrive and flourish. Therefore, establishment of such associations acts as a driver for the market.The global medical manifolds market has been segmented by product type and geography. In terms of product, the medical manifolds market has been categorized into simplex manifold systems, cradle pack manifolds, dual manifold systems, semi-automatic manifold systems, automatic manifold systems, digital automatic manifold systems, and others.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Based on the region, the global fermented ingredients market has been segmented into: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounts for a significant share of the global market for medical manifolds, owing to presence of industry-friendly organizations such as CGA and GAWDA. These associations consist of industry experts working in reputed organizations. The members of these associations work continuously to make value additions to the market by understanding the market trends and implementing the policies that eventually work out in favour of the market. Europe is considered to be the second largest market for medical manifolds, due to enhanced health care processes and growing health concerns in the region. Moreover, rising geriatric population with the need for hospitalization augments the market in the region. Major factors that would drive the market in Asia Pacific include rapid development of health care infrastructure and presence of large population in the region. High prevalence of pulmonary diseases and emergency medical conditions provides countries such as India and China with multiple untapped opportunities. Latin American countries such as Mexico and Brazil are expected to have considerable growth potential for the medical manifolds market due to evolving health care infrastructure, and increasing medical expenditure.Major players operating in the global market for medical manifolds include Praxair, Inc., BeaconMedaes LLC, Merit Medical Systems, Inc., Smiths Group plc, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Pattons Medical, Genstar Technologies, and Gascon Systems Pty Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Starter Fertilizers Market - Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2024

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Starter fertilizer is a small amount of fertilizer nutrients placed near the seed, usually at the time of planting. Starter fertilizers boost the development of budding seedlings by supplying vital nutrients. These fertilizers aim to strengthen the roots of a plant at an early stage. Phosphorous, potassium, and nitrogen are the key nutrient components in a starter fertilizer. Phosphorus is essentially used to promote vigorous root growth. Starter fertilizers have traditionally been recommended for fields lacking in phosphorous. Starter fertilizers are highly beneficial for corn crops. Food crops do not respond to starter fertilizers the same way as corn crops. Starter fertilizers have generally been used in the production of corn in fields with cool soil temperatures so that the nutrients can be easily accessed until the soil condition improves.Browse Market Research Report @Based on the type of nutrient component, the global starter fertilizers market can be segmented into nitrogen, potassium, phosphorous, and micronutrients. The phosphorous segment led the global market for starter fertilizers in 2015. It is expected to continue its dominance during the forecast period due to the characteristics of phosphorous to stimulate growth and nourish the roots of the plant at early stages. Thus, demand for phosphorous has been rising in the global starter fertilizers market. The phosphorous segment was followed by nitrogen and potassium segments, respectively, in 2015. Micronutrients such as boron, chlorine, and copper are used in traces; these constitute a small share of the global starter fertilizers market.Based on the crop type, the global starter fertilizers market can be divided into cereals, fruits & vegetables, and oil seeds & pulses. The cereals segment held the prominent share of the global starter fertilizer market in 2015. The cereals segment has been expanding due to the significant demand for cereals across the globe. Cereal crops include corn, which is suited for the use of starter fertilizers. Thus, the cereals segment is anticipated to continue its dominance during the forecast period. The fruits & vegetable segment is estimated to follow the cereals segment in the near future. Based on form, the global starter fertilizer market can be divided into dry and liquid. Both these forms of starter fertilizers are equally effective; the choice between the two depends upon the cost and convenience of usage.In terms of region, the global starter fertilizer market can be divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. North America held the major share of the global starter fertilizer market in 2015. The U.S. not only accounted for the prominent share of the region, but also led the market across the globe. The starter fertilizers market in North America is anticipated to expand at a steady pace and continue its dominance during the forecast period. This is ascribed to the rise in adoption of improved fertilizer technologies for enhanced production of cereals and fruits and vegetable crops in the region. North America is likely to be followed by Europe during the forecast period. Countries in Europe such as France, Spain, the U.K., Italy, and Germany have been quick in adopting advanced fertilizer products. Europe is also a large export market for fruits and vegetables. The starter fertilizers market in Asia Pacific is anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period primarily due to the large consumer base in the region. Countries such as China and India in the region are also key producers of cereals and fruits and vegetable crops.Prominent players operating in the global starter fertilizers market are Stoller USA Inc., The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Conklin Company Partners Inc., Yara International ASA, CHS Inc., Agrium Inc., Helena Chemical Company, Miller Seed Company, Nachurs Alpine Solution, and Conklin Company Partners Inc.Fill the form for an exclusive sample of this report @The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Neuropathic Pain Industry 2026  Market Size, Overview, Competition Analysis, Company Profiles, Challenges and Risk

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Global Neuropathic Pain Market: OverviewNeuropathic pain refers to a condition of chronic pain that is caused by a primary lesion such as trauma, infection, or other dysfunction in the nervous system. Prominent syndromes of neuropathic pain include root avulsions, postherpetic neuralgia, painful traumatic mononeuropathy, painful polyneuropathy, postsurgical pain syndromes, central pain syndromes, and complex regional pain syndrome. Some of the usual medications prescribed for neuropathic pain are anesthetics, anticonvulsants (also called neuroleptic medications), and antidepressants (also known as tricyclic antidepressants). Common antidepressants include amitriptyline and nortriptiline whereas valproic acid, carbamazepine, felbamate, phenytoin, and clonazepam a few of the most common anticonvulsants used for the treatment of neuropathic disorders. Tocainide or Mexiletine and Idocaine are some of the major anesthetics used to reduce neuropathic pain.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:This report on global neuropathic pain market is a thorough study of the market in its current scenario and based on all the major factors that may impact the growth rate in the near future, it estimates the state of the market until 2024. It also notes and explores some of the trends of the market as well as highlights a few opportunities available. Among the key features of the report is the section on company profiles, wherein several key players in the global market have been analyzed for their product portfolio, market share, global presence, and recent developments including mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations.The global market for neuropathic pain can be segmented on the basis of drug class, by indication, distribution channel, and region. By drug type, the market can be divided into tricyclic antidepressant, anticonvulsants, local anaesthesia, opioids, steroids, and others. On the basis of indication, the market can be categorized into diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and others. By distribution channel, the market can be segmented into retail pharmacies, drug stores, and online pharmacies. Geographically, the report studies the opportunities available in the regions of Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World.Global Neuropathic Pain Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe report observes that diabetes is the usual indication of neuropathic pain, while cancer comes second. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 422 million people were suffering from diabetes in 2014 and this number will continue to expand in the near future, especially among the middle to low-income countries. This vast population is the primary driver in the global neuropathic pain market. Moreover, rising geriatric population, who commonly suffer from neuropathic pain, is another driver for this market. In addition to that, factors such as approval of novel treatment options, increasing demand for neuropathic pain, improving healthcare infrastructure in emerging economies, increased investment by pharmaceutical companies for research and development of improved drugs, and rising number of pain management centers will further fuel the market in positive direction. Conversely, side effects of opioids and steroids as well as cost of branded drugs are some of the factors that will hinder the growth rate of the market during the forecast period.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:On the basis of drug class, the segment of anticonvulsants are most popular whereas the demand for tricyclic antidepressant is expected to expand at the best CAGR. By indication, diabetic neuropathy segment serves maximum demand while chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy is projected for most prominent growth rate. In terms of distribution channel, retail pharmacies are most profitable and is expected to remain the leading segment during the forecast period.Global Neuropathic Pain Market: Region-wise OutlookNorth America currently is the most lucrative regional market, owing to strong healthcare infrastructure and higher buying ability of the consumers. However, Asia Pacific is projected for the most significant growth rate, due to increasing prevalence of diabetes in countries such as China and India.Companies mentioned in the research reportSome of the key companies currently operating in global neuropathic pain market are Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Depomed Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb and Company, Sanofi S.A., Biogen Idec Inc., Eli Lily and Company, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, and Baxter Healthcare Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Glass Bonding Adhesives Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends 2024

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Glass bonding adhesives is a bonding technique used to bond one glass to another and/or to various other substrates such as metals, plastics, and rubbers. These compounds are available as silicones, epoxies, polysulfides, polyurethanes, cyanoacrylates, and UV/LED curing systems. The selection of a suitable adhesive for proper bonding of glass depends upon various factors. These include load and stress at which the glass resists, and functional and technical requirement of a joint. The bonding strength depends on the chosen material such as glass/glass, glass/ metal, glass/stone, and glass/wood. Glass bonding adhesives are used in a wide range of applications in the automotive industry. For instance, they are employed to bond glass in vehicles, manufacture water tanks and optical glasses, bond window glass to frame or structure, etc.Browse Market Research Report @Based on product type, the glass bonding adhesives market can be segmented into UV-curable acrylate, silicone, UV-curable epoxy, polyurethanes, and others. Silicone accounted for significant share of the glass bonding adhesives market in 2015 due to the rising demand for these adhesives in end-use industries such as transportation. High demand for glass bonding adhesives in architecture and electronics is boosting the glass bonding adhesives market. The UV-curable acrylate segment is expected to experience high growth rate due to the increase in demand for glass bonding adhesives in the architecture industry. Growth in demand for these adhesives in end-use industries such as electronics, furniture, and transportation is anticipated to boost the glass bonding adhesives market across the globe. Expansion of the electrical & electronics sector has also augmented the demand for silicone in the glass bonding adhesives market. Demand for glass bonding adhesives has also increased significantly in glass water tanks and other glass storage applications.In terms of region, the glass bonding adhesives market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of volume, Asia Pacific held the significant share of the glass bonding adhesives market in 2015. It was followed by North America and Europe. Asia Pacific is anticipated to dominate the glass bonding adhesives market during the forecast period owing to the high demand for these adhesives in emerging economies such as China, India, and Japan. Demand for glass bonding adhesives in Asia Pacific is anticipated to increase significantly in the near future, led by the increase in demand for these adhesives in end-use industries such as furniture, electronics, medical, transportation, and industrial assembly. In terms of end-use, the furniture segment is estimated to account for the prominent share of the glass bonding adhesives market during the forecast period. Increase in usage of glass bonding adhesives in electrical and electronics appliances is driving the glass bonding adhesives market. Significant industrial development is anticipated to open up new opportunities for the global glass bonding adhesives market. Economic development and rise in the number of applications are anticipated to augment the global glass bonding adhesives market in Asia Pacific. Increase in usage of glass bonding adhesives in electronics, medical, and construction end-use industries is likely to propel the global glass bonding adhesives market in the next few years.Global demand for glass adhesives is projected to rise significantly in the near future, thereby offering high growth opportunities for companies operating in the glass bonding adhesive market. Rapid increase in demand in end-use applications, competitive manufacturing costs, and high economic growth rate are propelling the glass bonding adhesives market in Asia Pacific. These factors are encouraging companies to adopt expansion and R&D strategies in the region. Market players are focusing on Asia Pacific to gain higher market share. Producers of glass bonding adhesives have been compelled to adopt expansion and acquisition strategies to meet the global demand. Large numbers of producers are shifting their plants to countries such as China and India due to factors such as high demand and low raw material and labor costs.Key players operating in the global glass bonding adhesives market are Three Bond Holdings Co., Ltd, Permabond Engineering Adhesives, Bohle Group, Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Sika A.G., H.B. Fuller Company, Dymax Corporation, Ashland Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, 3M Company, and KIWO.Fill the form to gain deeper insights on this market @The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Medical Radiation Shielding Market: Global Markets & Advanced Technologies

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Global Medical Radiation Shielding Market: OverviewThe demand for medical radiation has been soaring of late, thanks to the rising prevalence of chronic conditions. Scientists have long known about the damage to human tissues caused by large quantities of ionizing radiation. Consequently, the need to prevent harmful exposure to radiation led to the development of products that offer protection from it.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:The report on global medical radiation shielding market sheds light on growth opportunities, catalysts, deterrents, recent trends and developments in the global market scenario. The report also covers market attractiveness, value chain analysis, and the leading segments of the global medical radiation shielding market. The leading vendors are studied in detail, wherein their key business strategies, market shares held by them, and their product portfolios have been discussed, offering a complete overview of the competitive scenario. The report also leverages Porters Five Force analysis to gauge the level of competition in the global market for medical radiation shielding.Global Medical Radiation Shielding Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing number of cancer patients is one of the key growth drivers of the global medical radiation shielding market. This factor is likely to retain its influence as the need to fight cancer has become a key concern, spurring medical research initiatives. The development of radiation therapies and nuclear medicine has aided in the delivery of accurate diagnostics to treat cancer patients efficiently. However, exposure to radiation is often related to health hazards to healthcare professionals. High exposure to radiation can lead to cancer among them, while several minor adverse effects such as radiation sickness and burning of skin are also believed to originate from radiation exposure. Therefore, radiogenic cancer risk and other potential hazards have been contributing towards market growth.Increasing installation bases, rising number of diagnostic centers worldwide, and the growing consciousness about safety concerns at workplaces have been fuelling the demand for medical radiation shielding. However, high costs of MRI scanners might restrict the expansion of market. However, a vast measure of opportunities are promised by the untapped potential of emerging economies.The global medical radiation shielding market can be broadly divided on the basis of product, region, end user, and solution. Based on product type, lead bricks, lead lined windows and doors, lead sheet, booths, and barriers, lead glass, x-ray rooms, shields, and lead lined plywood can be some of the key segments.Global Medical Radiation Shielding Market: Regional OutlookBased on geography, the global medical radiation shielding market can be segmented into Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and North America. North America boasts considerable opportunities on account of its highly advanced medicine industry. Europe will display substantial growth owing to its vast healthcare expenditure, coupled with significant technological advancements in the region. The emerging economies of Asia Pacific such as China and India are prosperous markets in the making, as awareness about the health hazards of radiation have been stirring a desire for radiation-free working environment.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Companies Mentioned in the ReportSome of the major companies operating in the global medical radiation shielding market are Ray-Bar Engineering Corp, Global Partners in Shielding, Inc., Nelco, Inc., Amray, Radiation Protection Products, and ETS-Lindgren. Manufacturers have been working on enhancing the efficiency of their products, aimed at ensuring complete safety from radiation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dental Chairs Market: Technologies, Markets and Players

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Dental procedures demand optimum co-operation from patients. Dental chairs enable adjustment of height, back rest, and arm rest that provide complete support to patient as well as health care professional. The two types of dental chairs currently available in the market are hydraulic and electromechanical chairs. Electromechanical chairs offer integration of a variety of engines such as computer equipment, which results in increased adoption of these chairs in practice. In addition, modern dental chairs offer systems to hold hand pieces and other dental equipment such as mouth mirror, periodontal probe, and gauze that reduce extra box clutter.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:Considering the increasing prevalence of obesity in developed countries, manufacturers such as Diaco, Ltd. offer dental chairs that have working load limit of up to 500 kg. In addition, manufacturers offer dental chairs specially designed for wheelchair patients, which enable efficient working for orthodontists. Hence, increasing benefits of modern dental chairs are fueling the growth of the dental chairs segment. Beaverstate Dental Systems, DCI Equipment, and Takara Belmont USA, Inc. are the key players operating in the dental chairs segment.According to the World Health Organization, in 2012, dental caries was reported to be a major public health problem in most high-income countries such as the U.S. The disease affected 60% to 90% of school-age children and majority of adults in the country. Several high-income countries with established preventive programs demonstrate a systematic decline in dental caries in children and improved status in the adult population.Dentistry in the U.S. is in a state of transformation, with increasing baby boomer generation having periodontal diseases. The health care delivery system is changing rapidly with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons found that 69% adults aged between 35 years and 44 years have lost at least one permanent tooth to an accident, gum disease, failed root canal, or tooth decay. Three out of four persons in Canada visit a dental clinic; one of the highest rates among OECD countries. A study by the Montreal Economic Institute in 2013 indicated that private dental clinics are preferred to public clinics in Canada. Demand for private dental clinics is primarily driven by easy access, less waiting period, and better treatment offered to patients.The dental chairs market can be segmented based on chairs delivery systems, end-user, and geography. In terms of chairs delivery systems, the dental chairs market can be classified into over-the-patient delivery, rear delivery, and side delivery. Over-the-patient delivery systems are most commonly used in dental clinics, as these are easy to use and meet the requirements of time and motion concepts and promotes good ergonomic positioning. Based on end-user, the market can be segmented into hospitals, dental clinics, and research and academic institutes.Geographically, the dental chairs market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Europe is likely to be the largest market for dental chairs due to high number of laboratories and high patient pool for dental related treatment. According to Oral Health Platform, in 2012, over 50% of the population of Europe was suffering from some form of periodontal diseases, which were relatively higher among people aged 60 years and above. The British dental technician trade has declined sharply in the past few years as many practices outsource their lab work to overseas laboratories. Over 12,000 qualified dental technicians operated in the U.K. a decade ago. Currently, this figure is approximately 5,000 and is decreasing by 200 qualified technicians every year. The dental chairs market in North America is expected to witness strong growth during the forecast period driven by increasing baby boomer generation having periodontal diseases. The market in Asia Pacific is driven by increase in geriatric population and surging demand for dental restoration due to rise in oral health awareness.Major players operating in this market include Danaher Corporation, Midmark Corporation, Planmeca Oy, Sirona Dental Systems, Inc., SMTmax, and Ritter Dental.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Dental Suction Systems Market: Global Markets & Advanced Technologies

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Dental suction utilizes a rotary vane and a pump to provide suction for procedures performed in the dental operatory. Suction units are used to remove dental waste material from the oral cavity during procedures. Dental suction systems are used for two main reasons: high volume suction for debris left over during procedures and saliva ejectors. The saliva ejector functions by sucking saliva out of the mouth. The other main type of dental suction, high volume suction, is held by the dental hygienist close to where the dentist is working and it sucks the nearby debris such as cleaning paste, amalgam fillings and surplus water from dental drills. Suction is also used to keep the tooth dry during restorative procedures. Market growth has been positive, but limited in the suction system segment due to its high penetration rate, as every practice in operation must already have a suction system. There has also been little incentive for practices to replace or upgrade their functioning systems since there has been little technological advancement in this area. High market penetration and limited technological advancements will continue to limit growth in this area.Download The Full Brouchre of ReportVacuums allow doctor and staff to retain the oral cavity clean to work during dental surgical procedure. Having a well-made and operational vacuum system also offers ease to the patient as saliva and other liquids can easily be emptied from the mouth throughout procedures. If vacuum system goes down, performing dental surgery procedure becomes difficult. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 17.5% children aged five years to 19 years and 27.4% adults aged 20 years to 44 years were with untreated dental caries in 2012. According to the American Dental Association and the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), average annual dental expenditure among those with a visit was US$ 685 in 2013. Among those with a visit to a GP dentist, average expenditure was US$ 514. Among those with a visit to a dental specialist, average dental expenditure was US$ 1,755. As an example of dental services provided by specialists, average dental expenditure for services provided by orthodontists was US$ 1,440.Increasing dental surgical procedures globally is expected to drive the dental suction systems market. However, certain challenges faced by the market include lack of voluntary visits to dentists by patients for routine check-ups and lack of awareness among patients. These factors would restrain market growth.Geographically, Europe and North America are the two major regional markets for dental suction systems, as awareness about dental issues is high in Europe, followed by North America. Presently, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa are lucrative markets for investment. Europe was the second largest market for dental suction systems attributed to enhanced health care processes and increased dental procedures. Moreover, rising geriatric population is likely to boost the market in the region. Improving health care infrastructure and increasing patient awareness levels about substitute treatment options are the major factors likely to drive the market in Asia Pacific. Rising medical tourism in the region would also boost market growth. Growth of the market can be attributed to investments by leading players to improve the present health care infrastructure in developing countries such as China and India. Countries in Latin America such as Mexico and Brazil are expected to have considerable potential in the market due to evolving medical structure and high disposable income.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Major players operating in the dental suction systems market include Becker Pumps Australia, W&H Dentalwerk, KUGEL Medical, Unimicro Medical Systems, DURR DENTAL AG, and DENTAS.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Refurbished Medical Imaging Equipment Market: Trends, Opportunities and Forecasts 2024

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Refurbished equipment are generally refined/repaired devices with improvements (structure, safety) into existing or used ones. Basically, refurbished equipment are the new version of the old equipment in terms of better safety, efficacy, and user-friendliness without changing its recommended use as per original registration. Considering the growing pollution and limited energy resources, refurbishing is preferable to extend equipment service life from an environmental standpoint.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:The global refurbished medical imaging equipment market has been segmented based on device and region. The five major categories of refurbished medical imaging equipment include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-ray, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, and nuclear imaging equipment. MRI and CT devices accounted for majority of the global refurbished medical imaging equipment market. Manufacture of MRI and CT devices require a large number of skilled personnel. Hence, it is better to refurbish the above mentioned devices at a lower cost. Major modalities used for diagnosing cardiovascular disease include CT scanners, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nuclear imaging equipment. Rising incidence of chronic diseases across the globe is increasing demand for cost-effective and efficient diagnosis procedure. This in turn is driving demand for refurbished medical imaging devices. Moreover, a high number of tuberculosis (TB) patients are present in the developing and under-developed countries. Most of the demand for X-ray and MRI equipment comes from these countries as people in these countries prefer cost effective medical treatment. Hence, emerging economies are contributing significantly to the growth of the refurbished medical imaging equipment market.Cost constraints and cost effective medical treatment are the major factors driving the market. Budget pressures are driving more prudent investments in refurbished medical imaging equipment and support services. Refurbished imaging equipment dodges the new medical device tax which encourages manufacturers, producers, and importers to invest in this market. The long life of medical devices is another factor fueling the growth of the market. Rise in incidence of several diseases such as respiratory, oral, orthopedic, and cardiovascular has increased demand for diagnosis and diagnostic equipment across the world. New global regulation threat to the shipment of used medical equipment for refurbishment and low adoption rate by physicians are the major factors hampering market growth. Environmental benefits pertaining to medical imaging equipment are likely to offer significant opportunities in the market.Geographically, the refurbished medical imaging equipment market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing market for refurbished medical imaging equipment due to low purchasing parity. High cost of digital radiology devices such as X-ray systems, MRI scanners, and CT scanners is a major deterrent for market growth in emerging countries. China and India are expected to be the largest contributors to market growth, as these countries are witnessing rapid development in health care infrastructure. In these regions, complementary systems such as ultrasound were deployed instead of the costly digital radiology devices. Several international and local companies are investing in Asia Pacific to tap the highly potential market in the region. The refurbished medical equipment market in Latin America is also likely to experience significant growth. This is attributed to rapid rise in health care infrastructure (health care budget and health care facility) and rise in disposable income of people in the region, especially Brazil and Mexico.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Major players operating in the refurbished medical imaging equipment market include Atlantis Worldwide, Block Imaging, Siemens Healthineers, Philips Healthcare, GE Healthcare, Carestream Health, Inc., FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Shimadzu Corporation, Hitachi Medical Corporation, and Toshiba Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Cerebral Oximeters Market:Competitive Dynamics & Global Outlook 2024

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The fundamental aim of the anesthetic process is maintenance of sufficient amount of oxygen to organs and tissues, especially the brain. Though the dangers to the brain of reduced oxygen delivery and prolonged hypoxia are well documented, the brain is still the least monitored organ in the course of anesthesia. Cerebral oximeters are used to obtain cerebral oxygenation values using continuous, noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology or near-infrared spectroscopy technology.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:The cerebral oximeter setup includes an oximeter probe which is attached to a cable that is then connected to the cerebral oximeter monitor. Most cerebral oximeters are able to support 2 to 4 oximeter probes with their respective monitor cables. Probes are attached to the scalp of a patient using adhesive pads, where the frontal lobe is the chosen part of the scalp. Probes are composed of fiber optic light source along with light detectors. Light is released by the source in the infrared range either by light-emitting diodes (LED) or through stimulated emission of the radiation. The emitted light which is in the infrared range is able to reach the underlying cerebral tissue by easily penetrating through the skull. The light which is emitted is either redirected, absorbed, reflected, or scattered. A change is observed in the light spectrum when infrared light comes in contact with hemoglobin. The change depends upon the hemoglobin molecules oxygenation status. The light detectors present in the oximeter probes detect the reflected light once it returns toward the surface.The growth of the global cerebral oximeters market is due to factors such as growth in the older population, increase in prevalence and incidence of neurological disorders, and gradual rise in the awareness levels about neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, the market growth is driven by increase in prevalence of traumatic brain injuries and sustained efforts by manufacturers to bring in technological advancements in the equipment. The demand for these devices can grow as there is a huge untreated population with neurological conditions as well as rise in demand for minimally invasive and non-invasive devices. Greater focus of the manufacturers on digitalized devices, their extended therapeutic applications, and increase in use of these devices in clinical trials are some of the opportunities that could drive the growth of the market. However, the market growth could be impeded due to high cost of the equipment. As the devices are complex, the costs associated with them are very high. Furthermore, factors such as shortage of highly trained professionals, concerns about the accuracy of the diagnostic devices, and unfavorable reimbursement policies may hinder the growth of the market during the forecast period.The global cerebral oximeters market is segmented based on product type, therapeutic application, end-user, and geography. The market in terms of product type is divided into portable oximeters and finger oximeters. Based on therapeutic application, the market is classified into traumatic brain injuries, stroke, and other therapeutic applications. In terms of end-user, the market is divided into hospitals, clinics, diagnostic centers, and others.Geographically, the global cerebral oximeters market is divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to have the prime share of the market. Factors such as rise in prevalence of various neurodegenerative disorders, government initiatives and support for technological advancements, well-established sales & distribution network of major neurodiagnostic companies, and ease of reimbursement for brain monitoring techniques. North America is followed by Europe in terms of market size. The market is expected to grow in Asia Pacific due to improvement in health care infrastructure, rise in disposable incomes, and increase in incidence of neurodegenerative disorders as well as health care reforms initiated by governments.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The prominent players operating in the global cerebral oximeters market are GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Masimo, Natus Medical Incorporated, Omron Healthcare, Nonin Medical, Boston Scientific, Edwards Lifesciences, and Spacelabs Healthcare.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Infant Phototherapy Lamp Market:Global Industry Analysis 2024

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Jaundice is one of the common conditions in full term and premature babies and appears usually in the first week of birth. Jaundice is caused due to the increased levels of bilirubin in the blood, where processing of the compound is slow as the infants liver is immature in the first week of birth. Jaundice in infants can be classified into physiological jaundice, breast-feeding jaundice, breast milk jaundice, and jaundice caused as a result of blood group incompatibility with the mother. Physiological jaundice is the most common form of jaundice in infants and is observed in more than 50% of the newborns. Phototherapy is a common mode of treatment in infants affected with jaundice. The treatment involves a process of using light waves which are absorbed by the skin and blood, resulting in the breakdown of bilirubin. The breakdown products of bilirubin after phototherapy do not cause any effects on the central nervous system. They are rapidly eliminated through the liver and kidneys.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:The global infant phototherapy lamp market is anticipated to grow during the forecast period owing to the common presence of jaundice in neonates. In addition, low cost and ease of the treatment contribute to the growth of the market. However, alternate modes of treatment such as biliblanket, IVIG treatment, and exchange transfusion are projected to hinder the growth of the market. Furthermore, the phototherapy lamp treatment is anticipated to be associated with long-term effects such as testicular effects, transient DNA damage, and melanoma. This factor might drag the market growth. In addition, lack of research that accurately proves the negative effects of the phototherapy treatment is estimated to negatively impact the infant phototherapy lamp market.The global infant phototherapy lamp market can be segmented based on product type, modality, end-user, and geography. On the basis of product type, the market can be segmented into conventional phototherapy devices and fiber optic phototherapy devices. Conventional phototherapy devices can be further sub-segmented into fluorescent lamps and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. On the basis of modality, the market can be segmented into mobile phototherapy unit and fixed phototherapy unit. Based on the end-user, the market can be segmented into hospitals and neonate clinics.A fiber optic phototherapy device comprises a pad of optic fibers that include a fiber optic bundle through which the light passes. This pad is placed close to the trunk of a neonate and hence does not require shielding of the eye. As a result, retinal injury and other eye complications can be prevented, making it the preferred choice of product for the treatment of jaundice in infants. Among the conventional phototherapy devices, fluorescent bulb is a commonly used device for the treatment. In terms of end-user, the neonate clinics segment of the market is anticipated to record a high growth during the forecast period.On the basis of geography, the market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America is anticipated to be a high revenue generating region of the infant phototherapy lamp market in the near future. However, the Asia Pacific market is anticipated to expand at a high CAGR during the forecast period owing to increase in birth rate, focus on enhancing the health care facilities by governments, and growth in awareness among the population.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The leading global players operating in the infant phototherapy lamp market include Natus Medical Incorporated, GE Healthcare, Philips Lighting Holding B.V., Ibis Medical Equipment & Systems Pvt. Ltd., Dixion, Ardo, Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Beijing Julongsanyou Technology Co., Ltd., NOVOS Medical Systems, and Zhengzhou Dison Instrument And Meter Co., Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Rapid Infuser Device Market: New Business Opportunities & Investment Research Report 2024

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Rapid infuser is a procedure/treatment which involves administration of rapid fluid used during surgical procedure. Rapid infuser device is able to deliver the fluid (human body fluid) from slow to rapid continuous flow. Rapid infuser device is prominently used in emergency situations for safe and effective treatment (when patients are admitted with hypovolemic shock or excessive blood loss). There are two prominent types of rapid infuser devices: one is driven by compressor, while the other is connected to hospital wall pressurized outlets.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:Rapid infuser device is mostly used for the following surgical procedures:Anesthesia and intensive care unitEmergency unitObstetrics and gynecologyUrology divisionConvenient and most effective way of delivering fluids in short span of time are the major factors deriving the global market. Moreover, use of this device in anesthesia centers have evolved over the years owing to product enhancements and application of information and sensing technology. Manufacturers in this industry are achieving innovation in patient care through integration of enhanced patient monitors, innovative parameters, wireless devices, workflows, and integrated IT solutions. This has enabled clinicians and anesthesiologists to practice and deliver customized services to patients. Manufacturing companies are not only providing technically advanced products, but also value added services such as predictable patient care, access to clinical information, and thus, optimized reimbursement. Moreover, rise in incidence of chronic pulmonary diseases is accelerating market growth. According to new estimates by the World Health Organization, COPD is predicted to become the third leading cause of death by 2030. An estimated 64 million people were suffering from COPD in 2004. Moreover, approximately 13.6 million adults were diagnosed with COPD in the U.S. alone. A rise in geriatric population suffering from COPDs and asthma is further expected to accelerate the growth of the rapid infuser devices market. Increase in the number of surgeries demand development of rapid infuser devices. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 51.4 million surgical procedures were performed in the U.S. alone in 2010, which included 1.01 million cardiac catheterizations, 1.1 million endoscopic procedures of the small intestine (with or without biopsy), 499,000 endoscopic procedures of the large intestine (with or without biopsy), 395,000 coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG), 719,000 knee replacements, and 332,000 total hip replacements. It has also revealed that the number would increase in the near future. However, slow adoption rate of rapid infuser devices by hospitals is expected to hamper market growth.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Geographically, the global rapid infuser devices market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America contributed to the largest share of market due to growing patient awareness, favorable initiative taken by the federal government and major market players are based in the region. Asia Pacific and Latin America is identified as the emerging region for rapid infuser devices. Manufacturers have taken advantage of the presence of relatively inexpensive skilled labor in these developing regions to set up manufacturing facilities and launch affordable innovative products. Moreover, the improving scenario for availing better health care facilities in countries such as India and China and the burgeoning medical tourism market in Asia is likely to offer immense growth opportunities in the rapid infuser devices market. Therefore, existing players are recommended to invest in emerging economies to increase their market shares.Key players operating in the global rapid infuser devices market include 410 Medical, Inc., Belmont Instrument Corporation, Smisson-Cartledge Biomedical, LLC, and ZOLL Medical Corporation.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Fetal Doppler Monitoring System Market: Emergence of advanced technologies and global industry analysis 2024!!!

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Fetal doppler monitor, commonly known as baby heartbeat monitor, is a handheld ultrasound transducer used to detect the fetal heartbeat for prenatal care. Fetal doppler monitor provides information about the fetus, which is similar to that of fetal stethoscope, and it acts as an indicator of stress. The stress usually occurs during birth and labor period, which can be detected using the ultrasound probe and electrocardiography. Over the counter sale and use of Doppler ultrasound heartbeat monitors are used for listening to the heartbeat of a fetus. These are legally marketed as prescription devices and should be used under supervision of health care professionals. Doptone is a type of handheld portable ultrasound tool used for fetal monitoring. The tool is beneficial due to its waterproof technology. However, fetal monitoring increases the risk of C-section due to high rate of technological uses, which can develop many complications for the fetus and the mother during pregnancy.Download The Full Brouchre of Report:Increase in number of childbirth, awareness program for preventing the complications in childbirth, and demand for at-home fetal heart monitors are important driving factors of the global fetal doppler monitoring system market. In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declared the usage of Doppler ultrasound heartbeat monitors and fetal ultrasound imaging should be by trained health care professionals, and they are not intended for over the counter sale or use. Cost of treatment or ultrasonography and sensitivity of child toward ultrasound devices are expected to hamper the fetal doppler monitoring system market growth.The global market has been segmented based on monitoring process type, end-user, and geography. In terms of monitoring process type, the fetal doppler monitoring system market is classified into electronic fetal monitoring, external fetal monitoring, and internal fetal monitoring. In terms of end-user, the market for fetal doppler monitoring system is classified into diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and research & development. In terms of geography, the market is distributed over North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.Geographically, North America dominates the global market due to increase in advent of technology of ultrasound monitoring devices and growth in child development plan. Early-phase diagnosis and treatment of disease during pregnancy is driving the medical biotechnology market which in turn is expected to drive the fetal doppler monitoring system market in North America. Europe is the second leading market for fetal doppler monitoring system as there are favorable government policies regarding health care infrastructure and awareness of population development. The Asia Pacific market is expected to grow at a higher rate due to rise in population, changing lifestyle, rise in awareness between patients, and increase in per capita expenditure. In addition, economic growth is supporting the health care infrastructure improvement in developing countries such as India and China.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The major players operating in the global fetal doppler monitoring system market include Medline Industries, Inc., Bionet Co., Ltd, Huntleigh Healthcare Limited, Promed Group Co., Ltd., ELCAT, Hadeco, Inc., Shenzhen Biocare Bio-Medical Equipment Co., Ltd., Advanced Instrumentations, and SonoScape Medical Corp.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Insomnia Market Research Report 2026

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Global Insomnia Market: Brief AccountThe world insomnia market is envisaged to recoup promisingly from its drowsy growth in the past with a number of worthwhile and well-timed opportunities to take advantage of. Insomnia drugs could find an application in the treatment of Parkinson and Alzheimers disease as sedatives. The younger population can increase the global demand as intensively as the geriatric group with rising stress levels and persisting diseases such as cancer at the forefront. The launch of new products such as E-2006 by Eisai Co. Ltd. and Belsomra by Merck & Co. Inc. is forecasted to stimulate the market growth handsomely.Download The Full Brouchre of ReportThe global insomnia market could be segmented according to over-the-counter (OTC) treatment, non-pharmacological treatments, and pharmacological treatments, where each category is evaluated to contribute their part toward the global growth.The researchers who have authored this report prioritize painstaking primary and secondary research to compile statistical data and other analytics of the global insomnia market. Players in the market can gain a decisive insight into the guidelines required to extend their portfolio in the right direction and achieve a tangible success in the market.Global Insomnia Market: Key TrendsWith the two premier categorizations of the worldwide insomnia market into play, viz. non-pharmacological treatments and pharmacological treatments, manufacturers can expect lucrative prospects from both the segments. The cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) listed under non-pharmacological treatments extends the ability of physicians to heal patients or understand their health issues in a comprehensive manner. Such treatments including hypnotherapy can be employed by doctors to take multiple approaches during the treatment of their patients. There are other treatments such as aroma music, bright light, biofeedback, acupuncture, and yoga therapies which could contribute to the growth of the non-pharmacological treatments market.Likewise, pharmacological treatments are prognosticated to lay a strong platform for the global insomnia market to find more growth prospects on the back of key segments such as OTC sleep aids and prescription sleep aids.The international insomnia market could go through a downtime period due to inferior diagnosis rate, below par patient compliance, patent erosion, and ascendancy of generic products. Howbeit, the surging incidences of insomnia and unfulfilled medical needs, for instance, the inefficiency of central nervous system (CNS) drugs, are foreseen to compensate for the probable decline in growth.Global Insomnia Market: Geographical StudyFor the most part of the share in world insomnia market, the Americas including North America are foretold to showcase extensive dominance while offering some groundbreaking opportunities for global players. In the U.S., the OTC treatment market is anticipated to register a higher CAGR to address its growth in the insomnia pharmacological treatment sector. The OTC sleep aids market can be classified into valerian roots, melatonin, and antihistamines. An increasing number of patients are convinced to adopt OTC sleep aids because of the infamous side effects caused by prescription drugs and low prices and easy availability of OTC treatments. The U.S. insomnia market is predicted to gain support from the rising consumption of valerian roots and melatonin, owing to their crucial advantages such as decreased stress levels and less side effects.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:The Americas could be followed by Europe, the Middle East, and Africa on account of the augmenting interest in spreading health awareness through various programs and inflating geriatric population. The insomnia market in Asia Pacific is also looked upon as a decent opportunity for vendors to capitalize on with the elevating disposable income and upsurge in the occurrence of chronic diseases.Global Insomnia Market: Top CompaniesSome of the prominent companies functioning in the international insomnia market are Purdue Pharma L.P., Pernix Therapeutics, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd., Sanofi, Pfizer, Inc., Meda Consumer Healthcare Inc., Merck & Co. Inc., and Eisai, Co. Ltd.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Retail Clinics Market Opportunities and Forecasts, 2024

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Retail clinics are a convenient way for patients to visit a walk-in health care clinic. These clinics are located inside retail stores such as supermarkets and department stores. They are sometimes referred to as convenient care clinics. These clinics offer benefits similar to that offered by traditional clinics. They are usually staffed by nurses and physician assistants. Retail clinics provide medical services such as treatment for flu, cold, dehydration, fever, cough, diagnostic services, vaccination, laboratory tests, physiotherapy, and treatment for injuries.Download The Full Brouchre of ReportThe first retail clinic was opened in 2001 in Minnesota. Retail clinics are experiencing a commendable growth due to patient preference for convenient care options, cost effectiveness, easy accessibility, and multiple services offered. Furthermore, factors contributing to the growth of this market are increase in shortage of primary care physician, growth in health care expenditures, and rise in incidence rate of communicable diseases. Also, several retail clinics are providing treatment and management for chronic diseases such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol disorders. This factor is likely to propel the market growth during the forecast period. However, retail clinics are a secondary choice for many patients, which limits customer volume in these clinics. Low patient population visiting retail clinics and regulations in some countries are impacting the growth of the retail clinics market.The retail clinics market can be segmented on the basis of location, types of suppliers, and geography. Based on location, retail clinics are further segmented into stores, malls, and other retail locations. Geographically, this market is further divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East Asia and Africa. North America accounted for a significant growth rate due to factors such as large population base turning toward convenience care, adoption of electronic medical and chart records, and introduction of digital tools. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 18 million adults suffered from asthma in 2012, which was one of the factors that had driven the growth of the retail clinics market. South East Asia, Middle East, and Latin America are projected to be the potential markets in the near future due to higher adoption rate of retail clinics, rise of disposable income, increase in disease burden, shortage of physicians, and ease of usage. Star Dental Care, a U.S. based institute, is aiming to open up retail dental clinics in India by 2017, which is estimated to enhance the growth of the market in this country.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Major players operating in the retail clinics market include Kroger, Rite Aid, Doctors Care, Clear Balance, CVS Healths MinuteClinic, NEXtCARE, RediClinic, Target Brands, Inc., The Little Clinic, U.S. HealthWorks, Inc., Urgent Care MSO, LLC, and Walgreen Co. Growth of retail clinics and the companies are related to initiatives aimed at patients satisfaction. With growing experience, companies are expanding their services and experiment with new methods such as telemedicine integration, point-of-care technologies, and offering new services. For example, Minute Clinic (CVS) launched a digital tool in May 2016 which helped patients to estimate the wait time at several locations.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Bioprocess Technology Market: Technologies, Markets and Players

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Global Bioprocess Technology Market: OverviewThe global bioprocess technology market is forecast to report a strong growth between 2016 and 2024. Besides the expansion of pharmaceutical industries across emerging nations, the market is seemingly gaining from the higher research and development funding. Furthermore, as pharmaceutical giants focus on their core competencies they are more likely to outsource a few crucial operations to vendors with expertise. This would further give impetus to the global bioprocess technology market.Download The Full Brouchre of ReportThe report provides a detailed assessment of the market covering growth drivers, major restraints, and opportunities. It has segmented the market based on various parameters for the purpose of the study. The effect of Porters five forces on the overall market is studied in detail as well.Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Trends and OpportunitiesThe bioprocess technology market is majorly gaining from the growth witnessed in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Given the scenario, the industry now witnesses rising research funding, novel drug launches, and increasing government support. These, coupled with the increasing incidence of chronic ailments, will keep the demand for bioprocess technologies high through the reports forecast period.Besides this, the market is also looking forward to the rapid growth in pharmaceutical and biotechnologies industries to gain more business. Rising R&D activities supported by favorable government policies are direct results of expansion witnessed in the pharmaceutical industry. Launch of novel therapeutics will ensue the trend. These factors will have a positive impact on the overall market thus helping it gain higher. Also the market will gain from the increasing pharmaceutical outsourcing to vendors operating in the bioprocess technology market.Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Regional OutlookRegionally, Asia Pacific, Europe, North America, and Rest of the World constitute the key segments in the global bioprocess technology market. Among these, North America exhibited highly lucrative opportunities till 2016 and the trend is likely to continue through the reports forecast period. As the region exhibits increasing demand for high quality biologics and the top players domiciled therein increase research funding, the bioprocess technology market in North America will continue showing steep rise.Likewise in Asia Pacific the market is expected to witness highly lucrative opportunities. Benefiting from the growing pharmaceutical industry and investments by key market players, the demand for bioprocess technologies will rise in Asia Pacific. Besides this, the market players in the region are also gaining from the rising outsourcing to Asian countries and easy availability of academic excellence in Asia Pacific.Global Bioprocess Technology Market: Vendor LandscapePolicies adopted by prominent companies have a significant impact on the overall market. The report therefore profiles some of the leading enterprises and studies the impact of their latest marketing strategies, mergers and acquisitions, and product launches. For the purpose of the study, a detailed overview of their product portfolio is mentioned as well. The strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled are analyzed using SWOT analysis, which also presents insights into opportunities and threats these companies could face during the forecast period.Browse Global Strategic Business Report:Some of the companies included in this list are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., GE Healthcare, Danaher Corporation, Merck Millipore, Dickinson and Company, Becton, Lonza Group AG, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Sartorius Stedim Biotech S.A, Corning, Inc., and Charles River Laboratories.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Revenue Management Market Will Reflect Significant Growth Prospects by 2024

Revenue Management Market, Revenue Management Market share, Revenue Management Market size

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Revenue Management Market  OverviewRevenue management, also called yield management, refers to a form of disciplined analytics that allows capacity-constrained industries to optimize product availability and profitability by predicting consumer behavior and allocating the right product to the right consumer at the right time and price. Concepts of revenue management can be applied to virtually all industries that have products or services which can be sold in advance, have inconsistent patterns of demand, are capacity constrained, and service at low marginal service charges. Understanding the consumers perception of the value of a service or a product and modifying their availability and prices to earn the maximum profit forms the core of revenue management practices.Some industries that are ripe for the application of revenue management principles are airlines, hotels, car rentals, freight transportation, television broadcast, advertising, web conferencing, theaters, healthcare, telecommunications, manufacturing, and retail. The report analyzes the global revenue management market based on the application of revenue management systems in some of these key end-user industries.Obtain Report Details @Revenue Management Market: Growth Drivers, Challenges, and OpportunitiesRising awareness of the direct impact of revenue management systems on overall revenues of organizations of all sizes, and the flourishing telecommunications, tourism, manufacturing, and airlines industries in developing countries in Asia Pacific, are chief drivers of the global revenue management market. An increased rate of utilization of a variety of revenue management systems in several small- and mid-sized organizations, owing to the reduction in prices of products and services, and the flexibility allowed by cloud hosting platforms, will help the market witness exponential growth across the globe over the reports forecast period. The cloud is expected to be the most popular mode of deployment in the global revenue management market over the reports forecast period.Make an Enquiry @Revenue Management Market: Regional ScenarioThe report examines the global revenue management market for regional markets such as North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW). Over the reports forecast period, North America is projected to be the dominant regional market for revenue management, on account of heightened demand from companies in service industries that are looking to increase revenues and profitability in the extremely competitive environment.Nevertheless, the global revenue management market will earn a major share of its revenues from Asia Pacific over the reports forecast period, where small- and mid-sized companies in the services industry will switch to technologically advanced revenue management systems to benefit from a heightened demand for a variety of services. Industries such as aviation, healthcare, hospitality, and tourism will offer the most lucrative growth opportunities in the market. Also, highly flexible and economic cloud hosted solutions will be a hit in the price-sensitive Asia Pacific revenue management market over the reports forecast period.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR Syndicated Research report covers a different sector  such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports thrive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA  Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Wednesday 12 April 2017 2:39pm



Dr Andrew Reynolds

An up-and-coming University of Otago scientist has been funded by the Otago Southland Diabetes Research Trust to undertake cutting-edge research into how the processing of whole grains affects blood-sugar levels of people with diabetes.



The Trust has awarded funding for one year to Dr Andrew Reynolds of the Department of Human Nutrition and the Edgar National Centre for Diabetes and Obesity Research. Dr Reynolds is the first researcher to be funded by the Trust, which is managed by Perpetual Guardian.



Dr Reynolds says the project is a great opportunity to research important questions relevant to the many people with type-2 diabetes or pre-diabetes in New Zealand.



This is an exciting opportunity to pursue research that can inform health advice and food manufacturing in New Zealand.



The study aims to determine if the physical state of grains  ranging from finely ground flour to intact whole grains  changes how they are digested into the body.



We will measure blood-sugar response to wholegrain products that have been developed here at the University of Otago, to see what role the structure of the grain makes, he says.

The products are breads, crackers and breakfast cereal.



Dr Reynolds says there is growing evidence that it is not just the amount of grain-based carbohydrates eaten, but the level of processing that is important for how the body responds to food.



In the long term, how people with type-2 diabetes respond to different kinds of carbohydrates is crucial to their overall health.

We are very keen to get local people with this condition to take part in our trial so we can learn what forms of grain-based food might be best in controlling their blood-sugar levels.

Dr Reynolds is working with Dr Lisa Te Morenga and Professor Jim Mann on this study as well as researchers from the Department of Food Science. The project has funding from both the Riddet Institute and the Baking Industry Research Trust of New Zealand.

People wishing to take part in the trial should contact andrew.reynolds@otago.ac.nz

For more information, please contact:

Dr Andrew Reynolds

Tel: 03 479 5690

Email: andrew.reynolds@otago.ac.nz
United Airlines went viral in the worst way possible video of a man being wrestled off one of its flights hit the internet. The man, a doctor who needed to return home for his shift at a hospital, was forcibly removed from a plane because a crew member needed his seat. Video showed security dragging the man being off the plane by his arms with blood on his face.

Uniteds latest public relations nightmare was preceded by an incident last month in which two teenagers were barred from boarding their flight because they were wearing leggings.

Within minutes of Pepsi unveiling a new ad starring Kendall Jenner, social media users almost unanimously came down against it, calling the protest-themed commercial tone deaf and opportunistic. The ad, which depicted Jenner resolving the tension at a protest scene with a can of Pepsi, was pulled after a day and the company issued an apology for having released it.

In 2015, Starbucks had its own PR disaster with its race together campaign, which sought to help heal race relations in America through coffee cup stickers, and not much else. Critics slammed the campaign, which began in response to a series police shootings, as a cheap marketing ploy.

Bloomingdales ran a print ad in 2015 encouraging readers to spike your best friends eggnog when theyre not looking. With the accompanying photo of a man looking at a distracted woman, some accused the ad of contributing rape culture by encouraging people to shirk consent.

Bud Light found itself in a similar position when customers noticed that some of the companys cans featured the quote The perfect beer for removing no from your vocabulary for the night. One of 140 slogans printed on the cans as part of the Up for Whatever campaign, the quote nonetheless drew the ire of those who said the company was encouraging rape.

The skincare company Nivea took some heat on social media after it debuted an ad on social media featuring the phrase white is purity, which some accused of supporting white supremacy. The ad also included a picture of a woman and the caption Keep it clean, keep it bright. Dont let anything ruin it.

Samsung began selling its Galaxy Note 7 phones in August 2016, and by September, it had suspended sales of the phone due to reports that they were catching fire during charging. After issuing replacement phones only to find that those phones were also catching fire, the company officially recalled the product on Sept. 15. In October, it issued a software update to brick the model entirely.

Wells Fargo is currently amid its own PR disaster after it came to light that employees were creating thousands of fraudulent accounts to meet unrealistic sales goals. As many of 5,300 employees were fired as a result, and the company has since clawed back $180 million from two former executives.

When President Donald Trump signed the first version of his Muslim travel ban in February and taxis briefly withheld service from airports in protest, Uber announced it would be lowering its own prices. The action led to a mass boycott of the ride sharing service and the hashtag #DeleteUber.

Chick-Fil-A history of anti-LGBT activism came to light after the companys CEO Dan Cathy admitted to opposing same-sex marriage in 2012. Amid increasing public outcry, the company eventually vowed to stop donating to anti-LGBT causes.

Read original story 11 Companies That Created Their Own PR Nightmares (Photos) At TheWrap
Saginaw Valley State University will host renowned scholar and preservationist Giselle Tamayo-Castillo for a public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 20 in the Rhea Miller Recital Hall.

A professor of chemistry at the University of Costa Rica, Tamayo-Castillo will discuss the creation of the National Institute of Biodiversity, its successes and failures and her personal involvement with this private, not-for-profit organization.
Congressman Dan Kildee will host coffee hours in Bay City on from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, April 13 at Krzysiaks House Restaurant, 1605 Michigan Ave.

The coffee hour events are free and open to the public. Local residents are encouraged to attend and discuss their opinions face-to-face with Kildee.
The Midland Noon Rotary Club will provide three scholarships to send area high school juniors to the Rotary Youth Leadership Camp in Clare. The 2017 Rotary Camp will take place June 11-15. Each summer the Rotary Camp provides a leadership training program for young people which emphasizes leadership, citizenship and personal growth. In 2016 more than 60 youth from Rotary districts throughout Michigan attended the camp and benefitted from the experience.

Students must be able to attend all five days of the camp. Interested candidates are encouraged to complete an application and return it no later than Monday, May 8. Each student applicant requires a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor emphasizing the students leadership potential. The signed application and recommendation should be mailed to: Betty Jones, 2504 Georgetown Dr. Midland, 48642.
The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department.

Monday, April 10

12:19 a.m.  Police were called to the 4000 block of Pfeiffer Court for a report of a loud party.

9:56 a.m.  Someone broke into a Lee Township business, causing $100 damage to a door. It is believed the suspects entered the building, and nothing was stolen.

12:44 p.m.  Police were called to the 5500 block of Drake Street to investigate a case of fraud.

12:47 p.m.  Deputies conducted a well being check on two children at a Hope Township home. The children were fine.

3:06 p.m.  Officers investigated a report of a fraud in the 400 block of Oakmont Grove.

10:15 p.m.  Police investigated a hit and run traffic crash in the 4900 block of Hedgewood Drive.
BLOOMINGTON  The owner of the Imperial Buffet in Normal plans to open a new restaurant in east Bloomington in late June or early July.

Hang Dong told the Bloomington Liquor Commission Tuesday that he plans to open the Golden House at 2303 E. Washington St., Bloomington.

He is requesting a license to serve beer and wine at his new restaurant, which will seat between 50 to 60 people.

The three commission members  Mayor Tari Renner, Lindsey Powell and Jack Bataoel  voted unanimously to recommend Dong's request with the condition that at least one employee receives BASSET (Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training) certification before the City Council considers whether to grant the license at its May 8 meeting.

Dong opened the Imperial Buffet, 1950 E. College Ave., next to Meijer in Normal in August 2010. The all-you-can-eat buffet offers American, Japanese, Italian, Chinese and Mongolian barbecue, plus full dessert and salad bars.

The Golden House will differ in that it is not a buffet and will offer Asian stir-fry entrees as well as popular American staples such as chicken wings, corn dogs, fries, onion rings and salads, said restaurant manager Howard Wei.

Entrees are expected to range from $6 to $8, said Wei.

Restaurant hours have not been firmed up but Wei anticipates opening at 10 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. Initially, the restaurant will be open seven days a week, but later could possibly be closed on Tuesdays, said Wei.
NORMAL  Nearly 11 years after it closed, a former north Normal hotel is on the verge of new life.

The facility at 8 Traders Circle, directly next to Interstate 55 at the Main Street exit, is set to open June 7 as a Radisson Hotel, officials confirmed.

The property, which was a Holiday Inn, Sheraton and then the Staywood Inn before closing in 2006, "was gutted down to steel studs and concrete" and is now an updated 158-room hotel with 12,000 feet of conference space, said Matt Jacobs, executive vice president of operations for owner Swift Hospitality Group.

"Outside of the studs, everything is brand-spanking-new," confirmed General Manager Sam King during a tour.

King showed off the hotel's atrium, bar area, dining room, fitness center, pool, fourth-floor business class lounge, suites and other amenities as workers continued renovations Monday. Though opening is just eight weeks away, much of the hotel was still covered in plaster dust and under busy construction.

"In my experience, the hardest thing are the permits," King said of progress at the facility. "A month from today it will look completely different."

In addition to a hotel and conference center, the building will house a full-service restaurant with American-style cuisine that could be called "Traders Grill," King said. Jacobs said it will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The location were at, theres a lot of fast food and pizza joints and such, but... not a lot of nicer bar and grill type facilities, Jacobs said. Well be able to accommodate local patrons who come to watch sporting events on the five TVs at the bar or business folks looking for a great place to have lunch.

King said the conference center facilities, including a 6,000 square-foot banquet hall and three smaller rooms, can take on events with attendance from "15 people to 100s." The conference center area also has a separate entrance that will help isolate noisy events from the hotel, he added.

King said he hopes the hotel helps revitalize the area, including nearby Constitution Trail Center.

Jacobs said the hotel is looking to hire 60 employees, including cooks, servers, housekeepers, front desk representatives and maintenance staff. He encouraged applicants to visit the hotel to get an application or leave a resume.

Were taking reservations for anytime after June 7, he said.

Swift is spending $18 million to revive the hotel, which was slated to become a Crowne Plaza before funding dried up. The town of Normal will provide up to $4.85 million in tax increment financing and hotel tax money related to the property to Swift after the hotel is completed.
DECATUR  The prognosis for a group of unionized prison nursing jobs across Central Illinois hangs in the balance as last-ditch efforts are made to save them.

The correctional facility nurses  seven in Decatur, 12 in Vandalia and four in Lincoln  are among 124 nurses statewide who have been told by Gov. Bruce Rauner's administration their state jobs will end in June 15.

All these nursing jobs are being privatized and will be filled by a medical care vendor called Wexford Health Sources Inc., which already provides the rest of the state prison network's nurses.

Among those supporting the effort to save the jobs is state Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, who helped pass new legislation that would prevent the nurses from being laid off and their work from being outsourced.

All that is needed is for Rauner to sign the bill, a hope that appears to be on life support given the governor's oft-stated anti-union stance. Nicole Wilson, a spokeswoman for the Department of Corrections, has previously said that privatizing the nursing jobs would save taxpayers $8 million a year.

Scherer, however, told the (Decatur) Herald & Review on Monday there is still time for the governor to change his mind: Well, my hope is that maybe he didn't see all the negative repercussions that were going to happen and maybe he will sign the law. I just can't imagine him vetoing it.

Scherer sees a risk of substandard care for inmates and the chance that no money will be saved anyway. She says the state will be at financial risk from inmate lawsuits and huge overtime bills.

A representative for Pittsburgh-based Wexford did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Scherer says she also sympathizes with the union nurses, all members of the Illinois Nurses Association, who are having their lives disrupted in what she sees as a pointless exercise with no good outcome.

This is just all around not a good deal for the state of Illinois: it's not good for our workers, it's not good for our unions and it's not good for fiscal soundness, she added.

The Department of Corrections did not immediately return a call for comment, but it has previously stated that most of the laid-off nurses likely would be hired by Wexford. And the department has said it will work with nurses who wish to remain employed by the state by trying to find them jobs in other state agencies.

The INA said the state's response is not good enough. It says Wexford will offer the nurses their old jobs back for less pay, and more seasoned nurses, who had planned retirement, will not see the full state pension benefits they had been counting on after years of service in difficult conditions.

The INA has filed claims of unfair labor practices against the state and accused Rauner of planning the layoff in retaliation after INA's membership overwhelmingly rejected a previous tentative labor agreement reached last spring.
NORMAL  Only a sophomore at Bloomington High School, 16-year-old Yasimine Hamilton has decided to go into law enforcement after graduation, and she had the chance Tuesday to see why.

As part of Behind the Badge, a Law Enforcement Experience For the Community, she had the chance to experience what it feels like to make a traffic stop with a driver who isnt interested in following instructions.

The adrenaline flow that happens when someone starts to walk toward you is unbelievable, she said.

The free, public event at Horton Field House at Illinois State University was sponsored by local law enforcement and the Minority and Police Partnership. Participating agencies included The Bloomington, Normal, Illinois State University and McLean County sheriffs police departments and the McLean County states attorney's office.

Prior to Hamiltons simulation, retired state Trooper Marcus Lucas told her what to expect.

You are pulling this vehicle over for speeding and not wearing a seat belt, he said. Watch the driver. Watch his hands. Take control of the situation. Be firm, but dont be belligerent. But watch his hands. Watch what they do. A lot of things can happen in a split second.

Normal Patrol Officer Joe Benner played the role of the driver during the scenario, stepping out of the car, waving his hands in the air and yelling at Officer Hamilton.

Hamilton drew the plastic gun from her holster and ordered him to return to the car. He complied, but Hamilton admitted it was harder than she thought.

I love participating in scenarios like this and have done it before, so I should have known what to expect, she said. But still that adrenaline kicks in and I drew my gun. I felt threatened.

You dont want to draw your gun until you have to, Lucas said. We dont want anyone shot.

Later, with Benner back in the car, he threw the ticket he received on the ground. Instinctively, Hamilton bent down to pick it up.

You dont want to do that, Lucas advised. When you lean down, your head is vulnerable. He could open the door, knock you out and run you over.

The presentation was one of several available at the annual event.

Our goal is to have an event where we can open up that dialogue and allow people to ask questions about some of these areas that seem to be hot topics, said ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff. Its about education on both sides.

"Some people may have concerns and this is an excellent opportunity to share those concerns, and we can learn from that as well.

Lucas said the program serves several purposes.

I love to teach and always have, he said. Here, we have the opportunity to explain why we do certain things.

James Smith of Normal participated in a number of the demonstrations and was even handcuffed by sheriff's deputies.

I have been in a demonstration like this before, so I knew what to expect, but what you dont always realize is that there are reasons why officers do certain things and this event is great for learning about that, he said.

It also gave him a chance to talk with Deputies Dakotah Metzke and William Burns.

Being a deputy is a tough job, but it is one of the best jobs in the world, Metzke said.
BLOOMINGTON  A man charged with driving under the influence of drugs in Mondays single-vehicle crash that took out two utility poles on Airport Road in Bloomington was arrested Sunday on a DUI charge in Woodford County, has outstanding warrants in five other states and reportedly may be involved in a financial fraud scheme.

Joshua Brewster, 33, of Washington remained in McLean County jail Wednesday in lieu of posting $50,035 on charges of aggravated DUI causing bodily harm, aggravated DUI causing injuries to someone under the age of 18 and endangering the life of a child.

Brewster, wearing a sling on his left arm, appeared Wednesday before McLean County Associate Judge David Butler in McLean County Circuit Court via a video link with the jail.

Assistant States Attorney Ashley Scarborough told the judge that around 5 p.m. Monday, Brewster was driving a sport utility vehicle at high speed on Airport Road near College Avenue.

He was traveling over 60 mph in a 45 mph zone, she said.

He collided with a utility pole that was struck so hard that it caused a second pole to collapse," she said. "There were no skid marks anywhere, and it appears that he did not attempt to brake before the collision.

Scarborough said Brewsters wife, Melonie, and their three children, ages, 4, 3 and 2, were passengers in the SUV. The 4-year-old was not restrained and was found by first-responders on the SUV's center console, Scarborough said.

At the scene, police reported that Brewster was exhibiting odd behavior.

He was more concerned about his cellphone and cash than he was about his family, she said.

Scarborough also reported that Brewster admitted taking Adderall, a prescription amphetamine, prior to driving.

According to court documents, Brewster was charged on Sunday with driving under the influence of alcohol in Woodford County. In that incident, he posted $300 bond and faces a 9 a.m. arraignment on May 10.

Scarborough also told the court that Brewster has previous sex offense-related charges in the state of Washington and has active warrants for his arrest there and in Idaho, Florida, Arkansas and Texas.

Further, Scarborough said, authorities are investigating a financial fraud scheme in Indiana.

Its possible that he is cashing fraudulent paychecks from companies that dont exist, Scarborough said.

Because of that claim, Butler ordered a hearing to determine Brewster's source of bail money prior to Brewsters release from custody to make sure the money is not from illegal sources.

The judge also approved a public defender for Brewster, even though Brewster reported making $6,500 per month as an over-the-road truck driver.

Im not sure of the circumstances of your job or how long you are going to be employed because of this, Butler said.

Brewster attempted to argue briefly during the hearing.

I have no idea what you are talking about with all of that financial stuff, he said.

The judge then advised him that anything he said could be used against him in court.

Brewster is scheduled to be arraigned at 10 a.m. April 21 in McLean County Court.
OSAGE | Members of Leadership Iowa toured Osage April 6.

They were welcomed by Mayor Steve Cooper, Osage School Superintendent Barb Schwamman and Osage Municipal Utility General Manager Josh Byrnes.

Byrnes spoke about the importance of independent utilities within the community and how it works in terms of customer service.

Having an independent utility company is also a plus in terms of economic development, Byrnes said.

Going on to speak about the upcoming fiber trunk line project, Byrnes pointed out that one of the top qualities that individuals look for in relocating or returning to the area was connection capabilities.

We really need to get the telecommunications lines moving. Were getting alumni looking to move back into the community who know what growing up here is like, and high-speed internet access, along with low crime rates and quality of education are among the top things they are looking for, he said.

The group saw the Iowa Big North space above the Osage Municipal Utilities, where students discussed how project-based learning has impacted them.

Partnering with the school is something I really wanted to do, and this was the perfect opportunity, Byrnes said. Having the Iowa Big North program up here is really working out -- Ive seen tremendous growth in meeting with them.

I feel strongly that communities have to grow their own Fortune 500 companies through the encouragement and development of minds like these, he said.

Members of the Leadership group asked students about businesses they partnered with, where they plan to attend college and whether they plan to stay in Iowa, specifically the Mitchell County area.

A lot of these students wouldnt have been comfortable standing in front of 30 to 40 people a year ago, Schwamman said. Now they are going to lead the breakout sessions.

Students during those sessions explained projects theyve been working on this year, like the LocaliTees T-shirt initiative that has enabled them to help bring traffic into local businesses.

Other projects included the Art for Ed initiative, where students have helped research the needs of art education students and creating a marketing campaign for Art for Ed, which reaches out to the Iowa colleges, in addition to those on both the East and West coasts.

Students also presented their work on the Fox Sox initiative for Fox River Mills, which allows community members to purchase socks for soldiers.

Part of their work has included promotional videos and talking to soldiers who have been involved in the program.

We have more students interested next year, and more businesses looking to be involved, too, Osage art teacher Ryan McInroy said.
BLOOMINGTON  An Illinois Wesleyan University graduate who is president of Whitman College in Washington state, will speak at IWU's commencement on May 7.

Kathleen Murray, who graduated in 1979, also will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, as will fellow alumnus Sam Porritt of the class of 1984.

The ceremony will start at 1 p.m. at the Kemp Commencement Plaza in front of State Farm Hall, on the north side of the Eckley Quadrangle. If the weather is bad, the ceremony will take place inside Shirk Center.

For those who can't attend, commencement will be live streamed at www.iwu.edu/live and will be available to view on demand after the event.

Murray is the 14th president of Whitman College and its first female leader since it was founded in 1882. She has overseen the development of a five-year strategic plan and the building of a new residence hall on the Walla Walla campus.

She had been provost and dean at Macalester College from 2008 to 2015 before becoming Whitman's president in 2015. She also was provost at Birmingham-Southern College for three years and had teaching and administrative positions at Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

In addition to her bachelor's degree in music from IWU, Murray earned a master of music in piano performance from Bowling Green State University and a doctorate in piano performance and pedagogy from Northwestern University.

Porritt founded the Falling Forward Foundation in 2013. The nonprofit organization funds continued rehabilitation of patients recovering from catastrophic medical issues, such as strokes, spinal cord injuries and trauma that impairs or causes loss of a limb.

He suffered a spinal cord injury in a 2011 accident and spent two years in rehabilitation. His medical insurance placed no limit on rehabilitation, but Porritt learned that was true in less than 1 percent of policies. Seeing the impact of therapy caps on others, he created Falling Forward to give other patients the same opportunity he had to continue rehabilitation to recover their full potential.

Before his accident, the Lawrenceville, Kan., resident spent much of his professional career as a consumer marketing executive and consultant.
BLOOMINGTON  Financial award letters are going to college students and students-to-be, notifying them of the type of assistance they will receive for the 2017-18 school year, including their estimated grant from the state's Monetary Award Program.

Even in a normal year, it says, 'estimated grant,' explained Lynne Baker, managing director of communications for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

But, as anyone in higher education  or the state of Illinois  will tell you, this isn't a normal year.

With less than three months left in the current fiscal year, Illinois still has no budget and that has some schools worried.

Many, including Illinois State University and Lincoln College, fronted the money to students this academic year so they could enroll, hoping the state eventually will come through, as it did last year.

But even the so-called lifeline bill approved by the House last week would only cover half of the spring semester grants  if the Senate and governor go along with it.

We've tried to be responsible, said Lincoln College President David Gerlach. In good faith, we rolled the dice again and credited students for the state grants.

For Lincoln College, where about 47 percent of the students receive MAP grants, that amounts to about $1.1 million a semester, according to Gerlach.

He said the college hasn't crossed that bridge to decide whether students would be responsible for paying the money if the state doesn't come through.

In an ISAC survey last fall of schools whose students receive MAP grants, about half of those that credited students' accounts said they would expect students to make up any shortfall or they hadn't decided yet.

Even schools that aren't expecting students to make up a shortfall, for now, say the situation isn't sustainable.

We've been fortunate that ISU has been able to cover it for the current year, said Bridget Curl, interim director of financial aid at ISU, where about 4,000 students receive MAP grants. Those grants total about $15 million to $16 million a year.

No decision has been made on whether that will be repeated for the 2017-18 school year, according to Curl.

That uncertainty makes it difficult to try to counsel families that are trying to make decisions by May 1 on where to go to school, Curl said.

It's difficult for schools, too.

It's disastrous for planning and moving forward, said Gerlach. I'm planning years ahead, not a year behind.

Even though stopgap legislation eventually covered MAP grants for the 2015-16 school year, ISU did not receive the state's payment for fall semester grants until spring and did not receive payment for spring term until September, according to Curl.

The impact is felt in many ways, as reported by the ISAC survey. Some students have to take out larger loans. Others have to work longer hours, which cuts into their study time.

Even at fiscal year 2015 funding levels, students who otherwise would be eligible for grants don't receive them because the money runs out long before they apply.

About 150,000 students each year are turned away, Illinois Board of Higher Education Chairman Tom Cross told lawmakers in testimony before two legislative committees last month.

ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow testified that MAP recipients graduate at about the same rate as other students in the same college while facing greater financial obstacles than their peers.

Politicians from both sides of the aisle have said this is a very important program, said Gerlach. We need to get this done.

Gerlach noted that New York, where he was a college administrator before coming to Lincoln in 2015, just announced a plan to offer free tuition to its residents. Meanwhile, Illinois is the second largest exporter of students in the country.

New York state is investing significantly in higher education, said Gerlach. We can't expect Illinois to turn around if 40 percent of its high school grads go out of state for college.
BLOOMINGTON  Families with a child with a disability may find it easier to save for future expenses, thanks to a program that has expanded to Illinois.

The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Alliance is a multistate agreement allowing tax-free investment growth when proceeds are spent on qualifying disability-related expenses. Illinois is among 15 states in the program and additional states may join, Illinois state Treasurer Michael Frerichs said Tuesday.

Frerichs, whose office created the program in Illinois with legislative approval, spoke with The Pantagraph before discussing the program Tuesday night at Illinois Wesleyan University.

Before the program took effect in Illinois earlier this year, each person with a disability was limited to $2,000 in assets to qualify for Social Security Disability payments, said Frerichs and Laura Furlong, CEO of Marcfirst, which has programs for people with disabilities.

"You couldn't go beyond that without compromising your SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance)," Furlong said.

"Parents were writing kids out of their wills so they wouldn't risk losing their benefits," Frerichs said. "That's just wrong. Everyone wants to leave their children a brighter future."

Furlong said: "If a grandparent wanted to leave money for their grandchild with a disability, they would need to set up a special-needs trust. That's more complicated, an additional step and costlier because of legal fees."

ABLE makes it easier for people with disabilities  such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, epilepsy and blindness  and their guardians, Furlong and Frerichs said.

Families may go to www.illinoistreasurer.gov and click on the ABLE prompt to sign up or get more information. The minimum amount to open an account is $25.

A person with a qualifying disability may contribute as much as $14,000 a year  and $100,000 overall  before Social Security benefits are suspended, Frerichs said.

"We all want to save for our future and be prepared for catastrophes and that includes people with disabilities," Furlong said.

Savings allow families to plan for disability-related expenses  such as new equipment  that insurance may not cover, Furlong said.

"Whenever you're in control of your finances, you're more in control of your life," Furlong said. "It's very liberating."

"One mother said to me, 'This doesn't take away all my fears but I have reduced anxiety knowing that I can leave something behind to give my son a brighter future,'" Frerichs said.

Frerichs expects 30,000 to 40,000 accounts to be opened in Illinois within five years. About 500,000 accounts are anticipated across the 15 states.
I have been reading with great interest the attorney general's order to Normal to address restrictions on speaking at city council meetings. In comparison, the village of Heyworth severely restricts the public input at their meetings  more so than Normal. In Heyworth, residents are not given any details of agenda items to be discussed by the board prior to the meeting and are only allowed to speak for three minutes at the meeting.

After reviewing several ordinances passed by the board, I see why. Back in December, the board passed an ordinance allowing village employees to spend up to $300 per night for lodging, $75 per day for parking, $75 per day for food and $30 for tolls. Employees can also be reimbursed $300 for driving their own vehicles for travel. In addition, the employees aren't even required to live in the village to qualify for reimbursements. Sweet deal for employees, bad deal for taxpayers.

I think it may be time for the attorney general to investigate this restriction on speech and it may be time for some new leadership in Heyworth. Remember these restrictions and lavish expenses at election time.

Allen Swanson, Heyworth
While the combined Kardashian-Jenner family should be commended for their efforts in having climbed their way to the top of the world, their ubiquitous fame evidently comes with a downside or two, namely: security.

After Kim Kardashian was targeted in a high-profile robbery in Paris last year, mama Kris reportedly was all about ensuring the family's future safety. This, one might have thought, would dissuade anyone from coming for very rich and very famous children, but no. Not only has Kendall since taken a stalker to court, she was also robbed of 200k of jewelry last month and now she's been forced to confront a man with a drone.

To be fair, it's relatively plausible the man just happened to be hanging out with his drone and just happened to wander near the gates of Kendall's Hollywood Hills home, but that didn't prevent Kendall's team from immediately identifying the man as a threat and calling the police.

TMZ reports that the cops "checked out the drone guyeven searched his trunk, but eventually let him go because he hadn't done anything wrong at that point."

It's all fast times out here, folks.

[h/t TMZ]

Image via Instagram
MASON CITY | An inmate at the Cerro Gordo County Jail faces a felony charge after allegedly punching and damaging a kiosk screen and TV screen in his cell.

Dustin L. Stump, 24, Mason City, was charged with second-degree criminal mischief following the incident at 12:30 p.m Monday.

Both the kiosk and TV screens suffered disabling damage, according to the criminal complaint.

Sheriff Kevin Pals said inmates use kiosks in their cells to order phone cards and commissary items. The TV screens are there so they can watch television.

Stump was booked into jail in late December on a felony stalking charge. The criminal complaint states he violated a no-contact order seven times and was arrested for trespassing on the property of the protected party.

Proceedings in that case have been stayed pending an evaluation to determine if Stump has a mental disorder that might prevent him from participating in his own defense, according to court documents.

 Mary Pieper
It was just last August that Orlando Bloom gently paddleboarded into the cultural conversation, hanging out naked AF in Italy with then-girlfriend Katy Perry, and caused an Internet meltdown. Paparazzi shots were circulated. Shadows were analyzed. Whimsical eggplant emojis were applied. It was a simpler time.

But, how did our favorite Middle Earth elf feel about his summer schlong shots? Well, Elle UK is here to answer your burning questions about Orlando Bloom's genitalia, opening their new interview with Bloom strong with the undeniably attention-grabbing lede: "ARE WE GOING TO TALK ABOUT MY PENIS?"

Why, yes, Orlando. I guess we are.

They got right down to the nitty-gritty--was Bloom surprised by the reaction (i.e. massive internet fascination--it was one of our most-read stories of 2016) to his nudie paddleboarding: "Yes, it was extremely surprising. I wouldn't have put myself in that position if I'd thought it would happen."

Okay, fair enough. But why did the incredibly recognizable star of two hugely popular movie franchises think he could have a jaunt through the Sardinian sea unnoticed?

"I've been photographed a million times in a million ways. I have a good radar," Bloom says. "We'd been completely alone for five days. Nothing around us. There was no way anyone could get anything. So I had a moment of feeling free."

Seems like an internationally famous actor should know better than to assume no one is watching. As any moderately famous woman with a phone can tell you, there's always someone out there, waiting to be gross and violate your moments of seeming-privacy. But what does Orlando Bloom think about the complicated questions about double-standards in the reactions to privacy violations of male stars vs. women?

"I didn't take it that deep, darlin'."

Okay.

He also talks about Miranda Kerr, Katy Perry, and how millennials are too obsessed with their phones, if you really need more information.

[h/t Elle UK]

Splash image Matteo Pradoni/BFA.com
In the past years, anonymous sperm donation served as the saving grace of women hoping to have a child of their own. Now, donors do not have to be hiding in the dark and women can freely choose the perfect parenting partner, thanks to uprising co-parenting sites.

From being a tool for casual socialization, networking sites have just added another function to its belt -- serving as an avenue for hopeful parents. Co-parenting sites are gradually becoming popular for helping singles match with their ideal sperm donor. Sites like coparents.com and co-parentmatch.com are mostly free of charge, Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Co-parenting websites do not require both parties to become romantically engaged. In fact, some of the members of these websites are same-sex couples looking for the ideal sperm provider.

https://t.co/HKYEhQVOcV

Starting a Family Thanks to Sperm Donation  CoParents.com (@coparents_com) March 3, 2017

Searches in one of the sites read like Sydney Chinese seeking white lesbian couple for a Eurasian mixed baby and Tallblue from Sydney" looking for a donor who would fulfill an incredible life goal. The site coparents.com was filled with these posts from over 100,000 registered members residing in United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

Elective co-parenting used to be more prevalent among heterosexual individuals and couples but as years passed, there has been an increase for homosexual singles. A research from Centre for Family Research at Cambridge University surveyed 105 participants and came up with this finding in 2015, CBC News reported.

The research notes that most of these individuals are single, well-educated and financially secured. Average age of people pursuing parental arrangement is 33 years old for women and 38 years old for men.

Sociologist behind the United Kingdom-based study, Tabitha Freeman, said that this modern approach to parenting raises a whole new set of questions about the well-being of children. Apparently, parental arrangement was affected by societal factors, like delay in adulthood.

During the Baby Boomer generation, one of the priorities of what considered as adult (aged 20 and above) is raising a family. In this new generation, this priority does not come until the person reaches 30 years old. Their focus are getting an education and establishing a stable career, Freeman explains.

"They wake up maybe at 35 and go, 'Oh shoot, I forgot I should have been looking for a guy or a girl because I want to have a kid', " the sociologist said. Nonetheless, Freeman believed that raising children without the notion of romance and marriage can be a progressive movement.

What are your thoughts about casual co-parenting? Let us know what you think about this parental arrangement by commenting below!



ABC Breaking News | Latest News Videos
Demand for baby boxes is rising in America. States like New Jersey, Alabama and Ohio are giving away free cardboard boxes to parents of newborns. It is believed that this measure helps prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Doctors in Cincinnati, however, are holding off enthusiasm for baby boxes, whose origin comes from Finland. Dr. James Greenberg of the city's Children's Hospital believes there are other factors in curbing sleep-related deaths and baby boxes alone won't deter SIDS.

"The association between the box and infant mortality reduction isn't clear to us," Greenberg said, as per WCPO. "The more logical explanation for the low infant mortality rate in Finland is the low pre-term birth rate," the doctor said, adding the emphasis shouldn't be in the baby boxes but in sleep safety practices.

Low-income parents or caregivers who pass the sleep safety requirements in Cincinnati can receive actual cribs and not baby boxes for free from the Cribs for Kids program. Greenberg, however, cites box companies cashing in on these baby boxes are doing something good yet he wants more scientific researches to back up its effective use. There are also no studies pointing out how many of Finland's parents actually use the baby boxes since its introduction 70 years ago.

Dr. Kathryn McCans of the Cooper University Health Care in New Jersey agrees cardboard boxes per se are "not safer than a crib," in her interview with Boise State Public Radio. The doctor, however, supports New Jersey's baby box program, which launched in January, as it provides parents' education on sleep safety.

New Jersey requires parents to undergo a short sleep safety course online before they claim the baby boxes. The program follows the recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics on SIDS prevention.

Have you tried or know someone who used baby boxes? Did you undergo sleep safety lessons too? Share your experience in the comments below!
Despite her designation as America's First Lady, Melania Trump's main focus is her only son Barron Trump, 11. She embraces motherhood more than anything but some might wonder how she's raising her son amid their extra-ordinary lifestyle.

Before Donald Trump became the most powerful man in the world, he was a business tycoon. Even then, Melania already kept a low profile. The former model aimed to be a hands-on mom away from the spotlight.

Melania taught Barron the French language and her native Slovenian as a toddler, as per People. In fact, Barron grew up fluent in Slovenian and it's the language he now uses to speak to the family on his mom's side, as per GQ.

Melania fostered her son's creativity and allowed Barron to draw on walls at their million-dollar home. She said they can always paint over the mess but a child's creativity needs to be nurtured. "If you say to a child no, no, no, where does the creativity go?" the mom said, as per Parenting.

Melania Trump educated in architecture, super model, five languages, mother, legal immigrant, business woman, American.#FLOTUS pic.twitter.com/ZYZZKMlIno  TriTrader (@ntmessage) April 4, 2017

Melania's biggest parenting tactic is to listen. She doesn't regard herself as a pushy mom who insists on what she wants for her son.

She also acknowledged children should be given room to make mistakes. "When they do, they will learn how to pick themselves up on their own when you aren't around," Melania said, as per 9Honey.

Recently, the press spotted Melania and Barron spending a mother-son date one afternoon at a New York bowling alley. Melania reportedly picked up Barron from his school before heading to the venue, where the president's other daughter, Tiffany, later joined them, Daily Mail reported.

As the son of a high-profile person, Barron would never be immune to online bullying. His mother, however, vowed to make anti-bullying as her advocacy as the First Lady but Mother Jones noted Melania has yet to announce concrete plans in relation to this.
Children suffer more from the fights between parents before a divorce than after a divorce. An expert from the University of York determined children's behavioral issues grow worst while parents remain together but persist in conflicts.

Gloria Moroni looked into data of some 19,000 children of divorce born in 2000 in the U.K. She learned at least 30 percent of these kids had behavioral problems as a result of seeing their parents argue at home, Daily Mail reported.

Moroni's study was about proving whether divorce is actually bad for the children. Countless of studies cited divorce negatively affected children's developmental skills, hence they struggle socially and emotionally.

Moroni learned, however, that the frequent fights between parents prior to a divorce caused more harm in children, along with other pre-divorce family dynamics. The divorce itself had a "marginal" effect on the kids.

"Most of the damage is given by pre-divorce circumstances and characteristics of the family," Moroni said, as per iNews. "Parents who decide to divorce may also be lower-educated, may also be poorer, or they may have more conflictual relationships."

In the U.S., the divorce rate climbed to 50 percent in the 1980s. Times changed since, however, and relationships, including divorces, got complicated.

What remains constant and true to this day is that the parents' relationship with each other, whether they are together or separated, impact their children long-term. So how do families resolve this?

Moroni suggested parents should receive better education on parenting. Government should have programs geared for fostering child development.

These programs must highlight cooperation between parents where they need to see the impact they create for their children, especially when their relationship is riddled with conflicts. Moroni said parental education is the most effective response in reducing the gap and difference between children of divorce and children from intact families.

What can you say about this, parents? Do you agree with the experts take? Sound off in the comments below!
More fathers than mothers do not like to share their bed with their newborn babies. Study shows that co-sleeping with babies under the age of one is actually dangerous and is one of the leading causes of death in infants.

Researchers found that the best way for infants to sleep is alone, on their back, and in a crib. They should not have pillows, stuff toys, or even blankets with them. A new study claimed that more dads do not want to sleep with their newborn babies than mothers via the Amerisleep survey.

In the survey, 2,000 people in the United States took part and they answered questions about their sleeping habits with their kids. Fifty-four percent of the male respondents said they did not like sleeping with their kids while 43 percent of females agreed with what men feel.

These men noted they do not feel comfortable sharing the bed with their kids no matter what the bed size is. Mothers, on the other hand, said if they sleep with their kids, they felt like it was a better set-up, Mom.me shared.

Medical researchers made efforts to disseminate this information in order to avoid deaths in babies due to suffocation because of co-sleeping. One of the latest moves that states came up with is the giving of free baby boxes to new parents in order to let the babies sleep on their own and veer away from the practice of co-sleeping.

Co-sleeping caused an increase on the risk of death of infants in the past years specifically those that fall under Sudden Infant Death Syndrome due to accidental suffocation and strangulation. The public information officer for Illinois Department of Public Health, Divya Mohan Little, said they recorded 51 deaths tied to co-sleeping with infants in 201, The Southern Illinoisan reported.

Dr. Ashley Kaytor of Logan Primary Care added that once kids get older, co-sleeping is not an issue but for kids younger than one, sleeping on their own is the best option since they do not have head control yet. She also advised parents to let infants sleep in firm surfaces and avoid soft objects or loose bedding. Kaytor continued to say that room-sharing is better instead of bed-sharing.
Students in Chile rallied against the government in an attempt to urge them to improve the overall education system of the country. They particularly wanted to see changes regarding Chile's higher education system.

Thousands of students marched to different Chilean cities as lawmakers prepared to debate on the proposed educational reforms. The students said President Michelle Bachelet's moves to improve higher education were not enough. These students wanted to see improvements on the quality of higher education, as well as more accessibility.

The student protesters pointed out that Bachelet's administration did not make enough changes in order to provide free university education. They also believed the government should have talked to the students and did survey and research before they decided to draft the education reforms, U.S. News shared.

The head of the University of Chile student union, Daniel Andrade, said in a statement, "I don't know if the government is playing stupid. You can't legislate without listening to the social movements." It is believed that the student population will not be at par with the new government to take over this November.

Reports said Chile will hold presidential elections this November and it is believed Sebastian Pinera will win. He said he will continue with the scholarships for poorer students for their free tertiary education. He also noted that he will not implement recent education reforms.

Many of the protesters flocked in central Santiago and the most of the protests turned violent. Many of the students who wore masks and black outfits threw stones at the police. Authorities, in return, used tear gas and water cannons to break the rowdy groups, Yahoo News reported.

Six police officers suffered from injuries and 30 protesters got arrested. It remained unclear how many students attended the protest as organizers claimed there were 90,000 while police estimated 35,000 protesters.
MASON CITY | A lover of art and music, Roderick Lewis was trying to make a new life for himself, friends say.

Called Rod by friends, the 18-year-old Lewis loved to rap and draw Japanese anime, said his girlfriend, Jade Green, 15.

Lewis was a passenger in the Jeep that hit a tree early Monday in Mason City, killing all five on board.

He was a really good rapper and dancer and he wanted to draw  hes a really good artist, said Green, of Mason City. Anime characters, animation, Naruto and Dragon Ball ZHe was crazy about all of it.

He was the second of Claudine Johnsons 13 grandchildren, and the first-born son of his father, William Lewis, of Britt.

He was a fun-loving little boy, his grandmother, Claudine Johnson, told the crowd at a vigil Tuesday night. He was a sweet teenager. He was always smiling.

Lewis had a caring nature, his father said.

It reminds me of who my son was, because his personality was the most loving, caring, energetic, funny  he was everything and so this is not a surprise, said William Lewis, looking at the huge crowd at a vigil on Tuesday. Im surprised by how many people (are here), but it is not a surprise that he was loved so much.

Rod Lewis wasnt going to school at the time of the crash, but had recently found a job, a place to live and was starting to get things back on track, Green said.

He just got place to stay and he was getting his life together, she said.
Worldwide PC shipments totaled 62.2 million units in the first quarter of 2017, a 2.4 percent decline from the first quarter of 2016, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. The first quarter of 2017 was the first time since 2007 that the PC market experienced shipments below 63 million units in a quarter. Mikako Kitagawa, principal analyst at Gartner added that "The top three vendors  Lenovo, HP and Dell  will battle for the large-enterprise segment.

Gartner noted that "The market has extremely limited opportunities for vendors below the top three, with the exception of Apple, which has a solid customer base in specific verticals."

HP was the only PC vendor to grow both in the US and around the world. While Apple's PC shipments experienced about a 1% decline in the U.S., they showed growth of 4.5% outside the U.S.





The competition among the top three vendors intensified in the first quarter of 2017. Lenovo and HP were in a virtual tie for the top spot. Lenovo accounted for 19.9 percent of worldwide PC shipments (see Table 1), followed by HP with 19.5 percent share, and Dell at 15 percent share. Lenovo's growth exceeded the regional average in all key regions except the U.S.

In stark contrast, the stats from IDC show HP as the clear winner in global sales with 13.1% growth year over year versus the Gartner report only showing 6.5% growth.



HP showed the strongest growth among the top six vendors, as its global PC shipments increased 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2017 and by IDC stats 13.1%. HP's shipments grew in all regions, and it did especially well in the U.S. market, where it had a 15.9 percent increase in PC shipments while all other vendors fell into negative territory, including Apple.





One of the disadvantages for Apple in Gartner's statistics is that the iPad is excluded while Windows based equivalents like Microsoft's Surface is counted. Apple would have shown growth in the U.S. should iPads have counted.

Gartner Notes: "Data includes desk-based PCs, notebook PCs and ultramobile premiums (such as Microsoft Surface), but not Chromebooks or iPads. All data is estimated based on a preliminary study. Final estimates will be subject to change. The statistics are based on shipments selling into channels. Numbers may not add up to totals shown due to rounding."

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In January Patently Apple posted a report titled "Hyper Android Community Jumps the Gun with Samsung Trademark 'Galaxy X' Representing a Folding Smartphone." The rumor mill in South Korea was convinced that an initial run for folded smartphones in 2017 would hit 100,000 units. Yet since that time Samsung continues to downplay the timing of such a device to market. We posted another report last week titled "Samsung Display Reveals at Trade Event that Foldable Smartphones will be delayed until 2019 at Minimum." So any dream of a foldable smartphone for 2017 is all but dead.

During this year's Mobile World Congress event Samsung held a private meeting with their customers to show off their foldable smartphone prototypes and gauge feedback to help them understand the demand that they could expect for such displays.

Today a South Korean tech site is reporting that their sources are revealing that Samsung will produce between 2,000-3,000 field test units in the second half of this year.

The report further noted that Samsung's first foldable smartphone will be a single flexible OLED screen that can be folded outward. Patently Mobile posted a design patent report covering one of Samsung's foldout designs back in January of this year.

"Samsung seems to be testing the waters with the dual-screen device to gather ideas about its upcoming foldable phone," an industry source said on condition of anonymity.

In a secondary report today it was noted that "LG Display, a leading OLED panel manufacturer, is currently working on development of fordable display panels. The company introduced what it calls a "rollable" OLED panel, referring to a panel that can be rolled up as toilet paper, at the Consumer Electronics Show in January."

Patently Apple posted a report just yesterday titled "Google in Negotiations with LG on new OLED Plant and Joint R&D Project Regarding Foldable Smartphones" In light of the news today it appears that LG's work has been focused on rollable smartphones. While we don't have LG patents on this category, we do have a number of patent reports on this type of design from Samsung here: One, two, three and four.

We noted in a report in December that Kolon Group, a leading foldable displays technology company, stated that their crucial folding technology wouldn't be ready until next year at the earliest. For first generation foldable smartphones, this type of technology is crucial.

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MASON CITY | Memorial accounts have been established and funerals have been scheduled for the five young Mason City residents who died in a crash early Monday.

Sydney Alcorn

Two GoFundMe accounts have been established -- "Sydney Alcorn Funeral Expenses" by James Rosa and "Sydney Nikole Alcorn Funeral Fund" by Debra Alcorn.

James, who identifies himself as Sydney's cousin, says the account has been set up on her mother's behalf for funeral expenses, and noted the second page is associated with her father.

Debra says her account will also be used for funeral expenses, with the remainder given to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Contributions can also be given to the Sydney Alcorn Memorial Fund. Arrangements are with Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., Mason City, IA 50401.

Visitation begins at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home, followed by funeral services at 3 p.m.

Donte Foster

A GoFundMe account, "Donte will be missed," has been started by Deoshea Foster. Deoshea, who is Donte's cousin, says funds will be given to his mother and sister for funeral costs and associated financial issues.

A memorial fund has also been established at U.S. Bank, Attn: Barb Brandau, 124 N. Washington Ave., Mason City, IA 50401.

Visitation is 10 a.m. Friday, April 21, at Epiphany Parish Holy Family, 722 N. Adams Ave., followed by an 11 a.m. funeral service at the church.

Contributions can also be given to the Donte Foster Memorial Fund. Arrangements are with Hogan-Bremer-Moore Colonial Chapel, 126 Third St. N.E., Mason City, IA 50401.

Zach Hartley

Donations can be directed to the Zachery Hartley memorial fund in care of his family. Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA 50401.

Private family services will be held at a later date.

Rod Lewis

A GoFundMe account, "Services for Rod Lewis," has been started by Victoria Clark on behalf of Tenil Hobbs.

The account's page says funds will be used for Lewis' funeral, with remaining donations "distributed to his family in their time of need."

Visitation for family and friends is 1 p.m. Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City, IA 50401, followed by memorial services at 2 p.m. at the funeral home.

Donations can also be directed to the Roderick Lewis memorial fund in care of his family.

Alex Wiebke

A GoFundMe account "Alex Fund for Expenses," has been started by Emily Wiebke on behalf of Alex's father, Travis Wiebke, for funeral costs and other related expenses.

Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m., with a special time for classmates and friends 4 to 5 p.m., Friday at Fullerton Funeral Home, 123 Second St. S.E., Mason City.

Visitation is also at 1 p.m. Saturday at Rhythm Church, 21 Eighth St. S.E., Mason City, followed by funeral services at 2 p.m. at the church and burial at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt.

 Compiled by Ashley Miller
IRAN: Son of Grand Ayatollah Blasts Presidential Bid of Human Rights Violator Ebrahim Raisi

04/11/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

New Audio to Be Released When "Conditions are Right"



Iranian presidential candidate of Ebrahim Raisi



The son of late Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, who publicly condemned the mass executions of political prisoners in 1988, has criticized the newly announced presidential candidacy of Ebrahim Raisi.

In an interview with the Center for Human Rights in Iran, Ahmed Montazeri noted that Raisi, who was part of the four-man special tribunal that ordered the mass executions, "does not have a day of experience in government."

"It sounds more like a joke," he told the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on April 8, 2017. "We have many experienced politicians from various factions and some of them have more than a decade of experience in government."

"Mr. Raisi's candidacy is an insult to all of them and an insult to the people of Iran," added Ahmad Montazeri, who released an audio recording of his father's condemnation of the tribunal in 2016.

Raisi, the current head of the Astan Qods Razavi-one of the wealthiest religious charitable and industrial conglomerates in Iran-announced his candidacy for president on April 6.

He will run against current President Hassan Rouhani on May 19.

"His direct and undeniable participation in the massacres in the summer of 1988 is very important," said Ahmad Montazeri. "If any of the candidates had attacked a person with a knife, he would have had a criminal record and would not get clearance from the authorities, never mind Mr. Raisi, whose record is very clear."

Ahmad Montazeri told CHRI he is waiting to release more recordings.

"When the conditions are right and the people in charge of the country are more tolerant, the rest of the audio files will be published," he said. "Already a lot of transparency has been achieved (with the release of the first file)."

"When I was being interrogated, the Intelligence Ministry agents demanded all the files be handed over," he added. "I told them, and replied in writing, that the files are not about me or my personal property."

"They belong to the entire Montazeri family and indeed to the history of our country," he said. "I cannot hand them over."

In 2016, Ahmad Montazeri was sentenced to six years in prison for releasing a 1988 audio recording of his father bitterly criticizing members of the special tribunal that interviewed political prisoners that year and decided whether they would live or die.

Raisi was not only a member of what came to be known as the "Death Committee," but also the chief prosecutor for the Special Clergy Court that convicted Ahmad Montazeri.

Raisi did not personally prosecute Montazeri.

"Greatest Crime"

In the audio file posted on Montazeri's official website on August 9, 2016, the grand ayatollah, who died in 2009, described the 1988 executions of thousands of imprisoned political dissidents and leftists as "the greatest crime in the Islamic Republic of Iran."

"In my view, what has been committed by your hands is the biggest crime in the Islamic Republic, and history will condemn us for it," Montazeri said. "In the future, history will remember you as criminals."

Ahmad Montazeri was detained on February 21, 2017 to begin serving his six-year prison sentence, but was granted furlough (temporary leave) and released the next day.

"The religious leaders, grand ayatollahs Vahid Khorasani, Safi Golpayegani and Shabiri Zanjani objected to my sentence and they expressed their displeasure to the authorities in writing," he told CHRI.

"Their complaints made an impact and the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei) ordered (the judiciary) to act according to Ayatollah Zanjani's opinion and suspend the sentence," he said.

"I think the respect these dignitaries had towards the late Grand Ayatollah Montazeri was an important factor," he added. "Also, since the beginning of the (1979) revolution these religious leaders have been opposed to executions and confiscation of properties, but for whatever reason, they chose to be silent or expressed their criticisms privately."

"They wanted to show kindness and appreciation to the Montazeri family for facing injustice in the line of duty," he told CHRI.

Ahmad Montazeri added: "I mentioned all this at the Special Clergy Court, but the judge said that he had not received any order from the supreme leader (to suspend prosecution) ... I think they wanted to take revenge for what I had done and Mr. Raisi was responsible for the court's actions."
Former Iran President Ahmadinejad Registers For May Presidential Election

04/12/17

Source: Tehran Times

Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad submitted his name for registration for the May 19 presidential election on Wednesday in an apparent reversal of earlier promises not to run. Back in September during a lecture to seminary students in Tehran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said he would not find it advisable for Ahmadinejad to seek a comeback to politics "both for his own and the country's good."



Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (center) registering his candidacy in Tehran



Flanked by reporters after filling out registration forms and making a victory sign, Ahmadinejad said: "The Leader advised me not to participate in the elections, and I accepted. His advice, however, shouldn't be taken to mean that I'm banned."



Prior to his registration, Ahmadinejad had shifted over the issue puzzlingly within months.



Responding to the Leader's advice, Ahmadinejad said that he had no intention or plan to run for president, just to express full support for the candidacy of his protege Hamid Baghaei five months later.





Left to Right:

Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Hamid Baghaei

(photo by Islamic Republic News Agency)



Ahmadinejad's two consecutive terms (2005-2013), the so-called "Ahmadinejad era", were characterized by bad governance, suspected financial irregularities, heavy market intervention, and data rigging.



Meanwhile, in a rare press conference on April 5 in Tehran, he rejected the allegations, reiterating that his government was "the cleanest in Iran's history."



Also, under his administrations, Iran's international ties were brought to an unprecedented low point and the country's nuclear dossier escalated into a drawn-out diplomatic impasse, resolved peacefully in 2015 under the Rouhani administration.









The registration move is expected to set up a stark confrontation with presidential hopefuls on the principlist front, particularly cleric Ebrahim Raisi who is seen as a main challenger to pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani who is constitutionally allowed to seek a second term.



Sadegh Zibakalam, a political science professor at the University of Tehran, said a week before the registration that Ahmadinejad could challenge Rouhani seriously, what Raisi falls short of doing due to weak grassroots support.



Presidential entrants will be screened for their political and Islamic qualifications by a vetting body, the Guardian Council.



People familiar with the issue suspect if Ahmadinejad is qualified by the 12-memebr overseeing body.

"Most likely, he will not be qualified," Tehran-based political analyst Saeed Leylaz said hours after Ahmadinejad's registration.



Hassan Lasjerdi, a principlist political analyst, appeared more certain over the disqualification of Ahmadinejad by the powerful council.



"He won't be qualified by the Guardian Council for sure given his background," he told the Tehran Times, citing Ahmadinejad's disobedience to abide by law during his presidency and opposition to the Leader, which he said is constitutionally a breach of law.





photo by Mehr News Agency



In an announcement late March, Ahmadinejad, while formally endorsing Baghaei, highlighted that he felt called upon to make sure that "mistakes committed in 2013 won't happen," a reference to disqualification of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, a close confident of him, in the 2013 presidential elections.



Critics accused Mashaei of being the leader of a "deviant current" that seeks to undermine Islamic rule.
The Ministry of Interior has debunked claims that the Ministry will be enforcing new communication regulations to monitor calls and social media platforms.



Messages have been going viral on social media platforms, particularly whatsapp, purporting that the Ministry was going to surveil calls; thus invading the privacy of the citizenry.



But in a statement signed by the Chief Director for the Ministry, Mrs. Adelaide Anno-Kumi; it stated emphatically that "there is no such new communication regulation and thus calls on the general public to disregard the news item . . . In as much as the safety, peace and security of citizens is our primary concern, we will not do anything tantamount to the invasion of the privacy of citizenry and an affront on the respect of the fundamental human rights of the citizenry."



Read full statement below:



RE: NEW COMMUNICATION REGULATIONS CIRCULATING ON SOCIAL MEDIA



The Ministry of Interiors attention has been drawn to a news item making rounds on social media which is alleging that, the Ministry will be enforcing a new Communications Regulation which will entail surveillance of calls and social media platforms by the Ministry of Interior.



The Ministry wishes to emphatically state that there is no such new communication regulation and thus calls on the general public to disregard the news item.



The Ministry wishes to assure the general public that, no ones communication device, be it mobile hand device, Personal Computer etc. is connected to any system at the Ministry of the Interior.



In as much as the safety, peace and security of citizens is our primary concern, we will not do anything tantamount to the invasion of the privacy of citizenry and an affront on the respect of the fundamental human rights of the citizenry.



The Ministry therefore wish to state emphatically and unambiguously that, the news item is false and should be disregarded by the general public.



The Ministry takes this opportunity to wish the general public happy Easter celebrations.

Thank you.



Signed:

ADELAIDE ANNO-KUMI (MRS.)

CHIEF DIRECTOR

FOR: MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Tuesdays bloody clashes between Konkombas and Dagombas at the Agbogbloshie Yam Market is very shameful, Daniel Bugri Naabu, Northern Regional Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said.



An accusation of theft by one side against the other sparked mayhem leading to the death of two people in bloody clashes. Several others also sustained machete wounds.



Mr Naabu, a major opinion leader of northern extraction has appealed to his kinsmen to channel their anger against poverty rather than hacking each other away.



It is already bad but I will appeal to all of them to exercise patience.  Please we shouldnt fight among ourselves. Our enemy is poverty: No money to eat, no food to eat, we should start thinking about that than ways to resort to killing each other.



I am appealing to them to put a stop to it. If anything at all, we have elders, we have politicians, complain to someone. Someone will take it up and resolve it instead of taking dangerous weapons like iron to kill each other, Mr Naabu told Moro Awudu on Class91.3FMs Executive Breakfast Show on Wednesday, 12 April.



Meanwhile, Odododiodioo MP Nii Lantey Vanderpuye has attributed the recurrent clashes at the Yam Market to deprivation among the people involved.



According to him, most of the people who resort to violence in the area feel neglected by the middle class and harbour resentments which they give vent to through clashes.



He has, therefore, asked that the socio-economic problems of the people be addressed in order to effectively deal with the perennial clashes between the two ethnic groups.



Speaking on the matter in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom, on Accra100.5FM on Wednesday, 12 April, Mr Vanderpuye said: The people living at the area are engaged in menial jobs, mostly involving hard labour. There are some of them who believe that they have been neglected by the ruling class and the middle class in Ghanaian society and so they harbour resentment towards them.



For this reason, the slightest provocation leads to something else, and, so, I think we have to look at the socio-economic situation at the place and seek to reduce poverty and the hardships they face.



Again, politicians from all the political parties who come from the North, where the Dagombas and the Konkombas come from, should come together and go to the area and speak to them and advise them that violence is not the solution to their problems.

Source: Classfmonline









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Ghanaian-owned technology company, Rlg in partnership with Adulawo Technology Company, has secured a multi-million dollar contract for the production of terrestrial broadcast set top boxes for Nigeria.



Making this known in Osogbo, the capital of Osun Monday evening was the Managing Director of NTA Television Enterprise, Mr Maxwell Loko, who led a delegation of the company to the Governor after another inspection of the facilities at the RLG/Adulawo Technology Company.

The contract for the production of the Terrestrial Broadcast Set Top Boxes (STB) for digital switch-over from analogue in the country is worth $30.5million.



Loko presented the contract paper to the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, whose government partnered the Ghana-based RLG Technology Company since 2013 for the training of Osun youths under the Osun Youths Technology Trainings Acquisition Scheme, OYESTECH.



The Federal Government, through the management of the Nigerian Television Authority, Nigeria Television Authority TV Enterprise, said the decision to partner RLG Adulawo was a result of the capacity of the company to deliver on the terms and conditions attached to the contract.



RLG Adulawo Technology Factory which was established through the initiative of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola led administration in the state has in the last four years been one of the major manufacturers of commonly used electronics devices in Nigeria such as telephone handsets and computers.



The Managing Director, Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Television Enterprise, while presenting the letter of the contract to the Governor of the state, described the partnership as a milestone to promote local products and Made-in-Nigeria goods in the country.

He said the contract was awarded to the company in support of the Aregbesolas commitment towards the promotion of science, technology and innovation.



Mr. Loko, who attributed the emergence of the RLG/Adulawo company as the winner of the contract to its dedication and commitment to scientific discoveries and technological advancement, declared that the contract was given to the company based on merit.



He said decision was part of the agencys motives towards enhancing strategic alliance, saying the partnership would go a long way in complementing the efforts of the state government to promote local products and as well provide job opportunities for the youths.

According to him, the company has installed capacity for 600,000 Set Top Boxes (STB) per month and it is expected to produce over a million STB before the June 2017 deadline.



This is a technology in motion. This contract is a signal to the fact that Nigeria is also moving towards achieving an enhanced technology.



This gesture would go a long way in encouraging other sectors to develop capacities that can make Nigeria to compete favourably with her counterparts in terms of advanced science and technology.

It is also a sign to the fact that the country is not only advancing technologically or scientifically, but also has the capacity to promote locally made products, thus, generating wealth and creating jobs for her youths.



Our partnership with the RLG/Adulawo which is an agency established by Osun Government is a clear manifestation towards the commitment of the state to promote science and technology, he stressed.

Earlier, the Osun state Governor, while receiving the letter of the contract described the partnership as a breakthrough that will further boost the efforts of his administration on youth empowerment and economic progress.



Governor Aregbesola who recalled how the partnership for the establishment of RLG Adulawo started and its positive impacts on the job creation and youth empowerment in the state, expressed optimism on the ability and capacity of the Osun based company to deliver as expected within the time frame.



He recounted that the company (RLG Adulawo) had since its creation trained about 5000 youths in different technological areas and specialisations.



According to him, the establishment of the company had complemented the empowerment initiatives and programmes of the state.

The inauguration of Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (OYES) through which 40,000 youths were engaged and empowered among other programmes had continued to stimulate the states economy in all aspects, he asserted.



Governor Aregbesola announced that another 20,000 youth for the third cycle of the Youth Empowerment Programme will be engaged before the end of this year.



On the award of manufacturing of a million Set Top Boxes in which about 30,000 pieces have already been delivered, Governor Aregbesola extolled President Muhammadu Buhari for his commitment to advancing science and technology.



He said the present administration has rescued the economy of the country from collapsing just as the sectors of the economy had been gradually re-energised.



Governor Aregbesola also lauded the keen determination of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for working towards the actualisation of the June 2017 deadline for the digital switch-over.



The Governor commended the efforts being put in place by the National Assembly to ensure a transparent process in the procurement of the decoders.



He said the state would not disappoint them in its ability to deliver quality services.



In his remarks, the Chairman Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Digital Switch-over, Hon. Sunday Marshar-Katun, said the Committee was set up to supervise the process of STB procurement in order to meet up with the deadline, saying that this is part of efforts to ensure that Nigerians get value for money.



In his remarks, the representative of the Director General of National Broadcasting Commission, Eng Friday Ukwela, said out of 13 companies that are licenced to produce the Set Top Boxes, RLG Adulawo Technology City was one of the few to deliver.



Part of the partnering agencies in attendance include; the Chairman and Members of the had hoc committee of the House of Representatives on the Digital Switch-over, the management of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the RLG management, Officials of the Sterling and Skye banks as well as the representatives of the Government of Delta state.



The team had early visited the RLG/Adulawo factory located in Ilesa as part of its facility tours, where the team expressed satisfaction with the capacity of the company to promote digitilisation.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Religious bodies, Civil Society Organizations and Ghanaians alike are mounting pressure on President Akufo-Addo to declare his stance on homosexuality which in recent time has become topical issue.



Whiles former Presidents John Mills and John Mahama, both of the National Democratic Congress, have openly stated their resentment to legalization of homosexuality, President Akufo-Addo has maintained a deafening silence on the subject even as opposition leader and now, President.



Even as the then main opposition leader until January 7 this year when he was sworn into office as President of Ghana, Mr Akufo-Addo remained tightlipped on the contentious issues and has consistently parried all attempts to get him to respond to the issue.



Leading a crusade to get President Akufo-Addo make his position known on the issue is the National Chief Imam, whose Spokesperson, Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaibu told Star Fm I would be glad if the current president comes out clearly to state a position.



The National Chief Imams Spokespersons comment comes on the heels of revelation by a 27-year-old self-professed gay man, Benjy, that he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDs in 2012 but still continues to have unprotected sex.



He said he has so far slept with over 500 people. Personally I dont enjoy condomsI am still having unprotected sex, if you value your life why wouldnt you put it on because I wouldnt ask you to take it off, Benji shockingly confessed.



He continued My first experience with anal sex was during my first year in High School, I hadnt experienced penetration until then. It was in 2007 when we were experiencing the first load power sheddingWe wouldnt go for preps and that is where we do our own thing.

Legalization or otherwise of homosexuality is a topical issue in the country with both former Presidents Mills and Mahama openly stating the abhorrence.



In 2011, late President Mills called the bluff of then UK Prime Minister; David Cameron over the latters threat to cut aid to countries with anti-gay legislation. "I as president of this nation will never initiate or support any attempt to legalize homosexuality in Ghana," Mills stated.



Former President John Mahama in 2013 also described homosexuality as criminal and punishable under the laws of Ghana, insisting that it will not be legalize under his watch as President.



But President Akufo-Addos position on homosexuality remains unknown. The latest revelation by Benjy that he has been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS but have been having unprotected sex has generated national comdemnation, with private legal practitioner, Samson Lardi Ayenini calling for his arrest.



Appalled by the revelations in the report, Sheikh Aremeyaw called on the President Akufo-Addo to make known his stance on the canker, positing that the rate at which homosexuality is spreading, if care is not taken, the very structure and root of family will be destroyed.



Sheikh Aremeyaw further observed and likened the spread of homosexuality in the country to the galamsey menace currently destroying the countrys environment, including water bodies.



Galamsey when it began it was a small group that would go and collect the sand and they were doing it. Now it has become so expanded, our water bodies are being polluted; our farmlands are now being spoilt. We are being told if we dont take care we will import water. Homosexuality is beginning with some small group somewhere and I bet you if we joke and it engulfs us, the spirit of our society and the future of our society will be endangered, he warned.

Source: The Al-Hajj









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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When former President John Dramani Mahama said he will leave history to judge his tenure as President following his painful defeat in the December 2016 elections, he was perhaps telling Ghanaians that the God he serves will vindicate him in no time.



Ghanaians who believed Mr Mahamas unexpected defeat was as a result of outright lies and fabrications peddled by then opposition New Patriotic Party led by Nana Akufo-Addo never thought the immediate past Presidents prediction of vindication would be so soon; less than 100 days into Akufo-Addos government.



Unexpectedly as it is, President Akufo-Addo and the NPP since taking over the leadership of the country have resorted to taking similar decisions and acts it harshly criticized the Mahama government, tagging it as incompetent and the worse thing to ever have happened to Ghana.



While President Akufo-Addo and the nations supposed neutral civil society, religious bodies and the media, accused President Mahama of subjecting the judiciary to attacks when he granted Montie Fms talk show host, Salifu Mase aka Mugabe, and two others remission of their sentences handed by the Supreme Court, the worse form of judiciary attacks is being perpetuated today under an NPP government.



Currently, the nations judiciary and other state institutions are under siege and as they are continually being subjected to worse form of abuse by NPP vigilante groups.



Vigilante groups in the NPP, Invincible Forces and Delta Forces among others, have since NPPs victory in last years election been terrorizing innocent Ghanaians and taking over state institutions including public toilets, tollbooths, NHIA and YEA offices etc.



The activities of the NPP hoodlums came to head when the Delta Forces last week stormed a Kumasi Circuit Court to free 13 of their members who were facing charges for assaulting the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.



The marauding group also attacked the presiding judge, Mary Senkyire, who had earlier ruled that the suspects be remanded to appear before court on April 20, 2017. Prior to this, another vigilante group affiliated to the NPP, Invincible Forces had assaulted a police office, ASP Nanka Bruce, and former NDC MP for Gomoa Central, Rachel Apoh, at the Flag Staff House.



The Delta Forces raiding of the Kumasi Circuit Court was less than 48 hours after President Akufo-Addo visited the Ashanti region and promised the Asantehene that the barbaric act by NPP vigilante groups will never recur.

Even before the Delta Forces siege of the Kumasi Circuit Court another NPP vigilante group, the Invincible Forces had besieged the offices of the Eastern Regional NHIA, and forcibly locked the office of the Regional Manager.





In all these unprovoked attacks on innocent Ghanaians including the judiciary, President Akufo-Addo has remained silent even though he led members of his party to accused former President Mahama to have instigated the Montie trio to attack on the judiciary.



The Akufo-Addo government has also been backtracking on its campaign promises based on which Ghanaians voted for them ahead of then ruling NDC in last years election. President Akufo-Addos promise to rollout Free SHS for all students in Senior High Schools has turned out to be lies.



According to government, its Free SHS policy which is billed to start September this year will cover only first year SHS Students. Governments shifty position on its promises has also been extended to the transport and energy sectors.



While Akufo-Addo, then in opposition, promised downward review of prices of fuel to ensure decrease in transport fares by commercial drivers, the Ghana Private Roads and Transport Union has rather increased transport fares by 15 percent to commensurate with increase in fuel prices among others.



The Akufo-Addo governments promise to holistically solve dumsor has also not materialized. Under its watch, Ghanaians are still complaining of unstable power supply to their homes and work places.



Spare parts dealers in Abbosey Okai who donated in support of NPPs campaign and were promised taxes on spare parts will be scrapped are also wailing over governments deceptive antics.



The spare parts dealers, who jubilated when Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, announced in the 2017 budget that taxes on spare parts have been abolished, had the rude shock of their lives when government again said the taxes may not be removed unless ECOWAS gives clearance for same.



Contractors who were promised by Akufo-Addo that all monies government owed them will be paid in his first 100 days in office are also yet to receive their monies. In the case of the contractors, government did not make provision for them in this years budget.



In all these, President Akufo-Addo is also faced with daunting task to fighting galamsey which he accused former President Mahama of lacking the competence to deal with.



As government is battling to clear its image following the roundly condemned conducts of its vigilante groups, the Akufo-Addo government has also fallen on its own dagger, after extending for two years the IMF program it very much criticized.



Though the NPP led by vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and party stalwarts threatened to review the IMF program the Mahama administration signed-on to, blaming it for the high unemployment and hardship in the country among others, the Akufo-Addo led NPP government unashamedly, is begging the IMF to extend the program by two more years.



What has even come more as surprise to many is the NPP governments resort to borrowing even though, President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Bawumia and leading NPP economists shredded the Mahama government for borrowing to finance infrastructure projects.



An April 3, 2017 statement issued by Public Relations Unit of the Ministry of Finance announced that the Akufo-Addo government has raised USD 2billion including a debut 15 year domestic bond



Similarly, while the President chastised late President Mills and former President Mahama for appointing 74 and 86 ministers and deputies respectively, President Akufo-Addo has so far, set new record appointing110 ministers and deputies and still counting



But the President said the cost of running his large sized government will become a non-issue next few years by which time his government would have built a better, bigger economy.

Government has also been hit with scandals ranging from plagiarized speeches, logo and appointees alleged to be of shady characters.



The Bureau of National Investigation recently wrote to President Akufo-Addo to withdraw the appointment of deputy Minister of Agriculture designate, Mr George Oduro over his alleged involvement in cocaine trade.



According to the BNI report, Mr Oduro, also known as George Best and George Kwame Oduro aka Kay, was on May 19, 2008 mentioned as a principal suspect in a cocaine case in Geneva, Switzerland where he is wanted.



But Mr Oduro has denied the allegation, threatening to sue BNI. I have not dealt in Cocaine in my life, Asempa (Fm) you know me well and I cannot understand why the BNI boss could do such a shoddy job, he stated in a recent interview.



The many gaffes, backtracking on promises, ongoing hooliganism by NPP vigilante groups among others have compelled unrepentant backers of President Akufo-Addo to call for a halt the terror happening under his watch.



Former moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rev Prof Emmanuel Martey, a known supporter of NPP, has charged the President to stop the national shame the activities of NPP vigilante groups are bringing to the country.



These violent vigilante groups with their unorthodox modus operandi have a severe dent on the democratic credentials of our country and the earlier the government puts a halt to this national shame and put damage control strategies in place, the better for our democracy.

Ghanaians are watching. Yes, you came in less than three months ago but Ghanaians are watching, minimize your mistakes. Violence is violence no matter who commits it. Violence is violence no matter who perpetuates it and it must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Ghana must not be taken years or decades back. We must move rather forward into freedom and justice, progress and development to bring into fruition, the vision of our political forbears, he stated a graduation ceremony at the Christ Apostolic College in Kumasi at the weekend.



Chairman of the Peace Council, Rev Prof Emmanuel Asante, has also condemned the activities of NPP vigilante groups, insisting that this action is taking us back.



The despicable acts of the government affiliated hoodlums have also compelled the United Nations to send an SOS to President Akufo-Addo to deal with the needless attacks on innocent Ghanaians by NPP vigilante groups.



A statement jointly signed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and UN Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohammed Ibn Chambas and the Resident Coordinator of the UN System in Ghana, Christine Evans Klock, dated April 10, 2017, said those acts are likely to tarnish the image of Ghana as a model of democracy and the rule of law and the earlier the government put measures in place to end these acts the better.



As at press time yesterday, President Akufo-Addo was billed to address the nation on matters of national importance among them, the two raging issues of galamsey and vigilantism.







Source: The Al-Hajj









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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A vociferous member of the New Patriotic Party popularly known as Hajia Fati has expressed disappointment with the inclusion of Albert Kan-Dapaah in the Nana Addo-led government.



According to her, the National Security Minister is 'Unfit' for the office he is occupying and therefore must be reshuffled immediately.



Kan-Dapaah is a wrong person for the position. President Nana Addo appointed the wrong person. He must go, she said in an interview with NEAT FMs morning show Ghana Montie.



Hajia Fati explained that Mr. Kan-Dapaahs way of handling issues at his sensitive office is not the best  She disagrees with the security capo that members of their partys vigilante group in the Ashanti Region, Delta Force are hooligans.



Some members of the "Delta Force"; a Pro-NPP group stormed the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Circuit Court to free 13 of their colleagues who had been arraigned for forcibly throwing the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator out of office last month.



Even though the Hajia Fati has condemned their actions, she believes Mr. Kan-Dapaah has failed to handle the issue well in the media.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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MASON CITY | Looking at a crowd filled with tear-streaked faces, hearing the sobs as teens hugged each other and poured out their grief in the wake of Monday mornings crash that killed five young Mason City residents, Nick Kmoch felt the depth of their pain.

As ministry director for North Iowa Youth For Christ, he knew all five victims  Roderick Lemeual Lewis, Sydney Nikole Alcorn, Alex Parvon-Charles Wiebke, Zachary Wolf Hartley and Donte William Foster.

All were killed when the Jeep Liberty they were riding in hit a tree on Sixth Street Southwest.

Police found the crash about 2:40 a.m. All died at the scene.

Its going to take time, said Kmoch, after a vigil service Tuesday in Georgia Hanford Park. This is going to rock our community and I would encourage everyone out there and give them a hug, because you never know.

You never know.

Police released the names of the victims on Tuesday morning.

The crash is still under investigation, which will likely take weeks, but officers believe the Liberty was the only vehicle involved in the crash.

Officers are checking with area businesses to see if any security cameras at nearby businesses can offer clues to what happened, said Mason City Police Chief Jeff Brinkley.

The crash scene is near a power pole on the north side of Sixth Street Southwest on the edge of the Great Clips parking lot. It's about 300 feet from the Mason City Fire Department.

A police officer discovered the incident while investigating a power outage.

Brinkley didn't know if the crash was reported to 911 before the officer found it.

The deaths prompted an outpouring of emotion from friends and classmates.

Two hundred people attended the sunset service Youth For Christ organized Tuesday in Georgia Hanford Park. Many teens took to the microphone to share memories.

The night before, approximately 150 people  including many students from Mason City High School  attended a vigil on Monday night at the crash site.

Foster, 17, was a senior at Mason City High School.

Wiebke graduated in 2016 and Hartley, 20, the driver, was a 2015 Mason City graduate.

Fourteen-year-old Alcorn lived in Mason City, but was a freshman at Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock.

Lewis wasnt attending school at the time of the crash, but had previously attended local schools.

The Mason City School District called in additional counselors and support staff to be on hand to help students through their grief

It also contacted the Area Education Agency 267 crisis team, which provides additional support for school districts, students and staff dealing with situations like the crash.

Police have not released any information about what led to the crash, and Brinkley wouldnt speculate about the matter Tuesday night.

I think theres a lot of rumors. Theres a lot of scuttlebutt, speculation on social media, what have you, Brinkley said. I dont think this is the time or the place for it.

He urged the community to put its focus on the families of the victims, not on rumors.
Posterity will probably be the better judge, but even before that comes to the fore, Ex-President John Dramani Mahama, who left office just a few months ago, strongly believes his administration performed creditably well by leaving "quite a legacy for this country".



He has therefore asked anyone who served under him not to "feel ashamed or have our heads bowed in any way" since they did a yeoman's job.



At a meeting with former Ministers & Deputy Ministers of State, former Appointees, and former Presidential Staffers in Accra last month, the former president expressed his profound gratitude to his former appointees for their selfless dedication to the country under his leadership.



We havent had the opportunity to meet since we handed over the regimes of government to the new administration. I really didnt get the opportunity to say my thank you to all of you for the work that you did in supporting me to achieve what we were able to achieve over the period that Ghanaians gave us the privilege of serving in office. I thought bringing you all here to say a proper thank you was appropriate, he said.



The December 2016 election results came as a surprise to the Mahama-led government after the Electoral Commission (EC), declared the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, winner of the 2016 elections.



The NPP Flagbearer secured the presidency after his third time of asking, beating the incumbent, President John Mahama.



Nana Akufo-Addo rode on the back 53.85 percent of the valid votes cast to become Ghanas fifth president under the fourth Republic.



Mr. John Mahama, who ran on the ticket of the then governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured 44.40 of valid votes cast - his defeat makes him the first incumbent to lose an election since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy in 1992.



After leaving the presidency, many have accused his appointees of playing several roles that contributed to their shocking defeat. The NDC has also for the past weeks been in a state of disarray as the blame game continues.



But Mr Mahama seems pleased with his appointees contribution during his stay at the Flagstaff House as Ghanas President.





At the said meeting which was held in Accra on March 28, Mr Mahama charged his gallant appointees to feel proud of what they have been able to achieve for the country over the years.So let me say a big thank you to every single one of you for the role that you played in government in any position that you were and what you did in monumental achievement that we chalked. I believe that you must hold your heads high because that government [NDC] did a lot for this country and I do believe that posterity will be the judge eventually"I am proud of the work we all did together. We had a very well good working relationship and I think that we were effective in virtually every sector in which we operated and we left quite a legacy for this country we shouldn't feel ashamed or have our heads bowed in any way. Let continue to defend that legacy because we will run on that in 2020" he added.

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/Peacefmonline.com/ Twitter: @Washman5/ Instagram: Washman007









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former President John Dramani Mahama has taken responsibility for the defeat of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 elections.



Diagnosing the defeat of the NDC in last year's elections, former President Mahama noted that the loss of the party should not be blamed on an individual though he would accept the blame because he led the party into battle.



He however noted that several factors led to the party's defeat and so should analyze their loss to ensure they don't make similar mistakes again.



The defeat of the NDC has since become a debate within the party with some NDC kingpins laying the blame on the former President.



Key among the critics is the Member of Parliament for the Fanteakwa South Constituency, Hon. Kofi Okyere Agyekum who in an interview with Citi News lambasted the former President asking "who else is to be blamed when the general performance of the government was bad, insults here and there, arrogance, poor leadership, incompetence and corruption were all hovering around his government?"



Speaking to former Ministers and Deputies as well as Presidential Staffers in Accra on the loss of the NDC, the Ex-President Mahama took full responsibility for the party's loss but called on them to remain resolute and reorganize themselves to make the party stronger.



Ive been meeting with FEC and the elders; the chairman of the party is now the leader according to our constitution but all of us are members of the party. Weve served at high level of government and so we have a role to play both as ex-president, ex vice president, as ministers of state and our fortunes are tied in with the party and we are committed members of the party so we must work to make sure that we put the party in a state where we are able to contribute to the progress of this country even in opposition by making sure that we provide the kind of opposition that safeguards the interest of the people.



And that is why we need to rally around together as quickly as possible. We have set up a committee that is supposed to go round and analyze the reason for our loss. People are not taking advantage of the committee; they are going on air and apportioning blame. But Ive said that the cause of our loss is multifaceted. And we need to do a careful analysis of it, get the report and be able to break down exactly what resulted in our loss. Of course as the general who led us into battle, I take ultimate responsibility for our losing the election and so if it will satisfy those people, blame me for the loss. Yes we lost; we should have done some things better but lets used this opportunity as a learning to be able to make sure that we dont make the same mistakes that we did in 2016," he further said.



He also pledged his full commitment to the party, saying "whoever leads the party, I'm a committed member. I will support that person to the hilt. And so going on air and blaming so-so for this and that, I don't think it helps the unity. At this time, we must be standing together".





Watch video below:





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has admonished the newly sworn in deputy ministers to justify their inclusion in his administration, as their success will vindicate him for appointing them.



You are aware of the controversies surrounding your appointment. These criticisms impose a clear obligation on you to justify your selection.



I am equally involved in your success, for your success vindicates me, President Akufo-Addo said on Wednesday at the swearing-in of 25 deputy Ministers at the State Banquet Hall in Accra.



The President reminded them that their success in the task ahead of them would only materialise when they showed loyalty to their ministers and worked with sincerity, integrity and transparency.



He told them to ensure at all times that the collective and individual commitments made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to serve the Ghanaians honestly and competently , because their calling is to provide public service and not to promote personal gain.



President Akufo Addo warned that he would not tolerate acts of disloyalty and subversion of ministers by their deputies.



For I will take such an act as disloyalty to me personally, and by inference, disloyalty to the party and the state.



Any deputy who thinks the route to advancement lies in your ability to subvert or undermine your minister would be sadly mistaken...you would not profit from that conduct, he cautioned.



I want you to work with your minister in all sincerity and transparency; that is the guarantee of your success and our collective success... seize the opportunity to serve your country with humility and with the determination, perform, guided always by Almighty God...shame your detractors and together let us build a self-reliant prosperous Ghana.



The President asked them to file their assets declaration expeditiously as demanded by law, and told them to strike an effective balance between their responsibilities as members of the Legislature and of the Executive.



He commended Parliament for the exercising its constitutional powers of approval of members of his government with commendable dispatch and transparency, saying, a sincere partnership between the Executive and Legislature bodes well for the Ghanaian people and democracy.



The first batch of 25 deputy ministers out of the approved 50 deputies sworn-in included Kwaku Kwarteng, Abena Osei Asare, Charles Adu Boahene, Finance; Owuraku Aidoo, Joseph Cud Joe, Dr Mohammed Amin Anta, Energy; Osei Bonsu Amoah, Collins Ntim, Kwasi Boateng Agyei, Local Government and Rural Development; Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Ama Dokuaa Asiamah Agyei, Perry Curtis Okudzeto, Information; and William Agyapong Quaitoo, Dr Sagre Bambangi, George Oduro, Agriculture.



Others are Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, Robert Ahomka-Lindsey, Trade and Industry; Kwabena Owusu Aduomi, Anthony N-yon Puowele Karbo, Roads and Highways; Benito Owusu Bio, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, lands and Natural Resources; Freda Prempeh, Eugene Antwi, Works and Housing; and Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum and Barbara Ayisi Acher, Education.



Mr Nkrumah, a deputy information minister, on behalf of his colleagues thanked the President for the opportunity given them to serve the country, assuring that they would diligently, faithfully, and with integrity and loyalty, justify the confidence reposed in them.



We are committed to ensure that success is achieved...we will work to vindicate the President, he said.



The President will later on in the day swear into office the remaining 25 deputy ministers at a separate ceremony.

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.

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If youre in the Ballarat area, keep an eye out for a dude that looks exactly like this:

The sketch, drawn by Ballarat resident Dr Rosemary Draper, is of a man she believes might be guilty of stealing $70,000 worth of gold bullion from her home.

The gold was primarily in the form of a one-kilogram bar (such as you may have seen in the movies) and 15 smaller pieces. In addition to the gold, some cash, an iPad and a laptop were also stolen. The gold was purchased as an investment in the 80s for (comparably) only $20,000.

The theft took place on Wednesday morning last week after the thieves forced their way in through a window. The sketch is based on a man Dr Draper saw in the street earlier who she believes to be one of the thieves.

Leading Senior Constable Nathan Vercoe told the Herald Sun that it will be difficult for the thieves to unload the gold due to its very distinctive nature (i.e. a huge fucking gold bar):

I believe it was random. They will possibly try and sell it through gold dealers. We have been in contact with a number of gold dealers about this. It will be fairly identifiable. It will be difficult to offload without suspicion.

Getting your shit jacked fucking sucks, so if you reckon you have any info regarding a man that might look like that drawing and have some connection to Webster Street, contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

Source: The Herald Sun.

Photo: Supplied.
File this one to: science mysteries we never needed answered but are kinda glad they were.

Scientists have finally answered the few thousand millennia-old question: why do shoelaces suddenly come undone?

The answer: a catastrophic chain of events that leave you with tight laces one minute, and loose hazards the next.

Researchers at the University of California Berkeley undertook a series of experiments involving, among other things, slow motion footage of a runner on a treadmill, and found that shoelace knot failure happens in a matter of seconds

Its unpredictable but when it happens, its in two or three strides and its catastrophic, said Oliver OReilly, the studys senior author, as quoted in The Guardian. Theres no way of coming back from it.



I just want to reiterate that were talking about shoelaces here. Okay.

Basically, the study found that the constant stomping of your foot  which hits the ground at seven times the force of gravity  causes the fabric of the shoe to squash down on impact, loosening the knot slightly with each stride. The swinging motion causes the laces ends to whip back and forth, tugging them outwards, until suddenly, its go-time, and the entire thing unravels before your very eyes.

The interesting thing about this mechanism is that your laces can be fine for a really long time, and its not until you get one little bit of motion to cause loosening that starts this avalanche effect leading to knot failure, said co-author Christine Gregg.

The Guardian has a very thorough run-down of how this whole shoelace thing works and what YOU can do about it, but honestly, theres one very obvious solution to this unravelling shoelaces conundrum, and it doesnt involve relearning how to tie a friggin knot.

Source: The Guardian.

Photo: Back to the Future II.
With under a month until the Federal Budget arrives, its now that the One Nations band of stringless puppets in the senate go from being a curious annoyance to profoundly fucking dangerous in a big hurry.

Case in point: The party has launched an extraordinary attack on the national broadcaster the ABC, threatening to withdraw support from Government bills in the Upper House unless Malcolm Turnbull eviscerates the networks funding, and even going so far as to outright accuse it of colluding with terrorism to knowingly and maliciously put the security of the country at risk.

Oh boy.

Human whiteboard eraser/kid voted Most Likely to Dob You Into the Teachers Because You Wont Stop Picking Him Last at Lunchtime Footy Even Though He Runs Like a Wobbly Chair Senator Malcolm Roberts has gone off in Parliament today, directly accusing the ABC of colluding with ISIS over the revelation of a planned trip to the Middle East.

The 7:30 Report and reporter Andrew Probyn revealed details of the planned trip to Afghanistan, which wouldve included a parliamentary delegation comprised of two Government, two opposition, and mystifyingly two One Nation MPs.

That extremely factual journalistic report has been interpreted by One Nation as an attack on the very fabric of the nation, and clear evidence that the ABC is in bed with the Islamic State.

Roberts, in the senate earlier today, spoke these actual words out of his mouth:

Their ABC put our diggers lives at risk so as to execute a political hit on Senator Hanson. The ABC have declared Jihad on Aussie diggers. They have a fatwa on Pauline Hanson. The ABCs actions in revealing the ANZAC day visit to diggers shows their willingness to collude with ISIS and other terrorists in identifying Australian targets, including troops. The ABC has for a long time been harbingers of terror apologists. This proves their Jihad sympathy.

Just like an ISIS attack, the cowards make their hit and then scuttle away into the sand. Like snakes.

FUCK. ING. HELL.

This extraordinary tirade came on the same day that fellow One Nation MP Brian Burston revealed that the party has threatened to withdraw support for Coalition bills in Parliament unless it slashes a whopping $600million in funding from the ABC in next months Federal Budget.

Burston and party chief of staff James Ashby lashed the broadcaster in an interview with The Guardian, asserting that the public broadcaster was attacking mainstream and right-of-centre political parties instead of being balanced, in a tired, trodden-in line that asserts that their version of balanced reporting is one where theyre never criticised ever and praised endlessly for every bullshit thing they do. Burston even asser

Meanwhile Ashby took the attack further, taking aim at the SBS for featuring too much gay-related content, questioning why the broadcaster would ever support the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, and asserting that it focuses too much on multiculturalism rather than programs about Australia and how to be Australian.

We want one culture because people come to Australia to become Australian. If you want to find out about life in your home country you can do that online. Theres decent enough internet at libraries and at home  its not expensive.

Minister for Finance Matthias Cormann, for his part, rebuffed the bloviating nonsense from One Nation, asserting that budget measures are formed on the Governments own judgment. Whatever the hell that means.

Any budget-repair measures will be developed, as always, based on the governments judgment of what is in the public interest. That is the only consideration for the government when developing budget-repair measures.

Budget night might be one of those everyone hold hands kinda deals, pals. Brace yrselves.

Source: SBS News.
PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with Ultimate Ears Wireless Speakers because theyve just dropped a music + travel lovers soon-to-be-favourite product, the WONDERBOOM. Seeing as its waterproof and packs 10hr batter life, there aint many reasons to leave home without  especially when youre travelling. Head HERE to learn more.

As a wise man once said, Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty. Look, this might sound outlandish, but theres a semblance of truth to that statement if you really think about it. Us humans love all things whose byproduct is wetness. Beaches, lakes, rivers, you bloody name it  as long as its not a polluted mess, well embrace whatever body of water thats presented to us. Then again, we probably get so hard over water because we need it to survive, but whatever.

Of all our worlds watery things, theres one that standouts out from the rest and humbly accepts its Most Beautiful mantle: waterfalls. Yep, for whatever reason we cant get enough of rain that falls atop a mountain, follows the basic rules of gravity and cascades over rocks to form a puddle.

But were not here to comment on the WHY, were here to enlighten yall of the WHERE. Call your mates, pack your car up and head to one of these offensively beautiful waterfalls around Australia that you can frolic in to your hearts content.

UPPER GLEDHILL FALLS  Ku-Ring-Gai National Park, New South Wales

Photo: Andre Distel Photography / Getty.

Well would you have a look at this lil slice of paradise? Ku-Ring-Gai National Park is packed with marvels of nature, so consider exploring some of its trails before heading back to this waterfall to cool off.

SPA POOL  Karijini National Park, Western Australia

Photo: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino / Getty.

Yeah. Thats a place that exists IRL. The curved walls of the crystal blue swimming spot Spa Pool have been carved out for yonks, mostly by its crowning glory: that nek-level waterfall. Youll need to hike for around 30 minutes to get there, but youll probably be glad to hear that its nothing too strenuous.

MILLAA MILLAA FALLS  Millaa Millaa, Queensland

Photo: Artherng / Getty.

Look familiar? You might have seen Millaa Millaa Falls in a Herbal Essence ad way back when, which is fair enough because why the hell WOULDNT you shoot something here?!

LADIES BATH FALLS  Mount Buffalo National Park, Victoria

Photo: Victorias High Country.

Look, well be straight with you: weve got no idea why its called Ladies Bath Falls. Regardless, its quite the spot. Get around it immediately.

FLORENCE FALLS  Litchfield National Park, Northern Territory

Photo: Do The NT.

Look, we completely understand if youre not about a long walk to see nature at its finest. Besides being GAWJUS, this is one of Florence Falls main draws  its just a three minute walk to get there from the carpark. Now this is living, Barry.

DIP FALLS  Dip Falls Reserve, Tasmania

Photo: Don Smith / Getty.

Alright, in all fairness theres not a whole lot to physically swim in at Dip Falls. That being said, Tasmanias so chilly most of the time that the last thing youd probably want to be doing in taking a dip anyway. What you can do here, however, is capture enough Gram content to last you a lifetime.

Theres more waterfalls in Australia than you could poke a bloody stick at. Theres also an outrageous amount of stunning bodies of water, national parks and so on. There really aint no reason not to be getting around our land thats girt by seas best bits whenever possible (like this long weekend, for example).

Take your enjoyment levels to new heights by grabbing yoself a WONDERBOOM  Ultimate Ears Wireless Speakers latest product. This bad boys packing a 10hr battery life and is no joke waterproof. Seriously, what could be better than lounging around a waterfall all day listening to your fave bangers? Not a whole lot. Learn more about WONDERBOOM HERE.

Photo: Francesco Riccardo Iacomino / Getty.
CHARLES CITY | The area around the Charley Western Trail Bridge has been closed between South Grand and Clark Street due to a partial bridge collapse.

One of the bridges three arches partially collapsed Saturday morning south of the popular Charles City Whitewater Park.

"No recreational activities including boating, tubing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, swimming or general use of the river are allowed within 100 yards of the bridge, Steve Diers, City Administrator for Charles City said in a press release from the Iowa DNR.

The public should avoid the area in case there are additional collapses, and to let bridge engineers inspect the bridge.

We do not know if the bridge can be repaired or how long it will take, Diers said.

The area just north of the collapse is a popular paddling destination for paddlers from around the Midwest, said Todd Robertson, Iowa Department of Natural Resources River Programs outreach coordinator. This closure will not affect the Charles City Whitewater Park, but paddlers should not travel downstream past the whitewater parks final take-out access. 

Also a popular fishing spot, anglers are advised not to boat or fish in that area. The area will be closed until further notice.
AP_864043862760 (1).jpg

Ryan Adams performs at the Marriott Rewards and Universal Music Present Music is Universal during the South by Southwest Music Festival at JW Marriott Austin on Wednesday, March 16, 2016, in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP)

With a 16th solo record to his name, Ryan Adams is set to hit the road.

That road will lead him to two stops in Pennsylvania.

The Grammy-nominated artist will perform Saturday, April 29, at the Sunoco Performance Theater at the Whitaker Center as a part of the Prisoner tour, according to a news release.

You can get tickets for at least $55 starting at 10 a.m. Friday, April 14, through the Whitaker Center's website or over the phone at 717-215-2787, according to the news release.

Adams will also perform at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at the Tower Theatre in Upper Darby. You can get tickets to that performance for at least $35 through Live Nation's website.

The tour follows the release of his newest record, "Prisoner," which includes the single "Do You Still Love Me?" It climbed to the eighth spot of the Billboard 200, which ranks the most popular albums of the week, on March 11.

It's been a tumultuous few years for Adams leading up to the release of "Prisoner," which has seen him separated from actor and musician Mandy Moore in 2015, according to Rolling Stone. Adams addressed the connection between his divorce and the record in the news release, saying he's "always written from experience, as someone who's used poetic and artistic license."

" Obviously, the record is about heartbreak, but it's more than just that," he is quoted. "These songs are about finding the true nature of desire and finding out how much more heartbreaking that is than any single event in someone's life."

Adams started out as the lead of North Carolina alternative-country band Whiskeytown before going solo in 1999, according to Rolling Stone. It's a career that's gone on to earn him a number of Grammy nominations, including Best Rock Album for his self-titled album and Best Rock Song for "Give Me Something Good" in 2015, according to Billboard.

For more information about the Prisoner tour, visit Adams' website.
Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, is on April 13 this year.

It's a holy day for Christians around the world, and one that has a lasting impact on church services every Sunday for the religious group.

Here's a brief primer on Maundy Thursday.

What is Maundy Thursday?

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. It recalls the night Jesus spent with his disciples having the Last Supper.

Hours after the supper, Jesus would be betrayed by his disciple Judas and eventually crucified by the Romans. Maundy Thursday is the first day of the Easter Tridiuum, which includes Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Maundy Thursday is part of Holy Week, which began with Palm Sunday.

What does "maundy" mean?

Maundy derives from the Latin word "mandatum," which means mandate. During the Last Supper Jesus washed the feet of his disciple and said, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another."(John 13:34, KJV).

How does one celebrate Maundy Thursday?

Christian churches of various denominations have church services on Maundy Thursday. It is a solemn affair, rather than the jubilant Easter gathering. Services often incorporate the Eucharist, or communion. In many churches, the priests or pastors will wash the feet of the parishioners, just as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.

You mentioned before that Maundy Thursday has a lasting impact on church services every Sunday of the year. What do you mean?

During the Last Supper, Jesus gives bread and wine to his apostles. According to the Bible, he told them of the bread: "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19, ESV). He followed it by describing the wine as thus: "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood" (Luke 22:20, ESV).

Certain denominations within the Christian faith believe that the bread and wine received at the Eucharist actually become Jesus's body and blood. This is called Transubstantiation. Other Christian churches believe that the wine and bread are purely symbolic, although they may contain powers as the objects are blessed.

Christians recreate the event, calling it the Eucharist (a term derived from the Greek "eukharistia," which means thanksgiving) or Holy Communion. It is conducted regularly, with certain denominations doing it every Sunday. It is meant to remind Christians of Jesus' sacrifice as well as a symbolic way of having Christ with them and making his message one with their soul.

A version of this post was published in 2014.
Two women have been charged in the overdose death of a woman found dead along the side of a road in Centre County in February of 2016.

Maria Gilligan and Sabine Graham are facing felony charges of drug distribution that caused the death of of Corrine Pena, 35, of the Philadelphia area, according to a centredaily.com report.

Gilligan and Graham were the latest charged in connection to Pena's death, after her body was discovered along the side of Plainfield Road in Ferguson Township early on Feb. 14.

Robert Moir, 60, was charged with abuse of a corpse after he told police he was the one who discarded Pena's body along the road. He pled guilty to the charge and was sentenced to probation.

Moir said he discovered Pena's body in a bathroom of his Patterson Township home several house before he dumped her along the road on Valentine's Day.

He told police he found Pena, who he met in Philadelphia earlier in the day, after he forced his way into the bathroom at about 11 p.m. on Feb. 14. He said he found a needle and spoon near Pena's body, which had been blocking the bathroom door.

Moir didn't call the police, however, charging documents state. Instead, he dragged her body into the kitchen, grabbed a red sheet, wrapped Pena up in it and dragged her body into the garage, according to the centredaily.com report.

Moir said he then loaded Pena's body into his Mercedes and drove to Plainfield Road, where he left it. He told police he left the body there in hopes of it being found. he said he figured the frigid temperatures, which had fallen to 2 degrees overnight, would preserve Pena's body. A passerby discovered the body at about 3:20 a.m., the report said.
Three Ohio residents are facing prostitution charges after police in northern York County said they arrested them during a prostitution sting last week.

WGAL is reporting that Gary and Brett Alexander and Sharon Wyatt were caught in a motel room near Interstate 83 near New Cumberland after an undercover state trooper gave money to another woman in exchange for sex.

State police said they were set up in a neighboring room when the trooper gave the woman the cash.

The three suspects posted an ad for the woman on the website mybackpages.com, according to the report. They then travelled from Ohio to York County to make money, police said.

The woman "appeared to be of diminished mental capacity," acording to police, who said she told them she did not want to participate.
u.s. courthouse

The U.S. Courthouse in Harrisburg

(Matt Miller/PennLive)

The former treasurer of the Women's Consortium of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education has been charged by federal investigators with embezzling nearly $40,000 from the organization.



U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler announced the embezzlement charge against Colleen A. McQueeney, 56, of Shippensburg, on Wednesday. He said McQueeney stole the money through unauthorized ATM withdrawals and checks from October 2015 to January 2016.



McQueeney already has a tentative agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty and pay restitution. That agreement, which wouldn't become final unless approved by U.S. Middle District Senior Judge Sylvia H. Rambo, does not specify the sentence McQueeney will receive.



The crime carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
The 75-year-old man authorities say fled the country after testifying before a grand jury investigating the murder of his former son-in-law has been returned to Pennsylvania.

Anthony Rocco Franklin.

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today the return of Anthony Rocco Franklin, who arrived in Harrisburg under the supervison of the U.S. Marshals Service. He had been held in prison in Argentina until authorities there approved his return to the U.S.

Franklin was charged in 2014 with homicide and other crimes for what authorities say was his role in the fatal shooting of Frank Spencer near Bloomsburg.

Timeline of the "Black Widow" case

"Franklin fled the country to avoid being prosecuted for this role in this brutal murder," Shapiro said. "Our investigators never gave up on this case, and today Franklin is back in Pennsylvania where he belongs to stand trial for homicide."

The attorney general's office in 2015 secured a first-degree murder conviction of Franklin's daughter, Maria Sanutti-Spencer, who had become known as the "Black Widow."

Franklin is expected to be transported to Columbia County, where he will appear for preliminary arraignment today.
wolf and stack.jpg

Gov. Tom Wolf and Lt. Gov. Mike Stack, in calmer times. Stack on Wednesday is scheduled to address an investigation commissioned by Wolf about workplace-related issues raised by state employees serving the lieutenant governor and his wife, Tonya.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Mike Stack has scheduled a press conference for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to address questions about a pending state Inspector General's inquiry over "workplace issues related to services provided to the lieutenant governor."

According to a release issued this evening, Stack will make a brief statement and then take questions from reporters at his Capitol office.

Sources have confirmed Gov. Tom Wolf asked Inspector General Bruce Beemer to investigate complaints from employees staffing the Stack's state-owned home in Lebanon County, and members of the state police detail providing security to Stack and his wife, Tonya.

The allegations, first reported by LancasterOnline.com, have been cited as having to do with abusive language, requests for extraordinary steps to beat traffic in non-emergency situations, and the like.

Neither Wolf nor Stack has publicly commented on the substance of the complaints to date, though Stack did on Monday night confirm he has received a letter from OIG pertaining to what he then described as "staffing issues."

The two Democrats are not close, but that can happen in Pennsylvania's quirky process for selecting a lieutenant governor.

Party nominees are selected in separate elections in party primaries, and then both candidates are thrown together to run as a unified ticket in the fall general election.

Still, the spectacle of a governor asking state investigators to look into the behavior of the lieutenant governor is one of the strangest developments in modern-day state politics.

Wolf, to date, has declined to comment publicly about the affair.

Stack, a former state senator from Philadelphia, will apparently give his side on Wednesday.
MASON CITY | A semi struck a Cerro Gordo County dump truck Wednesday morning, resulting in possible injuries to the semi driver.

Richard Stafford, 64, Mason City, who was driving the Five Star Co-op semi, has been charged with failing to stop in assured clear distance.

He was transported to the emergency room at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa for unknown injuries, according to a press release from the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office.

However, the hospital has no record of him being admitted, according to a Mercy spokeswoman.

Deputies were dispatched to the scene at 13601 240th St. in rural Mason City at 10:37 a.m.

Cole Despenas, 32, Mason City, was driving the dump truck west on 240th Street when he stopped and signaled to make a left turn into a driveway, according to the sheriff's office.

Stafford, who was also traveling west on 240th Street, could not stop and collided with the dump truck as it was turning into the driveway, officials said.

Both vehicles sustained disabling damages.

The Mason City Fire Department, the Iowa DOT and the Iowa DNR assisted at the scene.

The investigation is continuing, according to the sheriff's office.

-- Mary Pieper
International AIDS conference co-chair Dr. Mark Wainberg, an AIDS expert from McGill University in Montreal, addresses an event raising awareness about the disease at the conference in Toronto, Sunday, Aug.13, 2006. Wainberg, a renowned HIV/AIDS researcher from Montreal, has died in Florida. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stuart Nimmo
MASON CITY | Zachary Hartley will be remembered by friends as a well-liked, helpful guy who never hesitated to lend a hand.

Hartley, 20, of Mason City, died when a Jeep he was driving went off Sixth Street Southwest and hit a tree early Monday, killing all five on board, police say.

He left a lasting impression on his former co-workers at Hy-Vee grocery on Fourth Street Southwest.

"He was just very humble, very likeable," said Hy-Vee Store Director Ina Cavin. "Always willing to help. Whenever anybody needed anything, he would help."

A 2015 graduate of Mason City High School, Hartley made an impression on state Rep. Sharon Steckman, a former school teacher, during his time at Hoover Elementary.

She last saw Hartley a few weeks ago.

I dont think I had him in class, but I knew him from Hoover," Steckman said. "We reconnected when he worked at Hy-Vee. I would see him when we came there to eat. He was so excited about his new job at McKesson."

Hartley, part-time pay-station clerk in the Hy-Vee dining room, left the grocer for a full-time position at the McKesson Corp. warehouse in Clear Lake.

His departure was on good terms, and he still made time to stop by and chat after he left, Cavin said.

"We loved Zach," she said.

His former co-workers, and Steckman, will miss him.

He was very friendly and always had a smile for me," Steckman said. "This whole thing is so sad, five kids who had so much of their lives ahead of them  and their candles went out.

 Globe Gazette writer John Skipper contributed to this report.
Shell knew some payments for Nigeria oilfield would go to Malabu Oil & Gas via Nigerian gov



LONDON

Petroleumworld 04 12 2017

Royal Dutch Shell has said it knew that some of the payments it made to Nigeria for the rights to an oilfield would go to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company associated with a former Nigerian oil minister and convicted money launderer.

Shell spokesman Andy Norman said the group had known the Nigerian government "would compensate Malabu to settle its claim on the block". Shell previously had said only that its payments from the 2011 deal went to the Nigerian government.

In an email to Reuters, Norman said that while Shell knew that former oil minister Dan Etete was "involved" with Malabu, it had not confirmed that he controlled the company.

Etete was convicted of money laundering in a separate case in France in 2007.

Attempts by Reuters to contact Etete have been unsuccessful.

"Over time it became clear to us that Etete was involved in Malabu and that the only way to resolve the impasse through a negotiated settlement was to engage with Etete and Malabu, whether we liked it or not," Norman said.

Norman added that the company believes the settlement was a fully legal transaction with the Nigerian government.

The statement comes amid mounting pressure over the deal, in which Shell and Italy's Eni paid $1.3 billion for the rights to offshore block OPL 245, which industry estimates say could hold more than 9 billion barrels of oil.

Courts in Nigeria and Italy are investigating the purchase of the block. Italian prosecutors have asked for Eni chief Claudio Descalzi to be sent to trial in correction with the case. Eni has said neither the company nor Descalzi were involved in any allegedly illicit conduct.

A Nigerian court ordered the asset temporarily seized in January at the request of the country's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, but the move was overturned.






Emerging nations call on rich countries to honour finance pledges



BEIJING

Petroleumworld 04 12 2017

China, Brazil, India and South Africa have urged industrialised countries to honour financial commitments made in Paris in 2015 to help developing countries fight against global climate change, they said in a statement on Tuesday.

Following a meeting in Beijing, climate change ministers from the "BASIC" bloc of four major emerging economies called on rich countries "to honour their commitments and increase climate finance towards the $100 billion goal", and said more clarity was needed to "track and account for" those pledges.

Climate financing was a major bone of contention during negotiations to seal a new global deal to curb and reduce climate-warming greenhouse gases in Paris at the end of 2015, with China and other developing nations adamant that the bulk of the burden should fall to advanced industrialised nations like the United States.

As part of the Paris deal, developed countries agreed to make more funding available to a Green Climate Fund (GCF), which is designed to be used by poor and climate-vulnerable countries.

But the agreement has been plunged into uncertainty after U.S. President Donald Trump, who has questioned the scientific basis of global warming, last month proposed an end to payments to the GCF and signed an order to undo climate change regulations introduced by his predecessor.

At a media briefing after the Tuesday meeting, South Africa's deputy minister of environmental affairs, Barbara Thompson, said recent changes in U.S. policy were "of major concern".

But "the position of the U.S. is still very unclear to us", she said, adding "we believe there are different views within the U.S. administration" on this issue.

At the same briefing, China's chief climate envoy, Xie Zhenhua, insisted China remained willing to work closer with the United States.

Xie told Reuters after the briefing that he expected China and the United States to hold talks on climate issues, and that discussions were going on at multiple levels.

Joint pledges made by China and the United States, the world's two biggest emitters of climate-warming greenhouse gases, helped bridge the gap between developed and developing countries and provided the momentum to seal the deal in Paris.

Xie told reporters that China could now surpass its 2020 climate change commitments, which included a pledge to reduce 2005 levels of carbon intensity - the amount produced per unit of economic growth - by 40 percent to 45 percent.

China has also promised to try to exceed its target to bringing its total greenhouse gas emissions to a peak by "around 2030".






Philadelphia is ranked amongst the top 50 most dog-friendly cities in America. This comes as no surprise since the town is home to countless beautifully maintained parks for pets to enjoy. Were breaking down the best dog parks in Philly
The skill requirements to get a well-paying job in the modern economy are steep and getting steeper. Academic study or job training beyond high school is more important than ever.

A new report raises concern for Nebraska on this score. Only one other state has a bigger gap between the percentage of minority and white residents who have at least a two-year degree beyond high school.

The disparity for the 50 states as a whole is 16.4 percent, the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education reports. In Nebraska, the gap is 26.3 percent.

That is, 52.8 percent of whites in the 25-to-44 age group in Nebraska had an associate degree or higher. The figure for the state's minority residents is 26.5 percent.

In Iowa, the disparity is 15.6 percent, a bit less than the national average.

Mike Baumgartner, the coordinating commission's executive director, is right to point out that the way forward doesn't lie only through action by Nebraska's colleges, universities and community colleges. The effort needs to start far earlier, ensuring that minority students know from an early age about the opportunities that open up through education.

Among the many encouraging efforts on that front is Morton Magnet Middle School's AVID college-prep program, a partnership between Morton and the University of Nebraska at Omaha's Service Learning Academy.

Students in the AVID program "can see, yes, this is somewhere I could be. This could be me, a college student," the teacher, Lisa Thompson, said in a recent World-Herald article.

Metropolitan Community College has long made strong efforts to serve low-income and minority students. As reporting by The World-Herald's Rick Ruggles recently noted, those efforts include dual-enrollment programs with many area school districts, as well as services for single parents and free area bus services for students traveling to most Metro campuses.

UNO's minority student population currently is 3,336, up considerably from 1,382 in 2006. Nearly a third of current UNO freshmen are students of color.

The Thompson Learning Community, which provides supports to UNO students from diverse backgrounds, has grown from 65 participants in 2008, its first year, to 954 now.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln also is actively supporting minority students. The campus earned national recognition following a 2015 report that found UNL had done better than 255 other colleges in narrowing the gap between white and black graduation rates over the past decade.

From 2003 to 2013, those institutions of higher learning as a whole reduced that gap by less than 1 percent. By comparison, UNL reduced its gap by 15.2 percentage points.

Still, a major challenge remains in working to improve the graduation rate.

UNL's minority graduation rate in 2013 was 56.2 percent, and the national rate was 50.1 percent. Some of UNL's fellow members of the Big Ten Conference had considerably higher minority graduation rates in 2013  74.2 percent at Ohio State and 68.3 percent at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

One positive step by NU is its "Commit to Complete" initiative to help students get on a practical path toward graduation.

Creighton University, with students of color making up 26 percent of the current freshmen class, has a variety of programs to support minority students.

Creighton's Intercultural Center promotes a culture of inclusion, outreach and respect. Minority students receive encouragement and support to explore health career options through the Health Sciences Multicultural and Community Affairs Office. And Creighton is the only post-secondary Jesuit institution to offer a Native American studies program.

The more progress that Nebraska can make in helping minority residents achieve higher-ed success, the stronger the future for those Nebraskans and for the state as a whole.

This editorial appeared in the March 31 edition of the Omaha World-Herald.
French English

MONTREAL, April 11, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Little Life Box, a Canadian health nutrition and beauty company is proud to announce a partnership with another great Canadian maker of health products for consumers. Little Life Box will be including the Elan Bio brand in their monthly delivery of health products. Elan Bio offers a variety of nuts, dried fruit, seeds and grains, all certified organic, non GMO, glutton free and vegan. Elan Bio is one of many health related products Little Life Box supplies to its monthly mailing to subscribers. This partnership along with other producers of great healthy alternatives will once again show Little Life Boxs commitment to delivering healthy products in all its boxes.

Little Life Box, a Canadian family-owned company offers consumers a monthly delivery of healthy-choice product samples aimed at the rapidly growing health-conscious consumer market, shipped right to the home. Each months box contains up to a dozen healthy nutritional and personal care products. Our message: Little Life Box to the rescue!! Were very proud of our business. We want to give Canadians an opportunity to discover new ways to better their lives. Our goal is to put healthy-choice products into their hands so they can discover whats out there, says company co-founder Chelsea Brennan.

So many of these products don't get the exposure they deserve in the marketplace, and many would-be consumers are reluctant to spend money on products they may not like. As we all know, healthier choices are often more costly (for good reason). Little Life Box is a new way for curious health enthusiasts to get to know new natural, organic, healthy products without having to pay for full-sized portions. Each box contains a mix of nutritional goodies and ethical beauty products. We know those gluten free macaroons can be a little pricey so why spend the bucks before testing the goods? Monthly subscriptions are only $23 online at www.littlelifebox.com. Little Life Boxs web site gives all the relevant information about the producers and where each product can be purchased.

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd7623de-59d9-4bd7-8f2b-db95e739817d
The best way to secure Americas southern border is a wall. Sorry, I meant a fence. Or is it more border patrol agents? Or more technology?

If you watched the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee discuss border security last week, you might be confused too.

Prompted by President Trumps January 25 executive order calling for the immediate construction of a physical wall on the southern border, the committee met twice to figure out how to fulfill Trumps presidential campaign promise of a big, beautiful wall.

Will we really build a Great Wall of America along the Rio Grande? This is not a fence were talking about. Its a WALL, Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) said in a written statementthe bolding and italics hers.

While senators from both sides of the aisle, former Customs and Border Protection officials, and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly all voiced support for greater border security, most seem certain that a border wallor is it a fence?is not a silver bullet for national security.

Fencing is not a panacea, Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) said in his opening remarks, expressing a sentiment that many would echo during the hearings. We need a layered approach to border security, one that includes technology, manpower, a commitment to the rule of law, and the elimination of incentives for illegal immigration, he explained.

With a skyrocketing price tag (currently estimated at $70 billion, according to Senator McCaskill), the additional cost of acquiring land along the border, concerns about environmental protection, and the existence of ladders and tunnels (long-time foes of walls, as one security expert testified), fulfilling the Presidents executive order might not be as easy as pouring some concrete.

In fact, Secretary Kelly admits that hes not planning on implementing the Presidents vision of a wall spanning the entire U.S.-Mexico border. Fences and walls already cover hundreds of miles of the borderare more than 1,300 miles of additional physical barriers needed?

Its unlikely that we will build a wall or physical barrier from sea to shining sea, Kelly testified.

The senators had plenty of questions for Kelly and the other witnesses (What will that wall look like? How much is it going to cost? Exactly how is Mexico going to reimburse American taxpayers for the billions of dollars they are already being asked to spend on the wall?), and Kelly seemed to take McCaskills request that he speak truth to this administration and to the President to heart and admitted that he didnt have all the answers.

Theres no way I can give the Committee an estimate of how much [the wall] will cost, he said. I dont know what it will be made of. I dont know how high it will be. I dont know if its going to have solar panels on its side and how its going to be painted. No idea.

Before spending tens of billions of taxpayer dollars, it makes sense to first figure out how to best secure the border. Physical barriersat least on their ownmay not actually address the systemic issues. As Senator Johnson remarked, Americas insatiable demand for drugs is one root cause, perhaps THE root cause preventing the achievement of a secure border. [Emphasis his.]

At any rate, theres no dearth of proposals for how to secure the border, including this particularly creative one: Pittsburgh-based Clayton Industries has pitched the idea of a 100-foot- deep trench of radioactive waste, backed up by a 30-foot wall, to deter border crossers.

"It essentially sends the message: 'Hey immigrants from Mexico and Central America. If you want to try to take a risk and find a better life in the United States, take your kid through a nuclear waste dump.' Thats what were talking about, the Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin told Public Radio International. Really, what could go wrong?
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Democrat James Thompson has jumped out to a more than 5,600 vote lead early in the returns in the House special election in Kansas.

The early vote in Sedgewick County:

Results are coming in from Sedgwick and Barber counties with Thompsons lead at 62%-37%.

Here is are the early results from Barber County:

Early results from Butler County:

Edwards County:

Complete results from Pawnee County:

Update: 8:58 PM ET: Thompson leads Estes 60%-38%.

Update: 9:04 PM ET Thompson leads Estes 55%-43%

Update: 9:28 PM ET: Thompson leads Estes 53%-45%

Update: 9:35 PM ET Thompson leads 51%-48% with half the estimated vote remaining to be counted.

Update: 9:41 PM ET: Thompson leads Estes 50%-49%.

Update: 10:01 PM ET: Estes has jumped ahead of Thompson 50%-48%.

Update: 10:05 PM ET Estes leads Thompson 51%-48

Update: 10:16 PM ET: The race has been called for Republican Estes 52%-46%.

Update: 10:48 PM ET: even though the race has been called, the margin has narrowed to 50%-49% Estes.

Update: With 90.3% of the vote in, the margin is 52%-47% in favor of Republican Estes.

MSNBCs Steve Kornacki explained:

Big early vote for Dems in Sedgwick County in KS-4  5,663-vote edge (61-36%)https://t.co/vZq6abYE6u  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) April 12, 2017

Fwiw, the Dem nominee in KS-4 last November got 81k votes total while losing big. Thompson has 14k in the early count in Sedgwick County.  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) April 12, 2017

Also, Sedgwick (Wichita) accounted for 68% of all votes in KS-4 in the last election  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) April 12, 2017

More from Steve Kornacki:

Pace starting to pick up  Thompson (D) lead down to 3,796 (54-44%) over Estes (R) in KS-4  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) April 12, 2017

Good news for Estes (R) in KS-4  same-day vote in Butler pushing him up to 61% there with more to come, closer to the 69% Pompeo got in 16  Steve Kornacki (@SteveKornacki) April 12, 2017

Harry Enten of 538 explains why Estes is likely to win:

In every county that has fully reported (and they are mostly rural), Estes is running ahead of where he needs to be to win district wide.  (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) April 12, 2017

KS-4 is a district that went for Trump by 27 points. Democrats are not expected to win this seat, but it looks like Republicans may have been right to be worried, as this contest could be much closer than anyone expected.

(This page will be updated, so please refresh for latest results.)
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A district that Donald Trump won by 27 points in November, Republicans held on to by 6 points in April. The unpopularity of Republican governors combined with the unpopularity of Trump shows that Democratic momentum is real, as the Kansas special election demonstrated.

As of publication time, the House special election in Kansas was called for Ron Estes over James Thompson 52%-46%. Republicans dumped millions of dollars of resources and even enlisted the help of Donald Trump and Mike Pence to keep the House seat in a solidly Republican district that hasnt voted Democratic decades.

Even with all of the outside help that the right could muster, they only won by single digits. Donald Trump won the district by 27 points in the 2016 presidential election. Mike Pompeo, who is now Trumps CIA Director, won reelection to the seat by 31 points. The district leans Republican by a 15 point margin.

All of this makes the performance of the Democratic candidate in this special election encouraging. Outrage against extremist Republican governors and the deeply unpopular president has given Democrats real momentum. There is no way that a Democrat should have been competitive in this district.

The fact that Democrats were competitive is a very encouraging sign that bodes well for the Georgia special House election for Trump HHS Secretary Tom Prices old seat. The district is more favorable to Democrats than the fourth district in Kansas was. Democrats were not expecting to win in Kansas and putting additional Democratic resources in the race would have risked waking Republicans up, and turning the election into a blowout.

If the KS-04 is any indication, Republicans already have a big complacency problem among their voters.

If Democrats can be competitive in deep red districts, one can imagine that they will do very well in the three dozen or so competitive districts that will decide the House in 2018.

Republicans should not be happy with barely winning in Kansas. The margin should terrify them because it shows that the energy behind Democrats is very real and coming for them in 2018.
Latvian English

Ogre, 2017-04-12 08:21 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Meeting place and time:

April 27, 2017 at 10.00 am, at JSC HansaMatrix premise meeting room located at Akmenu iela 72, Ogre, LV5001, LATVIA.

Agenda:

Approval of report of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Council;

Draft resolution: to approve report of the Board of Directors and the Supervisory Council on results of Financial year 2016

Approval of the annual report for the financial year 2016 and release the Board of Directors from responsibility for financial year 2016;

Draft resolution: to approve the Audited Consolidated Annual Report of JSC "HansaMatrix" Group and Parent Company for financial year 2016 and to release the Management Board from responsibility for financial year 2016;

Taking a decision regarding distribution of financial year 2016 profit;

Draft resolution:

to distribute dividends at the amount of EUR 54 881.43 (fifty four thousand eight hundred eighty one euro and 43/100) or EUR 0.03 per share to shareholders;

to set May 18, 2017, as a record date for dividends and May 25, 2017, as a date of payment of dividends;

Appointment of the auditor for the financial year 2017 and determination of reward for the auditor.

Draft resolution:

to elect SIA Ernst & Young Baltic (Reg.No. 40003593454) to be the certified auditor of JSC HansaMatrix in 2017;

To set EUR 22 389.  (twenty two thousand three hundred eighty nine euros 00 cents) as the total remuneration of certified auditor for 2017;

Revocation of existing and Election of a new Council members.

Draft resolution:

to revoke current Council members: Janis Skutelis Kriss Osmanis Andris Berzins Ingrida Bluma Maris Rambaks



to elect new Council members: Janis Skutelis Kriss Osmanis Andris Berzins Ingrida Bluma Gundars Strautmanis



To set EUR 48 000.  (forty eight thousand euros 00 cents) as the total remuneration budget for Council for 2017;

Assignment of Audit committee function to a new Council.

Draft resolution: to assign of Audit committee function to supervising institution  Council;

Investor and media contact:

Zanda Lapane

Assistant to the CEO

Phone: (+371) 6780 0002

e-mail: invest@hansamatrix.com

About AS HansaMatrix

HansaMatrix is a fast-growing, high-technology company offering product design, industrialization and complete manufacturing services in data networking, Internet of Things, industrial segments and other services to high added value business segments. In addition to complete manufacturing services of OEM products, the company offers an ODM business model to both start-up and established companies that seek product development partnerships
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Despite claims and suggestions by Donald Trump and his pal, GOP House Intelligence Chairman Congressman Devin Nunes, a new report shatters the myth that Barack Obama or anybody in his administration  including Susan Rice  did anything illegal.

According to CNN, members of both parties said that not even intelligence reports brought forward by Nunes himself showed any wrongdoing.

More from the report:

After a review of the same intelligence reports brought to light by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes, both Republican and Democratic lawmakers and aides have so far found no evidence that Obama administration officials did anything unusual or illegal, multiple sources in both parties tell CNN. Their private assessment contradicts President Donald Trumps allegations that former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice broke the law by requesting the unmasking of US individuals identities. Trump had claimed the matter was a massive story. However, over the last week, several members and staff of the House and Senate intelligence committees have reviewed intelligence reports related to those requests at NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. One congressional intelligence source described the requests made by Rice as normal and appropriate for officials who serve in that role to the president. And another source said theres absolutely no smoking gun in the reports, urging the White House to declassify them to make clear there was nothing alarming in the documents.

Despite Trumps effort to distract from his failed and scandal-packed first three months in office by pushing a baseless claim about Barack Obama  and Nunes attempts to provide Trump political cover  there is simply no evidence that any of his assertions are true.

I think its going to be the biggest story, Trump recently said of his lies about the Obama administration. Its such an important story for our country and the world.

But its not true. And members of both parties, as the CNN report noted, have found ample evidence to the contrary.

At the end of the day, the president was just spewing nonsense on Twitter with no regard for the truth. Now hes unsuccessfully scrambling to justify it.

Will he finally admit that he was simply pushing a lie? Dont count on it.
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By Scott Malone

BOSTON (Reuters)  Civil liberties groups on Wednesday said they were filing a series of lawsuits against the U.S. government seeking details on how federal agencies enforced President Donald Trumps ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

The lawsuits were filed by local chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union against U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security and cover their operations in 14 cities stretching from Portland, Maine, to San Diego.

The suits are an attempt to enforce requests filed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) just days after Trump signed his first executive order limiting travel.

That Jan. 27 order, intended to fulfill a campaign promise to take a tough stance on immigration, first temporarily barred travelers from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The order, which also temporarily barred refugees, led to a weekend of chaos at U.S. airports with travelers barred from entering the country upon landing while thousands of people turned out to protest the measures.

A federal judge ordered a halt to enforcement of that ban and Trump followed up in March with a less-sweeping order that did not limit travelers from Iraq, but which has also been challenged in courts. Opponents said the orders violated the U.S. constitutions prohibitions on religious discrimination, citing Trumps campaign promises to impose a Muslim ban.

The Trump administration said the restrictions are legal and are necessary to protect U.S. national security.

The suits, filed in federal courts, seek disclosure of how many people have been detained or subjected to additional screening since the first executive order as well as the guidance that was provided to DHS staff about how to enforce the order.

Customs and Border Protection has a long, rich history of ignoring its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act and so these lawsuits are an effort to enforce its obligations, said Zachary Heiden, legal director at the ACLU of Maine, in a phone interview. He noted that the ACLU filed its FOIA requests for information on Feb. 2.

Officials at CBP and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the suits.

In addition to Portland and San Diego, the suits cover CBP operations in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson, Miami and Tampa. One suit filed in Florida covers the two cities in that state.

(Reporting by Scott Malone, editing by G Crosse)
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On the day Trump announced he would be breaking his campaign promise to label China a currency manipulator, he also walked back his tough talk on NATO.

I said it was obsolete. It is no longer obsolete, President Trump said of NATO during a press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of NATO. For this, Trump took credit again  even though this claim has already been ruled false by PolitiFact.

Watch here:

WATCH: Trump on NATO  'I said it was obsolete. It is no longer obsolete.' Live updates: https://t.co/ze2fzwzMMT pic.twitter.com/RZuIMdeW5U  Reuters Top News (@Reuters) April 12, 2017

Trump has already been fact-checked as false for claiming that NATO was obsolete and changed their policy due to his comments.

I had previously said that NATO was obsolete because it failed to deal adequately with terrorism. Since my comments, they have changed their policy and now have a new division focused on terror threats, Trump said on August 15th, 2016.

For this claim, Trump got a False. PolitiFact determined, The change hes apparently referring to  the creation of a new senior post and division for coordinating intelligence sharing  is just the most recent incremental change in how the alliance handles counter-terrorism, a topic it has addressed, in big ways and small, for more than 30 years. There is no evidence that the change was made in response to Trumps complaints about the alliance. Experts said such changes typically require a longer gestation period so that all member nations can get on board. We rate Trumps statement False.

NATO was never obsolete. That was just a stupid bumper sticker slogan Trump ran on to appease Russia and make himself out to be some kind of tough guy genius to his supporters, who dont seem to realize that Trump hasnt a clue what hes talking about when it comes to foreign policy matters.

In fact, Trump said he would work to enhance the NATO partnership. This isnt Superhero Changed NATO, its Man Who Speaks Loudly About Things About Which He Knows Nothing Is Learning on the Job.

NATO not so bad after all, and its not because Trump forced them to change. Gone is the swaggering tough guy image Trump played on the trail. Here comes weak, walk-it-back politician. You know, the guy his supporters claimed he wasnt.

How many ways will Trump stab Republicans in the back? Its only Wednesday.
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Toronto Star fact checker Daniel Dale took after Donald Trump this morning in the wake of what he calls a highly dishonest and frequently bonkers interview with Fox Business this morning.

We have already seen that Donald Trump lied about President Obamas response to Syria in 2013, and Dale excoriates him for that, adding that,

Here is Trump, with incredible audacity, saying "everybody" was waiting for Obama to launch the Syria strike Trump himself vocally opposed: pic.twitter.com/wvmSsgCCet  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 12, 2017

Dale throws in some Trump gibberish about his health care act for good measure:

This is complete gibberish from the president. pic.twitter.com/egvBOWGsE2  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 12, 2017

I have been regularly attacking Trump for having no idea what his own foreigns policy is with regards Syria, so most frightening of all is this admission from Trump, because you know he is not keeping a secret. He genuinely doesnt know:

<

The president asked what his North Korea plan is: "You never know, do you. You never know." pic.twitter.com/fu4sTDoFeO  Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 12, 2017

Bonkers is certainly the word for Trumps performance this morning. If he was trying to distract Fox viewers from his Carter Page meets with a Russian spy scandal, he certainly succeeded in that.

However doubtful it is that Fox viewers were dumbfounded by Trumps bizarre interview, he certainly got our attention.

Everything from his claim that Chinese President Xi were was eating the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake when he told him about the Syrian missile strike, to lies that many Democrats think Trumpcare is incredible, reveals quite clearly that this is a president completely out of touch with reality.
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National security expert and former NSA analyst John Schindler had some harsh words for the Trump administration following the revelation of a FISA warrant on Carter Page, saying that George Washington would have had at least half the Trump WH shot as traitors, without tears or doubts:

Reject ideology. Embrace zero-tolerance 4 lies+corruption  esp involving foreign spies. That'll make Washington smile & save our Republic.  John Schindler (@20committee) April 12, 2017

George Washington was all about counterintelligence. He would have had at least half the Trump WH shot as traitors, without tears or doubts.  John Schindler (@20committee) April 12, 2017

The question is, is it true? George Washington is known to Americans as the guy who could not tell a lie, but he was a hard man, a product of his time. And one episode, in particular, argues that he would have done just what Schindler says.

On this very day in 1782, Patriot Captain Joshua Huddy wrote his last will and testament before being lynched by a loyalist officer in retaliation for the death of a loyalist in accordance with the ancient lex talionis (law of retaliation, or eye for an eye).

The Americans demanded the guilty party be handed over so they could execute him in turn, and when the British refused and the father of our country promptly seized a British officer, an unassuming (and moreover, innocent), Captain Charles Asgill, intending to hang Asgill as a response to the murder of Huddy if the British did not hand over the guilty party, Loyalist Captain Lippincott.

Asgill had been taken prisoner at Yorktown and so was protected by the articles of the British surrender, Article XIV, which stated that No article of capitulation to be infringed on pretence of reprisals.

The captive British captains were told to draw lots but rightly refused as the demand was in violation of their rights as prisoners of war. The Americans drew for them and picked Asgill, who had just turned 20 and had seen the briefest of service before being captured with the rest of Lord Cornwallis army at Yorktown.

George Washington said the selection of this innocent young man has distressed me exceedingly, adding that I am deeply affected with the unhappy Fate to which Capt. Asgill is subjected. Nice to hear, certainly, that George Washington had a heart, but he was going to execute the poor fellow anyway if the British did not cooperate.

Washington showed kindness to the unfortunate young man by ordering he be treated with every tender Attention and politeness. None of that was going to save Asgill, of course. The Patriots were really, really angry about the lynching of Huddy, for as Thomas Paine said, even Native Americans had what he called formality in their punishments.

To be fair, it does not seem Washington really wanted to kill Asgill but the fact remains he felt he had the right to do so. And it was only the heartfelt plea of Asgills mother that finally saved the young man when a very moved Congress ordered the captains release.

Washingtons words to Asgill were that he was only seeking justice (it must hardly have seemed like justice to Asgill) and that it was not a greater relief to Asgill than to Washington that he had not had to execute him (also unlikely true).

What this story demonstrates is there is absolutely no doubt that Schindler is right about Washington. He would not hesitate to execute traitors (or if he hesitated would do it anyway) if he felt it was the right thing to do.

Given American treatment of a British spy captured in the Benedict Arnold plot, Major John Andre, the only area in which Schindler might have erred is in the chosen mode of execution.

Here too, Washington liked and respected Andre and did want to kill him, but as the British would not hand over Arnold to save Andre, he had to die.

Andre pleaded to be shot by firing squad, but this was considered far too gentlemanly for a spy, and so he was hanged, as Arnold would have been, instead.

So it would be more accurate to say Washington would have hanged half of Trumps White House as traitors, which thought is certainly enough to bring a sigh in memory of the good old days.
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In 2012 the conservative majority ensconced in the U.S. Supreme Court decided that racism in America is non-existent and used that assessment to gut a key provision of the Voting Rights Act unleashing a veritable flood of voter suppression laws. That ruling gave primarily Republican-controlled Southern states carte blanche to enact voting laws that specifically targeted minority (read Black) communities for what many pundits consider 21st Century Jim Crow laws.

There have been several studies and federal court rulings calling the Republican state-enacted election procedures intentional voting discrimination targeting African Americans. On Monday evening a Texas federal district court handed down a brief order stating that Texas voter ID law was passed with a discriminatory intent in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. In simpler terms, the district judges ruled the Texas voter suppression law is deliberately racist.

As noted above, although the conservatives on the High Court eliminated a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, specifically abolishing the provision that certain (Confederate) states did not have to submit new election procedures to federal authorities before they were put into effect, a separate provision remained in effect. That provision permits states, primarily Republican-controlled Southern states, to be brought back under federal supervision if they engage in intentional voting discrimination; exactly what the Federal District Court ruled Texas Republicans were found to be guilty of. However, it is certainly something that will never happen with a Southern racist Republican leading the Justice Department and a newly emboldened conservative majority on the Supreme Court. The federal district court ruling will certainly be appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

The Fifth Circuit has already ruled less than a year ago that Texas discriminatory election law had a greater impact on minority voters than on white voters. In fact, that ruling made the Texas voting law illegal under the Voting Rights Act so any appeal, if upheld in the appellate court will be appealed to the new conservative majority Supreme Court.

As Ian Millhiser at ThinkProgress noted in citing a voting rights expert Rick Hasen, the Monday evening ruling is significant if the Fifth Circuit upholds the District Court brief order. According to Mr. Hasen: If the district courts order is upheld on appeal, it would be grounds for throwing out the entire law (and not just softening it though an affidavit requirement, etc.). In simpler terms, the Federal District Court ruled that Texas Republicans voter suppression law is deliberately racist and should be summarily abolished.

The Federal District Courts order in Veasey v. Abbott noted several factors suggesting that the law was enacted for the explicit purpose of discriminating against African-American and Latino voters. One of those factors included, besides the laws disparate impact on African-American and Latino voters:

The fact that [Republican[ state lawmakers rushed the states voter ID law through the legislative process without the usual committee analysis, debate, and substantive consideration of amendments. Texas has become a majority-minority state with polarized voting patterns allowing the suppression of the overwhelmingly Democratic votes of AfricanAmericans and Latinos to provide an Anglo partisan advantage.

In plain-speak, the court said that Texas Republicans used race as a substitute for partisan affiliation with a voter suppression law created explicitly to disproportionately target African-Americans and Latinos for the sole purpose of protect[ing] Republican rule.

The District Court Judges did not buy into the Texas Republican claim that they passed the voter suppression law to prevent massive voter fraud; not to disenfranchise voters of color. The court said, the evidence shows a tenuous relationship between those rationales and the actual terms of the bill. Or in street vernacular, the court said Texas Republicans are liars.

The court apparently was aware that out of over 20 million votes cast in the ten years before the voter suppression law was passed, there were only two people convicted of the kind of voter fraud that is supposedly targeted by voter ID. The kind of voter ID laws passed in Texas under supervision and direction of the Koch brothers legislative arm, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) are a common method of voter suppression embraced by ALEC-controlled Republican legislatures meant to disproportionately target voters of color.

According to data already cited by the extremely conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that will hear an anticipated appeal; Blacks were 1.78 times more likely than whites, and Latinos 2.42 times more likely than whites, to lack voter ID.

It is likely that the latest ruling holding that Republican legislatures are specifically targeting people of color for vote suppression, whatever encouraging news for voting rights advocates and Texas minorities, may be very short lived. Regardless that the Fifth Circuit already ruled that Texas Republican election laws violated the Voting Rights Act, Texas Republicans continued their racist assault unabated because as Republicans across the country have demonstrated time and again, they hate democracy with the same intensity as the Koch brothers legislative arm ALEC.

h/t IanMillhiser
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Kenneth Vogel of Politico caught this tidbit from the already deemed disastrous for other reasons Trump Fox Business interview. Trump remembers details of cake he was eating while launching missiles, but not which country he was attacking, Vogel wrote over a clip of Trump describing his missile launch on Iraq.

Setting the tone in the way he does when he tells his Big Stories, Trump described the most beautiful piece of chocolate cake that youve ever seen he was eating as he was launching the missiles that hit Iraq.

Trump: "we've just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq"

Bartiromo: "heading to Syria"

Trump: "yesto Syria" pic.twitter.com/TYfqXXDeCZ  Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) April 12, 2017

Trump said, Weve just launched 59 missiles heading to Iraq

Bartiromo interrupted to correct him,  heading to Syria

Trump acknowledged with no recognition that it might be wise to speak carefully when relishing your missile strike over cake, Yes, to Syria.

Which country? No biggie. The country doesnt matter. What matters here is that Trump is a powerful hero with missiles at his fingertips.

Trump attacked the Gold Star family and it turned out he didnt know what a Gold Star family was. This is the same president who referred to a fictional incident in Sweden the night before, saw imaginary thousands of Muslims celebrating 9/11 in New Jersey, and believes with no evidence that millions of illegals voted, thus costing him the popular vote.

This is the same interview during which Trump proves again that he just cant quit President Obama, saying, What I did should have been done by the Obama administration long before I did itI think Syria would be a lot better off right now.

The thing is, Obama was waiting for Congressional approval that never came. Trump told Obama NOT to hit Syria at the time. And Obama was wrestling with what he saw as the Iraq trap. Obama asked of attacking Syria, And then what?

For good reason. Based on an interview with Obama, Jeffery Goldberg of the Atlantic explained, In Syria, he understood that Assad would most likely survive an American missile strike on his airbases; the day after such strikes ended, Assad, Obama believed, would have emerged from his hiding place, and declared victory: The greatest power in the world tried to destroy him, and failed. Assad and his allies, understanding that the appetite of average Americans for yet another Middle Eastern war was limited, could have tried to provoke Obama into escalation.

Whereas Trump thinks the missiles he sent that did nothing are a Great Story. He thinks this is the end of the story or maybe its the end of the story about how great he is.

It wouldnt matter to Trump where he sent the missiles. He didnt care that Putin was killing journalists or that Assad was attacking his own people, until suddenly Trump needed a New Storyline. Before the New Story, Trump admired brutal dictators.

Trump defenders will say he misspoke, but Trumps relentless record of dangerously careless rhetoric is the real problem. Its true, anyone can misspeak. But when theyre the President and theyre describing their decision making process behind launching missiles at another country on TV during a planned interview, there is really no excuse other than the truth.

Accuracy and the truth simply dont matter to Donald Trump. Hes all about the grandiose story in which he is a Superhero.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GoodData, whose end-to-end platform provides actionable insights at the point of work to drive better business outcomes, today announced its Latin American partner and investor TOTVS grew their Smart Analytics offering 250 percent in 2016. The platform offering, Fluig, leveraging GoodDatas technology, grew another 175 percent during the same time period. GoodData and TOTVS have been partners since 2013 and have seen significant financial benefits as enterprise adoption of GoodDatas end-to-end platform has increased in Latin America during their partnership.



As described in the Gartner report, 2017 CIO Agenda: A Latin America Perspective, BI/analytics has surpassed infrastructure and data center (which is ranked second) as the most relevant top three IT expenditures for new/discretionary funding in Latin America, indicating analytics might have become indispensable to deliver engaging customer experience. GoodData and TOTVS believe the growth they are seeing is proof of Latin Americas commitment to advanced analytics and digital transformation. With more than 800 customers using the platform to gain actionable insight into company performance, TOTVS customers have reduced operational costs, increased financial and commercial performance and improved strategic planning initiatives. The ability to easily adapt within the GoodData platform to meet the various requirements of their 10 specialized industries has been one of the keys to the partnerships success. TOTVS ability to anticipate and adapt their technology offering through their partnership with GoodData has led to success in verticals from healthcare and education to agribusiness and manufacturing.

"Data is the new oil," shares Mario Almeida, director of mobility and ecofluig at TOTVS. "This illustrates the dimension of what the future holds for the new Data Era. TOTVS' goal is to connect people, things, and business and in order to do that everything depends on the treatment and analysis of the data generated by systems, people, and sensors. GoodData is the global player we have chosen to bring to the Latin American market."

Roman Stanek, CEO and founder at GoodData shares, Since the inception of our partnership in 2013, TOTVS has continued to increase their investment with GoodData. Latin America is an important market for GoodData as we continue to expand our global reach providing an end-to-end platform to enterprises looking to succeed in digitally transforming their company.

GoodData partners with enterprises, software vendors, and systems integrators globally to help enterprises build Smart Business Applications embedded at the point of work for the entire business eco-system, driving better business outcomes. More information on becoming a GoodData partner can be found here.

About GoodData

GoodData provides the platform and expertise for enterprises to create Smart Business Applications that harness your existing data to help you automate, recommend and take better business actions faster and with more reliability. We drive competitive value, performance and profit by significantly enhancing the data-driven business processes across the enterprise and its business ecosystem by bringing analytics to the point-of-work.

Our clients include enterprises like Penton that need to deliver revenue-generating data products to their clients and software companies like Zendesk that market their own Smart Business Applications using GoodData.

GoodData is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst Partners, Intel Capital, TOTVS and others. For more information visit our website and follow GoodData on Twitter and LinkedIn.

ABOUT TOTVS

TOTVS, a provider of business solutions for companies of all sizes and which deals with management software, productivity and collaboration platforms, hardware and consulting, is the absolute leader in Latin Americas SMB market. With over 50% market share in Brazil, it was ranked by Interbrand as the 20st most valuable brand in the country. TOTVS is present in 41 countries, with net revenue of more than R$2 billion. In Brazil, it has 15 branches, 52 franchises, 5,000 distribution channels and 10 development centers. Outside Brazil, it has seven branches and five development centers in the United States, Mexico, China and Taiwan. For further information, visit www.totvs.com

2017, GoodData Corporation. All rights reserved. GoodData is a registered trademark of GoodData Corporation in the United States and other jurisdictions. Other names used herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.




Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 76F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Low 53F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.
IRVING, Texas, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market report published by Lucintel, the future of unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) in the global automotive composites market looks promising with opportunities in various applications, including closure panels, body panels, fenders, GOR(grille opening reinforcement), heat shields, headlamp reflectors, pickup box and others. UPR in the global automotive composites market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 5.3% from 2016 to 2021. The major drivers for market growth are the increasing demand for lightweight materials, and performance benefits of reinforced composites over rival materials. UPR Composites with properties such as easy to process, high tensile strength, lightweight, good corrosion resistance and surface tension are ideal for manufacturing lightweight and fuel-efficient vehicles.



Browse 38 market data tables and 122 figures spread through 168 pages and in-depth TOC on Global Unsaturated Polyester Resin in Automotive Composites Market"

Free customization on reports http://www.lucintel.com/fc/upr_in_automotive_composite_2016.aspx

In this market, pickup box, closure panels, body panels, fenders, GOR, heat shields, and headlamp reflectors are the major applications. On the basis of its comprehensive research, Lucintel forecasts that the headlamp reflector is expected to be the largest market and witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period of 2016 to 2021. Increasing automotive production and demand of durable and lightweight materials is the major drivers for this market.

Within the global automotive composites market, sheet molding compound (SMC) and bulk molding compound (BMC) are the major intermediates materials. Within this market, polyester resin is used to make sheet molding compound and bulk molding compound for automotive parts. SMC is expected to remain the largest market by value and volume, mainly because of its greater flexural strength and tensile strength than BMC. SMC also has longer fiber length and higher fiber content components in body and closure panel applications and these qualities will spur growth for this segment over the forecast period.

Download Free PDF Brochure @ http://www.lucintel.com/rb/upr_in_automotive_composite_2016.aspx

North America is expected to remain the largest market due to growing demand for lightweight and environmentally sustainable composite materials from the automotive industry. Government regulations, such as CAFE Standards in the US are putting pressure on OEMs to incorporate light-weight materials to curb the overall vehicle weight, and this is the key driver for unsaturated polyester resin in the automotive industry.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period because of rapidly increasing domestic automotive production especially in developing countries such as India and China.

For business expansion, Lucintels report suggests innovation and new product development to produce UPR resin with high excellent heat-resistant properties. The report further suggests the development of partnerships with customers to create win-win situations and development of low-cost solutions for customers.

Pre-Purchase Query @ http://www.lucintel.com/pq/upr_in_automotive_composite_2016.aspx

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About Lucintel

Lucintel, the premier global management consulting and market research firm, creates winning strategies for growth. It offers market assessments, competitive analysis, opportunity analysis, growth consulting, M&A, and due diligence services to executives and key decision-makers in a variety of industries. For further information, visit www.lucintel.com.

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On Monday night, 22 people gathered to partake in Erik and Rhoda Leverson's 11th Annual Pesach Seder. Pesach is Hebrew for Passover.

"This is really our ministry," explained Rhoda, a Christian who enjoys sharing this celebration and its deep meanings with others. In attendance were people of differing backgrounds: Jewish, Christian and Mormon.

Erik led the evening with prayer and explained the night is "really for the children  to continue passing down the story." Haggadah means "the telling"  the telling of the story of Passover. The story is told in response to four questions asked by the children.

Allie Chaloner read the four questions all pointing to: Why is this night different from all other nights? Erik proceeded to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, reading from a book called "The Haggadah" and using symbols and object lessons in order to keep the attention of the younger ones. We followed along with readings and songs much like a Lutheran liturgy.

Seder means "order" and there are very set rules for an Orthodox Jewish observation of it: washing the hands, lighting the candles, "Haggadah," the first cup (salvation), the second cup (judgment), Afikomen (the hiding of the middle, broken piece of matzah which is searched for by the kids after the meal), the Seder plate, the meal, the third cup (redemption) and the fourth cup ("Hallel" means praise). The traditional way to consume the four cups of grape juice or wine is to recline to the left while drinking from the cup.

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Reflection, laughter and tears

Erik and Rhoda took us through the main events in three-and-a-half hours filled with reflection, laughter and tears. When Rhoda lit the candles, she explained, "At this time, all homes observing Passover in our time zone are lighting the candles. Then, this candle lighting continues around the world in each time zone until it returns back to us. We are part of a huge, worldwide celebration."

Passover is the festival that recounts God's deliverance of the Israelites from slavery and bondage in Egypt (explained in Exodus 12 of the Bible). It is a celebration of freedom after Moses repeatedly asks the Egyptian pharaoh to "Let my people go." There are 10 plagues: blood, frogs, lice, swarms, pestilence, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the death of the first-born son.

Rhoda creatively reenacted each plague. She did a visual demonstration of blood in the water; tossed plastic frogs and locusts along with rice (lice) at us; put red stickers on each of us (boils); and had us close our eyes for darkness.

As the story was recalled, we partook of the Seder plate's foods: They included karpas  green is a symbol of life, normally parsley dipped in salt water, to remind us the tears of slavery; maror  bitter herbs (horseradish) to experience the bitterness of slavery and bring a tear to our eyes; charoset  sweet apple mixture symbolic of the mortar used to build bricks in the land of Egypt; and zeroa  shankbone of the lamb to represent how Jewish firstborn sons were spared from the Angel of Death by applying the blood of a spotless, innocent lamb to the doorpost of their homes. We did not have the traditional egg.

One funny part of the night was that the mild and hot horseradish bowls somehow got switched. For those of us who had what we thought was mild, it was amazingly hot! It did bring tears to our eyes. Those having the "hot" version thought it very mild. Taste tests quickly revealed the mix-up.

Food for thought

Each part of this Seder plate provides food for thought and has significant meaning. For example, today Christians believe Jesus is that perfect Passover Lamb, and when we apply His blood to the doorposts of our heart, we too go from death into life, from the slavery of sin into the freedom of being a redeemed child of God. As John the Baptist said when he saw Jesus coming towards him, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

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After the Seder was consumed, we shared the meal. It started with delicious matzah soup, followed by carrots, turkey with a honey sauce, and matzah apple kugel. Rhoda also offered a falafel vegetarian option prepared by her friend, Keri Maylone. Then the youngsters went outside to find the Afikomen. Kaleb Montegue was the lucky finder and received a gift.

Although no one had room for another bite of food, Rhoda concluded by serving vanilla ice cream and a matzah chocolate toffee bark. The entire plate of toffee bark vanished in minutes!

We mingled with old friends and met made new ones. There were very intriguing conversations. Summing things up, Sue Nagel, who has known the Leverson family for 11 years, "I grew up Baptist and later found out I have Jewish roots. I got a minor in Jewish studies to try to put this all together for myself. Participating in the Jewish festivals really enriches the Christian's knowledge. We all understand so much more."
Though they're fishing for trout, not compliments, members of the Hiawatha chapter of Trout Unlimited have improved local fishing.

Trout are fickle fish, says angler Philip Pankow.

"Catching trout in a stream is very challenging and teaches patience," he said. As the local Trout Unlimited president and a 15-year member of the group, he should know.

While reeling in trout isn't easy, Pankow describes it as "very relaxing" as he reminisces about catching several large brown trout below the dam in Lanesboro on a "crisp" fall day, when "the leaves were in full color array."

This Saturday is the stream trout opener in Southeast Minnesota, allowing club members and other anglers to take their stream-caught trout home for the first time this year. While catch-and-release has been going on since the New Year, now everyone will know that the 18-inch brown trout you might catch is the "reel" thing, since the fish can come home to prove it.

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The local Trout Unlimited currently has more than 400 members. While the group is devoted to creating camaraderie among like-minded anglers with events like the Saturday morning fly-tying meet-ups they have hosted through the early months of this year, the club also promotes education and conservation.

The Trout in the Classroom program sponsored by Trout Unlimited is something Pankow is particularly proud to support. The program is coordinated by Greg Goodnow and allows area students to raise trout from eggs, so the fish can be stocked in streams. The Trout in the Classroom program has a presence at four area high schools: Mayo, Century, Chatfield, and the combined Plainview-Elgin-Millville school.

Marlene Huston, chairwoman of the Diversity Committee on the Trout Unlimited State Council and a Federation of Fly Fishers-certified casting instructor, assists at Fly Fishing Community Education classes at Willow Creek Middle School. She says the small classes, consisting of 10-12 students, draw everyone from female anglers who want to learn fly fishing to professionals to group home residents.

Paul Krolak, an eight-year member of Trout Unlimited and the group's Stream Restoration Coordinator, stresses the fragility of local trout ecosystems, something Trout Unlimited has worked to protect for three decades.

"Not that long ago there were very few naturally reproducing trout in the area," Krolak said.

Local streams, in addition to boasting native brook trout, are also home to brown trout (naturalized now, but introduced from Europe in the 1900s) and rainbow trout (originally native to the western states). The Department of Natural Resources stocks streams and ponds with these trout in the spring and summer.

Trout Unlimited's projects "remove the high dirt banks that continually erode, provide appropriate stabilization, and re-create some of the flood plain area to lessen flood impacts and capture sediment," Krolak said. "Shallow-rooted invasive trees are removed from the banks, and deep-rooted grasses and forbs"  flowering plants  "are planted."

All of this work adds up to "an improved environment for the fish, insects, and other animals that make up a healthy stream," he said.

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While Pankow isn't ready to give away all of his trout-fishing secrets, he seems to think that simplicity is important as he doles out advice such as "a good fly is a simple fly" and warns against getting "caught up in all the latest gadgetry."

The patience Pankow says trout fishing requires is the very attribute that helps Trout Unlimited pursue the goal of creating "the chance for future trout fishers to have good quality streams that will be there for a long time to come."

Learn more

 Find information online about the Hiawatha chapter of Trout Unlimited ( www.hiawathatu.org ), the state-level organization ( mntu.org ) and the national-level organization ( www.tu.org ).

 Wondering where to fish for trout in Southeast Minnesota? Check this handy map: tinyurl.com/h33ebjq .

 Don't forget you need a fishing license. Details: tinyurl.com/6lxmgy .

 Essentials for the beginning angler, says Philip Pankow, include these: a good fly rod, reel, and line, quality nippers, a hemostat (to remove flies from the fish), a net, a thermometer (to tell if the water temp is conducive to bug and trout activity), a wide-brimmed hat, and good polarized sunglasses.

 See this list of basic tips for trout fishing: tinyurl.com/kta9y .
I would like to address some of the thoughts that have been on my mind ever since I visited Japan, Malaysia, and China this past summer.

I first visited the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Hiroshima, Japan, memorializing the atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. on the Japanese city in August 1945.

Later in my trip, I visited the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Museum in Nanjing, China, memorializing the murders of tens of thousands of Chinese civilians by Japanese soldiers in Nanjing.

I also have been hearing stories of Japanese atrocities in Malaysia from my grandmother, who experienced them firsthand. These viewpoints brought a swarm of conflicting ideas and feelings to me.

When first presented with the notion of nuclear bombs and the destruction of tens of thousands of human lives with a single device, the thought is just horrible. No group of people should possess that much power.

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The material damage is magnified beyond belief, with the entire city of Hiroshima being flattened, but the human damage is even worse. At the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, the images of women with their kimono patterns burned into their skin and the keloid scars splayed across people's backs was a lot to handle.

One artifact that struck especially deep within me was a piece of concrete where a man had been sitting before the blast, directly under ground zero. The piece was still mostly intact, but there was a visible black outline of a man's seat print. In the explosion, the man had been literally vaporized. One life, gone into nothingness in the blink of an eye, with no name, no body, no grave to remember him by.

When I visited Nanjing, I saw and heard of the atrocities committed by the Imperial Japanese Army  the overall murder of 100,000 civilians through mutilation, firing squad, beheading, torture techniques, anything that you might name. The rape of 20,000 women and girls, ranging from 4 to 60 years old. Babies with their heads smashed open, fetuses bayoneted in the womb. The bodies piling high in the streets, with no room left to bury them.

While a bomb might have a higher capacity for death, these atrocities were worse than just a quick death. They were absolutely horrible to see or even think of.

When considering these atrocities, I find myself guiltily wondering at times whether or not the Japanese people really did deserve the horrors caused by the atomic bomb. Then I remember my original viewpoint and consider the fact that 95 percent of those who died in the atomic bombings were innocent civilians who took no part in these atrocities.

In light of all these events and the back-and-forth slaughter of innocents, I have come to the conclusion that the death of innocents in war is not OK in any way, shape or form. It is regrettable that war itself is necessary in extreme situations, but extreme destruction of human life does nothing to benefit anyone.

Massacres rarely benefit the side that commits them, and when they do, such as in the cases of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the scale of massacre is so large that people recognize that such acts should never be performed again.

In this day and age, I find that people in more fortunate part of the world, such as the United States, have become increasingly desensitized to incidences of death. With children learning about the wars of the past through the textbook and only looking at numbers and not actually seeing and experiencing the horrors of war, very few today truly know the meaning of massacre.

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We have activists advocating for helping civilians in the Syrian Civil War, but the general population seems to be unconcerned with the developments in the region. It's a dilemma that has occurred to me a lot over the past year or so.
The school district has terminated its $5.1 million purchase of the Minnesota School of Business building , because potential renovations of the space would exceed the district's budget.

"As we further looked into the facility, and looked at renovation of the facility, it was not able to meet what we need for our educational purposes," said Superintendent Michael Munoz at Tuesday's school board meeting.

With the closing date set for May 31, school board members unanimously approved the termination.

A review of the building with architects and engineers as part of the due diligence process revealed "several deficiencies," according to the school district. It would have required changes in occupancy classifications and renovations to meet school district building codes were "beyond the district's ability to address financially."

The 45,000-square foot building, at 2521 Pennington Drive NW, housed the Minnesota School of Business before the regional for-profit shuttered all of its Minnesota locations. When it went on the market, the district made an offer because it been searching for additional space. Because of growing enrollment and thought the building would allow for the consolidation of 16 of its early childhood education classrooms.

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"The district will continue to evaluate and study fiscally responsible options to meet the growing needs of our enrollment," said the district in an email statement.
The same day plans for a Marshalls and Ulta Beauty were revealed for the former Golden Hill school site, the school district announced there's just one more thing holding the deal up.

An old tank that sits on the site has to be removed by the district before the sale goes through, making that the sixth amendment to the agreement since it was purchased in September 2015 by Ryan Companies US, Inc.

The tank, which Superintendent Michael Munoz said used to hold fuel of some sort, is buried underground on the site.

The district will pay for the tank's removal, which will likely cost $10,000, Munoz said at Tuesday night's school board meeting after the delay was announced.

The closing date, which was set for April 28, will now be moved to May 30.

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The property, located at 2220 Third Avenue Southeast, was sold in 2015 for the full asking price, but a number of amendments were made to the purchase agreement since that time. In January, the district approved a $100,000 price reduction, bringing the sale to down to $1.7 million.

In February, another delay was caused by paperwork for remediation plans moving through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency too slowly.
After years of helping businesses find workers to fill positions, 20 state employees are now looking for new jobs.

Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is laying off its 20 business services representatives based throughout the state. The representatives assisted businesses with workforce needs, recruiting, job fairs and connecting with other businesses.

One such representative was based in Workforce's Rochester office at Rochester Community and Technical College.

DEED Communications Director Shane Delaney explained that the layoff stemmed solely from financial reasons. Federal funding for that aspect of the department has dwindled to the point it is expected to have a deficit of $400,000 by the end of the fiscal year.

"We have to resolve that," Delaney. saud

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While DEED is eliminating those jobs, it is creating seven new positions  regional workforce strategy consultants  to help cover the services. Two will be based in the Twin Cites and five will based in the Workforce Development regions in throughout Minnesota.

"They will serve at a higher level and offer more strategic services. If businesses have existing relationships with the representatives, these new regional strategists will take over those duties," he said. "We don't want to leave businesses without any sort of assistance."

The hope is to have those new seven positions filled by the start of May.
BELLINGHAM, Wash., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rubicon Organicsa Washington State corporation focused on the United States adult use and medical marijuana marketscontinues to strengthen its team with three new appointments to its Board of Directors, who collectively bring with them top-level experience in agricultural, manufacturing, retail, financial and corporate governance.



A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1415b573-4b67-4995-aa6b-62c44c9ae4fc

Rubicon is focused on building next generation supply chain infrastructure and mainstream cannabis brands to drive shareholder value and capture market share, according to Jesse McConnell, CEO. The rapid growth that we are experiencing is tremendously exciting but it also demands that we draw on the experience and wisdom of a strong Board that is capable of providing the sort of corporate governance and leadership required to manage and sustain that growth.

David Donnan, P.Eng., MBA is a leader in the global food and agriculture sector with over 30 years of experience working in consumer products, technology and retail industries. A partner with A.T. Kearney who leads their global food and beverage team, Donnans expertise in leading transformation projects in business and growth strategy has propelled him to the forefront of his industry, and made him a recognized expert in global food supply, advanced technologies, supply chain design, and economic trends in the food industry.

Bryan Disher, CPA, CA, ICD.D is a retired partner with PwC Canada and has 38 years of experience with the firms practices in Canada, Australia and Ukraine. He has assisted companies with public offerings in Canada and the United States, acquisitions, financial reporting, regulatory compliance and governance. Hes also served on the Board of PwC Canada for eight years, including a term as Chair, and is currently on the Boards of Balmoral Resources Ltd. and Lexington Biosciences Inc.

John Pigott is the CEO of Club Coffee, a leading Canadian roaster, contract manufacturer and distributor of packaged coffees. He is also the President and CEO of Morrison Lamothe Inc., an independent Canadian Food & Beverage processor. Pigott is committed to creating eco-friendly products and Club Coffee was recently awarded the Loblaw Companies Limited Corporate Social Responsibility Supplier of the Year honor for the breakthrough technology behind the new Presidents Choice certified 100% compostable coffee pods. Pigott has been an active force in his community for almost 30 years and has served on numerous private company and industry boards, task forces, and associations including the Canadian Association of Family Business, the University of OttawaFaculty of Administration and the Young Presidents Organization.

Praising these key additions to the Rubicon Board of Directors, CEO Jesse McConnell stated that, Diversity of experience on the board, in fields that are analogous, is crucial to the success of any business looking to lead in the emerging cannabis industry. Weve been fortunate to attract best-in-class talent that also shares our values around innovation, authenticity and sustainability. This is why someone like Pigott is such an asset to help us realize our vision.

About Rubicon

Rubicon Holdings, Inc. (Rubicon Organics), a Washington State corporation, is a cannabis company focused on the United States adult use and medical marijuana markets. Rubicon has an established extraction lab, an order fulfillment center and, with a licensed processor, has commenced sales under the Doctor & Crook Co. brand in Washington State. Rubicon is also currently constructing a two-phase, high-tech, licensed greenhouse in Washington State totaling 100,000 square-feet to produce high-quality, low-cost marijuana using certified organic inputs. The greenhouses are designed to be modular for expansion capability.

Rubicon further plans to build its business in California with an 80,000 square-foot, high-tech greenhouse, extraction and manufacturing facility and order fulfillment center in 2017. Rubicon also expects to also launch its premium Supplied by 1964 brand in California this year, while seeking to continue its expansion with new brand launches, product development and opportunities in other states and countries as well.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release (the Release) contains forward-looking information which deals with intentions, beliefs, expectations and future results as they pertain to Rubicon Holdings, Inc. (the Company) and the Companys industry. This forward-looking information also includes information regarding the financial condition and business of the Company, as they exist at the date of this Update. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as seeks, believes, plans, expects, intends, estimates, anticipates, objective, strategy and statements that an event or result may, will, should, could, or might occur or be achieved and other similar expressions. This forward-looking information includes, without limitations, information about the Companys opportunities, strategies, competition, expected activities and expenditures as the Company pursues its business plan, the adequacy of the Companys available cash resources and other statements about future events or results. Forward-looking information is information about the future and is inherently uncertain, and actual achievements of the Company or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, such as business and economic risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking information is based on a number of assumptions, including assumptions regarding general market conditions, the availability of financing for proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, the ability of outside service providers to deliver services in a satisfactory and timely manner, prevailing exchange rates and prevailing regulatory, tax and environmental laws and regulations. The Companys forward-looking information is based on these beliefs, expectations and opinions of management of the Company on the date the information is provided. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.
He was a transplant, but Frank Michaels quickly established strong roots in Rochester.

The New York City native moved to Rochester in 1953 after a trip to visit his wife's parents and quickly became an active member of the community and serving 26 years on the Rochester School Board.

Michaels died Monday evening in Duluth. He was 94.

"He was very important, in my opinion, to the development of Rochester in the 1950s and '60s," said Gene Peters, a former Rochester Township supervisor. Michaels served as the township's attorney for more than 50 years, taking on the position shortly after arriving in the city.

"He had a real heart for Rochester," he added. "He loved the people, and he loved the town."

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David Bishop, who became Michaels law partner and close friend, called him an activist who was driven to improve his newfound home. "He was always looking at how he could help the community," he sad.

That quest led to what appears to the longest service in the Rochester School Board history. Michaels was first elected in 1961 and served until redistricting forced a two-year hiatus in 1967. He returned to the board in 1969, serving in an at-large seat for the next two decades.

Throughout that time, he saw seven new schools built and 13 schools expanded, as well as the development of Quarry Hills Nature Center. He was also an advocate for liberal arts and fine arts in the classroom.

"One of the hardest things I went through  was when we had to make substantial cuts in the arts," he told a Post Bulletin reporter in 1988 as he prepared to leave the board. "We stress science and math, things aimed at industry, but industry doesn't want little clones. They need more than that."

Kay Batchelder, who served with Michaels during his final two years on the board, said he didn't see himself as a leader, but his influence was felt.

"I think Frank was pretty progressive, and I think a number of the progressive things that occurred before I was on the board, Frank shepherded," she said.

Michaels' influence extended to a variety of arts organizations throughout Rochester and the state. He served as president of the Rochester Art Center and the Rochester Community Concert Association. He was also appointed to the Governor's Commission in the Arts in 1975 and served more than a decade on the Minnesota Public Radio Board of Directors.

His community service stretched beyond the arts. He also reached out to work with inmates in the Olmsted County Detention Center in an effort to change lives, according to friend Chuck Potter, who said his goal was to continue improving the community throughout his life.

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Many of his friends noted Michaels brought a unique dedication to all his endeavors, whether it was the school board, community service or simply helping others.

"He lived life passionately," family friend Sheila Kiscaden said. "He believed in the community and he was passionate for the community."

That dedication was displayed more than a decade before he arrived in Rochester.

According to Bishop and others, Michaels sought to join the Army during World War II, but was turned away. Instead of giving up, he headed north and joined the Canadian army, which took him to Italy. During that time, he was injured when a British tank moved to protect him from enemy fire. The tank crew fired a shot, which left Michaels deaf in one ear.

It was a sign of Michaels' determination.

"That's the kind of fellow he was," Bishop said. "He was very well focused."

And, many of those who knew him said that focus always landed in one place.

"His life revolved around his family," Kiscaden said, noting everything else seemed aimed at improving the community for his wife and children.

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A local memorial service on June 25 is being planned for Frank Michaels and his wife, Jean , who died Feb. 9 . Further details are pending.
GRAND MEADOW  A pickup truck pulling onto the roadway collided with a car Tuesday afternoon, sending one person to the hospital.

Matthew Louis Sherman, 49, of Sergeant, was westbound on Minnesota Highway 16 near Grand Meadow in his 1997 Chevrolet when a 2006 Dodge pickup, driven by Laura Elizabeth Perez-Nichols, 35, of Grand Meadow, pulled out from a private drive in front of the car. The Chevrolet struck the pickup broadside, according to a report from the Minnesota State Patrol.

Perez-Nichols was transported to Austin Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. She was later discharged, a Mayo Clinic spokesperson said.
STEWARTVILLE  Rolling Hills Transit is looking for about 200 more riders a month in Stewartville. Without the increased ridership, the bus service might be cut back, the Stewartville City Council heard Tuesday night.

The rural transit provider, part of SEMCAC, the community action agency that covers much of Southeast Minnesota, could lose its financial support from the Minnesota Department of Transportation if ridership in Stewartville does not increase.

"Initially, when the grant came over to SEMCAC, there was a $20,000 reserve," said Erlene Welshons, transportation director for RHT. "That reserve is gone."

The problem, Welshons told the city council, is MnDOT requires the service eventually support an average of three passengers per hour of service. Currently, ridership in Stewartville is less than one rider per hour.

Welshons said RHT is considering cutting its Monday service in Stewartville and moving those service hours to Chatfield, which does not currently have RHT service, but is looking to try it to see if the service would be used. RHT currently devotes 50 hours of service  10 hours daily, Monday through Friday  to Stewartville.

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RHT works by picking up riders who call for service at their homes, then delivering them either to other places around town or to high-traffic areas in Rochester such as the Mayo Clinic, Apache Mall or certain grocery stores.

During the informational session, one man who did not give his name said he relies on the service to get to daily treatments for his terminal cancer at the Mayo Clinic. "I would have to take the Rochester (City Lines) bus, which is $20 a roundtrip," he said.

The service costs $1.50 for in-town rides and $3 and up for rides outside of Stewartville each way, according to RHT.

If significant increases in ridership aren't seen soon, the Monday service would be cut. "We'd give a month's notice," Welshons said, adding that no decision has been made yet.

Councilman Craig Anderson asked if RHT was meeting its ridership marks in other cities that it serves.

"We do in Byron during the school year," she said. "St. Charles meets its goals. Dover-Eyota is at 2.5 (riders)."

Anderson said the problem could be that people are not aware of the service. He encouraged those who showed up to speak about the need for the bus to tell others about their experience. "You guys that use it, you need to spread the word like crazy," he said.
I assume this Washington Post story is true: FBI obtained FISA warrant to monitor former Trump adviser Carter Page. It confirms what has been sporadically reported since late last year, that the Obama administration sought and ultimately received a FISA order to spy on at least one associate of Donald Trump. So Trumps famous tweets were, in substance, true.

The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to presidential candidate Donald Trump, part of an investigation into possible links between Russia and the campaign, law enforcement and other U.S. officials said.

Do the leaks come from the same Obama administration holdovers who have leaked in the past, trying to get ahead of disclosures that will confirm that President Trumps suspicions were correct? Or do they come from officials appointed by Trump? I dont know, but the Posts illicit sources are pretty much always Democrats.

The FBI and the Justice Department obtained the warrant targeting Carter Pages communications after convincing a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court judge that there was probable cause to believe Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power, in this case Russia, according to the officials.

Thats a strong charge, but I doubt that there is evidence to support it. Carter Page worked in Moscow for Merrill Lynch a decade ago and  has said he invested in Russian energy giant Gazprom. He never had any official association with the Trump campaign, but has been referred to as an informal adviser. He has asked to testify before a Congressional committee to clear his name.

The current leakers, whoever they are, described the Obama administrations FISA application in detail. Or else the Post reporters have seen it.

The governments application for the surveillance order targeting Page included a lengthy declaration that laid out investigators basis for believing that Page was an agent of the Russian government and knowingly engaged in clandestine intelligence activities on behalf of Moscow, officials said. Among other things, the application cited contacts that he had with a Russian intelligence operative in New York City in 2013, officials said. Those contacts had earlier surfaced in a federal espionage case brought by the Justice Department against another Russian agent. In addition, the application said Page had other contacts with Russian operatives that have not been publicly disclosed, officials said.

The Obama administration was already trying, last Summer, to find evidence that Russias government was meddling in our presidential election:

The application also showed that the FBI and the Justice Departments national security division have been seeking since July to determine how broad a network of accomplices Russia enlisted in attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, the officials said.

I find it hard to believe that Russias rulers, from Vladimir Putin on down, wanted to help elect a president who vowed to rebuild Americas dwindling military strength, and to put America first, in place of an administration that was consistently supine in the face of Russian aggression and was borderline anti-American. Possibly Putin and his advisers are that dumb, but I doubt it.

In any event, the Obama administration failed to find any evidence that anyone associated with Trump was somehow cooperating with the Russiansnot even a junior member of the [Trump] campaigns foreign policy advisory group, as Page described himself. If they had, we would have learned about it long before now.

We havent heard the last of this story, but for the moment one thing is clear: a great many people, inside and outside of the media, owe President Trump an apology. Assuming that President Obama knew of, and approved, the FISA applicationa safe assumption, I thinkTrumps much-reviled tweet was true:

Obama had my wires tapped in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found.

How much of this Trump knew all along is, at this point, unclear.

UPDATE: We are now starting to get a picture of how sinister this whole Democratic Party misinformation campaign is. Through the last half of 2016, the Obama administration was desperately searching for evidence of some link between the Trump presidential campaign and Russia. They went to the length of seeking (twice, reportedly) and finally obtaining a FISA order that allowed them to spy on at least one insignificant Trump associate.

In addition, we now know that Susan Rice headed up an operation whereby raw NSA intelligence was sifted for names of Trump associates, no doubt in hopes of uncovering dirt of some sort.* And we also know that these efforts came up dry. The Obama administration found no compromising information about Trump or any of his associates.

Nevertheless, ever since the Inauguration the Democratic Party, especially its press wing in Washington and New York, has relentlessly pushed the Trump/Russia story. What story? There isnt one. But that hasnt stopped Democrats in the press from talking about little else for the last three months.

And yet, all along, the Democrats have known that their spying produced nothing. This whole story is almost unbelievably sordid. The relevant Congressional committees should investigate thoroughly, and criminal prosecutions should follow where laws have been broken.

It is time to get to the bottom of the Obama spy scandal.

___________________________

* All of this is reminiscent of Watergate, in this sense: after the fact, no one could figure out why the Plumbers bugged the Democratic National Committee, given that President Nixon was obviously going to be re-elected anyway. (The answer to that question may still be unknown, but that is another story.) Similarly, Barack Obama and his minion Susan Rice no doubt were confident that Hillary Clinton would win the election and serve Obamas third term. Yet, they werent taking any chances.
We got a glimpse of Kassem Eid when he appeared on CNN blowing up in anchor Brooke Baldwins face. Eid was a 2013 victim of Assads sarin gas attack on a suburb of Damascus; Baldwin was looking for Eid to denounce President Trump for calling a timeout on the emigration of Syrian refugees to the United States. Instead, he denounced President Obama and thanked Trump for the American military reprisal he ordered against Assads sarin gas attack of last week. I posted the video of Eid on CNN in Blues for Brooke Baldwin.

Today the Wall Street Journal publishes a column by Eid that is placed behind the Journals subscription paywall. In the column Eid recounts his own experience being gassed and reiterates the points he made to Baldwin. He relates his move to the United States, his disappointment in Obama and his subsequent move to Germany, where Baldwin found him.

Eid wonders pointedly where all the protests of recent days against Trump have gone:

Only two months ago, American airports became protest zones because President Trump attempted to bar entry temporarily to refugees and travelers from seven nations, including Syria. Where is all that outrage today? How come protesters didnt pack the streets in front of the White House and the United Nations last week to demand military action against Assad?

Eid expresses gratitude to Trump and pleads for additional action by the United States against the Assad regime if you really care about refugees and if you really care about human rights.

I want to thank President Trump for his brave action in striking the Assad regime and holding it accountable for its massacre of civilians. This is the first step in saving the lives of Syrians being killed every day, helping them stay where they live, and allowing refugees like me to return home. But more needs to be done. America, if you really care about refugees, then take to the streets, call your representatives, and ask for even further action against the murderer who displaced us. President Trump could order strikes to fully ground Assads air force, whose bombing forces civilians to flee. The Assad regime still has more than a dozen operational military airports from which to continue its attacks. Help civilians by creating safe zones and no-fly zones. If you really care about human rights, work to remove Assad, the tyrant who has killed, raped, gassed, burned, tortured and displaced millions of civilians. If you really care about eliminating Islamic State, oust the dictator who for years has supported extremist terrorist groups like al Qaeda, Hamas and Hezbollah and who buys oil from ISIS.

Eids makes a powerful case. Whether or not Assad were to be removed, our reprisal could have gone further but was calculated to deter the use of chemical weapons without an elaborate campaign.

Eids plea is not framed narrowly in terms of the American national interest. The situation in Syria has become so complicated it is difficult to do so and Trump has made it relatively clear that he is unlikely to follow up on it. Rather, it seems to me a plea that is addressed mostly to opportunistic Democrats and their media adjunct  if [they] really care If only.

Last week the New York Times published Eids personal account of the 2013 gas attack that almost killed him. In August 2014 the Times profiled Eid in an article by Anne Barnard. One of the photos accompanying the profile depicts Eid listen[ing] to Samantha Power, the American ambassador to the United Nations, urge the Security Council in May to take action on Syria. As I say, if only.
Yesterday, Attorney General Sessions signaled the Trump administrations determination to crack down on illegal immigration. In a speech delivered in the border town of Nogales, Arizona, Sessions declared this the Trump era and warned that those who cross the border illegally risk prosecution under the full force of the law.

NPR News responded by reporting on the lives of several Mexicans deported under President Trump. Having lived in the U.S. for many years, they were having trouble even finding their way around Mexico City. One former illegal immigrant cried at length during his interview.

I feel sorry for the deportees, some of whom are now separated from the children they sired while living in the U.S. However, I want to add the following points.

First, President Obama was known during much of his presidency by pro-immigrant groups as the deporter-in-chief. According to the NPR report, his administration deported more people in February 2016 than the Trump administration did in February 2017.

Did NPR run any stories during the Obama years about the hardship endured by illegal immigrants who were deported to Mexico? Did it give voice to crying deportees during this era? I dont know, but I doubt it.

Second, the three illegal immigrants featured in the NPR story all committed crimes in the U.S. One had engaged in drunk driving; one had committed welfare fraud; a third (from what I could tell) had a brush with the law stemming from a fight.

Therefore, it appears that if the three had obeyed American law after entering the country illegally, they would not have been deported. This state of affairs is consistent with what I take to be current Trump administration policy: no mass deportations, but deportation of illegal immigrants encountered as a result of law-breaking. This strikes me as a reasonable policy.

Third, adjusting to life in Mexico after years in the U.S. is surely difficult, but less so, I imagine, than adjusting to life in the U.S. after entering our country illegally for the first time. One would expect that, in time, these folks will re-acclimate themselves to Mexico.

Fourth, every person who enters this country illegally assumes the risk of deportation. And every illegal immigrant who sires children in this country assumes the risk of being separated from these children.

Even so, it was neither unreasonable nor unfair of NPR to report on the hardship that deported immigrants face in Mexico  provided that it filed similar reports during the heyday of Obama-era deportations.

UPDATE: To be clear, Im not saying that Obama deserved to be called the deporter-in-chief or that the statistics pertaining to the number of deportations during his administration arent padded and/or misleading (they are misleading because the stats include people turned away at or near the border). However, Obama deported plenty of immigrants who had been living in the interior of the U.S.  more than 200,000 of them in 2009  and NPR could easily have reported on the hardship these folks encountered when they returned to Mexico.

Maybe NPR did, but I doubt it.
Power outages take place even in cities with the best infrastructure. Until a more full-proof system is designed, transmission stations will fail, lightening will burn transformers and some rodent will inevitably be responsible for an outage somewhere. But for the people of Kenmore, Washington, the problem is an infrastructure issue that has been responsible for recurring outages. And with so many sensitive electronic and computing devices now part of the way we live and work, the people of Kenmore can ensure they are safe with power protection equipment.

The problem, according to Tatevik Aprikyan of Q13Fox, has been building gradually as more people settled in the city and the lifeline of the infrastructure that was deployed in the 1950s comes to an end. An employee of the power company for the region, Puget Sound Energy, told Aprikyan, We certainly understand that some of the circuits in the area need significant repair and replacement and thats what were doing to bring Kenmore back on par with the rest of our communities.

The company is in the process of upgrading the infrastructure by moving lines from backyards onto main roads so technicians can get easy access when there is an outage by rerouting 3,000 feet of aerial wire and replacing 500 feet of underground cable.

Whether you live in Kenmore, where there are known power outage issues, or elsewhere, using the right power protection solution can prevent a lot of headaches. In the home, computers, smart TVs, tablets, phones and other consumer electronics are susceptible to damage when power suddenly goes out and it comes back on. And servers, peripherals, voice and data communication systems, security systems and other mission-critical equipment are just as vulnerable for businesses without power protection.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) will ensure these devices are protected during an outage by supplying enough power to initiate proper shutdown protocols. With the right service provider, this can be achieved remotely, so the data on your computers don't run the risk of being corrupted or deleted.

In choosing the right UPS, first it is important to find out the total load of the devices you are protecting and the UPS type, which can be Standby, Line Interactive or On-Line. You can then select the input and output voltage, minimum and maximum runtime, and even growth. While this is not an option with all suppliers, the Minuteman UPS Selection Tool powered by SizeMyUPS provides an invaluable solution that will make sure you get the right UPS.

The online SizeMyUPS interface is easy to use, but the value of the service it provides can't be stressed enough in finding the exact amount of UPS protection you will need.

Edited by Alicia Young
NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Paley Center for Media in New York has selected An Evening with Power as part of its 2017 PaleyLive NY summer season. The evening marks the first time the cast and creative team of Power will appear at the Paley Center, and will take place on Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at 6:30 pm. All PaleyLive programs are chosen by the Paley Center to not only expand society's understanding of the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, but also for their ability to educate and entertain the public.



"Power is one of the hottest shows currently on television, and we're thrilled to welcome the cast and creative team to the Paley Center for the very first time," said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center's President & CEO. "An Evening with Power is one of the many reasons why PaleyLive leads the way in offering the most unique experiences for television fans looking to engage in intimate and lively conversations with the stars of their favorite television programs."



Created by Courtney A. Kemp and executive produced by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Power is a signature and record-setting series for Starz, forcefully examining the double life of James "Ghost" St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), equally nightclub impresario and drug overlord. Shot on the streets of New Yok, Power authentically captures both the glamour and seediness of the city, bringing a rawness to "this saga of broken homes, strange bedfellows, broken promises, and healing wounds," according to Dominic Patten of Deadline.



The Paley Center is pleased to screen an unaired episode from the fourth season of Power, followed by a conversation with the show's cast and creative team including: Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson (Executive Producer); Courtney Kemp Agboh (Creator); Omari Hardwick ("James 'Ghost' St. Patrick"); Joseph Sikora ("Tommy Egan"); Lela Loren ("Angela Valdes"); Naturi Naughton ("Tasha St. Patrick"); and Rotimi Akinosho ("Dre"). The panelists will discuss the evolution of Power's complex narrative as Ghost seeks some sort of redemption from his sordid past, followed by a Q & A with the audience.



Tickets for An Evening with Power go on sale to Paley Center Supporting and Patron Members on Wednesday, April 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET. Tickets go on sale for Paley Center Individual Members on April 13, and to the general public on April 14.



For more information on An Evening with Power, please visit paley.me/power.



About The Paley Center for Media

The Paley Center for Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with locations in New York and Los Angeles, leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of television, radio, and emerging platforms for the professional community and media-interested public. Drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the leaders of the media community, the Paley Center examines the intersections between media and society. The general public can access the collection and participate in programs that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the personalities, and the leaders who are shaping media. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information, please visit paleycenter.org
Renowned Afro-Soul musician, Aramide Sarumoh, popularly known as `Aramide has described her music as inspirational and not determined by circumstances around her or other external influences.

Aramide, the `Funmi Lowo crooner, made the revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos.

On the inspiration behind her hit song, Fun mi Lowo (give me my money), Aramide said that the song had nothing to do with the crashed ponzi scheme but an inspiration from her.

My hit song Fun mi Lowo has nothing to do with MMM or any Ponzi scheme, I cant do it and I dont see myself talking about it.

The song is about some faceless people working out there but not getting paid. It talks about the dignity of labour and not a fast way of making money.

I appreciate my fans for their support all this while. They are the true inspiration and reason I am still carrying on.

I also want my fans to keep supporting me and also watch out for my new album Why So Serious.

Aramide, a graduate of Political Science from the University of Jos, first hit the limelight in 2014 with her hit song Iwo Nikan.

The album won her Best Vocal Performance (Female) at the 2015 edition of Headies.

The multi-talented songwriter, who equally plays the saxophone and guitar, started her music career in 2006 at the `Star Quest, a music talent show as 3rd Runners Up of the contestant.

She was also part of the Diva Unplugged show in Jos in 2014. Aramide is currently signed to Baseline Music.

(NAN)

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Arik air, Nigerias largest airline, owed N375 billion naira in local debt before it was taken over by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, in February, PREMIUM TIMES can report.

According to an affidavit deposed to at a Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, the erstwhile management of the airline also failed to remit N4.586 billion pension contributions of its employees to the National Pension Commission, despite making the necessary pension deductions from their salaries.

Gbolahan Odutayo, the airlines Assistant Vice President II and Team Lead, Transport and Aviation unit, who gave a breakdown of the debt owed by the airline, stated that Arik owes N418 million as arrears of unpaid insurance premium.

Commenting further, he disclosed that the airline was also indebted to the tune of N632 million for services rendered by Amadeus Marketing, one of its service providers; as well as N28.3 billion and N9.4 billion unpaid loans owed Zenith and Access banks, respectively.

Also, Mr. Odutayo revealed that the airline owed Lufthansa group, a company responsible for maintenance of its airplanes 31 million euros; just as it owes aviation authorities in the west coast of Africa $6.5 million.

Similarly, Mr. Odutayo noted that since AMCONs takeover in February, the airlines receiver manager, Oluseye Opasanya, had received diverse claims of indebtedness from different sources totalling N300 billion.

He further disclosed that Arik air is hugely indebted to the United States Customs and its Internal Revenue Service, IRS, to the tune of $311,888 and $987,170; among others.

Mr. Odutayos disclosure put Ariks local debt at N375 billion while its foreign debt was put at 31 million euros and $6.5 million.

He, however, said that as a result of the debt owed the United States Internal Revenue Service, Arik airs asset are susceptible to arrest around the world.

The affidavit also revealed that the airline had inadequate equipment to facilitate its operation at the point of AMCONs takeover in February, as revealed earlier on Wednesday by the agencys spokesperson, Jude Nwauzor.

AMCON had on February 9, taken over Arik as a result of the airlines bad debt to the company and other creditors.

The agency, thereafter, appointed Roy Ilegbodu as manager of the airline and Oluseye Opasanya as the airlines receiver manager.

The new officials accused the previous management of mismanaging the airline, asking for patience of workers and creditors to reposition the airline.

Speaking further at the press briefing Wednesday, Mr. Nwauzor, AMCON spokesperson, said the Nigerian government would make its final resolution on Arik air known to the public very soon.

PREMIUM TIMES effort to reach the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, was futile as the mobile contact of its spokesperson, Sam Adurogboye, was not reachable.

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President Donald Trumps administration has accused Russia of trying to shield Syrias government from blame for a deadly gas attack.

Mr. Trump, who has faced criticism for lacking a broader strategy to deal with the Syria crisis, insisted he has no plans to go into the war-torn country.

Senior White House officials, briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said Mr. Assads government carried out the April 4 sarin nerve gas attack on civilians in Syrias Idlib province.

At least 87 people, including many children were killed in the attack.

Russia has defended the Syrian leader against U.S. allegations that his forces carried out the attack, saying there was no evidence.

Russia has blamed Syrian rebels.

Its clear that the Russians are trying to cover up what happened there, one White House official said.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer later told reporters that the facts backed up the U.S. version of events.

Russia is on an island when it comes to its support of Syria or its lack of, frankly, acknowledgment of what happened, he told reporters.

However, at the same briefing, Spicer drew criticism after he sought to underscore the ghastliness of the gas attack by saying: You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons.

Nazi Germany used gas chambers to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust.

Spicer later apologised and said he should not have made the comparison.

The White House officials said Russia has frequently offered multiple, conflicting accounts of Syrian government aggression including the incident in the village of Khan Sheikhoun to sow doubt within the international community.

The U.S. launched 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian airfield on Thursday to retaliate after the attack.

The strikes thrust Trump, who came to power in January calling for warmer ties with Russia, and his administration into confrontation with Moscow.

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Mr. Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday that any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable and urged a political solution for Syria, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said of the telephone exchange.

(We) must persevere with moving towards a political solution for the Syria issue. It is very important that the United Nations Security Council maintains unity on the Syria issue.

(I) hope the Security Council can speak with a single voice, CCTV cited Xi as saying.

Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said on Tuesday she thought Russia knew about the chemical attack in advance.

They didnt look shocked. They didnt look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out, and we see exactly what it is and we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise, she said on CNN.

U.S. intelligence indicates that the chemical agent in the attack was delivered by Syrian Su-22 aircraft that took off from the Shayrat airfield, according to a White House report given to reporters.

In a four-page document, the White House sought to rebut many of Moscows claims about the circumstances of the attack.

It said the Syrian planes were in the vicinity of Khan Sheikhoun about 20 minutes before the attack and left shortly afterward.

Additionally, our information indicates personnel historically associated with Syrias chemical weapons program were at Shayrat airfield in late March making preparations for an upcoming attack in northern Syria, and they were present at the airfield on the day of the attack, the report said.

Washington wants Russia to stop supporting Assad, who has been fighting a six-year-long civil war against mostly Sunni Muslim rebels, also with the backing of Shiite Muslim Iran.

(Reuters/NAN)

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White House spokesman, Sean Spicer, said on Wednesday he was personally and professionally pained by his comments comparing the atrocities of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Adolf Hitler, saying he made a mistake and let down the president.

I made a mistake. Theres no other way to say it.

I got into a topic that I shouldnt have and I screwed up, Spicer said during an event at a museum in Washington.

I hope I showed that I understand that I did that and that sought peoples forgiveness because I screwed up.

Spicer said his comments were professionally upsetting because President Donald Trump had had an unbelievable successful couple of weeks and it was his job to amplify that message of accomplishment but Ive let the president down.

NAN reports that Spicer was asked on Tuesday about the U.S. response to Bashar al Assads alleged use of sarin gas on civilians and he said: I think a couple things. You, lookwe didnt use chemical weapons in World War II.

You know, you had someone who is despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to the, to the, to using chemical weapons.

So, you have to, if youre Russia, ask yourself, is this a country that you, and regime you want to align yourself with?

(Reuters/NAN)

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Adeniji Abdulrafiu Ajani, a Chief Nursing Officer and President of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), spoke in this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES Ayodamola Owoseye and Idris Ibrahim on some of the challenges the nursing profession is facing in Nigeria.

Excerpts:

PT Nurses in Ondo State recently went on strike. What was the stand of the National Association on this?

Adeniji  I dont know why you picked Ondo, but I know that all over the land, there is crisis. There is no harmony and good development in the health sector. So, if any state chooses to embark on a strike, we have justification for it. As for Ondo, they have a number of issues they have been trashing with the state government which has not been well attended to.

One would have expected that Ondo, being ruled by a medical doctor (former Governor Olusegun Mimiko whose tenure ended in February) who should have known about the nitty gritty of health care services, did not actually do what they are expected to do to maintain industrial peace and harmony.

The resources accruing to the states health sector (were allocated) in a lopsided manner, leaving some people with empty stomach while some people are flourishing in affluence. You will agree with me that this is injustice and where there is any form of injustice and where harmony is being tampered with, progress will be retarded. There is no way we can prevent crisis in such a state.

PT  The issue of doctor, nurses crisis in health institutions I believe is one of the lopsided policies you are taking about. What causes it and how can it be resolved?

Adeniji  Healthcare services is a team work and the health sector is a multi-sectoral industry that entails a wide range of specializations and professionals.

Each specialized professional, by virtue of preparation even in the university, all work in a common sector and the entry qualification is basically the same: Physic, Chemistry, Biology, English and Mathematics basics. Then when you get into the preliminary studies in the university, you find out that you have many things in common up to a level before specialization.

But today in Nigeria, we have placed too much emphasis on a sub-group and it is leading to injustice and crisis even in the training institutions. We have more than 100 universities in Nigeria today offering Medicine, but less than 25 for nursing sciences. Meanwhile medicine and nursing is a geo-profession.

They need to grow hand in hand and the government is spending colossal amount of money on Medicine, neglecting Nursing while there is nothing to show for it as the health indices in the country is going down.

It cannot be solved until we look at the fact that health is a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary sector and that every person that works in the sector deserves due regard, respect and to be given actual position and involvement in policy formulation and policy execution in the country.

The Nigerian populace themselves are committing a crime of giving too much attention to only one professional group, whereas a tree can never make a forest.

PT You made a statement that the difference between you and the doctors is education. But we realize that most of the nurses in Nigeria graduated from midwifery schools.

Adeniji  It is good that you asked a question that is giving most people confusion in this country.

A midwife is a specialist, a general nurse is a generalist, a psychiatrist nurse is a specialist and so on like that. These are professional qualifications.

The same person who is a degree holder can be a midwife, a general nurse and a midwife, a general nurse and specialized nurse, all the other specializations we have in Medicine, we have in Nursing.

The question about a midwife, if you go to the university, even if you have your masters and you are a professor of Nursing, you cannot practice as a professional if you have not sat for the professional examination being organized by Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria. You are a quack. The difference is that one is a professional, the other one is an academician.

You can only be a professional when you sit for that professional examination. The moment you sit for this professional examination with your degree, and then you have a higher pedestal of recognition, entry point and remuneration.

PT There is a bone of contention between doctors and other practitioners in the health sector that the position of the Chief Medical Director in health institutions should only be for doctors?

Adeniji The health sector is not for a single healthcare profession. What we have promoted in this country is birth right and mediocrity, not merit and this is what is tying us down to the level of low development, even underdevelopment.

What we have presently in Nigeria is that if you are not a medic, with discipline in Medicine and Surgery, you may find it difficult to become a CMD. But elsewhere, it is a team approach where everyone is allowed to compete.

CMD is all about administration. You dont take patients to the admin office or office of the CMD to operate upon. We use the brain, our acumen, and expertise in understanding human being and management and if this person has basic professional qualification, this person should not be debarred from taking up any position of leadership. So, there is no crisis but there is misplacement of justice and wherever there is a misplacement of justice, there will be disharmony because it has already been established that whether you know your left from your right, once you are a medical doctor, it is your birth right to become the CMD, so people are not even trying again.

It is the right of other people that they are asking for and nobody should see it as crisis. Rather, we should address it, either I am a professor of Paediatric Nursing, or a professor of Paediatric Medicine, if it comes to our clinical area, my own area of specialization and practice is separate. Though we work together in the same sector, we have to collaborate. But when it comes to administering that sector, I am not a sub-human being and he is not a super human being.

That is why we have challenged the Nigerian setting. Lets see how other people will rule this health sector. Since 1960 that we had independence, even before 1960 that we have been having our health care policies, its implementation, its review, putting another policy into place up to the sustainable developmental goals that we are having today and the universal health coverage, if they have been doing it well and not lacking administrative acumen, our health sector supposed not to be like this.

The domination is holding the growth and development of the health sector. I have seen cases where nurses have superior position on health matters but because they are not doctors, they are not given the privilege to do anything and this must change, beginning with each and every one of us. For you to become a minister of health in this country, your legislators will ask, Are you a doctor?

I am still hoping to become a medical director in this country or even minister for Health as obtainable in other places like Kenya, where the minister for health is not a doctor. There was once in Africa, the minister of health in Botswana who happened to be a nurse was the overall chairman of the ministers of health in Africa and they wont come home and say anything about such.

PT One of the problems the nursing profession is facing in Nigeria is brain drain. Why are many nurses running out of the country?

Adeniji  You have touched on a very vital point that is the pillar of healthcare service all over the world: human resources for health.

What we call brain drain is a colonial mentality. I dont take it as brain drain. Where is the brain draining to? This is labour mobility, movement of experts and people that are professional from areas whereby they are not valued to areas where they are valued.

Dont make a mistake about it; it is not only for money. Most of the specialized nurses elsewhere have freedom of practice and they practice with joy which is not so in this country.

There is no freedom of practice for nurses in this country. I see the brain drain as a positive development. Nigeria has contributed to the human resources development for health all over the world: U.S., UK, Canada, Australia and elsewhere. The minimum wage in some of these places in a month is better than what a Nigerian nurse will earn in a year.

About two years ago, a midwife from Nigeria was given an international award. Nobody came to Nigeria to mention it. But if it is a doctor, because the Minister of Health is a doctor, the Minister of State is a doctor, Permanent Secretary is a doctor, and all the directors in the ministry are doctors, almost all the directors in the ministry are doctors and you wonder what they are doing there, wasting colossal money that government has spent on them. It so bad that even the minister of labour is a doctor.

Talking about statistics, the federal government is the highest employer of nurses and they have less than 20,000 nurses, while all the states employed nurses are not up to 15,000, not to talk of the local governments where most of the exploitation is coming from. Most of the people you see putting on white in the private sector are not professional nurses.

The government has no accurate figures of nurses in the country. That is why today, they say Nigerian nurses and midwives are about 245,000. Where did they get that figure? Without prejudice to any state, statistics from the north is very bad as you can see some local government without a qualified nurse.

Nigerias statistics is for 100,000 Nigerians, you have 1.2 nurses. But by my own statistics, we have less than 0.9 nurses to 100,000 Nigerian citizens.

Another reason for the mobility is job satisfaction. Some Nigerian nurses do tie phone on their heads to carry out clinical duties. How do you want a midwife in a labour room to actually give episiotomy, which is a surgery and then repair it with the touch light of the phone?

There is going to be state of emergency in the health sector and that is why when we talk about medical tourism, some people have genuine reasons to go outside this country. Because when you see a midwife attending to 200 antenatal cases, then you will say that many people are dying.

Nurses rank higher in the statistics of health workers with high blood pressure and work hazards. For example, a nurse at Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, in the case of Lassa fever taking care of the person without enough infrastructures, she died.

PT  There have been so much complaints about lack of equipment and infrastructure. What is the association doing about getting a better working standard?

Adeniji The professional association is not an employer of labour, but we are there to ensure that people employed are not exploited and there are quality services.

The association has not relented in negotiating that the government should provide adequate facilities, infrastructure and equipment because it takes basically four things for a health system to run. The policies and the laws that we say are lopsided have to be in place. It takes physical structures. It takes the personnel and then the scene in which they want to deliver the services. All these four are very important in the health care system and key to how effective the healthcare services will be. Even in our letter that is being treated in the inter-ministerial level today, if you see what nurses submitted, infrastructure, equipment and personnel is number one on the list.

You suffer a lot of psychological pain when you see some patients dying because there is no equipment; you are helpless. We are fighting it and we are negotiating with government to provide adequate infrastructure for health sector. But we also appeal to nurses on the field.

Our members are dying of stress due to lack of infrastructure. We cannot continually sacrifice the few ones available. For example, everywhere now, there is a fear of any haemorrhagic fever outbreak and there is no personal protective equipment (PPE) even in federal government hospitals. Look at what happened at FMC, Abeokuta. It was a dilapidated structure that was earmarked as an isolation unit, which will even predispose the health care service providers to danger.

Go to some places where some people are even taking delivery, the beds are sagging, the linen are not clean, no instrument, you improvise to the extent of even improvising your hand as a clip for the umbilical cord, which is putting the patient at risk. The floors are nothing to write home about, most of the floors of where deliveries are taken have chipped off, which is a source of infection. Look at the galipot they are using, most of them are rotten. And that is why when we are confronting the government at any time, infrastructure development and human resources for health is always at the forefront.

PT  What is the take of the association on the Community Health Workers working as nurses and the so-called auxiliary nurses whom some private hospitals use as their major nurses? How are you regulating their activities?

Adeniji  You have touched a very great issue and that is quackery and quack practices in the country.

Apart from the professional association, NANNM, we have the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), which is a government parastatal and a regulatory body in setting up laws and regulations. And I lay claim to say the association particularly is participating in ensuring that these laws are up to date at all levels of professional regulation.

Organised quackery in this country is an issue of those who call themselves nurses and are not nurses. A nurse and midwife is such person who must have undergone academic training maybe in the school of nursing or in the university and submit to the regulatory bodys qualification and verifying examination.

Even if you go outside this country to study Nursing and you train to the level of PhD in Nursing, when you come to this country you must sit for that examination before you have the right to touch the patient in the ward.

Quackery is not a thing we have to play with. I need to mention that no single individual, whether you are a professor of Medicine or Nursing, can train a nurse because to train a nurse to the point of certification entails various disciplines and period of exposure and facilities.

Most of the private clinics in this country do not have half a section of what it takes to train a nurse and they will now deceive these people to come and learn how to be a nurse, which is not possible.

The association is urging the public to also collaborate with us to flush out these bad eggs. We have a Nursing and Midwifery Committee domiciled in the office of the Director of Nursing Services in all states of the federation.

This body has been empowered by law to go about with the involvement of the professional association at the state level and curb quack and quackery practices, maintain standard and regulate the practices of nursing profession. Anybody caught would be tried in the law court and option of fine is not considered but a jail term, that is for anybody that is either found guilty of training a quack or he/herself is a quack.

As for Community Health Workers (CHW), what I think the government is doing is to sacrifice merit at the door of mediocrity. This happened as far back as 1981 during the era of Prof. Olikoye Ransome Kuti. The health sector system allows for CHW to attend to a patient to the point of their ability, then refer. But today, these people are charged beyond what they can bear.

It is not bad to allow CHW to work as they are part of the health care system, but they must know their limit, especially in the primary health care setting. Actually, everybody has a role to play but when somebody is trying to play the role of other persons, it is bad and that is what is creating issues.

What we are saying in essence is that we need people to report this professional malpractice. If you report it, the association is ready to take it up. Every state of the federation has the office of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives and office of the Directorate of Nursing Services in federal here. We will not hesitate to take legal action against anyone that is trying to kill instead of healing. No health professional is expected to do the work of another professional; we all have our different training, certificates and licenses.

PT  On Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the circumcision is most often carried out by nurses and we all know that there is a campaign against the practice. What is the association saying to its members on this?

Adeniji  Most ones that are surgically accepted are the male circumcision. Nurses have always campaigned against female mutilation, though we have some religions that speak in support of the mutilation.

In fact, I know what Islamic religion advocates is not mutilation, but because you dont know the limit of it a nurse, we campaign against any form of female circumcision.

We have to however watch it because the issue of mutilation, it is not everybody that is circumcised that is mutilated. What we are saying is that when you now go to about the third-degree circumcision where all the sensitive organs are removed, this is mutilation and this will affect her sex life and increase the chance of dying during child birth.

PT  It is noted that in nursing, the ratio of female to male is higher. Why has this been so and what is the association doing to encourage men to take up the profession?

Adeniji  The ratio is low and the Board of Nursing and Midwifery Council in Nigeria has already regulated that male can do midwifery in this country today because that is the most affected area.

Currently, we have the ratio of about 1 to 50, male to female. The health system in the county has been dominated and waylaid by the doctors believing that if you admit more male into nursing profession, there will be hot competition for them.

And of course, if you know what you are doing, why are you afraid of competition as we are both trained in the act of human physical sciences; only that the training of the nurse permits you to know so that when a doctor is making a mistake, you correct them, we are not licensed to put such areas into practice.

Unfortunately, people with their private clinics in town employ male nurses to consult for them. But in the public sector, they believe that the more male nurses you have, the more liberated the profession is from the shackle of subjugation and repression.

The ratio is politically motivated and there is a lot of propaganda about it. Even to admit into schools, they ask the male what they are coming to do in the nursing profession. The profession does not have gender coloration.

PT  Nurses are meant to be wonderful people. But when there is a bad egg among the nurses, who do we report to and what is the verdict for them?

Adeniji  An arrogant nurse will be subjected to professional disciplinary committee. Nurses are not expected to be arrogant but they can be proud of their career. If you see any one that is so arrogant to the extent of indulging in neglect malpractices, report the people and then the professional association will try that person for misconduct, because we have ethics of the profession, anybody that works against the ethics is meant to be tried.

Nigerians do not report and we have always encouraged them to do so. You can report in the nursing audit section in any of the hospital or Servicom or the office of the Head of Nursing Service in that organisation or better still the NANNM in that institution or to the Director of Nursing Services in the state where the Nursing and Midwifery committee is domiciled.

They can set up a committee to look into the complaint. Although we always tell the nurses that as a care giver, you must absorb a lot of disrespect.

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The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, on Tuesday released his salary payslip that shows he earns about N402,500 monthly.

Mr. Dogara released the payslip in response to a challenge by the Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who on Monday released details of his states finances.

Mr. El-Rufai had challenged the Speaker to make the details of the National Assemblys N115 billion budget public.

Although Mr. Dogara has promised to do so in 2017, he only released his personal salary details on Monday.

The released amount is different from the quarterly illegal office running cost, about N15 million, that each lawmaker is believed to be receiving.

In releasing the speakers salary payslip on Tuesday, the House of Representatives spokesperson, Abdulrazak Namdas, also said what Mr. El-Rufai published was his states security budget and not his security vote.

Mr. Namdas, Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, stated this in a news briefing in Abuja.

He said that Mr. El-Rufai was undermining and distracting the national assembly by his claims that the N115 billion in the legislatures 2016 budget was for the 469 members.

According to him, the budget covers among others, salaries, allowances, expenditure and running cost of 469 members.

Salaries and allowances of about 3, 000 legislative aides and salaries, allowances, equipment and maintenance of about 5, 000 staff in the bureaucracy of the national assembly, Mr. Namdas said.

He urged the governor to concentrate on governing Kaduna State, particularly addressing security issues facing the state.

Mr. Namdas said as a senior citizen, El-Rufai should not overheat the polity with tendentious and unfounded outbursts.

We note that what Mallam El-Rufai published was the security budget of Kaduna state and not his security vote expenditure.

We wish to advise the Kaduna State governor to concentrate on his efforts in governing Kaduna State and stop undermining and distracting the national assembly in playing its constitutionally assigned role in nation building.

He launched an attack on the national assembly on Friday, April 7, 2017 and continued on Monday, April 10, 2017.

We are aware that there are serious security issues he should be grappling with in southern Kaduna and other governmental issues facing him, Mr. Namdas said

According to him, the national assembly is not opaque and since the constitution was amended in 2010, the legislature was put in a first line charge.

Its budget became part of statutory transfers, together with the Judiciary, INEC and others.

You cannot find details of the Budget of the Judiciary and INEC in the national budget.

It exists elsewhere. Of course, from 1999 to 2010, the detail of the national assembly budget was contained in the national budget, Mr. Namdas added.

He said that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Sani-Omolori, was directed to start publishing the budget from 2017.

He said to continue to repeat the same call made three days earlier smacks of propaganda and cheap blackmail.

The Kaduna state governor chose to give headings of its budget on security related matters.

Maybe, he will give further details of actual security expenditures at the appropriate time.

It is most uncharitable to ignore the fact that the national assembly is an arm of government, not a department in the executive branch.

The budget of so many agencies in the executive is higher than that of the National Assembly, an arm of government.

Such agencies are Nigerian Communications Commission, N102 billion; Central Bank of Nigeria, N421 billion and the Nigerian Ports Authority, N250 billion.

Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, N100billion; Federal Inland Revenue Service, N146 billion; Nigerian Customs Services, N81 billion and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation whose budget runs into trillions.

Indeed, the National Assembly Budget is about two per cent of the national budget, Mr. Namdas said.

Download payslips below:

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The presidency on Tuesday gave the clearest indication yet that it would not succumb to the Senate and remove Ibrahim Magu as chairman of the anti-graft EFCC.

The Senate recently refused to screen presidential nominees for the position of the resident electoral commissioners, saying it would not do so until Mr. Magu is removed as Acting EFCC Chairman. The Senate had twice rejected the presidents request to confirm Mr. Magu.

But speaking in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES and other journalists and activists on Tuesday night, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said Mr. Magu enjoys his confidence, and that of the president.

Im fully in support of Magu as the EFCC Chairman just as the president is Mr Osinbajo said.

Speaking on the Senate rejection, the vice president said it is up to the Senate to make their judgement. If our candidate is rejected, , we can represent our candidate.

The Senate, while rejecting Mr. Magu the second time had said it would no longer consider him if his name is sent again by the president.

But Mr. Osinbajo gave the clearest indication yet that Mr. Magu may remain in acting capacity as EFCC Chairman for the duration of the Buhari administration.

I fully agree with Mr. (Femi) Falana that there was no need in the first place to have presented Mr. Magu for confirmation, he said making reference to the Section 171 of the constitution.

The Vice President said although the EFCC Act requires that an EFCC chairman be confirmed by the Senate, part of Section 171 of the constitution, which is superior to the act, does not mandate such Senate confirmation.

The vice president also described the State Security Service action of writing a report against a presidential nominee (Mr. Magu) to the Senate as a robust expression of our institutions of government.

He said it shows that the administration does not interfere in the works of its security agencies, making reference to the U.S. where the FBI wrote a report against the U.S. President Donald Trump.

He (President Buhari) has not interfered with what the DSS want to say, Mr. Osinbajo said.

Mr. Osinbajo said President Buhari merely studied the SSS (also called DSS) report and reviewed Mr. Magus response which he found satisfactory.

The president looked at what Magu said and what the DSS wrote and he said, I am satisfied with what Magu said.

A PREMIUM TIMES review of the SSS allegations had shown that most of them were inaccurate.

The controversy over Mr. Magu, who is opposed by majority of senators, some of whom have corruption cases, is one of the issues affecting the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature.

The Federal Executive Council recently set up a committee headed by Mr. Osinbajo to discuss with the National Assembly leadership and try to end the rift. The leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, also got involved in the negotiation.

At a meeting between the APC leadership and the partys National Assembly caucus, some senators had requested the corruption trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki be dropped for there to be a smooth working relationship with the executive. Mr. Saraki is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for false asset declaration with many of the evidence used against him believed to have been sourced by the EFCC.

The Senate President has, however, denied any wrongdoing and said he believed the trial would collapse.

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The anti-graft EFCC has appealed a court order to unfreeze a Skye Bank account belonging to the former first lady, Patience Jonathan.

An official of the anti-graft agency confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.

We have appealed the order, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a telephone interview.

The Federal High Court in Lagos last Thursday directed that the freeze order on the account be cancelled. The account is believed to contain about $5.8 million (about N1.8 billion).

The EFCC had in November 2016 filed an application before the court, seeking an order freezing the account.

The commission had contended that the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime. The court granted the order but reversed it last Thursday.

However, when Mrs. Jonathan visited the Skye Bank, Maitama, Abuja branch on Monday, she was reportedly told she could not access the funds.

Mr. Uwujaren said the EFCC served a notice of stay of execution of the order on Skye Bank, a factor that could have made the bank not allow Mrs. Jonathan have access to the funds.

Earlier on Tuesday night, at an interview with journalists and activists, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo absolved the federal government of any role in the case.

Mr. Osinbajo advised Mrs. Jonathan to file a contempt charge against the bank if she feels aggrieved.

Skye Bank is yet to react to the court order and its actions on it. The bank on Wednesday promised to respond to PREMIUM TIMES email and telephone enquiries on the subject as soon as possible.

Mrs. Jonathan has been having a running battle with the EFCC over her claim of millions of dollars the anti-graft agency believes are proceeds of crimes.

The former first lady claims the moneys are legitimate sums she made including as gifts over several years, and has accused the anti-graft agency of persecution. She last year sued the EFCC demanding $200 million after the commission froze accounts of three companies containing about $15.5 million dollars. Mrs. Jonathan said the money was hers and the accounts were wrongly opened in the names of the companies. She has however, not provided details of how she earned such huge sums despite not being involved in any known major business.

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HIGHLAND PARK, ILL., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ravinia has created the role of Conductor Laureatea title reserved for an exalted musician whose eminent leadership has formed and shaped an institution's artistic quality over timefor James Levine, recognizing him as one of the most significant conductors in history, announced Ravinia President and CEO Welz Kauffman today. Levine served as Music Director of Ravinia for 21 years (197393), almost as long as the combined tenures of the festival's three other music directors (Seiji Ozawa, Christoph Eschenbach, and James Conlon). The five-year appointment has an evergreen renewal.

"Every presenter strives to share the world's greatest artists with their audiences, and this historic appointment is prime proof of Ravinia's devotion to the music, the listeners, and to the man himself," Kauffman said. "Ravinia's love of Levine has shone brightly for decades, and we're thrilled that this exciting new Levine Residency demonstrates that the feeling is mutual."

In this new role, Levine will conduct multiple programs in his two-week annual residency, as part of the CSO's six-week summer residency, beginning in 2018.

"Ravinia commands the ideal resources, a superb orchestra and chorus in a welcoming environment, for live audiences to experience music's rich and varied masterworks," Levine said. "I look forward to sharing this music and my lifelong love for it with Ravinia audiences over the next several summers."

Ravinia, America's oldest and most programmatically diverse music festival, has employed a music director for less than half of its 108 years of presenting the CSO. (The orchestra became a regular attraction at Ravinia in 1905, and the festival has hosted its official summer residency since 1936.) Levine made his Ravinia debut as a last-minute replacement in 1971, and he so inspired the musicians, audiences, and management that he was named the festival's second music director just months later.

In addition to conducting CSO concerts, Maestro Levine will work with participants in the festival's professional summer conservatory, Ravinia's Steans Music Institute, which he himself created with longtime Ravinia Executive Director Edward Gordon in 1988.

"The image my mind generates when I hear the word conductor is of James Levine. That's because I, like so many in the Ravinia Family, literally grew up watching with wonder as he made magic happen right before our eyes and ears," said Ravinia Board Chairman Jennifer Steans. "We witnessed that thrill again with the Mahler Second Symphony on his return last summer, and I am excited that a new generation of listeners will experience this magic, and especially thrilled that he will share his musical brilliance, vast experience, and unparalleled wisdom with the artists of RSMI." Ravinia's Steans Music Institute is named in honor of Jennifer Steans's mother, Lois Steans, in a gift of support to the not-for-profit festival from her father, Harrison Steans.

"This is a homecoming that few musicians are privileged to experience," Levine said. "It's an exciting amalgamation of history and my future, and how proud I am to feel at home in front of one of the world's finest ensembles in one of the world's most charming and inviting venues."

Levine returns to Ravinia on Aug. 8 this season to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Haydn's The Creation.

A photo accompanying this release is available at: http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=42310
The State Security Service announced on Wednesday that five Boko Haram suspects with links to the Islamic State terror group were arrested in a nationwide operation last month.

In a statement circulated to the media on behalf of the SSS by Tony Opuiyo, the agency said the suspected terrorists were plotting to attack the United States and the United Kingdom embassies in Abuja.

The suspects, identified as Isa Jibril, Jibril Jibril, Abu Omale Jibril, Halidu Sule and Ahmodu Salifu, were arrested between March 25 and 26, 2017.

The statement further stated that SSS operatives arrested other suspected Boko Haram members and kidnappers in different operations across the country.

Between 25th and 26th March, 2017, the Service busted a ring of ISIS linked Boko Haram members based in Benue State and the FCT.

The group had perfected plans to attack the UK and American Embassies and other western interests in Abuja. During the operation to thwart this plan, five (5) key suspects, namely: Isa JIBRIL, Jibril JIBRIL, Abu Omale JIBRIL, Halidu SULE and Amhodu SALIFU, were arrested, the statement said.

In another similar operation, operatives arrested a 20-year-old suspect in Yobe state, on claims bordering on his involvement in executing the sinister activities of Boko Haram.

He was identified as Adamu Datti.

On April 4, two persons suspected to be affiliated to the Ansaru terror group were also arrested in Igarra, Akoko-Edo, Edo State.

The SSS said the suspects confirmed their alleged membership of the terror group and were confirmed as associates of Abu Uwais, the alleged kingpin of Ansaru who had allegedly terrorised Kogi and Benue States.

The agency also said it recorded successes in the war against kidnappers around the south-south, south-east and north-central.

On March 24 in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Daniel Dibiamaka, a suspected kidnapper, was arrested for allegedly kidnapping a citizen identified as Emmanuel Ukah.

The incident reportedly took place on January 20, 2017.

Another suspect, Godsgift Isioma, was arrested for allegedly plotting to kidnap a doctor who was identified as G.N. Douglas.

In Benue State, operatives arrested Daniel Lorve, named as a member of kidnapping syndicate, Terwase Akwaaza, a.k.a.: Gana. He was arrested in Bangaji, Gboko, on March 23, 2017, the SSS said.

Mr. Lorves arrested later resulted in a joint military, police and SSS raid of a farm said to have been used as an armoury by Akwaaza.

High calibre arms and ammunition were recovered from the scene notably; one (1) General Purpose Machine Gun, three (3) AK-47 rifles and one (1) SMG rifle, with large quantities of ammunition, the statement said.

In Kogi State, the SSS, on March 29, 2017 arrested AbdulmojidMomoh and Ahmed Tijani Dodo in Adavi Local Government Area over alleged involvement in kidnap activities.

In a similar vein, the duo of Salau Yakubu Ontinwa (aka General) and Abdulmajeed Musa were arrested on March 30, 2017 in the same local government area for alleged kidnap crimes.

The SSS said preliminary investigation showed that the three are key members of the dreaded gang terrorising innocent citizens and other travellers across the state.

Prior to these operations in the Kogi State, a gun runner simply identified as Kareem was arrested on March 27, 2017 for allegedly supplying weapons to criminals, especially Abu Uwais, the Ansaru kingpin and notorious kidnapper, the SSS said.

InEbonyi State, the secret police arrested Chukwujioke Igbru in Ikwo during in a joint military and SSS operation on April 7, 2017.

The suspect was alleged to be one of the masterminds of the clashes between his Ojenakpa community and neighbouring Isobo community in Obubra Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Mr. Igbru was alleged to be in possession of a G3 rifle at the time of his arrest.

In Abia State, Freeborn Chisom Innocent from Ikeduru, Imo State, was arrested at Nzaocha Street, Aba for allegedly engaging in subversive activities against public servants.

Mr. Innocent was identified as an ICT expert and social media user who allegedly used blogs to launch negative campaigns against the persons and offices of top government officials.

He also used his platform to incite one ethnic group to violently attack another, thus creating tension and social disharmony, the SSS said without stating Mr. Innocents platform.

The SSS also uncovered a network involved in the issuance of certificates or letters of indigeneship to persons from neighbouring African countries.

The Boko Haram terrorist group has become part of this network and uses it to buoy its membership in Nigeria, the SSS said.

The SSS said on April 10 in Damaturu, Yobe State, it arrested a person simply identified as Jalo, a Guinean descent who lived in Jos and allegedly has ties to Boko Haram.

The service said it discovered that these non-Nigerians use their new indigene status to seek privileges including admissions into the countrys tertiary institutions.

In order to check this ugly development, state and local authorities are advised to be more circumspect in the issuance of these certificates and letters of indigeneship, the SSS sad.

The secret police urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and raise alarm whenever they witness suspicious activities.

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Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court is to be arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, on April 20, an official said on Wednesday.

The tribunals Head of Press and Public Relations, Ibraheem Alhassan, said in a statement in Abuja that Mr. Ngwuta would appear before a two-member panel over alleged false asset declaration.

Mr. Alhassan said that summons had already been served the judge.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal Government preferred a 10-count charge against Ngwuta before the tribunal.

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, said that Mr. Ngwuta contravened Section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

According to Mr. Malami, false declaration of assets is punishable under Section 23 (2) of the Act.

Mr. Ngwuta is one of the judges from whose residences, the State Security Service, SSS, claimed it uncovered huge sums of money in various denominations.

The SSS raided the judges residences in October, 2016.

Mr. Ngwuta is also currently standing trial before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on an amended 16-count charge bordering on money laundering.

The Federal Government which preferred that charge, said that Mr. Ngwuta contravened Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2012 (as amended).

It added that the offences are punishable under Section 15 (3) of the Act.

(NAN)

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The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has said negotiations are ongoing for the release of more Chibok schoolgirls still in the custody of the Boko Haram terrorists.

He also expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield the desired result in due course.

Mr. Osinbajo made this known on Tuesday evening at an interaction with journalists and activists at the state house in Abuja.

There is a lot of negotiation going on, he said.

He said the government has gone quite far with negotiations to free more girls, but did not provide details of the negotiations for apparent security reasons.

The vice president hinted that one of the challenges of freeing the girls was the existence of two factions in Boko-Haram, with each faction holding on to some of the girls.

One of the factions is led by Abubakar Shekau, the erstwhile leader of the group, while a breakaway faction is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, believed to be a son of the late founder of the group, Mohammed Yusuf.

Mr. Osinbajo, however said the Buhari administration was very committed to the release of the remaining Chibok girls and other captives held by the Boko Haram.

It is a matter of conscience and its a matter that concerns everyone, he said.

Boko Haram had seized 276 pupils from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok on the night of April 14, 2014. About 57 of the girls managed to escape in the immediate aftermath of the abduction.

Negotiations between the federal government and Boko Haram had led to the release of 21 of the girls while another three were freed by soldiers. Dozens of others had escaped on their own.

Despite losing most of the territory they controlled at some point, including the dreaded Sambisa forest to Nigerian troops, the insurgents have kept hold of an estimated 195 girls, with some of them already feared dead.

About 2,000 teenagers have been reportedly abducted by Boko Haram since 2014, with many of the women used as sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers, according to Amnesty International, the London-based human rights organization.

On Tuesday, the United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, said that at least 27 teenage girls have been used as suicide bombers in Borno within the first quarter of 2017.

There is no evidence that any of the Chibok girls is among the suicide bombers.

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The Lagos State government on Wednesday told a court that contrary to evidence available to the public, its officials did not carry out further demolition of homes in Otodogbame, but only went to the community to pack debris.

The government also offered insights into the cause of the stalemate in the court-ordered mediation between its officials and inhabitants of Otodogbame, a waterfront community in the Lekki area.

The counsel to the state government, S. Quadri, on Wednesday told a Lagos High Court that the state did not pull out of the mediation but that the residents were making impossible demands.

We appeared before the mediation, but they are asking the government to build houses for them, over 300 people, Mr. Quadri told Justice S.A Onigbangbo.

The government never made any offer to the people that were displaced, how do we relocate them, they should not just come anywhere they see and settle. If they want to settle in Lagos, they should come with their money and buy land to settle.

The court had earlier on Wednesday struck out contempt proceedings instituted by the Otodogbame community against Governor Akinwunmi Ambode stating that it lacked jurisdiction to try the governor because of the immunity he enjoys.

The court, however, condemned the alleged action of the governor.

If the governor had truly ordered the forceful eviction and demolition of the second applicant, he undermined the principles of the rule of law and the same process which put him in office in the first place, the judge said.

Reacting to the judges decision, Megan Chapman, co-director of Justice Empowerment Initiatives, a community-based legal and empowerment organisation which represents the residents of Otodogbame, said there are still armed men who shoot anyone that comes into the community.

It was reported to us as at yesterday that government brought two gun boats in the community. So, the reality may be that they arent safe to go back there and enjoy their rights in the community, Ms. Chapman said.

Ms. Chapman said the court could not punish the governor for disobedience of a court order because he enjoys immunity from prosecution.

The judge has made his position clear on this case that he finds the action of the governor reprehensible and in flagrant disregard to the rule of law which is detrimental to democracy in Nigeria, she said.

It is beyond his powers to commit the governor to prison but if he could, he would have and thats a strong pronouncement; and I hope it reaches the ears of the governor so he understands that what he is doing is undermining the rule of law, undermining the principles of democracy and its damaging the society at large.

The Court had on January 26 ordered the parties involved in the demolition of the Lagos waterfront communities to attempt mediation through the Lagos State Multi-Door Courthouse and report back to the court.

PACKING DEBRIS

While also denying claims that the Lagos State government ignored court orders in further demolishing the slums in the waterfront communities, Mr. Quadri said they were only packing the debris resulting from the fire outbreak in the community. The Fire Services were there and they saw that it was only the debris we were packing.

Responding to the claims of the government that they were at the scene of the demolition only to pack debris, Justice Onigbangbo cautioned the government to act in a fatherly manner to the residents.

You dont act like a child, so if they had flaunted the court order do you also join them, the judge said.

If a child rolls on the sand will you also join the child? If you had allowed those debris you claim to be packing for a month or two pending when the court gives its judgement, will those debris turn to concrete that you wont be able to pack again?

The judge ordered that the status quo be maintained in the matter, implying residents return to their various houses in the waterfront communities and carry out their daily activities pending the outcome of the case.

The case was adjourned till April 25.

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The Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Razak Atunwa, on Wednesday reiterated that former President Goodluck Jonathan would be thoroughly investigated for authorising the $1.3 billion lease of OPL 245 oil block licence.

In a statement to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Atunwa said his committee had been mandated by the House to conduct a thorough examination of the process and circumstances surrounding OPL 245 and identify culpability of any persons, groups or organisations.

The committee is aware of recent information that has come to light, both nationally and internationally, indicating that former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan may have been complicit in the controversial OPL 245 deal, Mr. Atunwa said.

Mr. Atunwas statement is a reconfirmation of an earlier interview in which he exclusively confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that his committee was finalising arrangement to summon the former president.

I can confirm that the former president is now on our radar following new details that were uncovered in latest news reports about the Malabu scandal, Mr. Atunwa, an APC lawmaker from Kwara State, has told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Monday.

In his statement Wednesday, Mr. Atunwa said his committee was closely monitoring the proceedings in the Italian courts instituted by the Public Prosecutor of Milan in which ministers in Jonathan Administration were mentioned including President Jonathan himself.

These facts have firmly placed former President Goodluck Jonathan on the Committees radar, he added.

On April 9, PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr. Jonathan might have received up to $200 million in bribes to approve the deal that has now become subject of international investigation.

The report was based on Italian court documents obtained by BuzzFeed and Italian business newspaper, Il Sole 24 Ore.

In the documents, Italian prosecutors quoted Ednan Agaev, a Russian middleman who helped negotiate the transfer of the oil block to Shell and Eni, as saying that Dan Etete, the former Petroleum Minister at the heart of the oil scandal, said he intended to dole out as much as $400 million in bribes if the deal went through.

If Mr. Etete actually paid out such an amount in bribes to Nigerian officials, Agaev stated that he would think President Goodluck Jonathan got at least $200 million of this money, BuzzFeed quoted an excerpt of FBI submissions to Italian authorities as saying.

The revelations were made when the FBI interviewed Mr. Agaev, whom prosecutors also said met with Mr. Jonathan on more than one occasion in Nigeria during the OPL 245 negotiations.

Mr. Agaev, who was Mr. Etetes representative in the negotiation, said the convicted former petroleum minister told him of the $400 million bribe to Nigerian politicians when he approached him for his payment.

The Russian also repeated the claim in a follow-up interview with Italian prosecutors, led by Fabio De Pasquale in Milan.

I said that if its true, that he paid, he had to pay 400 million, I assume that at least 200 went to Goodluck (Jonathan).

I heard from Chief (Etete), he claims that he had to pay 400 million, so, if this is true, if he paid 400 million, then most probably the President, as the biggest boss, took at least the half of it, BuzzFeed wrote, quoting documents prepared by Italian prosecutors.

Mr. Jonathans spokesman, Ikechukwu Eze, did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES requests for comments on the summon Wednesday night, but he issued a statement Tuesday which downplayed the report as hearsay evidence from a man of questionable character who provided no substance to back up his false claim, in reference to Mr. Agaev.

The $1.3 billion was paid by oil giants, Shell and ENI, for the oil block, one of the richest in Africa. About $1.1 billion of the money was paid directly into a Nigerian government account with JP Morgan while about $200 million had been paid by Shell as signature bonus before the 2011 agreement.

Most of the $1.1 billion ended up in private accounts with about $801 million directly going into the account of Dan Etete, a former petroleum minister who was convicted for money laundering in France.

A large part of that sum is believed to have gone to Mr. Jonathan and officials that served under him including Mohammed Adoke, the then attorney general.

Mr. Adoke, Mr. Etete. Shell, ENI and others named in the intercontinental scandal have all denied wrongdoing.

Mr. Atunwa promised Nigerians that the House panel would be meticulous, thorough and comprehensive in its inquiry.

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The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, says a panel of inquiry has been constituted to investigate the fire incident that occurred at its headquarters in Lagos.

Fire had on Monday engulfed the headquarters of the agency at the Lagos airport.

In its reaction, the agency had said that the immediate cause of the outbreak was unknown.

But a statement released Monday evening by the agencys Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Henrietta Yakubu, said that a commitee had been set up to investigate the incident.

The statement noted that the Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma, made the dsclosure after he inspected affected areas alongside his management team.

Mr. Dunoma said, The committee will comprise representatives from the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Accident Investigation Bureau, the Authoritys Director of Security Services, representatives from Fire department, Safety department and Legal.

The Legal representative would also serve as the Secretary to the panel.

The committee, the statement added, would investigate the entire incident, with a view to evaluating the immediate and remote causes of the fire, determining the extent of damage, making recommendations to forestall future reoccurrence, amongst other issues that may arise during the cause of their investigation.

Acording to the FAAN boss, the committee is expected to turn in its reports in two weeks.

The MD, however, noted that the Nigerian Police Force would also continue its parallel investigation to unravel the cause of the incident.

Mr. Dunoma affirmed that the authority will not shut down its headquarters as operations will continue, since a larger section of the building was not affected.

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The Federal Government has declared Friday 14th and Monday 17th April as Public Holidays to mark the Good Friday and Easter celebrations.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, enjoined Christian faithful and Nigerians in general to extend the spiritual benefits of Easter, which are love, peace, justice, sacrifice and kindness to their daily living, and through this contribute to unity and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.

Mr. Dambazau, a retired lieutenant general, further urged Nigerians to co-operate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in his sustained efforts to build a strong and virile nation.

The minister wishes all Nigerians a Happy Easter Celebration.

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General Electric was on Wednesday picketed by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, over non-payment of salaries to some workers.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that workers affected are those of ARCO Group, General Electrics servicing company.

The PENGASSAN members blocked the entrance to General Electric office on Victoria Island, Lagos, from 6 a.m.

The protesters, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, also carried placard with inscriptions such as Work without pay is a crime, Our wage is our right, GE respect contractual agreement, GE return our dignity of labour, among others.

Abel Agarin, PENGASSAN Lagos Zonal Chairman who led the protesters, said that General Electric failed to properly settle the workers in 2016, adding that PENGASSAN decided to picket the company because it failed to honour an agreement it reached with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on the payment of the workers.

He said other efforts to make the electricity company to address the issue failed.

The job was carried out from 2006 in Niger Delta. It is global gas maintenance in OBOB/Kwale/CHA, he said.

The electricity company owed about 50 workers for about one year and later paid some months.

The remaining five months salaries are what we are demanding, Mr. Agarin explained.

The PENGASSAN boss said that General Electric met with Ngige and agreed to pay the money in February, 2017, after ARCO would have demobilised the workers and provided certain information.

ARCO demobilised and provided procurement invoice that got matured in 30 days.

All the necessary information have been provided but, till date, General Electric failed to respond to calls or appeals by ARCO management to pay the workers, he said, adding that the union would continue with the protest until the payment of the salaries.

The management of the electricity company did not come out to address the protesters but one Aboyomi Oyewumi, who developed the property where General Electric rented for its office, appealed to the union to be peaceful.

Mr. Oyewumi promised to get in touch with the management and ensure it resolves the issue to forestall further disruption of business activities.

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A suspended member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has faulted the payslip published by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, as understating his emoluments.

He said that if the payslip published by the speaker was authentic, it means he as a member earns more than the speaker, who is the head and presiding officer of the House.

Mr. Jibrin stated this in a series of tweets early Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Mr. Dogara published his payslips in response to a challenge by Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

If what I saw is the authentic payslip of Mr Speaker, it means I earn more than him from what I see in my salary statement of account Mr. Jibrin tweeted.

Perhaps I have been overpaid, Mr. Jibrin added.

The lawmaker said he has requested for his payslip from National Assembly and will publish it alongside his monthly salary statement of account.

He, however, agreed with the response of Mr. Dogara to Governor El-Rufai, saying the National Assembly has agencies under it too.

As regard NASS budget, I completely agree with paragraph 9, 10 and 11 but will raise issues on paragraph 5, 6, and the payslip, Mr. Jibrin tweeted.

The statement failed to address the call by Nigerians and majority of members for Mr. Speaker to disclose details of our internal budget.

Beside salaries, allowances and running cost, no member has details of about 20 other expenditure heads captured in Namdas statement.

I am aware majority of members feel terribly embarrassed and are presently insisting on having access to the internal budget of the House

The details of INEC budget does not just exist elsewhere. The NASS scrutinizes and approves details of INEC budget every year

Mr Speaker, you know that NILS HQ is not completely funded from NASS allocation but part funded by FG under service wide vote.

Messrs. Jibrin and Dogara, formerly close allies, have been at loggerheads for almost a year, which lead to the formers subsequent suspension.

Mr. Jibrin was the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, but was removed to set off the events that culminated in his one year suspension from the House.

He raised issues of padding of the 2016 federal budget against Mr. Dogara and other officials who denied the accusations.

He was replaced as chairman of the appropriations committee by Mustapha Bala (APC-Kano) who was the chairman of House Committee on Housing.

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The Federal Government has condemned the use of chemical weapon in Syria on April 4.

At least 87 people were killed in the attack, including many children.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olushola Enikanolaiye, in a statement in Abuja called on all parties to the Syria conflict to cease hostilities.

Mr. Enikanolaiye also urged the parties to resume negotiations for an early resolution of the protracted conflict and the loss of lives and destruction of property.

He further called on all actors in the conflict to respect the Chemical Weapon Convention which prohibits the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapon in all armed conflicts. in this connection.

He urged all Member States that have not yet destroyed their stockpile of chemical weapons to do so without delay.

Nigeria feels reassured by the UN Secretary General that the UN Security Council, in the exercise of its responsibility for international peace and security, will take adequate measure to address these development, he said.

(NAN)

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DETROIT, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Global Epoxy Resin Market in Pressure Vessels for Alternative Fuels by Vessel Type (Type II, Type III, and Type IV), by Application Type (CNG Vehicles, Hydrogen Vehicles, and Gas Transport), by Vehicle Type (Light Vehicles, Medium & Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicles, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2017  2022.



The Global Epoxy Resin Market in Pressure Vessels for Alternative Fuels: Highlights

As per Stratview Research, the epoxy resin market in pressure vessels for alternative fuels is expected to offer an excellent growth of 12.2% CAGR during the forecast period of 2017 to 2022, which offers an opportunity to the industry players to align themselves with the market growth.

There are several factors bolstering the growth of resin market in pressure vessels for alternative fuels. The author of the report cited increasing demand for alternative fuel based vehicles owing to stringent government regulations and lower price of natural gas as compared to gasoline and shift from type I vessel to type II, III, and IV vessels to make the vehicle lightweight for greater fuel efficiency and reduced carbon emissions as the major growth drivers of the market.

Based on vessel type, type IV tank is likely to witness the highest growth over the next five years and so is the demand for epoxy resins in this vessel type.

As per the study, CNG vehicles alone accounted for more than 90% of the epoxy resin market in the pressure vessels for alternative fuels and is expected to remain the largest application type over the next five years as well.

In terms of region, Europe is projected to remain the largest market for epoxy resins in pressure vessels for alternative fuels over the next five years, driven by an increased demand for alternative fuel vehicles using composite pressure vessels. The region is also likely to remain the fastest growing market during the same period as major European automakers are launching new auto models with powertrains dependent on compressed natural gas to leverage the abundant shale gas resources.

The global epoxy resin market in pressure vessels is highly consolidated with the presence of a few major global players. Huntsman Corporation, Hexion Inc, Olin Corporation, Nan Ya Plastics, and 3M are the major epoxy resin suppliers to the pressure vessel manufacturers worldwide. New product development and collaboration with pressure vessel manufacturers are some of the key strategies adopted by epoxy resin manufacturers to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Avail free sample along with the detailed Table of Contents by registering in the below link:

Request free sample for research report on epoxy resin market in pressure vessels for alternative fuels

Report Features

This industry research report from Stratview Research provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive manner. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the research report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porters five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors.

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing a wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts having an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.

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Malabu Oil and Gas Ltd. has asked an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to stop the sale of a $13. 5 billion deep water project located in the controversial oil block, OPL 245.

The OPL 245, regarded as one of Africas richest oil blocks with an estimated over 9 billion barrels of crude, was controversially awarded to Malabu in 1998 by the then petroleum minister, Dan Etete who partly owned the company through a fictional character, Kwekwu Amafegha.

The block was controversially sold to oil giants, Shell and ENI, in 2011 with a large chunk of the $1.1 billion paid ending up in private pockets including those of Mr. Etete.

The matter has already led to indictments of shell, ENI, Mr. Etete and others in Italy and Nigeria while investigations are ongoing in other countries. On Monday, Shell admitted it knew part of the $1.1 billion it and ENI paid for the block would end up with Mr. Etete, who was convicted for money laundering in France.

While Mr. Etete negotiated the 2011 deal on behalf of Malabu, and received about $801 million of the payment; he did so without the consent of the majority shareholders of Malabu including Mohammed Abacha, who since inception when his father, Sani Abacha, was Nigerias military dictator, owned 50 per cent of the block. PECOS, a company believed to be owned by businessman Oyewole Fasawe owns another 20 per cent of the company while Mr. Etetes pseudonym, Amafegha, owns the remaining 30 per cent.

On Tuesday, the counsel representing Malabu, J. A Achimugu asked the court to stop Shell Nigeria, as well as Agip exploration Ltd from signing the Final Purchase Agreement, F.I.D for the Zabazaba deep water project.

Mr. Achimugu also asked the court to issue an order preventing the Nigerian government from retaking control of the OPL 245, till the determination of the matter in court.

According to the suit filed before Justice John Tsoho, the applicant asked the court to stop the respondents from carrying out any other action in furtherance of the prospective sale of the project.

The court was also asked to stop the respondents from acting with the motive of sourcing oil in the location covered by Zabazaba Deep water and /or Etan oil fields within the oil OPL 245.

The application, contained a 29-paragraph affidavit was filed on behalf of Mohammed Abacha as a shareholder of Malabu.

According to the application, Mr. Abacha said he became privy to the alleged illegal sale following a publication on This Day Newspaper with the caption: FG, Shell, Agip to sign FID for $13.5bn Zabazaba Deep water project in Q22017.

Mr. Achumugu asked the court to stop the proposed agreement, stressing that his client was never part of the process, despite being the major owner of the OPL 245.

The judge, John Tsoho asked the plaintiff to serve the respondents with the notice of the application and adjourned the matter till May 18, for hearing of the motion.

Those listed as respondents in the suit are the federal government, the Minister Petroleum Resources, Shell Nigeria Ultra-Deep Limited, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd; Nigerian Agip Exploration Company Ltd; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; and Mr. Etete.

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A weak Primary Health Care system, low knowledge of disease symptoms among health workers and poor disease surveillance outlook across the country are the major contributing factors to epidemic outbreak of preventable diseases across the country.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, made this observation on Tuesday in Kaduna at an emergency meeting of Northern traditional leaders and stakeholders summoned over the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, CSM, in Nigeria.

The northern part of Nigeria has been worst hit by the epidemic since the first meningitis outbreak was recorded in Zamfara State in November 2016.

The outbreak has quickly spread across 130 local government areas in 21 states in the country, with the current reported suspected cases put at 4,637 and the death toll put at 489.

The enlightenment meeting on Tuesday in Kaduna, which was at the instance of the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, was attended by traditional rulers from across the 19 northern states, representatives of the state governors and their commissioners of health.

Mr. Adewole stressed the need for the traditional rulers to assist government in educating their people on the need to always seek medical attention when ill and to exhibit good health practices.

He, however, attributed the current epidemic to the inefficiency of health facilities at the local level, saying most of them are not capable of quickly picking up disease cases when presented.

There is a need for retraining health of workers, especially at the (Primary Health Centres) PHCs level on pathological symptoms of diseases for them to understand and pick up the disease, the minister told the meeting.

Because easy and early identification of cases when presented would make it easier to treat the disease and to nip it in the bud before there is an epidemic outbreak.

The minister said Nigeria needs a functional and efficient primary health care delivery system at community and rural levels, stressing that it was for this reason that the federal government has planned to revitalise 10,000 PHCs across the country.

Because if the PHCs were effectively functional, most diseases will be nipped in the bud at initial presentation, because most of the cases of epidemic diseases outbreak in the country; be it polio, meningitis, measles, among others, often begin from the rural setting, Mr. Adewole stated.

He added that it was necessary, however, not just to revitalize the PHCs, but to also equip them and employ competent hands to function there.

Speaking along the same line, the Executive Director of the National Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, lamented that his agency did not get to know about the meningitis outbreak in Zamfara State until February this year.

The first outbreak was recorded in the state in November 2016.

Mr. Ihekweazu said the epidemic would have been prevented if the agency had been quickly made aware of the suspected cases of the disease in the state.

Our colleagues in Zamfara did not pick up the cases on time. That is the reason for the slow response from the government, he stressed.

We need to re-educate our people so that they can have enough skills to handle such cases in the future and so as to send signal to appropriate agencies so that we can contain diseases from becoming epidemic, Mr. Ihekweazu pleaded.

He said the major challenge faced by Zamfara State was inadequate skilled personnel to collect CSM fluid. He said it requires specific fluid to be collected at the spine of the patient and that only doctors are allowed to retrieve such fluid and send to laboratory for testing.

Mr. Ihekweazu lamented that while the lifespan of the fluid is between 10 to 20 minutes, most of the laboratories are in urban areas, far from the rural areas where most cases are recorded.

We have learnt from the outbreak this year and we wont want such to repeat itself next year, he stated.

The director joined the minister in calling for a strong primary health care system to address our challenges at rural and community level, especially for mothers and children, as there is little or nothing at the federal and state levels.

In his presentation, Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, a chief epidemiologist at the Federal Ministry of Health, said the reason why the outbreak was high in Zamfara was because of the states history of lead poison.

When there is lead poison, and combined with meningitis, it is usually more disastrous and children and people with immunodeficiencies are often at risk, Mr. Sani-Gwarzo said.

He however warned that all hands must be on deck to curtail the spread of the disease so that it does not get to the IDP camps, barracks, traditional markets and places with large crowd congestion, because (otherwise) the spread would be disastrous.

He also warned that the new strain of Meningitis Type C has only displaced the A type but has not eliminated it.

There is a need for continuous vaccination and surveillance monitoring of both, because the moment we take our eyes off it and not concentrate on it, it can return as a deadly epidemic in 10 years.

We are asking for a conjugate vaccine that will protect for all meningitis strains, that is why we are soliciting the support of the traditional rulers for advocacy as they are closer to the people, well respected and most times their words are final in the society; so that we can focus the funds for advocacy on getting the drugs, the epidemiologist added.

The Sultan of Sokoto, who was represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Shehu Idris, in his opening speech, said the meeting was very crucial to the people of the North, as the region has been the worst hit by the current epidemic in the country.

He said it was thus necessary to find out how to nip the disease in the bud across the region and to curtail future occurrence.

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A private investigator accused of attempting to extort money from a senator, Andy Uba (APC-Anambra), has dismissed the allegation as false and baseless, saying the dispute between them was over the refusal of the senator to settle his professional fee.

Mr. Uba had in a petition published in the media on April 11 accused Victor Uwaje of attempting to extort money from him, stressing that the lawyer had threatened to destroy his reputation.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, however, Mr. Uwaje said his dispute with Mr. Uba began after he helped the senator lift a travel ban against him by the United Kingdom.

Mr. Uwaje said he also settled all cases of fraud levelled against Mr. Uba in the United States, but later discovered that the senators secondary school leaving certificates had been forged.

Sometimes in 2012, I met with Senator Andy Uba who briefed me that he had issues with the UK authorities because he was banned in 2008 from entering the United Kingdom, and being a British citizen and a private investigator, he wanted me to lift the exclusion ban on him from entering the UK.

I met with him at his Asokoro residence where he gave me the power of attorney duly signed by him, both of us appended our signatures. It was authorising me to work on his behalf and he was going to return the expenses back to me that will assist in lifting the ban on him.

He also had an arrest warrant against him in the State of Los Angeles, he also gave me a power of attorney in 2015 signed by Senator Andy Uba to lift the arrest warrant against him.

After everything, I sought for my professional fees and sent it to him. It kept lingering, he refused to pay. So, at the end of the day, I filed a court process against him, seeking for payment of my professional fees. The amount in question is 1.8 million, said Mr. Uwaje.

He added that the case in court is a legal matter filed in 2016. He added that given the court case, the allegation of blackmail should not have emerged.

In the Vanguard of yesterday, Andy Uba said I was trying to blackmail him to extort money from him and I want to put the records straight about my dealings with Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba.

We started from 2016, we have been in court since 2016, so I dont see the reason he is alluding to blackmail, because we are in court, he was served through the Clerk of the National Assembly. I dont understand how a case in court is blackmail.

Mr. Uwaje said he found out about Mr. Ubas alleged false declaration of asset after studying the documents given to him by the senator and investigating it.

He presented a lot of documents to be presented to the UK authorities, some forged documents, WAEC certificate and others, which were part of the documents filed in court.

WAEC confirmed that the certificate Nnamdi Uba is parading is a fake document and I expect the authorities to look into this vehemently because forgery in the National Assembly is alarming and I feel the media is crucial to straightening issues in Nigeria.

I have received several threats phone calls from the UK, different phone calls from people claiming to be his agents threatening my life.

Mr. Uba was not available to speak on the lawyers claims.

The lawmakers spokesperson, Onyi Umegibulu, also declined to speak on the issue when contacted on phone.

I know about it, but I cannot say anything now, since the case is in court, Mr. Umegibulu told our reporter.

EDITORS NOTE: The headline and body of this story has been corrected to reflect the fact that Victor Uwaje was allegedly hired as a private investigator and not a lawyer.

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President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, because he was attending to other issues, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, has said.

The meeting, which held inside the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday was presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo after Mr Buhari failed to turn up.

The absence of the president led to speculations that he has fallen ill again. The president recently spent almost two months in London on medical vacation.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Mr. Mohammed said, Mr President is not ill again.

The minister added that Mr. President is in town; Mr. President is attending to other issues. He looked at the agenda for the meeting and decided that the vice president should preside. It is not unusual for the vice president to preside over FEC meetings.

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A programme to build a nascent generation of data and digital journalists in Nigerian tertiary institutions is to be organised in Lagos by the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism [PTCIJ] with the support of Ford Foundation.

PTCIJs Programme Officer, Deji Adekunle, said in Abuja on Tuesday that ahead of the programme, a preparatory meeting would hold in Lagos to design strategies and the architecture of the one-year programme that will cover campuses across the nations six-geographical regions.

Mr. Adekunle explained the rationale of the programme as a platform that will ultimately train, mentor and publish promising and talented campus journalists across the country and build them into a community that would spur bloggers, programmers, and other young Nigerians interacting with the world as it is today.

The internet has created a new community with a new type of media engagement; one propelled by the emergence of social media applications wherein information can be gathered and shared with ease, Mr. Adekunle said.

Our universities, he argued, have in the past been a great breeding ground for future journalists and civic activists, explaining that this development was due to a culture in institutions that encouraged advocacy and campus journalism powered by proper investigations.

He said the new initiative is set to build on the traditions of the past and ensure a solid continuity on:

[a] How to make this young professional so empowered to be employable and motivated for entrepreneurial endeavours in the face of unemployment;

[b] How to provide professional outreach that will separate the upcoming professionals from the crowd of young netizens.

[c] How to provide platform to identify and groom digital newsroom professionals, by sifting through citizen journalists and plucking out promising talents.

Mr. Adekunle added that the training programme would enable young campus professionals to familiarise themselves with new technology and media advancement, as well as the norms and practices of the digital transition where access and ability to share information has been made easy and possible for just about anybody and everybody.

This training of future newsroom leaders promises great future for Nigerian journalism, he said.

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Congratulatory messages have poured into PREMIUM TIMES offices in Nigeria and the United States over the Pulitzer Prize awarded the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and its partners, including this medium, for the groundbreaking reporting on Panama Papers.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai; and Publisher of the rested NEXT Newspapers (and first African to win the Pulitzer Prize) Dele Olojede, are among dignitaries who have so far identified with this medium for sharing in the honour of clinching the most prestigious honour in American journalism.

Other personalities, who sent in messages of felicitation, are Philip van Niekerk, former Project Director at ICIJ and former Editor of the Mail and Guardian newspapers; Motunrayo Alaka, Centre Coordinator, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Reporting (WSCIJ); Innocent Chukwuma, West Africa Director, Ford Foundation; Kole Shettima, Country Director, Macarthur Foundation; Joseph Amenaghawon, Programme Coordinator, Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA); and Dayo Aiyetan, Executive Director, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).

The Pulitzer board had on Monday awarded ICIJ and its global partners with The Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for the investigative series on the Panama Papers.

PREMIUM TIMES is the only Nigerian media taking part in the historic, global investigation, which uncovered offshore hideaways tied to mega-banks, corporate bribery scandals, drug kingpins, Syrias air war on its own citizens and a network of people close to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, that shuffled as much as $2 billion around the world.

The reporting by the ICIJ, German newspaper, Suddeutsche Zeitung, and about 100 other media organisations across the globe, which spanned over a year, exposed offshore companies linked to politicians in more than 50 countries, including 14 current and former world leaders.

There were celebrations in PREMIUM TIMES newsrooms on Tuesday hours after the honour was announced.

Below are the messages sent in by the dignitaries.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (through Paul Ibe, his media adviser)

On behalf of myself and the Atiku Media Office, please accept my congratulations for Premium Times sharing in the glory of the Panama Papers Pulitzer Prize.

Yet another feather to your colourful plumage.

Nasir El-Rufai, Governor, Kaduna State

Please accept my felicitation on the Pulitzer Prize awarded to Premium Times and its investigative media partners. It is a deserved reward for the brand of journalism that you are practicing and the energy and initiative of your team. Premium Times has largely upheld the traditions of curiosity, scrutiny and rigorous reporting that made the media such a valued part of the institutional fabric of Nigeria.

This prize is a clear tribute to your leadership and track record of mentoring young people into talented reporters and chroniclers of the prospects and problems of everyday life. It is my hope that recognition by the most prestigious prize in journalism will further spur your team to excellence. As you know, this country needs an informed and determined media as it navigates the current perilous times.

I congratulate you most warmly, and wish you every success as you continue to practice journalism distinguished by fearlessness, accuracy and commitment to the open society.

Dele Olojede: First African Pulitzer Prize winner

What fantastic news this is! In an atmosphere of unrelenting negativity, and certainly mediocrity, the work of Premium Times as part of this consortium of global investigative journalists is certainly cause for much celebration.

I feel personal pride of course, since these are all NEXTers. One more proof that the work we all did together was not in vain.

So raise the champagne glasses for this wonderful moment and then get back to work! And when I am next in Nigeria we shall celebrate once more together. Very proud. Very proud.

Phillip van Niekerk, former Project Director at ICIJ and former Editor of the Mail and Guardian.

Premium Times share in the Pulitzer shows that as a publication it is in the company of the very best in the world. It is also an acknowledgment that when corruption and criminality are global, as starkly revealed by the Panama Papers, rigorous investigative journalism needs to be alive in all corners of the world.

Innocent Chukwuma, West Africa Director, Ford Foundation

We write to felicitate with Premium Times for winning the prestigious Pulitzer Prize on account of your investigative reporting in exposing the Panama Papers and the individuals involved in it. It is heartening to note that your tireless work of promoting probity and accountability in the management of public affairs in Nigeria, through investigative journalism, is receiving prominent international attention and recognition.

We are proud of your work and happy to partner with you. Congratulations!

Kole Shettima, Country Director, Macarthur Foundation

I am very excited to receive this good news about the recognition of the work of Premium Times by the Pulitzer Prize Award Committee. This is a testimonial of the great team in the organisation, and a honour to Nigeria and its independent media.

We at MacArthur Foundation are privileged to support Premium Times. I am sure the best is yet to come.

Joseph Amenaghawon, Program Coordinator at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA)

Over the years, Premium Times has demonstrated its resilience and determination to advance accountability and boldly expose corruption. The Pulitzer award reaffirms this. We are hopeful that this will consolidate and further strengthen its work.

But more importantly, we hope this will also trigger significant interest by government and its anti-graft agencies to take necessary actions on reports of corruption exposed by Premium Times.

Important too that there is significant improvement within the civil society such that the media and civil society groups can much more effectively collaborate to push for needed actions on exposed corruption.

Dayo Aiyetan, Chief Executive, International Centre for investigative Reporting

It is not surprising that the Panama Papers report won a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory journalism. It is the investigative work that has the most impact on our world in recent history. And, it is heartwarming that Premium Times, Nigerias authoritative investigative website, was part of that global muckraking effort.

I congratulate Premium Times, the International Consortium of investigative Journalists, (ICIJ), and other media organisations that worked on the Panama Papers Project.

Motunrayo Alaka., Centre Coordinator, Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Reporting

Congratulations to the Premium Times team on winning the Pulitzer prize alongside other organizations for the great work done on the Panama Papers. The honour is well deserved.

The extensive published stories are proof that the Nigerian media is capable of rigorous and tenacious reporting on diverse subjects. The silence, especially from government quarters, raises questions on the sincerity with fighting corruption in the country.

It is the medias role to expose corrupt practices, the civil society has the duty to carry on from there to advocate for change while enforcement lies with the government.

Until all stakeholders become more responsible to their unique yet related roles, the commendable work that Premium Times and many other media houses do will continue to be reminders of the blazing impunity that stands in our way to a society where social justice is the norm.

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Amnesty International on Wednesday called on the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to secure the release of the remaining 195 school girls under the captivity of Boko Haram and thousands of others, abducted across the North-East region by the insurgents.

The organization made the call as part the ongoing seven-day global week of action declared by the BringBackOurGirls group to mark the third anniversary of the abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls by Boko Haram in 2014.

Boko Haram continues to abduct women, girls and young men who are often then subjected to horrific abuses, including rape, beatings and being forced into suicide bombing missions, Amnesty International said in a statement by its Country Director for Nigeria, Makmid Kamara.

Sadly, many such abductions go unnoticed and unreported by the media. This has left many parents and relatives without any hope of being reunited with their loved ones.

These appalling abductions and other attacks, some of which constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, are carried out by Boko Haram on an almost daily basis.

They must stop. Today we remember and lend solidarity to the families of the Chibok girls as well as the thousands of other women, girls and men abducted, killed or displaced by Boko Haram, the organization said.

The BBOG group, led by its conveners, Aisha Yesufu and Oby Ezekwesili, again on Wednesday held a solidarity march from its usual base at the Unity Fountain in the Central Business District of Abuja to the Federal Secretariat junction of the Presidential Villa.

In their usual red attire and each carrying a banner with the inscription I March for ChibokGirls, members of the group undertook the about three kilometres trek.

Addressing the group, Mrs. Yesufu reiterated that it would be three years on Friday since the Chibok schoolgirls were abducted.

What is the crime of the Chibok girl? Is it because she is poor or is it because she wants to be educated?

Our sisters have spent three years in captivity just because they dared to be educated. Every Nigerian must be protected by the Nigerian state.

We have said it repeatedly and also again, if the Chibok girls were daughters of the rich, or belong to the political class, will they still be in captivity for three years?

If it was Zara Buhari or Kiki Osinbajo that was in captivity, will they have to be standing and making demands for three years? President Muhammadu Buhari must remember that he campaigned using the Chibok girls. He said he was going to rescue them immediately.

What is he doing? Why is there silence from this administration that campaigned using our Chibok girls? Why are the Chibok girls parents begging to be heard, begging to be told what is going on?

Mrs. Yesufu called on Nigerians to rise and rescue the Chibok girls from captivity.

Rescue of our Chibok girls is not a privilege, it is their rights as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari, the same way you campaigned in 2014/2015, you must remember that our Chibok girls are still in captivity. 195 of them.

Many people have said 24 of them were rescued and that we should go back but we have 195 reasons to keep marching, she said.

Also speaking, Mrs. Ezekwesili said there is no country on earth that condemns its citizens to a life without value.

Our Chibok girls have been in a state of endangerment since almost three years. In two days, it will be three years that they have been in the captivity of terrorists. How can a nation forget this fact of the role of a state in the lives of citizens?

Our Chibok girls do not deserve the injustice given by the two governments in this country. The government under which they were abducted pretended that Chibok girls did not exist for many days before it took delayed and tentative action.

And then a government that promised to make our Chibok girls priority has now been in government for about two years and it has not in any way treated Chibok schoolgirls in any form that is materially different from what was the case in the past, she added.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had earlier on Tuesday said the federal government was very committed to the release of the girls and was in negotiation with the Boko Haram for their release.

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An Abuja resident, James Ojogbane, and his family, has sued the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, before an FCT High Court Jabi for allegedly causing the death of his wife, Mary James, on September 1, 2015.

Joined in the suit by Mr. Ojogbane, a retired police officer, were one Isah Umar, Ibrahim Ahmed, both staff of the AEPB, and Chima Emokah, a neighbour.

The plaintiff had told the court through his lawyer, Emmanuel Onoja, that the push on his wife by the environmental staff led to her untimely death.

According to Mr. Onoja, Mr. Emokah lodged a complainant at the AEPB against Mr. Ojogbane and family, saying that their goat was disturbing them.

Mr. Onoja said that Mr. Emokah particularly complained of his car park, which he said the goat usually defecated on.

He said the AEPB staff commenced investigations on the premises following the report.

According to Mr. Onoja, one of the AEPB taskforce pushed the deceased under the guise of enforcing environmental law in the FCT.

Mr. Onoja said that the push on the woman made her to fall and was immediately rushed to the Wuse General Hospital where she died same day.

However, AEPB counsel, Azih Collins, told the court that an earlier notice was issued to the Ojogbane family to remove the goat from the premises.

Mr. Collins said that the notice was given to the family on August 25, 2015, after the AEPB taskforce carried out investigation on the premises.

According to Mr. Collins, the AEPB taskforce on September 1, 2015, went into action to clean up the environment when they noticed that the family did not comply with the earlier notice.

He, however, said that officials of the AEPB did not push the deceased as claimed by her husband when they visited the premises.

He added that it was the deceased who fought the taskforce officials in a bid to retrieve the goat from them when they were about taking it away.

Collins said the woman consequently fell in the process, stressing that she was not at any time, pushed by the taskforce officials.

He added that sections 28(D), 35(1)(D)(H) and 20(B) of the AEPB Act forbid to sale and rear animals in an open place.

Collins said that Section 36 of the Act empowers the taskforce to carry out their statutory mandate where a person refused to comply with their instructions.

He further said that section 36(2) enumerates the punishment to anyone who violates the AEPB rules.

According him, an autopsy carried out on the deceased, revealed that she died of long age illness.

The autopsy, he said, also revealed that the woman had been battling with heart problem for a very long time.

Justice Halilu Yusuf of the court, however, adjourned the matter till May 11 for hearing.

(NAN)

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The United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, has said that at least 27 teenage girls have been used as suicide bombers in Borno within the first quarter of 2017.

UNICEF said this figure has surpassed the entire number of child suicide bombings that occurred in whole of 2016.

This, according to UNICEFs Chief of Maiduguri field office, Geoffrey Ijumba, underscores the enormity of the challenges associated with child protection within the volatile northeast Nigeria.

Despite military successes against Boko Haram, records obtained from UNICEF and other aid agencies have indicated that the insurgents have continued to carry out deadly attacks using under aged kids as suicide bombers.

Mr. Ijumba who spoke to journalists at the UNICEF office in Maiduguri ahead the marking of the third-year anniversary of the kidnap of scores of secondary school girls from Chibok, Borno State, said the event should not be seen as any form of celebration. Rather, it should be used as a moment of reflection on the worsening humanitarian crises in the Lake Chad region.

We are marking the day because a great human right violation was committed against these girls; and since after the abduction of the Boko Haram, the region does not know peace, he said.

Thousands of homes have been uprooted; more livelihood has been destroyed; education facilities were destroyed; teachers, doctors, midwives, farmers halve been killed. Water sources, farmland have been destroyed.

He said the Chibok girls third year anniversary should not be restricted to worrying about just the faith of the abducted girls; but what it means to the entire children in the north-east.

He said the occasion should also be used to acknowledge the resistance of the people of the north-east Nigeria, who despite the dangers posed by Boko Haram could still get their schools opened; and children, especially the girl child, enrolled in schools.

The act of violence has not deterred Nigerians from continuing to pursue education.

There is no other testimony to defeat of Boko Haram than seeing a girl child in camps going to school. But there are still so many children out there who are not yet attending schools and they need to be helped to get education as a basic right.

On nutrition, the UNICEF chieftain said there are about half a million children who are severely malnourished, and who must be catered for in the region.

The insurgency has robbed the children of their protective environment that they need to grow. We need to see the children being free to play, school and live freely. But the children have been robbed of their childhood; they are forcibly made to participating in the conflict.

He said in helping to reverse the trend, UNICEF has teamed up with the Nigerian government to ensure that the rights of the children are protected.

We are trying to make sure that every child counts, he said.

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The State Security Service, SSS, on Wednesday said it will continue to hold a former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, accusing him of failing to cooperate with investigators.

In a statement circulated to the media on behalf of the SSS, Tony Opuiyo said Mr. Suswams continued detention for over a month was legal.

The case of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, is typical.

The Service has continued to hold him in line with the dictates of the law  more so that he has not cooperated on the issues concerning the recovery of large cache of arms at his facilities, the statement said.

Mr. Suswam was first arrested on February 26 on allegations of fraud and illegal possession of arms.

Items the SSS said it recovered from Mr. Suswams property included: Glock pistol with two magazines and a total of 29 rounds of ammunition.

The SSS also said Mini-Uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds respectively; forty-two (42) extra rounds of ammunition contained in a pack; and one AK-47 rifle.

Twenty-one Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and one (1) Offer of Statutory Right of Occupancy; 23 luxury designer watches; and 45 keys to various exotic cars were also said to have been recovered from the property.

The SSS had said at the time that Mr. Suswam was helping in investigations.

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday gave the SSS until May 11, 2017 to produce Mr. Suswam in court for arraignment.

Prosecution shall effect service on the legal department of the SSS, which in turn shall produce the first defendant in court, except if he has been released on administrative bail., the presiding judge, Gabriel Kolawole, said.

In its statement on Wednesday, the SSS said it had valid detention warrants to keep Mr. Suswam.

He will be charged accordingly, once the investigations are concluded, the SSS said.

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MELVILLE, N.Y., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA) announced today that Matthew Klein, MD, Chief of Anesthesia and Leslie Russo, MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Senior Vice President, Human Resources will be featured speakers at the 2017 Beckers Hospital Review 8th Annual Meeting to be held April 17-19, 2017 at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, Illinois. NAPA will also support the event as an exhibitor at booth #524.



Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3bc18ffc-8059-491b-88db-0f7b18ef072f

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2bd989e8-ad61-4e83-8d65-31d946d0f55b

Ms. Russo and Dr. Klein will be presenting to healthcare executives on the topic, The Role of Physician Leadership in Driving a Transformational Patient Experience during a breakout session on April 19 at 11:15 am. Ensuring a high quality patient experience matters more than ever before, particularly in the age of online sharing. Dr. Klein notes, In todays competitive market, patients are leading the charge, comparing healthcare providers to other service industries, utilizing online health review websites and turning to social media to evaluate providers and facilities on their clinical expertise and service experience. Strong physician leadership aligned with organizational goals are the driving force in making this formula a success. Ms. Russo adds, Its no longer good enough to clinically excel anymore. Physician leaders must have exceptional people and communication skills, and understand how to build trust and gain buy-in across multidisciplinary teams  leading to an transformational patient experience.

Dr. Klein is a Diplomate of the American Board of Anesthesiology and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He received his Doctorate of Medicine from Northwestern University in Chicago, IL and received a Certificate in Business of Medicine from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Klein went on to complete his anesthesia residency and fellowship in cardiac anesthesia at George Washington University Hospital in Washington, DC. His professional affiliations include membership in the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, International Anesthesia Research Study and New Jersey State Society of Anesthesiologists.

Ms. Russo has been instrumental in leading Human Resources to be a strategic business partner within NAPA. She has 20 years of progressive human resources experience, including more than 10 years in senior management leadership roles in both for-profit and non-profit healthcare industries. Ms. Russo holds a BA in Psychology and an MBA degree, with an emphasis in management, from Jacksonville State University. She is certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and is currently a member of the Society for Human Resource Management and the Health Care Compliance Association.

The 2017 Beckers Hospital Review 8th Annual Meeting brings together hospital business and strategy leaders to discuss how to improve your hospital and its bottom line in these challenging but opportunity-filled times. For more information, visit Beckers Hospital Reviews website at http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/conference/.

About North American Partners in Anesthesia

As a clinician-led organization, North American Partners in Anesthesia (NAPA) is redefining healthcare, delivering unsurpassed excellence to its partners and patients every day. In three decades, NAPA has grown to become one of the nations leading single-specialty anesthesia and perioperative management companies, serving more than one million patients annually in more than 200 healthcare facilities throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast. For more information, please visit NAPAanesthesia.com.
The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, has called on the Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari, to build primary health care facilities in the state in order to help the people of the state handle common health cases affecting them.

Mr. Yari came under fire from across the Nigerian polity recently for ascribing the outbreak of meningitis in Nigeria to Gods punishment for the sins of Nigerians.

Zamfara is the state most affected by the outbreak of the disease with more than half of the over 400 deaths recorded nationwide.

According to a press statement on Tuesday, Mr. Adewole said that the governors focus should be on strengthening the PHC system in the state.

This, he said, is the only way to prevent outbreaks and most of the common health challenges affecting the people.

Mr. Adewole said that if primary health care centres had been in place in the state, a single reported case at a centre would have activated a response that would have averted the scale of meningitis outbreak in the state.

Once the PHC system is in place, we can tackle not just this outbreak but 70-80 per cent of the cases of our people, he said.

The minister however urged the governments in Nigeria to prepare effectively for next years dry season, in order to be able to tackle the next outbreak.

While calling for the enlightenment of the public on the infection, the minister said We need to educate our people that this infection is so easy to treat and diagnose.

We must put a lot of effort into active case finding. We are recommending a house to house search, the minister added.

Mr. Adewole also called on the governor to clampdown on those reportedly selling the meningitis vaccines in the state, stating that they must be dealt with decisively.

At present, Zamfara State is the most affected by the outbreak of the Cerebro Spinal Meningitis.

The Federal Government has however kicked off a mass vaccination exercise in the state with residents turning out in large numbers to receive the vaccine.

In his response to the ministers counsel, Mr. Yari admitted that the state was taken by surprise but assured that the outbreak was being controlled by the federal government team.

He however vowed to provide leadership by doing all he can to ensure the protection of the lives and property of his people and pledged to get on board with the PHC agenda of Mr. Adewole.

He also disclosed that reported cases in the state had reduced in the past 72 hours as the state has received fewer cases and positive response.

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Michael Lana, a defence witness in the murder case against a female lawyer, Yewande Oyediran, on Wednesday told an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan that the deceased, Lowo, mistakenly stabbed himself to death.

Yewande, a staff of the Department of the Public Prosecution, Oyo State of Ministry of Justice, allegedly murdered Lowo, her husband, by stabbing him with a knife on February 2 at Akobo area of Ibadan.

Mr. Lana, a lawyer, while being led in evidence by the defendants counsel, Leye Adepoju, said that the landlord of the couple, Akinpelu Adelodun, told him that Lowo mistakenly stabbed himself while he (Adelodun) was trying to settle the fight between the couple.

The witness said Mr. Adelodun also told him that Yewande came out from the house shouting for help while Lowo was chasing her with a knife.

He said Mr. Adelodun informed him that Lowo had held down Yewande beside his car, adding that he (landlord) was able to rescue Yewande while Lowo mistakenly stabbed himself in the neck.

Mr. Lana, who said he was a family member of Mr, Adelodun, added that the landlord called him on phone to his residence as a lawyer to narrate the incident to him.

He also said that the landlord requested for his advice on a letter sent from the court inviting him (Adelodun) to come and give evidence in court.

The witness said Mr. Adelodun further told him that he did not give the police the real knife that stabbed the deceased, adding that another knife was taken away as the murder weapon.

He said Mr. Adelodun told him that he did not give the police the real knife because it could be incriminating as the thumb print on the murder weapon would be that of the deceased and him, and not that of Yewande.

During cross examination by the prosecution counsel, Sanya Akinyele, the witness said he was in court to prove that Mr. Adelodun was lying when he told the court that he did not call him on phone.

Mr. Lana, who claimed that the statement Mr. Adelodun made to the police was not true, added that he was in court to ensure that justice was done based on the truth.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that a witness from MTN, Mr James Oluwatunyi, was also called by the defence counsel to tender the call log between Lana and the landlord.

Justice Munta Abimbola adjourned the case till May 24 for continuation of hearing.

NAN reports that the accused, who is standing trial on a one-count charge of murder, had remained in prison custody after entering a not guilty plea.

(NAN)

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The Osun State Government on Wednesday announced a free train ride for its indigenes willing to travel from Lagos to Osogbo at Easter.

Semiu Okanlawon, a media aide to the governor, said in a statement in Osogbo that the train would move from the Iddo Terminus of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, Ebute Meta, Lagos on Friday morning to Osogbo and return on Monday.

He said that those in the corridor of Osun through Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States could benefit from the free train offer, urging indigenes of the state to take full advantage of the offer.

Mr. Okanlawon said the gesture was in line with the current administrations commitment to the welfare of the citizenry.

Government, therefore, enjoins indigenes of the state to maximise the advantage the free train ride offers them to visit home and enjoy the celebration.

The free train ride, as introduced by the Aregbesola government about six years ago, is aimed at facilitating the easy movement of the citizenry wherever they are, and this programme takes care of both Muslims and Christians during their festivals.

Since its commencement, we can say confidently that it has been a boost to the economy of the state, he said.

Mr. Okanlawon said millions of people had benefited from the free train offer since its commencement.

(NAN)

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ATLANTIC CITY  Hard Rock Internationals plan to rebrand the closed Taj Mahal into the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Atlantic City has been called a new game-changer for the city. If that sounds familiar, and maybe not as comforting as its intended to sound, theres a reason.

Five years ago this week, Revel opened its megaresort to fanfare and acclaim that it would change the city forever.

Two years later, Revel closed, crippled by its debt.

Hard Rock unveils $375 million plans for Taj Mahal ATLANTIC CITY  Twenty seven years ago, before he was president, Donald Trump walked the gam

But experts say Hard Rock has the experience, the brand and the customer base without the burdensome debt Revel had when it opened in 2012.

This includes Hard Rocks financial strength as the owner of 11 casinos, 175 cafes and 24 hotels, the companys iconic rock n roll brand and The Book, a database of gamblers that use Hard Rock properties around the world.

On Wednesday, Hard Rock, along with developers Jack Morris and Joe Jingoli, detailed plans to spend nearly $400 million converting the resort. The new property will feature two separate arenas, with seating totaling 7,000, and 2,400 slot machines. The property is expected to open in summer 2018.

They are smart business guys, said Sen. President Steve Sweeney, D-Gloucester, Cumberland, Salem. Hard Rock has one of the largest books when it comes to gamblers in the nation.

Customer databases are a valuable commodity in the industry. Last year MGM purchased Boyd Gamings stake in the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa for $900 million. Borgatas customer database was included in the deal. The database was a big part of the deal for MGM as it opens properties in Maryland and Massachusetts.

You are going to see a lot of business coming through his place, Sweeney said. Its not just like opening up another casino. You are opening up a casino with a book and that is what they always say brings the customers in. That is what Revel didnt have when they started.

In addition to lacking a customer list, Revels financial situation was dire when it opened its doors April 2, 2012.

In 2010, construction on Revel was halted after chief financial backer Morgan Stanley withdrew and the project ran out of money.

At the time, Revels CEO Kevin DeSanctis restarted construction by securing an extra $1.1 billion in funding in early 2011 from a consortium of lenders headed by Wall Street giant JPMorgan Chase.

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority also helped Revel by approving $261 million in state tax reimbursements over a 20-year period. Despite being open for a little over two years, Revel went through two bankruptcies.

Meanwhile, Hard Rock is going through its most successful period, said Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International.

Our balance sheet is as strong as any in the world, he said.

Hard Rock International is a private company under the Seminole tribe, and its overall finances are not public.

The Hard Rock brand has the ability to attract vacationers and gamblers that Revel couldnt, said Bob Ambrose, instructor of hospitality and gaming at Drexel University in Philadelphia.

The Revel was new and had to build a brand as well as customer loyalty to the brand, Ambrose said. The Hard Rock has a huge global loyal following and strong customer brand identification.

Hard Rock properties attract 100 million people annually, Allen said.
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If we learned anything from last years sold-out Atlantic City Weeklys Burger Bash, its that South Jerseyans love a good burger. And while that event was a smashing success, this years looks like it will be bigger and better in every way.

Lets start with the numbers  last year there were 14 competitors. Not a bad showing, but just to make the competition that much tougher, this year there will be a grand total of 21 restaurants serving up slider-sized versions of their best burgers. Everyone from casinos to local bars will go head to head-to-see whos beef is the chief.

The event is set to be held at The Deck at Golden Nugget Atlantic City and will feature live music from Seven Stone along with drink specials and some seriously gorgeous views of the marina. Burger Bash is presented by A.C. Weekly and sponsored by Golden Nugget and 103.7 WMGM FM.

While it all sounds great, the truth is a successful Burger Bash can only be as good as its burgers are. Luckily we only let in the top dogs in town. Want the details on exactly what they will serve? Here you go 

Vic & Anthonys: Bacon Beer and Onion Burger  Vic & Anthonys may be best known for its incredible steaks, but once you try its burger you will know why it earned its slot here at Burger Bash. Its burger comes topped with bacon, onions and dijon mustard all on a soft brioche roll.

Hard Rock Cafe: Guinness Bacon Cheeseburger  Hard Rock Cafe makes its debut at Burger Bash this year, and from what we have heard, this burger is no joke. Its a beef patty topped with Jameson bacon jam, Guinness cheese sauce and lettuce and tomato  mouths are already beginning to water.

Michael Patricks/The Deck: The Virginian Gentleman  The Deck will have home-field advantage at this event, but that doesnt mean it shouldnt bring its A game when it comes to the burger. Dubbed The Virginia Gentleman, this entry comes topped with Virginia ham, sharp cheddar and onion mustard relish, all piled on a soft brioche bun. A true contender.

Vagabond Kitchen and Tap House: The Dough Boy  A legend among A.C. burger joints, Vagabond will bring one of the most unusual burger choices to the party this year with The Doughboy burger featuring pork roll, American cheese, caramelized onions and spicy ranch dressing all encased in pizza dough and deep fried. Vagabond co-owner Elvis Cadavid seems confident, saying I saw Paul from Gregorys Bar (last years Burger Bash winner) last night and told him he better bring his A game to Burger Bash this year because I have a winner! Watch out folks.

Rubys Dinette: The Quick Bites Deli Burger  Rubys wowed the crowd last year with a burger that featured a parmesan-encrusted exterior, and this year it returns with something new  a burger topped with smoked pastrami, sauerkraut and dijon mustard, wisely piled on two slices of that irresistible grilled parmesan sourdough bread.

Wingcraft: The Classic Single  Wingcraft: The Classic Single  Wingcrafts burgers have become legendary despite only being in business for a few years. The classic single keeps things simple with a patty and some of Wingcraft's special sauce  its hard to go wrong here.

Margate Dairy Bar and Burger: The MDB Burger A local legend around the Margate region, this is the first year in Burger Bash for the Margate Dairy Bar and Burger. It may be a rookie at the event, but it is definitely not a newbie in the burger world, and its MDB Burger will be tough to beat. A proprietary Pat LaFrieda blend of short rib and brisket, its loaded with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a secret sauce  all on one of MDBs legendary branded buns.

Guy Fieris Chophouse: Bacon Mac N Cheese Burger  Just about everyone knows the name Guy Fieri, and of course he is synonymous with classic, semi-gluttonous American dishes, making Burger Bash a natural pairing. The Chophouses entry is about as decadent as a burger gets, with its array of toppings including bacon, mac and cheese, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and something called donkey sauce.

Bocca Coal Fired Bistro: Pepadew Bacon Burger  Bocca sat out last years Burger Bash, but after coming in second place at the inaugural Wing Wars, it decided to give this whole burger competition a try. Chef Robert Pappas will flex his culinary muscles as he brings out his Pepadew Bacon Burger, a custom blend Angus burger topped with aged white cheddar, Pepadew relish and cherry wood smoked bacon on  you guessed ita buttery brioche roll.

Maynards Cafe: Chef Sams Burger  Maynards is another Burger Bash virgin, but Chef Sams Burger is already building up a buzz with its combo of bacon marmalade, gouda, pickled red onion, garlic mayo and a long hot, all on a buttery bun.

Gallaghers and Broadway Burger Bar: Buffalo Chicken Burger  In one of the most daring moves in the entire competition, Gallaghers and Broadway Burger Bar will leave customers asking wheres the beef as they bite into this chicken burger loaded with Gorgonzola cheese, shaved celery and hot sauce all on a slightly sweet Hawaiian-style bun.

Hi Point Pub: The Stockton Savage Burger  Hi Point boldly returns to throw its hat in the Burger Bash ring this year with its own hand-formed burger, ambitiously topped with American cheese, bacon, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and its homemade signature hot blue ranch sauce.

Olon: Iberico Secreto Burger  Iron Chef Jose Garces recently opened his brand new restaurants in Tropicana: Olon and Okatshe. Though Olon specializes in Equadorian food, which is not typically associated with burgers, it can still whip up a great Burger Bash offering. Featuring somewhat unpronounceable ingredients such as shishito escabeche, along with miso-glazed pineapple and Yuzu cilantro aioli, this burger should be one of the most outside the box options at Burger Bash.

Leatherhead Pub: The Thai Turkey Burger We like to let the great flavor of the burger speak for itself, says Lisa Savage of Leatherhead Pub. And this particular burger has a lot to say with its combo ground turkey, thai herbs, sriracha mayo, asian slaw with daikon, carrots and cucumber. Now thats a mouthful!

Kelsey and Kims: The Kelsey Burger  The soul food specialists at Kelsey and Kims are sure to wow burger enthusiasts with their Fresh Black Angus burger, which comes topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, fried onions and special house made barbeque sauce on a Brioche roll.

Gregorys Restaurant: The Mac N Cheese BBQ Chip Burger  This may be the one to beat. Why? Because last year Gregorys took home the top prize with its incredible breakfast burger, so they know a thing or two about how to succeed at Burger Bash. This year they look to repeat with this entry which features mac n cheese and barbeque chips piled on their classic burger. Its gonna be tough to take down the champ.

Bills Bar and Burger: The Steakhouse Burger  Bills is a veteran of Burger Bash, and this year it is coming back with a burger that is already making mouths water more than a month ahead of time. Its a dry-aged burger with bacon-shallot marmalade, onion mayo and Swiss cheese on a potentially game changing pretzel bun. Yum.

The Metropolitan: Steak au poivre burger  Going the fancy route this year is Borgatas own Metropolitan, which brings its steak au poivre burger to Burger Bash. Topped with gruyere cheese and slab bacon, think of it as an upscale version of the classic bacon cheeseburger.

Coastal Craft Kitchen + Bar: The Rum Point Burger  Coastal Craft Kitchen + Bar may not have officially opened its doors yet, but that doesnt mean it isnt cooking up a storm in preparation for Burger Bash. Its Rum Point Burger consists of a secret blend of Pat LaFrieda beef topped with Neuskes bacon, tillamook cheddar cheese and a fried egg, all seated on a griddled brioche bun with lettuce and tomato. Coastal is sure to find some new fans with this one.

Atlantic City Burger Co.: The AC/BC Burger  With a name like Atlantic City Burger Co., one can safely assume that it knows its way around a burger. And one would be correct. Its entry in Burger Bash starts things off with a dry-aged burger, then adds both Boursin cheese and mushroom peppercorn sauce to produce a perfect masterpiece.

Tavern on the Bay: The Tavern Burger  Another newcomer to Burger Bash this year is Tavern on the Bay. Chef Paul Drew comes well prepared with what is sure to be a favorite at Burger Bash: the Tavern Burger. Think Kobe beef grilled over an open flame, with apple-smoked bacon and blue cheese, all resting casually on a toasted brioche bun. Delish.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  About 200 Stockton University faculty members, staff and students joined their counterparts at public colleges across the state Wednesday in protesting their lack of a contract after almost two years and what they called an overall lack of support for higher education.

Our message is simple, said Tim Haresign, a Stockton professor and president of the Council of State College Locals, AFT/AFL-CIO, which represents the faculty. The state of New Jersey and the college presidents need to support affordable, accessible and quality higher education.

He thanked students for their support, saying it is their energy and commitment that drives the colleges.

To the presidents, I say shame on you, he said. We have gone almost two years without a contract. You know how hard we work for students. The presidents have the power. Use your authority to get us a fair contract now.

The state college contracts are negotiated as a group by the state, with input from the college presidents. Haresign said they feel like they are getting close to an agreement with the state on salaries, but believe that not all of the college presidents are on board, which is why rallies were planned at all nine state colleges.

Stockton President Harvey Kesselman issued a statement saying the university has budgeted for salary increases and we fully support a resolution of the American Federation of Teachers contract by the state.

The event at Stockton began with a flamboyant Mardi Gras-style funeral procession mourning higher education in New Jersey. The Stockton faculty band played When the Saints Come Marching In as mourners carried a wooden coffin.

It was opened in a courtyard to reveal student Madelaine Welch carrying a sign that said, No More Student Debt.

While the focus was on the contracts, speakers also addressed years of flat state aid to public colleges. They also highlighted the role of part-time adjunct professors and professional support staff.

Stacey Rose, vice president of the professional staff association, said they work behind the scenes in housing, admissions and financial aid, but are still important to student success.

When there are broken hearts, broken minds or broken equipment, we are here, she said.

Stockton Federation of Teachers President Anne Pomeroy said she does not believe the state holds the state colleges in high regard. She said she chose public higher education because she believes all students deserve a quality college education, but dwindling state support has hurt.

Our fight is not just for union members. It is for the students, and their children, she said.

Students attending the event said they had been unaware that professors have not had a new contract and wanted to show their support.

Teachers need to get paid what they deserve, said SaMiyah Wright, 19, of Glassboro.
Dutch English

The Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM) of Heijmans N.V. was held on Wednesday 12 April 2017 in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands. The key resolutions are as follows:

Power of the Executive Board to Issue Shares

Extension of the nomination of the Executive Board as the competent body to issue ordinary shares for a period of 18 months from the date of the AGM was approved. This power is limited to 10% of the issued share capital currently outstanding, as well as 10% thereof if the issue takes place as part of a merger or acquisition or as part of the formation of a strategic alliance.

2016 Result Appropriation

In view of the development of the operating results and the net result over 2016, the Executive Board, subject to the approval of the Supervisory Board, decided that no dividend be distributed on the ordinary shares or depositary receipts for ordinary shares for the 2016 financial year.

About Heijmans

Heijmans is a listed company that combines activities related to property development, residential building, non-residential building, roads and civil engineering in the fields living, working and connecting. Our constant focus on quality improvements, innovation and integrated solutions enables us to generate added value for our clients. Heijmans realises projects for private consumers, companies and public sector bodies and, in partnership with its clients, is building the spatial contours of tomorrow. You will find additional information on www.heijmans.nl







For more information/not for publication:





Media:

Marieke Swinkels-Verstappen

+31 73 543 52 17

mswinkelsverstappen@heijmans.nl



Analysts:

Guido Peters

+31 73 543 52 17

gpeters@heijmans.nl
Atlantic County residents could see a substantial increase in taxes this year.

In Atlantic Citys first budget address since the state took control of its finances, city and state officials announced the county would not be receiving the 13.5 percent of casino payments in lieu of property taxes promised last year before the legislation was passed.

Instead, the county will receive 10.4 percent of the annual so-called PILOT agreement.

The move is a major blow to the county that ultimately will cost taxpayers $40 million to make up the difference over the 10-year lifespan of the bill, officials said.

The amount taxes will be increased countywide is yet to be determined. County Executive Dennis Levinson said it will range anywhere from 5 cents to 15 cents per $100 of equalized value. That could mean a county tax-rate increase between $100 and $300 for a $200,000 home.

The special interests won and the people lost, Levinson said. Welcome to New Jersey.

The PILOT lets Atlantic City casinos collectively pay $120 million each year for a decade in lieu of property taxes, so long as casino revenue stays at current levels.

The fight over who gets the PILOT money had been a major issue for the county that has delayed the introduction of its annual budget.

The county wanted a 13.5 percent piece of the PILOT pie, which reflected the countys historic share. But city officials said the county should get just 10.4 percent, which is in line with what the county has received recently. Its a difference of $4 million per year.

Ultimately, the state made the decision on the share because it has control of the citys finances.

The decision led several mayors across the county to call Gov. Chris Christie a liar. Christie, who released a statement praising the tax decrease and reduced budget in Atlantic City, promised Levinson last year that the county would get the 13.5 percent.

Its in the legislation. Its part of the bill, Christie said during a news conference in April 2016. Unlike dealing with (Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian), Denny knows that if I say its going to happen, then its going to happen.

But the 13.5 percent was not in the final PILOT legislation that was passed by state lawmakers.

Levinson never blamed the governor personally, but instead said he got bad guidance from the person overseeing Atlantic City, former U.S. Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa.

Several mayors on Tuesday said that they never would have supported the PILOT Bill without the guarantee of the countys share.

We were taken for a ride, said Galloway Township Mayor Don Purdy, a Republican. This area has suffered tremendously from Atlantic City and its issues.

Purdy accused Christie of going back on his word.

The Christie administration, meanwhile, blamed the county for not helping solve Atlantic Citys issues.

Unfortunately, the county has not lived up to its commitments to the state to help Atlantic City achieve efficiencies and savings, said Brian Murray, Christies press secretary. As a result, those failures make it unfair and impossible to provide the increased level of aid requested by the county and which the state had hoped to be able to provide.

In the past year, the county has repaid Atlantic City about $65 million in back taxes because of over-assessments. County employees have taken several furlough days to cut costs and have assumed responsibility for the citys Meals on Wheels program, among others.

Assemblyman Chris Brown, R-Atlantic, said Atlantic Citys budget should not be balanced on the backs of Atlantic County working families who didnt create the mess in the first place.
ATLANTIC CITY  Police arrested five people in two incidents within an hour Tuesday.

At 2:06 a.m., Detective Garry Stowe stopped a vehicle at Kentucky and Pacific avenues that was reported stolen.

Police said they found two people in the car, Damon Stevenson, 25, of Trenton, and Maxine Anderson, 22, of Wilmington, Delaware, in possession of cocaine and marijuana.

Each was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, intent to distribute, intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public zone and receiving stolen property.

Stevenson was additionally charged with contempt of court warrants and taken to the Atlantic County jail in Mays Landing.

The third person in the car, Justin Figueroa, 22, of Atlantic City, was charged with receiving stolen property.

Figueroa and Anderson were released pending a summons.

At 2:49 a.m., three detectives were conducting a drug investigation in an apartment complex in the 100 block of N. South Carolina Avenue.

They stopped a vehicle and found two suspects, Adam Williams, 23, and John Adams, 49, both of Atlantic City, with 99 bags of heroin and bag of cocaine, police said.

Williams was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute within 500 and 1,000 feet of a school zone.

Adams was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

Both were released on a summons, pending a future court date.
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP  Planes, trains and automobiles.

The Atlantic City area is seeing fewer of them, according to South Jersey Transportation Authority data from January and February.

Yet one segment is booming even as some major indicators show big drops in commercial airline traffic to Atlantic City International Airport, casino bus trips and tolls at the Atlantic City Expressways Pleasantville plaza that gauges resort traffic.

Charter flights  many used by casinos to bring in visitors  are up nearly 48 percent the first two months of the year compared with a year ago.

Authority officials did not speculate on the increase, but travel and casino analysts believe its tied to casino operators bringing more high rollers to Atlantic City.

That is very good news and emblematic of the resort business model, said Michael Pollock, managing director of Spectrum Gaming, adding that the states low casino tax rate makes it attractive.

Through February, more than 14,018 passengers had taken charter flights to the region, about 4,500 more than a year ago.

This comes as commercial passenger service lags. Commercial airline passengers at Atlantic City International, which features one carrier, Spirit, dropped nearly 13 percent during the first two months of the year.

February was the third consecutive month of significant statistical increases in this indicator, which suggests, based on other information, that Caesars has committed to ramping up its VIP gambler program, said Anthony Marino, a local market analyst and retired executive with the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Pollock said MGM, the owner of Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, as well as three Atlantic City properties owned by Caesars, is in the best position to leverage charter flights.

For the last several years, Borgata has offered Fly Borgata, a charter service that flies to the airport. Fly Borgata, which started in March 2013, features a luxury 30-seat jet, no security delays at the airport and direct travel to the resort. The service flies to 20 cities.

Fly Borgata is the most convenient way to travel from destinations outside a three-hour drive time, said Mike Woodside, vice president of marketing at Borgata. With programs like Fly, Borgata continues to lead the market by showing its commitment to growing visitation to Atlantic City.

Caesars representatives said they have been offering charter service for a while.

Its a way to bring in new customers to the market and have them experience our resorts here in Atlantic City, said Noel Stevenson, spokeswoman for Caesars. As we go into the summer season, we would typically plan more charters going into our peak season.

Bringing in high rollers from other states is nothing new, said Gary Martin of GM Casino Ventures, a company that sets up trips to properties.

You look back and properties were using 100-seat planes to bring people into the city, Martin said. Most of the people that they are bringing in now are from outside of the driving distance.
This is a joint press release by NN Group N.V. ('NN Group') and Delta Lloyd N.V. ('Delta Lloyd'), pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 Paragraph 3 of the Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit Openbare Biedingen Wft) (the 'Decree') in connection with the recommended public offer by NN Group Bidco B.V., a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of NN Group (the 'Offeror') for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd. This announcement does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. An offer is made only by means of the 'Offer Memorandum', dated 2 February 2017, and subject to the restrictions set forth therein. Terms not defined in this press release will have the meaning given thereto in the Offer Memorandum. This announcement is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

NN Group has settled the Shares tendered in the Offer Period

Remaining Shares can still be tendered in the Post Closing Acceptance Period

Reference is made to the joint press release by NN Group and Delta Lloyd dated 2 February 2017 regarding the publication of the Offer Memorandum for the recommended public cash offer by the Offeror to all holders of issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd (the 'Shares') to acquire their Shares at a price of EUR 5.40 (cum dividend) in cash for each Share (the 'Offer'). Further reference is made to the joint press release dated 7 April 2017 regarding the declarations of no objection from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) and the European Central Bank (ECB), and the competition clearance from the European Commission, and the joint press release dated 7 April 2017 on the results of the Offer Period and in which the Offer was declared unconditional.

NN Group and Delta Lloyd jointly announce that the Offeror has, following Settlement, acquired 79.9% of the Shares. The Combined Company will move forward as a leading player in insurance and pensions in the Dutch market, with a strong market position in Belgium, as well as provide an attractive offering in asset management and banking products.

Now that the acquisition is completed, NN Group and Delta Lloyd will start the integration process. NN Group and Delta Lloyd will align and integrate their operations in the Netherlands and Belgium, to fully benefit from the additional scale, capabilities, combined reach and resources. This will result in an overall stronger platform from which to provide enhanced customer propositions and generate shareholder return. The integration will be led by the NN Group Management Board.

Post Closing Acceptance Period

The Offeror grants those holders of Shares who have not yet tendered their Shares under the Offer the opportunity to tender their Shares, under the same terms and conditions applicable to the Offer, in a post closing acceptance period (na-aanmeldingstermijn) which commenced at 09:00 hours CET on 10 April 2017 and will expire at 17:40 hours CET on 21 April 2017 (the 'Post Closing Acceptance Period').

During the Post Closing Acceptance Period, shareholders have no right to withdraw Shares from the Offer, regardless of whether their Shares have been validly tendered (or defectively tendered, provided that such defect has been waived by the Offeror) during the Offer Period or the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

The Offeror will publicly announce the results of the Post Closing Acceptance Period and the total amount and total percentage of Shares held by it in accordance with Section 17, paragraph 4 of the Decree ultimately on the third (3rd) Business Day following the last day of the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

The Offeror shall continue to accept for payment all Shares validly tendered (or defectively tendered provided that such defect has been waived by the Offeror) during the Post Closing Acceptance Period and shall pay for such Shares in any event within three (3) Business Days following the last day of the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

Announcements

Any further announcements in relation to the Offer will be issued by press release and, to the extent required, made public in Belgium by means of a supplement to the Offer Memorandum, in accordance with Article 17 of the Belgian Law on public takeover bids of 1 April 2007. Any press release issued by NN Group will be made available on NN Group's website (www.nn-group.com) and any press release issued by Delta Lloyd will be made available on Delta Lloyd's website (www.deltalloyd.com). Subject to any applicable requirements of the applicable rules and without limiting the manner in which the Offeror may choose to make any public announcement, the Offeror will have no obligation to communicate any public announcement other than as described in the Offer Memorandum.

Offer Memorandum, Position Statement and further information

This announcement contains selected, condensed information regarding the Offer and does not replace the Offer Memorandum and/or the Position Statement. The information in this announcement is not complete and additional information is contained in the Offer Memorandum and the Position Statement dated 2 February 2017.

Digital copies of the Offer Memorandum are available on the websites of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com) and NN Group (www.nn-group.com). Copies of the Offer Memorandum are also available free of charge at the offices of Delta Lloyd and the Settlement Agent at the addresses mentioned below. A digital copy of the Position Statement is available on the website of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com).

Delta Lloyd

Delta Lloyd N.V.

Amstelplein 6

1096 BC Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Settlement Agent (ABN AMRO)

Gustav Mahlerlaan 10

P.O. Box 283

1000 EA Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Other

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, NN Group or its brokers (acting as agents for NN Group) may from time to time after the date hereof, and other than pursuant to the Offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd, that are the subject of the Offer. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in the Netherlands, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release to inform shareholders of such information, which will be made available on the website of NN Group. In addition, financial advisors to NN Group may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities.

Press enquiries NN Group

Media Relations

+31 70 513 1918

mediarelations@nn-group.com Investor enquiries NN Group

Investor Relations

+31 88 663 5464

investor.relations@nn-group.com Press enquiries Delta Lloyd

Media Relations

+31 20 594 4488

mediarelations@deltalloyd.nl Investor enquiries Delta Lloyd

Investor Relations

+31 20 594 9693

ir@deltalloyd.nl

NN Group profile

NN Group is an international insurance and asset management company, active in 18 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. With around 11,500 employees the group offers retirement services, insurance, investments and banking to more than 15 million customers. NN Group includes Nationale-Nederlanden, NN and NN Investment Partners. NN Group is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (NN).

Delta Lloyd profile

Delta Lloyd offers products and services in insurance, pensions, investment and banking, serving 4.2 million commercial and retail clients in The Netherlands and Belgium. Our four brands are Delta Lloyd, ABN AMRO Insurance, BeFrank and OHRA. Delta Lloyd is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Brussels, and included in the DJSI World and DJSI Europe.

Notice to US holders of Shares

The Offer will be made for the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Delta Lloyd N.V., a public limited liability company incorporated under Dutch Law, and is subject to Dutch disclosure and procedural requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Offer will be made in the United States in compliance with Section 14(e) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'U.S. Exchange Act') and Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder, and the exemptions therefrom provided by Rule 14d-1(d), and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Dutch and Belgium law. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to certain disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the Offer timetable and settlement procedures and timing of payments that are different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and laws.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Offer by a U.S. holder of Shares will generally be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and may be a taxable transaction under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of Shares is urged to consult his independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the Offer.

It may be difficult for U.S. holders of Shares to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the U.S. federal securities laws, since the Offeror and Delta Lloyd are located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of a country other than the United States. U.S. holders of Shares may not be able to sue a non-U.S. company or its officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-U.S. company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment.

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, including Rule 14e-5 of the U.S. Exchange Act, in accordance with normal Dutch practice, the Offeror and its Affiliates or brokers (acting as agents for the Offeror or its Affiliates, as applicable) may before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance, directly or indirectly, purchase, or arrange to purchase, Shares outside of the United States, from time to time, other than pursuant to the Offer. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. In addition, the financial advisors to the Offeror may engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. To the extent required in The Netherlands, any information about such purchases will be announced by press release in accordance with Article 13 of the Decree and posted on the website of NN Group at www.nn-group.com.

Restrictions

The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, NN Group and Delta Lloyd disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of any such restrictions by any person. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Neither NN Group, nor Delta Lloyd nor any of its advisors assumes any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions. Any shareholder who is in any doubt as to its position should consult an appropriate professional advisor without delay. This announcement is not to be published or distributed in or to Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

The information in the press release is not intended to be complete, for further information reference is made to the Offer Memorandum. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to acquire or dispose of any securities or investment advice or an inducement to enter into investment activity. In addition, the Offer made pursuant to the Offer Memorandum is not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or other laws or regulations of such jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or filing with any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the terms of the Offer Memorandum.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements", such as statements relating to the impact of the Offer on the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd and the expected timing and completion of the Offer. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words may, anticipated, expected or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd, and any of their respective Affiliates, each with respect to the statements it has provided, believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. Nevertheless, no assurance can be given that such statements will be fulfilled or prove to be correct, and no representations are made as to the future accuracy and completeness of such statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Offeror's, NN Group's and Delta Lloyd's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or those results expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (i) the risk that required regulatory approvals may delay the Offer or result in the imposition of conditions that could have a material adverse effect on the Combined Group or cause the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd to abandon the Offer, (ii) the risk that the Offer Conditions may not be satisfied, (iii) risks relating to NN Group's ability to successfully operate Delta Lloyd without disruption to its other business activities, which may result in the Combined Group not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected, (iv) the possibility that the Offer may involve unexpected costs, unexpected liabilities or unexpected delays, (v) the risk that the businesses of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the Offer, (vi) the effects of competition (in particular the response to the Transaction in the marketplace) and competitive developments or risks inherent to NN Group's or Delta Lloyd's business plans, (vii) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction will harm relationships with customers, employees and suppliers, (viii) political, economic or legal changes in the markets and environments in which NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd does business, (ix) economic conditions in the global markets in which NN Group and Delta Lloyd operate, (x) uncertainties, risk and volatility in financial markets affecting the Offeror, NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd, and (xi) other factors that can be found in NN Group's and its subsidiaries' and Delta Lloyd's press releases and public filings.

Neither the Offeror, NN Group nor Delta Lloyd, nor any of their respective Affiliates and advisors, accepts any responsibility for any financial information contained in the Offer Memorandum relating to the business, results of operations or financial condition of the other or their respective groups. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based except as required by applicable laws and regulations or by any competent regulatory authority.
NN Group has settled the Shares tendered in the Offer Period

Remaining Shares can still be tendered in the Post Closing Acceptance Period

Reference is made to the joint press release by NN Group and Delta Lloyd dated 2 February 2017 regarding the publication of the Offer Memorandum for the recommended public cash offer by the Offeror to all holders of issued and outstanding ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd (the 'Shares') to acquire their Shares at a price of EUR 5.40 (cum dividend) in cash for each Share (the 'Offer'). Further reference is made to the joint press release dated 7 April 2017 regarding the declarations of no objection from the Dutch Central Bank (DNB), the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) and the European Central Bank (ECB), and the competition clearance from the European Commission, and the joint press release dated 7 April 2017 on the results of the Offer Period and in which the Offer was declared unconditional.

NN Group and Delta Lloyd jointly announce that the Offeror has, following Settlement, acquired 79.9% of the Shares. The Combined Company will move forward as a leading player in insurance and pensions in the Dutch market, with a strong market position in Belgium, as well as provide an attractive offering in asset management and banking products.

Now that the acquisition is completed, NN Group and Delta Lloyd will start the integration process. NN Group and Delta Lloyd will align and integrate their operations in the Netherlands and Belgium, to fully benefit from the additional scale, capabilities, combined reach and resources. This will result in an overall stronger platform from which to provide enhanced customer propositions and generate shareholder return. The integration will be led by the NN Group Management Board.

Post Closing Acceptance Period

The Offeror grants those holders of Shares who have not yet tendered their Shares under the Offer the opportunity to tender their Shares, under the same terms and conditions applicable to the Offer, in a post closing acceptance period (na-aanmeldingstermijn) which commenced at 09:00 hours CET on 10 April 2017 and will expire at 17:40 hours CET on 21 April 2017 (the 'Post Closing Acceptance Period').

During the Post Closing Acceptance Period, shareholders have no right to withdraw Shares from the Offer, regardless of whether their Shares have been validly tendered (or defectively tendered, provided that such defect has been waived by the Offeror) during the Offer Period or the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

The Offeror will publicly announce the results of the Post Closing Acceptance Period and the total amount and total percentage of Shares held by it in accordance with Section 17, paragraph 4 of the Decree ultimately on the third (3rd) Business Day following the last day of the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

The Offeror shall continue to accept for payment all Shares validly tendered (or defectively tendered provided that such defect has been waived by the Offeror) during the Post Closing Acceptance Period and shall pay for such Shares in any event within three (3) Business Days following the last day of the Post Closing Acceptance Period.

Announcements

Any further announcements in relation to the Offer will be issued by press release and, to the extent required, made public in Belgium by means of a supplement to the Offer Memorandum, in accordance with Article 17 of the Belgian Law on public takeover bids of 1 April 2007. Any press release issued by NN Group will be made available on NN Group's website (www.nn-group.com) and any press release issued by Delta Lloyd will be made available on Delta Lloyd's website (www.deltalloyd.com). Subject to any applicable requirements of the applicable rules and without limiting the manner in which the Offeror may choose to make any public announcement, the Offeror will have no obligation to communicate any public announcement other than as described in the Offer Memorandum.

Offer Memorandum, Position Statement and further information

This announcement contains selected, condensed information regarding the Offer and does not replace the Offer Memorandum and/or the Position Statement. The information in this announcement is not complete and additional information is contained in the Offer Memorandum and the Position Statement dated 2 February 2017.

Digital copies of the Offer Memorandum are available on the websites of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com) and NN Group (www.nn-group.com). Copies of the Offer Memorandum are also available free of charge at the offices of Delta Lloyd and the Settlement Agent at the addresses mentioned below. A digital copy of the Position Statement is available on the website of Delta Lloyd (www.deltalloyd.com).

Delta Lloyd

Delta Lloyd N.V.

Amstelplein 6

1096 BC Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Settlement Agent (ABN AMRO)

Gustav Mahlerlaan 10

P.O. Box 283

1000 EA Amsterdam

The Netherlands

Other

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, NN Group or its brokers (acting as agents for NN Group) may from time to time after the date hereof, and other than pursuant to the Offer, directly or indirectly purchase, or arrange to purchase, ordinary shares in the capital of Delta Lloyd, that are the subject of the Offer. To the extent information about such purchases or arrangements to purchase is made public in the Netherlands, such information will be disclosed by means of a press release to inform shareholders of such information, which will be made available on the website of NN Group. In addition, financial advisors to NN Group may also engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities.

Press enquiries NN Group

Media Relations

+31 70 513 1918

mediarelations@nn-group.com Investor enquiries NN Group

Investor Relations

+31 88 663 5464

investor.relations@nn-group.com Press enquiries Delta Lloyd

Media Relations

+31 20 594 4488

mediarelations@deltalloyd.nl Investor enquiries Delta Lloyd

Investor Relations

+31 20 594 9693

ir@deltalloyd.nl







NN Group profile

NN Group is an international insurance and asset management company, active in 18 countries, with a strong presence in a number of European countries and Japan. With around 11,500 employees the group offers retirement services, insurance, investments and banking to more than 15 million customers. NN Group includes Nationale-Nederlanden, NN and NN Investment Partners. NN Group is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (NN).

Delta Lloyd profile

Delta Lloyd offers products and services in insurance, pensions, investment and banking, serving 4.2 million commercial and retail clients in The Netherlands and Belgium. Our four brands are Delta Lloyd, ABN AMRO Insurance, BeFrank and OHRA. Delta Lloyd is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Brussels, and included in the DJSI World and DJSI Europe.

Notice to US holders of Shares

The Offer will be made for the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Delta Lloyd N.V., a public limited liability company incorporated under Dutch Law, and is subject to Dutch disclosure and procedural requirements, which are different from those of the United States. The Offer will be made in the United States in compliance with Section 14(e) of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the 'U.S. Exchange Act') and Regulation 14E promulgated thereunder, and the exemptions therefrom provided by Rule 14d-1(d), and otherwise in accordance with the requirements of Dutch and Belgium law. Accordingly, the Offer will be subject to certain disclosure and other procedural requirements, including with respect to withdrawal rights, the Offer timetable and settlement procedures and timing of payments that are different from those applicable under U.S. domestic tender offer procedures and laws.

The receipt of cash pursuant to the Offer by a U.S. holder of Shares will generally be a taxable transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes and may be a taxable transaction under applicable state and local, as well as foreign and other tax laws. Each holder of Shares is urged to consult his independent professional advisor immediately regarding the tax consequences of acceptance of the Offer.

It may be difficult for U.S. holders of Shares to enforce their rights and claims arising out of the U.S. federal securities laws, since the Offeror and Delta Lloyd are located in a country other than the United States, and some or all of their officers and directors may be residents of a country other than the United States. U.S. holders of Shares may not be able to sue a non-U.S. company or its officers or directors in a non-U.S. court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. Further, it may be difficult to compel a non-U.S. company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment.

To the extent permissible under applicable law or regulation, including Rule 14e-5 of the U.S. Exchange Act, in accordance with normal Dutch practice, the Offeror and its Affiliates or brokers (acting as agents for the Offeror or its Affiliates, as applicable) may before or during the period in which the Offer remains open for acceptance, directly or indirectly, purchase, or arrange to purchase, Shares outside of the United States, from time to time, other than pursuant to the Offer. These purchases may occur either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. In addition, the financial advisors to the Offeror may engage in ordinary course trading activities in securities of Delta Lloyd, which may include purchases or arrangements to purchase such securities. To the extent required in The Netherlands, any information about such purchases will be announced by press release in accordance with Article 13 of the Decree and posted on the website of NN Group at www.nn-group.com.

Restrictions

The distribution of this press release may, in some countries, be restricted by law or regulation. Accordingly, persons who come into possession of this document should inform themselves of and observe these restrictions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, NN Group and Delta Lloyd disclaim any responsibility or liability for the violation of any such restrictions by any person. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of that jurisdiction. Neither NN Group, nor Delta Lloyd nor any of its advisors assumes any responsibility for any violation by any person of any of these restrictions. Any shareholder who is in any doubt as to its position should consult an appropriate professional advisor without delay. This announcement is not to be published or distributed in or to Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

The information in the press release is not intended to be complete, for further information reference is made to the Offer Memorandum. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to acquire or dispose of any securities or investment advice or an inducement to enter into investment activity. In addition, the Offer made pursuant to the Offer Memorandum is not being made in any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the securities or other laws or regulations of such jurisdiction or would require any registration, approval or filing with any regulatory authority not expressly contemplated by the terms of the Offer Memorandum.

Forward-looking statements

Certain statements in this press release may be considered "forward-looking statements", such as statements relating to the impact of the Offer on the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd and the expected timing and completion of the Offer. Forward-looking statements include those preceded by, followed by or that include the words may, anticipated, expected or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd, and any of their respective Affiliates, each with respect to the statements it has provided, believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions. Nevertheless, no assurance can be given that such statements will be fulfilled or prove to be correct, and no representations are made as to the future accuracy and completeness of such statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Offeror's, NN Group's and Delta Lloyd's control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical experience or those results expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, (i) the risk that required regulatory approvals may delay the Offer or result in the imposition of conditions that could have a material adverse effect on the Combined Group or cause the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd to abandon the Offer, (ii) the risk that the Offer Conditions may not be satisfied, (iii) risks relating to NN Group's ability to successfully operate Delta Lloyd without disruption to its other business activities, which may result in the Combined Group not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected, (iv) the possibility that the Offer may involve unexpected costs, unexpected liabilities or unexpected delays, (v) the risk that the businesses of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the Offer, (vi) the effects of competition (in particular the response to the Transaction in the marketplace) and competitive developments or risks inherent to NN Group's or Delta Lloyd's business plans, (vii) the risk that disruptions from the Transaction will harm relationships with customers, employees and suppliers, (viii) political, economic or legal changes in the markets and environments in which NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd does business, (ix) economic conditions in the global markets in which NN Group and Delta Lloyd operate, (x) uncertainties, risk and volatility in financial markets affecting the Offeror, NN Group and/or Delta Lloyd, and (xi) other factors that can be found in NN Group's and its subsidiaries' and Delta Lloyd's press releases and public filings.

Neither the Offeror, NN Group nor Delta Lloyd, nor any of their respective Affiliates and advisors, accepts any responsibility for any financial information contained in the Offer Memorandum relating to the business, results of operations or financial condition of the other or their respective groups. Each of the Offeror, NN Group and Delta Lloyd expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to disseminate any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based except as required by applicable laws and regulations or by any competent regulatory authority.

Attachments:

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea3fad2a-eec0-44cf-8630-41751db20504
DHL Express, the world's leading international express services provider, has launched a new daily flight connecting Bahrain Hub with Jeddah, one of its gateways in Saudi Arabia's western region.

The new route will see DHL Express fly seven times a week between Bahrain International Airport and Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport, with each Boeing 757 flight carrying up to 22 tons of cargo. Doing so makes DHL the first international express provider to offer direct movement and clearance of non-document goods through its DHL Express Worldwide service between Bahrain and Jeddah, reducing transit times by anywhere from 24 to 48 hours for customers shipping to Saudi Arabia's Western Provinces.

"Bahrain forms a key node connecting Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia to other markets like China, the Kingdom's top export and import destination[1]; and the European Union, where air freight volumes have grown by more than 50% since 2011,[2]" said Nour Suliman, CEO, DHL Express Middle East and North Africa. "This new route has allowed us to reintroduce Worldwide Parcel Express services after 8 years, at a time when e-commerce and growing regional affluence are causing demand for cross-border consumer shipments to literally soar."

This brings the total number of flights into Saudi Arabia to up to 21 per week, with the Bahrain-Jeddah connection further enhancing the transit time at Saudi Arabia's main express gateway in Riyadh. The new connection allows DHL customers to order pickup of non-document shipments as late as 5pm for same day dispatch, with DHL handling all package movement and clearance from the point of pickup. The route also supports growing volumes of repaired and returned goods between Saudi Arabia and producers in United Arab Emirates, USA and the European Union, primarily in the energy, technology, and life science sectors.

Jeddah is one of Saudi Arabia's fastest growing cities, due largely to a steady flow of investment to build its infrastructure and economy[3], while Bahrain's strategic location and streamlined logistics infrastructure[4] make it a critical entry point for shipments to and between countries in the Arabian Gulf.

"Imports and exports to and from Saudi Arabia have been increasing in the past few years and show no signs of cooling off, particularly with the US and within the Middle East and North Africa region," said Bachi Spiga, Head of Operations, Middle East and North Africa, DHL Express. "This new route will provide much-needed delivery capacity and agility not only to Jeddah and the Western Provinces, but also indirectly to the many other Gulf states for which Saudi Arabia acts as a trade hub.

"As intra-regional trade and demand for consumer goods continues to grow, supported by heavy regional investment in logistics-intense sectors like life sciences[5] and technology,[6] we intend to continue improving the speed, frequency, and quality of service of deliveries throughout the region with market-leading connections like our new Bahrain-Jeddah flight."

"This investment is timely and supports Saudi Arabia's transformational blueprint known as Vision 2030, of which one of its pillars is to transform the strategic location of the Kingdom into a global hub connecting three continents, Asia, Europe and Africa; and turning the Kingdom into an epicenter of trade and logistics, and a gateway to the world," said Faysal El Hajjami, Country General Manager, Saudi Arabia, DHL Express.

- End -

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] http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/sau/

[2] http://www.agility.com/EN/About-Us/Documents/Agility%20Emerging%20Markets%20Logistics%20Index%202016.pdf

[3] https://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/overview/centre-sea-logistical-demands-growing-metropolitan-area-are-bringing-fresh-opportunity

[4] http://www.bahrain.com/en/bi/key-investment-sectors/Pages/logistics.aspx#.WJwuIm996Uk

[5] http://www.ey.com/Publication/vwLUAssets/EY-investment-big-bets-healthcare-tl-report/$FILE/EY-investment-big-bets-healthcare-tl-report.pdf

[6] https://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/analysis/long-term-evolution-investments-new-technology-are-driving-sector-expansion

Photo - http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/488945/DHL.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/473977/DHL_Logo.jpg

SOURCE DHL
TOKYO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Japan's 127 year-old Imperial Hotel, Ltd. has announced the appointment of Yukio Kanao as General Manager of the Tokyo flagship Imperial Hotel, effective April 1, 2017. Kanao was formerly Deputy General Manager of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo and Senior Managing Director of Imperial Hotel, Ltd.

Photo: http://prw.kyodonews.jp/prwfile/release/M100617/201704110808/_prw_PI1fl_72E61t8p.jpg

Kanao, aged 55, joined Imperial Hotel, Ltd. upon his graduation from Tsukuba University in 1984, and was named Director of Sales at Imperial Hotel, Ltd.'s London office from 1997 to 2000. He was appointed Director of Sales at Imperial Hotel, Ltd.'s New York office from 2000 to 2002, and in 2007 was named Director of Rooms and Restaurants at the Imperial Hotel, Osaka. He was appointed Director of Sales and Marketing for Imperial Hotel, Ltd. in 2011, and from 2014 served as Deputy General Manager of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

Tokyo's Imperial was founded by Japanese aristocracy in 1890 on the same site it occupies today and opened as a venue to receive an increasing number of foreign dignitaries visiting Japan in the Meiji Period (1868-1912). It initiated many new services and facilities which have since become standard services for major Japanese hotels, such as all-inclusive Shinto and Christian wedding services, shopping arcades, and in-house laundry service, and introduced diverse Western cuisine to the Japanese public. For its range of classical Japanese hospitality, it is the traditional favorite of visiting dignitaries and celebrities from abroad visiting the Japanese capital.

SOURCE Imperial Hotel, Ltd.
Irondale, AL, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pope Francis has appointed EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw as a Consultor to the Vaticans Secretariat for Communications. The appointment was announced at the Vatican on Wednesday, April 12, 2017. As a consultor, Warsaw will have a role in advising the Pope and the Holy See on matters related to media and communications. The appointment comes as part a broad restructuring of the media operations of the Vatican.

I am extremely humbled and honored by the Holy Fathers appointment, said Warsaw. This is a tremendous recognition of the role which EWTN plays in the life of the Church throughout the world. I am grateful to Pope Francis for his confidence and look forward to serving the universal Church in this post.

Warsaw joined EWTN in 1991 and has held senior management positions in the areas of television production, satellite operations and technical services. He became President of EWTN in 2000 and assumed the post of chief executive officer in 2009. Warsaw was named chairman of the board of EWTN in 2013. In that capacity he oversees the Networks strategic direction and mission around the world. With the Networks 2011 acquisition of the National Catholic Register, Mr. Warsaw assumed the role of publisher of that newspaper.

Prior to joining EWTN, Mr. Warsaw was employed by the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and the Catholic Distance University.

The Secretariat for Communications was established by Pope Francis in an apostolic decree on June 25, 2015. Among its responsibilities, it has the task of carrying out the restructuring, reorganization and consolidation of the various communications outlets of the Holy See including the Vatican Television Center, the Vatican Publishing House, LOsservatore Romano newspaper, Vatican Radio, the Holy See Press Office, Photographic Service and the Vatican Internet Service. The office is headed by Monsignor Dario Vigano, who serves as Prefect.

EWTN Global Catholic Network, in its 36th year, is the largest religious media network in the world. EWTNs 11 TV channels are broadcast in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 268 million television households in more than 145 countries and territories. EWTN platforms also include radio services transmitted through SIRIUS/XM, iHeart Radio, and over 500 domestic and international AM & FM radio affiliates; a worldwide shortwave radio service; the largest Catholic website in the U.S.; electronic and print news services, including Catholic News Agency, The National Catholic Register newspaper, and several global news wire services; as well as EWTN Publishing, its book publishing division.

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DENVER, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- 1st Reverse Mortgage USA, a division of Cherry Creek Mortgage Company, Inc. is proud to announce the appointment of Dale Jones as Director of Marketing and Communications.

"Dale is a seasoned strategist and an experienced leader. We are pleased he's on board. The value he brings to our team is tremendous," said Dan Harder, Vice President, 1st Reverse Mortgage USA. "A true professional and experienced leader, we know Dale will produce breakthrough results for our company and ultimately, those we serve."

1st Reverse Mortgage USA Nabs Award-Winning Marketing Strategist Dale Jones to Head Marketing and Communications Effort

"It is an honor to be working with the 1st Reverse Mortgage USA Team --- top-notch professionals dedicated to helping people, at all stages of life, obtain the financing they need to either acquire or stay in their homes. I'm looking forward to building our marketing channels through a targeted, integrated sales and marketing approach," said Jones.

"Dale's skill set, familiarity with our organization and our markets are unmatched," Harder said. "He has served as our marketing consultant for over 10 years and has the intrinsic ability to weave together corporate vision, strategic planning, creativity and marketing execution."

Jones' award-winning communications career includes more than 20 years experience developing and implementing marketing and communication strategies. Most recently, he served as the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications for Semester at Sea (SAS), where he was responsible for setting and implementing marketing, communication, advertising and promotions strategies for the organization.

While spearheading the marketing effort at SAS, Jones' team won the coveted International Competition for Marketing and Communication Professionals Gold Award and this week earned a prestigious Ragan's PR Daily PR on a Shoestring Honorable Mention for the Semester at Sea Snapchat Social Media Campaign. The campaign generated over 80 million global views in a 24-hour period. Jones' marketing campaigns dramatically increased SAS enrollment and program waitlists.

"I enjoy directing interactive marketing efforts," said Jones, whose forte is building and directing highly qualified, diverse marketing teams including, social media specialists, web producers, graphic designers, marketing and editorial writers, traditional media specialists and videographers.

Jones cofounded a Denver-based marketing and communications agency where he worked with start-up companies as well entities such as 3M, Broadridge, State of Colorado, EDS, Colorado State University, University of Denver, PacifiCare of Colorado, Cherokee Ranch & Castle and 1st Reverse Mortgage USA.

Both domestically and internationally, he has developed major branding and image campaigns, created enterprise-wide integrated marketing strategies, established core competencies, and restaged business units.

About

1st Reverse Mortgage USA is a national, full-service mortgage company that provides origination and servicing through retail, wholesale, bank, credit union and correspondent divisions. 1st Reverse Mortgage USA has carved a unique niche in the marketplace by combining the best of traditional mortgage lending with the innovation and expertise of a mortgage bank. The company, a division of Cherry Creek Mortgage Company, Inc. includes over 60 retail branches across the country with over 250 experienced and knowledgeable Mortgage Loan Specialists, ready to serve our clients and their needs.

1st Reverse Mortgage USA offers a diverse set of products including Reverse Mortgages, FHA Loans, VA Loans, USDA Loans and Conventional Loans. The company is a division of Cherry Creek Mortgage Company, Inc., with direct endorsement authority from HUD, Fannie Mae (FNMA), Ginnie Mae (GNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC). Visit www.1stmortgage.com or call (877) 217-0166.

Contact:

Lisa Bauer

[email protected]

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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.

SOURCE 1st Reverse Mortgage USA
Dodge rocked the high-performance car world in 2014 with the 707-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat and Challenger SRT Hellcat, building supercar performance at affordable prices. They were the most powerful muscle cars ever  until now.

Today, Dodge is shaking the foundation of the entire performance car industry, launching New York International Auto Show week with its wickedly fast new 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon  highly capable on the street, absolutely dominating at the drag strip.

Powered by a 840-horsepower, supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Demon V-8, the limited-production Challenger SRT Demon is the world's most powerful factory-production V-8  bar none. NHRA-certified 9.65 seconds @ 140 mph makes the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon the fastest -mile car in the world.

Performance numbers:

0-30 mph: 1.0 second

0-60 mph: 2.3 seconds

Quarter-mile: 9.65 seconds at 140 mph

The Challenger SRT Demon also is the world's first production car to lift the front wheels at launch and set the world record for longest wheelie from a standing start by a production car at 2.92 feet, certified by Guinness World Records. And hold onto your seat. The Challenger SRT Demon also registers the highest g-force (1.8 g) ever recorded at launch in a production car.

"With Demon, our goal was to build a car that would tattoo the Dodge logo into the subconscious of the general market, beyond even our loyal enthusiasts, said Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Cars  Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA North America. "To do so, we had to set records that have never been set before, do more than has ever been done before, go beyond even the legendary Hellcat. The result: an 840-horsepower, 9-second muscle car unlike anything that has ever come before it."

The Challenger SRT Demon's record-setting performance is the result of collaboration among the Dodge//SRT, Design, Engineering, Powertrain and Manufacturing teams inside FCA US LLC, many of whom are experienced and active drag racers. While the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon remains a potent street car, every component was scrutinized and optimized for weight, capability and durability on the strip.

The performance records flow from an impressive list of street-legal production car industry firsts. That list includes:

Factory-installed wider, Nitto street-legal drag radials for improved grip, 40 percent more launch force compared with SRT Hellcat tires

Available Direct Connection engine controller calibrated for 100+ unleaded high-octane fuel

SRT Power Chiller redirects air conditioning refrigerant to chill the charger air cooler

After-Run Chiller runs the cooling fan and the low-temperature circuit coolant pump after engine shutdown

TransBrake locks the output shaft of the TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission to hold the car before launch, allowing the driver to increase engine rpm for higher torque and quicker response

Torque Reserve boosts engine air flow and supercharger rpm before launch, delivering wickedly fast acceleration

Drag Mode suspension tuning maximizes weight transfer to the rear wheels for better traction

Drag Mode Launch Assist uses wheel speed sensors to watch for driveline-damaging wheel hop at launch and in milliseconds modifies the engine torque to regain full grip and then continues accelerating the car down the track

Available narrow "front runner" wheels for use at drag strips cuts front-end weight

Wide-body exterior styling, with concealed wheel well attachments house Challenger SRT Demon's massively wide 315/40R18 tires

Front passenger seat and rear seat deleted to reduce weight (can be optioned back for $1 each)

Production of the limited-edition single model year Challenger SRT Demon begins later this summer, with 3,000 vehicles for the United States and 300 vehicles for Canada. Deliveries to Dodge//SRT dealers will begin this fall.

Dodge has named Hagerty as its official insurance provider of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon  Hagerty is a company for people who love cars and they already protect many of the rarest high performance cars in the world.

Demon's heart: Supercharged V-8

The heart of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI Demon V-8, rated at 840 horsepower and 770 pounds-feet of torque. The red-painted Demon engine has been certified to the SAE J1349 industry standard for its horsepower and torque ratings. The engine also meets all applicable legal emissions regulations.

While the Demon V-8 shares its architecture with the 707-hp 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI Hellcat V-8, it is not simply a Hellcat engine with more boost. The Demon V-8 engine has 25 major component upgrades from the Hellcat engine, including supercharger, pistons, rods, valve train and fuel injection system.

Among the changes, compared with the Hellcat V-8, the Demon's supercharged V-8 features:

Larger supercharger: 2.7 liters versus 2.4 liters

Increased boost pressure: 14.5 psi versus 11.6 psi

Higher rpm limit: 6,500 rpm versus 6,200 rpm

Fuel: Two dual-stage fuel pumps versus one

Larger induction air box with three sources of intake air: Air-Grabber hood, driver-side Air-Catcher headlamp and an inlet near the wheel liner

In addition, the HEMI Demon V-8 includes a high-speed valvetrain, strengthened connecting rods and pistons, and improved lubrication system. The upgrades enable the engine to sustain higher output and pressures while meeting FCA US LLC's stringent durability requirements.

One key to the Challenger SRT Demon's best-ever power output is air  the supercharged Demon V-8 takes in plenty of it. The SRT Demon's Air-Grabber hood includes the largest functional hood scoop (45.2 square inches) of any production car.

The Air-Grabber hood is sealed to the air box, which is also fed from the driver-side Air-Catcher headlamp and an inlet near the wheel liner. Combined, those sources give the Demon V-8 an air-flow rate of 1,150 cubic feet per minute, 18 percent greater than the Hellcat V-8 and the largest air induction volume of any production car.

The additional air inlets help reduce the temperature of the intake air by more than 30 degrees Fahrenheit compared with the Hellcat V-8, which improves overall throttle response.

Heat is the enemy of speed at the drag strip, so Dodge//SRT engineers looked for more ways to keep the intake air as close to the optimum temperature as possible.

The innovative SRT Power Chiller is a production car first. It diverts the air-conditioning refrigerant from the SRT Demon's interior to a chiller unit mounted by the low-temperature circuit coolant pump. Charge air coolant, after being cooled by ambient air passing through a low-temperature radiator at the front of the vehicle, flows through the chiller unit, where it is further cooled. The chilled coolant then flows to the heat exchangers in the supercharger.

Every run down the drag strip generates plenty of heat. The After-Run Chiller, a factory-production car first, helps the SRT Demon get ready for the next run as quickly as possible.

When the engine is shut down, the After-Run Chiller keeps the engine cooling fan and low-temperature circuit coolant pump running to lower the supercharger/charge air cooler temperature, helping the Challenger SRT Demon minimize heat soak effects. The driver can track the supercharger coolant temperature on the 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen in the instrument panel, and know in real time when the supercharger is at the optimum temperature for another run.

The impact of the SRT Power Chiller and After-Run Chiller, combined, lowers intake air temperature by up to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

Fueling performance: 100+ unleaded high octane

The Challenger SRT Demon is the first-ever, street-legal factory-production car designed to run on 100+ unleaded high-octane fuel. That fuel is readily available at select gas stations, specialty shops and drag strips.

The keys to unleashing the SRT Demon's full performance fury are in the Demon Crate: Direct Connection Performance Parts include a new powertrain control module calibrated for the high-octane unleaded fuel and a new switch bank for the center stack that includes a high-octane button.

The SRT Demon leaves the factory with a powertrain control module configured for 91-octane premium unleaded pump gasoline, which delivers top level performance.

The switch to the Direct Connection controller enables the supercharged HEMI engine to extract the maximum power from the knock-resistant fuel at high pressures and optimum spark timing. Drag racers can anticipate improvements in elapsed times (ETs) and trap speeds with the high-octane fuel.

The Challenger SRT Demon is engineered to be able to run on a mix of 100+ octane and premium unleaded fuels without hurting the engine, but the high-octane function won't activate if the combined fuel octane is too low. A message in the gauge display tells the driver the car will use the premium fuel calibration until the engine is shut off and restarted. How does the car know? The controller monitors the engine's knock sensors.

There will be plenty of fuel available: the SRT Demon carries dual fuel pumps (versus one pump in the Challenger SRT Hellcat), larger fuel injectors and fuel lines that handle higher pressures.

Similar to the Challenger SRT Hellcat, the SRT Demon comes with two key fobs. The black fob limits engine output to 500 horsepower. The red key fob unlocks the engine's full output of 808 horsepower and 717 pounds-feet torque. With either key fob, the driver can activate Eco and Valet Modes. Eco Mode revises the transmission shift schedule to include second-gear starts. Valet Mode limits the engine to 4,000 rpm and reduces torque output.

The high-octane unleaded fuel capability with the optional Direct Connection powertrain controller boosts engine output to 840 horsepower and 770 pounds-feet of torque.

TransBrake is a production car first

Every Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is equipped with the standard TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic transmission. Already a proven and robust gearbox used with the HEMI Hellcat V-8, the transmission gets some significant changes for duty in the Challenger SRT Demon.

Internal changes include an upgraded torque converter that delivers an 18 percent increase in torque multiplication. Also, the stall speed is increased 11 percent and the lockup speed is increased.

The Challenger SRT Demon is the first-ever, factory-production car with TransBrake, which locks the transmission output shaft to hold the car in place before a standing start. This lets the driver increase engine speed up to 2,350 rpm without overpowering the brakes, resulting in quicker power delivery and up to 15 percent more torque at launch.

Driver-oriented step-by-step instructions are displayed on the instrument cluster to guide the driver through the staging process and help them keep their focus on the Christmas Tree.

The TransBrake helps to improve driver reaction time and launch consistency by using the steering wheel paddle shifters as a launch trigger  a paddle launch improves reaction time by 30 percent compared with a foot-brake launch. In addition, the system enables delivery of initial torque to the flywheel as soon as 20 milliseconds after launch.

TransBrake works in conjunction with another SRT Demon first-ever factory-production car feature, Torque Reserve, to deliver increased levels of power and torque at launch.

Torque Reserve becomes active once engine speed passes 950 rpm. It does two things:

Closes the bypass valve, "prefilling" the supercharger with boost

Manages fuel flow to cylinders and manages spark advance or retard to balance engine rpm and torque

With TransBrake and Torque Reserve active, the SRT Demon has more than 8 psi of boost at launch and up to 120 percent more engine torque than without Torque Reserve. TransBrake also preloads the driveline with torque, leading to full engine torque delivery at the rear wheels 150 milliseconds after the shift paddle is released. That results in faster acceleration at launch, faster 60-foot times and an improvement of more than a tenth of a second in quarter-mile times, which can be an entire car length.

Driveline components have been upgraded to get all that power and torque to the rear wheels, on every run.

Changes include:

Upgraded prop shaft with a 15 percent increase in torque capacity. The prop shaft uses high-strength steel. Shaft tube thickness increases by 20 percent and the stub shafts are heat treated for enhanced durability

The rear differential housing has 30 percent more torque capacity. The housing is made from heat-treated A383 aluminum alloy. New material for the gear set has higher fatigue strength, with a deeper case hardening depth and two-step shot-peening manufacturing process to increase compressive residual stress

The rear half shafts are larger in diameter; use a high-strength, low-alloy steel; and have 41 splines (up from 38), delivering a 20 percent increase in torque capacity. Eight-ball joints handle more torque, while reducing operating temperatures by more than 86 degrees Fahrenheit

Production car first: Drag-mode Launch Assist

SRT engineers went digital to isolate and resolve one of the biggest challenges to clean launches and driveline integrity  wheel hop.

In simple terms, wheel hop happens when tires quickly slip and regain traction at launch, rapidly storing up and releasing energy in the driveline. These high torque spikes can quickly and severely damage driveline components  and up until now, the only solution was to back out of the throttle.

Not with the Challenger SRT Demon. In a first for a factory-production car, the SRT Demon's Launch Assist uses the wheel speed sensors to watch for signs that the tires are slipping/sticking. If slip is detected, the SRT Demon's control module momentarily reduces engine torque to maximize traction almost instantly  without the driver having to lift. Launch Assist reduces loads in the driveline from wheel hop by more than 15-20 percent, dramatically reducing component damage.

Production car first: Street-legal drag tires

The Challenger SRT Demon is equipped with a set of four standard Nitto NT05R street-legal, drag-race tires, a first for a factory-production car.

The 315/40R18 tires were specifically designed and developed exclusively for the SRT Demon, with a new compound and specific tire sidewall construction. The drag radials give the SRT Demon a 15-percent larger tire contact patch and more than twice the grip of the Challenger SRT Hellcat.

The sticky drag tires are mounted on lightweight 11x18-inch wheels, with each tire measuring 12.6 inches wide. Putting full-size tires at all four corners gives drag racers an extra set of rear tires when the front tires are replaced with narrow front-runners at the track.

A unique rear knuckle reduces negative camber by 0.5 degrees, "standing up" the tire and increasing the size of the tire contact patch.

Engineering: More traction, less weight

The main mission of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is to cover the quarter mile as quickly as possible. To do this, it combines the best of both mechanical and electronic tuning to deliver maximum launch grip while still maintaining precision directional control.

The Bilstein Adaptive Damping shocks have been tuned for drag racing, shifting as much weight as possible on the rear tires at launch for maximum traction. The weight transfer improves rear tire grip by 11 percent.

Mechanically, weight shift in the Challenger SRT Demon is aided by softening up some key suspension components. Those changes, compared with the Challenger SRT Hellcat, include:

Softer springs: 35 percent lower rate front/28 percent lower rate rear

Softer, lighter, hollow sway bars: 75 percent lower rate front/44 percent lower rate rear

When Drag Mode is activated, the front Bilstein shocks are set for firm compression and soft rebound damping, while the rear Bilstein shocks are set for firm compression and firm rebound damping.

That configuration is maintained as long as the car runs at wide open throttle. When the driver backs off the gas pedal, the system switches to firm compression and firm rebound front and rear for improved handling.

Also during Drag Mode, the traction control system is disabled to enable the rear wheels to spin for a burnout, but the electronic stability control system remains engaged to help the driver with straight-line performance.

In pursuit for every tenth of a second, engineers looked to cut as much weight as possible. The result: Equipment removed from the Challenger SRT Demon weighs more than 200 pounds.

How the weight was lost:

58 pounds: Removed front passenger seat and belt

55 pounds: Removed rear seat, restraints and floor mats

24 pounds: Removed 16 audio speakers, amplifier and associated wiring

20 pounds: Removed trunk deck cover trim, carpeting, spare tire cover

19 pounds: Used smaller, hollow sway bars

18 pounds: Removed mastic, body deadeners, insulators and foam

16 pounds: Used lightweight all-aluminum four-piston brake caliper and smaller, 360-mm two-piece rotor

16 pounds: Switched to lightweight wheels and open-end lug nuts

4 pounds: Switched to manual tilt/telescope steering column

2 pounds: Removed park sensors and module

Buyers have the option to add back the front passenger seat, rear seats and trunk carpeting kit for $1 each. Other options include the Harman Kardon 19-speaker, 900-watt audio system, power sunroof, heated and ventilated leather front seats with heated steering wheel, painted Satin Black hood, or new painted Satin Black hood, roof and decklid package.

Dual personalities: Performance Pages and Drive Modes

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon gives the driver the capability to set up the car for on-road precision, maximum drag strip performance or anything in between.

The nerve center for those personalities is SRT Performance Pages and Drive Modes, displayed on the Uconnect 8.4-inch touchscreen.

Performance Pages arm the driver with real-time data, including a graphic display of engine horsepower and torque with gear changes plotted; supercharger coolant temperature; timers for reaction time, 0-60 miles per hour (mph), 0-100 mph, eighth-mile and quarter-mile elapsed time and vehicle speed; instantaneous and peak longitudinal and lateral g-forces; and gauge readouts for engine oil temperature and pressure, coolant temperature, transmission fluid temperature, intake air temperature, air-fuel ratio; intercooler coolant temperature, boost pressure and battery voltage.

The Drive Modes include the Challenger SRT Demon-exclusive Drag Mode. Drive Mode settings include Auto (Street) Mode, which sets the Bilstein Adaptive Damping Suspension (ADS) for comfortable ride with compliant handling, and Custom Mode, which lets the driver select between Auto and Drag Mode configurations for the transmission, paddle shifters, traction, suspension and steering.

Auto (Street) Mode options:

Engine output level is set based on which Demon key is in the vehicle



If red key is present, the power level can be set per customer preference



Transmission, suspension and steering default to Auto Mode (Street)



Customers can set suspension and steering preference



Electronic Stability Control defaults to full on



Paddle shifters can be turned on or off per customer preference



Eco mode is available only in Auto Mode

Drag Mode options:

TorqueFlite eight-speed transmission runs a calibration optimized for acceleration



Electronic Stability Control is optimized for straight-line acceleration



Suspension calibration changes to full firm in rear and firm compression/soft rebound in front



Paddle shifters are turned on



Steering is set to Drag Mode for high-speed stability



Cabin cooling diverted to SRT Power Chiller



Torque converter lockup point is raised in Drag Mode



TransBrake is available in Drag Mode only

Custom Mode options:

Nearly every combination of options available in Auto (Street) or Drag can be configured in the Custom Mode. For example, a driver could select the elements of Drag Mode related to engine and transmission performance, but could select Sport Mode for the suspension and steering, providing the on-road driving dynamics of a Challenger SRT Hellcat

When equipped with the Direction Connection Performance Parts powertrain control module, the driver can use 100+ high-octane unleaded fuel in any drive mode.

Drivers can also select line lock, which engages the front brakes to hold the Challenger SRT Demon stationary but leaves the rear wheels free for a burnout to heat up and clean the rear tires. The system will also let the driver perform a controlled rolling burnout. The system engages for up to 400 rear wheel revolutions.

Performance Pages also includes rpm-adjustable launch control and by-individual-gear-adjustable shift light displayed in the instrument cluster. A new data recorder feature lets the Challenger SRT Demon driver build an archive of data to help optimize the car for track and weather conditions, while helping to improve driving techniques.

Eco and Valet Modes are accessed in the Performance Pages. When Valet Mode is activated, engine horsepower is reduced and rpm is limited to 4,000. Also, certain performance features, such as steering wheel paddle shifters and Launch Control, are disabled. The driver can activate and de-activate Valet Mode with a four-digit PIN code they create.

Functional and Intimidating Design

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the widest Challenger ever and first-ever, factory-production muscle car with wide-body fender flares.

The wide body flares are designed to amplify the Challenger SRT Demon's menacing stance, while making room for wider tires with concealed attachments. The fender flares, which cover the lightweight 18x11-inch wheels with exclusive, specifically designed Demon-branded 315/40R18 Nitto NT05R drag radial tires front and rear; add 3.5 inches to the Challenger SRT Demon's overall width. The front side marker lights are styled to flow with the shape of the fender flares.

The entire chassis is e-coated for durability before final assembly.

Additional defining exterior features include the wide Air-Grabber hood scoop  the largest functional hood scoop (45.2 square inches) of any production car  and new Demon logos flanking each fender.

The driver is the focus in the interior of the Challenger SRT Demon, as it is for every model in the Challenger lineup.



Both the front passenger seat and rear seat, along with their corresponding seat belts, are deleted in the standard configuration of the Challenger SRT Demon.

Customers have the option of adding seats into the car, as well as adding leather coverings, when it is ordered. The front seat(s) have the Demon head logo stitched or embossed into the seat back.

Seating configurations:

Driver seat only, premium cloth covered

Driver and front passenger seat, premium cloth covered

Driver and front passenger seat, Laguna leather and Alcantara suede covered

Driver, front passenger and rear seats, Laguna leather and Alcantara suede covered

Facing the driver is a flat-bottom SRT Performance steering wheel wrapped in Alcantara with paddle shifters. The SRT white-face gauges include a 200-mph speedometer and flank the 7-inch thin-film transistor (TFT) cluster display screen. A custom carbon fiber instrument panel badge with "Demon" script is located on the outboard vent and signifies the build sequence number.

A new four-point harness bar, available through Speedlogix, is available for use at the track. Mounting points for the bar are accessible, making it easy for customers to install without cutting or drilling anything.

Standard cloth seats include Ballistic II inserts with silver embroidered Demon head logo in the seat backs. An optional Laguna Leather Package includes leather covered seats and trim with embossed Demon head logo.

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon will be available 14 exterior colors: B5 Blue, Billet Silver, Destroyer Grey, F8 Green, Go Mango, Granite Crystal, Indigo Blue, Maximum Steel, Octane Red, Pitch Black, Plum Crazy, TorRed, White Knuckle and Yellow Jacket.

All exterior colors are available with Satin Black hood, roof and decklid.

Demon Crate Carrying Exclusive Components

The Demon Crate, available to buyers of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon, contains components that fully unleash the car's potential at the drag strip and is fully customized with the buyer's name, VIN and serial number.



The Demon Crate contains:

Direct Connection Performance Parts:

Performance powertrain control module with high-octane engine calibration

Replacement switch module containing high-octane button

Conical performance air filter

Passenger mirror block-off plate

Narrow, front-runner drag wheels

Demon-branded track tools:

Hydraulic floor jack with carrying bag

Cordless impact wrench with charger

Torque wrench with extension and socket

Tire pressure gauge

Fender cover

Tool bag

Foam case that fits into the SRT Demon trunk and securely holds the front runner wheels and track tools

The Demon Crate is further customized with the buyer's name, VIN and serial number.

Production of the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon begins later this year at the Brampton (Ont.) Assembly plant.

The Challenger SRT Demon is covered by FCA US LLC's factory warranty, including three-year/36,000-mile limited vehicle warranty and five-year/60,000-mile limited powertrain coverage.

Owner's Track Tech Manual

Each 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon buyer receives a unique, customized, leather-bound owner's Track Tech Manual. In addition to standard vehicle information, it covers all the vehicles' performance enhancements, includes detailed information about the Challenger SRT Demon's drag-strip optimized performance technologies and pages for logging track runs. The custom information package also includes a copy of the vehicle build sheet.

Official Driving School of Dodge/SRT

All customers who buy new 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon receive one full-day session at Bob Bondurant School of High-performance Driving. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Arizona, is the Official High Performance Driving School of Dodge//SRT. All customers who buy a new model SRT will receive one full-day session of high-performance driving with professional instruction and time on the track as part of the Dodge SRT Package. For more information, visit www.driveSRT.com.

Dodge Names Hagerty Demon's Official Insurance Provider

Dodge has named Hagerty as its official insurance provider of the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon  Hagerty is a company for people who love cars and already protect many of the rarest high performance cars in the world.

About Dodge and SRT Brands

The Dodge brand is America's mainstream performance brand. With the purification of the brand and consolidation with SRT, Dodge is focusing on its performance roots with every single model it offers. The Dodge and SRT brands offer a complete lineup of performance vehicles that stand out within their own segments. Dodge is the mainstream performance brand and SRT is positioned as the ultimate performance halo of the Dodge brand, together creating a complete and balanced performance brand with one vision and one voice.

From muscle cars to minivans, crossovers and full-size SUVs, the Dodge brand's full lineup of 2017 models deliver best-in-class horsepower, class-exclusive technology, unmatched capability and a slew of cool features, such as LED headlamps, Dodge signature racetrack tail lamps, active exhaust, cold-air induction, 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment centers and 7-inch customizable gauge clusters, to name a few. For the 2017 model year, the Dodge brand lineup features the 25th anniversary Viper, Durango, Grand Caravan, Journey, Charger and Challenger, including the new Challenger GT, Charger Daytona and Challenger T/A, as well as the 707-horsepower Challenger SRT Hellcat, the most powerful and fastest muscle car ever, and the Charger SRT Hellcat, the quickest, fastest and most powerful sedan in the world.

Follow Dodge, SRT 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

Dodge brand: www.dodge.com

Dodge blog: blog.dodge.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA

Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA

YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge or www.youtube.com/pentastarvideo

For more information, please visit the FCA US LLC media site at http://media.fcanorthamerica.com.

SOURCE FCA US LLC

Related Links

http://www.fcanorthamerica.com


"State legislators need to know that they can be the voice for those who desperately need one. We are talking to our leaders to help them understand the stories of those of us who have lost someone to suicide and those who experience thoughts of suicide. It's only by joining together that we will be able to save lives in the state of Massachusetts," said Michele Lee, Eastern Massachusetts Associate Area Director and AFSP advocate . Michele became a volunteer with the Greater Boston Chapter of AFSP in 2015. She lost her father Keith Lee to suicide in 2005. Mr. Lee was a police officer when he died.

Since the state's fiscal budget year 2002, Massachusetts legislators have recognized the scope of the problem of suicide and self-inflicted injuries in the Commonwealth by funding a line item for suicide prevention in the DPH budget. Massachusetts was one of the first states to create such a line item. Massachusetts has one of the lowest suicide rates in the country, showing the value these services and programs have provided to state residents and long-term benefit of lives saved.

Funds from the suicide prevention line item support a wide range of suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention efforts across Massachusetts, including:

Helplines and crisis teams

Gatekeeper training and education

Depression screenings

Support groups for loss survivors

Services targeted for veterans, older adults, LGBTQ populations, and youth

10 Regional Coalitions across the state

School personnel who interact with children and teens on a daily basis are in a prime position to recognize the risk factors and warning signs of suicide, and to make the appropriate referrals for help. Existing Massachusetts law requires that all public school districts and commonwealth charter schools provide at least two hours of suicide awareness and prevention training every three years to all licensed school personnel, within the framework of existing in-service training programs or professional development activities. The advocates are asking for there to be a tracking system to ensure all of these training sessions happen.

It is estimated that only 50 percent of individuals who receive treatment in the Emergency Department or are hospitalized for suicide attempts or self-injury never receive follow up treatment. Of the 50 percent who do receive treatment, only half attend more than one appointment. Based on available research, AFSP advocates are insisting that follow-up services be conducted by experienced and trained volunteers at crisis centers who are able to assess suicide risk and provide interim support.

The advocates are part of a larger national movement of AFSP volunteer advocates who will be visiting 35 state capitols across the United States in spring 2017 to bring best practices in suicide prevention to state legislators.

Suicide in Massachusetts

Suicide is the twelfth leading cause of death overall in Massachusetts. For people aged 15-34 in Massachusetts, it is the second leading cause of death. For those aged 10-14, it is the third leading cause of death. On average one person dies by suicide every 14 hours in the state.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. AFSP celebrates 30 years of service to the suicide prevention movement. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Related Links

http://www.afsp.org


Representing nine different nationalities and eight universities across Africa, Europe and Asia-Pacific, the five finalist teams embody true diversity, which is a key driver of innovation and performance. The students, competing for a 30,000 prize, also demonstrate a wide variety of disciplines from Natural Sciences to Engineering and Business.

Their inventive ideas were selected from over 350 entries in Airbus' biennial global student competition, run in partnership with UNESCO. Students' ideas had to answer one of five challenges identified by Airbus to provide sustainable future solutions. The innovations proposed by the five finalist teams look at alternative business models, passengers' experience and flight operations.

The five finalist teams  from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Nigeria and the UK  will soon travel to Toulouse, France, where they will spend a week at the Airbus ProtoSpace facility to prototype, test and visualise their ideas using state-of-the-art equipment with personal guidance from Airbus. At the end of their week at Airbus, the students will present their innovative projects and the newly developed prototype in front of Airbus experts and personalities from the aerospace and academic world.

The ideas competing for the final prize are:

Airborne Earth Observation - Team SkyVision, University of Surrey, UK

A radical concept that turns a commercial airliner into an 'Earth Observation Device' by installing equipment into the belly of the aircraft to monitor ground activity during flight. An alternative to satellite imagery, it opens up new opportunities such as ecology analysis and urban planning.

Improving Airport Taxi Flow and Efficiency - Team Nevada, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria

An airport taxiing system that uses sensors and algorithms for automated Ground Traffic Control, both in the tower and on the aircraft, to significantly improve aircraft traffic at airports and thus reduce emissions.

Compact Luggage Strategy Mobile App - Team PassEx, Institut d'Administration des Entreprises  IAE Toulouse, France

A revolutionary boarding system that uses a real-time mobile app to assign boarding status to passengers according to their luggage size. The Compact Luggage Strategy (CLS) addresses current storage issues in over-head compartments by distributing passengers across the aircraft according to the size of their baggage.

Private Stowage Compartment - Team DAELead, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

A clever aircraft cabin design that locates a Private Stowage Compartment (PSC) underneath passengers' feet, utilizing the space between the cabin floor and the cargo ceiling.

A400M Aerial Firefighting Platform - Team Aquarius, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia

A fire-fighting solution that incorporates modular systems using pressurized fire retardant containers fixed to fast-loadable pallets for a network of Airbus A400M aircraft, to create a system of aerial firefighting platforms that can be used for rapid wildfire suppression.

The winning team will receive a 30,000 prize with the runner-up team receiving 15,000 at a live event taking place on 17th May in Toulouse.

Airbus launched Fly Your Ideas in 2008 with the aim of engaging with universities and students worldwide and from all backgrounds to: stimulate innovative ideas for a sustainable aviation industry and identify opportunities for R&T development and/or interaction with academic research teams. The challenge received UNESCO patronage in 2012 with a renewed partnership in 2014 and 2016.

For more details and information on the finalists, please visit www.airbus-fyi.com.

Dominic Sproston / Tel: +40-726-924-227

SOURCE Airbus

Related Links

http://www.airbus-fyi.com


LUNGevity is the only lung cancer organization with a programmatic focus on early detection and Career Development Awards. Our researchers are working on finding a better way to detect lung cancer, and to better diagnose, treat, and prevent its recurrence. The research program is a crucial factor in moving the science forward to improve outcomes for people living with lung cancer.

Dr. Shaw is the Director of the Center for Thoracic Cancers and the Paula O'Keeffe Endowed Chair of Thoracic Oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is also an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. In addition to caring for patients with lung cancer, Dr. Shaw performs clinical and translational research. Her clinical research focuses on subsets of NSCLC that have unique driver mutations, such as EGFR, ALK, and ROS1. Her translational research focuses on understanding and making clear the mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies; she is currently developing novel combination treatment strategies. Her research has helped to develop numerous FDA-approved targeted therapies for patients with oncogene-driven NSCLC, such as crizotinib (Xalkori) for patients with ALK or ROS1 rearrangements.

"We could not be happier that Dr. Shaw has joined our Scientific Advisory Board," said Andrea Ferris, President and Chairman of LUNGevity Foundation. "She is a brilliant thinker, an innovator, and a compassionate advocate for her patients. In particular, her groundbreaking work that led to the development of Xalkori has extended and improved the lives of many NSCLC patients. Her expertise and counsel will advance LUNGevity's goal to increase and improve survivorship for those affected by lung cancer."

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity is the nation's leading lung cancer organization investing in lifesaving, translational research and providing support services and education for patients and caregivers. LUNGevity's goals are three-fold: (1) accelerate research to patients, (2) empower patients to be active participants in their treatment decisions, and (3) remove barriers that patients face in accessing the right treatments.

LUNGevity Foundation is firmly committed to making an immediate impact on increasing quality of life and survivorship of people with lung cancer by accelerating research into early detection and more effective treatments, as well as by providing community, support, and education for all those affected by the disease. LUNGevity's comprehensive resources include a medically vetted website, a toll-free HELPLine in partnership with CancerCare, a unique Lung Cancer Navigator app, peer-to-peer mentoring for patients and caregivers (LUNGevity LifeLine), and survivorship conferences. LUNGevity also helps patients find and navigate clinical trials through our Clinical Trial Finder tool, a Clinical Trial Ambassador program, and participation with Emerging Med.

Our vision is a world where no one dies of lung cancer. For more information about LUNGevity Foundation, please visit www.LUNGevity.org.

About Lung Cancer in the US

About 1 in 15 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime

More than 224,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year

About 60%-65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers

Lung cancer takes more lives than the next four deadliest cancers (colorectal, pancreatic, breast, and prostate) combined

Only 18% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

SOURCE LUNGevity Foundation

Related Links

http://www.lungevity.org


IRVINE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Neudesic, a nationally recognized business and technology consulting firm, has partnered with Allrecipes to successfully migrate their infrastructure to a more agile and scalable Azure cloud environment-offering a new set of cloud applications that are helping to drive the end-end digital food experience for 80 million home cooks.

As the world's largest digital food brand, Allrecipes exceeds 1.5 billion customer touchpoints annually across digital, print, television, online and integrated platforms. Three fourths of these touchpoints originate on mobile devices- many of which occur in grocery stores as users shop, or in kitchens as they prepare their meals. "Speed, responsiveness, and reliability is our mandate and paramount to our brand experience, yet dramatic spikes in traffic are inherent in our engagement model," said John Keane, chief technology officer, Allrecipes. "The day before Thanksgiving, for example, we might handle a month's worth of traffic in a single day. While our datacenters were optimized to handle this kind peak traffic, we recognized the need for a more efficient solution that could scale down during non-peak periods."

Allrecipes selected Neudesic as a proven Microsoft Technology Partner and Azure Insider, to help design the company's PaaS strategy and execute the cloud migration - decommissioning the company's various data centers over the course of 7 months. "Our migration to the cloud was a key pillar in the strategic work our teams were doing to ensure we had the right brand experience to serve the behaviors and needs of the next generation of home cooks  across traditional devices, and via emerging technologies such as internet of things (IoT), smart appliances, voice-guided experiences and streaming video," added Keane. "This was more than a basic 'lift and shift,' simply moving enterprise operations and processes to the cloud. We needed a partner to integrate seamlessly with our own agile development processes  someone working side by side with our established team protocols rather than overburdening processes with a too rigid approach."

The transition to a cloud architecture has allowed the Allrecipes Digital Operations Team to shift from its inherently tactical and process-oriented posture to a far more strategic positon. "Working with Neudesic's Managed Services Team, we focused on the architecture and PaaS strategy upfront, considering what the solution would look like down the road and creating a governance structure as the key piece to smart deployment," further commented Keane. "This effort has been a transformation of how we host our software, how it behaves, and how we handle production. Selecting Neudesic was a smart choice for meeting our objectives quickly and within budget."

"It has been a great technological and business partnership working alongside Allrecipes as we leveraged cloud innovation to scale their high-level engagement to readily meet home cooks at their moment in need," said Tim Marshall, chief technology officer, Neudesic. "Allrecipes' forward thinking development of a scalable PaaS architecture has cleared the way for limitless scalability, and provided access to new tools like Cortana Intelligence Suite and Machine Learning that will help propel them towards better understanding the explicit needs of their growing audience."

To read the full case study, please visit: http://www.neudesic.com/allrecipes

About Neudesic:

Neudesic is the trusted technology partner in business innovation, delivering impactful business results to clients through digital modernization and evolution. Founded in 2002, Neudesic is a privately held company headquartered in Irvine, California, and serves clients globally from offices in the United States and India. For more information, visit www.neudesic.com.

Media Contact:

Mike Rossi

Senior Marketing Manager

[email protected]

Office: 949-754-4553

SOURCE Neudesic

Related Links

http://www.neudesic.com


DALLAS, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Alon USA Partners, LP (NYSE: ALDW) ("Alon Partners") today announced that it will release its first quarter 2017 financial results on Monday, May 8, 2017 before the market opens. In conjunction with the release, Alon Partners has scheduled a conference call, which will be broadcast live over the Internet on Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time (10:30 a.m. Central Time).

What: Alon USA Partners First Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call When: Tuesday, May 9, 2017 - 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time Where: Live via phone by dialing 877-404-9648, or 412-902-0030 for international callers, and asking for the Alon Partners call at least 10 minutes prior to the start time. Investors may also listen to the conference live by logging on to the Alon Partners website at www.alonpartners.com .

A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available through May 16, 2017 and may be accessed by calling 877-660-6853, or 201-612-7415 for international callers, and using the passcode 13660047#. A webcast archive will also be available at www.alonpartners.com shortly after the call and will be accessible for approximately 90 days. For more information, please contact Donna Washburn at Dennard  Lascar Associates at 713-529-6600 or email [email protected] .

Alon USA Partners, LP is a Delaware limited partnership formed in August 2012 by Alon USA Energy, Inc. (NYSE: ALJ) ("Alon Energy"). Alon Partners owns and operates a crude oil refinery in Big Spring, Texas, with a crude oil throughput capacity of 73,000 barrels per day. Alon Partners refines crude oil into finished products, which are marketed primarily in Central and West Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona through its integrated wholesale distribution network to both Alon Energy's retail convenience stores and other third-party distributors.

Contacts: Stacey Morris

Investor Relations Manager

Alon USA Partners GP, LLC

972-367-3808





Investors: Jack Lascar

Dennard  Lascar Associates, LLC

713-529-6600





Media: Blake Lewis

Lewis Public Relations

214-635-3020

SOURCE Alon USA Partners, LP

Related Links

http://www.alonpartners.com


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The PORSCHE BOXSTER CAYMAN has been declared the 2017 World Performance Car during today's press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum.

"We are honored that the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman were selected as World Performance Car by such an esteemed, global jury," said Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America. "With its striking appearance and superb performance and handling, the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman follow in the footsteps of our legendary 718 mid-engine race cars."

Porsche is no stranger to the World Car Awards program  now in its 13th year. Today's win marks the 5th time that Porsche has won the World Performance Car title. The company previously won in 2014 (Porsche 911 GT3), 2013 (Porsche Boxster/Cayman), 2012 (Porsche 911) and 2006 (Porsche Cayman S).

The PORSCHE BOXSTER CAYMAN was chosen from an initial entry list of seven cars from all over the world then a short list three finalists as announced Geneva last month: the Audi R8 Spyder, the McLaren 570s and the Porsche Boxster Cayman.

Candidates for the World Performance Car award must demonstrate a specific and overt sports/performance orientation while satisfying the same availability criteria as for the overall World Car of the Year award. Candidates may be chosen from the World Car of the Year list of eligible vehicles, or they may be newly introduced variants that satisfy the same criteria, but are derived from existing rather than brand-new models. In all cases, they must have a minimum annual production rate of five-hundred (500) vehicles.

Vehicles are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 75 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors' ballots.

Previous World Performance Car winners were the Audi R8 Coupe (2016), the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT (2015), then three Porsche wins in a row: the 911 GTE in 2014, the Boxster/Cayman in 2013, and the 911 in 2012. Ferrari won the 2011 World Performance title for the 458 Italia while the Audi R8 V10 won in 2010, the Nissan GT-R in 2009, the Audi R8 in 2008, the Audi RS4 in 2007 and the Porsche Cayman S in 2006.

The Road to World Car began in Paris on September 29, was followed by test-drives in Los Angeles in November, continued in Geneva with the Top Three in the World announcement, and finally ended today with the declaration of the winners in six categories at the New York International Auto Show.

2017 marks the 11th anniversary of the partnership between World Car and the New York show, and the fourth consecutive year that the World Car Awards have retained their ranking as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach.

The Global Trends Report, co-presented annually by Prime Research and Autoneum, was also released today. The report is the culmination of research and insights across the past six months. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel said, "The auto industry is in the midst of an upheaval that goes far beyond anything it has experienced in the past 100 years. Emerging industry trends such as autonomous driving, electric mobility and connected cars are changing not only vehicles and their technologies but also their concepts and forms. As the market leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, Autoneum today already offers a large variety of multifunctional and lightweight technologies and components to meet the requirements of modern mobility. With our recently established "Competence Center for New Mobility" in Sunnyvale, California, Autoneum is taking a committed and active role in driving vehicle advancement by developing innovative technologies and components for all forms of mobility."

World Car of the Year is more than just an awards program. The World Car community brings together a large cross section of experts and professionals from every segment of the automotive industry. World Car connects the global industry around the very best of today and inspires, with insights, the ideas and trends of tomorrow. Thus defining The Road Ahead platform shared with our presenting partners Bridgestone Corporation, Prime Research, Autoneum and, most recently, Brembo.

"As the world's largest tire and rubber company, we are proud to partner with the World Car program for the 9th consecutive year," said Mike Martini, president, original equipment tire sales, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "This is an important forum for leaders in the automotive industry to celebrate achievements in innovation, performance and sustainability. As new mobility preferences emerge, we must continue to collaborate across our industry to deliver cutting-edge technology and world-class products that meet the needs of a changing global customer base."

In a rapidly changing automotive world, Brembo is also focused firmly on the future and the vehicles it will bring to market. Brembo is committing significant resources to perfecting ever more sophisticated virtual simulation methodologies that includes the study of forms, materials, technologies and surface treatments able to meet the needs of the new-generation vehicles, with a particular focus on environmental impact aspects, which drives all of Brembo's development activities.

As the global nature of the industry continues to strengthen, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, World Car is proud to be a part of this amazing journey along with the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Autoneum, Brembo, Bridgestone Corporation, KPMG and Newspress  our official media partner.

For additional information visit our web site (www.wcoty.com).

About World Car Awards

Now in their 13th year, the annual World Car Awards are the number one awards program in the world for the fourth consecutive year based on Prime Research's 2016 media report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.

The awards are administered by a not-for-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee: Peter Lyon (chair  Japan), Jens Meiners (vice-chair  Germany), Mike Rutherford (vice-chair  UK), Tamara Warren (director  USA), Siddarth Patankar (director  India) and Gerry Malloy (director  Canada and president, WCOTY Association)

About the New York International Auto Show

Owned and operated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York Auto Show is an awesome combination of new ideas, technological innovation, exceptional concept cars and nearly 1,000 of the latest new cars and trucks. Over one million visitors are expected to visit the show this year to see what is truly possible from the automotive industry.

Important 2017 Auto Show Dates

Press Preview, April 12 & 13 (credentials required)

Public Sneak Preview, Friday, April 14

Public Show Dates, Friday, April 14  Sunday, April 23, 2017

THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR:

BEGAN IN PARIS SEPT. 29, 2016. ENDED IN NEW YORK APRIL 13, 2017.

FOLLOW OUR 70+ INTERNATIONAL JURORS : wcoty.com #wcoty

SOURCE World Car Awards

Related Links

http://www.wcoty.com


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Jaguar F-PACE was declared the 2017 World Car Design of the Year today at a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and Autoneum.

This is a second design award for Jaguar. The Jaguar F-Type previously won the World Car Design of the Year award in 2013.

Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar, said: "The F-PACE is our first ever SUV but it is clearly recognisable as a Jaguar and for it to win the 2017 World Car Design of the Year trophy vindicates our decision to bring our unique design principles and dynamic qualities to a new sector of the market."

The World Car Design of the Year category, and the corresponding award, are meant to highlight new vehicles with innovation and style that push established boundaries.

Candidates for the design award may be on the overall World Car of the Year list OR may be included as a stand-alone entry provided the vehicle is available in quantities of at least 10 in one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2016 and ending May 31, 2017. Candidates may be pre-production or all-new production.

A design panel consisting of six highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, and then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The design experts were:

Masatsugu Arimoto (Japan  Freelance design journalist)

Anne Asensio (Vice-President, Design - Dassault Systemes)

Gernot Bracht (Germany  Pforzheim Design School)

Patrick le Quement (Designer and President of the Strategy Committee, Sustainable Design School)

Sam Livingstone (U.K. - Car Design Research and Royal College of Art)

Tom Matano (USA - School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco)

The experts commented that, "The design of the F-PACE is both sensuous and expressive. It maintains the visual link with recent models of the brand, whose expressive pitch has leant towards low road hugging proportions. It is a stand alone attraction when parked on the curb side next to any of its contemporaries."

The 75 World Car Awards jurors then voted on the expert's recommendations in February and their ballots were tabulated by the international accounting firm KPMG.

A short-list of three finalists was then announced earlier this month at the Geneva International Motor Show in March: the Jaguar F-PACE, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Cabriolet and the Toyota C-HR

Previous winners of the World Car Design of the Year award were the Mazda MX-5 (2016), the Citroen C4 Cactus (2015), the BMW i3 (2014), the Jaguar F-Type(2013) , the Range Rover Evoque (2012), the Aston Martin Rapide (2011), the Chevrolet Camaro (2010), the Fiat 500 (2009), the Audi R8 (2008), the Audi TT (2007) and the Citroen C4 (2006).

The Road to World Car began in Paris on September 29, was followed by test-drives in Los Angeles in November, continued in Geneva with the Top Three in the World announcement, and finally ended today with the declaration of the winners in six categories at the New York International Auto Show.

2017 marks the 11th anniversary of the partnership between World Car and the New York show, and the fourth consecutive year that the World Car Awards have retained their ranking as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach.

The Global Trends Report, co-presented annually by Prime Research and Autoneum, was also released today. The report is the culmination of research and insights across the past six months. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel said, "The auto industry is in the midst of an upheaval that goes far beyond anything it has experienced in the past 100 years. Emerging industry trends such as autonomous driving, electric mobility and connected cars are changing not only vehicles and their technologies but also their concepts and forms. As the market leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, Autoneum today already offers a large variety of multifunctional and lightweight technologies and components to meet the requirements of modern mobility. With our recently established "Competence Center for New Mobility" in Sunnyvale, California, Autoneum is taking a committed and active role in driving vehicle advancement by developing innovative technologies and components for all forms of mobility."

World Car of the Year is more than just an awards program. The World Car community brings together a large cross section of experts and professionals from every segment of the automotive industry. World Car connects the global industry around the very best of today and inspires, with insights, the ideas and trends of tomorrow. Thus defining The Road Ahead platform shared with our presenting partners Bridgestone Corporation, Prime Research, Autoneum and, most recently, Brembo.

"As the world's largest tire and rubber company, we are proud to partner with the World Car program for the 9th consecutive year," said Mike Martini, president, original equipment tire sales, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "This is an important forum for leaders in the automotive industry to celebrate achievements in innovation, performance and sustainability. As new mobility preferences emerge, we must continue to collaborate across our industry to deliver cutting-edge technology and world-class products that meet the needs of a changing global customer base."

In a rapidly changing automotive world, Brembo is also focused firmly on the future and the vehicles it will bring to market. Brembo is committing significant resources to perfecting ever more sophisticated virtual simulation methodologies that includes the study of forms, materials, technologies and surface treatments able to meet the needs of the new-generation vehicles, with a particular focus on environmental impact aspects, which drives all of Brembo's development activities.

As the global nature of the industry continues to strengthen, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, World Car is proud to be a part of this amazing journey along with the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Autoneum, Brembo, Bridgestone Corporation, KPMG and Newspress  our official media partner.

For additional information visit our web site (www.wcoty.com).

About World Car Awards

Now in their 13th year, the annual World Car Awards are the number one awards program in the world for the fourth consecutive year based on Prime Research's 2016 media report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.

The awards are administered by a not-for-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee: Peter Lyon (chair  Japan), Jens Meiners (vice-chair  Germany), Mike Rutherford (vice-chair  UK), Tamara Warren (director  USA), Siddarth Patankar (director  India) and Gerry Malloy (director  Canada and president, WCOTY Association)

About the New York International Auto Show

Owned and operated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York Auto Show is an awesome combination of new ideas, technological innovation, exceptional concept cars and nearly 1,000 of the latest new cars and trucks. Over one million visitors are expected to visit the show this year to see what is truly possible from the automotive industry.

Important 2017 Auto Show Dates

Press Preview, April 12 & 13(credentials required)

Public Sneak Preview, Friday, April 14

Public Show Dates, Friday, April 14  Sunday, April 23, 2017

THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR:

BEGAN IN PARIS SEPT. 29, 2016. ENDED IN NEW YORK APRIL 13, 2017.

FOLLOW OUR 70+ INTERNATIONAL JURORS: wcoty.com #wcoty

SOURCE World Car Awards
NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME was declared the 2017 World Green Car at a press conference hosted by the New York International Auto Show, Bridgestone Corporation, and Autoneum.

This is the second consecutive World Green Car win for Toyota Motor Corporation. The Toyota Mirai won last year's World Green Car title.

Jack Hollis, Group VP and General Manager of Toyota division commented, "It is a great honor to have both the Prius Prime and C-HR nominated for World Car of the Year awards. For global automakers like Toyota, consideration for this award is a testament to our focus on developing products that both stir the emotions and meet the mobility needs of our customers in all corners of the world."

Toyota Motor Corporation is no stranger to the World Car Awards program  now in its 13th year.

The Toyota Prius previously earned "Top Three in the World" status in 2010 for both the World Green Car and the overall World Car of the Year categories. The Toyota GT86 was a "Top Three in the World" finalist for 2013 World Car of the Year; the Toyota iQ in 2009 for the same category and the Toyota Harrier Hybrid for 2006 World Green Car.

The TOYOTA PRIUS PRIME was chosen from an initial entry list of 12 new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of three finalists as announced in Geneva: the Chevrolet Bolt, the Tesla Model X and the Toyota Prius Prime.

To be eligible for the 2017 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to be all-new, or substantially revised, in production and introduced for sale or lease to the public in quantities of at least 10 in at least one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2016 and ending May 31, 2017. Tailpipe emissions, fuel consumption, and use of a major advanced power plant technology (beyond engine componentry), aimed specifically at increasing the vehicle's environmental responsibility, were all taken into consideration.

Vehicles in all award categories are selected and voted on by an international jury panel comprised of 75 top-level automotive journalists from 23 countries around the world. Each juror was appointed by the World Car Steering Committee on the basis of his or her expertise, experience, credibility, and influence. Each juror typically drives and evaluates new vehicles on a regular basis as part of their professional work. Through their respective outlets they collectively reach an audience of many millions world-wide. The international accounting firm KPMG tabulates the jurors' ballots.

Previous World Green Car winners were: Toyota Mirai (2016), BMWi8 (2015) and the BMW i3 (2014), then the Tesla Model S (2013), the Mercedes-Benz S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY (2012), the Chevrolet Volt (2011), the Volkswagen BlueMotion (2010), the Honda FCX Clarity (2009), the BMW 118d with Efficient Dynamics (2008), the Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec (2007) and the Honda Civic Hybrid (2006).

The Road to World Car began in Paris on September 29, was followed by test-drives in Los Angeles in November, continued in Geneva with the Top Three in the World announcement, and finally ended today with the declaration of the winners in six categories at the New York International Auto Show.

2017 marks the 11th anniversary of the partnership between World Car and the New York show, and the fourth consecutive year that the World Car Awards have retained their ranking as the number one automotive awards program in the world in terms of media reach.

The Global Trends Report, co-presented annually by Prime Research and Autoneum, was also released today.The report is the culmination of research and insights across the past six months. Autoneum CEO Martin Hirzel said, "The auto industry is in the midst of an upheaval that goes far beyond anything it has experienced in the past 100 years. Emerging industry trends such as autonomous driving, electric mobility and connected cars are changing not only vehicles and their technologies but also their concepts and forms. As the market leader in acoustic and thermal management for vehicles, Autoneum today already offers a large variety of multifunctional and lightweight technologies and components to meet the requirements of modern mobility. With our recently established "Competence Center for New Mobility" in Sunnyvale, California, Autoneum is taking a committed and active role in driving vehicle advancement by developing innovative technologies and components for all forms of mobility."

World Car of the Year is more than just an awards program. The World Car community brings together a large cross section of experts and professionals from every segment of the automotive industry. World Car connects the global industry around the very best of today and inspires, with insights, the ideas and trends of tomorrow. Thus defining The Road Ahead platform shared with our presenting partners Bridgestone Corporation, Prime Research, Autoneum and, most recently, Brembo.

"As the world's largest tire and rubber company, we are proud to partner with the World Car program for the 9th consecutive year," said Mike Martini, president, original equipment tire sales, U.S. and Canada, Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations. "This is an important forum for leaders in the automotive industry to celebrate achievements in innovation, performance and sustainability. As new mobility preferences emerge, we must continue to collaborate across our industry to deliver cutting-edge technology and world-class products that meet the needs of a changing global customer base."

In a rapidly changing automotive world, Brembo is also focused firmly on the future and the vehicles it will bring to market. Brembo is committing significant resources to perfecting ever more sophisticated virtual simulation methodologies that includes the study of forms, materials, technologies and surface treatments able to meet the needs of the new-generation vehicles, with a particular focus on environmental impact aspects, which drives all of Brembo's development activities.

As the global nature of the industry continues to strengthen, and the pace of innovation continues to accelerate, World Car is proud to be a part of this amazing journey along with the New York International Auto Show, Prime Research, Autoneum, Brembo, Bridgestone Corporation, KPMG and Newspress  our official media partner.

For additional information either visit our web site (www.wcoty.com).

About World Car Awards

Now in their 13th year, the annual World Car Awards are the number one awards program in the world for the fourth consecutive year based on Prime Research's 2016 media report. The awards were inaugurated in 2003, and officially launched in January 2004, to reflect the reality of the global marketplace, as well as to recognize and reward automotive excellence on an international scale.

The awards are administered by a not-for-profit association, under the guidance of a Steering Committee: Peter Lyon (chair  Japan), Jens Meiners (vice-chair  Germany), Mike Rutherford (vice-chair  UK), Tamara Warren (director  USA), Siddarth Patankar (director  India) and Gerry Malloy (director  Canada and president, WCOTY Association)

About the New York International Auto Show

Owned and operated by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, the New York Auto Show is an awesome combination of new ideas, technological innovation, exceptional concept cars and nearly 1,000 of the latest new cars and trucks. Over one million visitors are expected to visit the show this year to see what is truly possible from the automotive industry.

Important 2017 Auto Show Dates



Press Preview, April 12 & 13 (credentials required)

Public Sneak Preview, Friday, April 14

Public Show Dates, Friday, April 14  Sunday, April 23, 2017

THE ROAD TO WORLD CAR:

BEGAN IN PARIS SEPT. 29, 2016. ENDED IN NEW YORK APRIL 13, 2017.

FOLLOW OUR 70+ INTERNATIONAL JURORS : wcoty.com #wcoty

SOURCE World Car Awards

Related Links

http://www.wcoty.com


NEW ORLEANS, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2017 Louisiana Energy Conference will be held in New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon May 30 through Friday, June 2, 2017 at the Westin Canal Place Hotel at 100 Rue Iberville. The Conference will feature a series of approximately 20 panels May 31 - June 1 that will discuss key domestic and international oil and natural gas industry developments and issues. After strong participation in recent years, the Conference will again host at least four field trips on June 2 to both offshore Gulf of Mexico and onshore south Louisiana facilities, including a crew boat visit to an offshore platform and an onshore airboat trip to view marshland production facilities.



Several networking events are planned for this year. The Conference will begin with a new event on Tuesday afternoon May 30th which includes a keynote speaker beginning at 4:00 pm, followed by a welcoming reception. On Wednesday, May 31st the Conference will return to the National World War II Museum for its traditional dinner and museum tour. There will also be a Thursday evening June 1st post-closing, pre-field trip event from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm at a venue to be announced.

Executives from a variety of leading public and private exploration and production and oil field services companies as well as representatives from energy-related private equity firms, industry trade groups, regulatory agencies, investment banks, institutional research groups, insurance, and law firms will participate in the panel discussions.

Confirmed investment professional attendees will be offered the opportunity to register for one-on-one meetings with companies participating on the panels. Over 70 exploration and production companies, oil field service companies and other panelist firms are expected to take part in the Conference.

Event host Al Petrie, Senior Partner of Al Petrie Advisors, LLC commented, The improving outlook for the energy industry since late 2016 will make our panel-focused Conference particularly relevant again this year. We look forward to hearing from executive management from both public and private companies to learn more about their 2017 activity levels and capital expenditure budgets, and what their expectations are for the future. We will also have several panels of private equity firms who will discuss their views on energy investing. Our Conference will again be comprised solely of panel discussions rather than typical scripted company presentations. The addition of private company executives to the panels continues to add a new dimension to the discussion of key industry issues.

Petrie continued, This year we will again host a day of field trips to allow our attendees to see the energy industry up close and personal. New Orleans is uniquely located to enable us to visit a variety of offshore and onshore industry facilities with easy access from the Conference.

Attendance at the Conference is directed to investment professionals including buy side and sell side analysts and portfolio managers, as well as private equity and wealth management executives and trust officers. There is no cost for investment professionals to attend the Conference. The cost for all other attendees is $295 for the four-day event.

The Conference web site www.LouisianaEnergyConference.com provides additional details on the event and will be updated over the coming weeks with additional information on the agenda and participating companies. Registration is now open through the web site as well as the ability to reserve rooms online at our special rate.

The Conference is being hosted by Al Petrie Advisors. For additional information on attendance and sponsorship opportunities, please call (504) 799-1953 or email info@LouisianaEnergyConference.com.
PHILADELPHIA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Bioscience Financial Officers (ABFO) today unveiled its detailed program for the 2017 National Conference, its 28th annual conference, which is set for May 30-June 2 at the Logan Philadelphia hotel.

With an average attendance of 200, ABFO's annual meeting is recognized as the largest and the most focused educational and networking event for financial executives at all levels with companies that develop drugs, medical devices and diagnostics. The 2017 program is comprised of several keynote presentations from high-profile executives, roundtable discussions covering a range of topics in line with the convergence theme and a series of small-group break-out sessions designed to equip attendees with practical information relevant to their daily roles in finance. Click here to view the complete conference agenda.

Headlining the conference as keynote speakers will be:

Dominic J. Caruso , Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Johnson & Johnson

, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Johnson & Johnson Joe Quinlan , Managing Director & Chief Market Strategist, U.S. Trust, Bank of America, Private Wealth Management

, Managing Director & Chief Market Strategist, U.S. Trust, Bank of America, Private Wealth Management Michael Smerconish , Host, "Smerconish" CNN; "The Michael Smerconish Program," SiriusXM Radio

In addition to these talks, sessions led by industry CFOs and advisors will cover timely topics. These will include private and public financing pathways, pricing and reimbursement trends, and best practices in core areas such as investor and public relations, revenue recognition and board communications. One highlight will be the buy-side panel in which fund managers provide an overview of the state of interaction with Wall Street for financial executives involved in capital raising activities.

ABFO National Conference attendees can earn up to 18 hours of continuing professional education (CPE) credits through participation in the two-and-a-half days of programs while networking with their industry peers. An annual highlight is ABFO's "mystery event," an evening activity designed to bring attendees together for an over-the-top local experience that has been a hallmark of the organization's meeting since the first one in 1990.

"Philadelphia is an ideal location for the 2017 meeting with easy access to bring together attendees from the Northeast, West- Coast and other regions," said Louis Arcudi III, senior vice president of operations, chief financial officer, Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc., and conference co-chair. "The ABFO conference is designed to meet the needs of financial teams, not just CFOs. We encourage executives to recommend participation to all members of their teams because feedback we receive indicates that the training offered to accounting executives, controllers and others is beneficial for application in real-world practice."

Michael Celano, chief financial officer, Recro Pharma Inc., and conference co-chair, added: "This is about direct access to financial thought leaders in the biosciences and a rare opportunity for finance execs at all levels to network among themselves while earning CPE credits. The ABFO National Conference provides tremendous value for a minimal registration fee as compared to typical industry events. You will leverage conference relationships to build your career and help grow and manage your company"

The 2017 ABFO National Conference is sponsored by Aon, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Cooley, EY, Merrill Corporation, Oxford Finance and R&D Logic. Russo Partners is a conference supporter.

For more conference information and to register online now, click here. For hotel reservations at The Logan Philadelphia, click here.

About ABFO

Formed in 1989, the Association of Bioscience Financial Officers has 11 chapters that serve as forums for the exchange of information about the industry and networking. Regional chapters are based in top bioscience hubs to allow for face-to-face meetings and discussion of hot topics of interest to bioscience financial officers. The regional chapters meet annually at the ABFO National Conference for extended networking. For more information, visit http://www.abfointernational.org

Media Contacts:

David Schull or Maggie Beller

Russo Partners LLC

Tel: (858) 717-2310

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Association of Bioscience Financial Officers

Related Links

http://www.abfointernational.org


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Voya Investment Management, the asset management business of Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), announced today that it has hired Bob Alderman as head of Business Development for the Pomona Investment Fund (PIF) on behalf of Pomona Capital, a Voya Affiliate. Alderman is based in New York and reports to Troy Chakarun, senior vice president, head of Private Wealth & Advisory.

"As one of the early pioneers to bring alternative investments to the wealth management segment, Bob adds tremendous experience and credibility to our overall efforts," said Michael Granoff, founder and chief executive officer of Pomona Capital. "Initially, he will focus on the independent advisory channel along with developing business opportunities with regional and national broker-dealers and advisory firms."

PIF is a 1940 Act registered investment vehicle designed to give accredited investors easier access to private equity investing. PIF offers investors the opportunity to invest in private equity with a focus on secondaries.

Prior to joining Pomona, Alderman held senior management positions in alternatives at Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse Asset Management and most recently at Gold Bullion International where he was responsible for business development and global distribution of the firm's precious metals offering to financial advisors and clients. As a member of the firm's executive management team, he oversaw a group of specialists responsible for educating and training financial advisors on the use of precious metals as a portfolio component in maintaining and building long-term wealth.

PIF continues to build out its private equity portfolio, with 38 underlying partnerships currently held within the Fund, encompassing over 500 underlying portfolio companies. During the 4th quarter, the Fund closed on four new transactions, acquiring limited partnership positions in funds managed by Silver Lake Partners, Providence Equity Partners, Cerberus Institutional Partners and Bain Capital and others.

Media Contact:

Kristopher Kagel

(212) 309-6568

[email protected]

All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of return and yield inherent in investing. All security transactions involve substantial risk of loss.

Your clients should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fund(s) carefully before investing. For a free copy of the Fund's prospectus or summary prospectus, which contains this and other information, visit us at www.voyainvestments.com or call (800) 992-0180. Please read prospectus carefully before investing.

Voya Investments Distributor, LLC, 230 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10169

About Pomona Capital

Pomona Capital is a global private equity firm that has approximately $9 billion in capital commitments across its sponsored-funds and separate accounts since being founded in 1994. Pomona was one of the earliest secondary market investors, establishing itself as a pioneer in the marketplace. Pomona also manages a nearly $3 billion business making primary investments in private equity funds as a strategic complement to the secondaries business. Pomona has collectively invested in partnership interests in approximately 700 private equity funds, diversified across the spectrum of private equity, with underlying investments in over 8,500 companies since inception. Pomona is led by a senior management team that has worked together since 1995.

The global team is comprised of over 45 experienced professionals based in New York, London and Hong Kong. Pomona's capital capacity and global reach are enhanced by a strategic partnership with Voya Investment Management.

About Voya Investment Management

A leading, active asset management firm, Voya Investment Management manages, as of December 31, 2016, more than $211 billion for affiliated and external institutions as well as individual investors. With 40 years of history in asset anagement, Voya Investment Management has the experience and resources to provide clients with investment solutions with an emphasis on equities, fixed income, and multi-asset strategies and solutions. Voya Investment Management was named in 2016 as a "Best Places to Work" by Pensions and Investments magazine. For more information, visit voyainvestments.com. Follow Voya Investment Management on Twitter @VoyaInvestments.

SOURCE Voya Financial, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.voya.com


DENVER, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ashley Hickmon has recently joined Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation as a Branch Manager. Hickmon's top producing branch will be offering a vast range of home loan products including down payment assistant programs, fixed and adjustable-rate mortgages, loans for first-time homebuyers, FHA, USDA and Conventional loans, renovation financing options and much more.

"Fairway is so thankful to have Ashley Hickmon and her team joining our team," said President-Sales Development/Recruitment Sarah Middleton. "Ashley brings a long history of being in the mortgage business as an incredible professional that represents Fairway and our Core Values. We are looking forward seeing Ashley continue to capture the Denver and surrounding area markets and increase her business at Fairway. We're grateful to have her aboard."

Ashley brings a decade of experience to Fairway and she is honored that her team decided to join her in starting a new branch. She will be accompanied by Laura Hebert, loan officer NMLS # 1120779, along with an amazing support staff who has worked with Ashley throughout her career. Ashley has treated and served thousands of home buyers with the highest standards of customer care. She demonstrates her vast knowledge of the mortgage industry when she teaches Continuing Education credit classes to Realtors from which she receives raving reviews from attendees.

"At Fairway, we trust and depend on the expertise and efficiency of our personnel, since the organization's success is determined by the depth of our commitment to perform as a unified team," stated Steve Jacobson, founder and chief executive officer of Fairway. "Ashley's depth of experience and commitment to helping clients and serving her community makes her an invaluable asset to Fairway as we know she will use her experience to instill confidence in her team members."

Ashley's new office will be conveniently located in Denver along the I-25 corridor, at Colorado Blvd and I-25. She can be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 303-669-8454.

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation:

Founded in 1996 by Steve Jacobson, and named by a childhood best friend, colleague and forever member of the Fairway family, Randy Cross, Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is a mortgage lender headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin and Carrollton, Texas. The company has more than 300 locations and over 4,700 employees nationwide. At Fairway, customer service is a way of life. Not only are we dedicated to finding great loan products and rates for our customers, we also offer some of the fastest turn times in the industry. Our goal is to act as a trusted advisor, providing highly personalized service and helping clients through every step of the loan process. It's all designed to exceed expectations, guarantee satisfaction and earn trust.

For more information, please visit our website at www.FairwayIndependentMC.com.

SOURCE Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

Related Links

http://www.fairwayindependentmc.com


WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Bunge Limited (NYSE: BG) will announce its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2017, on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, prior to the market opening.

Bunge Limited's management will host a conference call at 8:00 a.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 to discuss the company's results.

Additionally, a slide presentation to accompany the discussion of results will be posted on www.bunge.com.

To listen to the call, please dial (877) 883-0383. If you are located outside the United States or Canada, dial (412) 902-6506. Please dial in five to 10 minutes before the scheduled start time. When prompted, enter confirmation code 4481878. The call will also be webcast live at www.bunge.com.

To access the webcast, go to "Webcasts and presentations" in the "Investors" section of the company's website. Select "Q1 2017 Bunge Limited Conference Call" and follow the prompts. Please go to the website at least 15 minutes prior to the call to register and download any necessary audio software.

A replay of the call will be available later in the day on May 3, 2017, continuing through June 2, 2017. To listen to it, please dial (877) 344-7529 in the United States, (855) 669-9658 in Canada, or (412) 317-0088 in other locations. When prompted, enter confirmation code 10105275. A replay will also be available in "Past events" at "Webcasts and presentations" in the "Investors" section of the company's website.

About Bunge Limited

Bunge Limited (www.bunge.com, NYSE: BG) is a leading global agribusiness and food company operating in over 40 countries with approximately 32,000 employees. Bunge buys, sells, stores and transports oilseeds and grains to serve customers worldwide; processes oilseeds to make protein meal for animal feed and edible oil products for commercial customers and consumers; produces sugar and ethanol from sugarcane; mills wheat, corn and rice to make ingredients used by food companies; and sells fertilizer in South America. Founded in 1818, the company is headquartered in White Plains, New York.

SOURCE Bunge Limited

Related Links

http://www.bunge.com


LOS ANGELES, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Caesarstone, luxury quartz surface manufacturer, will continue its longstanding partnership with House Beautiful for the tenth Kitchen of the Year, making Caesarstone the only brand partner that has been a part of the celebration since its inception at Rockefeller Plaza in 2008.

"We are proud to be a brand partner of House Beautiful's iconic Kitchen of the Year for the last ten years, and hope to continue for the next ten," said Nick Harris, VP of Marketing for Caesarstone US. "The designers we have worked with over the years have become a part of the Caesarstone family, and it has been a true highlight for us to see the stunning work that is unveiled each year."

Renowned interior designer Jon de la Cruz, who founded De La Cruz Interior Architecture + Design (DLC-ID), will design the 2017 Kitchen of the Year. The kitchen will feature Caesarstone quartz surfaces in Raw Concrete throughout. The 2017 Kitchen of the Year is being hosted at the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, at 2698 Pacific Avenue, and is open to the public from April 29 to May 29.

"We've presented some of the biggest names of kitchen design over the past ten years, and every one of them has been delighted to work with Caesarstone," said Kate Kelly Smith, House Beautiful Senior Vice President and Group Publishing Director. "When we invite designers to create the ultimate the kitchen, they know they will get access to the best products and manufacturers. Caesarstone has always been at the top of that list. We're so grateful for their partnership and support."

To celebrate ten years as part of Kitchen of the Year, Caesarstone is looking back on inspiration behind the design from previous years and the long-standing relationships they have built with these renowned designers over the course of their careers.

Matthew Quinn (2016) used Calacatta Nuvo in a honed finish throughout the kitchen and Calacatta Nuvo in a polished finish on the adjacent fireplace.

Ken Fulk (2015) utilized darker shades of Caesarstone in Vanilla Noir and Clamshell. "I like a bit of drama, and black will dress up any space," he said of his design two years ago.

Steven Miller (2014) loved using Caesarstone quartz surface in Pure White and noted the durability and ease of use.

Christopher Peacock (2013) designed his second Kitchen of the Year using Piatra Gray, a new release in 2013. "Caesarstone has all the properties you want in terms of practicality  heat resistant, stain resistant. And the soft grey works with my monochromatic, tone-on-tone color scheme," he said of his design.

Mick De Giulio (2012) featured a 13 ft. white island set against contrasting stainless steel and wenge wood details for a stunning look that featured the Fair Lady Supremo collection.

Tyler Florence (2011) noted that he loved how the Caesarstone surfaces played with light when he used Belgian Moon in his design. "I'm looking at a reflection of white wall, stainless steel, the blue sky from the skylight. The polished Caesarstone bounces light back into the room. Caesarstone is forgiving. Most stone countertops are not. You get a couple of drops of lemon juice on marble and you have to live with a mark. You spill red wine on it - done!"

Jeff Lewis (2010) Lewis humorously said, "I wanted this humongous block of Caesarstone, clean and white, and it doesn't stain, scratch, or burn. I have Caesarstone in my own house, and you know how particular I am," after he used Pure White in 2010.

Ina Garten (2009) preferred "gutsy" countertops and used Raven because it was super-thick and dark; perfect for her design.

Christopher Peacock (2008) highlighted a major benefit when working with Caesartsone's Misty Carrera  "It looks like marble, but it's not going to stain and you can set down a hot pot."

For images of past Kitchen of the Year designs, please visit: http://ballantinespr.com/News/Caesarstone/CS-KOTY2.html

About Caesarstone:

Caesarstone is a leading developer and manufacturer of premium quality quartz surfaces. Established in 1987, the company pioneered the quartz surfaces and continues to manufacture high-quality surfaces utilizing advanced technologies and proprietary knowhow. Caesarstone surfaces consist of up to 93% quartz, retain the cool tactile qualities of nature's strong stones while offering freedom of design with enormous application possibilities including kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, wall paneling, furniture and more. Caesarstone offers a product that is highly functional, design forward and beautiful, all at the same time.

Media Contact:

Kendal Hurley

Ballantines PR

[email protected]

310-454-3080

SOURCE Caesarstone
DALLAS, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Legislative Analyst's Office has issued an update addressing the utilization of the partial manufacturing exemption that went into effect in 2014. Under the exemption, certain sales of manufacturing or research and development (R&D) equipment are excluded from the state portion of the sales tax rate. The exemption was passed in 2013 as part of the Governor's Economic Development Initiative (GEDI), which was designed to retain and attract manufacturing and R&D jobs and investment.

The State Board of Equalization (BOE) issued its annual report to the Legislature regarding use of the exemption on March 1, 2017. The BOE reported that an estimated $165 million was claimed in 2016, which was a 6% increase from the prior year. However, current estimates for 2016 are only about one-third the amount projected at the time the exemption was passed into law. The BOE's report provides options for expanding the use of the exemption for the consideration of the Legislature, which include allowing businesses to qualify more equipment for the exemption, increasing the annual cap on the amount of eligible equipment, and expanding the businesses that are eligible to claim the exemption

Legislation (AB 600 and SB 600) has been introduced that incorporates the BOE's recommendations and will bring the incentive program closer to its original revenue-neutral targets. Options include expanding the definition of "useful life," increasing the amount of the annual cap, extending the sunset date, and expanding the definition of qualified person to include agricultural processors and producers of electric power from alternate sources.

About Ryan

Ryan is an award-winning global tax services firm, with the largest indirect and property tax practices in North America and the seventh largest corporate tax practice in the United States. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides a comprehensive range of state, local, federal, and international tax advisory and consulting services on a multi-jurisdictional basis, including audit defense, tax recovery, credits and incentives, tax process improvement and automation, tax appeals, tax compliance, and strategic planning. Ryan is a five-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryan's multi-disciplinary team of more than 2,100 professionals and associates serves over 12,000 clients in more than 40 countries, including many of the world's most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION CONTACTS:

John Lyon

Principal

Ryan

213.627.1719

[email protected]

Susan Bittick

Principal

Ryan

916.414.0400

[email protected]

Greg Weston

Director

Ryan

916.414.0400

[email protected]

SOURCE Ryan

Related Links

http://www.ryan.com


BOSTON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Block & Leviton LLP (www.blockesq.com), a litigation boutique that represents investors and employees nationwide, is investigating Caterpillar Inc. ("Caterpillar" or the "Company") (NYSE: CAT), following the March 2, 2017 multi-agency federal raid of the company's headquarters and other locations related to Caterpillar's use of foreign subsidiaries to lower its United States tax liabilities.

The New York Times has reported that a government-commissioned report concluded that Caterpillar's noncompliance with federal tax and financial reporting rules was deliberate, and with the primary purpose of maintaining a higher share price of Caterpillar stock.

Investors in Caterpillar (including those who obtained Caterpillar shares through their employment with the Company) who purchased shares between February 19, 2013 and March 1, 2017 are reminded of a May 2, 2017 lead plaintiff motion deadline.

Former employees or witnesses with information about these events or Caterpillar's tax strategies are encouraged to contact the firm.

Those with information or who would like to learn more about the upcoming deadline should contact attorney Jake Walker at [email protected], by phone at (617) 398-5600, or through our website at http://www.blockesq.com/caterpillar.

Block & Leviton LLP is a Boston-based law firm representing investors and employees nationwide. The firm's lawyers have collectively been prosecuting securities cases on behalf of individual and institutional investors for over 50 years, and have recovered billions of dollars on their behalf. Block & Leviton's investigations into corporate wrongdoing were recently covered by the New York Times.

This notice may constitute attorney advertising.

SOURCE Block & Leviton LLP

Related Links

http://www.blockesq.com


DaDaABC, a Chinese EdTech company, has become an icon in online education industry. Founded in 2013 with headquarters in Shanghai, China, DaDaABC was the first Internet enterprise in China to offer online English courses for children. Despite DaDaABC having been in operations for less than 5 years, however, the company has shown remarkable results in all aspects.

DaDaABC's revenue each month is close to RMB 100 Million, which indicates DaDaABC's leading position in the industry. In comparison, some American online education companies are still exploring the business model rather than making money.

DaDaABC's monthly revenue continues growing at 30%. "The growth is not only from China, but we also have overseas students from 22 countries, and the footprint will keep expanding," said Hui Zhi. "We aim to become the best global online English training company in the near future."

As an entrepreneur and a mom, Hui Zhi clearly knows her ambition. Previously a Marketing Director at Jiayuan.com International Ltd, operator of the largest online dating platform in China, Hui is now leading DaDaABC, with thousands of employees, along with ten thousand English instructors, beyond its current role as the leading China online education company, and into the international market.

Despite DaDaABC being based in China, its student users, children from 5 to 16 years old, are all over the world. Currently, DaDaABC has more than 1 million students registered, taught by, moreover, thousands of native English speakers from United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand serving as qualified DaDaABC instructors, the majority of whom work remotely from home or all over the world. Hui Zhi said, "The instructors are able to know more about China and Chinese culture through talking to students in class. At the same time, they enjoy the benefits of working remotely with flexible hours."

Each night, 100,000 online one-on-one classes take place through DaDaABC's platform. DaDaABC uses its innovative two-way video classroom and its powerful global network to ensure all courses can be successfully completed. Although other EdTech competitors have emerged, imitating DaDaABC's innovative education format, the company has the first-mover advantage and has generated great reputation among parents, students, and instructors.

Richard, a DaDaABC instructor from Chicago, Illinois, has been working at DaDaABC for three years, and he said that DaDaABC not only offers him a job, but also makes him feel amazing about life.

Richard said, more and more companies compete in the market now. However, only at DaDaABC are instructors and students paired from the beginning, so they are more likely to develop friendships in the long term.

"The company treats instructors with respect and sincerity, and $3,000 per month perfectly meets my expectation for a part time job," said Richard.

Emma, another instructor from DaDaABC, expressed her passion to her experience with DaDaABC. "I definitely love children, and I'm a mom myself. I had never thought I could get a job before joining DaDaABC since I have a two little kids at home. DaDaABC offered me free training classes and I became a certificated English instructor. Thanks to DaDaABC, I have a flexible working schedule while taking care of my three-year-olds."

About DaDaABC

Founded in 2013, DaDaABC is the most innovative English training institution in China, and was established to provide what has become one of China's most successful intelligent English learning platforms for children. Winner of over 15 awards and recognitions in 2016, DaDaABC developed a leading English training system focused on one-on-one online tutoring and encourage youngsters to learn and practice while having fun with instructors, and announced a total capital raising of 500 million RMB in Series B and Series B+, which will be used in market expansion, curriculum development and learning experience improvement. DaDaABC has been helping students from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, France, Germany, and other non-English speaking countries. For more information, please visit http://www.dadaabc.com/teacher/job.

SOURCE DaDaABC

Related Links

http://www.dadaabc.com


DOVER, Del., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is escalating its campaign to save TransPerfect jobs with a full-scale advocacy effort to support newly introduced legislation. The organization announced the launch of an aggressive advertising campaign throughout Delaware highlighting the significance of the incorporation industry on the Delaware economy as well as the effect of additional unemployment.

CPBD's campaign has steadily gained support among Delaware residents as well as state legislators. Last week, seven cosponsors signed on to SB53 which would mandate a three-year waiting period when Delaware courts force the sale of a private company. The organization is asking legislators to pass SB53 and protect Delaware's reputation as a business-friendly state and the immediate impact on the livelihoods of more than 4,000 workers.

"The more Delaware residents we reach, the more we hear about the need to protect our incorporation industry," said Chris Coffey, Campaign Manager for CPBD. "Residents are concerned about what message this unprecedented court-ordered sale sends to other companies looking to incorporate here and are worried about the state's economy and funding for local public servants. CPBD will continue our campaign until we reach each and every resident in Delaware."

Click here to view the ad.

The television ad campaign will also run in Nevada and Rhode Island, two states looking to unseat Delaware as the country's number one destination for the incorporation industry. The Delaware campaign will be accompanied by multiple grassroots tactics to engage and activate residents to communicate with their state representatives in support of the legislation. The campaign will include direct mail, print, digital and radio advertisements driving Delaware voters to communicate with legislators, supported by an aggressive direct lobbying effort.

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 2,200 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the issue.

For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware visit DelawareForBusiness.org.

Contact: Mary Urban, [email protected]

Julijana Englander, [email protected]

SOURCE Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware

Related Links

http://www.delawareforbusiness.org


DENVER, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Closetbox, a national full-service storage company currently serving 65 U.S. markets, announced today that it will bring its innovative valet storage model to the five boroughs of New York City. A more cost-effective option at approximately half the price of other full service storage companies in the area, Closetbox is offering free pick-up in NYC, making it easy for residents to free up space in their lives without lifting a finger or transporting anything.

"After launching in 65 other markets, we are thrilled to finally be offering New Yorkers the convenience of full service storage with the affordability of a traditional storage unit," said Closetbox Founder and CEO Marcus J. Mollmann. "We free our customers from the hassle of lifting, loading and hauling heavy storage items to and from a storage unit, and are more cost effective to boot."

For the first time, Closetbox makes the cost of full service storage comparable to the monthly rent of a self-storage unit. Their unique, innovative business model leverages technology to utilize excess capacity with existing, registered and licensed storage providers, enabling them to offer the lowest cost full service storage. All storage items are tracked, organized, and inventoried on a private online dashboard, complete with the option of adding photos, labels, and tags making return delivery simple.

The company has seen substantial growth since its launch in 2014. What began in Denver, Colorado, as a storage company offering free pickup and on-demand return delivery, has expanded to more than 65 U.S. markets, and increased both its number of employees as well as annual revenue by more than ten times since its inception. Closetbox recently closed $5.5 million in funding and has raised $12 million in funding to date and is quickly becoming a leader in the $32 billion self-storage industry.

For more information, visit: www.closetbox.com

About Closetbox

Closetbox is a full-service storage company that offers free pickup and on-demand return delivery of customers' items with secure storage in a local warehouse. Founded in 2014 by Marcus Mollmann and headquartered in Denver, CO, the company is backed by venture capital and offers an efficient and cost effective solution to storage. To learn more, visit www.closetbox.com.

SOURCE Closetbox

Related Links

http://www.closetbox.com


GREENVILLE, Wis., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- School Specialty, Inc. (OTCQB:SCOO) (School Specialty, SSI or the Company), a leading distributor of supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources to the education, healthcare and other marketplaces, today announced that it has successfully completed the closing of a new $140 million term loan with TCWs Direct Lending Group (TCW). In conjunction with the financing, SSI repaid its previous term loan, which had a remaining principal balance of $117.4 million and a maturity date of June 11, 2019.



The new Term Loan will be a 5-year, $140 million facility with $110 million drawn upon closing. The Term Loan will bear interest initially at a rate of LIBOR plus 625 basis points. There is an additional $30 million available to support the strategic initiatives of the Company, subject to certain terms and conditions. The TCW facility contains customary events of default and financial, affirmative and negative covenants, including a senior leverage covenant, a fixed charge coverage covenant and an annual limit on capital leases, product development expenditures and other capital expenditures.

Additionally, in conjunction with the new Term Loan, the Company entered into an amendment to its current $125 million revolving Asset-based Credit Facility (ABL) provided by Bank of America and Bank of Montreal. The amendment includes a new lower pricing tier of LIBOR plus 125 basis points, a seasonal increase in eligible accounts receivable for the months of March through August, and the inclusion of additional inventory in the Companys borrowing base. These provisions will provide additional availability throughout the year. The ABL amendment extends the term of the ABL to February 7, 2022.

The new and amended credit facilities lower the Companys cost of capital and provide enhanced access to capital to fund strategic initiatives the Company may undertake. The new covenants provide more flexibility than the existing Term Loan structure and overall, the Company anticipates interest savings of approximately $3.0 million over the next 12 months. Additional details of the Term Loan and amendment to the ABL can be found in the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K, which will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 13, 2017.

About School Specialty, Inc.

School Specialty is a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace. The Company designs, develops, and provides educators with the latest and very best school supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. Through its SSI Guardian subsidiary, the Company is also committed to school, healthcare and corporate workplace safety by offering the highest quality curriculum, training and safety and security products. Through its recently launched SOAR Life Products brand, the Company offers thousands of products that sharpen cognitive skills and build physical and mental strength in fun and creative ways. From childhood through adulthood, they help individuals live life to the fullest  engaged, happy and well. SOAR Life Products is a customized offering for hospitals, long-term care, therapeutic facilities, home care, surgery centers, day care centers, physician offices, and clinics. For more information about School Specialty, visit www.schoolspecialty.com.

About TCW Direct Lending

TCW Direct Lending, part of The TCW Group, partners with senior management teams, financial intermediaries, business owners, asset based lenders and financial sponsors to provide customized financing solutions for the middle market. TCW is a leading global asset management firm with a broad range of products across fixed income, equities, emerging markets and alternative investments. With more than four decades of investment experience, TCW today manages over $190 billion in client assets. Through the MetWest Funds, TCW Funds and TCW Alternative Funds families, TCW manages one of the largest mutual fund complexes in the U.S. TCWs clients include many of the worlds largest corporate and public pension plans, financial institutions, endowments and foundations, as well as financial advisors and high net worth individuals. For more information, please visit www.tcw.com.

Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Information

Any statements made in this press release about School Specialtys future financial condition, results of operations, expectations, plans, or prospects constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements also include those preceded or followed by the words "anticipates," "believes," "could," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "may," "plans," projects, should, "targets" and/or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on School Specialty's current estimates and assumptions and, as such, involve uncertainty and risk. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements because of a number of factors, including the risk factors described in Item 1A of School Specialty's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, which risk factors are incorporated herein by reference. Any forward-looking statement in this release speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except to the extent required under the federal securities laws, School Specialty does not intend to update or revise the forward-looking statements.
REDMOND, Wash., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- CyberTraining 365 is continuing their efforts of empowering veterans to help fill the cybersecurity skills gap by partnering with Operation Code. Operation Code is an open source veterans non-profit aiding US veterans in learning cybersecurity skills to help fill the skills gap and reintroduce them to the workforce. Aligned in mission and efforts, CyberTraining 365 and Operation Code announce their partnership to offer 100 seats of subscription-based cybersecurity courses to veterans and members of the Operation Code community for free.

Through their previous partnerships with veterans' organizations, CyberTraining 365 views veterans as indispensable assets to the United States workforce. Currently, there are 220,000 job openings that require cybersecurity-related skills, and employers are struggling to find workers to fill these positions.

"We are increasingly being shown that veterans are team oriented and excel at handling high-pressure environments, giving them the abilities to excel in cybersecurity positions. They may have already acquired security clearances that are needed for a lot of cybersecurity positions in the public sector and have a unique perspective while understanding the cultural foundations of the field," says Bally Kehal, CISO at CyberTraining 365.

Operation Code is an army of passionate volunteers who appreciate the value of private sector companies looking to reach beyond their market to make a bigger contribution to individuals, the field and economy at large.

Conrad Hollomon, Chief of Staff, National Operations and Strategic Partnerships Coordinator of Operation Code says, "CyberTraining365 is supporting brighter futures for the entire military community by providing this training. As our nation's cyber needs grows, it becomes more and more critical to make sure our cyber talent grows with it. At Operation Code, we want to make sure that those who have served can fill the nation's cyber talent needs, and CyberTraining365 is giving our nation's finest the tools they need to succeed."

Both CyberTraining 365 and Operation Code are dedicated to uplifting veterans with new skills to help them enter the workforce, as well as fill the cyber-skills gap creating anxiety among private corporations, small businesses and the public sector alike.

About CyberTraining 365

CyberTraining 365 is an online academy that offers nearly 1,000 hours of relevant and cutting edge cybersecurity training. Our training provides the most in demand industry certification prep courses including EC-Council, CompTIA, (ISC)2 and Cisco; all taught by leading cybersecurity experts. All of our offerings are aligned with the national initiative for cybersecurity education (NICE) and ensure the most up-to-date information for this constantly shifting field. With engaging content in a scenario-based format, CyberTraining 365 uses bite-sized micro-learning methodology ensures learners are not overwhelmed with information. On Demand LMS platform has white-label capabilities ideal for internal training purposes.

About Operation Code

Operation Code's mission is to empower the military community to learn software development, enter the tech industry, and code the future. Serving past and present Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard service members, veterans and military spouses through their online community, working with 1000+ members around the world.

Media Contact:

Bally Kehal

1-800 720 4851

[email protected]

SOURCE CyberTraining 365

Related Links

https://www.cybertraining365.com/cybertraining


NEW YORK and CINCINNATI, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Connexient and The Jewish Hospital - Mercy Health announced today the launch of the "Right This Way" app to make it easier for patients and visitors to find their way around the hospital, remember where they parked and more.

Search "Right This Way: The Jewish Hospital" for both Apple and Android devices to download the app or access it from Mercy.com at https://www.mercy.com/cincinnati/locations/hospitals/the-jewish-hospital/wayfinding.

Jewish Hospital's Right This Way mapping system provides turn-by-turn navigation to almost any spot in the facility via a smartphone app

Mercy Health  Cincinnati is the first health system in Greater Cincinnati to launch this innovative wayfinding solution which is like an "Indoor GPS" for hospitals and runs on Connexient's MediNav platform.

"Right This Way makes it easy for patients and visitors to find their way around the hospital. It offers detail-rich indoor maps, turn-by-turn indoor navigation, parking help and more on cell phones, kiosks and on Mercy Health's website," said Pat Davis-Hagens, Mercy Health Central Market President and CEO. "We're always looking to improve the experience of both our patients and visitors and we launched the app to guide you to the department or room you want to visit, remember where you parked and help reduce missed or late appointments."

"We are honored to announce Mercy Health as a new client," commented Mark Green, Connexient CEO and Co-Founder. "Its commitment to both innovation and delivering outstanding patient experience makes Mercy Health an ideal partner as we continue to expand and enhance MediNavTM as the best-of-breed Indoor Navigation and Digital Wayfinding solution for healthcare."

Powered by Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons and sophisticated handset sensor fusion technology, MediNavTM Navigator v. 2.0 is the most advanced indoor navigation solution available for hospitals, with rich features that solve real world problems:

True turn-by-turn indoor navigation with reliable indoor positioning accuracy of one to two meters, navigation cues, visual landmark references, off-route notification and more.

with reliable indoor positioning accuracy of one to two meters, navigation cues, visual landmark references, off-route notification and more. My Car Saver feature saves visitors' parking locations and guides them back to their cars when they are ready to leave the hospital.

feature saves visitors' parking locations and guides them back to their cars when they are ready to leave the hospital. All screens solution ensures that patients and visitors can access vital information anytime and anywhere across mobile, web and three, touch screen kiosks located conveniently throughout the hospital.

ensures that patients and visitors can access vital information anytime and anywhere across mobile, web and three, touch screen kiosks located conveniently throughout the hospital. Outdoor, indoor, campus-wide wayfinding guides users across the entire hospital campus, including the hospital itself and Mercy Health Physician practices located both at the hospital and at The Jewish Hospital's medical office buildings across the street from the hospital.

Connexient (www.connexient.com) provides innovative Indoor Mapping, Navigation and Location-based Services for hospitals and healthcare networks with large, complex buildings and campuses. The MediNavTM Navigator Edition Patient Experience solution helps to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty, reduce missed or late appointments and improve HCAHPS scores. More than just a mobile app, the Connexient Mobile Application SDKs and Web APIs enable its clients to integrate its rich, navigation quality indoor maps and location-based services across Enterprise IT in areas such as asset tracking, staff and patient flow, facility management, safety and security and more, with use cases that bring compelling value to users and direct ROI in capturing lost revenue, reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency and intelligence.

Mercy Health - Cincinnati makes advanced, compassionate, quality healthcare easy to help you be well in mind, body and spirit. Mercy Health  Cincinnati has been serving Greater Cincinnati for more than 160 years and provides an integrated network of leading physicians, compassionate caregivers, comprehensive services and exceptional care at more than 180 locations across the region. The Mercy Health  Cincinnati network of care includes five award-winning hospitals, senior living communities, primary care and specialty physician practices, outpatient centers, social service agencies, fitness centers and a variety of outreach programs. Mercy Health - Cincinnati hospitals have earned national Truven Health Analytics' 100 Top Hospitals honors more times than all other Cincinnati hospitals combined, placing them among the best hospitals in the nation. Truven has also named Mercy Health - Cincinnati as one of the nation's Top 15 health systems three years in a row and it is the only health system in Cincinnati to earn this honor. Mercy Health  Cincinnati is part of Mercy Health, the largest health system in Ohio and fourth largest employer. To learn more visit, mercy.com and engage in the conversation via Mercy Health - Cincinnati's social media channels (@mercy_health on Twitter and Mercy Health - Cincinnati on Facebook).

Contact for Mercy Health: Nanette Bentley

513-952-4713, [email protected]

Contact for Connexient: Rachel Kessler, Kessler Communications, LLC

917-660-008, [email protected]

SOURCE Connexient

Related Links

http://www.connexient.com


VIENNA, Va., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Redboard, a new regulatory compliance software platform built specifically for credit unions, offers a secure, cost-effect, cloud-based platform providing seamless communication, task management and document control with a detailed audit trail to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. It is designed specifically to eliminate mistakes, particularly in responses that require timely input from multiple individuals, across numerous departments including external resources, such as outside counsel.

Designed by Axiaware, a veteran financial industry software developer, Redboard is built based on decades of hands-on experience supporting the complexities of the world's largest credit unions. Since security and reliability are critical, Redboard is distributed in partnership with credit union-owned CUSO, Ongoing Operations. Ongoing Operations hosts Redboard on the same highly secure facility which already hosts some of the largest credit unions in the nation, meeting the NCUA's most stringent IT security requirements.

"Credit Unions are constantly suffering and inundated with yet more audits, compliance requests, and need for validation," says Kirk Drake, CEO of Ongoing Operations, "Redboard offers the first of its kind streamlined audit process and tool for accomplishing just that. Credit Unions who use this tool will definitely free up cycles spent on the gigantic paperwork shuffle that is the modern exam!"

Even simple regulatory examinations or document requests can lead to a tremendous amount of work. Each request requires a timely and accurate response. Mistakes or missed deadlines erode customer confidence and can result in further regulatory inquiries, actions, or even fines. Plus, if credit unions use email to discuss regulatory actions, it could open their entire email system to legal discovery. For that reason, Redboard only uses email for notifications, securely maintaining all sensitive content in its own repository.

Unlike other products, Redboard does not require a large investment of time, money, or resources. Licensing costs are tied to institution size, with no hidden fees. Pricing is posted on www.redboard.com.

There is no need for onsite or in-person training. Everything an end-user needs to know is encapsulated in a 5-minute video tutorial.

Redboard is now available exclusively to all of Ongoing Operations current clients. It will be available to the entire market in July 2017. Credit Unions can start using Redboard within a day of licensing the cloud-based system.

About Ongoing Operations

Ongoing Operations (OGO) was formed in 2005 as a business continuity CUSO by a group of Credit Union leaders determined to offer better disaster recovery solutions. The company quickly expanded as it acquired three companies, CU Recover  Business Continuity Planning, Teneros  E-mail Replication, and Cloudworks  a highly secure and redundant cloud computing platform.

Today, Ongoing Operations supports hundreds of Credit Union clients in four business areas: Disaster Recover, Telecommunications, Cloud and Security. OGO is committed to delivering thought leadership, resources and solutions to help Credit Union executives and IT leaders align technology with business strategy, maximize IT investment, and improve operational performance. To learn more, visit http://ongoingoperations.com.

About Axiaware

Axiaware is a software development boutique specializing in solving the toughest challenges for large financial institutions. Bringing world-class financial software expertise as well as business experience, Axiaware has a long track record of successful development projects, many of which are generating revenue for some of the finest institutions in the world. From back-office data management to the newest customer-facing software apps, Axiaware is the developer that large financial institutions depend on for their most important projects. Learn more at www.axiaware.com. Learn more about Redboard at http://www.redboard.com.

SOURCE Redboard

Related Links

http://www.redboard.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Darkstore today announced it has raised $1.4 million in seed financing from PivotNorth. The company powers fulfillment for 1-hour and same-day delivery for direct to consumer eCommerce companies. The funding will be used for launching new markets and expansion of the team. Tim Connors, general partner of PivotNorth, will be joining the company's Board of Directors. Darkstore currently operates in San Francisco, New York and Phoenix, and today is expanding to three new markets, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle.

While all eCommerce brands want to offer 1-hour or same-day delivery to their customers, historically it has been cost prohibitive for them because their fulfillment centers are not located close to cities. Darkstore has solved this problem by turning excess capacity in buildings into local fulfillment locations for 1-hour and same-day delivery. The fulfillment locations are strategically located within cities near where people live and work, enabling fast delivery at a low price. Retailers use Darkstore to fulfill their orders for 1-hour and same-day delivery and have them delivered ultra fast to customers by last mile delivery companies like Deliv, UberRUSH and others.

"PivotNorth brings tremendous value to Darkstore," said Lee Hnetinka, Darkstore CEO. "Tim has an impressive track record of investing early in some of the most successful technology companies. He has deep understanding of the market and shares our vision for democratizing operations and logistics so any retailer can offer the same affordable and convenient delivery options as eCommerce giants and big box stores. We're honored to have him on our Board."

"Darkstore is hitting the market at precisely the right time," said Connors. "While online retailers are excellent at inciting and taking orders, their logistics capability is often limited. Darkstore is enabling a transformational supply chain solution through very compelling warehouse management technology that addresses this challenge exactly. It's an exciting company and I'm thrilled to join the Board."

Connors and PivotNorth led early stage investments in SupplierMarket (sold to Ariba for $1B), Guidewire Software (public with a $4B market cap), Looker, Deliv, and Sun Basket, among others.

Darkstore works with a variety of direct to consumer eCommerce companies including Tuft & Needle, Frank + Oak, Blunt, Peel, Wildfang, Nootroo, Luma and others. Premium audio brand Master & Dynamic is the latest prominent brand to select Darkstore to power its last mile delivery.

"Our brand is synonymous with superior innovation and design. It's only natural that we offer a superior customer experience," said Victoria Rizzo of Master & Dynamic. "With Darkstore, our customers will literally be able to listen to music with Master & Dynamic headphones within an hour of an online purchase."

"We couldn't be more excited to partner with Master & Dynamic," Hnetinka adds. "We're big fans of the brand and we share the same philosophy of offering a stellar product and customer experience."

Darkstore previously received $270k in initial funding from the former president of Expedia and current TripAdvisor Chief Growth Officer, Gary Fritz, as well as R/GA Ventures as part of the R/GA Westfield Labs Connected Commerce Accelerator.

About Darkstore

Darkstore is on a mission to redefine the customer experience by giving eCommerce companies and brands access to affordable, on-demand, last mile delivery including 1-hour and same-day which, until now, has been cost prohibitive. It is the only third party logistics (3PL) provider that partners with last mile delivery services like Deliv, UberRUSH and others. Customers include Tuft & Needle, Frank + Oak, Master & Dynamic, Blunt, SkiPods, Peel, Wildfang, Luma Home, Nootroo and others. Darkstore has locations in San Francisco, New York, Phoenix, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle.

Darkstore is headquartered in San Francisco and is backed by PivotNorth and R/GA Ventures. Visit www.darkstore.com for more information.

About PivotNorth Capital

PivotNorth Capital works to be the first and most-trusted investor in world-class technologists solving problems of importance to society. The firm's founder, Tim Connors, has had billion dollar exits as an operator and as a VC both via M&A and IPO. Pivot North is based in Menlo Park, Calif. http://www.pivotnorth.com @PivotNorth @timc

SOURCE Darkstore

Related Links

www.darkstore.com


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- delivery.com, a leading platform for online ordering and on-demand delivery, today announced the acquisition of alcohol delivery service Klink's business operations. Founded in 2013, Klink has built a large and loyal customer base in Florida, Texas and Washington D.C., markets delivery.com has targeted for expansion.

Klink customers will have no problem transitioning to delivery.com, which offers on-demand delivery of not only alcohol, but also food, groceries, laundry/dry cleaning and other products and services. Both companies offer convenient apps that connect users to local liquor stores for on-demand delivery of beer, wine, and spirits. Now, Klink customers in Miami and D.C. will have access to delivery.com's vast nationwide network of more than 12,000 local businesses that deliver on-demand.

"This news is a big step toward bolstering our service in key expansion markets," says Jed Kleckner, CEO of delivery.com. "Klink has provided a great experience for its fan base and merchant partners to date, and we're excited to bring them into the delivery.com family."

"Having been one of the first companies to offer alcohol delivery," says Jeffrey Nadel, CEO of Klink, "we couldn't be more excited to pass the torch to delivery.com and allow our customers to order beer, wine, spirits and food  all in the same place. delivery.com has been an innovator in this space for more than a decade, and there's no company we would rather be joining forces with."

Already a major player in the food delivery space, delivery.com continues to grow its other verticals like alcohol, groceries and laundry. At the same time, the New York-based company has expanded merchant coverage in most major metropolitan areas, including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Washington D.C., and Miami.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and a transition of Klink customers and merchants to delivery.com will be completed in the coming weeks.

About delivery.com

delivery.com empowers the neighborhood economy by enabling customers to order online from their favorite local restaurants, grocery stores, wine and spirits shops, and laundry and dry cleaning providers. Every day, delivery.com customers explore their communities and order from more than 12,000 local businesses while at home, at work, or on the go. With headquarters in New York and a growing presence throughout the U.S., delivery.com makes e-commerce an integral part of local daily life, helping customers shop, businesses grow, and neighborhoods thrive. delivery.com is a trademark of Delivery.com, LLC.

About Klink

Klink is an app and website that delivers beer, wine and spirits to customers within an hour. Beyond just delivering drinks, Klink works with brands and agencies to create and bring branded experiences to customers' doorsteps. Klink's platform offers curated selections of products based on taste or occasion, and in-depth features to make finding the perfect drinks simple for customers.

SOURCE delivery.com
GILLINGHAM, England, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Automotive PLC (NYSE: DLPH) will release its first quarter 2017 financial results on May 3 and will hold an investor call the same day at 8:30 a.m. (ET). The call will be hosted by Delphi's President and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Clark and Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Joseph Massaro.

A link to the live webcast of the call and presentation materials will be available on the Delphi Investor Relations website at http://investor.delphi.com/. A replay will be available two hours following the conference call.

To participate by telephone, please dial (888) 486-0553 (U.S.) or 1.706.634.4982 (international) 15 minutes prior to the start time of the call and ask to be connected to the Delphi Automotive conference call. The conference ID number is 54160665.

About Delphi

Delphi Automotive PLC is a high-technology company that integrates safer, greener and more connected solutions for the automotive and transportation sectors. Headquartered in Gillingham, U.K., Delphi operates technical centers, manufacturing sites and customer support services in 46 countries. Visit delphi.com .

SOURCE Delphi Automotive PLC

Related Links

http://delphi.com


ATLANTA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) today reported financial results for the March quarter 2017. Highlights of those results, including both GAAP and adjusted metrics, are below and incorporated here.

Adjusted pre-tax income for the March 2017 quarter was $847 million, a $713 million decrease from the March 2016 quarter, primarily driven by higher fuel prices.

"Despite fuel price pressures, the Delta people once again delivered solid results across the board, with double digit operating margins, strong improvements in customer satisfaction, and progress on our international expansion with the closing of our Aeromexico transaction," said Ed Bastian, Delta's chief executive officer. "Producing these results in our toughest quarter of the year shows not only how far we've come, but also that we have more opportunity in front of us to continue building a better airline for our employees, customers, and owners."

April Storm Impact

Last week, severe weather in Atlanta caused significant disruptions to Delta's operations. The company cancelled approximately 4,000 flights as a result of the weather and the subsequent operational recovery. The company returned to normal operations on Sunday afternoon and had a 100% mainline completion factor yesterday. Delta currently estimates the storm will reduce its June quarter pre-tax income by $125 million.

"We hold ourselves to a high standard and we apologize to all of our customers who were impacted by last week's events," continued Bastian. "I also want to thank the Delta people for working through some incredibly tough conditions to take care of our customers and reset our operation. They proved again they are the best in the business."

Revenue Environment

Delta's operating revenue for the March quarter was down $103 million versus prior year, including $20 million of lower year over year currency hedge gains. Passenger unit revenues declined 0.5 percent on 0.5 percent lower capacity.

"March marked the first month of positive passenger unit revenues since November 2015 and we are encouraged by the current fare and demand trends across the network. We expect June quarter passenger unit revenues to increase one to three percent and remain positive throughout the year," said Glen Hauenstein, Delta's president. "However, we will keep our full year capacity growth capped at one percent to support this unit revenue momentum and the company's return to margin expansion."



Increase (Decrease)

1Q17 versus 1Q16







Change Unit



Revenue

1Q17 ($M)

YoY Revenue Yield Capacity Mainline

4,252

1.0 % (1.1) % (1.8) % 2.1 % Regional

1,284

(2.6) % (1.8) % (1.3) % (0.8) % Total Domestic

5,536

0.1 % (1.4) % (2.0) % 1.6 % Atlantic

882

(4.0) % (0.5) % (3.0) % (3.6) % Pacific

550

(13.7) % (3.9) % (2.2) % (10.1) % Latin America

720

6.4 % 4.4 % 1.0 % 1.9 % Total Passenger

7,688

(1.0) % (0.5) % (1.4) % (0.5) % Cargo Revenue

160

(1.2) %





Other Revenue

1,300

(2.0) %





Total Revenue

9,148

(1.1) %







June 2017 Quarter Guidance

For the June quarter, Delta is expecting its margins to expand relative to prior year, as the improvement in unit revenues offsets higher costs.



2Q17 Forecast Operating margin 17% - 19% Fuel price, including taxes and refinery impact $1.68 - $1.73 Compared to 2Q16

Passenger unit revenue Up 1% - 3% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing2 Up 6% - 8% Normalized CASM-Ex, including profit sharing3 Up 4% - 6% System Capacity Up 0% - 1% See note A for information about reconciliation of projected non-GAAP financial measures

Cost Performance

Adjusted fuel expense4 increased $327 million compared to the same period in 2016 due to 52 percent higher market prices. Delta's adjusted fuel price per gallon for the March quarter was $1.71, which includes $0.05 cents of benefit from the refinery and $0.09 cents of losses from legacy hedges. CASM-Ex, including profit sharing increased 5.8 percent for the March 2017 quarter compared to the prior year period. Normalized CASM-Ex, including profit sharing increased 3.6 percent versus the prior year period, primarily driven by investments in employees, maintenance timing and higher depreciation expense.

Adjusted non-operating expense declined $13 million year over year, primarily driven by lower interest expense.

"We expect the entirety of our 2017 margin pressure to have occurred in the March quarter from higher fuel prices. With an improving revenue profile and further improvement as our cost growth moderates in the second half, we are on track to expand margins for the balance of the year," said Paul Jacobson, Delta's chief financial officer. "Going forward, by remaining disciplined with our costs and capital, we'll be well positioned to achieve our long-term financial targets."

Cash Flow, Shareholder Returns, and Adjusted Net Debt

During the quarter, Delta issued $2 billion in unsecured, investment grade debt at a blended rate of just under 3.3%. The proceeds have been contributed to Delta's pension plans, pre-funding a portion of the company's already committed 2018-2020 contributions. As a result, the company will reduce its planned pension contributions from $1.2 billion to $500 million for each of the next three years.

Delta contributed $2.6 billion in cash, including $1.5 billion of the debt proceeds, and $350 million in company stock to the pension plan during the March quarter. Subsequently, in April, Delta made an additional $600 million cash contribution, including the remaining debt proceeds, completing all pension funding for the year. Excluding the $1.5 billion pension contribution, the company generated $0.7 billion of adjusted operating cash flow during the March quarter.

The company continued to invest in the business for the long term with $800 million in aircraft investments, facilities upgrades and technology improvements. Delta also completed its tender offer for an additional 32 percent of the outstanding capital stock of Grupo Aeromexico S.A.B. de C.V. for an aggregate purchase price of $620 million. Delta now owns just over 36 percent of the outstanding shares of Grupo Aeromexico and holds options to acquire an additional 13 percent.

Adjusted net debt at the end of the quarter increased to $8.8 billion as a result of the unsecured debt issuance. The company remains committed to achieving its $4 billion debt target by 2020.

For the March quarter, the company returned $349 million to shareholders, comprised of $149 million of dividends and $200 million of share repurchases.

March Quarter Results

Special items for the quarter consist primarily of mark-to-market adjustments on fuel hedges. Operating cash flow has been adjusted for accelerated pension contribution funded through debt issuance.



GAAP Adjusted ($ in millions except per share and unit costs) 1Q17 1Q16 1Q17 1Q16 Pre-tax income 915 1,434 847 1,560 Net income 603 946 560 1,026 Diluted earnings per share 0.82 1.21 0.77 1.32 Fuel expense (including regional carriers) 1,482 1,394 1,566 1,239 Average fuel price per gallon 1.62 1.50 1.71 1.33 Consolidated unit cost (CASM/CASM-Ex) 13.99 13.26 10.92 10.33 Non-operating expense 138 106 122 135 Operating cash flow (801) 1,011 677 1,351 Total debt and capital leases 9,227 8,451 8,815 7,008

About Delta

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 322 destinations in 58 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.

End Notes

(1) Note A to the attached Consolidated Statements of Operations provides a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures used in this release to the comparable GAAP metric and provides the reasons management uses those measures.



(2) CASM-Ex, including profit sharing: In addition to fuel expense, Delta believes adjusting for certain other expenses is helpful to investors because other expenses are not related to the generation of a seat mile. These expenses include aircraft maintenance and staffing services Delta provides to third parties, Delta's vacation wholesale operations and refinery cost of sales to third parties. The amounts excluded were $292 million and $313 million for the March 2017 and March 2016 quarters, respectively. Management believes this methodology provides a more consistent and comparable reflection of Delta's airline operations.



(3) Normalized CASM-Ex, including profit sharing: Delta's new pilot contract was ratified on Dec. 1, 2016 and was retroactive to Jan. 1, 2016. As a result, Delta recognized $380 million in retroactive wages and other benefits in the December 2016 quarter. On a normalized basis, approximately $130 million of this amount related to the March 2016 quarter. We believe that adjusting this period allows investors to better understand and analyze the company's core operational performance on a year-over-year basis.



(4) Adjusted fuel expense reflects, among other things, the impact of mark-to-market ("MTM") adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. See Note A for a reconciliation of adjusted fuel expense and average fuel price per gallon to the comparable GAAP metric.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this investor update that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the estimates, expectations, beliefs, intentions, projections and strategies reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the effects of terrorist attacks or geopolitical conflict; the cost of aircraft fuel; the impact of fuel hedging activity including rebalancing our hedge portfolio, recording mark-to-market adjustments or posting collateral in connection with our fuel hedge contracts; the availability of aircraft fuel; the performance of our significant investments in airlines in other parts of the world; the possible effects of accidents involving our aircraft; the restrictions that financial covenants in our financing agreements could have on our financial and business operations; labor issues; interruptions or disruptions in service at one of our hub, gateway, or key airports; breaches or security lapses in our information technology systems; disruptions in our information technology infrastructure; our dependence on technology in our operations; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on our business; the effects of an extended disruption in services provided by third party regional carriers; failure or inability of insurance to cover a significant liability at Monroe's Trainer refinery; the impact of environmental regulation on the Trainer refinery, including costs related to renewable fuel standard regulations; our ability to retain management and key employees; competitive conditions in the airline industry; the effects of extensive government regulation on our business; the sensitivity of the airline industry to prolonged periods of stagnant or weak economic conditions; uncertainty in economic conditions and regulatory environment in the United Kingdom leading up to and following the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union; and the effects of the rapid spread of contagious illnesses. Additional information concerning risks and uncertainties that could cause differences between actual results and forward-looking statements is contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2016. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, which represent our views only as of April 12, 2017, and which we have no current intention to update.

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited)



Three Months Ended





March 31,



(in millions, except per share data) 2017 2016 $ Change % Change Operating Revenue:







Passenger:







Mainline $ 6,404 $ 6,444 $ (40) (1)% Regional carriers 1,284 1,318 (34) (3)% Total passenger revenue 7,688 7,762 (74) (1)% Cargo 160 162 (2) (1)% Other 1,300 1,327 (27) (2)% Total operating revenue 9,148 9,251 (103) (1)%









Operating Expense:







Salaries and related costs 2,473 2,311 162 7% Aircraft fuel and related taxes 1,240 1,227 13 1% Regional carriers expense







Fuel 242 167 75 45% Other 868 839 29 3% Depreciation and amortization 540 486 54 11% Contracted services 523 476 47 10% Aircraft maintenance materials and outside repairs 518 449 69 15% Passenger commissions and other selling expenses 404 388 16 4% Landing fees and other rents 365 348 17 5% Passenger service 220 189 31 16% Profit sharing 151 272 (121) (44)% Aircraft rent 84 66 18 27% Other 467 493 (26) (5)% Total operating expense 8,095 7,711 384 5%









Operating Income 1,053 1,540 (487) (32)%









Non-Operating Expense:







Interest expense, net (94) (107) 13 (12)% Miscellaneous, net (44) 1 (45) NM Total non-operating expense, net (138) (106) (32) 30% Income Before Income Taxes 915 1,434 (519) (36)% Income Tax Provision (312) (488) 176 (36)% Net Income $ 603 $ 946 $ (343) (36)% Basic Earnings Per Share $ 0.83 $ 1.22



Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 0.82 $ 1.21













Basic Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 728 774



Diluted Weighted Average Shares Outstanding 731 780





DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Statistical Summary

(Unaudited)



Three Months Ended

March 31,



2017 2016 Change Consolidated:





Revenue passenger miles (millions) 47,952 47,725 0.5% Available seat miles (millions) 57,871 58,145 (0.5%) Passenger mile yield (cents) 16.03 16.26 (1.4%) Passenger revenue per available seat mile (cents) 13.28 13.35 (0.5%) Operating cost per available seat mile (cents) 13.99 13.26 5.5% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing - see Note A (cents) 10.92 10.33 5.8% Passenger load factor 82.9% 82.1% 0.8 pts Fuel gallons consumed (millions) 918 930 (1.3%) Average price per fuel gallon $ 1.62 $ 1.50 8.0% Average price per fuel gallon, adjusted - see Note A $ 1.71 $ 1.33 28.6% Number of aircraft in fleet, end of period 984 931 53 Full-time equivalent employees, end of period 85,214 83,817 1.7%







Mainline:





Revenue passenger miles (millions) 43,074 42,786 0.7% Available seat miles (millions) 51,489 51,710 (0.4%) Operating cost per available seat mile (cents) 13.44 12.84 4.7% CASM-Ex, including profit sharing - see Note A (cents) 10.54 9.93 6.1% Fuel gallons consumed (millions) 772 784 (1.5%) Average price per fuel gallon $ 1.60 $ 1.56 2.6% Average price per fuel gallon, adjusted - see Note A $ 1.71 $ 1.36 25.7% Number of aircraft in fleet, end of period 846 814 32

Note: except for full-time equivalent employees and number of aircraft in fleet, consolidated data presented includes operations under Delta's contract carrier arrangements.

DELTA AIR LINES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

(Unaudited)





Three Months Ended

March 31, (in millions) 2017

2016 Cash Flows From Operating Activities:







Net income $ 603

$ 946 Depreciation and amortization

540



486 Hedge derivative contracts

(57)



145 Deferred income taxes

301



475 Pension, postretirement and postemployment payments greater than expense

(2,676)



(760) Changes in:









Hedge margin

38



(335) Air traffic liability

1,784



1,485 Profit sharing

(964)



(1,226) Other working capital changes, net

(370)



(205) Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities

(801)



1,011











Cash Flows From Investing Activities:









Property and equipment additions:









Flight equipment, including advance payments

(595)



(764) Ground property and equipment, including technology

(207)



(107) Purchase of equity investments

(622)



- Net redemptions (purchases) of short-term investments

(256)



265 Other, net

(54)



5 Net cash used in investing activities

(1,734)



(601)











Cash Flows From Financing Activities:









Payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations

(288)



(459) Repurchases of common stock

(200)



(775) Cash dividends

(149)



(107) Fuel card obligation

334



141 Proceeds from short-term obligations

-



68 Proceeds from long-term obligations

2,004



450 Other, net

(21)



8 Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

1,680



(674)











Net Increase (Decrease) in Cash and Cash Equivalents

(855)



(264) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

2,762



1,972 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 1,907

$ 1,708

DELTA AIR LINES, INC.

Consolidated Balance Sheets

(Unaudited)



(in millions)

March 31,

2017

December 31,

2016 ASSETS







Current Assets:







Cash and cash equivalents

$ 1,907

$ 2,762 Short-term investments

743

487 Accounts receivable, net

2,307

2,064 Fuel inventory

487

519 Expendable parts and supplies inventories, net

368

372 Prepaid expenses and other

1,068

1,247 Total current assets

6,880

7,451









Property and Equipment, Net:







Property and equipment, net

24,817

24,375 Other Assets:







Goodwill

9,794

9,794 Identifiable intangibles, net

4,855

4,844 Deferred income taxes, net

2,750

3,064 Other noncurrent assets

2,363

1,733 Total other assets

19,762

19,435 Total assets

$ 51,459

$ 51,261 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY





Current Liabilities:







Current maturities of long-term debt and capital leases

$ 1,040

$ 1,131 Air traffic liability

6,410

4,626 Accounts payable

2,353

2,572 Accrued salaries and related benefits

1,835

2,924 Frequent flyer deferred revenue

1,696

1,648 Other accrued liabilities

2,619

2,338 Total current liabilities

15,953

15,239 Noncurrent Liabilities:







Long-term debt and capital leases

8,187

6,201 Pension, postretirement and related benefits

10,291

13,378 Frequent flyer deferred revenue

2,261

2,278 Other noncurrent liabilities

1,822

1,878 Total noncurrent liabilities

22,561

23,735









Commitments and Contingencies

















Stockholders' Equity

12,945

12,287 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity

$ 51,459

$ 51,261

Note A: The following tables show reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures. The reasons Delta uses these measures are described below.

Delta sometimes uses information ("non-GAAP financial measures") that is derived from the Consolidated Financial Statements, but that is not presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. ("GAAP"). Under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules, non-GAAP financial measures may be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for or superior to GAAP results. The tables below show reconciliations of non- GAAP financial measures used in this release to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Forward Looking Projections. Delta does not reconcile forward looking non-GAAP financial measures because MTM adjustments and settlements will not be known until the end of the period and could be significant.

Pre-Tax Income and Net Income, adjusted. We adjust for the following items to determine pre-tax income and net income, adjusted, for the reasons described below:

Mark-to-Market ("MTM") adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. Adjusting for these items allows investors to better understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown.

Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments. We record our proportionate share of earnings from our equity investment in Virgin Atlantic in non-operating expense. We adjust for Virgin Atlantic's MTM adjustments to allow investors to better understand and analyze the company's core financial performance in the periods shown.

Income tax. We included the income tax effect of adjustments when presenting net income, adjusted. We believe that presenting the income tax effect of adjustments allows investors to better understand and analyze the company's core financial performance in the periods shown.



Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017 (in millions, except per share data) Pre-Tax

Income Income

Tax Net

Income

Net Income

Per Diluted Share GAAP $ 915 $ (312) $ 603

$ 0.82 Adjusted for:

















MTM adjustments and settlements

(84)

29

(55)





Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments

16

(4)

12





Total adjustments

(68)

25

(43)



(0.05) Non-GAAP $ 847 $ (287) $ 560

$ 0.77 Year-over-year change

(713)























































Three Months Ended

March 31, 2016

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2016 (in millions, except per share data) Pre-Tax Income Income Tax

Net Income

Net Income

Per Diluted Share GAAP $ 1,434 $ (488) $ 946

$ 1.21 Adjusted for:

















MTM adjustments and settlements

155

(57)

98





Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments

(29)

11

(18)





Total adjustments

126

(46)

80



0.11 Non-GAAP $ 1,560 $ (534) $ 1,026

$ 1.32

Fuel expense, adjusted and Average fuel price per gallon, adjusted. The tables below show the components of fuel expense, including the impact of the refinery segment and hedging on fuel expense and average price per gallon. We then adjust for MTM adjustments and settlements for the reason described below:

MTM adjustments and settlements. MTM adjustments are defined as fair value changes recorded in periods other than the settlement period. Such fair value changes are not necessarily indicative of the actual settlement value of the underlying hedge in the contract settlement period. Settlements represent cash received or paid on hedge contracts settled during the period. These items adjust fuel expense to show the economic impact of hedging, including cash received or paid on hedge contracts during the period. Adjusting for these items allows investors to better understand and analyze our core operational performance in the periods shown.

Consolidated:



















Average Price Per Gallon

Three Months Ended

March 31,

Three Months Ended

March 31, (in millions, except per gallon data) 2017 2016

2017 2016 Fuel purchase cost $ 1,531 $ 1,093

$ 1.68 $ 1.18 Airline segment fuel hedge (gains) losses

(5)

273



(0.01)

0.29 Refinery segment impact

(44)

28



(0.05)

0.03 Total fuel expense $ 1,482 $ 1,394

$ 1.62 $ 1.50 MTM adjustments and settlements

84

(155)



0.09

(0.17) Total fuel expense, adjusted $ 1,566 $ 1,239

$ 1.71 $ 1.33 Change year-over-year

327





















































Mainline:







































Three Months Ended

March 31,











2017 2016









Mainline average price per gallon $ 1.60 $ 1.56









MTM adjustments and settlements

0.11

(0.20)









Mainline average price per gallon, adjusted $ 1.71 $ 1.36











Non-Fuel Unit Cost or Cost per Available Seat Mile, Including Profit Sharing ("CASM-Ex"). We adjust CASM for the following items to determine CASM-Ex, including profit sharing for the reasons described below:

Aircraft fuel and related taxes. The volatility in fuel prices impacts the comparability of year-over-year financial performance. The adjustment for aircraft fuel and related taxes (including our regional carriers) allows investors to better understand and analyze our non-fuel costs and year-over-year financial performance.

Other expenses. Other expenses include aircraft maintenance and staffing services we provide to third parties, our vacation wholesale operations, and refinery cost of sales to third parties. Because these businesses are not related to the generation of a seat mile, we adjust for the costs related to these sales to provide a more meaningful comparison of the costs of our airline operations to the rest of the airline industry.

Pilot contract impact, normalized. Delta's new pilot contract was ratified on December 1, 2016 and was retroactive to January 1, 2016. As a result, Delta recognized $380 million in retroactive wages and other benefits in the December 2016 quarter. On a normalized basis, approximately $130 million of this amount related to the March 2016 quarter.

Consolidated CASM-Ex:









Three Months Ended





March 31, 2017 March 31, 2016

Change CASM (cents) 13.99 13.26



Adjusted for:







Aircraft fuel and related taxes (2.56) (2.40)



Other expenses (0.51) (0.53)



CASM-Ex 10.92 10.33

5.8% Adjusted for:







Pilot contract impact, normalized  0.21



CASM-Ex, adjusted for pilot contract impact, normalized 10.92 10.54

3.6%









Mainline CASM-Ex:









Three Months Ended





March 31, 2017 March 31, 2016



Mainline CASM (cents) 13.44 12.84



Adjusted for:







Aircraft fuel and related taxes (2.40) (2.36)



Other expenses (0.50) (0.55)



Mainline CASM-Ex 10.54 9.93





Non-Operating Expense, adjusted. Delta excludes Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments from non-operating expense for the same reasons as described above under the heading Net Income and Pre-Tax Income, adjusted.

(in millions) Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017 Three Months Ended

March 31, 2016 GAAP $ (138) $ (106) Items excluded:







Virgin Atlantic MTM adjustments

16

(29) Non-GAAP $ (122) $ (135) Change year-over-year

13

























Adjusted Net Debt. Delta uses adjusted total debt, including aircraft rent, in addition to long-term adjusted debt and capital leases, to present estimated financial obligations. Delta reduces adjusted debt by cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, and hedge margin receivable, resulting in adjusted net debt, to present the amount of assets needed to satisfy the debt. Management believes this metric is helpful to investors in assessing the company's overall debt profile. Management has reduced adjusted debt by the amount of hedge margin receivable, which reflects cash posted to counterparties, as we believe this removes the impact of current market volatility on our unsettled hedges and is a better representation of the continued progress we have made on our debt initiatives.

(in millions) March 31, 2017

March 31, 2016 Debt and capital lease obligations $ 9,227





$ 8,451



Plus: unamortized discount, net and debt issuance costs

117







133



Adjusted debt and capital lease obligations



$ 9,344





$ 8,584 Plus: 7x last twelve months' aircraft rent





2,121







1,792 Adjusted total debt





11,465







10,376 Less: cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments





(2,650)







(2,914) Less: hedge margin receivable













(454) Adjusted net debt



$ 8,815





$ 7,008

Operating Cash Flow, adjusted. We adjusted operating cash flow because management believes this metric is helpful to investors to evaluate the company's ability to generate cash that is available for use for capital expenditures, debt service or general corporate initiatives. Adjustments include:

Hedge deferrals. During the March 2015 quarter, we effectively deferred settlement of a portion of our fuel hedge portfolio by entering into transactions that, excluding market movements from the date of inception, would provide approximately $300 million in cash receipts during the second half of 2015 and require approximately $300 million in cash payments in 2016. During the March 2016 quarter, we further deferred settlement of a portion of our hedge portfolio until 2017 by entering into transactions that, excluding market movements from the date of inception, would provide approximately $300 million in cash receipts during the second half of 2016 and require approximately $300 million in cash payments in 2017. Operating cash flow is adjusted to include the impact of these deferral transactions in order to allow investors to better understand the net impact of hedging activities in the periods shown.

Pension contribution. In March, we contributed $1.5 billion to our pension plans using net proceeds from our debt issuance. We adjusted operating cash flow to exclude this contribution to allow investors to better understand the cash flows related to our core operations in the periods shown.

Hedge margin and other. Operating cash flow is adjusted for hedge margin as we believe this adjustment removes the impact of current market volatility on our unsettled hedges and allows investors to better understand and analyze the company's core operational performance in the periods shown.

(in millions)

Three Months Ended

March 31, 2017 Three Months Ended

March 31, 2016 Net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP)

$ (801) $ 1,011 Adjustments:









Hedge deferrals



(22)

 Pension contribution



1,500

 Hedge margin and other





340 Net cash provided by operating activities, adjusted



677

1,351

SOURCE Delta Air Lines

Related Links

http://www.delta.com


DENVER, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The Colorado Maker Hub, a non-profit organization committed to celebrating the Maker Movement by connecting and educating Colorado makers, announced today that Denver has been selected to host the first Feature Maker Faire in the Rocky Mountains and surrounding states on October 14-15, 2017, at the Denver Mart. More than 150 cities around the world currently participate in Mini Faires to promote the Maker Movement, and Denver will join the esteemed group of 20 cities to host a Feature Faire such as Paris, Rome, Tokyo and Atlanta.

Denver Chosen to Host Region's First Feature Maker Faire

Maker Faire Denver is an all-ages festival that inspires, educates and entertains, propelling ideas into reality and passing curiosities into amazing creations. Makers come from all over the U.S. to share their cutting-edge inventions and artistry, as well as teach their craft to attendeesfrom woodworking to robotics. Colorado has hosted seven Mini Maker Faires since 2013, with as many as 4,000 attendees and 148 makers.

"At Maker Faire Denver, visitors have the chance to glimpse into the future, get hands-on in the creation process and leave with a renewed excitement for what's possible," explains Elise VanDyne, Executive Director of the Colorado Maker Hub. "Maker Faire inspires young and old alike to catch that spark of wonder, to mix it with tools, technology, and techniques to bring that inspiration to life."

The graduation to a feature event means more awe-inspiring exhibits from makers around the country. The 2017 Maker Faire Denver aims to further accelerate the Maker Movement in this part of the U.S. and will feature hundreds of exhibitors, hands-on workshops and presentations with the sort of crazy twists one can only expect from a Maker Faire:

Engineering a Strandbeest

Mad Scientists

Music Makers for a sound petting zoo

Community arts and interactive projects

Inventing tools, woodcrafting, metalsmithing

Wearable tech, recycled fashion and textiles

Social Impact Inventions

And including other Faire favorites such as the Human Foosball table, Pokey the Fire Breathing Dragon, and the NerdyDerby.

Lead sponsors for the event include Sparkfun, Denver Office of Economic Development and Epilog Laser. The Colorado Maker Hub independently produces the Maker Faire Denver in collaboration with Maker Media.

"In JumpStart 2017, our annual strategic plan for economic development in Denver, the Office of Economic Development (OED) is intentional about supporting makers spacescollaborative work spaces open to entrepreneurs of all ages who want to explore advanced digital design and manufacturing technologies. The Maker's Faire in Denver this fall is a perfect example of bringing creative makers and innovators together," said Turid Nagel-Casebolt, OED director of Business Development.

To find out the latest news, special attractions and featured Makers, please visit www.denvermakerfaire.com.

Want to participate in Maker Faire Denver? We are a scrappy and fun team of makers, volunteers, and much appreciated sponsors that make it all happen. Find your tribe and come join us! Sign up on the website link above.

About Colorado Maker Hub

Colorado Maker Hub a 501(c)3 non-profit organization  is an educational non-profit with a mission to foster maker innovation and to create a thriving, sustainable future by advancing and connecting Colorado makers  a vibrant community of tinkerers, tech enthusiasts, artists, educators, youth makers, hobbyists, science clubs, students, and entrepreneurs. We are a membership alliance of makerspaces and the maker institutions (schools, businesses, civic groups) that create the innovation economy. The Colorado Maker Hub produces 3 signature events a year: Sparks & Spirits, Rocky Mountain Makerspace Summit, and Maker Faire Denver. In addition, the Maker Hub provides youth maker programs, professional development for educators in making, and has invented the IdeaLabGo! mobile maker station to bring innovation to education. www.coloradomakerhub.org

About Maker Faire

Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth  a family-friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker Movement. It's a place where people show what they are making, and share what they are learning. Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters to homesteaders to scientists to garage tinkerers. They are of all ages and backgrounds. The aim of Maker Faire is to entertain, inform, connect and grow this community.

The original Make Faire event was held in San Mateo, CA, and in 2014 celebrated its eleventh annual show with some 1100 makers and 130,000 people in attendance. World Maker Faire New York, the other flagship event, has grown in four years to 600+ makers and 80,000 attendees. Kansas City, Detroit, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Orlando, Silver Spring, Paris, Rome, Oslo, Trondheim, Tokyo, Newcastle (UK), and Shenzhen  and now DENVER - are the home of larger-scale "featured" Maker Faires and over 120-community-driven, independently organized Mini Maker Faires are now being produced around the United States and the world.

Related Images

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This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Colorado Maker Hub

Related Links

http://www.coloradomakerhub.org


According to a recent report, 2 billion adults globally remain without access to financial services.[1] The support of Diebold Nixdorf will enable Operation HOPE to continue empowering the world's underbanked and unbanked populations through financial education, including, credit and money management, homeownership preparedness and small business entrepreneurship programs.

"We would like to thank Diebold Nixdorf for their generous support of the work of Operation HOPE," said John Hope Bryant, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Operation HOPE. "The support of an important player in the financial services industry, like Diebold Nixdorf, helps us continue to impact more lives by making banking more accessible to people around the world."

John Kristoff, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, Diebold Nixdorf, said, "We are thrilled to support Operation HOPE and its mission. Our connected commerce solutions have been helping our customers improve individuals' access to financial services for years. This new partnership with Operation HOPE utilizes that expertise and experience and will help to improve financial services access to underserved people around the world."

About Operation HOPE

Since 1992, Operation HOPE has been moving America from civil rights to "silver rights" with the mission of making free enterprise and capitalism work for the underserved. Through its core programs, the nonprofit has provided financial dignity and economic empowerment to over 2.6 million individuals worldwide, and $2 billion in economic activity for the disenfranchisedturning check cashing customers into banking customers, renters into homeowners, small business dreamers into small business owners and minimum wage workers into living wage consumers.

About Diebold Nixdorf

Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) is a world leader in enabling connected commerce for millions of consumers each day across the financial and retail industries. Its software-defined solutions bridge the physical and digital worlds of cash and consumer transactions conveniently, securely and efficiently. As an innovation partner for nearly all of the world's top 100 financial institutions and a majority of the top 25 global retailers, Diebold Nixdorf delivers unparalleled services and technology that are essential to evolve in an 'always on' and changing consumer landscape.

Diebold Nixdorf has a presence in more than 130 countries with approximately 25,000 employees worldwide. The organization maintains corporate offices in North Canton, Ohio, USA and Paderborn, Germany. Shares are traded on the New York and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol 'DBD'. Visit www.DieboldNixdorf.com for more information.

[1] The World Bank. 2014 Global Financial Development Report. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTGLOBALFINREPORT/Resources/8816096-1361888425203/9062080-1364927957721/GFDR-2014_Complete_Report.pdf

SOURCE Diebold Nixdorf

Related Links

http://www.diebold.com


FLINT, Mich., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO), has been selected to provide pharmacy services and dispense limited-distribution specialty drugs for Corizon Health's clients and support its in-house mail-order pharmacy, PharmaCorr.

The three-year agreement, effective March 17, 2017, supports specialty pharmacy services for 321,000 patients across 25 states.

Corizon Health, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, is the nation's leader in correctional health care, providing high-quality services to 50 clients at 431 facilities across the country.

Diplomat will serve Corizon Health patients, filling prescriptions for limited-distribution drugs and other specialty drugs. PharmaCorr currently fills an average of 20,000 prescriptions per day. Diplomat will be one of two partner pharmacies supporting Corizon Health's network.

"We are constantly striving to enhance the quality of the health care we deliver, always mindful of safety, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness," said Mark Moyers, RPh, director of clinical pharmacy services for Corizon Health. "Diplomat's commitment to provide optimized careensuring appropriate use, minimizing waste, and supporting client adherencewill build upon Corizon Health's dedication to the client experience."

Diplomat has extensive experience working with payorsincluding commercial, Medicare, Medicaid, government, and employer groupsand serves more than 3,000 different accounts as a specialty pharmacy, representing access to approximately 194 million lives.

"At Diplomat, we help take care of the nation's sickest patientsa responsibility we don't take lightly. We are proud to extend our services through our partnership with Corizon Health," said Atheer Kaddis, executive vice president of sales and strategic alignment at Diplomat. "As part of Corizon Health's network, we will use our experience and resources to provide support services to each clients' unique needs."

To learn more about Diplomat, visit diplomat.is.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements give current expectations or forecasts of future events or our future financial or operating performance. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's good-faith belief and reasonable judgment based on current information. These statements are qualified by important risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those forecasted or indicated by such forward-looking statements. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, you should review Diplomat's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including "Risk Factors" in Diplomat's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2016, and in subsequent reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as may be required by any applicable laws, Diplomat assumes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date hereof or the earlier date specified herein, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

About Diplomat

Diplomat (NYSE: DPLO) serves patients and physicians in all 50 states. Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, the company focuses on medication management programs for people with complex chronic diseases. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: "Take good care of patients and the rest falls into place." Today, that tradition continuesalways focused on improving patient care and clinical adherence. For more information, visit diplomat.is.

About Corizon Health

Corizon Health, a member of the Valitas Health Services corporate family, provides quality health care services to states and municipalities across the country offering the only comprehensive solution for physical care, behavioral care, and pharmaceutical services. With its corporate headquarters in Brentwood, Tennessee, Corizon Health is the leading provider of correctional services in the United States. For more information, please visit corizonhealth.com.

CONTACT:

Kali Lucas, Public Relations Specialist

810.768.9580 | [email protected]

Atheer Kaddis, Executive Vice President,

Sales and Strategic Alignment

810.768.9519 | [email protected]

SOURCE Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.diplomat.is


WYOMISSING, Pa., April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Customers Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE:CUBI), the parent company of Customers Bank (collectively referred to as "Customers" or the Company), today announced that it will host a conference call at 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 to discuss its earnings results for the three months ending March 31, 2017. The first quarter 2017 earnings press release will be issued prior to the start of the earnings call.



Date: Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Time: 5:00 PM ET

US Dial-in: 888-632-5004

International Dial-in: 913-312-2359

Participant Passcode: 184238

Please dial in at least 10 minutes before the start of the call to ensure timely participation. Slides accompanying the presentation will be available on the Company's website at http://customersbank.com/investor_relations.php prior to the call.

Please submit any questions you have regarding Customers' first quarter 2017 earnings in advance to rwahlman@customersbank.com and the executives will address them on the call. The Company will also open the lines to questions following managements presentation of the first quarter results. A playback of the call will be available beginning April 26, 2017 at 8:00 pm ET until 8:00 pm ET on May 26, 2017. To listen, call within the United States 888-203-1112, or 719-457-0820 when calling internationally. Please use the replay pin number 5033971.

About Customers Bancorp, Inc. and Customers Bank

Customers Bancorp, Inc. is a bank holding company located in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania engaged in banking and related businesses through its bank subsidiary, Customers Bank. Customers Bank is a community-based, full-service bank with assets of approximately $9.4 billion that was named by Forbes magazine as the 35th Best Bank in America (there are over 6,200 banks in the United States). A member of the Federal Reserve System and with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Customers Bank is an equal opportunity lender that provides a range of banking services to small and medium-sized businesses, professionals, individuals and families through offices in Pennsylvania, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey. Committed to fostering customer loyalty, Customers Bank uses a High Tech/High Touch strategy that includes use of industry-leading technology to provide customers better access to their money, as well as Concierge Banking by appointment at customers homes or offices 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers Bank offers a continually expanding portfolio of loans to small businesses, multi-family projects, mortgage companies and consumers. BankMobile is a division of Customers Bank, offering state of the art high tech digital banking services with a high level of personal customer service.

Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s voting common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol CUBI. Additional information about Customers Bancorp, Inc. can be found on the Company's website, www.customersbank.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

In addition to historical information, this press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include statements with respect to Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s strategies, goals, beliefs, expectations, estimates, intentions, capital raising efforts, financial condition and results of operations, future performance and business. Statements preceded by, followed by, or that include the words "may," "could," "should," "pro forma," "looking forward," "would," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "plan," or similar expressions generally indicate a forward-looking statement. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that are subject to change based on various important factors (some of which, in whole or in part, are beyond Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s control). Numerous competitive, economic, regulatory, legal and technological factors, among others, could cause Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s financial performance to differ materially from the goals, plans, objectives, intentions and expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements. In addition, important factors relating to the acquisition of the Disbursements business, the combination of Customers BankMobile business with the acquired Disbursements business and the implementation of Customers Bancorp, Inc.s strategy regarding BankMobile, including with respect to the possible disposition of the BankMobile business, depending upon market conditions and opportunities, also could cause Customers Bancorps actual results to differ from those in the forward looking statements. Customers Bancorp, Inc. cautions that the foregoing factors are not exclusive, and neither such factors nor any such forward-looking statement takes into account the impact of any future events. All forward-looking statements and information set forth herein are based on management's current beliefs and assumptions as of the date hereof and speak only as of the date they are made. For a more complete discussion of the assumptions, risks and uncertainties related to our business, you are encouraged to review Customers Bancorp, Inc.'s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, subsequently filed current reports on Form 8-K that update or provide information in addition to the information included in the Form 10-K filing, if any. Customers Bancorp, Inc. does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by Customers Bancorp, Inc. or by or on behalf of Customers Bank.
In its 10th and final year, the program is awarding one-year arts fellowships to mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey; ballet dancer Cassandra Trenary; actors Ato Blankson-Wood and Ruibo Qian; visual artists Herman Aguirre and Emily Erb; and cellists Khari Joyner and Jia Kim.

Including the $400,000 awarded this year, the fund has presented a total of $6 million to 70 artists who have demonstrated extraordinary talent, character and commitment. The funds have helped to cover studio time and touring, record a debut album, shoot a film, buy an instrument, pay for vocal and dance training, afford healthcare and repay student loans  allowing promising artists the time, space, and resources to focus on their art.

Past and present recipients, supported by mentors, have been selected in consultation with such partner organizations as Yale School of Drama, American Ballet Theatre (ABT), Lincoln Center Theater, the New England Conservatory of Music, and the Metropolitan Opera.

"Leonore Annenberg was long interested in strengthening the arts and the cultural fabric of our society," said Gail Levin, Ph.D., director of the program, administered by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. "The financial resources provided by the fellowship program which bears her name, and the guidance of a distinguished mentor, will enable these young people to experiment artistically and create new professional opportunities. Ultimately, as they begin to realize their dreams, they make it possible for the arts to thrive."

The fund was set up as a "wasting endowment" which would spend down its principal and interest over a 10-year period.

Past recipients include Misty Copeland, ABT's first African-American female principal dancer, and Isabella Boylston, ABT's youngest principal dancer; actor Andre Holland of the TV series "The Knick" and the film "Moonlight"; Tony Award-nominated actor Bryce Pinkham of "A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder"; violinist-composer Michelle Ross; photographer Richard Mosse; and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green. For more about past arts fellows click here; a full list is here.

The 2017 recipients of the Leonore Annenberg Fellowship Fund for the Performing and Visual Arts are:

Artist Herman Aguirre was born and raised in Chicago and has family ties to Mexico . His paintings have depicted the violence and victims of the Mexican drug cartel wars. Aguirre is sponsored by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago , from which he received a bachelor's degree and will receive his Master of Fine Arts in May. "Inspired by my background as a Mexican-American," he says, "I have begun to use my art as a voice for social change and to express important ideas within the contemporary art world that are not necessarily visible elsewhere."

was born and raised in and has family ties to . His paintings have depicted the violence and victims of the Mexican drug cartel wars. Aguirre is sponsored by the , from which he received a bachelor's degree and will receive his Master of Fine Arts in May. "Inspired by my background as a Mexican-American," he says, "I have begun to use my art as a voice for social change and to express important ideas within the contemporary art world that are not necessarily visible elsewhere." Actor, singer and dancer Ato Blankson-Wood delivered a "breakout performance of wry wit and musical intensity" in "The Total Bent" last year at The Public Theater, wrote the New York Times' Christopher Isherwood . Blankson-Wood, who's been cast in Spike Lee's new Netflix series "She's Gotta Have It," is a graduate of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts . He is sponsored by the Yale School of Drama , from which he has an MFA. Originally from Silver Spring, Md. , he's the son of Ghanaian parents and plans to use part of his fellowship to study storytelling at Ghana's National Theater.

delivered a "breakout performance of wry wit and musical intensity" in "The Total Bent" last year at The Public Theater, wrote the . Blankson-Wood, who's been cast in new Netflix series "She's Gotta Have It," is a graduate of . He is sponsored by the , from which he has an MFA. Originally from , he's the son of Ghanaian parents and plans to use part of his fellowship to study storytelling at National Theater. Artist Emily Erb of Philadelphia works in silk painting, tackling sprawling and provocative topics such as the role of women and slaves in U.S. history and gun violence. Her silk flags of American paper money were displayed in the solo show "Legal Tender" and on Wall Street at the Museum of American Finance. In 2016, her diptych "Climate Change," meant to fade with the weather, was exhibited outdoors in Philadelphia . Erb, from Richmond, Va. , has a bachelor's degree from Tyler School of Art and an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, her sponsor.

of works in silk painting, tackling sprawling and provocative topics such as the role of women and slaves in U.S. history and gun violence. Her silk flags of American paper money were displayed in the solo show "Legal Tender" and on Wall Street at the Museum of American Finance. In 2016, her diptych "Climate Change," meant to fade with the weather, was exhibited outdoors in . Erb, from , has a bachelor's degree from of Art and an MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, her sponsor. Mezzo-soprano Samantha Hankey , raised in Marshfield, Mass. , will graduate in May with a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School , her sponsoring institution, from which she received the Kovner Fellowship. Hankey, a winner of the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, has "a voice of great beauty and versatility," says Brian Zeger , artistic director of Juilliard Vocal Arts. Hankey will be seen this summer in the title role of Rossini's "La Cenerentola" in San Francisco .

, raised in , will graduate in May with a Master of Music degree from , her sponsoring institution, from which she received the Kovner Fellowship. Hankey, a winner of the 2017 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, has "a voice of great beauty and versatility," says , artistic director of Juilliard Vocal Arts. Hankey will be seen this summer in the title role of Rossini's "La Cenerentola" in . Cellist Khari Joyner has been a soloist with orchestras and a concerto soloist on four occasions with different ensembles at Juilliard, his sponsor, where he is finishing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Joyner, from Atlanta, Ga. , has performed at the White House for President Barack Obama , for Coretta Scott King , and for Hank Aaron's birthday celebrations. Joyner "made a powerful impact," New York Times critic Zachary Woolfe wrote of a performance. Joyner's fellowship will support a solo debut recording and a recital tour combined with community engagement and education, reaching churches and hospitals along with concert halls.

has been a soloist with orchestras and a concerto soloist on four occasions with different ensembles at Juilliard, his sponsor, where he is finishing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree. Joyner, from , has performed at the White House for President , for , and for birthday celebrations. Joyner "made a powerful impact," critic wrote of a performance. Joyner's fellowship will support a solo debut recording and a recital tour combined with community engagement and education, reaching churches and hospitals along with concert halls. Jia Kim , a longtime California resident, began her cello studies at age 10 in South Korea . She has been associated since 2003 with the Perlman Music Program, her fellowship sponsor. Her mentor, Itzhak Perlman , calls her playing "elegant," adding that she "plays with a beautiful sound and has technique to spare." She has both a bachelor's and a master's degree from the Juilliard School . She was a tone judge for the Violin Society of America's 2016 International Competition and is artistic director for International Music Sessions, a nonprofit organization that aims to bring music students from conflict areas around the world to the United States to bridge the gap between cultures through music.

, a longtime resident, began her cello studies at age 10 in . She has been associated since 2003 with the Perlman Music Program, her fellowship sponsor. Her mentor, , calls her playing "elegant," adding that she "plays with a beautiful sound and has technique to spare." She has both a bachelor's and a master's degree from . She was a tone judge for the Violin Society of America's 2016 International Competition and is artistic director for International Music Sessions, a nonprofit organization that aims to bring music students from conflict areas around the world to to bridge the gap between cultures through music. Ruibo Qian , sponsored by Lincoln Center Theater, has performed at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston and the Old Globe in San Diego, Calif. , and appeared in the Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle" and the film " Manchester by the Sea." The Shanghai -born, Texas -bred actress has an MFA from NYU's graduate acting program and appeared this season in Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3 production of "Bull in a China Shop." She plans to use her fellowship for career development and training, including a workshop in Bali to study mask work, puppetry and dance.

, sponsored by Lincoln Center Theater, has performed at the Huntington Theatre Company in and the Old Globe in , and appeared in the Amazon series "Mozart in the Jungle" and the film " by the Sea." The -born, -bred actress has an MFA from graduate acting program and appeared this season in Lincoln Center Theater's LCT3 production of "Bull in a China Shop." She plans to use her fellowship for career development and training, including a workshop in to study mask work, puppetry and dance. American Ballet Theatre soloist Cassandra Trenary, a native of Lawrenceville, Ga. , grew up studying jazz, modern dance and hip-hop as well as ballet. She joined ABT's corps in 2011 and rose swiftly to soloist, in 2015. Reviewing Trenary's Princess Aurora in "The Sleeping Beauty," the New York Times' Alastair Macaulay praised "her sparkling ebullient feet, her gift for dancing coloratura steps as if in bliss, and the marvelous liveliness of her torso." With her ABT-sponsored fellowship, Trenary aims to "reach outside the comfort of the only company I have known" and seek coaching from the Mariinsky Ballet, the Royal Ballet, and the Netherlands Dance Theater.

The arts fund is part of the Leonore Annenberg Scholarship, Fellowship, and School Funds, which also provide four-year college scholarships to high school students who have shown academic excellence and overcome challenging circumstances, and grants to underfunded public elementary schools that serve children in financial need. As of this year the Leonore Annenberg Funds will have awarded more than $22 million to arts fellows, college students and public schools.

About Leonore Annenberg: Leonore Annenberg (1918-2009) was U.S. Chief of Protocol for President Ronald Reagan and wife of the late Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg. Mrs. Annenberg established the grants to support her lifelong commitment to public service, education, and the arts. All grants are made on an invitation-only basis, in consultation with a partner organization. Visit http://www.leonoreannenbergscholarships.org/ to learn more.

SOURCE The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania

Related Links

http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org


AMSTERDAM, LONDON and NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Elliott notes with concern that Akzo Nobel stated the following in its press release of this morning:

"The view of the Supervisory Board is that the removal of Mr. Burgmans would be irresponsible, disproportionate, damaging and not in the best interest of the Company, its shareholders and other stakeholders. Therefore the proposed agenda item to remove Mr. Burgmans will be rejected."

Elliott views Akzo Nobel's position rejecting the agenda item as inexplicable. Shareholders have a legal right under Dutch law to put a proposal to dismiss Mr. Burgmans onto the EGM agenda. To the extent that Akzo Nobel refuses to put this item onto the EGM agenda, Elliott intends to use its recourse to the Dutch Courts, including the Enterprise Chamber.

About Elliott

Elliott Management Corporation was founded in 1977 and has one of the longest track records of any private investment fund manager operating today. Employing a multi-strategy trading approach, the firm manages approximately USD 32 billion in two funds for a range of investors, including pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, endowments, foundations, funds-of-funds, high net worth individuals and families, and employees of the firm. Elliott Management, which is headquartered in New York, has approximately 400 employees worldwide, with offices in the U.S., London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The firm's principal objective is to generate a return which is as high as is consistent with a goal of minimizing losses during adverse financial market periods.

SOURCE Elliott Advisors (UK) Limited
IRVINE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Strategic Capital Management LTD (SCM), owner of 21,038,678 shares of Irvine-based technology company, Ubiquity, Inc. (OTC: UBIQ) and representative to a large group of shareholders, announced today that shareholders will be participants in the Security and Exchange Commission's ("SEC") April 17th public hearing to determine whether the SEC revokes Ubiquity's stock registration, permanently prohibiting its trading to the public or suspends trading of the stock for up to one year. The hearing will be held at SEC headquarters in Room 2, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549 at 9:30am.

The SEC ordered Ubiquity's stock suspended from trading "for the protection of investors" on March 20.

A spokesman for SCM, said, "Shareholders are bitterly distressed over the lack of transparency and respect provided by management and the board towards them. Since Ubiquity has never had a shareholders' meeting in its multi-year existence, the SEC hearing provides the first real opportunity for shareholders to confront Ubiquity's management in person regarding their actions that disregard the most basic shareholder rights. The awarding of special multi-million voting shares to senior management, the mismanagement resulting in million dollar litigation awards, the excessive non-performance linked executive remuneration and the SEC's enforcement actions are all contributing factors to shareholder disillusionment. SCM encourages all Ubiquity shareholders to be in attendance for this critical hearing." Information for shareholders regarding attending the SEC hearing is available by emailing to [email protected] Att: Ubiquity or by calling +61 2 9285 1320.

Shareholders issued a March 25 written demand to Ubiquity to immediately hold its years' delinquent required annual shareholder meeting to address shareholders' proposals to remove all members of the board, Chris Carmichael, his wife Connie Jordan and Bola Ajere, elect a new independent board of directors and to void the award to married senior executives Chris Carmichael, CEO and Connie Jordan, senior vice president of 500 preferred shares (1 preferred share now owned by the executives equals 1 million shares of common voting stock for a total of 500 million shares). Additionally they seek a 'please explain' to address concerns regarding failing finances, missing SEC filings and numerous litigation actions.

At that time SCM stated, "We believe the management of the company has not acted in the best interest of shareholders, is in disarray and must be replaced for the company to survive. As demonstrated by the SEC's ongoing enforcement actions, Ubiquity's representation to the SEC that it may be unable to continue as a going concern, the out of control executive compensation, self-dealing transactions, missing and delinquent government filings, board resignations along with executive arrests and recent lawsuits filed against the Company alleging securities fraud all point to the need for an urgent change in personnel at both the management and board levels."

After receipt of SCM's written demand, Ubiquity informed the SEC it proposed to conduct its first, years- delayed shareholders meeting on September 5, 2017. Ubiquity's bylaws filed with the SEC require its annual meeting to occur by January 31. SCM stated, "The prolonged refusal to address shareholder proposals and major concerns is completely unacceptable and re-emphasizes the critical importance of shareholder involvement in the SEC's April hearing."

A $7.7 million judgment against Ubiquity was issued by the U.S. District Court in Illinois on October 28, 2016. Ubiquity did not contest the litigation. Additional cases are pending in U.S. District courts in California against Ubiquity and its senior management, Carmichael, Jordan and Garrison, alleging fraud, violations of the securities laws and breach of fiduciary duty.

In August 2016, the FBI arrested Ubiquity's board co-chair and interim chief executive officer, Nicholas Mitsakos, for securities fraud associated with his hedge fund. Mitsakos had been Ubiquity's co-chair of the board of directors since March 2013. Also in 2016, the SEC filed a complaint for securities fraud against Ubiquity's general counsel, Gregg Jaclin.

OTC Markets suspended stock quotes for Ubiquity in 2016, labeling it "Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)," citing numerous possible reasons, including, "Investigation of Fraud or Other Criminal Activities" and "Promotion/Spam without Adequate Current Information." According to SCM, "this unacceptable level of legal liabilities, including intervention by federal regulators and the SEC, greatly damages the company and demonstrates the complete incompetence of current management."

The shareholders' March 25 demand proposed to void the creation and award to married executive couple Jordan and Carmichael of 500 preferred shares equivalent to 500 million common voting shares. SEC public records show Ubiquity created 500 preferred shares of common stock in February 2015; all 500 shares were given to the couple on March 6, 2015 without shareholder approval. The transaction was not disclosed to shareholders until a delinquent filing on February 1, 2016. SCM stated, "This is a self-dealing, hidden transaction that eliminates the voting rights of shareholders and must be voided to protect the interests of all investors."

Ubiquity informed the SEC in 2016 that it had negative working capital, operating losses and no continuing revenue from operations. It also reported that the salaries of CEO Carmichael and his wife, executive senior vice president Jordan, both members of the board, increased by 25% -- to $525,000 and $250,000 annually, and gave the couple a collective 5% of the company's gross revenues. "This executive compensation is completely unrelated to the company's dismal performance and is out of control," stated SCM. "We have previously highlighted that Chris Carmichael gets more than the $503,205 salary of the CEO of Snapchat, a company that generated over $400m in annual sales in 2016. The correlation between performance and salary is brutally dislocated. Approval for such excess is determined by the board, the very same people as those in senior management."

Shareholders also demand that Ubiquity Chief Financial Officer Brendan Garrison explain the reasons for the lack of audited financial statements for Ubiquity and its missing SEC filings. SEC public records state Ubiquity has not filed an annual report since 2014 and other required financial statements are delinquent or missing. "The lack of audited financial statements deprives both shareholders and potential investors of critically important and legally required information," the spokesman said, "It is completely unacceptable."

Media Contact:

Jennifer Skorlich

[email protected]

David Ledger

Executive Director

Strategic Capital Management Ltd.

(t): +61 2 9285 1300

(d): +61 2 9285 1320

(m) +61 413 621 964

SOURCE Strategic Capital Management
ATLANTA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- EVOQ Medical, a startup Health Technology firm has announced the nationwide release of blynq, a smartphone app for physicians, that delivers comprehensive patient data at the point of care, aggregating both clinic and inpatient records from multiple EHRs in real time into an easily accessible format. To explore more information on blynq visit www.EVOQmd.com.

"The challenges of EHR Interoperability and Data Security were two of the most talked about issues of concern by healthcare executives at the HIMSS Annual Conference a few weeks ago, and blynq is a solution for both," according to EVOQ Medical's Founder and CEO, Reuben Buckareff. "We have designed blynq as a cloud-based technology that is able to consolidate patient information across multiple healthcare communities, and provide comprehensive, secure, accessible and shareable data."

Time Saver for Physicians

blynq operates on both iOS and Android platforms, creating efficient workflows for physicians because it provides everything needed at the point of care to deliver, manage and refer care. During 2016, blynq was in its test development stage with approximately 200 providers in Florida and Alabama. The clearest evidence of the positive disruption that blynq is having on physicians is that effective users of blynq have shown that they are saving one or more minutes per patient encounter, which is giving back thirty minutes or more in each work day, leading to improved physician productivity and satisfaction.

No Capital Cost and Easy Implementation

The investment in most IT initiatives is extremely expensive and very time consuming. Perhaps the most appealing aspects of blynq are that there is no capital cost involved and implementation only takes one or two weeks. Pricing for use of blynq is on a monthly subscription model, based on the number of users at a client location, and no long term commitment is required.

About EVOQ Medical

EVOQ Medical's flagship product, blynq, is a Physician Engagement Platform that consolidates electronic health record data from multiple systems and creates a longitudinal patient record that providers can access in real time at the point-of-care. Led by healthcare and technology industry veterans, EVOQ has created an easy-to-use, provider-friendly platform that drives improved physician productivity, higher provider satisfaction, increased provider and higher health network efficiency in a cloud-based, software-as-a-service platform.

SOURCE EVOQ Medical

Related Links

http://www.EVOQmd.com


SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Fingerpaint was named the Public Relations and Marketing Agency of the Year by Business Intelligence Group. The recognition identifies leading agencies and corporate departments who deliver quantifiable business results for their respective clients. A full-service marketing agency with offices in Arizona, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, Fingerpaint is defined by a culture of uncommon collaboration, sharp strategy, and award-winning creative. Fingerpaint isn't just a marketing agency; it's an independent, people-first, client-investing, outside-the-lines-creating, brand-activating powerhouse with a mandate to Never Paint by Number. Fingerpaint was the sole winner of its category.

"We are honored to have received such prestigious industry recognition from the Business Intelligence Group," said Fingerpaint Founder Ed Mitzen. "There were so many amazing finalists in this category and we as a team are very humbled. We strive to build brands that are relevant, persuasive, andabove all elsemore human, and this past year it really showed."

"Our judges were clear that Fingerpaint deserves recognition for their ability to drive tangible and quantifiable business results through the creative use of communications," said Maria Jimenez, director of the Business Intelligence Group. "On behalf of our staff and the judging panel we congratulate the entire team for their outstanding performance."

For more information on the 2017 Public Relations and Marketing Excellence awards, visit https://www.bintelligence.com/pr-excellence/.

About Fingerpaint

Reset your expectations of an advertising agency. Independent by design, with integrated talent across Saratoga Springs, New York; Conshohocken, Pennsylvania; Scottsdale, Arizona; and Columbus Ohio, Fingerpaint is an innovation agency committed to creating and executing meaningful brand experiences that are never paint by number.

In 2016, Fingerpaint received 11 American Advertising Awards (formerly the ADDYs), the advertising industry's largest and most representative competition. Due in part to its "people first" philosophy, the agency received the 2014 Med Ad News Agency of the Year Award; has been named to Inc. Magazine's list of the 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies for the past four years; and was selected as one of the Albany Business Review's Best Places to Work in 2014 and the Philadelphia Business Journal's Best Places to Work in 2016. Founder Ed Mitzen was most recently honored as the 2016 Med Ad News Industry Person of the Year. Visit us at fingerpaintmarketing.com and follow us on Instagram and Twitter @Fingerpainters.

About Business Intelligence Group

The Business Intelligence Group was founded with the mission of recognizing true talent and superior performance in the business world. Unlike other industry and business award programs, business executivesthose with experience and knowledgejudge the programs. The organization's proprietary and unique scoring system selectively measures performance across multiple business domains and then rewards those companies whose achievements stand above those of their peers.

Contact

Ariana Seraita

Jonesworks

[email protected]

212-839-0111

SOURCE Fingerpaint Marketing

Related Links

http://fingerpaintmarketing.com


MANILA, Philippines, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- First Circle today confirmed investments from Accion Venture Lab, the seed-stage investment initiative of financial inclusion leader Accion, and Deep Blue VC. First Circle has now reported equity funding of $2.5m USD  from Accion Venture Lab, Deep Blue VC, 500 Startups, IMJ, and Key Capital  along with an undisclosed sum of debt funding.

First Circle is a fintech startup that uses technology to lend to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at scale, starting with the Philippines. It has developed proprietary software and credit scoring to increase access to financial services for the underserved.

The lack of access to financing for SMEs in Southeast Asia is widely discussed by governments and international agencies. The unmet demand for capital for SMEs in Southeast Asia is estimated at $50 billion by the Asian Development Bank. Alternative data sources, resulting in part from rising smartphone access and eCommerce penetration, enable technology-driven lenders to bridge this gap.

"Lack of access to capital is a big problem that needs to be fixed. If it isn't, millions of hardworking entrepreneurs and their businesses will not be given the chance to reach their potential," said First Circle CEO Patrick Lynch. "This is an uncharted territory in emerging economies. We believe the key is combining traditional and alternative data sources to accurately measure risk."

The investment funds will be used to further develop First Circle's technology and data analytics platform. To this end, they welcome Accion Venture Lab, the world's leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. Venture Lab invests capital in, and provides support to, innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale.

"Micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises account for more than 99 percent of Filipino businesses, but often can't get the funding they need to grow and thrive," said Michael Schlein, CEO and President of Accion. "First Circle can help these businesses and their employees by providing the financing they need  and ultimately developing a more inclusive financial sector."

"We are thrilled to partner with Patrick and the First Circle team to advance access to capital for small businesses in the Philippines and beyond. The combined use of both traditional and alternative data and automated processes to acquire and understand potential borrowers can help First Circle expand access to credit quickly and efficiently at a low cost," said Vikas Raj, Accion Venture Lab's Managing Director.

First Circle plans to deepen its market leading position in the Philippines before venturing to new markets. "Providing small businesses with financing within a few days is complex. We will invest to improve our service here before we consider reaching SMEs in other parts of Southeast Asia," said Lynch.

About First Circle

First Circle is the first fintech SME lender in South East Asia. It uses technology to minimise the time, effort and complexity associated with traditional financing options to provide SMEs in the region with fast, convenient and cost-effective financing. It's building a community of dynamic SMEs and empowering them to grow their businesses and reach their full potential.

About Accion and Accion Venture Lab

Accion Venture Lab is the world's leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. Venture Lab invests capital in, and provides support to, innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. Since launching in 2012, Venture Lab has deployed over US$10 million across more than 25 startups that work in over 20 countries worldwide. Venture Lab is a part of Accion, a global nonprofit dedicated to building a financially inclusive world by giving people the financial tools they need to improve their lives. Over more than 50 years, Accion has helped to build 65 next generation microfinance institutions on four continents that today reach millions of clients. Accion's impact investing initiatives are pushing beyond microfinance to catalyze more than 30 innovative startups dedicated to improving the efficiency, reach, and scope of financial services for the poor. For further information, visit https://www.accion.org/venturelab

SOURCE Accion

Related Links

http://www.accion.org


"We are thankful for the strong support we've received from some of the leading institutional investors in the cannabis space, giving us the resources we need to take Flowhub to the next level," said Mr. Kyle Sherman, Flowhub's Founder and CEO. "We are confident that within the next few months, a significant percentage of all transactions occurring in the regulated cannabis industry will be facilitated by the Flowhub platform."

Flowhub offers platforms for both retail and cultivation that automatically report mandatory compliance data to state regulators via a direct API. The entire ecosystem has been crafted specifically for the regulated cannabis industry. Flowhub's market share has grown over 300% since Q4 2016 and has attracted some of the largest regulated dispensaries in the country as customers.

"Our business has changed for the better since switching to Flowhub several months ago," said Mr. Matthew Aiken, Owner of Sweet Leaf with several stores in multiple states. "I've been in the industry for years and nobody comes close to offering what Flowhub does. We've seen a major productivity increase in our budtenders, managers, and compliance team and we're saving more time and money than I expected. We're excited to expand our business with Flowhub technology powering our infrastructure."

"We have no shortage of deal flow in the cannabis sector. We've looked at hundreds of investment opportunities in the space and have strong relationships with industry leaders in retail and cultivation. It's clear Flowhub has a unique vision for the future of technology solutions in the industry and we couldn't be happier to be a part of this mission," said Mr. Michael Bologna, CEO of Green Lion Partners.

"The technology solution Flowhub provides is critically important to operators, they can't do business without it. This vertical is where we will see billion dollar valuations in the coming years," said Mr. Larry Schnurmacher of Florida-based Phyto Partners. "We believe the Flowhub team will dominate the technology backbone of the cannabis industry and are proud to have Flowhub in our portfolio allowing our investors the opportunity to invest in this emerging industry."

Grow operation and dispensary owners who would like to learn more about Flowhub are encouraged to visit flowhub.co.

About Flowhub

Flowhub has developed the next generation of seed-to-sale software for the regulated cannabis industry. Flowhub enables growers and dispensaries to streamline their supply chain operations and optimize their profit margins. Flowhub was formed in 2015 and is based in Denver, CO. For more information, please visit flowhub.co.

SOURCE Flowhub

Related Links

http://www.flowhub.co


FRANKFURT, Germany, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

FRA/gk - During the first quarter of 2017, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) has continued its growth path: for the first time in the airport's history, more than 13 million passengers passed through Germany's largest aviation hub in the January-to-March period. This corresponds to a 1.5 percent increase year-on-year. Without the leap-year effect, a number of strikes and the late timing of the Easter holidays in 2017, the growth rate would have reached 3.1 percent. Cargo throughput (airfreight + airmail) also posted positive growth in the first three months of 2017, rising by 5.8 percent to 535,764 metric tons. Aircraft movements decreased by 1.2 percent to a total of 104,530 takeoffs and landings, while accumulated maximum takeoff weights (MTOWs) were down 2.6 percent to about 6.7 million metric tons. Adjusted for the special effects, aircraft movements would have increased by 0.3 percent.

In March 2017, Frankfurt Airport served some 4.9 million passengers, up 1.8 percent year-on-year. Thus, the previous March record achieved in 2016 was exceeded by around 85,000 passengers. Without a number of flight cancellations, mainly due to strikes at airports in Berlin, passenger traffic would have increased by 2.3 percent. Cargo volumes soared by 9.8 percent to 205,443 metric tons - the highest monthly growth rate recorded over the previous six years. This was helped by a more favorable timing of weekdays compared to the previous year and the fact that Easter falls in April this year. The number of aircraft movements rose by 1.1 percent to 37,924 takeoffs and landings in March 2017. With approximately 2.4 million metric tons, maximum takeoff weights shrank by 1.0 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.

Across the Group, airports in Fraport's international portfolio showed largely positive performance in the first quarter of 2017. Ljubljana Airport (LJU) in the capital of Slovenia welcomed 288,355 passengers in the first three months of the year, an increase of 17.5 percent. Lima Airport (LIM) in Peru recorded a 7.4 percent increase to about 4.8 million passengers. The two Twin Star airports of Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ) on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, combined, served 126,033 passengers, thus posting growth of 7.6 percent. By contrast, the airports of Antalya (AYT) in Turkey and Hanover (HAJ) in northern Germany registered declines of 10.1 percent to some 2.1 million passengers and 2.8 percent to 979,658 passengers, respectively. Pulkovo Airport (LED) in St. Petersburg, Russia, saw traffic improve by 25.3 percent to almost 2.9 million passengers in the first quarter of 2017, while Xi'an Airport (XIY) in China welcomed more than 9.8 million passengers, an increase of 14.4 percent.

For further information about Fraport AG please click here: http://www.fraport.com/en/the-fraport-group/about-us/fraport-at-a-glance.html

Print-quality photos of Fraport AG and Frankfurt Airport are available for free downloading via the photo library located in our Press Center on the Fraport Web site. For TV news and information broadcasting purposes only, we also offer free footage material for downloading.

Fraport Traffic Figures

March 2017

Fraport Group Airports[1] March 2017 Fraport Passengers Cargo* Movements Fully-consolidated airports share (%) Month DELTA % Month DELTA % Month DELTA % FRA Frankfurt Germany 100,00 4,872,599 1.8 202,562 10.5 37,924 1.1 LJU Ljubljana Slovenia 100,00 108,964 16.0 1,026 16.1 2,840 13.6 LIM Lima Peru[2] 70,01 1,580,929 5.5 18,466 -0.9 15,550 6.9 Fraport Twin Star 60,00 49,093 19.6 900 0.7 646 3.4 BOJ Burgas Bulgaria 60,00 13,573 15.3 887 0.0 224 0.4 VAR Varna Bulgaria 60,00 35,520 21.3 13 83.2 422 5.0 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya Turkey 51,00 838,145 -16.1 n.a. n.a. 6,075 -13.3 HAJ Hanover Germany 30,00 393,030 -3.2 1,822 23.9 6,197 2.2 LED St. Petersburg Russia 25,00 1,018,974 23.1 n.a. n.a. 10,887 21.3 XIY Xi'an China 24,50 3,315,898 13.9 20,654 4.3 25,639 10.9 (table continues) Year to Date (YTD) 2017 Passengers Cargo Movements Fully-consolidated airports YTD DELTA % YTD DELTA % YTD DELTA % FRA Frankfurt Germany 13,124,451 1.5 527,951 6.3 104,530 -1.2 LJU Ljubljana Slovenia 288,355 17.5 2,723 12.7 7,199 12.0 LIM Lima Peru[2] 4,809,175 7.4 60,845 -0.5 44,367 4.3 Fraport Twin Star 126,033 7.6 3,503 11.2 1,800 -0.8 BOJ Burgas Bulgaria 32,421 -6.1 3,386 8.2 597 -15.4 VAR Varna Bulgaria 93,612 13.4 117 > 100.0 1,203 8.6 At equity consolidated airports[2] AYT Antalya Turkey 2,115,338 -10.1 n.a. n.a. 15,759 -6.2 HAJ Hanover Germany 979,658 -2.8 5,322 13.5 15,644 -2.0 LED St. Petersburg Russia 2,899,040 25.3 n.a. n.a. 30,861 18.0 XIY Xi'an China 9,835,898 14.4 57,598 5.2 75,500 9.6

Frankfurt Airport[3] March 2017 Month DELTA % YTD 2017 DELTA % Passengers 4,872,894 1.8 13,125,242 1.5 Cargo (freight & mail) 205,443 9.8 535,764 5.8 Aircraft movements 37,924 1.1 104,530 -1.2 MTOW (in metric tons)[4] 2,422,884 -1.0 6,685,272 -2.6 PAX/PAX-flight[5] 138.9 1.0 135.4 3.1 Seat load factor (%) 76.8 74.9 Punctuality rate (%) 84.4 80.5

Frankfurt Airport PAX share DELTA %[6] PAX share DELTA %[6] Regional Split Month Month Continental 60.8 2.4 59.9 2.0 Germany 12.4 7.8 12.0 3.4 Europe (excl. Germany) 48.4 1.0 47.9 1.7 Western Europe 40.6 0.5 40.0 1.7 Eastern Europe 7.8 3.9 7.8 2.0 Intercontinental 39.2 0.9 40.1 0.8 Africa 4.4 0.4 4.6 4.3 Middle East 6.5 0.7 6.6 3.5 North America 12.1 -1.1 11.8 -2.0 Central & South America 4.4 1.4 4.8 1.2 Far East 11.9 3.2 12.3 0.7 Australia 0.0 n.a. 0.0 n.a.

If you wish to meet a member of our press team when at Frankfurt Airport, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our contact details are available here.

Fraport AG

Mike Peter Schweitzer

Head of Press Office & Digital Media

Chief Spokesperson

60547 Frankfurt, Germany

Telephone: +49-69-690-70555

E-mail: [email protected]



Internet: http://www.fraport.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FrankfurtAirport

SOURCE Fraport AG
PHILADELPHIA, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- FS Investment Corporation (NYSE: FSIC) announced today plans to release its first quarter 2017 results after the market close on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

FSIC will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Thursday, May 11, 2017, to discuss its first quarter 2017 results. All interested parties are welcome to participate and can access the conference call by dialing (877) 443-2408 and using the conference ID 4086487 approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. The conference call will also be webcast, which can be accessed from the Investor Relations section of FSIC's website at www.fsinvestmentcorp.com under Presentations and Reports.

An investor presentation of financial information will be available by visiting the Investor Relations section of FSIC's website at www.fsinvestmentcorp.com under Presentations and Reports after the market close on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.

A replay of the call will be available beginning shortly after the end of the call for a period of 30 days following the call by visiting the Investor Relations section of FSIC's website at www.fsinvestmentcorp.com under Presentations and Reports.

About FS Investment Corporation

FSIC is a publicly traded business development company (BDC) focused on providing customized credit solutions to private middle market U.S. companies. FSIC seeks to invest primarily in the senior secured debt and, to a lesser extent, the subordinated debt of private middle market companies to achieve the best risk-adjusted returns for its investors. In connection with its debt investments, FSIC may receive equity interests such as warrants or options.

FSIC is advised by FB Income Advisor, LLC, an affiliate of FS Investments, and is sub-advised by GSO / Blackstone Debt Funds Management LLC, an affiliate of GSO Capital Partners LP (GSO). GSO, with approximately $93.3 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2016, is the credit platform of Blackstone. For more information, please visit www.fsinvestmentcorp.com.

About FS Investments

FS Investments is a leading asset manager dedicated to helping individuals, financial professionals and institutions design better portfolios. The firm provides access to alternative sources of income and growth through funds managed in partnership with top institutional investment advisers. It focuses on setting industry standards for investor protection, education and transparency.

FS Investments is headquartered in Philadelphia with offices in Orlando and Washington, DC. The firm currently manages seven funds with over $19 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2016. Visit fsinvestments.com to learn more.

Contact Information:

Investors

Chris Condelles

[email protected]

267-439-4365

Dominic Mammarella

[email protected]

215-220-4280

Media

Marc Yaklofsky / Kate Beers

[email protected]

215-495-1174

SOURCE FS Investment Corporation

Related Links

http://www.fsinvestmentcorp.com


Upon completion of the Arrangement, GoldMining will own 100% of Bellhaven and its La Mina Gold Project ("La Mina" or the "Project"), which includes the La Mina concession (1,794 Ha) and the contiguous La Garrucha concession (1,416 Ha).

Amir Adnani, Chairman of GoldMining, commented: "We are pleased to announce our second major transaction in Colombia, which will further expand our significant land package within the Mid Cauca Belt, one of the most prospective and underexplored gold belts in the world. Beyond the current defined resource base, La Mina hosts several underexplored porphyry targets, which we believe offer excellent opportunities for new gold discoveries in an area of excellent infrastructure."

Mr. Adnani, further commented: "I look forward to working with Dr. Paul Zweng, CEO of Bellhaven, who has agreed to join GoldMinings advisory board on closing of the transaction. This acquisition further advances our strategy of acquiring significant gold-copper projects in the Americas, and we look forward to welcoming management and shareholders of Bellhaven as new shareholders of GoldMining."

Dr. Paul Zweng, CEO, Chairman and Director of Bellhaven, commented: "We believe that combining Bellhavens assets with those of GoldMining will place these assets into much stronger hands. As a result, La Mina will have greater market visibility as well as the potential to move forward with more certainty and at a greater pace than what Bellhaven could achieve on its own. There are also potential synergies between Bellhavens La Mina and GoldMining's nearby Titiribi gold property (Colombia) including geological, engineering, environmental, community relations and shared administrative overhead. This combination creates one of the largest resource portfolios and most exciting exploration land packages in Colombia. I look forward to joining GoldMinings advisory board to assist GoldMining in advancing La Mina as well as the rest of its extensive portfolio of gold projects in the Americas."

Transaction Details

Under the Arrangement, Bellhaven shareholders will receive 0.25 common shares of GoldMining for each Bellhaven Share held (the "Exchange Ratio") and existing warrants and options of Bellhaven will similarly become exercisable into GoldMining common shares based on the Exchange Ratio in accordance with their existing terms. There are currently 5,133,750 Bellhaven warrants outstanding with exercise prices ranging from $0.225 to $0.50, which, after closing, would be convertible into up to 1,283,438 common shares of GoldMining. The terms set out above do not apply to the Bellhaven Shares and warrants issued to the Toquepala Fund LP (the "Fund") on conversion of their previously issued US$350,000 convertible loan (the "Convertible Loan"), which Convertible Loan was converted concurrent with the execution of the Agreement.

In connection with the Arrangement, GoldMining has entered into an agreement with the Fund, pursuant to which, concurrently under the Arrangement, GoldMining will acquire from the Fund, the 6,300,000 units of Bellhaven, issued on conversion of the Convertible Loan with each unit consisting of one Bellhaven Share and one warrant to purchase a Bellhaven Share at an exercise price of $0.075 per share, for total consideration consisting of 1,842,750 common shares of GoldMining (the "Unit Acquisition"). The Unit Acquisition is being completed at a discount to the consideration to be received by Bellhaven shareholders generally under the Arrangement. Nancy Zweng and Paul Zweng, directors of Bellhaven, are also principals of the Fund.

The Arrangement will be carried out by way of a plan of arrangement and is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of requisite stock exchange and court approvals and the approval of at least 66% of the votes cast by Bellhaven shareholders at a special meeting (the "Meeting") of Bellhaven shareholders, including approval by a majority of disinterested Bellhaven shareholders. The Meeting is currently expected to be held in late May 2017, with completion of the arrangement expected to occur shortly thereafter following receipt of necessary court approval.

Additionally, Bellhaven has entered into an agreement with Monpal S.A.S., a company controlled by Alejandro Montoya-Palacios, a director of Bellhaven, to amend the terms of Bellhaven's existing option to acquire the balance of the ownership interest in the entity that owns one of the exploration concessions underlying the La Mina Project concurrently with completion of the Arrangement, in exchange for total consideration of US$300,000 and the delivery of 162,500 common shares of GoldMining to Mr. Montoya-Palacios, payable by GoldMining upon completion of the Arrangement.

Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement, Bellhaven has agreed that it will not solicit or initiate any discussions concerning any other acquisition proposals. In the event that the Arrangement is not completed, Bellhaven has agreed, in certain circumstances, to pay GoldMining a termination fee of $440,000 and an expense reimbursement fee of up to $150,000. GoldMining has agreed to reimburse Bellhaven for its incurred expenses up to $150,000 in relation to the Arrangement if the Agreement is terminated in certain circumstances.

Directors, senior officers and key shareholders of Bellhaven, collectively holding approximately 67.5% of the issued and outstanding Bellhaven Shares, have entered into agreements with GoldMining under which they have agreed to vote their Bellhaven Shares in favour of the Arrangement. Pursuant to such agreements, such Bellhaven supporting shareholders have agreed that GoldMining common shares issued to them under the transaction will be subject to re-sale restrictions, which provide for the release of legend restrictions as follows: (i) 25% of such shares on closing; and (ii) 25% of such shares on each of the dates that are one, two and three months after the closing of the Arrangement.

Recommendation of the Bellhaven Board

An independent special committee of the Bellhaven board of directors has reviewed and unanimously recommended approval of the Arrangement and related transactions to the Bellhaven board of directors. After taking into account such recommendation and considering, among other things, the verbal opinion of Evans & Evans Inc., financial advisor to Bellhaven, that the consideration to be received by Bellhaven shareholders under the Arrangement is fair from a financial point of view to Bellhaven shareholders, the Bellhaven directors entitled to vote thereon have unanimously determined that the Arrangement is in the best interests of Bellhaven and is fair from a financial point of view to Bellhaven shareholders (other than GoldMining and its affiliates).

The Bellhaven board of directors unanimously recommends that Bellhaven shareholders vote in favour of the Arrangement.

Details regarding these and other terms of the Arrangement are set out in the Agreement, which will be available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Additional information respecting the Arrangement and the Agreement will be included in the management information circular to be filed by Bellhaven and mailed to Bellhaven shareholders in connection with the Meeting.

The Project

The La Mina Project is located approximately 41 km southwest of the city of Medellin in the Department of Antioquia, in central Colombia and approximately 6 km southeast of GoldMinings Titiribi Project (Fig. 1). The Project is comprised of two concessions that cover an area of 32 km2. Northern Antioquia has seen steadily increasing activity over the last several years including, but not limited to success by Cordoba Minerals and High Power Exploration at the San Matias copper-gold project, Continental Golds recently permitted high-grade Buritica gold project, IAMGOLDs recent option agreement with Gran Colombia Gold on the past producing Zancudo gold mine, and AngloGold Ashanti and B2Golds development stage Nuevo Chaquiro project. The Project is road accessible by paved highway to a junction with an 11 km gravel road that leads to site. Water, power and labour are readily available at the Project site.

La Mina includes the Middle Zone and La Cantera gold-copper porphyry deposits as well as the highly prospective La Garrucha prospect located approximately 800 m to the east. The aeromagnetic anomaly over the nearby La Garrucha prospect is substantially larger than those over both the La Cantera and Middle Zone deposits. It has been partially tested by drilling (6,734 m in 17 holes) and future exploration programs will focus on expanding the area of mineralization in order to complete a revised resource estimate. In addition, there are several prospects including El Limon, El Oso, Media Luna and Buenavista that require additional follow-up exploration (Fig. 2).

The Middle Zone and La Cantera deposits occur within 400 m of each other and were the subject of a resource estimate published by Bellhaven in October 2016 (Table 1). The resource was based on 14,284 m of drilling in 88 drill holes. Block models were created with parent blocks measuring 5 m3 for the Middle Zone and 10 m3 for La Cantera. Inverse distance squared was used to interpolate grade into blocks at the Middle Zone and ordinary kriging was used to interpolate grade into blocks at La Cantera, which in both cases were constrained by geology. Indicated mineral resources, which comprise approximately 70% of the resource, were defined as blocks that are within 35 m of a drill hole and where a minimum of two drill holes were used to estimate grade. Grade-capping was employed at the Middle Zone to limit the impact of high-grade outlier samples. Gold was capped at 4.2 ppm, silver at 25.5 ppm and copper at 3,000 ppm. Densities of 2.65 t/m3 for the Middle Zone and 2.70 t/m3 for La Cantera were used to convert volumes to tonnages and were based on 636 individual measurements of drill-core samples.

The conceptual pit delineated resource used a Whittle-Pit algorithm with the following input parameters to calculate the in-pit resources:

Median consensus long-term projected metal prices of US$1,275 /oz gold, US$17.75 /oz silver, and US$2.75 /lb copper;

/oz gold, /oz silver, and /lb copper; G&A of US$0.98 /t;

/t; Open-pit mining costs of US$1.72 /t;

/t; Processing costs of US$5.83 /t;

/t; Metallurgical recoveries of 93% for gold and 90% for copper; and

Average pit-slope of 50 degrees.

Table 1: Indicated and Inferred Resource at a 0.25 g/t gold cut-off for La Mina published by Bellhaven in 2016.

Deposit Tonnage Grade Contained Metal Mt Au

(g/t) Ag

(g/t) Cu

(%) AuEq (g/t) Au (oz) Ag (oz) Cu (Mlbs) AuEq (oz) Indicated Resource La Cantera 17.984 0.87 2.06 0.32 1.37 503,021 1,191,062 125.344 789,953 Middle Zone 10.186 0.50 1.27 0.11 0.68 163,740 415,899 24.898 223,232 Total Indicated 28.170 0.74 1.77 0.24 1.12 666,761 1,606,962 150.242 1,013,185 Inferred Resource La Cantera 10.806 0.69 1.83 0.29 1.15 239,715 635,766 70.256 400,099 Middle Zone 1.588 0.39 1.19 0.09 0.53 19,911 60,754 3.038 27,309 Total Inferred 12.394 0.65 1.75 0.27 1.07 259,626 696,520 73.294 427,408





Table 1 Notes: 1. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources will be converted into mineral reserves. 2. Gold-equivalent grades were calculated using the following formula: AuEq = [{Au (g/t) + [Cu(%)} x {%Recoverable Cu / %Recoverable Au} x {Cu Price/Au Price} x 22.0462 x 31.1035] + [Ag (g/t) x {Ag Price/Au Price}]. Metal prices used were the median consensus long-term prices as of July, 2016 for gold (US$1,275/oz), silver (US$17.75), and copper (US$2.75/lb). Metal prices are not constant and are subject to change. Metal recoveries of 93% Au and 90% Cu are estimates based on metallurgical results announced in Bellhavens news release dated September 21, 2016. 3. All quantities are rounded to the appropriate number of significant figures; consequently sums may not add up due to rounding.





The resource estimate for La Mina is based on a technical report completed for Bellhaven by Scott E. Wilson, C.P.G. titled "Technical Report for the La Mina Project, Antioquia, Republic of Colombia" with an effective date of October 24, 2016. To the best of GoldMining's knowledge, information and belief, there is no new material scientific or technical information that would make the disclosure of the mineral resources therein inaccurate or misleading.

Exploration Applications

Additional exploration applications covering approximately 4,375 Ha were submitted by GoldMining in March 2017 to the Mining Secretariat of Antioquia for review. The applications cover areas located between the Titiribi and La Mina Projects.

Advisors

Haywood Securities Inc. is advising GoldMining in connection with the transaction, and Sangra Moller LLP is acting as legal counsel to GoldMining. Evans & Evans Inc. acted as financial advisor to Bellhaven and McMillan LLP is acting as legal counsel to Bellhaven.

Qualified Person

Paulo Pereira, President of GoldMining has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release for GoldMining. Mr. Pereira holds a Bachelors degree in Geology from Universidade do Amazonas in Brazil, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Mr. Thomas J. Drown, P. Geo., has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release for Bellhaven pertaining to La Mina. Mr. Drown has more than 25 years relevant experience and is a B.C. Professional Geoscientist. He has been a senior project geologist with the Company at the La Mina Project and is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101.

About GoldMining Inc.

GoldMining Inc. is a public mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of gold projects in Colombia and other regions of the Americas. GoldMining Inc. is advancing its Titiribi Gold-Copper Project located in the Department of Antioquia, Colombia, its Cachoeira and Sao Jorge Gold Projects located in the State of Para, northeastern Brazil, its Whistler Gold-Copper Project located in the State of Alaska, United States of America, and its Rea Uranium Project in the western Athabasca Basin in northeast Alberta, Canada.

About Bellhaven Copper and Gold Inc.

Bellhaven Copper and Gold Inc. is a Canadian-listed (TSX-V: BHV) exploration company exploring for gold and copper in Colombia. Bellhaven's flagship project is the La Mina gold-copper porphyry deposit in the Middle Cauca belt of Columbia. For more information regarding Bellhaven, please visit our website at www.bellhavencg.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of GoldMining and/or Bellhaven with respect to its business and future events, including expectations respecting the Project, the closing of the Arrangement, potential synergies of the Companies' projects and any future exploration programs and other work on the Project. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the markets in which the Companies operate, including that the parties will satisfy or waive all conditions required to complete the transactions under the Agreement, including receipt of all required regulatory approvals and that historical exploration results will be confirmed. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the uncertainties involved in interpreting drill results and other exploration data, the potential for delays in exploration or development activities, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits, the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Companies' expectations, accidents, equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters, labour disputes or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in operations, fluctuating metal prices, unanticipated costs and expenses, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, including to fund any exploration programs on the Project, any inability to realize upon expected synergies between the Companies' projects and that the parties may not receive all required approvals or satisfy all conditions required under the Agreement. These risks, as well as others, including those set forth in the Companies' filings with Canadian securities regulators, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward looking information, will prove to be accurate. Neither GoldMining nor Bellhaven undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, the Toronto Stock Exchange nor their Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

SOURCE GoldMining Inc.
Houston and Midland, April 12, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL) ("Noble Energy") and Clayton Williams Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CWEI) ("Clayton Williams Energy") today announced that, in connection with Noble Energy's pending acquisition of Clayton Williams Energy, the election deadline for record holders of shares of Clayton Williams Energy common stock and Clayton Williams Energy warrants to elect the form of consideration they wish to receive in connection with the transaction, subject to proration, is 5:00 p.m. Central time on April 24, 2017, which is based on the current expectation that the transaction will be completed by April 25, 2017.

Accordingly, an election will be valid only if a properly completed and signed election form and letter of transmittal, together with all required documents and materials set forth in the election form and letter of transmittal and the instructions thereto, is received by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the exchange agent for the transaction, by 5:00 p.m. Central time on April 24, 2017. Clayton Williams Energy stockholders who hold their shares through a bank, broker or other nominee may be subject to an earlier deadline and should carefully read the instructions from their bank, broker or nominee regarding making elections for their shares. Stockholders with questions should contact Morrow Sodali LLC, the information agent for the transaction, toll-free at 877-787-9239, banks and brokers please call collect at 203-658-9400.

The election deadline does not impact the deadline for Clayton Williams Energy common shareholders to vote on the merger agreement, which will be considered at the special meeting of Clayton Williams Energy stockholders to be held on April 24, 2017. Clayton Williams Energy stockholders are encouraged to vote their shares if they have not already done so.

About Noble Energy

Noble Energy (NYSE: NBL) is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with a diversified high-quality portfolio of both U.S. unconventional and global offshore conventional assets spanning three continents. Founded more than 80 years ago, the company is committed to safely and responsibly delivering our purpose: Energizing the World, Bettering People's Lives. For more information, visit www.nblenergy.com.

About Clayton Williams Energy

Clayton Williams Energy (NYSE: CWEI) is an independent energy company located in Midland, Texas. To learn more, please visit our website at www.claytonwilliams.com.





This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws. Words such as "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "intends", "will", "should", "may", "estimates", and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy's and Clayton Williams's current views about future events. Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about the benefits of the proposed merger involving Noble Energy and Clayton Williams, including future financial and operating results, Noble Energy's and Clayton Williams's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the expected timing of completion of the transaction, and other statements that are not historical facts, including estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and resources, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the ability to obtain the requisite approval of the Clayton Williams common stockholders; the risk that Clayton Williams or Noble Energy may be unable to obtain governmental and regulatory approvals required for the merger, or required governmental and regulatory approvals may delay the merger or result in the imposition of conditions that could cause the parties to abandon the merger, the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed merger may not be satisfied, the timing to consummate the proposed merger, the risk that the businesses will not be integrated successfully, the risk that the cost savings and any other synergies from the transaction may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected, disruption from the transaction making it more difficult to maintain relationships with customers, employees or suppliers, the diversion of management time on merger-related issues, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the ability to replace reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's and Clayton Williams's businesses that are discussed in Noble Energy's and Clayton Williams's most recent annual reports on Form 10-K, respectively, and in other Noble Energy and Clayton Williams reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC'). Noble Energy's reports are also available from Noble Energy's offices or website, http://www.nblenergy.com , and Clayton Williams's reports are also available from Clayton Williams's offices or website, http://www.claytonwilliams.com. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Neither Noble Energy nor Clayton Williams assumes any obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances, management's estimates, or opinions change.

Additional Information And Where To Find It

This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. In connection with the proposed merger between Noble Energy and Clayton Williams, on March 6, 2017, Noble Energy filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-4, as amended on March 21, 2017 (the Form S-4) that includes a proxy statement of Clayton Williams that also constitutes a prospectus of Noble Energy. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus was also filed with the SEC by both Noble Energy and Clayton Williams on March 23, 2017. The Form S-4 was declared effective on March 23, 2017 and the definitive proxy statement/prospectus was mailed to stockholders of Clayton Williams on or about March 27, 2017. This document is not a substitute for any prospectus, proxy statement or any other document which Noble Energy or Clayton Williams may file with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. Noble Energy and Clayton Williams urge Clayton Williamss investors and stockholders to read the Form S-4 and any other relevant documents filed with the SEC, including the definitive proxy statement/prospectus that is part of the Form S-4, because they contain important information. You may obtain copies of all documents filed with the SEC regarding this transaction, free of charge, at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from Noble Energy's website (www.nblenergy.com) under the tab "Investors" and then under the heading "SEC Filings." You may also obtain these documents, free of charge, from Clayton Williams's website (www.claytonwilliams.com) under the tab "Investors" and then under the heading "SEC Filings."

Participants In The Merger Solicitation

Noble Energy, Clayton Williams, and their respective directors, executive officers and certain other members of management and employees may be soliciting proxies from Clayton Williamss stockholders in favor of the merger and related matters. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of Clayton Williamss stockholders in connection with the proposed merger is contained in the definitive proxy statement/prospectus. You can find information about Noble Energy's executive officers and directors in its definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on March 2, 2017, or in the Form S-4. You can find information about Clayton Williams's executive officers and directors in its 10-K filed with the SEC on March 2, 2017. You can obtain free copies of these documents from Noble Energy and Clayton Williams using the contact information above.




RAS AL KHAIMAH, United Arab Emirates, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott Wolf, President and Director of Research for United Arab Emirates-based private equity firm Grace Century, has been appointed to the Business Advisory Board of Provia Laboratories LLC. Provia's branded "Store-A-Tooth" is a revolutionary product which cryogenically stores dental stem cells for future use in personalized and regenerative medicine.

Grace Century

Wolf has been directly associated with Provia since early in its inception, acting as a significant early-stage investor for Provia and assisting the company with strategic advice, investor relations, new business development and the ongoing introduction of capital via the Grace Century Member's network. He was also instrumental in securing new geographical markets like the Commonwealth of Independent States (Russian Commonwealth) and other markets such as Kazakhstan. Most recently, Wolf played a major role in the engagement of US Capital Partners, Inc. a private investment bank who are partnering with Provia for a $2M capital raise.

Howard Greenman, CEO of Provia, said, "Scott has been an incredible member of the Provia team over the last three years. He immersed his group in the project right from the very beginning and has been instrumental in the raising of almost $10 million in early stage funding from Grace Century's impressively strong international member network. Scott has been a clear and insightful source of advice and direction to Provia across many areas of our business, and now is the right time to formally add him to our Advisory Board as Provia engages on an international expansion plan."

Provia's "Store-A-Tooth" product gives families the opportunity to store mesenchymal stem cells found in their children's baby teeth and wisdom teeth for their future stem cell therapy needs. These particular stem cells can be used in the future for the for repair and regeneration of multiple tissue types including bone, cartilage, heart muscle, nerves and tendons, which makes them of special interest and attention within the field of regenerative medicine.

Speaking from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wolf commented, "Grace Century's strategy from its inception back in 2010 was to focus on a small number of truly "game-changing" projects which have the potential to disrupt the industries that they are targeting and revolutionize existing practices. We take great care in selecting our projects; however we saw great potential in Provia right from the early stages of our relationship with them, both in terms of their dedication to product research and entrepreneurial spirit evident in the entire team. Their team is the "best of the best" in marrying science to business, and giving families globally a future opportunity of a healthier and fuller life. I am very pleased to become a formal member of their Advisory Board, and look forward to continuing my relationship, as an active part of the successful future of Provia."

About Grace Century

Grace Century FZ LLC is an International research and private equity consultancy located in Ras Al Khaimah, (north of Dubai) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Grace Century specializes in "game-changing" life science and health related private equity projects.

For portfolio or company information please email info(at)gracecentury.com or call +971 (0)7 206 8851

Please direct all media enquiries to info(at)bigwheel.me or call +971 (0)52 712 1777

Website  http://www.gracecentury.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/GraceCentury

LinkedIn  https://www.linkedin.com/company/grace-century-holdings-fzc-llc

Twitter  https://twitter.com/GraceCentury

Blog  http://www.thegracecenturyblog.com

About Provia

Provia is a revenue-generating stem cell processing, manufacturing, and bio-storage company with a leading position in dental stem cell storage and related services. Provia's primary service, Store-A-Tooth, provides private storage of stem cells from children's teeth for future use in the child's personalized regenerative medicine. Store-A-Tooth is a similar service to cord blood stem cell banks like ViaCord (purchased by PerkinElmer) and Cord Blood Registry (purchased by AMAG Pharma). Provia has a proprietary set of protocols for cell processing, expansion, validation, and cryopreservation. Provia's laboratory provides these services under FDA guidelines for current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) for human cell and tissue products. http://www.provialabs.com or http://www.store-a-tooth.com.

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SOURCE Grace Century

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The two all-new electrified Honda vehicles will join the Clarity Fuel Cell, launched in December 2016, to make Clarity the first ever vehicle series offering customers an expanded array of electrified vehicle choices with fuel cell, battery electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains wrapped in a sophisticated, spacious and comprehensively equipped five-passenger sedan.

"The Honda Clarity is aimed at accelerating the deployment of advanced electrified powertrain technology and bringing electrified vehicles further into the mainstream," said Jeff Conrad, senior vice president of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., at the company's auto show press conference. "The Clarity series also heralds the advancement of our Honda Electrification Initiative, representing our investment in the full spectrum of electric-vehicle technologies."

"Electrification is the future of mobility and the future of Honda, and it all starts now with this new Clarity series," added Steve Center, vice president of the Connected and Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda.

Honda Clarity Series

As the next progression of Honda's dynamic styling for electrified products, each Clarity variant has a low, wide aerodynamic body with unique design elements, including its own special hero color, and differentiated front styling, headlights, tail lamps and 18-inch alloy wheel designs. Combined with elegant and advanced exterior styling, each Clarity series vehicle has a spacious interior with comfortable seating for five adults, outfitted with premium, environmentally responsible materials.

Offering Honda's "fun-to-drive" DNA, each Clarity variant provides a smooth, quiet and highly refined driving experience, aided by the smooth and seamless character of electric drive torque and acceleration. The Clarity series also features advanced technologies, including Display Audio with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the full suite of HONDA SENSING safety and driver-assistive technologies.

With three different powertrains and luxury packaging, the Clarity series has wide appeal. This shared "3-in-1" platform strategy will enable Honda to respond to infrastructure and market developments, provide customers nationwide with an ultra-low carbon vehicle that meets their lifestyle needs, and takes Honda toward higher volume sales of advanced powertrain products that will help reduce CO 2 emissions.

The Clarity series is at the vanguard of Honda's commitment to address society's energy and environmental concerns as the company expects significant growth in sales of efficient, lower CO 2 electrified vehicles. Honda has previously announced plans to introduce a dedicated new hybrid car to the U.S. market in 2018. The new Honda hybrid car will be made in America.

Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid

The 2018 Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, launching at dealerships nationwide later this year, is anticipated to earn an all-electric driving range rating of 42 miles1, the longest of any midsize plug-in hybrid. For longer trips, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid can utilize its hyper-efficient 1.5-liter Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine to generate electricity and, under certain conditions, to act as a direct power source, resulting in an anticipated overall driving range rating in excess of 330 miles1.

The vehicle's electromotive power comes from a 181-horsepower electric motor producing 232 lb.-ft. of torque and drawing power from both the gasoline engine and a 17-kilowatt hour (kWh) battery pack with a recharge time of 2.5 hours at 240 volts. The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid is anticipated to earn an EPA fuel economy rating of 105 MPGe1 (miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent) combined, at the top of its class. The Clarity Plug-in Hybrid features three selectable modes  Normal, Econ and Sport  allowing drivers to customize their experience, maximizing efficiency or driving performance. A fourth mode  HV mode  is provided to maintain the battery's state of charge and can be selected in conjunction with Normal, Econ and Sport driving modes.

As the sales volume leader in the Clarity lineup, the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid will be offered in two premium-contented trims, standard and Touring.

Honda Clarity Electric

The 2017 Honda Clarity Electric is geared toward consumers who desire a spacious, comfortable and affordable sedan that suits their daily driving needs. The Clarity Electric is powered by a 161-horsepower (120-kilowatt) electric motor producing 221 lb.-ft. of torque and drawing power from a 25.5-kWh battery pack. The vehicle can by fully charged in just over three hours at 240 volts, and when using DC fast charging with the SAE Combined Charging System can achieve an 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes.

The model is anticipated to have an anticipated EPA fuel economy rating of 120/102/111 MPGe (city/highway/combined)2. Like the Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, the Clarity Electric features three selectable driving modes  Normal, Econ and Sport. The Clarity Electric will launch later this year, starting with an attractive lease program in California and Oregon.

Honda Clarity Fuel Cell

Honda views fuel cells as the ultimate zero-emissions vehicle technology and the Clarity Fuel Cell offers green early adopters the latest technology to be on the forefront of "what's next." Honda began deliveries of the 2017 Clarity Fuel Cell in December 2016 in select California markets, where a consumer friendly network of hydrogen stations continues to grow, and has already delivered more than 100 vehicles.

Technological innovations to the Clarity Fuel Cell have created a fuel cell stack that is 33 percent more compact with a 60 percent increase in power density compared to its predecessor, the Honda FCX Clarity. The more compact fuel cell and integrated powertrain, now comparable in size to a V-6 engine, fits entirely under the hood of the car, allowing for a more spacious cabin with seating for five passengers.

At 366 miles, the Clarity Fuel Cell has the highest EPA driving range rating of any zero-emission vehicle in America, including fuel cell and battery electric vehicles, and an EPA fuel economy rating of 68 MPGe3 combined. The Clarity Fuel Cell is available for the competitive introductory lease price of $369 a month for 36 months with $2,868 due at signing4 . The lease terms include an attractive mileage allowance of 20,000 miles per year, up to $15,000 of hydrogen fuel, up to 21 days of an Avis Luxury Rental in California, 24/7 roadside assistance, and eligibility for California "White Sticker" single occupant HOV access. Lessees can also apply for the State of California $5,000 rebate5.The Clarity Fuel Cell is available in three colors: Bordeaux Red Metallic, White Orchid Pearl and Crystal Black Pearl.

About Honda

Honda offers a full line of reliable, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles with advanced safety technologies sold through over 1,000 independent U.S. Honda dealers. The Honda lineup includes the Fit, Civic, Accord and Clarity Fuel Cell passenger cars, along with the HR-V, CR-V and Pilot sport/utility vehicles, the Ridgeline pickup and the Odyssey minivan. Honda has been producing automobiles in America for 34 years and currently operates 19 major manufacturing facilities in North America. In 2016, more than 96 percent of all Honda vehicles sold in the U.S. were made in North America, using domestic and globally sourced parts.

1 Based on Honda internal testing. Your mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, battery-pack age/condition, and other factors.

2 Your MPGe and range will vary depending on driving conditions, how you drive and maintain your vehicle, lithium-ion battery age/condition and other factors.

3 69 city / 67 highway / 68 combined miles per gallon of gasoline-equivalent (MPGe) rating; 366-mile driving range rating. Based on 2017 EPA ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your MPGe and driving range will vary based on how you drive and maintain your vehicle, driving conditions, powertrain condition, and other factors.

4 Includes down payment with no security deposit. Excludes taxes, registration, license and dealer fees. For well qualified lessees. Subject to availability beginning December 2016 to California residents on approved credit through Honda Financial Services. Closed end lease for 2017 Honda Clarity Fuel Cell for well qualified lessees. Not all applicants will qualify. No purchase option at lease end. Total monthly payments $13,284. Lessee responsible for maintenance, excessive wear/tear, and 20 cents per mile over 20,000 miles per year. Lease includes Roadside Assistance, up to $15,000 of hydrogen fuel, and up to 21 days Avis luxury rental car. Total due at lease signing is $2,868 plus tax and registration and includes first month's payment and capitalized cost reduction of $2,499. Offer subject to change without notice. Please see your authorized Honda Clarity dealer for complete details. Accessories sold separately. See Honda Clarity dealer for details.

5 Applicants must apply for the rebate at cleanvehiclerebate.org. The rebate is based on availability.

SOURCE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

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http://www.honda.com


First in Salvage Vehicle Industry to Offer Buyers Over 30 Search and Filter Options

WESTCHESTER, Ill., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc. (IAA) today announced the launch of IAA Fast Search, the salvage vehicle industry's most comprehensive search tool. With over 30 vehicle search and filter options, IAA Fast Search provides vehicle buyers with a smart, mobile-friendly tool that delivers more efficient and more accurate search results. The innovative Fast Search functionality complements the recently announced enhancements to IAA's Vehicle Details feature on IAAI.com. Together, these launches help advance IAA's strategy to deliver increased customer value through technology and innovation.

"IAA is committed to continuously improving and simplifying the buyer experience," said John Kett, CEO and president of IAA. "Fast Search reduces the time-intensive task of sourcing specific vehicles by enabling buyers to search with both speed and precision. This ultimately helps them bid and buy with greater knowledge, confidence and convenience."

Additional functionality of the Fast Search technology, which is available on desktop and mobile devices, allows buyers to recall previous searches and quickly pick up where they left off. Buyers can also easily add or remove filters, such as odometer reading, vehicle type or loss type, to refine or expand results at any point during a search.

"We know time and efficiency are highly valued commodities for our buyers," said Jeanene O'Brien, senior vice president of global marketing. "So we built them a comprehensive and intuitive search tool to help them make better informed decisions more quickly. Fast Search and our growing suite of customer tools, resources and technology help IAA deliver an unmatched buying experience."

As an industry leader in technology and innovation, IAA has announced 27 new tools and enhancements since January 2010 that anticipate and address the needs of salvage buyers and sellers. The company was the first to invest beyond the physical auction and provide sellers with technology solutions that decrease cycle time, increase customer satisfaction and help manage costs. In 2010, IAA introduced CSAToday, the salvage industry's first mobile seller vehicle inventory management tool, followed by the 2011 release of the first live bidding app for Apple and Android. In 2013, IAA's Market Value tool became the first salvage vehicle value tool app released for iPhones. In 2015, IAA released the IAA Total Loss Solutions suite of products, which has since been supplemented with seven additional customer tools and enhancements. Last month, the company launched its enhanced IAA Vehicle Details page, which provides buyers instant access to an industry-leading 320 VIN attributes on any vehicle.

To become an IAA buyer today, go to: https://www.iaai.com/Registration/Free.

To view the new Fast Search tool, go to: https://www.iaai.com/Search.

IAA Contacts KAR Contacts Media Inquiries: Media Inquiries: Jeanene O'Brien Tobin Richer 708-492-7328 317- 249-4521 [email protected] [email protected]

About Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

Founded in 1982, Insurance Auto Auctions (IAA), the leading live and live-online salvage vehicle auction company, is headquartered in Westchester, Illinois, and employs over 2,800 team members in more than 170 auction facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada. IAA is a business unit of KAR Auction Services (NYSE: KAR), a FORTUNE 1000 global auto remarketing and technology services company. IAA is part of an end-to-end remarketing solution providing global buyers opportunities to bid on and purchase total loss, donated, higher mileage, damaged, and clean-title vehicles utilizing cutting-edge technology. IAA's multi-platform model enables insurance companies, fleet and rental companies, banks, finance companies, car dealerships and the general public to simultaneously participate in multiple auctions online and in-person. Additional services include registration, financing, towing and title services. Learn more at www.iaa-auctions.com and follow IAA on Facebook and Twitter.

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. KAR's 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, Indiana, KAR has approximately 17,400 employees across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. www.karauctionservices.com.

SOURCE Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.iaa-auctions.com


FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- iBASEt , a leading provider of manufacturing, MRO and quality software solutions to complex, highly regulated industries, announced today this year's recipients of its Digital Enterprise Leadership Awards, presented at the company's bi-annual user conference, Excelerate, in Dana Point, CA, on March 28, 2017.

The Digital Enterprise Leadership Awards honor manufacturing enterprises who are leveraging iBASEt's Solumina solutions to shape the future of complex manufacturing. iBASEt recognizes leading manufacturers and MRO providers who are using Solumina-based solutions for transformational breakthroughs.

"We are honored to recognize this group of distinguished manufacturing leaders for their continued excellence in complex manufacturing," said Michel Gadbois, Vice President of Worldwide Sales of iBASEt. "We are truly inspired and impressed by this year's award winners for their continued dedication to establishing an innovative manufacturing infrastructure that drives operational excellence and supports company growth."

Digital Enterprise Leadership Award Winners:

BAE Systems

Best Implementation of Solumina Quality Management

In the aerospace industry, change is not easily accepted, but BAE did not want to settle for "good enough." BAE consistently focuses on providing their shop floor users with a more productive and reliable way to perform their work and manage communication. The company's methodical attention to detail ensured the implementation was a success.

United Technologies Corporation

Broadest Adoption of Solumina

UTAS, a United Technologies Company, has diverse applications across all of their plants, where they have pioneered the closed loop integration of torque tools, fiber winders, and much more. The company is aggressively rolling out new techniques and tools, including Solumina, to assist their shop floor users.

Textron Systems Unmanned Systems

Outstanding New G8 Implementation

Openness to process change, adopting best practices and dedication to using Solumina out-of-the-box provided Textron the ability to implement quickly and within budget. Textron never lost focus on what matters  marrying traceability, quality, productivity and design compliance.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Pinellas Park

Outstanding Out-of-The-Box Implementation

On the first day of their Solumina deployment, Pinellas Park released planning, built components on the shop floor and shipped product on the same day. Lockheed bucked the trend of large aerospace companies and deployed a broad shop floor productivity tool quickly and without customizations.

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Outstanding Solumina G8 Upgrade

Any system upgrade can be challenging, especially when upgrading from a customized version  yet this plant persevered. Northrop eliminated a number of Solumina G5 customizations and completed an upgrade to G8 in record time. The company performed much of the upgrade on their own and plans to continue to use out-of-the-box capabilities to build their digital thread infrastructure.

Resources:

2017 Highlights Video: http://info.ibaset.com/excelerate-recap

Conference Website: http://excelerate.ibaset.com/

About iBASEt

iBASEt is a leading provider of software solutions to complex, highly regulated industries, like Aerospace and Defense, Medical Devices, Nuclear, Industrial Equipment, Electronics, and Shipbuilding. iBASEt's Solumina software streamlines and integrates Manufacturing Execution Systems and Operations Management (MES/MOM), Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO)and Enterprise Quality Management Systems (EQMS) for operations and Supplier Quality Management. Solumina is implemented by many industry leaders in the Aerospace and Defense sector, including agencies of the U.S. Government. For more information, visit www.iBASEt.com.

Marketing Contact

Tom Hennessey, Vice President of Marketing

949-958-5200

[email protected]

SOURCE iBASEt
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Legrand, North America announced today its contributions to the Building for Transformative Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Working in close collaboration with the hospital, Legrand and ESS Lighting & Controls met multiple lighting project goals focused on energy savings and the occupant experience.

Having welcomed its first patients in early October 2016, the 14-story, 380,000 square feet (program space) state-of-the-art facility is accelerating the translation of science into the clinical setting. The hospital is one of the most innovative healthcare projects in the country from its green design, construction, maintenance solutions, and lighting strategies.

The facility is expected to attain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, "The building is designed to provide as much access to natural light as possible, and an open floor plan for collaboration will provide scientists with research spaces that foster creativity, productivity and a robust exchange of ideas."

Legrand and ESS Lighting & Controls worked closely with the hospital's construction team and key vendors to meet several lighting design objectives that focused on creating specific ambiances for spaces, improving the occupant experience for patients and staff, as well as increasing energy efficiency. Requirements included:

Providing access to natural light

Meeting energy and building code requirements

Increasing energy savings through daylight harvesting and time of day controls

Ability for lighting controls to integrate with other systems, such as the building management, shading system controls, and A/V systems via BACnet

The lighting controls project with Legrand and ESS Lighting centered on specific areas of the facility including hallways, corridors, lounges, general gathering areas, restaurants, cafes, as well as education and training rooms.

Legrand solutions used for the project were the Wattstopper Digital Lighting Management (DLM) platform and components, and the Lighting Control and Automation Panel (LCAP) series solution, which easily met lighting design goals. In addition, these solutions were able to expand with the construction changes  from room, floor, to whole building  eliminating the need to recreate the lighting design, implement any additional hardware, or tear down cables. Furthermore, the local Legrand team as well as ESS were heavily involved in the construction and engineering meetings  seeing through design, commissioning, and install.

With lighting being one of the top areas of energy use in healthcare facilities, lighting controls are an important component to meeting code requirements, and increasing energy and cost savings. Legrand brings a unique approach to lighting controls focusing on dynamic lighting, shade control, and the user experience.

For more information about Wattstopper healthcare solutions, please visit: https://www.legrand.us/markets-solutions/healthcare.aspx.

About Wattstopper

Wattstopper, a product line of Legrand, offers the most comprehensive line of simple, scalable and flexible energy efficient lighting controls and solutions for commercial and residential applications. The Wattstopper range of products, programs, and services have been helping customers save energy, meet green initiatives and comply with energy codes for more than 30 years. www.legrand.us/wattstopper.

About Legrand, North America

Legrand is a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Its comprehensive offering of solutions for use in commercial, industrial and residential markets makes it a benchmark for customers worldwide. Innovation for a steady flow of new products with high added value is a prime vector for growth, including, in particular, connected devices stemming from Legrand's global Eliot (Electricity and IoT) program. Legrand reported sales of $5.3 billion in 2016. Legrand has a strong presence in North and Central America, with a portfolio of well-known product lines that include C2G, Cablofil, Electrorack, Luxul, Middle Atlantic, Nuvo, OCL, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, Pinnacle, QMotion, Quiktron, Raritan, Solarfective, Vantage, Wattstopper, and Wiremold. Legrand is listed on Euronext Paris and is a component stock of indexes including the CAC40, FTSE4Good, MSCI World, ASPI, Corporate Oekom Rating and DJSI (ISIN code FR0010307819) www.legrand.us.

Media Contact:

Mary Placido, Legrand Building Control Systems

415-218-3627 [email protected]

SOURCE Legrand, North America
LONDON, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- "Industrial boilers market is projected to reach USD 17.77 billion by 2026"

The industrial boilers market is estimated to be USD 10.92 billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 17.77 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 5.0% between 2016 and 2026. Factors such as increasing demand for clean energy sources, increasing number of natural power plants, and government initiatives to promote clean energy and reduce dependency on fossil fuels are key factors expected to boost the growth of the industrial boilers market. However, the high cost of boilers may restrain the growth of the industrial boilers market.





Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4489951/







"The natural gas & biomass segment is expected to witness highest growth from 2016 to 2026"

Based on fuel type, the natural gas & biomass segment led the industrial boilers market, as a majority of end-use industries, such as chemical, primary metal, and food use natural gas as their primary fuel. The growth of the segment can also be attributed to the fact that natural gas & biomass boilers are gradually replacing coal-based boilers in developed countries, owing to lower operational cost of using natural gas as compared to other fuels.



"10BHP-150BHP is estimated to be the largest segment of the industrial boilers market"

Based on capacity, the industrial boilers market has been segmented into 10BHP-150BHP, 151BHP-300BHP, and 301BHP-600BHP. The industrial boilers market was dominated by the 10-150BHP segment, as most of end-use industries, such as chemical and food industry prefer boilers in range from 10BHP-150BHP.



"The chemical segment estimated to be the largest segment of the industrial boilers market"

Based on end-use industry, the industrial boilers market has been segmented into food, chemical, refineries, primary metal, and others. The chemical segment is expected grow at the highest CAGR from 2016-2026, as this industry plays an integral role in the economy and provides various inputs to different areas of the economy.



"The market in North America projected to grow witness highest growth during the forecast period"

The North America industrial boilers market is anticipated to witness highest growth between 2016 and 2026. The rising demand for energy and rapid installation of several power plants has led to the increased demand for industrial boilers in the region. In North America, the U.S. is decreasing its dependence on fossil fuel-based plants to reduce carbon footprint. The country is moving towards cleaner fuels, such as natural gas, biomass, biogas, solar thermal, and other renewable energy.



Breakdown of profile of primary participants:



- By Company Type: Tier 1  10%, Tier 2  40%, and Tier 3  50%

- By Designation: C Level  45%, Director Level  23%, and Others  32%

- By Region: Europe  21%, North America  16%, Asia-Pacific  53%, and Middle East & Africa 10%



Major companies profiled in this report include Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (U.S.), Dongfang Electric Corporation Ltd. (China), Siemens AG (Germany), General Electric (U.S.), AC Boilers S.p.a. (Europe), Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (India), Harbin Electric Group (China), IHI Corporation (Japan), Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. (Japan), and Thermax Limited (India).



Research Coverage

This report offers an overview of the market trends, drivers, and challenges with respect to the industrial boilers market. It also provides a detailed overview of the market across five regions, namely, Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America, Middle East & Africa, and South America. The report categorizes the industrial boilers market on the basis of type, boiler horsepower, fuel type, end-use industry, and region. A detailed analysis of leading players, along with key growth strategies adopted by them, is also covered in the report.



Reasons to buy the report

This report covers the following key aspects:

- What will be the market size by 2021 and what will be the growth rate?

- What are the key market trends?

- What are the factors expected to drive the growth of the market?

- What are the challenges that impact market growth?

- Who are the key players in this market?

- Global report covers key regions, such as North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific, including major countries in these regions, such as the U.S., China, India, Russia, and Germany

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4489951/



About Reportbuyer

Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers

http://www.reportbuyer.com



For more information:

Sarah Smith

Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: +44 208 816 85 48

Website: www.reportbuyer.com

SOURCE ReportBuyer

Related Links

http://www.reportbuyer.com


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- PNMsoft, a Genpact company and one of the leading Microsoft-centric intelligent business process management suite (iBPMS) providers, today announced that Ivanhoe Cambridge, a global real estate industry leader, selected PNMsoft's Sequence solution for an enterprise-wide transformation initiative on Master Data Management (MDM).

By implementing PNMsoft's dynamic workflow technology that simplifies access to accurate information, Ivanhoe Cambridge will gain greater business agility for its core processes and increase its competitive advantage.

"Master data management is a technology-enabled discipline in which business and IT work together to ensure the uniformity, accuracy, stewardship, semantic consistency, and accountability of the enterprise's official shared master data assets," said Ghalem Ben Nouna, senior director of data management and business intelligence at Ivanhoe Cambridge. "We selected PNMsoft due to its extensive list of connectors and Microsoft-based architecture which aligns with our ecosystem at Ivanhoe Cambridge."

"In today's digitally disruptive business world, quick and easy access to data  and making fast, insight decisions from corporate information from a variety of sources  is a critical mandate to stay competitive," said Gal Horvitz, senior vice president and PNMsoft leader at Genpact. "The MDM challenges we are helping Ivanhoe Cambridge address are found in many companies. Large enterprises have a wide variety of line-of-business applications and systems of records, and constantly changing business processes require agile technology solutions to meet the demands of an increasingly complex environment."

The solution is built on PNMsoft's proprietary HotChange architecture that enables companies and their users to make adjustments to mission-critical business processes in real-time, improving visibility and control over performance, while maintaining governance and compliance. To learn more, please visit pnmsoft.com.

About Genpact

Genpact (NYSE: G) is a global professional services firm focused on delivering digital transformation for our clients, putting digital and data to work to create competitive advantage. We do this by integrating lean principles, design thinking, analytics and digital technologies with our domain and industry expertise to deliver disruptive business outcomes  an approach we call Lean DigitalSM. We deliver value to our clients in two ways  through digital-led, domain-enabled solutions that drive innovation, and through intelligent operations enabled by digital that design, transform and run clients' operations. Our approach is continually refined in one of the world's largest digital process sandbox, where we test and improve thousands of processes. For two decades, first as a General Electric division and since 2005 as an independent company, we have been passionately serving our clients. We generate impact for clients from the Fortune Global 500 and beyond, and employ over 77,000 people in more than 20 countries, with key offices in New York City, Palo Alto, London, and Delhi. For additional information, visit www.genpact.com. Follow Genpact on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook.

About PNMsoft

PNMsoft, a Genpact company, is a global provider of Intelligent BPM Software (iBPMS) solutions. PNMsoft Sequence, our iBPMS Suite, uses unique HotChange technology to enable rapid build and change of high availability workflow applications, while maintaining lifecycle governance. PNMsoft is on Gartner's iBPMS Magic Quadrant. For more information, please visit pnmsoft.com.

For more information:

SOURCE Genpact

Related Links

http://www.genpact.com


PARAMUS, N.J., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time, Jesse Ventura will deliver a Keynote Address at a cannabis trade show and conference. Speaking on June 15th at the 4th Annual Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition (CWCBExpo) at the Javits Center in New York, Ventura will share his candid philosophy on cannabis, why he's always been in favor of legalization, and what the United States will gain if cannabis were completely legalized.

Jesse Ventura to Deliver Keynote Address at Cannabis World Congress in New York

The 4th Annual CWCBExpo New York, taking place June 14-16, is the leading business event for medical and recreational marijuana, CBD, and industrial hemp. Attendees are cannabis business owners, entrepreneurs looking to enter the market, medical professionals, dispensary owners, retailers, investors, media, and providers of professional services.

"I am looking forward to speaking at CWCBExpo NY. I want to see cannabis legalized in all 50 states within my lifetime, and I will do all I can to help destigmatize it," said Ventura. "Aside from being an invaluable medical resource for many Americans, cannabis is about job creation. Never before has marijuana had the potential to become a legitimate, multibillion-dollar industry in the U.S.one that can rejuvenate our economy and make us healthier simultaneously."

Ventura was the 38th Governor of Minnesota and a former US Navy frogman. After being honorably discharged from the navy, he became a professional wrestler and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004. He is a movie actor and visiting fellow at Harvard. In addition to being the author of Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto, Ventura is the New York Times bestselling author of seven other books, including American Conspiracies, 63 Documents the Government Doesn't Want You to Read, and Don't Start the Revolution Without Me. He was the host and executive producer of truTV's Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura and the host of the political talk show Off The Grid, which aired on RT America and online at Ora.tv. He is currently the host of the political talk show The World According To Jesse, airing on RT America this summer.

"We are honored to have Jesse Ventura be one of our star Keynotes. As a strong advocate of the benefits of the cannabis plant and its safe and legal access nationwide, his message will be inspiring and thought-provoking," said Scott Giannotti, Managing Director, CWCBExpo events. "Ventura's Keynote at CWCBExpo NY should not be missed!"

After his Keynote Address, the former Governor will be signing autographs of his book Jesse Ventura's Marijuana Manifesto along with co-author Jen Hobbs in their exhibit booth, hosted by independent bookstore retailers Bookends of Ridgewood, NJ.

The CWCBExpo NY, taking place under one roof at the Javits Center June 14-16 in the financial and media capital of the world, will also host an expanded exhibit floor (June 15-16) with suppliers in the industry showcasing cutting-edge products and services. The educational programming includes Add-on Workshops (June 14 and June 17) presenting information on becoming medical marijuana provider, opening a business, investing in cannabis, making hemp great again, and the art of the cannabis sommelier. The CWCBExpo conference program will include more than 70 sessions and over 100 expert speakers covering everything from seed to sale including cultivation, processing/extraction, sales, ancillary business, advocacy legislation and more. To register for CWCBExpo NY at advance rates, go to www.cwcbexpo.com.

About Cannabis World Congress & Business Expositions (CWCBExpo)

The professionally run Cannabis World Congress & Business Expositions (CWCBExpo) are produced by Leading Edge Expositions in partnership with the International Cannabis Association (ICA). The events are the premier professional forums for dispensary owners, growers, suppliers, investors, medical professionals, government regulators, legal counsel, and entrepreneurs looking to achieve business success and identify new areas of growth in this dynamic industry. To learn more about the coast-to-coast CWCBExpos in New York, Los Angeles and Boston, go to www.cwcbexpo.com. Connect on Twitter/CWCBExpo, Facebook/CWCBExpo and Instagram/cwcbexpo.

Editor's Note: Members of the media are invited to register as press for the CWCBExpo NY. To request a press badge email: [email protected] or visit http://www.cwcbexpo.com/press-registration-form-new-york/

Media Contact: Annie Scully, 201-310-9252, [email protected]

Related Images

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Related Links

CWCBExpo Website

CWCBExpo Attendee Registration

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com.





SOURCE Cannabis World Congress & Business Expositions (CWCBExpo)

Related Links

http://www.cwcbexpo.com


NEWARK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As the opioid epidemic continues to plague New Jersey, a statewide effort has begun to address prescription drug dependency and heroin abuse through a series of 17 town hall meetings that will be held in every region of the state over the next 18 months.

The Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall series is being organized by the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey, with collaboration from hundreds of local prevention and treatment organizations, as well as local and county law enforcement, government and medical community leaders.

The series will provide New Jersey residents an opportunity to more fully understand the impact this national epidemic is having on their own communities; the local, county and state resources and initiatives available to them; as well as an opportunity to highlight exemplary local programs that can be replicated throughout the state. The town hall series will provide information to New Jersey residents to help them make better decisions for loved ones and to better understand the link between opioid prescription drug abuse and rising heroin abuse.

NJTV will air a half-hour special program beginning May 2 to commence the town hall series which will feature: Moderator, Michael Hill, NJTV; and guests: Angelo Valente, Executive Director, Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey; Mary Ann Christopher, Vice President, Clinical Operations, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey; Senator Joseph Vitale, Chair, New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee; Lewis S. Nelson, MD, Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School; and Joseph Coronato, Ocean County Prosecutor. At the conclusion of the town hall series, NJTV also will air a statewide town hall, at which local needs and successes will be featured and shared in order to develop solutions.

"All residents of New Jersey are encouraged to join the conversation and participate in their local Knock Out Opioid Abuse Town Hall to understand the disease of addiction, develop strategies to help protect their families and identify resources to address individuals who have become dependent on prescription drugs or are abusing heroin," explained Angelo Valente, Executive Director of the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey.

"Since 1999, Horizon has been actively engaged in combating New Jersey's opioid epidemic and the holistic approach we have developed combines education, prevention and treatment efforts to give us the best hope of turning the tide," said Robert Marino, Chief Executive Officer and President of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. "We have spent more than $308 million on substance abuse and addiction treatment for our members over the past two years and have invested tens of millions of dollars to help us detect patterns of prescription opioid abuse and intervene with doctors and patients to stop abuse before it becomes addiction. The Knockout Opioid Abuse Town Hall series will engage New Jerseyans in a frank discussion that raises awareness and underscores that when it comes to opioids, an ounce of prevention is worth several pounds of cure."

A dedicated website, knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org, has been created to provide a full schedule of countywide town hall meetings and registration information. Knockoutopioidabuse.drugfreenj.org also will provide local, county and state substance abuse prevention and treatment resources available. All town hall meetings are free of charge and open to the public.

SOURCE Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey
HOUSTON, April 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kraton Corporation (NYSE: KRA), a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from pine wood pulping co-products, today announced that it has scheduled a conference call on Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. Central time (9:00 a.m. Eastern time) to discuss first quarter 2017 financial and operating results. The company expects to release its first quarter 2017 results after market close on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.

Kraton invites you to listen to the conference call, which will be broadcast live over the internet, at http://www.Kraton.com by selecting the "Investor Relations" link at the top of the home page and then selecting "Events" under "Company" on the Investor Relations page. Company spokespeople will include Kevin M. Fogarty, President and Chief Executive Officer; Stephen E. Tremblay, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; and Gene Shiels, Director of Investor Relations.

You may also listen to the conference call by telephone by contacting the conference call operator 5-10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and asking for the "Kraton Conference Call - Passcode: Earnings Call." Toll Free dial-in #: 800-857-6511. International dial-in #: 210-839-8886.

For those unable to listen to the live call, a replay will be available beginning at approximately 10:00 a.m. Central Time on April 27, 2017 through 11:00 p.m. Central Time on May 11, 2017. Select the "Investor Relations" link at the top of the Kraton home page; navigate to "Events" under "Company" on the Investor Relations page. Select Past Events, then "Q1 2017 Kraton Performance Polymers, Inc. Earnings Conference Call." To hear a telephonic replay of the call, dial 800 839-2290.

ABOUT KRATON

Kraton Corporation (NYSE "KRA") is a leading global producer of styrenic block copolymers, specialty polymers and high-value performance products derived from pine wood pulping co-products. Kraton's polymers are used in a wide range of applications, including adhesives, coatings, consumer and personal care products, sealants and lubricants, and medical, packaging, automotive, paving, roofing and footwear products. As the largest global provider in the pine chemicals industry, the company's pine-based specialty products are sold into adhesive, road and construction and tire markets, and it produces and sells a broad range of chemical intermediates into markets that include fuel additives, oilfield chemicals, coatings, metalworking fluids and lubricants, inks, flavors and fragrances and mining. Kraton offers its products to a diverse customer base in over 70 countries worldwide. Kraton, the Kraton logo and design are all trademarks of Kraton Corporation., or its subsidiaries or affiliates.

For Further Information:

H. Gene Shiels 281-504-4886

SOURCE Kraton Corporation

Related Links

http://www.kraton.com


The Board of Directors of Camposol Holding Ltd. announces that Mrs. Maria Cristina Couturier has resigned from the Chief Financial Officer position, in order to pursue new projects and personal aspirations.

Mr. Jorge Ramirez, CEO of Camposol Holding Ltd., will assume the CFO functions during the selection process for the new CFO (process that has already begun).

"I would like to thank Maria Cristina for playing an important role in the consolidation process of Camposol and for securing the financing of the company during the past 3 years. I wish her the best in her future endeavors," stated Jorge Ramirez, CEO of Camposol Holding Ltd.

For further information, please contact:

Jorge Luis Ramirez Rubio, CEO

jramirezr@camposol.com.pe

Jossue Yesquen, Head of IR

jyesquen@camposol.com.pe

Phone: +511 621 0800 Ext.: 7171

About CAMPOSOL:

CAMPOSOL is the leading agro-industrial company in Peru, the largest exporter of Hass avocado and soon the largest producer of blueberries in the world. It is involved in the harvest, processing and marketing of high quality agricultural and sea products such as avocados, blueberries, grapes, mangoes, mandarins, shrimps, seashells and other products, which are exported to Europe, the United States of America and Asia.

CAMPOSOL is a vertically integrated company located in Peru. It is the third largest employer of the country, with more than 15 thousand workers in high season, and is committed to supporting sustainable development through social responsibility policies and projects that increase the shared-value for all of its stakeholders.

CAMPOSOL was the first Peruvian agro-industrial company in being part of the United Nations Global Compact and the first in publishing annual Sustainability Reports aligned to the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) indicators; it has also achieved the following international certifications: BSCI, Global Gap, IFS, HACCP and BRC, among others.

To learn more about CAMPOSOL please visit: www.camposol.com.pe
LOS GATOS, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyvos Insights, a big data analytics company, today announced that its flagship product called Kyvos now offers native support for Google Cloud. As a result, business users can analyze cloud-based data with Kyvos and use their BI tools of choice, including Tableau, Excel, MicroStrategy, and more, to obtain powerful business insights with instant response times.

Kyvos' support for leading cloud platforms now encompasses Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure, representing 82 percent of the public cloud platform market, according to the Cloud Security Alliance. With Kyvos' BI Consumption Layer approach, users can interact with big data in the same way regardless of the chosen infrastructure  whether data is stored on multiple cloud infrastructures or on premise. Additionally, through support for Spark and Hadoop computational models, the store, processing and accessing capabilities are maximized.

"With Kyvos support for Google Cloud, developers and business users have access to highly scalable, reliable, fast, inexpensive data storage and computation infrastructure to enable BI on big data," said Ajay Anand, vice president of products at Kyvos Insights. "Our customers can now migrate from on-premise to cloud-based environments seamlessly."

Having increased cloud provider options allows users to more fully take advantage of Kyvos' analytics capabilities to visualize, explore and analyze multi-dimensional big data interactively at any scale. Additionally, users don't have to worry about the underlying infrastructure and can access more cloud-based data than ever before, with no coding or IT intervention required, helping to further drive adoption of self-service analytics.

"The Apache Hadoop ecosystem opened tremendous doors for organizations looking to harness the power of big data for business results," says Eric Kavanagh, chief executive officer, The Bloor Group. "However, there were gaps in the ecosystem, most notably around usability in the traditional sense of business intelligence and analytics. Kyvos fills that hole with a solution that bridges the chasm between Hadoop and the spectrum of BI tools and technologies that companies have used for years."

Through support for Apache Spark and Hadoop-based computation, Kyvos provides the ability to process data at any scale and granularity, and enables users to explore, slice and dice and drill down interactively through their visualization tools. In addition, the speed at which Kyvos processes queries  on average 100 times faster than native SQL queries on Hadoop  results in significant reduction in time for users and transforms the user experience. The solution also offers advanced security support and integration with enterprise security infrastructures, so companies are confident their data is secure. The same security model can be maintained across the enterprise and in the cloud.

About Kyvos Insights

Kyvos Insights is committed to unlocking the power of big data lakes with its unique "OLAP on Hadoop" technology. Backed by years of analytics expertise and a passion for big data, the company aims to revolutionize big data analytics by providing business users with the ability to visualize, explore and analyze big data interactively, working directly on Hadoop. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, Kyvos Insights was formed by a team of veterans from Yahoo!, Impetus and Intellicus Technologies. The company has partnered with companies including Cloudera, Hortonworks, MapR and Tableau. For more information, visit www.kyvosinsights.com or connect with us on Twitter @KyvosInsights and LinkedIn.

Media Contact:

Meghan Locke

LEWIS

781-418-2434

[email protected]

SOURCE Kyvos Insights

Related Links

http://www.kyvosinsights.com/


ALPINE, Utah, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Loveland Innovations, maker of advanced drone solutions for the P&C Insurance industry, announced today the general availability of IMGING, a drone inspection solution built specifically for Property Insurance. IMGING is a workflow solution that consists of web and tablet-based applications that automate flight for DJI drones to collect high resolution imagery. These images are fed into the IMGING cloud where they're processed into 3D models and high resolution inspection reports. Using IMGING, Insurance carriers and roofing contractors can see every inch of a roof in incredible detail to produce more accurate damage estimates in less time. This solution is poised to help Insurance carriers cut cycle time by days while increasing customer satisfaction.

IMGING is the product of over 150 years of combined experience in Insuretech under the guidance of Jim Loveland, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Loveland Innovations and the former CEO of Xactware, a Verisk Analytics company. Developed with input from a pool of beta testers and Insurance professionals, IMGING is already giving inspectors the ability to conduct safe and extremely detailed drone-based roof and property inspections in as little as 10 minutes per property. And unlike competing solutions, every aspect of IMGING was built specifically for the Insurance industry.

"Our team knows Property Insurance like no other drone company, so when we set out to design and build IMGING specifically for this industry we knew we couldn't fly a drone 100 feet above a house, take some pictures and call it good. That's just not going to get an adjuster off the roof with the data they need to make an informed claims decision," said Loveland. "Our revolutionary autonomous drone inspection solution takes an off-the-shelf DJI drone and turns it into an vital tool that gives claims adjusters the ability to maximize their time, their invaluable skillsets, and their career longevity by capturing detailed imagery across every square inch of a roof."

In order to make the best solution possible for Insurance, Loveland Innovations put a heavy focus on hardware accesibility, quality and flexibility. To provide the drones themselves, Loveland partnered with the global leader in drone manufacturing, DJI, for their outstanding flight characteristics and image-capture technologies. "DJI, combined with our flight control in IMGING, makes so much sense," said Loveland. "You can purchase a Phantom 4 Pro drone and all needed accessories for under $2K. It's a game-changer." IMGING is capable of delivering 1/10 centimeter squared image resolution using off-the-shelf DJI Phantom 4 Pro drones, and its patents-pending flight control does it all automatically and quickly with rigorous consistency across an entire roof.

"In one of our initial beta flights of a house we were amazed at the level of detail we were able to get from the DJI Phantom 4 Pro," said Leif Larson, Chief Technology Officer of Loveland Innovations. "We were looking through the image report and could clearly identify granular loss to worn asphalt shingles, wind damage from a recent storm and even the smallest hail hits. It's the sort of detail you have to see to believe."

"The Phantom 4 Pro is a powerful and robust platform for enterprise applications, and we're very excited to see how Loveland Innovations has made it a transformative tool for the insurance industry," said Jan Gasparic, Head of Enterprise Marketing at DJI. "Drones add value to insurance carriers at every step of the business process, from underwriting to claims and even catastrophe coverage. As the industry moves rapidly to adopt drone technology, Loveland Innovations' IMGING system is ideal for integrating drone coverage into their workflows."

IMGING was built with scale and efficiency in mind. It easily integrates into existing claims workflows with a web application that Insurance carriers can use to schedule and define inspections ahead of time, assign to adjusters in the field, and organize and track jobs. The tablet application then makes it easy for field users to organize jobs, check airspace, conduct automated flights and create inspection reports with detailed annotations.

IMGING also makes contractors and building inspectors safer by allowing them to do their job without having to climb a roof. "IMGING is intuitive, easy and incredibly fast to use, but above all, it's safe," said Jim Kowalski, Owner of Kowalski Construction, Inc. "We do a lot of fire restoration work, which can be dangerous to inspect. But with IMGING, it's like we're right there on the roof inspecting everything, but from the safety of the ground. And inspections take far less time, streamlining how we inspect properties. Best of all, it's incredible how it sets us apart by impressing everyone who sees it in action along with the amazing results."

Through a high-tech array of features and solid partnerships with world-renowned business partners, IMGING is revolutionizing the Property Insurance industry. With IMGING in their toolkits, inspectors, adjusters and Insurance companies can elevate the quality of their work from initial claim to inspection to cutting a check for a satisfied policyholder. Through a laser-focus on the Insurance industry and a simple, affordable package, IMGING truly sets the stage for the future of Insurance inspections.

IMGING is priced at $45 per completed scan and is now available. For more information, visit www.lovelandinnovations.com.

About Loveland Innovations

Loveland Innovations is the first company in the world to develop an automated drone inspection solution specifically forand only forProperty Insurance. Loveland Innovations was built on 150+ years of combined experience in insurance technology solutions with the goal of making insurance claims and underwriting simpler and faster. With our patent-pending technology in the hands of insurance carriers, adjusters, and contractors, claims, underwriting, or roof inspections can be done safely and in just a matter of minutes.

www.lovelandinnovations.com

Contact

Justin Strong

[email protected]

SOURCE Loveland Innovations

Related Links

http://www.lovelandinnovations.com


RICHMOND, Va., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel Corporation (NYSE: MKL) announced today that Glenn Mozingo has been named Managing Director, Global Insurance Business Development and Corporate Account Executive. In this new role, Mozingo will serve as a key point of contact for brokers throughout the US. He will promote product lines underwritten by Markel's Global Insurance Division and cultivate strategic relationships with production partners.

Britt Glisson, President of Markel's Global Insurance Division, stated, "Glenn's extensive insurance industry experience and strong broker relationships are invaluable assets for our team. In this newly created role, Glenn will collaborate with key brokers and create profitable premium growth plans for our Global Insurance product lines."

Mozingo brings more than 40 years of casualty and industry vertical experience to this high-visibility role. He joined Markel Corporation in 2011 to lead Markel's industry practice groups after serving as Regional Placement Officer for Willis HRH's Atlantic Region.

Mozingo is based in Richmond, Virginia, and reports to Glisson.

Markel's Global Insurance Division is focused on large accounts and complex risks and provides casualty, professional liability, inland marine, and property solutions for policyholders in the US, Bermuda, Ireland, the UK, and around the world.

About Markel Corporation

Markel Corporation is a diverse financial holding company serving a variety of niche markets. The Company's principal business markets and underwrites specialty insurance products. In each of the Company's businesses, it seeks to provide quality products and excellent customer service so that it can be a market leader. The financial goals of the Company are to earn consistent underwriting and operating profits and superior investment returns to build shareholder value. Visit Markel Corporation on the web at markelcorp.com.

SOURCE Markel Corporation

Related Links

http://www.markelcorp.com


"Domestic violence is a very serious issue that affects people of every age, gender, and background across the country, but all too often goes unnoticed" said Dennis Ratner, CEO and founder of Hair Cuttery. "By coming together with NNEDV, we can help spread awareness, spark action, and restore hope to survivors."

Through the partnership, Hair Cuttery and NNEDV will work closely to distribute thousands of free haircut certificates to individuals affected by domestic violence, including women, children, and men.

"It is critical to stand with survivors right now  in every way that we can. We are thrilled that Hair Cuttery continues to support survivors and be a voice against violence," says Kim Gandy, NNEDV President and CEO. "Our partnership with Hair Cuttery is a uniquely empowering one. The gift of a haircut cannot be underestimated. It allows survivors to save money, which aids in their economic independence, and provides an often rare opportunity to relax and be pampered."



This year marks the 18th year of Share-A-Haircut, with the program already having donated more than 76,000 certificates to the homeless in February. Hair Cuttery has an established history of charitable giving that has supported a range of local and national causes including: St. Baldrick's Foundation, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, and Girls on the Run.

About NNEDV

The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that serves as a leading national voice for domestic violence victims and their allies. NNEDV's membership is comprised of all 56 state and territorial coalitions against domestic violence, including over 2,000 local programs. NNEDV has been advancing the movement against domestic violence for over 25 years, having led efforts among domestic violence advocates and survivors in urging Congress to pass the landmark Violence Against Women Act of 1994. To learn more about NNEDV, please visit NNEDV.org.

About Hair Cuttery

Hair Cuttery is the largest family-owned and operated chain of hair salons in the country, with nearly 900 company-owned locations on the East Coast, New England and the Midwest. A full-service, value-priced salon, Hair Cuttery offers a full complement of cuts and styling, coloring, waxing and texturizing services with no appointment necessary, as well as a full line of professional hair care products. Hair Cuttery is committed to delivering a delightful client experience through WOW Service including a Smile Back Guarantee. Hair Cuttery is a division of Ratner Companies, based in Vienna, VA. www.haircuttery.com



MEDIA CONTACTS:

Emily Noto

TBC for Hair Cuttery 410-986-1209

[email protected]

Amy Hudzik

Ratner Companies

703-269-5175

[email protected]

SOURCE Hair Cuttery

Related Links

http://www.haircuttery.com


WILSONVILLE, Ore., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Mentor, a Siemens business, today announced the availability of a qualified reference flow comprising a wide range of design implementation, verification, and test tools and flows optimized for Samsung Electronics' 14LPP (Low Power Plus) process technology. The announcement includes the Calibre physical verification suite, Oasys-RTL physical synthesis system, Nitro-SoC place and route system, and Tessent test product suite. The reference flow components were validated by Samsung with designs using Samsung's 14LPP reference process design kits (PDKs), and the ARM CA53 CPU processor as the validation vehicle. The power, performance, area, and design rule checking (DRC) count design objectives for the ARM core were successfully met. By using the Mentor reference flow, Samsung's 14LPP foundry customers can ensure their designs are released to fabrication in a timely manner, satisfying the strict quality controls and accuracy requirements.

"We worked closely with Mentor to implement a certified reference flow that enables our mutual customers to create innovative designs while achieving first-pass silicon success and reducing time to market," said Jaehong Park, senior vice president of the Design Service team at Samsung Electronics. "This Mentor reference flow for our 14LPP process technology is an expansion of our long-term partnership that continues to help designers implement, verify, test, and deliver designs with confidence."

The Oasys-RTL physical RTL synthesis solution was enhanced to support the Samsung 14LPP process for RTL-to-placed-gates flow, including RTL-level floorplanning. The Oasys-RTL tool uses a patented PlaceFirst methodology to integrate placement into the core synthesis algorithm for delivering the best quality of results (QoR) and fastest runtime. Oasys-RTL functionality also includes a unique RTL-level floorplanning technology to automatically generate seed floorplans early in the design cycle.

The Nitro-SoC place and route system was architected to meet the Samsung 14LPP advanced process reference flow requirements for netlist-to-GDSII physical implementation. The Nitro-SoC tool provides a range of innovative technologies, including multi-patterning and FinFET-aware implementation, a flexible routing architecture to encompass all the complex DRC, design for manufacturing (DFM), and multi-patterning rules, a comprehensive multi-VDD-based low power flow, concurrent multi-corner multi-mode (MCMM)-based area optimization, comprehensive parallelization for faster runtimes, easy-to-use built-in reference flows, and native integration with the Calibre sign-off engines.

The industry-leading Calibre platform supplies a number of tools that ensure designers can achieve the verification results they require while minimizing design cycles.

The Calibre nmDRC and Calibre nmLVS tools help design teams optimize their designs to meet Samsung 14LPP process requirements, providing innovative and accurate physical and circuit verification that address the complexities of multiple patterning that are inherent with advanced process nodes.

The Calibre YieldEnhancer tool, via its SmartFill application, is used in the Samsung 14LPP process to control planarity of the design across all intellectual property (IP), blocks, and full chip to ensure consistency on all layers during manufacturing.

The Calibre xACT platform delivers detailed accuracy and high throughput for parasitic extraction, using an integrated field solver to calculate parasitics with attofarad accuracy for complex three-dimensional structures, while optimizing performance for multi-million-instance designs through a highly scalable parallel processing approach.

Calibre PERC reliability software automates complex reliability checks using a pioneering integrated knowledge of both the physical layout and the netlist.

Calibre Pattern Matching functionality enables a variety of visual geometry analysis, including hotspot identification and verification of precise configuration requirements across multiple instances.

The Calibre LFD tool accurately models the impact of lithographic processes to predict actual "as-manufactured" layout dimensions, identifying any potential lithographic issues and enabling designers to optimize yield and product reliability.

The Tessent product suite is the industry's most comprehensive design-for-test solution. For manufacturing test applications, Tessent tools provide the industry's highest test quality, lowest test cost, and fastest time-to-root-cause of test failures. ISO 26262-certified Tessent tools also feature best-in-class in-system test technologies for safety-critical automotive applications.

"Through our collaboration with Samsung, we are delivering a validated reference flow that will enable designers to achieve their sign-off target dates, while ensuring their designs will work as intended," said Joseph Sawicki, vice president and general manager of the Design-to-Silicon division at Mentor. "Customers using the Mentor reference flow on the Samsung 14LPP process will be able to optimize their designs to best leverage Samsung's process offering, for initial tapeout and in silicon production."

Contact for journalists

Suzanne Graham

Phone: 503-685-7789; E-mail: [email protected]

Mentor Graphics Corporation, a Siemens business, is a world leader in electronic hardware and software design solutions, providing products, consulting services, and award-winning support for the world's most successful electronic, semiconductor, and systems companies. Corporate headquarters are located at 8005 S.W. Boeckman Road, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-7777. Website: http://www.mentor.com.

Mentor Graphics, Mentor, Calibre and Tessent are registered trademarks and Oasys-RTL, Nitro-SoC, nmDRC, nmLVS, xACT, PERC and LFD are trademarks of Mentor Graphics Corporation. All other company or product names are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owner.

SOURCE Mentor

Related Links

https://www.mentor.com


WASHINGTON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA astronaut Jack Fischer is poised for a journey of exploration and research on the International Space Station. Extensive coverage of upcoming prelaunch activities, launch and arrival will air on NASA Television and streamed on the agency's website.

Coverage begins Thursday, April 13, with video of prelaunch activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, which will air on NASA TV through Wednesday, April 19.

Fischer and his Expedition 51-52 crewmate Fyodor Yurchikhin, of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, are scheduled to launch at 3:13 a.m. EDT Thursday, April 20 (1:13 p.m. Baikonur time), from the Baikonur Cosmodrome aboard a Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft. NASA TV coverage of the launch will begin at 2:15 a.m.

The pair will travel on a fast-track, six-hour course to the space station and dock to the Poisk module at 9:23 a.m. NASA TV coverage of the docking will begin at 8:30 a.m. Once at the station, they will be welcomed by Expedition 51 Commander Peggy Whitson of NASA and Flight Engineers Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos and Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency). Hatches between the Soyuz and space station will open at 11:05 a.m. NASA TV coverage of hatch opening and welcome ceremonies will begin at 10:45 a.m.

Expedition 51 will continue work on hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science aboard the International Space Station, humanity's only microgravity laboratory.

Fischer, a first-time space flier, and Yurchikhin, a veteran of four spaceflights, will spend more than four months aboard the orbiting laboratory before returning to Earth in early September.

Get breaking news, images and features from the station on Instagram and Twitter.

Follow Fischer on social media at:

https://twitter.com/Astro2fish

https://www.facebook.com/Astro2fish/

and

https://www.instagram.com/astro2fish/

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- People react to pressure-filled situations in different ways. For many, too much pressure can lead to abject failure. New research from Columbia Business School shows that your power in relationship to others can determine how you respond to the pressure of high-stakes situations and whether you will succeed or fail.

Take the example of a junior employee preparing for a big negotiation with a potential client, one that would be a big win for the company  clearly a high-pressure situation. An additional problem is that the client has more bargaining power because they have a lot of other companies they could choose. How will the junior employee's lack of negotiating power, in this high-pressure situation, affect their performance?

According to the study, the combination of being less powerful in a high pressure situation is particularly toxic and causes people to underperform. When the pressure is on, feeling powerful can help people rise to the occasion. But when one lacks power, the same pressure leads people to stumble in their performance.

So what is a low-power person to do in a high-pressure situation? The key is to tap into their sources of strength and convictions. This research also found that reflecting on one's core values eliminated the performance problems caused by the combination of high stakes and low power.

Adam Galinsky, professor of management at Columbia Business School and co-author of the research, said, "Our research shows that building confidence by tapping into one's values allows people to handle pressure even when they lack power, and as a result to perform well in high-pressure situations."

Professor Galinsky recently discussed steps on how to become more confident and assertive wthout facing backlash when one lacks power during a TEDx Talk in New York City. The key steps discussed in the talk are:

Advocate for others. Practice perspective-taking. Signal flexibility. Gain allies. Display expertise and show passion.

The video of his talk has nearly 3 million views and can be seen here:

https://www.ted.com/talks/adam_galinsky_how_to_speak_up_for_yourself

The study included three separate experiments that demonstrated how the effects of having power and feeling powerful or powerless affects performance and shows the effect gets magnified when the pressure is ratcheted up. The research, titled "Power Affects Performance When the Pressure Is On: Evidence for Low-Power Threat and High-Power Lift," was co-authored by Adam Galinsky, professor at Columbia Business School; Sonia K. Kang, professor at the University of Toronto; Laura J. Kray, professor at the University of California, Berkley; and Aiwa Shirako, professor at New York University.

To learn more about the cutting-edge research being conducted at Columbia Business School, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu.

About Columbia Business School

Columbia Business School is the only world-class, Ivy League business school that delivers a learning experience where academic excellence meets with real-time exposure to the pulse of global business. Led by Dean Glenn Hubbard, the School's transformative curriculum bridges academic theory with unparalleled exposure to real-world business practice, equipping students with an entrepreneurial mindset that allows them to recognize, capture, and create opportunity in any business environment. The thought leadership of the School's faculty and staff members combined with the accomplishments of its distinguished alumni and position in the center of global business, means that the School's efforts have an immediate, measurable impact on the forces shaping business every day. To learn more about Columbia Business School's position at the very center of business, please visit www.gsb.columbia.edu.

SOURCE Columbia Business School
NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hundreds of thousands of NewBeauty readers, as well as renowned beauty experts and editors made their votes count in NewBeauty magazine's seventh annual Beauty Choice Awards, featured in the Spring/Summer 2017 issueon stands now!

The Beauty Choice Awards recognizes more than 100 of the industry's best products, spanning categories including makeup, skin, hair, nails, smile, body and anti-aging, for what it is that truly sets them apart. Winners include cult-classics and new launches, as well as groundbreaking innovations.

Eminence Organic Skin Care is excited to announce that from more than two thousand different product submissions and hundreds of nominated products, Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant has been selected as the for Best 'Farm-to-Table Skin-Care Product' under the 'What's Trending' category.

"On behalf of everyone at Eminence Organics, we are deeply humbled and grateful to have top beauty experts and consumers recognize our Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant as the Best Farm-to-Table Skin-Care Product,' says Boldijarre Koronczay, President of Eminence Organic Skin Care. "This award speaks for itself as a true representation of our brand's commitment to provide optimal results by using the healthiest natural, organic and Biodynamic ingredients."

In addition to recognizing the best products in the industry, the Beauty Choice Awards also serves as an informational trifecta for readers. It not only delivers tailored solutions to any and every beauty-related concern, but also provides details about the award winners, including key ingredients, scents and textures to educate readers and help them decide which products could be their new favorites. Specific award categories, like "Instant Results" and "Problem Solvers," organize winning products to easily allow the readers to find the ones that will best address their specific needs.

"The amount of products submitted for this year's Beauty Choice Awards was astounding," says NewBeauty Editor-in-Chief, Yolanda Yoh Bucher. "The staff (plus a team of our trusted experts) tested every single bottle and jar. From what's trending and in-office innovations to supercharged sunscreens, products that work their magic overnight and makeup that laststhe winners include the best of the best in beauty. We're confident that the winning products will introduce our readers to many new beauty essentials."

To learn more about the Eminence Organic Skin Care Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant please visit, www.eminenceorganics.com/us, and to see all of the Beauty Choice Awards winners, visit www.newbeauty.com/awards.

About NewBeauty

Each issue of NewBeauty magazine offers readers an in-depth look at cutting-edge products and breakthrough technologies within the beauty industry in an easy-to-navigate format. Whether it's the latest high-powered skin-care product or in-office procedure, NewBeauty educates readers on the latest options for enhancing their skin, face, hair, body, smile and well-being. The magazine's comprehensive approach to its topics continues to garner its reputation as the industry's leading expert-driven and ethically balanced beauty resource.

About Eminence Organic Skin Care

An award-winning provider of the most effective, professional skin care products in the natural and organic skin care industry, Eminence Organic Skin Care is sold in leading salons and spas in more than 40 countries around the world. Eminence melds herbal craftsmanship and innovation, skin rejuvenation techniques unique to Hungary and hand-picked fresh ingredients to craft premium natural, organic and Biodynamic skin care that is good for the earth as well as good for the skin. Eminence - a Certified B Corporation - displays its commitment to the environment by harnessing wind and solar power energy to produce products in the laboratory, using recyclable packaging printed with vegetable-based inks and committing to planting a tree for every product sold. Visit www.eminenceorganics.com and https://www.bcorporation.net/community/eminence-organic-skin-care-inc for more information. Instagram: @EminenceOrganics; Twitter: @EminenceOrganic; Facebook: @EminenceOrganicSkinCare

SOURCE Eminence Organic Skin Care
LONDON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Noble Corporation plc (NYSE: NE) today announced it plans to report financial results for the first quarter 2017 on Thursday, May 4, 2017, after the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Copies of the Company's press release will be available on the Noble Website at www.noblecorp.com.

Noble also has scheduled a conference call and webcast related to its first quarter 2017 results on Friday, May 5, 2017, at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time. Interested parties are invited to listen to the call by dialing 1-877-201-0168, or internationally 1-647-788-4901, using access code: 21883238, or by asking for the Noble Corporation plc conference call. Interested parties may also listen over the Internet through a link posted in the Investor Relations section of the Company's Website.

A replay of the conference call will be available on Friday, May 5, 2017, beginning at 11:00 a.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time, through Monday, June 5, 2017, ending at 11:00 p.m. U.S. Central Daylight Time. The phone number for the conference call replay is 1-855-859-2056 or, for calls from outside of the U.S., 1-404-537-3406, using access code: 21883238. The replay will also be available on the Company's Website following the end of the live call.

About Noble Corporation plc

Noble is a leading offshore drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry. The Company owns and operates one of the most modern, versatile and technically advanced fleets in the offshore drilling industry. Noble performs, through its subsidiaries, contract drilling services with a fleet of 28 offshore drilling units, consisting of 14 drillships and semisubmersibles and 14 jackups, focused largely on ultra-deepwater and high-specification jackup drilling opportunities in both established and emerging regions worldwide. Noble is a public limited company registered in England and Wales with company number 08354954 and registered office at Devonshire House, 1 Mayfair Place, London, W1J 8AJ England. Additional information on Noble is available at www.noblecorp.com.

SOURCE Noble Corporation

Related Links

http://www.noblecorp.com


STOCKHOLM, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/--Millicom will announce its first quarter results for the period ending March 31, 2017 on April 26, 2017 at 08:00 AM (Stockholm) / 7:00 AM (London).

The company will host a conference call for the global financial community at 2:00 PM (Stockholm)/ 2:00 PM (Luxembourg)/ 1:00 PM (London)/ 8:00 AM (New York).

The conference call will be webcast at www.millicom.com

Dial-in information:

Please dial in 5-10 minutes before the scheduled start time to register your attendance. Dial-in numbers for the call are as follows:

Sweden: +46 (0) 8-5065-3942

UK: +44 (0) 330-336-9411

US: +1-719-325-2385

Luxembourg: +352-2787-0187

The access code is: 6804594

Replay information:

A replay of the call will be available for 7 days from April 26, 2017 at:

Sweden: +46 (0) 8-5199-3077

UK: +44 (0) 207-984-7568

US: +1-719-457-0820

Replay passcode is: 6804594

CONTACT:

For further information please visit: www.millicom.com or contact

Press:

Vivian Kobeh, Corporate Communications Director

Tel: +352-277-59084 / +1-305-302-2858 / [email protected]

Investors:

Michel Morin, VP Investor Relations

Tel: +352-277-59094 / +1-305-445-4156 / [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/millicom-international-cellular/r/notice-of-first-quarter-2017-results-and-conference-call,c2237384

The following files are available for download:

http://mb.cision.com/Main/950/2237384/656604.pdf Notice of first quarter 2017 results and conference call

SOURCE Millicom International Cellular

Related Links

http://www.millicom.com


LIVONIA, Mich., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- What's better than the signature Olga's Snackers or The Original Olga? How about 50 percent off your next visit to Olga's Kitchen? To celebrate the launch of Olga's Kitchen's new website, the restaurant has added an interactive scavenger hunt for guests that includes a 50 percent off coupon.

Guests will find the "50 percent off your next visit" coupon by following the "Explore and Get More" icons throughout the new website. During the interactive scavenger hunt, visitors will explore the menu, the storied history of the hometown brand, location information and the upcoming Olga's Rewards Plus program, which offers more benefits and higher value rewards.

"At Olga's our top priority is the guest experience and our website is a key piece in that engagement," said Mark Schostak, executive chairman of TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR) and owner of Olga's Kitchen. "As we continue to revitalize the Olga's Kitchen brand, we look forward to offering new ways to surprise and delight our guests with great food and memorable experiences."

The new site provides quick access to location information, gallery-style food menu and special offers from all devices. The scavenger hunt promotion will begin on April 11th.

For more information on Olga's Kitchen, and to find your 50 percent off reward, please click here to visit the website.

About Olga's Kitchen

Founded in 1970 by Olga Loizon, Olga's Kitchen is known for its signature, grilled-to-order secret recipe Olga Bread. Serving over 20,000 pieces of its Olga Bread every day across its 25 restaurants, Olga's Kitchen has solidified its reputation as the leader in the casual family dining restaurant industry, with a focus on delivering a positively unique and consistent culinary experience. From its Olga Bread to The Original Olga and Olga's Snackers, Olga's Kitchen has an unmatched standard for delighting its loyal guests with menu items infused with bold flavors, made-to-order from high-quality ingredients. For more information, visit www.olgas.com.

About TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants

Livonia, Mich.-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants is a family-owned restaurant group with an expansive portfolio of casual dining, fast casual, quick service and family dining restaurants throughout the state of Michigan. With a commitment to quality operations, TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants is an industry leader in attracting, developing and retaining the most talented work force that proudly delights its guests and sets an unmatched standard of excellence. For the past three decades, TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants has expanded its restaurant catalog to include 65 Applebee's restaurants, 25 Olga's Kitchen restaurants, five MOD Pizza restaurants, and four Del Taco restaurants. For more information, visit www.teamschostak.com.

SOURCE Olgas Kitchen
--Initial Registration Pathway to Focus on Chemotherapy Combinations

in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer--

CALGARY, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX:ONC) (OTCQX:ONCYF) today announced its initial registration pathway and clinical development plan for REOLYSIN, its proprietary immuno-oncology viral agent. The Company's clinical development plan has two main objectives. The primary objective is to obtain regulatory approval for REOLYSIN as quickly as possible and is based on the compelling metastatic breast cancer survival data recently presented at the American Academy of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, in Washington, D.C. The second objective is to expand REOLYSIN into commercially valuable new treatment areas that include immunotherapy and immunomodulatory (IMiD) agents in collaboration with pharmaceutical partners.

Registration Path in Metastatic Breast Cancer

At AACR the Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) presented positive overall survival (OS) data from an open-label, randomized, phase 2 study assessing the therapeutic combination of intravenously-administered REOLYSIN given in combination with the chemotherapy agent paclitaxel versus paclitaxel alone, in patients with advanced or metastatic breast cancer (IND 213). Based on CCTG's compelling clinical results in this indication, where the combined treatment demonstrated a statistically significantly increase in median OS, the Company has consulted with key opinion leaders to develop a registration strategy. Management believes that these results are the most compelling data generated by the Company to date and will support a rapid route to market in an important therapeutic area.

The 74-patient study, powered to 90% and designed by the CCTG, reported that in the intention-to-treat patient population there was a statistically significant improvement in median OS from 10.4 months on the control arm to 17.4 months on the test arm (Hazard Ratio 0.65, 80% CI 0.46-0.91, p=0.1). The presentation also indicated that of the 74 patients in the study, 82 percent (61 patients) presented with mutated p53 tumors. The results showed that patients with mutant p53 metastatic breast cancer who were treated with REOLYSIN in combination with paclitaxel (n=30) had a median OS of 20.9 months versus 10.4 months in patients treated only with paclitaxel (n=31) (Hazard Ratio 0.52, 80% CI 0.35-0.76, p = 0.03).

The Company intends to present this data to regulators as part of an End-of-Phase 2 Meeting with a focus on obtaining scientific advice to support a registration pathway. Specific features of any future clinical studies are expected to include: overall survival as a primary endpoint; other exploratory endpoints to identify potential markers of response; and a trial design to ensure a sufficient number of patients are run to reach a statistically significant outcome while balancing the financial resources required.

"We have developed a comprehensive clinical plan for REOLYSIN predicated on its mechanism of action, excellent safety profile with more than one thousand patients treated and the compelling overall survival data recently announced in metastatic breast cancer," said Dr. Matt Coffey, President and CEO of Oncolytics. "The registration path in the near term will look at combinations of REOLYSIN and chemotherapy agents, beginning with metastatic breast cancer. In parallel, we intend to look at other pillars of the platform and our long-range focus for REOLYSIN includes establishing collaborations with large pharma to study both immunotherapy and immunomodulatory drug combinations, such as the recently announced collaboration with Myeloma UK and Celgene using Revlimid and Imnovid in combination with REOLYSIN in myeloma patients."

Mechanism of Action

REOLYSIN is a first-in-class, systemically administered, immuno-oncology viral agent with a robust safety history. During the last few years, in both single-arm and randomized phase 2 clinical studies, REOLYSIN, in combination with various chemotherapeutic agents, has shown a trend to improve OS in certain indications and patient populations, while having a limited impact on objective response rate (ORR) or progression-free survival (PFS). This therapeutic profile is consistent with those observed with approved immunotherapies, where patients receive OS benefit, the gold standard of registrational endpoints, without seeing meaningful improvements in ORR or PFS.

REOLYSIN has multiple components to its mechanism of action (MOA):

Direct tumor lysis  selective viral replication in permissive cancer cells leading to tumor cell lysis;

selective viral replication in permissive cancer cells leading to tumor cell lysis; Innate immune response  viral replication resulting in a cascade of chemokines/cytokines causing NK (natural killer) cells to recognize and attack cancer cells; and

viral replication resulting in a cascade of chemokines/cytokines causing NK (natural killer) cells to recognize and attack cancer cells; and Adaptive immune response  antigen presenting cells (APCs) display tumor-associated antigens (TAA) and viral-associated antigens (VAA) to educate T-cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells.

Clinical Development Plan

Based on Oncolytics' evolving understanding of REOLYSIN's mechanism of action, along with survival data generated to date, the Company is dedicated to the metastatic breast cancer program as its primary focus to quickly move the agent towards a commercial path. In parallel, management has identified two additional pathways that will be advanced simultaneously in collaboration with large pharma colleagues to support the second objective of expanding REOLYSIN into commercially valuable new treatment areas:

Combinations with IMiDs

The initial activity supporting the innate immunity component of REOLYSIN's MOA, is in collaboration with cancer charity Myeloma UK and Celgene. MUK eleven was launched in March of this year: a first of its kind immunotherapy trial that aims to modulate the immune system to target myeloma. The Phase 1b trial will study REOLYSIN in combination with Celgene's Imnovid (pomalidomide) or Revlimid (lenalidomide) as a rescue treatment in relapsing myeloma patients. The dose escalation trial will look at the safety and tolerability of these combinations, and will investigate whether the addition of REOLYSIN extends disease control in this patient group.

The trial will recruit approximately 44 patients across up to six Myeloma UK Clinical Trial Network centres in the UK. MUK eleven is part of the Myeloma UK Clinical Trial Network, a portfolio of early-stage trials coordinated by the Clinical Trials Research Unit at the University of Leeds, which aims to test and speed up access to promising new treatments for patients.

Oncolytics and Celgene UK & Ireland are providing their respective products for MUK eleven: Oncolytics is providing REOLYSIN and Celgene UK & Ireland is providing Imnovid and Revlimid.

Combinations with Immunotherapy

In support of the adaptive immunity component of the MOA, the Company is currently running its first study in combination with an emerging class of immuno-oncology agents known as checkpoint inhibitors. REO 024 is an open-label phase 1b trial to determine the safety and dose-limiting toxicity of REOLYSIN in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) and chemotherapy in patients with histologically confirmed, advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma who have failed, or did not tolerate, first-line treatment. The goal of this study is to establish the safety profile of the REOLYSIN/KEYTRUDA combination and to determine how a checkpoint inhibitor could improve the immune system's ability to recognize cancer cells through the stimulation of the adaptive immune response in patients caused by REOLYSIN. The Company expects to report on the safety data from REO 024 in 2017 and looks to expand its clinical collaborations using other checkpoint inhibitor agents and investigating different indications, dose levels and efficacy.

"While our near-term focus will be on chemotherapy combinations, our longer-term goal is to establish REOLYSIN as the backbone of an immuno-oncology regimen in combination with other agents, including checkpoint inhibitors and other immunomodulatory drugs," said Dr. Andres Gutierrez, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics. "The combinations with emerging immunotherapies could be transformative when taking into account REOLYSIN's continuing positive safety profile in ongoing studies."

In summary, in 2017 Oncolytics expects to make progress against a number of milestones including:

Discussions with regulators focused on obtaining scientific advice on the best registration path in metastatic breast cancer;

Announcing a detailed registration study in metastatic breast cancer;

Reporting safety data from the phase 1b REO 024 pancreatic cancer study evaluating REOLYSIN in combination with pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA  ); and

); and Expanding clinical collaborations with large pharma in an effort to support further development around the innate and adaptive immunity components of REOLYSIN's MOA.

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Oncolytics is a biotechnology company developing REOLYSIN, an immuno-oncology viral-agent, as a potential treatment for a variety of tumor types. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers. Oncolytics' clinical development program emphasizes three pillars: chemotherapy combinations to trigger selective tumor lysis; immuno-therapy combinations to produce adaptive immune responses; and immune modulator (IMiD) combinations to facilitate innate immune responses. Oncolytics is currently planning its first registration study in breast cancer, as well as studies in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and IMID/targeted therapies in solid and hematological malignancies. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the Company's expectations related to the Phase 2 clinical trial in breast cancer, future trials in this indication, the potential for additional data from other studies, the potential for collaborations, and the Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN as a cancer therapeutic, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer treatment, the tolerability of REOLYSIN outside a controlled test, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related to the research, development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, changes in technology, general changes to the economic environment and uncertainties related to the regulatory process. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors should consider statements that include the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "projects", "should", or other expressions that are predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain and forward-looking. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws.

SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Related Links

www.oncolytics.ca


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Summit Group, LLC (GSG), an online food delivery company offering 14 internally curated food brands, has posted an impressive run rate of $10.5 million for the month of March, surpassing initial revenue predictions. With a 36 percent increase in revenue from the prior month, GSG's latest financial announcement comes on the heels of the launch of the brand's first Chicago kitchen, located in Lakeview, IL. GSG also operates outposts throughout New York City (Manhattan and Brooklyn) and plans to end the year with eight total locations.

"We're extremely proud of the business model we've created and look forward to continuing to provide our enthusiastic consumer base with the best food delivery experience possible," says Jason Shapiro, President and Chief Finance Officer at GSG. "With the retail market continuing to struggle and the online food delivery industry slated to expand to $210 billion in the coming years, GSG's variety of online verticals position it for great success."

GSG's low capital model has allowed it to build its portfolio of brands and $10.5M of run rate with just $3.6 million in total funding. This compares to competitors, who have required 10x to 30x the funding to achieve comparable revenue levels.

GSG's concepts are currently available exclusively to customers via Grubhub/Seamless. GSG presently delivers over 2,000 orders per day across Brooklyn Chicago and Manhattan.

ABOUT GREEN SUMMIT GROUP

Founded in 2013, Green Summit Group is disrupting the online food services industry with its unique approach to brand curation. With over 200 employees and boasting 14 restaurants within its brand portfolio, the Company offers consumers a variety of culinary options, with all food made-to-order and then prepared and packaged within the Company's independently operated kitchens. The Company was built for the online world to deliver high caliber food to a growing base of customers who have high expectations for quality, presentation, convenience, and customization. Green Summit currently serves Midtown Manhattan, Financial District, Williamsburg, Brooklyn and Lakeview, Chicago. It is expanding rapidly and later this year will serve customers in the Upper East Side, East Village, Upper West Side, Downtown Brooklyn and Streeterville, Chicago

SOURCE Green Summit Group, LLC
PORTLAND, Ore., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenSesame, the leader in on-demand elearning courses for the enterprise, is partnering with publisher WILL Interactive to raise awareness about preventing sexual harassment and abusive conduct prevention by offering a free course during the entire month of April.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) in the United States. The mission of SAAM is to raise public awareness and to educate individuals, communities and businesses on how to prevent sexual violence and verbal assault. In support of SAAM efforts and to raise awareness of resources to help prevent sexual harassment specifically in the workplace, OpenSesame will be offering free access to a learning course on the subject in conjunction with WILL Interactive during the month of April.

"Everyone should be able to guarantee a safe and harassment free workplace for employees, and it starts with education. We are happy that we can support SAAM in the month of April by providing access to this course to anyone who wants to learn how to prevent these types of occurrences happening in their community and amongst employees," said Don Spear, CEO of OpenSesame.

Most states in the United States require employees to undergo sexual harassment prevention training as part of a new hire onboarding process. Laws around documentation of that training vary from state to state and are regularly updated, with some states even requiring that supervisors receive documented training every year on how to recognize sexual harassment and steps to take to protect victims.

As distributed by OpenSesame, Will Interactive's Sexual Harassment Prevention Course discusses the recognition of sexual harassment and strategies to prevent it. The course also outlines additional resources and protection that is available to employees. The Employee version of this course is a best practice recommendation for non-supervisory employees to be in compliance with the legal statutes in all 50 states.

Access the 60-minute online course on the OpenSesame website and use the promotion code APRIL100 upon checkout. The course is recommended for use on desktops and laptops and can be considered to meet corporate needs for sexual harassment prevention training and documentation for employees.

About OpenSesame

OpenSesame is the trusted provider of on-demand eLearning courses for the enterprise. Serving Global 2000 companies, OpenSesame delivers:

The most flexible buying options to maximize your budget

The broadest catalog with 20,000+ courses from the world's leading publishers, updated constantly

Compatible with every Learning Management System (LMS)

For more information, visit www.OpenSesame.com.

Contact: Samantha Marsden - [email protected] - (503) 917-4568

SOURCE OpenSesame

Related Links

http://www.OpenSesame.com


TROY, Mich., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The mother-daughter team of Linda and Alison Orlans launched Orlans PC today, the second largest Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) certified women-owned law firm in the United States. Linda Orlans will serve as chairwoman, and Alison Orlans will assume the role of president and chief executive officer.

Orlans PC is the result of a merger of Orlans Associates PC (Troy, Mich.), Orlans Moran PLLC (Waltham, Mass.) and Atlantic Law Group LLC (Leesburg, Va.).

Combining teams and resources allows Orlans PC to enhance client service by refining processes, leveraging shared technology and increasing collaboration. Clients now have the benefit of national firm capabilities and resources with localized, face-to-face service. The merger also allows the firm to maintain top compliance standards to meet the growing needs of existing clients, while leveraging a broader range of capabilities to attract new clients.

"The future goes to those prepared to change ahead of the times," Linda Orlans said. "The legal world is changing and our mission is to be on the forefront and help affect that change for the better. This unified law firm represents a dramatic step forward in creating a more capable, more responsive and more efficient entity to serve a growing client base."

Orlans PC provides legal services to local and national banks, credit unions, consumer loan finance companies, loan servicers, investors, government agencies, landlords, municipalities, utilities, title insurance companies and private individuals. It operates in eight jurisdictions including Washington DC, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Virginia, and is headquartered in Troy, Mich. The firm is certified by (WBENC), as women owned and operated.

Linda Orlans launched Orlans PC in the Detroit area in 1998, and has expanded over the years to serve hundreds of clients in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. Over the past decade, the number of women-owned law firms has grown five times faster than the national average, and Linda has been at the forefront of a new wave of woman-owned law firms opening across the country.

"Legal expertise fused with lean six sigma principles has allowed us to build a different kind of firm, where our attorneys can perfect legal processes, collaborate, and focus on results," said Alison Orlans. "This merger allows us to think more creatively  and more entrepreneurially  about the services, support and process we put in place for our clients."

About Orlans PC

Established in 1998 by Linda Orlans, Orlans PC is a Michigan-based law firm that serves the real estate and financial services industry. Decades of extensive experience includes: representing investors, lenders, banks and servicers in loan transactions, default, bankruptcy proceedings, land contract disputes and default, title issues, secured and unsecured asset recovery and real estate transactions.

For more information about Orlans PC, visit orlans.com or call (248) 502-1400.

SOURCE Orlans PC
CHICAGO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Pavilion Advisory Group Inc. has been named a 2016 Greenwich Quality LeaderSM among large U.S. investment consultants. The designation is based on the Greenwich Quality Index (GQI) score, which aggregates clients' evaluations of their firms' investment consultant in the areas of investment counseling, manager selection, client service and commercial arrangement.

This is the second year that Greenwich Associates is publicly recognizing the best in U.S. institutional investment consulting by naming Greenwich Quality Leaders in the industry, and the second consecutive year that Pavilion has been recognized with an award, after being named a Quality Leader in the mid-sized firm category last year.

"We wish to thank our clients for their feedback that has led to being named a Greenwich Quality Leader two years in a row. This designation is a testament to Pavilion's commitment and dedication to providing high-quality services to our clients," said Keith Mote, President & Managing Director of Pavilion. "As we continue to offer highly specialized services that complement our core investment advisory offering, this recognition will serve as great motivation for our team to continue its focus on adding value to clients in everything we do."

In a news release issued on March 28, 2017, Greenwich Associates noted that investment consultants that receive the strongest quality ratings from institutional clients in the annual Greenwich Associates research are those that demonstrate the willingness and ability to develop a deep understanding of the institution and its needs. Managing Director Andrew McCollum stated, "This is a relationship that goes much deeper than manager search and due diligence."

Between July and October 2016, Greenwich Associates conducted interviews with 1,216 senior professionals at 1,052 of the largest tax-exempt funds in the United States, including corporate and union funds, public funds, endowments and foundations, insurance general accounts, and healthcare organizations with either pension or investment pool assets greater than $150 million. Study participants were asked to provide quantitative and qualitative evaluations of their asset management and investment consulting providers, including qualitative assessments of those firms soliciting their business and detailed information on important market trends. Pavilion is one of three firms recognized in the large investment consultant category. The category ranking is determined by the number of responses received from clients. The ratings are representative of those clients that chose to participate in the survey. The results are not indicative of future performance.

About Pavilion Advisory Group

Pavilion Advisory Group offers investment consulting, advisory services, retirement benefit consulting, and implemented or discretionary solutions to corporate and public plan sponsors (DB and DC), not-for-profit healthcare systems, insurance companies, higher education endowments, foundations, and family offices. It serves a global clientele from offices in Chicago, Minneapolis, Indianapolis and New York in the U.S., and Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Edmonton in Canada. Pavilion Advisory Group is a trademark of Pavilion Financial Corporation, used under license by Pavilion Advisory Group Inc. in the U.S. and Pavilion Advisory Group Ltd. in Canada. For more information, visit www.pavilioncorp.com/advisory-services.

SOURCE Pavilion Advisory Group Inc.
BROOKLYN, NY., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Peapod, the country's leading online grocer, has always believed that to best serve its customers it has to maintain strong relationships with the communities it serves. From Peapod's hardworking drivers that are welcomed into customers' homes each week, to its selection of local food products that represent a city's unique flavor, Peapod embraces the vibrant cultures of its customers.

Since arriving in Brooklyn in 2015, Peapod has been inspired by the borough's strong artistic presence that helps define the community. To celebrate that creativity, Peapod has a launched the Brooklyn Inspired Truck Contest, an open competition for all artists  from trained professionals to students to doodlers - to have their artwork featured on a fleet of Peapod delivery trucks that will be dedicated to the New York market.

"Our business is about delivering affordable fresh groceries, convenience, and creative meal solutions," said Jennifer Carr-Smith, Peapod President. "But it's really so much more than that  we want to celebrate with our customers in their unique communities. What better way to thank Brooklyn for welcoming us than to connect with its thriving art community to share their creativity with the entire city. We know the wide pool of talent in Brooklyn and across Peapod's markets will create some incredible artwork to be featured on our trucks."

All submitted artwork must celebrate Brooklyn and the food these trucks will carry, but artists have the creative license to interpret that as they see fit. Artwork can be submitted from April 12th to May 3rd on FromthePod.com. On May 5th, Peapod will announce the 10 semi-finalists. From there, customers and fans will have the opportunity to vote online until May 12th for five winning artists who will have their artwork featured on Peapod trucks beginning in June. The artist whose artwork accumulates the most votes will receive a year's supply of groceries courtesy of Peapod. Complete rules for the contest can be found here.

To learn more about Peapod and the Brooklyn campaign, please visit FromthePod.com. To learn more about Peapod, visit www.Peapod.com or the brand's social channels: Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Peapod

Peapod, an Ahold USA company, is America's leading online grocer with over 40 million orders delivered to date. Peapod's intuitive, inspiring website and award-winning mobile app allow customers to shop faster and smarter as well as save time and money with each order. Peapod is an easy and convenient solution for the busy consumer shopping for fresh groceries, pantry stables and meal solutions. Peapod offers delivery to both homes and businesses, and has over 200 pick-up locations. Peapod is available in 24 metro markets across New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Virginia.

SOURCE Peapod

Related Links

http://www.Peapod.com


SAN DIEGO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Powerpedia, a San Diego-based renewable energy consultancy (http://powerpedia.com) has announced the formation of the nonprofit organization "#GetChargedUp" (http://GetChargedUp.net) to facilitate a multi-year commitment of providing free solar systems to orphanages throughout Baja Mexico and beyond, under its flagship program #EmpowerOrphans.

"I recently had a chance to spend the day with children and volunteers at the Rancho de Los Ninos orphanage in Baja, Mexico and it was an extraordinary experience for me," said Faisal El Azzouzi, Principal at Powerpedia and founder of #GetChargedUp. "It is truly humbling to see the hard work put forth by the staff and the passion of the volunteers at the orphanage. Nearly 70 children live there, and they deserve all the help we can give. We couldn't be happier to contribute with clean electricity and high-tech education to take care of some of their basic needs today, and help prepare them for a better tomorrow."

#GetChargedUp maintains two goals as their core mission. The first goal is to provide clean electricity to orphanages through solar system installations, and the second is to teach coding and meditation by equipping computer labs and teaching innovative and skill building curriculums.

The first project donation by #GetChargedUp is a 10 Kilowatt solar electric system that will provide the Rancho De Los Ninos Orphanage with much needed savings over the projected 25+ year lifetime of the system.

"Having solar power is a wonderful gift," says George Perez who is a Board Member of Corazon De Vida, which provides monthly financial support for its orphanages. "This means the directors of Rancho de Los Ninos can redeploy the money they are saving for food, medical help, water bills, and most importantly towards education so that the children can be prepared for their future."

#GetChargedUp is also receiving free services from cThru Media to promote the support of the orphanages needing assistance as well as pointing donors to a crowd funding site via http://GetChargedUp.net. Companies and individuals looking to support children struggling in orphanages are encouraged to visit the website and make a donation.

"We are grateful to GET CHARGED UP for helping the children of Rancho de Los Ninos," added George Perez. "Taking care of basic needs is our most difficult challenge as we help more than 400 children in 10 different orphanages."

About Corazon De Vida

The Corazon De Vida Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) organization (http://corazondevida.org) providing life changing support for orphaned and abandoned children in Baja, Mexico. The foundation's mission is to end child abandonment by breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. Corazon De Vida is located in Irvine, California and currently provides support to nearly a dozen orphanages in Mexico.

About Organizations Helping

Get Charged Up is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (http://getchargedup.net) created to support disadvantage children by unlocking access to energy and education. Its first project is to support orphanages in Baja, Mexico through the donations of solar systems, technology, and education. GET CHARGED UP is located in San Diego, California.

San Diego, California-based Powerpedia (http://powerpedia.com) is a smart grid and renewable energy full service consultancy that serves leading businesses, investors, government, and not-for-profit organizations.

cThru Media (http://cthru.media) is a San Diego-based full service media agency with a focus on Digital Media. cThru provides consulting services for small businesses, white label solutions and complex advertising campaigns.

For additional information or media requests, contact:

Faisal Al Azzouzi

619.438.0790

[email protected]

SOURCE Powerpedia

Related Links

http://powerpedia.com


AUSTIN, Texas, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Dosh, the new free app that finds cash for consumers when they use their credit and debit cards while shopping, dining out, and traveling, announced the addition of leading merchants and brands on its platform. Today, Dosh's market-first merchant platform expands to include top brands like Forever 21, Applebees, and IHOP. The new partners bring Dosh's merchant network to more than 100,000 merchants and brands representing verticals across hospitality, retail, restaurants, professional sports, and more.

"I believe that Dosh has the opportunity to shift how merchants and large brands spend advertising dollars toward growing and retaining their customer base," said Alex Ok, president of Forever 21, Inc. "Dosh enables Forever 21 to attract new customers and build even deeper relationships and understanding with our existing customers. Like other leading brands, Forever 21 wants to see that every marketing dollar produces an ROI. Dosh is very effective in helping us do that."

The Dosh platform auto-magically incentivizes consumers with cash and allows merchants to directly engage with customers in new ways by leveraging behavioral insights to micro-target potential customers, track performance, and acquire new customers while improving customer loyalty and social amplification. Dosh enables merchants to deliver the right offer to the right customer with the right insights.

"Merchants and brands are working harder than ever to break through the noise and attract new consumers," said Ryan Wuerch, founder & executive chairman. "We've built a platform that will dramatically change how merchants and brands acquire customers, build loyalty, and cause their customers to tell others about them. Merchants waste billions of dollars every year on big media advertising like TV commercials, radio spots, print and billboards to attract customers with little to no known ROI. Merchants want to know that every dollar they spend performs, and Dosh delivers those results."

With Dosh, consumers download the app, securely connect their Visa, Mastercard and American Express debit and credit cards and get cash back auto-magically on purchases and travel when there is an offer available. For example, the Forever 21 partnership launches this month with customers getting 10% cash back auto-magically through the Dosh app on purchases over $100.

Dosh will launch a public beta on April 25th and already has thousands of users in private beta who are receiving cash back through their daily transactions. For merchants and brands interested in joining the merchant program, email [email protected].

ABOUT DOSH

Dosh, a fintech company, developed market-first technology that includes a consumer app, mobile wallet, and merchant platform integrating a cash back offers ecosystem easily utilized through secured credit and debit cards. Dosh enables consumers to instantly get cash back "auto-magically" from more than 100,000 merchants and brands while shopping, dining, and traveling - all without thinking and working for it. Dosh helps merchants understand predictive behavior and create a virtuous cycle of consumer acquisition, loyalty, and social sharing with deep data analytics. "You've got DOSH"

SOURCE Dosh

Related Links

http://www.dosh.cash


MADRID, Spain, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that Reimagine Food, an international hub devoted to boosting food innovation, has chosen IBM Cloud on which to develop and operate a new discovery tool for the food industry.

SmartFoodS (www.smartfoods.eu), is a powerful discovery engine that helps member food producers, retailers, chefs, and food services companies discover information about new trends, industry news, academic investigations, startups, and new products, all related to innovation in food & tech.

The Barcelona-based Reimagine Food developed the discovery tool using the Watson Natural Language Understanding API on IBM Bluemix, which provides language detection, keyword extraction and sentiment analysis capabilities. As a result, the tool can process natural language queries that are then combined with the IBM Retrieve and Rank service, the Apache Solr search server, and sophisticated algorithms to provide users with relevant recovery results.

"We have tried to bring innovation closer to the food sector and, to do so, we have monitored over 40,000 information sources" says Francesc Saldana, Corporate Services Manager at Reimagine Food. "By building this discovery tool on the IBM Cloud, we have the ability to easily expand as the tool consumes more and more data, and as more and more people use it."

"Reimagine Food is using our cognitive and cloud services to innovate and improve food production, management and understanding and to help its clients reimagine the gastronomic world," said Angel Moreu, Cloud Manager, IBM Spain, Portugal, Israel and Greece.

Founded in 2014, Reimagine Food is committed to the promotion of innovation in the food industry for the constant improvement of the global food system. Through different areas, it collaborates with institutions, startups, investors, food companies, universities and technological centers to anticipate the future of food.

The company was started by Marius Robles  defined as one of the 15 most disruptive entrepreneurs in Spain in 2015 by MIT Review  and Joaquin Serra, ambassador of Singularity University in Spain. Reimagine Food collaborates with Stanford University, ESADE, Telefonica, Carrefour, GB Foods, Metro Group, Barilla and Nestle, among others, in the development of international projects.

About IBM

For more about IBM Cloud, visit www.ibm.cloud-computing.

Contact

Patricia Torralba

IBM Espana

Departamento de Comunicacion

[email protected]

+ 34-91-397-7525

Mike Zimmerman

IBM Media Relations

[email protected]

(585) 698-9974

SOURCE IBM

Related Links

http://www.ibm.com


LOS ANGELES, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc. (the "Company" or "Rexford Industrial") (NYSE: REXR), a real estate investment trust that specializes in owning and operating industrial properties located in Southern California infill markets, today announced that the Company will release first quarter 2017 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, May 3, 2017. A conference call will be held that same day on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to review the Company's first quarter results, discuss recent events and conduct a question-and-answer period.

Webcast:

The conference call will be available through visiting the Company's website at ir.rexfordindustrial.com . To listen to a live broadcast, go to the site at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time in order to register, download and install any necessary audio software.

To Participate in the Telephone Conference Call:

Dial in at least 5 minutes prior to start time:

Domestic: 1-877-407-0789

International: 1-201-689-8562

Conference Call Playback:

Domestic: 1-844-512-2921

International: 1-412-317-6671

Pass code: 13659966

The playback can be accessed through June 3, 2017.

About Rexford Industrial

Rexford Industrial is a real estate investment trust focused on owning and operating industrial properties in Southern California infill markets. The Company owns 137 properties with approximately 15.1 million rentable square feet and manages an additional 19 properties with approximately 1.2 million rentable square feet.

For additional information, visit www.rexfordindustrial.com .

Contact:

Investor Relations:

Stephen Swett

424-256-2153 ext 401

[email protected]

SOURCE Rexford Industrial Realty, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.rexfordindustrial.com


Evan Huynh, 2017 VNARP President, said that the meetings with Vietnamese government officials provided vast knowledge on Vietnam's rapid growing infrastructures and its emerging markets. "We also had the opportunity to share our best practices from the United States to create a bridge and exist as a gateway for real estate investments in both countries," he said.

The Trade Mission Delegation hosted conferences in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Danang. The Danang conference was hosted by the Vice-Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee, The Honorable Tran Van Mien. Presentations were made by real estate professionals and government officials from both countries. The Hanoi conference was attended by The Honorable Ted Osius, the United States Ambassador to Vietnam. Leadership from the Vietnam National Real Estate Association (VNREA), the country's largest real estate trade association, collaborated in all three conferences. (Watch the VNREA video at: https://youtu.be/DlX_O1SfiIc)

This was the first year that such a trip took place. As a result of its success, SCCAOR and VNARP plan to make it an annual event. "Our first trade mission connected us with VNREA and some of the leading developers in Vietnam, including VinGroup, CEO Group and FLC Group," said Huynh.

Vietnam has seen a boom in recent real estate development so far this decade. Bolstered by a thriving economy and the passing of recent laws that make it easier for foreigners and overseas Vietnamese to legally own, sell and transfer real properties, Vietnam is quickly becoming a hotspot for all types for real estate development.

SCCAOR and VNARP were also joined on the trip by members of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA), a trade organization that aims to promote sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities. AREAA's President Elect for 2019, Tom Truong, said that the Vietnamese people went out of their way to welcome their delegation. "They were gracious and open with sharing their current and future real estate and economic goals," said Truong. "This positive attitude combined with the tremendous talent from our delegation will lead to the success of building many bridges between Vietnam and the United States for future real estate growth and investments."

On April 5th, in a follow up action to the trade mission, members from SCCAOR, VNARP, and AREAA welcomed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, His Excellency Ambassador Ho Xuan Son (Consulate General of Vietnam in San Francisco) to the SCCAOR Office in San Jose. The meeting highlighted some of accomplishments of the recent Vietnam Trade Mission, and explored opportunities for future collaboration with the Consul General.

To see photos from the Trade Mission, visit SCCAOR's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/sccrealtors/) and VNARP's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/VNARP/)

Contact: Spencer High

Phone: 408.445.5095

[email protected]

www.sccaor.com

SOURCE Santa Clara County Association of REALTORS

Related Links

http://www.sccaor.com


STRATEGY Diabetes Treatment Research Creates Many Firsts in China

Findings: Therapies based on a combination of Metformin and Sitagliptin prove safe and effective

April 12, 2017, BEIJING /PRNewswire/ -- SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences, a scientific journal sponsored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, published the findings of the largest type 2 diabetes phase IV randomized controlled clinical trial to date - the Study of China's Diabetes Treatment (STRATEGY Study), in its third issue. The study shows that dual and triple therapy treatments based on a combination of Metformin and Sitagliptin are effective and safe.

The lead scientist on the study Professor Jianping Weng, Chang Jiang Scholar Professor and Director of the Research Center for Diabetes Care at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, said STRATEGY is a study conducted in China, for China, customized for diabetes sufferers in the country. The findings will provide invaluable domestic data to help medical professionals further explore clinical strategies to raise standards of care for keeping blood glucose levels under control, thereby benefiting more type 2 diabetes patients in China.

Professor Zengyi Chang, Deputy Editor-in-chief of SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences, stressed at the event that the publication of the STRATEGY study - a completely localized study conducted over nearly four years in China - in a Chinese scientific journal, is an apt response to the key tenets of "Health China 2030".

Customized study for Diabetes patients in China

China has the highest number of diabetes sufferers in the world. There are some 113 million[1] adult patients with type 2 diabetes in China, making up nearly 1/4 of the total globally; nearly 2/3 are unable to keep their blood glucose within safe levels. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic progressive disease - over time, relying solely on a single drug to lower blood glucose is rarely effective.

"Combination therapy is required to keep glucose levels under control in many patients with diabetes, but the lack of high quality evidence-based medical science to support the therapy choices of Chinese doctors mean that in clinical practice, many physicians are unable to start prescribing combination therapies in a timely manner, resulting in patients suffering excessively high blood sugar levels over a long period. This is 'clinical inertia'. The issue of which combination therapies are best suited to Chinese diabetes sufferers, and how to overcome clinical inertia and seize the best opportunity for adding on therapies for better blood sugar level control have been something that we have continued to explore and thought over in clinical practice," said Professor Weng. "At the moment, standard guidelines advocate the treatment protocol of 'single drug-dual therapy-triple therapy-combination injection therapy'; but in clinical practice, physicians are often - because of a lack of clinical evidence and treatment consensus - unwilling to try the triple combination oral therapy for lowering blood glucose, which results in what is termed 'clinical inertia'. Currently, the all new diabetes oral drug DPP-4 inhibitor has become an important option as a second-line drug for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, and has also been included in the 2017 National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). But when therapies based on a combination of Metformin and Sitagliptin fail to keep blood glucose levels under control in patients, what about the next step - a triple combination oral therapy? The STRATEGY study bridges this gap in clinical evidence."

STRATEGY creates many firsts in China

STRATEGY started officially in August 2012. The study is supported by the Chinese Medical Association(CMA) and Sun Yat-Sen University, with the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University at the lead and MSD China as sponsor. It has created a number of records in China:

Researches from 237 clinical research centers across China participated in the study

participated in the study The study covered 5,535 patients with type 2 diabetes from 25 provinces and municipalities, of different geographical regions, age, and gender

Professor Jianping Weng stressed: "There were seven experts leading STRATEGY across different regions nation-wide, a consultative committee with nearly 20 diabetes experts and many other international experts provided guidance and supervision to ensure that the study would be fair, objective, and scientific. The entire research process was conducted in adherence to the treatment recommended in the China Guideline for Type 2 Diabetes, and explored the most suitable combination therapy solution for patients with diabetes in China through a sequential research design. The time span, scale, and coverage of this randomized controlled clinical study produce findings that represent a significant contribution to the accumulation of local data for diabetes research in China, and also provide high quality medical evidence for raising the standards of diabetes care in China."

Key Findings of the STRATEGY Study

STRATEGY is a study completely localized for China, designed specially for patients with type 2 diabetes in China, and addresses a practical clinical problem. The design of the study was based on the current treatment recommendations for type 2 diabetes in China, and proves that the dual-therapy treatment with Metformin and the DPP-4 inhibitor Sitagliptin - as well as the timely and early addition of a commonly used anti-diabetic drug (Glimepiride, Gliclazide, Repaglinide, Acarbose) to form a triple combination therapy, are safe and effective in treating diabetes sufferers in China.

The results showed that in patients that cannot be effectively treated with the single drug Metformin, the addition of the DPP-4 inhibitor Sitagliptin for 16 weeks significantly reduced glycated hemoglobin[2] (-0.85%, base level 8.03%), bringing down glucose levels to the target range in 44.3% of cases. In patients where dual therapy is ineffective in controlling glucose levels, the addition of a third anti-diabetic drug commonly used in China (Glimepiride, Gliclazide, Repaglinide, Acarbose) in the 20th week was shown to further reduce glycated hemoglobin (-0.59%, randomized level of 7.72% before). In the duration of the STRATEGY study, blood glucose levels were brought down to the target range in 62.3% of patients, with good tolerance. The early and timely introduction of dual and triple therapies is effective in controlling blood glucose, and provides a feasible solution for overcoming "clinical inertia".

Letting the Study Findings take root and blossom in China

Professor Zengyi Chang, Deputy Editor-in-chief of SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences stressed, "The majority of researchers in science and technology should author their papers in their motherland, and use the fruit of their research to advance the great cause of modernization, as National Scientific Meeting has request. It is gladdening to see groundbreaking scientific research - as represented by the STRATEGY study, increasingly being published in Chinese scientific journals, displaying China's scientific spirit as well as boosting the influence of local scientific journals.

Prof. Chang said, "Since the start of SCIENCE CHINA Life Sciences, it has always upheld its motto of 'Progressing with Science in China', publishing a large number of important papers by Chinese scientists, and bearing witness to the growth, development, and progress of science in New China, making a positive contribution to enriching academic exchange both at home and abroad, and boosting development in science and technology. Moving forward, we hope to see more excellent research papers being published in Chinese scientific journals. As the status of academic research in China continues to rise internationally, and research studies in China gain momentum and better standing, publishing outstanding research papers authored in China in Chinese journals will become the order of the day!"

STRATEGY is also a model for four-way collaboration between medical associations, research institutions, hospitals, and corporations - MSD China, together with the Chinese Medical Association and the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University provided an excellent platform for learning and exchange for all the institutions involved in the STRATEGY study. MSD China said the company will continue take the initiative to contribute to Healthy China 2030, advancing diabetes prevention and control to help more patients get better treatment and live healthier lives.

[1] Jianping, Weng. China Diabetic Treatment Strategy Preliminary Target [J]. Chinese Journal of Medical Information, 2014, 29:10-10. DOI: 10.3760/j.issn.1000-8039.2014.16.006.

[2] Glycated hemoglobin, HbA1c for short, is hemoglobin to which glucose is bound. It is commonly measured to show the average plasma glucose concentration over a period of 8~12 week period in patients.

SOURCE SCIENCE CHINA
NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP ("Scott+Scott"), a national shareholder and consumer rights litigation firm, reminds investors that April 28, 2017 is the last day to file lead plaintiff papers in the lawsuit against Grana y Montero S.A.A. American Depositary Shares (NYSE: GRAM) ("Grana" or the "Company") related to potential violations of federal securities laws. If you are a Grana shareholder, you are encouraged to contact Scott+Scott for additional information.

Grana, with its subsidiaries, provides engineering and construction, infrastructure, real estate, and technical services in Latin America. In 2014-2016, Grana filed Form 20-Fs with the SEC, stating that the Company "abide[s] by the highest corporate governance standards in Peru."

On February 24, 2017, Reuters published an article highlighting a local news report that Grana knew about bribes that its Brazilian partner Odebrecht paid to win construction work. On this news, Grana's stock price fell $1.77 per share, over 34%, to close at $3.32 per share on February 24, 2017.

What You Can Do

If you purchased or acquired Grana y Montero American Depositary Shares between April 30, 2014 and February 24, 2017 and you wish to discuss this lawsuit, or have questions about this notice or your legal rights, please contact attorney Rhiana Swartz at (844) 818-6980 or at [email protected].

About Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

Scott+Scott has significant experience in prosecuting major securities, antitrust, and employee retirement plan actions throughout the United States. The firm represents pension funds, foundations, individuals, and other entities worldwide with offices in New York, London, Connecticut, California, and Ohio.

CONTACT:

Rhiana Swartz

Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

(844) 818-6980

[email protected]

SOURCE Scott+Scott, Attorneys at Law, LLP

Related Links

http://scott-scott.com


SYDNEY, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The key to a successful family business transition is now being revealed. Large family business owners can now be assured of having the practical strategies they need to prepare and position themselves before they step aside from their business. The resource? Putting Yourself Before Your Successor: How to Prepare Yourself for a Successful Family Business Transition, by Danielle Fracchia.

Putting Yourself Before Your Successor Book Cover

"Family business succession is more difficult, complex and lengthier than in other environments," says author Danielle Fracchia, Co-Founder of Fracchia & Co. "The deep emotional investments into one's business result in the process taking years, with owners rarely moving into equally satisfying roles."

While consulting to large family business owners, Danielle discovered that the success of a transition relies more on intangible factors such as emotions and willingness to change than tangible factors such as plans and constitutions. The reality? Many owners understandably underestimate and overlook the importance of self-preparation. As such, they are inadequately prepared for their succession and transition which not only holds the potential to derail the process but also terminate it.

Addressed to large family business owners, Putting Yourself Before Your Successor helps them immerse themselves in their succession planning and transition process and emphasises why their self-preparation is critical to their own continuity and the continuity of their business. It reinforces that they are the only one who can lead their succession planning and transition process and gives them the confidence to start today.

For more information and to purchase Putting Yourself Before Your Successor (D&G Publishing; March 2017; Hardcover; US$37.95; 246 pages; ISBN: 978-0648012405), visit http://selfbeforesuccessor.com.

About the Author

Danielle Fracchia is Co-Founder of Fracchia & Co., a discreet family cohesion and early-stage succession consultancy firm. Known for her holistic and objective approach, Danielle helps ultra high net worth parents and couples and large family business owners across two dimensions. The first is building a cohesive family unit. The second is early stage succession planning. Danielle is available for select consulting and speaking engagements. For more information, visit http://fracchiaco.com/contact.

Media & Press Contact

John Anthony

Fracchia & Co.

+61 2 8317 5002

http://fracchiaco.com

http://selfbeforesuccessor.com

SOURCE Fracchia & Co.

Related Links

http://fracchiaco.com


Ms. Xia graduated from Parsons The New School of Design in New York. The tie-up with Semir maintains the designer's bright and enthusiastic use of color by mixing and matching the luminous fabric with the process of printing, taking full advantage of the integration of technology and fashion. The collection also made an appearance at the closing show for Shanghai Fashion Week's Green Code venue.

Semir, a brand now in its 21st year, has witnessed a new phase of growth as the result of a tie-up with Juhuasuan, allowing the brand to gain a powerful footprint on the well-known ecommerce platform. On September 2016, Semir launched the fashion partner program jointly with Juhuasuan, with popular young celebrity Nana Ouyang and cyber celebrity BoyNam as its partners. The two fashion partners' collections have both achieved good sales results.

Semir has been very successful in capitalizing on the latest fashion trends as soon as the trends made their appearance on the fashion scene, bestowing on the brand a youthful image, and fulfilling the company's long-held goal of, according to the company motto, "Celebrating life with fashion".

SOURCE Semir
SAN DIEGO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra Energy's Mexican subsidiary, Infraestructura Energetica Nova, S.A.B. de C.V. (IEnova) (BMV: IENOVA), will announce its first-quarter 2017 earnings at 7 p.m. EDT, April 25.

IEnova executives will conduct a conference call at 11 a.m. EDT, April 26.

Investors, media, analysts and the general public may listen to a live webcast of the conference call at IEnova's website, www.ienova.com.mx, by clicking on the appropriate audio link. For those unable to obtain access to the live webcast, the teleconference will be available on replay a few hours after its conclusion by dialing 001-855-859-2056 and entering passcode 8854 2014#.

Briefing materials will be posted on IEnova's website by 7 p.m. EDT, April 25.

IEnova develops, builds and operates energy infrastructure in Mexico. As of 2016, the company has invested more than US$7 billion in operating assets and projects under construction in Mexico, making it one of the largest private energy companies in the country. IEnova is the first energy infrastructure company to be listed in the Mexican Stock Exchange.

Sempra Energy, based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2016 revenues of more than $10 billion. The Sempra Energy companies' more than 16,000 employees serve approximately 32 million consumers worldwide.

Sempra South American Utilities, Sempra Infrastructure, Sempra LNG & Midstream, Sempra Renewables, Sempra Mexico and IEnova are not the same as the California utilities, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) or Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), and are not regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission.

SOURCE Sempra Energy

Related Links

http://www.sempra.com


BOSTON, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Senior Helpers Boston and Senior Helpers South Shore, premier providers of personalized in-home senior care, today announced owner Mark Friedman has been selected by Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine to receive the Spirit of Franchising Award for his exceptional performance and valuable community aid, while successfully representing the Senior Helpers brand. Friedman is one of 11 winners who have been selected for demonstrating outstanding performance in growing both their organizations and their brands.

"It's an honor to be recognized for my work with Senior Helpers," said Friedman. "I am proud to work with an organization that believes in my ability, provides me with the tools I need for success and allows me to champion our clients and brand. It is one of the best business decisions I have ever made."

Since 2009, Friedman and his team have served the Boston community through Senior Helpers' personalized in-home care services and programs. He has also been chair of the National Owners Council for the past six years and advocates for home care licensing and standardized practices as an Advisory Committee member for the Home Care Alliance (HCA). Most recently, Friedman acquired Senior Helpers South Shore, which has enabled Senior Helpers Boston to deliver the company's unique suite of caregiver services to more than 75 communities throughout the Greater Boston area

In a recent release, Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine noted, "This year had a whirlwind of impressive nominations. These power operators, innovators and creative thinkers keep raising the bar. To qualify, multi-unit franchisees must have at least five operating units, and have been in a franchise system for a minimum of two years."

Winners will receive their Most Valuable Performer (MVP) Awards at the 17th Annual Multi-Unit Franchising Conference on April 23-26 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, hosted by Multi-Unit Franchisee Magazine. At the annual event, more than 1,700 attendees will honor their success in the franchise world.

For more information about Senior Helpers Boston, visit www.SeniorHelpers.com/Boston or call (617) 500-6999; for Senior Helpers South Shore, visit www.SeniorHelpers.com/SouthShoreMA or call (781) 421-3123.

About Senior Helpers

Senior Helpers is a premier in-home senior care provider in the U.S. with over 285 franchised businesses operating across the globe. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has now cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to provide "care and comfort at a moment's notice." Senior Helpers offers a wide range of personal care and companion services, including trained Alzheimer's, dementia and Parkinson's care, to assist seniors who wish to live independently. Learn more by visiting http://www.seniorhelpers.com.

About Franchise Update Media

Founded in 1988, Franchise Update Media (FUM) produces popular franchise websites, magazines, research and three highly regarded annual conferences, serving franchise audiences online, in print, and in person. FUM delivers a unique combination of education and lead generation sources that help franchisors, multi-unit franchisees, prospective franchisees and suppliers achieve their growth objectives. For more information, please visit www.franchiseupdatemedia.com.

Contact: Melissa Masters

Havas Formula

(619) 234-0345

[email protected]

SOURCE Senior Helpers

Related Links

http://www.seniorhelpers.com


NEW YORK, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner at Monteverde & Associates PC, a boutique securities class action firm headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Astoria Financial Corp. ("Astoria" or the "Company") (NYSE: AF) and its Board of Directors for potential securities laws violations and/or breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with the sale of the Company to Sterling Bancorp ("Sterling") (NYSE: STL). The Company's stockholders will only receive 0.875 shares in Sterling Bancorp for for each Astoria share they own.

Click here for more information: http://monteverdelaw.com/investigations/m-a/. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.

The investigation focuses on whether Astoria and its Board of Directors violated securities laws and/or breached their fiduciary duties to the Company's stockholders by 1) failing to conduct a fair process 2) whether and by how much this proposed transaction undervalues the Company by and 3) failing to disclose all material financial information in connection with the upcoming shareholder meeting.

Monteverde & Associates PC is a boutique class action securities and consumer litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders and consumers from corporate wrongdoing. Monteverde & Associates PC lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions, whereby they protect investors by recovering money and remedying corporate misconduct.

If you own common stock in Astoria and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit us at www.monteverdelaw.com/investigations/m-a/ or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at [email protected] or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.

Contact:

Juan E. Monteverde, Esq.

MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Ave. Suite 4405

New York, NY 10118

United States of America

[email protected]

Tel: (212) 971-1341

Attorney Advertising. (C) 2017 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.

SOURCE MONTEVERDE & ASSOCIATES PC

Related Links

http://www.monteverdelaw.com


John G. Morikis, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sherwin-Williams, said, "With this agreement, we believe that we have addressed regulatory concerns appropriately and we are moving forward to obtain approval for our acquisition of Valspar."

Gary E. Hendrickson, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Valspar, said, "We believe that Axalta is an excellent buyer for our North American Industrial Wood Coatings business and will provide great opportunities for our talented employees. Axalta is a strong cultural fit with Valspar and shares our commitment to innovation and customer service. We will work closely with Axalta to ensure a smooth transition of this business."

The sale of Valspar's North American Industrial Wood Coatings business to Axalta is subject to the closing of the Valspar and Sherwin-Williams merger, as well as customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including the approval of the FTC and the CCB. Axalta has secured a financing commitment for the transaction through Deutsche Bank AG New York Branch, subject to customary closing conditions. JP Morgan acted as financial advisor to Sherwin-Williams .

On March 20, 2017, Sherwin-Williams and Valspar announced the extension of the merger agreement to June 21, 2017. This extension, especially in light of the agreement announced today, is expected to provide more than sufficient time to complete the Valspar acquisition.

About The Sherwin-Williams Company

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution, and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers. The company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams, HGTV HOME by Sherwin-Williams, Dutch Boy, Krylon, Minwax, Thompson's Water Seal, and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of more than 4,100 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company's other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers, and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Global Finishes Group distributes a wide range of products in more than 115 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.sherwin.com.

About Valspar

Valspar is a global leader in the coatings industry providing customers with innovative, high-quality products and value-added services. Our 11,000 employees worldwide deliver advanced coatings solutions with best-in-class appearance, performance, protection and sustainability to customers in more than 100 countries. Valspar offers a broad range of superior coatings products for the consumer market, and highly-engineered solutions for the construction, industrial, packaging and transportation markets. Founded in 1806, Valspar is headquartered in Minneapolis. Valspar's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: VAL). For more information, visit www.valspar.com and follow @valspar on Twitter.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This communication contains forward-looking information about Valspar, Sherwin-Williams and the proposed transaction. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believe," "expect," "may," "will," "should," "project," "could," "plan," "goal," "potential," "pro forma," "seek," "intend" or "anticipate" or the negative thereof or comparable terminology, and include discussions of strategy, financial projections, guidance and estimates (including their underlying assumptions), statements regarding plans, objectives, expectations or consequences of announced transactions, and statements about the future performance, operations, products and services of Valspar and its subsidiaries. Valspar and Sherwin-Williams caution readers not to place undue reliance on these statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. Consequently, actual results and experience may materially differ from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include the following: the possibility that the closing conditions to the contemplated transactions may not be satisfied or waived, including that a governmental entity may prohibit, delay or refuse to grant a necessary regulatory approval; delay in closing the transaction or the possibility of non-consummation of the transaction; delay in completing any divestitures required to receive regulatory approval; the potential for regulatory authorities to require divestitures in connection with the proposed transaction and the possibility that Valspar stockholders consequently receive $105 per share instead of $113 per share; the occurrence of any event that could give rise to termination of the merger agreement; the risk that stockholder litigation in connection with the contemplated transactions may affect the timing or occurrence of the contemplated transactions or result in significant costs of defense, indemnification and liability; risks inherent in the achievement of cost synergies and the timing thereof; risks related to the disruption of the transaction to Valspar and its management; the effect of announcement of the transaction on Valspar's ability to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with customers, suppliers and other third parties; fluctuations in the availability and prices of raw materials; difficult global economic and capital markets conditions; risks associated with revenues from foreign markets; interruption, failure or compromise of Valspar's information systems; and changes in the legal and regulatory environment. Valspar and Sherwin-Williams make no commitment to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances occurring or existing after the date any forward-looking statement is made.

CONTACTS

For The Sherwin-Williams Company:

Investor Relations Contact:

Bob Wells

Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs

Sherwin-Williams

(216) 566-2244

[email protected]

Media Contacts:

Mike Conway

Director, Corporate Communications

Sherwin-Williams

(216) 515-4393

[email protected]

Or

Sard Verbinnen & Co

Jim Barron / Jared Levy / Patrick Scanlan

(212) 687-8080



For The Valspar Corporation:

Investor and Media Contact:

Bill Seymour

Vice President, Investor Relations, Communications and Finance

(612) 656-1328

[email protected]

Or

Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher

Matthew Sherman / Tim Lynch / Joseph Sala

(212) 355-4449

SOURCE The Sherwin-Williams Company

Related Links

http://www.sherwin.com


COMMERCE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart & Final Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SFS), the value-oriented food and everyday staples retailer, today announced that it will report its financial results for the first quarter ended March 26, 2017, on Wednesday, May 3, 2017, after the close of market. David Hirz, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Phegley, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will host a conference call to discuss the results at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time / 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time the same day.

The call will also be broadcast live over the Internet, accessible through the Investors section of Smart & Final's website at www.smartandfinal-investor.com.

Smart & Final Stores First Quarter 2017 Conference Call Details

Date: Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Time: 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Dial-In: 1-877-423-9813 (domestic), 1-201-689-8573 (international)

Conference ID: 13659241

A telephonic replay of the call will be available beginning Wednesday, May 3, 2017, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, through Wednesday, May 17, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. To access the replay, dial 1-844-512-2921 (domestic) or 1-412-317-6671 (international) and enter the replay pin number: 13659241. A replay of the webcast will also be available for 60 days upon completion of the conference call, accessible through the Investors section of Smart & Final's website at www.smartandfinal-investor.com.

About Smart & Final

Smart & Final Stores, Inc. (NYSE: SFS), is a value-oriented food and everyday staples retailer, headquartered in Commerce (near Los Angeles), California. The Company offers quality products in a variety of sizes, saving household, nonprofit and business customers time and money. As of March 26, 2017, the Company operated 308 grocery and foodservice stores under the "Smart & Final," "Smart & Final Extra!" and "Cash & Carry Smart Foodservice" banners in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah, with an additional 15 stores in Northwestern Mexico operated through a joint venture. In business for over 145 years, the Company remains committed to giving back to local communities through employee volunteer opportunities and Company donations to local nonprofits.

SOURCE Smart & Final Stores, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.smartandfinal.com


SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Smile, the developer of productivity applications for Mac, iPhone and iPad, launches PDFpen and PDFpenPro 9.0, a new major version of its all-purpose PDF editing tool for Mac. Version 9 introduces over 100 enhancements to this powerful PDF editor, covering document annotations, Tables of Contents, and export options.

PDFpen provides a flexible document reading and navigating experience along with a variety of editing tools, enabling users to sign PDF documents, fill forms, and search and redact sensitive information. Export to Microsoft Word. Fix typos without the original document. Add comments, images and highlight text.

Version 9 supports removing the OCR text layer and linking to pages in locally stored documents as well as adding line numbers. The new Hand tool allows for panning as well as zooming in and out and search-and-highlight joins search-and-replace.

PDFpenPro 9.0, offering professional level PDF editing, adds horizontal Chinese, Japanese and Korean OCR.

"From annotations to export options, we've improved PDFpen and PDFpenPro 9 in over 100 ways, great and small," said Philip Goward, Smile Founder. "For our Pro users, we've paid special attention to their PDF editing needs with improved Table of Contents editing and Asian language OCR. We're thrilled that PDFpen 9 is our most advanced version yet."

PDFpenPro is one of a family of products that includes the iPad and iPhone apps: PDFpen 2 and PDFpen Scan+. Documents sync between devices for seamless editing via Dropbox and iCloud.

PDFpen is available for 74,95. PDFpenPro is 124,95. Both require macOS 10.11 (El Capitan) or later. Demo versions are available at http://smilesoftware.com/PDFpen

For iPad and iPhone: PDFpen 2 is 19,99, and PDFpen Scan+ is 6,99 on the iTunes App Store.

Press Kit to PDFpen and PDFpenPro 9:

http://smilesoftware.com/static/pr/PDFpen9_PressKit.zip (5.7 MB)

ABOUT SMILE

Smile makes clever software for efficient people, including PDFpen, the all-purpose Mac PDF editor; PDFpen for iPad & iPhone, the mobile PDF editor; and PDFpen Scan+, which brings the power of scanning and OCR to your iPad and iPhone.

Free demos of all Smile products for Mac are available for at

http://www.smilesoftware.com

CONTACTS:

Maia Olson (+1-510-599-7070, PDT)

PR, Smile

E-mail: [email protected]

Greg Scown (+1-510-289-4000, PDT)

Founder, Smile

E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.smilesoftware.com/

@SmileSoftware

SOURCE Smile

Related Links

http://www.smilesoftware.com


TOKYO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation is announcing the commercialization of a new state-of-the-art 2.45 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor for automotive cameras, the IMX390CQV type 1/2.7. Sony will begin shipping samples in May 2017.

IMX390CQV CMOS image sensor for automotive cameras (PRNewsfoto/Sony) (Left) Simultaneous LED flicker mitigation and HDR functions (Right) HDR function only (PRNewsfoto/Sony) IMX390CQV under 0.1 lux light condition (PRNewsfoto/Sony) Visual image under 0.1 lux light condition (PRNewsfoto/Sony)

This image sensor is equipped with an LED flicker mitigation (LFM) function that reduces flickering when shooting LED signs and traffic signals, as well as High Dynamic Range (HDR) function capable of 120 dB2 wide dynamic range shooting. The IMX390CQV is the first1 in the industry that can simultaneously mitigate LED flicker and capture in HDR, a capability made possible by Sony's original pixel structure and exposure method. It also offers high-sensitivity performance capable of producing high-quality color images even in light conditions as low as 0.1 lux, which is equivalent to moonlight.

In recent years, LEDs have been widely adopted for traffic signs and signals, and also for car components such as headlights and brake lights. Another trend has been the need for automotive cameras to be able to capture high-quality images with a wide dynamic range, even in situations of dramatic contrast, such as when entering or exiting tunnels during daylight hours. This image sensor simultaneously uses both the LFM and HDR functions to deal with these types of situations, providing more precise recognition in the diverse real-world traffic environments that drivers encounter.

Model name Sample shipment date Mass-production

shipment date (planned) Sample price

(excluding tax) IMX390CQV type 1/2.7, 2.45

effective megapixel CMOS image

sensor for automotive cameras May 2017 March 2018 5,000 JPY

The IMX390CQV is planned to meet the requirements of the AEC-Q100 Grade 2 automotive electronic component reliability tests this fiscal year. Moreover, with this new product, Sony also introduced a development process that complies with ISO26262 automobile functional safety standards, aiming to achieve a high level of design quality and reliability for an automotive product. The new sensor supports the functional safety requirement level ASIL C. By supporting these standards and quality requirements for automobile components, the product is ready for use in forward-sensing cameras for Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) and cameras for Camera Monitoring System (CMS) that show persons and obstacles on an in-car monitor with clear visibility, an application expected to grow as a substitute for conventional rearview mirrors.

Main Features

1. Simultaneous LFM and HDR functions

This image sensor uses original Sony pixel structure and exposure methods to achieve the industry's first1-ever simultaneous LFM and HDR functions. LED signs and the LED lights of cars in front and behind the vehicle can be accurately recognized while enabling wide dynamic range image capture with no highlight blowout or loss of shadow detail in situations of dramatic contrast, such as when entering or exiting tunnels.

LFM function

In recent traffic environments, LEDs are often used for traffic signs and signals as well as automobile headlights and taillights. This means that automotive cameras must be able to capture these elements accurately. However, due to the fact that LEDs flash repeatedly at a very fast rate, which is normally unnoticeable to human eyes, when caught on camera they can generate an effect known as LED flicker. The LED light captured with the average CMOS image sensor often exhibits flickers, which impairs accurate recognition of signals and surrounding automobiles. Sony's new image sensor has addressed this issue by making the exposure time longer than the LED flicker frequency, thereby minimizing the likelihood of flicker.

Note: Mitigates LED flicker from LED light sources (frequency > 90 Hz) stipulated in EN12966.



Sample movie of LFM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPdlt59krEc



In recent traffic environments, LEDs are often used for traffic signs and signals as well as automobile headlights and taillights. This means that automotive cameras must be able to capture these elements accurately. However, due to the fact that LEDs flash repeatedly at a very fast rate, which is normally unnoticeable to human eyes, when caught on camera they can generate an effect known as LED flicker. The LED light captured with the average CMOS image sensor often exhibits flickers, which impairs accurate recognition of signals and surrounding automobiles. Sony's new image sensor has addressed this issue by making the exposure time longer than the LED flicker frequency, thereby minimizing the likelihood of flicker. Note: Mitigates LED flicker from LED light sources (frequency > 90 Hz) stipulated in EN12966. Sample movie of LFM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPdlt59krEc 120dB2 HDR function

Automotive cameras must also be able to capture clear overall images with minimal noise, no loss of shadow detail, and no highlight blowout, even in situations of dramatic contrast, such as when entering or existing tunnels in the daytime, or driving in urban areas at night. The new image sensor features an original Sony pixel structure and exposure method that delivers an HDR function capable of 120 dB2 wide dynamic range shooting with low noise.



Sample comparison movies: Simultaneous LFM and HDR functions (Left), HDR function only (Right): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuvTQS2pEtw

2. High-sensitivity 1,953mV (standard F5.6)

The new image sensor is equipped with circuits possessing improved efficiency when converting electronic signals received from photodiodes to voltage signals. This delivers the highest sensitivity, approximately 1.5x that of current market leading3 image sensors for 2.0 megapixel class automotive cameras (according to Sony research). This capability enables the sensor to capture high-quality colour images even in light conditions as low as 0.1 lux, which is equivalent to moonlight, enhancing camera reliability in rendering obstacles and persons.

Additionally, Euro NCAP, an organization involved in automotive safety rating in European countries, has decided to include nighttime pedestrians as targets for automatic braking collision avoidance systems in 2018. Going forward, this will drive increased demand for high-sensitivity, high-quality image capture capabilities in the automotive camera market.

Image comparison under 0.1 lux light condition: IMX390CQV (Left), Visual image (Right)

3. Meeting quality standards required for automotive applications

Planned to meet the AEC-Q100 Grade 2 automotive electronic component reliability requirements this fiscal year

Development process complies with ISO26262 automobile functional safety standards, resulting in a high level of design quality

Sensor meets ASIL C functional safety requirements

Key Specifications

Model name IMX390CQV Number of effective pixels 2017 (H)  1217 (V), approx. 2.45 megapixels Image size Diagonal 6.67 mm (type 1/2.7) Unit cell size 3.0 m (H)  3.0 m (V) Frame rate Full-HD1080p AD10bit 60fps, AD12bit 40fps Sensitivity (F5.6 standard value,

1/30 second storage time) 1,953mV (green pixel) Dynamic range (EMVA1288

standard) 120 dB 110 dB (When HDR function and LFM function are used

simultaneously) Saturation signal (minimum

value) 700mV Power supply Analog 2.9 V Digital 1.2 V Interface 1.8 V Interface MIPI CSI-2 serial output (4 lane / 2 lane) Package 96pin plastic BGA Package size 10.0mm x 10.6mm

1 As of announcement on April 12, 2017

2 In accordance with the EMVA1288 standard. The dynamic range is 110 dB when using the HDR function and LFM simultaneously.

3 When compared with Sony CMOS image sensor IMX290 for automotive applications.

SOURCE Sony
AUSTIN, Texas, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Austin-based SpareFoot has joined more than 2,600 worksites across Texas by becoming an official Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite. Mother-Friendly employers proactively support employees who choose to breastfeed their infants by providing time, space, and other supports to maintain breastfeeding after returning to work. Photos of SpareFoot's Mother's Room are available here.

Of the total designations across the state, only about 6% are Silver, and only about 3% of Austin designations are at the Silver level. There are 529 businesses in Austin with a Mother-Friendly Worksite Designation, making up 20% of the total designations across the state  and 17 of those are Silver.

SpareFoot met the Silver requirements by offering:

Offering Part-time work or working some hours from home as well as individualized scheduling of work hours

Payment for milk expression breaks

Creating a private room with a locking door for use only by employees who are breastfeeding

Providing a sink for washing hands and rinsing equipment and a refrigerator for the storage of breast milk

Distribution of the lactation policy to all employees and supervisors within six months of employment and at least annually thereafter

Making available a lending library of breastfeeding information, contact information for local lactation consultants and other resources and an online forum for mother-to-mother support among employees

"We know that juggling work and caring for an infant can be tough, and we want to support our new mothers and their families in meeting their breastfeeding goals," said Chuck Gordon, CEO and co-founder of SpareFoot.com. "We are extremely pleased to be part of the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite program."

SpareFoot's parental leave policy includes up to 12 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. The company also delivers a daily meal, prepared by the company's in-house chef for one week after delivery or adoption. In addition, anyone who has a baby or adopts a child will receive one month of free laundry service.

Administered by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite Program recognizes employers with written policies reflecting their support for their breastfeeding employees.

SpareFoot.com is the largest marketplace for storage, making it easier to move and store your stuff. Our website lets you find and compare the best storage deals near you, and instantly rent online or by phone for free.

SOURCE SpareFoot

Related Links

http://www.sparefoot.com


Some smart home products and services have struggled to gain acceptance because they focus on issues which are less relevant to certain customer segments. For example, some people are less interested in technology, but are willing to pay for products and services that will help them to better manage their homes.

"The idea of home management encompasses everything from energy management to budgeting to maintenance and repair," said Bill Ablondi, Director of Strategy Analytics' Smart Home Strategies service. "To appeal to a mass market, companies should focus on solving real problems for consumers."

The segments identified by Strategy Analytics are:

Strugglers

This group is the largest, and also the most challenging to reach, with lower incomes and very little interest in technology or concern about environmental issues. Most smart home products and services are unlikely to resonate with this segment.

Convenience Seekers

This is the second largest segment, which are later to adopt tech, but could be attracted by service providers who focus on the convenience of smart home products and de-emphasize the technology.

Retired Renters

This is a sizeable segment which is challenging to sell to, but may be persuaded by messaging focused on how smart home products can help with issues of pollution and global warming.

Greens

Greens are not the only segment concerned with environmental issues, but they are the only group prepared to pay a premium for eco-friendly products and services, so smart home providers focusing on environmental benefits should target this group.

Affluent Nesters

This group is happy to pay for products and services which help manage the home, and are ready to adopt new technology, but are not particularly concerned about the environment, so marketers should adopt a different approach to reaching this segment.

Impressers

This affluent group readily adopts new technology and is also concerned about the environment, so is a prime target for all sorts of smart home products and services.

Early Adopters

These technophiles are happy to pay for new products to manage the home but are less concerned about their home's appearance and environmental issues. A tech-focused marketing strategy is needed for this segment.

"There are some consumer groups that will be easier to reach than others," said Joe Branca, Principal Industry Analyst at Strategy Analytics. "This research helps to identify some of the challenges associated with reaching customers outside of the early adopter segments."

Strategy Analytics surveyed a total of 6351 smartphone owners who own or rent their own residences across the following Western European countries: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. The survey was conducted in the latter half of 2016 and the data was weighted by age and gender to demographically reflect the population of smartphone owners.

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com

US Contact: Joseph Branca, +1 617 614 0798, [email protected]

Additional US Contact: Bill Ablondi, +1 617 614 0744, [email protected]

European Contact: David Mercer, +44 (1) 1908 423 610, [email protected]

SOURCE Strategy Analytics

Related Links

http://www.strategyanalytics.com


CHICAGO, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- More than half of office-based employees say their companies don't have written policies on data retention or personal use of work devices, or if they do, they aren't aware of them, a kCura survey found.

In addition, 55 percent of office-based employees say they believe there is no harm to their companies when they use a work device for personal communications.

The online survey of 1,013 full or part-time employees who work in an office at least 50% of the time (referred to as "employees" throughout) was conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of kCura between December 28th, 2016 and January 18th, 2017 to uncover which employee habits are contributing to the explosion of unstructured data in the enterprise. kCura are the developers of Relativity, a platform used by the U.S. Department of Justice and more than 70 Fortune 100 companies to manage large volumes of data during litigation, investigations, and compliance projects.

According to David Horrigan, e-discovery counsel at kCura and former data privacy analyst, the employee communication habits revealed by the study could put organizations at risk for increased data retention and discovery costs in today's increasingly litigious business environment.

That's because laws, regulations, and rules, including the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which govern civil proceedings in U.S. district courts, have generally treated all data within the enterprise - even personal conversations - as potentially discoverable.

"With so much data to organize, risk and costs canand doget out of control very quickly," said Horrigan. "Complete bans on the personal use of work devices would be difficultif not impossibleto implement, and could be harmful to employee morale. However, companies do need to implement reasonable policies to mitigate risk."

A Data Retention Policy Is a Must-Have

The survey results reveal that 63 percent of employees don't believe their companies have policies on email retention or checking personal email and other accounts at work, or if they do, they don't know about them. A slightly better 56 percent say the same about written social media policies.

An overwhelming majority of employees (70 percent) also admit to using email/folders in their inbox as filing systems on the job  a habit that makes it more difficult for enterprises to implement email retention policies without disrupting business, said Horrigan.

"Having a defensible data retention policy is one of the most fundamental necessities for mitigating risk in today's digital business environment," said Horrigan. "If a business faces a lawsuit or regulatory proceeding, it could face substantial sanctions for failure to preserve email."

For example, in a 2016 decision, U.S. District Judge Leonard Stark in Delaware sanctioned an electronics company $3 million in punitive sanctions plus costs for its unlawful deletion of email. In another case, a major airline faced multiple discovery sanctions, including court sanctions of $2.7 million in August 2015 for discovery failures.

Employees Care about Privacy  But Compromise It Anyway

Although 98 percent of employees surveyed said privacy was important to them, they engage in communications habits that put their privacy at risk. For example, 60 percent have done at least one of the following on a personal device connected to company WiFi:

Sent personal emails (47%)

Used the internet for personal purposes (45%)

Sent personal text messages (40%)

Sent personal messages via messaging apps (23%)

Posted on social media (22%)

Sent personal photos (20%)

Sent personal video (10%)

Additionally, employees use work devices for personal conversations. Thirty-eight percent use work email at least sometimes to send or receive personal/non-work related communications, while 28 percent sometimes or often use a work device to chat online with friends using services like Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facebook Messenger.

Employees said they have also used work devices for personal conversations that may contain particularly sensitive information:

32 percent with their physicians

28 percent with financial advisors

18 percent with lawyers

Communicating with a lawyer via email, text, or social media on a work device could pose the greatest risk, said Horrigan. By doing so, employees could be disclosing the conversation to a third party  the company  which could waive their attorney-client privilege.

If an employer fails to create or enforce policies on privacy, they may find that employees still have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

"Laws surrounding employee privacy are still developing," said Horrigan. "To protect themselves, employers must implement clear policies defining employees' expectation of privacy at work. For employees, the best bet is to keep work and personal communications separate. If you're wondering whether a certain communication or activity will remain private, you should assume that it will not."

Enterprise Data Volumes Are Skyrocketing

A 2016 survey by Osterman Research found that organizations stored a mean of 49.3 gigabytes of email data per user, and that total messaging-related storage during the previous 12 months had increased a mean of 18 percent. If growth continues at that pace, the data per user will reach 133 gigabytes by 2022.

Beyond conducting personal business at work, employees can contribute to growing enterprise data volumes by using digital platforms excessively to connect with colleagues in lieu of phone and face-to-face conversations.

For example, according to the survey, 54 percent of employees admit that they email large groups of people at work at least sometimes, while 30 percent concede hitting "reply all" when it's not necessary sometimes, often, or all the time. These habits may contribute to employees being copied on an average of 16 unnecessary emails per day.

"Workers today are more conscious about problematic habits such as printing unnecessary documents, but they don't think twice about sending an unnecessary email, IM, or Slack chat," said Horrigan. "The truth is, these digital communications leave footprints, too. When corporations don't take the steps to govern their information  or at least have consistent, repeatable processes for handling large volumes of data  they could face an array of legal headaches, IT frustrations, and high costs."

The full report, "Big Data from Employees Leads to Big Risk for Employers," is available for download on the Relativity Blog along with an infographic illustrating four steps you can take to protect your business now.

Method statement: This survey was conducted online in the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of kCura between December 28th, 2016 and January 18th, 2017. The research was conducted among 1,013 adults age 18+ who are employed full-time or part-time, not a freelancer, and works in a traditional office setting for at least 50% of the time. Figures for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

About kCura

kCura are the developers of Relativity, an e-discovery platform used by more than 12,000 organizations to manage large volumes of data and quickly identify key issues during litigation, internal investigations, and compliance projects. Relativity has over 150,000 active users in 40+ countries from organizations including the U.S. Department of Justice, more than 70 Fortune 100 companies, and more than 195 of the Am Law 200. Corporations, law firms, and government agencies use Relativity on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid platformwith hosted, on-demand solutions available through a global network of partners. As a platform, Relativity also allows developers to design, build, and integrate applications that extend its functionality. kCura has been named one of Chicago's Top Workplaces by the Chicago Tribune for six consecutive years and received the CityLIGHTS Lighthouse Award from the Illinois Technology Association in 2016. Please contact kCura at [email protected] or visit http://www.kcura.com for more information.

SOURCE kCura

Related Links

https://www.kcura.com


SCHAFFHAUSEN, Switzerland, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TE Connectivity Ltd. (NYSE: TEL) will report fiscal 2017 second quarter results before trading begins on April 26, 2017. The company will hold a conference call for investors at 8:30 a.m. ET. The call can be accessed in the following ways:

At TE Connectivity's website: http://investors.te.com.

By telephone: For both "listen-only" participants and those participants who wish to take part in the question-and-answer portion of the call, the dial-in number in the United States is (800) 230-1059, and for international callers, the dial-in number is (612) 234-9960.

is (800) 230-1059, and for international callers, the dial-in number is (612) 234-9960. An audio replay of the conference call will be available beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET on April 26, 2017 , and ending at 11:59 p.m. ET on May 3, 2017 . The dial-in number for participants in the United States is (800) 475-6701. For participants outside the United States , the dial-in number is (320) 365-3844. The replay access code for all callers is 421540.

ABOUT TE CONNECTIVITY

TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $12 billion global technology leader. Our commitment to innovation enables advancements in transportation, industrial applications, medical technology, energy, data communications, and the home. TE's unmatched breadth of connectivity and sensor solutions, proven in the harshest of environments, helps build a safer, greener, smarter and more connected world. With 75,000 people  including more than 7,000 engineers  working alongside customers in nearly 150 countries, we help ensure that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS  www.TE.com

SOURCE TE Connectivity Ltd.

Related Links

http://www.te.com


SEATTLE, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Book Guild announces its first novel with proceeds going to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Digital Book Guild is an non-profit publisher attracting writers willing to donate some or all of their proceeds to various charities. Paul Michael Privateer's Oracle Virus is the first release in this effort.

Digital Book Guild

Reviewers and readers have said the Oracle Virus has a fast-paced plot that moves through bizarre serial murders, kidnappings, betrayal and deceit with a jolting tension running through the story to the end in Washington DC. The violent climax between nature and man, the fake fog of Washington D.C. politics, Kafkaesque intrigue, and epic battles collide allegorically, leading readers down the America's truth resistant political rabbit hole, with an orange haired real estate tycoon guide. The book has nothing and everything to do with the Oracle, not Larry' Ellison's but America's.

Other have enjoyed it as the first "Google-assist read". They've stated that while surface action pleases pop readers hooked on hybrid international thriller-sci-fi mysteries, there is a below resembling a Lynch ecosystem reminiscent of Borges, Kafka, Hesse, Updike, Rushdie, Kidman, Antonioni, Greenville, Ihimaera, Adichie, and Abani. The Oracle Virus invents a new genrehyperallegorical realism. The deeper a reader dives in the more The Oracle Virus reveals itself as postcolonial fiction, a cautionary tale of the effects of Trumpian politics, dressed up as a blockbuster.

Others insist that Privateer has created a novel that reads like a movie and is in a league with the likes of John Le Carre (and British intelligence), John Grisham (and legal acumen), Dan Brown (and religious intrigue), and Patricia Cornwell (and Forensic Science).

Digital Book Guild believes it has a winner given responses that suggest the novel is flat out the most intense sci-fi mystery and beat political thriller offered up in a decade, a novel in which readers travel through two centuries, fly in and out of exotic world capitols and meet renegade Nazis, meet a computer genius, Dark Web cave dwellers, Shaolin priests, Interpol's toughest agents, strange prophets, and then meet Jack Kavanaugh, a modern hybrid of Sherlock Holmes and Jason Bourne, only smarter and stronger.

The first reviewer's comments are about the novel's realism: "This sci-fi mystery thriller is set in the present, save for opening Hitler Nazi flashbacks. I say this in case a prospective reader expects star travel. The description and praise stated in the synopsis is accurate. Parts of the "science fiction" aspect of the book's storyline are increasingly believable, given ever-expanding bio-technology. Scary! I tend to Google items I find in fiction, to learn how fictitious some story features are. I found that seriously-sized drone apocalyptic delivery vehicles used in the scary climax are available. Privateer spins an engaging mystery thriller. His social awareness is a plus. All proceeds are to go St Jude Children's Hospital, cancer research division."

The editorial board agrees that the Oracle Virus is a very unusual, advanced high-tech detective story that combines science-fiction, detective, thriller, and romance. The story starts out meticulously and then becomes a real page turner.

The cover provides a good overview: The Oracle Virus nerve blasts its way into being a classic sci-fi thriller with substantial philosophic insight. It doesn't brake a nanosecond for Hitchcock twists or Phillip K. Dick's paranoia. Page one is a rabbit hole: why is there a fake Gestapo assassination of Hitler or is there? How does a secret genetics lab survive WWII bombings? Can a machine named Mediatron create reality? Or can a nanovirus control our minds? How is a serial geek murder, a hurricane headed toward D.C., a whale stranding, the kidnapping of world presidents, a bloody fight atop the Washington Monument and a secret Louisiana rogue organization all be connected? Or are they?

They found that Privateer's social awareness was a plus with proceeds going to St Jude's Children's' Hospital, cancer research division. The Oracle Virus may be the first novel ever in its charity goal is announced on the title page.

Author Bio

Paul Michael Privateer was born in New York, served in the United States Air Force, and is interested in intersections between literature, media, and science/information technology. His books include Romantic Voices and Inventing Intelligence, and many of his journal articles deal with the cultural and political effects of cyberspace, digital technology, and corporate media. Privateer has taught at San Jose State, the University of Southern Mississippi, Georgia Institute of Technology and Arizona State University. The University of Geneva, Stanford, and MIT offered him a Fulbright and visiting professorships. He has appeared in the New York Times and on CNN, PBS, ABC, NPR, and BBC4 given his work on education reform, citizen service, and the digital future.

His fiction focuses on the most basic aspects of being human: love, passion, fidelity, identity, taboos, social alienation, insecurity and death. His next novels, A Woman in Love and The Nightmare Collector explore the limits of digital media and hyperreal minimalism.

His fiction is about fiction. His recent novel, The Oracle Virus, pays sometimes subtle homage to McFarlane, Shakespeare, Hugo, Dickens, Woolf, Kafka, Hardy, Melville, Camus, Steinbeck, Beckett, Borges, Dick, Auster, Angelou, Ellison, Roth, Gibson and many others whose influences ultimately make serious fiction writing a ritual gathering of ghosts. This respect and fascination began with his favorite childhood game: Authors.

Privateer lives in the Pacific Northwest and is engaged in socially conscious initiatives. He is founder of NoSchoolViolence.org and Seattle Data for Good. He kayaks, likes trekking Puget Sound islands and the Olympic Peninsula with Nell, a curious but cautiously social black lab. For some unknown reason, she doesn't sniff everyone's hand.

More info:

The Oracle Virus

paulprivateer.com

Contact

Tara Reynolds

Marketing Staff

DBP

206.319.3578

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com

SOURCE Digital Book Guild
FOREST HILLS, N.Y., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After conducting an extensive nationwide search, The Kew-Forest School is pleased to announce that Carla Jantos MacMullen, Dean of Faculty at Hopkins School in New Haven, has accepted the invitation of the Board of Trustees to be the next and first female Head of The Kew-Forest School effective July 1, 2017.

Ms. MacMullen brings a long and distinguished career of consistent success in education to her new role at Kew-Forest. She has spent the past 30 years at Hopkins School in New Haven, CT, one of the country's oldest and finest independent day schools. The two schools have much in common including a deep respect for and commitment to scholarship, service, creativity, and ethical conduct. Ms. MacMullen will serve as the ninth Head of School to lead Kew-Forestan exciting and historic moment for the School as it approaches its centennial anniversary next year.

Gregory L. Matalon, Chair of the Board of Trustees said, "The selection of Head of School is one of the greatest responsibilities of trusteeship. In our many rounds of interviews and conversations with Ms. MacMullen, we consistently saw a strong and thoughtful leader; a superior level of preparation and analysis; someone committed to our values of diversity and inclusion and consideration of the balance between independent school best practices and Kew-Forest's specific needsall while keeping students first."

"I am honored to have been chosen to lead The Kew-Forest School and committed to partnering with the Board of Trustees to honor tradition while stewarding the School's future. I greatly look forward to getting to know the current generation of students and their families and closely working with the faculty and administration. I also look forward to connecting with the alumni of this esteemed school and understanding what Kew-Forest has meant to legions of students over the years. I'm excited to serve the school community and lead Kew-Forest into the next phase of its history," said Ms. MacMullen.

The Kew-Forest School looks forward to welcoming Ms. MacMullen and her family to the school community.

ABOUT CARLA JANTOS MACMULLEN

Ms. MacMullen began her career at Hopkins as a chemistry teacher. She rapidly rose to assume the duties as Chair of the Science Department and then Dean of Faculty, supporting the welfare and professional activities of 125+ faculty members. Carla grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and graduated from Denison University in Granville, Ohio with a B.S. in Chemistry and extensive coursework in Spanish language/literature, ballet and Afro-Caribbean dance. In May 2017, she will receive her M.Ed. in Independent School Leadership from The Klingenstein Center at Teachers College at Columbia University. Carla and her husband, J. Alexander "Sandy" MacMullen have three children.

ABOUT THE KEW-FOREST SCHOOL

Established in 1918, The Kew-Forest School is the oldest independent, co-ed college preparatory school in the New York City borough of Queens for students in early childhood through 12th grade. With more than 250 students hailing from 65 countries around the globe, Kew-Forest produces citizens of our school and the world. Today the School maintains a rich tradition of fostering "high standards of excellence, discipline and a sincere spirit of service." Our graduates develop the skills necessary for pursuing higher education at top colleges and universities. We invite you to learn more about The Kew-Forest School community and financial aid availability.

CONTACT

Jade Wiederholt

Marketing & Communications

(718) 268-4667

[email protected]

RELATED LINKS

Website: www.kewforest.org

Facebook: http://fb.me/TheKewForestSchool

Photos: www.kewforest.org/media

SOURCE The Kew-Forest School

Related Links

http://www.kewforest.org


Each year AHM invites the Life Science Industry to come together at the annual conference to share perspectives and discuss solutions that enable them to become proactively compliant in their interactions with healthcare professionals (HCP). This is an opportunity for professionals from Meeting Services, IT, Procurement, Compliance & Legal, Commercial Operations, Medical Affairs and Sales & Marketing departments to come together to learn, share and strategize on how better to manage the challenges associated with running compliant meeting and events globally.

This premier event attracts attendees ranging from large to emerging healthcare organizations (HCOs) worldwide. The conference theme of Next Generation of Compliant Meetings & Events focuses on how to leverage software and services in order to transform processes, mitigate risk, maximize efficiencies and reduce costs-all challenges the industry faces when it engages HCPs for meetings and events and other consulting activities.

As government regulations mandate HCOs to be transparent regarding their spending/"transfer-of-value" transactions for HCP interactions, there has been a dramatic increase in efforts to enhance data collection and quality while ensuring compliance policies and regulations are met.

AHM's Industry Conference is unique because of its comprehensive content: a 'one-of-a-kind' experience unavailable at any other event of this kind. The Conference explores real-world experiences of AHM's broad customer base, addressing some of the business problems and associated software and services solutions that arise across the industry, as well as providing sessions focused on innovative solutions from partner organizations and experts in Life Sciences compliance.

With complimentary registration, targeted discussions, and networking opportunities, the AHM Industry Conference provides valuable knowledge and insights into the next generation of solutions for its customers and the industry. Attendance is on an invitation-only basis.

Limited seating is available  All Life Sciences professionals in departments listed above are encouraged to attend. To request an invitation to attend the conference, please click here.

SOURCE AHM

Related Links

http://www.ahmdirect.com


CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In its sixth year, Tom Tom Founders Festival is making a name for itself as the region's premiere gathering for forward thinking and engagement with innovators and visionaries. For one week over Founder's Day in Charlottesville, Virginia, over 60 bands, 300 speakers and 400 community organizations will come together to recognize innovative achievements and look toward the future. The 2019 Commemoration, American Evolution, and leaders from its Entrepreneurialism and Innovation Committee, will play a critical role in signature events of the festival on April 13 and 14 as they promote the Commonwealth's long history of opportunity, innovation and entrepreneurship.

WHEN: Youth Summit

Thursday, April 13





Founders Summit

Friday, April 14



WHERE: The Paramount Theater

215 E Main Street

Charlottesville, VA, 22902



WHAT: Opportunities to speak with the festival's sponsors, organizers and key stakeholders. Paul Beyer, Founder and Director of the Tom Tom Foundation and Kathy Spangler, Executive Director of the 2019 Commemoration will be available for interviews.



RSVP: For more information and to RSVP, please contact Sarah Mars Bowie at [email protected]

ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TOM TOM AND 2019 COMMEMORATION

The 2019 Commemoration is working to promote events around the Virginia that exemplify the themes of Democracy, Diversity and Opportunity. The 2019 Commemoration is pleased to partner with Tom Tom and make the festival a signature event as the 2019 Commemoration seeks to promote Virginia's innovation ecosystem and honor its entrepreneurial and cultural leaders.

ABOUT THE TOM TOM FOUNDATION AND THE FOUNDERS FESTIVAL

The Tom Tom Foundation is the nonprofit organization that hosts the annual Tom Tom Founders Festival. Supporting high-impact events throughout the year, the Foundation seeks to empower the innovators whose creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to community help ensure a better future for us all. Now in its sixth year, the action-packed Founders Festival is held during the week of April 13 (hometown hero Thomas Jefferson's birthday) in Charlottesville, VA. Featuring outstanding local music, art, and food, as well as high-stakes startup competitions and high-impact conversations with business, entrepreneurial, and academic and civic leaders, the event attracted 38,000 attendees in 2016. Learn more at www.tomtomfest.com.

CONTACT

Whitney Kenerly, Marketing Manager

Tom Tom Founders Festival

[email protected]

(919) 749 3776

Sarah Mars Bowie

2019 Commemoration

[email protected]

(202) 974-5081

SOURCE The 2019 Commemoration
IRVINE, Calif., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. (TAEC)* today announced the introduction of the industry's smallest[1] 1.3A output current CMOS low dropout (LDO) regulator: the TCR13AGADJ. Housed in a WCSP6F package, the TCR13AGADJ measures just 0.8mm x 1.2mm, with a maximum thickness of 0.33mm. These dimensions make it suitable for space-conscious applications.

The TCR13AGADJ has an industry-leading[1] high typical ripple rejection ratio (90dB @Vout=0.9V, f=1kHz) which helps significantly reduce ripple noise from DC-DC converters and PMIC. Ripple noise is a common problem encountered by designers when attempting to supply power to camera and RF parts.

Toshiba's new LDO regulator can be used in a variety of applications that require stable output voltage at high output currents with low power consumption. These include Wi-Fi chipsets for smartphones and tablets, as well as power supplies for cameras and RF modules. It can also be used in power supply control for wearable devices, notebook PCs, digital video cameras, storage products, and set-top boxes. By using an external bias power supply terminal (V BAT ), the new regulator achieves a leading-class[1] low typical dropout voltage of 92mV (@Vout=0.9V, Iout=1.0A). Maximum dropout voltage is rated at 163mV (@Vout=0.9V, Iout=1.0A).

The WCSP6F package is the industry's smallest package for 1.3A LDO regulators, enabling it to be used in mobile and module applications that require small footprints and low profiles. Using an external resistor, the output voltage of the TCR13AGADJ can be adjusted over a wide range of 0.55V to 3.6V. Integrated capabilities include over-current protection, over-temperature protection, inrush current protection, and an auto discharge function.

Additional Features

Fast load transient response -100/+115mV (typ.) @0.01A1A, COUT>4.7F

Under-voltage-lockout function

Soft start function

Pull down connection between CONTROL and GND

Stable with over 4.7F input capacitor, 1.0F bias capacitor and 4.7F output ceramic capacitor

Pricing and Availability

Toshiba's new regulator is available now. For more details, samples and pricing information, please contact your local Toshiba Sales Office.

Notes

[1] In the category of 1.3A output current LDO regulators, as of December 5, 2016. Toshiba survey.

* Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of Wi-Fi Alliance.

*About TAEC

Through proven commitment, lasting relationships and advanced, reliable electronic components, Toshiba enables its customers to create market-leading designs. Toshiba is the heartbeat within product breakthroughs from OEMs, ODMs, CMs, VARs, distributors and fabless chip companies worldwide. A committed electronic components leader, Toshiba designs and manufactures high-quality flash memory-based storage solutions, solid state drives (SSDs), hard disk drives (HDDs), solid state hybrid drives (SSHDs), discrete devices, custom SoCs/ASICs, imaging products, microcontrollers, wireless components, mobile peripheral devices, advanced materials and medical tubes that make possible today's leading smartphones, tablets, cameras, medical devices, automotive electronics, industrial applications, enterprise solutions and more.

Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc. is an independent operating company owned by Toshiba America, Inc., a subsidiary of Toshiba Corporation, Japan's largest semiconductor, solid state drive and hard disk drive manufacturer and the world's seventh largest semiconductor manufacturer (Gartner, 2015 Worldwide Semiconductor Revenue, January, 2016). Founded in Tokyo in 1875, Toshiba is at the heart of a global network of over 550 consolidated companies employing over 188,000 people worldwide (as of March 31, 2016). Visit Toshiba's web site at http://toshiba.semicon-storage.com.

Information in this press release, including product pricing and specifications, content of services and contact information, is current and believed to be accurate on the date of the announcement, but is subject to change without prior notice. Technical and application information contained here is subject to the most recent applicable Toshiba product specifications.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Dena Jacobson

Lages & Associates

Tel.: (949) 453-8080

[email protected]

SOURCE Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.toshiba.com/taec


PRINCETON, N.J., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- TRAC Intermodal LLC, the largest provider of intermodal chassis in North America, and TRAC Intermodal Corp. (collectively, the "Issuers") announced today that they have called for the redemption of the entire aggregate principal amount of their outstanding 11.0% Senior Secured Notes due 2019 (the "Notes"). As of the date hereof, $20,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Notes remains outstanding. The Notes will be redeemed on May 12, 2017 at a redemption price equal to 105.500 percent of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon. Following such redemption, it is expected that the Notes will be fully redeemed with no principal amount outstanding and the indenture pursuant to which the Notes were issued will be satisfied and discharged. The Issuers intend to partially fund the redemption amount by borrowing on the Issuers' asset-based credit agreement dated as of August 9, 2012, as amended or modified from time to time among the loan parties listed therein, the lenders named therein and Bank of America, N.A. as administrative agent.

About TRAC Intermodal

TRAC Intermodal is the world's largest provider of marine and domestic chassis, measured by total assets, operating throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. TRAC Intermodal provides short term rentals through an extensive chassis pool network, long term chassis leasing and pool/fleet management through the utilization of its proprietary PoolStat information management system. TRAC Intermodal's active fleet consists of approximately 264,000 chassis. TRAC Intermodal has a broad operating footprint with approximately 580 marine, 170 domestic and 60 depot locations across North America and is the leader in providing chassis solutions to the intermodal industry.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are statements other than statements of historical fact and are often characterized by the use of words such as "believes," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "may," "will," "intends," "plans" or "anticipates," or by discussions of strategy, plans or intentions. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made based on management's current expectations and estimates, which involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the following: the volume of world trade due to economic, political, or other factors; increased operating costs; increased regulatory costs; defaults by our customers; and, the demand for chassis. More information about potential factors that could affect our business and financial results is included in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Current Reports on Form 8-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update such information.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Investor Relations:

Blake Morris

[email protected]

+1 609.986.0270

TRAC Intermodal LLC

750 College Rd East

Princeton, NJ 08540

www.tracintermodal.com

SOURCE TRAC Intermodal

Related Links

www.tracintermodal.com


NEW YORK and MUNICH, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and BMW Group are pleased to announce the fifth edition of the Intercultural Innovation Award. Grassroots initiatives that encourage intercultural understanding through innovative methods, with the aim of alleviating identity-based conflicts around the world, are encouraged to apply online at interculturalinnovation.org. The deadline for applications is Wednesday, 31 May 2017 at 5:00pm in New York.

Ten organizations will receive the Intercultural Innovation Award following a rigorous selection process. Awardees will be given a monetary contribution to help their project expand and replicate, with a first prize of USD 40,000. They will also take part in a one-year support program that includes training and capacity-building, increased visibility, access to a network of change makers working in intercultural dialogue and ongoing project-specific mentoring.

"The Intercultural Innovation Award in partnership with the BMW Group is a perfect example of the Alliance's commitment to find new ways of bridging divides. By supporting intercultural initiatives at the grassroots level, we seek to provide a counter narrative for violent extremism," said H.E. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations. "Our commitment to the awardees goes beyond financial support and focuses on building their competences. Through our partnership with UNAOC we strengthen these civil society leaders and increase the impact of their projects," added Mr. Bill McAndrews, Vice President Corporate Communications Strategy, Corporate and Market Communications at the BMW Group.

Launched in 2011, the Intercultural Innovation Award is an example of the role that corporate social responsibility can play within the United Nations system. With the overarching aim of helping people to help themselves, UNAOC and the BMW Group jointly mobilize their resources, time, and networks to support awardees. This model of collaboration creates deeper impact, as both partners provide their respective expertise to ensure the sustainable growth of each project. For the fourth edition of the Intercultural Innovation Award, close to 1,000 applications were received from 120 different countries.

In case of enquiries, please contact:

Milena Pighi, BMW Group, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility

Telephone: +49-89-382-66563, [email protected]

Alessandro Girola, UNAOC, Programming Coordinator

Telephone: +1- 929-274-6217, [email protected]

Internet: www.press.bmw.de

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE United Nations Alliance of Civilizations

Related Links

http://www.unaoc.org


Following F-16 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) structural modifications, the U.S. Air Force could safely operate Block 40-52 aircraft to 2048 and beyond. The Air Force and Lockheed Martin also reduced projected service life costs for the Block 40-52 fleet, paving the way for safe, cost-effective F-16 flight operations decades into the future.

"This accomplishment is the result of more than seven years of test, development, design, analysis and partnership between the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin," said Susan Ouzts, vice president of Lockheed Martin's F-16 program. "Combined with F-16 avionics modernization programs like the F-16V, SLEP modifications demonstrate that the Fighting Falcon remains a highly capable and affordable 4th Generation option for the U.S. Air Force and international F-16 customers."

Validation of the extended flight hour limit directly supports the SLEP goal of extending the service life of up to 300 F-16C/D Block 40-52 aircraft. SLEP and related avionics upgrades to the Air Force's F-16C/D fleet can safely and effectively augment the current fighter force structure as U.S. and allied combat air fleets recapitalize with F-35 Lightning IIs.

A second phase, or Part II, of the F-16 SLEP airworthiness process continues with the request for Military Type Certificate (MTC), which will be submitted to the Air Force's Technical Airworthiness Authority in the coming months. Part II seeks to validate further extending the F-16's operational life based on final service life analysis from extended durability testing.

About the F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 continues to prove itself as the world's most successful, combat-proven multi-role fighter aircraft, having served with 28 customers around the world. The F-16V, the latest F-16 avionics upgrade configuration, includes numerous enhancements designed to keep the F-16 at the forefront of international security. The F-16 Block 70/72, the newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration, combines capability and structural upgrades into the most advanced F-16 production aircraft ever offered.

For additional information, visit our website: lockheedmartin.com/f16

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company

Related Links

http://www.lockheedmartin.com


Previous to VERTS, Talese was a Senior Designer at Chipotle Mexican Grill where he focused on a full digital refresh, updated their mobile ordering app and assisted in moving Chipotle.com to a fully customizable CMS backend. In addition to these projects, he was crucial in the creation and brand development of Chipotle's growth seed restaurants that include Pizzeria Locale and Tasty Made.

"VERTS' aggressive growth plan and ambition is unrivaled," said Talese, "I'm ready to utilize my experience in fast-casual to shape the creative expression of this thriving brand."

In addition to hiring Talese, VERTS has partnered with Gin Lane, a renowned New York creative agency who has worked with iconic lifestyle brands such as Whole Foods Market, Nike and Warby Parker. Over the next few months, Talese will work with their team of designers and strategists to reshape and fine-tune the brand's voice and tone.

This Summer, VERTS will unveil a fresh restaurant interior produced by CORE architecture + design, inc. The recent Creative Director hire and design partnerships will support VERTS' plans on growing to 45 restaurants by end of 2017.

About VERTS Mediterranean Grill

Listed amongst CNBC's top 10 hot restaurant brands to watch, VERTS is an award-winning restaurant concept that delivers on its mission to become the culinary leader in fast-casual Mediterranean food by serving chef-inspired pitas, bowls and salads. Teams in each one of our restaurants' kitchens prepare savory, healthy food from scratch daily using fresh, all natural ingredients.

Millennial co-founders Michael Heyne and Dominik Stein launched VERTS in 2011 with the simple idea of recreating the popular food they missed from their native Europe and making it available for American consumers. Stein was recently recognized as one of Forbes 30 Under 30 for 2017 and Heyne was featured on the cover of QSR Magazine in September 2016. VERTS currently has 28 locations across Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Boston and New York City. The company is undergoing a major expansion across the U.S. and plans to open 200 restaurants by 2020 including openings in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. amongst several new markets. To learn more, please visit us at www.eatverts.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Media Contact: Sarah Pendley | VERTS | 832-290-0751 | [email protected]

SOURCE VERTS Mediterranean Grill

Related Links

http://www.eatverts.com


ORLANDO, Fla., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vestagen Protective Technologies, Inc. today announced the first closing of a planned $10 million financing. Existing investors Advent Life Sciences and HealthQuest Capital and new investor Northwell Ventures participated in the funding round. Proceeds from the financing will be used for general corporate purposes and to support increased commercialization activities for Vestagen's innovative VESTEX Active Barrier fabric scrubs, lab coats and patient garments. VESTEX uniforms are being adopted by such leading healthcare institutions as metro New York-based Northwell Heath and Jacksonville, FL-based Baptist Health System. VESTEX Active Barrier apparel is exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association.

VESTEX Active Barrier uniforms can provide valuable benefits to healthcare workers and patients," said Bill Bold, Chief Executive Officer of Vestagen. "The recent adoption of VESTEX by flagship institutions at New York's Northwell Health has won high praise from workers, patients and administrators. It also resulted in terrific publicity for Northwell as there was broad media coverage in the metro New York market. We acknowledge and appreciate the support of our investors as we continue to ramp up commercialization activities at major healthcare systems."

"The enthusiasm for VESTEX Active Barrier garments voiced by our colleagues at Northwell Health led us to consider this investment in Vestagen," said Thomas Thornton, Senior Vice President of Northwell Ventures. "We are focusing on companies whose innovative products and services aim to strengthen the patient and customer experience and enhance organizational effectiveness. Vestagen's VESTEX addresses all these criteria, and we are pleased to invest in their mission to bring the benefits of VESTEX to hospitals nationwide."

VESTEX Active Barrier1 fabric is a unique combination of technologies that addresses the need for continuous-wear, comfortable healthcare worker and patient garments intended to minimize the risks associated with unanticipated exposure to body fluids during routine use, by repelling fluid splatter and spills from the fabric. VESTEX fabric is breathable and it contains an EPA-registered antimicrobial agent2 shown in controlled conditions in laboratory and hospital settings to inhibit the growth of certain bacteria on the fabric.3,4 A peer reviewed hospital-based study published in a leading medical journal showed reduced acquisition and retention of certain microorganisms on VESTEX scrubs compared to conventional healthcare uniforms.

VESTEX has earned an exclusive endorsement from the American Hospital Association following a rigorous due diligence process.

For more information about Vestagen and VESTEX, visit vestagen.com and VESTEX.com.

1 - Neither liquid repellency nor antimicrobial tests are intended to assess the VESTEX active barrier apparel's ability to meet personal protective equipment requirements. The ability of the fabric to reduce exposure to microorganisms or infections has not been studied.

2 - VESTEX garments do not protect users or others against disease-causing bacteria. Always clean the garment thoroughly after each use.

3 - Bearman, G., Rosato, A., Elam, K., Sanogo, K., Stevens, M., Sessler, C., and Wenzel, R. P., "A Cross-over Trial of Antimicrobial Scrubs to Reduce MRSA Burden on Healthcare Worker Apparel," Infect. Control Hosp. Epidemiol., Vol. 33, No. 3, 2012, pp. 268275;

4 - Hardwick, Matthew, Walsh, Thomas, and Cotton, Margaret, "Fabric Challenge Assays: New Standards for the Evaluation of the Performance of Textiles Treated with Antimicrobial Agents," Pesticide Formulation and Delivery Systems: Innovating Legacy Products for New Uses on November 13, 2011 in Tampa FL; STP 1558, M. Bernards, Editor, pp. 114, doi:101520/STP155820120184, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA 2013.

About Advent Life Sciences

Advent Life Sciences founds and invests in early- and mid-stage life sciences companies that have a first- or best-in-class approach to unmet medical needs. The investing team consists of experienced professionals, each with extensive scientific, medical and operational experience, a long-standing record of entrepreneurial and investment success in the US and Europe, and is particularly focused on supporting entrepreneurs and founders to take innovative new medical entities from concept to approval. The firm invests in a range of sectors within life sciences, principally drug discovery, enabling technologies and med tech, always with an emphasis on innovative, paradigm-changing approaches. Advent Life Sciences has a presence in the UK, US and France. For more information, please visit AdventLS.com.

About HealthQuest Capital

HealthQuest Capital makes go-to-market and early growth investments in innovative healthcare companies that are improving both patient outcomes and healthcare economics. Investments focus on the medical device, diagnostics, patient care products, consumer health/OTC and healthcare IT fields. The HealthQuest investing team includes deep operational, clinical and scientific expertise and worldwide relationships throughout the healthcare industry that can be leveraged to add value to our portfolio companies. HealthQuest Capital is headquartered in Menlo Park, California, with offices in Southern California, Florida, and Georgia. For more information, please visit www.healthquestcapital.com

About Northwell Ventures

Northwell Ventures (NV), the corporate venture arm of Northwell Health, launched a fund to invest in and actively manage companies that represent a current or future strategic interest. The NV fund seeks to identify and invest in novel technologies and business models that have the prospect to advance Northwell's growth and generate attractive returns. The group, as a whole, works to accelerate Northwell's broader strategic healthcare focus by utilizing Northwell as a laboratory to rapidly validate technologies, new business models, and conduct research to build profitable companies and increase the quality of care for our patients. For more information, please visit http:northwell.edu/ventures

About Vestagen Protective Technologies, Inc.

Vestagen develops and markets advanced performance textile products and technologies. Vestagen has developed VESTEX, which represents a new class of technology-based, active barrier protective fabrics combining antimicrobial, liquid repellent and breathability properties. VESTEX uniforms are designed to minimize the risks associated with unanticipated fluid exposures during routine use as general purpose attire. Studies conducted in controlled conditions in a hospital setting show that VESTEX can prevent or reduce the acquisition and retention of certain microorganisms on the fabric. VESTEX garments are comfortable, durable and affordable. For more information, visit vestagen.com.

Vestagen Contacts

Corporate:

Marc Lessem

407 781-2570

Media:

Barbara Lindheim

BLL Partners

212 584-2276

[email protected]

SOURCE Vestagen Protective Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.vestagen.com


HOLMDEL, N.J., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage Holdings Corp. (NYSE: VG), a leading provider of cloud communications services for businesses, will report its financial results for the first quarter 2017 on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. The earnings release will be available on Vonage's Investor Relations website at http://ir.vonage.com.

Management will host a conference call to discuss the first quarter 2017 results and other matters on Tuesday, May 9, 2017 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. To participate, please dial (877) 359-9508 approximately 10 minutes prior to the call. International callers should dial (224) 357-2393.

A webcast will be available through Vonage's Investor Relations website at http://ir.vonage.com. A replay of the call and webcast will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call and may be accessed through Vonage's Investor Relations website at http://ir.vonage.com or by dialing (855) 859-2056. International callers should dial (404) 537-3406. The replay passcode is 5291957.

About Vonage

Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of cloud communications services for business. Vonage transforms the way people work and businesses operate through a portfolio of cloud-based communications solutions that enable internal collaboration among employees, while also keeping companies closely connected with their customers, across any mode of communication, on any device.

Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform, provides tools for voice, messaging and phone verification services, allowing developers to embed contextual, programmable communications into mobile apps, websites and business systems, enabling enterprises to easily communicate relevant information to their customers in real time, anywhere in the world, through text messaging, chat, social media and voice.

The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions. In 2015 and 2016, Vonage was named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as-a-Service, Worldwide. Vonage has also earned Frost & Sullivan's 2015 Growth Excellence Leadership Award for Hosted IP and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Services and the 2016 North American Cloud Communications Product Line Strategy Leadership Award. For more information, visit www.vonage.com.

Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage.

(vg-f)

SOURCE Vonage Holdings Corp.

Related Links

http://www.vonage.com


Mr. Lieberman is an experienced litigator of complex fraud cases, practicing at two large Boston law firms, Day Pitney, LLP and Ropes & Gray, where he represented clients in all aspects of litigation. His clients have included the whistleblower and numerous government entities asserting claims under federal and state false claims acts against the world's largest producer of municipal and consumer water pipe. Previously, Mr. Lieberman served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office, where he brought one of the first successful environmental-crime prosecutions under the Massachusetts False Claims Act.

"Our whistleblower practice has been growing steadily, and we are delighted that David has joined forces with us," said Bob Thomas. Suzanne Durrell explained that "David's strong background in the False Claims Act and his extensive litigation experience will make our practice even stronger."

Mr. Lieberman is a 2008 graduate of Columbia University School of Law and former Managing Editor of the Columbia Law Review. He later served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Bruce M. Selya of the First Circuit Court of Appeals and is currently a Lecturer at Boston University School of Law, where he teaches legal writing to first-year law students. He is an active member of the Boston Bar Association and previously served in the BBA Public Interest Leadership program from 2014 to 2015. An active participant in many pro bono and charitable activities, including City Year, Mr. Lieberman is a 2015 recipient of the Up & Coming Excellence in the Law Award from Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly for his commitment to public service and was recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers "Rising Star" in 2015-2016.

"I am excited by the opportunity to join Bob and Suzanne. They have built a nationallyrecognized and respected practice representing whistleblowers and assisting the government in fighting fraud and recovering money for the taxpayers," said Mr. Lieberman.

The Whistleblower Law Collaborative is recognized nationwide for its successful representation of whistleblowers in a wide variety of contexts, and handles cases involving the state and federal false claims acts, as well as the SEC and IRS whistleblower programs. The Whistleblower Law Collaborative's successes for its clients include Amgen ($762 million), International Nephrology Network ($15 million), Elan/Eisai ($214.5 million), Forest Labs ($330 million) (co-counsel), Pfizer ($2.3 billion), Serono ($704 million), Amedisys ($150 million) (co-counsel), WellCare Health Plans ($137.5 million), and MedNet ($1.35 million).

For more information, contact:

Bob Thomas 617-371-0934

[email protected]

or



Suzanne Durrell 617-333-9681

[email protected]

Follow us on Twitter @ThomasDurrell and at Facebook.com/WhistleblowerLawCollaborative

www.WhistleblowerLawCollaborative.com

SOURCE Whistleblower Law Collaborative

Related Links

http://www.WhistleblowerLawCollaborative.com


MUNICH, April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

Greek merchants will offer Alipay as a new payment method for Chinese tourists within the third quarter 2017

As a leading provider of payment solutions and internet technology, Wirecard is now collaborating with National Bank of Greece (NBG) and is integrating Alipay into the technical infrastructure of Greece's largest bank as a new payment method.

As banks in Greece often provide local merchants with the entire terminal infrastructure, Wirecard has enabled NBG to integrate Alipay across the country in as many locations as possible. The aim is for most Greek merchants who operate in significant tourist attractions in the country to be able to offer Alipay as a new payment solution at the point of sale (POS) for their Chinese customers.

Greek islands and the capital Athens are particularly popular destinations for Chinese tourists. Thus, Greece has seen an increase of 400 per cent in Chinese tourists over the past five years, the stated goal of the Greek ministry of tourism is to welcome one million by the year 2021. With the new collaboration, Wirecard and the National Bank of Greece will provide them with their trusted payment method Alipay: over 450 million people in China use this mobile payment solution, making it the country's favourite. Chinese tourists can receive offers from local merchants via smartphone push notifications even while travelling by aeroplane to their respective holiday destination.

Nelly Tzakou-Lambropoulou, General Manager of Retail Banking at National Bank of Greece: "Tourists are one of the most important target groups for Greek merchants. With this in mind, we are particularly proud that we are in a position to allow merchants to offer a payment method trusted by Chinese customers. This has all been made possible by Wirecard's exclusive technical support and professionalism."

Jorn Leogrande, Executive Vice President Mobile Services at Wirecard, adds: "We are proud to implement our technology in NBG's payment processes. With this, we are enabling thousands of merchants to simultaneously offer Alipay as a new payment method for a financially strong target group. We believe that this, combined with the increasing number of Chinese tourists in Greece, will translate into a considerable sales potential for Greek merchants. Our aim is to work with financial institutions across Europe to integrate Alipay as an alternative mobile payment solution in as many till systems as possible."

Since December 2015, Wirecard has been offering the innovative POS payment concept to merchants across the whole of Europe via the Alipay App. Further information on Wirecard's Alipay solutions can be found at: https://www.wirecard.com/alipay/.

About Wirecard:

Wirecard AG is a global technology group that supports companies in accepting electronic payments from all sales channels. As a leading independent supplier, the Wirecard Group offers outsourcing and white label solutions for electronic payments. A global platform bundles international payment acceptances and methods with supplementary fraud prevention solutions. With regard to issuing own payment instruments in the form of cards or mobile payment solutions, the Wirecard Group provides companies with an end-to-end infrastructure, including the requisite licences for card and account products. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Securities Exchange (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). For further information about Wirecard, please visit http://www.wirecard.com or follow us on Twitter @wirecard.

About National Bank of Greece:

National Bank of Greece was established in 1841 and was the first bank to be set up in the modern Greek state, making a decisive contribution to financial life during its 175 years of history. Nowadays, National Bank of Greece leads one of the largest and strongest financial groups in Greece, with a strong presence in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. National Bank of Greece offers a full portfolio of financial products and services that meet the ever-changing needs of businesses and individuals. It would be fair to describe it as the bank of the Greek family, since it controls a quarter of retail banking and has a 25% market share in deposits. This share of deposits reflects the trust of savings customers, which are its driving force. With 567 branches and 1,454 ATMs, it has an extensive service network covering the entire geographical area of Greece, while at the same time it is developing alternative distribution channels for its products, such as mobile and internet banking services. Today, the bank's network abroad includes 536 branches, while the group employs 20,057 staff (data as at 30.09.2016).

Wirecard media contact:

Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49-(0)89-4424-1363

Email: [email protected]



SOURCE Wirecard AG
PORTLAND, Ore., April 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Paragon BioTeck, Inc., an ophthalmic pharmaceutical and device company, announced today that Xinxin Zhang has been named its 2017 Koch Kellan Scholar. Paragon Gives, a Paragon BioTeck initiative, awards the Koch Kellan Scholarship to an outstanding graduate medical student committed to pursuing a clinical, teaching or research career in ophthalmology.

"We are wholeheartedly committed to furthering education and shining a light on the next generation of ophthalmic innovators, such as Xinxin Zhang," remarked Patrick Witham, President & CEO.

Both Robert Kellan, MD, and Paul Koch, MD, are impressed by Ms. Zhang's early dedication to ophthalmology and her strong desire to serve underprivileged populations. "Xinxin exemplifies the values of Paragon BioTeck and this scholarship through her volunteer work at free clinics, similar to those that supported her and her family when they first moved to the U.S. from China, as well as the research project she undertook in her country of origin. She will be a great future leader of ophthalmology," Koch stated.

Xinxin Zhang is a third-year student at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Her experiences with poverty as a child exposed her to many treatable eye conditions at an early age and sparked her desire to serve. Ms. Zhang's passion for ophthalmology was cemented during a research project focused on bringing technological diagnostic advances to some of China's poorest provinces, where high rates of preventable blindness occur primarily due to lack of screening opportunities. After spending last year researching dry eye disease and leading UNC's student-run ophthalmology clinic, Ms. Zhang is committed to bringing ophthalmological innovation to the rural areas of the state she has come to call home.

Upon receipt of the award, Ms. Zhang expressed her appreciation not only for the financial assistance that the scholarship provides, but also for the spotlight that it places on ophthalmology. "Ophthalmology is not always at the forefront of people's minds when they think of mainstream medicine. As a student who is very passionate about ophthalmology and its impact, it is extremely encouraging and validating to find a scholarship that honors my future profession."

Paragon Gives will formally present the Koch Kellan Scholarship to Ms. Zhang at an event attended by scholarship namesakes, Drs. Koch and Kellan, as well as other distinguished industry leaders, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, held May 6-8, 2017 in Los Angeles.

About Paragon Gives and the Koch Kellan Scholarship:

Paragon Gives, a Paragon BioTeck, Inc., initiative, supports a number of charities and organizations, including those within the biotechnology and health care arena. The initiative also works with individuals and organizations that have made a positive impact on our customers, vendors, investors and industry as a whole.

The Koch Kellan Scholarship affirms Paragon's commitment to elevating the standard of eye care and enhancing patient quality of life. Xinxin Zhang is the third recipient of the scholarship. The 2016 recipient was Hasenin Al-khersan of University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, and the scholarship was first awarded to Captain Edward Woodward of the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine in 2015.

About Paragon BioTeck:

Paragon BioTeck, Inc., is a privately held pharmaceutical and medical device company specializing in the development and commercialization of ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, devices and therapies. Paragon BioTeck's portfolio of products is designed to protect and preserve eyesight and deliver comfort to the eyes. More information: https://paragonbioteck.com/.

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Twitter: @ParagonBioTeck

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Beijing, April 6 : The Chinese media on Thursday warned of "grave consequences" if Sino-Indian ties get ruined over the Dalai Lama's trip to Arunachal Pradesh which Beijing considers a part of Tibet.

Editorials in two English-language newspapers warned India "not to play dirty" with China over Arunachal and not to use the Tibetan spiritual icon as a diplomatic leverage vis-a-vis Beijing.

The Global Times said that at a time when the Dalai Lama was getting a cold shoulder in many countries, India was bucking the trend and treating him as a favourite.

"New Delhi probably overestimates its leverage in (its) ties with China.

"The two countries in recent years have continuously strived to improve their relationship and the peace on the border area has been maintained," it pointed out.

"India has benefited from the good momentum of bilateral relationship as much as China. If New Delhi ruins the Sino-India ties and the two countries turn into open rivals, can India afford the consequence?"

The Global Times is known to reflect the thinking of the Chinese Communist Party leadership and often takes a hard line on foreign policy issues.

It suggested that China can create trouble for India in Jammu and Kashmir, where a raging separatist campaign has left tens of thousands dead.

"With a GDP several times higher than that of India, military capabilities that can reach the Indian Ocean and having good relations with India's peripheral nations, coupled with the fact that India's turbulent northern state borders China, if China engages in a geopolitical game with India, will Beijing lose to New Delhi?"

The editorial admitted that while the Dalai Lama - who has lived in India since 1959 - had been to Arunachal Pradesh earlier too, this trip was different as he was received and accompanied by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.

Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal, did not receive or accompany the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama was received by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu, who like Rijiju belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

It suggested that India was using the Dalai Lama as a "diplomatic tool" to pressure Beijing on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar.

On Wednesday too, the Global Times warned that New Delhi's decision to let the Dalai Lama visit the "sensitive region" would "gravely damage" India-China relations.

The China Daily warned that if India "chooses to play dirty", then Beijing "should not hesitate to answer blows with blows".

It described Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, as "a historical Chinese territory India has illicitly occupied and refers to as 'Arunachal Pradesh'."

It said that like Taiwan, "Tibet is a part of Chinese territory no matter whether New Delhi agrees or not".

"Neither the 'McMahon Line', by which New Delhi justifies its actual control of Southern Tibet, nor the present-day 'Arunachal Pradesh' has Beijing's endorsement.

"In other words, Indian occupation of the area is legally untenable. Using it as leverage, therefore, is not just unethical. It is outright illicit," said the editorial.

The editorials comes a day after Beijing summoned Indian envoy Vijay Gokhale to protest against the visit. India says the Dalai Lama is a guest of India and can travel to any part of the country.

Three years after the Dalai Lama's flight to India in 1959, India and China fought a brief, bitter war over their border. The border row remains unresolved.
Hyderabad, April 7 : Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah's visit here in Telangana scheduled for Friday has been postponed.

Telangana unit of the BJP announced that the much-awaited visit was put off as Shah's presence was required in New Delhi for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) coordination committee meeting in view of the ongoing Parliament session.

Senior leader N. Ramachandra Rao said the new date would be announced in a couple of days. He indicated that Shah could visit Hyderabad after BJP National Executive meeting in Bhubaneswar on April 15 and 16.

The party cadres were eagerly waiting for the visit as Shah was to kick-start the process of strengthening the party in Telangana by addressing a meeting of party workers in Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, the bastion of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM).

As the Hyderabad seat has been held by the MIM by over three decades and all attempts by the BJP in the past to wrest it proved futile, Shah decided to focus on this constituency as a first step towards galvanising the party in the state.

Shah was scheduled to address the workers in Exhibition Grounds. The party, however, was still waiting for permission from the state government.

He was also scheduled to address a meeting of intellectuals and bank employees and have lunch with the Dalits in the old city of Hyderabad.

Buoyed by the BJP's massive victory in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the party is gearing up for the elections in Telangana, scheduled in 2019.

A section of party leaders believe that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government may go for polls in 2018.

BJP's state president K. Laxman believes that the situation is conducive for the party. He is confident that BJP will come to power in Telangana, riding on 'Modi wave'.

It decided to rope in top central leaders of the party including ministers to address the meetings in all 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

Shah's meeting in Hyderabad was scheduled to be the first in the series of meetings.

Several BJP leaders will be visiting Telangana over the next few days.

Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar is scheduled to visit Bhongir on April 8.

Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will be visiting Nizamabad and Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader from Gujarat, Purshottambhai Rupala will be addressing a meeting in Mahabubnagar.
New Delhi, April 7 : A draft legislation to amend the Motor Vehicles Act to impose higher penalties for traffic rule violations and to protect Good Samaritans from legal harassment was taken up by the Lok Sabha on Friday.

The bill proposes hefty penalties for various traffic offences, three-year jail term for parents of minors caught driving and causing fatal accidents, and a ten-fold increase in compensation for the families of accident victims, among other things.

While moving the bill in the Lok Sabha, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said there are around five lakh accidents in India each year, and around 1.5 lakh people die in road accidents each year.

"India has the highest number of deaths in road accidents," the Minister said.

"From driving licence to traffic rules, people have no respect or fear for law... I feel sad sometimes, India is the country where it is the easiest to get a licence," Gadkari said.

He said around 30 per cent driving licences are "bogus".

K.C. Venugopal of the Congress said he acknowledged the efforts of the Minister in bringing the bill with an "open mind".

Congress leader Mallikarju Kharge also appreciated Gadkari, as he complained about lack of quorum in the Lok Sabha.

"He is performing well. He has extended roads, highways... but see the support," Kharge said.

Trinammool Congress member Arpita Ghosh said: "We are very thankful that after 30 years a bill has been brought which was long needed."

Biju Janata Dal member Tathagat Satpathy also lauded Gadkari.

"The public perception as well as my personal perception is that this is a Minister who is a very hard-working person," he said.

The changes in the Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill, 2016, was approved by the Union Cabinet on March 31.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha last August and was referred to a parliamentary standing committee, whose suggestions have been endorsed by the Union Cabinet.
New Delhi, April 7 : Accusing the BJP of playing dirty politics, the AAP on Friday said Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal had cancelled the allotment of a bungalow on 206 Rouse Avenue, renamed Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, that houses the AAP headquarters.

However, the Lt. Governor's Office did not confirm the development.

Speaking at a public meeting at Nangloi here, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said he got to know that the Lt Governor had cancelled the allotment of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg bungalow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Kejriwal said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government first got a CBI raid conducted against him but found nothing.

"Then they said they would recover Rs 97 crore from me. I don't even have 97 rupees... My only fault was that I worked for people's welfare," the AAP leader said.

Baijal had last month asked the Delhi government to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP that it spent on certain advertisements.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the allotment of the party's office was cancelled because of the AAP's fight against corruption.

"It's not a joke. We are fighting a battle to save the nation from corrupt people and their agents. So this was bound to happen," Sisodia tweeted.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of playing "dirty politics" and called the decision "unfortunate, unjust and non-democratic".

"Why so much enmity with the AAP? What crime has the AAP committed that you (Lt. Governor) do not let us work in Delhi?" he asked.

The AAP leader said despite holding 67 of the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly, the AAP was not being allowed to have its office in the capital while both the BJP and the Congress with three and zero seats respectively had offices allotted for them.

"I do not understand what kind of discrimination is being done to the AAP."

The Lt Governor's move comes a day after a three-member Shunglu Committee appointed by the then Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung questioned a Cabinet decision to allot the government-owned Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg bungalow to the AAP for its office.

"Since land is a 'reserved' subject, this decision should be deemed null and void," the report said, referring to land in Delhi not falling under the city government's purview.

"The elected government doesn't have any power to deal with the subject of land, let alone allot it," the report added.

Headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General V.K. Shunglu, the committee was set up by Jung in August last year after the Delhi High Court gave primacy to the Lt. Governor in Delhi's administrative affairs.

The report was submitted to the L-G's office in November last year, weeks before Jung resigned on December 22.
Islamabad, April 8 : Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai is set to become the United Nations' youngest-ever "Messenger of Peace", the international body's chief has announced.

Yousafzai, 19, will be honoured by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres during a ceremony at the UN headquarters in New York on April 10.

She will help promote girl's education around the world as part of her new role.

The ceremony will be followed by a conversation between Guterres, Yousafzai and other youth representatives around the world on the theme of girls' education, Daily Pakistan reported on Saturday.

"Even in the face of grave danger, Malala Yousafzai has shown an unwavering commitment to the rights of women, girls and all people," Guterres said on Friday on his selection of Yousafzai for the designation.

"Her courageous activism for girls' education has already energised so many people around the world. Now as our youngest-ever UN Messenger of Peace, Malala can do even more to help create a more just and peaceful world," he said.

Born on July 12, 1997 in Pakistan's Swat Valley, Yousafzai became an international symbol for the fight for girls' education after being shot on October 9, 2012 for opposing Taliban restrictions on female education.

She survived the attack and became an advocate for the millions of girls denied a formal education worldwide.

In 2013, Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, co-founded Malala Fund to bring awareness to the social and economic impact of girls' education and to empower girls to demand change.

Yousafzai became the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 2014.
Washington, April 9 : US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday said there is no political solution to the conflict in Syria until President Bashar al-Assad is out of power.

"There's not any sort of option where a political solution is going to happen with Assad at the head of the regime," Haley told CNN in an interview airing on Sunday.

The Indian-origin diplomat's remarks came days after the US on April 6 unleashed 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase in a retaliating for the Assad-led government's alleged chemical weapons attack that killed nearly 80 persons in Idlib province.

Haley on Friday told a special session of the UN Security Council that the US was "prepared to do more" in Syria and that it was Washington's "vital national interest" to stop the use and spread of chemical weapons.

According to Haley, the Assad regime has committed atrocities on innocent Syrian civilians multiple times.

"It just -- if you look at his actions, if you look at the situation, it's going to be hard to see a government that's peaceful and stable with Assad."

Syrian Deputy UN Ambassador Mounzer Mounzer denied the country's use of chemical weapons, stating at the UN session that Syria "would never use such weapons in any of its operations against armed terrorist groups".

Haley reiterated her statements about further actions in Syria in her interview to the CNN.

"If he needs to do more, he will do more," Haley said when asked if Trump would order more strikes.

"So, really, now what happens depends on how everyone responds to what happened in Syria, and make sure that we start moving towards a political solution, and we start finding peace in that area."

Haley said she thought a regime change would occur because "all of the parties are going to see that Assad is not the leader that needs to be taking place for Syria".

Haley noted that ousting Assad was not the US's only priority.

"So, there's multiple priorities," she said. "It's -- getting Assad out is not the only priority. And so what we're trying to do is obviously defeat the IS. Secondly, we don't see a peaceful Syria with Assad in there."

"Thirdly, get the Iranian influence out, and then, finally, move towards a political solution, because at the end of the day, this is a complicated situation."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday about the situation in Syria, a longtime Russian ally.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday called the US strike "aggression against a sovereign state in violation of the norms of international law".
New Delhi, April 11 : British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who arrives here on Tuesday on a four-day visit, will hold talks with his Indian counterpart Arun Jaitley during the first India-UK Strategic Dialogue.

Fallon, the third British Cabinet Minister to visit India in April, will also visit Mumbai. He will also meet Indian Defence Ministry officials, military staff, business and opinion leaders, the British High Commission said.

It was agreed to hold the first India-UK Strategic Dialogue during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's November 2015 visit to Britain as part of the bilateral Defence and International Security Partnership.

Fallon's visit is expected to further cement the bilateral defence and international security partnership.

The India-UK Strategic Dialogue will look at ways of enforcing cooperation in science and technology, research and development and countering violent extremism, a High Commission statement said.
Sydney, April 12 : Indian people are Victoria's biggest migrant group for the first time in history, Australia's national census has found.

The first results of the census revealed that after 12 years of strong growth India was the biggest source of migration to the state, beating England for the first time, Xinhua news agency reported.

Harish Budhiraja, who moved to Australia in 2005, said Indians see Victoria as accepting and multicultural.

When Budhiraja moved India was not even a top four source of migrants to Victoria, with England, New Zealand, Italy and Vietnam holding the top four spots.

England remained the most prominent source of migrants for Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory but China was number one for New South Wales and New Zealand the most prominent in Queensland.

"Indians still see Australia as the land of opportunity when it comes to education, research and the standard of living," Budhiraja was quoted as saying.

He said he had not experienced any racism in his 12 years in Victoria.
New Delhi, April 12 : The story of Afghanistan -- of the war against the Soviets and of terrorism that has gripped the landlocked country ever since -- is in many ways also the story of diplomat Masood Khalili, who motivated his people and led them in their fight against the Red Army.

It was a war of liberation, says Khalili, the country's ambassador to Spain and who has also served in New Delhi, lamenting that even after defeating the Soviets, Afghanistan lost its peace.

"Can you believe it? To win the war but lose peace? It was very hard for me and my friends, but we lost it. Our actions and the actions of our neighbours have kept the war going to this day. In the time of the war against the Soviets, the whole country was in one way or another involved, but now not everyone is involved in the war against the Taliban," Khalili told IANS in an email interview.

The victory against the Soviets was expected, by all means, to ensure lasting stability in Afghanistan. How did things go awry?

Khalili, whose memoir, "Whispers of War: An Afghan Freedom Fighter's Account of the War" (Sage/Rs 495/275 pp) has just been released, attributed this to lack of experience, a lack of vision and "a concerted effort by our neighbours, especially the ISI of Pakistan".

"In the war against the Soviets, not one Afghan had exploded himself in order to gain something but now, our southern neighbor (Pakistan) and our neighbor to the west (Iran) keep involving themselves negatively in our internal affairs, training, funding and arming our enemies to mobilise against the government in Kabul," he contended.

The memoir is an account of the search for ever-elusive peace in Afghanistan. Translated by his son Mahmud Khalili, the book brings to life the diplomat's letters to his wife during the troubled times when he journeyed through the Himalayan region.

Khalili was the political head of the Jamiat-i-Islami Party of Afghanistan in the war against the Soviets from 1980 to 1990 and a close adviser to legendary resistance commander Ahmad Shah Masood, also known as the Lion of Panjshir. He is largely credited with motivating his people in the war against the Soviets.

"If you do not mobilise your people, the enemy mobilises them. This is why I travelled throughout Afghanistan more than 13 times on horse, donkey or on foot. It was not an easy task at all, but I had to do it in order to end the horrible war that was killing thousands of my people every month," he recalled.

In the summer of 1986, Khalili was forced to leave behind his wife Sohaillah and his two sons Mahmud and Majdood in Pakistan before embarking on his journey to mobilise the people in Afghanistan. During this period, he maintained a regular diary, which now finds mention in the just-released offering.

"Even if I was in the most horrible condition, writing in my notebook about my own plight and that of my poor, war-torn countrymen, would give me strength to move on," he said.

The high-profile Afghan diplomat further shared his perspective on the role of Afghanistan in the 21st century and the many hurdles in achieving that goal.

"If you lose hope, you lose everything. It is through hope that we Afghans were able to defeat the Red Army, one of the superpowers of the world. Just imagine, a super power was defeated by the super poor. How? Through mobilisation and through keeping hope alive. Wrong can never stay for long. Just like the British and Soviets, the Taliban also will not be able to stay forever," he maintained.

He said that there is an urgent need to "bring an end to government corruption and inefficient spending" in Afghanistan and that the country needs "real leaders" as weak leaders without vision cannot bring about peace and stability.

The Afghan freedom fighter further urged "friends from around the world and our own leaders in Kabul" to bring pressure on Iran and Pakistan to stop supporting fundamentalist groups inside Afghanistan to further their own interests in the region.

To combat terrorism, he said, it was important to contain poverty and to support the youth of Afghanistan. "We, the old generation, fought against the Soviets and are still fighting against the Taliban, Daesh and Al Qaeda -- but it should be our youth who should get more involved in every sphere of society. They can make their future better and we should give them the means to do it," he contended.

Sharing his perspective on the role of Afghanistan in India-Pakistan ties, Khalili said: "Afghanistan is seen by Pakistan as the means to get to Kashmir because, for Pakistan, all roads always lead in that direction. The ISI believes in a policy of strategic depth and if they have influence on the politics of Afghanistan, they will be in a better position to win back Kashmir."

He, however, hoped that if Afghanistan was at peace, one could think about economic cooperations between the three countries and make the post-Soviet states into active partners to further peace in the region.

(Saket Suman can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)
Kolkata, April 12 : In its bid to expand its sphere of influence, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) -- the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that rules at the Centre -- has zeroed in on West Bengal as its next big target, contending the situation in the state is "unprecedented".

The RSS is focussing on increasing its strength and presence in West Bengal in a bid to "combat rising radicalism and fundamentalism" in the eastern state that, according to a top functionary of the local unit or the organisation, poses "a major threat to the nation's security".

"The RSS generally focuses on places that pose a major threat to the nation. The situation in Bengal is very much similar. The radical forces, Maoists and other separatist powers have combined with the state's ruling (Trinamool Congress) party to work together.

"The situation is unprecedented. This nexus of jihadis and radicals in Bengal is a major threat to the nation's security," the RSS' South Bengal General Secretary Jishnu Basu told IANS.

The RSS, in fact, adopted a resolution at its National Council meet in Coimbatore last month over the "alarming" situation in West Bengal, and blamed the Mamata Banerjee government for the rise of jihadi elements and the "decline" of the Hindu population.

The BJP, the political arm of the Sangh Parivar, is led in the state by a veteran RSS hand, Dilip Ghosh.

"Over the past one year, the Muslim fundamentalists and the so-called ultra-left organisations have held several collaborative programmes. RSS vows to fight against those threats and make people aware of the impending risks," Basu said.

He claimed the organisation's efforts to reach out to the masses has helped erase the "wrong image" about the RSS in West Bengal that was ruled for 34 years by a communist-led government, adding that the RSS' active members in the state had doubled over the last four years.

"The RSS gained in significance in West Bengal in 2013 during the celebration of Swami Vivekanada's 150th birth anniversary. Since then the organisation has grown more than two times in the state. We now have more than 1,800 shakhas (the smallest RSS unit where daily activities are held) in Bengal."

"We reached out to people from all sections of society, starting from villagers to urban intellectuals, and helped them realise what RSS stands for. There has been years of false propaganda against the organisation," he said.

Accusing the state government of favouring a "certain community" to get their votes, Basu claimed the state's ruling party is responsible for the rise of Muslim fundamentalism and an "attack" on the Hindus in the state "that threatens to change the demography of some border districts".

"The state government is also fuelling these issues to satisfy a certain community. Looking at the vote bank, the government is supporting the most popular fundamentalists. The ruling party is constantly trying to appease a certain section of society while the troubles of the other half is unattended.

"As a result, the demography of certain border districts of West Bengal like North Dinajpur, Malda and Murshidabad is changing," he contended.

Basu said the RSS considers Hinduism as a "way of life" and would primarily focus on saving common people from the increasing attack of radical Islamic forces.

"For the RSS, Hinduism is not just a religion, it is a way of life. We consider Hinduism as synonymous with nationalism. In our view people like (poet) Kazi Najrul Islam and (late president) A.P.J. Abdul Kalam were major supporters of Hinduism. We will keep pursuing that brand of Hinduism in the state," he said.

Terming cow slaughter a "non-religious" issue, the RSS activist claimed the state has many illegal slaughter-houses that run under the nose of the state administration but no action is taken against them.

"The proper guidelines should be followed to run slaughter-houses in the state. I challenge the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to show what guidelines they have for running the slaughter-houses.

"I am sure they have none. They have taken no steps to abide by the laws related to the slaughter-houses," he added.

However, according to political analyst Udayan Bandyopadhyay, the rise of RSS in Bengal wouldn't have any major implications in the long run.

"RSS is a socio-cultural organisation. It doesn't have a direct political linkage or baggage. Yes, the percentage of BJP's votes may increase, but in the long run it will have to prove its own strength," Bandyopadhyay told IANS.

He felt the RSS might grow and have some impact on social life, "but it won't create any trouble as Bengalis are largely tolerant".

He said the RSS had its presence in Bengal at the time of partition in 1947 and at the time of the communal riots in the state after the demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992 -- without any adverse effects.

"We have gone through all these phases in history. So I don't think it would create major polarisation," Bandyopadhyay concluded.

But he expressed concern over the brand of erudite Hinduism being replaced by a kind of "hooligan and lumpen Hinduism."

(Milinda Ghosh Roy can be contacted at milinda.r@ians.in)
Los Angeles, April 12 : A 16-year-old boy from Nevada in the US is on track to break the record of the most retweeted tweet, for a quest to get a year of free chicken nuggets.

With 3.3 million retweets, the most retweeted record holder right now is talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, which is a group selfie taken by Bradly Cooper at the Oscars award show in 2014.

As of Tuesday, Carter Wilkerson's plea has 2.6 million retweets, less than one million away to break that record.

Wilkerson last Wednesday tweeted at Wendy's, a fast-food chain store and asked them how many retweets were needed for a year of free chicken nuggets.

Wendy's replied with "18 million". Wilkerson replied "Consider it done" and posted the screenshot of this conversation with "Help me please, a man needs his nuggs" to ask for retweets.

"I sent out the tweet as a joke," Wilkerson told the Reno Gazette-Journal, "but then they responded with the outrageous number... Then I put the screenshot up and it started gaining momentum."

As his plea is going viral, Google, Amazon, United Airlines, and many other companies have joined Wilkerson's quest for chicken nuggets and retweeted his post.

Wilkerson's father suggested that at this point, "it's great if it has a great cause other than eating chicken nuggets for a year."

Wilkerson has taken his father's suggestion and set up a website, where he is planning to sell #NuggsforCarter T-shirts.

The proceeds will be donated to help families of Breast Cancer Patients, an educational scholarship, and to a local breast cancer non-profit organisation called Mom's on the Run, according to the website.
Kabul, April 12 : Afghan troops seized drugs worth $26 million during an anti-drug operation in Afghanistan's Nangarhar province, the command of Afghan Special Forces said on Wednesday.

"Afghan Special Forces and counter-narcotics police of Afghanistan carried out an operation in Khogyani district of Nangarhar province on Monday night, seizing a large amount of narcotics and drugs," it said in a statement.

Among the drugs were 8,000 kg heroin, 500 litres of liquid heroin, 230 kg of ammonium chloride and a big amount of chemical elements, Xinhua news agency reported.

The restive Nangarhar province with Jalalabad city as its capital, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces, Taliban militants and Islamic State (IS) fighters over the past years.

The seizure of the drugs was a heavy blow for insurgents and anti-government militants as they have been using profits from the illegal trade in drugs to fund insurgency, the statement added.

Much of the world's opium poppy is cultivated in the militancy-hit country.

In 2016, some 4,800 tonnes of opium was produced in Afghanistan, particularly in western and southern parts of the country, where the government security forces have little presence, according to official figures.
New Delhi, April 12 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after working for around 176 hours during the budget session.

Mahajan told the house that 8.12 hours were wasted due to disruptions. The Lok Sabha held 28 sittings during the session.

Hailing the session as "very fruitful and productive", she said the house introduced 24 bills and passed 23 including on Goods and Services Tax.

Besides four bills related to GST, the Payment of Wages Amendment Bill, Specified Bank Notes Bill, The Maternity Benefits Amendment Bill, Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, The Mental Health Care Bill and Taxation Laws Amendment Bill were also passed.

Describing the session as historic, the Speaker hoped that members would continue to work like this to serve the nation.

The budget session began on January 31 with President Pranab Mukherjee addressing Parliament.

The house discussed for over 10 hours before passing the Motion of Thanks on Presidential address on March 7.

The General Budget, merged with Railway Budget for the first time, was presented on February 1.

The house discussed the budget for more than 26 hours, Mahajan said.

Mahajan also congratulated the members for completing the process of passing the Union Budget before April 1.

"All processes related to the Budget, related to tax or expenditure, have been completed before the end of this financial year. This gave government departments an opportunity to spend on public welfare related works," she added.

The first half of the session was held from January 31 to February 9 and the second half began on February 9.
Islamabad, April 12 : Kulbhushan Jadhav, an alleged Indian 'spy' who has been awarded death sentence by a military court in Pakistan, will not be immediately executed, Defence MinAister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has said.

Asif said three appellate forums are available under the law to Jadhav, whose family lives in Mumbai, Dawn online reported.

According to the minister, the trial of Jadhav, who Pakistan said was working for the Research and Analysis Wing and arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan, lasted three and a half months.

He faced charges of spying for India, working against Pakistan's integrity, sponsoring terrorism and attempting to destabilise the country.

Asif said Jadhav had the right to move the Pakistan Army's Court of Appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the President.

Asif rejected Indian claims that Jadhav's execution would be "pre-meditated murder", saying due process of law was followed in the trial.

The minister said those involved in terrorist activities and conspiring against the security and integrity of Pakistan would not be allowed any concession, whether or not they lived in the country.
Jakarta, April 12 : A small plane with several people on board lost contact on Wednesday in Papua province of eastern Indonesia and a search operation was underway, the Indonesian Transport Ministry said.

"The cargo plane lost contact today (Wednesday). Now we are checking the number of crew," Transport Ministry spokesman J.A. Barata told Xinhua by phone.

Marsudi, a spokesman of the national search and rescue office, said the C208 Caravan plane was en route to Wajo and Sentani.

It departed at 2.45 p.m. (local time) and was scheduled to arrive at 3:24 p.m.

"The plane sent S.O.S. message during the flight," Marsudi said.

"Search and rescue for the plane is underway now, involving a plane and personnel from local search and rescue office. But the weather seems unfavourable," he said.
Islamabad, April 12 : Pakistan and India cannot be enemies forever and need to engage with each other to resolve their disputes, Pakistan's National Security Adviser Naseer Khan Janjua has said.

Janjua said this when Canadian High Commissioner Perry John Calderwood met him on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations besides Pakistan-India ties with reference to the US offer for mediation.

The comments came a day after Pakistan sentenced to death an alleged Indian spy, drawing angry reactions in New Delhi.

Janjua underlined the need for non-discriminatory approach in considering Pakistan's membership for the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Dawn online reported.

He complained that the international community was overlooking the Jammu and Kashmir dispute for its own strategic interests vis-a-vis India.

He said Pakistan expected the international community to stand with morality and human rights, adding that Islamabad welcomed the US offer to mediate between India and Pakistan.

India regarded Jammu and Kashmir as a bilateral issue but defeated the spirit of bilateralism by defying any dialogue on the divided state, said Janjua.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 12 : Kerala intelligence chief Mohammed Yasin on Wednesday found himself in an embarrassing situation when he mistook a state minister for the latter's Cabinet colleague.

Yasin, an Additional Director General of Police, went to Revenue Minister E. Chandrasekharan's residence at around 7.30 a.m. and as the minister came out to meet him, the senior IPS officer asked if he was Agriculture Minister Sunil Kumar.

A baffled minister then asked a staff member to guide Yasin to the residence of his party and Cabinet colleague Sunil Kumar.

Confirming the goof-up, the Revenue Minister told reporters that such a mistake should not have occurred, especially on part of a senior intelligence officer.

State Police chief Loknath Behra assured of action in the case after a probe.
Beijing, April 12 : The Dalai Lama's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims to be southern Tibet, will complicate the Sino-Indian border row, a Chinese commentator warned on Wednesday.

In an op-ed piece in China Daily, Xi Rao, a Beijing-based expert on international studies, said the Dalai Lama was only causing "trouble ... for the settlement of China-India border issues, regional peace".

The commentary noted how the Dalai Lama, who fled to India from Tibet in 1959, had changed his views on Arunachal Pradesh over the years.

"Even after fleeing to India in 1959, the Dalai Lama did not promote India's 'sovereignty' over Southern Tibet (Arunachal Pradesh) at first. Yet, that gradually changed."

It accused the Dalai Lama of wanting to "give away" Tawang district, "the holy land of China's Tibet where the sixth Dalai Lama was born, in exchange for India's support for the survival of his separatist group.

"His trip is testimony to his betrayal of himself, the people, the country as well as regional peace."

The commentary claimed that people living in Arunachal Pradesh "live difficult lives, face various kinds of discrimination and look forward to returning to China".
Washington, April 12 : China called for a "peaceful" resolution of tensions on the Korean peninsula on Wednesday, as a US aircraft carrier strike group churned towards the contested region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the situation in North Korea and Syria with US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Wednesday, China's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, Xi reiterated that China wants a denuclearised Korean peninsula and called for peace and stability.

"China advocates to resolve the issue through peaceful means, and is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the US on the Korean peninsula issue," the statement quoted Xi as saying.

Trump had repeatedly called on China to do more to rein in its "unruly neighbour", which stepped up its missile development and nuclear weapons programme since 2016, reported CNN.

The US dispatched aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson after the latest missile test by North Korea last week, drawing a forceful warning from Pyongyang.

An analyst described the discussion between Xi and Trump as a "new phase" of China-US relations on North Korea.

"I think at this point the common interest between the US and China outweigh (North Korea sabre-rattling)," Alexander Neill, a senior fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, told CNN.

"China may be prepared to do some sort of trade-off... They want to rein in (leader) Kim Jong-un," he said.

The unexpected phone call between the two came after Trump turned to Twitter to vent his frustrations over North Korea.

"I explained to the President of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem," he tweeted.

"North Korea is looking for trouble. If China decides to help, that would be great. If not, we will solve the problem without them! USA," he wrote in a second tweet.

The two leaders met for the first time last week at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

In the wake of the Trump-Xi meeting, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that China understood how dangerous North Korea's nuclear programme had become and had agreed action must be taken to stop it, the report said.

On Syria, Xi said any use of chemical weapons was unacceptable and that the path of political settlement should be followed.

He expressed the hope that the UN Security Council would speak in one voice as it was important for the world body to remain united on the issue.

Xi also said China and the US should promote economic cooperation, expand exchanges in military, law enforcement, cyber and people-to-people areas, enhance communication and coordination in major global and regional issues, through the newly established four-pronged dialogue mechanism.
New Delhi, April 12 : Trying to allay fears about the mobile tower emissions, the telecom industry body Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) on Wednesday appealed to the public "not to panic" about the Supreme Court order on tower radiation.

The apex court, in a recent order, had asked a mobile tower to be shut down within seven days after a petitioner claimed the radiation from the tower had given him cancer.

"For the telecom industry consumer health and interest are paramount. The industry appeals to the citizens and the public to not panic and read the interim order in its entirety. There are four EMF related cases which have been clubbed together. The interim SC order relates to only one of them whereas cell towers included in the other cases were left untouched," said Rajan S. Mathews, Director General of COAI.

"Citizens have no reason to panic as mobile towers emit low level radiation, which is within the prescribed DoT, government of India, norms which makes mobile towers completely safe," he said in a release.

The report by the Times of India said that Harish Chand Tiwari, who works at the residence of Prakash Sharma in the Dal Bazar area of Gwalior, moved the Supreme Court complaining that a BSNL tower illegally installed on a neighbour's rooftop in 2002 had exposed him to harmful radiation for the last 14 years.

In its order, a bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Navin Sinha said: "We direct that the particular mobile tower shall be deactivated by BSNL within seven days from today."

Mathews said eight high courts had earlier held that radiation emanating from mobile towers were not hazardous to human health.

He added that the government of India in its affidavit also had provided evidence of the same, stating clearly that it has one of the strictest norms across the world on electromagnetic fields (EMF) emission from mobile towers.

Mathews said authorities regularly checked and monitored mobile towers for emission and imposed high penalties in case of any violation.

The Department of Telecom (DoT) on its site states: "WHO (World Health Organization) has referred to approximately 25,000 articles published around the world over past 30 years, and based on an in-depth review of scientific literature, has concluded: 'current evidence does not confirm the existence of any health consequences from exposure to low level electromagnetic field'."

As a precaution, the DoT has already maintained emission limits in India at 1/10th of the recommended global standards by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, making them one of the strictest norms existing anywhere across the world.

The World Health Organization in 2010 had quoted Director of International Agency for Research on Cancer Christopher Wild as saying that "an increased risk of brain cancer is not established from the data from Interphone."

The Interphone Study Group had carried extensive case studies in 13 countries for the agency, which is part of the WHO.

WHO, in another note on radio frequency (RF) transmitters, said: "Over the past 15 years, studies examining a potential relationship between RF transmitters and cancer have been published. These studies have not provided evidence that RF exposure from the transmitters increases the risk of cancer." However, the WHO has also called for further, more extensive studies since mobile phone usage has grown exponentially.

According to Mathews, the Allahabad High Court had instituted an expert committee which found that currently there was "no conclusive scientific evidence" to establish that EMF had harmful effect on human health.

He said the Supreme Court had asked COAI to submit reports and other relevant documents which it would do shortly. "We believe the final order will take a comprehensive view of the matter after taking into consideration all the supplied material evidence," Mathews said.
Thiruvananthapuram, April 12 : The Kerala High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Mangalam TV CEO R. Ajithkumar and his senior colleague K. Jayachandran in the sleaze audio case, but accepted the pleas of three other journalists arrested in the case.

The court observed that the two need to be kept in judicial custody as the laptop and pen drive which contained the lewd conversation of Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran with a woman on phone, has, according to the CEO, been stolen and have to be recovered for the case to go ahead.

The five journalists were arrested last week for airing the audio on March 26 -- the day the channel was launched. The issue led to a political furore and within hours, Saseendran announced his resignation.

Following his resignation, the Pinarayi Vijayan government announced judicial and police probes.

Soon after this, Ajithkumar went live on air to confess it was a sting operation and not a real incident as they claimed earlier and tendered an unconditional apology.

The channel said the woman who spoke to Saseendran was one of their staffers and not a housewife, who had come to meet the minister, as claimed by the channel, ever since the news was telecast.
Aligarh, April 12 : A BJP youth wing leader's announcement of a bounty of Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee drew sharp condemnation on Wednesday from political parties.

Yogesh Varshney of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha made the statement after police clashed with people taking part in a Hanuman Jayanti rally in West Bengal's Birbhum district.

"She stands up for Muslims. Aren't Hindus human beings? If there was some humanity, then there wouldn't be so much discrimination against the Hindus," he said after apparently seeing a video of police assaulting the rallyists to disperse them.

"There is only one thought that crossed my mind after watching that video... Whoever will cut off Mamata Banerjee's head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh as reward," Varshney said.

Varshney's Rs 11-lakh offer went viral on social media, triggering outrage.

Describing the comments as provocation against a popular Chief Minister and attack on women, opposition leaders vehemently condemned the incident in both houses of Parliament.

Terming the comments by Varshney as "jihadi-like", BJP's National Secretary Rahul Sinha said that in Kolkata such comments would not get any support.

"We doubt if he has the credibility to be a BJP Yuva Morcha leader. Such comments cannot be supported by anyone. He has made a most jihadi-like statement," Sinha said.

"We will continue to oppose Mamata Banerjee on political grounds. But BJP does not approve the politics of hatred and murder, though such extreme comments were made by Trinamool Congress leaders earlier," he said.

Taking a swipe at the BJP leader for his comments, Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said they had no idea what Banerjee had gone through in her political career and what she was made of.

"These leaders sitting in different states have no idea what she is made of. She has faced physical assaults several times earlier in her political career.

"She was thrown out of the Kolkata police headquarters in Lalbazar and dragged out of the Writers' Building (the state's permanent secretariat) during the CPI-M regime. Police dragged her by the hair from Singur during the land movement (in 2006) but nothing could stop her," Chatterjee said.

Varshney's comments came a day after rallyists carrying saffron flags were stopped by police and Rapid Action Force in Suri in West Bengal's Birbhum district, sparking trouble.
New Delhi, April 12 : Brooding in silence like a yogi, unruffled by the elemental fury and onslaughts of time, knotted roots cascading down from its expansive girth to embrace earth while branches reach out to the skies in a cosmic balance -- the banyan tree has fascinated storytellers and philosophers over the ages.

This enduring mystique and majesty of the tree has now inspired an Indian artist to rustle up a range of evocative paintings that resonate with a meditative, even magical, quality, underpinned by a fine aesthetic sensibility and life philosophy.

Indore-based artist Aparna Bidsaria's paintings, showing the tree in its splendorous spectacle over seasons in different reflections of light, will be displayed at an exhibition, titled "Time and Being," at the Shridharani Art Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam here.

Curated by noted scholar and critic Uma Nair, the ten-day exhibition, beginning April 17, features a total of 30 paintings done in monochromes, colours and impressionist hues.

"The banyan tree has fascinated me since my childhood; that enduring fascination is now embedded in my artistic sensibility and craft," said Aparna, who uses clay, charcoal, pastel, ink and acrylic as medium to capture the cool and quiet of the tree's shadows as well as the intensity of sunrays filtering through its dense leaves.

"For me, the banyan is a symbolism of the dance of life and time. The tree spreads across eons of time and acres of space -- personifying the majesty and power of Nature. Yet, there is gentleness in it. Its graceful sprawl invites you to swing on its roots, to rest in its shade and enjoy the cool breeze of its leaves," she added.

The uniqueness of the exhibition lies in the fact that all the paintings on display are based on a single object (banyan), which the curator describes as "meditations on the banyan tree".

Nair said it is rather unusual to find an artist who spends days and months just painting the banyan tree in different reflections of light.

"Aparna imbues the painting with an essential stillness, harmony and balance. It also brings back her early fascination for the Indian thought in which the banyan is considered both sacred and profane. From autumnal gold to ochre and amber, her use of warm, bright colours of orange and yellow stand out as a product of her earlier experimentation, marked by abstract expressionism and minimalism," she informed IANS.

The exhibition, which was first held at Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal in February, concludes in Delhi on April 26. It is slated for a Mumbai replication, with more additions, at the Jehangir Art Gallery, from August 14.
Islamabad, April 12 : Amid warnings form India, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa agreed on Wednesday not to bow to any pressure over the death sentence awarded to alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Yadav.

Sama TV quoted an official source as saying that the Army chief called on Sharif and took him "into confidence regarding ... Jadhav".

A Pakistani military court gave the death sentence to Jadhav on Monday on charges of espionage and waging war against Islamabad.

New Delhi has warned that if Jadhav was hanged, it would be considered "premeditated murder" by Islamabad.

Pakistan says Jadhav was arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan. India says he was abducted from Iran. Pakistan has said Jadhav worked for the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Governor Cuomo's budget director confirmed Tuesday that CUNY and SUNY schools will have the option to award his new free tuition scholarship by random lottery if demand exceeds supply.

"It's just in case, for some strange reason, there is not sufficient capacity with the appropriation," said budget director Robert Mujica. "We think there is going to be plenty."

The relevant section of the bill reads [emphasis added]:

The president may establish: (a) an application deadline and (b) a method of selecting recipients if in any given year there are insufficient funds to cover the needs of all the applicants provided that priority shall be given to eligible applicants who are currently in attendance at a public institution of higher education. 6. Rules and regulations. The corporation is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations, and may promulgate emergency regulations, necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this section including, but not limited to, the criteria for distributing the awards, which may include a lottery or other form of random selection.

Mujica added that similar language has been included in other scholarships, like the State's Loan Forgiveness Program and STEM. But student advocates at CUNY have countered that the provision is one of too many stipulations. Eligible students must maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete 30 credits per year, and live and work in-state for at least two years after graduation (otherwise the grant converts to a loan).

"The whole thing should have come with a 'while supplies last' caveat," said Erik Forman, a current ESL teacher for CUNY and organizer with a new campaign to make CUNY entirely tuition-free.

The State has earmarked $87 million for the Excelsior Scholarship for the 2017-2018 school year, and plans to increase that investment to $163 million by year three. Full scholarships will be accessible to families making up to $100,000 annually in fall 2017, $110,000 annually in 2018, and $125,000 annually in 2019.

According to Mujica, the $87 million is expected to accommodate about 22,000 people in its first year across four-year and community colleges. That estimate assumes an average scholarship of $4,500 per year per student, and is based on a projection of the number of full-time students in the income bracket who meet all requirements.

Part-time students, who make up a sizable percentage of both two and four-year institutions, are excluded from the scholarship. At CUNY, 44 percent of 146,234 four-year students and 40 percent of 99,045 two-year students were part time in 2015.

A 2015 Independent Budget Office report estimated that a free-tuition program for full-time students at CUNY Community Colleges alone would cost $138 million. Judith Scott-Clayton, a professor of economics and education at Teachers Colleges, predicted earlier this year that Excelsior "could easily cost two to four times" the IBO estimate.

Sudents with Free CUNY also pointed to new tuition increases written into the budget, calling Excelsior a "smokescreen." The budget includes an option for $200 increases per year at four-year CUNY and SUNY schools, for the next four years. These tuition increases would be contingent on Board of Trustee votes, a SUNY spokeswoman said; neither CUNY nor SUNY commented on whether they plan to instate the increases.

According to the Governor's Office, the State increased overall higher education funding by $448 million this fiscal year. Mujica also said that 180,000 low income students already receive free tuition at CUNY and SUNY, thanks to the state-funded Tuition Assistance Program. "Tuition is only going to up only for those who are not eligible for TAP, and now Excelsior," he said.

Spokespeople for both CUNY and SUNY stressed that the lottery would only kick in under certain circumstances.

"We need to see how actual demand increases during the summer," said SUNY spokeswoman Holly Liapis. CUNY spokeswoman Emily Gest said that the language is conditional, and not a requirement.

Melinda Karp, assistant director of the Community College Research Center at Teachers College, said she was troubled by the lottery provision in the legislation, which would apply in "any given year there are insufficient funds to cover the needs of all the applicants."

"That to me reads as, 'If there is a budget crisis, or if more students apply, or if the cost is much larger than what the state is saying'I read it as a way to say, 'We don't have to make everyone eligible a recipient," Karp said.



Hillary Clinton joined Governor Cuomo at a bill signing for the Excelsior Scholarship on Wednesday, calling New York a "pioneer in education."
Kathmandu, April 12 : Dismissing as 'even more regressive than the previous' the government's new Constitution amendment proposal -- introduced in Parliament on Tuesday, the United Democratic Madhesi Front on Wednesday decided to boycott the May 14 local-level polls in Nepal.

Top leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) -- representing the Madhesi ethnic groups who have long complained of being marginalised at the ballot box -- were present at the meeting here which took the decision in this regard.

The meeting -- convened at the Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party office in Bijulibazar, Kathmandu -- was called to discuss the Constitution amendment bill that the government got registered at the Parliament Secretariat on Tuesday, the Kathmandu Post reported.

After discussion, the Front said the bill did not sufficiently address their demands and they would not take part in the local polls unless their demands were met.

The leaders claimed that the new proposal has not addressed their key demand -- revision of provincial boundaries -- and no provisions pertaining to citizenship, National Assembly and language have been changed in the old proposal.

Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party Deputy General Secretary Surendra Jha refuted the government claim that the new amendment proposal had been brought after taking the Madhesi Morcha into confidence.

He further said that the contents of the proposal were different from what was agreed during the joint task-force meeting of the ruling parties and Morcha leaders.

Meanwhile, the bloc also decided to hold torch rallies in the headquarter towns of the Terai region districts on Thursday, with the demand that their concerns be addressed.

Likewise, the parties would picket election offices in the districts on Sunday in a symbolic protest against the local-level elections scheduled for May 14.

The local elections will pave the way for provincial and national elections, which need to be held by January 2018 according to the country's new Constitution -- promulgated on September 20, 2015.
Bhubaneswar, April 12 : The Orissa High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Pal and Seashore Group director Pravat Das in connection with the Rose Valley chit fund scam.

Pal, who is in judicial custody after being arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for his involvement in the scam, had moved the court seeking bail on health ground.

Pal had moved the high court after his bail plea was rejected in the special CBI court here.

Pal was arrested by CBI from Kolkata on December 30 last year. The actor-turned-politician, while working as a director of Rose Valley Group in 2010, had allegedly appointed his wife, daughter and niece in different positions.

Das, the younger brother of Seashore Group chief Prashant Das, was arrested on January 24, 2015 for his alleged link in the chit fund scam.
Chandigarh, April 12 : A day after Chandigarh Police booked 66 students on sedition charges after violence on the Panjab University campus here over fee hike, university authorities on Wednesday sought the dropping of the serious charge.

University Chief Security Officer Ashwani Kaul wrote to police authorities that slogans raised by protesting students during Tuesday's violent clash with police in Sector 14 were not against the state but University Grants Commission and Human Resource Development Ministry.

Police had booked 66 students for rioting and later for sedition. Police officials said the sedition charge was added following a complaint from university officials.

Around 50 people, including students, policemen and journalists, were injured when students protesting the massive fee hike for various courses clashed with police on the campus. Police took 52 students into custody.

The fee hike, applicable from the 2017-18 academic session, was opposed by Students for Society, Panjab University Students Union, Students of Panjab University, and Students Organisation of India.

The university has been grappling with a financial crisis for the last two-three years as grants from the Centre and the Punjab government are not regular.
New Delhi, April 12 : Delhi University students on Wednesday called to root out casteism from higher education at a public meeting held just two days ahead of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's birth anniversary.

The meeting on 'Cast Out Casteism: University of Ambedkar's Dream' was held in the wake of a string of steps taken by the Ministry of Human Resources Department (MHRD) lately, which have been criticised by the students.

One such issue is for granting 'autonomy' to individual colleges in the university, which the MHRD is in the process of testing with a few colleges.

"This is not autonomy. Autonomy was when we asked for freedom from the British. Autonomy means decentralization of power, not its opposite," Anil Chamaria, a noted journalist, said addressing students and teachers present at the open-air gathering.

He also criticised the current lot of college principals, who he said were stooges of the political brass and have no say in the administrative decisions.

The autonomous model suggested by the MHRD entails giving power to the colleges to administrate their admission process and to create their syllabi, under which the college expenditure, so far heavily subsidised by the government, will be curtailed drastically.

"We are opposed to autonomy because that will lead to a steep increase in the fees charged from students. So far subsidised by the central government, colleges will have to raise funds by increasing the fees. The university will become an elite space, only for the rich," Aman Nawaz, a research scholar and member of All India Students Association (AISA), which organised the event, told IANS.

Nawaz said there were seven colleges -- Hansraj, Venkateshwara, PGDAV (Evening and Morning both), Ramjas, St. Stephen's and SRCC -- which were asked to adopt the model.

"Lower caste students will become more vulnerable if this design becomes a reality," he added.

Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) President Nandita Narain also addressed the gathering.
New Delhi, April 12 : Eighteen staff members of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here have been terminated from service allegedly for taking up the issue of "sudden cut in salary" with the AIIMS authorities.

The sacked employees, who are among the 350 other Class IV staff members employed on contractual basis, alleged that they were also manhandled by police when the matter was taken up with the hospital authorities.

They complained that the salary of Rs 9,500 was suddenly reduced to Rs 8,500, without giving any reason.

According to the Delhi Hospitals Contractual Workers Union, a facility management company -- Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd -- was in December 2016 given the contract for hiring housekeeping staff in the main AIIMS Trauma Centre, also known as Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre.

"The workers employed under the contract were hired for Rs 9,500. But, since January this year, the workers were receiving only Rs 8,500. On March 1, the issue was initially taken up with the management of the company, which failed to come up with any reply.

"Thereafter, we approached the Additional Medical Superintendent of AIIMS Trauma Centre Dr Amit Gupta, who instead of solving the matter called police," Mriganka, General Secretary of the union, told IANS.

Mriganka said the police manhandled the group of workers and told them of return to work.

"As the Additional Medical Superintendent failed to solve the issue, we took up the matter with the Labour Commissioner, who spoke to the company representative of Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd and asked us to return to work.

"However, the next day when we reported for duty, we found that the services of 18 of our colleagues were terminated, without restoring the previous salary," said Mriganka.

When contacted, there was neither any response from Amit Gupta nor from Sudarshan Facilities Pvt Ltd.

Seeking minimum wages and timely payments, the workers have also demanded that the terminated staff members be reinstated forthwith, with continuity in service.

In a letter to the AIIMS Deputy Director, the contractual workers' union has alleged that they were also being compelled to perform the work of Class III staff, like OT technicians and computer operators.

This practice was lowering the standards of medical care, as Class IV workers were supposed to do sanitation work, work as ward boys and other similar other works, the letter pointed out.

The letter also mentioned the delays in payment of wages and denial of bonus.

"The workmen are given their wages around 15th to 20th of every month, which violates the Payment of Wages Act. Though the permanent employees at both centres get bonus, these employees doing similar nature of work, even more at times, do not get any bonus during festivals," the letter read.
Kolkata, April 12 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday cautioned the people not to get swayed by rumours being floated by some people on social media to incite communal violence and asserted that her government would not allow riots to break out.

"Some people are carrying out propaganda on social media to incite communal violence. Do not believe rumours," Banerjee said, addressing a public meeting in Domkal of muslim majority Murshidabad district.

Calling herself "pahradar" (protector) of the masses, she said: "Do not be misled by provocations. We will not allow any riots".

Banerjee referred to the Ram Navmi rallies brought out in various districts recently by the rightwing Hindu organisations with the backing of the Bharatiya Janata Party in which a large number of participants carried swords.

"Our mothers and sisters take part in Sindur Khela (a custom where Hindu married women smear one another with vermillion during religious festivals). This is the culture of Bengal. And not the sword fights which some gentlemen from have imported from Delhi," she said.

Apparently targeting the BJP, Banerjee said a political party could not decide what people will eat or not just because it is in power.

"Whether I have rice and lentils or fish and rice... how can you decide what people will eat or not?.

"What people will eat that is their business.Just because a certain political party is in power, it cannot decide that," she said.
New Delhi, April 12 : Parliament was on Wednesday adjourned sine die as the Budget Session (242nd Session) came to an end. While the Chairs of both houses expressed satisfaction over the amount of legislative business conducted, the government called it the most fruitful and golden session in Indian legislative history.

Apart from the Budget 2017-18, Appropriation Bill and the Finance Bill, Parliament also passed the crucial Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill aimed at introducing a uniform indirect tax regime across the country.

A total of 24 bills were introduced during the session. Of these, the Lok Sabha passed 23 bills, while the Rajya Sabha passed 14. A total of 18 bills were passed by both the houses.

The session commenced on January 31, a first in the history of Indian Parliament. It went into recess for 27 days from February 10, and was reconvened on March 9. In all, both houses of Parliament held 29 sittings each during the session.

"This Budget session has been very fruitful... in the last 70 years. This is for the first time in Indian legislative history that all financial business of government has been completed before the start of the next financial year, and that too by following the due process of general discussion and scrutiny by Standing Committees," Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said.

He said the Union Budget 2017-18 has already come into effect from April 1, which is "unprecedented".

The Finance Bill led to sparks in the Rajya Sabha as the opposition accused the Centre of misusing the money bill route to amend laws in order to bypass the upper house. It made certain recommendations to the Finance Bill, which were rejected by the Lok Sabha.

The Lok Sabha's productivity turned out to be 113 per cent while that of the Rajya Sabha was 92 per cent.

While the Lok Sabha lost around eight hours to interruptions, the Rajya Sabha lost 18 hours.

The lower house worked 19 hours extra while the upper house worked seven extra hours to make up for the loss.

Some of the important bills passed by both the houses include the four GST Bills, Payment of Wages (Amendment) Bill, Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, Mental Healthcare Bill and the Employee's Compensation (Amendment) Bill.

The government also got the contentious Enemy Property Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha -- where it is not in majority -- albeit in the absence of a majority of opposition members and a walkout by remaining few in protest before the bill was passed. The government had brought the bill on a Friday when the attendance is usually thin in the Rajya Sabha.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister appreciated the cooperation extended by the opposition in the transaction of legislative business, but blamed the Congress for stalling a bill for the grant of constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.

Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chair Hamid Ansari, in his valedictory remarks, appreciated the members' enthusiasm in participating in the house proceedings, especially those from the last two rows.

"The participation of the members occupying the last two rows is remarkable. Out of a total of 205 Zero Hour submissions, they raised 86 -- approximately 42 per cent," Ansari said.

"The members' zeal to raise matters of urgent public importance with concern and passion is manifested in the 205 Zero Hour submissions and 76 Special Mentions made and in the 435 Starred Questions with more than 535 Supplementaries and 4,629 Unstarred Questions raised by them," he said.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too expressed pleasure over the smooth conduct of the session and hailed it as "very fruitful and productive".

"All processes related to the Budget, related to tax or expenditure, have been completed before the end of this financial year. This gave the government departments an opportunity to spend on public welfare works," she said.

During the Winter Session in 2016, which saw a complete washout in the wake of the November 8 demonetisation, the Chairs had expressed deep displeasure over the stalling of the two houses by their respective members.
Shimla, April 12 : The Himachal Pradesh High Court has allowed the state to frame a policy to regularise small encroachments, mainly by growers, on government land with a rider that it did not compromise with its legality and validity.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Chauhan passed this order on Tuesday.

Official sources said it would come as a big relief for thousands of small growers, who have encroached upon forest and revenue land by illegally extending their orchards. The high court has already directed the government to clear all such encroachments.

"The state may proceed with the policy but it should not be construed that we have upheld the legality and validity of the proposed policy.

"If the policy is made, its validity and legality can be tested at any time, if questioned," the court said.

After the court directive on encroachments, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, in a suo-motu statement in the assembly in August 2015, announced the formation of a committee to suggest a policy on encroachments by poor landless people on forest and revenue land.

Noting that while illegal encroachments have to be proceeded against, there was also a human angle involved in the matter, he said: "We need to approach the whole issue with both a legal and humane perspective."

"Distinction needs to be made between those poor landless persons who are occupying government land out of duress and helplessness and those who have done so out of greed. Similarly, we may perhaps have to adopt different approaches for forest and non-forest land," he had said.

An encroachment is an encroachment and the encroachers are liable to be evicted, the high court ruled on August 6, 2015.

A division bench of Chief Justice Mir and Justice Chauhan had observed: "Encroachment on one inch or on thousand inches, is an encroachment and the encroachers are liable to be evicted and dealt with under law."

They had directed the government to clear the encroachments by the fruit growers on forest land within six months, adding that electricity and water connections of encroachers should be disconnected.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) in its report tabled in the assembly last month said the state has not been able to demarcate 54 per cent of its forest area in 28 years and there are over 15,409 cases of encroachments despite high court strictures.
Washington, April 12 : A Muslim woman has said she was attacked in the US by a man who "ripped off" her hijab on her way back home and "beat her like an animal", the media reported.

The woman from Milwaukee city in Wisconsin said the incident happened on Monday. She said the attacker threw her to the sidewalk and stepped on her head repeatedly, reported Fox6 News.

She described him taking out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.

The victim was released from a hospital on Tuesday and the incident prompted calls for a hate crime probe, said the report.

The woman, who did'nt share her identity, said a car pulled up alongside her.

"One man came from a car and that man wanted only one thing: to remove my hijab.

"He said to take off my hijab. I tried to fight him. So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal," said the victim.

The attacker was able to pull the scarf off. Blood stains remained on it, according to the report.

"Certainly we're scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe," said Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

The victim also said the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.
Washington, April 12 : Nikki Haley, US envoy to the United Nations, has characterised Russia as "skittish" and "isolated" in the wake of Syria's deadly chemical weapons attack last week that killed scores of civilians.

On Tuesday, US officials charged Russia with trying to cover up the attack, and Haley said in an interview with CNN that she thinks that Moscow "knew" about it beforehand.

"I think that if you look at the fact that when this information came out, they were so quick to defend," Haley said.

"They didn't look shocked, they didn't look surprised. They were so quick to defend. And then the evidence comes out and we see exactly what it is. And we know exactly what the environment was. Then you realise that ..."

"I think that they knew (what was going on), yes," Haley told CNN.

"I think they're nervous... They very much feel as if they've been weakened by Assad's actions and their cover up. They realise the international community didn't buy it and is not buying it," Haley added.

"And they now have to figure out how to save face. We're giving them all the options to save face."

Haley's comments come before critical meetings between Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, which were expected to focus on Assad's use of chemical weapons on his own people, said the report.

The former South Carolina Governor also weighed in on comments by White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who used Adolf HItler in a criticised analogy to describe the heinousness of Assad's actions.

"It's unfortunate," she said. "We should never have comparisons with Hitler, ever. What I hope Sean was trying to say is just how awful Assad is."

Spicer had said "that even Adolf Hitler had not used the kind of chemical weapons that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had".

He made the comparison as he tried to condemn Russia's alliance with Assad in the wake of the chemical attack in Syria last week.

"We didn't even use chemical weapons in World War II," Spicer said during a press briefing.
A group of artists and activists is planning a Saturday exorcism of the AT&T Building in Tribeca where, according to reporting by The Intercept, the National Security Agency likely controls several floors and surveils communications around the globe.

"In an ultimate act of hubris, the government has attempted to make an omniscient force, a false godwe must cast out this idol," organizers wrote in a communique section titled "Why Are We Exorcising?"

In 2016, The Intercept revealed documents showing that the former AT&T Long Lines Building, a brutalist skyscraper built in 1974, is probably home to a top-secret NSA surveillance operation called TITANPOINTE. The documents don't explicitly out the building at 33 Thomas Street, but in aggregate, they strongly point to the 29-story tower as the place where the wires are tapp-ed.

A 2011 travel guide for NSA employees shows that those visiting TITANPOINTE should first go to the FBI's New York field office, a little over a block away. Another guide from 2013 says that a "partner" called LITHIUM, code for AT&T, supervises the site. Employees are also instructed to ring a buzzer, sign in, and wait for someone to meet them. The Intercept wrote that 33 Thomas Street has a buzzer outside, a sign-in sheet in the lobby, and a 24-hour guard.

The site reported further that the building houses an international gateway switch, routing calls between the U.S. and other countries. Documents leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013 refer to a surveillance program called BLARNEY, which was established in the 1970s, the same decade that the NSA was called out for surveilling anti-Vietnam War activists, civil rights activists including Martin Luther King, and at least two journalists. According to the documents, BLARNEY leverages "commercial partnerships" in order to conduct bulk collection of data and metadata.

The exorcism is being organized by editors of The Quiet American.

The event was inspired by the attempted levitation of the Pentagon by Abbie Hoffman, Allen Ginsberg, and an assortment of other freaks from the East Village and elsewhere during the massive 1967 march on the war building.

That levitation, like a more recent attempt to levitate Vice's Williamsburg headquarters into the East River, was ultimately unsuccessful.

The exorcism is set for Saturday at noon, and according to the organizers will include "a cadre of priests, supplicants and a volunteer choir" to "exorcise the malevolent energy and information coursing through the AT&T monolith."

The NSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

We wanted to learn more about the thinking behind the esoteric street action, so we spoke to Noah Harley, a translator, musician, and Quiet American editor living in Ridgewood.

How did you get the idea to do an exorcism? The idea came from reading that article in The Intercept. Eli Smith and I read it around the same time, and we were talking, and one of us said, "I want to just exorcise that building." You've seen the building?

Before I knew what it was, I took a photo of it because it's so creepy. Its so creepy. It just needs to be exorcised. It has no windows. It just sucks up information, and it's this black hole vortex that all light disappears into. It's begging for some kind of energetic realignment.

An important part of it is to raise awareness about AT&Ts collaboration with the NSA, and issues around internet privacy, and civilian privacy. But also we wanted to hit it from a slightly less political with a capital "P" angle.

What is it? From their fruits shall you know their labors? [Editor's note: Not quite.] It has to do with intention and preparation. We've been working on it for a month, and really thinking about the script, and what the rituals that we're going to do are. So I guess it's our willpower and focus that qualify us.

We're also amateur dabblers in the arcane arts. That also helpsa passing familiarity with the Tower card in the tarot deck, for example. The Tower card is a good symbol for TITANPOINTE. The Tower card is a symbol for punishing ambition, like the Tower of Babel is a good example.

To be frank with you, we're walking some fine line where it's a little bit tongue-in-cheek, but we're not doing it in an ironic way. That building is real. One of the things that we're going to do is invoke all of the physical materials that the building is made of, which come from all over the place. We found out the sources for a lot of the materials for the building and are going to call upon those materials to change valencies to disrupt the sinister frequencies that the building operates at.

I heard there's going to be tinfoil hats. Yeah, the tinfoil hats are to protect us from whatever they're trying to get from within us, but also tinfoil hats are just great visually. We've been hard at work making a series of protective headgear for ourselves. It's got a kind of stormtrooper-Egyptian vibe to it. And then the hats are paired with some mylar chest protection gear, also to protect the heart, and they have silver tassels coming over them. There's also a Roman gladiator look to it.

Sounds like you're hitting all the high points of costume history. How many people do you expect to come out? We have no idea. We're hoping at the minimum for about 50 people. If it's smaller, we'll counter size with ferocity.

Who's in the choir? There's going to be a series of led group chants, so anyone who comes, we're hoping that they'll participate. There's a core group of about 12 or 13 core exorcisers. They're going to be doing a number of different things. [Puppeteer and mutual friend Sam Wilson] has been working on a piece about the mythical origins of TITANPOINTE via the story of Perseus.

There's also going to be a short processional from Foley Square leading up to the exorcism rite. We've built a number of high-frequency sound devices, mostly made from PVC pipe, and a bunch of drums. There's gonna be several hurdy-gurdies to issue some low noises, and the PVC pipes are kind of cottage-industry didgeridoos.

What do you hope passersby will get out of this? I hope that they enjoy the spectacle on a beautiful spring day. I hope theyre curious about it and take one of our leaflets. I hope that they stick around and dont just take pictures but also chant a little bit. Part of this is also acknowledging the very real fear that this sort of thing creates within us individually. Its like an exorcism in stereo, because not only are we trying to exorcise the data, purge the data from the building, but were also trying to exorcise ourselves of the fear and the concern, and the ghost in the machine, the nagging awareness of constant surveillance or potential constant surveillance. It's also a ceremony for ourselves. Thats why we hope people passing by will get something out of it. It's their issue too.

Can you tell me about The Quiet American? We're trying to do it three times a year. It's sort of on an ad hoc basis. We started it originally to get free admission to museums, before the NYC ID card because it was easier to get into shows and museums with a press pass, a little card that we made and then laminated.

I work with three other people on it. and the two issues weve done to date have been pretty different. The last one we went to the Republican National Convention and sent out daily reports on the boring chaos. The we did a 36-page black and white newspaper with a bunch of pieces about the convention and a bunch of photo portraits that the photographer Horatio Baltz shot.

I saw on your website that you all live in Ridgewoodmany of the people involved in the 1967 Pentagon levitation lived in the East Village. Do you think the center of weirdo energy has migrated? Ridgewood has some freaky stuff going on. To be honest with you, New York is a very different city than it was in the '60s, and I think that weirdo energy was allowed to coalesce in a way that is more difficult to do now because of rent, because people have to work three jobs to make it happen. Its harder to get that critical weirdo mass going. Its also just relationships. The Quiet American started because we all lived five blocks from each other and we could meet up and just riff on stuff for a couple hours. Eventually we were like, Oh, we should make a newspaper.

Nothing beats physical proximity, still. Nothing beats being able to see people and run into them incidentally, as opposed to planning things two weeks in advance, which is the New York way.

I dont think the guys in the East Village, maybe they had a consciousness that they were at the center. I think more they were just doing their thing together.

I reached out to the NSA press office about this, and they didn't get back to me. Do you think they have anything to hide? [Laughing] Maybe they do. That's been a running part of this, is that for the first time really I have started to be aware that an email that I send could be read by other people. Im also learning a lot doing this. Its changing my thinking. Part of the difficult thing about this surveillance stuff is that we dont know, we dont have control over it. You dont know whats paranoid and whats common-sense.

Weve been a little bit careful when were talking about what were doing, keeping it person-to-person. That's the first time I've gone through something like that. At the NSA, its their business to hide things.

The building itself says so much about why were doing it. It was built to withstand a nuclear attack. The whole building is constructed out of fear. Its like an altar to hysteria. Its this silent altar to this thing that we cant control. The whole thing is saying, You need me because the world is uncertain and scary.

Its a silent scream.

Anything else you'd like to mention? Just that this is an issue that affects everybody, and that deep within the reader of this articles ancestral memory is the knowledge of how to conduct a ritual exorcism, and if they come, then they will see that ancient memory be resurrected.
New Delhi, April 12 : Highlighting the absence of policy-level interventions to stop farmers from burning crop residue, air pollution experts on Wednesday said the union and state governments need to gear up now for a pollution-free national capital in winter.

They were speaking here at a workshop on air pollution, which saw participation from IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur, Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, World Health Organisation, Delhi Pollution Control Board and the Central Pollution Control Board.

"It will take more than just imposing fines on farmers to eliminate the crop burning problem," Centre for Sustainable Agriculture Executive Director Ramanjaneyulu G.V. said.

"This is a policy-driven crisis. The problem of biomass burning is due to mechanisation and cropping patterns. Therefore, simply imposing a ban and a fine for not adhering to the ban does not work. It needs a very comprehensive approach and good support system at the grassroots to create financially viable solution for the farmers," he said.

The National Green Tribunal, in response to a plea by environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, passed a judgement penalising the farmers by imposing fines from Rs 2,500 to Rs 15,000 for burning the crop in open.

Delayed action on the issue of crop burning coupled with lack of enforcement of emission control norms for coal-fired power plants were increasing the number of air pollution-related deaths in Delhi, said an expert.

Many organisations, such as The Health Effects Institute, World Health Organisation, Greenpeace, Public Health Foundation of India and IIT-Delhi have repeatedly highlighted the impact poor air quality can have on human health.

"When it comes to air quality, experience from across the world tells us that a suite of mitigation measures coupled with modern technology, strict regulation with proper enforcement as per the local needs and adequate monitoring network can lead to improved air quality," Sachchida Nand Tripathi of IIT-Kanpur said.

Also participating in the workshop was First Secretary for Energy Affairs with US Embassy Ray Rudweeks, who highlighted that the challenge for India was to pioneer a new path to sustainable development.

Comparing regulations in the US, he said: "For more than 45 years, the clean air act has cut pollution as the US economy has grown. The US experience with the clean air act shows that protecting public health and building the economy can go hand in hand."

"Since 1970, the aggregate national emissions of six pollutants alone dropped by 70 per cent while the nation's GDP grew by 246 per cent," he added.
New Delhi, April 12 : There is no historical proof regarding the birth place of Sita, the wife of Lord Rama, in Sitamarhi in Bihar and it is a "matter of faith", Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said in Parliament on Wednesday.

"Birthplace of Sita is a matter of faith, which does not rely on direct evidence. Archaeological Survey of India has not carried out any excavation in the district of Sitamarhi in Bihar so far. Hence, it does not have any historical proof regarding Sitamarhi as the birthplace of Sita," Sharma told the Rajya Sabha in response to a question by BJP member Prabhat Jha.

"However, Sita has been mentioned as having been born in Mithila region in Valmiki Ramayan which is presently dated 2nd century BC," he said.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh objected to the Minister's remarks saying how could he say there was no evidence of Sita's birthplace.

"You people have reached here (in government) in the name of Ram Mandir and Ram Sethu. How can you say there is no historical evidence of Sita's birthplace," he said, adding that the Culture Minister should apologise.

However, Sharma said Singh had not read the answer given by him "in its entirety".
Panaji, April 12 : There is no question of banning late-night music parties in Goa, because existing laws restrict playing loud music beyond 10 p.m. anyway, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a swearing-in ceremony of two new ministers in the BJP-led coalition government, he also said that the state police have clear instructions to crack down on drugs, prostitution and illegal gambling.

"As per law, after 10 p.m. you cannot play loud music, which disturbs people. If there is no permission by law, there is no question of banning it. Law says you can play loud music till 10 p.m., after taking permission. What disturbs people any activity like this will not be allowed by law," Parrikar said, a few days after Water Resources Minister Vinod Palienkar said that police were not cracking down enough on late-night rave parties, which are popular with tourists in the state.

"Wherever there are drugs going on, police have clear instructions... drugs, prostitution and illegal gambling... crackdown on the three and police are doing it," he added.
Shillong, April 12 : Thousands of school and college teachers on Wednesday protested against the Congress-led Meghalaya United Alliance government's "unresponsivea and "adamant attitude" towards their demands.

The teachers, under the banner Joint Action Committee of All Teachers Association ofAMeghalaya (JACATAM), held the protest near Raj Bhavan demanding 100 per cent enhancement of salary for ad hoc lower and upper primary teachers as well as for Hindi teachers.

The two teachers associations threatened to resort to extreme agitation from next week if the government failed to fulfill their demands.
Chandigarh, April 12 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the death of an elderly man during an anti-drugs police raid in the state's Lambi, a government spokesman said.

Gurdev Singh, who was in his 70s, died on Tuesday during a raid by police for his alleged involvement in drugs.

The Chief Minister has also announced ex-gratia grant of Rs 10 lakh for the next of kin of Gurdev Singh, who belonged to village Tarmala in Muktsar, an official spokesperson said here.

The probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause and circumstances that led to the death, and to fix responsibility, the spokesman said. Reiterating his promise to free the state from the drugs menace, as promised in the Congress election manifesto, Amarinder Singh directed police and other agencies engaged in the anti-drugs campaign to exercise restraint.

"He exhorted the police and other officials not to cause any sort of inconvenience or undue harassment to anyone during the ongoing search operations for drug seizures across the state," the spokesman added.

During Punjab's election campaign for assembly polls, Amarinder Singh had publicly vowed to eradicate drugs usage in Punjab within four weeks of coming to power.

The Congress government assumed office on March 16.
New Delhi, April 12 : The CBI has arrested four directors of Delhi-based Surya Vinayak Industries Ltd for cheating a consortium of banks over Rs 2,240 crore, an agency official said on Wednesday. A court sent them to ten day CBI custody.

Sanjay Jain, Rajiv Jain, Rohit Chaudhary and Sanjeev Agarwal have been arrested on the complaint of the Punjab National Bank, said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official.

It was alleged that the accused fraudulently used more than 100 shell companies for the diversion of bank funds.

The official said that there was no genuine business between the firm run by the accused and the shell companies.

"The firm also diverted Rs 376 crore out of the working capital limit obtained by the consortium of banks to six foreign subsidiaries based at Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Dubai and Ghana," he said.

They were presented before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sumit Dass who allowed CBI to quiz them till April 22.

The CBI told the court that accused custodial interrogation is required to recover the cheated amount. It also told court that accused are required to be confronted with one another to unearth the entire conspiracy.
Moscow, April 12 : Despite speculations to the contrary, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Wednesday met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. There was speculation this would not happen due to the tension between the two nations.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin is meeting US Secretary of State Tillerson and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov at the Kremlin," Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov did not elaborate on what the three discussed. Earlier in the day, Tillerson held a meeting with Sergey Lavrov.

The top US diplomat is visiting Moscow amid a conflict over the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria. The US blamed the incident, which happened almost two weeks ago, on Damascus, and retaliated with a barrage of cruise missiles targeting a Syrian airbase.

Russia called it a possible false flag operation and said the US attack was an act of international aggression. It also said more provocative incidents involving toxic agents may follow in Syria, now that the Trump administration has demonstrated it can be baited into the reaction that the enemies of Damascus want from it.

Moscow believes a proper investigation, including at the scene of the reported attack, is necessary to establish the truth.
New Delhi, April 12 : Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said that BJP's forming a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir with the PDP was its biggest mistake as "the situation worsened in the state".

"This government has not done anything in three years. They (BJP) formed the government in Jammu and Kashmir. It is their biggest mistake, not their achievement.

"Because of their government, the situation has worsened in the state. They have failed in winning the people's confidence and work hand in hand with political parties of Kashmir... this is the reason why so many died during a bypoll," Azad told mediapersons here.

Eight civilians were killed and scores of others injured in firing by security forces as mobs tried to attack some polling stations in Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency during balloting on Sunday. The day also recorded a poor seven per cent voting in a bypoll -- the lowest in the state in three decades.

"They had promised one year back after visit by an all-party delegation to start the political process in the state. But no efforts have been made," he said.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha said that during the earlier United Progressive Alliance rule at the Centre, three roundtable conferences were held, which 27 political parties attended, but there has been no follow-up.

"Emissaries who were sent had spoken to all stakeholders; they talked with people of Jammu and Kashmir and 27 political parties attended those meetings. There were three roundtable conferences. Eight to nine years have passed but there has been no follow-up on those," said Azad.

Asked about the stone-pelters in Kashmir who try to shield militants from armed forces, Azad said: "It might enrage some, but I will say this is wrong. This is absolutely wrong.

"The job of the Army is to protect civilians and the country. If they are trying to neutralise the militants, it is their job. They are doing it to protect the people," he added.

"It is not the right thing if due to stone-pelting a militant escapes," the senior Congress leader said.

The bypoll in Srinagar constituency -- spread across districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal -- was marred by widespread violence. Police said nearly 200 incidents of violent protests took place in central Kashmir.
New Delhi, April 12 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked a Gujarat court to expedite the examination of witnesses in the trial of spiritual guru Asaram in the case of alleged sexual assault of a woman in his ashram near Ahmedabad.

"Expedite the examination of witnesses as may be practically feasible," said the bench of Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar, Justice D.Y.Chandrachud and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul as Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court that 29 prosecution witnesses have been examined and 46 were remaining.

The bench told Mehta to "expedite the trial and not to linger it" as he sought more time for its completion.

The victim had alleged that Asaram has sexually assaulted her between 2001 and 2006, when she was living in his ashram located in Motera, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

The victim's younger sister has filed a similar complaint against Asaram's son Narayan Sai.

Asaram is lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail and is facing prosecution under the provision of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl in his ashram in the Rajasthan town in 2013.
New Delhi, April 12 : The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the Power Ministry's proposal to sign the MOU for "Establishment of the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection", a cabinet communique said.

It will be signed among member states of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec) at its upcoming third energy ministers' meeting to be held in Nepal shortly.

Bimstec is an international organisation involving a group of countries in South Asia and South East Asia - Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

Under the "BIMSTEC Trans-Power Exchange and Development Project", it was decided that a task force led by Thailand, with representatives of member countries, would give a report on draft MoU for grid interconnections.

Subsequently, the draft MoU was finalised by the task force in March 16, 2015.

This MoU will provide a broad framework for the parties to cooperate towards the implementation of grid interconnections for the trade in electricity with a view to promoting rational and optimal power transmission in the region.
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New Delhi, April 12 : In order to make the application process for examinations and jobs accessible to all aspirants, a PIL in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked government for a centralised system for notifying and applying for colleges and government jobs.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice Deepa Sharma would hear, on May 5, the plea, which suggested to make two centralised websites -- one for listing college entrance examinations and the other for listing all government/public sector undertaking (PSU) jobs.

The plea filed by Puran Chand Arya through advocate Abhishek Kumar Choudhary suggested facility of uploading educational/official documents on the centralised websites through logging in so as to avoid forgery and malpractices.

The petition stated: "It should be compulsory for all universities/central and state government departments/central and state PSUs to list their admissions/recruitment notifications on these websites."

It added: "These centralised websites should allow an aspirant to create their 'Login ID and password', to upload educational documents, certificates, photographs, signatures and other documents for all current or future applications. These Login accounts may also be linked with the aspirants' Aadhaar card details."

The petitioner also asked that admit cards and call letters be made available on the centralised portals so that aspirants can download them before the examination and late receipt of admit cards can be avoided.
New Delhi, April 12 : Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate India's longest bridge constructed over the river Brahmaputra.

"Called on Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji and invited him to inaugurate the Dhola-Sadiya bridge over Brahmaputra in May 2017," Sonowal tweeted soon after meeting Modi at the latter's residence here.

The 9.15-km bridge in eastern Assam is longer by 3.55 km than the Bandra-Worli Sealink in Mumbai. Construction of the bridge started in 2011.

Once opened, the bridge will reduce travel time between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh by up to four hours.

The Assam Chief Minister said he also invited Modi for the Global Investors' Summit to be organised by the Assam government in November this year.

He said that Modi stated that sealing of the India-Bangladesh border was of the highest priority for the central government.

"On my request for complete sealing of Indo-Bangla border, Hon'ble PM said that sealing of international border is Centre's topmost priority," Sonowal said in a separate tweet.
Dhaka, April 12 : Bangladesh authorities on Wednesday hanged top militant leader Mufti Mohammad Abdul Hannan, infamous for being one of the initiators of militancy in the country He was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10.01 p.m, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan told BDNews24.

His other accomplice Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the Minister said.

They went to the gallows for killing three in a grenade attack on the then British High Commissioner Anwar Choudhury in Sylhet in 2004.

Hannan was said to be the mastermind of 13 terrorist attacks, including an attempt on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's life, perpetrated by the banned militant group HuJI.

He also faced trial for planting a bomb made with 76 kg of explosives near the venue of a public rally addressed by her at Kotalipara in 2000.

A Sylhet court on December 23, 2008 sentenced Hannan and his aides Ripon and Bipul to death and two others to life-time imprisonment for their role.
New Delhi, April 12 : Over 500 shanties were gutted on Wednesday in a major fire that broke out in a Delhi slum, a fire officer said. No casualties were reported from the incident.

Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot as the police control room received a call about the fire breaking out in Bawana area of north Delhi at around 2 p.m, the fire officer said.

"The fire, which spread over an acre, was brought under control at 4.50 p.m," he added.

"No casualties have been reported in the fire, though two fire fighters received injuries as enraged public indulged in stone pelting," Chief Fire Officer Vipin Kental told IANS.

The Delhi government has announced Rs 25,000 compensation for each shanty destroyed in the fire.

"Fire that broke out in Bawana's 'jhuggis' (shanties) is now under control. Arrangements of food and tents are being made. Rs 25,000 compensation for each jhuggi has been announced," Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain said.
New Delhi, April 12 : Eighteen states have joined the eNAM (National Agriculture Market) and 13 of them have made necessary amendments to rules under their respective APMC Acts within a year of its launch, the government said on Wednesday.

The eNAM is a pan-India electronic trading portal, which networks APMC (agricultural produce market committee) markets to create a unified national market for agricultural commodities, which was launched in April last year.

NITI (National Institution for Transforming India) Aayog member Ramesh Chand on Wednesday held a review meeting here on Agriculture Market Reforms, which was attended by officials of agriculture marketing, forest and revenue departments of state governments.

"It was a review meeting to see the progress of the reforms we have undertaken and discuss the future road map. These include setting up of private markets, allowing direct marketing, contract farming, deregulation of fruit and vegetables from the provisions of the APMC Act, and eNAM," Agriculture Ministry Additional Secretary Ashok Dalwai told the media here.

He said the state governments have shown positive interest in ushering in agricultural reforms, aimed at transparency, effectiveness and competition in agricultural trade sector and to double farmers' incomes.

Under the private marketing reform, private players can set up their own 'mandi' (market) while under direct marketing farmers can sell their produce to bulk purchasers, exporters or retail customers directly by bypassing APMC markets.

Since the eNAM was launched in April last year, at least 417 APMC markets have joined the platform with a trade of 5.9 million tonnes of 69 types of commodities.

"In just one year, quantum of business has touched Rs 15,000 crore. The value and volume of commodities is increasing day by day," Dalwai said.

According to the ministry, 3.95 million farmers, over 88,000 traders and over 44,000 commission agent have joined the platform.

The government's target is for a unified agriculture market for interstate trade. However, the government's immediate plan is to form unified market at the state level first.

Dalwai said a committee was working on the requirements to integrate India's markets.

He said the Centre was ready with a draft model APMC law, which will act as a template for the state governments to amend their respective APMC Acts to facilitate reforms.

"The new law will create efficient market system. It will break the monopoly of any one institution and create conducive environment," Dalwai said.

The draft is likely to be shared at a meeting to be attended by the Union Agriculture Minister on April 24.

Dalwai said Maharashtra had topped in implementing direct marketing as it issued 527 licences as against Rajasthan's 76, Karnataka's 37, and Gujarat's and Telangana's three each.

Similarly, Maharashtra has taken lead in allowing private marketing and contract farming by approving 41 and 10 proposals respectively.

"Commodities such as basmati rice, bitter gourd, chili, lady's finger, tomato, and white onion were allowed for contract farming by the state governments. It is up to the states to decide on which commodity to be given the go-ahead," Dalwai said.
Pordenone (Italy), April 12 : A US airman is in prison for attempted murder after a savage knife attack against a female colleague at NATO's Aviano air base in northeast Italy, police said on Wednesday.

US authorities were to request custody of the 19-year-old airman after the attack on the 21-year-old woman.

In the attack, which took place at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, the airman allegedly stabbed the woman in the throat, face and arm as she slept in a dormitory, according to police.

The airman only halted the attack when the woman woke up and began screaming. He confessed the attack to police, saying he did not know why he had knifed the woman, who claimed not to know the airman.

The woman was given first aid by other personnel at the base and was taken to the emergency room of a hospital in the nearby city of Pordenone, where doctors said her injuries would take 15 days to heal.

The US Air Force has also opened an investigation into the attack.
New Delhi, April 12 : The Congress on Wednesday termed senior party leader Veerappa Moily's stand on backing EVMs his personal views, noting he had signed the memorandum and was part of the delegation that met President Pranab Mukherjee to complain about them.

"If he has said something it is in his personal capacity. It is his personal view. That is not the opinion of the party," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad told reporters.

"The entire opposition including Congress party leaders are united on this issue that something is wrong with the EVMs, and the malfunctioning, the errors have to be satisfactorily addressed.

"So, we went to the Commission and in today's (Wednesday) memorandum to the President (Pranab Mukherjee), there is also a mention of this. Mr. Moily himself has signed this memorandum and was a part of the delegation. He also read the draft twice," he added.

Moily had earlier backed EVMS and said that there was no question of going back to old method of ballot papers.
New Delhi, April 13 : A gang of international drugs peddlers was busted with the arrested of its two key members who brought three kg heroin valued Rs 12 crore from Manipur and Myanmar to supply in Delhi and adjoining states,Delhi Police said on Wednesday.

Police said the accused identified as Mohammad Jafar and Parvej Saifi, both residents of Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, were apprehended from Daryaganj on Monday night following a tip off.

"Jafar and Saifi told interrogators that they are active key members of an international narcotic drug ring. They worked for Manjum, kingpin of the gang who supplied them consignment of heroin in Manipur," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

"They disclosed that they had carried the heroin by air after wrapping it in thick layers of carbon papers to avoid the detection by scanners installed at airports. Jafar had created a secret cavity in his bag to hoodwink the police. They had come to Daryaganj to supply heroin to a person of African origin," he added.

They had supplied 50 consignments of heroin from Manipur during last three years. They used to supply heroin to various Africans living across Delhi, the officer said.

Police are investigating their suspected links with other drug suppliers in Pakistan and Bangladesh, he added.
New Delhi, April 13 : A 42-year-old cab driver has been arrested for stealing a bag of a woman passenger at the IGI airport's domestic terminal, police said on Wednesday.

Police said the accused, identified as Mohammad Akhtar, a resident of Garhi village in south Delhi, was arrested on Tuesday night from his house.

"Akhtar had on Monday night robbed a bag of woman passenger, Rachna Singh when she arrived at domestic airport by an Indigo flight from Indore. She was carrying three bags. While she boarded a private cab at the pick up zone, her driver kept two bags but when he returned to pick the third bag, it was missing," said Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Bhatia.

Police registered a case in IGI domestic police station on Singh's complaint.

"During investigation, the police team after examining the CCTV footage, found a driver in a purple coloured car had stolen the bag. The passengers of Singh's flight were short-listed and all the single passengers were contacted," he said, adding one of them, Mauktik Bandhu confirmed about travelling in the car and shared the details of the driver.
Moscow, April 13 : Russia's Foreign Minister said on Wednesday that both Russia and the United States supported an investigation into the chemical weapons attack in northern Syria.

Sergey Lavrov said during a joint press conference with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, that both countries wanted to investigate the chemical attack in the Syrian province of Idlib that left over 87 dead on April 4.

"We see that the US are willing to support said investigation," Lavrov said.
The fallout from the many sexual harassment claims coming out of Fox News continued today, with Public Advocate Letitia James's announcing a rally outside the company's headquarters in which she'll call for an investigation into sexual harassment claims against Bill O'Reilly and denounce Fox News' "culture of sexual assault and racism."

James, along with State Senator Liz Krueger, Assembly Member Carmen de la Rosa, and advocacy groups for women and against sexual violence, will be rallying outside of News Corp headquarters today at 5:30 p.m. James is asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to look into whether or not Fox News misled investors by failing to disclose payments the company had made to women who he allegedly sexually harassed. Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara was said to be looking into whether or not the company had properly informed its investors before he was fired by the Trump administration.

In addition to asking for an SEC investigation, James is asking the City's Commission on Human Rights to investigate whether the company violated any city laws against employment discrimination, a request that stems from charges that one executive called an employee who had survived breast cancer "boobs girl" and "cancer girl," mocked the way that black people talked and made other racist comments about black people.

And of course, there was the New York Times investigation into Bill O'Reilly's many alleged instances of sexual harassment and the resulting payouts Fox News had to make. While Fox News stood by the primetime talking head after the article, advertisers have fled O'Reilly's show, and he's currently on a vacation from which he may never return, sources tell longtime thorn in Fox News' side Gabriel Sherman.
Washington, April 13 : The US is "not getting along with Russia at all" and the relations between the two countries "may be at an all-time low" , US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

Trump made the remark at a joint press conference with visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the White House. It came shortly after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in Moscow that the US and Russia have reached a "low point" in relations, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Russian government has condemned the missile strikes by the United States on a Syrian airbase last Thursday, calling Washington's move "aggression against a sovereign state in violation of international law".

At Wednesday's press conference, Trump defended his decision to launch 59 missiles at the Syrian airbase in response to last weeks chemical attack in the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in Syria's Idlib, that killed over 80 people and wounding scores of others.

"It can't be a worst sight. And it shouldn't be allowed. That's a butcher," Trump said. "So, I felt we had to do something about it. I have absolutely no doubt we did the right thing. And it was very, very successfully done."

Asked about Russia's prior knowledge about the Syrian government's alleged use of chemical weapons, Trump said it's "possible", but "unlikely" that Russia had known in advance of Syria's plan to launch a chemical weapons attack on its own citizens.

"I know they're doing investigations into that right now. I would like to think that they didn't know, but certainly they could have. They were there. So we'll find out," Trump said.

Stoltenberg said within the NATO alliance, the US military action on Syria has been met with understanding.

"Any use of chemical weapons is unacceptable, cannot go unanswered and those responsible must be held accountable," the NATO chief said.
Phoenix Capital Group Representatives AT MATS 2017 Phoenix Capital Group at MATS 2017 giving away a Yeti Hopper to this lucky couple!

Phoenix Capital Group, LLC provided working capital solutions to 46 new clients in 20 states across the country, representing $6,900,000 in approved credit facilities during January through April of 2017. Phoenix Capital Group is nationally known and has been providing tailor-made financial solutions, primarily in the transportation industry for various sized fleets, since 2001. The company maintains its headquarters in Scottsdale, with offices in Texas, Alabama and Tennessee. Product offerings include, but are not limited to, accounts receivable financing, equipment financing, and fuel cards.

The year 2017 has been eventful for Phoenix Capital Group, representatives have traveled to Louisville, Kentucky to visit clients and prospective clients at the Mid-America Trucking Show. Representatives look forward to the Great American Trucking Show 2017 in Dallas, Texas. Representatives at Phoenix Capital Group have graciously volunteered their personal time, money and energy by giving back to the community during the first quarter of 2017. Volunteering together has built friendships among PCGs team while helping build the community.

About Phoenix Capital Group, LLC

Phoenix Capital Group is an industry leading provider of transportation financing services for trucking companies in the United States. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, Phoenix Capital Group also maintains regional offices in Texas, Alabama, and Tennessee. Additional information about Phoenix Capital Group, LLC is available at http://www.pcgfactoring.com. This Phoenix Capital Group news release and other announcements are available at http://www.pcgfactoring.com/press-release/ and as part of a Phoenix Capital Group load board at http://pcgfactoringloadboard.com/. You can also follow our news on Twitter at @PHXCapitalGroup.

Contact: Phoenix Capital Group, LLC, (623) 298-3460, or fill out a contact form on the website.
Restlet, providers of the fastest and easiest platform for delivering APIs, today announced the release of a new version of Restlet Studio with support for the latest RAML 1.0 specification, in addition to the full support for OAS 2.0. Restlet Studio is widely used by businesses of any size to visually and collaboratively design and document REST APIs that are at the core of their digital projects.

DevOps teams are increasingly using Restlet Studio to develop microservices and backends in addition to the designing public APIs. By committing to the RAML and OAS standards, including the import, export and translation between those specifications, Restlet helps companies design high-quality APIs that can be used in tools from any vendor, including Restlets own platform.

Restlet is a founding member of the Open API Initiative (OAI), the organization behind OAS (formerly know as the Swagger Specification). As part of todays Restlet Studio product announcement Restlets CTO is joining the RAML Workgroup to help steer the RAML specification.

Were excited that Restlets CTO is joining the RAML Workgroup and that Restlet is supporting RAML 1.0 in Restlet Studio, said Uri Sarid, CTO of MuleSoft and primary author of the RAML specification. With RAML support, Restlet Studio can help a broader range of companies unlock the potential of the API economy and join an ecosystem that makes API-first design simple.

Our new version of Restlet Studio with RAML support will help companies move to API-first software design, said Jerome Louvel, Founder and CTO of Restlet. I am proud to be a member of the RAML Workgroup. Restlet Studio customers can take advantage of the new RAML 1.0 specification today. In the future, we are committed to supporting RAMLs advanced API design capabilities such as elements reusability within an API and across several APIs. Restlet supports RAML alongside OAS across our REST platform and I look forward to closer collaboration between RAML and OAS communities.

Restlet Studio now supports both RAML 0.8 and 1.0 specifications with translation between the versions as well as OAS versions 1.2 and 2.0. This is important for businesses that want to either 1) migrate from RAML 0.8 to RAML 1.0 or 2) combine RAML and OAS in the same project to use RAMLs design strengths and OAS for their production API gateway.

More than 2 million developers use Restlet products. Customers include: Foodpanda, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Pearson, Salesforce, Stanford University, Starbucks, SutterHealth, VMware, and Zillow.

RESTful API Modeling Language (RAML) makes it easy to manage the whole API lifecycle from design to sharing. It's concise - you only write what you need to define - and reusable. It is machine readable API design that is actually human friendly.

Restlet products, including Restlet Studio, are freely available as a cloud application. Professional versions of the Restlet Platform start at $9/month. Plans that support team collaboration and continuous integration (CI) and continuous delivery (CD) start at $49/month.

See the plans and sign up for a free account at:

https://restlet.com/pricing/

More information on Restlet Studio is available here:

https://restlet.com/modules/studio/

About Restlet

Restlet is the fastest and easiest way to deliver APIs. The companys API platform provides an integrated set of capabilities in the cloud to consume, design, develop and deploy APIs. More than 2 million developers use Restlet products to make cloud, mobile, web and IoT applications easier to build, maintain and secure. Restlet also develops Restlet Framework, the worlds most widely used open source REST API framework. Named a Cool Vendor in Specialized PaaS by Gartner, Restlet has headquarters in San Mateo, California. For more information visit restlet.com or follow @restlet on Twitter.
Abiquos ability to offer a great user experience and feature set across such a wide range of clouds gives us the opportunity to go to market with an offering tailored to the needs of our customers, without compromising functionality and control

Hybrid Cloud Management software provider, Abiquo, adds auto scaling for all supported hypervisors and clouds, including VMware ESX and vCloud Director, KVM, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Rackspace and OpenStack, Docker and others, enabling Managed Service Providers and Enterprises to create a single portal from which users can manage and control their entire on-premise and public cloud infrastructure in a consistent way.

Using Abiquo 4.0, cloud admins can choose from a range of hypervisor and cloud solutions, delivering a consistent user interface, a single API and a feature set that enhances what the underlying cloud environment can deliver - while ensuring that they retain control over consumption and cost.

David Feeley, Technical Director of Brazilian service provider VipRede, said Abiquos ability to offer a great user experience and feature set across such a wide range of clouds gives us the opportunity to go to market with an offering tailored to the needs of our customers, without compromising functionality and control.

Abiquos CEO, Ian Finlay, said Abiquos True Hybrid Cloud approach ensures that all cloud users get access to auto scaling, self-service networking and security and DevOps tools such as Chef and cloud-init with a simple and accessible user experience, no matter what cloud infrastructure and cloud providers they choose. Add application portability and support for complex hierarchies ensures that the needs of both service providers and Enterprise IT are met .

Features in this release include:



Horizontal auto scaling of virtual machines

Trigger action plans from monitoring data as well as schedules

Azure Firewalls and Load Balancers

Hardware profiles, per tenant, for private clouds

vCloud Director support

Advanced reseller hierarchies

VM networking and automation improvements

AWS networking improvements

Cloud-init for Hyper-V and XenServer

For detailed information on this release see http://wiki.abiquo.com/display/doc/New+in+Abiquo+4.0

About VipRede

VipRede is the only enterprise service provider in Espirito Santo, Brazil, with complete networking coverage and synchronised data centers. Uniquely placed in the market to take end to end responsibility of our customer needs. We value our independence and take pride in helping our clients achieve their goals. VipRede is an excellent partner for international clients entering Brazil.

About Abiquo

Abiquo delivers the industrys leading cloud orchestration software for service provider clouds; allowing customers to quickly build and monetise cloud services, whilst managing hybrid, private or public cloud infrastructure from one intuitive portal - adding value through greater efficiency, visibilty, simplicity and control.

Abiquo is privately held, and operates from headquarters in the UK with offices in Europe, and through its extensive global partner network. For more information, visit http://www.abiquo.com.
Aptus Court Reporting, the west coasts premier deposition and court reporting service, announced today that it is expanding into the Pacific Northwest market with a new office conveniently located in downtown Seattle at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 800.

Joining the Aptus team and spearheading the companys new market launch is Joel Schneider, Director of Business Development. With over 20 years of experience in the legal industry Schneider is a seasoned professional who is ideally suited to oversee Aptus business development activities within this new market. Before joining Aptus, Schneider served as Regional Litigation Consultant for Esquire Deposition Solutions in Washington State and Portland, Oregon. Prior to that, he served as a Business Development Manager at American Reprographic Corporation and Prolumina Trial Technologies, and as an Account Executive at Whitmont Legal Technologies.

I am excited to join the Aptus family and work in an environment where clients always come first. I am impressed with how Aptus obtains and keeps top talent, which speaks volumes about the company culture. I believe my many years of legal vendor experience and the Aptus culture will make for a winning combination," says Schneider.

Aptus Court Reporting Co-Founder, Stefan Wikstrom commented, After 23 years in the legal industry and starting legal support company TERIS, I am so very pleased to bring Aptus Court Reporting to Seattle/Bellevue. Ive been in business with Aptus for 6 years in California and am thrilled to expand into the Pacific Northwest here in my hometown. I am also very excited to work with Joel Schneider, who has years of experience in the Seattle market, as well as working again with many of my clients.

Aptus Seattle is met with great enthusiasm! We are confident Joel brings a tremendous amount of talent, strong relationships, and experience to the role having spent over 20 years in the local legal community, says Aptus President Derek Berg. It is exciting to add a market like Seattle to our Aptus footprint. This truly will enhance our abilities to service the entire West Coast.

Since launching in San Diego in 2011, Aptus has expanded its market reach throughout California and beyond, with additional offices in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Irvine and Riverside. Combined with enhanced client features on the new website that debuted in August 2015 and a number of key hires, the company has demonstrated a trajectory of continued growth and achievement.

About Aptus Court Reporting:

Aptus Court Reporting is a full-service court reporting firm with headquarters in San Diego, CA. We are a leading provider of court reporting services, connecting testimony and technology for clients internationally with local offices along the west coast. Aptus provides a one-stop solution for deposition and trial needs with services including court reporting, transcription, videography, video streaming, world-wide conference rooms, and more. For more information about Aptus Court Reporting, please visit http://aptuscr.com
Compliance with these Avaya IP Deskphone and Softphone platforms means businesses can confidently deploy ADDASOUNDs wired headset solutions in contact centers and offices with an Avaya communications infrastructure.

ADDASOUND Denmark A/S, a leading provider of voice solutions and unified communication devices, today announced that select models of its Crystal wired headsets are compliant with key customer and team engagement solutions from Avaya, a global provider of business communications software, systems and services.

ADDASOUNDs comfortable, durable and cost-efficient headsets are designed to meet the special communications needs of professionals in contact centers and offices. With ADDASOUND headsets, businesses can take full advantage of Avaya deskphones and unified communications platforms to help deliver the best possible customer experience. ADDASOUND Crystal 2701/2702 headsets using the ADDASOUND DN1002 direct connect cable are now compliant-tested by Avaya for compatibility with the Avaya 9600 Series IP Deskphone H.323 Release 6.6 and SIP Release 7.0. ADDASOUND Crystal 2821/2822 headsets using the ADDASOUND DN1011 USB cable are now compliant-tested by Avaya for compatibility with Avaya one-X Agent 2.5.8. ADDASOUND Crystal 2871/2872 headsets using the ADDASOUND DN1011 USB cable are now compliant-tested by Avaya for compatibility with Avaya one-X Communicator 6.2.

ADDASOUND is a Technology Partner in the Avaya DevConnect programan initiative to develop, market and sell innovative third-party products that interoperate with Avaya technology and extend the value of a companys investment in its network.

As a Technology Partner, ADDASOUND is eligible to submit products for compliance testing by the Avaya Solution Interoperability and Test Lab. There, a team of Avaya engineers develops a comprehensive test plan for each application to verify whether it is Avaya compatible. Doing so enables businesses to confidently add best-in-class capabilities to their network without having to replace their existing infrastructurespeeding deployment of new applications and reducing both network complexity and implementation costs.

Quotes:

Compliance with these Avaya IP Deskphone and Softphone platforms means businesses can confidently deploy ADDASOUNDs Crystal 2701/2702, 2821/2822, and 2871/2872 wired headset solutions in contact centers and offices with an Avaya communications infrastructure. Testing all three Crystal Series covers our full lineup of noise-canceling and advanced noise-canceling products, which offers options in a good, better, and best classification. This gives users the flexibility to select the best possible product to fit their budget."

--David J. Haney, Sales Director of North America, ADDASOUND

Technology Partners like ADDASOUND are providing Avaya customers with innovative voice solutions that deliver a stylish Nordic design, advanced noise-canceling and high-quality sound. By successfully completing Avaya compliance testing, ADDASOUND headsets have demonstrated proven interoperability and seamless integration with the Avaya platforms used in contact centers and enterprises.

--Eric Rossman, vice president, Developer Relations, Avaya

Additional Resources

https://www.devconnectmarketplace.com/addasound

http://www.avaya.com/devconnect

About Avaya

Avaya enables the mission critical, real-time communication applications of the worlds most important operations. As the global leader in delivering superior communications experiences, Avaya provides the most complete portfolio of software and services for contact center and unified communications with integrated, secure networking offered on premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid. Todays digital world requires some form of communications enablement, and no other company is better positioned to do this than Avaya. For more information, please visit http://www.avaya.com.

About ADDASOUND

ADDASOUND is a global leading provider of voice solutions and unified communication devices. ADDASOUND products are designed and engineered in Denmark by a reputable team and now distributed all over the world. The headsets and related products are specially designed for CC&O (contact center and office), business and enterprise, speech recognition, unified communications and mobile communications. ADDASOUND always tries to provide the customers with the best experience of voice communication and guarantees the highest standard of reliability and quality. For more information, please visit http://www.addasound.com.
Summit attendees Our new friends represent a great opportunity for a long-term partnership.

A U.S. delegation of 24 independent college and university presidents, including Nebraska Methodist College, and five cabinet-level officers from U.S. institutions met with their Mexican counterparts. The meeting was organized by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) and the Mexican Federation of Private Higher Education Institutions (FIMPES) and generously supported by Santander Universidades and Universia. The summit, Reaffirming the North American Spirit of Collaboration in Higher Education: Creating Bridges of Communications emphasized the importance of international exchange in todays America First political climate.

As a result of the Summit, participants aimed to provide enhanced exchange opportunities for students and faculty members in both countries; provide students with increased access to internships in Mexico and the United States; and allow faculty members and students to collaborate in shared research projects and development programs. The Summit follows three years during which delegations of Mexican private university rectors participated in CICs Presidents Institute, the largest annual gathering of college and university presidents in the U.S.

The U.S. presidents and their Mexican colleagues visited and met with campus leaders of three Mexican higher education institutions: Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Universidad Panamericana, and Universidad del Valle de Atemajac. Participants also met with the U.S. Consul General in Guadalajara, Tanya C. Anderson, and with local, state, and national Mexican officials, as well as additional university rectors. The U.S. delegation and Mexican university rectors discussed student and faculty exchange programs, articulation agreements, global leadership, visa issues, and undocumented students.

Nebraska Methodist College President Dennis Joslin reports that the summit was extremely valuable as the opportunity to meet and connect with our Mexican higher education colleagues and now new friends will lead to many exceptional opportunities through this partnership. The most immediate opportunities include summer immersion experiences to the campuses of our new Mexican partners for NMC students enrolled in the Spanish for Healthcare Professionals Minor. Additional opportunities can be established for service learning, mission and clinical work over the summer or semester travel abroad options for students at all degree levels and academic programs. Ideally, as the partnership grows, Mexican students will also travel to NMC as well as bi-directional travel of faculty to explore various pedagogy applications and joint research opportunities to name a few. Our new friends represent a great opportunity for a long-term partnership that will complement the academic endeavors currently underway in both countries and serve as a solid experience for international travel and study for countless students.

CIC President Richard Ekman noted, In the current climate of constrained international cooperation, CIC reaffirms the importance of international exchange for the preparation of informed citizens and responsible global participants. Our Mexican neighbors have a special relationship to colleges in the U.S.

About Nebraska Methodist College

Nebraska Methodist College  the Josie Harper Campus, based in Omaha, has been teaching the meaning of care for 125 years and counting. An affiliate of Methodist Health System, NMC offers certificate, bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees both on campus and online. Nebraska Methodist College is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
An NYPD officer who moonlighted as a Mafia hitman in the 1980s and 90s has died in prison.

The News reports that Stephen Caracappa, who murdered eight people for the Luchese family, died in a federal prison in North Carolina last week. Caracappa had petitioned a judge to let him out of prison last year, asking for mercy because he was suffering from stage 4 cancer. However, Federal Judge Jack Weinstein denied the request though, telling Caracappa "There is nothing I can do in your case."

Caracappa committed a series of mob murders and gave the Mafia confidential information, along with fellow corrupt NYPD officer Louis Eppolito, between 1986 and 1990. Despite suspicions of their dirty dealings, the pair managed to avoid punishment until a drug dealer turned state's evidence and testified against them at a 2006 trial. The murders the two were convicted of committing included the killing of diamond dealer Israel Greenwald, whose body was buried in a garage and unrecovered until 2005; and Nicholas Guido, a 26-year-old who was killed in a case of mistaken identity in 1986 on Christmas.

Both Caracappa and Eppolito were sentenced to life in prison for their roles as mob hitmen, which reportedly netted them each $4,000 per month. Eppolito is still in prison in Tuscon, Arizona.
The Humanities Mellon Scholars Program responds to a growing need for professionals who are skilled in the practices of inquiry and habits of cultural analysis that lead to innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded $2.145 million in grants to the Foothill-De Anza Community College District and the University of San Francisco for a new transfer program to help underserved and underrepresented students earn four-year degrees in the humanities.

The grants will support Humanities Mellon Scholars at Foothill College and De Anza College by providing students with a strong two-year foundation in the humanities, and assisting them with resources to transfer to four-year college degree programs. The program also provides collaborative teaching and research opportunities for Foothill-De Anza and USF faculty.

A collaboration between Foothill-De Anza and USF, the Humanities Mellon Scholars Program responds to a growing need for professionals who are skilled in the practices of inquiry and habits of cultural analysis that lead to innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship. The study of humanities traces humanitys search for lifes meaning by examining the products of culture including the visual arts, literature, film and philosophical thought.

Seventy students a year will be selected to take part in the program, which begins in fall 2017. A launch event is planned for April 13.

Study of the humanities is essential to students development as global citizens and can even serve as a countermeasure to the decreased civility in our society, said Judy C. Miner, chancellor of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District. It deepens critical thinking, encourages social responsibility, and contributes to character development, qualities that are so critical in the world today. The knowledge and values that evolve from studying humanities are a good match with the traits that employers say they want in their employees. We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for helping us launch this exceptional and timely program.

Donald E. Heller, provost and vice president of academic affairs at USF, said he welcomes the partnership with Foothill-de Anza and the opportunity to help students advance their education.

USF is thrilled to ensure that students from across the economic spectrum have the opportunity to achieve a four-year degree in the humanities, Heller said. With Mellon Foundation support, the faculties of the college district and the university will be able to engage in research and develop more effective humanities pedagogy to help students develop life-long practices of critical thinking and social responsibility. This will further not just their own futures, but the common good. We look forward to welcoming Humanities Mellon Scholars to USF.

Pathways to a bachelors degree

The Mellon Foundation grants will fund enrichment activities, applied learning opportunities, and support services designed to increase the transfer success of participating students. Students in the program will have designated faculty advisors, financial support for the purchase of textbooks and other course material, and paid internships where they can apply the knowledge and problem-solving abilities theyve gained through their humanities course study.

At Foothill and De Anza colleges, Humanities Mellon Scholars will complete university transfer requirements and take courses that fulfill the degree requirements of their chosen majors. They will also complete a 20-unit course pattern in the humanities leading to a certificate of achievement in humanities.

The program includes a guaranteed transfer pathway for students who wish to continue their studies for a bachelors degree at USFs College of Arts and Sciences in either the Honors Program in the Western and Global Humanities or the Saint Ignatius Institute Program. Up to 20 students annually will receive a USF scholarship of up to $10,000 a year in addition to other financial aid they may receive, and will be eligible for research assistant positions, paid summer internships, course materials, conference travel funds, and a special Mellon Scholars graduation ceremony.

Students who complete the Foothill-De Anza Humanities Mellon Scholars Program also will meet the eligibility requirements for transfer into the University of California and California State university systems.

Organizers anticipate that 280 Foothill-De Anza students will join the Humanities Mellon Scholars Program over the four-and-a-half years of the grants. The Mellon Foundation awarded $1,465,453 to Foothill-De Anza and $679,547 to USF to carry out the program.

The coordinators for the Humanities Mellon Scholars are Falk Cammin, Foothill College humanities instructor, and Eileen Fung, associate dean for arts and humanities in USFs College of Arts and Sciences.

Funding also supports faculty scholarship in interdisciplinary approach

In addition to supporting student success, grant funds also will be used for collaborative faculty-driven activities that strengthen and expand the impact of humanities programs. Activities will include an annual Humanities in Collaboration National Mellon Conference to be held at USF for higher education and high school educators to explore collaborative approaches to the study of humanities. The grants also establish the Mellon Scholar Faculty Research Award for research on interdisciplinary approaches.

The Humanities Mellon Scholars Program aims to become a model for other institutions wishing to increase interest and engagement in the humanities by identifying best practices for transfer pathways, mentoring, and retaining transfer students from community colleges to four-year institutions.

The study of humanities helps develop our understanding of how the concepts of knowledge, reality, the imagination, and the nature of beauty contribute to our sense of the world and to our human experience, said Cammin, coordinator of the Humanities Mellon Scholars Program for Foothill-De Anza. Studying the records of human experience enables students to acquire lifelong practices of inquiry that foster deep knowledge and wisdom about the past and present, which guides us in imagining our future.

About Foothill-De Anza Community College District

Foothill College in Los Altos Hills and De Anza College in Cupertino attract about 60,000 students a year from throughout the region for university transfer and career preparation in a caring and supportive environment. Some 71 percent of Foothill-De Anza students identify as African American, Asian, Filipino or Latino, reflecting the great diversity of Silicon Valley. The Foothill-De Anza Community College District has one of the highest university transfer rates in California.

About the University of San Francisco

The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the worlds most innovative and diverse cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Franciscos first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a students passion for social justice and a desire to Change the World from Here. For more information, please visit usfca.edu.

About the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation endeavors to strengthen, promote, and, where necessary, defend the contributions of the humanities and the arts to human flourishing and to the well-being of diverse and democratic societies. To this end, it supports exemplary institutions of higher education and culture as they renew and provide access to an invaluable heritage of ambitious, path-breaking work.
In 2016, more than 82 million people visited RealSelf to research cosmetic treatments and connect with local medical professionals. The RealSelf 100 Award, now in its seventh year, honors the top rated and most engaged board-certified aesthetic doctors who consistently demonstrated a commitment to patient education and positive patient outcomes throughout 2016. This elite group of 100 doctors have excelled at sharing their expertise, free of charge, with tens of millions of RealSelf community members actively searching for information and the right provider, and together contributed 25 percent of the half a million total answers posted on RealSelf in 2016.

Dr. Denkler is a clinical professor of plastic surgery at UCSF and practices with Dr. Rosalind Hudson at 275 Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur, California. He treats a wide variety of aesthetic and reconstructive plastic surgery including SculpSure, facelifts, blepharoplasty, breast augmentation, and abdominoplasty. They have practiced in Marin County since 1989. The practice website is http://www.Aestheticsurgery.com

The RealSelf 100 represents an exclusive group of doctors who embody both excellent patient service and an ongoing commitment to educating consumers shopping in the aesthetics market, said Tom Seery, Founder and CEO of RealSelf. Our research shows that more than 95 percent of patients expect a practice to engage with them online. These doctors are leading the way in terms of their online engagement and focus on empowering patients with good information.

Dr. Denkler is an expert contributor to RealSelf and maintains a 5 star rating. For more information of the RealSelf 100 award winners visit http://www.realself.com/RS100.

About RealSelf

RealSelf is the largest online destination to get informed about elective cosmetic procedures and to find the right doctor or clinic. More than 9 million people visit RealSelf each month to find out which treatments and providers live up to their promise of being Worth It." RealSelf is powered by unbiased experiences shared by consumers for hundreds of treatments, ranging from simple skincare to highly considered cosmetic surgery. Offering millions of photos and medical expert answers, RealSelf has become the essential resource and service for those seeking to find the right doctor or clinic.
Insigniam

Insigniam, an international management consulting firm specializing in innovation, breakthrough performance, and corporate culture, is dedicated to elevating women leaders in the workplace since its inception over thirty years ago. In accordance with this commitment, Insigniam regularly partners with organizations who share its vision of achieving gender parity in the workforce.

Bonnie Wingate, partner with twenty-four years at Insigniam and based out of Philadelphia, has been elected to serve as the HBA Greater Philadelphia president for 2017.

The Healthcare Businesswomens Association has connected me with some of the most driven and professional women Ive ever met in my nearly four decade professional career. Its empowered me to make a bigger difference in the lives of women who are dedicated to elevating their prowess, status, and the impact they make at work, said Ms. Wingate.

June Zeringue, a long-time consultant with Insigniam, based out of New Jersey, has been appointed the regional chair of the newly formed HBA NY/NJ Region, the associations largest region, which includes three chapters in the NY/NJ area.

Its an exciting time to be involved with the HBA, said Ms. Zeringue, the entire association is going through a transformation, and I see my work as regional chair of the largest chapter to be critical in that transformations success. The new regional model will provide more local opportunities for members and volunteers to form valuable connections and develop themselves as leaders in healthcare.

Insigniam has continuously supported the Healthcare Businesswomens Association (HBA) for more than ten years.

The HBAs core purpose is to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare and we at Insigniam see immense possibility in that purpose, said Shideh Sedgh Bina, a co-founding partner at Insigniam and 2014 HBA Woman of the Year. It is our view at Insigniam that including women powerfully in leadership positions will be a GameChangerSM for the enterprises they serve. Furthermore, we see our breakthrough consultants involvement in leadership positions at the HBA to be the realization of Insigniams commitment to advancing womens impact in the workplace.

About Insigniam

Insigniam has over 30 years of experience working with large, complex organizations in generating breakthroughs in their management resultswhether that be in topline growth, strategy implementation, improving profitability, or culture change. Insigniam pioneered the field of organization transformation by marrying breakthrough performance and innovation, thus creating services and solutions that are unparalleled in their potency to quickly create dramatic growth. Clients have documented, in aggregate, more than 50x ROI in management results considered critical and essential to the success of their enterprises. Insigniam solutions include Enterprise Transformation, Breakthrough Projects, Transformational Leadership, and Managing Change. Offices are located in Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Paris and Philadelphia.

To learn more about Insigniam and its breakthrough consultants, visit them online at http://www.insigniam.com.

About the HBA

The Healthcare Businesswomens Association (HBA) is a global nonprofit organization serving a community of women and men in leading life sciences, biotech, pharmaceutical and supporting companies. The HBA has nearly 120 Corporate Partners and nearly 8,000 members served by more than 20 chapters and affiliates across the US and Europe.
The Henry Ford acquires IBM and Marchesa Cognitive Dress IBM and Marchesas cognitive dress is an excellent representation of innovation at work today, from the collaboration behind the dress to the technology involved to make it possible

The Henry Ford announced today the acquisition of IBM and Marchesas cognitive dress, the worlds first-of-its-kind created using IBM Watson technology. Watson and Marchesa worked together to weave cognitive inspiration into every step of the design process, creating a dress that was both inspired and enabled by Watson technology. Model Karolina Kurkova wore the dress during its debut at the 2016 Met Gala.

While Marchesa designed the silhouette and handcrafted the dress, the design team used a mix of Watson APIs and IBM Research tools to analyze the Marchesa brand and provide suggestions on the material and color palette during the design process. Using Watson Tone Analyzer, the dress can tap into sentiment from social media posts that include a specific hashtag, extracting context around the tone of the message. During the Met Gala, the LED lights embroidered into the flowers on the dress changed colors in real-time based on public social media conversations related to the cognitive dress.

IBM and Marchesas cognitive dress is an excellent representation of innovation at work today, from the collaboration behind the dress to the technology involved to make it possible, said Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford. We are delighted to bring this into our collection and give our guests the opportunity to be inspired by the innovators changing our world today.

Watson is a cognitive computing system that understands the world in a way similar to humans, through senses, learning, and experience. Available as a portfolio of services on an open developer platform, Watson can quickly analyze massive amounts of structured and unstructured data to reveal insights and patterns previously undiscovered.

The IBM and Marchesa dress collaboration is just one example of how cognitive computing is unlocking discovery and human creativity. These same technologies used in the creation of the dress are also being used in other industries beyond fashion, including health care, engineering, finance, retail, and education. Watson is being applied to human creativity in all forms to gain insights from data to inform decisions, solve problems, and to inspire creativity.

From fashion designers, to architects, to musicians and more, professionals are tapping into cognitive systems like Watson to discover new avenues for creativity and inspiration, said Ann Rubin, vice president, Branded Content and Global Creative at IBM. The cognitive dress is an example of the many ways people are using Watson to augment human thinking and fuel creativity. The Henry Ford is an institution that celebrates American innovation, and we are thrilled the cognitive dress has a permanent home at this historic landmark to inspire future innovators.

The cognitive dress will be on display inside Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation starting April 13.

About The Henry Ford

The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan is an internationally-recognized history destination that explores the American experience of innovation, resourcefulness and ingenuity that helped shape America. A national historic landmark with an unparalleled Archive of American Innovation, The Henry Ford is a force for sparking curiosity and inspiring tomorrows innovators. Nearly 1.8 million visitors annually experience its five attractions: Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Greenfield Village, Ford Rouge Factory Tour, Benson Ford Research Center and The Henry Ford Giant Screen Experience. A continually expanding array of content available online provides anytime, anywhere access. The Henry Ford is also home to Henry Ford Academy, a public charter high school which educates over 500 students a year on the institutions campus. In 2014, The Henry Ford premiered its first-ever national television series, The Henry Fords Innovation Nation, showcasing present-day change-makers and The Henry Fords artifacts and unique visitor experiences. Hosted by news correspondent and humorist, Mo Rocca, this Emmy-winning weekly half-hour show airs Saturday mornings on CBS. For more information please visit our website thehenryford.org.
We are humbled by the many repeat patients who come to us as well as all the new patients who have helped us grow. We are very appreciative and grateful for our dedicated and proficient staff who made it all possible

Smiles by Stevens is excited to celebrate its 10-year anniversary of creating and restoring healthy, confident smiles for their patients. Through the years, Dr. Stevens and his staff have received numerous awards at the national, regional, and local levels, attesting to ongoing excellence and care in dentistry. Of course, their greatest reward is having the pleasure and honor of serving their patients with state of the art dental care and unmatched service, care, and compassion for the last10 years.

We are humbled by the many repeat patients who come to us as well as all the new patients who have helped us grow. We are very appreciative and grateful for our dedicated and proficient staff who made it all possible.  Dr. Shea Stevens

Dr. Stevens specializes in general, cosmetic, and implant dentistry. Being trained in placement and restoration of dental implants makes Dr. Stevens a leader in the dental implant field of dentistry, one of modern dentistrys best options for replacing missing teeth with successful, long-lasting, aesthetically pleasing substitutes.

At Smiles by Stevens, the goal is to provide patients with the highest quality, most advanced dental care techniques. They also offer Sleep Apnea care and Botox, always with world class services delivered with caring, compassion, and respect.

Dr. Stevens and I are excited and proud to be celebrating our ten-year anniversary of owning and operating Smiles by Stevens. It has been a wonderful decade of meeting new patients, helping them with their dental needs and cultivating lasting relationships. We look forward to many more years of service and fun! - Aileen Stevens, Business Manager.

Smiles by Stevens has recently been selected among the Top 20 Dentists in Pennsylvania, as well as earned the esteemed Americas Top Dentist Award for Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry by the Consumers Research Council of America. Dr. Stevens is also the recipient of the OKU Dental Honor Society Award, Oral Surgery Honors, and AO Dental Society Awards. Each award is presented to the best and brightest in their respected fields who exemplify exceptional skills, training, and success.

Dr. Stevens and his team celebrate their 10 year anniversary of serving patients and continue to achieve their goal of delivering the best dental care available in a compassionate and stress-free environment.

Call Dr. Stevens (http://smilesbystevensdmd.com) and his caring, expert staff, and learn why patients have placed their trust with Smiles by Stevens for a decade.

Bio: Smiles by Stevens utilizes the most modern dental methods in Lancaster, PA. Currently celebrating their 10th anniversary, their goal is to provide patients with advanced dental care techniques plus Botox, as well as Sleep Apnea care, paired with caring, compassion, and respect. Dr. Stevens has been four times voted the Best Dentist of Lancaster, and is consistently voted among Pennsylvanias Top 20 Dentists, as well as the recipient of Top Dentist in Lancaster, PA awarded by The International Association of Dentists. His latest award, three years running is the Top Dentists in America Award presented by the Consumers' Research Council of America.
JH Greene & Son, commercial construction solutions provider, will be in attendance at this years Blue Book Whos Who in Building & Construction Philadelphia Event as an exhibitor on Thursday, April 13, 2016. This showcase is a unique opportunity for construction professionals to connect and build relationships within the community. With a 40+ year industry tenure, the JH Greene team looks forward to expanding its already tightly-knit network.

These functions are a great way for us to form new partnerships with the latest and greatest construction service providers, says JH Greenes President, Jim Greene. The Whos Who Showcase is especially great for our team, as the industrys best is accessible to meet all in one place.

This event is one of many the JH Greene plans to attend in 2017. With a goal to continue the growth seen last year, our team aims to increase our networking efforts and enhance the strong relationships established from being present in the community.

If you have an interest in learning more about JH Greene, or meeting us at any of our upcoming events, please reach out to Business Development Manager, Heather Grossmuller, at hgrossmuller(at)jhgreene(dot)com.
In this sixth volume of PR News Book of Employee Communications Strategies & Tactics, authors, drawing on diverse backgrounds in brand, agency, nonprofit and academic PR practice, provide practical advice for setting internal social media guidelines, structuring the team within the larger organization, nurturing talent and much more.

The Employee Communications Guidebook, Vol. 6 is available online.

This guidebook features 40+ contributing authors like Bradford Walton, director of communication at The Home Depot, who points out, True associate engagement is a journey, it doesnt happen overnight. The guidebook offers tips on how to roll out corporate engagement programs; keep the best and brightest employees motivated in a difficult economic climate; use crowdsourcing techniques to tie employees' activities more closely to the bottom line and recognize achievements; build morale through community involvement; engage with the internal team during a period of transition; encourage employees to become thought leaders; train frontline staffers to think like PR pros; and set policies for using social media networks.

Chapters Include:



PRs Role in Employee Communications

Motivation and Morale

Internal Social Media Guidelines and Recommendations

Leading and Nurturing Your PR Team

Communicating With Employees in Crisis

Communicating With Different Generations of Employees

HRs Collaboration With PR

Your Brand Evangelist Plan

Recommendations for Organizational Structure

Review Full T.O.C.

Order a copy today. For questions, contact Client Services at clientservices(at)accessintel.com.

About PR News:

The PR News Group is a go-to source that serves the communications and marketing community at corporations, agencies and nonprofits. The PR News group focuses on honing and growing PR practitioners skills in social media, crisis management, digital PR, measurement, employee relations, media training, CSR and writing through its flagship newsletter, webinars, conferences, awards programs, workshops and guidebooks. With the launch of its weekly newsletter over 70 years ago, PR News has remained dedicated to supporting the growth of communicators all while keeping them abreast of the latest news affecting the industry. For more information, please visit http://www.prnewsonline.com.
Express Employment Professionals released new survey results today revealing the reasons applicants do not accept jobs and the reasons employees leave their jobs.

In a survey of 1,951 businesses, respondents were asked, What hurdles stop applicants from accepting a job at your company? They were also asked, What hurdles cause employees to leave a job?

Thirty percent (30%) said low pay stops applicants from accepting a job, making it the most popular response. Thirteen percent (13%) said lack of advancement/opportunity, and another 13% said lack of transportation.

Lack of advancement/opportunity was the most popular response for why employees leave a job, at 34%, followed by low pay (30%) and not a good cultural fit (27%).

Even though respondents were asked to select all reasons that applied, a majority of respondents chose none, indicating the diversity of reasons at play.

Full results are below.

Its clear that pay and advancement remain top motivators for job seekers, said Bob Funk, CEO of Express, and a former chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Still, there is a wide range of factors to which employers must be sensitive. As the labor market tightens, businesses have to be even more aware of what may prevent them from making a good hire. They also should take care to be aware of what may drive away good employees currently on the payroll. Proactively responding to these hurdles is key to maintaining a talented, stable team.

What hurdles stop applicants from accepting a job at your company? (Please check all that apply.)

Q1 2017 Q4 2016 Q3 2016 Q2 2016

Low pay 30% 27% 33% 28%

Other 29% 32% 28% 23%

Lack of advancement/opportunity 13% 20% 17% 27%

Lack of transportation 13% 13% 15% 12%

Inflexible schedule 12% 11% 17% 14%

Lack of company benefits 12% 10% - -

Long Hours 11% 12% 10% 18%

Perfect fit 10% 11% 9% 15%

Would lose government benefits 8% 6% - -

No child care available 6% 5% 9% 3%

Would lose disability benefits 3% 0% 2% 1%

What hurdles cause employees to leave a job? (Please check all that apply.)

Q1 2017 Q4 2016 Q3 2016 Q2 2016

Lack of advancement/opportunity 34% 35% 28% 40%

Low pay 30% 27% 27% 29%

Not a good cultural fit 27% 26% 33% 28%

Other 25% 27% 22% 22%

Unlikeable boss/management 17% 16% 22% 18%

Difficult schedule 17% 16% 17% 16%

Long hours 14% 16% 14% 18%

Lack of transportation 9% 10% 14% 10%

Unlikeable co-workers 8% 7% 11% 8%

No child care available 4% 3% 8% 5%

The survey of 1,951 businesses, which are current and former clients of Express Employment Professionals, covers job insights for the first quarter of 2017. Previous surveys were conducted to cover job insights of the quarters indicated.

***

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Robert A. Funk

Robert A. Bob Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 770 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve and was also the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

About Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.05 billion in sales and employed a record 510,000 people in 2016. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.
ezPBJ celebrates its first anniversary with the release of ezPBJ Sender, a new time-saver for Skilled Nursing Facilities filing their Payroll-Based Journal reports. ezPBJ Sender helps centers submit PBJ reports to CMS and sends email notifications when their PBJ reports are successfully accepted.

Skilled Nursing Facilities are frustrated with the confusing steps to submit and verify their PBJ reports are accepted by CMS, said Don Feige, ezPBJ CEO. ezPBJs Sender automates PBJ submissions and lets our customers easily prepare and submit PBJ reports in a single system.

Skilled Nursing Facilities interested in evaluating ezPBJs Sender can sign up for a free trial at http://www.ezPBJ.com or contact ezPBJ at trial(at)ezPBJ(dot)com.
DrugDetoxPortland.com provides valuable information on drug detox programs for residents of Portland and the surrounding areas.

From 1999-2014, there has been a dramatic increase in prescription controlled substance sales, illicit and prescribed drug use, misuse, dependency, and overdoses from all types of drugs in the state of Oregon. According to Oregons Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, almost 1 in 4 Oregonians were prescribed an opioid medication.

In an effort to curb the rate of opioid prescriptions in Oregon, the Oregon Opioid Prescribing Guidelines Task Force last June approved adoption of the CDCs Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. The task force is composed of health care industry professionals including physicians, professional licensing boards, and non-profit organizations.

There are more drug overdose deaths than deaths from motor vehicle accidents in Oregon. Approximately 43 percent of those overdose deaths are associated with prescription opioids, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

DrugDetoxPortland.com provides valuable information on drug detox programs for residents of Portland and the surrounding areas. The website provides information on the different types of detox programs available including inpatient drug detox, and medication-assisted detox, as well as what to expect during the detox phase of addiction treatment.

Drug detox is the first step toward recovery. During drug detox, individuals go through specific withdrawal symptoms associated with the drug(s) they may have abused. These withdrawal symptoms can vary from mild to severe, and require monitoring by health care professionals who are trained in addiction treatment.

To get more information on the drug detox options available in Portland, visit: https://drugdetoxportland.com/ or speak live to a drug detox specialist at 866-268-5311.

About DrugDetoxPortland.com

DrugDetoxPortland.com provides information on drug and alcohol detoxification programs for residents of Portland, OR and the surrounding areas who may be struggling with a substance use disorder. The website offers information on a variety of drug detox programs including inpatient drug and alcohol detox and medication-assisted detox. Visitors can also learn about different withdrawal symptoms they can expect to experience during drug detox. For more information, visit: https://drugdetoxportland.com/.

Contact:

DrugDetoxPortland.com

info[at]drugdetoxportland.com
The story has been told countless times before, and though it feels like recently it's been told more and more often, that could also be because I've lived here for ten years now. Anyway, the story you all know is this: secret autonomous zone opens, autonomous zone persists to become widely beloved institution, institution's land becomes valuable, institution gets devoured by real estate, institution has jazz funeral, institution becomes romanticized by blogger who didn't go there often enough. Sunny's Bar, which almost lived that story once before (except replace "real estate" with "the angry ocean"), is living that story again as you read this. Except that one woman, Tone Balzano Johansen, is out to change the usual ending to "institution lives on as a home to weirdos and dreamers." She could use your help though.

Sunny's, which persisted and then became widely beloved, first as a speakeasy and then a legitimate bar under the leadership of the inimitable Sunny Balzano, remains the kind of easygoing neighborhood bar where you can find yourself whiling away the whole night in the front room or backyard, or taking in some music in the spacious back room (just don't talk while the musicians are jamming, it's rude). New York is always changing, but at least a few places like Sunny's that are welcoming to art freaks and tired locals alike have to stick around if the city is going to be any fun at all.



Tone, left, and Sunny, right, share a moment at the bar. (Picture courtesy of Tone Balzano Johansen)

And now, after surviving the onslaught of Hurricane Sandy and reopening in 2013, Sunny's is once again facing a fight for its life. In this fight, Johansen, the bar's co-owner and widow of Sunny Balzano, is working overtime to raise money for a down payment that will allow her to hold on to the building that the legendary neighborhood bar occupies.

The struggle to save Sunny's dates back to Sandy, Johansen told us, when other members of Balzano's family who held a stake in the property told Balzano and Johansen they wanted to sell the property. And while Johansen only owned just about a 4% stake in the property, she's held firm in her commitment to not sell the bar, even after Sunny died last year. Johansen was able to win a court decision that gave her a chance to buy the building last year, and now has until July 27th to come up with $65,000 for a down payment for a mortgage from a bank.

"People sort of naturally now, go 'Oh that's closing and this is closing,' this is like the New York story right?" Johansen told Gothamist. To rewrite that ending, Johansen has thrown herself into saving the bar, doing the behind the scenes "invisible" work of making business plans and meeting with banks with a couple of partners.

Part of that work has been running a crowdfunding campaign and other events to raise the money for the down payment and buy the property. There have already been a couple of benefit concerts, and there's an art auction featuring works from the many artistic friends of Sunny's.

Or if art isn't your thing, there's going to be a "Norwegian-style craft raffle" on Mother's Day, which will be an excellent opportunity for you to take your mom to the weird dive bar where you spend your time. You can even win socks that are being knit by Johansen's mom herself. "I come from a little town in Norway and all the women there used to knit and crochet and do stuff to raffle to pay for rescue boats," Johansen explained.



Balzano at home with mustache on his 80th birthday. (John Del Signore)

Or for those of you who just like to help by drinking, Sunny's is finally going to start opening on Mondays, and all of the proceeds from those nights on nights will go directly to the fund to save the bar. In addition to live jazz in the bar's back room, Mondays will also feature beer and shot specials and the occasional special cocktail made from donated booze. All of it is part of an effort that has taken over Johansen's life, and that she's put all of her faith in.

"A lot of people have asked 'What's your Plan B?'" Johansen said. "We all have limited energy, and when you put all the energy you have into something, there's nothing left for a Plan B. I can't even think about Plan B. I have to just put everything that I'm doing on Plan A. That's all I'm doing."

At a time when Red Hook is viewed as the next great place to plop down a tech complex with a silly old-timey name, it now seems almost impossible that a unique treasure like Sunny's, now located on a highly desirable piece of real estate with commanding waterfront views and steps from Fairway and IKEA, can keep going.

"It's one of those things, for me personally, where I was like 'I cannot let this happen, I'm going to do everything in my power, I'm going to do everything I can, to save this place,'" Johansen said. "I feel like I'm cultivating a certain strain of culture that is attentive to the wild heart a little bit."

"This bar is a survivor," Johansen added, referring to an idiosyncratic haven that has already endured so much, including the loss of its adored proprietor. With any luck, Sunny's will stick around and remain the kind of place where one night you and some friends hang out all night, and after leaving near closing time, decide to hop a fence into a park that has views of the Statue of Liberty that are so clear you feel like you're standing next to it.
After 65 years and nearly six-and-a-half decades of giving children and families the specialized medical care they need, Shriners Hospitals for Children  Los Angeles will be moving to a brand new state-of-the-art medical center located in Pasadena. Shriner for Children Medical Center is the first facility in the Shriners Hospitals for Children network to be created specifically to meet the rigorous demands of our rapidly-changing health care system. Opening in June of 2017, the new medical center represents a significant departure from the concepts that define traditional hospitals.

To celebrate the transition, the Los Angeles Shriners Hospital leadership, national and local patient ambassadors alongside the California Grand Lodge, Imperial Board and the Chairman of the Board will perform a traditional cornerstone ceremony. A Masonic cornerstone ritual is probably the only Masonic ritual that the public will ever see conducted. The dedication ceremony is the symbolic laying of the cornerstone, that which supports the entire structure.

WHO: Christopher L. Smith, Imperial Potentate of Shriners International. Mr. Smith is the highest-ranking Shriners in the world and also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospital for Children.

David R. Doan, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Shriners Hospitals for Children  Los Angeles soon to be Shriners for Children Medical Center.

Lou Lazatin, Administrator of the Shriners Hospitals for Children  Los Angeles soon to be Shriners for Children Medical Center.

Karolina Nogues (KARO-LY-NUH NO-GUESS) , National Patient Ambassador. Karolina is a patient of Shriners Hospitals for Children  Shreveport. Watch her story here

Marius Woodward (MAR-E-US) , National Patient Ambassador. Marius is a patient of Shriners Hospitals for Children  Los Angeles  soon to be Shriners for Children Medical Center. Watch his story here

WHAT: Shriners for Children Medical Center Dedication Ceremony

WHEN: 10:00 am  1:00 pm, April 13, 2017 (Ceremony begins at 11:00 am)

WHERE: 909 S. Fair Oaks Pasadena, CA 91105

*Lunch and refreshments following ceremony

About Shriners Hospitals for Children  Los Angeles

Shriners Hospitals for Children Los Angeles is a specialty hospital for orthopaedic conditions, prosthetics and orthotics, hand disorders, burn scars, and cleft lip and palate. We provide world-class care to children under 18 regardless of the families' ability to pay.

Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501  (3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by laws. For more information, please visit the hospital website at SHCLA.org.

About the Masons of California

Masonry is the worlds first and largest fraternal organization, based on the belief that a man who strives to improve himself can also improve his community and the world at large. The Masons of California have more than 60,000 members and over 340 lodges located throughout the state. The California Masonic Foundation is committed to making a profound difference for our communities, and touches the lives of thousands of Californians each year. Learn more at freemanson.org/discoverMasonry.

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BlackDoctor.org (BDO), the leading online health destination for African Americans, and The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health announce the highly-anticipated list of distinguished honorees for the 4th Annual Top Blacks in Healthcare Awards Gala. This celebration of Black excellence will take place on Thursday, April 27, 2017 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC.

The awards gala, hosted by radio and television legend Donnie Simpson, will honor 16 individuals who have made outstanding contributions to medicine and health. These highly esteemed and accomplished individuals not only maintain a demanding work/life balance, but they are also progressively moving their communities forward.

These individuals have reached the highest levels in their careers, despite the challenges, and BlackDoctor.org is honored to celebrate their success. Their trailblazing work ensures that everyone has access to quality healthcare, said Reggie Ware, President and CEO of BlackDoctor.org.

Dr. Freda Lewis-Hall, Executive VP & Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer, will deliver the 2017 keynote address.

The 2017 honorees were identified and selected by previous Top Blacks in Healthcare award recipients as well as key individuals from partner organizations such as the National Medical Association, The George Washington University and the American Hospital Association.

BlackDoctor.org salutes this extraordinary list of Black healthcare professionals named as the BlackDoctor.org Top Blacks in Healthcare 2017 award recipients:

Kedrick D. Adkins Jr.; Chief Financial Officer, Mayo Clinic

Donna R. Cryer, JD; President & CEO, Global Liver Institute

Adaeze Enekwechi, PhD, M.P.P.; Associate Director for Health Programs, White House Office of Management & Budget, Appointee for President Barack Obama

Thomas A. Farrington; Founder & President, Prostate Health Education Network

Yolanda Haywood, M.D.; Associate Dean for Diversity, Inclusion & Student Affairs, The George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences

Michael A. Kelly; Senior Vice President Global Business Services, Amgen

Honorable Robin L. Kelly; Congresswoman, Illinois 2nd District

Evelyn L. Lewis, MD, MA, FAAFP, DABDA; CMO Warrior Centric Health LLC, CMA, ReX LLC and Immediate Past President of the American Academy Family Physician Foundation

Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, DFAPA; Executive VP & Chief Medical Officer, Pfizer

Kimberly Banks MacKay; Head, U.S. Legal and Compliance, Novartis Business Services

Veronica T. Mallett, M.D., MMM; Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College

Joseph Melancon, MD; Chief of The GW Transplant Institute and Division of Transplant Surgery

Desiree Ralls-Morrison; Senior VP, General Counsel & Secretary, Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.

MajGen Leonard M. Randolph Jr. M.D.; USAF (Ret.); Board Chairman, Cincinnati YMCA; Board Vice Chairman, Mercy Health (Cincinnati); Former Deputy Surgeon General-USAF; Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Plan Administration

Jonathan Woodson, M.D.; Former Asst. Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, US Defense Dept. Current Professor of Surgery, Boston University

Award recipients will be featured on the BlackDoctor.org website, its Facebook page  with more than 1.5 million followers - and other related media. Currently, BlackDoctor.org has a total monthly audience reach of more than 40 million visitors.

Executive Editor, Sandria Washington, stated, Today, more than ever, we must tap into our personal and collective power to create the changes we need in healthcare and beyond. Celebrating our honorees and sharing their incredible accomplishments will inspire our readers to keep pushing toward their own personal greatness.

Sponsors for 2017 are Pfizer, Amgen, Novartis, Gilead and Otsuka.

For sponsorship and ticket information, contact Candace Brandon, Candace(at)blackdoctor(dot)org or at 312-222-1205.

About BlackDoctor.org

BlackDoctor.org (BDO) is the worlds most comprehensive online health resource for Black consumers. With a monthly total audience reach of 60 million, BDO is the leading producer of targeted, culturally and clinically accurate health and editorial content on African Americans. BDO also boasts the largest online database of Black physicians and dentists as part of its free doctor search tool, and a medical expert panel including many of the most respected and accomplished experts in their field. Learn more about BlackDoctor.org at http://www.BlackDoctor.org and follow us on Twitter @BlackDoctor, and Facebook at facebook.com/BlackDoctor.org.

About Milken Institute School of Public Health

Established in July 1997 as the School of Public Health and Health Services, Milken Institute School of Public Health is the only school of public health in the nations capital. Today, more than 1,900 students from 54 U.S. states and territories and more than 50 countries pursue undergraduate, graduate and doctoral-level degrees in public health. The school also offers an online Master of Public Health, MPH@GW, and an online Executive Master of Health Administration, MHA@GW, which allow students to pursue their degree from anywhere in the world.
1U Rackmount Monitor

KVMSwitchTech is announcing the release of improved and enhanced 1U KVM Console Drawers for consolidated management of rack mounted servers. Among the more popular features are larger desktop equivalent LCD displays featuring either 21 or 24 diagonal viewing areas in a stow-able 1U Rackmount LCD rack drawer. These displays are capable of displaying up to 1080p resolution for integration in areas where fine details are a must.

Other new features include the integration of cascadable Rack KVM switches that allows control of up to 256 servers while maintaining the same 1U chassis for the drawer. This optimizes ease of use as well as available rack space. The Rackmount Monitor with integrated KVM options include High Definition video through DVI-D interfaces, as well as VGA combo break out cables and control over servers across multiple racks through the use of Cat6 cables and dongles at distances up to 40 meters. For environments where multiple administrators wish to access multiple servers simultaneously, there are additional options for Matrix style IP consoles. For users in remote mobile situations, there are also options for DC power ranging from 12V up to 250VDC. These new features make Rack LCD consoles ideal for military, government, data monitoring, digital signage, CCTV, broadcast and multimedia applications.

About KVMSwitchTech:

KVMSwitchTech is a global supplier of Keyboard, Video, and Mouse technology. Headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio, the company is built on a strong core of dedicated people who have combined experience of multiple decades with KVM equipment. Their courteous staff can be reached through email and phone with no need to navigate frustrating phone menus. They are readily available and very capable of helping plan a project from start to finish.
Red Frog Beach Island Resort & Spa today announced that it has received the coveted Green Globe certification. The beachfront property is now the first resort in Panama to achieve this distinction, which reflects its commitment to sustainable practices within the tourism industry.

A Green Globe certification comprehensively addresses how a tourism development not only treats natural resources, but also how the development impacts the social fabric of local communities. Red Frog Beach Island Resort & Spa has been certified for complying with an extensive list of more than 340 criteria in the following categories: sustainable management, social and economic elements, cultural heritage and environmental practices.

We are thrilled to now be Green Globe certified and are grateful to our guests, employees and Panamas tourism community for understanding the importance of sustainable tourism, said Juan Farina, the resorts director. We believe everyone who visits our island-resort will have a unique experience with nature, and we are committed to ensuring that future generations have the same experience.

This prestigious certification builds on the momentum of several environmental practices implemented by Red Frog Beach Island Resort & Spa. In 2016, the property installed a 193kW centralized solar power system, making it one of the largest island resort solar power plants in the world. The resort has also been recognized for reforesting a large region of the island that was damaged due to cattle grazing.

Red Frog Beach Island Resort & Spa has benefitted from Panamas geographical attributes by attracting guests from around the world looking for a vacation destination that includes unique ecology and historical locations. The ultimate coastal-luxe getaway, the resort offers an array of jungle lodges and villas; a nature spa that is discovered via a private jungle trail; access to multiple restaurants, including the option of reserving an in-villa private chef; and flexible resort-side and beachfront function space for weddings and events.

An IGY Marinas destination, the resort boasts an onsite yachting facility  The Marina at Red Frog Beach. The marina houses 12 megayacht berths, with the ability to accommodate vessels in excess of 300 feet (90 meters) in length and the electric requirements suitable to accommodate the worlds largest vessels. In addition to all of the resort amenities, guests have access to an incredible line-up of recreational activities including, surfing at San Blas Islands, zip lining, hiking, underground cave tours, deep-sea fishing and more. Marina guests also have access to IGYs Anchor Club Strategic Partners, which is one of the worlds leading large vessel support networks offering an array of services ranging from provisioning to crew training and health and maritime travel.

To book a reservation or learn about real estate options at the resort, call 888-655-9573 or email info(at)redfrogbeach(dot)com. For more information, visit http://www.RedFrogBeach.com. Follow the resort on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About Red Frog Beach Island Resort & Spa

Red Frog Beach Island Resort in Bocas del Toro is a successful real estate development and vacation destination in Panama. The 1520-acre resort on Isla Bastimentos borders the National Marine Park. The Resort pays homage to the rich heritage of biodiversity and ecosystem of the unique island archipelago in Bocas del Toro.
When: Thursday, April 27, 2017 from 6-8 p.m.

Where: BlackFinn Ameripub, Charlotte Epicenter, 210 East Trade Street, Charlotte, NC 2820

Who: Representatives from BlackFinn Ameripub, Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA), NoDa Brewing Company and several artisanal cheesemakers.

Join the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA) and BlackFinn Ameripub Thursday, April 27 from 6-8 p.m. for a beer and cheese pairing event during Craft Your Thursday Presents: An Uptown Beer & Cheese Pairing. The special event will take place at the Charlotte Epicenter BlackFinn Ameripub location at 210 East Trade Street in Charlotte.

BlackFinn Ameripub will pair craft beers from NoDa Brewing Company with an assortment of Carolina-made artisanal cheeses from English Farmstead Cheese, Yellow Branch Farmstead Cheese, Cane Creek Creamery, and Queen Charlottes Pimento Cheese Royale.

Local dairy farmers and cheesemakers will be on hand to answer questions about dairy farming and cheesemaking. Brewing chemist Dr. John Isenhour, of the Michael A. Leven School of Culinary Sustainability and Hospitality at Kennesaw State University will discuss the science behind cheese and beer flavor combinations.

Tickets are $10 in advance online or $15 at the door. Guests can also RSVP on BlackFinn Ameripubs Facebook page using the promo code DAIRY. The first 25 guests who purchase tickets will get $2 off the regular ticket price.

# # #

About BlackFinn Ameripub

BlackFinn Ameripub is the evolution of the American pub, a fun, social restaurant concept that serves house-made modern American food, craft beers and cocktails in a vibrant, high-energy atmosphere.

About Southeast Dairy Association

On behalf of dairy farm families, the non-profit Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc. (SUDIA), works with schools, health professionals, retailers, dairy processors and the public to promote dairy foods. For more information, visit http://www.southeastdairy.org.

For more information, contact:

Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, Inc.

Contact: Julie Russell  jrussell(at)sedairy(dot)org - (770) 907-8155

BlackFinn Ameripub and Southeast Dairy Association to host

Craft Your Thursday Presents: An Uptown Beer & Cheese Pairing
MEDI+SIGN demonstrated their patent-pending electronic patient-room solution We heard loud and clear the message from healthcare leadership that patient falls and communication are the most demanding challenges with which they are grappling

MEDI+SIGN recently attended the 13th Annual Maryland Patient Safety Conference and was recognized for their efforts in providing healthcare solutions that focus on patient safety while improving costs.

MEDI+SIGN, along with 70 other applicants, completed a project which was submitted to the Maryland Patient Safety Center for consideration for their role in patient safety. The submitted projects underwent rigorous review and the list was trimmed down to only 20; the 2017 Top Twenty Minogue Award for Patient Safety Innovation. In addition, MEDI+SIGN demonstrated their patent-pending electronic patient-room solution at the conference and presented their project poster.

We heard loud and clear the message from healthcare leadership that patient falls and communication are the most demanding challenges with which they are grappling, says Andrew Hoffman, President of MEDI+SIGN. By demonstrating how our solution has improved nurse communication with medical record automation as well as patient safety with our patent-pending Anti-Fall technology, attendees walked away elated that there is a solid and proven solution to their problems.

The conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland on March 17, 2017 and brought together health system leadership, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, quality professionals, risk managers and patient safety officers. With a focus on pressing safety issues, the conference goals were to address issues that are fundamental to delivering quality care to patients in the safest possible manner.

MEDI+SIGN is a connected platform with digital patient whiteboard solutions that are designed to improve satisfaction and coordination of care for patients in a hospital setting. MEDI+SIGN is dedicated to reducing costs and improving quality and delivery of healthcare solutions.

Further details about MEDI+SIGNs patient monitoring and digital whiteboard solutions are available on the companys website: http://www.medisigndisplays.com. Questions or opportunities may be addressed through the website, or by phone (301-790-0103) and e-mail (sales(at)medisigndisplays.com)

About MEDI+SIGN

MEDI+SIGN provides hospital and healthcare organizations with a connected health platform that includes patient monitoring and digital whiteboard display solutions. MEDI+SIGN integrates with electronic health records and remote monitoring systems to collect and communicate updated and accurate patient health and status information to care teams and patients. MEDI+SIGN was established to leverage its proprietary visual communication technology to improve hospital and healthcare providers performance in patient safety and satisfaction, as well as the overall quality and delivery of healthcare. For more information, please contact us at http://www.medisigndisplays.com.

About Maryland Patient Safety Center

The mission of Maryland Patient Safety Center is to make health care in Maryland the safest in the nation. It is a center of patient safety innovation, convening providers of care to accelerate our understanding of, and implement evidence-based solutions for, preventing avoidable harm. http://www.marylandpatientsafety.org

MEDI+SIGN is a registered trademark of Specialized Communications, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Since the launch of Credit Card Pre-Approval our acceptance rate is over 60% of members that view the offer. We are delighted to be the first credit union to launch Credit Card Pre-Approval and we are already seeing great results. Kenneth Leonard, CEO ACU

CU RateReset, the software provider of financial product reset solutions designed for asset retention and acquisition, today announced Americas Credit Union (ACU) has launched the companys newest solution  Digital Pre-Approval Credit Card. ACU, headquartered in, DuPont, Washington, has 47,000 members and $586 million in assets, and is expanding its CU RateReset product offerings. In December, 2016 the credit union contracted with the company to license Rate Reset and LoanGEN for Auto.

CU RateReset offers additional Pre-Approval products which include:

Digital Pre-Approval  Auto, Mortgage, Personal Loans and Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC):



Recapture of member auto loans, mortgages, credit cards, personal loans and HELOCs at other financial institutions, as well as showcase products to attract new members.

Members can design their custom auto payment and move their existing loans over to their credit union.

Credit union selects members to receive offer and submits data to CURateReset. A unique URL is then created, and inserted into an email, traditional mail or text.

Members can select the options offered, execute the required documents and authorize the transfer to their new credit union account.

Our innovative solution allows ACU to send an individualized pre-approval PURL (Personal URL) via email, text, social media or traditional mail. said Joe Brancucci, president of CU RateReset. The member is provided the opportunity to select the options ACU offers, execute the necessary documents, and authorize ACU to do the balance transfer.

Our partnership with MeridianLink allows for a seamless end-to-end process. Upon member selection of the offer, the data flows through to the card processor to update the core system all without human intervention. This is disruptive innovation. added Brancucci.

"The experience with pre-approval offers is usually less than satisfying, said Kenneth Leonard, President/CEO Americas Credit Union. Since the launch of CU RateReset Credit Card Pre-Approval our acceptance rate has been over 60% of the members that view the offer. This is a significant change from what we have seen in the past. We are delighted to be the first credit union to launch Credit Card Pre-Approval and we are already seeing great results."

About CU RateReset:

CU RateReset offers award winning products that allow the member to be in control of what has historically been routine administrative tasks that are time consuming for both front line and support staff. Both Reset Auto and Reset Mortgage, products successfully tested and adopted in the market, allow a member to reset the term of an existing auto loan, personal loan or mortgage based on credit union criteria. The software promotes loan retention at a very low cost, and provides a member with a favorable view of the member advocacy of the credit union. The Digital Pre-Approval Solutions make it simple and fast for a credit union to acquire or recapture member automobile loans, mortgage loans, personal loans and credit cards. Our brand is built on your success! For more information on CU RateReset visit http://www.CURateReset.com.

About ACU:

Americas Credit Union is a member controlled, not-for-profit financial cooperative where earnings are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, lower fees and higher interest earned. Americas Credit Union, headquartered in DuPont, WA was established in 1954 and was founded at Joint Base Lewis McChord as Fort Lewis Credit Union in Washington state. For more information about Americas Credit Union, visit http://www.youracu.org.

Media Contacts:

Keith Kelly

Rate Reset

703-926-8626

kkelly(at)ratereset.com
The Delaware Valley Safety Council seeks to provide world-class safety training to contractors and employees working in industrial facilities in Delaware, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. DVSC continually adds best-in-class training programs to meet the safety-training needs of diverse industrial environments. DVSCs ultimate goal is to have every worker return home safely from work every day.

DVSC is proud to offer one of our courses, Fire Extinguishers in the Workplace. This 90-minute class, is designed for general employees across all working environments under OSHA law 29CFR1910.157, and helps students distinguish the different classes of fires, the different types of fire extinguishers and how to safely operate them in case of an emergency. Students leave the course with the practical skills of how to operate a fire extinguisher, which is necessary in any workplace, and concludes with the use of a fire extinguisher simulator with the BullsEye Extinguisher System. At only $53 a person, this course teaches students the required skills useful in any workplace fire scenario that can help prevent or limit the damage done by any potential fire.

The Delaware Valley Safety Council holds this course at our facility in Swedesboro, NJ for Friday morning sessions as well as on-site training.

To register for Fire Extinguishers in the Workplace, or to gain more information please visit our website at http://dvsconline.org/public/fire-extinguisher-training/ and always remember to think and stay safe.

The Delaware Valley Safety Council

510 Heron Drive, Suite 210

Swedesboro, NJ 08085
Surrogacy Attorney Meryl B. Rosenberg, Esq. Im enormously gratified by passing of the new law  which provides not only for legal surrogacy, but also for the enforceability of surrogacy contracts and the establishment of vitally important guidelines for all parties involved.

Potomac, MD  On April 7 of this year, a new District of Columbia law officially took effect, ending a ban on surrogacy arrangements that had stood for 25 years. The new law paves the way for safe and legal surrogacy in the District of Columbia, and empowers DC citizens to utilize this collaborative reproduction process to build their families without having to travel to states in which surrogacy has long been permitted.

Critically, the law provides for the establishment of legally protected families  including requirements for any surrogacy agreement, independent legal representation, appropriate mental health and medical counseling and evaluation, and the process to establish parenthood for the resulting child  while ensuring legal protections for all parties involved.

The District of Columbia can now serve as a model for other states looking to enact clear legislation for those seeking to build families through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) with the aid of a surrogate or a donor. (Surrogacy and related legal issues fall under state jurisdiction, and the legal permissibility of surrogacy vary widely from state to state.)

Maryland surrogacy attorney and ARTParenting founder, Meryl B. Rosenberg, Esq., has advocated for new DC legislation on surrogacy for years. She recalls, In 2013, a working group of attorneys began meeting together to change the DC law. As a starting point, I, along with a few other attorneys, drafted the bill based on best practices. We sent the draft as edited by the group to the Office of DC Councilman Tommy Wells, then chair of the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, who had been working to change DCs long-standing surrogacy ban since 2012.

Rosenberg explains that, in early 2013, DC Councilman David Catania formally proposed the surrogacy bill, beginning a several-years-long process of stakeholder review, a public hearing, discussions on what the legislation should ideally contain, modifications, re-drafting, markups, re-introductions of the evolving law, and ultimately at the end of 2016, unanimous Council approval of the newest Bill.

This process was crucial to crafting an effective law, Rosenberg points out, noting that during the process the working group expanded to include not just surrogacy attorneys but the Family Equality Council, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM/SART), RESOLVE (The National Infertility Association), the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and others.

Finally, on April 7, 2017, Law Number L21-0255  the Collaborative Reproduction Amendment Act of 2016  became DC law, bringing to a close 25 years of surrogacy being illegal in the District of Columbia.

Rosenberg summarizes, As someone committed for over two decades to innovation and leadership in the field of reproductive law, and to furthering the education, development, and regulation of assisted reproduction, Im enormously gratified by passing of the new law  which provides not only for legal surrogacy, but also for the enforceability of surrogacy contracts and the establishment of vitally important guidelines for all parties involved. This is a great day for all families in the District.

__________

Since 1993, ARTparenting has been assisting couples and singles build their families with a complete surrogacy program, as well as a range of legal services for third-party family-building.

Facebook
Dr. Todd H. Lanman

Following its published study last month documenting favorable outcomes at 24 months (two years) post-op of the FDA approved two-level cervical disc replacement procedure using a Prestige LP, the peer-reviewed medical journal, Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, has published the long-awaited long-term seven year study, noting statistical superiority over fusion in treating cervical degenerative disc disease in two contiguous disc levels.

This is the first time ever that this breakthrough procedure has been found to be statistically superior, in areas of safety and effectiveness, to that of fusion surgery, giving those suffering from cervical disc disease in two adjacent disc levels another option for treatment, and one that allows them to maintain full mobility and motion in their neck following a minimally invasive procedure.

The paper was authored by Todd H. Lanman, as lead writer, along with five additional spine surgeons, including J. Kenneth Burkus, MD, Randall G. Dryer, MD, Matthew F. Gornet, MD, Jeffrey R. McConnell, MD, and Scott D. Hodges, DO. Lanman, who operates Beverly Hills-based Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery (http://www.spine.md), acted as Principal Investigator on the clinical trial, which led to FDA approval last year, and is widely sought out as one of the leading spine surgeons and innovators in spine health and artificial disc replacement in the world.

As the newly published paper notes, the study aimed to assess long-term clinical safety and effectiveness in patients undergoing anterior cervical surgery using the Prestige LP artificial disc replacement (ADR) prosthesis to treat degenerative cervical spine disease in two adjacent disc levels compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF).

The randomized controlled multicenter trial was conducted at 30 US centers. At 84 months post-op, Medtronics titanium ceramic composite Prestige LP device demonstrated statistical superiority over anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for overall success. The study continued to compare the clinical trials initial 209 investigational patients undergoing a two-level cervical disc replacement with that of 188 control patients undergoing ACDF between June 2006 and November 2007 for 84 months postop.

At the seven-year (84 month) postoperative mark, two-level cervical disc replacement at two adjacent disc levels with a Prestige LP device has been found to maintain improved clinical outcomes and segmental motion, and is now a safe and effective alternative to fusion, as the paper notes.

As many patients suffer from multilevel disease, or disease in more than one level of the cervical spine, this procedure now allows for those patients to undergo a procedure that restores segmental motion in their neck, of which ACDF normally limits, often times placing additional stress on adjacent discs, potentially leading to accelerated degeneration of those discs. As the study also details, pseudoarthrosis in multilevel ACDF is considerably higher than single-level ACDF, as are revisions, complications and reoperations.

One- or two-level artificial disc replacement in the cervical spine is approved by most insurance plans.

The published paper can be found here: http://thejns.org/doi/pdf/10.3171/2016.11.SPINE16746

About Todd H. Lanman, MD.

As a specialist in the advancement of spinal health and surgery, total disc replacement and motion preservation for more than 25 years, Dr. Todd H. Lanman has earned top honors, his patients trust and respect, and recently was named one of the Top Doctors in America. He is also the go-to Spinal Neurosurgeon for many of the worlds leading business leaders and biggest stars. A Diplomate of the American Board of Neurological Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Dr. Lanman earned his M.D. at Chicagos Northwestern University in 1983 with top honors and went on to complete his residency in Neurological Surgery at University of California at Los Angeles. Since then, Dr. Lanman has led his leading spinal neurosurgery practice, Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery, in the heart of Beverly Hills, which is affiliated with Cedars-Sinai Medical Centers Institute for Spinal Disorders, UCLA Medical Center and Saint Johns Medical Center.

As a leading innovator in medicine, as well as a media educator and contributor, Lanman has published more than a dozen peer-reviewed articles, as well as book chapters on topics relating to his field, and has presented more than two dozen papers at national and regional medical society meetings. His expertise is often sought out as he is often tapped to be the principal medical investigator on a wide swath of clinical trials for motion preserving surgeries and artificial disc replacement devices. He has also remained an assistant clinical professor at UCLA for the past 20 years. For more information on Dr. Lanman and Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery, visit http://www.spine.md/

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CTAC Live, through the generous support of Bank of Commerce, Chisholm Trail Arts Council is pleased to present Pelican212. Pelican 212 is a band of brothers and sisters that honed their skills busking on the sidewalks of Nashville, New Orleans and Pensacola. The performance is scheduled on April 18 at 6:30 PM at the Simmons Center in Duncan, OK.

Armed with trumpets, trombone, drums, keyboard, guitar and voices, this high energy family band delivers explosive renditions of Louisiana Soul! The band features 12-year-old trumpet playing twins Max and Kolbe Rees. Other siblings that make up the group include Angelle, Marie, Giovanni, Mollie and their oldest sister Katie, who helped teach many of her younger siblings how to play their instruments.

Recently, Pelican212 were featured performers for President Trumps Military Inaugural Ball in January. Max and Kolbe were also seen on NBCs Little Big Shots, with Steve Harvey. Wearing bespoke blue suits, the boys performed the iconic song, When the Saints Go Marching In.

Special pricing for this family show includes 2 free child tickets (12 and under) with one paid adult. For more ticket pricing, please call CTAC Office 580-252-4160.

Chisholm Trail Arts Council is a nonprofit organization with a mission of Promoting and Inspiring the Arts in Southwest Oklahoma. CTAC receives support through Oklahoma Arts Council, McCasland Foundation as well support from businesses and memberships. CTAC Live Concert Series is one of five programs. Other programs include Arts Explosion, Art Education in Schools, ArtWalk Duncan, and the CTAC Art Gallery.
Jim Crigler, President of Winona Search Group on his Mission of Honor I met and spoke to many Gold Star families. I consistently heard the same story  no honor, no support, no thanks. This deeply moved me to realize the terrible wrong we have done as a country to these wonderful American families.

Gold Star families who lost relatives in the Vietnam War, have often felt like the forgotten casualties of war; the stigma and controversy surrounding the war have prevented many of these families from even talking about it. Jim Crigler, owner and president of Winona Search Group is starting a movement to change this by honoring Gold Star families for their loved ones sacrifice. On April 22, 2017, Crigler will embark on a solo canoe trip down the full length of the Mississippi River, stopping at 29 cities and towns along the way, to meet with Gold Star families and veterans, presenting them with a symbolic gold coin. He will also raise money for American Huey 369, a charitable organization that gives helicopter flights to veterans and their families, and conduct book signings for his new book Mission of Honor, based on letters that he wrote to his mother during his own tour in Vietnam.

While I was doing research for the book, I met and spoke to many Gold Star families, says Crigler. I consistently heard the same story  no honor, no support, no thanks. This deeply moved me to realize the terrible wrong we have done as a country to these wonderful American families. Thats when he decided to do something to right this wrong.

Crigler plans to begin the 2,300-mile trip, pushing off at the Mississippis headwaters at Lake Itasca. Hes scheduling stops at big and small cities along his route  St. Paul and Memphis, Winona and La Crosse  and plans to end up in New Orleans in late June. An avid rower, Crigler is the two-time defending champion of the South Dakota Kayak and Canoe Challenge, an annual race that covers 72 miles on the Missouri River.

I will meet as many Gold Star families as I can over the next two months, Crigler says. Im looking to start a movement. Paddling the length of the Mississippi is a way to bring attention to the cause and a way to raise the funds to support it.

Crigler hopes to raise $2.5 million for American Huey 369, for the construction of a history museum in Peru, Indiana. The group is named after the Bell UH-1 Iroquois, a helicopter known as the Huey and used in combat by American forces in Vietnam. Many of these families had sons who flew in these helicopters, Crigler observes. When they go on flights, you can see the change in them.

Crigler plans to coordinate his stops with VFW centers in each town. He is also hoping to recruit volunteers to help promote his trip on social media.

My goal is to honor these families, says Crigler, and to recognize their sons and daughters sacrifice to our country.

To learn more about the book, visit http://www.missionofhonor.org or @missionofhonor on Facebook. Donations to the Mission of Honor tour can be made via https://www.missionofhonor.org/donate.

Below is a list of the cities and towns that Crigler plans to visit:

Bemidji, MN

Grand Rapids, MN

Brainerd, MN

Little Falls, MN

St. Cloud, MN

Minneapolis MN

St. Paul, MN

Hastings, MN

Red Wing, MN

Lake City, MN

Fountain City, WI

Winona, MN

La Crosse, WI

Prairie du Chien, WI

Dubuque, IA

Clinton, IA

Quad Cities IA/IL

Muscatine, IA

Quincy, IL

Hannibal, MO St. Louis, MO

Cape Girardeau, MO

Caruthersville, MO

Memphis, TN

Greenville, MS

Vicksburg, MS

Natchez, MS

Baton Rouge, LA

New Orleans, LA

About Winona Search Group

Management Recruiters of Winona is a Winona, Minnesota-based affiliate of MRINetwork, specializing in executive search and recruitment within the high technology industry. For more information, visit http://www.winonasearchgroup.com.

About MRINetwork:

Management Recruiters International, Inc., branded as MRINetwork, is one of the largest executive search and recruitment organizations in the world. A subsidiary of CDI Corp. (NYSE:CDI), a global provider of engineering & information technology outsourcing solutions and professional staffing, MRINetwork has approximately 600 offices spanning four continents. Visit MRINetwork at http://www.mrinetwork.com.
Chris Gathright, Sentinel IPS Chief Technology Officer

Sentinel IPS, a long-time provider of network intrusion prevention systems, today announced the appointment of Chris Gathright as its Chief Technology Officer. This newly created role is based at the companys headquarters in Dallas, Texas, and represents Sentinel IPS ongoing commitment to network security excellence.

Chris brings a wealth of security knowledge gleaned from his years working in the Intelligence Community, and we welcome him to our company, said David Lissberger Sentinel IPS president and CEO. His leadership will help us guide future product development and further enhance our ability to keep our customers networks secure.

As Sentinel IPS CTO, Gathright is tasked with leading the companys research and development efforts, technology innovation, and day-to-day operations.

I am excited to be joining the Sentinel IPS team, said Gathright, Sentinel IPS CTO. I look forward to providing our customers with innovative resources and tools to monitor and protect their networks.

Gathright has extensive experience in the network security field. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from the University of North Texas with additional executive studies at Johns Hopkins University.

About Sentinel IPS

Based in Dallas, Texas, Sentinel IPS began as EcoNet.com, a web development company founded at the dawn of the World Wide Web in 1995. By the early 2000s, the company became a successful network security product reseller and began to develop its own first intrusion prevention system.

Since 2004, the company continues to expand its product functionality installing Sentinel IPS devices around the world. Its customers include Fortune 100 firms, government and municipal agencies, financial institutions, utility cooperatives, and medium and small businesses. For more information, visit us at http://www.sentinelips.com (http://www.sentinelips.com)
On April 29, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will team up with local law enforcement agencies across the country for National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse and medications. Since starting the program in 2010, the DEA has taken in nearly 6 million pounds of unwanted, unneeded or expired medications. These medications may have otherwise lingered in medicine chests and kitchen cabinets or have been thrown down the drain. Last years National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day event broke records by taking back 447 tons of unneeded medications.

According to the DEA, the majority of prescription drug abusers report in surveys that they get their drugs from friends and family. Cleaning out old prescription drugs from medicine cabinets, kitchen drawers, and bedside tables reduces accidents, thefts, and the misuse and abuse of these medicines, including the opioid painkillers.

Its important to check your medicine cabinet periodically, especially because expired or unused prescriptions can pose a health risk for you or a loved one if ingested accidentally or misused, said Dr. Indra Cidambi, addiction medicine expert from the Center for Network Therapy. Dr. Cidambi shares three important reasons for individuals to participate in National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day:



Misuse/Abuse Could Lead to Addiction: The program can help prevent the abuse of medications. According to NIDA (1), 70% of people who abused prescription medications obtained it (given free, bought or took) from a friend or relative. According to the DEA, 8 out of 10 new heroin users began their addiction to opiates by abusing legally prescribed pain medications. The growing epidemic of abuse/misuse of opioids and other medications such as benzodiazepines can lead to dependence or overdose.

Self-Medication Attempts Pose Health Hazards: Storing medications that are no longer needed may lead to serious health problems, if teenagers or even young adults in their homes ingest them accidentally or use them in an attempt to self medicate because of the misconception that it is safe to use as it was prescribed by a physician.

Reckless Disposal Harms the Environment: When an individual tosses medications in the trash or down the drain, the medication can eventually seep into groundwater. A glaring example is in Africa  a root used to treat pain by West African healers was found to have high levels of opiates. It was later discovered that people in the region used Tramadol (a synthetic opiate) heavily and human waste seeped into ground water and soil where the vegetation absorbed it!

Check your medications for expiration dates, and properly dispose off unneeded medications, recommends Dr. Cidambi. When in doubt, throw it out. Using expired medications can put an individuals health at risk, as efficacy may decrease and medications may not perform as expected. If you miss National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day you can safely dispose of prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines at your local pharmacy.

For more information on where you can drop off your prescription drugs please contact the DEAs Registration Call Center at 1-800-882-9539 or check the DEAs Website (https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html) for collection sites in your area.

For more information on addiction treatment, please go to http://www.recoveryCNT.com.

About Dr. Indra Cidambi

Indra Cidambi, M.D., Medical Director, Center for Network Therapy, is recognized as a leading expert and pioneer in the field of Addiction Medicine. Under her leadership the Center for Network Therapy started New Jerseys first state licensed Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification program for alcohol, benzodiazepines and opiates four years ago. Dr. Cidambi is Board Certified in General Psychiatry and double Board Certified in Addiction Medicine (ABAM, ABPN). She is fluent in five languages, including Russian.

About Center for Network Therapy

Center for Network Therapy (CNT) was the first facility in New Jersey to be licensed to provide Ambulatory (Outpatient) Detoxification Services for all substances of abuse  alcohol, anesthetics, benzodiazepines, opiates and other substances of abuse. Led by a Board Certified Addiction Psychiatrist, Indra Cidambi, M.D., experienced physicians and nurses closely monitor each patients progress. With CNTs superior client care and high quality treatment, Dr. Cidambi and her clinical team have successfully detoxed over 1,000 patients in four years. The Center for Network Therapy also offers step down to Partial Care (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) levels of care.

Notes:

1. https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics
Today, Marble -- the maker of autonomous ground-delivery robots -- announced its first partnership with Yelp Eat24 to make food deliveries in San Franciscos Mission and Potrero Hill Districts. The company also announced $4 million in seed funding led by Eclipse and including Maven Ventures, Amplify Partners and Lemnos Labs, which will be used to continue development of the Marble robot fleet and expand delivery services throughout San Francisco and beyond.

Participating local restaurants with Yelp Eat24 will support on-demand delivery with Marbles autonomous robots. Customers will order as before through the Yelp Eat24 App, and a limited set will get the chance to opt-in to a robot delivering their meal. For those customers, the restaurants will place their meals into the carefully-sized, adaptable cargo bays of Marbles robots to send on their way to hungry customers.

At Marble, our vision is to create helpful robots that improve urban neighborhood living for everyone, said Matt Delaney, CEO and Co-Founder of Marble. Were creating a more efficient, reliable, and affordable way for people to receive what they need and want from their cities while reducing urban congestion and carbon footprint. Our system bolsters local commerce and unlocks the full potential of the on-demand economy allowing it to be something that everyone can benefit from.

Using similar advanced technology developed for self-driving cars, Marble robots are smart enough to share busy sidewalks with people, and are capable of navigating in a reliable, efficient, and safe fashion. Each robot contains a suite of sensors including lidar, cameras, and ultrasonic that allows them to better perceive the world around them. In addition, Marbles robots are constantly mapping the citys sidewalks in order to optimize transportation routes and delivery time. Marble plans to map the majority of San Franciscos sidewalks in the coming year as they continue to roll out their delivery capabilities.

We are always looking for innovative new ways to give diners what they want: efficient and affordable food delivery, said Shalin Sheth, Head of Delivery Operations at Yelp Eat24. Marbles robots help Yelp Eat24 restaurants better serve their communities and were excited to enhance the delivery experience for customers and be able to serve a larger market.

Prior to founding Marble, co-founders Matt Delaney, Jason Calaiaro, and Kevin Peterson met at Carnegie Mellon Universitys Robotics Institute where they worked on the original self-driving cars during the DARPA Grand and Urban Challenges. They also developed autonomous space robots and lunar landers for notable competitions including the Google Lunar XPrize and NASA Regolith Excavation Challenge. Together with their collective backgrounds, they reunited in 2015 to engineer the intelligent delivery robots that are now the face of Marble.

With the rapid growth of the on-demand and e-commerce markets, solving the last mile delivery problem is incredibly important, said Greg Reichow, General Partner at Eclipse. The existing solution of using 3000lb fossil fuel burning, city-congesting cars does not scale. We invested in Marble because of their groundbreaking technology and exceptional team. With experience in autonomous vehicles, robotics, and aerospace-grade navigation and sensor technology, Marble is uniquely positioned to tackle this challenge.

Marbles Yelp Eat24-branded robots can be found cruising around the Mission and Potrero Hill districts today. Marble will be expanding to new restaurants and delivery partners each month as they grow their robot fleet and support the growing and changing delivery demands.

About Marble:

Marble is a San Francisco-based startup seeking to re-engineer urban logistics by utilizing autonomous robots for neighborhood delivery. The company was founded in 2015. For more information, please visit http://www.marble.io/.

Media Contact:

Mattie Magdovitz

415.463.8924

press(at)marble.io
Thanks to all those who believed and supported me as I spread the culture, history and beauty of my beloved Basilicata to the world.

Chef Luigi Diotaiuti was named culinary Ambassador for representing the cuisine of his home region at the Basilicata Food & Wine Festival in Matera, Italy. Chef Luigi Diotaiuti, owner of Washington, DC's Al Tiramisu and Aperto was honored with the title of being an Ambassador of Basilicatas Cuisine in the World. The honor was presented by the President of The Federation of Italian Cooks, Rocco Cristiano Pozzulo to Chef Luigi with the goal of spreading the culinary and agricultural traditions of the ancient Lucanian territory to the world, at the national and international levels. The presentation was made to Chef Luigi within the company of his peers, the Italian Federation of Cooks, The Regional Union of Lucanian (from Basilicata) Cooks and the Agricultural Department of the Region of Basilicata.

Chef Luigi is in a unique position of being highly revered and involved in his home country as well as in the United States, with associates on every continent, two restaurants in Washington, DC, a cookbook, the Al Tiramisu Restaurant Cookbook which beyond its recipes, details Basilicatas regions and culinary landscape. Recently, Chef Luigi celebrated the 40th anniversary of graduating from culinary school in Basilicata, as well as the 21st anniversary of opening Washington DC's "most authentic" Italian restaurant, Al Tiramisu. In 2016, Chef Luigi opened his second restaurant, Aperto, also in Washington, DC. Chef Luigi shares his passion for food to many students, young and old with his Italian Traditions Culinary Series Classes. He shows his love of the communities he serves in Italy and in the US by designing culinary programs that fit relevant causes.

About Chef Luigi Diotaiuti

Born in Lagronegro, Basilicata, interpreting and preserving the region's culinary traditions has been Chef Luigis lifelong quest. Holding dual citizenship in Italy and the US, Chef Luigi is passionate about giving back to both communities, which he considers home. In the United States, he is a member of the American Chefs Corps Network with the U. S. Department of State. When he is not cooking for celebrities like Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Former Secretary of State, John Kerry and actor George Clooney, Chef Luigi makes frequent appearances on US and Italian television and has been featured in countless print media articles. Chef Luigi is a member of The James Beard Foundation, The Diplomatic Culinary Partnership, Slow Food DC, The International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Culinary Historians of Washington, The Federation of Italian Cooks, and is affiliated with the National Concierge Association and Ciao Italia.

Like Chef Luigi on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luigi.diotaiuti

Follow Chef Luigi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuigiDiotaiuti

Follow Chef Luigi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefluigidiotaiuti/

About Al Tiramisu-http://www.altiramisu.com/

Al Tiramisu is a cozy, unpretentious place in a simple brick townhouse in Dupont Circle, a lively neighborhood in Washington, DC. Their mission since the day they opened in 1996 was to create not only a delicious but an authentic, joyful Italian dining experience. Their patrons include students to celebrities and politicians. We respect the food and the customer and serve fine dining, great wine and a joyful atmosphere.

About Aperto-http://www.apertodc.com/

Chef Luigis latest concept is named after the Italian word OPEN, Aperto. Featuring an OPEN kitchen, comfortable atmosphere and honest Italian cuisine with the freshest local produce and features a contemporary twist.

Apertos menu combines Chef Luigis full-circle vision of providing patrons with the best from the past while incorporating many house-made, local, organic, free-range and sustainably farmed products as possible. Aperto features private dining rooms and features Chef Luigis monthly Italian Traditions Culinary Series Cooking Classes.

Contemporary cuisine refers to the integration of time honored culinary traditions in todays kitchens in order to preserve them for future generations. -- Chef Luigi Diotaiuti
Clients in industries where recorded media is a part of day-to-day business will benefit from simplified eDiscovery when using the Veritone AI technology. Chris, O'Connor, Director of eDiscovery Strategy

Powerful AI platform enables users to process, analyze and convert audio and video media files within Relativity platform

Complete Discovery Source (CDS), a leading eDiscovery company, announced that it has added the Veritone Platform to its award-winning end-to-end Relativity environment. The Veritone Platform allows Relativity users to utilize artificial intelligence to transcribe audio and video, enabling automated analytics for e-discovery and compliance professionals. The inclusion of the Veritone Platform in CDSs eDiscovery offering allows clients to view files using the Veritone Legal in-application media player and to convert media to searchable text on-demand.

Adding Veritone to our Relativity environment is part of our continued commitment to helping our clients conduct their discovery more efficiently, said Chris OConnor, Director of eDiscovery Strategy at CDS. Clients in industries where recorded media is a part of day-to-day business will benefit from simplified eDiscovery when using the Veritone AI technology.

The Veritone Platform enables evidentiary audio and video to be processed, transformed and analyzed to generate truly actionable intelligence. The platform can render every second and frame of audio and video content searchable for words, phrases, faces, sentiment and voice identification. It can produce an index of the processed data within minutes  a process that as recently as 2015 could take thousands of hours.

Working with partners like CDS allows us to reach more e-discovery professionals with our technology, allowing them increased efficiency and compliance through Relativity, a platform theyre already using, said Michael McDonald, general manager of Veritone Legal. Our open technology, which easily integrates and orchestrates more than 40 leading cognitive engines, has moved e-discovery, proactive compliance, and fraud investigations forward. The Veritone Platform is currently available for all CDS clients using Relativity.

About Complete Discovery Source

Complete Discovery Source (CDS) is a leading eDiscovery company, providing litigation technology and hosting, advisory services, and managed services to support complex discovery matters. CDS is the first choice of the Am Law 100 and Fortune 500 and is recognized as Best in End-to-End eDiscovery by the National Law Journal and New York Law Journal. With a team of seasoned legal experts and technicians, CDS uses advanced, tested, and defensible services and software to support all stages and types of eDiscovery. CDS is an Orange-Level Best-in-Service Relativity Provider and provides one of the largest and highest volume footprints delivering that platform. CDS is headquartered in New York with regional offices in Chicago and Washington DC. The company maintains highly secure ISO 27001 certified hosting and Type 2 SOC 2 audited data centers in the US and Europe. Complete Discovery Sources web site is http://www.cdslegal.com.

About Veritone, Inc.

Veritone, Inc. is a leading artificial intelligence company that has developed the Veritone Platform, which unlocks the power of AI-based cognitive computing to seamlessly and automatically process, transform and analyze unstructured public and private audio and video data for clients in the media, politics, legal and law enforcement industries. The open platform integrates an ecosystem of best-of-breed cognitive engines and powerful applications, which are orchestrated together to reveal valuable, multivariate insights. To learn more about Veritone, please visit Veritone.com.
As a leading eDiscovery and Managed Review provider, we have gone beyond traditional paradigms to focus on how advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can drive fact-development and legal decision making

Clutch Group, a leading legal, risk, and compliance analytics and consulting firm, is pleased to announce that it has been voted as one of the best providers of services in the following categories: Best eDiscovery Managed Service Provider; Best Corporate Investigations Provider; and Best Legal Process Outsourcing Provider.

The poll measures the loyalty and satisfaction readers of the Tribune have with their providers.

Clutch ranked first in the Best eDiscovery Managed Service Provider category.

Clutch is grateful to be recognized by our customers in yet another leading publication. We continue to be committed and focused on providing the best services to our clients in the financial services, life sciences, and energy industries, says Varun Mehta, EVP  Client Engagement. As a leading eDiscovery and Managed Review provider, we have gone beyond traditional paradigms to focus on how advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning can drive fact-development and legal decision making.

Clutch was also named as one of the best providers in the Corporate Investigations and Legal Process Outsourcing categories.

We have worked on the frontlines of some of the largest conduct events and investigations of the last decade, says Mr. Mehta. We partner with 7 of the worlds largest 20 banks as well as Fortune 500 energy and life sciences companies to drive insight into their data. Were differentiated from the competition by our ability to combine subject matter-expertise, advanced technologies, and the cost benefits of offshore resources into an intelligible, simple fixed-fee commercial model.

In addition to the Connecticut Law Tribune, Clutch has been recognized by Inc. 5000, New York Law Journal, IACCM, Nelson Hall, Chambers Global, and more.

About Clutch

Clutch Group is a leading legal, risk, and compliance analytics and consulting firm headquartered in Washington D.C., with offices in NY, Chicago, London, Bangalore, Zurich and Hong Kong. The firm is dedicated to helping companies in the financial services, life sciences, and energy industries solve complex problems presented by the exponential growth of data and regulation. Clutchs global team of attorneys, consultants, and technologists leverage deep subject-matter expertise and Clutch.IQ, a suite of cutting-edge data analytics solutions, to help clients manage large-scale litigation and investigations, conduct comprehensive communications surveillance, and re-engineer their internal legal and compliance functions. Clutch has been recognized by industry authorities including Nelson Hall, the New York Law Journal, Chambers Global, Frost & Sullivan, and Dun & Bradstreet and is regularly featured across major industry and market publications. For more information, visit http://www.clutchgroup.com.
With immense pride, the New York Society of Security Analysts (http://www.nyssa.org/) is pleased to announce that Seton Hall University finished with a top mark at the 2016-17 CFA Research Challenge Americas Competition, securing one of four spots at the Global Finals which are set to take place in Prague on April 28th. They will be joined by the other Americas winnerhailing from the Dominican RepublicBarna Business School.

Seton Hall started the competition in October 2016 alongside 22 local participating teams with the kick-off presentation at NYSSA. There, Dominion Resources was announced as the subject company. For the next couple of months each team researched the company, wrote a sell-side equity research report and prepared for a presentation in front of a panel of judges. Seton Hall University was selected as the top team from NYSSA, paving the way for advancement to the first round in the Americas Regionals which took place on Friday April 7 in Seattle, Washington.

A total of 53 teams from across CFA Societies in the Americas participated. Seton Hall competed directly against six, randomly selected in the first round, including the home team from host-society Seattle University. Seton Halls presentation was confidently delivered with all team members respective, complimentary set of strengths on full display, particularly during the difficult Q&A as administered by the three-judge panel. The caliber of the competition was very high, making the crowning of a winner no small task.

After a nerve-racking lunch, Seton Hall was crowned the winner of their group and enjoyed a brief moment of celebration before preparing for the final round later that day. Seton Halls next step was to compete against another group of winners from their respective group: University of Waterloo (last years global winners), Brazils Insper Instituto, Chapman University from Orange County, and the University of Denver. With a new set of judges and fresh set of questions, the final presentation was on a stage in front of hundreds of spectators watching it unfold live, as well as potentially thousands of online viewers.

Seton Hall presented third and once again did a fantastic job presenting the investment case for subject company Dominion Resources. They proved undaunted and unflappable despite any curve ball thrown their way. Each team had a different subject company, and it was clear that each one had prepared for the opportunity to move to the next round. Take a moment to listen to these students stellar presentation: https://livestream.com/accounts/650767/RC17-AMER/videos/153644640.

While the judges deliberated on crowning a winner of the Americas competition, all the participants took the opportunity to network and talk about their experience. Finally, the announcement was made. Seton Hall and Barna would be the two schools representing the Americas at this years Global Finals, set to occur in Prague on April 28th. NYSSA is proud to continue its support of the CFA Research Challenge and wishes Seton Hall all the best at the next stage of the competition. We recognize that an immeasurable amount of work goes into producing the competition and appreciate all the volunteers for their help along the way. If you would like to learn more about the competition and potentially be a part of it, please contact Mario E. Carias, CFA mcarias(at)nyssa(dot)org with any questions.
Financial literacy is a critical subject that often doesnt get the attention it deserves. It is so important that children start learning about finances at a young age so they are better prepared to make sound financial decisions in the future.

As part of National Financial Literacy Month, national nonprofit American Consumer Credit Counseling is aiming to help kids learn about finances at an early age. Developing good financial habits and responsibility at an early age will benefit kids well into adulthood. American Consumer Credit Counseling provides financial based activities, budgeting, spending and saving tips geared to children and young adults to better prepare them for a solid financial future.

Our nations economic future depends on the financial well-being of our youth, said Steve Trumble, President and CEO of American Consumer Credit Counseling, which is based in Newton, MA. Financial literacy is a critical subject that often doesnt get the attention it deserves. It is so important that children start learning about finances at a young age so they are better prepared to make sound financial decisions in the future.

According to a study by T. Rowe Price, more than half (53 percent) of adults only discuss financial topics with their kids as instances occur. When it comes to discussing financial matters with their kids, 69 percent of adults say they have some reluctance. When discussing finances, 54 percent of adults frequently discuss the importance of saving with their kids.

American Consumer Credit Counseling provides kids and young adults with activities and financial tips: Information for Kids (http://www.consumercredit.com/financial-education/youth-money/information-for-kids-learning-about-money/):

1. Understanding the value of money: Young children grades K-2 know that money must be exchanged for things they want or need, but often they do not fully understand the value money holds. Flashcards showing coins and bills with their corresponding value are a great way to help children identify the value of money. As children learn basic arithmetic such as addition and subtraction, they will become more comfortable working on activities that involve money. Creating a chore chart is another method to teach younger children that you have to work to earn money. The chart is a helpful tool to measure how their hard work pays off into money they can spend.

2. Balancing wants and needs: Children grades 3-6 now have a greater understanding of money and are probably accumulating some of their own through birthdays and weekly allowances. This is the time when they can start making choices to spend, save and budget. Everyone has a limited amount of money that they can use to buy things they need or want. With this comes the task of weighing the cost and benefits of spending money. If children learn how to effectively budget, they will have the ability to understand what they can buy now and what they must save for future purchases. Saving money will always be beneficial as it will accumulate over time and kids learn they can afford something special the more they save.

3. Developing monetary goals: For kids between grades 7-12, life gets busier and the need for money becomes greater for things like going out with friends, school lunches, class trips, prom, clothes, cars and college. If teens get an allowance from their parents or have a part-time job, they are making money that they can spend or save. While it isnt a bad thing to spend money, the key is to make children aware of spending habits and how to save or budget when they want something that is out of their price range. These habits will enable children to make better choices in the future when it comes to spending their money.

4. Smart spending and saving for the future: As young adults embark on their journey after high school and through college, they will face many decisions that require a degree of financial responsibility. Young adults will soon learn that they need to spend money on textbooks, food, and rent if they live off campus and more. Doing research and finding scholarships that students can apply for pays off in the long run. Getting a part time job either on or off campus is a great way to earn spending money for things like social activities, food, clothes and other expenses. Many college campuses have career offices that are very helpful in finding employment. The more cognizant students are of their spending and saving habits in college, the less debt theyll have to pay when they graduate.

About American Consumer Credit Counseling

American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC) is a nonprofit credit counseling 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve financial management through credit counseling, debt management, bankruptcy counseling, housing counseling, student loan counseling and financial education concerning debt solutions. In order to help consumers reach their goal of debt relief, ACCC provides a range of free consumer personal finance resources on a variety of topics including budgeting, credit and debt management, student loan assistance, youth and money, homeownership, identity theft, senior living and retirement. Consumers can use ACCCs worksheets, videos, calculators, and blog articles to make the best possible decisions regarding their financial future. ACCC holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and is a member of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC). For more information or to access free financial education resources, log on to ConsumerCredit.com or visit http://www.consumercredit.com/financial-education.aspx
Theres much more to running a successful coffee shop than knowing how to brew coffee and make espresso-based drinks. Its a tall order to master all the elements of running a small business while simultaneously learning the specialty coffee business. Past News Releases RSS Crimson Cup Welcomes The Office...

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Columbus, Ohio Coffee Roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea recently welcomed Raines Coffeehouse to the group of independent coffee shops, cafes and bakeries it supports in 29 states. The shop at 2725 James Sanders Blvd, Ste E, in Paducah, Kentucky opened at the beginning of November, 2016.

Were excited to welcome Owner Indrani Bose to the Crimson Cup community, said Greg Ubert, founder and president. Training entrepreneurs to run their own independent coffee houses is a big part of our success as a coffee roaster and coffee franchise alternative.

Raines Coffeehouse serves a full menu of hot, iced and frozen espresso drinks  including mochas, lattes and cappuccinos  as well as iced coffee and tea, cold-brewed coffee, hot chocolate, fruit smoothies and other custom drinks.

Raines is the first coffeehouse in Paducah to feature a Modbar pour-over module, which brings precision-temperature water and convenience in brewing high-quality pour-over coffee. It also has a nitrogen tap system for serving up Crimson Cups Nitro cold-brewed coffees. Heart-healthy oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, fresh-baked muffins, scones, coffee cake and other sweet treats round out the menu.

Inside, comfortable chairs and tables invite customers to gather and enjoy their coffee. Armchairs flanking a gas fireplace offer an appealing space for conversation or to curl up with a good book.

For us the coffeehouse experience is much more than just enjoying a beverage, Bose said. We want to be the go to place that is warm, friendly and welcoming.

The shop offers free Wi-Fi to keep mobile workers, students and business leaders connected while they enjoy their coffee. Outlets for charging laptops and cell phones line the walls. For coffee-lovers on the go, Raines also offers drive-thru service.

After taking a small business startup class at Murray State University, Bose learned how to run a successful coffee shop through Crimson Cups 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative. Through this program, Crimson Cup has helped hundreds of independent coffee shops develop thriving businesses.

Theres much more to running a successful coffee shop than knowing how to brew coffee and make espresso-based drinks, Ubert said. Its a tall order to master all the elements of running a small business while simultaneously learning the nuances of the specialty coffee business.

Thats why we developed our 7 Steps program! It offers all the support of a franchise  and more  but without franchise fees, royalties or business restrictions, he added.

Crimson Cup consultants guide new coffee shop owners in development of a coffee shop business plan and assist with site evaluation, on-site training, marketing materials, menu ideas and much more. Our services are designed to help reduce costs, increase profits and eliminate potential headaches, Ubert said.

About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is Roast magazines 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year. Since 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced specialty and craft coffee in small batches, which it sells directly to consumers and as wholesale coffee beans. The company also teaches entrepreneurs to run successful coffee houses through its coffee franchise alternative program, which includes a coffee shop business plan. Crimson Cup coffee is available through a community of more than 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, colleges and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 29 states, Guam and Bangladesh, as well as the companys own Crimson Cup Coffee Houses. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com.
American Gilsonite Company ("AGC"), the world's principal commercial miner and processor of uintaite, the unique mineral marketed under its trademark name "Gilsonite," today announced a strategic partnership with Adventus Material Strategies, LLC (Adventus). AGC and Adventus will work together to develop an effective marketing and commercialization strategy to increase asphalt sales among business and government customers.



Through the partnership, AGC aims to leverage the expertise of the Adventus leadership team to expand the companys reach and diversify its customer base. The Adventus team will pursue sales agreements across the North American industrial asphalt sector including: roads, airport runways and FAA work, specialty coatings and specialty emulsion applications.



We are excited about the combination of talent this partnership presents to our company, which enables us to provide a higher level of asphalt paving expertise to our clients, said David Gallagher, president and chief executive officer for American Gilsonite Company. The Adventus team has over 75 years of combined technical and sales experience in the asphalt industry. The companys in-depth knowledge of the forces driving the asphalt market complement our companys growth and expansion strategy.



Adventus is a team of professionals with decades of experience in the commercialization of technology in the chemicals, polymers and road infrastructure segments of the economy. The company has a positive track record in developing and launching products that have been used in asphalt modification, pavement rehabilitation and pavement maintenance.



Adventus sees tremendous value in our partnership with American Gilsonite Company. We value the vision, integrity and professionalism of AGCs management team, said Brian J Majeska, principal for Adventus Material Strategies, LLC. AGCs investments in Gilsonite reserves, processing and technical capabilities are world class. We believe the company is positioned for excellent growth in many areas of the asphalt modification segment. Specifically, we see opportunities in more cost-effective asphalt binder formulations to meet the updated Performance Grade (PG) asphalt specifications, and to leverage AGCs technology to improve solvent resistance in many asphalt maintenance applications.



About American Gilsonite Company

AGC operates as an industrial minerals company and is the world's primary miner and processor of uintaite, a variety of asphaltite, a specialty hydrocarbon which AGC markets to industrial customers under its registered trademark name Gilsonite. Gilsonite is a glossy, black, solid naturally occurring hydrocarbon similar in appearance to hard asphalt and is believed to be found in commercial quantities only in the Uinta Basin in northeastern Utah. Because of its unique chemical and physical properties, Gilsonite has been used in more than 160 products. The Company sells its products to customers in four primary markets: (i) oil and gas, (ii) inks and paints, (iii) foundry and (iv) asphalt. AGC is headquartered in Houston, Texas.



About Adventus Material Strategies

Adventus team of professionals has commercialized over $100 million of new technology into the road industry. These technologies include: specialty chemicals, polymers, asphalt binders, asphalt emulsions and mixture technologies. With more than 75 years of combined leadership experience, Adventus offers customers expert guidance through the asphalt and foundry markets throughout North America.



Forward-Looking Statements

The information above includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. As a result of these factors, actual results may differ materially from those indicated or implied by such forward-looking statements.
With the tool from RV Trader, CrossRoads dealers can post inventory directly to the CrossRoads website. We're creating a seamless transition for consumers to shop, submit inquiries and buy the RV that best fits their lifestyle, no matter where they begin their search."

RV Trader, a division of Dominion Enterprises, is offering a new inventory tool that allows consumers to shop local inventory directly from the CrossRoads RV website. The tool sends a dealers inventory, product photos and advertised prices directly from RVTrader.com to CrossRoadsRV.com. As buyers search for local dealers on the CrossRoads RV site, they can easily view available inventory and request information on a unit they like, increasing traffic and connections to that dealers new inventory.

According to CrossRoads president Ryan Juday, the new tool makes it easy for CrossRoads dealers to post their inventory on the companys website. Through the integration of the RVTrader.com system, consumers can now see in real time the entire CrossRoads inventory on our dealers lots, helping streamline and simplify the buying experience. It requires no additional administrative effort by our dealers, making it a win-win for both our dealers and retail customers.

Today, consumers are researching extensively online before making a purchase, said Paige Bouma, vice president of RV Trader. By advertising inventory directly on the CrossRoads site, were creating a seamless transition for consumers to shop, submit inquiries and buy the RV that best fits their lifestyle, no matter where they begin their search.

If you are a current RV Trader customer and have new CrossRoads units online, your inventory will automatically display on CrossRoadsRV.com. For dealers who carry new units but are not RV Trader customers, please call (877) 354-4068 to learn more about the program, or contact your local RV Trader representative.

About CrossRoads RV

CrossRoads RV was founded in 1996 and is a leading manufacturer of travel trailers and fifth wheels including Cruiser, Sunset Trail, Zinger, Z-1, Volante, Cameo, and Hampton. We pride ourselves on quality, value, service, and comfort to give each customer the best experience possible. CrossRoads RV is represented by over 367 dealers across the U.S. and Canada.

About RV Trader

RV Trader, a division of Dominion Enterprises, is the premier online classifieds site for buying and selling recreational vehicles. With over 165,000 new and pre-owned units for sale by dealers and private sellers across the country, RV Trader attracts millions of active buyers every month who visit the site in search of their next unit. To help sellers capitalize on this targeted audience, RV Trader offers a comprehensive suite of digital marketing solutions to help advertise RVs for sale to active buyers across all devices.

About Dominion Enterprises

Dominion Enterprises is a leading online marketing and software services company offering client solutions across multiple targeted business verticals. Our widely recognized B2C web and mobile portals, including ForRent.com, Homes.com, CycleTrader.com and BoatTrader.com, generate nearly 30 million unique visits monthly. Our B2B cloud SaaS solutions directly support clients in establishing their online and mobile brands, generating leads, and managing customer relationships. Dominion Enterprises has more than 40 businesses and 3,000 employees in our Norfolk, Va. home office and across the U.S.

Media Contacts:

Christine Knapp

OEM & Partner Relationship Manager

RV Trader

(757) 351-8640

Christine.Knapp(at)DominionEnterprises.com

Seth Reidenbach

Marketing Manager

CrossRoads RV

(260) 593-4462

sreidenbach(at)crossroadsrv.com
Beginning in December 2016, northern China (including Tianjin, Beijing and 70 other cities in northern China) was covered for weeks in dense, toxic smog, which was composed of high concentrations of PM2.5. Though it is the world leader in pollution, China admitted that this air pollution episode was one of the worst in its history. The smog affected 460 million people!

How many of these people were afflicted with dry eye disease? Water advocate Sharon Kleyne, founder of Bio-Logic Aqua Research Water Life Science and host of the nationally syndicated radio program, The Sharon Kleyne Hour Power of Water, Global Climate Change and Your Health on VoiceAmerica, speculated on air that more than 175 million Chinese were affected by dry eye disease, which Kleyne explained is a disorder of the tear film as a result of deficient production or excessive evaporation. This condition can lead to damage to the ocular system and even blindness. Well known symptoms include pain, discomfort, headaches, redness, swelling and poor vision. Depression and anxiety are also common in people suffering from dry eye disease.

The prevalence of dry eye in China is 17% of the total population of approximately 1.5 billion people, Kleyne said. This means that approximately 38,3000,000 Chinese are going to suffer from dry eye disease in 2017.

Sharon Kleyne also agrees with a recent study that researchers must learn more about natural tears to better understand how to treat eyes that do not tear (eyes that suffer from dry eye). Such is the conclusion of a recent study conducted at the University of Western Sydney. Associate Professor M. Millar, director of the study, believes that researchers need to approach dry eyes in a new, more constructive manner. Kleyne, who has conducted groundbreaking research on dehydration of the bodys water vapor due to excessive evaporation for more than two decades, sees the need for more research because dry eye disease is on the rise around the world. Everyone suffers dry eyes on occasion, says Kleyne, but billions of people are chronically afflicted with dry eye symptoms that can result in blindness."

Natural tears in China, Kleyne said, are the right ticket to getting rid of dry eye, said Kleyne. Natural tears lubricate our eyes. They protect the cornea and the surrounding tissues.

Sharon Kleynes research center, which developed the only product on the global market that solves the dry eye dilemma by supplementing the tear film, has just made Natures Tears EyeMist available in China. Kleyne explained that Natures Tears EyeMist is applied with a personal hand-held humidifying device emitting a pure, pH balanced, 100% Trade Secret tissue culture grade water in a patented micron-size mist. It supplements the eyes tear film, which is 99 percent water. With Natures Tears EyeMist, Kleyne said, tired and irritated eyes are supplemented with pure water, and thats what dry eyes need. Eye drops provide temporary chemical relief, Kleyne continued, but they can become addictive and even make the dry eye condition worse. Why? Because eye drops only trap water on the eyes tear lens; they do not supplement the tear lens or the moisture (the tears) around it. Natures Tears EyeMist does supplement both.
Rebates are an integral part of any pricing strategy in the digital economy. They provide an efficient vehicle to align buyers and sellers on common objectives, said Sanjoy Chatterji, Founder and CEO of Entomo.

To help organizations maximize revenues and profitability, Entomo, Inc., a leader in channel revenue management software and services, has partnered with Vendavo, a leading provider of intelligent pricing and margin optimization solutions, to manage the entire deal lifecycle from negotiations through accruals to payments.

The integrated solution helps organizations boost sales and grow profitability by managing and forecasting the total cost of multiple types of channel incentive programs such as volume rebates, growth rebates, ship and debit, price protection programs, MDF/Coop, and others.

Unlike upfront discounts, which can never be recovered, rebates provide incentives for meeting volume, product mix or other commitments. Rebates are an integral part of any pricing strategy in the digital economy. They provide an efficient vehicle to align buyers and sellers on common objectives, said Sanjoy Chatterji, Founder and CEO of Entomo.

The Entomo SmartHub delivers cleansed and enriched point of sale, inventory and potential rebate payout data for integration with deal guidance and benchmarking tools. The Vendavo Deal Manager equips sales reps with the ability to create new incentive programs or view existing programs and apply them directly to deals in their pipeline. The new partnership also supports the integration of rebate actuals with the Vendavo Profit Analyzer to provide in-memory analytics for uncovering additional profit opportunities to enrich margin analysis and price waterfalls.

Most incentive management and financial analysis tools can look only at the general costs of an incentive program, said Bruno Slosse, President and CEO of Vendavo. With the integration of our solutions into Entomos incentive engine, sales teams can now forecast incentive program cost with a high degree of accuracy, while they are negotiating the deal. Its definitely a win for all involved.

Sales is often unaware of the negative margin impact their back-end rebate programs may have on deals while finance struggles to track and accrue earnings and often get surprised by large claims at the end of a quarter, Chatterji continued. The integration of Entomo and Vendavo provides better visibility and control over the programs and payouts which allows organizations of all industries to prevent margin erosion through unmet volume commitments and overpayments.

Supporting resources:



About Entomo

Entomo is a leading provider of cloud-based channel revenue management software and services. We help businesses effectively manage distribution channel complexity to capture unrealized revenue, reduce costs, improve partner performance and collaboration and ensure compliance at all levels. Entomos SmartHub is the industrys most flexible, scalable, and comprehensive enterprise channel management platform, enabling automation and simplification of all channel-related workflows, processes and financial activities. Entomo supports the channel revenue management activities for global enterprises including Brother International, Dolby Labs, Elo Touch Solutions, Keysight Technologies, Kingston Technology, Microsemi Corporation, Qorvo Inc., Sling Media/EchoStar, Toshiba America Electronic Components and United Technologies. Entomo is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with offices in the Silicon Valley, Asia, and Europe.

About Vendavo

Vendavo harnesses the power of Big Data to generate actionable insights that enable businesses to sell more profitably. Our margin and profit optimization solutions help global customers make better data-driven decisions for pricing and sales effectiveness. Using cutting-edge analytics and deep industry expertise, Vendavo boasts the largest number of implementations for B2B enterprises in the industry, having helped more than 300 company divisions dramatically increase revenue, improve profit margins and maximize shareholder value. Located across the globe, Vendavo is the solution of choice for Global 2000 companies in industries such as chemicals, industrial manufacturing, high-tech, and distribution.
From left to right: Dr. John Ruser, president and CEO of the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), and Tim East, Director of Risk Management at The Walt Disney Company By examining some of the predictors of injured worker outcomes, employers, policymakers, and other stakeholders can better understand what factors are associated with better and worse outcomes.

Dr. John Ruser, president and CEO of the Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI), and Tim East, Director of Risk Management at The Walt Disney Company, will deliver a joint presentation on injured worker outcomes at the RIMS 2017 Annual Conference & Exhibition, Wednesday, April 26, at 11am in room 116.

The session What Do Injured Workers Really Think About Workers Compensation?" will present WCRIs findings on predictors of injured worker outcomes and showcase how employers, like Disney, are using research and data to enhance the likelihood that an injured worker returns to work.

I am looking forward to sharing WCRIs research about experiences injured workers have in the workers compensation systems in their states, said Ruser. "By examining some of the predictors of injured worker outcomes, employers, policymakers, and other stakeholders can better understand what factors are associated with better and worse outcomes.

WCRI will be sharing research derived from interviews conducted with injured workers regarding a number of key outcomes, including recovery of health and functioning, return to work, recovery of earnings, and access to as well as satisfaction with health care.

The Walt Disney Company will provide insight on how WCRIs research and their own programs overseeing injured workers can be used by employers and will discuss areas of opportunity; as well as some of the initiatives employers and claim professionals can take to enhance the likelihood of employees returning to work after an injury.

Employers and claim professionals can use research-driven insight to help develop programs focused on improving claim development while also creating a better understanding of employees' experiences navigating the workers' compensation system, said East. The session will also provide insight into some of the factors which may influence an injured workers' access to medical care and also identify some of the reasons why those workers who have otherwise recovered from their injuries and could return to work, do not.

ABOUT WCRI:

The Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) is an independent, not-for-profit research organization based in Cambridge, MA. Organized in late 1983, the Institute does not take positions on the issues it researches; rather, it provides information obtained through studies and data collection efforts, which conform to recognized scientific methods. Objectivity is further ensured through rigorous, unbiased peer review procedures. WCRI's diverse membership includes employers; insurers; governmental entities; managed care companies; health care providers; insurance regulators; state labor organizations; and state administrative agencies in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Cambridge Automotive Group (CAG) announced the grand opening of a new Maaco location in Dallas, Texas. With this transaction, CAG now owns 34 Maaco shops across the country.

Maaco Dallas plans on offering several specials throughout the year on customer auto body repair and paint needs. Maaco Dallas fixes routine dents and dings, and provides structural repairs as well by its expertly trained technicians to provide high-quality work. Plus, all structural repairs are backed by a lifetime warranty. The Maaco store also provides superb painting services, offering several different packages with varying price points and warranties.

Maaco Dallas is located at 8068 E R L Thornton Fwy Dallas, TX 75228. The stores hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m.- Noon. Please visit the shops website for more information.

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About Cambridge Automotive Group

Cambridge Automotive Group (CAG) was formed in 2015 to pursue a growth strategy in the car care industry. CAG is the largest Maaco franchisee in the world. The company has attracted a best-in-class management team and continues to invest significant capital to grow in the Macco system through remodels and new center development. The group is seeking to open additional Maaco locations with growth targeted in California, Texas, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington.

About Maaco

Maaco Auto Painting & Collision Repair -- a part of the Driven Brands, Inc. family of automotive aftermarket franchise brands based in Charlotte, NC -- is America's #1 Bodyshop. Maaco provides automotive paint and cosmetic repair services for nearly 500,000 drivers annually. With more than 500 independently owned and operated franchises across the United States and Canada, Maaco has restored the safety and appearance of more than 20 million vehicles over 45 years. Maaco ranked #106 on Entrepreneur Magazine's 2015 Franchise 500 Rankings, and is currently #1 in the automotive appearance services category. For more information, visit Maaco.com. For more information about franchising opportunities, visit MaacoFranchise.com.
Together, the Avaya Aura Platform and MiaRec call recording and quality management solutions make a powerful offering for communication service providers looking to implement cloud solutions for their end-user customers. - Gennady Bezko, CEO, MiaRec.

MiaRec, a leading call recording and contact center performance management solutions provider, today announced that its MiaRec Call Recording software is compliant with key customer engagement solutions from Avaya, a global provider of business communications software, systems and services.

MiaRec call and screen recording solutions enable businesses to easily record, analyze and access important interactions, helping them meet regulatory compliance requirements, enhance customer service and increase agent productivity. The application is now compliance-tested by Avaya for compatibility with Avaya Aura Communication Manager 7.0, Avaya Aura Session Manager 7.0 and Avaya Session Border Controller for Enterprise (SBCE) 7.1.

The MiaRec application integrates with the Avaya Aura Platform via SIPREC interface on the Avaya SBCE, providing centralized call recording for multi-site and cloud environments. MiaRec software can be deployed on-premise within an enterprise network, as well as in a cloud environment within the service provider network. MiaRecs multi-tenant architecture allows communications service providers to complement the Avaya cloud offering with advanced call recording and call analytics services for their end-user customers.

At MiaRec we are continually focused on delivering innovative technologies to help our customers meet compliance requirements and provide excellent customer service. Together, the Avaya Aura Platform and MiaRec call recording and quality management solutions make a powerful offering for communication service providers looking to implement cloud solutions for their end-user customers.

-- Gennady Bezko, CEO, MiaRec

MiaRec is a Technology Partner in the Avaya DevConnect programan initiative to develop, market and sell innovative third-party products that interoperate with Avaya technology and extend the value of a companys investment in its network.

As a Technology Partner, MiaRec is eligible to submit products for compliance testing by the Avaya Solution Interoperability and Test Lab. There, a team of Avaya engineers develops a comprehensive test plan for each application to verify whether it is Avaya compatible. Doing so enables businesses to confidently add best-in-class capabilities to their network without having to replace their existing infrastructurespeeding deployment of new applications and reducing both network complexity and implementation costs.

By offering compliance testing to innovative companies like MiaRec, Avaya helps ensure businesses will benefit from fully interoperable solutions for maximum business results.

-- Eric Rossman, vice president, Developer Relations, Avaya

Additional Resources:

http://www.devconnectmarketplace.com

http://www.avaya.com/devconnect

About Avaya:

Avaya enables the mission critical, real-time communication applications of the worlds most important operations. As the global leader in delivering superior communications experiences, Avaya provides the most complete portfolio of software and services for contact center and unified communications with integrated, secure networking offered on premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid. Todays digital world requires some form of communications enablement, and no other company is better positioned to do this than Avaya. For more information, please visit http://www.avaya.com.

About MiaRec:

MiaRec, Inc. is a global provider of call recording and interaction management solutions. The award-winning MiaRec solutions portfolio includes call recording, screen capture and contact center performance management solutions for service providers and enterprise customers. The MiaRec software solutions are used by thousands of businesses globally to enhance customer service, increase agent productivity and comply with legal requirements such as PCI-DSS, FCA, and HIPAA.

MiaRec maintains its headquarters in San Jose, California, with offices and partners worldwide. For more information, please visit: http://www.miarec.com
Daniel Miller searching for fine art photographs in a midwest U.S. warehouse Photography collectors demand we find artistic works they have not seen before. So our job is to find these works, wherever that takes us.

Daniel Miller has developed an unusual skill. He scours large photograph archives of humdrum prints for those that are actual art, much like needles in paper haystacks. He decides which images possess art -- part intuition, part knowledge, part skill, but mostly hard work. Last year Miller searched through literally millions of photographs in 14 countries to find several hundred he deemed appropriate.

According to Miller, I can look at around 100,000 photos in a very full day. But thats moving quickly and being organized.

In this quest, he has been on rickety ladders in hot Arkansas warehouses, bitter cold flea markets in Russia, French-speaking auction houses in Paris, random galleries in China, and many private collections around the world. While much of this could be done viewing digital images online, Miller prefers to roll up his sleeves and physically examine the prints he seeks. Its really hard to tell the good from the really good online. My collectors want the really good vintage works. I like to feel, examine and smell the paper to authenticate the print.

He has been called a modern Indiana Jones of photographs.

What does he do with all these photographs? He curates gallery exhibitions from some sets (Apollo 11 moon landing, vintage Parisian scenes, the life and times of Muhammad Ali, Soviet-era photographs, children misbehaving badly, etc). Museums have contacted him to borrow exhibitions he has assembled. Private collectors have snapped up some of these sets.

Miller uses the discoveries he finds to fuel the project YourDailyPhotograph.com. This daily subscription service for photography collectors celebrates 7,600 worldwide subscribers in its five year anniversary this May 1st. Starting with a core of just 25 subscribers, the service has steadily grown over the past five years.

Subscribers include famous collectors, celebrities, hedge fund managers, and average people who really like photographs. Photography collectors demand we find artistic works they have not seen before. So our job is to find these works, wherever that takes us.
Cognition Corporation, a software company specializing in medical device compliance and commercialization, is opening up registration for its Spring 2017 Cockpit training classes. The first session will run May 1-5, and the second June 19-22.

Revamped versions of Cognitions Lead User and Advanced Lead User coursesnow called Lead User 1 and Lead User 2will be offered. The newly developed Introduction to Cognition Cockpit and Workflow 1 courses will also be available. Cognition offers training at the global headquarters in Lexington, MA, or remotely via webcast online.

The training classes are designed to guide users through both learning the basics of operating Cockpit and tailoring it to suit their needs. With hands-on assistance from Cognitions Application Engineers, trainees have the opportunity to dive into the platform and discover its full potential.

These classes are offered as a redesign of Cognitions previous training modules. After receiving user feedback, Cognitions Application Engineers (AEs) have been hard at work narrowing down each class and expanding offerings.

Were trying to meet the needs of all types of users, says AE Jordan Brady. By expanding our offerings and narrowing the focus of our trainings, were able to give users more flexibility and let them set their own learning pace.

Those interested in signing up for training are encouraged do so using the Spring 2017 Training website: https://cockpitspringtraining2017.splashthat.com/.

Cognition Corporation, based in Lexington, Massachusetts, has offered solutions for product development compliance for more than fifteen years. Cognition offers two core products: Cognition Cockpit and Cognition Compass. Thousands of users worldwide use Cognition solutions to manage their product development process and meet regulatory, performance, and time-to-market goals. For more information, visit http://www.cognition.us or call (781) 271-9300.

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We have developed the Corporate Learning Center as a comprehensive resource for corporate end users who want to understand the opportunities the latest payments advancements, such as Same Day ACH and real time, present.

NACHAThe Electronic Payments Association announced today it will launch the Mutual of Omaha Bank Corporate Learning Center featuring specialized education for payments professionals from business, state and local government, higher education, and charitable and religious organizations at PAYMENTS 2017.

The conference, which is the definitive destination for faster payments education, will take place April 23-26 in Austin, Texas. Online registration is available here.

NACHA regularly engages businesses to discuss their payments needs and experiences through our Corporate Relations Program, said Janet O. Estep, president and CEO of NACHA. As part of these discussions, we have developed the Corporate Learning Center at PAYMENTS 2017 as a comprehensive resource for corporate end users who want to understand the opportunities the latest payments advancements, such as Same Day ACH and real time, present to their own business, as well as their customers and clients.

The Corporate Learning Center provides a gathering point for corporate payables and receivables decision makers to engage in peer learning and problem solving, as well as exclusive networking events and 11 educational sessions tailored to their needs.

A discounted registration rate for PAYMENTS is available for professionals who are employed by a business, state/local government, charitable or religious organization, or higher education institution (or enrolled student) that originates and/or receives payments as a client of a financial institution or processor/solution provider. Visit payments.nacha.org/register for more information.

NACHAs Corporate Relations Program provides a variety of educational opportunities for businesses, including a newly updated edition of the Same Day ACH for Businesses Essentials Guide. The comprehensive suite of resources now incorporates additional elements related to Same Day ACH debits, which goes into effect in September. The Essentials Guide is a free resource that is available for download on the NACHA website.

Follow NACHA on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. The conference hashtag is #PAYMENTS2017. Also, visit payments.nacha.org to further explore what PAYMENTS has to offer in 2017.

About PAYMENTS 2017

PAYMENTS 2017, the definitive destination for faster payments, is taking place April 23-26 at the Austin Convention Center in Texas. The conference is a proven, well-respected, and powerful event that provides attendees with the latest research, insights, trends and forecasts to support and drive payments innovation. This year, NACHA introduces the Faster Payments Experience, a consummate educational opportunity encompassing sessions and solutions that focus on real-time, same-day and other faster payments initiatives. Additional content is organized along five tracks  ACH; Risk & Compliance; Trending Now; Corporate & End-User Perspectives; and Payments Evolution  to address the topics of today that are impacting the payments space. The conference also offers a dynamic Exhibit Hall featuring top products and services shaping the future of payments. Registration is now open. To learn more about PAYMENTS 2017, visit payments.nacha.org.

NACHAThe Electronic Payments Association

Since 1974, NACHAThe Electronic Payments Association has served as trustee of the ACH Network, managing the development, administration and rules for the payment network that universally connects all 12,000 financial institutions in the U.S by moving money and information directly from one bank account to another. Financial institutions exchange 24 billion ACH payments valued at $41 trillion annually. Through its collaborative, self-governing model, education, and inclusive engagement of ACH Network participants, NACHA facilitates the expansion and diversification of electronic payments, supporting Direct Deposit and Direct Payment via ACH transactions, including ACH credit and debit payments, recurring and one-time payments; government, consumer and business transactions; international payments, and payments plus payment-related information. Through NACHAs expertise and leadership, the ACH Network is now one of the largest, safest, and most reliable systems in the world, creating value and enabling innovation for all participants. Visit nacha.org for more information.
Jack Chubb, COO, Florida Hospital Carrollwood With his focus on operational excellence, I have total confidence in Jack's ability to align our patient-driven culture with industry-leading operational practices to positively impact both our facility and the community we serve.

Jack Chubb has joined Florida Hospital Carrollwood (FHCW) as its Chief Operating Officer, bringing with him a strong background of hospital operations. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer for Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, California, a Level I trauma center and second busiest hospital in the state of California.

Chubb has nearly 40 years of experience as a health care executive and brings a strong focus on meeting quality and financial goals as well as planning, directing and evaluating operational activities.

Among Chubbs many significant accomplishments include overseeing development of several large projects: an 80,000-square foot ambulatory care facility, a state-of-the-art 52-bed neurosciences center of excellence, a 50-bed cardiovascular center, an 85-bed Level III NICU and a 90,000-square foot medical office building.

"Jack is highly qualified to drive strategic and program accountability at Florida Hospital Carrollwood, said Joe Johnson, President and CEO. With his focus on operational excellence, I have total confidence in Jack's ability to align our patient-driven culture with industry-leading operational practices to positively impact both our facility and the community we serve.

"Florida Hospital Carrollwood has an outstanding reputation and a strong foundation of support from the community," Chubb said. "I look forward to getting to know everyone and helping to build upon the hospitals many successes."

Chubb received a bachelor's degree in zoology from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. He also earned a master's in health care administration from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

About Florida Hospital Carrollwood

Conveniently located for Tampa Bay Area residents, Florida Hospital Carrollwood is a 120-bed acute care facility that specializes in providing comprehensive medical services in an environment of Christian compassion and healing. Awarded by the Florida Hospital Association for Leadership in Quality and Patient Safety in 2014 and 2015, the hospital is a member of the West Florida Division of Florida Hospital and Adventist Health System. Florida Hospital Carrollwood offers recognized spine, orthopedic and bariatric surgical services, as well as Emergency, Cardiology, and Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine services with highly skilled clinical staff and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality of care with an inspired approach. For more information, please visit fhcarrollwood.org
Again this year, the level of innovation and update shown by those finalists has been beyond impressive.

The finalists have been carefully selected by a panel of the top expert judges in each niche segment of the connected car industry. Over 400 nominations were received and analysed for the 10 categories. The categories were designed to cover all aspects of the connected car industry from OEM of the year to insurance telematics, all the way to ground breaking new areas including smart mobility solutions, ADAS and cybersecurity technology. The full list of finalists can be accessed here: http://www.tu-auto.com/detroit/awards-finalists.php

TU-Automotives Awards Director, Emilie Leblanc said: Announcing the yearly Awards finalists is always an exciting moment for us, it allows us to stop and look back at how much the industry has progressed over the last 12 months. Again this year, the level of innovation and update shown by those finalists has been beyond impressive. She continued: Given the quality and quantity of submissions this year, the judging process was not easy and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our judges for their hard work

The winners will be revealed during a glamorous party on June 6th at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Novi, Michigan, the day before the annual TU-Automotive Detroit Conference and Exhibition. Over 300 of the most influential names in the automotive technology industry will converge to celebrate the achievements over the past year. Tickets to attend the ceremony have now been released, they can be purchased here: http://www.tu-auto.com/detroit/awards-index.php

The TU-Automotive Awards

These awards are the most anticipated and revered accolade in the industry. Past winners include Volvo, Veniam, Ford, Wireless Car, Polysync and many more. The list of finalists for the TU-Automotive Awards 2017 can be found here: http://www.tu-auto.com/detroit/awards-index.php

The full list of categories includes:



OEM of the year

Best Connected Service or Product for the Commercial Market

Best Telematics Product/Service

Best Insurance Telematics Product/Service

Best Active Safety or ADAS Product/Service

Best Auto Mobility Product/Service

Best Auto Cybersecurity Product/Service

Best Aftermarket Telematics Product/Service

Newcomer of the year

Influencer of the year

For more information on 2017 TU-Automotive Awards, please contact Emilie Leblanc at TU-Automotive on emilie@tu-auto.com or + 44 207 55 19829.

About TU-Automotive:

Tracking Automotive Technology: TU-Automotive is the reference point and communications hub for the evolving automotive technology segment as it converges with consumer electronics, mobile and IoT to re-define connectivity, mobility and autonomous use-cases. For more information visit: http://analysis.tu-auto.com/ or follow us on Twitter @TUAutomotive

Contact:

Emilie Leblanc

Awards Director | TU-Automotive Update

Office: +44 (0)20 755 19829

Email: emilie(at)tu-auto(dot)com
Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. President and CEO, Gina Rubel, has been appointed Chair of the Philadelphia Bar Associations annual Pursuit of Justice Legal Writing Competition, held in honor of the Honorable Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

Rubel will chair a committee of practicing attorneys, professors and judges in order to evaluate the submissions by law students for the purpose of granting the 2017 award. The committee will judge each entry according to originality and importance of topic, thoroughness of research, depth of analysis, organization of analysis, writing style, form, quality and placement of citizens, as well as conformity with the rules of the competition. The competition is open to full-time and part-time law students who are in their second or third year of study at Drexel University School of Law, University of Pennsylvania Law School, Rutgers School of Law  Camden, Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and Widener University Delaware Law School.

Through this annual competition, the Philadelphia Bar Association recognizes the importance of excellence in legal analysis and writing skills, and seeks to award a student enrolled in an ABA-approved Philadelphia-area law school for authoring a top-quality competition submission.

As an attorney, author and woman, I am honored that Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Debbie Gross nominated me to serve as chair of this years competition in honor of Justice Ginsburg, said Rubel. I encourage all those who are eligible to apply. Its a unique opportunity for students to further hone their writing and analytical skills which are critical to the practice of law.

Rubel founded Furia Rubel Marketing and Public Relations, an award-winning strategic planning and integrated marketing agency, in 2002. She has been honored by The Justinian Society with the Lisa A. Richette Woman in Law Award and has been named a Woman of Distinction by Philadelphia Business Journal and the Legal Intelligencer. While actively practicing law, she served on a Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board Hearing Committee for six years where she conducted legal ethics reviews of other attorneys. Her company has been lauded with numerous awards, as well. Rubel is a graduate of Drexel University and Widener University Delaware Law School.

About Furia Rubel Marketing and Public Relations: Furia Rubel Marketing and Public Relations is an integrated and strategic marketing and public relations agency based in Bucks County, Pa. The certified woman-owned agency provides strategic planning, marketing, public relations, media relations, graphic design, website design, content marketing, blog production and social media services to a wide array of professional clients. Furia Rubel represents law firms, technology companies, educational organizations, accounting firms, nonprofits, municipalities, and manufacturing, behavioral health and elder care organizations. For more information, visit http://www.furiarubel.com, follow on Twitter at @FuriaRubel or subscribe to the blog at ThePRLawyer.com.

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Learning Systems & Tools '17

Over 100 Learning Leaders of major corporations and government agencies are gathering in Chicago next week for a critical exploration of the future of workplace learning with changing Learning Systems Tools, Apps, and Technologies.

Learning Systems & Tools '17 takes place April 19 & 20 at the Rosemont Conference Center in Chicago. This global, vendor-neutral event will bring together a collaborative group of senior learning leaders, learning systems designers, learning innovators and global colleagues. Hosted and Facilitated by Elliott Masie and Richard Culatta, this forum will take a sharp look at current and future roles for todays and tomorrows Learning Systems by examining the rapidly changing and often confusing world of Learning Systems, including Learning Management Systems, LCMS, Video Content, Social Learning Frameworks, Curation Systems, Talent Systems, and more.

Elliott Masie, Co-Host and one of the original innovators of e-Learning said, Learning and Learners are changing faster than corporate learning systems and tools. At home, our workers are reaching for their mobile devices for a quick learning search or scanning multiple sources of open video with ease. Yet, at work, many learning systems are not up to the agile and dynamic changes in learning that are taking place in 2017. We are excited to engage both corporate learning leaders and suppliers of learning solutions in this exciting dialogue.

Forum Co-Host Richard Culatta - Masie Innovation Fellow, former Director of Educational Technology for the U.S. Dept. of Education, and a leading analyst on Learning Tools and Innovations - observed that, "Every day, new digital learning tools become available. Making the right decisions about which to use and when is becoming increasingly key to the success of learning leaders. We'll share ideas and strategies for making the right decisions about the learning systems we use and how to implement them effectively."

Were excited to delve into the ongoing relationship between Learning & Talent systems as they continue to converge and become an integral part of overall Corporate Workforce Management and HR Systems Strategies. (Its not just about Payroll and Benefits any more!), states Steve Rosenblum, Managing Director at The MASIE Center.

Organizations participating in Learning Systems & Tools 17 include over 100 representatives of major global corporations, including: Accenture, Boeing, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, EY, FedEx Office, Fidelity, General Motors, IHG, Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin, Marriott, McDonald's, McKinsey & Company, NBCUniversal, US Office of Personnel Management, SkillSoft/SumTotal, Subway, Travelers Insurance, Yahoo and many more...

Additional information and last minute registration for Learning Systems & Tools 17 can be found at https://www.masie.com
The overall winning team will walk away with 2 of B.R.M's exquisite timepieces. The One Lap of America and B.R.M are united by a shared dedication to preserving and advancing the art of racing...

The Tire Rack One Lap of America Presented by Grassroots Motorsports magazine is pleased to announce that B.R.M will once again provide trophies for the top 10 finishers in this years event as well as two B.R.M timepieces for the overall winning team. The trophies and timepieces have become coveted items among the competitors over the past seven years.

"Apart from the beautiful trophies, the B.R.M watches the overall winning team receives are a great reminder of the precision, flair and attention to detail it takes to win the One Lap." said Brock Yates Jr. Coordinator of the Tire Rack One Lap of America. "For B.R.M to return for a seventh year as a sponsor is fantastic and really shows their commitment to motorsports at all levels. From the One Lap to Formula One, B.R.M's commitment to motorsport is clear."

This year the overall winning team will take home a pair of V6-44-HB-BG timepieces. These timepieces are a reflection of the sprit of motorsport with every feature designed to evoke the sprit of performance. One Lap of America and B.R.M are united by a shared dedication to preserving and advancing the art of racing. Were honored to continue our integral partnership with the organization and grateful for Brocks commitment to the motorsport community. said Frederic Gasser, President, B.R.M Americas.

The One Lap family welcomes BRM watches back for another year.

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ABOUT THE ONE LAP OF AMERICA:

The Tire Rack One Lap of America Presented by Grassroots Motorsports Magazine is the modern day version of the Cannonball Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash of 1970. Created by Brock Yates and popularized by the movie Cannonball Run, todays One Lap of America challenges its participants to endure long transit drives of over 400 miles daily and to compete on 12 of Americas most challenging racetracks in 9 days. This years One Lap begins on May 5th, 2017 and runs through May 13th, 2017. The current event is headed by Brock Yates, Jr. and will be celebrating the 34th running of the event. The full schedule is available online at http://www.onelapofamerica.com and on Facebook.

Media Contact:

Solomon A. Rosenthal

Media Director

215.703.7621

ABOUT B.R.M:

Inspired by motorsports, driven by craftsmanship and engineered for exclusivity, B.R.Ms made-to-measure timepieces are defined by pure racing spirit. Founder Bernard Richards launched the labels inaugural collection in 2003, turning his mechanical expertise into an iconic company thats gone the distance as the only remaining watchmaking manufacture in France. Fully customizable, BRMs bespoke products are built for authenticity and performance, and the brands limited-edition collections have garnered elite global partnerships including Gulf Oil, Corvette Racing, the Pirelli World Challenge and many more. Website

ABOUT TIRE RACK

Tire Rack, family-owned and headquartered in South Bend, Indiana, is Americas largest independent tire tester and consumer-direct source for tires, wheels and performance accessories. Their team of over 100 test drivers (their sales team) tests tires from every major tire manufacturer on the companys state-of-the-art, 11.7-acre test facility. The findings are then posted on the companys website, http://www.tirerack.com, where consumers can make an educated decision on a tire, wheel or performance accessory purchase.

Tire Rack has also collected results from nearly 150,000 consumer surveys representing over 2.5 billion miles of real-world tire data, the largest known cache of such information anywhere. In addition, various testing and informational videos are available online in their Video Center at http://www.tirerack.com/videos. Since 1979, Tire Rack has grown from a single-point retail store in Indianapolis to encompass over 2.5 million square feet of space in nine distribution centers across the country. A diverse and broad in-stock inventory from 24 major tire and 63 wheel brands can be delivered anywhere in the country, most in one business day. A national network of over 7,500 independent Recommended Installers is available to assist customers with installation of their purchases.

ABOUT THE BROCK YATES MEMORIAL FUND:

The official charity of the Tire Rack One Lap of America. The Brock Yates Memorial Fund, was created in 2013 through the Alzheimer's Association, a 501(c)3 non-profit, to raise money and awareness about Alzheimers. Having suffered from this disease, legendary automotive and racing veteran journalist Brock Yates Sr. dedicated his life to all the car enthusiasts around the country. The Memorial Fund honors his legacy and all that he has given to the world of the automobile.

All funds raised by the Fund go directly toward supporting the Alzheimers Association mission. The Memorial Fund, will once again be competing in the Tire Rack One Lap of America with the Memorial Funds heavily customized Ariel Atom piloted by Jack Beachem and Victor Leo.
The Concept Searching team will be available at Booth 39 to demonstrate how its solutions are available in all versions of SharePoint, Office 365, OneDrive for Business, and support on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.

Concept Searching, the global leader in multi-term metadata generation, auto-classification, and taxonomy management software, and developer of the Smart Content Framework, is pleased to be participating as a Gold Sponsor at SharePoint Fest DC. SharePoint Fest will take place on April 17-20, at the Washington Convention Center.

The Concept Searching team will be available at Booth 39 to demonstrate how its solutions are available in all versions of SharePoint, Office 365, OneDrive for Business, and support on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. Real-life scenarios on best practices and outcomes that can be achieved with its unique technologies will be discussed.

Concept Searching solutions are built on core technology platforms. The conceptClassifier for SharePoint and conceptClassifier for Office 365 platforms automatically generate multi-term metadata that form concepts. Its award-winning solutions integrate with Microsoft products to surface intelligent content in context. These enable organizations to deploy one set of products and leverage their current investment in Microsoft technologies.

The solutions successfully address concepts examined in its Expert Webinar Series, such as how to achieve successful search, records management, security, data privacy, intelligent migration, and collaboration.

SharePoint Fest DC is one of the top SharePoint conferences in North America, with over 70 sessions, offered across multiple tracks, and two optional days of workshops preceding the conference. There will also be a networking reception held at the end of the first day of the conference. More information can be found at the SharePoint Fest site.

About Concept Searching

Concept Searching is the industry leader specializing in semantic metadata generation, auto-classification, and taxonomy management. Platform agnostic, Concept Searching also has a Microsoft Gold Application Development competency, and offers a complete suite of SharePoint and Office 365 solutions. The award winning technologies integrated with Concept Searchings Smart Content Framework encompass the entire portfolio of unstructured information assets in on-premises, cloud, or hybrid environments. Clients have deployed the intelligent metadata enabled solutions to improve search, records management, identification and protection of privacy data, migration, text analytics, eDiscovery, and enterprise social networking applications.

Concept Searching is headquartered in the US with offices in the UK, Canada and South Africa.

All product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
The Horizon Interactive Awards, a leading international interactive media awards competition, has announced the 2016 award winners to highlight this years best of the best in interactive media production.

Autoscribe Corporation was recognized for their excellence with the following honors:

PaymentVision

Silver Awards: Advertising (Integrated Campaign), Advertising (Online Ads), Print (Branding Campaign), Video (Motion Graphics / Effects)

Bronze Awards: Websites (Promotional), Video (Promotional), Websites (Corporate & B2B), Websites (Promotional), Print (Brochure)

Lyons Commercial Data

Silver Awards: Websites (Responsive / Mobile Design), Print (Advertisement / Promotional)

Bronze Award: Websites (Promotional)

We are both humbled and honored to receive multiple awards during the 2016 Horizon Interactive Awards program, said Eugene ORourke, Vice President of Marketing & Sales at Autoscribe Corporation. Were continuing to push beyond expectations in marketing within our space, and these awards underscore the leadership, expertise, drive, and creativity our talented team injects into all aspects of their work and our business.

The 15th annual, international competition saw over 1200 entries from around the world including 40 out of 50 US States and 20 countries including: Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Germany, Greenland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, Ukraine and Uruguay.

An international panel of judges, consisting of industry professionals with diverse backgrounds evaluated categories ranging from online advertising to mobile applications. The 2016 winning entries showcase the industrys best interactive media solutions including web sites, mobile applications, print media, interactive displays, public exhibits, online advertising, video, email and more.

The 2016 competition represents an outstanding execution of industry trends in terms of strategic online solutions and integrated campaigns through multiple media, Said, Mike Sauce- Founder of the Horizon Interactive Awards. Many of our top award winners have continued to stay on the cutting edge of technology while maintaining the high bar for visual design. Were continuing to see web sites that harness the power of the immersive online experience while coordinating across multiple delivery channels. Design is also continuing to evolve where you are seeing an equal blend between form and function and those 2 elements are combining to deliver digital solutions that not only look fantastic but have a real purpose. It is clear that digital creatives are paying close attention to performance across all media, brand identity, user purpose and the utility of the solution.

The Horizon Interactive Awards holds the competition each year with the winners being announced the following April. For more information visit the Horizon Interactive Awards online: http://www.horizoninteractiveawards.com.

About Autoscribe Corporation

Autoscribe Corporation is a leading financial services company and payment processor. With more than two decades of innovation and leadership in the financial technology industry, Autoscribe offers a full suite of tools through PaymentVision and Lyons Commercial Data to help their customers grow their business, simplify payment processing, mitigate risk, and ensure compliance. Recently named to the Inc. 5000 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the nation, Autoscribe has thousands of customers and processes more than $2 billion in transactions annually. For more information, please visit http://www.autoscribe.com; follow Autoscribe on Twitter @AutoscribeCorp or on LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/autoscribe; or call 800-345-7243.

About PaymentVision

PaymentVision is a biller-direct, PCI-certified, electronic payment gateway provider. PaymentVision offers clients the unified ability to accept ACH, check, and credit or debit card payments, by phone, or through Internet channels. PaymentVision solutions handle billions of dollars for thousands of financial institutions, large and small nationwide including, credit unions, banks, consumer finance, and collection agencies. For more information, please visit http://www.paymentvision.com; follow PaymentVision on Twitter @PaymentVision or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/paymentvision; or call 800-345-7243.

About Lyons Commercial Data

Lyons Commercial Data is a leading provider of quality U.S. financial institution data, including all current ABA routing numbers and other information critical to transaction processing. Lyons Commercial Data also offers proven solutions to financial institutions, payment processors, and other businesses, to assist them in optimizing their ACH processes, managing risk, and fraud mitigation. For more information, please visit http://www.lyonslive.com; follow Lyons Commercial Data on Twitter @LyonsData or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/lyonscommercialdata; or call 800-684-0388.

About the Horizon Interactive Awards

In its 15th year, the Horizon Interactive Awards was created to recognize excellence in interactive media production worldwide. Since 2001, the competition has received tens of thousands of entries from many countries around the world and nearly all 50 US States. Each year, those entries are narrowed down to the best of the best to be recognized and promoted on and international stage for their excellence. The judging process involves a blend of the Horizon Interactive Awards advisory panel, an end user panel and an international panel of volunteer judges consisting of industry professionals. Winning entries have been dubbed the best of the best in the interactive media industry.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements regarding future events and Autoscribe Corporations business, strategy and results that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are sometimes identified by words such as will, may, could, should, would, project, believe, anticipate, expect, plan, estimate, forecast, potential, intend, continue, target, opportunities and variations of these words or comparable words. As a result of the ultimate outcome of such risks and uncertainties, Autoscribe Corporations actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on Autoscribe Corporations current beliefs or expectations, and there are a number of important factors that could cause the actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks related to the successful offering of the products and services of Autoscribe Corporation; and other risks that may impact Autoscribe Corporations business. Autoscribe Corporation expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this and other documents may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures.

Note to Editors: PaymentVision and Lyons Commercial Data are registered trademarks of Autoscribe Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. PaymentVision is a registered ISO of Applied Bank, Wilmington, DE.
BoatDealers.ca Logo "BoatDealers.ca is the Canadian market leader in Boats For Sale online, and we are always looking to improve. said Chris Perera, Digital Era Medias President & CEO.

Digital Era Media Inc., (DEM: http://www.ThinkDEM.com) New age Digital Media Publishers of Canadian Marine & Powersports Listing Sites, today announced that it has launched a secure version of BoatDealers.ca and OutboardDealers.ca. These new versions boast increased security and a new Featured Brand section for boat & engine builders.

BoatDealers.ca is the Canadian market leader in Boats For Sale online, and we are always looking to improve. said Chris Perera, Digital Era Medias President & CEO. By making BoatDealers.ca and OutboardDealers.ca only accessible over the https protocol we are further demonstrating our commitment to the best shopping experience. For example, when inquiring on boats or outboards for sale we are ensuring your name, phone number, etc is safely communicated between your browser and our servers.

At a recent Canadian Internet Registration Authority member event, Richard Schreier (product Manager for the Internet Performance Testing product) reinforced the need for websites that collect personal information to be secured with an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) Certificate. When a consumer sees https as part of the website address and the browser displays the locked padlock on the address bar, they can be assured that the communication between them and the website is encrypted. No-one in between can intercept the data and read it easily. Transmission of personal information is secure.

Other changes include the Featured Brand section that displays a brand logo, videos, and written content produced by BoatDealers.ca for their OEM partners. The Featured Brand section has been added to the Homepage, New Boats, and Boat Reviews pages in a high-profile placement.

"The new Featured Brand section on BoatDealers.ca and OutboardDealers.ca is a real game changer for boat & motor manufacturers looking to reach Canadians. With our industry leading traffic, and its premium website position, there is no better spot anywhere to get your marine brand and reviews seen by consumers across Canada." Said Cameron Coleman, Digital Era Medias National Account Executive.

OEMs that provided comments:

"In an industry of choices, the new Featured Brand section of BoatDealers.ca and OutboardDealers.ca is an excellent tool for potential buyers to educate themselves during the purchase journey. Turnkey and concise, this is a true homerun for marine shoppers. " Krista Sparkes, Vice President of Sales, BRP Evinrude.

With the new Featured Brand section of BoatDealers.ca, customers will have access to quality information at first sight. Great feature for them! Its also giving great visibility for boat manufacturers! Fantastic! Jean-Philippe Martin-Dubois, Marketing & Customer Experience, Princecraft Boats Inc.

"BoatDealers.ca has always been at the forefront of understanding consumer demands during the buying decision, and the new Featured Brand section exemplifies that understanding." Steve Huber, Marketing, Smokercraft Inc.

BoatDealers.ca and OutboardDealers.ca run on the unified MyDealers.ca platform that also powers MotorcycleDealers.ca, QuadDealers.ca, and SledDealers.ca resulting in a streamlined marketing solution for Marine & Powersports dealers.

See BoatDealers.ca at: http://www.BoatDealers.ca

See OutboadDealers.ca at: http://www.OutboardDealers.ca

Media Contact

Chris Perera

President & CEO

Digital Era Media Inc.

613-878-2628

chris.perera@thinkdem.com
Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce that Attorney Timothy I. McCulloch has joined the firms Phoenix office as a Member.

Mr. McCulloch focuses his practice in business and commercial litigation with particular emphasis on the aviation industry. He represents numerous commercial aircraft operators, flight schools, fixed-based operators and airport sponsors. He also represents banking institutions seeking to judicially or non-judicially foreclose upon aircraft loans.

Mr. McCulloch has defended aircraft operators, fixed-based operators and airport sponsors against negligence claims, and has first-hand experience with airport land use, Part 16 complaints, permitting, noise, hangar condominium development, environmental, and grant assurance compliance issues. He has litigated disputes between competing fixed-based operators spurred by allegations of procurement code and federal grant assurance violations. He also represents commercial aviation interests and is experienced in corporate aircraft ownership, aircraft management and leasing structures.

Mr. McCulloch has substantial experience with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). He has negotiated Letters of Agreement (LOA) for near airport operations and consulted with UAV and UAS operators in obtaining Section 333 waivers, COAs, and SACs as well as FAA regulatory compliance.

Mr. McCulloch is a Board Member of the Arizona Business Aviation Association; a legal services attorney for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association; a bar association member of the National Transportation Safety Board; and a member of the International Aerobatic Club and the Arizona Airports Association. He received his B.A. from the University of California, Irvine and his J.D. from the University of California, Davis.

About Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 450 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has seventeen offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and ten other domestic offices in Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto.

Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations.
Emergency, 24 Hour Plumber Wichita KS Frequent family events and holidays, like Easter dinners or non-religious gatherings such as Memorial Day barbeques, are something folks in the Wichita area truly enjoy.

Wichita's top-rated plumbing service, Ben Franklin Plumbing is proud to announce an important new post on emergency plumbing services with a lively connection to clogged sinks and holiday dinners. Thanksgiving and Christmas have recently passed, but Central Kansas locals may celebrate other important dinner events such as Easter, Passover, or non-religious celebrations such as Memorial Day barbeques. A clogged sink or other Wichita emergency plumbing situation need not hurt plans for a nice family gathering.

Frequent family events and holidays, like Easter dinners or non-religious gatherings such as Memorial Day barbeques, are something folks in the Wichita area look forward to, commented Jason Clark, Manager of Ben Franklin Plumbing of Wichita, Kansas. If the kitchen sink clogs and wont drain, the cook is going to have a hard time preparing any meal. Washing a load of dishes afterwards could be a nightmare too. Luckily, we are open 24/7 and even holidays to help out. Our new post reminds customers that we are Wichita's favorite plumbing service for emergency plumbing needs.

To read the new informational post about 24/7 emergency plumbing for Wichita, KS please go to http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/03/2017/blog/need-emergency-plumber-wichita-thats-us. To read, in detail, about their emergency plumbing services for Wichita, visit http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/emergency-plumber.

An Emergency Plumber in Wichita Can Save Residents from a Sunday Dinner Disaster

Family gatherings may not end after the winter holidays for Kansas locals. Thanksgiving and Christmas might have past, but Wichita may still celebrate the ever-important Sunday dinner as well as holidays like Easter or Passover. A special meal could happen once a week or once a month. Either way, it can include extended family and friends. A larger group could mean more time in the kitchen doing pre-work before the meal. A giant stack of dishes to clean afterwards could also be part of the ritual. Whether the host or hostess has help or not, nothing can get done if a sink backs up. Stubborn clogs never seem to happen at the right time. An emergency plumber available in Wichita 24/7 could be the saving grace.

About Ben Franklin Plumbing of Wichita, Kansas

Ben Franklin Plumbing is a top-rated plumbing service, serving greater Wichita, Kansas and located at 2825 E. Kellogg Avenue. The company offers 24/7 emergency plumbing service not only to Wichita but to surrounding communities such as Derby, Andover, and Haysville, Kansas. Professionally licensed plumbers are ready for plumbing problems such as: drain cleaning, installing pump systems and water heaters, sewer line clean-outs and faucet repair. The company also replaces and installs faucets, garbage disposals and toilets. Commercial plumbers and residential plumbers are ready to serve. When searching for sewer repairs and unclogging drains in Derby, Andover, Haysville or Wichita, Kansas, Ben Franklin Plumbing is available.

Web. http://www.benfranklinwichita.com/

Tel. 316-858-5985
Avera eCARE Senior Care Long-term Care Program connects residents to providers at the Avera eCARE virtual hospital using two-way, audiovisual telemedicine technology. With the help of facility staff, the Long-Term Care Program can accurately assess residents conditions. The service helps to reduce transfers to an emergency room, or even to a physicians clinic which can be uncomfortable, unsetting and costly.

The new service at Rotary Senior Living has numerous advantages and benefits. Jennifer Carpenter, eCARE Senior Account Executive, discussed how beneficial the service is to groups attending the Open House and who also actually participated in two-way video demonstrations.

The discussion focused on the access to a board-certified geriatrician and other geriatric specialists, reduction in cost of transporting to medical facilities, reduces unnecessary emergency room visits and hospitalizations, enhances resources available to long-term care staff, helps to ensure earlier treatment for acute conditions and boosts patient well-being and family satisfaction. All of the services are in direct collaboration and support of the local primary care physicians who provide care to the Rotary Senior Living residents.

Using the latest in health care technology and remote monitoring of patients, Avera eCARE Senior Care allows a resident to stay in a familiar setting while receiving high-quality health care for needs that require the attention of a medical provider, states Jennifer Carpenter, Avera eCARE.

Implementation of the telemedicine program provides another level of care to the residents of Rotary Senior Living that is not readily available in other facilities in the region and even across the state. The Rotary Senior Living Boards endorsement and approval of program demonstrates the commitment to continuously pursing clinical excellence throughout the facility.

Since 2004, Avera eCARE has worked to connect the vast knowledge of specialists to patients in areas without nearby services. Avera eCARE offers one of the largest telemedicine networks in the United States, supporting more than 300 health centers, clinics, long-term care centers, schools, and correctional facilities within a 13-state region. To learn more about Avera eCARE, visit AveraeCARE.org.

This publication was made possible by Grant Number 1C1CMS331325 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any of its agencies.

Rotary Senior Living is a licensed 42 residential care facility (RCF) and a 46 bed skilled nursing facility (SNF) located at 620 SE 5th Street, Eagle Grove, IA. Facilities include apartments, duplexes, townhomes, and low income housing. The Wellness Center is a recent addition and provides outpatient rehabilitation and community fitness programs. Information on the services provided are available at http://www.rotaryseniorliving.com, on Facebook and by calling 515-448-5124.
Search Reputation, a specialized, boutique agency that helps companies Internet and PR agencies with search engine reputation problems, announces an exclusive partnership with Bassmat, an innovative digital marketing agency with multiple locations across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and the USA.

We have had many inquiries from potential clients about repairing their online reputation that had been damaged from untrue, harmful articles and reviews. We are a digital marketing agency that always brings best-in-business solutions to our clients through strategic partnerships. Therefore, we decided to partner with Search Reputation. They are amazing at what they do, said Hatem Alkerish, Bassmats CEO who works out of the USA office.

Herman Tumurcuoglu, a search engine pioneer with 22 years of experience in web search added, Its a competitive world out there and sometimes the mudslinging can put your company flat out on its back. Who do you want protecting your reputation? You want the expert team at Search Reputation who have over 30 years of experience in Search Engine Optimization.

Bassmat is thrilled to continue to partner with companies that enhance the digital marketing services the agency provides. Currently Bassmat is the exclusive MENA partner for Flowics, Double Robotics and Search Reputation. The agency is always on the lookout for new partners who will help them to achieve their mission, and solve challenges for their existing, and potential, clients.

About Search Reputation

Search Reputation is a leading ORM agency with offices in the United States and Canada.
As we expand into new markets, we believe the IAC brand demonstrates a stronger commitment to our existing and prospective international clientele.

Following their 2014 merger, aircraft painting companies Leading Edge Aviation Services, Associated Painters, and Eirtech Aviation have retired their respective brands to form International Aerospace Coatings, or IAC. The official celebration of the U.S. IAC brand launch will take place at the upcoming MRO Americas show, April 25-27 in Orlando, Florida.

Operating under the new identity strengthens the company's position as the global industry leader. Under one name, IAC now offers its customers enhanced hangar capacity across the US, Europe and Singapore, a highly qualified work force, and resources to meet the needs of its very specialized industry. The combined global team and hangar footprint represent the best total quality solution in aircraft painting for airlines and operators alike.

As we expand into new markets, we believe the IAC brand demonstrates a stronger commitment to our existing and prospective international clientele. Were pleased to be celebrating this new phase of our company alongside our industry colleagues at the MRO Americas show in the coming weeks, said Niall Cunningham, IAC Global CEO.

With 12 locations worldwide, IAC operates a total of 17 hangars with a mix of wide-body and narrow body capacity. Using up to 31 paint lines, IAC paints over 725 aircraft each year for customers like Boeing, United, Delta, Southwest and more. With its newly expanded global footprint, IAC is committed to continuing to provide a service that exceeds expectations in both quality and industry leading turn times.

The expert services we provide include aircraft painting, graphic solutions, and interior refurbishment that ensure our customers aircraft are compliant with the most stringent of regulatory standards. Our aim is to provide a service that is durable and lasts the test of time. IACs high-quality finishes provide outstanding results from a trusted name, every time, said Cunningham.

For customers, colleagues, and visitors attending MRO Americas 2017 in Orlando, Florida, IAC invites them to drop by Booth #2808 on Tuesday, April 25th as the team toasts the new global brand identity.

About International Aerospace Coatings (IAC)

International Aerospace Coatings, or IAC, comprised of three legacy companies Leading Edge Aviation Services, Associated Painters, and Eirtech Aviation, has global headquarters in Shannon, Ireland with 12 state-of-the-art locations throughout the US, Europe, and Asia, including 6 wide body hangars and a total of 31 paint lines. The company boasts the largest global footprint in the aircraft painting industry. IAC serves the commercial, military, VIP and OEM aviation markets and has worked on nearly every make and model aircraft in modern existence. Currently, IAC refinishes over 725 aircraft per year throughout its global network. For more information, visit our website at http://www.iac.aero.

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We wanted to remind them that professional glass repair is available 24/7 for Jupiter residents by upgrading our city-specific information page.

Express Glass & Board Up, a leading Jupiter, Florida, glass repair and replacement service, is proud to announce an update to the area's informational page. Jupiter, Florida, residents may be interested to know a glass repair expert can be found right around the corner in the town of Jupiter.

"The Jupiter area is one of the smaller towns in Florida. Residents dont have easy access to a lot of services, commented Yaniet Santos, General Manager of Express Glass. We wanted to remind them that professional glass repair is available 24/7 for Jupiter residents by upgrading our city-specific information page.

To review the updated informational page for Jupiter, Florida please go to: http://www.expressglassfl.com/express-glass-board-jupiter/

Details about professional sliding glass door repair service is available to review. Interested persons can peruse the general sliding glass door repair page at; http://www.expressglassfl.com/home-window-repair/sliding-glass-door-repair/. Alternatively, they can call in for a zero cost consultation on glass repair service for Jupiter, Florida, and environs.

Jupiter, Florida: Professional Sliding Glass Door Repair can be Closer than Locals Think

Residents from Jupiter, Florida, may be used to hearing visitors comment about Jupiter the planet and make interesting comparisons. The planet of Jupiter has been noted as being 365 million miles from earth. Residents of the small Florida town may be used to living far from services larger communities have access to. It may even feel important services are miles away and completely unavailable. Calling a professional sliding glass door repair technician to arrive within the hour might not be expected in a small town environment. Locals could be used to trying to fix a broken window alone. Jupiter, Florida, residents could be surprised to hear a professional glass repair service can arrive to help sooner than previously expected.

Express Glass, a top glass repair business serving the Florida community has released an updated information page. The company has noted glass repair professionals also serve the Jupiter area. If a patio window has cracked or the sliders have bent, residents do not need to tape the problem together. A DIY solution could make a broken window worse and compromise the security of a home. Residents can call upon a professional 24/7 sliding glass door repair service to fix the issue properly. Small town residents may be used to living far away from the services other, larger towns enjoy. Jupiter residents might be happy to hear expert sliding glass door repair can be found right around the corner.

About Express Glass Repair and Board Up

Express Glass and Board Up Service Inc. is a family owned and operated glass repair business with more than 20 years of experience. The companys professional technicians and large variety of inventory make Express Glass the top sliding glass door repair service in Jupiter, FL. If customers are looking for Jupiter sliding glass door repair or Ft. Lauderdale glass repair as well as glass repair in West Palm Beach, please reach out to the company for a free estimate. If customers need emergency 24/7 Sliding Glass Door repair service in Jupiter or Boca Raton or Miramar, technicians are standing by. The company specializes in sliding glass door repair and window glass repair; technicians will handle any glass replacement situation efficiently. Home or business glass repair is the company's main priority.

Express Glass Repair and Board up

Web. http://www.expressglassfl.com/
Miniso retail store U.S. debut in Pasadena April 21, 2017 Miniso productscosmetics, home furnishings, electronics accessories and moretypically retail between $1.99-$20.

Japanese lifestyle retailer, Miniso, plans to open its inaugural U.S. store to the public on Friday, at 12:30PM, followed by grand opening weekend celebration through Saturday, April 22, 2017, featuring a DJ, balloons and giveaways on both days. The new Miniso Pasadena store is located at 88 W. Colorado Blvd. #101 Pasadena, CA 91105, at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and De Lacey Avenue, in Old Town Pasadena.

MINISO PASADENA GRAND OPENING WEEKEND

WHO: Miniso Japanese lifestyle brand

WHAT: Grand Opening Celebration Weekend

WHEN: Friday and Saturday, April 21-22, 2017

WHERE: 88 W. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91105

HOW (RSVP): https://www.facebook.com/events/202268176927683/

FRIDAY 12:30PM to 9:00PM



Taiko Performance

Goodie Bags for the first 200 Customers with Receipt

Premium Miniso Headphones (with $30 minimum purchase) for the first 60 customers

SATURDAY 11:00AM to 9:00PM



Goodie Bags for the first 200 Customers with Receipt

$10 Gift Certificate for the first 100 customers in line that "Like" Miniso USA Facebook page.

Play Chance Game for Great Prizes (First 180 customers with minimum purchase of $30)

Live DJ from Noon to 4PM and free Miniso balloons (while supplies last)

Premium Miniso Headphones (with $30 minimum purchase) for the first 60 customers

Established in September 2013, Miniso is a Japanese variety store that sells a range of stylish lifestyle products. Founded by Miyake Junya, chief designer and Ye Guofu, chief executive officer, MINISO applies the fast fashion concept to deliver designer-quality products, offering customers a shopping experience on par with luxury lifestyle brands, at affordable prices. Miniso productscosmetics, home furnishings, electronics accessories and moretypically retail between $1.99-$20.

As an industry disruptor, Miniso combines fashion, lifestyle and low prices designed to delight customers at every visit. Miniso attributes its rapid growth to a combination of thoughtfully designed, quality products and a unique shopping experience with broad appeal, especially among savvy Millennial shoppers (18 to 35 year-olds). The company launches new products every seven days, carving a niche for itself as a leader in the fiercely competitive value store sector.

On average, Miniso opens 80 to 100 stores monthly and is anticipated to open 6,000 stores worldwide by 2020, with global revenues of $9 billion (USD). The company has signed agreements in more than 40 countries and regions, including the U.S., Canada, Russia, Singapore, Dubai, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Macao.

About MINISO

MINISO is a global retail leader that is upending the high-quality, low-cost industry. With more than 1,800 stores around the world and sales revenue of 10B RMB ($1.5B USD) in 2016, Miniso appeals strongly to Millennials, who are both price conscious and sophisticated shoppers. Aesthetics and intelligent design are built into Miniso products, making them intuitive to use. More than 80 percent of the retailers products are designed and developed in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and China, countries known for innovation. Not just a brand, MINISO seeks to enrich the lives of its customers by offering a range of products at reasonable prices. For more information, please visit http://miniso.com.

Facebook: https://facebook.com/MinisoLife

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miniso_us/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Miniso_USA

MINISO COMPANY PROFILE

Corporate Headquarters: Guangzhou, China and Tokyo, Japan

Founders: Miyake Junya, chief designer and Ye Guofu, chief executive officer

Established: 2013

Capital: 100M

Revenue: 10B ($1.5B USD)

Mission: Elevate the shopping experience by providing unique products at affordable prices

Products: Cosmetics/beauty, home furnishings and decor, jewelry and accessories, electronics accessories
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In the more than 20 years PW has been doing its fast-growing independent publishers feature, it is hard to find another year when publishers on the list reported such impressive growth rates. Five of the 11 publishers on this years list posted triple-digit revenue gains in 2016 compared to 2014, and two publishers saw their revenue shoot over the $10 million mark in the past year.

The company that had the biggest gain on this years list was founded in 2014, but it didnt sell its first book until 2015. Cottage Door Press, which publishes childrens books, released 18 titles in 2015 and another 82 titles last year. It plans to publish 50 in 2017. Between 2014 and 2016, the press also doubled in personnel, from nine to 19 employees, and it is preparing to move from Barrington, Ill., to a larger facility in the Chicago suburb of Deerpark.

Cottage Doors 2016 revenue skyrocketed 558% from the previous years figure. The publishers debut list in 2015 focused on titles for babies and toddlers up to age three, but the publisher intends to expand its target audience to include four- and five-year-olds, beginning with a line of titles published in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution.

Though Cottage Door is a young company, its apparent overnight success might be due to the fact that most of its staff are childrens publishing industry veteransmost notably its founder, Richard Maddrell, who served until his retirement as president of Publications International. Cottage Doors creative team conceives, designs, and produces the presss list with the assistance of freelance illustrators. The emphasis, says marketing manager Melissa Tigges, is on high-quality books that are on top of current trendssuch as STEM and STEAMand hot formats, including padded board books, lift-a-flap, touch-and-feel, books that make sounds, and books made with engineered paper.

Every Cottage Door book has a removable sticker it calls the Early Bird Learning Guide: the sticker informs the buyer of the books appropriate age range and which skills the child is developing when that particular book is read. We believe in educating and entertaining both children and their grown-ups, Tigges said. We choose artwork and language that interests, informs, and stretches their growing minds.

Fast-Growing Independent Publishers 20142016

Publisher Sales Growth 2016 v. 2014 Employees Titles 2014 2016 2014 2016 Cottage Door Press

Barrington, Ill. 558%* 9 19 0 82 Callisto Media

Berkeley, Calif. 286% 24 34 36 122 Europa Editions

New York, N.Y. 277% 3 4 29 29 Greystone Books

Vancouver, Canada 253% 11 14 20 20 Page Street Publishing

Salem, Mass. 117% 6 12 21 54 Diversion Books

New York, N.Y. 84% 2 11 336 426 Haymarket Books

Chicago, Ill. 67% 11 14 60 79 Sasquatch Books

Seattle, Wash. 55% 16 19 36 27 Graywolf Press

Minneapolis, Minn. 49% 11 13 34 34 Nimbus Publishing

Halifax, Canada 31% 14 16 32 48 Shambhala

Boulder, Colo. 8% 33 36 78 86

*Sales growth is for 2016 v. 2015

Ever since it released its first list in 2012, Callisto Media has relied on the same formula for success: increasing title production, selling more copies per title, and broadening distribution. Those goals were achieved in 2016, according to v-p for marketing Holly Smith, and revenue jumped by 111% compared to 2015. Last years revenue soared 286% above the 2014 figure, and the company surpassed the $10 million sales level last year.

Smith says that in 2016, Callisto had some extremely successful frontlist releases, including Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook, Kid Chef, and The Whole 9 Months. And, she adds, the publishers backlist, now at 383 titles, has become a very strong component of our success as well. New areas for Callisto, which continues to use data analytics to spot consumer trends, include parenting and kids, fitness, and self-help.

At Europa Editions, the popularity of Elena Ferrantes Neapolitan Quartet has increased steadily over the past few years, propelling a sales gain of 156% in 2015 over 2014 and another 47% revenue rise in 2016. Editor-in-chief Michael Reynolds acknowledges the importance of Ferrante to the 12-year-old companys success, but he notes that the balance of its list, focused on publishing authors from all over the world in the British and North American markets, has also contributed to its growth.

The companys backlist has performed solidly, with two titles that Europa released in 2015, The Distant Marvels and The Popes Daughter, continuing to sell well into 2016. Frontlist books that did well last year included The Natural Way of Things, Shelter in Place, and The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery, whose The Elegance of the Hedgehog was one of Europas first hits.

Reynolds thinks the success of Ferrantes series has helped Europas entire list gain more visibility in the market, but he also believes the company is doing a more effective job marketing its books. Title output has remained around 29 per year, and its four-person American office shares staff (designer, financial officer, production manager, and typesetter) with Edizioni E/O, its sister company in Rome.

Canadas Greystone Books has flourished since it was relaunched as an indie press in 2013, when former publisher Rob Sanders led a consortium that bought the imprint from its bankrupt parent company. With Sanders as publisher, the press, which is best known for its books on nature and the environment by authors from Canada and elsewhere, has grown its revenue. Its 2016 sales were more than double the 2015 figure, and were up 253% compared to 2014.

Greystone, which counts among its 14 employees a U.K.-based publicist to promote books and authors there, attributes its success to a focus on international sales. According to sales and marketing manager Jen Gauthier, Publishing worldwide is a key strategy.

A glance at Greystones top sellers also reveals a savviness about making acquisitions that appeal to a broad market. Almost every year, the publisher has released a bestseller, beginning with 2013s pictorial chronicle of devastating floods in Alberta in partnership with the Calgary Herald. The Flood of 2013 has sold 55,000 copies to date. In 2015 Greystone acquired North American English-language rights to the German bestseller Gut: The Inside Story of Our Bodys Most Underrated Organ by Giulia Enders, which has sold 90,000 print copies and 24,000 e-books to date.

But it was a 2016 release that caused Greystones sales to skyrocket this past year: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, originally published in Germany, was translated into English and released simultaneously in North America and in the U.K. The Greystone edition has sold 240,000 copies worldwide (150,000 in the U.S.). The press hopes to keep up the momentum by releasing another book by Wohlleben, The Inner Life of Animals, in November.

Page Street Publishing has continued its rapid sales growth since it was launched in 2013 by Will Kiester. The presss revenue was 31% higher in 2016 than in 2015 and up 117% from 2014. Page Streets early success has helped to propel more success, as Kiester says he feels confident reinvesting in the company by continuing to add new employees and titles.

In fact, Page Street expects more increases in the next few years and is upping its title count to around 70 for 2017. Earlier this year, the company hired Kristen Nobles to head its effort to establish a new childrens book list. Kiester hopes the list will serve as a significant growth engine starting in late 2018 and hitting its stride in 2019.

In 2016, Page Street expanded beyond cookbooks, its core focus, to other lifestyle subjects. Kiester says A Touch of Farmhouse: Easy DIY Projects to Add a Warm and Rustic Feel to Any Room was a good example of a book outside of our comfort area that performed very well, even selling out shortly after its release in December. He notes that he is prepared to slow Page Streets growth if he believes the quality of its products is starting to decline, but adds that that hasnt been the case to date.

Diversion Books has undergone quite a metamorphosis since Scott Waxman launched the company as the e-book publishing arm of his literary agency in 2010. Diversion was spun off as its own company several years ago and signed with Ingram Publisher Services in late 2014, and the addition of print publishing and distribution components sparked a 84% increase in revenue in 2016 compared to 2014.

The lack of quality backlist e-book rights to acquire, combined with the resurgence in print sales and the decline in digital sales, convinced Waxman that more changes were needed. So in late 2015 he hired Jaime Levine as Diversions publishing director, and Levine began a program to put out 5060 frontlist books annually in both print and digital formats. Waxman says the change in strategy yielded immediate dividends last year, with a doubling of print sales compared to 2015 offsetting a 30% decline in e-book sales.

Last year also saw the launch of two new divisions of Diversion: EverAfter Romance and Radius Book Group. EA is a print distribution service that offers bestselling indie authors the chance to reach more bookstores, Waxman explains. It works on a royalty-split model and requires authors to deliver ready-to-print book files and handle their own marketing.

According to Waxman, authors are joining EA due to its flexible modelauthors can retain digital rightsas well as the potential for significant bookstore distribution through IPS. EA distributed close to 500 titles in 2016 (both new and backlist books) and plans to release roughly the same number in 2017. It accounted for about 40% of Diversions revenue last year, and Waxman is looking for a 50% increase in revenue in 2017.

Waxman describes RBG as a high-end custom imprint serving entrepreneurial authors who want to self-publish by partnering with a top-tier publisher. It offers full-service publishing but not a la carte services. He hired Mark Fretz in February as editorial director and is looking to increase sales in the unit more than 300% in 2017 over last year.

Haymarket Books is a nonprofit publisher of political and social justice titles that celebrated its 15th anniversary last year. In an October PW profile, marketing manager Jim Plank attributed Haymarkets recent success to its commitment to putting out books that speak to the current moment. These include one of its all-time top-sellers, 2014s Men Explain Things to Me by Rebecca Solnit.

Since the election of Donald Trump as president in November, Haymarkets sales have, Plank says, shot through the stratosphere, with such frontlist releases as Solnits The Mother of All Questions, which has already sold almost 20,000 copies in paper since its March release. Solnits earlier work, Hope in the Dark, which was originally published after the 2004 election, has sold 32,000 copies in paperback and 5,000 digital copies since November. (In addition, Haymarket gave away more than 31,000 Hope e-books as part of a promotion.)

The press finished 2016 with a 21% revenue increase over the previous year and a 67% gain compared to 2014. And Haymarket is off to a good start in 2017, with net revenue to date of almost $700,000.

Seattle-based Sasquatch Books followed up a 20% increase in sales in 2015 over 2014 with another solid year in 2016, when revenue was up 55% compared to 2014. Little Bigfoot, the companys childrens imprint started in 2014, had another year of gains helped by its growing backlist.

The biggest sales driver last year, however, was Sasquatchs 52 Lists journal series by Moorea Seal, who refers to herself as a creative entrepreneur. The series, which features The 52 Lists Project and 52 Lists for Happiness has more than 375,000 copies in print, according to senior publicity and marketing manager Corinna Scott. Other standout titles in 2016 included Dead Feminists and The Hidden Lives of Owls. The company has another Seal title coming this September, Make Yourself at Home: Design Your Space to Discover Your True Self.

For the second year in a row, Graywolf Press has been named one of PWs fast-growing indie presses, as it held on to the large year-over-year revenue gain it posted in 2015 and finished 2016 up 49% from 2014. Its focus continues to be on literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.

Citizen by Claudia Rankine, which was published in October 2014 and accounted for a significant portion of Graywolfs huge spike in revenues in 2015, is still the literary nonprofits bestselling release, with 200,000 print copies sold to date. In September, Citizen even popped back onto the New York Times bestsellers list when Rankine received a $625,000 MacArthur genius grant and announced she is using the money to study whiteness. Two newer titles have also made important contributions: David Szalays novel All That Man Is was a Booker Prize finalist, and Somaz Sharifs collection Look was a finalist for the National Book Award in poetryand the critical acclaim for these books translated into strong sales.

Were not really doing anything different, notes sales and marketing manager Casey ONeil, pointing out that Graywolf released 34 new titles and reissues in 2016, up from 30 in 2015. Rankines out there in the media often, and our books across the board are simply performing at a stronger level than in previous years, due in large part to academic course adoptions and support from indie bookstores.

Nine Graywolf books were named Indie Next titles in 2016, and six Graywolf releases are Indie Next titles this year through May. Indies are doing better, and weve benefited from that, ONeil says. Plus, more people seem to be reading poetry these days. Were seeing an amazing surge in our poetry list.

Canadas Nimbus Publishing realized the benefits of stepping up its international marketing and promotion in the fiscal year that ended Mar. 31, 2017, which included a 31% increase in revenue compared to fiscal 2015. The press, which is based in Halifax and is approaching its 40th anniversary next year, releases adult and childrens books primarily about the Atlantic Canadian provinces.

General manager Terrilee Bulger attributes much of Nimbuss growth to a tenfold increase in funding from the Nova Scotia provincial government, which allowed the company to invest in production, marketing, and innovation, and to grow its staff. The press has added new editors to increase output and, for the first time, hired an international rights editor, a publicist who focuses on export, and a digital marketing specialist. Nimbus is also expanding its marketing reach to the rest of Canada by hiring freelance publicists in major cities to better promote its titles to their local contacts.

Although exports to the U.S. have accounted for 5% of the companys business and international rights 2%, Nimbus expects, with the added resources, to grow these areas to each account for 10% of its revenue. Increased investment from our provincial government has allowed us to take our marketing initiatives to a higher level, which in turn, drives sales and profit, Bulger explains. Increased investment has also allowed for increased production. The more books we sell, the higher the sales and the higher our capacity to do more.

Shambhala Publications may have only posted an 8% growth in sales in 2016 compared to 2014, but after seven years of steady gains, the company will not be eligible for next years list of fast-growing indie publishers, since participation is capped at annual sales of $10 million. Shambhala president Nikko Odiseos says the companys growth is due to a multiplicity of causes: new imprints, acquisitions, readership building, and export editions.

Shambhala started its lifestyle imprint, Roost Books, in 2012, and the unit has become a bigger part of its business. Roost sales were boosted by the fact that its books won James Beard awards in each of the past two years. Snow Lion Publications was acquired in 2012, which cemented Shambhalas position as the largest publisher of Buddhist books in English in the U.S. And in May 2015, Shambhala acquired Rodmell Press, which not only buttressed its Buddhist list but doubled its line of yoga books.

Shambhala has also increased its overseas business by partnering with several publishers and distributors in Asia to print books in English that are priced for the Asian market. To better market its growing list (it will release 100 books this year), Shambhala sends out between 1.5 million and two million targeted emails per month to specific segments on its email list.

An earlier version of this story mis-characterized Cottage Door's distribution structure and has been corrected.
The ACLU of Montana filed a lawsuit against Cascade County for failing to respond to a request for information on the use of racial profiling and force policies and files on license plate readers which can be used to track a drivers location.

According to a statement, the ACLU sent the first Freedom of Information Act request for the cell site simulators on March 24, 2016. They followed up on April 12, 2016, asking for the Cascade County Sheriff's Office policies on force and racial profiling to make the information available on the ACLU website for public use.

The office didnt respond to either request, the lawsuit alleges.

Cascade County Sheriff Bob Edwards said on Wednesday he wasn't aware a lawsuit had been filed and would need to do some research before commenting.

Jim Taylor, legal director for ACLU Montana, said the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday and the sheriff's office hadn't been served yet. Taylor said the ACLU contacted the sheriff's office through mail each time and never received a response.

Commonly called Sting-Ray devices, the cell site simulators mimic cellphone towers and force a phone to allow police to see its location as well as identifying information. Automatic license plate readers gather information from a plates location and send it to a regional sharing system where its stored for an unregulated amount of time.

The ACLU said this information allows police to essentially track a persons movements.

Taylor said the ACLU has tried to work with agencies that have asked for additional time to meet its requests but is unwilling to continue waiting for agencies that choose not to respond. He said the ACLU plans to also sue the other agencies that havent responded to the same request.

There are 13 other jurisdictions that didn't respond to either request and 24 that only responded to one, Taylor said. There were several who gave incomplete or problematic responses. He declined to specify which jurisdictions failed to respond.

When asked why the ACLU started with Cascade County, Taylor said it was the first major jurisdiction on the list alphabetically.

"It's rare that we send a FOIA and we don't get anything back at all. Agencies have an obligation under state law to respond," he said. "It will cost the ones who don't financially."

While the lawsuit doesn't seek damages, it asks for compliance and legal fees.
ROCK ISLAND  A fire from an improperly extinguished fire pit caused extensive damage to a Rock Island business early Tuesday morning.

At 4:23 a.m., the Rock Island Fire Department responded to a report of a structure fire at Brien Chiropractic, 4510 7th Ave., according to a department news release.

The fire started outside the upper floor of the building, which is an apartment. A fire pit on an exterior deck was properly extinguished the night before, and wind contributed to the fire spreading to the deck below the fire pit and into the structure, the release says.

Two apartment residents home at the time of the fire escaped safely. No firefighters were injured in the incident, and the flames were under control within 20 minutes. The American Red Cross assisted the displaced residents.

According to the fire department, the chiropractic business will not operate out of the location for an indefinite period of time. Damage was estimated at $100,000.

The Rock Island Fire Department also recommended people use extreme caution as warmer weather approaches and people return to outdoor activities such as recreational fires. Recreational fire pits and solid fuel grills should never be used on combustible decks, above ground level or within 25 feet of any combustible structures such as houses, garages and fences, the release says.

See rigov.org/615/Recreational-Fires for other safety regulations for recreational fires.
MOLINE  On the 25th anniversary of "Baby Girl April," Moline Police continue to seek information about a baby girl thrown into the Mississippi River.

Officers said the newborn child likely was born April 10 or April 11, 1992, within 12 to 24 hours of being found in the river. The baby was carried to full term before she was murdered and thrown into the Mississippi River, according to a Moline Police news release.

Forensic evidence has led to the issuance of a first-degree murder charge against Baby Girl April's mother, according to the release. Although police don't know the mother's identity, they know her genetic makeup and have an active warrant for Female Contributor to Human DNA profile P92-001627 Exhibit 3B2.

Anyone with relevant information to the case may remain anonymous by contacting Crime Stoppers of the Quad Cities at 309-762-9500 or Moline Police Department Detective Michael Griffin at 309-524-2140.
MOLINE  Terry Ledbetter and her sister, Sue Benson, will worship at an extra-special Church tonight.

And they've put their heads together to ensure it's unforgettable.

Ms. Ledbetter, 54, and Ms. Benson, 53  both Moliners  got unique haircuts Monday from coiffure wizard Miguel Rosas in preparation for tonight's Eric Church concert at the iWireless Center. Ms. Benson had Mr. Church's signature look, with hat and shades, created on the back of her head. Ms. Ledbetter got Mr. Church's initials.

"Miguel did phenomenal. That man is just amazing," Ms. Ledbetter said Tuesday. "Oh my God, you have no idea. The face, when you first look at it, it scares me half to death. It's like he's looking at you. It's the freakiest thing. It turned out great."

"I'm so fascinated with this man," she said of Mr. Church, a 39-year-old North Carolina native who she also swooned over at a sold-out concert Oct. 5, 2012, at the Moline arena.

"That first concert was amazing," she said. "He is just amazing in concert." She said their seats tonight are in section 111, "pew" 21. She said she and her sister are going with "five virgins" who've never seen Mr. Church perform and prays they become born again.

The siblings used their noggins this way in hopes of catching the artist's eye and possibly meet him after the show. Ms. Ledbetter also is bringing her license-plate art  made from cut pieces of old plates  that say Mr. Church's nickname, "Chief;" his wife's nickname, "Angel;" and his two boys, Boone and Hawk. She sells her license plates at Rock Island Skeleton Key.

The sisters grew up in Moline and have attended many big country shows at the iWireless Center.

"We have done silly things in the past," she said of her sister. "We're very close."

"If it gets Terry a meet and greet, that was my motivation," Ms. Benson said. "I've always had short hair. You could carve your initials in the back of my head, I wouldn't know it. It's gonna be cool."

She said she likes all of Mr. Church's music and his his writing.

"His songs have deep meaning, if you really listen to the words," she said. "I've seen him on awards shows, Austin City Limits. He puts on a really good performance."

Ms. Benson said her unique haircut shouldn't draw much attention at her job as a sub sandwich artist since she's required to wear a cap. "When I get off work, I can't just leave work," she said. "I have to put on another cap, to cover the hat hair."

A couple of years ago, Mr. Rosas did a similar pre-concert portrait for a boy going to see Darius Rucker. The concert camera caught him on the arena floor and put the head shot on the giant video screen, said Mr. Rosas, who also was at the show.

For the cuts, he brings up a photo on his phone and holds it in his left hand as he works with his right. The process takes two hours.

"I just do it," Mr. Rosas said Tuesday, noting it'll be hard for the women to get noticed from where they're sitting. It's also rare for him to make his mark on women's heads.

"Women typically don't have short hair," he said. The sisters did, which made the work easier.

"If this works out, we're going to do it for Luke Bryan," Ms. Benson said of another country star playing the iWireless Center next month.

Amen to that.
Name: Annie Hanshew

Age: 35

Address: 5086 Prospector Gulch Road

Phone: 406-475-2131

Education: BA, History & Political Science, Carroll College

MA, American History, University of Utah

Occupation: Historian and small business owner

Years lived in Helena School District: 29

Do you have or have you had kids in the school district? If so, which schools?

When my husband and I have children they will go to Central School.

Why are you running for school board?

I grew up in Helena and am the daughter of a retired special education teacher. I know how hard teachers work and how lucky we are to have great public schools in Helena. I am running for school board because I want to give back to my hometown and make sure that todays students get the same amazing educational opportunities that I enjoyed growing up.

What makes you a good choice for this position?

I have worked on K12 American Indian Curriculum for the state of Utah and taught American, environmental, and gender history at the college level. I am experienced and care deeply about educational issues. I also know the Helena community and will bring my dedication to my hometown to the position.

What are the three key issues you believe are facing the school district?

The district has major deferred maintenance issues that we need to address in a carefully planned, fiscally responsible way. The first step to this is passing the upcoming school bond (see below). The Helena community needs to follow the lead of other AA districts and commit to bringing our schools up to 21st-century standards. The school board can facilitate this process by being open and transparent and listening to community input.

A related need is to develop a 10-year plan for the district. This guiding document should be developed in conjunction with the city, the county, and community members to take into account future growth in the district and plan for that growth in fiscally and environmentally responsible way.

Finally, in the next three years it is more than likely that we will have to choose a new superintendent. Superintendent Copps has been incredibly gracious with his time  to the point of abandoning his interim title  but eventually we will have to let him retire. Picking a strong superintendent for District 1 will be crucial. We need someone who is a leader, an excellent communicator, and dedicated to the Helena community. The school board will bear the responsibility of finding and hiring that perfect candidate.

Do you support the Helena Public Schools May 2 building bond to build three new K-5 schools at Bryant, Central and Jim Darcy schools, which are slated to be demolished? Why or why not?

I strongly support the upcoming school bond. The districts facilities needs have been deferred for too long, and this bond addresses the three neediest elementary schools and brings safety and technology upgrades to all K8 schools.

The bond language does not require the demolition of the existing Central School building, and for environmental, economic and cultural reasons I believe preservation of historic Central is the best choice. It is my sincere hope that, with community input, the historic facade and even some of the beautiful brick walls can be incorporated into the design of the new Central School. This blending of old and new would preserve the beauty of the building and historic integrity of the neighborhood while also providing students with a state-of-the-art neighborhood school.

What is the district doing well?

The district has amazing teachers, in part because we have one of the best contracts in the state. We need to continue to pay teachers well so that we can draw the best talent to our district. We also need to support them in their continued teaching excellence.

Open lines of communication and willingness to listen to teacher input are key in this regard. Ive already leaned heavily on the advice of my teacher friends in this campaign, and I hope to make many more as a school board member. They know the needs of their schools better than anyone.

What could the district do better?

I would like to see the district develop stronger lines of communication with the community. Helenans care about their schools and are hungry for information, but sometimes that information can be hard to come by. I use social media in my businesses and in my campaign, and I believe that is a great way to quickly and effectively communicate goals and ideas. I think the district could employ the tools of new media to its advantage, and Helenans would be happy to be in the loop on the districts decision-making process.

How will you come up to speed on school board issues?

I am approaching district issues as I would approach any subject as a historian. I look at the history of the issue and gather as much information on the subject as possible. This includes studying documents as well as sitting down with teachers, parents, administrators, and engaged community members and listening to their ideas for the Helena School District and the Helena community as a whole. Historical training requires you to look at both the details of an issue and the larger context, and I hope to bring that skill to the position of school board trustee.
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There is nothing in a recent lawsuit filed by Alan and Nancy Nicholson to prevent the school district bond from going forward, said attorney Elizabeth A. OHalloran, of Kaleva Law Office, at Tuesday nights school board meeting.

The lawsuit, which was filed March 29, seeks to have the Central School demolition permit invalidated, she said, and declared null and void.

The Nicholsons allege the City of Helena followed improper procedures in issuing the demolition permit that was initially approved Feb. 27 with conditions.

The Nicholson lawsuit is also seeking to prevent the demolition of Central School, said OHalloran.

Its not an injunction, she said. The school district is not enjoined from anything.

There is no court proceeding asking for a preliminary injunction, she added. The complainant is seeking an injunction sometime in the future.

At the end of Tuesdays board meeting, the trustees met in a closed executive session with OHalloran to discuss litigation strategies, and then adjourned without taking action.

SCHOOL BOND PROCEEDS

The board authorized Superintendent Jack Copps to offer a contract to Hulteng CCM Inc. of Billings to be the districts Owner Construction Representative if contract negotiations with Hulteng are acceptable to the district.

Hulteng is far and above other Montana companies who represent school districts on their construction projects, said Copps.

Currently the company is managing a $158 million construction program for Missoula School District, a $98.8 million one in Great Falls and an $18 million Catholic K-8 program in Billings.

We want to get a head start, said Copps. We are fast approaching the bond date. Everyone can be prepared to start when the bond passes.

The first thing Hulteng will do is enter into contracts with the districts four pre-bond architects if the bond passes, he said.

The Hulteng contract would only go forward if Helena School District voters approve the May 2 $63 million bond to build three new K-5 schools at Jim Darcy and Central school sites and at or near the site of Bryant School. The bond would also make safety/security and technology upgrades at all K-8 schools, including the two middle schools.

HOGIE WELL WATER EXCHANGE

The board authorized Copps to approve a Hogie Well water exchange agreement at Jim Darcy School, pending satisfaction with the agreement by a committee made up of Copps, two school board members, the school facilities administrator Kalli Kind and an architect.

The agreement, which has been years in discussion, would allow the district to receive 3.7 acres feet of water volume for Jim Darcy School in exchange for the district abandoning its unused Hogie Well at the school.

Copps called the exchange a win-win situation for both the school district and Lincoln Road RV Park, which would get full use of its subdivision drainfield once the Hogie Well is abandoned.

Hogie Well hasnt been used for eight years because of high nitrate levels in the water, said Kind.

The additional water volume is important to the new Jim Darcy School, which would have an enrollment of 500.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

Copps reported that NAMI Montana has offered a potential $37,000 grant to fund the Youth Aware of Mental Health suicide prevention program for next year.

Both Helena High and Capital High School were part of a YAM pilot project done with all freshman at both schools this school year.

In a 2009 study, the European version of YAM proved much more successful than any other suicide prevention programs and interventions, according to research published in Lancet in 2015.

In related matters, Helena High School is inviting suicide prevention speaker Kevin Hines to speak April 27 at both high schools and to give a public talk that evening. Hines attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in 2000.

SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCREDITATION

This is the first time in a long time that all the schools received a regular accreditation from the Office of Public Instruction, Copps told the board. Last fall, Helena High School was facing loss of accreditation and was in intensive assistance due to overloaded classes. The next level would be non-accreditation.

ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES

Dave Thennis, the CR Anderson assistant principal, has been named principal to replace Bruce Campbell, who is retiring, said Copps.

JJ Lamb, the Bryant School principal, will move to CR Anderson as assistant principal, and Kessler School principal Craig Crawford will become principal at Bryant. Lisa Lowney, director of special education, was named principal at Kessler.

All of the moves are voluntary, Copps said.

OTHER MATTERS

The board is looking into revising its school lunch payment policy. Recently, the district was owed approximately $100,000 in unpaid lunch bills, and has recouped about $25,000 so far.

Some parents were unaware that their children were charging lunches, but other parents were allowing their bill to run up.

The district is now doing a better job of notifying parents of unpaid bills, said Copps. Its also notifying families that they may qualify for free or reduced lunches.

Weighted grades is a recurring topic that students at CHS would like addressed. The board asked Copps to discuss it with principals at both high schools and to bring a full discussion back to a future board meeting where students and staff could present their views.
The orders for Malayan Railways Corporation (KTM) have a total value of Yuan 1.32bn and comprise 13 regional hybrid DMUs and nine additional class 93 inter-city EMUs.

The 100km/h regional trains will be equipped with 60,000 Farad supercapacitors, which will store energy from the regenerative braking system for re-use during acceleration. Each four-car train will seat more than 500 passengers.

The 160km/h class 93s will supplement the fleet of 10 trains which entered service with KTM in September 2015. Each six-car train will seat 320 passengers.

Assembly will take place at CRRC Zhuzhous plant in Batu Gajah in the Malaysian state of Perak.

For detailed data on rolling stock orders around the globe, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
Wi-Nostix is an online condition monitoring system that uses pattern recognition to detect faults and an algorithm to identify anomalies in engine and locomotive performance.

The software learns normal engine performance by gathering sensor data and uses analytics to identify subtle deviations in operating behaviour, which can be warning signs of impending equipment problems. Wi-Nostix will alert the operator about a potential issue so that a repair can be scheduled before a failure occurs.

Having Wi-Nostix on the locomotives is like having a technician out with every train every hour of the day, says Mr Matthew Mews, CBHs commercial manager, rail. This keeps our services reliable and gives the maintenance team a heads up when they need to chase down a locomotive and intervene before we have a problem.
While Amtrak cited track issues as the cause of the derailments and pledged to evaluate and change maintenance practices to prevent further issues at the hub, the senators say adequate funding of the railroad could have supported critical maintenance programs.

Three East Coast senators are highlighting the need for increased funding of Amtrak following two derailments at New York Penn Station.

Senators Bob Mendez and Cory Booker (both D-NJ) sent a letter to Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Committee on Appropriations Chairman Susan Collins and Ranking Member Jack Reed, calling for $2.3 billion for the Federal Transit Administrations New Starts capital grant program and $1.6 billion to support Amtrak. The New Starts grant program funding was slashed and Amtraks funding for long distance service was eliminated in President Donald Trumps proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget.

Recognizing the urgent threat to our state and the dire need for infrastructure investment around the country, we urge you to reject President Trumps dangerous proposed cuts and follow the bipartisan congressional commitment to provide robust funding for the CIG and Amtrak, the lawmakers wrote in the letter. These critical programs will create jobs, provide a significant return on investment, improve reliability and safety, and improve quality of life for the American people.

Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said that Amtrak is facing more than a $28-billion state-of-good repair backlog, which could have contributed to the maintenance issues that caused the derailments at Penn Station. Sen. Schumer attributed what he labeled widespread maintenance issues plaguing the Northeast Corridor to a lack of funding, and called for a major increase in rail and transit maintenance funding to help address the issue.

In a speech in late March, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said it was the administrations belief that regulations, not a lack of funding, contributed to many infrastructure-related issues.

Sen. Schumer said, Even the smallest of maintenance issues, left unchecked, can become the reason for the next big delay, or worse, disaster. For far too long, Amtrak has been tremendously under capitalized to the point that they now have an over $28-billion state-of-good-repair backlog. In addition, transit systems across the region lack the necessary funding to make much needed repairs. So, simply put, no matter how hard Amtrak, or other rail systems, work to prioritize safety, because of a lack of funding, some projects and improvements are just not getting done.

For detailed data on maintenance of way and other rail projects, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
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As nations around the world rebuild from protracted armed conflicts, many are struggling with a consequence of war that has largely been ignored by integration programs and policies: How can societies address the unique needs of the thousands of children conceived as a result of sexual violence and exploitation against women and girls during armed conflict?

Referred to as children born of war, they represent a particularly vulnerable class of war-affected children.

Over the past five years, grass-roots women's organizations in northern Uganda have been providing valuable lessons on how to integrate these youth in post-conflict societies. These include mitigating future challenges the children might face by mediating family reconciliations and creating economic opportunities for these children through access to land ownership.

Data on these boys and girls, especially in conflict and post-conflict countries in sub-Saharan Africa, are sparse and lacking. Some independent and expert sources offer conservative estimates, saying the number of children born to women raped during the Rwandan civil war ranges from 2,000 ( PDF ) to more than 10,000. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, up to 17 percent of women and girls who survived conflict-related sexual violence have reported becoming pregnant. In northern Uganda, more than 10,000 ( PDF ) girls abducted by the Lord Resistance Army (LRA) between 1988 and 2004 became child mothers. Most reportedly bore two or more children before being rescued by government forces.

Research ( PDF ) from war-affected countries such as Bosnia and Sierra Leone shows that children born of war confront complex challenges, including socioeconomic marginalization, family rejection, stigmatization, and violence. They struggle with issues of identity and belonging ( PDF ). They're all too often turned into outcasts, rejected by families and communities. That also makes it highly unlikely for their mothers to disclose how they were conceived or help the children access social services.

Being born because of wartime rape 'handicaps children for life.'

Patricia A. Weitsman, the late political scientist and scholar who studied sexual violence and identity in war, has argued that being born because of wartime rape handicaps children for life. ( PDF ) Families and societies can't separate children of war from the circumstance of their conception. Their identities are forever linked with the men who raped their mothers, even when they are raised in their mother's communities, according to Weitsman's research.

A 2016 study by Myriam S. Denov, a McGill University professor, and community-based researcher A.A. Lakor documented the views and experiences of Ugandan children whose mothers were raped while prisoners of the Lord Resistance Army. The youths said their life in captivity was debilitating and horrific. But they described their current, post-release lives as worse, due to the stigma and abject poverty they endure. They appear to prefer war to peace, but it is not their fault. Governments and institutions in civil societies have failed to fully and meaningfully integrate the children into postwar life, the researchers said.

There are signs of better ways forward: The Women's Advocacy Network, a group of more than 600 Ugandan women who were LRA abductees, is addressing this issue in a sensitive and creative manner. In November, I spoke with Lucy, a group leader in the Northern Uganda city of Gulu who asked to be identified by her first name. She said the network is striving to find relatives of some war-born children, hoping to pull them from shame and exile, and reuniting them with extended families of their fathers and reintegrating them into communities.

These children, who are now between the ages of 12 and 20, are asking about their fathers, Lucy said. In some cases the youths already have been branded as perpetrators so it's important to connect them to any family member from the father's side that can help them navigate problems they are facing as a result of who they are, she said.

In some northern Ugandan traditions, children inherit land from fathers or through their paternal line. If war-born children are cast out and cut off from this important resource, the consequencesespecially for young mencan be economically devastating and affect the rest of their lives. Without a way to provide for spouses and families, young men will experience greater societal rejection than their female counterparts.

Not every attempt the Women's Advocacy Network makes to reunite children of war with their extended families is successful, Lucy cautioned. Some children were fathered by former soldiers who were abducted and forced to serve in the rebel groups; they may have changed their names and can be hard to find. Even if family members are located, the children can still be rejected.

Since the 2006 ceasefire between the Ugandan government and the LRA rebels, officials and international organizations have used a transitional justice framework to offer redress for victims of sexual violence and exploitationand their children. This process is put into place when existing judicial systems in nations or regions can't fully deal with large-scale or systemic human rights violations. The framework has helped to foster a range of initiatives in post-conflict northern Uganda to establish accountable institutions, give victims options to pursue justice, and to facilitate community dialogues for reconciliation. But it has neglected the long-term needs and challenges of war-born children, according to a 2015 assessment ( PDF ) by the International Center for Transitional Justice. That group found that officials have focused on mothers, wrongly assuming benefits would trickle down to the children born of war.

The women's network, however, has identified the unique needs of these youths, and the group's push for reunification between children and families may hold promise. The group has benefited from deep community involvement and by having members who are parents of children born of war. This has allowed the group to have a broader and more inclusive view of what is needed to achieve a sustainable and holistic integration process for these children.

The network's efforts may provide a model for other countries in the region facing similar challenges. In Nigeria, for instance, the militant Islamic group Boko Haram has abducted over 2,000 women and girls since 2014and 214 of 700 kidnapped females rescued by the Nigerian army were pregnant. As more girls are rescued, and these women and their children born of war start integrating and reintegrating into their families and communities, organizations will need to consider designing programs that provide immediate relief and services for mothers and their children. Future initiatives also need to take into account the long-term impact of what being a child born of war" entailsand be sensitive to the complex ways it can affect postwar life.

Mahlet Woldetsadik is an assistant policy researcher at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation and a Ph.D. candidate at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. This blog post was written for the Pardee Initiative for Global Human Progress.

Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis.
Former Inkasbank top managers appeal recovery of $105.7 million

MOSCOW, April 12 (RAPSI)  Two former top managers of Inkasbank have filed appeals against recovery of over 6 billion rubles (about $105.7 million) from them, according to the North-Western District Commercial Courts records.

Ex-board chairperson Tatyana Lebedeva and her deputy Lyudmila Samorukova have challenged the November 3 ruling of the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region Commercial Court and the March 2 ruling of an appeals court ordering them to pay out 6 billion rubles and 284.1 million rubles respectively.

Earlier, ex-chairman of Inkasbank Alexander Gitelson filed an appeal with the North-Western District Commercial Court against recovery of 5.06 billion rubles.

The courts held that actions committed by Gitelson, Lebedeva and Samorukova between February 1, 2007 and February 19, 2009 had caused a 7.49-billion-ruble damage ($115 million) to Inkasbank and led to its bankruptcy.

In July 2014, the St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region Commercial Court, upon request of the Deposit Insurance Agency, the bankrupt banks insolvency administrator, charged Gitelson and two other former top managers of Inkasbank with subsidiary liability. In December 2014, a court of appeals upheld the ruling. The ex-bank managers appealed the rulings in a court of cassation.

In May 2015, the Commercial Court of North-West District reversed the lower courts rulings and ordered reconsideration of the case.

Inkasbank was declared bankrupt in May 2009. The banks administrator conducted an inquiry into the circumstances of the banks insolvency. As a result, the Russian Federal Security Service received a motion to open a criminal case (premeditated bankruptcy) against the banks former management.

Gitelson was arrested in Austria in April 2013 and extradited to Russia in December.

In March 2015, Gitelson was convicted and sentenced to three years for embezzling over 2 billion rubles ($30.7 million) in public funds from Inkasbank. A court in St. Petersburg also fined the banker 500,000 rubles ($7,700).

In April 2011, Moscows Meshchansky District Court sentenced Gitelson in absentia to five years in prison and a 1 million ruble ($15,300) fine for embezzling 495 million rubles ($7.6million) from his acquaintance, MP Adnan Muzykayev.

Later, the court ruled to combine punishments for both crimes and extended prison sentence to five years.
Federation Council endorses bill on attorneys rights in criminal proceedings

MOSCOW, April 12 (RAPSI)  The Federation Council has approved a presidential bill regulating actions of attorneys regarding several issues, which appear during criminal proceedings and searches at their places of work and life, the statement of the upper house of parliament reads on Wednesday.

According to the bill, such searches may only be conducted by a court order listing specific objects and data justifying this measure. Investigative authorities are to respect confidentiality of attorneys work and are prohibited from taking case dossier collected by lawyer in full.

In addition, attorneys are to be acknowledged as having a right to participate in the case instead of being allowed to participate in the case. This change is in line with the ruling of the Constitutional Court of Russia, which did not find the need for investigators to allow lawyers to begin their work. Attorney must only present license and appropriate court ruling listing him as representative of the clients interests to begin work.

Authorities conducting preliminary investigation and courts are to accept decisions made by attorney chambers in criminal cases with appointed legal defense, preventing situations when such decisions were ignored and went against interests of suspects and defendants. In similar fashion the bill prevents preliminary investigative authorities from sharing sensitive information with the public and preventing work of an attorney. Such authorities are to guarantee an attorney participation in the proceedings.

Authors of the bill also propose to prohibit calling attorneys as witnesses in criminal cases, prohibit courts from denying motions to call appropriate experts into the criminal proceedings, prohibit the use of certain kind of evidence obtained by preliminary investigative authorities.

The State Duma passed the bill on April 5.
Salam Watandar (Translated by RAWA), April 12, 2017

Officials in Ghor province have reported that a man tied to Said Ahmad, a local commander in Ghor province, threw a woman into a valley and then tied her half-dead body to a horse and dragged her till she was dead. The incident occurred in Samk village of Dawlatyar district.

Massoma Anwari, head of Womens Affairs in Ghor, confirmed the report and said that the woman was raped by this powerful figure eight months ago, and was pregnant when she was killed.

The report was also confirmed by Farida Nasiri, head of AIHRCs regional department for women, and Gulsoom Rezai, a member of the provincial council.

This woman was killed when she was returning from the hospital with her daughter.

We were not successful in getting Said Ahmads (local powerful commander) comments on the matter. But Abdul Hai Khatibi, the governors spokesperson, rejected the occurrence of such an event, and stated that she fell from a horse and died while was on her way to resolve a legal issue with a group of elders.

About three weeks back, Taliban http://salamwatandar.com/Article.aspx?a=30406&c=52; target=_blank>killed two women and a man in Ghor province and burned their bodies. The bodies of the victims were circulated on social media as well.

Originally published on Apr. 5, 2017
Absolute power is both reviled and revered. Most in the West will look aghast at blatant power grabs, smirk at narcissistic acts of self-promotion and regularly admonish leaders engaging in tyrannical behavior. But many others will just as easily look in awe at a leader who embodies sheer power. When a country's politics have been more volatile than just, people will more naturally crave a leader who oozes confidence and manifests strength. They will more willfully submit to propaganda, wanting to neither see nor hear stories of evil that can tarnish the image they hold of their protector.

This dichotomy defines two highly consequential leaders of our time: Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, two men who not only have pasts and motivations with a great deal in common, but whose geopolitical destinies are also deeply intertwined.

Born With a Vengeance

"Men ought either to be indulged or utterly destroyed, for if you merely offend them they take vengeance, but if you injure them greatly they are unable to retaliate, so that the injury done to a man ought to be such that vengeance cannot be feared."

 Niccolo Machiavelli

Putin and Erdogan were born  and rule  with a vengeance rooted in their personal and national upbringings.

Erdogan's most formative years took place in the grimy district of Kasimpasa, on the edge of the Golden Horn waterway dividing European Istanbul, where poor residents looked up the hill with reproach at the wealthy and hip Taksim district, the symbolic center of the Europeanized elite. Erdogan was raised in a conservative family and attended a religious high school, a social environment that made him leery of prideful secular Turks drinking raki in the bars lining Istanbul's streets. He earned his street smarts making extra money selling Turkish snacks in the rough districts of Istanbul, but he always had bigger ambitions. A childhood friend of Erdogan's noted in the documentary "The Making of a Sultan: The Rise of Erdogan" that the young Tayyip, who loved reciting poetry, would stand in empty boats at the docks and deliver speeches to an imaginary audience, honing his oratory skills. Erdogan would later put those skills to use in rallying millions of conservative Turks who were sick of being sidelined from power by Westernized secular elites and who wanted their turn at the country's helm.

Putin, meanwhile, was raised in a dilapidated apartment building in the war-battered city of St. Petersburg (what was then Leningrad). There was no hot water, and only a single stinking toilet. The communal kitchen was always overcrowded with families squabbling over what little food there was to eat. Early accounts of Putin paint him as a thuggish kid, learning early on that an oversized image of strength was key to survival as he scrapped with other kids in rough neighborhoods. One of the few but more revealing anecdotes from Putin's childhood is written in his carefully curated autobiography, First Person.

"There, on that stair landing, I got a quick and lasting lesson in the meaning of the word cornered. There were hordes of rats in the front entryway. My friends and I used to chase them around with sticks. Once I spotted a huge rat and pursued it down the hall until I drove it into a corner. It had nowhere to run. Suddenly it lashed around and threw itself at me. I was surprised and frightened. Now the rat was chasing me. It jumped across the landing and down the stairs. Luckily, I was a little faster and managed to slam the door shut in its nose."

For young Volodya, even a cornered rat will find a way to fight back in a last gasp for survival. This was a lesson that both leaders carried with them in internalizing their national histories.

The West Is Not the Answer

Erdogan, born in 1954, and Putin, born in 1952, grew up in shaky postwar years, never forgetting what it meant to have their countries ravaged from within by insurrection and from beyond by bigger Western powers. Neither fully buy into the idea that their countries will have brighter and more stable futures simply by copying and pasting a template from the West. Not only is this approach unnatural, in their view, but it is also dangerous. For Erdogan, it is even impious.

Several statements made by Erdogan early in his political career reveal his belief that Turkey's national spirit stems from its Islamic heritage, and that the Turkish Republic's embrace of secularism following the fall of the Ottoman Empire was more an aberration than a logical decision in state-building. In a 1996 interview with the daily Milliyet newspaper, a defensive Erdogan is repeatedly asked by the fiercely secular journalist Nilgun Cerrahoglu what his Welfare Party (the predecessor to the Justice and Development Party) actually stood for when it came to religion. Erdogan responded, "Time will tell," and said his party's worldview rested on a system that "depends on the values of our native culture and the spirit of the nation. It is an understanding based on Islam."

Erdogan acknowledges that, pragmatically, Turkey must trade and cooperate on security with the West through mechanisms like its customs union with the European Union and through NATO. But he, along with many of his Kemalist counterparts, lives with the trauma of the draconian Treaty of Sevres that ended the Ottoman Empire and harbors a deep distrust toward Western powers that he accuses of hoping to divide and weaken Turkey. Still, that is where the common ground between Erdogan and the Kemalists ends. Erdogan fundamentally disagrees with the idea that Turkey's national identity is somehow rooted in the West. His is a view that polarizes at least half of his countrymen, who look to the West for inspiration to grow and modernize Turkey. Erdogan nonetheless believes that others, even his most ardent opponents, will eventually come to agree with him once they rediscover their Muslim roots.

Putin shares Erdogan's paranoia of the West. Putin once said that,

"... the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century. As for the Russian nation, it became a genuine drama. Tens of millions of our co-citizens and co-patriots found themselves outside Russian territory. Moreover, the epidemic of disintegration infected Russia itself."

From his KGB posting in 1985-89 in Dresden, where he was charged with stealing Western technology to help Russia catch up with the West, he saw the fall of the Berlin Wall, witnessed the spread of NATO and the European Union into former Warsaw Pact countries, personally fended off riots against his Soviet outpost and then returned to a country in chaos following Mikhail Gorbachev's experiments in liberalization (glasnost and perestroika). He saw the West walk over a weak and embattled Boris Yeltsin, who tried and failed first to prevent NATO from launching a war against Russian-allied Serbs in 1998 and then to secure a role for Russia in the Kosovo peacekeeping mission that followed the war. Putin's Russia needed to be saved, and Putin designated himself as its savior. While Erdogan saw his mission to save Turkey from Western secularists, Putin first went after Russia's oligarchs, who had used an economic opening with the West to plunder the country.

Democracy: A Tool and a Nuisance

For those who carry a deep conviction that they are saving their nation from tragedy and sin, the concept of democracy tends to hold little weight. For Erdogan and Putin, democracy is a tool for gaining power  and a nuisance to navigate once you have it.

In the same 1996 Milliyet interview, Erdogan famously said that "democracy is a means, not an end." He also casually noted that "democracy is a tramway  you climb on to get where you want to go, and then you climb off." His repeated assertion that "laws are made by human beings" implies that laws can easily be lifted to comport with his own vision for the republic. Similarly, Erdogan's inheritance of Turkey's EU accession bid was used as a means to assuage Western onlookers and his own political opponents that Turkey would still keep a foothold in the West, even though Erdogan likely had little expectation of fully adhering to the bloc's democratic norms to complete the accession process.

Putin has also has shown his repugnance for Western lectures on democracy. As he has asserted time and time again, "democracy cannot be exported from one country to another, like you cannot exports revolutions or ideology." In Putin's view, democracy must be a product of a society's developments with its own nuances and timeline. In other words, Russia cannot be rushed and Putin is not about to allow overzealous experimentation in democratization and economic liberalization to shatter Russia once again.

But democracy was a useful tool to build an empire. Indeed, both leaders took similar paths to rise to power and are employing similar tactics to hold onto it. Both worked diligently to mask their more politically unpalatable pasts. Putin commissioned documentaries and biographies to tone down misgivings over his KGB history while Erdogan took care early on to cultivate an image as a "middle-path" Muslim, not an avowed Islamist bent on radically transforming the government. While Putin used his position as deputy mayor and his allies in St Petersburg in the late 1990s to quietly work his way through the corridors of the Kremlin elite, Erdogan placed himself in the public spotlight and passed his first big popularity test as mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to1998.

Both men understood deeply the power of patronage. At the start of their political careers, Putin reined in rapacious oligarchs to earn the people's trust and Erdogan won hearts and minds in Istanbul when he brought clean water to the city, removed trash collecting on the streets and expanded road networks. Both reached the pinnacle of power at the turn of the century, Putin as president in 2000 (after briefly serving as FSB chief and then prime minister) and Erdogan as prime minister in 2003 (his party rose to power in 2002, but Erdogan was temporarily banned from politics by the military-backed establishment). As soon as they reached the top, they worked rapidly to build up networks of loyalists beneath them. They knew that keeping power meant creating deep dependencies in critical institutions and industries as well as on the streets. They were to be seen as the protectors of their people with the power to both punish and reward.

The price of patronage, of course, was unquestionable loyalty. After gutting the oligarchs, Putin made powerful allies in resurrecting national champions in oil, natural gas, nickel, aluminum, steel, diamonds and gold. Erdogan, meanwhile, commissioned massive infrastructure projects with hefty line items and multiple regulatory layers where side sums could be pocketed at every turn. With the procurement and contracting for these projects centered on himself, Erdogan was able to cultivate a powerful network of construction magnates whose wealth depended almost entirely on the quality of their relationship with the Turkish leader. Both presidents accumulated fantastic wealth over the years (by several estimates, Putin is believed to be among the wealthiest people in the world) and have shamelessly displayed their power through oversized presidential palaces built in their names. Some may find it confusing that leaders can ride to power on an anti-corruption crusade and yet, once in power, openly embody the corruptive rot they once vowed to eliminate. But an authoritarian leader can live with such contradiction as long as he has accumulated enough wealth and power to buy allies as needed and convince those beneath him that the loyal will reap the rewards of his rule.

For Putin and Erdogan, laws that get in the way of power can be changed. When Putin reached his presidential term limit in 2008, he installed his subordinate, Dmitri Medvedev, as president while he took the lesser position of prime minister. A loyal Medvedev dutifully signed a constitutional amendment the same year extending presidential terms from four years to six. Putin predictably returned to the presidency in 2012 and, assuming he can win again in 2018, could remain president for a fourth term until 2024.

Erdogan is in the process of engineering his own executive pirouette to consolidate power. When Erdogan reached his three-term limit as prime minister in 2014, he took the less powerful role of the presidency and installed Ahmet Davutoglu as prime minister. Though Davutoglu was long considered an ardent backer of Erdogan, even he grew tired of being politically bulldozed by the president and eventually resigned in 2016. With Binali Yildirim, a more willing executor of his political will, now in place as prime minister, Erdogan is inches away from radically transforming the country's political system and extending his tenure in the process.

On April 16, Turks will vote in a referendum that calls for placing the weight of executive power in the president's hands. Through the proposed constitutional changes, the prime minister's role would be abolished, a vice presidency would be created, parliamentary and judicial oversight over the presidency and his Cabinet would be diminished, and the president (instead of having to remain politically neutral under the existing law) would be allowed to head up his own political party, thus ensuring that lawmakers and deputies understand that their political futures rest directly on their loyalty to the president. Should the public approve these changes, Erdogan would become the acting executive. He would then be eligible to start from a clean slate in 2019 when his current term ends, able to run for the presidency and serve two more terms, potentially staying in power until 2029. (Erdogan is set on remaining president through 2023, the highly symbolic 100th anniversary of the Turkish Republic.)

Hold on Tight

Erdogan and Putin are well beyond the power-building phase of their careers. They are now deep in the act of consolidation, employing whatever creative and heavy-handed tactics are needed to keep them in control. This entails everything from constitutional engineering to drastic steps in controlling the media and silencing the opposition. The two leaders are deeply haunted by their recent memories of the Arab Spring, Euromaidan and Gezi Park uprisings. The specter of social upheaval was not their cue to start reforming and appeasing a growing number of dissidents. On the contrary, it provided the impetus to clamp down and use every opportunity  be it a failed coup or a spectacular terrorist attack  to try to eliminate any whiff of dissent while they still have the power to do so. Both hold deep convictions that if they are not there to navigate their countries through troubled waters in the coming years, their nations' very existence will be at stake. If this sounds like gross egoism, take a step into the mind of an authoritarian personality. For all the effort that goes into making our leaders appear like the common man, they are anything but. As neuroscientist Nayef al-Rodhan explains in his article "The Neurochemistry of Power: Implications for Political Change," the primary neurochemical involved in the reward of power is dopamine, the same chemical transmitter responsible for producing a sense of pleasure. "Power activates the very same reward circuitry in the brain and creates an addictive 'high.'" People wired to crave and seek power are in essence feeding an addiction. And if they feel that power slipping, they become more paranoid, less empathetic and more ruthless in how they govern.

Putin and Erdogan are two authoritarian peas in a pod, ruling over territories that are spread across Europe and Asia. Stretched between East and West, the duality of their nations often collides with their worldview, but solipsistic personalities in high power are also wired to stamp out uncomfortable realities that do not conform to their versions of reality. If the West thinks that lectures on human rights will remold them into democratic visionaries, it is deeply mistaken. These leaders are dripping with power and will go to extreme lengths to insulate themselves from competitors at home and abroad. But they are still political mortals at the end of the day. And the problem with remaining in power for a generation is that it increases the risk of encountering a generational wave of resistance. Erdogan saw the Gezi protesters as young hooligans who needed more discipline and direction in life. He will not hesitate to crack down in full force again.

Putin is facing mass protests in the lead-up to Russia's 2018 election as well, and this time, the demonstrations are dominated by young people who lack the historical memory of much harsher Soviet days. For them, Putin is not a protector from chaos; he is the only dictator they've ever known. This is a generation that has social media at its fingertips to rapidly consume and circulate information. A student at a school outside the city of Bryansk, southwest of Moscow, secretly recorded a debate between students in the class and their principal and teachers before leaking it on social media. In the recording, the students flatly rejected the government's nationalistic reasoning on taking Crimea by force and their teacher's defense of the government's crackdown on opposition activists. An excerpt from the recording reads as follows:

Principal: So you think that life in this country got worse with the arrival of Putin and Medvedev?

Student 1: No, but they've stayed too long. They've just been there [in power] for too long.

Student 2: Yeah.

Principal: Did you live in some other era that I somehow missed? Under whom did you live well? And under Putin and Medvedev things got worse for you?

Student 2: We've studied history.

Principal: Naturally.

Student 2: Well

Principal: What does "well" mean? I'm asking you, specifically you: Under what ruler did you live well? What do you mean "well"?

Student 2: We've only ever had one ruler, actually.

Principal: You said that things have become worse. But you never lived through the hard years of the 1990s. When, forgive me for saying this, everyone carried around a blade and a firearm, and the country was in chaos. And this was when I was studying in college! This was when it was scary to go out into the street after eight at night. You didn't see this.

The conversation shows a stark contrast between generations: One with a visceral reaction to a much darker past that makes it deeply distrustful of social upheavals and fiercely loyal to a strongman leader; the other, far less risk averse, has only a distant memory from history books and simply is not willing to buy into fear-mongering propaganda designed to keep a few politicians in power. This is perhaps the challenge that neither Putin nor Erdogan may be fully prepared for in their extended political years.
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Supporters of Martha Williams sang her praises Tuesday as the Montana Senate considers whether to make the attorney and former university professor the leader of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, which is one of the highest profile agencies in the state.

Williams, who most recently taught natural resource law at the University of Montana, was nominated by Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock to succeed Jeff Hagener as FWP director. On Tuesday the Senate Fish and Game Committee heard testimony during her confirmation hearing. If successful, her confirmation will be considered by the full body.

Nobody at the hearing testified against her confirmation.

Williams highlighted her personal history growing up on a farm, and her legal history as a former attorney for FWP, as solicitor for the Department of the Interior and as a law professor. Her lifes work and being an outdoorswoman helps her recognize the importance of the agency to Montana, she said.

I promise to focus on making Fish, Wildlife and Parks efficient and resilient so that we can ably address and adapt to challenges we face now and will face in the future while serving as the stewards of the resources of this great state and the opportunities they represent, she told the committee.

Williams says she has heard from the Legislature a need to build FWPs credibility and follow through on commitments the agency makes. The way to accomplish that goal is to pull together and pursue stronger partnerships outside FWP, she said.

About a dozen rose to speak in support of Williams confirmation, including conservation and agriculture groups, former students and colleagues, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and her son, Ian Williams, who spoke about seeing his mother work long hours as Montana faced federal delisting of wolves and as a professor preparing for class.

Cascade-area rancher and former legislator Emily Hibbard said she believes Williams will be a leader when dealing with contentious issues.

In my acquaintance which goes back around 25 years, Ms. Williams has consistently shown herself to be a woman of great integrity, Hibbard said. She has dignity, grace, knowledge when she speaks, depth and diplomacy, someone who cares. Ms. Williams has dedicated her career to law and her life to the land and the people of Montana who inhabit it.

Clay Miller, a former wildlife biologist and current third-year law student at UM, said he and other students saw Williams draw from a variety of viewpoints to understand that science or law alone would not always offer solutions.

Martha understood the complexity of issues surrounding our natural resources, and went to great lengths to bring this awareness to her students, he said. She was one of the few professors that reached across campus to bring scientific expertise into her classrooms, teaching her law and policy courses to students in the college of forestry, division of biological science and environmental studies.

Under questioning from lawmakers, Williams legal training was shown in measured answers to policy questions such as FWPs responsibility to landowners when elk populations exceed objectives. FWP works under the laws the Legislature passes, she said, and the agency must approach issues such as landowner relations and access carefully.

When asked if FWP planned to acquire more land, which has become a sticking point for some lawmakers, she said she saw no imminent purchases but would hate to lose the option of purchasing land.

On the subject of enforcement and a funding shift that could push game wardens away from enforcement, at least in part due to concerns about militarization of the division, Williams said the debate need not be about blue jeans versus battledress.

I think our game wardens have a duty to work with people as the interface of our agency as best as they can. Should they have proper safety equipment? I think so too, she said.

When asked by Bullock to become director, Williams said her two conditions were a clear line of communication and the administrations support of Montana State Parks. The parks division has faced a number of budgetary issues that, along with aquatic invasive species, have dominated her short tenure as acting director, she said.

When asked about her vision for FWP, Williams said she has a low tolerance for petty differences or camps. She feels that her role as director is to bring people together both inside and outside the agency, and to operate in a transparent way that the public can understand.

I think often people can live with decisions that arent just what they want when were much better at explaining why were doing what were doing.
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Imagine all three branches of Montanas government as ranches in Montana. The Legislature, the Executive, and the Judiciary all have their own ranches with strict boundaries set up by the people of Montana. This is the law of the land. But one ranch, the Judiciary, is threatening to raise kangaroos and intentionally let them jump over the boundaries, camp out on the Legislature's front lawn and leave scat on their porch. Thus, the Legislative ranch has the affirmative duty as duly elected representatives of the people of Montana, to direct the Judiciary (Supreme Court) to respect the boundaries of the Constitution of the great state of Montana.

Senate Joint Resolution 15, passed by both the House and the Senate, politely tells the Judiciary to take their kangaroos and stay within their boundaries. If the Legislature were not to act, we would find ourselves without boundaries and a 7-member oligarchy would violate Montanas constitutional boundaries. This cannot happen or Montanas freedom and system of a Constitutional Republic will be lost.

The American Bar Association, (ABA), an Illinois based non-profit political advocacy group is pushing radical rule 8.4g nationwide through every states Supreme Court.

The proposed rule states in part: It is professional misconduct for a lawyer to: engage in conduct that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know is harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status or socioeconomic status in conduct related to the practice of law."

This rule, on the surface, may sound like common sense or reasonable, but in fact is disguised as a restriction of free speech and a violation of the separation of powers.

It would make it a legal ethics violation (meaning a lawyer could lose his or her license to practice law) if he or she verbally violated the proposed rule. A lawyer, for example, who belongs to the Catholic Church and openly espouses that marriage, is between one man and one woman could be sanctioned for misconduct. Further, a lawyer serving in the legislature making a political speech decrying an organization that sponsors illegal immigration could be disciplined and debarred for discrimination.

The ABA makes it clear that the rule applies to a lawyers personal behavior. There is verbal conduct as well as physical conduct and can apply anytime a lawyer is speaking to another person outside of a courtroom even in a social environment. Professionally, lawyers would be restricted on who they can represent and what they can say.

Montanas own Supreme Court has asked for public input on this proposed rule. The public response has been overwhelmingly negative. Over 500 Montanans have responded and 99% are listed as staunchly opposed.

I am proud to have sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 15 which sends a clear message to the Supreme Court and the governor of Montana that Montanas Legislature will not tolerate the unconstitutional content in ABA rule 8.4g.

The Legislature has spoken. Should the Supreme Court of Montana implement ABA rule 8.4g, they would be violating Montanas Constitution. Montanans, make no mistake; If a government has the authority to control your speech and punish you for speech they deem wrong, then we the citizens are in bondage to that government.

David Howard, R-Park City, represents House District 60 in the Montana Legislature.
Porterville, CA (93257)

Today

Rain likely. Morning high of 63F with temps falling to near 50. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Locally heavy rainfall possible..

Tonight

Periods of rain. Low 46F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
After years of debate, protests, edits and the 2016 veto, HB 280, also known as the Campus Carry legislation, starts in the state of Georgia on July 1.
A last-ditch effort to block changes to the Treasure State Correctional Training Center, more often called the "Boot Camp," in Deer Lodge failed Wednesday.

Earlier this legislative session, a subcommittee approved removing a part of state law that requires the training center, leaving it up to the warden at the state prison to decide how the facility could be used.

Legislators said the program is rarely full and could be better used for something else, such as a methamphetamine abuse treatment center.

Those in the Deer Lodge community worry it could lead to a loss of jobs at the center, though without knowing what the warden might do with the center its hard to predict the impact. Earlier this year the state moved the Title and Registration Bureau of the Motor Vehicle Division, where 35 people worked, out of town and to Helena.

Sen. Dave Howard, R-Park City, called for not changing the program Wednesday, saying the decision should be made from a policy perspective, not a budgetary one.

This needs to be a policy decision. It needs to be completely reviewed in a policy committee so we do the right thing. Were taking a policy and were changing it because of money. That is basically wrong.

Howard also said the boot camp program is successful.

The people that come off it never come back. They save this state money plus we save their lives.

Ryan Osmundson, R-Buffalo, who was on the subcommittee that decided to remove the requirement for the boot camp from state law, said the facility is often only half full and could possibly be better used.

We think we can save money. We think we can help more people through closing and changing this into something else.

Osmundson said he didnt think anyone would lose their job, but recognized the concerns.

Its just a change from one program to another program. If somebody is specially trained to only do one thing there may be some change in staff there. But we are not getting rid of the facility.

Sen. Llew Jones, chair of the Senate Finance and Claims Committee that shot down Howard's request, said the bill does not necessarily close the boot camp, but just removes the requirement it exists.

This does not change the wardens choice. In fact it expands it and allows him to choose a different program if he so chooses.
A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in Mumbai has convicted four former bank officials in one of the multi-crore securities scam cases and sentenced them to three years imprisonment, 25 years after the scam involving 'Big Bull' Harshad Mehta came to the fore.

The securities scam rocked the BSE and other stock exchanges in 1992. Mehta, the kingpin in the scam, passed away in 2001.

On Tuesday, special judge H S Mahajan convicted M S Srinivasan (former funds manager of State Bank of Saurashtra), Vinayak Deosthali (former assistant manager of UCO Bank), R Sitaraman (official from the SBI's security wing) and P A Karkhanis (former senior manager, UCO Bank).

The four officials were charged with corruption, criminal breach of trust and falsification of books of accounts and eventually benefiting the deceased stock broker.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on each of them. However, after conviction, the court granted bail to them to approach the higher courts.

According to the prosecution, in 1991 all banks were required to keep a percentage of their deposits with RBI on a fortnightly basis, called the Cash Reserve Ratio. Also, each of the banks was required to invest its deposits in securities, which was called the Statutory Liquidity Ratio.

To maintain CRR and SLR the banks could borrow or lend from each other in the call market without the involvement of brokers or third parties.

The CBI said the State Bank of Saurashtras DN Road branch and UCO Banks Hamam Street branch, were authorised for such transactions.

The officials of these two banks, under the guise of Call money Lending Transactions (CMLT), debited and credited personal accounts of Mehta in UCO Bank.

The probe agency also alleged that Srinivasan and others, in conspiracy with Mehta, parted with a sum of Rs 198 crores of State Bank of Saurashtra (to Mehta) by falsely recording various call money lending transactions, and showing the counterparty as UCO Bank.

The court acquitted one P S Gokhale, while the case against Mehta and M V Shidhaye, also named as an accused, was abated as they died during the trial.

Sindhu Bhatt of the State Bank of Saurashtra turned approver in this case.

Multiple cases were filed in 1992 following a probe into the irregularities in securities transactions and fund management by banks and other financial institutions.

Image: A file photograph from 2001 of stockbroker Harshad Mehta.
Realty players want single window clearance for all affordable projects, reports Karan Choudhury.



Eager to make the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana a success, the Prime Minister's Office held a meeting on Sunday with leading developers, the sectoral body and bankers on what was needed for mega-size projects in affordable housing.

The way forward Ministry of housing approves construction of 1,773,052 affordable houses so far under PMAY (urban), with investment of Rs 95,660 crore

At least 10,000 houses planned in Maharashtra, 41,921 in the National Capital Region, 28,465 in Gujarat, 7,037 in Karnataka, 6,0557 in UP

Credit linked subsidy scheme component of PMAY (urban) extended to those with annual income of Rs 12-18 lakh. Interest subsidy of 4 per cent, plus 3 per cent on housing loans Home buyers in the EWS, LIG and MIG segments with annual incomes up to Rs 18 lakh, brought under ambit of PMAY (urban), opening investment opportunities for developers

Around 30 members from the real estate sector were there, said sources.

There were representatives from major developers such as Tata Housing and DLF and sectoral associations Credai and Naredco.

The hour-long meeting was all about affordable housing. The PMO said it was ready to work with the industry to make PMAY a success, said a source who was at the meeting.



The realty representatives said they wanted a single window clearance scheme for all affordable housing projects.



We need this as it takes a lot of time to get a project started. In affordable housing, margins are tight and a delay mounts costs. Also, we want the government to come up with a public-private partnership model, where they provide us with land, as that is one of the main cost factors, added the source.



Sectoral bodies also asked that Minimum Alternate Tax in this regard be cut to nil; the PMO refused.



Under this policy, there are certain obstacles on the supply side if done in a particular form. All these were discussed, said a person at the meeting.



Union minister of housing and urban poverty alleviation Venkaiah Naidu had inaugurated a scheme for 352 projects involving investment of at least Rs 38,000 crore to build over 200,000 houses.



The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Associations of India said it could build 203,851 low-cost homes, for Rs 15-30 lakh, in 53 cities across 17 states under the scheme.



It says it is in talks with the State Bank of India on a financial package, for both home loans and construction finance.



The government has extended the credit linked subsidy scheme component of PMAY (urban) to middle income groups, with annual income of Rs 12-18 lakh, under which interest subsidy of four per cent and three per cent on housing loans will be provided.



Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
'Men think dancehall is only twerking!'

'The most difficult part of the dance is the style.'

'People usually look at the steps and think, "Yeah! I can do this. Of course, anyone can do steps, but that style? Nah!"'

IMAGE: Jahnavi Sheriff's moves, during a dance workout, are thrilling to watch. Photograph: Kind courtesy Jahnavi Sheriff/Facebook

What does it take for a 23-year-old dancer and choreographer to spread her love for a new form of dance in a cosmopolitan urban space like Mumbai?

Loads of sweat and hard work discovers Rediff.com's Anita Aikara as she chats with Jahnavi Sheriff, who is trying to popularise the Jamaican form, dancehall, in the city.

Dancehall, like the 1970s music of the same name, is a very energetic style with fast rhythms.

Earlier this year, Jahnavi bagged fourth place at Asia's first dancehall competition in Taipei, Taiwan.

She remembers how she got introduced to dance and describes her colourful experiences teaching dancehall in Mumbai and its challenges.

At what age were you introduced to dance?

I was four. My base is Bharata Natyam. I was trained at Kalakshetra (the legendary college of dance in Chennai).

Then?

I went to the Broadway Dance Centre, New York City, for a year.

While I was there, I had to take two compulsory ballet classes and three to four diversity classes (including contemporary, jazz, etc).

That's how I got introduced to the basics of ballet, jazz and contemporary.

I have travelled to France and Taiwan to learn more.

Every time I (hear that ) a Jamaican (dancer) is coming to teach, I see if it's affordable and then attend the class -- going to Jamaica is too expensive, but I will go there someday.

I have also tried my hand at a few street/funk styles.

I love trying new things -- it's an exciting feeling.

It makes me better at what I do.

Getting introduced to dancehall:

I got introduced to dancehall in 2013 at the Broadway Dance Centre.

Little did I know that I'd fall in love with it and it would change the way I dance and change me in a positive way too.

Participation in Asian's first dancehall competition:

The first Asian Dancehall King and Queen Competition was held in Taipei this year.

I was really scared and I almost wanted to back out.

I was like 'What the hell am I doing, even trying to compete against these people!' Because they were all really good -- most have them have competed and won titles before.

(In the run-up to the competition) I practiced a lot.

I'm very obsessed with my training sessions -- my afternoons were and are meant for training.

IMAGE: Her feet are a treat to watch.

When did you start teaching dance?

I have been teaching dance for four years now -- however, I'm still learning and I'll forever be learning.

I am teaching, so that I can spread a little awareness of the (dancehall) form here.

VIDEO: What's dancehall dancing? Watch Jahnavi's dancehall steps to Jamaican artist Mavado's Blood Moon!



What were the challenges you faced when you started teaching?

When I was a newbie, I had just one or two students.

I was scared to teach this form and was so used to working with professionals.

But I'm happy I had those two students. I think they made me a better teacher.

Also the pay is always difficult in the beginning.

How are you spreading the love for dancehall in India?

I conduct workshops and teach at academies.

I try and do a few videos on social media and upload from wherever I travel (in and out of India).

I even upload my practice videos despite the fact that I am still getting the hang of doing videos.

I do a few showcases here and there -- at colleges and events -- if invited.

This year my crewmate Rashmi Jathan and I invited Chad GLOBAL BOB Torrington, a Jamaican dancehall dancer and teacher to Mumbai.

VIDEO: Watch Jahnavi dance to Ed Sheeran's Shape of You

What's the most difficult part of dancehall?

It's the style.

People usually look at the steps and think, 'Yeah! I can do this.' Of course, anyone can do steps, but that style? Nah!

What's the fun part?

The fun part is that you feel free. :)

Do you create your own moves for your students?

No, I don't.

I feel I have more time to go before I do that.

Right now, I want to grasp, learn and understand the culture every time I travel outside India (and some day Jamaica).

Maybe one day when I'm established I may travel to Jamaica.

What is the enthusiasm level when it comes to learning dancehall in Mumbai?

It's good and bad as well.

Good because women show up, bad because men think it's only twerking.

Thank God for my videos and the routines I do in class!

I'm finally starting to have more men, which I've been wanting since a long time.

I have a few male dancers, who are really good, in my class.

When they upload a video of them dancing, it helps.

So hopefully a balance and shift in mentality (is expected soon).

VIDEO: Jahnavi Sheriff conducts a dancehall workshop.

All videos: Kind courtesy Jahnavi Sheriff
The Human Development Report (HDR) that was published recently by the United Nations Development Programme gave India high marks and low. It is important that the country take note of both.

The good news is that India has performed much better than average when it comes to the rate of improvement on its Human Development Index -- which is a composite of life expectancy, years of schooling and per capita income.

Among the large economies, only China did better.

Indias index has improved by about 46 per cent since 1990 -- an annual rate of improvement of 1.52 per cent. That compares with Chinas 1.57 per cent, but the comparison is unfair to China because percentage improvements become more difficult as you go higher up the scale.

Over the quarter century (1990-2015), India has moved ahead of nine countries that had a better index score in 1990, while no country with a worse index score in 1990 has overtaken India subsequently.

Also, India moved from the low human development category to the medium human development category about a decade ago; if there are no surprises, the country should expect to graduate to the high human development category (where China already is) in about another decade.

The fastest way to improve Indias score would be to improve its education record -- the average girl child has only 4.8 years of schooling, compared to 8.2 years for boys.

The average for all children is 6.6 years; if that solitary figure were improved to 12 years, which Uzbekistan reports at a similar income level, India would move into the high human development category.

The other factor to note is a distressing level of gender inequality, which is most pronounced in education levels, and then in incomes. The male-female ratio for incomes in India is about 4:1, whereas for all medium development countries it is less than 3:1.

The heart of the problem lies in the limited role that women have in the workforce. Only the Muslim countries stretching from Pakistan all the way westward to Morocco have a worse record of women participation in the workforce.

While Indias record in improving its overall human development index is creditable, its absolute levels of attainment give no cause for satisfaction, and point to how much more distance has to be travelled.

For instance, some 55 per cent of the population experiences what the UNDP terms multi-dimensional poverty (a composite of several indicators like stunting and being under-weight for ones age). A further 18 per cent are in danger of experiencing such poverty, making for a total of about 73 per cent for the two categories.

This should serve as a wake-up call when the headcount of those below the international poverty line of $1.90 per day (using purchasing power parity) is 21.2 per cent, and might beguile one into thinking that the country is well on its way to abolishing extreme poverty.

A further reason for introspection comes from the fact that virtually all our South Asian neighbours do better. Whether it is Pakistan, Bangladesh or even Nepal, all of which have lower (and sometimes substantially lower) per capita incomes, the poverty headcount ratio is better or much better than Indias.

The heart of the problem might be said to lie in the governments failure to raise its level of spending on health and education, and to get value for such expenditure.

Indias public expenditure on education is clearly inadequate, but its public expenditure on health is even worse, at barely 1.4 per cent of GDP.

To reach the level of such expenditure for all medium human development countries, budgets would have to be raised straightaway by 30 per cent.

When all the numbers are digested, the message that comes through is clear: What needs attention most of all are public healthcare, public schooling and gender equality.

It is a pity that one hears so little about all three in the debates that occupy our public spaces.

Photograph: Reuters.
'There seem to be no reason why Assad should have launched such an attack when he was gaining acceptability,' says Brigadier S K Chatterji (retd).

IMAGE: A man carries the body of a dead child, after the suspected gas attack. Photograph: Ammar Abdullah/Reuters

On Tuesday, April 4, fairly early in the morning, residents of Khan Sheikhun, a small town in Idlib, Syria that has witnessed enough violence already, was taking the toll from another Syrian air attack.

It was no different from any other except that when the first responders came close to the site they were incapacitated.

Effects of the sarin gas, a devastating nerve agent that the Syrians experienced in 2013 when President Bashar al-Assad used it against rebels opposed to his regime.

The casualties then were about 1,000 people. This time, it is close to 90 lives.

There is a small hitch when it comes to pinning responsibility on Assad for the outrage.

The Russian version accepts the Syrian air attack, but debates the issue of Assad using chemical weapons.

The Russians elaborate that the airstrikes hit a rebel-run toxic gas manufacturing unit, and the leakage was from stockpiles therein.

While America and its allies will believe the first version, the Russians, Iranians and others will surely go with the other narrative.

In the fog of war, the issue will be contested against these opposing backdrops at international fora, notwithstanding the fact that President Donald J Trump has delivered judgment.

His sentence has also been executed: 59 Tomahawk missiles having flattened Syria's Shyrat airbase on the night of April 6-7.

Chinese President Xi Jinping was dining with Trump when the Tomahawks took flight at 7.40 pm Eastern April 6. The Tomahawks delivered his message covering a broad bandwidth to the Chinese and the world at large.

For the Chinese, the most conspicuous message was that the Americans will not accept gross violation of international conventions in the South China Sea.

China has stated it will not abide by the international court of arbitration's ruling in the Philippines' favour in the South China Sea case. Further, declaring an air defence zone over the South China Sea is also not acceptable to anyone.

The Tomahawks may have conveyed Trump's inclination to react adequately should the Chinese push the envelope further.

The Chinese official reaction has been muted with its foreign ministry spokesperson calling for the 'relevant parties to stay calm, exercise restraint and avoid doing anything that might raise tensions.'

For the Russians, the Tomahawks' message was quite cryptic.

Notwithstanding Trump's much touted Russian leanings, the red lines in US-Russian relations remain just about where they were in Barack Obama's final years in office.

Senior Pentagon officials have confirmed that they are probing the possibility of the Russians participating in the chemical attack.

IMAGE: The USS Ross fires a Tomahawk missile at the Syrian air base. Photograph: US Department of Defence/Reuters

The most explicit message is perhaps meant for the North Koreans.

The Americans have already threatened to use force after North Korea's recent missile test. A massive naval exercise involving Japan, South Korea and the US has already churned the waters in the Korean Sea.

Notwithstanding the North Korean foreign minister calling the US action in Syria 'an unforgivable act of aggression,' that the American missiles could fly North Korea's way is Washington's simple message to Pyongyang.

For European Union countries and NATO members, the Americans use of force to uphold international conventions must be most enthralling. Trump's insistence on EU countries strengthening their defences and paying for it had given an impression that his commitment to Europe was less than his predecessors.

The response in Syria will reaffirm his commitment to Europe while underscoring his message to NATO and EU members to spend more on defence.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey -- all American allies fighting or supporting one faction or the other in Syria against ISIS -- welcomed the American response. How Turkey will manage its relationship with Russia post its support for the US strikes will be worth following.

Surely, if Assad planned the attack, he couldn't have ruled out American retaliation.

The fact that Obama held back from attacking Syrian targets in 2013 -- when Assad decided to sign the chemical weapons ban after the chemical attacks in Ghouta, Damascus -- may have lured him into giving it a shot again.

The American response pushes him back to the wall. In the short term, ISIS may benefit.

With a huge rift between the Americans and the Russians, operations of most parties fighting ISIS may suffer, especially air operations that require greater coordination.

The Russians have already threatened to stop operational coordination. The chances of coordination in the impending battle for Raqqa also dissipates substantially.

For the Americans who voted Trump to the presidency, he has surely become an instant hero. The man whose ratings were plummeting swiftly would surely have climbed the charts overnight.

The incident brings to fore the inconsistencies in Trump's pre-poll rhetoric of America First and not getting involved in others' wars. Not too many Americans will mind the switch, not in this case at least.

Finally, though there is no evidence that Putin was in the know, American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson -- who as Exxon chairman dealt frequently with the Russian leader -- termed Moscow's role to be: 'Either complicit or incompetent in its role of overseeing Syria's supposed removal of chemical weapons.'

Nikki Haley, the US permanent representative to the United Nations -- gave the impression that the US accepts that Assad has a role in Syria.

There seem to be no reason why Assad should have launched such an attack when he was gaining acceptability.

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Uttar Pradesh still remains far behind the Indian average on most health indicators, says Dipa Sinha.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com





Uttar Pradesh continues to make front page news, three weeks after the most followed state elections have been completed.

One of the issues which did not figure much in the run-up to the campaigning, or even after, is the health and nutrition status in the state.

The initial results of the much-awaited National Family Health Survey data, based on a survey conducted in 2015-16, have recently been released.

While the fact sheets for 11 states were released last year, the all-India statistics as well as fact sheets for all the remaining states have only been brought out last month.

Presumably because of elections, the fact sheet for Uttar Pradesh was withheld and only released after the last round of polling on March 6.

The NFHS-4 presents mixed results for India as well as UP -- moderate improvements in a number of indicators such as child malnutrition and antenatal care, along with impressive performance in a few, such as institutional delivery and total fertility rate.

At the same time, new concerns related to high rates of caesarean sections and increasing prevalence of overweight/obesity among adult men and women, are also seen.

On the whole, in comparison with other countries at similar levels of economic development, including our South Asian neighbours, India continues to perform poorly on health and nutrition.

In India, UP has some of the worst indicators.

IMAGE: About 63.2 per cent children and 52.4 per cent of all women are anaemic. Photograph: Jayanta Dey/Reuters.

UP has the largest population in the country and the state not only influences national politics but national statistics as well.

NFHS-4 data shows that UP still remains far behind the Indian average on most of the health indicators, despite some modest improvements in the past 10 years.

The infant mortality rate in UP, at 64 per 1,000 births, is the highest in the country with the all-India average being 41. IMR in UP is even higher than the Indian average for 10 years back (57 in 2005-06, NFHS-3), indicating that at this rate the state will not be able to catch up in the foreseeable future.

Almost 50 per cent of children are not fully immunised, 46.3 per cent children under five years are stunted (low height for age) and 39 per cent children are underweight. The corresponding Indian averages are 62 per cent, 38.4 per cent and 35.7 per cent.

About 63.2 per cent children and 52.4 per cent of all women are anaemic.

The state is also behind when it comes to fertility rate. While there has been a significant fall in total fertility rate from 3.8 to 2.7, this is the Indian average for a decade earlier.

Only 32 per cent of currently married women use any modern method of family planning, with an 18 per cent unmet need for family planning in the state.

On many of these indicators, UPs statistics are close to some of the poorest and most deprived countries in the world.

IMAGE: Only 32 per cent of currently married women use any modern method of family planning, with an 18 per cent unmet need for family planning in the state. Photograph: Archana Masih/Rediff.com

The immediate task of the state government is to assess the status of health and nutrition in the state and develop comprehensive strategies to address the situation. The availability of NFHS data at the district level could be very helpful in this process.

It must be recognised that social determinants such as poverty, womens status and living standards are as important as access to healthcare facilities.

Only 33 per cent of women in UP have completed 10 or more years of schooling and 16.5 per cent were engaged in work where they were paid in cash.

Merely 35 per cent households use improved sanitation facilities (23 per cent in rural areas) and just 33 per cent use clean fuel for cooking.

All of these impact health and nutrition outcomes.

At the same time, in terms of health provision, huge gaps remain in the state.

The Rural Health Statistics for 2016 shows that less than five per cent of the PHCs in the state meet the Indian Public Health Standards and there is hardly any increase in the number of PHCs after 2000.

There are massive gaps in human resources in public health facilities, with 50 per cent of doctors positions in PHCs remaining vacant and less than one-fifth the required number of physicians being available at community health centres.

NFHS-4 data shows that there is a demand for health care facilities and people are willing to go to public facilities as well.

As a result of the Janani Suraksha Yojana and the accompanying campaigns, the institutional births in public facilities increased from a mere 6.6 per cent in 2005-06 to 44.5 per cent in 2015-16.

IMAGE: Only 33 per cent of women in UP have completed 10 or more years of schooling. Photograph: Reuters

Overall, there is an increase in institutional births from 21 per cent to 68 per cent.

While 49 per cent of the women received financial assistance under JSY for institutional delivery (Rs 1,400), on an average they had to bear an out-of-pocket expenditure, at public health facilities, of Rs 1,956.

The state has to work on a war footing to address these gaps by increasing the allocations made for health, enhancing spending capacity and most importantly sending a strong message across that health is now a political priority.

Even the central government will have to take health in UP more seriously, if it is to meet the goals of the National Health Policy, 2017.

The UP government opened an RFP in December 2016 to outsource primary health care centres to private players.

It must be realised that it would be futile to depend on privatisation to be able to respond to this situation of poor social determinants and inadequate health provision. It is time for the state to take on the responsibility for the health of the people by improving the access and quality of services.

Dipa Sinha teaches at the School of Liberal Studies, Ambedkar University, Delhi.
The real challenge is that the North Korean leader is very unpredictable, possesses nuclear weapons, and does not seem interested in dialogue.

In part 1 of his insight into the North Korea problem, Dr Rajaram Panda explains why the US president needs to restrain himself and build a relationship with China to put any credible pressure on Pyongyang.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

In another act of provocation, North Korea conducted another ballistic missile test, just 48 hours before United States President Donald Trump had a summit meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in Florida on April 6 and 7 -- a meeting in which North Korea's nuclear ambitions, besides trade issues, was at the top of Trump's agenda.

The projectile fired into the Sea of Japan on April 5 flew about 60 km and fell in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Any launch of objects using ballistic missile technology is a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, but Pyongyang has defied the ban as infringement of its sovereign rights to self-defence and pursuit of space exploration.

China is North Korea's only international ally that has kept the nation afloat despite its pursuit of nuclear and missile programmes and defiance to international laws.

Though China has endorsed UN sanctions on North Korea and recently banned the imports of coal till the end of 2017, it does extend clandestine economic support as it does not want instability in the Korean peninsula.

China has its own strategic compulsions and finds a divided Korean peninsula suits its interests.

Moreover, it would be unwelcome to see the US forces closer to its border.

Whatever support China has extended to US and other countries demanding North Korea to abandon its nuclear and missile programs are cosmetic without real intent to punish the nation.

President Trump knows, as others do, that China has the capacity to put more pressure on North Korea to change its nuclear and missile programmes.

He even expressed his frustrations and threatened that the US was prepared to go alone in bringing the North to heel if China does not step in.

That was rather an undiplomatic statement.

Trump needs to restrain himself and build a relationship with Xi because US needs China to help with North Korea.

Even his threat to use trade to try to force China to exert influence over Pyongyang could trigger a trade war, which would be against US interests.

Getting North Korea to the table could be possible only with China in it as China has major leverage over North Korea as it provides it with food, energy assistance and all kinds of economic aid.

But the real challenge is that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un is very unpredictable, possesses nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles and does not seem interested in having a dialogue.

Even if China is not on board, Trump should not go unilaterally; he cannot bypass two Asian allies -- Japan and South Korea -- in any action on North Korea.

North Korea is in continuous pursuit to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the US and believed to have made considerable advance in perfecting it.

The firing of a ballistic missile off its east coast was a signal to Trump that it would not back down.

It was unsurprising that North Korea launched the missile a day before the Trump-Xi summit. It was expected that it would do something to coincide with the summit.

The missile launch could be the precursor and it would not be surprising if it conducts another nuclear test soon.

Ralph Cossa, president of the Pacific Forum Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Honolulu, rightly observed: 'I've joked before that they don't mind being hated, but they definitely hate to be ignored.'

The missile test was Pyongyang's answer to Trump's threat to deal with North Korea alone if China is unwilling to support.

Also read: How to solve a problem like North Korea

President Trump has no control over language on sensitive issues and makes statements without properly assessing their consequences.

No doubt, the US, like others, seems to have exhausted its long-standing policy of 'strategic patience' in dealing with the hermit regime. The Trump administration is exploring a new range of diplomatic, security and economic measures to deal with the North.

'All options are on the table,' Trump said, but has not specified what they are.

Not to back down, North Korea responded to Trump's threat and assailed the ongoing joint military exercise with South Korea as dress rehearsal for invasion, adding that the 'reckless actions' are driving the tense situation on the Korean peninsula 'to the brink of a war.'

Japan is rattled as the missile fell in the Sea of Japan. Even on March 6 when North Korea fired four ballistic missiles into the sea off Japan in response to the US-South Korea military drills, three flew about 1,000 km and landed in Japanese waters.

Though the weapons were medium-range rockets and, therefore, did not pose a threat to North America, Japan felt the heat.

The launch was a grave provocative action from security standpoint and violated UNSC resolutions.

The initial assessments indicated the type of missile was a KN-15 medium-range ballistic missile. The KN-15 is also known as the Pukguksong-2, a land-based variant of the submarine-launched Pukguksong-1, or KN-11.

Japan strongly denounced the test-firing in protest. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe promised his country would work closely with the US and South Korea 'to protect the lives and property of the public in any situation' as there is 'a sufficient possibility' of North Korea taking more aggressive actions in the near future.

During the summit talks, Trump and Xi noted the urgency of the threat of North Korea's weapons programmes, and urged Xi to apply more pressure on North Korea.

They reaffirmed their commitment to a denuclearised Korean peninsula and committed to fully implement UNSC resolutions. Both agreed to increase cooperation and work with the international community to convince North Korea to peacefully resolve the issue and dismantle its illegal nuclear and missile programmes.

Besides, they also had a candid discussion on regional and maritime security.

The talks also underpinned the importance of adhering to international rules and norms in the East and South China Seas and on non-militarisation.

Trump may have toned down the strident anti-China rhetoric of his election campaign. That was ideal as it keeps the dialogue channel open, though any breakthrough anytime soon might not be expected given the complexity of the issue.

Even the friction between the world's two biggest economies is unlikely to go away soon though Xi agreed to a 100-day plan for trade talks aimed at boosting US exports and reducing China's trade surplus with the US.

On North Korea, though US Secretary of State Rex Tellerson claimed that Xi agreed to increased cooperation in North Korea's missile and nuclear programmes, Xi did not offer any new formula for cracking Pyongyang's defiant attitude.

Dr Rajaram Panda is currently Indian Council for Cultural Relations India Chair Visiting Professor at Reitaku University, Japan. The views expressed are the author's own and do not represent the ICCR or the Government of India.

Please scroll down for more insights into the North Korea problem.
'India can replicate what Pakistan did to Kulbhushan Jadhav should the need arise.'

'Hopefully, Pakistan will see reason before that transpires,' says Ambassador G Parthasarathy, former high commissioner to Pakistan.

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

On the same day that former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav was handed a death sentence for alleged espionage by a Pakistan army field general court martial, the Pakistan senate denounced past military interventions, regretting that army rulers who abrogated the country's constitution had never been punished.

This was rather ironic as it was this same senate that had abdicated authority and handed over absolute powers twice over the past three years to military courts and the army chief to prosecute civilians on charges of terrorism.

Over the past two years, these military courts have convicted 274 people, with 161, largely Pashtuns, receiving death sentences.

There are murmurs even within Pakistan that these convictions were arbitrary and the cases would have been thrown out in any democratic country.

I recall being told in 1983 by Justice Fakhruddin Ebrahim, one of Pakistan's most respected jurists that then prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's death sentence pronounced during the days of General Zia-ul Haq's martial law regime was nothing but a total travesty of justice.

Civilian rulers have since then been wary of being on the wrong side of any army chief.

Pakistan, even today, remains a 'Garrison State.' Moreover, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is facing charges of corruption in Panamagate and is under siege from the judiciary, the Opposition and the army.

Amidst this turmoil, army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has chosen to cozy up with Opposition leader Imran Khan, who himself is known to be a protege of former ISI chief, the infamous late Lieutenant General Hamid Gul.

Kulbhushan Jadhav's so-called trial, described by India as 'farcical' was conducted in what can only be described as a kangaroo court. He is said to have been arrested on March 3, 2016 in Baluchistan's Mashkel area.

He has been charged for 'espionage and sabotage' in a mission to disrupt the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and Gwadar port, which is under de facto Chinese control.

He is also said to have been involved with Baluchistan 'freedom fighters and R&AW handlers' to undertake 'various activities which are criminal and anti-national.'

The chargesheet appears to give Jadhav supernatural powers to single-handedly destabilise not some small town or village in Pakistan, but the entire $51 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Gwadar port, which is guarded by the armies and navies of both Pakistan and China!!

The case against Jadhav was so weak that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's cabinet level foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz acknowledged in December 2016 that all that the military court had was 'mere statements,' but no serious evidence.

Jadhav was working for a private company in the Iranian port of Chahbahar -- a port which India has pledged to construct, as the focal point for transit for trade with Afghanistan and Central Asia.

Gunter Mulack, a former German ambassador in Pakistan, has gone further than what India has said of Jadhav being abducted from Chahbahar, by stating that he had actually been caught by the Taliban in Iran and sold to the ISI.

If Jadhav was indeed a spy as Pakistan claims, he would hardly have ben carrying a valid Indian passport with him.

There have been many cases of Indians charged in Pakistan for illegally entering the country for espionage. None of them was ever arrested with a valid Indian passport!!

The entire process of obtaining repatriation of persons accused and convicted of espionage has been spread out over years in the past.

Discussions I have had with well-informed Pakistani lawyers suggest that following confirmation of the death sentence by the army chief there could be one more round of consideration by an appellate authority, which would be unlikely to over-rule the army chief.

The final authority in the appellate process is the president of Pakistan.

One can never be sure about what precisely has transpired in the court martial proceedings, as Pakistan denied India consular access to Jadhav on 13 occasions and also prevented India from assisting in the appointment of a legal representative.

The appellate process will end with the confirmation by army chief General Bajwa if there have been any other charges under the more recent powers acquired by the army. We would need an official confirmation on this from the Pakistan government.

India has never sent a Pakistani spy to the gallows.

Under the Vienna Convention both countries have expelled personnel of diplomatic missions when they have been caught involved in 'actions incompatible with their diplomatic status,' a euphemism for spying.

But Pakistan is now under virtual siege, with charges of fostering terrorism in India and Afghanistan and its nationals, or former nationals, involved in terrorism across the world ranging from Chechnya to Europe, the US and Canada.

The Kulbhushan Jadhav drama is being staged by the Pakistan army primarily to divert attention from its image worldwide as a State sponsor of terrorism.

At the same time, it is facing lowback, with terrorist strikes across the Durand Line, mounted by terrorists from groups it nurtured earlier like the Tehreeq-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan.

Pakistan should be left in no doubt that retribution will be devastating if it proceeds to execute the military court's verdict.

Issues involving espionage and other covert actions are always murky. It is best to keep a lot of what is transpiring out of the public domain as this process plays out.

Pakistan's citizens, including its military and intelligence officials, are involved in activities ranging from smuggling of counterfeit Indian currency to promoting terrorist and sectarian violence across India, from the soil of third countries, particularly in our immediate neighbourhood.

India can replicate what Pakistan did to Kulbhushan Jadhav should the need arise.

Hopefully, Pakistan will see reason before that transpires.

MORE features on the KULBHUSHAN JADHAV case in the RELATED LINKS below...
Madhu Kishwar is a patriot whose freedom of expression needs to be supported by all, especially the liberals, argues Sankrant Sanu.

The Indian polity is plagued by two strange situations, one of judicial activism and the other of a media and intellectual ecosystem which stands up for the 'rights' of separatists and 'Bharat ke tukde' forces. Few in the media stand for the nation.

Nowhere is this situation more evident than in the mollycoddling of separatists in Kashmir and the silence over the recent warrant issued to social activist Madhu Kishwar, a patriot who stands up against the forces of separatism and dissolution, for her series of tweets against a Kashmir-based newspaper and its editor in late 2016.

Contrast this with what India's next door neighbours -- Pakistan and China -- do.

China brutally suppresses even a whiff of revolt from Tibet, has attacked Tibetan institutions and culture and has settled a large number of Han Chinese in Tibet to alter the region's demography.

Pakistan, similarly, sent Sunni tribesmen affiliated with Al Qaeda to brutally subdue a revolt in restive Gilgit-Baltistan and has engaged in a devastating campaign of ethnic cleansing in Balochistan.

The conditions in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, which is largely run by Pakistani 'agencies', are far worse than any in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Unlike in India, though, those who ask for 'azaadi' from Pakistan simply disappear in a torture and kill campaign by Pakistan's military groups.

One is not advocating that India act like China or Pakistan.

There was a time in Kashmir when the media was not so one-sided.

After the National Conference and Congress rigged elections in the late 1980s, things took a turn for the worse.

Pakistan deployed the terror apparatus it had cultivated in Afghanistan to Kashmir. A key part of this was the silencing of pro-India voices in the media, including killing of journalists and editors, as well as the ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Pandits.

The price for being pro-India was raised. As were the benefits from being pro-separatist.

India, through its ham-handed handling, has done little to reverse this.

It has never invested in a nationalistic narrative that questions the increased radical Islamisation of Kashmir.

It has not degraded the abilities of the hate-spewing maulvis.

It has not turned the heat on separatist voices and narratives.

It hasn't highlighted the civilisational narrative that binds Kashmir to India from centuries ago. Neither has it stepped up to protect pro-India voices.

It has been far safer to be anti-India in Kashmir, as long as you don't actively pick up the gun.

The result of this is the Kashmiri media acquiring a progressively separatist tone.

Unfortunately, the Bharatiya Janata Party has not done much to fix the problem since it has come to power at the Centre and in the state.

Both Pakistan and China have understand the power of narrative more than India does. They have both combined hard power with soft power.

I had written earlier how Pakistan spent millions of dollars via the Ghulam Nabi Fai network in the United State to cultivate a pro-Pakistan Kashmiri narrative and used Indian Left scholars to put India on the dock over 'human rights' in Kashmir.

The same scholars assume a studied silence on the far more brutal military response of Pakistan and China in Balochistan and Tibet respectively.

'Human rights' have been turned into a power game of narrative building. India has impotently stood by while pro-India voices have been silenced through the power of violence and intimidation.

The extraordinary intimidation of pro-India voices is often accompanied by complete silence from the 'liberal' ecosystem that claims to be for Freedom of Expression.

India and the BJP government need to reverse the cost benefit ratios in Kashmir and in India.

India needs to stop funding and mollycoddling separatists and to raise the costs to them through overt and covert means.

It needs to shut down hate-spewing clerics and their sources of funds, whether from Pakistan or the Saudis.

It needs to actively invest in telling the stories of Kashmir, how it was at one time an intellectual capital of the world as the birthplace of Kashmiri Shaivism, to revive the ancient scripts and texts, and tell the stories of Pakistan's terror apparatus and the woeful situation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan.

It needs to use all its resources to cultivate and support the ecosystem.

Indian intellectuals must step up as well. Supporting Madhu Kishwar's freedom of expression is the first step.
'At some stage they will convert it to life imprisonment or something else.'

"Not a single man has been exchanged between India and Pakistan in the last 20, 25 years," R K Yadav, former Research and Analysis Wing officer and author of Mission R&AW, tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih.

"Both countries should consider this option because prisoners from both India and Pakistan are languishing in each others' jails."

What is the most appropriate thing India can do to save Mr Jadhav?

It can be only done through diplomatic pressure. Some are saying we should go to the International Court of Justice, but that is humbug.

Only pressure from India or neighbouring countries can help in this situation.

Since Iran was also involved in the issue, pressure from Iran can also count here.

We can also take the help of the US government to pressurise Pakistan.

This is also in retaliation to Ajmal Kasab's hanging.

The Pakistan army is creating too many problems for the Baluchis. They are doing all this to divert the world's attention from that.

I am certain they will not hang him. At some stage they will convert it to life imprisonment or something else.

What makes you so confident that they will not execute him?

This is the verdict of any army court which has been delivered within hours.

The Pakistan government wasn't involved; neither was permission taken from the Pakistan government to start this army trial.

He was not provided any civilian legal aid. This is a deliberate attempt by the army to execute him.

Kulbhushan Jadhav has two options -- the civilian supreme court that will have the final say and the president's clemency.

The civilian court will certainly look at the charges that have been framed and the charges are too grey.

He is charged with disturbing the China Pakistan Economic Corridor and creating disturbances in Sindh, Pashtunistan. This is all humbug!

A single man can't do all these activities there.

In a situation like this, is there any room for behind the scene negotiations, like a prisoner exchange?

Any discussion can only happen through diplomatic channels. The possibility of a prisoner exchange with someone in India does not exist in this situation.

In the case of Sarabjit Singh you have observed that behind the scene parlays did not have any effect.

Not a single man has been exchanged in the last 20, 25 years.

In Sarabjit's case, I sent a letter to (then prime minister) Dr Manmohan Singh to exchange him with an identical kind of person in India, he did not reply.

This option was not given credence.

Both countries should consider this option. Prisoners from both India and Pakistan are languishing in each others' jails.

In the world of espionage, if a spy does get caught in Pakistan, what happens to him?

The judiciary in Pakistan is scared of the army and terrorist outfits.

If you deliver a judgment against a terrorist or some big shot, he (the judge) usually has to go and settle in some foreign country.

The judiciary is not independent in Pakistan. That is the reason there is no justice for a person of Indian origin.

Have Indian spies been hanged in Pakistan in the past?

So many. A few months back there was a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in Delhi about Indians languishing in Pakistani jails.

In the secret world of spies and intelligence agencies if a spy does get caught in an enemy country, does the spy agency wash its hands off the spy?

Usually they do. It depends upon the importance of that person, but usually they disown him.

IMAGE: Congress workers protest in Mumbai against a Pakistan military court sentencing retired Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to death. Photograph: PTI Photo

MORE KULBHUSHAN JADHAV features in the RELATED LINKS below...
After emotional support Wednesday from a state lawmaker who said she had an abortion as a teenager and regrets it, a bill that would have asked Montana voters to decide if life begins at conception failed to clear an initial hurdle in the Senate.

I always thought Id have another chance, said Sen. Jennifer Fielder, R-Thompson Falls. I blew it because I believed what they taught me in school. ... Get pregnant, OK, no problem, get an abortion, throw it away.

House Bill 595 is carried by Rep. Derek Skees, R-Lakeside. If passed, it would put a measure on the ballot in November 2018 asking voters to decide if "personhood" starts at conception and end access to abortion in the state.

To get on the ballot the bill needs 100 votes from the House and Senate. It got 30 in an initial Senate vote Wednesday on top of 58 from the House last month. It still has a final vote Thursday, where it needs 42 votes or it will be considered failed.

In support of the bill, Fielder said science has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt life begins at conception.

Fielder cited a study by Northwestern University saying that a "zinc firework" occurs when a human egg is activated by a sperm enzyme in support of her claim life begins at conception. The Northwestern study was done to measure the quality of an egg and help doctors choose the best fertilized eggs to transfer during in vitro fertilization, according to a press release from Northwestern.

Under HB595, fertilized eggs, zygotes, embryos and fetuses would have full protection as persons under the state Constitution. Because several forms of contraception work by not allowing fertilized eggs to implant in a womans womb, the bill would also outlaw many types of birth control.

The bill does not allow for exceptions in the case of rape, incest or if the pregnancy endangers the life of a woman. It was amended to remove the ability to file criminal charges against a woman who has a miscarriage.

Speaking in opposition to the bill, Sen. Diane Sands, D-Missoula, said that access to birth control has caused a drop in abortions.

This bill would make it more difficult for a woman to get birth control, she said.

Sands continued by saying that women vote with their bodies, and the 60-some million who have gotten an abortion in the last 40 years have made clear their choice.

Trust women and trust their vote. Vote against this bill.

Fielder said the bill is about protecting the lives of innocent children.

The womb is supposed to be the safest place on earth for life and these atrocities are being committed there, she said.

A second bill to restrict abortion was debated on the House floor on Wednesday before passing on a 60-to-40 vote. Senate Bill 329, sponsored by Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell, will have a final vote before moving to the governor's desk.

The bill, also referred to as the Montana Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, says a fetus has pain receptors connected to the brain by 20 weeks and bans abortions after that point with an exception for a medical emergency.

Several Democrats spoke in opposition to the bill, saying it was hypocritical of Republicans to support government interference instead of respecting a decision between a woman, her family and her physician. They also opposed no exception for a victim of rape or incest and disagreed with policy that would allow a father to take punitive action against a woman or a physician who has an abortion in violation of the bill. It would also allow a judge to have discretion on whether a woman would maintain her privacy in court.

Rep. Kathy Swanson, D-Anaconda, said the Montana Constitution is rock solid in protecting the privacy of citizens.

"How is it that we as politicians, lawmakers, that there's not regard to privacy?" Swanson said. "There's no regard to respect the decision, the wrenching decision of a woman, her physician, her family and her God."

Rep. Nate McConnell, D-Missoula, said there isn't a statute of limitations on when a father could take action. He said a man could serve time in prison for sexually assaulting a woman and when he gets out, take action against his victim if she had an abortion after 20 weeks.

"He could sue the woman for aborting the fetus he created through a heinous act," he said. "That is reprehensible."

But Republicans said an abortion is punitive to the fetus. Rep. Lola Sheldon Galloway, R-Great Falls, said she supports the bill to be a voice for an unborn child.

"They have a right to live," she said. "That's the plea."

Skees said the discussion had gotten off course and that the bill still allows a woman to make a decision to get an abortion before 20 weeks.

"Please folks, this is about pain and 20 weeks of life," he said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and powerful army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday agreed not to come under any pressure on the issue of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death on charges of spying, according to a media report.

Chief of Army Staff General Bajwa met Sharif and took the prime minister into confidence regarding the issue of Jadhav, Samaa TV reported.

"They agreed not to come under any pressure" on the issue of Jadhav, the channel said, without giving the details.

During the meeting, they discussed matters pertaining to professional preparedness of army, the current security and border situation at their meeting held in Islamabad, Radio Pakistan reported.

General Bajwa also apprised the prime minister about the progress made in the ongoing operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, a terror operation launched by the Pakistan Army to eliminate terrorism.

It was the first direct interaction between the army chief and the prime minister.

The meeting comes two days after the army chief approved the execution of Jadhav after a military court sentenced him to death for "espionage and sabotage activities", evoking a sharp reaction from India which warned Islamabad to consider the consequences on bilateral ties if he is hanged.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday made a statement in both the Houses, asserting that India will go "out of way" to ensure justice to Jadhav who is an "innocent kidnapped Indian".

Jadhav's execution will be taken by India as a "pre-meditated murder" and Pakistan should consider its consequences on bilateral relations, if it proceeds on this matter, Swaraj warned.

She said the charges against Jadhav, who was doing business in Iran and was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan, are "concocted" and the trial against him was "farcical", leading to an "indefensible verdict".

****

US can play very critical role in resolving Kashmir issue: Sharif

Sharif has said that America can play a "very critical role" in resolving the Kashmir issue with India as he hoped to see proactive engagement by the Trump administration on the issue.

"With regards to Kashmir, America can play a very critical role, which it has not done," Sharif was quoted as saying by the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan.

The prime minister said that the world, including the US, was well aware of the danger the dispute posed to world peace and to the stability in the region.

"We wish to see progress towards the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, which is the biggest hurdle in the way of peace and development in the region and the whole world, including the US, is fully aware of this reality," he said.

Referring to the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council on Kashmir, Sharif said that the UN Security Council must also ensure the implementation of its resolutions as failure to do so is already raising many questions about its credibility.

Earlier this month, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley had said the US would try and "find its place" in efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tensions and not wait till "something happens", signalling an apparent change in the US stance of not engaging in Indo-Pak disputes.

"It's absolutely right that this administration is concerned about the relationship between India and Pakistan and very much wants to see how we de-escalate any sort of conflict going forward," said Haley, a senior Indian-American member of the Trump.

Hours later, India had swiftly rejected any US role in resolving Indo-Pak issues.

However, Pakistan's envoy to the US Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry had welcomed the US offer and said any positive role that the US plays to bring peace and stability in South Asia can serve the region well.

On Pakistan-US relations, Sharif said the two countries had a long history of bilateral relations and expressed hope that under President Trump, the bilateral ties would improve.

"We want trade not aid from the United States," the prime minister said, adding that Pakistan wished to have cordial relations with all countries on the basis of mutual respect.

Referring to the mega projects being implemented under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, he said that the CPEC has a huge potential to generate economic activities in the entire region and Pakistan would welcome other countries to be part of it and share the benefits the multi-billion dollar project.

The CPEC, an ambitious USD 46 billion project, will link the Pakistani city of Gwadar to China's Xinjiang via a vast network of highways and railways.
Bangladesh on Wednesday executed banned Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami chief Mufti Abdul Hannan and his two associates for a 2004 attack on a shrine that killed three people and wounded the British high commissioner at the time.

Hannan was hanged at Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur along with his accomplice Sharif Shahedul alias Bipul at 10:01 pm (local time), Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said.

His associate Delwar Hossain Ripon was executed in Sylhet jail, the minister added.

Gazipur Superintendent of Police Harun Ur Rashid said the autopsies of Hannan and Bipul have been completed and their bodies will be sent to their village homes amid tight security.

President Abdul Hamid had rejected their mercy petitions this week.

Earlier, the authorities beefed up security in and around the Kashimpur jail. The family members of Hannan -- his wife, two daughters and elder brother -- met him in the jail in the morning.

Ripon's family members also met him at the Sylhet jail.

On March 19, the Supreme Court reconfirmed an earlier verdict of itself endorsing death penalty of Hannan and the two others for the 2004 attack on the then UK envoy.

The then Bangladeshi born British High Commissioner Anwar Chowdhury narrowly escaped the grenade attack at a shrine in northeastern Sylhet that killed three people, all policemen, and injured 70 others. Anwar sustained minor injuries.

The HuJI operatives carried out the attack at the shrine of saint Hazrat Shahjalal in Sylhet, also the birthplace of Chowdhury, as he went to visit there 18 days into his new assignment in Dhaka.

A speedy trial tribunal originally tried the case and delivered its verdict on December 23, 2008, sentencing to death HuJI leaders Sharif Shahedul Alam and Delwar Hossain alongside Hannan.

Hannan and seven other kingpins and operatives of Huji were earlier sentenced to death by another court in Dhaka for a deadly 2001 bomb attack that killed 10 people during Bengali New Year celebrations at a public park.

HuJI was formed in 1992 by Bangladeshis who took part in the Afghan war against the Soviet forces in Afghanistan.

The US has designated HuJi as a foreign terrorist organization and "specially designated global terrorist" while Indian officials suspected the outfit's links in the Jaipur serial bombings and several other blasts.

Bangladesh has witnessed a spate of attacks on secular activists, foreigners and religious minorities since 2013.

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A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Partys youth wing has courted controversy by announcing a bounty of Rs 11 lakh for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees head after the police in her state used batons to disperse a rally raising slogans in praise of Lord Ram on Hanuman Jayanti.

The threat was issued by Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.

"Mamata government beat up people. If someone was wearing a red shirt or a red pant, they were beaten up brutally by the police. I don't understand...Mamata Banerjee organises Iftar party, she argues for the Muslims. I want to ask her are Hindus not human?

"If they had any humanity, they wouldnt have beaten up like this. If anyone brings me her severed head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh," Varshney said while criticising the police action on the rally.

On Tuesday, police in Suri in West Bengals Birbhum district used batons to disperse a rally where 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans were raised.

The police had set up an iron barrier which those in procession tried to break, prompting the law-enforcers to make a lathi-charge.

At another place on the outskirts of Suri, thousands of people had ignored a police ban to participate in a rally taken out under the aegis of an organisation observing Hanuman Jayanti.

The Suri Police had on Sunday told the organisers of Bir Hanuman Jayanti that it would not allow holding of any rally or meeting on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the organisers had asked the police to allow the rally after assuring that they would not carry arms. However, the police did not budge from its stand.

West Bengal general secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party Sayantan Basu had on Tuesday alleged at a press meet at the party office that the district administration at first had accorded permission, but later withdrew it on order of the TMC (Tirnamool Congress) bosses.

Meanwhile, Parliament strongly condemned the statement by Varshney, with the Centre saying the state government was free to take legal action against him.

The issue was raised in both the Houses by Trinamool Congress members, with all major political parties and the government condemning the statement.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said the state government can register a first information report and take action.

Raising this issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, TMC member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy said a BJP youth activist has publicly described West Bengal Chief Minister as a demon and announced Rs 11 lakh bounty for anyone who brings the head of chief minister.

Roy asked the House and the government to condemn this incident, saying 'a constitutionally elected CM has been described as demon'.

He said the Centre was trying to unleash a reign of terror in West Bengal in the name of religion and other things.
Marked by some historic events, the budget session of Parliament came to an end on Wednesday after approval of four landmark goods and service tax bills and several other legislations besides the budget and the demand for grants of various ministries.

The two-part session, which was advanced for the first time in the country's history, commenced on January 31 with the customary Address by the President to a joint sitting.

For the first time, the budget was presented on February 1, almost a month ahead of the usual date, as the government wanted to complete the budgetary exercise before the end of March instead of May, the time by which the process would be completed earlier.

Another historic development witnessed this time was the merger of the railway budget with the general budget, ending a 92-year-old practice of presentation of two separate budgets.

The session also saw all the parties coming together in both the Houses over the death sentence awarded to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistani military court on the charges of spying.

The first part of the session was from January 31 to February 9 and the second part from March 9 till April 12.

Both houses were adjourned sine die on Wednesday.

Lok Sabha

Altogether, there were 29 sittings, with the Lok Sabha working for 176 hours and 39 minutes.

The House lost eight hours and 12 minutes due to disruptions, including one by the Shiv Sena over the flying ban by domestic airlines on one of its MPs who had allegedly thrashed an Air India employee.

Besides the GST bills, the House passed The Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the Enemy Property Bill, the Mental healthcare Bill, Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill 2016, HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2017 and 123 Constitution Amendment Bill and the Specified Bank Notes (Cessation of Liabilities) Bill, 2017.

"During the session, of the 560 starred questions, more than 136 were given oral answers, which comes to around 4.68 questions per day. 494 issues were raised under Rule 377 and 158 Private members Bills were introduced in the House, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said in her valedictory remarks.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Samajwadi Partys patron Mulayam Singh Yadav and Bharatiya Janata Party veteran L K Advani were present in the House.

Different ministers gave 51 statements during the course of the session and laid 1,864 papers on the table of the House.

Mahajan said the Budget Session also saw tabling of a combined Union and railway budgets on February 1, almost a month before than the usual scheduled date, which was a historic step.

During the joint sitting of Parliament which was addressed by President Pranab Mukherjee on January 31, Lok Sabha member and Indian Union Muslim League leader E Ahamed collapsed and was rushed to hospital.

Later, he passed away due to massive cardiac arrest.

Rajya Sabha

The Upper House of the Parliament worked for over 136 hours. However, it lost 13 hours due to furore over different issues.

"During the session, the Rajya Sabha passed or returned 14 government Bills which generated lively debates. The Union Budget 2017-18 and the working of the Ministry of Railways and GST Bills were discussed at length," Chairman Hamid Ansari said in his valedictory remarks.

The House unanimously passed the historic GST bills, the biggest tax reform measure which will bring India under a uniform indirect tax regime.

Besides, the House also passed or returned 14 government bills, including the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill and the Constitution (SCs) Order (Amendment) Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad were present.

Ansari said the members zeal to raise important issues was manifested in 205 Zero Hour submissions, 76 special mentions, 435 starred and 4,629 un-starred questions.

He said the performance of the members on the last two rows was remarkable as they made 86 Zero Hour submissions which is near 42 percent of the total.

The back benchers also asked 260 supplementaries, around 48 percent of the over 535 such questions.

During the session 33 private members bills were introduced while there was animated debate on short duration discussions on issues like election reforms and Aadhaar, he said.

"While a new Member elected in a bye-election from the state of West Bengal joined the House, we lost one esteemed sitting member Haji Abdul Salam, who passed away on February 28, the Vice President said.

Ansari thanked all leaders and members for their cooperation as the House adjourned after national song Vande Mataram was played.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other BJP leaders in the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi on Wednesday. Photograph: PTI Photo
A delegation of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leaders on Wednesday met Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao in Mumbai and demanded dismissal of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami alleging that he and some ministers in his cabinet indulged in large scale bribery of voters in the run up to the RK Nagar assembly bypoll.

The delegation met the governor, who also holds charge of Tamil Nadu, at the Raj Bhavan and submitted a memorandum highlighting the partys demands in the wake of tax officials questioning Health Minister C Vijayabaskar in an alleged tax evasion case.

It also demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe in the matter.

The delegation comprised DMK leaders R S Bharathi, T K S Elangovan and Tiruchi N Siva.

The memorandum alleged that there had been large-scale bribery of voters indulged in by Palaniswami and his cabinet ministers, including Vijayabaskar in RK Nagar assembly constituency.

It alleged that there were corrupt practices, penal offences involved and sought disqualification and dismissal of the CM and other ministers named in the IT raids.

The memorandum was signed by TN Opposition Leader and DMK Working President M K Stalin.

I, therefore, request honourable Governor to call for the resignation of Thiru Edappadi Palanisami, Chief Minister, and the following ministers: K A Sengottaiyan, Dindigul C Srinivasan, P Thangamani, S P Velumani, D Jayakumar, Sellur K

Raju, M C Sampath, V M Rajalakshmi, Velamandi N Natarajan, S Valarmathi forthwith and on failure to do so, to dismiss them from the office held by them so as to uphold the constitutional values and morality and oblige.

I also request your good offices to appropriately advise Union government to institute a CBI probe into this massive corruption of the Council of Ministers belonging to AIADMK government in the interest of democracy and the state, said the memorandum.

The Income Tax Department officials had earlier this week questioned Vijayabaskar and actor-politician Sarath Kumar in an alleged tax evasion case.

It also conducted searches at the official residence and properties owned by Vijayabaskar and at Sarath Kumars home in Chennai on April 7.

The searches at the premises of an associate of Vijayabaskar had allegedly revealed routing of Rs 89 crore for distribution to voters in RK Nagar assembly constituency, where a bypoll was originally scheduled for April 12.

The Election Commission has cancelled the bypoll, saying the electoral process had been seriously vitiated by parties through the use of money power.

Palanisami and his Cabinet belongs to the AIADMK (Amma) faction headed by one T T V Dinakaran against whom a FERA case is underway, it said.

Dinakaran began campaigning in the constituency and simultaneously indulged in the bribing of voters. He, along with his puppet Chief Minister Eddapadi Palanisami and his puppet cabinet ministers, particularly Vijayabaskar, appears to have entered into a criminal conspiracy to spend nearly Rs 100 crore of ill-gotten wealth to bribe each voter in the constituency, the memorandum said.

The documents seized by the IT Department in the house of Vijayabaskar show detailed accounts of bribes given to about 2.24 lakh voters out of 2.63 lakhs voters in the constituency, it alleged.

These documents show that the persons involved in the distribution of money are as follows: Chief Minister Eddapadi Palanisami (sic); Ministers -- K A Sengottaiyan, Dindigul C Srinivasan, P Thangamani, S P Velumani, D Jayakumar, Sellur K Raju, M C Sampath, V M Rajalakshmi, Velamandi N Natarajan, S Valarmathi, and R Vaithilingam, Rajya Sabha MP, it said.

The documents show beyond doubt that the official machinery of the state has been abused by the chief minister and these ministers to bribe voters and they have violated their oaths and thrown to winds constitutional morality, the memorandum alleged.

It urged the Governor to immediately direct the chief minister and the other ministers named in the documents seized from Vijayabaskar to resign, and if they failed to do so, dismiss them as they lack proprietary to hold office.

No other state in India has had the ignominy of having its sitting chief minister and Council of Ministers act as bribing agents, shamelessly tarnishing not only the office they hold but also the edifice of democracy which is manifest in the electoral process, the DMK alleged in the memorandum.

IMAGE: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. Photograph: PTI Photo
Come try hack our EVMs and show they can be tampered with, the Election Commission said on Wednesday, inviting political parties and experts to the "open challenge".

While the commission is yet to decide on the exact date, it said the challenge would be held in the first week of May and could continue for ten days.

The last time such an event had taken place was in 2009 when 100 machines from different parts of the country were kept at Vigyan Bhawan. No one, the EC claimed, could hack the electronic voting machines.

When Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal had met Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi with a complaint on EVMs last week, he was told that the poll panel is planning such an event.

This time, the venue could be Nirvachan Sadan, the EC headquarters.

The specifics would be decided by the commission's technical expert committee on EVMs and the details would be made public in the next couple of days.

There is a strong possibility that EVMs used in the Uttar Pradesh polls could also be brought in for the challenge. The Bahujan Samaj Party had alleged that tampered machines helped the Bharatiya Janata Party win the polls.

As per rules, the machines cannot be taken out of the strong room for 40 days -- a period within which an aggrieved person can file an election petition before the high court concerned. That period will end later this month.

"From first week of May, experts, scientists, technocrats can come for a week or 10 days and try to hack the machines," an official source said.

They said the challenge will be open for a week or 10 days.
China on Wednesday warned India that the Dalai Lamas visit to Arunachal Pradesh will have negative impact on the settlement of the border dispute and accused

New Delhi of violating its commitment on the Tibet issue.

Chinese foreign ministry said Beijing will take further action to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and slammed the provocative statements of the Tibetan spiritual leader and the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Pema Khandu, who has said that the state shares its border only with Tibet, not with China.

In the strongest comments since April 4, when the 81-year-old Dalai Lama began his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, parts of which China claims as Southern Tibet, foreign ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said their provocative statements exceeded the scope of religious activities.

Lu said despite China's objection, India insisted on arranging the Dalai Lamas visit in the disputed areas of the eastern section of the China-India boundary. He also said that some specific Indian official had indulged in provocative political statement but did not name Pema Khandu.

China has lodged representations with the Indian side and) we will take further action to safeguard the territorial sovereignty and national security, Lu said, without elaborating.

What India has done is violated the solemn commitment on Tibet-related issues and it also has negative impact on proper settlement of the territorial disputes between the two sides through negotiations, the spokesperson said.

He said the boundary and Tibet-related questions bear the political foundation of China-India relationship and the two countries have reached "important consensus" of resolving the dispute through talks and consultations.

We hope that the Indian side bear in mind the fundamental interests of the two countries and the two peoples and safeguard the political foundation of the bilateral relationship and do not take any provocative actions, he said.

Asked to elaborate what negative impact he was referring to on the border dispute, Lu said, I would like to correct one mistake in your remark. I said the Dalai Lama was visiting the disputed eastern section of the China-India boundary. Its not the Indian territory. The Indian government has made solemn commitment on Tibet related issues and the boundary question, he said.

We have lessons to learn from history. When the Indian side violated commitments on the relevant issues, the Indian side insisted on arranging the visit of the Dalai Lama in the disputed section of the China-Indian boundary and indulged in provocative political statements. We have already expressed our solemn representations and it will of course have negative impact on bilateral relations, he said.

India and China have been negotiating to resolve the border dispute for more than 20 years but an agreement is yet to be reached. The dispute covers the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control.

While China claims parts of Arunachal Pradesh as Southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute also covers the Aksai Chin area, which China occupied during the 1962 Sino-India war.

Lu also termed the Dalai Lamas visit a disgraceful performance, which will by no means change Chinas position on the border and Tibet-related issues nor the fact that the Tibetan government is exercising effective administration.

The Dalai Lama has disgraceful performance on the boundary question. This time he called himself the son of India and also backed up unfounded statement by the official of the so-called Arunachal Pradesh of India, Lu said.

The Dalai Lama attacked the Chinese government on Tibet related issues and advertised his political views on splitting China. It showed the Dalai clique has already viewed itself as foreign, he said.

China is opposed to the Nobel laureates visit to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly to Tawang, which happens to be the birth place of the sixth Dalai Lama in 1683. It is also at the centre of Tibetan Buddhism.

Chinas media and foreign ministry have repeatedly aired their opposition to the Dalai Lamas visit to the region. An article in the state-run China Daily on Wednesday said the people of Arunachal Pradesh live difficult lives under Indias illegal rule and they look forward to returning to China.

Building on the argument in the leading daily, Lu claimed Tibet is achieving faster growth.

It will make people see clear that the Dalai Lama is attempting to split China and damaging interests of all ethnic groups in China.

Image: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama with Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu at Thubchog Gatsel Ling Monastery Bomdila in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo
A Muslim woman's hijab was allegedly ripped off in the United States by a man who she claimed beat her "like an animal" and repeatedly stepped on her head, prompting calls for a hate crime probe.

The woman from Milwaukee was attacked as she walked home from prayer.

Milwaukee police told FOX6 News they were investigating the crime.

The incident happened on Monday and the victim was released from the hospital on Tuesday.

"I said to myself, 'I am going to die today for sure.' So he gets up from the car and told me to come here," said the woman who was attacked.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, said a car pulled up alongside her.

One man came from a car. That man wanted only one thing -- to remove the woman's hijab, or headscarf, she said.

"He said to take my hijab, my scarf. I tried to fight him. 'Don't take my hijab,' you know? So he threw me on the floor then he beat me like an animal," she told the TV station.

The attacker was able to pull the scarf off and blood stains remained on it, the report said.

The woman said her attacker threw her to the sidewalk, and then stepped on her head repeatedly.

She said he also took out a knife to cut her jacket and her arm.

"Certainly we're scared for our community members. As an Islamic community, we want to make sure our community is always safe. The initial reaction is shock," said Munjed Ahmad with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Those at the Islamic Center believe this was a hate crime.

"Nothing was stolen. There was no robbery. Her valuables remain with her. The only motive we can think of -- because everything stayed with her and this individual went straight for her scarf -- is a hate crime," Ahmad was quoted as saying.

The victim somehow made it home. That is where she had a seizure and was taken to the hospital.

She said during the beating, the attacker was calling her names and swearing at her.

Police said they were investigating and there was no suspect in custody at this time.

The incident comes amid a spike in hate crimes and assaults targeting hijab-wearing women across the US.

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While Pakistan sentenced Indian nationals Kulbhushan Jadhav and Sarabjit Singh to death on a flimsy charge of being spies, India has been feeding and sheltering a Pakistani spy named Sajeed Muneer for almost a year after his release from jail

Muneer was jailed for 12 years for espionage. After his release, Pakistan did not respond to extradition requests by the Indian government.

By default, he became the responsibility of the Bhopal Police and the District Special Branch has been taking care of him for 10 months now.

The DSB pays for his food and other necessities.

Speaking to ANI, Superintendent of Police Rajesh Bhadoria said since the time of his conviction, every angle is being discussed related to the issue but Pakistan is delaying the process of deportation.

On June 4 last year, his term was completed. During the deportation process, he was to be kept in detention centre as is the practice for non-Indian prisoners, he said.

He added that police officials are in constant contact with the Pakistan embassy and the process of consular access, where embassies of both the countries did the verification of Sajeed Muneer has been done.

The Bhopal Police arrested him in May 2004 when he was collecting some official secret material from the army regiment. That time he was impersonating himself as an Indian national. He has been current put in Shahjahanabad police stations detention centre, Bhadoria said.

Investigations revealed that Muneer was lured by the Inter-Services Intelligence while he was on a hideout after murdering a Karachi youth to avenge his brothers killing.

IMAGE: Sajeed Muneer. Photograph: ANI
The MNS -- which aggressively compelled a ban on employing Pakistani actors and others in Bollywood last year -- has been subdued in comparison after a Marathi manoos was sentenced to death in Pakistan.

Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore finds out what Raj Thackeray's party plans to do in the Kulbhushan Jadhav case.

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was the first political party to protest against the death sentence awarded to Mumbai resident Kulbhushan Jadhav by a Pakistan military court.

On Tuesday afternoon, the MNS, whose political fortunes have been on the downswing in recent years, burnt the Pakistan flag in Dadar, north-central Mumbai, to express its solidarity with Jadhav and build pressure on the Narendra Modi government.

"By these protests we want to put pressure on the Indian government so that they understand the public sentiment on the ground. Keeping these sentiments in mind they can create more pressure on Pakistan," Sandeep Deshpande, an MNS leader and former municipal corporator, tells Rediff.com over the telephone.

Interestingly, the MNS, which is known more for its streetfights and violent protests, wants to continue building more pressure on the Modi government through peaceful means.

"Today, we have burnt the Pakistani flag; the day after tomorrow (Thursday) we have organised a bike rally from Prabhadevi to Mahim in support of Kulbhushan Jadhav, and on Sunday we are planning a walkathon," Deshpande elaborates on his party's protest calendar.

Explaining the objective of these protests, he adds, "The purpose of these peaceful protests is to garner public support and build pressure on the government to do whatever it takes to save Kulbhushan Jadhav from the gallows."

Deshpande denies that the MNS will gherao the Pakistan high commission in New Delhi and says the party's protest will be limited to Mumbai. "We are a Mumbai-based party," he points out.

Retired Indian Navy commander Kulbhushan Jadhav is a Maharashtrian, and a resident of Mumbai. His father Sudhir Jadhav was a former assistant commissioner of police in the city.

Deshpande also accepts that the MNS' protests will have no bearing on the Pakistan government, but he emphasises that his party cannot be a mute spectator to such a gross violation of justice.

"We are really hopeful that this can bring some pressure on Pakistan. We just can't wait and watch what the central government is doing. We just can't sit quiet in our AC cabins and relax when one of our citizens has been accorded a death sentence in Pakistan," he says.

"Why just political parties? We would want every citizen to come and join our protests," he says.

"We will keep up the pressure on the government based on how the situation changes. We are sure our peaceful protests will create pressure on the government," he adds.

"In any democratic country this is the way to protest against such injustice," says Deshpande whose party has a reputation for strong-arm tactics.

Party leaders, he adds, have not consulted MNS President Raj Thackeray before drawing up an action plan.

"These protests are on behalf of the MNS," he says. "You don't need to ask the party president for everything. We have asked our second rank leadership and we have got an okay from them."

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BILLINGS - Seven-term state legislator Jeff Essmann announced Wednesday he plans to end his legislative career to run for Billings mayor.

I think my days of driving back and forth to Helena are pretty much over, he said by telephone on his way to the Capitol Wednesday morning. Its time to pursue things of interest to my community.

Essmann, 64, is chairman of the Montana Republican Party and a Billings businessman. Hes represented Billings in the state House of Representatives or state Senate since 2005.

In a news release, Essmann, a Billings native and a 1970 graduate of Billings West High School, outlined four priorities hell pursue if hes elected in November:

Completing the Inner Belt Loop, upgrading West End farm-to-market roads, rebuilding the airport terminal and finishing the bicycle and pedestrian Marathon Loop.

Establishing a special victims unit for investigating and prosecuting sexual assault cases.

Revitalizing and integrating Montana State University Billings as a vital element in training and equipping the regions workforce.

Returning the city council to what Essmann called its proper role as the policy-making body of the community.

The city council needs to listen to the voices of the community, he said. From my perspective, it needs to be proactive and establish policies that the city administrator and city employees execute. I hope to lead a council more engaged with the community as a whole and does more outreach, a council that sets policy rather than reacting.

During the current legislative term, Essmann said he came to realize that the things I was most passionate about working on were things that involved my home community. With an open race, I think I have the opportunity to make a difference, and Im excited about the challenge.

He noted that with City Administrator Tina Volek retiring Sept. 30, the city council has the opportunity to develop a new relationship with a new city administrator, and we need to hear and represent the entire community, not just a select few.

He said hes running to bring common sense, priorities and fiscal discipline back to our city  Im going to spend the whole campaign humbly asking the people of Billings to join me.

Essmann called for more action and less complaining, especially when it comes to completing infrastructure projects.

For example, the Inner Belt Loop has been identified as a major goal since the days I served on the Yellowstone County Planning Board nearly 20 years ago. Its time we stopped talking and started moving some dirt, and the same goes for all these projects.

He said he wants to form a leadership task force in Billings to get the community to embrace the (MSU Billings) campus, and the campus (to) embrace the community so that the needs of Billings employers can be met.

We have got to get skilled employees to fill our employers needs, or our economy is going nowhere, he said. I think thats the role the campus needs to play, and they need more freedom and support from the Board of Regents to do that, he said.

Essmann is married to Sherry Bernhard Essmann. Hes a 1974 graduate of the Illinois Institute of Technology  on Chicagos beautiful South Side he said  and earned his law degree from the University of Montana three years later.

I look forward, he said, to an active summer and fall.

Essmann joins Billings architect Randy Hafer in the race to succeed Mayor Tom Hanel, who is term limited. Voters will also decide on five city council races. The primary election is Sept. 12, with the general election set for Nov. 7.

April 20 is the first day that candidates can file to run for city office. The deadline to file is June 19.
Condemning the missile attack by the Unites States on a Syrian airbase, Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that it was clear evidence of international law violation by Washington, DC.

Speaking on the issue in an interview with Mir 24 TV channel, the Russian President said there is no proof that the Syrian government used chemical weapons in Idlib, however, there is startling evidence that US flouted international laws, reports Sputnik.

"Where is evidence that the Syrian troops used chemical weapons? No evidence. And what about violation of the international law? It is an obvious fact. What was the reaction of the NATO allies? All of them are nodding like bobble heads," Putin said.

Earlier, US Defence Secretary James Mattis stressed that he personally reviewed the intelligence on the chemical attack in Syria's Idlib province and the Syrian government was guilty of the crime, however, he did not come forth with evidence to back his claim.

Mattis said that Syria will pay a very, very stiff price if it used chemical weapons again and asserted that Americas top priority in Syria remained fighting the Islamic State.

Spicer apologises for Hitler 'didn't use chemical arms' claim White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his insensitive remarks during a press briefing when he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons against his own people. Spicers apology came on national television on Tuesday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has been accused of using nerve agent against Syrians. I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison, Spicer told CNN hours after he made the remarks. I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas, he said in an effort to control the damage done by his remarks, which drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies. Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired. Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesmans statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him, Pelosi said. House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spice's remarks were indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge, perspective, and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington. Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson and a staff shake-up. Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that US President Donald Trumps chief spokesman has either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both. Spicer had on tuesday during his regular press briefing attempted to shame Russia and Assad by comparing the Syrian leader with Hitler. He had said: We didnt use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didnt even sink to using chemical weapons. So you have to, if youre Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with? Later, in a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable, he said.

If they use chemical weapons, they are going to pay a very, very stiff price, Mattis told reporters during his first Pentagon briefing as defence chief.

Notwithstanding the Russian allegations that the US is selling a false narrative over the use of chemical weapons by the authoritarian Syrian regime, Mattis defended the American missile attacks against Syria last week.

Last Tuesday on the 4th of April, the Syrian regime attacked its own people using chemical weapons. I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself, he said.

In response to the attack, our government began a deliberate process, led by the National Security Council, to recommend diplomatic and military options to the president. We met over several days and I spoke with some of our allies, he added.

Mattis said the National Security Council considered the near-century-old international prohibition against the use of chemical weapons, the Syrian regimes repeated violations of that international law, and the inexplicably ruthless murders the regime had committed.

We determined that a measured military response could best deter the regime from doing this again. As always, we examined how best to avoid civilian casualties in the execution of the strike, and our actions were successful, Mattis said.

Based on these considerations, on April 6, the president directed military action consistent with our vital national interests to deter the use of chemical weapons, he said.

This military action demonstrates that the US will not passively stand by while Assad blithely ignores international law and employs chemical weapons he had declared destroyed, he added.

We were aware of the presence of Russians at the airfield and took appropriate actions to ensure no Russians were injured in the attack, he said.

Mattis said the US military policy in Syria has not changed.

Our priority remains the defeat of ISIS. ISIS represents a clear and present danger, an immediate threat to Europe and ultimately, a threat to the US homeland," he said.

Appearing along with Mattis, the US Central Command Commander Gen Joseph Votel said the US targeted 59 locations on the airfield and struck 57 of those.

We assessed that we achieved our stated objective and the regimes ability to generate offensive military capability from Shayrat airfield, which we assess, was the launching point for this chemical attack has been severely degraded, he said.

We are obviously paying close attention in the environment in the wake of these strikes and remain appropriately postured to respond as necessarily. Meanwhile, we are focused on the Defeat ISIS campaign, which remains our primary mission, Votel said.

Responding to a question, Mattis said the goal right now in Syria, and the military campaign is focused breaking the IS and destroying the IS in Syria.

This was a separate issue that arose in the midst of that campaign. The use by the Assad regime of chemical weapons, and we addressed that militarily. But the rest of the campaign stays on track, exactly as it was before Assads violation," he said.

Mattis alleged that Assad has used chemical weapons several times over the last several years, violated the international law that has prohibited their use since 1925.

Syria is a signatory to that international convention. For them to have done this several times recently over the last several years is what I mean by recently, youve got to ask him why he chose now to try it again, he said.

I trust he regrets it now considering the damage done to his air force but when I say he should think long and hard about it, Ill just let the mission speak for itself on that score, the defence secretary said.

Mattis said he does not know if the Russians knew about the chemical attack in advance.

It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it. And beyond that, we cant say right now. We dont know anything beyond that, he said.

With inputs from ANI.

IMAGE: A man carries the body of a child after the suspected gas attack in Idlib, Syria. Photograph: Ammar Abdullah/Reuters
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused opposition parties of denying backward castes their rights by blocking the passage of a bill, which accords constitutional status to the OBC commission, in the Rajya Sabha.

Modi expressed surprise at the stand of the opposition as members of all parties had been urging him for bringing the legislation, the Bharatiya Janata Party said in a statement after its OBC MPs thanked him in Parliament for passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha.

"The bill was passed unanimously in the Lok Sabha but blocked in the Rajya Sabha (by opposition parties). Denying the backward sections their rights with such negative politics is regrettable," Modi told them.

He also asked the BJP OBC MPs to reach out to their counterparts in other parties and convince them to support the landmark legislation.

As an MP it is your moral responsibility to make the people from backward classes aware about this legislation and organise programmes for the same, Modi was quoted as having told them.

Noting that the satisfaction one gets by working for poor is uncomparable to anything else, Modi told party MPs that people from the backward castes have self-respect and would never forget generosity.

Emphasising on the need to ensure easy credit for the poor, the prime minister said to keep these people away from the clutches of moneylenders the MPs should promote Bhim application among people.

The OBC MPs of the BJP had gathered to thank the Prime Minister for passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha which seeks to create National Commission for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes, with judicial powers and constitutional status.

Modi also asked the MPs to make backward classes aware about the bill and how it would be a game changer in their lives.

The Rajya Sabha had on Tuesday referred the Constitution (123rd) Amendment Bill, 2017, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, to the Select Committee under pressure from the opposition. The ruling NDA does not have a majority in the House.

The committee that will examine the bill will be headed by BJP member Bhupender Yadav. It has been asked to submit its report by the last day of the first week of the next session.

The 25-member Rajya Sabha Select Committee includes Sharad Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Satish Mishra and Praful Patel.

According to the bill, the new body NCSEBC will replace the National Commission for Backward Classes.

Once the bill becomes law, states will not be able to add or delete castes from the backward classes' list without Parliament's approval.

IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi being greeted by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar at a function organised at Parliament in New Delhi on Wednesday to thank him for passage of the OBC bill in Lok Sabha. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo
President Donald Trump's press secretary Sean Spicer has apologised for his "insensitive" remarks in which he said Adolf Hitler, who gassed millions of Jews during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons, drawing instant rebuke from leaders and the Jewish community.

Gaffe-prone Spicer apologised on national television on Tuesday for comparing the Nazi leader with Syrian President Bashar al Assad, accused of using Sarin gas against his own people including children, an attack which had rattled Trump so much that he ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base.

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer told CNN hours after he made the remarks.

"I was obviously trying to make a point about the heinous acts that Assad made against his own people last week using chemical weapons and gas," he said in an effort to control the damage done by his remarks, which drew strong reactions from political leaders, the Jew community and human rights bodies.

Speaking at a forum at the Newseum, Spicer on Wednesday called the incident "my mistake" and "my bad."

"I let the president down," Spicer said, adding that the damage was especially unfortunate because "it's a very holy week for the Christian people and the Jewish people."

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi demanded Spicer be fired.

"Sean Spicer must be fired, and the president must immediately disavow his spokesman's statements. Either he is speaking for the President, or the president should have known better than to hire him," Pelosi said.

House Democratic Whip Steny H Hoyer said Spicer's remarks were "indicative of the extraordinary lack of knowledge, perspective, and sensitivity that the Trump administration has brought to Washington."

Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky said: "It is clear that this administration needs a history lesson and a staff shake-up."

Nita M Lowey, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said it was disturbing that Trump's chief spokesman has "either a cavalier aversion to facts, is completely unmoored from reality, or both."

Rep Lee Zeldin, a Jewish Republican from New York, said in a statement reported by The New York Times that "as far as comments being made and comparisons of various tactics and methods between now and World War II, you can make the comparison a little differently and it would be accurate, but it's important to clear up that Hitler did in fact use chemical warfare to murder innocent people."

Spicer had on Tuesday during his regular press briefing attempted to shame Russia and Assad by comparing the Syrian leader with Hitler. He had said: "We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons."

"So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with?

In a statement to White House reporters, Spicer said in no way he was trying to lessen the horrendous nature of the Holocaust. "Any attack on innocent people is reprehensible and inexcusable."
The chief executive of United Airlines has tendered an apology for the incident in which a passenger was dragged off an overbooked flight.

This comes after a torrent of criticism of the carriers action, with even The White House terming the incident as troubling.

CEO Oscar Munoz also promised a thorough review of the airlines practices.

In images now seen around the world, a passenger was forcefully removed and bloodied in the process -- the entire event captured on video by passengers and posted on social media.

The passenger, 69-year-old Dr David Dao, had refused to be bumped from the overbooked flight -- an airline practice that has come under increased scrutiny since the incident.

Terming the incident unfortunate, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said, Clearly, when you watch the video, it is troubling to see how that was handled.

Asked whether the government should investigate, Spicer said he didn't think it was necessary yet.

The US Transportation Department, however, has said it would review the airlines actions.

I continue to be disturbed by what happened on this flight and I deeply apologise to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard, Munoz said.

I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right, he said.

The comments are in stark contrast to the companys initial response, in which it seemed to at least partially blame the passenger, inflaming worldwide outrage.

The American media published an email Munoz sent earlier to employees, in which he said the passenger defied authorities and compounded the incident.

An attorney for Daos family said he is in a Chicago hospital getting treated for his injuries.

A placard shown by a protester at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago after a passenger was forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight. Photorgaph: Kamil Krzaczynski/Reuters
Top United States experts have expressed concern over Pakistans decision to give death penalty to Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav as they warned that Islamabad wants to send a strong message to India against isolating it on the world stage.

Apart from the gross irregularities in the Jadhav situation, such as the lack of consular access and the secrecy surrounding the surprise court-martial, what struck me the most is the contrast between the speed of Mr Jadhavs trial set against the endless postponements for that of the Mumbai attackers, Alyssa Ayres, a former senior State Department official in its South and Central Asia Bureau said.

"The latter case, by contrast, has been in a continual state of prolongation for nearly nine years, Ayres said.

She is currently senior fellow for India, Pakistan and South Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

Bharat Gopalaswamy, director of South Asia Centre at the Atlantic Council, a Washington, DC based top US think-tank, believes that the evidence warranting Jadhavs conviction is rather flimsy and the story by the Pakistani authorities do not add up.

Without furnishing further evidence, this conviction as it stands, seems to be politically motivated in order to counter Indias aggressive diplomacy against Pakistan in combating terrorism, he said.

This whole story is shrouded in mystery and uncertainty, but it seems clear that Pakistan wants to send a very strong message to India, whether to warn New Delhi against meddling in Pakistan or to push back in a big way against Indias efforts to isolate Pakistan on the world stage, said Michael Kugelman, deputy director and senior associate for South Asia at the prestigious Woodrow Wilson Center.

"At the same time, given how much India will want to ensure that Jadhav isnt executed, Pakistan now has a very large bargaining chip at its disposal. Pakistan may want to use Jadhav as a trump card to get some type of major concession from India, Kugelman said.

"The bottom line is that India-Pakistan relations are on life support. We can kiss goodbye any immediate prospects for resuming dialogue, though that wasn't a very strong possibility even before the announcement about Jadhavs death sentence. Ultimately, India and Pakistan face some very dark and dangerous days ahead, he said.

According to Sameer Lalwani, senior associate and deputy director for Stimson's South Asia program, said the decision and timing of Jadhavs execution sentence appears puzzling because in many ways it does not seem to work in Pakistans self-interest.

If Jadhav posed a threat and Pakistan wanted to send a deterrent signal to potential saboteurs of CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) and Gwadar, they could have executed him months ago after his intelligence value had been exhausted, Lalwani said.

If Pakistan wanted to exploit Jadhavs capture for diplomatic purposes by showcasing evidence of Indian sub conventional aggression, Pakistan still has yet to convince the international community and an execution raises suspicions, Lalwani said.

Finally, if the Indians care that much about Jadhav, Pakistan could have used him as a bargaining chip. Perhaps the sentence is an opening bargaining gambit but actually executing Jadhav may not be reaping much of a deterrent signal for Pakistan while foreclosing on diplomatic or trade value, he said.

Both the State Department and the White House refused to comment on the sentencing of Jadhav.

We have seen these reports. We refer you to the governments of India and Pakistan for further information, a State Department spokesperson said.

IMAGE: Congress workers protest in Mumbai against Pakistan for sentencing former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav to death. Photograph: PTI Photo
China may reacted angrily about his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, but the Tibetan spiritual leader has never been one to stand down.

Despite Beijing's loud protests, backed by New Delhi, His Holiness has traveled to the border state seven times since he sought refuge from Chinese aggression in India in 1959.

Monali Sarkar takes a look at the Dalai Lama in Arunachal Pradesh, then and now.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

The Dalai Lama, second from right, arrived in India on a yak, March 31, 1959.

He had left Lhasa in the dead of the night on March 17, 1959, with four of his cabinet ministers, some attendants and bodyguards, and his family.

After a long and dangerous journey, they entered India through Khenzimane, near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

Photograph: Anuwar Hazarika/Reuters

The Dalai Lama in Tawang, April 7, 2017.

The Tibetan spiritual leader had visited the northeastern state six times before his current visit, starting in 1983.

His last visit was in 2009 to mark 50 years of his arrival in India.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

The Dalai Lama was received by Indian officials at the very first Indian post in Chuthangmu, north of Tawang, then part of the Kameng Frontier Division.

'My colleagues and I welcome you and send you greetings on your safe arrival in India,' then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had written to him, adding, 'We shall be happy to afford the necessary facilities for you, your family and entourage to reside in India.'

'The people of India who hold you in great veneration will no doubt accord their traditional respect to your person.'

Photograph: Kind courtesy @PremaKhanduAP

On his latest visit to Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prema Khandu accompanied the Dalai Lama.

The respect and veneration Nehru spoke of was evident in the thousands of devotees who gathered to listen to the Dalai Lama.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

Upon the Dalai Lama's arrival in India, P N Menon, left, who served as India's consul general in Lhasa, and as intermediary to the Dalai Lama during the 1959 Tibetan uprising, greeted the spiritual leader with a traditional scarf.

Photograph: Anuwar Hazarika/Reuters

Young monks in Tawang welcome His Holiness.

China, which stakes a claim to Tawang, was exceedingly vocal about this trip to Arunachal Pradesh, warning it would seriously damage Sino-Indian ties.

New Delhi rejected Beijing's objections, asking it not to interfere in India's internal affairs.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

The Dalai Lama arrived at the Tawang monastery five days after he entered India in 1959, and was greeted with a guard of honour by the Assam Rifles.

Photograph: Sunil Kataria/Reuters

Indian security personnel stands guard in the forecourt of the 17th century Tawang monastery ahead of the Dalai Lama's visit.

'It is normal for China to give political colour to my spiritual visits,' the Dalai Lama said in Tawang. 'I wish Chinese officials accompanied me during my visits to find out if I am doing or saying anything against them.'

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

How the Dalai Lama travelled from Tawang to Bomdila in 1959.

Photograph: PTI

On this trip, the Dalai Lama stopped between Tawang and Bomdila to consecrate the Thupsung Dhargyeling monastery in Dirang and and deliver teachings.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

When the Dalai Lama first arrived in Bomdila, he spent several days there 'to recuperate from the strain of his journey before going down to the plains.'

The arrival in Bomdila this time.

'When I got freedom, when I first reached India,' the Dalai Lama said, 'I entered through Arunachal Pradesh. I have an emotional connect with the state. It is a special place for me.'

'I would like to thank the Government of India. I have been here since 1959. India has taken great care of me. I am their longest staying guest. I am thankful to them.'

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

Apart from recuperating in Bomdila in 1959, the Dalai Lama also met local residents.

Photograph: PTI

'I am a messenger of ancient Indian thought and I talk about ahimsa, peace, harmony and secular ethics wherever I go,' he told devotees in Bomdila this time.

Photograph: Kind courtesy Claude Arpi

After recuperating in Bomdila, the Dalai Lama was escorted to Assam by the Assam Rifles.

A retired Assam Rifles soldier recalled, 'Guards of Assam Rifles Platoon no 9 had brought the Dalai Lama from Zuthangbo and handed him over to five of us at Shakti. We brought him to Lungla from where he was escorted on his onward journey to Tawang by another group of guards.'

Photograph: PTI

The Dalai Lama met one of those soldiers, Naren Chandra Das, this time, and told him, 'I am very very happy to meet such an old member of the Assam Rifles who guarded and escorted me to India 58 years ago.'

'Looking at your face,' he added in jest, 'I now realise I must be very old too.'

Photograph: Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

On April 18, 1959, almost exactly a month after he fled Lhasa, the Dalai Lama arrived in Tepzur, Assam.

Photograph: Anuwar Hazarika/Reuters

This time around, his first stop was Assam, where he graced the state government's Namami Brahmaputra river festival in Guwahati.
MISSOULA  The University of Montana aims to push up retention, and it kept more students from fall to spring this school year compared to last.

Last school year, UM lost roughly 900 students from the fall semester to the spring, not counting ones who graduated, according to vice president for enrollment Tom Crady.

This year, it lost an estimated 300 to 400, Crady said. The change over one year isn't enough to indicate a trend, but the vice president said it's good news.

"We've made progress on retaining more students from fall to spring, and we're pleased about it," Crady said.

The most recent survey of the institution notes UM's retention of freshmen seeking bachelor's degrees at 68 percent after their first year; the data is from the 2014-2015 school year. In a recent update, UM President Sheila Stearns said she wanted to start pushing that figure toward 80 percent.

***

Brian French, head of the Office of Student Success, has some data sources that track the reasons students leave.

He said many students transfer to other schools because UM isn't necessarily their first choice. Some might be taking their first semester at home, then head to Montana State University for engineering, agriculture or architecture.

In many cases, he said, students encounter emergencies that are outside their control, such as a family member needing care or a financial hardship or health problem. Some students struggle with mental health.

Many students also are having a difficult time financially, he said. For example, a non-traditional student working and getting an education at the same time will cut school if push comes to shove.

"School is often the first thing to go because they have to work to keep a roof over their heads," French said.

By far, the No. 1 reason students leave is money, Crady said.

***

UM aims to even out class sizes and increase enrollment, and retaining students is part of the equation.

Crady said it isn't fair to have students enroll but not complete school if it's due to bad experiences, and it's also costly for UM. To replace every student who leaves, he said, UM must recruit four or five.

Retention of American Indian students is particularly low. Just 57 percent of Native American freshmen stay after one year, according to the most recent survey available, and Crady said it's important to know if under-represented students have a different experience on campus.

"I want to know there aren't barriers that prevent them from succeeding," he said.

He said finances play a major role in retention. Many students work two or three jobs, and burnout leads students to drop out, too.

"What we see today is students have more complex issues than they did 25 years ago, but we need to provide support for that," Crady said.

***

UM used to have dozens of holds, or reasons that stopped a student from registering, and Crady eliminated most of them early in the fall semester shortly after he came on board. He said former President Royce Engstrom gave him full authority to take actions to help enrollment.

"I think holds had a really negative effect on students. I really do. The reason is holds are not easy to clear," Crady said.

UM also has a lot of room for improvement when it comes to mentoring students through difficult processes, he said. He credits a financial aid staff member as partly responsible for helping him through college years ago.

This year, UM is more flexible with payment plans, and that could be helping retention as well, Crady said. In the past, a student who hadn't paid in full by a cancellation date early on the semester would get thrown out of courses unless the student had signed up for a payment plan.

Now, all students have the opportunity to work out a payment plan without finding themselves thrown out of a class for which they'd already bought books. This year, he said, the change kept many students at UM.

"We would have canceled approximately 1,100 students, 900 of which did not need to be canceled," Crady said.

Crady said it isn't fair to have students enroll but not complete school if it's due to bad experiences, and it's also costly for UM.
Venezuela: In a Hole, and Still Digging

Publisher International Crisis Group (ICG) Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as International Crisis Group (ICG), Venezuela: In a Hole, and Still Digging, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecd2a78.html [accessed 8 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.

Images of the bloodied face of Venezuelan opposition MP Juan Requesens, a vicious, diagonal gash across his left temple, graphically conveyed in recent days the lengths to which the government of President Nicolas Maduro appears prepared to go in order to stay in power. Requesens needed more than 50 stitches after an attack by government supporters during a protest over the decision by the Supreme Court (TSJ) to assume all legislative powers. Although later partially reversed, the ruling in late March by the government-controlled Supreme Court caused dismay across Latin America, and triggered long-awaited moves by Venezuela's regional neighbours to get tough over its increasingly undemocratic behaviour.

Life is hard for the 112 members of parliament from the opposition Democratic Unity (MUD) coalition, who form a clear majority in the National Assembly. Just trying to walk with supporters to the assembly can get you beaten, tear-gassed or pepper-sprayed. Several have had their passports annulled: two members of the foreign affairs commission had to cross the Colombian border on foot, without passports, on their way to a session of the Organization of American States' Permanent Council in Washington late last month. The Supreme Court has recommended opposition members be court-martialed for treason and one MP is already facing a military tribunal. If that weren't enough, they receive no pay because the government, which claims the parliamentary leadership is in contempt of previous Supreme Court rulings, regards the legislature as illegitimate and has cut its funding.

On 1 April, Mercosur, the regional trading bloc from which Venezuela has already been suspended on technical grounds, voted to apply its "democracy clause"  known as the Ushuaia Protocol  which provides for joint action in the event of a breakdown of democracy in a member state. Two days later the Organization of American States (OAS) passed a resolution declaring a "breakdown of constitutional order" in Venezuela and exhorting the government to restore democracy.

The demands are the same as those made by the Vatican after a failed effort to facilitate talks in November: free political prisoners, who number over 100; restore the legislative and oversight functions of the National Assembly and the autonomy of the Supreme Court as well as of the electoral authority (CNE); call elections; and allow in humanitarian aid. The electoral authority last year blocked a recall referendum against Maduro and suspended elections for state governor. It has given no sign that these elections are to be held this year.

The president and other government officials have responded with insults and accusations of a Washington-inspired plot to put a stop to their "socialist revolution". Far from restoring democracy, the government last week barred one of the MUD's top leaders, former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles, from standing for office for the next fifteen years. But their defiance cannot conceal the grave difficulties they face. Not only is their international support dwindling but their grip on power seems less solid than it did just a few weeks ago. Even some longstanding allies, such as Spain's Podemos party, have found it hard to maintain uncritical support, although the governments of Cuba and Bolivia, among others, have not wavered.

The U-turn over the Supreme Court decision came after the once-loyal Attorney General (fiscal general) Luisa Ortega Diaz stated in a live television broadcast, which was promptly taken off the air, that the Supreme Court had violated the constitution. Such explicit public dissent by a leading regime figure is unprecedented, and the fact that her view prevailed suggests she is not acting alone. The attorney general is the country's chief prosecutor and Diaz has played a major role in putting leading dissidents behind bars. But since the opposition victory in the 2015 legislative elections she has moderated her stance, generating clashes with hardliners running the intelligence services.

There is speculation that Diaz's intervention to prevent a further slide into outright dictatorship is viewed favourably by elements of the army. It would not be the first time that the Armed Forces intervened on the side of democracy. In December 2015 the high command ordered polling stations closed when the government was trying to keep them open in an after-hours bid to affect the election result. If Maduro is to stay in power purely through repression, at some point the army may be called onto the streets. This is a scenario military experts say would present officers with a major dilemma, since they are well aware of the danger of subsequent prosecutions for human rights abuses in the event of a change in government.

Maduro is trapped in an electoral maze of the regime's own making. After years of using elections as plebiscites, confident that oil revenues and the charisma of the late strongman Hugo Chavez would always ensure victory, the government can now  with Chavez gone  neither muster the electoral support nor find a convincing reason not to hold a vote. And with foreign reserves at their lowest in over two decades and billions of dollars in debt payments due this year, it faces the prospect of defaulting or forcing Venezuelans to face even greater hardship from lack of food, medicines and other basic goods than they already are. Political turmoil has exacerbated an already critical financial situation. Many fear the president may use the alleged threat of foreign intervention to close down even the limited democratic space still available. Some government politicians have said they would mount armed resistance to any attempt to oust them from power. But it is unclear whether the army, on whose goodwill they depends, would accompany them down that road.

Dire though the prospects for Venezuela appear to be, the events of the past few weeks have clarified some issues. The OAS, under its activist Secretary General Luis Almagro, has been shown to be the key platform for applying international pressure. Its Inter-American Democratic Charter, which provides for diplomatic initiatives in the event of a breakdown of democracy, and in extreme cases the suspension of a member state, is no magic bullet. But it does offer a legitimate framework for action, having been ratified by all 34 active OAS member states. Almagro has taken the lead, arguing for suspension from the organisation and making even the U.S. appear moderate in comparison. The coalition of some 18-20 countries now backing a regional initiative to persuade the Maduro government to negotiate includes all the region's most influential nations  Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia and Peru, as well as the U.S. It is not only Venezuela's immediate neighbours who have an interest in seeing the crisis dealt with promptly. Mexico will be hosting the OAS General Assembly in June and does not want it wrecked by skirmishes over Venezuela. Curiously Washington  which on so many other issues is at odds with Mexico  is working closely with it on this issue.

Moreover, the Maduro government's ability to use ever increasing repression to contain an ever more restive population is much less apparent than at the beginning of the year. In recent days, large demonstrations in Caracas and other cities have been met with tear gas, water-cannon and plastic bullets, as well as armed civilians on motorcycles, but crowds have often stood their ground. With opposition MPs leading from the front, enthusiasm for protests seems to have been restored after the doldrums of early 2017, although how long the MUD can keep up the pressure is uncertain.

The government has shown little inclination to compromise in negotiations with the opposition, and internal and external pressure has thus far been met with vows to intensify the "revolution". It is significant that its only important climb-down of recent times  the U-turn over the Supreme Court rulings  was prompted by high-level, internal dissent. If the opposition, and those in the region pushing for a restoration of democracy, are prepared to negotiate a calendar of elections and a transitional arrangement for Maduro and other leading members of the regime should they lose power in these polls  which will necessarily include some form of immunity from prosecution  then it is possible the split between government hardliners and pragmatists could widen, and an agreement be reached. This would need to be brokered by an agreed cast of outside actors, possibly foreign ministers from neighbouring countries. A reappearance of the Vatican in a facilitation role might also be useful.

The alternative is ongoing social misery, with the lid kept on through military dictatorship. Or a collapse brought on most probably by a chaotic default on the foreign debt. Time is running out for a creative solution to the mess in Venezuela.
TV reporter kidnapped and beaten over post about First Lady

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, TV reporter kidnapped and beaten over post about First Lady, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecdc764.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled to learn that TV reporter Gertrude Uwitware was kidnapped and beaten during the weekend over her coverage of a dispute between well-known university academic Stella Nyanzi and Janet Museveni, who is Uganda's minister of education and President Yoweri Museveni's wife.

Gertrude Uwitware, who covers health issues for Nation Television (NTV), Uganda's leading privately-owned TV channel, was walking along one of Kampala's safest and most touristic avenues on the afternoon of 8 April when a man and a woman forced her to get into their car at gunpoint.

After gagging her, they drove her to an isolated spot several kilometres outside the city, where they shaved her head, beat her and threatened to torture her.

Referring to a blog post in which she defended Nyanzi, who accused the First Lady of not keeping an election promise to provide free sanitary pads in schools, they ordered her to stop harassing the president's family and made her delete all of her Twitter and Facebook posts deemed too critical.

They told her they were sparing her life only because she was "one of ours" (meaning a member of President Museveni's ethnic group) and that they would otherwise have cut her head off. They finally dumped her at an isolated location where police found here at around midnight.

Uwitware had already received threats two weeks ago on her Facebook page from a person using the pseudonym of Ugaba Tindewyebwa, who ordered her to support the president's family.

"The acts of violence and intimidation against journalists in Uganda must stop and, in this particular case, the president must send a clear message to his supporters to end the harassment," said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk."We note that several persons were convicted last month of physical attacks on journalists and that the police were very quick to search for Gertrude Uwitware. We call on the police and judicial authorities to be equally quick in identifying Uwitware's two abductors and bringing them to justice."

Maurice Mugisha, the head of NTV, has called for a rapid and comprehensive police investigation into the abduction, which has come at a time when journalists are often the targets of threats and harassment and media outlets are being gagged with impunity.

Nyanzi was meanwhile arrested on 7 April on a charge of online harassment and insults under a 2011 law on "misuse" of the Internet, and was due to appear before a judge today. She is accused of referring offensively to Janet Museveni in her Facebook post about the broken presidential campaign promise.

Uganda is ranked 102nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Prosecutor requests death penalty for RFI reporter in Cameroon

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Prosecutor requests death penalty for RFI reporter in Cameroon, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecdcdb4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates its call for the acquittal of Radio France Internationale reporter Ahmed Abba, who is being tried before a military court in Yaounde. The organisation also condemns yesterday's hasty summing-up by the prosecution, which ended with a sudden request for the death penalty.

Yesterday's hearing was the 16th in Ahmed Abba's trial on charges of failing to report acts of terrorism to the authorities, condoning terrorism, and concealing information in connection with his coverage of attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram. A reporter for RFI's Hausa-language service, he has been held ever since his arrest 20 months ago.

After a summing-up that lasted only ten minutes, the prosecutor shocked the courtroom by asking for the death penalty without first demonstrating Abba's guilt on any of the charges. The prosecutor said he had kept the summing-up short because he felt ill. The case was adjourned until 20 April.

"The contrast between the summing-up's superficiality and the gravity of the sentence sought is staggering," said Clea Kahn-Sriber, the head of RSF's Africa desk. "The prosecutor's haste to request a sentence without being able to prove Ahmed Abba's guilt shows that he has no case, as we have said all along. We ask the court to take a just decision based on the tangible evidence demonstrating Abba's innocence."

In a summing-up for the defence that lasted nearly three hours, Abba's lawyers demonstrated not only the lack of a case against their client but also the prosecution's failure to respect judicial procedure and Cameroon's laws.

Taking turns to address the court, the defence lawyers said the prosecution had failed to produce any convincing material evidence to support the allegations against Abba, had failed to demonstrate any intent to commit the alleged crimes and had furthermore presented its sentence request at the wrong point in the trial.

They also argued that the charge of failing to report acts of terrorism to the authorities violated article 50 of Cameroon's 1990 media law, which protects the confidentiality of journalists' sources. They ended their summing-up by asking the court to acquit Abba on all charges.

Following his arrest in July 2015, Abba had to wait several months before being taken before a judge and has remained in detention even since the judicial proceedings began in November 2015.

His trial quickly acquired political overtones because of the gravity of the charges and the prosecution's failure to produce evidence. Representatives of several European embassies have attended hearings in a show of support for Abba. One of the original charges, "complicity in terrorism," was dropped by the prosecution on 3 March.

RFI's management has issued a statement saying it expects that 20 April, the day the verdict is due to be delivered, "will be the day that Ahmed Abba's innocence is recognized and will be the last day of his ordeal, because 628 days in detention is definitely too many for an innocent man."

Cameroon is ranked 126th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
Security Council condemns 'barbaric and cowardly' terrorist attack in Stockholm

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Security Council condemns 'barbaric and cowardly' terrorist attack in Stockholm, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecdd964.html [accessed 8 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 Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the "barbaric and cowardly" terrorist attack which took place in Stockholm on 7 April, and during which at least four people, including a child, were killed and over a dozen injured.

In a press statement, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Government of Sweden.

Reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

Through its statement, the Council also reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice.
Iraq: UN agency ramps up emergency medical care to women and girls affected by conflict

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Iraq: UN agency ramps up emergency medical care to women and girls affected by conflict, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecdde64.html [accessed 8 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 Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the "barbaric and cowardly" terrorist attack which took place in Stockholm on 7 April, and during which at least four people, including a child, were killed and over a dozen injured.

In a press statement, the members of the Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the Government of Sweden.

Reaffirming that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

Through its statement, the Council also reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring the perpetrators of these terrorist acts to justice.
Urgent action needed to stave off 'hunger crisis' in Iraq  UN food relief agency

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Urgent action needed to stave off 'hunger crisis' in Iraq  UN food relief agency, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecde264.html [accessed 8 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.

Warning that deepening food insecurity in Iraq could leave more than half the population facing "unprecedented levels" of vulnerability, the United Nations emergency food relief agency today called for improving nutrition awareness and strengthening social safety nets and livelihoods in rural areas, to avoid a hunger crisis in the country.

In its Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis, prepared jointly with the Iraqi Government, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) also underlined the need to improve access to education, especially for girls, as an important component in the fight against hunger.

"[The Analysis] should guide the work of the Government, policy makers, and humanitarians across the country to improve the food security and nutrition status of every Iraqi so that no one is left behind," the WFP Representative and Country Director in Iraq, Sally Haydock, said in a news release.

The study - one of the most robust technical food security studies ever conducted in Iraq - was conducted prior to the recent offensive in Mosul and does not capture the food security situation among people fleeing these conflict areas. Data collection was concluded in 2016 and included first hand surveys with more than 20,000 families in urban and rural areas as well as with those who are internally displaced.

Findings revealed that 2.5 per cent of the country's population is already food insecure - a level of need that requires support. On top of this, rather than going to school, nearly 75 per cent of children under the age of 15 work to help their families put food on the table.

Analysis also showed that 53 per cent of residents and 66 per cent of internally displaced people are vulnerable to food insecurity.

"The prevalence of food insecurity was twice as high among internally displaced families compared to those remaining in their homes," noted WFP in the news release.

The highest concentration of food insecure families was found in the southern portion of the country, particularly in northern Muthanna and portions of Salah al-Deen, it added.

The recommendations of the study will also be used by the UN agency and the Government of Iraq to work towards the implementation of the food-security related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal 2 on ending hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition.

It will also provide the basis for five to 10 years of strategic development planning.

WFP assistance in country

The UN agency has been operating in Iraq since 1968, providing emergency food assistance during crises as well as investing in development initiatives such as school meals, nutrition support for babies, pregnant and nursing mothers, tree planting, and assisting the Government with technical capacity building and reform of its food deliver systems.

It has also been providing nationwide support to families displaced by the conflict through cash assistance programmes and monthly family rations. However, lack of funding continues to pose a serious threat to such operations.

In Iraq, WFP urgently requires $113 million to continue to provide full monthly rations and cash-based assistance to cover the needs of 1.5 million vulnerable Iraqis until the end of September 2017.
UN refugee agency urges EU States to suspend transfers of asylum-seekers to Hungary

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, UN refugee agency urges EU States to suspend transfers of asylum-seekers to Hungary, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecde984.html [accessed 8 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 refugee agency today called on European Union (EU) members to temporarily suspend returns of asylum-seekers to Hungary, concerned about the country's new policy of detaining migrants at the border or expelling those not holding the proper papers.

"The situation for asylum-seekers in Hungary, which was already of deep concern, has only gotten worse since the new law introducing mandatory detention for asylum-seekers came into effect," said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The EU's Dublin Regulation, named after the Irish capital in which it was agreed more than 25 years ago, is an EU instrument that determines which European State is responsible for examining an asylum seeker's application.

"Given the worsening situation of asylum-seekers in Hungary, I urge States to suspend any Dublin transfer of asylum-seekers to this country until the Hungarian authorities bring their practices and policies in line with European and international law," he added.

While Mr. Grandi said he was "encouraged" by the decision taken by the European Commission to work with the Hungarian authorities with a view to bringing the new legislation and Hungary's practice in line with EU law, he noted that "urgent measures are needed to improve access to asylum in Hungary."

The High Commissioner's Office (UNHCR) has repeatedly raised its concerns over the situation of refugees and asylum-seekers arriving to Hungary with the authorities and the EU, stressing that physical barriers and restrictive policies have resulted in effectively denying access to territory and asylum.

Hungary's "emergency measures" under the amended law on asylum expand mandatory detention of asylum seekers and lead to the expulsion from the country of anyone who enters the country irregularly, in violation of the country's obligations under international law.

UNHCR reported that since it came into force on 28 March, new asylum-seekers, including children, are detained in shipping containers surrounded by high razor fences at the border for the entire length of their asylum procedures. As of 7 April, there were 110 people, including four unaccompanied children and children with their families, held there.

"While acknowledging the authorities' recent efforts to address police violence, we remain very concerned about highly disturbing reports of serious incidents of ill-treatment and violence against people crossing the border into Hungary, including by State agents," said Mr. Grandi.

"These unacceptable practices must be brought to an end and I urge the Hungarian authorities to further investigate any allegation of abuse and violence," he added.

RELATED: UN agency urges EU to adopt stronger approach on refugees, asylum seekers

Back in December, UNHCR presented a series of proposals to the EU and Member States to improve the distribution of asylum claims among Member States. The High Commissioner also called for the EU to adopt a simplified asylum system that would identify, register and process arrivals swiftly and efficiently.

"This is key to ensure access to protection for those who need it and to restore public trust," he said.
Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Russia: Government vs. Rights Groups, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ecdf6f4.html [accessed 8 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.

For the past four years, the Kremlin has sought to stigmatize criticism or alternative views of government policy as disloyal, foreign-sponsored, or even traitorous. It is part of a sweeping crackdown to silence critical voices that has included new legal restrictions on the internet, on freedom of expression, on the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and on other fundamental freedoms.

An enduring, central feature has been the 2012 law requiring independent groups to register as "foreign agents" if they receive any foreign funding and engage in broadly defined "political activity." In Russia, the term "foreign agent" can be interpreted by the public only as "spy" or "traitor." To date, Russia's Justice Ministry has designated 158 groups as "foreign agents," courts have levied staggering fines on many groups for failing to comply with the law, and about 30 groups have shut down rather than wear the "foreign agent" label. Organizations targeted include groups that work on human rights, the environment, LGBT issues, and health issues, groups that do polling about social issues. A court forced the closure of AGORA Association, one of Russia's leading human rights organizations , in response to a Justice Ministry suit alleging that the group violated the "foreign agents" law and carried out work beyond its mandate. The ministry has removed its "foreign agent" tag from over 20 groups, acknowledging that they had stopped accepting foreign funding. Accordingly, as of April 10, 2017, the official list of active "foreign agents" consisted of 98 groups. The 'Foreign Agent' Law Under the 2012 law, groups must register with the Justice Ministry as "foreign agents" if they receive even a minimal amount of funding from any foreign sources, governmental or private, and engage in "political activity." The definition of political activity under the law is so broad and vague that it effectively extends to all aspects of advocacy and human rights work. Initially, the law required all nongovernmental organizations that met these criteria to register with the ministry and to identify themselves as "foreign agents" in all their public materials, with legal consequences for failure to comply. Russia's human rights groups resolutely boycotted the law, calling it "unjust" and "slanderous." In 2013, Russia's then-federal ombudsman, Vladimir Lukin, challenged the law in Russia's Constitutional Court. In 2014, the court upheld the law, finding that there were no legal or constitutional grounds for contending that the term "foreign agent" had negative connotations from the Soviet era and that, therefore, its use was "not intended to persecute or discredit" organizations. The court also found that the "foreign agent" designation was in line with the public interest and the interest of state sovereignty. Two years of mounting pressure by the authorities, court proceedings, and massive fines did not succeed in forcing groups to voluntarily register as foreign agents. In May 2014 Russia's parliament amended the "foreign agents" law to authorize the Justice Ministry to register groups as "foreign agents" without their consent. In May 2016, parliament adopted another set of amendments to the law, expanding the controversial definition of "political activity" to include, among other things, any attempt by an independent group to influence public policy, regardless of the group's mandate. To date, the registry of "foreign agents" includes the following organizations:

Association of NGOs in Defense of Voters' Rights "Golos" (Moscow) - June 5, 2014 Regional Public Association in Defense of Democratic Rights and Freedoms "Golos" (Moscow) - June 5, 2014 Center for Social Policy and Gender Studies (Saratov) - June 5, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015) Women of Don (Rostov region) - June 5, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - February 29, 2016) Kostroma Center for Support of Public Initiatives (Kostroma) - June 5, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - June 19, 2015) Interregional Human Rights Association "Agora" (Kazan) - July 21, 2014 (the organization was shut down - December 29, 2016) Regional public organization "Ecozaschita! - Womens' Council" (Kaliningrad) - July 21, 2014 Public Verdict Foundation (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 Lawyers for Constitutional Rights and Freedoms / JURIX (Moscow) - July 21, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 26, 2015) Soldiers' Mothers (Saint Petersburg) - August 28, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 23, 2015) Freedom of Information Foundation / Institute for Information Freedom Development - August 28, 2014 PIR Center - September 3, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - February 24, 2016) Association "Partnership for Development" (Saratov) - October 2, 2014 (the organization was shut down - November 6, 2015) "News Agency MEMO.RU" (Moscow) - November 20, 2014 Regional Press Institute (St. Petersburg) - November 20, 2014 Moscow School of Civic Education - December 9, 2014 Rakurs, Arkhangelsk regional non-governmental LGBT organization - December 15, 2014 All-Russian movement "For Human Rights" - December 22, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - December 30, 2015) Human Rights Center (Kaliningrad) - December 25, 2014 Krasnodar Regional Social Organization of University Alumni - December 25, 2014 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - April 22, 2016) Regional social organization "Public Commission for Academic Sakharov's Heritage Preservation" - December 25, 2014 Resource Human Rights Center (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down - November 3, 2015) Regional Public Organization "Man and the Law" (Republic of Mari El) - December 30, 2014 Center for Social Development "Vozrozhdeniye" (Pskov) - December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down - January 31, 2017) Public Human Rights Organization "Civil Control" (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014 The League of Women Voters (St. Petersburg) - December 30, 2014 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015) Free Press Support Foundation - December 30, 2014 Interregional Non-Governmental Organization "The Committee Against Torture" - January 16, 2015 (the organization was shut down - September 13, 2016) Educational Center "Memorial" (Sverdlov region) - January 16, 2015 Autonomous non-profit human rights organization "Youth Center for Consulting and Training" - January 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - July 22, 2015) "Information Bureau of the Nordic Council of Ministers in St. Petersburg" - January 20, 2015 Jewish regional branch of the Russian public organization "Municipal Academy"- January 26, 2015 (the organization was shut down - May 22, 2015) The noncommercial partnership "Press Development Institute - Siberia" - January 30, 2015 Center for social, psychological and legal help to victims of discrimination and homophobia "Maximum" (Murmansk) - February 4, 2015 (the organization was shut down - October 28, 2015) Interregional public fund for civil society development "Golos-Povolzhye" (Samara) - February 6, 2015 Interregional charity organization "Siberian Environmental Center" (Novosibirsk) - February 12, 2015 Center for Civic Analysis and Independent Research / GRANI (Perm) - February 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - June 19, 2015) Municipal public organization "Samara Center for Gender Studies" (Samara) - February 16, 2015 Regional Fund "Center for Defense of Mass Media Rights" (Voronezh) - February 26, 2015 Regional Charitable Social Foundation "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - March 6, 2015 Regional Ecological Social Movement "For nature" (Chelyabinsk) - March 6, 2015 Humanist Youth Movement (Murmansk) - March 13, 2015 (the organization was shut down - August 25, 2015) Regional Social Organization for Contribution to Harmonization of Interethnic Relations "Azerbaijan" - March 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - July 22, 2016) Regional Social Environmental Organization "Bellona-Murmansk" - March 19, 2015 (the organization was shut down - October 16, 2015) "Educational Center for Environment and Security" (Samara) - March 20, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 8, 2015) Foundation "Migration XXI Century" - March 27, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - November 25, 2016) Eco-logika (Rostov) - April 3, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - March 30, 2016) Transparency International Russia - April 7, 2015 Social Environmental Organization "Planeta Nadezhd" - April 15, 2015 Foundation for Consumers' Rights Defense (Novosibirsk) - April 17, 2015 (the organization was shut down - May 12, 2016) Civic Assistance Committee - April 20, 2015 Foundation 19/29 - Foundation for Support of Investigative Journalism - April 24, 2015 Commemorative Centre of History of Political Repressions "Perm - 36" - April 29, 2015 (the organization was shut down - August 18, 2016) Women's League (Kaliningrad ) - April 29, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 16, 2015) Legal Expert Partnership "Soyuz " - May 7, 2015 (the organization was shut down - 25 August 2015) Center for Development of Non-Commerical Organizations - May 13, 2015 Club of Accountants and Auditors of Non-Commercial Organizations - May 13, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - March 30, 2016) Informational Bureau of the Council of Ministers of Northern Countries (Kaliningrad) - May 13, 2015 Sutyajnik (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015 Human Rights Academy (Yekaterinburg) - May 15, 2015 Ecological Center "Dront" (Nizhny Novgorod) - May 22, 2015 The non-profit organization "Liberal Mission" Scientific Foundation of Theoretical and Applied Research - May 25, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - September 11, 2015) The non-profit Dynasty Foundation - May 25, 2015 Union of Employers (Tula region) - May 28, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - December 13, 2016) Youth organization "Nuori Karjala/Young Karelia" - June 19, 2015 (the organization was shut down - March 25, 2016) Siberian Center for Support of Social Initiatives - June 19, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - September 21, 2016) Interregional Social Foundation for Peace in the South and in the Northern Caucasus - June 19, 2015 Informational Center "Free Inform" - June 22, 2015 (the organization was shut down - June 21, 2016) Center for Independent Sociological Studies (St. Petersburg) - June 22, 2015 Regional Organization for Population and Development - June 23, 2015 Geblerov Ecological Societ (Barnaul) - June 23, 2015 Association "Legal Basis" (Yekaterinburg) - July 3, 2015 Interregional Non-governmental Organization "Northern Environmental Coalition" (Petrozavodsk) - July 8, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 1, 2015) Komi Human Rights Commission "Memorial" (Syktyvkar) - July 21, 2015 Altai Regional Public Fund for 21st Century Altai (Barnaul) - July 22, 2015 (the organization was shut down - March 28, 2016) Interregional Public Foundation for Civil Society Development "GOLOS-Ural" (Chelyabinsk region) - July 22, 2015 SREDA Foundation - July 28, 2015 Non-governmental environmental organization "Green World" (Nizhny Novgorod) - July 29, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 28, 2016) Civic Action Foundation (Perm) - August 5, 2015 Alliance of Funds of Local Communities of the Perm territory - August 11, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - October 26, 2016) Kabardino-Balkaria Human Rights Center - regional branch of the "For Human Rights" All-Russian movement (Nalchik) - August 18, 2015 (the organization was shut down - November 6, 2015) The Human Rights Center of the Chechen Republic (Grozny) - August 21, 2015 Interregional Social Ecological Foundation "ISAR-Siberia" (Novosibirsk) - August 26, 2015 Perm Regional Human Rights Center (Perm) - September 3, 2015 Siberia's lifeline (Novosibirsk) - September 3, 2015 Golos Foundation in Support of Democracy - September 4, 2015 (the organization was shut down - June 21, 2016) Jewish Cultural Center "Hesed-Teshuva" (Ryazan) - September 11, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - December 13, 2016) Sakhalin Environment Watch (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk) - September 18, 2015 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - April 10, 2017) Yasavey Manzara Information and Research Center (Naryan-Mar) - September 23, 2015 (the organization was shut down - June 15, 2016) Consumer Rights and Environment Protection Association "Princip" (Moscow region) - October 5, 2015 Far East Center for the Development of Civil Initiatives and Social Partnership (Vladivostok)- October 13, 2015 Russian Research Center for Human Rights - October 20, 2015 Women of the Don (Rostov region) - October 27, 2015 Friends of the Siberian Forests (Krasnoyarsk) - October 28, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 6, 2016) Photography Club "Sobytiye" (Omsk) - October 28, 2015 (the organization was shut down - December 16, 2015) Research and Information Center "Memorial" (St. Petersburg) - November 6, 2015 Baikal Environmental Wave (Irkutsk) - November 10, 2015 (the organization was shut down - August 1, 2016) Glasnost Defense Foundation - November 19, 2015 Human Rights Institute - November 20, 2015 Center for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North - November 27, 2015 Green World (Leningrad region) - December 2, 2015 Mashr (Republic of Ingushetia) - December 8, 2015 Woman's World (Kaliningrad) - December 11, 2015 Panorama Information and Research Center (Moscow) - December 18, 2015 Dauria Ecological Center (Chita) - December 30, 2015 (the organization was shut down - September 1, 2016) Yekaterinburg Memorial Society (Yekaterinburg) - December 30, 2015 Bureau of Public Investigations (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 14, 2016 Committee for the Prevention of Torture (Orenburg) - January 14, 2016 Institute of Forecasting and Resolving of Political Conflicts (Nizhny Novgorod) - January 22, 2016 Ryazan Historical, Educational and Human Rights Center "Memorial" (Ryazan) - February 1, 2016 Society of Assistance to Social Protection of Citizens "Peterburgskaya EGIDA" (Saint Petersburg) - February 2, 2016 (the organization was shut down - April 26, 2016) Center for Health and Social Support "SIBALT" (Omsk) - February 15, 2016 Chelyabinsk Regional Organ of Public Independent Action "Ural Human Rights Group" (Chelyabinsk) - February 15, 2016 Women of Eurasia (Chelyabinsk) - February 15, 2016 Ural Democratic Foundation (Chelyabinsk) - February 15, 2016 Legal and Social Support Charitable Foundation "Sphere" (Saint Petersburg) - March 1, 2016 Centre for Civic Education and Human Rights (Perm) - March 3, 2016 The International Development Fund for Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation "Batani" (Moscow) - March 11, 2016 Center for Social and Labor Rights (Moscow) - March 21, 2016 Arkhar (Gorno-Altaysk) - April 5, 2016 (the organization was shut down - October 6, 2016) Publishing House "Valentin Manuylov" - April 15, 2016 Tengri School of Soul ecology (Altay) - May 17, 2016 Hanse Buero / Information Bureau of Schleswig-Holstein in Kaliningrad (Kaliningrad) - May 24, 2016 (the organization was shut down - December 30, 2016) Krasnoyarsk Regional Public Organization Agency of public initiatives (Krasnoyarsk) - May 27, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - September 21, 2016) Saratov Regional Public Organization "Socium" (Engels) - May 30, 2016 Perm regional non-governmental organization "Perm Civil Chamber" (Perm) - June 9, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - September 21, 2016) Regional non-governmental organization Integration center "Migration and Law" (Moscow) - June 16, 2016 Non-Profit Partnership "ESVERO" (Moscow) - June 22, 2016 Andrey Rylkov Foundation for Health and Social Justice (Moscow) - June 29, 2016 Altai regional sport and patriotic youth public organization "Arctica" (Biysk) - July 6, 2016 ("foreign agent" status was suspended - February 8, 2017) Autonomous non-governmental organization "Free Word" (Pskov) - July 13, 2016 The Institute of Economic Analysis (Moscow) - July 22, 2016 Penza regional youth civic organization for prevention of negative phenomena among youth "Panacea" (Kuznetsk) - August 15, 2016 (the organization was shut down - December 8, 2016) Samara regional, civic organization "American alumni club" (Samara) - August 26, 2016 Autonomous non-for-profit organization "Publishing house 'Park Gagarina'" (Samara) - August 31, 2016 Levada Analytical Center (Moscow) - September 5, 2016 Environmental Watch on North Caucasus (Maikop) - September 13, 2016 Autonomous non-for-profit human rights organization "Draftee's school" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 Foundation for support of civil freedoms "Legal mission" (Chelyabinsk) - September 21, 2016 International Historical, Educational, Human Rights And Charitable Society Memorial (Moscow) - October 4, 2016 Sverdlovsk regional non-profit foundation "Health Era" (Ekaterinburg) - October 11, 2016 Chapaevsk non-profit organization "Chapaevsk city medical personnel association" (Chapaevsk) - October 21, 2016 Regional charity foundation "Samarskaya gubernia" (Samara) - November 2, 2016 Non-profit partnership "Internet Community" (Samara) - December 13, 2016 Autonomous non-profit organization for social support "Project April" (Tolyatti) - December 19, 2016 ANNA Centre for the prevention of violence (Moscow) - December 26, 2016 Southern Human Rights Centre (Sochi) - December 26, 2016 Sverdlovsk branch of the International Historical, Educational, Human Rights And Charitable Society Memorial (Ekaterinburg) - December 29, 2016 SOVA Center for Information and Analysis (Moscow) - December 30, 2016 Sverdlovsk civic organization for assistance to legal migration "Nelegalov.Net [No Illegals]" (Ekaterinburg) - January 10, 2017 Environmental human rights center Bellona (Saint Petersburg) - January 16, 2017 Youth civic organization "Pro-movement" (Altay region) - January 25, 2017 Kaliningrad regional civic organization "Society for German culture and Russian Germans Eintracht - Soglasie" (Kaliningrad) - January 31, 2017 Foundation for development assistance to mass communication and legal education "Tak-Tak-Tak" (Novosibirsk) - February 20, 2017

And the four NGOs which registered voluntarily:

Non-commercial Partnership "Supporting Competition in the CIS Countries" - June 27, 2013 "The Union of Young Political Scientists", Karachay-Cherkess Republican Youth Social Organization - December 15, 2014 Regional Social Movement "Novgorod Women's Parliament" (Veliky Novgorod) - March 6, 2015 Center of Independent Researchers of the Altai Republic - June 10, 2015

Leader of at least 1 NGO faces criminal charges personally:

Women of Don (Rostov region) - criminal proceeding is in process. Chair Valentina Cherevatenko faces up to two years in prison for "malicious evasion of the duty to file the documents required for inclusion in the register of nonprofit organizations performing the functions of a foreign agent."

Copyright notice:  Copyright, Human Rights Watch
The Death penalty in 2016: Facts and figures

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 11 April 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, The Death penalty in 2016: Facts and figures, 11 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece0054.html [accessed 8 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.

Global figures

At least 1,032 people were executed in 23 countries in 2016. In 2015 Amnesty International recorded 1,634 executions in 25 countries worldwide - a historical spike unmatched since 1989.

Most executions took place in China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan - in that order.

China remained the world's top executioner - but the true extent of the use of the death penalty in China is unknown as this data is considered a state secret; the global figure of at least 1,032 excludes the thousands of executions believed to have been carried out in China.

Excluding China, 87% of all executions took place in just four countries - Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan.

For the first time since 2006, the USA was not one of the five biggest executioners, falling to seventh behind Egypt. The 20 executions in the USA was the lowest in the country since 1991.

During 2016, 23 countries, about one in eight of all countries worldwide, are known to have carried out executions. This number has decreased significantly from twenty years ago (40 countries carried out executions in 1997). Belarus, Botswana, Nigeria and authorities within the State of Palestine resumed executions in 2016; Chad, India, Jordan, Oman and United Arab Emirates -all countries that executed people in 2015  did not report any executions last year.

141 countries worldwide, more than two-thirds, are abolitionist in law or practice.

In 2016, two countries - Benin and Nauru- abolished the death penalty in law for all crimes. In total, 104 countries have done so - a majority of the world's states. Only 64 countries were fully abolitionist in 1997.

Commutations or pardons of death sentences were recorded in 28 countries in 2016. At least 60 people who had been sentenced to death were exonerated in 9 countries in 2016:Bangladesh (4), China (5), Ghana (1), Kuwait (5), Mauritania (1), Nigeria (32), Sudan (9), Taiwan (1) and Viet Nam (2).

Amnesty International recorded 3,117 death sentences in 55 countries in 2016, a significant increase on the total for 2015 (1,998 sentences in 61 countries). Significant increases were recorded in 12 countries, but for some, such as Thailand, the increase is due to the fact that the authorities provided Amnesty International with detailed information.

At least 18,848 people were on death row at the end of 2016. The following methods of execution were used across the world: beheading, hanging, lethal injection and shooting. Public executions were carried out in Iran (at least 33) and North Korea.

Reports indicated that at least two people who were under 18 at the time of the crime for which they were sentenced to death were executed in 2016 in Iran.

In many countries where people were sentenced to death or executed, the proceedings did not meet international fair trial standards. In some cases this included the extraction of "confessions" through torture or other ill-treatment, including in Bahrain, China, Iran, Iraq, North Korea and Saudi Arabia.

Regional analysis

Americas

For the 8th consecutive year, the USA was the only country to carry out executions in the Americas region with 20 people executed in 2016 (eight fewer than in 2015). This was the lowest number of executions recorded in a single year since 1991. This rate of executions is half that of 2007, a third that of 1997.

Five states executed people in 2016 compared to six the previous year. The number of executions carried out in Georgia almost doubled compared to the previous year (from 5 to 9); while the figure almost halved in Texas (from 13 to 7). Together these two states were responsible for the 80% of all executions in the country during the year. However, 2,832 people were still on death row in the USA at the end of 2016.

The number of death sentences in the USA also decreased from 52 in 2015 to 32 in 2016 (38% decrease). This is the lowest number recorded since 1973.

Only three other countries in the region, Barbados, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, imposed death sentences in 2016. Two Caribbean countries -Antigua and Barbuda and Bahamas- commuted their last remaining death sentences.

Asia-Pacific

At least 130 executions were carried out in 2016 in 11 countries, down from at least 367 executions in 12 countries in 2015. This was mainly due to Pakistan, where executions decreased by 239 (73%). The figure for Asia-Pacific does not include executions carried out in China, where executions were still in the thousands. But the true extent of the use of the death penalty in China is unknown as this data is treated as a state secret.

New information about executions in China, Malaysia and Viet Nam exposed the extent to which governments are keeping their use of the death penalty secret. Pressured by parliament, Malaysia revealed that it had executed nine people in 2016, and that, as of 30 April 2016, 1,042 people were under sentence of death.

New data from Vietnam showed that it was one of the world's biggest executioners. According to a report of the Viet Nam's Ministry of Public Security which became public in February 2017, 429 prisoners were executed between 6 August 2013 and 30 June 2016. Only China and Iran executed more people during that period.

At least 1,224 new death sentences were imposed in 18 countries across the region, a noticeable rise from at least 661 in 2015 (a 85% increase). This is linked to considerable increases in these figures for Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Thailand, with the Thai authorities providing Amnesty International with a full figure of 216 new death sentences for the first time in recent years.

Maldives and the Philippines took steps in the wrong direction towards the resumptions of executions after more than six decades and the reintroduction of the death penalty, respectively.

Sub-Saharan Africa

The use of the death penalty in Sub-Saharan Africa was mixed. Whilst fewer executions were recorded, the number of death sentences logged rose by 145%. At least 22 executions were carried out in five countries - compared to 43 executions in four countries in 2015.

Death sentences rose from 443 in 2015 to at least 1,086 in 2016, mainly due to an increase in Nigeria (from 171 to 527) which handed down more death sentences this year than any other country except China. The danger of people being executed for crimes they did not commit remains ever-present: half of the exonerations recorded around the world in 2016 were in Nigeria (32).

Europe and Central Asia

In Europe and Central Asia, Belarus resumed executions after a 17-month hiatus. Belarus and Kazakhstan are the only two countries in the region to use the death penalty.

Middle East and North Africa

The number of executions recorded in the Middle East and North Africa decreased by 28% against the previous year, from 1,196 executions in 2015 to 856 in 2016.

Iran alone accounted for 66% of all recorded executions in the region. The overall number of executions carried out in Iran, however, dropped by 42% (from at least 977 to at least 567) compared to the previous year.

Saudi Arabia executed at least 154 people - maintaining the high level set in 2015 (158) which was the highest number recorded for Saudi Arabia since 1995.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Death Penalty: World's biggest executioner China must come clean about 'grotesque' level of capital punishment

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 11 April 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Death Penalty: World's biggest executioner China must come clean about 'grotesque' level of capital punishment, 11 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece0524.html [accessed 8 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.

1,032 executions worldwide in 2016, down 37% from 2015 (1,634)

Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Pakistan join China as world's top five executioners

USA not among top five for first time since 2006, with lowest number of executions since 1991

China investigation discredits claims of openness

Viet Nam state killing spree revealed

China's horrifying use of the death penalty remains one of the country's deadly secrets, as the authorities continue to execute thousands of people each year, Amnesty International said in its 2016 global review of the death penalty published today.

A new in-depth investigation by Amnesty International, also published today, shows that the Chinese authorities enforce an elaborate secrecy system to obscure the shocking scale of executions in the country, despite repeated claims it is making progress towards judicial transparency.

Excluding China, states around the world executed 1,032 people in 2016. China executed more than all other countries in the world put together, while the USA reached a historic low in its use of the death penalty in 2016.

"China wants to be a leader on the world stage, but when it comes to the death penalty it is leading in the worst possible way - executing more people annually than any other country in the world," said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

"The Chinese government has recognized it is a laggard in terms of openness and judicial transparency, but it persists in actively concealing the true scale of executions. It is high time for China to lift the veil on this deadly secret and finally come clean about its death penalty system."

"Just a handful of countries are still executing people on a large scale. The majority of states no longer condone the state taking human life. With just four countries responsible for 87% of all recorded executions - the death penalty is itself living on borrowed time."

China transparency claims "misleading"

Amnesty International's investigation exposes that hundreds of documented death penalty cases are missing from a national online court database that was initially touted as a "crucial step towards openness" and is regularly heralded as evidence that the country's judicial system has nothing to hide.

China's database contains only a tiny fraction of the thousands of death sentences that Amnesty International estimates are handed out every year in China, reflecting the fact that the Chinese government continues to maintain almost total secrecy over the number of people sentenced to death and executed in the country.

China classifies most information related to the death penalty as "state secrets" and in any case virtually any information can be classified as a state secret under China's overbroad secrecy laws.

Amnesty International found public news reports of at least 931 individuals executed between 2014 and 2016 (only a fraction of the total executions), but only 85 of them are in the state database.

The database also omits foreign nationals given death sentences for drug-related crimes -despite media reports of at least 11 executions of foreign nationals. Numerous cases related to "terrorism" and drug-related offences are also absent.

"The Chinese government uses partial disclosures and unverifiable assertions to claim progress in reducing the number of executions yet at the same time maintains near absolute secrecy. This is deliberately misleading." said Salil Shetty.

"China is a complete outlier in the world community when it comes to the death penalty, out of step with international legal standards and in contravention with repeated UN requests to report how many people it executes."

Over the past few years the risk of people being executed for crimes they did not commit has caused increasing alarm among the public in China.In December 2016, the Supreme People's Court overturned the wrongful conviction of one of the most prominent case of miscarriage of justice and wrongful execution, Nie Shubin. He had been executed 21 years earlier, at the age of 20. In 2016 Chinese courts decided four people facing the death penalty were innocent and quashed their death sentences.

Shocking extent of Viet Nam executions uncovered

In Malaysia and Viet Nam, new disclosures reveal that the scale of the executions in those countries was even higher than thought.

Information from Viet Nam, published in Vietnamese media for the first time in February 2017, shows that the country has secretly been the world's third biggest executioner over the last three years, executing 429 people between 6 August 2013 and 30 June 2016. Only China and Iran executed more people during that period. The report from Viet Nam's Ministry of Public Security does not contain a breakdown of figures for 2016.

"The magnitude of executions in Vietnam in recent years is truly shocking. This conveyor belt of executions completely overshadows recent death penalty reforms. You have to wonder how many more people have faced the death penalty without the world knowing it," said Salil Shetty.

Similar secrecy reigns in Malaysia, where parliamentary pressure in 2016 led to revelations that more than a thousand people are on death row, with nine people executed in 2016 alone- much more than previously thought.

Meanwhile, the idea that crimes warrant the death penalty continue to take root elsewhere in the region, with the Philippines seeking to reinstate the death penalty (last abolished in 2006) and Maldives threatening to resume executions after more than 60 years.

USA drops off top five for first time since 2006

For the first time since 2006, and only the second time since 1991, the USA is not among the world's five biggest executioners.

The number of executions (20) in 2016 reached the lowest level recorded in any year since 1991, half what it was in 1996, and almost five times lower than in 1999. The number of executions has fallen every year since 2009, except 2012 when it stayed the same).

The number of death sentences (32) was the lowest since 1973, a clear sign that judges, prosecutors and juries are turning their back on the death penalty as a means of administering justice. However, 2,832 people are still on death row in the USA.

While the debate is clearly shifting, the fall in executions was due partly to litigation on lethal injection protocols and challenges in sourcing chemicals in several states. However, the possible resolution of some lethal injection challenges could see the level of executions start to take off again in 2017, starting with Arkansas this April.

Only five US states executed people in 2016: Alabama (2), Florida (1), Georgia (9), Missouri (1), Texas (7), with Texas and Georgia, accounting for 80% of the country's executions in 2016. Meanwhile, 12 states, including Arkansas, yet to abolish the death penalty have not executed anyone for at least 10 years.

"Use of the death penalty in the USA is at its lowest since the early 1990s. But we have to fight to keep it that way. Executions could return with a vengeance in 2017. The shocking number of executions scheduled over a ten-day period in Arkansas this April is a clear example of how quickly the picture can change," said Salil Shetty.

"The steady decline in the use of the death penalty in the USA is a sign of hope for activists who have long campaigned for an end to capital punishment. The debate is clearly shifting. Politicians should steer clear of the ugly 'tough on crime' rhetoric that helped drive a spike in executions in the 1980s and 1990s. The death penalty is not going to make anyone any safer.

"The five isolated states that carried out executions last year are behind the times. Not only are they against a national trend, but also a regional one. For eight years now the USA has had the shameful distinction of being the only country in the Americas that carries out executions."

Key trends in 2016

The fall in executions worldwide is largely driven by drops in Iran (down 42% from at least 977 to at least 567) and Pakistan (73%, from 326 to 87).

In sub-Saharan Africa fewer executions were recorded but the number of death sentences more than doubled, largely due to a steep rise in Nigeria.

In the Middle East and North Africa the number of executions decreased by 28%, but Iran and Saudi Arabia remained among the top executioners

Two countries abolished the death penalty for all crimes (Benin and Nauru); Guinea abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes only.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Egypt: Authorities must address sectarian violence, not abuse emergency powers

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 10 April 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Egypt: Authorities must address sectarian violence, not abuse emergency powers, 10 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece1f54.html [accessed 8 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.

Emergency measures included in a declaration of a state of emergency by President Abdelfattah al-Sissi in the aftermath of three deplorable church bombings in Egypt will do little to resolve the root causes of sectarian attacks against Copts in Egypt and are likely to lead to a further deterioration in human rights, Amnesty International said today.

The Islamic State armed group (IS) claimed responsibility for the synchronized bombings in Tanta and another two in Alexandria which targeted Palm Sunday church services and left at least 44 dead.

"The deadly church attacks demonstrate an appalling disregard for human life and must be utterly condemned. Nothing can justify a horrifying attack on ordinary citizens attending a place of worship," said Najia Bounaim, North Africa Campaigns Director at Amnesty International.

"It is the duty of the Egyptian authorities to protect the lives and safety of its population, but the solution is not to continue and intensify curtailing what little freedoms remain in Egypt. Addressing sectarian violence requires genuine political will to end impunity and provide protection.

"Egypt has a decades-long history of relying on emergency measures which grant security forces sweeping powers to commit human rights violations unchecked, leading to arbitrary detention, torture and other serious violations."

State of emergency in Egypt

A state of emergency was last imposed in Egypt in August 2013 for a period of three months after the violent dispersal of the Rabaa and Al-Nahda sit-ins.

Prior to this, under former President Hosni Mubarak, Egypt was under a state of emergency for 31 years which ended in 2012, facilitating systematic violations and giving Egypt's security forces the power to detain thousands of people for years in administrative detention without respecting procedural guarantees intended to ensure fair administration of justice. In 2013, the Constitutional Court struck down the provision allowing for administrative detention under the Emergency Law (law 162 of 1958).

Since the state of emergency was lifted, the Egyptian authorities have relied on the regular criminal justice system for long-term pre-trial detention and special terrorism chambers for mass trials that have led to the sentencing of hundreds to death or life imprisonment after unfair trials.

Most worryingly however, the Emergency Law allows the authorities to try individuals before the flagrantly unfair Emergency State Security Courts which do not allow for the right to an appeal.

"States of emergency can never be allowed to excuse violations of non-derogable rights. Torture, unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, and arbitrary detention cannot be made lawful by declaring an emergency," said Najia Bounaim.

Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has also signed and approved Counter-terrorism Law (law no. 94 of 2015) granting the authorities sweeping powers that would usually only be invoked during a state of emergency, effectively arbitrarily restricting the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.

For decades previously, Egyptian authorities used the state of emergency as a pretext to crack down on dissent, violating the rights to freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association, referring individuals to military and emergency courts, and detaining them without judicial order.

The Emergency Law's vaguely worded provisions grant the president the authority to restrict freedom of movement and liberty. It also gives the authorities broad powers to carry out surveillance violating the right to privacy, and prior censorship of the media. Albawaba newspaper, an Egyptian daily newspaper, stated that an hour after the state of emergency was declared the authorities confiscated its Monday edition due to its coverage of the church attacks.

According to the Egyptian constitution the President has the power to declare a state of emergency after consulting the cabinet. The decision must then be approved by parliament within seven days.

Given the history of gross violations associated with prolonged states of emergency in Egypt, Amnesty International urges Egypt's parliament, which is due to discuss the state of emergency tomorrow, to carefully scrutinize the government's justification for the state of emergency. The parliament must ensure that the stated public emergency reaches the very high threshold required under international human rights law and that all proposed emergency measures are strictly required to confront that stated public emergency. This should include evidence demonstrating that only the proposed emergency measures - rather than correctly applying existing laws - can effectively address that threat. This should include careful consideration of the strict necessity and proportionality of such measures,

Although Egypt's constitution restricts the length of a state of emergency to a three month period renewable once, the Egyptian authorities have been circumventing these constitutional restrictions by renewing the state of emergency in North Sinai since 2014 every three months, contributing to serious violations including enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention and unlawful killings.

Background on sectarian attacks

Attacks against the Egyptian Coptic Christian religious minority have escalated since the ouster of former President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Coptic churches and homes have been set on fire, members of the Coptic minority have been physically attacked, and their property has been looted. Over the past three years there have been 400 sectarian incidents according to the Tahrir Institute's tally. The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights has documented at least 64 sectarian incidents between 2011 and 2016 where the authorities resorted to reconciliation instead of applying the law.

The government's persistent failure to protect Coptic Christians from sectarian violence is alarming. In December 2016 a bombing of a Cairo church killed at least 25. After the killings of seven individuals in North Sinai between 30 January and 23 February 2017, a Sinai affiliate of IS announced more violent attacks against Copts were planned. In Tanta, a week earlier a police officer was killed and 15 were injured as a result of bombing one of the training centers run by the Ministry of interior

The Egyptian authorities have consistently failed to prosecute those responsible for sectarian attacks against Christians, resorting instead to state-sponsored reconciliation agreements which sometimes involve financial agreements or even the forced eviction of Christian families from their homes. As a result, there has been no punishment of the instigators of sectarian violence against Christians.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Venezuela: Excessive use of force towards protestors exacerbates humanitarian crisis

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 7 April 2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Venezuela: Excessive use of force towards protestors exacerbates humanitarian crisis, 7 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece26a4.html [accessed 8 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.

Amnesty International emphasizes once again the obligation of the Venezuelan state to guarantee the right to freedom of expression and peaceful protest of all people in the country.

Yesterday, during protests organized by groups critical of the current government outside the Ombudsman's office, security forces repressed protestors using tear gas and rubber bullets. As a result, there were reports of people injured and affected by the asphyxiating effects of the tear gas. Later in the day reports emerged of the death of a young student while protesting in the Altos Mirandinos area near the capital city.

In addition, there had been reports a few days earlier in the media of violence against students within the University of Carabobo campus which resulted in two students being shot.

"It is imperative that the Venezuelan authorities guarantee the right to freedom of expression and immediately stop the excessive use of force against those who are exercising their right to peaceful protest. Rather than using their resources to stubbornly persecute and repress those with differing opinions, the Venezuelan government should be focusing their efforts on solving the humanitarian crisis which is growing worse every day",said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas Director at Amnesty International.

Amnesty International reiterates its deep concern over these incidents, particularly the varying calls from some state officials for the use of firearms against protestors critical of the government.

We call for the strong and unequivocal condemnation of violence on the part of pro-government armed groups in the context of the protests, and for security forces to guarantee that the protests which take place within the next few days can be carried out without restrictions or fear of repression. We also urge them not to use firearms to control political protests, or protests of any kind.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
DECATUR  A restaurant development firm has purchased the building formerly occupied by Ruby Tuesday on U.S. 36.

Documents obtained by the Herald & Review from the Macon County Recorders Office show that the building at 4405 E. U.S. 36 has been purchased for $1 million by a limited liability corporation named for the address. An address and phone number connected with the buyer lead to American Development Partners, described on its website as funding the development of freestanding, single-tenant retail establishments.

The Herald & Review has reached out to the firm for more information. The 1.85-acre site was previously owned by Store Master Funding II, LLC.

Ruby Tuesday, located at the intersection of U.S. 36 and 44th Streets, closed abruptly in late July. The restaurant opened in July 2005.

Rumors on social media late last month hinted at the possibility of a Chilis Grill & Bar opening in that spot. However, a spokesperson for the company told the Herald & Review that there were no plans to open a location in Decatur.
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.
Preserving Yemen's lifeline, tracking illicit arms flows, and how to fix the refugee system: The cheat sheet

Publisher IRIN Publication Date 7 April 2017 Cite as IRIN, Preserving Yemen's lifeline, tracking illicit arms flows, and how to fix the refugee system: The cheat sheet, 7 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece87d4.html [accessed 8 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.

Every week, IRIN's team of editors looks ahead at what's on our humanitarian radar and curates a selection of the best reports, opinion, and journalism you may have missed:

All eyes on Yemen's port

Late last month, we took you inside four extreme hunger crises, including the one facing Yemen. One of the biggest challenges facing humanitarians there is the impact that airstrikes have had on Hodeida port, the entry point for 70 percent of the country's imports. Amidst reports that the US is considering increasing its support for the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which is planning an operation to push Houthis from the area, aid agencies are now speaking out about the growing threat of an escalation in fighting and further airstrikes on the crucial port. The UN's Special Envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, said he is "extremely concerned" about the possibility of military action at Hodeida while the International Rescue Committee said that "any disruption of these port facilities would have a catastrophic impact on the people of Yemen". On Tuesday, the UN Country Team in Yemen released its own statement, noting that there is "no viable substitute" for Hodeida as a lifeline for humanitarian imports. Contingency plans are already being drawn up in case the port is bombed, but none of them are terribly promising. The only way into Yemen for humanitarian convoys may be via Oman. There's plenty of behind the scenes wrangling to stop an offensive or strike in its tracks, but nothing's certain. If you care about Yemen, keep your eyes on Hodeida.

Join the dots on illicit arms flows

It's widely recognized now that illicit weapons flows are a key driver of modern armed conflict that undermine security and development. Sustainable Development Goal 16, which focuses on promoting peaceful societies, calls for a significant reduction in illicit arms flows by 2030. But by their very nature, weapons and ammunition that move around the world outside of legal channels are difficult to quantify and if it's hard to know how many there are out there, it will be a challenge to establish that any reduction has taken place 13 years from now. Not impossible though, as the first in a series of podcasts by the Geneva-based Small Arms Survey explains. According to the experts featured, plenty of important data can be gleaned from weapons collected from battlefields, while field research by sanctions-monitoring groups is also very valuable. But while it's easy enough to identify where a weapon was made, it's more difficult to determine exactly how particular weapons reached their end users. One shortcoming of current monitoring schemes  by peacekeeping missions, for example, is their narrow focus. "If you want to understand what is happening with weapons flows into say Cote d'Ivoire or Mali, you can't just focus on Cote d'Ivoire and Mali because there are weapons and ammunition going in from Libya, from Sudan You really need a regional approach," says James Bevan of Conflict Armament Research. Future podcasts in the series will examine illicit arms in non-conflict situations and discuss the component of SDG 16 that sets out how the reduction of illicit arms flows can be measured.

Understanding climate change and migration

If you're in the UK and interested in the "complex relationship between climate change and migration", this one-day course may be for you. Organised by the Climate and Migration Coalition, the course will look at issues including: the science of climate change and the types of displacement it may cause, the evidence for any link between climate change and conflict, and controversies about how to respond to the crisis. The organisers promise to provide the latest data, as well as legal analysis, with an eye to predicting "who might move and where". As IRIN recently reported, the nexus of climate change, displacement and security will only become clearer in the coming decades.

A crimes against humanity investigation that Myanmar doesn't want

On 24 March, the UN Human Rights Council approved a "fact finding mission" to look into abuses allegedly committed by Myanmar's military against Rohingya civilians, including rapes and murders. Myanmar's military chief and its civilian leader, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, immediately went on the offensive, rejecting the investigation. In a rare interview this week, Aung San Suu Kyi told the BBC there is no ethnic cleansing  a claim that seems to fly in the face of all evidence. Given such public statements, it's highly unlikely that Myanmar will allow UN investigators into alleged crime scenes inside the country. But, as IRIN reported this week, the UN is going ahead with putting together a team anyway. The question now is: what exactly will the team do if its members are barred from performing investigations in Myanmar? In the next couple weeks, we are likely to see some diplomatic manoeuvring as the UN and some member states negotiate the fine line between respecting Myanmar's sovereignty while being seen to be doing something in response to serious allegations that its forces have committed crimes against humanity.

Fixing the refugee system

If the so-called refugee crisis that reached Europe's shores in 2015 taught us one thing, it's that the system set up to provide protection to refugees in the wake of the Second World War is broken and those forced to take increasingly risky journeys in search of safety are paying the price. But debates about how that system might be fixed have become increasingly politicised and polarised. Into the fray, comes a new book, by two Oxford professors, Alexander Betts and Paul Collier, which sets out the problems and boldly offers solutions. One of the basic premises of Refuge: Transforming a broken refugee system, is that the best way to help refugees is to massively increase development aid to the developing countries where most of them are being hosted. Not only is it cheaper to look after refugees in these countries, argue Betts and Collier, but aid can be used as leverage to convince host countries to stop warehousing refugees in camps and allow them to enter the labour market. But many of the book's suggestions are being challenged by others in the refugee sector. Heaven Crawley of Coventry University argues in Nature magazine that they are not grounded in the complex political and economic realities that host countries and refugees face. In particular she takes issue with the book's idea that special economic zones, like those set up in Jordan and bank-rolled by the EU and the World Bank to create jobs for Syrian refugees, represent part of the solution. A recent IRIN article found that, so far, SEZs have provided very few jobs for refugees in Jordan, while Crawley argues that refugees are not only looking for employment, but also for security and access to health care and education.

Did you miss it?

Unintended consequences of advocacy campaigns

A 2010 law requiring US companies to ensure that minerals bought from the Democratic Republic weren't indirectly financing armed groups seemed like a simple enough solution for cutting off funding for the country's deadly conflicts. Advocacy groups that had been highlighting links between mining riches and atrocities carried out by warring parties welcomed the law. But as Emmanuel Freudenthal points out in this article for IRIN, those same groups were less keen to report on the law's devastating impact on artisanal miners in North and South Kivu Provinces who lost their livelihoods more or less overnight. With no way of ensuring that minerals they bought from the area weren't funding conflict, many US companies simply stopped buying from the Congo. Freudenthal interviewed former employees with Amnesty International, Global Witness and the Enough Project, some of whom admitted to glossing over some of the unintended consequences of Section 1502 in the Dodd-Frank Act. Now President Donald Trump who has signalled his intention to suspend the law, citing the detrimental impact on Congolese livelihoods as part of his justification.
Russia: ARTICLE 19 Condemns Incitement to Violence against LGBT people in Chechnya

Publisher Article 19 Publication Date 7 April 2017 Cite as Article 19, Russia: ARTICLE 19 Condemns Incitement to Violence against LGBT people in Chechnya, 7 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ece98e4.html [accessed 8 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 condemns reported violence against gay men in Chechnya, in the Russian Federation, including comments by the Chechen authorities which may amount to the incitement of further violence. Novaya Gazeta, a Russian independent newspaper, published credible reports that over 100 men have recently been detained, beaten and tortured by law enforcement agencies on suspicion of being gay. Three murders have been confirmed so far.

On 1 April 2017 Alvi Karimov, a spokesperson for Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic, stated that: You cannot arrest or repress people who dont exist. If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement wouldnt have any problems with them, as their own relatives would have sent them to a place they would never return from.

ARTICLE 19 considers Karimovs statement to be advocacy of discriminatory hatred constituting incitement to hostility and violence against LGBT people. In particular, we note Ramzan Kadyrovs influence as a prominent politician in Chechnya, as well as the severely hostile environment already facing LGBT people there, noting the recent history of murders of people because of their sexual orientation (so-called honour killings).

The freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association rights of LGBT persons are also routinely violated in Russia, including through the enforcement of the June 2013 law banning the dissemination among children of so-called propaganda for non-traditional sexual relationships. ARTICLE 19 has long advocated for the repeal of such laws, as they violate international human rights law on the mutually reinforcing rights to freedom of expression and the right to equality.

The UN-backed Rabat Plan of Action provides that political and religious leaders should refrain from using messages of intolerance or expressions which may incite to violence, hostility or discrimination, and have a crucial role to play in speaking out firmly and promptly against intolerance, discriminatory stereotyping and instances of hate speech. This reflects commitments made by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

As such, Ramzan Kadyrov must immediately issue a retraction of his spokespersons remarks. As well as refraining from repeating these comments, Kadyrov should publicly and unequivocally condemn the recent discriminatory attacks against gay men, ensure investigations into these human rights violations and abuses to hold those responsible accountable, and commit to protecting LGBT people in Chechnya from further attacks. ARTICLE 19 also calls on officials at the highest levels of the Russian Federal Government to do the same.

Article 20(2) of the ICCPR further requires States to prohibit any advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence. ARTICLE 19 has argued that this obligation should be interpreted to extend to the advocacy of hatred against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, a position supported by the Council of Europe and by the European Court of Human Rights in their 2012 decision of Vejdeland and Others v. Sweden.

Based on the facts as they are known at this moment, and in the absence of a retraction by Kadyrov or by his spokesperson, competent authorities of the Russian Federation should investigate whether the statement delivered through Kadyrovs spokesperson constitutes an offence under Russian law.

Any imposition of sanctions for the statement must comply with the requirements of Article 19(3) of the ICCPR, and be guided by the principles of necessity and proportionality. Taking into account the six threshold factors set out in the Rabat Plan of Action, any judicial determination of liability should consider the hostile context facing LGBT people in Chechnya, Kadyrovs authority and influence over his audience in Chechnya as a political leader, and the likelihood and imminence of persons being incited to further violence, hostility or discrimination as a consequence of his statement.

Copyright notice: Copyright ARTICLE 19
Indonesia: Release Gay Men at Risk of Torture

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 9 April 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Indonesia: Release Gay Men at Risk of Torture, 9 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ececda4.html [accessed 8 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.

Indonesian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release two men detained in Aceh province under a local ordinance that criminalizes homosexuality, Human Rights Watch said today.

On the night of March 28, 2017, unidentified vigilantes forcibly entered a home and brought two men found there to the police for allegedly having same-sex relations. The two men, in their twenties, have been detained at a Wilayatul Hisbah, a Sharia (Islamic law) police facility in Banda Aceh, the provincial capital. The chief inspector indicated that the men had confessed to being gay and would be detained for sentencing. Under Aceh's Islamic Criminal Code (Qanun Jinayah), they face up to 100 lashes in publica punishment that constitutes torture under international law.

"The arrest and detention of these two men underscores the abuse imbedded in Aceh's discriminatory, anti-LGBT ordinances," said Phelim Kine, deputy Asia division director at Human Right Watch. "These men had their privacy invaded in a frightening and humiliating manner and now face public torture for the 'crime' of their alleged sexual orientation."

Cell phone video footage of the raid, apparently shot by one of the vigilantes and circulating on social media, shows one of the two men visibly distressed as he calls for help on his cellphone. "Please brother, please stop," one of the men says in the video. "My parents want to talk to you, they can pick me up." Aceh's Sharia ordinances empower members of the public as well as the special Sharia police to publicly identify and detain anyone suspected of violating its rules.

Aceh's Sharia police have previously detained lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. In October 2015, Sharia police arrested two women, ages 18 and 19, on suspicion of being lesbians for embracing in public and detained them for three nights at a Sharia police facility in Banda Aceh. Sharia police repeatedly attempted to compel the two women to identify other suspected LGBT people in Aceh by showing them photographs of individuals taken from social media accounts.

Over the past decade, Aceh's parliament has gradually adopted Sharia-inspired ordinances that criminalize non-hijab-wearing women, drinking alcohol, gambling, and extramarital sexual relations, all of which can be enforced against non-Muslims. Aceh's LGBT population is also vulnerable to Aceh's 2014 Criminal Code that bars liwath (sodomy) and musahabah (lesbian sexual action). Aceh province imposed the Sharia punishment of multiple lashes of a cane against 339 people in 2016.

Under national legislation stemming from a 2001 "Special Status" agreement, Aceh is the only one of Indonesia's 34 provinces that can legally adopt bylaws derived from Sharia. Human Rights Watch opposes all laws or government policies that are discriminatory or otherwise violate basic rights. Under Indonesian law, the national home affairs minister can review and repeal local bylaws, including those adopted in Aceh. In June, Minister of Home Affairs Tjahjo Kumolo backtracked on his announced commitment to abolish abusive Sharia regulations in the country.

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Kazakhstan: Workers' rights: trade unionist Nurbek Kushakbaev jailed on trumped up charges

Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 11 April 2017 Reference EUR 57/6053/2017 Cite as Amnesty International, Kazakhstan: Workers' rights: trade unionist Nurbek Kushakbaev jailed on trumped up charges, 11 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58edcc124.html [accessed 8 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 authorities in Kazakhstan must demonstrate full respect for the rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and in particular should immediately and unconditionally release Nurbek Kushakbaev and end their attack on independent trade union movements.

Trades union activist Nurbek Kushakbaev, a labour inspector for the trade union organization of the oilfield service enterprise Oil Construction Company (OCC), was found guilty on trumped up, farfetched charges of inciting an illegal strike. He was sentenced by a court in Astana on 7 April to two and a half years' imprisonment under Article 402 of the Criminal Code, for inciting participation in an illegal strike.

The arrest and conviction of Nurbek Kushakbaev is just one link in a long chain of events that will lead to the eventual destruction of the independent trade union movement in Kazakhstan.

Nurbek Kushakbaev was accused of inciting an illegal strike after hundreds of oil workers in Mangistau oblast' began a hunger strike at the beginning of January 2017, as a part of protest against the liquidation of the Confederation of Independent Trades Unions of Kazakhstan (CIDUK). This protest was in response to the fact that one of the largest trade unions in the country was unable to pass state re-registration, despite repeated attempts to do so. On 4 January, a court ordered the liquidation of the CIDUK as well as the trade union of domestic workers, health workers, and metal workers, which are members of the confederation.

Nurbek Kushakbaev was one of the leaders of the hunger strike, which lasted for two weeks, from 5 to 21 January 2017. Around 600 members of the OCC trade union took part. Nurbek Kushakbaev and the chair of the OCC Trade Union, Amin Yeleusinov, were arrested a day before the end of the hunger strike, on 20 January, and were taken in handcuffs from Aktau to Astana. Amin Yeleusinov was charged under Article 189 of the Criminal Code, "misappropriation or embezzlement" of property and awaits trial. In the period 19 - 24 January, 63 oil workers were detained and brought before the court. They were all fined between 489,000 and 1.22 million tenge (US$140 and US$360).

In addition to his prison sentence, Nurbek Kushakbaev must also pay the "offended party" 25.2 million tenge ($83,000). He is also banned from involvement in civic activism for two years after his release.

At the end of February the International Trade Union Confederation demanded the release of Amin Eleusinov and Nurbek Kushakbaev and criticised the liquidation of the CIDUK.

Nurbek Kushabaev's arrest and imprisonment are in violation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which Kazakhstan has ratified. Under Article 7 of the ICESCR, states have an obligation to "recognize the right of everyone to the enjoyment of just and favourable conditions of work". Under Article 8, states must ensure the rights of workers to form and join trade unions and to strike. Nurbek Kushakbaev should be immediately and unconditionally released.

Copyright notice:  Copyright Amnesty International
Egypt: Horrific Palm Sunday Bombings

Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 12 April 2017 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Egypt: Horrific Palm Sunday Bombings, 12 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58edcf214.html [accessed 8 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 suicide bombings at two Egyptian churches on April 9, 2017, that killed at least 45 people are a terrifying reminder of the escalating threats facing Egypt's Christian minority, Human Rights Watch said today. Two parishioners and a pastor at one of the churches told Human Rights Watch that police protection at the church gate was inadequate and may have allowed the bomber to enter.

The attacks during Palm Sunday services in Tanta and Alexandria, claimed by the extremist group Islamic State (also known as ISIS), were the worst day of violence targeting Christians in Egypt's modern history. In response, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi declared a nationwide state of emergency, the first since security forces violently dispersed anti-government protests in 2013, killing hundreds.

"These church bombings were the savage work of extremists who have no regard for the sanctity of life," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The deep-rooted sectarianism in many places in Egypt provides the climate where this hateful ideology can fester, but states of emergency have been the path to more abuses, not greater protection for Christian lives."

In Tanta, a city in the Nile Delta 95 kilometers north of Cairo, a man wearing concealed explosives managed to pass through a security check outside St. George's Church and detonate himself near the front pews, killing at least 28 people and wounding 77, according to media reports. In Alexandria, church security camera footage showed another bomber trying to enter St. Mark's Church through an open gate and being directed toward a metal detector guarded by police officers. When an officer stopped the man, he detonated his explosives, killing at least 17 people and wounding 48.

Pope Tawadros II, the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church, was inside St. Mark's Church but was not harmed, according to the Interior Ministry.

Two members of St. George's Church and one of the church's pastors told Human Rights Watch that police had not taken serious steps to secure the church for Palm Sunday, though they had defused an explosive device in the street next to the church just 11 days earlier. One church member said that the police should have taken the explosive device as a sign of an impending attack.

Coptic Christians in Egypt have faced escalating threats since a December 11, 2016, ISIS suicide bombing at St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo, which killed at least 25 people and wounded 49. At least seven Coptic Christians in North Sinai, the stronghold of Egypt's ISIS affiliate, were killed in the following months, prompting the majority of Coptic residents in al-Arish, the area's biggest town, to flee to mainland Egypt. On February 19, 2017, in a video claiming responsibility for the Cairo cathedral bombing, ISIS threatened further attacks on Christians, accusing them of being "the spearhead of the crusader project to fight God's religion in Egypt."

Coptic Christians, an estimated 10 percent of the Egyptian population, face widespread legal and social discrimination and are routinely denied high-level government and security services jobs. They have been the victims of increasing sectarian attacks since the 2011 uprising, particularly since July 2013, when the military removed Mohamed Morsy, Egypt's first freely elected president. On a number of occasions, Human Rights Watch has documented how Interior Ministry officials and prosecutors fail to conduct proper investigations or prosecutions into sectarian attacks on Coptic Christians.

In an April 10 statement, ISIS identified the two bombers as Egyptians, using the pseudonyms Abu al-Bara al-Masri and Abu Ishaq al-Masri. The group threatened further violence, describing Christians as "crusaders" and "apostates" and declaring that "the bill between us and them is very large, and they will pay it with rivers of blood from their children, with God's permission."

Hours after the attacks, Interior Minister Magdy Abd al-Ghaffar replaced two police generals responsible for security in Gharbia governorate, which includes Tanta, moving them to new assignments. The following day, al-Sisi formally decreed a three-month state of emergency, giving the armed forces responsibility for preserving security throughout the country and protecting private and public property.

On April 11, parliament voted unanimously to approve al-Sisi's decree. Under the constitution, a majority is needed for approval, and a two-thirds majority to approve any renewal.

Egypt's emergency law, which dates to 1958, gives the authorities sweeping powers to arrest, detain, try, and sentence suspects with almost no judicial review. A state of emergency was in place continuously between October 1981, after extremists assassinated President Anwar al-Sadat, and June 2012, when the government allowed it to expire more than a year after a nationwide uprising ousted longtime leader Hosni Mubarak.

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Haiti: Recent political advances set stage to address pressing challenges, says UN envoy

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 11 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, Haiti: Recent political advances set stage to address pressing challenges, says UN envoy, 11 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58eddc2e4.html [accessed 8 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.

Highlighting improvements in Haiti's political situation, including the recent elections and opportunities to address longstanding disputes, the senior United Nations official in the island nation has urged the international community to continue its partnership with Haiti and its people to help consolidate the gains achieved.

"The elections provided for the installation of all directly-elected officials at all levels of Haiti's governance structure for the first time since 2006, including the peaceful transfer of power to the third democratically-elected President since 2004" the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Sandra Honore, told the UN Security Council today.

"Haiti's return to Constitutional order and the full functioning of the Executive, the Legislature and local government has now set the stage to address the many pressing challenges facing the country," she added.

In her briefing, Ms. Honore, also the head of the UN Stabilization Mission (MINUSTAH), noted that the security situation in Haiti remains largely stable and that while the island's police force continues to show increased capacity in planning and executing complex operations as well as in combating crime and maintaining public order, its further development, including in the areas of internal management and oversight, police-to-population ratio and the geographic coverage were needed. She went on to cite political challenges as a major impediment to consistent progress in the administration of justice and human rights to truly anchor the rule of law and render police work more effective while creating conditions conducive for foreign and domestic investment and job creation.

Further, noting that some deficiencies continued to undermine the effectiveness of the justice and human rights system, the senior UN official also urged the Government to assign a ministerial-level focal point for human rights as well as to expedite the transparent and merit-based appointment of the National Ombudsperson. Also, recalling the recommendation of the Secretary-General on the closure of MINUSTAH in six months and the establishment of a smaller operation with focus on the rule of law, with strong good offices and human rights monitoring roles, Ms. Honore said: "With your support, the transition to a new and smaller Mission would be guided by a Joint Transition Plan that underpins the gradual transfer of tasks to the Government, international partners and the UN Country Team."
African migrants reportedly being sold in 'slave markets' in Libya, UN agency warns

Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 12 April 2017 Cite as UN News Service, African migrants reportedly being sold in 'slave markets' in Libya, UN agency warns, 12 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58eddd694.html [accessed 8 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.

Hundreds of migrants along North African migrant routes are being bought and sold openly in modern day 'slave markets' in Libya, survivors have told the United Nations migration agency, which warned that these reports "can be added to a long list of outrages" in the country.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is sounding the alarm today after its staff in Niger and Libya documented over the past weekend shocking testimonies of trafficking victims from several African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana and the Gambia. They described 'slave markets' tormenting hundreds of young African men bound for Libya.

Operations Officers with IOM's office in Niger reported on the rescue of a Senegalese migrant who this week was returning to his home after being held captive for months. According to the young man's testimony, while trying to travel north through the Sahara, he arrived in Agadez, Niger, where he was told he would have to pay about $320 to continue north, towards Libya. A trafficker provided him with accommodation until the day of his departure, which was to be by pick-up truck.

When his pick-up reached Sabha in southwestern Libya, the driver insisted that he hadn't been paid by the trafficker, and that he was transporting the migrants to a parking area where the young man witnessed a slave market taking place. "Sub-Saharan migrants were being sold and bought by Libyans, with the support of Ghanaians and Nigerians who work for them," IOM Niger staff reported.

Reports of slave markets can be added to a 'long list of outrages' in Libya

"The latest reports of 'slave markets' for migrants can be added to a long list of outrages [in Libya]," said Mohammed Abdiker, IOM's head of operation and emergencies. "The situation is dire. The more IOM engages inside Libya, the more we learn that it is a vale of tears for all too many migrants."

Mr. Abdiker added that in recent months IOM staff in Libya had gained access to several detention centres, where they are trying to improve conditions. "What we know is that migrants who fall into the hands of smugglers face systematic malnutrition, sexual abuse and even murder. Last year we learned 14 migrants died in a single month in one of those locations, just from disease and malnutrition. We are hearing about mass graves in the desert."

He said so far this year, the Libyan Coast Guard and others have found 171 bodies washed up on Mediterranean shores, from migrant voyages that foundered off shore. The Coast Guard has also rescued thousands more, he added.

"Migrants who go to Libya while trying to get to Europe, have no idea of the torture archipelago that awaits them just over the border," said Leonard Doyle, chief IOM spokesman in Geneva. "There they become commodities to be bought, sold and discarded when they have no more value.

Many describe being sold "in squares or garages" by locals in the south-western Libyan town of Sabha, or by the drivers who trafficked them across the Sahara desert.

Mr. Doyle added: "To get the message out across Africa about the dangers, we are recording the testimonies of migrants who have suffered and are spreading them across social media and on local FM radio. Tragically, the most credible messengers are migrants returning home with IOM help. Too often they are broken, brutalized and have been abused, often sexually. Their voices carry more weight than anyone else's."
Escaping war at home, Syrian couple start over in Argentina

Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Author Jack Aldwinckle Publication Date 12 April 2017 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Escaping war at home, Syrian couple start over in Argentina, 12 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58edf3614.html [accessed 8 November 2022]

On a warm weekday afternoon, the Argentine city of San Luis is an oasis of calm. Majd and Lana, married Syrian refugees from Damascus, are killing time before their Spanish lesson. It is hard to believe they only arrived here five weeks ago.

"It already feels like home," grins Lana. "In Argentina we have learnt how to be human again," adds Majd, taking a deep drag on his cigarette.

The couple had little choice but to flee Syria. Two years earlier Majd, a cook, narrowly escaped with his life after a bomb hit his parents' home in the Old Town of Damascus. He and Lana, a sculptor, got married and bought a flat further from the city centre. But it quickly became "the most dangerous neighbourhood in the whole city," remembers Majd. "Everyone was scared."

In February 2017, they arrived in the central province of San Luis under a humanitarian visa programme for Syrian refugees offered by the Government of Argentina. The tranquillity of the provincial capital, also called San Luis, is in stark contrast to the death and destruction of Damascus. With a population of 200,000 people, its streets thrum with activity in the morning; in the afternoon most shops close while locals take a siesta, or afternoon nap.

More than 8,000 miles from home, the couple are flourishing. As the first Syrian refugees to arrive in the province in central Argentina, they have become celebrities. They are even starting to get recognised on the street. "Sometimes I feel like a Pokemon," laughs Majd.

Established in 2014, Argentina's humanitarian visa programme offers a vital escape route to those fleeing Syria's war. It requires Argentine citizens, organizations or institutions to act as sponsors and commit private funds to provide newly-arrived refugees with accommodation and financial assistance.

San Luis has gone one step further. It is the first province to pledge public funds to support the resettlement of at least 50 families in the province, 30 of whom will be selected by the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Those who are resettled are offered free Spanish lessons, accommodation, further education (including the option of studying for a university degree), health insurance and public transport. They also receive two years' worth of financial support to help them adjust to their new life in Argentina, while they find a job.

The offer came just in time for Lana and Majd. Many of their friends were killed after being conscripted into the Syrian army. Countless others died in the fighting. As the violence worsened, the couple considered fleeing overland to Europe.

But their religion - both are Orthodox Christians - made the journey impossible. The route, through Idlib or Aleppo, would have brought them into contact with extremist militias, who would have killed them for their faith. Concealing it was not an option: Majd has a crucifix prominently tattooed on his right forearm.

Once accepted onto Argentina's humanitarian visa programme, the couple left Damascus and flew to Buenos Aires. After arriving in Argentina the couple enjoyed practising their religion freely. "We cried when we went to our first church service," says Lana. They often pray in their new flat, part of a student accommodation block at the University of La Punta, a half-hour drive from the city of San Luis.

The couple is settling in well. They share their flat with Blackie, a rambunctious puppy gifted to them by the provincial governor, Alberto Rodriguez Saa. Twice a week they take the bus into the city for a Spanish class with Claudia, their teacher. They are making extraordinary progress. "We understand everything, we just don't have the vocabulary to be able to respond yet," explains Lana.

Locals are eager to help. Under the relocation scheme, the province's residents are encouraged to offer practical support to the new arrivals. Many are stepping forward. Linguists can volunteer as translators, entrepreneurs can offer jobs, even families can find a way to help. "They can meet for dinner together or celebrate a birthday," explains Liliana Scheines, who co-ordinates the Syrian Refugee Committee, which operates the provincial programme named 'Humanitarian Corridor San Luis'.

Mario Lange is one of those to put his name forward. An artist with a workshop on the edge of town, his bright and colourful paintings and murals also adorn San Luis's public buildings. He sympathises with Majd and Lana's predicament. "I was born into extreme poverty," he explains. "I lived in the middle of the countryside and when I came to San Luis it was tough."

Shortly after their arrival, Mario invited Lana along to help him with a public art installation and presented the couple with a pair of hand-painted bicycles. He warns that adjusting to life in San Luis take time. "After few weeks they will begin to realise they are in another country. That's when they will really need our help."

In a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on September 20 last year, Argentine President Mauricio Macri, pledged to resettle 3,000 Syrian refugees. Priority would be given to families with young children, he announced. "The images we are witnessing hurt and worry us," he told world leaders. "Reality compels us to do more."

In San Luis, the scheme is only just getting started. "The plan is to receive four or five families every couple of months," says Scheines. The ambition is to settle them in 60 of the province's municipalities to better integrate them with San Luis's residents.

UNHCR believes more needs to be done to help some five million Syrian refugees, uprooted by six bloody years of conflict. The provincial government is winning plaudits for its progressive approach. "It's an amazing programme," says Michele Manca di Nissa, Regional Representative for UNHCR's southern Latin America office. "We hope it can be a model for other provinces in Argentina and other countries in the region." The regional office is advising the province on local integration issues and raising awareness of refugees by organising workshops for journalists and mounting 'RefugiArte', a touring art exhibition.

Majd and Lana have not forgotten about Syria. They use social media to follow the news and keep in touch with friends and family. The couple hope to help some of them follow in their footsteps. Their parents "are too old" to leave Syria, says Lana. But some cousins are interested. Majd and Lana are collating their names and passing them onto the Argentine authorities. "It's like a chain," explains Lana. "We are to trying to help as many as we can."

The couple are brimming with optimism about their future. Lana hopes to find work as an artist and Majd, an enthusiastic cook, would like to open a restaurant one day. "We are going to start again and be successful," declares Lana. They are determined to build a new life in Argentina. "This is our home now," says Lana, squinting at the jagged foothills of the Andes in the distance. "I can't imagine going back to Syria."
Criminal defamation law blocks freedom of information

Publisher Reporters Without Borders Publication Date 11 April 2017 Cite as Reporters Without Borders, Criminal defamation law blocks freedom of information, 11 April 2017, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee23b34.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Burmese authorities to amend the 2013 Telecommunications Law that was used to give Myo Yan Naung Thein, a researcher, a six-month jail term for criticizing the head of Burma's armed forces on Facebook.

Myo Yan Naung Thein's trial in Rangoon ended on 7 April with him being convicted of defamation and sentenced under section 66 (d) of the Telecommunications Law, which penalizes "extorting, coercing, restraining wrongfully, defaming, disturbing, causing undue influence or threatening to any person by using any Telecommunications Network." He was arrested last October after a Facebook post criticizing Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of Burma's armed forces, over the army's response to an attack on three border posts in the northern state of Arakan on 9 October 2016 and the ensuing violence that left around 90 dead. Aged 43 and partially paralysed, he was held thereafter in Insein prison despite repeated requests for his release on bail. The authorities finally decided to free him today (12 April). A member of the ruling National League for Democracy and Generation 88 (a group of pro-democracy students who participated in the 1988 protests), Myo Yan Naung Thein was jailed several times under the former military government. He heads Burma Democratic Concern, an NGO that seeks the restoration of full democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law in Burma, and he writes for its website.





According to the Burmese media, he is the seventh person to be detained on a defamation charge since the civilian government headed (in practice) by Aung San Suu Kyi took office in 2016. A total of 66 people have been charged under article 66 (d) since the law's adoption in 2013 - 54 of them since the current government took over.





"This conviction is an insult to the freedom of information that Burma regained in 2012," said Benjamin Ismail, the head of RSF's Asia-Pacific desk. "It highlights the failure of Aung San Suu Kyi's government to establish a favourable environment for freedom of expression, one in which online activists, bloggers and journalists should no longer have to censor themselves or fear becoming prisoners of conscience. As it stands, the Telecommunications Law is blocking any improvement in freedom of expression and the right to provide news and information, and must be amended without delay."





Section 66 (d) was used in 2016 against Than Htut Aung, the CEO of the Eleven Media Group, and Wai Phyo, its chief editor. Detained for nearly two months and finally freed on bail of around 70,000 euros in January 2017, they were convicted of defaming Rangoon region chief minister Phyo Min Thein.





Burma has not moved from the bottom quarter of RSF's World Press Freedom Index, and is ranked 143rd out of 180 countries in the 2016 Index.
Russian Agitprop Pervades Central and Eastern Europe

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Sergey Sukhankin Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 48 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Russian Agitprop Pervades Central and Eastern Europe, 7 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 48, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee25774.html [accessed 8 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 outbreak of the mass EuroMaidan street protests in Kyiv (2013) and Russia's subsequent aggression against Ukraine convinced the Kremlin of the need to project Russian "soft power" to blunt any response from Europe. However, Western countries ostracized Russia particularly after it illegally and forcibly annexed Crimea. Consequently, Russia could no longer easily rely on large Russian corporations to influence mainstream European politicians and members of civil society "to see things from Moscow's point of view," as used to be the case. Instead, European extremists and radicals became the Kremlin's main allies on the continent (Svoboda.org, July 28, 2016; see EDM, September 5, 2014). A recent case in point has been the March 28/29 grenade-launcher attack on the Polish consulate in Lutsk, western Ukraine, by unknown individuals but made to appear like an effort by home-grown Ukrainian nationalists to politically divide Kyiv from Warsaw. The Ukrainian and Polish authorities both suspect Russia's hand in this incident (TVN24, March 29, 2017).

In recent years, extremist group "fan clubs" of Russian President Vladimir Putin have mushroomed all over Europe. Even Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik described Putin as a "just and decisive leader, worthy of respect" (Opendemocracy.net, April 28, 2014). Initially, these forces did not enjoy wide popular support, and their accession to power was deemed virtually impossible. Today, such an outcome looks less fantastical, and the Kremlin's financial investments could eventually begin paying off (Defence24.pl, February 8, 2015).

When it came to building influence in Central Eastern Europe, however, the Kremlin faced a serious problem. Unlike in so-called "old Europe," where Moscow could count on organized parties/movements, in countries of the former Eastern Bloc Putin's support was mainly tied to individual politicians. Furthermore, the painful memories of Soviet occupation served as an antidote against Russophilia throughout much of the region. Therefore, Moscow's operational goals developed two prongs: First, to nurture local pro-Russian political forces, and second, to pit these countries against Ukraine and foster anti-American and anti-European sentiments.

Within the past several months, relations between Kyiv and Warsaw, previously deemed strategic regional allies, deteriorated substantially. In large part, the relationship soured as a result of the heated debate about the role of Ukrainian nationalists in the "Volyn Massacre" of local Poles in Galicia (1943) and current policies of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance, headed by Volodymyr Viatrovych. A new threshold was passed in January, when Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party leader Jarosaw Kaczynski declared, "The way Ukraine interprets its history casts a big shadow of doubt on the future of relations between Poland and Ukraine" (Eurointegration.com.ua, January 30).

This has been supplemented by a number of hideous instances of vandalism at Polish cemeteries in Lviv, immediately hailed by Russian mass media for propaganda purposes (Gazeta Wyborcza, January 10). And these episodes are merely the tip of the iceberg. Such recent provocations as the attack on the Polish consulate in Lutsk and the blockade of the international highway connecting Poland and western Ukraine by local paid radicals have further embittered bilateral relations (Espreso.tv, March 29, 2017).

The roots of these "mysterious" developments are much easier to understand thanks to the materials published by the "hacktivist" group Ukrainian Cyber Alliance (UCA). In particular, the UCA has released the private e-mail correspondence of the "Grey Cardinal" of the Russian World in Central and Eastern Europe, Alexander Usowskii (Informnapalm.org, February 22, 2017). Usowskii is a Belarusian activist suspected of organizing anti-Ukraine rallies in Poland. This e-mail dump sheds light on the nature of Moscow's immediate and longer-term strategic goals in the region.

On the basis of the aforementioned documents, the following key points could be made:

First, Russia has chosen Poland as its primary target for destructive activities and spreading of disinformation. As the region's largest country and a direct neighbor to Ukraine, Poland is being pitted against Ukraine to erode the level of support for Kyiv among European Union states. For this purpose, Moscow is ready to employ a broad spectrum of tools, ranging from support for far-right radicals, various social platforms and non-governmental organizations (NGO), with the aim of creating the image of "Fascist Ukraine" that hails Stepan Bandera and rejects European integration. In particular, the Kremlin sponsors "anti-war" (in practice anti-Ukrainian) rallies and backs local pro-Russian politicians such as the notorious fringe nationalist Mateusz Piskorski (see EDM, April 29, 2015). According to the Usowskii e-mails, Russia's ultimate goal in Poland is the creation of a pro-Russian fraction inside the Polish parliament (Sejm).

A second Russian strategic goal is the infiltration of the Visegrad Group (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic) by propagating anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western sentiment. This is being done via various NGOs and foundations, such as the East European Cultural Initiative (Vychodoeuropska Kulturna Iniciativa), organized in 2014 in Slovakia. Moreover, Moscow relies on Russia-friendly rhetoric and political activities by leftist forces in the Czech Republic such as the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, a member of the European United LeftNordic Green Left bloc in the European Parliament (Informnapalm.org, March 1).

Third, in addition to Ukraine, Russia is determined to discredit Moldova's international image. Of particular importance for this strategy are two planning documents: "Project: Moldova is not Romania" and "Project: Ukraine is not the European Union." These projects are apparently supposed to create and promote slanted images of both countries in the West, suggesting that Moldova and Ukraine's "natural" pre-disposition leans toward relations with Russia and the Eurasian Economic Union, rather than Europe.

Fourth, the e-mails released by the UCA again highlight how the Kremlin employs large numbers of trolls and "patriotic" bloggers with the aim to secure victory in the realms of informational and cyber warfare. Presumably, recent Russian reforms to upgrade the country's offensive cyber capabilitiessuch as by the creation of military "cyber units" and via the widely discussed expansion of powers of the Russian National Guard to control the Internet (see EDM, March 21)are likely to soon be employed by the Kremlin on a far greater scale.

Finally, the hacked documents expose the involvement in these regional operations of such top-ranking Russian officials as Konstantin Zatulin (first deputy chairman of the State Duma committee for the Commonwealth of Independent States and relations with Russian nationals abroad) and Konstantin Malofeev (the "Orthodox oligarch" and unofficial sponsor of Russian aggression in Donbas) (see Hot Issue, August 8, 2014).

Clearly, Russian agitprop operations across Central and Eastern Europe are being driven from the very top. And the revelations found in Usowskii's leaked e-mails reinforce the need to boost the resiliency of these societies.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Even Under Pressure, Belarus Defies Cliches

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Grigory Ioffe Publication Date 6 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 47 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Even Under Pressure, Belarus Defies Cliches, 6 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 47, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee25e24.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's April 3 meeting with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, in St. Petersburg, seems to have finally resolved the drawn-out (since January 2016) argument between the two countries about the price of natural gas. According to the new agreement, Belarus will repay Russia $726 million, accumulated as a result of Belarus paying $107 instead of $132 per 1,000 cubic meters of natural gas. As early as April, Russia will increase the amount of duty-free oil sold to Belarus so that the yearlong amount will be equal to $24 million tons, thus ensuring full-capacity work at Belarusian refineries. Beginning in the third quarter of 2016, Russia reduced its oil supply to penalize Belarus for its underpayment on natural gas. In 2018 and 2019, Russia will apply discounts to the gas price. Moreover, Moscow will refinance about $800 million of Minsk's debt on its loans to make it easier for Belarus to repay what it owes for Russian gas imports (Naviny.by, April 4).

The aforementioned dispute had lasted so long that it began prompting questions among many analysts about whether Russia, which in the past showed interest in Belarus's stability, was now instigating disarray. Might Russia be forestalling a resolution to the bilateral quarrel so as to arrest Belarus's rapprochement with the West and to convert this country into a foothold in the Kremlin's confrontation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)? Yury Tsarik of the Minsk-based Center for Strategic and Foreign Policy Studies believes that was Russia's goal (Naviny.by, March 29). Tsarik suggests that prior to the opposition's Freedom Day rally (March 25) in Minsk (see EDM, March 27), Lukashenka received a heavy dose of disinformation from the Belarusian KGB about alleged militants preparing subversive acts under the guise of demonstrations; the KGB personnel are tightly linked to their counterparts in Moscow, he adds.

A somewhat different picture was painted by Mikhail Malash, a Minsk-based businessman and a political commentator. He believes that the West is no longer interested in regime change in Belarus. The only interested party is Russia, which has been persistently pushing the narrative that Belarus is "following the Ukrainian path" and Lukashenka is following in the footsteps of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. Like him, he is too soft on nationalists and wants to sit on two chairs. Thus, Russian society is being prepared for having to "rescue" Belarus from the Ukrainian trap. Given such a disposition, Lukashenka's crackdown on the March 25 rally served the sole purpose of undermining Moscow's narrative and thus depriving Russia of a pretext for intervention in Belarus (Belvpo, March 31).

The two-chairs metaphor and the ensuing necessity to choose one of them is a pigeonhole favored by analysts on both of Belarus's geopolitical flanks. The gist of Lukashenka's foreign policy, however, has been a willingness to avoid this very decisive choicean understandable prerogative of any sovereign country to maintain vital bonds with all of its neighbors.

The second stereotypical narrative, particularly tenacious in the West, favors a return to viewing Belarus as a country on the frontline of the struggle between democracy and autocracy (e.g., Freedomhouse.org, March 28). This Manichean worldview has been far detached from reality all across the countries hitherto targeted for democracy promotion. In each of them, internal divisions shaped the political landscape no less and perhaps more than autocratic regimes per se. For example, in Ukraine, palpable historical memory in the west is at loggerheads with that in the east, where, say, a monument to Ukrainian partisan nationalist leader Stepan Bandera arouses different emotions even without Russia's interference.

While in Belarus there is no equivalent of Galicia or Crimea, it is also a divided country. The protesters who gathered in the streets for the March 25 Freedom Day invoked the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic (BPR), formed in the last year of World War I. The Council of the BPR is still a Belarusian government in exile, now headed by Ivonka Survilla of Canada. Survilla routinely congratulates her compatriots on March 25 via the Belarusian opposition media. Like some of her BPR-connected predecessors, Survilla is the daughter of a person who collaborated with the Nazi administration that occupied Belarusian territory during World War II (Gorodskoi Zhurnal 1976). In that sense, she may be like Chrystia Freeland, the foreign minister of Canada, who honors the memory of her grandfather, a former editor-in-chief of a Nazi newspaper (Globe and Mail, March 7). Dmitry Isayonok, a Minsk journalist, has just written an open letter to Survilla. In that letter, he suggests that in order to arrive at a national consensus in general and about Joseph Stalin's repressions in particular, not only spiritual descendants of Soviet Belarus should publicly repent but also the descendants of Nazi collaborators. "As your supporters like to repeat, Belarusian people suffered from two totalitarianisms But did the Council of the BPR have its own 20th Congress?"an allusion to the 20th Congress of the Communist Party that, in part, recognized Stalinist crimes. "Also, use caution when declaring that communism inevitably leads to Kuropaty [i.e., to mass murder]. By the same logic, Belarusian nationalism [] leads to Trostenets," i.e., a Nazi concentration camp on the southeastern outskirts of Minsk where 206,500 people lost their life (Imhoclub, March 25).

The Minsk entrepreneur Michael Sender revealed further problems with the democracy-versus-autocracy narrative and its application to Belarus. He suggested that those Western-oriented people like himself who are willing to seize power in Minsk, would not be able to hold on to that power for as long as two days. They would quickly succumb to the 100,000 "law enforcers" who have been thoroughly educated to target the opposition Belarusian Popular Front and the like, he suggested. At the same time, cornered by economic decline, Lukashenka is presiding over slow but steady economic reforms despite his own statements to the contrary. "Engaging in double-dealing, that is, saying there would be no reform and conducting it at the same time is a hell of a job; but it would become unfeasible if public protests are raging in the street." Sender's suggestion: Do not rock the boat; the situation is Belarus is no good but still better than in some neighboring countries. Disrupting that process would lead to an even worse situation, he concluded (Kyky, March 31).

In summary, Belarus defies familiar cliches, so formulating a sensible Belarus policy must steer clear of them too.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Ukraine Invites Georgia to Act Together Against Russian Occupation

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Giorgi Menabde Publication Date 6 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 47 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Ukraine Invites Georgia to Act Together Against Russian Occupation, 6 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 47, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee26424.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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The Ukrainian delegation to the United Nations took the initiative to discuss the situation in the occupied territories of GeorgiaAbkhazia and South Ossetiaat a recent meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) (Un.org, March 28). Volodymyr Yelchenko, the permanent representative of Ukraine to the UN, invited the members of the Security Council to express their countries' positions on the process of "absorption" of the Abkhazian and South Ossetian armed formations by the Russian army. He also brought up the referendum on renaming South Ossetia that will be held in this region on April 9 (see EDM March 21).

"Russia violates the Ceasefire Agreement of August 12, 2008. We urge the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories and to create conditions for the involvement of international security mechanisms and restoration of territorial integrity of Georgia," Ambassador Yelchenko declared. According to him "the history of the annexation of Crimea cannot be left without attention and adequate responses" (Un.org, March 28).

Kyiv's draft proposal consisted of two paragraphs: 1) The Security Council will consider the situation in Georgia, and 2) It expresses full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of that country. But Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, used its position to block the discussion of the issue.

After Moscow's veto, the permanent representative of Georgia to the UN, Kakha Imnadze, held closed-door consultations with the other UNSC members. Subsequently, he told journalists that although Russia had succeeded in blocking the issue from being raised in the international organization's highest body, Moscow remained completely alone: "Except for Russia, all other UN Security Council member states endorsed the draft statement, proposed by Ukraine. None of the other countries opposed it, including [the other four] permanent members of the Security Council. This is very important against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Syria [because it demonstrates that] the issue of Georgia still remains on the agenda of the global community," Imnadze said (Pia.ge, April 1).

The attempt to raise the question of Georgia's territorial integrity at the UNSC produced a sharp reaction from Moscow (News.ge, March 31). The Russian foreign ministry declared, that Tbilisi "was trying to take advantage of the fact, that Ukraine had the status of a temporary member of the UN Security Council." Earlier, the representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, Peter Ilichev, said that against the backdrop of the situation in Syria, "it was not worth distracting the attention of the UNSC to the situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia" as, according to him, there was no conflict and Georgia should recognize the "new realities." Speaking to journalists, the Russian acting permanent representative declared, "If Georgia and its protectors try to discuss the issues of security without the participation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, the Geneva talks may even be closed." Russia claims its tough stance is in response to the intensification of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) activities in the South Caucasus and the Black Sea (Golos-ameriki.ru, March 30).

Georgian politicians and foreign policy experts widely believe that Ukraine's recent UNSC initiative was motivated by Kyiv's attempt to create a "tandem" with Tbilisi, in the diplomatic and political arena, to push back against and resolve the problems arising from Russia's aggression against them. A few days ago, Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili traveled to Ukraine. There, he held a working visit with the Ukrainian leadership and participated in a summit of GUAM (which unites Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) heads of state (1tv.ge, March 26). Until recently, the Georgian authorities reacted cautiously to the events in Donbas (Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine) in order not to irritate Moscow. Tbilisi did not join the Western sanctions against Russia, except for the ban on the purchase of goods produced in Crimea (see EDM, August 14, 2015).

But there was another issue that, until now, had hindered closer Georgian-Ukrainian cooperation on the international stage, despite their objective convergence of interests in the context of the Russian occupation: Mikheil Saakashvili, the former governor of Ukraine's Odesa region and the previous president of Georgia. When Saakashvili still held the post of Odesa governor, the current Georgian president, Giorgi Margvelashvili, protested to the ambassador of Ukraine "against a Ukrainian official's interference in Georgian politics" (Svoboda.org, October 3, 2016). Margvelashvili referred to the fact that Saakashvili retained his position at the head of the opposition United National Movement party even while abroad and serving in a foreign government. UNM took part in the parliamentary elections last fall, but came in a distant second place (see EDM, October 13, 27, 2016). After this conversation with the Georgian head of state, the ambassador of Ukraine left Tbilisi. Kyiv for a long time did not appoint a new ambassador to Georgia. Many experts likened this situation to a "diplomatic demarche by Ukraine" (Vestnik Kavkaza, November 28, 2016).

In early November, Saakashvili resigned from his gubernatorial position and politically moved into opposition to President Petro Poroshenko (see EDM, November 14, 2016). As such, Saakashvili can no longer be considered a member of the Ukrainian government. Consequently, the ruling Georgian Dream coalition is ready to restore political ties with Kyiv and to act jointly in the international arena. Russia's provocative moves in Abkhazia and South Ossetia (see above) as well as the continuing occupation of Crimea and the threat of large-scale war in Donbas (see EDM, March 30), can thus serve as useful test cases for uniting Georgia's and Ukraine's diplomatic efforts.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Breaking out of the West's Conditioned Response to Belarus 'Failing the Democracy Test'

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Grigory Ioffe Publication Date 10 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 49 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Breaking out of the West's Conditioned Response to Belarus 'Failing the Democracy Test', 10 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 49, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee26a94.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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The consequences of Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka's April 3 meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, as well as the March 25 crackdown on the Freedom Day rally in Minsk continue to be vigorously discussed. These consequences are inter-related. Irrespective of some politicians' intent to ride the wave of public discontent, the latter has everything to do with economic decline, which to a significant extent depends on Belarusian-Russian economic relations.

Prior to the aforementioned April 3 Lukashenka-Putin summit in St. Petersburg, some obliging Russian commentators hastened to deliver new evidence of Belarus's allegedly crucial and everlasting dependence on Russia's benefaction (RBC, April 2). Many of them anticipated that, this time around, Russia would say a decisive "no" to the concessions solicited by its junior partner; yet those predictions did not materialize at all. Although the natural gas price for Belarus in the years to come will actually stay the same, $130 per 1,000 cubic meters, the country will gain the opportunity to re-export a certain amount of duty-free oil it receives from Russia (Tut.by, April 6). And the expected gain is equivalent to the price discounts originally solicited by the Belarusian government.

In his account of the meeting with Putin, Lukashenka not only specified this particular concession by Russia but also addressed the recurrent bans on Belarusian agricultural products, imposed by Moscow's agricultural import controlling agency (Rosselkhoznadzor). Lukashenka insisted that the personal interests of Russia's "latifundia" owners stand behind those bans. For instance, Sergei Dankvert, who heads Rosselkhoznadzor, owns a number of lucrative assets directly related to the sector he oversees as a federal-level bureaucrat (Tut.by, February 11). This circumstance, most probably, justifies Lukashenka's earlier expressed desire to sue that particular official (see EDM, February 14); but it also apparently compelled Dankvert to ultimately decide to recuse himself from supervising agricultural exports from Belarus (Tut.by, April 5). Moreover, Lukashenka apparently informed Putin that instances of Belarus re-exporting Western food banned by Russia have everything to do with Russian, as he put it, "highway robbers" who organize that re-export via Belarus. Lukashenka also remarked that later this year the modernization of Belarus's two oil refineries will be completed. Light distillates will then account for 95 percent of all petroleum products released by these refineries. Consequently, they will be able to process any kind of oil available on the world market, and Russians understand that (Belta.by, April 6).

The latest discussions of the March 25 crackdown are also revealing. It appears that Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei met with Western ambassadors on March 24that is, in advance of Freedom Dayto assure them that whatever happens the following day, Belarus remains interested in continuing a dialogue with the West. Curiously, the Belarusian media did not report on that meeting (Tut.by, April 6). The most well-known March 25 detainee, Andrei Bondarenko, the director of a human rights watchdog group, was quickly acquitted by a court in the city of Mogilev (Tut.by, March 30). According to Artyom Shraibman of Tut.by, Belarus's privately-owned news portal, Belarusian TV channels attempted to prepare the population for a coming state crackdown by running "loops of hastily cut footage depicting preparations for a Maidan-style uprising in Minsk, in which half the shots were of corpses and bombings taken from stock footage of Serbia and Donbas" (Carnegie.ru, April 6). Yet, it is also noteworthy that every local demonstration following March 25 has resulted in regional authorities walking out of their offices and talking to the protestors (Tut.by, April 9). Shraibman further expressed the view that although the 20142017 thaw between Belarus and the West may now be over, each subsequent thaw ends on a still higher notethat is, its results are ever more difficult, though not impossible, to undo (Tut.by, April 6).

In that light, the scenario for the Minsk demonstrations on May 1or rather what their organizers want to accomplishlook disturbingly simple, and so are the intentions of those issuing threats and warnings to the Belarusian government (e.g., Svaboda.org, April 6; Deutsche WelleRussian service, April 7). For example, Nikolai Statkevich, a 2010 presidential hopeful and Belarus's least tamed opposition leader, no longer promises he will ensure a peaceful character of the rally he wants to head on May 1. That is precisely because his goal, as well as that of such opposition leaders as Vitaly Rymasjevsky and Anatoly Lebedko, is to achieve the re-imposition of Western sanctions on Minsk. Curiously, though enjoying minuscule public support, these politicians may actually achieve their goals with relative ease. If police apply tough measures to a rally prohibited by the authorities, then the West may readily oblige. This line of thinking is exposed by Andrei Dmitriev, who heads the Tell the Truth civic campaign and opposes the idea of sanctions. In a recent article for Naviny.by, Dmitriev asks rhetorically whether sanctions are worth broken lives. In his opinion, the watershed in today's Belarus is not so much between the government and the opposition as it is between the reactionaries and reformers from both sides. "The reactionaries from both the government and the opposition reject dialogue and incremental progress toward the resolution of serious national problems. On the contrary, they are keenly interested in head-on collisions and in the subsequent isolation of Belarus," he writes (Naviny.by, April 8).

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov's famous experiments with dogs, carried out during the 1890s, led him to his theory of classical conditioning. Pavlov's dogs salivated in response to being fed by him and then in response to him just entering the room. Interestingly, this conditioning phenomenon encapsulates the current situation in Belarus whereby the intransigent Belarusian opposition pushes the West into re-imposing sanctions. First, opposition leaders such as Statkevich provoke the Belarusian authorities into "failing a democracy test" by cracking down on opposition demonstrations. In response, Western decision-makers re-impose sanctions as a kneejerk reaction. It remains to be seen which, if any, of these groups will rise above this sort of conditioning. May 1 is around the corner.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
'Wilayat Haramayn': Confronting Islamic State in Saudi Arabia

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Niamh McBurney Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, 'Wilayat Haramayn': Confronting Islamic State in Saudi Arabia, 7 April 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee29d84.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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The threat of Islamist militancy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been nearly continuous, in various manifestations, since the mid-1990s, with Islamic State (IS) only the latest iteration of this threat. The group's Saudi Arabian affiliates are formed by regional and domestic networks made up of former members of al-Qaeda and since bolstered by new recruits.

Their goals, however, have shifted away from those of their predecessor, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). They arguably present a greater threat to the country's rulers and may hope to appeal to a Saudi citizenry growing increasingly dissatisfied with their economic condition.

'Wilayat Haramayn' Established

The presence of IS in Saudi Arabia was formally acknowledged by IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi on November 13, 2014, in his response to an audio message, released three days earlier, by a group calling themselves "the Mujahidin of the Arabian Peninsula" (Arabi21, November 10, 2014).

This led to the formation of delineated operational areas, or wilayat (provinces), for groups wishing to ally themselves with IS: Najd, Hijaz and Bahrain, with the latter including Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province in addition to the eponymous archipelago across from the city of al-Khubar. Taken as a whole, these constitute the "Wilayat Haramayn," or the provinces of the two Holy Sanctuaries.

Al-Baghdadi's acknowledgement followed an announcement by Saudi authorities in May 2014 of the arrest of 62 members of a cell operating inside the country with links to what was then al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (Arab News, 6 May 2014). These arrests appear to be the first public acknowledgement by the Saudi interior ministry that the group was operating inside Saudi Arabia, and the first admission of the potential threat the group posed beyond the borders of Iraq and Syria.

It was also an attempt at encouraging concern from Western countries who at that point underestimated both the group's geographic spread and its capabilities. Once al-Baghdadi's announcement came, the question was why it took so long for groups to make clear their IS-affiliation in a country that is no stranger to extremist violence. By this time, Saudi Arabia, along with several other Arab states, had committed to the Western-led anti-IS coalition conducting a campaign of airstrikes against the group.

Existing Networks

IS appears to have activated existing networks of former al-Qaeda supporters inside

Saudi Arabia that had been relatively dormant since 2006. Over time, these cells gathered new recruits, largely as a result of the propaganda around the group's successes in Syria and seizure of territory in Iraq. Its attacks carried out in Europe further bolstered IS' position. A 2014 estimate suggested 2,500 Saudis have travelled to Syria to fight with IS (Soufan Group, June 2, 2014).

The style and scale of attacks, however, suggests that Saudi IS members, believed to be operating in small cells around the country, have been relatively under-resourced and under-funded. Al-Baghdadi only offered his support to groups operating inside Saudi Arabia in the name of IS when prompted to do so. The unsophisticated nature of attacks  up until an attack outside the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad in Medina on July 4, 2016  suggests that al-Baghdadi's recognition of groups operating in Saudi Arabia was not an indicator that affiliates would receive any greater assistance.

IS has targeted Saudi Arabia's minority Shia community, arguably an easy target given claims by some in the community that the government was not doing enough to protect them. The targeting of the Shia community and security services, often at security checkpoints in remote locations, underlines the difference between IS and its predecessor  al-Qaeda favored targeting foreign assets and individuals. That has become less common, reinforced by improved security for foreign nationals provided since 2006. The change also reflects the narrative of al-Baghdadi's audio messages that IS is concerned with toppling the government and removing the ruling al-Saud family.

Fears in Eastern Province

Between 2014 and mid-2016, the IS affiliate in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich Eastern Province, often referred to as Wilayah Bahrain, was the most active of the three provincial groups.

The first IS attacks targeted the country's minority Shia community, fulfilling their overwhelmingly negative rhetoric against those they call rawafidh (rejectionists). The first two attacks  on May 22, 2015 in the Imam Ali mosque in the village of al-Qudayh in Qatif, and on May 29, 2015, in the al-Anud mosque in Dammam  sparked concerns that a campaign of targeting the Shia community had begun. Criticism of government protection afforded to the community became more vocal, with community groups setting up their own checkpoints near local mosques and hussainiyah (Shia community halls used as places of prayer and for commemorating holy occasions). These proactive, defensive security measures have contributed to lower fatality rates. In the May 29, 2015 attack, just three people were killed in addition to the suicide bomber, as opposed to the more than 20 killed and scores injured in an attack just a week before (Asharq al-Awsat, May 29, 2015).

Government security measures were reportedly stepped up in the wake of these attacks, though local defense groups remained active out of concern that government security forces might at times intentionally turn a blind eye to threats. Tensions between the security establishment and elements of the minority community were high at the time, with a member of the police killed in a raid targeting reported armed Shia separatists in an incident in Awamiya in April 2015.

However, this joint security effort has undoubtedly been effective, with lower fatality rates in all of the subsequent attacks against Shia targets in the Eastern Province since the first attack on May 22, 2015. The effectiveness of these increased security measures was demonstrated in the October 16, 2015 attack on a hussainiyah in Saihat. Local volunteers manning a checkpoint helped to slow the progress of a gunman before the police arrived, although ultimately five people were killed.

Similarly, in an attack on the al-Umran mosque in al-Qatif on July 4, 2016, security measures at the mosque, including several sets of barriers combined with security guards, were so effective that only the two suicide bombers were killed in the car park (al-Jazeera, July 5, 2016). It should be noted that by the time of the attack most worshippers had already left the premises. This suggests poor local intelligence and research capabilities on the part of local cells.

Attacks in Hijaz

Attacks in the center and west of the country, around the capital Riyadh and stretching westward toward the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, have primarily focused on the security forces. Those instances involved gunmen and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) deployed against relatively remote checkpoints, including in one instance on July 16, 2015, at a checkpoint at the entrance to al-Hair high-security prison, which houses a significant portion of Saudi Arabia's convicted terrorists.

By mid-2015, state authorities had arrested 431 suspected IS sympathizers who were reportedly planning to carry out simultaneous attacks against Shia affiliated locations in the Eastern Province and targeted assassinations of security forces personnel. However, the period over which these arrests were carried out is unclear (al-Arabiya, July 18, 2015).

Despite the significant volume of arrests, the August, 6 2015 attack on the mosque in the Special Emergency Forces compound in Abha, located in the southern province of Jizan, was a potent reminder of the risk the group still posed to the security services, even in locations that some of the most elite security units considered safe.

The Abha attack was also a reminder of the "Yemen angle" in what many might consider to be a domestic terror threat. IS is aware of the apparent contradiction of Saudi forces fighting a Shia enemy abroad, while defending its minority Shia community at home against suspected IS attacks. This is in addition to the ongoing counter-terrorism efforts against AQAP and IS in Yemen, even as the war continues.

Although this attack was shocking for the security forces  it produced the highest number of casualties of any attack on security forces in the country so far  its means and location remain unusual with regard to IS activities in the Saudi Arabia. Given the importance of Yemen, both as a theater of war and a field of counter-terrorism operations for Riyadh, it is surprising that IS has not sought to highlight it to a greater extent.

The July 4, 2016 attack on the al-Umran mosque in al-Qatif coincided with two attacks in Hijaz  an early-morning attempted attack against the U.S. consulate in Jeddah, and a second in Medina that evening in which a suicide bomber killed four security personnel breaking their fast in the car park of the Mosque of the Prophet Muhammad. Although IS affiliates in the country did not claim these attacks, the modus operandi are similar to previous operations, and reveal a gradual westward shift in the location of selected targets.

These attacks marked the first significant attacks in that part of the country, a step up from earlier small-scale attacks by gunmen on security forces personnel. The nationality of the perpetrator of the U.S. consulate attack  a Pakistani national  is also notable. This appears to be the first IS-related incident in the country carried out by a non-Saudi national, and it reflects increasing reports of non-Saudis involved and implicated in IS-related activity in the country increasingly since mid-2016 (Arab News, July 4, 2016).

There are suggestions that former members of al-Qaeda have joined the new group, and that membership extends into organized crime networks in the country, which is unsurprising. The inclusion of foreign nationals is an attempt to bolster membership amid a dearth of willing Saudi recruits, and may offer a greater challenge to state surveillance. However, the ability of cells to disguise themselves "in plain sight" in some of the most highly securitized areas of the country is not, unfortunately, new.

Although media reporting of police raids can give a skewed impression of where IS cells are concentrated  for example, those in the Eastern Province  the greater focus over time on areas historically considered more religiously conservative, gives a clearer picture of the cells' real targets: Riyadh and a sweep westwards toward the holy cities.

Ultimately, the targeting patterns of IS cells in Saudi have mirrored the priorities laid out in al-Baghdadi's November 2014 announcement. Fighters were to target members of the Shia community first, then security personnel and other representatives of the state, then the al-Saud family and, finally, foreigners. So far, only one foreigner has ostensibly been targeted by the group  a Danish citizen killed in Riyadh in November 2014 (The National, December 11, 2014).

Effective Security Response

The response of the security forces in the wake of IS attacks in the country has been multi-pronged. Based on local media reports, raids by the police and other elements of the security services have become more frequent and more deadly, while the arrest rate appears to have remained relatively consistent. It is unclear, however, whether this is indicative of increased activity by the security forces, or merely increased reporting of such incidents.

Nonetheless, the security sector's response has complemented existing counter-terrorism and counter-radicalization structures in the country, manifested through multiple online platforms and established centers. Questions remain, however, over the messaging of the religious establishment and the extent to which it can support effective counter-radicalization efforts when it is unable to reign in its own more conservative elements.

The targeting of the country's Shia community is an attempt to recruit social conservatives inclined toward sectarianism from anti-Shia elements of Saudi Arabia's religious establishment. The public response in the wake of several attacks in the Eastern Province suggests this has been largely ineffective, as many Saudi's self-interestedly realize that IS has no intention of limiting its attacks based on confessional lines.

In the longer term, there are questions over how the government's counter-terrorism efforts will need to change to accommodate the risks presented by IS as it morphs from the territory-hungry transnational organization at its height in 2015 to the splintered, largely insurgent movement it is likely to become toward the latter half of this year.

Economic Factors

In comparison to its ideological forbearer, there are fewer "triggers" of anti-regime sentiment available to IS in Saudi Arabia today. In the mid-1990s, Saudi Arabia was still reeling from the boom-and-bust cycle of the late 80s that had so badly impacted the standard of living of many ordinary Saudis. These considerations, and the questions they raise, are also important in light of recent changes in the Saudi economy and the citizenry's continued reliance even as the government pursues extensive economic reforms  on the state.

The changes now underway in the country's economy, which are as important for the future of IS in Saudi Arabia as they are for Saudi society itself, includes the planned privatization of key state-owned enterprises  from a small percentage of state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco, to the country's potable water supplier, the Saline Water Conversion Corporation.

Other planned reforms include an overhaul of the provision of state welfare, with the introduction of a direct cash disbursement system, the decision to introduce a social safety net and the compulsory unemployment insurance and work-place pension schemes introduced in 2014. These are intended to offset other planned reforms, such as the planned removal of all household water and electricity subsidies by 2019. New policies such as these may contribute to a greater sense of discontent among the Saudi middle class who have taken the brunt of government cuts since 2015.

The lack of any IS-claimed attacks in the country over the last eight months is a notable success for Saudi Arabia's security services. How that will change as IS is squeezed in Syria and Iraq remains unclear for now, but Saudi Arabia is likely to continue to face a threat from the group in some form for years to come. Even if the security risks lessen over time, the battle for the hearts and minds of the citizens of Saudi Arabia, the home of the hajj, is far from over.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
A Scorecard for Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Goktug Sonmez Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, A Scorecard for Turkey's Operation Euphrates Shield, 7 April 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2a8c4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Turkey's National Security Council announced the end of Operation Euphrates Shield on March 27, an unexpected move considering the many official statements that it was to be extended to Turkey's next target, the People's Protection Units (YPG)-held Syrian city of Manbij (CNNTurk, March 27).

The Operation, which began in August 2016, had two main goals  clearing the Turkish border of Islamic State (IS) and preventing the merger of cantons controlled by the YPG in the same area. The latter had a further goal, which was to push YPG forces to the west of the Euphrates River and in so doing clear Manbij of the Kurdish militia.

Rapidly changing dynamics on the ground in Syria hastened the decision to bring Operation Euphrates Shield to an end. But with the operation now officially over, observers are asking to what extent it was a success for Turkey and how it changed the political landscape of the Syrian conflict.

Achievements and Challenges

The first declared goal of the operation was achieved relatively quickly considering the operation began on August 24, 2016. The Azaz-Jarabulus line was cleared of IS militants by September 5, 2016 (Sabah, September 5, 2016). Regardless of the military demands, this part of the operation, along with the more recent al-Bab stage, was politically and diplomatically easier for Turkey to conduct. Ankara had little problem securing the consent of the key actors in the field  in contrast to the planned future offensives on Manbij and Raqqa  but such acquiescence did not mean any military support from the anti-IS coalition was provided, despite Turkey's requests.

Once Turkey achieved its primary goal, and had added a further layer of security to its Syrian border with the al-Bab offensive, Turkish officials renewed their statements of Turkey's goals vis-a-vis YPG-controlled areas. Two key points were repeatedly mentioned: Turkey's intention to make Manbij the next destination for Operation Euphrates Shield, and its insistence that no YPG presence west of the Euphrates River would be tolerated (Sabah, December 15, 2016; DW Turkce, February 28).

Turkish officials repeatedly stated that the United States had made promises regarding YPG withdrawal (al-Jazeera Turk, June 7, 2016). Nevertheless, similar to Turkey's unanswered calls for its coalition partners' assistance with the operation, some of the assurances about YPG withdrawal highlighted the division between Turkey and its key anti-IS coalition partners.

Questions Over Manbij

Several developments have confirmed Turkey's perception that the "YPG issue" will only grow more complicated over time. The emergence of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the backbone of which is still the YPG, is seen by Turkey as a move to disguise YPG involvement. The establishment of the SDF has given the YPG and its allies the opportunity to present the YPG as part of a broader democratic, multi-ethnic group. That sits in contrast to allegations of reported human right abuses by the YPG, its links with the PKK and accusations of ideological indoctrination in the regions it governs in northern Syria. [1]

Following the end of the al-Bab offensive, U.S. and Russian deployments in Manbij were an irritant for Turkey. That was followed by the publication of images of U.S. forces with YPG badges and Russian forces with both SDF and YPG badges, including a photo of a Russian general sporting a YPG badge at a Nowruz celebration. For their part, the YPG started to use both U.S. and Russian flags on a number of buildings and vehicles to provide them with a certain amount of protection (NTV, March 10; T24, March 23, 2017; Milliyet, March 5; CNNTurk, September 15, 2016).

A trilateral meeting in early March that brought together Turkish Chief of the General Staff Hulusi Akar, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford made little headway in resolving issues on the ground.

The United States gave direct support to the SDF's offensive on the Tabqah Dam (al-Jazeera, March 28). Meanwhile, there was a widely held belief that the Raqqa offensive would be carried out by the YPG with the direct support of the United States, something that would provide the group with both further political power portraying itself as a key anti-IS ally, as well as give the YPG control over a broader geographical area and so empower its claims for an autonomous region. In another development, there were rumors  later dismissed by Russia  about a Russian move to establish a joint military base in Afrin with the YPG (NTV, March 20).

Taken together, these issues left Turkey with little choice. It was clear that, for the time being, the YPG dimension of Operation Euphrates Shield was unattainable without a diplomatic breakthrough between the concerned parties or a dramatic political or military shift on the ground.

Successes on Balance

Overall, Operation Euphrates Shield has been at least a partial success. Turkey successfully cleared its border of IS, a move that was achieved in quite a short period of time. Al-Bab, with its important transport links and strategic importance on the broader Syrian chessboard, followed soon afterwards.

With respect to the YPG, Turkey's goal of preventing the merger of YPG-controlled cantons in Syria, which would form a unified de facto Kurdish autonomous region with links to the PKK, was also achieved. Moreover, Turkey secured itself a seat at the negotiating table over Syria's future, demonstrated at the Astana talks and the Iran-Russia-Turkey negotiations over the evacuation of civilians from Aleppo.

The operation succeeded in establishing a more direct link, both politically and militarily, with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), along with the provision of a limited safe zone for the group itself. However, the goals of pushing the YPG to the west of the Euphrates and carrying out an offensive on Manbij became unachievable after the YPG, in the uniform of the SDF, reinforced its position, bolstered by arms and direct military support from several key actors in the field. For the time being, the group seems to be the United States' preferred ally in the upcoming Raqqa operation, much to Turkey's irritation.

Nevertheless, it is clear that diplomatic and military machinations in Syria are far from over. On one hand, Turkey-FSA links are stronger than ever, with the FSA controlling a defined geographic area. On the other, the YPG has reinforced its position with a clear intention to establish a unified geographical area under its control in northern Syria, an area it will push hard to have recognized in any new constitution for Syria.

Making the situation more complicated U.S., European and Russian attitudes toward the YPG occasionally threaten diplomatic relations with Turkey and jeopardize the future of the anti-IS coalition and talks on the future of Syria. The political puzzle in Syria is still far from being solved.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Russian Air Defense and the US Strike on Al-Shayrat

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Roger McDermott Publication Date 11 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 50 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Russian Air Defense and the US Strike on Al-Shayrat, 11 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 50, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2adb4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Moscow's reaction to the United States' cruise missile strike on a regime target in Syria, on April 7, has proved both swift and predictable: ranging from condemning an "act of aggression," to suspend the bilateral de-confliction agreement and promising to further boost Syria's air defense capability (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, April 9). However, some Western and Russian experts have utilized the US strike to question the capability of Russia's most advanced air defense systems, including the S-400 and S-300V4, in certain cases reaching the conclusion that such assets are ineffective. It is worth highlighting Russian claims and analyses of the US cruise missile attack to establish what issues are of real concern to Moscow and its implications for Russian air defense in Syria (Vzglyad, April 7).

Russian reporting concerning the attack establishes the following basic facts. Around 03:40 (Moscow time), on April 7, the USS Porter and USS Ross destroyers launched a massive assault by firing 59 sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCM) against the Al-Shayrat airbase in Syria. Moscow had been informed two hours in advance (although mainstream US media reporting suggests the Russians were given only one hour), and measures were taken to ensure that no Russian personnel at the airbase would be harmed. At this point, many of the other details surrounding the Tomahawk cruise missile strike diverge between Moscow and Washington: the former alleges there was no delivery of chemical weapons from the airbase on Idlib earlier in the week, and suggests only 23 missiles hit the target. One issue that stands out in Russian media analysis is that the strike supposedly proved ineffective, destroying only nine aircraft, damaging hangers and airbase infrastructure but failing to cripple the airbase. Within a short period, the Syrian Air Force resumed operational use of the airbase, the Russian media reports (Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye, April 10; Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, April 7).

However, questions surrounding the possible implications of the strike on Al-Shayrat for Russian air defense systems relate to the presence of the advanced S-400 system to protect the Russian airbase in Latakia and the S-300V4 system located at the Tartus naval base. These are among a number of other Russian air defense systems deployed in Syria, largely in response to the downing of the Su-24M attack jet, in November 2015, by the Turkish Air Force. The S-400, depending on the missile used, has a range of up to 400 kilometers, while the S-300V4 uses the 9M82M missile against targets up to 200 km away. Since the reinforcement of Russia's air defense capabilities in Syria and following the formation of the joint Russia-Syria Air Defense system, Russian officials have exaggerated the capacity of these assets, claiming Moscow has built up an air defense bubble covering the entire Syrian airspace. Nonetheless, questioning the competency of the S-400 and S-300V4 systems based on the consequences of the April 7 US cruise missile strike misreads the actual capability of these assets (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, April 10).

These systems are not principally designed to counter low-flying subsonic Tomahawks; their capacity to attempt this is limited to approximately 3040 km. Colonel (retired) Mikhail Khodarenok, a defense correspondent for Gazeta.ru and an air defense specialist, notes the Al-Shayrat airbase is located around 200 km from Latakia, which he suggests lies at the outer limit of the S-400 range: to strike a target at this range requires it to be flying at an altitude of 89 km. If it flies lower, the S-400's multifunctional radar cannot see the cruise missile due to the curvature of the Earth's surface. Similarly, the S-300V4 at Tartus has a range of around 100 km and requires a target altitude of 67 km. According to Air Force Colonel General (retired) Igor Maltsev, the former chief of the Main Staff in the Air Defense Troops, since Tomahawks fly at 5060 meters above the ground, the outer effective range for the S-300V4 system would only be around 2426 km in cross country terrain. Maltsev concluded that the S-400 and S-300V4 located in Latakia and Tartus did not have even a theoretical chance to counter the US cruise missile strike. Moreover, to protect against a similar strike in the future, Maltsev believes Al-Shayrat would need four to five S-400 battalions, alongside a radar reconnaissance system to provide depth of detection against cruise missiles, in addition to an air regiment of Su-30SM or Su-35 fighters (Gazeta.ru, April 7).

Some of the technical aspects of the strike on Al-Shayrat were assessed by Nikolai Novichkov, in Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer. Novichkov concurs with air defense specialists such as Khodarenok and Maltsev that the S-400 and S-300V4 is effective to around 40 km against cruise missile targets, but he examines details surrounding the US strike to extrapolate lessons for the Russian military. Novichkov refers to the timing of the attack, considering whether the strikes were synchronized between USS Porter and USS Ross; he concludes they probably were (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, April 10).

Noting the Russian defense ministry version, which places the attack between 03:42 (Moscow time) and 03:56, the author argues nearly 30 pairs of Tomahawks were fired almost simultaneously. The time interval from the lead pair to the final pair was about seven minutes, giving a total time interval of 14 minutes. Fired from south of Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea, at a distance of 1,100 km from the Syrian coast, Russian air defense could not have detected the launches. Novichkov highlights the use of EW-18G Growler aircraft to provide electronic warfare (EW) cover for the attack, and suggests the cruise missiles could have crossed the Syrian coast close to Tartus, allowing some degree of tracking. This would provide the Russian military with a real world lesson in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) in Syria, which can be applied elsewhere (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, April 10).

The US cruise missile strike on Al-Shayrat did not expose the Russian air defense systems to be flawed. On the contrary, US planners are well aware of the characteristics of these systems and took careful steps to circumvent them. The strikes were conducted at sufficient distance from the Syrian coast, and likely flew far enough south of Tartus to avoid Russian air defense assets, or through Lebanese airspace before entering Syria and were also supported by EW (Voyenno Promyshlennyy Kuryer, April 10; Gazeta.ru, April 7).

In reality, the Russian air defense bubble never extended across Syria, but instead may be accurately denoted as a series of smaller "bubbles," which the US Navy precisely circumvented in the attack. Creating a national air defense "no-fly zone" for Syria is doubtless seen by Moscow as far too costly and potentially dangerous.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Russians Increasingly Prepared to Use Firearms Against Police

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Paul Goble Publication Date 11 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 50 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Russians Increasingly Prepared to Use Firearms Against Police, 11 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 50, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2b644.html [accessed 8 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.

Russians currently own approximately 25 million guns, according to Moscow experts; and while only about 20 percent of these are registered with the authorities as the law requires, most Russian gun owners use their weapons for target practice, hunting or in self-defense (Komsomolskaya Pravda, Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com, January 17; APN, November 24, 2014). But some of them, it appears, are now prepared to use their weapons against the police, other siloviki (security services personnel) and even members of President Vladimir Putin's new National Guard. This suggests these gun owners have crossed one of the most serious psychological lines in Russian life. In turn, members of the force structures themselves are going to insist on being more heavily armed and will push for the adoption of new laws to protect them from such attacks. As a result, confrontations between the siloviki and the population could easily become more violent in the coming months and years (Newsru.com, January 10; Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com, April 1).

At least some of the unregistered weapons Russians possess come from either the anti-terrorist operations in the North Caucasus or from the Russian-occupied Donbas in Ukraine, where control over weapons is far less strict than elsewhere. Russian officials routinely try to link the use of weapons against the police or other force structures to the first while denying there is any link to the latter warzone. But such efforts are disingenuous, not only because there is mounting evidence of the use of weapons against the authorities far from the North Caucasus, but also because some Russian "volunteers" returning from Ukraine have bragged about the weapons they have brought back (Segodnya.ua, September 13, 2015; Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com, August 3, 2016).

In an article in Nezavisimaya Gazeta last week (April 7), journalists Vladimir Rauvayev and Andrey Serenko report that "the National Guard and police are taking losses" as the result of private individuals using weapons against them. This is a phenomenon neither law enforcement group has had much experience with in the past, and both are concerned about it as a bellwether of their security in the future. On the one hand, they are demanding new laws to prosecute anyone who employs weapons against them; and on the other, they are demanding that they themselves be better armed and protected against such violence from the population (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, April 7).

Rauvayev and Serenko report that in one two-day period, there were two attacks on law enforcement personnel in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan. Officials insisted and the two journalists duly wrote that the attackers were members of a radical Islamist group, noting that the Islamic State took credit for the attacks. These claims may be true, but there are some obvious questions: Astrakhan has not been a hotbed of Islamist activity in the past, and the Russian authorities there and elsewhere have a vested interest in presenting any attacks on the police as being the work of terrorists rather than anyone else. And it is often the case that Russian outlets link the use of guns against people in positions of authority to certain minority ethnic or religious groups-even when they are in no way linked to Islam or Islamist groups.

The most widely covered of these cases involves charges against a man in the Russian Far North who reportedly threatened to shoot representatives of an oil company who were violating the grounds of a sacred lake (Novaya Gazeta, Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com, May 27, 2016). That case, which has dragged on for more than a year, has been treated as a curiosity in the media. But what has seldom been reported is that the threat of gun violence against those who guard Russia's national parks and nature preserves has become so severe that those officers now carry guns themselves-something they almost never did in the past (Ecoportal.su, April 7).

Russian police reportedly have stepped up efforts to enforce registration laws. And in some federal subjects, they have even launched weapons "buy back" programs to pluck guns out of private hands lest they be misused. But they appear to be fighting a losing battle: there are now a million more registered guns in Russian than there were only a year or so ago. And if the past ratio of four illegal guns to every legal one holds, that means there are now more than five million guns today than at the end of 2014 (Newsru.com, January 10, 2017; Rossiyskaya Gazeta, June 10, 2016; Windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com, April 1, 2017). At least some of these are going to fall into the hands of criminals, radicals of various kinds, and also those who view the police and other siloviki as enemies to be resisted with violence if necessary.

That being the case, the amount of gun violence directed at the police and other force structure personnel in Russia is likely to rise; and they in turn are likely to be more ready to respond with violence-or even feel justified to use violence pre-emptively. That will certainly make Russian cities and towns more deadly, which will likely provoke calls for more control but also make it more difficult for the authorities to meet such demands.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Islamicized Armenians in Turkey: A Bridge or a Threat?

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Paul Goble Publication Date 5 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 46 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Islamicized Armenians in Turkey: A Bridge or a Threat?, 5 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 46, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2bac4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Groups whose identities do not fit the mold others have for them often become problems for both their host countries and the different communities of which they are a part. In addition, they often make particularly tempting targets for interference by outsiders. One such group is the Hemshins of Turkey, a community of approximately 150,000 people who have Armenian backgrounds, often speak Armenian, but have become Islamicized. This development puts them at odds with Christian Armenians in Armenia proper, without integrating them fully into the predominantly Muslim Turkish nation (for background on this group, see Hovann H. Simonian, ed., The Hemshin: History, Society and Identity in the Highlands of Northeast Turkey, London, 2015).

As a result, the Hemshins have yet to be included in the more capacious definition of Turkishness now being offered by Ankara to other minorities such as the Circassians, Chechens and Dagestanis living in that country (On Kavkaz, April 2). That has made them a new focus of Armenian and Russian attention, which is certain to create new problems not only for the Hemshins but also for Turkey, for Armenia and for the Russian Federation.

Last week (March 31), Saida Oganyan, an ethnographer who heads the Amshenka Union of Hemshin Armenians in Western Armenia, published a long article on the Russian nationalist news portal, Rex. Her piece suggests that this little-known group may become an ideological and even more broadly political and security challenge in the coming months, especially if tensions between Moscow and Ankara re-emerge or if Yerevan decides it needs to focus on a foreign problem to distract attention from its domestic ones (Rex, March 31).

One reason that the Hemshin issue is so complicated, she says, is that the name itself covers at least four distinct groups. She cites the conclusion of Ruben Melkonyan, a Turkologist at Yerevan State University, that these include: "Armenians who have been living in Hamshen [Armenian name for the northeastern Turkish district of Hemsin] and were Islamicized already in the 17th and 18th centuries but have preserved their identity, including language and customs," crypto-Armenians who have preserved their identity via ethnic monogamy, Islamicized Armenians who have not retained their identity and intermarry with Muslims, and finally those who have an Armenian origin but do not consider themselves Armenians, even though many Turks and other Armenians continue to view them as such. No good data exists on the relative sizes of these communities, but the Amshenka Union head believes crypto-Armenians, many of whom were forced to convert at the end of Ottoman times in an effort to save themselves, form the majority (Rex, March 31).

Most Armenians around the world consider their identity to be rooted as much in the Christian religion as in language. But Oganyan points out "there are other communities that are united around language and not religion" and that "one must not confuse religion with ethnic origin." That means, of course, that if the Hemshin issue becomes more important, it could present a challenge to Armenian self-definition, even as it re-energizes Armenian nationalism over the tragic issues surrounding 1915.

For Turkey, the Hemshins present an even greater problem, Oganyan suggests, because of the two ways they have found to defend their communities: On the one hand, many of them have turned to radical forms of Marxism and joined local revolutionary cells. And on the other, some have sought "to become 'more Catholic than the pope' " and joined the ranks of the most radical Turkish nationalists, often to a greater degree even than the Laz, who are well-known for doing that.

Not surprisingly, the situation the Hemshins find themselves in now presents a temptation for Russia to interfere. Oganyan's recent article is, therefore, conspicuous for two reasons. First, because of where it appearedon a site that has often been a bellwether of Moscow's actions. Second, for its tonewhich concludes with a call to exploit international attention toward minority peoples in order to promote the Hemshin cause and ultimately seek a revision of the borders between the Republic of Turkey and the Republic of Armenia, in favor of the latter.

But what Russia and Armenia must both do immediately, she says, is to recognize and celebrate the fact that "not all Islamicized Armenians in Turkey have lost their identity" and that the assimilation they had been subject to in the past not only has slowed but in many cases has been reversed. Moscow and Yerevan can encourage this via the media. But "unfortunately," Oganyan continues, there are not enough printed or electronic Hemshin media outlets. Furthermore, she asserts there is insufficient public attention to Hemshin issues in Russia, where some 1,500 members of this minority live in the south, or in Armenia, which has a vital interest in the survival of Armenian communities abroad. She argues that this neglect must be corrected because those who fail to do so de facto become complicit in the crimes visited upon Armenians in the past.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Armenian Authorities Arrest Former Separatist Karabakh 'Defense Minister' on Eve of Parliamentary Elections

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Armen Grigoryan Publication Date 12 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 45 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Armenian Authorities Arrest Former Separatist Karabakh 'Defense Minister' on Eve of Parliamentary Elections, 12 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 45, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2c4a4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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On March 22, the Armenian National Security Service (NSS) arrested three persons, including Samvel Babayana paramilitary unit commander during the Karabakh War (19881994) and "defense minister" of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), from 1994 to 2000 (News.am, March 25). Coincidentally, the date of the arrest coincided with the date of Babayan's arrest in 2000, when he, together with 15 other persons, was charged with an attempt to assassinate Arkady Ghukasyan, the de facto "president" of the NKR. Ghukasyan was seriously wounded in the attack. At that point, Babayan was sentenced to 14 years in prison, but he was released after only 4.5 years, moved to Armenia, and founded an unsuccessful political party. Soon thereafter, he moved to Moscow. But after spending almost a decade in Russia, he returned to Armenia in mid-2016, just weeks after the so-called "four-day war" in Karabakh between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces (see EDM, May 18, 2016). He denied plans to join any political party, but said he saw people who shared his ideology (Armenianow.com, May 26, 2016).

More recently, Babayan openly expressed support for one of the political factions that participated in Armenia's April 2, 2017, parliamentary electionsORO, formed jointly by the Unity Party and the Heritage Party (both led by former Armenian foreign ministers) with the participation of former defense minister Seyran Ohanyan. The latter man began vehemently criticizing the government immediately after his resignation, in October 2016. During the election campaign, Babayan soon started supplementing his statements in support of ORO with warnings that "provocations" against the bloc might potentially result in bloodshed (Lragir.am, March 22). Before the bloc's assembly in February, some of its representatives had themselves already warned about possible "provocations," as there were speculations about a criminal case having been opened against Ohanyan in connection with corruption in the army during his ministerial tenure (1in.am, February 24).

According to the NSS, Babayan was involved in an illegal attempt to acquire a Russian-made Igla man-portable surface-to-air missile launcher with a 9M39 missile (Hraparak.am, March 22). His lawyer, Avetis Kalashyan, insists that the NSS lacks sufficient evidence to indict. While Babayan himself considers the accusations groundless, he has not suggested, to date, that the legal actions against him were politically motivated (Hraparak.am, March 29). This contrasts with the ORO, which immediately claimed that the criminal charges against Babayan had a political dimension, putting that in the context of the election campaign as a provocation against the bloc (Lragir.am, March 22). Later on, ORO's spokesman declared the bloc considers Babayan a political prisoner, even though he himself does not (Hraparak.am, March 29). ORO claimed it was being targeted for its critical attitude toward the government.

From ORO's point of view, Babayan's arrest is part of a government-led propaganda and physical intimidation campaign. Earlier last month, for example, several ORO activists were beaten, and one of them was shot and wounded by the brother of the deputy head of the National Police (A1Plus.am, March 15). Moreover, during the election campaign, representatives of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) have notably also been involved in several other violent incidents. A Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) activist was stabbed; others from the PAP, as well as supporters of a current coalition member, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), were beaten; there have even been fights among the supporters of various RPA candidates (Azatutyun.am, March 6).

The latter may seem particularly strange, but it is an outcome of the new election code. The old mixed system of proportional representation and majoritarian single-member districts has now been replaced with a combination of national and district party lists. Under the old system, government-affiliated businessmen or their proxies used to run in single-member districts without having to compete against one another. But the recently adopted system encourages intra-party competition among candidates within districts. As a result, district lists included several pro-government candidates as well as local gang leaders capable of buying votes or intimidating voters (Asparez.am, February 14; Armlur.am, March 3).

The RPA has used all meansthe election code biased in its favor, financial resources, the media, large-scale vote buying, and so forthto secure its hold on power this election cycle (1in.am, January 19, 2016; Armtimes.com, April 25, 2016; Aravot.am, March 31, 2017). Indeed, President Serzh Sargsyan, who also comes from the RPA, carefully encouraged and supported a second-place winnerthe Tsarukyan bloc, which includes the PAP and some fringe partiesso that the dissatisfied electorate could be divided and manipulated (Aniarc.am, October 5, 2016). According to the preliminary results announced on April 3, the RPA received 49.12 percent of the vote, and the PAP27.32 percent; the Way Out bloc and the Armenian-nationalist ARF also passed the threshold to enter the legislature (Azatutyun.am, April 3). The ARF is a potential RPA ally, should the latter need to form a coalition. The ORO bloc failed to pass the vote threshold. Also left outside the next parliament were pro-government party Armenian Renaissance (formerly the Country of Laws Party), the Armenian National Congress (ANCwhose leader, former president Liven Ter-Petrossian, proposed a "peace now" program, arguing that a quick compromise with Azerbaijan is required), as well as the Free Democrats Party, the only Armenian party advocating for leaving the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).

Some observers expected that, following the April 2 vote, Armenia would see a repeat of its traditional post-election pattern: with complaints against the announced results resulting in mass protests and clashes, possibly even shootings. And this time, the ORO bloc was predicted to play the leading role (Aysor.am, March 21). In fact, some of ORO's leaders had previously attempted to start a mass movement, tapping into the social momentum created by an armed attack on a police compound in Yerevan in July 2016, when 31 armed men took control of a large supply of weapons for two weeks. That standoff with Armenian law enforcement ultimately left three police officers dead (Aniarc.am, July 21, 2016; Azatutyun.am, July 24, 2016). Therefore, Babayan's arrest may have been a preventive measure aimed at containing any possible post-election troubles. He is currently in pre-trial two-month custody. It remains to be seen if the state prosecutors will uphold the charges, or whether they might later be dropped should the post-election period and the formation of the new cabinet go smoothly. Other parties and blocs may still attempt to challenge the RPA's victory by legal means. But since the RPA controls all of the country's courts and law enforcement agencies, it is unlikely to face much trouble.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
DECATUR  Jason A. White, a former restaurant manager who was arrested for allegedly shooting at messy patrons, has been charged with two felony counts, including Class X armed habitual criminal, for possessing a firearm with two prior felony convictions.

White, 26, the night manager at IHOP, 1280 E. Pershing Road, at the time of his arrest, is being held in the Macon County Jail on $50,000 bond.

He appeared Wednesday morning before Associate Judge Phoebe Bowers, dressed in a black-and-gray striped jail jumpsuit. She found him to be indigent and assigned a public defender to represent him.

If convicted of armed habitual criminal, White is facing six to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, to be served at a minimum of 85 percent.

He is also charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, a Class 1 felony punishable by four to 15 years in prison. If convicted of that charge, that would also be an 85 percent sentencing.

White, who was hired by IHOP to give him another chance despite his background, is no longer employed by the company, said Luis Pinedo, the company's area director of operations.

We don't allow our managers to take any kind of action like that, Pinedo said. We don't allow people to shoot at people. That is one of those things that is not going to be tolerated.

White was arrested about 6:50 Sunday morning at the restaurant. Witnesses told police that a group of patrons was asked to leave by staff members "after they made a mess," according to a court document. The group was composed of two women and one man, between 18 and 20 years old.

The male patron told police the manager "pulled a gun on the group and chased them into the parking lot and fired a single gunshot, which appeared to be in his direction as they were fleeing to their vehicle."

Police said a cellphone video showed White "walking towards the front lobby with a gun in his right hand."

A stolen semiautomatic .40-caliber pistol was later found on the premises, which police said White admitted he had brandished.

Armed habitual criminal is charged when a defendant with two prior felony convictions possesses a firearm. White has four prior felony convictions, including a 2010 case in which he possessed a shotgun while on parole.

White has served four prior terms in prison. He was most recently released on parole on Sept. 29, 2015, after serving one year of a two-year term for forgery.
Risk of Further Serious Hostilities in Karabakh Remains High

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Najiba Mustafayeva Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 48 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Risk of Further Serious Hostilities in Karabakh Remains High, 7 April 2017, Eurasia Daily Monitor Volume: 14 Issue: 48, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2cc04.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's visit of to the occupied Azerbaijani territories, on March 25, 2017, and his recent statements pertaining to Armenian military drills there demonstrate Yerevan's unwillingness to settle the conflict via peaceful negotiations. During the final phase of military exercises in the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), Sargsyan declared, "In one year [after April 2016], we fortified our border and armed our troops to the extent that today our frontline is simply unrecognizable. Today, our guys are following the movements of the enemy in the depth of its own territory. Today, super modern, devastating striking power aims at the entire territory of our belligerent neighbor, including its vital infrastructure. And today, the commander-in-chief of Armenia, without batting an eyelid, will give, if needed the order to strike with the Iskander [theater ballistic missile system]. In the neighboring country [i.e. Azerbaijan] they know it all too well" (President.am, March 25).

Armenia's provocative warlike gestures and the bellicose rhetoric of its high-ranking officials contrast sharply with the Armenian government's stated commitments, both under international law and within the ongoing political process toward the resolution of the conflict with Azerbaijan. According to Azerbaijan's permanent mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Armenia's recent military drills in occupied Karabakh as well as President Sargsyan's aggressive statements during his illegal visit to this internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory are a clear manifestation of the continued illegal use of force by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan appealed to all OSCE members to act in unity to reverse such flagrant violations of the Helsinki Final Act. The Armenian president's statement contradicts the Bishkek Protocol of 1994the basis for the ceasefire in Karabakh. Whereas by entrenching and building up its military positions as well as transferring military equipment and hardware to the occupied territories, Armenia is taking advantage of the cessation of military operations to consolidate the status-quo of occupation, Baku argues (Mfa.gov.az, March 27).

Azerbaijan's Ministry of Defense declared that the country will suppress any threat from Armenia immediately and decisively. The Armenian president's statement on the possible use of Iskander operational-tactical missiles is a militarily provocative step, aimed at his domestic audience. Moreover, the aggressive tone of his speech was designed to strengthen the shaken authority of his "criminal gang" and increase his pre-election rating, the Azerbaijani defense ministry told APA on March 27, just days before the Armenian parliamentary election.

On the anniversary of the April 2016 victories of the Azerbaijani army over Armenian forces in Karabakh (known as the "four day war"), Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with a group of servicemen. He pointed out that the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan possess weapons capable of destroying any strategic and military facility. "Azerbaijan demonstrated merely a small percentage of its capabilities during the April [2016] battles, and this once again shows that the April battles were a provocation by Armenia," the president asserted. He also stressed that international organizations monitor everything in the occupied territories. "They know the capability of our long-range rockets and drones. We mostly did not use them," Aliyev added (President.az, March 31).

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that it prefers to resolve the conflict through a negotiation process, based on the principles of international law and respecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty and internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan. But as a result of the continued failure of the peace process, Baku could increasingly see military means as the only option to restore Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.

After the April clashes, Baku signed additional contracts for the purchase of sophisticated weapons. "We ordered the most advanced, high-precision and destructive weapons, some of which have already been delivered to Azerbaijan. Unlike the leadership of Armenia, we do not show them off for propaganda purposes. At the right time, we will once again demonstrate what we have" President Aliyev stated, without elaborating further (President.az, March 31).

A year has passed since the "four day war" between Armenian and Azerbaijani military forces along the Line of Contact (LoC). But the situation along the LoC remains explosive. Immediately after the escalation, Armenia pushed ahead for the delivery of new weapons and sophisticated equipment from Russia, based on the $200 million military loan agreement from July 2015. Notably, the Armenian military received Russian-made Iskander ballistic missile systems, which were demonstrated during the Independence Day military parade in Yerevan on Sept. 21, 2016 (see EDM, September 26, 2016).

Although the level of violence during the "four day war" was the highest in perhaps decades, ceasefire violations have always been fairly commonplace along the LoC. Dozens of people die every year as a result of exchanges of fire (see EDM, April 14, 2016; May 5, 2016). The most recent deadly skirmish took place on February 25, 2017, at midnight, when the Armenian Armed Forces attempted to penetrate positions held by Azerbaijani troops. In particular, Armenian forces were trying to seize advantageous positions in the Khojavand-Fizuli direction of the front (see EDM, March 2).

The recent Armenian incursion attempts and the overall escalation of the situation at the front should be interpreted as an extension of Armenia's political provocations in Karabakh. Specifically, Armenian authorities held an illegal "constitutional reform" referendum in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan on February 20, 2017 (Azernews.az, February 20). Together, these moves sought to strengthen the seriously weakened social support base of Armenia's ruling regime ahead of the parliamentary elections. Moreover, the spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Hikmat Hajiyev, argued that Yerevan's political and military provocations deliberately escalated the situation and undermined efforts for a peaceful solution to the conflict. He further suggested that the timing of the Armenian actions was designed to divert the attention of the international community on the eve of the annual commemoration of the 1992 Khojaly Massacre, thus overlooking Armenia's responsibility for this tragic event (Azertag.az, February 25).

The latest ceasefire violations along the LoC, as well as the arrest of travel-blogger Alexander Lapshin, a citizen of Russia, Israel and Ukraine, by Belarusian authorities and his extradition to Azerbaijan have brought new perspectives for pushing the conflict resolution process forward (see EDM, February 13, 15). However, without a significant diplomatic commitment, the risks of further serious hostilities in Karabakh remain extremely high.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Al-Shabaab Plays on Aid Distribution Role to Win Over Desperate Somalis

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Sunguta West Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Al-Shabaab Plays on Aid Distribution Role to Win Over Desperate Somalis, 7 April 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2d4f4.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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With a severe drought unfolding across Somalia, al-Shabaab militants have turned to distributing food aid in the country's southern battlegrounds in a new strategy aimed at bringing locals on side.

Two consecutive seasons of poor rainfall has led to livestock deaths and crop failure, forcing people to sell their assets and borrow food and money to survive (Africanews, February 3). An estimated six million people are in need of humanitarian aid in Somalia; following the failed rains that have brought on the drought, there is the growing threat of famine.

As the crisis unfolds, in a rare move, al-Shabaab released images showing its gunmen, AK47s slung on their shoulders, handing out food aid to women and children. The photographs, set in a rural location, appear to show neatly arranged rice sacks and jerrycans of oil. In one of the images, an al-Shabaab flag can be seen. Other photographs show Somalis transporting the items, and in one video, a man is seen thanking al-Shabaab for the aid. The images and video were allegedly taken in Somalia's Lower Shabelle region (Radioandalus24, March 20).

Change in Tactics

The militants claim to have distributed aid in several regions: Bay, Bakol, Mudug, Hiraan and Galguduung. Al-Shabaab has launched drought committees in these regions to coordinate relief, and the group has dug canals to help farmers to access water for irrigation. Reports suggest the group is seeking international recognition for the work and has made public a schedule for further aid distribution (Tuko, March 23). While it is unclear what form the group imagines this recognition would take, al-Shabaab likes to boast that the international media is sympathetically reporting the mujahedeen's distribution efforts in central Somalia (SomaliMEMO, March 28, 2017).

It is unclear where the militants would obtain large amounts of food aid. The group does not grow food for this purpose. Instead, some analysts suggest the aid has been collected as zakat (a form of alms giving treated in Islam as a religious obligation) from Muslim businesses in the region. The group also has a network of sponsors who donate money and food. Sources also suggest al-Shabaab may have raided aid agencies supplies, something they have been known to do in the past. There have been reports of such a raid in the city of Baidoa, on March 28, in which heavily armed militants ambushed a Somalia National Army (SNA) convoy and stole food items that were being transported to drought hit areas (Intelligence Brief, March 28).

Regardless of the provenance, if the aid distributions are effective, the move will be a welcome one for locals. The move would be a positive "public relations" exercise, demonstrating something of a "softer side" to Somalis who have in other cases been subject to the group's radical interpretation of sharia that includes amputations for petty crimes, the public flogging of women and the execution of those accused of being traitors or spies. These have made the group extremely unpopular. Al-Shabaab leader Sheikh Ahmed Omar Abu Ubaidah may now be attempting to win back public confidence and support.

Aid Deliveries

Reports of al-Shabaab's food aid deliveries come as the United Nations (UN) and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), monitoring developments within the terror group, are considering holding talks with the group. The idea of talks is considered critical in regard to tackling the increasingly dire humanitarian situation; the group still controls large swathes of southern Somalia, areas the international community needs to access if it is to deliver humanitarian aid. The hope is that, in the longer term, al-Shabaab could be persuaded to covert from a terror movement into a political movement (Daily Nation, January 25).

No direct contact in order to initiate talks has yet been made. At the same time, some officials say hardliners may resist the talks, but admit the possibility of a chance of success with more moderate leaders (Daily Nation, January 25).

The group has been here before, however. Shekih Ahmed Godane, the late al-Shabaab emir who was killed in an airstrike in 2014, took the group through a similar phase, attempting to capitalize on relief aid distribution. The strategy failed after the UN accused the militants of blocking aid deliveries, burning some of the items and killing aid workers. Al-Shabaab fighters had also attempted to intercept moving populations with a view to stopping them from reaching Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp, where aid was being distributed.

Attacks in Mogadishu

Al-Shabaab's aid deliveries also form part of an altered strategy for the group, brought on by the success of AMISOM troops in forcing the militants out of strategic ports and cities. Instead, al-Shabaab has moved its focus to the control of smaller towns and villages in rural areas.

While some observers view the militant's distribution of food aid as simply propaganda, a wider view is that the tactic is critical for the group because it has been forced to retreat into the rural areas.

With AMISOM troops remaining in towns and ports, al-Shabaab is believed to be re-grouping in these rural areas to launch attacks, coordinated from its base in Jilib (Standard Digital, January 30). Al-Shabaab has already stepped up attacks in the capital Mogadishu and the surrounding areas, putting pressure on the administration of Somalia's new president, Mohammed Abdallah Mohammed (a.k.a. Farmajo).

A car bomb blast at a checkpoint near the presidential palace in Mogadishu killed at least four people on March 21. A suicide bomber rammed a car into the checkpoint, detonating his explosives and killing people in a nearby theater (Garowe Online, March 21). In the previous month, two children were killed and their parents injured in attacks near the palace. Meanwhile, in January, the militant group took responsibility for an attack on Nasa Hablood Hotel in the capital. At least 28 people were killed and more than 20 injured (News24, January 25). A suicide bomber exploded a Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device at the entrance of the hotel before gunmen fought their way inside.

Al-Shabaab has made clear that it opposes the new president. In February, Sheikh Hassan Yakub Ali, the al-Shabaab governor for Galmudung region, warned of sustained attacks over the course of Farmajo's four-year term. In a strongly worded speech on an al-Shabaab media, the hardliner described the new president as an American, rather than a Somali patriot. Labelling Farmajo as worse than any other Somalia President, he warned that any individual or clan who collaborated with him would be severely punished (see Militant Leadership Monitor, April 5; Kismayo24, February 19).

Islamist Threat Remains

Al-Shabaab has launched at least four major attacks on AMISOM bases in Somalia since 2016. On January 25, militants attacked a Kenyan camp in Kulbiyow. Al-Shabaab claimed it killed 68 soldiers, but the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) said only nine soldiers were killed, with 15 others injured (Standard January 30). The attack came nearly a year after a KDF camp in El Adde was overrun by the militants. Although the government has never released an official death toll for that attack, media reports suggest that more than 100 soldiers were killed.

Al-Shabaab has also suffered major losses. On March 28, the KDF said it killed 31 al-Shabaab militants after raiding bases in Baadahade. The raids were carried out by ground forces and backed by helicopters. The KDF reportedly seized more than 10 AK-47 rifles, four improvised explosive devices, foodstuffs, uniforms, a roll of cables and hundreds rounds of ammunition in the raid (Daily Nation, March 27, 2017).

Al-Shabaab remains dangerously adaptable, retreating into the countryside and promoting its efforts  whether genuine or not  at aid distribution. It also remains stubbornly resistant, continuing to pose a significant threat to ordinary Somalis and the Somali government, as well as further afield.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Burkina Faso: Fears Grow Over Domestic Militant Threat

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Alexander Sehmer Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Burkina Faso: Fears Grow Over Domestic Militant Threat, 7 April 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2dc74.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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A series of attacks in rural Burkina Faso have raised concerns over an increasingly active homegrown jihadist militant group operating in the West African country's remote north.

A fire at a primary school in Baraboule, in northern Burkina Faso's Soum province, on March 14, prompted reports of a suspected jihadist attack. Some claimed that armed men had abducted students, while others said the fire had simply been started accidentally (MaliActu, March 15). Locals are jittery following a series of reported incidents in schools closer to the border with Mali, where armed men have insisted teachers conduct lessons in Arabic rather than French (Burkina Online, January 31).

It is unclear who is menacing the schools, but local jihadist outfit Ansarul Islam, headed by radical preacher Ibrahim Malaam Dicko, is considered the most likely contender. The group is also thought to have been behind attacks on two Soum police stations on February 27 (Africa News, February 28). It claimed an attack in December of last year on a military base in Nassoumbou that killed 12 soldiers. Likewise, it claimed involvement in the attack on the Splendid Hotel in Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe capital, in January 2016, in which 29 people were killed  the attack was originally attributed to militants across the border in Mali (Burkina Online, December 28, 2016; al-Jazeera, January 18, 2016).

A native of Soum province, Dicko began preaching on local radio in Djibo town in 2012. He travelled to Mali in 2013, where he was arrested by French troops and held by Malian authorities for two years before being released. He founded Ansarul Islam upon his return. Dicko has been closely linked to Amadou Koufa, the Malian founder of the Macina Liberation Front, with strong ties to Ansar Dine. According to some reports, he was briefly detained in Mali again in 2015, following a meeting with Koufa (Intellivoire, January 4).

The emergence of Dicko's group has prompted Burkina Faso to step up its counter-terrorism efforts. President Roch Marc Christian Kabore replaced his military chief, Pingrenoma Zagre, in December last year, and announced plans for the deployment of more troops near the Mali border (Le Faso, December 28, 2016).

A public outcry following the Nassoumbou attack appears to have made Zagre's position untenable. His replacement, Oumarou Sadou, hails from Djibo, possibly making him more familiar with the remote area where Dicko's group is based. Already, the security forces have hit back  on March 23, an army raid on an Ansarul Islam base killed one of the group's leaders, but was unable to locate Dicko himself (Sahel Intelligence, March 24).

Despite the Nassoumbou attack and the reported incidents at schools in Soum, the main jihadist threat to Burkina Faso likely continues to come from across the border in Mali. But Ansarul Islam's capacity remains unclear and it is too early to tell how effective Sadou will be at stamping out Burkina Faso's own militant Islamists.

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
Bangladesh: Security Forces Raid Islamist Bases

Publisher Jamestown Foundation Author Alexander Sehmer Publication Date 7 April 2017 Citation / Document Symbol Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7 Cite as Jamestown Foundation, Bangladesh: Security Forces Raid Islamist Bases, 7 April 2017, Terrorism Monitor Volume: 15 Issue: 7, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/58ee2e444.html [accessed 8 November 2022] Disclaimer This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.

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Bangladesh's paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion have mounted a series of raids on the hideouts of suspected terrorists, but amid the high-profile crackdown there are suggestions the country's Islamist militants may be growing more sophisticated.

Security forces stormed a building in Moulvibazar town on March 31, bringing a three-day siege to an end (BDNews24, April 1). The bodies of three suspected militants were found inside. Police said the group had blown themselves up rather than surrender. A day earlier, a raid on a building in a nearby neighborhood uncovered eight bodies, possibly including that of a child (Star Online, March 30). Both buildings were owned by the same person  a UK citizen of Bangladeshi origin, according to media reports (BDNews24, March 30).

The Moulvibazar raids have arguably been the security forces' most successful raids in recent months. During a previous raid in in Comilla, about 50 miles from the capital Dhaka, the suspected militants escaped, while the siege of an alleged militant hideout in Sylhet city saw at least six people killed and several others injured when bombs went off outside the police cordon (BDNews24, March 28). The alleged militants had also reportedly attempted to secure explosives to a refrigerator that had been used to block the building's doorway (Daily Star [Bangladesh], March 25).

The raids are a continuation of the crackdown initiated in the wake of last year's devastating attack on a popular Dhaka restaurant, in which militants kill 20 hostages. They also follow two suicide attacks close to Dhakas Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Dhaka Tribune, March 25).

Bangladeshi officials insist the attacks are the work of domestic jihadist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which the government  for its own political ends  likes to link to opposition parties such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The recent raids appear to have targeted a new group, referred to in local media reports as "Neo-JMB." Whether this is an admission of a developing jihadist threat is unclear. However, the increasing use of explosives could be an indication that this is the case. Previous jihadist attacks in Bangladesh have been brutal, though relatively unsophisticated.

The suicide attacks near the airport and the incidents during the recent raids could indicate a better-resourced and better-trained group of militants is emerging in Bangladesh. Following the Sylhet city raid, security forces recovered four bodies, some apparently still rigged with explosives that appear to have taken experts several days to safely defuse (Click Ittefaq, April 4).

Copyright notice:  2010 The Jamestown Foundation
DECATUR -- Tuesday night marked the annual town hall event where residents of the Decatur Township had the chance to shape policy for the coming year.

But residents took a pass on that, as only a handful showed up to the meeting at the Decatur Township buildings community room.

Of the roughly dozen people in attendance, only three weren't employees, elected or appointed officials with the township. In addition, no agenda items were submitted for discussion or action beforehand.

Its really disappointing, Supervisor Lisa Stanley said after the meeting. I really wish there could have been more community involvement.

The annual town hall meeting is the chance where township residents can set the agenda, as long as those items are submitted before the March 1 deadline. Residents have control on a number of policies, including the sale and purchase of property, whether money should be transferred between township funds and have input on the overall budgeting process.

Stanley said she heard from a few constituents who were unable to attend due to neighborhood meetings, as well as some who did not realize it was the Tuesday after the election.

No action was taken during the town hall, and most of the proceedings included the supervisors state of financial affairs for the fiscal year that ended March 31. In the report, Stanley said the township will begin the new fiscal year with $4.05 million balance, up from $3.69 million at this time last year.
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ST. ELMO  A driver and her 14-year-old female passenger were both flown to hospitals Wednesday morning after their vehicle crashed and overturned on Interstate 70 near St. Elmo.

The Illinois State Police said driver Sirena D. Cohen, 48, of Springfield, Ohio, was flown to Memorial Medical Center in Springfield, and her passenger, who is from St. Louis and was not identified by police, was airlifted to SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Hospital in St. Louis. Updates on their conditions were not available Wednesday afternoon.

According to police, Cohen was westbound at 8:20 a.m. and passing a semitruck when witnesses said her vehicle veered into the truck's lane and struck the rear of the trailer, sending the car careening into the median where it overturned before landing upright.

The driver of the truck, apparently unaware, did not stop after the accident.
Supporters of four civil society workers and an electoral official held in pre-trial detention on bribery charges were blocked from visiting them at a prison in Cambodias capital Phnom Penh Wednesday, drawing criticism from a rights group which called the decision an act of intimidation.



Members of the rights group ADHOC and other civil society groups were refused permission to meet ADHOC officials Ny Sokha, Yi Soksan, Nay Vanda, and Lim Mony, and National Election Committee (NEC) deputy secretary-general Ny Chakrya by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court after gathering at Prey Sar Prison, ADHOC spokesperson Sam Chankea told RFAs Khmer Service.



Supporters had been refused permission from the court on several occasions since the five were placed in pre-trial detention nearly one year ago, he said, adding that they had hoped to see them Wednesday ahead of the April 14-16 Khmer New Year.



According to Sam Chankea, the court routinely gives supporters excuses for not granting them visits, including that its officials are preoccupied with other commitments, but he called the rejections unreasonable and said they indicate that the court harbors ill will against the five detainees.



What the court is doing shows its persecution and prejudice against human rights activists, he said.



Its nothing but an act of intimidation. The excuses that court officials are too busy to address our requests for a visit are absurd. It is possible that the court is under the influence of someone with ill intentions to persecute human right workers.



A wide-ranging probe into a purported affair by opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) president Kem Sokha led authorities to charge the ADHOC officials with bribery and the NEC official with accessory to bribery for attempting to keep the CNRP chiefs alleged mistress quiet.



On March 24, investigating judge Theam Chanpisith ordered the heads of all correctional centers and prisons in Phnom Penh to refuse anyone other than family members and counsel permission to visit the detainees. No explanation was given for the order.



When asked why supporters were barred from visiting the detainees, General Department of Prisons spokesperson San Keo told RFA there was no good reason to do so.



I dont see any significant concerns that would warrant a ban of such a visit, he said.



The proceedings in their cases appear to have been concluded by now, for there have been no further summonses for witnesses to testify before the court during the past months. I dont think there is any plausible reason to deny a request for a visit.



However, San Keo said his department was bound by the courts ruling, regardless of the reasoning behind it.



Families discouraged



Also on Wednesday, family members of the detainees told RFA they were saddened that the government had refused to show leniency and release the five ahead of the traditional family reunions associated with Khmer New Year.



An earlier request to free them was rebuffed by the Ministry of Justice, which issued a statement through a spokesperson that the law is the law.



Speaking to RFA, Lim Monys daughter Un Bunnary said the New Year would be joyless without her mother, whose detention she called arbitrary.



I wonder how the court and government officials would feel if their innocent loved ones were locked behind bars, even during the New Year celebration, when family members are supposed to reunite and enjoy each others company in their own warm homes, she said.



I wont have time to celebrate this New Year because I must be at prison to visit my mother.



Un Bunnary said that prison authorities allow her very little time to meet with her mother when she visits, and questioned how something so bad could happen to a woman who had done so much good for her community.



My mother is a very good and caring person who does great service for this societyI dont know how this could happen to her, she said.



I have no one to help us. I have been doing my best to call on the court to expedite her case and give justice to her, but all to no avail.



In the next couple of weeks it will be a year that she has been detained. Im just very frustrated now.



On Tuesday, residents of several communities in Cambodias southeastern Tboung Khmum province held protests calling for a royal pardon of the five, as well as jailed land rights campaigner Tep Vanny, so they could be reunited with their families during the Khmer New Year.



One resident told RFA that if the courts continue to detain innocent people, the impartiality of the judicial system will be questioned and support for the government will be eroded ahead of commune elections set for June 4.



Ny Chakryas attorney Som Sokong said that his clients detention had left him in a poor state of mental and physical health, and also affected his family and work with the NEC in the lead up to the local polls.



Reported by Thai Tha for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Nareth Muong. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
Lee Ming-cheh (C), a Taiwan community college manager and lifelong member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, in an undated photo.

China hit out at campaigners in Taiwan for "playing up" the detention of its NGO worker Lee Ming-cheh, warning rights groups that any further criticism and questioning of Beijing will damage already tense relations across the Taiwan Strait.

"Any attempt to play up the case of a Taiwan resident under investigation will further harm the already severe relations between the mainland and Taiwan," Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office spokesman An Fengshan told a news conference on Wednesday.

A former local activist with Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Lee Ming-cheh, 42, is the first overseas NGO worker known to be detained in China since a draconian law gave police control over foreign nongovernment groups at the beginning of this year.

He was detained by the ruling Chinese Communist Party's state security police on suspicion of "endangering national security" on his arrival in the southern border city of Zhuhai on March 19.

Chinese law allows police to detain those suspected of "national security" crimes and hold them under residential surveillance at a secret location for up to six months, with no access to lawyers or family visits.

In China's first formal response to questions and concerns over Lee's whereabouts and well-being, An confirmed that the community college manager and lifelong democracy activist is "being investigated for suspected activities that endangered national security."

"Some outside groups in Taiwan have taken the case to attack the mainland, make trouble, and interfere with the investigation," An said. "They will not be able to attain their goals."

"If they continue to deliberately make trouble and intentionally interfere with the case ... this will further complicate matters and damage the interests of the parties," he warned.

"If certain parties in Taiwan seek to link this case to the cross-straits relationship and make malicious attacks on mainland China, fanning the flames, all they will achieve is the worsening of what is already a seriously strained relationship," he said.

He gave no details of Lee's whereabouts, however.

"The investigation is being conducted in accordance with the law and the suspect's legal rights will be protected," An said.

No one has been attacking China

Beijing's statement comes after officials revoked the travel pass of Lee's wife Lee Ching-yu, preventing her from boarding a flight to the Chinese capital in a bid to visit her husband.

Lee Ching-yu was informed of the cancellation as she tried to board a direct flight from the democratic island to Beijing, having previously said she would try to "rescue" her husband.

She later told reporters she had earlier been warned off the trip by Chinese officials acting via "intermediary" Li Junmin, a former Taiwanese spy who spent 27 years in prison across the Taiwan Strait in mainland China.

Cheng Shiowjiuan, Lee Ming-cheh's boss at the Taipei Wenshan Community College, said nobody has been attacking China, however.

"In our opinion, the real damage to cross-straits relations has been done by the mainland, while has detained someone with no formal legal process and in breach of cross-straits agreements on family visits and other matters," she said.

"Everything that has been said here in Taiwan, whether it has come from civil society groups or relatives, has been based in fact," Cheng added.

Lawmakers from Taiwan's DPP and New Power Party (NPP) groups in the Legislative Yuan issued statement on Tuesday hitting out at Lee's detention.

"While Lee Ming-chehs family and nongovernmental organizations are exerting all efforts to save him, the governments passiveness has left the family in a helpless state, and stirred public anger and concern," the statement said.

Legislative Speaker Su Jia-chyuan said Beijing's refusal to allow family visits "falls short of humanitarian standards," and called on officials to inform Lee Ching-yu of her husband's location.

NPP spokesman Lee Chao-li said An's news conference had changed nothing.

"They are still forbidding family visits, and they are still refusing to tell us where Lee Ming-cheh is," Lee Chao-li said. "This matter hasn't been conducted according to mutual information channels established across the Taiwan Strait."

"The Office of Taiwan Affairs has given no new details of the case, nor shown any change in its attitude," he said.

Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Shi Shan for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
A court in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong has jailed a social media user for two years on public order charges after he called President Xi Jinping by a forbidden nickname in an online chat session, his wife told RFA.



Wang Jiangfeng, who reportedly referred to the head of the ruling Chinese Communist Party as "Steamed Bun Xi" in a group message to the smartphone apps WeChat and QQ, was sentenced by the Zhaoyuan People's Court last week after being found guilty of "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble."



"I got a message on [smartphone chat app] WeChat from lawyer Li Yongheng today at 10:14 a.m.," Wang's wife Sun Wenjuan said on Wednesday. "He told me that the judgement has been released, and that the sentence is two years."



"He also said that Wang Jiangfeng has already lodged an appeal; we are definitely appealing," she said.



Sun said she was shocked by the sentence, which also referred to his characterization of late supreme leader Mao Zedong as "Bandit Mao."



"We hadn't expected thisI think the sentence is too harsh," she said. "He just made a few comments or retweeted a few things."



"Our family finds this unacceptable ... He is innocent, and this outcome hurts us deeply."



Wang was found guilty of using WeChat and QQ chat groups to "insult, humiliate and disrespect" current and former national leaders," the judgement said.



His posts had caused "negative thoughts about the [ruling] Chinese Communist Party, the socialist system and the people's democratic dictatorship, causing psychological confusion and public disorder of a serious nature and of a particularly egregious kind, seriously disrupting public order," it said.



His defense team argued that while Wang's posts were inappropriate, they didn't constitute action in a public place, because they had been sent to a limited "friends circle" within WeChat.



But the court cited guidelines from China's Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate ordering courts to treat online insults as "picking quarrels and stirring up trouble," and that an online space was the exact equivalent of a public space like a city street.



Wang's wife Sun Wenjuan discusses her husband's sentence in an online video, April 12, 2017. RFA Citizen rights



Wang's sister Wang Jiangyun said her brother had done nothing wrong.



"All of my brother's actions were well within his common rights as a citizen," she said. "I have just finished reading the judgement and have just sent a message to Judge Liu saying that I don't believe he understands the law that he is charged with enforcing."



"He just made a few comments on QQ and WeChat that had no social impact whatsoever. He didn't start a riot," Wang Jiangyun said. "Which is more powerful in China, the regime or the law? It's truly the regime."



"Steamed Bun Xi" has been a banned word on China's tightly controlled internet since the president ordered the buns during a visit to a Beijing restaurant in December 2013, prompting petitioners to gather outside toting a placard that read "President Xi, I'd like to eat baozi" in a bid to get their grievances against the communist party heard.



The incident sparked an online meme in which Xi was referred to jokingly as Steamed Bun Xi, in a pun on the name of a legendary Song dynasty official who fought corruption. Censors later banned the meme, deleting social media posts that contained references to it.



Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Lao government orders closing down environmentally destructive Chinese banana farms, first reported in January in Bokeo province, are now in force in six other provinces in the Southeast Asian country, sources say.



The ban, which will shutter the commercial operations when their contracts expire and forbid new contracts from being signed, was conveyed by provincial authorities in Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, Xayaboury, Bokeo, Luang Namtha, Oudomsay, and Vientiane, local sources confirmed to RFAs Lao Service.



Chinese investors in Luang Prabang have now gone quiet since the ban went into effect at the beginning of this year, an agriculture and forestry official in the province told RFA.



Many investors have now gone home, since they wont be allowed to continue, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.



Some are now planning to grow sugarcane instead of bananas, though, because sugarcane uses fewer of the chemical substances needed for fertilizer and pest control, the source said.



Provincial authorities are now considering how to rehabilitate land contaminated by the heavily polluting plantations, an official of Phongsaly provinces natural resources and environment department told RFA.



Authorities will not renew the investors contracts when those contracts expire, but will provide villagers with other occupations, because the banana plantations are damaging the environment and peoples lives, the official said



Plantations are still in operation in the provinces Yot-Ou and Bountai districts, but are expected to close down in 2018, he said.



Alternative crops planned



Villagers in Luang Namthas Long district are now being encouraged to grow other crops, one district official said.



There is chemical contamination here for sure, and it will take time to clean this up, the official said, adding, Planting sugarcane and cassava could be viable alternatives to working on the banana farms.



Plantation workers in Luang Prabangs Nam Bak district are meanwhile being asked by authorities to stop work immediately, even though some contracts remain in force, an official in the province said.



Because of the negative impacts of chemical fertilizers and other substances, we would like villagers to stop work on the plantations and wait until the [investors] contracts expire, the official said.



The investors themselves will be allowed to operate their farms until the contracts expire, but they will not be allowed to expand the area of their plantations or renew their contracts, he said.



The contracts in Nam Bak will be valid for three more years, so that by 2020 the plantations will be shut down and the villagers can grow other crops, he said.



Illnesses and deaths have long been reported among Lao workers exposed to chemicals on the Chinese-owned farms, with many suffering open sores, headaches, and dizzy spells, sources told RFA in earlier reports.



Sixty-three percent of plantation workers in the countrys north reported falling ill over a six-month period, with 35 percent reporting illness during the same period in the countrys central and southern areas, according to a study last year by Laoss National Agriculture and Forestry Institute.



Conditions for banana workers have been so bad that many plantation owners have allowed them to work on the plantations for only three years because of fears that they might die there, sources told RFA in 2016.



Reported and translated by Ounkeo Souksavanh for RFAs Lao Service. Written in English by Richard Finney.
Myo Yan Naung Thein (R), a researcher for the ruling National League for Democracy party, speaks to reporters upon his release from prison in Yangon, April 12, 2017.

UPDATED at 11:16 A.M. EST on 2017-04-13

A researcher for Myanmars ruling National League for Democracy party was released from prison on Wednesday as part of a pardon for roughly 1,800 prisoners who have almost completed their jail terms as the country celebrates its New Year.

On April 7, a court in Kamaryut Township in the north central part of the commercial capital Yangon sentenced Myo Yan Naung Thein to six months in jail for criticizing Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the countrys commander-in-chief of the armed forces, in a Facebook post.

He was charged with defamation under Section 66(d) of the Telecommunications Law, which prohibits use of the telecom network to defame people and carries a jail sentence of up to three years and a fine for those who violate it.

As he emerged from jail on Wednesday, Myo Yan Naung Thein, founder and director of the Bayda Institute which serves as the NLD's academic branch, told reporters that he will work to have Section 66(d) amended.

The responsibility for activists and politicians is to protect people if their interests are harmed, he said. People shouldnt be afraid of using Facebook. We have to amend it [Section 66(d)]. Protecting people is the responsibility of the current government.

More people charged

The number of defamation suits filed under the statute have soared under the government of de facto national leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her civilian-led NLD government. So far, 54 people have been charged, seven of whom have been sentenced to jail.

This conviction is an insult to the freedom of information that Burma regained in 2012, said Benjamin Ismail, head of the Asia-Pacific desk at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), in a reference to a policy that was permitted under the government of former president Thein Sein.

During Thein Seins previous military-backed government, only seven people were charged under Section 66(d), and five of them received prison sentences.

It highlights the failure of Aung San Suu Kyis government to establish a favorable environment for freedom of expression, one in which online activists, bloggers and journalists should no longer have to censor themselves or fear becoming prisoners of conscience, he said in a statement issued by RSF on Wednesday.

As it stands, the Telecommunications Law is blocking any improvement in freedom of expression and the right to provide news and information, and must be amended without delay, he said.

The prisoner releases come just before the start of Myanmars New Year holiday, a period when the president has traditionally granted pardons to detainees. It is unknown whether the amnesty includes any political prisoners.

A year ago, the NLD government released up to 200 political prisoners from jails across the country, including political activists and students facing trials for their involvement in a protest against the National Education Law.

Myanmars Assistance Association for Political Prisoners puts the remaining number of political prisoners in jail at 93.

Reported by Thiha Tun for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.

Correction: A previous version of the article erroneously stated that Myo Yang Naung Thein ran the nongovernmental organization Burma Democratic Concern.
Myanmar's National Security Advisor Thaung Tun gives a briefing on the situation in Rakhine state at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Yangon, April 11, 2017.

A top-level Myanmar government official told members of the international community on Tuesday that Myanmar has made progress in dealing with the situation in restive Rakhine state and that a resolution by the United Nations was less than constructive in addressing the situation.

The United Nation Human Rights Council issued a resolution in March calling for the dispatch of an independent, international fact-finding mission to investigate the alleged recent human rights violations by security forces in Rohingya Muslim communities in the northern part of the state.

Soldiers carried out a four-month crackdown in the area following a deadly raid on border guard posts in October 2016, which officials blamed on Rohingya militants in the countrys impoverished and religiously and ethnically divided westernmost area.

We disassociated ourselves from the decision not because we do not wish to cooperate with the United Nations, nor do we take lightly the concerns expressed by the member countries of that council, but because the draft resolution was less than constructive, said National Security Advisor Thaung Tun at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center in Yangon.

Slides that accompanied the presentation said that the resolution did not reflect the situation on the ground and took into account no consideration of the governments efforts to stabilize the situation

and to address the root cause of the instability in the region that is divided between Muslims and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists.

The U.N. previously said that reports of atrocities committed during the crackdown that killed an estimated 1,000 people and displaced about 90,000 Rohingya, most of whom fled to neighboring Bangladesh where they are living in refugee camps, may amount to genocide or ethnic cleansing.

What we need is help and cooperation, Thaung Tun told diplomats, U.N. agency personnel, and reporters at the briefing. What we need is encouragement. What we need is people to join hands with

us to move the situation forward, and not to put obstacles in the way.

Only when people are free from poverty and despair can the work of rebuilding trust and confidence succeed, he said. We need to build confidence. If we have resolutions that do not promote confidence and trust, we are not going to move the situation forward.

He noted that the government is complying with most of the roughly 30 recommendations by a Rakhine advisory committee headed by former U.N. chief Kofi Annan, by opening the restricted areas in northern Rakhine to the media, allowing increased humanitarian access, and agreeing to close down three internally displaced persons camps in the towns of Kyaukphyu, Sittwe, and Ramree.

Thaung Tun reiterated the governments previous assertion that there had been no ethnic cleansing in northern Rakhine state.

"There is no ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority in Rakhine, he said. It is a matter of people on different sides of the divide, and the government is striving to overcome the situation and to close the gap.

Thaung Tun also said that Myanmar is encouraging refugees to return and pledged that where there is evidence of wrongdoing, action will be taken against those responsible according to law.

Reported by Hay Mar Soe for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
Local authorities are urging Kyrgyz herdsmen in the mountains of a far-western prefecture in northwestern Chinas Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to report suspicious people and events to the government in a new move to move to monitor Muslim Uyghurs in the restive area.

Liu Huijun, party secretary of Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture, and prefecture governor Dilshat Kidirhan published an open letter to the Kyrgyz herdsmen on the governments news portal on March 31, local police told RFAs Uyghur Service.

The letter said the Kyrgyz people, who make up nearly 30 percent of the prefectures Uyghur-dominated population, have maintained a patriotic culture since ancient times and have always protected the countrys borders.

It also urged them to take on a political mission to protect the borders to ensure stability in the restive area where Uyghurs sometimes balk at heavy-handed tactics by the Chinese to suppress their culture, language, and religion. Many try to cross the border into Kyrgyzstan.

The letter asked the herdsman to turn every yurt in the grasslands into a watchtower and every herdsman into a border guard.

The Kyrgyz herdsmen were also asked to fight against separatists, extremists, and illegal elements and not let them cross the bordera reference to Uyghurs believed by the Chinese government to perpetuate religious extremism and terrorist attacks in Xinjiang.

The letter said officials will increase the monthly salary of herdsmen willing to take on these extra duties to 1,300 yuan (U.S. $190) from 800 yuan (U.S. $116).

The Kyrgyz herdsman who are located along the border have duties in addition to herding and going about their daily lives, and that is to inform the government about suspicious activities and suspicious people around the border, said the chief of the prefectures Oytagh township police station, who declined to give his name.

Spreading the news

After the open letter was published, the county party committee and the Oytagh township police began a campaign to promote its contents, he said.

Last Monday, after the flag-raising ceremony, we started our campaign to learn and propagate the spirit of the letter, he said. All ethnic groups including Uyghur, Kyrgyz, and others studied the letter.

A police officer in Barin township, who declined to give his name, said officers have recently been watching the station around the clock lately because the situation in the area, which is the most sensitive part of the Kizilsu Kirghiz prefecture, remains tense.

The township is where an uprising and armed revolt occurred between Uyghur militants and Chinese government forces in April 1990. Reports of the incident vary, but Uyghurs maintain that security forces killed and arrested hundreds of Uyghur fighters.

Authorities also arrested more than 7,900 Uyghurs following an ensuing crackdown on criminal activities of ethnic splittists [separatists] and other criminal offenders, according to reports at the time.

We have only one Kyrgyz village in our town, so right now we have sent special cadres and auxiliary police there to spread propaganda on the issue, he said. The other villages are Uyghur villages, so just a summary of the letter was disseminated to them.

Authorities are promoting the letter mainly in villages in border areas, such as Muji and Bulungkol in Akto (in Chinese, Aketao) county, he said.

The Krygyz herdsmen have duties to report suspicious people and activities to the government, he said, adding that he could not disclose the identities of the herdsman whom authorities have enlisted.

Ilshat Hesen, chairman of the Washington, D.C.-based Uyghur American Association, said the Chinese governments use of the Kyrgyz herdsmen on the Pamir Plateau as spies shows that China has turned into a police state.

Before this, Chinese authorities used Uchturpan [county] and the Pamir [Plateau] as their eyes and ears to capture Uyghurs who were escaping to other countries, he told RFA.

Now, urging the Kyrgyz herdsman to spy on Uyghurs by publishing an open letter to them is nothing but turning the Uyghurs and Kyrgyz against each other.

Reported by Eset Sulaiman for RFAs Uyghur Service. Translated by Mamatjan Juma. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin.
At least five people have been killed and several others injured in a suicide bombing in Kabul, the Afghan Interior Ministry says.

The blast occurred near the Defense Ministry compound and other government institutions on April 11, when thousands of ministry staff were leaving their offices for the day.

A Defense Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying the victims included both civilians and members of the Afghan security forces.

The spokesman also said the target appeared to be a police post.

The Islamic State (IS) extremist group claimed the attack through its unofficial news agency, Amaq, saying the bomber targeted a checkpoint.

On March 8, IS militants killed about 50 people when then stormed the main military hospital in Kabul.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and dpa
DECATUR  Financial award letters are going to college students and students-to-be, notifying them of the type of assistance they will receive for the 2017-18 school year, including their estimated grant from the state's Monetary Award Program.

Even in a normal year, it says, 'estimated grant,' explained Lynne Baker, managing director of communications for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission.

But, as anyone in higher education  or the state of Illinois  will tell you, this isn't a normal year.

With less than three months left in the current fiscal year, Illinois still has no budget, and that has some schools worried.

For the second straight school year, Richland Community College will not be fronting the cost of MAP grants for students, in the hope the state eventually will come through to cover the cost.

When looking at our financial situation, it would be really difficult to forward fund that, especially with no state budget on the horizon, said Marcus Brown, Richlands vice president of student success.

Richland is currently in the process of reducing its budget by $1.4 million from the current fiscal year, and Brown said fronting the money would have cost the college about $126,000 per semester.

Instead, Brown said more work has been done recently with the colleges foundation to identify current and potential students in need of funds in a way to help provide financial assistance.

Schools like Illinois State University and Lincoln College fronted the money to students this academic year so they could enroll, hoping the state eventually will come through, as it did last year.

But even the so-called lifeline bill approved by the House last week would only cover half of the spring semester grants  if the Senate and governor go along with it.

We've tried to be responsible, said Lincoln College President David Gerlach. In good faith, we rolled the dice again and credited students for the state grants.

Millikin University also decided to help front the money for its 758 students who received MAP grants this academic year, though it remains to be seen whether that will occur next school year.

Discussions are still being held on the topic, said Cheryl Howerton, Millikins director of financial aid, with officials keeping an eye on the political landscape.

Were going to do everything we can to hopefully impact students in the least bit thats possible, she said.

At this point, Millikin is owed $3.1 million from the state for covering the cost of students who received MAP grants. The university tapped into its endowment to help cover the cost of MAP grant, something that Howerton said cannot be a long-term solution to the problem.

Its a pretty significant dollar amount that were hoping the state will make good on their promise to the students of Illinois to come up with that funding, she said.

The uncertainty can be especially stressful for students who rely on the grants to continue their education.

Though he does not receive MAP grant funding, Millikin student Mitch Brown said he has talked to several friends who are worried about how theyll be able to afford going back to school in the fall.

I feel for them, theyre depending on this money and the state drama is messing everything up for them, Brown said.

In an ISAC survey last fall of schools whose students receive MAP grants, about half of those that credited students' accounts said they would expect students to make up any shortfall or they hadn't decided yet.

Even schools that aren't expecting students to make up a shortfall, for now, say the situation isn't sustainable.

We've been fortunate that ISU has been able to cover it for the current year, said Bridget Curl, interim director of financial aid at ISU, where about 4,000 students receive MAP grants. Those grants total about $15 million to $16 million a year.

No decision has been made on whether that will be repeated for the 2017-18 school year, according to Curl.

That uncertainty makes it difficult to try to counsel families that are trying to make decisions by May 1 on where to go to school, Curl said.

It's difficult for schools, too.

It's disastrous for planning and moving forward, said Gerlach. I'm planning years ahead, not a year behind.

Even though stopgap legislation eventually covered MAP grants for the 2015-16 school year, ISU did not receive the state's payment for fall semester grants until spring and did not receive payment for spring term until September, according to Curl.

The impact is felt in many ways, as reported by the ISAC survey. Some students have to take out larger loans. Others have to work longer hours, which cuts into their study time.
The FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor the communications of an adviser to Donald Trump during his campaign for president, the Washington Post reported on April 11.

Citing anonymous U.S. officials, the Post said the FBI obtained the warrant targeting foreign policy adviser Carter Page after convincing a court that Page may have been acting as an agent of a foreign power -- Russia.

Such a warrant would provide the clearest evidence to date that the FBI had reason to believe during the 2016 presidential campaign that a Trump adviser was in touch with Russian agents, the Post said.

The FBI and congressional committees are investigating whether Russia tried to influence the election in Trump's favor, mostly by hacking Democratic operatives' e-mails and releasing embarrassing information, but also possibly by colluding with Trump associates.

Page, who has not been accused of any crimes, has repeatedly denied any collusion.

"This confirms all of my suspicions about unjustified, politically motivated government surveillance," Page told the Post. He contended that the Obama administration was trying to suppress "dissidents who did not fully support their failed foreign policy" during the campaign, and "I have nothing to hide."

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and Washington Post


German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel is due to begin a two-day tour of Serbia and Kosovo on April 12 to discuss growing tensions between the two sides.

"We see that some wounds of the past still run deep and still keep the tensions up," Gabriel said before leaving for Belgrade.

Gabriel said he would voice "support for democratic development and rule of law" in all countries of the region.

Predominantly ethnic-Albanian Kosovo broke away from Serbia in a 1998-99 war and declared independence in 2008. It is recognized by 114 nations, but not by Belgrade.

Tensions are still high, both between Serbia and Kosovo and between the ethnic Serb minority and central authorities within Kosovo.

Serbia is now an EU candidate, while Kosovo is a prospective candidate. Albania, which Gabriel is to visit on April 16, and Macedonia are also candidates, while Bosnia-Herzegovina is another prospective candidate.

"I will assure my counterparts: The path towards the European Union remains open if you choose reforms and progress instead of divisions and stalemate," Gabriel said.

With additional reporting by dpa
India on April 11 warned Pakistan of "consequences" for bilateral relations if Islamabad executes a retired Indian naval officer convicted of spying.

A Pakistani military court handed the death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav on April 10, convicting him of spying and fomenting unrest in the province of Balochistan.

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj condemned the "farcical" trial, and told agitated Indian lawmakers that there was no evidence against Jadhav.

"I would caution the Pakistan government to consider the consequences for our bilateral relationship if they proceed on this matter," she said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh claimed Jadhav, who was engaged in a business in Iran, was abducted by Pakistani security forces a year ago and branded a spy.

Pakistan's army released a video of Jadhav confessing to spending years sowing unrest in Pakistan.

Swaraj said the Indian government "will go out of the way to save" him, calling any execution "an act of premeditated murder."

She said Islamabad has repeatedly blocked consular access to Jadhav.

Meanwhile, the Indian government has also stalled the release of 12 Pakistani prisoners who were due to be repatriated on April 12, broadcaster NDTV reported.

Based on reporting by AP and dpa
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev has ordered the authorities to come up with a Latin-based alphabet for the Kazakh language by the end of 2017, marking a major shift after nearly 80 years with a Cyrillic-based alphabet.

The order is part of a new "strategic plan" for the Central Asian country that was published in the state-run Egemen Qazaqstan newspaper on April 12.

It appears to be part of efforts to emphasize Kazakh culture while distancing the country from Russia and shedding rules and traditions left over after decades of domination by Moscow.

In the plan, which was published in Kazakh only -- not in Russian -- Nazarbaev wrote that textbooks in the new Latin-based alphabet must be issued by 2018 and teachers must be trained to use it.

Nazarbaev stressed that his 2012 program for Kazakhstan's development through 2050 envisioned a complete switch to a Latin-based alphabet by 2025.

"That means that by 2025, we must have all official papers, periodicals, books and text-books printed in the Latin-based alphabet," the April 12 statement said.

It said the Cyrillic-based alphabet will be used in parallel with the new alphabet for a "transitional" period.

In 1929, Soviet authorities replaced traditional Arabic-based alphabets used by Muslim minorities in the Soviet Union with Latin-based national alphabets.

In 1940, the Latin alphabet was replaced with Cyrillic -- the alphabet used for the Russian language.

Nazarbaev's previous statements on a possible shift to the Latin alphabet have appeared to irk Russia.

In 2006 and 2012, Nazarbaev and his foreign minister, Erlan Idrisov, publicly defended the proposal after it was criticized in Russian media as a geopolitical move.

In January 2013, after discussions of Kazakh-Russian space cooperation with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Idrisov said that there was "no subtext and no geopolitical signal in Kazakhstan's intention to switch" to a Latin alphabet.

"This is planned work, and we've been speaking about it for a long time," Idrisov said at the time.

Nazarbaev's strategic program also outlines ways to strengthen Kazakhstan's statehood and sovereignty.

Kazakhstan has a sizable ethnic Russian minority, a nearly 7,000-kilometer border with Russia, and close ties with Moscow.

Nazarbaev, who has been in power since before Kazakhstan gained independence in the Soviet collapse of 1991, was one of the founders of the Eurasian Economic Union, a trade grouping of former Soviet republics.

But he has chafed at perceived efforts by Russian President Vladimir Putin to gain political leverage over the oil-and-gas-producing country of 17 million.

Russia's seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 sparked concerns that Moscow might set its sights on a swath of northern Kazakhstan, along the border with Russia, where the majority of Kazakhstan's Russian-speakers reside.
PODGORICA -- U.S. Senator John McCain has said Montenegro's accession to NATO is crucial to stability in the region in the face of Russian actions abroad that he called "not acceptable."

McCain made the comments following an April 12 meeting with Montenegrin Defense Minister Predrag Boskovic in Podgorica, the capital of the Balkan country.

The meeting came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump signed U.S. ratification of Montenegro's NATO membership, which Moscow has fiercely opposed.

"I believe the Russian behavior requires our solidarity and our strength, in order to preserve principles and fundamentals of democracy," said McCain, an Arizona Republican who is one of the most vocal critics of Russian President Vladimir Putin in the U.S. Congress.

Officials in Montenegro have accused Russia of involvement in an alleged coup plot late last year, purportedly aimed at impeding the country's further Western integration. Russia rejects the allegation.

Moscow has long chafed at NATO's expansion and described Montenegro's upcoming accession to the military alliance as a "provocation."

McCain's trip coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Moscow, where he was meeting with senior Russian officials on April 12.

With reporting by Reuters
The Pentagon is investigating whether Russia played any role in last week's deadly chemical attack in Syria, but has determined thus far only that the Syrian government orchestrated it, the U.S. defense chief said on April 11.

"I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself" on the town of Khan Sheikhun on April 4, killing 87 people, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said.

While some U.S. officials have said they believe Russia played a role, noting it had forces stationed at the same air base where Syrian planes allegedly launched the attack, Mattis said the United States does not have any proof of Russian involvement.

"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it, and beyond that we can't say right now," he said.

Mattis warned that if Syria uses chemical weapons again, it will "pay a very, very stiff price."

But he insisted that the United States remains focused on its primary mission in Syria: defeating the Islamic State group.

"The campaign stays on track exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters


Russian President Vladimir Putin says some Russians might lose citizenship for joining the so-called Islamic state (IS) group.

Putin, in an interview with the Mir media company published on April 12, said Russia does not intend to act in the same way as Kazakhstan, which is considering stripping suspected IS members of Kazakh citizenship.

Putin said the Russian Constitution does not provide for Russians being stripped of their citizenship, but suggested that naturalized Russian citizens might lose the citizenship if they join IS.

"We can cancel those decisions that served as a basis [for some] to obtain Russian citizenship," Putin said.

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev said on April 11 that a bill is under preparation allowing for authorities to deprive extremism and terrorism suspects of their Kazakh citizenship.

Nazarbaev said that based on intelligence data some 5,000 people from the former Soviet Union joined the IS group in Syria and Iraq in recent years.

Based on reporting by TASS, Interfax, and meduza.io
Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny is calling on "all patriots" in the country to join nationwide anticorruption rallies on June 12.

Navalny issued the call on his website on April 12, two days after he was released at the end of a 15-day jail term that followed his arrest at a protest in Moscow.

A vocal Kremlin opponent, Navalny is seeking to build up grassroots opposition to President Vladimir Putin's government ahead of a March 2018 presidential election in which he is seeking to run.

Tens of thousands of Russians turned out on March 26 for protests that he orchestrated to highlight alleged corruption among senior Putin allies, including Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

June 12 is Russia Day, a holiday marking Russia's proclamation of sovereignty within the Soviet Union in 1990.

"What I am seeing is that patriots took to the streets on [March] 26 and they were confronted by traitors and thieves," Navalny said in a video message. "What should patriots like us do? They ought to celebrate Russia Day."

"On June 12, on Russia Day, I call on all patriots in the country, regardless of their political views, to join anticorruption rallies with Russian flags and with a renewed demand for answers to our reasonable questions," he added.

The March 26 protests were the biggest antigovernment demonstrations in Russia since a series of rallies that Navalny helped lead in 2011-12.

Police detained more than 1,000 people in Moscow alone.

Navalny urged people to take to the streets across Russia on June 12 to "show clearly and uncompromisingly that -- no, guys, we are not withdrawing our claims about corruption."

"We will never do it, because corruption in Russia is the cause of poverty, the cause of low wages, the cause of the terrible state of all branches of the economy," he continued.

Former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkosky, a Putin foe who spent 10 years in prison and now lives in Europe, has called for protests on April 29.

Navalny did not mention that in his video message.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said Berlin is ready to support Serbia on its path to the European Union membership, but added that the Balkan country must "continue reforms" and "continue to develop better relations with Kosovo."

Speaking on April 12 after meeting Serbian President-elect Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade, Gabriel said that Serbia was a "factor of stability" in the region.

He said that daily protests after Vucic's election victory on April 2 were part of the country's democratic process and should remain peaceful.

Vucic, who has dismissed allegations of irregularities in the campaign, said the protests presented "an expression of Serbia's democratic strength."

Before leaving for Belgrade earlier in the day, Gabriel urged Balkan states to overcome their divisions, saying, "We see that some wounds of the past still run deep and still keep the tensions up."

"I will assure my counterparts: The path toward the European Union remains open if you choose reforms and progress instead of divisions and stalemate," said the German minister, who is to visit Kosovo on April 13.

Gabriel also said he would voice "support for democratic development and rule of law" in all countries of the region.

Predominantly ethnic Albanian Kosovo broke away from Serbia in a 1998-99 war and declared independence in 2008. It is recognized by 114 countries, but not by Belgrade.

Tensions are still high, both between Serbia and Kosovo and between the ethnic Serbian minority and central authorities within Kosovo.

Serbia is now an EU candidate, while Kosovo is a prospective candidate. Albania, which Gabriel is to visit on April 16, and Macedonia are also candidates, while Bosnia-Herzegovina is another prospective candidate.

Based on reporting by AP, Reuters, and dpa
The biofuels industry is not the new kid on the block, but is still being treated like it and has to fight battles every day to survive.

The latest does not involve ethanol, but biodiesel. And it doesn't involve U.S. policy. Instead, it's European policy.

And what's more, it has the potential to impact farmers as far away as Malaysia and Argentina, who have no idea what may be about to happen to the market for their commodity and their way of life.

Biodiesel fuel powers many city buses, over the road trucks, and fleets whose managers want to reduce carbon pollution. Its content of vegetable oil, primarily soybean oil here in the United States, can be anywhere from 2 percent and higher, depending on the engine warranty. Because of its nature, it is considered an advanced biofuel in U.S. energy policy, equal to ethanol made from biomass other than corn. Subsequently, with corn-based ethanol reaching its maximum market penetration under current energy policy, the demand for advanced biofuels is ratcheting up. Not only here, but also in Europe, where environmental issues are a high priority for the populace.

European biodiesel is made from vegetable oil, but much of it from palm oil, imported from large palm plantations in Southeast Asia, many of them on the Malay Peninsula. Palm oil is the most widely produced and consumed vegetable oil in the world, with Europe being one of the top three palm oil importers from Malaysia, in part for biodiesel production.

But the European Parliament is close to adopting a Greenpeace-driven policy that would halt importation of palm oil for biodiesel production. Because Europe has a greener attitude than most parts of the world, the Greenpeace initiative is not adverse to biodiesel, but it contends the Malaysian palm plantations are expanding into natural jungles to be able to give European motorists the fuels they want to power their diesel cars.

At that point, U.S. soybean farmers might say, Bully for them. We have all the soybean oil Europe needs, and not have to worry about the Malaysian palm oil issue. Well, to a point. Although, much of the biodiesel fuel produced in the United States for the domestic market is refined, not from U.S. soybean oil, but from Argentine soybean oil. They produce it cheaper, ship it to U.S. biodiesel refineries, and it can be priced less than biodiesel from U.S. soybean oil.

Instead of the European policy benefitting U.S. soybean producers, it has the potential of benefitting Argentine soybean growers. But that wont likely happen. The Greenpeace folks have pointed to Argentinas expanding cropland, being carved out of grasslands. In fact, Argentinas combined acreage for corn, soybeans and wheat was about 26 million acres in 1969. It increased to 74 million by 2016.

Subsequently, environmental activists who are shaming the Malaysian palm plantation managers are also pointing at Argentine farmers and saying their acreage expansion would stop also if the demand for biofuels could be reduced. It would be hard to believe that environmental groups would be secretly supported by the petroleum industry, but something is wrong with this picture.

One prominent piece missing from the puzzle is the America First policy of the Trump administration. A facet of that could exclude Argentine soybean oil from any energy tax credits that might be awarded to U.S. soybean oil for being a low-carbon energy source. Then let the Europeans solve their own issues.
The death toll in an April 3 bomb blast on a subway train in the Russian city of St. Petersburg has risen to 15.

St. Petersburg Deputy Governor Anna Mityanina said on April 12 that one of the people who was injured in the blast has died in the hospital.

Russian authorities say that 22 -year-old Kyrgyz-born, Russian citizen Akbarjon Jalilov, who was among the dead, committed the attack.

Reuters news agency quoted a senior Turkish official as saying on April 12 that Jalilov entered Turkey in late 2015 and was deported to Russia about a year later because of migration violations.

No group has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which injured about 50 people.

Russian authorities have arrested eight people from Central Asia in St. Petersburg and Moscow on suspicion of involvement in the attack.

They all deny any involvement.

Based on reporting by Interfax, TASS, and Reuters
Tajikistan has already told its police to lose extra weight. Now it's ordering them to squeeze themselves into theater seats.



In the latest move aimed at improving the image and performance of the police force in the impoverished Central Asian country, the Tajik Interior Ministry has ordered police officers and other ministry employees to attend the theater at least once a month.

The directive was handed down last week by Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda, after he and other senior officials attended an apparently inspiring performance at the Abdulkasim Lahuti State Drama Theater in Dushanbe.



Ministry spokesman Umarjoni Emomali told RFE/RL on April 11 that attending plays will help police boost their spiritual and moral awareness, and unwind after a difficult working day.



"The decision has been made that police officers will attend the theater at least once a month, on different days," he said. "This applies to all Interior Ministry employees on the territory of the country."



Emomali said that Rahimzoda personally congratulated the artists on their performance of a play last week by writer and former Culture Minister Nur Tabarov.



The minister told them that, going forward, "We intend to attend the republic's theaters every month," Emomali added.



The initiative comes on the heels of another Interior Ministry directive aimed at combatting obesity among police and cleaning up their image.



Police officers were given a set amount of time to shed excess weight or risk being fired. The ministry recommended that they work out in their off hours in order to comply.



Tajikistan, a predominantly Muslim former Soviet republic, has been ruled by President Emomali Rahmon since 1992. Rights groups and opponents say he tolerates little dissent and suppresses his critics.

Written by Carl Schreck based on reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service
The United States and Russia have cautiously backed efforts to improve ties after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, though a clear rift remained over a suspected chemical-weapons attack in Syria.

The April 12 meeting in Moscow between Putin and Tillerson -- the highest-level face-to-face talks between the two sides under President Donald Trumps administration -- came amid heightened tensions over Moscows backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Washington accuses Assad's government of carrying out last week's alleged poison-gas attack and responded by targeting a Syrian air base with a barrage of cruise missiles in an operation that incensed Moscow.

Following the meeting with Putin and earlier talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson said that bilateral ties were "at a low point."

"The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," he said at a news conference alongside Lavrov.

There was no indication that the two sides changed their positions on the issue of Syria, which triggered a spate of mutual rebukes in the run-up to -- and during -- Tillerson's visit.

Tillerson said Assad's government had carried out more than 50 chemical-weapons attacks throughout the war in Syria, and that the Syrian president could face charges of war crimes.

Lavrov, meanwhile, described the U.S. cruise-missile strikes as an "unlawful attack against Syria," and that such actions must be prevented going forward.

He also said Moscow would veto a Western-backed draft UN resolution on the suspected chemical weapons attack, saying it would be "counterproductive to have a UN resolution that would legitimize the accusations against Damascus."

Later on April 12 at the UN Security Council in New York, Russia rejected the draft by the United States, Britain, and France requiring the Syrian government to cooperate with an investigation into the release of poison gas that killed more than 80 civilians in the Idlib Province town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4.

'Prospects For Joint Work'

Lavrov told the news conference, however, that "despite the quantity of existing problems...there are considerable prospects for joint work."

He added that he and Tillerson had agreed to designation representatives on each side specifically tasked with addressing "irritants" in bilateral relations.

Tillerson said the two countries had agreed to set up a "working group" to coordinate on "smaller issues." Such collaboration, he said, could help the two sides later address "more serious problems."

The ongoing standoff over Syria, however, has cast further doubts on prospects for the kind of detente that Trump advocated during his presidential campaign -- rhetoric that the Kremlin had greeted with cautious optimism following his election in November.

Tillerson's visit coincided with a dim assessment of bilateral ties by Putin, who lashed out at Washington and said that trust had eroded since Trump took office.

Trump, meanwhile, criticized Putin in a television interview broadcast the same day for backing Assad, whom the U.S. president described as an "evil person" and "an animal."

Western pressure for Russia to drop Assad had increased ahead of the visit by Tillerson, who suggested on April 11 that Russia should "realign with the United States" and other Western and Middle Eastern countries "seeking to resolve the Syrian crisis."

Sitting down with Tillerson ahead of their meeting, Lavrov said the United States should not offer Russia what he called the false choice of being with Washington and the West or against it.

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said that calls for Russia to stop supporting Assad seemed "shortsighted" and "absurd," suggesting that doing so would "play into the hands of terrorists."

And in an interview posted on the Kremlin website around the time Tillerson and Lavrov began their meeting, Putin delivered a sharp rebuke of the United States over Syria.

Putin stuck by Russia's assertion -- already rejected by U.S. officials -- that Assad's government was not responsible for the release of poison gas that killed more than 80 civilians in the Idlib Province town of Khan Sheikhoun on April 4.





He said Russia believes the two most credible theories are that gas was released when Syrian government air strikes hit a rebel chemical-weapons production facility or that the attack was "simply staged."

Trump said in an interview with Fox Business Network broadcast on April 12 that in backing Assad, Putin is helping "truly an evil person, and I think it's very bad for Russia."

"I think it's very bad for mankind. It's very bad for this world, Trump said. But when you drop gas or bombs or barrel bombs -- they have these massive barrels with dynamite and they drop them right in the middle of a group of people -- and in all fairness, you see the same kids -- no arms, no legs, no face."

Referring to Assad, Trump added, "This is an animal."

Many Russian officials had voiced high expectations that badly strained ties with Washington would be mended under Trump, who said repeatedly that he hoped relations would improve. But Putin suggested that they have worsened instead.

"One can say that that the level of trust on the working level, particularly on the military level...has not improved but most likely deteriorated," Putin said in the interview, which the Kremlin said was taped on April 11.

Despite Trump's praise of Putin and the calls for closer cooperation that he made during the campaign, his administration has shown no clear signs of easing policies enacted by his predecessor, Barack Obama, aimed at pressuring and isolating the Kremlin.



Trump escalated Washington's standoff with Russia last week by ordering the cruise-missile strikes against the Syrian air base.



The U.S. operation incensed Moscow, Assads main backer in the six-year-old civil war in Syria, which called the missile strikes a violation of international law.

"It is clear to us the reign of the Assad family is coming to an end," Tillerson said before leaving Italy for Moscow on April 11. "We hope that the Russian government concludes that they have aligned themselves with an unreliable partner in Bashar al-Assad."



In his first public comments on Syria since the U.S. missile strikes, Putin told reporters on the day of Tillersons arrival that Moscow would appeal to a UN agency in The Hague to conduct an investigation into the chemical-weapons deaths.

The United States and other Western governments have rejected assertions by Moscow and Damascus that the deadly gas was released in Khan Sheikhoun when government air strikes hit rebel-controlled chemical weapons.

"I have personally reviewed the intelligence, and there is no doubt the Syrian regime is responsible for the decision to attack and for the attack itself," U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on April 11. He said there was no proof of Russian involvement.

"It was very clear that the Assad regime planned it, orchestrated it, and executed it, and beyond that we can't say right now," he said.

Mattis warned that if Syria uses chemical weapons again, it will "pay a very, very stiff price."

Just before Tillerson and Lavrov begain their talks, Russian news agencies released remarks in which Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the Trump administration's policy in Syria was "a mystery to us."

Ryabkov said that "all issues related to the situation in Syria" would be discussed.

While the Kremlin greeted Trump's stunning victory in November with cautious optimism, the new U.S. administration so far has maintained key Russia policies enacted by Obama, including sanctions over the Kremlin's 2014 seizure of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula and its backing of armed separatists in eastern Ukraine.



It has also issued critical statements about Russias record on human rights and political freedoms, including a recent politically tinged conviction of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny, and reports of alleged brutal violence against gay men in Russias southern Chechnya region.

And on the day Tillerson arrived in Moscow, Trump formally signed off on Montenegro's accession to NATO, the Western military alliance whose usefulness the U.S. president had previously questioned and whose expansion has long angered Russia.

Trump has faced mounting domestic pressure as well amid the ongoing fallout over Russias alleged meddling in last years presidential election. U.S. intelligence says the Kremlin directed a hacking-and-propaganda campaign that ultimately aimed to help Trump defeat his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, a charge Moscow denies.



The FBI and several U.S. Senate committees are now investigating Russias role in the election as well as contacts between Trump associates and Russian officials.

Both Democratic and Republican members of Congress have expressed concerns over Trumps stated desire to improve ties with Russia.

Lavrov told Tillerson during the public part of their April 12 meeting that "it is very important for us to understand your position, the stance of the United States -- the real intentions of your administration. We hope that we will advance down that path today."

On Syria, the Trump administration has offered mixed messages on U.S. policy.



Trump's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said over the weekend that regime change was a priority for Trump in Syria, while Tillerson has said that defeating Islamic State militants in Syria is the first priority.

Mattis echoed that on April 11, saying, "The military campaign is focused on...breaking ISIS, defeating ISIS in Syria."

"The campaign stays on track exactly as it was before Assad's violation," he said.

In a further sign of the heightened tensions, Russia on April 12 denounced as "unacceptable" a draft UN resolution proposed by the United States, France, and Britain on the suspected chemical attack.

The resolution demands cooperation from Damascus on an investigation into the alleged gas attack. Moscow vowed to veto the measure in its current from in a vote expected later in the day.

Speaking at the UN Security Council, Haley told Russia on April 12, "You are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death."

"We are ready to throw our weight and resources behind diplomacy" to help bring the civil war in Syria to an end, Haley added.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, TASS, Interfax, and RIA Novosti
Russia has vetoed a Western-backed draft UN Security Council resolution on last week's suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria.

China abstained from the April 12 vote, along with Ethiopia and Kazakhstan. Ten countries supported the text, while Bolivia joined Russia in rejecting it.

It was the eighth time that Russia has used its veto power at the council to block action directed at its Syrian ally, President Bashar al-Assad.

Damascus and Moscow claim the toxic gas that killed dozens of civilians in a rebel-held Syrian town on April 4 was released when government bombs struck a rebel-controlled chemical-weapons depot -- an assertion that Western governments reject.

The vote coincided with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's visit to Moscow, where he met with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

After the talks, Lavrov said Moscow would veto the draft resolution by the United States, Britain, and France requiring the Syrian government to cooperate with an investigation into the incident, saying it would be "counterproductive to have a UN resolution that would legitimize the accusations against Damascus."

Based on reporting by AFP, AP, and Reuters
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations tells Russia it is "long past time" to stop covering for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

"You are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," Nikki Haley told the UN Security Council on April 12.

"We can start by working together to deescalate" the six-year civil war in Syria, Haley also said.

Tension between Russia and the United States has risen since a suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun last week that left more than 80 people dead.

Haley warned that the United States will not allow any further use of chemical weapons "to go unanswered."

Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov told the Interfax news agency that a Western-backed draft Security Council resolution on the April 4 incident was "unacceptable" in its current form.

The United States and other Western governments have rejected assertions by Damascus and Moscow, Assad's main backer in the Syrian conflict, that deadly gas was released when government air strikes hit rebel-controlled chemical weapons.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and Interfax
U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States is "not getting along with Russia at all" and that bilateral relations may be at an "all-time low."

Trump made the comments at the White House on April 12, after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow -- the highest-level face-to-face talks between the two sides under President Donald Trump's administration.

"Things went pretty well," he said during a news conference with NATO Secretary-General Jens Soltenberg. "Maybe better than anticipated."

Trump expressed hope that he can improve relations with Putin, adding, "We're going to see what happens."

"It would be a fantastic thing" if the two world powers got along better, said Trump, who cautioned that "it may be just the opposite."

Trump's comments came amid heightened tensions over Moscows backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following a suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria last week.

Damascus and Moscow claim the toxic gas that killed dozens of civilians in a rebel-held Syrian town on April 4 was released when government bombs struck a rebel-controlled chemical-weapons depot -- an assertion that Western governments reject.

Washington responded to the suspected chemical attack by targeting a Syrian air base with a barrage of cruise missiles in an operation that incensed Moscow.

Following the meeting with Putin and earlier talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Tillerson told reporters that bilateral ties are "at a low point."

"The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship," he said at a news conference alongside Lavrov.

The Russian foreign minister said that "despite the quantity of existing problems... there are considerable prospects for joint work."

He added that he and Tillerson had agreed to designate representatives on each side specifically tasked with addressing "irritants" in bilateral relations.

Tillerson said the two countries had agreed to set up a "working group" to coordinate on "smaller issues." Such collaboration, he said, could help the two sides later address "more serious problems."

However, there was no indication that the two sides changed their positions on the issue of Syria, which triggered a spate of mutual rebukes in the run-up to -- and during -- Tillerson's visit.

At the White House press conference, Trump, who has repeatedly questioned NATOs purpose, also said the Western military alliance is "no longer obsolete."

He hailed NATOs role in the fight against terrorism, describing the alliance as the "bulwark of international peace and security."

Trump repeated his call for other member states to contribute more funding to the alliance, saying European states "must pay what they owe."

He also called on the alliance to do more to help Iraqi and Afghan "partners."

With reporting by AFP, AP, dpa, and Reuters
Twice in two weeks, United Airlines has flown into a brick wall of public opinion after corporate policies led to head-shaking decisions.

The most recent was Sunday, when a doctor was asked to leave a United Express flight because the plane was overbooked and the airline needed to fly a crew to Louisville, Ky. When the man refused, saying he had to be in Louisville to visit patients, security workers from Chicago's Department of Aviation forcibly yanked the man down the aisle and down the gangway. He apparently escaped their grasp, running back aboard the plane before he was removed again.

On March 26, a United gate agent refused to let two people onto a plane because they did not meet the dress code required of passengers using free company tickets.

Clearly, United has a problem  and it's getting worse. On Tuesday, shareholders took note and the airline's market value dropped between $600 million and $900 million.

Some background: Airlines are allowed to "bump" passengers on overbooked flights. They first are required to offer compensation to volunteers; after that, they are allowed to remove random passengers. In this case, flight attendants snared one passenger with their initial offer of $400; when they still needed seats, they upped the ante to $800. With no takers, they chose four people to leave. Three did; the doctor refused. That's when security was called.

On the leggings issue, United's dress code for company guests (those who don't pay for their seats) specifically forbids leggings, the tight, stretchy garments that resemble overly thick hosiery. The decision to forbid boarding is left to the discretion of the gate agent.

Both incidents invoked outrage, but the passenger removal caught the world's attention. In China, where United does a lot of business, calls came for a boycott, since the doctor is of Asian descent. American media reports on Tuesday revealed a long-ago felony conviction for the doctor, but tempered that tidbit with a note that his criminal history had nothing to do with what happened in Chicago.

Airlines in general are disliked by the public. We pay a lot of money for a tiny seat; wait through delayed takeoffs and landings; have to pay for checked baggage, which then may be lost or damaged; and endure long lines at security checks, which sometimes involve intrusive pat-downs. And after going through all that, we find an assigned seat in a plane and then are told the flight is overbooked. Passengers are angry and tense before they ever board, so it's no wonder someone gets upset when they're told they must leave.

The United problems are emblematic of a larger issue that only will get worse unless airline owners and management rethink their business model.
ROCK ISLAND -- Nearing the second year of the state's budget impasse, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner told business people and supporters in Rock Island "we've just got to stay the course," as he made what he insisted was a political trip, but not a campaign stop.

The governor's visit to Performance Food Group was one of several visits Rauner made Tuesday across the state, as he bad-mouthed Democratic lawmakers and pushed for a range of reforms, including a property tax freeze, term limits and pension reform.

Rauner's remarks were similar to what he has made in previous stops in the area. But he pushed back against the idea that a near-term fix would help the state in the long run.

"This isn't about today's budget. This isn't about yesterday's budget. This isn't about some little deal," he said. "This is about whether we are going to be on a track of prosperity with outstanding economic opportunities for everybody and a great education for everybody..."

In recent weeks, Rauner has been visible on Central Illinois television sets, duct tape in hand, calling for reforms. The ads look like campaign spots, but they were sponsored by a group affiliated with the Republican Governors Association. More tha $95,115 worth of TV ads have been purchased in the television market that includes Decatur.

Rauner said Tuesday he wasn't kicking off his 2018 re-election campaign. But critics were quick to lampoon him for what they said was a callous tour aimed at getting himself re-elected while the state suffers from the impasse. They noted that Northeastern Illinois University announced a temporary shutdown this week because of the impasse.

"Today, Bruce Rauner is once again choosing to put politics over doing his job as governor," said Democrat J.B. Pritzker, who just announced he is running for the post. Pritzker is one of several Democrats seeking the party's nomination. Others include businessman Chris Kennedy, state Sen. Daniel Biss and Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar.

Rauner said the trip was aimed at communicating with Illinoisans, and while political, it was not funded by taxpayers and wasn't about 2018.

"It's not about my election or re-election. It's not a campaign thing," Rauner said.

Rauner and his political team told the Associated Press that the tour was being paid for out of his campaign fund, Citizens for Rauner. But they described it as a "political event" like others he's held throughout his term and not a "campaign event."

The schedule was announced from a Citizens for Rauner-affiliated email account. And moments after the first event started, supporters received a fundraising email from "Team Rauner Volunteer HQ"  another account affiliated with Citizens for Rauner  asking them to donate money "to directly help our grassroots team as we prep for this trip."

Other stops were made Tuesday in Bloomingdale, Rockford, Peoria and Springfield.

Rauner said the state needs to break free of a political culture he said is set up for insiders. And he said Democratic lawmakers want solve the budget problems by raising taxes.

"I'm the one person who's pushing back against that because that would be a huge failure," he said. "We need to stay persistent. That's why I'm here."

Rauner was joined at the food distribution company by, among others, Mike Thoms, the newly elected mayor of Rock Island. Thoms was an executive at Thoms-Proestler before it was sold to Performance Food Group, and before the governor made his remarks, Rauner joined hands with the incoming mayor and raised them into the air.

Rauner was set to continue his tour of the state today with visits to Quincy, East Alton, Marion, Robinson and Champaign.
A late-term fetus that authorities say was self-aborted by a Chesterfield County woman charged with intentionally destroying her unborn child died from head injuries and the mothers use of prescription drugs, the state medical examiners office disclosed Wednesday.

The cause of death is fetal demise associated with penetrating injuries to the head and maternal use of methadone, alprazolam and amphetamines, said Jeannette Collins, central district administrator of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Richmond. The manner of death is undetermined, she said.

Late last month, Chesterfield authorities obtained an indictment against Michelle Frances Roberts, 46, on a charge of producing an abortion with intent to destroy her child, a Class 4 felony.

An investigation was commenced after police learned of the situation in February 2016 and detectives discovered fetal skeletal remains buried in the backyard of an address where Roberts was living in the 6200 block of Philbrook Road.

Police said Roberts acknowledged that the remains, in fact, were buried there, which authorities believe had been discarded about five to six months earlier. Investigators believe Roberts fetus was aborted during the third trimester of her pregnancy.

According to court documents filed in the case, Roberts was receiving low doses of methadone about four times a week from a Richmond treatment center during her pregnancy. The director of Richmond Southside Treatment Center told police that they had no record of Roberts ever being pregnant, according to a search warrant affidavit. She had been going to the center on Jefferson Davis Highway since 2012, the director advised.

In another development, the past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers said Chesterfield prosecutors have a credible argument that a state law under which they have charged Roberts with illegally aborting her unborn child can be applied to Roberts herself because of a 2008 Virginia Supreme Court decision.

The state statute used to charge Roberts with producing an abortion with intent to destroy her child has in the past been directed solely at third parties but not the expectant mother herself, said Steven Benjamin, a local defense attorney who also serves as special counsel to the Virginia Senate Courts of Justice Committee.

But a 2008 Virginia Supreme Court ruling related to a different state statute, unrelated to abortion, could be used to clarify language in the abortion law that would make an expectant mother also culpable for aborting her fetus, Benjamin said.

The Supreme Court ruled that when the language of a law uses the term a person or any person  as in the case of the abortion statute  it applies not only to third parties but to the entire universe of people who may be involved.

So what Chesterfield has done, they have taken this rule of interpretation that was announced in 2008 and theyve looked at the abortion statute. And they are correct, Benjamin said.

So under current Supreme Court law in Virginia, when the General Assembly says if any person causes a woman to abort her unborn child, the use of any person includes the defendant herself, Benjamin said.

The Supreme Court, in Phelps v. Commonwealth, said that if the General Assembly had intended a law to apply only to another person  a third person  then lawmakers would have crafted the laws language to say another person, rather than just a person, Benjamin said.

Chesterfield prosecutors have declined to discuss the case or their interpretation of the law because the matter is pending trial. But they did not dispute Benjamins legal arguments.

The abortion law was used at least once previously in Virginia to prosecute a mother in Suffolk who shot herself in the stomach in 2005 to end her full-term pregnancy. But a judge dismissed the charge at the womans 2006 trial because he ruled the law  two years before the Supreme Court ruling  applied only to third parties and not to expectant mothers.

Del. S. Chris Jones, R-Suffolk, sponsored bills in 2007, 2008 and 2010 to make it a felony for an expectant mother to produce her own illegal abortion. But the measures failed each year. Some lawmakers feared the law might be amended later to restrict abortion.

Benjamin noted that the Virginia Supreme Courts 2008 ruling may lead lawmakers who favor abortion to amend the abortion statute in question so that it excludes expectant mothers.

If Chesterfield is successful in this, then the burden will be on one of our General Assembly members to try to effect a change in the law, he said. This is one of those issues, because of the diversity of opinion or philosophy, where its very difficult to get a consensus.
A former city of Richmond employee at the heart of a critical internal audit that led to a Virginia State Police investigation has landed a six-figure job in Petersburg on a provisional basis.

Emmanuel O. Adediran, 59, signed an offer letter last Friday to become the cash-strapped citys director of public works for a 90-day trial without benefits at an annual salary of $102,000.

Thats about $30,000 less than his salary as director of public works for Richmond, a position he departed in February during a reshuffling that saw three other senior city officials part ways with the incoming administration of Mayor Levar Stoney.

Adediran toiled in relative obscurity for nearly two decades with the city of Richmond before drawing scrutiny in January 2016 from the city auditors office for overseeing some construction on then-Mayor Dwight C. Jones new church campus during work hours.

His participation in the development, over conference calls and hundreds of messages sent or received at his work account, prompted questions about whether Jones parishioners received special treatment.

He declined an interview Wednesday through his lawyer, Jim Thorsen, who said Adediran is hoping to stay out of the public eye.

More than a half-dozen top jobs in Petersburg are currently filled by interim or contracted workers following the departure or dismissal of key city leaders over a turbulent year.

The city currently is helmed by a turnaround group brought in last October to pull Petersburg from the brink of insolvency. The city ended fiscal 2016 with $18.8 million in unpaid bills and began the new fiscal year $12.5 million over budget. The budget since has been balanced, for the first time in nearly a decade, but debts remain.

Nearly 150 city workers resigned after the City Council voted to slash municipal wages 10 percent across the board last summer during the shortfall, according to a December 2016 report from Standard & Poors. Those cuts already have been rolled back for public safety workers and are expected to be for other municipal employees in the budget year beginning July 1.

City taxpayers are spending about $80,000 for a Florida-based headhunter to help fill some of the vacancies, which include the positions of city manager, deputy city manager, police chief and finance director.

Acting Petersburg City Manager Tom Tyrrell said through a spokesman that the city will continue to solicit applicants for the position Adediran will hold Monday.

The administration did not say how many applications the city has received. A former Richmond city spokesman has said Adediran was one of 13 applicants vying for the role of Richmonds director of public works when the position became available in 2015.

He did not receive severance pay in February, but was entitled to $25,500 from unused vacation days, a city spokesman said.

Adediran made $29,800 annually as an employee of the citys Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities Department. On July 20, 2015, he was appointed to lead a city division with 328 full-time workers. His salary then was $132,000.

He accrued three college degrees during his employment with the city of Richmond: two in biology, from Virginia State University, and a doctorate degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, according to a biography posted to the citys website.

Thorsen said Wednesday that Adediran just hopes to keep his head down and work hard. Adediran has not given an interview since Richmond Auditor Umesh Dalal released the initial report more than a year ago. At the time, he voluntarily relinquished 80 hours of personal leave.

Jones pledged to keep his public life and private responsibilities separate when he took office in 2009. In response to public criticism after the audit, he issued a statement calling for an end to questions about which members of his administration also attend his church.

I have to question the motives of people who are asking city employees about their religious affiliation. I hope that none of this is politically motivated and that respect can be shown for the wall of separation between church and state, Jones said in the release.

About 10 percent of the top jobs in Jones administration were filled by First Baptist parishioners. Jones spokeswoman said last year that the church had about 3,000 members.

As public scrutiny mounted, Jones asked Virginia State Police to investigate the matter. Federal authorities also participated in the probe, which ended about 10 months after it began.
Ten years after the Virginia Tech massacre, those adamantly in favor of increased firearm restrictions and those strongly opposed seem uncommonly in agreement on at least one thing: The mass shootings had virtually no effect on the gun control debate in terms of legislation that would tighten existing laws.

In fact, the opposite occurred. Gun rights, not gun restrictions, have grown stronger.

Legislators passed measures that eased certain firearm restrictions over the 10 General Assembly sessions since Seung-Hui Chos rampage left 32 people dead  which at the time was the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in modern U.S. history.

Sadly, very little ... has been done that would reduce gun violence, but there have been many bills passed that reduce the regulation of firearms, said Andrew Goddard, legislative director for the Virginia Center for Public Safety, whose son, Colin, was shot four times in a French classroom at Virginia Tech but survived.

However, Goddard believes the tragedy, at least on some small level, slowed down the progress of the other side in removing laws.

Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League and Goddards ideological nemesis, said legislative roadblocks against more gun control show there was little appetite among Virginians to restrict gun rights further.

If the General Assembly was hearing from tons of their constituents that they wanted gun control, that might have done it, he said. But that wasnt the message out there. Whatever message they were getting on gun control, they were probably getting a far bigger message against it.

***

Thomas R. Baker, a criminologist and former Virginia Commonwealth University assistant professor who has an interest in firearm-related issues and has written extensively on the topic, said that for many Virginians, the Tech shootings may have represented a watershed moment for gun control, and it did lead to an enhancement of mental health restrictions related to the purchase of firearms and to improvement of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.

But aside from that, it hasnt really had a lot of impact on changing the way guns are bought and sold in Virginia or in the U.S., said Baker, who is now an assistant professor at the University of Central Floridas Department of Criminal Justice.

It seems many jurisdictions have come to recognize that mass shootings are very difficult to prevent, especially via broad policies that would have done little to prevent the actual event.

Rather, when such events occur, if particular flaws in the current system can be identified  such as the gap in mental health reporting that allowed the Virginia Tech shooter to unlawfully acquire firearms  they often have support from both sides of the political spectrum, he added.

Baker said gun control measures seem to fail most often because their opponents can easily identify that such controls would have done little to prevent the high-profile events that spurred their proposal, and they are introduced when fear and anger are high and evidence-based solutions are lacking.

Over the slow process of legislation, these angers and fears wane and the policies eventually lose the emotional momentum they initially had and end up failing, Baker said.

Alternately, many of the policies that have been implemented to relax restrictions come at times when tensions are low. And policies are not being proposed based on emotion but rather because they represent policies supported by the people or appear to provide additional rights whose restrictions do little to enhance safety.

Then-Del. Joe Morrissey, D-Henrico, proposed banning assault-style rifles and large-capacity magazines in Virginia soon after a gunman used a similar weapon to fatally shoot 20 children and six staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., in December 2012. But the measures were scuttled quickly in legislative committees.

The most significant piece of legislation related directly to the Virginia Tech shootings enshrined then-Gov. Tim Kaines executive order on mental health records into law.

The legislation mandated that state agencies collect information about people who are required to undergo mental health treatment, whether on an inpatient or outpatient basis, and send those records to state and federal databases to ensure they cannot buy a gun.

Cho cleared background checks in early 2007 to buy the two semiautomatic pistols he used in the massacre despite having been found by a judge to be a danger to himself in December 2005.

He was ordered to undergo outpatient care, but that record was not shared with law enforcement. As a result, Chos history was not entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS, and he was cleared to buy a gun.

Van Cleave said his group got behind the bill once language was added that created a mechanism that allowed people adjudicated mentally ill to get their gun rights back if they can prove to a judge their competency has been restored.

Before the rights restoration clause was added, if they took away your gun rights for mental health issues, there really wasnt a way to get your gun rights back, he said.

But Goddard remains skeptical of that provision, particularly in cases in which someone has been found not guilty of a crime by reason of insanity.

If a person is too insane to know the difference between right and wrong on one day, and then sometime in the future youre going to be miraculously cured? he said.

Legislation enacted that eased firearm restrictions in the decade after the massacre involved a variety of disparate issues. They included:

allowing customers with permits to carry concealed guns in bars and alcohol-serving restaurants;

allowing firearms to be kept in car glove boxes without penalty;

eliminating the states one-handgun-per-month purchase law;

and, more recently, allowing concealed-carry permit holders from all other states to carry concealed weapons in Virginia.

For the most part, Baker believes that many of those initiatives are irrelevant, especially when considered in terms of their impact on mass shootings such as Virginia Tech.

Prohibiting other states concealed-carry holders from carrying concealed in Virginia isnt going to stop mass shootings, nor will allowing them to carry concealed increase the risk of a mass shooting, Baker said. The same can be said of carrying firearms in car glove boxes or allowing concealed firearms in bars and restaurants.

The one law that may have had a promising impact is the one-handgun-per-month law, but this law was designed and may have actually impacted firearm trafficking from Virginia to more restrictive states along the I-95 corridor, Baker added. However, like the other provisions, such a law likely does little to deter or prevent a motivated mass shooter.

***

Criminologist William V. Pelfrey Jr., an associate professor at VCUs L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, said restricting gun rights is very difficult in a politically divided state such as Virginia, and the margin of difference between conservative and liberal voters is so narrow that significant changes in gun laws are almost impossible.

Both the Virginia Tech shooting and the Newtown shooting, some of the most horrific acts of violence in recent history, generated a small amount of momentum for restricting weapons, but that faded quickly, Pelfrey said.

The gun lobby has convinced people that politicians who are soft on gun laws are therefore soft on crime, thereby inhibiting motivation to advocate for gun restrictions.

Pelfrey said gun rights advocates will find flaws in almost any proposed change in gun legislation.

Any change is viewed as one step towards an end which makes all guns illegal rather than viewing any individual piece of legislation on its face, he said.

In one small victory, gun control advocates succeeded in blocking legislation that would have allowed students, faculty and staff at public universities to carry firearms on campus. They didnt get guns in colleges, Goddard said.

At the time of the massacre, there was a bill in a legislative subcommittee that would have allowed firearms on school grounds, but it went nowhere. Various incarnations of the measure have been proposed over the years without success.

Were not going to give up on that, Van Cleave said. The college ban makes no sense, because criminals and mass killers such as Cho ignore it.

While theres no state law that prohibits a visitor from carrying a gun on the open grounds of a college campus, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that public schools can retain their authority to regulate or ban concealed weapons throughout the entire campus by faculty, staff and students. All public schools of higher learning have done so.

Van Cleave believes a public shift in attitudes has occurred, particularly regarding firearms and self-defense, and that could explain in part why more gun restrictions have failed in the wake of Virginia Tech.

When people looked at this, they didnt take earlier attitudes that were thrown out by people with gun control groups that, oh, if only guns werent there this couldnt have happened, he said.

Pelfrey, however, said he sees no such change. The Virginia General Assembly as a whole is very pro-gun rights, so new restrictions on firearms are unlikely, he said.

Baker said its certainly possible that having like-minded allies in the General Assembly results in policies being implemented over others. But, in theory the General Assembly is filled with representatives of the people and, if members of the General Assembly werent upholding the will of their constituents, they wouldnt remain in office long.
A Chesterfield County judge denied bail Tuesday for a former Midlothian physician charged with murder in the disappearance and presumed death of his girlfriend, after the prosecution outlined much of its evidence, which included a blood sample found in the trunk of the victims car.

After Zulma L. Pabons white Nissan Altima was found abandoned in a mobile home park in Chester 10 days after her June 6, 2014, disappearance, investigators examining the vehicle found blood on a piece of paper in the trunk, Chesterfield Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Larry Hogan told the court.

A DNA profile developed from the blood matched the familial DNA of Pabons parents and sister, which indicates the blood in the trunk could be Pabons, the prosecutor added.

In addition, a cadaver dog that police used in examining the vehicle alerted to the presence of decomposing human flesh, Hogan said. Cadaver dogs are trained to locate and follow the scent of decomposing remains.

Highlights of the largely circumstantial evidence outlined by the prosecution for the judge are:

Pabons relationship with Dr. John E. Gibbs II was deteriorating, and she told him she was going to leave him. Pabon had signed a lease for another apartment and was set to move on July 11, 2014.

Pabon, 26, had developed a friendship with a man whom she met while working out at a Golds Gym. The unidentified man had invited Pabon, and she accepted, to attend a Memorial Day gathering with the mans family in Powhatan County.

Pabon, a licensed practical nurse, had arranged to meet that man after work on Friday, June 6, 2014, the last day she was seen alive. Her co-workers reported her missing the following Monday, after she failed to show up for work that morning at Commonwealth Fertility and Womens Health at Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center, the same complex where Gibbs formerly worked.

Pabons co-workers drove to the condominium she shared with Gibbs in the 5300 block of Terrace Arbor Circle in search of her and encountered Gibbs, who told them that he last had seen Pabon on Saturday morning, June 7.

On the day Pabons car was found abandoned in Greenleigh Mobile Home Park off Jefferson Davis Highway, about 16 miles from the couples condo, Gibbs left work and returned home before driving to a construction site on Woods Edge Road off Interstate 95. Investigators had placed Gibbs under surveillance and were following him. They observed Gibbs get out of his car with a bag and throw it into a dumpster. Detectives recovered the bag and found a bedsheet, a comforter and a Comcast remote control inside.

A cadaver dog that police used in examining the comforter alerted to the scent of decomposing human flesh on the quilt.

At some point after dumping the items, Gibbs drove to the mobile home park where Pabons car was found. He was observed slowly driving by the area but didnt stop.

Less than two weeks after Pabon disappeared, investigators who placed a tracking device on Gibbs car learned he made an unscheduled trip to Flagstaff, Ariz., and the Grand Canyon.

After Gibbs returned from the trip June 29, he made two trips to Lowes home improvement stores, where he purchased 23 bottles of drain cleaner and a 64-gallon trash can.

In an examination of Gibbs personal computer with a search warrant, investigators found that internet searches had been conducted using the words ether knock out, ether clothing and how much ether to make someone pass out.

After Gibbs moved from the condo he shared with Pabon to another condo, Gibbs rented a dumpster and threw out many of Pabons belongings, including her jewelry, makeup, clothing and photos of her and Gibbs together.

Surveillance images police obtained show Gibbs walking back to the couples condo at 6:39 a.m. June 7, about 13 minutes after a vehicle believed to be Pabons can be seen in another surveillance photo leaving their condo. The cars occupants are not visible. Gibbs changed his clothes and shoes after returning.

Hogan told the court that after Pabon disappeared, her cellphone went dead, activity on her bank account ceased and her car loan went into default for nonpayment.

Before Hogans outline of the evidence, defense attorney Craig Cooley asked the judge to set a reasonable pretrial bond for Gibbs on the murder count, in addition to a separate appeal bond while Gibbs appeals his conviction for felony child neglect involving the couples son.

Circuit Judge David E. Johnson denied both.

Gibbs, 39, was sentenced March 28 to serve six months in jail for an incident in which the couples 5-year-old son was found wandering alone in a busy commercial area after being left unattended at home on Feb. 22, 2016. Johnson found him guilty of the charge in November.

Gibbs trial in the murder case has been set for one week, beginning July 31.
The mayor of Waverly appeared in Sussex County Circuit Court on Wednesday on a dozen charges of felony election fraud.

Indictments handed up by a Sussex grand jury in March accuse Mayor Walter J. Mason of making false statements or entries on absentee ballot applications. The indictments also accuse him of either aiding and abetting or attempting to aid and abet violations of absentee voting procedures.

Mason, 69, didnt speak during Wednesdays hearing and did not enter a plea. Afterward, he made a brief statement to reporters outside the courthouse.

Im innocent, said Mason, who remains free on bond. Thats all I have to say.

Masons attorney, Joe Morrissey, said he is still trying to get more specifics about the allegations against his client.

The election was won by Mr. Mason fair and square, Morrissey said during a news conference after the hearing. What it appears now is the criminal justice system is being used to thwart the will of the people.

The judge set a June 21 court date to discuss the case. The special prosecutor in the case, Joel Branscom, the commonwealths attorney for Botetourt County, said he expects a trial date to be set on that day.

Morrissey said the mayor acknowledges going out and seeking absentee votes from supporters whom Mason knew had a disability that might keep them from the polls. Thats permissible and smart electioneering, the defense attorney said.

Theres no dead people that voted. Theres nobody that voted twice. Theres no names made up, Morrissey said. These people wanted to vote.

The charges zero in on alleged flaws during the application process where voters request an absentee ballot and in the process of submitting ballots, Morrissey said. Branscom said he couldnt go into the specifics of the allegations. But the special prosecutor did say the charges entail breaking the rules about the absentee voting process.

Waverly covers about 3 square miles and has about 2,000 residents, according to the Sussex government website. The town is located on U.S. 460 about halfway between Petersburg and Suffolk.

Last year, Mason garnered nearly 43 percent of the vote, or enough to give him the victory in a four-way race in the May 3 election, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Just 44 votes separated Mason and his nearest challenger, Susan Pope Irving, a former mayor. Overall, there were 472 votes cast, according to the state Department of Elections.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in Richmond on Wednesday that the Trump administration needs to articulate a plan for addressing the Syrian civil war, slammed the state of U.S. airlines and lamented the effect of the administration's hiring freeze on Veterans Affairs medical care.

"I think one thing most Virginians and most Americans are united in is you get pretty crummy service from most airlines," Warner said, calling video of a United Airlines passenger being violently removed from an overbooked flight "everybody's worst personal nightmare.

"This can't happen again."

Warner answered questions from reporters at the Library of Virginia following a ceremony honoring the 100th partner to join No Wrong Door, a statewide network that helps older adults, people with disabilities and others get services.

Warner had little positive to say about the early stages of President Donald Trump's administration.

The Trump-ordered hiring freeze in January for certain agencies - which was lifted Wednesday - hampered treatment at Veterans Affairs medical centers, he said. Vacant clinical positions at the hospital in Hampton are being filled slowly because open human resources positions - which are needed to fill the clinical positions - were frozen, he said. "It frankly is costing Americans."

While Warner supported Trump's decision to fire missiles at a Syrian air base in response to a chemical weapons attack from President Bashar al-Assad, he said he's yet to hear a coherent strategy from the White House in handling that nation's complicated civil war.

He said he agreed with fellow U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that Trump should come before Congress to seek approval of any further military operations in Syria.

"Syria is as complex a foreign policy problem as I've ever seen," Warner said. "I frankly hear very contradictory comments from the administration. We hear from our ambassador to the United Nations that Assad has to go. We hear from the secretary of state, no, ISIS is our top priority, not Assad."

The Trump administration "needs to get on a single page."

During last year's presidential campaign, Trump said he would demand that American generals give him a plan to quickly defeat the Islamic State group, or ISIS, within 30 days of his taking office.

The Washington Post reported Tuesday that the FBI obtained a secret court order last summer to monitor communications of Carter Page, an adviser to candidate Trump, as part of an investigation into potential ties between the campaign and Russia.

Warner said he couldn't comment on any such warrant because they're classified, but said, "If press reports are true, it is serious."

His work as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee continues as that committee investigates Russian attempts to influence the November presidential election on Trump's behalf, and looks into ties between affiliates of either campaign and Russia.

Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, has volunteered to be a witness before the committee. Warner has worked with Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the committee chairman, to try to keep the Senate investigation nonpartisan and fact-based.

He repeated Wednesday that he wants to follow the facts "and if nothing's there remove the cloud that's over the administration" over questions about its ties to Russia.

Kushner advises his father-in-law, who has put him in charge of reorganizing government, diplomatic duties and Middle East peace.

"He's got to be a busy guy because the president has assigned him a very, very broad portfolio," Warner said after his news conference when asked about Kushner. "Time will tell. What I want to see are results. What I want to see, for example, is a strategy on Syria."

Also in the news this week: Trump's senior adviser and Richmond native Stephen Bannon, who is reportedly at odds with Kushner in the administration. Bannon was already removed from a spot on the National Security Council and Trump declined to definitively back Bannon Tuesday in an interview with the New York Post.

"I think it was very appropriate for the president to take Mr. Bannon off the National Security Council," Warner said. When asked if Bannon should leave the administration, Warner said, "I'm not going to comment on what the president should do with his personal staff."

Warner's is among Democratic names that arise in discussions about possible presidential candidates in 2020.
Last week the Department of Homeland Securitys Customs and Border Protection division demanded that Twitter reveal the identity of the person behind an account that has been criticizing the Trump administration. The agency had no authority to issue such a demand, and quickly retracted it. But you could not have scripted a better incident to confirm the worst fears of Trump administration critics about its neo-fascist tendencies.

As a Washington Post story last week noted, Twitters primary objection, the company said, is that allowing the government to unmask Twitter critics violates the Constitutions First Amendment right to free speech. . . . That right, the company said, is particularly important when discussing political speech. First Amendment interests are at their zenith when, as here, the speech at issue touches on matters of public political life, [Twitters court] filing said.

Twitter fretted that the demand may reflect the very sort of official retaliation that can result from speech that criticizes government officials and agencies.

Civil libertarians were  quite properly  outraged.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden called the DHS demand a witch hunt. In a letter to CPB, he pronounced himself gravely alarmed by an apparent attempt to squelch the exercise of First Amendment rights to comment on U.S. policy, and to make those comments anonymously.

The case was about the broader right to speak anonymously on the Internet, said Esha Bhandari, a staff lawyer with the ACLU. In a subsequent statement, she told The Washington Post, Speaking anonymously about issues of the day is a longstanding American tradition, dating back to when the framers of the Constitution wrote under pseudonyms. The anonymity that the First Amendment guarantees is often most essential when people criticize the government, and this free speech right is as important today as ever.

Alex Howard, deputy director of the Sunlight Foundation, praised Twitters rebuff of the CBP demand: The choices they made to stand up for their users set important precedents for other companies now and into the future.

This is all very good to hear, especially in light of the hand-wringing over dark money in political campaigns. Dark money consists of donations to groups such as Americans for Prosperity, the League of Conservation Voters, and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Those politically oriented nonprofit groups can use the money for independent expenditures urging the public to vote for or against a political candidate.

Dark-money expenditures have increased in recent years, but they still represent only a tiny fraction of total campaign spending. The vast majority of the money  more than 90 percent  gets spent by candidates, political parties, and groups formed to support specific candidates.

Nevertheless, dark money sounds despicable. It summons images of robber barons twirling their mustaches as they plot world domination  even though it is just as likely to be spent by NARAL Pro-Choice America or the Environmental Defense Action Fund.

Because it sounds awful, it has elicited calls for disclosure. Legislation has been introduced in Congress and in more than half the states that would require such incorporated nonprofits to disclose their donors. One New York proposal would require nonprofits to disclose the identities of anyone who gave them more than $1,000 if they express any opinion about any position taken on any issue by any candidate, legislature, or executive agency. If Friends of the Earth says State Sen. Smith is wrong to support fracking, the group would have to reveal the identity of all its donors, submit internal communications to the government for review, and more.

And guess who supports such disclosure?

Right: Ron Wyden. The Senator says he was proud to sponsor legislation that would require all entities that engage in election-related activity to report their significant donors.

And the Sunlight Foundation, which wants Congress to pass the DISCLOSE Act, which it says would require secretive nonprofits to reveal the names of significant donors, unless those donors specify that their money cant be used for political purposes.

To its credit, the ACLU has criticized dark-money disclosure laws, at least those like the one in New York, as overly broad measures that could chill constitutionally protected speech.

Campaign-finance reformers like to pretend their concern has to do with money, especially corporate money  not political speech. But its impossible to separate the two. When NARAL Pro-Choice America blasts a Republican for his stance on abortion rights, it spends money to do so. The money isnt speech. But it makes the speech possible, and you cant limit the expenditure without limiting the speech too  any more than you could cap the amount of money spent on abortions without limiting abortion rights.

Indeed, thats precisely the question that lay at the heart of the Supreme Courts widely reviled, and even more widely misunderstood, ruling in Citizens United: whether the government could stop a non-profit corporation from publishing criticism of a politician in the weeks leading into an election.
In Greek mythology, sirens were beautiful creatures that lured sailors to their doom with their hypnotic voices. In Homers epic, The Odyssey, ships came to ruin on jagged reefs, following siren song, the pull of the beautiful voices so strong that the hero Odysseus, in order not to succumb, commanded that his crew lash him to the mast of his ship and not untie him until they were in safe waters.

Thats a lesson American presidents might have learned.

After repeatedly criticizing President Obama for his Middle East policy from which candidate Donald Trump said America got nothing in return, President Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airbase reportedly used to launch chemical weapons attacks.

Some on the right are beating their chests claiming this is a demonstration of leadership.

To what end? Does anyone believe that Bashar al-Assad will not continue killing Syrians by other means?

Last week during meetings with King Abdullah of Jordan, the New York Post writes, a report revealed that the administration wants to host a Mideast summit between Israel and the Palestinians as soon as this summer.

Trump said he and Abdullah would advance the cause of peace in the Middle East, including peace between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Since Palestinian leaders dating back to Yasser Arafat, along with terrorist groups like Hezbollah (and ISIS), have vowed never to make peace with Israel, that can only mean one thing: pressure on Israel to do more by relinquishing additional territory to its enemies and watching as those enemies use that territory to advance their timetable for the eradication of the Jewish state.

When I asked Sarah Stern, president of the Endowment for Middle East Truth, a pro-Israel think tank and policy center based in Washington, D.C., about this, she responded in an email: After all of these years of experience in the Middle East, it is about time that we realize that the Israel-Palestinian dispute does not lay at the root of the problem. ... It is rather the growth of radical Islam and a 14-century-old Sunni versus Shiite divide, coupled with the breakdown of the arbitrary lines drawn by the Sykes-Picot agreement, which amalgamated various tribal, feuding factions into nation states, where there was no common denominator.

The Sykes-Picot Agreement, commonly known as the Asia Minor Agreement, was a secret 1916 deal between Britain and France, with the assent of the Russian Empire, to arbitrarily carve up the region into spheres of influence should the Triple Entente succeed in defeating the Ottoman Empire.

In 1921, Winston Churchill, Herbert Samuel (the head of Britains Liberal Party) and Abdullah I of Jordan, met in Jerusalem and redrew the lines of the Levant, ensuring the conflicts that have raged even before the 1948 re-establishment of Israel in its ancient homeland where Jews have always lived, despite Palestinian and Arab efforts to rewrite history.

Every American president since Dwight Eisenhower has tried to reduce conflict and bring peace to the region. But peace can only be achieved when people decide not to fight and kill each other anymore.

Thats what happened in Northern Ireland, but its a long way from happening in the Middle East, especially when those committed to Israels destruction find hope in summits and meetings they use to pressure Israel into, in effect, committing suicide by making agreements its enemies, who believe they have a religious mandate, have not and will not live up to.

Only a president with the power God gave Moses to part the Red Sea could do something as miraculous as bring peace to the Middle East.

Even a brief review of history proves the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is not the cause of instability. Arabs were fighting Arabs before 1948 and conflicts between Sunni and Shiite Muslims have nothing to do with Israel.

If Trump thinks he can be the ultimate peacemaker, hes listening to siren song, and heading for the reef.
Police in the town of Ijevan say they are investigating news circulated by a bunch of hikers that healthy trees have been chopped down along the road leading to the Ashot Yerkat (Iron Ashot) fort in Armenias Tavoush Province.

Hetq published photos of the downed trees the other day.

Armen Vardanyan, head of the environmental ministrys public affairs division, told Hetq that the estimated damage amounts to 930,000 AMD (US$ 1,900) and that the culprits were local residents.

Armenias northeastern Tavoush Province has seen its fair share of illegal tree logging.

In particular, the provinces 240 km Dilijan National Park, has been targeted by the illegal timber trade.

On March 26, Hetq published an article on the most recent case of illegal logging in the park. Damage in this case was estimated at 1.9 million AMD.

Photos: Tigran Shahbazyan
A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind.
From the East Coast to the West Coast, I have had the opportunity to tour several dairy farms and expand my knowledge of the dairy industry simply by spending an hour observing an operation. My involvement with national breed associations and competing on a collegiate dairy judging team have made this possible. I have learned about the differences and similarities of how small and large farms manage their herds. In addition, the strong influence of technologies such as robotic milking machines can be seen by visiting herds across the nation.

One of the most memorable dairy farms I toured a few summers ago was River Valley Farm in Tremont, Ill. Not only does River Valley have superior Jersey genetics but the robotic systems were an amazing technology to see. This was the first time I had seen robotic milking systems, robotic calf feeders, and automated cow comfort brushes on a dairy farm. By attending a National Brown Swiss Convention in Illinois, I had the chance to learn about the robotic technology by watching the procedure take place up close.

Another aspect of touring farms is learning how the farm runs on a day-to-day basis. Even the smallest techniques that one farm implements can easily be added to your own operation. In addition, learning about different breeds and seeing some of the best cows through judging practices has sharpened my eye for cattle.

Allowing people to visit your farm can be intimidating, but sharing management styles and genetic wisdom is a great opportunity. Having those insightful conversations is valuable for all involved in the industry to establish connections with other producers. Touring dairy farms nationwide, whether they milk 20 or 2,000 cows, has not only taught me valuable career skills, but I have developed a greater appreciation for the hardworking, compassionate individuals that make up the U.S. dairy industry. Tour another farm, the experience is rewarding!

Elise Regusci
Digging into history and researching your family genealogy just got easier. A database of the archives of the Salem Museum and Historical Society is now available to be searched online. Over 8,000 images, documents and objects can be viewed via the Collections Online tab of the Museums website at salemmuseum.org. The number of records will continue to grow as volunteers digitize more items from the museum collection. These volunteers are also available to help with research questions on Fridays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Salem Museum has completed the implementation of PastPerfect the industry-leading database program for museumson its computer networks. This software program, bought with matching grants from the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) and the Salem Historical Society, will significantly improve the museums collection management system.

This software program will more efficiently collect, describe, organize and access the museums growing collections, thus ensuring the preservation of important historic artifacts while providing invaluable information to researchers both locally and globally. Frances Ferguson, Executive Director of the Salem Museum and Historical Society, said, We are so enormously grateful for the funding that has made it possible for the Salem Museum and Historical Society to implement PastPerfect for our archives. This incredible organization and search capability will transform our museum and enable us to better serve guests, researchers and our community, near and far.

The Salem Historical Society was awarded a grant by the NSDAR in the amount of $2,262 in May 2016. Funding for this project was made possible through the sponsorship of Salems Fort Lewis Chapter NSDAR. Dr. Peggy Shifflett, President of the Salem Historical Society, stated, Finally, with the support of the NSDAR, we have brought the Salem Museums collection into the 21st century and available by visiting the Salem Museum webpage.

The initial work of implementing the PastPerfect project is complete but the Library Committee will not be resting on their laurels. They will be presenting this work to the Salem community and assisting researchers in using the valuable resources now readily available to them.

The museum and Historical Society want to thank the NSDAR for their support of this project, especially the Fort Lewis Chapter NSDAR (Adele Morris, former Regent) for their sponsorship. Many people assisted with gaining funding and implementing this initiative, including museum staff and numerous volunteers: Elizabeth Doolittle, Mary Ann Hollandsworth, Susan Kirby, Martha Pinkerton, Cindy Reynolds and Connie Stone; Peggy Shifflett, President of the Salem Historical Society; Frances Ferguson, Executive Director of the Salem Museum and Historical Society; Alex Burke, Assistant Director; and John Long, previous museum director.

For more information, please contact Emmalee D. Morris, Regent, Fort Lewis Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, at 540.353.8884; Peggy Shifflett, President, Salem Historical Society, at 540.389.6760; or visit www.salemmuseum.org

Submitted by Frances Ferguson
A Radford University fraternity is on interim suspension because of allegations of possible misconduct, according to a school spokesman.

Members of Sigma Chi, the suspended fraternity, will not be able to participate in group activities as a chapter.

The allegations are of a serious nature, university spokesman Joe Carpenter wrote in a statement. He declined to comment on the nature of the allegations or to confirm if potential hazing is involved.

Radford city spokeswoman Jenni Wilder said the city police department is assisting university police with an investigation. She had no further comment.

A message left for the national fraternitys executive director was not immediately returned Wednesday.

The same fraternitys university chapter has been suspended and placed on probation in the past.

In 2007, it was suspended because of hazing allegations. In 2009, the fraternity was placed on probation for about two years after its members served alcohol to people under the age of 21 and served alcohol from a bulk container or keg.
WASHINGTON  Rolling Stone has reached a confidential settlement with Nicole Eramo, a former University of Virginia associate dean who had sued the magazine alleging that it defamed her in a 2014 story about an alleged gang rape on campus, according to lawyers for both parties.

The settlement brings an end to a lawsuit that had roiled the UVa community .

We are delighted that this dispute is now behind us, as it allows Nicole to move on and focus on doing what she does best, which is supporting victims of sexual assault, said Libby Locke, a lawyer for Eramo, in a statement Tuesday.

Rolling Stone called the settlement an amicable resolution.

The magazines November 2014 story, A Rape on Campus, recounted the story of a young womans gang rape at a UVa fraternity house  a story that was discredited and ultimately retracted after serious flaws were revealed.

In a libel trial that began in October 2016, Eramos lawyers argued that the articles author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, had arrived on campus determined to write a story about a universitys callousness to the problem of sexual assault.

They argued that she wrongly turned Eramo into the face of institutional indifference.

Eramo testified that she faced threats, and lost both professional credibility and her ability to work as an advocate for sexual-assault prevention.

In November, a federal jury sided with Eramo, awarding her $3 million in damages  $1 million from Rolling Stone and $2 million from Erdely.

Rolling Stone filed a motion to vacate that judgment, the first step toward an appeal, but then agreed to settle the case before a judge could rule.
BLACKSBURG  The weight of the world sits in Newman Library.

In a large room piled high with paper sit 90,000 tokens of comfort and healing sent to Virginia Tech after the universitys darkest day a decade ago.

Tech received an outpouring of affection from around the globe in the wake of the April 16, 2007, shootings that left 32 dead and 17 wounded  and countless lives shattered. There were the posters, letters and pieces of art. There were obscure gifts like chain saw carvings and a Mississippi River rock.

The sheer volume of material gifts  arriving from 80 countries and every state in the U.S.  was unlike anything Blacksburg had seen, said Tamara Kennelly, university archivist and special collections librarian. Letters from across the country and around the world found their way to various parts of Blacksburg. They came from students, from prison inmates, from everyday people.

Envelopes and packages lacking ZIP codes or street numbers, addressed simply to Virginia Tech found their way to campus much like a Christmastime letter bound for the North Pole.

We were smothered with love, then-university spokesman Larry Hincker now says of the volume of things that came in.

Today, the materials are in a sterile environment. Piled on shelves in 517 boxes and slid into 17 map case drawers, university librarians estimate the collection takes up more than 500 cubic feet of space. Much of it lives online in the university librarys digital archive.

And all of it still serves as a reminder of how the world grieved with Virginia Tech.

The more you look at things the more stories youll find, Kennelly said.

Path of the archives

The items that came from across the planet have had a journey of their own around Blacksburg.

They were gathered in Squires Student Center, moved to a nondescript building in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center for several years and then taken to their permanent home in Newman Library.

One man, Steve Estrada, a temporary worker in Squires, handled all gifts that arrived during hectic weeks that followed the shootings. He was responsible for organizing all the items and making sure any mailed checks reached the proper university administrator. It was a tall task.

Estrada said he had recently moved to Southwest Virginia with his then-wife, who grew up in the New River Valley.

Why am I doing this? I asked myself this question every day, he said recently during a telephone interview from his current home in Fairfield, Iowa. A student said to me, Youre doing this because we cant. Fate just handed me this thing.

Estrada wasnt alone, though. From day one he had organizational assistance from archivist Kennelly, who continues to add to the archive when a faculty member finds a memento in a closet.

She created a tagging system and catalogued items with color-coded tags, organizing the items by origin. She said she consulted with the Library of Congress and Syracuse University. It was a mammoth task that consumed Kennellys time and all of her emotions.

I cried almost every day for two years, she said.

But in 2007 with more and more items pouring into Squires each day, the pair were overwhelmed. They needed people to help sort and categorize .

A couple days after the tragedy, a local woman walked into Estradas office. She said she was in search of a mission and would deliver help.

Community support

Anne Campbell said she was totally lost. She said she knew she had to do something but didnt know what.

I was looking for a place to volunteer after the tragedy, Campbell said. This is my hometown. I wanted to help and be involved.

So many had answered the call for volunteers in various capacities around campus, and Campbell was having a difficult time finding a task . She walked into Squires searching for a purpose. The place was stuffed with posters and activity, even though classes were canceled that week.

Campbell said she went upstairs and walked into what turned out to be Estradas office. He took her to another room filled to the brim with letters, posters and artwork.

What are you doing with this? she asked.

Estrada said there wasnt yet a firm plan. Things needed to be organized and archived so they could be saved. He was responsible.

Campbell offered to help. She said she could email a couple dozen friends and they would be able to help . So, she asked, when could everyone get started?

Tomorrow please, Estrada remembers saying.

So people from Campbells life started streaming into the Commonwealth Ballroom, the place designated to organize and label the items. They first gathered things in specific places around the room, separating them by type of gift. Posters and letters were all piled together.

Then, once Kennelly had improvised a tagging system, items were reorganized based on origin , a laborious task for the volunteers.

You felt the warmth from the entire world, said Campbells friend, Ann Saacke, one of the volunteers.

They pored over documents, banners and other items. It was important and difficult work, they say now. Some of them cant even discuss it without tears.

Everyone had a different way of reading through the letters, one of the more difficult tasks. Some of the volunteers would clip through, just gathering the minimum amount of information. Others were slowed down. People like volunteer Barbara Fell felt like they had to read every word because of the effort placed with each letter.

It was cathartic for me, Fell said. Its moving to open letters from Columbine ... This brings people together.

Eventually the volunteers peeled away after months of helping to sort. Some of them helped move the items to the Corporate Research Center.

A reminder of healing

One of about two dozen volunteers, Susan Hunter said she couldnt believe her ears. Her then 8-year-old daughter, Shannon, made a dramatic announcement after the shooting.

I dont want to go to college, Shannon Hunter told her mom as they were driving to dinner on the day of graduation.

Susan said she knew she had to do something to help. She said she had to start the healing. So she took Shannon, who is currently a first-year student at the University of Virginia, to Squires to see the items shed labored over.

To try to raise up kids to not be afraid of evil, these were important things, Hunter said.

Items papered the walls. They were from colleges across the country, proof of community built on campuses.

Now, the things are coming back in a multitude of displays. Over the week leading up to the 10-year anniversary on Sunday, items that havent been outside of the library for years will again see the light.

Robin Boucher, Techs art program director for student engagement and campus life, organized one of the shows at Squires that features gifts from colleges around the country.

The goal of the show titled Sending You All of Our Love is to highlight how the world came together, to give forth some of what the volunteers like Hunter experienced . That show will occupy the same room that volunteers used to organize them a decade ago.

Its important to take the items out every once in awhile. But when theyre just sitting in the archives room, theyre still proof of the most basic concept of the sentiment behind them.

Were never forgetting one of these lives, Kennelly said.
An assistant principal at William Fleming High School has been named to lead Roanokes Fishburn Park Elementary School.

Tammy Brown will take over at the school July 1 for Steven Lin, who submitted his resignation earlier this year. Brown was a science teacher at Patrick Henry High School before moving to William Fleming, where shes served as a teacher-on-assignment focused on science and most recently as the assistant principal.

Superintendent Rita Bishop announced Browns hire Tuesday night after it was approved by the Roanoke School Board. Earlier in the day, Bishop introduced Brown to faculty at Fishburn Park.

Bishop also announced that next year, Fishburn Park will be refocused around a STEAM curriculum  science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. The new focus was requested by board members as a way to address low enrollment at the school, and it will expand the schools current environmental focus. She said Browns success as a science teacher made her a strong candidate to lead the changes.

Bishop said shes in the process of hiring for one other vacant principal position in the district. Like Lin, Hurt Park Elementary School principal Sharon Hicks announced her resignation in March, effective June 30.
BENT MOUNTAIN  Lois Gibbs stood atop Poor Mountain and marveled that a 42-inch diameter natural gas pipeline would climb and descend the mountains steep, wooded and boulder-strewn slopes.

The pitch is pretty remarkable, Gibbs observed, wondering how the company that wants to build and bury the Mountain Valley Pipeline through the region would keep soil in place during and after construction.

Its all going to erode, she said.

Gibbs is not a soil scientist, an engineer or hydrologist. Instead, she is an internationally known environmental watchdog. Her transformation from a shy housewife at the contaminated residential community of Love Canal in New York state in 1978 to an outspoken activist has earned her a spot in the pantheon of legends of the environmental movement.

Beginning last week, Gibbs, 65, founder of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, teamed with the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League to travel the routes of the proposed Atlantic Coast Pipeline and Mountain Valley Pipeline to help rally opponents to the multi-billion-dollar projects.

During stops Monday and Tuesday in Franklin County, Salem and Roanoke County, Gibbs offered encouragement to people who have been battling the proposed Mountain Valley Pipeline for more than two years.

Your voices are being heard, Gibbs said Tuesday to a group of 11 pipeline foes gathered at the Bent Mountain Center.

She said opponents dogged efforts are bearing fruit.

Gibbs referenced a recent announcement by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality that both pipeline projects would need a specific type of state water quality permit that would compel the companies to provide more details about stream and wetlands crossings than would have been required by a more general permit.

She said Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who has expressed support for both pipelines as potential catalysts for economic development, and the states Democratic Party seem to have gotten the message that there are profound concerns about the projects among their constituents.

And Gibbs noted that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which will decide whether one or both interstate pipeline projects should proceed, had pushed back the release of the final environmental impact statement for the Mountain Valley Pipeline from March 10 to June 23.

When Mountain Valley first announced the pipeline project, the joint venture anticipated construction would begin in December 2016.

Gibbs linked delays in FERCs environmental review to the efforts by watchdogs to submit comments to the commission after its release in September of the pipelines draft environmental impact statement.

Kathy Chandler, a resident of Bent Mountain who fought to keep survey crews working for Mountain Valley from studying her property and the property of neighbors, said Gibbs visit was energizing.

I think Lois coming here is adding credibility and heightening awareness, Chandler said. Its encouraging to have someone from outside who has done so much of this work to say, Youre doing a good job. 

In 1978, Gibbs learned that the neighborhood of Love Canal had been built on and around a toxic chemicals landfill. At the time, both her son and daughter were seriously ill and Gibbs discovered that the same was true of many of her neighbors children.

Subsequent health studies found remarkably high rates of birth defects and miscarriages among residents of Love Canal. Gibbs helped lead the ultimately successful effort to provoke a federal response to the neighborhoods plight. She has been called the mother of Superfund because her advocacy helped establish the federal cleanup program under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

On Monday afternoon, Gibbs visited the Franklin County home of Anne and Steve Bernard off Grassy Hill Road and met there with about 14 other pipeline opponents. As currently routed, the Mountain Valley Pipeline would pass within less than 200 feet of the Bernards home.

If approved by FERC, the pipeline will transport non-odorized natural gas at high pressure.

It could be leaking and youd never know it, Gibbs said, a reality the Bernards know well.

A pipeline rupture would have a potential impact radius of about 1,115 feet, creating the possibility within that area for a significant impact on people or property, according to federal pipeline safety guidelines.

Gibbs emphasized repeatedly that potential pipeline-related hazards  to the environment, public safety, health and private property  outweigh any possible benefits.

She said government officials in years past justified the controversial extraction process of hydraulic fracturing by saying that frackings unconventional yield of oil and natural gas would enhance national security though greater energy independence.

But Gibbs said the nation now has plenty of natural gas. She said she is convinced that much of the gas transported by the Mountain Valley and Atlantic Coast pipelines would be exported  an allegation the pipeline companies vigorously dispute.

Regardless, she said, private companies should not be able to use eminent domain to acquire easements across private property for projects that she said will yield no public good.

This is America. People have a right to their homes, their land and their health, Gibbs said.

Before Tuesdays meeting on Bent Mountain, she said she has been impressed by the work of small grassroots organizations battling the two pipelines.

The opposition groups are really fully committed and passionate, she said. They are being incredibly creative, using the arts to get people involved. These are tough rural people.

Roberta Bondurant, a resident of Bent Mountain who has been active in fighting the Mountain Valley project, said a key concern on the mountain focuses on the projects potential to disrupt or pollute pristine streams, creeks, springs and seeps.

Gibbs participated in a tour of the mountain led by artist Genesis Chapman, who stopped along scenic Bottom Creek.

Chapman said residents of Bent Mountain from varied political backgrounds have united to fight the pipeline.

The land becomes part of who you are, he said.
A brush fire in Goshen Pass in Rockbridge County that has consumed more than 500 acres prompted Virginia Department of Transportation crews to close part of Virginia 39 on Wednesday evening.

At 6 p.m., crews closed Virginia 39 from the eastern overlook area to Virginia 601, according to a VDOT release. The road will be closed until 8 a.m., when officials will re-evaluate whether the closure needs to be extended.

Virginia Department of Forestry spokesman John Campbell said Wednesday afternoon that 42 crew members spent the majority of the day preventing the brush fire from spreading further.

A complete containment line was marked around the fire earlier in the day. Crews are also conducting burn-out operations, or setting fire inside the control line to consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line. Bulldozers are working on flat areas, and a helicopter also assisted by dumping water on the flames.

Campbell said the flames are mostly feeding on downed hardwood and pine trees in the area, as well as mountain laurels and leaf litter. No structures are in danger.

Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries owns the wildlife management area where the fire broke out along Virginia 39 on Monday. Luke Fisher, conservation police officer with the department, said the wildlife management area totals 30,000 acres.

Fisher said preliminary information has led the department to investigate the brush fire as a possible arson case. Anyone with information can call 800-237-5712 or email wildcrime@dgif.virginia.gov. Tips can be anonymous.

Campbell said the rocky and steep terrain has posed a challenge in getting firefighters up the mountain.

Its very dangerous stuff, he said.

No injuries have been reported.
FERRUM  Sen. Tim Kaine came to the Roanoke Valley Wednesday with one main goal: To listen.

During a weeklong swing through central and Southwest Virginia, Kaine, D-Va., stopped at Ferrum College to listen to students concerns about higher education and to a Veterans of Foreign Wars outpost in Roanoke to gain insight into some of the challenges facing veterans.

At Ferrum, Kaine solicited higher education concerns and suggestions from students and professors, which he insisted would help inform his decision-making as a new member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

Kaine coveted the committee assignment when he first was elected to Congress in 2013, but was only added to the committee this year as a consolation prize for losing on a national ticket, he joked.

With about 100 people in attendance, students asked Kaine questions about student loan debt, tuition assistance and the relationship between K-12 education and higher education.

Students also had suggestions for the junior senator and asked him to look into the possibility of free tuition at community and four-year colleges and creating incentives for students to do dual enrollment while still in high school to save on college tuition.

If you invest in education, youre going to have a stronger economy and a stronger society, he said.

The responses will help Kaine as Congress works to reshape education policy for the next decade.

Students were abuzz in the days leading up to Kaines visit, said Ferrum College President Jody Spooner.

It was the only day I actually condone students skipping classes, Spooner joked.

Afterward, Kaine headed to VFW Post 1264 in Roanoke for lunch with about two dozen veterans who expressed concerns with receiving disability benefits and health care at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

During the stops, Kaine also discussed President Donald Trumps budget, saying Virginians have expressed concerns about proposed funding cuts for programs like Meals on Wheels, work-study positions at colleges like Ferrum and job training.

Kaine also condemned Trump for not seeking congressional approval before launching an airstrike against Syria last week. Congress should have a chance to ask the tough questions and ensure an attack will occur as part of an overall strategy, he said.

Our system is not supposed to be a system where the president can just say, I dont like this so Im going to launch a missile,  he said.

Congress is in the midst of the Easter recess  giving Virginias two senators a chance to conduct listening tours across parts of the commonwealth.

On Thursday and Friday, Kaine will make stops in far Southwest Virginia and the coalfields region. He will circle back to Blacksburg for Sundays commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Virginia Tech shooting.

On Thursday, Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., will meet with leaders of Carilion Clinic and Virginia Tech in Roanoke to discuss funding challenges facing medical research and patient care. He also will meet with students at Washington and Lee University.
Ten years after the April 16 shootings at Virginia Tech, the university has seen much that's changed - and some that hasn't.
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Lape, 57, and Manilla, 65, contracted symptoms of a sickness neither had heard of before: rat lungworm, a disease caused ... all on Hawaii Island, state Department of Health spokeswoman Janice ... Read More This finding could lead to new methods of control for this invasive species, with important implications for food security and human health ... host for rat lungworm, a parasitic nematode ... Read More 11/7 ) Political Cartoon: 'Don't Forget to Stretch' Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on ... an epidemiologist and infectious-disease physician at the University of Washington School ... Read More Mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California have approved a four-year contract after a ... NUHW said in the news release. In Hawaii, there is still no settlement to a strike ... Read More A Prince George's County couple had just signed a contract with a bank to buy a home when the wife says she drove by the property and saw a U-Haul in the driveway with people moving in. Read More The rats didnt show signs of health issues like ... Eventually, this type of rat model could be used to study psychiatric disorders, autism or neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson ... Read More United Nations - The World Health Organization ... fallout of non-communicable diseases," Andrea Feigl, CEO and founder of the Health Finance Institute, told CBS News. "Physical activity is ... Read More Scientists Transplant Human Brain Cells Into Rat Brains, a Boon to Research By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12, 2022 (HealthDay News ... those cause disease in a patient? Read More The approach involves transplanting a cluster of living human brain cells from a dish in the lab to the brain of a newborn rat, a team from ... features of complex diseases like schizophrenia ... Read More Heat exposure can cause long-term damage and increase the likelihood of kidney disease or respiratory diseases. Hot days also worsen mental health and ... including top news, local, sports ... Read More 5 are making inroads in the U.S. variant scene, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ... Translational Institute. U.S. health officials have been pushing updated ... Read More reached the agreement early Tuesday morning. The four-year contract is retroactive to Sept. 2021 and expires in Sept. 2025. Read More
Politics News Live Results Kansas Special Election | RobinsPost News & Noticias

In today's edition  Trump once reconsidered sticking with Truth Social. Now hes stuck, Drew Harwell and Josh Dawsey report  Election officials fear counting delays will help fuel claims of fraud, ... Read More US midterm election will be held on Nov. 8, but early voting is already underway. Follow CNN for the latest election news and updates. Read More With the election just days away, both parties are looking for an advantage in the economic news. Candidates are also fanning out on the campaign trail with support from their respective parties ... Read More It's the night of the election, Polls have been closed for hours. Why don't Americans know the winners? In 2020, President Donald Trump proclaimed that ... Read More Reducing news to hard lines and side-taking leaves a lot of the story untold. Progress comes from challenging what we hear and considering different views. Read More The two are running to represent the newly drawn District 35, the borders of which include LeClaire and northern Scott County, Clinton County and Maquoketa. Cournoyer flipped the seat to Republican ... Read More The seeds of misinformation about the midterm elections were planted in 2020 on social media sites. ELECTION 2022 | SOCIAL MEDIA Conspiracy theories about mail ballots. Anonymous text messages warning ... Read More Pitched battles over abortion rights and election falsehoods are playing out in attorneys general contests across the nation. Eleven of them underscore the crucial roles that attorneys general play in ... Read More Shaking ground at volcano sends warning signs in Hawaii, work has begun to plug abandoned wells in New Mexico, and more ... Read More Mediocre candidates, lackluster fundraising, self-inflicted wounds. Squint hard enough and you might catch remnants of the three political hurdles, or some combination thereof, that once conspired to ... Read More The Libertarian candidate, Shane Hazel, was disqualified from the debate for not meeting the required 10 percent polling threshold. Read More Beto ORourke and J.J. Kochs campaigns illustrate the disparate paths for Democrats and Republicans in Dallas County. While Democrats are trying to ... Read More
Politics News Pennsylvania Congressman To Be Named Drug Czar By Trump | RobinsPost News & Noticias

He may not be on the ballot in the upcoming US midterm elections, but Donald Trump was still the main draw for Pennsylvania's Republicans Saturday ahead of what they hope will be a "red wave" sweeping ... Read More They chafed at Covid restrictions, think US schools are teaching the wrong stuff and are stunned by runaway inflation. Republicans in Pennsylvania see Tuesday's midterm voting as step one toward ... Read More Pennsylvania Democrats tried to do damage control on John Fetterman's U.S. Senate campaign on Wednesday, the morning after a shaky debate performance against Republican TV doctor Mehmet Oz that showed ... Read More
Politics News Republican Holds On In Closely Watched Kansas Special House Election | RobinsPost News & Noticias

In today's edition  Trump once reconsidered sticking with Truth Social. Now hes stuck, Drew Harwell and Josh Dawsey report  Election officials fear counting delays will help fuel claims of fraud, ... Read More The first polls close at 6 p.m. Eastern Tuesday night. But it will take days to count ballots in the most important states. Read More Six of the 10 state House candidates in the Queen City are women. How will campaign messaging, turnout and broader political trends impact their races? Read More The 2022 midterm election is only weeks away, with control of Congress and key statehouses at stake. Our reporters are covering contests across the nation. Read More Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, and Stacey Abrams, a Democrat, are in a rematch of their 2018 race. Catch up on what happened during their last debate before Election Day. Read More
Politics News Haley Says Russia Is Nervous And An Island After Assad Attack | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of trying to wipe his country off the face of the earth after multiple cities, including Kyiv, were hit with fresh strikes. Read More The North Crimean Canal will simply disappear if the Kakhovka dam is destroyed. If Russia is planning such a terrorist attack, if theyre seriously considering such a scenario, it means that the ... Read More "If Russia is preparing such a terrorist attack, if it is seriously considering ... He also said that "some say [the] Ukrainian military may use drifting mines to blow up the dam. Read More The White House said Thursday that any attacks on U.S. satellites or infrastructure will be met with an "appropriate response" after a senior Russian official ... Read More More info Russia has hit out at Liz Truss after the embattled Prime Minister ... Sir Keir said: "The British public deserve a proper say on the country's future. They must have the chance to ... Read More The world rejected sham referendums Russia used to justify annexing four ... that the only way to defend NATO in Europe from a Soviet attack was to have tactical nuclear weapons deployed that ... Read More Russia unleashed a barrage of missiles overnight  "a massive missile attack" that targeted "critical ... was left with no electricity Saturday, shortly after local media reported several ... Read More Putin began escalating attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure in early October after the bombing of the Kerch Bridge, which connects Russia to Crimea ... powerful name in news delivered first ... Read More Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Russia's economy is projected to contract "this year and the next" due to historic sanctions. Russia's GDP is expected to contract by 6.2% this year and 4.1% ... Read More Ukraine says Russia has used Iranian-made Shahed-136 attack ... state news outlet Channel One Russia who made a high-profile criticism of the war on live television in March. After spending ... Read More LONDON  Russia said on Tuesday that four Ukrainian regions whose annexation it proclaimed last month are under the protection of its nuclear arsenal. The statement from the Kremlin came at a ... Read More Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Russias invasion of Ukraine will accelerate, rather than undermine, his countrys efforts to transition away from fossil fuels. Speaking Tuesday at ... Read More
Elections News Kansas Georgia Elections Wake Up Call For Republicans | RobinsPost News & Noticias

With four days to go, Democrats are seeing the limits of their focus on abortion. Republicans have a chance to win veto-proof supermajorities in Wisconsins State Legislature. Read More Happy Election Day eve, eve. While this weekend may not have been the most leisurely for those of us tracking the polls, were here to orient you on where things stand as the cycle winds down. Here ... Read More President Biden warned "democracy is on the ballot this year" as midterm elections are just five days away. Follow Newsweek for the latest. Read More Kansas Democrats hoped to reelect Gov. Laura Kelly, who faces Republican Derek Schmidt, the states three-term attorney general. Republican Kris Kobach was trying for a political comeback in the attor ... Read More Reducing news to hard lines and side-taking leaves a lot of the story untold. Progress comes from challenging what we hear and considering different views. Read More Nebraska Republicans are expected to dominate as usual at the polls in November and retain control of the officially nonpartisan Legislature. They face a far tougher challenge flipping enough seats to ... Read More Shaking ground at volcano sends warning signs in Hawaii, work has begun to plug abandoned wells in New Mexico, and more ... Read More As early as next summer, Tuskegee University plans to move the needle in cancer genomics  the study of DNA sequence and gene expression differences between tumor cells and normal cells. With a $7.93 ... Read More
Potus News Trump Issues New Warning To North Korea | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Animosities on the Korean Peninsula have been running high in recent months, with North Korea testing a string of nuclear-capable missiles and adopting a law authorizing the preemptive use of its ... Read More The United States and South Korea have decided to extend military exercises in response to a recent spate of missile launches from North Korea, offering stern warnings for North Korean leader Kim Jong ... Read More North Korea on Wednesday fired three short range ballistic missiles, Seoul said, prompting a rare air raid warning for a South Korean island. "North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles ... Read More
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Potus News Xi To Trump China Wants Peaceful Solution To North Korea Issue | RobinsPost News & Noticias




Potus News Putin Says U S Russia Ties Worse Since Trump Took Office | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Kremlin-connected businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin has admitted that he interfered in U.S. elections and would continue to do so. Read More Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied having any intentions of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine but described the conflict there as part of alleged efforts by the West to secure ... Read More Top Russia experts have said Putin's nuclear threats and the recent "dirty bomb" talk are likely an effort to scare the West away from supporting Kyiv. Read More
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Potus News China S Xi Tells Trump He Wants Peaceful Solution To North Korea | RobinsPost News & Noticias




Science News Geography And Culture May Shape Latin American And Caribbean Maize | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Avocado toast is an example of how Latin American food and culture have influenced American ... 4 million went to the Caribbean, another 4 million went to Brazil and the rest went to Latin America. Read More "Different groups of immigrants integrate in different ways," De Rossi told Live Science ... cultural family traditions, but are integrated in the urban community and have embraced the American ... Read More 27, 2022  Actors may suppress their core sense of self when ... structure of proteins as a creative way to better popularize science to the general public, but the resulting songs haven't ... Read More NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - For over 20 years, the Latin American Festival in North Charleston has celebrated Latin American and Caribbean cultures ... people to come out and just celebrate their ... Read More The thrill-seeking, sensation-oriented approach to all kinds of art (movies, literature, music, painting, sculpture, cartoons) culminated in two decades of what got called the culture wars ... Read More While students may be busy ... plants from all over Latin America and the Caribbean can be found in the garden, said Paul Duncan, associate director of UGAs Latin American and Caribbean Studies ... Read More CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD)  People from the community gathered at Hampton Park Sunday afternoon to honor the Lowcountrys rich African American and Caribbean culture. Were all having a ... Read More This photo gallery highlights some of the most compelling images made or published by Associated Press photographers in Latin America and the Caribbean ... of breaking news and live events ... Read More American culture is as brilliant, stimulating and creative as it has ever been. That statement goes against the talk of decline that is heard regularly among journalists and philosophers ... Read More Sign up for our Focal Point newsletter to get an exclusive inside look at what it takes to create our best photos, information about our latest visual stories and ... Read More D&Ws Street Eatery, a Fenton-based food truck, advertises as a Latin American restaurant and has ... through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More
Online Gaming Endorphina Celebrates First Human Space Flight Anniversary With 2027 Iss Slot | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Various industries are benefiting from the convenience of cryptocurrency, and one of those industries is online gaming. As per a report by the Wax, around 75% of online game players want to ... Read More Or, in the case of Tom Cruise, to the International Space Station (ISS). Cruise, one of Hollywoods most famous pilotson screen and offcould possibly be on his way to becoming the first ... Read More 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WOO Network co-founder Jack Tan led the first-anniversary celebration of WOO X, a professional-grade cryptocurrency trading platform featuring zero-fee trading and deep liquidity. Read More CASTILE  The Autism Nature Trail at Letchworth State Park celebrated its first year of operation with a small ceremony to honor the Trails earliest and most prolific donors. Fifteen ... Read More During the final days of her six-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), European Space Agency ... This isnt the first time the Italian astronaut has drawn on Hollywood ... Read More GameSpot may get a commission from retail offers. It's the spooky season, and Grand Theft Auto Online is continuing its Halloween celebrations with additional events this week and a big Halloween ... Read More Hailing all the way back from the very first Assassin's Creed game released in 2007, Altair is getting a new lease on life in the Game Cover Pop series. Compared to the original one, this 2022 ... Read More Here at DualShockers, we'll be celebrating Fallout's 25th anniversary all week long ... The series' latest release, Fallout 76, was the first online game in the series and acts as a prequel ... Read More TAIPEI, Oct. 12, 2022 /CNW/ -- WOO Network co-founder Jack Tan led the first-anniversary celebration of WOO X, a professional-grade cryptocurrency trading platform featuring zero-fee trading and ... Read More WOO X celebrates its first anniversary 'Our innovative industry combined with a decentralized workforce means long hours for the 200+ members, as we sync across time zones, checking slack channels ... Read More
Travel News Hahn Air Makes Hr 169 Tickets Available To Travel Agents In Cuba | RobinsPost News & Noticias

I mentioned the airline I was using  Peach airlines in Japan, he says. And she responded, Is Peach your travel agent? I was genuinely flabbergasted. Supposedly she had the flights ... Read More Where do you stand  or sit, as the case may be  on a controversial air travel issue ... What is the etiquette here?" Fox News Digital reached out to the user for comment. Read More Photo Credit: Delta Economy fares on flights within the U.S. and Canada ... an Airbus subsidiary that compiles daily air travel price indices. Premium cabin passenger traffic was up 28%, while ... Read More Here's what to know: Decision-making on when to buy airline tickets seems ... planning their holiday travel too late, and they miss out on some of the best prices available," said Hayley Berg ... Read More According to the airline, the agreements give it "content flexibility" to provide content and fares through NDC connections and direct channels. NDC content from American is already available via ... Read More To make the process somewhat easier, we asked travel agents ... your flights with tools such as Scott's Cheap Flights or Google Flights. Another option is to focus on earning airline miles ... Read More At the same time, the demand for flights has continued to surge as households book travel that was waylaid by the pandemic. On its quarterly earnings call Friday, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian ... Read More But if fares are getting too expensive, you may choose to book award flights instead. The best airline for holiday award travel based on the value of its points is a four-way tie among American ... Read More The Air NZ app has undergone ... a new look and designed to make our customers day of travel experience that much smoother, customers can now see all upcoming flights and key information ... Read More Licensed agents can help ... as allow for safe and healthy travel," the agency says. The State Department also explains the different types of insurance options available and how to prepare ... Read More Washington  Nasa aeronautical innovators are poised to break the sound barrier again, this time in a different way that could make it possible for all of us to one day travel by air just as ... Read More
Travel News Hawaii Asks Full Court To Hear Trump Travel Ban Appeal | RobinsPost News & Noticias

President Donald Trumps administration asked the ... The state of Hawaii pointed out just yesterday that 13 appellate judges have invalidated the travel ban, whether in its first incarnation or the ... Read More The Trump administration on Thursday night asked the Supreme Court to immediately reinstate its ban on travelers ... federal judge in Hawaii and is now being considered by the Ninth Circuit. Trump ... Read More The federal judge in Hawaii who stopped President Donald Trumps travel ban from taking ... because the plaintiffs did not ask for that. Watson said the proposed ban failed to show nationality ... Read More Editors' Blog / Analysis & Opinion News Live Blog Morning ... A U.S. appeals court on Monday allowed President Donald Trumps newest version of the travel ban to partially take effect. Read More At least seven states believe President Trump's third attempted travel ban is unconstitutional ... that ruling to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin says ... Read More Earlier this month, former President Donald Trump asked ... the Supreme Court. In Trump v. Hawaii, the Trump administration sought to implement the third iteration of its travel ban that mostly ... Read More The high court is weighing an emergency appeal from Trump asking it to overturn a lower court ruling and permit an independent arbiter, or special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with ... Read More Trump had asked the court ... made to the Supreme Court's Clarence Thomas, the justice for the 11th Circuit. Thomas could rule on his own or refer the matter to the full court. Read More The high court is weighing an emergency appeal from Trump asking it to overturn a lower court ruling and permit an independent arbiter, or special master, to review the roughly 100 documents with ... Read More Thousands of documents were seized in August from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The Justice Department has asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ... successful partial appeal, Judge Cannon issued ... Read More Likening James opposition to judge-shopping, Trumps lawyers previously asked Justice Adam Silvera, the top administrator for New York County Supreme Court, to decide the assignment question. Read More
Travel News Apac S Most Senior Level E Commerce And Digital Event For Travel Is In Singapore | RobinsPost News & Noticias

followed most recently by Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in the north. The WTTC's report expects continued gains to Asia-Pacific's travel industry in 2023, followed by another year of positive ... Read More We can also organize a real life or digital event for you and find thought leader speakers as well as industry leaders, who could be your potential partners, to join the event. We also run some awards ... Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... are one of the reasons that Asia-Pacific is losing its title as the world's ... Read More SMALL and medium enterprises (SMEs) and consumers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) are optimistic about future growth in e-commerce in the region and the future innovations in digital ... is most pronounced ... Read More As we navigate post-pandemic travel, the old adage its the ... % of APAC travellers are interested in sustainable travel options and 100% are willing to pay more for sustainable travel. But ... Read More A solid majority, 82 percent, of travel management professionals in the Asia-Pacific region expect corporate ... with the increase most pronounced in North Asia, according to Sabre. Sabre's survey ... Read More A report by the World Travel & Tourism Council ... 65% of which are projected to be in Asia-Pacific, CNBC's Monica Pitrelli reports. Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you. Read More The Asia Pacific region will no longer be the worlds largest travel region by the ... Asia Pacific hubs by the end of this year. Most travel in Asia Pacific destinations remains at 50 percent ... Read More The U.S. News & World Report travel rankings ... in other geographic regions. We rank travel destinations against one another in specific categories (e.g., Best Romantic Getaways in the USA). Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations opening, inspiration for future adventures, plus the latest in aviation, food and ... Read More
Travel News Where To Be Seen In 2017 Top 20 Bucket List Travel Destinations Revealed | RobinsPost News & Noticias

So when the editors of the website Big 7 Travel announced the list of the world's top 50 bucket ... if they had seen it on social media, and 33% of people research vacation destinations on their ... Read More This post contains everything youll want to add to your Caribbean Bucket List, to truly experience the best of this phenomenal ... than ever for everyone to travel to Cuba. Read More Fodors released a list of 25 must-see bucket list places to visit in the U.S. and included two New England destinations: Fenway Park in Boston and Maine. Consider this your USA bucket list, packed ... Read More 10 Places That Should Be on Your Bucket List ... a travel expert with AutoInsurance.org. Yellowstone National Park is rich with natural beauty and one of the best parks to see wildlife. Read More Thats why one of the biggest travel trends of 2023 will be off-the-grid vacations. Whether flying to a phone-free wellness retreat, or enjoying the serenity of nature for a camping or glamping ... Read More Five locations in the U.S. have been designated as some of the best places to travel in 2023. National Geographic released its annual "Best of the World" list last week, which features what it calls ... Read More You can also stroll down Bourbon Street to see the ... Hudson Valley 20 Best Free Things to Do in NYC 30 Best Things to Do in Chicago, From Iconic Sites to Can't-miss Museums Travel + Leisure ... Read More OK, dear readers, its your turn to offer favorite travel destinations and to submit your personal travel favorite. The holidays are coming, and with them the opportunity to update your travel ... Read More Once-in-a-lifetime vacations. Bucket list trips. Both are often celebrated as major rewards. In reality, they can mean putting undue pressure on a destinationand on ourselves. Read More Egypt, South Africa, Mauritius among touri st spots that have made travel easier ... Heres a list of 20 popular tourist destinations and the COVID measures at these places. Read More Delta Air Lines has expanded its Air+Rail offerings to 20 additional European cities ... From Brussels Airport, customers can use the train to travel to each Breda and Rotterdam in the Netherlands ... Read More By Elaine Glusac According to the travel ... of 20 percent from last year and, with rates recently starting at $625, up about $250 a night. As an expanding list of foreign destinations reopen ... Read More
Travel News Space Travel Your Guide To Celebrating Cosmonautics Day In Russia | RobinsPost News & Noticias

That said, these depictions in film only give us part of the story when it comes to Day of the Dead. For example, the holiday is celebrated ... if you're tempted to travel south of the border ... Read More Where do you expect to bump into your favorite billionaires and Hollywood ... Musk is heavily invested in its passenger space travel program, so much so that he intends on operating 1,000 ... Read More Or Subscribe to Reason Digital Now. Your Reason Digital subscription gives you instant access to brand new Reason magazine content and 50 years of Reason magazine archives. Read More That's when travel insurance can help. Travel insurance can give you peace of mind and protect your wallet in the event of an emergency, unforeseen event or situation. And the options are vast. Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... provides inspiration for your upcoming vacation plans, and Fat Bear Week weathers ... Read More Russia's Progress ... 5 and reached the ISS a day later. Editor's note: This story was updated at 8:40 p.m. EDT on Oct. 25 with news of a successful liftoff. Join our Space Forums to keep talking ... Read More With prices that high, it's a good idea to protect your wallet in the event of an unforeseen event or emergency. That's when travel insurance can come in handy. Fortunately, sites like SquareMouth ... Read More Whether you're looking for your first telescope or a backup for travel ... Be sure to also check out Space.com's Amazon Prime Day Space deals, or our guide to the best telescope deals. Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... they'll reimburse your travel from anywhere in the country. Read More When you are planning a getaway it can be pretty hard to stay up to date with all of the latest offers and experiences out there. Luckily for you, weve picked out the most exciting travel ... Read More The conversations around todays celebration of National Farmers Day also include you and metheir consumers. Because without buyers, nothing is for sale. As a consumer, your opinions matter, and you ... Read More
Travel News How A 2 2 Billion Startup Snatched 45 Of India S Online Travel Market | RobinsPost News & Noticias

India is participating at the World Travel Market 2022 in London. As Indias vibrant tourism sector emerges from the shadows of the Covid-19 induced slump, the travel industry is preparing for a flood ... Read More Globally, the quarter under review produced 20 unicorns and 45 per cent ... funding continues with startup funding in India in Q3 CY22 hitting a two-year low at USD 2.7 billion across 205 deals ... Read More The Association Les 3 Vallees announces today the launch of a new online travel agency  Les 3 Vallees ... the highest resort in Europe at 2,300m. Live today, the site will enable ... Read More Editor's Note  Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations ... title as the world's biggest travel market. Change is finally coming, though. Read More Startup funding has hit a two-year low at $2.7 billion across 205 deals in July-September quarter, says PwC Indias report. Moreover, only two startups in India attained unicorn status in the ... Read More Buying travel insurance is the easy part. It's picking the policy that can take time. You can begin the process on Squaremouth, which allows you to compare travel insurance policies from major ... Read More But it's always a herculean task to find the best travel agency which can render you the best possible travel experience. But no need for further worries as South India's no.1 Inbound Tour ... Read More utm_source=GNW Online ... revised 2.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period. - The U.S. Market is Estimated at $243.2 Billion, While China is Forecast to Grow at 5.1% CAGR - The Business Travel market ... Read More Indias government approved a plan to pay about 220 billion rupees ($2.7 billion) to state-run fuel retailers, such as Indian Oil Corp., to partly compensate them for losses and keep a check on ... Read More The Multidimensional Poverty Index shows 1.2 billion people in 111 developing ... We need some good news and India's data are very encouraging." Professor Sabina Alkire, of Oxford's Poverty ... Read More Amid global economic slowdown, startup funding in India hit a two-year low at $2.7 billion in the third quarter ... under review produced 20 unicorns and 45% of them are from the SaaS segment. Read More
Us News Former Tribal Leader In Northern California Gets Death Penalty For 2014 Killings | RobinsPost News & Noticias

This should be a death penalty case, Grammas told reporters ... The AK-47 is a standard assault rifle developed in the former Soviet Union. It is sometimes referred to as a Kalashnikov. Read More SACRAMENTO  A California correctional officer was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison on Monday for causing the death of an inmate in 2016 and pepper-spraying another because he ... Read More Here's what we know: Nikolas Cruz, the now 24-year-old who admitted to killing 17 people in Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018, has avoided the death penalty. Nikolas ... Read More Police in Stockton, California, said Saturday they have arrested a man suspected of killing six people in a string of murders that have rocked the area in Northern California. Thanks to tips and ... Read More Prosecutors on Monday charged a California man in the kidnapping and killings of an 8-month-old ... Warnke called for Salgado to face the death penalty, but District Attorney Kimberly Lewis ... Read More STOCKTON, Calif.  The Stockton Police Department confirmed Friday there is no connection between the Stockton killings suspect and the individual who killed two people in Chicagos Rogers ... Read More Mark Mitchell, the chairman of the All Pueblo Council of Governors and the former governor of ... two dozen pueblos and other tribal nations. Some tribal leaders said Friday there still is a ... Read More
Us News A Missouri Town Exiled A Woman For Calling The Police On Her Abusive Ex | RobinsPost News & Noticias

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo ... her, it was readily apparent that she had been held against her will for a significant period of time, Excelsior Springs police Lt. Ryan Dowdy said. The woman ... Read More LOUISIANA, Mo. (AP)  The police chief in a small Missouri town has been charged with felony ... phone and email messages on Thursday, and a woman answering the phone at City Hall declined ... Read More Police officers in Missouri are investigation a kidnapping after a woman who claims she was being held against her will escaped a home and sought help from neighbors. Authorities found the ... Read More LOUISIANA, Mo.  The police chief in a small Missouri town has been charged with felony ... to phone and email messages on Thursday, and a woman answering the phone at City Hall declined to ... Read More Probable cause warrants filed against Police Chief William Jones state that drugs found inside his apartment may have been taken from a department evidence locker. Read More Police in Missouri are looking for a 21-year-old woman they say was taken at gunpoint Tuesday morning by her ex-boyfriend. Ferguson Police say Karrena Cummings is 5 feet 5 inches tall and 235 pounds ... Read More The police chief in a small Missouri town has been charged with felony drug ... respond to phone and email messages on Thursday, and a woman answering the phone at City Hall declined to answer ... Read More LOUISIANA (AP) -- The police chief in a small Missouri town has been charged with felony drug crimes after his girlfriend's brother was found dead from an apparent overdose in the police chief's ... Read More
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World News Trump Shows Signs He Will Rekindle Us Vietnam Relations | RobinsPost News & Noticias




World News Critics Of Turkey S President Across Europe Tell Of Threats | RobinsPost News & Noticias

But a range of critics ... in Turkey under Mr. Erdogan, who has been the countrys premier politician since 2003 and president since 2014. In recent years, the websites of foreign news ... Read More A new media law passed last month criminalises the sharing of fake news, with punishments of ... But opponents say that Turkeys law is aimed solely at chilling criticism of President Recep Tayyip ... Read More ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday doubled down on his proposal to turn Turkey into a gas hub for Europe after ... Turkeys state-run news agency however ... Read More CHINAS President Xi Jinping has made his first statement on the subject of conflict since the war in Ukraine broke out. President Xi condemned nuclear weaponry, speaking to Germanys ... Read More Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday doubled down on his proposal to turn Turkey into a gas hub for Europe after deliveries to Germany through the Baltic Sea's Nord Stream pipeline were ... Read More ANKARA, Turkey (AP)  Turkeys main opposition party applied to ... social media laws with the stated aim of combating fake news. Critics fear that the measure will be used to further crack ... Read More UKs James Cleverly says Russian president ... 2022 FIFA World Cup. It has just gone 7pm in Kyiv  heres where thing stand. A wave of Russian missiles struck hydroelectric plants and other critical ... Read More The group's president ... World Bank has started, Thanu Yakupitiyage, the head of U.S. Communications for environmental group 350.org, told ABC News. But it cant just end with some criticism. Read More Moscow has claimed it will publish proof that British specialist troops were involved in a drone attack over the weekend on Russias Black Sea Fleet. It comes as the British ministry of defence ... Read More
World News Turkey Explosion At Police Station Was Terror Attack | RobinsPost News & Noticias

At least 41 workers have died following an enormous underground mine explosion in Turkey and rescuers are ... Private NTV news channel claim a number of workers have already been brought out ... Read More The death toll from a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey rose to at least ... the explosion on Friday. (Ihlas News Agency/Reuters) Separately, the Turkish police headquarters said in a ... Read More An explosion inside a coal mine in northern Turkey has killed at least 40 people and left 11 others hospitalized, state news media reported on Saturday. The explosion took place in the Black Sea ... Read More At least 41 people were killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey on Friday, officials said. As a fire burned in the mine and desperate relatives waited for news, rescue efforts continued ... Read More No, there is only one state terrorist and the whole world ... attacks on civilians in Zaporizhzhia a war crime and urged an international investigation. Stunned residents watched from behind ... Read More Around 110 miners were said to be working when the explosion was caused; relatives waited all night to get some news of their family ... mine explosion in northern Turkey rose to at least 41 ... Read More An explosion inside a coal mine ... People rushed to the mine for news of trapped friends or colleagues, DHA reported. In Turkeys worst mine disaster, a total of 301 people died in 2014 in ... Read More Turkey on Monday marked the seventh anniversary of the bloodiest terrorist attack in its history ... although court documents revealed that the Ankara police had received prior intelligence concerning ... Read More A terrorist attack was thwarted on the territory of the Stavropol ... The group included citizens of the Central Asian republics who planned to blow up the city police department, the statement said, ... Read More Russia has blamed a specific country for the explosions for the first time after previously accusing the West of being responsible. Read More Turkish police said in a statement that legal action would be taken against 12 people who allegedly shared provocative content about the mine explosion to incite hate on social media. Turkey's ... Read More AMASRA, Turkey (AP)  Funerals for miners killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey began Saturday as officials raised the death toll to at least 41 people. Desperate relatives had ... Read More
World News Venezuela S Opposition Holds Its Biggest Protests In Years Will They Change Anything | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Venezuela's Opposition Unwilling to Back Interim Guaido Govt for 2023 By Marianna Parraga and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition parties have warned they are likely to ... Read More Venezuela Opposition to Hold Presidential ... Maduro's press office said it was not ruling out moving up the general election. International agencies and governments around the world have refused ... Read More The Venezuelan government and the political opposition are preparing to resume talks stalled for more than a year, according to three people familiar with the process ... Read More Venezuelas biggest opposition ... Leaders of three of the largest parties that make up the opposition coalition said during meetings in Panama last week that they would no longer support ... Read More Venezuela has the worlds biggest oil reserves and used to pump more than 3mn barrels per day. However, years of mismanagement ... triggering protests from Spanish opposition politicians ... Read More The Biden administration has extended an olive branch to Venezuela. It might sway Caracas to resume talks with the opposition for elections, and eventually let Venezuelan oil back on the world market. Read More CARACAS, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition has agreed to hold primary elections in which ... International agencies and governments around the world have refused to recognize the results ... Read More WASHINGTON, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Venezuela ... s invasion of Ukraine and efforts to curb its energy exports. Five of six opposition-party representatives told State Department officials on Tuesday ... Read More WASHINGTON (Reuters ... Russia's invasion of Ukraine and efforts to curb its energy exports. Five of six opposition-party representatives told State Department officials on Tuesday they would ... Read More Venezuela's opposition has agreed to hold primary elections ... Inc. Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the worlds largest international multimedia news provider ... Read More CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's opposition has agreed to hold primary elections in which it will choose ... International agencies and governments around the world have refused to recognize the ... Read More
World News Istanbul A City Divided Ahead Of Turkey Referendum | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Photojournalist Frankie Mills captured some of the thousands of daily journeys across the divided city ... rest of the world as enemies. Even though I have no home or job in Turkey, no money ... Read More A massive fire broke out in a 24-storey building in Turkey's Instanbul late ... place in the Fikirtepe area of Istanbul's Kadikoy district, The National News reported, adding that the fire started ... Read More HORROR videos have emerged of a high-rise block of flats in Istanbul completely engulfed ... sending smoke billowing across the city. Local media is reporting the fire started in the lower levels ... Read More A massive fire tore through a huge tower block in Turkeys Istanbul on Sunday ... after another fire broke out in the same area of the city owing to a gas leak which led to a huge explosion ... Read More The people of the Turkish crypto ecosystem are very eager to apply the age-old words of wisdom The bear market is an opportunity to build to make Istanbul  the business hub of Turkey ... Read More By Nevzat Devranoglu and Ece Toksabay ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday his party could put to a referendum ... Read More (MENAFN) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has suggested a referendum to alter Turkey's constitution to ... Speaking in the southern Turkish city of Malatya on Saturday, Erdogan challenged ... Read More ISTANBUL, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The conversation flowed from Turkish to Russian as Oleg and Aleksandra Chernousov chatted to guests at the launch of their bookstore in Istanbul, the start of a new ... Read More ISTANBUL - Turkey on Tuesday called for a ceasefire in Ukraine just days ahead of a meeting between the leaders of Turkey and Russia in the Kazakh capital Astana. Turkish President Recep Tayyip ... Read More Turkey called for a ceasefire in Ukraine just days ahead of a likely meeting ... AFP covers the world as a leading global news agency. AFP provides fast, comprehensive and verified coverage ... Read More Turkey on Tuesday called for a ceasefire in Ukraine just days ahead of a meeting between the ... between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul in March, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ... Read More
World News Sweden Truck Attack Suspect Tried To Join Islamic State Uzbek Security Source | RobinsPost News & Noticias

"The defendants routed nearly six million dollars in illicit payments to two of the worlds most ... s top national security official, said in a statement. The Islamic State group is abbreviated ... Read More ZAPORIZHZHIA, Ukraine (AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the attack that damaged ... No, there is only one state terrorist and the whole world knows who he is. ... Read More He was charged with driving a truck into people on a bike path near ... cared about Allah and the holy war being waged by the Islamic State. U.S. District Judge Vernon S. Broderick told potential ... Read More Taliban Kill Six Islamic State Members in ... who said one Taliban security force member was killed in the operation. No group claimed responsibility for either attack. The blast at the female ... Read More 18 (UPI) --A French global building manufacturing company pleaded guilty and was fined $777.78 million on Tuesday for paying the Islamic State for ... Office said. World News // 6 hours ago ... Read More Oct. 17 (UPI) --In what appears to be a growing regional trend, the Swedish parliament on Monday elected a new prime minister who enjoys support from the far-right Sweden Democrats. Ulf ... Read More Sweden Shuns Formal Joint Investigation of Nord Stream Leak, Citing National Security BERLIN (Reuters) - Sweden has rejected plans to set up a formal joint investigation team with Denmark and ... Read More FILE - A logo of Lafarge, the world's largest cement maker, is pictured outside of a facility, in Paris, Sept. 8, 2017. Lafarge has pleaded guilty to paying $17 million to the Islamic State group ... Read More Taliban security forces killed six Islamic State members in an overnight operation ... No group claimed responsibility for either attack. The blast at the female section of the Kaaj Institute ... Read More KABUL, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Taliban security forces killed six Islamic State members in an overnight ... No group claimed responsibility for either attack. The blast at the female section of the ... Read More Taliban security forces killed six Islamic State members in an overnight operation ... No group claimed responsibility for either attack. The blast at the female section of the Kaaj Institute ... Read More
World News Italy Approves Measures To Accelerate Asylum Procedures | RobinsPost News & Noticias

A German humanitarian group said its ship docked in southern Italy early Tuesday and disembarked all 89 people on board who had been rescued at sea, ending one migrant rescue saga as three others ... Read More ROME (AP)  Giorgia Meloni on Friday formed Italys new ruling coalition, assembling the countrys first far-right-led government since the end of World War II and becoming the first woman ... Read More ROME (Reuters) - Giorgia Meloni has accepted a mandate to form Italy's next government, a presidential official said on Friday, paving the way for her to become the country's first woman prime ... Read More Driving down the world's most famous staircase ... summer and tourists flooded back to Europe, the news of visitors behaving badly in Italy just kept coming. In June, two American tourists ... Read More ROME (AP)  Giorgia Meloni on Friday formed Italys new ruling coalition, giving the country its first far-right-led government since the end of World War ... to Italian news agency LaPresse ... Read More A state-appointed commissioner gave the green light Tuesday to a contested new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal considered crucial to Italy's plan to wean itself off Russian gas. Its approval ... Read More World News // 7 hours ago 35 adult migrants denied entry to Italy Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Passengers of a rescue ship carrying migrants were denied entry to Italy in a show of new Italian Premier ... Read More On Sunday, a lava overflow caused the collapse of a portion of the crater rim which gave rise to a pyroclastic flow, according to Italys National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. Read More ITALY are absent from the 2022 World Cup and everyone is asking the same question - why? Roberto Mancini's men were ever so impressive during Euro 2020 and gained plaudits for their performances. Read More Weekly newspaper describes Britaly as country of political instability, low growth and subordination to markets Italys ambassador ... sought out food in the world, as the second largest ... Read More A state-appointed commissioner gave the green light Tuesday to a contested new liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal considered crucial to Italy's plan to wean itself off Russian gas. Its approval came ... Read More
World News Hungary Urged To Discuss Potential Changes With Soros Founded University | RobinsPost News & Noticias

The Scholarship Programme for Christian Young People was founded in 2017 by the Hungarian government. The Hungary ... to reporting news concerning the Catholic Church around the world. Read More Hungary on Track to Meet All Commitments Made to Secure Deal on EU Funds -Minister BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's Development Minister Tibor Navracsics said on Wednesday that informal feedback ... Read More Thousands of Hungarians including teachers and students marched through Budapest on Sunday to protest against the government, demanding higher wages for teachers and a curb on surging inflation ... Read More As a result of the changes, in Hungary, for example, any transaction between PayPal and a bank account of over 2 million forints ($4,680) could mean the tax authorities were notified. Despite the ... Read More It "will have a huge role in shipping Ukrainian grains," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told a news conference in Fenyeslitke in eastern Hungary ... is one of the world's biggest ... Read More Hungary Government Expands Scheme That Caps Mortgage Rates - Govt Decree BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's government has expanded its existing scheme that caps mortgage rates effective Nov. 1 to ... Read More Only a few months after the Warsaw summit, the governments of Poland and Hungary, who have been ideological ... the presidents of the four countries to discuss regional security and the energy ... Read More Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a joint news conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer (both not pictured), in Budapest, Hungary ... Read More Hungarys planned $360 million energy-efficiency program for factories will start in November, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in an emailed statement on Saturday. While companies across ... Read More 20 (UPI) --NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerssont Thursday to discuss ... the change will add a new revenue source to the company. World News ... Read More Hungary took emergency action to halt the free-fall of the currency, shortly after Prime Minister Viktor Orban asked the central bank and his finance minister to rein in runaway inflation. The ... Read More BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary's prime minister said on Friday that an agreement had been reached at the EU summit in Brussels that any future EU gas price cap will not apply to long-term gas supply ... Read More
World News Turkey S Referendum Millions Of Voters With Myriad Views | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he may call for a referendum to protect womens right to wear headscarves and the conservative concept of the family in the constitution if MPs do not ... Read More Officials from Erdogans office could not immediately be reached for comment. Turkeys state-run news agency however, quoted Turkish Energy Minister Fatih Donmez as saying on Wednesday that it ... Read More Turkey currently ranks 149 out of 180 countries on Reporters Without Borders world press ... Facebooks owner, over a demand that every social media company with more than 1 million users ... Read More Turkey's Parliament last week ratified a law introducing jail terms for journalists and social media users who spread "fake news," or disinformation. The law, proposed by President Recep Tayyip ... Read More Rarely has it been tried more dramatically than in Turkey ... two hundred million passengers per year  which is 80 million more than Atlanta, Georgia, which is the world's busiest airport ... Read More By Ben Hubbard and Safak Timur ISTANBUL  Turkeys Parliament ... spoke from the Parliaments podium to the millions of young Turks who will be eligible to vote for the first time next ... Read More Private NTV news channel claim a number of workers have ... A total of 301 people died in Turkeys worst mine disaster back in 2014 following a fire inside a coal mine in Soma. Read More Voters in the Greenfield School District will have a decision to make Nov. 8 on a $5 million per year operational ... Department of Public Instruction's referendum database. In 2008, district ... Read More "Although Turkey provided temporary protection to 3.6 million Syrian refugees ... killing at least 19 people. World News // 3 hours ago Russian judge in Ukraine's Donetsk region survives alleged ... Read More Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images An explosion deep inside a coalmine in Turkeys mountainous northern Black ... union told the local Cumhuriyet news outlet that increasing safety measures ... Read More The parcels border the city's $84 million renovation of ... that will take effect if the referendum passes. Here are the details of that deal, now in voters hands: The parcels include the ... Read More
World News Trump Unlikely Russia Had No Knowledge Of Syrian Chemical Attack | RobinsPost News & Noticias

U.S. officials still say that Moscow is unlikely to go nuclear in Ukraine. But Washington doesnt have many good options to prevent Putins worst intentions. Read More A resident of the Russian-occupied capital of Ukraines Kherson region says soldiers are forcing civilians from their apartments and moving in themselves. His account of soldiers ... Read More Russian Foreign Ministry cyber chief Artur Lyukmanov warned Newsweek of "full-fledged interstate confrontation" with "the use of conventional means of warfare." ... Read More
World News Topics North Korea Warns Of Nuclear Strike If Provoked By U S | RobinsPost News & Noticias

SEOUL, South Korea ... nuclear strike capabilities. North Korea said earlier this week that its missile tests in the past two weeks were simulated nuclear attacks on key South Korean and U.S ... Read More North Korea has issued a veiled threat Tuesday to use nuclear weapons to get the U.S. and South Korea to "pay the most horrible price in history. Read More The United States warned Monday that North Korea is "likely" to conduct a nuclear ... conference by U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price, stressing that Washington has been warning of this ... Read More North Korea's recent flurry of ... the South with tactical nuclear weapons as a warning after large-scale navy drills by South Korean and US forces, state news agency KCNA said on Monday. Read More South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol warned Tuesday that North Korea is threatening not only his country but the whole world ... Yonhap news agency. Yoon maintained that "North Korea's nuclear ... Read More South Korea ... nuclear-capable ballistic missiles, warplanes and other assets to practice possible strikes on South Korean and U.S. targets. North Korea said the drills were meant as a warning ... Read More A TV screen shows an image of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a news program ... Korean and U.S. forces involving an aircraft carrier. As Biden warns of 'Armageddon,' a nuclear expert ... Read More North Korea's KPA released another statement on Wednesday afternoon, warning ... said Monday. World News // 1 hour ago China's imports, exports shrink in October as demand from U.S. plummets ... Read More By Jeffrey Lewis Mr. Lewis is a nuclear arms control expert at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. The 30-year U.S. effort to compel North Korea to give up its ballistic missile ... Read More SEOUL, Oct. 13 (UPI) --North Korea launched two long-range cruise missiles that are capable of carrying tactical nuclear ... of the week. World News // 20 hours ago Iran marks U.S. Embassy ... Read More S. Korea Says It Has Ability to Intercept North's Missiles By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG, Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea's military said Tuesday its capable of ... Read More
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World News Topics In Surprise Move Iran S Ahmadinejad To Run For President | RobinsPost News & Noticias

Saudi Arabia has shared intelligence with American officials that suggests Iran could be preparing for an imminent attack on the kingdom, three U.S. officials said Tuesday. The heightened concerns ... Read More Saudi Arabia has shared intelligence with American officials that suggests Iran could be preparing for an imminent attack on the kingdom. That's according to three U.S. officials who spoke on ... Read More
Letters 11-4-22 A Vote For Tom Sullivan Dear Editor: On Election Day, I will be proudly voting for Colonel Thomas P. Sullivan for State Assembly. A proven leader, and financial professional. A vote for Tom Sullivan is...

Letters 10-28-22 Thanks, Stacey Dear Editor: I would like to recognize Stacey Amato for the tireless work she has done in our community. She responded to every call I have ever made to her office with results....
PROTESTS have been held this morning over pay and conditions at a Rotherham construction site.

The protests near the under-construction biomass plant off Sheffield Road in Templeborough focus on several Danish firms who are involved in the funding and building of major energy from waste projects in the UK.

South Yorkshire Police this morning warned motorists of possible travel disruption on Sheffield Road due to the planned protest.

Construction unions GMB and Unite allege that the companies are undercutting and exploitation of construction workers by as much as 39 per cent compared to agreed industry rates.

Representatives from the two unions will be handing in a petition containing over 5,000 signatures to the Danish embassy at 11am calling on the Danish government to launch an investigation.

The unions said Babcock & Wilcox Vlund, which is building the 165 million Rotherham plant, sub-contracted large chunks of their work to Croatian company Duro Dakovic, which paid workers as little as the minimum wage of 7.50 an hour.

The industry agreement (NAECI) has a basic rate of 16.97 an hour with an hourly bonus of 2.37 an hour.

Phil Whitehurst, GMB national officer for construction, said: We have endeavoured to negotiate with the construction companies responsible, but they refuse to sign up to national agreements in the UK, such as NAECI, which would put everyone on a level playing field.

Construction workers are angry that Danish companies are exploiting workers and undercutting pay rates, to boost their profits.

A spokeswoman for Babcock & Wilcox Vlund said: We are disappointed by the disruption caused to Templeborough residents and businesses by the union protest today.

We have held constructive talks with unions at both a local and national level, and we believe good progress is being made.

We would therefore call upon them to stop these actions, and instead direct energies to reaching a mutually beneficial agreement.



Once completed, our sites will deliver significant benefits to these local communities and the country as a whole with a conservative estimate of 40 million to the economy.

We are part of a growing number of renewable energy projects across the UK, all of which generate clean and safe forms of power from renewable sources, and help to protect our environment.
Sierra Leone has postponed the sale of a 709.41-carat rough diamond found last month by a local artisanal miner to allow bidders more time to take part.

Rapaport reports that prospective buyers would now view the diamond until May 10 at the Bank of Sierra Leone in Freetown.

The process was previously set to end on 6 April.

Government said that buyers would make an offer on May 11, adding bids would be received and opened on the same day.

The stone, found by Pastor Emmanuel A. Momoh, was presented to Sierra Leones president.

A 969 carat diamond found in 1973 at Diminco Mine was the largest ever diamond to be recovered in the country.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




Firestone has opted to issue 1,027,840 new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in respect of the quarterly interest due on the Eurobonds, for the quarter ended 31 March 2017.

Eurobonds amounting to $30.0 million had been issued as at 31 March 2017, it said in a statement.

Firestone would also issue 513,920 new ordinary shares to Pacific Road Resources Fund and Pacific Road Resources Fund II as well as 513,920 new ordinary shares to Resource Capital Fund VI in respect of the interest due on the Eurobonds, for the same quarter.

The company had since made an application to the London Stock Exchange for the new ordinary shares to be admitted to trading on AIM.

Admission and dealings in the new ordinary shares was expected to commence on 18 April 2017.

On admission, the company would have 316,915,212 ordinary shares in issue.

Accordingly,316,915,212 [ordinary shares] may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change in their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure and Transparency Rules, it said.



Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished




The Kiran Gems group has announced the restructuring of its operations which will include the creation of several separate and independent businesses in different countries.

Diamond World reports that in the wake of new restructuring some Kiran's subsidiaries, namely Kiran Jewels Inc., Unique Design, SDIL, Prestige, which are from the USA and Kiran Export Hong Kong- from Hong Kong, will no longer remain parts of the Kiran Gems Private Limited.

This restructuring would technically end all the relations between the above named companies and Kiran Gems Pvt. Ltd, which continues to be De Beers Sightholder.

Post the restructuring, all entities would continue to function as normal independent businesses in their respective geographies.



Theodor Lisovoy, Rough&Polished, Moscow




Rep. John Carter (R-TX-31) joined SENSR Monitoring Technologies, LLC, (SENSR) for a site tour in Georgetown, Texas on April 11.

SENSR President Walt Bleser guided Rep. Carter through SENSRs operations. SENSR has developed monitoring solutions to help clients monitor the safety and stability of critical structures, such as rail and highway bridges. SENSRs technologies are designed to help bridge owners manage difficult challenges like scour, collisions, settlement and nearby construction activities and to keep them aware of conditions at their bridge sites.

As part of the SENSR facility tour, Bleser demonstrated how SENSR works and explained a recent incident when the technology detected two barge strikes to a bridge across the Mississippi River, an incident that is now a case study for the importance of bridge monitoring technologies.

I appreciate SENSR for hosting this important and informative event. It is an honor to represent our job creators and their employees throughout Texas district 31, and have the opportunity to discuss the many issues with them, said Rep. Carter.

National Railroad Construction & Maintenance Association (NRC) organized the event.
SFCTA

The San Francisco County Transportation Authority (SFCTA) approved $5.46 million in funds to advance engineering associated with the second phase of the Transbay Transit Center/Caltrain Downtown Extension (TTC/DTX) project.

The money comes from and allocation of Proposition K, a voter-approved sales tax that funds a General Fund. The allocation totals $5,464,675 and includes $4,549,675 for DTX preliminary engineering and $915,000 for a Tunneling Options Engineering Study. TTC/DTX is the largest project in the Prop K Expenditure Plan, which designates up to $270 million (in 2003 dollars) for this purpose.

SFCTA says the TTC/DTX project will transform downtown San Francisco and regional transportation by replacing the outmoded terminal with a modern terminal; extending Caltrain 1.3 miles from Fourth and King streets to the new TTC at First and Mission streets, with accommodations for future high-speed rail service and creating a new transit-friendly neighborhood.

Parsons Transportation Group extended a design contract for the project in 2014 and will incorporate feedback from the SFCTA Board to bring design of the DTX to 30 percent for new elements and modified elements (per the SEIR/SEIS) that are common to all alignments being evaluated in the Planning Departments Railyard Alternatives and I-280 Boulevard Feasibility Study. The work is scheduled to be complete by December 2017.

The allocated funding will also go toward an engineering study to analyze opportunities to reduce surface impacts due to construction of DTX. The subject request to fund a Tunnel Options Engineering Study would focus on three areas: Throat cut-and-cover (west side of the Transbay Transit Center where three tracks need to fan into six tracks); Townsend Cut-and-Cover and the Third/Townsend ventilation structure site. The work is scheduled to be complete within three months of issuing a Notice to Proceed.
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff has appointed Fred Tallarico Regional Director of Design-Build for the company's Northeast and Central regions. Tallarico will manage the firm's pursuit and execution of transit, highway and infrastructure projects using alternative delivery methods such as design-build and P3s (public-private partnerships). He is based in New York City.

Tallarico has nearly 30 years of experience with alternative delivery, program, project and operational management. His areas of expertise include strategic planning, design and construction engineering, technical oversight, production management and procurement for large-scale civil works projects including urban freeways, rail transit, utilities/pipeline, aviation and water infrastructure.

Prior to joining WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff, Tallarico was Regional Manager of the Alternative Delivery Program at Jacobs Engineering, responsible for pursuit identification, capture planning, contract negotiations and management oversight of alternative delivery projects.

A licensed professional engineer in New York, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, Tallarico received a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from Penn State University. He is a member of the American Public Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, American Society of Professional Engineers, Design Build Institute of America, and Construction Management Association of America.
Keller Group plc (KLR.L), a geotechnical contractor, announced that it has acquired instrumentation and monitoring company, GEO-Instruments, in North America.



GEO-Instruments supply, manufacture, install, and integrate monitoring systems for buildings, excavations, bridges, railways, roads, tunnels, dams, embankments, and slopes.

Keller Group specified that GEO-Instruments will operate as a division of Getec and be led by its former owner, Pierre Gouvin, as President. Getec in North America will fall under the management of Keller company Hayward Baker.

"The acquisition fits well within Keller's strategic framework driving growth, leveraging the scale of the group and enhancing operations", said Joseph Hubback, Keller Group Strategy Director and Global Lead for Getec (Keller's global instrumentation and monitoring brand).

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
WH Smith plc (SMWH.L) reported Group profit before tax of 83 million pounds for the six months ended 28 February 2017 compared to 80 million pounds, previous year. Profit for the period increased to 69 million pounds from 66 million pounds. Earnings per share increased by 7% to 61.6 pence from 57.4 pence.

First-half total Group sales were up 2% at 643 million pounds from 633 million pounds, last year, with Group LFL sales flat.

Stephen Clarke, Group Chief Executive stated: "In Travel, we continue to see strong sales growth, with like-for-likes up 5%, driven by continued investment in our UK and international businesses and growth in passenger numbers. As a result, profit in Travel was up 11% in the half. In our growing international , we have now won 255 stores including 10 stores in Singapore following a significant tender win in Changi Airport."

The Board of WH Smith plc has declared an interim dividend of 14.6 pence per share, a 9% increase on last year. The Group will issue its third quarter Trading Update on 14 June 2017.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has apologized for his controversial remarks that Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons as did Syrian President Bashar al Assad. Spicer made the controversial remarks comparing the two leaders while responding to a question during press briefing Tuesday.

Referring to Russian President Putin's support to Syria, a correspondent asked Spicer, "What makes you think that at this point he's going to pull back in his support for President Assad and for the Syrian government right now?"

"We didn't use chemical weapons in World War II. You had someone as despicable as Hitler who didn't even sink to using chemical weapons. So you have to, if you're Russia, ask yourself is this a country that you and a regime that you want to align yourself with," the spokesman replied.

When astonished journalists sought clarification on his remarks, Spicer said: "I think when you come to sarin gas, there was no -- he (Hitler) was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing."



Hitler, who gassed millions during the Holocaust, did not use chemical weapons against his own people, while the authoritarian Syrian President is blamed for many chemical attacks that killed civilians.

A U.N. fact-finding mission found likely use of the nerve agent sarin in at least three deadly attacks and a couple of dropping of chlorine bombs.

"I mistakenly used an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust for which, frankly, there is no comparison," Spicer later told CNN.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Brazil's retail sales declined unexpectedly in February, defying expectations for an increase, figures from the statistical office IBGE showed Wednesday.

Retail sales dropped 0.2 percent in February, slower than the 0.7 fall in the previous month. Economists had expected a 0.4 percent increase.

Year-on-year, retail sales tumbled 3.2 percent after 7.0 percent drop in the previous month. Economists had forecast a 7 percent decrease.

Broad retail sales, which includes those of construction material and automobile spare parts, increased 1.4 percent on month, compared to a 2 gain expected by economists. It fell 0.2 percent in the previous month.

On a year-on-year basis, broad retail sales decreased 4.2 percent following 4.8 percent drop in the previous month. Economists had expected a 7.1 percent decline.

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.
Editors Pick

Package delivery and logistic major Deutsche Post DHL Group Tuesday raised fiscal 2022 EBIT guidance after reporting higher third-quarter profit with strong revenues. The company also maintained its mid-term outlook for 2024. CEO Frank Appel said, "The first three quarters of the year were the most successful in our company's history thanks to the international DHL business..."

Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. is planning to begin large-scale layoffs this week, mostly starting Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter. The layoffs are likely to impact many thousands of employees, and the social media platform is preparing to notify employees of the job cuts, the report said. Employees already have been informed to cancel nones

German biotechnology company BioNTech SE reported Monday sharply lower profit in its third quarter reflecting weak revenues. Looking ahead, BioNTech has raised the lower end of its fiscal 2022 COVID-19 vaccine revenue estimate. In pre-market activity in Nasdaq, BioNTech shares were losing around 3.2 percent.
A study published by poverty-fighting organization Oxfam America Wednesday says the 50 biggest U.S. companies, including global brands such as Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, GE, Chevron, Walmart and Apple have stashed $1.6 trillion in offshore tax havens.

In a new report, based on corporate financial, lobbying, and investor disclosures released ahead of Tax Day, Oxfam revealed that the 50 largest U.S. companies relied on an opaque and secretive network of at least 1,751 subsidiaries in tax havens to avoid paying their fair share of taxes.

Oxfam also warned that reforms proposed by President Donald Trump and Congressional leaders will only further rig the rules in favor of the rich and powerful, deepen the inequality crisis, and harm poor families in the U.S. and in developing countries worldwide.

"While President Trump was elected on the promise to fix the rigged political and economic system, his proposals will only enrich powerful corporations and enable special interests to game the tax code at the expense of ordinary taxpayers and small businesses," said Robbie Silverman, senior advisor for Oxfam America and one of the authors of the report.

"Every year rigged tax rules cost Americans approximately $135 billion in corporate tax dodging and sap an estimated $100 billion from poor countries - revenue that should go towards building schools, bridges and hospitals," he added.

The report,reveals that the U.S. companies have deepened their use of tax havens and boosted their investments in building political influence to push for even greater tax breaks than they already enjoy. Even as these 50 companies earned over $4.2 trillion in profits globally, they used offshore tax havens to lower their effective overall tax rate to just 25.9 percent. Oxfam estimates that for every $1 these companies spent lobbying on tax issues, they received an estimated $1,200 in tax breaks.

The report does not accuse any of the companies of acting illegally, but demonstrates how the current tax system permits companies to dodge hundreds of billions of dollars of tax within the bounds of the law.

Oxfam estimates that the top 50 U.S. companies would stand to gain between $312-327 billion from the repatriation holidays proposed by President Trump and the House GOP. Just 4 companies - Apple, Pfizer, Microsoft and General Electric-together could potentially pocket as much as $132 billion in new tax breaks from this single policy change.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business News
The Department of State has warned U.S. citizens against all non-essential travel to Pakistan.

Consular services provided by the American Embassy in Islamabad, the Consulate General in Karachi, and the Consulate General in Lahore are often limited due to the security environment. At this time, the Consulate General in Peshawar is not providing consular services, the State Department said in a s Travel Warning update Wednesday.

It warned that throughout Pakistan, foreign and indigenous terrorist groups continue to pose a danger to U.S. citizens.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Political News
Schippers for Hengelo

11 June

HENGELO (NED): World 200m champion Dafne Schippers has said one of her targets this summer is to break her 100m lifetime best of 10.81, informs ad.nl . It feels strange that I did not have an indoor season but Im ready to start racing again. I hope to improve my personal best in the 100m (10.81) in 2017 and preferably go below 10.8. You have to aim high, she said. Schippers will compete in the 100m on home soil at the 36th FBK Games in Hengelo on(IAAF World Challenge). She is currently training in USA and plans to compete at IAAF World Relays in Bahamas.
Scot Ross: Were seeing something  lets say and do something
When former President Obama was pondering military action against Syria, Sen. Tammy Baldwin said the Democratic commander in chief needed to consult Congress. Now she is calling on our Republican commander in chief to seek congressional approval for any additional actions following last week's bombing strike against Syria. While she called the bombing raid "a measured response" to the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons, she is concerned by "the lack of a clear and comprehensive strategy for Syria and the region." PHOTO BY ASSOCIATED PRESS
An on-duty Wisconsin State Trooper may have been attempting to catch up to another vehicle when he lost control of his patrol car and was killed early Tuesday morning on I-90/94 near Wisconsin Dells, Sauk County Sheriff Chip Meister said Tuesday afternoon.

The trooper, Anthony J. Borostowski, 34, of Tomah, was killed instantly when he apparently lost control of his car, which left the interstate and crashed into a tree, Meister confirmed during a somber news conference at the Sauk County Sheriffs office in Baraboo.

Borostowskis death was felt throughout the states law enforcement community and beyond Tuesday afternoon, with Gov. Scott Walker ordering statewide flags flown at half mast "as a mark of respect" for the fallen trooper, who had served as a member of the Wisconsin State Patrol since 2014.

I stand here today with deep sorrow with the loss of one of ours, Wisconsin State Patrol Lt. Col. Steven Krueger said as he joined Meister during the 20-minute news conference. Law enforcement is all one big family.

The Sauk County Sheriffs Department is the lead agency investigating the crash, Meister said, and investigators will seek to reconstruct the crash.

The department already has determined that the patrol car, a marked 2009 Crown Victoria, was going at a high speed, Meister said.

We are still investigating to determine if the trooper was attempting to catch up to a violator and what caused him to lose control of the patrol car, the sheriff said. High speeds were a factor in the crash.

Borotowski apparently pulled onto the east-bound lanes of the interstate from the median about a mile from where the crash occurred, Meister said. A semi-truck driver who witnessed the crash reported that the patrol cars emergency lights were not activated at the time of the crash.

Anyone else who may have seen the crash or events leading up to it is urged to contact the Sauk County Sheriffs Department at 800-377-1195.

Whether weather or road conditions played a part in the crash was unknown as of Tuesday afternoon, the sheriff said. The older squad car was not equipped with a video camera.

Walker, whose office released the fallen officers name late Tuesday morning, said in a statement he met Borotowski in 2015 when the officer received the Wisconsin State Patrols Lifesaving Award for saving a mans life by performing CPR.

Tonette and I send our prayers to Anthonys family as they grieve the loss of their loved one, Walker said. Anthony will never be forgotten.

In addition to his meritorious service as a state patrolman, Borotowski had served since 2004 in the Wisconsin Army National Guard, Krueger said. He was single and had lived in Tomah since his assignment with the state patrol began.

He is the second officer from what Krueger referred to as the Trooper Academys 60th Recruit Class of 2014 to lose his life in the line of duty.

He was a true public servant, he didnt just serve the people of Wisconsin with our agency, Krueger said. I can tell you one thing, this young man made a difference.

Fellow "60th Recruit Class" member Trevor Casper was slain in Fond du Lac in March 2015, during in a shootout with a bank robber.
By SA Commercial Prop News

Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau on Tuesday confirmed that the City of Johannesburg is to spend about R30 billion on infrastructure developments and service delivery in the next three years.



Johannesburg Mayor Parks Tau on Tuesday confirmed that the City of Johannesburg is to spend about R30 billion on infrastructure developments and service delivery in the next three years.

Addressing the Service Delivery Summit, Tau said the City had prioritised to relook at its finances. This, according to him, is to enable the City to address service delivery issues much better. We felt it was imperative to rethink how money is spent, he said.

Tau said since the City had decided on tightening the belt during the past two years, it had yielded positive results.

The Summit is aimed at informing communities about the Citys plans and encouraging them to engage the City in matters involving service delivery.

Tau told delegates at the Summit that the City was aware of the growing population and that it was doing everything to ensure that its economy grew as well.

The Mayor used the opportunity to encourage communities to pay for municipal services. He said people who do not pay for services make it difficult for the municipality to provide services.

Tau discouraged communities from illegal electricity connections, saying it was costing municipalities a lot of money.

Gauteng MEC for Local Government and Housing Ntombi Mekgwe said the high rate of migration into the metro places pressure on services such as clinics, education and infrastructure.

This needs a cautious approach to supply mass low cost housing but rather a mixed housing approach despite the high demand, she said.

The City of Johannesburg is South Africas biggest and wealthiest Metro.

The Summit was attended by local councillors, representatives from government departments, community members and representatives from non-governmental organisations.
By SA Commercial Prop News - RNS

Alexandras Pan Africa Shopping Centre has pledged its support to Alexandra-based MaAfrika Tikkuns community outreach.



The highly successful Pan Africa Shopping Centre in Alexandra north of Johannesburg has announced plans for a 2 500m expansion in response to demand from both retailers and shoppers.

The 16 000m centre is located on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Watt Street, one of Alexandras busiest hubs. In a ground-breaking move, the centre was the first in SA to be designed with a fully integrated, 50 000m taxi facility.

Pan Africa Shopping Centre is part of the Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project and owned by Pan Africa DevCo, a development company established by Tebfin Developments in partnership with local entrepreneurs and the two main taxi associations in Alexandra, being ATA and ARMSTA.

Tebogo Mogashoa of Tebfin believes that Pan Africa Shopping Centres location in a natural transport and retail node situated on the historic site formerly known as Pan Africa, has been a major draw card for retailers.

Specialist retail leasing company Retail Network Services (RNS), which handled the original leasing of the mall before it opened, will manage the leasing of the new extension.

National retailers are taking note of the centres success, especially as a springboard into the township market, explains Gavin Tagg of RNS.

Retailers have seen that pedestrian and taxi traffic in the area continues to increase, as does retail turnovers for tenants.

Indeed, pedestrian and vehicle counts show that more than 10,000 people use the area daily, along with some 1,500 taxis.

The expansion will bring new retailers  including nationals Mr Price, Truworths and Clicks  into the mall, to join the other 60 stores already trading.

Work is scheduled to kick off this month and be completed early next year, adds Tagg.

The newly-expanded centre will be open for trade in 26 April 2012.

The centre was opened in 2009 by President Zuma as part of the Alexandra Renewal Initiative and has exceeded all expectations as both an investment and a catalytic project.

The anchor tenant is a 2,800m Pick n Pay, the first to open in Alexandra.
Researchers have identified 26 new genes linked to intellectual disability which is characterised by significant limitations in learning.

More than one in 100 children worldwide is affected by intellectual disability. Frequently, intellectual disability also accompanies symptoms of autism spectrum disorders, and many genes have been found to be shared by the two illnesses.



The study, published online in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, could eventually lead to personalised treatments for affected individuals, and also add to our growing knowledge of brain development and functioning.



"Knowing the genes involved is a big step forward, but understanding how they function is also crucial before we can start planning treatments or even cures," said team leader John Vincent from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Canada.



The study, which was jointly led with Muhammad Ayub of Queen's University in Canada, involved 192 families from Pakistan and Iran with more than one affected family member.



Intellectual disability is frequently caused by recessive genes, meaning that an affected child gets a defective copy of the gene from each parent.



The families in the study all had a history of marriage among relatives, which occurs quite commonly in communities in South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.



Studying families with this background, and multiple affected individuals, can enable researchers to identify disease genes that would otherwise remain hidden.

The research team pinpointed mutations related to intellectual disability in half of these 192 families.



The identification of 26 new genes adds to 11 new genes that the team had previously linked to intellectual disability.



One immediate implication of the study is to prevent future cases of intellectual disability, the researchers note.



Unaffected family members and relatives could be genetically screened to see if they carry these mutations.



While 26 genes may seem a substantial number, there are likely hundreds of genes that, when defective, may lead to intellectual disability, the researchers pointed out.



"The strategy we have used speeds up the process of identifying disease genes and of enabling diagnostic labs to deliver more accurate information for clinicians and families," Vincent said.
About 150 passengers of a Jet Airways flight were stranded at the Varanasi airport on Wednesday after a bird hit the flight while taking off.

According to the captain, three blades of the right engine were damaged due to the hit.



The 9W 2423 flight from New Delhi-Khajuraho-Varanasi-New Delhi was unfit to fly, a Jet Airways official said.



The flight was fully booked. About 100 passengers were ready to board in Varanasi and around 50 were already in the flight from Khajuraho bound to New Delhi.



Some of the passengers had international flights. The passengers who had to fly to other countries from New Delhi were also among those stranded at the airport.



The passengers were not satisfied with the airline's response to their queries.



The airport officials had no clue about the next course of action and said they were waiting for information from the head office.



It was not clear whether the airline would fly the passengers out on Wednesday.
After three days of protests, normalcy returned in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as the separatists called off the two-day shutdown.

The educational institutions, public transport, shops and other businesses began functioning normally after three days of shutdown due to the killing of civilians in the Sunday by-election.



Srinagar city buzzed with life as the movement of traffic and pedestrians began on Wednesday.



Parents hurried their children to schools and they were seen waiting for buses.



Shopkeepers started lifting the shutters of their establishments as tension across the valley came down after the Election Commission postponed the Anantnag parliamentary bypoll to May 25.



The bypoll was otherwise scheduled for Wednesday.





Authorities removed additional deployment of police and paramilitary forces at traffic crossings and busy streets in Srinagar and other places.



The movement was only restricted around sensitive installations in the valley.



The separatists have asked people to resume normal activities and thanked them for staying away from bypoll in which only 7 per cent voter turnout -- the lowest in the valley in the last 27 years -- was recorded.



Eight civilians were killed in the clashes between protesters and security forces.



Most poll related violence occurred in Budgam district where authorities have ordered re-polling at 38 stations on Thursday.
The Lok Sabha was adjourned sine die on Wednesday by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan after working for around 176 hours during the budget session.

Mahajan told the house that 8.12 hours were wasted due to disruptions. The Lok Sabha held 28 sittings during the session.



Hailing the session as "very fruitful and productive", she said the house introduced 24 bills and passed 23 including on Goods and Services Tax.



Besides four bills related to GST, the Payment of Wages Amendment Bill, Specified Bank Notes Bill, The Maternity Benefits Amendment Bill, Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, The Mental Health Care Bill and Taxation Laws Amendment Bill were also passed.



Describing the session as historic, the Speaker hoped that members would continue to work like this to serve the nation.



The budget session began on January 31 with President Pranab Mukherjee addressing Parliament.



The house discussed for over 10 hours before passing the Motion of Thanks on Presidential address on March 7.





The General Budget, merged with Railway Budget for the first time, was presented on February 1.



The house discussed the budget for more than 26 hours, Mahajan said.



Mahajan also congratulated the members for completing the process of passing the Union Budget before April 1.



"All processes related to the Budget, related to tax or expenditure, have been completed before the end of this financial year. This gave government departments an opportunity to spend on public welfare related works," she added.



The first half of the session was held from January 31 to February 9 and the second half began on February 9.


The BJP on Wednesday disowned a youth leader who triggered outrage by offering Rs 11 lakh to anyone who beheads West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

An unperturbed Banerjee said she considers such threats as "blessings".



As the Trinamool Congress and Congress raised the issue angrily in Parliament, demanding action against Yogesh Varshney, the Bharatiya Janata Party distanced itself from the Aligarh-based leader.



BJP national Secretary Rahul Sinha said such comments cannot be condoned.



"We doubt if he has the credibility to be a BJP Yuva Morcha leader. Such comments cannot be supported by anyone. He has made a most jihadi-like statement," Sinha said in Kolkata.



"We will continue to oppose Mamata Banerjee on political grounds. But the BJP does not approve the politics of hatred and murder though such extreme comments were made by Trinamool Congress leaders earlier," he said.



Speaking in Murshidabad, Banerjee said: "I am being abused variously. I consider that as blessings. The more they abuse us, they more we will march forward.



"Now we are in Bengal. Slowly we will move on to Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh."



In the Lok Sabha, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar condemned the remarks.



"The statement ... is completely wrong. We condemn it. Mamata Banerjee is an elected leader and she must be respected," he said.



Varshney of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha made the statement after police clashed with people taking part in a Hanuman Jayanti rally in West Bengal's Birbhum district on Tuesday.



"She stands up for Muslims. Aren't Hindus human beings? If there was some humanity, then there wouldn't be so much discrimination against the Hindus," he said after apparently seeing a video of police assaulting the rallyists to disperse them.



"There is only one thought that crossed my mind after watching that video... Whoever will cut off Mamata Banerjee's head, I will give that person Rs 11 lakh as reward," Varshney said.



Varshney's offer went viral on social media, triggering widespread condemnation.



Describing the comment as a provocation against a popular Chief Minister and an attack on women, opposition leaders denounced Varshney.



Trinamool Secretary General Partha Chatterjee said people like Varshney had no idea what stuff Banerjee was made of.





"She was thrown out of the Kolkata police headquarters and dragged out of Writers Building (Secretariat) during CPI-M regime. Police dragged her by the hair from Singur during the land movement (in 2006) but nothing could stop her," Chatterjee said.



Eminent Bengali writer Nabanita Deb Sen said: "I feel so annoyed. Where are we living? Fatwas are being issued, death threats are being given. Why shouldn't he be arrested and punished?"



Thespian Bivas Chakraborty added: "Politics is going into the hands of mentally disbalanced and insane people. In such a situation, nobody is secure."



In Parliament, Trinamool leader Saugata Roy sought action against Varshney.



"I urge the government to take all possible action against the leader who has threatened a popular and down-to-earth Chief Minister," he said.



Supporting him, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said action should be taken against the BJP leader.
Tamil Nadu's opposition DMK has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister E. Palaniswamy and his council of ministers for alleged electoral malpractices or their sacking by the Governor if they fail to resign, an official said on Wednesday.

The DMK's three members of Parliament -- R.S. Bharathi, T.K.S. Elangovan and T.N. Siva -- called on Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao, who also holds the charge of Tamil Nadu, and submitted a party memorandum to him on the matter.



The DMK demanded that Governor C.V. Rao should advise the Centre for a CBI probe into what it called a "massive corruption" indulged in by the ruling AIADMK faction in the run-up to Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency bye-election, which has since been cancelled by the Election Commission.



The bye-election was necessitated by the death of the then Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on December 5, 2016, who held the seat in the assembly.



DMK Working President M.K. Stalin said T.T.V. Dinakaran, fielded for the poll by the AIADMK faction led by V.K. Sasikala (now jailed in a corruption case), is facing a foreign exchange regulation case tried on a day-to-day basis.



The DMK chief said soon after filing his nomination papers, Dinakaran and the "puppet" Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues "appear to have entered into a criminal conspiracy to spend nearly Rs 100 crore of ill-gotten wealth to bribe each voter in the constituency".



Stalin, son of former Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi, claimed AIADMK workers were instructed to go from door to door to pay Rs 10,000 to each voter in the constituency, apart from doling out gifts like lamps, saris, milk tokens and phone recharge coupens.



He said official machinery, including police vans and ministers' official vehicles with red beacons, were "misused" to carry the cash that was distributed to the prospective voters.



On April 7, the Income Tax Department raided Health Minister C. Vijayabaskar as well as carried out searches at 32 places in Tamil Nadu. Stalin said the IT Department had gone on record to detail how seven key aides of Dinakaran distributed over Rs 89.65 crore to bribe voters.





The DMK leader said the raiding team seized Rs 5 crore and documents from Vijayabaskar, which he claimed indicated the involvement of Palaniswamy and his ministers in the bribery scandal.



Stalin said all this amounts to offences under the Representation of the People Act, 1951.



He said since Palaniswamy and his ministers systematically bribed voters and are liable for conviction and disqualification under the laws and have also violated the oath of office and discarded constitutional morality, the Governor must immediately direct them to resign.



"If they fail to do so, the Governor should dismiss them as they lack the propriety to hold office," he said.



Stalin also urged the Governor to advise the Union government to institute a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the matter.
Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister H.N. Ananth Kumar on Wednesday said the Budget session of Parliament that concluded earlier during the day has been very fruitful as both houses passed all financial bills before March 31.

"This Budget session has been very fruitful... in the last 70 years. This is for the first time in Indian legislative history that all financial business of the government has been completed before the start of the next financial year, and that too by following the due process of general discussion, scrutiny by Standing Committees," Ananth Kumar said.



"A total of 24 bills were introduced. Of these, the Lok Sabha passed a record 23 bills, including some very important ones, while the Rajya Sabha passed 14 bills. A total of 18 bills were passed by both the Houses," the Minister said.



He said the Union Budget 2017-18 has already come into effect from April 1, which is "unprecedented". Earlier, the Budget used to come into effect from July.







He said the productivity of the Lok Sabha has been 113 per cent and the Rajya Sabha's 92 per cent.



The Minister appreciated the cooperation extended by the opposition in transaction of legislative business, but blamed the Congress for stalling a bill for grant of constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.



The Lok Sabha passed the bill with consensus but the Rajya Sabha chose to refer it to a Select Committee. "With this, social justice for a large section of population is being delayed and the Congress is to be blamed," Ananth Kumar said.



He said that with the passage of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill in both houses, the prospects of its coming into effect from July have brightened.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed regret that despite consensus among all parties, a constitutional amendment bill to accord a constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha.

The Prime Minister expressed his anguish through a tweet after a delegation of BJP lawmakers from Other Backward Classes met him in Parliament to thank him for the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha.

According to a statement issued by the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Prime Minister said: "This bill will ensure justice to backward classes and also help in their social empowerment."

Modi said he was shocked by the attitude of the opposition parties on the bill.

"It is surprising that the bill has not been passed in the upper house. This happened after recommendations of a parliamentary committee on OBCs on the issue. Even MPs from all parties met me and urged to make the amendment in the Constitution on the matter," Modi said.

Urging the party MPs to persuade the opposition MPs on the issue, Modi said: "To stop backward classes from (getting) their rights, by doing such nagative politics, is regrettable."

BJP General Secretary Bhupender Yadav said the Prime Minister asked party MPs to spread the message of the bill and make the backward classes aware about it.

The bill to accord constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes was on Tuesday referred to a Select Committee of the Rajya Sabha after the opposition parties blocked its consideration in the house.

A motion for sending the National Commission for Backward Classes (Repeal) Bill to the Select Committee was moved by Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot and it was adopted by the upper house.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday and the government tried to push its consideration by the Rajya Sabha but a combined opposition resisted it.

The government on April 5 introduced separate bills to constitute a commission for the socially and educationally backward classes -- to be known as the National Commission for Backward Classes -- and to repeal the National Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993.
India has to do no more than let the Dalai Lama be the Dalai Lama in order to rile China from time to time.

As diplomatic provocation goes, the Dalai Lama's just-concluded visit to Arunachal Pradesh was quite like the six previous ones, the last one being in 2009. Yet, Beijing has chosen to respond to this visit with an outrage that feels discernibly sharper than in the past. Perhaps what has accentuated the Chinese anger was an accompaniment in the form of Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju.



Beijing, which treats the Dalai Lama purely as a political animal even at the best of times, saw in Rijiju's presence a calculated political dimension. New Delhi, being justifiably crafty about it, dismissed the suggestion.



The simple fact is that the Indian government is now more amenable to occasionally tapping into the Dalai Lama's obvious political consequence than before. The logic seems to be that since China treats all things Dalai Lama short of his breathing as political, India might as well make the most of it.



The Dalai Lama's visit to Tawang, the town along the India- China border where the sixth Dalai Lama was born 334 years ago, has always had unnerving optics for Beijing. Quite apart from being a border town, it is also part of what China gratuitously calls South Tibet. Left to Beijing, Arunachal Pradesh being part of China is a no-contest claim. It is because India rejects that wholly and clearly regards Arunachal Pradesh as part of the Indian Union that it sees no controversy in the Dalai Lama visiting there.



Of course, India's foreign policy establishment is acutely aware of such visits' potential for diplomatic provocation and approved of it not just irrespective of but precisely because of it. Although the Ministry of External Affairs insisted "no additional colour should be ascribed to the Dalai Lama's religious and spiritual activities", it knew well how it would be received in China. It was in a way aimed at riling Beijing by letting the Dalai Lama be the Dalai Lama. India- China relations have been going through a particularly rough patch, mainly because of a series of moves by Beijing in the past couple of years.



For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China has not been a particularly rewarding or uplifting experience despite the fact that early on in his tenure he effusively hosted President Xi Jinping in 2014 in Ahmedabad. The two sat on Gujarat's famous lacquer-work swing on the banks of the Sabarmati river whose front Modi had developed as the state's Chief Minister. In the intervening two-and-a-half years the Prime Minister finds the bilateral relationship not living up to its promise.



From opposing India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group to consistently thwarting New Delhi's efforts to have the United Nations Security Council put Masood Azhar, the head of the Pakistani terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed, on its blacklist, Beijing has been remarkably unhelpful. This is notwithstanding that early on Modi allowed Chinese investment into ports and telecom, something which was out of bounds earlier. Add to that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor that China is building through Pakistan-controlled Kashmir much to India's outrage, and an earlier incursion by its soldiers into Ladakh, and a pattern seems to form.



A case can be made that China has flattered to deceive in its dealings with the Modi government, while making some polite noises. Even as the Modi government has taken care to describe China's latest fulminations over the Dalai Lama's Tawang visit as "artificial controversies", it has equally chosen to disregard its warnings of seriously damaging bilateral relations.





Although officially New Delhi would not acknowledge flaunting the Dalai Lama recognisably more than before, it could not be unaware of its consequences. It is Delhi's way of letting Beijing know that the latter's machinations on issues that deeply matter to India internationally have not only been lost on the government but may even be prompting a not-so-subtle counter.



The crux of Dalai Lama's visit was philosophical in terms of what he taught to thousands of Buddhists, but he did make it a point to say that the next Dalai Lama might also be a woman. On its part, of course, Beijing insists that the next Tibetan leader would be born in China. Its Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying the next Dalai Lama will be chosen by drawing lots from a sacred urn in Lhasa. The Dalai Lama has dismissed the idea of Beijing choosing his incarnation as "nonsense".



For New Delhi, the Dalai Lama remains significant leverage even though, at 81, time may not be on his side.


The Hindu Yuva Vahini, founded by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has decided to strengthen its presence in Bihar by enrolling thousand of youths, the outfit's state President Pankaj Rai said here on Wednesday.

"We have decided to strengthen Hindu Yuva Vahini in Bihar by enrolling thousands of Hindu youths and by setting up its units in all 38 districts," Rai said.

Rai added that Vahini will soon start an enrolment campaign across Bihar.

"We will also select and appoint office-bearers of Vahini at the district level."

Yogi Adityanath will visit Bihar in June to attract youths to the organisation and to spread its network from village level to urban localities, Rai added.

"Yogi Adityanath's visit to Bihar will galvanise the Vahini and its work."

He said Vahini has single-point agenda: to propagate Hindu interest.

"Since Yogi Adityanath has become the Chief Minister, people have been dreaming of a Ram Rajya."

Rai demanded the Grand Alliance government of Bihar led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should set up anti-Romeo squads and take action against slaughterhouses like in Uttar Pradesh.

Cow protection is one of the main objectives of the Vahini founded by Yogi Adityanath and is strong in districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar.

Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have already demanded that the Bihar government set up anti-Romeo squads and seal slaughterhouses.
Three persons and their two juvenile accomplices were on Tuesday held for murdering a food vendor after he refused to serve them 'golgappa', police said on Tuesday.

Police said the accused Vikkey, Anil, Beenu and the two juveniles, all residents of Mangolpuri area in west Delhi, were apprehended from their hideouts in the area.



"They attacked Raju, 24, a golgappa vendor late on Sunday late night when he was returning home in Mangolpuri I-block. They stopped him and asked him to serve them 'golgappas' but when he refused saying they were finished, they attacked him with knives," said Deputy Commissioner of Police M.N. Tiwari.

Raju succumbed to his injuries later in a hospital, police said.
Around 50 people, including students, police personnel and even journalists, were injured as students, protesting a massive fee hike for various courses, clashed with police on the Panjab University campus in Chandigarh on Tuesday.

Police took over 50 students into custody and slapped sedition charge on those indulging in violence.



Tension prevails on the campus following the clashes.



Some of the nearly half-a-dozen media persons injured in the clashes had to be rushed to hospitals here with serious injuries.



Police resorted to baton charge, use of water cannons and tear-gas to disperse the agitatators who had gathered near the Vice Chancellor's Office complex.



The protesting students pelted stones at the police and broke window panes and flower-pots and damaged other university property.



Later, a few students, who were being chased by the police, entered a gurdwara on the campus and took refuge there. Police officials surrounded the shrine to get the students out.



Teaching was affected in several departments on the Sector 14 campus of the university due to the protest shutdown called by the students.



The fee hike was being opposed by the Students for Society (SFS) and other student organisations, including Panjab University Students Union (PUSU), Students of Panjab University (SOPU) and Students Organisation of India (SOI).



The fee hike, to be applicable from the coming (2017-18) academic session, is over 1,000 per cent in some courses.



University authorities said that they were forced to hike the fees for various courses following directions from the Union Human Resource Development Ministry and the University Grants Commission.



The university has been grappling with financial crisis for the last two-three years with grants from the Centre and the Punjab government not coming regularly.
Opposition parties led by the Trinamool Congress on Wednesday demanded action against a BJP youth leader who announced a reward of Rs 11 lakh for killing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Raising the issue during Question Hour, Trinamool leader Saugata Roy sought action against Yogesh Varshney, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha.



"A BJP youth leader has said he will give Rs 11 lakh if anyone brings Mamata Banerjee's head to him. This is condemnable," he said.



"I urge the government to take all possible action against the leader who has threatened a popular and down-to-earth Chief Minister," Roy said.



Supporting the demand, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge said action should be taken against the leader.





"A strong message should be given to such people," he said.



Responding, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar condemned the remarks of the BJP leader.



"The statement given by the leader is completely wrong. We condemn it. Mamata Banerjee is an elected leader and she must be respected," he said.



Varshney announced the reward after the West Bengal Police acted against a rally on Hanuman Jayanti day.
Former Union minister and Congress leader Akhilesh Das passed away after suffering heart attack in Lucknow on Wednesday, a party source confirmed. He was 56.

Das had rejoined the Congress ahead of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.



Das was Minister of State for Steel in the Manmohan Singh-led Cabinet during the United Progressive Alliance government from 2004-2009.



Das, son of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Banarsi Das, was also a former Mayor of Lucknow.





He was a three-time Rajya Sabha member (twice from the Congress and once from the Bahujan Samaj Party). He was also the President of Badminton Association of India.



Das was the Secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party under party President Sonia Gandhi from May 2003 to December 2005.



He was a General Secretary in the BSP. In November 2014, Das quit the BSP.
T20 World Cup: I am not trying anything different, says Suryakumar Yadav

The legend of Suryakumar Yadav bailing India out of tough situations and propelling them to a massiv...
A 16-year-old boy from Nevada in the US is on track to break the record of the most retweeted tweet, for a quest to get a year of free chicken nuggets.

With 3.3 million retweets, the most retweeted record holder right now is talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, which is a group selfie taken by Bradly Cooper at the Oscars award show in 2014.



As of Tuesday, Carter Wilkerson's plea has 2.6 million retweets, less than one million away to break that record.



Wilkerson last Wednesday tweeted at Wendy's, a fast-food chain store and asked them how many retweets were needed for a year of free chicken nuggets.



Wendy's replied with "18 million". Wilkerson replied "Consider it done" and posted the screenshot of this conversation with "Help me please, a man needs his nuggs" to ask for retweets.



"I sent out the tweet as a joke," Wilkerson told the Reno Gazette-Journal, "but then they responded with the outrageous number... Then I put the screenshot up and it started gaining momentum."



As his plea is going viral, Google, Amazon, United Airlines, and many other companies have joined Wilkerson's quest for chicken nuggets and retweeted his post.

Wilkerson's father suggested that at this point, "it's great if it has a great cause other than eating chicken nuggets for a year."



Wilkerson has taken his father's suggestion and set up a website, where he is planning to sell #NuggsforCarter T-shirts.



The proceeds will be donated to help families of Breast Cancer Patients, an educational scholarship, and to a local breast cancer non-profit organisation called Mom's on the Run, according to the website.
The White House on Tuesday accused Russia of engaging in a cover-up of the chemical weapons attack by Syrian forces that killed civilians and prompted American airstrikes.

The White House said that the US intelligence and numerous contemporaneous reports confirmed that the Syrians used sarin gas on their own people, New York Times reported.



The White House asserted that the Syrian and Russian governments have sought to confuse the world community about the assault through disinformation and "false narratives."

Senior White House officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss the government's view, said they could not comment on the possibility that the Russian government knew in advance of Syria's plan to carry out the chemical weapons attack, or of a subsequent attack on a hospital that was treating victims.



But one official said that, given the history of close cooperation between the Syrian and Russian militaries, Moscow must answer for the attacks.
Kulbhushan Jadhav, an alleged Indian 'spy' who has been awarded death sentence by a military court in Pakistan, will not be immediately executed, Defence Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif has said.

Asif said three appellate forums are available under the law to Jadhav, whose family lives in Mumbai, Dawn online reported.



According to the minister, the trial of Jadhav, who Pakistan said was working for the Research and Analysis Wing and arrested in March 2016 in Balochistan, lasted three and a half months.



He faced charges of spying for India, working against Pakistan's integrity, sponsoring terrorism and attempting to destabilise the country.



Asif said Jadhav had the right to move the Pakistan Army's Court of Appeal against his conviction within 60 days, followed by submission of mercy pleas to the army chief and the President.

Asif rejected Indian claims that Jadhav's execution would be "pre-meditated murder", saying due process of law was followed in the trial.



The minister said those involved in terrorist activities and conspiring against the security and integrity of Pakistan would not be allowed any concession, whether or not they lived in the country.
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari will pay an official visit to India at the invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee from April 17 to 21, the External Affairs Ministry announced on Wednesday.

This will the first state visit of Bhandari to India after she assumed office in October 2015.

"The upcoming visit reflects the priority that both India and Nepal attach to further strengthening of their age-old, unique, wide-ranging partnership, underpinned by shared historical and cultural linkages and strong people-to-people connections," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

During the visit, Bhandari will meet Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and other Union ministers will also call on President Bhandari.

Besides official engagements in New Delhi, the Nepal President will be visiting Gujarat and Odisha.

Bhandari was scheduled to visit India in May last year but then Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli cancelled the visit at the last moment.

The then Nepal cabinet cancelled the visit following political upheaval in the Himalayan nation when Oli's government was nearly toppled by its Maoist ally.

"The upcoming visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries, and will further deepen the cordial and cooperative ties that exist between India and Nepal," Wednesday's External Affairs Ministry statement said.
The UN is not in a position to judge the Pakistani legal process that imposed the death penalty on Kulbhushan Jadav, a former Indian Navy officer accused by Islamabad of spying, said a UN spokesperson.

"We are not in a position to judge the process to have a position on this particular case," Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, told reporters on Wednesday.

He was replying to a question about India's contention that his execution would be "pre-meditated" murder and that due process was not followed by the military court that sentenced him to death.

"Overall in terms of relations between India and Pakistan, we underline, continue to underline the need for the parties to find a peaceful solution and to engage through engagement and dialogue," Dujarric added.

Amid heightening tension over the issue, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has warned that Jadhav's execution would be "pre-meditated murder" and have dire consequences for bilateral relations.

India would do all it can to save him, she said.

She called the trial a farce and said that Jadhav was engaged in legitimate business in Iran when he was kidnapped and taken to Pakistan.
Find out final information before heading to the polls Tuesday

As the 2022 midterm election day is finally upon us, here's where Saline County citizens can find out where to vote.
More than 15,839 km across several oceans, Germany seems a lifetime away from Samoa.

However, for one avid traveller, Samoa is her home away from home.

Julia Werner, 19-years-old, once made the long journey from her homeland in Hamburg to the tropical paradise of Samoa.

Ms. Werner was a volunteer at the Samoa Observer through the Projects Abroad Programme.

During her time here, she witnessed firsthand the hardships of Samoan people but also the wondrous adventures Samoa holds.

Prior to Christmas, she launched her project titled I See You where she delivered home made goods to those who needed it the most on the streets of Apia.

Ms. Werner returned to Germany earlier in the year, but Samoa never left her heart.

This week, her former English teacher invited her to share her experiences to a crowd of eager 10th graders who wanted to hear about Samoa.

Mrs. Leduber wanted her students to open their minds to something new, Ms. Werner said. Seeing that nothing is impossible if they just go for it. Their possibilities do not stop at the border of Germany.

Armed with her ie lavalava, tapa and plethora of pictures from her stay in Samoa, Ms. Werner shared her experience and the things shes learned .

She spoke about culture, traditions, Siva Samoa, tattooing, breathtaking nature, their relation to the rest of the world.

Ms. Werner expressed that the class found the pace of life in Samoa the most interesting.

The laidback way of life way of life and that the Samoans stick to their traditions was the most interesting for them! In here its always pretty busy and our society is multicultural.

The amazing this is that I wanted them to know a nation, their culture, tradition and people they would not otherwise know about. I had a globe with me and theyve been searching the whole planet for this tiny nation.

Germany and Samoa are literally on the opposite side of the world distance couldnt be bigger but still.... after a couple of minutes they felt it was time to make a little travel to Samoa.

The class has now been enchanted by Ms. Werners stories from a far off land.

They had so many questions and they are still contacting me to get some more information wanting to go see Samoa as well. Not as normal tourist but to explore the country and everything it has to offer.
The Samoa Victims Support Group (S.V.S.G.) Juniors are back and stronger than ever.

On Friday afternoon, the enthusiastic youths that make up the S.V.S.G Juniors took to the streets of Apia during their first activity for 2017, the Walkathon, from the Malaefatu Playground at Sogi to the Marina at Matautu.

The rain did not dampen the spirit of the Team and their supporters as they walked to raise funds for their community-based projects.

The Walkathon was coordinated by the new executive of the S.V.S.G Juniors.

It consists of:

 President: Carmenita Solaese

 Vice President: Rahmat Faumui

 Secretary: Aiga Malo

 Vice Secretary: Ianeta Sau

 Treasurer: Akenese Fonoti

 Vice Treasurer: Vincent Laumoli

 Sports Rep: Vailolo Farani and Ken Sonny

 Supporting Members: Temukisa Faumui and Nofovaleane Alatupe

The former S.V.S.G Junior President, Nathan Ryan together with their executive members have progressed onto the main S.V.S.G, while the young ones continue with the youth group.

Mr. Ryan is mentoring these young volunteers so that they will not lose sight of why they have put up their hands to volunteer.

At the moment there are now thirty members of the S.V.S.G Juniors and it will continue to grow as long as you want to start putting up your hand to engage in your community in a meaningful way.
A Missouri man was charged Wednesday with attempted first-degree intentional homicide for a shooting last week in which the victim drove away before striking and knocking over a utility pole.

A criminal complaint filed Wednesday doesnt say why Marvin Houston, 24, of Steele, Missouri, shot the 34-year-old Madison-area man early on April 4 at Penn Park on Madisons South Side. The man, identified in the complaint as Jesse M. Howe, then drove down South Park Street before crashing into a utility pole near Badger Road, sending the pole crashing down on the car he was driving.

Houston appeared in court, where he was jailed on $200,000 bail. Alexandra Keyes, appearing for the district attorneys office, said that Houston has an extensive criminal history in Missouri, including an incident in which he shot and injured his girlfriend. She said Houston is currently on probation in Missouri. An extradition warrant was filed in Dane County Circuit Court last week.

Howe remains hospitalized for his injuries, which the complaint describes as penetration of his colon, stomach and small bowel, along with two wounds to his left arm.

Houston, who was also charged with firearm possession by a felon, will be back in court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday.

According to the complaint:

Howe, who was initially unable to speak to police due to his injuries, indicated that he knew the person who shot him. He drew a diagram depicting himself seated in the drivers seat of a car when a person who had been in the passenger seat got out, went around the car and shot him.

Later, when Howe could speak, he told police that he didnt know the mans name, but only knew him as St. Louis. He told police that he and St. Louis, along with another man, were together that night at bars on State Street and West Johnson Street. They were using a borrowed car that night.

Howe said he had met St. Louis at a party the week before and was able to show police a video clip of St. Louis taken at the party.

After being at the bars Downtown, Howe told police, he and Houston drove to Penn Park, purportedly to meet a female friend of Houston. Howe told police he thought it was strange that she would be in the parks parking lot.

While stopped in the parking lot, he said, Houston got out of the car, walked around behind it and shot Howe in the drivers seat.

The shooting was recorded on a surveillance camera at Penn Park. Police found .380 caliber shell casings at the scene.

Two days later, as police looking for Houston watched an apartment in the 2100 block of High Ridge Trail in Fitchburg, they stopped a car driven by a woman and found Houston in the back seat. Police searched the apartment and found a .380 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
A better road would make our work easier.

But it would be even better if we have free water.

That is the opinion of 50-year-old, Taumaoe Upuese, from the village of Magiagi. The Village voice caught up with Taumaoe while he was on his way to work at his plantation yesterday.

Life in the village is fine, he said. Its peaceful down here at our side and we have the strongest Village Council governance.

With all the changes in Samoa our village is tightly governed. And this is why I prefer living in our village.

But basic infrastructure is a major problem.

Take the road for instance

Most families here in the village rely on agriculture to assist their families financially and also for food, said Taumaoe.

Families depend on agriculture for food and money, but its really hard for us to make our way to our plantation because of the bad conditions of our access roads.

But you see plantation helps with village contributions, church obligations, faalavelave and many others. That is the truth. This is why we need better access roads and why we really need help.

The father also questioned the government about the water.

Whats even sad is that we pay for our own water, he said. I dont understand why Magiagi people are being charged with water yet its our land and our village where the water is stored.

This is why I wanted to ask the government on behalf of our village to look at this matter. We shouldnt be charged when the water supply is from our village.

We own the land, we own the village, we also are responsible for caring for the water and yet we are still paying for it.

Taumaoe said most families in the village are not happy about this.

This cant be done for all we know its our own water. We wanted to address the issue directly with the government. We want them to consider this seriously.

Despite these challenges, Taumaoe said all is well for him and his family.

My family loves the life here in the village; we are grateful for growing up here. We have everything we need.

Taumaoe is a father of nine. Six of them are in school while the other three are working.
A family at Taufusi is counting their losses after a fire ripped through their home yesterday, destroying their belongings.

Home Owner, Vui Tanoai Tuala, told the Samoa Observer he does not know what started the blaze.

We were all here working on our new house when we saw smoke coming from the back of the house where the kitchen is, he said.

It happened so fast that none of us was able to get inside the house.

One of my sons tried to go inside to take away the gas bottle before it exploded. However it was too late the blaze got to it first and it exploded.

We couldnt do anything. All we could do at the time was stand there and watch the blaze destroy everything.

Vui said nothing in the house could be saved.

Everything is gone including some new furniture. Everything that we had just bought for our new home and now its all gone, he said.

Vui criticised the response from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority.

When we saw the smoke from the back we called the Fire Service right away, he told the Samoa Observer.

About 20 minutes later we heard a siren and we thought it was them but when the vehicle arrived here it was the Police vehicle.

I mean what is a police car going to do with what is happening? They just came, stood there and looked at the blaze.

I cant remember how long we waited for the fire truck but all I can say is that when they arrived, the whole house was on fire. All they could do was just stand there and hose the place down because it had already burnt.

If only they had arrived earlier I know some of the things couldve been saved.

But theres nothing that can be done now its over everything is gone.

Despite his disappointment, the father is just thankful that none of his children were hurt.

All in all I am happy that none of my family was hurt from this, he said.

We can replace all the material things that were destroyed by the blaze but we wouldnt be able to replace my family and my children if anything happened to them.

It was not possible to get a comment from the Fire and Emergency Services Authority.
The first time Cady Mariano emptied her piggy bank for a good cause, she was in kindergarten. In May 2008, her elementary school hold a fundraiser for victims of an earthquake in China and Cady, who is half-Chinese, felt compelled to give everything she had.

Since then, the 14-year-old Escondido teen has formed two youth community service clubs, donated more than 600 hours of community service and raised more than $14,000 through various fundraisers. She will also soon cut off her chest-length hair for the third time for Locks of Love, a charity that provides human-hair wigs to children in chemotherapy.

An aspiring actress who has appeared in theater, film and television projects, Cady said she feels a responsibility to share her good fortune with others.

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Im so lucky to have what I have, it give me satisfaction to help other people who arent as fortunate, she said. I dont ever want to take what I have for granted.

Cady, a ninth-grader at Rancho Bernardo High School, lives in Escondido with her parents, Bill and Lee Mariano, and her brother Casey, 16. The Marianos run a home-based import/export business, which allows Lee to drive Cady to school, to dance classes six days a week and to auditions in Los Angeles.

Lee, who immigrated to the U.S. from China in her 20s, said she was shocked when Cady gave away all of her savings in kindergarten.

Thats not a part of the culture in China. I didnt realize until that moment how generous Americans are, she said. I learned a lot from her that day and Im still learning every day.

Cady is the founding president of the San Diego United Leo Club, a group of 20 kids ages 13 to 17 who perform at least one community service project each month on behalf of the United Lions Club service organization.

Last year the district, which oversees Lions Clubs in San Diego and Imperial counties, named Cady its 2016 Leo of the Year and her club also won top regional honors.

Dr. Allan Chan, charter president of San Diego United Lions Club, said Cady has a number of talents  dancing, singing, a can-do personality and organizing ability  that shes put to good use in the service of others.

Shes outgoing, very focused and determined with what she wants to do and shes very kind-hearted and generous, Chan said.

It was through Chan that Cady first discovered her passion for community service in 2011. He had seen her performing with a childrens Chinese dance troupe and asked the troupe if theyd perform at a Lions Club fundraiser for Rady Childrens Hospital. The dancers volunteered their time for the event and Cady emptied out her piggy bank again, donating $100 to the cause, Chan said.

When she asked Chan if there was any more she could do, he helped her organize a Cubs Club, a service group for grade-schoolers. She filled it with a dozen girls whom she knew from school and dance classes, including club secretary Ashley Lindsley of Vista, who shes known since they were toddlers in daycare together.

Over the next four years, Cady organized dance performances at Lions Club fundraisers, including events for Japanese earthquake and Asian typhoon victims. In 2015, the members aged out of the Cubs Club, so Cady formed the teen-oriented Leo Club, which has members from Escondido to Chula Vista.

The group meets monthly to discuss service ideas that everyone contributes. Cadys job is to run the meetings, coordinate the events, design the fliers and recruit volunteers, which she does through Instagram messages and other social media.

One of the groups performances in 2013 was at a dinner for seniors at the Salvation Army offices in Escondido. As she had done with Chan, Cady approached the newly installed Escondido corps lieutenants James and Hilda Parks afterward to see if there was more that she could do.

While she enjoyed performing and donating at fundraisers, Cady said she longed to work more directly with the needy. James Parks said he was happy to put her and her young friends to work.

That November, and every year since, the group has boxed up more than 600 Thanksgiving meals for needy families  a task that requires nine to 10 hours of work by up to 60 people. The group has also done a Christmas toy drive for the past four years and theyve performed at several holiday dinners.

Cady has been very energetic and outgoing and willing to take part in our ministry by finding creative ways to help, Parks said. She has a willingness to say yes whenever we ask.

In fall 2015, the Salvation Army asked Cady and her Leo Club if they would volunteer as bell-ringers during the annual holiday bucket campaign. Not only did they volunteer, the girls also sang and danced at their bell-ringing stations and Cadys brother Casey helped out as music director.

The result was a five-fold increase in donations from passers-by. In one day of bell-ringing in 2015, the group raised $1,005. During seven days of ringing this past December, they raised $4,600.

All these everyday people were giving from their heart, Cady said of the experience. Many of these people dont have a lot but they want to give something. It gave me faith in humanity.

Among the honors Cady has received over the years are a 2013 Service Above Self award from the Escondido Rotary Club, a 2016 grant from the David Chow Humanitarian award Foundation and a 2016 Volunteer of the Year award from the Salvation Army.

She has also received five U.S. Presidents Volunteer Service Awards, including a silver award in 2012 (for 75 hours of community service) and gold awards (100 hours) from 2013 to 2016. The Leo Club also recently earned a group gold award for its members combined volunteer efforts in 2016.

This Saturday, Cady and her team of volunteers will make and deliver sandwiches to 100 homeless people at the Salvation Armys mission center in downtown San Diego. Its an idea shes been planning for a year, and that she calls Food for Friends.

Raising money is fun, but I really like interacting with people in a hands-on way, she said. When we give out the dinner boxes at Thanksgiving, I love seeing people smile and theyre always so grateful. I like when I can make a direct impact. It feels amazing.

Her groups future goals are to develop a summer dance camp for low-income and homeless children, to start a pen-pal program with local seniors and to host a book drive.

Personally she plans to go to college and hopes to be a television or film actress someday. Whether or not she becomes a big star is out of her hands, but there is one goal in her future that she can control.

I will always do charity work, she said. Its just become something that I do. If I didnt do it, it would feel weird because I think of it as my duty.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Mohammed al-Mustafa and his family escaped the violence and destruction in war-torn Aleppo, and settled several weeks ago in El Cajon, ready to start a new life.

Instead, his parents and four sisters are mourning the 17-year-old, who is believed to have drowned Sunday after being caught in a rip current off Mission Beach. His body hasnt been recovered.

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He didnt have a childhood because of the war in Syria, his father, Husan al-Mustafa, said through a translator Tuesday. The family came to America hoping there would be a better future for him in the United States.

In San Diego, Mohammed was just getting accustomed to his new surroundings, buoyed in part by the regions close Syrian community.

He had pleaded with his parents to let him go on the beach outing with four buddies. Promising to keep in close contact, he later FaceTimed with his father from the beach, where the teens ate pizza and drank soda on the shore.

He was a good boy, family friend Lisa Attardo said Tuesday. He knew his parents were worried.

At some point, the group ventured into the water.

It was Mohammeds first time  ever  at any beach, his father said Tuesday. He was last seen wading knee- or waist-deep in the waves.

Fire officials said it appears the boy and another teen were pulled into the strong rip current around 6 p.m. Lifeguards spotted one of the teens struggling and pulled him to the beach, but never saw Mohammed. Once on shore, the group told lifeguards their friend was missing.

Lifeguards, with help from a police helicopter, searched the area until it got too dark, but couldnt locate him. Authorities believe he was submerged by the current.

It was pulling really strong and it gets very deep very quick, San Diego lifeguard Capt. James Gartland said Monday.

On Tuesday, search efforts resumed, with maritime agencies using boats equipped with sonar to scour the bottom of the ocean. A helicopter also flew over the area in search of the boys body, with no success. No search is planned for Wednesday.

The family held out hope that Mohammed might have returned to shore and wandered away, perhaps disoriented, but that hope was fading Tuesday.

The teens mother is inconsolable, said Attardo, who attends St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Oceanside, which for weeks has been helping the family get settled in their new home.

San Diego County has a growing Syrian refugee community following the start of the civil war between government forces and opponents to Syrian President Bashar al-Assads regime in 2011.

Since 2014, about 1,140 Syrian refugees have arrived in the region. Many have settled in El Cajon or City Heights.

Like many of the others, Husan al-Mustafa and his family fled their home as the violence grew.

It was really dangerous to live in Aleppo, he said through an interpreter. The family witnessed bombings and violence and had friends and neighbors who were killed, he said.

An accountant, al-Mustafa said he and his family escaped in mid-2014 to Turkey, where they were able to rent a home. About a year later, they registered there as refugees.

Al-Mustafa said the family wanted to leave Turkey because of Mohammed.  He was really young, but he could not study there.

After roughly 18 months of intense vetting, they were allowed to come to America, sponsored by the Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego. The family arrived Jan. 24.

At St. Thomas More in Oceanside, Father Mike Ratajczak and Sister Maureen Brown invited parishioners to step up to support them. The congregation has donated cash, household supplies and a sewing machine and fabric for Mohammeds mother, who is a seamstress. One parishioner offered a van for the family to use, and another volunteered to help Mohammeds older sister with their goal of entering college in the fall, according to a recent update on the church website.

Attardo and her husband headed up the push to gather donations, and have visited with the family often. She said they are hardworking and generous, always smiling.

Their house is full of laughter, Attardo said. ... A lot of love in this family. A lot of love.

Their father, who like the rest of the family is still learning English, is eager to find a job and become self-sufficient as soon as possible, Brown said.

She said that, when Ratajczak has asked the family father what they needed, he replied that they could give him a fish or teach him to be a fisherman  and he wanted them to teach him to be a fisherman.

On Sunday, the Attardos had driven down to El Cajon to visit and hand off donations. They spent a few hours, and watched as the father spoke via FaceTime to Mohammad at the beach.

For more information on how to help the family through St. Thomas More Catholic Church, go to stmoside.org/oursyrianfamily.

For information about Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego, go to ccdsd.org.

Staff writers Kate Morrissey and Lyndsay Winkley contributed to this report.

teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT
The first home to be designated historic in Chula Vista and built by one of the citys founders is up for sale for nearly $1 million.

The 5,900-square-foot house at 616 Second Ave., on the citys west side, was constructed by banker and civic leader Greg Rogers in 1910.

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Called Bay Breeze, the craftsman-style home has five bedrooms, four bathrooms, roof-top decks, a full basement with a bank-style steel door, four-car garage, an elevator and a lot of nooks and crannies.

Originally at 699 E St., (near Interstate 5), it was one of the most modern homes of the time with electricity, baths with indoor plumbing, and four fireplaces.

Its current owner, former Chula Vista Councilwoman Pamela Bensoussan, said she is selling the home to move closer to family.

The home is expected to be listed later this week as a residence and a bed and breakfast.

Bensoussan moved into the Rogers home 20 years ago when her two kids were in high school.

She said she stumbled along the property while looking for another home.

At the time I wasnt yet convinced to sell my house, she said. But when I saw that house on Second Avenue I had this (instant) attraction...I just fell in love with it.

When she moved in, she inherited from the previous owner the Rogers family photo album with copies of newspaper clippings that date back decades and tells the Rogers story.

Rogers moved his family from Cleveland to Chula Vista in 1909.

He became one of the citys first council members in 1911, the same year the city was incorporated.

Shortly after he co-founded the communitys first financial institution called the Peoples State Bank, which is known today as Bank of America.

Rogers was the first commodore of the original Chula Vista Yacht Club, a member of the chamber of commerce and rotary club and served on the Chula Vista School Board.

A city school and adjacent community park were later named in his honor.

In the late 70s, because of Rogers significance to the city, Chula Vista Mayor Will Hyde embarked to identify the home as a historical landmark in the city.

Other historic designations for houses and buildings followed.

The Greg Rogers House holds a dual designation: Historic Site No. 1 (1977), for its original location on E Street, and Historic Site No. 42, for its post-1985 home on Second Avenue.

In addition to being listed on the historic register, it also carries the historic permit, a higher level of designation.

Chula Vista realtor Richard Zogob purchased the house and land for just under $400,000 from Porter Yarbourgh, according to a May 22, 1977 article in The Star-News.

The mayor and City Council acquired title to the Greg Rogers House in 1984, saving it from impending demolition do to an incoming motel.

The 140-ton house was maneuvered one block down the street and into the city public works yard.

The same year the city transferred ownership of the home to Lee and Sonny Burch, who were issued a permit to move the house to a lot behind their craftsman-era Bungalow at 614 Second Ave.

Later that year the city issued a bill of sale to the Burches and contracted to have them restore the Rogers house, opening it once a year to benefit of the citys heritage program.

Bensoussan bought the home in 1996, and a year later a class from the Greg Rogers School began making annual field trips to tour the house as part of their introduction to civic history.

In 2001, Bensoussan began leading local historic homeowners in organizing the first Historic Home Tour, sponsored by Chula Vistas Heritage Museum.

She later hosted a series of annual workshops to educate the public about the benefits of historic designation and the Mills Act, a program that offers tax incentive legislation for owners of historic properties.

Bensoussan said the most interesting aspect of the house is the history of it.

I was not involved in city government until I owned that house, it just kind of drew me in ... Its a responsibility-you have to be able to be a steward of a house like that. You dont own it, it owns you.

Bev Ryan, granddaughter of Edwin Olie Olson who bought the Rogers home in 1942, recently toured the property for the first time in decades.

Ryan, 61, said she often visited the home that belonged to her grandparents as a little girl, traveling from Texas to Chula Vista with her parents.

Today she lives in Point Loma with her husband.

Ryan was 6 or 7 years old when shed play with about a dozen of her cousins there.

She recalled it used to be surrounded by lemon orchards and railroad tracks, two of the cities mainstays.

During a typical family gathering, about 20 people would be at the house. While the adults socialized and played poker, Ryan said the kids would run around and play hide-and-seek.

We played up and down the staircase and had fashion shows.

Bensoussan said selling the home and moving to Houston is bittersweet.

It becomes part of you, a house like that.
On a Wednesday night in June last year, two men  both of whom had a romantic interest in the same woman  came face to face at the door of an Ocean Beach condominium.

Two gunshots rang out, and one of the men lay dead just outside the home.

What happened at the door?

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Thats the central question that will determine whether the homeowner, Thomas Francis Burke IV, 33, is guilty of murder for fatally shooting his roommates boyfriend on June 22, 2016.

Did Burke, a pharmacist known as T.J. to his friends, open the door and execute Jess Matthew Robles, 34, in a jealous rage, as the prosecutor argued Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court?

Or did he justifiably defend himself in his own home against an attack by an angry, intoxicated intruder?

The jury was expected to ponder those and other questions after the case was turned over to them Tuesday afternoon.

During the trial, which began last week, the prosecution argued that Burke had become obsessed with one of his female roommates, a woman he had known when both lived in New Jersey some time ago.

Deputy District Attorney Kyle Sutterley said Burke became jealous when the roommate began dating Robles. The defendant communicated his attraction to his roommate and hatred of her boyfriend in multiple text messages and emails.

Eventually, he banned Robles from entering the condo.

The prosecutor argued that Burkes feelings of anger and resentment were building up to the killing on June 22, shortly after 11 p.m.. Earlier that evening, Burke exchanged several text messages with the roommate, who was out with her boyfriend at an Ocean Beach restaurant.

One of Burkes texts read: If you want to be with Jess, do it but I hate him.

At some point, Robles took the phone from his girlfriend and began responding to Burke. He wrote in part: This is Jess Sounds like you have a lot to say behind my back.

Then moments later Robles sent a text that Burke believed to be a threat: Lets meet up, bro. I got you covered, (expletive).

Burke, who had been at home washing his car and taking care of his roommates dogs, then changed the entry code on his garage and checked the doors and windows on the lower levels of the condo to make sure they were locked. He also took out a handgun he kept in a case beneath his bed.

He put the gun in his pocket.

When his roommate came home and began packing her things to leave for the night, Burke told her he wanted her to move out permanently and to turn over her key. He followed her into a hallway near the front door, where she was kneeling to put a leash on her dog.

Then came a knock  or a bang  on the door.

The prosecutor argued that Burke opened the door, stuck out his arm and fired two shots at Robles, hitting him in the chest and then the throat.

The defendant got called out for talking trash about his roommates boyfriend, and 40 minutes later he murdered him, Sutterley said.

After the shooting, Burke jumped 15 feet from a balcony into an alley and fled. He turned himself in at Police Department headquarters in downtown San Diego about eight hours later.

Defense lawyer Gary Gibson told the jury that Burke acted in self-defense when Robles, who had threatened him earlier, got into a fighting stance in the doorway and began to move toward him.

Fearing he would lose in a fight with Robles, and that Robles might take away his gun, Burke raised the weapon and shot the intruder, the attorney said.

Robles dropped just outside the doorway of the residence. Two bullet casings were found outside.

This is nothing else but lawful self-defense by a homeowner, Gibson argued, adding that it was Robles  not Burke  whose rage was fueled by alcohol and his own disposition.

Before hearing the closing arguments, the jurors were taken to the scene of the shooting at the condo on Catalina Boulevard near Voltaire Street.

Deliberations are expected to resume Wednesday.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
A San Diego lawmaker wants to target sex traffickers by going after their profits.

Republican Assemblyman Brian Maienschein has introduced the Commercial Child Rape Prevention Act, which would give state and local governments the ability to sue sex traffickers in civil court.

While prosecutors would likely still pursue criminal convictions against pimps and johns, the bill would allow authorities to go after offenders as a part of a larger criminal enterprise.

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No bill like it has been enacted in the country, and its about time, Robert Fellmeth, executive director of the Childrens Advocacy Institute at the University of San Diego School of Law, said at a Wednesday news conference to draw attention to AB1495. The law school and the institute sponsored the bill.

Speaking in front of the Hall of Justice in downtown San Diego, Fellmeth said he knows from his time as a prosecutor how effective unfair competition civil penalty laws can be in combating illegal commercial enterprises.

We use this now instead of criminal sanctions to get at anti-trust violations and important unfair competition and consumer fraud violations, he said. This is the method we use now, the method I used very effectively.

Fellmeth and Maienschein made the point that child prostitution is a commercial enterprise that spreads via the internet on classified advertising sites such as backpage.com and is often operated by gangs. The idea behind the bill is to cripple the industry through commercial prosecution.

You get discovery, Fellmeth said. You find out everyone connected. You dont just go trick by trick, as it were, getting one prostitute at a time with a decoy.

Fellmeth said the sanctions the bill would impose are severe. For example, a sex trafficker sued successfully in civil court could be required to pay up to $50,000 for each act that violates the law, along with restitution and attorney fees.

You go after the pimp, Fellmeth said. You take every damn cent hes got.

The bill was introduced in February and is expected to be considered by the Assembly Judiciary Committee on Tuesday.

At the news conference, where he was joined by child advocates, Maienschien stressed that sex trafficking is a big problem in California. In San Diego County alone it is an enterprise that brings in $810 million a year to the perpetrators.

Citing an often-referenced study released in 2015 by the University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University, the assemblyman said an estimated 110 gangs have members profiting from sex trafficking.

Some of the pimps, he said, earn more than $500,000 annually.

If were going to win this fight, we must eliminate demand, and this bill will help us do just that, Maienschein said.

The bill also provides protections for sex-trafficking victims who testify against the pimps and johns in court.

One of the speakers Wednesday was Tiffany Mester of the Hidden Treasures Foundation, which provides housing, life planning, and mentoring to women and children victimized by sex slavery, according to the groups website.

Mester, 28, said she was trafficked as a teenager in San Diego by an older man she thought was offering her love and a life of happiness. It began when she was 14.

He took every single penny that I earned, she said. I didnt keep anything. He barely fed me. He barely clothed me.

She said she supports the bill because it could help take back what has been taken away from women and young girls like herself.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
Graduation rates in San Diego County are slightly below the state average, although area districts have overall increased over the years and many have made impressive gains and are well into the 90 percent range, according to a report released Tuesday by the California Department of Education.

The report also shows San Diego Unified School Districts graduation rate is better than any of the four other large districts in the state.

The 2016 statewide graduation rate for students who entered high school in 2012 was 83.2 percent. a record high after seven years of increases, while the countywide average was 81.7 percent.

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The report also cited a statewide dropout rate of 9.8 percent, a slight decrease from last year. The countywide dropout rate was 8 percent, down 0.3 percentage points.

Unified and union high school districts in Carlsbad, Escondido, Ramona, San Diego and San Marcos showed gains in graduation rates this year and were among the highest in the county.

San Marcos Unifieds graduation rate of 97.8 percent was the highest in the county and marked a 4.2 percentage point increase from last year.

Carlsbad Unified had a graduation rate of 94.1 percent, a 2.5 percentage point increase from the previous year.

Although it had a .8 percentage point drop, Valley Center-Pauma Unified had one of the countys highest graduation rates at 96.1 percent. Coronado Unified also had one of the countys highest graduation rates at 96.4 percent, although it was a 1.6 percentage point drop.

Among the most improved was Ramona City Unified, where a graduation rate of 92.3 percent marked a 3.5 percentage point increase from last year.

Some districts that already had some of the countys lowest graduation rates saw their numbers drop last year.

Fallbrook Union Highs graduation rate of 76.5 percent was a 3.7 percentage point drop from the previous year. Grossmont Union Highs 82.3 percent graduation rate was down 0.9 percentage points, and Sweeter Union Highs 82.7 percent graduation rate was a drop of 1.9 percentage points.

San Diego Unifieds graduation rate was 91.2 percent, a 1.8 percentage point increase that, as in the past seven years, placed it higher than graduation rates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Long Beach and Fresno. All five of the states largest district showed improvements this year.

Also on the upswing was Escondido Union High at 88.4 percent, a 2.9 percentage point increase, while the Vista Unified School District remained unchanged with a graduation rate of 84.4 percent.

Graduation rate decreases were reported in Borrego Springs, Coronado, Fallbrook, Grossmont, Julian, Oceanside, San Dieguito, Poway, Sweetwater and Valley Center

Some of those districts, however, still had graduation rates greater than 90 percent. Those include Borrego Springs, Coronado, San Dieguito, Poway and Valley Center-Pauma Unified.

The report come with a caveat, however. Last summer, the U.S. Department of Education announced it was auditing the graduation rates in California and Alabama.

California Department of Education public information officer Peter Tira said the inquiry is ongoing, and investigators from the Department of Educations inspector generals office had been at the state Monday to look at data.

We stand by our graduation rates and believe all our data is accurate, said Tira, who called the audit routine.

Steve Green, senior director of assessment, evaluation and accountability at the San Diego County Office of Education, said the data can be important for educators as a way of tracking student success and identifying areas of change.

Based on a very superficial look, it looks like the gaps are essentially the same, Green said Tuesday as he was still examining the data. Theres some incremental closures here and there, and some districts had a significant bump upward and a few districts that went down a percent or two.

Countywide, the 81.7 percent graduation rate was a .1 percentage point drop from last year, but still 4.2 percentage points greater than in 2010.

The graduation rates for Latinos was 76.2 percent, up .2 percentage points and the dropout rate was 10.3 percent, down .4 percentage points.

For African American students, the countywide graduation rate was 74 percent, up 0.4 percentage points, and the dropout rate of 11.9 percent was the same as last year.

The countywide graduation rate for English learners was 66.1 percent, down 0.2 percentage points from last year. The dropout rate was 14.2 percent, a 0.8 percentage point drop.

The countys graduation rate had been slightly above the state level, but has been overtaken by the state in recent years. Both have had steady increases since 2009-10, when the countys graduation level was 74.9 percent and the states was 74.7 percent.

In San Diego Unified, the dropout rate was 3.4 percent, down from 3.5 percent and significantly lower than any of the other big five districts. Los Angeles dropout rate was the highest among the five at 13.7 percent, a 3 percentage point drop from the previous year.

In San Diego Unified, the graduation rate has increased significantly since 2009-10, the school year when the report reflected the graduation rates of students who were followed over four years rather than a single year,

San Diego Unifieds graduation rate was 82.2 percent in 2009-10, and the 9 percentage point increase since then includes a time when graduation standards got tougher because the districts standards began including whats known as the A-G curriculum, which is designed to improve student readiness for the University of California/California State University systems.

The students, parents and teachers of San Diego Unified should be immensely proud of this achievement, San Diego Unified Superintendent Cindy Marten said. Not only did the Class of 2016 achieve the highest big-district graduation rate in the state, they did it while we raised the requirements to graduate. Our students have proven once again they will achieve more when we ask more from them.

The achievement gap between under-represented students and white students also has reduced statewide and locally.

Statewide, the graduation rate of almost every student subgroup rose in 2016, with English learners up 2.7 percentage points, African Americans up 1.8 percentage points and Latino students up 1.5 percentage points.

In San Diego Unified, the graduation rate for Latino students was 87.6 percent, a 2.7 percentage point increase from last year, and the dropout rate was 5.2 percent, the same as last year.

African American students graduation rate was 87.4 percent, up 2 percentage points, and the dropout rate was 4 percent, a 1.9 percent point drop.

The graduation rate for English learners in San Diego Unified was 81.4 percent in 2016, an 8 percentage point increase. Dropout rates for the group was 8.1 percent, a .3 percentage point drop.

gary.warth@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @GaryWarthUT

760-529-4939
A Princeton man has been charged with killing his girlfriend, whose body was found in the house he allegedly set on fire, after he allegedly shot her multiple times.

Antonio Contreras, 27, will make his initial appearance in Green Lake County Circuit Court on Monday, facing charges of first-degree intentional homicide by use of a dangerous weapon, arson, mutilating a corpse and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the criminal complaint.

Contreras is accused of shooting Grace Reiter-Rudolph, 55, on the night of March 12, then setting her house in Princeton on fire and fleeing the scene.

Reiter-Rudolphs body was found the morning of March 13 after the fire at the house at 103 South Farmer St. had been extinguished.

According to the complaint:

Contreras fled to Florida following the alleged homicide and arson, and was arrested by St. Johns County deputies while walking on a beach on March 15 after deputies found his pickup truck in a parking lot.

During interrogation in Florida, Contreras admitted he smoked methamphetamine and drank several beers in Princeton on March 12, returned to his residence and got into a verbal and physical argument with Reiter-Rudolph.

She locked herself in a bedroom while Contreras allegedly got a .22 caliber rifle, broke through the bedroom door and shot her at least four times in the head, the complaint alleges.

He then allegedly applied an ignitable fluid to bloody items and to Reiter-Rudolphs body, and started a fire to destroy evidence before loading personal items into the pickup truck and fleeing to Florida.

If convicted of first-degree homicide, Contreras faces a life sentence with up to five years added on for using a dangerous weapon; up to 40 years for arson; up to 12 years for mutilating a corpse and up to 10 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Contreras was found guilty of burglary in 2010, and was sentenced to 7 years probation on the felony conviction.
The Center for Biological Diversity, a nationally known environmental group, on Wednesday filed a legal challenge against the Trump administration over its proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall that would start in San Diego County.

This is the first lawsuit concerning the presidents border-wall plan. Joining the center in the litigation is Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Arizona, who serves as ranking member of the House Committee on Natural Resources.

The small but influential wildlife conservation group argues that construction of a barrier from San Diego to Texas would have disastrous impacts on jaguars, wolves and more than 100 other species in the border region.

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President Donald Trumps ugly wall will do little more than divide and destroy our magnificent borderlands, Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a statement. If were going to stop it, we have to make a stand right now.

The lawsuit specifically targets the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which would oversee the wall project. The agency declined to respond to the litigation, citing standard policy.

Currently, the entire U.S.-Mexico border has 653 miles of fencing. In San Diego County, where the border with Mexico is 60 miles long, there are 46 miles of barriers. That includes 13 miles of double fencing in areas along the San Diego-Tijuana corridor where nightly mass crossings of hundreds of immigrants were once common.

Trump is asking Congress for nearly $1 billion to begin construction of his envisioned border wall, including money for the 14 remaining miles of terrain in San Diego County that currently dont have fencing as well as 14 other miles in the region slated for replacement work.

The Center for Biological Diversity, which prides itself on its legal strategies, said its gearing up for a court battle and has launched an online fundraising page to help pay for its efforts.

The group has filed more than a half-dozen other lawsuits against the Trump administration, including cases seeking to protect coyotes from pesticides and to prevent wolves from being shot at bait stations in Alaskas national wildlife refuges.

Twitter: @jemersmith

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com
Doctors preferences appear to be winning out in the long-running debate about when screenings should begin for breast and prostate cancers.

Newly released survey results show that most physicians arent following recommendations from the powerful U.S. Preventive Services Task Force for women to generally start getting mammograms at age 50. The health providers still have been approving the breast-cancer imaging procedure for women as young as 40.

The agency, whose guidelines are often followed by health insurance companies, this week also announced a new draft policy on prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, tests  the standard method for trying to detect prostate cancer in men. In doing so, it moved away from a 2012 recommendation that the diagnostic tool not be used for men 55 to 69 years old who have no symptoms or history of the disease.

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As with mammograms, the task force saw that many doctors had continued to buck its standards, which are based on evidence gained from years of research and treatment for the overall U.S. population. With mammograms its important to note that other organizations, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society, continue to recommend screening for women in their 40s.

The cancer-screening pendulum has been swinging back and forth over the years.

For decades, the medical establishment endorsed broad screening programs that encouraged mammograms for women starting at age 40 and PSA tests for men beginning on their 55th birthday. The idea was that these programs would catch lots of cases early and prevent deaths, but that hasnt happened. While cancer death rates have declined over time, prostate and breast cancers are still projected to kill a total of nearly 68,000 Americans this year, according to the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society.

Broad-based screening has been criticized for catching tumors that may never pose a serious threat. In some cases, women have opted for double mastectomies after detection of very small breast tumors while thousands of men have undergone radiation therapy or significant surgeries after a PSA test detects cancer that, if left alone, would grow so slowly that it would never cause significant health problems.

Unnecessary or overly aggressive treatment is also expensive.

A 2015 study concluded that avoiding treatment of low-grade prostate cancer in Americans who would never die from the disease would save $1.32 billion per year. Meanwhile, the estimated cost of coping with mammogram false positives and other types of unnecessary care in breast cancer has been estimated at $4 billion per year.

At the same time, no one denies that screening really does save lives every day. The rub, then, is finding a way to catch potentially serious cases early while not overreacting to minor findings.

Dr. Alex Krist, a member of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, said the difficulty in cancer prevention is finding balance.

We have to work based on solid evidence that is in the medical literature and make a decision based on the balance of benefits and harms, Krist said.

He said the agencys decision to propose a change in its rating for PSA tests, after advocating against them in 2012, reflects additional medical evidence that has appeared. For every 1,000 men who undergo the test, up to 230 will have a positive diagnosis of prostate cancer. But within that smaller group, as many as 120 people will turn out to have a false positive after a biopsy or other secondary diagnosis method.

The 1,000 PSA tests are expected to prevent at least one death, slightly higher than an estimate of zero to one death that was made in 2012. Five men would still be expected to die of prostate cancer despite the screening. Evidence also suggests that three men will avoid having their cancer spread to other parts of their body, which would increase their chance of dying, Krist noted.

Though new evidence shows only slightly enhanced benefits of PSA screening, Krist said it was nonetheless enough to push the recommendation toward doctor-and-patient consultations on a case-by-case basis.

Its hard to judge. How many lives do you have to save to offset the false positives, overtreatment and overdiagnosis? Krist said.

Its a judgement call, said Dr. Christopher Kane, chair of the urology department for the UC San Diego Health system who practices at the universitys Moores Cancer Center.

He said there was definitely a time when too many men were undergoing surgeries that could leave them impotent or incontinent after receiving a PSA test with higher-than-normal values. But there have been significant recent strides in active surveillance, where a doctor keeps monitoring a patients prostate health rather than opt for immediate treatment, Kane added. If the cancer grows and becomes a threat, then the patient can opt for surgery.

Kane said the Moores center currently has about 400 prostate-cancer patients in San Diego County who are in the active surveillance category  and that many of them will live the rest of their lives without the disease ever becoming a deadly threat.

We will follow them without treatment because, even over their lifetime, most will probably never progress, he said.

In his view, the problem was not really the PSA test itself but rather how patients and doctors reacted to it.

Prostate cancer today almost exists as two different conditions. One is a normal component of aging and the other is a dangerous condition that kills thousands of men every year. The PSA test definitely has a role in helping us spot the more serious cases quickly, Kane said.

In breast cancer, the concern expressed by many studies has been that mammography screening doesnt result in significantly lower death rates from the disease. A comprehensive review of many breast cancer studies by the National Cancer Institute concluded that screening for breast cancer does not affect overall mortality.

Early detection through a mammography, the institute said, saves the lives of between two and six women per 10,000 screened, while between 466 and 479 will suffer false positives or false negatives.

Acting on this research, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammography for women starting at age 50. But the results of a new survey, published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, suggests that most doctors are not heeding that advice. A full 81 percent continued offering mammograms for women beginning at age 40, the research found.

Dr. Anne Wallace, director of the Comprehensive Breast Health Center at UC San Diego Health, said that it doesnt surprise her that most doctors are not asking their patients to delay mammograms until they turn 50. She said most have treated patients in their 40s where a mammogram caught a serious case of breast cancer early.

But she added that the task forces guidelines have helped, giving doctors a citable source to introduce the notion that a positive mammogram result is not necessarily a big deal.

It has enabled me to have a reasonable discussion instead of a frightened discussion, Wallace said.

Still, she said she and many other doctors do move forward to excise small tumors in the breast even though they may never grow or spread. She said taking them out earlier rather than later means less pain and worry for her patients.

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paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsisson
The American Civil Liberties Union sued U.S. Customs and Border Protections San Diego office on Wednesday to release information about how the office implemented President Donald Trumps travel ban affecting people from Muslim-majority countries.

The lawsuit is part of a national effort by the ACLU to obtain documents from 14 field offices, including Los Angeles, Boston and Chicago. The ACLU filed requests for the information in early February, after Trumps first executive order temporarily blocking those born in seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. CBP has not substantively responded to the request, the ACLU said in a statement released when the lawsuit was filed.

CBP has a long history of ignoring its obligations under the federal Freedom of Information Act  a law that was enacted to ensure that Americans have timely access to information of pressing public concern, said Mitra Ebadolahi, an attorney for the ACLU in San Diego and Imperial Counties, in an emailed statement. The public has a right to know how federal immigration officials have handled the implementation of the Muslim bans, especially after multiple federal courts have blocked various aspects of these executive orders.

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After the original order was signed in January, key components of Trumps order were quickly blocked in court. Teams of lawyers working at airports to get the Department of Homeland Security to release their clients into the country said that some travelers were held even after the judges decisions. The ACLU is trying to find out what happened, according to a statement released when the information requests were filed.

The local Customs and Border Protection office declined to comment on the case.

As a matter of policy, ,CBP does not comment on pending litigation, spokesman Ralph DeSio said via email.

Trump rescinded the first executive order  affecting Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen  in March. He signed a new, altered version that temporarily blocked entry from the same countries, but excluding Iraq. That second executive order was blocked by courts before it went into effect.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate
Attorney General Jeff Sessions described the border as a war zone in an Arizona speech on Tuesday, pleasing San Diego supporters of President Donald Trump and shocking some immigrant advocates.

San Diegos immigrant rights community criticized Sessions, saying that his visit follows a pattern theyve seen from officials from the new administration coming to the border without meeting with the areas local immigrant community leaders to get their perspective on the regions needs. They said Sessions describing border communities as a violence-ridden war zone showed he was out of touch.

San Diegans who have supported Trumps immigration agenda welcomed Sessions policies and hoped they would lead to fewer unauthorized border crossings.

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Sessions, addressing first Customs and Border Protection officers and then a group of international police chiefs, said he has directed federal prosecutors to prioritize cases for illegal entry and reentry, smuggling people across the border and assaults on border officials. He criticized sanctuary jurisdictions where local law enforcement limit cooperation with federal immigration officials. Sessions also said all adults apprehended at the border will be put in detention.

This is a new era. This is the Trump era, Sessions said, according to an emailed copy of his speech. The lawlessness, the abdication of the duty to enforce our immigration laws and the catch-and-release practices of old are over.

His speech called the Southwest border ground zero, and described the border as an intense battleground.

It is also here, along this border, that transnational gangs like MS-13 and international cartels flood our country with drugs and leave death and violence in their wake, Sessionss prepared speech said. And it is here that criminal aliens and the coyotes and the document-forgers seek to overthrow our system of lawful immigration.

MS-13, also known as Mara Salvatrucha, formed in Los Angeles in the 1980s. After some members were deported to El Salvador, the gang gained power there. Many who have come to the U.S. border from Central America seeking asylum in recent years say theyre running away from MS-13.

When we talk about MS-13 and the cartels, what do we mean? Sessionss speech said. We mean criminal organizations that turn cities and suburbs into war zones, that rape and kill innocent citizens and who profit by smuggling poison and other human beings across our borders. Depravity and violence are their calling cards, including brutal machete attacks and beheadings.

MS-13 is known for its violence, including beheadings in Virginia in 2014 and in El Salvador in 2003.

For the most part, Sessions stuck to his prepared remarks, but one deviation made news.

It is here, on this sliver of land, where we first take our stand against this filth, Sessions was going to say, according to the prepared remarks.

Instead, he said, It is here on this sliver of land, on this border, where we first take our, our stand. It is a direct threat to our legal system and to our peace and prosperity.

Ernie Griffes, an Imperial Beach resident who worked to remove a Welcoming City designation from the city last year, praised Sessions efforts.

The Attorney General is acting to enforce the law just as the law is enforced on us by local police in our neighborhoods, Griffes said by email. Perhaps this will save the lives of some who would otherwise have attempted the dangerous journey in the summer heat.

Christian Ramirez, human rights director for Alliance San Diego, took issue with Sessions depiction of such violence as if it has occurred at the Southwest border.

This insistence to make our region out to be a place in which heinous crimes are committed is not only untrue but its quite a dangerous proposition, Ramirez said by telephone. Its not the reality of the border region.

He alluded to San Diegos relatively low crime rate.

The focus of the attorney general on making the border region out to be a dangerous, lawless place is unacceptable, Ramirez said. What really struck a nerve in me was this notion that beheadings are taking place in the region and painting a horrifying picture of a place that 50 million people call home.

These are just lies, Ramirez added.

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate

UPDATES:

9:45 a.m. April 12: This story was originally written based on prepared remarks Sessions released on Tuesday. It was updated Wednesday morning based on deviations he made from the prepared text. The headline was changed as well to remove the word filth, which was included in the prepared text but was not spoken by Sessions.
Former San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock and his wife are suing the city over a 2015 fall she took on damaged sidewalk that allegedly ruptured her silicone breast implants and eventually required replacement surgery.

While the Hedgecocks arent seeking a specific amount, the lawsuit they filed last October says the damages they suffered are well in excess of $25,000.

The suit contends the city behaved with negligence and carelessness by not repairing a 2.5-inch concrete lip in a public sidewalk caused by a tree. The incident took place in Pacific Beach on Morrell Street near Grand Avenue.

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RELATED: Cyclists $4.85M crash settlement blamed on lax San Diego repair policy

A spokesman for City Attorney Mara Elliott said Wednesday that the city expects the case to go to trial later this year. Lawyers in the case are scheduled to meet Friday to discuss potential trial dates.

Trials are unusual in sidewalk cases, which the city has typically settled out of court in recent years.

The lawsuit says Cynthia Hedgecock suffered serious personal injuries when she tripped over the raised portion of sidewalk, flew forward and came crashing to the ground on July 31, 2015.

Two weeks later, she went to a local medical clinic with persistent chest pain and breast deformities, and learned in September 2015 that both of her silicone implants had ruptured and that silicone had been leaking into her bloodstream, the suit says.

That November, she had both implants removed and replaced in what the suit describes as a grueling procedure.

She then needed weeks to recover during which she used pain medication, sleeping aides and required her husbands constant assistance, the suit says.

The San Diego Reader first reported on the lawsuit.

Roger Hedgecock is a co-plaintiff because he suffered the loss of support, service, love, companionship, society, affection, relations and solace from his wife.

The suit says he had to stay at home and help his wife every day with her recovery, prompting him to seek compensation for his own loss of income and the loss of consortium with his wife.

Damaged city sidewalks have been a controversial topic this spring, with the city recently paying nearly $5 million to a bicyclist launched 28 feet by a raised sidewalk in Del Cerro.

The attorney in that case said city officials dont prioritize promptly fixing dangerously damaged sidewalks.

After the City Council approved that settlement on March 7, Councilman David Alvarez renewed his previous requests for a new policy shifting the responsibility of repairing sidewalks almost entirely to the city.

Alvarez says the existing policy, which makes adjacent property owners responsible for repairs in all but a small number of circumstances, has resulted in too many damaged sidewalks and large injury payouts.

Making property owners responsible leads to inaction because they are reluctant to incur the costs and go through the complex process of hiring a contractor and obtaining city permits.

Under existing policy, the city is essentially responsible only when sidewalks are damaged by utility work, heat expansion or changes in grade.

Alvarez would shift the policy to say that the city is responsible unless it is determined that the damage was caused by the adjacent property owner or a third party.

The city has agreed to three other settlements of sidewalk cases in the last two years for $75,000, $98,000 and $235,000.

david.garrick@sduniontribune.com (619) 269-8906 Twitter:@UTDavidGarrick
The new research vessel Sally Ride is en route from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla to a shipyard in Alameda, where it will undergo standard repairs and upgrades.

The R/V Ride arrived in San Diego last August, and has maintained a high profile since then as part of a larger plan to make the $89 million ship highly visual to the general public.

Recently, the R/V Sally Ride has been collaborating with the SIO research vessel Sproul and research platform FLIP off California.

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It is not unusual for a new ship to return to the ship yard for upgrades and tweaks within a year of entering service.

The ship is named after the late Sally Ride of La Jolla, the first American woman to travel in space. She later joined the physics faculty at UC San Diego.

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Twitter: @grobbins

gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com
San Diegos pension problem could have gone from bad to worse on Tuesday. Luckily, it didnt.

Luckily, an appeals court delivered taxpayers and voters a major victory, safeguarding San Diegans right to limit city worker pensions  while also protecting Californians constitutional right to direct democracy through citizens initiatives such as the one at issue, Proposition B, the 2012 measure that made San Diego the states lone jurisdiction not giving new hires a traditional public pension.

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Actually, luck had little to do with this case. Credit former City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and current City Attorney Mara Elliott and the lawyers they had handle it. Credit San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who argued for pension reforms as a city councilman in 2012 then defended them in his current role. Credit the San Diego City Council for quickly and unanimously voting to appeal a 2015 Public Employment Relations Board ruling against Proposition B, and for not bowing to union pressure to renegotiate pension changes after the state labor board ruling jeopardized them.

At issue at the appellate court was whether elected officials were wrong to campaign for Proposition B without first negotiating with city unions. The court agreed they were within their rights because they campaigned as individuals, advocacy protected by state law and the First Amendment.

Approved by 65 percent of voters, Proposition B replaced guaranteed pensions for all new city workers except for police officers with 401(k)-type retirement plans. The Public Employment Relations Board argued the city should backfill pensions for all workers hired without them since 2012 and pay them 7 percent interest as a penalty.

With that ruling annulled, the city is on firmer ground  and the money that might have gone to backfilling those pensions can instead be used for neighborhood services such as parks, libraries and recreation centers in years to come. An appeal to the state Supreme Court is expected, but theres a chance the court wont even hear the case. With Faulconer expected to release a lean annual budget proposal later this week, this is all welcome news.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: UTOpinion
Regarding What we do online is our own business (April 10): Google and Facebook have been tracking and sharing our browsing history with whoever for years, and being large contributors to Barack Obama, were permitted to get away with our information. Do not kid yourself on this.

Companies such as Comcast, Verizon, AT&T and others were not granted the same information-sharing freedoms from the Obama administration.

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With the exception of Apple, all of these companies make a lot of their money on our browsing history, and when only two are singled out as winners, our government is blatantly in violation.

Dont get me wrong, I do not favor more intrusion into my computer life, so I will take appropriate safeguards to protect my usage. The point here is Donald Trump is not the villain. This is just the implementation of fairness. It is called free enterprise.

Michael Ginesi

Oceanside

* * *

Michael Ginesis assessment of the changes to internet privacy rules misses the mark on a fundamental point. Google, Facebook and many other sites have been collecting and using our data and internet usage for a long time. They are content providers that a user chooses to visit. If I fear that Google is abusing with my privacy, I can avoid Google. However I cannot avoid using an ISP if I want to access the internet.

Letters and commentary policy

The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below.

A parallel is the local phone/cell company. We would never allow them to listen to our calls to collect our information for their profit. The distinction is clear: ISPs and web sites are totally different. It is reasonable that the rules that apply to them should differ to account for their differing roles and responsibilities.

Larry Colton

San Diego

Want to see more letters that appear only online? Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook.
U.S. and Russian leaders have exchanged sharp words since U.S. military missiles struck Russias ally, Syria, in response to its regimes use of chemical weapons on civilians less than a week ago.

Those words escalated Wednesday when Russian leader Vladimir Putin said trust between the two countries had deteriorated ahead of a closed-door meeting with him and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson . The meeting comes on the same day a story on the front page of The New York Times reported that the U.S. is accusing Russia of covering up the Syrian regimes use of sarin gas, a charge Russia denies.

"One could say that the level of trust on a working level, especially on the military level, has not improved but has rather deteriorated," Reuters quoted Putin saying on Russian television on Wednesday.

As Tillerson was meeting with Russian leaders in Moscow, journalists in the room described the scene as tense. In one instance, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov scolded an American journalist in the room for asking a question.

Who was bringing you up? Lavrov asked the journalist. Who was giving you your manners?

Tillersons meeting with Lavrov and Putin follows a number of barbs that U.S. and Russian leaders have traded over the ongoing conflict in Syria. Russia says it backs Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in his fight against the Islamic State, but the U.S. objects to Assads use of chemical weapons on civilians.

"In general, primitiveness and loutishness are very characteristic of the current rhetoric coming out of Washington. We'll hope that this doesn't become the substance of American policy," Reuters quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying to Russian news media. "As a whole, the administration's stance with regards to Syria remains a mystery. Inconsistency is what comes to mind first of all."

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations , on Wednesday offered her own advice to Russia over its alliance with the Syrian regime.

"To my colleagues from Russia: you are isolating yourselves from the international community every time one of Assad's planes drop another barrel bomb on civilians and every time Assad tries to starve another community to death," Haley said at a U.N. Security Council meeting.

On Wednesday, the Twitter account for the Russian embassy in South Africa shared a quote from Putin calling the U.S. claims against Syria boring.

Meanwhile, in a Tuesday morning interview with Fox Business News Maria Bartiromo, Trump described Assad as an animal and said Putin is backing a person thats truly an evil person.

And I think its very bad for Russia, I think its very bad for mankind, its very bad for this world, Trump said describing Assads use of chemical weapons on civilians that also killed children.

The new comments came a day after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer landed in hot water for comparing Assads use of chemical weapons to Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust , and NBCs Bill Neely, reporting from Moscow, said the Kremlin was not happy with that comparison and would tear Sean Spicer apart.

All of this comes after Trump authorized the use of Tomahawk missiles to strike a Syrian airfield last Thursday in response to a chemical weapon attack that killed dozens of people. Even as the military strike was widely praised by world leaders and others, questions remained about Americas strategy and role in the Syrian conflict.

Can Tillerson persuade Putin to change his mind about Russias role in Syria? Can Tillerson say anything to Putin to tame the showdown between the two countries? And what impact might all this have on the ongoing investigation of Russias involvement in the U.S. election as new developments emerge? So many questions.

Have some thoughts to share?

Join me in a conversation: Shoot me a private email with your thoughts or ideas on a different approach to this story. As always, you can also send us a tweet.

Email: luis.gomez@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @RunGomez
Poway City Council members will be told Tuesday night that work will start early next year on the long-awaited undergrounding of overhead lines along Espola Road and the construction of a pedestrian pathway along the western side of the busy road.

The start is being delayed about six months due to time needed for the utility companies involved to review and comment on the plans, and for the city to acquire easements from the 16 property owners along the construction route, according to Robert Manis, the citys development director. Late last year city officials were saying they hoped the construction would begin this summer.

The project has been in the works since the Espola Road Improvement Project Final Environmental Impact Report was adopted by the council in mid-2013.

In a report to the council, Manis said a consultant hired by the city is working on completing the final undergrounding design plans. The final design for the pedestrian path should be done by summer, he said.

The city has reach easement agreements with three of the 16 property owners, Manis said, and has met on site with all but three of them.

Councilmembers said the project will improve both the appearance of one of the citys main entryways and the safety of students and local residents walking along the road.

Overhead lines will be buried along Espola Road, from Mountain Road to Northcrest Lane. A 6-foot-wide decomposed granite pathway, intended largely to protect students walking to and from schools, will stretch from the existing sidewalk south of Mountain Road to the one south of Willow Ranch Road. A split rail fence will run alongside the pathway.

There are two parts to the project, but all work will be done at the same time. The first undergrounding district will encompass 2,000 lineal feet. It will likely cost $1.9 million and will be paid for through the citys allocation of 20A fees collected by San Diego Gas & Electric. The city currently has only $1.25 million available in its account and plans to borrow the balance for five years worth of future annual allocations.

The second undergrounding district involves 2,200 lineal feet and will cost about $2.6 million. It will be paid for through general fund reserves.

The total cost of the pathway, including design and construction, is pegged at $1.5 million, which will paid for by an existing city general fund appropriation.

Officials estimate the project will take about a year to complete.

In other business, the council will review a report on current usage of the Poway Senior Center and Poway Community Center, both in Community Park. The council is seeking the information as continues to debate whether existing buildings should be renovated or replaced with a larger new joint-use building.

Email: editor@pomeradonews.com
Following spending initiatives in Gov. Scott Walker's proposed budget, Republican state lawmakers are offering a series of bills intended to reduce homelessness in Wisconsin, including a high-powered council that's at or near the top of a key state advocate's wishlist.

State Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna, and Sen. Alberta Darling, R-River Hills, on Wednesday will offer a legislative package of four bills that would provide new structure to state efforts to reduce and end homelessness, adjust some current programs and test new approaches.

The centerpiece legislation, sponsored by Steineke and Darling, would create an Interagency Council on Homelessness to be chaired by the governor's designee  the first to be Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch  and containing the secretaries of eight agencies that get homelessness funding.

The council, partially modeled after one in Minnesota, is directed to establish and review state policy for preventing and ending homelessness, and work with state agencies to implement policy.

The bill designates a new director of the Interagency Council on Homelessness in the Department of Administration to coordinate council policy and practices. The legislation appropriates $95,000 for the position.

The other bills largely echo and support fiscal proposals in Walker's proposed 2017-19 budget, which is now under review by the Legislature.

Establishing a priority

The proposals, while not devoting huge new sums of money, help establish the issue as a priority, try new approaches and set the stage for potential investments in the future, Steineke said Tuesday.

Steineke said he hopes the council, which would include the secretaries of the departments of Administration, Health Services, Children and Families, Workforce Development, Veterans Affairs, Corrections, Public Instruction and others, will create a dynamic state plan to end homelessness. It would replace a 14-page blueprint produced in 2007 that has no metrics to measure progress, no funding recommendations and no assignment of tasks.

Asked about more resources, Steineke said, "I don't think that's out of the question down the road. I think everybody wants to make a difference in this particular area. We just want to make sure we're using taxpayer money wisely and getting results."

Joseph Volk, executive director of the Wisconsin Coalition Against Homelessness, said the state has fallen behind in addressing homelessess in the past two decades and applauded Walker's budget proposals and the legislative package, especially the Interagency Council on Homelessness.

"That's been one of our top three priorities, maybe our top priority," Volk said of the council. "What's being proposed, and what's in the budget, it's certainly a huge step forward."

The issue of homelessness rose through 2016 as Kleefisch and the GOP caucus prioritized it and the coalition offered specific policy and budget recommendations. The Wisconsin State Journal highlighted issues last year in a four-month series on homelessness.

"This package of bills draws on the same core principles that animate my interest in this issue: common sense, collaboration between agencies and a commitment to intensive wrap-around services to get people up on their feet again," Kleefisch said Tuesday.

The governor's budget and GOP legislation address nearly three-fourths of the coalition's policy and budget recommendations, with the biggest omission a program with more funding to prevent homelessness, like a temporary one in Milwaukee County that reduced eviction rates during the Great Recession, Volk said.

'Not a partisan issue'

Steineke invited support of Democrats, who have been frustrated by the lack of GOP backing for their initiatives.

"I certainly hope we can build bipartisan support," he said. "I see this along the same lines as the HOPE (Heroin Opiate Prevention and Education) agenda dealing with the opiate issue. It's not a partisan issue."

Said Volk, a self-described Milwaukee Democrat: "I believe Democrats who come forward with good ideas will be able to knock on Republican colleagues' doors and have a conversation. I'm urging Democrats to become engaged on the issue."

The other bills:

Give the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority the ability to pilot a program to prioritize chronically homeless people on the waiting list  now about about 4,900  for federal Housing Choice Vouchers, also known as Section 8. Sponsored by Rep. Treig Pronschinske, R-Mondovi, and Darling.

Current wait times for such assistance can be from a few months to a few years, Pronschinske said in a statement. "This is a fantastic step in combating chronic homelessness by working to reduce sometimes extremely long wait times for stable housing," he said.

Free up underused, previously allocated state money  about $300,000  for transitional housing, to be used for additional types of housing models, and frees separate homelessness prevention funds to be used where there is the greatest need statewide. Sponsored by Rep. Patrick Snyder, R-Schofield, and Darling.

"Although this is just the beginning, I am optimistic about the work we are doing to address this longstanding challenge," Snyder said in a statement.

Create a grant program for a municipality that meets certain criteria to receive $75,000 annually to pilot a program for two years that connects homeless people to jobs and workforce training. This grant would require a match of at least $50,000 from the participating city. The program is modeled on the "Better Way" initiative in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which uses a van to pick up homeless people and pays them to clean up public places. Sponsored by Rep. Jessie Rodriguez, R-Oak Creek, and Darling.

"We know that finding steady employment is a crucial aspect to ending homelessness," Rodriguez said in a statement. "This is a fiscally responsible approach that has proven successful in other parts of the country."
With no viable solutions yet for parking along state Route 67 near the Mt. Woodson trail, Ramona Community Planning Group took two steps to initiate some action.

You go down on a Saturday morning and its crazy, said planning group chair Dan Scherer at the April 6 meeting. People run across the road and make a U-turn and try to parallel park.

The planning group had sent a letter to Caltrans, which oversees the highway. Marcelo Peinado, district division chief of traffic operations, responded, saying Caltrans investigated restricting parking and installing no parking signs near the intersections in that area.

Planners said no parking signs will just create other problems.

Noting that hikers come from San Diego, planner Dan Summers said no parking signs wont stop them from hiking.

Theyre going to move further down the 67, north and south, in more dangerous areas, he said. Theyll go all the way to the curve.

Planner Frank Lucio said if people have to park farther away, theyll just make their own trails to reach the Mt. Woodson trail. Members agreed the issue is beyond the scope of the planning group and requires a multi-agency effort.

The City of San Diego owns the upper portion of the mountain, which is an open space preserve, and leases land at the top to communications companies for cell towers. The county has said it has property at the bottom that could be used for a parking lot but would need access across state-owned property, where there is a Cal Fire station, to reach it from the highway. County Supervisor Dianne Jacob has said the city should be responsible for developing a parking lot because it owns the open space.

Planner Scotty Ensign said part of the problem is that it is not a designated trailhead and residents in that area do not want it to be. He also said Cal Fire does not want people cruising through there. He suggested prohibiting hiking to the top from SR-67, and instead only allow it from Lake Poway, which is a longer hike.

Whatever we do, were going to have backlash, said Ensign. Weve been pounding on Caltrans to do something for years.

Planner Chris Holloway suggested getting all the stakeholders together to discuss the problem and try to find a solution. Others on the group agreed.

Torry Brean, planning group vice chair, said they should send the letter to City of San Diego, Caltrans, County of San Diego, Cal Fire, and include Ramona Trails Association.

Because we all know someones going to die there, Brean said. And when it happens, all these bureaus are going to say, Boy, whoa, I sure wish we could have done something. I think we need to spell it out and say, Were telling you someones going to die there.

Then, he said, maybe they will stop passing the buck.

The planning group unanimously approved sending a letter to the above agencies and proposing a joint meeting to explore options and take joint ownership in creating a solution.

Scherer also suggested forming an ad hoc committee to address the parking problem and a solution.

Mansolf, Ensign, Holloway, and Casey Lynch volunteered to serve on the committee; Lynch will chair it. Planner David Ross was the only member absent from the meeting.

In other business, the RCPG approved:
President Trump did the right thing, the necessary thing, in striking Syrias Shayrat Air Base in response to the Assad regimes gruesome gas attack on civilians.

In so doing, the president sharply reversed his own past stance and positions his team took just days ago on Syria. Despite his stubborn refusal to criticize Russias cyberwar on America, he may finally have grasped the need to display toughness to the Kremlin.

Call it the learning curve of Trump.

The big question now is whether the administration will use this military strike as more than a warning against the use of chemical weapons. The strike gives Trump new leverage to jolt a dying Syrian peace process back to life. But that would require him to play a global role he has previously disdained.

Back in September 2013, when President Barack Obama was agonizing over how to respond to a far larger Syrian gas attack, Donald Trump tweeted, Do not attack Syria  if you do many very bad things will happen & from that fight the U.S. gets nothing.

Obama agreed. He failed to enforce his own red line, instead crafting a deal with Moscow that supposedly forced Bashar al Assad to destroy his chemical arsenal. But, as I wrote then, the purpose of enforcing Obamas red line was not to overthrow Assad, something Washington couldnt achieve without boots on the ground. Rather, a strike could have been used to prod Syria and its backers into a serious peace process. That opportunity was lost.

Fast forward to now. Before the latest gas attack, Trump claimed his only interest in Syria was the defeat of the ISIS caliphate in the east of the country. On my trip to the region last month, Iraqis and Syrians bemoaned the apparent lack of any U.S. political strategy to keep jihadis from emerging again once ISIS was gone.

Only last week, top Trump officials stressed the lack of U.S. interest in removing Assad (which may have emboldened the dictator to think he was invincible). Then, Assads stupidity, and the presidents visceral reaction to TV scenes of dying children, changed the equation. Whatever the rationale for Trumps sudden reversal, he was correct to do what he did.

Thats because, in using sarin gas, the Syrian leader did far worse than violate the 1925 Geneva convention that bans the use of chemical weapons. (One should note that the U.S. attack occurred on April 6, the 100th anniversary of Americas entry into WWI, in which 90,000 allied soldiers were felled by chlorine or mustard gas.) Assad also violated the 2013 deal brokered by Obama and Vladimir Putin that called for Assad to destroy all of his chemical weapons  obviously, he didnt.

Moreover, the Syrian leader flaunted U.N. Resolution 2235, which authorizes the use of force if Damascus violated that deal (although Russian veto power makes it impossible for the Security Council to act).

If Assad had been allowed to ignore all these red lines it would have given him carte blanche to continue gassing his own people. It would have demonstrated that the world, and America, had no will to stop the use of chemical weapons elsewhere.

In addition, it would have had two more dangerous consequences. First, it would have demonstrated that American Firster Trump truly had no interest in global leadership on critical issues where U.S. leadership is essential. And second, it would have displayed a continuing Trump unwillingness to treat Putin with the toughness required to convince the Russian that Trump is not an easy mark.

Indeed, it is hard to imagine that the Russians were not complicit in the sarin attack. Russians were stationed at Shayrat Air Base  which is not large  and ought to have known that sarin was stashed there. Perhaps they turned a blind eye because they know that Assads depleted army lacks the troops to defeat Syrian rebels in their remaining strongholds, so the Kremlin was willing to tolerate the use of gas.

But the repeated Russian denials that Assad was responsible continue the pattern of lies about their actions from the invasion of Ukraine to the hack of the U.S. election. The United States has clear evidence that the attack was launched from Shayrat  U.S. radar spotted the Syrian aircraft that dropped the gas bombs. This is why the American strike has broad backing from U.S. allies.

So Trump had to make clear to the Kremlin that the United States would not tolerate this brazen breach of the 2013 pact. Trump has to read the Russians the riot act, says Josh Landis, a noted Syria expert at the University of Oklahoma. He has to get the Russians involved, to ask them what the hell happened.

But the bigger question that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson must explore during this weeks visit to Moscow is whether the Russians are willing to use this strike toward a productive purpose, despite their anti-U.S. bluster. So far Assad has been unwilling to contemplate discussing a political transition that would leave him in power but eventually lead to elections  and Russia had been unwilling to squeeze him.

The message that Russia needs to deliver to Assad, says Andrew Tabler, of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, is: Dont think you can gas your way out. They must encourage Assad to go down the road to a true political process.

Yet Russia may have no interest in restraining Assad. Even without gas attacks, his barrel-bomb drops on civilians and the resulting refugee flows help Putins plans to undermine the European Union.

So the test of Trumps learning curve will rest on whether he recognizes the need to hold firm with Putin  and whether he will invest in a diplomatic strategy for Syria that leverages his military action.

If he fails on either count, the broader impact of the military strike on Shayrat will be lost.
Supreme Court Retirement Talk Focuses on Pivotal Justice Kennedy: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report .

When will Justice Anthony Kennedy retire? Joan Biskupic of CNN.com has this report .

And thanks to one of this blogs longtime readers residing in Australia for emailing yesterday to congratulate me on this blogs upcoming 15th birthday!

In Bashman news from Australia: PerthNow reported one week ago today that  Perth carjackers bash man, steal BMW .

Neil Gorsuchs Appointment Further Blurs Line Between Law and Politics; New justices appointment was directly linked to the partisan presidential election cycle: In todays edition of The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin has an article that begins, The bruising partisan process that preceded the swearing-in of Neil Gorsuch on Monday to the U.S. Supreme Court less recalled the stately self-image of the federal bench than the sharp-elbowed, much criticized retail politics most states use to elect their judges.

Neil M. Gorsuch sworn in as 113th Supreme Court justice: Robert Barnes and Ashley Parker have this article in todays edition of The Washington Post.

David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times reports that Gorsuch thanks Trump as he takes oath as Supreme Court justice.

In todays edition of The New York Times, Julie Hirschfeld Davis has an article headlined Neil Gorsuch Is Sworn In as Supreme Court Justice.

In todays edition of The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin has an article headlined Neil Gorsuch Takes Oath in Rose Garden Ceremony, Filling Supreme Court Vacancy; Colorado jurist expected to restore the conservative majority jeopardized by death of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Richard Wolf and David Jackson of USA Today report that Neil Gorsuch sworn in as 113th Supreme Court justice.

Alex Swoyer of The Washington Times reports that Justice Gorsuch may quickly make mark on Supreme Court rulings.

And in todays edition of The Denver Post, Mark K. Matthews has a front page article headlined Neil Gorsuch takes oath of office to become Supreme Court justice; Neil Gorsuchs oath was administered by Justice Anthony Kennedy.
New York City, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/11/2017 -- Global Sodium Methylate Market: Introduction



Sodium methylate, also known as sodium methoxide (molecular formula CH3ONa), can be produced by an exothermic reaction between elemental sodium and methanol. Sodium methylate is a white to pale yellow color, odorless solid, obtained in powder form. It is a flammable compound, but not explosive, and it can be decomposed when exposed to high heat. Commercially, sodium methylate is available either in solid or liquid form. Generally, sodium methylate is sold as a 25% to 30% solution in methanol for various applications, such as the production of vitamin A1, B1, trimethoprim, sulfadiazine, and analytical agents, among others. It is also widely used as a catalyst in biodiesel production. Sodium methylate can easily react with oxygen. Hence, it is necessary to avoid the contact of sodium methylate with moisture or water, and air at high temperatures (above 1260C) to avoid its decomposition into sodium hydroxide and methanol. Sodium methylate is highly soluble in alcohols, such as methanol and ethanol, whereas it is insoluble in toluene and benzene. Sodium methylate finds various applications as a catalyst, especially in biodiesel production.



Request to view Table of Content @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/14953



Global Sodium Methylate Market: Dynamics



The global sodium methylate market is mainly driven by the increasing demand from various applications, especially in pharmaceutical and agriculture industries, and in the organic synthesis of various products. Rising demand for sodium methylate as a catalyst in applications, such as edible oil processing, grease, and synthetic detergents is further expected to drive growth of the market during the same period. Moreover, sodium methylate market is expected to be driven by anticipated steady growth in biodiesel production where it finds application as a catalyst. Growing demand for biodiesel, coupled with government initiatives in various countries over its blending has in turn resulted in an increase in biodiesel production capacity. This increase in production capacity of biodiesel has led to an increase in the demand for sodium methylate. Besides this, the presence of mercury in sodium methylate solution during its manufacturing leads to contamination of the product and has an effect on the catalytic activity of sodium methylate. Thus, the development of alternative methods with other raw materials in order to avoid mercury presence will help in growth of the global sodium methylate market.



Global Sodium Methylate Market: Segmentation



On the basis of type, the global sodium methylate market is segmented into:



- Solid

- Liquid (Solution)



On the basis of application, the global sodium methylate market is segmented into:



- Pharmaceutical

- Agrochemicals

- Plastics and Polymers

- Personal Care

- Analytical Reagent

- Biodiesel

- Others (paint and varnish, etc.)



Global Sodium Methylate Market: Regional Outlook



Geographically, the Asia Pacific (APAC) region dominates the global sodium methylate market. In APAC, China dominates the sodium methylate market with a relatively higher share in both, production and consumption, followed by India and Japan. Growing demand from pharmaceuticals and chemical industries, among others in APAC is expected to help propel the demand for sodium methylate over the forecast period. It is expected that APAC will register a healthy CAGR over the forecast period. North America, followed by Europe is a large market for sodium methylate in terms of consumption. Rising capacity of biodiesel production in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., etc. has resulted in an increase in the demand for sodium methylate in Europe and North America. Furthermore, in Europe, government initiatives to encourage the use of biofuel and reach a 10% mark in terms of consumption in the transportation sector is expected to boost the demand for sodium methylate over the forecast period. North America and Europe are expected to register significant growth over the same time frame. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa region are expected to register slow growth during the forecast period.



Global Sodium Methylate Market: Market Participants



Examples of some of the market participants in the global sodium methylate market, identified across the value chain are BASF SE, Evonik Industries, E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Anhui Jinbang Medicine Chemical Co. Ltd., Zibo Xusheng Chemical Co. Ltd., Dezhou Longteng Chemical Co. Ltd., and Inner Mongolia Lantai Industrial Co. Ltd, among others.



Sample of this report is available upon request @ http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/14953



The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.



The report covers exhaust analysis on:



- Market Segments

- Market Dynamics

- Market Size

- Supply & Demand

- Current Trends/Issues/Challenges

- Competition & Companies involved

- Technology

- Value Chain



Regional analysis includes:



- North America (U.S., Canada)

- Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)

- Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain)

- Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)

- Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)

- Japan

- Middle East and Africa (GCC Countries, S. Africa, Northern Africa)



The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.



Report Highlights:



- Detailed overview of parent market

- Changing market dynamics in the industry

- In-depth market segmentation

- Historical, current, and projected market size in terms of volume and value

- Recent industry trends and developments

- Competitive landscape

- Strategies of key players and products offered

- Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth

- A neutral perspective on market performance

- Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint



About Persistence Market Research

Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients' business needs.



PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients' business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMR's engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/12/2017 -- The presence of a large number of companies has rendered the vendor landscape of the global chlorinated paraffins market highly fragmented. In the next few years, competition among the large companies is expected to intensify further, says Transparency Market Research (TMR). Numerous companies have been adopting business strategies such as partnerships, collaborations, mergers, product innovations, and acquisitions to strengthen their market position. For instance, in November 2016, Gulf Chlorine, a joint venture between Al Mirqab Capital and Oman Chlorine signed an agreement with KLG Organic Qatar to set up a calcium chloride plant in Doha, Qatar. KLG Organic Qatar, a joint venture between India-based KLG Organic Limited and Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company, intends to manufacture chlorinated paraffin wax via this collaboration.



Some of the prominent market players operating in the global market for chlorinated paraffins are Dover Chemicals, JSC Kaustik, Ajinomoto Fine-Tech, and Caffaro Industrie.



Browse Market Research Report @ http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/chlorinated-paraffin-market.html



According to TMR, the global market for chlorinated paraffins is expected to attain a revenue worth US$1.98 bn by the end of 2023. The market is expected to keep expanding at a CAGR of 3.2% between 2015 and 2023. By application, the largest share was held by metalworking fluids, claiming nearly 35% share in the overall market. Asia Pacific emerged as the leading segment by geography, accounting for a share of 55% in the global market for chlorinated paraffins in 2014.



Growing Metalworking Industry in Asia Pacific Incites More Demand



Asia Pacific is likely to hold its dominance over the forecast period in the global market, driven by the availability of labor and raw materials, expansion of the metalworking industry, and low costs of chlorinated paraffins. India and China are projected to surface as major contributors of the chlorinated paraffins market in Asia Pacific.



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Based on product, metalworking fluids are expected to emerge as the leading segment. The growth of the metalworking fluids segment can be attributed to the flame retardant properties of these products. Chlorinated paraffins are used as extreme pressure lubricants in metal cutting applications by virtue of their flame retardant properties, contributing to this segment's growth. The plastic additives application segment has been witnessing rapid growth. Therefore, it is waiting in the wings to replace the metalworking fluids segment.



Higher Need for PVC Products Lends a Hand to Market's Growth



One of the primary growth drivers of the global market for chlorinated paraffins is the high demand for extreme pressure additives used in secondary plasticizers and metalworking fluids in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compounds. PVC products such as sheets, pipes, tubes, cables, and wires are required in large supplies in industrialized regions. The demand for chlorinated paraffins is increasing owing to their rising deployment across several end-use industries. These include paints, rubber, lubricating additives, and applications in sealant and adhesives such as flame retardants and plasticizers. The low costs and numerous advantageous properties of these products have been responsible for their extensive use. The advancement of metalworking and plastic industries might generate more demand for chlorinated paraffins over the forthcoming period.



On the contrary, the environmental hazards associated with the use of these products might limit the growth of the market. Several European and North American nations have imposed restrictions on the use of chlorinated paraffin, leading to the usage of substitute products. However, the robust growth in industrialization in Asia Pacific is likely to make up for the loss resulting from these restraints.



Key segments of the Chlorinated Paraffins Market



Chlorinated Paraffins Market - Product Analysis

-L-grade

-A1 (<40%)

-A2 (40%70%)

-A3 (>70%)

-M-grade

-B1 (<40%)

-B2 (40%70%)

-B3 (>70%)

-H-grade

-C1 (<40%)

-C2 (40%70%)

-C3 (>70%)



Chlorinated Paraffins Market - Application Analysis



-Lubricating Additives

-Plastic Additives

-Rubber

-Paints

-Metalworking Fluids

-Others (Including Sealants, Adhesives, etc.)



The information presented in this review is based on a Transparency Market Research report, titled, "Chlorinated Paraffins (Product - L-grade (A1 (<40%), A2 (40%70%), and A3 (>70%)), M-grade (B1 (<40%), B2 (40%70%), and B3 (>70%)), and H-grade (C1 (<40%), C2 (40%70%), and C3 (>70%)); Application  Lubricating Additives, Plastic Additives, Rubber, Paints, Metalworking Fluids, Sealants, and Adhesives)- Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023".
New York City, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/11/2017 -- The global consumption of construction aggregates is expected to reach 62.9 billion metric tonnes by 2024 end, up from 43.3 billion metric tonnes in 2016, in terms of volume. Sand will record the maximum demand, recording an absolute incremental opportunity of nearly US$ 89 Bn over 2016-2024.



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The global construction aggregates market is anticipated to witness a Y-o-Y growth of 6.3% in 2016. Increasing activities in infrastructure and renovation sectors are amongst the key drivers propelling the demand for construction aggregates globally. In addition, the macroeconomic factors such as open-ended industrialization and urbanization will continue to drive substantial demand for construction aggregates. Other factors identified to impact the market include enhanced tourism, advancing commercial construction sector, and rapidly thriving residential construction sector. Growing preference among manufacturers for recycled aggregates and manufactured sand is currently a key trend in the market.



Environmental pollution due to extensive construction activities can pose a strong challenge to the growth of the global construction aggregates market. In addition, the market is also estimated to witness deterring growth owing to the challenges regarding transportation, technological limitations, and seasonal variations compelling restricted utilization. Depleting natural resources, a longstanding challenge, can also restrain the growth of the global construction aggregates market.



On the basis of product type, sand will remain the largest segment, accounting for 44 % revenue share of the market in 2016. The crushed stone segment will ramp in higher revenues as compared to gravel and other aggregates.



Based on the application, the construction aggregates market is governed by four major applications, including residential, commercial, industrial, and infrastructure, among which infrastructure segment is expected to account for the highest revenue share.



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On the basis of the region, China recorded a dominant market share of 26.7% in 2015. China is anticipated to lead the market in 2016, followed by North and Central America. India will also maintain a key position in the market. Other regions that are expected to represent stagnant market status throughout 2016. Northern Europe will witness sluggish growth owing to gradual economic recovery. Canada, Singapore, Kuwait, and Qatar were prominently identified to import construction aggregates in 2015, whereas China, Norway, Germany, and Ukraine are the major exporters.



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View Report Table of Content, Figures, and Tables



Key participants in the global construction aggregates market include Heidelberg Cement AG, Lafarge, Holcim, LSR Group, CEMEX S.A.B. de C.V., Vulcan Materials Company, CRH, Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., EUROCEMENT Group, and ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LTD.



Summary:



Global construction aggregates market to witness moderate growth. Maximum demand for sand; China to lead the market, North & Central America, and India key markets.



About Persistence Market Research

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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/12/2017 -- Global Hyperloop Train Market: Overview



With rapid urbanization across the world, the need for quick and yet efficient modes of transportation is escalating. The concept of hyperloop train may be the answer to the increasing travel demands, as it promises to achieve speeds up to 800-mile-per-hour via transportation tube concept which was first introduced in 2013. Hyperloop Transportation Technologies has been developing this concept for past few years and the stocks of Elon Musk's hyperloop high-speed transportation system are now available in AECOM. Due to never ending demand for transportation and travel across developed as well as emerging economies, several investors are coming forward with their financial might to make the concept of hyperloop train a reality in near future. Consequently, the global market for hyperloop train is expected to expand at a rapid rate during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.



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Global Hyperloop Train Market: Key Trends



Support from several governments is the primary driving factor of this market. For instance, Slovakia has recently sealed an agreement with Hyperloop Transportation Technologies to build the concept in Europe, connecting the Vienna in Austria and Budapest in Hungary with the capital city of Bratislava. If everything falls into place, the travel to Vienna to Bratislava would only take 8 minutes while Budapest to Bratislava can be covered in 10 minutes. In a car, these two journeys currently consume an hour and two hours respectively. This significant time-saving is expected to encourage several other European countries to invest in the concept of hyperloop train and thereby augmenting the demand in the market for the same.



Along the same lines, the state of California in the United States is in process of permitting a five-mile test track in Quay Valley, with construction expected to begin sometime in 2017. Conversely, the concept of hyperloop train is yet to see the day of light, and its business model has not been completely realized. Moreover, the high cost associated with the construction is hindering the global hyperloop market from realizing its potential at the earliest.



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Global Hyperloop Train Market: Market Potential



Though Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is yet to open for traditional funding, CEO and founder Dirk Ahlborn has revealed that more than 600 institutional investors are willing to provide financial support. With donations worth more than US$600 mn in the form of wind chambers, land assets, and other engineering tools, hyperloop train market is expanding its horizons, also gaining support from several governments in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. According to Ahlborn, first few passengers to travel via hyperloop test train would be in 2018 or 2019 in the U.S.



Global Hyperloop Train Market: Regional Outlook



Owing to substantial finances required for the realization of the concept, the market for hyperloop train currently has most of the demand coming from the developed regions of North America and Europe, although the country of Middle East is also adamant of improving their infrastructure and is expected to invest financially as well as allot land for hyperloop train during the forecast period. Co-founder and COO of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Bibop Gresta, says that six more countries in Middle East and Asia are ready to announce the adoption of the hyperloop train market in the next few months.



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Global Hyperloop Train Market: Competitive Landscape



Hyperloop Transportation Technologies is currently the only company working on the concept, although given its usefulness, several other technology and construction companies are expected to jump on the bandwagon during the forecast period.



About TMR Research

TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todayas supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clientsa conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.



Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.
Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/11/2017 -- Timetrics ' Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides a detailed outlook by product category for the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and a comparison of the Vietnamese insurance industry with its regional counterparts.



It provides key performance indicators such as written premium, incurred loss, loss ratio, commissions and expenses, total assets, total investment income and retentions during the review period (2011-2015) and forecast period (2015-2020).



The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country.



The report brings together Timetrics research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in the country. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure.



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Timetrics 'Life Insurance in Vietnam, Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020' report provides in-depth market analysis, information and insights into the Vietnamese life insurance segment, including:



- An overview of the Vietnamese life insurance segment

- The Vietnamese life insurance segments growth prospects by category

- A comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese economy and demographics

- A comparison of the Vietnamese life insurance segment with its regional counterparts

- The various distribution channels in the Vietnamese life insurance segment

- Details of the competitive landscape in the life insurance segment in Vietnam

- Details of regulatory policy applicable to the Vietnamese insurance industry



Scope



This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the life insurance segment in Vietnam:



- It provides historical values for the Vietnamese life insurance segment for the reports 2011-2015 review period, and projected figures for the 2015-2020 forecast period.



- It offers a detailed analysis of the key categories in the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and market forecasts to 2020.



- It provides a comparison of the Vietnamese life insurance segment with its regional counterparts



- It analyzes the various distribution channels for life insurance products in Vietnam.



- It profiles the top life insurance companies in Vietnam and outlines the key regulations affecting them.



Reasons To Buy



- Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to the Vietnamese life insurance segment, and each category within it.



- Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends and growth opportunities in the Vietnamese life insurance segment.



- Assess the competitive dynamics in the life insurance segment.



- Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories.



- Gain insights into key regulations governing the Vietnamese insurance industry, and their impact on companies and the industry's future.



Enquiry at: http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=E&repid=1057718



Key Highlights:



- The government issued Decree No. 73/2016/ND-CP on implementation and amendments to certain articles of the Law on Insurance Business, effective July 1, 2016.



- In October 2013, the Vietnamese government implemented a new regulatory framework for voluntary pension insurance.



- Effective August 2012, investment-linked products (ILPs) were introduced in Vietnam. The MoF introduced new provisions for universal life insurance products, effective from June 1, 2016.



- According to Circular 86 issued in July 2014, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and the State Bank of Vietnam introduced new bancassurance rules for life insurers, effective September 2014.



- The number of life insurers operating in Vietnam increased from 14 in 2012 to 18 in 2016



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Kiev, Ukraine -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/12/2017 -- Continuing its active participation in Global IT events, Mobilunity, a Ukrainian provider of development teams and IT outsourcing solutions, proudly exhibited at Israel AdTech 2017, the 3rd annual Israeli conference for leaders of the AdTech industry.



Mobilunity's management team, represented by CEO Cyril Samovskiy, Director of Business Development Alfonsine Williams, and Scrum-certified Project Manager Marina Negriy, attended this year's edition of Israel AdTech to not only present the benefits of Ukrainian development, but to connect to the Israel AdTech scene that has produced some of the most influential companies in the AdTech sphere.



Israel AdTech is a networking conference that unites startups, agencies, and experts representing advertising companies from all over the world. Annually the event managed by Eli Mandelbaum (the conference chairman and managing director of PluggedIn BD) has 500+ attendees and speakers including senior executives, brands, startups, and entrepreneurs, representing emerging mobile and desktop technologies in the field of advertising.



"We have received great opportunities for networking at Israel AdTech 2017. I hope that we will have fruitful collaboration with all people we have met, and I look forward to pursuing our joint efforts to build their development teams together." Marina Negriy, Project Manager.



Mobilunity's efforts are aimed at strengthening and contributing to the establishment of successful and fruitful Israeli-Ukrainian cooperation in the IT sphere. Ukraine has great potential, IT talents, and plenty of resources to cover the Israeli demand for development teams and dedicated experts at reasonable rates.



About Mobilunity

Founded in 2010, Mobilunity is a provider of dedicated development teams based in Kyiv Ukraine. Mobilunity provides turn-key, full-cycle outsourcing solutions in web and mobile development, design, digital marketing, and customer support. With clients from over 20 countries globally, Mobilunity works with all manner of businesses from startups to digital agencies across various market verticals.



To learn more about Mobilunity and their services, please visit www.mobilunity.com or write them:



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Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/12/2017 -- Spain's long coastline stretching through the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and geographic proximity with access to different regions through its strategic position in the Iberian Peninsula have led Pharmaceutical Bottles Market to expand quickly. This market is the focus of a new market intelligence report added to the massive online collection of Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE). This research report is titled as "Pharmaceutical Bottles Market - Spain Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2016  2024".



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As per the estimations of the report, the Spanish Pharmaceutical Bottles Market will progress at a steady CAGR of 3.8% between 2016 and 2024. The growth is mainly driven by the improvement in the drug delivery formats employed for pharmaceutical products. The introduction of plastic-made pharmaceutical bottles, on account of the ample availability of comparatively cheaper polymers, is expected to effect this market positively over the coming years. However, the growth may be hindered by the emergence of eco-friendly materials made bottles as a replacement for the pharmaceutical bottles and the increasing preference of consumers for flexible packaging systems, like blisters. The report includes market drivers, restraints, risks and the ongoing trend for the pharmaceutical bottles market along with their impact on demand during the forecast years. It also covers the study of opportunities available in Spain for pharmaceutical bottles along with value chain analysis of raw material manufacturers, packaging manufacturers, plastic bottles manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and end users within the value chain system.



The study encompasses market attractiveness analysis, based on bottle type, application type, material type and end user. The main sectors that have emerged as the primary end users of pharmaceutical bottles in Spain are as follows:



Pharmaceutical Companies

Chemical Companies

Compounding Pharmacies

Healthcare Centers

Pharmaceutical Packaging Companies



High-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) are the major types of materials used for the generation of pharmaceutical bottles in Spain. Among these, the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material is experiencing a high growth rate and is projected to remain dominant in the upcoming years. The study also covers market size and growth forecast from 2017 to 2024 for each segment.



The report provides a detailed competitive outlook including company profiles of key participants operating in the Spain market. Major players in this market are Gerresheimer AG., Alcion Plasticos, Maynard and Harris Plastics Ltd, Amcor Limited, Industrias Plasticas Puig and Pont Europe. Details such as company overview, financials, recent developments, strategies and SWOT analysis are duly covered as a part of company profiling in the report.



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[NAIROBI] The adoption and increased use of child-friendly medicines is helping Kenya improve the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and child survival, according to the countrys Ministry of Health.



Kenya is a high tuberculosis burden country with children estimated to comprise about 10 per cent of all TB cases, a large fraction of these cases remaining undiagnosed and untreated despite seeking medication at health centres, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health last month (24 March) during the World TB day celebration.

We want to institutionalise this initiative, especially with educational institutions in the country using children as agents of change. Enos Masini, Ministry of Health

The statement adds: Children are at a higher risk of developing severe, often fatal forms of TB, such as TB meningitis, which can leave them blind, deaf or mentally disabled.



According the health ministry, a major challenge to the treatment of the disease has been the subjection of children for six months to bitter-tasting pills which are not soluble in water.



But since the introduction of child-friendly, water-soluble TB medicines in December 2015 by the TB Alliance, the country is expected to significantly improve treatment and child survival from TB. The improved child-friendly medicines are pleasantly flavoured and easy to administer.



TB is the worlds leading infectious killer disease and also a major cause of illness and death among children, says Enos Masini, head of the National Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Lung Disease Program at the Ministry of Health.



Masini tells SciDev.Net that a major aim of the ministry is to increase awareness among people because there are many people not reporting and seeking healthcare.



We want to institutionalise this initiative especially with educational institutions in the country using children as agents of change, Masini explains.



According to Masini, Kenya is the first country in the world to nationally roll out free distribution of the improved medicines since October last year.



During a media visit to Kiambu Township primary school last month (20 March), in Kiambu County, officials from the county government and the health ministry awarded prizes to pupils who participated in essay writing on TB.



This is a day meant for sensitisation, says Masini. We are ready to treat and destigmatise TB patients in our county,

Jonah Mwangi, a member of the county executive committee on health, while commenting on the World TB day, noted that increased sensitisation will help the country reduce prevalence and eventually eradicate TB by the year 2025 which will be in time with UNs Agenda 2030 on sustainable development.But Elizabeth Mungai, head of chest clinic at Kiambu level four hospital in Kenya, says that clinicians need to seek more information from parents when diagnosing children. It is tricky to get the symptoms from children, hence we heavily rely on information from parents and guardians, she explains.This piece was produced by SciDev.Nets Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.
A giant spider, almost the size of a softball, has been found in an abandoned mine in Baja California. The arachnid has been classified as Califorctenus cacachilensis, since it was found in Sierra Cacachilas Mountain Range.

According to The Los Angles Times, it is thanks to the efforts of two Natural History Museum researchers - Michael Wall and Jim Berrian - based in San Diego that this new softball-sized species of spider could be discovered. This exciting find was published in the journal "Zootaxa".

The ABC News website reports that those suffering from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) can breathe easy, since Berrian thinks, "... it's a really pretty spider." This softball-sized spider is certainly pretty, if hairy inch-long body, thick fang-like structures and eight hairy legs spreading four inches all around its huge body can be considered pretty!

Even the color of the softball-sized spider is a striking combination of browns and yellows. It has chocolate brown head and legs, and dull yellow abdomen, which gives it a dull hue, ideal for its habitat.

Finding this big softball-sized spider was no chance discovery. Berrian had already noticed the shed exoskeletons of this spider in a grotto in the Cacachilas in 2013. He just waited for the opportunity to get hold of a live specimen.

Despite the ignorance of the ranchers living in the area regarding the presence of this spider, Berrian and Wall continued their search and finally succeeded. They had focused on this softball-sized spider's natural habitat, that is, dark and dingy places that remained perpetually undisturbed. The elusive spider was eventually found in an abandoned mine shaft for the first time.

Is this a rare find? According to Wall, finding this new softball-sized spider is actually no big deal. This species is one of the estimated four million species of insects and spiders in the world that await identification and naming, so the odds of encountering a new species is always high.

So, what makes this find so special? It is the huge size of this spider, which almost compares with that of tarantula. This has not only got the scientists interested, but has also set the media abuzz with excitement.
The heartbreaking news from Malaysia is about the seizure of rhinoceros horns from Malaysian airport in Kuala Lumpur. The customs officials in the airport have confiscated 18 rhino horns which are weighing more than 51 kilograms and have a value of more than $3 million.

As written in The Herald, these rhino horns were flown into the country from Mozambique via Qatar. Malaysia is known for being major transit points for endangered species trade to other Asian countries, but as per custom officials, Malaysia is believed to be the final destination for the horns. The customs officials found the horns from cargo warehouse of the airport.

The rhino horns were kept in a wooden crate in the cargo warehouse and were crated as art objects. When discovered, the cargo had a fake air bill attached with it. Airport customs director Hamzah Sundang informed the media in a press conference that no one was arrested till now for this incident.

Time reported that no one was found receiving the parcels, and therefore no one could be arrested. The consignee address and the recipient address, which was mentioned in the crates, with all the documentations used for the shipment, were invalid and false. Importing rhino horns without a valid license is an offense under the Malaysian law.

The black market for rhino horns is huge, with trafficking of these horns throughout the parts of Asia for the purpose of medicinal use as well as artistic use. These horns are used as a treatment for cancer, hangovers, and some general ailments. People consider rhino horns as gifts for trading for a better job or any other benefits.

In the year 2013, Vietnam had a rhino horn trafficking of $300,000 with a value more than per kilogram price of gold. Places like Vietnam consider rhino horns as luxury currency and status symbols. The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has increased the protection on rhinos, which gets killed for their horns. Data from CITES show that approx. 6,000 rhinos have been killed for the valuable horns between the year 2005 and 2015 including black rhinos from Southern Africa.
One Bolivian biologist has an interesting task to promote harmony and co-existence between humans and spectacled or Andean bears, in Bolivia. It was Ximena Velez-Liendo, the Bolivian biologist, who spearheaded the "Conservation through Co-existence: Andean Bears and People" project. This was among the six finalists for Britain's Whitley Award. Some people even look at this as the "Oscars" of conservation. The top Whitley Award winner will be announced on May 18.

This interesting project by the Bolivian biologist explores issues and conflicts between Andean bears, called the Jucumari in Bolivia and humans, according to EFE. The Andean bears are consumers of plants, fruit, mammals, birds and insects. However, they even attack cattle and hence might be in danger of being put to death by farmers.

The bears have been blamed for the loss of livestock in the various farms in countries such as Bolivia and other places in South America, according to Bearbiology. Scientists, such as the Bolivian biologist, say that even small populations of bears can cause conflicts.

"What the project is doing is evaluating the level of conflict, how much cattle people lose and determining how to reduce (the losses) based on the analysis," the Bolivian biologist Velez-Liendo told EFE.

In 1999, she spotted one of the spectacled bears when she was busy working on her thesis at Carrasco National Park in Cochabamba. This was a region situated in the central part of Bolivia. "It was the first time I was in the field and the first time I saw a bear. That was and is the most beautiful memory I have up to now," the Bolivian biologist told EFE.

These strange and rare animals are the only bears of the species that live in South America. They are said to be threatened, as the number of their population is very low, as the Bolivian biologist found. Other bears that live in tropical Andean areas in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru include the Spectacled bears. They sport light fur around their eyes. This makes them look as if they are wearing eyeglasses.

YouTube/National Geographic
The Auckland Civil Defense issues advisory as Cyclone Cook creeps closer to New Zealand. The storm landed in New Caledonia earlier, registered one casualty and left tens of thousands households without power supply. The forecast from WeatherWatch states that the severe weather will lose much intensity by the time it hits New Zealand.

Auckland, the Great Barrier Island, and their vicinity were warned of heavy rain and gusts as the Cyclone Cook approaches. Until Thursday evening, the downpour will happen at an estimated 30-40 millimeter per hour. Cyclone Cook is also carrying gusts that might peak at 165km per hour.

Meanwhile, meteorologist Georgina Griffiths said that the flooding that currently affects New Lynn and Hunua Ranges will escalate due to localized downpour. Motorists were also particularly warned of flash floods and road slips. Cyclone Cook is going to close in at Auckland tomorrow during late hours.

Here are some of the precautionary measures as advised by the Auckland Civil Defense. First is the Cyclone Cook impact on travel. Those who will inevitably drive at night should travel slowly when approaching flood-prone areas. Drivers should also look for higher grounds if their vehicle got stuck in the flood.

Cyclone Cook may affect the road access. In such cases, the driver needs to ensure that they have enough provisions. Water, canned goods, torch, and other essentials should be handy in times of getting stranded or isolation, Times Online said.

During emergencies, Cyclone Cook-affected residents or communities may contact the hotline 111. Flooding due to blocked water drains may be reported to 09 301 0101. This hotline is available to ensure that flood will subside immediately.

While it is advised for bikers and campers to stay from harm's way, the Auckland Civil Defense reminded that people should call the above-mentioned hotlines first. At times that Cyclone Cook is threatening, it is better to check the forecast before going outside. Be advised as well that some regional parks are closed for the meantime.
NASA has received an authority from the government to get humans to Mars by 2030. With this urgency, NASA prepares its plans unveiling them now on how it will get humans to Mars.

NASA associate administrator Bill Gerstenmaier said that they produced the framework that people could view the real plan executed. On the other hand, he said that "it's not so defined that it is some piece changes, the whole plan gets thrown away and they start all over again."

The first stage of the space agency's plan is developing a deep space gateway (DSG), which is a small space station orbiting the Moon. This will be assembled during the three Space Launch System (SLS) flights and to be finished by 2025.

The DSG will have four crew and will have a habitation module, airlock for spacewalks and propulsion module. This will be the spaceport or launching pad for lunar landing missions.

The second phase of NASA's plan involves the deep space transport (DST) spacecraft, which could support a crew of four for about 1,000 days at a time. The supply and refurbishing will be made at the DSG anytime there are space missions. The DST, which weigh about 41 metric tons, will be launched into lunar orbit in 2017 through a single SLS mission. NASA is expecting the DST to have three trips to Mars then back to Earth, according to Futurism.

Meanwhile, one of the obstacles that space travelers will encounter in space is the radiation. Currently, the scientists are developing ways on how to protect the astronauts and space travelers from the radiation. This ultraviolet radiation including the cosmic and gamma rays from the Sun and space could lead to cancer and even to death.

The good news is the researchers are creating methods for protection. One of these is the AstroRad Radiation Shield, which is invented by StemRad, an Israeli company. This is a sort of a vest that astronauts could wear. It could shield vital human tissue such as reproductive organs, lungs and stem cells from radiation. This vest could have its first test in space by 2018, according to Learning English.
After a hyped-up unveiling of Samsung's latest virtual assistant Bixby, the tech giant stated that it will not accompany the Samsung Galaxy S8 features for now. The company's latest front runner that is expected to launch April 21 worldwide will not incorporate the Samsung's hallmark feature for the U.S. customers.

As reported by Ars Technica, the new Samsung Galaxy S8 features offered a number of impressive upgrades of which the Samsung Bixby was a part. While most of Bixby's functions resemble those of the Google Assistant, the former had a few aces up its sleeve that give it a unique identity to some extent. The South Korean tech giant's latest virtual assistant accompanies features like camera and text-powered searches.

Tech Crunch reported that the Samsung Galaxy S8 will delay its English version (meant for the western users) of Bixby voice assistant. The site further noted that Samsung will offer the assistant as an upgrade later this year, probably in spring. After the alleged acquisition by Viv labs on the company for building Bixby out of a purchased AI from Apple's Siri developers, Samsung noted that Bixby will launch a little late for the U.S. customers.

The company had already explained that Samsung Bixby Voice will not be available worldwide at the time of launch. However, some integrated card features are expected to be there on the device. Samsung Galaxy S8 features were unveiled at the event held late March, giving fans an introduction to the key upgrades on the new device. Among them, the Bixby button was also revealed as a new addition to the layout of the device.

If Samsung wants its customers to use that feature to the full extent, it will need to roll out the Bixby voice assistant update as soon as users get their hands on the new device. Hopefully, the Samsung Galaxy S8 features update for the Bixby app will be out soon.
Although the much talked about Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 is not yet official, leaks and rumors about the handset's possible specs, price and release date have already flooded the internet. A new leak has reportedly revealed some information about the smartphone's pricing details.

According to GSMArena, a Chinese online retailer Taobao has already listed the Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 with a starting price tag of CNY 1,599, which is roughly equal to $231. As per the screenshot of the listing, the Redmi Pro 2 will be made available in two variants. The first variant with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage has been listed with a price tag of CNY 1,599 (roughly $231), whereas the second variant with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage has been listed with a price tag of CNY 1,799 (roughly $260), Gizbot reported.

As far as Xiaomi Redmi Pro 2 specs are concerned, a Geekbench listing suggests that the handset will get a 1.5GHz deca-core MediaTek Helio MT6797T processor and not the previously rumored Snapdragon 660 SoC. The processor features four cores that clock at 2.5Hz and other four ones that have been clocked at 1.6GHz.

As per the listing, the Redmi Pro 2 will feature 3GB RAM, ARM Mali-T880MP4 GPU and run on Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system. Among other specs, the upcoming Redmi Pro 2 is expected to get an all-metal body, a 2.5D curved glass design and a whopping 4,500 mAh battery. The handset is said to feature a dual rear camera setup, two 12-megapixel cameras with Sony IMX362 sensor. A fingerprint scanner is also expected to be placed on its back panel.

It is to be noted that Xiaomi has not yet officially announced anything about the Redmi Pro 2 release date, specs or price details. So, readers are advised to take the information with a hefty pinch of salt.
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 is undoubtedly one of the most highly anticipated devices of the year. Notably, rumors about Microsoft Surface Pro 5 possible specs, release date and price have already flooded the internet. Now, new reports suggest that the Surface Pro 5 has received the China Compulsory Certificate (CCC).

According to The Christian Post, the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 passed the CCC on April 5. The Chinese body ensures that the products used, sold or imported in the Chinese market are safe. As per the report, there are high chances that the next gen Surface Pro could be unveiled sooner than expected.

Recently, Microsoft-watcher Paul Thurrott revealed some new information about the eagerly awaited hybrid device in his tweet. In his tweet, Thurrott stated that the next gen Surface Pro 5 will retain the Surface Connect power connector that is currently found on the Surface Pro 4 and the Surface Book. The laptop-tablet hybrid will also see a bump from the current Skylake CPUs to Intel's latest Kaby Lake architecture, BGR reported.

Paul Thurrott also mentioned that the new device will not come with any dramatic changes as compared to the previous generation Surface device. So, fans can expect some minor changes in the upcoming device.

Among other specs, the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 is expected to get a lightweight aluminium body, an improved display, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a revamped Surface Pen stylus with wireless charging feature.

As far as the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 release date is concerned, the tech giant is expected to announce the device sometime later this month. Some more details about the device are likely to be revealed at Microsoft's Build developer conference that is scheduled to start on May 10 and run until May 12 in Seattle.

It is advised that readers take the Microsoft Surface Pro 5 specs, release date and pricing rumors and information with a hefty pinch of salt as nothing has been officially announced yet.
A team of U.K.-based climate change researchers are heading to the Himalayas to become the first scientists to successfully drill the highest glacier in the world. The research team from the Aberystwyth University in Wales will be working at an altitude over 5,000 meters on the Khumbu glacier in Nepal.

According to BBC News, the scientists will spend up to six weeks on location and will use a drill specially adapted from a car wash to cut nearly 200 meters into the glacier. The aim of drilling into the highest glacier is to find out how climate change impacts Khumbu. The team will study Khumbus internal structure and measure its temperature. Factors like how quickly the glacier flows and how water drains from it will also be studied, as per a Financial Express report.

Khumbu, which is often used by climbers during their journey to the Everest base-camp, is a 17-kilometer-long glacier located in north eastern Nepal. The glacier flows from as high as 7,600 meters down to 4,900 meters.

"Working in the field is challenging at best, but this mission presents some particular challenges," project leader Professor Bryn Hubbard was quoted as saying, according to the BBC News report. "We do not know how well our equipment will perform at altitude, let alone how we will be able to contend with the thin air."

Professor Hubbard also added that understanding what actually happens in the interiors of glaciers is crucial to know more about their flow. Consequently, better predictions can be made by scientists about the breaching of dams, which form on these glaciers. A vast volume of water is released in the valleys below when dams on glaciers are breached. The probability of such a calamity is a real risk in the Himalayas as it can endanger the lives of thousands of people.

Professor Duncan Quincey from the U.K.s Leeds University, who will also be a part of the research team, feels that all data available about glaciers until now are just scratches on the surface. Therefore, the upcoming mission is important to understand how glaciers in the region will respond to climate change.
Hong Kong-listed COIG announced on Tuesday that Nantong Huakai has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company with its financial results to be consolidated into the financial statements of the company.

The planned acquisition of Nantong Huakai was announced in November 2016. Nantong Huakai was acquired from a Chinese businessman Huo Qi and Nantong Xinda Shipping Technology Development Company.

Jiangsu-based Nantong Huakai is a manufacturer of shipbuilding equipment, marine engineering crane, metallurgical mining machinery and equipment, bridge and building steel structures, ship steel structures and superstructure work.

COIG said in earlier announcements that the acquisition would allow the company to broaden its source of revenue, particularly during the downturn in the shipbuilding industry.

COIG, which changed its name from China Ocean Shipbuilding Industry Group, has also diversified into the car parking business in late-2015.
Local reports said Malaysian construction and civil engineering company Ahmad Zaki Resources, through its TB Supply Base Sdn Bhd (TBSB) had signed a two-year service contract with Carigali Hess Operating Company Sdn Bhd (Carigali Hess).

The contract is for the provision of crew boat activity and other support services at the Tok Bali Supply Base in Kelantan.

TBSB has a contract to operate Tok Bali Supply Base until February 2019.

Ahmad Zaki Resources group md Wan Zakariah Wan Muda said: We welcome TBSBs signing of the service contract with Carigali Hess, which follows on the heels of our recent acquisition of a controlling stake in the supply base.

"We stand to see significant contribution to the groups financial performance going forward, and would also strive to secure more PSC operators.

"Furthermore, we are executing plans to enhance the facilities of Tok Bali Supply Base through a MYR26.8m ($6.1m) capital expenditure. This comprises improvements to the supply bases infrastructure, such as machinery, warehouses and land for shipyard to better serve existing and potential PSC operators, he said.
The Singapore-listed shipping trust has failed to reach agreement on a new restructuring proposal with creditors and new investors, after noteholders rejected its previous proposed restructuring in December 2016. As a result of the rejection by SGD100m noteholders a proposed $260m refinancing package did not go ahead.

A syndicate of lenders comprising HSH Nordbank and DBS Bank had given Rickmers Trust Management (RMT) until 15 April to present a new restructuring plan.

The Trustee-Manager is disappointed to have to announce that, after much effort placed on achieving a consensual restructuring among creditors, potential investors have not supported an injection of new equity into the trust due to the challenges in obtaining, through a consensual process between parties, noteholders and other creditors consent for significant debt write-offs, RMT said in a statement to the Singapore Exchange.

Rickmers Maritime had failed to make a $196.7m principal repayment to its banking syndicate on 31 March and SGD4.3m coupon payment to noteholders in November 2016, as well as various loan covenants breaches had resulted in going concern issues for the trust and aggravated and unsustainable liquidity going forward.

With the failure to secure new investors and liquidity issues RMT said it was impracticable to continue the trust and it was being wound-up.

The winding up decision is made in light of no other possible alternatives to restructure the liabilities of the Trust with the objective of delivering value on an accelerated basis to all creditors to avoid uncertainties and risks involved in a protracted winding up process, RMT said.

RMT in said it was in advanced discussions with a potential buyer of the trusts assets which may allow the Trust to distribute cash recoveries upfront to unsecured creditors.

The trust has fleet of 14 panamax containerships which have seen a sharp drop in values and charter rates since the opening of the expanded Panama Canal in late June last year.

RMT had previously warned noteholders that as unsecured creditors they were likely to receive nothing if the trust was wound-up. Singapore notheholders, private investors with a minimum sum of SGD250,000, have played hard ball in restructuring with a number of Singapore-listed maritime and offshore companies with mixed results.
The states Commission on Judicial Performance on Tuesday publicly admonished Alameda County Superior Court Judge Tara Flanagan for campaign finance violations that occurred during during her successful judgeship bid in 2012.

The commission, which serves as the disciplinary watchdog group for the states judicial branch, found that Flanagans missteps in disclosing the true source of two campaign loans totaling $25,000 violated judicial ethics rules.

Flanagan received the loans from her campaign treasurer and longtime personal friend, Carol Pranka. A 2015 investigation into the violations by the states Fair Political Practices Commission found that the loans were for political purposes, but made payable to Flanagan personally, not to her campaign.

Later, in a pre-election filing, Flanagan reported that she loaned that money to the campaign herself and made no mention of Pranka, whose $25,000 contribution qualified her as a major donor under state election law.

Flanagan and Pranka were fined a combined $6,000 by the state commission for the violations, though the agency found their actions to be unintentional.

Pranka declined to comment on the matter Tuesday.

Flanagan, who oversees criminal matters, said in a statement sent through her attorney that I deeply regret the mistakes I made in 2012 when I was a first-time judicial candidate and did not understand how to properly report a personal loan that I used for campaign expenditures.

After the error was discovered, Flanagan said she fully cooperated with both the Fair Political Practices Commission and the Commission on Judicial Performance.

I amended the campaign reports and reported the mistakes to the CJP. I appreciate the full consideration the CJP gave to this matter, Flanagan said.

In a statement Tuesday, the Commission on Judicial Performance said it took into account that Flanagans violations were unintentional, but determined that, particularly as an attorney, she should have familiarized herself with the applicable reporting requirements before submitting an official statement and that ignorance of the law is an aggravating factor for a judicial candidate.

Dominic Fracassa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dfracassa@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @dominicfracassa
Even with free rent and other enticements, the custom bird condos for nesting cormorants that Caltrans built onto the underside of the eastern span of the Bay Bridge just cant seem to find many takers.

The 2-foot-wide, stainless-steel nesting platforms, which cost $709,000, are intended to provide homes for the estimated 1,600 double-crested cormorants that nested annually on the old span.

But when the last of the old bridge was carted away this month, the birds moved away as well.

We really thought when the old span was removed, they would choose to move over to the new span, said Metropolitan Transportation Commission spokesman Randy Rentschler. We did our best, but they didnt.

It wasnt for lack of trying.

As a state-protected species of special concern, cormorants have enjoyed migratory squatter rights on the Bay and Richmond-San Rafael bridges since they showed up here in 1984 from places like Alaska, Mexico and Nova Scotia.

William Hall/Associated Press

The cormorants special status also meant special treatment, with officials even scheduling the demolition of the old Bay Bridge around the birds annual nesting season, which runs from April to August. The result was $12.8 million in extra costs for the state.

At the same time, the MTC and Caltrans spent about $1 million to try to lure the birds off the old span by using everything from cormorant decoys to recorded bird calls played over outdoor speakers.

Some of the bird condos were even furnished with old holiday wreaths for instant nests.

But no matter how hard the engineers tried, the cormorants  very much creatures of habit  didnt take the bait.

The initial speculation was that the birds flew north to join the colony on the Richmond Bridge, but that neighborhood was under construction as well.

The core of the cormorant colony area was shuttered with what looked like huge yoga mats, preventing birds from landing on the girders, Mark Rauzon, a bird expert formerly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wrote in the April edition of Bay Nature magazine.

Just where the cormorants went is still under investigation. However, when the nesting season started recently, the family condos were still empty  that is, until last Wednesday, when two wildlife monitors on the bridge confirmed at least two cormorants landed on the platforms.

And while two cormorants out of a colony of 1,600 may seem like a small number, its a start.

Its usually the genius explorers who go in first, Rauzon said.

This is the first time such a landing has been seen, MTC spokesman Rentschler said. Too early to know yet if this will lead to actual nesting on the platforms, but hey, Woo hoo!

School daze: Just three months after its accreditation was fully restored, City College of San Francisco is under fire for gearing up for another spending spree  this time with plans for a $95 million performing arts center.

In a sharply worded April 6 letter to the head of City Colleges Board of Trustees, California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley warned that considerable pressure is being exerted by both the public and trustees to spend at levels above what is prudent or sustainable.

Oakley cited the boards discussion last month about resurrecting the long-dormant plans to build a performing arts center on its main campus in the Ingleside neighborhood.

Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Updated to include drought zones while tracking water shortage status of your area, plus reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts.

The arts center  $20 million has already been spent on its design  was put on ice in 2013 by a state-appointed special trustee after the college came up millions of dollars short to pay for it, much less cover the estimated $2 million in annual operating costs.

Oakley also raised concerns about City Colleges latest round of budget discussions. According to administrative sources, he was referring to trustees dragging their heels on eliminating scores of smaller classes that cannot be financially justified given the $35 million financial hit brought on by declining enrollment.

City College enrollment has fallen by a third, to 61,000 students, in recent years  partly the result of the cloud that lingered over the campus after its accreditation was nearly revoked three years ago because of fiscal mismanagement and other administrative concerns.

In his letter, Oakley warned that City College is now at a critical juncture and cant count on any more bailouts from Sacramento, like the $125 million it got from the Legislature.

Interim City College Chancellor Susan Lamb, who has already said she will not seek the permanent position, declined to comment.

Oakleys letter, however, drew a reply from City College board President Thea Selby, who pointed out that  in spite of the heated debate  the directors voted 7-0 to go along with Lambs proposed budget cuts.

And while there was no mention in Selbys letter of the push for the performing arts center  backed by an outpouring of public support  Selby said, There will be significant community involvement and opinion about almost everything.

It is our nature as a city, she said,  not always a smooth process, but good things often come out of it.

San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross
Rallies and protest events are a part of political life in the Bay Area. Heres a roundup of whats happening.

Thursday

Sign-making event: Sign-making event for the April 22 March for Science in San Francisco. The event is from 6-8 p.m. at the Public Library of Science, 1160 Battery St., San Francisco. For information: http://bit.ly/2nYqXr4.

Education discussion: The Lamorinda Democratic Club hosts a conversation on how federal funding will affect public education. The event is at 7 p.m. at the Lafayette Library and Community Center, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd. For information: www.ldclub.org.

Saturday

Tax march: Protesters will march to demand that President Trump release his tax returns. A San Francisco march will start at 1 p.m. at 11th and Market streets. For information: http://bit.ly/2m5xWOA. In San Jose, a march is from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For information: http://bit.ly/2nSMxO7.

Pro-Trump rally: The event is to promote free speech. Noon-4 p.m. in Berkeley. Details are being confirmed. For information: www.facebook.com/events/185364111955870/?active_tab=discussion.

Monday

Conversation on land use: A discussion on how local communities can make the best decisions to meet regional and local needs when it comes to land use and the production of housing. The event is at 6 p.m. at SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission St., San Francisco. Tickets are $10 for non-SPUR members. For information: www.spur.org/events/2017-04-17/who-should-make-land-use-decisions.

April 19

ACLU event: The League of Women Voters hosts a discussion with Jay Laefer of the American Civil Liberties Union on safeguarding the rights of our entire community. The event is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Woodside Road United Methodist Church, 2000 Woodside Road, Redwood City.

Conversation on Trump resistance: A new event series hosted by The Chronicle is called Chronicle Chats. This event, The Future of the Left: Can the Trump Resistance Grow Beyond Protest, will be moderated by columnist David Talbot and will feature a senior adviser to the Bernie Sanders campaign and other experts and leaders. The event is from 7-8:30 p.m. at Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. Tickets are available at: https://info.sfchronicle.com/chroniclechats.

April 20

Anti-Trump show: The Museum of International Propaganda is hosting a pop-up art and poetry show called Against TRUMPISM: The Art & Poetry of Resistance. Bay Area and national artists and poets will present their work from April 20-29. The opening reception is on April 20 from 6-10 p.m. with a poetry reading at 7:30 p.m. at 1000 Fifth Ave., San Rafael. The event is free and wheelchair accessible. For more information, contact artofresistingtrump@gmail.com.

April 22

Town hall: Hosted by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, at 10 a.m. at the gymnasium of Canada College, 4200 Farm Hill Blvd., Woodside.

Science march: Marches mark Earth Day. In San Francisco, a march begins at 11 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza, Embarcadero Center at Market and Steuart streets, and ends at Civic Center Plaza. For information: http://bit.ly/2nAcLkN. In San Jose, a march will be held from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Details to be confirmed. For information: http://bit.ly/2oV8oSu. In Walnut Creek, a march from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. will start at Civic Park, 1375 Civic Drive. In Hayward, a march from 10 a.m.-noon begins at the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, 4901 Breakwater Ave. For information: http://bit.ly/2n7oonY.

April 23

Sexual assault conversation: Loosid Projects, Planned Parenthood and Bay Area Women Against Rape host a discussion called Locker Room Talk: Confronting Sexual Violence in the Age of Trump. The event is from 6-8 p.m. at 507 55th St., Oakland. Tickets are $10 at the door. For information, contact info@loosidity.com.
NEW HAVEN, Conn.  My favorite San Francisco tower of the past 15 years is 560 Mission St., a simple 31-story rectangle of nonreflective glass traced by a grid of thin steel painted forest-green.

The architect was Cesar Pelli, whose firm has since designed the map-changing behemoths a block away at First and Mission streets: Salesforce Tower and the Transbay Transit Center. And when I asked him in his office last week if hed rather pursue a precise elegance than tackle huge projects that often get tangled in politics, the 90-year-old designer didnt even pause.

John King

Im very proud of 560 Mission, but the transit center with the tower is much better  more important, said Pelli, who founded what now is Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects in 1977. I love the complex projects, the ones that so many people are going to use, that are transformative.

Its a straightforward comment, free of the rhetoric that most other architects use to wrap themselves in an artistic mystique. And it helps explain how Pelli went from being dean of the Yale School of Architecture to the head of a 175-employee firm that has altered the skylines on four continents.

There has been a critical trajectory as well: Once revered for his mastery of forms and building skins, Pelli now is shrugged off by some peers as a corporate impresario, his firm producing buildings that are tasteful but tame.

But as far as Pelli is concerned, the transition was an opportunity not to be missed.

The wonderful thing about those big projects is that they have a large impact on the city, Pelli said. That impact, if you plan and design it carefully, can be very much for the good.

The shift began in the early 1980s, when Pelli was selected to design the World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan, across from the World Trade Center. By the end of the decade, his firm had crafted the New York Museum of Modern Art and Londons Canary Wharf, as well as prestige towers around the world. Among them: a 400-foot tower for Market Street that would have been topped by a 120-foot lattice-like steel crown.

The Market Street tower never got built, a setback that Pelli dismisses: I dont feel bad. I was uneasy about how it was progressing. Nor does he shed tears for completed projects that have since been torn down, including a 1993 atrium redo in San Franciscos One Market complex that was hailed at the time by The Chronicles Allan Temko as a powerful dose of urbane charm.

Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects 1986

What can you do? he asked philosophically. Thats life. Even dear friends, they die. They go away. Buildings do, too.

One place they endure, at least in replica, is his firms office, which spreads across the top floor of a two-story brick loft across from the Yale campus, a building that Pelli in the early years shared with a trucking firm. Everywhere you look there are models, dozens of models of projects past and present  some no more than stiff sheets of paper glued together, others elaborate miniatures intended to dazzle clients and planning commissions.

We keep them as references, Pelli said. Competition entries, for instance. Maybe we dont win, but maybe an idea leads to something else. You keep on accumulating experiences and possible answers to the problem.

This is a problem with the firms work, critics say: Too much of what gets produced is interchangeable  refined variations on a vertical theme.

When Pelli was selected with developer Hines in the 2007 competition that (figuratively) cleared the way for San Franciscos new transit center and new tallest building  each scheduled to open by the end of this year  skeptics harped on the towers resemblance to Pellis International Finance Centre in Hong Kong. Both are tapered obelisks. So is Pellis Torre Costanera, a 980-foot high-rise recently completed in Santiago, Chile.

But Pelli and other principals in the firm emphasize the touches that, to them, make a large structure distinct unto itself. The International Finance Centre has sharp corners and a progression of notched setbacks. Torre Constanera is a glass shaft with walls that part at the corners as they rise. Salesforce Tower, by contrast, glides upward without a break and curves smoothly at each corner to provide a visual contrast to the aluminum sunshades that add texture to the towers skin.

We wanted a very special tower in San Francisco, so we pushed ourselves, Pelli said last week. This will be a tower you cant find anywhere else. ... Its very big, very tall, but still polite and appropriate.

Those words echo Pellis take on our city as a whole.

San Francisco is a very polite city, a very cultured city  two qualities we tried to instill in the Salesforce Tower, Pelli explained. As for the negative reaction from longtime Bay Area residents who bristle at the sight of a 1,070-foot building taking top honors downtown, Pelli says the size is appropriate for what the newcomer says about the future.

A tall building serves to mark the sky, Pelli said. In this case, it also marks the location of such an important transit center. Those signals are very important. They make a city more understandable.

Our conversation took place the same day that Salesforce Tower topped off.

At the ceremonial groundbreaking in 2013, Pelli was on hand along with Fred Clarke, a onetime student who has worked with Pelli ever since and was given shared billing in 2005. These days, though, the founder rarely travels: He conserves his energies for the task at hand.

Up until about 10 years ago, I oversaw every project. Then I started giving pieces to Fred and now he runs the firm, Pelli said with no visible regret. I only get involved in a few projects.

They include Salesforce Tower and the transit center-to-be next door, a streamlined undulation that spans two streets and will be topped by a 5.4-acre public park.

Theyre such exciting projects. My babies! Pelli said with a hearty laugh. Joint babies, but my babies. I dont want to give them to anybody.

John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron
Every six weeks, Oakland resident Adeeba Deterville gets a blood test to monitor the effects of a medication she is taking to manage a thyroid disorder.

Because Deterville, a full-time doctoral student, earns less than $30,000 a year, she qualifies for federal subsidies that lower her insurance deductible and out-of-pocket costs for services like prescription medication, as well as doctors visits.

Deterville, 54, is one of 680,000 Californians who benefit from the financial assistance, known as cost-sharing subsidies, which were created under the Affordable Care Act to help the poorest Americans pay for health care. Without the extra financial help, Deterville said, medical services would be too expensive.

If you make it unaffordable, its no longer the Affordable Care Act, Deterville said. It guts the very thing its named after. So whats the point?

Michael Macor/The Chronicle

The federal government spends $7 billion a year on these subsidies nationwide, and about $750 million of it goes to help low-income residents of California, like Deterville. The future of the subsidies is in limbo: A lawsuit challenging the legality of the payments is on hold before a federal appeals court. The outcome is largely in the hands of the Trump administration, which has the power to continue or halt the stream of money.

Supporters of the Affordable Care Act, which was championed by the Obama administration, say the subsidies help more people afford insurance, which helps spread the risk of costly care across more people. Critics fundamentally disagree with the laws mandate to buy insurance, subsidies or not.

The Trump administration has not made a decision on how to proceed with the subsidies, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Tuesday. The departments secretary, Tom Price, has been one of the most vocal opponents of the subsidies. In 2016, after a lower court ruled that the Obama administration had implemented the payments improperly because Congress did not explicitly approve the funds, Price, then in the House of Representatives, praised the decision as a momentous victory against the Obama administrations overreach of constitutional authority.

The continued uncertainty is vexing insurers, which in the coming weeks must start notifying regulators whether they plan to continue selling plans on state health exchanges in 2018, and how much they will charge in rates. Many insurers say that without the subsidies, they would have to raise their premiums significantly or consider withdrawing from the exchanges. That is because the subsidies go to insurance companies, not directly to consumers, to reimburse them for essentially offering more generous plans to people who would not be able to afford them without the subsidies.

The Affordable Care Act, the federal health care law passed in 2010, created two streams of federal subsidies: the premium subsidies that help millions of Americans pay for their insurance plan, and the cost-sharing subsidies that help them with co-pays, prescriptions and other out-of-pocket costs. Millions of people, including Deterville of Oakland, receive both.

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Of the 12 million Americans who buy plans on the exchanges nationwide, 58 percent, or 7 million people, receive cost-sharing subsidies, according to an April analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. In California, about half the 1.4 million people on the Covered California exchange receive the subsidies.

They help people afford the coverage they have, said Chris Sloan, a policy analyst at the health care consulting firm Avalere Health. Once you have the plan, you still have to pay for things. If youre making $18,000 a year, a $3,000 deductible essentially prices you out of using your health insurance. The (cost-sharing subsidies) are to help people afford to use their coverage.

The CEO of Molina Health, a California insurer that sells plans on Covered California and in 11 other states, has said that without the subsidies, his company would have to raise premiums 10 to 12 percent. If the subsidies were eliminated, insurance premiums for plans sold on the exchanges would jump 15 percent in states like California that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to the Kaiser analysis.

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The lawsuit challenging the subsidies was filed in 2014 by the GOP-led House of Representatives, which sued the Obama administration, arguing that the Department of Health and Human Services lacked the authority to implement the payments. A federal judge sided with the House, but the Obama administration appealed the decision.

After Trump took office in January, his administration asked the appeals court to hold off on the case while Congress attempted to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The replacement legislation, which had attempted to eliminate the subsidies, did not have the votes to pass the House and Republican leaders pulled it last month.

Now the Trump administration could simply drop the legal appeal, which would halt the subsidies by allowing the federal judges ruling to stand. But for now, the Department of Health and Human Services is continuing the subsidies while the litigation is ongoing.

In a twist, Price is now the defendant in the lawsuit for which he was once a plaintiff when he was a member of the House.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: Cat__Ho
Perhaps the only shocking thing about the results from the Wells Fargo board of directors investigation into company fraud is how utterly unshocking it was.

The San Francisco bank released a 113-page report this week that looked into the creation of up to 2 million unauthorized accounts in the names of customers. But let me sum up the report for you in less than 20 words: The board didnt know anything; it was all the fault of former CEO John Stumpf and former executive Carrie Tolstedt.

The report felt less like a credible fact-finding inquiry than a perfunctory legal document to provide cover for the directors, who already face lawsuits for breach of fiduciary duty. Amazingly, the board did not even offer a cursory attempt to assume some measure of responsibility for the companys behavior.

Not even a Were sorry that we didnt do a better job overseeing Wells Fargo.

Instead, we get this: Sales practices were not identified to the board as a noteworthy risk until 2014. By early 2015, management reported that corrective action was working. Throughout 2015 and 2016, the board was regularly engaged on the issue; however, management reports did not accurately convey the scope of the problem.

A company spokesman referred me to previous statements issued by CEO Tim Sloan.

We accept the boards findings as a critical part of our journey to rebuild trust, Sloan said Monday. While we have already made significant progress in making things right with customers and addressing issues, including several issues identified in the investigation, the boards comprehensive findings provide another important opportunity to learn from our mistakes and take action to improve the way we operate, serve customers, and lead our team members.

First of all, lets just dispense with the notion the board did an independent investigation. According to the report, the inquiry was conducted by a four-director committee, assisted by the Shearman & Sterling law firm. In fact, Stuart Baskin, a partner in the law firm, is defending those four directors from a shareholder lawsuit filed by prominent local trial attorney Joe Cotchett against the Wells Fargo board. Could the company at least try to find a different lawyer?

In general, regulators and prosecutors view such company investigations with a heavy dose of skepticism because of these conflicting interests, said Jason de Bretteville, a former assistant U.S. attorney who now leads white collar criminal defense for the Stradling law firm in Newport Beach, Va.

Thats not to say that a board cant effectively oversee any investigation. But given the scale and scope of the fraud, in which Wells Fargo fired its CEO, senior executives and 5,000 employees, the board members should have recused themselves and handed control to an outside committee of banking experts, said Eric Havian, a former federal prosecutor who represents whistle-blowers for the Constantine Cannon law firm in San Francisco.

The pervasive nature of the banks fraudulent culture is as bad as it gets, Havian said. For example, according to the report, it was only lower-level employees who tried to alert the company of fraud, he said. (Ian Minto, a former assistant branch manager in San Rafael, told me he reported such fraud in 2002, a good dozen years before the board said it first learned of the sales practices.)

Nowhere did the report refer to higher level managers and executives sounding the alarm, even though they must have known of the fake accounts, Havian said.

Without a truly independent investigation, any inquiry lacks credibility, he said, suggesting that the board is simply buying the result it wants.

He who pays the piper pays for the tune, Havian said. We shouldnt be surprised then that the board got such a free pass from the investigation.

One interesting conclusion from the report was that the community banking division, the epicenter of the fraud, enjoyed too much autonomy.

Corporate control functions were constrained by the decentralized organizational structure and a culture of substantial deference to the business units, the report said.

It strains credulity to think that the board was unaware of these flaws. Often, the board chairman is the person who controls the flow of information to directors, said Randall Heron, a professor of finance at Indiana Universitys Kelley School of Business.And in Wells Fargos case, John Stumpf had acted as both CEO and chairman.

But banking is a highly regulated industry, and Wells Fargo is awash in departments and committees whose sole purpose to promote compliance and identify risk. Yet the company just let the business units do whatever they wanted?

If true, that means the board was, at the very least, highly incompetent.

Perhaps thats why the report essentially absolved it of any responsibility.

They are trying to protect their reputations, said Patricia Lenkov, president of Agility Executive Search in New York, who recruits potential candidates for boards. While directors are supposed to act in the best interests of shareholders, some will inevitably look to shield themselves from a scandal, she said.

The fact that the board said they didnt know anything is hard to believe, Lenkov said. I dont understand how that happens.

For Wells Fargo to truly fix itself, it needs to step up oversight of all of its businesses, said Michael Calhoun, president of the Center for Responsible Lending in Washington.

The test for the company is whether they can create products that benefits consumers and helps the bottom line, Calhoun said.

Heres the problem: People who failed to prevent the fraud, including the board and CEO Sloan, a 30-year veteran at Wells Fargo and former chief operating officer, are still in charge. I asked Calhoun whether he trusts these people to reform the company.

Everyone should watch their performance going forward, Calhoun said.

Thomas Lee is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist. Email: tlee@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByTomLee
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Mayor Ed Lee was a target in the federal corruption investigation into the Raymond Shrimp Boy Chow racketeering case that led to a prison sentence for former state Sen. Leland Yee and criminal charges against some of Lees campaign staff, an FBI agent testified in San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday.

While no criminal charges were filed against Lee, FBI Special Agent Ethan Quinn said under questioning that Lee and his 2011 campaign for mayor were targets of a bribery investigation that eventually led to charges against three local officials. An affidavit of the case filed by prosecutors last year indicated the mayor was no longer a focus.

Quinn was asked whether he was authorized to target Lee, but court was sent into recess before he could answer.

His testimony came on the fourth day of a preliminary hearing for former Human Rights Commissioner Nazly Mohajer; Zula Jones, a former commission staffer; and former San Francisco school board President Keith Jackson.

Jones and Mohajer are accused of conspiring with Jackson to solicit bribes from an FBI agent posing as a corrupt businessman who sought access and favorable treatment from Lee. Transcripts of secretly taped conversations quoted them as arranging and accepting more than $20,000 in campaign contributions from the agent in an alleged pay-to-play scheme.

The 61-page affidavit filed last year in Superior Court showed investigators putting most of the blame on Jackson, who pushed the idea that the agent should give money to help the newly elected Lee repay his campaign debts. He brought in Mohajer and Jones, who acted as fundraisers for Lee, to help, the affidavit said.

The affidavit said Lee made no promises and gave no indication he was aware that the agent had already contributed money to his campaign. Lee has denied wrongdoing.

Jones, Mohajer and Jackson were charged with four counts of bribery and one count of money laundering for their roles in the alleged scheme.

Jackson, who was sentenced to nine years in federal prison in connection to the federal racketeering case involving Chow, is also charged in the current case with grand theft of public money and campaign finance fraud.

The mayor has been thoroughly vindicated and this, once again, proves the mayor did nothing wrong, said Lee spokeswoman Deirdre Hussey. Judge (Charles) Breyer has previously stated that there was no evidence whatsoever of wrongdoing. The Ethics Commission even conducted a comprehensive audit of the campaigns finances and determined there was full compliance.

Lee has since relinquished $1,500 in questionable contributions and turned them over to the citys general fund.

Jones attorney, John Keker, spent much of his cross-examination of Quinn on Tuesday questioning the ethics behind some of the FBI undercover work that led to his clients arrest.

Did you see anything wrong with it? Keker asked, regarding a conversation in which an undercover agent represented himself as someone looking to build senior housing.

What do you mean by wrong? Quinn said.

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Is there anything immoral about it?

Im not a philosophy major, Quinn said.

Keker asked, Are you aware that Judge Breyer found that Mayor Lee had done nothing wrong?

When Assistant District Attorney Kelly Burke objected to that question, Keker rephrased it: Do you believe the evidence in this case shows that Mayor Lee has done anything wrong?

Judge Tracie Brown sustained Burkes objections, and Quinn never answered the questions.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
A taxi driver was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting an intoxicated passenger that he was driving home from a casino in Sonoma County, officials said.

Mehari Tekle, 42, was arrested Tuesday for allegedly abusing a woman passenger, whose name or age was not released, on Dec. 18 as he was driving her home from the Graton Resort and Casino in Rohnert Park, said Officer John Fransen with the California Highway Patrol Golden Gate Division.
Parents and Oakland school officials are expected to jam an AC Transit board meeting Wednesday to protest the proposed elimination of bus routes to Skyline High, Montera Middle and Community Day schools.

Hundreds of students now take the buses each day to and from the schools, which are located in the Oakland hills, where public transit is minimal or nonexistent.

The meeting Wednesday could be the first step in eliminating service to the schools as of this fall. The AC Transit board is expected to address whether to hold a special public meeting to get input on the proposal. A vote on the issue could come in May.

The meeting is part of a battle between the school district and the transit agency over bus service to the three sites  and who should pay the extra costs to get students to class.

Oakland Unified had been paying AC Transit $2.25 million annually to help cover the costs, which far exceed fare revenue, but abruptly cut off payments in January. District officials have argued that other districts and private schools that receive similar service arent paying anything.

We definitely feel this is an issue of equity for our students, said John Sasaki, a district spokesman. Why would we have to pay when nobody else does?

Sasaki said students pay full youth fare for the rides, as do those from other districts or private schools.

But AC Transit officials see the situation differently. They say making trips to the three schools in the hills costs significantly more than supplemental service provided to other schools in the region  with 56 buses required each day.

Overall, AC Transit spends $10 million to provide supplemental rides to schools across the East Bay, and $4.45 million for schools just in Oakland, said agency spokesman Robert Lyles. The three hills schools amount to $3 million of that, he said.

In other words, he said, Oakland gets supplemental bus service like other cities or schools, and on top of that they get even more because of Skyline, Montera and Community Day School.

We can say its lopsided, Lyles said. Were not designating the level of resources to any other schools to the extent were offering that service to just three schools.

Even if the transit agency eliminates special routes to the three hills schools, it would continue to provide supplemental service to other public schools in the city.

District and transit officials have been working to resolve the situation, but havent found an amicable solution that would continue the routes after this school year.

Oakland has little wiggle room. The district is struggling financially, looking for cuts to save about $10 million needed to pay bills through June.

It appears that the district is trying to balance its books at AC Transits expense, Lyles said.

They see AC Transit as low-hanging fruit, he said. OUSD is reneging on their agreement.

On Monday evening, adding fuel to the feud, the district sent an automated phone call to all families advising them of the AC Transit meeting.

We decided to inform our families that the meeting is happening because this is something that potentially affects a lot of people, Sasaki said. Its entirely possible some families will choose to go to the meeting and voice their concerns. Thats certainly the American way.

Lyles, in response, encouraged families to call school board members and demand that they come up with a workable solution.

Parent Naomi Levy, whose son is a sixth-grader at Montera, plans to be at Wednesdays AC Transit meeting.

Any dollar that OUSD gives to AC Transit is a dollar theyre not spending in the classroom, she said. The No. 1 mission of OUSD is to educate kids. The No.1 mission of AC Transit is to provide transportation.

But right now, its like the two public agencies are playing a game of chicken, leaving students potentially in the lurch, Levy said.

Bottom line, she said, is if these bus lines dont run, there are going to be a lot of kids who have no way to get to school.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @jilltucker
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We've known for months that beloved Mission District dive bar Doc's Clock would be moving. Now we know when, more or less: late May.

That means you've got about six weeks to crush a can of PBR, knock back a whiskey shot and play a round of shuffleboard in the original hallowed walls, where Doc's Clock has lived for six decades.

"We're gonna stay open as long as we can in the current spot," says Carey Suckow, who has owned the bar since 2005. "Until we have to move the bar top. At that point it will be hard to serve drinks."

Yes, that bar top -- as well as the jukebox, bar stools, creepy Barbie doll pendants and that famous back bar -- will all be moving to the new location, just one block over at 2417 Mission Street. All staff will keep their jobs. Once they move, they'll expedite a new liquor license process, and hope to get the new spot open after just a few more weeks.

The big question: Will Doc's Clock iconic sign be moving, too? That's still up in the air, Suckow says. It appears to be an ongoing contention with the building's new owner, Leticia Luna.

Luna, who owns a number of other restaurant properties around the city, bought the building last summer. She did not renew Suckow's lease. She tells The Chronicle that she plans to merge the Doc's Clock space with the adjacent storefront, which she also owns, to create a large ground level and an additional mezzanine. She plans to have a restaurant tenant there, but no word yet on who. Construction, Luna hopes, will begin this summer.

"We're trying to stay positive," says Suckow, whose business received Legacy Business status last fall. "But it's still sad. We don't want to go."

Esther Mobley is The San Francisco Chronicle's wine, beer and spirits writer. Email: emobley@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Esther_mobley Instagram: @esthermob.

Chronicle staff writer Sarah Fritsche contributed reporting.
President Trump ordered a missile strike on a Syrian airfield without seeking congressional approval, and his aides say he might do it again if Bashar Assads government launches another chemical weapons attack. But a Bay Area congresswoman says Trump acted illegally, and some experts in military law agree with her.

Trump ordered the air strike Thursday and told Congress afterward that he had complied with the War Powers Act, a 1973 law whose limitations have been disputed by every president since it was enacted over Richard Nixons veto. The law allows U.S. military action only if Congress has declared war, the U.S. or its troops are under attack, or Congress has granted specific authority, as it did for attacks on al Qaeda terrorists and their supporters after the September 2001 hijacking attacks on New York and Washington.

In a speech defending the strike, Trump said he had acted in the vital national security interest of the U.S. to prevent and deter the use of deadly chemical weapons. But Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, the only member of Congress who voted against the 2001 use-of-force authorization, said the president had defied the law.

By illegally bombing a sovereign nation, President Trump has intensified an already dangerous and unstable conflict without a long-term strategy or an appropriate authorization from Congress, Lee said after U.S. warships on Thursday launched 59 missiles at a Syrian airfield, the apparent source of an in-country chemical weapons air strike three days earlier.

In an opinion piece in Tuesdays Chronicle, Lee said its the United Nations job to hold Assad, the Syrian president, accountable for his heinous crimes against humanity.

In the days since, administration officials have not ruled out future retaliatory strikes if Assad were to commit similar acts against his people.

If you gas a baby ... I think you will see a response from this president, White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, laying a wreath at the site of a Nazi massacre in Italy, said Americans would be holding to account any and all who commit crimes against the innocents anywhere in the world.

Interviews with legal scholars found diverse opinions on the lawfulness of the missile strike, but a predominant view emerged that neither domestic nor international law authorizes military action in response to a chemical weapons attack abroad that does not threaten the U.S.

The missile attack was clearly an act of war, which Congress must authorize in advance, said Eugene Fidell, former president of the National Institute of Military Justice, who teaches law at Yale. He said no law gives the president carte blanche to use military force in the absence of an attack on our country.

A contrasting view came from Joshua Kastenberg, a former military lawyer and Department of Defense adviser who now teaches law at the University of New Mexico. He said Trump could probably justify the action, under both domestic and international law, as a way to deter a second chemical weapons attack.

Using guided missiles to send a message ... may be an absolutely dumb and wrongheaded thing to do as a matter of policy, and as a matter of respect should have been discussed first with Congress, Kastenberg said. But he said the law permits a single, unilateral missile strike to prevent a human rights violation.

Not so, said Stephen Zunes, chairman of the Middle Eastern Studies program at the University of San Francisco and a longtime critic of U.S. Mideast policy. The law, he said, does not authorize bombings to prevent something that might happen in the future. And, he said, the U.N. charter authorizes the Security Council, not individual nations, to respond militarily to the use of chemical weapons against others.

Other legal scholars also disagreed with the administrations view of the War Powers Act.

The president does not have inherent constitutional authority to attack a foreign nation in order to punish or deter crimes, even serious international crimes, committed against its own people, said John Dehn, a former U.S. Army lawyer and co-director of the National Security and Civil Rights Program at Loyola Law School in Chicago.

Rachel VanLandingham, a law professor at Southwestern University in Los Angeles and former legal adviser to the U.S. Central Command in Afghanistan and Iraq, questioned the action under international law, which allows nations to use military force only in self-defense or with authorization from the U.N. Security Council.

If the world community was too paralyzed to prevent military catastrophe (against civilians in Syria), I believe it (the missile strike) was legitimate, but its not the law, she said. There was no imminent attack on the U.S. or U.S. nationals.

As Zunes and others observed, however, the Security Council is effectively paralyzed on the issue: Both Russia, Assads chief ally, and the U.S. have veto power over any resolution. And any U.S. laws that Trump may have violated could not be enforced in a lawsuit by private citizens or even individual members of Congress  an approach rejected by the Supreme Court in a 1973 case over the U.S. bombing of Cambodia  but only by the Republican-controlled Congress as a whole.

Congressional responses to presidential lawbreaking, said Dehn, the Loyola law professor, could include a resolution of disapproval or, I would argue, censure or impeachment and removal from office.

As a practical matter, said VanLandingham, the Southwestern University professor, future missile strikes and other military action could be halted only if Congress stopped supporting it ... the power of the purse.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @egelko
Fernando Salazar/Associated Press

WICHITA, Kan.  Republicans survived an election scare Tuesday and won a Kansas House seat in the first congressional election since President Donald Trumps victory, but the margin was much narrower than expected in a district that had voted overwhelmingly for Trump in November.

Republican state Treasurer Ron Estes, 60, will represent Kansass 4th Congressional District, replacing Mike Pompeo, who Trump named as CIA director.
A few years back, Oaklands city auditor found that two council members  Desley Brooks and Larry Reid  violated a law by interfering with city staffers who were awarding a city contract involving the redevelopment of the former Oakland Army Base.

After examining thousands of emails and interviewing more than three dozen people, then-auditor Courtney Ruby concluded in 2013 that Brooks and Reid appeared to favor one company for a roughly $2 million contract: Turner Group Construction.

No charges were filed, and Turner, which has offices in Oakland, Richmond and San Francisco, wasnt accused of wrongdoing. Another company was awarded the contract.

Now, Turner Group Construction is back in the news  this time getting hammered by questions of fraud.

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted eight people following a bid-rigging investigation. Two of the people charged were Turner Group Construction executives: Chief Operating Officer Lance Turner, 57, of Oakland and Chief Financial Officer Len Turner, 56, of San Leandro. Both face charges of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Department of Energy.

Another of the people charged happened to be Reids son, Taj Reid, 46. In addition to a charge of conspiring to defraud the U.S. Energy Department, he faces charges of conspiring to receive a bribe and receiving a bribe.

According to the indictment, the Turners engaged in bid rigging for a contract to renovate a Department of Energy-owned building at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The Turners were allegedly aided in the scheme by Taj Reid.

Taj Reid and the Turners allegedly colluded with a developer willing to pay bribes. The developer was actually an undercover FBI informant.

The Turners allegedly agreed to submit a higher bid so that the developer could secure the contract with a lower bid. In return, theyd receive cash or the promise of construction work once the contract was awarded, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

Taj Reid also is charged with conspiring to make an inside deal on contracts for two residential construction projects involving veterans. He allegedly plotted with Eric Worthen, 45, of Pleasant Hill, a former California Department of Veterans Affairs employee. Worthen and Taj Reid allegedly accepted $12,000 for the two deals.

They and the other defendants in the case are due to make their first court appearances Monday in San Francisco. The indictments are a result of an FBI sting operation in 2012-14 that led to the convictions of state Sen. Leland Yee, San Francisco political consultant Keith Jackson and Raymond Shrimp Boy Chow, leader of a Chinatown community organization.

It was Jackson who introduced the informant to Taj Reid, according to the U.S. attorneys office.

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None of this looks good for the Turners. And it certainly casts an even darker cloud over what happened back in 2013 at Oakland City Hall, where Larry Reid and Brooks were found to have improperly intervened on behalf of Turner Group.

What deeply troubles me is that Turner Group is a pillar of the East Bays black community, an example of success. I know that black-owned construction businesses must stay above ethical sinkholes, by strictly adhering to all codes and regulations, to gain recognition  and repeat business. Corners cant be cut; they must be smoothed to specifications, perfect.

Founded in 2005, Turner Group has worked on several high-profile Bay Area projects, including the renovation of the Fox Theater in Oakland and the Boys & Girls Clubs Mission Clubhouse in San Francisco. And Turner has a reputation for creating desperately-needed work opportunities for the formerly incarcerated.

But what will Turners reputation be after two of its highest-ranking officers have their day in court?

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Otis R. Taylor Jr. appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Email: otaylor@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @otisrtaylorjr
Bill Hutchinson / The Chronicle

The victim of a fatal shooting on Saturday afternoon in the parking lot of a Newark grocery store has been identified as a 29-year-old Union City man, officials said Monday.

Roque Leonel Valencia was shot dead in broad daylight in front of the Grocery Outlet at 36601 Newark Blvd. No arrests have been made in the killing.
Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press

A total of 28 states allow medical cannabis, and eight have legalized wider use. Polls show most Americans accept freer access to marijuana, and the Obama White House dropped a pointed crackdown.

But President Trumps team  at least in the person of Attorney General Jeff Sessions  is heading in the opposite direction. The nations top cop is warming up the rhetoric and sending signals that crime fears, not state-level laws, should continue to bar marijuana.
Of all the attacks on our civil society, the attacks on science pose perhaps the greatest existential threat. Decisions today about climate science and environmental protection will shape the future of our planet.

Advances in research are produced by dedicated scientists and an activated citizenry who demand that the best science be applied to todays most pressing problems. Because scientists produce the facts that expose the lies being purveyed, science is being targeted with vehemence.

Unionized scientists are well positioned to fight back against the false narratives being pushed by the Trump administration, and to advocate collectively for continued funding of crucial basic research.

For example, the Trump administration is proposing cuts of 31 percent in funding and 3,000 jobs at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on top of less heralded budget cuts over the last three years. Is this a good way to save money? No.

Investments in environmental protection pay huge dividends for the country. For example, air pollution reductions will avoid 230,000 premature deaths and produce total benefits valued at $2 trillion by 2020, according to a 2011 study. This benefit exceeds costs by more than 30 to 1, to say nothing of the human suffering.

As organized scientists, we are in solidarity with our union brothers and sisters who have lost jobs and real income over the past decades. We reject the myth that environmental regulations kill jobs.

For the almost 7,000 postdoctoral researchers at the University of California and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory represented by UAW Local 5810, the union ensures strong workplace protections as well as a nationwide platform for advocacy, in the same way the Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20 do for staff at EPA Region 9. With a diverse membership, our unions have advocated for climate change policies that create healthy communities and address economic and racial inequities.

Clean energy production is becoming a worldwide, multitrillion-dollar, job-producing industry. But American workers cannot reap benefits if our nation returns to polluting industries such as coal, or buries its head in tar sands. We must not let the debate be framed as jobs or environment.

Scientists have long held the view that with enough data and evidence, we will be able to convince skeptics with facts that climate change is real, that humans are responsible, and that immediate action must be taken. It is increasingly clear that we have not convinced skeptics. Our very lives and livelihood are dependent on stepping collectively forward into the realm of political advocacy and action.

Together we will March for Science on April 22, in opposition to the damage that the Trump administration seeks to do to research, and in solidarity with scientists, researchers and concerned citizens who remain resolved, undeterred and organized in the face of these threats. Join us.

Carly Ebben Eaton is a postdoctoral scholar and executive board member of UAW Local 5810. Kathy Setian was a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency project manager and a steward of Engineers and Scientists of California Local 20.

Speak up for science

Kathy Setian will speak at the April 22 March for Science in San Francisco that begins at 11 a.m. at Justin Herman Plaza.

Write or call your congressional representative or senator and urge them to reject the presidents budget. Say the nation must properly fund the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Institutes of Health and other scientific agencies.
Ron Sachs/TNS

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., will hold an hour-long town hall meeting at 11 a.m. Monday at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 2850 19th Ave. in San Francisco. It is the first town hall hosted by Californias senior senator since President Trump took office.

People who want to attend must obtain a free ticket in advance by going to the Eventbrite page at https://t.co/ghLeBbfJEd. One ticket is allowed per person.
HYDERABAD : Even though the proposed Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project has not secured a single permission so far, the TRS government is planning to boast of at least partial results to farmers before the next elections which is due in 2019.

According to officials, TRS is thinking on these lines: If water flows to agricultural fields in parched areas, the TRS will be inundated with votes.

Thus, it is in a hurry to show farmers at least a partial benefit of the Kaleshwaram project by 2018 Kharif season well before the 2019 elections.

But how to provide water in just one years time is rankling the best brains in the government. Highly placed sources in the irrigation department told Express that they would dig an approach channel of a length of 10 km to 12 km from Medigadda and divert the water using two highly powerful motors.

Even if construction of Medigadda barrage, which has been proposed as part of the project, is delayed, we will dig the approach channel and divert the water, an engineering official said.

We will divert water through the proposed approach channel and fill up about 300 to 400 minor irrigation tanks in Karimnagar and Warangal districts from which farmers can raise crops, sources said.

We have placed an order for two powerful motors with a manufacturing company in Austria. Since the motors form part of the Kaleshwaram project, there will be no additional cost involved for the temporary arrangements. The additional cost required will be on digging the channel, sources explained.

We will supply water to the Kaleshwaram ayacut partially at any cost in the 2018 Kharif season. We are progressing towards that goal, an official averred.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is monitoring the progress of the construction of Kaleshwaram and other major irrigation projects by watching live telecast from the work sites everyday through a dashboard.

Meanwhile, the irrigation department expedited the works on linking Yellampalli with Mid Manair. If the upstream of Godvari receives flood, the water will be diverted to the Kaleshwaram ayacut to some extent.
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Assemblyman Phil Ting says he wants to hammer down the regulatory delays that can turn constructing housing for homeless people into a slog through bureaucratic molasses, and hes come up with an aggressive approach: a measure that would let San Francisco rewrite the rules to supply roofs quickly for the 7,000 people in the city with no long-term home.

Ting is sponsoring a bill that would let a city throw out all state and local building, health and other regulations for homeless housing or shelters, and make up ones that radically speed up construction. The bill is written for San Francisco but can be amended to add in any city thats game, he said  and already Los Angeles and Oakland are interested.

The San Francisco Democrat stood on a sidewalk just off Market Street on Wednesday and said his bill, AB932, will get its first hearing in the Legislature next week. With him were leaders of San Francisco homeless programs who enthusiastically endorsed the measure and promised to rewrite regulations to slash as much red tape as possible while still keeping buildings safe.

Anybody who visits this city can see we are in the middle of an emergency on homelessness, Jeff Kositsky, director of the city Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing, said at the gathering in front of the Civic Center Navigation Center shelter. We can solve this problem, but we need to do this in the context of this being an emergency.

This bill could help us with our ability to site shelters, to site Navigation Centers and to build permanent supportive housing, Kositsky said.

Ting wrote the bill without specifying which regulations should be rewritten, saying that will be up to San Francisco to decide, and then for the state Department of Housing and Community Development to approve.

Nobody has ramshackle shacks in mind, he said  just a more streamlined process.

Tings bill would take effect Jan. 1 and stay in place for 10 years.

This takes the shackles off, but its really up to the local advocates like Jeff (Kositsky) as to what they can all agree on, Ting said.

Building housing for homeless people can take about five years in San Francisco. Shelters are quicker, but often not by much. Nobody was guessing how much Tings bill could speed up the timeline, but apparently any help is good.

Just being able to pull building permits quicker would help, said Christy Saxton, a manager at Community Housing Partnership, one of the biggest supportive-housing programs in the city.

The negotiations that have to go on between city departments, after you win a building bid, can take two years and be like herding cats  why not speed that up?

This bill has a lot of potential.

As Ting spoke, Jarvis Ferguson, 55, was just down the block helping a friend clear her shopping cart off the sidewalk under the watchful gaze of city street cleaners. Hes been in the Navigation Center for several months, and before that had been mostly homeless since 1997. Ferguson is more than jaded when it comes to promises of help, but the words of hope coming out of the mouth of a politician he hadnt seen before sounded good.

Speeding things up? What a great idea, Ferguson said. Homeless people like me  were not going away. The only way youre going to get off the street for good when youve been out here as long as me is with some real help, real housing. Just give us a chance, and we can get our lives back together again.

Tings legislation is based loosely on a bill that Gov. Jerry Brown signed in January that allows San Jose to relax regulations for emergency shelters. Planners there hope to use the law to build shelters in all 10 City Council districts.

San Jose declared a state of emergency on homelessness in 2015, and, as with Tings bill, that declaration was required for the law to take effect. San Franciscos Board of Supervisors passed its emergency declaration last spring, and Oakland and Los Angeles issued declarations in 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Its all about getting folks off the streets into safer conditions with showers, bathrooms, a temporary roof, said Jennifer Loving, executive director of the nonprofit Destination: Home in Santa Clara County. Its a bridge to somewhere, part of the pipeline.

Just like in San Francisco, what you really need is homes, Loving said. But in the time it takes to build supportive housing, you need temporary housing to alleviate the burden.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com
San Francisco Fire Department / / San Francisco Fire Department

Around 60 residents of a Financial District hotel who were temporarily displaced by a Tuesday night fire were cleared to return to their rooms early Wednesday morning, officials said.

The basement at the three-story Balmoral Hotel on the 600 block of Clay Street caught fire about 8:40 p.m., said Lt. Jonathan Baxter, a San Francisco Fire Department spokesman. The cause of the blaze was under investigation, he said, adding the basement was filled with storage material.
The San Francisco district attorneys office must still decide whether any charges are warranted against city police officers in the following 10 fatal shootings, which go back to September 2014.

Nicholas McWherter

McWherter, 26, an armed man suffering from an apparent mental crisis, was killed after he shot and seriously wounded Officer Kevin Downs in the Sunset District on Oct. 14, 2016.

Jessica Williams

Williams, 29, an unarmed homeless woman, was shot in an allegedly stolen car by Sgt. Justin Erb in the Bayview on May 19, 2016. Her death prompted the resignation of Chief Greg Suhr, and raised questions about the Police Department policy that allowed officers to fire at moving vehicles.

Luis Gongora

A 45-year-old homeless man allegedly armed with a knife, Gongora was shot by Sgt. Nate Steger and Officer Michael Mellone near a tent encampment where he lived in the Mission District on April 7, 2016. Amid a push for officers to use more de-escalation tactics, video of the shooting showed that it unfolded in 30 seconds, with officers firing beanbags at Gongora before shooting him when he allegedly charged.

Mario Woods

Woods, 26, a stabbing suspect allegedly armed with a knife, was shot by Officers Winson Seto, Antonio Santos, Charles August, Nicholas Cuevas and Scott Phillips in the Bayview on Dec. 2, 2015. Officers first fired beanbags at Woods, who refused to obey commands. Video showed he was shuffling slowly along a wall and not appearing to directly threaten officers when he was shot.

Javier Lopez Garcia

Garcia, 25, was apparently suicidal when he was killed Nov. 11, 2015, after he ascended to the sixth floor of a construction site near St. Lukes Hospital in the Mission and fired a gun. He allegedly said at the scene, Today will be the day that I die.

Herbert Benitez

Benitez, 27, had been in the Civic Center area behaving erratically and allegedly tried to take a police sergeants gun out of his holster when another sergeant shot him Oct. 15, 2015.

Alice Brown

A 24-year-old woman who struggled with drug addiction, Brown was shot by Sgt. Thomas Maguire and Officer Michael Tursi on March 17, 2015, after she allegedly sped away from a gas station at Van Ness Avenue and Pine Street, crashing into vehicles and a building and driving down a one-way street in the wrong direction.

Matthew Hoffman

Hoffman, 32, allegedly pulled a replica gun from his waistband, prompting two sergeants to shoot him outside Mission Station on Jan. 4, 2015. Investigators searching his phone reported finding notes about plans to force officers to kill him in a suicide by cop situation.

OShaine Evans

Evans, 26, was shot by Officer David Goff on Oct. 7, 2014. Police said he was the driver for two passengers who had stolen a laptop out of a car near AT&T Park, and had a gun in his lap when Goff approached him. Goff said Evans pointed the gun at him, forcing him to shoot. Evans family has disputed the account.

Giovany Contreras Sandoval

Sandoval, 34, a suspect in a carjacking, was shot after leading officers on a three-county chase, flipping a sport utility vehicle in the Financial District and allegedly pointing a pistol at officers on Sept. 25, 2014.

 Vivian Ho
The road would be a much ruder place if it werent for the sharp eyes of staffers at the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Last year, the state agency rejected thousands of requests for personalized license plates that featured not only the usual horseplay  PASZGAZ, for example, and I MUST P  but a raft of politically opinionated messages deemed too heinous for the highway.
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When 17-year-old Nathan Lam started listening to the cast recording of Hamilton at the beginning of his junior year at San Franciscos Galileo Academy of Science and Technology, he quickly found he was hooked.

I couldnt stop thinking about Hamilton. Im sure my grades plummeted, he joked.

Since debuting at the Public Theater in New York City in 2015, Lin-Manuel Mirandas musical about Alexander Hamilton, one of the nations founding fathers and the first U.S. secretary of the Treasury, has become a pop-culture juggernaut. Its turned its creator into a household name and won 11 Tony awards.

Since the opening at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco on March 10, ticket prices for performances have shot into the stratosphere, way beyond the reach of students like Nathan.

But on Wednesday, he was among a group of lucky high school students who got to experience the show for free as part of the educational program #EduHam that first launched in New York.

The San Francisco version of the program, which is funded by nonprofits and corporate sponsors, gives 8,500 public school students from throughout the Bay Area the chance to see the show that former first lady Michelle Obama called the best piece of art in any form that I have ever seen in my life.

A group of 2,200 students from 14 San Francisco public schools  including Lincoln, Lowell, George Washington and Mission high schools  watched as the cast put on a matinee performance just for them Wednesday.

By intermission, students said they were decidedly impressed.

The movable floor was really cool, said Loidy Fontanilla, 18, referring to moving platforms that whisked bits and pieces of the elaborate set around the stage. And I liked how well the colors of the lighting corresponded with the feeling of each scene.

By the time the curtains closed, its safe to say they were starstruck.

Soham Bhatt, 16, of Galileo Academy for Science and Technology, was riveted by the lighting effects and the orchestra pit.

The live music coming from under the stage  that was so cool. And the performances were so crisp and on point. Everyone brought something different, he said.

Added 15-year-old Olivia Anderson of Lowell High School, Honestly, I think it was the best thing Ive ever seen.

Before the show began, 17 students from 10 schools took the stage in front of their peers to perform their own original songs, skits, raps and poems inspired by their studies.

This country is like my mother  it built me, Diana Falcon of Downtown High School recited in her original poem.

The shows are the culmination of a course on the founding fathers.

For students in a system like the San Francisco Unified School District, in which about 1 in 4 students is learning English as a second language and more than half qualify for free and reduced lunch, it is not difficult to see how a story that celebrates the role of immigrants in early American history, and champions a man who came to this country a poor orphan and made something of himself, might resonate.

Taking on the emotions really puts you in history, said a Galileo student, 17-year-old Mateo Langston.

Celeste Guerrero, a 17-year-old senior from Mission High School, and Aila Alli, a 16-year-old junior, performed an imagined dialogue between revolutionary and statesman John Laurens and his father in the afterlife.

I think its very important to feel represented, and with Hamilton, with (the Marquis de) Lafayette  its amazing how much they accomplished, Celeste, an immigrant from Mexico, said.

Emmy Raver-Lampman, who plays the witty Angelica Schuyler and emceed the student performances, said the audience of students was a welcome change.

We all get a kick out of it and love it, she said. Its a chance to see the show through fresh eyes.

EDITORS' NOTE: The above photo gallery has been modified. It originally contained a photo that was not meant to be included.

Filipa Ioannou is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: fioannou@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @obioannoukenobi
Google said its taken aback  by the governments claim that it doesnt compensate women fairly. The company said it conducts rigorous analyses that its pay practices are gender-blind and found no gender pay gap in 52 major job categories it analyzed last year.

The Department of Labor had accused Google of shortchanging women doing similar work to men, saying it found systemic compensation disparities across the companys workforce.

Google responded in a blog post Tuesday that the departments assertion came without any supporting data or methodology. The company said it had already produced hundreds of thousands of documents in response to government requests.

Qualcomm fires

back at Apple

An acrimonious legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm is threatening a relationship that helped both companies rake in billions of dollars as leaders of the smartphone revolution. Qualcomm filed a countersuit late Monday, saying Apple was trying to profit from its patented technology without paying up.

Qualcomm risks losing a big portion of the revenue it gets from one of its biggest customers. For Apple, it suggests doubt about the iPhones ability to remain a prestige product without the chipmakers wireless technology.

Apple sold $137 billion worth of iPhones in its most recent fiscal year. But in 2016, iPhone unit shipments dropped for the first time, making the company focus more on profitability. Apple pressured suppliers more to save money, and its battle with Qualcomm is the toughest of these tense negotiations.

Apple has built the most profitable company in the world, relying heavily on Qualcomms patented technologies, Qualcomm wrote in the court filing. Apple achieved its success without contributing much, if anything, to the innovations at the heart of cellular communications.

Apple says Qualcomm is abusing its strength as the major provider of smartphone chips and related patents to suppress competition and extract billions of dollars in licensing fees it doesnt deserve.

Deals

RetailMeNot

acquired

Direct mail and marketing services company Harland Clark Holdings is buying online coupon company RetailMeNot.

Harland Clark is paying $11.60 per share for RetailMeNot, a 50 percent premium on the Austin, Texas, companys closing stock price of $7.75 on Monday.

The deal is valued at about $560 million; including debt, the value of stock options and convertible securities, its worth $630 million.

RetailMeNots shares soared Tuesday to hover near the deal price.

Harland Clarke is a subsidiary of MacAndrews & Forbes Inc., an investment firm headed by Ronald Perelman.

The deal is expected to close in the second quarter.

Chronicle News Services
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Auto parts supplier Continental started out 145 years ago in Germany, making rubber.

On Wednesday, the company opened a lab in San Jose to develop cars that can communicate with stoplights and drive themselves.

Continentals 65,000-square-foot research center on North First Street will eventually employ more than 300 people, who will develop the companys own advanced gear and seek partnerships with local technology companies.

Weve been on many business trips coming here to San Jose and Silicon Valley for many years, actually decades, said Samir Salman, CEO of Continental North America. We finally came to the conclusion this is the right place to be in, to create innovation.

Many of Continentals competitors and customers have already reached the same conclusion.

Virtually every major global automaker has established a Silicon Valley lab or office in recent years, drawn by the regions pool of talented engineers as cars become increasingly plugged into the Internet. Those labs have also made the Bay Area a worldwide hub for the development of autonomous driving technology.

Continental, which has 220,000 employees in 56 countries, brings a slightly different focus to its Silicon Valley Research and Development Center.

Its engineers will work on self-driving technology and systems that let cars communicate with each other, as well as with roadway infrastructure. They will also focus on electric-car drivetrains, another Bay Area specialty.

But in addition, the center will include people who develop better tires and cooling systems. All of Continentals business divisions  including some that seem far more Michigan than Silicon Valley  will have representatives here.

Much of the research will concentrate on making cars safer and eliminating accidents. Like many of the automakers that the company counts as its customers, Continental sees autonomous vehicles as a way to save many if not most of the 1.3 million people worldwide who die in traffic accidents each year.

Our vision is no more accidents in the future, said Dirk Remde, the centers executive director. We have a very long way to go, but we have the means to do that.

Continental opened a smaller, 40-person office in Santa Clara in 2014. The new center, which replaces that office, represents a hybrid of automotive and tech architecture. Garages are paired with open-floor work spaces, comfortable chairs and a Foosball-equipped workout room.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, who attended the facilitys opening ceremony Wednesday, told Continental executives to consider the city an open-air laboratory for their technologies.

We invite you to use our streets, buildings, our streetlights, our infrastructure in any way that allows you to better innovate in ways that make mobility cleaner, greener, safer, Liccardo said. We know great things will happen.

David R. Baker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: dbaker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DavidBakerSF
Lyft, the San Francisco ride-hailing company, said it has closed a $600 million round of financing, valuing the company at $7.5 billion. New Lyft investors include private-equity firm KKR & Co., asset management firms Baillie Gifford and AllianceBernstein, and the Canadian pension fund PSP Investments, the company said.

Lyft, first known for its pink-mustachioed cars, raised $1 billion at a $5.5 billion valuation in a December 2015 round led by General Motors. This latest funding round includes existing investors Rakuten and Janus Capital Group.

Lyft is tapping a set of investors who frequently back public companies or provide funding just ahead of an initial public offering. The company has been quiet about the timing of an IPO, but investors in Lyft and Uber Technologies have long speculated that Lyft would be smart to try to enter the public market before its much larger competitor. One Uber investor compared the dynamic to the Chinese e-commerce companies Alibaba Group and JD.com. Once the smaller JD.com went public, Alibaba soon followed.

Lyft is fundamentally changing the way people think about car ownership and transportation, George Roberts, co-CEO of KKR, said in a email. With ride sharing increasingly in high demand, we are proud to partner with Lyft for their differentiated customer-centric culture, impressive growth strategy and exceptional management team, and to work together to change transportation for the better for both passengers and drivers.

Lyft has benefited from several dramatic stumbles on the part of archrival Uber this year.

Hundreds of thousands of people removed the Uber app because of the companys reaction to President Trumps first travel ban. Lyft said it experienced a 60 percent increase in new passengers after that.

In the first three months of 2017, Lyft generated a 34 percent increase in rides to 70.4 million, compared with the number at the end of 2016 and 142 percent rise from the period a year earlier.

The number of people who said they would consider taking Lyft has jumped to 9.6 percent this month from 5.6 percent in September, according to a report compiled by the market research firm YouGov BrandIndex for Quartz. Meanwhile, the number of people who said they would consider taking Uber fell to 14 percent from 18 percent in November.

Lyft lost about $600 million on $700 million in revenue in 2016, people familiar with the matter said in January. While Lyft has said it wants to reduce its losses, the company has continued to raise money to sustain its expenses, including offering discounted rides and paying drivers bonuses to lure them away from Uber.

Lyft operates only in the United States, though the company has long teased that it would consider venturing overseas. Lyft has started service in 100 U.S. cities already this year.

Were working hard bringing Lyfts mission to life, improving peoples lives with the worlds best transportation, John Zimmer, the ride-hailing companys co-founder and president, said in a statement. We have big plans on the horizon, and will continue investing in new technology and hospitality in order to create experiences that passengers and drivers will love.

Eric Newcomer is a Bloomberg writer. Email: enewcomer@bloomberg.net
When it comes to high-paying jobs, Bay Area tech companies are dominating the scene.

Glassdoor released its annual ranking of the "25 Highest Paying Companies in America for 2017" where they highlight 17 Bay Area companies that pay employees six-figures.
For most of his 19-month tenure, United Continental Holdings Inc. CEO Oscar Munoz has cleaned up messes left behind by others. Now hes mopping up a PR disaster thats unfolded on his watch.

After United ordered a passenger forcibly removed from a plane in Chicago shortly before departure to make room for a United employee, Munozs initial response made the company a punch line on social media. He said United had to re-accommodate the man, who was bloodied in the encounter with security officials. In a subsequent letter to employees, the CEO called the customer disruptive and belligerent when he wouldnt relinquish his seat.

Its sort of a self-immolation and makes you wonder about his choice as CEO, Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, senior associate dean for leadership studies at the Yale School of Management, said of Munozs handling of the crisis. He worked at Coke and Pepsi and AT&T, and someone would have thought he had a better customer sensitivity.

Almost 24 hours later, after global condemnation of the airlines behavior had time to sink in, Munoz struck a far more contrite tone.

The truly horrific event that occurred on this flight has elicited many responses from all of us: outrage, anger, disappointment. I share all of those sentiments, Munoz said in a statement Tuesday. I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard. No one should ever be mistreated this way.

Late Wednesday, the airline said it would reimburse all passengers on the flight. And Munoz said the carrier no longer will rely on law enforcement to remove seated, paying customers.

Henry Harteveldt, founder of Atmosphere Research Group, a travel-industry consulting firm, said reimbursing the customers is a smart thing to do.

Will it get the goodwill United wants? Its doubtful, but it will help.

Munoz told ABCs Good Morning America that he hasnt considered resigning.

He committed the third-largest U.S. airline to a thorough review of its policies for handling oversold flights and vowed to report back to the public by April 30. I promise you we will do better, Munoz said.

Yet the damage had already been done. With a few ill-chosen words, Munoz stoked the flames of an already raging social media firestorm and squandered goodwill he had worked hard to generate by forging a turnaround plan since joining the company in September 2015. He has overseen a 23 percent stock rally since then.

Previously known for his deft touch in rescuing United from a corruption scandal, weathering a proxy fight and winning unprecedented labor peace, now hes the head of an airline that, for some passengers, has instantly become Public Enemy No. 1.

Some people said on Uniteds Facebook page that they would boycott the Chicago carrier. Others said on Twitter that they had canceled their United-affiliated credit cards  a key revenue source for airlines.

In China, a crucial part of Uniteds lucrative trans-Pacific network, the incident was a focus of social media and editorials in the state-controlled Global Times newspaper. The hashtag #UnitedForcesPassengerOffPlane was the top trending item on Sina Weibo, the equivalent of Twitter. The man who was removed, David Dao, appeared to be of Asian descent.

Delta Air Lines is best-positioned to take share as it has focused Asia operations on China and away from Japan in recent years, Bloomberg Intelligence analyst George Ferguson said in a note. Gains will be limited for American Airlines, a distant No. 3 in the market, while the largest Chinese carriers will benefit the most, he said.

Dao was receiving treatment in a Chicago hospital for his injuries, according to lawyers who said they represent him. Video posted to Facebook and Twitter showed him as he was dragged out of his seat and down the aisle of the plane after refusing to give up his seat.

Several Middle Eastern carriers piled on to mock United, one of the principal critics of their rapid expansion. Emirates on Twitter lampooned Uniteds motto, urging passengers to fly the friendly skies with a real airline.

For Munoz, the timing of the worldwide outcry is, at the very least, extremely awkward and at worst a serious setback for his overhaul of United, which suffered for years as the industry laggard in both profitability and on-time performance.

In an ironic touch, Munoz just last month was named Communicator of the Year for 2017 by PRWeek. The public relations industry publication said Munoz has shown himself to be a smart, dedicated and excellent leader who understands the value of communications.

In 2015, Munoz took over as CEO from Jeff Smisek, who was ousted amid a federal investigation into ties between the carrier and the former chairman of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey. The next month, Munoz suffered a serious heart attack and underwent a transplant in early 2016. He bounced back only to face a proxy challenge from two hedge funds. United named a new chairman and agreed to add board members approved by PAR Capital Management and Altimeter Capital Management.

Within months after the board tussle, Munoz had unveiled a $3.1 billion plan to cut costs and boost revenue, and he set the stage for labor peace for the first time since the 2010 merger with Continental Airlines that created the company. He also brought in new senior leadership, including President Scott Kirby, who previously served in the same position at American Airlines Group Inc. This year, Uniteds market value surpassed that of American, which has higher annual sales.

The Monday incident comes two weeks after United drew social media scorn for enforcing its employee dress code for those who fly as nonrevenue passengers, such as relatives of employees. Two young girls flying from Denver were told to change their leggings before boarding.

In his letter to United workers, the CEO said he stood behind employees and criticized the passenger for refusing to deplane. Sara Nelson, international president of the flight attendants union representing United, said the incident was the most severe customer backlash shed seen in 20 years on the job and was completely unacceptable. Still, employees were grateful to have a chief executive who has their backs.

When something like this happens and people have to go to work and have order in their workplace to keep everyone safe, it can be incredibly demoralizing, Nelson said. Some credit needs to be given to him.

Michael Sasso and Justin Bachman are Bloomberg writers. Email: msasso9@bloomberg.net, jbachman2@bloomberg.net
A group of Chinese political activists filed a lawsuit in federal court against Yahoo on Tuesday, saying the Sunnyvale company failed to properly oversee a $17 million fund it created a decade ago to help Chinese writers, democracy advocates and human rights lawyers persecuted for standing up to the countrys government.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, accuses Yahoo senior executives of turning a blind eye as the funds manager, Harry Wu, illegally spent millions of dollars on high-end real estate, inflated staff salaries and a museum documenting the history of forced labor camps in China.

According to the lawsuit, Wu, a veteran Chinese dissident who died a year ago, spent less than 4 percent of the money on humanitarian aid.

The lawsuit demands that Yahoo replenish the trust, which has been significantly depleted.

Suzanne Philion, a spokeswoman for Yahoo, declined to comment, saying the company does not discuss litigation.

The legal action arrives at an awkward time for Yahoo, which is in the final stages of merger negotiations with Verizon Communications. The discussions have been buffeted by revelations that Yahoo delayed disclosures of huge hacking intrusions that compromised its computer network.

The lawsuit is also a reminder of one of the more ignominious episodes in Yahoos history. In 2007, the company belatedly acknowledged that it had provided Chinese authorities with the identities of subscribers in China whose emails had angered the government. The disclosures led to the jailing of two activists who were given 10-year sentences.

In a public rebuke, a congressional panel criticized Yahoos CEO at the time, Jerry Yang, and accused him of lying about the companys cooperation with Chinese security officials.

While technologically and financially you are giants, morally you are pygmies, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, said during a televised hearing in 2007.

To settle litigation against the company, Yang subsequently gave $3.2 million to relatives of each of the two jailed dissidents. And in an unusual move, the company provided more than $17 million for the creation of a humanitarian fund dedicated to helping Chinese activists and their families.

To administer the money, Yahoo turned to Wu, a politically connected rights advocate who had spent 19 years in Chinese labor camps before gaining asylum in the United States.

An irascible, strong-willed figure, Wu ended up spending much of that money on his organization, the Laogai Research Foundation, which had worked to expose Chinas exploitative use of prison labor, especially those jailed for political crimes.

The expenditures included a $2.5 million town house in Washingtons Dupont Circle neighborhood, a $60,000 pay raise for Wu and what the lawsuit contends was a no-show job for his wife. Wu, the documents show, also spent $800,000 from the fund to defend himself against a number of lawsuits accusing him of sexual harassment or the misuse of federal grants.

According to the foundations filings, only $700,000 was distributed to Chinese dissidents or their families, many of whom were forced into poverty by the government in its effort to dissuade others from publicly criticizing the ruling Communist Party.

Of the original $17.3 million, less than $3 million is thought to remain.

Wu died last year at age 79 while on vacation in Honduras. In an interview with The New York Times shortly before his death, he defended his decision to pull back from the funds original mission, saying that the intended recipients were too demanding and could not be trusted.

Board members of his organization could not immediately be reached for comment. The museum he created in Dupont Circle was closed shortly after his death, and several people involved with the foundation said it has been crippled by internecine fighting and litigation.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of eight dissidents in China who said that the Yahoo executives who sat on the board of the humanitarian fund did not do enough to rein in Wus inappropriate and profligate spending. The suit was filed by Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll, a Washington firm that specializes in litigating allegations of human rights abuse.

In standing idly by while it knew the money was being squandered, Yahoo abandoned its responsibilities to the funds beneficiaries, who have risked their lives speaking out for political reform in China, said Times Wang, a lawyer with the firm.

In a phone interview, He Depu, one of the plaintiffs, said he hoped the lawsuit would compel Yahoo to replenish the fund and ensure that the money is properly administered. We hope Yahoo will seize this opportunity and do the right thing, said He, a democracy advocate who has written about the torture he endured during eight years of incarceration. Actually, for them, either morally or financially, this is not a difficult thing to do.

Cao Yaxue, a Chinese activist in the United States, said the money is desperately needed. A government crackdown on dissent has intensified in recent years, and even modest crowdfunding efforts in China that seek to help dissidents or their families have been quashed by the authorities.

The police often target the relatives of those jailed, forcing them out of their homes and pressuring employers to fire them. Their health and spirits broken after enduring torture, many of those released from prison struggle to survive.

Even after they are free, they need support to get on with their lives, Cao said. If we had this kind of money and it was properly managed and disbursed, we could make a huge difference.

Andrew Jacobs is a New York Times writer.
San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon declined to file charges against two police officers who killed a man in the Mission District more than two years ago, saying he found insufficient evidence supporting community advocates assertion that officers unlawfully shot the man in the back as he ran away.

The plainclothes officers said they had opened fire to protect themselves and others from a man who was acting erratically and was armed with a knife, according to a long-awaited report that Gascon released Wednesday.

The city medical examiner found that all six of the bullets that struck 21-year-old Amilcar Perez-Lopez came from the back or side. But Gascon wrote in his 25-page report that testimony from several witnesses and other evidence did not show beyond a reasonable doubt that no legal justifications existed for the (officers) actions on Feb. 26, 2015.

The bullet wounds in Perez-Lopezs back, Gascon concluded, may have been the result of Perez-Lopez quickly turning after the first officer decided to shoot. And even if that wasnt the case, the officers are justified under the law to use deadly force not just in self-defense, but in defense of others, Gascon said  if he had been running away from the officers, he still would have been running in the direction of a man he had previously been chasing.

Were not disputing that he was shot in the back, Gascon said at a news conference. What were saying is given the totality of the circumstances, that does not make it an unlawful shooting.

Advocates of Perez-Lopez called this reasoning a stretch and yet another effort to give the officers the benefit of every doubt. Arnoldo Casillas, who is representing Perez-Lopezs family in a federal civil lawsuit against the city, has said the shots to the back are proof that Perez-Lopez was running away from men who failed to identify themselves as plainclothes officers, in particular to someone who could only speak Spanish. Not realizing they were cops, he tried to scare them and keep them back with the knife before trying to flee, Casillas said.

Here, because the killers were police officers, Mr. Gascon has shied away from his duty to do justice, Casillas said. It takes courage and a true commitment to justice to take on the police. Its a shame that the district attorney would not carry out his duty to impartially apply the law.

The district attorney has been under intense pressure not only to make a decision on whether to charge the officers in this case, but also to clear a backlog of 10 additional fatal shootings by police in San Francisco. The Perez-Lopez decision was the first that Gascon has made in a fatal police shooting in almost 26 months, even though such shootings prompted a U.S. Justice Department review of the city force.

The ruling also comes as Gascon seeks to take the lead role in investigating the shootings, supplanting inspectors in the Police Department in a move designed to combat potential conflicts of interest. The district attorneys office now conducts a parallel probe, but it does not control the collection of evidence from the start.

In September, Mayor Ed Lee approved a final round of funding for a unit that would allow the district attorneys office to take the primary role.

In the Mission District case, police Officers Eric Reboli and Craig Tiffe told investigators they were forced to open fire when Perez-Lopez threatened them and another man with a knife on the 2800 block of Folsom Street. They had been responding to a radio call reporting a man chasing another man with a knife when they came across Perez-Lopez and a man identified in the report as Abraham P.

Critics of police and advocates for Perez-Lopez have been skeptical of the police account since former Police Chief Greg Suhr, in the days after the shooting, presented what they considered to be a one-sided and inaccurate story from Abraham that Perez-Lopez had been trying to steal his bicycle.

Friends of Perez-Lopez, a recent immigrant from Guatemala seeking to earn money for his family, said Abraham had been bullying the smaller man, and had possibly stolen his cell phone before the shooting. Gascon said Perez-Lopez had a cell phone in his pocket when he was killed.

What is supported by witnesses and surveillance video, prosecutors said, is that Abraham encountered Perez-Lopez inside the gated area of the home Perez-Lopez shared with several people. Just before 9:45 p.m., Perez-Lopez began chasing Abraham down the street with a large silver knife, prompting a jogger to call 911.

Officer Reboli said he and Tiffe pulled up on the two men, who had paused near a parked blue Nissan. Reboli said he had been wearing his star on his belt and announced himself as a police officer when he grabbed Abraham by his arms in case he was the man with the knife. Tiffe went to speak to Perez-Lopez, Reboli said.

A few seconds later, Officer Reboli glanced over again and saw Officer Tiffe trying to take Perez-Lopez down to the ground and Perez-Lopez violently resisting, Gascon wrote in the report. Reboli ran to assist his partner and saw a flash of a very large silver knife, and thought Officer Tiffe may have been stabbed.

Tiffe said he had his police star on his chest, hanging from a chain outside his jacket, and that he too had announced himself as a police officer. But he thought Perez-Lopez appeared to be in some type of altered state and described the look on his face as bloodlust crazed, Gascon wrote.

The medical examiner determined that Perez-Lopez had a blood alcohol content of 0.19 percent at the time of his death, more than double the states legal limit for driving.

Tiffe said Perez-Lopez had swiped at him with the knife, prompting him to draw his pistol.

Reboli said he had fired to protect himself and his partner, while Tiffe said he had fired moments later as Perez-Lopez stepped between two parked cars. Tiffe said he believed Perez-Lopez was going after Abraham with the knife.

Reboli shot Perez-Lopez five times and Tiffe shot him once. According to the medical examiners report, five of the bullets struck Perez-Lopez back to front, and one struck him from left to right. The findings were consistent with an independent autopsy conducted at the request of Perez-Lopezs family.

Charles Key Sr., a use-of-force expert retained by Gascon as part of the investigation, said it would not be unheard of if Perez-Lopez had faced Reboli when Reboli began to shoot, only to turn at the last moment and receive the shots in the back.

Reboli may have accurately recalled that Perez-Lopez was facing him when he made the decision to shoot and started the process of taking the first shot, but based on action versus reaction time, Perez-Lopez would have been able to turn 90 to 180 degrees by the time the first bullet hit him, wrote Key, a retired Baltimore police lieutenant.

In a brief statement issued Wednesday, the Police Department said, We respect the district attorneys decision and thank his office for its work on this investigation.

Public Defender Jeff Adachi, who has led several rallies calling for charges in this case, said Gascons decision was disappointing.

The fact that the district attorney endorsed a situation where a person was retreating and was shot sends a message that that kind of use of force will be tolerated, Adachi said.

Martin Halloran, president of the Police Officers Association, said in a statement that while the district attorneys decision makes it clear that the responding officers are not guilty of any crime, there is no doubt that this incident was tragic for everyone involved.

We cannot let this pain be a wedge between us, he said. Instead, it should motivate us to work together as a community to prevent future tragedies from taking place.

City officials feared angry protests in response to the decision, but as of Wednesday evening, only a small group that holds a weekly vigil outside Mission Station for Perez-Lopez had assembled.

We expected they would get off, because all of these police officers get off, but it still hurts, said protester Carol Jean Wisnieski.

Chronicle Staff Writer Michael Bodley contributed to this story.

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VivianHo
Im Dede Wilsey, a flower child, said the president of the board of trustees of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco at the start of the press briefing before the opening of The Summer of Love Experience. I actually was here in 1967, and things havent really gotten better.

This was Thursday, April 6, when we learned that American missiles had bombed Syria, which was a few hours before we learned of the terrorist attack in Stockholm. Wilsey was wearing a designer (Andrew Gn) flowered dress, real baubles (I left my hippie earrings in the country), and fresh camellias woven into her hair with rubber bands usually used for her Malteses topknots ( I never realized how much it hurt). It was an A-list interpretation of the era, and it might be questioned by worshipers in the church of Janis Joplin and Jerry Garcia. But I thought her opening statement, while having little to do with the cultural and curatorial scholarship that went into creating this show, was an honest reflection of what most people who lived through that time were thinking.

Curators Colleen Terry and Jill DAlessandro spoke about some of the 400 works in the show at the de Young as the press crowd moved through. I started taking notes, and then muttered to the man standing next to me that it seemed that taking notes wasnt in keeping with the spirit of the time. Or even listening, he said.

Poster artist Victor Moscoso and photographer Elaine Mayes, who had collaborated on what looked like a 3-D moving poster and album cover for the Steve Miller Bands Children of the Future, stood by a display that utilized blinking colored lights to demonstrate the brilliance of the concept. Fellow artist Stanley Mouse , another icon of the era, stood nearby.

Directed by Moscoso, Mayes had photographed pigeons in the Civic Center and then taken shots of people jumping off chairs. The series of photos was superimposed on each other; the end result looks like rainbow-colored silhouettes of people in flight.

Light artist Ben Van Meter watched over a projected segment of the 100-foot-long light show he designed for the Avalon Ballroom. I designed it to the music, he said, using a slide projector on a lazy Susan hed bought at Goodwill. Hes raising money for Rebirth of a Nation, a book about his work (more information at http://benvanmeter.net). Were his memories infused with whatever substances hed inhaled/ingested while working? We smoked weed, he said. You couldnt do it on acid.

While downstairs, within the show, artists were pleased to talk about their works; upstairs, there was a hubbub of excitement and music, as guests whod tied bands around their foreheads and put on glad rags theyd foraged from the backs of their closets mingled with costumed role-players  eye-lined Johnny Depp look-alikes are apparently good for a variety of occasions  pretending to be hippies.

My favorite part, said 31-year-old Sam Sheldon, is peoples outfits.

I sniffed the Wilsey Court to see if there was a whiff of marijuana, but the only thing that hit my nose was the smell of my purse, a beloved relic from the era that had taken on the aroma of its storage place in the attic.

A crowd of 80  including Danny Glover, Deborah Santana and KTVUs Dave Clark  gathered at the Museum of the African Diaspora recently for a fundraiser for Opera Noir, a nonprofit company that promotes cultural diversity in the classical arts. Artistic Director J. Rosalynn Smith-Clark says the Divas & Desserts event raised $52,500, a hearty chunk of support for the project to educate youth, support new artists and perform works by African American composers in addition to those by traditional European composers.

Looking through the Craigslist SF gig listings, Lisa Ochs discovered an ad for party helpers to lend a hand for First birthday party for daughter ... with 125 guests. The dress code is black bottom and white top (the honoree has standards to maintain with her help), and the pay is $10 an hour.

And in other employment notes, Elaine Molinari finds it interesting that although six out of 11 San Francisco supes are women, it was a man, Mark Farrell, who introduced a bill that might (by making it illegal for an employer to ask job seekers about past salaries) help women close the gap between what theyre paid and what men are paid.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @leahgarchik

Public Eavesdropping

Woman 1: I dont like movies about animals.

Woman 2: This ones really about the Holocaust.

Woman 1: Oh, thank God.
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The Giants held a moment of silence before Wednesday nights game in honor of Mirian Ortiz Cepeda  the wife of Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda  who died Wednesday morning at 62.

The cause was complications from pneumonia, Giants spokeswoman Staci Slaughter said.
Vaccination rates for California kindergartners rose to their highest levels in more than 15 years, likely due in part to increased public concern after the 2015 measles outbreak as well as a new law that makes it much more difficult for parents to opt out of immunizing their children, state officials said Wednesday.

Nearly 96 percent of children were fully vaccinated when they started kindergarten in the fall, according to a report released by the California Department of Public Health. Thats up from 93 percent in the previous school year and 90 percent in 2014-15.

Childhood vaccinations became a heated topic two years ago amid a measles outbreak that started at Disneyland and infected more than 130 people in California and dozens more in other states and countries. Infectious-disease and public-health experts warned that vaccination rates had dipped so low that communities around the state were dangerously vulnerable to outbreaks of diseases thought to be nearly eradicated.

The vaccination rate released Wednesday is a positive sign that efforts to increase awareness about the importance of immunization are working, health officials said. But there remain pockets up and down the state where children are under-immunized.

There is still work to done, said Dr. James Watt, chief of the division of communicable disease control with the state Public Health Department.

From a statewide perspective, were above the 95 percent threshold, which is an important marker of the level that you need to prevent disease transmission. But there are still places in the state where were below that level.

In response to the 2015 measles outbreak, state legislators introduced Senate Bill 277, doing away with Californias personal-belief exemptions, which allowed parents to choose not to vaccinate their children for any reason. Such exemptions had become increasing popular, peaking at almost 6 percent of all incoming kindergartners in 2013-14. The 2016-17 school year is the first for which the law took effect.

Medical exemptions, used for children who cannot be vaccinated due to problems with their immune system or other health issues, increased slightly this school year, from 0.2 percent in 2015-16 to 0.5 percent. Some children who previously had personal-belief exemptions may have been allowed medical exemptions instead, Watt said.

A big reason for the boost in vaccination rates appears to be increased efforts to work with schools and families to ensure that children are fully up to date with the wide array of shots they need to meet state requirements.

Children starting kindergarten are supposed to have at least 13 doses for nine infectious diseases. In years past, roughly 5 percent of kindergartners were conditional entrants, meaning they were missing one or more doses but allowed to start school, anyway. This school year, that rate dropped to 2 percent.

Weve definitely seen the vaccination numbers go up at Kaiser  not only the school-age kids, but also kids under 2 years of age, said Dr. Keith Fabisiak, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara.

The new state law explains part of increase, Fabisiak said, but Kaiser also initiated a program about four years ago that keeps tabs on children who are falling behind on vaccinations and contacts their parents to get them on track.

Letting people know why were doing the vaccines and what theyre for, why schools are requiring them, that all helps, Fabisiak said.

Vaccination rates vary widely from county to county, from a high of 98.5 percent in Tulare County to a low of 80.9 percent in Nevada County. In nine counties, less than 90 percent of kindergartners are fully vaccinated.

All nine Bay Area counties had vaccination rates above 90 percent. In Marin County, long known as a center of vaccine resistance among parents, kindergarten immunization rates climbed to 93.2 percent, from a low of 77.9 percent in 2011.

In that year, 15 percent of Marin County children were allowed conditional entrance, and nearly 7 percent had personal-belief exemptions.

This year, 3.1 percent were conditional entrants. Despite the new law, 1.2 percent of Marin children had personal belief exemptions; they were most likely students who were in two-year kindergarten programs and had started in 2015, state public-health officials said.

Erin Allday is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: eallday@sfchronicle.com

Vaccination study

For the full report, go to http://bit.ly/2p7GBSp. A more detailed report looking at rates for individual schools will be available later this year.
Melania Trump and the Daily Mail have settled two libel lawsuits over an article that suggested the first lady may have once worked as an escort.

The British tabloids parent company, Mail Media, apologized to Trump and agreed to pay damages over an article titled Racy photos and troubling questions about his wifes past that could derail Trump, which was published in August amid her husband Donald Trumps heated run for the White House.
WASHINGTON  White House press secretary Sean Spicer apologized Tuesday for making an inappropriate and insensitive comparison to the Holocaust in earlier comments about Syrian President Bashar Assads use of chemical weapons  remarks that drew instant rebuke from Jewish groups and critics.

Spicer told CNN he was trying to make a point about Assads use of chemical weapons and gas against his people but mistakenly made an inappropriate and insensitive reference to the Holocaust, for which there is no comparison. And for that I apologize. It was a mistake to do that.
WASHINGTON  A widely criticized weekly report publicized by President Trumps administration to showcase local police seen as uncooperative with immigration enforcement was suspended Tuesday after the administration acknowledged the report contained flawed data.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement identified computer coding problems and mix-ups where jurisdictions were incorrectly placed on the report, said David Lapan, spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Several local law enforcement agencies had complained that information in the reports was inaccurate and unfairly targeted them  including some jurisdictions supportive of Trumps immigration enforcement efforts.

The administration started publishing the report weekly last month after Trump issued an executive order meant to encourage local police to help federal immigration agents trying to carry out deportations.

It listed jurisdictions that had been deemed uncooperative.

In California, Kern County ended up on one of the lists. But Sheriff Donny Youngblood said targeting his law enforcement agency was wrong because federal agents have access to his countys jail and its data.

Being placed on the federal list prompted calls from angry residents of the largely conservative area, Youngblood said. So he complained to federal immigration officials.

I explained to them this can be devastating for an elected official when you have to refute this, Youngblood said.

I am really pleased theyre going to stop until they get this corrected. Correct information is what people should be getting, not a rush to be first to send it out, whether it is factual or not.

Many local police and sheriffs agencies across the U.S. have publicly proclaimed they will not cooperate with Trumps immigration crackdown.

Tension over whether U.S. local law enforcement agencies should assist federal deportation efforts dates back years.

But it has grown significantly amid the Trump administrations efforts to boost immigration enforcement and build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Some local law enforcement agencies fear immigrants will not report crime or trust officers if they believe local police will help get them deported.

Others have said immigrants who commit crimes must be released from jail once they serve their sentences, and wont keep them in custody longer for immigration agents to pick them up.

In Minnesotas Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, Sheriff Rich Stanek said the report was riddled with inaccuracies.

The errors, Stanek said, included a report entry that suggested two inmates in the county were not picked up for deportation by federal immigration officials, when in fact they were.

County officials call immigration agents when they learn inmates that could be of interest to the agents are being released, he said.

But the jail cannot keep holding inmates for the agents without criminal charges or a detention order from a court.
Eight p.m. Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio. Dad is in bed after working all day. Mom, also exhausted, falls asleep on the couch. Even though they've had dinner earlier, the 8-year-old son and his 4-year-old sister are hungry  for McDonald's.

But instead of the waking up his parents, the boy decides this is a problem he can handle by himself.

East Palestine Police Officer Jacob Koehler told FOX 8 News what happened next:

The boy seated his sister in the back of the father's work van before he got behind the wheel. He drove about a mile from his house, through four intersections and over railroad tracks. The trip required several right-hand turns and one left-hand turn.

Witnesses in other vehicles spotted the underage driver and called police. They reported he obeyed traffic rules, stopped at red lights, adhered to the speed limit and didn't sideswipe a single garbage can.

After reaching the drive-thru at the fast-food restaurant, the boy paid for the cheeseburgers with money from his piggy bank. The McDonald's workers thought the kid's parents were pranking them.

"The workers thought that the parents were in the back, but obviously they weren't," Koehler told the Weirton Daily Times.

Police arrived, but not before the children got to eat a cheeseburger and chicken nuggets. Meanwhile, the kids were spotted by a family friend who notified their grandparents, who drove to the restaurant to take them home.

How did an 8-year-old learn to drive?, Officer Koehler wanted to know. YouTube videos, the boy responded.

Apparently he was tall enough to reach the pedals.
A Hercules doctor who misled the IRS from collecting millions of dollars in owed taxes was sentenced in San Francisco Tuesday to 37 months in prison and ordered to pay $5.4 million in restitution, federal prosecutors said.

Napa resident Dr. John Compagno, 70, a physician specializing in pathology, had pleaded guilty December 14, 2016, to one count of income tax evasion, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California.
WHEATON - Republican Peter Roskam (IL-06)'s first bid for Congress in 2006 was the toughest Democrat challenge he's encountered thus far. But because the 6th CD went for Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump last November, Democrats are counting the district as a possible pickup in 2018.

Democrats are lining up to challenge Roskam, Crain's Greg Hinz reported Wednesday morning:

Among those confirming that they either intend to run or are seriously considering doing so in Roskam's west suburban 6th District are Amanda Howland, a lawyer and psychologist who got 42 percent of the vote against him in 2016; Barrington Hills Planning Commission member Kelly Mazeski, a former state senate hopeful and ex-financial consultant; and Carole Cheney, who now works as district chief of staff for neighboring Congressman Bill Foster, D-Geneva.

While Roskam told Hinz he's dealt with the DCCC before, and is confident the district likes the positions he's taken on controversial issues such as repealing Obamacare and reforming the tax code, Roskam does face some dissatisfaction within the Tea Party ranks of the GOP. He faced a primary challenger in 2016 that the Tea Party preferred over Roskam - something Roskam may need to address at home before 2018 commences.

Roskam doesn't appear to be worried about the in-party consternation, though. He sounded confident with Hinz:
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A robot slightly smaller than a shopping cart rolled down a Potrero Hill sidewalk, halting at a stop sign before crossing the street. It came to another corner with a traffic light, and waited for it to turn green before proceeding along the crosswalk.

The robot and others like it are now delivering dinners to people in San Franciscos Mission and Potrero Hill neighborhoods, courtesy of a partnership between startup Marble and Yelps Eat24 food-delivery service, to test a handful of delivery robots as meal couriers.

For all the hoopla about self-driving cars and delivery drones, many experts think that small, land-based electric robots may end up being the first solution to the last-mile problem of getting goods from restaurants, stores and warehouses to homes.

That was the impetus for Marble, a 2-year-old San Francisco company whose three founders met at Carnegie Mellon University where they worked on driverless vehicles, autonomous space robots and lunar landers for various competitions.

Self-driving cars are awesome, but theyre still many years out, said Marble CEO and co-founder Matt Delaney. With (delivery robots) we can get into the world sooner and provide a big, meaningful service, here and now.

Marbles robots employ technology similar to self-driving cars: cameras, lidar (a laser form of radar), ultrasonic sensors, high-definition 3-D maps and artificial intelligence. Marble uses mobility scooters for the wheel base, since the wheelchair-like scooters already are the right size to navigate sidewalks and doorways. Chugging along at a walking speed of 3 or 4 mph, they are designed to be reliable and courteous citizens of the sidewalk, Delaney said.

Yelp Eat24, which lets users order food online from restaurants nationwide, said its working with Marble largely to keep those eateries abreast of trends. Most of its restaurants handle deliveries themselves, while some rely on Eat24 to connect them with a delivery service. Restaurants decide whether to subsidize delivery costs or tack on a charge.

We want to help our 40,000 restaurant partners understand the technologies and really cool gadgets they should look out for, said Shalin Sheth, director of delivery operations for Yelp Eat24. These are early tests. Robots becoming part of a delivery fleet in a major capacity is probably a long way off, but adding them as another piece of the smorgasbord of delivery choices will help expand the number of people you can reach.

Initially, four restaurants (Dosa, Truly Mediterranean, Aslams Rasoi and Alhamra) will offer robot deliveries, but the list will expand. The robots work from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Customers will receive a text asking if they agree to have a robot courier and can meet it outside their address. If they decline, a human will come instead. A text will give a code to unlock the robots storage compartments.

Marble, which has $4 million in initial backing, has several competitors.

Estonias Starship Technologies, founded by two of the people behind Skype, is testing its R2-D2-like robots with San Franciscos DoorDash in Redwood City and Washington, D.C.

The response has been incredibly positive, said DoorDash spokesman Eitan Bencuya. People are delighted, intrigued and want to learn more. Kids come out and try to pet them like a dog.

Like Sheth, he sees robots as complementing human couriers on foot, bikes, scooters and in cars. DoorDash is also helping its San Francisco couriers rent electric bikes at discounted rates.

Starship robots will deliver Dominos Pizza in Europe by summer. South San Francisco startup Dispatch is testing a delivery robot named Carry on the campuses of Menlo College and California State University Monterey Bay.

Although the robots operate autonomously, Marble and Starship both send humans along with them to interact with the public. Both see a future in which someone in a command center could monitor multiple robots as they make deliveries without a human chaperone.

Redwood City and Washington both passed regulations allowing sidewalk robots before Starship began its tests with DoorDash. Marbles Delaney said the company is in active discussions with San Francisco about permits, but declined to be more specific.

Rachel Gordon, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works, said Marble has not contacted her department, which regulates city sidewalks.

We will closely monitor (the Marble test) to make sure they dont block access or create hazards, she said. The transportation code regulates bikes and skateboards, but theres nothing about robots. Agencies are talking together about it now.

Bryant Walker Smith, a law professor at University of South Carolina and Stanford who studies autonomous vehicles, said he thinks ground robots could eventually be big, even if they are more of a public relations gimmick at first.

The question will be: Is it cheaper for delivery to happen by person, by robot, or some combination? he said. Right now, with many companies using independent contractors for delivery, humans are really cheap, because so many costs are externalized, either borne by the workers or by society paying for their health care. He sees that cheapness as artificial, and said that at some point, robots will be more cost-effective in some situations.

The folks at Marble, of course, see robots as the future.

Two years ago, robots that could do this task in cities was a foreign, crazy concept, Delaney said. Now its a foregone conclusion.
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Two frat boys could face felony fish theft and cruelty charges for koi- napping a beloved jumbo goldfish from a pond at UC Santa Cruz -- and reportedly barbecuing and eating it.

On a campus renowned for vegetarian devotion and counterculture values, anger over the slaying of the gentle, 15-year-old giant gold carp named Goldie was further fueled by news that the confessed thieves were Delta Omega Chi members, an off-campus fraternity that is being taped by MTV network's "Fraternity Life" reality show.

"FRAT Bastards" screamed a headline atop Wednesday's edition of the alternative campus newspaper, Fish Rap Live! It bore a cartoon showing a fraternity kegger/barbecue at the campus koi pond with a frat brother biting into a wide-eyed koi as others are passed out or romping in the pool while a TV camera captures the mayhem.

The furor was inflamed by reports that the fish filchers used a stolen rake to whack Goldie and then scoop her from the pond during the early-morning raid on May 20.

'SENSE OF VIOLATION'

"I've heard from both students and staff a sense of violation," said David Evan Jones, provost at the university's Porter College, where Goldie was the celebrated big fish -- 18 inches -- in a small courtyard pond.

"It's more than a fish -- it's a pet," Jones said. "So students are reacting to the loss of an animal that they've grown to know and love that was taken away and killed."

The whiskered carp was a 1995 gift from David Swanger, an education and creative writing professor. Koi have an average life span of 25 to 35 years -- and some legendary Japanese specimens span two centuries, according to koi fanciers -- so the 15-year-old Goldie was cut down in her youth.

During her life, Goldie had survived raids by raccoons and had become a favorite among students who hand-fed her treats and among kids from the campus day-care center who visited regularly.

"Poor little fish was just swimming around minding his own business," fumed Deborah Munos, an attendant at the campus entrance kiosk. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

Several saddened and angry students were drawn to the peaceful pool where dozens of ornamental carp still glide.

'SWIM WITH THE ANGELS'

"Goldie, swim with the angels," someone wrote on a cardboard memorial bearing a color sketch of the 18-inch fish propped up on the triangular pond Wednesday afternoon. "F-- MTV!" scrawled a less diplomatic scribe.

"Why would they take a fish that's been here for years just to do something crazy," said Crystal Doyal, a senior psychology major. "I'm just so mad."

MTV quickly disavowed any role in the koi caper.

"MTV had no involvement in this incident," said network spokeswoman Eileen Quast. "We didn't shoot the incident and have no plans to include it in the story line." Filming of the local frat episode ends this week and will air later in the year.

This was not the first time shenanigans with wildlife have sparked controversy during filming of MTV's "Fraternity Life" show. A University of Buffalo frat currently on the show drew a district attorney's investigation in March after on-camera frat pledges broke into the local zoo and pondered aloud about stealing an animal as a mascot before leaving empty-handed, according to the Associated Press.

TWO MALE STUDENTS

UC Santa Cruz spokeswoman Elizabeth Irwin said a campus police investigation indicated that the two male students are the only ones on the hook for the incident -- with no involvement by their fraternity. The university isn't identifying the pair because no legal action has been taken, but police reports will be referred to the district attorney for possible prosecution. A student judiciary committee could also impose punishment ranging from a written reprimand to suspension or expulsion.

"Rumor has it that the fish was cooked and eaten," said Santa Cruz County District Attorney Bob Lee, who said he hasn't received the police paperwork and couldn't confirm details of the escapade. Speaking hypothetically, he said, because the fish was valued at more than $400 -- police estimated $750 -- the men could face charges of grand theft and animal cruelty.

At the gray-blue, three-story frat house overlooking the Santa Cruz boat harbor, a young man wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with "Need Sex" and using a walker answered the door Wednesday. A TV sound boom hovered overhead, but the frat brother said he couldn't speak with the press.

MTV CONTRACT

"We're under contract with MTV, so we can't talk about anything," he said. An MTV producer appeared from behind the house to confirm the restriction and also declined to comment.

Irwin said the two students came forward Tuesday, expressed remorse for the fish fatality and paid $650 to cover the cost of a replacement koi.

But fish fans want the pair deep-fried -- especially at Porter, home to UCSC arts programs and "arty" students who embrace an "alternative" philosophy, according to residents.

"Porter is anti-MTV and anti-frat generally," said a college resident who only identified himself as Eric. "Combine the two and then steal a fish -- of course people are going to be pissed off."
The state Supreme Court agreed Wednesday to review the legality of 2013 legislation, challenged by labor unions, that eliminated a pension benefit for hundreds of thousands of state and local government employees in California.

The justices voted unanimously to grant a hearing to the unions and decide whether the law violated the rights of employees to the pension benefits that were available when they were hired.

This benefit, which lawmakers had approved in 2003, allowed employees with at least five years of service to purchase up to five years of additional credits before retiring. A worker who retired after 20 years, for example, could pay for the right to receive a pension based on 25 years of contributions.

The 2003 law did not increase costs to government employers, but it added to pensions at a time that statewide public-retirement systems faced increasing deficits, estimated at $500 billion or more in recent studies. Legislators cited those deficits in 2013 when they barred employees from buying future retirement credits.

A union of 6,000 state firefighters, supported by other state and local labor organizations, challenged the 2013 law. The unions argued that their members had a legal right to the pension benefits that were in effect when they were hired and that the state broke its contractual promise to them by eliminating those benefits.

The states high court had ruled in 1978 that California could legally reduce current employees future pensions, but only if the employees remained eligible for benefits that were substantial and reasonable when the state acted. Any cutbacks in benefits, the court said, should be accompanied by comparable new advantages.

The states First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco ruled Dec. 30 that the 2013 law satisfied that standard.

The employees are entitled only to a reasonable pension, not one providing fixed or definite benefits immune from modification or elimination, Justice Martin Jenkins said in the appellate panels 3-0 written opinion.

Because the 2003 law allowed employees to buy credits for time they had not actually worked, Jenkins said, it did not serve the usual purposes of a pension system, and lawmakers acted reasonably in repealing it.

The states high court has not yet scheduled a hearing in the case, Cal Fire Local 2881 vs. CalPERS, S239958.

This is the second pensions case the court has taken up in recent months.

In November, the court agreed to review a high-stakes case in which unions challenged a rollback of public employee pensions. That case involved legislation banning a practice known as pension spiking, boosting retirement benefits by taking steps to increase ones pay during the final years of employment. That is often done by cashing out unused vacation time, sick leave and other nonmonetary benefits.

A state appeals court had ruled in August that the law against spiking, which took effect in January 2013, could be applied to employees who were already working as well as those yet to be hired. The states high court has also not scheduled a hearing in this case.
This may shock the myriad of government employees that work at the Environmental Protection Agency, but there's a five-year plan being mulled that would lead to the agency's dissolution. It was one of many discussion topics at Heartland Institute's 12th annual climate change forum in March.

Jay H. Lehr, Ph.D. appeared on a panel titled Climate Politics and Policy at ICCC-12, held in Washington, D.C., March 23 & 24. Other panel members included Scott Armstrong, Ph.D. and the Honorable Dennis Hedke. Moderator was S.T. Karnick.

Dr. Lehr's topic: The Inefficiency of the EPA.

The EPA inflicted much harm during the Obama administration with its damaging rules and regulations. A turnaround is now taking place with the election of Donald Trump, but is the EPA really needed as a government agency? Jay H. Lehr, Ph.D. doesn't think so. He has a five-year plan to dissolve the EPA.

Jay Lehr's initial remark was to confess that a 70-year-old novel by Sinclair Lewis, Arrowsmith, had influenced the direction of his life by guiding him toward science.

How CO2 became a greenhouse gas and then a pollutant

In relation to how CO2 became a greenhouse gas and a pollutant that now drives the issue of Global Warming, Lehr noted these two event.

1. In 1895 the problem began when a Swedish scientist (Svante Arrhenius (1859-1927) decided that because CO2 had an impact on temperature, it qualified for a greenhouse gas.

2. In 1990 a UN Committee was formed for the express purpose of determining man's role in running the planet.

Not taken into consideration was how CO2 concentration was much higher in centuries past, yet this had no impact in slowing the natural occurrence of ice ages. The UN-ICC Committee proceeded to construct mathematical models that were so devised to conform to already established ICC predictions that CO2 was the cause of global warming. The ICC report that followed, and subsequent reports, continue to be viewed as consensus science by global warming advocates.

Noted by Lehr was the way Albert Einstein responded to a book published in 1931, 100 Authors Against Einstein. When asked about the book, Einstein retorted by saying Why 100 authors? If I were wrong, then one would have been enough!

As Lehr reflected, nine times more people die of cold than from heat. There are even credible scientists who believe we are facing colder weather in the coming decade.

Twenty years passed before man discovered that washing hands was important when going from the morgue to the birthing room, and 50 years for Louis Pasteur to have accepted his germ theory medical stance. Lehr hopes it doesn't take another generation of Americans to reject the messages of doom and gloom advanced by global warming alarmists. As Lehr stated, If Robert Kennedy, Jr. could have his way, all global warming deniers would be tried for war crimes."

Dr. Lehr's 5-year plan to dissolve the EPA

The main thrust of Jay Lehr's presentation was getting rid of the EPA. Also strongly recommended was withdrawal from the Paris Accords.

The concept of creating the EPA was initiated through a series of meeting that took place from 1968 - 1971. Dr. Lehr, along with 5 other individuals, was responsible for developing the concept of the EPA, which President Nixon signed into law in 1971. During the 70's seven laws were passed by the EPA that had merit, the one exception being the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act or Superfund Act, but in less than ten years the EPA had become weaponized and part of the Green Movement. As stated by Lehr: Not a single law was passed after 1980 that advanced the cause of environmental protection in the U.S.

Two years ago that Dr. Lehr presented his plan to dissolve the EPA to participants at ICCC-10 held in Las Vegas, CO. His plan, distributed to all state legislatures, called for dissolving the EPA and turning its responsibilities over to the states. But instead of receiving push back about his plan, Lehr was asked why a 5-year plan was needed to dissolve the EPA. Wouldn't one year be enough time to accomplish the task at hand?, to which Jay responded: "It was to give administration and others in the agency a chance to find other work."

EPA facts noted by Dr. Lehr:

Out of 14 separate offices within the EPA, each with its own staff and budget, only 5 deal with the environment, two belong in the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and 7 others are entirely non-scientific offices.

15,000 employees are spread between Washington D.C. and 10 regional offices and a few research centers, with a total budget allowance of $8.2 billion.

In essence, a committee would initially be formed of 6 members from each state (300 in all) to evaluate the 14 separate EPA offices as to their effectiveness. The EPA committee finding would then be submitted to Congress, and with Congressional approval, a directive would be issued to dissolve the EPA, contingent upon a two-thirds votes of all 50 states.

Complete elimination of the EPA would take five years to accomplish. Notwithstanding, at the wish of the 50 state environmental agencies, the Office of Research and Development -- one of five EPA offices actually dealing with the environment -- could be retained under the direction of the states.

EPA, a useless, bloated government agency

The existence of the EPA has only made life miserable for states. It's useless in its current form. The idea of creating the EPA had considerable merit back in 1971, which it lost after states formed their own EPA structures to deal with environmental problems. The Constitution doesn't call for the establishment of the EPA, or many entities existing within the federal government, that shift power away from the states to the federal government.

Regarding the one actual field project in recent year the USEPA was engaged in -- a waste spill near the Animus River in Colorado -- it was botched, which resulted in the pollution of the Animus River for over a month. The EPA response: "We're sorry."

Other articles by Thorner from attendance at Heartland's ICCC-12:

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2017/03/thorner-new-chapter-in-global-warming-debate-realized-at-heartlands-iccc-12.html